JP4019754B2 - Receptacle - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a receptacle that houses and fixes a connector by a latch mechanism, and more particularly to a receptacle that improves the durability of the latch mechanism.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, a demand for high-density mounting of communication equipment has increased due to an increase in transmission capacity in a communication system, and a large number of small connectors are used. In particular, RJ-45 connectors are most popular for small electrical connectors, and LC connectors are most popular for small optical connectors.
[0003]
The conventional receptacle for receiving and fixing the connector, such as the RJ-45 connector and LC connector will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 is a perspective view of a conventional receptacle, FIG. 4 (a) is a sectional view showing a state in which the connector is fixed in the receptacle by the latch mechanism, and FIG. 4 (b) is a state in which the fixation by the latch mechanism is released. FIG.
[0004]
As shown in the figure, the receptacle 40 includes a box-shaped receptacle housing 42 that includes a latch member 43 that constitutes a latch mechanism 44 together with a latch hook 7 of the connector 4 described later. On the upper surface of the receptacle housing 42, an arm passage groove 49 for allowing the movable arm 6 to pass when the connector 4 is accommodated, and the arm passage groove 49 are formed continuously, and the latch hook 7 of the connector 4 is accommodated. Hook receiving holes 41 for opening are formed, and the latch members 43 are formed at the corners between the arm passage grooves 49 and the hook receiving holes 41.
[0005]
On the other hand, the connector 4 accommodated / fixed in the receptacle 42 is attached to the connector main body 5 and the upper surface of the connector main body 5 as shown in FIG. 4, and is made of a plastic latch that can be tilted around the base 6b. The movable arm 6 is provided. A latch hook 7 is integrally formed at an intermediate portion in the length direction of the movable arm 6 so as to protrude on both sides in the width direction (front and rear direction in the drawing). As described above, the latch mechanism 44 is configured by the latch hook 7 provided on the movable arm 6 of the connector 4 and the latch member 43 of the receptacle housing 42.
[0006]
Upon insertion of the connector body 5 in the receptacle housing 42, as shown in FIG. 4 (a), the latch hook 7 provided on the movable arm 6, located within the hook accommodation hole 41 of the receptacle housing 42, the latch The hook 7 and the latch member 43 are engaged (latched). As a result, the connector body 5 cannot be pulled out from the receptacle housing 42 in the Y direction, and the connector 4 is accommodated and fixed in the receptacle 40.
[0007]
When the connector 4 accommodated / fixed in the receptacle 40 is pulled out, the rear end upper portion 6a of the movable arm 6 is pushed down in the Z direction perpendicular to the insertion / extraction direction Y of the connector 4 by an operator's finger or the like. Then, as shown in FIG. 4 (b), the movable arm 6 is tilted about its base 6b, the latch hook 7 is engaged released the latch member 43 to move to the Z-direction with it (Fixing by the latch mechanism 44 is released). Therefore, if the connector 4 is pulled in the Y direction in this state, it can be removed from the receptacle 40.
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in such a conventional receptacle 40, when the operator pushes the movable arm 6 in the Z direction in order to pull out the connector 4 from the receptacle 40, the movable arm 6 is pushed more than necessary or excessive force is applied. In this case, there is a problem that an extra load is applied to the movable portion (base portion) 6b of the movable arm 6. In particular, when the connector 4 is frequently inserted and removed, and an excessive load is repeatedly applied to the base portion 6b of the movable arm 6, the movable arm 6 may be easily broken from the base portion 6b. There was a problem that the remarkably decreased.
[0009]
In order to prevent this, it is conceivable that the movable arm 6 is made of a material such as a durable metal. However, a small-sized connector such as an RJ-45 connector or an LC connector is required to be inexpensive and have a large amount of productivity. Therefore, in order to realize the complicated mechanism as described above with a material having good durability, it is difficult to form and assemble, and the cost increases.
