JPH09219250A - Lever connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connector capable of being prevented from being enlarged while being rendered into multipole. SOLUTION: When a female connector housing 10 and a maleside connector housing 20 to be united with each other are faced from both surfaces of a frame bracket 30 and mounted, the male connector housing 20 to be mounted on the bracket 30 is moved in the direction perpendicular to the inserting direction and rear-supported by a rack part 54 after being inserted into the bracket 30 by the specified depth. When the female connector housing 10 is drawn by turning a lever 40 rotatably supported to the bracket 30, the male connector housing 20 is prevented from slipping off to the back surface side, and the housings can be reliably united with each other with a small force by using the lever 40 in the uniting plate while miniaturizing them by removing the lever 40 from respective connector housings 10, 20.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lever-type connector, and more particularly to a lever-type connector that is mounted at a predetermined position via a bracket.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In connectors used for automobiles,
While the fitting force increases due to the increase in the number of poles, a lever-type connector having a rotating lever that utilizes the lever principle is used. That is, this principle is used when the lever is rotated, and a large force is exerted with a small force so that the mating connector can be fitted and connected. On the other hand, as the number of poles and lever type increases, the connector itself becomes larger, and it becomes unstable by simply hanging it between wire harnesses.Therefore, a predetermined bracket is attached to the vehicle body in advance and fixed to the vehicle body via this bracket. doing.

[0003]

In the above-mentioned conventional lever-type connector, the size of the lever is increased as much as the lever is mounted, which is an obstacle to handling during wiring. In addition, since a large force is required to pull the mating connector, the arm portion of the U-shaped lever must be supported by sandwiching it from both sides. Therefore, not only the size of the lever is increased, but a guide wall for reinforcement is provided, and the size is increased by two.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a lever-type connector capable of preventing the size from increasing while increasing the number of poles.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is to mount a frame-shaped bracket and one of the brackets which can be fitted to each other and one of which is the frame-shaped bracket, from one opening. , The other is a pair of connector housings that are fitted and connected to the mounted side, and is rotatably supported with respect to the bracket, and is engaged with the other connector housing by a pivoting operation and retracted. A lever piece that operates and a back surface that moves in a direction orthogonal to the insertion direction at a position inserted from the opening to a predetermined depth when mounting the one connector housing to the bracket and holds it so as to be back-supported by the shelf portion. And a support mechanism.

[0006] The invention according to claim 2 is based on claim 1.
In the lever-type connector described in (1), the lever piece is mounted on the inner peripheral surface of the frame-shaped bracket.

[0007]

In the invention according to claim 1 configured as described above, when inserting the connector housings which can be fitted to each other from both sides of the frame-shaped bracket, one connector housing is connected to one of the frame-shaped brackets. After being inserted to a predetermined depth from the opening, it is moved in a direction orthogonal to the insertion direction and held on the shelf. Since the connector housing is inserted through such a crank-shaped path, the connector housing is supported from the rear surface by the shelf portion and does not escape from the position of the predetermined depth to the rear surface side. Next, when the other connector housing is brought close to the one connector housing from the opening on the opposite side of the bracket having the frame shape, and the lever piece rotatably supported with respect to the bracket is rotated, The other connector housing is pulled toward the one connector housing to fit and connect them.

Further, in the invention according to claim 2 configured as described above, when the connector housing is mounted in the frame-shaped bracket, the lever piece is sandwiched between the inner peripheral surface of the bracket and the connector housing. Eliminating the need for a guide wall for the lever piece only.

[0009]

As described above, according to the present invention, by mounting the lever piece on the bracket, the connector housing to be routed can be downsized, and the handling operation force can be reduced while facilitating the routing. It is possible to provide a simple lever-type connector. At this time, one of the connector housings is directly fixed to the bracket, and the other connector housing only is pulled by the lever piece.Therefore, if the side to be fixed directly comes off to the back side of the bracket, the other connector housing is pulled. The fitting connection between the housings will be incorrect. On the other hand, in the present invention, since the side to be directly fixed is supported from the back side,
The connector housings can be reliably attracted to each other and fitted and connected without coming off.

