JP6309737B2 - connector - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector provided with an operation lever that engages with a mating connector housing with a low operation force.

  For example, a waterproof connector in which a seal packing is interposed between both connector housings and a multipolar connector having a large number of terminals require a large fitting force to fit the connectors. For this reason, there has been proposed a connector provided with an operation lever that performs connector fitting with a low operation force. One conventional example is shown in FIGS. 8 to 11 (see Patent Document 1).

  8 to 11, a connector 100 includes a connector housing 101 having a mating housing fitting portion 103 and a lever housing portion 104 into which a terminal 102 is assembled and into which a mating connector housing 120 is fitted, and the connector housing. 101 is provided with an operation lever 110 to be attached to 101.

  The connector housing 101 includes a plurality of sub housings 106 having a plurality of terminal housing chambers 105 into which the terminals 102 are assembled, and a main housing 108 having a plurality of sub housing housing chambers 107 in which the sub housings 106 are housed. ing. The electric wire W connected to each terminal 102 is drawn out from the rear end of the sub housing 106. A partition wall 109 extending in the horizontal direction is provided on the upper side of the main housing 108. A lever housing portion 104 and a plurality of sub-housing housing chambers 107 are formed above and below the partition wall 109, respectively. The operation lever 110 is accommodated in the lever accommodating portion 104 so as to be rotatable between a retract start operation position and a retract completion operation position.

  In the above configuration, the guide portion 121 of the mating connector housing 120 can be retracted by the operation lever 110 as shown in FIG. Next, the guide part 121 moves along the cam groove 112 of the operation lever 110 by a rotation operation from the operation start operation position of the operation lever 110 (see FIG. 9) to the operation completion operation position (see FIGS. 10 and 11). Since an external force in the housing pull-in direction acts on the guide part 121, the mating connector housing 120 moves to the fitting completion position in the connector housing 101. Thereby, a fitting with the other party connector housing 120 can be performed with low operation force.

  By the way, in the pull-in start operation position and the pull-in completion operation position, in consideration of the operability of the operation lever 110, the operation unit 111 is disposed in a state exposed from the inside of the lever housing unit 104 to the outside.

JP 2003-249303 A

  For the above-described reason, the operation portion 111 of the operation lever 110 located at the pull-in completion operation position is exposed to the outside from within the lever housing portion 104 of the connector housing 101 as shown in FIGS. Therefore, since the electric wire drawn out from the adjacent connector (not shown) is easily caught, the connector housing 101 and the operation lever 110 may be damaged by the caught electric wire W.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and provides a connector that can prevent damage to the connector housing and the operation lever due to the catch of the electric wire as much as possible while maintaining the operability of the operation lever. Objective.

The present invention includes a mating housing fitting portion in which a terminal is housed and a mating connector housing is fitted, a lever housing portion, and a ceiling disposed between the mating housing fitting portion and the lever housing portion. and the wall, and a rear wall disposed in the rear position than the ceiling wall, a connector housing wires connected to the terminals from the rear wall is drawn out, the complete operating position retracted a retracted starting operating position And an operation lever that is exposed to the outside from the inside of the lever housing portion at the retracting operation position, and at the operation start position for retracting the operation lever. The guide portion of the mating connector housing can be retracted, and the guide can be operated by rotating from the retract start operation position to the retract completion operation position. Housing retraction direction the mating connector housing acts an external force of a connector that moves mating completion operation position within the connector housing, a pair in the ceiling wall of the connector housing, projecting from the rear The interference prevention wall is provided, and when viewed from above the ceiling wall, the operation lever positioned at the pull-in completion operation position is a connector that overlaps one of the pair of interference prevention walls .

The connector housing and the operation lever include a locking means that locks the operation lever in the retracted operation position and can release the lock. A lock release space for releasing the lock state of the lock means is formed between the interference prevention walls .

  According to the present invention, since the operation portion is exposed to the outside from the inside of the lever housing portion at the operation completion position of the operation lever, the operability of the operation lever can be maintained. Moreover, the interference prevention wall provided in the outer position which protects the said operation part exposed outside from the inside of a lever accommodating part can prevent the electric wire pulled out from the adjacent connector etc. from interfering with a connector housing or an operation lever. As a result, it is possible to prevent damage to the connector housing and the operation lever due to the catch of the electric wire as much as possible.

