JP2013258118A - Housing - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a housing which can suppress imperfect contact due to vibration, or the like, occurring between a housing side connector and a connector with a cable being connected with that connector.SOLUTION: A connector 6 with a cable and a cable 16 are pressed, respectively, in the insertion direction of the connector 6 with a cable, by a force F generated by U-shape spring effect of a hinge 11. Furthermore, outer periphery of the cable 16 is fastened by means of a clamp 14. Consequently, micro vibration of the cable 16 in the cross direction is suppressed, when a vibration acts on the cable 16. Furthermore, vibration of a female contact pin in the cross direction is suppressed for the housing of the connector 6 with a cable. Since abrasion is suppressed at the contact part of the female contact pin of the connector 6 with a cable and the male contact pin of a connector 5, imperfect contact of the connector 6 with a cable and the connector 5 can be suppressed.

Description

  The present invention relates to a housing, and more particularly to a housing suitable for accommodating a printed circuit board with a connector.

Conventionally, as this type of housing, for example, the housing described in Patent Document 1 is known.
The housing includes a main body having an opening and a connector cover that closes the opening of the main body. The connector cover is provided so as to be rotatable with respect to the main body. A connecting member is provided inside the main body. A connector with a cable is connected to the connection member from the outside through the opening of the main body. And in this housing | casing, after connecting a connector to a connection member, an opening part is obstruct | occluded with a connector cover. The cable is drawn out through a notch provided in the connector cover.

  When the connector is connected to the connection member and the connector cover is closed, the connector cover covers the connector from the outside. The connector cover is maintained in a state of being locked to the main body by a locking mechanism provided between the connector cover and the main body. When the connector is about to be disconnected from the connecting member for some reason, the connector is locked by the connector cover. For this reason, dropping of the connector is suppressed.

JP 2001-351733 A

  An example of a conventionally used connector is shown in FIG. The connector 112 with a cable has a housing 113 and a female contact pin 114. A female contact pin 114 is inserted into the housing 113 in a retaining state. By retaining the retaining claws 115 provided on the female contact pins 114 on the recesses 116 provided inside the housing 113, the female contact pins 114 are prevented from coming off. In the case of having this retaining structure, there is usually a slight backlash between the housing 113 and the female contact pin 114 in the extending direction of the female contact pin 114. The housing 113 has an unlocking claw 120, and a projection 119 for preventing the connector 121 from coming off is provided on the claw 120. There is a certain angle between the claw 120 and the upper portion of the housing 113.

  The connector 112 with cable is connected to the connector 121. The connector 121 has a housing 122 and a male contact pin 117. When the connector 121 and the connector 112 with cable are connected, the protruding portion 119 is hooked from the inside into the square hole 118 provided in the housing 122, so that the connector 112 with cable is prevented from coming off. At this time, the tip of the claw 120 slightly protrudes from the end surface of the housing 122. When the cable-attached connector 112 is removed from the connector 121, the tip of the claw 120 is pressed. Then, the state of being caught in the square hole 118 of the protrusion 119 is released. Accordingly, the state where the connector 112 with cable is prevented from being detached from the connector 121 is released. Note that there is some backlash between the housing 122 and the housing 113.

  When such a connector is employed as a connector connected to the connection member of Patent Document 1, there are the following concerns. That is, when vibration acts on the cable 111 or the connector 112 with the cable, the female contact pin 114 is slightly extended in the extending direction due to rattling between the housing 113 and the female contact pin 114. Vibrate. By this minute vibration, the female contact pin 114 slides with respect to the male contact pin 117 of the connection member. As a result, the contact portion between the female contact pin 114 and the male contact pin 117 of the connection member is worn down, so that contact failure occurs between the female contact pin 114 and the male contact pin 117 of the connection member. May occur.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and its purpose is to suppress the occurrence of poor contact between the connector on the housing side and the connector with the cable connected to the connector due to vibration or the like. It is to provide a housing that can be used.

Hereinafter, means for achieving the above-described object and its operation and effects will be described.
The invention according to claim 1 is a housing that accommodates a substrate having a second connector to which a first connector with a cable is connected, and has a window portion, and the connectors are connected to the window. The gist of the present invention is that a fixing member for fixing the cable to the casing is integrally formed in the vicinity of the window portion in the casing configured to be connected via the section.

