connector

Abstract

The present invention provides a connector that simplifies the structure even when a function is provided to release the mating direction rotation restriction mechanism. [Solution] The connector 1 includes a mating direction rotation restricting mechanism 39 that restricts the movement of the lever 2 from its initial position to the mating position before the lever connector 3 is mated with the mating connector 4, and a cam mechanism 31 that, in conjunction with the movement of the lever 2 from its initial position to the mating position, converts the operating direction of the lever 2 to a mating direction that allows the lever connector 3 to be mated with the mating connector 4 by the action of a cam structure. The cam mechanism 31 has a plurality of sets of cam pins 34 formed in the mating connector 4 and cam grooves 35 formed in the lever 2 to engage the cam pins 34. At least one of the plurality of cam pins 34 also serves as a release cam pin 34t that releases the mating direction rotation restricting mechanism 39 during the process in which the lever connector 3 is mated with the mating connector 4.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a connector.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, by rotating a fitting operation lever rotatably attached to a first lever engagement shaft portion formed on a pair of outer walls of a first connector housing, a lever-type connector for fitting a first connector housing and a second connector housing is well-known. In Patent Document 1, when the fitting operation lever is operated from the fitting start position to the fitting end position, the second lever engagement shaft portion of the second connector housing slides in the cam groove of the first connector housing, and the fitting between the connector housings proceeds by the force in the fitting direction acting from the cam groove.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, in this type of lever-type connector, before the first connector housing and the second connector housing are fitted, there is a requirement to restrict the movement of the lever so that the fitting operation lever does not move from the fitting start position to the fitting end position unintentionally. However, when such a restricting mechanism is provided in the connector, it is necessary to release this restriction during fitting. Therefore, since it is necessary to separately provide this release mechanism in the connector, there is a possibility that the structure of the connector becomes complicated or the connector becomes larger.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a connector capable of simplifying the structure even when a function for releasing a fitting direction rotation restricting mechanism is provided. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A connector that solves the above problem has a structure in which, in the process of operating a lever operably provided on a lever connector connected to a mating connector from an initial position to a mating position, the connector housing of the lever connector is pulled into the mating connector and mated with the mating connector, and comprises a mating direction rotation restricting mechanism that restricts the movement of the lever from the initial position to the mating position before the lever connector is mated with the mating connector, and a cam mechanism that, in conjunction with the operation of the lever operated from the initial position to the mating position, converts the operating direction of the lever to a mating direction that mates the lever connector with the mating connector by the action of a cam structure, wherein the cam mechanism has a plurality of sets of a cam pin formed in the mating connector and a cam groove formed in the lever to engage the cam pin, and at least one of the plurality of cam pins also serves as a release cam pin that releases the mating direction rotation restricting mechanism in the process of the lever connector being mated with the mating connector. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] This disclosure allows for a simplification of the connector structure even when a function for releasing the mating direction rotation restriction mechanism is provided. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the mated state of the connector. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the lever connector before it is mated to the mating connector. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the lever connector. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a rear view of the lever connector, seen from the direction of the terminal insertion surface. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the lever connector seen from an oblique angle above. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the lever connector, seen from a diagonal downward angle. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a lever connector with the lever in its initial position mated with a mating connector. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a partially broken perspective view showing the internal structure of the upper part of the connector housing. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a partially broken perspective view showing the internal structure of the lower part of the connector housing. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a perspective view showing the shape of the mating connector and lever. [Figure 11] Figure 11(a) is a cross-sectional view of the connector when the restricting mechanism is released, and Figure 11(b) is a cross-sectional view of the connector when the lever is operated by a predetermined amount after the restricting mechanism has been released. [Figure 12] Figure 12(a) is a cross-sectional view of the lever connector being inserted into the mating connector, and Figure 12(b) is a cross-sectional view of the lever connector midway through insertion into the mating connector. [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of the connector when the lever is operated to approximately the intermediate position. [Figure 14] Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view of the connector when the lever is operated to near the end of its range of motion. [Figure 15] Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of the connector when the lever connector is mated with the mating connector. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] First, the embodiments of this disclosure will be listed and described. [1] The connector of the present disclosure has a structure that, in the process of operating a lever operably provided on a lever connector connected to a mating connector from an initial position to a mating position, pulls the connector housing of the lever connector into the mating connector and mates with the mating connector, comprising: a mating direction rotation restricting mechanism that restricts the movement of the lever from the initial position to the mating position before the lever connector is mated with the mating connector; and a cam mechanism that, in conjunction with the operation of the lever operated from the initial position to the mating position, converts the operating direction of the lever to a mating direction that mates with the mating connector by the action of a cam structure, wherein the cam mechanism has a plurality of sets of cam pins formed on the mating connector and cam grooves formed on the lever to engage with the cam pins, and at least one of the plurality of cam pins also serves as a release cam pin that releases the mating direction rotation restricting mechanism in the process of the lever connector being mated with the mating connector.

[0010] In this configuration, at least one of the multiple cam pins of the cam mechanism performs both functions—converting the lever's operating direction to the lever connector's mating direction and releasing the lever's position restriction—with a time delay. Therefore, there is no need to provide these functions separately, thus keeping the structure simple. Consequently, even when a function to release the mating direction rotation restriction mechanism is provided, the connector structure can be simplified.

