Connector apparatus

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a connector apparatus suitable for use as a multipolar connector.

2. Related Art

Generally, a connector apparatus for use in connecting electric wiring has a problem in which contact frictional resistance between contacts on connection of male and female connectors increases with increase in the number of contacts, so that a large operating force is needed for the connecting operation.

Thus, a multipolar connector having many contacts needs a larger force for performing the connecting operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is accomplished in view of the aforementioned circumstances. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a connector apparatus enabled to reduce an operating force needed for connection between connectors.

To achieve the foregoing object, according to the invention, there is provided a connector apparatus comprising:

a male connector;

a female connector connectable to the male connector;

an engaging portion provided in one of the male and female connectors;

a lever, rotatably provided in the other connector, having a curved engaged portion, into which the engaging portion is inserted when the lever is rotated, wherein the curved engaged portion is extended to a turning center portion of the lever.

In the above construction, preferably, the curved engaged portion is formed into a part of spiral shape.

In the above construction, preferably, the curved engaged portion is a groove portion, the engaging portion is a projection insertable into the groove portion.

In the above construction, preferably, the engaging portion is on a rotation axis defined as the turning center portion of the lever when the male connector is completely connected to the female connector.

According to this apparatus, when the lever is turned after the male connector is fitted into the female connector until the engaging portion is placed at a curved starting end part of the curved engaged portion, the lever inserts the engaging portion into the curved engaged portion. As the engaging portion advances to the engaged portion, the connection between the male connector and the female connector is strengthened.

At that time, the lever provides leverage. Moreover, the distance between the fulcrum for the lever and a point of action gradually decreases. Thus, as the connection between the male connector and the female connector is strengthened, a large connecting force can be gradually provided thereto without increasing a force to be applied to the lever.

Further, in such a case, particularly, the aforementioned distance between the fulcrum for the lever and the point of action is reduced still more by forming the engaged portion in such a way as to extend to the turning center portion of the lever. Consequently, a larger connecting force can be provided thereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS.

1

(A) to

1

(F) are longitudinally sectional views each illustrating a male connector and a female connector of an embodiment of the invention at a corresponding one of sequential stages

1

(A) to

1

(F) of an operation of connecting the connectors.

FIGS.

2

(A) to

2

(D) are perspective views each illustrating the male connector and the female connector at a corresponding one of sequential stages

2

(A) to

2

(D) of the operation of connecting the connectors.

FIG. 3

is a longitudinally sectional view illustrating the male connector and the female connector in the case of performing a connecting operation in a state in which the male connector is insufficiently inserted into the female connector.

FIGS.

4

(A) to

4

(E) are longitudinally sectional views each illustrating the male connector and the female connector at a corresponding one of sequential stages

4

(A) to

4

(E) of an operation of disconnecting the connectors.

FIGS.

5

(A) to

5

(D) are perspective views each illustrating the male connector and the female connector at a corresponding one of sequential stages (A) to (D) of the operation of disconnecting the connectors.

FIG. 6

is a front view illustrating the male connector separately.

FIG. 7

is an exploded perspective view illustrating the female connector and the lever.

FIG. 8

is a side view illustrating the single lever separately.

FIG. 9

is a plan view illustrating the single lever separately.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

An embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Referring first to FIG.

1

(A) and FIG.

2

(A), there are shown a male connector

1

and a female connector

2

, which are in a state in which the connectors

1

and

2

are not connected to each other. The male connector

1

is provided with a housing

3

as an outer shell. Many male contacts

4

are provided in this housing

3

.

Particularly, in this case, the housing

3

is formed of an insulating material, such as plastics, in such a way as to be integral with a base portion

5

having an electrically conductive part (not shown) to be connected to the male contacts

4

. The housing

3

is shaped nearly like a rectangular box and has an end face that is entirely opened. The top face of this housing

3

is opened except a part of a pair of cover portions

6

. The pair of cover portions

6

are respectively provided on opposite sides of the housing

6

. The pair of cover portions

6

are placed a predetermined distance apart. A projection portion

7

serving as a latch portion is provided nearly at the center of an innermost edge portion of the opened portion of the top face of this housing and projected therefrom.

