JP3786266B2 - connector - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a connector having a fitting detection function.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As a connector having a fitting detection function, there is one proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-110524. This connector is designed to draw the other connector housing by the rotation of the lever provided on one connector housing to reach the fitted state. When the lever is turned to the normal fitting position, the lever The lock arm provided on the other is engaged with the lock portion of the other connector housing, so that both the connector housings are locked in the normal fitting state.
[0003]
The lever is provided with a detection member that is held at the standby position when the lever does not reach the normal fitting position and that is allowed to move from the standby position to the detection position when the lever reaches the normal fitting position. Therefore, depending on whether or not the detection member can be moved from the standby position to the detection position after the lever is rotated, the lever is rotated to the normal fitting position and the two connector housings are normally fitted. It is possible to detect whether or not it is.
[0004]
In the connector, both connector housings may be temporarily detached for maintenance or the like. When detaching, first, the detection member at the detection position is moved to the standby position, and then the lock arm is elastically bent in the release direction to disengage from the lock portion to release the lock. Rotate in the direction.
In this way, if the detection member is returned from the detection position to the standby position before performing the unlocking operation of the lock arm at the time of detachment, it is possible to remember to move the detection member when re-fitting. The combined detection function can be surely exhibited.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the connector disclosed in the above-mentioned conventional publication, when both the connector housings are locked and the detection member is moved to the detection position, the bending piece of the detection member is elastically restored and covers the engagement portion of the lock arm, When trying to bend the lock arm in the unlocking direction, the engaging portion abuts against the bending piece to suppress the elastic bending of the lock arm. However, if the unlocking force applied to the lock arm is an excessive force exceeding the normal operating force, the flexure piece may be elastically deflected in the unlocking direction together with the lock arm. That is, the lock arm may be unlocked without moving the detection member to the standby position.
Therefore, when both the connector housings are detached, the detection member remains at the detection position, and as a result, there is a concern that the operation of moving the detection member may be forgotten when mating again.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has an object of reliably exhibiting a fitting detection function.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the two connector housings that can be engaged and disengaged by the cam action accompanying the operation of the lever are locked in the normal engagement state by the locking of the lock arm and the lock portion, and the lock The two connector housings are allowed to be detached by elastically deflecting the arm in the unlocking direction to release the locking with the locking portion. In the fitting process of the connector housing, a detection member that is held in the standby position and is allowed to move from the standby position to the detection position when the two connector housings are properly fitted, When the detection member is in the detection position, the lock member is brought into contact with the detection member in the unlocking direction. And a deflection regulating portion that retreats to a position that does not interfere with the lock arm and permits elastic deflection of the lock arm in the unlocking direction when the detection member is in the standby position. al is, the detection member and the locking arm has a configuration that is provided in the pivot operation part of the lever.
[0008]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the detection member is guided so as to be able to move between the standby position and the detection position along the guide portion. The surface opposite to the contact surface with the lock arm is in contact with the guide portion.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the present invention, a pair of the bending restriction portions are provided so as to sandwich the lock portion, and the lock arm is brought into contact with the pair of bending restriction portions. The configuration is as follows.
[0010]
[Action and effect of the invention]
[Invention of Claim 1]
When removing both connector housings that are normally fitted, the detection member is first moved from the detection position to the standby position, and then the lock arm is elastically bent in the unlocking direction. At this time, even if an attempt is made to elastically deflect the lock arm while the detection member is in the detection position, the detection restricting portion of the detection member restricts the bending of the lock arm in the unlocking direction. The connector housings are not detached while remaining in the connector. As a result, when the two connector housings are fitted again after being detached, the detection member is always in a standby state at the standby position, and therefore the detection of the fitting is caused by the detection member remaining at the detection position. It is avoided that work is forgotten.
Further, since both the lock arm and the detection member are provided in the rotation operation portion of the lever, they are arranged at positions close to each other. Therefore, when releasing the lock, it is easy to shift from the operation of returning the detection member to the standby position to the operation of elastically bending the lock arm in the lock release direction, and the operability is good.
[0011]
[Invention of claim 2]
When the lock arm is in contact with the bending restricting portion and the elastic bending in the unlocking direction is restricted, the pressing force acting on the bending restricting portion from the lock arm side is received by the guide portion. Even if it is low, the elastic bending of the lock arm in the unlocking direction can be reliably regulated.
