JPH037036Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Application of the Invention] The present invention is an electrical connector having a female housing and a male housing, and in which both housings are provided with a locking mechanism to maintain the mated state. It is related to.

[Background of the idea]

A conventional locking mechanism of this type of electrical connector is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.
That is, a lock arm 2 is integrally formed on the upper surface of the male housing 1, and a locking pawl 3 is provided protruding from approximately the middle portion of the lock arm 2 in the longitudinal direction, and a locking claw 3 is provided at the tip (free end) of the lock arm 2. Forms a protrusion 4 for release operation of the lock arm 2. Further, on the inside of the upper surface of the female housing 5, a locking protrusion 6 that is locked with the locking pawl 3 when the male housing 1 is completely inserted into the female housing 5 is integrated. It was something that was already being formed. Therefore, when the male housing 1 and the female housing 5 are fitted together, the locking pawl 3 and the locking protrusion 6
A protrusion 4 for releasing the lock protrudes from the outer surface of the male housing 1, and the protrusion 4 is directed in the direction of sinking into the housing. Since the locking pawl 3 and the locking protrusion 6 are unlocked by pressing, for example, when the male housing 1 and the female housing 5 are fitted together, it is possible to accidentally If the work is carried out while pushing the protrusion 4 of the lock arm 2, the contact feeling of the lock will deteriorate, resulting in problems such as incomplete engagement between the locking pawl 3 and the locking protrusion 6. Ta. Furthermore, since the free end side of the lock arm 2 provided on the conventional male housing 1 always protrudes from the outer surface of the housing 1 when the housing 1 is a semi-finished product, when the male housing 1 is transported, etc. However, there was also a problem that the lock arm 2 could come into contact with other objects and be broken or damaged.

[Purpose of invention]

The present invention was developed by focusing on such conventional problems, and even if the free end side of the lock arm is pressed, the locked state of both housings will not be released, and the locking state of both housings will not be released. The purpose of the lock arm is to provide an electrical connector configured to be recessed from the outer surface of the housing.

[Example of idea]

The present invention will be explained in detail below based on the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 4.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a male housing, and a groove 13 extending in the insertion direction of the male housing 11 is formed in the upper outer wall surface 12 of the male housing 11. One end of a lock arm 14 located parallel to the groove 13 is formed integrally with the male housing 11. Further, the free end of the lock arm 14 is integrally formed with a locking claw 15 formed in a downward hook portion and a release knob 16 projecting upward.

17 is a female housing into which the male housing 11 is inserted;
An inclined surface 18 is formed in the upper center of the lock arm 7 to gradually push up the free end of the lock arm 14 provided on the male housing 11 as the male housing 11 is inserted. A locking protrusion 19 is provided in the middle of the inclined surface 18 so that the locking claw 15 can lock therein. 2
0 and 21 indicate male and female terminals.

The above is the structure of the electrical connector according to this embodiment.Next, its operation will be described.When the male housing 11 is inserted into the female housing 17, the free end side of the lock arm 14 is exposed to the inclined surface. 18 and is gradually pushed up, and the locking pawl 15 rides on the locking protrusion 19, and just before the fitting between both housings 11 and 17 is completed, the locking pawl 15 touches the locking protrusion 19. In order to overcome the problem, the locking pawl 15 is activated by the elastic restoring force of the lock arm 14.
The locking claw 15 and the locking protrusion 19 are engaged with each other as the male housing 11 and the female housing 1 are lowered.
7 is prevented from separating (see Figure 4). To disengage the male housing 11 and female housing 17 that are locked in this way, just pinch and pull up the release knob 16 that is guided by the slope 18 and pushed upwards. Stopper 1
5 and the locking protrusion 19 can be released.

