JP2738296B2 - Lever connector - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lever-type connector, and more particularly to a lever-type connector in which a lock lever for locking a mating connector is held at a lock position by an uneven engagement mechanism.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a lever-type connector of this type, there is known a connector shown in FIG. A connector housing 1 has a bottomed cylindrical hood 2 into which a mating connector housing is inserted.
The rotary shaft is formed on both side surfaces of the hood portion 2 so as to protrude outward. Base 3 on one side
A U-shaped lever (lock lever) 3 in which both ends of a are bent by 90 degrees to form arms 3b, 3b sandwiches both side surfaces of the hood 2 with the arms 3b, 3b, and the arms 3b, 3b. The rotary shaft is inserted into shaft holes 3b1 and 3b1 formed so as to penetrate through the hood portion 2b.
Is held so as to be rotatable with respect to.

A spiral groove 3b is formed on the inner surface of the arm 3b.
2, the protrusion formed on the mating connector is introduced into the groove 3b2, and then the lever 3 is turned to pull the mating connector into the hood portion 2 in a spiral. . Further, on the outer surface of the arm portion 3b, a streak-like projection 3c is formed along the radial direction, and when the lever 3 is rotated, the arm 3b rotates about the shaft hole 3b1 as a fulcrum, thereby connecting the mating connector. When fully retracted (rotated to the locked position), it is substantially parallel to the opening direction of the hood 2. On the other hand, a locking arm 2a is formed on the outer surface of the hood portion 2 so as to cover the outer surface of the projection 3c when the projection 3c rotates in parallel with the hood portion 2 as described above. Is formed with a claw that can be engaged with the projection 3c. That is, when the lever 3 is rotated, the mating connector is retracted, and at the final position (lock position), the lever 3 engages with the locking arm 2a and is held at this position.

[0004]

In the above-described conventional lever-type connector, when the mating connector is not mounted, for example, during transportation, the lever 3 is rotated to the locked position by external force due to vibration or the like, and locking is performed. The position may be locked by the arm 2a. Then, at the time of mounting work in a post-process, the lock must be released and the mating connector must be inserted, and there has been a problem that workability deteriorates. The present invention
An object of the present invention is to provide a lever-type connector which can prevent the mounting work of a mating connector from being hindered.

[0005]

To achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is one of connectors which can be mated with each other, and a housing of the connector is provided with a mating connector. A lock lever displaceable between a lock position and a release position in order to regulate the lock lever, and the lock lever and the housing are provided with a concave-convex engagement mechanism that engages at the lock position and holds the lock lever. In the lever type connector, the concave / convex member of the concave / convex engaging mechanism is configured to be displaceable between a position where it can be relatively engaged and a position where it is not engageable. And a contact mechanism for displacing the uneven member to a position where it can be engaged.

[0006] The invention according to claim 2 is based on claim 1.
Wherein the lock lever is rotatable with respect to a shaft member of the housing, and
It is supported so as to be displaceable along the axial direction, and according to the displacement position in the axial direction, the concavo-convex member has an engageable and non-engageable positional relationship, and the contact mechanism contacts the mating connector. An inclined surface for moving the lock lever along the axial direction is formed so that the concave-convex member can be engaged with the lock member. Furthermore, the invention according to claim 3 is the lever type connector according to claim 2, wherein the mating connector has a projection formed thereon, and the lock lever can guide the projection during rotation to be retractable. A spiral groove is formed, and the inclined surface is formed at an opening on the introduction side of the spiral groove.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the lever-type connector according to any one of the first to third aspects, the concave / convex member on the housing side can engage with and / or engage with the concave / convex member on the lock lever. And the contact mechanism contacts the mating connector and displaces the concave / convex member on the housing side to a position where it can be engaged with the concave / convex member of the lock lever. I have.

