KR102180155B1 - Electrical connector and electrical connector assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

According to the present invention, an electrical connector includes: a housing formed to be coupled to a wafer of a counterpart electrical connector; and a locking lever provided in the housing and formed to be locked and unlocked on a projection formed on the outer surface of the wafer. The locking lever includes: a support part protruding from one surface of the housing toward the outside of the housing; a locking part extending from the support part toward the front of the housing and formed to be hooked to the protrusion; and an operation part extending from the support part toward the rear of the housing, and formed to be pressed to release the locking of the locking lever, wherein the locking part includes a rib protruding toward the locking part from the one surface of the housing such that the maximum pressing amount of the locking part is set to be shorter than the separation distance between one surface of the housing and the locking part. According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the durability of both one side and the opposite side of the locking lever to be pressed.

Description

Electrical connector and electrical connector assembly {ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR AND ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY}

The present invention relates to an electrical connector that forms an electric circuit by connecting a power source and a device, a device and a device, or between internal units of the device, and an electrical connector assembly comprising two electrical connectors that can be coupled to each other.

The electrical connector is mechanically coupled with the counter electrical connector, and is configured to electrically connect an electrical circuit of the electrical connector and an electrical circuit of the counter electrical connector. The electrical connector and the mating electrical connector are composed of a female connector and a male connector to be mateable with each other.

The electrical connection between the electrical connector and the counter electrical connector is made by interconnection of terminals or pins provided in each electrical connector. In order to stably maintain the electrical connection, the body (housing and wafer) of the electrical connector to which each terminal or pin is mounted is mechanically coupled and configured not to be separated arbitrarily.

However, there are cases where it is necessary to disconnect the electrical connection between the electrical connector and the counterpart electrical connector as necessary for maintenance, etc. In this case, the mechanical separation of the body must precede.

For the mechanical coupling and separation, a structure in which a locking lever capable of pressing operation is formed on a body of an electrical connector is used. The locking lever is configured to be engaged with the body of the mating electrical connector, and configured to release the engagement by a pressing operation.

The lock release is achieved by lifting the other side of the locking lever on which the hook is formed when one side of the locking lever is pressed. When the force applied to one side of the locking lever for pressing operation is large, there is a concern that the support portion serving as a rotation axis of the locking lever is plastically deformed. When the support part is plastically deformed, the elastic restoration of the locking lever is not performed, so that the mechanical coupling between the electric connector and the counterpart electric connector cannot be made stably again, and a whitening phenomenon occurs in which the support part turns white.

The whitening phenomenon may also occur when the other side of the locking lever with the hook is pressed and operated. In particular, when the electrical connector assembly has a waterproof structure, the sidewall of the body has a thicker thickness than that of an electrical connector without a waterproof structure, so the maximum amount of pressing of the locking lever naturally increases, which further increases the possibility of whitening. do.

An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector and an electrical connector assembly having a new structure capable of reducing whitening caused by plastic deformation of the locking lever when a locking lever is pressed.

In particular, the present invention is to provide an electrical connector and an electrical connector assembly having a structure capable of improving durability of both one side and the opposite side of a locking lever to be pressed.

In addition, the present invention is to propose a structure capable of preventing this in consideration of the fact that the possibility of occurrence of whitening can naturally increase as the locking lever of an electrical connector having a waterproof structure increases the maximum pressing amount.

In addition, the present invention is to provide a structure capable of improving the pinching problem between female connectors occurring in an automated process of manufacturing an electrical connector assembly.

In order to achieve such an object of the present invention, an electrical connector according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a housing formed to be coupled to a wafer of a counter electrical connector; And a locking lever provided in the housing and configured to be locked and unlocked to a protrusion formed on an outer surface of the wafer, wherein the locking lever includes a support part protruding from one surface of the housing toward the outside of the housing. ; A locking portion extending from the support portion toward the front of the housing and formed to be hooked to the protrusion; And an operation part extending from the support part toward the rear of the housing and being formed to be press-operable for unlocking the locking lever, wherein the maximum amount of pressing of the locking part is determined between one surface of the housing and the locking part. And a rib protruding toward the locking portion from one surface of the housing so as to be set shorter than the separation distance.

The locking portion includes a hook formed at a front end of the locking portion, and the rib is formed at a position in contact with the hook when the locking portion is pressed.

The locking part may include a hook formed at a front end of the locking part; And a protrusion receiving groove formed inside the hook to receive the protrusion, wherein the rib is disposed to face the hook and the protrusion receiving groove at a position spaced apart from the hook and the protrusion receiving groove.

A plurality of the support portions are formed at positions spaced apart from each other, and the plurality of the support portions are formed on opposite sides of each other based on the rib.

The electrical connector further includes a sealing member having a closed curve shape coupled to an outer surface of the housing, and the rib is formed between the sealing member and the support part.

The support part protrudes in an inclined shape along a direction approaching the front of the housing, the support part and the locking part form an obtuse angle, and the support part and the operation part form an acute angle.

The support part may include a first end connected to the locking part or the operation part; And a second end formed on the opposite side of the first end, and the housing includes a base portion protruding from one surface of the housing and connected to the second end.

The base portion extends toward the rear of the housing from a position connected to the second end.

In addition, in order to realize the above object, the present invention discloses an electrical connector assembly. The electrical connector assembly of the present invention includes a female connector having a wafer; And a male connector including a housing formed to be coupled to the wafer and a locking lever formed to be locked and unlocked on a protrusion formed on the wafer, wherein the housing is capable of locking and unlocking the wafer. And a locking lever formed, wherein the locking lever includes: a support portion protruding from one surface of the housing toward the outside of the housing; A locking portion extending from the support portion toward the front of the housing and formed to be hooked to the protrusion; And an operation part extending from the support part toward the rear of the housing and being formed to be press-operable for unlocking the locking lever, wherein the maximum amount of pressing of the locking part is determined between one surface of the housing and the locking part. And a rib protruding toward the locking portion from one surface of the housing so as to be set shorter than the separation distance.

A receiving portion for accommodating the housing is formed in the wafer, and a rib accommodating groove formed to accommodate the rib is formed on a sidewall corresponding to the circumference of the receiving portion.

The protrusion and the rib receiving groove are formed opposite to each other with the side wall therebetween.

When the female connector and the male connector are coupled, the protrusion is inserted between the locking part and the rib.

The male connector further includes a sealing member having a closed curve shape coupled to an outer surface of the housing, and a receiving portion for receiving the housing is formed on the wafer, and a sidewall corresponding to the circumference of the receiving portion is formed to surround the housing. A first portion having an inner circumference larger than that of the sealing member; And a second portion formed at a position deeper than the first portion in the insertion direction of the housing and having an inner periphery in close contact with the sealing member.

A rib receiving groove formed to receive the rib is formed on the sidewall, and the rib receiving groove is formed over the first portion and the second portion.

A slope or a step is formed along the inner circumference of the sidewall at a boundary between the first portion and the second portion.

