Connector with rod

Abstract

The invention provides a connector with a rod, which is not easy to be obliquely embedded with a counterpart connector and is small in size. A gear mechanism (12) provided in a rod-equipped connector (1) has an internal gear (20) and an external gear (21) formed in a rod (4). An internal gear (20) of the gear mechanism (12) meshes with a first gear (13) rotatably provided in the connector housing (3), and an external gear (21) meshes with a second gear (14) rotatably provided in the connector housing (3). The first gear (13) has a first engagement piece (24), and when the lever (4) is rotated to the fitting position, the first engagement piece (24) engages and engages with the inside of a first engaged portion (26) of the mating connector (2). The second gear (14) has a second engagement piece (25), and when the lever (4) is rotated to the fitting position, the second engagement piece (25) engages and engages with the inside of a second engaged portion (27) of the mating connector (2).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to a lever connector. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the past, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, a connector assembly is known in which a first connector is fully engaged with a second connector by rotating a lever of the first connector engaged with the second connector. The first connector has a drive gear provided to the lever and an engagement gear rotated by the drive gear. When the lever is rotated, the drive gear and the engagement gear are rotated in opposite directions to each other. At this time, the lever protrusion of the drive gear and the lever protrusion of the engagement gear are engaged with respective cam tracks formed in the second connector, whereby the first connector is fully engaged with the second connector. PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS PATENT DOCUMENT

[0003] Patent Document 1: European Patent No. 2274800 SUMMARY PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0004] In the case of Patent Document 1, the drive gear is formed integrally with the lever, so the operation force of the rotation operation of the lever directly rotates. On the other hand, the engagement gear is engaged with the drive gear, so it is indirectly rotated by the operation force of the rotation operation of the lever via the drive gear. Thus, when the lever is rotated, because the rotation load of the drive gear and the engagement gear is not the same, it is possible that the first connector is engaged with the second connector obliquely. On the other hand, in a connector assembly in which a gear structure is used for such connector engagement, there is a high demand for making the size small.

[0005] An object of the present application is to provide a lever connector which can be engaged with an opposite connector without being obliquely engaged, and which can make the size of the connector small. MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS

[0006] A lever-equipped connector according to the present application is a lever-equipped connector configured to be connected to a counterpart connector if a lever rotatably provided to a connector housing into which the counterpart connector is fitted is rotated from a fitting initial position to a fitting position, and the lever-equipped connector includes a gear mechanism having an internal gear and an external gear, the internal gear is formed on the lever, teeth of the internal gear are arranged in a lever rotation direction, the external gear is formed on the lever and rotates integrally with the internal gear, the internal gear is engaged with a first gear rotatably provided to the connector housing, the external gear is engaged with a second gear rotatably provided to the connector housing, the first gear has a first engagement piece that engages with an inside of a first engaged portion of the counterpart connector if the first gear rotates by the internal gear in an operation to position the lever at the fitting position, and the second gear has a second engagement piece that engages with an inside of a second engaged portion of the counterpart connector if the second gear rotates by the external gear in the operation to position the lever at the fitting position. Effects of Invention

[0007] The present application can prevent the fitting of the lever-equipped connector to the counterpart connector from being inclined, and can reduce the size of the connector. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the lever-equipped connector when fitted to the counterpart connector. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the lever-equipped connector in a fitted state. Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the lever-equipped connector and the counterpart connector. Figure 4 is a perspective view of the lever with the first gear and the second gear removed. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V shown in Figure 2 . Figure 6 is a perspective view of the lever-equipped connector as viewed from the back. Figure 7 In (a) and (b), (a) and (b) are cross-sectional views showing the operation of the locking mechanism. Figure 8 is a perspective view of the lever-equipped connector as fitted to the counterpart connector. Figure 9 In (a) to (c), (a) to (c) are cross-sectional views showing the operation of the gear mechanism. Figure 10 In (a) and (b), (a) and (b) are cross-sectional views showing the operation of the gear mechanism in different positions. Figure 9 from the counterpart connector. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0009] First, an embodiment illustrating the present application will be described. [1] A lever connector according to the present application is configured such that, if a lever rotatably provided to a connector housing into which an opposite connector is fitted is rotated from a fitting initial position to a fitting position, the lever connector is connected to the opposite connector, the lever connector is provided with a gear mechanism having an internal gear and an external gear, the internal gear is formed on the lever, the teeth of the internal gear are arranged in a lever rotation direction, the external gear is formed on the lever and rotates integrally with the internal gear, the internal gear engages with a first gear rotatably provided to the connector housing, the external gear engages with a second gear rotatably provided to the connector housing, the first gear has a first engagement piece that engages with an inside of a first engaged portion of the opposite connector in a case where the first gear rotates through the internal gear in an operation of positioning the lever at the fitting position, and the second gear has a second engagement piece that engages with an inside of a second engaged portion of the opposite connector in a case where the second gear rotates through the external gear in the operation of positioning the lever at the fitting position.

