JP3767835B2 - Electrical connector assembly and electrical connector used therefor - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electrical connector assembly for fitting and locking a first connector connected to a printed circuit board and a second connector connected to a plurality of electric wires to electrically interconnect the printed circuit board and the electric wires. And an electrical connector used therefor.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as this type of electrical connector assembly, for example, the one shown in FIG. 9 is known (see US Pat. No. 4,376,565).
The electrical connector assembly 100 includes a first connector 110 provided with a first contact (not shown) connected to a plurality of electric wires 116 in a first housing 111, a second housing 121 that receives the first connector 110, and The second connector 120 has a second contact (not shown) that contacts the first contact and is connected to the conductive trace 127 of the circuit board 128.
In order to properly fit the first connector 110 to the second connector 120, the upper wall of the first housing 111 of the first connector 110 has a plurality of grooves 113 formed from the front end toward the rear. The rib 112 is formed so as to protrude, and the key member 114 is inserted and fixed in the groove 113. On the other hand, a plurality of recesses 122 into which the ribs 112 of the first connector 110 are inserted are formed on the upper wall of the second housing 121 of the second connector 120, and the first connector 110 is formed on the upper wall of these recesses 122. A slot 124 into which the key member 114 is inserted is selectively formed. The slot 124 is formed by removing the thin portion 125 of the upper wall of the recess 122 along the alternate long and short dash line 123.
Further, in order to lock the first connector 110 to the second connector 120, a latch arm 115 that engages with the shoulder 126 of the second connector 120 is formed on the side wall of the first housing 111 of the first connector 110. Yes.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, when the number of poles of the first connector 110 and the number of poles of the second connector 120 are different, when the first connector 110 having a small number of poles is fitted to the second connector 120, the key member 114 of the first connector 110 is The second connector 120 abuts on the end of the upper wall of the second housing 121 without being fitted into the slot 124, thereby preventing the fitting.
However, the upper wall of the second housing 121 between the slots 124 and 124 is easily bent in the vertical direction. For this reason, when the first connector 110 having a small number of poles is fitted to the second connector 120, the key member 114 of the first connector 110 moves along the lower surface of the upper wall of the second housing 121 of the second connector 120. There is a problem that it is not possible to prevent the first connector 110 having a small number of poles from fitting into the second connector 120.
[0004]
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector assembly that can reliably prevent the first connector and the second connector having different numbers of poles from being fitted to each other, and an electrical connector used therefor.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Electrical connector assembly according to the present invention, a bottom wall, and rear walls before erected respectively from front and rear sides of the bottom wall, and a pair of connecting the respective ends of the front wall and the rear wall to each other A first connector having a side wall and having a first housing having a bottom connector, a front wall and a rear wall, and a pair of side walls forming a second connector receiving cavity; and is received in the second connector receiving cavity An electrical connector assembly comprising a second connector having a second housing, wherein the first housing has a rear side opening toward the second connector receiving cavity and a front portion connected to the front wall. together provided along a recess in the fitting direction of the second connector, the first inclined surface inclined toward the outside is provided, in the second housing according to proceed to the fitting direction, the key An electrical connector assembly provided with a key member that is fitted into the recess and has a second inclined surface that is complementary to the first inclined surface, wherein the key recess is at both ends of the front wall of the first housing. The first inclined surface is a fitting end of the front wall of the first housing, and is continuously provided between a pair of the key recesses, and the key member includes the second member A pair of side walls of the housing is provided corresponding to the pair of key recesses.
[0006]
The electrical connector according to the present invention, a bottom wall, and rear walls before erected respectively from front and rear sides of the bottom wall, and a pair of connecting the respective ends of the front wall and the rear wall to each other An electrical connector having a housing having a side wall, a bottom wall, a front wall and a rear wall, and a pair of side walls forming a mating connector receiving cavity, wherein the rear side faces the mating connector receiving cavity. open Te, provided with along the key recess is the front portion connected to the front wall in the fitting direction of the mating connector, the electrical connector provided with an inclined surface inclined toward the outside in accordance with progress in the fitting direction in the key recess are respectively provided at both ends of the front wall of the housing, before Ki傾 slope, a mating end of the front wall of said housing, a pair the keys It is characterized by being continuously provided between parts.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 is a perspective view before the first and second connectors constituting the electrical connector assembly of the present invention are fitted, FIG. 2 is a perspective view after the first and second connectors of FIG. 1 are fitted, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the first connector used in the electrical connector assembly shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a left side view of the first connector, and FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 4, and the first contact is not shown. 7 is a bottom view of a second connector used in the electrical connector assembly shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 8 is a left side view of the second connector shown in FIG.
