TWI404272B - Electrical connector assembly with locking function - Google Patents

Abstract

An electric connector having a lock function is provided to enable a user to check up whether or not connector insertion is normally completed and to take a reasonable measure against noise by generating a loud clicking sound. An electric connector comprises the followings. A metallic pressure receiving unit(16) receives a suspending ring(23) at a contacted portion when the suspending ring is moved to be returned to a free state by releasing the elastic bending of a flexible arm(22) of a correspondent connector after completing the insertion of the connector. The contacted portion is placed within a range between the disposition of the suspending ring and the free-position of the ring in the bending disposition direction of the flexible arm.

Description

Electrical connector assembly with locking function

The present invention relates to an electrical connector assembly having a locking function.

In the electrical connector (hereinafter simply referred to as "connector"), there is often a so-called locking configuration for preventing the connectors from being separated from each other in a state in which the connectors are fitted to each other. Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a lock structure of a conventional connector, and Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a lock structure of a conventional connector shown in Fig. 5, and Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 show The locking portion 31A provided on the edge of the opening portion 31 formed in the connector 30, for example, the member 30 mounted on the housing (not shown) of the female connector, is locked in another One of the connectors is, for example, a locking claw 41 which is formed in a male connector (not shown) and which is bent toward the connector fitting direction (arrow X direction) at the front end portion of the flexible arm portion 40 a locking structure that prevents the connectors from coming off each other. This locking structure is symmetrically provided, for example, on the outer sides of the terminals at both ends in the arrangement direction of the terminals (not shown) (the direction perpendicular to the direction of the arrow X), and only one of the lock structures is shown here. In Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, it is shown that before the connector is fitted (indicated by a broken line), during the fitting operation (indicated by a two-dot dotted line), and when the fitting is completed (shown by a solid line) The flexible wrist 40 of each male connector.

The locking portion 31A provided with the female connector is formed by bending a member 30 made of a metal plate into an L-shape in the thickness direction thereof, and is formed in a quadrangular shape provided on a plate surface extending in the fitting direction of the connector. The opening portion 31. in Among the four inner edges of the periphery of the opening portion 31, the inner edge of the free end side of the member 30 functions as a locking portion 31A for locking the locking claw 41 of the male connector.

The flexible arm portion 40 of the male connector is formed of a metal plate in the same manner as the member 30 of the female connector, and has a locking portion extending from the lower edge toward the outer side of the connector. Claw 41. As shown in Fig. 6, the plate surface 40A on the outer side of the connector of the flexible arm portion 40 is in contact with the inner side surface of the synthetic resin case 50 of the male connector.

Next, the locking operation of the fitting operation of the connector will be described. First, the flexible arm portion 40 is moved in the fitting direction X in accordance with the connector fitting operation from the position before the connector fitting shown by the broken line. When the beveled edge portion 41A as the front end portion of the locking claw 41 of the flexible arm portion 40 abuts against the end portion of the member 30 of the female connector, the beveled edge portion 41A of the locking claw 41 is in sliding contact with the above member The above end portion of the 30 is also subjected to a reaction force, and the plate surface of the flexible arm portion 40 is elastically flexibly deformed away from the housing 50. In other words, as shown by the dotted line at two points, the flexible arm portion 40 has its distal end portion 41B of the locking claw 41 abutting against the inner side surface of the member 30 and being bent toward the inner side of the connector. When the distal end portion 41B of the locking claw 41 reaches the position of the locking portion 31A of the opening portion 31, the elastic bending deformation of the flexible arm portion 40 is released and the free state is restored, and the connector fitting operation is performed, and The rear end portion 41C of the locking claw 41 and the opening portion 31 of the member 30 are inserted to complete the connector fitting operation. As a result, the locking portion 31A of the member 30 locks the locking claw 41 in the connector pulling-out direction, so that the fitted connectors can be prevented from being separated from each other.

[Patent Document 1] did not find

In the above connector, when the connector fitting operation is completed, the plate surface of the flexible arm 40 abuts against the housing 50 by quickly returning the elastically deformable flexible arm 40 to the free state. The inside side, so there will be a click sound.