[Invention of claim 3]
The lock arm comes into contact with the corresponding pair of bending restricting portions across the lock portion, so that the posture of the lock arm does not tilt, and the locked state between the lock arm and the lock portion is securely held. The
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[Embodiment 1]
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.
[0014]
The connector of the present embodiment includes a male connector housing 10 and a female connector housing 20 that can be fitted and detached from each other. The male connector housing 10 has a hood portion 11 that protrudes forward. In the hood portion 11, a male terminal fitting (not shown) protrudes forward (in the direction toward the female connector housing 20). Yes. A pair of left and right cam followers 12 are formed to project from the outer peripheral surface of the hood portion 11.
[0015]
The female connector housing 20 includes a housing body 21 having a cavity 22 in which a female terminal fitting (not shown) is accommodated, and a cylindrical fitting portion 23 that surrounds the housing body 21. The hood portion 11 of the male connector housing 10 is fitted into the circumferential gap between the housing main body 21 and the cylindrical fitting portion 23. Further, a pair of left and right support shafts 24 for supporting the lever 30 are formed on the outer periphery of the cylindrical fitting portion 23 so as to protrude.
[0016]
The lever 30 is formed in a substantially gate shape as a whole by connecting the end portions of the pair of left and right cam plate portions 31 with a connecting portion 32. Both cam plate portions 31 are fitted to the support shaft 24 of the cylindrical fitting portion 23 so that the lever 30 is properly fitted to the initial position (see FIG. 3) along the outer periphery of the cylindrical fitting portion 23. It can be rotated at an angle of approximately 90 ° about the support shaft 24 between the position (see FIGS. 4 and 5). When the two connector housings 10 and 20 are fitted together, the cam follower 12 of the male connector housing 10 is inserted into the inlet of the cam groove 33 on the inner surface of the cam plate portion 31 with the lever 30 in the initial position. When the connector 30 is rotated toward the normal fitting position, the two connector housings 10 and 20 are pulled toward each other by the cam action caused by the engagement of the cam groove 33 and the cam follower 12 to reach the normal fitting state. Yes.
[0017]
A central portion of the connecting portion 32 in the width direction (a direction parallel to the rotation center axis of the lever 30) is a rotation operation portion 34 to which a finger is applied when the lever 30 is rotated. The rotation operation unit 34 includes left and right side walls 34S and two upper and lower bridge portions 34A and 34B interposed between the both side walls 34S, and is surrounded by the both side walls 34S and the upper and lower bridge portions 34A and 34B. The open space 35 is an open space 35 in which the lever 30 is tilted upward in the initial position and opened back and forth, that is, opened in the direction along the rotation direction of the lever 30. . Further, the left and right end portions of the upper bridge portion 34 </ b> A serve as guide portions 36 that guide the detection member 50. In the following description of the structure of the lever 30, it is assumed that the lever 30 is in the initial position.
[0018]
In the open space 35, the lock arm 37 extending in a cantilevered manner obliquely upward from the front end of the lower bridge portion 34B can be elastically bent generally upward (in a direction approaching the upper bridge portion 34A). Is provided. The lock arm 37 includes a pair of arm portions 38 that are spaced apart from each other on the left and right sides, an unlock operation portion 39 that connects the extended ends of these arm portions 38, and an unlock operation on both arm portions 38. The engaging portion 40 is configured to connect the portions slightly proximal to the portion 39. The unlocking operation unit 39 faces the opening on the rear end side of the open space 35, and by touching the unlocking operation unit 39 with a finger, the lock arm 37 can be elastically bent obliquely upward, that is, in the unlocking direction. It can be done. Further, both left and right end portions 39S of the unlocking operation portion 39 project outward from the arm portion 38, and come into contact with a deflection regulating portion 56 described later.
[0019]
A support portion 25 that is substantially L-shaped in a side view is projected from the rear end portion of the female connector housing 20, and a lock portion 26 is projected from the rearward inclined surface of the support portion 25. The lock portion 26 includes a guide surface 26A that is substantially upward (oblique with respect to the rotation direction of the lever 30), and a lock that faces obliquely downward and rearward (in a direction substantially orthogonal to the rotation direction of the lever 30). Surface 26B is formed.
