connector

Abstract

To provide a connector which guarantees a spring function of a connector with shutter mechanism and is compact.SOLUTION: An inlet 1 comprises: an outer case 51 storing and holding a housing 21 in which a connection terminal 70 is housed; a movable case 31 in which a first cam groove 37 is formed while penetrating a movable case sidewall 35 and which is disposed so as to be freely movable in a connector fitting direction inside of the outer case 51; a shutter 41 including a shutter front wall 43 covering a front opening 25 of the housing 21 and a shutter boss 47 which is provided protruding on an outer surface of the shutter sidewall 45 and engaged to the first cam groove 37; and a spring which elastically energizes the movable case 31 to the side of an inlet plug 5. The first cam groove 37 is engaged with the shutter boss 47, thereby rotating the shutter 41 in an opening / closing direction around the shutter boss 47 while being interlocked with the movement of the movable case 31.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a connector having a shutter mechanism. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a wire harness (electric wire) electrically connecting various electrical equipment mounted on an automobile or the like is connected by a connector. Such a connector is usually composed of a male connector and a female connector. For example, in the case of a connector structure applied to an optional specification, one connector connected to an end of a pre-installed electric wire is known to have a shutter mechanism at the front opening of the housing for the purpose of dustproofing, protecting the terminal, preventing electric shock to the surroundings, etc. until the other connector is mated. In particular, in electric automobiles and the like, a connector (inlet) with a shutter mechanism is applied to prevent electric shock accidents, etc., and prevents the exposure of the terminal at the front opening when the connector is not connected. An example of such a configuration is a connector with a shutter mechanism disclosed in Patent Document 1.

[0003] This connector with a shutter mechanism has a shutter on one connector that rotates outward when an external force is applied to its front portion, and a tip portion on the other connector, so that when the connectors are mated, this tip portion presses against the front portion of the shutter of the one connector, causing the shutter to rotate. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-138785 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Incidentally, in the connector with a shutter mechanism disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the connectors are mated, the tip of the mating connector (mating hood portion) presses the front portion of the shutter, causing the shutter to rotate outward (forward) around the pin and open. Therefore, it is necessary to avoid interference when the connectors are mated by setting the stroke (connector size) of the mating connector in consideration of the rotation trajectory of the shutter opening. As a result, the mating hood portion of the mating connector becomes longer by the amount of space required for opening and closing the shutter, which results in a larger connector size.

[0006] The shutter is constantly biased toward the inside of the housing by a coil spring, and is configured to close the front opening of the housing when the connector is not connected. The coil spring that constantly biases the shutter in the closing direction is, for example, a torsion coil spring wound around a pin that supports the shutter. As a result, the coil spring is located near the front opening of the housing and is susceptible to the effects of dust, water, and the like. For this reason, conventional connectors with shutter mechanisms are prone to a high risk of spring malfunction.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a compact connector that ensures the spring function of a connector with a shutter mechanism. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The above object of the present invention can be achieved by the following configuration. (1) A connector comprising: a housing for accommodating connection terminals; an outer case for accommodating and holding the housing; a movable case having first cam grooves formed through side walls of the movable case corresponding to both side walls of the outer case and arranged to be freely movable within the outer case in a connector mating direction; a shutter having a shutter front wall covering a front opening of the housing into which a mating connector is mated, shutter side walls provided at both ends of the shutter front wall, and a shutter boss protruding from an outer surface of the shutter side wall and engaging with the first cam groove; and a spring for elastically biasing the movable case towards the mating connector, wherein the first cam groove engages with the shutter boss, thereby rotating the shutter in the opening and closing direction around the shutter boss in conjunction with the movement of the movable case.

[0009] According to the connector of the above configuration (1), the tip of the mating connector rotates the shutter in the opening and closing direction via the movable case arranged inside the outer case and movable in the connector fitting direction. Therefore, unlike conventional connectors with a shutter mechanism, the connector of this configuration does not need to lengthen the mating hood part of the mating connector in consideration of the opening and closing trajectory of the shutter.

[0010] (2) The connector described in (1) above, characterized in that it further comprises a third cam groove provided on both side walls of the outer case and engaging with the shutter boss to move the shutter relative to the outer case in the connector mating direction in conjunction with movement of the movable case, a movable case boss protruding from the inner surface of the movable case side wall of the movable case, and a second cam groove formed on the shutter side wall of the shutter and engaging with the movable case boss to support the rotational movement of the shutter moving in the connector mating direction.

[0011] According to the connector having the configuration of (2) above, when the mating connector is mated, the shutter, whose rotation is supported by the movable case boss engaging with the second cam groove, can move to the rear of the outer case together with the movable case while rotating smoothly in the opening direction. This makes it easier to prevent the shutter from interfering with the mating connector, and allows for greater freedom in design.

[0012] (3) The connector described in (2) above, characterized in that the third cam groove is provided with a third displacement cam portion that moves the shutter via the shutter boss engaged with the third cam groove so that the shutter front wall is displaced toward the shutter boss while the shutter rotates from the shutter closed position to the shutter open position.

[0013] According to the connector having the configuration of (3) above, when the shutter is opened, the front wall of the shutter, which is the rotation tip (free end), is displaced toward the shutter boss, which is the rotation center, by the third displacement cam portion of the third cam groove. Therefore, when the shutter is opened, the front wall of the shutter does not protrude outward from the outer case, and the connector can be made compact when the shutter is open.

[0014] (4) The connector described in (3) above, characterized in that the first cam groove is provided with a first displacement cam portion extending in a direction intersecting with the third displacement cam portion in a side view and cooperating with the third displacement cam portion to displace the shutter boss toward the mating connector along the connector mating direction immediately before the shutter rotates from the shutter closed position to the shutter open position.

[0015] According to the connector having the configuration of (4) above, immediately before the shutter rotates from the shutter closed position to the shutter open position, the first displacement cam portion of the first cam groove extending in a direction intersecting with the third displacement cam portion in a side view displaces the shutter front wall toward the mating connector side via the shutter boss along the connector fitting direction. Thus, the shutter can be configured so that the shutter covers the front opening with the front wall abutting against the opening edge of the front opening in the shutter closed position. That is, just before the shutter rotates from the state in which the front wall of the shutter abuts against the edge of the front opening to the shutter open position, the front wall of the shutter is displaced toward the mating connector and moves away from the edge of the front opening. Therefore, the front wall of the shutter rotating to the shutter open position is not rubbed against the edge of the front opening. As a result, the front wall of the shutter, which covers the front opening while abutting against the opening edge, can reliably prevent dust, water, etc. from entering the front opening of the housing.

[0016] (5) The connector described in (4) above, characterized in that the second cam groove is provided with a second displacement cam portion that supports the displacement motion of the shutter toward the mating connector along the connector mating direction immediately before the shutter rotates from the shutter closed position to the shutter open position.