However, the housing is formed of a synthetic resin. In the conventional connector as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the click sound when the connector is fitted is a flexible wrist 40 made of metal. The surface of the plate is caused by the collision with the inner side of the synthetic resin case 50, and the synthetic resin forming the case is softer than the metal, and the collision is flat with each other, so the collision pressure is large. Lower, causing the click sound to be too large to confirm that the connector is engaged. That is to say, in the above-described conventional connector, it is difficult to confirm whether or not the connector fitting is normally completed by the click sound, and there is a problem that it is impossible to judge whether the connector is in an unfitting state or a so-called half-lock state.

In the electrical connector described above, when the connector is fitted, the locking claws 41 of the flexible arm portion 40 are not in electrical contact with any portion of the female connector, so that grounding conduction cannot be achieved, and noise cannot be sufficiently prevented.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an electrical connector which has a large click sound when the connector is fitted, and it is easy to determine whether the connector is properly fitted or not, and has a method for preventing noise.

<First invention>

The electrical connector with locking function of the present invention is provided with: a terminal that is arranged and held on a casing made of an electrically insulating member, and a member that is mounted on the component to which the casing is mounted, and is elastically flexible When the object connector of the curved metal flexible arm is engaged, when the connector is fitted, the locking claw formed by the flexible wrist is locked in the direction in which the connector is pulled out. unit.

In the electrical connector with a locking function, according to a first aspect of the invention, the electrical connector has a function of releasing the elastic deflection of the flexible wrist of the target connector when the connector is fitted, and moving the locking claw When the return to the free state, the metal pressure receiving member that receives the locking claw at the contact portion, the abutting portion of the pressure receiving member is located in the deflection displacement direction of the flexible wrist portion The range between the displacement position of the corresponding abutting portion of the locking claw and the free state position when the wrist is flexed and deformed is slidable.

In the electrical connector of the structure, the abutting portion of the pressure receiving member with respect to the locking claw is located at a displacement position and a free state position of the corresponding abutting portion of the locking claw when the flexible wrist portion is flexibly deformed. In the range between the two, when the connector is fitted, the elastic deformation of the flexible wrist is released and the locking claw is moved to the return free state, and the pressure receiving member receives the collision of the locking claw. The locking claw and the pressure receiving member are made of metal, and the click sound generated when the locking claw and the pressure receiving member collide with each other when colliding with a conventional metal flexible arm portion and a synthetic resin case The resulting click sound is relatively large. The front end area of the locking claw is small, and the stress when the locking claw collides with the pressure receiving member, It is larger than the stress when the plate surface of the conventional flexible wrist collides with the inner side of the casing, thereby making the click sound generated at the time of collision larger.

The locking claw and the pressure receiving member are made of metal, and the locking claw and the pressure receiving member can be electrically contacted in a state in which the connectors are fitted to each other. Therefore, by connecting the pressure receiving member to the corresponding ground circuit portion on the circuit board, the target connector can also be grounded.

<Second invention>

In the present invention, the pressure member of the electrical connector is made to be elastically deformable, and the wrist portion of the object connector is not deformed by elastic deformation, and even if it is constructed, a large jam can be produced. The sound can be made to be grounded by the object connector by connecting the pressure receiving member to the ground circuit portion.

The electrical connector according to the second aspect of the present invention includes: a terminal that is arranged and held on a casing made of an electrically insulating member, and a member that is mounted on the casing, and is made of metal. When the target connector of the wrist is engaged, when the connector is fitted, the locking claw formed by the wrist is locked in the direction in which the connector is pulled out.

In the second aspect of the invention, the electrical connector includes a metal pressure-receiving member that is elastically deformed and deformed by abutting against the locking claw and receiving pressure from the locking claw, and the pressure is applied. When the connector is elastically deflected and released to return to a free state when the connector is fitted, the member receives the pressure at the abutting portion, and the abutting portion of the locking claw is in the deflection displacement direction of the pressing member. Located at: when the flexural deformation of the pressure member The range between the displaced position of the pressure receiving member and the free state position.