[0010] According to the present structure, the first engagement piece that engages with the first engaged portion of the opposite connector and the second engagement piece that engages with the second engaged portion of the opposite connector are both formed on driven gears (the first gear and the second gear) that rotate integrally with the lever. Therefore, when the lever is rotated to the fitting position, the first engagement piece that engages with the first engaged portion by rotation of the first gear and the second engagement piece that engages with the second engaged portion by rotation of the second gear are less likely to generate a difference in rotational load. Thus, the first engagement piece and the second engagement piece engage with the opposite connector with equal load, and the lever connector is less likely to be fitted to the opposite connector in an inclined state.

[0011] However, in order to engage the first engagement piece with the inside of the first engaged portion and the second engagement piece with the inside of the second engaged portion, it is necessary to rotate the first gear and the second gear in opposite directions to each other. At this time, for example, in a case where the first gear and the second gear both engage with the external teeth of the lever, it is necessary to make either one of the first gear and the second gear engage with the external teeth via the other gear, and there is a concern of increasing the size. On the other hand, in the present structure, the first gear engages with the internal gear of the lever. Therefore, since the number of gears does not increase, the lever connector can be downsized. As described above, the inclined fitting to the opposite connector is less likely to occur, and the size of the connector can be downsized.

[0012] [2] In the above-mentioned [1], the first engaging piece is disposed on the inner side of the first gear, and the second engaging piece is disposed on the inner side of the second gear. According to this structure, the engaging portion of the first engaging piece and the first engaged portion can be covered with the meshing portion of the inner gear of the lever and the first gear, in other words, with the side wall of the lever. Similarly, the engaging portion of the second engaging piece and the second engaged portion can be covered with the meshing portion of the outer gear of the lever and the second gear, in other words, with the side wall of the lever. Therefore, the fitting portion of the counterpart connector and the connector housing can be covered with the side wall of the lever, so that the intrusion of foreign matter or water into the inside of the lever can be prevented.

[0013] [3] In the above-mentioned [1] or [2], the first gear is housed in a first recess formed in the inner surface of the lever, and the second gear is housed in a second recess formed in the inner surface of the lever. According to this structure, the size of the lever in the axial direction (specifically, the thickness direction) can be reduced, so that the miniaturization of the levered connector in this direction is facilitated.

[0014] [4] In any one of the above-mentioned [1] to [3], the lever has a reinforcing portion for improving the strength of the inner gear, the reinforcing portion being formed so as to link the inner gear to the lever main body laterally of the first gear. According to this structure, the strength of the inner gear can be improved by the reinforcing portion, so that the inner gear can be prevented from being abnormally deformed.

[0015] [5] In any one of the above-mentioned [1] to [4], the levered connector has a locking mechanism that, when the lever is operated to the fitting position, locks the rotation of the lever by engaging a locking portion of the lever with a locking stop portion of the connector housing, that, in the case where the connector housing is not fitted to the counterpart connector, holds the lever in the fitting initial position by engaging the locking portion with a position holding portion of the connector housing, and that, during the fitting of the connector housing to the counterpart connector, enables the rotational operation of the lever to the fitting position by releasing the position holding state of the position holding portion by a releasing portion of the counterpart connector. According to this structure, the lever can be held in the fitting initial position in advance by the locking mechanism before the fitting of the levered connector to the counterpart connector. Therefore, the lever is less likely to be rotated in the fitting direction unintentionally before the fitting of the levered connector to the counterpart connector. Therefore, the workability at the time of fitting the levered connector to the counterpart connector is improved.

[0016] [Details of Embodiments of the Invention] Specific examples of the present application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the present application is not limited to these examples, but is shown by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to those of the claims. In the drawings, a part of the structure is sometimes enlarged or simplified for the sake of convenience in explanation. In addition, the dimensional ratio of the parts is sometimes different from the actual one.

[0017] (belted rod connector 1) As shown in Figure 1 , the belted rod connector 1 is provided with a connector housing 3 which is fitted with a counterpart connector 2, and a rod 4 which is rotatably fitted to the connector housing 3. A plurality of terminals (omitted from illustration) which are electrically connected when the belted rod connector 1 and the counterpart connector 2 are fitted are provided in each of the belted rod connector 1 and the counterpart connector 2. The fitting portion 2a of the belted rod connector 1 and the counterpart connector 2 are fitted. The set of the belted rod connector 1 and the counterpart connector 2 is used in a vehicle, for example.

