JP2012164488A - Connector structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connector structure, in which it is difficult to detach a plug even when large impact is applied.SOLUTION: The connector structure comprises first engagement mechanisms 13, 25 provided over a frame 5 and a housing 4, engaged with each other in a closing posture, and capable of changing an engagement depth of the housing 4 and the frame 5 by a slide movement of the frame 5 relative to the housing 4; and second engagement mechanisms 17, 26 provided over the frame 5 and the housing 4, and can be engaged with each other when the frame 5 is made to slide in a direction to be engaged with the housing 4 more deeply after the first engagement mechanisms are engaged.

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector structure including a housing to which a plug is attached, and a frame that is openable and closable with respect to the housing and prevents the plug from falling off when in a closed posture.

  Conventionally, as this type of connector structure, there is known a structure in which a frame is configured to be swingable, an engaging portion is formed at a tip portion of the frame, and an engaged portion is formed at a tip portion of the housing. Yes.

  When the plug is attached to the connector, the plug is attached to the housing and the frame is swung downward. At this time, the engaging portion is elastically deformed, and the engaging portion and the engaged portion are engaged. When the plug is detached from the connector, the engaging portion is elastically deformed to release the engagement between the engaging portion and the engaged portion, and then the frame is swung upward to remove the plug from the housing.

  In this conventional configuration, when an impact is applied, the engagement between the engaging portion and the engaged portion is unexpectedly released, and the plug may fall off. To prevent the plug from falling off, the engagement depth between the engagement portion and the engaged portion is increased by increasing the engagement depth between the engagement portion and the engaged portion or by increasing the elastic force of the engagement portion. It is conceivable to strengthen the bond.

  However, the former has a disadvantage that the elastic deformation of the engaging portion increases during the engaging operation and the engaging releasing operation of the engaging portion and the engaged portion, and the engaging portion is deformed / damaged. In the latter case, a large force is required for the engagement operation and the engagement release operation between the engaging portion and the engaged portion, and there is a problem that the operability is deteriorated.

  Therefore, in order to avoid such inconvenience, in addition to the above-described conventional configuration, there is one in which a bent portion is formed at a central portion of the frame (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  When the plug is attached to the connector, the plug is attached to the housing and the frame is swung downward. At this time, the bent portion is elastically deformed to extend the frame, and the engaging portion and the engaged portion are engaged. When the plug is detached from the connector, the bent portion is pressed. At this time, the bent portion is elastically deformed to extend the frame, and the engagement between the engaging portion and the engaged portion is released.

JP 2009-277410 A

  In the configuration of Patent Document 1, the engagement depth between the engaging portion and the engaged portion can be sufficiently deepened by expanding and contracting the frame, and the engagement between the engaging portion and the engaged portion is strong. It becomes. However, for example, when a large impact in the expansion / contraction direction of the frame is applied to the frame, the frame may extend and the engagement between the engaging portion and the engaged portion may be unexpectedly released, and there is still room for improvement. there were.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a connector structure in which a plug does not easily fall off even when a large impact is applied.

  A first feature of the connector structure of the present invention includes a housing to which a plug is attached, and a frame that can be opened and closed with respect to the housing and prevents the plug from dropping off when in the closed position. A first engagement mechanism provided over the housing, engaged with each other in the closed position, and capable of changing a mutual engagement depth by sliding movement of the frame relative to the housing; the frame; A second engagement which can be engaged with each other when the frame is slid in a direction of deeper engagement with the housing after the first engagement mechanism is engaged. And a mechanism.

  According to this configuration, the first engagement mechanism is engaged, the frame is slid in the direction of deeper engagement with the housing, and then the second engagement mechanism is engaged, whereby the plug is connected to the connector. Can be attached to. When the second engagement mechanism is engaged, the engagement depth between the frame and the housing is sufficiently deep, so that the engagement between the frame and the housing is strong.

  Further, the engagement of the second engagement mechanism is released, the frame is slid in a direction to engage with the housing more shallowly, and then the engagement of the first engagement mechanism is released, so that the plug is connected to the connector. You can leave. In order to release the plug from the connector, it is necessary to slide the frame during the disengagement in addition to the disengagement of the first engagement mechanism and the disengagement of the second engagement mechanism. For this reason, even if a large impact is applied to the frame, the plug is difficult to fall off.

  According to a second characteristic configuration of the present invention, when the frame and the housing are engaged with each other by the first engagement mechanism, a portion related to the frame of the second engagement mechanism is in contact with the housing. The frame is elastically deformed, and when the frame and the housing are engaged with each other by the second engagement mechanism, the elastic deformation of the frame is released, and the frame of the second engagement mechanism is related to the frame. The direction in which the part is elastically deformed is different from the direction in which the frame slides.

