Connector device

Abstract

A purpose of the present invention is to smoothly fit a connector to a mating connector.　A connector device (10) comprises: a movable member (15) that can be fitted to a mating connector (50); and a clip (19) that is attached so as to support the movable member (15) with respect to a vertical support surface (11F) of a support member (11) to which the connector device (10) is to be attached. The movable member (15) has a non-contact facing surface (17R) that faces the support surface (11F) with a horizontal gap therebetween. The non-contact facing surface (17R) is formed with a tilt restriction portion (26) that comes into contact with the support surface (11F).

Description

Connector device

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a connector device.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a floating connector including a slide housing to which contacts are attached and a base housing that holds the slide housing so as to be relatively displaceable in the horizontal direction. This floating connector can absorb displacement in the horizontal direction orthogonal to the fitting direction during the fitting process with a mating connector.

[0003] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-093424

[0004] When the above floating connector is supported on the vertical surface of a fixed support member, the floating connector may be supported in a cantilever manner on the support member via a support member. In this case, due to the interposition of the support member between the support member and the floating connector, the vertical surface of the support member and the floating connector may be in a horizontally separated positional relationship. When the support member and the floating connector are in a horizontally separated positional relationship, there is a risk that the floating connector will tilt toward or away from the vertical surface due to frictional resistance when the floating connector mates with or disengages from the mating connector. If this occurs, it may hinder the mating between the floating connector and the mating connector, so a countermeasure is desired.

[0005] The present disclosure has been completed based on the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to enable smooth mating with a mating connector.

[0006] The connector device of the present disclosure includes a movable member that can be mated with a mating connector, and a mounting portion that is mounted so as to support the movable member with respect to a vertical support surface of a support member that is an attachment target of the connector device. The movable member has a non-contact opposing surface that faces the support surface with a horizontal gap therebetween, and a tilting restriction portion that abuts against the support surface is formed on the non-contact opposing surface.

[0007] According to this disclosure, it can be smoothly mated with the other connector.

[0008] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the connector device of Embodiment 1 detached from the mating connector. Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the support member and the connector device. Figure 3 is a front view showing the connector device attached to the support member. Figure 4 is a plan view showing the connector device attached to the support member. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in Figure 3. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in Figure 3. Figure 7 is a rear view of the connector device. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C in Figure 3 showing the mating connector in an oblique position pressing against the second interference portion. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C in Figure 3 showing the housing tilted in the same direction as the mating connector. Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in Figure 3 in the same state as Figure 9. Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line D-D in Figure 4 showing the mating connector in an oblique position pressing against the first interference portion. Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to line D-D in Figure 4, showing the holder and housing tilted in the same direction as the mating connector. Figure 13 is a rear view in the same state as Figure 12. Figure 14 is a perspective view of the holder.

[0009] [Description of Embodiments of the Disclosure] Embodiments of the Disclosure will be listed and described first. Any combination of the following embodiments, as long as they do not contradict each other, is also included as a form for carrying out the invention. The connector device of the Disclosure comprises: (1) a movable member that can be mated with a mating connector; and a mounting portion that is attached to support the movable member with respect to the vertical support surface of a support member to which the connector device is to be attached, wherein the movable member has a non-contact opposing surface that is spaced horizontally away from the support surface, and the non-contact opposing surface has a tilt restricting portion that abuts against the support surface. According to the Disclosure, the tilt restricting portion abuts against the support surface, thereby preventing the movable member from tilting in a direction intersecting the support surface.

[0010] (2) In (1), the mounting portion supports the movable member so that it can swing with respect to the support surface, the movable member has a pair of interfering portions that interfere with the mating connector when its posture is tilted, the pair of interfering portions are positioned so as to sandwich the pivoting center axis from both sides in the horizontal direction when the movable member is viewed parallel to the pivoting center axis of the movable member, and it is preferable that the tilt restricting portion is positioned between the pivoting center axis and the pair of interfering portions. When the movable member is viewed parallel to the pivoting center axis, if the tilt restricting portion is far away from the pivoting center axis, the sliding distance of the tilt restricting portion on the support surface becomes longer when the movable member swings, so wear of the tilt restricting portion is likely to progress. In view of this, the tilt restricting portion is positioned between the pivoting center axis and the pair of interfering portions. With this arrangement, the sliding distance of the tilt restricting part on the support surface is shorter compared to when the tilt restricting part is positioned on the opposite side of the pivot axis with the interference part in between, thus reducing wear on the tilt restricting part.