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the concavo-convex member of the concavo-convex engagement mechanism for holding the lock lever at the lock position can be displaced. It becomes possible to engage or disengage with each other. Irregular members are usually
Although it is in the position where it cannot be engaged, when the mating connector is mounted on the connector provided with the lock lever, the contact mechanism contacts the mating connector and displaces the uneven member to a position where it can be engaged. In other words, when there is no mating connector, the concave / convex engaging member is at a position where it cannot be engaged, so that even if the lock lever moves to the lock position, it is not held by the lock mechanism.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the lock lever is supported so as to be rotatable with respect to the shaft member of the housing and to be displaceable along the axial direction. According to the displacement position in the direction, the concavo-convex member has a positional relationship of being engageable and non-engageable. The contact mechanism has an inclined surface, and when the mating connector comes into contact with the inclined surface, the lock lever is moved in the axial direction.
When the lock lever is moved along the axial direction, the concave / convex members are in a position where they can engage with each other, so that they are locked only when the mating connector is fitted.

Further, in the invention according to claim 3 configured as described above, the lock lever rotates to form a spiral groove which guides and pulls in the projection of the mating connector. The projection on the mating connector always enters the spiral groove. Since the inclined surface is formed in the opening on the introduction side of the spiral groove, when the mating connector enters the spiral groove, it slides on the inclined surface and moves the lock lever along the rotation axis. Then, the uneven member is displaced to a position where it can be engaged. Further, in the invention according to claim 4 configured as described above, the uneven member on the housing side is configured to be displaceable to a position where it can be engaged and disengaged with the uneven member of the lock lever. In the state where there is no side connector, it is in a position where it can not be engaged, but when the contact mechanism contacts the mating connector, the uneven member on the housing side is displaced, so it can be engaged with the uneven member of the lock lever, It is held at the lock position.

[0011]

As described above, the present invention prevents the lock lever from being inadvertently held at the lock position because the concave / convex mechanism is not engaged unless there is a mating connector. Further, it is possible to provide a lever-type connector capable of improving workability. Also,
According to the second aspect of the present invention, in displacing the concave-convex member, the originally provided axis for rotation is used for movement in the axis direction that is originally unnecessary, thereby complicating the operation. The uneven member can be displaced without adding a complicated configuration. Further, according to the invention according to claim 3, the fact that the projection of the mating connector is introduced into a spiral groove for drawing in the mating connector is utilized,
When the projection enters the groove, the lock lever is moved to displace the uneven member, so that the structure can be simplified and realized.

Further, according to the invention according to claim 4,
Since the concavo-convex member on the housing side is configured to be displaceable to the engageable and non-engageable positions, the present invention can be applied even in a case where it is difficult to displace the lock lever.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a connection state between a lever type connector and a mating connector according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the lever type connector. As shown in the figure, in this embodiment, a lever-type connector 20 is detachably attached to a male-side connector housing 11 formed integrally with a casing 10 of an electric device.

The male connector housing 11 has a male hood portion 12 forming a cylindrical partition wall so as to protrude from one surface of the casing 10, and the male terminal hood 12 is opened in the male hood portion 12 in the opening direction. 13 are erected,
Further, a pair of short columnar projections 14, 14 whose axes are aligned are formed upright on both outer surfaces of the male side hood portion 12. The lever-type connector 20 is connected to the male side hood 1.
2 having a bottomed cylindrical housing 21 into which the male terminal 13 can be inserted.
A female terminal that can be fitted and connected to the housing is accommodated in the opening direction. A ring-shaped seal member 22 is attached to the opening of the housing 21, and a retainer 23 is attached from the opening direction of the housing 21 to double-lock the female terminal.

Notches 24 are formed on both side walls of the housing 21 so that the projections 14 can pass from the opening direction to the back side.
A pair of projections 25, 25 whose axes are aligned are formed upright at the outer surface position on the back side of 4, 4. A locking arm 26 is formed upward from the end opposite to the opening. The locking arm 26 is connected to the housing 21 at a lower end, and includes an operation portion 26a for putting a finger on an upper end portion and a lock claw 26b protruding from an opening side of the operation portion 26a. , The lock claw 26b can be slightly displaced up and down.

The lock lever 30 is provided above the housing 21 with a base 31 disposed over both side walls on which the projections 25 and 25 are formed, and from both ends of the base 31 toward the outer surfaces of the side walls. Extended arms 32, 3
Consists of two. A shaft hole 32 through which the protrusions 25, 25 of the housing 21 can be inserted is provided at the center of the arm portions 32, 32.
a, 32a are formed, and spiral drawing grooves 32b, 32b are formed on the inner surface facing the outer surface of the housing 21 around the shaft holes 32a, 32a. One end of each of the drawing grooves 32b, 32b is connected to an arm 32, 32.
The opening portion has an inclined surface 32b in which the distance between the drawing grooves 32b and 32b decreases from the opening end toward the back as shown in the sectional view of FIG.
1, 32b1 are formed.