The wafer may include a front end portion formed at a position relatively close to the housing in a coupling direction with the housing; A rear end portion formed at a position relatively far from the housing in a coupling direction with the housing and having a shorter length than the front end portion in a direction crossing the coupling direction with the housing; A receiving portion opened toward the front end to receive the housing; And a pinch prevention rib protruding from one surface of the rear end so that the length of the rear end is longer than the length of the accommodating portion in a direction crossing the coupling direction.

According to the present invention of the configuration as described above, since the support portion of the locking lever protrudes obliquely outward of the housing toward the front of the housing, the rotation center of the locking lever is closer to the operation portion than the vertical support portion under the same condition as the length of the locking portion. By positioning it has the effect of improving the durability of the locking lever.

In particular, as the above structure is applied, the durability between the support and the locking part may be reduced due to the side effect of improving the durability between the support and the operation part. Reduction, and through this, the side effects can be minimized.

In addition, in the present invention, as the electrical connector is provided with a waterproof structure, the thickness of the sidewall of the wafer increases naturally, and the increase in the thickness of the sidewall may increase the maximum pressing amount of the locking portion, but the rib reduces the maximum pressing amount and thus the locking lever Can improve the durability of.

Accordingly, the possibility of plastic deformation of the locking lever when the operation unit is pressed or the locking unit is pressed may be reduced, and whitening due to plastic deformation may also be reduced.

In addition, according to the present invention, the length of the rear end portion of the wafer becomes longer than the length of the receiving portion as the pinch prevention ribs protrude from one side of the wafer. Accordingly, a phenomenon in which the rear end of the wafer is inserted into the receiving portion of another wafer can be prevented, and problems occurring in the automated process can be solved.

1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of the electrical connector assembly shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from a direction in which the male connector and the female connector are separated.
FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram of the electrical connector assembly shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from a different direction in which the male connector and the female connector are separated.
4 is an exploded perspective view of the electrical connector assembly shown in FIG. 1.
5 is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector assembly shown in FIG. 1.
6 is a cross-sectional view of the male connector shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
7 is an enlarged view of the locking lever shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 and its periphery.
8 is a cross-sectional view of the locking lever shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 and a peripheral thereof.
9 is a conceptual view as viewed from one direction in a separated state of a female connector and a male connector of the electrical connector assembly according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
10 is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector assembly shown in FIG. 9.
11 is a cross-sectional view of the male connector shown in FIGS. 9 and 10.
12 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an automated process of inserting a conductive pin into a wafer of a female connector.
13 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a problem occurring in an automated process of inserting a conductive pin into a wafer of a female connector.
14 is a perspective view showing a wafer of a female connector having a structure for solving the problem described in FIG. 13.

Hereinafter, an electrical connector and an electrical connector assembly according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

In the present specification, the same or similar reference numerals are assigned to the same and similar configurations even in different embodiments, and the description is replaced with the first description.

In describing the embodiments disclosed in the present specification, when it is determined that a detailed description of related known technologies may obscure the subject matter of the embodiments disclosed herein, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The accompanying drawings are only for making it easier to understand the embodiments disclosed in the present specification, and the technical idea disclosed in the present specification is not limited by the accompanying drawings, and all changes and equivalents included in the spirit and scope of the present invention It should be understood to include water or substitutes.

Singular expressions used in the present specification include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

In the present specification, when a component is referred to as being "connected" or "connected" to another component, it may be directly connected or connected to the other component, but other components exist in the middle. It should be understood that it may be possible. On the other hand, when a component is referred to as being "directly connected" or "directly connected" to another component, it should be understood that there is no other component in the middle.

In addition, terms such as "comprises" or "have" are intended to designate the presence of features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, but one or more other features or numbers. It is to be understood that the possibility of addition or presence of, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof is not preliminarily excluded.

1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector assembly CA1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

The electrical connector is mechanically coupled with the counter electrical connector, and is configured to electrically connect an electrical circuit of the electrical connector and an electrical circuit of the counter electrical connector. The pair of electrical connectors and mating electrical connectors constitute an electrical connector assembly CA1.

The electrical connector assembly CA1 includes a female connector 200 and a male connector 100 so as to be coupled to each other. In the present specification, the electrical connector means any one of the male connector 100 and the female connector 200. When the male connector 100 is referred to as an electrical connector, the mating electrical connector refers to the female connector 200, and when the female connector 200 is referred to as an electrical connector, the mating electrical connector refers to the male connector 100. In FIG. 1, a structure in which a part of an electrical connector, which is a male connector 100, is inserted into a counter electrical connector, which is a female connector 200, is shown as an example.

Electrical connection and disconnection of the male connector 100 and the female connector 200 is implemented based on mechanical coupling and separation of the male connector 100 and the female connector 200. When the male connector 100 and the female connector 200 are mechanically connected, the electrical connection between the male connector 100 and the female connector 200 is also made naturally. Therefore, in order to stably maintain the electrical connection between the male connector 100 and the female connector 200, the mechanical connection between the body (housing 110 and the wafer 210) should not be arbitrarily separated.

The mechanical connection between the male connector 100 and the female connector 200 is made by coupling between the bodies. The male connector 100 includes a housing 110 and the female connector 200 includes a wafer 210. When the housing 110 is inserted into the wafer 210, the male connector 100 and the female connector 200 are mechanically connected.

A conductive wire W for signal transmission or power supply is connected to the housing 110 of the male connector 100. The conductive wire W may be provided in plural and may protrude from the housing 110. As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of conductive wires W may be arranged in a line, and may be disposed to be spaced apart from each other.

A conductive pin 220 is provided on the female connector 200. The conductive wire W connected to the male connector 100 and the conductive pin 220 provided on the female connector 200 are electrically connected by a structure provided in the male connector 100. This structure will be described later.

In some cases, as shown, the retainer 130 may be additionally provided to the electrical connector assembly CA1. The retainer 130 is originally intended to prevent separation of a structure electrically connecting the conductive wire W and the conductive pin 220.

A hole for penetrating the conductive wire W is formed in the retainer 130. In addition, the retainer 130 is formed to surround each conductive wire W connected to the electrical connector assembly CA1. The retainer 130 is inserted into the housing 110 and may be fixed to the housing 110 by an force fitting method.

The electrical connection between the male connector 100 and the female connector 200 may need to be disconnected according to necessity such as maintenance and repair of the electrical connector assembly CA1. In this case, mechanical separation between the bodies must be preceded.

For the mechanical coupling and separation, a locking lever 114 that can be pressed and operated on the body of the male connector 100 is also used. The locking lever 114 is configured to be hooked to the body of the female connector 200 and serves to maintain a mechanical coupling between the body of the male connector 100 and the body of the female connector 200, and It is configured to be able to release the jam.

The locking lever 114 may be provided in either of the male connector 100 and the female connector 200. In the following description, it is assumed that the locking lever 114 is provided in the electrical connector, which is the male connector 100, but the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto. It is obvious that the locking lever 114 may be provided on a counter electrical connector that is the female connector 200. The locking lever 114 and its surrounding structure will be described later.

Hereinafter, a detailed structure of the electrical connector assembly CA1 will be described.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of the electrical connector assembly CA1 shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from a direction in which the male connector 100 and the female connector 200 are separated.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a separated state of the male connector 100 and the female connector 200 of the electrical connector assembly CA1 shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from another direction.

