JP2013243008A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent looseness almost in parallel to a fitting direction between housings fitted with each other.SOLUTION: A connector has: a first housing 10 having a terminal housing section 11; a fulcrum section 22 opposed to an outer surface of the terminal housing section 11; a lock protrusion 34 projecting outward from an outer surface of a hood section 32 of a second housing 30; a lock arm 21 that is arranged on an inner side than the fulcrum section 22, extends forward in a fitting direction from the fulcrum section 22, and can be elastically displaced outward with the fulcrum section 22 as a fulcrum; and a locking protrusion 26 projecting inward from an extension end of the lock arm 21. The locking protrusion 26 rides on the lock protrusion 34 together with outward elastic displacement of the lock arm 21 in a process of fitting both of the housings 10, 30, and is displaced inward and locked with the lock protrusion 34 when both of the housings 10, 30 are fitted with each other.

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector.

  The connector shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 is configured to lock both housings 100 and 102 in a fitted state by locking a lock arm 101 formed on the first housing 100 and a lock protrusion 103 formed on the second housing 102. It has become. A fulcrum portion 104 protrudes from the outer surface of the first housing 100, and the lock arm 101 extends from the fulcrum portion 104 in substantially the same direction as the fitting direction to the second housing 102. A locking projection 105 that protrudes inward toward the outer surface of the first housing 100 is formed at the extending end of the lock arm 101. The lock arm 101 can be elastically displaced in the unlocking direction away from the outer surface of the first housing 100 with the fulcrum portion 104 as a fulcrum. The lock protrusion 103 protrudes outward from the outer surface of the second housing 102.

  In the process of fitting the first housing 100 and the second housing 102, the lock arm 101 is elastically displaced in the unlocking direction as the locking protrusion 105 rides on the lock protrusion 103. When the two housings 100 and 102 are in the fitted state, the locking projection 105 gets over the lock projection 103 and the lock arm 101 is elastically returned to the locked posture. The housings 100 and 102 are locked in the detachment restricted state. As such a connector, there is one described in Patent Document 1.

JP 2005-183342 A

The locking projection 105 is a fulcrum in the process of returning from the maximum displacement position (shown in FIG. 10) riding on the protruding end of the locking projection 103 to the locked position (shown in FIG. 11) that can be locked with the locking projection 103. It is displaced inward (in a direction intersecting with the fitting direction of the two housings 100 and 102 and downward in FIGS. 10 and 11) along the arcuate path 106 having the portion 104 as a center. Since the position of the fulcrum part 104 is located on the inner side (lower side in FIGS. 10 and 11) than the protruding end of the lock protrusion 103, the locking protrusion 105 faces the lock protrusion 103 as shown in FIG. When returning to the position, a gap 107 is formed between the lock protrusion 103 and the locking protrusion 105 in a direction parallel to the fitting direction of the housings 100 and 102 (the left-right direction in FIGS. 10 and 11). Become. The gap 107 causes backlash between the housings 100 and 102 in a direction parallel to the fitting direction.
The present invention has been completed based on the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to prevent backlash between the housings in the fitted state substantially parallel to the fitting direction.

The present invention
A first housing having a terminal accommodating portion;
A fulcrum portion formed on the first housing and positioned to face the outer surface of the terminal accommodating portion;
A second housing engageable with the first housing;
A hood that is formed in the second housing and surrounds the terminal accommodating portion in a state in which the first housing and the second housing are fitted;
A lock protrusion protruding outward from the outer surface of the hood portion;
The fulcrum portion is arranged on the inner side and extends from the fulcrum portion toward the front in the fitting direction to the second housing, and is separated from the outer surface of the terminal accommodating portion with the fulcrum portion as a fulcrum. A lock arm that is elastically displaceable outward,
The lock arm is formed so as to protrude inward from the extended end portion of the lock arm toward the outer surface of the terminal accommodating portion, and in the process of fitting the first housing and the second housing, the outward elasticity of the lock arm. When the first housing and the second housing are engaged with each other when the first housing and the second housing are fitted together, the lock arm is displaced inward with the elastic return of the lock arm so as to face the lock projection. It has the feature in having a stop protrusion.

