Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6193530
-
Patent Number
6,193,530
-
Date Filed
Monday, April 19, 199925 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, February 27, 200123 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Donovan; Lincoln
- Lee; Kyung S.
Agents
- Sughrue, Mion, Zinn, Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 439 157
- 439 153
- 439 310
- 439 311
- 439 314
- 439 346
- 439 347
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A female connector is provided with a first moving member and a second moving member which are capable of moving independently of each other, and the female connector is further provided with an operating member which is rotatable. The operating member is provided with a pair of first cam grooves whose spiral groove shapes are formed oppositely, while the first and second moving members are provided with first cam pins which are respectively inserted in the pair of first cam grooves. As the operating member is rotated, the first and second moving members are moved in mutually opposite directions. The first and second moving members are each provided with a pair of second cam grooves whose angles of inclination are opposite, while a male connector is provided with second cam pins which are inserted in the second cam grooves. As the first and second moving members are moved in the mutually opposite directions, a moving force acting in a connector-inserting direction is applied to the male connector through the cooperative movement of the first and second moving members.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector mating structure in which a movable moving member is provided on one of a female connector and a male connector, cam mechanisms are respectively provided on the moving member and the other connector, and the moving force of the moving member is converted to a connector inserting force by the cam mechanisms, so as to effect the engagement of the connector with a small manipulating force.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. Hei. 10-109445, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 13
to
17
show a connector mating structure of the above-described type, and also, the structure is disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho. 61-203581.
FIG. 13
is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a female connector and a male connector are separated.
FIG. 14
is a cross-sectional view illustrating an early state of engagement between the female connector and the male connector.
FIG. 15
is a cross-sectional view illustrating an intermediate state of engagement therebetween.
FIG. 16
is a cross-sectional view illustrating a completed state of the engagement.
FIG. 17
is a diagram illustrating a direction of pressing by cam mechanism.
In
FIGS. 13
to
16
, a connector accommodating chamber
4
for accommodating a male connector
3
is provided in a female housing
2
of a female connector
1
, and an inserting port
4
a
for insertion of the connector is open in the connector accommodating chamber
4
. Elongated holes
5
for moving are respectively formed in opposite side walls of the female housing
2
, and cam pins
7
of a moving member
6
are respectively inserted in the elongated holes
5
. The moving member
6
comprises a pair of side plate portions
6
a
which are respectively disposed on the outer sides of the opposite side walls of the female housing
2
and a connecting plate portion
6
b
for connecting the pair of side plate portions
6
a
. The aforementioned cam pins
7
are provided on the inner surfaces of the pair of side plate portions
6
a
. As the cam pins
7
are guided and restricted by the elongated holes
5
for moving and the like, the moving member
6
moves in a direction perpendicular to a connector-inserting direction with respect to the female connector
1
.
Cam grooves
9
are respectively provided in opposite side walls of a male housing
8
of the male connector
3
, and each of the pair of cam grooves
9
has a straight groove portion
9
a
oriented in the same direction as the connector-inserting direction and an inclined groove portion
9
b
which is inclined with respect to the connector-inserting direction. The cam mechanism is formed by the pair of cam grooves
9
and the aforementioned cam pins
7
.
Next, a description will be given of the engaging operation of the above-described connector mating structure with reference to
FIGS. 14
to
16
. As shown in
FIG. 14
, the moving member
6
is fitted in the female connector
1
, and the male connector
3
is inserted into the connector accommodating chamber
4
of the female connector
1
through the inserting port
4
a
. Then, the cam pins
7
of the moving member
6
are inserted into the cam grooves
9
on both sides of the male connector
3
, and the cam pins
7
of the male connector
3
respectively pass through the straight groove portions
9
a
of the cam grooves
9
and are inserted up to immediately before the inclined groove portions
9
b
, as shown in FIG.
15
.