[0018] The rod 4 takes two positions of a fitting initial position before being rotated and a fitting position, for example, and is disposed in the fitting position by being rotated from the fitting initial position in a fitting direction. The belted rod connector 1 is fitted with the counterpart connector 2 and the connector housing 3 by being rotated from the fitting initial position to the fitting position by the rod 4, whereby the counterpart connector 2 and the connector housing 3 are completely fitted. One of the belted rod connector 1 and the counterpart connector 2 is a male connector, and the other is a female connector.

[0019] (rod 4) As shown in Figure 1 , the rod 4 has a rod main body 6 which forms a main body portion of the rod 4. The rod main body 6 has a pair of side walls 7 and a connecting wall 8 which connects the pair of side walls 7. The pair of side walls 7 is disposed in a housing recess 9a which is recessed in a side portion 9 of the connector housing 3. A shaft portion 10 which is formed in the side portion 9 of the connector housing 3 is rotatably fitted to shaft holes 7a of the pair of side walls 7. The rod 4 is rotated by taking the shaft portion 10 as a center, whereby it is rotated from the fitting initial position to the fitting position. The rotation angle of the rod 4 when it is rotated from the fitting initial position to the fitting position is set to about 30 degrees, for example.

[0020] (gear mechanism 12) As shown in Figure 2 , the belted rod connector 1 is provided with a gear mechanism 12 which, in conjunction with the rod 4 which is rotated from the fitting initial position to the fitting position, causes the belted rod connector 1 and the counterpart connector 2 to be completely fitted in the fitting. The gear mechanism 12 of the present example is provided on both of the pair of side walls 7 of the rod 4.

[0021] (1st gear 13 and 2nd gear 14) As shown in Figure 3As shown, the gear mechanism 12 has a first gear 13 and a second gear 14 rotatably mounted on the connector housing 3. The first gear 13 is rotatably mounted on a first gear shaft 15, which is formed on the side portion 9 of the connector housing 3. The first gear shaft 15 is inserted into a hole 13a, which is formed at the center of the first gear 13. The second gear 14 is rotatably mounted on a second gear shaft 16, which is formed on the side portion 9 of the connector housing 3 in a pair with the first gear shaft 15. The second gear shaft 16 is inserted into a hole 14a, which is formed at the center of the second gear 14. The first gear 13 and the second gear 14 are formed with the same gear shape. The second gear shaft 16 is positioned at a distance from the shaft portion 10 that is longer than the distance between the shaft portion 10 and the first gear shaft 15.

[0022] Furthermore, the gear mechanism 12 is provided on both sides of the pair of sidewalls 7 of the rod 4, that is, on both the outer and inner sides of the paper. However, in this example, for the sake of simplicity, only the gear mechanism 12 on the outer side of the paper will be described.

[0023] like Figure 4 As shown, the first gear 13 is housed in the first recess 17 formed in the rod 4. In this example, the first recess 17 is disposed on the inner surface of the side wall 7 of the rod 4 and is formed not to penetrate. The second gear 14 is housed in the second recess 18, which is disposed on the inner surface of the side wall 7 of the rod 4 at a corner position. In this example, the second recess 18 has a side wall 7 disposed on its side.

[0024] (Internal gear 20 and external gear 21) like Figure 2 As shown, the gear mechanism 12 has an internal gear 20, the internal gear 20 having teeth along the rotational direction of the rod ( Figure 2 The first gear 13 is formed on the rod 4 in the direction of arrow A. The internal gear 20 is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the first recess 17 that houses the first gear 13. The internal gear 20 meshes with the first gear 13, which is rotatably mounted on the connector housing 3. The gear ratio between the first gear 13 and the internal gear 20 is set, for example, as follows: for a rotation of about 30 degrees relative to the rod 4, the first gear 13 rotates about 70 to 80 degrees.

[0025] The gear mechanism 12 has an external gear 21, which is integrally rotatable with the internal gear 20 on the rod 4. The external gear 21 is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the second recess 18 that houses the second gear 14, near the shaft portion 10. The tooth pitch of the external gear 21 is the same as that of the internal gear 20 (e.g., tooth size or number of teeth). The external gear 21 meshes with the second gear 14, which is rotatably mounted on the connector housing 3. The gear ratio of the second gear 14 and the external gear 21 is, for example, set to be the same as the gear ratio of the first gear 13 and the internal gear 20.

