Guide parts

Abstract

To provide a guide component that allows the mating connector to be precisely positioned in a horizontal plane relative to the connector. [Solution] The guide part 30 has a base 40 on which a housing portion 42 is formed. The housing portion 42 has two first sides 44 extending along a first horizontal direction (X direction) and two second sides 46 extending along a second horizontal direction (Y direction). The housing portion 42 is provided with a first press-fit projection 48F projecting inward from the first sides 44 into the horizontal plane (XY plane) and a second press-fit projection 48S projecting inward from the second sides 46 into the horizontal plane. In the mounting state in which the guide part 30 is attached to the connector 20, the connector 20 is located inside the housing portion 42 and is pressed against the first press-fit projection 48F in the second horizontal direction and against the second press-fit projection 48S in the first horizontal direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a guide component for guiding the fitting of a connector and a mating connector.

Background Art

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses this type of guide component.

[0003] Referring to FIG. 16, the fitting guide component (guide component) 90 of Patent Document 1 guides the fitting of the connector 95 and a mating connector (not shown).

[0004] The connector 95 is mounted and fixed on the circuit board 98 in the vertical direction. The connector 95 is provided with a plurality of locking portions 97. Each of the locking portions 97 is located at the lower edge of the connector 95. The guide component 90 is provided with a plurality of locking claw portions 92 corresponding to the locking portions 97 respectively. When the illustrated guide component 90 is moved toward the connector 95, each of the locking claw portions 92 moves below the corresponding locking portion 97 and engages with the corresponding locking portion 97. As a result, the guide component 90 is attached to the connector 95. The mating connector (not shown) can be fitted from above with the connector 95 to which the guide component 90 is attached. When the mating connector is fitted to the connector 95, the guide component 90 guides the mating connector.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] According to the structure described above, the guide component 90 attached to the connector 95 is movable to some extent relative to the connector 95 in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the vertical direction. That is, the position of the guide component 90 in the horizontal plane fluctuates to some extent. For this reason, when mating a mating connector (not shown) to the connector 95, there is a risk that the mating connector may not be accurately positioned in the horizontal plane relative to the connector 95.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a guide component that can accurately position the mating connector in a horizontal plane relative to the connector. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention provides a first guide component, A guide component that is attached to a connector that can be mated with a mating connector, and which guides the mating of the connector and the mating connector, The aforementioned guide component has a base and two guide portions. A housing portion is formed in the base portion. The housing portion penetrates the base portion in the vertical direction and has two first sides and two second sides. Each of the first sides extends along a first horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, Each of the second sides extends along a second horizontal direction that is perpendicular to both the vertical direction and the first horizontal direction. The receiving portion is provided with at least one first press-fitting projection and at least one second press-fitting projection. The at least one first press-fit projection protrudes inward from one of the two first sides into a horizontal plane perpendicular to the vertical direction, The at least one second press-fit projection protrudes inward from one of the two second sides of the horizontal plane, In the mounting state in which the guide component is attached to the connector, the connector is located inside the housing portion and is pressed against the at least one first press-fit projection in the second horizontal direction and against the at least one second press-fit projection in the first horizontal direction, The guide portion is located on the opposite side of the base portion, with the housing portion in between, in the first horizontal direction. When mating the mating connector with the connector, the guide portion guides the mating connector toward the connector. We provide guide components.

[0009] The present invention provides a second guide component, which is a first guide component, The aforementioned at least one first press-fit projection includes two first press-fit projections, The aforementioned at least one second press-fit projection includes two second press-fit projections, The two first press-fit protrusions each project inward from the two first sides of the horizontal plane and are opposite each other in the second horizontal direction. The two second press-fit protrusions each project inward from the two second sides of the horizontal plane and are opposite each other in the first horizontal direction. We provide guide components.

[0010] The present invention provides a third guide component, which is a second guide component, The at least one first press-fit projection includes two pairs, each consisting of two of the first press-fit projections. The at least one second press-fit projection includes two pairs, each consisting of two of the second press-fit projections. We provide guide components.

[0011] The present invention provides a fourth guide component, which is a first guide component, The aforementioned connector is mounted and fixed to the object, The aforementioned guide component has a fixed portion, The guide component is fixed to the object by the fixed portion. Provide a guide component.

