Connector

Abstract

Provided is a connector provided with a connector position assurance mechanism capable of more suitable cable routing. Provided is a connector provided with a housing provided with a fitting port to be combined with a mating connector, and a sliding member attached to the housing, the sliding member being capable of sliding inside the housing in the direction of fitting with the mating connector. The initial position of the sliding member is located within the housing in a state in which the housing and the mating connector are not fitted to each other.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a connector. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a connector having a mechanism for ensuring that the connector is in a mating-completed state with a mating connector. Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a connector including a CPA (Connector Position Assurance) mechanism for ensuring mating with a mating connector.

[0003] Such a connector can confirm the completion of the mating with the mating connector by sliding a sliding member attached to the housing from a standby position toward a locked position.

Prior technical literature

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent No. 6213592 Summary of the Invention [Problems to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The inventors of the present application have noticed that connectors equipped with conventional CPA mechanisms have problems that need to be overcome, and have discovered the need to take measures to address these problems. Specifically, the following problems have been discovered.

[0006] For example, in the connector described in Patent Document 1, a sliding member protrudes from the housing to the outside of the connector. Generally, the connector and cables extending from other connectors positioned around it are located around the connector. In conventional connectors, when routing cables around the connector, the cables may become caught on the sliding member protruding from the housing, potentially damaging the cables and / or the sliding member.

[0007] The present disclosure has been made in view of such a problem. That is, a main object of the present disclosure is to provide a connector having a connector position assurance mechanism that enables more appropriate cable routing.

Solutions to Solve the Problem

[0008] In order to achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present disclosure provides a connector comprising a housing and a sliding member mounted on the housing. The housing has a mating opening for combining with a mating connector. The sliding member can slide inside the housing along the mating direction with the mating connector. The initial position of the sliding member in a state where the mating between the housing and the mating connector is completed is located inside the housing. Effects of the invention

[0009] The connector according to the present disclosure includes a connector position ensuring mechanism and enables more appropriate cable routing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Figure 1 This is a perspective view schematically showing the front side of a connector according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 This is a perspective view schematically showing the back side of a connector according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 It is an exploded perspective view schematically showing a connector according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4 It is a perspective view schematically showing the front side of a housing according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 5 It is a perspective view schematically showing the back side of a housing according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 6 FIG. 1 is a top view schematically showing a housing according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 7 It is a side view schematically showing a housing according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 8 It is a perspective view schematically showing a sliding component according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 9 It is a side view schematically showing a sliding component according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 10 This is a perspective view schematically showing a state in which a sliding member is at a first position in a connector according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 11 This is a top view schematically showing a state in which the sliding member is at the first position in the connector according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 12 It is a side view schematically showing a state in which the sliding member is at the first position in the connector according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 13 It is a rear view schematically showing a state in which the sliding member is at the first position in the connector according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 14 It is schematically shown Figure 13 Cross-sectional view of the AA section. Figure 15 It is schematically shown Figure 13 Cross-sectional view of the BB section. Figure 16 It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB schematically showing a state in which the sliding member is located between the first position and the second position in the connector according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 17 This is a perspective view schematically showing a state in which the sliding member is at the second position in the connector according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 18 This is a top view schematically showing a state in which the sliding member is at the second position in the connector according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 19 This is a side view schematically showing a state in which the sliding member is at the second position in the connector according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 20 It is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA schematically showing a state in which the sliding member is at the second position in the connector according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 21 It is a BB cross-sectional view schematically showing a state in which the sliding member is at the second position in the connector according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 22 This is a perspective view schematically showing a conventional structure of a connector. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0011] Hereinafter, a connector according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The various elements in the drawings are merely schematically and illustratively shown for the purpose of explaining the present disclosure, and their appearance and dimensional ratios may differ from those of actual objects.

[0012] Furthermore, in the following description, terms indicating specific directions or positions are used as needed. However, these terms are used to facilitate understanding of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, and the technical scope of the present disclosure is not limited by the meaning of these terms. Furthermore, parts with the same reference numerals in multiple drawings refer to the same or equivalent parts. The sizes and positional relationships of components shown in the various drawings may sometimes be exaggerated to clarify the description.

[0013] In addition, the description of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is intended to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings (drawings that are considered to be part of the entire description of the description). In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure disclosed in this specification, references to directions or orientations are merely for ease of description and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Relative terms such as "below", "above", "horizontally", "vertically", "up", "down", "top", "bottom" and their derivatives such as "horizontally", "downwardly", "upwardly" and the like should be understood as referring to directions as described or as shown. Such relative terms are merely for ease of description and, unless otherwise specifically stated, do not require the device to be constructed or operated in a specific direction. In addition, terms such as "install", "attach", "connect", "combine" and "interconnect" and similar terms, unless otherwise specifically stated, state that the structures are fixed or installed to each other directly or indirectly through an intermediary or that both parties are movable or rigid installations or their relationship.

