JPH11260472A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connector in which a stand-by state of fitting for one connector housing can be surely kept before male and female connector housings are engaged, and both connector housings are prevented from being defectively engaged. SOLUTION: In a connector 10 in which one connector housing 60 is freely fitted with or detached from another connector housing 50 in a stand-by state of fitting in a cover 30 with a holder 20 and a cover 30 temporarily locked, temporary locking means 26, 34 to keep the stand-by state of fitting for the connector housing 50 are provided on the holder 20 and on the cover 30, a release means 64 to release a temporarily locking state of the temporarily locking means 26, 34 when the fitting of both connector housings 50, 60 is completed, is provided on the connector housing 60, a pay part 28 is provided at a position facing a flexible engagement piece 34, and the flexible engagement piece 34 is prevented from being deformed by an external force or a twist in order to surely protect it.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector suitable for smoothly connecting and disconnecting multipolar male and female connector housings from each other.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The applicant of the present invention has disclosed a connector of this type in Japanese Patent Application No.
No. 215304. This will be briefly described with reference to FIGS. 19 and 20. A synthetic resin-made male connector housing 2 which forms one connector housing of the connector 1 is press-fitted with a synthetic resin-made substantially rectangular cylindrical hood cover 3 or the like. It is fixed by. This hood cover 3
Is slidably provided in a substantially rectangular tubular holder 5 made of synthetic resin and attached to an attached body such as a vehicle body panel (not shown). A flexible locking piece 4 having a rectangular engaging hole 4a is integrally formed on both sides of the hood cover 3. Further, on both sides of the holder 5, flexible arms 6 having projections 6a which are engaged with and disengaged from the engagement holes 4a are formed integrally at the ends.

[0003] A flexible locking piece 4 of the hood cover 3 is provided.
Projection 6a of the flexible arm 6 of the holder 5 in the engagement hole 4a
When the male connector housing 2 is temporarily locked, the hood portion 7a of the synthetic resin female connector housing 7 constituting the other connector housing is connected to the male connector housing 2 and the hood cover 3 in a fitting standby state (so-called standby state). Between the female connector housings 7
The flexible arm 6 of the holder 5 is
Of the male connector housing 2 and the holder 5 in the temporarily locked state. Thus, when the two connector housings 2 and 7 are fitted to each other, the two connector housings 2 and 7 are slidable toward the attached body with respect to the holder 5.

When the two connector housings 2 and 7 are detached from the above-mentioned fitting state, as shown in FIG.
A stopper receiving portion 5b in which a stopper convex portion 3a of the hood cover 3 protrudes from a front end portion of a guide groove 5a on an inner wall surface of the holder 5.
, The position of the male connector housing 2 with respect to the holder 5 at which the male connector housing 2 projects forward is restricted.

[0005]

However, in the connector 1 of the prior art, when the male connector housing 2 and the hood cover 3 protrude from the holder 5 when the male connector housing 2 is in the fitting standby state, the hood cover 3 is not used. When the female connector housing 7 is to be fitted to the male connector housing 2 due to the provisional engagement between the female connector housing 2 and the holder 5, the butting between the female connector housing 7 and the hood cover 3 may occur. As a result, the tentative engagement between the hood cover 3 and the holder 5 may be released, and the connector housings 2 and 7 may not be fitted to each other. In addition, a wire harness or the like connected to the male connector housing 2 during transportation or the like. The external force is applied to the male connector housing 2 and the hood cover 3 by the Tentative retention of over 5 deviates, poor fit of the two connector housings 2 and 7 there is a possibility to occur.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and it is possible to reliably hold a mating standby state of one connector housing before mating of both male and female connector housings. It is another object of the present invention to provide a connector capable of reliably preventing a poor connection between two connector housings.

[0007]

Means for Solving the Problems The invention of claim 1 is a male,
One of the female and female connector housings is latched in the cover in the fitting standby state, and the holder, which is temporarily locked so as to accommodate the cover, is attached to the attached body. In a connector in which the other connector housing is removably fitted to and detachable from the one connector housing in the fitting standby state in the cover in the provisionally locked state, the fitting standby state of the one connector housing to the holder and the cover is provided. And temporary release means for releasing the temporary locked state of the temporary lock means when the two connector housings are completely fitted to the other connector housing. The locking means is constituted by a flexible arm having a locking portion at the tip, and the temporary locking means of the cover is formed by the flexible arm of the flexible arm. It is configured by a U-shaped flexible locking piece that is locked to and released from the stopper, and a relief portion is provided at a position facing the flexible locking piece on the inner wall surface side of the holder. Features.

