JPH08148225A - Cable connecting structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a cable connecting structure which can reliably prevent slipping-out of a plug in a condition where the plug of an external cable is inserted into a socket of an internal cable. CONSTITUTION: In a cable connecting structure, an internal cable having an external cable connecting socket 16 and an external socket 17 having a plug 18 capable of being inserted into and extracted from the socket 16, are connected to each other through a cage body panel 11 of an apparatus main body. A cable fitting part 19d having a width narrower than an outside diametrical dimension of a plug rear end part 18a is arranged in a plug pressing-down tool 19. The plug pressing-down tool 19 is fixed to and held by the cage body panel 11 by a thumbscrew 13 screw-fitted to the cage body panel 11 by penetratingly passing through a flange 12.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cable connection structure for electrically connecting an internal cable incorporated in a casing panel side of an office automation equipment or the like and an external cable such as a keyboard cable.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, when using an OA device such as a personal computer or a word processor, an input device such as a keyboard or a pointing device (mouse) is used to display characters, numbers, and coordinate positions on a monitor screen. Is input by the operator. In many OA devices installed on a desk, an input device such as a keyboard is independent of the device body, and signals are exchanged with the device body via an external cable such as a keyboard cable. .

FIG. 3 is a side view for explaining a conventional cable connection structure. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 31 denotes a housing panel of the main body of the device, and a cable connecting hole (not shown) is formed in the housing panel 31. A rubber grommet 32 for protecting the cable is attached to the cable connection hole. An internal cable (not shown), which is an extension cable for the CPU, is incorporated inside the housing panel 31, and the socket 33 is attached to the tip of the cable. The tip of the socket 33 is inserted into the hole of the grommet 32 and is exposed to the outside of the panel. On the other hand, an external cable 34 such as a keyboard cable is provided with a plug 35 that can be inserted into and removed from the socket 33. By inserting the plug 35 into the socket 33,
An internal cable (not shown) and the external cable 34 are electrically connected.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional cable connection structure, the electrical connection between the internal cable (not shown) and the external cable 34 is maintained only by the fitting force between the socket 33 and the plug 35. Therefore, if the operator mistakenly pulls the external cable 34 during the input operation, there is a problem that the plug 35 is easily pulled out from the socket 33. The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a cable connection structure capable of reliably preventing the plug from being pulled out when the plug of the external cable is inserted into the socket of the internal cable. To provide.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to achieve the above object and comprises an internal cable having a socket for connecting an external cable and an external socket having a plug which can be inserted into and removed from the socket. , A cable connection structure that is connected through the housing panel of the device body,
A plug retainer having a cable fitting portion formed to be narrower than the outer diameter of the rear end portion of the plug, and the cable fitting portion was fitted to the root portion of the external cable extending from the rear end portion of the plug. In this state, a holding mechanism for fixing and holding the plug holding tool to the housing panel is provided.

[0006]

In the cable connection structure of the present invention, when the plug of the external cable is inserted into the socket of the internal cable provided on the housing panel side, the cable fitting portion of the plug retainer is attached to the root of the external cable. Even if the external cable is accidentally pulled during the input operation, the plug retainer holds the plug retainer fixed to the housing panel in this state. The plug is prevented from coming off due to being caught in the.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a first embodiment of a cable connection structure according to the present invention, in which FIG.
Is a side view thereof, and FIG. In the cable connection structure of the first embodiment, a plurality of (three in the example) screw holes (not shown) are provided in the housing panel 11 which constitutes the main body of the device such as a personal computer. A pair of thumbscrews 13 and one retaining screw 14 are screwed into these screw holes so as to pass through the disc-shaped flange 12, whereby the flange 12 is fixed to the housing panel 1.
In addition, a cable connection hole (not shown) is formed in the housing panel 11, and the cable connection hole and the flange 12 are formed.
A socket 16 for connecting an external cable is arranged so as to project to the outside of the panel via the hole 15 opened in the panel. The socket 16 is attached to one end side of an internal cable (not shown) built in the housing panel 11 side, and the other end side of the internal cable is connected to the CPU via a circuit board mounted inside the panel. Etc. electrically connected to.