[0014] The features or benefits of the present disclosure are illustrated by reference to preferred embodiments. Such embodiments are described in sufficient detail so that those skilled in the art can implement the present disclosure. In addition, it is to be understood that other embodiments can also be utilized, and process changes, electrical changes, or mechanical changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For convenience, the embodiments are sometimes shown separately, but partial replacement or combination of the structures shown in different embodiments can be performed. Therefore, the present disclosure is not explicitly limited to preferred embodiments (alone or in combination with other features) that illustrate non-limiting combinations of the features under consideration. In the embodiments described below, the description of matters common to the above is omitted, and only different aspects are described. In particular, with regard to the same effects using the same structure, it is assumed that they are not mentioned in sequence according to each embodiment.

[0015] The characteristics of the present disclosure relate to the structure of the housing associated with the connector position assurance mechanism in the connector. However, in order to understand the overall structure of the connector, the following outline of the connector structure is described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0016] [Basic structure of connector] Figure 1 It is a perspective view schematically showing a connector according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 It is from Figure 1 Snap to the opposite side Figure 1 A perspective view of the connector 100 is shown. Figure 3 This is an exploded view of a connector according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The connector 100 includes a housing 10, terminals (not shown) disposed within the housing 10, and cables 20 connected to the terminals as its main components. The connector 100 also includes a sliding member 50 mounted on the housing 10.

[0017] The housing 10 includes a mating opening 12 for mating with the mating connector. When the connector is mated with the mating connector at the mating opening 12, the terminals in the housing 10 come into contact with the terminals of the mating connector, and the connectors are electrically connected.

[0018] In this specification, the side where the mating opening 12 of the housing 10 is located is referred to as the front side of the connector 100, and the side opposite the front side is referred to as the back side of the connector 100. Furthermore, the direction in which the connector mates with and detaches from the mating connector is referred to as the Z direction. That is, the front and back sides of the connector 100 are positioned opposite each other in the Z direction.

[0019] Figure 4 and Figure 5 Each of them schematically shows a perspective view of a housing according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 6 and Figure 7 The top view and side view of the housing according to one embodiment of the present disclosure are shown in FIG. 1 . The housing 10 includes two side walls 14 facing each other in a direction intersecting the Z direction, and a first main surface 11a and a second main surface 11b connecting the two side walls. The first main surface 11a and the second main surface 11b are positioned facing each other (see FIG. 1 ). Figure 7 ). For example, Figures 4 to 7 As shown, the two side walls 14 may face each other in the connector width direction X intersecting the Z direction. The first main surface 11a and the second main surface 11b may face each other in the Y direction intersecting the Z direction and the X direction.

[0020] In one embodiment, the connector 100 may be an L-shaped connector. More specifically, the connector may be an L-shaped connector that is configured to connect the cable in a direction that intersects the mating direction of the other connector (e.g., Figure 1 The L-shaped connector is led out in the Y direction. Figure 1 As shown, the connector 100 may include a lead-out port for the cable 20 on the second main surface 11 b of the housing 10 .

[0021] Connector 100 also includes a connector position assurance mechanism (CPA mechanism) that ensures that mating with the mating connector is complete. This CPA mechanism includes a sliding member 50 and a sliding member mounting portion 15 to which sliding member 50 can be mounted. Sliding member mounting portion 15 can be formed on housing 10 of connector 100. The connector 100 disclosed herein is characterized primarily by the structure of sliding member mounting portion 15 and can be applied to known connector position assurance mechanisms. An exemplary connector position assurance mechanism is described below.

[0022] The housing 10 of the connector 100 is provided with a sliding member 50 (see FIG. 1 ) configured to be slidable in accordance with the mating state of the connector. Figure 1 ). The housing 10 further includes a sliding member mounting portion 15 on which the sliding member 50 can be mounted. The sliding member mounting portion 15 can be provided on the first main surface 11a side of the housing 10. That is, the sliding member 50 can be mounted on the first main surface 11a side of the housing 10. The sliding member mounting portion 15 can include a sliding passage 152 extending from the back side to the front side along the Z direction, through which the sliding member 50 can slide (see Figures 4 to 7 The sliding member 50 can slide in the sliding passage 152 along the mating direction of the connector 100 and the mating connector (ie, the Z direction).

[0023] The slide member mounting portion 15 may be provided with a support portion 16 (see Figure 5 The support portion 16 extends inside the housing 10 along the Z direction, which is the sliding direction of the sliding member 50. The sliding member 50 can slide on the support portion 16. In addition, the housing 10 is provided with two side walls 14 that are vertically arranged on both sides of the support portion 16. In other words, the sliding member mounting portion 15 can be understood as a space defined by the support portion 16 formed inside the housing 10 and the side walls 14 of the housing 10 provided on both sides of the support portion 16.

