JPH0794238A - Lever fitting type connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate worsening returning back a lever, further to prevent a connector from being enlarged due to a spring member, and further to prevent the spring member from being easily dislocated by providing a coil-shaped spring member in a shaft part for turning the lever. CONSTITUTION:In a lever fitting type connector 1, a coil-shaped spring member 5 is mounted to a shaft part 4 of a synthetic resin-made connector housing 3 relating to a connector fitting lever 2. The member 5 comprises a coil part coiled on a single plane, straight part 7 passing the center of the coil part to come into contact with a lower side thereof to extend the outside, one end bent part 8 of bending a point end of the straight part 7, protruding part extended in an opposite direction to the straight part 7 of the coil part and another end bent part 10 bent in an opposite direction to the bent part 8 in a point end of the protruding part. An engaging groove 11, notched in a slit shape in an axial line direction from the center of an axial end face, is provided in the shaft part 4, to engage the straight part 7 of the member 5 inserted to the groove 11. Further in one side end of the housing 3, an insertion hole relating to the bent part 8 of the member 5 is provided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lever fitting type connector in which the resilience of a connector fitting lever due to spring bias is improved and the connector is prevented from being enlarged by a spring member.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 7 shows a conventional lever fitting type connector. The lever fitting type connector 25 includes a connector housing 29 made of a synthetic resin in which two shaft portions 27 and 28 are projectingly provided on one side wall 26, and a lever for connector fitting which is rotatably engaged with the front shaft portion 27. 30 and the rear shaft portion 2
8 and a spring member 31 in the form of a torsion coil that biases the lever 30 in the opening direction.

The spring member 31 has a coil portion 32 as shown in FIG.
And a long straight portion 33 extending from the coil portion 32 to one side
And the other short straight portion 35 having the tip bent portion 34. The coil portion 32 is inserted into the rear shaft portion 28 (FIG. 7), and the tip bent portion 34 is inserted into the engagement hole 36 in the rear portion of the connector housing. Then lever 30
The hole portion 37 of the shaft portion 27 in front of the connector housing 29.
The long straight portion 33 of the spring member 31 abuts on the circumferential groove 38 formed on the rear side of the lever 30 in the opened state to urge the lever 30 in the opening direction.

However, in the above-mentioned conventional structure, the straight portion 33 of the spring member 31 has the corner portion 38 of the circumferential groove 38.
Since the sliding contact occurs at a, the span of the straight portion 33 from the shaft portion 28 to the one corner portion 38a becomes longer with the opening operation of the lever 30, and the return of the lever 30 becomes worse. There is also a problem that the entire connector 25 is enlarged in the lateral width direction by the coil portion 32 of the spring member 31 and that the coil portion 32 is easily detached.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention can prevent the lever returning (opening operation) from being deteriorated, can prevent the enlargement of the connector by the spring member, and can remove the spring member. It is an object of the present invention to provide a lever-fitting type connector that is difficult to connect.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a lever fitting type connector in which a shaft portion protruding from a connector housing is engaged with a hole portion of a lever for fitting a connector. The basic structure is such that the central portion of the spiral spring member is fixed to the shaft portion, one end portion of the spring member is fixed to the connector housing, and the other end portion of the spring member is fixed to the lever.

The spring member has a spiral portion which spirals in a one-dimensional direction, a straight portion which is continuous with the inner circumference of the spiral portion and extends outwardly through the center of the spiral portion, and a straight portion of the straight portion. The one end bent portion formed at the tip and the other end bent portion connected to the outer periphery of the spiral portion and bent in the opposite direction to the one end bent portion, wherein the shaft portion is A structure having an engaging groove for the straight portion, the connector housing having an insertion hole for the one end bent portion, and the lever having an insertion hole for the other end bent portion is also possible.

[0008]

The spiral spring member is located at the center of rotation of the lever and rotates the lever in the opening direction with a substantially constant and stable torque. When the lever is opened and closed, the spring member expands or contracts the spiral portion in a one-dimensional direction. Therefore, the spring member does not occupy a space in the lateral width direction of the connector (the direction orthogonal to the spring member). Further, the spring member engaged with the shaft portion is held between the connector housing and the lever by the assembly of the lever, and the spring member is prevented from coming off.

[0009]

1 shows an embodiment of a lever fitting type connector according to the present invention. The lever fitting type connector 1
Is characterized in that a spiral spring member 5 is attached to a shaft portion 4 of a connector housing 3 made of synthetic resin for a lever 2 for fitting a connector.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the spring member 5 is connected to a spiral portion 6 that spirals in a one-dimensional direction, that is, on a plane, and a wire 6a on the inner circumference of the spiral portion 6. A straight portion 7 that passes through the center of the spiral portion 6 and contacts the lower side of the spiral portion 6 and extends outward, and one end of the straight portion 7 that is bent at a right angle to the side opposite to the spiral portion 6. A bent portion 8, a protruding portion 9 that is connected to the wire 6b on the outer circumference of the spiral portion 6 and extends in the direction opposite to the straight portion 7, and a bent portion 8 at the tip end of the protruding portion 9 Is composed of the other end bent portion 10 bent at a right angle in the opposite direction.

