JPH08264228A - Lever type connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To rotate a lever in a shape in which a follower pin is capable of easily entering a cam groove in a lever type connector. CONSTITUTION: A lever 30 formed in a U shape so as to be stride over a male connector housing 20 is fixed to the male connector housing 20 so as to be capable of swing, and a cam groove 34 for inserting a follower pin 11 of a female connector housing 10 is formed in each side plate 32 of the lever 30. A preliminary rotating projection 12 is projected in the front of the follower pin 11 in the side part of the female connector housing 10. An escape groove 35 into which the preliminary rotating projection 12 is inserted is formed on the inner surface of the side plate 32 of the lever 30. When the lever 30 is not in the initial position, the preliminary rotating projection 12 rotates the lever in the initial shape.

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 for connecting connectors by utilizing the lever action of the lever, and more particularly, to an improved structure for rotating the lever to a predetermined initial posture. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art This type of lever-type connector has the advantage that it can be connected and disconnected with a small force.
It is applied to a multi-pole connector, and its general structure and operation will be described first with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.

In FIG. 5, reference numeral 1 denotes a male connector housing on the inserted side in which a large number of unillustrated female terminals are accommodated, and reference numeral 2 denotes an insertable female connector housing in which a large number of female terminals are accommodated. In the male connector housing 1, a lever 3 formed in a U shape so as to straddle the housing 1 is supported rotatably around a shaft 4. On the inner surfaces of both side plates 5 of the lever 3, follower pins 6 projecting from both side surfaces of the female connector housing 2 are provided.
Is formed, and the inlet portion 7a of the cam groove 7 is introduced toward the female connector housing 2 at the front end portion of the male connector housing 1, and the follower pin 6 is introduced into the cam groove 7. Then, by rotating the lever 3, the female connector housing 2 is pulled toward the male connector housing 1 side by the cam action of the cam groove 7, and the two housings 1 and 2 are fitted together.

By the way, in order to insert the follower pin 6 into the cam groove 7 when fitting both housings,
The lever 3 which is rotatable is previously attached to the cam groove 7 thereof.
It is necessary that the inlet portion 7a of the above is opened to the female connector housing 2. However, since it is very troublesome to adjust the posture of the lever 3 one by one during the fitting work of the housing, there is a conventional structure that uses a torsion coil spring to keep the lever 3 in a constant posture. . Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, the torsion coil spring 8 is housed in the inner surface of the side plate 5 of the lever 3, one extension end of the spring 8 is locked to the lever 3 side, and the other end is locked. This is a structure in which the extended end is temporarily fixed to a locking portion (not shown) provided on the side surface of the male connector housing 1. As a result, the swinging force in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 5 is applied to the lever 3, and its rotation is restricted by hitting the upper surface of the housing 1, so that the lever 3 moves in the cam groove 7 thereof.
The inlet 7a is held in a posture in which it is opened toward the front (initial posture).

[0005]

However, in the above structure, the torsion coil spring 8 is required to urge the lever 3 and the number of parts increases. Moreover, while the torsion coil spring 8 fulfills the above-mentioned biasing function, the lever 3
Since it is structurally difficult to mount it between the housing 1 and the housing 1, there is a problem in that the structural work for the mounting is required and the mounting work is troublesome.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to rotate a lever in a posture such that a follower pin can easily enter a cam groove when fitting both housings with a simple structure. There is a lever-type connector that can be stored.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In a lever type connector of the present invention, a lever having a cam groove formed in one of a pair of connector housings for engaging a follower pin provided in the other connector housing is pivotally supported. Then, by introducing the follower pin into the cam groove of the lever and rotating the lever, the two connector housings are pulled together and fitted by the cam action of the cam groove, and the cam of the follower pin is fitted to the other connector housing. It is characterized in that a preliminary rotation protrusion is provided to rotate the lever into a posture (initial posture) that allows the follower pin to be introduced into the cam groove by contacting the lever prior to entering the groove. .

[0008]

When the two connectors are brought close to each other so as to be fitted to each other, if the lever is not in the initial posture, the preliminary rotation protrusion contacts the lever and rotates it toward the initial posture. As a result, the lever reaches the initial posture and the follower pin surely enters the cam groove.

[0009]

As described above, in the lever type connector of the present invention, the lever is rotated to the initial posture by bringing the preliminary rotation protrusion into contact with the lever by utilizing the fitting operation of the connector. Therefore, it is not necessary to urge the lever to the initial posture by the torsion coil spring or the like, which has an excellent effect that the structure is extremely simple and the assembling work is also simple.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment embodying the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

(Configuration of Embodiment) In FIG. 1, a female connector housing 10 accommodating a large number of female terminals (not shown) is accommodated on the left side, and a plurality of male terminals (not shown) are accommodated on the right side. The respective male connector housings 20 are shown. The male connector housing 20 includes a hood portion 21 into which the female connector housing 10 can be inserted, and almost the entire female connector housing 10 can be inserted therein.

