JP2004319125A - Lever type connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lever type connector which can be taken off from a housing with improved rotating operability. <P>SOLUTION: The lever type connector has an elastic lock strip 18 (displacing means), a lever 20 and an engaging portion 15 (engaging means). At the time of engaging, the elastic lock strip 18 which constitutes an inertial lock means is pushed, displaced and deformed elastically by the lever 20, resulting in its release from the engaging portion 15. The elastic lock strip 18 is not displaced when the lever 20 is rotated in a releasing direction since the elastic lock strip 18 is estranged from the lever 20. Consequently, at the time of release, deterioration of operability of the lever 20 due to the elastic deformation of the elastic lock strip 18 can be avoided since resistance force resulting from the elastic deformation of the elastic lock strip 18 is not applied to the lever 20. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a lever-type connector provided with inertial locking means.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As a lever-type connector having an inertial lock function, there is one disclosed in Patent Document 1. In this lever-type connector, a flexible lock piece is formed on the side wall of the hood portion of the male housing, and the lever is locked to the flexible lock piece, so that the lever is in the initial position (the entrance of the cam groove opens to the female housing side). (Posture) and locked in a state where the rotation is restricted.
[0003]
From this state, the female housing is fitted shallowly into the hood portion of the male housing, and the cam pins of the female housing enter the entrance of the cam groove of the lever. When a large rotation operation exceeding the fitting resistance of both housings is applied to the lever, the flexible lock piece is dissociated from the lever while elastically bending, and the rotation of the lever rapidly advances to the normal fitting position by inertia immediately after disengagement. By the rotation of the lever, the cam action by the engagement between the cam groove and the cam pin causes the male and female housings to be in a properly fitted state.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 10-214653
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the above-mentioned conventional lever connector, when the lever is rotated in the opposite direction from the state in which both housings are fitted and the two housings are disengaged, the lever interferes with the bending lock piece as in the case of the fitting, and the bending lock is provided. The piece is elastically bent. Therefore, while rotating the lever, sliding resistance occurs between the bending lock piece and the lever, and there is a problem that the operability of the lever is poor.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to improve the operability of turning a lever when detaching a housing.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The invention according to claim 1 includes a first housing, a lever rotatably supported by the first housing, and a second housing capable of fitting and disengaging from the first housing. The two housings are fitted together by the cam action accompanying the rotation of the lever in the fitting direction, and the two housings are detached by the cam action accompanying the rotation of the lever in the opposite direction to the fitting direction. In the lever-type connector described above, the first housing or the second housing is provided with a displacement means which is displaced substantially integrally with the lever by contact with the lever which rotates in the fitting direction, and Locking means for locking and disengaging is formed, and in the process of fitting the two housings, the lever comes into contact with the displacement means locked on the locking means. By this, the rotation of the lever is restricted, and from this restricted state, by applying a rotational force exceeding the fitting resistance between the two housings to the lever, at least one of the displacement means and the locking means The displacing means is disengaged from the locking portion while being elastically bent, and the inertia immediately after disengagement causes the rotation of the lever to proceed at a stroke to the mating completion position so that the two housings are properly fitted, and the displacing means is displaced. Is displaced substantially integrally with the lever by the contact with the lever to the fitting completion position, and in the process of disengaging the two housings that are properly fitted, the lever that rotates in the disengaging direction includes the displacing means. Away from
[0008]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the housing provided with the displacement means is provided with a holding means for holding the displacement means in a properly fitted state.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the present invention, an operating portion is provided at a position farthest from a rotation center of the lever, and the operating portion is provided when the lever rotates in the fitting direction. Is configured to contact the displacement means.
[0009]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, when the two housings are fitted, a cam follower provided in the second housing with respect to a cam groove provided in the lever. When the lever is at the initial position, the displacement means and the locking means are locked.
[0010]
Function and effect of the present invention
[Invention of claim 1]
The displacement means constituting the inertial lock means comes into contact with the lever at the time of fitting to release the engagement with the locking means while accompanied by the elastic bending of the displacement means or the locking means, but rotate the lever in the disengaging direction. In this case, since the lever is separated from the lever, no displacement is required. Therefore, at the time of disengagement, a resistance force due to the elastic bending of the displacement means or the locking means is not applied to the lever, and it is possible to avoid a decrease in the operability of the lever.
[0011]
[Invention of claim 2]
When the lever is rotated in the disengagement direction, the displacement means can be held at the regular fitting position, so that the lever and the displacement means can be reliably separated.
