Technical Field to which the Invention Relates
The present invention relates to an electric connector and, more particularly, to a sealed electric connector.
Background Art
In the prior art, a variety of electric connectors is provided. Many of these connectors need to be handled in circumstances, where only a very limited force can be applied in order to mate and un-mate the connectors. Therefore, the forces necessary for mating and un-mating need to be limited within a certain narrow range in order to ensure convenient handling of the connector. In other cases, the connectors need to meet narrow tolerances with regard to allowable mating and un-mating forces.
One approach undertaken by manufacturers to meet these stringent requirements is to manufacture the components of the connector with high precision. Although this can be realized with modern means of manufacturing, it is often not enough to limit the forces necessary for mating and un-mating within the required narrow range.
Technical Problem to be Solved
The object of the present invention is to provide an electric connector, which can be mated and un-mated with a narrowly specified force.
Disclosure of Invention
The problem is solved by providing an electric connector configured to be mated to a mating connector in a mating direction comprising:
an actuation mechanism, the actuation mechanism being movable from a ready-to-connect position, in which the actuation mechanism is positioned to be engaged to the mating connector, to a locking position, in which the actuation mechanism is positioned to hold the mating connector,
a vent air duct, which connects an interior of the electric connector to a surrounding of the electric connector,

wherein the actuation mechanism comprises a closure device, which is movable relative to the vent air duct and which, in the locking position, is automatically moved into a closure position sealing shut the vent air duct.
According to this solution, residual air can escape from the electric connector and additional air can enter the electric connector through the vent air duct, while the vent air duct connects the interior of the electric connector to the surrounding of the electric connector. This is the case for as long as the actuation mechanism is not moved to the locking position and consequently, the closure device is not moved into the closure position. Thus, a pressure equalization between the interior of the electric connector and the surrounding of the electric connector can freely take place during the mating and un-mating process, even if all other air passages are blocked. Therefore, no pressure build-up nor vacuum can occur. If at least one other air passage should be open, the vent air duct functions as an additional air passage, which increases the flow area for the air and consequently, reduces the flow resistance of the air. In both cases, the mating force during the mating process and the un-mating force during the un-mating process is reduced, respectively. Subsequently, the automatic movement of the closure device provides for a shutting of the vent air duct, when no pressure equalization is needed or desired. Further, the automatic movement increases the operational convenience of the electric connector.
To facilitate understanding, the term "mating direction" is used and may refer to the direction in which the electric connector is configured to be moved to establish an electrical connection with the mating connector. It will be described further below.
The above solution may be further improved by adding one or more of the following optional features. Hereby, each of the following optional features is advantageous on its own, and may be combined independently with any other optional feature.
In one embodiment of the electric connector described above, the closure device may comprise a plug, which is inserted into or located in the vent air duct in the locking position. This allows for a tight and secure shutting of the vent air duct. Once inserted into the vent air duct, the plug is held securely by the vent air duct preventing any unwanted shifting of the plug, which may lead to leakage. In particular, the plug may be a pin-like, pole-like, dome-like or cone-like protrusion.
In another, alternative or additional embodiment, the closure device may comprise a flat cover, which is used to abut against or at least touch the opening of the vent air duct in the locking position. The flat cover has the advantage of being structurally more resistant than a plug, thus not breaking easily. Furthermore, the flat cover does not have to be inserted into the vent air duct, thus preventing shear and material wear in the involved components.