4 is an exploded perspective view of the electrical connector assembly CA1 shown in FIG. 1.

5 is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector assembly CA1 shown in FIG. 1.

6 is a cross-sectional view of the male connector 100 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The male connector 100 includes a housing 110, a sealing member 120 and a retainer 130.

The housing 110 forms the body of an electrical connector. The housing 110 is formed to be coupled to the wafer 210 of the female connector 200. The housing 110 may be inserted into the wafer 210 of the female connector 200. The housing 110 is formed of a synthetic resin material. The housing 110 may be formed by injection molding, 3D printing, or the like.

The housing 110 may be divided into a front part 111 and a rear part 112 based on the sealing member 120. In order to distinguish between the front and the rear, the definition of the direction must precede. In this specification, a direction in which the electrical connector faces the mating electrical connector is defined as the front of the electrical connector, and the opposite direction is defined as the rear of the electrical connector. Conversely, a direction in which the counterpart electrical connector faces the electrical connector is defined as the front of the counterpart electrical connector, and the opposite direction is defined as the rear of the counterpart electrical connector.

According to this definition, the front portion 111 of the housing 110 refers to a portion protruding forward toward the female connector 200 from the position where the sealing member 120 is coupled. The front part 111 of the housing 110 has a shape protruding toward the receiving part 211 formed in the female connector 200. A partition 217 for partitioning the positions of the conductive pins 220 is formed in the receiving portion 211 of the female connector 200, and the receiving portion 211 is divided into a plurality of spaces by the partition 217. Correspondingly, the front part 111 of the housing 110 is also divided into a plurality of parts.

The front part 111 divided into a plurality of parts is inserted one by one into a plurality of spaces divided by the partition 217. A structure electrically connecting the conductive wire W and the conductive pin 220 is provided inside the front part 111 one by one. The conductive wire W, the conductive pin 220, the front part 111 divided into a plurality of parts, the structure, and the receiving part 211 divided into a plurality of spaces by the partition 217 are all provided in the same number. .

Guide ribs 111a and 111b are formed in the front part 111 of the housing 110. The guide ribs 111a and 111b protrude from the outer surface of the front part 111 and extend toward the insertion direction of the housing 110 inserted into the wafer 210. Some of the guide ribs 111a and 111b are inserted into the guide slot 215 formed in the receiving portion 211 of the wafer 210. The coupling direction of the housing 110 and the wafer 210 can be identified by the structure of the guide ribs 111a and 111b and the guide slot 215.

In addition, a cutout 111c is formed in the front part 111 of the housing 110. The cutout 111c may be cut into a cantilever shape, and provides an elastic force for mechanical mounting of the conductive terminal 140 mounted inside the housing 110.

A conductive terminal mounting portion 118 is formed in the housing 110. The conductive terminal mounting portion 118 provides a space in which the conductive terminal 140 is mounted. In addition, the conductive terminal mounting portion 118 is also a space into which the conductive wire W is inserted. The conductive terminal mount 118 is shown in FIG. 4. That the retainer 130 is coupled to the housing 110 may be understood as a concept similar to closing the entrance of the conductive terminal mount 118.

The rear portion 112 of the housing 110 indicates a portion protruding from the position where the sealing member 120 is coupled to the rear of the male connector 100. The inside of the rear part 112 is divided into a plurality of conductive terminal mounting parts 118 to accommodate the conductive wires W one by one.

The housing 110 includes a locking lever 114, a rib 115, a guard 116, and gripping portions 117a and 117b.

The locking lever 114 is formed on the outer surface of the housing 110. The locking lever 114 is formed to be locked and unlocked in the protrusion 214 formed on the outer surface of the wafer 210. In this drawing, it is shown that the locking lever 114 is formed on the outer surface of the housing 110 and the protrusion 214 is formed on the outer surface of the wafer 210. However, unlike this, the locking lever 114 may be provided on the wafer 210. In this case, the locking lever 114 is formed to be locked and unlocked on the protrusion 214 formed on the outer surface of the housing 110.

As shown, the locking lever 114 may be integrally formed with the housing 110. The meaning of being integrally formed means that the locking lever 114 is formed together with the housing 110 without a separate additional process in the process of injection molding or 3D printing for manufacturing the housing 110. Unlike this, the locking lever 114 may be formed as a separate member and coupled to the housing 110.

Locking levers 114 are formed one by one on both sides of the housing 110. For example, as shown in the drawing, one locking lever 114 may be formed on one side and the other side (or left and right, or upper and lower sides) of the housing 110.

Here, the position at which the locking lever 114 is formed may be defined differently according to the fastening direction of the male connector 100 and the female connector 200 and the direction facing the male connector 100 and female connector 200. For example, in the case of having a structure in which the male connector 100 and the female connector 200 are vertically fastened, the locking lever 114 is formed on both sides of the housing 110 according to the direction facing the electrical connector assembly CA1. It can be done, or it can be said that it is formed on the upper and lower surfaces. In this way, the reference to the position where the locking lever 114 is formed in the housing 110 is only for convenience of description with reference to the drawings, and is not intended to limit the present invention.

The rib 115 protrudes outward from the outer surface of the housing 110. The rib 115 is for setting the maximum pressing amount of the locking lever 114. To this end, the rib 115 protrudes toward the locking lever 114 from the rear part 112 of the housing 110. Ribs 115 are shown in FIGS. 3, 5, and 6. The rib 115 is located in front of the support portion 114a. The rib 115 is formed to protrude from the rear end of the sealing member mounting portion 113 and is disposed to overlap a portion of the sealing member protruding from the sealing member mounting portion 113 in the front-rear direction of the housing 110.

If there is no rib 115, the locking lever 114 will be flipped to the outer surface of the housing 110. However, when the rib 115 protrudes from the outer surface of the housing 110, the tilting of the locking lever 114 is reduced compared to the case in which the rib 115 is not present.

The guard 116 is formed to protect the locking lever 114 at a position spaced apart from the locking lever 114. Since the electrical connection and disconnection of the male connector 100 and the female connector 200 is implemented based on the mechanical connection and release of the male connector 100 and the female connector 200, the male connector 100 and the female connector ( The locking lever 114 associated with the connection and release of 200) must be protected from physical damage. The guard 116 is formed to protrude from the outer surface of the housing 110 to protect the locking lever 114 and surround both sides of the locking lever 114.

If the thickness of the housing 110 is sufficiently large and the locking lever 114 is smaller than the thickness of the housing 110, the guard 116 may protrude in only one direction. This structure is shown in the drawings of the second embodiment to be described later. However, if the thickness of the housing 110 is smaller than the thickness of the locking lever 114, the guard 116 may have a secondary protrusion structure as shown in the drawings of the first embodiment for protection of the locking lever 114. . Here, the thickness of the housing 110 refers to a direction crossing a direction in which the two locking levers 114 are separated from each other or a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the two locking levers 114 are separated from each other.

For example, the guard 116 first protrudes in a direction intersecting or orthogonal to the direction in which the two locking levers 114 are spaced apart from each other, and then protrudes to a position surrounding both sides of the locking lever 114 again. The guard 116 is formed for each locking lever 114, and is formed on one side and the other side of each locking lever 114, respectively. Accordingly, four guards 116 for protecting the two locking levers 114 may be provided in the housing 110.