[0012] The present invention provides, as a fifth guide component, a first guide component, where the mating connector is mounted and fixed to a mating object, where two openings are formed in the mating object, when the mating connector is mated with the connector, the guide portions are respectively inserted into the openings Provide a guide component.

[0013] The present invention provides, as a sixth guide component, a first guide component, each of the guide portions has a guide surface, the guide surface is recessed so as to be separated from each other in the first horizontal direction, when the mating connector is mated with the connector, the guide surface guides both end portions of the mating connector in the first horizontal direction respectively Provide a guide component.

[0014] The present invention provides, as a seventh guide component, a sixth guide component, in the mounted state, the guide portions respectively cover both end portions of the connector in the first horizontal direction from above Provide a guide component.

[0015] According to the present invention, when the guide component is attached to the connector, the connector is pressed against the first press-fitting protrusion and positioned in the second horizontal direction, and is also pressed against the second press-fitting protrusion and positioned in the first horizontal direction. In other words, the guide component is reliably positioned with respect to the connector in the horizontal plane defined by the first horizontal direction and the second horizontal direction. Further, when the mating connector is mated with the connector, the guide portion of the guide component guides the mating connector toward the connector. The mating connector guided by the guide component mates with the connector while being accurately positioned in the horizontal plane with respect to the connector. That is, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a guide component capable of accurately positioning the mating connector with respect to the connector in the horizontal plane.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0016] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view showing a fitting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The connector and the mating connector of the fitting device are in a separated state where they are apart from each other. [Figure 2] It is another perspective view showing the fitting device of FIG. 1. The connector and the mating connector are in a mated state where they are mated with each other. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view showing the mating connector of FIG. 1. The mating connector is mounted and fixed on the lower surface of the mating circuit member. [Figure 4] It is a perspective view showing a connector assembly including the connector and the guide component of FIG. 1. The connector is mounted and fixed on the upper surface of the circuit member. The guide component is in a pre-mounting state before being attached to the connector. [Figure 5] It is a top view showing the connector assembly of FIG. 4. The guide component is in a mounted state where it is attached to the connector. The outline of the mating connector during fitting is schematically drawn with a dashed line. [Figure 6] It is a side view showing the connector assembly of FIG. 5. [Figure 7] It is another side view showing the connector assembly of FIG. 5. [Figure 8] It is a bottom view showing the connector assembly of FIG. 5. [Figure 9] This is a bottom view of the connector assembly shown in Figure 8. Circuit components and reinforcing components are not shown. [Figure 10] This is a bottom view showing a part of the connector assembly in Figure 9 (the area enclosed by the dashed line A). [Figure 11] Figure 4 is a top view showing the guide component. [Figure 12] Figure 11 is a side view showing the guide component. [Figure 13] This is another side view showing the guide component in Figure 11. [Figure 14] This is a bottom view showing the guide component of Figure 11. The contours of both ends of the connector in the installed state are partially drawn with dashed lines. A magnified view of a part of the guide component (the area enclosed by the dashed line) is also shown. [Figure 15] Figure 14 is a bottom view showing the housing for the guide component. The contours of both ends of the connector in the installed state are partially drawn with dashed lines. [Figure 16] This is a perspective view showing the connector and guide component of Patent Document 1. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0017] As shown in Figure 1, the mating device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a connector assembly 12 and a mating connector 70. The connector assembly 12 comprises a connector 20 and a guide component 30. The illustrated guide component 30 is shown in an attached state, mounted on the connector 20. That is, the mating device 10 of this embodiment comprises a connector 20, a guide component 30, and a mating connector 70. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the mating device 10 may further comprise other components in addition to the above-described components.

[0018] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, connector 20 is matable with mating connector 70 located above connector 20 in the vertical direction. Guide component 30 is attached to connector 20 that is matable with mating connector 70 to guide the mating of connector 20 and mating connector 70. In this embodiment, the vertical direction is the Z direction. In this embodiment, upward is the +Z direction and downward is the -Z direction. Terms such as vertical direction do not indicate an absolute positional relationship with respect to the ground, but merely indicate the relative positional relationship when the mating direction in which connector 20 and mating connector 70 mate with each other is defined as the vertical direction.

[0019] Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the connector 20 in this embodiment is a receptacle, and the mating connector 70 in this embodiment is a plug. That is, in the mated state where the connector 20 and the mating connector 70 are fitted together (the state in Figure 2), the mating connector 70 is partially received inside the connector 20. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the connector 20 may be a plug, and the mating connector 70 may be a receptacle.