The spring member 5 is the connector housing 3
It is fixed to the shaft portion 4. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the shaft portion 4 is provided with an engagement groove 11 which is cut out in a slit shape from the center of the shaft end surface 4a in the axial direction, and the spring member 5 is provided in the engagement groove 11.
The straight portion 7 is inserted and engaged.

Further, one side wall 1 of the connector housing 3
2 is provided with an insertion hole 13 for the one-end bent portion 8 at the tip of the straight portion of the spring member 5. The insertion hole 13 is provided on an extension line of the engagement groove 11 of the shaft portion 4. Further, as shown in the inner surface side of the lever 2 in FIG. 5, the inner wall 14 of the lever 2 is provided with an insertion hole 15 for the other end bent portion 10 of the spring member 5. The insertion hole 15 is provided in the vicinity of the hole 16 for engaging the shaft portion 4 of the connector housing 3.

FIGS. 6 (a) to 6 (c) show a state in which the male / female connectors 17 and 1 are fitted by operating the lever.
In the open state of the lever 2, the spiral spring member 5 is in a state of expanding in the circumferential direction and expanding in diameter. In this state, the mating male connector 17 is joined to the front end side of the female connector 1, and the projecting pin 18 of the male connector 17 is engaged with the entrance of the cam groove 19 of the lever 2.

Then, as shown in (b), the lever 2 is rotated in the closing direction (the direction of arrow A) to draw the projecting pin 18 along the cam groove 19, and the male connector 17 is fitted. The spring member 5 gradually contracts in diameter as the other end bent portion 10 inserted into the lever 2 moves in the spring winding direction. Then, when the lever 2 is tilted forward as shown in (c), both connectors 1 and 17 are completely fitted, and the lock claw 20 at the front end of the lever is engaged.
Engages with the locking arm 21 of the male connector 17.

When disconnecting the connectors 1 and 17, after pushing the locking arm 21 to release the engagement of the lock claw 20,
By pulling both connectors 1 and 17, the lever 2 returns in the opposite direction. When the lever 2 in the free state is tilted in the closing direction and the hand is released, the spiral spring member 5 exerts a substantially constant and stable spring reaction force over the entire opening process of the lever 2 to secure the lever 2. To restore.

[0016]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the spiral spring member is provided on the shaft portion for rotating the lever, the spring member has a substantially constant stability over the entire opening process of the lever. By exerting the urging force, the lever is surely restored.
As a result, the lever is reliably positioned when the connector is fitted, so there is no need to put the lever back in and the operator's burden is eliminated, and even if the connector is not fitted, the lever can be opened. It is possible for a person to visually detect the unfitted state. Further, since the spring member does not swirl in a one-dimensional direction and does not occupy the space in the direction orthogonal to the spring member, that is, the connector lateral width direction, the entire connector becomes compact. Further, since the spring member is held between the connector housing and the lever at the shaft portion at the same time as the assembling of the lever, the spring member is prevented from coming off.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cutaway side view of essential parts showing an embodiment of a lever fitting type connector according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a spring member.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a spring member of the same.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing a connector housing.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing the inner surface side of the lever.

6 (a) to 6 (c) are side cutaway views showing essential parts, in order, showing a state in which a connector is fitted by operating a lever.

FIG. 7 is a side view showing a conventional example.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a spring member of the same.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Lever fitting type connector 2 Lever 3 Connector housing 4 Shaft part 5 Spring member 6 Spiral part 7 Straight part 8 One end bent part 10 Other end bent part 11 Engagement groove 13,15 Insertion hole 16 Hole part

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A lever fitting type connector in which a hole of a connector fitting lever is engaged with a shaft portion projecting from a connector housing, wherein a central portion of a spiral spring member is fixed to the shaft portion, A lever-fitting connector, wherein one end of a spring member is fixed to the connector housing, and the other end of the spring member is fixed to the lever. 2. The spiral member, in which the spring member spirals in a one-dimensional direction, a straight portion which is continuous with an inner circumference of the spiral portion and extends outwardly through a center of the spiral portion, and a straight portion of the straight portion. The one end bent portion formed at the tip and the other end bent portion connected to the outer periphery of the spiral portion and bent in the opposite direction to the one end bent portion, wherein the shaft portion is 2. An engaging groove for a straight portion, the connector housing has an insertion hole for the one end bent portion, and the lever has an insertion hole for the other end bent portion. The lever-fitting connector described.