  According to this configuration, the frame is elastically deformed in a direction different from the slide direction to release the engagement of the second engagement mechanism, and after the frame is slid, the engagement of the first engagement mechanism is released. Thus, the plug can be detached from the connector. To detach the plug from the connector, the frame is elastically deformed in a direction different from the sliding direction to release the engagement of the second engagement mechanism, the frame is slid, and the first engagement mechanism A three-stage operation is required with the operation of releasing the engagement.

  For this reason, for example, even if a large impact in the sliding direction is applied to the frame, the frame does not elastically deform in the sliding direction, so that the engagement of the second engagement mechanism is not released and the frame slides. There is no. For example, even if a large impact in a direction different from the sliding direction is applied to the frame and the frame is elastically deformed, and the engagement of the second engagement mechanism is released, the frame is immediately elastically deformed by the elastic biasing force of the frame. The posture before returning is returned, and the second engagement mechanism is engaged again. Therefore, the frame does not slide. Therefore, it is difficult for the plug to fall off even if a large impact is applied in any direction.

  According to a third characteristic configuration of the present invention, the frame is configured to be swingable, a portion of the first engagement mechanism that is related to the frame is provided at a tip of the frame, The part which concerns on the said frame exists in the point provided in the center between the base end of the said frame, and a front-end | tip.

  According to this structure, since the site | part which concerns on a flame | frame among the 2nd engagement mechanisms is provided in the center of a flame | frame, when a flame | frame is closed, it is easy to elastically deform a flame | frame. Further, when the frame is elastically deformed, the force is distributed substantially evenly between the first engagement mechanism provided at the front end of the frame and the swing axis located at the base end of the frame. Engagement by the coupling mechanism is unlikely to be released unexpectedly, and the swing axis is not easily damaged.

  According to a fourth characteristic configuration of the present invention, a portion of the second engagement mechanism that is related to the frame is a protrusion that fits into a groove formed in a side wall of the housing, and other than the protrusion in the frame. Is located in a recess surrounded by the side wall, and the frame is set lower than the upper surface of the side wall.

  According to this configuration, since the frame does not protrude from the upper surface of the side wall, it is possible to make the connector more compact in the vertical direction in addition to making it difficult for the frame to be caught by other components.

  According to a fifth characteristic configuration of the present invention, when the frame is closed, a tip portion of the protruding portion is configured to protrude outward from the side wall portion.

  According to this configuration, for example, the frame can be elastically deformed by a simple operation of sandwiching and lifting the tip portion of the protruding portion with both fingers.

It is a disassembled perspective view which shows a connector. It is a perspective view which shows a connector. It is a front view which shows a connector. It is a side view which shows each state of a connector. It is a perspective view which shows the connector in another embodiment. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the connector in another embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the connector in another embodiment. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the connector in another embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the 1st engagement mechanism in another embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the 2nd engagement mechanism in another embodiment.

[First Embodiment]
The connector according to the present invention will be described below.
This connector is fixed to, for example, a circuit board (not shown). A plug provided at one end of the cable is attached to the connector on the board side, and a plug provided at the other end of the cable is attached to the connector on the equipment side. In this way, the circuit board and the devices are connected via the cable.

[Overall configuration of connector]
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the connector 1 is attached to a housing 4 that houses the plug 3, and is slidable in the front-rear direction with respect to the housing 4 and swingable in the up-down direction around the axis X. Frame 5.

(housing)
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the housing 4 includes a front wall portion 6, a rear wall portion 7, both side wall portions 8, and a bottom wall portion 9, and has a rectangular container shape in plan view. It is configured. A concave portion 10 for accommodating the plug 3 is formed on the inner side of these wall portions 6 to 9.

  Dovetail grooves 11 are formed in the left and right ends of the outer surface of the front wall portion 6 and the rear wall portion 7 respectively along the vertical direction. While inserting one of the plate-like attachment members 12 having an L-shaped cross-section into the dovetail groove 11, the other attachment member 12 is soldered to the circuit board. At this time, the step formed on one side of the attachment member 12 and the step formed on the dovetail groove 11 come into contact with each other to prevent the connector 1 from moving upward. In this way, the four corners of the connector 1 are fixed to the circuit board.

  Engagement protrusions 13 (an example of a part related to the housing of the first engagement mechanism) are formed on the left and right portions of the outer surface of the front wall portion 6, each having a substantially right triangle. The engaging protrusion 13 includes an inclined portion 13a and an engaged portion 13b.

