JP2012074190A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connector capable of preventing a locking tolerance of a lock engagement part from being reduced due to rattling.SOLUTION: A connector 11 comprises: a first housing 13, in which a fitting detection member 23 is mounted to a rear part 21 in a fitting direction toward a front; and a second housing 15, in which a hood part 27 for receiving a front part 25 of the first housing 13 is formed. The connector comprises: a lock arm 37 provided to the first housing 13 and having a lock part 39; a lock projection 45 formed on the hood part 27 of the second housing 15 and engaged with the lock part 39; a lock restraining part 79 provided to the fitting detection member 23, entering into a flexible space 81 of the lock arm 37 and restraining a movement of the lock arm 37 in an unlocking direction; and a finger contact part 73 provided to the fitting detection member 23, and nipping the lock arm 37 and the hood part 27 engaging the lock part 39 and the lock projection 45 together with the lock restraining part 79.

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector provided with a fitting detection member that guarantees fitting of a male housing and a female housing.

  Some connectors include a fitting detection member that can detect that the male and female connectors are in a half-fitted state (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this connector, as shown in FIG. 7, the detection member 501 can move between the standby position and the detection position with respect to the lock arm 503 along the front-rear direction (the fitting direction of both the connectors 505 and 507). It is provided as follows. The rear end of the detection member 501 protrudes rearward from the rear end of the female connector housing 509 when in the standby position, and is substantially flush with the rear end of the female connector housing 509 when in the detection position. The longitudinal length of the detection member 501 is set. Both connectors 505 and 507 are locked in the normal fitting state by the locking projection 515 of the hood 513 being locked to the front wall 511 of the lock arm 503. When the detection member 501 is pushed forward when the lock arm 503 is in the tilting posture while the connectors 505 and 507 are being fitted together, the front end of the bending locking piece 517 is detected by coming into contact with the rear end of the connecting piece 519. Since the forward restriction of the member 501 is performed, it is possible to detect that both the connectors 505 and 507 are in the half-fitted state.

JP 2007-80621 A

  However, since the conventional connector provided with the detection member 501 has a structure in which the detection member 501 can be installed and moved, there is a possibility that the engagement cost of the engaging portion is reduced or the strength of the lock arm 503 is reduced. is there. Further, even when the detection member 501 is fully locked in the normal fitting state of the male and female housings, the front wall 511 of the lock arm 503 and the locking protrusion 515 of the hood portion 513 are fitted and fitted. Since there is a clearance 521 that causes rattling in the orthogonal direction, there is a possibility that this will also cause rattling and reduce the locking allowance of the lock engaging portion.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above situation, and an object of the present invention is to provide a connector that can prevent backlash of the lock engaging portion from being reduced.

The above object of the present invention is achieved by the following configuration.
(1) A connector comprising: a first housing in which a fitting detection member is mounted forward in a rear portion in a fitting direction; and a second housing having a hood portion that receives a front portion of the first housing. A lock arm provided on the first housing and having a lock portion; a lock protrusion formed on the hood portion of the second housing and engaging the lock portion; and the lock provided on the fitting detection member. A lock restricting portion that enters into the bending space of the arm and prevents the lock arm from moving in the unlocking direction; and the lock arm that is provided on the fitting detection member and engages the lock portion and the lock protrusion. A connector comprising: a finger holding portion that sandwiches the hood portion with the lock restricting portion.

  According to this connector, when the lock restricting portion of the fitting detection member enters under the lock arm (flexible space) of the first housing, the fitting cannot be released, and the finger contact portion of the fitting detection member becomes the second housing. By pressing the lock engaging portion from the hood portion toward the lock restricting portion, the lock protrusion is prevented from moving upward (in the direction in which the hooking margin is reduced). As a result, it is possible to prevent the locking allowance of the lock engaging portion from being reduced due to looseness or the like.

(2) The connector according to (1), wherein the fitting detection member is provided with a hood backlash protrusion on the finger contact portion and a lock arm backlash protrusion on the lock restriction portion, The fitting detection member, which is permanently locked to the fitted first housing, has the hood backlash pressing projection abutting against a backlash hood slope formed at the rear of the hood portion in the fitting direction, and the lock arm backlash. A connector, wherein a pressing projection abuts against a slanting surface of a back pressing arm formed on the rear side in the fitting direction of the lock arm.

