KR101211799B1 - Lock structure mounting electrical connector - Google Patents

Abstract

The electrical connector with lock mechanism has a lock mechanism 15 provided on the first relatively outer wall surface 14 of the housing 4. The lock mechanism 15 has a support plate 16 that faces the first outer wall surface 14 and an elastic arm 17 that extends from each side edge 16b of the support plate 16.

The lock nail part 18 is provided in the outer side surface 17a of each elastic arm 17. As shown in FIG. The pair of restricting plates 22 extending from the supporting plate 16 to the outer sides Z1 and Z2 allow the corresponding elastic arms 7 to bend in the direction Y1 perpendicular to the first outer wall surface 14. To regulate the transformation. The pair of lift prevention portions 23 provided in the housing 4 prevent the corresponding elastic arm 17 from climbing on the corresponding restriction plate 22.

Description

LOCK STRUCTURE MOUNTING ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR}

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The partial longitudinal side view which shows the state before the mating connection of the female connector as a lock mechanism electric connector with an embodiment of this invention, and the male connector as a connector of the other party.

2 is a perspective view showing a state before fitting connection of a female connector and a male connector.

3 is a plan view of the female connector.

4 is a schematic exploded perspective view showing first and second forms for the main part of the housing of the female connector to form it;

5 is a perspective view of a combined state of the first and second aspects;

6A and 6B are a plan view and a side view of a female connector as an electrical connector with lock mechanism according to another embodiment of the present invention.

<Code description>

1 Female connector (Electrical connector with lock mechanism)

2 male connector (paired connector)

4 housing

6 wires

7 socket contact

8 receptacles

14 upper surface (relatively wide outer wall surface)

15 lock mechanism

16 support plate

16a end (end of the connecting direction side)

6b side edge

17 elastic arm

17a outer side

18 lock nails

18a inclined cam face

18b Face on opposite side (face opposite to connection)

19 Control Panel

20 locking projections

21 gage groove

22 regulatory

23 Lift prevention part (stopper)

23a face on opposite side (face opposite to connection)

24 opening

40 side (second relatively narrow outer wall surface)

The present invention relates to a lock mechanism mounting connector having a lock mechanism that locks the mounting state of a pair of counterparts to the connector.

When an elastic arm for locking that swings laterally is provided on the side of the housing as the electrical connector, there is a problem that the electrical connector is enlarged to the side of the housing (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-47352). .

Moreover, when the elastic arm for lock rocking up and down is provided in the upper surface of a housing as an electrical connector, there exists a problem that an electrical connector enlarges up and down.

Here, it is proposed to provide an elastic arm for locking that swings laterally on the upper surface of the housing (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-93149).

In addition, it is desired to obtain a smooth feeling of operation as a lock member.

On the other hand, in the electrical connector which installs the elastic arm for lock rocking to the upper surface of a housing, the control board for restricting the displacement of an elastic arm so that an elastic arm does not bend upwards in a normal bending direction, It is necessary to install on the upper surface of the housing. In that case, however, a new problem that the elastic arm rests on the regulating plate is expected.

An object of the present invention is to obtain smooth operability as an elastic arm in a lock mechanism-equipped electrical connector, and to reliably prevent the elastic arm from rising.

In order to achieve the above object, a preferred aspect of the present invention is a first outer wall surface that forms an upper surface and a second outer wall that is narrower in width than the first outer wall surface, depending on the connecting direction of the paired counterparts to the connector. It is provided with the housing which has a surface, and the locking mechanism which is provided in the said 1st outer wall surface of the said housing, and locks the attachment state with respect to the connector of the other party. The lock mechanism is inclined in a direction opposite to the connecting direction, respectively, from a pair of side edges of the support plate integrally provided with the housing so as to face the first outer wall surface, and an end of the supporting plate side of the supporting plate. On the outer side of the pair of elastic arms supported by the support plate in a cantilever shape by the support plate, and the middle portion in the longitudinal direction of each of the pair of elastic arms, respectively. The lock nail part provided and the operation part extended from the front-end | tip part of each of said pair of elastic arms are included. A pair of regulating plates extending from the support plate to the corresponding outer side are provided to extend, and each of the pair of regulating plates has a corresponding elastic arm that is deformed by bending in a direction orthogonal to the first outer wall surface. It is supposed to be regulated. A pair of climb prevention parts are provided in the said housing, and a pair of climb prevention parts are each prevented from raising a corresponding elastic arm to a corresponding regulating plate.