[0024] The sliding member 50 can be positioned at the first position 50A (see FIG. 1 ) on the rear side of the connector 100 in the sliding member mounting portion 15. Figure 10 ) and the second position 50B on the front side of the connector 100 (see Figure 17 That is, the sliding member 50 can slide along the fitting direction Z of the connector 100 between the first position 50A and the second position 50B. Figures 10 to 15 Each of them is a schematic diagram showing the housing 10 including the sliding member 50 in the first position. Figure 16 : is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a state where the sliding member 50 is located between the first position and the second position. Figures 17 to 21 Each of them is a schematic diagram showing the housing 10 including the sliding member 50 in the second position.

[0025] Before the connector is assembled with the mating connector, the sliding member is positioned in the first position 50A. After the connector is assembled with the mating connector, the sliding member 50 is slid to the second position 50B, thereby ensuring that the connector and the mating connector are properly mated. The first position 50A can be referred to as the "initial position" of the sliding member, for example. The second position 50B can also be referred to as the "mating completion position," the "mating completion guarantee position," or the like. This mechanism is referred to as a connector position guarantee mechanism or CPA mechanism, but the sliding member 50 and the sliding member mounting portion 15 can also be referred to as a position guarantee member or CPA member, and a position guarantee member mounting portion or CPA member mounting portion, respectively.

[0026] Figure 8 and Figure 9 The figures are a perspective view and a side view schematically showing a sliding component according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The sliding component 50 may include an elastic arm 55 extending in a cantilever shape toward the front side of the connector 100. The elastic arm 55 includes a front end 552 protruding toward the first main surface 11a. When the connector and the mating connector are not engaged and the sliding component 50 is in the first position 50A, the front end 552 of the elastic arm 55 faces the retaining portion 154 (see FIG. 1 ) provided on the housing. Figure 15 In the unengaged state, the front surface 552a of the front end 552 of the elastic arm 55 abuts against the retaining portion 154 of the housing 10, whereby the sliding member 50 cannot move from the first position 50A to the second position 50B (see FIG. Figure 21 ) sliding movement. That is, in the unmated state, the sliding member 50 is held at the first position 50A by the contact between the elastic arm 55 and the retaining portion 154 of the housing 10. In addition, in this specification, the "unmated state" means the state before the mating of the connector and the counterpart connector is completed. To put it bluntly, the state before the mating is completed refers to a state other than the mating completion state. That is, the "unmated state" refers to a state in which the mating of the connector and the counterpart connector is not completed, including the state before mating and the state in the middle of the mating operation from the start of the mating of the connector and the counterpart connector. That is, the sliding member is held at the first position 50A except for the state in which the mating of the connector and the counterpart connector is completed.

[0027] When the connector is mated with the mating connector, the mating connector and the elastic arm 55 of the sliding member 50 come into contact with each other, and the elastic arm 55 bends toward the inside of the housing 10. As a result, the contact between the elastic arm 55 and the holding portion 154 of the housing 10 in the sliding direction Z is released, and the sliding member 50 can move toward the second position 50B (see FIG. Figure 21) slides and moves. In this state, if the sliding member 50 is pressed toward the front side along the sliding direction Z, the inclined surface 552a formed at the front end of the elastic arm 55 abuts against the holding portion 154, and at the same time, the elastic arm 55 bends toward the inner side of the housing 10 (refer to Figure 16 If the sliding member 50 is further pushed in, the sliding member 50 can move to the second position 50B through the sliding passage 152 (see Figure 21 ).

[0028] like Figure 20 As shown, the sliding member 50 moved to the second position 50B can be restricted from further movement from the second position 50B to the front side by the hook portion 562 at the front end of the side arm 56 abutting against the locking surface 159 of the housing. In addition, the rear side surface 552b of the front end 552 of the elastic arm 55 can also be used (see Figure 9 ) contacts the holding portion 154 and is held at the second position 50B. The surface 552b may be directed from the second position 50B toward the first position 50A (see Figure 12 According to this feature, if the user pulls the base 52 toward the back side, the sliding member 50 can be slid to the first position 50A.

[0029] That is, by properly mating the connector with the mating connector, the sliding member 50 can be slid to the second position 50B. In other words, in the unmated state, where the connector and the mating connector are not properly mated, the sliding member 50 is prevented from moving from the first position 50A to the second position 50B. On the other hand, in the mating state, where the connector and the mating connector are already mated, the sliding member 50 can be moved from the first position 50A to the second position 50B. In other words, in states other than the mating state, the sliding member 50 cannot be slid toward the second position 50B. With this structure, the user can determine whether the connector and the mating connector have been properly mated by sliding the sliding member 50 to the second position 50B.

[0030] [Features of the connector disclosed herein] The connector 100 of the present disclosure has a characteristic feature in the mounting structure of the slide member 50. Hereinafter, the characteristic feature of the connector 100 of the present disclosure will be described in detail.

