JPH10199624A - Electric connector assembly, and electric connector used therein - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electric connector assembly in which engagement and locking between a first connector and a second connector to be engaged with each other can be properly performed, and which can be applied to compacting, and an electric connector to be used in that. SOLUTION: An electric connector assembly 1 comprises a first connector 10, and a second connector 30 to be engaged with and connected to the first connector 10. A front wall 12 of a first housing 11 to compose the first connector 10 has a pair of key slits 17a, 17b to be positioned inside a pair of side walls 13a, 13b, and at least one locking slit 18a, 18b to be positioned between the key slits 17a, 17b. A second housing 31 to compose the second connector 30 has a pair of keys 40a, 40b to be inserted into the key slits 17a, 17b, and at least one locking protrusion 39a, 39b to be inserted into the locking slits 18a, 18b.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a first connector connected to a printed circuit board and a second connector connected to a plurality of wires, which are fitted and locked to electrically connect the printed circuit board and the wires. The present invention relates to a connected electrical connector assembly and an electrical connector used therein.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 6 shows an example of a conventional electrical connector assembly of this type. (See U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,626). The electrical connector assembly 100 includes a first electrical connector 119 connected to a plurality of electric wires 119.
A first housing in which a contact 118 is provided in a first housing 111
Connector 110 and a second connector 110 for receiving the first connector 110.
A second contact 128 that contacts the housing 121 and the first contact 118;
And the second connector 120 connected to the circuit board 130. In order to properly fit the first connector 110 and the second connector 120, a plurality of key grooves 112, 113, 114, 115 are formed at the front end of the first housing 111 of the first connector 110. On the other hand, keys 122, 123, 124, 125 inserted into the key grooves 112, 113, 114, 115 are respectively provided inside the second housing 121 of the second connector 120.
Are formed to protrude. Also, the first connector 110 and the second connector
In order to lock with the connector 120, a latch arm 116 is formed to project from both side walls of the first housing 111 constituting the first connector 110, and a shoulder formed on the second housing 121 below the latch arm 116. A rearward facing shoulder 117 is provided which engages 127.

[0003]

However, in the conventional electric connector assembly 100, the latch arm 116 and the shoulder 117 for locking the first connector 110 and the second connector 120 are provided in the first housing 111. Are formed so as to protrude from both side walls of the first connector 1.
10 becomes large, and there is a problem that it cannot respond to miniaturization.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector assembly that can properly fit and lock a first connector and a second connector, and that can be reduced in size. .

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An electrical connector assembly according to the present invention comprises a bottom wall, a front wall and a rear wall which respectively stand up from both front and rear sides of the bottom wall, and an electric connector assembly which stands up from both left and right sides of the bottom wall. A second connector receiving cavity having a pair of side walls interconnecting both ends of the front wall and the rear wall, the second connector receiving cavity being surrounded by the bottom wall, the front wall and the rear wall, and the pair of side walls. A first having a first housing having
A connector and a second connector having a second housing received in the second connector receiving cavity, wherein the front wall of the first housing constituting the first connector has a pair of side walls; A pair of key slits located on the inner side are provided, and at least one first locking means is provided between the pair of key slits, and is inserted into the second housing constituting the second connector. And a pair of keys and at least one second locking means engaging with the first locking means.

The electrical connector according to the present invention has a bottom wall,
A front wall and a rear wall standing upright from both front and rear sides of the bottom wall,
And an electrical connector comprising a housing having a pair of side walls that stand up from both left and right sides of the bottom wall and interconnect each end of the front wall and the rear wall,
The front wall of the housing is provided with a pair of key slits located inside the pair of side walls and formed downward from an upper edge of the front wall, and further provided on the front wall of the housing. And a locking means positioned between the pair of key slits.

Further, an electrical connector according to the present invention is an electrical connector comprising a housing having a pair of side walls and a plurality of partition walls provided between the side walls, wherein a key is provided on each of the pair of side walls. And a locking means is provided on at least one of the plurality of partition walls.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first connector and a second connector constituting an electrical connector assembly according to the present invention before fitting, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the first and second connectors of FIG. 1 after fitting, and FIG. Is a plan view of a first connector used in the electrical connector assembly shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a left side view of the first connector shown in FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is used in the electrical connector assembly shown in FIG. It is a bottom view of a 2nd connector.