In this invention, a lock can be achieved by engaging the lock nail part provided in the outer side surface of the middle part of the longitudinal direction of a pair of cantilever-shaped elastic arms to the connector of the other party. In addition, by operating the operation portions at the tip ends of the pair of elastic arms closer to each other (inward direction), the elastic arms can be bent to release the lock by the lock nail portion. Moreover, even if it employ | adopts a flexible arm as an elastic arm and improves operability, it can prevent that an elastic arm raises on the surface of a restriction plate by a rise prevention part.

Moreover, each of said pair of anti-risking parts is preferable when it is supposed to restrict the deformation amount of the corresponding elastic arm to the corresponding outer side. In this case, the rise prevention portion combines the function of regulating the amount of deformation in the direction in which the elastic arm is allowed to deform and the function of preventing the elastic arm from rising on the restricting plate, thereby simplifying the structure.

In addition, it is preferable that each of the climb preventing portions is provided on either of the first outer wall surface of the housing and the opposing surface of the restricting plate 22 facing the first outer wall surface.

Moreover, it is preferable when the surface of each said climb prevention part on the opposite side to the said connection direction passes through the opening formed in the corresponding elastic arm, and is open to the opposite direction to the said connection direction. In this case, along the outer wall surface of the housing, it is possible to form a surface that is opposite to the connection direction of each lift prevention part by using a form moving in the connection direction. Therefore, it is not necessary to use a slide type moving in the direction orthogonal to the outer wall surface of the housing, and manufacturing cost can be significantly reduced.

Moreover, when the said lock nail part, the surface opposite to the said connection direction passes through the opening formed in the corresponding elastic arm, and is open in the opposite direction to the said connection direction, it is preferable. In this case, it is possible to form the surface opposite to the connection direction of each lock nail part using the form which moves to the said connection direction along the said outer wall surface of the housing. Therefore, it is not necessary to use the slide type moving in the direction orthogonal to the outer wall surface of the housing, and manufacturing cost can be significantly reduced.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a partial longitudinal side view showing a shape before fitting connection of a female connector 1 as a lock mechanism-equipped electrical connector and a male connector 2 as a paired connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a perspective view showing a state before fitting connection of the female connector 1 and the male connector 2.

Referring to FIG. 1, the female connector 1 is used as an element of the wire harness, and the male connector 2 functions as a pin header surface-mounted on the printed wiring board 3. The housing 4 of the female connector 1 and the housing 5 of the male connector 2 are both molded of an insulating resin material such as nylon resin.

The housing 4 of the female connector 1 is connected with a socket contact (female contact) 7 connected by crimping to the end of the electric wire 6. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of housing portions 8 for housing the socket contacts separately from each other are provided so as to penetrate in the front-rear direction of the housing 4. Although not shown in the drawing, the socket contact 7 is provided with a lance which is locked to the locking portion of the inner wall of the accommodating part 8 to achieve the prevention of the socket contact 7 from being pulled out.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the housing 5 of the male connector 2 is fitted with a fitting opening with a front face open in order to fit the first half of the housing 4 of the female connector 1. It is formed in the flat box shape which has an empty space 9). As shown in FIG. 1, the several pin contact 11 arrange | positioned through the rear wall 10 of the housing | casing 5 protrudes in the deep part of the fitting part 9 inside. The lead part 12 of each pin contact 11 is surface-mounted on the printed wiring board 3 by the solder part 13, and the male connector 2 which functions as a pin header is comprised by this.

The housing 4 of the female connector has an upper surface 14 as a relatively wide first outer wall surface along the connection direction X1 to the male connector 2 and a side surface 40 as a second relatively narrow outer wall surface. ) The upper surface 14 is provided with a lock mechanism 15 for logging the mounting state to the male connector 2.

The lock mechanism 1 has a support plate 16 formed integrally with the housing 4 and a pair of elastic arms 17 supported by the support plate 16, each of which has lock nails. The part 18 and the operation part 19 are provided.

On both ends of the upper surface 5a of the front end portion of the housing 5 of the male connector 2, a pair of locking projections each of which the lock nail portions 18 of the pair of elastic arms 17 engage with each other ( 20) is integrally formed. Specifically, each of the lock nails 18 is engaged with the locking groove 21 formed on the inner surface of the corresponding locking protrusion 20. The inclined cam surface 18a is provided in the outer surface of each lock nail part 18. As shown in FIG.