As shown in

FIG. 6

, a support portion

8

is erected on the inner bottom surface of the housing

3

. A nearly cylindrical projection

9

serving as the engaging portion is provided on and projected from a side surface (the right side surface as viewed in

FIG. 6

) of the top end portion of the support portion

8

. A gentle slope

8

a

(see

FIG. 1

) serving as a guide face is formed in a skirt portion of the support portion

8

, which faces the open end portion of the housing

3

.

The male contacts

4

are made of an electrically conductive material and each shaped like a pin. A base end portion of each of the male contacts

4

is connected to the electrically conductive part of the base portion

5

and provided in such a manner as to project toward the opened portion from the innermost portion of the housing

3

.

The female connector

2

is provided with a housing

10

as an outer shell. Many female contacts

11

is provided in this housing

10

, as illustrated in FIG.

7

. Particularly, in this case, the housing

10

is separately formed of an insulating material, such as plastics, and shaped like a rectangular cube having a concave portion

12

in the central part thereof. The front top and bottom faces of the concave portion

12

are opened. A shaft hole

13

is recessed at a side face portion (the right side face portion, as viewed in

FIG. 7

) of this concave portion

12

. Moreover, a small recess portion

14

serving as a latch portion is formed in the top face portion, which is located behind the concave portion

12

, of the housing

10

.

The female contacts

11

are embedded in both side portions of the housing

10

in such a way as to extend toward the front thereof. Each of the female contacts

11

corresponds to a corresponding one of the male contacts

4

of the male connector

1

. Further, lead wires

15

respectively corresponding to the female contacts

11

are backwardly drawn out of the housing

10

.

A lever

16

is incorporated into the concave portion

12

of the housing

10

. This lever

16

is separately formed of an insulating material, such as plastics, and shaped nearly like a rectangular block. A shaft

17

is formed in a side face (the left side face portion, as viewed in

FIG. 7

) of the lever

16

.

A curved groove

18

serving as an engaged portion corresponding to the projection

9

(the engaging portion) of the male connector

1

is formed in the other side face portion (the right side face portion, as viewed in

FIG. 7

) of this lever

16

. As shown in

FIG. 8

, this groove

18

is shaped like a part of spiral extending backwardly and upwardly from a lower corner on the front side (the left side, as viewed in

FIG. 8

) of the lever

16

and then turning backwardly and downwardly, so that the innermost end part of the groove

18

and the shaft

17

are arranged side by side. Moreover, the width of the groove

18

is determined in such a way as to be almost equal to (or a little bit larger than) the diameter of the projection

9

.

A handhold portion

19

is protruded from a rear end part of the top portion of the lever

16

. A hole

20

extending in the frontward and backward directions is formed under the handhold portion

19

. An engaging arm

21

extending backwardly (rightwardly, as viewed in this figure) from the inside of this hole

20

is provided in the lever

16

. This engaging arm

21

has a front-end portion that is adjacent to the innermost end portion (a front portion) of the hole

20

. The use of the front-end portion of the engaging arm

21

as a fulcrum enables the arm

21

to cause upward and downward elastic displacements thereof in the hole

20

. Moreover, the engaging arm

21

has a claw

22

serving as the engaged portion, which corresponds to the projection portion

7

(the engaging portion) of the male connector

1

, in the top face portion thereof. Furthermore, the engaging arm

21

has another claw

23

serving as a engaged portion corresponding to the small concave portion

14

(another engaging portion) of the female connector

2

, which is provided in the bottom face portion thereof.

As shown in

FIG. 9

, a hole

24

is formed in an upper portion of the lever

16

to the handhold portion

19

. A die for forming the claw

22

in the top face portion of the engaging arm

21

is drawn out from this hole

24

.

With such a configuration, the shaft

17

is fitted into the hole

13

. This enables the lever

16

, which is incorporated into the concave portion

12

of the housing

10

, to rotate around the shaft

17

with respect to the housing

10

. The shaft

17

and the innermost end part of the groove

18

are on the rotation axis defined as the turning center portion of the lever

16

. That is, the groove

18

is extended to the rotation axis.

