JPH035102Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Industrial Application Field The present invention relates to a locking mechanism for an electrical connector.

Conventional technology As a locking mechanism for electrical connectors to lock connectors that are mated to each other, conventionally,
As disclosed in Utility Model Publication No. 53-47580, Utility Model Publication No. 54-31916, Utility Model Publication No. 58-21101, etc., locking springs are provided on both sides of the electrical connector body to lock and connect the pair of electrical connector bodies. For the locking/unlocking operation, there was a device in which both locking springs could be held in one hand, for example, between the thumb and index finger, and the lock could be released at the same time as the locking/unlocking operation.

Problems to be solved by the invention The conventional locking mechanism described above requires a fairly large space on both sides of the pair of electrical connector bodies into which a thumb, index finger, etc. can be inserted. It is not suitable, and in particular cannot be applied to cases where it is desired to mount a plurality of pairs of electrical connector bodies laterally on a printed circuit board with high density.
Additionally, conventional locking mechanisms such as those described above are not applicable to electrical connectors having a width greater than the span between the thumb and index finger.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a locking mechanism for an electrical connector that overcomes the problems of conventional mechanisms as described above.

Means for Solving the Problems According to the present invention, a locking mechanism for electrical connectors for locking the mating of connectors mating with each other is provided on a side of one of the connectors and is remote from the side. A locking spring part that can be elastically deflected in a direction, an engagement step part, a deflection surface part, and a cam surface part provided on a corresponding side part of the other connector, and a combination that can be moved to the side part of the other connector. and a lock release member provided at the connector, and the deflection surface portion is configured to cause the lock spring portion to shift outward when the connector is fitted, so that the engagement step portion engages with the lock spring portion. The unlocking member is formed in a thin plate shape having spring properties, and when the connector is mated, the side portion of the other connector and the locking spring portion are connected to each other. It has a cam follower part that is located between and engages with the cam surface part, and a lock release action part, and the lock release member is arranged between the side part of the other connector and the cam follower part that engages with the cam surface part. When the lock is pulled up in the pulling direction, the lock release action part engages with the lock spring part due to the engagement between the cam surface part and the cam follower part, and is elastically deflected outward. is shifted outward to disengage the engagement step portion from the lock spring portion.

Embodiments Next, the present invention will be described in more detail with regard to embodiments of the present invention based on the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a pair of electrical connectors to which a locking mechanism for electrical connectors is applied as an embodiment of the present invention.
It is a perspective view shown in a state before fitting. One of the electrical connectors 10 includes an insulating housing 11 in which male contacts are disposed, and the insulating housing 11 may be integrally molded of a plastic material or the like, and has approximately inverted U-shaped holes on both sides thereof. A lock spring portion 12 in the shape of a letter is provided. As will be described later, this lock spring portion 12 is capable of elastically shifting in a direction away from the side with its lower portion centered, and has a hook portion 12A at its upper portion. In this embodiment, the electrical connector 10 includes:
This is a so-called header that is mounted on a printed circuit board or the like.

The other electrical connector 200 that fits into the electrical connector 10 includes an insulating housing 210 in which a female contact is disposed, and this insulating housing 210.
The pull tab bar 220 is provided with a substantially U-shaped pull tab bar 220 as a lock release member that is combined with the pull tab bar 220, and a pull tab 230 that is assembled to the pull tab bar 220. In this example, electrical connector 200
is a cable connector for connecting a cable 300 such as a ribbon cable or a flat cable.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the insulating housing 210 and pull tab bar 220 of the electrical connector 200 in a separated state. As clearly shown in FIG. 2, the insulating housing 210 is made of a plastic material or the like, and has a trapezoidal projection 211 and a limiting projection 212 formed on both sides thereof.
A vertical wall 211A is formed at the rear of the trapezoidal protrusion 211, which acts as an engagement step as described later, and a vertical wall 211A is formed at the front of the trapezoidal protrusion 211, which acts as a deflection surface and a cam surface, as described later. Slope 2
11B is formed.

The pull tab bar 220 is formed into a thin plate shape from a material having spring properties, and in this embodiment, both legs 2
21, and a connecting portion 2 that connects to both leg portions 211.
22, and is formed in a substantially U-shape. Each leg 221 has a pull tab 2 as shown in FIG.
When this pull tab bar 220 is assembled to the insulating housing 210 with the pull tab bar 220 attached to the connecting part 222, the pull tab bar 220 is assembled to each side of the insulating housing 210, and at this time, the trapezoidal protrusion 211
It has an opening 221A through which it passes, and a tongue portion 221B that projects into the opening 221A and acts as a cam follower as described later. Furthermore, each leg 221
On both sides of the opening 221A, there are convex curved parts 221C that act as lock release action parts as described later.
is provided. Each leg 221 also has a limiting step 22 that engages with the limiting protrusion 212 to prevent further upward movement of each leg 221 in the direction.
1D is provided.

The pull tab 230 is formed of a sheet-like material;
It has a cylindrical part 231 that is attached to the connecting part 222 of the pull tab bar 220, and a grip part 232 that can be pinched with fingers in order to pull up the pull tab bar 220 as described later and to pull out the electrical connector 200 from the electrical connector 10. are doing.

Next, the operation of the lock structure having such a structure will be explained.

