JP2017054595A - connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent detection member from being pushed into a detection position in a state where a connector is not yet fitted.SOLUTION: A connector includes a first housing 10 where a lock arm 16 is formed, a stopper 18 formed in the lock arm 16, a second housing 50 having a lock protrusion 53, and a detection member 30 attached to the lock arm 16 slidably between an initial position and detection position. In a state where both housings 10, 50 are not yet fitted, a flexible locking piece 37 abuts against the stopper 18, thus holding the detection member 30 at the initial position. In a state where the detection member 30 is at the initial position, an engagement receiving portion 22 (locking part) of the stopper 18 engages with a lock protrusion 39 (locking part) of the flexible locking piece 37, thus regulating displacement of the flexible locking piece 37 in the direction of dissociation from the stopper 18.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a connector having a fitting detection function. This connector includes a first connector in which an elastically deflectable lock arm is formed, a detection member attached to the lock arm so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction, and a second connector having a lock protrusion. When both the connectors are not fitted, the front end portion of the bending locking piece formed on the detection member comes into contact with the stopper formed on the front end portion of the lock arm from the rear. By this contact action, the detection member cannot be moved to the detection position side and is held at the initial position.

  In a state where the fitting of both the connectors is started and half-fitted, the stopper moves onto the lock protrusion, whereby the lock arm is elastically displaced and the lock is released. Moreover, since the detection member is integrated with the lock arm to be in the unlocking posture, the bending locking piece is maintained in contact with the stopper. As a result, the detection member is held at the initial position.

  Then, when both the connectors are in a proper fitting state, the stopper gets over the lock protrusion, so that the lock arm is elastically returned from the unlocked posture to the locked posture. On the other hand, since the bending engagement piece gets on the lock protrusion, the bending engagement piece is disengaged from the stopper, and the detection member is allowed to move from the initial position to the detection position. Therefore, the fitting state of both connectors can be detected based on whether or not the detection member can be moved from the initial position to the detection position.

JP 2012-064461 A

  In the above connector, when an unexpected pressing force is applied from the rear to the detection member at the initial position in a state where both connectors are not fitted, slip occurs between the front end surface of the bending locking piece and the stopper, There is a possibility that the flexure locking piece may be detached from the stopper. In this case, the detection member is pushed to the front detection position even though both the connectors are not fitted, and therefore, when fitting both the connectors, the detection member needs to be pulled back to the initial position. .

  This invention is completed based on the above situations, Comprising: It aims at preventing that a detection member will be pushed in to a detection position in the state which a connector has not fitted.

The present invention
A first housing formed with an elastically deflectable lock arm;
A stopper formed at a position ahead of the fulcrum of elastic deflection in the lock arm;
A second housing fitted from the front to the first housing;
A locking protrusion formed on the second housing, and in a state where the first housing and the second housing are properly fitted, locking the first housing and the second housing by locking with the stopper;
A detection member attached to the lock arm so as to be able to slide between an initial position and a detection position ahead of the initial position;
When the first housing and the second housing are not fitted to each other and formed in the detection member, a flexure locking piece that holds the detection member in the initial position by contacting the stopper from the rear side. Prepared,
In a state where the first housing and the second housing are normally fitted and the stopper is locked to the lock protrusion, the bending locking piece rides on the lock protrusion and is disengaged from the stopper, A connector adapted to allow movement of the detection member to the detection position;
The stopper and the bending locking piece are capable of restricting displacement of the bending locking piece in a direction of disengagement from the stopper by locking the detection member with the detection member in the initial position. It is characterized in that a stop is formed.

  When the first and second housings are not mated and the detection member is in the initial position and the bending locking piece is pressed against the stopper, the bending locking piece is released from the stopper by the locking of the locking portions. Displacement in the direction is restricted. Thereby, a detection member can be reliably hold | maintained in an initial position.

