JP2597359Y2 - Electrical connector - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrical connector in which a male connector is fitted with a female connector formed of a softer resin material.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional electric connector of this type,
There is Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 57-10470. This has a structure as shown in FIGS. That is, reference numeral 1 denotes a male connector, and a terminal 4 for connecting the electric wire 3 is fitted into each terminal accommodating chamber 2 formed in the male connector 1. A window 5 is formed on a side surface of the male connector 1 to expose a terminal 4 fitted in the terminal accommodating chamber 2. This window 5 has the connector 1
In order to prevent the terminal 4 from being damaged when handling such as transportation, the protective cover 6 for protecting the terminal 4
It is guided by grooves 11 of a guide frame 11 ′ provided on both side edges of the window 5 and is fitted and held so as to be slidable in the vertical direction in the drawing. Reference numeral 7 denotes a female connector having a fitting hole 8 into which the male connector 1 is fitted. In the fitting hole 8, a flexible printed wiring board 9 attached to the wall surface of the female connector 7 is provided. A tongue piece 10 is inserted.

Accordingly, in the fitting hole 8 of the female connector 7,
When the male connector 1 is inserted, as shown in FIG. 2, the lower edge of the protective cover 6 abuts against the wall surface of the female connector 7, more precisely, the surface of the flexible printed circuit board 9, and at the same time as the insertion, the protective cover 6 6 is pushed up and the window 5 is opened,
At the same time, each terminal 4 in each terminal accommodating chamber 2 is connected to each circuit pattern of the tongue piece 10 exposed on the surface of the printed wiring board 9.

Further, in such an electric connector having a conventional structure, the male connector 1 is inserted into a fitting hole 8 formed integrally with, for example, a female connector 7 so that the terminal 4
Is connected to the tongue piece 10 located in the fitting hole 8, the male connector 1 serves as a means for holding (maintaining) the fitting of the male connector 1 in the fitting hole 8.
A lock arm 12 having flexibility and elasticity is integrally formed,
Further, a lock claw 13 is formed on the lock arm 12 so as to be locked with the edge of the fitting hole 8.

[0005]

However, in the electrical connector having such a structure, the resin material forming the female connector 7 is softer than the hardness of the resin material forming the male connector 1. Therefore, when the operation of fitting the male connector 1 into the fitting hole 8 is repeated, the locking claw 13 of the male connector 1 collides with the fitting hole hole edge corner 14 of the female connector 7 and the collision force is generated. As a result, the hole edge corner 14 is damaged.

As a result, as the damage progresses, the sense of engagement between the locking claw 13 and the fitting hole 8 is lost, and it becomes difficult to know the state of engagement between the male connector and the fitting hole with a sense. There was a defect.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of such a conventional problem, and prevents the edge of the above-mentioned fitting hole from being damaged in advance so that the best fit for inserting the male connector can be achieved. An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector that can maintain a sense of moderation.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the embodiments shown in FIGS.

Reference numeral 21 denotes a male connector. In each terminal accommodating chamber 22 formed in the male connector 21,
A terminal 24 to which the electric wire 23 is connected is fitted and held by a lance 25 and a double locking frame 26. A window 31 is formed on a side surface of the male connector 21 for exposing a part of the terminal 24 fitted in each of the terminal accommodating chambers 22. The window 31 extends from the terminal 24. The contact portion 27 is exposed.

3 to 5, illustration of the electric wires 23 and the terminals 24 is omitted.

Reference numeral 28 denotes a flexible elastic lock arm extending substantially in the center of the side surface of the male connector 21 from the fitting end of the male connector 21 in a direction opposite to the fitting direction. the engaging convex portion 29 is projected.

[0012] 30 is an annular protective cover which is formed so as to surround the periphery of the male connector 21, the protective cover
The bar 30 is fitted so as to be slidable in a direction parallel to the axial direction of the male connector 21, and usually has elastic arms 3 formed on both left and right side surfaces of the male connector 21 as shown in FIGS.
Each terminal 24 is positioned by a pair of locking claws 33 and 34 protruding from the window 2 and exposed from the window 31.
It is covered to prevent damage.

Further, the protection cover 30 is formed integrally with a step 35 which is slidably contacted with the surface of the lock arm 28 as clearly shown in FIG. Reference numeral 36 denotes a female connector having a fitting hole 37 into which the male connector 21 is fitted, for example, formed in a part of the instrument case. The tongue piece of the flexible printed wiring board 38 is provided. Note that the wall surface of the fitting hole 37, the locking engagement engaging protrusion 29 provided on the arm 28 is locked Gokata 39
Is provided.

The above is the structure of the present embodiment. Next, the operation will be described. The protective cover 30 provided on the male connector 21 of the present embodiment usually has the contact of the terminal 24 exposed through the window 31. To protect the part 27 from damage,
As shown in FIG. 5, the position of the window 31 is determined by the locking of the locking claws 33 and 34 at a substantially central position.

