JP2004179069A - Lever connection type connector - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a lever-coupled connector in which connectors are hardly disconnected from each other and can maintain a stable coupled state.
When both connectors (1) and (2) are coupled to lever arms (7) and (7) of a connector coupling / disengaging lever (3), a locked engagement surface (17) of a connector engagement projection (16) formed on the other connector (2). To form a lock engagement surface 18 for preventing the two connectors 1 and 2 from being detached from each other, and to disengage the connectors 1 and 2 formed on the other connector 2 when the two connectors 1 and 2 are detached from each other. A detaching surface 20 for contacting the distal end portion 19a of the projection 19 and detaching the other connector 2 from the one connector 1 was formed, and both the locked surface 17 and the locked surface 18 were inclined surfaces.
[Selection diagram] FIG.

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lever-coupled connector configured to couple or disengage mutually coupled connectors by rotating a lever, and more particularly, to make it difficult for a connector to be accidentally detached from a mating connector. The present invention relates to a lever connection type connector.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art A connector has been known in which a pair of connectors to be connected to each other are connected using a lever (for example, see Patent Document 1). As shown in FIG. 7, such a connector includes a female connector housing 101 containing a large number of female terminals, and a male connector housing 102 containing a large number of male terminals coupled to each female terminal. The female connector housing 101 and the male connector housing 102 are connected to each other by a rotating operation of a lever 103 provided rotatably.
[0003]
As shown in FIG. 7, the lever 103 is attached to shaft portions 104 protruding from both side surfaces of the female connector housing 101, and rotates between a position shown by a solid line and a position shown by a broken line in FIG. It is free. The lever 103 has a lever engaging surface 106 at the distal end thereof for engaging with a projection 105 provided in the hood of the male connector housing 102.
[0004]
As shown in FIG. 8, when the female connector housing 101 and the male connector housing 102 are engaged with each other to complete the connection, the lever locking surface 106 releases the connector from the protrusion 105. The plane is perpendicular to the direction (the arrow X direction).
[0005]
The coupling operation in the connector having the above configuration will be described. First, the female connector housing 101 and the male connector housing 102 are lightly coupled with the lever 103 positioned at the solid line position shown in FIG. Thereafter, the lever 103 is tilted in the direction of arrow Y as shown in FIG. Then, the lever locking surface 106 formed on the distal end of the lever 103 starts to engage with the protrusion 105.
[0006]
When a force is applied to the rear end of the lever 103 from this state and the lever 103 is further lowered, the female connector housing 101 is pushed into the male connector housing 102 by leverage. Then, as shown in FIG. 8, when the lever engagement surface 106 of the lever 103 is substantially perpendicular to the connector detaching direction, the connection between the female connector housing 101 and the male connector housing 102 is completed.
[0007]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-84062 (page 1, FIG. 1)
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above-described connector, since the lever locking surface 106 is a surface perpendicular to the connector detaching direction with respect to the projection 105, the lever engaging surface 106 is disengaged from the female connector housing 101 in the coupling completed state in FIG. When the force is applied, the engagement between the projection 105 and the lever locking surface 106 is released, and the female connector housing 101 may come off from the male connector housing 102.
[0009]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a lever-coupled connector in which the coupling between the two connectors is unlikely to be inadvertently released and a stable coupling state can be maintained. And
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a lever-coupled connector in which a pair of connectors to be connected to each other is held or released by rotating the connector-connecting / disconnecting lever. The lever arm is inserted into the connector housing through a notch formed in the connector housing of one of the connectors, and a lever mounting shaft provided in the connector housing with a lever mounting hole formed in the lever arm. , So that the connector can be freely rotated with respect to the connector. When the two connectors are connected to each other, the lever arm has a connector locking projection formed on the other connector. A lock locking surface is formed to abut the locked surface to prevent disconnection of the two connectors, and When the two connectors are detached from each other, a detaching surface is formed to abut on a tip of a connector coupling / disengaging projection formed on the other connector to detach the other connector from the one connector. The lock engagement surface and the lock engagement surface are both inclined surfaces.
[0011]
In this way, the lock engagement surface of the connector engagement protrusion provided on the other connector and the lock engagement surface of the connector coupling / removal lever provided on one connector are both inclined surfaces, so that the other Even if an external force acts in a direction in which the connector is detached from one connector, a force for rotating the connector coupling / disengaging lever in a direction in which the other connector is detached hardly acts. Thus, even if an unexpected external force acts on the connectors, the connectors are not easily disconnected from each other, and a stable connection state is secured.
[0012]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the lever coupling type connector according to the first aspect, when the two connectors are coupled to the lever arm, the connector coupling and disengaging lever is rotated in a connector coupling direction. A lever rotation surface with which the detachment projection comes into contact is formed.
