connector

Abstract

The present application provides a connector which can prevent the lever from opening when the lever is operated while realizing the structural simplification of the housing. The connector (10) has a first connector (11) and a second connector (12). The first connector has a first housing (13) and a lever (14) having a cam plate (36). The second connector has a second housing (16) having a portion arranged inside a cylindrical portion (92) of a box body (90). The first housing has a first housing main body (22), a protruding portion (26) protruding outward from a top end portion of the first housing main body, and a peripheral wall portion (30) protruding in a fitting direction from an end portion of the protruding portion on the outside. A space in the inside of the peripheral wall portion and in front of the fitting direction of the protruding portion is arranged with the cylindrical portion. The first housing has a standing wall (29) protruding in a direction opposite to the fitting direction from the end portion of the protruding portion on the outside. The cam plate is arranged to be sandwiched between the standing wall and the first housing main body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to connectors. Background Technology

[0002] The connector described in Patent Document 1 includes a housing capable of engaging with a counterpart connector and a rod rotatably supported on the housing. The housing has an outer wall portion and a protruding wall portion extending outward from the outer wall portion. A through groove is formed in the outer wall portion, and a through hole is formed in the protruding wall portion. A cam groove is formed in the rod. The counterpart connector has a cam pin that engages with the cam groove via the through groove and the through hole.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2024-135324 Summary of the Invention

[0006] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0007] When the lever is operated, a force is applied to the lever to open it outwards. In this case, if a new structure to prevent the lever from opening is to be added to the connector, the structure of the housing may become more complex or larger.

[0008] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a connector that can prevent the lever from opening when operating while simplifying the structure of the housing.

[0009] Solution for solving the problem

[0010] The connector of the present invention includes a first connector and a second connector. The first connector has a first housing and a rod rotatably supported on the first housing. The second connector has a second housing that can engage with the first housing. The rod has a cam plate that engages with the second housing. The second housing has a portion disposed inside a cylindrical portion of a housing. The first housing has: a housing body; a protrusion that extends outward from the top end of the housing body in the engagement direction of the first housing; and a peripheral wall that protrudes from the outer end of the protrusion in the engagement direction. The cylindrical portion is disposed in the space inside the peripheral wall and in front of the protrusion in the engagement direction. The first housing has a vertical wall that protrudes from the outer end of the protrusion in the opposite direction to the engagement direction. The cam plate is disposed between the vertical wall and the housing body.

[0011] Invention Effects

[0012] According to the present invention, a connector can be provided that simplifies the structure of the housing while preventing the lever from opening during operation. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the connector according to Embodiment 1.

[0014] Figure 2 This is an exploded perspective view of the connector according to Embodiment 1.

[0015] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view showing the mating state of the first connector and the second connector in the connector of Embodiment 1.

[0016] Figure 4 This is a side view of the first housing in the connector of Embodiment 1.

[0017] Figure 5 This is a bottom view of the first housing in the connector of Embodiment 1.

[0018] Figure 6 This is a top view of the first housing in the connector of Embodiment 1.

[0019] Figure 7 This is a side view showing the connector of Embodiment 1 with the rod positioned above the first housing before it is assembled into the first housing.

[0020] Figure 8 This is a perspective view showing the state in which the upright wall and the outer side of the cam plate are arranged opposite each other in the connector of Embodiment 1.

[0021] Figure 9 This is a side view showing the state of the first connector and the second connector in the connector of Embodiment 1 at the start of engagement.

[0022] Figure 10 This is a side view showing the state when the first connector and the second connector of the connector in Embodiment 1 are fully engaged.

[0023] Figure 11 In the connector of embodiment 1, the wire cover with the wire lead-out portion facing the changed wire cover is equivalent to... Figure 9 The image. Detailed Implementation

[0024] (Description of embodiments of the present invention)

[0025] First, embodiments of the present invention will be described.