[Invention of claim 3]
Compared with the case where the position in contact with the displacement means is a position close to the center of rotation of the lever, in the present invention, the rotational force applied to the operation unit is hardly amplified, and the engagement between the displacement means and the locking means is hardly amplified. Since it acts on the stop position, it is necessary to apply a relatively large rotating power in order to release the locking between the displacement means and the locking means. Thereby, when releasing the locking between the displacement means and the locking means, the sense of moderation felt by the operator is increased, and the operability when rotating the lever in the fitting direction is improved.
[0012]
[Invention of Claim 4]
If the displacement means and the locking means are locked during the rotation of the lever and the rotation of the lever is restricted, the worker mistakenly thinks that the fitting has been completed at that time and remains unfit. However, in the present invention, an inertia force is applied to the lever at the same time as the rotation of the lever is started. There is no possibility that the movement is restricted, and the rotation of the lever can be surely advanced until a normal fitting state is reached.
[0013]
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 lever connector according to the first embodiment includes a first housing 10, a lever 20, and a second housing 30.
The first housing 10 is made of a synthetic resin, and has a hood portion 11 that protrudes forward (to the right in 1 to 5) in a rectangular cylindrical shape. A male terminal fitting (not shown) having a tab at the tip is accommodated in the first housing 10, and the tab projects forward in the hood portion 11. In addition, upper and lower two cutout grooves 12 and 13 that are open to the front end thereof are formed in the left and right side walls forming the hood 11 in parallel with the fitting direction (front and rear direction) of the housings 10 and 30. ing. The cam follower 31 of the second housing 30 enters the upper cutout groove 12, and the release portion 32 of the second housing 30 enters the lower cutout groove 13.
[0014]
A pair of support shafts 14 for supporting the lever 20 are formed to project from both left and right outer surfaces of the first housing 10. A pair of locking portions 15 (locking means, which is a component of the present invention) are formed in a projecting shape on the outer surfaces of the left and right side walls of the hood portion 11. The locking portion 15 is disposed at an upper end portion along the front edge of the hood portion 11 and has a rectangular shape when viewed from the side. Similarly, a pair of return restricting portions 16 are formed on the left and right outer outer surfaces of the hood portion 11 so as to be positioned obliquely upward and rearward with respect to the locking portions 15. Further, a pair of holding portions 17 (in the configuration requirements of the present invention) are provided on both left and right outer surfaces of the hood portion 11 so as to be positioned obliquely downward and rearward (that is, below the return regulating portion 16) with respect to the locking portion 15. A certain holding means) is formed in a projection shape.
[0015]
The first housing 10 is integrally formed with a flexible lock piece 18 for applying an inertial force to the lever 20. The flexible lock piece 18 has a flat plate-shaped main body 18a having a rectangular shape substantially the same width as the first housing 10 as a whole, and a main body extending along both left and right outer surfaces of the first housing 10 from left and right side edges of the main body. It comprises a portion 18a and a pair of frame portions 18b extending at right angles. The base end of the main body 18 a of the flexible lock piece 18 is supported on the upper end surface of the first housing 10 via a hinge 19 that is thinner than the flexible lock piece 18. The hinges 19 are arranged at a total of three places: the center in the width direction, and both left and right ends. Further, the frame portion 18b is disposed at an end of the main body portion 18a on the opposite side to the hinge 19.
[0016]
In the state immediately after the resin molding, as shown in FIG. 7, the flexible lock piece 18 is formed such that the main body portion 18 a is formed by the upper end surface of the first housing 10 (the fitting / removing direction of the two housings 10 and 30). And form a form that stands at right angles. From this state, when the bending lock piece 18 is tilted forward while the hinge 19 is bent (the frame portion 18b is displaced obliquely downward and forward), the extended end portion 18c of the frame portion 18b moves outward from the frame portion 18b. With the elastic deflection, the vehicle gets over the return restricting portion 16 and locks the return restricting portion 16 from obliquely lower front and at the same time, locks the locking portion 15 from obliquely upper rear. Thereby, the bending lock piece 18 is held at the standby position in a state where the tilting with the hinge 19 as a fulcrum is restricted. Note that the direction of engagement with the engagement portion 15 is substantially the same as the direction in which the frame portion 18b extends from the main body portion 18a. Further, the extending end portion 18c of the frame portion 18b corresponds to the left and right outer surfaces of the first housing 10 in a state of being substantially in contact with or close to the outer surface.