[0026] The internal gear 20 and the external gear 21 are arranged on a line of the same rotational locus La when the rod 4 is rotated. When the rod 4 is rotated, the internal gear 20 and the external gear 21 are rotated in opposite directions, respectively.

[0027] (Strengthening portion 22) As shown in Figure 5 , the rod 4 has a strengthening portion 22 formed for the strength of the internal gear 20. The strengthening portion 22 is formed so as to connect the internal gear 20 to the rod main body 6 laterally of the first gear 13. The strengthening portion 22 of the present example forms a part of the side wall 7 of the rod 4. In this way, the strengthening portion 22 is also a side plate of the rod 4. Further, the strengthening portion 22 of the present example also becomes a wall of the first recessed portion 17 that accommodates the first gear 13.

[0028] (First and second engaging pieces 24 and 25) As shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4 , the gear mechanism 12 has a first engaging piece 24 at the first gear 13 and a second engaging piece 25 at the second gear 14. As shown in Figure 3 , a first engaged portion 26 engaged with the first engaging piece 24 and a second engaged portion 27 engaged with the second engaging piece 25 are formed on the side surface of the fitting portion 2a of the counterpart connector 2. In this way, the first engaging piece 24 and the first engaged portion 26 are paired, and the second engaging piece 25 and the second engaged portion 27 are paired.

[0029] The first engaging piece 24 is formed on the inner side of the first gear 13. The first engaging piece 24 has a first protrusion 28 and a second protrusion 29 arranged in opposition in the rotational direction of the first gear 13. The first protrusion 28 and the second protrusion 29 are formed, for example, in a substantially sector shape. The first protrusion 28 and the second protrusion 29 are arranged at a prescribed angle apart along the rotational direction of the first gear 13. The first engaged portion 26 has a protruding portion 30 arranged at a position close to the entrance of the fitting portion 2a of the counterpart connector 2 and a recessed portion 31 formed at a position lower than the protruding portion 30. A recessed portion 32 is formed between the first protrusion 28 and the second protrusion 29, which is a recessed portion 32 in which the protruding portion 30 of the first engaged portion 26 is arranged.

[0030] The second engaging piece 25 is formed on the inner side of the second gear 14. The second engaging piece 25 has a third protrusion 34 and a fourth protrusion 35 similar to the first protrusion 28 and the second protrusion 29 of the first engaging piece 24. The second engaged portion 27 has a protruding portion 36 and a recessed portion 37 similar to the protruding portion 30 and the recessed portion 31 of the first engaged portion 26. A recessed portion 38 is formed between the third protrusion 34 and the fourth protrusion 35, which is a recessed portion 38 in which the protruding portion 36 of the second engaged portion 27 is arranged.

[0031] The first protrusion 28 and the second protrusion 29 of the first gear 13 and the third protrusion 34 and the fourth protrusion 35 of the second gear 14 are in the orthogonal direction of the shaft portion 10 of the rod 4. Figure 3 They are symmetrically arranged in the X-axis direction (e.g., the first engaging part 26 and the second engaging part 27 are also arranged in the orthogonal direction of the axis 10 of the rod 4). Figure 3 They are arranged symmetrically in the X-axis direction (e.g., the protrusions 30 and concave portions 31 of the first engaging portion 26 and the protrusions 36 and concave portions 37 of the second engaging portion 27 are arranged in a mutually opposing manner.

[0032] When the lever 4 is operated to the engaged position, the first engaging piece 24 engages with the inside of the first engaged portion 26, and the second engaging piece 25 engages with the inside of the second engaged portion 27. Specifically, when the first gear 13 rotates with the lever 4, the protrusion 30 of the first engaged portion 26 engages with the first protrusion 28 and the second protrusion 29. Furthermore, when the second gear 14 rotates with the lever 4, the protrusion 36 of the second engaged portion 27 engages with the third protrusion 34 and the fourth protrusion 35.

[0033] like Figure 6 As shown, the first engaging tab 24 is disposed inside the first opening 40, which is formed on the side 9 of the connector housing 3. The first opening 40 has: a first groove 41, which serves as a movement space for the first engaging tab 24; and a second groove 42, which serves as a placement space for the first engaged portion 26 when the connector housing 3 is engaged with the other connector 2. When the lever 4 is in the initial engagement position, the first protrusion 28 of the first engaging tab 24 is located in the groove passage of the second groove 42, and the second protrusion 29 of the first engaging tab 24 is located deep within the first groove 41.