[0026] (1) The connector of the present invention comprises a first connector and a second connector, the first connector having a first housing and a rod rotatably supported on the first housing, the second connector having a second housing capable of engaging with the first housing, the rod having a cam plate engaging with the second housing, the second housing having a portion disposed inside a cylindrical portion of a housing, the first housing having: a housing body; a protrusion extending outward from the top end of the housing body in the engagement direction of the first housing; and a peripheral wall portion protruding from the outer end of the protrusion in the engagement direction, the cylindrical portion being disposed in the space inside the peripheral wall portion and in front of the protrusion in the engagement direction, the first housing having a vertical wall protruding from the outer end of the protrusion in the opposite direction to the engagement direction, the cam plate being disposed between the vertical wall and the housing body.

[0027] When the first and second connectors are engaged, the vertical wall can be used to suppress the outward deformation of the cam plate. The vertical wall protrudes from the protrusion. The protrusion and the peripheral wall constitute the part that engages the housing. Therefore, according to the structure described in (1) above, the protrusion can constitute part of the part that performs the functions of preventing the rod from opening and engaging the housing, which simplifies the structure compared to setting different structures for each function.

[0028] (2) In the connector described in (1) above, preferably, the cam plate engages with the cam pin of the second housing, a through hole is formed in the protrusion for the cam pin to pass through, the uprights are arranged in pairs on both sides separated by the through hole, and from the start of engagement of the first housing and the second housing to the completion of engagement, the cam plate is arranged to be sandwiched between the pair of uprights and the housing body during the entire process of the rod rotation.

[0029] If it is the structure described in (2) above, then the paired vertical walls are all set in a position that prevents the cam plate from opening outwards. Therefore, it can also cope with situations where the rotation angle of the rod is limited and a large opening force (the force that wants to open outwards) acts on the cam plate.

[0030] (3) In the connector described in (2) above, it is preferable that the width of the upright wall gradually narrows from the root connected to the protrusion to the top in the protruding direction.

[0031] According to the structure described in (3) above, the root of the vertical wall has an enlarged width compared to the top, thus ensuring the strength of the vertical wall. In addition, by narrowing the width of the vertical wall, it is easy to design a shape that avoids interference between the rod and the vertical wall.

[0032] (4) In any of the connectors described in (1) to (3) above, it is preferred that, when viewed along the mating direction, the outer surface of the upright wall is formed along the arc shape of the outer peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion, and when viewed along the mating direction, the inner surface of the upright wall is formed in a straight line along a direction orthogonal to the mating direction.

[0033] According to the structure described above (4), compared to the case where the outer surface of the vertical wall is formed in a straight line along a direction orthogonal to the mating direction, the thickness of the vertical wall can be increased, thus improving the strength of the vertical wall.

[0034] (Details of embodiments of the present invention)

[0035] The following describes specific examples of embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to these examples, but is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims, as shown in the claims.

[0036] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the connector 10 of this embodiment 1 includes a first connector 11 and a second connector 12 that can be mated together. In this embodiment 1, the first connector 11 is a female connector and the second connector 12 is a male connector. The first connector 11 has a first housing 13 and a rod 14 rotatably supported on the first housing 13. Figure 3 As shown, the first housing 13 houses a plurality of first terminal parts 15, which are female terminals (only one first terminal part 15 is shown for ease of drawing). The second connector 12 has a second housing 16 and a plurality of second terminal parts 17 housed in the second housing 16, the second terminal parts 17 being male terminals. It should be noted that, in the following description, the vertical direction corresponds to the mating direction of the first connector 11 and the second connector 12, with the second connector 12 mating with the first connector 11 from below. Figure 1 The Z in the attached figure indicates the top. Figure 1 In the attached drawings, X and Y represent the right and front sides, respectively. Furthermore, in the following description, unless otherwise specified, the inner side refers to the side closer to the center of connector 10, and the outer side refers to the side farther from the center of connector 10.

