Electrical connectors

Abstract

The objective of this invention is to stably retain the spring sheet formed in the reinforcing metal fastener. The solution is to include in the electrical connector (50) a housing (51) with a rectangular shape in plan view that engages with the target connector; a locking lever (71) that locks the engagement state with the target connector; and a pair of reinforcing metal fasteners (80, 79) at one end of the reinforcing housing along its length. The housing houses the locking lever, and both ends (73, 74) of the locking lever protrude from the housing along its length. The locking lever is movable between a locked position for locking the target connector and a released position for releasing the target connector. One of the pair of reinforcing metal fasteners (80) has a spring sheet (92, 93) that holds the locking lever in the locked position via one end of the locking lever. With the spring sheet protruding from the housing, one of the reinforcing metal fasteners is inserted into the housing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electrical connector. Prior Art

[0002] Electrical connectors mounted on circuit boards that lock the mating state with a mating connector are well known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The housing of the electrical connector described in Patent Document 1 includes: a bottom wall that is rectangular when viewed from above; a pair of short walls and a pair of long walls extending from the four sides of the bottom wall; and an island-shaped protruding wall disposed inside the pair of short walls and the pair of long walls. A receiving groove is formed on the lower surface of the housing to bisect the bottom wall along its length. A long locking rod is housed in the receiving groove, with both ends of the locking rod protruding outward from the pair of short walls.

[0003] The ends of the locking lever are bent upward outside the pair of short walls, facing each other with a gap between them. A reinforcing metal fastener (housing) is attached to the housing from above. The reinforcing metal fastener has a spring piece that contacts one end of the locking lever from the inside. The spring piece holds the locking lever in the locked position, locking the mating connectors. When the locking lever moves from the locked position against the spring force of the spring piece, the lock is released, allowing the mating connector to be removed from the electrical connector. [Prior Art Literature] [Patent Document]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent No. 6772106 Summary of the Invention

[0005] [Problems to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In the electrical connector described in Patent Document 1, since a reinforcing metal fastener is attached to the outer surface of the housing, the spring piece formed on the reinforcing metal fastener cannot be stably held.

[0007] The present invention is developed in view of such problems, and its purpose is to provide an electrical connector that can stably hold a spring piece formed on a reinforcing metal fastener. [Technical means to solve the problem]

[0008] An electrical connector according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: a housing having a rectangular shape when viewed from above and adapted to engage with a mating connector; a locking lever for locking the mating connector; and a pair of reinforcing metal fasteners for reinforcing the housing at either end in the longitudinal direction. The electrical connector is characterized by: The locking rod is housed in the housing, and both ends of the locking rod protrude from the housing in the longitudinal direction. The lock lever is movable between a lock position for locking the mating connector and a release position for releasing the lock of the mating connector. One of the pair of reinforcing metal fasteners has a spring piece for holding the locking rod in a locked position via one end of the locking rod. When the spring piece protrudes from the housing, the reinforcing metal fastener on one side is inserted and formed into the housing, thereby solving the above-mentioned problem. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] In one aspect of the electrical connector of the present invention, a spring piece of a reinforcing metal fastener is used to hold a locking lever in a locked position, thereby locking the electrical connector and a mating connector. The locking lever is then moved to a released position against the elastic force of the spring piece, releasing the locked state between the electrical connector and the mating connector. In this state, while the spring piece protrudes from the housing, the reinforcing metal fastener is insert-molded into the housing, thereby stably retaining the spring piece formed on the reinforcing metal fastener within the housing. Simple diagram description

[0010] [Fig. 1] is a perspective view of the plug connector of this embodiment. [Fig. 2] is a perspective view of the receptacle connector according to this embodiment. [Fig. 3] is a perspective view of the locking lever of this embodiment. [Fig. 4] (A) and (B) are perspective views of one end side of the receptacle connector of this embodiment. [Fig. 5] (A) and (B) are perspective views of one reinforcing metal fastener according to the present embodiment. [Fig. 6] (A) and (B) are explanatory diagrams of the insertion operation of the connector of this embodiment. [Figure 7] (A) and (B) are explanatory diagrams of the removal operation of the connector of this embodiment. Implementation Method

[0011] The following describes the receptacle connector of this embodiment. Figure 1 is a perspective view of the plug connector of this embodiment. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the receptacle connector of this embodiment. In the following description, the circuit substrate side of the plug connector and receptacle connector is considered the bottom, and the opposite side is considered the top.

[0012] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the plug connector (mating connector) 20 and the receptacle connector (electrical connector) 50 are so-called B-to-B (Board-to-Board) connectors that electrically connect circuit boards 11 and 12. The plug connector 20 is fixed to the surface of one circuit board 11, and the receptacle connector 50 is fixed to the surface (mounting surface) of the other circuit board 12. The plug connector 20 and the receptacle connector 50 form a connector assembly with the insertion and removal direction Z being perpendicular to the circuit boards 11 and 12. Furthermore, the circuit boards 11 and 12 are constructed from printed circuit boards, flexible substrates, or the like.