The lock lever 30 pushes and spreads the arm portions 32, 32, and is held so as to sandwich the housing 21 while inserting the projections 25, 25 of the housing 21 into the shaft holes 32a, 32a. Part 3
Since the widths of the projections 2 and 32 are slightly wider than the width of the housing 21, the projections 25 can be rotated around the axis and slid along the axis of the projection 25. The shaft holes 32a, 32a are provided in the arm portions 32, 3 respectively.
The inner diameter of the projection 2 is larger than the diameter of the projection 25 on one side, and a torsion spring 33 through which the projection 25 can be inserted is housed in one shaft hole 32a, and the projection 25 is inserted in the other shaft hole 32a.
Is accommodated therein. Here, one end of the torsion spring 33 is locked to the housing 21 and the other end is locked to the arm portion 32, and the lock lever is set so that the openings of the drawing grooves 32 b, 32 b face the opening direction of the housing 21. 30 are energized.
On the other hand, the coil spring 34 has one end abutting on the outer wall of the housing 21 and the other end abutting on the inner wall of the arm portion 32. In FIG. It is energizing. As described above, the lock lever 30 is urged leftward by the coil spring, and can be displaced rightward by the gap.

At a substantially central portion of the base 31 of the lock lever 30 opposite to the opening side of the housing 21,
An engaging claw 31a is formed to move toward and away from the locking arm 26 when rotating in an arc together with the arm portions 32, 32 and to engage with the locking claw 26b. The engaging claw 31a moves in the width direction according to the displacement of the lock lever 30 in the direction of the protrusion 25, and as shown in FIG. 4, when the lock lever 30 is displaced to the left most, it does not engage with the lock claw 26b, When displaced rightward, it engages with the lock claw 26b and becomes engageable. Regarding the rotation position of the lock lever 30, a state in which the opening of the drawing grooves 32b, 32b is directed to the opening direction of the housing 21 by the torsion spring 33 is referred to as a release position, and the engagement claw 31a is the lock claw. The state in which it has been turned to a position where it can be engaged with 26b is called a lock position. The engaging claw 31a and the locking arm 26 constitute an uneven engagement mechanism.
1a and the lock claw 26b constitute an uneven member.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment having the above configuration will be described. When the lever type connector 20 is separated from the male connector housing 11 and is in a single state, the lock lever 30 is urged leftward in FIG.
The lock claw 26b and the lock claw 26b are in a positional relationship where they do not engage with each other as shown in FIG. Therefore, even if the vibration during the conveyance acts and the lock lever 30 is rotated to the lock position against the torsion spring 33, the engagement claw 31a and the lock claw 26b are not engaged. When the external force disappears, the torsion spring 33 returns to the release position. Thus, the lock lever 30 of the lever-type connector 20 does not engage in the locked position until the operation of attaching the electric device to the casing 10 is performed.

On the other hand, when the male connector of the casing 10 is fitted, it becomes as shown in FIG. First, at the time of facing the male connector housing 11, the lock lever 30 is urged to the left of the housing 21 as shown in FIG. 5 (A). 26b are in a positional relationship such that they do not engage with each other as shown in FIG. However, when the male connector housing 11 is inserted facing the housing 21, the left and right projections 14
, And begins to enter the drawing grooves 32b, 32b formed in the arms 32, 32 located outside the notches 24, 24. An inclined surface 32b is provided at the opening of each of the recesses 32b.
Since the protrusions 1 and 32b1 are formed, the tip of the right protrusion 14 abuts against the inclined surface 32b1 of the right arm 32, and pulls the lock lever 30 to the right.