[0037] (Implementation Method 1)

[0038] Connector 10 is a waterproof connector used in automobiles, etc. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the second connector 12 is fixed to the housing 90. The overall shape of the housing 90 is not shown, but it is box-shaped. For ease of drawing, only a portion of the housing 90 is shown in the accompanying drawing. The housing 90 is made of a metal such as die-cast aluminum. Figure 3As shown, the housing 90 has an opening 91 extending vertically through the upper wall of the housing 90 and a cylindrical portion 92 protruding upward from the entire circumference of the opening 91. Viewed from above, the upper edge of the cylindrical portion 92 is oblong in shape.

[0039] (Connector 11)

[0040] Connector 11 and connector 12 engage with each other by rotating rod 14. Terminal part 15 is made of conductive metal. Figure 3 As shown, a wire 100 is connected to the first terminal part 15. The wire 100 extends upward from the upper surface of the outer housing 19 of the first housing 13, i.e., the wire lead-out surface 18.

[0041] The first housing 13 includes an outer shell 19, an inner shell 20 housed inside the outer shell 19, and an electrical cable cover 21 mounted on the outer shell 19 from above. The outer shell 19, the inner shell 20, and the electrical cable cover 21 are all made of synthetic resin.

[0042] like Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the outer casing 19 has a first casing body 22 (casing body). The first casing body 22 is formed into a square tube shape by means of an upper wall, a front wall, a rear wall, a right wall, and a left wall. The wire lead-out surface 18 is formed on the upper wall. The first casing body 22 has a plurality of through slots 23 through which the cam pin 46 of the second connector 12 (described later) passes. In the case of this embodiment 1, one through slot 23 is provided in the middle part of the front-rear direction of each of the left and right walls of the first casing body 22. Each through slot 23 is in the wall thickness direction (left-right direction, inside-out direction) of the first casing body 22. Each through slot 23 extends in the vertical direction. The lower end of each through slot 23 is open at the lower end of each of the left and right walls of the first casing body 22. The upper end of each through slot is closed at a position below the support shaft 25 (described later) on each of the left and right walls of the first casing body 22. Figure 4 (Refer to). At the four corners of the upper end of the first housing body 22, a plurality of cover locking receiving parts 24 for mounting wire covers 21 are provided protruding upwards.

[0043] Support shafts 25 are provided protruding outwards on the left and right walls of the first housing body 22 (only the support shafts 25 on the left and right sides are shown for ease of drawing). The support shafts 25 are embedded in the shaft holes 38 of the rod 14, which will be described later. The support shafts 25 support the rod 14 so that it can rotate.

[0044] Additionally, the outer casing 19 has a protrusion 26 extending outward from the lower end of the first casing body 22. Viewed from above, the protrusion 26 is an elongated oval shape that is longer in the front-back direction than in the left-right direction. The protrusion 26 is flat in both the front-back and left-right directions. In the engaged state of the first connector 11 and the second connector 12, the protrusion 26 is positioned opposite the upper edge of the cylindrical portion 92 of the housing 90.

[0045] A through hole 27 communicating with the lower end of the through groove 23 is provided in the middle portion of the protrusion 26 in the front-rear direction. Because the protrusion 26 extends outward from the lower end of the first housing body 22, the through hole 27 is positioned further outward than the through groove 23 (see reference). Figure 3 The single-dot dashed line A. Single-dot dashed line A is the reference line separating the lower end of the through slot 23 and the through hole 27 (inside and outside). The through hole 27 penetrates along the thickness direction (vertical direction) of the protrusion 26. For example... Figure 5 As shown, viewed from below, the through hole 27 has a rectangular rim shape. The rims at the left and right ends of the through hole 27 are formed in a manner that extends in the front-to-back direction. The rims at the front and rear ends of the through hole 27 are formed in a manner that extends in the left-to-right direction.

[0046] The outer casing 19 has a peripheral wall portion 30 that protrudes downwards from the outer periphery of the protrusion 26. Viewed from below, the peripheral wall portion 30 is an elongated oval shape that is longer in the front-to-back direction than in the left-to-right direction. When the first connector 11 and the second connector 12 are engaged, the peripheral wall portion 30 engages with the cylindrical portion 92 from the outside.