[0013] The resin housing 21 of the plug connector 20 is formed with a rectangular annular mating portion 25, and the resin housing 51 of the receptacle connector 50 is formed with a rectangular annular receiving space 56 for receiving the mating portion 25 of the plug connector 20. The mating portion 25 of the plug connector 20 enters the receiving space 56 of the receptacle connector 50, and the plug terminals 31 of the plug connector 20 exposed on the outer surface of the mating portion 25 come into contact with the receptacle terminals 65 of the receptacle connector 50 within the receiving space 56. This electrically connects the circuit boards 11 and 12 to each other via the plug connector 20 and the receptacle connector 50.

[0014] This connector assembly is equipped with a locking mechanism for locking the plug connector 20 and the receptacle connector 50 in their mated state. When the plug connector 20 and the receptacle connector 50 are mated, they are positioned between the upper and lower circuit boards 11 and 12. Therefore, the receptacle connector 50 is provided with a locking lever 71 that extends through the housing 51 in the longitudinal direction X, so that the receptacle connector 50 is accommodated between the circuit boards 11 and 12. Furthermore, the locking lever 71 can be released by exposing one end of the locking lever 71 from the circuit boards 11 and 12.

[0015] The receptacle connector 50 is provided with a pair of reinforcing metal fasteners 80 and 79 on either side of the housing 51 in the longitudinal direction X. A pair of spring pieces 92 and 93 are formed on one of the reinforcing metal fasteners 80 and 79. When the locking lever 71 is held in the locked position by the pair of spring pieces 92 and 93, the mating state of the connectors is locked. The locking lever 71 is moved from the locked position against the elastic force of the spring pieces 92 and 93, releasing the locked state. It is desirable that the spring pieces 92 and 93 are stably retained in the housing 51. Therefore, in this embodiment, one of the reinforcing metal fasteners 80 is insert-molded into the housing 51, with the pair of spring pieces 92 and 93 protruding.

[0016] Detailed descriptions of the plug connector and receptacle connector are provided with reference to Figures 1 to 5. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the locking lever of this embodiment. Figure 4 is a perspective view of one end of the receptacle connector of this embodiment. Figure 5 is a perspective view of one reinforcing metal fastener of this embodiment. Furthermore, Figure 4(A) is a top view of one end of the receptacle connector, and Figure 4(B) is a bottom view of one end of the receptacle connector. Figure 5(A) is a top view of one reinforcing metal fastener, and Figure 5(B) is a bottom view of one reinforcing metal fastener.

[0017] As shown in Figure 1, the plug connector 20 is insert-molded by embedding a plurality of plug terminals 31 and a plurality (four in this embodiment) of plug metal fasteners 41 within a resin housing 21. The housing 21 comprises a bottom wall 22, which is rectangular in plan view; a pair of short walls 23 extending from the ends of the bottom wall 22 in the longitudinal direction X; and a pair of long walls 24 extending from the ends of the bottom wall 22 in the transverse direction Y. The pair of short walls 23 and the pair of long walls 24 form a rectangular, annular fitting portion 25 that fits into a receiving space 56 (see Figure 2) of the receptacle connector 50. Inside the fitting portion 25, a linear receiving space 28 is formed to receive the protruding wall 55 (see Figure 2) of the receptacle connector 50.

[0018] A plurality of plug terminals 31 are arranged on the pair of long walls 24 of the mating portion 25. These plug terminals 31 are arranged to correspond to the receptacle terminals 65 (see Figure 2) of the receptacle connector 50. The plug terminals 31 are formed by bending a metal sheet. The plug terminals 31 have an inverted U-shaped plate-shaped terminal bend 32 that protrudes from the outer surface of the long wall 24, and a terminal mounting portion 34 that protrudes from one leg of the terminal bend 32 toward the outside of the skirt 27 of the long wall 24. One leg of the terminal bend 32 protrudes from the outer side of the long wall 24, and a step 33 is formed on this leg for easy locking.

[0019] The entire terminal mounting portion 34, except for the front end, is embedded within the resin skirt 27. Therefore, when soldering the terminal mounting portion 34 of the plug connector 20, the skirt 27 blocks the flow of molten solder along the surface of the terminal mounting portion 34. In other words, the low-wetting insulating resin intercepts the molten solder, preventing it from rising along the surface of the terminal mounting portion 34. By soldering the terminal mounting portion 34 of each plug terminal 31 to a mounting pad (not shown) on the circuit board 11, the plug connector 20 is electrically connected to the signal processing circuitry of the circuit board 11.