[0011] [2] In [1] above, the lever is operated between the initial position and the fitting position with respect to the fulcrum, and the release cam pin is arranged at the position farthest from the fulcrum of the lever operation among the plurality of cam pins. According to this configuration, when the lever is operated, the lever connector is fitted to the mating connector by a large operating load that can be removed from the cam pin at the position closest to the fulcrum of the lever operation among the plurality of cam pins. Therefore, pins other than the cam pin from which a large operating load is removed, particularly the cam pin arranged at the position farthest from the fulcrum, are merely cam pins having an auxiliary meaning such as positioning. Thus, it is possible to provide a release cam pin without increasing the number of parts by effectively using the cam pin having an auxiliary function.

[0012] [3] In [1] or [2] above, at least one of the plurality of cam grooves has a release cam pin groove with which the release cam pin is engaged in the process of the lever being operated from the initial position to the fitting position, and the combination of the release cam pin and the release cam pin groove is formed in a shape that engages later than the timing when the other cam pins and the cam grooves are engaged when the lever is operated from the initial position to the fitting position. According to this configuration, the release cam pin groove only needs to have a groove length at which the engagement of the release cam pin starts during the lever operation. Therefore, it is possible to shorten the release cam pin groove. Thus, the space for forming the release cam pin groove can be reduced, which contributes to suppressing the enlargement of the lever.

[0013] [4] In any one of [1] to [3] above, the restricting mechanism has an elastic piece formed on the lever and a groove portion formed on the connector housing and engaging with the elastic piece, and the release cam pin releases the engagement between the elastic piece and the groove portion in the process of the lever connector being fitted to the mating connector. According to this configuration, it is possible to make the structure for releasing the restricting mechanism a simple structure in which the engagement between the elastic piece and the groove portion is removed by the release cam pin.

[0014] [5] In any one of the above [1] to [4], the connector includes an arcuate rotation mechanism that rotates the lever along an arcuate locus between the initial position and the fitting position. The arcuate rotation mechanism includes a hook-shaped inner peripheral portion of the lever formed at the tip of the lever, an inner sliding portion formed on the connector housing and in sliding contact with the inner peripheral portion of the lever, an outer peripheral portion of the lever formed on the surface of the lever opposite to the inner peripheral portion of the lever, and an outer sliding portion formed on the connector housing and in sliding contact with the outer peripheral portion of the lever. The cam mechanism converts the operation direction along the arc of the lever, which is interlocked with the operation of the lever rotated in an arc by the arcuate rotation mechanism, into the fitting direction for fitting the lever connector to the mating connector by the action of the cam structure.

[0015] According to this configuration, the lever is rotated by the arcuate rotation mechanism so as to follow an arcuate locus. Thus, in the case of this configuration, the movement structure of the lever is a rotation structure that slides the lever. Therefore, for example, compared with the case where the lever is a simple rotation operation type, there is no need to provide a rotation axis for the lever, so that the component arrangement space can be omitted accordingly. Thus, it is possible to miniaturize the connector.

[0016] [6] In the above [5], when the longitudinal direction of the recess in the connector housing into which the arm portion of the lever is inserted is defined as the defined direction, the inner sliding portion is disposed at or near the end portion of the connector housing in the defined direction. When a line passing through the inner sliding portion in the fitting direction between the lever connector and the mating connector is used as a reference line, the cam pin is disposed on the opposite side of the end portion with respect to the reference line.

[0017] According to this configuration, since the inner sliding portion is disposed at or near the end portion of the connector housing in the defined direction, it is possible to lengthen the arm portion of the lever. Thereby, a sufficient force multiplication effect by the lever can be obtained. Thus, it is possible to reduce the operation load of the lever, and thus it is possible to improve the workability of fitting.

[0018] Furthermore, if the inner sliding part is located at or near the end of the connector housing in a specified direction, the space available for arranging the cam mechanism may be limited. However, in this configuration, the cam pin is positioned within the available space for other components. Therefore, it is possible to achieve both positioning the inner sliding part at or near the end of the connector housing in a specified direction and securing space for arranging the cam mechanism.

[0019] [Details of the embodiments of this disclosure] Specific examples of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, this disclosure is not limited to these examples, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims as indicated by the claims. In each drawing, some parts of the structure may be exaggerated or simplified for illustrative purposes. Furthermore, the dimensional proportions of each part may differ from those of actual parts.

[0020] (Connector 1) As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the connector 1 comprises a lever connector 3 having a lever 2 that is operated during mating, and a mating connector 4 into which the lever connector 3 is mated. The mating connector 4 has a housing portion 5 that accommodates the lever connector 3 during mating. The lever connector 3 is housed in the housing portion 5 such that a predetermined one surface is exposed from the housing portion 5. One of the lever connector 3 and the mating connector 4 is a male connector, and the other is a female connector.

[0021] (Lever connector 3) As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the lever connector 3 has a connector housing 7 to which a plurality of terminals (not shown) are attached. The connector housing 7 is formed in a substantially block shape corresponding to the shape of the housing 5, for example. The connector housing 7 has a plurality of terminal insertion holes 9 for inserting terminals on the terminal insertion surface 8 that is exposed when mated with the mating connector 4. The lever 2 is mounted to the connector housing 7 so as to be movable relative to it.

[0022] Lever 2 is operated between an initial position (shown in Figures 2 to 4), which is the position before the mating operation, and a mating position (shown in Figure 1), which is the completed position for fully mating the lever connector 3 and the mating connector 4. When the lever connector 3 is mated to the mating connector 4 and lever 2 is operated from the initial position to the mating position, the lever connector 3 enters the mating connector 4 due to the operating load of lever 2, thereby fully mating the lever connector 3 to the mating connector 4.

[0023] (Lever 2) As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the lever 2 has a pair of arms 10 and an operating part 11 formed to connect the pair of arms 10 as a part to be gripped when operating the lever 2. Thus, the lever 2 is formed in a double-arm shape with the arms 10 extending from both sides of the operating part 11. In this example, the pair of arms 10 has a first arm 10a and a second arm 10b that are arranged to face each other.

