(57) An electrical connector (10), for mating with another electrical connector along
an axis (X), comprising a housing (16) having opposed side walls (18,20) and opposed
end walls (22), each side wall having an upper wall (24) and a lower wall (26) defining
opposed slide surfaces (28) extending in a direction (Y) substantially perpendicular
to the mating axis, and an aperture (34) in one of the side walls; a substantially
U-shaped lever (58) having a pair of arms (60) pivotally mounted on the housing and
movable between an unmated position and a mated position; a slider (30,31) positioned
adjacent each side wall, each slider having an upper edge (55) and a lower edge (50)
making a sliding engagement with the slide surfaces of the upper wall and the lower
wall, respectively, of the side walls, engaging means for engaging the other connector,
and an aperture (36) in the one slider positioned adjacent the one side wall and alignable
with the aperture in the one side wall when the lever is in the unmated position;
drive means (66,74;68,80) on each arm and each slider to slide each slider relative
to the adjacent side wall on pivoting of the lever relative to the housing between
the unmated and mated positions; a body (14) retaining electric contacts positioned
inside the housing; an end cap (86) on the body adjacent the lower walls of the side
walls of the housing; and a transport device (94) including a forked member (98) engaging
the end cap, and a resilient button (102) making a snap fit in the aligned apertures
in the one side wall and the one slider when the lever is in the unmated position.
Secures the lever (58) and the contact body (14) during transportation.
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