JP2583879Y2 - Floating connector housing - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector housing, and more particularly, to a floating connector housing which is movable within a predetermined range with respect to a panel on which the housing is mounted.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In electronic equipment such as a copying machine, a floating type connector which is movable within a predetermined range with respect to a mounting panel is used in order to facilitate mating between connectors.

As an example of this type of connector, a connector A shown in FIG. 5 has been proposed (Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 64-27982). The connector A has a ring-shaped spring member 2 around it. Since the spring member 2 is pressed against and fitted to the groove bottom of the guide groove 7 provided in the panel opening 6,
The connector A is movable in the direction D along the surface of the panel P and in the direction intersecting D. Therefore, even if the alignment with the mating connector (not shown) is deviated, the connector A moves in a direction to absorb the deviation, so that the connectors can be easily fitted to each other.

[0004]

However, since the connector A is mounted between the _two panels P ₁ and P ₂ , it is difficult to mount the connector A at the end of the panel. There is a problem. Furthermore, since the structure for inserting the spring member 2 to the panel P _1, P ₂ of the guide groove 7, the panel P _1, P ₂ there is a limitation that must be constructed from material easily guide groove 7 is formed. Therefore, for example, there is a problem that it is difficult to attach the connector A to a printed board (printed board) or an iron panel.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a floating type connector housing which solves the above-mentioned problems, that is, a floating type connector housing which can be mounted on the end of the panel and which can be mounted without requiring special processing on the panel. The purpose is to:

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A floating connector housing according to the present invention has at least a pair of flanges for sandwiching a panel, a projection opposed to the deepest portion of a valley-shaped side surface of an opening of the panel opposed to a side wall of the housing, and a panel. A pair of flexible arms having a distal end which abuts on an inner surface of the opening to prevent the housing from being detached from the panel, and which extends from a side wall of the housing to between the pair of flanges. .

[0007]

When the floating connector housing is moved along the panel surface after being attached to the panel opening,
The projection of the flexible arm facing the deepest portion of the valley-shaped side surface of the panel opening engages with the tapered surface (slope) of the valley-shaped side surface, and the projection is opposed to the deepest portion by the elasticity of the flexible arm. Return the connector housing to its condition. Since the distal end surface of the flexible arm abuts on the inner surface of the panel opening, the connector housing is securely held without detaching from the panel.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the floating connector housing of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the floating connector housing of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a state where the housing of FIG. 1 is attached to a panel. FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a fitted state of the housing and the mating connector of FIG.

In FIG. 1, a connector housing 10 has a P
The first and second side walls 12, 14 are formed of a synthetic resin such as BT (polybutylene terephthalate), and have flanges 16, 18 sandwiching the panel 50 therebetween. Third
The fourth side walls 20 and 22 are provided with flexible arms 24 and 24 'extending obliquely downward from the ends of the flanges 18a and 18' to between the flanges 16a and 16b. At the tip of each flexible arm 24 (24 '), a projection 26 (26') projecting outwardly
And a stopper surface 28 (28 ') which comes into contact with the inner side surface 54 (54') of the panel 50 to prevent the connector housing 10 from coming off.

An electric wire is connected to the upper wall 30 of the connector housing 10.
An opening 32 for receiving a plug connector 60 to which the connector 62 is connected is formed. The engagement of the latch arms 34, 34 with the engagement portions 64 of the plug connector 60 holds the plug connector 60 in the opening 32. Bottom 36 of connector housing 10
Is a mating surface with the mating header connector 70, and has a predetermined number (four in this embodiment) of holes 38 (FIG. 2) for receiving the post contacts 72 of the mating header connector 70 mounted on the substrate 76. Is formed.

The opening 52 of the panel 50 can be easily formed by punching or the like. When the connector housing 10 is inserted into the opening 52 in the direction of arrow B, the flexible arm 24 elastically deforms upward, passes over the projections 55 and 55 'of the panel, and returns to its original shape.

Referring to FIG. 2, connector housing 10 is received in opening 52 of panel 50 and connector housing
When no external force acts on 10 (initial state),
The protruding portions 26, 26 'of the flexible arms 24, 24' face the deepest portions 56a, 56a 'of the valley side surfaces 56, 56' of the panel 50 facing the side walls 20, 22. I have. At this time, the groove bottom surfaces 40 and 42 sandwiched between the flanges 16 and 18 are the side surfaces 54 of the panel 50,
No contact with either 56 or 58.