In this connector, one of the connector housings and the cover that locks the one of the connector housings in the fitting standby state can be almost completely stored in the holder. The temporary locking of the holder and the cover does not come off, so that the connection failure of the two connector housings is reliably prevented, and the flexible locking piece of the cover escapes the holder when the two connector housings are connected and disconnected. Since it is housed in the portion, deformation of the flexible locking piece due to external force, twisting, or the like is prevented, and the flexible locking piece is reliably protected.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state before fitting of both male and female connector housings constituting a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the same state, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a front view of the male connector housing side. In the description in the figure, male,
The mating sides of the female and female connector housings are respectively referred to as front sides.

As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG.
Is a mounting hole 12 of an inner panel 11 of the vehicle.
Approximately square tubular holder 2 made of synthetic resin attached to
0, a substantially rectangular cylindrical cover 30 made of a synthetic resin and temporarily slidably provided in the holder 20 in a substantially completely accommodated state, and slidably provided in the front-rear direction. The portions are rotatably supported, and the male and female connector housings 50, 60 described later are fitted and disengaged (fitting, fitting,
A pair of levers 40, 40 made of synthetic resin to be released)
A synthetic resin male connector housing (one connector housing) 50 which is temporarily locked in the cover 30 in a fitting standby state (a so-called standby state) and slidably movable in a reciprocating manner; And a female connector housing (the other connector housing) 60 made of synthetic resin that is fitted to and removed from the male connector housing 50 described above.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the holder 20 is formed in a flat and substantially rectangular cylindrical shape by upper and lower walls 20a and 20b and both side walls 20c and 20c. Is slidably supported. This holder 2
No. 0 walls 20a, 20b, 20c are integrally formed with four corners at the rear end of the rear end of the opening and at the center of the rear end of the upper and lower walls 20a, 20b, respectively, a stopper 21 extending vertically outward. And the upper and lower walls 2 of the holder 20.
On both sides of Oa and 20b, flexible locking portions 22 extending obliquely upward from the front side to the rear side are integrally formed.
Each of the flexible locking portions 22 is integrally formed with a centering action portion 24 via a U-shaped slit 23 so as to extend horizontally rearward.

As shown in FIG. 2, the dimension between the alignment parts 24 on the upper and lower walls 20a and 20b of the holder 20 is the same as the dimension of the mounting hole 12 of the inner panel 11 in the height direction. It has been set. And the male connector housing 50
1 is temporarily locked in the cover 30 and the cover 30 is temporarily locked in the holder 20 as shown in FIG.
0, as shown in FIG.
When the holder 20 is inserted from the rear of each of the two, the respective flexible locking portions 22 bend inward and between the respective flexible locking portions 22 and the respective stopper portions 21 in the vicinity of the mounting holes 12 of the inner panel 11. The front and rear surfaces 11a and 11b are locked so as to be sandwiched. At this time, as shown in FIG.
The upper and lower aligning portions 24 integrally formed from the upper and lower flexible locking portions 22 through the slits 23 are fitted into the mounting holes 12 in an elastically deformable state.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the entire periphery of the front end of the front opening of each wall 20a, 20b, 20c of the holder 20 (the end on the mating side of the female connector housing 60) A tapered surface 25 for guiding the fitting of the female connector housing 60 is formed, and each wall 20 of the holder 20 is formed.
An L-shaped flexible arm (temporary locking means) 26 is integrally formed from the center of each of the central portions a, 20b, and 20c to the rear side through a U-shaped slit 26b. FIG.
As shown in (c), a protrusion (locking portion) 26a having a trapezoidal cross section is formed integrally with the inside of the distal end of each flexible arm 26. Further, each wall 20a, 20a of the holder 20
A concave portion 27 for preventing the holder from opening is integrally formed at a position on the front side of each of the flexible arms 26 and 20c so as to protrude outward in a U-shape. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, a flexible locking piece 34 of a cover 30 to be described later is provided from the front side to the center of the inner wall surface on both sides of each recess 27 of each wall 20a, 20b, 20c of the holder 20. A pair of relief portions 28, 28 for the storage space at the time of the deformation are formed.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the rigid position on the inner wall surface side of the upper wall 20a of the holder 20 (the reinforcing portion near the lever on both sides of the central concave portion 27) and the lower wall 2
0b (the stopper portions 2 on both sides)
A pair of guide grooves 29, 29 are formed in the vicinity of the one reinforcing portion. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 18, a reverse tapered surface 29 a is formed at the front end of each guide groove 29.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, the cover 30 has a double structure of a flat, substantially square cylindrical outer wall 31 and a flat, substantially square cylindrical inner wall 32 integrally formed in the outer wall 31. The hood portion 61 of the female connector housing 60 to be described later is housed between the outer wall 31 and the inner wall 32 whose front side is open, and the male connector housing 50 is temporarily locked and slid in the inner wall 32 in a fitting standby state. It's free.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 and FIGS. 5 and 6,
A tapered surface 33 for guiding the fitting of the female connector housing 60 is formed on the entire periphery of the front end (the end on the fitting side of the female connector housing 60) of the front opening of the outer wall 31 of the cover 30. The tapered surface 33 of the cover 30 and the holder 20
And the flexible arm 26 of the holder 20
When the cover 30 is temporarily locked with the temporary locking means 34, which will be described later, the cover 30 is formed so as to be substantially flush with the end face of the cover 30 where the end face of the tapered face 33 is the same as or slightly behind the end of the tapered face 25 of the holder 20. Each is formed. That is, as shown in FIG. 6, the taper angle of the tapered surface 25 of the holder 20 is X, and the taper angle of the tapered surface 33 of the cover 30 is Y.
, Each tapered surface 25, 3 such that Y ≧ X.
3 are formed respectively.