[0034] The second locking tab 25 is disposed on the side 9 of the connector housing 3 inside the second opening 43 formed next to the first opening 40. The second opening 43 is in the direction of the rod axis ( Figure 6 The direction of intersection of the Y-axis direction ( Figure 6 The first opening 40 is arranged in the X-axis direction with respect to the first opening 40. The second opening 43 has the same third groove 44 and fourth groove 45 as the first opening 40. The first opening 40 and the second opening 43 are arranged in the X-axis direction with respect to the first opening 40. Figure 6 The direction of intersection of the Y-axis direction ( Figure 6 It forms a symmetrical shape along the X-axis direction.

[0035] (Locking down mechanism 47) like Figure 7As shown in Figures (a) and (b), the rod connector 1 includes a locking mechanism 47, which locks the rod 4 to the connector housing 3 when the rod 4 is operated to the engaged position. The locking mechanism 47 has a locking portion 48 formed in the rod 4 (see Figure 3). Figure 4 (etc.). The locking part 48 is an elastic piece formed by providing a slit to the side wall 7 at the corner of the side wall 7 of the rod 4 (see reference). Figure 4 (etc.). A protrusion 48a is formed at the top of the locking part 48.

[0036] The locking mechanism 47 has a locking stop 52 formed in the connector housing 3. The locking stop 52 is a hole formed in the side portion 9 of the connector housing 3. When the lever 4 is operated to the engaged position, the locking mechanism 47 locks the rotation of the lever 4 by engaging the locking part 48 of the lever 4 with the locking stop 52 of the connector housing 3. In this example, the protrusion 48a of the locking part 48 engages with the locking stop 52 of the connector housing 3. Thus, the lever 4 remains in the engaged position.

[0037] The locking mechanism 47 has a position-holding function that keeps the rod 4 in the initial engagement position before the rod connector 1 and the counterpart connector 2 are engaged. In this case, the locking mechanism 47 has a position-holding portion 49 formed in the connector housing 3 to hold the rod 4 in the initial engagement position. The position-holding portion 49 is the side of the second groove 42 of the first opening 40. When the connector housing 3 is not engaged with the counterpart connector 2, the locking mechanism 47 is in a position-holding state by engaging the protrusion 48a of the locking portion 48 with the position-holding portion 49 of the connector housing 3. When the locking mechanism 47 is in the position-holding state, the rod 4 is held in the initial engagement position.

[0038] The counterpart connector 2 has a release part 51 for releasing the position holding state of the locking mechanism 47. In this example, the release part 51 is a first engaged part 26 formed on the side of the mating part 2a. During the mating process of the connector housing 3 and the counterpart connector 2, the locking mechanism 47 releases the locking state of the locking part 48 by the release part 51 of the counterpart connector 2, thereby allowing the rod 4 to be rotated to the mating position. For example, during the mating process of the connector housing 3 and the counterpart connector 2, the release part 51 releases the position holding state by lifting the protrusion 48a of the locking part 48.

[0039] [effect] Next, the function of the rod connector 1 in this embodiment will be explained. like Figure 8 As shown, with the rod connector 1 positioned in the initial engagement position, it is positioned opposite the engagement portion 2a of the counterpart connector 2. Furthermore, the rod connector 1 is assembled to the counterpart connector 2 in a manner that engages with the engagement portion 2a. Figure 8(The state of the double-dotted line). When the rod connector 1 is engaged with the other connector 2 in the initial engagement position of the rod 4, it does not achieve a fully engaged state with the other connector 2, but rather achieves the initial engagement state.

[0040] like Figure 7 As shown in Figure (a), when the rod connector 1 and the counterpart connector 2 are partially engaged, the protrusion 48a of the locking part 48 is lifted by the release part 51 (the first engaged part 26 in this example) of the counterpart connector 2, thus disengaging from the position holding part 49 of the connector housing 3. Therefore, the locking mechanism 47 is in the released position holding state. Thus, as... Figure 7 As shown in Figure (b), the rod 4 is allowed to rotate from the initial engagement position to the engagement position.

[0041] like Figure 9 As shown in Figure (a), when the rod connector 1 is initially engaged relative to the other connector 2, the first gear 13 is in the process of rotation, so the first protrusion 28 of the first gear 13 contacts the protrusion 30 of the first engaged portion 26. Similarly, the third protrusion 34 of the second gear 14 contacts the protrusion 36 of the second engaged portion 27. As described above, the first protrusion 28 is interfered with by the first engaged portion 26, and the third protrusion 34 is interfered with by the second engaged portion 27, thereby achieving the initial engaged state of the rod connector 1 relative to the other connector 2.