  According to this configuration, since the fixing member is provided in the vicinity of the window portion of the housing, the cable can be fixed near the first connector. For this reason, even when the cable vibrates with the first connector connected to the second connector, relative movement between the contact pins of the first connector and the contact pins of the second connector is suppressed. . That is, the contact pin of the first connector and the contact pin of the second connector are prevented from rubbing against each other due to the vibration of the cable. Therefore, contact failure due to wear of the contact portion between the contact pin of the first connector and the contact pin of the second connector is suppressed.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the housing according to the first aspect, the fixing member is provided so as to face the outer peripheral surface of the cable when the first connector is connected to the second connector. And a clamp that is provided on the cable-facing surface of the support portion and holds the outer peripheral surface of the cable.

According to this configuration, the cable is fixed to the support portion, and thus the casing, by gripping the outer peripheral surface of the cable by the clamp provided in the support portion.
The invention according to claim 3 is the housing according to claim 2,
The fixing member further includes a hook provided on a cable-facing surface of the support portion for fixing the first connector, and the hook includes an insertion direction of the first connector connected to the second connector. The gist is that the first connector is disposed at a position where the first connector can be elastically pressed in the insertion direction via the opposite side portion.

According to this configuration, since the first connector is pressed in the insertion direction by the hook, the connection state of the first connector to the second connector is preferably maintained.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a main body having an opening for storing the substrate and a lid member that closes the opening so as to be freely opened and closed, and the fixing member forms a part of the lid member. The window is formed in such a manner as to be rotatable with respect to the lid member via a hinge portion, and the fixing member is rotated in a direction opposite to the closing direction of the lid member with the lid member closed. The hinge portion is provided so as to be elastically stretchable along the connecting direction by giving a shape curved in a direction intersecting the connecting direction of the fixing member and the lid member, and the hook The gist is that the first connector is pressed in the insertion direction by the elastic force of the hinge portion.

  According to this configuration, the fixing member is provided on the lid member, so that the housing can be manufactured easily. In addition, when the lid member of the housing is closed, the substrate can be protected from dust and dirt. Further, since the fixing member utilizes the elastic stretchability of the hinge portion of the lid member, the first connector is further pressed in the insertion direction by the hook, so that the first connector with respect to the second connector The connection state can be maintained more favorably.

  The housing according to the present invention provides a housing that can suppress the occurrence of poor contact between the housing-side connector and the connector with the cable connected to the connector due to vibration or the like.

The perspective view which shows the structure of the housing | casing in one Embodiment. The perspective view which shows the structure of the housing | casing at the time of connector fitting of the embodiment. The side view of the cable fixing member of FIG. Sectional drawing of a general connector.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the casing of the present invention will be described. This housing is used as an in-vehicle ECU case, for example. Further, the entire casing is integrally formed of a synthetic resin material.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the housing includes a box-shaped main body 2 having an opening 1 on one side surface, and a plate-shaped lid member 3 that can open and close the opening 1 of the main body 2. The lid member 3 is connected to the main body 2 via two hinge portions 25a and 25b.

  On the upper surface 21 of the main body 2, two fitting holes 22a and 22b penetrating from the outside to the inside are formed. A substrate 4 is accommodated inside the main body 2. A connector 5 as a second connector is fixed on the upper surface of the substrate 4. The connector 5 slightly protrudes from the edge of the substrate 4 and further from the opening 1. A connector 6 with a cable as a first connector is connected to the connector 5. The connector 6 with a cable has the same configuration as the connector 112 with a cable shown in FIG. Therefore, there is play in the extending direction of the female contact pin 114 between the housing 113 and the female contact pin 114. The connector 5 has the same configuration as the connector 121 shown in FIG.

The lid member 3 has a peripheral wall 23 and a notch 7.
The peripheral wall 23 is provided on the inner surface when the lid member 3 is closed. The peripheral wall 23 includes a bottom wall portion 24a and two upper wall portions 24b. The bottom wall portion 24a is provided over the entire length of the lower end edge when the lid member 3 is closed. The bottom wall portion 24a is connected to the main body 2 via hinge portions 25a and 25b. The two upper wall portions 24b are respectively provided at two corners in the upper part when the lid member 3 is closed, and extend so as to be bent at a right angle along the two corners. In addition, two trapezoidal protrusions 26a and 26b that are fitted into the fitting holes 22a and 22b of the main body 2 are formed on the outer surfaces of the two upper wall portions 24b that are opposite to the bottom wall portion 24a. ing. When the lid member 3 is closed, the lid member 3 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow a in the figure around the hinge portions 25a and 25b. At this time, the protrusions 26 a and 26 b of the lid member 3 are fitted into the fitting holes 22 a and 22 b of the main body 2 from the inside while the entire lid member 3 is inserted inside the main body 2. Thereby, the lid member 3 is fixed to the main body 2, and the closed state of the lid member 3 is maintained.