The male connector 21 is connected to the female connector 3.
6 is protected as shown in FIG.
The cover 30 contacts the edge of the fitting hole 37. Elastic arms 32 provided on both left and right sides of the male connector 21 at the same time
Of the fitting hole 37, the elastic arm 32 is bent inward, and the protective cover 30 is locked with the locking claws 33, 34. The force is released. Subsequently, when the male connector 21 is fitted into the fitting hole 37, the step 35 provided on the protective cover 30 is provided.
By the engagement convex portion 29 abuts, then stepped portion 35, is pressed downward as indicated by the chain line lock arm 28 is curved in FIG. 6, as a result engaging protrusion 29 rides over the stepped portion 35 . Further, the male connector 21 is fitted into the fitting hole 37, and the protective cover 30 is retracted with respect to the male connector 21 as shown in FIG. Circuit pattern and terminal 2
4 and the engaging projection 29 and the engaging shoulder
39 and is wearing fit engages with the connectors 21, 36.

[0016] Thus the male connector 21, when pushed into the fitting hole 37, the engaging protrusion 29 that is projecting from the surface of the locking arm 28, the lower step portion 35 provided in the protective cover 30 Side, and is pushed into the fitting hole 37, the collision between the engaging projection 29 and the hole edge of the fitting hole 37.
Collision is avoided, thereby at the time of mating of the male connector 21, never hole edge of the fitting hole 37 from being damaged by the engagement convex portion 29. That fitting hole 3 by the engagement convex portion 29
Since the collision with the edge of the hole 7 is avoided by the step 35 of the protective cover 30, the material of the fitting hole 37 is
Even softer than the molding material of the convex portion 29, damage to the fitting hole 37 hole edge by its engaging protrusion 29 can be effectively prevented.

[0017]

The present invention is as described above, and is provided in a male connector for exposing a part of a terminal mounted on the window through a window provided in a connector housing, and in a resin case housing; An electrical connector comprising a female connector to which a male connector is fitted, wherein the connector housing of the male connector is provided with a lock arm extending from a fitting end thereof in a fitting direction, and when the male connector is fitted to the female connector. the lock arm engaging convex portion for holding the fitting state of both connectors engage with each other
And a locking cover is provided on the female connector, the locking arm and the connector housing are formed in an annular shape so as to surround the circumference of the connector housing, and the protective cover for opening and closing the window to protect the terminal is movable. The lock is provided on the male connector, and further in the terminal protection mode by the protection cover.
Abutment position on the female connector fitting side of the engaging projection provided on the arm
The male connector is fitted with the female connector.
In the process, the engagement convex portion rides against the bending of the lock arm.
Since the stepped portion is an electrical connector provided on the protective cover, when fitting the male connector to the female connector, the protective cover initially abuts the female connector, and then the male connector is Mates with female connector. In that case, abuts with the stepped portion in which the engaging convex portion is provided on the protective cover provided on the lock arm, on its,
The engaging convex portion provided on the lock arm is the step portion,
Since the vehicle is overcome by the displacement of the lock arm, a sense of moderation that the male connector is fitted to the female connector is reliably ensured for the operator.

Further, the engaging convex portion abuts with the stepped portion provided in the protective cover, on its, the engaging convex portion provided on the lock arm of the lock arm said step portion because overcome by the displacement, the engagement convex portion without said female connector and abutment, therefore, no damaging the female connector.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a conventional electrical connector.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the operation of a conventional electrical connector.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the male connector according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a front view in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway side view of the electrical connector according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view illustrating the operation of the electrical connector according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector according to the embodiment of the present invention at the time when fitting is completed.

[Explanation of symbols]

21 ... male connector 22 ... terminal accommodating chambers 23 ... wire 24 ... terminal 25 ... lance 26 ... double locking frame 27 ... contact portion 28 ... lock arm 29 ... engaging projection portion 30 ... protective cover 31 ... window 32 ... resilient arm 33 ... locking claw 34 ... locking claw 35 ... stepped portion 36 ... female connector 37 ... fitting holes 38 ... flexible printed wiring board 39 ... engaging shoulder

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. A male connector that exposes a part of a terminal mounted thereto from a window provided in a connector housing, and a female connector provided in a resin case housing and fitted with the male connector. In the electrical connector, the connector housing of the male connector is provided with a lock arm extending in a fitting direction from a fitting end of the male connector. the engaging convex portion for holding the engaged state to the lock arm, and provided Kakarigokata portion to the female connector, the annular so as to surround the periphery of the lock arm, and the connector housing, and opening and closing the window And a protective cover for protecting the terminal is movably provided on the male connector, and further provided with an end by the protective cover.
In the child protection form, the female of the engaging projection provided on the lock arm
The male connector is located in the contact position on the connector mating side.
Locks the engaging projection in the process of fitting into the female connector.
An electrical connector, characterized in that a stepped portion is provided on the protective cover to get over the curved arm .