JP2004006119A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent abrasion caused by fine sliding between terminal fittings, because when a connector keeping a gap between a locking arm and a locking part is used under the environment wherein it frequently receives vibration for instance, backlash is caused between housings each other, and as a result, there is a risk that the abrasion of the contact parts in the terminal fittings becomes worse. <P>SOLUTION: In a male housing 10 (a first housing) and a female housing 20 (a second housing), protrusions part 17 (play regulating part) and recesses part 37 (play regulating part) to regulate relative movement in the fitting and detaching direction of the both housings 10, 20 by fitting each other as the locking arm 15 is locked to the locking part 27 are provided. Since the relative movement in the fitting and detaching direction of the both housings 10, 20 is regulated by the engagement of the protrusions 17 with the recesses 37 under the condition wherein the locking arm 15 is locked to the locking part 27, relative movement between both terminal fittings 12, 23, that is fine sliding, is regulated, and abrasion of the terminal fittings 12, 23 caused by the fine sliding is prevented. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a connector.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-188041 discloses a process in which one of a pair of housings that can be fitted with each other is provided with a lock arm that can be tilted and displaced, and the other housing is provided with a lock portion to fit both housings together. In this connector, the lock arm is tilted and displaced, and when the two housings reach the normal fitting state, the lock arm elastically returns and locks to the lock portion, so that the connector is configured so that both housings are locked in the normal fitting state. It has been disclosed.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the case of the connector in which the lock arm is tilted and displaced and locked to the lock portion as described above, the lock arm draws an arc-shaped locus oblique to the fitting direction of the two housings when the lock arm is locked to the lock portion. Will be. Therefore, in the locked state, that is, in the state where the locking surface of the lock arm and the locking surface of the locking portion are opposed to each other in the fitting direction of the two housings, a slight gap is formed between the locking surfaces of the locking arm and the locking portion. Emptying is inevitable.
[0004]
When a connector having a gap between the lock arm and the lock portion is used in an environment that is frequently subjected to vibration, for example, rattling occurs between the housings. Become. As a result, fine sliding occurs between the terminal fittings provided in both housings, and as a result, there is a possibility that the contact portions of the terminal fittings may be worn.
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to prevent fine sliding wear between terminal fittings.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a first housing having a lock arm, a first terminal fitting attached to the first housing, a second housing having a lock portion, and a second terminal attached to the second housing. In the process of fitting the first housing and the second housing, the lock arm tilts obliquely to the fitting direction, and when the two housings are properly fitted, When the lock arm is elastically restored and locked to the lock portion, the two housings are locked in the fitted state, and the first terminal fitting and the second terminal fitting are elastically contacted. In the connector, the first housing and the second housing are fitted to each other as the lock arm is locked to the lock portion, so that both the first housing and the second housing are fitted to each other. Play regulating portion for restricting the relative movement in the connecting and separating directions GIN has a configuration that is provided.
[0006]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the floating regulation portion on the first housing side is provided on the lock arm.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, in the locked state in which the lock arm is locked to the lock portion, it is preferable that the lock arm is displaced by tilting in a direction for releasing the fitting of the play restriction portion. The configuration is such that displacement regulating means for regulating is provided.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to third aspects of the present invention, one of the first housing and the second housing is provided with a resistance arm and the other housing is provided with a resistance arm. A resistance portion is provided. In the fitting process of the two housings, the resistance arm is locked so as to abut against the resistance portion to generate a fitting resistance, and the resistance arm and the resistance portion are locked. By applying a fitting operation force exceeding the force, the resistance arm is displaced in a direction of disengaging from the resistance portion to release the fitting resistance, and the release of the fitting resistance causes the two housings to be brought into a normally fitted state at once. A configuration in which the first housing and the second housing are provided with contact surfaces that come into contact with each other in a normal fitting state. It was.
[0007]
Function and effect of the present invention
[Invention of claim 1]
In the locked state where the lock arm is locked to the lock portion, the relative movement of the two housings in the fitting / removing direction is restricted by the engagement of the movement restricting portions. Movement is also restricted, and wear of the terminal fitting due to fine sliding is prevented.