[0047] Multiple upward-protruding vertical walls 29 are provided on the outer periphery of the protrusion 26. For example... Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the vertical wall 29 is plate-shaped, and a pair of front and rear ( ) are respectively provided at the left and right ends of the outer periphery of the protruding part 26. Figure 4 (Only the left and right side vertical walls 29 are shown in the figure). Pairs of vertical walls 29 are arranged on the front and rear sides, separated by the through groove 23 and the through hole 27. With the rod 14 installed in the outer shell 19, the cam plate 36 (described later) of the rod 14 is sandwiched between the vertical wall 29 and the first shell body 22, and faces the outer surface of the cam plate 36.

[0048] The upper end of the vertical wall 29 is horizontally positioned along the front-to-back direction. The root of the vertical wall 29 is connected to the protrusion 26. The outer surface of the vertical wall 29 is continuous with the outer surface of the peripheral wall 30 without any steps. The inner surface of the vertical wall 29 faces the outer surface of the cam plate 36 parallel to each other. The inner end faces (opposite end faces) of the paired vertical walls 29 in the front-to-back direction rise from the protrusion 26 and are positioned along the vertical direction. The outer end faces of the paired vertical walls 29 in the front-to-back direction rise from the protrusion 26 and slope inward in the front-to-back direction as they move upward. Therefore, the vertical wall 29 gradually narrows in width from its root, which is connected to the protrusion 26, to its upper end.

[0049] like Figure 6 As shown, viewed from above, the outer surface of the vertical wall 29 is formed in an arc shape along the outer periphery of the peripheral wall portion 30. Viewed from above, the inner surface of the vertical wall 29 is formed in a straight line along the front-to-back direction. Therefore, the thickness of the vertical wall 29 gradually increases from the outer side to the inner side in the front-to-back direction. Figure 4 As shown, two recesses 48 arranged vertically are provided on the outer surface of the vertical wall 29. Due to the narrowed shape of the vertical wall 29, the upper recess 48 is narrower than the lower recess 48.

[0050] As described above, the inner housing 20 is housed and held inside the first housing body 22 of the outer housing 19. The sealing member 31A is configured to be sandwiched between the inner housing 20 and the outer housing 19 in a vertical direction. The sealing member 31A maintains a liquid-tight seal between the inner housing 20 and the outer housing 19, and also maintains a liquid-tight seal around the wire 100 connected to the first terminal part 15. The inner housing 20 is fitted inside the second housing body 42 of the second connector 12 (described later). A sealing member 31B is mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the inner housing 20. In the fitted state of the inner housing 20 and the second housing body 42, the sealing member 31B is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the inner housing 20 and the inner peripheral surface of the second housing body 42. The sealing member 31B maintains a liquid-tight seal between the first housing 13 and the second housing 16.

[0051] like Figure 5 As shown, the inner housing 20 has multiple cavities 32 extending vertically. The cavities 32 are arranged in multiple layers in the left-right direction and multiple rows in the front-back direction. The first terminal part 15 is inserted into the cavity 32 from above. When the first connector 11 and the second connector 12 are engaged, the first terminal part 15 is connected to the second terminal part 17.

[0052] like Figure 2 As shown, the wire cover 21 has a back wall 33 that is spaced apart from the wire lead-out surface 18 from above, a wire lead-out portion 34 that protrudes to the right from the back wall 33, and a pair of cover locking portions 35 protruding downward from the back wall 33 on the front, back, left, and right sides. The back wall 33 and the wire lead-out portion 34 serve to guide the wire 100 from the wire lead-out surface 18 in the right direction shown in the figure. The wire cover 21 is installed on the housing 19 by the cover locking portions 35 engaging with the cover locking receiving portions 24 of the housing 19.

[0053] A rod locking receiver (not shown) is provided at the rear end of the back wall 33. The rod locking receiver, described later, engages with the rod 14, thereby suppressing rotation of the rod 14 in the engagement completed position described later.

