JPH0447908Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] "Field of Industrial Application" The present invention relates to a connector that connects female and male connector housings, and more specifically relates to the structure of a lock arm that locks the connected posture. .

"Prior Art" The above-mentioned connector is provided with a lock arm that is flexible in the vertical direction in order to lock the mating position with the mating connector housing, and the claw at the tip of the lock arm and the mating connector housing Many of them have a lock arm structure in which the connected position is locked by engaging a locking portion provided at the top, and the lock arm can be detached by bending the tip of the lock arm upward.

``Problem to be solved by the invention'' According to the conventional structure described above, the lock arm formed on the outer periphery of the connector housing has a limit in its elasticity and rigidity due to restrictions such as dimensions and wall thickness. When the two connectors are connected, the user cannot expect a crisp "snapping" sound when the claw part of the lock arm engages with the locking part of the mating connector housing, and the lock feeling tends to be poor.

Therefore, the engagement of the lock arm may not be sufficiently confirmed, resulting in a poor connection in which the connector housing is connected to the connector housing while the claw portion and the locking portion remain partially engaged, or the engaged claw portion and the locking portion may be exposed to external force. It may be easily dissociated by Furthermore, if the male and female connector housings are repeatedly connected and disconnected, the lock arm may become "sagging" and lose its elasticity, resulting in a loss of locking function.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a new lock arm structure to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems.

``Means for Solving the Problems'' In other words, the connector of the present invention that achieves the above object is ``combining female and male connector housings, providing an elastic lock arm on one side of the connector housing, and In a connector that locks the coupled position by engaging a claw at the tip of the lock arm with a locking part provided on the connector housing on the other side, the lock arm has its longitudinal intermediate portion attached to the attachment part of its own connector housing. The lock arm is elastically supported integrally to form a lever shape, and has a fixed end at the rear end of the mounting portion and the lock arm;
Furthermore, the structure is characterized in that auxiliary arms are provided on both sides of the lock arm and parallel to the lock arm with a gap therebetween to form a three-parallel integral beam structure.

"Examples" and "Operations" Hereinafter, a detailed explanation will be given with reference to Examples. In FIGS. 1 to 4 showing one embodiment of the present invention, the connector of the present invention has a female housing 1 made of synthetic resin, which is fitted with a rod on the outer periphery of the body of a female housing 1 of a pair of male and female connector housings (hereinafter simply referred to as housings). A resilient locking arm 3 having a shape is provided, and the locking arm 3 extends in the direction of receiving the male housing 2.
They are arranged parallel to the axis of the female housing 1 with their tips facing forward, and the tips form hook-shaped claws 6. When the male and female housings 1 and 2 are combined, the claw portion 6 meshes and engages with the locking portion 12 protruding from the outer periphery of the body of the male housing 2, as shown in FIG. I'm starting to lock my posture.

Specifically, the lower side of the middle portion of the lock arm 3 is integrally connected to the mounting part 5 of the body of the female housing 1, and the lock arm 3 is elastically held by the holding point 4 which is the contact point with the mounting part 5. When an external force is applied, the claw portion 6 moves up and down as shown by the dotted line in the figure, using the holding point 4 as a fulcrum, and the entire lock arm 3 elastically tilts. That is, the rear end 7 of the lock arm 3
When an external force is applied to the rear end 7, the rear end 7 becomes a point of force and the holding point 4 becomes a rod, which becomes a rod and is elastically inclined, and when the external force is removed, it returns to its original position as shown by the solid line in the figure.

The lock arm 3 has a rear end 7.
and a pair of auxiliary arms 9 having fixed ends at the mounting portion 5 and parallel to the lock arm 3 with a gap 8 interposed therebetween.
A9B are formed along the left and right side edges of the lock arm 3. That is, the auxiliary arms 9A9B are provided with the intention of improving the mechanical properties of elasticity and rigidity of the lock arm 3, and are integrally formed by connecting the mounting portion 5 and the rear end portion 7 of the lock arm 3. In conjunction with the above-mentioned tilting action of the lock arm 3, the three beams have a parallel elastic beam structure that each elastically bends independently.

In addition, 10 in the figure is a terminal, and 11 is a seal ring for waterproofing.