[0020] A receiving groove 26 for receiving the locking lever 71 (see Figure 2) of the receptacle connector 50 is formed in the center of the pair of short walls 23 of the mating portion 25 in the short-side direction Y. Each short wall 23 is cut into two by the receiving groove 26, and a plug metal fastener 41 is embedded in each of the two cut sections of each short wall 23. These plug metal fasteners 41 are formed symmetrically with the receiving groove 26 interposed therebetween. The plug metal fasteners 41 include a locking portion 42 that protrudes from the cut section of the short wall 23; side panels 46 that protrude from both ends of the short wall 23 in the short-side direction Y; and a metal fastener mounting portion 48 that protrudes outward from the lower portion of the short wall 23.

[0021] A locking protrusion 43 protrudes from the locking portion 42 into the receiving groove 26, and a columnar portion 44 protrudes from the short wall 23 into the receiving groove 26. The locking protrusion 43 extends in the longitudinal direction X, and the columnar portion 44 extends in the insertion and removal direction Z. The locking protrusion 43 and the columnar portion 44 form a T-shaped locking structure within the receiving groove 26. A bulge 45 for simple locking protrudes only slightly outward from the locking portion 42 in the longitudinal direction X, and a protrusion 47 for simple locking protrudes slightly outward from the side plate 46 in the transverse direction Y. The resin short wall 23 is located above the metal fastener mounting portion 48 and prevents solder from rising from the metal fastener mounting portion 48.

[0022] As shown in FIG2 , the receptacle connector 50 is insert-molded by embedding a plurality of receptacle terminals 65 and a pair of reinforcing metal fasteners 80 and 79 within a resin housing 51. The housing 51 comprises a bottom wall 52 that is rectangular in plan view; a pair of short walls 53 disposed at either end of the bottom wall 52 in the longitudinal direction X; a pair of long walls 54 disposed at either end of the bottom wall 52 in the transverse direction Y; and an island-shaped protruding wall 55 surrounded by the pair of short walls 53 and the pair of long walls 54. The pair of short walls 53, the pair of long walls 54, and the island-shaped protruding wall 55 define a rectangular annular receiving space 56 within the housing 51 for receiving the rectangular annular mating portion 25 (see FIG1 ) of the plug connector 20.

[0023] A plurality of receptacle terminals 65 are arranged on the pair of long walls 54 of the housing 51. The receptacle terminals 65 are formed by bending a metal sheet. The receptacle terminals 65 include an inverted U-shaped terminal bend 66 that protrudes from the outer surface of the long wall 54; a terminal mounting portion 67 that protrudes from one leg of the terminal bend 66 toward the outside of the long wall 54; and a contact spring 68 that extends from the other leg of the terminal bend 66 toward the protruding wall 55. The other leg of the terminal bend 66 slightly bulges into the receiving space 56. This bulging portion of the receptacle terminal 65 abuts against the step 33 of the plug terminal 31, allowing the plug connector 20 to be easily locked to the receptacle connector 50.

[0024] The contact spring 68, in its upright position, is housed in a recessed groove 57 formed in the outer surface of the protruding wall 55. The space within the recessed groove 57 allows for deflection of the contact spring 68 in the short-side direction Y. The contact spring 68 of the receptacle terminal 65 elastically contacts the terminal bend 32 of the plug terminal 31, electrically connecting the terminals. The portion between the terminal mounting portion 67 and the upper end of the terminal bend 66 is embedded within the resin long wall 54. The long wall 54 prevents the solder on the terminal mounting portion 67 from rising. By soldering each terminal mounting portion 67 of the receptacle terminal 65 to a mounting pad (not shown) on the circuit board 12, the receptacle connector 50 is electrically connected to the signal processing circuitry on the circuit board 12.

[0025] The receptacle connector 50 is provided with a locking lever 71 that locks the receptacle connector 20 in its mated state. A receiving groove 58 (see FIG4B ) is formed on the lower surface of the housing 51, bisecting the bottom wall 52 along the longitudinal direction X. The receiving groove 58 extends from the lower surface of the bottom wall 52 to the protruding wall 55 and the pair of short walls 53. Between the pair of short walls 53 and the protruding wall 55, the receiving groove 58 communicates with the receiving space 56. The receiving groove 58 accommodates the locking lever 71, which intersects the receiving space 56 between the pair of short walls 53 and the protruding wall 55. A pair of retaining holes 61 are formed on both ends of the protruding wall 55 in the longitudinal direction X to prevent the locking lever 71 from falling out.

