JP2020181772A - connector - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an electrical connector with a lock structure, in which a lock state between a connector and a connection object can be released without using a jig.SOLUTION: A socket connector 10 includes a lock spring member 13. The lock spring member 13 includes: a spring part 13f having, in the middle thereof, a lock part 13f9 that can be engaged and disengaged with a lock protrusion 21b of a plug connector 20; and an operation part 13g extending from the spring part 13f. The spring part 13f is configured such that, when the operation part 13g is pressed, the lock part 13f9 is displaced in a direction away from the lock protrusion 21b of the plug connector 20 and a lock state is released.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

The disclosure according to the present application relates to an electric connector, a connection structure of the electric connector, and an inter-board connection structure using the electric connector.

It is known that the electric connector has a lock structure for locking the mating connection between the plug connector and the socket connector. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-69545 describes an example of an electric connector in which a lock structure is provided in each housing of a plug connector and a socket connector.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-69545, FIG. 11

However, all the conventional lock structures of electric connectors require a jig to release the locked state of the plug connector and the socket connector. Therefore, the worker cannot release the lock without using a jig.

It is the present invention that has been made against the background of the above-mentioned prior art. The purpose is to enable an electric connector having a lock structure to release the locked state between the connector and the object to be connected without using a jig.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following features.

The present invention further relates to a connector including a first housing that is fitted and connected to a connection object (for example, a mating connector) and a plurality of terminals that are in conductive contact with the connecting target (for example, a mating terminal provided in the mating connector). A lock spring member for locking the fitting connection between the connection object and the first housing is provided, and the lock spring member includes a housing fixing portion fixed to the first housing and a housing fixing portion. It has a spring portion extending from the spring portion and having a lock portion in the middle capable of engaging and disengaging with the connection object (for example, a mating connector), and an operation portion extending from the spring portion. When the spring portion presses the operation portion, the lock portion is displaced in a direction away from the connection object (for example, the mating connector) to release the locked state with the connecting object (for example, the mating connector). It is a feature.

The lock spring member has a spring portion having a lock portion in the middle that can be engaged with the object to be connected. Therefore, the mated and connected state can be locked so that the connector and the object to be connected are not removed. Further, when the operation portion of the spring portion of the lock spring member is pressed, the lock portion is displaced in the direction away from the connection target object to release the locked state with the connection target object. By pressing the operation portion of the lock spring member in this way, the locked state between the lock portion of the lock spring member and the object to be connected can be released without using a jig.

The operating portion can be configured to project from the surface of the first housing.

The operating unit projects from the surface of the first housing. Therefore, the pressing operation on the operation unit can be easily performed. Here, the "surface" includes the surface of the resin molded product constituting the first housing.

The lock spring members can be arranged on a pair of side walls located at both ends of the first housing in the terminal arrangement direction.

The lock spring members are arranged on a pair of side walls located at both ends of the first housing in the terminal arrangement direction. Therefore, the mating connection state between the first housing and the object to be connected can be reliably locked.

The side wall may have a lock spring member accommodating portion for accommodating the spring portion of the lock spring member.

The lock spring member accommodating portion provided on the side wall can accommodate the spring portion of the lock spring member. Therefore, the spring portion is not exposed to the outside of the first housing and can be protected from the outside.

The operating portion can be arranged so as to project outward from the side wall.

The operation unit is arranged so as to project outward from the side wall. Therefore, for example, the operator can release the locked state of the mating connection by putting the thumb on one operation part, putting the index finger on the other operation part, and performing a pressing operation so as to pinch with the thumb and the index finger. it can.

The spring portion has a fulcrum portion that is displaced by a pressing operation on the operation portion and a movable spring portion between the fulcrum portion and the housing fixing portion, and the movable spring portion is attached to the operation portion. By the pressing operation of, the fulcrum portion is used as a fulcrum and is displaced in a direction away from the connection object to release the locked state between the lock portion and the connection object.

When the pressing operation is performed on the operation portion, the movable spring portion is displaced in the direction away from the connection object with the fulcrum portion as the fulcrum. As a result, the lock portion in the movable spring portion is also displaced in the direction away from the connection target object, so that the locked state between the lock portion and the connection target object can be released. Therefore, the operator can easily release the locked state of the mating connection by pressing the operation unit. On the other hand, when the pressing operation on the operation portion is released, the movable spring portion is displaced in the direction approaching the object to be connected. As a result, the lock portion of the movable spring portion can be engaged with the object to be connected.

The lock spring member further has a base portion arranged with a movable gap between the lock spring member and the first housing, and an elastic arm connecting the base portion and the housing fixing portion, and the base portion and the lock spring member. The elastic arm can be configured to be elastically deformed toward the movable gap in response to the pressing contact of the fulcrum portion displaced by the pressing operation on the operating portion.

The base portion and the elastic arm can be elastically deformed toward the movable gap in response to the pressing contact of the fulcrum portion displaced by the pressing operation on the operating portion. Therefore, the stress generated when the fulcrum portion receives the pressing contact can be dispersed to the base portion and the elastic arm so as not to concentrate only on the spring portion. Therefore, the lock spring member can be protected.