Sectional drawing which shows the state in which the 1st housing is unfitted with the 2nd housing in the connector of Example 1 Sectional drawing showing the state by which the detection member is restrained to the displacement to the detection position side by the latching | locking of the latching | locking parts in the state in which the 1st housing is not fitting with the 2nd housing. Partial enlarged sectional view showing a locking structure between the locking portions Sectional view showing the state where the lock arm and the flexure locking piece ride on the lock projection in the fitting process of both housings Sectional view showing the state where both housings are properly fitted and the detection member is in the initial position Sectional view showing the state where both housings are properly fitted and the detection member has moved to the detection position Partial enlarged sectional view showing a state in which the lock arm is bent and pressed in the locking direction by the locking piece

  In the connector of the present invention, the locking force between the locking portions may be set smaller than the elastic restoring force of the lock arm when the stopper rides on the lock protrusion. According to this configuration, when the first housing and the second housing are properly fitted, the lock arm can be locked to the lock protrusion by releasing the locking between the locking portions by its elastic restoring force. .

  In the connector of the present invention, the locking portion may be formed with an inclined surface that is inclined with respect to a displacement direction when the bending locking piece is disengaged from the stopper. According to this configuration, when the first housing and the second housing are properly fitted, the locking portions are brought into sliding contact with each other on the inclined surface, so that the lock arm can be elastically restored and locked to the lock protrusion. .

  In the connector according to the present invention, in the state in which the first housing and the second housing are properly fitted to the locking portion and the flexible locking piece rides on the lock protrusion, A guide surface may be formed to guide the lock arm in a direction in which a locking margin with the lock protrusion increases by sliding contact with the portion. According to this configuration, when the first housing and the second housing are properly fitted, the detection member at the initial position is detected when the lock arm has not elastically returned to the position where the lock arm is properly locked with the lock protrusion. Due to the pressing force when moving to the position side and the guide surface, the lock arm can reliably elastically return to the position where it is normally locked with the lock protrusion.

<Example 1>
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. In the first embodiment, for the front-rear direction, the left side in FIGS. About the up-down direction, the direction which appears in FIGS.

  The connector of this embodiment includes a first housing 10 made of synthetic resin, a lock arm 16 integrally formed with the first housing 10, a detection member 30 made of synthetic resin attached to the lock arm 16, and a first housing. 10 and a second housing 50 made of synthetic resin that can be fitted.

<First housing 10>
The first housing 10 is configured by integrally forming a block-shaped terminal accommodating portion 11 and a cylindrical fitting portion 12 surrounding the terminal accommodating portion 11. The rear end portion of the cylindrical fitting portion 12 is connected to the outer periphery of the terminal accommodating portion 11 via the support wall portion 13. A space between the outer periphery of the terminal accommodating portion 11 and the inner periphery of the cylindrical fitting portion 12 is a fitting space 14 opened forward. A well-known first terminal fitting (not shown) having a female shape is accommodated inside the terminal accommodating portion 11.

<Lock arm 16>
An opening 15 is formed in a region excluding the front end portion of the upper wall portion constituting the cylindrical fitting portion 12. The lock arm 16 is arranged to face the opening 15. The lock arm 16 includes a pair of left and right arm portions 17, a stopper 18 that connects the front end portions of both arm portions 17, and a connecting portion 19 that connects the rear end portions of both arm portions 17. Both arm portions 17 are elongated in the front-rear direction.

  A support portion 20 is formed at a substantially central portion in the front-rear direction of both arm portions 17, and the support portion 20 is continuous with the upper surface of the terminal accommodating portion 11. Due to the support structure by the support portion 20, the lock arm 16 always maintains the locked posture (see FIGS. 1, 5, and 6). The lock arm 16 can be elastically displaced in a seesaw shape with the support portion 20 as a fulcrum. The stopper 18 is moved away from the outer surface (upper surface) of the terminal accommodating portion 11 and the displacement direction of the lock arm 16 when the connecting portion 19 is displaced downward so as to approach the outer surface of the terminal accommodating portion 11 is locked. It is defined as the release direction.

  A pair of guide ribs 21 extending in the front-rear direction are formed on the outer surfaces of the both arm portions 17. When the lock arm 16 is in a free state where the lock arm 16 is not elastically bent (locked posture), the upper surface of the connecting portion 19 and the guide rib 21 are parallel to the fitting direction of the housings 10 and 50. The upper surface of the connecting portion 19 and the guide rib 21 function as guide means when a detection member 30 described later is slid between an initial position and a detection position.