[0042] like Figure 10 As shown in Figures (a) and (b), when lever 4 is rotated from the initial engagement position to the engagement position, the first gear 13 and the second gear 14 also rotate simultaneously. During the rotation of lever 4, the first gear 13 and the second gear 14 rotate in opposite directions. Specifically, when lever 4 rotates clockwise around the plane of the paper, the first gear 13 rotates clockwise around the same plane as lever 4, and the second gear 14 rotates counterclockwise around the opposite plane of the paper.

[0043] like Figure 9 As shown in Figures (b) and (c), when the first gear 13 rotates, the first engaging piece 24 on the back of the first gear 13 also rotates coaxially. Consequently, the protrusion 30 of the first engaging portion 26 engages with the recess 32 between the first protrusion 28 and the second protrusion 29, thus creating a mating direction in the connector housing 3. Figure 9 The embedding load of the hollow arrow in Figure (b). Additionally, when the second gear 14 rotates, the second engaging piece 25 on the back of the second gear 14 also rotates coaxially. Therefore, since the protrusion 36 of the second engaging portion 27 engages with the recess 38 between the third protrusion 34 and the fourth protrusion 35, an engagement direction ( ) is generated in the connector housing 3. Figure 9 Embedded load of hollow arrow in diagram (b).

[0044] When the gear mechanism 12 is operated to the engaged position, it causes the connector housing 3 to be subjected to an engaging load, thus fully engaging the connector housing 3 with the counterpart connector 2. In this way, the rod connector 1 moves in an engaging manner, thereby fully engaging with the counterpart connector 2. Consequently, the terminals of the rod connector 1 and the counterpart connector 2 are also fully connected. As described above, the rod connector 1 is assembled to the counterpart connector 2.

[0045] However, in this example, when the lever 4 is rotated, a pair of driven gears driven by the lever 4 (gear 13 and gear 14 in this example) rotate, thereby engaging the first engagement piece 24 of the first gear 13 with the first engaged portion 26 of the opposite connector 2, and engaging the second engagement piece 25 of the second gear 14 with the second engaged portion 27 of the opposite connector 2. Therefore, for example, a structure that requires one driven gear to mesh with the lever 4 is not needed, nor is a structure that provides engagement pieces on them required.

[0046] Thus, in this example, the gear mechanism 12 provides engaging pieces (first engaging piece 24, second engaging piece 25) on a pair of driven gears (first gear 13, second gear 14) driven by the lever 4, and engages these engaging pieces with the engaged portions (first engaged portion 26, second engaged portion 27) of the counterpart connector 2, thereby completely fitting the connector housing 3 with the counterpart connector 2. Therefore, in the connector housing 3, both engaging pieces are provided on the driven gears, so the load during engagement is less likely to deviate.

[0047] Furthermore, in this example, the rotation of the pair of driven gears (first gear 13 and second gear 14) relative to the lever 4 requires one gear to rotate in the same direction and the other in the opposite direction. In this example, an internal gear 20 is provided on the lever 4, and the first gear 13 meshes with this internal gear 20. Therefore, a portion of the lever 4 is used as a space for the first gear 13, thus enabling the miniaturization of the lever connector 1.

[0048] In this example, the gears of lever 4, the first gear 13, and the second gear 14 are in the direction of the lever axis ( Figure 2 orthogonal directions of the Y-axis (etc.) Figure 2 The first gear 13 and the second gear 14 are arranged along the X-axis direction (e.g., the X-axis direction). Therefore, the first gear 13 and the second gear 14 are arranged at a predetermined interval. Thus, even if the size of the connector housing 3 (the counterpart connector 2) increases in the orthogonal direction of the rod axis, the positions of the first engaging piece 24 and the first engaged portion 26, and the positions of the second engaging piece 25 and the second engaged portion 27, can be respectively positioned near the ends in the orthogonal direction of the rod axis. Therefore, the connector housing 3 can be clamped into the counterpart connector 2 from both ends in the orthogonal direction of the rod axis, so regardless of the size in this direction, it is less likely to cause misalignment during engagement.

[0049] Furthermore, in the case where the engagement piece and the engaged part are engaged by rotating the gear through the rotation of the lever 4, the rotation amount of the engagement piece can be increased by the gear. Therefore, even when the operation amount of the lever 4 is small, the rotation amount of the gear can be increased. Therefore, compared with connectors that do not use a gear structure, the rotation operation amount of the lever 4 can be suppressed to a smaller extent, which further contributes to the miniaturization of the lever connector 1.

