JP3049383B2 - Snap ring for connector - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a snap ring for a connector, and more particularly to a snap ring for a connector used for fixing a connector in a housing mounted on a printed wiring board or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, when a cable connector is fixed to a plate-like member such as a printed wiring board, a structure in which the cable connector is fixed in a housing mounted on one surface of the printed wiring board may be adopted. When such a structure is adopted, a fixing tool called a connector snap ring is provided in the housing, and the connector snap ring is mounted on the outer periphery of the connector inserted into the housing, whereby the housing is mounted. The cable connector is locked inside. Conventionally, as such a connector snap ring, there is, for example, one shown in FIGS.

Conventional connector snap ring 11
Is a substantially C-shaped member having a notch 11a in a part of the ring, and can be springed by being deformed in the radial direction. The connector snap ring 11 is disposed in a recess 4 a formed inside the housing 4 mounted on the printed wiring board 6 via the plate 5.

[0004] When the cable connector 2 to which the cable 3 is connected is inserted into the housing 4,
The connector snap ring 11 is deformed in the radial direction, and the snap ring 11
Is mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the cable connector 2 and the snap ring 11 is engaged with the housing 4 or the like, whereby the cable connector 2 is fixed in the housing 4 (snap-in fixing).

FIGS. 6 and 7 show examples of another conventional connector snap ring 12 (conventional example 2). The connector snap ring 12 of the second conventional example includes a plate portion 12a arranged on the printed wiring board 6 and a pair of lance portions 12b formed integrally with the plate portion 12a. In addition, the lance portion 12b is disposed in the recess 4a inside the housing 4. When the cable connector 2 is inserted into the housing 4, these lances 12b are displaced outward in a so-called cantilever structure,
A spring property for elastically holding the cable connector 2 is obtained. The connector snap ring 12
Are rigidly fixed to the housing 4.

[0006]

By the way, a connector fixed to a housing using a snap ring of this type is required to align the position with a mating connector to facilitate the fitting with the mating connector. It can move to some extent in the direction perpendicular to the fitting direction in the housing. That is, this type of connector is attached to the housing in a floating state.

[0007] Since the connector snap ring of the prior art 1 described above has a ring shape itself, it is easy to make the connector float in the housing. However, the connector snap ring of Conventional Example 1 has a notch, is substantially C-shaped, and generates elasticity by deforming the opposite side of the notch. Therefore, there is a problem that the snap ring is easily deteriorated due to elastic deformation, and there is a possibility that the snap ring may be damaged when the connector is repeatedly inserted into and removed from the housing.
In addition, this snap ring has to set the required spring property by selecting the size (inner diameter, outer diameter, thickness, etc. of the ring) to an appropriate size. In this case, other parts are required. It is difficult to freely select the size because of the combination with the above, and it is difficult to set an arbitrary spring property.

On the other hand, in the case of the connector snap ring of the conventional example 2, since the spring property is obtained by the lance portion of the cantilever structure, stress is not concentrated at one place, and therefore, this snap ring is used. Is hardly deteriorated even if the connector is repeatedly inserted into and removed from the housing. However, the conventional connector snap ring has a structure in which the plate portion is fixed on the printed wiring board, and the floating state of the connector is obtained by the lance portion, so that the mating connector is connected. In such a state, the lance portion often remains deformed, and there is a problem that the lance portion is deteriorated by this deformation.
In addition, since the snap ring is configured to elastically support the connector by the lance portion, it is difficult to make the connector smoothly float.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a snap ring for a connector which is hardly deteriorated even when used for a long period of time and which can make the connector float smoothly.

[0010]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector snap ring mounted on an outer periphery of a connector and for fixing the connector in a housing mounted on one surface of a plate member. A cylindrical portion movably held within a recess formed in the housing within a predetermined range in a direction parallel to the one surface, a plurality of the cylindrical portions being connected to the cylindrical portion, having elasticity, the connector And a cantilever for engaging with a portion of the connector to lock the connector.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the connector is inserted into the cylindrical portion, a tapered surface for guiding the connector is formed in the cylindrical portion. The described connector snap ring is obtained.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the connector is inserted into the cantilever portion, a tapered surface for guiding the connector is formed on the cantilever portion. A connector snap ring according to claim 1 or claim 2 is obtained.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A connector snap ring according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The connector snap ring 1 is composed of a tubular portion 1a and a pair of cantilever portions 1b integrally provided upright from one surface (the upper surface in FIG. 3) of the tubular portion 1a. The connector snap ring 1 is formed, for example, by integral molding of a synthetic resin.