On the other hand, an external cable 17 such as a keyboard cable is provided with a plug 18 which can be inserted into and removed from the socket 16. Rear end 1 of this plug 18
8a is formed in a tapered shape, from which an external cable 17 extends toward a keyboard or the like. Reference numeral 19 in the drawing denotes a plug retainer for preventing the plug 18 in the connected state from coming off. The plug retainer 19 is obtained by subjecting an elongated rod member to a predetermined bending process, for example. That is, the hook portions 19a each having an inverted U shape are formed at both ends of the plug retainer 19. The bending diameter of the hooking portion 19a is set to be slightly larger than the screw diameter of the knob screw 13, so that the hooking portion 19a can be sandwiched between the knob screw 13 and the flange 12. Also,
A finger portion 19b continuously extends from each hanging portion 19a in a direction substantially perpendicular to the hanging portion 19a, and the length of the finger portion 19b is set to be slightly longer than the plug length of the external cable 17. ing.

Further, the end portions of the respective finger portions 19b are connected by a connecting portion 19c formed in a hat shape as shown in FIG. 1 (b), for example, and an inverted U is formed in the middle portion of the connecting portion 19c. C-shaped cable fitting part 19
d is provided. The cable fitting portion 19d is curved in the same direction as the hooking portion 19a, and its gap is
It is formed to be slightly wider than the cable diameter so that the external cable 17 can be fitted therein, and narrower than the outer diameter dimension of the plug rear end portion 18a.

In the cable connection structure of the first embodiment, the left and right thumbscrews 13 are respectively loosened to secure a gap between the flange portion 12 and the thumbscrew 13, and in this state by a two-dot chain line in the figure. By lifting the cable fitting portion 19d as shown, the plug 18 of the external cable 17 can be freely inserted into and removed from the socket 16 on the housing panel 11 side. On the other hand, with the plug 18 inserted in the socket 16, as shown in the drawing, the plug retainer 1
When the external cable 17 is fitted to the cable fitting portion 19d of 9 and the knob screw 13 is tightened again in this state, the hooking portion 19a of the plug pressing portion 19 is sandwiched between the flange 12 and the knob screw 13, The plug retainer 19 is fixedly held on the housing panel 11.

In this state, the cable fitting portion 19 is attached to the root portion of the external cable 17 extending from the rear end portion 18a of the plug.
Since d is fitted, even if a pulling force is applied to the external cable 17 for some reason during the input operation, the plug rear end portion 18a is always caught by the cable fitting portion 19d of the plug retainer 19. Like As a result, the plug 18 can be securely prevented from coming off, so that the fitting state of the socket 16 and the plug 18 can be surely maintained during the input operation, and the electrical connection between the internal cable (not shown) and the external cable 17 can be prevented. It is possible to maintain the physical connection state.

2A and 2B are views for explaining a second embodiment of the cable connection structure according to the present invention, in which FIG. 2A is a side view thereof, and FIG. In the second embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment will be described with the same reference numerals. In the cable connection structure shown in FIG. 2, 11 is a housing panel that constitutes the main body of the device, 12 is a disk-shaped flange, and 14 is a flange 12 on the housing panel 11.
A fixing screw for fixing the, 15 is a hole provided in the flange 12, 16 is a socket attached to one end of an internal cable (not shown), 17 is an external cable such as a keyboard cable, and 18 is attached to one end of the external cable 17. The plugs are the same as those of the first embodiment.

In the second embodiment, the plug retainer 20 for preventing the plug from coming off is provided with a cable fitting portion 20a arranged in parallel with each other with a predetermined gap, and one end of the cable fitting portion 20a. The first finger portion 20b extending in a substantially right angle direction from the side, and the second finger portion 20c bent at a predetermined angle from the other end side of the cable fitting portion 20a, in the illustrated example, about 70 °. And are formed into a substantially U-shaped side surface. The gap of the cable fitting part 20a is
Similar to the first embodiment, it is formed to be slightly wider than the cable diameter so that the external cable 17 can be fitted therein and narrower than the outer diameter dimension of the plug rear end portion 18a. A base end portion of the first finger portion 20b is integrally connected inside the flange 12, and the connecting portion is rotatably locked to a hook-shaped groove portion (not shown) provided on the flange 12. . The length of the first finger portion 20b is set to be slightly longer than the plug length of the external cable 17 so that the cable fitting portion 20a can be fitted to the root portion of the external cable 17.

