JP3990007B2 - Electrical connector - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electrical connector, for example, an electrical connector that is directly mounted on a BWB connector provided on the back surface of an electronic device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as this type of electrical connector, as shown in FIGS. 13 to 15, a terminal block b with a built-in terminal connected to a cable (not shown) is accommodated in a lower part of the connector housing a so as to protrude downward. By fixing and inserting the downward projecting portion of the terminal block b into a female electrical connector mounted on another electronic device, that is, a connector fitting recess d in the connector housing c shown in the figure, both electrical connectors are fitted. Those that are connected together are known.
[0003]
Also, a lock arm f having spring properties and an engaging protrusion g are provided at one side of the connector fitting recess d of the connector housing c and at the center of the outer surface of the protruding piece e below the front wall of the connector housing a. The unlocking pieces i and i of the lock arm f and the engaging protrusion g are provided at the lower end of the slide bar h provided in the connector housing a, and the lock bar is released by pushing down the slide bar h. It is known that the pieces i and i are configured to release the engagement with the engagement protrusion g by pressing and deforming the lock arm f outward.
In the figure, j indicates a connector pull-out tab connected to the upper end of the slide bar h.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the conventional electrical connector described above is limited in use because it has only one terminal block b with a built-in terminal connected to a cable of another electrical device or the like at the lower part of the connector housing a. There was a lack of convenience.
[0005]
Further, the conventional connector lock release mechanism is configured to pull out the connector housing a with the connector pull-out tab j after the slide bar h is pushed down and unlocked, so that the connector housing a is removed from the connector housing c. When pulling out, two operations of unlocking by pushing down the slide bar h and pulling-out operation by pulling up the tab j are necessary, which is troublesome, and the unlocking operation of the slide bar h is performed on the connector housing a. Since the direction is opposite to the pulling direction, the operability is poor, and the pulling tab j is necessary in addition to the slide bar h.
[0006]
【the purpose】
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of the conventional electrical connector, and can be adapted to a wide range of applications by providing terminal blocks connected to other connectors at both upper and lower parts. The connector housing is unlocked by pulling up the slide bar in the same direction as the connector housing pull-out direction, so that the connector housing can be unlocked and pulled out simultaneously and with good operability. Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector that is structurally simple because the slide bar can also serve as a pull-out tab of a conventional mechanism.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Means for achieving the above object is that the two terminal blocks are housed and fixed in the upper and lower parts in the connector housing so that the upper and lower ends protrude from the connector housing, and each of the cables introduced into the connector housing body is fixed. which was connected by arranging the core in the vertical terminal block, in an electrical connector configured to connect the respective terminals blocks fitted to the other electrical connector, universal lock arm and disengaging with a spring property On the front part of the connector housing provided with an engagement protrusion, a spring-like slide bar is arranged so that it can slide up and down and engage with the connector housing to be lifted upward. The lower end of the slide bar On both the front and back sides of the connector housing, the protrusions are pushed out and guided by stepped parts on the front of the connector housing, and the slide bar is elastically deformed outward. And parts, and pressed and deformed outwardly the lock arm by the elastic deformation of the slide bar, characterized by comprising providing a lock release head and a projecting portion to release the engagement between the engaging projection.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is an exploded front view showing a use state of the present invention, FIGS. 2 to 8 are diagrams showing each connector, and FIGS. 9 to 12 are diagrams showing a lock release mechanism.
[0009]
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 8, the electrical connector A of the present invention has two terminal blocks 2, 3 projecting from the connector housing 1 at the upper and lower parts in the connector housing 1. Each core wire 4a... Of the cable 4 that is housed and fixed and introduced into the connector housing 1 is arranged and connected to the upper and lower terminal blocks 2 and 3, and the terminal blocks 2 and 3 are connected to other electrical connectors. It is configured to be fitted and connected to B and C.
[0010]
The connector housing 1 includes a main body case 1a and a case cover 1b that can be freely fitted and removed. And the lower storage part 5 of the terminal block 2 is formed in the upper part in the main body case 1a, and the upper storage part 6 of the terminal block 3 is formed in the lower part with the horizontally long core wire introduction part 7 interposed therebetween. At the same time, a cable housing portion 8 is formed on one side (right side in FIG. 6) of the core wire introduction portion 7 in the main body case 1a so as to communicate therewith.
[0011]
On the other hand, a plurality of (three in the illustrated example) fitting leg pieces 9... Having elasticity are implanted vertically at both ends of the inner surface of the main body case 1a. The case cover 1b and the main body case 1a are integrally fitted and fixed by engaging the recesses 10... Provided on the corresponding side surfaces of the case cover 1b.
[0012]
A lock arm 11 is integrated with the front end edge of the main body case 1a of the connector housing 1 at a slight distance so as to face the terminal block 2 at the front edge. And is set up vertically.
