JPH11162583A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connector by which a slide plate is automatically put in a closing state when the connector is separated. SOLUTION: A locking piece 50 is arranged on a slide plate 40 of a connector 20, and a projection 51 provided on the locking piece 50 can be locked in the connector separating direction on a projection 17 of a locking piece 16 provided in a mating side hood 13. Therefore, when the connector 20 is pulled out of the hood 13, the slide plate 40 transfers up to a closing position by being pulled by a hood 13 part. Thus, in this connector 20, the slide plate 40 is automatically returned to the closing pisition at separating time, and since a tongue piece 31 of a terminal metal fitting 30 is protected, the necessity to close the slide plate 40 one by one is eliminated, and handling performance is improved.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a connector provided with a slide plate on a side surface of a connector housing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a connector disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-117079 has been known as this kind of connector. This connector 1 is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, in which a terminal housing 3 provided in a connector housing 2 is opened to an upper surface 2 </ b> A of the connector housing 2, and a terminal fitting 4 housed in the terminal housing 3 is provided. Are exposed on the upper surface 2A. A slide plate 6 is inserted between a pair of side walls 5 and 5 provided on both sides of the terminal accommodating portion 3, and the slide plate 6 is pushed by the mating connector at the time of coupling with the mating connector, so that the terminal fitting 4 is formed. Slides from a closed position (see FIG. 9) covering the exposed portion to an open position (see FIG. 10) to be exposed.

[0003]

When the connector 1 is detached from the mating connector, the slide plate 6 remains open. Unless the slide plate 6 is pulled back to the closed position one by one. There was a problem that did not become.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a connector in which a slide plate is automatically closed when a connector is detached.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a part of a side wall of a connector housing is cut off to expose an electric connection portion with a mating connector and to form a connection on the side wall. A sliding plate that is slidable along the opening, and the sliding plate is pushed by the mating connector to expose the electric connecting portion from the closed position that covers the electric connecting portion when the connector connecting operation between the connector housing and the mating connector is performed. In the connector that slides to the position, the slide plate is locked so as not to separate from the mating connector at the time of connector coupling operation, and the slide plate is closed when the connector housing is detached from the mating connector It is characterized by having a locking means that can be pulled to a position.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the connector according to the first aspect, the locking means sets the timing for locking the slide plate to the mating connector before the start timing of the slide plate by the connector coupling operation. However, it has features.

[0007]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the connectors are connected and operated, the slide plate is locked by the locking means so as not to be separated from the mating connector. And
When the connector is detached, the slide plate is pulled back to the closed position by the mating connector. As described above, in the present connector, the slide plate is automatically returned to the closed position at the time of detachment, and the electrical connection portion is protected. Therefore, it is not necessary to close the slide plate each time, and the handleability is excellent.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the locking between the slide plate and the mating connector is performed before the sliding movement of the slide plate. Even if the connector is disconnected from the state where the plate is half-open, the slide plate can be automatically returned to the closed position.

[0009]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.
A description will be given based on FIG. Connector 20 of the present embodiment
Is connected to a panel-side connector 14 provided on a speedometer panel 10 (hereinafter, referred to as “panel 10”) of an automobile. The panel side connector 14 is connected to the panel 1
A protruding FPC terminal 12 is extended from the FPC 11 laid on the back surface of the panel 10 and is laid in a hood 13 provided on the side surface of the panel 10. This FPC terminal 1
A plurality of conductive paths (not shown) extend in parallel toward the tip on 2, and this electrically contacts the terminal fittings 30 provided on the connector 20. Also, the FPC terminal 12
An opening 12A is formed at the center in the width direction on the base end side, and a locking portion 15 provided on the inner wall of the hood 13 faces the main connector 20 through the opening 12A. The details of the locking portion 15 will be described later. In addition, food 1
Relief grooves 13A, 13A for accommodating both vertical walls 23, 23 provided in the connector 20 are formed on both sides of the surface on which the FPC terminal 12 is laid out of the inner side surface of the connector 3.

The connector 20 has a connector housing 21 (hereinafter referred to as “housing 21”) that can be fitted inside the hood 13, and a terminal fitting 30 is accommodated in a cavity 22 formed in the housing 21. . The front half of the housing 21 in the fitting direction is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG.
Is cut out over the entire cavity 22, and an opening 22A of the cavity 22 is formed above the same figure. A tongue piece 31 provided on the terminal fitting 30 protrudes from the opening 22A, and forms an electrical connection portion 32 that can be in electrical contact with the conduction path of the FPC terminal 12.