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a connector in which an operation lever is in a pull-in start operation position, and FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view of the connector in which a mating connector is inserted to a pull-in start operation position. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, (a) is a perspective view of a connector fitted with a mating connector, (b) is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. It is sectional drawing of the connector inserted to the position. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, (a) is a side view of a connector into which a mating connector is fitted, (b) is a rear view of the connector, and (c) is a sectional view taken along line BB in (a). It is. 1 is a perspective view of a connector housing according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1A is a plan view of a connector housing, FIG. 1B is a front view of the connector housing, FIG. 1C is a side view of the connector housing, and FIG. 3D is a rear view of the connector housing. . 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, (a) is a bottom view of an operation lever, (b) is a perspective view of the operation lever as viewed from below, and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC of (a). is there. 1 is a perspective view of a mating connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing of a connector and the other party connector which shows one prior art example. It is a partially broken top view of the connector which shows a prior art example and in which an operation lever is in a drawing start operation position. It is a partially broken top view of the connector in which the other connector was shown and showed the prior art example. It is sectional drawing of the connector which showed the example of 1 prior art and the other party connector was fitted.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  1 to 7 show an embodiment of the present invention. The connector 1 of this embodiment includes a connector housing 2 having an inner housing 10 and an outer housing 20 in which the inner housing 10 is accommodated, and an operation lever 3 attached to the outer housing 20.

  The inner housing 10 is made of synthetic resin. The inner housing 10 has a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 11 arranged in alignment in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction. Each terminal accommodating chamber 11 is open on the front side and the rear side. A female terminal 4 is inserted into each terminal accommodating chamber 11 through an opening on the rear surface side that is a wire drawing side.

  The inner housing 10 is held by the outer housing 20 in a state where a mating housing insertion area E is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the inner housing 10 and the inner peripheral surface of the outer housing 20. Further, a mating housing fitting portion 6 into which the mating connector housing 50 of the mating connector 5 is fitted is formed by a portion of the outer housing 20 below the lever housing portion 22 described later and the inner housing 10.

  The outer housing 20 is made of a synthetic resin and has a substantially box shape with an open front surface. The outer housing 20 includes an upper wall 20a, a lower wall 20b, side walls 20c on both left and right sides, and a ceiling wall 20d. The ceiling wall 20d is provided below the upper surface wall 20a at a predetermined distance and in parallel with the upper surface wall 20a. A housing accommodation chamber 21 in which the inner housing 10 is accommodated from the front side is formed by the lower surface wall 20b, the side walls 20c on the left and right sides, and the ceiling wall 20d. The upper surface wall 20a, the side walls 20c on both right and left sides, and the ceiling wall 20d form a lever accommodating portion 22 in which the rear surface side is opened together with the front surface side, and the operation lever 3 is set from the rear surface side.

  A bearing hole 23 into which a support shaft 37 (described later) of the operation lever 3 is fitted is provided in the upper surface wall 20a of the outer housing 20.

  The ceiling wall 20 d of the outer housing 20 protrudes rearward from the upper surface wall 20 a and the lever accommodating portion 22. The operation lever 3 is placed on the top of the ceiling wall 20d, and a part of the operation lever 3 is accommodated in the lever accommodating portion 22. A locking projection 24 projects upward from the top of the ceiling wall 20d. The locking protrusion 24 is disposed near the rear end of the ceiling wall 20d and at a corner near one end in the left-right direction. A locking portion 34 (to be described later) of the operation lever 3 is locked to the locking protrusion 24 at the operation completion operation position of the operation lever 3. The locking projection 24 has a tapered surface 25 that gradually rises from the upper surface of the ceiling wall 20 d to the upper end of the locking projection 24 in the direction in which the operation lever 3 is pulled.

  A plurality of electric wire insertion holes 26 are formed in the rear wall 20 e of the outer housing 20 at positions facing the terminal accommodating chamber 11 of the inner housing 10. The electric wires W <b> 1 connected to the terminals 4 are drawn out from the electric wire insertion holes 26 of the outer housing 20 through the terminal accommodating chambers 11 of the inner housing 10.