[0026] As shown in Figures 2 and 3 , the locking lever 71 includes a lever body 72 extending within the housing 51 along the longitudinal direction X, and a pair of lever ends 73 and 74 protruding from the pair of short walls 53. A pair of inverted L-shaped anti-drop hooks 75 are formed on the upper portion of the lever body 72, separated by a central portion. The tips of the pair of anti-drop hooks 75 face one side in the longitudinal direction X, and the pair of anti-drop hooks 75 enter the pair of anti-drop holes 61 in the protruding wall 55. A step 64 is formed on one side edge of each anti-drop hole 61, which enters the lower side of the tip of the anti-drop hook 75 (see Figure 6(B)). By hooking the pair of anti-drop hooks 75 on the step 64 of the pair of anti-drop holes 61, the locking lever 71 prevents the housing 51 from falling off.

[0027] Furthermore, a pair of locking hooks 76 are formed on the upper portion of the lever body 72, further outward in the longitudinal direction X than the pair of anti-detachment hooks 75. The distal ends of the pair of locking hooks 76 face one side in the longitudinal direction X, and the upper surface of each locking hook 76 is inclined so as to become lower toward the distal end. Each locking hook 76 is exposed in the receiving space 56 between the pair of short walls 53 and the protruding wall 55. The pair of locking hooks 76 correspond to the pair of locking protrusions 43 of the plug connector 20 (see FIG. 1 ). By hooking the pair of locking protrusions 43 of the plug connector 20 onto the pair of locking hooks 76, the mating state of the receptacle connector 50 and the plug connector 20 is locked.

[0028] The locking lever 71 is movable between a locked position on one side in the longitudinal direction X and a released position on the other side. In this position, the locking lever 71 is positioned in the locked position by the respective anti-disengagement hooks 75 abutting against the side edges 62 on one side in the longitudinal direction X of the respective anti-disengagement holes 61. The locking lever 71 is positioned in the released position by the respective anti-disengagement hooks 75 abutting against the side edges 63 on the other side in the longitudinal direction X of the respective anti-disengagement holes 61. In the locked position, the respective latching protrusions 43 engage with the respective latching hooks 76, locking the plug connector 20 to the locking lever 71. In the released position, the respective latching protrusions 43 disengage from the respective latching hooks 76, releasing the locking of the plug connector 20 by the locking lever 71.

[0029] The rod end 73 extends upward from one end of the rod body 72, and the rod end 74 extends upward from the other end of the rod body 72. The inner surface of one rod end 73 contacts spring pieces 92 and 93, described later. The spring pieces 92 and 93 maintain the lock lever 71 in the locked position (on one side in the longitudinal direction X) via the rod end 73. The rod ends 73 and 74 receive an unlocking operation. When an external force is applied to the rod ends 73 and 74 to move the lock lever 71 toward the other side in the longitudinal direction X, the spring force of the pair of spring pieces 92 and 93 is counteracted, moving the lock lever 71 to the unlocked position.

[0030] A pair of reinforcing metal fasteners 80 and 79 are provided at both ends of the housing 51 in the longitudinal direction X. These are formed by punching and bending a single sheet of metal. These fasteners 80 and 79 reinforce the ends of the short walls 53 and the island-shaped protruding wall 55. While the reinforcing metal fastener 80 has a pair of spring pieces 92 and 93, the reinforcing metal fastener 79 does not. Aside from the lack of spring pieces 92 and 93, the reinforcing metal fastener 79 has the same shape as the reinforcing metal fastener 80. Therefore, only the reinforcing metal fastener 80 will be described here, and the description of the reinforcing metal fastener 79 will be omitted.

[0031] As shown in Figures 4 and 5 , an upper plate portion 81, which serves as the base for the reinforcing metal fastener 80, extends from the upper surface of the short wall 53 of the housing 51 in the short-side direction Y. The upper plate portion 81 covers the upper surface of the short wall 53, protecting the short wall 53 from interference with the plug connector 20. An outer plate portion 82 extends from the upper plate portion 81 along the outer side of the short wall 53. The lower half of the outer plate portion 82 is bifurcated to straddle the locking lever 71. An outer plate mounting portion 83 is formed at the bottom of each leg of the bifurcated outer plate portion 82. A pair of side plates 84 extend from the upper plate portion 81, facing each other at opposite ends of the short wall 53 in the short-side direction Y. A side plate mounting portion 85 is formed at the bottom of each side plate portion 84.

[0032] The pair of outer panel mounting portions 83 of the outer panel 82 and the pair of side panel mounting portions 85 of the pair of side panel portions 84 are soldered to the surface of the circuit board 12 (see Figure 1). Since the pair of outer panel mounting portions 83 and the pair of side panel mounting portions 85 are fixed to the surface of the circuit board 12, the short wall 53 is more durable against external forces in the longitudinal direction X and the transverse direction Y. The portion between the upper end of the outer panel 82 and the pair of outer panel mounting portions 83 is embedded within the short wall 53, and the portion between the upper end of the pair of side panel portions 84 and the pair of side panel mounting portions 85 is embedded within the short wall 53. The short wall 53 prevents the solder from rising on the pair of outer panel mounting portions 83 and the pair of side panel mounting portions 85, preventing the rising solder from interfering with the function of the pair of spring pieces 92 and 93.