Both the locking lever 114 and the guard 116 have a structure protruding from the housing 110, but the locking lever 114 is a configuration requiring a pressing operation to implement the mechanical connection and release of the male connector 100. , The guard 116 is a configuration that needs to be fixed to protect the locking lever 114. Therefore, except for the portion where the locking lever 114 is connected to the housing 110 and the portion where the guard 116 is connected to the housing 110, the locking lever 114 and the guard 116 must be separated from each other. .

The guard 116 surrounds a portion of the locking lever 114 that needs to be particularly protected. The mechanically weakest part of the locking lever 114 may be referred to as a support portion 114a. The guard 116 surrounds the support portion 114a at a position spaced apart from the support portion 114a. The guard 116 protects the support portion 114a by blocking the physical force applied toward the support portion 114a.

The gripping portions 117a and 117b protrude from the upper and lower portions of the housing 110 toward the thickness direction of the housing 110, respectively. The direction in which the gripping portions 117a and 117b protrude is a direction intersecting or orthogonal to a direction in which the locking lever 114 is formed.

In order to insert the male connector 100 into the female connector 200, an operation of pushing the male connector 100 into the female connector 200 by applying a physical force is required by an operator. However, since the conductive wire W is connected to the male retainer 130, the retainer 130 is an inappropriate object to apply physical force, and the locking lever 114 is also an object to be protected from physical force, and is an inappropriate object to apply physical force.

The gripping portions 117a and 117b provide an area that allows physical force to be applied to an operator. In particular, the rear ends of the gripping portions 117a and 117b form the same plane as the rear ends of the housing 110 to facilitate the operator's work. On the other hand, the front ends of the gripping parts 117a and 117b are obliquely connected to the outer surface of the housing 110 to make the connection between the housing 110 and the gripping parts 117a and 117b physically strong.

The two gripping portions 117a and 117b have different shapes to allow the operator to identify the insertion direction of the male connector 100. For example, as shown in the drawing, a hole may be formed only in one of the two gripping portions 117a and 117b.

A sealing member seating part 113 is formed in the housing 110. The sealing member seating portion 113 is formed on the outer surface of the housing 110. The sealing member mounting portion 113 is composed of a closed curved position fixing groove 113a for mounting the sealing member 120 along the periphery of the housing 110 and a position fixing rib 113b around the sealing member 120. The positioning ribs 113b are formed in front and rear of the positioning groove 113a in the front and rear directions of the housing 110, respectively, and protrude from the outer surface of the housing 110 along a closed curve corresponding to the sealing member 120 . The sealing member seating portion 113 is shown in FIG. 4 and the like.

The sealing member 120 is coupled to the outer surface of the housing 110. Specifically, the sealing member 120 is seated in the position fixing groove (113a). The sealing member 120 is formed in a closed curve shape. The sealing member 120 has a circumference capable of sealing between the outer surface of the housing 110 and the inner surface of the wafer 210. Therefore, when the housing 110 of the male connector 100 is inserted into the wafer 210 of the female connector 200, the sealing member 120 seals between the outer surface of the housing 110 and the inner surface of the wafer 210 The connector assembly CA1 has waterproof performance.

The outside of the sealing member 120 may protrude along a closed curve. Here, the outside of the sealing member 120 is a concept corresponding to the inside of the sealing member 120, and the inside of the sealing member 120 refers to a surface in close contact with the outer surface of the housing 110. On the other hand, the outer side of the sealing member 120 indicates a portion in close contact with the inner surface of the wafer 210. A structure in which the outside of the sealing member 120 protrudes along the closed curve may be formed in plural along the front and rear directions of the male connector 100, and improves the watertight performance of the sealing member 120.

The retainer 130 may have annular inclined portions 131 and 132. The annular inclined portions 131 and 132 are formed around the conductive wire W. The annular inclined portions 131 and 132 may be formed at the front and rear sides of the retainer 130, respectively. When the annular inclined portions 131 and 132 are formed in the retainer 130, the contact area between the retainer 130 and the conductive wire W is reduced, so that the conductive wire W is inserted into the hole of the retainer 130. The work becomes easy.

The conductive terminal 140 is inserted into the conductive terminal mounting portion 118 provided in the housing 110. The conductive terminal 140 is shown in FIG. 4. A plurality of conductive terminal mounting portions 118 are formed in the housing 110, and the conductive terminal mounting portions 118 are electrically insulated from each other. One conductive terminal 140 is inserted for each conductive terminal mounting portion 118.

The conductive terminal 140 includes a wire connection part 141 connected to a conductive wire W for signal transmission or power supply, and a connection part 142 connected to the conductive pin 220 of the female connector 200. The locking hook has a locking groove structure applied to the conductive terminal 140 and the conductive terminal mounting portion 118, so that the conductive terminal 140 may be configured to be prevented from falling out in a direction opposite to the insertion direction.

Meanwhile, the female connector 200 includes a wafer 210, a conductive pin 220, and a surface mounting part 230.

The wafer 210 forms the body of the female connector 200, which is a counter electrical connector. The wafer 210 is formed to be coupled to the housing 110. The wafer 210 may accommodate the housing 110 of the male connector 100. The wafer 210 is formed of a synthetic resin material. The wafer 210 may be formed by injection molding, 3D printing, or the like.

The receiving portion 211 formed on the wafer 210 is a space for accommodating the housing 110 of the male connector 100. The housing 110 is inserted into the receiving part 211.

The side wall 212 corresponds to the circumference of the receiving part 211. The sidewall 212 is formed to surround the housing 110 inserted into the receiving part 211 in all directions. The thickness of the sidewall 212 is not constant, and changes stepwise along the direction in which the depth of the receiving portion 211 becomes deeper along the insertion direction of the housing 110.

In order to explain this structure, a portion corresponding to a location where the depth of the receiving portion 211 is relatively shallow is referred to as the first portion 212a of the side wall 212, and the portion where the depth of the receiving portion 211 is relatively deep. The corresponding portion may be defined as the second portion 212b of the sidewall 212. The first portion 212a and the second portion 212b are both formed to surround the housing 110 inserted into the receiving portion 211 of the wafer 210.

However, the first part 212a is a part provided for temporary assembly (temporary assembly) of the male connector 100 and the female connector 200, and the second part 212b is a part provided for waterproofing. Here, temporary assembly is a concept corresponding to complete assembly. For example, the housing 110 is inserted deeply into the wafer 210 until the locking lever 114 is engaged with the protrusion 214, so that the male connector 100 and the female connector 200 are not easily separated. can do. Unlike this, temporary assembly of the housing 110 is inserted into the wafer 210 a little before the locking lever 114 is engaged with the protrusion 214 so that the male connector 100 and the female connector 200 can be easily separated. It can be said.

