JP2000030805A - Connector device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve an operationality by suppressing a connector from slipping off out from a hub apparatus in relation to a connector device composed of a plurality of connectors and the hub apparatus of an electronic appliance side. SOLUTION: This connector device is composed of a plurality of connector completion bodies 32 for connecting outside; and a hub apparatus completion body 31 connected to the connector completion body 32 for connecting outside, and connected to an electronic appliance. The connector completion body 32 for connecting outside is provided with a lock member 321 capable of positioning to a connector 12 for connecting outside with pressing striding over a cable 121 connected to the connector 12 for connecting outside. The hub apparatus completion body 31 is provided with a hook completion body 311 attached to a hub apparatus 11 connected to the electronic appliance main body, and the hook completion body 311 is provided with a fixing means 321c for catching the lock member 321 when the connector for connecting outside is connected, and a release means 313 for releasing the fixing means 321c.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector device comprising a plurality of external connection connectors and a hub device connected to the electronic device main body and connecting each of the external connection connectors. The present invention relates to a connector device in which even when an unexpected external force is applied to a cable area, the external connection connectors are prevented from coming out of a hub device to improve operability as an electronic device.

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in many information processing apparatuses, when a cable connected to a peripheral device is connected to the electronic device via an external connector when the electronic device is connected to the peripheral device, the peripheral device immediately uses the cable. Many are designed to be in a state, but especially for personal computers and amusement equipment, when you want to use a keyboard, mouse, game pad, etc. simply connect to the main body of the electronic equipment and use it as a live line connection It has a structure.

Therefore, for example, in the above-mentioned personal computer and amusement equipment, the external connection connector connected to a keyboard, a mouse, a game pad, etc. is disconnected from the electronic equipment main body or a hub device connected to the electronic equipment main body in consideration of convenience in use. It is configured to be easy.

[0004]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 11 schematically illustrates a conventional connector device in which the hub device is a USB (Universal Serial Bus) hub device (hereinafter simply referred to as a hub device). It is.

In FIG. 1, a conventional connector device 1 includes a hub device 11 connected to an electronic device body (not shown) and a cable 12.
1 and four external connection connectors 12 connected to the hub device 11 in a state of being connected to peripheral devices (not shown).

[0006] In the hub device 11, a signal line connected to the jack connector 111 corresponding to each of the four external connection connectors 12 is accommodated in a single cable 112 and connected to an electronic device main body (not shown).

The external connection connector 12 is positioned with respect to the jack connector 111 by being fitted to the inner wall of the jack connector 111 at a concave step surface 12b provided on the distal end side peripheral surface of the main body portion 12a. It is configured to realize the connection between them.

Therefore, by inserting and removing the external connection connector 12 connected to the cable 121 with respect to the hub device 11 as shown by an arrow a, a peripheral device (not shown) connected to the cable 121 and the cable 112 of the hub device 11 are connected. Connection / disconnection between electronic device bodies (not shown) can be realized.

In the connector device 1, the above four external connection connectors 12 are connected to, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, a low-speed disk or the like in a personal computer, and to a digital still camera, a game pad, a joystick, or the like in an amusement device. Thus, the range of application as an electronic device can be expanded.

[0010]

However, in such a connector device 1, since the external connector 12 defined by the above-mentioned USB has only a positioning structure at the time of insertion into the jack connector 111, the external connector 12 is not used during connection. If an unexpected external force is applied to the cable area, it may easily come off, resulting in a non-contact state between the jack connector and the external connector without being noticed, for example, interrupting the game or interrupting data exchange There was a problem such as doing.

[0011]

The object of the present invention consists of a plurality of completed external connection connectors and a completed hub device which is connected to the main body of the electronic equipment and individually connects each of the completed external connection connectors. The completed connector includes a lock member that can be positioned with respect to the external connector by press-fitting over a cable connected to the external connector. The completed hub device includes a hook attached to a hub device connected to the electronic device body. The present invention is solved by a connector device including a completed body, wherein the completed hook includes means for capturing and fixing the lock member when the external connection connector is connected, and means for releasing the fixation.

When the connector device is configured so that the external connector at the time of connection can be fixed to the hub device in the area of the cable, even when an unexpected external force is applied to the cable area, the jack connector of the external connector and the hub device can be used. Can be suppressed.