[0031] The connector 100 of the present disclosure is characterized in that the sliding member 50 can slide and move within the housing 10. In the connector 100 of the present disclosure, the sliding member 50 is located within the housing 10 when the housing 10 and the counterpart connector are not engaged. That is, the connector 100 of the present disclosure is constructed in such a way that the initial position of the sliding member 50 is on the inner side of the housing. More specifically, in the connector 100 of the present disclosure, the sliding member 50 is constructed in such a way that it can slide and move between a first position 50A within the housing 10 and a second position 50B which is also within the housing 10 and is located closer to the front side than the first position 50A. That is, the sliding member 50 can be mounted on the inner side of the housing 10. For example, in order to prevent the sliding member 50 from flying out of the housing 10, a stopper mechanism can be provided in the connector to prevent the sliding member 50 from moving from the first position 50A to the back side.

[0032] For example, Figure 8 As shown, the sliding member 50 may include a side arm 56 disposed on the side wall 14 of the housing 10, and a hook portion 562 is formed at the front end of the side arm 56. Figure 4 As shown, the sliding member mounting portion 15 of the housing 10 may be formed with an engagement surface 153 that can engage with the hook portion 562 at the front end of the side arm 56. Figure 14 As shown, the sliding member 50 in the first position can be prevented from moving from the first position 50A toward the back side by the engagement between the engagement surface 153 of the housing 10 and the hook portion 562 of the sliding member. Such engagement also helps prevent the sliding member 50 from protruding outside the housing 10.

[0033] Here, the terms "inside the housing," "inside the housing," and "inside the housing" in this disclosure mean that the object is located in a position that coincides with the outer contour of the housing 10 or is located further inward than the outer contour. In other words, the object does not necessarily have to be surrounded by the housing 10. For example, a portion of the object may constitute the outer contour of the housing 10 and be exposed outside the housing 10. This means that the surface formed by a portion of the housing 10 and a portion of the object is substantially flat.

[0034] In this configuration, the sliding member 50 does not have any portion that protrudes toward the exterior of the housing 10. Even when in the first position 50A, which is the position closest to the rear side, the sliding member 50 does not protrude toward the exterior of the housing 10. In other words, the sliding member 50 can be located inside the housing 10 on the rear side of the connector 100, without protruding from the outer contour of the housing 10, regardless of whether it is in the first position 50A or the second position 50B. In other words, the sliding member mounting portion 15 of the housing 10 can be configured so that the sliding member 50 is positioned inside the housing 10.

[0035] According to the above structure, the sliding member 50 is located inside the housing 10, so the sliding member 50 is arranged inside the housing 10 without protruding from the housing 10. Therefore, the cable 20A (see FIG. 1 ) provided around the connector 10 can be reduced. Figure 22 ) on the sliding member 50. This prevents damage to the cable 20A and / or the connector caused by the cable 20A catching on the sliding member 50 during cabling. Furthermore, by preventing the cable 20A from catching on the sliding member 50, the efficiency of cabling routing can be improved. Therefore, according to the present disclosure, a connector capable of more appropriate cable routing can be provided.

[0036] like Figures 10 to 21 As shown, the sliding member 50 may include a base 52 located on the back side of the connector 100. The base 52 may be positioned at the end of the back side of the sliding member 50. Therefore, the base 52 can also be referred to as the back side end of the sliding member 50. The user can slide the sliding member 50 by operating the base 52.

[0037] The base 52 has an outer surface 52a disposed on the back side of the housing 10. The outer surface 52a can also be understood as the end surface of the sliding member 50 located on the back side. The user can slide the sliding member 50 from the first position to the second position by pressing the outer surface 52a. Figure 12 As shown, the outer surface 52a can be an inclined surface that gradually inclines toward the first main surface 11a side of the housing 10 in the front direction of the connector relative to the extension direction Y of the end surface 14a of the side wall 14. For example, the inclined surface can be a flat surface, or it can be Figure 12 The side view shown includes a curved surface. With this structure, when the user pushes the sliding member 50 in, even when a force is applied obliquely relative to the sliding direction X, the sliding member 50 can be smoothly slid from the first position to the second position. That is, the direction in which the user pushes the sliding member 50 in is not limited to the direction along the sliding direction X, thereby improving operability in moving the sliding member 50.

[0038] In addition, if Figure 9 As shown, the outer surface 52a of the base 52 may be formed with one or more raised portions 521 extending along the direction in which the outer surface 52a extends. For example, the outer surface 52a may have two or more raised portions 521 extending linearly along the width direction X of the connector. Such raised portions 521 can function as anti-slip features when the user slides the sliding member 50, thereby improving operability when moving the sliding member 50.