The spring portion can be further configured to have a deformation regulating reinforcing portion between the operating portion and the locking portion. Such a reinforcing portion can be formed as, for example, a bead.

By pressing the operating portion, even if the pressing force is transmitted to the spring portion, it is possible to prevent the portion of the spring portion having the reinforcing portion from being elastically deformed freely. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the operating force for pressing the operating portion from escaping due to the flexible elastic deformation of the portion between the operating portion and the locking portion. Therefore, according to the present invention, since the spring portion is displaced in the direction away from the mating connector, the operating force can be efficiently transmitted. Here, the "between the operation portion and the lock portion" provided with the reinforcing portion includes both the case where it is formed over the entire length between the operation portion and the lock portion and the case where it is formed in a part thereof. ..

The operating portion can be configured to have a horizontally elongated plate-shaped operating piece that extends along the first housing.

Since the operation piece has a horizontally long plate shape, it has a certain length. Therefore, the pressing operation can be easily applied, and the unlocking operation can be easily and surely performed.

The operating portion can be configured to have a stopper portion that comes into contact with the first housing by being displaced by a pressing operation.

When the operating portion is displaced by the pressing operation, the stopper portion comes into contact with the first housing. The lock between the lock portion of the lock spring member and the object to be connected is released after the contact. Therefore, the operator can know that the locked state of the mating connection is released by the feeling of the stopper portion in contact with the first housing. Therefore, the operator can easily and surely perform the pressing operation.

The lock spring member can be further configured to have a substrate fixing portion fixed to a first substrate on which the first housing is located.

Since the board fixing portion can be fixed to the first board, the lock spring member can also be used as a fixing member for the first board of the connector. Therefore, in addition to the lock spring member, the use of the fixing bracket for fixing the first housing to the first substrate can be abolished.

The lock spring member can be formed so that the distance from the fulcrum portion to the lock portion is longer than the distance from the operation portion to the fulcrum portion.

Since the distance from the fulcrum to the lock is longer than the distance from the operation to the fulcrum, which is the point of effort, the spring is fitted with a large displacement even if the displacement of the operation due to the pressing operation is small, according to the principle of leverage. The locked state of the joint connection can be released.

The first housing has a pair of substrate accommodating walls that project from the bottom surface on which the first substrate on which the first housing is arranged and are arranged to surround the first substrate inward. Can be configured.

When arranging the first substrate in the first housing, the pair of substrate accommodating walls can lure the first substrate into an appropriate position. Further, since the pair of substrate accommodating walls protects the first substrate arranged inside the pair of substrate accommodating walls, the arrangement state of the first substrate can be maintained.

The first housing can be configured to have a displacement guiding portion that displaces the stopper portion while sliding it.

The displacement of the operating portion can be induced by the displacement guiding portion displaces while sliding the stopper portion. Therefore, the lock can be released more reliably.

The first housing can be configured to have a displacement regulating portion that stops the displacement of the stopper portion.

When the displacement regulating unit stops the displacement of the stopper unit, the displacement of the operating unit can also be stopped. Therefore, it is possible to prevent an excessive pressing operation on the operating portion and suppress damage or deformation of the lock spring member.

The present invention relates to an electrical connector comprising a first connector comprising a first housing and a second connector comprising a second housing that fits and connects to the first housing. The second housing includes a lock spring member that locks the fitting connection between the second housing and the first housing, and the second connector has a lock receiving portion that can be engaged with the lock member. The lock spring member is a spring having a housing fixing portion fixed to the first housing and a lock portion extending from the housing fixing portion and engaging and disengaging with the lock receiving portion in the middle. The spring portion has a portion and an operation portion extending from the spring portion, and when the operation portion is pressed, the lock portion is displaced in a direction away from the second housing to receive the lock. It is characterized by releasing the locked state with the unit.

Since the lock spring member of the first connector has a spring portion having a lock portion in the middle that can be engaged with the second connector, the first connector and the second connector are fitted and connected so as not to be removed. Can be locked in the state. When the operating portion of the lock spring member of the first connector is pressed, the lock portion is displaced in the direction away from the second connector to release the locked state with the lock receiving portion of the second connector. By pressing the operation portion of the lock spring member in this way, the locked state of the lock portion of the first connector and the lock receiving portion of the second connector can be released without using a jig. ..

According to the present invention, it is possible to release the locked state between the connectors that are fitted and connected to each other and the object to be connected without using a jig.