[0011] (3) In (1) or (2), the tilt restricting portion is preferably rib-shaped and extends in the vertical direction. When the movable member swings, the tilt restricting portion moves up and down, so if the vertical dimension of the support surface is small, there is a concern that the tilt restricting portion may come off the support surface upward or downward. In view of this, the tilt restricting portion is made rib-shaped and extends in the vertical direction. As a result, even if the tilt restricting portion moves up and down in conjunction with the swinging of the movable member, there is no risk of the tilt restricting portion coming off the support surface.

[0012] (4) In (1) or (2), it is preferable that the tilt restricting portion includes a lower restricting portion positioned below the pivoting center axis and an upper restricting portion positioned above the pivoting center axis. With this configuration, tilting of the movable member can be prevented both when the movable member is fitted into the mating connector and when the movable member is disengaged from the mating connector.

[0013] In (5) and (4), it is preferable that the upper restricting portion and the lower restricting portion are rib-shaped extending in the vertical direction and connected to each other. If the upper restricting portion and the lower restricting portion are individually positioned at different locations, there is a risk that the rib-shaped upper or lower restricting portion may deform due to friction with the support surface. In view of this, the upper restricting portion and the lower restricting portion are configured to be connected to each other. With this configuration, the overall rigidity of the tilt restricting portion is increased, so that deformation of a part of the tilt restricting portion can be prevented.

[0014] [Details of Embodiments of the Disclosure] [Example 1] An embodiment of the present disclosure, a connector device 10 of Embodiment 1, will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 14. The present invention is not limited to these examples, but is shown by the claims, and all modifications within the meaning and range equivalent to the claims are included. In Embodiment 1, the front-to-back direction is defined as the F direction in Figures 1, 2, 4-6, 8-10, and 14. The up-and-down direction is defined as the H direction in Figures 1-3, 6-14. The left-to-right direction is defined as the R direction in Figures 1-5, 7, and 11-14.

[0015] The connector device 10 of this embodiment 1 is, for example, a device attached to the chassis of an automobile (not shown). The connector device 10 is a device that is mated from below to a mating connector 50 attached to the body of an automobile (not shown). The mating connector 50 has a female mating terminal (not shown). On the surface (bottom surface) of the mating connector 50 facing the connector device 10, a guide portion 51 is formed that protrudes toward the connector device 10. The guide portion 51 has a guide surface 52 that is inclined with respect to the mating direction (up and down direction) with respect to the mating direction with respect to the mating connector 50. When the connector device 10 and the mating connector 50 are mated with a misalignment in a two-dimensional direction (horizontal direction) perpendicular to the mating direction, the guide surface 52 slides against the connector device 10, thereby correcting the misalignment in the two-dimensional direction (front-back direction and left-right direction) between the connector device 10 and the mating connector 50.

[0016] The connector device 10 has a movable member 15 attached to a support member 11. The support member 11 is a panel-shaped member fixed to the automobile with its thickness direction oriented in the front-rear direction. The front of the front and rear vertical surfaces of the support member 11 is defined as the support surface 11F that faces the movable member 15 horizontally at a distance from it. The support member 11 has three mounting holes formed through it. The mounting holes include one center hole 12 and a pair of left and right side holes 13. As shown in Figures 7 and 13, in a rear view of the support member 11, the pair of side holes 13 are positioned diagonally below the center hole 12 and are arranged symmetrically on either side of the center hole 12. The rear view shapes of the center hole 12 and the side holes 13 are elliptical or oblong, with their major axis oriented vertically.

