Connector device

Abstract

To enhance safety in fitting and desorption operations of a connector device having a HVIL.SOLUTION: A connector 100 comprises an interlock housing 50 to which an interlock terminal 60 is attached separately from a lever 40 that connects and disconnects a main terminal with a mating connector 200, and a first spring piece 48 is formed in the lever 40. A connection of a HVIL connects the main terminal by rotating the lever 40 from a first position to a second position, after that, slides the lever 40 from the second position to the third position. In addition, such an operation is performed by lowering the interlock housing 50 with a pressure from an opening position to a closing position. In the first spring piece 48, the lever 40 is positioned in the third position, and generates a first elastic restoration force when the interlock housing 50 is positioned in the opening position. Since the lever 40 is separated from the third position in the state where an external force for sliding the lever 40 to the third position in defiance to the first elastic restoration force is not applied, the interlock housing 50 cannot be depressed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a high-voltage, high-current connector device equipped with an HVIL (High-Voltage Interlock). [Background technology]

[0002] Figure 21 shows the configuration described in Patent Document 1 as a conventional example of this type of connector device, in which one connector housing 11 is attached to the other connector housing 21 by operating a lever 12 attached to one connector housing 11.

[0003] A terminal hood portion 11a is provided below the connector housing 11, and a pair of terminals (male terminals) 13 are provided within the terminal hood portion 11a. A pair of guide pins 11b protrude from the outer wall of the connector housing 11 and engage with guide grooves 14 of a lever 12, which will be described later.

[0004] 22, the lever 12 has a pair of arm plate portions 12a, 12b and an operating portion 12c that connects the pair of arm plate portions 12a, 12b. The pair of arm plate portions 12a, 12b are provided with guide grooves 14 that extend in the horizontal direction. A pair of guide pins 11b of the connector housing 11 are inserted into each guide groove 14, respectively, so that the lever 12 is provided to be capable of rotational and linear movement relative to the connector housing 11.

[0005] In addition, cam grooves 15 are provided in the pair of arm plate portions 12a, 12b, and when one connector housing 11 is attached to the other connector housing 21, a cam pin 21a (described later) of the other connector housing 21 is inserted into the pair of cam grooves 15.

[0006] Furthermore, one of the pair of arm plate portions 12a, 12b is wider than the other, and the wider arm plate portion 12b is provided with a connector portion 12d, and a male terminal 16 for fitting detection is provided on the connector portion 12d.

[0007] The other connector housing 21 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape with an open upper surface, and its internal space serves as mounting space 21b for connector housing 11. A terminal hood accommodating portion 21c is provided on the bottom surface portion that serves as the lower surface of mounting space 21b, and a pair of terminals (female terminals) 22 are accommodated in terminal hood accommodating portion 21c.

[0008] A pair of cam pins 21a protrude from symmetrical positions on the inner peripheral wall of the connector housing 21, and a connector section 21d is provided in the mounting space 21b. The connector section 21d is provided with a pair of mating detection female terminals 23 (see FIG. 24, described later).

[0009] Figures 23A to 23C show the state of the lever 12 in the process of inserting one connector housing 11 into the mounting space 21b of the other connector housing 21 from the state before one connector housing 11 is mounted to the other connector housing 21 shown in Figure 21, together with the cam pin 21a of the other connector housing 21, and mounting the one connector housing 11 to the other connector housing 21, Figure 23A shows the state in which the lever 12 is rotated in the direction of arrow a from the rotation start position shown in Figure 21 and is between the rotation start position and the rotation completion position, and Figure 23B shows the state in which the lever 12 is at the rotation completion position. Also, Figure 23C shows the state in which the lever 12 is slid in the direction of arrow b and is at the mating completion position.

[0010] The cam pin 21a of the other connector housing 21, which has entered the cam groove 15 of the lever 12, moves within the cam groove 15 as the lever 12 rotates, causing one connector housing 11 to gradually move closer to and enter the other connector housing 21, and this approaching movement brings the terminals 13, 22 of both connector housings 11, 21 into contact by the time the lever 12 reaches the rotation completion position.

[0011] Next, when the lever 12 is slid in the direction of arrow b from the rotation completion position to the mating completion position, the mating detection male terminal 16 of the lever 12 comes into contact with the pair of mating detection female terminals 23 of the other connector housing 21 by the time the lever 12 reaches the mating completion position. Figure 24 shows the state when the lever 12 is at the mating completion position and the attachment of one connector housing 11 to the other connector housing 21 is completed.

[0012] The operation of lever 12 thus consists of two actions: a rotation operation and a slide operation. The slide operation after the rotation operation brings male terminal 16 for mating detection into contact with female terminal 23 for mating detection, detecting the mating, and the power circuit is then made conductive for the first time, causing current to flow between terminals 13 and 22.