[Invention of claim 2]
The shape is simplified as compared with the case where the floating regulation portion is provided separately from the lock arm.
[0008]
[Invention of claim 3]
Since the lock arm is restricted from tilting by the displacement restricting means, the locked state between the lock arm and the lock portion is maintained, and at the same time, the fitted state between the floating restriction portions is maintained. It has excellent reliability in the function of locking in the fitted state and the function of preventing fine sliding wear between terminal fittings.
[Invention of Claim 4]
In the process of fitting the two housings, abutment between the resistance arm and the resistor portion generates mating resistance, and the mating resistance is released to allow the two housings to be properly mated at once, a so-called inertial lock mechanism. Thus, the two housings can be securely fitted properly. In this regular fitting state, since the abutment surfaces of the two housings are stopped so that they come into contact with each other, it is not possible for the two housings to be relatively displaced so that their postures are inclined to the fitting direction. Absent.
[0009]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[Embodiment 1]
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
The connector of the present embodiment includes a male housing 10 (a first housing that is a constituent element of the present invention) and a female housing 20 (a second housing that is a constituent element of the present invention) that can be fitted together. 10 is provided with a lock arm 15 (which also serves as a resistance arm which is a constituent element of the present invention), and a compression coil spring 33 and a slider 34 (a displacement restricting means which is a constituent element of the present invention) are assembled on the female housing 20 side. ing. In the following, a description will be given assuming that the fitting surface side of each housing with the mating housing is the front side.
[0010]
The male housing 10 is made of a synthetic resin, and has a substantially rectangular tubular hood 11 protruding forward. The female housing 20 can be fitted into the inside of the hood 11 from the front thereof, and when the two housings 10 and 20 are fitted, the rear end of the female housing 20 extends from the hood 11 to the outside. Protrude.
The back wall in the male housing 10 is a flat contact surface 18 that is orthogonal to the fitting / removing direction of the housings 10 and 20 and faces the female housing 20. From the contact surface 18, tabs 12A of four male terminal fittings 12 (first terminal fittings which are a constituent feature of the present invention) arranged in the width direction are provided so as to protrude. , Protruding into the hood portion 11, and can be electrically connected to the elastic contact pieces 23 </ b> A of the female terminal fittings 23 (the second terminal fitting which is a constituent feature of the present invention) on the female housing 20 side. A short terminal 13 having an elastic contact piece 14 corresponding to each male terminal fitting 12 is accommodated below the male terminal fitting 12 on the back wall of the male housing 10. When the two housings 10 and 20 are separated from each other, the respective elastic contact pieces 14 are in elastic contact with the respective male terminal fittings 12, whereby the four male terminal fittings 12 are short-circuited and the potential difference between the respective male terminal fittings 12. Does not occur.
[0011]
At a position above the male terminal fitting 12 on the contact surface 18 of the male housing 10 and from a center position in the width direction, a cantilevered lock arm 15 is provided so as to protrude to a position slightly forward of the male terminal fitting 12. ing. The lock arm 15 can be elastically deformed so as to be tilted and displaced about the base end side in a vertical direction in FIGS. 1 to 3 (a direction substantially orthogonal to the fitting / removing direction of the housings 10 and 20). ing. At the free end (front end) of the lock arm 15, a hook 15A protruding downward is formed, and a rear end face of the hook 15A is provided with a lock 27 on the side of the female housing 20 to be described later (a resistance which is a constituent element of the present invention). The housings 10 and 20 are locked in a properly fitted state by being locked to the rear end surface (which also serves as a part).
[0012]
At the center in the width direction of the upper surface wall of the hood portion 11, a notch portion 16 is formed, which is cut in a rectangular shape from the front edge thereof and penetrates from the inner wall surface to the outer wall surface of the hood portion 11. ing. The width of the notch 16 in the left-right direction is slightly larger than the width of an operation portion 38 of the slider 34, which will be described later. The guide edge 16G is parallel to the fitting / removing direction.