[0020] The following describes the mating connector 70 of this embodiment.

[0021] Referring to Figure 3, the mating connector 70 of this embodiment comprises a mating housing 74 made of an insulator, a plurality of mating terminals 76 made of a conductor, and two mating hold-downs 78 made of a conductor. The mating terminals 76 are held by the mating housing 74 and are arranged along a first horizontal direction (pitch direction) perpendicular to the vertical direction. The mating hold-downs 78 are each held at both ends 72 of the mating housing 74 in the first horizontal direction. The first horizontal direction in this embodiment is the X direction. The mating connector 70 of this embodiment has the structure described above. However, the structure of the mating connector 70 of the present invention is not particularly limited.

[0022] In this embodiment, the mating connector 70 is placed on the lower surface of the mating object 80. That is, the mating connector 70 is a so-called onboard connector. The mating object 80 in this embodiment comprises a mating circuit member 82 and a mating reinforcing member 84. The mating circuit member 82 is an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) cable. The mating reinforcing member 84 is made of a rigid body such as stainless steel and extends along a horizontal plane (XY plane) perpendicular to the vertical direction. The mating reinforcing member 84 is fixed to the upper surface of the end of the mating circuit member 82 in a second horizontal direction perpendicular to both the vertical direction and the first horizontal direction, thereby reinforcing the mating circuit member 82, which is prone to bending. In this embodiment, the second horizontal direction is the Y direction. The mating circuit member 82, reinforced by the mating reinforcing member 84, extends along the horizontal plane.

[0023] The opposing object 80 in this embodiment has the structure described above. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the opposing circuit member 82 may be a rigid, non-flexible circuit board. In this case, the opposing reinforcing member 84 does not need to be provided. That is, the opposing object 80 may consist only of a rigid circuit board.

[0024] In this embodiment, the mating connector 70 is mounted and fixed to the mating object 80. More specifically, the mating terminal 76 and the mating hold-down 78 are fixed and connected to a conductive pad (not shown) on the lower surface of the mating circuit member 82 by soldering or the like. However, the method of fixing the mating connector 70 to the mating object 80 is not particularly limited.

[0025] In this embodiment, the mating object 80 has two openings 88 formed therein. Each of the openings 88 penetrates the mating circuit member 82 and the mating reinforcing member 84 of the mating object 80 in the vertical direction. The openings 88 are located on both sides of the mating connector 70 in the first horizontal direction and are in the same position as each other in the second horizontal direction. The openings 88 in this embodiment are formed as described above. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the openings 88 may be formed as needed.

[0026] The connector 20 of this embodiment (see Figure 4) will be described below.

[0027] Referring to Figure 4, the connector 20 of this embodiment comprises a housing 24 made of an insulator, a plurality of terminals 26 made of a conductor, and two hold-downs 28 made of a conductor. The terminals 26 are provided corresponding to the mating terminals 76 (see Figure 3) of the mating connector 70 (see Figure 3). The terminals 26 are held by the housing 24 and are arranged along a first horizontal direction. The hold-downs 28 are held at both ends 22 of the housing 24 in the first horizontal direction. The connector 20 of this embodiment has the structure described above. However, the structure of the connector 20 of the present invention is not particularly limited.

[0028] The connector 20 in this embodiment is placed on the upper surface of the object 60. That is, the connector 20 is an onboard connector. The object 60 in this embodiment comprises a circuit member 62 and a reinforcing member 64. The circuit member 62 is an FPC cable. The reinforcing member 64 is made of a rigid body such as stainless steel and extends along a horizontal plane. The reinforcing member 64 is fixed to the lower surface of the end of the circuit member 62 in the second horizontal direction, thereby reinforcing the circuit member 62, which is prone to bending. The circuit member 62, reinforced by the reinforcing member 64, extends along a horizontal plane.

[0029] The object 60 of this embodiment has the structure described above. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the circuit member 62 may be a rigid, non-flexible circuit board. In this case, the reinforcing member 64 does not need to be provided. That is, the object 60 may consist only of a rigid circuit board.