Therefore, in the present invention, a conventional external connector is provided with a tongue-shaped locking member which can be fixed to the external connector only by press-fitting into the cable area, to constitute a complete external connector. A conventional hub device has a hub device in which a completed hook having a hook portion corresponding to a ratchet pawl located at the tip of the lock member at each position corresponding to the lock member is fixed by an easy means such as screwing. A completed device is formed, and the connector device is configured by the completed external connection connector and the completed hub device.

This is because even when an unexpected external force is applied to the cable area of the external connection connector connected to the jack connector, the external connection is established by the engagement between the ratchet claw of the lock member and the hook portion of the completed hook. This means that the connector does not come out of the jack connector.

Therefore, it is possible to realize a connector device capable of suppressing the interruption of work due to the disconnection of the external connection connector from the jack connector in use without adding a special processing step to the conventional external connection connector and hub device. .

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a view for explaining a configuration example of a connector device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a view for explaining a completed hook in FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the operation button of FIG. 2, FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an assembly means of a completed hook, FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a lock member in FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a method of assembling the external connection connector into a completed product, FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the state of connection in the connector device of FIG. 1 in chronological order, and FIG. 9 is a diagram of the connector device of FIG. It is a figure explaining a state in time series.

FIG. 10 is a view for explaining an application example of the connector device according to the present invention. In the drawings, the case where the present invention is applied to the connector device described with reference to FIG. 11 is used as an example. Therefore, the same symbols are given to the same target members and parts as in FIG. 11 and duplicate descriptions are omitted. I do.

That is, in FIG. 1, the connector device 3 according to the present invention comprises a completed hub device 31 and a completed external connection connector 32 according to the present invention. The completed hub device 31 includes the hub device 11 described with reference to FIG. 11 and the completed hook device 311 fixed to the hub device 11 by means of screws or the like.
Reference numeral 2 denotes the external connection connector 12 described with reference to FIG. 11 and the lock member 321 mounted on the connector 12.

Among them, the hook complete body 311 shown in the overall perspective view (a), the plan view (b), and the side view (c) in partial cross section of FIG. Body 31
The operation button 313 is mounted on the hook housing 312 in FIG. 3 and the operation button 313 in FIG. 4 will be described first for easy understanding.

For example, FIG. 3 shows the above-mentioned hook housing made of a molded resin material or the like, wherein (a) is a plan view, (b) is a side view in partial cross section, (c) is a bottom view, and (d) is a bottom view. Front view, (e)
Is a sectional front view taken along arrows a to a '.

In this case, the hook housing 312 has a plate-like main body 312a having a size in plan view exceeding the area for arranging the jack connector in the hub device 11 described with reference to FIG. A mounting piece 312c provided with a mounting hole 312b for the hub device 11 is formed to protrude from both sides in the longitudinal direction.

Then, the hub device of the main body 312a is mounted.
The jack connector 1 is mounted on the mounting surface 312 d of the device 11.
A predetermined width “b” is provided at each position corresponding to 11.₁”, Prescribed
Depth "b"_TwoThe groove 312e of "" indicates the entire width of the hook housing 312.
And the bottom surface 312 of each groove 312e
e ′, the above-mentioned groove width is substantially in the middle area on the groove center line.
"B ₁"Smaller width" b_ThreeFrom the bottom surface 312e '
Hook portion 312 consisting of a plurality of ratchet teeth protruding
f is formed.

Further, the respectively corresponding positions of the respective grooves 312e of the upper surface 312g of the body portion 312a is recessed hole 312h diameter exceeding at least the groove width "b _1" is formed, further respective recessed hole In the area of 312h, the groove 312
A long slot 312j is formed along the hook 312f and penetrates to the bottom surface 312e 'in the region symmetrical with the center of the recess on both sides of the hook 312f.

On the other hand, an operation button 313 made of a molding resin material or the like
4 (a) is a side view partially viewed in section, and FIG.
FIG. 2A is a side view of (a) viewed from a direction orthogonal to FIG. 2C, FIG. 2C is a plan view of FIG. 2B, and FIG.

The operation button 313 in this case is provided on one surface (lower surface in the figure) 313b of a disk-shaped operation button main body 313a having a size substantially corresponding to the concave hole 312h in the hook housing 312 described in FIG. A predetermined height penetrating through the long hole 312j at a position corresponding to each of the two long holes 312j in the concave hole 312h, that is, at a position symmetrical with the center of the operation button main body, so as to smoothly insert into the long hole The wall 3 of h ₁ "
13c is a chamfer 3 of a predetermined size on both sides of the free end side.
13d.

