JP3252119B2 - 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 connector provided with a lock arm.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A connector for locking a pair of housings in a fitted state using a lock arm is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No.
No. 0268. This is because, as shown in FIG. 5, the lock arm 2 provided on one housing 1 is engaged with the lock receiving portion 4 of the other housing 3 during the fitting process.
When the two housings 1 and 3 reach the normal fitting state, the lock arm 2 elastically returns and the lock projection 2A engages with the lock receiving portion 4, whereby the two housings 1 and 3 are engaged. , 3 are permanently locked.

[0003]

In this kind of connector, when the lock arm 2 is excessively bent during the fitting, the return force of the lock arm 2 is reduced, and the lock arm 2 cannot return to the normal engagement position. There is a fear. In this case, the engagement allowance between the lock arm 2 and the lock receiving portion 4 becomes insufficient,
This leads to a decrease in lock reliability. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to improve the reliability of a lock.

[0004]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, one of a pair of housings is provided with a lock arm that can be elastically bent, and the other housing is provided with a lock receiving portion. After the lock arm is elastically bent while climbing on the lock receiving portion, when the lock arm is elastically restored when the lock arm reaches regular fitting, the two housings are brought into the fitted state by engaging with the lock receiving portion. Locked, furthermore, a connector in which the one housing is formed with a tubular fitting portion fitted to the other housing, wherein the tubular fitting portion includes An elastic push-back piece capable of providing a return force in the locking direction to the lock arm by notching a part thereof is formed, and an elastic push-back piece in the cylindrical fitting portion. Both areas of remote fitting direction forward and backward has characterized in that there is a annular portion continuous over the entire circumference. According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, a gap is provided between the lock arm and the elastic push-back piece to allow the lock arm to elastically deform in a direction in which the lock arm rides on the lock receiving portion. The configuration was provided.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, the gap between the lock arm and the elastic push-back piece is set to be smaller than an engagement allowance between the lock arm and the lock receiving portion. Configuration. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to third aspects of the present invention, the lock receiving portion of the lock arm responds to a return force in the lock direction applied from the elastic push-back piece to the lock arm. The elastic restoring force at the time of getting over is set to be relatively small. The invention according to claim 5 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The front part and the rear part in the fitting direction of the cylindrical fitting part in the fitting direction are relatively displaced stepwise from the elastic push-back piece, and the elastic push-back piece is formed of the front part and the rear part. It was configured to be formed flush with either one. According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to fifth aspects, the lock arm and the elastic push-back piece are configured to be cantilevered in the same direction.

[0006]

<Effects and Effects of the Invention><Invention of claim 1> Even if the lock arm is excessively bent and the elastic return force of the lock arm itself decreases, the lock arm is securely returned to the lock position by the return force of the elastic push-back piece. can do. Further, since the front and rear portions of the elastic push-back piece are formed as annular portions that are continuous over the entire circumference, the strength of the cylindrical fitting portion hardly decreases due to the formation of the elastic push-back piece. <Invention of Claim 2> When the lock arm is elastically bent while climbing over the lock receiving portion due to the fitting, in the initial stage of the elastic bending, the lock arm returns to the lock direction without contacting the elastic push-back piece. Since there is no need to receive force, the operation resistance is reduced by that much, and the operability is excellent. <Invention of claim 3> Even if the lock arm moves in the direction to reduce the engagement allowance with the lock receiving portion, the lock arm hits the elastic push-back piece before the engagement is completely released, and the play is restricted. You. Therefore, the reliability of engagement between the lock arm and the lock receiving portion is improved.

