US Patent 10326237 Hermaphroditic electrical connection system with mating assist device

A connection system includes a first electrical connector, a second electrical connector, and a mating assist device. The first electrical connector includes a first housing that has a mating end. The second electrical connector includes a second housing that has a mating end. The second housing is a duplicate of the first housing. The mating end of the first housing is configured to mate to the mating end of the second housing during a mating operation. The mating assist device is mounted to the first housing and is configured to engage catch features protruding from an outer surface of the second housing. The mating assist device is configured to be rotated or pivoted relative to both the first and second housings to linearly pull the second electrical connector towards the first electrical connector during the mating operation via the catch features.