[0017] The movable member 15 is constructed by assembling one holder 16, one housing 30, and a male terminal fitting (not shown). The holder 16 is made of synthetic resin and is a single component having a rear wall portion 17 and a pair of symmetrical side wall portions 18. The rear surface of the rear wall portion 17 is defined as a non-contact opposing surface 17R that is horizontally spaced apart from and parallel to the support surface 11F. For example, three clips 19 are attached to the non-contact opposing surface 17R. The three clips 19 are individually attached to the center hole 12 and a pair of side holes 13. The lower end of the clip 19 attached to the center hole 12 abuts from above against the lower end of the opening edge of the center hole 12. The lower end of the clip 19 attached to the center hole 12 functions as a second pivot point 21, which is the pivot axis when the holder 16 swings left and right relative to the support member 11. The second pivot point 21 serves as the pivot point when the holder 16 begins to tilt its posture relative to the support member 11. The axis of the second pivot point 21, as the pivot center axis, is oriented in the front-rear direction, perpendicular to the fitting direction (up-down direction) between the mating connector 50 and the housing 30.

[0018] The neutral position is defined as the orientation of the holder 16 and housing 30 when they are facing the mating connector 50 without tilting. The clip 19 attached to the center hole 12 is located on a virtual vertical line (not shown) passing through the center of gravity (not shown) of the movable member 15 when viewed from the rear. When the three clips 19 are attached to the center hole 12 and the two side holes 13, a first clearance 22 is secured in the side hole 13 that allows the clips 19 to be displaced relative to each other in both vertical directions. This first clearance 22 allows the holder 16 to swing left and right around the second pivot point 21.

[0019] A pair of symmetrical tilt restricting portions 26 are formed on the non-contact opposing surface 17R. The tilt restricting portions 26 are rib-shaped and elongated in the vertical direction (the fitting direction between the mating connector 50 and the movable member 15). The tilt restricting portions 26 are formed continuously from the upper end to the lower end of the holder 16 (non-contact opposing surface 17R). A single tilt restricting portion 26 is composed of an upper restricting portion 27, a lower restricting portion 28, and a connecting portion 29. The upper restricting portion 27 is the portion of the tilt restricting portion 26 above the second pivot point portion 21. The lower restricting portion 28 is the portion of the tilt restricting portion 26 below the second pivot point portion 21. The connecting portion 29 is the portion that connects the lower end of the upper restricting portion 27 and the upper end of the lower restricting portion 28.

[0020] A pair of symmetrical support grooves 23 are formed in the pair of side wall portions 18. The support grooves 23 have a shape that extends in the front-rear direction and open to the inner surface and front end surface of the side wall portion 18. The lower surface on the inner surface of the support groove 23 functions as a mounting surface 24 that supports the housing 30 when it is placed on it. When the holder 16 and housing 30 are facing the mating connector 50, the mounting surface 24 is oriented perpendicular to the fitting direction and extends in the front-rear direction (horizontal direction). A stopper 25 that protrudes downward in a stepped manner is formed on the upper surface on the inner surface of the support groove 23.

[0021] The housing 30 is a single component having a block-shaped terminal holding portion 31 and a rectangular tubular fitting portion 32 extending upward from the upper surface of the terminal holding portion 31. The housing 30 is housed inside the holder 16. In other words, the housing 30 is housed in a space enclosed by the rear wall portion 17 and the left and right side wall portions 18. A male terminal fitting (not shown) is held in the terminal holding portion 31. The tab of the terminal fitting is arranged inside the fitting portion 32. In a plan view of the housing 30 from above, the opening edge of the fitting portion 32 forms a rectangle with its long side oriented in the left-right direction. A tapered guide slope 33 is formed at the upper end of the opening edge of the fitting portion 32.

