Fitting connector

Abstract

To maintain a relative mobile function of a plate.SOLUTION: When a lever member 40 is turned from a first lever position to a second lever position, connector fitting force is applied between a male frame member 20 and a female connector 2 to deflection-deform a plate locking body 22 by input from the female connector approaching the male frame member due to the connector fitting force, resulting in cancellation of a locking state of a plate 32 due to the plate locking body, as well as to push and move a hood member 30 at a first hood position to a second hood position by the input from the female connector so that the hood member is relatively moved. When the lever member 40 is turned from the second lever position to the first lever position, connector extraction force is applied between the male frame member and the female connector to deflection-deform the plate locking body by input from the female connector separated from the male frame due to the connector extraction force, as well as to relatively move the hood member at the second hood position to the first hood position by the input from the female connector.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a fitting connector.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in a fitting connector, an insertion / extraction auxiliary structure for generating a fitting auxiliary force required for increasing the fitting force between connectors or an extraction auxiliary force required for increasing the extraction force between connectors is provided on either one of the two connectors. For example, as one of the connectors with the insertion / extraction auxiliary structure, a lever-type connector including a lever member (so-called LIF lever) as the insertion / extraction auxiliary structure is known. In this fitting connector, by rotating the lever member from a first lever position when the connectors are in an insertable / extractable state to a second lever position when the connectors are in a fitting-completed state between the lever-type connector and the other mating connector, a connector fitting force is generated between the lever-type connector and the mating connector, and they are attracted to each other for fitting connection. And in this fitting connector, by rotating the lever member from the second lever position to the first lever position, a connector extraction force is generated between the lever-type connector and the mating connector, and the fitting-completed state is released while separating them from each other. When the lever-type connector and the mating connector are in an insertable / extractable state, the lever-type connector and the mating connector are in a non-energizable state, and it is possible to start fitting and connecting the lever-type connector and the mating connector to the fitting-completed state, or to separate the lever-type connector and the mating connector. Also, when the lever-type connector and the mating connector are in a fitting-completed state, the lever-type connector and the mating connector are in an energizable state.

[0003] The lever-type connector has a cylindrical hood portion that, when in a fully mated state with a mating connector, inserts the mating connector and fits and connects the mating terminal fitting of the mating connector to the terminal fitting inside the cylinder. In this lever-type connector, when in an insertable and removable state with the mating connector, the terminal fitting is retracted from inside the cylinder of the hood portion. This lever-type connector has a plate that suppresses the protrusion of the terminal fitting into the cylinder of the hood portion when in an insertable and removable state with the mating connector, and increases the amount of protrusion of the terminal fitting into the cylinder of the hood portion when in a fully mated state with the mating connector. In this lever-type connector, the amount of protrusion of the terminal fitting from the through-hole of the plate into the cylinder of the hood portion is adjusted by relatively moving the plate in conjunction with the movement of the lever member with respect to the terminal holding portion that holds the terminal fitting.

[0004] This type of mating connector is disclosed, for example, in Patent Documents 1 to 5 below. In the lever-type connectors described in Patent Documents 1 to 4, the plate is relatively moved with respect to a housing in which the terminal holding portion and the hood portion are integrated. On the other hand, in the lever-type connector described in Patent Document 5, a member in which the hood portion and the plate are integrated is relatively moved with respect to the terminal holding portion.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

Patent Document 5

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] By the way, in this conventional fitting connector, when the lever-type connector and the mating connector are in a separated single state, it is necessary to protect the tip of the terminal fitting of the lever-type connector from peripheral components and the like. Here, the terminal protection function is borne by the plate of the lever-type connector. For this reason, in this fitting connector, even if the rotation operation of the lever member is repeated, it is necessary to relatively move the plate to an appropriate position in conjunction with the movement of the lever member.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a fitting connector capable of maintaining the relative movement function of the plate.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] The present invention includes a male connector and a female connector that relatively move between an insertable / removable position and a mating completed position between connectors along with the rotation operation of a lever member. The male connector includes a male terminal fitting, a male frame member that houses the male terminal fitting while protruding a male terminal connection portion, a cylindrical hood portion that relatively moves the female connector in the cylindrical axis direction between the insertable / removable position and the mating completed position within the cylinder, and a cylindrical frame housing portion that relatively moves in the cylindrical axis direction between a first hood position at the insertable / removable position and a second hood position at the mating completed position with respect to the male frame member housed within the cylinder, and a cylindrical hood member having a plate disposed at the boundary between the hood portion and the frame housing portion. The male connector also includes a lever member that is rotatable around the axis of the rotation axis between the male frame member and the female connector, and that applies a connector mating force or a connector removal force associated with the rotation between the male frame member and the female connector. The plate has a terminal insertion hole that allows the tip of the male terminal connection portion to enter the hood portion at the first hood position and increases the amount of protrusion of the male terminal connection portion in the hood portion at the second hood position compared to that at the first hood position. The male frame member is provided with a plurality of plate locking bodies having flexibility to lock the plate at the first hood position. The plate locking bodies have a first plate locking protrusion and a second plate locking protrusion that sandwich the end portion of the plate in the plate thickness direction when the hood member is at the first hood position. The lever member rotates in one direction around the axis of the rotation axis with respect to the male frame member from a first lever position at the insertable / removable position toward a second lever position at the mating completed position to apply the connector mating force between the male frame member and the female connector, and the input from the female connector approaching the male frame member by the connector mating force flexes and deforms the plate locking body to release the locking state of the plate by the plate locking body, and the input from the female connector pushes and relatively moves the hood member at the first hood position toward the second hood position. On the other hand, the lever member rotates in the other direction around the axis of the rotation axis with respect to the male frame member from the second lever position toward the first lever position to apply the connector removal force between the male frame member and the female connector.The input from the female connector pulled away from the male frame member by the connector removal force causes the plate locking body to flex and deform, and the input from the female connector causes the hood member at the second hood position to face the first hood position. Move them relatively. The female connector includes a female terminal fitting having a female terminal connection portion to which the male terminal connection portion is fitted and connected at the fitting completion position, and a female frame member that houses the female terminal fitting. The female frame member has a guide shaft that receives the connector fitting force or the connector removal force from the lever member, and a plate locking release portion for releasing the locking state of the end portion of the plate by the plate locking body. When the hood member is in the first hood position, the first plate locking protrusion is disposed within the cylinder of the hood portion, and the second plate locking protrusion is disposed within the cylinder of the frame housing portion. When the plate locking release portion rotates the lever member from the first lever position toward the second lever position, the plate locking body is bent and deformed by pushing the inclined surface of the first plate locking protrusion with the connector fitting force received via the guide shaft, thereby overcoming the first plate locking protrusion and pushing the plate while moving over the second plate locking protrusion together with the plate, and relatively moving the hood member from the first hood position to the second hood position. When the plate locking release portion rotates the lever member from the second lever position to the third lever position toward the first lever position, and further rotates the lever member from the third lever position to the fourth lever position toward the first lever position, the plate locking body is bent and deformed by pushing the inclined surface of the second plate locking protrusion with the connector removal force received via the guide shaft, thereby overcoming the first plate locking protrusion and the second plate locking protrusion. The female frame member has a hood locking protrusion that protrudes from an outer wall surface and locks a hood locking body having flexibility in the hood member. The hood locking protrusion has a locking surface that locks the hood locking protrusion of the hood locking body at the second hood position to lock the movement in the separation direction between the hood member and the female frame member from the fitting completion position toward the insertable / removable position. When the lever member is rotated from the second lever position to the fourth lever position, the hood locking protrusion is continuously locked by the locking surface until the plate gets over the second plate locking protrusion of the bent and deformed plate locking body.Moving the hood member relatively from the second hood position toward the first hood position It is characterized by this.

