JP6311573B2 - connector - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a female connector housing having a lock arm and a slider (detection member) that is movably assembled to a forward position (standby position) and a backward position (detection position) with respect to the lock arm. A connector is disclosed. The slider is held in the forward position until the female connector housing is properly mated with the mating male connector housing, and is moved to the retracted position by being biased by a spring as both connector housings are properly mated. It is supposed to be made. Therefore, when the slider reaches the retracted position, it can be determined that the two connector housings are properly fitted.

  Here, the slider has a main stopper portion at the front end portion and an operation portion at the rear end portion. The lock arm has an escape hole. When the two connector housings are properly fitted and the slider reaches the retracted position, the main stopper portion is elastically fitted into the escape hole, thereby restricting the movement of the slider to the advanced position. Further, when both connector housings are detached, the operation portion is pushed forward to escape the main stopper portion from the escape hole, and the slider is brought to the forward movement position. Next, the operating portion is pushed downward to bend and deform the lock arm, thereby releasing the lock between the lock arm and the male connector housing. Then, both connector housings are biased by the springs and are separated from each other. A tapered surface is formed on the front surface of the main stopper portion, and the front surface of the relief hole facing this surface is also a tapered surface. It is possible to ride by sliding.

Japanese Patent No. 4419885

  In the above case, when the two connector housings are detached, the operation portion is pushed forward, so that the main stopper portion easily comes out of the escape hole, so that the slider may accidentally reach the forward position.

  This invention is completed based on the above situations, Comprising: It aims at preventing the detection member which detects connector fitting from moving carelessly.

  The connector according to the present invention includes a housing having a lock arm that can be fitted to a mating housing and that holds the mating housing elastically to hold the mating housing, and the lock arm. Is assembled to the standby position and the detection position so as to be movable, and is kept in the standby position until both housings are properly fitted. A detection member that is allowed to move, and the detection member is pushed into the standby position along the movement direction of the detection member by elastically locking the lock arm at the detection position. Even if a force is applied, it remains at the detection position, but when a pushing force is applied in a direction crossing the moving direction of the detection member, There has a characteristic where the operating arm is released is provided.

  When both housings are properly fitted and the detection member reaches the detection position, the operation arm of the detection member elastically locks the lock arm, but in this state, the operation arm is in the standby position along the moving direction of the detection member. Even if the pushing force is applied, the detection member is retained at the detection position, so that the detection member is prevented from inadvertently reaching the standby position.

In the connector of the Example of this invention, a detection member is kept in a standby position, and it is sectional drawing which shows the state from which fitting of both housings was started. In FIG. 1, it is the figure which expanded the part by which the latching receiving part was latched by the latching | locking part. Furthermore, it is sectional drawing which shows the state which the fitting of both housings advanced. It is sectional drawing which shows the state from which both housings were normally fitted and the latching | locking part and the latching receiving part removed. Furthermore, it is sectional drawing which shows the state which the detection member reached the detection position. FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a portion where the movement restriction receiving portion is locked to the movement restriction portion of the operation arm in FIG. 5. It is sectional drawing which shows the state by which pushing force was given to the operation part of the operation arm at the time of connector detachment, and latching with a lock arm and a lock part was cancelled | released. It is a rear view of the housing with which the detection member was assembled | attached. It is also a plan view. It is a rear view of a detection member. It is also a front view. It is a bottom view similarly.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown below.
The operation arm extends from one end portion to the other end portion, has a fulcrum portion in the middle of the extension, and is configured to swing in a seesaw shape around the fulcrum portion. A movement restricting portion that elastically locks the lock arm is provided, and an operation portion that is pressed when releasing the lock arm is provided at the other end portion. According to this, since the operation arm swings in a seesaw shape around the fulcrum portion by pressing the operation portion, the engagement between the movement restricting portion and the lock arm can be released. Can be performed smoothly.

<Example>
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The connector of the present embodiment includes a housing 10 that can be fitted to the mating housing 80, a terminal fitting 50 that is accommodated in the housing 10, and a detection member 60 that can move to a standby position and a detection position with respect to the housing 10. I have. In the following description, with respect to the front-rear direction, the front side is the surface side where the housings 10 and 80 face each other at the start of fitting. The vertical direction is based on FIGS. 1 to 8, 10 and 11, and the width direction is synonymous with the horizontal direction of FIGS. 8, 10 and 11.