Next, if the moving member
6
is moved in the direction of arrow in
FIG. 15
, the cam pins
7
are subjected to a pressing force by the inclined groove portions
9
b
, and the male connector
3
is pulled into the connector accommodating chamber
4
of the female connector
1
by a component of this pressing force. Then, when the moving member
6
is moved to the position shown in
FIG. 16
, the cam pins
7
reach the terminating ends of the inclined groove portions
9
b
, and the engagement of the connector is thereby completed. In addition, terminals (not shown) are respectively provided inside the housings
2
and
8
of the connectors
1
and
3
, both terminals are set in a state of pressure contact with each other in this engaging process, thereby allowing the terminals to electrically conduct with each other.
In the above-described connector mating structure, however, since all the inclined groove portions
9
b
of the cam grooves
9
of the moving member
6
are inclined in the same direction, all the directions in which the cam pins
7
are pressed assume the same direction. Accordingly, as shown in
FIG. 17
, of components f
1
and f
2
of a pressing force F, the component f
1
which does not act in the connector pulling-in direction acts in the same direction in all the inclined groove portions
9
b
, and the resultant of these components f
1
acts on the male connector
3
and on the female connector
1
through the male connector
3
. Since the connector is engaged in the state in which the female connector
1
or the male connector
3
is normally attached to a baseplate or the like, a trouble can occur such as the breakage of an attached portion by the resultant of the components f
1
.
In addition, since the connecting plate portion
6
b
of the moving member
6
is located in such a manner as to project in an area located above (a lower position in
FIGS. 14
to
16
) the inserting port
4
a
before and after the engagement of the connector, there is a case that the connecting plate portion
6
b
is a hindrance to the wiring, a jig or the like. In addition, since the connecting plate portion
6
b
of the moving member
6
moves in the area located above (the lower position in
FIGS. 14
to
16
) the inserting port
4
a
, the bundle of wires (not shown) extending from the rear of the male connector
3
has to be oriented in a direction in which the bundle of wires does not hamper the moving member
6
, so that the engaging operation becomes troublesome.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a connector mating structure which permits engagement at a low inserting force without practically producing an external force other than the force acting in the engaging direction at the time of the engaging operation, thereby overcoming the above-described problems.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a connector mating structure in which a member for effecting engagement with a low inserting force, such as a moving member, does not cause a hindrance to the wiring, a jig, and the like and does not cause a hindrance to the bundle of wires of the connector.
To achieve the above objects, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector mating structure which comprises a female connector, a male connector insertable into the female connector, a first moving member and a second moving member which are provided on one of the male connector and the female connector and are movable independently from each other, an operating member pivotally mounted on the one of the male connector and the female connector, a pair of first cam mechanisms respectively connecting the operating member with the first and second moving members, the first cam mechanisms moving the first and second moving members respectively in mutually opposite directions in accordance with rotation of the operating member, and a pair of second cam mechanisms provided on the first and second moving members and the other one of the male connector and the female connector, the second cam mechanisms moving the other one of the male connector and the female connector in a connector-inserting direction as the first and the second moving members move in the mutually opposite directions.
In this connector mating structure, the male connector is inserted into the female connector until the second cam mechanisms are engaged, and if the operating member is rotated in this state, the first and the second moving members move in the mutually opposite directions by the first cam mechanisms, and a component of pressing force is made to act upon the other connector to move the other connector in the connector-inserting direction by the pair of second cam mechanisms. At the same time, components of pressing force which are separated from this component of force acting in the connector-inserting direction are set in the mutually opposite directions by the pair of second cam mechanisms since the moving directions of the first and the second moving members are mutually opposite.
In accordance with the above-described first aspect of the present invention, since components of pressing force other than the force acting in the connector-inserting direction are offset by each other, and an external force other than the force acting in the connector-inserting direction does not occur in the apparatus as a whole, so that the trouble such as the occurrence of breakage of an attached portion of the connector is prevented from occurring during the engaging operation of the connector.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, in the connector mating structure according to the first aspect of the present invention, preferably, the one of the male connector and the female connector has a connector accommodating chamber for accommodating the other connector within a housing thereof, an inserting port, which allows the other connector to be inserted, is open in the connector accommodating chamber, and accommodating area for accommodating the operating member is formed in the housing, and wherein a path of the rotation of the operating member is set to be practically within the accommodating area, and the operating member does not pass through an area located above the inserting port.