In yet another embodiment, the closure device may have a trajectory which extends from the ready-to-connect position to the locking position, wherein the trajectory may be linear at least in a section ending at the locking position. The linear trajectory has the advantage of allowing a simple and controlled movement of the components, which is less vulnerable to misalignment or manufacturing tolerances. In case of a plug closure device, the linear trajectory has the advantage of preventing excessive shearing during the insertion of the plug into the vent air duct. The plug is inserted straight into the vent air duct. This contributes to minimizing the material wear and further reduces the mating and un-mating forces. The trajectory may also be parallel or coaxial at least to the end section of the vent air duct, preferably to the end section of the vent air duct facing the closure device.
Alternatively, an arcuate trajectory, extending from the ready-to-connect position to the locking position, may be implemented along a circular path. The vent air duct on one side and any protrusions of the closure device on the other side may be curved along a corresponding trajectory. The arcuate trajectory has the advantage that it can be configured to dodge potential obstacles. This is useful for applications in narrow spaces or with limited freedom of movability. Further, this embodiment may be used, if the actuation mechanism offers an arcuate motion, to which the motion of the closure device may be coupled.
In another embodiment of the electric connector described above, the electric connector may comprise a housing and a sealing ring. The housing may consist of at least one part and may at least partly enclose the electric connector. The sealing ring may be arranged between the closure device in the locking position and the housing, preferably within the vent air duct. Such a sealing ring has the advantage of further improving the sealing performance of the closure device, when shutting the vent air duct. More particularly, the sealing ring may be sleeve-like with ribs extending around the circumference protruding radially outward on the outside and/or with ribs extending around the circumference protruding radially inwards on the inside. The use of ribs establishes a seal contact with any abutting component, while only involving a small surface in the abutment. This leads to less friction when the seal contact is established.
The radially outer ribs may be inclined towards the opening of the vent air duct, through which the closure device is inserted, in order to provide additional stability to the sealing ring. Furthermore, ribs may extend around the outer and/or inner circumference on the outside of the plug closure device.
In another embodiment, the sealing ring may be inserted into the vent air duct and located in a widened section of the vent air duct, more specifically, in a widened end section of the vent air

duct. Furthermore, the sealing ring may abut against a narrowed part of the vent air duct adjacent to the widened section of the vent air duct. This constellation has the overall advantage of predefining a fixed position for the sealing ring, in which the sealing ring can be held securely. Furthermore, the predefinition of a fixed position for the sealing ring allows the assembling process during manufacturing to take place according to a building block concept, which greatly facilitates the manufacturing process of the electric connector.
Alternatively, the sealing ring may be held between two narrowed parts at both ends of the widened section, wherein at least one narrowed part may be formed by a wall section of the housing of the connector. The remaining at least one narrowed part may be formed by a section of the vent air duct with a smaller diameter. Thus, the sealing ring can be held securely from two sides.
In another embodiment of the electric connector described above, the actuation mechanism may comprise a lever and a slide, the lever and the slide being connected by a transmission device, the transmission device being configured to translate a movement, preferably a rotational movement, of the lever to a movement, preferably a linear movement, of the slide. The use of a lever and a transmission device allows for further reduction of the mating force and un-mating force through the utilization of the lever principle and/or the transmission principle. In particular, the transmission device may comprise a gear assembly, for example a pinion and a rack, the pinion being preferably positioned on the lever and the rack being preferably positioned on the slide. In this embodiment, the closure device may be arranged on one of the lever and the slide.
In another embodiment, the actuation mechanism may comprise a Connector Position Assurance (CPA) as an integrated or separate part. The closure device may be arranged on the CPA.
The slide may further comprise at least one guiding groove, which is adapted to receive a matching sliding block of the mating connector. Preferably, the slide may be guided linearly in a direction perpendicular to the mating direction. The use of a guiding groove ensures that the mating force and un-mating force are applied exactly and the relative motion between the electric connector and the mating connector is kept within tight tolerances, which contributes to an efficient use of the mating force and un-mating force and prevents unwanted wedging of the electric connector and the mating connector.
In another embodiment of the electric connector described above, a distal end of the vent air duct may open beyond a connector faceplate of the electric connector, the distal end of the vent