Effect of the Invention

[0009] In the fitting connector according to the present invention, when the lever member is rotated from the first lever position to the second lever position, the input from the female connector causes the plate locking body to flex and deform, and the locking state of the plate by this plate locking body is released. And in this fitting connector, the input from the female connector causes the hood member at the first hood position to move relatively toward the second hood position. Further, in the fitting connector according to the present invention, when the lever member is rotated from the second lever position to the first lever position, the input from the female connector causes the plate locking body to flex and deform, and the input from the female connector causes the hood member at the second hood position to move relatively toward the first hood position. Thus, the fitting connector according to the present invention uses the input from the female connector to relatively move the hood member in order to maintain the relative movement function of the plate. Therefore, the fitting connector according to the present invention can maintain the function of protecting the male terminal fitting by the plate.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

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Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] The embodiments of the fitting connector according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited by this embodiment.

[0012] [Embodiment] One embodiment of the fitting connector according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 22.

[0013] In FIGS. 1 to 7, reference numerals 1 and 2 denote a male connector and a female connector, respectively, which constitute the fitting connector of the present embodiment. One of the male connector 1 and the female connector 2 is a lever-type connector, and as the lever member described later rotates, they are relatively moved between an insertable / removable position (FIGS. 1 and 2) and a fully engaged position (FIGS. 3 and 4) with respect to each other (hereinafter referred to as "between the connectors"). Here, the male connector 1 is configured as a lever-type connector.

[0014] The male connector 1 and the female connector 2 are electrically connected to each other when the connectors are in a fully engaged state (fully engaged position), and the electrical connection between them is interrupted when the connectors are in an insertable / removable state (insertable / removable position) where they can be inserted and removed. In the male connector 1 and the female connector 2, when the connectors are in the insertable / removable position, the lever member described later is rotated to generate a connector fitting force between the connectors in the insertable / removable position, thereby causing the connectors to be relatively moved to the fully engaged position while being fitted and connected. Further, in the male connector 1 and the female connector 2, when the connectors are in the fully engaged position, the lever member is rotated to generate a connector removal force between the connectors in the fully engaged position, thereby causing the connectors to be relatively moved to the insertable / removable position. The male connector 1 and the female connector 2 can be separated from each other by pulling them apart when in the insertable / removable position.

[0015] The male connector 1 includes a male terminal fitting 10, a male frame member 20 that houses the male terminal fitting 10, and a cylindrical hood member 30 that houses the female connector 2 and the male frame member 20 (Figs. 1 to 8). The female connector 2 includes a female terminal fitting 110, a female frame member 120 that houses the female terminal fitting 110, and a female cover member 130 that covers the female frame member 120 (Figs. 1 to 7 and 9).

[0016] The male terminal fitting 10 and the female terminal fitting 110 are formed of a conductive material such as metal. The male terminal fitting 10 and the female terminal fitting 110 are fitted and connected to each other at the fitting completion position to physically and electrically connect to each other. The male terminal fitting 10 has a male terminal connection portion 11 (Figs. 6 and 8). The female terminal fitting 110 has a female terminal connection portion 111 (Figs. 7 and 9). The male terminal fitting 10 and the female terminal fitting 110 are physically and electrically connected to each other by fitting and connecting the male terminal connection portion 11 and the female terminal connection portion 111 at the fitting completion position. The male terminal fitting 10 exemplified here is roughly classified into a first male terminal fitting 10A in which the male terminal connection portion 11 is formed in a shaft shape and a second male terminal fitting 10B in which the male terminal connection portion 11 is formed in a single piece shape (Figs. 6 and 8). The female terminal fitting 110 exemplified here is roughly classified into a cylindrical first female terminal fitting 110A into which the male terminal connection portion 11 of the first male terminal fitting 10A is inserted and a cylindrical second female terminal fitting 110B into which the male terminal connection portion 11 of the second male terminal fitting 10B is inserted (Figs. 7 and 9).

[0017] The male frame member 20, the hood member 30, the female frame member 120, and the female cover member 130 are formed of an insulating material such as synthetic resin.

[0018] The male frame member 20 is a member that houses the male terminal fitting 10 while allowing the male terminal connection portion 11 to protrude, and has a male frame main body 21 that is responsible for housing the male terminal fitting 10 (Figs. 1, 3, and 5 to 8). The male frame main body 21 houses the male terminal fitting 10 inward while allowing the male terminal connection portion 11 to protrude.

