JPH10321292A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To lessen the number of parts and miniaturize a connector. SOLUTION: A lever (a movable locking member) 20 is formed from a leaf spring material made of a metal and the lever 20 itself is provided with an energizing function. When a fitting work of both connector housings 10, 30 is interrupted in a middle, based on the elastic restoring force of the lever 20, both connector housings 10, 30 are forcibly parted and when both housings are fitted in normal state, the lever 20 is turned back and displaced and locked with a receiving part 34 and both connector housings 10, 30 are locked in the normally fitted state. Since the lever 20 is made of a spring material and united with an energizing means, the number of the parts is lessened as compared with the number in the case that the lever 20 and the energizing means are separate parts and the cost is lowered and the assembling workability is improved and the whole body can be miniaturized because no housing space exclusively for the energizing means is necessary.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a connector having a fitting lock function utilizing a spring force.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIGS. 6 and 7 show a conventional connector of this type. This is because a lever 2 having a locking projection 2A at the tip and a compression for urging the lever 2 toward the lock side are provided in one of the connector housings 1 (left side in the figure) that can be fitted with each other. The coil spring 3 is provided, and the other connector housing 4 is formed with a receiving portion 5 which can be engaged with the lever 2 in a properly fitted state. During the fitting, the lever 2 is lifted up against the bias of the compression coil spring 3 by the engagement of the inclined surface 2B of the locking projection 2A with the receiving portion 5 as shown in FIG. If the operation is interrupted in this state, the two connector housings 1 and 4 are forcibly separated from each other by the bias of the compression coil spring 3, so that it is possible to reliably grasp that the connector housings 1 and 4 are in the half-fitted state. Then, when the locking projection 2A gets over the receiving portion 5 and is in a properly fitted state, the lever 2 is lowered by the bias of the compression coil spring 3, and the locking surface 2C of the locking projection 2A is moved to the receiving portion as shown in FIG. 5, the connector housings 1 and 4 are locked in a properly fitted state.

[0003]

In the above connector, a strong biasing force can be obtained by using a compression coil spring 3 separate from the lever 2 as means for biasing the lever 2 toward the lock side. The operation of half-fitting detection is reliably performed. However, since the urging means is a separate part from the lever 2, the manufacturing cost is increased due to an increase in the number of parts, the connector housing 1 is enlarged by securing a space for accommodating the urging means, and the workability in assembling the connector housing 1 is improved. There are problems such as decline. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to reduce the number of parts and reduce the size.

[0004]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a receiving portion is provided on one of a pair of connector housings which can be fitted with each other, and a movable locking member and the movable locking member are provided on the other. An urging means for urging the member in the direction of engagement with the receiving portion is provided, and the movable locking member is displaced against the urging means during the fitting of the two connector housings to thereby receive the member. When the two connector housings are properly engaged with each other, the movable locking member is displaced by the biasing means and is engaged with the receiving portion, so that the two connector housings are locked in the properly fitted state. The movable locking member is formed of a metal spring material to provide the movable locking member with the urging means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the spring member is a leaf spring.

[0006]

Actions and effects of the present invention

<Invention of claim 1> During the fitting of the two connector housings, the movable locking member is displaced against the urging of the urging means provided on itself. If the work is interrupted during mating,
Since the two connector housings are forcibly separated from each other by the elastic restoring force of the movable locking member, it can be understood that the connector housings are in the half-fitted state. The biasing means is integrated with the movable locking member by molding the movable locking member with a spring material, so that the number of parts is reduced, the cost is reduced, and the connector is reduced as compared with the case where both are separate parts. The workability of assembling the housing can be improved, and the size of the connector housing can be reduced due to the elimination of the necessity of a housing space dedicated to the urging means. Further, since the elasticity of the metal is used as the urging means, there is no fear that the elastic function is reduced by heat even in a high temperature environment, and the reliability is high.

<Invention of Claim 2> Since the movable locking member has a plate shape, the space required for mounting is small, and further downsizing is possible.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Embodiment 1 Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The connector of the present embodiment includes a male connector housing 10 integrally formed with an electric device, and a female connector housing 30 that can be fitted to the male connector housing 10. The male connector housing 10 is integral with a case (not shown) of an electric device, and has a rectangular tubular hood portion 11 formed so as to protrude from the front surface thereof. The tabs 12 of the male terminal fittings mounted inside 10 protrude. On the upper surface of the male connector housing 10, there are formed a pair of L-shaped lever holding portions 13 rising along the left and right side edges thereof and having an upper end bent inward. A holding projection 14 protruding from an intermediate position is formed. The front edge of the upper surface of the hood 11 is provided with a relief portion 15 by notching the center position.
Are formed. A locking portion 23 of a lever (movable locking member, which is a component of the present invention) 20 described later is fitted into the escape portion 15.