  According to this connector, the locking arm backlash pressing protrusion of the fitting detection member contacts the backlash arm slope of the first housing, so that the first housing moves rearward in the fitting direction with respect to the fitting detection member. The hood backlash projection of the fitting detection member abuts against the backlash of the backlash hood of the second housing, and the second housing is suppressed from moving rearward in the fitting direction. Thereby, since both the first housing and the second housing are sandwiched in the fitting direction from the rear in the fitting direction, backlash in the fitting direction is prevented.

  According to the connector of the present invention, it is possible to prevent a lock engagement portion from being reduced due to looseness or the like by sandwiching the lock arm of the first housing and the hood portion of the second housing with the fitting detection member. .

(A) is the surface of the connector according to the present invention that the fitting detection member is permanently locked, as viewed from the rear of the male housing, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in (a), and (c) is in (a). It is a principal part expanded sectional view in a BB cross section. (A) is a perspective view of a female housing, (b) is a front view of (a), (c) is CC sectional drawing of (b). (A) is a perspective view of a male housing, (b) is a front view of (a), (c) is DD sectional drawing of (b). (A) is a perspective view of a fitting detection member, (b) is a front view of (a), and (c) is a side view of (a). (A) is a front view of the female housing which the fitting detection member temporarily stopped, (b) is FF sectional drawing of (a). (A) is the surface which looked at the connector based on this invention which the fitting detection member temporarily latched from the back of a male housing, (b) is GG sectional drawing of (a). It is sectional drawing of the connector provided with the conventional fitting detection member.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1A is a view of the connector according to the present invention in which the fitting detection member is permanently locked, as viewed from the rear side of the male housing, FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. It is BB sectional drawing of).
The connector 11 according to the present embodiment includes a female housing 13 that is a first housing and a male housing 15 that is a second housing so that they can be fitted to each other. A female terminal 17 is attached to the female housing 13, and a male terminal 19 is attached to the male housing 15. In the connector 11 according to the present invention, the first housing may be a male housing and the second housing may be a female housing. In the female housing 13 and the male housing 15, the mating side is the front and the opposite side is the rear. The fitting direction refers to a direction from the rear to the front in each housing.

  A fitting detection member 23 is attached to the female housing 13 at the rear portion 21 in the fitting direction toward the front. A hood portion 27 that receives the front portion 25 of the female housing 13 is formed in the male housing 15.

2A is a perspective view of the female housing 13, FIG. 2B is a front view of FIG. 2A, and FIG. 2C is a sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG.
A plurality of receiving ports 31 for the male terminals 19 are opened on the front surface 29 of the female housing 13. The receiving port 31 communicates with the female terminal accommodating chamber 33. A pair of parallel lock arms 37 whose one ends are free ends 35 are provided on the upper surface of the female housing 13, and the lock arms 37 have a lock portion 39 that is bridged to the left and right. A locking step 43 that bridges the fitting detection member 23 from falling off at the temporary locking position is bridged further behind the lock 39. The lock portion 39 engages with the lock protrusion 45 of the hood portion 27. A play holding arm inclined surface 47 is formed on the lower surface of the substantially central portion of the lock arm 37. The lock arm backlash projection 49 of the fitting detection member 23 contacts the backlash arm slope 47.

3A is a perspective view of the male housing 15, FIG. 3B is a front view of FIG. 3A, and FIG. 3C is a sectional view taken along the line DD of FIG.
A plurality of male terminal accommodating chambers 51 for accommodating the male terminals 19 are formed at the rear part of the male housing 15. A hood portion 27 having a square opening 53 for receiving the female housing 13 inward is formed at the front portion of the male housing 15. An arm accommodating portion 55 into which the lock arm 37 enters is formed on the upper portion of the hood portion 27. A lock projection 45 is suspended from the lower surface of the front edge of the arm accommodating portion 55. The lock protrusion 45 engages with the lock portion 39 of the lock arm 37.