[0019] On one hand, the female frame member 120 has a female frame body 121 that houses the female terminal fitting 110 (Figs. 1, 3, 5 to 7, and 9). This female frame body 121 houses the entire female terminal fitting 110 inwardly. When the female frame body 121 is relatively moved from the insertable / removable position between connectors to the mating completion position, the male terminal connection part 11 is inserted through one end opening, and this male terminal connection part 11 is fitted and connected to the inner female terminal connection part 111. Also, this female frame body 121 allows the electric wire We (Figs. 1 to 4) with the female terminal fitting 110 attached to the terminal to be drawn out through the other end opening. The female cover member 130, when assembled to the female frame member 120, closes the drawn-out electric wire We together with the other end opening.

[0020] The hood member 30 has a cylindrical hood part 30a that relatively moves the female connector 2 in the cylindrical axis direction between the insertable / removable position and the mating completion position within the cylinder, and a cylindrical frame housing part 30b that relatively moves the male frame member 20 housed within the cylinder in the cylindrical axis direction between the first hood position at the insertable / removable position and the second hood position at the mating completion position (Figs. 1, 3, and 5 to 8). That is, when the male connector 1 and the female connector 2 are relatively moved between the insertable / removable position and the mating completion position, the hood member 30 relatively moves the female connector 2 between the insertable / removable position and the mating completion position, and relatively moves the male frame member 20 between the first hood position and the second hood position. In this mating connector, along with the rotation operation of the lever member described later (hereinafter referred to as "lever operation"), the relative movement between the hood member 30 and the female connector 2 is performed, and the relative movement between the male frame member 20 and the hood member 30 is performed. In this hood member 30, the hood part 30a and the frame housing part 30b are arranged coaxially.

[0021] In this hood member 30, the female frame member 120 of the female connector 2 is inserted along the cylinder axis direction into the cylindrical hood portion 30a thereof (from FIGS. 1, 3, and 5 to FIGS. 7). Therefore, the female frame member 120 is formed into an external shape that conforms to the cylindrical shape of the hood portion 30a. Further, in this hood member 30, the male frame main body 21 of the male frame member 20 is inserted along the cylinder axis direction into the cylindrical frame accommodating portion 30b thereof (from FIGS. 1, 3, and 5 to FIGS. 8). Therefore, the male frame main body 21 is formed into an external shape that conforms to the cylindrical shape of the frame accommodating portion 30b.

[0022] The hood member 30 illustrated here has a cylindrical body 31 formed in a cylindrical shape, and a flat plate 32 disposed inside the body 31 and partitioning the internal space of the body 31 into one end side and the other end side in the cylinder axis direction (from FIGS. 1, 3, and 5 to FIGS. 8). In this hood member 30, one end side of the body 31 relative to the plate 32 is defined as the hood portion 30a, and the other end side of the body 31 relative to the plate 32 is defined as the frame accommodating portion 30b (FIGS. 5, 6, and 8). That is, the plate 32 is disposed at the boundary between the hood portion 30a and the frame accommodating portion 30b.

[0023] The plate 32 is formed with through holes (hereinafter referred to as "terminal insertion holes") 32a for inserting the male terminal connection portions 11 of the male terminal fittings 10 for each male terminal fitting 10 (Fig. 8). This plate 32 is at a position where the connectors can be inserted and removed. When the hood member 30 is in the first hood position (Figs. 1 and 2), the tip of the male terminal connection portion 11 is allowed to enter the hood portion 30a through the terminal insertion hole 32a. Then, when the hood member 30 relatively moves with respect to the male frame member 20 from the first hood position to the second hood position along with a lever operation described later (Figs. 3 and 4), the protruding amount of the male terminal connection portion 11 in the hood portion 30a is increased compared to the initial protruding amount in the first hood position. That is, the terminal insertion hole 32a of this plate 32 allows the tip of the male terminal connection portion 11 to enter the hood portion 30a in the first hood position and increases the protruding amount of the male terminal connection portion 11 in the hood portion 30a in the second hood position compared to that in the first hood position. Between the connectors, in the hood portion 30a in the second hood position, the male terminal connection portion 11 can be fitted and connected to the female terminal connection portion 111 in the female frame member 120. Also, when the hood member 30 relatively moves with respect to the male frame member 20 from the second hood position to the first hood position along with a lever operation described later (Figs. 1 and 2), the protruding amount of the male terminal connection portion 11 in the hood portion 30a is returned to the initial protruding amount.

[0024] The male frame member 20 is provided with a plurality of plate locking bodies 22 having flexibility to lock the plate 32 in the first hood position (Figs. 5, 6, 8, and 11). This plate locking body 22 locks the plate 32 in the first hood position to stop the hood member 30 in the first hood position.

[0025] The plate locking body 22 has a first plate locking protrusion 22a and a second plate locking protrusion 22b that sandwich the end of the plate 32 in its plate thickness direction when the hood member 30 is in the first hood position (Figs. 5, 6, 8, and 11). When the hood member 30 is in the first hood position, the first plate locking protrusion 22a is disposed inside the cylinder of the hood portion 30a, and the second plate locking protrusion 22b is disposed inside the cylinder of the frame housing portion 30b (Figs. 5, 6, and 8). On the other hand, when the hood member 30 is in the second hood position, the first plate locking protrusion 22a and the second plate locking protrusion 22b are disposed inside the cylinder of the hood portion 30a (Fig. 11).

[0026] Furthermore, this plate locking body 22 has a plate locking piece portion 22c that projects the first plate locking protrusion 22a and the second plate locking protrusion 22b from an opposing wall disposed opposite to the end of the plate 32 and is bendable and deformable in the opposing arrangement direction (Figs. 5, 6, 8, and 11). This plate locking piece portion 22c is a cantilevered piece that projects in the cylinder axis direction from the male frame body 21 toward the plate 32 within the frame housing portion 30b. The plate locking body 22 is made flexible by this plate locking piece portion 22c.