<Invention of Claim 4> During the locking operation, the fitting resistance caused by the engagement between the lock arm and the lock receiving portion is relatively small, while the return force to the lock arm by the elastic push-back piece is compared. Since the size is large, the lock arm can be reliably maintained in the locked state while improving the fitting operability. <Invention of claim 5> When the elastic push-back piece is formed by a die, one of the front side portion and the rear side portion in the fitting direction is displaced stepwise with respect to the elastic push-back piece. There is no need for a slide die that is opened in a direction perpendicular to the direction. <Invention of Claim 6> Since the lock arm and the elastic push-back piece extend in the same direction, the pressing point of the elastic push-back piece against the lock arm is largely displaced with the elastic bending of the lock arm and the elastic push-back piece. Nothing.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First Embodiment A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The connector according to the present embodiment includes a resin-side female housing 10 (one of the constituent elements of the present invention) and a resin-side male housing 20 (the other of the constituent elements of the present invention). Housing).
When the two housings 10 and 20 are fitted, the lock arm 1
The two housings 10, 20 are locked in a fitted state by the lock housing 1 and the lock receiving portion 23, and the male terminal fitting 21 of the male housing 20 enters into the female housing 10 to form a female terminal fitting (not shown). Connected.

The lock arm 11 is integrally formed on the upper surface of the female housing 10, and a leg 11A that rises from a position slightly behind the center of the upper surface of the female housing 10 in the fitting direction (front-back direction); This leg 11A
And an operating portion 11C extending from the leg portion 11A to the rear opposite to the engaging portion 11B in a cantilever manner substantially parallel to the upper surface of the female housing 10. The front end of the engagement portion 11B reaches a little behind the front end of the female housing 10, and a downward engagement claw 11D is formed at the front end. On the other hand, a hood portion 22 is formed in the male housing 20 so as to surround the male terminal fitting 21, and the hood portion 22 is fitted on the female housing 10 while being sunk inside the lock arm 11. A lock receiving portion 23 is formed on the outer periphery of the hood portion 22. While the housings 10 and 20 are being fitted together, as shown in FIG. 3, the lock arm 11 elastically bends upward (outward) while the engaging claw 11D rides on the upper surface of the lock receiving portion 23. When the two housings 10 and 20 reach the proper fitting state, the engaging claw 11
D comes off the upper surface of the lock receiving portion 23 and the lock arm 1
1 returns to a posture parallel to the upper surface of the female housing 10 by the elastic restoring force of the leg 11A, and the engaging claw 11D engages with the rear surface of the lock receiving portion 23. The engagement between the engagement claw 11D and the lock receiving portion 23 locks the housings 10 and 20 in the detachment restricted state.

The female housing 10 has a cylindrical fitting portion 12 fitted externally to the hood portion 22 of the male housing 20.
Are integrally formed. The cylindrical fitting portion 12 extends forward from the substantially same position as the leg portion 11A of the lock arm 11 in the front-rear direction at a predetermined interval between the outer peripheral surface of the female housing 10 and the extending end. Female housing 10
To the same position as the front end face of Such a cylindrical fitting portion 12
The engaging portion 11B of the lock arm 11 is accommodated in the inside, while the operating portion 11C of the lock arm 11 is exposed rearward from the cylindrical fitting portion 12.

An elastic push-back piece 13 for applying a return force to the lock arm 11 in the locking direction is formed on the cylindrical fitting portion 12. The elastic push-back piece 13 is formed by notching a part of the cylindrical fitting portion 12 in a “U-shaped” slit shape and being surrounded by the slit-shaped notch portion 14 and extending forward in a cantilever plate shape. As a result, it is possible to elastically flex outward. A pressing projection 1 protruding inward (downward) is provided on the front end of the elastic push-back piece 13.
3A is formed, and the pressing protrusion 13A corresponds to the upper surface of the front end portion of the engaging portion 11B of the lock arm 11 with a slight gap. That is, the elastic push-back piece 13 and the engaging portion 11B of the lock arm 11 project in the same direction while overlapping with a gap. The gap between the pressing protrusion 13A and the lock arm 11 is determined by the distance between the engaging claw 11D of the lock arm 11 and the receiving portion 2.
3 is set smaller than the engagement allowance. Further, the elastic restoring force when the lock arm 12 passes over the lock receiving portion 23 is set relatively small with respect to the restoring force in the locking direction applied from the elastic push-back piece 13 to the lock arm 12.