[0033] The upper ends of the pair of side panels 84 protrude from the upper surface of the short wall 53. The upper ends of each side panel 84 are chamfered to form guide surfaces 86. The guide surfaces 86 of the pair of side panels 84 correspond to the metal fastener mounting portions 48 at the four corners of the plug connector 20. The guide surfaces 86 guide the metal fastener mounting portions 48, facilitating mating of the receptacle connector 50 with the plug connector 20. The inner panel 87 extends from the upper panel 81 to cover the inner surface of the short wall 53. The inner panel 87 slightly bulges into the receiving space 56. This bulge of the inner panel 87 abuts against the bulge 45 of the plug metal fastener 41 (see FIG. 1 ), allowing the plug connector 20 to be easily locked to the receptacle connector 50.

[0034] The lower half of the inner plate 87 is bifurcated to straddle the locking lever 71. A pair of connecting plates 88 extend from the lower portion of each leg of the inner plate 87 toward the protruding wall 55. The connecting plates 88 extend along the two side edges of the locking lever 71, preventing interference between the locking lever 71 and the connecting plates 88. The connecting plates 88 are connected to the pair of legs of the protruding wall protection portion 89. The upper surface of the protruding wall 55 is covered by the protruding wall protection portion 89, which protects the end of the protruding wall 55 from interference with the plug connector 20. In this way, the reinforcing metal fastener 80 protects not only the short wall 53 but also the protruding wall 55.

[0035] The protruding wall protection portion 89 is formed with an inverted U-shaped retaining portion 91 embedded within the protruding wall 55. The pair of legs of the retaining portion 91 penetrate the protruding wall 55, firmly retaining the protruding wall protection portion 89 to the protruding wall 55. The reinforcing metal fastener 80 is retained not only by the short wall 53 but also by the protruding wall 55, thereby preventing the reinforcing metal fastener 80 from bouncing or deforming when the receptacle connector 50 is subjected to an impact. Furthermore, the side edge of the retaining portion 91 is reinforced from the end face of the U-shaped retaining portion toward the retaining hole 61. Even if the retaining hook 75 of the lock lever 71 abuts the side edge of the retaining hole 61, the resin at the side edge of the retaining hole 61 is prevented from collapsing.

[0036] A pair of spring pieces 92 and 93 are folded toward the center of the outer plate 82 from both ends in the short-side direction Y. The spring pieces 92 and 93 extend from both sides of the lock lever 71, across the lever end 73, toward the lever end 73 (toward the center in the short-side direction Y). When the lock lever 71 is locked, the spring pieces 92 and 93 naturally contact the lever end 73. The top of one spring piece 92 and the bottom of the other spring piece 93 are cut to form a step, so that the top ends of the spring pieces 92 and 93 overlap in the vertical direction (insertion and removal direction Z). This makes the top ends of the spring pieces 92 and 93 longer, significantly ensuring the bending edges of the spring pieces 92 and 93.

[0037] Furthermore, the lock lever 71 protrudes outward from the lower portion of the short wall 53 in the longitudinal direction X. Therefore, the pair of spring pieces 92 and 93 extend transversely across the upper portion of the lever body 72 and contact the inner side surface (the inner side surface in the longitudinal direction X) of the lever end 73 from the inside. In this manner, the front end of the other spring piece 93 enters the notch 100 on the upper side of the one spring piece 92, while the front end of the one spring piece 92 enters the notch 101 on the lower side of the other spring piece 93. This reduces the vertical dimension of the pair of spring pieces 92 and 93, allowing the lock lever 71 and the pair of spring pieces 92 and 93 to fit within the height dimension of the receptacle connector 50.

[0038] The reinforcing metal fastener 80 is insert-molded into the housing 51 while the pair of spring pieces 92 and 93 protrude from the short wall 53. The bent base ends 102 and 103 of the spring pieces 92 and 93 are embedded in the short wall 53, stably holding the spring pieces 92 and 93. At this point, the base ends of the spring pieces 92 and 93 are folded into a U-shape. The curved portions 104 and 105 of the front half of the folded portions 94 and 95 are embedded within the short wall 53, while the curved portions 106 and 107 of the rear half of the folded portions 94 and 95 are exposed from the short wall 53. By holding the bases of the spring pieces 92 and 93, where load is concentrated, against the short wall 53, the durability of the spring pieces 92 and 93 is improved without reducing their elasticity.