The height "h ₁ " of the wall surface 313c is:
The amount of protrusion of the completed hook body 311 from the hook housing bottom surface 312e 'described with reference to FIG.
Ratchet claw 32 of tongue-shaped lock piece 321b in 1
It is set to exceed at least the thickness including 1c,
The chamfer 313d provided on the wall surface 313c is also set to a size that covers the protruding area.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5A, the operation button main body 313 is moved by an arrow so that the wall surface 313c fits into each of the concave holes 312h of the hook housing 312 into the long hole 312j. By dropping as shown in c _{1 to} c ₄ , the hook completed body 311 in a state in which the wall surface 313c has penetrated the long hole 312j can be configured as shown in (5-2) and eventually as shown in FIG.

Accordingly, by fixing the completed hook 311 to the hub device 11 described with reference to FIG. 11 by screwing in the mounting hole 312b or the like, the required completed hub device 31 is configured as shown in FIG. can do.

In the completed hub device 31 provided with such a completed hook 311, the completed hub device can be constituted only by dropping the above-mentioned operation button 313 into the concave hole 312 h of the hook housing 312. There is an advantage that replacement and repair can be easily performed.

[0030] On the other hand, arrow A ₁ overall perspective view of FIG. 6 (a) and
Locking member 321 made of a molding resin material such as that shown exiting the front viewed in the direction view (b) and arrow A ₂ front viewed in the direction view (c), from the diameter of the cable 121 whose inner diameter is explained in FIG. 11 Sectional view C formed to be slightly smaller
Cable fixing portion 321a and the cable fixing portion 32
A tongue-shaped lock piece 321b extending from 1a to the external connector 12 described in FIG. 11 is integrally formed.

[0031] Then, the distal end of the outer surface of the tongue piece-shaped locking piece 321b (in FIG upper surface) 321b ', the outer surface 321b with the width of the tongue piece-shaped locking piece 321b "c _1" is smaller than the width "c _2" ′ Are provided.

The width "c ₁ " of the tongue-shaped lock piece 321b is slightly smaller than the width "b ₁ " of the groove 312e in the hook housing 312 described with reference to FIG. 3, and the width "c ₂ " of the ratchet pawl 321c. Is set so as to substantially correspond to the width “b ₃ ” of the hook portion 312 f of the hook housing 312, and the thickness “c ₃ ” of the tongue-shaped locking piece 321 b including the height of the ratchet claw is set to “ ₃ ”. from the mounting surface 312d of the hook housing 312 is set smaller than the distance "b _4" to the hook tip.

Further, the distance between the tongue-shaped locking piece 321b and the external connection connector 12 connected to the cable 121 when the cable 121 is fixed by the cable fixing portion 321a is the hub device completed body 31. corresponding to separation between the jack connector 111 and the groove 312e in and distance from the end face 321a of the ratchet pawl side 'of the cable fixing portion of the ratchet pawl 321c provided at the tip of the tongue piece-shaped locking piece 321b "c _4" Is set so as to be located within the area of the hook portion 312f when the external connection connector 12 to which the lock member 321 is attached is connected to the jack connector 111 of the hub device completed body 31.

Therefore, as shown in (7-1) of FIG.
The cable fixing portion 321a of the lock member 321 is indicated by an arrow d.₁
When pressed into the cable 121 as shown in FIG.
1 is attached to the cable 121, so that state
The lock member 321 is moved by an arrow d. _TwoIn the direction of
The end surface 321 on the connector side of the cable fixing portion 321a
a ′ is the end face 12 ′ of the external connection connector 12 on the cable side.
To the required external connector 3
2 as shown in (7-2) and, as shown in FIG.
Can be achieved.

In the completed external connection connector 32,
Hub device completed body 3 shown in FIG.
When the connected as shown by arrows e ₁ to 1 of the jack connector 111, the tongue-shaped locking piece 321b of the lock member 321 can be inserted into the groove 312e of the hook finished body 311 as shown by an arrow e _2.

FIG. 8 is a sectional front view (row A) of FIG. 1 showing the locked state at the time of connection as the connector device 3 when only the relevant connection area is extracted and viewed from the direction of arrow A in FIG. (8-1) is a diagram explaining in chronological order with a cross-sectional side view (column B), (8-2)
Indicates the initial state of connection, (8-3) indicates the state during connection,
Further, (8-4) shows the state after connection.