[0010]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a receptacle that solves the above-described problems and can increase the durability of the latch mechanism without increasing the cost of the connector.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a receptacle for housing and fixing a connector comprising a connector body and a movable arm attached to the upper surface of the connector body, when the connector body is housed. A receptacle housing that engages with a latch hook provided integrally with the movable arm to fix the connector main body so that it cannot be pulled out , and the movable arm projects from the upper surface, and the receptacle A slide member that is slidably provided on the housing and that slides in contact with the movable arm to tilt the movable arm by a predetermined amount to disengage the latch hook from the latch member ; and the slide member And extend in the direction of pulling out the connector from the side of the connector body. Those having a latch releasing tab.
[0012]
According to this configuration, when pulling out the connector having the movable arm protruding from the upper surface portion of the receptacle housing from the receptacle, the operator does not directly operate the movable arm but moves the latch release tab in the connector pulling direction. Thus , the movable arm can be tilted by a predetermined amount via the slide member connected to the latch release tab, so that no extra load is applied to the movable arm.
Therefore, the durability of the latch mechanism is significantly improved. Further, since the latch mechanism can be formed of the same material as the conventional one, the manufacturing cost does not increase significantly.
[0013]
Here, a slide control member for limiting the slide range of the slide member is provided, and the slide control member engages the tilt range of the movable arm tilted by the slide member, and the latch hook engages with the latch member. It is preferable that the range from the mating latch position to the minimum latch release position necessary for releasing the engagement is limited to move.
[0014]
The slide control member includes a slide restriction hole formed in one of the slide member or the receptacle housing, and a stopper that is formed to protrude from the other of the slide member or the receptacle housing and is disposed in the slide restriction hole. You may make it consist of.
[0015]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0016]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a receptacle according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 (a) is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a connector is fixed in the receptacle by a latch mechanism, and FIG. 2 (b) is a latch mechanism. It is sectional drawing which shows the state which cancelled | released fixing by.
[0017]
Since the connector housed and fixed in the receptacle is the same as that shown in FIG. 4 , the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.
[0018]
The receptacle 1 of this embodiment includes a box-shaped receptacle housing 2 having a latch member 3 that constitutes a latch mechanism 17 together with a latch hook 7 provided on a movable arm 6 of a connector 4, and a connector outside the receptacle housing 2. 4 and a slide member 8 slidably provided in the insertion / extraction direction (direction parallel to the arrow Y).
[0019]
On the upper surface of the receptacle housing 2, an arm passage groove 19 for allowing the movable arm 6 to pass when the connector 4 is accommodated, and the arm passage groove 19 are formed continuously, and the latch hook 7 of the connector 4 is accommodated. A hook receiving hole 20 is formed in the opening, and the latch member 3 is formed at the corner between the arm passage groove 19 and the hook receiving hole 20. The basic structure and material of the receptacle housing 2 are the same as those of the conventional receptacle housing 42 shown in FIG. Therefore, the receptacle 1 of this embodiment can be provided by improving the existing (conventional) receptacle housing 42.
[0020]
The slide member 8 includes an arm restricting portion 21 that covers the upper surface of the receptacle housing 2 and a latch release tab 9 that is positioned on one side surface of the receptacle housing 2 and that is operated by an operator when the slide member 8 is slid. Yes.
[0021]
As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, when the latch release tab 9 of the slide member 8 is pulled in the Y direction while the connector main body 5 of the connector 4 is housed and fixed in the receptacle housing 2, the slide is performed. The member 8 slides in the Y direction, whereby the arm restricting portion 21 of the slide member 8 moves while being in contact with the movable arm 6 and tilts the movable arm 6 about the base portion 6b.
[0022]
As shown in FIG. 1, the slide member 8 and the receptacle housing 2 are provided with a slide control member 22 for limiting the slide range of the slide member 8. The slide control member 22 is formed so as to open on one side surface of the slide member 8, and the stopper 10 is formed so as to protrude outward from one side surface of the receptacle housing 2 and is disposed in the slide control hole 11. It consists of.
