JP2009266747A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the size of the whole connector by shortening a lock arm. <P>SOLUTION: The connector includes a housing capable of fitting to a mating housing in the front and rear direction, an arm section extending in the front and rear direction and arranged at a parallel attitude to an outer surface of the housing, a lock locking section arranged on a front end of the arm section and retaining both housings at a fitting state by locking the lock section arranged on the mating connector, a release handling section arranged on a rear end of the arm section and releasing locking between the lock section and the lock locking section, and a bending section arranged by projecting to both sides in the width direction of the release handling section and deformably supporting the arm section in a direction approaching to an outer surface of the housing while the arm section keeps a parallel attitude. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector.

  Conventionally, for example, a connector shown in FIG. 19 is known as a connector having a lock arm. This connector has a housing 1, and the housing 1 is provided so as to be matable with a mating housing 2 constituting a mating connector. The housing 1 includes a lock arm 4 that holds the mating housing 2 in a fitted state. The lock arm 4 includes a base end portion 4A that rises upward from the upper surface of the housing 1, and an arm portion 4B that is configured to extend forward from the base end portion 4A and whose front end side can be bent vertically. At the front end of the arm portion 4B, a lock engaging portion 4C that can be engaged with the lock portion 3 provided in the counterpart housing 2 is provided. A release operation portion 4D is provided at an intermediate position between the base end portion 4A and the lock engaging portion 4C on the upper surface of the arm portion 4B.

When both housings 1 and 2 are properly fitted, as shown in FIG. 20, the housings 1 and 2 are held in the fitted state by the locking portion 3 and the lock locking portion 4C being locked. On the other hand, when the two housings 1 and 2 are detached from this state, the two operation parts 1 and 2 are pulled out by depressing the release operation part 4D to release the lock between the lock part 3 and the lock lock part 4C. Can do. Such a lock arm can be applied not only when the fitting state of both connectors is maintained, but also when the rotary lever is fixed. For example, a connector described in Patent Document 1 is known.
JP 2003-249304 A

  However, since the lock arm 4 is arranged in this order from the front end side of the arm portion 4B to the lock engaging portion 4C, the release operation portion 4D, and the base end portion 4A, the entire lock arm 4 is long in the front-rear direction. As a result, the entire connector becomes large.

  The present invention has been completed based on the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to reduce the entire connector by shortening the lock arm.

  The present invention is provided at a front end portion of an arm portion, a housing that can be fitted to a mating housing in the front-rear direction, an arm portion that extends in the front-rear direction, and is arranged in a parallel posture with respect to the outer surface of the housing. A lock engaging portion that holds both housings in a fitted state by engaging with a lock portion provided on the mating housing, and an engagement between the lock portion and the lock engaging portion. A release operation part that releases the stop and a bending part that is provided to project on both sides in the width direction of the release operation part and supports the arm part so as to be displaceable in a direction approaching the outer surface of the housing in a parallel posture. However, it has characteristics.

  According to such a structure, both housings can be held in a fitted state by engaging the lock portion and the lock engaging portion. When releasing both housings, the release operation part is pushed into the outer surface of the housing to displace the arm part in a parallel posture, thereby releasing the locking between the lock part and the lock locking part and releasing both housings. Can be made. Thus, since the bending part was provided in the width direction both sides of the cancellation | release operation part, a lock arm can be shortened in the front-back direction, and can make the whole connector small.

The following configuration is preferable as an embodiment of the present invention.
The rear end portion of the release operation unit may be partially cut away.
According to such a configuration, it is possible to reliably prevent the front end portion of the arm portion from floating in a seesaw shape when the rear end portion of the release operation portion is pushed in.

The bending portion may have a plurality of groove portions that extend in the front-rear direction and are cut out.
According to such a structure, the rigidity of a bending part can be reduced and the pushing operation force of a cancellation | release operation part can be reduced. Further, as a reflective effect of reducing the rigidity of the bending portion, the release operation portion has a relatively high rigidity, and can be pushed in while preventing the release operation portion from being deformed.