[0013] In addition, the operation of lever 12 to change the power circuit from a conductive state to a non-conductive state consists of two reverse actions: the first sliding operation turns off the power circuit, and the next rotating operation separates terminal 13 from terminal 22.

[0014] Therefore, it is possible to prevent the power circuit from becoming conductive before the operation of the lever 12 is completed, and it is also possible to prevent the occurrence of arc discharge. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0015] [Patent Document 1] JP 2003-100382 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0016] As described above, in the conventional connector device shown in Figure 21, the high current terminal is connected and disconnected by rotating the lever, and the mating detection terminal that makes up the HVIL is connected and disconnected by sliding the lever. This ensures a time lag between the connection and disconnection of the high current terminal and the connection and disconnection of the HVIL, allowing the connector device to be safely mated and disconnected.

[0017] However, in such a system in which the connection and disconnection of the high current terminal and the connection and disconnection of the HVIL are performed by a series of lever operations such as rotating and sliding the lever, if the series of operations are performed quickly, there is a risk that a sufficient time interval to ensure safety will not be secured between the connection and disconnection of the high current terminal and the connection and disconnection of the HVIL.

[0018] In view of these problems, the object of the present invention is to provide a connector device which provides a more sufficient time interval than conventionally between the connection / disconnection of high current terminals and the connection / disconnection of an HVIL, and which can prevent an operator from connecting an HVIL unintentionally, thereby making the fitting and disconnection operations of the connector device safer than conventionally. [Means for solving the problem]

[0019] According to this invention, in a connector device consisting of a connector having a housing, a lever, a main terminal, an interlock housing, and an interlock terminal, and a mating connector having a mating housing, a mating main terminal, and a mating interlock terminal, a guide groove is formed on one of the lever and the housing, and a guide shaft is formed on the other, and the lever is attached to the housing such that the guide shaft is located in the guide groove, thereby making the connector rotatable between a first position and a second position with respect to the housing and slidable between the second position and a third position, one of a cam groove and a driven boss constituting a cam mechanism is formed on the lever, and the other is formed on the mating housing, and when the connector with the lever in the first position is in a mating preparation position with respect to the mating connector, when the lever is rotated to the second position, the connector is drawn by the cam mechanism to a mating position closer to the mating connector than the mating preparation position, and the main terminal and the mating main terminal are connected, the interlock terminal is attached to the interlock housing, and the interlock housing is formed with a spring piece and a protruding piece having an outwardly protruding protrusion at its tip, and when the protrusion is pressed, it retracts from its natural position the interlock housing is attached to the housing so as to be slidable between an open position and a closed position, and when the protrusion is in its natural position, the interlock housing in the open position is prevented from sliding to the closed position by the protrusion abutting against an abutting surface of the housing, and when the protrusion is in its retracted position, the interlock housing can slide to the closed position; when the connector is in its mating position with the mating connector and the interlock housing is in its open position, the interlock terminal and the mating interlock terminal are disengaged from each other; when the connector is in its mating position with the mating connector and the interlock housing is in its closed position, the interlock terminal and the mating interlock terminal are connected to each other; when the connector is in its mating position with the mating connector and the lever is in its second position, the protrusion is in its natural position; when the connector is in its mating position with the mating connector and the lever is in its third position, the protrusion is pressed by the pressing portion of the lever to the retracted position; a first spring piece is formed on the lever; the connector is in its mating position with the mating connector and the lever is in its third position;Furthermore, when the interlock housing is in the open position, the first spring piece abuts against the protruding piece to generate a first elastic restoring force that slides the lever toward the second position, and in a state in which no external force is applied that slides the lever to the third position against the first elastic restoring force, the lever moves away from the third position by the first elastic restoring force, so that the protrusion is not pressed by the pressing portion and is positioned in its natural position. Effect of the Invention

[0020] With the connector device of this invention, the HVIL is connected by rotating the lever to connect the high current main terminal, then sliding the lever and pushing down the interlock housing, and the main terminal is disconnected by lifting the interlock housing to disconnect the HVIL, then sliding the lever and rotating the lever again.

[0021] Therefore, compared to conventional examples in which the connection and disconnection of the high current terminal and the connection and disconnection of the HVIL are performed by rotating and sliding the lever, the extra effort required to operate the interlock housing results in a greater time lag between the connection and disconnection of the high current main terminal and the connection and disconnection of the HVIL, making it possible to improve the safety of the fitting and disconnecting operations of the connector device compared to conventional examples.