[0030] In this embodiment, the connector 20 is mounted and fixed to the object 60. Specifically, the terminals 26 and hold-down 28 are fixed and connected to a conductive pad (not shown) on the upper surface of the circuit member 62 by soldering or the like. However, the method of fixing the connector 20 to the object 60 is not particularly limited.

[0031] In this embodiment, the object 60 has two through holes 68 formed therein. Each of the through holes 68 penetrates the circuit member 62 and the reinforcing member 64 of the object 60 in the vertical direction. The through holes 68 are located on both sides of the connector 20 in the first horizontal direction, and are in the same position as each other in the second horizontal direction. The through holes 68 in this embodiment are formed as described above. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the through holes 68 may be formed as needed.

[0032] Referring to Figure 1, the illustrated connector 20 and the mating connector 70 are in a separated state. In the separated state, the mating connector 70 is located above the connector 20 and faces the connector 20. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, when the mating object 80 on which the separated mating connector 70 is mounted is moved downward, the connector 20 and the mating connector 70 enter the mated state shown in Figure 2. Referring to Figure 2 in conjunction with Figures 3 and 4, in the mated state, each of the terminals 26 of the connector 20 is connected to the corresponding mating terminal 76 of the mating connector 70, thereby electrically connecting the circuit member 62 to the mating circuit member 82.

[0033] The guide component 30 of this embodiment will be described below.

[0034] Referring to Figures 4 and 11, the guide component 30 of this embodiment comprises a main member 32 made of an insulator and two metal fixing members 34.

[0035] The main member 32 has a base 40 and two guide portions 50. That is, the guide component 30 has a base 40 and two guide portions 50. The base 40 has a rectangular flat plate shape perpendicular to the vertical direction. A housing portion 42 is formed in the base 40. The housing portion 42 penetrates the base 40 in the vertical direction. The housing portion 42 has a rectangular shape in the horizontal plane and is completely surrounded by the inner wall surface of the base 40 in the horizontal plane. The guide portions 50 are each located on opposite sides of the base 40 with the housing portion 42 in between in the first horizontal direction, and are in the same position as each other in the second horizontal direction. Each of the guide portions 50 protrudes upward beyond the upper surface of the base 40.

[0036] The main member 32 of this embodiment has the structure described above. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the main member 32 may have other parts in addition to the base 40 and the guide portion 50. The shape of the base 40 is not particularly limited as long as the housing portion 42 is formed. The guide portions 50 may be in different positions in the second horizontal direction.

[0037] In this embodiment, the fixing members 34 are fixed to the guide portion 50 of the main member 32. As shown in Figure 12, the fixing members 34 are located on both sides of the main member 32 in the first horizontal direction. As shown in Figures 12 and 13, each of the fixing members 34 has a fixed portion 36. That is, the guide component 30 has two fixed portions 36. Each of the fixed portions 36 protrudes downward beyond the lower surface of the base portion 40. Each of the fixed portions 36 is elastically deformable. More specifically, each of the fixed portions 36 is divided into two parts (branching portions) in the second horizontal direction. Each of the branching portions partially protrudes outward in the second horizontal direction and is movable in the second horizontal direction in accordance with the elastic deformation of the fixed portion 36.

[0038] Referring to Figure 4, the guide component 30 of this embodiment comprises only a main member 32 and a fixing member 34. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the guide component 30 may further have other members in addition to the above-mentioned members. On the other hand, the fixing member 34 may be provided as needed. Furthermore, each of the fixing members 34 may be a part of the main member 32. That is, the guide component 30 may comprise only the main member 32.

[0039] Referring to Figure 4 in conjunction with Figure 1, the guide component 30 can be attached to the connector 20 mounted on the object 60 from above. When the guide component 30 is attached to the connector 20, the connector 20 is housed in the housing portion 42 of the guide component 30. Referring to Figures 5 and 6, in the mounted state, the guide component 30 is placed on the upper surface of the object 60 and surrounds the connector 20 in the horizontal plane. The vertical size of the base portion 40 is almost the same as the vertical size of the connector 20. Therefore, as shown in Figure 6, when the guide component 30 in the mounted state is viewed along the second horizontal direction, the connector 20 is not visible except for the upper end of the hold-down 28.