Since the first part 212a is a part provided for temporary assembly of the male connector 100 and the female connector 200, the first part 212a has a larger inner circumference than the sealing member 120 coupled to the housing 110. Since the sealing member 120 has a larger circumference than the outer surface of the housing 110, if the first part 212a has a larger inner circumference than the sealing member 120, the housing 110 and the sealing member 120 It may be easily inserted into the area surrounded by the first portion 212a or may be easily separated from the area surrounded by the first portion 212a.

Unlike this, since the second portion 212b is a portion provided for waterproofing, the inner circumference of the second portion 212b is formed slightly smaller than the sealing member 120. Accordingly, when the male connector 100 is coupled to the female connector 200, the second portion 212b is in close contact with the sealing member 120 along the inner circumference thereof.

Since the first part 212a and the second part 212b have inner circumferences of different sizes, naturally, the boundary 212c between the first part 212a and the second part 212b has an inner side of the sidewall 212 A slope or a step is formed along the perimeter.

A rib receiving groove 213 formed to accommodate the rib 115 is formed in the side wall 212. The rib 115 is configured to prevent excessive tilting of the locking lever 114 and protrudes toward the locking lever 114 from the outer surface of the housing 110. The rib accommodating groove 213 is a configuration for accommodating the rib 115. Accordingly, the rib receiving groove 213 is formed at a position corresponding to the rib 115.

The rib receiving groove 213 is formed over the first portion 212a and the second portion 212b of the side wall 212. The meaning of that the rib receiving groove 213 is formed over the first portion 212a and the second portion 212b is beyond the boundary 212c between the first portion 212a and the second portion 212b. It indicates that it is formed in the first part 212a and the second part 212b. For example, the rib receiving groove 213 is formed in the first portion 212a, the boundary 212c between the first portion 212a and the second portion 212b, and in the second portion 212b.

In particular, since the first portion 212a is formed at a position having a shallower depth than the second portion 212b in the insertion direction of the housing 110, the rib receiving groove 213 includes the first portion 212a and the wafer 210 It is formed to penetrate in the front-rear direction of. In addition, the rib accommodating groove 213 is formed to penetrate the slope or step formed in the boundary 212c between the first portion 212a and the second portion 212b in the front and rear direction of the wafer 210. On the other hand, the rib accommodating groove 213 is formed only partially in the second portion 212b, and does not penetrate the second portion 212b in the front and rear direction of the wafer 210.

The partition 217 and the rib accommodating groove 213 of the wafer 210 must be spaced apart from each other in the front and rear direction of the wafer 210. In addition, the sealing member 120 should be positioned between the rib receiving groove 213 and the partition 217 in the front and rear directions of the wafer 210. This is because the sealing member 120 is in close contact with the second portion 212b of the side wall 212 to provide watertight performance.

The protrusion 214 is formed on the outer surface of the wafer 210. The protrusion 214 protrudes from one side and the other side of the wafer 210 toward the outside of the wafer 210. The position where the protrusion 214 is formed is a position corresponding to the position where the locking lever 114 is formed. The protrusion 214 and the rib receiving groove 213 are formed on opposite sides with the side wall 212 therebetween.

The protrusion 214 is formed so that the locking lever 114 can be engaged. For example, the front side of the protrusion 214 is formed to be inclined so that the locking lever 114 can pass while sliding. The angle formed by the front side of the protrusion 214 and the five surfaces of the wafer 210 is an obtuse angle. On the other hand, the rear side of the protrusion 214 forms an angle (acute angle) of 90 degrees or less with the outer surface of the wafer 210 so that the locking lever 114 can be engaged. When the female connector 200 and the male connector 100 are coupled, the protrusion 214 is inserted between the locking portion 114b and the rib 115.

The guide slot 215 is formed at a position corresponding to the guide rib 111a formed in the front part 111 of the housing 110. The guide slot 215 is formed by partially recessing the sidewall 212. The guide rib 111a of the housing 110 is inserted into the guide slot 215.

The stepped portion 216 is formed in the receiving portion 211. The step portion 216 in the depth direction of the receiving portion 211 divides the receiving portion 211 into two parts. A conductive pin 220 is positioned at a portion deeper than the step portion 216. When the housing 110 is inserted into the wafer 210, the position fixing rib 113b of the sealing member seating portion 113 may be mounted on the stepped portion 216.

The partition 217 protrudes from the inner bottom surface of the wafer 210 and divides the receiving portion 211 into several spaces. The partition 217 may have a structure protruding from three surfaces corresponding to the inner bottom surface and both side walls 212 of the wafer 210 or a structure connected to the three surfaces. Conductive fins 220 are exposed in each space partitioned by the partition 217.

The conductive pin 220 penetrates through the bottom surface of the wafer 210. One part 221 of the conductive pin 220 is exposed to the receiving part 211 of the wafer 210, and the other part 222 is exposed on the outer bottom surface of the wafer 210. The conductive pin 220 may have a bent structure according to a shape of an object on which the female connector 200 is mounted, such as a printed circuit board, or a mounting position of the female connector 200. However, the conductive pin 220 does not necessarily have a bent structure and may have a straight structure.

The surface mounting part 230 is exposed on the outer bottom surface of the wafer 210. The surface mounting part 230 may be formed of a metal material. In general, the female connector 200 is mounted on a printed circuit board by a surface mounting technique called SMT, and the coupling force of the conductive pin 220 to the circuit pattern or element of the printed circuit board may be insufficient. The surface mount unit 230 may be soldered to the printed circuit board or connected to the printed circuit board like the conductive pin 220 in the SMT process to compensate for insufficient bonding force.

The surface mount unit 230 includes a portion 231 coupled to the wafer 210 and a portion 232 exposed to the outer bottom surface of the wafer 210. The portion 231 coupled to the wafer 210 is inserted from the outer bottom surface of the wafer 210 along the front and rear direction of the wafer 210 into the inside thereof. The portion 232 exposed on the outer bottom surface of the wafer 210 is mounted on a printed circuit board.

Hereinafter, the locking lever 114 and its surrounding structure will be described.

7 is an enlarged view of the locking lever 114 shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 and its surroundings.

8 is a cross-sectional view of the locking lever 114 shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 and its surroundings.

The locking lever 114 has a support portion 114a, a locking portion 114b, and an operation portion 114c.

The locking lever 114 has a seesaw shape in which the locking portion 114b and the operation portion 114c are disposed on both sides around the support portion 114a. Therefore, the locking lever 114 is configured to allow a predetermined elastic deformation around the rotational center of the support portion (114a).

The support portion 114a protrudes from one surface of the housing 110 toward the outside of the housing 110. Here, it is preferable that the support part 114a protrudes in an inclined direction toward the front of the housing 110 as shown in the drawing, rather than protruding vertically from one surface of the housing 110 in a normal direction. That is, the locking lever 114 has an inclined support portion 114a rather than a vertical support portion 114a. As the support portion 114a protrudes from one surface of the housing 110 in an inclined shape, the support portion 114a and the locking portion 114b form an obtuse angle, and the support portion 114a and the operation portion 114c form an acute angle. The angle can be seen in FIG. 8.