[0039] In the connector 100 of the present disclosure, the base 52 of the sliding member 50 can be located inside the housing 10. That is, regardless of whether the sliding member 50 is in the first position 50A or the second position 50B, the rear end of the sliding member 50 can be located inside the housing 10. For example, the entire sliding member 50, including the base 52, can be positioned inside the housing 10 by positioning the side walls 14 of the housing 10 on both sides of the base 52. In other words, the side walls 14 can extend along the sliding direction Z to at least the outer surface 52a of the base 52 of the sliding member 50 in the first position, so that the sliding member 50 is positioned inside the housing 10. That is, the base 52 of the sliding member 50 in the first position can also be positioned between the side walls 14 of the housing 10.

[0040] More specifically, when the sliding member 50 is in the first position 50A, the base 52 of the sliding member 50 can be positioned substantially coplanar with the end surface 14a on the rear side of the side wall 14 of the housing 10. That is, when the sliding member 50 is in the first position, the rear side of the housing 10 can be substantially flat due to the base 52 of the sliding member 50 and the end surface 14a of the side wall 14 of the housing 10. The terms "substantially coplanar" and "substantially flat" as used herein mean that, when viewed from the side, the base 52 of the sliding member 50 does not protrude from the rear side of the housing 10 but is positioned on the same plane as the end surface 14a, allowing for slight irregularities. With this structure, when the sliding member 50 is in the first position, there is no protrusion of the sliding member 50 that could cause cables to get caught, allowing for more appropriate cable routing.

[0041] Alternatively, when the sliding member 50 is in the first position 50A, the base 52 of the sliding member 50 can be positioned further inward than the rear end surface 14a of the side wall 14 of the housing 10. That is, when viewed from the side, the base 52 of the sliding member 50 can be offset further inward of the housing 10 relative to the end surface 14a of the side wall 14 of the housing 10 in the Z direction. In other words, the side wall 14 of the housing 10 can extend in the Z direction to a position further outward than the base 52 of the sliding member 50 when it is in the first position. With this configuration, the sliding member 50 is appropriately protected from the outside by the side wall 14 of the housing 10, thereby preventing damage to the sliding member 50 caused by catching on the cable during routing. Furthermore, since the sliding member 50 slides between the first and second positions within the housing 10, this sliding movement can prevent cables disposed around the connector 100 from being accidentally caught.

[0042] In the above-described configuration, the sliding member 50 can be configured such that the side portion of the sliding member 50 faces the side wall 14 of the housing 10 in either the first position 50A or the second position 50B. For example, the sliding member 50 can be configured such that the side portion of the sliding member 50 faces the side wall 14 of the housing 10 in the sliding direction Z in either the first position or the second position. In one embodiment, the side portion of the sliding member 50 can face the side wall 14 of the housing over the entire area. Thus, the sliding member 50 disposed in the sliding member mounting portion 15 can be properly retained within the housing 10 by the side wall 14 of the housing 10 not only in the second position 50B after sliding toward the interior of the connector 100, but also in the first position 50A located on the rear side of the connector 100. This can suppress rattling of the sliding member 50 in the housing 10 , and enable the sliding member 50 to slide more smoothly.

[0043] The side wall 14 of the housing 10 may further include a guide portion 157 extending in the Z direction, which is the moving direction of the sliding member 50 (see FIG. Figure 5 The guide portion 157 may extend from the inner surface side of the side wall 14 to the end surface 14a of the side wall 14. The side surface of the sliding member 50 opposite to the side wall 14 may be configured in a manner that allows the guide portion 157 to be engaged with the guide portion 157. More specifically, as Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, the base 52 of the sliding member 50 can be engaged with the guide portion at the side opposite to the side wall at the first position. The sliding member 50 can have a guided portion 53 on the side that can be engaged with the guide portion 157. The sliding member 50 can slide along the guide portion 157 in a state where the guide portion 157 and the guided portion 53 are combined with each other, thereby being able to slide and move in the direction Z (see Figure 10 and Figure 13 ) That is, the guide portion 157 can help guide the sliding movement of the sliding member 50.

[0044] The guided portion 53 of the sliding member 50 can be formed so as to extend to the base portion 52. For example, the guided portion 53 can be formed so as to extend to the end surface 52a on the rear side of the sliding member 50. As described above, in the connector 100 of the present disclosure, the sliding member 50 is positioned inside the connector 100 and is able to slide between the first position 50A and the second position 50B within the housing 100. Therefore, the sliding member 50 can slide between the first position 50A and the second position 50B while the entire area of the guided portion 53 is in a state of concave-convex engagement with the guide portion 157 of the housing 10.

[0045] Specifically, the sliding member 50 may include a groove 53 on the side facing the side wall 14 of the housing 10, extending in the Z direction in which the sliding member 50 slides. Furthermore, the guide portion 157 provided on the side wall 14 of the housing 10 may be a rib extending in the Z direction, configured to be combined with the groove 53. The rib 157 may protrude from the side wall 14 of the housing 10 toward the interior of the housing 10. The sliding member 50 may be combined with the sliding member mounting portion 15 in such a manner that the rib 157 of the housing 10 enters the groove 53, and the sliding movement in the Z direction is guided by the rib 157.