<Third invention>

In the present invention, both the pressure receiving member of the electrical connector and the wrist portion of the target connector can be elastically flexibly deformed, and even if such a configuration is made, a large click sound can be generated, and The pressing member is connected to the ground circuit portion, and the object connector can be grounded.

The electrical connector of the third aspect of the present invention is provided with: a terminal that is arranged and held on a casing made of an electrically insulating member, and a member that is mounted on the member to which the casing is mounted, and When the object connector of the elastically deflectable metal flexible wrist portion is engaged, when the connector is fitted, the locking claw formed on the flexible wrist portion is pulled in the direction in which the connector is pulled out The locking portion.

According to a third aspect of the invention, the electrical connector includes: a metal pressure receiving member that abuts against the locking claw and receives pressure from the locking claw to be elastically deflected and deformed, and the pressure is applied The member receives the pressure at a contact portion with the locking claw when the flexible arm portion and the pressure receiving member are elastically deflected and released to return to a free state when the connector is fitted, and the abutting position is The flexural displacement direction of the flexible wrist portion and the pressure receiving member is located within a range between a free state position of the flexible wrist portion and a free state position of the pressure receiving member.

In the first to third inventions, it is preferable that the pressure receiving member and the locking portion are formed of a metal member as one member. As a result, the number of components is reduced, so that the cost can be suppressed and the burden of parts management can be reduced.

Preferably, the member provided with the locking portion has a grounding leg for connecting the corresponding ground circuit portion on the circuit board on which the electrical connector is mounted. When the grounding leg is provided in the member provided with the locking portion, the noise signal flowing in the contact portion between the locking claw and the pressure receiving member is from the member in which the locking portion is provided as a member with the pressure receiving member. The grounding leg flows to a corresponding ground circuit portion on the circuit substrate. Thereby, the grounding conduction circuit can be shortened as compared with the case where the grounding leg is provided in another member, so that the method of preventing noise is better.

The housing is mounted with a metal plate cover member, and the cover member has a grounding piece mounted on the ground circuit portion on the circuit substrate, and the grounding piece is preferably disposed to be mechanically coupled to the grounding leg portion. s position. Thereby, the grounding leg portion can be integrated with the grounding piece of the casing member and welded to the corresponding circuit portion on the circuit board. As a result, by bonding the grounding leg portion to the grounding piece, the member provided with the locking portion can be firmly fixed, the locking strength can be increased, and the connector can be prevented from falling off.

The member provided with the locking portion and the cover member are preferably formed as one member. Thereby, the number of parts can be reduced, the cost can be suppressed, and the burden of parts management can be reduced.

According to the first aspect of the invention, when the connector is fitted, the metal pressure-receiving member for receiving the locking claw of the metal flexible arm portion of the target connector is provided so that the pressure-receiving member is opposed to the card The abutting portion of the claw, in the moving direction of the locking claw, is located at the displacement of the locking claw when the wrist is flexed and deformed The range between the position and the free state position. Therefore, when the connector fitting is completed, the elastic deflection of the flexible wrist portion is released, and when the locking claw is moved to the return free state, the metal locking claw collides with the pressure member of the same metal, so that it is generated. A large click sound can surely confirm that the connector is properly fitted by the click sound. Further, both the locking claw and the pressure receiving member are made of metal, and the locking claw and the pressure receiving member can be electrically connected in a state in which the connectors are fitted to each other, so that the pressure receiving member is connected to the corresponding ground circuit on the circuit board. In addition, by grounding the target connector, a good method of preventing noise can be achieved.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the pressure receiving member of the electrical connector is elastically deformable, and the wrist portion of the target connector is not elastically deformed, and the abutting portion of the locking claw with respect to the pressure receiving member is The deflection displacement direction of the pressure receiving member is in a range between the displacement position of the pressure receiving member and the free state position when the pressure receiving member is flexibly deformed, and the same effects as those of the first invention can be obtained. According to the third aspect of the invention, both the pressure receiving member of the electrical connector and the wrist portion of the target connector are elastically deformable, and the abutting position of the pressure receiving member and the locking member is at the wrist portion and under pressure. The deflection displacement direction of the member is in a range between the free state position of the wrist and the free state position of the pressure receiving member, and the same effect as that of the first invention can be obtained.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

<First embodiment>

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a female connector of the present invention and a male connector as a target connector. The male connectors 20 are inserted into the female connector 10 in the connector fitting direction (arrow A direction) to fit the connectors.

