JP2529772B2 - Connector with mating confirmation mechanism - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to mating of female and male connectors, and more particularly to a connector in which complete mating can be easily confirmed.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 4 shows a conventional connector. In the figure, a is a male housing and b is a female housing. A female terminal (not shown) is fitted in the male housing a, a male terminal (not shown) is also fitted in the female housing b, and both c housings are fitted together, so that the male and female terminals are electrically connected.

The male housing a has a locking arm c having a fixed portion on the fitting end side, an operating portion d is formed at the tip of the locking arm c, and a locking projection e is formed in the middle. On the other hand, the female connector housing b is provided with a sleeve body portion f for receiving the male connector housing a, and a locking hole g formed in the sleeve body portion f.

To fit both connector housings above, first
The male connector housing a is inserted into the sleeve body f of the female connector housing b. At this time, the locking arm c
Is brought into contact with the inlet of the sleeve portion f and is inserted while bending as shown in FIG. 4 (b). When it is pushed to the position shown in FIG. 4 (c), it is completely fitted, the locking arm c returns to the original state, the locking projection e engages with the edge of the locking hole g, and the male connector housing a. Prevent the reversion of.

However, the above-mentioned connector does not have a function of confirming complete fitting, and even if it is in the state of FIG. 4 (b), if there is electrical continuity, it passes the continuity test and is mistaken for complete fitting. There was a possibility to be.

As a solution to this problem, the technique described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-157076 described below is known.

A pair of guide rails orthogonal to the fitting direction are provided in the sleeve portion of the female housing, a slit-shaped space penetrating the sleeve portion is formed between the rails, and a pair of sliders are fitted between the rails. The slider is provided with a follower projecting through the space between the rails.

On the other hand, the side wall of the male housing is engaged with this follower and has an inlet portion on both sides between the fittings, which is obliquely rearward,
Moreover, a pair of gum tracks extending toward the center of the side wall is formed. Then, by moving the pair of sliders along the guide rails from both sides of the housing toward the center, the follower slides in the gum track,
The female and male housings are easily fitted and separated from each other. In other words, when the pair of sliders move from both sides of the housing to the center of the side wall, complete fitting can be confirmed.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional technique, the slider cannot be removed when the male and female housings are fitted together, so that a slider dedicated to each connector housing is required, and the number of parts increases.

The present invention has been made in view of the above facts, and an object of the present invention is to provide a connector that can confirm complete fitting and does not increase the number of parts.

[Means for explaining the task]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises a male housing, a female housing provided with a sleeve portion for receiving the male housing, and a locking mechanism that holds the male and female housings when they are completely fitted. In the connector, a slit is formed in the sleeve body so as to intersect with the fitting direction, at least one of which is open at an end of the sleeve body, and a slit that penetrates the slit and slides freely in the slit. A follower temporarily locked at a predetermined position in the slit,
The male housing has a slanted end extending from the side wall of the housing to the end wall of the housing, and is provided with a guide groove that penetrates through the slit and engages with the follower. Also, a structure is adopted in which it comes out of the guide groove and comes out of both housings.

[Work]

The follower is penetrated from the outside of the housing into the slit formed in the sleeve portion of the female housing, and is temporarily locked. When the male housing slightly enters the inlet of the female housing, the follower enters the inlet of the guide groove formed in the male housing. After that, when the follower is moved along the guide groove from the outside of the housing, the male housing enters the inside of the female housing, and the fitting of both housings proceeds. When the full fitting position is reached, the lock mechanism operates to maintain the completely fitted state of the male and female housings, and the follower slips out of both the slit and the guide groove and comes out of the housing, but the two housings do not fit completely. As long as the follower does not come off the housing.

〔Example〕

 Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a connector of the present invention, in which 1 is a male housing, 2 is a female housing, and 3 is a slider. The male and female housings 1 and 2 are fitted with unillustrated male and female terminals as in the conventional example.

The female housing 2 has a sleeve body 4 for receiving the male housing 1. The sleeve body 5 is provided with a housing space 5 for a locking arm and a slit 6 orthogonal to the fitting direction. A through hole is formed, and a locking hole 5a is opened in the accommodation space 5. The slit 6 is open at the right end of the figure.
6a, and a protrusion serving as a temporary locking portion 6b is provided on the left side.