FIGS. 3 and 7 (a), (b),
As shown in FIG. 4C, temporary locking means 34 for holding the male connector housing 50 in the fitting standby state are integrally formed at the front center of the upper and lower walls of the outer wall 31 of the cover 30 and at the front center of both side walls. I have. Each of the temporary locking means 34 is locked to the projection 26a of each flexible arm 26 of the holder 20,
It is composed of a U-shaped flexible locking piece that is detached. That is, each of the flexible locking pieces 34 serving as temporary locking means is elastically deformed outward by a central concave portion 34b and a substantially U-shaped cutout portion 34c, and a holder is provided on the tip surface 34a side. The projections 26a of the flexible arms 26 of the apparatus 20 can be abutted and locked and can be separated from each other.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4,
A stopper projection 35 is integrally formed at a position facing each guide groove 29 of the holder 20 on the outer surface side of the outer wall 31 of the cover 30. On the front side of each stopper convex portion 35, a reverse tapered surface 35a in the same direction as the reverse tapered surface 29a of the front end of each guide groove 29 of the holder 20 is formed. In the state, the inverted tapered surface 29a of the front end of each guide groove 29 of the holder 20 and the inverted tapered surface 35a of each stopper convex portion 35 of the cover 30 can freely contact.

As shown in FIGS. 7 (a), 7 (b) and 7 (c), temporary locking stoppers 36 are integrally formed at the centers of both side walls of the inner wall 32 of the cover 30. A temporary locking lock portion 56 of the male connector housing 50 in a fitting standby state described later is temporarily locked to each of the temporary locking stopper portions 36. Also, the inner wall 3 of the cover 30
A flexible temporary unlocking arm 37 having a convex portion 37a on the front end outside is integrally formed at a front position outside the temporary locking stopper portion 36 at the center on the front side of the two side walls. . Each of the flexible temporary unlocking arms 37 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG.
The temporary locking release projections 65 are bent inwardly, and the temporary locking lock portions 56 of the male connector housing 50 are pressed inward by the bending deformations of the respective temporary locking release arms 37,
The provisional locking state between each provisional locking stopper portion 36 and the provisional locking lock portion 56 of the male connector housing 50 is released.