According to the second aspect of the invention, since the lever piece is supported by the bracket as the frame body, the guide wall is not required, and the size can be reduced by one turn.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a lever-type connector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the present lever-type connector includes a rectangular box-shaped female connector housing 10, a male connector housing 20 having a hood portion 21 into which the female connector housing 10 can be inserted, and the male connector. It is composed of a frame-shaped bracket 30 on which the housing 20 can be mounted and a U-shaped lever 40 rotatably mounted on the inner peripheral surface of the frame-shaped bracket 30. The bracket 30 is formed with a back support mechanism 50 for guiding and fixing the bracket 30 at a predetermined position.

In the present embodiment, the female connector housing 10 is inserted into the hood portion 21 of the male connector housing 20 for fitting and connection, but a pair of connectors that can be fitted to each other is formed. Any shape may be used as long as it is one. Further, either side may hold the terminal fitting on either side of male or female. The male connector housing 20 that is mounted on the bracket 30 in advance has the hood portion 21 on the upper side and the terminal accommodating portion 22 for holding the terminal fitting on the lower side. The same hood section 2
The step 23 is formed such that the diameter of 1 is smaller.

On the other hand, the bracket 30 is formed in a frame shape having two frame holes into which the male connector housing 20 can be inserted, and the male connector housing 20 is inserted from the lower side of the opening and from the upper side of the opening. The female connector housing 10 is inserted. In the present embodiment, the bracket 30 has two frame holes,
It suffices that the pair of connector housings be mounted from both sides of the frame hole, and the number of frame housings is not limited to two, and the number can be appropriately increased or decreased.

Further, on the inner surface of the bracket 30, there is formed a pressing wall portion 51 projecting from the peripheral edge toward the inner periphery so as to have an opening diameter corresponding to the step 23 of the male connector housing 20. Protrusions 52, 52 for pressing are formed at positions near the upper end of the outer side surface in the lateral direction of the outer side surface of the male connector housing 20. Therefore, when the male connector housing 20 is inserted through the opening on the lower side, the protrusions 52, 52 are formed in the same wall portion 51.
It hits from below and cannot be inserted beyond a predetermined depth. Here, the wall 51
The length of the opening in the widthwise direction of the hood portion 21 and the length of the hood portion 21 in the widthwise direction substantially match, but the lengthwise opening of the wall portion 51 is slightly smaller than the length of the hood portion 21 in the lengthwise direction. It is getting bigger. Therefore, the hood portion 21 is slightly movable in the longitudinal direction within the opening of the wall portion 51. Then, the female connector housing 10 can be received in the state of moving to the left in the figure.

On the other hand, three engaging projections 53 are formed at equal intervals at the lower end positions of both outer side surfaces in the longitudinal direction of the terminal accommodating portion 22. The engaging protrusion 53 has an isosceles triangular cross section, and the protrusion faces upward. Corresponding to the engaging projections 53, the inner peripheral surface of the bracket 30 is also formed with three shelves 54 that horizontally project inward. Regarding the positional relationship between each shelf 54 and the engaging projection 53,
When the hood portion 21 moves leftward in the opening of the wall portion 51, the engaging projection 53 enters into contact with the upper surface of the shelf portion 54, and the hood portion 21 moves rightward in the opening of the wall portion 51. When moved, the engagement projection 53 is adapted to be disengaged from the upper surface of the shelf 54.

Therefore, the male side connector housing 20 is inserted toward the inside of the bracket 30 while being shifted to the right,
When the protrusions 52, 52 are inserted to the depth of hitting the wall portion 51, the male connector housing 20 is shifted to the left, whereby the engaging protrusions 53 move to the upper surface side of the respective shelf portions 54 and are supported from the rear surface. At the same time, the female connector housing 10 can be inserted into the hood portion 21. That is, these constitute the back surface support mechanism 50.