A detection member 50 for detecting the fitting state of the connector housings 10 and 20 is provided at the rotation operation portion 34 of the lever 30 at a standby position (see FIGS. 3 to 6 and FIG. 8) and a detection position (see FIG. 7, see FIG. 9). The detection member 50 includes a support bar 51 in the left-right direction, a pair of left and right guide bars 52 extending from both ends of the support bar 51, and a flexure piece that protrudes substantially parallel to the guide bar 52 from the center in the width direction of the support bar 51. 53. The protruding direction of the guide bar 52 and the bending piece 53 is substantially the same as the protruding direction of the lock arm 37, and at the same time, is substantially parallel to the moving direction of the detection member 50. In addition, locking protrusions 54 that protrude downward are formed on the extending ends of the respective guide bars 52. Further, the bending piece 53 can be elastically bent in a direction substantially perpendicular to the protruding direction (substantially the same direction as the elastic bending direction of the lock arm 37). A locking claw 55 protruding downward is formed.
[0020]
Further, each of the left and right guide bars 52 is formed with a rib-like bending restricting portion 56 that protrudes inward from the upper end edge thereof. The bending restricting portion 56 is for restricting the lock arm 37 from being bent in the unlocking direction when the detecting member 50 is in the detecting position, and is formed over the entire length of the guide bar 52. .
The detection member 50 is guided by sliding the guide bar 52 against the side wall 34S and the upper and lower bridge portions 34A and 34B of the rotation operation unit 34, while the extended end portion of the guide bar 52 and the bending piece 53 are guided. The standby position where only the extended end portion is left in the open space 35 and the detection position where the entire detection member 50 is accommodated in the open space 35 are moved. Regardless of the position of the detection member 50, the bending piece 53 is located between both arm portions 38 of the lock arm 37 and does not interfere with the arm portion 38 in the width direction.
[0021]
Further, the lower surface of the deflection regulating portion 56 is a contact surface 56S with the lock arm 37, but the detection member 50 detects the surface of the deflection regulating portion 56 opposite to the contact surface 56S. At any position between the position and the standby position, it is in contact with the guide portion 36 of the rotation operation portion 34.
In a state where the detection member 50 is in the standby position, the detection protrusion 50 is prevented from coming off the rotation operation portion 34 by the contact of the locking projection 54 with the retaining portion 41 formed on the lower bridging portion 34B. Has been. Further, the flexure piece 53 and its locking claw 55 are positioned in front of the engagement portion 40 of the lock arm 37. Therefore, even when the detection member 50 is about to move to the detection position side, the locking claw 55 hits the engagement portion 40 in the middle thereof, and the movement of the detection member 50 to the detection position side is blocked by this contact. . As a result, the detection member 50 is held at the standby position. Further, the bending restricting portion 56 of the detection member 50 is located at a position deviated forward with respect to the unlocking operation portion 39 of the lock arm 37 (a position that does not interfere with the lock arm 37). The bending in the direction is not restricted by the bending restriction part 56.
[0022]
On the other hand, in a state where the detection member 50 is pushed into the detection position, the bending piece 53 is positioned so as to suppress the bending of the lock arm 37 in the unlocking direction with respect to the engaging portion 40 and the locking claw 55 is engaged. The movement of the detection member 50 to the standby position side is restricted by engaging the joining portion 40 from the rear (behind the extending direction of the bending piece 53). Furthermore, both end portions 39 </ b> S of the unlocking operation portion 39 of the lock arm 37 abut on the abutment surface 56 </ b> S of the deflection regulating portion 56 of the detection member 50. That is, the bending restricting portion 56 is positioned ahead of the lock release direction of the lock arm 37 with respect to the lock release operation portion 39.
[0023]
Next, the operation and effect of this embodiment will be described.
In a state where both the connector housings 10 and 20 are detached, the lever 30 is held at the initial position and the detection member 50 is held at the standby position. From this state, when the connector housings 10 and 20 are brought close to each other to engage the cam groove 33 and the cam follower 12 and the lever 30 is rotated to the normal fitting position, both the connector housings 10 and 20 are brought into the normal fitting state. .