[0022] In addition, with the connector device of the present invention, if the operator stops sliding the lever and releases the lever, the lever will not return to that position but will be pushed back. Therefore, even if an external force unintended by the operator is applied to the interlock housing, the interlock housing will not slide to the closed position, thereby preventing the HVIL from being easily connected against the operator's intentions, further enhancing safety. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1]FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a connector in one embodiment of a connector device according to the present invention, as viewed from above, and FIG. [Diagram 2] 1A is a front view of a mating connector in one embodiment of a connector device according to the present invention, FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the mating connector shown in A as viewed from the front side, and FIG. 1C is a perspective view of the mating connector shown in A as viewed from the rear side. [Diagram 3] 1A is a front view of the housing in FIG. 1A, B is a right side view thereof, C is a perspective view thereof as seen from above, and D is a perspective view thereof as seen from below. [Figure 4] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the lever in FIG. 1A as seen from above, and FIG. [Diagram 5] A is a plan view of the lever shown in Figure 4A, B is a front view, C is a right side view, D is a rear view, E is a cross-sectional view of B along line GG, and F is a cross-sectional view of B along line HH. [Figure 6] FIG. 1A is a front view of the interlock housing with the interlock terminal in FIG. 1A attached, FIG. 1B is a right side view, FIG. 1C is a perspective view from above the front side, FIG. 1D is a perspective view from below the front side, and FIG. 1E is a perspective view from above the rear side. [Figure 7] 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a connector is in a mating preparation position in one embodiment of a connector device according to the present invention; [Figure 8] 8 is a perspective view showing a state in which the lever has been rotated to a second position from the state shown in FIG. 7 . [Figure 9] 9 is a perspective view showing a state in which the lever has been slid to a third position from the state shown in FIG. 8 . [Figure 10] 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which the interlock housing is slid to a closed position from the state shown in FIG. 9 . [Figure 11] 8A is a right side view of the state shown in FIG. 7, and B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the CC line portion of A. [Figure 12] A is a right side view of the state shown in Figure 8, B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the DD line portion of A, and C is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the EE line portion of A. [Figure 13]A is a right side view of the state shown in Figure 9, B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the DD line portion of A, and C is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the EE line portion of A. [Figure 14] A is a right side view of the state shown in Figure 10, B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of A along the line EE, C is an enlarged central vertical cross-sectional view of A, and D is an enlarged cross-sectional view of A along the line FF. [Figure 15] A is a plan view of the state shown in FIG. 8, and B is a cross-sectional view of A along line CC. [Figure 16] 9A is a plan view of the state shown in FIG. 9, and B is a cross-sectional view of A along line CC. [Figure 17] 10. A is a plan view of the state shown in FIG. 10, and B is a cross-sectional view of A along line CC. [Figure 18] 7A is a plan view of the state shown in FIG. 7, and B is a cross-sectional view of A taken along line CC. [Figure 19] FIG. 9A is a plan view showing the state when the force rotating the lever is removed from the rotated state shown in FIG. 8, and FIG. 9B is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC of FIG. [Figure 20] 9A is a plan view of the state shown in FIG. 9, and B is a cross-sectional view of A along line CC. [Figure 21] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a conventional connector device. [Figure 22] FIG. 22A is a perspective view of the lever in FIG. 21, and FIG. [Figure 23] FIG. 1A is a front view showing the state where the lever is between the rotation start position and the rotation completion position, FIG. 1B is a front view showing the state where the lever is at the rotation completion position, and FIG. [Figure 24] 22A is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state in which the connector device shown in FIG. 21 has been completely attached, and FIG. 22B is an enlarged view of a main portion of A. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0024] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0025] 1 and 2 respectively show a connector 100 and a mating connector 200 constituting one embodiment of a high-voltage, high-current connector device according to the present invention equipped with an HVIL. In Fig. 1, 30 denotes a housing, and 40 denotes a lever. Also, 50 denotes an interlock housing, to which an interlock terminal 60 is attached as described below. In Fig. 1, 300 denotes a cable, and in this example, the connector 100 is attached to the ends of two cables 300. In Fig. 1, 70 denotes main terminals connected to the two cables 300, respectively, and 80 denotes a cable cover attached to the housing 30.

[0026] First, the configurations of the housing 30, the lever 40, and the interlock housing 50 of the connector 100 will be described.

[0027] 3, the housing 30 is broadly composed of a fitting portion 31, a cable accommodating portion 32 following the rear of the fitting portion 31, and an attachment portion 33 located in front of the fitting portion 31. The fitting portion 31 is box-shaped with an open bottom, and the main terminal 70 is accommodated within this fitting portion 31. A pair of guide shafts 34 are formed on both side surfaces of the fitting portion 31 so as to protrude outward from each other.

[0028] The mounting portion 33 is a portion to which the interlock housing 50 is attached, and is generally cylindrical and open in the vertical direction. A pair of slits 35 extending from the front end of the mounting portion 33 toward the rear are formed in opposing positions in the vertical middle of the mounting portion 33, and a pair of slits 36 are further formed in opposing positions from the upper end of the mounting portion 33 to the slits 35. The rear ends of the slits 35 and the slits 36 communicate with the inside and outside of the mounting portion 33.