The male connector housing 20 has a lever 30 formed in a U shape so as to straddle the housing 20.
Is installed. The lever 30 has a shape in which a pair of side plates 32, 32 are integrally formed at both ends of a bridge portion 31, and a support shaft 22 (projected on both side surfaces of the male connector housing 20 in a bearing hole 33 formed through the side plate 32). (See FIG. 3), the arrow A from the initial position shown in FIG.
It is swingably supported in the direction indicated by. The front end portions of the side plates 32 of the lever 30 are shaped to extend along the front end surface of the hood portion 21 of the male connector housing 20 when the lever 30 is in the initial posture as shown in FIG. . As shown in FIG. 2, a cam groove 34 into which the follower pin 11 of the female connector housing 10 to be described later is fitted is formed on the inner surface of the both side plates 32 of the lever 30. The cam groove 34 engages with the follower pin 11, and when the lever 30 is rotated in the arrow A direction from the initial posture, the female connector housing 10 is inserted into the hood portion 21 of the male connector housing 20 by the cam action. It has the function of

On the other hand, follower pins 11 which engage with the cam grooves 34 of the lever 30 are provided on both left and right side walls of the female connector housing 10 in a protruding manner. This follower pin 11
Is when the lever 30 is in the initial posture shown in FIG.
Female connector housing 10 to male connector housing 20
When it is inserted into the hood portion 21 of the above, it can enter into the cam groove 34 of the lever 30. Correspondingly, guide slits 23 are formed in the left and right side wall portions of the hood portion 21 of the male connector housing 20 to allow the follower pins 11 to move when the female connector housing 10 enters.

On the side surface of the female connector housing 10, a pin-shaped preliminary rotating projection 12 is provided in front of the follower pin 11 (on the male connector housing 20 side). Corresponding to the preliminary rotation protrusion 12, guide slits are formed in the left and right side wall portions of the hood portion 21 of the male connector housing 20 to allow the movement of the preliminary rotation protrusion 12 when the female connector housing 10 enters. 24 are formed. Also, on the inner surface of the side plate 32 of the lever 30,
As shown in FIG. 2, an escape groove 35 into which the preliminary rotation protrusion 12 is fitted is formed. This escape groove 35 is the lever 3
When 0 is rotated in the direction of arrow A from the initial posture, it is defined in an arc shape so as not to interfere with the preliminary rotation protrusion 12 that enters along with this.

(Operation of Embodiment) In the above structure, in order to fit both connector housings 10 and 20, the female connector housing 10 is inserted into the hood portion 21 of the male connector housing 20. At this time, if the lever 30 is assumed to be in the initial posture, the open end of the cam groove 34 of the lever 30 is open at the front, and therefore the follower pin 11 is inserted into the open end of the cam groove 34 by inserting the male connector housing 20. Enter by itself. Therefore, when the lever 30 is rotated in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1, the follower pin 11 is pulled into the hood portion 21 by the cam action of the cam groove 34, and the female connector housing 10 and the male connector housing 20 are thereby separated. The mated state.

By the way, in this embodiment, the lever 30 is not biased to the initial posture by a spring or the like unlike the conventional structure. Therefore, the lever 30 is often not in the initial posture when the female connector housing 10 is inserted. In this case, for example, if the lever 30 is out of the initial position as shown in FIG. 4 (A), in the present embodiment, during the operation of inserting the female connector housing 10, the preliminary rotation protrusion 12 causes the follower pin 11 to move. Since it is provided at the front of the lever 30, this is the side plate 32 of the lever 30 first.
Abut on the front end face of the. Then, the lever 30 receives a moment in the direction of arrow B in the same figure, so that the lever 30 is forcibly rotated in the same direction as the female connector housing 10 is inserted (see (B) in the same figure). . And
When the preliminary rotation protrusion 12 preceding the follower pin 11 reaches the front end of the hood portion 21, the lever 30 is rotated to the initial position as shown in FIG. The follower pin 11 enters the cam groove 34 of the lever 30 as well as the escape groove 35 of the lever 30. If this happens, simply lever 30
1 is rotated in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1, the follower pin 11 is pulled into the hood portion 21 by the cam action of the cam groove 34 as described above, and the female connector housing 10 and the male connector housing 20 are connected. And are in a fitted state.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the preliminary rotation is performed by using the original operation for fitting the connector, that is, inserting the female connector housing 10 into the hood portion 21 of the male connector housing 20. By bringing the protrusion 12 into contact with the lever 30, the lever 30 can be rotated to the initial posture. Therefore, it is not necessary to urge the lever to the initial posture by the torsion coil spring or the like, which is required in the conventional structure, and the structure is extremely simple and the assembling work is also simplified.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described with reference to the above description and drawings, but the cam groove 34 is used.
The shape of the escape groove 35 can be appropriately changed according to the dimensional relationship of each portion, and various changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the lever.

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of a male connector housing.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing a fitting process of the connector.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a conventional lever-type connector.

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

[Explanation of Codes] 10 ... Female Connector Housing 11 ... Follower Pin 12 ... Preliminary Rotating Projection 20 ... Male Connector Housing 22 ... Spindle 24 ... Guide Slit 30 ... Lever 32 ... Side Plate 34 ... Cam Groove

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A lever having a cam groove formed in one of a pair of connector housings, the cam groove engaging with a follower pin provided in the other connector housing is rotatably supported, and the follower pin is introduced into the cam groove of the lever. Then, by rotating the lever, the cam action of the cam groove draws the two connector housings toward each other so as to be fitted to each other. Prior to the follower pin entering the cam groove in the other connector housing. Then, the lever-type connector is provided with a pre-rotation protrusion that turns the lever into a posture that allows the follower pin to be introduced into the cam groove by contacting the lever.