[0009]
In these drawings, the electrical connector assembly 1 includes a first connector 10 and a second connector 30 fitted to the first connector 10, and the first connector 10 includes the first housing 11 and the first housing 11. A plurality of (five in this embodiment) first contacts 21 a to 21 e provided on the bottom wall 12 (see FIGS. 4 and 6) are provided, and the second connector 30 is the first connector 10 of the first connector 10. 2 having a second housing 31 received in the connector receiving cavity 16 and a plurality of second contacts 42a to 42e provided in the second housing 31 and fitted and connected to the first contacts 21a to 21e. .
[0010]
The first housing 11 constituting the first connector 10 is formed by molding a resin. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4 to 6, the bottom wall 12 and the bottom wall 12 are formed. The front wall 13 and the rear wall 14 erected from both the front and rear sides (the lower and upper sides in FIG. 4), and the bottom wall 12 are erected from both the left and right sides, and both ends of the front wall 13 and the rear wall 14 are connected to each other A pair of side walls 15, 15 is provided. The bottom wall 12, the front wall 13 and the rear wall 14, and the pair of side walls 15, 15 form a second connector receiving cavity 16. As the resin used, a polyamide resin is preferable.
[0011]
At both ends of the front wall 13 adjacent to the pair of side walls 15, 15, a pair of key recesses 17, 17 whose rear side opens toward the second connector receiving cavity 16 and whose front portion 17 a is connected to the front wall 13. Is provided. Further, it is a fitting end (upper end in FIG. 1) of the front wall 13, and is inclined toward the outside as it advances in the fitting direction of the second connector 30 inside the pair of key recesses 17, 17. A first inclined surface 19 is provided. A pair of stopper step portions 19 a is provided at the lower end of the first inclined surface 19. Furthermore, a pair of locking slits 18, 18 are formed in the front wall 13 of the first housing 11 and are located inside the pair of key recesses 17, 17 and upward from the lower edge of the front wall 13. Is formed. The locking slits 18 and 18 do not have to be a pair, but at least one. In addition, each of the pair of side walls 15 and 15 is provided with erroneous fitting prevention piece insertion grooves 20 and 20 that open toward the second connector receiving cavity 16. The erroneous fitting prevention piece insertion grooves 20, 20 are located behind the center in the front-rear direction of the housing 11, and the second connector 30 is erroneously fitted when the second connector 30 is fitted to the first connector 10. The anti-joining pieces 38, 38 are inserted and their reverse insertion is prevented. Note that a positioning post 22 is formed on the bottom wall 12 of the first housing 11 so as to protrude when it is fixed to a substrate (not shown).
[0012]
Further, the first contacts 21 a to 21 e constituting the first connector 10 are posts each having a square cross section, and are press-fitted and fixed in a row in the left-right direction of the first housing 11 to the bottom wall 12 of the first housing 11. ing. The first, third, and fifth first contacts 21a, 21c, and 21e from the left have substantially straight board mounting portions that protrude outward from the first housing 11, and the second and fourth from the left. The first contacts 21b and 21d have board mounting portions that extend outward from the first housing 11 and are bent forward at substantially right angles and further bent and extended outward.
[0013]
The second housing 31 constituting the second connector 30 is formed by molding resin, and includes a rear wall 34, a pair of side walls 33, 33 raised from the left and right sides of the rear wall 34, and A rear wall 34 and a bottom wall 35 connected to the pair of side walls 33, 33 are provided. As the resin used, a polyamide resin is preferable. A plurality of second contact receiving cavities 32a to 32e corresponding to the first contacts 21a to 21e of the first connector 10 are provided between the side walls 33, 33 of the second housing 31, and the receiving cavities 32a to 32e are provided. Partition walls 37a to 37d are provided between adjacent cavities. The bottom wall 35 is formed with first contact insertion openings 41a to 41e corresponding to the second contact receiving cavities 32a to 32e, respectively (see FIG. 7).