The female connector 10 has a male connector 20 as a target connector formed of a synthetic resin made of an electrical insulator, and has a housing space 11A formed therein. a casing 11 of an arrangement portion of the terminals, a plurality of terminals 12 arranged and arranged in the arrangement portion of the casing 11, a cover member 13 made of a metal plate attached to the outer surface of the casing 11, and a casing 11. The fixing member 14 to be described later is provided symmetrically on the inner side of both ends of the casing member 13 in the terminal arrangement direction. In the face extending in the connector fitting direction of the fixing member 14, an opening portion 15 for locking the locking claw of the male connector 20 to be described later when the connector is fitted is formed. The female connector 10 is fixed to the circuit board by soldering a fixing piece 13A projecting from the lower end toward the outer side of the connector in the terminal arrangement direction of the cover member 13 to a circuit board (not shown).

The male connector 20 as the target connector has a shape corresponding to the housing space 11A of the female connector 10 and is inserted into the housing space 11A as a part of the housing in front of the connector fitting direction. A chisel portion 21 of a rectangular outer shape. In the fitting portion 21, a plurality of terminals (not shown) that are in electrical contact with the terminal 12 of the female connector 10 are arranged and held. Both ends of the fitting portion 21 in the terminal arrangement direction are extended toward the connector fitting direction by being formed of a metal plate and in the thickness direction thereof. A flexible wrist portion 22 that is elastically deflectable. The flexible arm portion 22 has a locking claw 23 that is curved toward the outside of the connector and protrudes. As will be described later, when the connector fitting is completed, the locking claw 23 of the flexible arm portion 22 is locked to the opening portion 15 of the fixing member 14 of the female connector 10. In the present embodiment, the locking function of such a configuration is achieved, and after the connector is fitted, it is possible to prevent the two connectors from being detached in the connector insertion and removal direction.

Figs. 2(A) and 2(B) are perspective views showing the locking structure of the two connectors of the first embodiment, and Fig. 3 is a view of Figs. 2(A) and 2(B). A cross-sectional view of the locked structure. The lock structure as described above is symmetrically provided outside the terminals at both ends in the terminal array direction, and only one of the lock structures is shown here. Fig. 2(A) shows the front of the connector (shown by the solid line) and the middle of the fitting operation (shown by two dotted lines), and in Fig. 2(B), the display is completed. The flexible wrist 22 of the male connector 20 (shown in solid lines).

As shown in Fig. 2 (A) and Fig. 2 (B), the fixing member 14 of the female connector 10 is made of a metal plate and bent in the thickness direction to form an L shape. The fixing member 14 has a projecting mounting portion 14A that is provided at each of the upper and lower end edges extending in the connector fitting direction (arrow A direction), and is fixed to the casing 11 by the mounting portion 14A. An opening portion 15 having a substantially quadrangular shape is formed in a portion of the fixing member 14 that extends in the connector fitting direction. Among the four inner edges forming the inner circumference of the opening portion 15, the inner edge of the position on the free end side of the fixing member 14 functions as a card for locking the locking claw 23 of the male connector 20. The locking portion 15A. In the present embodiment, the fixing member 14 is rigid so that it is embedded in the connector. The abutment of the portion extending in the direction of engagement with the locking claw 23 of the flexible arm portion 22 does not cause rigidity to be flexibly deformed in the plate surface direction (arrow B direction).

A portion of the fixing member 14 that extends in the connector fitting direction is provided with a pressure receiving portion 16 formed by cutting and bending the plate surface portion. The pressure receiving portion 16 extends in the connector fitting direction. When the connector is fitted, the pressing portion 16 receives the locking claw 23 of the male connector 20 on the inner surface of the connector, that is, the pressure receiving surface 16A. . As will be described later, the pressure receiving portion 16 is located at the displacement position of the distal end portion 23B of the locking claw 23 at the time of the deflection deformation of the flexible arm portion 22 in the deflection displacement direction of the flexible arm portion 22. Within the range between free state positions. In the present embodiment, the rigidity of the pressure receiving portion 16 is such that the locking claws 23 of the flexible arm portion 22 abut against each other, and the rigidity is not caused to be elastically deformed in the thickness direction.