When the inclined support 114a protrudes in an inclined shape toward the front of the housing 110, the rotation center of the locking lever 114 is the control unit 114c, compared to a structure having a vertical support under the condition that the length of the locking part 114b is the same. It is located closer to the side, and when the operation unit 114c is pressed, the angle change between the support unit 114a and the operation unit 114c is also reduced. Accordingly, the force applied to the inclined support portion 114a when the manipulation portion 114c is pressed is reduced, and the amount of deformation is also reduced. In addition, the possibility of plastic deformation of the locking lever 114 may be reduced, and whitening due to plastic deformation may also be reduced.

A plurality of support portions 114a may be formed at positions spaced apart from each other. Referring to FIG. 7, it is shown that two support portions 114a are formed at positions spaced apart from each other in the thickness direction of the housing 110. The two support portions 114a are connected to one locking portion 114b and one operation portion 114c.

The locking portion 114b extends from the support portion 114a toward the front of the housing 110. The locking portion 114b may be disposed parallel to one surface of the housing 110 from which the support portion 114a protrudes.

The locking portion 114b includes a hook 114b' formed to be engaged with the protrusion 214 of the wafer 210. The hook 114b' may be formed at the front end of the locking portion 114b. The hook 114b' protrudes toward one surface of the housing 110 on which the support portion 114a is formed. In addition, a protrusion receiving groove 114b” formed to accommodate the protrusion 214 of the wafer 210 is formed inside the hook 114b'.

With this structure, when the housing 110 and the wafer 210 are coupled, the sidewall 212 of the wafer 210 is inserted between one surface of the housing 110 and the locking portion 114b, and then inserted into the hook 114b'. It is restricted from being caught and falling out in the direction opposite to the insertion direction.

The operation portion 114c extends from the support portion 114a toward the rear of the housing 110. The operation unit 114c is configured to be press-operable to unlock the locking lever 114 caught in the protrusion 214 of the wafer 210. The operation portion 114c may be disposed parallel to one surface of the housing 110 from which the support portion 114a protrudes.

An operation rib 114c' for improving the operator's operation feeling may protrude from the rear end of the operation part 114c. The operation rib 114c' protrudes in a direction away from the housing 110. In particular, the front side of the manipulation rib 114c' is obliquely connected to the outer surface of the manipulation unit 114c to maximize the operator's improved feeling of manipulation. In contrast, the rear side of the manipulation rib 114c' forms a plane and is connected to the rear end of the manipulation portion 114c.

The locking lever 114 may further include a base portion 114d protruding from one surface of the housing 110. If both ends of the support portion 114a are divided into a first end connected to the locking part 114b or the operation part 114c, and a second end formed on the opposite side of the first end, the base part 114d is a second end. Is connected to The support portion 114a of the locking lever 114 protrudes in an oblique direction from the base portion 114d.

The base portion 114d extends to the rear side of the housing 110 from a position where the protrusion of the support portion 114a starts or a position connected to the second end. Since the base portion 114d is formed at each position where the protrusion of the support portion 114a starts, the number of the base portions 114d and the number of the support portions 114a are the same. The support portion 114a extends obliquely toward the outside of the housing 110 from the base portion 114d.

As the base portion 114d is formed in the housing 110, the maximum lifting angle of the locking portion 114b when the manipulation portion 114c is pressed may be limited by the contact between the manipulation portion 114c and the base portion 114d. . The maximum lifting angle of the locking portion 114b is set according to the degree of protrusion of the base portion 114d. The thickness of the base portion 114d may be constant, or the thickness of the portion in contact with the manipulation portion 114c may increase or decrease in order to adjust the maximum lifting angle of the locking portion 114b.

As the base portion 114d is formed, the space into which the sidewall 212 of the wafer 210 is inserted remains the same, and the maximum lifting angle of the locking portion 114b may be reduced. Here, the space into which the side wall 212 of the wafer 210 is inserted refers to a space between the outer surface of the housing 110 and the locking portion 114b.

According to the structure in which the support portion 114a protrudes in an inclined shape toward the front side of the housing 110, the force applied to the support portion 114a when the operation portion 114c is pressed is reduced, and the support portion 114a and the operation portion ( It has been described above that the angle change between 114c) can also be reduced. However, according to this structure, since the locking portion 114b forms an obtuse angle with the support portion 114a, the locking portion 114b is vulnerable to being pressed.

When the operator wants to release the mechanical coupling between the male connector 100 and the female connector 200, it is natural to press and operate the manipulation unit 114c. However, the possibility that the operator or the user arbitrarily presses and manipulates the locking unit 114b cannot be excluded. In particular, when the male connector 100 is separated from the female connector 200, the locking portion 114b is not supported by the sidewall 212 of the wafer 210, and thus the vulnerability of the locking portion 114b increases. .

Further, as the sealing member 120 is provided, when the male connector 100 has waterproof performance, the sidewall 212 of the wafer 210 must also be thicker than the wafer 210 when the waterproof structure is not provided. This is because if the thickness of the wafer 210 is too thin, the sidewall 212 may be pushed and moisture may penetrate between the sidewall 212 and the sealing member 120. When the thickness of the side wall 212 becomes thicker than before, the amount of pressing of the locking portion 114b becomes larger than that of the existing one, so that it becomes more vulnerable to the pressing of the locking portion 114b.

Therefore, mechanical supplementation is required to recover the decrease in durability between the support portion 114a and the locking portion 114b, which is a side effect of the structure of the inclined support portion 114a or the waterproof structure. This supplementation is made by ribs 115. Since the locking portion 114b is a part of the locking lever 114, if the fragility of the locking portion 114b can be compensated, the durability of the entire locking lever 114 can be improved.

The rib 115 protrudes from one surface of the housing 110 toward the locking portion 114b to set the maximum pressing amount of the locking portion 114b. As the rib 115 protrudes from one surface of the housing 110, the distance between the rib 115 and the locking portion 114b becomes closer than the distance between the one surface of the housing 110 and the locking portion 114b. Therefore, the maximum amount of pressing of the locking portion 114b set by the rib 115 is set to be shorter than the separation distance between one surface of the housing 110 and the locking portion 114b.

When the rib 115 reduces the maximum pressing amount of the locking portion 114b, the problem of reducing the durability of the locking portion 114b caused by the inclined support portion 114a can be improved. In particular, in order to maximize this effect, the rib 115 should be formed at a position in contact with the hook 114b' when the locking portion 114b is pressed. The position in contact with the hook 114b' when the locking part 114b is pressed refers to a position facing the hook 114b' on one side of the housing 110 from which the support part 114a protrudes, or the hook 114b ') and the protrusion receiving groove (114b") refers to a position facing both.

If the rib 115 is formed in a position that does not contact the hook 114b' and only contacts the protrusion receiving groove 114b', there is a limit to reducing the maximum pressing amount of the locking portion 114b. The position in contact with only the protrusion receiving groove 114b” refers to a position facing only the protrusion receiving groove 114b” on one side of the housing 110, and this position is the hook 114b' and the protrusion receiving groove 114b” It should be distinguished from the concept of a position facing all.

The rib 115 faces the hook 114b' and the protrusion receiving groove 114b", but the rib 115 must be formed at a position spaced apart from the hook 114b' and the protrusion receiving groove 114b". This is because the sidewall 212 of the wafer 210 must be inserted between the rib 115 and the hook 114b'.