According to the locking structure of the lock arm 3 having the auxiliary arm 9A9B configured as described above, the lock arm 3
When the claw part 6 of the lock arm 3 is pushed up by the peak of the locking part 12 on the other side and the lock arm 3 is tilted as shown by the dotted line in FIG. At the same time, the auxiliary arm 9 of the beam fixed at both ends
Since A9B also tilts in conjunction with the lock arm 3, a reaction force moment is similarly generated at the fixed end of the attachment part 5 of the auxiliary arm 9A9B, and the reaction force moment is transmitted to the rear end 7 of the lock arm 3 (the force point of the lever beam). As a result, a strong locking force is generated at the claw portion 6 at the point of action of the lock arm 3 due to the reaction force moment based on the inclination of the lock arm 3 itself. That is, the holding point 4 of the lock arm 3 and the auxiliary arm 9A
The fixed ends at both ends of 9B correspond to rigid mechanical contact points, and a reaction moment is generated due to bending. The claw portion 6 at the tip, which is the point of action of the lock arm 3,
The added reaction force moment becomes the main locking force, and the claw part 6 of the highly rigid lock arm 3 (the lock arm 3 has a holding point 4 in the middle, so it has little elasticity as a beam) When engaged with the side locking portion 12, it is possible to generate and impart a clear "snapping" locking feeling and locking force with a balance of rigidity and elasticity.

And, the auxiliary arm 9A9B which performs the above action
However, since the three parallel integral beams are provided on both sides of the lock arm 3, the above-mentioned biasing action of the auxiliary arm 9A9B acts equally from the left and right sides without biasing the lock arm 3, so that the locking action of the lock arm 3 is improved. This provides stability and mechanical durability of the lock arm 3. Because of its three-parallel integral beam structure, a high-performance lock arm with the above-mentioned rigidity and elasticity can be constructed in a narrow space, and by adjusting the wall thickness shape of the auxiliary arm 9A9B, the lock arm can be There is a degree of design freedom in which the locking characteristics of the lock arm can be arbitrarily adjusted by adjusting the rigidity and elasticity to an appropriate amount.

From the above, the connector of this invention has lock arm 3.
Since the engagement feeling with the locking portion 12 is improved and the engagement can be confirmed clearly, it is possible to prevent poor coupling between the male and female housings 1 and 2 due to poor locking.

And lock arm 3 is auxiliary arm 9A9B.
Since the mechanical properties in steady state are improved due to the existence of the above, the locking force of the claw portion 6 and the locking portion 12 that are properly engaged is improved, and there is no fear that they will come off, and the male and female housings Even if the engagement and disengagement of lock arms 1 and 2 are repeated, the resistance of the elastic inclination of the lock arm 3 is also shared by the auxiliary arm 9A9B, so the risk of early breakage from the holding point 4 is extremely reduced, and the lock arm 3 is It has the effect of stably sustaining functions.

"Effects of the Invention" As described above, the present invention improves the lock feeling by the lock arm in a connector that locks the coupling posture of the male and female housings by the lock arm, prevents poor coupling of the male and female housings, and provides a good connector. It has mechanical durability and stability, and has the effect of stabilizing the lock function.
By slightly changing the shape and wall thickness of the lock arm and auxiliary arm, the ratio of rigidity and elasticity of the lock arm can be adjusted, increasing the degree of freedom in designing the coupling lock mechanism for connectors with limited allowable space. There are practical advantages to doing so.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 shows a connector housing according to an embodiment of the present invention, A is a front sectional view thereof, B is a plan view thereof,
2: AA sectional view of FIG. 1A, FIG. 3: BB sectional view of FIG. 1A, and FIG. 4: A front sectional view showing the coupled state of the connector housing of FIG. 1. Main code, 1...Female connector housing, 2
...Male connector housing, 3...Lock arm, 4...Holding point, 5...Mounting part, 6...
Claw portion, 7... Rear end portion, 8... Gap, 9A9B...
Auxiliary arm, 12...Locking part.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] Connecting the female and male connector housings, providing an elastic lock arm on one side of the connector housing, and engaging a claw portion at the tip of the lock arm with a locking portion provided on the other side of the connector housing, In a connector that locks the coupling position, the lock arm has a longitudinally intermediate portion elastically supported integrally with the mounting portion of its own connector housing to form a lever shape, and the rear end of the lock arm is connected to the mounting portion and the rear end of the lock arm. has a fixed end at the part;
A connector characterized in that auxiliary arms parallel to the lock arm with a gap are provided on both sides of the lock arm to form a three-parallel integral beam structure.