[0029] 4 and 5, the lever 40 includes a pair of plate-shaped arm portions 41, a connecting portion 42 connecting the base ends of the pair of arm portions 41, and an operating portion 43 located on the opposite side of the connecting portion 42 to the arm portions 41. The operating portion 43 is located on the lower end side of the connecting portion 42, and a pair of reinforcing walls 44 extending in the vertical direction are located at both ends of the operating portion 43 in the width direction, and are provided between the connecting portion 42 and the operating portion 43.

[0030] A guide groove 41a extending in the extension direction of the arm portion 41 is formed in each of the pair of arm portions 41, and further a cam groove 41b is formed in each of the arm portions 41. The cam groove 41b has a curved shape as shown in Figures 4 and 5, and its tip is located at the tip of the arm portion 41. In addition, a held portion 41c is formed in a recessed shape on the outer surface on the lower end side of the tip of each of the arm portions 41.

[0031] An opening 42a is formed on the lower half side of the connecting portion 42, and an opening 43a communicating with this opening 42a is also formed in the operating portion 43. Wall portions 45 extending in the up-down direction are formed on both sides in the width direction of the opening 43a of the operating portion 43, and a pair of protrusions 46 are formed along the wall portions 45 on the inner sides of each of the pair of wall portions 45.

[0032] The protrusions 46 have an L-shaped cross section and extend in the extension direction of the arm portion 41, perpendicular to the wall portion 45, and one half of each L-shape protruding inwardly from each other forms a slide insertion portion 46a. The tip of the slide insertion portion 46a located on the arm portion 41 side functions as a pressing portion 46b, and the cut-out portion adjacent to the pressing portion 46b functions as an interference portion 46c. Axial-shaped held portions 47 are formed to protrude from the outer surfaces of the pair of wall portions 45.

[0033] Furthermore, in this example, a pair of first spring pieces 48 and a pair of second spring pieces 49 are formed in the operating portion 43. The first spring pieces 48 are provided between the pair of wall portions 45 and the pair of protruding portions 46, respectively, and the second spring pieces 49 are provided on the outer sides of the held portions 47 formed on the outer surfaces of the pair of wall portions 45, respectively. As shown in Fig. 5F, the first spring pieces 48 have a base end (fixed end) on the lower surface side of the operating portion 43 and extend obliquely upward toward the side where the arm portion 41 is located, and the second spring pieces 49 have a base end on the upper surface side of the operating portion 43 and extend obliquely downward toward the side where the arm portion 41 is located, as shown in Fig. 5E.

[0034] 6, the interlock housing 50 includes a cylindrical portion 51 and an operating portion 52 located at the upper end of the cylindrical portion 51 and shaped to cover the cylindrical portion 51. An interlock terminal 60 serving as a short terminal is attached and fixed inside the cylindrical portion 51.

[0035] A pair of spring pieces 53, a pair of protruding pieces 54, a lock piece 55, and a retaining piece 56 are integrally formed with the cylindrical portion 51. The pair of spring pieces 53 are formed at opposing positions on the peripheral wall 51a of the cylindrical portion 51 by making vertical cuts in the peripheral wall 51a. The upper ends of the pair of spring pieces 53 are base ends, and protrusions 53a that protrude outward from each other are formed at the lower ends (tips).

[0036] When the protruding direction of the protrusions 53a of the pair of spring pieces is the left-right direction, the lock piece 55 is formed in front of the peripheral wall 51a, extending upward from the lower end of the peripheral wall 51a. An operation protrusion 55a is formed protruding forward at the tip (upper end) of the lock piece 55, and a protrusion 55b is formed protruding forward at the middle of the extension direction of the lock piece 55. The slip-out prevention piece 56 is formed at a position on the peripheral wall 51a opposite the position of the peripheral wall 51a where the lock piece 55 is located, extending upward from the lower end of the peripheral wall 51a, and a protrusion 56a is formed at the tip of the slip-out prevention piece 56, protruding rearward.

[0037] The pair of protruding pieces 54 are each formed on the front side of the spring piece 53, i.e., adjacent to the side where the locking piece 55 is located, and are formed to protrude outward from the peripheral wall 51a and extend further outward from a plate portion 57 extending in the vertical direction.

[0038] The interlock housing 50 having the above-mentioned configuration and holding the interlock terminal 60 is inserted from above into the mounting portion 33 of the housing 30 and is attached thereto, and is prevented from coming off by the projection 56a of the retaining piece 56 being caught therein. The lever 40 is attached to the housing 30 by inserting and positioning the pair of guide shafts 34 of the housing 30 into the respective guide grooves 41a of the pair of arm portions 41. The lever 40 is rotatable relative to the housing 30 between a first position and a second position that the lever 40 takes, as described below, and is slidable between the second position and a third position. Figure 1 shows the lever 40 in the first position.