A plurality of interference prevention walls 27 project rearward from the ceiling wall 20d of the outer housing 20. Each interference prevention wall 27 is disposed at an outer position that protects the operation lever 3 located at the pull-in completion operation position. Each interference prevention wall 27 protrudes more than the protrusion amount of the operation part 33 located in the drawing-in completion operation position. Of these, the two interference prevention walls 27 are provided at both ends of the outer housing 20 in the left-right direction, that is, at the left and right outer positions of the protruding operation portion 33. Another interference prevention wall 27 is provided at the middle portion of the outer housing 20 in the left-right direction. Between the adjacent interference prevention walls 27, an unlocking space 28 is formed for an operator to put a finger, a tool or the like and push up the operation unit 33 to release the locked state.

  The operation lever 3 is rotatably disposed in the lever housing portion 22 of the outer housing 20. The operation lever 3 is made of synthetic resin and includes a slightly elongated plate-like cam plate portion 31. On one end side of the cam plate portion 31, a cam groove 32 that engages a later-described pull-in guide pin 53 of the mating connector housing 50 is extended. At one end of the cam plate portion 31, an opening portion 32a of the cam groove 32 is formed. The pull-in guide pin 53 is inserted into the cam groove 32 from the opening 32 a of the cam plate portion 31 when the mating connector housing 50 is assembled.

  On the other end side of the cam plate portion 31, there is provided an operation portion 33 that becomes the rear surface side of the outer housing 20 at the operation completion operation position of the operation lever 3. On the lower surface side of the operation portion 33 of the cam plate portion 31, a locking portion 34 that is locked to the locking protrusion 24 of the outer housing 20 is provided. The locking portion 34 has a downward tapered surface 35 that can be engaged with the tapered surface 25 of the locking protrusion 24, and a locking groove 36 that receives the locking protrusion 24 at the operation completion operation position of the operation lever 3. The tapered surface 35 is inclined so as to gradually descend from the other end of the cam plate portion 31 toward the lower end portion 34 a of the locking portion 34. As a result, when the operating lever 3 approaches the retracting completion operation position, the tapered surface 35 of the locking portion 34 engages with the tapered surface 25 of the locking projection 24, so that the operating lever is moved along the tapered surface 25. The three locking portions 34 are guided so as to get over the locking protrusions 24 smoothly. The locking projection 24 of the outer housing 20 and the locking portion 34 of the operating lever 3 constitute locking means that is locked at the operation completion position of the operation lever 3 and can be unlocked by moving upward. Has been.

  A support shaft 37 that is fitted into the bearing hole 23 of the outer housing 20 is provided upright on the upper surface side of the intermediate portion of the cam plate portion 31. The operation lever 3 is rotatable in the horizontal direction around the support shaft 37.

  As shown in detail in FIG. 7, the mating connector 5 includes a mating connector housing 50 that has a square cylindrical hood portion 51 that opens forward and is inserted into the mating housing insertion area E of the connector housing 2. The hood portion 51 is assembled with male terminals 54 that are respectively connected to the female terminals 4. Each terminal 54 protrudes from the rear wall 52 of the hood portion 51 to the outside. A columnar pull-in guide pin (guide portion) 53 that is engaged with the cam groove 34 of the operation lever 3 is erected on the upper surface plate 51 a of the hood portion 51.

  In the above configuration, when the connector 1 is assembled, the operation lever 3 is inserted into the lever accommodating portion 22 between the upper surface wall 20a and the ceiling wall 20d from the rear surface side of the outer housing 20, and the support shaft 37 is inserted into the bearing hole 23 of the outer housing 20. Fit into.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 1A, when the operation lever 3 is set to the pull-in start operation position, one end of the cam plate portion 31 on the cam groove 32 side is forward (in the direction of the mating connector 5). Arranged in a facing state. Next, when the mating connector housing 50 is inserted into the mating housing insertion area E from the front of the connector housing 2, as shown in FIG. 1B, the retracting guide pin 53 of the mating connector housing 50 is inserted into the cam groove 32 from the opening 32a. Since the insertion guide pin 53 of the mating connector housing 50 can be retracted into the cam groove 32 of the cam plate portion 31.

  Next, when the operation lever 3 is rotated clockwise from the state shown in FIG. 1B, the retracting guide pin 53 moves along the cam groove 32. When the operation lever 3 approaches the pull-in completion operation position, the taper surface 35 of the lock portion 34 engages with the taper surface 25 of the lock protrusion 24, so that the lock portion 34 of the operation lever 3 engages with the outer housing 20. It is guided to get over the stop protrusion 24. At this time, the one end side of the cam plate portion 31 and the upper surface wall 20a are elastically deformed, thereby allowing the locking portion 34 of the operation lever 3 to pass.