[0027] Here, through-holes (hereinafter referred to as "locking holes") 32b for inserting the plate locking body 22 are formed for each plate locking body 22 at the end of the plate 32 (Figs. 8 and 11). The plate locking piece portion 22c projects the first plate locking protrusion 22a and the second plate locking protrusion 22b from an opposing wall disposed opposite to the inner peripheral surface of the locking hole 32b. The plate locking piece portion 22c illustrated here is formed in the shape of a single flat plate and projects the first plate locking protrusion 22a and the second plate locking protrusion 22b from a plane serving as the opposing wall.

[0028] When the hood member 30 moves relative to the male frame member 20 from the first hood position (Figs. 1 and 2) to the second hood position (Figs. 3, 4, and 11) along with the lever operation described later, this plate locking body 22 increases the amount of protrusion of the plate locking piece portion 22c in the hood portion 30a compared to the initial protrusion amount in the first hood position (Fig. 11). For this reason, in this plate locking body 22, when the hood member 30 moves relative to the male frame member 20 from the first hood position to the second hood position, the plate locking piece portion 22c is deflected in a direction to pull away from the inner peripheral surface of the locking hole 32b, and the clamping of the end portion of the plate 32 by the first plate locking protrusion 22a and the second plate locking protrusion 22b is released. For example, here, a plate locking release portion 122 for releasing the locking state of the end portion of the plate 32 by the plate locking body 22 is provided on the female frame member 120 (Figs. 5, 7, 9, and 11). When the female frame member 120 moves relative to the hood portion 30a from the insertable / removable position to the fitting completion position, the plate locking release portion 122 of the female frame member 120 pushes and moves the first plate locking protrusion 22a, deflecting the plate locking piece portion 22c in a direction to pull away from the inner peripheral surface of the locking hole 32b.

[0029] Also, when the hood member 30 moves relative to the male frame member 20 from the second hood position (Figs. 3, 4, and 11) to the first hood position (Figs. 1 and 2) along with the lever operation described later, this plate locking body 22 returns the amount of protrusion of the plate locking piece portion 22c in the hood portion 30a to the initial protrusion amount. For this reason, in this plate locking body 22, when the hood member 30 moves relative to the male frame member 20 from the second hood position to the first hood position, the plate locking piece portion 22c is deflected in a direction to pull away from the inner peripheral surface of the locking hole 32b so that the end portion of the plate 32 is not caught by the first plate locking protrusion 22a and the second plate locking protrusion 22b. For example, here, when the female frame member 120 moves relative to the hood portion 30a from the fitting completion position to the insertable / removable position, the plate locking release portion 122 of the female frame member 120 pushes and moves the second plate locking protrusion 22b, deflecting the plate locking piece portion 22c in a direction to pull away from the inner peripheral surface of the locking hole 32b.

[0030] Here, the outer appearance shape of the male frame main body 21 of the male frame member 20 is formed in a cubic shape (FIG. 8). And in the hood member 30, the cylindrical body 31 is formed in a square tube shape, and the plate 32 is formed in a rectangular flat plate shape (FIG. 8). In this hood member 30, the cubic female frame member 120 is fitted into the square tube-shaped hood portion 30a, and the cubic male frame main body 21 is fitted into the square tube-shaped frame accommodating portion 30b.

[0031] Also, in the male frame member 20 shown here, four plate locking bodies 22 are arranged close to the outer peripheral surface side of the male frame main body 21 (FIG. 8). Two of these four plate locking bodies 22 are arranged with the opposing walls of the plate locking piece portions 22c facing each other, and the remaining two of them are arranged with the opposing walls of the plate locking piece portions 22c facing each other. Here, the opposing walls of the paired plate locking piece portions 22c are arranged to face each other in the axial direction of the rotation axis 23 of the lever member 40 described later.

[0032] The male connector 1 includes a lever member 40 that is rotatable around the axis of the rotation axis 23 between the male frame member 20, and causes a connector fitting force or a connector removal force accompanying the rotation to act between the male connector 1 and the female connector 2 (FIGS. 1 to 8). The male frame member 20 has two rotation axes 23 protruding coaxially and in opposite directions from the male frame main body 21. These rotation axes 23 protrude from two outer wall surfaces parallel to each other in the male frame main body 21, respectively.

[0033] The lever member 40 is formed of an insulating material such as synthetic resin. This lever member 40 has an arm portion 41 that is rotatable around the axis of the rotation axis 23, and an operation portion 42 connected to this arm portion 41 (FIGS. 1 to 8). The operation portion 42 is arranged at the end of the moment arm of the arm portion 41 around the rotation axis 23, which is the farthest position from the rotation axis 23, and acts as the force point of the moment arm during lever operation.

[0034] The lever member 40 illustrated herein has two arm portions 41 that are arranged to face each other with a space therebetween in the axial direction of the rotation shaft 23 (FIGS. 1 to 4 and FIGS. 6 to 8). The arm portion 41 has a through hole 41a as a bearing for pivotally supporting the rotation shaft 23 at one end (FIGS. 1, 3, and 6 to 8). In this lever member 40, the other ends of the two arm portions 41 are connected to each other by an operation portion 42 (FIGS. 1 to 4 and FIGS. 6 to 8).

[0035] Further, the lever member 40 has an insertion / removal assisting portion 43 that acts a connector fitting force between the male frame member 20 and the female connector 2 by rotating the lever member 40 in one direction around the axis of the rotation shaft 23 with respect to the male frame member 20 from the first lever position (FIGS. 1 and 2) when the connectors are in the insertable / removable position to the second lever position (FIGS. 3 and 4) when the connectors are in the fitting completed position, and acts a connector removal force between the male frame member 20 and the female connector 2 by rotating the lever member 40 in the other direction around the axis of the rotation shaft 23 with respect to the male frame member 20 from the second lever position (FIGS. 3 and 4) to the first lever position (FIGS. 1 and 2) (FIGS. 1, 3, and 6 to 8).