3 and FIGS. 7 (a), 7 (b),
As shown in (c), the front center of the upper and lower wall portions of the inner wall 32 of the cover 30 is cut away and formed to have a size that almost completely includes the male connector housing 50 in the fitting standby state. . Further, the rigid inner wall 3 near the position where the cover 30 has a U-shape and is hardly deformed and near the lever 3
A plurality of guide grooves 38a, 3
8b are formed. As shown in FIG. 4, a pair of lever escape grooves 39a, 39a and 39 are provided on both sides of the inner wall 32 of the cover 30 near the center of the upper and lower walls.
b, 39b are formed respectively, and the lever 4 is inserted between the pair of lever escape grooves 39a, 39a and 39b, 39b.
0 is arranged respectively.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each lever 40 is formed of a synthetic resin into a substantially rectangular plate shape, and a pivot hole 42 is formed in the center of its arc-shaped base end portion 41. . As shown in FIG. 18, as shown in FIG. 18, a support shaft 39 c protruding into each of the lever escape grooves 39 a on the upper wall side of the inner wall 32 of the cover 30 is fitted to the base end 4 of the lever 40.
1 is rotatably supported.

As shown in FIG. 3, the male connector housing 50 has a pair of lever escape grooves 5 extending from the front to the rear.
It is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape made of synthetic resin having 1, 51, and a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 52 are formed between the front and rear surfaces thereof. When each of the connector housings 50 and 60 is fitted, each of the terminal housings 52 is electrically connected to each of the male terminals 63 of the female connector housing 60 to be described later, so that electrical continuity between the connector housings 50 and 60 is established. The female terminals (terminals) 53 to be achieved are respectively housed.
Each of the female terminals 53 is connected to a wire harness W shown in FIGS.

Further, a rod-shaped guide portion (action point portion) 54 as a lever hook portion is integrally formed at the front side of each lever escape groove 51 of the male connector housing 50.
As shown in FIG. 18, the guide portion 54
The intermediate portion 43 has an arcuate surface 54a that slides and acts as an action point of the lever 40. Further, at the rear side of one side surface of each lever escape groove 51 of the male connector housing 50, the lever 40 is provided when the male connector housing 50 is in the fitting standby state.
A substantially trapezoidal lever push-out portion 55 that slides in contact with the middle portion 43 is integrally formed. The distance between the guide portion 54 and the lever pushing portion 55 is set small as shown in FIG.

Further, on the rear side of both side surfaces 50a, 50a of the male connector housing 50, a trapezoidal cross section which is temporarily locked to the temporary locking stopper portion 36 of the cover 30 when the male connector housing 50 is in a fitting standby state. Temporary lock part 56
Are provided respectively. Each of the temporary locking lock portions 56 is integrally formed with each of the flexible arms 57 which are integrally formed on the both side surfaces 50a, 50a in a U-shape, and has a tapered surface 56a on the front side. Also, the inner wall 32 of the cover 30 of the upper and lower surfaces 50b, 50c of the male connector housing 50.
The stopper protrusions 58 sliding in the guide grooves 38a, 38b are provided at positions facing the respective guide grooves 38a, 38b.
59 are integrally formed. The one stopper projection 58 regulates the forward sliding of the male connector housing 50, and the other stopper projection 59 regulates the rear sliding of the male connector housing 50. Are formed with tapered surfaces 58a and 59a.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 9, the female connector housing 60 has a plurality of male terminals (terminals) 63 exposed in a rectangular tube-shaped hood portion 61 and between the L-shaped legs 62, 62. And the hood portion 61 is connected to both connector housings 5.
The terminals 53 and 63 of the connector housings 50 and 60 are electrically connected to each other by being inserted between the outer wall 31 and the inner wall 32 of the cover 30 when the 0 and 60 are fitted.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 9, both side walls 61a, 61 of the hood portion 61 of the female connector housing 60 are provided.
In the center of the front of the outer surface of the holder a and the center of the front of the outer surfaces of the upper and lower walls 61b and 61c, the protrusions 26a of the flexible arms 26 of the holder 20 and the respective flexible locking pieces 34 of the cover 30 are temporarily locked. Holding means for holding the state and both connector housings 5
The projections 64 serving also as releasing means for releasing the provisionally locked state of the projections 26a of the flexible arms 26 of the holder 20 and the flexible locking pieces 34 of the cover 30 when the fitting of 0, 60 is completed and withdrawal. Are formed integrally with each other. Each projection 64
Is formed in a substantially triangular prism shape, the front side of which is a tapered surface (locking surface) 64a, and the rear side is also a tapered surface (separation surface) 64b.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 8 (a), 8 (b), and 9, the front ends of the inner surfaces of both side walls 61a, 61a of the hood portion 61 of the female connector housing 60 are temporarily unlocked by the cover 30. A temporary lock release convex portion 65 having a substantially trapezoidal cross section which comes into contact with and separates from the convex portion 37a of the arm 37 is integrally formed. A relief groove 66 is formed at the center of the inner surface of both side walls 61a, 61a of the hood portion 61 for accommodating and guiding the convex portion 37a of the temporary unlocking arm 37 of the cover 30.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 18, ribs (engaging portions) 67 are integrally formed on both front sides of the inner surface of the lower wall 61c of the hood portion 61 of the female connector housing 60. At the upper end of the rear surface of this rib 67, the tip 4 of the lever 40 is provided.
A projection 67a on which the fourth side slides is integrally formed. The projection 67a is formed by slidingly inserting the hood portion 61 of the female connector housing 60 between the outer wall 31 and the inner wall 32 of the cover 30 and pulling the female connector housing 60 into the male connector housing 50, thereby forming the two connector housings 50,6.
When fitting and disengaging each other, the tip 4 of the lever 40
The four sides slidably contact with each other to serve as a fulcrum of the lever 40. Further, the rib 6 on the lower wall 61c of the hood portion 61
7, a lever escape groove 68 is formed from the rear to a vertical partition wall 61d, and a lever push-out portion 69 with which the middle portion 43 of the lever 40 abuts is provided below the partition wall 61d.
Are integrally formed.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the holder 2
The guide grooves 29 on both sides of the upper wall 20a are formed at positions protruding upward in a reverse concave shape, and the upper wall side of the outer wall 31 and the inner wall 32 of the cover 30 facing the convex portion 20e and the female connector housing. The protrusions 31e, 32e, 6 projecting upward in the reverse concave shape at the upper wall 61b side of the hood portion 61
1e are formed respectively.