[0017]
Further, when an external force is applied obliquely downward and forward to the bending lock piece 18 at the standby position, the extending end 18c of the frame portion 18b is dissociated from the locking portion 15 while elastically bending outward. The bending lock piece 18 rotates obliquely downward and forward with the hinge 19 as a fulcrum. When the extending end portion 18c of the frame portion 18b rides over the holding portion 17 while being elastically deformed outwardly of the frame portion 18b, it is locked to the holding portion 17 from almost directly below, and the main body portion 18a Is almost in close contact with the upper end surface of the first housing 10. Thereby, the bending lock piece 18 is held in a state where the tilting with the hinge 19 as a fulcrum is restricted at the fitting completed position. The direction in which the frame portion 18b extends from the main body 18a is substantially opposite to the direction in which the frame 18b extends from the main body 18a. In the state where the bending lock piece 18 is in the fitting completed position, substantially the entire frame portion 18B corresponds to the left and right outer surfaces of the first housing 10 in a state of being in close contact with or close to the left and right outer surfaces. Reference numeral 16 is located in the window of the frame portion 18b.
[0018]
The lever 20 is made of a synthetic resin, and is disposed so as to be located above the first housing 10. The lever 20 extends along both left and right outer surfaces of the first housing 10 from both left and right ends of the operation portion 21. Are integrally formed with a pair of plate-like arm portions 22 extending to the front. A cam groove 23 having an entrance opened to the outer peripheral edge of the arm 22 is formed on the inner surface of the arm 22 (the surface facing the outer surface of the first housing 10).
[0019]
The lever 20 has an initial position (see FIGS. 1 to 3) and a fitting completed position (see FIG. 1 to FIG. 3) with respect to the first housing 10 by fitting the bearing holes 24 of the both arm portions 22 to the support shaft 14. ) Can be rotated by about 30 °. When the two housings 10 and 30 are fitted together, the lever 20 rotates from the initial position to the fitting completed position, and when the two housings 10 and 30 that have been properly fitted are removed, the lever 20 is fitted. Rotate from the complete position to the initial position.
[0020]
When the lever 20 is at the initial position, the entrance of the cam groove 23 opens forward (in a direction corresponding to the second housing 30) at the same height as the support shaft 14 (the center of rotation of the lever 20). Accordingly, the cam follower 31 can enter the cam groove 23. In the initial position, the operation unit 21 takes a posture extending obliquely upward and rearward at an angle of about 45 ° from a position above the support shaft 14 at the upper end of the arm unit 22, and extends the operation unit 21. The end is located above the locking portion 15 and the return regulating portion 16. In a state where the lever 20 is rotated to the fitting completed position, the operation part 21 is separated from the upper end surface of the first housing 10 by a slight gap (the same size as the thickness of the main body part 18a of the bending lock piece 18). It corresponds to parallel.
[0021]
Further, each of the arm portions 22 is formed with a bending locking piece 25. When the lever 20 is in the initial position and the two housings 10 and 30 are not fitted, the flexible locking piece 25 is locked in the lower cutout groove 13 to move the lever 20 to the fitting completed position side of the lever 20. And the rotation to the side opposite to the fitting completed position is restricted.
The second housing 30 is made of a synthetic resin, has a block shape as a whole, and accommodates therein a female terminal fitting (not shown) having a square tube portion that can be fitted with a tab of the male terminal fitting. ing. A pair of cam followers 31 protrude from both left and right outer surfaces of the second housing 30. Similarly, a rib-shaped release portion 32 extending parallel to the fitting direction of the housings 10 and 30 is formed at a position below the cam follower 31 on the left and right outer surfaces of the second housing 30.
[0022]
Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described.
When the two housings 10 and 30 are fitted together, first, the bending lock piece 18 is held at the standby position by locking the locking portion 15 and the return regulating portion 16, and the lever 20 is fixed to the bending locking piece 25. It is held at the initial position by locking with the notch groove 13. In this state, the operating portion 21 comes into contact with the main body portion 18a of the bending lock piece 18 from obliquely upward and rearward in a surface contact state (see FIGS. 1 and 2). This contact direction is substantially the same as the displacement direction of the operation unit 21 when the lever 20 starts rotating toward the fitting completion position (fitting direction).
[0023]
When the second housing 30 is fitted shallowly to the hood portion 11 from this state, the cam follower 31 enters the entrance of the cam groove 23 and the front end of the release portion 32 comes into contact with the flexure locking piece 27 as shown in FIG. In contact therewith, the bending engagement piece 27 is elastically bent toward the outer surface side of the arm portion 22. As a result, the flexure locking piece 27 is disengaged from the lower cutout groove 13, and the rotation restricted state of the lever 20 due to the locking of the flexure lockpiece 27 and the notch groove 13 is released. By locking to the locking portion 15, the rotation of the flexible lock piece 18 and the rotation of the lever 20 in the fitting direction remain regulated.