In the present embodiment, the pressure receiving portion 16 is connected to the lock portion 15A by the two connecting portions 17A and 17B located at the upper and lower sides, and is inserted between the vertical connecting portions 17A and 17B as shown in Fig. 3 . Since the lock portion 15A and the pressure receiving portion 16 are formed as one member via the joint portions 17A and 17B, the rigidity of the pressure receiving portion is improved, and the number of parts is reduced, and the cost can be suppressed, and the burden on the parts management can be reduced. The locking portion and the pressure receiving portion are not necessarily formed as one member, and may be provided as different members.

The flexible arm portion 22 of the male connector 20 is formed at a distal end portion thereof with a locking claw 23 that is bent at a lower edge of the flexible arm portion 22 and extends toward the outside of the connector. The locking claw 23 is fitted in the connector as shown in FIG. The front side has a slanted edge portion 23A. The locking claw 23 has a front end portion 23B formed as a front end surface in the extending direction. The front end portion 23B is formed with a face portion that comes into contact with the pressure receiving surface 16A of the pressure receiving portion 16 when the connector fitting is completed.

The locking operation of the male connector 20 to the fitting operation of the female connector 10 will be described below.

First, the flexible arm portion 22 is moved in the fitting direction A by the connector fitting operation at a position before the fitting of the connector shown by the broken line in Fig. 3 in a solid line on the second drawing (A). After the oblique edge portion 23A of the locking claw 23 of the flexible arm portion 22 abuts against the end portion of the fixing member 14 of the female connector, the end portion of the fixing member 14 is slidably contacted to advance, and the wrist portion can be flexed. 22 is elastically flexibly deformed in a direction away from a portion of the fixing member 14 that extends in the fitting direction A. As a result, as shown by the two-dotted line, the wrist portion 22 can be flexed, and the distal end portion 23B of the locking claw 23 abuts against the inner side surface of the fixing member 14 to be in a state of being bent toward the inner side of the connector.

When the distal end portion 23B of the locking claw 23 reaches the position of the locking portion 15A of the opening portion 15 by the connector fitting operation, the elastic bending deformation of the flexible arm portion 22 is released and the free state is restored, and the locking is released. The claw 23 penetrates the opening 15 of the fixing member 14, and the distal end portion 23B of the locking claw 23 abuts against the pressure receiving surface 16A of the pressure receiving portion 16, and the connector fitting operation is completed. As a result, the locking portion 15A of the fixing member 14 locks the locking claw 23 in the connector pulling-out direction, so that the fitted connectors can be prevented from being separated from each other.

As described above, the pressure receiving portion 16 of the male connector 20 is located in the deflection displacement direction (arrow B direction) of the locking claw 23 at the flexible arm portion 22. In the range between the displacement position of the front end portion 23B of the locking claw 23 on the deflection and the free state position. That is, as shown in Fig. 3, in the direction of the deflection displacement of the flexible arm portion 22, the abutting portion of the pressure receiving portion 16 with respect to the distal end portion 23B of the locking claw 23 is also the pressure receiving surface 16A. The position P is in a range between the displacement position Q1 and the free state position Q2 of the distal end portion 23B of the locking claw 23 at the time of the flexural deformation of the flexible arm portion 22. Then, when the connector fitting is completed, the elastic deflection of the flexible arm portion 22 of the male connector 20 is released, and when the locking claw 23 is moved back to the free state, the locking claw 23 is in the free state position Q2. Further, the pressure receiving surface 16A of the pressure receiving portion 16 receives the collision of the front end portion 23B of the locking claw 23 at the position P at the position on the front side.

