Plug connector ejector mechanism with integrated return action

[0001] This application claims priority from prior U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/636,833, filed Dec. 16, 2004, and 60/666,790, filed Mar. 31, 2005.

[0002] The present invention is directed generally to small size connectors and to shielded housings that enclose such connectors, and more particularly toward plug connectors that are received within such housings and which mate with such small size connectors.

[0003] High speed data transfer systems require electrical connectors in which the electrical impedance can be controlled in order to maintain the required data transfer rate of the electrical system. Low profile connectors, such as those used in SFP (Small Form Factor Pluggable) applications are desired in electronic devices in which space is a premium and thus it is difficult to guide the opposing mating plug connectors into contact with such connectors. The plug connector typically includes a circuit card that has a projecting edge that is received within a card opening in the SFP connector. Shielding cages are typically utilized with such connectors to control the emission of electromagnetic interference. These cages often serve as a secondary housing for the connector in that they will substantially enclose the connectors. The small size of the SFP style connectors makes it difficult for ensuring that the opposing mating connectors mate properly with the SFP connectors.

[0004] It is further difficult with these small sizes to ensure that the shield housing is of a size sufficiently large to permit solder reflow processing of the connector without bridging occurring between the connector contacts and the shield housing.

[0005] The small size of the circuit board connectors makes it further difficult to provide an opposing mating connector of the plug type that secures engages the shield housing surrounding the circuit board connector.

[0006] It is desirable given the small size of the these circuit board connectors, that mating plug connectors include a means to engage, or latch with the circuit board connectors and also that the plug connector have a means for delatching themselves from the circuit board connectors. Such a delatching means should have incorporated therewith some means for returning the delatching mechanism of the plug connector to an original (or latched) condition.

[0007] The present invention is therefore directed to an improved plug connector for use with SFP connectors of reduced size that overcomes the aforementioned shortcomings and which provides for engaging the plug connector to a shielded housing associated with and encompassing the SFP connector, as well as a means for delatching or disengaging the plug connector from the SFP connector.

[0008] The present invention is therefore directed to an improved plug connector for use with SFP connectors of reduced size that overcomes the aforementioned shortcomings and which provides a engaging the plug connector to a shielded housing associated with and encompassing the SFP connector, as well as a means for delatching or disengaging the plug connector from the SFP connector and further incorporating a means to return the latch of the lug connector back to its initial position.

[0009] Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a surface mount style connector for mounting on a circuit board, the connector having a plurality of conductive terminals supported therein in spaced apart order, and a conductive outer shielding cage or housing that encompasses the connector and controls electromagnetic interference emission therefrom.

[0010] A further object of the present invention is to provide a shield housing for use with a right angle, low profile surface mount connector for use in high speed applications in which the shield housing has one or more guides formed therewith which extend from the shield housing and which are received within a corresponding opposing recess formed in the opposing mating connector.

[0011] A still further object of the present invention is to provide a shielded housing for use with a surface mount connector that guides an opposing connector into place with the connector and which may be manufactured inexpensively and having a reduced size so as not to enlarge the size of the overall connector system it is used with.

[0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide a shielded housing for use with SFP-style connectors in which the shielded housing includes a diecast hollow base and a sheet metal cover member, the cover member having an entrance portion associated that engages a forward portion of the base, the base including two sidewalls spaced apart from each other and extending rearwardly from the entrance portion, each of the sidewalls including a projecting guide rail formed therein, the two guide rails being received within corresponding recesses formed on the opposing mating connector and collectively cooperating to guide the opposing mating connector into engagement with the SFP connector enclosed by the shield housing and the cover member further including one or more engagement tabs that extend away from the cover in a direction to engage portions of the plug connector, when the plug connector is inserted in the guide frame.

[0013] Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a shielded housing with a connector guide system incorporated therein and which has a shape that permits multiple housings to be spaced close to each other.

[0014] A further object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism for delatching the plug connector from its mated condition with any of the aforementioned shielded housings, the plug connector having a housing and an actuator moveably mounted thereon, the actuator including a handle portion and at least one actuating portion that is disposed on the free end of a latch arm that extends lengthwise through the plug connector, the actuating portion being moveable between first and second operative positions which correspond to respective latched and unlatched conditions of the plug connector.