[0023]
The slide control member 22 limits the slide range of the slide member 8 in the connector insertion / extraction direction (direction parallel to the arrow Y in FIG. 2). That is, in FIG. 1, the position where the left end portion 10b of the stopper 10 and the left end portion 11b of the slide restricting hole 11 contact and engage is the sliding limit in the connector insertion direction, and the right end portion 10a of the stopper 10 The position where the right end portion 11a of the slide restricting hole 11 contacts and engages is the slide limit in the connector pulling direction (Y direction). On the other hand, the upper and lower end portions of the stopper 10 are always in contact with the upper and lower end portions of the slide restricting hole 11, and prevent the slide member 8 from moving in the vertical direction and guide the smooth slide in the connector insertion / removal direction. Plays the role of
[0024]
The slide control member 22 limits the slide range of the slide member 8 to a range in which an excessive load is not applied to the base 6b of the movable arm 6. That is, the tilting range of the movable arm 6 tilted by the arm restricting portion 21 of the slide member 8 is minimized in order to release the engagement between the latch hook 7 and the latch member 3 (release the fixation by the latch mechanism 17). Limit to the necessary range.
[0025]
More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2 (a), the movement range of the latch hook 7 provided on the movable arm 6 is shifted from the latch position where the latch member 3 of the receptacle housing 2 is engaged, as shown in FIG. As shown in b), the slide member is limited to a range up to the latch release position where the lower end portion 3a of the latch member 3 and the upper end portion 7a of the latch hook 7 are in contact (located at the same height). Limit the slide range of 8. As a result, it is possible to prevent an excessive load from being applied to the movable arm 6 when the connector body 5 is removed from the receptacle housing 2, and the durability of the movable arm 6 and the latch mechanism 17 is significantly improved.
[0026]
Of course, the slide range of the slide member 8 may be set so that the latch hook 7 moves slightly below the latch release position shown in FIG.
[0027]
Further, in this embodiment, the stopper 10 is provided on the side surface of the receptacle housing 2 and the slide restriction hole 11 is provided on the side surface of the slide member 8. On the contrary, the slide restriction hole is provided on the side surface of the receptacle housing 2. A stopper protruding inward of the receptacle housing 2 may be provided on the inner side surface of the slide member 8.
[0028]
Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.
[0029]
When the connector main body 5 is inserted into the receptacle housing 2, the latch hook 7 of the movable arm 6 comes into contact with the front surface of the opening of the receptacle housing 2, and the connector main body 5 is further inserted so that the movable arm 6 becomes the base portion. The latch hook 7 is positioned inside the receptacle housing 2 by being tilted in the Z direction around 6b. As a result, the connector body 5 can be further inserted into the receptacle housing 2. When the connector body 5 is inserted into the receptacle housing 2, the latch hook 7 of the movable arm 6 moves to the hook receiving hole 20 of the receptacle housing 2. As a result, the force that has pushed the movable arm 6 in the Z direction disappears, and the movable arm 6 tilts to the opposite side to the Z direction by its own elastic force. Then, the latch hook 7 of the movable arm 6 engages (latches) with the latch member 3 of the receptacle housing 2 as shown in FIG. As a result, the connector body 5 cannot be pulled out from the receptacle housing 2 in the Y direction, and the connector 4 is accommodated and fixed in the receptacle 1.
[0030]
At this time, the slide member 8 is positioned at a slide limit position in the connector insertion direction (direction opposite to the Y direction) so that the arm restricting portion 21 does not come into contact with the movable arm 6 of the connector 4.