The lever 20 is made of a single metal leaf spring material. The lever 20 has an elastic bending portion 22 extending from the front edge of the mounting portion 21 and a locking portion 2 attached to the front edge of the elastic bending portion 22.
3 is provided. The mounting portion 21 has a rectangular shape that matches the upper surface of the male connector housing 10 and has a locking hole 24 formed at a substantially central position. The left and right side edges of the mounting portion 21 are pressed by the lever holding portion 13, and the holding projection 14 is locked in the locking hole 24, so that the lever 20 is mounted on the male connector housing 10.

The elastic bending portion 22 has a rectangular plate shape slightly narrower than the mounting portion 21, and
And protrudes forward along the upper surface of the hood portion 11 in a cantilever manner. In addition, the projecting direction of the elastic bending portion 22 is not parallel to the fitting direction of the connector housings 10 and 30 but is slightly downward, and the leading edge of the elastic bending portion 22 is always the front edge of the hood portion 11. Is almost in contact with. Since the elastic bending portion 22 is made of a leaf spring material, the elastic bending portion 22 can elastically bend such that the locking portion 23 is displaced upward. The function of urging in the direction to be engaged with the receiving portion 34 of the side connector housing 30 is exhibited.

The locking portion 23 is formed by bending a portion extending from the center of the distal end edge of the elastic bending portion 22 downward, and is positioned so as to fit into the relief portion 15 of the hood portion 11. . The locking portion 23 is displaced upward with the elastic bending of the elastic bending portion 22. The locking portion 23 has a substantially right-angled triangle shape when viewed from the side, an inclined portion 23A that extends diagonally rearward from the front end edge of the elastic bending portion 22, and an upper end that rises substantially directly above the lower end edge of the inclined portion 23A and is elastic. The rising portion 23B abuts against the lower surface of the bending portion 22, and a continuous portion of the inclined portion 23A and the rising portion 23B is a sliding contact portion 23C whose outer surface forms an arc shape.

The rear surface of the rising portion 23B is formed as a locking surface 23D orthogonal to the fitting direction of the connector housings 10, 30. When the connector housings 10, 30 are in a properly fitted state, the locking surface 23D is formed. The female connector housing 30 is engaged with a locking surface of a female connector housing 30 described later.
In addition, the sliding contact portion 23C is connected to both connector housings 10 and 3.
In the middle of the fitting process, the female connector housing 30 slides on a guide slope 34A to be described later.

The female connector housing 30 includes a pair of left and right terminal receiving portions 31 projecting forward in parallel with each other, and a connecting portion 32 connecting the rear ends of the terminal receiving portions 31 to each other. A female terminal fitting (not shown) is inserted into each terminal accommodating portion 31 from a rear end insertion opening (not shown), and the connecting portion 32 is provided with an insertion opening for the female terminal fitting. A cover 33 is attached to cover. A receiving portion 34 is formed between the two terminal accommodating portions 31 so as to connect the both. The front surface of the receiving portion 34 is a guiding inclined surface 34A that is inclined so as to be inclined backward with respect to the fitting direction of the connector housings 10, 30. The sliding contact portion 23C of the locking portion 23 of the lever 20 comes into contact with the guide slope 34A during the fitting, and the locking portion 2 is moved as the fitting proceeds.
3 can be displaced upward. Receiving part 3
The lower half area of the rear surface of the connector housings 10 and 3
0 is a locking surface 34B perpendicular to the fitting direction, and the locking surface 34B
Are engaged so that both connector housings 10, 3
0 is locked in the normal fitting state. The upper half area of the rear surface of the receiving portion 34 is
The retracted slope 34C is inclined at a steep angle with respect to the fitting direction of 0,30. Connector housing 10, 3
The fitting of 0 is forcibly advanced to reach a normal fitting state.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described. When the connector housings 10 and 30 are fitted together, the sliding contact portion 23C at the tip of the lever 20 abuts on the lower part of the guide slope 34A of the receiving portion 34 of the female connector housing 30 in the middle of the fitting, and further fitting is continued as it is. As shown in FIG. 3, the sliding portion 23C slides up on the guide slope 34A while the elastic bending portion 22 of the lever 20 undergoes elastic bending, and the locking portion 23 is displaced upward. If the fitting operation is interrupted in this state, the sliding contact portion 23C moves down according to the inclination of the guiding slope 34A due to the elastic restoring force of the elastic bending portion 22,
Accordingly, the connector housings 10, 30 are forcibly separated from each other. By performing this forced separation operation, the operator can clearly understand that the work has been interrupted in the half-fitted state, so that both connector housings 10, 30 remain half-fitted. Is reliably prevented.