  Moreover, the notch part 7 has the external appearance which removed the rectangular part from the upper part when the cover member 3 is closed. The notch 7 is formed at a position corresponding to the connector 5 when the lid member 3 is closed. Further, the cutout area of the cutout portion 7 is set to such an extent that the connector 5 can be inserted.

  The notch 7 has a lower inner surface 8, a left inner surface 9 and a right inner surface 10. A plate-like cable fixing member 12 is rotatably connected to the lower inner side surface 8 via a hinge portion 11. When the connector 5 is viewed from the front, the width of the cable fixing member 12 in the left-right direction is set to be smaller than the width of the notch 7. A gap is formed between the two left and right side surfaces of the cable fixing member 12 and the two left and right inner surfaces of the notch 7.

The cable fixing member 12 includes a support portion 27 connected via the hinge portion 11, a clamp 14 for fixing the cable 16, and a plate-like hook 15 for fixing the connector.
The hinge part 11 is formed in a U-shaped band that protrudes below the support part 27. Further, the hinge portion 11 is provided over the entire length of the support portion 27 in the width direction. The thickness of the hinge portion 11 is set to be thinner than the thickness of the support portion 27. For this reason, the hinge part 11 shows favorable softness | flexibility. The hinge portion 11 expands and contracts by opening and closing the U-shaped opening 13 due to its own flexibility. As the hinge portion 11 expands and contracts, the support portion 27 opens and closes independently from the lid member 3. For example, the support portion 27 can be opened with the lid member 3 closed. The support part 27 does not disturb the opening and closing of the lid member 3.

  The hook 15 is provided on the upper surface (cable facing surface) when the support portion 27 is opened. The hook 15 is provided over the entire length of the support portion 27 in the same manner as the hinge portion 11. The tip of the hook has a triangular protrusion 20. As shown in FIG. 3, the protruding portion 20 protrudes in the insertion direction of the connector 6 with cable.

  The clamp 14 is provided on the upper surface when the support portion 27 is opened. The clamp 14 is provided at a position slightly away from the main body from the hook 15. The clamp 14 has two arms 14a and 14b. The two arms 14 a and 14 b are provided symmetrically about the vertical center line of the support portion 27 as an axis. The two arms have elasticity. The two arms 14a and 14b have a shape in which an opening 18 is formed between the upper ends thereof and a circular portion 19 is formed between the arc surfaces of the lower ends. The width of the opening 18 and the inner diameter of the circular portion 19 are each set smaller than the outer diameter of the cable 16.

Next, the operation of the housing will be described while explaining a method of connecting the connector 6 with cable to the connector 5.
When connecting the connector 6 with a cable to the connector 5, as shown in FIG. 2, the lid member 3 is kept closed. The support portion 27 is tilted outward, that is, in a direction opposite to the direction in which the lid is closed, with the hinge portion 11 as a fulcrum. The support portion 27 is maintained in an open state to the extent that there is no problem when the connector 6 with cable is connected to the connector 5. In this state, the connector 6 with cable is connected to the connector 5.

  Next, while pulling the support portion 27 outward, that is, in a direction opposite to the insertion direction of the cable-attached connector 6, the tip of the hook 15 is made to face the lower back surface 17 of the cable-attached connector 6. By pulling the support part 27 outward, the U-shaped opening 13 of the hinge part 11 expands. That is, the support part 27 moves slightly outwardly against the elastic force of the hinge part 11. For this reason, it becomes possible to make the front-end | tip of the hook 15 oppose the back lower part 17 of the connector 6 with a cable through adjustment of the inclination degree which uses the hinge part 11 of the support part 27 as a fulcrum. In this example, when the support portion 27 is orthogonal to the lid member 3, the tip of the hook 15 faces the lower back surface 17 of the connector 6 with cable.