air duct being located opposite a proximal end of the vent air duct, the proximal end of the vent air duct facing the closure device. The placement of the distal end of the vent air duct beyond the connector faceplate prevents residual air to be trapped behind the connector faceplate, i.e. in the space between the electric connector and the mating connector.
The connector faceplate may accommodate at least one electric contact reaching through the connector faceplate. The distal end of the vent air duct may face in the mating direction, the mating direction being the direction normal to the connector faceplate and pointing away from the housing. Subsequently, the distal end of the vent air duct may face the mating connector, if the electric connector and the mating connector are plugged. The connector faceplate may be an integral part of the housing. More particularly, the connector faceplate may be molded as a single piece with the housing.
In another embodiment of the electric connector described above, the electric connector may comprise a sealed interior. More particularly, the electric connector may be a sealed connector having a sealed interior and/or providing a sealed connection with a correspondingly sealed mating connector. Configuring the electric connector as a sealed connector prevents unwanted gaseous and/or liquid contamination from reaching the interior of the connector itself or the electrical device, of which the connector is a part. This makes the connector suitable for harsh environments. In case of a sealed connector, the vent air duct plays an especially important role, as it represents the only air passage, through which the pressure equalization can take place.
In another embodiment of the electric connector described above, the vent air duct may be at least in parts formed as separate parts. The separation may be configured at the transition between the narrowed parts of the vent air duct and the widened section of the vent air duct in such a way that it allows for an easier placement of the sealing ring, if the sealing ring is to be held between two narrowed parts at both ends of the widened section of the vent air duct. For example, at least one narrowed part of the vent air duct may be provided firstly, and then the sealing ring may be positioned, followed by at least one other narrowed part of the vent air duct, which can be placed to hold the sealing ring between the two narrowed parts. Thus, the assembly process is facilitated, as the sealing ring does not have to be squished through any of the narrowed parts in order to be placed in between them.
In another embodiment of the electric connector described above, the housing may comprise a wall section at the end of the vent air duct facing the closure device. The wall section may comprise a corresponding opening that may overlap with the opening of the vent air duct. The

wall section may be spaced apart from the opening of the vent air duct at its proximal end. This configuration has the advantage that the wall section can be placed independently from the vent air duct and used for holding the sealing ring at least from one side in the predefined fixed position. This facilitates the assembly process.
In another embodiment of the electric connector described above, the electric connector may comprise a back plate arranged to face the connector faceplate in the mating direction. Subsequently, the back plate may face away from the mating connector, if the electric connector and the mating connector are plugged. The main function of the back plate is to hold the sealing ring via the widened end section of the vent air duct and to guide the at least one electric contact into the connector faceplate and/or housing. In this embodiment, the vent air duct may extend through the back plate.
In another embodiment, at least one sealing element may be arranged between the back plate and the connector faceplate. In particular, the at least one sealing element may be a sealing plate and/or sealing band. The sealing element provides for an improvement of the sealing performance of the electric connector, preventing unwanted gaseous and/or liquid contamination from reaching the interior of the connector itself or the electrical device, of which the connector is a part.
In another embodiment, the vent air duct is at least in sections formed integrally by the back plate and/or the seal element. Forming the vent air duct integrally by the back plate and/or the seal element reduces the number of components and thus contributes to a facilitation of the manufacturing process of the electric connector.
Alternatively, the vent air duct may be formed by a separate tube-like part inserted into the connector faceplate. The use of a tube-like part allows the path of the vent air duct to be designed flexibly. Furthermore, a tube-like part may be installed post hoc as a vent air duct on preexisting conventional electric connectors, which do not have an integrated vent air duct. This broadens the applicability of the present invention.
In another embodiment, a drain duct may be provided, wherein the drain duct may extend from an end section of the vent air duct, in particular at the proximal end, to a surrounding of the electric connector. The drain duct functions as a continuation of the vent air duct and connects the interior of the electric connector to the surrounding of the electric connector. In particular, the drain duct may have an opening which is located between the sealing ring of the vent air duct and the surrounding of the electric connector.