According to the connector 10 of the embodiment described above, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, when the male connector housing 50 side of the wire harness W is mounted in the mounting hole 12 of the inner panel 11 via the holder 20. When the holder 20 is inserted from behind the mounting hole 12 of the inner panel 11 and pressed, the inner panel 11 is moved between the upper and lower flexible locking portions 22 and the upper, lower, left and right stopper portions 21 of the holder 20. Front, rear 11a. 11b is clamped and fixed. At this time, as shown in FIG.
Since each of the upper and lower centering action portions 24 abuts against the end face of the mounting hole 12 of the inner panel 11, each centering action portion 24 bends even when the holder 20 moves up and down and left and right in the mounting hole 12. As a result, the core is aligned and fitted securely.
Further, even after the fitting, the elastic effect of each centering action portion 24 of the holder 20 tends to approach the center of the mounting hole 12, so that the allowance between the flexible locking portion 22 and the inner panel 11 is kept constant. Therefore, the space for the connector mounting portion of the inner panel 11 can be reduced.

The holder 2 is connected to the male connector housing 50 side.
After the female connector housing 60 is mounted in the mounting hole 12 of the inner panel 11 through the male connector housing 50 in the fitting standby state. The fitting of the male and female connector housings 50, 60 is performed as shown in FIG.
12A, the hood portion 61 of the female connector housing 60 is inserted between the outer wall 31 and the inner wall 32 of the cover 30 as shown in FIG. In the mating initial state, the mating standby state of the male connector housing 50 is in the provisionally locked state of the protrusion 26a of each flexible arm 26 of the holder 20 and the distal end surface 34a of each flexible locking piece 34 of the cover 30. Is held by When the hood 61 of the female connector housing 60 is inserted between the outer wall 31 and the inner wall 32 of the cover 30, the hood 61 of the female connector housing 60 is formed by the tapered surface 25 of the holder 20 and the tapered surface 33 of the cover 30. It can be smoothly guided into the male connector housing 50 side. Thereby, the female connector housing 60
The end of the hood portion 61 on the fitting side abuts against each front end of the holder 20 and the cover 30, and the protrusion 26 a of each flexible arm 26 of the holder 20 and the tip of each flexible locking piece 34 of the cover 30. The temporarily locked state of the surface 34a does not come off.