In this connector mating structure, since the operating member is disposed in the accommodating area of the housing, and even if the operating member is rotated, the operating member rotates practically within the accommodating area and in such a manner as not to pass through an area located above the area located above the inserting port, so that the operating member does not project into the area located above the inserting port or move therethrough.
In accordance with the above-described second aspect of the present invention, since the operating member does not project into the area located above the inserting port or does not move in the upwardly located area, the movement of the operating member does not cause a hindrance to the wire and a jig or the like, and the possibility of breakage or the like due to contact with another component part is practically nil.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, in the connector mating structure according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, preferably, the male connector is arranged to be insertable into the female connector from an inserting starting position to an engagement completed position through a temporary engaged position, the connector mating structure further comprises terminals accommodated in the male connector and the female connector, wherein the terminals are set to such a positional relationship that contact therebetween does not occur in a process of insertion of the male connector from the inserting starting position to the temporary engaged position, and wherein the insertion of the male connector from the temporary engaged position to the engagement completed position is effected by the rotation of the operating member.
In this connector mating structure, in the process of the insertion of the male connector into the female connector from the insertion starting position to the temporary engaged position, reaction force based on the resistance of pressure contact between the terminals is not applied to the two connectors, and the contact between the terminals is effected in the process of insertion from the temporary engaged position to the engagement completed position, in which process a large inserting force is obtained by the cam mechanisms.
In accordance with the above-described third aspect of the present invention, since in the process of insertion of the male connector from the insertion starting position to the temporary engaged position, the terminals of the male and female connectors does not occur, and the connector-inserting operation can be performed with a small inserting force. In addition, since the contact between the terminals is effected in the process of insertion from the temporary engaged position to the engagement completed position, in which process a large inserting force is obtained by the cam mechanisms, the engaging operation as a whole can be performed with a small inserting force smoothly and easily.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in the connector mating structure according to one of first to third aspects of the present invention, preferably, the first and the second moving members are disposed at symmetrical positions on both sides of the one of the male connector and the female connector.
In this connector mating structure, components of pressing force in the connector pulling-in direction by the pair of second cam mechanisms act at symmetrical positions on both sides of the other connector.
In accordance with the above-described fourth aspect of the present invention, since the components of pressing force in the connector pulling-in direction by the pair of guide grooves or the pair of guide pins act at symmetrical positions on both sides of the other connector, the connector engaging force acts substantially uniformly as a whole, so that the engaging operation can be performed smoothly.
According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, in the connector mating structure according to one of first to fourth aspects of the present invention, preferably, the pair of first cam mechanisms comprise a pair of first cam grooves provided in one of the operating member and the first and the second moving members, and a pair of first cam pins provided in the other one of the operating member and the first and the second moving members and arranged to be inserted into the pair of first cam grooves.
In this connector mating structure, the first cam pins are guided in a state of being inserted in the first cam grooves.
In accordance with the above-described fifth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the advantages derived from the first to fourth aspects of the invention, it is possible to obtain an advantage in that the movement of the first cam pins can be effected reliably since the first cam pins are guided in the state of being inserted in the first cam grooves.
According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, in the connector mating structure according to one of first to fifth aspects of the present invention, preferably, the pair of second cam mechanisms comprise a pair of second cam grooves provided in one of the first and the second moving members and the other one of the male connector and the female connector, and a pair of second cam pins provided in the other one of the first and the second moving members and the other one of the male connector and the female connector and arranged to be inserted into the pair of second cam grooves.
In this connector mating structure, the second cam pins are guided in a state of being inserted in the second cam grooves.