[0024] (Connector housing 7) The connector housing 7 includes a main body portion 13 in which terminal insertion holes 9 are formed, a first outer wall 14 positioned opposite the main body portion 13, and a second outer wall 15 located on the opposite side of the first outer wall 14. The first arm portion 10a is slidably inserted into a first recess 17 formed between the main body portion 13 and the first outer wall 14. The second arm portion 10b is slidably inserted into a second recess 18 formed between the main body portion 13 and the second outer wall 15.

[0025] (Arc-shaped rotation mechanism 20) As shown in Figure 7, the lever connector 3 includes an arc-shaped rotation mechanism 20 that rotates the lever 2 in an arc shape along an arc-shaped trajectory between an initial position and a mating position. The arc-shaped rotation mechanism 20 moves the lever 2 to the initial position or the mating position, for example, by rotating the lever 2 along an arc-shaped trajectory while sliding the arm portion 10 of the lever 2 inside the connector housing 7.

[0026] (Inner sliding part 21, and outer sliding part 22) As shown in Figure 7, the arc-shaped rotation mechanism 20 has an inner sliding portion 21 and an outer sliding portion 22 formed in the connector housing 7. The inner sliding portion 21 is formed in a shape in which the surface that contacts the lever 2 has a curved surface. In this example, the inner sliding portion 21 is formed, for example, in a semicircular cross-section. The inner sliding portion 21 is positioned inside the arc-shaped rotation trajectory of the lever 2. The inner sliding portion 21 engages with the inner circumferential surface of the lever tip, which is the innermost radial circumferential surface of the lever 2 that rotates in an arc.

[0027] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the inner sliding portion 21 has a first inner sliding portion 21a into which the tip of the first arm portion 10a engages, and a second inner sliding portion 21b into which the tip of the second arm portion 10b engages. The first inner sliding portion 21a is installed between the main body portion 13 and the first outer wall 14 of the connector housing 7. Thus, both ends of the first inner sliding portion 21a are connected to the connector housing 7. The second inner sliding portion 21b is installed between the main body portion 13 and the second outer wall 15 of the connector housing 7. Thus, both ends of the second inner sliding portion 21b are connected to the connector housing 7. Therefore, the inner sliding portion 21 in this example is formed in a columnar shape, and both ends of the column (specifically, the upper and lower ends of the column) are connected to the connector housing 7.

[0028] The inner sliding portion 21 is positioned on the same plane as the terminal insertion surface 8 of the connector housing 7. The inner sliding portion 21 is positioned at the end (left edge of the paper) of the terminal insertion surface 8 of the connector housing 7. In this example, the inner sliding portion 21 is positioned at the corner of the terminal insertion surface 8, which is roughly rectangular when viewed from the rear. Thus, the inner sliding portion 21 is positioned at or near the end of the connector housing 7 in the specified direction Yk (Y-axis direction in Figure 5, etc.: width direction of the paper). The specified direction Yk is the direction along the longitudinal direction (left-right direction of the paper) of the first recess 17 (second recess 18) into which the arm portion 10 of the lever 2 is inserted in the connector housing 7.

[0029] As shown in Figures 7 to 9, the outer sliding portion 22 is formed in a shape in which the surface that contacts the lever 2 has a curved surface. In this example, the outer sliding portion 22 is formed in a semicircular shape having a radius larger than the radius of the circle formed by the circumferential surface of the inner sliding portion 21. As shown in Figure 7, the outer sliding portion 22 is positioned outside the arc-shaped rotation trajectory of the lever 2. The outer sliding portion 22 engages with the outer circumferential surface of the lever, which is the radially outermost surface of the lever 2 that rotates in an arc.

[0030] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the outer sliding portion 22 has a first outer sliding portion 22a (see Figure 8) to which the outer circumferential surface of the first arm portion 10a abuts, and a second outer sliding portion 22b (see Figure 9) to which the outer circumferential surface of the second arm portion 10b abuts. The first outer sliding portion 22a is a wall located inside the first recess 17 of the connector housing 7. The second outer sliding portion 22b is a wall located inside the second recess 18 of the connector housing 7.

[0031] (Inner circumference 23 of the lever, and outer circumference 24 of the lever) As shown in Figures 5 to 7, the arc-shaped rotating mechanism 20 has an inner circumferential portion 23 and an outer circumferential portion 24 formed on the lever 2. The inner circumferential portion 23 of the lever is slidably engaged with the inner sliding portion 21 of the connector housing 7. The inner circumferential portion 23 of the lever is positioned on the inner circumferential surface of the tip of the arm portion 10 and is formed in a hook shape. In this way, the lever 2 is attached to the connector housing 7 by the hook shape of the inner circumferential portion 23 of the lever engaging with the inner sliding portion 21. The engagement surface of the inner circumferential portion 23 of the lever is formed in a substantially arc shape to match the shape of the inner sliding portion 21. In this example, the inner circumferential portion 23 of the lever is a bearing portion for the inner sliding portion 21.

[0032] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the inner circumference of the lever 23 has a first lever inner circumference 23a formed at the tip of the first arm 10a of the lever 2, and a second lever inner circumference 23b formed at the tip of the second arm 10b of the lever 2. The first lever inner circumference 23a is in sliding contact with the first inner sliding portion 21a of the connector housing 7. The second lever inner circumference 23b is in sliding contact with the second inner sliding portion 21b of the connector housing 7.