On both vertical walls 23, 23 of the housing 21,
Grooves 25 extend along the fitting direction.
5 is covered by an upper wall 24.

A slide plate 4 is provided between the two vertical walls 23,23.
0 is inserted, and both ends are accommodated in the grooves 25, 25. The slide plate 40 has a closed position (see FIG. 3) covering the opening 22A of the cavity 22 and the opening 22A.
Is slid between the exposed position (see FIG. 2) where the is exposed. The slide plate 40 is provided with a stopper 47 (FIG. 4).
(Refer to (b)), it does not slide forward from the closed position, and does not slide backward from the open position by another stopper (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 3, a stopper projection 43 is formed at the rear end of the slide plate 40 so as to protrude upward in FIG. The right side of the stop projection 43 in FIG.
A, and the left side is a gentle slope 43B. A stop piece 44 is formed on the upper wall 24 of the housing 21 at a position corresponding to the stop protrusion 43. At the tip of the stopper piece 44, a stopper protrusion 45 is formed so as to protrude toward the slide plate 40. The right side in FIG. 4B of the stopper protrusion 45 forms a vertical surface 45A, and the left side forms a steep slope 45B. When the slide plate 40 is in the closed position, the stopper projection 43 is provided.
The vertical surface 43A abuts on the steeply inclined surface 45B of the stopper projection 45 and is locked, thereby restricting the slide plate 40 from inadvertently sliding to the open side (see FIG. 4B). When the slide plate 40 is pressed with a large force, the stopper 4
The stop projection 45 and the stop projection 43 move over the other side so as to deflect the upper part 4 upward, and the locking of both is released.

At both sides of the front end of the slide plate 40, butting portions 41, 41 are formed to project upward in FIG. Then, when the connectors 20 and 14 are fitted together, the butting portion 41 is connected to the hood 13 (see FIG. 1).
The slide plate 40 comes into contact with the opening edge of
Pushed behind one.

As shown in FIG. 4A, a locking piece 5 is provided at the center of the front end of the slide plate 40 toward the front.
0 is extended and can be locked with the locking piece 16 provided on the locking portion 15 of the panel-side connector 14. At the tip of the locking piece 50, as shown in FIG. 7, a locking projection 51 projects upward.
Of these, slopes 51A, 51A are formed on both left and right sides in FIG. On the other hand, the locking portion 15 of the panel-side connector 14
As shown in FIG. 4B, a step 15A is formed on the inner wall of the hood 13, and the connector 2 of the step 15A is formed.
The locking piece 16 is configured to protrude from the surface 15B facing the 0 side. As shown in FIG. 7, the locking pieces 16 also have locking projections 17 protruding downward in the figure.
A and 17A are formed. And both connectors 2
0, 14 are pressed against each other, the two locking projections 51, 17
Slides the slopes 51A and 17A together, and the locking pieces 50,
Overcoming each other while flexing 16. Also,
In the connector 20 of the present embodiment, the locking projections 51, 1
The resistance over which the members 7 get over each other is set to be weaker than the resistance with which the stop projection 43 and the stop projection 45 get over each other.

Next, the operation of this embodiment having the above configuration will be described. The connector 20 is carried into the assembly site with the panel-side connector 14 with the slide plate 40 closed. Then, at the assembly site, as shown in FIG.
Is pushed into the hood 13 of the panel-side connector 14. Then, in the initial stage of the pushing operation, the slide plate 4
The locking projections 51 of the locking pieces 50 provided on the hood 13 and the locking projections 17 of the locking pieces 16 provided on the hood 13 abut, and the slide plate 40 is pushed to the open side. However, the slide plate 40 does not move to the open side due to the engagement between the stop protrusion 43 and the stop protrusion 45.

