The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 03, 1998
Filed:
Nov. 25, 1996
Takeshi Okano, Kanagawa, JP;
Takeshi Matsuda, Tokyo, JP;
Victor Company of Japan, Kanagawa-ken, JP;
SMK Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A connecting apparatus which permits the connection of a connector unit (9) to a connector of external equipment (2) by the actuation of an operating lever (11) only when the external equipment (2) is placed in a mounting recess (6), whereas when no external equipment is placed in the recess (6), associated parts for moving the connector unit (9) do not respond to the actuation of the operating lever (11). Hence, movable terminals of the connector unit (9) will not be exposed to the outside even if the operating lever (11) is actuated inadvertently. The connecting apparatus is provided with a sensor mechanism for sensing the presence of the external equipment (2), and a switching mechanism operatively associated with the sensor mechanism to selectively engage the operating lever (11) with a part (12) for moving the connector unit (9) or disengage them from each other. Only when the presence of the external equipment (2) is detected, the switching mechanism engages the operating lever (11) with the part (12) to connect the connector unit (9) to the connector of the external equipment (2).