In these figures, the electrical connector assembly 1 includes a first connector 10 and a second connector 30 fitted to the second connector 10, and the first connector 10
The bottom wall 15, the front wall 12, the rear wall 14, and the bottom wall 15 standing from both front and rear sides (left and right sides in FIG. 4) of the bottom wall 15.
A first housing 11 having a pair of side walls 13b, 13a standing upright from both left and right sides (left and right sides in FIG. 1);
A plurality (five in the present embodiment) of first contacts 20a to 202 provided on the rear wall 15 of the first housing 11.
0e, and the second connector 30 is connected to the first connector 1
And a plurality of second contacts 42a to 42e provided in the second housing 31 and fitted and connected to the first contacts 20a to 20e. ing.

A first housing 11 constituting the first connector 10 is formed by molding a resin, and has a bottom wall 15, a front wall 12 and a rear wall 14 standing from both front and rear sides of the bottom wall 15, And a pair of side walls 13b, 13a standing up from both left and right sides of the bottom wall 15 and interconnecting both ends of the front wall 12 and the rear wall 14. The bottom wall 15, the pair of side walls 13b, 13a, the front wall 12 and the rear wall 14 define a second contact receiving cavity 16 therein. Front wall 12 of first housing 11
Is located inside the pair of side walls 13a and 13b and formed downward from the upper edge 12a of the front wall 12.
A pair of key slits 17a and 17b are provided, and a pair of key slits 17 are provided on the front wall 12 of the first housing 11.
a pair of locking slits (first locking means) 18a, 18b which are located between a, 17b and are formed upward from the lower edge 12b of the front wall 12. The number of the locking slits may not be one, and at least one. Further, the first locking means may not be formed by a slit, but may be formed by a convex body protruding into the second connector receiving cavity 16 or a concave part formed in the front wall 12. Also, on each of the pair of side walls 13a, 13b,
Misfitting prevention piece fitting grooves 19a, 19 opening inwardly
b is provided. Misfitting prevention piece fitting grooves 19a, 19
b is located on the rear side (the rear wall 14 side) from the center in the front-rear direction of the housing 11 (see FIG. 3), and when the second connector 30 is fitted to the first connector 10, the second connector The 30 incorrect fitting prevention pieces 38a, 38b are fitted, and the reverse insertion is prevented. The bottom wall 15 of the first housing 11 is formed with a positioning post 22 for fixing to a substrate (not shown).

Each of the first contacts 20a to 20e constituting the first connector 10 is a post having a square cross section, and is provided on the rear wall 15 of the first housing 11 in the left-right direction of the first housing 11 (the left-right direction in FIG. 3). Direction) in a line. The first, third, and fifth first contacts 20a, 20c, and 20e from the left are located outside the first housing 11 from the contact portions with the mating contacts (second contacts) located in the second contact receiving cavity 16. The second and fourth second contacts 20b and 20d from the left
Extending outward from the first housing 11 from a contact portion with a mating contact located in the contact receiving cavity 16,
The board mounting portion is bent upward at substantially a right angle and further bent rearward to protrude outward. First from left, 2
Fourth, fifth and fifth first contacts 20a, 20
b, 20d, 20e, the substrate mounting portion is a substrate (not shown)
Bent portion 21a engaging with the side wall or the edge of the mounting hole
(Not shown), 21b, 21d, and 21e.