In accordance with the above-described sixth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the advantages derived from the first to fifth aspects of the invention, it is possible to obtain an advantage in that the movement of the second cam pins can be effected reliably since the second cam pins are guided in the state of being inserted in the second cam grooves.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is an exploded perspective view of a connector mating structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2
is an exploded perspective view of a male connector and a female housing of a female connector in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3
is a perspective view of first and second moving members in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4
is a perspective view of an operating member in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 5A and 5B
are diagrams illustrating configurations of first cam grooves in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 6A and 6B
are diagrams explaining the pressing direction of the second cam mechanisms in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 7
is a perspective view of the connector mating structure in which the male connector is in a temporary engaged position in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 8
is a cross-sectional view of the connector mating structure in which the male connector is in the temporary engaged position in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 9
is a perspective view of the connector mating structure in which the male connector is in an intermediate position between the temporary engaged position and an engaged position in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 10
is a cross-sectional view of the connector mating structure in which the male connector is in the intermediate position between the temporary engaged position and the engaged position in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 11
is a perspective view of the connector mating structure in which the male connector is in the engaged position in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 12
is a cross-sectional view of the connector mating structure in which the male connector is in the engaged position in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 13
is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the male connector and the female connector are separated in the related connector mating structure;
FIG. 14
is a cross-sectional view illustrating an early state of engagement between the male connector and the female connector of the related connector mating structure;
FIG. 15
is a cross-sectional view illustrating an intermediate state of engagement between the male connector and the female connector of the related connector mating structure;
FIG. 16
is a cross-sectional view illustrating a completed state of engagement between the male connector and the female connector of the related connector mating structure; and
FIG. 17
is a diagram illustrating a pressing direction of the cam mechanisms of the related connector mating structure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the accompanying drawings, a detailed description will be given of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 1
is an exploded perspective view of a connector mating structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2
is a perspective view of a male connector and a female housing of a female connector.
FIG. 3
is a perspective view of first and second moving members.
FIG. 4
is a perspective view of an operating member. In
FIGS. 1
to
4
, a connector mating structure
10
comprises a male connector
11
and a female connector
12
, and the male connector
11
is arranged to be insertable into the female connector
12
from an insertion starting position until an engagement completed position through a temporary engaged position. A connector accommodating chamber
14
for accommodating the male connector
11
is provided inside a female housing
13
of the female connector
12
, and one side of this connector accommodating chamber
14
is made open and is formed as an inserting port
14
a.
A pair of moving chambers
15
are respectively formed in the female housing
13
and in opposite-side spaces of the connector accommodating chamber
14
, and inner surface sides of the moving chambers
15
are open to the connector accommodating chamber
14
. In addition, two pairs of guide ports
15
a
for insertion of second cam pins, which will be described later, are respectively formed on both sides of the inserting port
14
a
of the female housing
13
, and each of these guide ports
15
a
has one surface open to the inserting port
14
a
and is open to each moving chamber
15
. A first moving member (slider)
16
and a second moving member (slider)
17
are respectively disposed in the pair of moving chambers
15
, and the first and second moving members
16
and
17
are arranged to be mutually independently movable in a direction perpendicular to a connector-inserting direction. Namely, the first and second moving members
16
and
17
are disposed at symmetrical positions on both sides of the female connector
12
.
In addition, the female housing
13
has a pair of projecting wall portions
13
a
, and an accommodating area
18
is formed between these projecting wall portions
13
a
. This accommodating area
18
is adjacent to the connector accommodating chamber
14
via a partition wall
13
b
, and a pair of rotation supporting holes
13
c
are respectively formed in the projecting wall portions
13
a.
An operating member
19
has a pair of rotation supporting pins
19
a
on its both side surfaces, and these rotation supporting pins
19
a
are inserted in the respective rotation supporting holes
13
c
. The operating member
19
rotates about the rotation supporting pins
19
a
between an operation starting position shown in FIG.
7
and an operation completed position shown in
FIG. 11
, and a path of its rotation is set to be practically within the aforementioned accommodating area
18
and such that it does not pass through the area located above the aforementioned inserting port
14
a
. Further, a knob operating portion
19
b
is provided at a rotating tip of the operating member
19
, and this knob operating portion
19
b
at its operation completed position abuts against an upper surface of the aforementioned partition wall
13
b
. Namely, the knob operating portion
19
b
also serves as a rotation restricting mechanism.