FIG. 3 is an external perspective view including a front surface, a right side surface, and a flat surface of the socket connector according to the first embodiment. Top view of FIG. Bottom view of FIG. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. The front view of the lock spring member provided in the socket connector of FIG. The left side view of FIG. The right side view of FIG. External perspective view including the front, plane, and right side of the plug connector. 9A is a plan view of the connection structure of the socket connector and the plug connector, FIG. 9B is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 9A, and FIG. 9C is an enlarged view of part C of FIG. 9B. Cross-sectional view of the mated connection state of the socket connector and the plug connector. The external perspective view including the front surface, the right side surface, and the plane which shows the mating connection state of the socket connector and the plug connector by 2nd Embodiment. FIG. 3 is an external perspective view including a front surface, a flat surface, and a right side surface of the plug connector according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XIII-XIII of FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In the embodiments according to the present disclosure, the socket connector 10, the plug connector 20, and the electric connector 1 including the socket connector 10 and the electric connector 1 including the socket connector 20 will be described as examples, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. The socket connector 10 corresponds to the "connector" and the "first connector" in the claims, and the plug connector 20 corresponds to the "counterpart connector" and the "second connector".

The terms "first" and "second" described in the present specification and claims are used to distinguish different components of an invention or embodiment, and indicate a specific order or superiority or inferiority. It is not intended to be used for. Further, in the scope of the present specification and patent claims, for convenience of explanation, the width direction, left-right direction, terminal arrangement direction, and longitudinal direction of the socket connector 10 are "X direction", and the depth direction, front-back direction, and short direction are "Y direction". , The height direction and the vertical direction will be described as "Z direction". However, the specification of these directions does not limit the mounting method and usage of the electric connector 1, the socket connector 10, and the plug connector 20.

Electrical connector 1 of the first embodiment

The electric connector 1 includes a socket connector 10 and a plug connector 20. The electric connector 1 is configured as a "connector assembly" in which a socket connector 10 and a plug connector 20 are fitted and connected. The socket connector 10 is arranged on the first board P1, and the plug connector 20 is arranged on the second board P2. The mounting method of the socket connector 10 is DIP (Dual-in-line package), and the mounting method of the plug connector 20 is SMT (Surface Mount Technology). The first substrate P1 is a flexible substrate in this embodiment, and the second substrate P2 is a rigid substrate. The electric connector 1 is a board-to-board connection connector capable of conducting a conductive connection between the circuit of the first board P1 and the circuit of the second board P2 by fitting and connecting the socket connector 10 and the plug connector 20. Is.

Socket connector 10

The socket connector 10 includes a socket housing 11 as a "first housing", a plurality of socket terminals 12 as "plurality of terminals", and a lock spring member 13.

Socket housing 11

The socket housing 11 is made of a resin molded body. The socket housing 11 has a housing main body portion 11a and an outer side wall portion 11b.

The housing main body 11a is formed in a long rectangular parallelepiped shape along the terminal arrangement direction X of the socket connector 10. The plurality of socket terminals 12 are arranged along the longitudinal direction X of the socket connector 10. An insertion port 11a1 for a plug terminal 22, which will be described later, is open in the housing body 11a. At the back of the insertion port 11a1, a contact chamber in which the socket terminal 12 is in conductive contact with the plug terminal 22 and a plurality of terminal accommodating portions accommodating the socket terminal 12 are formed (not shown).

The outer side wall portion 11b has an outer wall portion 11b1 and a bottom wall portion 11b2. The outer side wall 11b1 has an upper side wall 11b3, an intermediate partition wall 11b4, and a lower side wall 11b5.

The upper side wall 11b3 is formed as an outer wall that is separated from the housing main body 11a and covers the side surface thereof. Inside the upper side wall 11b3, a movable spring portion accommodating portion 11b31 for accommodating the movable spring portion 13f7 of the lock spring member 13 is formed. The movable spring portion accommodating portion 11b31 is formed as a movable space in which the movable spring portion 13f7 can be displaced.

The intermediate partition wall 11b4 is formed as a partition wall that separates the upper side wall 11b3 and the lower side wall 11b5. The intermediate partition wall 11b4 is formed at the same height position as the bottom wall portion 11b2 in the height direction Z. The bottom surface of the intermediate partition wall 11b4 and the bottom surface of the bottom wall portion 11b2 are formed as continuous flat surfaces, and form an arrangement portion 11b6 on which the first substrate P1 can be arranged (FIG. 3). The first substrate P1 arranged in the arrangement portion 11b6 is placed on the mounting projection 11b17 that projects one step higher than the bottom wall portion 11b2. Therefore, a gap 11b18 is formed between the first substrate P1 mounted on the mounting projection 11b17 and the surface of the placement portion 11b6. The gap 11b18 is provided so that when the substrate fixing portion 13d of the lock spring member 13 described later is soldered to the first substrate P1, the solder does not adhere to the elastic arm 13b from the substrate fixing portion 13d due to the capillary phenomenon. It functions as a space to insulate the solder. If the solder adheres to the elastic arm 13b, the spring constant may change, but such a problem can be suppressed by providing the gap 11b18.

A groove-shaped lock spring member fixing portion 11b7 is formed on the intermediate partition wall 11b4. The lock spring member 13 is held in the socket housing 11 by press-fitting the housing fixing portion 13c into the lock spring member fixing portion 11b7.