The support plate 16 faces the upper surface 14 (the first relatively wide outer wall surface of the female connector housing 4) and extends in parallel with the upper surface 14. A predetermined gap is provided between the upper surface 14 of the housing 4 of the female connector 1 and the support plate 16, and when the two connectors 1 and 2 are connected, the male connector 2 An upper wall of the housing 5 is introduced into the gap.

2 and 3, the pair of elastic arms 17 are respectively supported from the pair of side edges 16b of the end 16a of the support plate 16 at the side of the connection direction X1. It extends in the inclined shape toward the opposite direction X2 of X1 (outward so that it may open to V shape).

Moreover, the said lock nail part 18 consists of the processus | protrusion formed in the outer side surface 17a of the middle part of the longitudinal direction of the corresponding elastic arm 17. As shown in FIG. The height of the lock nail 18 is lower than the height of the elastic arm 17. Each operation part 19 extends outward from the outer side surface 7a of the front-end | tip part of the corresponding elastic arm 17, and forms a semi-elliptic plate shape. The operation unit 19 is operated when the elastic arm 17 is bent and the locking nail portion 18 with respect to the locking projection 20 is released.

In addition, a pair of restricting plates 22 extend from both sides of the support plate 16. In the present embodiment, the pair of restricting plates 22 and 22 are arranged so as to be continuous in the shape of a single plate in the aspect of covering the half portions on the opposite direction X2 side of the supporting plate 6. Each regulating plate 22 is located above the corresponding elastic arm 17 in the free state, and the elastic arm 17 is in a direction Y1 (corresponding to the top) orthogonal to the upper surface 14 of the housing 4. Regulate bending and deformation.

Moreover, a pair for preventing each elastic arm 17 from rising to the upper surface 22a of the corresponding regulating plate 22 at the side end of the upper surface 14 of the housing 4 of the female connector 1, respectively. The rising prevention part 23 of is formed. Each lifting prevention part 23 functions as a stopper for regulating the deformation amount of the corresponding elastic arm 17 to the corresponding outer side Z1, Z2.

The operation part 19 of each elastic arm 17 is provided with the spherical opening part 24 which penetrates the operation part 19 in the connection direction X1, and the said opposite direction X2 of the corresponding fall prevention part 23 is formed. The side surface 23a (side opposite to the connecting direction X1), and the surface 18b (side opposite to the connecting direction X1) of the corresponding locking nail portion 18, the side of the opening ( Open 24 in the opposite direction X2. The opening part 24 is also open toward the upper surface 14 of the housing 4.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, the rise prevention part 23 as each stopper using the 1st form 25 which moves to the said connection direction X1 along the upper surface 14 of the housing 4, The surface 23a on the opposite side of the connection direction X1 and the surface 18b on the opposite side of the connection direction X1 of the lock nail portion 18 can be formed. Therefore, it is not necessary to use the slide type which moves in the direction Y1 orthogonal to the upper surface 14 of the housing 4, and manufacturing cost can be reduced significantly.

Referring to FIG. 4, the first form 25 is a part of the upper surface 14 of the housing 4 of the female connector 1 and the lower surface of the elastic arm 17 (upper surface 14 of the housing 14). First portion 26 for forming an opposite surface) and second portion 27 for forming a V-shaped convex portion between the support plate 16 of the housing 4 and the elastic arm 17. And a third portion 28 having a foot-shaped shape for forming the surface 23a of the stopper 23, the stopper, while forming the opening 24 and the outer surface of the elastic arm 17; It has the 4th part 29 of the foot shape for forming the surface 18b of the lock nail part 18, forming the outer surface of the elastic arm 17. As shown in FIG.

The first form 25 moving in the connecting direction X1 and the second form 30 moving in the direction X2 opposite the connecting direction X1 are used in combination, and as shown in FIG. 5, the first form ( A cavity 31 for forming the lift preventing portion 23 is formed between the leading end surface of the third portion 28 of the foot shape of 25) and the corresponding portion of the second form 30. It is supposed to be.

