JPH0447907Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] "Field of industrial application" The present invention relates to an "electrical connector with an opening/closing cover" that is used in electrical wiring for automobiles by connecting to a printed wiring board, etc. of a mating connector. .

``Prior Art'' There is a publicly known example of the electrical connector having the opening/closing cover described above in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 57-10470, and the common structure of these is a plate-like structure separate from the housing 1 as shown in Fig. 2. It has a slide cover 2 to protect the exposed tongue portion 5 of the terminal inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 3 of the upper opening in the front half of the housing 1.
Insert the slide cover 2 from behind into the insertion grooves 6 provided on both inner sides of the housing 1, and pull it out to the closed set position indicated by the dotted line 2'' in the figure to cover the upper part of the tongue portion 5, and connect the housing 1 with the mating connector. When connecting, it is used by pushing it into the retracted position indicated by the solid line 2' in the figure.In the middle of the opening 4 in the front half of the housing 1, there is a cantilever that has a fixed end at the rear of the housing 1 and extends forward. Slice-shaped elastic locking piece 7
is formed, and the elastic locking piece 7 has a locking pawl 8 at its free end that fits into the locking hole of the mating housing;
A locking mechanism with a mating housing is provided in which a chevron-shaped push-down protrusion 9 is formed on the upper surface near the rear.
When connecting the housings to each other, move the slide cover 2 to the retracted position 2' and push in the housing 1 with the elastic locking piece 7 in the free state, and the locking pawl 8 will "snap" into the locking hole on the other side. When it is fitted and the connection position is locked, and when you want to release the connection position, press down the push-down protrusion 9 of the elastic locking piece 7 with your fingertips, the elastic locking piece 7 will bend downward and the locking claw will release. 8 locking locks are disengaged.

"Problems to be Solved by the Invention" In the electrical connector having the conventional structure of the opening/closing cover described above, when connecting the housing 1 to the mating housing, the push-down protrusion 9 is pressed down with the tip of a finger.
The elastic locking piece 7 may be unnecessarily bent downward when it is engaged with the mating housing, and if the connection is made in such a state, the above-mentioned "snap" engagement due to the elasticity of the elastic locking piece 7 may occur. Since there is no mating feeling, there is a problem that the elastic locking piece 7 may fail to lock due to insufficient insertion amount. Since the housing connection is done manually and there is a chevron-shaped protrusion, it is inevitable that the unnecessary depressing operation of the depressing protrusion 9 will occur at a certain frequency as a worker's habit. It is something.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel electrical connector that overcomes the above-mentioned difficulties.

``Means for Solving the Problems'' The electrical connector with the opening/closing cover of the present invention that achieves the above-mentioned purpose has the following features: ``The upper wall of the front half of the connector housing is cut out to form an opening, and the tongue pieces of the terminals in the terminal housing chambers are cut out. It has a slide cover that opens and closes the opening and exposes the part facing the opening, and further has a cantilever-shaped elastic engagement member in the opening that locks the connecting position with the other party. In an electrical connector having an opening/closing cover provided with a locking piece, the slide cover is provided with a cantilever-shaped pressing plate having a pressing projection at the lower part of the free end and parallel to the elastic locking piece, In the retreating position in which the slide cover releases the opening, the pressing protrusion of the pressing plate is located above the intermediate pressing point of the elastic locking piece, and the pressing plate and the elastic locking piece overlap, The elastic locking piece is interlocked with the downward movement of the push-down plate to release the lock.

"Function" In the electrical connector of the present invention configured as described above, the elastic locking piece on the housing side and the push-down plate of the slide cover overlap, and the elastic locking piece interlocks with the push-down operation of the push-down plate. By pressing down, the locking lock of the connected connector housing can be released. The upper surface of the elastic locking piece is free of unnecessary protrusions, which prevents the elastic locking piece from being pressed down unnecessarily when connecting the connector housing, and provides a good locking lock for the elastic locking piece. Feeling can be maintained.