[0039] 2, which shows a mating connector 200, reference numeral 110 denotes a mating housing, 120 denotes a mating main terminal, and 130 denotes a mating interlock terminal. The mating connector 200 is to be mounted on a board.

[0040] The mating housing 110 includes a plate portion 111 and a fitted portion 112 that is frame-shaped and opens upward and is positioned to protrude from the plate portion 111. A pair of driven bosses 113 are formed on the outer surfaces of left and right portions of a frame-shaped peripheral wall 112a of the fitted portion 112, protruding outward from each other. A portion of the peripheral wall 112a facing rearward is largely cut out by a notch 114. A pair of mating main terminals 120 are accommodated and disposed within the fitted portion 112.

[0041] Further formed on plate portion 111 of mating housing 110 are an attachment portion 115, a pair of protrusions 116, and a pair of holding portions 117. Attachment portion 115 is located in front of mating portion 112 and has a cylindrical shape that opens upward, and mating interlock terminal 130 is attached and fixed within attachment portion 115.

[0042] The pair of protruding portions 116 are provided on the left and right of the attachment portion 115 in front of the fitted portion 112. The protruding portion 116 has a shape in which a visor-shaped portion 116a facing forward is supported by an upright portion 116b that stands vertically from the plate portion 111. The pair of holding portions 117 are provided on the left and right of the fitted portion 112 on the rear side of the fitted portion 112. The holding portion 117 has a plate surface perpendicular to the plate portion 111, and protrusions 117a are formed on the plate surfaces of the pair of holding portions 117 so as to protrude inward toward each other.

[0043] Next, the operation of fitting the above-mentioned connector 100 and the mating connector 200 will be described.

[0044] 7 to 10 sequentially show states 1 to 4 in the process of mating the connector 100 and the mating connector 200, and Figs. 11 to 14 respectively show details of the main parts in states 1 to 4. Note that states 1 to 4 show a series of mating processes as intended by the operator. <State 1: Fig. 7, 11> In state 1, the mating portion 31 of the housing 30 of the connector 100 with the lever 40 in the first position is mated with the mated portion 112 of the mating housing 110 of the mating connector 200, the connector 100 is in a mating preparation position with respect to the mating connector 200, and the pair of driven bosses 113 of the mating connector 200 are each inserted into the cam grooves 41b of the lever 40 of the connector 100. In this state 1, the main terminal 70 and the mating main terminal 120 are not yet connected.

[0045] The interlock housing 50 attached to the mounting portion 33 of the housing 30 of the connector 100 has its protrusions 53a of a pair of spring pieces 53 in their natural positions and inserted into the slits 35 of the mounting portion 33 as shown in Fig. 11B. As a result, even if the operating portion 52 of the interlock housing 50 is pressed, the protrusions 53a abut against the abutment surface 35a formed by the inner surface on the lower side of the slit 35, and the interlock housing 50 cannot be pushed down, i.e., the interlock housing 50 is prevented from sliding to the closed position where the interlock terminal 60 of the connector 100 and the mating interlock terminal 130 of the mating connector 200 are connected to each other. <State 2: Fig. 8, 12> State 2 is a state in which lever 40 has been rotated from the first position to the second position, and a cam mechanism consisting of cam groove 41b of lever 40 and driven boss 113 of mating connector 200 inserted in cam groove 41b draws connector 100 to a mating position closer to mating connector 200 than the mating preparation position of state 1, resulting in state 2. In state 2, main terminal 70 of connector 100 and mating main terminal 120 of mating connector 200 are connected as shown in FIG.

[0046] As in state 1, interlock housing 50 is in the open position of state 1, and protrusion 53a of spring piece 53 is in its natural position, preventing interlock housing 50 from sliding to the closed position. Although connector 100 approaches mating connector 200, interlock terminal 60 and mating interlock terminal 130 are not yet connected and are disengaged from each other, as shown in FIG. 12C.

[0047] Furthermore, when the connector 100 with the lever 40 in the second position is in the mating position of state 2 relative to the mating connector 200, if the lever 40 is rotated from the second position to the first position, the connector 100 is pushed back to the mating preparation position of state 1 by the cam mechanism, and the connection between the main terminal 70 and the mating main terminal 120 is released. <State 3: Fig. 9, 13> In state 3, the lever 40 is slid from the second position to the third position, and the slide insertion portions 46a of the pair of projections 46 of the lever 40 enter the slits 35 of the housing 30. As a result, the projections 53a of the pair of spring pieces 53 of the interlock housing 50 are pressed by the pressing portions 46b at the tips of the slide insertion portions 46a as shown in Fig. 13B, and are displaced from the natural position to the retracted position. By displacing the projections 53a to the retracted position, the interlock housing 50, which is attached to the attachment portion 33 of the housing 30 so as to be slidable between the open position and the closed position that the interlock housing 50 takes, can slide to the closed position.