  The stopper 18 is located at the front end of the lock arm 16. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, an engagement receiving portion 22 (an engagement portion described in claims) is formed in an upper end side region on the rear surface of the stopper 18. A lower end side region (region below the locking receiving portion 22) of the rear surface of the stopper 18 is a locking recess 23 (see FIG. 3).

  The latch receiving portion 22 has a shape protruding rearward from the latch recess 23, and the side view shape of the boundary between the latch receiver 22 and the latch recess 23 has a step shape. The lower surface of the latch receiving portion 22 is substantially perpendicular to the elastic displacement direction of the lock arm 16 and faces the upper surface (outer surface) of the terminal accommodating portion 11. The lower end portion of the latch receiving portion 22 is squared at a substantially right angle. A lower end portion of the rear surface of the latch receiving portion 22 is an upper receiving surface 24. The entire area above the upper receiving surface 24 of the rear surface of the locking receiving portion 22 is inclined with respect to both the elastic displacement direction of the lock arm 16 and the moving direction of the detection member 30 (in the claims). It is a guide surface). The rear surface of the locking recess 23 is a lower receiving surface 26 that is substantially parallel to the elastic displacement direction of the lock arm 16.

<Detection member 30>
As shown in FIG. 1, the detection member 30 is configured by integrally forming a slide portion 31 and a bending locking piece 37. The slide portion 31 includes a substrate portion 32 that is substantially parallel to the connection portion 19, an elastic retaining piece 33 that extends forward from the front end of the substrate portion 32 in parallel with the connection portion 19, and downward from both left and right edges of the substrate portion 32. A pair of extending guide wall portions 34 is provided. A guide groove 35 extending in the front-rear direction is formed on the inner surface of the guide wall portion 34.

  The detection member 30 is assembled by sliding it forward from the rear end side with respect to the lock arm 16. In the state in which the detection member 30 is assembled, the lower surface of the substrate portion 32 or the lower surface of the elastic retaining piece 33 is slidably overlapped on the upper surface of the connecting portion 19 in the front-rear direction. The guide groove 35 is fitted to the guide rib 21 so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction. Further, when the claw portion 36 at the front end portion of the elastic retaining piece 33 is engaged with the front end edge of the connecting portion 19, the detection member 30 is restricted from being displaced (detached) rearward with respect to the lock arm 16. Kept in a state.

  The flexure locking piece 37 can be elastically displaced in the vertical direction with respect to the substrate portion 32 with the rear end portion as a fulcrum. A functional protrusion 38 is formed at the front end of the bending locking piece 37 so as to protrude downward. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, a locking protrusion 39 (locking portion described in the claims) is formed at the lower front end portion of the functional protrusion 38. A contact surface 40 substantially parallel to the elastic displacement direction of the bending engagement piece 37 is formed at the center of the front surface of the engagement protrusion 39 in the vertical direction (the elastic displacement direction of the bending engagement piece 37). (See FIG. 3).

  In the upper end side region (region above the contact surface 40) on the front surface of the locking protrusion 39, an inclined surface 41 that is inclined with respect to the elastic displacement direction of the bending locking piece 37 is formed. In a lower end side region (a region below the contact surface 40) on the front surface of the locking protrusion 39, a pressing surface 42 that is inclined with respect to the elastic displacement direction of the bending locking piece 37 (the guiding surface according to claim). ) Is formed. The inclination directions of the inclined surface 41 and the pressing surface 42 are opposite to each other.

  In a state where the detection member 30 is attached to the lock arm 16 and the claw portion 36 of the elastic retaining piece 33 is brought into contact with the front end edge of the connecting portion 19, the front surface of the functional protrusion 38 of the bending locking piece 37 is the lock arm. It is positioned so as to face the rear surface of the 16 stoppers 18 at substantially the same height with a clearance. By this clearance, the detection member 30 elastically displaces the bending locking piece 37 from the position where the claw portion 36 is locked to the front end of the connecting portion 19 to the position where the front surface of the functional protrusion 38 is brought into contact with the rear surface of the stopper 18. It is possible to displace relative to the lock arm 16 without making it. Note that an area where the relative displacement of the detection member 30 is allowed without elastically displacing the bending locking piece 37 is defined as an initial position.