[0013]
The female housing 20 is formed in a substantially block shape from a synthetic resin, and its front end surface is a flat surface orthogonal to the fitting / removing direction of the housings 10 and 20 and facing the contact surface 18 of the male housing 10. Contact surface 20F. Inside the female housing 20, four cavities 21 are formed side by side in the width direction. In each of the cavities 21, a female terminal fitting 23 connected to the end of the electric wire 22 is accommodated from behind and is prevented from being pulled out by a retainer 24. Inside the female terminal fitting 23, there is provided a pair of elastic contact pieces 23A that elastically contact the tab 12A of the male terminal fitting 12 from above and below. At the front end of the lower surface of the female housing 20, there is provided an engagement recess 25 which can be engaged with each elastic contact piece 14 of the short terminal 13 of the male housing 10, and the ceiling front end of the engagement recess 25 is provided. The edge portion is a pressing portion 26 for smoothly bending the elastic contact piece 14 of the short terminal 13 downward.
[0014]
At the center position in the width direction on the upper surface of the female housing 20, the lock portion 27 projects upward to the same height position (the height position overlapping the hook portion 15A) as the lower surface of the arm portion of the lock arm 15 on the male housing 10 side. It is formed. When the housings 10 and 20 are properly fitted, the hook 15A of the lock arm 15 is locked to the rear surface of the lock 27 (see FIG. 3B). The surfaces on which the hook portions 15A and the lock portions 27 are engaged are both formed in a tapered shape having a gentle upward slope toward the left side in the figure, thereby forming a semi-lock structure. In other words, when a force equal to or more than a predetermined value that separates the two housings 10 and 20 from the state in which the hook portion 15A is locked to the lock portion 27 acts, the lock arms 15 are guided by the tapered surfaces of each other. Is automatically elastically deformed upward while releasing the locked state.
[0015]
By the way, the displacement trajectory of the hook portion 15A when the lock arm 15 is tilted and displaced is not perpendicular to the fitting / removing direction of the housings 10 and 20, but oblique to the fitting / removing direction. I have. Therefore, in the locked state where the lock arm 15 and the lock portion 27 are locked, there is a slight gap between the rear end surface of the hook portion 15A and the rear end surface of the lock portion 27 in the fitting / removing direction of the housings 10 and 20. However, there is a gap.
[0016]
As described above, in the locked state, there is a gap between the rear end surface of the hook portion 15A and the rear end surface of the lock portion 27. Therefore, when the connector is used in an environment where vibration is received, the housing 10, 10 20 causes backlash in the direction of approaching / separating from each other (that is, the fitting / removing direction), and the backlash causes fine sliding between the terminal fittings 12 and 23, and this fine sliding is long. If the period continues, the terminal fittings 12 and 23 will be worn. Therefore, in the present embodiment, as a countermeasure, a structure is adopted in which rattling between the housings 10 and 20 is regulated to prevent fine sliding wear of the terminal fittings 12 and 23.
[0017]
That is, on the lower surface of the lock arm 15 behind the hook 15A (closer to the fulcrum of the tilt displacement), a plurality of protrusions 17 arranged at a constant pitch along the fitting / removing direction of the housings 10 and 20. (A floating regulation part which is a constituent element of the present invention) is formed. Each of the projections 17 is elongated in the left-right direction (the direction perpendicular to the fitting / removing direction of the two 10 and 20), has a shape of an equilateral trapezoid when viewed from the side, and has a lower surface of the lock arm 15. The projecting dimension of the projection 17 is set smaller than the projecting dimension of the hook 15A.
[0018]
On the other hand, the lock portion 27 on the upper surface of the female housing 20 is formed with a plurality of recesses 37 (movement regulating portions, which are constituent elements of the present invention) corresponding to the protrusions 17 of the lock arm 15. The recess 37 has an elongated groove shape in the left-right direction (the direction orthogonal to the fitting / removing direction of the two 10 and 20), and is the same as the protrusion 17 along the fitting / removing direction of the two housings 10 and 20. They are arranged at a pitch, and have an isosceles trapezoidal shape when viewed from the side like the projections 17. The width of the recess 37 in the left-right direction is the same as the width of the protrusion 17 in the left-right direction.