[0022] The mating portion 32 is the part into which the mating connector 50 is inserted from above. The mating portion 32 is composed of a front wall 34, a pair of left and right side walls 35, and a rear wall 36. The inner surfaces of the pair of side walls 35 of the mating portion 32 function as a pair of second interference portions 37. As shown in Figure 4, in the left-right direction perpendicular to the mating direction with the mating connector 50, the second pivot portion 21 is positioned between the pair of second interference portions 37. The pair of tilt restricting portions 26 described above are positioned between the second pivot portion 21 and the second interference portion 37 in a rear view of the movable member 15 viewed parallel to the axial direction of the second pivot portion 21. In the mating direction (up and down direction), the pair of second interference portions 37 are positioned at the same height as the second pivot portion 21 or in a region lower than the second pivot portion 21. The inner surfaces of the front wall 34 and the rear wall 36 of the mating portion 32 function as a pair of first interference portions 38.

[0023] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, a pair of symmetrical projections 40 are formed on the outer surface of the side wall 35 of the mating portion 32. As shown in Figures 6 and 10, the projections 40 as a whole have an elongated shape in the front-rear direction. An elastic arm portion 41 is formed on the upper surface of the projection 40, extending forward in a cantilevered manner. The elastic arm portion 41 is capable of elastic displacement in the vertical direction. In a side view of the housing 30 viewed from the side, the lower surface of the projection 40 functions as a rolling surface 42 that is curved to be convex downward. In the state before the mating connector 50 is mated, the contact point between the rolling surface 42 and the mounting surface 24 of the holder 16 is defined as the first pivot point 43. In a side view of the housing 30 viewed from the side, the position of the first pivot point 43 in the front-rear direction is between the pair of first interference portions 38.

[0024] The housing 30 is attached to the holder 16 with the terminal holding portion 31 and the fitting portion 32 housed inside the holder 16, and the projection portion 40 housed in the support groove 23. When assembling the housing 30 to the holder 16, the projection portion 40 is inserted into the support groove 23 from the front of the housing 30. During the insertion process, the elastic arm portion 41 is elastically displaced downward due to interference with the stopper 25. When the elastic arm portion 41 passes the stopper 25, the assembly of the housing 30 to the holder 16 is completed. The housing 30 is held in a non-removable state from the holder 16 by the front end of the elastic arm portion 41 engaging with the stopper 25.

[0025] When the housing 30 is not mated with the mating connector 50 and the rolling surface 42 is placed on the mounting surface 24, a second clearance 44 is secured between the area of ​​the rolling surface 42 other than the first pivot point 43 and the mounting surface 24 of the holder 16. This second clearance 44 allows the housing 30 to roll in the front-rear direction on the mounting surface 24 relative to the holder 16. The first pivot point 43 serves as the pivot point for the tilt when the housing 30 begins to tilt its posture relative to the holder 16.

[0026] A third clearance 45 is provided between the inner surface of the holder 16 and the outer surface of the housing 30, allowing the housing 30 to move relative to the holder 16 in the front-rear and left-right directions. When the front end of the elastic arm portion 41 is in contact with the stopper 25, a third clearance 45 in the front-rear direction is provided between the rear wall portion 17 of the holder 16 and the rear wall 36 of the housing 30. A third clearance 45 in the left-right direction is provided between the outer surface of the projection portion 40 and the inner surface of the support groove 23. A third clearance 45 is also provided between the outer surface of the housing 30 and the side wall portion 18 of the holder 16. These third clearances 45 allow the housing 30 to be displaced relative to the holder 16 in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the fitting direction.

[0027] As shown in Figure 8, when the mating connector 50 attempts to enter the mating portion 32 with the housing 30 while tilted in the front-rear direction, the mating connector 50 interferes with a pair of front and rear first interference portions 38, applying a pressing force to the housing 30 in the mating direction. This pressing force generates a moment force in the housing 30 that causes it to tilt forward or backward with the first pivot portion 43 as the pivot point. Here, the pair of front and rear first interference portions 38 to which the pressing force is applied are positioned at distances from the first pivot portion 43 in the front-rear direction. Therefore, when the mating connector 50 presses the first interference portions 38 downward while tilted forward, the moment force generated in the housing 30 becomes a force that tilts the housing 30 forward. As a result, the housing 30 tilts its position forward, just like the mating connector 50, allowing the mating between the mating connector 50 and the housing 30 to proceed smoothly.