  The mating housing 80 is made of synthetic resin, and as shown in FIG. 1, is provided directly connected to the device 81 and has a cylindrical hood portion 82 protruding forward. In the hood part 82, a tab 91 of the mating terminal fitting 90 is disposed so as to protrude. A pair of lock portions 83 protrude from the outer surfaces of the upper and lower walls of the hood portion 82. The lock portion 83 includes a lock main body portion 84 along the width direction, and a projecting portion 85 having a substantially triangular shape in side view protruding forward from the width direction central portion of the lock main body portion 84.

  The housing 10 is made of synthetic resin, and as shown in FIG. 1, a housing body 11 elongated in the front-rear direction, a cylindrical fitting cylinder portion 12 surrounding the housing body 11, and a fitting cylinder portion 12 It has a connecting portion 13 along the radial direction that connects the housing body 11. A hood portion 82 of the mating housing 80 can be fitted between the housing body 11 and the fitting cylinder portion 12 and in a space in front of the connecting portion 13. In the housing main body 11, as shown in FIG. 8, a pair of cavities 14 are provided side by side in the width direction. As shown in FIG. 1, a bendable lance 15 is provided on the lower surface of the inner wall of the cavity 14 so as to protrude forward from the fitting tube portion 12.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a terminal fitting 50 is inserted into the cavity 14 from the rear. The terminal fitting 50 is made of a conductive metal and has an elongated shape in the front-rear direction as a whole. A cylindrical terminal body 51 is provided at the front end, and a barrel-like barrel 52 is provided at the rear end. . A tab 91 of a mating terminal fitting 90 is inserted into and connected to the terminal body 51 when both housings 10 and 80 are properly fitted. The barrel portion 52 is connected to the terminal portion of the electric wire 55 and the rubber plug 56 by crimping. When the terminal fitting 50 is inserted into the cavity 14, the terminal main body 51 is elastically locked by the lance 15, the terminal fitting 50 is prevented from being detached from the cavity 14, and the rubber plug 56 is inserted into the cavity 14. The inside of the cavity 14 is liquid-tightly sealed in close contact with the inner peripheral surface. In addition, the electric wire 55 is drawn backward from the housing body 11.

  A front retainer 59 is attached to the housing body 11 from the front. When the front retainer 59 enters the bending space of the lance 15, the bending operation of the lance 15 is restricted, so that the terminal fitting 50 is reliably prevented from coming off in the cavity 14. A rubber seal ring 58 is fitted on the outer peripheral surface of the housing body 11. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, when the two housings 10 and 80 are properly fitted, the seal rings 58 are elastically sandwiched between the hood portion 82 and the housing body 11, so The space is sealed liquid-tight.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a lock arm 16 is provided above the housing body 11. The lock arm 16 includes a leg portion 17 that rises from the upper surface of the housing main body 11 and an arm main body portion 18 that extends from the upper end of the leg portion 17 in both the front and rear directions. The arm main body 18 has a lock hole 19 penetrating in the vertical direction. The front end of the lock hole 19 is closed by a lock surface 21 that is cut in the vertical direction, and is opened to the rear of the arm main body 18.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the arm main body 18 is provided with a plate-like locking receiving portion 22 along the front-rear direction below the rear surface of the lock surface 21 and in front of the leg portion 17. Yes. The rear end of the lock hole 19 is closed by the front surface of the latch receiving portion 22. The locking receiving portion 22 is provided with a recess 23 extending rearward from the front end thereof (details are not shown, but refer to FIG. 2). Here, the front surface of the latch receiving portion 22 is a latch receiving surface 24, and the portion of the latch receiving surface 24 that forms the inner surface of the recess 23 is a reverse tapered shape that gradually protrudes forward toward the upper end. A portion that is the locking receiving surface portion 25 and that excludes the locking receiving surface portion 25 (surface portions on both sides in the width direction across the locking receiving surface portion 25) is arranged so as to stand up in the vertical direction. A protrusion 72 (described later) of the detection member 60 can enter the recess 23.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a movement restriction receiving portion 26 extending in the front-rear direction is provided at the rear end portion of the arm main body portion 18. As shown in FIG. 6, a receiving groove 27 that extends in the front-rear direction and opens at the rear end is provided on the upper surface of the movement restriction receiving portion 26. The front end of the receiving groove 27 is closed by a reverse tapered regulation receiving surface 28 that gradually protrudes backward as it goes to the upper end. A movement restricting portion 47 (described later) of the detection member 60 can enter the receiving groove 27 of the movement restricting receiving portion 26.