Next, an operation of the apparatus of the aforementioned configuration is described hereinafter.

Referring first to FIG.

1

(A) and FIG.

2

(A), as described above, there are shown the male connector

1

and the female connector

2

, which are in a state in which these connectors are not connected to each other. The lever

16

is retained by engaging the claw

23

of the engaging arm

21

with the small concave portion

14

of the female connector

2

. So that, the front end portion

18

a

as the entrance of the groove

18

is directed toward the male connector

1

.

In such a state, subsequently, as illustrated in FIG.

1

(B) and FIG.

2

(B), the female connector

2

is inserted into the housing

3

of the male connector

1

until the projection

9

reaches the front end portion

18

a

of the groove

18

, as indicated by an arrow A. At that time, the lever

16

is placed between the pair of cover portions

6

of the male connector

1

.

Then, an operator passes the handhold portion

19

of the lever

16

from one hand to the other hand. Subsequently, as illustrated in FIG.

1

(C) and FIG.

2

(C) , the handhold portion

19

is pushed upwardly, as indicated by an arrow B. Then, the claw

23

of the engaging arm

21

is disengaged from the small concave portion

14

of the female connector

2

. Thus, the state, in which the lever

16

is held, is canceled. Moreover, the projection

9

is entered into the groove

18

by counterclockwise turning the lever

16

, as viewed in these figures.

Thereafter, during the lever

16

is turned counterclockwise, as viewed in these figures, by pushing the handhold portion

19

of the lever

16

still more, the projection

9

is inserted into the groove

18

more deeply. The groove

18

is shaped like the part of spiral. When the projection

9

is inserted into the groove

18

more deeply, the female connector

2

gradually advances to the innermost end of the housing

3

of the male connector

1

. Simultaneously, the connection between the male connector

1

and the female connector

2

is gradually strengthened. Finally, each of the female contacts

11

is fitted into and brought into contact with the corresponding male contact

4

.

At that time, the lever

16

provides leverage. Moreover, although the distance between the turning center portion serving as the fulcrum for the lever and the handhold portion

19

serving as a point of application of force is constant, the distance between the turning center portion (that is, the fulcrum) and a contact portion which is in contact with the projection

9

and serves as the point of action gradually decreases. Therefore, the connection between the male connector

1

and the female connector

2

is strengthened. That is, the connecting force between the male and female connectors is gradually increased without increasing the force to be applied to the lever

6

according to the principle of leverage.

Furthermore, in the case of this configuration, the groove

18

is formed in such a manner as to extend to the turning center portion of the lever

16

. Thus, when the lever

16

is counterclockwise turned, as viewed in the figures, by pushing the handhold portion

19

of the lever

16

still more, the lever

16

causes the projection

9

to advance to the turning center portion of the lever

16

(that is, the innermost end portion of the groove

18

), as shown in FIG.

1

(F). Consequently, the distance between the turning center portion serving as the fulcrum for the lever and the contact portion which is in contact with the projection

9

and serves as the point of action is reduced still more. Thus, a larger connecting force can be provided thereto.

Therefore, even when the apparatus is in circumstances where the contact frictional resistance between the male contacts

4

and the female contacts

11

on connection of the male and female connectors

1

and

2

increases owing to the large number of the contacts

4

and

11

, a large operating force is unnecessary for the connection between the male connector

1

and the female connector

2

. Consequently, the connecting force needed for the connection therebetween is reduced.

When the projection

9

advances to the turning center portion (that is, the innermost portion of the groove

18

) of the lever

16

, the lever

16

is held in a connection state in which the female connector

2

is sufficiently connected to the male connector

1

by engaging the projection

7

of the male connector

1

with the claw

22

of the engaging arm

21

(see FIG.

2

(D)).