The lock arm 11 includes a horizontal engagement piece 11a that engages with an engagement protrusion of an electrical connector B, which will be described later, and left and right leg pieces 11b and 11b that are vertically lowered in parallel from both ends of the engagement piece 11a. Thus, the lock arm 11 can be elastically deformed to the outside and provided with a spring property so as to elastically return to the vertical position. Further, the upper surface of the inner surface of the engagement piece 11a is formed with an inclined surface 11c inclined downward from the upper end to the inner side of the lower portion.
[0013]
As shown in FIGS. 1, 7, and 8, the electrical connector B includes a connector housing 12 that is smaller than the connector housing 1 of the electrical connector A. And the lower part of this connector housing 12 is formed in the case part 12a of the shape and magnitude | size which can be fitted in the terminal block 2 of the connector housing 1 in the said electrical connector A, and top plate 12b is formed in this case part 12a. A plurality (16 in the illustrated example) of terminals 13... Penetrate through the terminal block 2 of the connector housing 1 so as to be fitted and connectable.
[0014]
On the front side of the case portion 12a of the connector housing 12, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 9 to 12, there is an engaging protrusion 14 that can be engaged with and disengaged from the lock arm 11 of the connector housing 1 of the electrical connector A. Projected integrally.
Then, as clearly shown in FIG. 11, the engagement protrusion 14 has the front upper portion 14a vertically, the upper surface is a horizontal engagement surface 14b, and the front lower portion is downward from the front upper portion to the rear (right side in FIG. 11). Each is formed on an inclined surface 14c that is inclined downward. As a result, when the terminal block 2 of the electrical connector A is fitted into the case portion 12a of the connector housing 12, the inclined surface 14c of the engaging projection 14 and the inclined surface 11c of the lock arm 11 are in contact with each other. Both the inclined surfaces 11c and 14c slide by the pushing force, the lock arm 11 is pressed and bent outward, and the engagement between the both inclined surfaces 11c and 14c is released, and at the same time, the lock arm 11 is elastically returned to the vertical position. The lower surface of the engagement piece 11a and the horizontal engagement surface 14b, that is, the lock arm 11 and the engagement protrusion 14 are engaged with each other, the electrical connector A and the electrical connector B are locked, and both are prevented from being pulled out. The
[0015]
Thus, as clearly shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the lower portion of the front surface of the connector housing 12 provided with the engaging protrusion 14 is a recess for slidably fitting a lower portion of a slide bar 15 described later. The groove portion 16 is formed in a substantially convex shape on the front side, and downward slide bar engaging portions 16a and 16a are provided on both the left and right sides of the inner upper portion so as to face each other, and the slide bar of the concave groove portion 16 is provided. A slide bar insertion hole 17 is provided above the engaging portions 16 a and 16 a so as to communicate with the concave groove portion 16.
[0016]
In the concave groove 16 and the slide bar insertion hole 17, a vertically long slide bar 15 which is plate-shaped and elastically deformable is slidably fitted in the vertical direction. As clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 10, the slide bar 15 has engaging protrusions 15 a and 15 a that engage with the slide bar engaging portions 16 a and 16 a in the concave groove portion 16 on both sides in the lateral width direction at the lower end. A lock projecting head 15b is integrally formed so as to project symmetrically and project downward from the center of the lower end.
[0017]
As shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, the unlocking head 15b has inclined surfaces 15e and 15f inclined symmetrically downward from the top to the bottom outside on both sides of the slide bar 15 in the plate thickness direction. Protruding portions 15c and 15d provided on each are formed. The rear projecting portion 15d is removably fitted into a vertically elongated groove 16b formed in the lower portion of the concave groove portion 16, and the front projecting portion 15c pushes the lock arm 11 outward. It is provided to do.
[0018]
As shown in FIG. 9, a stepped portion 16 c is inclinedly formed on the front surface of the above-described recessed groove portion 16 by providing a vertically elongated groove 16 b, and the protruding portion 15 d on the back side of the unlocking head 15 b is as shown in FIG. When the slide bar 15 is lowered and the connector housing 12 is locked, the slide bar 15 is fitted into the vertically elongated groove 16b and is held by the stepped portion 16c. As shown in FIG. 12 (A), the portion 15d is guided by the stepped portion 16c and rides on the upper projecting front, whereby the lower portion of the slide bar 15 is elastically deformed toward the front outer side. As shown in FIG. 12A, the lock arm 11 is pressed and deformed forward by the protruding portion 15c on the front side, the engagement with the engaging protrusion 14 is released, and the connector housing of the electric connector B is released. 12 is adapted to be unlocked.
[0019]
The above-described slide bar 15 is formed of elastic plastic, and in a locked state, as shown in FIG. 1 and the like, the slide bar 15 protrudes upward by an appropriate length from the upper surface of the connector housing 12 so as to be easily gripped.