The intermediate partition wall 11b4 is formed with an insertion recess 11b8 through which the spring portion 13f of the lock spring member 13 is inserted. The insertion recess 11b8 is formed so that the spring portion 13f can be displaced in the left-right direction X without contacting the spring portion 13f.

The lower side wall 11b5 is formed as a wall protruding from the bottom surface of the intermediate partition wall 11b4. The lower side wall 11b5 is formed higher in the height direction Z than the substrate connection portion 12a of the socket terminal 12 described later. Therefore, when the socket connector 10 is placed, the board connection portion 12a of the socket terminal 12 can be floated and protected with respect to the installation surface.

The inner surface of the lower side wall 11b5 is formed as a surface continuous with the above-mentioned arrangement portion 11b6. Therefore, the inner surface of the lower side wall 11b5 forms a substrate accommodating portion 11b9 that can be arranged while positioning the first substrate P1 together with the arrangement portion 11b6. The substrate accommodating portions 11b9 are formed at both ends of the socket housing 11 in the longitudinal direction X. Therefore, the first substrate P1 is arranged in a state of being positioned inside the pair of substrate accommodating portions 11b9 without projecting sideways in the longitudinal direction X of the socket housing 11.

The lower side wall 11b5 is formed with slits 11b10 that open at the lower end and the side surface of the socket housing 11 in the longitudinal direction X. The slit 11b10 is formed so as to penetrate the lower side wall 11b5, through which the spring portion 13f of the lock spring member 13, which will be described later, is inserted. The slit 11b10 is formed so that the spring portion 13f can be displaced inside the spring portion 13f in the left-right direction X and the height direction Z without contacting the spring portion 13f.

The lower side wall 11b5 is formed with stopper guide portions 11b11 on both sides of the slit 11b10 into which the stopper 13g2 of the lock spring member 13 described later is inserted (FIG. 4). The stopper guide portion 11b11 has a displacement guiding portion 11b12 that is inclined with respect to the outer surface of the lower side wall 11b5, and a displacement regulating portion 11b13 that extends from the displacement guiding portion 11b12 to the lower end of the lower side wall 11b5. These functions will be described later.

A spring portion accommodating recess 11b14 for accommodating the spring portion 13f of the lock spring member 13 is formed inside the outer side wall 11b1. That is, the spring portion accommodating recess 11b14 is composed of the movable spring portion accommodating portion 11b31 of the upper side wall 11b3, the insertion recess 11b8 of the intermediate partition wall 11b4, and the slit 11b10 of the lower side wall 11b5. By arranging the spring portion 13f in the spring portion accommodating recess 11b14 inside the socket housing 11, the spring portion 13f can be protected from the action of an external force.

The bottom wall portion 11b2 is formed so as to connect the lower end side of the housing main body portion 11a and the outer wall portion 11b1. An insertion hole 11b15 penetrating in the height direction Z is formed between the bottom wall portion 11b2 and the outer wall 11b1 (intermediate partition wall 11b4). The insertion hole 11b15 is formed as a "movable gap" that allows the base portion 13a and the elastic arm 13b of the lock spring member 13, which will be described later, to be elastically deformed in a direction approaching the housing main body portion 11a.

Further, the space along the height direction Z of the bottom wall portion 11b2 adjacent to the housing main body portion 11a is a peripheral wall fitting portion 11b16 for inserting and fitting the peripheral wall 21a of the plug housing 21 described later.

Socket terminal 12

The socket terminal 12 is made of a conductive metal piece. The socket terminals 12 are attached to the housing main body 11a in a matrix form. That is, the plurality of socket terminals 12 are arranged along the longitudinal direction X of the housing main body 11a, and are arranged in two rows in the lateral direction Y. The socket terminal 12 is formed with a contact portion that makes conductive contact with the plug terminal 22 and a substrate connection portion 12a that protrudes from the bottom surface of the housing body portion 11a.

Lock spring member 13

The lock spring member 13 is made of a metal piece. The lock spring member 13 has a base portion 13a, a pair of elastic arms 13b, a pair of housing fixing portions 13c, a pair of substrate fixing portions 13d, a projecting piece portion 13e, a spring portion 13f, and an operating portion 13g. ..

The base portion 13a is formed of a plate piece extending in the front-rear direction Y of the socket housing 11. The pair of elastic arms 13b are formed by plate pieces extending in the front-rear direction Y from the base portion 13a. These base portions 13a and the pair of elastic arms 13b are elastically deformable toward the holes 11b15 as the above-mentioned "movable gaps". This point will be described later.

The pair of housing fixing portions 13c are formed so as to project from each elastic arm 13b. The pair of housing fixing portions 13c are press-fitted into the lock spring member fixing portion 11b7. As a result, the lock spring member 13 is fixed to the socket housing 11. Further, the pair of housing fixing portions 13c is a portion that functions as a displacement fulcrum when the base portion 13a and the pair of elastic arms 13b bend and displace toward the hole 11b15 as a movable gap.