In the present embodiment, the triangular engaging projection 53 moves to the upper surface side of the shelf portion 54 and is supported on the back surface, but the vertical movement and the horizontal movement are combined. It can be configured by various concavo-convex engagements as long as it is supported by the back surface. For example,
As shown in FIG. 2, a columnar engagement protrusion 53a is formed instead of the triangular engagement protrusion 53, and an inverted L-shaped grooved shelf 54a is formed instead of the plate-shaped shelf 54. If formed, the engaging protrusion 53a is an L-shaped grooved shelf 54a.
After entering the inside and moving in the vertical direction as well, it abuts and moves in the horizontal direction to be back-supported. In addition, as shown in FIG.
The back support may be provided when b and 54b overlap each other.

A pair of shaft support pins 32, 32 facing each other are provided upright in the center of the inner wall surface of the bracket 30 in the longitudinal direction, and the arm portions 42, 42 at both ends of a lever 40 formed in a U-shape. Shaft holes 42a, 42a are formed at the front ends of the shaft support pins 32, 32 so that the shaft support pins 32, 32 can be rotatably engaged therewith. This allows lever 40
The base portion 43 connecting the both arm portions 42, 42 is rotatable in an arc from the upper end of the wall surface in one lateral direction of the bracket 30 to the upper end of the wall surface in the other lateral direction.

The tip ends of the arm portions 42, 42 are provided with cam-shaped bulging portions 42b, 42b which bulge radially around the shaft holes 42a, 42a.
Cam grooves 42c and 42c forming a part of a spiral shape are formed in the b and 42b around the coaxial holes 42a and 42a. Since the cam grooves 42c, 42c are spiral-shaped,
The one end is close to the shaft holes 42a, 42a, and the other end is opened to the side surface of the arm portion 42, respectively.
d and 42d are formed. Here, when the base portion 43 of the lever 40 is substantially horizontal as shown in FIG. 4, the introduction ports 42d, 42d are located right above the shaft holes 42a, 42a.

Corresponding to these cam grooves 42c, 42c, cam pins 11, 11 are provided upright in the middle of the outer surface of the female connector housing 10, and the introduction ports 42d, 42d are formed in the shaft holes 42a, 42a. When the female connector housing 10 is inserted from the upper side of the bracket 30 while the upper side is open, the cam pins 11 and 11 are automatically inserted into the introduction port 42.
It enters into the cam grooves 42c, 42c from d, 42d. When the lever 40 is rotated clockwise around the shaft holes 42a, 42a, the spiral cam grooves 42c, 42c are formed.
The inner peripheral surface of the cam pins 11, 11 causes the coaxial holes 42a,
42a. Therefore, if the male connector housing 20 is mounted on the bracket 30, the two will be pulled together and united.

In the present embodiment, the lever 40 is formed in a U shape and both arm portions 42 are retained by being retained on the inner peripheral wall surface of the bracket 30, but the lever 40 itself is not necessarily in the U shape. It does not have to be formed as long as it can be engaged with the female connector housing 10 and drawn to it, and can be fitted and connected to the male connector housing 20. Therefore, the bracket 30 has a shape that sandwiches the outside,
It can be appropriately changed such as being formed in a plate shape and rotatably supported on one inner side surface of the bracket 30.

Further, in this embodiment, the lever 40
Although the cam grooves 42c, 42c are formed on the side of the female connector housing and the cam pins 11, 11 are formed on the female connector housing 10, any cam mechanism that pulls the female connector housing 10 toward each other by rotating the lever 40 can be used. However, the cam groove may be formed on any side and the cam pin may be formed on any side. Of course, other than the cam mechanism formed by the cam groove and the cam pin, the arm and the crank may be used to perform the same function. Further, not only the single lever 40 but also separate lever pieces that are engaged with each other to drive may be provided to pull the female connector housing 10 respectively.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment having the above configuration will be described. Terminal fittings and electric wires (not shown) are attached to the male side connector housing 20 and the female side connector housing 10 to form a harness, which is arranged at a predetermined position. At this time,
Since the lever pieces are not attached to both connector housings 10 and 20, the handling is good. A bracket 30 to which the lever 40 is attached is prepared at a combined position of the two connector housings 10 and 20, and the male connector housing 20 is attached to the bracket 30. As described above, when the male connector housing 20 is shifted to the right within the range where it can be inserted into the bracket 30 and is inserted from the lower opening, the protrusions 52, 52 can be inserted to the depth at which they are abutted against the wall portion 51. This state is shown in FIG.
After that, by shifting the male side connector housing 20 to the left, each engaging projection 53 moves to the upper surface side of each shelf portion 54 and is supported from the back surface, and is prevented from coming off in the back surface direction. This state is shown in FIG.