[0014]
Also, a pair of key members 39 and 39 that are fitted into the key recesses 17 and 17 of the first housing 11 are formed below the side walls 33 and 33 of the second housing 31 (downward in FIG. 1). Yes. At the lower ends of the key members 39, 39, second inclined surfaces 39a, 39a having a shape complementary to the first inclined surface 19 of the first housing 11 are formed. These key members 39, 39 are fitted into the key recesses 17, 17 when the second connector 30 is fitted and connected to the first connector 10, so that the first connector 10 and the second connector 30 are fitted. Do it properly. As shown in FIG. 3, the number of poles (5) of the second contacts 42a to 42e of the second connector 30 is smaller than the number of poles (6) of the first contacts 21a to 21f of the first connector 10 ′. When the length between the members 39, 39 is smaller than the length between the key recesses 17, 17, one key member 39 is inserted into one key recess 17, but the other key member 39 is the key recess 17. , 17 abuts against the fitting end of the front wall 13 and is not inserted into the other key recess 17. At this time, the second inclined surface 39 a of the other key member 39 rides on the first inclined surface 19 formed at the fitting end of the front wall 13 of the housing 11. When the other key member 39 abuts against the fitting end of the front wall 13 between the key recesses 17, 17, the key recesses 17, 17 are connected to the front wall 13 at the front side, so that the key recesses 17, 17 The front wall 13 therebetween is difficult to bend in the front-rear direction, and the other key member 39 does not enter the second connector receiving cavity 16. At this time, since the second inclined surface 39 a of the key member 39 rides on the first inclined surface 19 of the front wall 13, the key member 39 does not surely enter the second connector receiving cavity 16. Conversely, the number of poles of the second contact of the second connector 30 is larger than the number of poles of the first contact of the first connector 10, and the length between the key members 39, 39 is longer than the distance between the key recesses 17, 17. If it is larger, the bottom wall 35 of the second housing 31 contacts the side walls 15, 15 of the first housing 11, and the second connector 30 is not fitted and connected to the first connector 10.
[0015]
A pair of lock protrusions 40 a and 40 b that are inserted into the lock slits 18 and 18 of the first housing 11 protrude from the partition walls 37 a and 37 d of the second housing 31. When the locking protrusions 40a and 40b are inserted into the locking slits 18 and 18, the inclined surface formed on the lower surface of the locking protrusions 40a and 40b abuts on the fitting end of the front wall 13 of the first housing 11. Later, the front wall 13 between the key recesses 17 and 17 of the first housing 11 bends forward and the front wall 13 of the first housing 11 rides on tops of the lock projections 40a and 40b, and then the lock projections 40a and 40b Inserted into the locking slits 18, 18. As a result, the second housing 31 is prevented from being pulled upward from the first housing 11. The front wall 13 between the key recesses 17, 17 of the first housing 11 is not easily bent in the forward direction because the front side portion of the key recesses 17, 17 is connected to the front wall 13, but the lock protrusion that contacts the front wall 13 Since the lower surfaces of 40a and 40b are formed as inclined surfaces, the lock protrusions 40a and 40b can easily enter the second connector receiving cavity 16. In addition, on the both sides of the rear wall 34 of the second housing 31, there are provided erroneous fitting preventing pieces 38, 38 protruding in the lateral direction. The erroneous fitting prevention pieces 38 and 38 are inserted into the erroneous fitting prevention piece insertion grooves 20 and 20 of the first housing 11, and the reverse insertion of the second connector 30 with respect to the first connector 10 is prevented. In addition, at the rear ends (upper ends in FIG. 1) of the second contact receiving cavities 32a to 32e of the second housing 31, an electric wire connecting portion for holding electric wires (not shown) press-connected to the second contacts 42a to 42e. 36a to 36e are provided.
[0016]
Each of the second contacts 42a to 42e constituting the second connector 30 includes a pair of press contact portions that are raised from the front and rear sides of a flat plate base (not shown), and to which the electric wire is pressed, and both left and right sides of the flat plate base Contact portions with the first contacts 21a to 21e that are bent downward from the first housing 21 and are press-fitted and fixed in the second contact receiving cavities 32a to 32e of the second housing 31. In addition, you may comprise the 1st connector 10 so that the 2nd connector 30 inserted in a substantially horizontal direction with respect to a board | substrate may be received.