[0013]
As described above, since the lever arm has a lever rotation surface on which the connector coupling / disengaging projection for rotating the connector coupling / disconnecting lever in the connector coupling direction comes into contact, the connector coupling / disengaging projection is provided. By pushing the other connector into the one connector, the connection can be performed easily and with a low insertion force.
[0014]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, specific embodiments to which the present invention is applied will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0015]
The present embodiment is one in which the present invention is applied to a lever-coupled connector that couples and retains or detaches a pair of connectors to be coupled to each other by rotating a connector coupling / removing lever, and the two connectors are coupled to each other. This is an example of a lever-type connector that is less likely to be unintentionally disconnected from each other and that can maintain a stable coupled state.
[0016]
<Structure of lever connection type connector>
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a lever-coupled connector, FIG. 2 is a front view showing a connector-coupling start state, FIG. 3 is a front view showing a connector-coupling completed state, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of one connector, and FIG. FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a main part showing a lever end portion in a connection completed state, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a force applied to the lever when a detaching force is generated in one connector.
[0017]
As shown in FIG. 1, the lever-coupled connector according to the present embodiment is configured such that a male connector 1 which is one connector and a female connector 2 which is the other connector are connected to each other by rotation of a connector connection / removal lever 3. This is a lever-coupled connector that couples and holds or separates both connectors 1 and 2 by operation.
[0018]
"Configuration of male connector"
As shown in FIG. 1, the male connector 1 includes a connector housing 5 having a terminal accommodating portion 4 for accommodating and arranging a plurality of female terminals (not shown) at predetermined intervals at a central portion thereof. The terminal accommodating portion 4 has a terminal accommodating chamber 6 for accommodating and disposing each female terminal, and is partitioned by a partition so that adjacent female terminals are not short-circuited.
[0019]
"Configuration of Connector Housing"
As shown in FIG. 1, the connector housing 5 is formed with notches 8, 8 for inserting a pair of lever arms 7, 7 of the connector coupling / removal lever 3 therein. The notches 8 are formed on one side surface of the connector housing 5 in the longitudinal direction as an elongated slit along the height direction.
[0020]
As shown in FIG. 4, the connector housing 5 is provided with lever pivot shafts 9 and 9 (one of the levers) for allowing a connector connection / removal lever 3 to be described later to be rotatable with respect to the male connector 1. The rotation support shaft is not shown). The lever rotation support shafts 9 are formed on the inner wall surface of the connector housing 5 as low columnar protrusions protruding toward the terminal accommodating portion 4.
[0021]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the connector housing 5 is provided with a stopper for abutting against the connector connection / removal lever 3 to restrict the connector connection / removal lever 3 from rotating beyond a certain position. Members 10 and 10 are provided. The stopper members 10 and 10 are provided at positions near the lower ends of the notches 8 and 8.
[0022]
As shown in FIG. 1, the connector housing 5 has an escape hole 11 for allowing a connector locking projection 16 and a connector coupling / removing projection 19 formed on the female connector 2 to be described later to face the inside thereof. 11 are formed. Further, the connector housing 5 has a guide groove 13 for guiding a guide member 12 formed on the female connector 2 described later.
[0023]
`` Configuration of lever for connector connection / removal ''
As shown in FIG. 1, the connector coupling / disengaging lever 3 includes a pair of lever arms 7, 7 inserted through the notches 8, 8 and entering the connector housing 5, and a base of the lever arms 7, 7. And a lever connecting portion 14 for connecting the ends. The lever arms 7, 7 are inserted and engaged with lever rotation supporting shafts 9, 9 (see FIG. 4) formed on the male connector 1, and the connector coupling / removing lever is connected to the male connector 1. A lever mounting hole 15 for making the 3 freely rotatable is formed.
[0024]
When the male connector 1 and the female connector 2 are connected to the lever arms 7, 7 as shown in FIG. 3, a locked engagement surface of a connector engagement projection 16 formed on the female connector 2 described later. A lock engagement surface 18 is formed to abut the connector 17 to prevent the connectors 1 and 2 from being detached. As shown in FIG. 5, the lock engagement surface 18 is formed on the lower surface side of the distal end portion of the lever arms 7, 7, and comes into contact with the lock engagement surface 17 in a surface contact state, and The connector 2 has an inclined surface that does not accidentally come off the male connector 1.
[0025]
When the two connectors 1 and 2 connected to the lever arms 7 and 7 are detached, the lever arms 7 and 7 come into contact with a distal end portion 19a of a connector coupling / disengagement projection 19 formed on the female connector 2 described later to contact the female connector. A detaching surface 20 for detaching the connector 2 from the male connector 1 is formed. As shown in FIG. 5, the detachment surface 20 is formed by forming a substantially right-angled notch at a position close to the tip of the lever arm 7, 7, and is formed by the notch. One of the surfaces is a detachment surface 20.