[0033] As shown in Figures 5 to 7, the outer circumference 24 of the lever is formed on the surface opposite to the inner circumference 23 of the lever in the planar direction of the arm portion 10. The outer circumference 24 of the lever is positioned opposite the outer sliding portion 22 of the connector housing 7, and is formed to be slidable against the outer sliding portion 22. The outer circumference 24 of the lever is formed in a substantially arc shape to match the shape of the outer sliding portion 22.

[0034] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the lever outer periphery 24 has a first lever outer periphery 24a formed on the outer circumferential surface of the first arm portion 10a of the lever 2, and a second lever outer periphery 24b formed on the outer circumferential surface of the second arm portion 10b of the lever 2. The first lever outer periphery 24a is formed to be slidable against the first outer sliding portion 22a of the connector housing 7. The second lever outer periphery 24b is formed to be slidable against the second outer sliding portion 22b of the connector housing 7.

[0035] As shown in Figure 7, when the lever 2 is operated from the initial position to the fitted position, the inner circumference 23 of the lever slides along the arc shape of the inner sliding part 21, and the outer circumference 24 of the lever slides along the arc shape of the outer sliding part 22, causing the lever 2 to rotate in the arc direction (direction of arrow r in Figure 7). In this way, the lever 2 is operated to the initial position and the fitted position by rotating in an arc between the inner sliding part 21 and the outer sliding part 22. In the case of arc rotation, the lever 2 rotates in an arc with respect to the pivot point Pt located at the tip of the lever 2. In this example, the pivot point Pt is the inner sliding part 21 with which the tip of the lever 2 slides.

[0036] (Guide mechanism 26) As shown in Figures 6 and 8, the lever connector 3 includes a guide mechanism 26 that guides the arc-shaped rotation of the lever 2. The guide mechanism 26 includes, for example, a guide portion 27 formed on the lever 2 (see Figure 6) and a guide surface 28 formed on the connector housing 7 (see Figure 8). The guide portion 27 is formed, for example, on the back surface of the first arm portion 10a so as to contact the guide surface 28. The guide surface 28 is erected, for example, on the upper surface of the main body portion 13 of the connector housing 7. The guide portion 27 and the guide surface 28 are formed in an arc shape corresponding to the direction of movement of the arc-shaped rotation of the lever 2. Therefore, when the lever 2 is operated, the guide mechanism 26 guides the arc-shaped rotation of the lever 2 by moving the side surface of the guide portion 27 along the guide surface 28.

[0037] (Cam mechanism 31) As shown in Figures 7 and 10, the connector 1 is equipped with a cam mechanism 31 that converts the operating direction of the lever 2 (direction of arrow r in Figure 7) to a mating direction (direction of arrow t in Figure 7) that allows the lever connector 3 to be mated with the mating connector 4, through the action of a cam structure. The cam mechanism 31 works in conjunction with the movement of the lever 2, which rotates in an arc shape by the arc-shaped rotation mechanism 20, to convert the operating direction of the lever 2 along the arc shape to a mating direction that allows the lever connector 3 to be mated with the mating connector 4.

[0038] The cam mechanism 31 includes a first cam mechanism 31a (see Figure 7) formed between the first arm portion 10a of the lever 2 and the first wall portion 32 of the mating connector 4, and a second cam mechanism 31b (see Figure 10) formed between the second arm portion 10b of the lever 2 and the second wall portion 33 of the mating connector 4 that faces the first wall portion 32.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 7, the first cam mechanism 31a has a plurality of cam pins 34 protruding from the inner surface of the first wall portion 32, and a plurality of cam grooves 35 formed on the outer surface of the first arm portion 10a of the lever 2 so that the cam pins 34 are engaged. The plurality of cam pins 34 include a first cam pin 34a disposed at the position closest to the inner sliding portion 21 of the lever connector 3 fitted to the mating connector 4, a second cam pin 34b disposed adjacent to the first cam pin 34a, and a third cam pin 34c disposed adjacent to the second cam pin 34b. These cam pins 34 are formed in a circular cross-section. The diameter of the first cam pin 34a is formed larger than the diameters of the second cam pin 34b and the third cam pin 34b.

[0040] The first cam pin 34a, the second cam pin 34b, and the third cam pin 34c are formed such that the distances L from the opening of the housing portion 5 of the mating connector 4 are different. In the case of this example, the distance L1 from the center of the first cam pin 34a to the opening of the housing portion 5, the distance L2 from the center of the second cam pin 34b to the opening of the housing portion 5, and the distance L3 from the center of the third cam pin 34c to the opening of the housing portion 5 are set to have the relationship of "L2 < L1 < L3".

[0041] The first cam pin 34a (in this example, all of the first cam pin 34a to the third cam pin 34c) is disposed on the opposite side (right side of the paper surface) of the end portion where the inner sliding portion 21 is disposed with respect to the reference line Lk passing through the inner sliding portion 21 in the fitting direction of the lever connector 3 and the mating connector 4. Thus, in the case of this example, the plurality of cam pins 34 are disposed at positions closer to the right side in the paper surface than the reference line Lk passing through the inner sliding portion 21 along the fitting direction.

[0042] As shown in Figure 10, in this example, the amount of protrusion of the first cam pin 34a from the ceiling surface is greater than the amount of protrusion of the second cam pin 34b and the third cam pin 34c. In this example, the first cam pin 34a has a larger diameter and is longer than the second cam pin 34b and the third cam pin 34c. This is because, in the force-multiplying structure of the cam mechanism 31, the operating load is drawn from the first cam pin 34a, which is closest to the fulcrum Pt (see Figure 7), so the diameter of the first cam pin 34a is made the largest and the longest compared to the other pins.