[0031]
When the connector 4 accommodated and fixed in the receptacle 1 is pulled out from the receptacle 1, the operator pulls the latch release tab 9 of the slide member 8 in the Y direction. Then, the slide member 8 slides in the Y direction with respect to the receptacle housing 2, and the arm restricting portion 21 comes into contact with the movable arm 6. Further, when the latch release tab 9 is pulled in the Y direction, the arm restricting portion 21 moves while being in contact with the movable arm 6 and pushes the movable arm 6 in the Z direction perpendicular to the Y direction. As a result, the movable arm 6 tilts around the base portion 6b, and accordingly, the latch hook 7 moves in the Z direction. When the slide member 8 moves to the slide limit position in the Y direction limited by the slide control member 22, the latch hook 7 of the movable arm 6 moves to the latch release position as shown in FIG. Accordingly, if the connector 4 is pulled in the Y direction in this state, the connector 4 can be removed from the receptacle 1.
[0032]
At this time, the right end 10a of the stopper 10 of the slide control device 22 and the right end 11a of the slide restricting hole 11 are in contact with and engaged with each other, and the slide member 8 does not move in the Y direction any more. Therefore, the movable arm 6 is not pushed further in the Z direction.
[0033]
As described above, the receptacle 1 of the present invention is configured such that the operator does not directly operate the movable arm 6 but via the slide member 8, and the tilting range of the movable arm 6 by the slide member 8 is increased. The latch hook 7 is restricted to move from the latch position engaged with the latch member 3 to the minimum latch release position necessary for releasing the engagement. The burden on the base 6b is minimized. Therefore, the durability of the movable arm 6 and the latch mechanism 17 is remarkably improved.
[0034]
Further, since the movable arm 6 can be formed of plastic as in the prior art, it can be provided at low cost.
[0035]
Furthermore, since the slide member 8 is structured to move in the same direction as the connector insertion / extraction direction, the area of the opening surface of the receptacle housing 2 hardly increases as compared with the conventional case, and the mounting density does not decrease.
[0048]
【The invention's effect】
In short, according to the present invention, the following excellent effects are exhibited.
[0049]
1) Since it is possible to prevent an excessive load from being applied to the movable arm, the durability of the latch mechanism is improved.
[0050]
2) Since the conventional connector can be used, the cost of the connector does not increase.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a receptacle according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2A is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the connector is accommodated in the receptacle of FIG. 1 and fixed by a latch mechanism. FIG.
FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the fixing by the latch mechanism is released in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a conventional receptacle.
4A is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a connector is accommodated in a conventional receptacle and fixed by a latch mechanism. FIG.
(B) is a sectional view showing a state in which unpinned by the latch mechanism in FIG. 4 (a).
[Explanation of symbols]
1,25 Receptacle 2,31 Receptacle housing 3,33 Latch member 4,26 Connector 5,29 Connector body 6,27 Movable arm 7,30 Latch hook 8,35 Slide member 10 Stopper 11 Slide restriction hole 22 Slide control member

Claims (3)

In a receptacle for receiving and fixing a connector comprising a connector main body and a movable arm attached to the upper surface side of the connector main body, a latch provided integrally with the movable arm when the connector main body is accommodated A latch member that engages with the hook for securing the connector body so that the connector main body cannot be pulled out , and the movable arm projects from the upper surface, and the movable arm is slidably provided on the receptacle housing. A slide member that tilts the movable arm by a predetermined amount by sliding in contact with the slide member to release the engagement between the latch hook and the latch member , and is connected to the slide member, and on the side of the connector body this from and a latch release tabs extending in withdrawal direction of the connector The receptacle according to claim.   A slide control member for limiting a slide range of the slide member is provided. The slide control member latches the tilt range of the movable arm tilted by the slide member, and the latch hook engages with the latch member. The receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the range is limited to move from a position to a minimum latch release position required to release the engagement.   The slide control member includes a slide restriction hole formed in one of the slide member or the receptacle housing, and a stopper formed to protrude from the other of the slide member or the receptacle housing and disposed in the slide restriction hole. The receptacle according to claim 2.

Images