[0019]
In the locked state in which the hook portion 15A of the lock arm 15 and the lock portion 27 are locked, the protrusion 17 and the concave portion 37 are fitted to each other, so that the housings 10 and 20 move freely in the fitting / removing direction and the left and right directions. The movement in a direction (a direction perpendicular to the fitting / removing direction and a direction substantially perpendicular to the contact direction of the elastic contact piece 23A with the tab 12A) is restricted.
A pair of left and right side walls 28 are raised upward from the left and right side edges on the upper surface of the female housing 20 flush with the side surfaces of the female housing 20, and a rear wall is formed from the rear end of the upper surface of the female housing 20. 29 are erected so as to be connected to the side walls 28, and a pair of protective walls 30 extending inward from the upper edges of the left and right side walls 28 are connected at their rear ends to the rear wall 29. Is formed. As described above, on the upper surface (outer surface) of the female housing 20, the accommodation space 31 surrounded by the left and right side walls 28, the rear wall 29, and the protection wall 30 is provided. The accommodation space 31 is opened forward, and is opened upward by a relief groove 32 at a center position in the width direction, which is provided between the protection walls 30.
[0020]
The rear wall 29 that forms the housing space 31 is flush with the rear end surface 20R of the female housing 20, that is, the surface where the insertion opening of the female terminal fitting 23 in the cavity 21 is open. .
A slider 34 accommodating a compression coil spring 33 is assembled into the housing space 31 from the front. The slider 34 is guided by slidingly contacting the inner wall surface of the housing space 31, and the slider 34 of the housings 10 and 20 is guided. It is movable in the front-back direction parallel to the fitting / removing direction. The slider 34 is made of synthetic resin, and has spring housing portions 35 at both ends for housing the front ends of the pair of compression coil springs 33, and the two spring housing portions 35 are bridged by a central connecting portion 36. It has a linked configuration. The rear portions of the two spring receiving portions 35 are formed so as to be recessed so as to receive the front end of the compression coil spring 33, and the compression coil spring 33 is sandwiched between the spring receiving portion 35 and the front end surface of the rear wall 29. It is housed in a slightly shrunken state. By moving the slider 34 backward from this state, the two compression coil springs 33 can be elastically deformed while accumulating a greater spring force (see FIG. 2A).
[0021]
A pair of stopper projections (not shown) are provided on both side surfaces of the slider 34, and both stopper projections can move back and forth with respect to stopper grooves (not shown) of both side walls 28. The stopper protrusion is locked to the front end face of the stopper groove, so that the slider 34 stops at the position where the front end face is slightly retracted from the front end face of the female housing 20. (See FIGS. 1 and 3).
As shown in FIGS. 1B and 3B, the height of the lower surface of the connecting portion 36 of the slider 34 is substantially flush with the upper surface of the lock arm 15 in a natural state (a state where it is not elastically bent). Position. When the lock arm 15 is elastically deformed by displacing its free end (front end) upward, the front end surface of the lock arm 15 can be engaged with the front end surface of the connecting portion 36. The posture is the engagement posture (see FIG. 2). On the other hand, the lock arm 15 that is not elastically bent is in the disengaged posture in which the lock arm 15 cannot engage with the front end face of the connecting portion 36 of the slider 34 (the posture that sneaks under the connecting portion 36 of the slider 34) ( 1 and 3). When the two housings 10 and 20 are fitted to each other, the connecting portion 36 of the slider 34 is disposed almost over the entire length of the lock arm 15 so that the lock arm 15 locked to the lock portion 27 is provided. Is elastically deformed so as to be disengaged upward (that is, in a direction in which the locked state by the lock arm 15 and the lock portion 27 and the play restriction state by the fitting of the protrusion 17 and the concave portion 37 are released) (FIG. 3 (B)).