  A rectangular notch 14 for allowing the cable 2 to pass therethrough is formed at the left and right central portion of the upper surface of the front wall portion 6.

  A rectangular parallelepiped projecting portion 15 is formed on each of the left and right portions of the outer wall of the rear wall portion 7. Each protrusion 15 is formed with a long hole 15a penetrating in the left-right direction (axial direction). The shape of the long hole 15a is formed in a bowl shape extending in the front-rear direction and having both ends round.

  Connection terminals 16 are accommodated in the bottom wall portion 9 side by side in two rows. When the plug 3 is accommodated in the housing 4, the connection terminal 16 protrudes outwardly in the left-right direction from the side wall portion 8 and a curved contact portion that contacts the terminal on the plug 3 side and is soldered to the circuit board. And a tail portion.

  A rectangular notch 17 (an example of a portion related to the housing of the second engagement mechanism) is formed at a front and rear central portion of the upper surface of the side wall portion 8. In addition, the notch 17 is not restricted to what is located in the front-back center of the side wall part 8, For example, you may be located in the front-back side. A chamfered portion 18 is formed along the front-rear direction at a joint portion between the upper surface and the inner surface of the side wall portion 8. A chamfered portion 19 is also formed in the left-right direction at a joint portion between the upper surface of the side wall portion 8 and both side surfaces of the notch 17.

(flame)
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the frame 5 includes a pair of long arm portions 21 extending in the front-rear direction, and a long connecting portion 22 that connects the front end portions of the arm portions 21. And is formed of a substantially U-shaped metal plate member in plan view. The frame 5 is not limited to a substantially U shape in plan view, and may be a rectangular frame shape, for example.

  In this way, by configuring the frame 5 in a substantially U shape or rectangular frame shape, the plug 3 can be attached not only from the front side but also from the rear side. That is, not only the plug 3 is attached to the concave portion 10 of the housing 4 from the front side, but the plug 3 is attached to the concave portion 10 of the housing 4 from the rear side while passing the cable 2 and the plug 3 through the space on the inner side of the frame 5. Also good.

  A plate-like bent portion 23 extending from the arm portion 21 in the vertical direction (downward side) is formed at the rear end portion of the arm portion 21. A plate-like shaft center member 24 that protrudes inward in the left-right direction and is inserted into the elongated hole 15 a of the protruding portion 15 is formed at the lower end portion of the bent portion 23. The rotation of the shaft member 24 causes the frame 5 to swing up and down around the shaft center. The frame 5 slides in the front-rear direction by the movement along the longitudinal direction of the elongated hole 15a of the shaft member 24.

  Plate-like engaging claws 25 (an example of a portion related to the frame of the first engaging mechanism) extending in the vertical direction (downward) from the connecting portion 22 are formed at the left and right ends of the connecting portion 22, respectively. ing. The engaging claw 25 includes a pair of long extending portions 25a and a long engaging portion 25b that connects lower end portions of the extending portions 25a, and is substantially co-operated in front view. It is configured in a letter shape. Thereby, when the frame 5 is closed, the engaging portion 25b of the engaging claw 25 and the engaged portion 13b of the engaging protrusion 13 are engaged.

  A plate-like projecting portion 26 (an example of a portion related to the frame of the second engagement mechanism) is formed at the front-rear center portion of the arm member 21 and extends outward in the left-right direction. Thereby, when the frame 5 is closed, the protrusion 26 and the notch 17 are engaged. At this time, the tip portion of the protruding portion 26 protrudes outward in the left-right direction from the side wall portion 8. Thereby, the front-rear center part of the frame 5 is elastically deformed upward by a simple operation of sandwiching and lifting the tip part of the protrusion part 26 with both fingers, and the engagement between the protrusion part 26 and the notch 17 is released. Can do.

  A plate-like cable protection part 27 extending forward is formed at the center of the connecting part 22 (between the engaging claws 25). When the cable 2 bends, the cable protector 27 abuts against the cable 2 and suppresses further bending of the cable 2. Thereby, damage to the cable 2 can be prevented.

(plug)
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the plug 3 is formed in a rectangular plate shape. A cable 2 is connected to a central portion of the front surface of the plug 3 at the left and right sides. Step portions 31 are respectively formed along the front-rear direction on both side edges of the upper surface of the plug 3. Thereby, when the frame 5 is closed, the arm portion 21 is fitted into the space surrounded by the step portion 31 and the side wall portion 8, and the protruding portion 26 and the notch 17 are engaged. A chamfered portion 20 is formed along the front-rear direction at a joint portion between the upper surface of the plug 3 and the side surface of the step portion 31.