[0015] Still an additional object of the present invention is to provide a delatching or ejector system for a reduced size plug connector, the plug connector having a housing, a circuit card extending forwardly out of the housing, the plug connector mating with a small connector that is mounted on a circuit board and which is enclosed by a covering structure having one or more engagement tabs that engage the plug connector when it is mated with the connector, and a delatching assembly at least partially disposed within the housing, the latching assembly having a rear handle portion and two arms that extend forwardly from the handle portion through the connector housing, the arms terminating in free ends, and each of the free ends including a cam portion that is aligned to selectively contact a corresponding engagement tab disposed on an opposing shielded housing to move the engagement tab out of engagement with the plug connector housing so that the plug connector may be disengaged and easily removed from the shielded housing.

[0016] Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a delatching mechanism as mentioned above in which the plug connector includes a conductive outer shell that at least partially encompasses an internal circuit card, the shell having a pair of T-shaped openings disposed therein, the actuator arm portions being aligned with these openings and at least being partially received therein, the shielded housing engagement tabs depending downwardly at an angle toward an interior space of the shielded housing, the T-shaped openings and the cam portions of the actuator arms being aligned with the engagement tabs, whereby movement of the actuator arms urges the cam portions into contact with the engagement tabs and thereby moves them out of engagement with the plug connector housing.

[0017] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a delatching mechanism of the type described above for a plug connector, where the delatching mechanism further includes a means for returning the actuator to an initial position, the return means including a pair of spring arms that extend at an angle to the arms of the actuator, the spring arms being aligned with a shoulder portion of the plug connector housing, the housing shoulder portion defining a reaction surface against which the return arms may be biased so as to apply a spring force to the actuator and return it to an initial position after it has been withdrawn.

[0018] Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a delatching mechanism of the type described above for a plug connector, where the delatching mechanism further includes a means for returning the actuator to an initial position, the return means including a pair of spring arms that extend from a center loop to the arms of the actuator, the returning means being retained to one of the housings by a post that is received in the center loop of the return means, the post providing a reaction surface against which the spring arms may be biased so as to provide a spring force to the actuator and return it to an initial position after it has been withdrawn.

[0019] The present invention accomplishes the aforementioned and other objects by the way of its novel and unique structure.

[0020] In one embodiment of the invention, a conductive metal housing is formed such as by die casting and the housing includes an interior hollow portion. This hollow portion fits over a SFP-style connector that is mounted to a circuit board. The housing has an opening formed at a forward portion thereof and the opening defines an entrance to the housing. One or more projections, or engagement tabs, are formed with the housing and these projections extend into the recess and into the opening of the housing to provide one or more guide members that must be received within a corresponding recess or groove formed in the exterior of the opposing mating connector.

[0021] In another embodiment of the present invention, the housing may be formed of multiple pieces. In this embodiment, a base is provided that includes at least a pair of spaced-apart side walls, each of which has a guide projection formed on an interior surface thereof. These two guides must be received within corresponding opposing grooves formed in an opposing mating connector in order for the opposing mating connector to fit into and enter the housing to mate with the SFP style connector. As such they define a keying system that ensures correct mating of the two connectors, even when the installation of the opposing mating connector is blind. The housing may further include a sheet metal cover with a rectangular, hollow entrance portion that is formed so as to mate with the forward end of the base.

[0022] In another embodiment of the invention, the shield housing is entirely formed from a sheet metal and is constructed by way of a stamping and forming process. One or more tabs are stamped out of the sheet metal and bent downwardly so as to enter the interior of the housing. These tabs must be received within a corresponding opposing recess or groove on the mating connector in order for the connector to be properly received within the shield housing.

[0023] In yet another embodiment of the invention, the receptacle housing may be formed as a one-piece or two-piece die-cast housing with means for attaching it to a circuit board by way of screws or the like. The housing preferably includes a series of posts that have mounting holes drilled therein which receive mounting screws, and the posts are arranged in a staggered fashion on the sidewalls of the housing so that the posts on the left side of a housing may fit into grooves formed on the right side of an adjacent housing. This staggering permits the housings to be placed in close spacings with each other on circuit boards.

[0024] In the latching mechanism of the present invention, the plug connector housing is provided with recesses that receive the engagement tabs of the shielded housing when the plug connector is inserted therein to mate with the SFP-style circuit board connector enclosed in the shielded housing. A delatching assembly has a handle portion that is disposed at a rear end of the plug connector housing, and two arms that extend forwardly therefrom in a spaced-apart fashion through the plug connector housing. The two latch arms are capable of lengthwise linear movement in this embodiment and move forwardly and rearwardly within the housing of the plug connector. Two free ends of the actuator arms extend forwardly from the plug connector housing into the area that is partially bounded by the conductive metal shell disposed at the forward end of the plug connector.