[0040] Referring to Figure 8, the horizontal positions of the two through holes 68 of the object 60 correspond to the horizontal positions of the fixed portions 36 of the two fixing members 34, respectively. In the first horizontal direction, the size of the through holes 68 is larger than the size of the fixed portions 36. When the fixed portions 36 are in their initial state without elastic deformation, in the second horizontal direction, the size of the through holes 68 is smaller than the size of the fixed portions 36. When the guide component 30 is attached to the connector 20, each of the fixed portions 36 passes through the through holes 68 while undergoing elastic deformation. Referring to Figures 6 to 8, in the attached state, each of the fixed portions 36 returns to its initial state and is positioned below the lower surface of the object 60. When the guide component 30 is pulled upward in the attached state, the fixed portions 36 hit the lower surface of the object 60, and the guide component 30 does not come off the connector 20.

[0041] In this embodiment, the guide component 30 is fixed to the object 60 by the fixed portion 36 as described above when installed. The guide component 30 is not fixed to the connector 20 when installed. Even if the guide component 30 in the installed state is pulled upward with such force that the object 60 is partially damaged, the connector 20 will not be damaged and will not detach from the object 60. Furthermore, the guide component 30 can be easily removed from the connector 20 and the object 60 by elastically deforming the fixed portion 36. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the fixed portion 36 may be firmly fixed to the object 60 by soldering or the like after passing through the through hole 68. Also, the guide component 30 may be fixed to the connector 20 when installed.

[0042] The housing portion 42 of the guide component 30 in this embodiment (see Figure 14) will be described below.

[0043] As shown in Figures 14 and 15, the housing 42 has two first sides 44 and two second sides 46. The two first sides 44 and the two second sides 46 are the four sides of a rectangle. Each of the first sides 44 extends along a first horizontal direction. The two first sides 44 extend parallel to each other. Each of the second sides 46 extends along a second horizontal direction. The two second sides 46 extend parallel to each other. In this embodiment, the first sides 44 are longer than the second sides 46. That is, the first sides 44 are the longer sides of the rectangle, and the second sides 46 are the shorter sides of the rectangle. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the first sides 44 may be the same length as the second sides 46, or they may be shorter than the second sides 46.

[0044] The housing section 42 of this embodiment is provided with eight press-fit protrusions 48. The eight press-fit protrusions 48 consist of four first press-fit protrusions (press-fit protrusions) 48F and four second press-fit protrusions (press-fit protrusions) 48S. The four first press-fit protrusions 48F and the four second press-fit protrusions 48S have similar shapes to each other. Each of the first press-fit protrusions 48F is provided on the first side 44. Each of the second press-fit protrusions 48S is provided on the second side 46. In other words, of the eight press-fit protrusions 48, the four provided on the first side 44 are the first press-fit protrusions 48F, and the other four provided on the second side 46 are the second press-fit protrusions 48S.

[0045] Each of the first press-fit projections 48F protrudes from one of the first sides 44 (a predetermined first side 44) toward the other of the first sides 44 (the opposite first side 44). In other words, each of the first press-fit projections 48F protrudes inward in the second horizontal direction from the predetermined first side 44. Therefore, the distance in the second horizontal direction between each of the first press-fit projections 48F and the opposite first side 44 (distance DP2) is shorter than the distance in the second horizontal direction between the two first sides 44 (distance D2).

[0046] Each of the second press-fitting projections 48S protrudes from one of the second sides 46 (a predetermined second side 46) toward the other of the second sides 46 (the opposite second side 46). In other words, each of the second press-fitting projections 48S protrudes inward in the first horizontal direction from the predetermined second side 46. Therefore, the distance in the first horizontal direction between each of the second press-fitting projections 48S and the opposite second side 46 (distance DP1) is shorter than the distance in the first horizontal direction between the two second sides 46 (distance D1).

[0047] Referring to Figure 15 in conjunction with Figures 9 and 10, in the installed state, the connector 20 is located inside the housing 42. The size of the connector 20 in the first horizontal direction is smaller than distance D1 and larger than distance DP1. The size of the connector 20 in the second horizontal direction is smaller than distance D2 and larger than distance DP2. Therefore, in the installed state, the connector 20 is pressed against the first press-fit projection 48F in the second horizontal direction and against the second press-fit projection 48S in the first horizontal direction. That is, the connector 20 is lightly press-fitted into the housing 42 and is securely positioned relative to the housing 42 in the horizontal plane.