It is good also as a structure provided with the turning prevention part which prevents that a locking part displaces in the direction away from the outer surface of a housing. The following configuration is preferable as the turn-up preventing unit.
The turn-up preventing portion includes a notch portion provided by notching the opposite side of the outer surface of the housing in the width direction at the front end of the arm portion, and a restricting piece arranged to cross the notch portion. It is good also as composition which has.

The turn-up preventing portion may be configured to connect the front end portion of the arm portion and the outer surface of the housing, and to include a connecting portion that can bend following the displacement of the arm portion.
According to such a configuration, it is possible to prevent the front end portion of the arm portion from being displaced in a direction away from the outer surface of the housing by the turn-up preventing portion.

  According to the present invention, the entire connector can be made smaller by shortening the lock arm.

<Embodiment 1>
Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings of FIGS. The female connector 10 of this embodiment can be fitted with the male connector 20 as shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. In the following description, the front-rear direction is based on the mating direction of the connectors 10 and 20, and the mating surface side is the front side.

  The male connector 20 has a male housing (an example of the “mating housing” of the present invention) 21, and a fitting recess 22 that opens to the front side is provided on the front surface of the male housing 21. A tab-shaped male terminal (not shown) is fixed to the back wall of the fitting recess 22 by press-fitting or the like so as to protrude forward. In the male housing 21, a lock portion 23 is provided above the fitting recess 22 so as to protrude forward. A locking protrusion 24 that protrudes downward is provided at the front end of the lock part 23.

  The female connector 10 includes a female housing (an example of the “housing” in the present invention) 11, and the female housing 11 can be fitted into the fitting recess 22 of the male connector 20. As shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of cavities 15 penetrating in the front-rear direction are provided inside the female housing 11. A female terminal (not shown) is accommodated in the cavity 15 and is connected to the male terminal so as to be electrically conductive when the male and female connectors 10 and 20 are fitted.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a lock arm 12 is provided on the upper surface of the female housing 11 to hold the male and female connectors 10 and 20 in a fitted state. The lock arm 12 is configured to extend in the front-rear direction, and the arm portion 12A disposed in a parallel posture with respect to the upper surface of the female housing 11 and the arm portion 12A in the vertical posture (approach the upper surface of the female housing 11). Or a pair of left and right bent portions 12B that are displaceably supported.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the arm portion 12 </ b> A is disposed at the center in the width direction on the upper surface of the female housing 11. An engagement hole (an example of the “lock engagement portion” of the present invention) 13 is provided in the front end portion of the arm portion 12A so as to penetrate in the vertical direction. The locking projection 13 of the locking portion 23 is fitted into the locking hole 13 from above as the male and female connectors 10 and 20 are fitted. As a result, the normally-fitted male and female connectors 10, 20 are held in a secured state by the locking projections 24 and the locking surfaces 13 </ b> A constituting the locking holes 13 being locked.

  Further, the rear end portion on the upper surface of the arm portion 12A is configured as a release operation portion 12C. As shown in FIG. 1, the release operation unit 12 </ b> C is formed in a staircase shape in which the front side is raised. Specifically, the release operation unit 12C has a three-stage configuration in which a first step part 12C1, a second step part 12C2, and a third step part 12C3 are arranged in order from the front side. Among these, the upper surface of the third step portion 12C3 disposed on the rear side has the same height as the upper surface of the arm portion 12A. Further, the substantially first half portion of the first step portion 12C1 is an inclined surface that continues to the upper surface of the arm portion 12A.

  As shown in FIG. 4, both the bending portions 12 </ b> B are disposed on both sides in the width direction of the release operation portion 12 </ b> C. The dimension in the front-rear direction of the bending part 12B is set to be substantially the same as the dimension in the front-rear direction of the release operation part 12C. That is, the bending portion 12B is provided so as to protrude on both sides in the width direction of the release operation portion 12C. Therefore, unlike the conventional structure, it is not necessary to provide the base end portion 4A that extends the arm portion 4B behind the release operation portion 4D and supports the rear end portion thereof, so that the lock arm 12 can be shortened in the front-rear direction. it can.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the bending portion 12 </ b> B is gently inclined from the release operation portion 12 </ b> C toward both sides in the width direction on the upper surface of the female housing 11, and is connected to the upper surface of the female housing 11. Thus, the arm portion 12A is held at a position that is lifted by a predetermined height from the upper surface of the female housing 11 by the two bent portions 12B.