[0043] As shown in Figures 5 and 7, the connector housing 7 has a plurality of slits 36 through which the cam pins 34 pass when the lever connector 3 and the mating connector 4 are mated. The slits 36 include a first slit 36a through which the first cam pin 34a passes, a second slit 36b through which the second cam pin 34b passes, and a third slit 36c through which the third cam pin 34c passes. The slits 36 are formed in a straight line along the mating direction of the lever connector 3 and the mating connector 4 (the X-axis direction as shown in Figure 5, etc.).

[0044] The multiple cam grooves 35 include a first cam groove 35a located near the inner sliding portion 21 of the connector housing 7, a second cam groove 35b located further from the inner sliding portion 21 than the first cam groove 35a, and a third cam groove 35c located further from the inner sliding portion 21 than the second cam groove 35b. The first cam groove 35a is a groove into which the first cam pin 34a engages, and is formed to a depth corresponding to the amount of protrusion of the first cam pin 34a. The second cam groove 35b is a groove into which the second cam pin 34b engages, and is formed to a depth corresponding to the amount of protrusion of the second cam pin 34b. The third cam groove 35c is a groove into which the third cam pin 34c engages, and is formed to a depth corresponding to the amount of protrusion of the third cam pin 34c.

[0045] The first cam groove 35a, the second cam groove 35b, and the third cam groove 35c are formed in arc-shaped paths corresponding to the direction of rotational movement of the lever 2. In this example, the groove lengths of the first cam groove 35a, the second cam groove 35b, and the third cam groove 35c are formed such that the second cam groove 35b is the longest, followed by the first cam groove 35a, and the third cam groove 35c is the shortest. The groove length of the third cam groove 35c is formed to allow the third cam pin 34c to enter during the latter half of the operation of the lever 2 from its initial position to the fitted position.

[0046] The second cam mechanism 31b is configured similarly to the first cam mechanism 31a, except that it does not have a third cam pin 34c and a third cam groove 35c. Therefore, a description of the second cam mechanism 31b will be omitted.

[0047] (Reverse rotation restriction mechanism 38) As shown in Figures 5 and 9, the lever connector 3 is equipped with a reverse rotation restricting mechanism 38 that prevents the lever 2 from falling out of the connector housing 7 in its initial position. The reverse rotation restricting mechanism 38 includes, for example, a projection 38a (see Figure 9) formed on the connector housing 7 and a contact wall 38b (see Figure 5) formed on the lever 2 that engages with the projection 38a. The projection 38a is formed on the back surface of the main body portion 13 of the connector housing 7. The contact wall 38b is formed on the inner surface of the first arm portion 10a of the lever 2.

[0048] When lever 2 is in its initial position, even if lever 2 is operated further in the opening direction (in the direction of arrow r' shown in Figure 5), the projection 38a and the contact wall 38b come into contact, restricting further rotation of lever 2 in the reverse direction. In this way, lever 2, which is supported in the connector housing 7 so as to be rotatable in an arc shape, is prevented from falling out of the connector housing 7 when in its initial position by the contact between the projection 38a and the contact wall 38b.

[0049] (Matching direction rotation restricting mechanism 39) As shown in Figure 7, the lever connector 3 is equipped with a mating direction rotation restricting mechanism 39 that restricts rotation in the mating direction (direction of arrow r in Figure 7) of the lever 2 in its initial position before mating with the mating connector 4. The mating direction rotation restricting mechanism 39 includes, for example, an elastic piece 40 formed on the lever 2 and a groove 41 formed on the connector housing 7 that engages with the elastic piece 40. The elastic piece 40 is positioned on the path through which the third cam pin 34c moves when the lever connector 3 and the mating connector 4 are mated. The elastic piece 40 is formed near the entrance of the third cam groove 35c of the lever 2. The elastic piece 40 is part of the outer circumference 24a of the first lever 2. The groove 41 is part of the first outer sliding portion 22a of the connector housing 7.

[0050] (Release cam pin 34t) As shown in Figures 11(a) and 11(b), at least one of the multiple cam pins 34 also serves as a release cam pin 34t that releases the mating direction rotation restricting mechanism 39 during the process in which the lever connector 3 is mated with the mating connector 4. In this example, the third cam pin 34c is the release cam pin 34t. Thus, the third cam pin 34c serves as both a component of the cam mechanism 31 and a component of the mechanism that releases the mating direction rotation restricting mechanism 39. In addition, at least one of the multiple cam grooves 35 is a release cam pin groove 35t into which the release cam pin 34t engages. In this example, the third cam groove 35c is the release cam pin groove 35t.

[0051] The release cam pin 34t compresses and elastically deforms the elastic piece 40 when the lever connector 3 is further pushed in the mating direction (direction of arrow t in Figure 11(a)) during the process in which the lever connector 3, which is in the initial position, is mated with the mating connector 4. This releases the release cam pin 34t from the engagement between the elastic piece 40 and the groove 41. Consequently, the lever 2 in the initial position is allowed to rotate in an arc in the direction toward the mating position (direction of arrow St in Figure 11(b)).

[0052] (Locking mechanism 42) As shown in Figures 6 and 8, the lever connector 3 includes a locking mechanism 42 that locks the lever 2 in the mating position. The locking mechanism 42 includes, for example, a locking arm 43 (see Figure 8) formed on the connector housing 7 and a projection 44 (see Figure 6) formed on the lever 2. The locking arm 43 is elastically deformable and has an arm groove 43a on the surface facing the first arm portion 10a of the lever 2 that engages with the projection 44. The projection 44 is formed, for example, on the back surface of the first arm portion 10a of the lever 2. When the lever 2 is operated to the mating position, the projection 44 engages with the arm groove 43a of the locking arm 43, thereby holding the lever 2 in the mating position.