[0036] In the male connector 1, when the lever member 40 is in the first lever position, the hood member 30 is arranged at the first hood position with respect to the male frame member 20 (FIGS. 1 and 2). Further, in this male connector 1, when the lever member 40 is in the second lever position, the hood member 30 is arranged at the second hood position with respect to the male frame member 20 (FIGS. 3 and 4).

[0037] The insertion / removal assisting portion 43 is a through hole provided between one end and the other end of the moment arm in the arm portion 41, and is provided for each arm portion 41. These two insertion / removal assisting portions 43 are arc-shaped through holes having the same projection shape when projected in the axial direction of the rotation shaft 23 and convex toward the other end side of the arm portion 41. The through hole 41a (rotation shaft 23) is arranged on the one end side of the arm portion 41 rather than this insertion / removal assisting portion 43.

[0038] In this insertion / removal assisting portion 43, a guide shaft 123 of the female connector 2 that receives the connector fitting force or the connector removal force from the lever member 40 is inserted (FIGS. 1 to 3, FIGS. 6 and 7). This insertion / removal assisting portion 43 guides the guide shaft 123 between one circumferential end and the other end in conjunction with the lever operation. The guide shaft 123 slides while being guided by the insertion / removal assisting portion 43 and receives the connector fitting force or the connector removal force from this insertion / removal assisting portion 43. This guide shaft 123 is provided on the female frame member 120. The guide shaft 123 shown here protrudes from two outer wall surfaces parallel to each other in the female frame member 120, respectively. These two guide shafts 123 protrude coaxially and in opposite directions from each other.

[0039] Between the connectors, by rotating the lever member 40 from the first lever position toward the second lever position at the insertable / removable position, the guide shaft 123 is guided from one end to the other end of the insertion / removal assisting portion 43 along the first inner wall surface 43a while pushing the guide shaft 123 with the first inner wall surface 43a of the arc-shaped outer side in the insertion / removal assisting portion 43 as it rotates (FIGS. 1, 3, 6 and 7). Between these connectors, a connector fitting force is generated by the pressing force applied to the guide shaft 123 from the first inner wall surface 43a of the insertion / removal assisting portion 43, and relative movement occurs from the insertable / removable position to the fitting completion position.

[0040] Also, between these connectors, by rotating the lever member 40 from the second lever position toward the first lever position when at the fitting completion position, the guide shaft 123 is guided from the other end to one end of the insertion / removal assisting portion 43 along the second inner wall surface 43b while pushing the guide shaft 123 with the second inner wall surface 43b of the arc-shaped inner side in the insertion / removal assisting portion 43 as it rotates (FIGS. 1, 3, 6 and 7). Between these connectors, a connector removal force is generated by the pressing force applied to the guide shaft 123 from the second inner wall surface 43b of the insertion / removal assisting portion 43, and relative movement occurs from the fitting completion position to the insertable / removable position.

[0041] The plate locking body 22 is elastically deformed by utilizing the rotation operation of this lever member 40.

[0042] As described above, the lever member 40 is rotated in one direction about the axis of the rotation shaft 23 with respect to the male frame member 20 from the first lever position (FIGS. 1 and 2) toward the second lever position (FIGS. 3 and 4), so that a connector fitting force acts between the male frame member 20 and the female connector 2. For this reason, the lever member 40 can bring the female connector 2 closer to the male frame member 20 with the connector fitting force. Here, the input from the female connector 2 brought closer to the male frame member 20 with the connector fitting force deflects and deforms the plate locking body 22, releasing the locking state of the plate 32 by the plate locking body 22. That is, the lever member 40 rotates in one direction about the axis of the rotation shaft 23 with respect to the male frame member 20 from the first lever position toward the second lever position, generating a connector fitting force between the male frame member 20 and the female connector 2. The input from the female connector 2 brought closer to the male frame member 20 with this connector fitting force deflects and deforms the plate locking body 22, releasing the locking state of the plate 32 by the plate locking body 22.

[0043] When the lever member 40 is rotated from the first lever position toward the second lever position, the female connector 2 applies a force to the plate locking body 22 from the plate locking release portion 122, deflecting and deforming the plate locking body 22. That is, when the lever member 40 is rotated from the first lever position toward the second lever position, the connector fitting force brings the female connector 2 closer to the male frame member 20, and an input is applied from the plate locking release portion 122 of the female connector 2 to the plate locking body 22, deflecting and deforming the plate locking body 22. When the lever member 40 is rotated from the first lever position toward the second lever position, the plate locking release portion 122 deflects and deforms the plate locking body 22 while pushing the inclined surface of the first plate locking protrusion 22a with the connector fitting force received via the guide shaft 123.

[0044] When the lever member 40 is rotated from the first lever position toward the second lever position, it flexurally deforms the plate locking body 22 in such a manner, and also pushes and relatively moves the hood member 30 at the first hood position toward the second hood position by the input from the female connector 2. When the lever member 40 is rotated from the first lever position toward the second lever position, the plate locking release portion 122 of the female connector 2 gets over the first plate locking protrusion 22a along with the flexural deformation of the plate locking body 22, and gets over the second plate locking protrusion 22b together with the plate 32 while pushing the plate 32, thereby relatively moving the hood member 30 from the first hood position to the second hood position.

[0045] Also, as shown above, the lever member 40 is rotated in the other direction around the axis of the rotation shaft 23 with respect to the male frame member 20 from the second lever position (FIGS. 3 and 4) toward the first lever position (FIGS. 1 and 2), thereby applying a connector removal force between the male frame member 20 and the female connector 2. For this reason, the lever member 40 can pull the female connector 2 away from the male frame member 20 with this connector removal force. Here, the input from the female connector 2 pulled away from the male frame member 20 with this connector removal force flexurally deforms the plate locking body 22, and the input from the female connector 2 relatively moves the hood member 30 at the second hood position toward the first hood position. That is, by rotating the lever member 40 in the other direction around the axis of the rotation shaft 23 with respect to the male frame member 20 from the second lever position toward the first lever position, a connector removal force is generated between the male frame member 20 and the female connector 2, and the input from the female connector 2 pulled away from the male frame member 20 with this connector removal force flexurally deforms the plate locking body 22, and the input from the female connector 2 relatively moves the hood member 30 at the second hood position toward the first hood position.