[0017] According to the connector having the configuration of (5) above, the shutter, which displaces toward the mating connector along the connector fitting direction immediately before rotating from the shutter closed position to the shutter open position, is supported in its displacement motion by the movable case boss engaging with the second displacement cam portion of the second cam groove. Thus, the shutter, which displaces toward the mating connector along the connector fitting direction, can be displaced while maintaining a posture parallel to the connector fitting direction, and it is possible to prevent the front wall of the shutter from hitting against the edge of the front opening (a portion of the opening edge coming into strong contact).

[0018] (6) The front wall of the shutter includes an elastic packing that abuts against the opening edge of the front opening. The connector according to (4) or (5) above,

[0019] According to the connector having the above configuration (6), the elastic packing provided on the front wall of the shutter can elastically contact the edge of the front opening. Therefore, the elastic packing that abuts against the edge of the opening to cover the front opening can more reliably prevent the intrusion of dust, water, etc. into the front opening of the housing.

[0020] (7) The connector according to any one of (1) to (6) above, wherein the spring is interposed between the movable case and a rear wall of the housing.

[0021] According to the connector having the configuration of (7) above, the spring that elastically biases the movable case toward the mating connector is disposed on the rear wall side of the housing contained and held in the outer case, and is away from the opening of the outer case (the mating opening of the housing). Therefore, the spring disposed inside the outer case away from the opening is less susceptible to the effects of dust, water, etc., and it is easier to ensure the spring function of the connector with a shutter mechanism.

[0022] (8) A connector as described in any one of (1) to (7) above, characterized in that a contact portion which is pressed against the tip portion of the mating connector when the connectors are mated is provided at the front end of the intersection between the movable case side wall and the movable case top wall in the movable case.

[0023] According to the connector having the above configuration (8), the tip of the mating connector presses and urges the abutment portion provided at the front end of the intersection between the relatively rigid side wall and the upper wall of the movable case. Therefore, the movable case, which is pressed and urged by the tip of the mating connector when the connectors are mated, is less likely to deform due to the pressing force of the mating connector, and there is no need to make the movable case thicker than necessary. Effect of the Invention

[0024] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a compact connector while ensuring the spring function of a connector with a shutter mechanism.

[0025] The present invention has been briefly described above. Furthermore, the details of the present invention will be further clarified by reading the following description of the embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter, referred to as "embodiment") with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1]1 is a perspective view showing an inlet constituting a connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and an inlet plug which is a mating connector to be fitted into the inlet. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the inlet shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] 3 is a perspective view of the rear side of the movable case and the shutter shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 2 is a perspective view of the outer case shown in FIG. 1 with the top plate omitted, and the movable case to which the shutter is attached is separated from the outer case. [Diagram 5] 2 is an enlarged side view of a main portion of the inlet shown in FIG. 1 with a part cut away. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the central portion of the inlet shown in FIG. [Figure 7] 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which the inlet and the inlet plug shown in FIG. 1 start to be fitted together. FIG. [Figure 8] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating the initial mating state of the inlet and inlet plug according to the first embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a side view of the essential parts of the inlet without a cover covering a third cam groove, and (b) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the essential parts of the inlet. [Figure 9] 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating an intermediate state of mating between the inlet and the inlet plug according to the first embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a side view of the essential parts of the inlet without a cover covering a third cam groove, and (b) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the essential parts of the inlet. [Figure 10] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating the completed mating state of the inlet and inlet plug according to the first embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a side view of the essential parts of the inlet with the cover covering the third cam groove omitted, and (b) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the essential parts of the inlet. [Figure 11] 2A and 2B are front views of the inlet shown in FIG. 1, in which (a) shows a closed state in which the front opening of the housing is covered with a shutter, and (b) shows an open state in which the front opening of the housing is open. [Figure 12] 13 is a perspective view of an inlet constituting a connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention, in which a movable case with a shutter attached thereto is separated from an outer case. FIG. [Figure 13] 13 is a perspective view of the rear side of the movable case and the shutter shown in FIG. 12. [Figure 14] 13 is an enlarged side view of a main portion of the inlet shown in FIG. 12 with a part cut away. FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the central portion of the inlet shown in FIG. [Figure 16] 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating the initial mating state of an inlet and an inlet plug according to a second embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a side view of a main portion of the inlet without a cover covering a third cam groove, and (b) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a main portion of the inlet. [Figure 17] 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating the state immediately after the inlet and inlet plug according to the second embodiment of the present invention are fitted together, where (a) is a side view of the main parts of the inlet without the cover covering the third cam groove, and (b) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the main parts of the inlet. [Figure 18] 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating an intermediate state of mating between an inlet and an inlet plug according to a second embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a side view of a main portion of the inlet without a cover covering a third cam groove, and (b) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a main portion of the inlet. [Figure 19] 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating an intermediate state of mating between an inlet and an inlet plug according to a second embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a side view of a main portion of the inlet without a cover covering a third cam groove, and (b) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a main portion of the inlet. [Figure 20] 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating the completed mating state of the inlet and inlet plug according to the second embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a side view of the main parts of the inlet without the cover covering the third cam groove, and (b) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the main parts of the inlet. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0027] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an inlet 1 constituting a connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and an inlet plug 5 which is a mating connector to be fitted into the inlet 1. Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the inlet 1 shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the rear side of the movable case 31 and the shutter 41 shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the movable case 31 with the shutter 41 attached separated from the outer case 51 shown in Fig. 1.

[0028] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the inlet 1, which is a connector according to this first embodiment, comprises a housing 21 that accommodates a connection terminal 70, an outer case 51 that houses and holds the housing 21, a movable case 31 arranged within the outer case 51 so as to be freely movable in the connector mating direction, a shutter 41 that covers the front opening 25 of the housing 21 into which the plug housing 81 of the inlet plug (mating connector) 5 is mated, and a spring 30 that elastically biases the movable case 31 toward the inlet plug 5 (see Figures 6 and 7). In this specification, the front-to-rear direction refers to the direction along the connector fitting direction of the housing 21 (left-to-right direction in Figure 7), with the side where the plug housing 81 of the inlet plug 5 is fitted being defined as the front, the up-down direction refers to the direction in which the shutter 41 opens and closes perpendicular to the connector fitting direction of the housing 21 (up-down direction in Figure 7), with the top plate 50 side of the outer case 51 being defined as the top.

[0029] The housing 21 is made of electrically insulating synthetic resin. A pair of terminal accommodating cylindrical portions 23, 23 protruding toward the inlet plug 5 side are provided on a front wall 26 of the housing 21. A connection terminal 70 connected to an end portion of a high-voltage cable 71 is accommodated within the terminal accommodating cylindrical portion 23. A front opening 25 into which a connection terminal 90 of an inlet plug 5 is inserted is formed at the front end of the terminal accommodating cylindrical portion 23. The high-voltage cable 71 connected to the connection terminal 70 is pulled out from the rear end opening of the terminal accommodating cylindrical portion 23.