The cylindrical portion 1a has a complete ring shape without a cut, and is movably held in a recess 4a formed in the housing 4 within a predetermined range in a direction parallel to one surface of the printed wiring board 6. Is done. Further, the cylindrical portion 1a is formed with a tapered surface 1c for guiding the cable connector 2 when the cable connector 2 is inserted through the cylindrical portion 1a.

The cantilever portion 1b has elasticity, and a plurality of cantilever portions 1b are connected to the cylindrical portion 1a. Then, the connector 2 is engaged with a ring-shaped protrusion 2 a formed at one end of the connector 2 to lock the connector 2. A tapered surface 1d is formed on the inner side of the tip of the cantilever 1b to guide the projection 2a of the cable connector 2 when the cable connector 2 is inserted into the cantilever 1b.

A procedure for mounting the above-configured printed circuit board of the present embodiment will be described. First, the connector snap ring 1 of the present embodiment is arranged in the housing 4. At this time, the cylindrical portion 1a of the snap ring 1 is arranged in the recess 4a of the housing 4. Next, a plate 5 for preventing the snap ring 1 disposed in the housing 4 from dropping is attached to an end face of the housing 4 and the housing assembly thus obtained is placed on a mounting surface of the printed wiring board 6. Attach. In this case, in FIG. 1, the right side of the plate 5 is fixed to the left side of the housing 4 by bonding or the like. Further, the left side surface of the plate 5 is fixed to the mounting surface of the printed wiring board 6 by bonding or the like.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. With reference to FIG.
Is inserted through the hole 6a formed in the printed wiring board 6 into the above-described housing assembly. When the cable connector 2 is inserted, the cantilever portion 1a of the connector snap ring 1 is elastically deformed in the outer peripheral direction with a spring property by being pressed by the projecting portion 2a on the outer periphery of the cable connector 2.

When the cable connector 2 is completely inserted and reaches a predetermined fixed position, the beam 1a returns to its original position due to its elasticity, and its tip locks the projection 2a of the cable connector 2, whereby As shown in FIG. 1, the cable connector 2 is fixed (snap-in fixed) in the housing assembly. In this state, the connector snap ring 1 can be moved within a range in which the cylindrical portion 1a is in a direction parallel to the mounting surface of the printed circuit board 6 in the housing 4.
The cable connector 2 is mounted in a floating state.

In the above-described embodiment, the structure in which the housing assembly including the housing 4 and the connector snap ring 1 is attached to the printed wiring board 6 via the plate 5 has been described. Instead, the housing may be directly attached to the printed wiring board. That is, in this case, one end surface of the housing is directly fixed to the printed wiring board by bonding or the like.

[0020]

As described above, according to the snap ring for a connector of the present invention, since the spring portion for locking the connector is constituted by the cantilever beam, any spring property can be obtained and the spring is deteriorated. Can also be prevented. Further, since the ring-shaped tubular portion is movable in the housing, the connector can be fixed in a free and smooth floating state.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing a state in which a connector is snapped in and fixed using a connector snap ring according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a state before snap-in of a connector in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a snap ring according to an embodiment of the present invention used in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of a state in which a connector is fixed by a conventional connector snap ring.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a conventional connector snap ring used in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of a state in which a connector is fixed by another conventional connector snap ring.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another conventional connector snap ring used in FIG. 6;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Snap ring for connector 1a Cylindrical part 1b Cantilever part 1c Tapered surface 1d Tapered surface 2 Cable connector 2a Projection 4 Housing 4a Depression 5 Plate 6 Printed wiring board

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01R 13/74 F16B 21/18 H01R 24/00 H05K 7/02

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A connector snap ring mounted on an outer periphery of a connector and for fixing the connector in a housing attached to one surface of a plate-like member, wherein the snap ring is provided in a recess formed in the housing. A tubular portion movably held in a predetermined range in a direction parallel to one surface, and a plurality of pieces connected to the tubular portion, having elasticity, engaging with a part of the connector, and locking the connector. A snap ring for a connector, comprising: a holding portion. 2. The connector snap ring according to claim 1, wherein a tapered surface for guiding the connector when the connector is inserted through the cylindrical portion is formed in the cylindrical portion. 3. A tapered surface for guiding the connector when the connector is inserted through the cantilever portion is formed on the cantilever portion.
Or the snap ring for connectors according to claim 2.