In the following, exemplary embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the drawings. The shown and described embodiments serve explanatory purposes only. The combination of features shown in the embodiments may be changed according to the foregoing description. For example, a feature which is not shown in an embodiment but described above may be added, if the technical effect associated with this feature is beneficial for a particular application. Vice versa, a feature shown as part of an embodiment may be omitted as described above, if the technical effect associated with this feature is not needed in a particular application.
In the drawings, elements that correspond to each other with respect to function and/or structure have been provided with the same reference numeral.
In the drawings,
Fig. 1 shows a schematic rendition of a perspective view of the electric connector according to one possible embodiment of the present disclosure;
Fig. 2 shows a schematic rendition of a sectional side view of the electric connector of Fig. 1, the electric connector being in a ready-to-connect position;
Fig. 3 shows a partially enlarged schematic view of the dotted box of Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 shows a schematic rendition of a sectional side view of the electric connector of Fig. 1, the electric connector being in a partially mated position;
Fig. 5 shows a partially enlarged schematic view of the dotted box of Fig. 4;
Fig. 6 shows a schematic rendition of another sectional side view of the electric connector of Fig. 1, the electric connector being in a partially mated position;
Fig. 7 shows a schematic rendition of a sectional side view of the electric connector of Fig. 1, the electric connector being in a locking position;
Fig. 8 shows a partially enlarged schematic view of the dotted box of Fig. 7;
Fig. 9 shows a schematic rendition of another sectional side view of the electric connector of Fig. 1, the electric connector being in a locking position; and
Fig. 10 shows a schematic rendition of a sectional side view of an alternative embodiment of the vent air duct.

First, the structure of the electric connector 1 is explained with reference to the exemplary embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 9.
Fig. 1 shows a stereoscopic view of the electric connector 1 according to the present disclosure, the electric connector 1 being positioned relatively to a mating connector 2 in such a way that it aligns with the mating connector 2 in a mating direction 4. The electric connector 1 is shown as a male connector, while the mating connector 2 is shown as a female connector. Of course, this allocation can be reversed.
The electric connector 1 comprises a movable actuation mechanism 6, which is movable between the ready-to-connect position 8, in which the actuation mechanism 6 is positioned to be engaged to the mating connector 2, to a locking position 10, in which the actuation mechanism 6 is positioned to hold the mating connector 2. The actuation mechanism 6 is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in the ready-to-connect position 8. The locking position 10 of the actuation mechanism 6 is shown in Figs. 7 and 9 and will be described below.
With reference to Fig. 2, the electric connector 1 further comprises a vent air duct 14, wherein the vent air duct 14 has an opening 12 and connects an interior 16 of the electric connector 1 to a surrounding 18 of the electric connector 1.
The actuation mechanism 6 comprises a closure device 20 which is movable relative to the vent air duct 14 and which in the locking position 10 is automatically moved into a closure position 22 shown in Fig. 8. An exemplary direction of the automatic movement is indicated by arrows 24.
The opening 12 of the vent air duct 14 allows or at least assists residual air 26 to escape from the electric connector 1 and additional air 28 to enter the electric connector 1. In particular, residual air 26 may escape from the electric connector 1 during a mating process, while additional air 28 may enter the electric connector 1 during an un-mating process. An exemplary direction of the movement of the electric connector 1 during the mating process is indicated by arrows 30. An exemplary direction of the movement of the electric connector 1 during the un-mating process is indicated by arrows 32. Exemplary directions of the forces acting during mating and un-mating are indicated by arrows 34 and 36, respectively.
As shown in the exemplary embodiment of Figs. 1 to 3, the closure device 20 may comprise a support or base 37, which protrudes e.g. obliquely from the actuation mechanism 6 towards the vent air duct 14. The support or base 37 holds a pin-like plug 38. The plug 38 points towards an end section 44 of the vent air duct 14 and is inserted into the end section 44 of the vent air duct 14 in the closure position 22. For a differently built connector, a pin-like plug may directly