[0030] The connection terminal 70 is a female terminal made of a conductive metal material and is formed into a cylindrical rod shape. A joint hole 72 is formed at the rear end of the connection terminal 70, and a conductor 73 of a high-voltage cable 71 drawn out from the rear end opening of the terminal accommodating tube portion 23 is inserted into the joint hole 72 and crimped (see FIG. 7). A seal member 75 is attached to the high voltage cable 71 drawn out from the rear end opening of the terminal accommodating tubular portion 23, and is liquid-tightly sealed to the terminal accommodating tubular portion 23. The seal member 75 is prevented from coming off by a rear holder 77 attached to the rear end of the terminal accommodating tubular portion 23.

[0031] 2, a semi-cylindrical spring accommodating portion 29 is provided in the center of the housing 21 to accommodate a compression coil spring 30 along the connector fitting direction. The spring 30 accommodated in the spring accommodating portion 29 is interposed between a spring receiving portion 34 of the movable case 31 (described later) and a spring support portion 27 provided on the rear wall of the housing 21, thereby elastically biasing the movable case 31 toward the inlet plug 5.

[0032] 2, the outer case 51 is a flat case made up of a first case 52, a second case 53, and a top plate 50. An opening 3 into which the tip of the inlet plug 5 is inserted is defined in the front of the outer case 51. The first housing 52 is integrally formed with a rectangular bottom wall 56, a side wall 54 erected on one side edge of the bottom wall 56, and a rear wall 57 connected to the rear edges of the bottom wall 56 and the side wall 54. The second housing 53 has a side wall 55 opposed to the side wall 54 and a rear wall 58 connected to the rear edge of the side wall 55, which are integrally formed.

[0033] A third cam groove 60 for guiding a shutter boss 47 of a shutter 41 (described later) is formed penetrating the side walls 54 and 55, which are both side walls of the outer case 51, along the connector fitting direction. The third cam groove 60 has a reference portion 61 located at the middle portion in the height direction of the side walls 54 and 55 of the outer case 51 at the inlet plug 5 side end, a third displacement cam portion 63 extending obliquely upward (diagonally upward to the right in FIG. 8(a)) from the reference portion 61 toward the rear of the side walls 54 and 55, and a parallel portion 65 extending parallel to the connector fitting direction from the third displacement cam portion 63 toward the rear of the side walls 54 and 55.

[0034] The inlet 1 of the first embodiment is configured to be in the shutter open position by rotating the shutter front wall 43 of the shutter 41 toward the bottom wall 56 of the outer case 51. Thus, the third displacement cam portion 63 of the third cam groove 60 is configured to extend obliquely upward from the reference portion 61 toward the rear of the side walls 54 and 55. In contrast, when the inlet 1 is configured to be in the shutter open position by rotating the shutter front wall 43 toward the top plate 50 of the outer case 51, the third displacement cam portion 63 of the third cam groove 60 is configured to extend obliquely downward from the reference portion 61 toward the rear of the side walls 54 and 55.

[0035] Further, guide grooves 59 extending in the connector fitting direction are formed opposite to each other on the inner surfaces of the side walls 54 and 55 to slide and guide a guide rib 36 of the movable case 31, which will be described later. A high-voltage cable 71 drawn out from the housing 21 is led out from openings formed in the rear walls 57 and 58 which constitute the rear walls of the outer case 51.

[0036] The top plate 50 has an eave portion 15 extending in front of an upper wall portion 13 that, together with the first housing 52 and the second housing 53, defines a housing storage space. A pair of cover portions 17, 17 are vertically disposed on the underside of both sides of the upper wall portion 13 for respectively covering third cam grooves 60 formed through both side walls of the outer case 51. Also, a guide rib 19 is disposed on the underside of the central portion of the eaves portion 15, extending along the connector fitting direction for guiding the fitting of the plug housing 81 of the inlet plug 5 into the housing 21 accommodated in the outer case 51.

[0037] 2 and 3, the movable case 31 is a frame body with a U-shaped cross section, which has a rectangular movable case upper wall 33 and a pair of movable case side walls 35, 35 suspended downward from both side edges of the movable case upper wall 33. The rear lower ends of the pair of movable case side walls 35, 35 are connected by a connecting portion 32 to prevent them from falling inward. A spring receiving portion 34 in the form of a protruding piece is formed in the center of the rear end of the upper wall 33 of the movable case so as to protrude downward.

[0038] A first cam groove 37 is formed penetrating each of the movable case side walls 35, 35 corresponding to the side walls 54 and 55, which are both side walls of the outer case 51. The first cam groove 37 is formed by a notched opening extending obliquely upward toward the front from the rear end of the movable case side wall 35, and has a boss insertion portion 37a formed by a horizontal portion extending forward from the rear, and a first rotating cam portion 37b formed by a curved portion continuing to the front end of the boss insertion portion 37a.

[0039] A guide rib 36 extending along the connector fitting direction is provided on the outer surface of the movable case side wall 35, and a movable case boss 38 is provided on the inner surface of the movable case side wall 35. The movable case boss 38 is located below the first rotating cam portion 37b in the first cam groove 37. Further, at the front end of the intersection between the movable case side walls 35, 35 and the movable case top wall 33 of the movable case 31, there are provided contact portions 39 which are pressed and biased by the pressing portion 87 at the tip end of the inlet plug 5.

[0040] The shutter 41 has a shutter front wall 43, shutter side walls 45, 45 vertically attached to both ends of the shutter front wall 43, and a shutter boss 47 that protrudes from the outer surface of the shutter side wall 45 and engages with the first cam groove 37 of the movable case 31. The shutter boss 47 is located on the extending end side (the side opposite the shutter front wall 43) of the shutter side walls 45, 45 vertically attached to both ends of the shutter front wall 43, and serves as the center of rotation of the shutter front wall 43 that rotates in the opening and closing direction. The flat shutter front wall 43 covers the front openings 25 of a pair of terminal accommodating tube portions 23, 23 protruding from the front wall 26 of the housing 21 contained within the outer case 51, thereby preventing the connection terminals 70 from being exposed at the front openings 25 when the inlet 1 is not connected.

[0041] In the shutter side walls 45 , second cam grooves 48 that engage with the movable case bosses 38 of the movable case 31 are formed linearly along a direction perpendicular to the shutter front wall 43 . Thus, the shutter 41 is attached to the movable case 31 with the shutter boss 47 engaged with the corresponding first cam groove 37 and the second cam groove 48 engaged with the corresponding movable case boss 38 .