  A plurality of male tab outlets 59 are opened in the front wall 57 inside the hood portion 27, and the male tab outlets 59 communicate with the male terminal accommodating chamber 51. The male terminal 19 mounted in the male terminal accommodating chamber 51 has a male tab 61 shown in FIG. 1 that penetrates the male tab outlet 59 and protrudes into the hood portion 27 and is fitted to the female terminal 17 of the female housing 13 fitted therein. Contact.

  A pair of parallel grooves 63 are formed on the upper surface of the hood portion 27. A convex portion 65 whose front and rear surfaces are inclined is formed at the front portion of the groove 63. The protrusion 65 is flat and is flush with the upper surface of the hood portion 27. The groove 63 in front of the convex portion 65 becomes a backlash relief groove 63a. The convex portion 65 has a back-pressing hood slope 69 on the side opposite to the back-pressing relief groove 63a. The backlash projection 71 of the fitting detection member 23 abuts against the backlash hood slope 69.

4A is a perspective view of the fitting detection member 23, FIG. 4B is a front view of FIG. 4A, and FIG. 4C is a side view of FIG.
The fitting detection member 23 includes a finger holder 73 whose upper surface is a step-like anti-slip surface, a main body 75 that is suspended from the lower surface of the finger holder 73, and an intermediate portion in the height direction of the main body 75. The locking arm 77 protrudes in the insertion direction into the female housing 13, and a pair of lock restricting portions 79 protrudes in the insertion direction into the female housing 13 from the left and right ends of the main body 75.

  A fitting detection protrusion 41 is formed on the upper surface of the distal end of the locking arm 77 so as to protrude. The lock restricting portion 79 enters the bending space 81 of the lock arm 37 and prevents the lock arm 37 from moving in the unlocking direction. A lock arm backlash pressing protrusion 49 is formed on the top surface of the lock restricting portion 79 so as to protrude, and the lock arm backlash pressing protrusion 49 abuts against the backlash arm inclined surface 47 of the lock arm 37 described above. The finger holding part 73 sandwiches the lock arm 37 and the hood part 27 in which the lock part 39 and the lock protrusion 45 are engaged with each other at the position where the fitting detection member 23 is finally locked.

  A pair of hood backlash projections 71 are provided on the lower surface of the distal end of the finger holder 73. The fitting detection member 23 that is permanently locked to the female housing 13 that is fitted to the male housing 15 has a hood play pressing protrusion 71 that abuts against a play holding hood slope 69 formed at the rear of the hood portion 27 in the fitting direction. The lock arm backlash protrusion 49 is formed so as to abut against a backlash arm slope 47 formed at the rear of the lock arm 37 in the fitting direction.

Next, the operation of the connector 11 having the above configuration will be described.
5A is a front view of the female housing 13 in which the fitting detection member 23 is temporarily locked, FIG. 5B is a sectional view taken along the line F-F in FIG. 6A, and FIG. The surface which looked at the connector 11 concerning this invention which latched from the back of the male housing 15, (b) is GG sectional drawing of (a).
As shown in FIG. 5, the fitting detection member 23 is temporarily locked to the female housing 13 before fitting with the male housing 15. The fitting detection member 23 is restricted from moving forward by the fitting detection projection 41 coming into contact with the lock portion 39, and the hood backlash projection 71 is locked to the locking step portion 43 of the lock arm 37 to the rear. Movement is regulated.

  As shown in FIG. 6, when the female housing 13 and the male housing 15 start to be fitted, the lock arm 37 is pushed down by the lock protrusion 45 and then enters the back side of the hood portion 27 from the lock protrusion 45. When the lock portion 39 passes through the lock projection 45, the lock arm 37 is returned to the horizontal state by the elastic restoring force, and is locked to the lock projection 45 from the rear, so that the male housing 15 and the female housing 13 are restricted from being detached. The

  When the male housing 15 and the female housing 13 are fitted, the fitting detection projection 41 of the fitting detection member 23 is pushed downward by the lock projection 45 to release the contact with the lock portion 39, and the fitting detection member 23 is It will be able to move forward.

  When the finger contact portion 73 of the fitting detection member 23 that has become movable is operated and moved forward, the fitting detection protrusion 41 moves to the front of the lock portion 39 of the female housing 13 as shown in FIG. Thus, the locking arm 77 is elastically returned to the final locking position. The operator engages the male housing 15 and the female housing 13 with the advance position of the finger holding portion 73 of the fitting detection member 23 or the coincidence between the finger holding portion rear end 83 and the female housing rear end 85. Guarantee.