A plurality of support portions 114a may be provided, and a plurality of support portions 114a are formed on opposite sides of each other based on the rib 115. If this is described in terms of the rib 115, it may be understood that the rib 115 is formed between the plurality of support portions 114a.

Since the support portion 114a supports the locking portion 114b and the operation portion 114c, the greater the number, the more advantageous the durability is improved. On the other hand, the rib 115 only sets the maximum pressing amount of the locking portion 114b, but does not contribute to improving its own durability, so it may be formed in a single number.

The rib 115 is formed between the sealing member 120 and the support portion 114a based on the front and rear directions of the housing 110. Since the rib 115 is for setting the maximum pressing amount of the locking portion 114b, the position of the rib 115 is determined by the position of the locking portion 114b, and the position of the locking portion 114b is the wafer 210 ) Is determined by the position of the sidewall 212 and the protrusion 214. As the length of the locking portion 114b increases, the durability of the locking lever 114 may decrease, so that the locking portion 114b is relatively in the depth direction of the receiving portion 211 formed on the wafer 210. It is desirable to be located in a shallow area.

On the other hand, since the sealing member 120 is configured for watertightness between the male connector 100 and the female connector 200, it is preferable to be located at a relatively deep location with respect to the depth direction of the receiving portion 211. And the support portion (114a) is a reference for partitioning the positions of the locking portion (114b) and the operation portion (114c), the locking portion (114b) is located in the front side than the operation portion (114c), the support portion (114a) is the housing ( It is located behind the rib 115 in the front and rear direction of 110). In summary, the rib 115 is formed between the sealing member 120 and the support portion 114a in the front and rear direction of the housing 110.

Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

9 is a conceptual diagram as viewed from one direction in which the male connector 300 and the female connector 400 of the electrical connector assembly CA2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention are separated.

10 is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector assembly CA1 shown in FIG. 9.

11 is a cross-sectional view of the male connector 300 shown in FIGS. 9 and 10.

A plurality of conductive wires W may be arranged in two or more rows to be connected to the male connector 300. The male connector 300 and the female connector 400 have structures corresponding thereto. For example, the front portion 311 of the housing 310 is also divided into two or more rows, the receiving portion 411 of the wafer 410 is also divided into two or more rows by the partition 417, and the retainers 330a and 330b are also divided into two or more rows. It is provided in the same number as the number of arrangements of conductive wires (W).

As described above, the present invention provides the arrangement of the conductive wires W while maintaining the structural unity, and the structure of the housing 310, the wafer 410, and the retainers 330a, 330b corresponding to the arrangement of the conductive wires W, or Since the number can be changed, it can be mechanically versatile.

Meanwhile, as the arrangement of the conductive wires W increases to two or more rows, the thickness of the housing 310 may be thicker than that of the first embodiment. Accordingly, the guard 316 may protrude in only one direction without having to have a two-stage bent structure.

The conductive pin 420 does not necessarily have to have a bent structure, and may have a straight structure as shown in the drawings of the second embodiment.

In addition, the structure described in the remaining first embodiment can also be applied to the description of the second embodiment. Reference numerals of configurations not described in FIGS. 9 to 11 are as follows, and a description thereof will be replaced with a description of the first embodiment.

311: front part of housing

311a, 311b: guide rib

311c: incision

312: rear part of the housing

313: sealing member seating portion

314: locking lever

314a: support

314b: locking part

314b': hook

314b": projection receiving groove

314c: control panel

314c': operation rib

315: rib

316: guard

317a, 317b: holding portion

320: sealing member

331: slope

340: conductive terminal

412: side wall

412a: first part

412b: second part

412c: boundary between the first part and the second part

413: rib receiving groove

414: protrusion

415: guide slot

416: step portion

417: partition

Next, a problem occurring in an automated process of manufacturing an electrical connector assembly and a solution structure thereof will be described.

12 is a conceptual diagram showing an automated process of inserting the conductive pin 220 into the wafer 210 of the female connector.

In order to manufacture the female connector, the conductive pin 220 must be inserted into the hole 219 of the wafer 210 at the rear of the wafer 210. In the automated process, a plurality of wafers 210 are moved in an aligned state as shown in FIG. 12, and the conductive pins to be coupled are always linearly moved to the same position.

When the conductive pin 220 is linearly moved at a point where the wafer 210 to be bonded is moved and is positioned at a specific point, the conductive pin 220 is inserted into the hole 219 of the wafer 210 and the wafer 210 And the conductive pin 220 are automatically coupled.

In order for such an automated process to be performed smoothly, each position and processing time must be precisely controlled during the process of moving the wafers 210 aligned in a line and the process of inserting the conductive pins 220. However, due to the shape of the wafer 210, a problem in which the wafers 210 are combined may occur, which acts as a disturbing factor for a smooth automated process. This example is shown in FIG. 13.

13 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a problem occurring in an automated process of inserting a conductive pin into a wafer of a female connector.

Previously, the direction in which the female connector faces the male connector in the mating direction of the female connector and the male connector was defined as the front of the female connector, and the opposite direction was defined as the rear of the mating electrical connector. In this defined direction, the wafer 210 may be divided into a front end portion and a rear end portion based on a portion whose size varies.

The front end portion 210a of the wafer 210 is formed at a position relatively close to the housing in the coupling direction with the housing. Conversely, the rear end portion 210b of the wafer 210 is formed at a position relatively far from the housing in the coupling direction with the housing. Here, the concept of relative means a relatively concept between the front end 210a and the rear end 210b.

A receiving portion 211 for accommodating the housing of the male connector is formed on the wafer 210, and the receiving portion 211 is opened toward the front end portion 210a in the direction defined as above. In addition, the rear end 210b of the wafer 210 may have a size smaller than that of the front end 210a. As a result, in the process of aligning the plurality of wafers 210, the rear end of the other wafer 210 ′ may be inserted into the receiving part 211 of one wafer 210.

These results cause spatial and temporal errors in the process of placing the wafer 210 at a point for bonding with the conductive pins, and in some cases, the bonding of the wafer 210 and the conductive pins may not be made at all. .

The female connector of the present invention has a structure for solving this problem, and this structure will be described with reference to FIG. 14.

14 is a perspective view showing a wafer 610 of a female connector having a structure for solving the problem described in FIG. 13.

The rear end portion 610b has a length shorter than that of the front end portion 610a in a direction crossing the coupling direction between the wafer 610 and the housing. Referring to FIG. 14, three sides of the rear end 610b form the same plane as the front end 610a, whereas one side forms a step difference with the front end 610a, so that the rear end ( 610b has a length shorter than that of the front end 610a.

The reason why the rear end 610b of the wafer 610 can be fitted into the receiving unit of another wafer is that the rear end 610b of the wafer 610 has a size smaller than that of the receiving unit or the receiving unit 611 and Because they have the same size. Therefore, if the rear end portion 610b of the wafer 610 has a size larger than that of the receiving portion 611, a problem caused by the intercalation between the wafers 610 may be solved.