In addition, the operating member
19
and the first and second moving members
16
and
17
are connected to each other by a pair of first cam mechanisms K
1
. The pair of first cam mechanisms K
1
comprise first cam grooves
20
and
21
respectively provided in both side surfaces of the operating member
19
as well as first cam pins
22
and
23
which are provided on one ends of the first and second moving members
16
and
17
and are respectively inserted in the first cam grooves
20
and
21
. The spirally shaped grooves of the pair of first cam grooves
20
and
21
are set reversely so that the first and second moving members
16
and
17
move in the mutually opposite directions as the operating member
19
rotates.
More specifically, as shown in
FIGS. 5A and 5B
, each of the first cam grooves
20
and
21
has a 90-degree angle of rotation about its center of rotation, and is formed in a spiral curve whose distance to the center of rotation (O) changes gradually from one end toward the other end. Specifically, as shown in
FIG. 5A
, one first cam groove
20
is arranged such that the distance from one end P
1
thereof to the center of rotation (O) is set to be the longest (S
1
), while the distance from the other end P
2
thereof to the center of rotation is set to be the shortest (S
2
). On the other hand, the other first cam groove
21
is arranged such that the distance from one end P
1
thereof to the center of rotation (O) is set to be the shortest (S
2
), while the distance from the other end P
2
thereof to the center of rotation is set to be the longest (S
1
).
Due to the arrangement of such a pair of first cam grooves
20
and
21
, in the rotation of the operating member
19
from the operation starting position to the operation completed position, the first moving member
16
moves in the direction of arrow L
1
in
FIG. 1
, while the second moving member
17
moves in the direction of arrow R
1
in
FIG. 1
(the pattern of the movement of the first and second moving members
16
and
17
in this operation will be referred to as a first pattern). On the other hand, in the rotation of the operating member
19
from the operation completed position to the operation starting position, the first moving member
16
moves in the direction of arrow R
2
in
FIG. 1
, while the second moving member
17
moves in the direction of arrow L
2
in
FIG. 1
(the pattern of the movement of the first and second moving members
16
and
17
in this operation will be referred to as a second pattern).
The first and second moving members
16
and
17
are provided with a pair of second cam mechanisms K
2
which operate when the male connector
11
is inserted. This pair of second cam mechanisms K
2
comprise a pair of second cam grooves
24
and a pair of second grooves
25
which are respectively provided on inner surface sides of the first and second moving members
16
and
17
as well as a pair of second cam pins
27
and a pair of second cam pins
28
which are respectively provided on both side surfaces of a male housing
26
of the male connector
11
. Each of these second cam grooves
24
and
25
has a straight groove portion
24
a
,
25
a
oriented in the same direction as the connector-inserting direction and an inclined groove portion
24
b
,
25
b
which is inclined with respect to the connector-inserting direction. However, the directions of inclination of the inclined groove portions
24
b
of the first moving member and the inclined groove portions
25
b
of the second moving member
17
are set to be in the mutually opposite directions so that the directions of components of the pressing force for pressing the male connector
11
due to the movement in the above-described first pattern coincide with the connector-inserting direction.
More specifically, as shown in
FIG. 6A
, one inclined groove portion
24
b
has an inclination of an angle of inclination, A, in the counterclockwise direction with respect to the connector-inserting direction M. Meanwhile, as shown in
FIG. 6B
, the other inclined groove portion
25
b
has an inclination of an angle of inclination, A, in the clockwise direction with respect to the connector-inserting direction M. Incidentally, pin terminating portions (not denoted by reference numerals) oriented in the same direction as the moving direction of the sliders
16
and
17
are respectively formed on the innermost sides of the second cam grooves
24
and
25
.
In addition, the male connector
11
is provided with a crimp terminal (not shown) which is a female terminal, while the female connector
12
is provided with a pin terminal (not shown) which is a male terminal. In the process of connector insertion from the insertion starting position to the temporary engaged position, the male terminal and the female terminal are set in such a positional relationship that contact between the male and female terminals does not occur.
Next, a description will be given of the engaging operation of the above-described connector mating structure with reference to
FIGS. 7
to
12
. In
FIGS. 8
,
10
, and
12
, the first and second cam mechanisms K
1
and K
2
which are arranged on this side of
FIGS. 7
,
9
, and
11
are shown.