[0054] The rod 14 has a pair of flat cam plates 36 and a connecting portion 37 that connects the cam plates 36 to each other. The cam plates 36 are arranged with their surfaces facing left and right. The cam plates 36 have a shaft hole 38 that extends through in the thickness direction and a cam groove 39 recessed in the inner surface. The shaft hole 38 is a circular through hole. When the rod 14 is installed in the housing 19, the shaft hole 38 accommodates a support shaft 25. Figure 2 The lower end of the connecting portion 37 becomes a rod locking portion that is locked into the rod locking receiving portion. A slope 49 (see reference) is provided on the outer surface of the cam plate 36, extending outwards in the left-right direction from the thin-walled portion having the shaft hole 38 to the thick-walled portion connected to the connecting portion 37. Figure 2 and Figure 7 ).

[0055] The cam groove 39 receives the cam pin 46 of the second connector 12. The cam groove 39 has a cam inlet 40 that allows the cam pin 46 to enter. The cam groove 39 extends from the cam inlet 40 toward the inner end 41 of the cam, which is the inner end. The cam groove 39 bends from the cam inlet 40 toward the inner end 41 of the cam (see reference). Figure 9 and Figure 10 ).

[0056] (Connector 2, 12)

[0057] The second connector 12 engages with the first connector 11 from below. As described above, the second connector 12 has a second housing 16 and a plurality of second terminal parts 17 housed within the second housing 16. The second terminal parts 17 are made of conductive metal. The second terminal parts 17 are pin-shaped and extend vertically. The second terminal parts 17 are mounted on the terminal holding portion 45 of the second housing 16 (described later). Figure 3 The lower part of the second terminal component 17 protrudes downward from the second housing 16 and is connected to a circuit board (not shown).

[0058] The second housing 16 has a cylindrical second housing body 42 and a box-shaped fitting portion 43 extending outward from the lower end of the second housing body 42. Viewed from above, the box-shaped fitting portion 43 is an elongated oval shape, longer in the front-to-back direction than in the left-to-right direction. Figure 3 As shown, a sealing mounting portion 44 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the housing fitting portion 43. The sealing mounting portion 44 is recessed around the entire circumference of the outer peripheral surface of the housing fitting portion 43. A rubber sealing member 31C is installed on the sealing mounting portion 44. With the second connector 12 fixed to the housing 90, the sealing member 31C is liquid-tightly attached to the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 92 and the outer peripheral surface of the housing fitting portion 43.

[0059] The second housing body 42 is formed into an upwardly open rectangular tube shape. The terminal holding portion 45 of the second housing body 42 is part of the bottom wall of the second housing body 42. The upper part of the second terminal part 17 protrudes into the inside of the second housing body 42 through the terminal holding portion 45. In the engaged state of the first connector 11 and the second connector 12, the second housing body 42 is fitted between the first housing body 22 and the inner housing 20.

[0060] Cam pins 46 are respectively provided on the upper ends of the left and right walls of the second housing body 42, protruding outwards. The cam pins 46 are cylindrical. During the engagement of the first connector 11 and the second connector 12, the cam pins 46 are inserted into the through slots 23 through the through holes 27.

[0061] A blocking portion 47 is provided protruding outward from the lower ends of the left and right walls of the second housing body 42. The blocking portion 47 is configured to block the lower end of the through groove 23 and the through hole 27 when the first connector 11 and the second connector 12 are engaged. The blocking portion 47 is arranged coaxially with the cam pin 46 in the vertical direction. Both the blocking portion 47 and the cam pin 46 protrude from the outer surfaces of the left and right walls of the second housing body 42 in the vertical and front-back directions. Figure 8 As shown, when the first connector 11 and the second connector 12 are engaged, a portion of the closure portion 47 can be viewed from between the paired vertical walls 29.