[0042] Next, an assembly procedure for the above-mentioned inlet 1 will be described. Fig. 5 is an enlarged side view of a main portion with a part cut away of the inlet 1 shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the central portion of the inlet shown in Fig. 1. First, the housing 21 containing the connection terminal 70 is placed in a predetermined position on the bottom wall 56 of the first housing 52, and the movable case 31 equipped with the shutter 41 is placed in a predetermined position on the first housing 52, and then the second housing 53 is fixed to the first housing 52 by the screws 11.

[0043] At this time, the pair of guide ribs 36, 36 of the movable case 31 are engaged with the corresponding guide grooves 59 of the outer case 51. The movable case 31 is movable relative to the outer case 51 in the connector fitting direction. 5, the shutter 41 attached to the movable case 31 has a pair of shutter bosses 47, 47 each penetrating the first cam groove 37 engaged with the corresponding third cam groove 60 of the outer case 51. Thus, the shutter 41 is movable relative to the outer case 51 in the connector fitting direction in conjunction with the movement of the movable case 31.

[0044] 6, when movable case 31 is arranged at a predetermined position in first housing 52, spring receiving portion 34 is inserted between the front end of spring 30 housed in spring housing portion 29 and front wall 26 of housing 21. Thus, movable case 31 is elastically biased toward the front of housing 21, which is the inlet plug 5 side. Finally, the top plate 50 is fixed to the upper parts of the first housing 52 and the second housing 53 by the screws 10, completing the assembly of the inlet 1. The assembled inlet 1 is attached to, for example, the body of an electric vehicle via the top plate 50. Here, the up-down direction of the vehicle body is the up-down direction of the inlet 1 when attached to the vehicle body, but the attachment direction is not limited to this.

[0045] Here, the functions of the first cam groove 37 of the movable case 31, the second cam groove 48 of the shutter 41, and the third cam groove 60 of the outer case 51 will be described. When the inlet 1 and the inlet plug 5 are not fitted together, as shown in Fig. 5, the movable case 31 is positioned on the inlet plug 5 side (left side in Fig. 5) with respect to the outer case 51 due to the elastic biasing force of the spring 30. At this time, the shutter boss 47 is positioned in the boss insertion portion 37a of the first cam groove 37, and its tip portion is positioned in the reference portion 61 of the third cam groove 60. Therefore, the shutter 41, whose second cam groove 48 is engaged with the movable case boss 38, is in the shutter closed position (see Fig. 11(a)) where the shutter front wall 43 covers the front opening 25 of the housing 21.

[0046] Then, when the movable case 31 moves against the elastic force of the spring 30 to the opposite side of the inlet plug 5 with respect to the outer case 51 (right side in FIG. 5), the shutter boss 47 reaches the first rotation cam portion 37b of the first cam groove 37. Then, the second cam groove 48 engages with (follows) the movable case boss 38, and the shutter 41, whose rotation is supported when moving along the connector fitting direction, rotates the shutter front wall 43 downward with the shutter boss 47 as the center of rotation to the shutter open position (see FIG. 11(b)). Also, when the movable case 31 moves against the outer case 51 to the opposite side of the inlet plug 5 (right side in FIG. 5), the shutter boss 47 reaches the third displacement cam portion 63 of the third cam groove 60. Then, the shutter 41 rotated to the shutter open position has the shutter front wall 43, which is the rotation tip (free end), displaced toward the shutter boss 47, which is the center of rotation (upper side in FIG. 5). The movable case 31 moves further toward the opposite side of the inlet plug 5 relative to the outer case 51, and the shutter boss 47 reaches the parallel portion 65 of the third cam groove 60. Then, the shutter 41 moves in parallel toward the rear of the outer case 51 while being rotated to the shutter open position.

[0047] FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the inlet 1 and inlet plug 5 shown in FIG. 1 at the beginning of mating. The inlet plug 5, which is fitted into and electrically connected to the inlet 1, includes a connection terminal 90 that fits into the connection terminal 70 of the inlet 1, and a plug housing 81 having a pair of terminal accommodating chambers 83, 83 that accommodate the connection terminal 90, as shown in Figures 1 and 7. The plug housing 81 is molded from an electrically insulating synthetic resin. On both sides of the tip of the plug housing 81, pressing portions 87, 87 that can be pressed against the abutting portions 39, 39 of the movable case 31 are provided. A fitting guide groove 85 is formed on the upper surface of the plug housing 81. The fitting guide groove 85 has a tapered portion whose width increases toward the inlet 1. When the inlet plug 5 is fitted into the inlet 1, this fitting guide groove 85 engages with a guide rib 19 provided on the top plate 50 of the inlet 1, thereby guiding the plug housing 81 into the housing 21.

[0048] A connection terminal 90 connected to an end portion of a high voltage cable 91 is accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber 83. The high voltage cable 91 connected to the connection terminal 90 is pulled out from the rear end opening of the terminal accommodating chamber 83.

[0049] The connection terminal 90 is a male terminal made of a conductive metal material and formed into a cylindrical rod shape. A joint hole 92 is formed at the rear end of the connection terminal 90, and a conductor 93 of a high-voltage cable 91 drawn out from the rear end opening of the terminal accommodating chamber 83 is inserted into the joint hole 92 and crimped. A seal member 95 is attached to the high voltage cable 91 drawn out from the rear end opening of the terminal accommodating chamber 83, and the high voltage cable 91 is liquid-tightly sealed in the terminal accommodating chamber 83. The seal member 95 is prevented from coming off by a rear holder 97 attached to the rear end of the terminal accommodating chamber 83.

[0050] Next, the operation of fitting the inlet 1 and the inlet plug 5 will be described. Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating the initial state of mating of the inlet 1 and the inlet plug 5, and Figs. 9 and 10 are diagrams illustrating the intermediate and completed states of mating of the inlet 1 and the inlet plug 5. Fig. 11 is a front view of the inlet 1 shown in Fig. 1, where (a) shows a closed state in which the front opening 25 of the housing 21 is covered by the shutter 41, and (b) shows an open state in which the front opening 25 of the housing 21 is open.

[0051] 7 and 8, when the inlet 1 and the inlet plug 5 are not fitted together, the movable case 31 is located on the inlet plug 5 side (left side in FIG. 8) with respect to the outer case 51. At this time, the shutter boss 47 is located in the boss insertion portion 37a of the first cam groove 37, and its tip portion is located in the reference portion 61 of the third cam groove 60. Therefore, the shutter 41, whose second cam groove 48 is engaged with the movable case boss 38, is in the shutter closed position where the shutter front wall 43 covers the front opening 25 of the housing 21, as shown in FIG. 11(a). Therefore, the connection terminal 70 of the inlet 1 is not exposed because the shutter 41 is closed. This provides dust protection for the inlet 1, terminal protection, and prevention of electric shock.