[0048] Referring to Figures 9 and 10, the above description can be summarized as follows: The housing portion 42 is provided with at least one first press-fit projection 48F and at least one second press-fit projection 48S. At least one first press-fit projection 48F protrudes inward from one of the two first sides 44 into the horizontal plane. At least one second press-fit projection 48S protrudes inward from one of the two second sides 46 into the horizontal plane. In the installed state, the connector 20 is located inside the housing portion 42 and is pressed against at least one first press-fit projection 48F in the second horizontal direction and against at least one second press-fit projection 48S in the first horizontal direction.

[0049] According to this embodiment, as described above, when the guide component 30 is attached to the connector 20, the connector 20 is positioned by being pressed against the first press-fit projection 48F in the second horizontal direction, and also positioned by being pressed against the second press-fit projection 48S in the first horizontal direction. In other words, the guide component 30 is reliably positioned relative to the connector 20 in the horizontal plane defined by the first and second horizontal directions.

[0050] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, when mating the mating connector 70 with the connector 20, the guide portion 50 of the guide component 30 guides the mating connector 70 toward the connector 20. Guided by the guide component 30, the mating connector 70 is accurately positioned in the horizontal plane relative to the connector 20 and then mated with the connector 20. In other words, according to this embodiment, a guide component 30 is provided that can accurately position the mating connector 70 in the horizontal plane relative to the connector 20.

[0051] Referring to Figures 14 and 15, the number of first press-fitting protrusions 48F can be 1 or more, and the number of second press-fitting protrusions 48S can be 1 or more.

[0052] Even if the housing portion 42 is provided with only one first press-fit projection 48F and one second press-fit projection 48S, as shown within the dotted circle (predetermined circle) in Figure 14, the mounted guide component 30 can be reliably positioned relative to the connector 20 in the horizontal plane. In this case, the connector 20 is sandwiched between the second press-fit projection 48S shown within the predetermined circle and the left second side 46 in Figure 14 in the first horizontal direction, and between the first press-fit projection 48F shown within the predetermined circle and the lower first side 44 in Figure 14 in the second horizontal direction. As a result, the guide component 30 is held so as not to move relative to the connector 20 in the horizontal plane.

[0053] However, if the housing portion 42 is provided with only one first press-fit projection 48F and one second press-fit projection 48S, friction between the first side 44 and the second side 46 of the guide component 30 and the connector 20 may prevent the guide component 30 from being smoothly attached to the connector 20. Also, in the attached state, the connector 20 is located slightly offset from the middle part of the housing portion 42. Therefore, as described below, it is preferable that the number of first press-fit projections 48F be two or more, and that the number of second press-fit projections 48S be two or more.

[0054] According to this embodiment, at least one first press-fit projection 48F includes two first press-fit projections 48F, and at least one second press-fit projection 48S includes two second press-fit projections 48S. The two first press-fit projections 48F each protrude inward from two first sides 44 into the horizontal plane and face each other in the second horizontal direction. The two second press-fit projections 48S each protrude inward from two second sides 46 into the horizontal plane and face each other in the first horizontal direction. With this arrangement, when attaching the guide component 30 to the connector 20, only the tips of the first press-fit projections 48F and the tips of the second press-fit projections 48S can be pressed against the connector 20, thereby allowing the guide component 30 to be smoothly attached to the connector 20.

[0055] When the housing portion 42 is provided with only two first press-fit protrusions 48F and two second press-fit protrusions 48S, it is preferable that the imaginary line connecting the two first press-fit protrusions 48F and the imaginary line connecting the two second press-fit protrusions 48S intersect at the center of the housing portion 42 in the horizontal plane. For example, it is preferable that the two first press-fit protrusions 48F are each located in the middle of the first horizontal direction of the first side 44, and that the two second press-fit protrusions 48S are each located in the middle of the second horizontal direction of the second side 46. With this arrangement, the connector 20 is easily positioned in the middle of the housing portion 42 when installed.

[0056] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, at least one first press-fit projection 48F includes two pairs (first pairs) consisting of two first press-fit projections 48F, and at least one second press-fit projection 48S includes two pairs (second pairs) consisting of two second press-fit projections 48S. In each of the first pairs, the two first press-fit projections 48F each protrude inward from the two first sides 44 into the horizontal plane and face each other in the second horizontal direction. In each of the second pairs, the two second press-fit projections 48S each protrude inward from the two second sides 46 into the horizontal plane and face each other in the first horizontal direction. With this arrangement, the guide component 30 can be stably attached to the connector 20.