[0062] (Assembly work of rod 14)

[0063] The assembly operation of rod 14 relative to housing 19 is described. For example... Figure 7 As shown, with the connecting portion 37 of the rod 14 facing forward and the shaft hole 38 positioned above the support shaft 25 in the vertical direction, the rod 14 is inserted from above between the left and right walls and the vertical wall 29 of the first housing body 22. During the insertion of the rod 14 between the left and right walls and the vertical wall 29 of the first housing body 22, the cam plate 36 deforms outward by abutting against the support shaft 25. Then, when the support shaft 25 is inserted into the shaft hole 38, the opening of the cam plate 36 is eliminated. As described above, the upper end position of the vertical wall 29 is set such that even if the cam plate 36 is in an outwardly open state during the assembly of the rod 14 into the housing body 19, the vertical wall 29 does not interfere with the cam plate 36. The rod 14 rotates 180 degrees about the support shaft 25 so that the connecting portion 37 moves to the rear (see reference). Figure 9 (The rod 14 in the initial engagement position). As described above, the top of the rod 14 has a narrowed shape, so that even when the rod 14 is in the initial engagement position, interference between the vertical wall 29 and the inclined surface 49 of the rod 14 can be avoided.

[0064] In this embodiment 1, the assembly orientation of the rod 14 can be aligned with... Figure 7 Assemble rod 14 onto housing 19 by reversing its position from left to right. In this case, as... Figure 11 As shown, by assembling a wire cover 21A with a different shape than the wire cover 21 onto the housing 19, the direction in which the wire is led out can be changed to a direction different from that in Embodiment 1. That is, even if the shape of the wire cover is different from that in Embodiment 1, the rod 14 can be used without changing its shape.

[0065] (Matching operation of connector 11 and connector 12)

[0066] Next, the engagement of the first connector 11 and the second connector 12 will be described. When engagement of the first connector 11 and the second connector 12 begins, the cam inlet 40 communicates with the lower end of the through groove 23 and is vertically connected to the through hole 27 and positioned downwards. In this state, the first connector 11 and the second connector 12 are shallowly engaged (see reference...). Figure 9 Therefore, the top end of the cam pin 46 enters the cam inlet 40 through the through hole 27. The root end of the cam pin 46 enters the lower end of the through groove 23. The connecting part 37 is positioned rearward than the first housing body 22.

[0067] Next, while pinching the connecting part 37, the rod 14 is rotated about the support shaft 25 toward the engagement completion position. During the rotation of the rod 14, the cam pin 46 slides on the groove surface of the cam groove 39 toward the inner end 41 of the cam. The first connector 11 and the second connector 12 are pulled closer to each other by the action of the cams of the rod 14 and the second connector 12. As the rod 14 moves from the engagement start position to the engagement completion position, the outer periphery of the cam plate 36 is positioned away from the blocking part 47.

[0068] During the rotation of rod 14, an expanding force, such as that causing cam plate 36 to open outward in the left-right direction, acts on cam plate 36. The more restricted the rotation angle of rod 14 is, the greater the engagement force of connectors 11 and 12, and consequently, the expanding force increases. In the case of this embodiment 1, during the entire rotation of rod 14 from the initial engagement position to the completed engagement position, the vertical walls 29, which are paired across the through hole 27, are in contact with cam plate 36. Therefore, even if the rotation angle of rod 14 is restricted and the expanding force acting on cam plate 36 increases, the vertical walls 29 can prevent cam plate 36 from opening to the maximum extent. It should be noted that in this embodiment 1, the rotation angle of rod 14 from the initial engagement position to the completed engagement position is preferably 60 to 90 degrees, more preferably 70 to 85 degrees, and 80 degrees in the illustrated case.

[0069] The root of the vertical wall 29, which connects to the protrusion 26, is wider than the top of the vertical wall 29, thus ensuring the strength of the vertical wall 29. Additionally, as... Figure 6 As shown, viewed from above, the outer surface of the vertical wall 29 is formed in an arc shape along the outer peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion 30. Furthermore, viewed from above, the inner surface of the vertical wall 29 is formed in a straight line along the front-back direction. Therefore, compared to the case where the outer surface of the vertical wall is formed in a straight line along the front-back direction, the thickness of the vertical wall 29 can be increased, thus improving the strength of the vertical wall 29.