[0052] From this state, the inlet plug 5 starts to be inserted and fitted into the inlet 1. First, from the state shown in Fig. 8, the inlet plug 5 is moved toward the inlet 1, and insertion and fitting of the plug housing 81 into the outer case 51 starts. At this time, as shown in (a) and (b) of Figures 9, the pressing portion 87 at the tip of the plug housing 81 of the inlet plug 5 abuts against the abutment portion 39 at the tip of the movable case 31, pressing the abutment portion 39 against the elastic force of the spring 30.

[0053] When the movable case 31 moves rearward relative to the outer case 51 on the opposite side to the inlet plug 5 (the right side in FIG. 9), the shutter boss 47 reaches the first rotating cam portion 37b of the first cam groove 37. Then, the second cam groove 48 engages with (is driven by) the movable case boss 38, and the shutter 41, whose rotation is supported when it moves along the connector fitting direction, rotates the shutter front wall 43 downward with the shutter boss 47 as the center of rotation.

[0054] From this state, when the inlet plug 5 is further inserted deeper toward the rear of the inlet 1, the shutter 41 is rotated to the shutter open position where the shutter front wall 43 is parallel to the bottom wall 56 of the outer case 51, as shown in Figures 10(a) and 10(b) and 11(b). Then, when the shutter boss 47 reaches the parallel portion 65 of the third cam groove 60, the shutter 41 moves in parallel toward the rear of the outer case 51 while being rotated to the shutter open position. Then, the connection terminal 90 of the inlet plug 5 is fitted into and connected to the connection terminal 70 of the inlet 1, whereby the high voltage cable 71 and the high voltage cable 91 are electrically connected. Therefore, the inlet 1 and the inlet plug 5 are fitted together and electrically connected by butting the tip end of the movable case 31 and the tip end of the plug housing 81 together.

[0055] As described above, with the inlet 1 according to the first embodiment, the tip of the inlet plug 5 rotates the shutter 41 in the opening and closing direction via the movable case 31 arranged to be movable in the connector fitting direction within the outer case 51. Therefore, with the inlet 1 according to the first embodiment, it is not necessary to lengthen the fitting hood portion of the inlet plug in consideration of the opening and closing trajectory of the shutter, as in the case of a conventional connector with a shutter mechanism.

[0056] In addition, the inlet 1 of this first embodiment is equipped with a third cam groove 60 provided on both side walls of the outer case 51 and engaging with the shutter boss 47 to move the shutter 41 relative to the outer case 51 along the connector mating direction in conjunction with the movement of the movable case 31, a movable case boss 38 protruding from the inner surface of the movable case side walls 35, 35, and a second cam groove 48 formed on the shutter side walls 45, 45 and engaging with the movable case boss 38 to support the rotational movement of the shutter 41 moving along the connector mating direction.

[0057] Therefore, according to the inlet 1 of the first embodiment, when the inlet plug 5 is fitted, the shutter 41, whose rotation is supported by the movable case boss 38 engaging with the second cam groove 48, can move to the rear of the outer case 51 together with the movable case 31 while rotating smoothly in the opening direction. Therefore, it is easier to prevent the shutter 41 from interfering with the inlet plug 5, and design freedom can be increased.

[0058] In addition, the third cam groove 60 of the inlet 1 in this first embodiment is provided with a third displacement cam portion 63 that moves the shutter 41 via the shutter boss 47 engaged (driven) with the third cam groove 60 so that the shutter front wall 43 is displaced toward the shutter boss 47 while the shutter 41 rotates from the shutter closed position to the shutter open position.

[0059] Therefore, according to the inlet 1 of the first embodiment, when the shutter is opened, the shutter front wall 43, which is the rotation tip (free end), is displaced toward the shutter boss 47, which is the rotation center, (upward) by the third displacement cam portion 63 of the third cam groove. Therefore, when the shutter is opened, the shutter front wall 43 does not protrude downward (outward) from the outer case 51, and the inlet 1 can be made compact when the shutter is open.

[0060] Moreover, the spring 30 in the inlet 1 according to the first embodiment is interposed between a spring receiving portion 34 provided at the rear end of the movable case 31 and a spring support portion 27 provided on the rear wall of the housing 21 . Therefore, according to the inlet 1 of the first embodiment, the spring 30 that elastically biases the movable case 31 toward the inlet plug 5 is disposed on the rear wall side of the housing 21 contained and held in the outer case 51, and is away from the opening 3 (front opening 25 of the housing 21) of the outer case 51. Thus, the spring 30 disposed inside the outer case 51 and away from the opening 3 is less susceptible to the effects of dust, water, etc., making it easier to ensure the spring function of the connector with a shutter mechanism.

[0061] In addition, in the inlet 1 of this first embodiment, an abutment portion 39 that is pressed by a pressing portion 87 at the tip of the inlet plug 5 when the connector is mated is provided at the front end of the intersection between the movable case side walls 35, 35 and the movable case top wall 33 of the movable case 31. Therefore, according to the inlet 1 of the first embodiment, the pressing portion 87 at the tip of the inlet plug 5 presses and urges the abutment portion 39 provided at the front end of the intersection between the relatively rigid movable case side walls 35, 35 and the movable case top wall 33. Thus, the movable case 31, which is pressed and urged against the tip of the inlet plug 5 when the connector is fitted, is less likely to deform due to the pressing force of the inlet plug 5, and there is no need to make the wall thickness of the movable case 31 thicker than necessary.

[0062] Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a movable case 31A with a shutter 41A attached thereto separated from an outer case 51 in an inlet 1A constituting a connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the rear side of the movable case 31A and the shutter 41A shown in Fig. 12. The inlet 1A according to the second embodiment has the same configuration as the inlet 1 of the above-mentioned first embodiment, except that an outer case 51A, a movable case 31A and a shutter 41A are used instead of the outer case 51, the movable case 31 and the shutter 41 in the inlet 1 of the above-mentioned first embodiment. Therefore, the same reference numerals are used to designate components that are substantially the same as those in the inlet 1 of the above-mentioned first embodiment, and detailed explanations thereof will be omitted.

[0063] As shown in FIG. 12, an outer case 51A in an inlet 1A according to the second embodiment is made up of a first housing 52, a second housing 53, and a top plate 50 (not shown). A third cam groove 60 for guiding a shutter boss 47 of a shutter 41A (described later) is formed through a side wall 54 and a side wall 55 on both sides of the outer case 51A in the connector fitting direction.

[0064] 12 and 13, first cam grooves are formed penetrating each of the movable case side walls 35, 35 of the movable case 31A. The first cam grooves 37A are formed by elongated holes that extend and curve in the front-rear direction of the movable case 31A. The first cam groove 37A has a first displacement cam portion formed by a curved portion and a horizontal portion extending diagonally upward (diagonally upward to the right in FIG. 13) from the middle portion of the first cam groove 37A to the rear side (right side in FIG. 13) and intersecting with the third displacement cam portion 63 in a side view, and a first rotating cam portion 37b formed by a curved portion extending diagonally upward (diagonally upward to the left in FIG. 13) continuous with the front end of the first displacement cam portion.