Both the pair of substrate fixing portions 13d and the pair of projecting piece portions 13e are formed so as to project from the arrangement portion 11b6 of the socket housing 11. The substrate fixing portion 13d and the projecting piece portion 13e are provided to accurately and reliably hold the first substrate P1. Further, the substrate fixing portion 13d is soldered to the first substrate P1. Therefore, the lock spring member 13 can also be used as a fixing bracket for fixing the socket housing 11 to the first substrate P1.

That is, as shown in FIG. 9, a pair of ear portions P11 are formed on the first substrate P1 at each plate edge along the longitudinal direction thereof. A recess P12 is formed between the pair of ear portions P11. A mounting hole P13 is formed in each ear portion P11. Each board fixing portion 13d is inserted into the corresponding mounting hole P13 to position the first board P1 at the correct position of the arranging portion 11b6. Therefore, each substrate fixing portion 13d is located at the four corners of the substrate accommodating portion 11b9, and the first substrate P1 can be arranged at the correct position of the substrate accommodating portion 11b9.

Such a substrate holding structure is particularly advantageous in this embodiment in which the first substrate P1 is a flexible substrate. That is, FPC (Flexible printed circuits) can be used as the flexible substrate in the present embodiment, but this FPC has a demerit that the base film is flexible and easily bent, so that the position is easily displaced. Therefore, such a demerit is eliminated by providing the lock spring member 13 with the substrate fixing portions 13d arranged so as to be located at the four corners of the substrate accommodating portion 11b9. Further, the pair of projecting piece portions 13e of the lock spring member 13 are provided so as to face the recesses P12 between the pair of ear portions P11. Therefore, the first substrate P1 can be guided and positioned between the pair of projecting piece portions 13e.

The spring portion 13f has a first extension portion 13f1 extending from the lower edge of the base portion 13a, a first bending portion 13f2 that bends in the opposite direction, and a second bending portion 13f2 extending from the first bending portion 13f2 toward the base portion 13a. 13f3, a second bending portion 13f4 that bends in a direction away from the base portion 13a at a position facing the base portion 13a, a third extending portion 13f5 extending from the second bending portion 13f4, and a third extension. It has a third bent portion 13f6 that bends from the portion 13f5 and connects to the operating portion 13g. Of these, the first extension portion 13f1, the first bending portion 13f2, and the second extension portion 13f3 constitute a movable spring portion 13f7.

A wide portion 13f8 projecting in the plate width direction is formed in the middle of the first extension portion 13f1 (FIG. 6). A lock portion 13f9 formed of a through hole is formed in the wide portion 13f8. The opening width of the lock portion 13f9 is wider than the plate width of the first extension portion 13f1 excluding the wide portion 13f8. By forming the wide portion 13f8 so as to project in the plate width direction, it is possible to form the lock portion 13f9 having such a large opening width. Further, by forming the plate width of the first extension portion 13f1 excluding the wide portion 13f8 to be shorter than that of the wide portion 13f8, the first extension portion 13f1 can be elastically deformed and displaced as a spring. The lock portion 13f9 engages with the lock protrusion 21b as the "lock receiving portion" of the plug housing 21 in a state where the socket connector 10 and the plug connector 20 are fitted and connected to each other and the spring portion 13f is not elastically deformed. This is the part that fits.

Further, the first extending portion 13f1 is inclined and extended with a predetermined inclination angle in the direction opposite to the bending direction of the first bent portion 13f2 with respect to the plate surface of the base portion 13a (FIG. 5). This is so that the lock portion 13f9 can be deeply engaged in the height direction of the lock protrusion 21b.

The spring portion 13f has a continuous portion (a connecting portion straddling the spring portion 13f and the base portion 13a) in which the spring portion 13f and the base portion 13a are connected by pressing the operating portion 13g in a direction approaching the base portion 13a. Elastic deformation can be performed by using the contact point between the second bent portion 13f4 and the base portion 13a as a displacement fulcrum.

More specifically, when the operating portion 13g is pressed, the second bent portion 13f4 begins to displace in the direction approaching the base portion 13a and comes into contact with the base portion 13a. After the contact, the second bent portion 13f4 functions as a "fulcrum portion" for displacement of the second extended portion 13f3 side of the movable spring portion 13f7. Further, the continuous portion where the first extension portion 13f1 and the base portion 13a are connected also functions as a fulcrum for the first extension portion 13f1 side of the movable spring portion 13f7 to be displaced.

That is, when the second bent portion 13f4 comes into contact with the base portion 13a, the operating portion 13g starts to rotate upward of the projecting piece portion 13e with the contact portion as a fulcrum. Here, the second extension portion 13f3, the second bending portion 13f4, the third extension portion 13f5, and the third bending portion 13f6 have a series of beads 13f10 as "reinforcing portions" for displacement regulation. Is formed. Therefore, the portion of the spring portion 13f on which the bead 13f8 is formed has increased rigidity and is less likely to be elastically deformed. Therefore, when the operating portion 13g starts to rotate with the fulcrum portion (the second bent portion 13f4 in contact with the base portion 13a) as the fulcrum, the movable spring portion 13f7 can be displaced in the direction away from the plug housing 21. By this operation, the lock portion 13f9 of the first extension portion 13f1 is displaced outward until it is disengaged from the lock protrusion 21b, and the locked state of the socket connector 10 and the plug connector 20 by the lock spring member 13 can be released. ..