[0020]
Thus, according to the connector unlocking mechanism described above, the electrical connector B, that is, the case portion 12a of the connector housing 12, protrudes to the upper portion of the electrical connector A, that is, the connector housing 1, with the slide bar 15 lowered. When the fitting operation is performed on the terminal block 2, as described above, the engaging protrusion 14 protruding from the connector housing 12 engages with the lock arm 11 of the connector housing 1, and the electric connector B is locked with the electric connector A and comes out. Is blocked.
[0021]
In the locked state shown in FIG. 11, when the slide bar 15 is pulled up, the protruding portion 15d on the back side of the unlocking head 15b is guided from the inside of the vertically elongated groove 16b to the step portion 16c, and above the vertically elongated groove 16b. It rides on the front surface of the groove 16 as shown in FIG. Thereby, the lower part of the slide bar 15 is pressed forward and elastically deformed, and the engagement with the engagement protrusion 14 is released.
That is, the lock of the electrical connector B with respect to the electrical connector A is released.
[0022]
When the slide bar 15 is further lifted, the lower engaging pieces 15a and 15a engage with the engaging portions 16a and 16a in the concave groove portion 16, so that the electric connector B is connected to the electric connector by pulling up the slide bar 15 as it is. A can be pulled out of A.
[0023]
As shown in FIG. 1, the electrical connector C includes a female connector housing 18 mounted on the back side of the electronic device. A lock arm 20 is erected integrally and vertically on one side (front surface in the illustrated example) of the connector fitting recess 19 of the connector housing 18.
[0024]
The lock arm 20 is also configured similarly to the lock arm 11 provided in the connector housing 1 of the electrical connector A described above. That is, the horizontal engagement piece 20a and the left and right leg pieces 20b, 20b that are suspended downward in parallel from both ends of the engagement piece 20a are formed in a front gate shape, and thereby have a spring property in the front-rear direction. Is given.
[0025]
The engagement protrusion 21 of the electrical connector A that engages with the engagement piece 20a of the lock arm 11 and the slide bar 22 bent into a substantially deformed L-shape for unlocking are different from those of the electrical connector B in the illustrated example. Although the conventional type is described, the method of the electrical connector B can be adopted.
[0026]
【The invention's effect】
Since the present invention is configured as described above, it has convenience that can be applied to various applications with a small and simple configuration, and at the same time, unlocking the connector and pulling out the connector can be performed simultaneously by pulling up the slide bar. In addition, it can be easily performed with good operability by a single operation in one direction.
Furthermore, since the slide bar also serves as an existing pull-out tab, the slide bar is simple in structure and can be manufactured at a low cost by simply adding the slide bar alone in addition to the housing and the connector.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an exploded front view showing a usage state of an electrical connector A according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the connector A.
FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the connector A.
FIG. 4 is a right side view of the connector A.
FIG. 5 is a left side view of the connector A.
FIG. 6 is a front view showing the internal structure of the connector A.
FIG. 7 is a plan view of another electrical connector B according to the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the connector B.
FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional side view of a connector lock state showing an embodiment of a connector lock release mechanism according to the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a front view showing a connector lock state of the connector lock release mechanism.
11 is a side view with a partial cross section taken along line AA in FIG.
FIGS. 12A and 12B are side views of a partial cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 10, in which FIG. 12A shows the unlocked state of the connector unlocking mechanism, and FIG.
FIG. 13 is a front view of a connector lock state showing a conventional connector lock release mechanism.
14 is a side view with a partial cross section taken along line BB in FIG.
15 is a side view with a partial cross section taken along line CC in FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Connector housing 2 Terminal block 3 Terminal block 4 Cable 4a Core wire 11 Lock arm 12 Connector housing 14 Engagement protrusion 15 Slide bar 15b Lock release head 15c Projection part 15d Projection part 16c Step part A Electrical connector B Electrical connector C Electricity connector

Claims (1)

The two terminal blocks are stored and fixed at the upper and lower parts in the connector housing so that the upper and lower ends protrude from the connector housing, and the core wires of the cable introduced into the connector housing body are arranged in the upper and lower terminal blocks. In the electrical connector configured to fit and connect each of the terminal blocks to another electrical connector, a connector housing provided with an engaging projection detachably with a lock arm having a spring property A slide bar having spring properties is arranged on the front part of the slide bar so as to be slidable up and down and engage with the connector housing so that the slide bar can be pulled upward. A projecting portion that is pushed and guided outward at the provided stepped portion and elastically deforms the slide bar outward, and elastic deformation of the slide bar Thus pressed deform the lock arms outwardly, the electrical connector characterized by comprising providing a lock release head and a projecting portion to release the engagement between the engaging projection.

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