[0048] Furthermore, since the lever 40 becomes slidable when the slide insertion portion 46a enters the slit 35 of the housing 30, if, for example, the lever 40 is not in the second position of state 2 and has not been fully rotated (not fully tilted down), the slide insertion portion 46a cannot enter the slit 35 and the lever 40 cannot be slid to the third position.

[0049] Furthermore, because the slide insertion portion 46a of the lever 40 is structured to enter the slit 35 of the housing 30 in this manner, the lever 40 cannot rotate when in state 3, in which the lever 40 is in the third position.

[0050] 13B, in this example, the projections 117a of the holding portion 117 provided on the mating connector 200 fit into the held portions 41c provided in a recessed shape on the pair of arm portions 41, and further, a pair of shaft-shaped held portions 47 provided on the operating portion 43 of the lever 40 fit under the eaves-shaped portions 116a of the protrusions 116 provided on the mating connector 200. As a result, the held portions 41c, 47 are held by the holding portions 117 and the protrusions 116, respectively, and the lever 40 is firmly fixed to the mating housing 110 of the mating connector 200. <State 4: Fig. 10, 14> In state 4, the interlock housing 50, which is in the open position in state 3, is pushed in by the operating portion 52 and slides to the closed position, and the interlock terminal 60 and the mating interlock terminal 130 are connected to each other as shown in Fig. 14D. This allows the mating to be detected.

[0051] When the interlock housing 50 is thus pushed down to the closed position, a pair of protruding pieces 54 provided on the interlock housing 50 enters an interference portion 46c that is cut out and provided in the slide insertion portion 46a of the lever 40, as shown in Fig. 14B. This fixes the lever 40 to the third position and prevents it from sliding, that is, preventing it from sliding to the second position.

[0052] When the interlock housing 50 is in the closed position, the projection 55b of the lock piece 55 is caught and engaged with the engaging portion 37 provided on the mounting portion 33 of the housing 30, as shown in Figure 14c, and the interlock housing 50 is locked in the closed position. The lock is released by pressing the operating projection 55a of the lock piece 55, which allows the interlock housing 50 to slide back to the open position and also allows the lever 40 to slide back to the second position.

[0053] The above describes states 1 to 4 in the series of steps of fitting the connector 100 and the mating connector 200 according to the operator's intention, but in this example, the lever 40 of the connector 100 is provided with a pair of the first spring piece 48 and the second spring piece 49, and the actions of the first spring piece 48 and the second spring piece 49 ensure that if the operator stops the operation in state 2, for example, the lever 40 will not slide easily against the operator's intention, and that if the operator stops the operation in state 3, the HVIL will not be easily connected against the operator's intention. This point will be explained below.

[0054] 15 to 17 show the states of the first spring piece 48 in states 2 to 4. In state 2 in which the lever 40 shown in Fig. 15 is in the second position, the first spring piece 48 is in a natural state (free state) without contacting other components. In state 3 in which the lever 40 is slid to the third position, the tip of the first spring piece 48 abuts against the protruding piece 54 of the interlock housing 50 as shown in Fig. 16B. As a result, the first spring piece 48 generates a first elastic restoring force that slides (pushes back) the lever 40 toward the second position, but state 3 is maintained by the operator applying a force that presses the lever 40 against this first elastic restoring force, i.e., an external force shown by arrow a that slides the lever 40 to the third position.

[0055] On the other hand, if the operator stops the operation in state 3 and releases his / her hand from the lever 40, the external force indicated by the arrow a is no longer applied, and the lever 40 is pushed back by the first elastic restoring force of the first spring piece 48 and moves away from the third position. As a result, the protrusions 53a of the pair of spring pieces 53 of the interlock housing 50, which were pushed by the pressing part 46b of the lever 40 and displaced to the retracted position as described above in state 3, are released from the pressing part 46b and return to their natural positions. Therefore, the interlock housing 50 is prevented from sliding to the closed position, that is, the operation to connect (close) the HVIL is no longer possible. Therefore, if the operator stops the operation in state 3 and releases his / her hand from the lever 40, the HVIL will not be connected even if an external force that slides the interlock housing 50 to the closed position against the operator's intention is applied.

[0056] In State 4 where the interlock housing 50 has been slid to the closed position, as shown in Fig. 17B, the protruding piece 54 of the interlock housing 50 is displaced downward and disengaged from the abutment of the first spring piece 48. This causes the first spring piece 48 to return to its natural state, so that the first spring piece 48 can be prevented from becoming worn even if the connector device is mated for a long period of time.