The front and rear annular portions 15F and 15R of the cylindrical fitting portion 12 are respectively continuous over the entire circumference with respect to the front and rear portions of the elastic push-back piece 13.
It has been. Further, the rear portion 16R of the cylindrical fitting portion 12 adjacent to the rear of the elastic push-back piece 13 is moved toward the inner peripheral side (downward) relative to the front portion 16F adjacent to the front of the elastic push-back piece 13. It has a form shifted in steps. The step size is set to be the same as or larger than the thickness of the cylindrical fitting portion 12. The elastic push-back piece 13 extends from the rear portion 16R in a plane. Therefore, a step occurs between the elastic push-back piece 13 and the front portion 16F.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. When both housings 10 and 20 are fitted, as shown in FIG.
The lock arm 11 elastically bends while riding on the lock receiving portion 23, and the elastic push-back piece 13 is also elastically bent by being pushed up by the engaging portion 11B of the lock arm 11. And both housings 1
When 0 and 20 reach the normal fitting state, the engaging claw 11D is disengaged from the lock receiving portion 23, whereby the lock arm 11 elastically returns to the original posture, and the engaging claw 11D and the lock receiving portion 2 are returned.
The engagement with the housing 3 locks the housings 10 and 20 in the fitted state. In addition, the elastic push-back piece 1
3 also returns to its original position by its elastic restoring force.

When the lock arm 11 is elastically bent and the amount of bending is excessive, the lock arm 1
1, especially the elastic restoring force of the leg 11A may be reduced.
In this case, the lock arm 11 does not completely return to the normal posture, that is, the posture in which the lock arm 11 is parallel to the upper surface of the female housing 10, and the engagement allowance between the engagement claw 11 </ b> D and the lock receiving portion 23 is smaller than normal. Become smaller. However, in the present embodiment, the elastic push-back piece 1 is located above the engagement portion 11B of the lock arm 11.
3 is covered so that even if the elastic restoring force of the lock arm 11 itself is not sufficient, the elastic restoring force of the elastic push-back piece 13 acts, so that the lock arm 11 can be properly adjusted. Can be reliably returned to the lock position (the position where the engagement allowance with the lock receiving portion 23 is sufficiently ensured), and the reliability of the lock function is high. Further, even when the lock arm 11 is displaced in the direction to be disengaged from the lock receiving portion 23 due to the external force acting on the two housings 10 and 20 in the separating direction, the elastic push-back piece 13 suppresses the movement, so the careless locking is performed. It is prevented from being released, and this is also excellent in reliability.

Further, the elastic push-back piece 13 is provided in the cylindrical fitting portion 1.
2 is partially cut away, but a front annular portion 15F and a rear annular portion 15R that are continuous over the entire circumference are provided in front of and behind the elastic push-back piece 13 in the elastic push-back piece 13. The elastic push-back piece 1
The strength of the cylindrical fitting portion 12 due to the formation of 3 is hardly reduced. Further, when the lock arm and the elastic push-back piece project in opposite directions, the pressing point of the elastic push-back piece against the lock arm is greatly displaced toward the distal end side of the elastic push-back piece with the bending operation. There is a possibility that the restoring force applied to the lock arm from the above will greatly decrease. However, in this embodiment, since the engaging portion 11B of the lock arm 11 and the elastic push-back piece 13 project in the same direction, the pressing point does not change significantly, and therefore, the return from the elastic push-back piece 13 to the lock arm 11 is performed. The force does not drop significantly. Further, in the case of the reverse direction, the leading edge of the lock arm may abut on the lower surface of the elastic push-back piece to form a “person” shape. In such a case, the return force of the elastic push-back piece causes the lock arm to return. Acting in the longitudinal direction, the locking arm may not return to the locking direction. But,
In the present embodiment, the return force always acts on the upper surface of the lock arm 11 in the lock direction that intersects the longitudinal direction, so that the lock arm 11 can reliably return to the lock position.