[0021] Both projections 14 are drawn into the grooves 32b, 32.
After entering the opening b, the lock lever 30 is rotated toward the lock position. Then, the spiral drawing groove 32b,
The projections 14 are drawn toward the shaft holes 32a by the 32b. At the time of retraction, the base 31 is operated to rotate about the shaft hole 32a as a fulcrum, so that the helical drawing groove 32b draws the protrusion 14 by leverage, and the two connectors can be fitted with a small force. it can.
By the time the lock lever 30 rotates to the lock position, the lock lever 30 has been displaced rightward,
As shown in FIG. 4B, the lock claws 1a and the lock claws 26b are engaged with each other. Therefore, if the locking claw is pressed toward the locking arm 26 in the locked position, the engagement claw 3
1a is engaged with the lock claw 26b, and is held at the position.

As described above, the male connector housing 11
The protrusion 14 formed on the lock lever 30
2b, the lock lever 30 is displaced with respect to the housing 21 by contact with the inclined surface 32b1.
6b can be engaged. Therefore, even when the lock lever 30 is rotated when the male connector housing 11 is not engaged, the engagement claw 31a and the lock claw 2
However, when the mating connector is mounted, the engaging claw 31a and the lock claw 26b engage with each other, and the original lock mechanism operates.

The above embodiment is merely an embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention naturally includes the following modifications which do not change the gist of the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the lock lever 30 is displaced to
Although the position 1a is set to a position where it can be engaged with the lock claw 26b or a position where it cannot be engaged, the lock claw 26b on the side of the housing 21 may be moved. In order to achieve this, a displaceable contact piece is provided at the back of the housing 21, and a claw that replaces the lock claw is formed at one end thereof. When the male connector housing 11 is mounted in the housing 21, the male connector housing 11 comes into contact with the contact piece, and the contact piece is displaced so that the lock claw formed at the other end can engage with the engagement claw 31 a. Move to

On the other hand, the concavo-convex engagement mechanism is formed on the base 31 of the lock lever 30, but it may be formed on the arm like a conventional lever-type connector. The lock lever 30 is not necessarily limited to the one that pulls in the mating connector on the basis of this principle, but may be a lock mechanism that engages with the mated mating connector to prevent it from coming off. In addition, although the torsion spring 33 and the coil spring 34 are used, it is also possible to use a single spring to satisfy both functions.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a connection state between a lever connector and a mating connector according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a lever-type connector.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the lever-type connector.

FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged plan view of the lever-type connector.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a lever connector and a mating connector.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a conventional lever-type connector.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Male side connector housing 14 ... Projection 20 ... Lever type connector 21 ... Housing 24 ... Cut 25 ... Projection 26 ... Locking arm 30 ... Lock lever 31 ... Base 31a ... Engagement claw 32 ... Arm part 32a ... Shaft hole 32b ... Pull-in Groove 32b1 ... inclined surface 34 ... coil spring

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] A lock lever displaceable between a lock position and a release position for restricting detachment of a mating connector, the lock lever being one of matable connectors. A lever-type connector having a concave-convex engagement mechanism for engaging the lock lever and the housing at a lock position and holding the lock lever, wherein the concave-convex member of the concave-convex engagement mechanism is relatively engaged. A configuration that is configured to be displaceable to a position that can be engaged and a position that cannot be engaged, and that has a contact mechanism that contacts the mating connector and displaces the concave and convex members to a position that can be engaged at the time of fitting. A lever-type connector characterized by the following. 2. The lever-type connector according to claim 1, wherein the lock lever is supported so as to be rotatable with respect to a shaft member of the housing and to be displaceable along an axial direction, and to be axially displaceable. In accordance with the displacement position of the concave and convex members, the concave and convex members can be engaged and disengaged, and the contact mechanism can be in a positional relationship where the concave and convex members can be engaged when they come into contact with the mating connector. A lever-type connector, wherein an inclined surface for moving the lock lever along the axial direction is formed. 3. The lever-type connector according to claim 2, wherein a projection is formed on the mating connector, and a spiral groove is formed on the lock lever if the projection can be guided and retracted during rotation. And the inclined surface is formed in the opening on the introduction side of the spiral groove. 4. The lever-type connector according to claim 1, wherein the concave / convex member on the housing side is displaceable to a position where it can be engaged and disengaged with the concave / convex member of the lock lever. And the contact mechanism is configured to contact the mating connector and displace the concave / convex member on the housing side to a position where the concave / convex member of the lock lever can be engaged with the concave / convex member. Expression connector.