When the two connector housings 50 and 60 start to be fitted together, the temporary locking release convex portion 65 of the hood portion 61 of the female connector housing 60 becomes flexible as shown in FIG. Of the temporary unlocking arm 37
a, when the temporary unlocking arm 37 bends inward,
The temporary locking lock portion 56 of the male connector housing 50 is pushed inward. As a result, the flexible arm 57 of the male connector housing 50 bends inward to release the temporary locking lock between the temporary locking lock portion 56 and the temporary locking stopper portion 36 of the cover 30, and the male connector housing 50 is moved to the cover 30. Inner wall 32
To slide backwards inside. When the fitting is completed, the convex portion 37a of the flexible temporary unlocking arm 37 of the cover 30 is inserted into the escape groove 66 of the hood portion 61 of the female connector housing 60 as shown in FIG. To enter
The temporary lock release arm 37 returns to the original state.

Next, as shown in FIG. 12 (b), while the two connector housings 50 and 60 are being fitted, each of the flexible locking pieces of the cover 30 is pressed by the pressing force of each of the projections 64 of the female connector housing 60. 34 is elastically deformed outward, and the distal end surface 34a of each flexible locking piece 34 of the cover 30 contacts the upper end surface of each flexible arm 26 of the holder 20, respectively. Projection 26 of arm 26
a and the temporary locking state between the distal end surface 34a of each flexible locking piece 34 of the cover 30 is more reliably maintained.

Then, as shown in FIG. 12C, when the fitting of the two connector housings 50 and 60 is completed, each projection 64 of the female connector housing 60 is moved to the rear of each flexible locking piece 34 of the cover 30. In the notch 34c. At this time, the tapered surface 64a of each projection 64 of the female connector housing 60 is fixed to the projection 26 of each flexible arm 26 of the holder 20.
a, and each flexible arm 26 is elastically deformed outward to bend. As a result, as shown in FIGS. 12C and 12D, the projections 26a of the flexible arms 26 of the holder 20 and the distal end surfaces 3 of the flexible locking pieces 34 of the cover 30 are formed.
The connector housings 50 and 60, which have been released from the provisionally locked state with the connector 4 a and have been completely fitted, slide backward in the cover 30. When this slide is completed, FIG.
(D), as shown in FIG. 13, the connector 10 is in the centered state.

The process from the initial connection state of the connector housings 50 to the completed connection state of the two connector housings 50 and 60 will be described with reference to the lever 40. As shown in FIG. 30 outer walls 31
Between the female connector housing 60 and the inner wall 32.
Is pushed in the fitting direction of the two connector housings 50 and 60, and as shown in FIG. 16, the distal end portion 44 side of the lever 40 becomes the rib 6 in the hood portion 61 of the female connector housing 60.
The lever 40 starts to rotate in contact with the lever support fulcrum 67a of No. 7. Then, as shown in FIG. 15, when the female connector housing 60 is further pushed in the fitting direction, the lever 4
Lever action (the support shaft 39c that rotatably supports the base end 41 of the lever 40 is the point of force, the arc surface 54a of the guide portion 54 of the male connector housing 50 is the point of action, and the protrusion of the rib 67 of the female connector housing 60 is used. The hood portion 61 of the female connector housing 60 is drawn between the outer wall 31 and the inner wall 32 of the cover 30 by the leverage with the 67a as a fulcrum, and the two connector housings 50 and 60 are fitted to each other. As a result, with the lever action of the lever 40, the female connector housing 60 can be easily engaged with each other by simply sliding the female connector housing 60 in the fitting direction with a small operating force.

When the two connector housings 50 and 60 are detached from the completely fitted state of the two connector housings 50 and 60 shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 during maintenance and inspection, as shown in FIGS. To operate. That is,
Between the start of detachment of the two connector housings 50 and 60 shown in FIG. 14 and the detachment of the female and male terminals 53 and 63 shown in FIG. 17, the distal end portion 44 side of the lever 40 is located inside the hood 61 of the female connector housing 60. The lever 40 rotates in a direction opposite to that of the engagement when the lever 67 comes into contact with the projection 67a for the lever fulcrum of the rib 67, and comes off while pulling in the guide portion 54 of the male connector housing 50. Then, in the state shown in FIG. 17, the rib 67 in the hood portion 61 of the female connector housing 60 passes under the distal end portion 44 of the lever 40, and at the same time, the detachment of the female and male terminals 53 and 63 is completed. As a result, the lever operation of the lever 40 allows the female connector housing 60 to be easily detached from each other simply by a slide operation of pulling out the female connector housing 60 with a small operating force in the detaching direction.