[0053] [Effect of the Embodiment] Next, the operation of connector 1 in this embodiment will be described. (Procedure for mating lever connector 3 and mating connector 4) As shown in Figure 12(a), when the lever connector 3 is mated to the mating connector 4, first, the lever connector 3, with the lever 2 in its initial position, is inserted into the housing portion 5 of the mating connector 4. As shown in Figure 12(b), during the process of the lever connector 3 being mated to the housing portion 5, the first cam pin 34a passes through the first slit 36a, the second cam pin 34b passes through the second slit 36b, and the third cam pin 34c passes through the third slit 36c.

[0054] As shown in Figure 11(a), when the lever connector 3 is inserted a predetermined amount into the housing 5, the third cam pin 34c (in this example, the release cam pin 34t) of the mating connector 4 contacts and presses against the elastic piece 40 of the lever 2, causing the elastic piece 40 to detach from the groove 41 of the connector housing 7. This releases the mating direction rotation restricting mechanism 39, allowing the lever 2 to rotate in an arc. Therefore, as shown in Figure 11(b), it becomes possible to rotate the lever 2 from its initial position toward the mating position in an arc.

[0055] As shown in Figure 13, when an operating load is applied to the lever 2 with the fitting direction rotation restricting mechanism 39 released, the arm portion 10 of the lever 2 rotates in an arc shape in the region between the inner sliding portion 21 and the outer sliding portion 22, moving toward the fitting position. In the initial stage of lever operation, the first cam pin 34a slides inside the first cam groove 35a, and the second cam pin 34b slides inside the second cam groove 35b.

[0056] As shown in Figure 14, as the lever operation progresses to the latter half, the third cam pin 34c enters the interior of the third cam groove 35c. In other words, as the lever operation approaches its end position, both the cam pin 34 and the cam groove 35 are fully engaged.

[0057] As shown in Figure 15, the lever 2 reaches the mating position when the cam pin 34 enters the deepest part of the cam groove 35. When the lever 2 reaches the mating position, the lever connector 3 is fully housed in the housing 5 of the mating connector 4. When the lever 2 reaches the mating position, the back surface (rear end) of the arm portion 10 of the lever 2 and the terminal insertion surface 8 of the connector housing 7 become parallel. Thus, in the process of operating the lever 2 from the initial position to the mating position, the lever connector 3 is pulled into the mating connector 4 by the connector housing 7, thereby mating the lever connector 3 with the mating connector 4.

[0058] (Advantages of connector 1 in this example) As shown in Figures 11(a) and 11(b), the mechanism for releasing the locking direction rotation restriction mechanism 39 of the lever 2 utilizes the third cam pin 34c (release cam pin 34t), which is a component of the cam mechanism 31. Therefore, the components of the cam mechanism 31, which are provided to change the operating direction of the lever 2 to the locking direction of the lever connector 3, can be shared as components for releasing the locking direction rotation restriction mechanism 39. This makes it possible to reduce the number of parts compared to when the mechanism for releasing the locking direction rotation restriction mechanism 39 and the cam mechanism 31 are separate components. Thus, the structure of the connector 1 can be simplified.

[0059] Furthermore, in this example, multiple sets of cam pins 34 and cam grooves 35 are provided. Therefore, when the lever connector 3 and the mating connector 4 are mated by lever operation, the lever connector 3 can be supported in a balanced manner by the multiple cam pins 34. As a result, the lever connector 3 is less likely to tilt relative to the mating connector 4 when mating the lever connector 3 and the mating connector 4. Thus, the lever connector 3 can be smoothly mated to the mating connector 4.

[0060] Incidentally, the power assist mechanism using the cam mechanism 31 of lever 2 generates a large operating load by the first cam pin 34a, which is located closest to the pivot point Pt of lever 2 (in this example, the inner sliding part 21), thereby converting the operating direction of lever 2 to the fitting direction of lever connector 3. For this reason, the second cam pin 34b and the third cam pin 34c do not have a significant impact on reducing the operating load, and can be said to have an auxiliary function of positioning lever 2 during lever operation. In this example, since the third cam pin 34c, which has an auxiliary function of the cam mechanism 31, is provided with a release function for the fitting direction rotation restricting mechanism 39, it is possible to effectively utilize the third cam pin 34c to provide the connector 1 with a release function for the fitting direction rotation restricting mechanism 39.

[0061] [Effects of the Embodiment] According to the connector 1 of the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. (1) The connector 1 includes a mating direction rotation restricting mechanism 39 that restricts the movement of the lever 2 from its initial position to the mating position before the lever connector 3 is mated with the mating connector 4, and a cam mechanism 31 that, in conjunction with the movement of the lever 2 from its initial position to the mating position, converts the operating direction of the lever 2 to a mating direction that allows the lever connector 3 to be mated with the mating connector 4 by the action of a cam structure. The cam mechanism 31 has a plurality of sets of cam pins 34 formed in the mating connector 4 and cam grooves 35 formed in the lever 2 to engage with the cam pins 34. At least one of the plurality of cam pins 34 also serves as a release cam pin 34t that releases the mating direction rotation restricting mechanism 39 during the process in which the lever connector 3 is mated with the mating connector 4.

[0062] In this configuration, at least one of the multiple cam pins 34 of the cam mechanism 31 (in this example, the third cam pin 34c) has both the function of converting the operating direction of the lever 2 to the mating direction of the lever connector 3, and the function of releasing the position restriction of the lever 2. Therefore, there is no need to provide these functions separately, and thus the structure does not become more complex. Thus, even if a function to release the mating direction rotation restriction mechanism 39 is provided, the structure of the connector 1 can be simplified.

