JPH04319271A - Slide fit type electric connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a compact slide fit type electric connector for a multipolar electric connector, wherein fitting work can be carried out with low inserting force without a special tool. CONSTITUTION:Cam grooves 46 of an operating member 40, which is slidably inserted into a connector 30 are fitted to fitting projections 27 formed on wall surfaces 26, 28 of a slide member 20 for insertingly holding connector units 10a, 10b of at least one connector 10. The pressing operation of the operating member 40 enables the connectors 10, 30 to be fitted to each other, thus electrically bringing the contacts thereof into contact with each other.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to electrical connectors, and more particularly to low insertion force multipole electrical connectors having a large number of contacts.

0002

[Prior Art and its Problems] Electrical connectors used in automobiles, etc. use an extremely large number of contacts for power and signal lines for engine control, various indicating devices, safety devices, audio devices, etc. Multipolarization of more than 100 countries is progressing rapidly.

Problems with this type of multi-pole electrical connector include a decrease in operability or workability due to increased size and increased insertion and removal forces of a pair of mating connectors. Various attempts have been made to solve or overcome this drawback. One is a bolt-tightening type connector that uses bolts and nuts for both connectors and tightens them using a power tool such as an air driver. This example is, for example, Utility Model No. 62-1
60471 and Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 2-59584. Another method uses pinions and gears in both connectors, and applies this so-called lever principle with a rotating lever. Examples of this are disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication Nos. 53-73488 and 63-99787.

However, these conventional solutions are not perfect and have the following drawbacks. First, in the former case, a relatively large tool such as an air driver is required, which limits the mounting location of the electrical connector, and it is not always easy to confirm whether or not the connectors are completely fitted. In addition, in the latter case, sufficient space is required around the electrical connector to rotate the rotary lever, but such space is not always available, especially in electronic/electrical equipment that is packed in high density. . Furthermore, the levers, gears, etc. that have sufficient strength make the electrical connector itself large, making it difficult to downsize the equipment that uses it.

The present invention is intended to eliminate or alleviate the above-mentioned drawbacks of conventional multi-pole electrical connectors, and allows for manual mating by an operator without the use of special tools. The object is to provide an electrical connector that is relatively compact and has low insertion and removal forces.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems In the electrical connector of the present invention, the housing of one of a pair of connectors that fit together has a two-piece structure. That is, one connector is first assembled into the slide member. This slide member is inserted into the opening of the other connector housing, and the cam groove of the actuating member slidably attached to the other connector housing is engaged with the engagement protrusion of the slide member. Next, by sliding the actuating member relative to the other connector housing, the slide member is moved in a direction perpendicular to the pushing direction of the actuating member. This causes the corresponding contacts of both connectors to fit into each other. By selecting the amount of movement of the actuating member to be sufficiently larger than the amount of movement of both connectors in the mating direction, a large mating force can be obtained with a relatively small insertion force, and a multipolar electrical connector with low insertion force can be realized. Here, one connector can be divided into a plurality of units and held within the compartment of the slide member, if necessary.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the slide-fitting electrical connector of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the slide-fit electrical connector of the present invention. First connector 10
In this particular embodiment, it is divided into two generally rectangular parallelepiped connector units 10a and 10b of different lengths, each having a number of contact receiving passages 16 extending between the front surfaces 12 and 14, respectively. In addition, each connector unit 10
a, 10b0 has a latch member 18 on its upper surface. For example, a well-known receptacle contact 15 connected to a wire 17 is inserted and held in each contact receiving passage 16 as shown.

The first connector 10 has an opening or compartment 22 in a slide member (slide cap) 20.
It is inserted and held in a and 22b. The openings 22a, 22b of the slide member 20 are separated from each other by a partition wall 24, and the connector units 10a, 10b of the first connector 10 are inserted into the openings 22a, 22b. On the inner surface of the upper wall 26 of the slide member 20, each compartment 2 is provided.
Connector unit 10a inserted into 2a and 22b
, 10b, having a groove 25 for receiving the latch member 18,
The first
Hold the connector 10. Furthermore, a plurality of (two in the illustrated example) engaging protrusions 27 are integrally formed on the upper surface 26 and lower surface 28 of the upper wall, respectively.

Next, the second connector 30, which is a complementary connector that mates with the first connector 10, has a substantially rectangular recess 31 on its front surface (fitting surface), and the dimensions of this recess 31 are determined by the size of the slide member 20. Selected to be inserted. The second connector 30 includes a top wall 32, a bottom wall 33, both side walls 34 and a rear wall 3.
5. A first connector 10 (not shown) is provided on the rear wall 35.
For example, a male contact or pin corresponding to the contact 15 is projected from the outside into the recess and is held therein. A pair of substantially parallel openings 36a-36b are provided at the upper and lower portions of both side walls 34.
is formed. Furthermore, guide blocks 37 having guide grooves 38 are formed on the inner surfaces of the top wall 32 and the bottom wall 33, respectively.