Thereafter, the female connector housing 10 is faced from the upper side of the bracket 30 and inserted into the hood portion 21 of the male connector housing 20. As described above, if the male connector housing 20 is displaced to the left in the bracket 30, it can be back-supported and the female connector housing 10 can be inserted into the hood portion 21, but it must be properly displaced to the left. For example, the engaging projection 53 is not back-supported by the shelf portion 54 and the female connector housing 10 cannot be inserted into the hood portion 21.

The female connector housing 10 is attached to the hood 2
1, the cam pin 11 on the outer side surface enters into the introduction port 42d that opens upward at the cam-shaped bulge portion 42b of the lever 40, and when the lever 40 is rotated, a spiral shape is formed. The cam pin 11 is pulled toward the shaft hole 42a side at the inner peripheral surface of the cam groove 42c, and as shown in FIG. 6, the female connector housing 10 itself becomes the male connector housing 20.
The two are united by being drawn into the hood portion 21 of. When the male connector housing 20 is assembled, the male connector housing 20 is back-supported with respect to the bracket 30 as described above, so that the female connector housing 10 can be firmly fixed and received even when the female connector housing 10 is pulled. Further, when the rear side is not supported, the female connector housing 1
Since 0 cannot be inserted into the hood portion 21, it is also impossible to pull the female connector housing 10 in a state where it is not supported on the back surface.

After that, the bracket 30 is attached and fixed to the vehicle body. In this way, when the female connector housing 10 and the male connector housing 20 that are united with each other are mounted facing each other from both sides of the frame-shaped bracket 30, the male connector housing 20 mounted on the bracket 30 is mounted to the bracket to a predetermined depth. After being inserted in 30,
Since it is moved in the direction perpendicular to the insertion direction and back-supported by the shelf portion 54, when the lever 40 rotatably supported by the bracket 30 is rotated to pull the female connector housing 10, The male side connector housings 20 do not slip out to the rear side, and while the levers are detached from the respective connector housings to make them compact, the levers can be used to surely combine them with a small force at the combining place.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a lever-type connector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view showing a modified example of a back surface support mechanism.

FIG. 3 is a view showing another modification of the back surface support mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a mounting process of the male connector housing in the lever-type connector.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a mounted state of the male connector housing in the lever-type connector.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a combined state of the lever-type connector.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 ... Female connector housing 11 ... Cam pin 20 ... Male connector housing 30 ... Bracket 32 ... Shaft support pin 40 ... Lever 42c ... Cam groove 50 ... Back support mechanism 51 ... Wall 52 ... Projection 53 ... Engaging projection 53a ... Engagement Joint protrusion 53b ... Plate material 54 ... Shelf portion 54a ... Shelf portion 54b ... Plate material

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A frame-shaped bracket and a pair of connectors which can be fitted to each other, one of which is mounted through one opening of the frame-shaped bracket and the other of which is fitted and connected to the mounted side. A housing, a lever piece that is rotatably supported with respect to the bracket and that engages with the other connector housing by a pivoting operation and retracts, and an opening for attaching the one connector housing to the bracket. To a predetermined depth, the lever-type connector comprising: a back support mechanism that moves in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction and holds the back support on a shelf. 2. The lever type connector according to claim 1, wherein the lever piece is attached to an inner peripheral surface of the bracket having a frame shape.