The lock arm 11
When the elastic arm is elastically bent while climbing over the lock receiving portion 23, the lock arm 11
Is not in contact with the elastic push-back piece 13 and does not need to receive a return force in the lock direction, so that the operation resistance is reduced and the operability is excellent. Further, the lock arm 11 is
Even if the lock arm 11 moves upward to reduce the allowance for engagement, the lock arm 11 hits the elastic push-back piece 13 before the engagement is completely released, and the movement is restricted. The reliability of engagement with the receiving portion 23 is improved. Further, the fitting resistance due to the engagement between the lock arm 11 and the lock receiving portion 23 during the locking operation is relatively small, while the lock arm 11 by the elastic push-back piece 13
Since the return force to the lock arm 11 is relatively large, the lock arm 11 can be reliably kept in the locked state while improving the fitting operability. When the elastic push-back piece 13 is molded, the front portion 16F in the fitting direction is displaced stepwise with respect to the elastic push-back piece 13, so that the mold is opened in a direction perpendicular to the fitting direction. No slide type is required.

<Other Embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. In addition, various changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. (1) In the above embodiment, the elastic push-back piece is cantilevered to project forward in the fitting direction. However, according to the present invention, the elastic push-back piece is configured to protrude rearward as opposed to the embodiment. Alternatively, a pair may be formed in front and rear or left and right such that they cantileverly project toward each other.

(2) In the above-described embodiment, the elastic push-back piece is step-shaped and the slide mold is unnecessary. However, according to the present invention, the elastic push-back piece is formed using the slide mold without the step-like shape. Is also good. (3) In the above embodiment, the lock arm is provided on the female housing, but according to the present invention, the lock arm may be provided on the male housing.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a female housing according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a state in which both housings are separated in the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state where both housings are being fitted in the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a state where both housings are fitted in the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Female side housing (one housing) 11 ... Lock arm 12 ... Cylindrical fitting part 13 ... Elastic push-back piece 15F ... Front annular part 15R ... Rear annular part 16F ... Front part 16R ... Rear part 20 ... Male side housing (The other housing) 23: Lock receiving part

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A 56-14485 (JP, U) JP-A 1-137081 (JP, U) JP-A 64-35679 (JP, U) JP-A 59-170383 (JP) , U) Jikken 63-63950 (JP, Y2) Jikken Hei 2-11736 (JP, Y2) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01R 13/639

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] A housing provided with a lock arm which can be elastically deformed;
A lock receiving portion is provided on the other housing, and the lock arm elastically bends while climbing up on the lock receiving portion during the fitting, and then returns to the normal state when the lock arm reaches the regular fitting. The two housings are locked in a fitted state by engaging with the first housing. Further, the one housing is formed with a cylindrical fitting portion to be fitted to the other housing. An elastic push-back piece that is capable of providing a return force in a locking direction to the lock arm by cutting out a part of the tubular fitting portion, and the tubular fitting portion is formed in the tubular fitting portion. A connector characterized in that both the front and rear regions in the fitting direction of the elastic push-back piece in the joining portion are annular portions that are continuous over the entire circumference. 2. A gap is provided between the lock arm and the elastic push-back piece to allow the lock arm to elastically deform in a direction in which the lock arm rides on the lock receiving portion. The connector according to claim 1. 3. The invention according to claim 2, wherein an interval of the gap between the lock arm and the elastic push-back piece is set smaller than an engagement allowance between the lock arm and the lock receiving portion. Features connector. 4. An elastic restoring force when the lock arm crosses over the lock receiving portion is set to be relatively small with respect to a restoring force applied to the lock arm from the elastic push-back piece in the locking direction. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: 5. A front portion and a rear portion of the cylindrical fitting portion in a fitting direction relative to the elastic push-back piece in a fitting direction are relatively displaced in a step-like manner, and the elastic push-back piece is formed in the front portion. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the connector is formed so as to be flush with either one of the rear part and the rear part. 6. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the lock arm and the elastic push-back piece extend in the same direction in a cantilever manner.