[0028] As shown in Figure 11, when the mating connector 50 attempts to enter the mating portion 32 of the housing 30 with its orientation tilted to the left or right, the mating connector 50 interferes with a pair of left and right second interference portions 37, applying a pressing force to the housing 30 in the mating direction. This pressing force generates a moment force in the housing 30 that causes it to tilt to the left or right with the second pivot portion 21 as the pivot point. Here, the pair of front and rear second interference portions 37 to which the pressing force is applied are positioned at a distance from the second pivot portion 21 in the left or right direction. Therefore, when the mating connector 50 presses downward on the second interference portions 37 with its orientation tilted to the left or right, the moment force generated in the housing 30 becomes a force that tries to tilt the housing 30 in the same direction as the mating connector 50. Since the housing 30 tilts in the same direction as the mating connector 50, the mating of the mating connector 50 and the housing 30 proceeds smoothly.

[0029] The connector device 10 of this embodiment 1 includes a movable member 15 that can be mated with a mating connector 50, and a clip 19. The clip 19 is a mounting part that supports the movable member 15 on the vertical support surface 11F of the support member 11 to which the connector device 10 is attached. The movable member 15 has a non-contact opposing surface 17R that is spaced horizontally away from the support surface 11F. The non-contact opposing surface 17R has a tilt restricting portion 26 that abuts against the support surface 11F. With this configuration, since the movable member 15 is supported so as to be swingable with respect to the support member 11 via the clip 19, the movable member 15 can be mated with a mating connector 50 that is tilted. The tilt restricting portion 26 abuts against the support surface 11F, which prevents the movable member 15 from tilting in a direction intersecting the support surface 11F. This prevents the movable member 15 from tilting in a direction intersecting the support surface 11F, which could cause problems in the mating of the movable member 15 with the mating connector 50.

[0030] The clip 19 supports the movable member 15 so that it can swing relative to the support surface 11F. The movable member 15 has a pair of second interference portions 37 that interfere with the mating connector 50 when its orientation is tilted in the left-right direction. The pair of second interference portions 37 are positioned to sandwich the second pivot portion 21 from both the left and right sides in the horizontal direction when the movable member 15 is viewed parallel to the axis of the second pivot portion 21 of the movable member 15 (the pivoting center axis). The pair of tilt restricting portions 26 are individually arranged in two regions between the second pivot portion 21 and the pair of second interference portions 37.

[0031] When the movable member 15 is viewed parallel to the axis of the second pivot point 21 (the pivoting center axis), if the tilt restricting portion 26 is far enough away from the second pivot point 21 in the left-right direction, the sliding distance of the tilt restricting portion 26 on the support surface 11F becomes longer when the movable member 15 swings, so the tilt restricting portion 26 is more likely to wear down. In view of this, the tilt restricting portion 26 is positioned between the second pivot point 21 and the second interference portion 37. With this arrangement, the sliding distance of the tilt restricting portion 26 on the support surface 11F is shorter compared to when the tilt restricting portion 26 is positioned on the opposite side of the second interference portion 37 from the second pivot point 21, so the wear of the tilt restricting portion 26 can be reduced.

[0032] When the movable member 15 swings, the tilt restricting portion 26 moves up and down. If the vertical dimension of the support surface 11F is small, there is a concern that the tilt restricting portion 26 may detach from the support surface 11F either upward or downward. In view of this, the tilt restricting portion 26 is made into a rib shape that extends in the vertical direction. As a result, even if the tilt restricting portion 26 moves up and down in conjunction with the swinging of the movable member 15, there is no risk of the tilt restricting portion 26 detaching from the support surface 11F.

[0033] The tilt restricting portion 26 includes a lower restricting portion 28 positioned below the second pivot portion 21 and an upper restricting portion 27 positioned above the second pivot portion 21. With this configuration, tilting in the direction of approaching or moving away from the support surface 11F can be prevented both when the movable member 15 is fitted into the mating connector 50 and when the movable member 15 is disengaged from the mating connector 50.