Since both the locking claw 23 and the pressure receiving portion 16 are made of metal, the click sound generated when the locking claw 23 and the pressure receiving portion 16 collide, and the flexible metal portion made of a conventional metal and synthetic resin are used. The click sound generated when the housing collides is relatively large. On the other hand, the area of the distal end portion 23B of the locking claw 23 is small, so that the stress when the locking claw 23 collides with the pressure receiving portion 16 and the stress when the plate surface of the conventional flexible wrist portion collides with the inner side surface of the casing It is larger than this, so that the click sound generated during the collision becomes larger.

Therefore, in the female connector 10 of the present embodiment, it is possible to easily confirm whether or not the connector fitting is normally completed by the click sound. When the connector is in the unfitting state, in the so-called half-lock state, no click sound is generated, or the click sound is small, whereby the unfitting state of the connector can be easily judged.

The locking claw 23 and the pressure receiving portion 16 are made of metal and are connected to each other at the connector. In this fitted state, the locking claw 23 and the pressure receiving portion 16 can be electrically contacted at the abutting surface. Therefore, by connecting the pressure receiving portion 16 of the female connector 10 to the corresponding ground circuit portion on the circuit board, the target connector, that is, the male connector 20, can also be grounded.

In the case where the two connectors are grounded, the member provided with the pressure receiving portion 16, that is, the metal fixing member 14, is formed with a grounding leg for connecting to the corresponding grounding circuit portion to make the grounding conduction good. By providing the grounding leg portion in the fixing member 14, the noise signal flowing through the contact portion between the locking claw 23 and the pressure receiving portion 16 is formed from the grounding leg portion of the fixing member 14 which is formed as one member with the pressure receiving portion 16, It flows toward the corresponding ground circuit portion on the circuit board. Thereby, the grounding conduction circuit is shortened as compared with the case where the grounding leg is provided in another member, so that a better method of preventing noise can be achieved.

In the present embodiment, the wrist portion of the male connector 20 is formed into a flexible wrist portion 22 that is elastically deformable, and the pressure receiving portion 16 of the female connector 10 is formed as a member that does not elastically deform. Further, as a modification, the wrist portion on the male connector side may be formed as a member that does not elastically deform, and the pressure receiving portion on the female connector side may be formed as a member that is elastically deflectable. In this modification, the abutting portion of the locking claw of the arm portion, that is, the distal end portion of the locking portion, is located in the direction in which the pressure receiving portion is deflected and displaced, and is placed under pressure during deformation of the pressure receiving portion. The range between the displacement position of the part and the position of the free state.

Thereby, when the connector is fitted and the elastic deformation is released and the returning free state is released when the connector is fitted, the position on the front side is more in the free state position. And abutting against the locking claw to receive the collision pressure from the locking claw. As a result, similarly to the present embodiment, a large click sound can be generated, and the male connector can be grounded by connecting the pressure receiving portion to the corresponding ground circuit portion on the circuit board. Further, the pressure receiving portion may be elastically flexibly deformed, and the entire fixing member provided with the pressure receiving portion may be elastically deflected and deformed.

As another modification of the embodiment, both the wrist portion of the male connector and the pressure receiving portion of the female connector may be formed to be elastically bendable. In this modification, the contact position between the pressure receiving member and the locking claw when the connector is fitted is located in the free state position of the wrist portion and the direction in which the wrist portion and the pressure receiving member are deflected and displaced. The range between the free state positions of the compression members.

Thereby, the wrist portion and the pressure receiving portion are released from the elastic deflection when the connector is fitted, and when the movement is restored to the free state, the wrist portion and the pressure receiving portion are at the front side of the individual free state position, and the pressure receiving portion is pressed. It will abut against the locking claw and receive the collision pressure from the locking claw. As a result, similarly to the present embodiment, a large click sound can be generated, and the pressure receiving portion can be connected to the corresponding ground circuit portion on the circuit board to electrically connect the male connector to the ground. On the other hand, the pressure receiving portion itself is not elastically deformed, and the fixing member provided with the pressure receiving portion is elastically deformed.

In the present embodiment, the male connector has a locking claw, and the female connector has a locking portion, and as a modification, a fixing member may be provided in the male connector to allow the fixing member to have a locking portion, in the female type. The connector sets the wrist so that the wrist has a locking claw.