  Further, since the bending portion 12B has flexibility, when the release operation portion 12C is pushed downward, the bending portion 12B is bent and deformed accordingly, and the arm portion 12A has a parallel posture with respect to the upper surface of the female housing 11. It can be displaced downward (direction approaching the upper surface of the female housing 11).

  As a modification of the first embodiment, the bending portion 12B may be disposed in parallel with the upper surface of the female housing 11 as shown in FIG. 6, and in this case, supports the outer side in the width direction of the bending portion 12B. The leg portion 16 may be provided on the upper surface of the female housing 11.

  Further, on the upper surface of the female housing 11, protective walls 14 for protecting the arm portion 12A are erected on both sides in the width direction of the arm portion 12A as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, the upper end position of the protective wall 14 is set to be higher than the upper surface of the arm portion 12A. Therefore, it is possible to prevent an impact from being applied to the arm portion 12A from the side by the protective wall 14.

  The present embodiment has the above-described structure, and the operation thereof will be described subsequently. First, as shown in FIG. 1, when the mating surfaces of the male and female connectors 10, 20 are opposed to each other and are brought closer to each other from here, the female housing 11 of the female connector 10 is formed in the fitting recess 22 of the male connector 20. Mates inside. In the middle of fitting the male and female connectors 10, 20, the front end of the arm portion 12 </ b> A is elastically displaced downward while contacting the front end of the lock portion 23, and the upper surface of the front end of the arm portion 12 </ b> A is below the lock portion 23. Get in. When the male and female connectors 10 and 20 reach the normal fitting state, as shown in FIG. 2, the arm portion 12 </ b> A returns to the parallel posture, and the locking protrusion 24 of the lock portion 23 enters the locking hole 13. Fit. As a result, the locking protrusion 24 and the locking surface 13A are locked in the front-rear direction, and the male and female connectors 10 and 20 that are in the normal fitting state are held in the unplugged state in the front-rear direction.

  Next, the male and female connectors 10 and 20 are detached. At the time of detachment, as shown in FIG. 3, first, the release operation part 12C of the lock arm 12 is pushed down to displace the entire arm part 12A downward in a parallel posture. Then, the lock part 23 is removed from the engagement hole 13 and the engagement between the lock part 23 and the engagement surface 13A is released. Thereby, the male and female connectors 10 and 20 can be separated and separated from each other.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, both the bending portions 12B are provided so as to project on both sides in the width direction of the release operation portion 12C, and both the bending portions 12B are bent to displace the arm portion 12A in the vertical direction. Therefore, the arm portion 12A can be shortened, and the entire female connector 10 can be reduced.

<Embodiment 2>
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings of FIGS. The female connector 30 in the present embodiment is a partial modification of the configuration of the release operation portion 12C of the female connector 10 of the first embodiment, and other common configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals. Descriptions of common configurations, operations, and effects are omitted. This also applies to the other embodiments thereafter.

  First, when only the third step portion 12C3 of the release operation portion 12C is pushed down before the male and female connectors 10 and 20 of the first embodiment are fitted, the front end of the arm portion 12A is moved as shown in FIG. Displaces upward in a seesaw shape. However, in the state where the male and female connectors 10 and 20 are properly fitted, as shown in FIG. 2, the upper surface of the front end of the arm portion 12A abuts against the lock portion 23, so that the front end of the arm portion 12A is displaced upward. Although not provided, the arm portion 12A cannot be displaced downward.

  Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the release operation unit 31 in the connector 30 of the present embodiment is configured such that only the third step portion 12C3 of the first embodiment is eliminated, and therefore the third step portion 12C3 is physically provided. Cannot be pushed down, and a situation in which the arm portion 12A cannot be displaced downward can be avoided. As a result, the first step portion 12C1 or the second step portion 12C2 is always pushed down, so that the arm portion 12A can be surely displaced downward, and the male and female connectors 10, 30 can be detached.

  In the present embodiment, only the third step portion 12C3 is eliminated. However, according to the present invention, both the second step portion 12C2 and the third step portion 12C3 may be eliminated, or the second step portion 12C3 may be eliminated. A configuration in which part of the three-stage portion 12C3 is eliminated may be employed.

<Embodiment 3>
Next, Embodiment 3 of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawing of FIG. The flexible portion 41 of the female connector 40 of the present embodiment is provided with a plurality of slits (an example of the “groove portion” of the present invention) 42 by cutting out the upper surface side in the front-rear direction. In other words, the bent portion 41 of the present embodiment is a thinned portion of the bent portion 12B of the first embodiment, and the rigidity is lower than that of the bent portion 12B of the first embodiment. For this reason, it is possible to reduce the operating force that pushes down the release operation unit 12C. Further, when the release operation portion 12C is pushed down, only the bending portion 41 can be reliably deformed, and the release operation portion 12C can be prevented from being deformed together with the bending portion 41.

  The slits 42 may be provided on the lower surface of the bent portion 12B, or may be provided on both upper and lower surfaces of the bent portion 12B. Moreover, it is also possible to provide the slits 42 at alternate positions on both the upper and lower surfaces of the bent portion 12B. For example, what is shown in FIG. 11 is obtained by adding a slit to the modified example of the first embodiment, and a pair of slits 44 are formed on the outer side in the width direction on the upper surface of the flexible portion 43 that is parallel to the upper surface of the female housing 11. A pair of slits 44 is provided on the lower surface of the bending portion 43 on the inner side in the width direction. If it does in this way, it will become possible to change the position of the slit 44 actively among the bending parts 43 especially.

<Embodiment 4>
Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings of FIGS. The female connector 50 of the present embodiment is obtained by partially changing the configuration of the lock arm 12 of the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 12, the lock arm 51 of the present embodiment includes an arm portion 51A that is formed thicker than the arm portion 12A of the lock arm 12 of the first embodiment. A cutout portion 52 is provided at the front end of the arm portion 51A by cutting out the upper surface side in the width direction.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 13, a restricting piece 53 is installed between the protective walls 14, and the restricting piece 53 is disposed so as to cross the notch 52 in the width direction. According to such a configuration, when the front end portion of the arm portion 51A is about to be displaced upward due to an external force applied to the arm portion 51A, the restricting surface 52A constituting the lower surface side of the notch portion 52 becomes the restricting piece 53. It is possible to prevent the front end portion of the arm portion 51 </ b> A from being turned upward by contacting the lower surface of the arm portion 51.

  As shown in FIG. 14, the upper surface of the restriction piece 53 is set slightly below the lower surface of the locking projection 24 of the lock portion 23 when the male and female connectors 20 and 50 are fitted. For this reason, the male and female connectors 20 and 50 can be properly fitted without interference between the locking projection 24 and the restricting piece 53, as shown in FIG.

  In the present embodiment, the cutout portion 52 is provided by cutting out the arm portion 51A. However, according to the present invention, the overhang portion is provided by projecting forward from the front end of the arm portion 51A. May be locked to the upper surface of the regulating piece 53. Further, the restriction piece 53 may not be provided between the protective walls 14 and may be formed in a substantially gate shape by connecting the upper ends of a pair of leg portions rising from the upper surface of the female housing 11.

<Embodiment 5>
Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings of FIGS. The female connector 60 of this embodiment is obtained by adding a part of the configuration to the lock arm 12 of the second embodiment. That is, in the present embodiment, the connecting portion 61 is provided by connecting the front end portion of the arm portion 12 </ b> A and the upper surface of the female housing 11. The connecting portion 61 is configured to be slightly upwardly directed from the front end portion of the arm portion 12 </ b> A toward both sides in the width direction, and then folded downward to be connected to the upper surface of the female housing 11. The connecting portion 61 is formed thinner than the bending portion 12B, and can be bent following the displacement of the arm portion 12A without hindering the vertical movement of the arm portion 12A. According to such a configuration, when the front end portion of the arm portion 12A is about to be displaced upward due to an external force applied to the arm portion 12A, the connecting portion 61 prevents the front end portion of the arm portion 12A from being turned upward. be able to.