  As shown in FIG. 8, a pair of side walls 29 are provided upright in the upper part of the fitting cylinder portion 12 on both sides in the width direction across the lock arm 16. A ceiling wall 31 is provided between the upper ends. The lock arm 16 is protected from external foreign matter by the side walls 29 and the ceiling wall 31.

  Next, the detection member 60 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the detection member 60 is disposed in a space surrounded by the housing body 11, the side walls 29, and the ceiling wall 31, and is slidably held by the lock arm 16.

  As shown in FIGS. 10 to 12, the detection member 60 includes a base 61 along the front-rear direction and the width direction, a locking arm 62 protruding forward from the center in the width direction of the base 61, and the width direction of the base 61. A pair of urging member accommodating portions 63 projecting forward from both ends, a guide portion 64 extending in the front-rear direction rising upward from the urging member accommodating portion 63, and a width spanned between the upper ends of both guide portions 64 The erection unit 65 includes a erection unit 65 extending in the direction, and an operation arm 66 that protrudes in the front-rear direction from the center in the width direction of the erection unit 65.

  As shown in FIGS. 10 to 12, the locking arm 62 has a substantially prismatic shape extending elongated in the front-rear direction, and can be bent and deformed in a direction in which the front end portion moves up and down with a connection portion with the base 61 as a fulcrum. Has been. As shown in FIG. 1, a hook piece 67 is provided at the front end of the locking arm 62 so as to rise once and then protrude forward. When the detection member 60 is in the standby position, the hook piece 67 is maintained in a state of being hooked and locked on the upper surface of the front end portion of the arm main body 18.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a locking portion 68 that protrudes downward is provided at the front end of the locking arm 62. As shown in FIG. 2, the locking portion 68 includes a locking main body 71 having a substantially trapezoidal shape when viewed from the side, and a plate-like protruding portion 72 protruding rearward from the center in the width direction of the rear end of the locking main body 71. Become. As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the locking main body 71 is provided with a relief groove 73 extending rearward from the front end thereof. A protruding piece 85 of the lock portion 83 shown in FIG. 1 can enter the escape groove 73.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the rear surface of the locking body 71 is a locking surface 74, and the rear surface (protruding end surface) of the protruding portion 72 of the locking surface 74 gradually reverses forward as it goes to the upper end. The portions of the engaging surface 75 excluding the engaging surface portion 75 (surface portions on both sides in the width direction across the engaging surface portion 75) are arranged so as to stand up in the vertical direction. When the detection member 60 is in the standby position, the locking portion 68 is fitted in the lock hole 19 so as to be locked to the locking receiving portion 22.

  As shown in FIGS. 10 and 12, a mold die (not shown) for forming the locking surface 74 passes through the rear end portion of the locking arm 62, thereby penetrating a die cutting hole 76. Is provided. As shown in FIG. 10, the punching hole 76 is also continuously recessed in the upper surface of the base 61. In the case of the present embodiment, since the locking surface portion 75 is constituted by the rear surface of the protruding portion 72 which becomes a part of the locking surface 74 and is not constituted by the entire locking surface 74, the die cutting hole 76 becomes a particularly large hole. There is nothing.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the urging member 40 is accommodated in the urging member accommodating portion 63. The urging member 40 is composed of a spring such as a compression coil spring that can be expanded and contracted in the front-rear direction, and both front and rear ends thereof are supported by the urging member accommodating portion 63. As shown in FIG. 12, an assembly port 70 for assembling the urging member 40 is provided in the lower surface of the urging member accommodating portion 63 so as to be opened. Further, a retaining protrusion 77 is provided on the lower surface of the urging member accommodating portion 63 behind the assembly port 70. When the detection member 60 is in the detection position, the retaining protrusion 77 is locked to a retaining portion (not shown) of the housing 10 so that the detection member 60 is prevented from dropping from the housing 10. ing.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the operation arm 66 includes a fulcrum part 49 formed at the center in the width direction of the erection part 65 (a part excluding both ends in the width direction), and a wide operation that largely protrudes backward from the fulcrum part 49. And a narrow movement restricting portion 47 that protrudes forward from the fulcrum portion 49, and can swing in a seesaw shape so that the operation portion 48 and the movement restricting portion 47 move up and down around the fulcrum portion 49. It is said that. The operation part 48 has a substantially rectangular flat plate shape in plan view, and has a ridge 46 along the width direction at the rear end. When the detection member 60 is moved, the operator's finger can be hooked on the protrusion 46.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the movement restricting portion 47 is configured to bend in a curved shape in a forward downward direction after projecting straight forward from the fulcrum portion 49. The front end portion (projecting end portion) of the movement restricting portion 47 is provided with a restricting end portion 45 that protrudes downward at an acute angle. The front surface of the restriction end 45 is a restriction surface 44 that is inclined so as to protrude forward as it goes downward. When the detection member 60 is in the detection position, the movement restricting portion 47 enters the receiving groove 27 of the movement restricting receiving portion 26 and the restricting end 45 is along the front end corner portion 32 of the receiving groove 27 so that the restricting surface 44 is arranged facing the regulation receiving surface 28 of the receiving groove 27 in the front-rear direction.