  Thereafter, the force that pulls the support portion 27 outward is released while maintaining the state where the tip of the hook 15 is opposed to the lower back portion 17 of the connector 6 with cable. Then, the U-shaped opening 13 of the hinge portion 11 tends to elastically return to the original state. As the support portion 27 moves due to the elastic return force of the hinge portion 11, the hook 15 moves in a direction approaching the lower back portion 17 of the connector 6 with cable. Eventually, the tip of the hook 15 comes into contact with the lower back portion 17 of the connector 6 with cable. The position of the protrusion 20 of the hook 15 at this time is L2. The position L2 is located slightly outside the original position L1 of the protruding portion 20 of the hook 15, that is, in the direction opposite to the insertion direction of the connector 6 with cable. Thus, in a state where the protruding portion 20 of the hook 15 is in contact with the lower back surface 17 of the connector 6 with cable, the hinge portion 11 is not completely restored to the original state. For this reason, the connector 6 with a cable is maintained in a state in which the elastic restoring force of the hinge portion 11 is applied via the hook 15. That is, the hook 15 generates a force F that presses the connector 6 with cable in the insertion direction of the connector 6 with cable. By this force F, it is pressed toward the insertion direction of the connector 6 with cable.

  Finally, the cable 16 is pushed inward from the opening 18 formed between the upper ends of the two arms 14a and 14b. As the cable 16 is pushed into the opening 18, the upper ends of the two arms 14a and 14b are elastically deformed in a direction away from each other. When the cable 16 passes between the upper ends of the clamps 14, the two arms 14a and 14b attempt to return to their original positions. Since the inner diameter of the circular portion 19 is set slightly shorter than the outer diameter of the cable 16, the outer peripheral surface of the cable 16 is maintained in a state of being tightened by the two arms 14a and 14b. That is, the cable 16 is in a solid state with respect to the support portion 27. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the movement of the cable 16 in the front-rear direction. Since the opening 18 is set to be narrower than the outer diameter of the cable 16, the cable 16 does not drop through the opening 18.

  Further, the elastic restoring force of the hinge portion 11 is also applied to the cable 16 via the two arms 14a and 14b. That is, the cable 16 is always urged in the insertion direction of the connector 6 with cable via the two arms 14a and 14b. This also restricts the movement of the cable 16 in the front-rear direction, that is, the insertion direction of the connector 6 with cable.

As described above, according to the embodiment described above, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) The cable-attached connector 6 and the cable 16 are each pressed in the insertion direction of the cable-attached connector 6 by the force F generated by the U-shaped spring effect of the hinge portion 11 connecting the support portion 27 and the lid member 3. . Further, the outer periphery of the cable 16 is tightened by the clamp 14. For this reason, the movement of the cable 16 is regulated. For example, even when vibration or the like acts on the cable 16, the cable 16 is suppressed from being vibrated minutely in the front-rear direction. As a result, even if there is rattling in the front-rear direction between the female contact pin 114 and the housing 113, the female contact pin 114 is prevented from vibrating in the front-rear direction with respect to the housing 113. Is done. Since the occurrence of wear at the contact portion between the contact pin of the connector 6 with cable and the male contact pin 117 of the connector 5 is suppressed, poor contact between the connector 6 with cable and the connector 5 can be suppressed.

  It is also conceivable that there is vertical play between the female contact pin 114 and the housing 113. Even in this case, when the cable is fixed, minute vibrations in the vertical direction between the female contact pin 114 and the housing 113 are suppressed.

  (2) The cable 16 is fixed near the connector 6 with cable. For this reason, the influence of the vibration of the cable 16 on the movement of the female contact pin 114 in the front-rear direction can be suppressed.

  (3) The protrusion 20 of the hook 15 has a columnar shape with a triangular cross section. For this reason, the connector 6 with a cable can be pressed down more strongly than the hook made into the other cross-sectional shape.

  (4) The main body 2, the lid member 3, and the cable fixing member 12 are integrally formed of a synthetic resin material. For this reason, the cable 16 can be fixed irrespective of another fixing component. Since it is not necessary to provide a member for fixing the cable 16 as a separate part, the cable 16 can be fixed without increasing the number of parts.

(5) The tip of the hook 15 can be brought into contact with the entire lower rear portion of the connector 6 with cable. For this reason, the connector 6 with a cable can be stably pushed in the insertion direction.
(6) The housing can be used as an ECU case of an automobile, for example. The housing of this example is suitable for mounting on a device that generates vibration, such as an automobile.