"Example" Hereinafter, a detailed explanation will be given based on an example. Referring to FIG. 1, which shows an embodiment thereof, there is shown an electrical connector having an opening/closing cover according to the present invention, which is comprised of a housing 1 and a separate slide cover 2. As shown in FIG.
That is, the upper wall 10 corresponding to the front half of the housing 1 is omitted, and the upper part of the terminal accommodating chamber 3 is opened to form the opening 4.
The tongue piece 5 of the terminal inserted into the terminal accommodation chamber 3
In the electrical connector, the opening of the housing 1 is exposed and has an opening/closing cover that opens and closes the opening 4 by inserting the slide cover 2 from the rear of the housing 1 into the insertion groove 6 provided inside the left and right side walls of the housing 1. 4 is formed with a cantilevered elastic locking piece 7 having a fixed end 7' near the rear end of the housing 1 and extending forward in parallel with the terminal accommodating chamber 3. The free end of the piece 7 is provided with a locking pawl 8 that fits into the locking hole 16 of the mating housing to lock and lock the mutual connection posture of the housings. The upper surface is generally flat and has no protrusions such as push-down protrusions of the conventional structure.

On the other hand, in the center of the slide cover 2, there is a cantilever-shaped push-down plate 12 that extends forward from the rear of the slide cover 2 through a slit 11 and has a push projection 13 raised downward at the bottom of the free end. It is formed. When the slide cover 2 is inserted into the housing 1 and is in the retracted position 2' in which the opening 4 is released, the press-down plate 12 is positioned overlapping the elastic locking piece 7 of the housing 1, and the press-down plate 1
When the free end 12' of the elastic locking piece 7 is located above the middle pressing point of the elastic locking piece 7, and the pressing plate 12 is pressed down with a fingertip, the pressing protrusion 13 presses the elastic locking piece 7 as shown in FIG. 1B. Press the push-down point of the push-down plate 12.
The elastic locking piece 7 is bent downward in conjunction with the pressing down operation, and the locking pawl 8 at the free end moves downward.

In addition, 14 in the figure is a notch groove provided in the middle of the push-down plate 12, and when the push-down plate 12 is pushed down, the reinforcing rib 15 on the upper surface of the elastic locking piece 7 is fitted into the notch groove 14, and the reinforcing rib 15 is avoided. Further, 17 is an operating claw for sliding the slide cover 2.

In the electrical connector configured as described above, when the housing 1 is detached from the mating housing, when the push-down plate 12 of the slide cover 2 at the retreated position 2' is pressed with a fingertip, etc., it is elastically locked with the push-down plate 12 of the elastic cantilever. The pieces 7 are interlocked and bent downward to release the locking lock between the locking hole 16 of the mating housing and the locking pawl 8, and when pulled apart, the housing 1 can be easily separated.

When connecting the housings to each other, it is sufficient to insert the push-down plate 12 and the elastic locking piece 7 in a free state. Since there are no protrusions, the risk of unnecessary push-down operation in the conventional structure is extremely reduced, and it is possible to maintain a good locking feeling of the elastic locking piece 7 and prevent locking failures. can.

"Effects of the Invention" As described above, the electrical connector having the opening/closing cover of the present invention prevents the elastic locking piece 7 from being pressed down unnecessarily when connecting the connector housing to the other party, so the elastic locking This has the effect of preventing locking failure of the piece 7 and improving the quality reliability of the connector.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 shows an electrical connector with an opening/closing cover according to an embodiment of the present invention, A is a perspective view thereof, B is a front view of main parts showing its working state, Fig. 2: Electrical connector with an opening/closing cover of conventional structure. FIG. Main symbols: 1...Housing, 2...Slide cover, 3...Terminal accommodation chamber, 4...Opening, 5...
...Terminal tongue piece, 6...Insertion groove, 7...Elastic locking piece, 8...Latching claw, 9...Press projection, 11...Slit, 12...Press plate, 13...Press projection .

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] The upper wall of the front half of the connector housing is cut out to form an opening, the terminal tongue piece is exposed facing the opening, and has a slide cover for opening and closing the opening. In an electrical connector having an opening/closing cover provided with a cantilevered elastic locking piece for locking the connection position, the slide cover has a pressing protrusion at the lower part of the free end,
Further, a cantilever-shaped push-down plate is provided parallel to the elastic locking piece, and when the slide cover opens the opening in the retracted position, the pressing protrusion is above the pressing point between the elastic locking pieces. An electrical connector having an opening/closing cover, which is located at the connector, and has a structure in which a push-down plate and an elastic locking piece overlap each other, and the elastic locking piece is interlocked with the pressing operation of the push-down plate to release the lock. .