<Second Embodiment>

In the present embodiment, the fixing member of the female connector and the casing member are formed as one member, and in this respect, the first embodiment in which the fixing member and the casing member are formed of different members is different. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the fixing member and the cover member of the embodiment. In the present embodiment, members that are the same as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be described.

As shown in Fig. 4, in the present embodiment, the cover member 13 and the fixing member 14 are formed as one member made of one metal plate. Specifically, the portion of the cover member 13 that is the upper surface of the female connector 10 is connected to the portion extending in the connector fitting direction (arrow A direction) and the portion of the fixing member 14 that extends in the terminal arrangement direction. . By bending the cover member 13 and the fixing member 14 into one member, the strength and rigidity of the fixing member 14 are improved, and the number of parts is reduced, whereby the cost can be suppressed, and the burden of parts management can be reduced.

A grounding piece 13B that protrudes from the edge portion in front of the connector fitting direction and protrudes in the fitting direction is formed in the lower portion of the casing member 13 as the female connector 10. When the female connector 10 is mounted on a circuit board (not shown), the grounding piece 13B is attached to a corresponding ground circuit portion (not shown) on the circuit board by soldering, so that the cover member 13 is provided. Grounding is turned on. At the lower edge of the portion of the fixing member 14 that extends in the terminal arrangement direction, a grounding leg portion 14B that extends downward is formed at the same position as the grounding piece 13B in the terminal arrangement direction. The grounding leg portion 14B, as shown in Fig. 4, has its front end portion projecting into the grounding piece 13B. The formed hole portion is mechanically coupled to the grounding piece 13B. By fixing the front end portion to the corresponding ground circuit portion on the circuit board, the fixing member 14 and the corresponding ground circuit portion are grounded.

Since the grounding piece 13B of the cover member 13 and the grounding leg portion 14B of the fixing member 14 are mechanically coupled to the circuit board, the grounding piece 13B and the grounding leg portion 14B are welded and integrated, and the circuit board can be integrated with the circuit board. The corresponding circuit sections on the top are connected. By integrally bonding the grounding leg portion 14B and the grounding piece 13B, the area for mounting the grounding leg portion 14B is made of the grounding piece 13B as compared with the case where the grounding leg portions 14B and 13C are respectively connected to the circuit board. As the area is increased, the fixing member 14 and the cover member 13 can be more firmly fixed to the circuit board, so that the locking strength of the lock structure is increased, and the connectors can be prevented from falling off each other.

In the lock structure itself of the present embodiment, as in the first embodiment, in the present embodiment, a large click sound or a ground conduction using a lock structure is generated, and the above-described effects achieved by the first embodiment can be obtained. In the two variants described together with the first embodiment, that is, the wrist of the male connector is used as a member that cannot be flexibly deformed, and the pressed portion of the female connector is formed to be elastically deflectable. A modified example of the deformed member and a modified example in which both the wrist portion of the male connector and the pressure receiving portion of the female connector are formed into elastically bendable members can be applied to the present embodiment.

10‧‧‧Female connector

11‧‧‧Shell

12‧‧‧ Terminal

13‧‧‧Shell member

14‧‧‧Fixed components

15A‧‧‧Locking Department

16‧‧‧ Pressure Department

20‧‧‧ Male connector

22‧‧‧Flexible wrist

23‧‧‧Card claws

Fig. 1 is a female connector of the first embodiment and connected as an object A perspective view of the male connector of the device.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a lock structure according to the first embodiment, wherein (A) is a display view of a lock structure before and during a fitting operation, and (B) is a view of lock-up at the time of completion of fitting. .

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the lock structure shown in Fig. 2 (A) and Fig. 2 (B).

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the fixing member and the cover member of the second embodiment.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a locking structure of a conventional connector.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the lock structure of the conventional connector shown in Fig. 5.