[0034] If the upper restricting portion 27 and the lower restricting portion 28, which have a rib-like shape extending in the vertical direction, are individually positioned at different locations, there is a risk that the upper restricting portion 27 and the lower restricting portion 28 may deform due to friction with the support surface 11F when the movable member 15 swings. In view of this, the upper restricting portion 27 and the lower restricting portion 28 are connected to each other via a connecting portion 29. With this configuration, the overall rigidity of the tilt restricting portion 26 is increased, so that deformation of a part of the tilt restricting portion 26 can be prevented.

[0035] [Other Embodiments] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and in the drawings, but is shown in the claims. The present invention includes the meaning of equivalences to the claims and all modifications within the claims, and also includes the following embodiments: - The tilt restricting portion may be elongated in the horizontal direction. - The tilt restricting portion is not limited to an elongated shape, but may be pin-shaped or block-shaped, etc. - In the case where the movable member does not detach from the mating connector after mating with the mating connector, the formation range of the tilting portion may be limited to below the pivot center axis. - The tilt restricting portion may be arranged in two positions, an upper restricting portion and a lower restricting portion, separated vertically from each other. - The movable member may be a single member. - The interference portion may be formed in the holder. - The interference portion provided on the movable member may be either a first interference portion or a second interference portion. - The pivot point provided on the movable member may be either a first pivot point or a second pivot point. - The holder may be fitted with only two clips. In this case, the intermediate portion of the holder between the two clips functions as a second pivot point. - The holder may be configured to swing left and right relative to the clips. - The clips may be attached to the support member so that they cannot move relative to it in the vertical and horizontal directions. - The configuration of the mounting part is not limited to the clip configuration of the above embodiment. The mounting part may be a cantilevered attachment of the movable member to the support member. For example, the mounting part may be made of resin or metal and may be attached to a hole provided in the support member by utilizing the elastic deformation of the mounting part. - The housing may be restricted from relative displacement in two dimensions relative to the holder.

[0036] 10...Connector device 11...Support member 11F...Support surface 12...Center hole 13...Side hole 15...Movable member 16...Holder 17...Rear wall 17R...Non-contact opposing surface 18...Side wall 19...Clip (mounting part) 21...Second pivot point (oscillating center axis) 22...First clearance 23...Support groove 24...Mounting surface 25...Stopper 26...Tilt restricting part 27...Upper restricting part 28...Lower restricting part 29...Connecting part 30...Housing 31...Terminal holding part 32...Matching part 33...Guiding slope 34...Front wall 35...Side wall 36...Rear wall 37...Second interference part (interference part) 38...First interference part 40...Protrusion 41...Elastic arm part 42...Rolling surface 43...First pivot point 44...Second clearance 45...Third clearance 50...Mating connector 51...Induction section 52...Induction surface

Claims

1. A connector device comprising: a movable member that can be mated with a mating connector; and a mounting portion for mounting the movable member to a vertical support surface of a support member to which the connector device is to be attached, wherein the movable member has a non-contact opposing surface that is spaced horizontally apart from the support surface, and the non-contact opposing surface has a tilt restricting portion that abuts against the support surface.

2. The connector device according to claim 1, wherein the mounting portion supports the movable member so as to be pivotable with respect to the support surface, the movable member has a pair of interfering portions that interfere with the mating connector when its orientation is tilted, the pair of interfering portions are positioned so as to sandwich the pivoting axis from both sides in the horizontal direction when the movable member is viewed parallel to the pivoting axis of the movable member, and the tilt restricting portion is disposed between the pivoting axis and the pair of interfering portions.

3. The connector device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the tilting restricting portion is rib-shaped and extends in the vertical direction.

4. The connector device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the tilt restricting portion includes a lower restricting portion positioned below the pivoting center axis and an upper restricting portion positioned above the pivoting center axis.

5. The connector device according to claim 4, wherein the upper restricting portion and the lower restricting portion are rib-shaped and extend in the vertical direction and are connected to each other.

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