[0046] Figure 22 This is a schematic perspective view of a conventional connector 200. As shown, in the conventional connector 200, when the sliding member 50 is in the rearmost position (i.e., the position corresponding to the first position), a portion of the rear side of the sliding member 50 protrudes from the housing 10. Therefore, when the sliding member 50 is in the first position, a portion of the rear side of the groove 53 protrudes outward from the housing 10 and does not engage with the ribs of the housing 10. With this structure, when the sliding member 50 is in the first position, only the front side of the sliding member 50 is held by the housing 10, which may cause the sliding member 50 to wobble.

[0047] On the other hand, in Figure 10 In the connector of the present disclosure shown, even when the sliding member 50 is in the first position, the groove 53 on the rear side does not protrude from the housing 10, but rather is combined with the rib 157. More specifically, in the sliding member 50 configured in the first position, the groove 53 extending to the outer surface 52a of the base 52 is combined with the rib 157 of the housing 10. Therefore, according to the connector 100 of the present disclosure, even when the sliding member 50 is located at the rearmost side (i.e., in the first position), the wide combination of the groove 53 of the sliding member 50 and the rib 157 of the housing 10 can more appropriately suppress the shaking of the sliding member 50.

[0048] In the drawings and above, the description assumes that the sliding member 50 includes the groove 53 and the housing 10 includes the rib 157. However, this configuration is not necessarily limiting. For example, the number of grooves 53 and ribs 157 is not particularly limited, and one, two, or three or more grooves 53 and ribs 157 may be formed. For example, the sliding member 50 may include a rib protruding toward the side wall 14 of the housing 10, and the side wall 14 of the housing 10 may include a groove in combination with the rib.

[0049] In one embodiment, the sliding member 50 may include cutouts 54 at two corners on the first main surface 11a side (see Figure 8 and Figure 10). In addition, the side wall 14 of the housing 10 has a hook portion 158 that is combined with the cutout portion 54 and extends in a strip shape along the Z direction on the first main surface side where the sliding component mounting portion 15 is located. The hook portion 158 can be formed by folding the side wall 14 along the extension direction of the first main surface 11a so that the end edge of the side wall 14 on the first main surface 11a side becomes relatively thick. When the sliding component 50 is mounted on the sliding component mounting portion 15, the hook portion 158 is located closer to the outside of the connector 100 than the cutout portion 54. In such a structure, the side wall 14 of the housing 10 is combined in a manner that covers the corner of the sliding component 50. By combining the cutout portion 54 of the sliding component 50 with the hook portion 158 of the housing 10, the sliding component 50 can be prevented from detaching from the first main surface 11a side of the sliding component mounting portion 15. That is, the slide member 50 is held by the slide member mounting portion 15 by the engagement between the notch 54 and the hook 158 of the housing 10. Furthermore, the hook 158 extends in the Z direction and can also function as a guide for the sliding movement of the slide member 50 in the Z direction.

[0050] For example, the hook portion 158 may extend to the end surface 14a on the rear side of the housing 10 along the sliding direction Z. Thus, even when the sliding member 50 is in the first position, which is the position closest to the rear side, the cutout portion 54 and the hook portion 158 can be combined in the sliding direction Z. Thus, the cutout portion 54 and the hook portion 158 can be engaged over a wider range, thereby more appropriately maintaining the shape of the sliding member 50 in the first position.

[0051] As described above, according to the connector 100 of the present disclosure, the sliding member 50 has a structure that does not protrude to the outside from the back side of the housing 10, thereby preventing the cables arranged around the connector 100 from being caught. Furthermore, the connector 100 of the present disclosure can have a structure that does not protrude to the outside on the first main surface 11a side of the housing 10 (see Figure 12 For example, the sliding member 50, including the base 52 positioned at the end portion on the back side of the sliding member 50, can be located closer to the inside of the housing 10 than the imaginary plane extending along the first main surface 11a of the housing 10. That is, the sliding member 50 can have a structure that does not protrude not only from the back side of the housing 10 but also from the first main surface 11a side. With such a structure, even if a cable of another connector is arranged on the first main surface 11a side of the connector 100, damage to the cable and / or the sliding member caused by the cable being hooked on the sliding member 50 of the connector of the present disclosure can be suppressed.