  In the present invention, the lock arm is disposed inside the fulcrum portion. Further, since the lock protrusion engages with the engagement protrusion protruding inward from the lock arm, the lock protrusion is located on the inner side of the fulcrum portion. On the other hand, the latching protrusion is displaced inward along an arc whose center is the fulcrum part in the process of returning from the position where it rides on the protruding end of the locking protrusion to the position facing the locking protrusion. To do.

  Here, since the fulcrum portion is located outside the protruding end of the lock protrusion and is located behind the lock protrusion in the fitting direction to the second housing, the lock protrusion is displaced inwardly. In the process of doing, it is displaced rearward in the fitting direction to the second housing. The rear side in the fitting direction with respect to the second housing is a direction in which the lock protrusion is pressed, so that there is no gap between the locking protrusion and the lock protrusion. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the backlash that is substantially parallel to the fitting direction between the fitted housings.

Sectional drawing showing the state before a 1st housing and a 2nd housing fit in Example 1. FIG. Sectional drawing showing the fitting process of the 1st housing and the 2nd housing Partial enlarged view of FIG. Partial enlarged view of FIG. Sectional drawing showing the fitting state of the 1st housing and the 2nd housing Partial enlarged view of FIG. Partial enlarged view of FIG. Front view of first housing Rear view of the first housing Sectional drawing showing the fitting process of the 1st housing and 2nd housing in a prior art example The partial expanded sectional view showing the state which the 1st housing and the 2nd housing fitted in the prior art example

The connector of the present invention
The first housing has a cylindrical portion surrounding the terminal accommodating portion over the entire circumference;
In the cylindrical part,
A support wall that is substantially perpendicular to the elastic displacement direction of the lock arm and faces the outer surface of the lock arm;
A pair of inclined wall portions extending in an obtuse angle from both end edges in the circumferential direction of the support wall portion and forming a trapezoid with the support wall portion are formed,
The fulcrum part may be formed to protrude inward from the inner surface of the support wall part.
According to this structure, since the part in which the support wall part and a pair of inclined wall part are formed among the cylindrical parts is formed in trapezoid, intensity | strength is high. Since the fulcrum portion serving as the fulcrum of the lock arm is formed on the support wall portion having a high strength, the displacement of the lock arm due to the deformation of the cylindrical portion hardly occurs. Therefore, the reliability of the backlash filling function by the engagement between the engagement protrusion and the lock protrusion is high.

<Example 1>
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 1, the connector of this embodiment includes a first housing 10 and a second housing 30, and locks both housings 10, 30 in a fitted state by a lock arm 21. It has become.

  Regarding the front-rear direction in the following description, the movement direction when the first housing 10 is fitted to the second housing 30 while approaching the second housing 30 is referred to as “front” in the connector. Define. Further, “upper surface” and “upward” of the connector in this embodiment correspond to “outer surface” and “outward” of the claims, and “lower” and “downward” of the connector in this embodiment are claims. Corresponds to “inside” and “inward”.

  The first housing 10 is made of synthetic resin, and is configured by integrally forming a block-shaped terminal accommodating portion 11 and a cylindrical portion 12 that surrounds the terminal accommodating portion 11 with a space around the entire circumference. ing. A plurality of first terminal fittings 13 having a female shape are inserted into the terminal accommodating portion 11. The cylindrical portion 12 is connected to the outer periphery of the terminal accommodating portion 11 via a flange-like connecting portion 14 at the rear end portion. That is, the cylindrical part 12 is cantilevered forward from the connecting part 14, and the cylindrical space formed between the outer periphery of the terminal accommodating part 11 and the inner periphery of the cylindrical part 12 is It is a fitting space 15 that is opened forward and into which the hood portion 32 of the second housing 30 is fitted.