<Second housing 50>
4-6, the 2nd housing 50 has the block-shaped terminal holding part 51, and the hood part 52 which protrudes in the shape of a square cylinder from the outer periphery of the terminal holding part 51 to the 1st housing 10 side. A plurality of well-known male second terminal fittings 54 each having a long and thin tab 55 formed at the tip are attached to the terminal holding portion 51. The tab 55 protrudes from the terminal holding portion 51 and is surrounded by the hood portion 52. A lock protrusion 53 is formed on the upper surface of the outer peripheral surface of the second housing 50.

<Operation and effect of the present embodiment>
In a state where both housings 10 and 50 are not fitted, the detection member 30 is kept waiting at the initial position. Further, the bending locking piece 37 does not undergo elastic deformation unless it receives an external force. When the detection member 30 is pushed forward, the functional protrusion 38 comes into contact with the stopper 18. At this time, the locking projection 39 hits the lower receiving surface 26 of the locking recess 23 from the rear, and the region above the locking projection 39 in the front surface of the functional protrusion 38 is the upper receiving surface of the locking receiving portion 22. 24 abuts from behind. Due to this contact action, the detection member 30 is restricted from moving to the detection position side (forward) and is held at the initial position.

  Further, when a pressing force toward the detection position side (front) is strongly applied to the detection member 30 at the initial position, the bending locking piece 37 will be elastically deformed so as to be displaced relative to the stopper 18 upward. And If the bending locking piece 37 is relatively displaced upward with respect to the stopper 18, the functional protrusion 38 is disengaged from the stopper 18, and the detection member 30 is pushed to the initial position side. When the detection member 30 has moved to the detection position, it is necessary to return the detection member 30 to the initial position before starting the fitting operation of both the housings 10 and 50.

  However, in a state where the detection member 30 is held at the initial position, the locking projection 39 is positioned so as to be locked from below with respect to the locking receiving portion 22, so that the functional protrusion 38 (flexible locking piece) 37) is restricted relative to the stopper 18 from being displaced upward. Therefore, even if the detection member 30 is strongly pushed forward, the bending engagement piece 37 and the lock arm 16 are slightly elastic while the engagement protrusion 39 is engaged with the engagement receiving portion 22 as shown in FIG. The functional protrusion 38 is not dissociated from the stopper 18 only by deformation. Thereby, the detection member 30 is reliably held at the initial position.

  When the housings 10 and 50 are fitted together, the rear surface of the terminal accommodating portion 11 is pushed to fit the first housing 10 into the hood portion 52 and the hood portion 52 into the fitting space 14. In the fitting process (that is, in a state where both housings 10 and 50 are half-fitted), as shown in FIG. 4, the stopper 18 interferes with the lock protrusion 53 and rides on it, so that the lock arm 16 is supported. It is elastically displaced in the unlocking direction with the portion 20 as a fulcrum. Further, the detection member 30 is integrated with the lock arm 16 in the unlocking direction while being held at the initial position by the fitting of the slide portion 31 and the connecting portion 19 and the fitting of the guide groove 35 and the guide rib 21. Displace.

  In this way, when the housings 10 and 50 are half-fitted, the locking projection 39 of the bending locking piece 37 and the locking recess 23 of the stopper 18 are formed as in the case where the housings 10 and 50 are not fitted. Opposite front and back at approximately the same height. Therefore, even if the detection member 30 is pushed forward, the locking protrusion 39 abuts against the stopper 18, so that the detection member 30 does not move to the detection position.

  When the fitting progresses from this state and the two housings 10 and 50 reach the proper fitting state, the stopper 18 passes over the lock projection 53, so that the lock arm 16 is brought into the locked posture as shown in FIG. Since the stopper 18 is engaged with the lock projection 53 from the front, the housings 10 and 50 are regulated to be detached and locked in the fitted state. When the lock arm 16 is elastically returned to the locked posture, the functional protrusion 38 of the detection member 30 rides on the lock protrusion 53 and is displaced relative to the stopper 18 upward. That is, there is a height difference between the functional protrusion 38 and the stopper 18 in the vertical direction intersecting the moving direction of the detection member 30.