[0052] In the connector 100 of the present disclosure, the surface 16a of the support portion 16 (see FIG. 1 ) extends so as to connect the two side walls 14 of the housing 10. Figure 5) can function as a sliding surface of the sliding component 50 that moves within the housing 10. The sliding surface 16a is a surface extending in the XZ direction facing the side of the sliding component 50. The support portion 16 having the sliding surface 16a can extend to the back side of the housing 10. More specifically, the support portion 16 can extend along the Z direction between the two side walls 14 of the housing 10 to form an end surface that is coplanar with the end surface 14a on the back side of the side wall 14. The support portion 16 can extend to the base 52 of the sliding component 50 configured in the first position. In other words, the sliding component 50 can be configured at the first position in such a manner that the base 52 is positioned on the support portion 16. Thus, the sliding component 50 configured in the first position can be appropriately held by the support portion 16 over a wide range including the base 52. Therefore, the support portion 16 appropriately holds the sliding member 50 on the sliding member mounting portion 15 , reducing rattling of the sliding member 50 , and the sliding member 50 can slide more smoothly along the sliding surface 16 a of the support portion 16 .

[0053] Furthermore, the support portion 16 connecting the side wall 14 extends to the back of the housing 10, allowing the support portion 16 to also function appropriately as a beam supporting the housing structure. This improves the strength of the housing 10 and suppresses deformation of the housing 10 caused by external pressure, etc. This ensures that the shape of the sliding path for the sliding member 50 in the sliding member mounting portion 15 is properly maintained. Specifically, the presence of the support portion 16 extending to the back of the housing in a manner coplanar with the end surface 14a of the side wall 14 ensures a sliding path that allows the sliding member 50 to slide appropriately.

[0054] like Figure 7 As shown, a window portion 19 that penetrates into the interior of the housing 10 can be provided on the side wall 14 of the housing 10. The window portion 19 functions as a detection window for confirming whether the sliding member 50 is configured in the second position at the sliding member mounting portion 15. The window portion 19 can be constructed in a manner that allows the position of the sliding member 50 located inside the housing 10 to be confirmed when viewed from the side. For example, Figure 12 and Figure 19 As shown, the window portion 19 can be constructed in a manner that allows the position of the front end 562 of the side arm of the sliding member 50 to be confirmed. In such a configuration, when the sliding member 50 is located at the first position, the front end 562 of the side arm can be located at the side of the back surface 153 (see FIG. Figure 12 On the other hand, when the sliding member 50 is located at the second position, the front end 562 of the side arm may be located at the side of the surface 159 on the front side (see Figure 19 The user can determine whether the connector and the mating connector are properly mated by confirming that the front end 562 of the side arm is located on the surface 159 side of the window portion.

[0055] Alternatively, the window portion 19 can be configured so that the position of the sliding member 50 can be detected based on whether the sliding member 50 is in a position that is visible from the window portion 19. For example, when viewed from the side, when the sliding member 50 is in the second position, the sliding member 50 can be located closer to the front side than the window portion 19. In other words, the window portion 19 can be positioned closer to the back side than the sliding member 50 when it is in the second position. With this configuration, when the sliding member 50 is in the first position, the sliding member 50 can be confirmed through the window portion 19. On the other hand, when the sliding member 50 is in the second position, the sliding member 50 cannot be confirmed from the window portion 19. Therefore, the position of the sliding member 50 can be determined even from a side view based on whether the sliding member 50 is visible from the window portion 19. Thus, by confirming whether the sliding member 50 is visible from the window portion 19, the user can determine whether the sliding member 50 is in the second position and complete the mating with the mating connector.

[0056] While the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, such as combining the above-listed configurations, can be made without departing from the spirit of the claims.

[0057] In addition, the connector of the present disclosure includes the following suitable solutions. <1> A connector comprising a housing and a sliding member mounted on the housing. The housing has a mating opening for combining with a mating connector. The sliding member can slide inside the housing along the mating direction with the mating connector. The initial position of the sliding member in a state where the mating between the housing and the mating connector is completed is located inside the housing. <2> according to <1> In the connector described above, the sliding member can slide from the initial position to a mating completion position located closer to the mating opening than the initial position when the mating between the housing and the mating connector is completed. <3> according to <1> or <2> In the connector described above, the sliding member is accommodated inside the housing. <4> according to <1> to <3> Any of the connectors listed above, The housing includes a side wall extending along the sliding direction of the sliding member. The sliding member in the initial position is located closer to the inner side of the housing than the side wall. <5> according to <1> to <4> Any of the connectors listed above, The sliding member includes a base portion located on the opposite side of the fitting opening in the sliding direction of the sliding member. The base is located inside the housing. <6> according to <5> The connector described, The housing includes a side wall extending along the sliding direction of the sliding member. The base has a corner portion located outside the shell, The side wall covers the corner portion. <7> according to <5> or <6> The connector described, The housing includes a side wall extending along the sliding direction of the sliding member. The side wall includes an end surface located on the opposite side of the fitting opening in the sliding direction of the sliding member. The end surface is coplanar with the outer surface of the base portion of the sliding member in the initial position. <8> according to <5> or <6> Any of the connectors listed above, The housing includes a side wall extending along the sliding direction of the sliding member. The side wall includes an end surface located on the opposite side of the fitting opening in the sliding direction of the sliding member. The base portion is located closer to the inner side of the housing than the end surface in the sliding direction. <9> according to <5> to <8> Any of the connectors listed above, The housing includes a side wall extending along the sliding direction of the sliding member. The side wall includes a guide portion extending along the sliding direction. The base portion of the sliding member at the initial position can engage with the guide portion in a concave-convex manner on a side surface facing the side wall. <10> according to <9> The connector described, The guide portion has a convex shape on the side wall that protrudes toward the inner side of the housing. The sliding member has a groove extending along the sliding direction on the side surface opposite to the side wall. The sliding member is slidable along the guide portion engaged with the groove portion. <11> according to <1> to <10> Any of the connectors listed above, The aforementioned housing comprises: Two side walls, which are opposite to each other and sandwich the sliding member, and extend along the sliding direction of the sliding member; and a supporting portion connecting the two side walls and extending along the sliding direction to the end surface of the side wall located on the opposite side of the fitting opening; The sliding member is configured to be slidable on the support portion along the sliding direction. <12> according to <11> The connector described, The sliding member includes a base portion located on the opposite side of the fitting opening in the sliding direction of the sliding member. The base portion at the initial position is disposed on the support portion. <13> according to <1> to <12> Any of the connectors listed above, The housing includes a side wall extending along the sliding direction of the sliding member. The side wall includes a window portion capable of detecting that the sliding member is arranged at a mating completion position closer to the mating opening than the initial position. Industrial Applicability