[0024]
Immediately before the lever 30 reaches the normal fitting position, the engaging portion 40 of the lock arm 37 abuts on the guide surface 26A of the lock portion 26, and the engaging portion 40 rides on the lock portion 26 due to the inclination of the engaging portion 40. Is elastically bent in the unlocking direction. As soon as the lever 30 reaches the normal fitting position, the lock arm 37 is elastically restored and the engaging portion 40 is locked to the lock surface 26B of the locking portion 26, so that the lever 30 is locked in the normal fitting position. At the same time, the two connector housings 10 and 20 are locked in the normal fitting state.
[0025]
When the lever 30 is rotated to the normal fitting position, the lock portion 26 is interposed between the engagement portion 40 and the locking claw 55 of the bending piece 53, and the guide surface 26A of the lock portion 26 is locked. Corresponds to the nail 55. When the detection member 50 at the standby position is pushed toward the detection position from this state, the locking claw 55 slides on the guide surface 26A due to the inclination of the guide surface 26A, and the bending piece 53 is on the upper bridging portion. It is elastically bent toward 34 </ b> A and rides on the lock portion 26 and the engaging portion 40. When the detection member 50 reaches the detection position, the flexure piece 53 is elastically restored, and the locking claw 55 is locked to the engagement portion 40, so that the detection member 50 is restricted from returning to the standby position. Retained.
[0026]
When the lever 30 has not reached the normal fitting position, the lock portion 26 is not interposed between the engagement portion 40 and the locking claw 55, so that even if the detection member 50 is pushed to the detection position side, Since the pawl 55 hits the engaging portion 40, it cannot be pushed into the detection position. That is, whether or not the lever 30 is properly fitted (rotation state of the lever 30), that is, both connector housings, depending on whether or not the detection member 50 can be pushed into the detection position after the rotation operation of the lever 30. Whether or not 10 and 20 are properly fitted can be detected.
[0027]
When the two connector housings 10 and 20 that are fitted are removed, the detection member 50 at the detection position is first pulled to the standby position, and then the lock arm 37 is unlocked. When returning the detection member 50 to the standby position, if the detection member 50 is pulled strongly by grasping the support bar 51, the locking piece 53 is elastically bent by the locking claw 55 and the inclined surface of the engaging portion 40, and the locking claw 55 rides on the engaging portion 40 and the locking claw 55 and the engaging portion 40 are unlocked.
[0028]
When the detection member 50 moves to the standby position, the bending restricting portion 56 is positioned in front of the unlocking operation portion 39, so that the unlocking operation of the lock arm 37 is permitted. When the lock arm 37 is elastically bent in the unlocking direction, the engaging portion 40 is disengaged from the lock portion 26 and the lever 30 is unlocked. Thereafter, the lever 30 is kept in the unlocked state while the lever 30 is kept in the initial position. If it is rotated to the side, both connector housings 10 and 20 are detached.
[0029]
Now, when the connector housings 10 and 20 are detached, it is a normal operation procedure to perform the unlocking operation of the lock arm 37 after moving the detection member 50 to the standby position as described above. If you try to operate in the reverse order, you can not leave. That is, even if the lock member 37 is bent in the unlocking direction while the detection member 50 remains in the detection position, the lock release operation unit 39 of the lock arm 37 is bent as shown in FIG. Therefore, the lock arm 37 cannot be bent in the unlocking direction, and the engaging portion 40 of the lock arm 37 is kept in the locked state engaged with the lock portion 26. Become. Accordingly, when the connector housings 10 and 20 are detached, the lock arm 37 cannot be removed from the lock portion 26 unless the detection member 50 at the detection position is moved to the standby position.
[0030]
As described above, according to this embodiment, the connector housings 10 and 20 are not detached while the detection member 50 remains in the detection position. The detection member 50 is always in a standby state at the standby position. Therefore, the detection member 50 remains in the detection position (the detection member 50 protrudes from the rotation operation unit 34 and is not returned to the standby position where the presence is noticeable). It is avoided that the detection work is forgotten. Therefore, the fitting detection function by the detection member 50 can be exhibited reliably.