[0024]
In this state, when a turning force exceeding the fitting resistance between the two housings 10 and 30 is applied to the operating portion 21 of the lever 20, the frame portion 18 b is dissociated from the locking portion 15 while elastically bending outward. Then, at the moment of dissociation, the turning power applied to the lever 20 is released, so that the rotation restricted state of the lever 20 by the locking of the bending lock piece 25 and the locking portion 15 is released, and at the same time, A large inertial force is applied to the lever 20. By this inertial force, the lever 20 is pivoted to the fitting completed position at a stretch, and the two housings 10 and 30 move at once to the normal fitting state by the cam action by the engagement between the cam groove 23 and the cam follower 31.
[0025]
Further, in the process of rotating the lever 20 from the initial position to the fitting completed position, the operating portion 21 is displaced in an arc shape diagonally downward and forward while bending the hinge 19 and bending the lock piece 18 diagonally downward and forward. Displace in an arc. At this time, since the rotation center (support shaft 14) of the operation unit 21 and the rotation center (hinge 19) of the flexible lock piece 18 are located at different positions, the operation unit 21 and the main body 18a of the flexible lock piece are Between the two, the sliding contact is made substantially in the front-rear direction while maintaining the surface contact state.
[0026]
When the lever 20 and the bending lock piece 18 reach the mating completion position, the lock arm 26 of the operation section 21 is locked to the lock section 33 of the second housing 30 so that the lever 20 returns to the initial position side in the return direction. The movement is restricted, and the rotation of the flexible lock piece 18 in the return direction to the standby position side is restricted by the engagement between the frame portion 18b and the holding portion 17.
When the two housings 10 and 30 are detached from the fitting completed position, the lock between the lock arm 26 and the lock portion 33 is released, and the lever 20 is rotated toward the initial position. With the rotation of the lever 20, the second housing 30 is pushed forward from the hood portion 11 by the cam action by the engagement between the cam groove 23 and the cam follower 31. During the pivoting process of the lever 20 in the detaching direction, the flexible lock piece 18 is kept at the fitting completed position by the engagement with the holding portion 17, so that the lever 20 separates from the flexible lock piece 18.
[0027]
If the bending lock piece 18 is also rotated to the standby position side when the lever 20 rotates, the frame portion 18b is elastically bent outward to release the engagement with the holding portion 17. Therefore, the elastic restoring force becomes a resistance to the rotation of the lever 20. However, in the present embodiment, since the lever 20 rotates while being separated from the flexible lock piece 18, the resistance caused by the elastic bending of the flexible lock piece 18 as described above does not need to act on the lever 20. 20 is excellent in operability.
[0028]
Further, when the lever 20 is rotated in the disengagement direction, the bending lock piece 18 can be held at the regular fitting position by the holding portion 17, so that the lever 20 and the bending lock piece 18 are securely separated from each other. be able to.
In the present embodiment, the operating portion 21 is provided at a position farthest from the center of rotation (support shaft 14) of the lever 20, and when the lever 20 rotates in the fitting direction, the operating portion 21 is bent and the lock piece 18 is bent. So that it abuts. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the turning power applied to the operation unit 21 is hardly amplified and the bending lock piece 18 Therefore, in order to release the locking between the bending lock piece 18 and the locking portion 15, it is necessary to apply a relatively large rotating power. Accordingly, when releasing the locking between the bending lock piece 18 and the locking portion 15, the sense of moderation felt by the operator is increased, and the operability when rotating the lever 20 in the fitting direction is improved. .
[0029]
Further, in the case of a structure in which the bending lock piece and the locking portion are locked for imparting inertia during the rotation of the lever and the rotation of the lever is restricted, the worker can make the fitting at that time. There is a concern that the user may mistakenly think that the work has been completed and end the work without fitting. However, in the present embodiment, since the inertia force is applied to the lever 20 at the same time when the rotation of the lever 20 is started, the rotation of the lever 20 may be restricted during the fitting operation. In addition, the rotation of the lever 20 can be surely advanced until a proper fitting state is reached.
[0030]
[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 embodiment, the first housing (the housing on the side on which the lever is supported) is provided with the displacement means (flexible lock piece) and the locking means (locking portion). The displacement means and the locking means may be provided on the two housings, that is, the housing on which the lever is not supported.