On the other hand, at the tip portion of the second finger portion 20c, the hook portion 2 is bent outward at a substantially right angle.
0d is provided. On the other hand, a fastener 21 having a substantially U-shaped cross section is attached to the upper portion of the flange 12. The fastener 21 is provided with a hole through which the hook portion 20d can be removed and inserted. By inserting the hook portion 20d into the hole from the inside, respectively, the plug retainer 20
Are fixedly held on the housing panel 11.
By the way, the plug retainer 20 is obtained by bending an elongated bar as in the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, elastic spring steel is used in particular.

In the cable connection structure of the second embodiment, when the second finger portion 20c is sandwiched by fingers from both sides, the springiness of the second spring portion elastically deforms the plug retainer 20 and the hook of the fastener 21 is hooked. The part 20d comes out. From this state, when the plug retainer 20 is rotated downward with the base end portion of the first finger portion 20b as a fulcrum, as shown by the two-dot chain line in the figure, the entire plug retainer 20 is located farther than the plug mounting position. Since it retreats downward, the plug 18 of the external cable 17 can be freely inserted into and removed from the socket 16 on the housing panel 11 side.

On the other hand, with the plug 18 inserted in the socket 16, the plug retainer 20 is rotated upward with the base end portion of the first finger portion 20b as a fulcrum, and the plug retainer 20 is rotated as shown in the figure. The external cable 17 is fitted into the cable fitting portion 20a. Further, the second finger portion 20
While sandwiching c from both sides, hook 2 in the hole of fastener 21.
0d is aligned, and the second finger portion 20c is opened in this state. As a result, each hook portion 20d is inserted into the hole of the fastener 21, and is attached to the fastener 21 with the spring property of the entire plug retainer 20, so that the plug retainer 20 is connected via the flange 12 to the housing panel. It is fixedly held at 11. In this state, since the cable fitting portion 20a is fitted to the root portion of the external cable 17 extending from the plug rear end portion 18a, similar to the first embodiment,
Even if a pulling force is applied to the external cable 17 for some reason during the input operation, be sure to follow the plug rear end portion 18
a is caught in the cable fitting portion 20a of the plug retainer 20, and the electrical connection between the internal cable (not shown) and the external cable 17 is reliably maintained.

Further, in the structure of the second embodiment, because of the structure of the plug retainer 20, a sufficient fitting length of the cable fitting portion 20a with respect to the external cable 17 can be secured, so that the external cable 17 can be moved largely. Also, the external cable 17 does not come off from the cable fitting portion 20a. In addition, as described above, the hook portion 2 can be attached to the fastener 21 by a simple operation of the fingertip.
Since 0d can be detachably attached, the work of fixing the plug retainer 20 to the housing panel 11 and conversely releasing the fixed state can be performed with a touch. Further, as in the first embodiment, the number of parts for preventing the socket from coming off is small, so that it can be implemented at an extremely low cost.

[0018]

As described above, according to the cable connecting structure of the present invention, the cable fitting portion provided on the plug retainer is fitted to the root portion of the external cable, and in this state, it is attached to the housing panel. By fixing and holding the plug retainer, the rear end of the plug will catch on the cable mating part even if a tensile force is applied to the external cable, so that the plug of the external cable is inserted in the socket of the internal cable. It is possible to reliably prevent the plug from coming off.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a first embodiment of a cable connection structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a second embodiment of the cable connection structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a conventional cable connection structure.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 housing panel 16 socket 17 external cable 18 plug 19, 20 plug retainer 19d, 20a cable fitting part

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A cable connection structure in which an internal cable having a socket for connecting an external cable and an external socket having a plug that can be inserted into and removed from the socket are connected via a housing panel of a device body. A plug retainer having a cable fitting portion formed narrower than the outer diameter of the plug rear end portion, and the cable fitting portion at the root of the external cable extending from the plug rear end portion. A cable connection structure, comprising: a holding mechanism for fixing and holding the plug retainer to the housing panel in a fitted state. 2. The plug retainer has one end rotatably mounted on the housing panel and the other end removably attached to the housing panel. Cable connection structure described.