As shown in FIG. 1, when the electrical connector 200 with the pull tab bar 220 and the pull tab 230 assembled to the insulating housing 210 is fitted into the mating electrical connector 10, the trapezoidal protrusion 21
The inclined surface 211B of the trapezoidal protrusion 211 exerts a cam action on the inside of the upper end of the locking spring portion 12 to shift the locking spring portion 12 outward from the side, and the vertical wall 2 of the trapezoidal protrusion 211
11A exceeds the top of the hook portion 12A of the lock spring portion 12, the lock spring portion 12 returns to its original state due to its elasticity, and the electrical connector is closed with the vertical wall 211A and the hook portion 12A engaged. 10 and the electrical connector 200 are now locked together. This state is shown in FIG. 3A as a partial cross-sectional view.

To unlock the mated lock shown in FIG. 3A, pull the pull tab 230 in the direction of arrow A, as shown in FIG.
0 in the direction in which the electrical connector 200 is pulled out. Then, the pull tab bar 220 is pulled up and its legs 221 are attached to the insulating housing 21.
0 in the direction of arrow A. At this time, since the tongue portion 221B is engaged with the inclined surface 211B, the leg portion 221 is elastically displaced in the direction of the arrow B due to this cam action, and therefore the convex curved portion 221C is released from the locking spring. The locking spring portion 12 is engaged with the inside of the portion 12 to shift the locking spring portion 12 away from the side portion, that is, in the direction of arrow B, so that the vertical wall 211A of the trapezoidal protrusion 211 can be disengaged from the hook portion 12A. do. This state is shown in FIG. 3B. From the state shown in Fig. 3B, pull tab 23 is further removed.
0 in the direction of arrow A, the limiting step 221D comes into contact with the limiting protrusion 212 (see FIG. 1), and the electrical connector 200 is pulled out from the electrical connector 10.

Effects of the invention Since the locking mechanism for electrical connectors of the present invention has the structure described above, there is no need to place fingers on both sides for the unlocking operation.
There is no need to take up a large space on both sides of the electrical connector pair. Therefore, as illustrated in FIG.
can be mounted with high density in the lateral direction. In addition, you can unlock and pull out the connector by simply pinching the pull tab with your fingers and pulling up the pull tab bar, so you can connect electrical connectors not only within the span between your thumb and index finger, but also with wider widths. It is also applicable to Furthermore, the locking mechanism for electrical connectors of the present invention can be unlocked by simply pulling the pull tab bar, and does not require any extra effort or special jig for unlocking, and is excellent in workability. Furthermore, according to the lock mechanism of the present invention, the lock will not be released unless the pull tab bar is pulled up, so the lock will be reliably held even if external force is applied to the cable or connector.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a pair of electrical connectors to which a locking mechanism for electrical connectors is applied as an embodiment of the present invention before being mated, and Fig. 2 shows the insulation of one of the pair of electrical connectors shown in Fig. 1. FIG. 3A is a partial cross-sectional view showing the electrical connector pair of FIG. 1 in a mated locked state; FIG. 3B is a perspective view of the electrical connector pair of FIG. 1. A partial sectional view showing a state where the mating lock is about to be released,
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state in which a plurality of pairs of electrical connectors shown in FIG. 1 are mounted on a printed circuit board. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Electrical connector, 11... Insulating housing, 12... Lock spring part, 12A... Hook part, 200... Electrical connector, 210... Insulating housing, 211... Trapezoidal projection, 211A... Vertical wall, 211B ... Sloped surface, 212 ... Limiting protrusion, 220 ... Pull tab bar, 221 ... Leg part,
221A...opening, 221B...tongue part, 221
C...Convex curved part, 221D...Limiting step part, 22
2... Connection part, 230... Pull tab, 300...
cable.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] (1) A locking mechanism for electrical connectors for locking connectors that are mated to each other, which is provided on the side of one connector and is elastic in the direction away from the side. a locking spring portion that can be displaced in a movable manner, an engagement step portion, a deflection surface portion, and a cam surface portion provided on a corresponding side portion of the other connector; and a lock spring portion that is movably provided on the side portion of the other connector. and a lock release member, and the deflection surface part is configured to shift the lock spring part outward when the connector is fitted, so that the engagement step part engages with the lock spring part, and when the connector is fitted, the shift surface part shifts the lock spring part outward so that the engagement step part engages with the lock spring part. The unlocking member is formed in a thin plate shape having spring properties, and is positioned between the side part of the other connector and the locking spring part when the connector is mated. and a cam follower portion that engages with the cam surface portion, and a lock release action portion, and the lock release member is arranged in a direction in which the other connector is pulled out with respect to the side portion of the other connector. When the lock is pulled up, it is elastically deflected outward due to the engagement between the cam surface part and the cam follower part, and the lock release action part engages with the lock spring part, causing the lock spring part to move outward. 1. A locking mechanism for an electrical connector, characterized in that the engagement step portion and the locking spring portion are disengaged by shifting the locking mechanism. (2) The engagement stepped portion is a rear vertical wall in the pulling direction of the trapezoidal protrusion formed on the side portion of the other connector, and the deflection surface portion and the cam surface portion are the front wall of the trapezoidal protrusion formed on the side portion of the other connector. the lock release member has an opening through which the trapezoidal protrusion passes, and the cam follower is a tongue protruding into the opening;
The locking mechanism for an electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the lock release action portion is a convex curved portion formed on both sides of the opening. (3) Utility model registration claim (1), wherein the side portion of the other connector is provided with a limiting protrusion for limiting the movement of the unlocking member in the pulling direction. A locking mechanism for an electrical connector as described in paragraph (2). (4) A pull tab is attached to the unlocking member to facilitate the pulling up of the unlocking member. Claims (1) or (2) or (3) Locking mechanism for electrical connectors as described in ).