  When the plug 3 and the upper surface plug 3 of the side wall portion 8 are accommodated in the housing 4, the thickness of the frame 5 is lower than the lower ends of the chamfered portions 18 to 20 of the plug 3 and the side wall portion 8. Only lower. Thereby, when the protrusion part 26 and the notch 17 engage, the upper surface of the flame | frame 5 will be in a position slightly lower than the upper surface of the plug 3 and the side wall part 8. FIG.

  Next, the operation of attaching / detaching the plug 3 to / from the connector 1 will be described.

(Installation operation)
First, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the plug 3 is attached to the recess 10 of the housing 4 and swings downward in a state where the frame 5 is slid to the frontmost position. Here, the state in which the frame 5 is slid to the frontmost position is a state in which the frame member 5 is slid to the front position and the shaft member 24 is in contact with the front end of the elongated hole 15a. .

  At this time, the protruding portion 26 comes into contact with the upper surface of the side wall portion 8, and the front and rear central portions of the frame 5 are elastically deformed upward. The engaging portion 25b of the engaging claw 25 is guided by the inclined portion 13a of the engaging protrusion 13, and the engaging claw 25 is elastically deformed forward while the frame 5 swings downward. When the engaging portion 25 b of the engaging claw 25 exceeds the inclined portion 13 a of the engaging projection 13, the elastic deformation of the engaging claw 25 is released, and the engaging portion 25 b of the engaging claw 25 and the engagement projection 13 are covered. The engaging portion 13b is engaged. At this time, the elastic deformation of the frame 5 is not released.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 4C, when the frame 5 is slid and moved to the rearmost position, the engaging claws 25 and the engaging protrusions 13 are engaged deeper in the front-rear direction, and the frame 5 The elastic deformation is released, the protrusion 26 and the notch 17 are engaged, and the plug 3 is attached to the connector 1. At this time, the sliding movement of the frame 5 in the front-rear direction is restricted. Here, the state in which the frame 5 is slid to the rearmost position is the state in which the frame 5 is slid to the rear position and the shaft member 24 is in contact with the rear end of the elongated hole 15a. That is.

  As described above, when the frame 5 is slid to the rearmost position, the protrusion 26 and the notch 17 engage with each other, so that the engagement depth between the engagement claw 25 and the engagement protrusion 13 becomes sufficiently deep. The engagement between the engagement claw 25 and the engagement protrusion 13 becomes strong.

  By the operation of swinging the frame 5 downward, the engagement claw 25 and the engagement projection 13 are engaged, and the operation of sliding the frame 5 to the rearmost position releases the elastic deformation of the frame 5. Since the protrusion 26 and the notch 17 are engaged, the operation is simplified.

  Note that when the frame 5 is slid to the rearmost position, the elastic deformation of the frame 5 is not limited, and the frame 5 is moved to a predetermined position between the rearmost position and the frontmost position. The configuration may be such that the elastic deformation of the frame 5 is released when sliding to the position.

(Withdrawal operation)
When the front end portion of the protrusion 26 is sandwiched and lifted with both fingers and the front and rear central portions of the frame 5 are elastically deformed upward, the engagement between the protrusion 26 and the notch 17 is released. Next, when the frame 5 is slid to the frontmost position and the engagement claw 25 is elastically deformed to the front side, the engagement between the engagement claw 25 and the engagement protrusion 13 is released, and the frame 5 is elastically deformed. Canceled. The frame 5 is swung upward, the plug 3 is removed from the recess 10 of the housing 4, and the plug 3 is detached from the connector 1.

  In this manner, the frame 5 is elastically deformed upward to release the engagement between the protrusion 26 and the notch 17, and the frame 5 is slid to the frontmost position, and then the engagement claw 25 and the engagement protrusion 13 are moved. The plug 3 can be detached from the connector 1 by releasing the engagement. For this reason, even if a large impact on the front side is applied to the frame 5, for example, the front and rear central portions of the frame 5 are not elastically deformed to the front side, so that the engagement between the protruding portion 26 and the notch 17 is not released. The frame 5 does not slide forward. Further, for example, even when a large impact is applied to the frame 5 and the frame 5 is elastically deformed upward, and the engagement between the protruding portion 26 and the notch 17 is released, the elastic biasing force to the lower side of the frame 5 is released. As a result, the frame 5 immediately returns to the posture before elastic deformation, so that the protrusion 26 and the notch 17 are engaged again. Therefore, the frame 5 does not slide forward. Therefore, it is difficult for the plug 3 to fall off even if a large impact is applied in any direction.