[0058] A connector equipped with the connector position assurance mechanism disclosed herein can be suitably used in various technical fields requiring electrical connection.

Explanation of symbols

[0059] 100 connectors 10 shell 12 chimeric ports 14 sidewalls 14a end face 15 Sliding component installation part 152 channels 153 snap-fit surface 154 Maintenance Department 157 ribs 158 hook 159 stop surface 16 support part 19 Window 20 cables 50 sliding parts 52 base 52a Outer surface of the base 521 bulge 53 slots 54 incision 55 elastic arm 552 front end of the elastic arm 56 sidearm 562 hook 200 connector

Claims

1. A connector comprising a housing and a sliding member mounted on the housing, The housing has a fitting opening for combining with a counterpart connector. The sliding member can slide inside the housing along the fitting direction with the mating connector. The initial position of the sliding member in a state where the mating between the housing and the mating connector is completed is located inside the housing.

2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein The sliding member is capable of slidingly moving from the initial position to a mating completion position located closer to the mating opening than the initial position in a state in which mating between the housing and the mating connector is completed.

3. The connector according to claim 1, wherein The sliding member is accommodated inside the housing.

4. The connector according to claim 1, wherein The sliding member includes a base portion located on the opposite side of the fitting opening in the sliding direction of the sliding member. The base is located on the inner side of the housing.

5. The connector according to claim 1, wherein The housing includes a side wall extending along the sliding direction of the sliding member. The sliding member in the initial position is located closer to the inner side of the housing than the side wall. The connector according to claim 4 , wherein: The housing includes a side wall extending along the sliding direction of the sliding member. The base has a corner portion located outside the housing, The side walls cover the corners.

7. The connector according to claim 4, wherein The housing includes a side wall extending along the sliding direction of the sliding member. The side wall includes an end surface located on the opposite side of the fitting opening in the sliding direction of the sliding member. The end surface is coplanar with an outer surface of the base portion of the sliding member in the initial position.

8. The connector according to claim 4, wherein The housing includes a side wall extending along the sliding direction of the sliding member. The side wall includes an end surface located on the opposite side of the fitting opening in the sliding direction of the sliding member. The base portion is located closer to the inner side of the housing than the end surface in the sliding direction.

9. The connector according to claim 4, wherein The housing includes a side wall extending along the sliding direction of the sliding member. The side wall includes a guide portion extending along the sliding direction, The base portion of the sliding member at the initial position can engage with the guide portion in a concave-convex manner on a side surface facing the side wall.

10. The connector according to claim 9, wherein The guide portion has a convex shape on the side wall that protrudes toward the inside of the housing. The sliding member includes a groove portion extending along the sliding direction on a side surface facing the side wall. The sliding member is slidable along the guide portion engaged with the groove portion.

11. The connector according to claim 1, wherein The housing comprises: two side walls, which are opposite to each other and sandwich the sliding member, and extend along the sliding direction of the sliding member; and a supporting portion connecting the two side walls and extending along the sliding direction to the end surface of the side wall located on the opposite side of the fitting opening, The sliding member is configured to be slidable on the support portion along the sliding direction.

12. The connector according to claim 11, wherein The sliding member includes a base portion located on the opposite side of the fitting opening in the sliding direction of the sliding member. The base portion at the initial position is configured on the support portion.

13. The connector according to claim 1, wherein The housing includes a side wall extending along the sliding direction of the sliding member. The side wall includes a window portion capable of detecting that the sliding member is arranged at a mating completion position closer to the mating opening than the initial position.

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