  When the lock restricting portion 79 of the fitting detecting member 23 enters under the lock arm 37 of the female housing 13, the fitting cannot be released, and the finger holding portion 73 of the fitting detecting member 23 pushes the hood portion 27 of the male housing 15. By pressing from the outside, the lock protrusion 45 is prevented from moving upward.

  Further, the lock housing backlash projection 49 of the fitting detection member 23 abuts against the backlash arm slope 47 of the female housing 13 so that the female housing 13 is prevented from moving backward. The movement of the male housing 15 to the rear is suppressed by the hood play pressing protrusion 71 of the fitting detection member 23 coming into contact with the play holding hood slope 69 of the male housing 15.

  Thus, in the connector 11, when the lock restricting portion 79 of the fitting detection member 23 enters under the lock arm 37 (flexible space 81) of the female housing 13, the fitting cannot be released. When the finger holder 73 presses the lock engaging portion 87 (see FIG. 1) from the hood portion 27 of the male housing 15 toward the lock restricting portion 79, the lock protrusion 45 is moved upward (in the direction in which the hooking margin is reduced). It is prevented from moving. As a result, it is possible to prevent the locking allowance of the lock engaging portion 87 from being reduced due to looseness or the like.

  Further, when the lock arm backlash projection 49 of the fitting detection member 23 contacts the backlash arm slope 47 of the female housing 13, the female housing 13 moves rearward in the fitting direction with respect to the fitting detection member 23. The hood backlash projection 71 of the fitting detection member 23 abuts against the backlash hood slope 69 of the male housing 15 so that the male housing 15 is prevented from moving rearward in the fitting direction. As a result, both the male housing 15 and the female housing 13 are sandwiched in the mating direction from the rear in the mating direction, thereby preventing backlash in the mating direction.

  Therefore, according to the connector 11 according to the present embodiment, the lock detection portion 23 of the lock engagement portion 87 is loosened by sandwiching the lock arm 37 of the female housing 13 and the hood portion 27 of the male housing 15 with the fitting detection member 23. It is possible to prevent the hanging cost from decreasing. As a result, the connector holding force can be improved. Further, the hood backlash pressing protrusion 71 and the lock arm backlash pressing protrusion 49 provided on the fitting detection member 23 prevent the male housing 15 and the female housing 13 from rattling in the fitting direction, and the female terminal 17 and the male terminal 19 are finely slid. Dynamic wear can be prevented.

11 Connector 13 Female housing (first housing)
15 Male housing (second housing)
21 Rear portion 23 Fitting detection member 25 Front portion 27 Hood portion 37 Lock arm 39 Lock portion 45 Lock projection 47 Backlash arm slope 49 Lock arm backlash projection 69 Backlash hood slope 71 Hood backlash projection 73 Finger rest 79 Lock restricting portion 81 Deflection space

Claims (2)

A connector comprising: a first housing on which a fitting detection member is mounted on the rear portion in the fitting direction toward the front; and a second housing formed with a hood portion that receives the front portion of the first housing;
A lock arm provided in the first housing and having a lock portion;
A locking protrusion formed on the hood portion of the second housing and engaged with the locking portion;
A lock restricting portion that is provided in the fitting detection member and enters the bending space of the lock arm to prevent the lock arm from moving in the unlocking direction;
The lock arm provided on the fitting detection member and engaged with the lock protrusion and the lock protrusion, and a finger holding portion that sandwiches the hood portion with the lock restricting portion;
A connector comprising: The connector according to claim 1,
The fitting detection member is provided with a hood backlash protrusion on the finger rest part and a lock arm backlash protrusion on the lock restriction part,
The fitting detection member that is permanently locked to the first housing fitted to the second housing has the hood play pressing protrusion abutting against a play holding hood slope formed at the rear of the hood portion in the fitting direction. The connector is characterized in that the lock arm backlash pressing protrusion comes into contact with a back surface of a backlash arm formed rearward in the fitting direction of the lock arm.

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