[0031]
(2) In the above embodiment, the lever is supported on the male side housing for holding the male terminal fitting having the tab at the tip, but according to the present invention, the female terminal fitting which is the connection partner with the male terminal fitting is held. Alternatively, the lever may be supported by the female housing.
(3) In the above embodiment, the elastic bending direction of the flexible lock piece (displacement means) is set to a direction substantially parallel to the center axis of rotation of the lever. However, according to the present invention, the elastic flexible direction of the flexible lock piece is changed to the direction of the lever. The direction may be substantially perpendicular to the rotation center axis.
[0032]
(4) In the above embodiment, the flexible lock piece is connected to (integrated with) the first housing by the hinge. However, according to the present invention, the flexible lock piece is a separate component from the first housing, and the flexible lock piece is provided. May be displaceably assembled to the first housing by a shaft support means or the like.
(5) In the above embodiment, the bending lock piece as the displacement means is elastically bent. However, according to the present invention, the locking portion as the locking means (means that does not displace) may be elastically bent. Good.
[0033]
(6) In the above embodiment, the means for holding the bending lock piece at the fitting completed position is provided, but according to the present invention, a structure without the holding means may be adopted.
(7) In the above embodiment, when the lever is rotated in the fitting direction, the operating portion comes into contact with the flexible lock piece. However, according to the present invention, the arm portion comes into contact with the flexible lock piece. Is also good.
(8) In the above embodiment, the flexible lock piece and the locking portion are locked when the lever is at the initial position. However, according to the present invention, the flexible lock is advanced after the lever has advanced from the initial position. The piece and the locking portion may be locked.
[0034]
(9) In the above embodiment, the lever is displaced by pushing the flexible lock piece when rotating in the fitting direction. However, according to the present invention, the lever causes the flexible lock piece to be caught and the flexible lock piece is bent. The lock piece may be pulled.
(10) In the above embodiment, the bending lock piece is displaced in a form of swinging (rotating) with the hinge as a fulcrum. However, according to the present invention, the bending lock piece may be linearly moved in parallel.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side view showing a state in which a lever is held at an initial position and a flexible lock piece is held at a standby position in the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a side view showing a state where the second housing is fitted shallowly from the state shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a side view showing a state where the second housing is fitted shallowly from the state shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is a side view showing a state in which both levers are returned to an initial position from a state in which both housings are fitted. FIG. 6 is a front view showing a state immediately after resin molding of the first housing. FIG. 7 is a side view showing a state immediately after resin molding of the first housing. FIG. 8 is a side view of the second housing.
10 First housing 14 Support shaft (center of rotation)
15 Locking part (locking means)
17 holding part (holding means)
18… Flexible lock piece (displacement means)
Reference Signs List 20 lever 21 operating part 23 cam groove 30 second housing 31 cam follower

Claims (4)

A first housing;
A lever rotatably supported by the first housing;
A second housing adapted to be fitted to and disengaged from the first housing;
The two housings are fitted together by a cam action accompanying rotation of the lever in the fitting direction, and the two housings are detached by a cam action accompanying rotation of the lever in a direction opposite to the fitting direction. In the lever type connector
The first housing or the second housing is provided with a displacement unit that is displaced substantially integrally with the lever by contact with the lever that rotates in the fitting direction, and the displacement unit can be locked and disengaged. To form locking means,
In the process of fitting the two housings, the rotation of the lever is regulated by the lever coming into contact with the displacement means locked by the locking means,
From this restricted state, by applying a turning force exceeding the fitting resistance between the two housings to the lever, at least one of the displacing means and the locking means is elastically bent, and the displacing means is engaged with the engaging means. Disengaged from the stop, the inertia immediately after the disengagement, the rotation of the lever progresses at a stretch to the fitting completed position, the two housings are properly fitted, and the displacement means is brought into contact with the lever by contact with the lever. Displaces almost completely to the mating complete position,
The lever-type connector is characterized in that, in the process of detaching the two housings that are properly fitted, the lever that rotates in the detaching direction is separated from the displacement means. The lever-type connector according to claim 1, wherein the housing provided with the displacement means is provided with holding means for holding the displacement means in a properly fitted state. An operation unit is provided at a position farthest from a rotation center of the lever, and the operation unit comes into contact with the displacement unit when the lever rotates in the fitting direction. Or the lever type connector according to claim 2. When the two housings are fitted, the rotation of the lever is started from an initial position where a cam follower provided in the second housing enters a cam groove provided in the lever,
The lever-type connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the displacement means and the locking means are locked when the lever is at an initial position.

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