The male housing 1 has a fitting end on the lower side of FIG. 1, and a locking arm 7 having a base portion is provided rearward at the fitting end 1b, and a tip of the locking arm 7 has an operating portion 7a.
However, a locking protrusion 7b is provided in the middle. Further, on the side wall 1a of the male housing 1, there is an inlet 8a at the fitting end 1b, and a guide groove 8 having an enlarged bottom width extends obliquely rearward from the fitting end 1b to the right end 1c in the figure. It forms the outlet 8b.
Reference numeral 1d denotes a terminal accommodating chamber, in which a terminal fitting (not shown) is fitted.

The slider 3 has a quadrangular prism shape, and has a follower 3a standing upright and having a cylindrical shape and an enlarged portion at the tip.

 The male and female housings are fitted together as follows.

First, as shown in FIG. 2A, the slider 3 is temporarily locked to the temporary locking portion 6b in the slit 6. The follower 3a penetrates the slit 6 and its tip projects into the sleeve body 4.

Next, when the tip of the male housing 1 is put into the sleeve body 4,
The widened portion of the inlet 8a of the guide groove 8 is fitted to the widened portion of the tip of the follower 3a.

When a force in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 2B is applied to the slider 3, the slider 3 moves out of the temporary locking portion 6b and moves to the right in the figure, and the follower 3a slides in the guide groove 8. As shown in FIG. 2 (c), the male housing 1 is a sleeve 4 of the female housing 2.
Enter inside. At this time, the locking arm 7 bends and enters the accommodation space 5.

When the male housing 1 reaches the completely fitted position, the locking arm 7 returns to the original state, and the locking projection 7b is accommodated in the housing space 5.
Engages with the locking hole 5a. At the same time, as shown in FIG. 2 (d), the open portion 6a of the slit 6 and the outlet 8b of the slide groove 8 overlap each other, so that the follower 3a is removed from the housing together with the slider 3. If the female and male housings 1 and 2 are not completely fitted, the open portion 6a of the slit 6 and the outlet 8b of the guide groove 8 do not overlap each other. Therefore, as shown in FIG. It cannot be pulled out and can be detected as being half-fitted.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a plate-like member is bent in a U shape to form a slider 9, and followers 9a project inwardly facing each other, and a handle 9b for operation is provided on the outside. . Then, the slits 6 are also formed symmetrically on both sides of the sleeve body 4 in accordance with the slits 6. The operation is the same as that of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, but since the followers 9a are on both sides, the male housing 1 can be fitted without tilting, and the fitting work is facilitated because of the handle. There are advantages.

[Effect of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, when the female and male housings are fitted together, the follower cannot be pulled out unless they are completely fitted together. Can be easily determined.

Further, in the case of complete fitting, the follower can be removed and only the follower can be used for other connectors, so that the number of parts can be reduced and the cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of a connector with a fitting confirmation mechanism of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 (a) to (d) are views for explaining a state in which the female and male housings of the present invention are fitted. , (E) is I of (c)
-I sectional view, FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing another embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 4 (a) to 4 (c) are views for explaining a state in which the conventional female and male housings are fitted to each other. . 1 ... Male housing, 1a ... Side wall, 1b ... Mating end, 1c ...
… Ends (other than mating end), 2 …… Female housing, 3,9…
… Slider, 3a, 9a …… Tracker, 4 …… Body, 6 ……
Slit, 6a ... (slit) opening, 6b ... Temporary locking part, 7 ... Rocking arm, 8 ... Guide groove.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A connector comprising a male housing, a female housing provided with a sleeve body portion for receiving the male housing, and a lock mechanism for holding the male and female housings in a completely fitted state. A slit formed so as to intersect with the fitting direction and at least one of which opens at the end of the sleeve body, and a slit that penetrates the slit and slides freely within the slit and is temporarily engaged at a predetermined position in the slit. A follower to be stopped, and a guide groove which is formed to be inclined from the fitting end of the side wall of the housing to the end wall of the housing and which engages with the follower penetrating the slit and whose both ends are open. A connector with a fitting confirmation mechanism characterized in that the follower comes out of the slit and the guide groove and comes out of both housings at a certain position.