The operation unit 13g has a horizontally long plate-shaped operation piece 13g1 and stoppers 13g2 formed at both ends of the operation piece 13g1. One end side of the bead 13f10 is formed on the operation piece 13g1. Therefore, the operation piece 13g1 has increased rigidity, and is less likely to be elastically deformed even when a pressing operation is performed. Further, since the operation piece 13g1 has a horizontally long plate shape extending in the front-rear direction Y along the outer side wall portion 11b of the socket housing 11, it is easy to apply a pressing operation, and an unlocking operation can be easily and surely performed.

The stopper 13g2 projects toward the stopper guide portion 11b11. The stopper 13g2 is formed in a trapezoidal shape having a base longer than the top side. The stopper 13g2 is formed with a pointed head 13g3 having an inclined edge whose bottom side protrudes toward the base portion 13a.

As described above, when the operating portion 13g rotates and the stopper 13g2 enters the stopper guide portion 11b11, the pointed head 13g3 comes into contact with the displacement guiding portion 11b12. The displacement guiding portion 11b12 is formed as an inclined surface that inclines in the rotation direction of the operating portion 13g. Therefore, when the pointed head 13g3 comes into contact with the displacement guiding portion 11b12, it slides on the inclined surface of the displacement guiding portion 11b12 and moves to smoothly promote the rotational displacement of the operating portion 13g.

Next, the pointed head 13g3 comes into contact with the displacement regulating portion 11b13, and further displacement is regulated. When the pointed head 13g3 is in contact with the displacement restricting portion 11b13 in this way, the locking portion 13f9 is disengaged from the locking projection 21b and the lock is released. Therefore, the operator can stop the pressing operation by obtaining the feeling that the pointed head 13g3 is in contact with the displacement regulating portion 11b13, so that the excessive pressing operation of the operating portion 13g can be suppressed.

Plug connector 20

As shown in FIG. 8, the plug connector 20 includes a plug housing 21 and a plurality of plug terminals 22. The plug connector 20 is mounted on the second board P2 via the plug terminal 22 and the like.

The plug housing 21 is made of a resin molded body, and has a square frame-shaped peripheral wall 21a and a bottom wall (not shown) that closes one end side of the peripheral wall 21a. A lock protrusion 21b as a "lock receiving portion" is formed on the peripheral wall 21a so as to project. The plug terminal 22 is press-fitted into a terminal holding hole (not shown) formed in the bottom wall and mounted.

Mating connection between socket connector 10 and plug connector 20

The mating connection between the socket connector 10 and the plug connector 20 will be described. The socket connector 10 is mounted on the first board P1, and the plug connector 20 is mounted on the second board P2. Then, the plug housing 21 of the plug connector 20 is fitted into the outer periphery of the socket housing 11 (housing body portion 11a) of the socket connector 10. Alternatively, the housing main body 11a of the socket connector 10 is inserted and fitted inside the peripheral wall 21 of the plug connector 20. At this time, the lock protrusion 21b abuts on the first bent portion 13f2 of the lock spring member 13 and elastically deforms the spring portion 13f in the direction away from the lock protrusion 21b. If the fitting is proceeded as it is, the lock protrusion 21b gets over the first bent portion 3f2 and enters the lock portion 13f9, and the elastically deformed spring portion 13f returns. When the plug housing 21 and the socket housing 11 come into contact with each other, the mating connection between the socket connector 10 and the plug connector 20 is completed.

In this mating connection state, the lock portion 13f9 and the lock protrusion 21b can be engaged with each other in the pulling out direction opposite to the fitting direction. That is, the mating connection is locked, and the socket connector 10 and the plug connector 20 are prevented from coming off from each other.

Next, in order to release the locked state, for example, the thumb is applied to the operation piece 13g1 of one operation unit 13g, the index finger is applied to the operation piece 13g1 of the other operation unit 13g, and the thumb and the index finger are used to pinch. And apply pressing force.

At this time, the distance of the lock spring member 13 from the second bent portion 13f4 to the lock portion 13f7 is longer than the distance from the operating portion 13g which is the force point to the second bent portion 13f4 which is the fulcrum portion. It is formed. Therefore, according to the principle of leverage, the worker can greatly displace the movable spring portion 13f7 even if the displacement of the operating portion 13g is small. Therefore, the lock portion 13f7 can be reliably displaced so as to be disengaged from the lock protrusion 21b.