In addition, you may change the said embodiment as follows.
-In said embodiment, although the cable fixing | fixed part is provided in the notch part of a cover member, you may provide in the other part of a main body. For example, a new window portion may be prepared in the main body, and a cable fixing member may be provided on a side formed by the window portion and the main body.

  -The cross-sectional shape of the protrusion part 20 of the hook 15 is not restricted to a triangle, You may make other cross-sectional shapes, such as a trapezoid or a semicircle. Even in this case, the connector 6 with cable can be pressed in the same manner.

  A screw may be tightened between the upper ends of the two arms 14a and 14b of the clamp 14. In this way, the outer peripheral surface of the cable 16 can be tightened more strongly by the two arms 14a and 14b. The movement due to the vibration of the cable 16 is further suppressed.

  The clamp has two arms 14 a and 14 b, but may be one arm having an opening in the upper surface direction of the support portion 27. If it does in this way, the outer peripheral surface of a cable can be suppressed with one arm. Movement due to cable vibration is also suppressed.

The main body 2 and the cable fixing member 12 are integrally formed of synthetic resin, but may be another material having a certain strength. For example, you may integrally mold with a metal etc.
In this example, the cable fixing member 12 is provided so as to be rotatable via the hinge portion 11, but the cable fixing member 12 may be fixed to the lid member 3. Even in this case, the connector 6 with cable can be pressed by the elasticity of the hook 15.

  -The lid member 3 may be omitted. In this case, the cable fixing member 12 is provided near the window provided in the opening 1 or other part of the main body 2. The cable fixing member 12 suppresses movement due to cable vibration.

-The hook 15 may be omitted. Even in this case, the movement of the cable in the longitudinal direction can still be suppressed by the clamp 14.
Next, technical ideas that can be grasped from the embodiment will be described.

  (A) In the housing according to any one of claims 2 to 5, the clamp has an arm portion that is provided on the cable facing surface of the support portion and curves along the outer peripheral surface of the cable. The arm portion is a housing that fixes the cable by elastically tightening an outer peripheral surface of the cable disposed inside the arm portion.

  (B) In the item (A), the arm portion has a first arm portion that curves corresponding to a half circumference of the cable, and a second arm portion that curves corresponding to the remaining half circumference, The first and second arm portions are provided so that the cables arranged inside can be elastically sandwiched, and further, the distal ends of the two arm portions are tightened in a direction close to each other by a fastening member. body.

(C) In the housing according to claim 3,
A hinge portion connecting the fixing member and the main body, the hinge portion having a shape curved in a direction intersecting a direction connecting the fixing member and the main body, and along the connecting direction; A casing that can be elastically extended and contracted, and the hook presses the first connector in the insertion direction by an elastic force of the hinge portion.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Opening part, 2 ... Main body, 3 ... Cover member, 4 ... Board | substrate, 5 ... Connector, 6 ... Connector with a cable, 7 ... Notch part, 11 ... Hinge part, 12 ... Cable fixing member, 14 ... Clamp, 15 ... Hook, 16 ... cable, 27 ... support part.

Claims (4)

A housing that houses a substrate having a second connector to which a first connector with a cable is connected,
In a housing that has a window and is configured such that the connectors are connected via the window,
A case in which a fixing member for fixing the cable to the case is integrally formed in the vicinity of the window. The housing according to claim 1,
The fixing member includes a support portion provided so as to face the outer peripheral surface of the cable when the first connector is connected to the second connector;
And a clamp that is provided on a cable-facing surface of the support portion and holds an outer peripheral surface of the cable. The housing according to claim 2,
The fixing member further includes a hook provided on a cable facing surface of the support portion to fix the first connector,
The hook is a housing disposed at a position where the first connector can be elastically pressed in the insertion direction via a portion opposite to the insertion direction of the first connector connected to the second connector. A main body having an opening for accommodating the substrate;
A lid member that freely opens and closes the opening,
The fixing member is formed so as to form a part of the lid member and is rotatable with respect to the lid member via a hinge portion,
Forming the window by rotating the fixing member in a direction opposite to the closing direction of the lid member with the lid member closed,
The hinge portion is provided so as to be elastically stretchable along the connecting direction by giving a shape curved in a direction intersecting the connecting direction of the fixing member and the lid member,
The case according to claim 3, wherein the hook presses the first connector in the insertion direction by an elastic force of the hinge portion.