[0070] When the cam pin 46 reaches the inner end 41 of the cam, i.e., the fully engaged position, the rod locking part of the rod 14 and the rod locking receiving part of the wire cover 21 are locked. Thus, while the rotation of the rod 14 is suppressed, the first connector 11 and the second connector 12 remain in the engaged state (see reference). Figure 10 ).

[0071] When the first connector 11 and the second connector 12 are engaged, even if the first connector 11 is submerged in water, the water is drained out along the protrusion 26 and the peripheral wall 30 because the cylindrical portion 92 of the housing 90 is disposed inside the peripheral wall 30 and below the protrusion 26, thus preventing the second connector 12 from being submerged in water (see reference). Figure 3 Furthermore, the sealing member 31C is liquid-tightly attached to the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 92 and the outer circumferential surface of the housing fitting portion 43. This effectively prevents water from seeping into the housing 90 from the second connector 12.

[0072] As described above, the connector 10 of this embodiment 1 includes a first connector 11 and a second connector 12. The first connector 11 has a first housing 13 and a rod 14 rotatably supported on the first housing 13. The second connector 12 has a second housing 16 that can engage with the first housing 13. The rod 14 has a cam plate 36 that engages with the second housing 16. The second housing 16 has a portion disposed inside the cylindrical portion 92 of the housing 90. The first housing 13 (outer housing 19) has: a first housing body 22 (housing body); a protrusion 26 that extends outward from the top end (lower end) of the first housing body 22 in the engagement direction of the first housing 13; and a peripheral wall portion 30 that protrudes in the engagement direction from the outer end of the protrusion 26. The cylindrical portion 92 is disposed in the space inside the peripheral wall portion 30 and in front of (below) the protrusion 26 in the engagement direction. The first housing 13 has a vertical wall 29 that protrudes from the outer end of the protrusion 26 in the opposite direction (upward) to the fitting direction. The cam plate 36 is configured to be sandwiched between the vertical wall 29 and the first housing body 22. Thus, the protrusion 26 has the function of preventing the cam plate 36 from opening and the fitting function of the housing 90, which simplifies the structure compared to the case where different structures are set for each function.

[0073] The cam plate 36 engages with the cam pin 46 of the second housing 16. A through hole 27 is formed in the protrusion 26 for the cam pin 46 to pass through. Pairs of vertical walls 29 are arranged on the front and rear sides, separated by the through hole 27. From the start of engagement of the first housing 13 and the second housing 16 until engagement is complete, during the entire rotation of the rod 14, the cam plate 36 is positioned between the paired vertical walls 29 and the first housing body 22. The paired vertical walls 29, separated by the through hole 27, are always in contact with the cam plate 36; therefore, even if the rotation angle of the rod is limited and the opening force acting on the cam plate 36 increases, the vertical walls 29 can maximally prevent the cam plate 36 from opening. Furthermore, even if the wire cover is changed, it can be assembled into the outer housing 19 simply by reversing the rod 14 left and right. Figure 11 As shown, the rod 14 can also be used when a wire cover 21A with a different shape than the wire cover 21 is assembled into the housing 19. That is, even if the wire cover is changed, the shape of the rod 14 and the housing 19 can be accommodated without changing them.

[0074] The width of the vertical wall 29 gradually narrows from its root, which connects to the protrusion 26, to its protruding tip (upper end). This prevents interference between the rod 14 and the vertical wall 29 even when the rod 14 is in its initial engagement position. In particular, interference with the inclined surface 49 of the rod 14 is avoided. Furthermore, the root of the vertical wall 29 is wider than its tip, thus ensuring the strength of the vertical wall 29.

[0075] Viewed from above along the fitting direction, the outer surface of the vertical wall 29 is formed in an arc shape along the outer peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion 30. Viewed from above along the fitting direction, the inner surface of the vertical wall 29 is formed in a straight line along a direction orthogonal to the fitting direction (front-back direction). Therefore, compared to the case where the outer surface of the vertical wall is formed in a straight line along the front-back direction, the thickness of the vertical wall can be increased, thus improving the strength of the vertical wall 29.