In the case that the female connector

2

is insufficiently inserted into the male connector

1

when the connector

2

is first inserted into the connector

1

, and the handhold portion

19

of the lever

16

is pushed upwardly (similarly as in the aforementioned case), the lever is turned so that a corner portion

16

a

provided on the front side thereof slide along the slope

8

a

of the support portion as shown in FIG.

3

. Consequently, the female connector

2

is returned to a side opposite to the male connector

1

. This indicates that the female connector

2

is not connected to the male connector

1

. Thus, an operator knows the necessity for starting a connecting operation again.

FIGS.

4

(A) to

4

(E) and FIGS.

5

(A) to

5

(D) show an operation of disconnecting the connectors. when the handhold portion

19

of the lever

16

in the connection state as shown in FIG.

4

(A) and FIG.

5

(A) is pulled in a direction indicated by an arrow C, as shown in FIG.

4

(B) and FIG.

5

(B), the lever

16

is clockwise turned, as viewed in these figures. Thus, the claw

22

of the engaging arm

21

is disengaged from the projection

7

of the male connector

1

. Further, at that time, the corner portion

16

a

provided on the front side of the lever

16

is pressure-contacted with the innermost end face of the housing

3

of the male connector

1

. Thus, the male connector

2

is made to be apart from the innermost end face of the housing

3

. Moreover, the projection

9

is retreated from the innermost portion of the groove

18

(that is, from the turning center portion of the lever

16

).

When the lever

16

is clockwise turned still more, as viewed in these figures, by further pulling the handhold portion

19

of the lever

16

, the retreat of the projection

9

from the groove

18

is progressed, as illustrated in FIG.

4

(C). As described above, the groove

18

is shaped like the part of spiral. Thus, as the retreat of the projection

9

from the groove

18

is progressed, the female connector

2

is gradually drawn out of the housing

3

of the male connector

1

, as illustrated in FIG.

4

(D) and FIG.

5

(C).

Furthermore, the lever

16

clockwise turned, as viewed in the figures, is returned to and held in a state in which the front end portion

18

a

serving as the spiral starting end part of the groove

18

is directed to the front by catching the claw

23

of the engaging arm

21

in the small concave portion

14

of the female connector

2

.

Thereafter, when the female connector

2

is pulled out of the male connector

1

, these connectors are completely separated from each other, as illustrated in FIG.

4

(E) and FIG.

5

(D).

Incidentally, although the projection

9

is provided in the male connector

1

and the lever

16

is provided in the female connector

2

in the aforementioned embodiment, the reverse may be employed. That is, the projection

9

may be provided in the female connector

2

, and the lever

16

may be provided in the male connector

1

. Further, the relation of projections to depressions between the engaging portion, which is implemented by the projection portion

9

, and the engaged portion that is implemented by the groove

18

may be opposite to that in the aforementioned embodiment. That is, the engaging portion may be formed as a depressed portion, while the engaged portion may be formed as a protrusion portion.

Additionally, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described hereinabove and illustrated in the drawings. The invention can be practiced by being suitably changed without departing from the gist thereof.

As is obvious from the foregoing description, according to the invention, there is provided a connector apparatus having amale connector, and a female connector to be connected thereto. This apparatus comprises an engaging portion provided in one of the male and female connectors, and a lever, rotatably provided in the other connector, having a curved engaged portion, into which the engaging portion is entered when the lever is rotated. In this apparatus, the curved engaged portion is formed in such a manner as to extend to the turning center portion of the lever. Thus, a larger connecting force is provided to the connection between the male connector and the female connector. Therefore, a large operating force is unnecessary for the connection therebetween. Consequently, the operating force for the connection therebetween can be sufficiently reduced.

Number	Name	Date	Kind
5919055	Hattori	Jul 1999	A
5924880	Watanabe et al.	Jul 1999	A
6102717	Aoki et al.	Aug 2000	A
6118668	Scholder et al.	Sep 2000	A

Connector apparatus

Information

Patent Number

Date Filed

Date Issued

Inventors

Original Assignees

Examiners

Agents

CPC

US Classifications

Field of Search

US

International Classifications

Abstract

Description

Claims

Priority Claims (1)

US Referenced Citations (4)