[0022]
The slider 34 has an operating portion 38 for moving the lock arm 15 from a position that regulates the displacement of the lock arm 15 to the engagement posture to a position that allows the displacement of the lock arm 15 to the engagement posture. Is formed. The operating portion 38 is configured to protrude upward from the rear end position of the connecting portion 36 of the slider 34, and is in a state where the two housings 10 and 20 are being fitted and a state where the two housings 10 and 20 are fitted. Then, the operation unit 38 enters the notch 16 of the hood 11, and the upper end of the operation unit 38 protrudes above the outer wall surface of the hood 11. In a state where the two housings 10 and 20 are properly fitted to each other and the slider 34 is stopped at a position where the slider 34 holds the lock arm 15 in the disengaged position, the operation unit 38 is located at the front end of the notch 16. When the operating section 38 is moved backward from this state, the operating section 38 is guided and slides in the left and right direction by sliding the side edges of the operating section 38 into contact with the guide edges 16G of the cutouts 16. Is regulated.
[0023]
Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described.
To perform the fitting operation of the two housings 10 and 20, the female housing 20 is fitted into the hood portion 11 of the male housing 10 with the two housings 10 and 20 facing each other. At a stage before the male terminal fitting 12 enters the cavity 21 of the female housing 20, as shown in FIG. 1, the lock arm 15 abuts against the front end face of the lock portion 27, and functions as a resistance arm of inertial lock means. This abutment generates a resistance against the fitting of the housings 10 and 20.
[0024]
From this state, a large fitting operation force exceeding the locking force due to the abutment between the lock arm 15 and the lock portion 27 is applied to both housings 10 and 20. Then, the lock arm 15 is elastically displaced and tilted upward to be disengaged from the lock portion 27. At that moment, the two housings 10 and 20 come to a properly fitted state at a stretch, and at the same time, the hook portion of the lock arm 15 is moved. 15A and the lock part 27 will be in an engagement state. That is, the two housings 10 and 20 are reliably brought into the proper fitting state by the inertial lock mechanism.
[0025]
While the fitting of the two housings 10 and 20 progresses at a stretch by this inertial lock mechanism, the lock arm 15 rides on the upper surface of the lock portion 27 while elastically tilting upward and displaces, and assumes the engagement posture. Is engaged with the front end surface of the connecting portion 36 of the slider 34 to push the slider 34 rearward against the bias of the compression coil spring 33. Therefore, in order to release the fitting resistance due to the contact between the lock arm 15 and the lock portion 27 and to make the inertial lock mechanism function reliably, the fitting resistance and the resilient force stored in the compression coil spring 33 are required. A sufficiently large fitting operation force exceeding the combined force is required.
[0026]
When the two housings 10 and 20 reach the normal fitting state, as shown in FIG. 3, the hook 15A passes through the lock portion 27, and the lock arm 15 elastically returns to the disengagement posture, and the hook 15A is moved. The housing 17 can be locked to the lock portion 27 (that is, a small gap is left), and the two housings 10 and 20 are locked. The play of the housings 10, 20 in the fitting / removing direction is restricted. Here, the protrusion 17 on the lock arm 15 side is fitted obliquely into the recess 37 with the tilting displacement of the lock arm 15, but since the protrusion 17 and the recess 37 are both trapezoidal, they are fitted. In the mating state, there is no gap between the front and rear surfaces of the projection 17 and the concave portion 37, and therefore, rattling in the front-rear direction (fitting / removing direction) between the two housings 10, 20 is prevented. In addition, the contact surfaces 18, 20F of the two housings 10, 20 abut against each other due to the momentum at which the fitting of the two housings 10, 20 proceeds at a stretch. The state in which the two contact surfaces 18 and 20F are in contact with each other is held by the engagement between the protrusion 17 and the recess 37.
[0027]
Further, at the same time when the lock arm 15 elastically returns, the slider 34 disengaged from the lock arm 15 moves forward due to release of the spring force accumulated in the compression coil spring 33, and the stopper protruding portion is moved forward by the front end face of the stopper groove. To stop at the same position as before the fitting. At this time, since the connecting portion 36 of the slider 34 covers the lock arm 15 over substantially the entire length, the lock arm 15 in the disengagement posture is restricted from being elastically deformed upward. As a result, the lock arms 15 and the lock portions 27 are locked by the two housings 10, 20, and the lock arms 15 are prevented from being elastically deformed by the slider 34 in the unlocking direction. It is firmly held in the disabled state. Further, as shown in FIG. 2A, the tab 12A of the male terminal fitting 12 and the elastic contact piece 23A of the female terminal fitting 23 come into contact with each other. Furthermore, the engagement recess 25 of the female housing 20 is engaged with each elastic contact piece 14 of the short terminal 13, and each elastic contact piece 14 is elastically deformed downward so as to be disengaged from the male terminal fitting 12. The short circuit of each male terminal fitting 12 is released.