The pinching prevention rib 618 protrudes from one surface of the rear end 610b toward the crossing direction. The crossing direction refers to a direction in which the length of the rear end portion 610b becomes longer than the length of the receiving portion 611 as the pinching prevention ribs 618 protrude. The length of the receiving portion 611 is defined as the distance between the side walls 612 facing each other in the direction in which the pinching prevention ribs 618 protrude. The pinching prevention rib 618 protrudes from the outer surface of the rear end 610b toward the outside of the wafer 610.

As an example, if the housing of the male connector and the wafer 610 of the female connector are coupled to each other along the Z axis in spatial coordinates, the crossing direction may be any one direction on the X-Y plane. However, the crossing direction does not necessarily have to be orthogonal to the bonding direction of the housing and the wafer 610.

As the pinch prevention rib 618 protrudes, the length of the rear end 610b in the crossing direction becomes longer than the length of the receiving portion 611, and the rear end 610b of the wafer 610 accommodates other wafers. The phenomenon of being inserted into the part may be physically prevented. A structure that prevents being inserted between the wafers 610 may be applied to both the first and second embodiments.

In FIG. 14, reference numerals of the configuration not described are as follows, and the description thereof is replaced with the description of the first embodiment.

612a: first part

612b: second part

612c: boundary between the first part and the second part

613: rib receiving groove

614: protrusion

615: guide slot

616: step portion

617: partition

The electrical connector and electrical connector assembly described above are not limited to the configuration and method of the above-described embodiments, but the embodiments are configured by selectively combining all or part of each of the embodiments so that various modifications can be made. May be.

Claims (15)

A housing formed to be coupled to the wafer of the mating electrical connector;
A sealing member seating portion extending along the circumference of the housing in a groove shape;
A sealing member having a closed curve shape fitted to the sealing member seating portion; And
It is provided in the housing and includes a locking lever formed to be locked and unlocked on a protrusion formed on an outer surface of the wafer,
The locking lever,
A support part protruding from one surface of the housing toward the outside of the housing;
A locking portion extending from the support portion toward the front of the housing and formed to be hooked to the protrusion; And
It includes an operation portion extending from the support portion toward the rear of the housing, and formed to be pressed to release the locking of the locking lever,
It includes a rib protruding toward the locking portion from one surface of the housing and positioned in front of the support portion,
The ribs are formed to protrude from a rear end of the sealing member seating portion, and are disposed to overlap a portion of the sealing member protruding from the sealing member seating portion in a front-rear direction of the housing. The method of claim 1,
The locking part has a hook formed at the front end of the locking part,
The electrical connector, characterized in that the rib is formed at a position in contact with the hook when the locking part is pressed. The method of claim 1,
The locking part,
A hook formed at the front end of the locking part; And
And a protrusion receiving groove formed to accommodate the protrusion inside the hook,
The rib is an electrical connector, characterized in that arranged to face the hook and the protrusion receiving groove at a position spaced apart from the hook and the protrusion receiving groove. The method of claim 1,
The support is formed in a plurality at positions spaced apart from each other,
An electrical connector, characterized in that the plurality of support portions are formed opposite to each other based on the ribs. The method of claim 1,
The rib is an electrical connector, characterized in that formed between the sealing member and the support. The method of claim 1,
The support part protrudes in an inclined shape along a direction closer to the front of the housing,
The support part and the locking part form an obtuse angle,
The electric connector, characterized in that the support portion and the operation portion form an acute angle. The method of claim 1,
The support part,
A first end connected to the locking part or the operation part; And
It has a second end formed on the opposite side of the first end,
The housing has a base portion protruding from one surface of the housing and connected to the second end,
The electric connector, characterized in that the base portion extends toward the rear of the housing from a position connected to the second end. A female connector having a wafer; And
Including a male connector formed to be coupled to the female connector,
The male connector,
A housing formed to be coupled to a wafer of the female connector;
A sealing member seating portion extending along the circumference of the housing in a groove shape;
A sealing member having a closed curve shape fitted to the sealing member seating portion; And
It is provided in the housing and includes a locking lever formed to be locked and unlocked on a protrusion formed on an outer surface of the wafer,
The locking lever,
A support part protruding from one surface of the housing toward the outside of the housing;
A locking portion extending from the support portion toward the front of the housing and formed to be hooked to the protrusion; And
It includes an operation portion extending from the support portion toward the rear of the housing, and formed to be pressed to release the locking of the locking lever,
It includes a rib protruding toward the locking portion from one surface of the housing and positioned in front of the support portion,
The rib is formed to protrude from a rear end of the sealing member seating portion, and disposed to overlap a portion of the sealing member protruding from the sealing member seating portion in a front-rear direction of the housing. The method of claim 8,
The wafer is formed with a receiving portion for accommodating the housing,
An electrical connector assembly, characterized in that a rib receiving groove formed to receive the rib is formed in a sidewall corresponding to the periphery of the receiving portion. The method of claim 9,
The electrical connector assembly, characterized in that the protrusion and the rib receiving groove are formed opposite to each other with the side wall therebetween. The method of claim 10,
The electrical connector assembly, characterized in that when the female connector and the male connector are coupled, the protrusion is inserted between the locking portion and the rib. The method of claim 8,
The male connector further includes a sealing member having a closed curve shape coupled to an outer surface of the housing,
The wafer is formed with a receiving portion for accommodating the housing,
The side wall corresponding to the circumference of the receiving portion,
A first portion formed to surround the housing and having an inner circumference larger than that of the sealing member; And
And a second portion formed at a position deeper than the first portion in the insertion direction of the housing and having an inner circumference in close contact with the sealing member. The method of claim 12,
A rib receiving groove formed to receive the rib is formed in the side wall,
The rib receiving groove is an electrical connector assembly, characterized in that formed over the first portion and the second portion. The method of claim 12,
An electrical connector assembly, wherein a slope or a step is formed along an inner circumference of the sidewall at a boundary between the first portion and the second portion. A female connector having a wafer; And
And a male connector having a housing coupled to the wafer, and a locking lever formed to be locked and unlocked on a protrusion formed on the wafer,
The wafer,
A front end portion formed at a position relatively close to the housing in a coupling direction with the housing;
A rear end portion formed at a position relatively far from the housing in a coupling direction with the housing and having a shorter length than the front end portion in a direction crossing the coupling direction with the housing;
A receiving portion opened toward the front end to receive the housing; And
And a pinch prevention rib protruding from the outer surface of the rear end toward the outside of the wafer so that the length of the rear end is longer than the length of the receiving unit in a direction crossing the coupling direction,
The male connector,
A sealing member seating portion extending along the circumference of the housing in a groove shape; And
Including a sealing member of a closed curve shape fitted to the sealing member seating portion,
The locking lever,
A support part protruding from one surface of the housing toward the outside of the housing;
A locking portion extending from the support portion toward the front of the housing and formed to be hooked to the protrusion; And
It includes an operation portion extending from the support portion toward the rear of the housing, and formed to be pressed to release the locking of the locking lever,
The male connector includes a rib protruding from one surface of the housing toward the locking part,
The rib is located in front of the support, is formed to protrude from a rear end of the sealing member seating portion, and is disposed to overlap a portion of the sealing member protruding from the sealing member seating portion in a front-rear direction of the housing. Electrical connector assembly.

Images