As described above, the male connector housing 50 and the cover 30 in which the male connector housing 50 is temporarily locked in the fitting standby state can be almost completely stored in the holder 20. , 60, the temporary locking of the holder 20 and the cover 30 does not come off due to an external force, twisting of the male connector housing 50, etc., and it is possible to securely prevent the connector housings 50, 60 from being improperly fitted or not being fitted. can do. Further, since the male connector housing 50 and the cover 30 do not protrude outside from the fitting opening side of the holder 20 when the male connector housing 50 is in the fitting standby state, the male connector housing 5
Space saving on the zero side can be achieved. Further, when the two connector housings 50 and 60 are fitted and disconnected, the cover 3
Since the flexible locking piece 34 is accommodated in the escape portion 28 of the holder 20, the flexible locking piece 34 due to external force, twisting, or the like is used.
Can be prevented from being deformed and thus can be reliably protected. Thereby, the temporary engagement and release between the protrusion 26a of the flexible arm 26 of the holder 20 and the distal end surface 34a of the flexible engagement piece 34 of the cover 30 can be always performed in a stable state.

[0039]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the one connector housing and the cover having the one connector housing locked in the fitting standby state are almost completely housed in the holder. Therefore, the temporary engagement between the holder and the cover does not come off due to external force, twisting, etc. before the two connector housings are fitted, and it is possible to reliably prevent poor fitting and unfitting of the two connector housings. Also, since the flexible locking pieces of the cover are stored in the relief part of the holder when the two connector housings are fitted and unplugged, the flexible locking pieces are prevented from being deformed by external force, twisting, etc., and are reliably protected. can do.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a male connector constituting an embodiment of the present invention;
It is a perspective view which shows the state before fitting of both female connector housings.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a state before fitting of the male and female connector housings.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the male connector housing.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the male connector housing.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a main part on the male connector housing side.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a main part on the male connector housing side.

7A is a cross-sectional view of a cover for holding the male connector housing, FIG. 7B is a side view of the cover, and FIG. 7C is a cross-sectional view of a holder for housing the cover.

FIG. 8A is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the male and female connector housings at the initial stage of fitting, and FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view of the main parts after the fitting of the two connector housings is completed.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the female connector housing as viewed from the front.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state before the connector is attached to the inner panel.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a state where the connector is attached to an inner panel.

12A is an explanatory view showing an initial state of fitting of the connector, FIG. 12B is an explanatory view showing a state of fitting of the connector in the middle of fitting, and FIG. FIG. 3D is an explanatory diagram showing a state, and FIG. 4D is an explanatory diagram showing an alignment state after the fitting of the connector is completed.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing an alignment state after the connector is completely fitted.

FIG. 14 is a sectional view showing a completely fitted state of the connector.

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the connector is being detached.

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the connector is being detached.

FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view showing a terminal detached state during detachment of the connector.

FIG. 18 is a sectional view showing a state after the connector is detached.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a prior art connector before fitting.

FIG. 20 is a partial cross-sectional view of a main part of the prior art connector.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Connector 11 Inner panel (attached body) 20 Holder 26 Flexible arm (temporary locking means) 26a Projection (locking part) 28 Relief part 30 Cover 34 Flexible locking piece (temporary locking means) 50 Male Connector housing (one connector housing) 60 Female connector housing (other connector housing) 64 Projection (release means)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A holder temporarily locked to accommodate one of two male and female connector housings in a cover in a fitting standby state and receiving the cover. A connector in which the other connector housing is removably fitted to one of the connector housings in the fitting standby state in the cover in the provisionally locked state of the holder and the cover, wherein the one of the holders and the cover is Provisional locking means for holding the connector housing in a fitting standby state, and release means for releasing the temporary locking state of each of the temporary locking means when the fitting of the two connector housings to the other connector housing is completed. On the other hand, while the provisional locking means of the holder is constituted by a flexible arm having a locking portion at the tip, the provisional locking means of the cover is A U-shaped flexible locking piece that is locked to and released from the locking portion of the flexible arm, and is located at a position facing the flexible locking piece on the inner wall surface side of the holder. A connector having a relief portion.