  In this embodiment, the connecting portion 61 is provided by connecting the front end portion of the arm portion 12A and the upper surface of the female housing 11, but according to the present invention, the front end portion of the arm portion 12A and the protective wall 14 are connected. By doing so, you may provide a connection part.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the above description and drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.
(1) In this embodiment, a lock arm is provided as a means for holding both male and female connectors in a properly fitted state. However, according to the present invention, a rotary lever is used in a connector having a rotary lever and a housing. You may apply to the lock arm hold | maintained in the state accommodated in the inside of a housing.
(2) Although the lock arm is provided in the female housing 11 in this embodiment, the lock arm may be provided in the male housing 21 according to the present invention.

The partially notched side view which showed the state before fitting of both male and female connectors in Embodiment 1 Partially cutaway side view showing the normal mating state of both male and female connectors Partially cutaway side view showing a state in which the release operation part is pushed downward Top view of the female connector Rear view of the female connector The rear view of the female connector as a modification of Embodiment 1 The partially notched side view which showed a mode that the 3rd step part of the cancellation | release operation part was pushed down in the female connector of Embodiment 1. Plan view of female connector of embodiment 2 Partial cutaway side view of the female connector The rear view of the female connector of Embodiment 3 The rear view of the female connector as a modification of Embodiment 3 Partially cutaway side view of the female connector of Embodiment 4 Top view of the female connector Partially cutaway side view showing a halfway state when fitting both male and female connectors Partially cutaway side view showing the normal mating state of both male and female connectors Front view of female connector of embodiment 5 Top view of the female connector Partial cutaway side view of the female connector Partially cutaway side view showing the state before mating of both male and female connectors in the conventional structure Partially cutaway side view showing the normal mating state of both male and female connectors

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Female connector 11 ... Female housing 12 ... Lock arm 12A ... Arm part 12B ... Deflection part 12C ... Release operation part 12C3 ... 3rd step part (rear end part of release operation part)
13 ... Locking hole (lock locking part)
21 ... Male housing (mating housing)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 23 ... Lock part 30 ... Female connector 31 ... Release operation part 40 ... Female connector 41 ... Deflection part 42 ... Slit 50 ... Female connector 51 ... Arm part 52 ... Notch part 53 ... Restriction piece 60 ... Female connector 61 ... Connection part

Claims (6)

A housing that can be fitted to the mating housing in the front-rear direction;
An arm portion configured to extend in the front-rear direction and arranged in a parallel posture with respect to the outer surface of the housing;
A lock locking portion that is provided at a front end portion of the arm portion and holds the housings in a fitted state by locking with a lock portion provided in the counterpart housing;
A release operation portion provided at a rear end portion of the arm portion, and releasing the locking between the lock portion and the lock locking portion;
A connector provided with a bending portion provided so as to project on both sides in the width direction of the release operation portion and supporting the arm portion so as to be displaceable in a direction approaching the outer surface of the housing in the parallel posture. The connector according to claim 1, wherein a rear end portion of the release operation portion is partially cut away. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the flexible portion includes a plurality of groove portions that extend in the front-rear direction and are cut out. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a turn-up preventing portion that prevents the lock portion from being displaced in a direction away from the outer surface of the housing. The turning-up preventing portion includes a notch portion provided by notching a side opposite to the outer surface side of the housing at the front end of the arm portion in the width direction, and a restriction piece arranged so as to cross the notch portion. The connector according to claim 4. The connector according to claim 4, wherein the turn-up preventing portion includes a connecting portion that connects the front end portion of the arm portion and the outer surface of the housing and can bend following the displacement of the arm portion.

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