When the alignment between the connector housing 10 and the mating connector 70 is shifted, the connector housing 10
When an external force acts on the flexible arm 24 in the direction of arrow C,
Of the flexible arm abuts against the valley side surface 56 of the panel 50.
By the elasticity of the connector housing 10, the connector housing 10 is urged in a direction to return to the initial state. When an external force acts on the connector housing 10 in the direction indicated by the arrow E, the protrusion 26 becomes a valley-shaped side surface.
The connector housing 10 comes into contact with the tapered surface 56b of the connector 56 and is urged in a direction to return to the initial state by the elasticity of the flexible arm 24. Further, when an external force acts on the connector housing 10 in the direction indicated by the arrow F, the projection 26 is similarly formed with the tapered surface 56c.
And urges the connector housing 10 in the direction of returning to the initial state. Also, when an external force acts on the connector housing 10 in the rotation directions indicated by arrows G and H,
Similarly, the projection 26 abuts against the tapered surfaces 56b, 56c, respectively.
The connector housing 10 is urged in a direction to return to the initial state. The same applies to the left flexible arm 24 '.

In this embodiment, the flexible arms 24, 24 '
And the side walls 20, 22; between the flexible arms 24, 24 ', the stopper surfaces 28, 28' at the distal end and the inner surfaces 54, 54 'of the panel 50; Have a gap of about 1 mm between them. Therefore, connector housing 10
Is movable (floating) within a range of about 2 mm in the direction of arrow C and the opposite direction, and about 2 mm in the directions of arrows E and F.

In FIG. 3, the connector housing 10 mounted on the panel 50 and holding the plug connector 60 connected to the electric wire 62 includes a tapered surface 44 around the fitting surface 36 and a substrate 76.
The connector 70 fits with the header connector 70 while being guided by the tapered surface 74 of the upper header connector 70. Plug connector
If the displacement between the position of the contact 66 of FIG. 60 (FIG. 1) and the position of the post contact 72 of the header connector 70 is within half of the above movable range, that is, within about 1 mm, the connector housing 10 (and the plug connector 60) and The header connector 70 is securely fitted. In the present embodiment, the plug 66 connected to the electric wire 62 by pressure contact with the contact 66 is inserted into the connector housing 10 without inserting the contact 66 connected to the electric wire 62 directly into the connector housing 10. The electric wires 62 (or the contacts 66 with electric wires) can be collectively mounted in the connector housing 10, so that the assembling workability is good.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing another (second) embodiment of the floating connector housing of the present invention.
In the following, only features that are different from the first embodiment described above will be described. Connector housing 1 of second embodiment
0 'is a flange 16a surrounding the flexible arm 24 (24').
(16a ') and guide flange 46 connecting 18a (18a')
(46 '). When the connector housing 10 'is inserted into the opening 52 (FIG. 1) of the panel 50, the upper surface of the panel 50 is guided by the lower surfaces of the guide flanges 46 and 46', so that the workability of inserting the connector housing 10 'is improved. . Further, during insertion of the connector housing 10 ', the projections 55 of the panel 50 prevent the flexible arms 24, 24' from being excessively bent upward. Therefore, the flexible arm
Prevent problems such as breakage and plastic deformation of 24, 24 '.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications and changes can be made. For example, each flexible arm may extend directly from the side wall parallel to the panel. Also,
The connector housing may directly hold the contact of the plug connector without passing through the plug connector housing. Further, the protrusion does not have to be provided at the tip of the flexible arm.

[0018]

According to the floating type connector housing of the present invention, it is possible to mount the panel end into an opening formed by relatively simple punching at the end of the panel. Therefore, the floating connector housing can be mounted on panels of various materials without limiting the material of the panel to a specific material such as a resin or a die-cast alloy, and the processing of the mounting portion of the floating connector housing is easy. .

Further, when the opening for receiving the plug connector is provided in the floating connector housing of the present invention, the connector can be assembled simply by inserting the plug connector in which the electric wires are collectively connected into the opening, so that the workability is excellent. It has the effect of.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a floating connector housing of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a state where the connector housing of FIG. 1 is attached to a panel.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a fitted state of the connector housing and the mating connector of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the floating connector housing of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a conventional floating connector.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Floating connector housing 16, 18 Flange 20, 22 Side wall 24 Flexible arm 26 Protrusion 28 Tip (stopper surface) 50 Panel 52 Opening 54 Inner side 56 Valley side 56a Deepest part

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-1-265468 (JP, A) JP-A-63-168976 (JP, A) JP-A-1-30183 (JP, A) JP-A-2-256183 (JP, A) , A) Japanese Utility Model Hei 4-76279 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model Sho 59-20578 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model 64-27982 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model 63-420 (JP, U) (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) H01R 13/631 H01R 13/74

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] At least one pair of flanges for sandwiching a panel, a projection opposed to a deepest portion of a valley-shaped side surface of an opening of the panel opposed to a side wall of a housing, and an inner surface of the panel opening and contacted from the panel. A floating connector housing having a pair of flexible arms having a distal end for preventing the housing from being detached, and extending from the side wall of the housing to between the pair of flanges.