[0050] [Effects of the Implementation Method] Based on the structure of the above-described embodiments, the following effects can be obtained. (1) When the rod 4, which is rotatably disposed in the connector housing 3 that engages with the other connector 2, is rotated from the initial engagement position to the engagement position, the rod connector 1 is connected to the other connector 2. The gear mechanism 12 has an internal gear 20 and an external gear 21, wherein the internal gear 20 teeth are aligned along the direction of rotation of the rod ( Figure 2 The gears are arranged in the direction of arrow A on the rod 4, and the external gear 21 is formed on the rod 4 in a manner that allows it to rotate integrally with the internal gear 20. The internal gear 20 of the gear mechanism 12 meshes with the first gear 13, which is rotatably disposed on the connector housing 3, and the external gear 21 meshes with the second gear 14, which is rotatably disposed on the connector housing 3. The first gear 13 has a first engaging piece 24, which engages with the inside of the first engaged portion 26 of the opposite connector 2 when the rod 4 is rotated to the engaged position. The second gear 14 has a second engaging piece 25, which engages with the inside of the second engaged portion 27 of the opposite connector 2 when the rod 4 is rotated to the engaged position.

[0051] According to this structure, the first engaging piece 24, which engages with the first engaging portion 26 of the other connector 2, and the second engaging piece 25, which engages with the second engaging portion 27 of the other connector 2, are both formed on the driven gears (first gear 13, second gear 14) that rotate with the rod 4. Therefore, when the rod 4 is rotated into the engaged position, the difference in rotational load is less likely to occur between the first engaging piece 24, which engages with the first engaging portion 26 by rotating with the first gear 13, and the second engaging piece 25, which engages with the second engaging portion 27 by rotating with the second gear 14. As a result, the first engaging piece 24 and the second engaging piece 25 engage with each other with equal load, so the rod connector 1 is less likely to engage with the other connector 2 in an inclined state.

[0052] However, in order to engage the first engaging piece 24 with the inner side of the first engaged portion 26, and to engage the second engaging piece 25 with the inner side of the second engaged portion 27, the first gear 13 and the second gear 14 need to rotate in opposite directions. In this case, for example, if both the first gear 13 and the second gear 14 mesh with the external teeth of the rod 4, it would be necessary for either the first gear 13 or the second gear 14 to mesh with the external teeth via another gear, raising concerns about increasing the size of the connector. On the other hand, in this structure, the first gear 13 meshes with the internal gear 20 of the rod 4. Therefore, since the number of gears does not increase, the rod connector 1 can be miniaturized. As described above, it is less likely to produce an oblique fit with the counterpart connector 2, and the connector size can be miniaturized.

[0053] (2) The first engaging piece 24 is disposed inside the first gear 13. The second engaging piece 25 is disposed inside the second gear 14. According to this structure, the engaging portion of the inner gear 20 of the rod 4 and the first gear 13, in other words, the engaging portion of the first engaging piece 24 and the first engaged portion 26, can be covered by the side wall 7 of the rod 4. Similarly, the engaging portion of the outer gear 21 of the rod 4 and the second gear 14, in other words, the engaging portion of the second engaging piece 25 and the second engaged portion 27, can be covered by the side wall 7 of the rod 4. Therefore, the mating portion of the connector 2 and the connector housing 3 can be covered by the side wall 7 of the rod 4, so it is not easy for foreign objects or water to penetrate into the connector.

[0054] (3) The first gear 13 is housed in the first recess 17, which is formed on the inner surface of the rod 4. The second gear 14 is housed in the second recess 18, which is formed on the inner surface of the rod 4. According to this structure, the axial direction of the rod can be reduced ( Figure 1 The dimensions (in the Y-axis direction, etc.) contribute to the miniaturization of the rod connector 1 in that direction.

[0055] (4) The rod 4 has a reinforcing part 22 for improving the strength of the internal gear 20. The reinforcing part 22 is formed in such a way that the internal gear 20 is connected to the rod body 6 on the side of the first gear 13. According to this structure, the strength of the internal gear 20 can be improved by the reinforcing part 22, so that the internal gear 20 is less likely to malfunction.

[0056] (5) The rod connector 1 is equipped with a locking mechanism 47. When the rod 4 is operated to the mating position, the locking mechanism 47 engages with the locking stop part 52 of the connector housing 3 through the locking part 48 of the rod 4, thereby locking the rotation of the rod 4. When the connector housing 3 is not mated with the other connector 2, the locking part 48 engages with the position holding part 49 of the connector housing 3 to hold the rod 4 in the initial mating position. During the mating process between the connector housing 3 and the other connector 2, the locking part 48 releases the position holding part 49 of the other connector 2 through the release part 51 of the other connector 2, allowing the rod 4 to be rotated to the mating position.