[0039] In addition to a pair of reinforcing metal fasteners 80, multiple (four in this embodiment) reinforcing plates 97 are embedded at both ends of the housing 51 in the longitudinal direction X. These plates 97 are formed by bending a metal sheet. The upper surface of the long wall 54 is covered by these plates, protecting them from interference with the plug connector 20. The inner surface of the long wall 54 is covered by the inner surface of these plates, which has shallow grooves 98 formed therein. By inserting the protrusions 47 of the plug fastener 41 into these grooves, the plug connector 20 is easily locked to the receptacle connector 50. A reinforcing plate mounting portion 99 protrudes from the lower portion of the reinforcing plate 97 toward the outside of the long wall 54. The resin long wall 54 is positioned above these plates, preventing solder from rising from the plates.

[0040] The connector insertion and removal operations are described with reference to Figures 6 and 7. Figure 6 illustrates the insertion operation of the connector of this embodiment. Figure 7 illustrates the removal operation of the connector of this embodiment. Furthermore, Figures 6(A) and 7(A) are top views of the receptacle connector, Figure 6(B) is a cross-sectional view of the receptacle connector of Figure 6(A) taken along line AA, and Figure 7(B) is a cross-sectional view of the receptacle connector of Figure 7(A) taken along line BB. For ease of explanation, the plug connectors of Figures 6(B) and 7(B) are shown with a two-dot chain line.

[0041] As shown in Figures 6(A) and 6(B), the locking lever 71 is housed in the receptacle connector 50, with the rod end 73 of the locking lever 71 positioned closer to the short wall 53 in the longitudinal direction X. At this point, the locking lever 71 is restrained in the locked position P1 by the anti-drop hook 75 of the locking lever 71 contacting the side edge 62 of the anti-drop hole 61 of the protruding wall 55. A pair of spring pieces 92 and 93 protrude from the short wall 53 of the receptacle connector 50, retaining the locking lever 71 in the locked position P1 via the rod end 73. In the locked position P1, the locking hook 76 of the locking lever 71 protrudes significantly into the receiving space 56.

[0042] In this state, when the plug connector 20 approaches the receptacle connector 50 in the insertion / removal direction Z, the locking lever 71 enters the receiving groove 26 of the plug connector 20 (see Figure 1). The locking protrusion 43 of the plug connector 20 abuts the inclined surface of the locking hook 76 of the locking lever 71 from above. The locking hook 76 receives the upward pressure, thereby slightly pushing the locking lever 71 toward the other side in the longitudinal direction X. At this time, the rod end 73 of the locking lever 71 elastically deforms the pair of spring pieces 92, 93, allowing the locking lever 71 to move toward the other side in the longitudinal direction X, allowing the plug connector 20 to be inserted.

[0043] The mating portion 25 of the plug connector 20 enters the receiving space 56 of the receptacle connector 50, and the island-shaped protruding wall 55 of the receptacle connector 50 enters the inner side of the mating portion 25. When the locking protrusion 43 of the plug connector 20 reaches below the locking hook 76 of the locking lever 71, the pressing force on the locking hook 76 disappears, and the pair of spring pieces 92 and 93 pushes the locking lever 71 back to the locked position P1. As a result, the locking protrusion 43 of the plug connector 20 hooks onto the locking hook 76 of the locking lever 71, and the mated state of the receptacle connector 50 and plug connector 20 is locked by the locking lever 71.

[0044] As shown in Figures 7(A) and 7(B), when an external force is applied to the locking lever 71 in the other direction of the longitudinal direction X, the locking lever 71 is pushed in the other direction of the longitudinal direction X against the elastic force of the pair of spring pieces 92 and 93. At this point, the locking lever 71 is restrained in the release position P2 by the locking hook 75 of the locking lever 71 contacting the side edge 63 of the locking hole 61 of the protruding wall 55 (see Figure 2). In the release position P2, the locking hook 76 of the locking lever 71 is pulled into the receiving space 56 and disengaged from the locking protrusion 43 of the plug connector 20. This releases the lock between the mating connectors, allowing the plug connector 20 to be removed from the receptacle connector 50.

[0045] As described above, according to this embodiment, the spring pieces 92 and 93 of the reinforcing metal fastener 80 hold the lock lever 71 in the locked position, thereby locking the mated state between the receptacle connector 50 and the plug connector 20. The lock lever 71 is then moved to the released position against the elastic force of the spring pieces 92 and 93, releasing the locked state between the receptacle connector 50 and the plug connector 20. At this time, the reinforcing metal fastener 80 is insert-molded into the housing 51 while the spring pieces 92 and 93 protrude from the housing 51 of the receptacle connector 50. Therefore, the spring pieces 92 and 93 formed on the reinforcing metal fastener 80 can be stably held by the housing 51.

[0046] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a pair of spring pieces are formed on one side of the reinforcing metal fastener, but a single spring piece may also be formed on one side of the reinforcing metal fastener.

[0047] In this embodiment, the locking lever is held in the locked position by a spring piece via one end of the locking lever. However, the locking lever may be held in the locked position by a spring piece via the other end of the locking lever. In other words, the spring piece may be formed on the other reinforcing metal fastener of the pair of reinforcing metal fasteners.