[0031]
Further, in a state where the lock arm 37 is in contact with the bending restricting portion 56 and the elastic bending in the unlocking direction is restricted, the guide force 36 having a high rigidity is applied to the bending restricting portion 56 from the lock arm 37 side. Therefore, even when the bending restricting portion 56 has low rigidity, the elastic bending of the lock arm 37 in the unlocking direction can be reliably restricted.
Further, since the lock arm 37 comes into contact with the corresponding pair of bending restricting portions 56 with the lock portion 26 interposed therebetween, there is no possibility that the lock arm 37 bends in the unlocking direction while tilting the posture. The locked state of the lock arm 37 and the lock portion 26 is securely held.
[0032]
Moreover, since both the lock arm 37 and the detection member 50 are provided in the rotation operation part 34 of the lever 30, they are arranged at positions close to each other. Therefore, when unlocking, it is easy to shift from the operation of returning the detection member 50 to the standby position to the operation of elastically bending the lock arm 37 in the unlocking direction, and the operability is good.
[Other Embodiments]
The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described with reference to the above description and drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention, and further, within the scope not departing from the gist of the invention other than the following. Various modifications can be made.
[0033]
(1) In the above embodiment, both connector housings are fitted and detached by rotating the lever. However, the present invention is also applicable to the case where two connector housings are fitted and detached without using a lever. can do.
(2) In the above embodiment, the detection member is provided in the lever, that is, the connector housing on the lock arm side. However, according to the present invention, the detection member may be provided in the connector housing on the lock portion side.
[0034]
(3) In the above embodiment, the lever is provided with the lock arm and the female connector housing is provided with the lock portion. However, according to the present invention, the lever is provided with the lock portion and the female side connector housing is provided with the lock arm. May be.
(4) In the above embodiment, the detection member is provided on the lever. However, according to the present invention, the detection member may be provided on the female connector housing.
(5) In the above embodiment, the lever is provided on the female connector housing. However, according to the present invention, the lever may be provided on the male connector housing.
[0035]
(6) In the above embodiment, the lock arm and the detection member are both provided on the lever. However, according to the present invention, either the lock arm or the detection member is provided on the lever, and the other is a member other than the lever (male side). You may provide in a connector housing or a female connector housing.
[Brief description of the drawings]
1 is a perspective view of a female connector housing in Embodiment 1. FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged perspective view of a detection member and a lock arm. FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway side view of a state where a lever is in an initial position. Partially cutaway side view with the lever rotated to the normal fitting position [Fig.5] Partially cutaway side view with the lock arm bent in the unlocking direction [Fig.6] Partially enlarged view of Fig.4 FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing a state where the lever is rotated to the normal fitting position and the detection member is in the detection position. FIG. 8 is a horizontal cross-sectional view showing a state where the detection member is in the standby position. Horizontal sectional view showing the state that the member has moved to the detection position.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Male side connector housing 20 ... Female side connector housing 26 ... Lock part 30 ... Lever 34 ... Turning operation part 36 ... Guide part 37 ... Lock arm 50 ... Detection member 56 ... Deflection control part 56S ... Contact surface

Claims (3)

Two connector housings that can be engaged and disengaged by the cam action associated with the operation of the lever are locked in the normal engagement state by the locking arm and the lock part ,
By releasing the locking with the lock portion by elastically bending the lock arm in the unlocking direction, detachment of the two connector housings is allowed,
Either one of the connector housings is held in the standby position during the fitting process of the two connector housings, and when the two connector housings are properly fitted, the detection is permitted to move from the standby position to the detection position. A member is provided,
When the detection member is in the detection position, the detection member restricts elastic deformation of the lock arm in the unlocking direction by bringing the lock arm into contact with the detection member. in one state, the restricting portion flexing to permit resilient deformation of the lock arm in the unlocking direction is provided et been retracted into the lock arm and the non-interference position,
The connector, wherein the lock arm and the detection member are provided in a rotation operation portion of the lever . The detection member is guided so as to be able to move between the standby position and the detection position along the guide portion.
The connector according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the bending restricting portion opposite to a contact surface with the lock arm is in contact with the guide portion.   3. The configuration according to claim 1, wherein a pair of the bending restriction portions are provided so as to sandwich the lock portion, and the lock arm is in contact with the pair of bending restriction portions. connector.

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