That is, in (8-1) of the figure, in the area of the groove 312e in the completed hook 311 described in FIG.
E as the completed external connection connector 32 described in FIG.
The tongue-shaped lock piece 321b constituting the connector completed body 32 is entering along with the insertion in the direction, but at this time, the ratchet claw 321c located at the tip of the tongue-shaped lock piece 321b is free. The operation button 313 of the completed hook 311 is also placed in the recess 312h of the hook housing 312 by its own weight.

When the advancing of the external connector completed body 32 and thus the tongue-shaped locking piece 321b continues, the ratchet claw 321c is brought into contact with the first ratchet teeth 312f 'of the hook portion 312f formed in the hook housing 312. However, since the hook portion 312f is fixed, the tongue-shaped lock piece 321b bends to the state shown in (A) of (8-2).

At this time, the end of the wall surface 313c of the operation button 313 is located near the both sides in the width direction on the tongue-shaped lock piece 321b as shown in (B) of (8-2). .

The ratchet pawl 321c gets over the first ratchet teeth 312f 'as shown in (A) of (8-3) when the following external connector completed body 32 and thus the tongue-shaped lock piece 321b enters. Although the above-described bending as the tongue-shaped lock piece 321b is restored, since the wall surface 313c of the operation button 313 is located on the tongue-shaped lock piece, the operation button 313 itself is lifted (8).
The state shown in FIG.

Further, when the external connector completed body 32 and the tongue-shaped locking piece 321b enter, (8-2) and (8)
After repeating the state of -3), with the operation button 313 raised (8-4), the external connector completed body 32
Insertion as is completed.

In this state, the completed external connection connector 3
The ratchet pawl 32 of the lock member 321 that constitutes 2
Since 1c is engaged with the hook portion 312f, the tongue-shaped lock piece 321b cannot escape from the hook completed body 311.

Therefore, even when an unexpected external force is applied to the external connector completed body 32 connected to the hub device completed body 31, the external connector completed body 32 is
The required connector device 3 that can suppress the removal of the connector 3 can be configured.

On the other hand, FIG. 9 illustrates the state at the time of withdrawal in a time-series manner in a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 8, where (9-1) is the state immediately before removal and (9-2) is the state during removal. (9-3) shows the state after removal.

That is, (9-1) in the figure is in the same state as (8-4) in FIG. Then, when the operation button 313 projecting from the upper surface of the completed hook device of the hub device 11 is pressed down, for example, manually, the tongue-shaped locking piece 3 is pushed through the wall surface 313c integrated with the operation button 313.
Since the 21b is depressed and bent, the engagement between the ratchet pawl 321c and the hook 312f is released, and the state shown in (9-2) is obtained.

Therefore, as shown in (9-3), removal from the completed hub device 31 as the completed external connection connector 32 can be easily realized. If there is no deviation in the fixed position of the lock member 321 with respect to the cable 121, that is, the fixed position with respect to the external connection connector 12, the position of the lock member and thus the tongue-shaped lock piece 321b with respect to the hub device completed body 31 is determined. Is constant at all times, it is clear that the hook portion 312f provided on the hook housing can have one ratchet tooth.

However, the connector device 3 according to the present invention
Then, the tongue-shaped lock piece 32 of the lock member 321 described above is used.
1b, one ratchet claw 321c is provided.
A hook portion 312 formed of a plurality of ratchet teeth provided on a hook housing 312 constituting a completed hook 311
f.

This is because, for example, the lock member 321
In other words, even in the case of the external connector complete body 32 in which the fixing position with respect to the external connector 12 is displaced, the lock member 321 and the hook housing 312 have dimensional variations. External connection connector 3 in which the hook housing 312 is attached to the hub device 11 at a shifted position.
Even in the case of 2, it means that the hook is securely locked to the completed hook 311.

Therefore, as described above, replacement and repair as the operation button 313 can be easily performed, and the assembling process of the completed external connector 32 can be easily performed without taking special consideration into the external connector. There is also an advantage that a connector device that can suppress interruption of work due to disconnection from the jack connector can be realized.

FIG. 10 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention.
(A) is a side view sectional view in which a main part of a completed hook body according to the present invention is extracted and enlarged, and (b) is a plan view of the region.