[0065] 13, the shutter front wall 43 of the shutter 41A includes an elastic packing 49 that abuts against the opening edge 25a of the front opening 25 in the pair of terminal accommodating cylindrical portions 23, 23. The elastic packing 49 is formed from an elastic member such as a rectangular sheet-like sponge or rubber, and is provided integrally with the inner surface of the shutter front wall 43. That is, the shutter 41A and the pair of terminal accommodating cylindrical portions 23, 23 are configured to cover the front opening 25 with the shutter front wall 43 abutting against the opening edge 25a of the front opening 25 when the shutter is in the closed position.

[0066] In the shutter side wall 45, a second cam groove 48A that engages with the movable case boss 38 of the movable case 31 is formed as an elongated hole that extends and bends along a direction perpendicular to the shutter front wall 43. The second cam groove 48A has a second rotating cam portion 48a extending from the middle portion of the second cam groove 48A toward the rear side (to the right side in Figure 13), and a second displacement cam portion 48b extending diagonally downward (diagonally downward to the left in Figure 13) continuous with the front end of the second rotating cam portion 48a. Thus, the shutter 41A is attached to the movable case 31A with the shutter boss 47 engaged with the corresponding first cam groove 37A and the second cam groove 48A engaged with the corresponding movable case boss .

[0067] Next, the functions of the first cam groove 37A of the movable case 31A, the second cam groove 48A of the shutter 41A, and the third cam groove 60 of the outer case 51A will be described. Fig. 14 is an enlarged side view of the inlet 1A shown in Fig. 12, with a part cut away, showing a main part of the inlet 1A shown in Fig. 12. Fig. 15 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the central part of the inlet 1A shown in Fig. 12.

[0068] 14 and 15, when the inlet 1A and the inlet plug 5 are not fitted together, the movable case 31A is positioned on the inlet plug 5 side (left side in FIG. 15) with respect to the outer case 51A due to the elastic force of the spring 30. At this time, the shutter boss 47 is positioned on the horizontal portion of the first displacement cam portion in the first cam groove 37A, and its tip portion is positioned at the front end portion of the third displacement cam portion 63 in the third cam groove 60. Therefore, the shutter 41A, in which the second displacement cam portion 48b of the second cam groove 48A is engaged with the movable case boss 38, is in the shutter closed position (see Figure 15) in which the elastic gasket 49 of the shutter front wall 43 abuts against the opening edge 25a of the front opening 25 of the terminal accommodating tube portion 23 to cover the front opening 25 of the housing 21.

[0069] When the movable case 31A moves against the elastic biasing force of the spring 30 toward the opposite side to the inlet plug 5 relative to the outer case 51A (the right side in FIG. 15), the shutter boss 47 of the shutter 41A first reaches the curved portion of the first displacement cam portion in the first cam groove 37A. Then, the shutter boss 47 is squeezed between the third displacement cam portion 63 of the third cam groove 60 and the first displacement cam portion of the first cam groove 37A, and is displaced toward the inlet plug 5 along the connector fitting direction. Then, the second displacement cam portion 48b of the second cam groove 48, which is inclined diagonally downward and forward in accordance with the inclination of the curved portion of the first displacement cam portion, engages with (is driven by) the movable case boss 38. Therefore, the shutter 41A, whose displacement motion toward the inlet plug 5 is supported by the movable case 31A, can be displaced diagonally downward and forward along the inclination of the curved portion of the first displacement cam portion while maintaining an attitude parallel to the connector fitting direction (a state in which the extension direction of the shutter side walls 45, 45 is maintained parallel to the connector fitting direction).

[0070] Furthermore, when the movable case 31A moves toward the opposite side to the inlet plug 5 relative to the outer case 51A, the shutter boss 47 reaches the front end of the first displacement cam portion in the first cam groove 37A, and its tip portion reaches the reference portion 61 in the third cam groove 60. Then, the second rotating cam portion 48a of the second cam groove 48 engages with (is driven by) the movable case boss 38, thereby supporting the displacement action of the shutter 41A toward the inlet plug 5 side, and the shutter 41A is displaced diagonally downward (diagonally downward to the left in FIG. 15) toward the inlet plug 5 side along the connector fitting direction.

[0071] When the movable case 31A further moves to the opposite side to the inlet plug 5 relative to the outer case 51A, the shutter boss 47 reaches the first rotating cam portion 37b of the first cam groove 37A. Then, the second cam groove 48 engages with (is driven by) the movable case boss 38, and the shutter 41, whose rotation is supported when it moves along the connector fitting direction, rotates the shutter front wall 43 downward about the shutter boss 47 as the rotation center to the shutter open position.

[0072] Furthermore, the movable case 31 moves to the opposite side of the inlet plug 5 relative to the outer case 51 (right side in FIG. 15), so that the shutter boss 47 reaches the third displacement cam portion 63 of the third cam groove 60. Then, the shutter 41 rotated to the shutter open position has the shutter front wall 43, which is the rotation tip (free end), displaced toward the shutter boss 47, which is the rotation center (upper side in FIG. 15). The movable case 31A moves further toward the opposite side of the inlet plug 5 relative to the outer case 51A, so that the shutter boss 47 reaches the parallel portion 65 of the third cam groove 60. Then, the shutter 41A moves in parallel toward the rear of the outer case 51A while rotated to the shutter open position.

[0073] Next, the operation of fitting the inlet 1A and the inlet plug 5 will be described. FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating the state in which the inlet 1A and inlet plug 5 according to the second embodiment of the present invention begin to fit together, FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating the state immediately after the inlet 1A and inlet plug 5 have been fitted together, FIGS. 18 and 19 are diagrams illustrating the state in the middle of the fitting of the inlet 1A and inlet plug 5, and FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating the state in which the fitting of the inlet 1A and inlet plug 5 has been completed.

[0074] 16, when the inlet 1 and the inlet plug 5 are not fitted together, the movable case 31A is located on the inlet plug 5 side (left side in FIG. 16) with respect to the outer case 51A. At this time, the shutter boss 47 is located in the horizontal portion of the first displacement cam portion in the first cam groove 37A, and its tip portion is located at the front end portion of the third displacement cam portion 63 in the third cam groove 60.

[0075] Therefore, the shutter 41A, in which the second displacement cam portion 48b of the second cam groove 48A is engaged with the movable case boss 38, is in the shutter closed position (see Figure 15) in which the elastic gasket 49 of the shutter front wall 43 abuts against the opening edge 25a of the front opening 25 of the terminal accommodating tube portion 23 to cover the front opening 25 of the housing 21. Therefore, the connection terminal 70 of the inlet 1A is not exposed because the shutter 41A is closed, thereby preventing dust, protecting the terminals, and preventing electric shock.