[0048] In addition, in this embodiment, the protruding wall protection portion is formed on the reinforcing metal fastener. However, if the protruding wall has sufficient strength, the protruding wall protection portion may not be formed on the reinforcing metal fastener.

[0049] In addition, in this embodiment, the outer plate portion is along the outer side surface of the short wall, and the outer plate portion is along the outer side surface of the short wall at any position in the thickness direction inside the short wall.

[0050] As described above, the first embodiment of the electrical connector is an electrical connector (socket connector 50) comprising: a housing (51) that is rectangular in shape when mated with a target connector (plug connector 20); a locking rod (71) that locks the mating state with the target connector; and a pair of reinforcing metal fasteners (80, 79) at both ends of the housing in the longitudinal direction (X), wherein the locking rod is accommodated in the housing, both ends of the locking rod (rod ends 73, 74) protrude from the housing in the longitudinal direction, the locking rod can move between a locking position for locking the target connector and a release position for releasing the lock of the target connector, one of the pair of reinforcing metal fasteners (80) comprises: a spring piece (92, 93) that holds the locking rod in the locking position via one end of the locking rod (rod end 73), and one of the reinforcing metal fasteners is inserted into the housing when the spring piece protrudes from the housing. With this structure, the spring piece of one reinforcing metal fastener holds the locking lever in the locked position, locking the mating state of the electrical connector and the mating connector. The locking lever is then moved to the released position against the elastic force of the spring piece, releasing the locked state of the electrical connector and the mating connector. At this time, while the spring piece protrudes from the housing, the reinforcing metal fastener is insert-molded into the housing, thereby stably retaining the spring piece formed on the reinforcing metal fastener within the housing.

[0051] A second aspect is similar to the first aspect, wherein the spring piece is a pair of spring pieces, extending from opposite sides of one end of the locking lever toward the end in the short direction of the housing. With this structure, the pair of spring pieces stably maintains the locking lever in the locked position.

[0052] The third aspect is similar to the second aspect, wherein the front ends of the pair of spring pieces overlap in the vertical direction. According to this structure, the front ends of the pair of spring pieces are lengthened, thereby greatly ensuring the bending edges of the pair of spring pieces.

[0053] The fourth aspect is any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the housing comprises: a bottom wall (52) that is rectangular in shape when viewed from above; a pair of short walls (53) erected at both ends of the bottom wall in the longitudinal direction; and a pair of long walls (54) erected at both ends of the bottom wall in the short side direction (Y); and an island-shaped protruding wall (55) surrounded by the pair of short walls and the pair of long walls. Each reinforcing metal fastener comprises: an upper plate portion (81) covering the upper surface of the short wall; and an outer plate portion (82) along the outer side surface of the short wall. When the spring piece protrudes from one of the short walls, the reinforcing metal fastener on one side is inserted and formed on the short wall on the other side. According to this structure, the spring piece formed on the reinforcing metal fastener on one side can be stably held by the short wall.

[0054] The fifth aspect is similar to the fourth aspect, wherein each reinforcing metal fastener has a pair of side plate portions (84) facing each other at both ends of the short side direction of the short wall, a pair of outer plate mounting portions (83) fixed to the mounting surface are formed on the outer plate portion, and a pair of side plate mounting portions (85) fixed to the mounting surface are formed on the pair of side plate portions. According to this structure, by fixing the pair of outer plate mounting portions and the pair of side plate mounting portions to the mounting surface, the durability of the short wall against external forces from the longitudinal direction and the short side direction can be improved.

[0055] A sixth aspect is similar to the fifth aspect, wherein the portion between the upper end of the outer panel and the pair of outer panel mounting portions is embedded within the short wall, and the portion between the upper ends of the pair of side panel portions and the pair of side panel mounting portions is embedded within the short wall. With this structure, when the pair of outer panel mounting portions and the pair of side panel mounting portions are secured to the mounting surface by soldering, the short wall prevents solder from rising along the surface of the mounting portions, thereby preventing the spring from being impaired by solder rising.

[0056] The seventh aspect is similar to the fifth or sixth aspect, wherein a guide surface (86) for guiding the mounting portion of the target connector is formed at the upper ends of the pair of side plates. According to this structure, the target connector can be smoothly fitted into the electrical connector.

[0057] The eighth aspect is any one of the fourth to seventh aspects, wherein each reinforcing metal fastener comprises: an inner plate portion (87) covering the inner side surface of the short wall; a protruding wall protection portion (89) covering the upper surface of the protruding wall; and a connecting plate portion (88) connecting the inner plate portion and the protruding wall protection portion. According to this structure, the protruding wall of the shell is protected by the protruding wall protection portion connected to the inner plate portion via the connecting plate portion.