  After that, in the operation completion operation position of the operation lever 3, as shown in FIG. 2B, the retraction guide pin 53 is located at the moving end of the cam groove 32, and the locking portion 34 of the operation lever 3 is in the outer housing. The operation lever 3 is held at the pull-in completion operation position by being engaged with the 20 engagement protrusions 24. At this time, the operation portion 33 is exposed to the outside from the inside of the lever accommodating portion 22.

  As described above, when the operating lever 3 is rotated from the retracting start operation position to the retracting completion operation position, the external force in the housing retracting direction is applied to the retracting guide pin 53 due to the cam action by the engagement of the retracting guide pin 53 and the cam groove 32. As a result, the mating connector housing 50 is drawn to the fitting completion operation position in the connector housing 2. Thereby, fitting with the other party connector housing 50 can be performed with low operation force.

  Thereafter, an operator puts a finger or a tool into the unlocking space 28 formed between the adjacent interference prevention walls 27 and pushes up the operating portion 33 to release the locking state of the operating lever 3. Since the operation lever 3 can rotate in the direction of the pull-in start operation position, the mating connector housing 50 can be detached from the connector housing 2.

  As described above, since the operation portion 33 is exposed to the outside from the inside of the lever housing portion 22 at the pull-in completion operation position of the operation lever 3, the operability of the operation lever 3 can be maintained. In addition, since an interference prevention wall 27 is provided at an outer position that protects the operation portion 33 exposed to the outside from the inside of the lever accommodating portion 22, the interference prevention wall 27 is pulled out from an adjacent connector (not shown). This prevents the wires from interfering with the connector housing 2 and the operation lever 3. Thereby, damage to the connector housing 2 and the operation lever 3 due to the catch of the electric wire W1 can be prevented as much as possible.

  When the locking portion 34 of the operation lever 3 is locked to the locking protrusion 24 of the outer housing 20 at the operation completion position of the operation lever 3, the interference preventing wall 27 prevents the electric wire W1 from interfering with the operation portion 33. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the operation unit 33 from moving upward. As a result, for example, it is possible to prevent as much as possible the unlocking of the operation lever 3 due to the hooking of the electric wire drawn from the adjacent connector.

  A pair of interference prevention walls 27 is provided at the left and right outer positions of the protruding operation portion 33 and protrudes more than the protruding amount of the operation portion 33, so that the electric wire W <b> 1 is caught from the left and right sides of the operation lever 3. Can be prevented. As a result, it is possible to effectively prevent the connector housing 2 and the operation lever 3 from being damaged and the operation lever 3 from being unlocked due to the wire W1 being caught.

  In addition, although the case where the connector housing 2 has the inner housing 10 and the outer housing 20 was illustrated in the said embodiment, this invention is not limited to this, A connector housing can also be integrally molded.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Connector 2 Connector housing 3 Operation lever 4 Terminal 6 Mating housing fitting part 22 Lever accommodating part 27 Interference prevention wall 33 Operation part 50 Mating connector housing 53 Pull-in guide pin (guide part)

Claims (3)

A terminal is housed therein, a mating housing fitting portion into which a mating connector housing is fitted, a lever housing portion, a ceiling wall disposed between the mating housing fitting portion and the lever housing portion, A rear wall disposed at a position rearward of the ceiling wall, and a connector housing from which an electric wire connected to the terminal is drawn out from the rear wall;
An operation lever is housed in the lever housing portion so as to be rotatable between a retract start operation position and a retract completion operation position, and the operation portion is exposed to the outside from the lever housing portion at the retract completion operation position. ,
In the pull-in start operation position of the operation lever, the guide portion of the mating connector housing can be pulled in, and an external force in the housing pull-in direction is applied to the guide portion by a rotation operation from the pull-in start operation position to the pull-in completion operation position. The mating connector housing is a connector that moves to a fitting completion operation position in the connector housing,
The ceiling wall of the connector housing is provided with a pair of interference prevention walls projecting rearward, and the operation lever located at the pull-in completion operation position when viewed from above the ceiling wall has the pair of interference walls. A connector characterized by overlapping one side of the prevention wall . The connector according to claim 1,
The connector housing and the operation lever are provided with locking means capable of locking and releasing the operation lever in a retracted operation position. The connector according to claim 2,
An engagement release space for releasing the engagement state of the engagement means is formed between the pair of interference prevention walls .

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