[0026]
A lever rotation surface on which the connector coupling / disengagement projection 19 for rotating the connector coupling / disengaging lever 3 in the connector coupling direction when the connectors 1 and 2 are coupled to each other is provided on the lever arm 7. 21 are formed. The lever rotation surface 21 is formed on the upper surface side of the distal end portion of the lever arms 7, 7 and is continuous with the release surface 20.
[0027]
"Configuration of female connector"
As shown in FIG. 1, the female connector 2 includes a connector housing 22 having a terminal accommodating portion (all not shown) for accommodating a plurality of male terminals at predetermined intervals at a central portion thereof. . A terminal accommodating chamber for accommodating and arranging each male terminal is formed in the terminal accommodating portion, and is partitioned by a partition so that adjacent male terminals are not short-circuited.
[0028]
"Configuration of Connector Housing"
As shown in FIG. 1, the connector housing 22 has a cylindrical wire lead-out portion 23 for drawing out each wire (not shown) connected to the male terminal housed in the terminal housing chamber to the outside. are doing. The connector housing 22 is formed with a guide member 12 serving as a guide when the female connector 2 is connected to the male connector 1. The guide member 12 is formed as a substantially L-shaped protrusion on one side in the longitudinal direction of the connector housing 22 so as to fit into the guide groove 13 formed in the connector housing 22 of the male connector 1. It has been made. Further, the guide member 12 serves to regulate the connecting direction of the male connector 1 and the female connector 2 and functions as an erroneous insertion preventing member so that the connection cannot be performed unless it is in a predetermined direction.
[0029]
Further, the connector housing 22 is provided with a connector locking projection 16 for preventing the male connector 1 and the female connector 2 from being detached. The connector locking projections 16 are formed on both side surfaces in the short side direction of the connector housing 22, and come into contact with the lock locking surfaces 18 formed on the lever arms 7, 7 to connect the male connector 1 and the female connector 1. 2 has a lock locked surface 17 for preventing detachment. As shown in FIG. 5, the locked surface 17 is formed as an inclined surface inclined leftward, and is in close contact with the lock engaging surface 18 having the same angle as the inclination angle θ. It is made to contact.
[0030]
When the female connector 2 is connected to the male connector 1, the connector connecting / disconnecting lever 3 is rotated in the connector connecting direction, and the female connector 2 is disconnected from the male connector 1. At the time of connection, a connector coupling / disengaging projection 19 which is flipped up by a detaching surface 20 formed on the lever arm 7, 7 is formed. The connector connection / disengagement projections 19 are formed on both side surfaces in the short side direction of the connector housing 22, and are formed as elongated ridges along the connector connection direction. The distal end portion 19a of the connector coupling / disengagement projection 19 comes into contact with a disconnecting surface 20 and a lever rotation surface 21 formed on the connector coupling / disconnecting lever 3, respectively.
[0031]
<Connector connection operation>
In order to connect the male connector 1 and the female connector 2 configured as described above, first, the directions of both connectors are matched. That is, the connector locking projection 16 and the connector coupling / disengaging projection 19 formed on the female connector 2 are aligned with the escape holes 11, 11 formed on the male connector 1, and the guide member 12 is aligned with the guide groove 13. I do.
[0032]
Then, when the female connector 2 is fitted to the male connector 1 from a state where the two connectors 1 and 2 are aligned, as shown in FIG. The tip 19a of the projection 19 comes into contact with a lever rotation surface 21 formed on the connector coupling / disengaging lever 3. When the female connector 2 is further pushed into the male connector 1 from this state, the connector coupling / removal lever 19 is pushed by the connector coupling / removal projection 19, and the connector coupling / removal lever 3 is rotated about the lever rotation support shafts 9, 9. It turns in the connector coupling direction (the direction of arrow A in FIG. 2).
[0033]
When the female connector 2 is completely pushed into the male connector 1, as shown in FIG. 3, a connector engagement / disengagement lever is provided on a locked surface 17 formed on the connector engagement projection 16 of the male connector 1. The third lock engagement surfaces 18 come into close contact with each other and come into contact with each other. On the other hand, the detaching surface 20 of the connector engaging and disengaging lever 3 is in contact with the connector engaging and disengaging projection 19 of the female connector 2. That is, the distal ends of the lever arms 7, 7 are held vertically by the connector locking projections 16 and the connector coupling / removing projections 19 formed on the female connector 2, so that the male connector 1 and the female connector 2 is locked.