[0025] The two free ends of the actuator arms each preferably include a cam portion that has an upwardly angled cam surface disposed thereon and which may take the form of a solid cam block or which may be formed as a step in the free end. Openings that preferably include T-shapes are formed in the plug connector housing and the cam portions are aligned with these openings and partially reside within portions of the openings. When the actuator handle is pulled, the actuator arm free ends and cam portions are moved between first and second operative positions. In one of the two positions, the cam portions are in a rest position and in the other of the two positions, the cam portions are urged against engagement members of the shielded housing.

[0026] The shielded housing includes one or more engagement members that are preferably formed as tabs which may be stamped from the shielded housing. These engagement tabs are bent inwardly at an angle and are angled downwardly into the shielded housing interior and extend at a downward angle toward the rear of the shielded housing. These engagement members are aligned with the T-shaped openings of the plug connector and the cam portions of the latching mechanism. The engagement tabs extend into the T-shaped openings when the plug connector is fully engaged with the shielded housing and so prevent the plug connector from working free from engagement with the circuit board connector. The cam portions are moveable, in a linear fashion, within the T-shaped openings, and their angled surfaces may be moved against the engagement tabs, lifting them up and out of engagement with the plug connector housing to unlatch the plug connector from the shielded housing so that it may be removed.

[0027] The actuator arms may have incorporated therewith, a return mechanism that returns the actuator arms back to an initial position. This mechanism, in one embodiment of the invention, utilizes two return springs that are formed as spring arms which extend transversely to the lengthwise extent of the actuator arms. The free ends of these return spring arms contact a reaction surface that takes the form of a block that is disposed on an inner surface of the plug connector housing. These return spring arms provide a biasing force to the actuator and forces it to return to an initial position after it has been moved to delatch the plug connector from the shielded housing.

[0028] The return mechanism, as exemplified by another embodiment of the present invention, may incorporate a return spring, and preferably a torsional return spring. The spring may be formed with a center loop and the plug connector may have a mounting post formed on one of its upper or lower portions. The center loop of the spring engages the post, which serves not only as a reaction surface against which the spring sits, but also as a retention member that holds the spring and the actuator in place within one of the plug connector components. The spring further has two arms that extend outwardly from the center loop, each of which terminates in a free end. The free ends of the spring are coupled to the actuator arms so that the spring extends in a direction transverse to the lengthwise extent of the actuator arms.

[0029] These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be clearly understood through a consideration of the following detailed description.

[0070] FIG. 1 illustrates the environment in which the shield housings of the invention are used. The environment shown includes a planar circuit board 100, with two designated connector areas 102 defined therein, each including a plurality of conductive contact pads 104. One such area has a SFP-style connector 106 in place. This connector 106 has an insulative housing 108 and supports a plurality of conductive terminals 110. Such a connector 106 typically includes a slot 112 that is intended to receive the edge of a circuit card 114 that is mounted to an opposing mating plug-style connector 200. (FIG. 6.)

[0071] FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of a shielded housing 130 constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. As illustrated, the shielded housing 130 is preferably formed from a sheet metal blank through a suitable process, such as a stamping and forming process. In this regard, it includes a top wall 131, two side walls 132, 133, a back wall 134 and a bottom wall 135. These walls are all combined to collectively define an opening 136 that leads to a hollow interior cavity 137. The back wall 134 may include a pair of flange ends 137, which are bent over upon each of the side walls 132, 133 to secure the back wall to the housing and to seal off the rear of the internal cavity 137. The bottom wall 135 is preferably formed as only a partial bottom wall which does not extend completely back to the rear wall 134. Rather, it has a depth that is less than the depth of the entire housing to define an internal cavity 139 on the bottom of the housing 130 which may be placed over the SFP-style connector 106 with which it is used. The bottom wall 135 may have an engagement flange 140 formed at an end thereof, which is bent at an angle and which engages a corresponding opposing engagement tab 141 formed on side wall 133 to secure a framework for the entrance of the shield housing 130

[0072] As shown best in FIG. 4, the housing 130 may also include a series of flanges 150 formed along the side walls 132, 133 or back wall 134 that are bent at an angle in order to provide a flat mounting surface that opposes the top surface of the circuit board 100. These flanges 150 may include openings 151 that receive screws or bolts (not shown) for attachment to the circuit board or they may be flat for soldering to the board 100. A U-shaped EMI gasket 170 may be placed over these flanges 150 as shown in FIG. 3 to prevent EMI leakage from the sides and rear of the housing 103.