protrude from the actuation mechanism and point towards a vent air duct, which is positioned accordingly at a lower position. In another embodiment, the plug 38 may be replaced by or be provided additionally with a substantially planar cover, which spans a plane perpendicular to the direction 24, in which the closure device 20 is moved.
The closure device 20 preferably has an entirely linear trajectory 42, which extends from the ready-to-connect position 8 to the locking position 10. In the shown exemplary embodiment, the plug 38 moves along a path which is entirely coaxial to the end section 44 of the vent air duct 14. Subsequently, the plug 38 is inserted coaxially into the end section 44 of the vent air duct 14. As an alternative, the trajectory 42 is linear only at a section ending in the locking position.
The exemplary embodiment of Figs. 1 to 4 further shows a housing 50 of the electric connector 1. The housing 50 consists of a top cover 50a and side walls 50b, in particular. The top cover 50a is configured to enclose the side of the electric connector 1, which is facing away from the mating connector 2 and against the mating direction 4. The lateral sides of the top cover 50a are configured to hold at least a part of the actuation mechanism 6. The side walls 50b are configured to enclose the sides of the electric connector 1, which are facing in a direction perpendicular to the mating direction 4. The side walls 50b comprise two parallel receptacles 51, which are configured to receive at least another part of the actuation mechanism 6, which is not held by the lateral sides of the top cover 50a.
In particular, Figs. 5 and 8 further show a sealing ring 52, which is realized as a sleeve-like sealing ring 54. The sleeve-like sealing ring 54 comprises ribs 56 extending around the circumference protruding radially outward on the outside and ribs 58 extending around the circumference protruding radially inwards on the inside. The sleeve-like sealing ring 54 is inserted into the vent air duct 14. More particularly, the sleeve-like sealing ring 54 is inserted into a widened end section 64 of the vent air duct 14 and abuts against a narrow part 66, which is formed by a section of the vent air duct 14 with a diameter smaller than the widened end section 64. On the opposite side, the sleeve-like sealing ring 54 is held by a wall section 70 of the housing 50. The wall section 70 has an opening 71, which is substantially concentric with the opening 12 of the vent air duct 14 and has a diameter at least as large as the diameter of the plug 38.
As can be seen from Fig. 8, the sleeve-like sealing ring 54 is arranged between the closure device 20 in the closure position 22 and the housing 50. More particularly, the sleeve-like sealing ring 54 is arranged between the plug 38 in the closure position 22 and the side walls 50b of the housing 50.

In the exemplary embodiment of Figs. 1 and 6, the actuation mechanism 6 further comprises a lever 72, a slide 77 and a transmission device 80. The lever 72 is substantially U-shaped and comprises two cantilever arms 73, which are laterally connected by a handlebar 74. The ends 75 of the cantilever arms 73, which are distal to the handlebar 74, are connected to the lateral sides of the top cover 50a through a pivotable hinge 76. Subsequently, the lever 72 can perform a rotational movement 81.
The slide 77 is also substantially U-shaped and comprises two parallel rails 78, which are laterally connected by a rung 79. The parallel rails 78 are configured to slide inside of the parallel receptacles 51 of the side walls 50b. Subsequently, the slide 77 can perform a linear movement 82.
The transmission device 80 is configured to translate the rotational movement 81 of the lever 72 to the linear movement 82 of the slide 77, and vice versa. More particularly, the transmission device 80 is a gear assembly 83 comprising a pinion 84 and a rack 86. The pinion 84 and the rack 86 are engaged into each other, while the pinion 84 is positioned on the lever 72 and the rack 86 is positioned on the slide 77.
With reference to Fig. 6, it is shown that the parallel rails 78 of the slide 77 comprise a plurality of guiding grooves 88 and the mating connector 2 comprises a multitude of matching sliding blocks 90, formed by cylindrical protrusions on the outer surface 91 of the mating connector 2. In particular, the guiding grooves 88 have a substantially curved shape and an end section 89 running in a direction perpendicular to the mating direction 4. The guiding grooves 88 are adapted to receive the corresponding sliding blocks 90. Through the curved shape of the guiding grooves 88, the linear movement 82 of the slide 77 is translated into the movement 30 of the electric connector 1 during the mating process and into the movement 32 of the electric connector 1 during the un-mating process, respectively.
With reference to Fig. 2, it is shown that the vent air duct 14 has a distal end 94 and a proximal end 98. The distal end 94 opens beyond a connector faceplate 96 of the electric connector 1, while the proximal end 98 faces the closure device 20. In the shown exemplary embodiment, the distal end 94 and the proximal end 98 are oriented orthogonally to each other. The distal end 94 and the proximal end 98 may of course be arranged in any other angular arrangement depending on the application. As shown exemplarily in Fig. 10, the entire vent air duct 14 may also be straight. It may extend in the mating direction 4.
The connector faceplate 96 is substantially planar, extends perpendicularly to the mating direction 4 and accommodates a multitude of electric contacts (not shown), which reach through