  A reinforcing portion 16 is formed on a portion of the cylindrical portion 12 in the circumferential direction (upper surface portion in FIG. 1). As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the reinforcing portion 16 includes a support wall portion 17 having a substantially horizontal plate shape (substantially perpendicular to an elastic displacement direction of a lock arm 21 described later), and left and right side edges of the support wall portion 17 ( It is comprised from a pair of left-right symmetrical inclined wall part 18 extended diagonally downward from the both-ends edge of the support wall part 17 in the circumferential direction. The lower surface of the support wall 17 and the inner surface of the inclined wall 18 are connected at an obtuse angle. Since the support wall portion 17 and the pair of inclined wall portions 18 form a “substantially trapezoidal shape” when viewed in the same direction as the fitting direction of the housings 10, 30, the reinforcing portion 16 has a downward external force or left and right It has high strength that is difficult to deform against external force from the direction. In addition, the lower end part of the inclined wall part 18 is connected to the side wall part which comprises the cylindrical part 12 substantially flush.

  In the region corresponding to the reinforcing portion 16 (the support wall portion 17 and the inclined wall portion 18) of the connecting portion 14, that is, in the region corresponding to the upper surface of the terminal accommodating portion 11, the connecting portion 14 is arranged in the front-rear direction (both housings 10, A through-hole 19 is formed so as to penetrate in a direction parallel to the fitting direction of 30. The through hole 19 communicates with the fitting space 15 and opens the fitting space 15 rearward. A space surrounded by the upper surface of the terminal accommodating portion 11 and the reinforcing portion 16 (a space including the fitting space 15 and the through hole 19) is an accommodating space 20 penetrating in the front-rear direction.

  A lock arm 21 is accommodated in the accommodation space 20. In a state where the lock arm 21 is not elastically displaced, the lock arm 21 is elongated in the front-rear direction (a direction substantially parallel to the fitting direction of the housings 10 and 30). A pair of symmetrical fulcrum portions 22 are formed on the lower surface of the support wall portion 17 so as to protrude. A substantially central portion in the front-rear direction of the upper surface of the lock arm 21 is connected to the lower end of the fulcrum portion 22. A region of the lock arm 21 extending in a cantilevered manner from the fulcrum portion 22 is a locking arm portion 23. A region of the lock arm 21 extending in a cantilevered manner from the fulcrum portion 22 is an operation arm portion 24. The lock arm 21 is formed with reinforcing ribs 25 extending downwardly from the left and right side edges thereof in a rib shape.

  A locking projection 26 is formed on the front end of the locking arm 23 so as to protrude downward (in the direction toward the outer surface of the terminal accommodating portion 11) from its lower surface. Both left and right end portions of the locking projection 26 are connected to the reinforcing rib 25. In a state in which the lock arm 21 is not elastically displaced, the rear surface of the locking projection 26 is not perpendicular to the fitting direction of the housings 10 and 30 and is lower than the upper end (the base end of the locking projection 26). ) Is slightly inclined so as to be located rearward (position close to the fulcrum 22). The locking projection 26 and the fulcrum portion 22 are arranged on the opposite sides of the lock arm 21 with respect to the vertical direction (the elastic displacement direction of the lock arm 21) intersecting the fitting direction of the housings 10 and 30. The lock arm 21 can be elastically displaced in a seesaw shape in the unlocking direction in which the locking arm portion 23 is displaced upward with the fulcrum portion 22 as a fulcrum.

  As shown in FIG. 1, in the region of the lower surface of the support wall portion 17 in front of the fulcrum portion 22, interference with the front end portion of the locking arm portion 23 when the lock arm 21 is elastically displaced in the unlocking direction. An escape recess 27 for avoiding the above is formed. Since the relief recess 27 is configured, the height of the upper surface of the reinforcing portion 16 (cylindrical portion 12) can be reduced, and thus the first housing 10 can be reduced in height.

  The second housing 30 includes a terminal holding portion 31 that holds a plurality of male second terminal fittings 33, and the first housing 10 side from the outer periphery of the terminal holding portion 31 (rear with respect to the first housing 10). A hood portion 32 extending like a cantilever is integrally formed. On the upper surface of the upper wall portion of the hood portion 32, a lock projection 34 protruding upward is formed. A front surface of the lock protrusion 34 in the fitting direction of the first housing 10 with respect to the second housing 30 is a locking surface 35 that is substantially perpendicular to the fitting direction of both the housings 10 and 30.

  Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. In the process of fitting both the housings 10 and 30, the terminal accommodating portion 11 enters the hood portion 32, and the front surface of the locking protrusion 26 contacts the lock protrusion 34. When the fitting further proceeds from this state, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the locking projection 26 rides on the locking projection 34, and the lock arm 21 is elastically displaced in the unlocking direction. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, when the two housings 10 and 30 reach the proper fitting state, the locking projection 26 gets over the locking projection 34, and the lock arm 21 is elastically returned to the locked position. The protrusion 26 is in a state of being locked to the locking surface 35 of the lock protrusion 34. Due to the locking action of the locking protrusions 26 and the locking protrusions 34, the first housing 10 is restricted from moving backward with respect to the second housing 30, and both the housings 10, 30 are locked in the fitted state. The

  In the process in which the lock arm 21 elastically displaced in the unlocking direction is elastically returned to the lower locking position, the lower end (projecting end) of the locking projection 26 is moved from the position where the locking projection 34 rides on the projecting end of the locking projection 34. Toward a position corresponding to the lower end, it is displaced so as to draw a substantially arc centered on the fulcrum portion 22. Here, as shown in FIG. 1, the fulcrum portion 22 is located above the protruding end of the lock projection 34 in the up-down direction, which is the displacement direction of the lock arm 21 (the locking projection 26), and in the front-back direction, The locking projection 26 is located in front of the fulcrum portion 22. Therefore, when the locking protrusion 26 returns to the position where it locks with the locking protrusion 34, the lower end of the locking protrusion 26 is displaced downward along the locking surface 35 of the locking protrusion 34 and simultaneously displaced backward. become.

  Since the locking surface 35 of the locking projection 34 is a flat surface extending straight from the upper end (protruding end) to the lower end (base end) in the vertical direction, the lower end of the locking projection 26 is displaced downward. Accordingly, the locking surface 35 of the lock protrusion 34 is pressed backward while being rubbed. As described above, since the locking projection 26 is locked while being pressed against the lock projection 34, there is no possibility that a gap in the front-rear direction is generated between the locking projection 26 and the lock projection 34. Therefore, there is no possibility that the first housing 10 and the second housing 30 are loose in the front-rear direction.

  The technical idea extracted from the present embodiment is as follows. The first housing 10 has a terminal accommodating portion 11, and a fulcrum portion 22 is formed in the first housing 10 so as to be opposed to the upper surface (outer surface) of the terminal accommodating portion 11. The second housing 30 is formed with a hood portion 32 that surrounds the terminal accommodating portion 11 in a state in which both the housings 10 and 30 are fitted, and a lock protrusion 34 that protrudes upward (outward) on the outer surface of the hood portion 32. Is formed. The lock arm 21 is arranged below (inner side) the fulcrum part 22 and extends from the fulcrum part 22 toward the front in the fitting direction to the second housing 30.

  A locking projection 26 that protrudes downward (inward) toward the upper surface (outer surface) of the terminal accommodating portion 11 is formed on the extended end portion (front end portion) of the lock arm 21. The lock arm 21 is elastically displaced so that the locking protrusion 26 is spaced upward (outward) from the upper surface (outer surface) of the terminal accommodating portion 11 with the fulcrum portion 22 as a fulcrum. The locking protrusion 26 rides on the lock protrusion 34 in accordance with the elastic displacement of the lock arm 21 during the fitting process of both the housings 10 and 30, and when both the housings 10 and 30 are fitted, the elastic return of the lock arm 21 occurs. It is displaced downward (inward) and faces the lock protrusion 34 so as to be able to be locked.

  In the present embodiment, the lock arm 21 is disposed below (inside) the fulcrum portion 22, and the lock protrusion 34 is positioned below (inside) the fulcrum portion 22, and faces downward (inward) from the lock arm 21. It is locked with the locking protrusion 26 protruding in the direction). On the other hand, the latching protrusion 26 is along a circular arc with the fulcrum portion 22 as the center in the process of returning from the position riding on the protruding end of the locking protrusion 34 to the position facing the locking protrusion 34 so as to be latchable. Displaces inward.