[0057] If the housing section 42 is provided with only two first pairs and two second pairs, it is preferable that the two first pairs are located at both ends of the housing section 42 in the first horizontal direction, and that the two second pairs are located at both ends of the housing section 42 in the second horizontal direction. With this arrangement, the connector 20 can be accurately positioned in the middle of the housing section 42 when installed.

[0058] The arrangement of the first press-fitting projection 48F and the second press-fitting projection 48S is not limited to the arrangement described above, but can be further modified in various ways. For example, the number of press-fitting projections 48, including the first press-fitting projection 48F and the second press-fitting projection 48S, may be 3 or 9 or more.

[0059] The guide portion 50 of the guide component 30 in this embodiment (see Figure 1) will be described below.

[0060] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the horizontal positions of the two openings 88 of the mating object 80 correspond to the horizontal positions of the two guide portions 50 of the guide component 30, respectively. Furthermore, the shape of the two openings 88 as viewed from above is similar to the outer shape of the two guide portions 50 as viewed from above, and is slightly larger than the outer shape of the two guide portions 50. When mating the mating connector 70 with the connector 20, the guide portions 50 provided as described above are inserted into the openings 88, respectively. As a result, the mating connector 70 is positioned in the horizontal plane relative to the guide component 30.

[0061] According to this embodiment, the mating connector 70 is positioned by receiving the upwardly protruding guide component 30 into the opening 88. This positioning method allows the mating connector 70 to be positioned without increasing the vertical size between the object 60 and the mating object 80 in the mated state. Furthermore, the positioning can be performed while visually inspecting the guide portion 50 through the opening 88.

[0062] However, the present invention is not limited to the positioning method described above. For example, each of the guide portions 50 may have a guide hole (not shown) formed therein. Each of the guide holes may extend along the vertical direction and open upward. The mating object 80 may be provided with two pins corresponding to each of the guide holes. Each of the pins may protrude downward from the mating object 80. The mating connector 70 may be positioned by the pins being received in the guide holes. According to this positioning method, the upper surface of each of the guide portions 50 may be at the same position as the upper surface of the base portion 40 in the vertical direction.

[0063] Referring to Figures 4 and 11, each of the guide sections 50 in this embodiment has a guide surface 52. Each of the guide surfaces 52 is the inner surface of the guide section 50 in the first horizontal direction. Each of the guide surfaces 52 has a shape that is recessed outward in the first horizontal direction. That is, the guide surfaces 52 are recessed so as to be separated from each other in the first horizontal direction.

[0064] Each of the guide surfaces 52 has an upper guide surface 54 and a lower guide surface 56. The lower guide surface 56 is a surface consisting of a plane perpendicular to the first horizontal direction and two planes perpendicular to the second horizontal direction, and extends continuously in the horizontal plane. The lower guide surface 56 extends upward from the upper end of the housing section 42. The upper guide surface 54 is a surface consisting of a plane oblique to the first horizontal direction and two planes oblique to the second horizontal direction, and extends continuously in the horizontal plane. The upper guide surface 54 extends upward from the upper end of the lower guide surface 56, spreading outwards from the horizontal plane.

[0065] Referring to Figure 5 in conjunction with Figure 4, the horizontal shape of the mating connector 70 is slightly smaller than the rectangle defined by the two lower guide surfaces 56. When mating the mating connector 70 with the connector 20, even if the horizontal position of the mating connector 70 is misaligned, the mating connector 70 is guided by the upper guide surface 54 and moves inward towards the rectangle defined by the two lower guide surfaces 56. That is, when mating the mating connector 70 with the connector 20, the guide surface 52 guides both ends 72 of the mating connector 70 in the first horizontal direction.

[0066] Referring to Figure 1, according to this embodiment, when mating the mating connector 70 with the connector 20, first positioning is performed by the guide portion 50 and the opening 88. Referring to Figure 5, next, second positioning is performed by the guide surface 52 and both ends 72 of the mating connector 70. Referring to Figures 1 and 5, according to this embodiment, even if the size of the opening 88 in the horizontal plane is too large, the mating connector 70 is accurately positioned by the second positioning. This prevents damage caused by the mating connector 70 abutting against the connector 20. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the guide surface 52 may be provided as needed.