Then, when the operation piece 13g1 is pushed in, the entire spring portion 13f has a continuous portion where the first extension portion 13f1 and the base portion 13a are connected, and a contact point between the second bending portion 13f4 and the base portion 13a as a fulcrum. The displacement is in the direction away from the plug housing 21 (the direction opposite to the pressing operation direction with respect to the operation portion 13g). By this operation, the lock portion 13f9 is displaced until it is disengaged from the lock protrusion 21b. In this way, the lock between the socket connector 10 and the plug connector 20 can be released by simply pressing the operation portion 13g of the lock spring member 13 without using a jig.

Action effect of electric connector 1

Further, the effects of the present embodiment will be described.

In the above embodiment, the lock spring member 13 is arranged on the outer side wall portion 11b as the side wall at both ends of the socket housing 11 in the terminal arrangement direction X. Therefore, the fitting connection state between the socket housing 11 and the plug housing 21 can be reliably locked at both ends of the socket housing 11 in the longitudinal direction X.

In the above embodiment, the operation piece 13g1 of the operation unit 13g projects outward with respect to the surface of the outer wall 11b1 of the socket housing 11. Therefore, for example, if the operator pushes the side surface of the outer wall 11b1 of the socket housing 11 with his / her thumb and forefinger, he / she can naturally press the operation piece 13g1 protruding from the side surface. Further, the operator does not have to look directly at the operation piece 13g1 protruding from the surface of the socket housing 11, but as a guide, a finger touches the operation piece 13g1 protruding from the surface of the outer wall 11b1. The pressing operation can be performed.

In the above embodiment, when the second bent portion 13f4 as the “fulcrum portion” makes a pressing contact with the base portion 13a, the base portion 13a and the elastic arm 13b are elastically deformed toward the insertion hole 11b15 as the “movable gap”. it can. Therefore, the stress caused by the pressure contact of the second bent portion 13f4 can be distributed not only to the spring portion 13f but also to the base portion 13a and the elastic arm 13b. Therefore, the lock spring member 13 can be protected.

In the above embodiment, stoppers 13g2 are provided at both ends of the operation piece 13g1. Therefore, even if the center of the operation piece 13g1 is not pressed and the portion deviated from the center of the operation piece 13g1 is pressed, the left and right stoppers 13g2 come into contact with the displacement guiding portions 11b12 to guide the displacement. Therefore, it is possible to correct an unbalanced pressing operation on the operation piece 13g1.

Electrical connector 1 of the second embodiment

The electric connector 1 of the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in the mounting position of the lock spring member 13 of the socket connector 10 and the position of the lock protrusion 21b provided on the plug connector 20. The configuration of the lock spring member 13 itself is the same as that of the first embodiment. Since the other configurations and the effects based on them are the same, duplicate explanations will be omitted.

In the socket connector 10 of the second embodiment, lock spring members 13 are mounted on side walls 11c located at both ends of the socket housing 11 in the terminal arrangement direction X. A hole-shaped slit 11b10 is formed in the side wall 11c. Inside the slit 11b10, a second extension portion 13f3, a second bending portion 13f4, a third extension portion 13f5, and a third bending portion 13f6 of the spring portion 13f are arranged. The operating portion 13g protrudes from the slit 11b10 and protrudes from the upper surface of the side wall 11c (the surface of the socket housing 11).

On the other hand, the plug connector 20 is formed with a spring portion receiving portion 21c that enables the arrangement and displacement of the spring portion 13f in a mated connection state with the socket connector 10. A lock protrusion 21b, which is a part of the "object to be connected", is formed inside the spring portion receiving portion 21c.

The locking operation of the lock spring member 13 and the pressing operation of unlocking are not performed by pinching the operating portions 13g in the direction of approaching each other as in the first embodiment, but on the contrary, the operating portions 13g are mutually close to each other. Apply a pressing operation so that it opens in the direction away from it. By applying such a pressing operation, the spring portion 13f is displaced so as to be separated from the inner surface of the spring portion receiving portion 21c on which the lock projection 21b is formed. As a result, the lock portion 13f9 can be displaced in the direction away from the lock protrusion 21b, which is a part of the object to be connected, and the locked state can be released.

According to the second embodiment, the operating portion 13g does not protrude to the outside of the side wall 11c of the socket connector 10. Therefore, the overall length of the socket connector 10 can be shortened and the size can be reduced as compared with the first embodiment.

Modification example

In the first embodiment, an example in which the substrate fixing portion 13d of the lock spring member 13 is soldered to the first substrate P1 is shown, but it is not necessary to solder. Further, it may be fixed with an adhesive other than soldering.

In the first embodiment, the example in which the pair of lock spring members 13 is provided is shown, but only one side may be provided.

In the first embodiment, an example in which the first substrate P1 is a flexible substrate and the second substrate P2 is a rigid substrate has been shown, but both may be flexible substrates or rigid substrates.

In the first embodiment, the socket connector 10 and the plug connector 20 have been exemplified, but the “object to be connected” may be an electric element instead of the plug connector 20. That is, the connection object of the connector corresponding to the socket connector 10 may be an electric element. In this case, the electric element as a connection object is provided with a lock receiving portion such as a lock protrusion 21b.