[0057] Next, the state of the second spring piece 49 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0058] 18, the second spring piece 49 is in a natural state without contacting other components, but in state 2 where the lever 40 is rotated to the second position, the tip of the second spring piece 49 abuts against the upper surface of the eaves-shaped portion 116a at the top of the protrusion 116 provided on the mating connector 200. As a result, the second spring piece 49 generates a second elastic restoring force that rotates (pushes back) the lever 40 toward the first position, but state 2 is maintained when the operator applies a force that presses the lever 40 against this second elastic restoring force, i.e., an external force that rotates the lever 40 to the second position.

[0059] On the other hand, if the operator interrupts the operation in state 2 and releases his / her hand from lever 40, no external force is applied to rotate lever 40 to the second position, and lever 40 is pushed back by the second elastic restoring force of second spring piece 49, moving away from the second position and to a position approaching the first position. Fig. 19B shows this state, and in this state lever 40 cannot be slid to the third position. Therefore, if the operator interrupts the operation in state 2 and releases his / her hand from lever 40, lever 40 will not slide to the third position even if an external force is applied to lever 40 that would slide it to the third position against the operator's intention.

[0060] Figure 20 shows state 3 in which lever 40 has been slid to the third position, and in this state 3, eaves-shaped portion 116a of protrusion 116 comes off from the abutment of second spring piece 49 as shown in Figure 20B. This causes second spring piece 49 to return to its natural state, so that it is possible to prevent the second spring piece 49 from becoming worn even if the connector device is mated for a long period of time.

[0061] The above has described the configuration and mating operation of one embodiment of a connector device according to the present invention, which is composed of connector 100 and mating connector 200. After connecting the main terminal 70 for high current and the mating main terminal 120, the interlock terminal 60 for HVIL and the mating interlock terminal 130 are connected, and the HVIL circuit is closed, thereby providing a circuit device outside the connector device that passes a large current between the main terminal 70 and the mating main terminal 120.

[0062] According to the above-described connector device, the following effects can be obtained.

[0063] (1) In this example, the HVIL is connected and disconnected by pushing down and up the interlock housing 50 provided separately from the lever 40. That is, the HVIL is connected by rotating the lever 40 to connect the main terminal 70 and the mating main terminal 120, then sliding the lever 40 and further pushing down the interlock housing 50, and the main terminal 70 and the mating main terminal 120 are disconnected by pulling up the interlock housing 50 to disconnect the HVIL, then sliding and rotating the lever 40.

[0064] Therefore, compared to conventional connector devices in which the connection and disconnection of the high current terminal and the connection and disconnection of the HVIL are performed simply by operating a lever, such as rotating or sliding the lever, in this example, an extra step of pushing down or pulling up the interlock housing 50 is required between the connection and disconnection of the high current main terminal and the connection and disconnection of the HVIL, which results in a longer time interval between the two.

[0065] As a result, even if an operator becomes accustomed to the fitting and unfitting operations of the connector device and performs the operations quickly, there will be a sufficient time interval between the connection and disconnection of the high current main terminal and the connection and disconnection of the HVIL, thereby making the fitting and unfitting operations of the connector device safer than ever before.

[0066] (2) If the operation of rotating lever 40 to the second position is interrupted in state 2 and the hand is released from lever 40, lever 40 moves away from the second position due to the action of second spring piece 49, and lever 40 cannot be slid to the third position. Therefore, in this case, even if an external force is applied that causes lever 40 to slide against the operator's intention, lever 40 will not slide to the third position, and therefore the HVIL will not be connected.

[0067] (3) If the operation of sliding lever 40 to the third position is interrupted in state 3 and the hand is released from lever 40, lever 40 moves away from the third position due to the action of first spring piece 48, and interlock housing 50 cannot be slid to the closed position. Therefore, in this case, even if an external force is applied that causes interlock housing 50 to slide against the operator's intention, interlock housing 50 will not slide to the closed position, and therefore the HVIL will not be connected.

[0068] (4) The lever 40 can be slid only when a force to rotate the lever 40 is applied while simultaneously operating the slide, and the HVIL can be connected only when a force to slide the lever 40 is applied while simultaneously operating the interlock housing 50. In other words, proper engagement cannot be achieved unless the operations are performed reliably.

[0069] (5) When the lever 40 is slid to the third position, the held portions 41c, 47 provided on the lever 40 are firmly held by the protrusion 116 and the holding portion 117 of the mating connector 200, thereby preventing the lever 40 from coming off due to vibration or the like or from becoming worn out due to rubbing.