  Here, since the fulcrum part 22 is located above (outside) the protruding end of the lock protrusion 34 and located behind the locking protrusion 26 in the fitting direction to the second housing 30, The protrusion 26 is displaced backward in the fitting direction to the second housing 30 in the process of being displaced downward (inward). The rear side in the fitting direction with respect to the second housing 30 is a direction in which the lock protrusion 34 is pressed, so that there is no gap between the locking protrusion 26 and the lock protrusion 34. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent the backlash that is substantially parallel to the fitting direction between the fitted housings.

  The first housing 10 has a cylindrical portion 12 that surrounds the terminal accommodating portion 11 over the entire circumference, and the cylindrical portion 12 is substantially the same as the elastic displacement direction (vertical direction) of the lock arm 21. A support wall 17 that is perpendicular and faces the upper surface (outer surface) of the lock arm 21, and a pair of slopes that form an obtuse angle from both edges in the circumferential direction of the support wall 17 and form a trapezoid with the support wall 17 A wall portion 18 is formed. The fulcrum portion 22 is formed so as to protrude downward (inward) from the lower surface (inner surface) of the support wall portion 17.

  According to this structure, since the reinforcement part 16 in which the support wall part 17 and the pair of inclined wall parts 18 are formed in the cylindrical part 12 is formed in a trapezoidal shape, the strength is high. Since the fulcrum part 22 serving as a fulcrum of the lock arm 21 is formed on the reinforcing part 16 (support wall part 17) having a high strength, the displacement of the lock arm 21 due to the deformation of the cylindrical part 12 hardly occurs. . Therefore, the reliability of the backlash filling function by the locking of the locking protrusions 26 and the locking protrusions 34 is also high.

<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 the above embodiment, a pair of left and right fulcrum portions are provided, but the number of fulcrum portions may be one or three or more.
(2) In the above embodiment, the portion of the cylindrical portion where the fulcrum portion is formed is formed into a trapezoid, but the shape of the portion where the fulcrum portion is formed is not limited to a trapezoid, but is a rectangle or the like. Also good.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... 1st housing 11 ... Terminal accommodating part 12 ... Cylindrical part 17 ... Support wall part 18 ... Inclined wall part 21 ... Lock arm 22 ... Supporting point part 26 ... Locking protrusion 30 ... 2nd housing 32 ... Hood part 34 ... Lock Protrusion

Claims (2)

A first housing having a terminal accommodating portion;
A fulcrum portion formed on the first housing and positioned to face the outer surface of the terminal accommodating portion;
A second housing engageable with the first housing;
A hood that is formed in the second housing and surrounds the terminal accommodating portion in a state in which the first housing and the second housing are fitted;
A lock protrusion protruding outward from the outer surface of the hood portion;
The fulcrum portion is arranged on the inner side and extends from the fulcrum portion toward the front in the fitting direction to the second housing, and is separated from the outer surface of the terminal accommodating portion with the fulcrum portion as a fulcrum. A lock arm that is elastically displaceable outward,
The lock arm is formed so as to protrude inward from the extended end portion of the lock arm toward the outer surface of the terminal accommodating portion, and in the process of fitting the first housing and the second housing, the outward elasticity of the lock arm. When the first housing and the second housing are engaged with each other when the first housing and the second housing are fitted together, the lock arm is displaced inward with the elastic return of the lock arm so as to face the lock projection. A connector comprising a stop projection. The first housing has a cylindrical portion surrounding the terminal accommodating portion over the entire circumference;
In the cylindrical part,
A support wall that is substantially perpendicular to the elastic displacement direction of the lock arm and faces the outer surface of the lock arm;
A pair of inclined wall portions extending in an obtuse angle from both end edges in the circumferential direction of the support wall portion and forming a trapezoid with the support wall portion are formed,
The connector according to claim 1, wherein the fulcrum portion is formed to protrude inward from an inner surface of the support wall portion.

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