[0028]
If the fitting operation is interrupted while the fitted compression coil spring 33 is elastically compressed, the spring force accumulated in the compression coil spring 33 is released, and the compression coil spring 33 is urged forward. When the slider 34 presses the lock arm 15, the two housings 10, 20 are forcibly detached. This prevents the housings 10, 20 from being left in a semi-fitted state.
In the process of fitting the two housings 10 and 20 together, the operating portion 38 of the slider 34 enters the notch 16 of the hood 11 after the short terminal 13 is elastically bent. Then, as the fitting of the two housings 10 and 20 progresses, the operating portion 38 advances inside the cutout portion 16 to the rear side while sliding the left and right side surfaces of the housing 10 and the guide edge portion 16G into contact with each other. , 20 is completed, the operation section 38 reaches the front end position of the notch 16.
[0029]
Now, there is a case where both housings 10 and 20 are detached depending on circumstances such as maintenance. In this case, the slider 34 is moved backward while the compression coil spring 33 is elastically contracted by operating the operation portion 38 rearward inside the notch portion 16 while slidingly contacting the guide edge portion 16G. When the operating portion 38 is operated in this manner, the connecting portion 36 of the slider 34 is completely retracted rearward from above the lock arm 15 and retreats to a position allowing the displacement of the lock arm 15 from the disengaged posture to the engaged posture. I do. Further, as the slider 34 moves backward, the compression coil spring 33 is compressed by the slider 34 and presses the rear wall 29 of the housing space 31, whereby the entire female housing 20 is pressed rearward. The pressing force causes the female housing 20 to move in the detaching direction from the male housing 10, and the lock arm 15 is guided by the hook portions 15A and the tapered surfaces of the lock portions 27 and automatically elastically deforms upward. (Tilt), the hook 15A rides on the upper surface of the lock portion 27 and is unlocked, and the projection 17 comes out of the recess 37. Then, the female housing 20 is pulled out as it is. In this process, each elastic contact piece 14 of the short terminal 13 is disengaged from the engagement recess 25, and is brought into elastic contact with each male terminal fitting 12 again. Since the operation direction of the slider 34 at this time coincides with the detaching direction of the female housing 20 which is the supporting base of the slider 34, the detaching operation can be easily performed.
[0030]
Further, when the two housings 10 and 20 are detached from each other, the detaching operation may be interrupted due to some reason, even though the female housing 20 is being detached. At this time, if the hook portion 15A of the lock arm 15 is interrupted while riding on the lock portion 27 (engagement posture), the spring force accumulated in the elastically compressed compression coil spring 33 is released. As the slider 34 moves forward and abuts the front end face of the lock arm 15 in the engaged posture, the two housings 10 and 20 are forcibly detached.
[0031]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, in the locked state in which the lock arm 15 is locked to the lock portion 27, the engagement between the protrusion 17 and the concave portion 37 causes the two housings 10, 20 to move in the fitting / removing direction. Is regulated, the relative movement between the terminal fittings 12 and 23, that is, fine sliding is also restricted, and wear of the terminal fitting due to fine sliding is prevented.
Further, the width of the protrusion 17 in the left-right direction of the recess 37 is the same, and in the fitted state, both right and left sides of the protrusion 17 abut against the inner surface of the recess 37. Backlash in the left-right direction is also prevented.
[0032]
In addition, since the protrusion 17 as a floating control portion on the male housing 10 side is formed on the lock arm 15, the shape of the male housing 10 is smaller than when a dedicated floating control portion is provided separately from the lock arm. It has been simplified.