The operating member (slide bar) 40 is a substantially U-shaped member having upper and lower plate-like parts 42 and 44 and an operating part 45. The upper and lower plate-like parts 42 and 44 each have a cam groove 46 that is inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction thereof, and one end of each cam groove 46 has an inlet 47 at one side edge of the plate-like parts 42 and 44. Also,
Thinner parts 48 that engage with guide grooves 38 of guide block 37 of second connector 30 are formed on both side edges of plate-like parts 42 and 44 . Free ends 4 of plate-like parts 42, 44 of actuating member 40
9 are openings 36a-36b in the side wall 34 of the second connector 30;
slidably inserted into.

The fitting operation of the slide-fitting electrical connector of the present invention, which is comprised of the first connector 10, slide member 20, second connector 30, and operating member 40, will now be described. First, the openings 22a and 22b of the slide member 20
Insert and hold the connector units 10a and 10b. That is, the latch members 18 of the connector units 10a, 10b are inserted into the grooves 25 from the front surfaces of the openings 22a, 22b.
Align and press. The latch member 18 may have a conventional structure as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 53-12458 or Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 2-22943. For this purpose, an engaging protrusion or step (not shown) is formed in the groove 25 of the slide member 20.

Next, the plate member 42 of the actuating member 40 is inserted into the openings 36a-36b of the right side wall 34 of the second connector 30.
Insert the free end 49 of 44. Thereafter, the engaging protrusion 27 of the slide member 20 in which the necessary connector units 10a and 10b are inserted and held is aligned with the entrance 47 of the cam groove 46 of the actuating member 40, and the slide member 20 is inserted into the front surface of the second connector 30. Insert it a little into the recess 31 of. As a result, the engagement protrusion 27 of the slide member 20 and the cam groove 46 of the actuating member 40 engage in a cam-like manner.

[0014] Thereafter, the operating portion 45 of the actuating member 40 is moved to the second position.
Press the connector 30 in the direction of the arrow (left). This pressing operation causes the actuating member 40 to move to the left and the slide member 20 to move in a direction perpendicular to the inclination of the cam groove 46, that is, in a direction in which the first connector 10 is fitted into the second connector 30. When each engaging protrusion 27 reaches the end of the cam groove 46, both connectors 10 and 30 are in a completely fitted state. In this state,
Free ends 49 of the plate-like portions 42 and 44 of the actuating member 40 project from the left end wall of the second connector 30 by a predetermined length. From this protruding length, it is possible to know whether or not both connectors 10 and 30 are completely fitted, so that half-fitting or excessive fitting can be effectively avoided.

Here, if the friction between the engagement protrusion 27 and the cam groove 46 is ignored, the longitudinal direction of the cam groove 46 (actuating member 40
A boosting effect can be obtained by the ratio L/l of the distance L in the pressing direction) and the distance l in the direction perpendicular to this. As a result, it is possible to sufficiently reduce the insertion force when fitting the multipolar electrical connector.

[0016] The two connectors 10 and 30 can be removed or uncoupled by performing the reverse operation as described above. That is, the actuating member 40 is pulled in the direction opposite to the arrow direction in the figure. For this purpose, the free ends 49 of the plate-like parts 42, 44 of the actuating member 40 are pressed by hand or with a suitable tool, or a tension is applied to the operating part 45 in the right direction.

Although the slide-fitting electrical connector of the present invention has been described above in detail based on preferred embodiments, the present invention should not be limited to such specific embodiments, and may be modified without departing from the gist of the present invention. It will be understood that various modifications and variations are possible. For example, the opening 22a of the slide member 20,
22b inner surface and connector units 10a, 10b
Complementary protrusions and grooves may be formed on the outer surface in the front-rear direction to facilitate the insertion operation.

[0018]

[Effects of the Invention] The slide-fitting type electrical connector of the present invention can be constructed at a low cost with an extremely small number of parts, can mate a multi-polar electrical connector with a large number of contacts with low insertion force, and requires no special tools. It is possible to perform a mating operation of connectors without half-fitting without having to do so. Furthermore, since no rotary lever or power tool is used, it can also be applied to electrical connectors used in relatively narrow spaces.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a slide-fit electrical connector according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 First connector 20
Slide member 30 second
Connector 31 Recesses 36a, 36b Opening 40 Operating member 27 Engagement protrusion 46 Cam groove

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A slide member having at least one first connector inserted and held therein and having a plurality of engagement protrusions on upper and lower wall surfaces, a recess into which the slide member is inserted, and an opening substantially parallel to the side wall. a rectangular second connector; a substantially U-shaped actuating member that is inserted into the opening of the second connector and has a cam groove formed therein that engages with the engaging protrusion of the slide member; A slide-fitting electrical connector characterized in that the first and second connectors are fitted into each other by a sliding operation of an operating member.