[0070] (6) By pushing down the interlock housing 50 to the closed position, the protruding piece 54 of the interlock housing 50 enters the interference portion 46c of the lever 40, preventing the lever 40 from sliding to the second position. In other words, a single action of pushing down the interlock housing 50 can perform mating detection by the HVIL and lock the lever 40, i.e., CPA (Connector Position Assurance). Therefore, there is no need to provide a separate part for the CPA function, and the number of parts can be reduced. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 11 Connector housing 11a Terminal hood 11b Guide pin 12 Lever 12a, 12b Arm plate section 12c Operation section 12d Connector part 13 Terminal 14 Guide groove 15 Cam groove 16 Male terminal for mating detection 21 Connector housing 21a Cam pin 21b Installation space 21c Terminal hood housing section 21d Connector section 22 Terminal 23 Mating detection female terminal 30 housing 31 mating portion 32 Cable storage section 33 Mounting section 34 Guide shaft 35 Slit 35a Abutment surface 36 Slit 37 Locking portion 38 Recess 39 Frame 40 Lever 41 Arm portion 41a Guide groove 41b Cam groove 41c Retained part 42 Connecting part 42a Opening 43 Operation section 43a opening 44 Reinforced wall 45 Wall section 46 Protrusion 46a Slide insertion portion 46b Pressing portion 46c Interference portion 47 held portion 48 first spring piece 49 second spring piece 50 interlock housing 51 Cylindrical portion 51a Peripheral wall 52 Operating portion 53 Spring piece 53a Projection 54 Projection piece 55 Lock piece 55a Operation protrusion 55b Protrusion 56 Stopper piece 56a Protrusion 57 Plate part 58 Step 60 Interlock terminal 70 Main terminal 80 Cable cover 100 Connector 110 Mating housing 111 Plate part 112 Fitted part 112a Peripheral wall 113 Driven boss 114 Notch 115 Mounting part 116 Protruding portion 116a Eaves-shaped portion 116b Upright part 117 Holding part 117a Protrusion 120 Mating main terminal 130 Mating interlock terminal 200 Mating connector 300 Cable

Claims

1. A connector device including a connector having a housing, a lever, a main terminal, an interlock housing, and an interlock terminal, and a mating connector having a mating housing, a mating main terminal, and a mating interlock terminal, A guide groove is formed in one of the lever and the housing, and a guide shaft is formed in the other of the lever and the housing. the lever is attached to the housing such that the guide shaft is positioned in the guide groove, and the lever is rotatable between a first position and a second position with respect to the housing and slidable between the second position and a third position, One of a cam groove and a driven boss that constitute a cam mechanism is formed in the lever, and the other is formed in the mating housing, When the lever is in the first position and the connector is in a mating preparation position with respect to the mating connector, by rotating the lever to the second position, the connector is drawn by the cam mechanism to a mating position closer to the mating connector than the mating preparation position, and the main terminals and the mating main terminals are connected to each other; The interlock terminal is attached to the interlock housing, The interlock housing is formed with a spring piece and a protruding piece each having an outwardly protruding protrusion at its tip, and the protrusion is displaced from a natural position to a retracted position when pressed, the interlock housing is attached to the housing so as to be slidable between an open position and a closed position, and when the protrusion is in the natural position, the interlock housing is prevented from sliding to the closed position by the protrusion abutting against an abutment surface of the housing, and when the protrusion is in the retracted position, the interlock housing can slide to the closed position; When the connector is in the mating position with respect to the mating connector and the interlock housing is in the open position, the interlock terminal and the mating interlock terminal are disengaged from each other; When the connector is in the mating position with respect to the mating connector and the interlock housing is in the closed position, the interlock terminal and the mating interlock terminal are connected to each other; when the connector is in the mating position with respect to the mating connector and the lever is in the second position, the protrusion is in the natural position; when the connector is in the mating position with respect to the mating connector and the lever is in the third position, the protrusion is pressed by a pressing portion of the lever to be in the retracted position; The lever is formed with a first spring piece, when the connector is in the mating position with respect to the mating connector, the lever is in the third position, and the interlock housing is in the open position, the first spring piece abuts against the protruding piece to generate a first elastic restoring force that causes the lever to slide toward the second position, This connector device is characterized in that when no external force is applied to slide the lever to the third position against the first elastic restoring force, the lever moves away from the third position due to the first elastic restoring force, and the protrusion is not pressed by the pressing portion and is positioned in its natural position.

2. 2. The connector device according to claim 1, A connector device characterized in that, when the interlock housing is in the closed position, the protruding piece disengages from the abutment of the first spring piece and interferes with an interference portion provided on the lever, preventing the lever from sliding to the second position.

3. 3. The connector device according to claim 1, The lever is provided with a second spring piece, and the mating housing is provided with a protrusion. when the connector is in the mating position with respect to the mating connector and the lever is in the second position, the second spring piece abuts against the protruding portion to generate a second elastic restoring force that rotates the lever toward the first position, A connector device characterized in that, when no external force is applied to rotate the lever to the second position against the second elastic restoring force, the lever leaves the second position due to the second elastic restoring force and moves closer to the first position.

4. 4. The connector device according to claim 3, When the connector is in the mating position with respect to the mating connector and the lever is in the third position, the protrusion is out of contact with the second spring piece.

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