[Another embodiment]

(1) As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, an example of a part related to the frame in the second engaging mechanism is a plate-like protrusion 32 having a substantially L-shaped cross section at the front and rear central part of the arm part 21. ), And a protruding protrusion 32 is formed with a locking protrusion 32a protruding outward in the left-right direction, and a notch 33 (of the second engagement mechanism) is formed across the upper surface and the inner surface of the side wall 8. An example of a portion related to the housing may be formed, and a locking recess 33a into which the locking projection 32a fits may be formed in the notch 33. In this embodiment, since the length of the base end part of the protrusion part 32 is set longer than the depth of the notch 33 in the left-right direction, even if the frame 5 is slid, the protrusion part 32 and the notch 33 Are not engaged (see FIG. 6A). After the frame 5 is slid to the rearmost position and the arm portion 21 is elastically deformed inward in the left-right direction with the tip of the protrusion 32 sandwiched between both fingers, the locking projection 32a is engaged. While fitting into the stop recess 33a, the protrusion 32 and the notch 33 are engaged, and the elastic deformation on the upper side and the inner side of the frame 5 is released (see FIG. 6B).

(2) FIGS. 7 and 8 show a configuration similar to FIGS. 5 and 6. However, in this embodiment, the length of the base end part of the protrusion part 32 and the depth of the notch 33 in the left-right direction are set to substantially the same length. Further, the locking projection 32a and the locking recess 33a are omitted. Therefore, when the frame 5 is slid to the rearmost position, the elastic deformation of the frame 5 is released, and the base end portion of the protruding portion 32 and the notch 33 are engaged.

(3) As shown in FIG. 9, a plate-like hook portion 34 (an example of a portion related to the frame of the first engagement mechanism) having a substantially L-shaped cross section is formed on the connecting portion 22, and the front wall A hole 35 (an example of a part related to the housing of the first engagement mechanism) may be formed in the portion 6 so that the hook and the hole are engaged with each other. Thereby, the space saving in the front-back direction of the housing 4 and the reduction of the material cost of the housing 4 can be aimed at.

(4) As shown in FIG. 10, a bulging portion 36 that bulges downward is formed on the lower surface of the protruding portion 15, and a recessed portion 37 is formed on the lower surface of the notch 17 to close the frame 5, When the boss 26 and the notch 17 are engaged, the bulging portion 36 and the recessed portion 37 may be engaged. As a result, the vertical engagement depth between the protruding portion 26 and the notch 17 can be increased by the bulging portion 36, and the engagement between the protruding portion 26 and the notch 17 becomes strong.

  The present invention can be applied to various connectors to which plugs are attached.

3 Plug 4 Housing 5 Frame 10 Recesses 13, 25, 34, 35 First engagement mechanism 17, 26, 32, 33 Second engagement mechanism

Claims (5)

A housing for mounting the plug;
A frame that is openable and closable with respect to the housing and that prevents the plug from falling off when in the closed position,
A first engagement mechanism that is provided across the frame and the housing, engages with each other in the closed position, and can change the engagement depth by sliding the frame relative to the housing;
It is provided across the frame and the housing, and can be engaged with each other when the frame is slid in the direction of deeper engagement with the housing after the first engagement mechanism is engaged. A connector structure comprising: a second engagement mechanism; When the frame and the housing are engaged with each other by the first engagement mechanism, a portion related to the frame of the second engagement mechanism comes into contact with the housing and the frame is elastically deformed. When the frame and the housing are engaged with each other by the second engagement mechanism, the elastic deformation of the frame is released,
2. The connector structure according to claim 1, wherein a direction in which a portion of the second engagement mechanism is elastically deformed is different from a direction in which the frame slides. The frame is configured to be swingable,
A portion of the first engagement mechanism relating to the frame is provided at a tip of the frame,
The connector structure according to claim 2, wherein a portion of the second engagement mechanism related to the frame is provided at a center between a base end and a distal end of the frame. Of the second engagement mechanism, the portion related to the frame is a protrusion that fits into a groove formed in the side wall of the housing,
Sites other than the projecting portion in the frame are located inside the recess surrounded by the side wall portion,
The connector structure according to claim 3, wherein the frame is set lower than an upper surface of the side wall portion.   The connector structure according to claim 4, wherein when the frame is closed, a tip portion of the protruding portion protrudes outward from the side wall portion.

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