[0067] Referring to Figure 1 in conjunction with Figure 4, in this embodiment, the mating connector 70 is received in the mated state at a portion of the connector 20 located directly below the housing portion 42 of the guide component 30. That is, the size of the mating connector 70 in the first horizontal direction is smaller than the size of the connector 20 in the first horizontal direction. Therefore, referring to Figure 5, the distance in the first horizontal direction between the two lower guide surfaces 56 that guide the mating connector 70 is smaller than the size of the connector 20 in the first horizontal direction. In other words, the guide portions 50 extend inward in the first horizontal direction beyond both ends of the connector 20 in the first horizontal direction.

[0068] Referring to Figure 14, according to the above-described structure, in the installed state, the guide portion 50 covers both ends 22 of the connector 20 in the first horizontal direction from above. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, when the connector 20 is received by the mating connector 70 in the mated state, each of the guide portions 50 may be located outside the ends 22 of the connector 20 in the first horizontal direction. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0069] 10. Fitting device 12 Connector Assembly 20 connectors 22 End 24 Housing 26 terminals 28 Hold down 30 Guide parts 32 Main components 34 Fixing member 36 Fixed part 40 base 42 Storage Unit 44 First side 46. ​​Second side 48 Press-fitting projection 48F First press-fitting projection (press-fitting projection) 48S Second press-fit projection (press-fit projection) 50 Guide section 52 Guide surface 54 Upper guide surface 56 Lower guide surface 60 Objects 62 Circuit components 64 Reinforcement members 68 Passing hole 70. Mating connector 72 End 74. Opposite Housing 76. Mating terminal 78 Opponent holds down 80 Opposing object 82 Opposing circuit component 84 Reinforcement member on the opposing side 88 Aperture

Claims

1. A guide component that is attached to a connector that can be mated with a mating connector, and which guides the mating of the connector and the mating connector, The aforementioned guide component has a base and two guide portions. A housing portion is formed in the base portion. The aforementioned housing portion penetrates the base portion in the vertical direction and has two first sides and two second sides. Each of the first sides extends along a first horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, Each of the second sides extends along a second horizontal direction that is perpendicular to both the vertical direction and the first horizontal direction. The housing portion is provided with at least one first press-fitting projection and at least one second press-fitting projection. The at least one first press-fit projection protrudes inward from one of the two first sides into a horizontal plane perpendicular to the vertical direction, The at least one second press-fit projection protrudes inward from one of the two second sides of the horizontal plane, In the mounting state in which the guide component is attached to the connector, the connector is located inside the housing portion and is pressed against the at least one first press-fit projection in the second horizontal direction and against the at least one second press-fit projection in the first horizontal direction. The guide portion is located on the opposite side of the base portion, with the housing portion in between, in the first horizontal direction. When mating the mating connector with the connector, the guide portion guides the mating connector toward the connector. Guide parts.

2. A guide component according to claim 1, The aforementioned at least one first press-fit projection includes two first press-fit projections, The aforementioned at least one second press-fit projection includes two second press-fit projections, The two first press-fit protrusions each project inward from the two first sides of the horizontal plane and are opposite each other in the second horizontal direction. The two second press-fitting protrusions each project inward from the two second sides of the horizontal plane and are opposite each other in the first horizontal direction. Guide parts.

3. A guide component according to claim 2, The at least one first press-fit projection includes two pairs, each consisting of two of the first press-fit projections. The at least one second press-fit projection includes two pairs, each consisting of two of the second press-fit projections. Guide parts.

4. A guide component according to claim 1, The aforementioned connector is mounted and fixed to the object, The aforementioned guide component has a fixed portion, The guide component is fixed to the object by the fixed portion. Guide parts.

5. A guide component according to claim 1, The aforementioned mating connector is mounted and fixed to the mating object, The aforementioned object has two openings formed in it. When mating the mating connector with the connector, the guide portion is inserted into the respective opening. Guide parts.

6. A guide component according to claim 1, Each of the aforementioned guide sections has a guide surface, The guide surfaces are recessed so as to be separated from each other in the first horizontal direction. When mating the mating connector with the other connector, the guide surface guides both ends of the mating connector in the first horizontal direction. Guide parts.

7. A guide component according to claim 6, In the aforementioned mounting state, the guide portion covers both ends of the connector in the first horizontal direction from above. Guide parts.

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