[0057] According to this structure, before the rod connector 1 is engaged with the counterpart connector 2, the locking mechanism 47 can hold the rod 4 in the initial engagement position. Therefore, before assembling the rod connector 1 with the counterpart connector 2, it is less likely that the rod 4 will accidentally rotate in the engagement direction. This improves the workability when engaging the rod connector 1 with the counterpart connector 2.

[0058] [Other Implementation Methods] Furthermore, this embodiment can be implemented in the following variations. This embodiment and the following variations can be combined with each other within the scope of technical non-contradiction.

[0059] • The gear mechanism 12 can also be provided on only one side in the direction of the shaft axis. • The first gear 13 and the second gear 14 are not limited to having teeth on the entire circumference, but may also have teeth only on a portion of the circumference.

[0060] • The tooth spacing of the first gear 13 and the second gear 14 can be formed into different shapes. The first gear 13 and the second gear 14 only need to be disposed between the side wall 7 of the rod 4 and the side 9 of the connector housing 3.

[0061] • The internal gear 20 and the external gear 21 may not be arranged on the same rotation trajectory La, but on different lines. • The release part 51 is not limited to the first engaged part 26. For example, the release part 51 may also be formed by a different component than the first engaged part 26.

[0062] • The rod connector 1 may also have a coupling assurance (CPA) component that ensures the mating state of the other connector 2 and the connector housing 3. • Locking mechanism 47 can also be omitted.

[0063] The present invention has been described with reference to embodiments, but it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments or structures. The present invention also includes various modifications or modifications within the equivalent scope. Furthermore, various combinations or methods, and other combinations or methods including only one element, or more or less, also fall within the scope or concept of the present invention. Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0064] 1. Rod connector 2. Partner connector 2a Fitting part 3 Connector Housing 4 bars 6-bar main body 7. Sidewalls 7a Shaft Hole 8 Connecting Wall 9. Side 9a Housing recess 10 Shaft section 12 Gear Mechanism 13 First Gear 13a Hole 14. Second Gear 14a Hole 15 First gear shaft 16 Second gear shaft 17 1st recess 18 2nd recess 20 Internal Gears 21 External gear 22 Strengthening Department 24 First Card Combination 25. Second card combination 26 The first card combination 27 The 2nd Card-Connecting Section 28 First protrusion 29 Second protrusion 30. Protrusion 31. Concave portion 32 recess 34 Third protrusion 35 Fourth protrusion 36. Protrusion 37. Concave portion 38 recess 40 First opening 41. First slot 42. Second slot 43 Second opening 44. 3rd slot 45. 4th slot 47 Locking mechanism 48 Locking section 48a protrusion 49 Position Holding Section 51 Lifting Department 52 Locking stop La rotation trajectory

Claims

1. A rod connector, wherein if a rod rotatably disposed in a connector housing that engages with a counterpart connector is rotated from an initial engagement position to an engagement position, the rod connector is connected to the counterpart connector. The rod connector includes a gear mechanism comprising an internal gear and an external gear. The internal gear is formed on the rod, and its teeth are arranged along the rotational direction of the rod. The external gear is formed on the rod and rotates integrally with the internal gear. The internal gear meshes with a first gear rotatably disposed on the connector housing, and the external gear meshes with a second gear rotatably disposed on the connector housing. The first gear has a first engaging piece. When the first gear rotates via the internal gear during the operation of positioning the rod in the engaged position, the first engaging piece engages with the inside of the first engaged portion of the opposite connector. The second gear has a second engaging piece, which engages with the inner side of the second engaged portion of the opposite connector when the second gear rotates via the external gear during the operation of positioning the rod in the engaged position.

2. The rod connector according to claim 1, wherein, The first engagement piece is disposed on the inner side of the first gear. The second engagement piece is disposed on the inner side of the second gear.

3. The rod connector according to claim 1, wherein, The first gear is housed in the first recess, which is formed on the inner surface of the rod. The second gear is housed in the second recess, which is formed on the inner surface of the rod.

4. The rod connector according to claim 1, wherein, The rod has a reinforcing portion for increasing the strength of the internal gear, the reinforcing portion being configured to connect the internal gear to the rod body on the side of the first gear.

5. The rod connector according to claim 1, wherein, The rod connector includes a locking mechanism that, when the rod is operated to the engaged position, locks the rotation of the rod by engaging the locking part of the rod with the locking stop part of the connector housing. When the connector housing is not engaged with the other connector, the locking part holds the rod in the initial engagement position by engaging with the position holding part of the connector housing. During the engagement of the connector housing with the other connector, the locking part can rotate the rod to the engagement position by releasing the position holding part of the position holding part by the release part of the other connector.

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