[0073] Turning to FIG. 2, in an important aspect of the present invention, the housing 130 includes a means for guiding the opposing mating connector 200 (FIG. 6) into the opening 136 and the internal cavity 139 of the housing 130. This guide means may also be referred to as a “keying” means and is shown in the first embodiment as a guide tab 160 that is formed along the front edge of the housing opening or entrance 136. Although only one such guide tab 160 is illustrated, it will be understood that additional guide tabs 162 may be formed in the top wall 131 of the housing 130. Such tabs 162 may be formed by making a U-shaped opening 161 in the top wall 131 to define the edges of the guide tab 162, and subsequently bending the guide tabs 162 down into the internal cavity 137 of the housing 130. The guide tab 160 (or tabs 162) define a positioning point for the opposing mating connector 200. The tabs 160, 162 are preferably aligned along an imaginary line that extends toward the rear of the housing 130.

[0074] An opposing plug connector 200 is illustrated in FIG. 6 and it can be seen that the connector includes a housing 202 that is attached to one or more cables 201, each of which preferably includes a plurality of wires (not shown) that are intended to connect with circuits of the circuit board 100. The plug connectors 200 will include one or more male projecting portions in the form of circuit cards 114 that are received within the circuit card slot 112 of the board connector 106. These projecting portions, as well as the rest of the front end 210 of the connector 200 are encompassed by a conductive shield 203. This shield 203 preferably includes a guide slot 205, that may be formed as either a slot 211 that separates the top portion of the shield 203 into two separate parts 212 (FIG. 7A), or as a recess, or channel, in the top portion of the plug connector shield 203, in which case, the top portion will not be divided into top separate portions. This guide slot 205, as shown in FIGS. 6 & 7, preferably extends the length of the plug connector.

[0075] Alternatively, the entire shielded housing 130 may be integrally formed as a single die cast piece, with the guide tabs 160, 162 formed as part of the casting process, rather than being stamped from the top portion of the housing 130. In such an embodiment, the guide tabs may extend for the entire depth of the connector. In all of the embodiments of the shielded housing described herein, it is desirable to have some sort of means of engaging the opposing plug connector in place within the housing. Such an engagement means is shown in the drawings as engagement tabs 175 which may be stamped from the top wall 131 of the housing 130 in the embodiments of FIGS. 7 & 8 or they may be cast along with the cover portion 602 of the embodiment of FIGS. 10-12.

[0076] FIGS. 8-8B illustrate another embodiment of a shielded housing incorporating the principles of the present invention. In this embodiment, the shielded housing 300 is formed from multiple pieces including a base portion 301 that is preferably die cast and a cover portion 302 that is preferably stamped and formed from sheet metal. The cover portion 302, as illustrated, includes an entrance portion 303 formed in a manner similar to the entrance 136 of the shield housing 130 described above. This cover portion, like the shielded housing 130 also includes an EMI gasket 305 incorporated therein, which takes the form of a metal strip that is slotted to provide a plurality of conductive spring fingers 306 that rise up into the internal cavity of the housing 130, 300 in order to contact a conductive bottom surface of the opposing plug connector, 200, 400.

[0077] The base portion 301 of the shielded housing shown in FIG. 8 includes a pair of elongated guide rails 310 that are formed on the interior surfaces 312 thereof. These rails 310 provide a means for guiding the connector 400 into place within the internal cavity of the housing 300. The opposing plug connector 400 includes a housing 401 that is attached to a cable 402 and a conductive shield 405 that extends forwardly of the plug connector housing 401. The plug connector shield 405 has grooves 408 formed in its side walls 406 that mate with the guide rails 310 of the housing base side walls. FIGS. 8A & 8B are front elevational views of the plug connector 400 and its shield housing 300, respectively, which illustrate their associated guide rails 310 and the grooves 408.