When the fitting is further advanced from the state shown in FIG. 3, the locking portion 23 goes over the top of the receiving portion 34, and the sliding contact portion 23C is engaged with the retracted slope 34C as shown in FIG. State. In this state, due to the elastic restoring force of the elastic bending portion 22 and the steep inclination of the retraction slope 34C, the locking portion 23 is forcibly moved down and the connector housings 10, 30 are forcibly pulled into the properly fitted state. Will be able to Thereby, both connector housings 10, 3
Since 0 is in the normal fitting state without fail, the operator can feel the pull-in operation by hand, so that it is possible to reliably grasp that the normal fitting state has been reached.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the locking portion 23 is formed by forming the lever 20 from a leaf spring material.
Since the urging means is provided for urging the lever and the urging means in the direction of engagement (locking direction) with respect to the receiving portion 34, the number of parts is smaller than when the lever and the urging means are separate parts. Reduced, manufacturing cost, simplification of management and reduction of management cost, improvement of workability in assembling to connector housing,
Since the housing space dedicated to the urging means is not required, the connector housing can be reduced in size. Also, since the lever 20 is made of metal, unlike the case where the lever 20 is made of resin,
It is not necessary to increase the thickness of the elastic bending portion 22 in order to secure the bending rigidity, so that the height of the male connector housing 10 can be reduced. Furthermore, since the elasticity of the metal is used as a means for securing the urging force, there is no danger of the urging force decreasing even when used in an environment exposed to high temperatures, and the reliability of the urging function in a high-temperature environment is reduced. High in nature.

In this embodiment, the locking portion 23 is bent in a triangular shape from the tip of the elastic bending portion 22 so that the bent end abuts against the lower surface of the elastic bending portion 22. Since the load acting on the locking portion 23 is received by the lower surface of the elastic bending portion 22 at the time of the forced separating operation at the time of fitting, the effect of preventing deformation of the locking portion 23 is high. Further, in the present embodiment, since the lever 20 is formed by a leaf spring, the lever 20 can be mounted along the upper surface of the male connector housing 10, and it is not necessary to secure a large mounting space inside the male connector housing 10. ing. Therefore, even if the male connector housing 10 is formed integrally with the case of the electric device, the male connector housing 10 does not need to be enlarged.

<Other Embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. In addition, various changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. (1) In the above embodiment, the lever 20 is formed of a single plate-shaped spring material. However, according to the present invention, a torsion coil spring is used, the coil portion of which functions as urging means, and the arms at both ends are used. May function as a lever.

(2) In the above-described embodiment, the locking portion 23 at the tip of the lever 20 is bent into a triangular shape so that the half-fitting prevention function can be exhibited. If only the function of locking to the state is required, it may be simply bent downward at a right angle. (3) In the above embodiment, a projection is formed at the tip of the bent portion of the locking portion 23, and a locking hole is formed in the elastic bending portion 22, and the projection and the locking hole are engaged to make a relative displacement in the length direction. May be regulated. With this configuration, the deformation of the locking portion is reliably prevented, and the reliability of the half-fitting detection function and the fitting lock function is improved.

(4) In the above embodiment, the case where the connector housing 10 to which the lever 20 is attached is formed integrally with the case of the electric equipment has been described. However, in the present invention, both connector housings independently connect the ends of the electric wires. The present invention can also be applied to a so-called wire-to-wire type connector for connection.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which both connector housings of a first embodiment are detached.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a state where both connector housings of the first embodiment are detached.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which both connector housings according to the first embodiment are being fitted.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a state in which the two connector housings according to the first embodiment are being fitted.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a state in which the connector housing of the first embodiment is properly fitted.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in the middle of fitting in a conventional example.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a normal fitting state of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 10 male connector housing (other connector housing) 20 lever (movable locking member) 30 female connector housing (one connector housing) 34 receiving part

Claims (2)

[Claims] A receiving portion is provided on one of a pair of connector housings that can be fitted with each other, and the other is provided with a movable locking member and a movable locking member in a direction of engagement with the receiving portion. An urging means for urging is provided, and during the fitting of the two connector housings, the movable locking member is displaced against the urging means to get over the receiving portion, and the two connector housings are properly fitted. When the movable locking member is restored and displaced by the urging means and engaged with the receiving portion, the two connector housings are locked in a properly fitted state. A connector wherein the stop member is formed of a metal spring material so that the movable locking member is provided with the urging means. 2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein said spring material is a leaf spring.