When the operating member
19
is in the operation starting position, if an operator inserts the male connector
11
into the connector accommodating chamber
14
through the inserting port
14
a
of the female housing
13
of the female connector
12
, the second cam pins
27
and
28
pass through the guide ports
15
a
and enter the second cam grooves
24
and
25
of the moving members
16
and
17
, respectively. Then, as shown in
FIGS. 7 and 8
, as a result of this insertion, the second cam pins
27
and
28
of the male connector
11
enter the terminating ends (starting ends of the inclined groove portions
24
b
and
25
b
) of the straight groove portions
24
a
and
25
a
of the second cam grooves
24
and
25
, i.e., down to the temporary engaged position.
Next, the operator rotatively operates the operating member
19
toward the operation completed position (in the direction of arrow A in FIG.
9
). Then, the first and second moving members
16
and
17
start to move with the first pattern by the first cam mechanisms K
1
, and, as shown in
FIGS. 9 and 10
, as the second cam pins
27
and
28
are guided and restricted by the inclined groove portions
24
b
and
25
b
of the second cam grooves
24
and
25
, the male connector
11
is inserted into the connector accommodating chamber
14
of the female connector
13
. Then, if the operating member
12
is rotated to the operation completed position, as shown in
FIGS. 11 and 12
, the second cam pins
27
and
28
enter the terminating portions of the inclined groove portions
24
b
and
25
b
of the second cam grooves
24
and
25
, and the male connector
11
thus reaches the engagement completed position, thereby completing the engaging operation.
In the above-described engaging operation, during the time from the temporary engaged position to the engagement completed position, on one side surface side of the male connector
11
, as shown in
FIG. 6A
, one second cam pin
27
is subjected to the pressing force F
1
by the inclined groove portion
24
b
of the second cam groove
24
, and a component fa of this pressing force acts as the inserting force. On the other hand, on the other side surface side of the male connector
11
, as shown in
FIG. 6B
, the other second cam pin
28
is subjected to the pressing force F
2
by the inclined groove portion
25
b
of the second cam groove
25
, and a component fa of this pressing force acts as the inserting force.
Then, another component fb of the pressing force F
1
and another component fc of the pressing force F
2
act in the mutually opposite directions, these components of force are offset by each other, so that the male connector
11
as a whole receives only the external force acting in the connector-inserting direction. Accordingly, the engagement of the connectors is effected in a state in which the male connector
11
or the female connector
12
is normally attached to a baseplate or the like, but a trouble such as the occurrence of breakage of an attached portion due to an external force other than the force acting in the connector-inserting direction is prevented from occurring during the engaging operation.
In addition, in the disengaging operation of the connector mating structure, the opposite operation to the above-described operation is effected, i.e., if the operating member
19
is rotatively operated from the operation completed position to the operation starting position, the first and second moving members
16
and
17
move with the second pattern, and the male connector
11
is disengaged up to the temporary engaged position. Therefore, the operator is able to pull out the male connector
11
, an external force other than the force acting in the connector-disengaging direction does not act as a whole for the same reason as that described above, so that the trouble such as the occurrence of breakage of the attached portion is prevented from occurring.
In addition, the engaging operation is performed smoothly since the first and second moving members
16
and
17
are disposed at symmetrical positions on both sides of the male connector
11
, and since the connector-inserting forces acting on the male connector
11
by the first and second moving members
16
and
17
become uniform on the left- and right-hand sides.
In the above-described engaging operation of the connector, in the process of insertion of the connector from the insertion starting position to the temporary engaged position, since the male terminal and the female terminal are set in a positional relationship in which contact therebetween does not occur, the connector-inserting operation can be performed with a small inserting force, so that the engaging operation can be performed smoothly and easily.