[0076] From this state, the inlet plug 5 starts to be inserted and fitted into the inlet 1A. First, from the state shown in Fig. 16, the inlet plug 5 is moved toward the inlet 1A side, and insertion and fitting of the plug housing 81 into the outer case 51A starts. At this time, as shown in (a) and (b) of Figures 17, the pressing portion 87 at the tip of the plug housing 81 of the inlet plug 5 abuts against the abutment portion 39 at the tip of the movable case 31A, pressing the abutment portion 39 against the elastic force of the spring 30.

[0077] When the movable case 31 moves rearward on the opposite side to the inlet plug 5 (right side in FIG. 17) relative to the outer case 51, first, the shutter boss 47 reaches the curved portion of the first displacement cam portion in the first cam groove 37A. Then, the shutter boss 47 is squeezed between the third displacement cam portion 63 of the third cam groove 60 and the first displacement cam portion of the first cam groove 37A and displaced toward the inlet plug 5 along the connector fitting direction. That is, the first displacement cam portion extends in a direction intersecting with the third displacement cam portion 63 of the outer case 51A in a side view, and can displace the shutter boss 47 toward the inlet plug 5 along the connector fitting direction in cooperation with the third displacement cam portion 63 immediately before the shutter 41A rotates from the shutter closed position to the shutter open position. The shutter 41A, whose displacement motion toward the inlet plug 5 is supported by the second displacement cam portion 48b of the second cam groove 48 engaging (following) with the movable case boss 38, can be displaced while maintaining a posture parallel to the connector fitting direction.

[0078] 18(a) and 18(b), when the movable case 31A moves to the side opposite the inlet plug 5 relative to the outer case 51A, the shutter boss 47 reaches the front end of the first displacement cam portion in the first cam groove 37A, and its tip portion reaches the reference portion 61 in the third cam groove 60. Then, the second rotating cam portion 48a of the second cam groove 48 engages (is driven by) the movable case boss 38, thereby supporting the displacement action of the shutter 41A toward the inlet plug 5 side, and the shutter 41A is displaced diagonally downward (diagonally downward to the left in FIG. 18) toward the inlet plug 5 side along the connector fitting direction.

[0079] 19(a) and 19(b), when the movable case 31A moves toward the opposite side to the inlet plug 5 relative to the outer case 51A, the shutter boss 47 reaches the first rotating cam portion 37b of the first cam groove 37A. Then, the second cam groove 48 engages with (is driven by) the movable case boss 38, and the shutter 41, whose rotational motion is supported when the shutter 41 moves along the connector fitting direction, rotates the shutter front wall 43 downward about the shutter boss 47 as the rotation center to the shutter open position.

[0080] Furthermore, the movable case 31A moves to the opposite side of the inlet plug 5 relative to the outer case 51A (right side in FIG. 19), so that the shutter boss 47 reaches the third displacement cam portion 63 of the third cam groove 60. Then, the shutter 41A rotated to the shutter open position has the shutter front wall 43, which is the rotation tip (free end), displaced toward the shutter boss 47, which is the rotation center (upper side in FIG. 19). The movable case 31A moves further toward the opposite side of the inlet plug 5 relative to the outer case 51A, so that the shutter boss 47 reaches the parallel portion 65 of the third cam groove 60. Then, the shutter 41A moves in parallel toward the rear of the outer case 51A while rotated to the shutter open position.

[0081] From this state, when the inlet plug 5 is further inserted deeper toward the rear of the inlet 1, the shutter 41A is rotated to the shutter open position where the shutter front wall 43 is parallel to the bottom wall 56 of the outer case 51A, as shown in Figures 20(a) and 20(b). Then, when the shutter boss 47 reaches the parallel portion 65 of the third cam groove 60, the shutter 41A moves in parallel toward the rear of the outer case 51A while being rotated to the shutter open position.

[0082] Then, the connection terminal 90 of the inlet plug 5 is fitted into and connected to the connection terminal 70 of the inlet 1, whereby the high voltage cable 71 and the high voltage cable 91 are electrically connected. Therefore, the inlet 1A and the inlet plug 5 are fitted together and electrically connected by butting the tip end of the movable case 31A and the tip end of the plug housing 81 together.

[0083] Therefore, in addition to the effects of the inlet 1 according to the first embodiment, according to the inlet 1A according to the second embodiment, immediately before the shutter 41A rotates from the shutter closed position to the shutter open position, the shutter front wall 43 is displaced toward the inlet plug 5 side along the connector fitting direction via the shutter boss 47 by the first displacement cam portion of the first cam groove 37A extending in a direction intersecting with the third displacement cam portion 63 in a side view. Thus, the shutter 41A can be configured so that the shutter front wall 43 covers the front opening 25 in a state of contact with the opening edge 25a of the front opening 25 at the shutter closed position.

[0084] That is, immediately before the shutter 41A rotates from a state in which the shutter front wall 43 abuts against the opening edge 25a of the front opening 25 to the shutter open position, the shutter front wall 43 is displaced toward the inlet plug 5 and moves away from the opening edge 25a of the front opening 25. Therefore, the shutter front wall 43 rotating to the shutter open position is not rubbed against the opening edge 25a of the front opening 25. As a result, the shutter front wall 43 of the shutter 41A, which covers the front opening 25 while abutting against the opening edge 25a, can reliably prevent dust, water, etc. from entering the front opening 25 of the housing 21.

[0085] Furthermore, according to the inlet 1A according to the second embodiment, the shutter 41A, which displaces toward the inlet plug 5 along the connector fitting direction immediately before rotating from the shutter closed position to the shutter open position, has its displacement action supported by the movable case boss 38 engaging with the second displacement cam portion 48b of the second cam groove 48. Thus, the shutter 41A, which displaces toward the inlet plug 5 along the connector fitting direction, can be displaced while maintaining a posture parallel to the connector fitting direction, and it is possible to prevent the shutter front wall 43 from hitting against the opening edge 25a of the front opening 25 on one side (a part of the opening edge 25a coming into strong contact).

[0086] Furthermore, according to the inlet 1A according to the second embodiment, the elastic packing 49 provided on the shutter front wall 43 can elastically contact the opening edge 25a of the front opening 25. Thus, the elastic packing 49 that abuts against the opening edge 25a to cover the front opening 25 can more reliably prevent the intrusion of dust, water, and the like into the front opening 25 of the housing 21.

[0087] According to the inlets 1 and 1A of the above-described embodiments, the spring function of the connector with a shutter mechanism can be ensured and a compact connector can be provided.