1 Electrical connector 10 Socket connector (connector, first connector)
11 Socket housing (first housing)
11a Housing body 11a1 Insertion port 11b Outer side wall 11b1 Outer side wall 11b2 Bottom wall 11b3 Upper side wall 11b31 Movable spring part accommodation part 11b4 Intermediate partition 11b5 Lower side wall 11b6 Arrangement part 11b7 Lock spring member fixing part 11b8 Insertion recess 11b9 Board housing part 11b10 Slit 11b11 Stopper guide part 11b12 Displacement guidance part 11b13 Displacement regulation part 11b14 Spring part accommodation recess 11b15 Insertion hole (movable gap)
11b16 Peripheral wall fitting part 11b17 Mounting protrusion 11b18 Gap 11c Side wall 12 Socket terminal (terminal)
12a Board connection part 13 Lock spring member 13a Base part 13b Elastic arm 13c Housing fixing part 13d Board fixing part 13e Projection piece part 13f Spring part 13f1 First extension part 13f2 First bending part 13f3 Second extension part 13f4 Second Bending part 13f5 Third extending part 13f6 Third bending part 13f7 Movable spring part 13f8 Wide part 13f9 Lock part 13f10 Bead (reinforcing part)
13g Operation unit 13g1 Operation piece 13g2 Stopper 13g3 Pointed head 20 plug connector (counterpart connector, second connector)
21 Plug housing 21a Peripheral wall 21b Lock protrusion (lock receiving part)
21c Spring receiving part 22 Plug terminal P1 First board P11 Ear part P12 Recessed part P13 Mounting hole

Claims (16)

The first housing that fits and connects with the object to be connected,
In a connector including a plurality of terminals that make conductive contact with the connection object,
Further, a lock spring member for locking the fitting connection between the connection object and the first housing is provided.
The lock spring member is
A housing fixing portion fixed to the first housing and
A spring portion extending from the housing fixing portion and having a lock portion in the middle capable of engaging and disengaging with the connection object, and a spring portion.
It has an operation part that extends from the spring part, and has an operation part.
The spring portion is a connector characterized in that when the operation portion is pressed, the lock portion is displaced in a direction away from the connection object to be released from the locked state with the connection object.
The connector according to claim 1, wherein the operating portion projects from the surface of the first housing.
The connector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lock spring member is arranged on a pair of side walls located at both ends in the terminal arrangement direction of the first housing.
The connector according to claim 3, wherein the side wall has a lock spring member accommodating portion for accommodating the spring portion of the lock spring member.
The connector according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the operating portion is arranged so as to project outward from the side wall.
The spring portion is
A fulcrum portion that is displaced by a pressing operation on the operation portion and
It has a movable spring portion between the fulcrum portion and the housing fixing portion, and has a movable spring portion.
Claims 1 to claim that the movable spring portion is displaced in a direction away from the front connection object with the fulcrum portion as a fulcrum by a pressing operation on the operation portion to release the locked state between the lock portion and the mating connector. Item 5. The connector according to any one of items 5.
The lock spring member further
A base portion arranged with a movable gap between the first housing and the first housing.
It has an elastic arm that connects the base portion and the housing fixing portion.
The connector according to claim 6, wherein the base portion and the elastic arm are elastically deformable toward the movable gap in response to the pressing contact of the fulcrum portion displaced by the pressing operation on the operating portion.
The spring portion further
The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a reinforcing portion for restricting elastic deformation is provided between the operating portion and the locking portion.
The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the operating portion has a horizontally elongated plate-shaped operating piece extending along the first housing.
The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the operating portion has a stopper portion that comes into contact with the first housing by being displaced by a pressing operation.
The lock spring member further
The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 10, which has a substrate fixing portion fixed to a first substrate on which the first housing is arranged.
The lock spring member is
The connector according to any one of claims 6 to 11, wherein the distance from the fulcrum portion to the lock portion is formed longer than the distance from the operation portion to the fulcrum portion.
A claim that the first housing has a pair of substrate accommodating walls that project from the bottom surface on which the first substrate on which the first housing is arranged and arrange the first substrate so as to surround the inside. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 12.
The connector according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the first housing has a displacement guiding portion that displaces the stopper portion while sliding the stopper portion.
The connector according to any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the first housing has a displacement regulating portion for stopping the displacement of the stopper portion.
A first connector with a first housing and
In an electrical connector including a second connector having a second housing that fits and connects to the first housing.
The first connector includes a lock spring member that locks the mating connection between the second housing and the first housing.
The second connector has a lock receiving portion that can be engaged with the lock member.
The lock spring member is
A housing fixing portion fixed to the first housing and
A spring portion extending from the housing fixing portion and having a lock portion in the middle that can be engaged with and disengaged from the lock receiving portion.
It has an operation part that extends from the spring part, and has an operation part.
The spring portion is an electric connector characterized in that when the operation portion is pressed, the lock portion is displaced in a direction away from the second housing to release the locked state with the lock receiving portion.

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