the connector faceplate 96 and are configured to be engaged with electric contacts (not shown) of the mating connector 2. In the shown exemplary embodiment, the connector faceplate 96 is held in position by the side walls 50b. The connector faceplate 96 may also be an integral part of the side walls 50b or the housing 50, e.g. molded as a single piece.
As shown in Fig. 2, the electric connector 1 further comprises a back plate 116. The back plate 116 also has a substantially flat shape, extends perpendicularly to the mating direction 4 and is arranged to lay flatly on the connector faceplate 96, while holding the sealing ring 52 and guiding the electric contacts into the connector faceplate 96.
As shown in Fig. 4, the electric connector 1 comprises two sealing elements 118, a sealing plate 120 and a sealing band 122, in particular. The sealing plate 120 is a substantially flat sealing element 118, while the sealing band 122 is a frame-shaped sealing element 118. The sealing plate 120 is positioned between the connector faceplate 96 and the back plate 116 in order to create a seal contact. The sealing band 122 is positioned between the side walls 50b and the connector faceplate 96 in order to create a seal contact. More specifically, the sealing band 122 is positioned on the circumferential outskirt of the connector faceplate 96. This renders the interior 16 of the electric connector 1 a sealed interior 106 and the electric connector 1 itself a sealed connector 108, when the electric connector 1 and the mating connector 2 are plugged.
As shown in Fig. 3, the vent air duct 14 has a section 124, which is integrally formed by the back plate 116. The section 124 comprises a right-angled bend 125, which allows the distal end 94 and the proximal end 98 to be positioned orthogonally to each other. Of course, the bend 125 may be omitted or any number of bends 125 with any combination of angles may be allocated along the vent air duct 14 in accordance with the application and/or trajectory of the closure device 20.
As shown in Fig. 5, a drain duct 128 is provided, which extends from the end section 44 of the vent air duct 14, in particular at the proximal end 98, to the surrounding 18 of the electric connector 1. An opening 130 of the drain duct 128 is located between the sealing ring 52 and the surrounding 18 of the electric connector 1.
Next, the function of the electric connector 1 is explained with reference to the exemplary embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 9.
With reference to Figs. 1 to 9, an exemplary method of connecting the electric connector 1 to a mating connector 2 may comprise the steps of:

S1: providing the electric connector 1 and the mating connector 2 in a mutually unplugged state
S2: manually pivoting the lever 72 into the ready-to-connect position 8
S3: aligning the electric connector 1 and the mating connector 2 along the mating direction 4
S4: moving the electric connector 1 towards the mating connector 2 in the mating direction 4
S5: positioning the electric connector 1 to abut against the mating connector 2
S6: manually pivoting the lever 72 with the rotational movement 81 towards the locking position 10
S7: manually pivoting the lever 72 with the rotational movement 81 into the locking position 10.
Throughout steps S1 to S6, the vent air duct 14 is open, as there is a clearance between the plug 38 and the opening 12 of the vent air duct 14, due to the positioning of the slide 77 during these steps. Therefore, the vent air duct 14 connects the interior 16 of the electric connector 1 to the surrounding 18 of the electric connector 1 during the steps S1 to S6. This allows a free airflow from the inside of the electric connector 1 until right before the very last movement of the slide 77, which starts in step S7 and is described in further detail below. Simultaneously, through the above-described mechanical interaction between the lever 72, the transmission device 80, the slide 77, the guiding grooves 88 and the sliding blocks 90, the electric connector 1 performs a movement 30 towards the mating connector 2 along the mating direction 4. The movement 30 of the electric connector 1 is comparable to the movement of a piston inside of a cylinder and causes the residual air 26 to be pushed out of the electric connector 1 through the open vent air duct 14. This prevents a pressure build-up to occur inside of the electric connector 1. Without a pressure build-up, the resistance forces acting during the mating process are lower. Thus, the necessary mating force is reduced during the steps S1 to S6.
The transition from step S6 to S7 takes place in form of a continuation of the rotational movement 81 of the lever 72, which is translated into a continuation of the linear movement 82 of the slide 77, via the transmission device 80. Subsequently and automatically, the plug 38 is moved into the closure position 22. More particularly, the plug 38 is moved into the opening 12 of the vent air duct 14. Thereby, the plug 38 engages in a seal contact with the ribs 58 of the sealing ring 52 and shuts the vent air duct 14.