Therefore, according to the electrical connector of this embodiment, the lock is released by pulling up the free end side of the lock arm 14, and even if the free end of the lock arm 14 is pressed, the lock is not released. Therefore, even if the lock arm 14 is pressed by mistake during the fitting operation of both the housings 11 and 17, the engagement between the locking pawl 15 and the locking protrusion 19 will be done with a sense of moderation. Because
This has the effect that the fitting and assembling work of the housings 11 and 17 can be reliably performed. Furthermore, when the male housing 11 is not fitted with the female housing 17, that is, when the semi-finished product is in use, the lock arm 14 is located within the groove 13 provided in the male housing 11. During transportation, etc.
This has the advantage that problems such as breakage or damage of the lock arm 14 due to contact with other objects can be effectively prevented.

[Summary of the idea]

This device is as described above, and is provided with an inclined surface 18 on the outer surface of the female connector 17, which is sequentially inclined upward as it progresses from the mating end in the mating direction, and whose upper end is connected to the outer surface. At the same time, a locking protrusion 19 is provided in the middle of this inclined surface 18 and protrudes from the inclined surface 18, and the male connector 1 that fits into the female connector 17 is
A lock arm 14 is provided on the outer surface of the male connector 11 with a concave groove 13 extending in the fitting direction, and a lock arm 14 extends from an end opposite to the fitting end of the male connector 11 in parallel to the fitting direction.
is provided in the groove 13, and this lock arm 14
A locking pawl 15 that removably engages with the locking protrusion 19 and a knob 16 for releasing this engagement are provided at the free end of the lock arm. The free end of 14 rises along the inclined surface 18 to connect the male connector 1
1 and the locking claw 15 is separated from the locking protrusion 19.
This is an electrical connector characterized in that it is adapted to be locked to a.

[Effect of the invention] Therefore, according to this electrical connector, even if the free end side of the lock arm is pressed, the lock will not be released, so even if the lock arm is pressed accidentally during the fitting operation of both housings, the lock will not be released. The engagement between the pawl and the locking protrusion is never released, and as a result, the mating and assembly work of both housings can be reliably performed.Moreover, when trying to mate both housings, the lock arm of the male connector is not disengaged. The free end rises along the inclined surface of the female connector, and this rise causes the free end of the lock arm to separate from the concave groove of the male connector, and with this separation, the lock arm returns to its old state. A reaction force occurs. Due to this reaction force, when the locking pawl locks with the locking protrusion, a certain sense of moderation is generated, so that the fitted state of the two connectors can always be reliably confirmed.

In addition, when the male housing is not fitted with the female housing, that is, when the half-finished product is in use, the lock arm is located in the groove provided in the male housing, so when the half-finished product is transported, etc. In this case, problems such as breakage or damage of the lock arm due to contact with another object can be effectively prevented.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the structure of a male housing and a female housing according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a central sectional view of the male housing, and FIG. 3 is a central sectional view of the female housing. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the male housing and female housing fitted together, Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the conventional male housing, and Figure 6 is the male housing fitted above. FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a conventional electrical connector. 11...Male housing, 12...Upper outer wall surface, 13...Concave groove, 14...Lock arm, 15
... Locking claw, 16 ... Release knob, 17 ... Female housing, 18 ... Inclined surface, 19 ... Locking protrusion, 20, 21 ... Terminal.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] An inclined surface 18 is provided on the outer surface of the female housing 17, and the inclined surface 18 is sequentially inclined upward as it progresses from the fitting end in the fitting direction, and whose upper end is connected to the outer surface. A protruding locking protrusion 19 is provided, a groove 13 extending in the fitting direction is provided on the outer surface of the male housing 11 that fits into the female housing 17, and the male housing 11 is fitted from an end opposite to the fitting end. A lock arm 14 extending parallel to the mating direction is provided in the groove 13,
A locking pawl 15 that removably engages with the locking protrusion 19 and a knob 16 for releasing this engagement are provided at the free end of the lock arm 14, and when both the connectors 17 and 11 are fitted, , the free end portion of the lock arm 14 rises along the inclined surface 18 and separates from the male connector 11 and engages the locking claw 1.
5 is adapted to be locked to the locking protrusion 19.