[0078] FIG. 9 illustrates another embodiment of a shielded housing 500 in which the top wall 501 of the housing 500 includes a groove 502 formed therein which extends for the depth of the housing top wall 501. A corresponding opposing plug connector 510 is provided with one or more guide tabs, or other projections 504 formed in a shield portion 505 of the connector 510 and which are aligned so as to mate with the shielded housing groove 502

[0079] FIG. 10 illustrates yet another embodiment of a shielded housing 600 constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and which is preferably die cast from a conductive material. The housing 600 includes a base 601 and a top cover portion 602. The base portion 601 includes side walls 603, 604 and each of the side walls 603, 604 includes one or more attachment posts 606 that have screw or bolt holes 608 formed therein into which a bolt or screw may be inserted in order to hold the housing to the circuit board 100. The posts 606 slightly project out from the side walls 603, 604 and thus define a slot 612 therebetween and slots 613, 614 respectively ahead of and behind the posts 606.

[0080] The posts 606 on each of the sidewalls 603, 604 are staggered in their locations so that two such housings may be placed closely together on a circuit board 100 as shown in FIG. 11. In this regard, the posts 606 on the right side wall 604 will fit in the grooves 612-614 on the left side wall 604 of the shielded housing 600. In order to accommodate an even closer spacing, the grooves 612-614 are preferably recessed, meaning that the cover portion 602 includes top edges 620 that extend slightly out to the side to create a space thereunder into which the outer sides 621 of the posts 606 may fit. This fit is shown generally in FIG. 11. The housing 600 includes guide rails formed on the interior surfaces of its two side walls in the same manner as described above.

[0081] FIG. 11 illustrates two housings 600 of the invention arranged on opposite sides of a circuit board, which is commonly referred to in the art as a “belly-to-belly” arrangement. In this instance, the mounting screws 650 extend through the holes 608 in one set of mounting posts 606 for one housing 600 and into holes in the other set of mounting posts for the other housing.

[0082] FIG. 13 illustrates the plug connector 200 with a mechanism 660 constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention that permits the user of the plug connector to disengage, eject, or otherwise delatch the plug connector from its mating engagement with the shielded housing of the board-mounted receptacle connector. As best seen in FIG. 14, this delatching mechanism 660 includes an actuator having a base, or handle portion 662 with a hole 664 for a user's finger to fit in and operate the mechanism shown. Two actuator arms 665 extend in a spaced-apart fashion forwardly from the handle portion 662 and the actuator arms 665 terminate in free ends 666. At the free ends 606, two tabs 663 extend inwardly from the actuator arms 665 to define a pair of slide surfaces 667. Each slide surface 667 includes an actuating end 668 which is illustrated as a cam block 669 having an angled cam surface 670. The cam surface 670 is angled downwardly in a direction from the actuating ends 668 to the handle 662 of the delatching mechanism 660.

[0083] As shown in FIG. 15, a portion of the delatching mechanism 660 is contained within the plug connector housing 202, specifically the actuator arms 665. The free ends 666 of the actuator arms 665 project out of the connector housing 202 and the entire assembly 660 is slidable within the connector housing 202. The delatching arm free ends 666 extend into the forward area of the plug connector and into the area between the conductive shell portions 203 of the plug connector 200. The outer shell 203 of the plug connector includes a pair of openings 680, shown as T-shaped openings that have a lateral part, or leg portion, 683 and a transverse part, or cap portion, 682. The cam portions of the actuator arms 605 are shown as solid blocks which are aligned with these openings 680.

[0084] The cap, or transverse parts, 682 of these plug connector openings 680 act as receptacles for the engagement tabs 175 of the board-mounted shielded housing as shown best in FIG. 16A-C. The ends of the engagement tabs fit into these openings 682 and they bear against bottom surfaces 690 of the openings 680, as well as against an end wall 691 thereof. This interference fit prevents the plug connector 200 from disengaging from the circuit board connector 106 and the shielded housing 130. In order to provide a means for unlatching the plug connector 200 from the shielded housing 130, the cam portions 669 are aligned with and received within the openings 680, and the typically occupy the leg part 683 of the openings 680. Movement of the delatching mechanism and the cam portions 669 will cause contact with the engagement tabs 175 and lift them out of their engagement with the plug connector shell 203.