[0034]
In the state where the male connector 1 and the female connector 2 are connected, as shown in FIG. 5, the lock-locked surface 17 and the lock-locked surface 18 that are both inclined in the same direction are in close contact with each other. Since they are in contact with each other, even if the female connector 2 is forcibly pulled out from the male connector 1, the coupling force between the connectors 1 and 2 is so strong that the female connector 2 does not come off. That is, when the female connector 2 is forcibly pulled out from the male connector 1, the levers 7 for connecting and disconnecting the connector 3 are provided with the levers 3 for connecting and disconnecting the connector as shown in FIG. A connector detaching force F that rotates in the direction indicated by B acts. However, the connector detaching force F can be released from the connector at an angle of the inclination angle θ with respect to the vertical component force F1 because both the locked surface 17 and the locking surface 18 are inclined surfaces. It works in the direction that makes it difficult. For this reason, the female connector 2 does not come off from the male connector 1 carelessly.
[0035]
<Connector disconnection operation>
On the other hand, in order to release the coupled female connector 2 from the male connector 1, as shown in FIG. 3, the lever coupling portion 14 of the connector coupling / disconnecting lever 3 is operated to move the connector coupling / disconnecting lever 3 with an arrow. Rotate in the B direction. Then, the engagement between the lock locked surface 17 and the lock locking surface 18 is released, and the connector coupling / removal projection 19 abutting on the release surface 20 formed near the distal end of the lever arm 7, 7. The connector coupling / disengaging lever 3 is pushed upward. That is, using the lever connecting portion 14 as a point of force, the lever rotation supporting shafts 9 and 9 as fulcrum, and the contact point between the release surface 20 and the connector coupling / removal projection 19 as an operation point, the female connector 2 is connected to the male connector 1 by leverage principle. Can be removed from Finally, as shown in FIG. 2, the connector coupling / removal projection 19 comes into contact with the lever rotation surface 21 of the lever arm 7, 7, and the female connector 2 is pushed out of the male connector 1.
[0036]
The specific embodiment to which the present invention is applied has been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various changes can be made.
[0037]
In the above-described embodiment, the connector locking projections 16 and the connector coupling / removal projections 19 are provided on both side surfaces of the connector housing 22 of the female connector 2. However, similar effects can be obtained by forming them on only one surface. .
[0038]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the lock engagement surface of the connector engagement protrusion provided on the other connector and the lock engagement surface of the connector connection / disengagement lever provided on one connector are both provided. With the inclined surface, even when an external force acts in a direction in which the other connector is detached from the one connector, a force for rotating the connector coupling / separating lever in a direction in which the other connector is detached hardly acts. Thus, even if an unexpected external force acts on the connectors, the connectors are not easily disconnected from each other, and a stable connection state can be ensured.
[0039]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect of the first aspect, a lever rotation surface on which the connector coupling / disengagement protrusion for rotating the connector coupling / disconnecting lever in the connector coupling direction abuts on the lever arm. Is formed, the other connector having the connector coupling / removing projection is pressed into one connector, whereby coupling can be performed easily and with a low insertion force.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a lever connection type connector according to an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a front view of the lever-coupling type connector according to the embodiment, showing a coupling start state in which a female connector is coupled to a male connector.
FIG. 3 is a front view showing the lever-coupling type connector according to the embodiment and showing a state where the connector coupling is completed.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a male connector.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged front view of a main part of a lock portion in a connector coupling completed state.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a connector detaching force acting on a lock portion in a connector coupling completed state.
FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional lever connection type connector.
FIG. 8 is a partially cutaway front view showing a connector connection state of a conventional lever connection type connector.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Male connector (one connector)
2 Female connector (other connector)
3 Connector connecting / disconnecting lever 7 Lever arm 8 Notch 9 Lever rotation support shaft 16 Connector locking projection 17 Locked surface 18 Lock locking surface 19 Connector connection / removal projection 20 Release surface 21 Lever rotation surface

Claims (2)

In a lever-coupled connector, a pair of connectors to be coupled to each other is rotated by a connector coupling / removal lever to couple and hold the two connectors together or to release the two connectors.
The connector coupling / disengaging lever has its lever arm inserted into the connector housing through a notch formed in the connector housing of one of the connectors, and a lever mounting hole formed in the lever arm is inserted into the connector housing. By being inserted and engaged with the provided lever rotation support shaft, it is rotatable with respect to the connector,
The lever arm has a lock engagement surface that abuts against a lock engagement surface of a connector engagement protrusion formed on the other connector when the two connectors are coupled to each other to prevent the two connectors from being detached. Is formed, and when the two connected connectors are detached, the other connector is detached from the one connector by contacting the distal end of a connector coupling / disengaging projection formed on the other connector. The release surface to be formed is formed,
A lever-coupled connector, wherein both the locked surface and the locking surface are inclined surfaces. The lever arm is provided with a lever rotation surface on which the connector coupling / disengagement protrusion for rotating the connector coupling / disconnecting lever in the connector coupling direction when the both connectors are coupled is formed. The lever-coupled connector according to claim 1.

Images