That is, in FIG. 10, the completed hook 315 in this case is such that only the concave hole 312h in the hook housing 312 described in FIG. A hook housing 316 changed to a concave hole 316a in which a linear projection 316b is formed,
The operation button 313 described in FIG. 4 includes an operation button 317 having a projection 317a slightly projecting at a position corresponding to the linear projection 315b on the one surface 313b side of the peripheral surface of the button body 313a. is there.

The linear projections 316b and the projections 31
7a, the height of the operation button 31 to the concave hole 316a.
It is set to such an extent that it can get over each other only by pushing 7.

Accordingly, at the time when the hook 316 is formed as the completed hook 315, the operation button 317 is held so as to be vertically movable with respect to the hook housing 316 using the wall surface 313c as a guide.

In the connector device provided with the completed hook body 315, there is no need to separately store and manage the hook housing 316 and the operation button 317, and the configuration as the completed hub device can be simplified. Therefore, there is an advantage that productivity can be improved.

[0055]

As described above, according to the present invention, even when an unexpected external force is applied to the cable area of the external connector at the time of connection, the external connector is prevented from coming out of the hub device and operated as an electronic device. It is possible to provide a connector device with improved operability.

In the description of the present invention, the lock member 321 is used.
Is formed so that the cable can be fixed to the cable by press-fitting the cable fixing portion 321a into the cable 121, but the inner diameter of the cable fixing portion 321a is made slightly larger than the diameter of the cable 121 to make the cable It is apparent that when molded so as not to be fixed to the hub device 11, the same effect can be obtained by connecting the external connector to the hub device 11 and then moving the lock member 321 to the hub device side.

In the description of the present invention, the hub device is a USB device.
Although the case where the hub device is based on the specification is taken as an example, it is obvious that the same effect can be obtained by applying the present invention to any hub device as long as it connects a plurality of connectors.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a connector device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a completed hook in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a hook housing of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view for explaining the operation buttons of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a view for explaining means for assembling a completed hook.

FIG. 6 is a view for explaining a lock member in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a method of assembling the external connector shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a state at the time of connection in the connector device of FIG. 1 in a time-series manner.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining a state at the time of removal with the connector device of FIG. 1 in chronological order.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an application example of the connector device according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram schematically illustrating a conventional connector device. It is.

[Description of Signs] 3 Connector device 11 (USB) hub device 12 External connection connector 12 'End face 31 (USB) hub device completed 32 External connection connector completed 111 Jack connector 121 Cable 311 Hook completed 312 Hook housing 312a Main body Part 312b Mounting hole 312c Mounting piece 312d Mounting surface 312e Groove 312e 'Bottom surface 312f Hook portion 312f' First ratchet tooth 312g Top surface 312h Concave hole 312j Long hole 313 Operation button 313a Button main body 313b Single-sided body 313c 313c 313c Hook housing 316a Concave hole 316b Linear projection 317 Operation button 317a Projection 321 Lock member 321a Cable fixing portion 321a 'End face 321b Tongue-shaped lock piece 321b' Outer face 321c Ratchet Claw

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A completed external connection connector comprising: a plurality of completed external connection connectors; and a completed hub device connected to the electronic device main body and individually connecting each of the completed external connection connectors. A locking member that can be positioned with respect to the external connection connector by press-fitting over a cable connected to the connector; the completed hub device includes a completed hook attached to a hub device connected to the electronic device main body; A connector device, wherein the body includes means for capturing and fixing the lock member when the external connector is connected, and means for releasing the fixation. 2. A ratchet claw projecting from a tip of a tongue-shaped lock piece extending in a direction of connection of the external connector of the lock member, wherein the fixing means according to claim 1 comprises: And a hook portion formed of a plurality of ratchet teeth aligned in the connection direction of the hook housing. 3. The lock releasing means according to claim 1, wherein the tongue-shaped lock piece is bent by depression of an operation button mounted on the hook housing according to claim 2. A connector device characterized in that the ratchet claw and the hook portion are separated from each other. 4. The concave hole for mounting the operation button according to claim 3 which the hook housing according to claim 2 has is provided with a plurality of linear projections on the opening side of the inner wall surface. A connector device, wherein projections are provided in respective regions corresponding to the linear projections on the bottom surface side of the concave hole on the peripheral surface of the button body corresponding to the concave hole.