[0088] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be appropriately modified, improved, etc. In addition, the material, shape, size, number, arrangement location, etc. of each component in the above-described embodiment are arbitrary as long as the present invention can be achieved, and are not limited.

[0089] For example, in the above embodiment, an inlet used in an electric vehicle or the like as a connector with a shutter mechanism was described as an example, but the connector of the present invention is not limited to this and can be applied to various connectors based on the spirit of the present invention.

[0090] Here, the features of the above-described embodiments of the connector according to the present invention will be briefly summarized and listed in the following [1] to [8]. [1] A housing (21) for accommodating a connection terminal (70); an outer case (51, 51A) that accommodates and holds the housing (21); a movable case (31, 31A) in which first cam grooves (37, 37A) are formed through movable case side walls (35, 35) corresponding to both side walls (54, 55) of the outer case (51, 51A), respectively, and which is arranged in the outer case (51, 51A) to be movable in a connector fitting direction; a shutter (41, 41A) having a shutter front wall (43) covering a front opening (25) of the housing (21) into which a mating connector (inlet plug 5) is fitted, shutter side walls (45, 45) provided at both ends of the shutter front wall (43), and a shutter boss (47) protruding from an outer surface of the shutter side wall (45) and engaging with the first cam groove (37, 37A); a spring (30) that elastically biases the movable case (31, 31A) toward the mating connector (inlet plug 5), The first cam groove (37, 37) engages with the shutter boss (47), thereby rotating the shutter (41, 41A) in the opening / closing direction around the shutter boss (47) in conjunction with the movement of the movable case (31, 31). A connector (inlet 1, 1A). [2] a third cam groove (60) provided on each side wall (54, 55) of the outer case (51, 51A), and configured to engage with the shutter boss (47) to move the shutter (41, 41A) relative to the outer case (51, 51A) in a connector fitting direction in conjunction with movement of the movable case (31, 31A); a movable case boss (38) protruding from an inner surface of the movable case side wall (35, 35) of the movable case (31, 31A); a second cam groove (48, 48A) formed on the shutter side wall (45, 45) of the shutter (41) and engaging with the movable case boss (38) to support a rotational movement of the shutter (41, 41A) moving along a connector fitting direction; The connector (inlet 1, 1A) according to the above [1], comprising: [3] A third displacement cam portion (63) is provided in the third cam groove (60) to move the shutter (41, 41A) via the shutter boss (47) engaged with the third cam groove (60) so that the shutter front wall (43) is displaced toward the shutter boss (47) while the shutter (41, 41A) rotates from the shutter closed position to the shutter open position. The connector (inlet 1) according to the above [2]. [4] The first cam groove (37A) is provided with a first displacement cam portion (37c) that extends in a direction intersecting with the third displacement cam portion (63) in a side view and displaces the shutter boss (47) toward the mating connector (inlet plug 5) along the connector fitting direction in cooperation with the third displacement cam portion (63) immediately before the shutter (41A) rotates from the shutter closing position to the shutter opening position. The connector (inlet 1A) according to the above [3]. [5] The second cam groove (48A) is provided with a second displacement cam portion (48b) that supports a displacement motion of the shutter (41A) toward the mating connector (inlet plug 5) along the connector fitting direction immediately before the shutter (41A) rotates from the shutter closed position to the shutter open position. The connector (inlet 1A) according to the above [4]. [6] The shutter front wall (43) includes an elastic packing (49) that abuts against the opening edge (25a) of the front opening (25). The connector (inlet 1A) according to the above [4] or [5]. [7] The spring (30) is interposed between the movable case (31, 31A) and a rear wall (spring support portion 27) of the housing (21). The connector (inlet 1, 1A) according to any one of the above [1] to [6]. [8] A contact portion (39) that is pressed against a tip portion (pressing portion 87) of the mating connector (inlet plug 5) when the connectors are fitted is provided at a front end of an intersection between the movable case side wall (35, 35) and the movable case top wall (33) of the movable case (31, 31A). The connector (inlet 1, 1A) according to any one of the above [1] to [7]. [Explanation of symbols]

[0091] 1...Inlet (connector) 5...Inlet plug (mating connector) 21. Housing 25…Front opening 30…Spring 31...Movable case 35…Movable case side wall 37…First cam groove 41...Shutter 43…Shutter front wall 45…Shutter side wall 47... Shutter Boss 48…Second cam groove 51…Outer case 54…Side wall 55...Side wall 60...Third cam groove 70...Connection terminal

Claims

1. A housing for accommodating a connection terminal; an outer case that accommodates and holds the housing; a movable case, the movable case being disposed within the outer case so as to be movable in parallel in a connector fitting direction, the movable case having first cam grooves formed therethrough in side walls of the movable case corresponding to both side walls of the outer case, a shutter having a front wall covering a front opening of the housing into which a mating connector is fitted, shutter side walls provided at both ends of the front wall, and a shutter boss protruding from an outer surface of the side wall and engaging with the first cam groove; a spring that elastically biases the movable case toward the mating connector; a third cam groove provided on each side wall of the outer case, the third cam groove engaging with the shutter boss to move the shutter relative to the outer case in a connector fitting direction in conjunction with the movement of the movable case; a movable case boss protruding from an inner surface of the movable case side wall of the movable case; a second cam groove formed on the shutter side wall of the shutter and engaging with the movable case boss to support a rotational movement of the shutter that moves along a connector fitting direction; the first cam groove engages with the shutter boss to rotate the shutter about the shutter boss in an opening / closing direction in conjunction with the movement of the movable case; A connector characterized by:

2. The third cam groove is provided with a third displacement cam portion which moves the shutter via the shutter boss engaged with the third cam groove so that the shutter front wall is displaced toward the shutter boss while the shutter rotates from the shutter closed position to the shutter open position.

2. The connector according to claim 1 .

3. The first cam groove is provided with a first displacement cam portion which extends in a direction intersecting with the third displacement cam portion in a side view and cooperates with the third displacement cam portion to displace the shutter boss toward the mating connector along the connector mating direction immediately before the shutter rotates from the shutter closed position to the shutter open position.

3. The connector according to claim 2.

4. The second cam groove is provided with a second displacement cam portion that supports a displacement action of the shutter displaced toward the mating connector along the connector fitting direction immediately before the shutter rotates from the shutter closed position to the shutter open position.

4. The connector according to claim 3.

5. The shutter front wall includes an elastic gasket that abuts against the opening edge of the front opening.

5. The connector according to claim 3 or 4.

6. The spring is interposed between the movable case and a rear wall of the housing.

6. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the connector is a connector having a first end and a second end.

7. When the connectors are mated, an abutment portion that is pressed against the tip portion of the mating connector is provided at a front end of an intersection portion between the movable case side wall and the movable case top wall in the movable case.

7. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the connector is a connector having a first end and a second end.

Images