Next, the operation of the connector of this embodiment will be described.
Prior to the fitting of the two housings 10 and 80, the detection member 60 is assembled into the housing 10 from the rear to reach the standby position. In the standby position, the locking arm 62 elastically enters the lock hole 19 of the lock arm 16 and the front end of the locking arm 62 is disposed so as to be able to contact the lock surface 21 of the lock hole 19 (see FIG. 1). The locking surface 74 of the locking portion 68 is arranged so as to be able to contact the locking receiving surface 24 of the locking receiving portion 22 (see FIG. 2). Accordingly, the detection member 60 is held in a state where movement in the front-rear direction is restricted at the standby position.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, in the standby position, the protruding portion 72 of the locking portion 68 enters the concave portion 23 of the locking receiving portion 22, and the locking surface portion 75 of the protruding portion 72 is engaged with the locking receiving portion 22. It arrange | positions so that it may contact and contact the stop surface part 25. FIG. At this time, the locking surface portion 75 faces the locking receiving surface portion 25 from above (the direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the detection member 60 and the locking portion 68 unlocking the locking receiving portion 22). Be placed. Accordingly, when the locking arm 62 is bent and deformed in the direction of being lifted upward with respect to the lock arm 16, the locking surface portion 75 abuts on the locking receiving surface portion 25, whereby the locking arm 62 is further bent. Is regulated. As a result, the locking portion 68 is prevented from inadvertently coming out of the lock hole 19, and the detection member 60 is stably held at the standby position with respect to the housing 10.

  In the above state, the housing main body 11 of the housing 10 is fitted into the hood portion 82 of the mating housing 80. In the process of fitting, as shown in FIG. 3, the slope of the projecting piece 85 of the lock portion 83 slides on the front end portion of the arm main body portion 18 of the lock arm 16, and the front end portion of the arm main body portion 18 moves upward. The lock arm 16 is bent and deformed in the direction of being lifted up. At this time, the locking arm 62 is also flexibly deformed integrally with the lock arm 16. Until the two housings 10 and 80 are properly fitted, the protruding portion 85 enters the escape groove 73 of the locking portion 68 and is released, so that the lock portion 83 comes into contact with the locking portion 68. Avoided. Further, in the process of fitting, although not shown in detail, the urging member 40 is pressed against the mating housing 80 to be compressed, and the urging force is accumulated in the urging member 40.

  Thereafter, when the two housings 10 and 80 are properly fitted, the lock arm 16 is elastically restored and the lock portion 83 is fitted into the lock hole 19 from below as shown in FIG. The stop portion 68 is pushed out by the lock portion 83, and the engagement between the engagement portion 68 and the engagement receiving portion 22 is released. Then, the biasing force stored in the biasing member 40 is released, and the detection member 60 is automatically moved to the detection position. Further, when the lock portion 83 enters the lock hole 19, the lock main body portion 84 is disposed so as to be able to contact the lock surface 21 of the lock hole 19, thereby holding both the housings 10 and 80 in a fitted state. .

  When the detection member 60 reaches the detection position, the movement restricting portion 47 of the operation arm 66 is elastically fitted into the receiving groove 27 of the movement restricting receiving portion 26 (see FIG. 5), and the restricting surface 44 of the movement restricting portion 47 is moved. It arrange | positions so that contact | abutting to the control receiving surface 28 of the movement control receiving part 26 is possible (refer FIG. 6). Therefore, even if the detection member 60 is pushed in the direction of moving forward (standby position side) with respect to the lock arm 16, the regulation surface 44 comes into contact with the regulation receiving surface 28, and the regulation end 45 is received by the receiving groove 27 Further advancement of the detection member 60 is restricted by being displaced so as to approach the front end corner portion 32 of the front end. Therefore, the detection member 60 does not inadvertently reach the standby position.