[0046] When the female connector 2 rotates the lever member 40 from the second lever position toward the first lever position, a force is applied from the plate locking release portion 122 to the plate locking body 22 to bend and deform the plate locking body 22. That is, when the lever member 40 rotates from the second lever position toward the first lever position, the female connector 2 is pulled away from the male frame member 20 by the connector removal force, and this force is input from the plate locking release portion 122 of the female connector 2 to the plate locking body 22 to bend and deform the plate locking body 22. The plate locking release portion 122 rotates the lever member 40 from the second lever position (FIGS. 3 and 4) to the third lever position (FIGS. 12 and 13) toward the first lever position, and further, when the lever member 40 rotates from the third lever position to the fourth lever position (FIGS. 14 and 15) toward the first lever position, the plate locking body 22 is bent and deformed while pushing the inclined surface of the second plate locking protrusion 22b with the connector removal force received via the guide shaft 123. Then, as the plate locking body 22 is bent and deformed, when the lever member 40 is at the fourth lever position, the plate locking release portion 122 overrides the first plate locking protrusion 22a and the second plate locking protrusion 22b.

[0047] Here, the female frame member 120 projects from the outer wall surface in order to rotate the lever member 40 from the second lever position toward the first lever position and relatively move the hood member 30 from the first hood position to the second hood position, and has a hood locking protrusion (hereinafter referred to as "first hood locking protrusion") 124 that locks a hood locking body (hereinafter referred to as "first hood locking body") 33 having flexibility in the hood member 30 (FIGS. 1 to 4, FIGS. 6 to 9, and FIGS. 12 to 17).

[0048] The first hood locking body 33 has a hood locking projection 33a that is locked to the first hood locking projection 124 when the hood member 30 is in the second hood position, and suppresses the movement of the hood member 30 in the separating direction between the female frame member 120 and the hood member 30 in the direction from the fitting completion position to the insertable / removable position (FIG. 17). And this first hood locking body 33 has a hood locking piece portion 33b that can be elastically deformed in a direction to release the locking state between the hood locking projection 33a and the first hood locking projection 124 (FIG. 17). This hood locking piece portion 33b is a cantilevered piece portion formed by cutting out a part of the hood portion 30a of the hood member 30, and the opening side in the cylinder axis direction of the hood portion 30a is the free end. This hood locking piece portion 33b projects the hood locking projection 33a from the inner wall surface on the free end side.

[0049] The first hood locking projection 124 has a locking surface 124a that locks the hood locking projection 33a of the first hood locking body 33 in the second hood position, and locks the movement of the hood member 30 in the separating direction between the female frame member 120 and the hood member 30 in the direction from the fitting completion position to the insertable / removable position (FIGS. 16 and 17). In the second hood position, there may be a minute gap between the hood locking projection 33a and the locking surface 124a due to variations in component tolerances or the like. When the lever member 40 is rotated from the second lever position to the third lever position, if there is such a gap, the first hood locking projection 124 closes this gap and keeps the locking surface 124a locking the hood locking projection 33a until the plate 32 gets over the second plate locking projection 22b of the elastically deformed plate locking body 22 (FIG. 17). And the first hood locking projection 124 keeps the locking surface 124a locking the hood locking projection 33a until the plate 32 gets over the second plate locking projection 22b, thereby pulling the hood member 30 away from the male frame member 20 together with the female frame member 120, and relatively moving the hood member 30 from the second hood position toward the first hood position.

[0050] Here, the locking surface 124a continues to lock the hood locking projection 33a until the lever member 40 is rotated from the second lever position (Figs. 3 and 4) to the fourth lever position (Figs. 14 and 15). Therefore, when the lever member 40 is rotated from the second lever position to the fourth lever position, the first hood locking projection 124 continues to lock the hood locking projection 33a with the locking surface 124a until the plate 32 gets over the second plate locking projection 22b of the bent and deformed plate locking body 22, thereby relatively moving the hood member 30 from the second hood position toward the first hood position.

[0051] In this fitting connector, the male connector 1 and the female connector 2 can be separated by rotating the lever member 40 from the fourth lever position (Figs. 14 and 15) to the first lever position (Figs. 1 and 2). Therefore, in addition to the first hood locking body 33, a second hood locking body 34 is provided on the hood member 30 (Fig. 18). This second hood locking body 34 projects from the inner wall surface on the opening side in the frame accommodating portion 30b of the hood member 30. And on the male frame member 20, when the lever member 40 is rotated from the second lever position and reaches the fourth lever position, a second hood locking projection 24 is provided to lock the second hood locking body 34 of the hood member 30, and when the lever member 40 is rotated from the fourth lever position toward the first lever position, the second hood locking projection 24 continues to lock the second hood locking body 34 to stop the hood member 30 at the first hood position (Figs. 8 and 18).

[0052] The second hood locking projection 24 locks the second hood locking body 34 after the plate locking release portion 122 and the plate 32 get over the second plate locking projection 22b. Specifically, the second hood locking projection 24 locks the second hood locking body 34 after the plate locking release portion 122 and the plate 32 get over the second plate locking projection 22b and the end portion of the plate 32 is positioned between the first plate locking projection 22a and the plate locking projection 22b. Here, two sets of combinations of the second hood locking body 34 and the second hood locking projection 24 are provided.

[0053] In this fitting connector, when the lever member 40 is rotated from the fourth lever position (Figs. 14 and 15) toward the first lever position (Figs. 1 and 2), in order to keep the hood member 30 stopped at the first hood position while the second hood locking projection 24 locks the second hood locking body 34, an inclined locking surface 124b continuous with the locking surface 124a is provided on the first hood locking projection 124 (Figs. 16 and 17). In the first hood locking projection 124, the locking surface 124a is formed as an inclined surface that deflects and deforms the first hood locking body 33 by the force acting on the hood locking projection 33a when the lever member 40 is rotated from the fourth lever position toward the first lever position, causing the hood locking projection 33a to ride up on the inclined locking surface 124b. And the inclined locking surface 124b locks the hood locking projection 33a until a separating force for separating the male connector 1 and the female connector 2 from each other is applied between them at the insertable / removable position, and when the separating force is applied between them, the first hood locking body 33 is further deflected and deformed by the force acting on the hood locking projection 33a, and is formed as an inclined surface that causes the hood locking projection 33a to climb over the first hood locking projection 124.

[0054] For example, the inclined locking surface 124b locks the hood locking projection 33a at the fifth lever position (Figs. 19 and 20) when the lever member 40 is on the way from the fourth lever position to the first lever position (Fig. 21), and continues this locked state until the lever member 40 reaches the first lever position from the fifth lever position.

[0055] The first hood locking projection 124 is provided with an inclined surface 124c continuous with the inclined locking surface 124b (Figs. 16, 17, and 21). This inclined surface 124c is formed as an inclined surface that moves the hood locking projection 33a from the inclined locking surface 124b and gradually eliminates the deflection and deformation of the first hood locking body 33 when the hood locking projection 33a climbs over the first hood locking projection 124. Therefore, this inclined surface 124c is also used as an inclined surface for causing the hood locking projection 33a to climb over to the inclined locking surface 124b side while deflecting and deforming the first hood locking body 33 when assembling the male connector 1 and the female connector 2.

[0056] Still, the lever member 40 is temporarily locked to the hood member 30 at the first lever position. The hood member 30 has a lever temporary locking projection 35 protruding from its outer wall surface (Figs. 6, 8, and 22). And the lever member 40 is provided on the arm portion 41 and has a lever temporary locking body 44 that is locked to the lever temporary locking projection 35 at the first lever position to prevent rotation to the second lever position (Figs. 6, 8, and 22). The lever temporary locking body 44 has a lever temporary locking projection 44a that is locked to the lever temporary locking projection 35 when the lever member 40 is at the first lever position, prevents the lever member 40 from rotating toward the second lever position, and stops the lever member 40 at the first lever position (Figs. 8 and 22). And this lever temporary locking body 44 allows the lever temporary locking projection 44a to overcome the lever temporary locking body 44 when the lever member 40 is rotated from the second lever position toward the first lever position, and also allows the lever temporary locking projection 44a to overcome the lever temporary locking body 44 when the lever member 40 is rotated from the first lever position toward the second lever position, and has a lever temporary locking piece portion 44b that performs a flexural deformation enabling this (Fig. 8). This lever temporary locking piece portion 44b is a cantilevered piece portion provided on the arm portion 41, and a lever temporary locking projection 44a is provided at its free end.

[0057] As described above, in the fitting connector of the present embodiment, when the lever member 40 is rotated from the first lever position to the second lever position, the plate locking body 22 is bent and deformed by the input from the female connector 2, and the locking state of the plate 32 by the plate locking body 22 is released. And in this fitting connector, the hood member 30 at the first hood position is relatively moved toward the second hood position by the input from the female connector 2. Also, in the fitting connector of the present embodiment, when the lever member 40 is rotated from the second lever position to the first lever position, the plate locking body 22 is bent and deformed by the input from the female connector 2, and the hood member 30 at the second hood position is relatively moved toward the first hood position by the input from the female connector 2. Thus, the fitting connector of the present embodiment relatively moves the hood member 30 using the input from the female connector 2 in order to maintain the relative movement function of the plate 32. Therefore, the fitting connector of the present embodiment can maintain the protection function of the male terminal fitting 10 by the plate 32.

[0058] Specifically, in the fitting connector of the present embodiment, when the lever member 40 is rotated from the first lever position to the second lever position, the plate locking body 22 is elastically deformed by the pushing force input from the plate locking release portion 122 of the female connector 2 to the inclined surface of the first plate locking protrusion 22a, and the locking state of the plate 32 by this plate locking body 22 is released, and the plate 32 at the first hood position is pushed and moved to the second hood position by the plate locking release portion 122. Further, in the fitting connector of the present embodiment, when the lever member 40 is rotated from the second lever position to the first lever position, the plate locking body 22 is elastically deformed by the pushing force input from the plate locking release portion 122 of the female connector 2 to the inclined surface of the second plate locking protrusion 22b. And, in this fitting connector, when the lever member 40 is rotated from the second lever position to the first lever position, the hood locking protrusion 33a of the first hood locking body 33 and the locking surface 124a of the first hood locking protrusion body 124 are locked, so that the hood member 30 (plate 32) is relatively moved from the second hood position to the first hood position. Thus, the fitting connector of the present embodiment elastically deforms the plate locking body 22 by the input from the plate locking release portion 122 of the female connector 2. And, when the lever member 40 is rotated from the first lever position to the second lever position, this fitting connector pushes and moves the hood member 30 (plate 32) from the first hood position to the second hood position by the plate locking release portion 122. Further, when the lever member 40 is rotated from the second lever position to the first lever position, this fitting connector relatively moves the hood member 30 (plate 32) from the second hood position to the first hood position by locking the hood locking protrusion 33a of the first hood locking body 33 and the locking surface 124a of the first hood locking protrusion body 124. The fitting connector of the present embodiment utilizes the flexibility of the plate locking body 22 and can reduce the frictional resistance when input from the female connector 2 to the plate locking body 22. Therefore, the durability of the plate locking body 22, the plate locking release portion 122, etc. is high, and thus, the relative movement function of the plate 32 can be maintained.

[0059] Also, in the fitting connector of the present embodiment, when the lever member 40 is in the first lever position, the hood locking projection 33a of the first hood locking body 33 and the inclined locking surface 124b of the first hood locking projection body 124 are locked until a separating force for separating the male connector 1 and the female connector 2 from each other is applied between them at the fitting completion position. And in this fitting connector, when the separating force is applied, the locking state between the hood locking projection 33a and the inclined locking surface 124b is released. Therefore, the fitting connector of the present embodiment can prevent the separation between the male connector 1 and the female connector 2 until a separating force intended for separating them is applied.