14‧‧‧Fixed components

15‧‧‧ openings

15A‧‧‧Locking Department

16‧‧‧ Pressure Department

16A‧‧‧ Pressure surface

22‧‧‧Flexible wrist

23‧‧‧Card claws

23A‧‧‧Bevel

23B‧‧‧ front face

Claims (5)

An electrical connector assembly having a locking function is composed of one connector and another connector of the target connector, and the one connector is provided with a housing that is formed by an electrically insulating member. a terminal and a locking portion provided on the metal plate member attached to the casing, wherein the other connector is provided with a metal flexible arm portion that is elastically deformable and deformable, and is formed on the flexible wrist portion And the front end portion is a fine locking claw at the front end, and when the connector is fitted, the locking connector of the other connector in the direction in which the connector is pulled out is locked to the electrical connector of the locking portion of the one connector. In the assembled body, the one connector has a resilient deflection of the flexible wrist portion of the other connector when the connector is fitted, and the other connector is locked. When the claw is moved to the return free state, the metal pressure receiving member that receives the front end portion of the locking claw at the contact portion is partially cut by the portion of the metal plate member to form an opening portion, and The cut-and-raised portion is bent to form a pressure receiving portion, and a locking portion is formed by an inner edge of the opening portion, and a plate surface of the pressure receiving portion serves as a contact portion, and the contact portion of the pressure receiving member is The displacement direction of the flexural deformation of the wrist is located within a range between the displacement position of the locking claw and the free state position when the flexible wrist is flexibly deformed. An electrical connector assembly having a locking function is composed of one connector and the other connector as a target connector, and the one connector is provided on a housing made of an electrically insulating member. Place a terminal that is arranged and held, and a locking portion that is provided on the metal plate member attached to the casing, the other connector includes a metal flexible arm portion, and the wrist portion is formed at the front end portion The latching claws are the electrical connector assemblies in which the locking claws of the other connector are locked to the locking portions of the one connector in the connector pulling-out direction when the connector fitting is completed, and are characterized in that: The one of the above-mentioned connectors has a portion that is elastically deformed and deformable by the metal plate member, and has a pressure against the front end portion of the locking claw of the other connector and receives pressure from the locking claw. The member is partially cut by a part of the metal plate member to form an opening, and the cut portion is bent to form a pressure receiving portion, and a locking portion is formed by an inner edge of the opening portion, and the pressure receiving portion is formed The pressure receiving member receives the contact portion, and the pressure receiving member receives the pressure at the abutting portion when the connector is released and the elastic member is released to return to the free state. Spliced area, in the direction of displacement of flexural deformation of the pressure receiving member is located: within the range of displacement between the position of the pressure receiving member when the deflection deformation of the compression member and a position free state. An electrical connector assembly having a locking function is composed of one connector and the other connector as a target connector, and the one connector is provided on a housing made of an electrically insulating member. a terminal that is arranged and held, and a locking portion provided on a metal plate member attached to the casing, wherein the other connector is provided with a flexible wrist portion made of a metal plate that is elastically deformable and deformable, and Flexible wrist and front end When the connector is fitted, the locking claw of the other connector in the connector pulling direction is locked to the electrical connector assembly of the locking portion of the one connector, The one of the above-mentioned connectors has a portion that is elastically deformable and deformable in the elastic deformation of the metal plate member, and has a contact with the locking claw of the other connector and receives pressure from the locking claw. The pressing member is partially cut by a part of the metal plate member to form an opening portion, and the cut portion is bent to form a pressure receiving portion, and the inner edge of the opening portion forms a locking portion, and the pressing portion is pressed The plate surface of the portion is formed with a contact portion that receives the above-mentioned abutting portion when the flexible arm portion and the pressure receiving member are elastically deflected and released to return to a free state when the connector is fitted. The pressure, the abutting portion, in the displacement direction of the flexural deformation of the flexible wrist portion and the pressure receiving member, is located between a free state position of the flexible wrist portion and a free state position of the pressure receiving member Fan Inside. The electrical connector with a locking function according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the metal plate member provided with the locking portion has a connection to a corresponding ground circuit portion on a circuit substrate on which the electrical connector is mounted Grounding foot for use. The electrical connector with a locking function according to claim 4, wherein the housing is mounted with a metal cover member, and the cover member has a grounding piece mounted on a ground circuit portion on the circuit substrate. The grounding piece is disposed at a position that can be mechanically coupled to the grounding leg.