[0017]
【The invention's effect】
According to the electrical connector assembly of the first aspect of the present invention, the front side wall of the first housing constituting the first connector is open toward the second connector receiving cavity, and the front side portion is connected to the front wall. Since the recess is provided along the fitting direction of the second connector, and the key member to be inserted into the key recess is provided in the second housing constituting the second connector, the first connector and the second connector having the same number of poles Are fitted into the key recesses of the first connector so that they can be fitted properly, and the first connector and the second connector having different numbers of poles are fitted. For example, when a second connector having a small number of poles is fitted to the first connector, the key member of the second connector comes into contact with the fitting end other than the key recess on the front wall of the first connector, and the fitting is performed. I can't do it. At this time, since the front side portion of the key recess is connected to the front wall, the portions other than the key recess in the front wall are not easily bent, and the fitting of the connectors with different polarities can be reliably prevented. The fitting end of the front wall of the first housing is provided with a first inclined surface that is inclined outward as it advances in the fitting direction of the second connector. On the other hand, the key member of the second housing is Since the second inclined surface having a shape complementary to the first inclined surface is provided, when the second connector having a small number of poles is fitted to the first connector, the second inclined surface of the key member of the second housing is the second inclined surface. The key member rides on the first inclined surface of the front wall of the one housing, and the key member does not enter the second connector receiving cavity of the first housing, so that it is possible to more reliably prevent the connectors of different polarities from being fitted to each other.
[0018]
According to the electrical connector of the second aspect, the rear side of the front wall of the housing is open toward the mating connector receiving cavity, and the front side portion is connected to the front wall along the mating direction of the mating connector. In addition, since an inclined surface that inclines outward as it advances in the fitting direction is provided at the fitting end of the front wall, fitting of the connectors with different polarities can be reliably prevented.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first connector and a second connector constituting the electrical connector assembly of the present invention before fitting.
2 is a perspective view after the first and second connectors of FIG. 1 are fitted. FIG.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a state where first and second connectors having different numbers of poles are to be fitted.
4 is a plan view of a first connector used in the electrical connector assembly shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
5 is a left side view of the first connector shown in FIG. 4. FIG.
6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 4, and the first contact is not shown.
7 is a bottom view of a second connector used in the electrical connector assembly shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
8 is a left side view of the second connector shown in FIG. 7. FIG.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the first and second connectors constituting the conventional electrical connector assembly before fitting.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Electrical connector assembly 10 1st connector 11 1st housing 12 Bottom wall 13 Front wall 14 Rear wall 15 Side wall 16 2nd connector receiving cavity 17 Key recessed part 19 1st inclined surface 30 2nd connector 31 2nd housing 39 Key member 39a Second inclined surface

Claims (2)

A bottom wall, and rear walls before erected respectively from front and rear sides of the bottom wall, and has a pair of side walls connecting the respective ends of the front wall and the rear wall to each other, these bottom walls, front A first connector having a first housing having a second connector receiving cavity formed by a wall and a rear wall and a pair of side walls; and a second connector having a second housing received in the second connector receiving cavity. An electrical connector assembly comprising: a key recess having a rear side opening toward the second connector receiving cavity and a front side portion connected to the front wall in the first housing; and a fitting direction of the second connector together along provided, a first inclined surface inclined toward the outside is provided in accordance with progress in the fitting direction, the second housing, while being fitted in the key recess, the first In an electrical connector assembly having a key member having an inclined surface and the second inclined surface of complementary shape,
The key recesses are respectively provided at both ends of the front wall of the first housing,
The first inclined surface is a fitting end of the front wall of the first housing, and is continuously provided between the pair of key recesses,
One pair of said key members is provided in a pair of side wall of said 2nd housing corresponding to said one pair of key recessed part, The electrical connector assembly characterized by the above-mentioned. A bottom wall, and rear walls before erected respectively from front and rear sides of the bottom wall, and has a pair of side walls connecting the respective ends of the front wall and the rear wall to each other, these bottom walls, front An electrical connector having a housing in which a mating connector receiving cavity is formed by a wall and a rear wall, and a pair of side walls, the rear side of the housing opening toward the mating connector receiving cavity, and a front portion of the housing with a key recess is provided along the mating direction of the mating connector for connecting, in an electrical connector provided with an inclined surface inclined toward the outside in accordance with progress in the fitting direction,
The key recesses are respectively provided at both ends of the front wall of the housing,
Before Ki傾 slope, a mating end of the front wall of said housing, electrical connector, characterized in that provided between said key recess pair continuously.

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