Further, in a locked state where the lock arm 15 is locked to the lock portion 27, the slider 34 is used as a displacement restricting means for restricting the lock arm 15 from being tilted and displaced in a direction in which the engagement between the protrusion 17 and the concave portion 37 is released. Since the lock state by the locking of the lock arm 15 and the lock portion 27 is maintained at the same time, the fitting state of the projection 17 and the concave portion 37 is maintained. The reliability of the function of locking in the fitted state and the function of preventing fine sliding wear between the terminal fittings 12 and 23 are excellent.
[0033]
Further, in the fitting process of the two housings 10, 20, the fitting between the lock arm 15 and the lock portion 27 generates a fitting resistance, and the fitting resistance is released, so that the two housings 10, 20 are properly fitted at once. As a result, the two housings 10 and 20 can be securely fitted properly by a so-called inertial lock mechanism. Moreover, in the normal fitting state, the front surfaces of the housings 10, 20 are stopped so that the contact surfaces 18, 20F of the housings 10, 20 come into contact with each other. There is no relative displacement so as to turn obliquely.
[0034]
[Embodiment 2]
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
On the upper surface of the female housing 20 of the second embodiment (the second housing which is a constituent element of the present invention), a plurality of recesses 41 extending in the left-right direction are formed on the pedestal-shaped lock portion 40 (the constituent elements of the present invention). (A certain floating regulation portion) is formed side by side. The left and right ends of the concave portion 41 are open to the outer surface of the lock portion 40, which is different from the concave portion 37 of the first embodiment. Since other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description of the structure, operation, and effect is omitted.
[0035]
[Embodiment 3]
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the first embodiment, the protrusion 17 as the play restricting portion on the male housing 10 side is formed on the lower surface of the lock arm 15 behind the hook 15A, whereas in the third embodiment, the hook 15A is formed. A protrusion 50 (a movement restricting portion, which is a constituent feature of the present invention) is formed on the lower surface of the projection. The form and arrangement of the protrusions 50 are the same as those of the protrusion 17 of the first embodiment. In addition, in the first embodiment, the floating regulation portion on the female housing 20 side is the concave portion 37 formed on the upper surface of the lock portion 27, whereas in the third embodiment, the floating regulation portion is located behind the lock portion 27 in the female housing 20. A plurality of projections 51 elongated in the left-right direction (i.e., a floating regulation part, which is a constituent feature of the present invention) are formed in a region adjacent to. In the locked state in which the lock arm 15 and the lock portion 27 are locked, the rattling between the housings 10 and 20 is prevented by the engagement of the projections 50 and 51. Since other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description of the structure, operation, and effect is omitted.
[0036]
[Embodiment 4]
Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
In the third embodiment, the protrusion 50 protruding from the lower surface of the hook 15A is formed on the lower surface of the hook 15A of the lock arm 15 as the play restricting portion on the male housing 10 side. In the fourth embodiment, a concave portion 60 (movement regulating portion, which is a component of the present invention) is formed on the lower surface of the hook portion 15A. In the locked state in which the lock arm 15 and the lock portion 27 are locked, the concave portion 60 of the lock arm 15 is engaged with the projection 51 of the female housing 20, thereby preventing rattling between the two housings 10, 20. . The other configuration is the same as that of the third embodiment, and thus the same configuration is denoted by the same reference numeral, and the description of the structure, operation, and effect is omitted.
[0037]
[Other embodiments]
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above with reference to the drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. Can be implemented with various modifications.
(1) In the above-described embodiment, the floating regulation portion is formed by the concavo-convex shape of the trapezoidal cross section.
(2) In the above-described embodiment, both the lock regulation portion on the lock arm side and the slide regulation portion on the second housing are configured by a plurality of irregularities. Either one may be constituted by one concave portion or one convex portion, or one of the lock arm side and the second housing side may be constituted by one protrusion while the other is constituted by one. It may be constituted by one concave portion.
[0038]
(3) In the above embodiment, the connector having the inertial lock mechanism has been described. However, the present invention can be applied to a connector having no inertial lock mechanism.
(4) In the above-described embodiment, the floating control section is provided on the lock arm. However, according to the present invention, a dedicated floating control section may be provided separately from the lock arm.