Although the vent air duct 14 is shut, no pressure build-up occurs within the electric connector 1 during step S7, because the electric connector 1 is not moved in the mating direction 4 anymore. This is due to the fact that in step S7 the relative movement between the guiding grooves 88 and the sliding blocks 90 only happens within the end section 89 of the guiding grooves 88, the end section 89 of the guiding grooves 88 being perpendicular to the mating direction 4. Therefore, the linear movement 82 of the slide 77 is not translated into the movement 30 of the electric connector 1. Subsequently, the electric connector 1 is not moved in mating direction 4 and does not act as a piston anymore. Thus, no pressure builds up in step S7.
Analogously, the un-mating process is conducted by reversing the steps S1 to S7. The main principle for reducing the un-mating forces is the prevention of a vacuum, by allowing additional air 28 to enter the electric connector 1 through the vent air duct 14.

We Claim:
1. Electric connector (1) configured to be mated to a mating connector (2) in a mating direction
(4), the electric connector (1) comprising
an actuation mechanism (6), the actuation mechanism (6) being movable from a ready-to-connect position (8), in which the actuation mechanism (6) is positioned to be engaged to the mating connector (2), to a locking position (10), in which the actuation mechanism (6) is positioned to hold the mating connector (2),
a vent air duct (14), which connects an interior (16) of the electric connector (1) to a surrounding (18) of the electric connector (1),
wherein the actuation mechanism (6) comprises a closure device (20), which is movable relative to the vent air duct (14) and which, in the locking position (10), is automatically moved into a closure position (22) sealing shut the vent air duct (14).
2. Electric connector (1) according to claim 1, wherein the closure device (20) comprises a plug (38), which is inserted into the vent air duct (14) in the closure position (22).
3. Electric connector (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the closure device (20) has a trajectory (42), which extends from the ready-to-connect position (8) to the locking position (10), the trajectory (42) being linear at least in a section ending at the locking position (10).
4. Electric connector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a housing (50) and a sealing ring (52), the sealing ring (52) being arranged between the closure device (20) in the closure position (22) and the housing (50).
5. Electric connector (1) according to claim 4, wherein the sealing ring (52) is inserted into the vent air duct (14).
6. Electric connector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the actuation mechanism (6) comprises a lever (72) and a slide (77), the lever (72) and the slide (77) being connected by a transmission device (80), the transmission device (80) being configured to translate a movement (81) of the lever (72) to a movement (82) of the slide (77), the closure device (20) being arranged on one of the lever (72) and the slight (77).
7. Electric connector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a distal end (94) of the vent air duct (14) opens beyond a connector faceplate (96) of the electric connector (1), the distal end (94) of the vent air duct (14) being located opposite a proximal end (98) of the

vent air duct (14), the proximal end (98) of the vent air duct (14) facing the closure device (20).
8. Electric connector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the electric connector (1) comprises a sealed interior (106).
9. Electric connector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the vent air duct (14) is at least in parts formed as separate parts.
10. Electric connector (1) according to claim 9, wherein the housing (50) comprises a wall section (70) at an end section (44) of the vent air duct (14) facing the closure device (20).
11. Electric connector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the electric connector (1) comprises a back plate (116) arranged to face the connector faceplate (96) in the mating direction (4), wherein the vent air duct (14) extends through the back plate (116).
12. Electric connector (1) according to claim 11, wherein a sealing plate (120) is arranged between the back plate (116) and the connector faceplate (96).
13. Electric connector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the vent air duct (14) is at least in sections (124) formed integrally by the back plate (116).
14. Electric connector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein a drain duct (128) is provided, the drain duct (128) extending from the end section (44) of the vent air duct (14) to the surrounding (18) of the electric connector (1).
15. Electric connector (1) according to claim 14, wherein the drain duct (128) has an opening (130) which is located between the sealing ring (52) of the vent air duct (14) and the surrounding (18) of the electric connector (1).