  Therefore, if the detection member 30 is pushed forward in this state, the functional protrusion 38 moves from the lock protrusion 53 to the stopper 18 as the detection member 30 rides on the stopper 18 to the detection position side. After the lock arm 16 climbs over the lock protrusion 53 and returns to the locked posture, the flexure locking piece 37 remains elastically deformed. In the state where the detection member 30 has reached the detection position, as shown in FIG. 6, the functional protrusion 38 passes through the stopper 18 and is positioned in front of the stopper 18, and the flexure locking piece 37 is elastically restored. . Thus, according to the connector of this embodiment, in the fitting operation of both housings 10 and 50, both housings 10 and 50 are half based on whether or not the detection member 30 can be pushed to the detection position. It can be detected whether the fitting state or the normal fitting state.

  When the detection member 30 is moved to the detection position side, the lower end of the stopper 18 is caught by the lock protrusion 53, and the lock arm 16 is not returned to the normal lock posture, as shown in FIG. The pressing surface 42 of the detection member 30 is in sliding contact with the pressure receiving surface 25 of the stopper 18. Here, since the pressing surface 42 and the pressure receiving surface 25 are inclined with respect to both the moving direction of the detection member 30 and the elastic displacement direction of the lock arm 16, the pressing surface 42 and the pressure receiving surface 25 are pressed from the pressing surface 42 side to the pressure receiving surface 25 side. The lock arm 16 is pushed and moved to a normal locking posture by the pressure.

  Further, even when the lock arm 16 is elastically returned to the normal locking posture, the upper surface of the stopper 18 is slightly higher than the upper surface of the lock protrusion 53. The lower end of the protrusion 38 interferes with the upper end of the stopper 18. However, since the pressing surface 42 contacts the pressure receiving surface 25 at this time, the functional protrusion 38 can get over the stopper 18 without being caught.

  As described above, the connector of the present embodiment includes the first housing 10 in which the elastically deflectable lock arm 16 is formed, and the second housing 50 that is fitted to the first housing 10 from the front thereof. . A stopper 18 is formed at a position ahead of the fulcrum of elastic deflection in the lock arm 16. The lock projection 53 is formed on the second housing 50, and in a state where both the housings 10 and 50 are properly fitted, the lock projection 53 and the stopper 18 are locked to restrict the housings 10 and 50 from being detached. The

  In addition, a detection member 30 is attached to the lock arm 16 so that it can slide between an initial position and a detection position ahead of the initial position. The detection member 30 is formed with a flexure locking piece 37 that holds the detection member 30 in the initial position by coming into contact with the stopper 18 from the rear when both the housings 10 and 50 are not fitted. In a state where both housings 10 and 50 are properly fitted and the stopper 18 is locked to the lock protrusion 53, the bending locking piece 37 rides on the lock protrusion 53 and disengages from the stopper 18, thereby detecting the detection member 30. Movement to position is allowed.

  The stopper 18 is formed with a locking receiving portion 22, and the bending locking piece 37 is formed with a locking projection 39. In a state where the detection member 30 is in the initial position, the locking protrusion 39 and the locking receiving portion 22 are locked to each other so that the bending locking piece 37 is restricted from being displaced in the direction of disengaging from the stopper 18. It has become.

  According to this configuration, in a state where the first housing 10 and the second housing 50 are not fitted and the detection member 30 is in the initial position, the detection member 30 is strongly pressed from the rear, and the bending locking piece 37 is placed on the stopper 18. Even when pressed, the displacement of the bending locking piece 37 in the direction of disengaging from the stopper 18 is restricted by the locking of the locking projection 39 and the locking receiving portion 22. Thereby, the detection member 30 can be reliably held at the initial position.

  The locking force between the locking projection 39 and the locking receiving portion 22 is set to be smaller than the elastic restoring force of the lock arm 16 when the stopper 18 rides on the locking projection 53. The locking force between the locking projection 39 and the locking receiving portion 22 can be set and changed by adjusting the protruding dimensions of the locking projection 39 and the locking receiving portion 22 in the front-rear direction. According to this configuration, when the first housing 10 and the second housing 50 are properly fitted, the lock arm 16 unlocks the locking portions 53 by releasing the locking of the locking portions by its elastic restoring force. can do.