[0058] A ninth aspect is the same as the eighth aspect, wherein the connecting plate portion is a pair of connecting plate portions, and the pair of connecting plate portions extend along both side edges of the locking rod. If this structure is used, interference between the locking rod and the pair of connecting plate portions can be suppressed.

[0059] The tenth aspect is the same as the eighth aspect or the ninth aspect, wherein the protruding wall protection portion is formed with an inverted U-shaped retaining portion (91) embedded in the interior of the protruding wall. According to this structure, not only the short wall but also the protruding wall retains the reinforcing metal fastener, and when the electrical connector is subjected to an impact, the reinforcing metal fastener is suppressed from bouncing or deforming.

[0060] Furthermore, although this embodiment has been described, the above-described embodiments and modifications may be combined in whole or in part as other embodiments.

[0061] Furthermore, the technology of this invention is not limited to the aforementioned embodiments. Various changes, substitutions, and modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the technical concept of this invention. Furthermore, if technological advancements or derived technologies allow the technical concept to be implemented in different specifications, such implementations may also be used. Therefore, the scope of this patent application covers all embodiments within the scope of the technical concept.

[0062] 20: Plug connector (mating connector) 50: socket connector (electrical connector) 51: Shell 52: Bottom wall 53: Short Wall 54: Longwall 55: protruding wall 71: Locking lever 73: Rod end (one end of the locking rod) 80: Reinforced metal fasteners 81: Upper plate part 82: Outer plate 83: Outer plate installation part 84: Side panel 85: Side panel mounting portion 86:Guide surface 87: Inner plate 88: Connecting plate 89: protruding wall protection part 91:Maintaining part 92: Spring 93: Spring

Claims

1. An electrical connector comprising: a housing having a rectangular shape in plan view when fitted with a target connector; a locking rod for locking the fitted state with the target connector; and a pair of reinforcing metal fasteners at one of the two ends of the housing in the longitudinal direction, characterized in that: the housing houses the locking rod, the two ends of the locking rod protruding from the housing in the longitudinal direction; the locking rod is movable between a locked position for locking the target connector and a released position for releasing the target connector; one of the pair of reinforcing metal fasteners has: a spring plate that holds the locking rod in the locked position via one end of the locking rod; the housing has: a bottom wall having a rectangular shape in plan view; and a pair of short walls at one of the two ends of the bottom wall in the longitudinal direction; with the spring plate embedded in one of the short walls at the bent base end and the spring plate protruding from the short wall, the reinforcing metal fastener of the former is inserted into the short wall of the latter.

2. The electrical connector as requested in item 1, wherein, The aforementioned spring plates are a pair of spring plates, which extend from both sides of one end of the aforementioned locking rod toward that end in the direction of the short side of the aforementioned housing.

3. The electrical connector as described in claim 2, wherein, The front ends of the aforementioned pair of spring plates overlap vertically.

4. An electrical connector as described in any of requests 1 to 3, wherein, The aforementioned housing also includes: a pair of long walls erected at one end of the short side of the aforementioned bottom wall; and an island-shaped protruding wall surrounded by the aforementioned pair of short walls and the aforementioned pair of long walls. Each of the aforementioned reinforcing metal fasteners has: an upper plate portion covering the upper surface of the aforementioned short wall; and an outer plate portion along the outer side of the aforementioned short wall.

5. The electrical connector as described in claim 4, wherein, Each of the aforementioned reinforcing metal fasteners has a pair of opposing side plate portions at both ends of the aforementioned short wall in the short side direction. A pair of opposite side plate mounting portions are formed on the aforementioned outer plate portion and fixed to the mounting surface on the aforementioned pair of side plate portions.

6. The electrical connector as described in claim 5, wherein, The portion between the upper end of the aforementioned outer panel and the aforementioned pair of outer panel mounting portions is embedded inside the aforementioned short wall, and the portion between the upper end of the aforementioned pair of side panels and the aforementioned pair of side panel mounting portions is embedded inside the aforementioned short wall.

7. The electrical connector as described in claim 5, wherein, At the upper end of the aforementioned pair of side plates, a guide surface is formed for guiding the mounting portion of the aforementioned object connector.

8. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 4, wherein, Each of the aforementioned reinforcing metal fasteners has: an inner plate portion covering the inner side of the aforementioned short wall; a protruding wall protection portion covering the upper surface of the aforementioned protruding wall; and a connecting plate portion connecting the aforementioned inner plate portion and the aforementioned protruding wall protection portion.

9. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 8, wherein, The aforementioned connecting plate portion is a pair of connecting plate portions, which extend along both sides of the aforementioned locking rod.

10. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 9, wherein, In the aforementioned protruding wall protection section, an inverted U-shaped retaining section is formed embedded inside the aforementioned protruding wall.

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