In the above-described engaging operation of the connector, since the operating member
19
is disposed in the accommodating area
18
of the female housing
13
, and the operating member
19
is rotated practically within the accommodating area
18
and in such a manner as not to pass through the area located upwardly of the inserting port
14
a
, the operating member
19
does not project into the area located above the inserting port
14
a
or does not move in the upwardly located area. Accordingly, the movement of the operating member
19
does not cause a hindrance to the wire and a jig or the like, and even if the bundle of wires extends from the rear surface of the male connector
11
in the inserting direction, the operating member
19
causes no hindrance, and the possibility of breakage or the like due to contact with another component part is practically nil.
In the above-described engaging operation of the connector, since the cam operation using the first cam mechanisms K
1
is guided in the state in which the first cam pins
22
and
23
are inserted in the first cam grooves
20
and
21
, the movement of the first cam pins
22
and
23
is effected reliably. Furthermore, since the cam operation using the second cam mechanisms K
2
is guided in the state in which the second cam pins
27
and
28
are inserted in the second cam grooves
24
and
25
, the movement of the second cam pins
27
and
28
is effected reliably.
It should be noted that although in the above-described embodiment the female connector
12
is provided with the first and second moving members
16
and
17
and the operating member
19
, the male connector
11
may be provided with the first and second moving members
16
and
17
and the operating member
19
.
Although in the above-described embodiment the pair of first cam mechanisms K
1
are arranged such that the operating member
19
is provided with the pair of first cam grooves
20
and
21
, and the first and second moving members
16
and
17
are provided with the pair of first cam pins
22
and
23
, the operating member
19
may be provided with the pair of first cam pins
22
and
23
, and the first and second moving members
16
and
17
may be provided with the pair of cam grooves
20
and
21
.
Although in the above-described embodiment the pair of second cam mechanisms K
2
are arranged such that the first and second moving members
16
and
17
are respectively provided with the two pairs of cam grooves
24
and
25
, and the male connector
11
is provided with the two pairs of second cam pins
27
and
28
, the first and second moving members
16
and
17
may be provided with the two pairs of second cam pins
27
and
28
, and the male connector
11
may be provided with the two pairs of cam grooves
24
and
25
.
Although in the above-described embodiment each of the second cam mechanisms K
2
is arranged by providing the second cam grooves
24
and
25
and the second cam pins
27
and
28
at two locations, a connector mating structure of a low inserting force can be obtained by appropriately setting the number of cam grooves and the angle of inclination depending on the type of connector, the number of polarities, and size.
Claims
- 1. A connector mating structure, comprising:a female connector; a male connector insertable into the female connector; a first moving member and a second moving member which are disposed within one of the male connector and the female connector and are movable independently from each other; an operating member pivotally mounted on the one of the male connector and the female connector; a pair of first cam mechanisms respectively connecting the operating member with the first and second moving members, the first cam mechanisms moving the first and second moving members respectively in mutually opposite directions in accordance with rotation of the operating member; and a pair of second cam mechanisms provided on the first and second moving members and the other one of the male connector and the female connector, the second cam mechanisms moving the other one of the male connector and the female connector in a connector-inserting direction as the first and the second moving members move in the mutually opposite directions, wherein the first cam mechanisms include a pair of spiral shaped grooves which spiral in opposite directions to facilitate the movement of the first and second moving members in opposite directions.
- 2. The connector mating structure of claim 1, wherein the one of the male connector and the female connector has a connector and the female connector has a connector accommodating chamber for accommodating the other connector within a housing thereof, an inserting port, which allows the other connector to be inserted, is open in the connector accommodating chamber, and accommodating area for accommodating the operating member is formed in the housing, and wherein a path of the rotation of the operating member is set to be mostly within the accommodating area, and the operating member does not pass through an area located above the inserting port.
- 3. The connector mating structure of claim 2, wherein the male connector is arranged to be insertable into the female connector from an inserting starting position to an engagement completed position through a temporary engaged position, the connector mating structure further comprises terminals accommodated in the male connector and the female connector, wherein the terminals are set to such a positional relationship that contact therebetween does not occur in a process of insertion of the male connector from the inserting starting position to the temporary engaged position, and wherein the insertion of the male connector from the temporary engaged position to the engagement completed position is effected by the rotation of the operating member.
- 4. The connector mating structure of claim 3, wherein the first and the second moving members are disposed at symmetrical positions on both sides of the one of the male connector and the female connector.