[0085] FIGS. 16A-C illustrate the manner of operation of the delatching mechanism best. In FIG. 16A, the mechanism is in a first operative position, where the plug connector 200 is latched in engagement with the shielded housing 130. As shown, the end of the engagement tab 175 rests against the inner wall 691 of the opening 680. In FIG. 16B, the delatching mechanism has begun to be moved to its second operative position and the cam block cam surface 670 is confronting the end of the engagement tab 175. In FIG. 16C, the delatching mechanism has been pulled backward so that the cam portion 669 and its cam surface 670 have made contact with the end of the engagement tab 175, urging it upwardly within the opening 680 and out of contact with the end wall of the opening 680. In practice, the top part of the cam portion (block) preferably extends partially out of the openings 680 so that the lifting of the engagement tabs 175 of the shielded housing 130 is complete.

[0086] The handle 660 of the delatching mechanism is shown as extending along one side of the cable 202. It may be extended as shown in dashed line to the other side of the cable 202, or below as shown in FIG. 13.

[0087] An alternate embodiment is generally shown in FIG. 17 and the handle of this delatching mechanism 700 includes a solid tab that may be drawn rearwardly. In this embodiment, only one actuator arm is used having a single cam block 703 at its free end, and the shielded housing has only a single engagement tab 175 formed therewith.

[0088] FIGS. 18-24 illustrate a plug connector 800 that incorporates another embodiment of a delatching mechanism constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The plug connector 800 shown in these Figures is used to terminate a plurality of wires housed in cables 802. The cables 802 enter a housing 804, which, as illustrated, is formed from two halves, a top half 805A and a bottom half 805B. Each half 805A, 805B has a wide body portion 806 and a thin plug portion 808 that projects from the front face of the connector 804. A flexible and conductive gasket 810 may be applied to the plug portion 808 (as with the other embodiments) to provide a suitable EMI seal between the plug connector 800 and an opposing guide frame into which it fits. (FIGS. 23 and 24.)

[0089] The plug portions 808 of the plug connector 800, as shown in FIG. 23 may include a pair of slots 812 formed in their opposing sides. These slots 812 receive complementary-shaped guide rails 902 of a corresponding guide frame 900. The guide frame is U-shaped and is shown to include three walls 903 that are preferably formed from a conductive material and as such, they are preferably die cast from a metal. They cooperatively define a hollow enclosure 904 that encloses a surface mount receptacle connector 910, that is shown best in FIG. 24 as having a mating slot 914 that receives the edge of a circuit card 915 mounted in the plug connector 800. The connector 912 is mounted to the surface of a printed circuit board 913 proximate to an edge 917 of the board 913.

[0090] In order to complete the guide frame enclosure, a conductive cover 925 is preferably provided. This cover includes, as illustrated, a cover plate 926 with a pair of opposing side clips 928 that may extend down over a part of each sidewall 903 of the guide frame 900 and engage a slot 930 formed therein. A front frame portion 932 is also preferably formed as part of the cover 925 and includes two sidewalls 934 and a base wall 935 that are connected together, as at 936, with a tab 937. This front frame portion 932 forms an opening of the guide frame that receives the plug portion 808 of the plug connector 800. The base wall 935 may be slotted along one end thereof within the guide frame enclosure 904 to provide a plurality of conductive spring fingers 912 that are biased, as shown, upwardly so that they contact the bottom surface of the plug connector plug portion 808 when inserted into the guide frame 900. The cover 925 includes a pair of latch tabs 938 which are stamped into the cover and which depend into the enclosure 904 in the manner described with the other embodiments discussed above. A portion of the base wall may project and fit into a slot 918 that is formed along the edge 917 of the circuit board in front of the connector 912.

[0091] FIG. 20 illustrates the delatching mechanism 1000 that is utilized in the plug connector 800. As shown, it includes a pair of elongated arms 1002 that extend lengthwise from a rear handle portion 1003 that has a wide body with a central opening 1004 to define a pull tab structure for a user to grip with one or more fingers. Each arm 1002 terminates in a free end 1005 and each such end 1005 is folded over 90 degrees into a plane that is transverse to the length of the arms. The free ends 1005 have a delatching tab 1007 that sits in the transverse plane but may be offset and spaced apart therefrom as shown. The tabs 1007 are spaced apart from the base of the ends by a spacing S. When viewed from a side, the free ends 1005 have an S-shaped configuration.

[0092] The offset end preferably includes a ramped cam surface 1010 that is moved rearwardly against the ends of the latching tabs 938, and which, due to the rearward movement of the free ends lifts the latching tabs up and out of engagement with the openings of the plug connector plug portion 808. As shown best in FIG. 19, the arms 1002 of the delatching mechanism are held in slots or channels 1100 that are preferably formed in both of the top and bottom plug connector halves 805A, 805B.