Here, the connector 20 is pushed firmly. Then, the resistance of the locking projections 51 and 17 over the other side is set to be weaker than the locking force between the locking projection 43 and the locking projection 45, so that the engagement between the locking projection 43 and the locking projection 45 is reduced. Before the stop is released (before the slide plate 40 slides), both the locking projections 51 and 17 climb over each other while bending the locking pieces 50 and 16. Then, as shown in FIG. 5, the locking projections 51 and 17 are locked together so as not to separate the slide plate 40 from the hood 13, and the abutting portion 41 of the slide plate 40 is moved to the opening edge of the hood 13. Abut. In this state, the connector 20 is further connected to the hood 13.
When it is pushed into the part, the stop projection 43 and the stop projection 4
5 deflects the stop piece 44 and climbs over each other to release the engagement between them. Then, the slide plate 40 is opened (see FIG. 6), and the tongue piece 31 of the terminal fitting 30 is opened.
Is in electrical contact with the conduction path of the FPC terminal 12.

The connectors 20 and 14 can be detached by pulling the connector 20 out of the hood 13. Then, by the locking of the locking projections 51 and 17, the slide plate 40 is pulled by the hood 13 and slides in the closing direction. The stop projection 45 and the stop projection 43 come into contact with each other in the middle thereof, but the abutting portion is a gentle slope 43B of the stop projection 43 and can be easily climbed over. The slide plate 40 can move to the closed position without releasing the stop. And slide plate 4
When 0 is in the closed position, the slide plate 40 can no longer be moved by the stopper 47, the slide plate 40 is pulled away from the hood 13 by a strong force, and the locking projections 51, 1
7 is released.

Thus, when the connector 20 is detached,
Since the slide plate 40 is automatically returned to the closed position and the tongue piece 31 of the terminal fitting 30 is protected, the slide plate 4
There is no need to close 0, and the handleability is excellent. In addition, in the connector 20 of the present embodiment, the locking projections 51 and 17 between the slide plate 40 and the hood 13 are locked before the slide plate 40 slides.
Even when the connector 20 is fitted halfway into the panel-side connector 14 and the connector 20 is detached from the state where the slide plate 40 is opened halfway, the slide plate 40 can be automatically returned to the closed position.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention, and the scope other than the following does not depart from the gist. Various changes can be made within the embodiment. (1) In the above embodiment, the locking means according to the present invention is constituted by the locking pieces 50. However, for example, a magnetic body which can be attracted to the mating connector and the slide plate is provided, and the magnetic force of the magnetic body is used to provide the connector. A configuration in which the slide plate is pulled to the closed position at the time of detachment may be adopted. (2) In the above-described embodiment, the locking projections 51 and 17 can be locked before the slide plate 40 moves in the sliding direction.
As shown in FIG. 8, a configuration may be employed in which the inclination angle of the front surface 61 of the locking projection 60 is made gentle, and the opposite surface 62 is made a steep slope. (3) Unlike the above embodiment, the slide plate 40
May be set to lock the locking projections 51 and 17 together after the is completely opened.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a connector and a panel-side connector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which a slide plate of the connector is opened.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which a slide plate of the connector is closed.

FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional plan view before fitting both connectors, and FIG.

FIG. 5 (a) is a cross-sectional plan view of both connectors in a state where locking pieces are locked together, and (b) a side cross-sectional view thereof.

FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional plan view showing a state in which both connectors are completely fitted. FIG.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged side sectional view of a locking projection.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged side sectional view of a locking projection showing a modification.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a state in which a slide plate of a conventional connector is closed.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which a slide plate of a conventional connector is opened.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 14 ... Panel side connector (mating connector) 20 ... Connector 21 ... Connector housing 32 ... Electrical connection part 40 ... Slide plate 50 ... Locking piece (locking means) 51 ... Locking projection (locking means) 60 ... Locking projection (Locking means)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A side wall of a connector housing is cut off to expose an electrical connection portion with a mating connector, and a slide plate slidable along the side wall is provided, and the slide plate is provided in the connector housing. A connector that is slid from a closed position covering the electric connection portion to an open position exposing the electric connection portion by being pushed by the mating connector during a connector coupling operation with the mating connector. It is possible to lock the slide plate so as not to separate from the mating connector during the coupling operation, and to pull the slide plate to the closed position when detaching the connector housing from the mating connector. A connector provided with a locking means. 2. A timing according to claim 1, wherein said locking means sets a timing for locking said slide plate to said mating connector before a start timing of said slide plate by a connector connecting operation. connector.