  On the other hand, when the two housings 10 and 80 in the fitted state are detached due to maintenance or the like, a pushing force is applied to the operation portion 48 of the operation arm 66 from above. Then, as shown in FIG. 7, the operating arm 66 swings like a seesaw, the operating unit 48 is pushed down, and the movement restricting unit 47 is lifted upward. As the movement restricting portion 47 is lifted, the restricting surface 44 is disengaged from the restricting receiving surface 28, and the movement restricting portion 47 and the movement restricting receiving portion 26 are unlocked.

  Next, when a forward pushing force is applied to the operation portion 48, the detection member 60 moves forward and reaches the detection position. At this time, if the depressed state of the operation portion 48 is maintained, the rear end portion (movement restriction receiving portion 26) of the arm main body portion 18 of the lock arm 16 is pushed down by the operation portion 48, and the front end portion of the arm main body portion 18 is reached. Is lifted so that the lock part 83 comes out of the lock hole 19 and the locking part 68 fits into the lock hole 19. When the lock state of the lock arm 16 and the lock portion 83 is released in this way, both the housings 10 and 80 are urged by the urging member 40 and automatically separated.

  As described above, according to this embodiment, when the detection member 60 is in the standby position, the locking surface portion 75 of the locking portion 68 is locked to the locking receiving surface 24 of the locking receiving portion 22. Since the arms 62 are arranged so as to be able to come into contact with each other in the unlocking direction (upward in the drawing), the locking arm 62 is inadvertently bent and deformed in the unlocking direction, and the detection member 60 reaches the detection position. The situation is avoided. As a result, the reliability of the fitting detection by the detection member 60 can be improved. In particular, in the case of the present embodiment, since the detection member 60 is biased to the detection position by the biasing member 40, the detection member 60 is released when the locking portion 68 and the locking receiving portion 22 are unlocked. Is automatically moved to the detection position, so the merit of adopting the above configuration is great.

  Further, since the protrusion 72 enters the recess 23, the loose movement in the width direction of the locking portion 68 with respect to the locking receiving portion 22 is restricted. Therefore, when the detection member 60 is in the standby position, the locking portion 68 and the latch receiving part 22 are more stably maintained.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, when the detection member 60 is in the detection position, the movement restricting unit 47 restricts the movement even if a forward pushing force is applied to the operation arm 66 of the detection member 60. Since the further advancing of the detection member 60 is restricted in contact with the receiving portion 26, the detection member 60 is prevented from inadvertently reaching the standby position. In this case, the operation arm 66 extends in the front-rear direction, has a fulcrum part 49 in the middle of the extension, and can swing in a seesaw shape around the fulcrum part 49. Can be smoothly linked to the unlocking operation of the movement restricting portion 47 with respect to the lock arm 16.

<Other embodiments>
Another embodiment of the present invention will be briefly described below.
(1) The locking surface portion of the locking portion and the locking receiving surface portion of the locking receiving portion may be arranged along the front-rear direction that is the moving direction of the detection member.
(2) The restricting surface of the movement restricting portion and the restricting receiving surface of the movement restricting receiving portion may be arranged along the up-down direction that is a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the detection member.
(3) The configuration may be such that the urging member is not assembled to the detection member, and the detection member is manually moved from the standby position to the detection position.
(4) The detection member may be configured to move forward from the standby position to the detection position with respect to the housing.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Housing 11 ... Housing main body 16 ... Lock arm 22 ... Locking receiving part 23 ... Recessed part 24 ... Locking receiving surface 25 ... Locking receiving surface part 26 ... Movement control receiving part 40 ... Energizing member 47 ... Movement control part 48 ... Operation part 49 ... fulcrum part 60 ... detection member 62 ... locking arm 66 ... operation arm 72 ... projection part 74 ... locking surface 75 ... locking surface part 80 ... mating housing 83 ... locking part

Claims (2)

A housing having a lock arm that can be fitted to a mating housing and that holds the mating housing elastically by locking the mating housing;
The lock arm is movably assembled to a standby position and a detection position, and is held in the standby position until both housings are properly fitted. A detection member that is allowed to move to a position,
Even if a pushing force to the standby position along the moving direction of the detection member is applied to the detection member by elastically locking the lock arm at the detection position, the detection member remains at the detection position. On the other hand, the connector is provided with an operation arm that is released from being locked with the lock arm when a pushing force is applied in a direction crossing the moving direction of the detection member.   The operating arm extends from one end portion to the other end portion, has a fulcrum portion in the middle of the extension, and is configured to be swingable in a seesaw shape around the fulcrum portion. A movement restricting portion that elastically locks the lock arm is provided, and an operation portion that is pressed when releasing the lock arm is provided at the other end portion. The connector according to claim 1.

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