The second housing 31 constituting the second connector 30 is formed by molding a resin, and has a rear wall 34 and a pair of side walls raised from both left and right sides of the rear wall 34. A rear wall 34, a bottom wall 35 connected to the pair of side walls 33a, 33b. The first contacts 20 a to 20 of the first connector 10 are provided between the side walls 33 a and 33 b of the second housing 31.
e (five in the present embodiment) of the second
The contact receiving cavities 32a to 32e are provided, partition walls 37a to 37d are provided between adjacent cavities of the second contact receiving cavities 32a to 32e, and the second contact receiving cavity 3 is provided on the bottom wall 35.
First contact insertion openings 41a to 41e corresponding to each of 2a to 32e are formed (see FIG. 5). Furthermore, both side walls 33a, 33 of the second housing 31
b (below in FIG. 1), the first housing 1
A pair of keys 39a, 39b inserted into each of the one key slits 17a, 17b is formed to protrude. When the second connector 30 is fitted and connected to the first connector 10, these keys 39a and 39b
17b, the second connector 30 is connected to the first connector 1
0, and the first connector 10 and the second connector 30 are properly fitted. When the number of poles of the second contact of the second connector 30 is smaller than the number of poles of the first contact of the first connector 10 and the distance between the keys 39a and 39b is smaller than the distance between the key slits 17a and 17b, One key 39a or 39b can be inserted into one key slit 17a or 17b, while the other key 39b or 39a
Abuts on the upper edge 12a of the front wall 12 of the first housing 11 and is not inserted into the other key slit 17b or 17b.
Conversely, if the number of poles of the second contact of the second connector 30 is the first
The number of poles of the first contact of the connector 10 is larger than the number of poles of the key 39a, 39b, and the distance between the keys 39a, 39b is the key slit 17a, 17b.
When the distance is larger than the distance therebetween, the bottom wall 35 of the second housing 31 contacts the side wall 13a or 13b of the first housing 11, and the second connector 30 is not fitted and connected to the first connector 10. Therefore, when the number of poles of the second contact of the second connector 30 is different from the number of poles of the first contact of the first connector 10, the second connector 30 is not fitted and connected to the first connector 10. A pair of lock projections (second lock means) 40a, 40b inserted into the lock slits 18a, 18b of the first housing 11 are formed below the partition walls 37a, 37d of the second housing 31. ing. The number of the lock protrusions 40a and 40b may be equal to the number of the lock slits 18a and 18b,
It is not always necessary to have one pair. The second locking means may be of any shape as long as it engages with the first locking means of the first connector 10. For example, the first locking means of the first connector 10 is located in the second connector receiving cavity 16. When formed by a protruding convex body, the convex body is formed by a concave portion to be engaged, and the first locking means of the first connector 10 is formed by a concave portion formed on the front wall 12. In this case, it is formed by a convex portion that engages with the concave portion. These lock projections 40a and 40b are inserted into the locking slits 18a and 18b of the first housing 11 when the second connector 30 is fitted and connected to the first connector 10, and the upper surfaces of the lock projections 40a and 40b (FIG. 1). The inclined surfaces 40e and 40f formed on the upper surfaces of the lock slits 18a and 40f
The second housing 31 is prevented from being pulled upward (upward in FIG. 1) from the first housing 11 by abutting on the upper edge of 8b (upper edge in FIG. 1).
At this time, the keys 39a, 39
The lower end of b (the lower end in FIG. 1) is a key slit 17a,
17b abuts on the lower edge (lower edge in FIG. 1) or the bottom wall 15
When the second housing 31 is brought into contact with the first wall
Movement of the housing 11 downward (downward in FIG. 1) is restricted. When the lock projections 40a, 40b are inserted into the lock slits 18a, 18b,
Lower surfaces of lock projections 40a and 40b (lower surface in FIG. 1)
The inclined surfaces 40c and 40d formed on the first housing 1
After abutment on the upper edge 12a of the top wall 12 of the first housing 11, the front wall portion between the key slits 17a and 17b of the first housing 11 bends and the front wall 12 of the first housing 11 is
a, 40b on top and then the locking projections 4
0a and 40b are inserted into the locking slits 18a and 18b. Thus, the front wall 12 of the first housing 11
A pair of key slits 17a, 17b located inside the pair of side walls 13a, 13 and a locking slit 1 located between the pair of key slits 17a, 17b.
8a, 18b, and a pair of keys 39a, 39 inserted into the key slits 17a, 17b in the second housing 31.
b and 1 inserted into the locking slits 18a, 18b
Since the pair of lock projections 40a and 40b are provided, the first
The connector 10 and the second connector 30 are properly fitted and locked reliably, and the locking means does not protrude outside the side wall of the housing, so that the connector can be downsized. When the front wall portion between the key slits 17a and 17b of the first housing 11 bends, the locking slits 18a and 18b
Since it is provided so as to be located between 17b, the top wall portion between the key slits 17a and 17b can be easily bent. In addition, on both sides of the bottom wall 34 of the second housing 31, erroneous fitting prevention pieces 38a and 38b (see FIG. 5) protruding in the lateral direction are provided. Misfitting prevention pieces 38a, 38b
Are the erroneous fitting prevention piece fitting grooves 19a of the first housing 11,
19b. Also, at the rear ends of the second contact receiving cavities 32a to 32e of the second housing 31,
Wire holding portions 36a to 36e for holding wires (not shown) crimp-connected to second contacts 42a to 42e to be described later are provided.