[0076] (Other embodiments of the present invention)

[0077] It should be considered that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative rather than limiting in all respects.

[0078] In this embodiment 1, the housing 90 is made of die-cast aluminum. In contrast, in other embodiments, the housing may not be die-cast aluminum, but may be formed from sheet metal or the like.

[0079] In this embodiment 1, the vertical wall 29 gradually narrows in width from its base to its tip. In contrast, in other embodiments, the width may not gradually narrow from the base to the tip. Specifically, the width at the base and tip of the vertical wall may be the same. In this embodiment 1, a recess 48 is provided on the outer surface of the vertical wall 29. In contrast, in other embodiments, the recess may not be provided on the outer surface of the vertical wall.

[0080] In this embodiment 1, the first connector 11 is a female connector that houses the first terminal part 15 of the female terminal, and the second connector 12 is a male connector that houses the second terminal part 17 of the male terminal. Conversely, in other embodiments, the male-female relationship between the first connector and the first terminal part and the second connector and the second terminal part can be reversed. Specifically, the first connector can also be a male connector that houses the first terminal part of the male terminal, and the second connector can also be a female connector that houses the second terminal part of the female terminal.

[0081] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0082] 10: Connector; 11: First connector; 12: Second connector; 13: First housing; 14: Rod; 15: First terminal part; 16: Second housing; 17: Second terminal part; 18: Wire lead-out surface; 19: Outer housing; 20: Inner housing; 21, 21A: Wire cover; 22: First housing body (housing body); 23: Through groove; 24: Cover locking receiving part; 25: Support shaft; 26: Protrusion part; 27: Through hole; 29: Vertical wall; 30: Peripheral wall part; 31A, 31B, 31C 32: Sealing component; 33: Cavity; 34: Back wall; 35: Wire lead-out part; 36: Cover locking part; 37: Cam plate; 38: Connecting part; 39: Shaft hole; 40: Cam groove; 41: Cam inlet; 42: Cam inner end; 43: Second housing body; 44: Housing fitting part; 45: Sealing installation part; 46: Terminal holding part; 47: Cam pin; 48: Closing part; 49: Recessed part; 90: Casing; 91: Opening part; 92: Cylindrical part; 100: Wire; A: Single-dot dashed line.

Claims

1. A connector comprising a first connector and a second connector, The first connector has a first housing and a rod rotatably supported on the first housing. The second connector has a second housing that can be fitted into the first housing. The rod has a cam plate that engages with the second housing. The second housing has a portion disposed inside the cylindrical part of the box body. The first housing includes: a housing body; a protrusion extending outward from the top end of the housing body in the fitting direction of the first housing; and a peripheral wall portion protruding from the outer end of the protrusion in the fitting direction. The cylindrical portion is disposed in the space inside the peripheral wall portion and in front of the fitting direction of the protruding portion. The first housing has a vertical wall that protrudes from the outer end of the protrusion in the opposite direction to the fitting direction. The cam plate is configured to be sandwiched between the vertical wall and the housing body.

2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein, The cam plate engages with the cam pin of the second housing. A through hole is formed in the protrusion to allow the cam pin to pass through. The vertical walls are arranged in pairs on both sides of the through hole. From the start of engagement to the completion of engagement of the first and second housings, throughout the entire rotation of the rod, the cam plate is configured to be sandwiched between the pair of uprights and the housing body.

3. The connector according to claim 2, wherein, The width of the vertical wall gradually narrows from the root connected to the protrusion to the top in the protruding direction.

4. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, When viewed along the fitting direction, the outer surface of the vertical wall is formed along the arc shape of the outer circumferential surface of the peripheral wall portion, and when viewed along the fitting direction, the inner surface of the vertical wall is formed in a straight line along a direction orthogonal to the fitting direction.

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