In addition, the lock nail by the cavity 32 surrounded between the first portion 26 and the fourth portion 29 of the first form 25 and the corresponding portion of the second form 30. The main part of the elastic arm 17 including the part 18 is formed. The surface 18b of the lock nail part 18 is formed by the front end surface of the 4th part 29 of a columnar shape.

In the above configuration, the first half of the housing 4 of the female connector 1 is inserted into the fitting component 9 of the housing 5 of the male connector 2. The inclined cam surface 18a abuts against the corresponding locking projection 20 so that the elastic arm 17 is bent inwardly once, but the housing 4 is inserted into the fitting component 9 again. As the elastic arm 17 extends outward with elastic restoring force, the lock nail portion 18 engages with the locking groove 21 of the locking projection 20. As a result, both housings 3 and 4 are locked.

According to this embodiment, since the lifting | breaking prevention part 23 functions as a stopper of the expansion of the elastic arm 17, and regulates the deformation amount (extended angle) of the elastic arm 17, the elastic arm 17 The flexible arm 17 can be reliably prevented from falling on the upper surface 22a of the corresponding regulating plate 22 even when a flexible one is used and the operability is improved.

Moreover, the function of restraining part 23 restricts the amount of deformation in the direction in which the deformation of the elastic arm 17 is permitted, and the function of preventing the elastic arm 17 from climbing on the restricting plate 22. As it is combined, the structure can be simplified.

In the above embodiment, the rise preventing portion 23 is formed on the upper surface 14 of the housing 4, but as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, instead of the upper surface 14 of the housing 4. The fall prevention part 230 may be provided on the opposing surface 22b of the opposing restricting plate 22. In addition, you may provide the climb prevention part 23 and the climb prevention part 230 together.

As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated in detail with the specific aspect, those skilled in the art which understood the said content will be able to acquire the change, modification, and equivalent easily. Therefore, the present invention should be within the scope of the claims and their equivalents.

According to this invention, the lock mechanism attachment connector which has a lock mechanism which locks the attachment state of the pair of partner to the connector can be provided.

Claims (5)

The first outer wall surface 14 and the second outer wall surface 40 that are narrower than the first outer wall surface 14 along the connecting direction X1 of the paired counterparts to the connector 2 and forming an upper surface. A housing 4 having: It is provided in the said 1st outer wall surface 14 of the said housing 4, Comprising: The lock mechanism 15 which locks the attachment state with respect to the connector 2 of the other side is provided, The lock mechanism 15 A support plate 16 integrally provided with the housing 4 so as to face the first outer wall surface 14; From the pair of side edge 16b of the edge part 16a of the said connection direction X1 side of the said support plate 16, it extends in the inclined shape toward the opposite direction X2 of the said connection direction X1, respectively, A pair of elastic arms 17 supported in a cantilever shape by a support plate 16, Lock nail part 18 provided in the outer side surface 17a of the middle part of the longitudinal direction of each of said pair of elastic arms 17, An operation unit 19 provided extending from a leading end of each of the pair of elastic arms 17, A pair of regulating plates 22 extending from the supporting plate 16 to the corresponding outer sides Z1 and Z2 are provided to extend. Each of the pair of restricting plates 22 is adapted to restrict the corresponding elastic arm 17 from bending and deforming in a direction Y1 orthogonal to the first outer wall surface 14, The housing 4 is provided with a pair of climb preventing portions 23, And said pair of anti-raising portions (23) prevent the corresponding elastic arms (17) from falling on the corresponding regulating plates (22), respectively. The method of claim 1, And each of the pair of anti-risk portions 23 is adapted to regulate the amount of deformation of the corresponding elastic arms 17 to the corresponding outer sides Z1, Z2. 3. The method of claim 2, Each of the rising prevention parts 23 is installed on either of the first outer wall surface 14 of the housing 4 and the opposing surface of the restricting plate 22 facing the first outer wall surface 14. And a lock mechanism-equipped electrical connector. The method according to claim 2 or 3, The surface 23a on the opposite side to the connection direction X1 of each of the climb preventing portions 23 passes through the opening 24 formed in the corresponding elastic arm 17, and is in the opposite direction X2 of the connection direction X1. An electrical connector with lock mechanism characterized by being open. 5. The method of claim 4, The surface 18b of each of the lock nails 18 opposite to the connecting direction X1 passes through the opening 24 formed in the corresponding elastic arm 17 and is opposite to the connecting direction X1. An electrical connector with a lock mechanism characterized by being open to the door.

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