[0093] In an important aspect of the present invention, the delatching mechanism 1000 is provided with means for retaining it to an initial position after it has been actuated to delatch, or release the plug connector 800 from a corresponding receptacle connector. This return means is best illustrated in FIGS. 19-22. It preferably includes, as shown, a pair of return springs 1050 in the form of a pair of arms 1051 that are shown as formed with the actuator arms 1002 and are stamped and formed, or otherwise bent over out of the lengthwise plane(s) in which the actuator arms 1002 extend and into their own plane that is generally transverse, or at least offset from the actuator arms 1002. The free ends 1005 preferably extend in a plane that is above and generally parallel to the horizontal plane that the plug connector circuit board 915 extends. In this manner, the return spring arms 1051 will lie in an open space underneath the plug connector top half 805A. This relationship is illustrated best in FIG. 21.

[0094] As shown, the return spring arms 1051 extend slightly rearwardly at an angle θ (FIG. 20) to impact an initial bias to the return spring arms 1051 and the overall actuator 1000. The return spring arms 1051 are shown as having free ends 1054, each of which includes a rearward extending finger 1055. These fingers 1055 are aligned with a reaction block 1075 that is formed with or otherwise disposed on the inner surface of the plug connector top half 805A. (FIGS. 21 and 22.) Preferably, the reaction block 1075 is aligned with a central longitudinal axis of the plug connector housing such that the fingers 1055 are also aligned with that axis, and further preferably lie on opposite sides thereof.

[0095] During delatching, the user pulls the finger tab 1003 rearwardly in the direction of arrow R in FIG. 18 and the return spring finger 1055 contact the reaction block 1075 and in particular, the front surface 1076 thereof. Rearward movement of the actuator causes the spring return arms to collect forwardly as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 22. The return spring arms 1051 are resilient due to their thin cross-section and their material, preferably a spring steel with high elastic properties, and they will tend to return to their original position when the user releases the actuator, thereby moving the actuator forward and the actuator arm ends back into position.

[0096] FIGS. 25 & 26 illustrate the action of the cam portions at the free ends of the actuator arms. It can be seen that movement of the actuator rearwardly will bring the cam portions into contact with the engagement tabs of the shielded housing and present a slanted surface for the engagement tabs to ride up on and out of engagement with the openings of the plug connector housing.

[0097] FIG. 27 shows diagrammatically a return spring structure that may suitable for use on a single actuator as is shown in the embodiment of FIG. 17. The actuator 700 in that embodiment has a pull tab portion 701 a recessed portion 710 that is held within the plug connector housing and a free end with a cam portions 703. A single return arm 712 is shown as stamped out of the body of the recessed portions 710 and is brought into contact with a reaction surface, shown as shoulder 740, in phantom. Operation of this embodiment occurs in the same manner as explained above.

[0098] FIGS. 28-32 illustrate an alternative embodiment of the return means used in the delatching mechanism of the present invention. As best shown in FIG. 29, this return means includes a wire spring 1150, preferably a torsional-type spring, having a center loop 1152 and a pair of spring arms 1154 as shown which extend in the lateral direction and having spaced-apart distal ends 1156. The distal ends 1156 of the spring arms 1154 are received in holes 1158 in the arms 1002 of the latching actuator 1000B as illustrated in FIG. 30. FIG. 32 shows the latching actuator mechanism with attached return means disposed in the cover half 804 of the plug connector. The arms 1002 of the latching actuator 1000B are held in slots or channels in the housing with the center loop 1152 of the return means disposed around a post 1160 extending fom the housing to the internal space of the plug connector. The post 1160 is preferably disposed on the interior upper surface of the plug connector housing. There exists an interference fit between the center loop of the return means and the post on the housing so that it will hold the delatching mechanism in place to aid in the assembly of the plug. This connection is made above the level of the circuit card contained within the plug connector and preferably above the level of the cam portions at the free ends of the actuator arms.

[0099] The spring arms 1154 of the return means extend forwardly toward the front of the plug connector in order to bias the delatching mechanism in a closed position. Rearward movement of the actuator during separation of the connectors causes the spring arms of the return means to deflect rearward and exert a return force on the actuator. Upon release of the actuator, the return means brings the actuator back to its initial position.

[0100] While the preferred embodiment of the invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims.