Lever-type connector

Abstract

To suppress a cancellation of an engagement of a temporal engagement arm by applying an unintended external force to a lever held at an initial position by the temporal engagement arm.SOLUTION: A lever type connector 1 comprises: a connector body 4 that includes an inner housing 2 and a front mask 3; and a lever 7 that fits a connector body 4 and a mating connector by being rotated from an initial position to a fitting completion position. In a first side plate 71 of a lever 7, a temporal engagement arm 76 and a flexible regulation part 79 are formed. In a state where the lever 7 is positioned at the initial position, a projection 75 of the temporal engagement arm 76 is positioned in an open part 34 of a front mask 3 to regulate a rotation of the lever 7 by contacting the projection 75 to an internal edge part 34a of the open part 34. When an external force is applied to the lever 7 positioned at the initial position is applied, an engagement cancellation of the temporal engagement arm 76 is suppressed by contacting the flexible regulation part 79 to the temporal engagement arm 76 deformed by the external force.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a lever-type connector.

Background Art

[0002] A lever-type connector is known in which a lever is rotatably attached to a connector body, and the connector body and a mating connector are brought close to each other and fitted by the rotation of the lever (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] FIGS. 9 to 11 are views showing a lever-type connector designed by the inventor of the present application. This lever-type connector 501 includes a connector body 4 that mates with a mating connector, a spacer (for double-locking female terminals, not shown), a cover 6, and a lever 507.

[0004] The connector body 4 is composed of an inner housing 2 that houses a plurality of female terminals and a front mask 3 that houses the inner housing 2. The female terminals are connected to the ends of electric wires. Although not shown, these electric wires are led out outside the inner housing 2, and the wiring direction is regulated by the cover 6.

[0005] The lever 507 is rotatably attached to the inner housing 2, and by rotating from the initial position shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 to the fitting completion position, the connector body 4 and the mating connector are brought close to each other and fitted. On the side plate of the lever 507, a rotation fulcrum portion 81 fitted into the inner housing 2, a cam groove 82 into which a cam projection of the mating connector enters, and a temporary locking arm 76 for holding the lever 507 in the initial position are formed.

[0006] The temporary locking arm 76 has an arm portion 74 formed in a cantilever shape by forming a notch 80 in the side plate of the lever 507, and a projection 75 protruding from the free end of the arm portion 74.

[0007] An opening 34 is formed in the front mask 3. The projection 75 of the temporary locking arm 76 is located inside the opening 34 and abuts against the inner edge 34a of the opening 34, thereby restricting the rotation of the lever 507 and holding the lever 507 in its initial position. That is, the temporary locking arm 76 shown in Figures 10(a) and 10(b) is in its natural state without elastic deformation, and in this state, the engagement allowance k with the front mask 3 holds the lever 507 in its initial position.

[0008] In this type of lever-type connector 501, the lever 507 is held in its initial position when mating with the mating connector begins, so that the cam projection of the mating connector smoothly enters the cam groove 82 without the need to specifically align the lever 507. Furthermore, the lever-type connector 501 is shipped and transported with the lever 507 held in its initial position. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-125403 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0010] The inventors of this application conducted tests on the lever-type connector 501 described above, and the following was found: When a load is applied to the lever 507 of the lever-type connector 501 in a direction that causes it to rotate toward the mating completed position, such as during transport, the temporary locking arm 76 deforms as shown in Figures 11(a) and 11(b). In this state, engagement with the front mask 3 is still secured, but when an even larger load is applied, the temporary locking arm 76 deforms as shown by the dashed line in Figure 11(b), and the engagement amount decreases from k to k2, which can release the lock of the temporary locking arm 76.

[0011] To explain in more detail, when a load is applied to the lever 507, which is held in its initial position, in a direction that causes it to rotate toward the completed fitting position, the free end of the temporary locking arm 76 becomes trapped between the inner edge 34a of the opening 34 and the surface 579 of the lever 507. If a greater load is applied, the temporary locking arm 76 has nowhere to go and drops down to the position shown by the dashed line in Figure 11(b), making it impossible to keep the lever 507 held in its initial position.

[0012] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a lever-type connector that can prevent the temporary locking arm from being released due to an unintended external force being applied to the lever, which is held in its initial position by the temporary locking arm. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] The present invention comprises a connector body having an inner housing and a front mask housing the inner housing, and which mates with a mating connector; a lever rotatably mounted on the connector body and rotating from an initial position to a mating completion position to bring the connector body and the mating connector closer together and mate, wherein the lever comprises a first side plate having a pivot point at one end and entering between the inner housing and the front mask; a second side plate having a pivot point at one end and positioning the inner housing between itself and the first side plate; and an operating part connecting the other ends of the first and second side plates, wherein the first side plate has an arm portion that can bend toward the second side plate, and a projection extending from the free end of the arm portion toward the side opposite to the second side plate, and a temporary locking arm A lever-type connector is characterized in that a pivot point receiving portion is formed on the connector body, into which the pivot point portion of the first side plate fits, and into which the pivot point portion of the second side plate fits, an opening is formed in the front mask, the rotation of the lever is restricted when the lever is in the initial position and the projection of the temporary locking arm is located inside the opening and abuts against the inner edge of the opening, the arm portion of the temporary locking arm bends toward the second side plate and the projection disengages from the opening, allowing the lever to rotate, and when an external force is applied to the lever in the initial position, a deflection restricting portion is formed on one end of the first side plate that abuts against the temporary locking arm which has been deformed by the external force, thereby restricting the bending of the arm portion toward the second side plate. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the temporary locking arm from being released due to an unintended external force being applied to the lever, which is held in its initial position by the temporary locking arm. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing a lever-type connector according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which the lever is held in its initial position. [Figure 2] It is a figure showing the state where the lever in FIG. 1 has rotated to the fitting completion position. [Figure 3] It is an exploded view of the lever-type connector in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] It is a perspective view of the lever in FIG. 3. [Figure 5] It is a side view of the lever in FIG. 3. [Figure 6] It is a bottom view of the lever in FIG. 3. [Figure 7] (a) is a side view of the lever-type connector in FIG. 1, and (b) is a bottom view. [Figure 8] (a) is a side view showing the state where an external force is applied to the lever in FIG. 7 and the temporary locking arm is deformed, and (b) is a bottom view. <舍 [Figure 9] It is a perspective view showing the lever-type connector of the reference example, and is a figure showing the state where the lever is held at the initial position. [Figure 10] (a) is a side view of the lever-type connector in FIG. 9, and (b) is a bottom view. [Figure 11] (a) is a side view showing the state where an external force is applied to the lever in FIG. 10 and the temporary locking arm is deformed, and (b) is a bottom view.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] The "lever-type connector" according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8.

[0017] The lever-type connector 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 includes a connector body 4, a spacer 5, a cover 6, and a lever 7 that is rotatably attached to the connector body 4 and brings the connector body 4 and a mating connector closer and fits them by rotating from an initial position to a fitting completion position. The lever 7 shown in FIGS. 1 and 7 is in a state of being held at the initial position, and the lever 7 shown in FIG. 2 is in a state of having rotated to the fitting completion position.

[0018] The connector body 4 consists of an inner housing 2 that houses a plurality of female terminals 12, and a front mask 3 that houses the inner housing 2. The female terminals 12 are connected to the ends of the electric wires 11. Although not shown in Figures 1, 2, 7, and 8, the electric wires 11 are led out of the inner housing 2 and their routing direction is restricted by a cover 6.

[0019] The inner housing 2 is made of insulating synthetic resin and is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape having an upper surface 20a, a bottom surface 20b, and four sides 20c, 20d, 20e, and 20f. Multiple accommodating sections 21 for the female terminals 12 are formed in the inner housing 2. Each accommodating section 21 has an opening on the upper surface 20a and the bottom surface 20b.

[0020] Side 20f has a locking projection 22 that engages with the locking hole 32 of the front mask 3 and a locking projection 24 that engages with the locking portion 63 of the cover 6. Side 20e has a locking projection that engages with the locking hole 33 of the front mask 3. Side 20c has a pivot point receiving portion 25 into which the pivot point portion 81 of the lever 7 fits and a locking portion 23 that engages with the locking portion 61 of the cover 6. Side 20d has a pivot point receiving portion into which the pivot point portion 83 of the lever 7 fits and a locking portion that engages with the locking portion 62 of the cover 6.

[0021] The front mask 3 is made of insulating synthetic resin and is formed in a box shape having a bottom wall 30b, four side walls 30c, 30d, 30e, 30f, and a receiving opening 30a for receiving the inner housing 2.

[0022] The bottom wall 30b has through holes 31 formed in each housing 21 for passing the male terminals of the mating connector through to the housing 21. The side wall 30f has locking holes 32 that engage with the locking projections 22 of the inner housing 2. Similarly, the side wall 30e has locking holes 33 that engage with the locking projections of the inner housing 2. The side wall 30c has an opening 34 and a second opening 35.

[0023] The spacer 5 is a component for double-locking the female terminal 12. With the lever 7 positioned in the mating completion position and the spacer 5 temporarily locked to the inner housing 2, the female terminal 12 is housed in the housing section 21, and after housing, the spacer 5 is permanently locked to the inner housing 2. After the female terminal 12 is housed in the housing section 21, the cover 6 is assembled to the inner housing 2, and the lever 7 is returned to its initial position, bringing the lever-type connector 1 to its factory-shipped state.

[0024] The cover 6 is made of insulating synthetic resin and includes a cover body 60 that restricts the routing direction of the electric wire 11 led out of the inner housing 2, locking parts 61, 62, 63 that lock onto the inner housing 2, and an electric wire insertion opening 64.

[0025] The lever 7 shown in Figures 4-6 is made of insulating synthetic resin. The lever 7 includes a first side plate 71 that enters between the inner housing 2 and the front mask 3, a second side plate 72 that positions the inner housing 2 between itself and the first side plate 71, and an operating part 73 that connects the other ends of the first side plate 71 and the second side plate 72.

[0026] The first side plate 71 enters the space between the side surface 20c of the inner housing 2 and the side wall 30c of the front mask 3. The first side plate 71 has a pivot point portion 81 at one end. The pivot point portion 81 is a hole that fits into a pivot point receiving portion 25 formed in the side surface 20c of the inner housing 2.

[0027] The second side plate 72 has a pivot point portion 83 at one end. The pivot point portion 83 is a protrusion that fits into a pivot point receiving portion formed on the side surface 20d of the inner housing 2.

[0028] One end of the first side plate 71 is formed with a cam groove 82 into which the cam projection of the mating connector enters, a temporary locking arm 76 for holding the lever 7 in its initial position, and a deflection restricting portion 79.

[0029] The lever-type connector 1 is designed so that when the lever 7 is held in its initial position, mating with the mating connector begins, allowing the cam projection of the mating connector to smoothly enter the cam groove 82 without requiring any special alignment of the lever 7. Furthermore, when the lever 7 rotates toward the mating completion position while the cam projection is entered into the cam groove 82, the connector body 4 and the mating connector are brought closer together.

[0030] The temporary locking arm 76 has an arm portion 74 that can bend toward the second side plate 72, and a projection 75 that protrudes from the free end of the arm portion 74 toward the side opposite to the second side plate. The arm portion 74 is formed in a cantilever shape by forming a notch 80 in the first side plate 71.

[0031] With the lever 7 in its initial position, the projection 75 of the temporary locking arm 76 is located inside the opening 34, and the projection 75 contacts the inner edge 34a of the opening 34, thereby restricting the rotation of the lever and holding the lever 7 in its initial position. In other words, the temporary locking arm 76 shown in Figures 7(a) and 7(b) is in its natural state without elastic deformation, and in this state, the engagement allowance k with the front mask 3 holds the lever 7 in its initial position.

[0032] Meanwhile, the arm portion 74 of the temporary locking arm 76 bends toward the second side plate 72, and the projection 75 disengages from the opening 34, allowing the lever 7 to rotate toward the mating completion position. When the lever 7 is rotated to the mating completion position, the projection 75 is positioned within the second opening 35, as shown in Figure 2. In this example, when the connector body 4 and the mating connector begin to mate, the mating connector presses the projection 75 toward the second side plate 72, causing the projection 75 to disengage from the opening 34.

[0033] The deflection restricting portion 79 is positioned adjacent to the temporary locking arm 76 via a notch 80. In the natural state of the temporary locking arm 76, the deflection restricting portion 79 has an opposing portion 77 that is located on the second side plate 72 side of the arm portion 74 and faces the second side plate 72, and a vertical portion 78 that extends from the opposing portion 77 to the side opposite the second side plate 72 and is perpendicular to the opposing portion 77.

[0034] When an external force is applied to the lever 7 in its initial position, the deflection restricting portion 79 contacts the deformed temporary locking arm 76, as shown in Figures 8(a) and 8(b), thereby restricting the deflection of the arm portion 74 toward the second side plate 72. More specifically, when an external force is applied to the lever 7 in its initial position, the deformed temporary locking arm 76 contacts the corner where the opposing portion 77 and the vertical portion 78 intersect, thereby restricting the deflection of the arm portion 74 toward the second side plate 72.

[0035] As described above, the lever-type connector 1 has a deflection-restricting portion 79. This ensures that even if an unintended external force is applied to the lever 7, which is held in its initial position, during transport of the lever-type connector 1, in a direction that causes it to rotate toward the mating completion position, the engagement allowance k is maintained, thereby preventing the temporary locking arm 76 from being released.

[0036] The embodiments described above merely represent typical forms of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. That is, it can be implemented with various modifications without departing from the core principles of the present invention. As long as such modifications still possess the configuration of the present invention, they are of course included within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0037] 1. Lever-type connector 2 Inner Housing 3 Front Mask 4. Connector body 7 Lever 34 Opening 71 1st side plate 76 Temporary locking arm 79. Deflection control section

Claims

1. A connector body having an inner housing and a front mask housing the inner housing, which mates with a mating connector, The connector body is rotatably mounted on the connector body and includes a lever that rotates from an initial position to a mating position to bring the connector body and the mating connector closer together and mat them, The lever comprises a first side plate having a pivot point at one end and entering between the inner housing and the front mask, a second side plate having a pivot point at one end and positioning the inner housing between itself and the first side plate, and an operating part connecting the other ends of the first and second side plates. A temporary locking arm is formed on one end of the first side plate, having an arm portion that can bend toward the second side plate, and a projection that protrudes from the free end of the arm portion toward the opposite side of the second side plate. The connector body is formed with a pivot point receiving portion into which the pivot point portion of the first side plate fits, and a pivot point receiving portion into which the pivot point portion of the second side plate fits. An opening is formed in the aforementioned front mask. When the lever is in the initial position, the projection of the temporary locking arm is located inside the opening and contacts the inner edge of the opening, thereby restricting the rotation of the lever. The arm portion of the temporary locking arm bends toward the second side plate, and the projection disengages from the opening, allowing the lever to rotate. When an external force is applied to the lever, which is positioned in the initial location, a deflection restricting portion is formed on one end of the first side plate that contacts the temporary locking arm, which is deformed by the external force, thereby restricting the deflection of the arm portion toward the second side plate. A lever-type connector characterized by the following features.

2. The arm portion of the temporary locking arm is formed in a cantilevered shape by forming a notch in the first side plate. The deflection restricting portion is positioned adjacent to the temporary locking arm via the notch, The deflection restricting portion has, in the natural state of the temporary locking arm, an opposing portion located on the second side plate side of the arm portion and facing the second side plate, and a vertical portion extending from the opposing portion to the side opposite the second side plate and perpendicular to the opposing portion. When an external force is applied to the lever in the initial position, the temporary locking arm, which is deformed by the external force, contacts the corner where the opposing portion and the vertical portion intersect, thereby restricting the bending of the arm portion toward the second side plate. The lever-type connector according to feature 1.

Images