[0063] (2) The lever 2 is operated between an initial position and a fitted position with respect to a pivot point Pt (in this example, the inner sliding part 21). The release cam pin 34t (third cam pin 34c) is positioned furthest from the pivot point Pt of the lever operation among the multiple cam pins 34. With this configuration, when the lever 2 is operated, the lever connector 3 is fitted into the mating connector 4 by a large operating load that can be drawn from the cam pin 34 (first cam pin 34a) that is closest to the pivot point Pt of the lever operation among the multiple cam pins 34. For this reason, the pins other than the cam pin 34 from which the large operating load is drawn, especially the cam pin 34 (third cam pin 34c) positioned furthest from the pivot point Pt, are merely cam pins 34 that have an auxiliary meaning, such as positioning. Thus, by effectively utilizing the cam pins 34 that have an auxiliary function, the release cam pin 34t can be provided without increasing the number of parts.

[0064] (3) At least one of the multiple cam grooves 35 has a release cam pin groove 35t into which the release cam pin 34t engages during the process in which the lever 2 is operated from the initial position to the fitted position. The set of the release cam pin 34t and the release cam pin groove 35t is shaped to engage later than the other cam pins 34 and cam grooves 35 when the lever 2 is operated from the initial position to the fitted position. With this configuration, the release cam pin groove 35t only needs to have a groove length into which the engagement of the release cam pin 34t begins midway through the lever operation. This makes it possible to shorten the release cam pin groove 35t. As a result, the space required to form the release cam pin groove 35t is reduced, which contributes to suppressing the enlargement of the lever 2.

[0065] (4) The mating direction rotation restricting mechanism 39 has an elastic piece 40 formed on the lever 2 and a groove 41 formed on the connector housing 7 that engages with the elastic piece 40. The release cam pin 34t releases the engagement between the elastic piece 40 and the groove 41 during the process in which the lever connector 3 is mated with the mating connector 4. With this configuration, the structure for releasing the mating direction rotation restricting mechanism 39 can be a simple structure in which the engagement between the elastic piece 40 and the groove 41 is released by the release cam pin 34t.

[0066] (5) The connector 1 is equipped with an arc-shaped rotation mechanism 20 that rotates the lever 2 along an arc-shaped trajectory between an initial position and a mating position. The arc-shaped rotation mechanism 20 has a hook-shaped lever inner circumference portion 23 formed at the tip of the lever 2, an inner sliding portion 21 formed on the connector housing 7 with which the lever inner circumference portion 23 slides, a lever outer circumference portion 24 formed on the side of the lever 2 opposite to the lever inner circumference portion 23, and an outer sliding portion 22 formed on the connector housing 7 with which the lever outer circumference portion 24 slides. The cam mechanism 31 works in conjunction with the movement of the lever 2 which rotates in an arc shape by the arc-shaped rotation mechanism 20 to convert the operating direction of the lever 2 along the arc shape into a mating direction that mates the lever connector 3 with the mating connector 4 through the action of the cam structure.

[0067] In this configuration, the lever 2 is rotated by the arc-shaped rotation mechanism 20 to follow an arc-shaped trajectory. Thus, in this configuration, the movement structure of the lever 2 is a rotational structure that slides the lever 2. Therefore, compared to, for example, a case where the lever 2 is a simple rotational operation, there is no need to provide a rotation axis for the lever 2, and the space required for arranging the components is reduced accordingly. As a result, the connector 1 can be made smaller.

[0068] (6) The inner sliding portion 21 is positioned at or near the end of the connector housing 7 in the specified direction Yk, when the direction along the longitudinal direction of the recess (in this example, the first recess 17 and the second recess 18) into which the arm portion 10 of the lever 2 is inserted in the connector housing 7 is defined as the specified direction Yk (for example, the width direction of the connector housing 7). When the line passing through the inner sliding portion 21 in the mating direction between the lever connector 3 and the mating connector 4 is defined as the reference line Lk, the cam pin 34 is positioned on the opposite side of the end of the connector housing 7 in the specified direction Yk with respect to the reference line Lk.

[0069] With this configuration, the inner sliding portion 21 is positioned at or near the end of the connector housing 7 in the specified direction Yk, making it possible to lengthen the arm portion 10 of the lever 2. This allows for a sufficient force-multiplying effect from the lever 2. Therefore, the operating load of the lever 2 can be reduced, improving the workability of the mating process.

[0070] Furthermore, if the inner sliding portion 21 is located at or near the end of the connector housing 7 in the specified direction Yk, the space available for arranging the cam mechanism 31 may be limited. However, in this configuration, the cam pin 34 is located within the available space for other components. Therefore, it is possible to achieve both arranging the inner sliding portion 21 at or near the end of the connector housing 7 in the specified direction Yk and securing space for arranging the cam mechanism 31.

[0071] [Other embodiments] Furthermore, this embodiment can be implemented with the following modifications. This embodiment and the following modifications can be combined with each other to the extent that they do not contradict each other technically.

[0072] The release cam pin 34t is not limited to the third cam pin 34c; it may also be the first cam pin 34a or the second cam pin 34b. The inner sliding portion 21 is not limited to being located at the end of the terminal insertion surface 8, but may also be located at a position other than the end.

[0073] The cam mechanism 31 may be provided on only one of the pair of arms 10 of the double-supported lever 2. The reverse rotation restricting mechanism 38 may have a projection 38a formed on the lever 2 and a contact wall 38b formed on the connector housing 7.