Explanation of Signs

[0060] 1 Male connector 2 Female connector 10 Male terminal fitting 11 Male terminal connection part 20 Male frame member 22 Plate locking body 22a First plate locking projection 22b Second plate locking projection 23 Rotation axis 24 Second hood locking projection body 3 Functional member 30a Hood part 30b Frame housing part 31 Cylindrical body 32 Plate 32a Terminal insertion hole 33 Hood locking body (first hood locking body) 33a Hood locking projection 34 Second hood locking body 40 Lever member 110 Female terminal fitting 111 Female terminal connection part 120 Female frame member 122 Plate locking release part 123 Guide shaft 124 Hood locking projection body (first hood locking projection body) 124a Locking surface 124b Inclined locking surface

Claims

1. A male connector and a female connector that are relatively movable between an insertable / removable position and a mating completed position between connectors in accordance with the rotational movement of a lever member. The male connector includes: a male terminal fitting; a male frame member that houses the male terminal fitting while protruding a male terminal connection portion; a cylindrical hood portion that relatively moves the female connector in the cylindrical axis direction between the insertable / removable position and the mating completed position within the cylinder; and a cylindrical frame housing portion that relatively moves the male frame member housed within the cylinder in the cylindrical axis direction between a first hood position at the insertable / removable position and a second hood position at the mating completed position, and further includes a cylindrical hood member having a plate disposed at the boundary between the hood portion and the frame housing portion, and a lever member that is rotatable about the axis of the rotation axis between the male frame member and the female connector and applies a connector mating force or a connector removal force associated with the rotation. The plate has a terminal insertion hole that allows the tip of the male terminal connection portion to enter the hood portion at the first hood position and increases the amount by which the male terminal connection portion protrudes from the hood portion at the second hood position compared to the first hood position. The male frame member is provided with a plurality of plate locking bodies having flexibility to lock the plate at the first hood position. The plate locking body has a first plate locking protrusion and a second plate locking protrusion that sandwich the end portion of the plate in the plate thickness direction when the hood member is at the first hood position. The lever member rotates in one direction around the axis of the rotation axis with respect to the male frame member from the first lever position at the insertable / removable position toward the second lever position at the fitting completion position, thereby causing the connector fitting force to act between the male frame member and the female connector. With the input from the female connector brought closer to the male frame member by the connector fitting force, the plate locking body is flexurally deformed, thereby releasing the locking state of the plate by the plate locking body. Also, with the input from the female connector, the hood member at the first hood position is pushed and moved toward the second hood position for relative movement. On the other hand, by rotating in the other direction around the axis of the rotation axis with respect to the male frame member from the second lever position toward the first lever position, the connector removal force is caused to act between the male frame member and the female connector. With the input from the female connector pulled away from the male frame member by the connector removal force, the plate locking body is flexurally deformed, and with the input from the female connector, the hood member at the second hood position is relatively moved toward the first hood position. The female connector includes a female terminal fitting having a female terminal connection portion to which the male terminal connection portion is fitted and connected at the fitting completion position, and a female frame member that houses the female terminal fitting. The female frame member has a guide shaft that receives the connector fitting force or the connector removal force from the lever member, and a plate locking release portion for releasing the locking state of the end portion of the plate by the plate locking body. When the hood member is at the first hood position, the first plate locking protrusion is disposed inside the cylinder of the hood portion, and the second plate locking protrusion is disposed inside the cylinder of the frame housing portion. When the lever member is rotated from the first lever position toward the second lever position, the plate locking release portion flexurally deforms the plate locking body while pushing the inclined surface of the first plate locking protrusion with the connector fitting force received via the guide shaft, thereby overcoming the first plate locking protrusion and, while pushing the plate, overcoming the second plate locking protrusion together with the plate, and relatively moving the hood member from the first hood position to the second hood position. When the plate locking release portion rotates the lever member from the second lever position toward the first lever position to the third lever position, and further rotates the lever member from the third lever position toward the first lever position to the fourth lever position, the plate locking body is bent and deformed while pushing the inclined surface of the second plate locking protrusion with the connector removal force received via the guide shaft, thereby overcoming the first plate locking protrusion and the second plate locking protrusion. The female frame member has a hood locking protrusion that protrudes from the outer wall surface and locks a hood locking body having flexibility in the hood member. The hood locking protrusion has a locking surface that locks the hood locking protrusion of the hood locking body at the second hood position and locks the movement in the separation direction between the hood member and the female frame member from the fitting completion position toward the insertable position. Further, when the lever member is rotated from the second lever position to the fourth lever position, the hood locking protrusion is continuously locked by the locking surface until the second plate locking protrusion of the bent and deformed plate locking body is overcome by the plate, thereby relatively moving the hood member from the second hood position toward the first hood position. A fitting connector characterized by this.

2. The first hood locking protrusion as the hood locking protrusion is provided with an inclined locking surface continuous with the locking surface. In addition to the first hood locking body as the hood locking body, the hood member is provided with a second hood locking body. When the lever member is rotated from the second lever position and reaches the fourth lever position, the male frame member locks the second hood locking body of the hood member. When the lever member is rotated from the fourth lever position to the first lever position, a second hood locking protrusion is provided that continuously locks the second hood locking body and stops the hood member at the first hood position. The locking surface of the first hood locking protrusion is formed as an inclined surface that bends and deforms the first hood locking body with the force applied to the hood locking protrusion when the lever member is rotated from the fourth lever position toward the first lever position, causing the hood locking protrusion to ride up on the inclined locking surface.

2. The mating connector of claim 1, wherein the inclined locking surface locks the hood locking projection until a separating force is applied between the male connector and the female connector in the mating completion position to separate them, and when the separating force is applied between them, the force acting on the hood locking projection causes the first hood locking body to further flex and deform, allowing the hood locking projection to overcome the first hood locking protrusion.

Images