  Further, a locking projection 39 on the side of the bending locking piece 37 and an inclined surface 41 inclined with respect to the displacement direction when the bending locking piece 37 is disengaged from the stopper 18 are formed. According to this configuration, when the first housing 10 and the second housing 50 are properly fitted, the inclined surface 41 and the latch receiving portion 22 are in sliding contact, so that the lock arm 16 is elastically restored by this sliding contact action. Thus, the lock projection 53 can be engaged.

  Further, a pressing surface 42 is formed on the locking projection 39, and a pressure receiving surface 25 is formed on the locking receiving portion 22. In a state in which both housings 10 and 50 are normally fitted and the bending locking piece 37 rides on the lock protrusion 53, the lock surface 16 is brought into contact with the lock protrusion 53 by the sliding contact between the pressing surface 42 and the pressure receiving surface 25. It is guided in a direction (downward) to increase the locking allowance. According to this configuration, even when both the housings 10 and 50 are properly fitted, even when the lock arm 16 has not elastically returned to the position where the lock arm 16 is properly locked with the lock protrusion 53, the detection member 30 at the initial position is provided. The lock arm 16 can be reliably elastically returned to a position (locking posture) where the lock arm 53 is properly locked with the pressing force and the guide surface when moving to the detection position side.

<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, the inclined surface is formed only on the locking projection (the locking portion on the bending locking piece side), but the inclined surface is formed only on the locking receiving portion (the locking portion on the stopper side). It may be formed on both the locking projection and the locking receiving portion.
(2) In the said Example, it is good also as a form which does not form an inclined surface.
(3) In the above embodiment, the guide surface is formed on both the lock receiving portion (stop portion on the stopper side) and the lock protrusion (lock portion on the flexible lock piece side). You may form only in any one among a receiving part and a latching protrusion.
(4) In the said Example, it is good also as a form which does not form a guidance surface.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... 1st housing 16 ... Lock arm 18 ... Stopper 22 ... Locking receiving part (locking part of a stopper)
25 ... Pressure receiving surface (guide surface on the stopper side)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 30 ... Detection member 37 ... Bending locking piece 39 ... Locking protrusion (locking part of a bending locking piece)
41 ... Inclined surface 42 ... Pressing surface (guide surface on the side of the flexure locking piece)
50 ... second housing 53 ... lock protrusion

Claims (4)

A first housing formed with an elastically deflectable lock arm;
A stopper formed at a position ahead of the fulcrum of elastic deflection in the lock arm;
A second housing fitted from the front to the first housing;
A locking protrusion formed on the second housing, and in a state where the first housing and the second housing are properly fitted, locking the first housing and the second housing by locking with the stopper;
A detection member attached to the lock arm so as to be able to slide between an initial position and a detection position ahead of the initial position;
When the first housing and the second housing are not fitted to each other and formed in the detection member, a flexure locking piece that holds the detection member in the initial position by contacting the stopper from the rear side. Prepared,
In a state where the first housing and the second housing are normally fitted and the stopper is locked to the lock protrusion, the bending locking piece rides on the lock protrusion and is disengaged from the stopper, A connector adapted to allow movement of the detection member to the detection position;
The stopper and the bending locking piece are capable of restricting displacement of the bending locking piece in a direction of disengagement from the stopper by locking the detection member with the detection member in the initial position. A connector characterized in that a stop is formed.   The connector according to claim 1, wherein a locking force between the locking portions is set to be smaller than an elastic restoring force of the lock arm when the stopper rides on the lock protrusion.   The connector according to claim 1, wherein the locking portion is formed with an inclined surface that is inclined with respect to a displacement direction when the flexible locking piece is disengaged from the stopper.   In the state in which the first housing and the second housing are properly fitted to the locking portion and the bending locking piece rides on the locking projection, the locking portion is brought into sliding contact with the other locking portion. 4. The connector according to claim 1, wherein a guide surface that guides the lock arm in a direction in which a locking margin with the lock protrusion increases is formed. 5.

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