Each of the second contacts 42a to 42e constituting the second connector 30 is connected to an electric wire which is pressed up from both front and rear sides of a flat plate base (not shown) and to which an electric wire is pressed.
A pair of pressure contact portions and contact portions with first contacts (20a to 20e) bent downward from both left and right sides of the flat plate base, and press-fit and fixed in the second contact receiving cavities (32a to 32e) of the second housing (31). Is done. Note that the first connector 10 may be configured to receive the second connector 30 inserted substantially horizontally with respect to the board.

[0015]

According to the electrical connector assembly according to the first aspect, a pair of key slits located inside a pair of side walls are provided on the front wall of the first housing constituting the first connector. At least one first locking means is provided between a pair of key slits, and a second housing constituting a second connector is engaged with the pair of keys inserted into the key slit and the first locking means. Since the at least one second locking means is provided, the first connector and the second connector can be properly fitted and securely locked, and further, the first and second locking means can be connected to the first and second locking means. 2. Since the connector does not protrude toward the side wall of the housing, the size of the connector can be reduced. Further, when the second locking means of the second connector engages with the first locking means of the first connector, the front wall portion between the key slits of the first housing is easily bent, so that the first connector and the second connector are not bent. Locking can be performed easily.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a pair of key slits are formed in the front wall of the housing, inside the pair of side walls and formed rearward from the upper edge of the front wall. Is provided on the front wall of the housing, and at least one locking means is provided between the pair of key slits, so that when the mating connector is fitted and connected downward from above the housing. Furthermore, not only the fitting lock with the mating connector is properly performed, but also the size of the connector can be reduced.

[0017] According to the electric connector of the third aspect, 1
A key is formed on each of the pair of side walls, and a locking means is provided on at least one of the plurality of partition walls, so that fitting and locking with a mating connector can be appropriately performed, and the size of the connector can be reduced. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first connector and a second connector of an electrical connector assembly according to the present invention before fitting.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the first and second connectors of FIG. 1 after fitting.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a first connector used in the electrical connector assembly shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a left side view of the first connector shown in FIG. 3;

5 is a plan view of a second connector used in the electrical connector assembly shown in FIG.

6A and 6B show a conventional electric connector, wherein FIG. 6A is a perspective view of a first connector and a second connector before being fitted, FIG. 6B is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line 6B-6B of FIG. C) is the second
It is a front view of a connector.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Electric connector assembly 10 First connector 11 First housing 12 Front wall 13a, 13b Side wall 14 Rear wall 15 Bottom wall 16 Second connector receiving cavity 17a, 17b Key slit 18a, 18b Lock slit (first locking means) 20a , 20b, 20c, 20d, 20e First contact 30 Second connector 31 Second housing 39a, 39b Key 40a, 40b Lock projection (second lock means) 42a, 42b, 42c, 42d, 40e Second contact

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A bottom wall, a front wall and a rear wall rising from both front and rear sides of the bottom wall, and both ends of the front wall and the rear wall rising from right and left sides of the bottom wall and interconnecting both ends of the front wall and the rear wall. A first housing having a pair of side walls, the first connector having a first housing having the bottom wall, the front and rear walls, and a second connector receiving cavity surrounded by the pair of side walls; A second connector having a second housing received in a connector receiving cavity, wherein the second connector is located on the front wall of the first housing constituting the first connector and located inside the pair of side walls. Providing a pair of key slits and providing at least one first locking means positioned between the pair of key slits; inserting the key slit into the second housing constituting the second connector; A pair of keys and the electrical connector assembly is characterized by providing at least one second locking means for engaging said first locking means to be. 2. A bottom wall, a front wall and a rear wall rising from both front and rear sides of the bottom wall, and both ends of the front wall and the rear wall rising from right and left sides of the bottom wall and interconnecting the respective ends of the front wall and the rear wall. An electrical connector comprising a housing having a pair of side walls, wherein the electrical connector is located on the front wall of the housing and is located inside the pair of side walls and downward from an upper edge of the front wall. An electrical connector comprising: a pair of key slits; and a locking means provided on the front wall of the housing between the pair of key slits. 3. An electrical connector comprising: a housing having a pair of side walls and a plurality of partition walls provided between the side walls, wherein a key is formed on each of the pair of side walls, and the plurality of the side walls are formed. An electric connector characterized in that at least one of the partition walls is provided with a locking means.