[0074] The locking mechanism 42 may have a locking arm 43 formed on the lever 2 and a projection 44 formed on the connector housing 7. The reverse rotation restricting mechanism 38, the fitting direction rotation restricting mechanism 39, and the locking mechanism 42 may be modified to have structures or shapes other than those in the embodiment, as long as they satisfy the necessary functions.

[0075] Lever 2 may have a cantilever structure, specifically a structure with one plate on one side. The operating mechanism for lever 2 is not limited to an arc-shaped rotation mechanism that slides lever 2 in an arc; for example, it may be a simple rotational operation.

[0076] The connector 1 may have a structure in which multiple housing sections 5 are formed in the mating connector 4, and a lever connector 3 is fitted into each housing section 5. • As used in this disclosure, the phrase "at least one" means "one or more" of the desired options. For example, as used in this disclosure, "at least one" means "only one option" or "both of the two options" if there are two options. As another example, as used in this disclosure, "at least one" means "only one option" or "any combination of two or more options" if there are three or more options.

[0077] This disclosure is described in accordance with the embodiments, but it is understood that this disclosure is not limited to such embodiments or structures. This disclosure also includes various modifications and variations within the scope of equivalence. In addition, various combinations and forms, as well as other combinations and forms that include only one, more, or less of those elements, fall within the scope and concept of this disclosure. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0078] 1 Connector 2 Lever 3 Lever connector 4. Mating connector 5. Storage Area 7 Connector Housing 8 terminal insertion surface 9 terminal insertion holes 10 Arm 10a 1st arm 10b 2nd arm 11 Control section 13 Main body 14 First outer wall 15 Second outer wall 17. First recess 18. Second recess 20. Arc-shaped rotation mechanism 21 Inner sliding part 21a First inner sliding part 21b Second inner sliding part 22 Outer sliding part 22a First outer sliding part 22b Second outer sliding part 23 Inner circumference of the lever 23a Inner circumference of the first lever 23b Inner circumference of the second lever 24. Outer circumference of the lever 24a Outer circumference of the first lever 24b Outer circumference of the second lever 26 Guide mechanism 27 Guide Section 28 Guide surface 31 Cam mechanism 31a First cam mechanism 31b Second cam mechanism 32 1st wall 33 Second wall section 34 cam pin 34a First cam pin 34b Second cam pin 34c Third cam pin 34t release cam pin 35 cam groove 35a First cam groove 35b Second cam groove 35c Third cam groove 35t Release cam pin groove 36 slits 36a First Slit 36b Second Slit 36c Third Slit 38 Reverse rotation restriction mechanism 38a protrusion 38b Abutment wall 39. Mechanism for restricting rotation in the mating direction 40 elastic pieces 41 Groove 42 Locking mechanism 43 Lock Arm 43a Arm groove 44 Protrusion L distance L1 distance L2 distance L3 Distance Lk reference line Pt fulcrum Yk specified direction

Claims

1. A connector in which, in the process of operating a lever, which is operably provided on a lever connector connected to a mating connector, from an initial position to a mating position, the connector housing of the lever connector is pulled into the mating connector and mated with the mating connector, Before the lever connector is mated with the mating connector, a mating direction rotation restricting mechanism restricts the movement of the lever from the initial position to the mating position, The system includes a cam mechanism that, in conjunction with the operation of the lever from the initial position to the mating position, converts the operating direction of the lever to a mating direction that allows the lever connector to be mated with the mating connector, through the action of a cam structure, The cam mechanism has a plurality of sets of cam pins formed in the mating connector and cam grooves formed in the lever for engaging the cam pins. A connector in which at least one of the plurality of cam pins also serves as a release cam pin that releases the mating direction rotation restricting mechanism during the process in which the lever connector is mated with the mating connector.

2. The lever is operated between the initial position and the fitting position with respect to the pivot point. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the release cam pin is positioned at the position furthest from the pivot point of the lever operation among a plurality of cam pins.

3. At least one of the plurality of cam grooves has a release cam pin groove into which the release cam pin is engaged during the process of the lever being operated from the initial position to the fitting position, The connector according to claim 1, wherein the set of release cam pin and release cam pin groove is shaped to engage later than the other cam pins and cam grooves when the lever is operated from the initial position to the mating position.

4. The fitting direction rotation restricting mechanism has an elastic piece formed on the lever and a groove formed on the connector housing that engages with the elastic piece. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the release cam pin releases the engagement between the elastic piece and the groove during the process in which the lever connector is fitted into the mating connector.

5. The lever is provided with an arc-shaped rotation mechanism that rotates it along an arc-shaped trajectory between the initial position and the fitting position, The arc-shaped rotation mechanism comprises a hook-shaped inner circumferential portion of the lever formed at the tip of the lever, an inner sliding portion formed in the connector housing with which the inner circumferential portion of the lever slides, an outer circumferential portion of the lever formed on the side of the lever opposite to the inner circumferential portion, and an outer sliding portion formed in the connector housing with which the outer circumferential portion of the lever slides. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the cam mechanism, in conjunction with the operation of the lever which rotates in an arc shape by the arc-shaped rotation mechanism, converts the operating direction along the arc shape of the lever to the fitting direction that engages the lever connector with the mating connector through the action of the cam structure.

6. The inner sliding portion is positioned at or near the end of the connector housing in the specified direction, when the direction along the longitudinal direction of the recess into which the arm of the lever is inserted in the connector housing is defined as the specified direction. The connector according to claim 5, wherein, when a line passing through the inner sliding portion in the mating direction between the lever connector and the mating connector is used as a reference line, the cam pin is positioned on the opposite side of its end relative to the reference line.

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