(5) In the above embodiment, the displacement restricting means for restricting the tilting of the lock arm is provided. However, according to the present invention, the looseness restricting means is not provided, and the fitted state of the floating restricting portion is maintained only by the rigidity of the lock arm. You may do so.
[0039]
(6) In the above embodiment, the lock arm also functions as the resistance arm and the lock part also functions as the resistance part. However, according to the present invention, the resistance arm is provided separately from the lock arm and the resistance part is defined as the lock part. May be provided separately.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state where fitting of both housings according to the first embodiment is started.
(B) Cross-sectional view showing a state in which fitting of both housings has started.
FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which both housings are being fitted.
(B) Cross-sectional view showing a state in which both housings are being fitted.
FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view of a state where both housings are properly fitted. FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of a state where both housings are properly fitted.
FIG. 4 is a front view of a second housing.
FIG. 5 is a plan view of a second housing.
FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view showing a movement restricting portion formed on the lock arm.
FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view showing a play restricting portion formed in a second housing.
FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view showing a play restricting portion of a second housing in a second embodiment.
FIG. 9A is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state where fitting of both housings according to the third embodiment is started.
(B) Cross-sectional view showing a state in which fitting of both housings has started.
FIG. 10A is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which both housings are being fitted.
(B) Cross-sectional view showing a state in which both housings are being fitted.
FIG. 11A is a cross-sectional view of a state where both housings are properly fitted.
(B) Cross-sectional view of a state where both housings are properly fitted.
FIG. 12 is a partial perspective view showing a play restricting portion formed on the lock arm.
FIG. 13 is a partial perspective view showing a play restricting portion formed in a second housing.
FIG. 14 is a partial perspective view showing a play restricting portion of a second housing according to a fourth embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
10. Male housing (first housing)
12 Male terminal fittings (first terminal fittings)
15 ... Lock arm (resistance arm)
17: Projecting portion (movement regulating portion of first housing)
18 Contact surface of first housing
20 ... female housing (second housing)
20F: Contact surface of the second housing
23: Female terminal fitting (second terminal fitting)
27 Lock part (resistance part)
34 ... Slider (displacement regulating means)
37 ... concave portion (movement regulating portion of the second housing)
40 ... Lock part (resistance part)
41 ... concave portion (movement regulating portion of second housing)
50... Protrusion (movement regulating portion of first housing)
51: Projecting portion (movement regulating portion of second housing)
60.. Recess (movement regulating portion of first housing)

Claims (4)

A first housing having a lock arm;
A first terminal fitting attached to the first housing;
A second housing having a lock portion,
A second terminal fitting attached to the second housing.
In the process of fitting the first housing and the second housing, the lock arm tilts obliquely to the fitting direction,
When the two housings are properly fitted, the lock arm is elastically restored and is locked to the lock portion, so that the two housings are locked in the fitted state, and the first terminal fitting and the first In the connector in which the two terminal fittings are elastically contacted,
The first housing and the second housing are free to move relative to each other in a fitting / removing direction by fitting together as the lock arm is locked to the lock portion. A connector provided with a regulating portion. 2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the movement restricting portion on the first housing side is provided on the lock arm. 3. In a locked state in which the lock arm is locked to the lock portion, a displacement restricting means for restricting the lock arm from being tilted and displaced in a direction to release the fitting of the floating restriction portion is provided. The connector according to claim 2, wherein One of the first housing and the second housing is provided with a resistance arm and the other housing is provided with a resistance part. In the fitting process of the two housings, the resistance arm is provided with the resistance arm. A direction in which the resistance arm is disengaged from the resistance portion by applying a fitting operation force that exceeds the locking force between the resistance arm and the resistance portion by engaging the resistance arm so as to abut against the resistance portion. To disengage the mating resistance, and release the mating resistance to bring the two housings at a stretch to the normal mating state.
The said 1st housing and the said 2nd housing are provided with the contact surface which abuts on surface contact mutually in a regular fitting state, The Claim 1 characterized by the above-mentioned. connector.

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