- 5. The connector mating structure of claim 4, wherein the pair of first cam mechanisms comprise a pair of first cam grooves provided in one of the operating member and the first and the second moving members, and a pair of first cam pins provided in the other one of the operating member and the first and the second moving members and arranged to be inserted into the pair of first cam grooves.
- 6. The connector mating structure of claim 3, wherein the pair of first cam mechanisms comprise a pair of first cam grooves provided in one of the operating member and the first and the second moving members, and a pair of first cam pins provided in the other one of the operating member and the first and the second moving members and arranged to be inserted into the pair of first cam grooves.
- 7. The connector mating structure of claim 2, wherein the first and the second moving members are disposed at symmetrical positions on both sides of the one of the male connector and the female connector.
- 8. The connector mating structure of claim 2, wherein the pair of first cam mechanisms comprise a pair of first cam grooves provided in one of the operating member and the first and the second moving members, and a pair of first cam pins provided in the other one of the operating member and the first and the second moving members and arranged to be inserted into the pair of first cam grooves.
- 9. The connector mating structure of claim 7, wherein the pair of first cam mechanisms comprise a pair of first cam grooves provided in one of the operating member and the first and the second moving members, and a pair of first cam pins provided in the other one of the operating member and the first and the second moving members and arranged to be inserted into the pair of first cam grooves.
- 10. The connector mating structure of claim 1, wherein the male connector is arranged to be insertable into the female connector from an inserting starting position to an engagement completed position through a temporary engaged position, the connector mating structure further comprises terminals accommodated in the male connector and the female connector, wherein the terminals are set to such a positional relationship that contact therebetween does not occur in a process of insertion of the male connector from the inserting starting position to the temporary engaged position, and wherein the insertion of the male connector from the temporary engaged position to the engagement completed position is effected by the rotation of the operating member.
- 11. The connector mating structure of claim 10, wherein the first and the second moving members are disposed at symmetrical positions on both sides of the one of the male connector and the female connector.
- 12. The connector mating structure of claim 11, wherein the pair of first cam mechanisms comprise a pair of first cam grooves provided in one of the operating member and the first and the second moving members, and a pair of first cam pins provided in the other one of the operating member and the first and the second moving members and arranged to be inserted into the pair of first cam grooves.
- 13. The connector mating structure of claim 10, wherein the pair of first cam mechanisms comprise a pair of first cam grooves provided in one of the operating member and the first and the second moving members, and a pair of first cam pins provided in the other one of the operating member and the first and the second moving members and arranged to be inserted into the pair of first cam grooves.
- 14. The connector mating structure of claim 1, wherein the first and the second moving members are disposed at symmetrical positions on both sides of the one of the male connector and the female connector.
- 15. The connector mating structure of claim 14, wherein the pair of first cam mechanisms comprise a pair of first cam grooves provided in one of the operating member and the first and the second moving members, and a pair of first cam pins provided in the other one of the operating member and the first and the second moving members and arranged to be inserted into the pair of first cam grooves.
- 16. The connector mating structure of claim 1, wherein the pair of first cam mechanisms comprise a pair of first cam grooves provided in one of the operating member and the first and the second moving members, and a pair of first cam pins provided in the other one of the operating member and the first and the second moving members and arranged to be inserted into the pair of first cam grooves.
- 17. The connector mating structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the pair of second cam mechanisms comprise a pair of second cam grooves provided in one of the first and the second moving members and the other one of the male connector and the female connector, and a pair of second cam pins provided in the other one of the first and the second moving members and the other one of the male connector and the female connector and arranged to be inserted into the pair of second cam grooves.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
10-109445 |
Apr 1998 |
JP |
|
US Referenced Citations (5)
Foreign Referenced Citations (5)
Number |
Date |
Country |
197 27 064 A1 |
Jan 1998 |
DE |
363804B1 |
Oct 1989 |
EP |
825684A1 |
Jun 1997 |
EP |
0 825 684 A1 |
Feb 1998 |
EP |
6-54255 |
Jul 1994 |
JP |