Connector

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a connector suitable for smoothly engaging or disengaging both male and female multipolar connector housings.

2. Description of the Related Art

Briefly explaining an example of this type of connector, referring to

FIGS. 19 and 20

, a male connector housing

2

made of synthetic resin of a connector

1

is covered with a slide cover

3

so that the slide cover can be slid on the male connector housing. A base

4

a

of a lever

4

which is turned depending upon the reciprocation of the slide cover

3

is supported on each of both sides of the upper wall of the slide cover

3

so that the base can be turned via a spindle

3

a

for a point of the lever where force is applied. A halfway portion

4

b

of the lever

4

is fitted to each guide portion (point of application)

5

on both sides of the male connector housing

2

and an end

4

c

of the lever

4

can be fitted to a rib (fitting portion)

8

of a female connector housing

7

made of synthetic resin when both the male and female connector housings

2

and

7

are engaged.

As shown in

FIG. 20

, the slide cover

3

is formed in the size of a rectangular cylinder for covering the male connector housing

2

and an extended portion

3

b

for covering each of both sides of the male connector housing

2

is protruded from each side wall. Hereby, the center on the front side of each of the upper and lower walls of the slide cover

3

is notched in the shape of a rectangle. (The notched portion in

FIG. 20

is designated by reference numeral

3

c.

)

As shown in

FIG. 19

, a temporarily fitted state in which the lever

4

is tilted between a protrusion

5

a

of the guide portion

5

of the male connector housing

2

and a tapered surface

6

a

of a lever extruding portion

6

is equivalent to a state waiting for engagement of the male connector housing

2

in the slide cover

3

, when the slide cover

3

inside which the male connector housing

2

is temporarily fitted is extruded inside a hood

7

a

of the female connector housing

7

from the above state, the end of the lever

4

comes in contact with a protrusion

8

a

for supporting a lever of the rib

8

of the hood

7

a

of the female connector housing

7

and the lever

4

begins to turn, and when the slide cover

3

is further extruded in an engaged direction, the male connector housing

2

is pulled inside the hood

7

a

of the female connector housing

7

by the action of the lever

4

(leverage with the spindle

3

a

for supporting the base

4

a

of the lever

4

so that the base can be turned as a point where force is applied, the protrusion

5

a

of the guide portion

5

of the male connector housing

2

as a point of application and the protrusion

8

a

of the rib

8

of the female connector housing

7

as a fulcrum) and both connector housings

2

and

7

are engaged.

In the above connector

1

according to the related art, a state waiting for engagement of the male connector housing

2

in the slide cover

3

is kept by tilting the lever

4

between the protrusion

5

a

of the guide portion

5

on both sides of the male connector housing

2

and the tapered surface

6

a

of the lever extruding portion

6

, however, as an interval between the guide portion

5

of the male connector housing

2

and the lever extruding portion

6

is large, the leverage of the lever

4

does not function in a range of the play of the lever

4

and the lever is in the range of the play of the lever

4

when both connector housings

2

and

7

are disengaged, it is difficult to disengage both connector housings

2

and

7

by small force.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention was made to solve the above problem and an object thereof is to provide a connector wherein both male and female connector housings can be readily disengaged using the leverage of a lever which is turned by small force even when both connector housings are disengaged.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a connector comprising: a male connector housing; a female connector housing; a cover in which one of the male and female connector housings is provided so that the one can be reciprocated, being slid; and a lever which is turned depending upon the reciprocation of the one connector housing, a base of the lever being supported by the cover so that the lever can be turned, a halfway portion of the lever being linked with a point of application of the one connector housing and an end of the lever being fitted to a fitting portion of the other connector housing when the both connector housings are engaged, wherein a lever extruding portion to which the halfway portion of the lever is touched in a state waiting for engagement of the one connector housing is protruded from the one connector housing, and an interval between the lever extruding portion and the point of application is set to be small.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1

is a perspective view showing a state before both male and female connector housings composing a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention are engaged;

FIG. 2

is a sectional view showing the state before the male and female connector housings are engaged;

FIG. 3

is an exploded perspective view showing the male connector housing;

FIG. 4

is a front view showing the male connector housing;

FIG. 5

is a perspective view showing the main part of the male connector housing;

FIG. 6

is an explanatory view for explaining the main portion of the male connector housing;

FIG.

7

(

a

) is a sectional view showing a cover for holding the male connector housing, FIG.

7

(

b

) is a side view showing the cover and FIG.

7

(

c

) is a sectional view showing a holder for housing the cover;

FIG.

8

(

a

) is a sectional view showing the main part at the beginning of the engagement of the male and female connector housings and FIG.

8

(

b

) is a sectional view showing the main part after the engagement of the connector housings is completed;

FIG. 9

is a perspective view showing the female connector housing viewed from the front side;

FIG. 10

is a perspective view showing a state before the connector is attached to an inner panel;

FIG. 11

is a perspective view showing a state in which the connector is attached to the inner panel;

FIG.

12

(

a

) is an explanatory view for explaining the initial state of engagement of the connector, FIG.

12

(

b

) is an explanatory view for explaining a halfway state in which the connector is engaged, FIG.

12

(

c

) is an explanatory view for explaining a state when the engagement of the connector is completed and FIG.

12

(

d

) is an explanatory view for explaining an aligned state after the engagement of the connector is completed;

FIG. 13

is a sectional view showing an aligned state after the connector is completely engaged;

FIG. 14

is a sectional view showing a state in which the connector is completely engaged;

FIG. 15

is a sectional view showing a halfway state in which the connector is disengaged;

FIG. 16

is a sectional view showing another halfway state in which the connector is disengaged;

FIG. 17

is a sectional view showing a state in which terminals are disengaged while the connector is disengaged;

FIG. 18

is a sectional view showing a state after the connector is disengaged;

FIG. 19

is a sectional view showing a state immediately before a connector according to the related art is engaged; and

FIG. 20

is a perspective view showing a slide cover used for the connector according to the related art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the accompanying drawings, an embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1

is a perspective view showing a state before male and female connector housings composing a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention are engaged,

FIG. 2

is a sectional view showing the same state,

FIG. 3

is an exploded perspective view showing the male connector housing in the same state and

FIG. 4

is a front view showing the male connector housing in the same state. In the drawings, the respective engaged sides of both the male and female connector housings shall be the front sides.

As shown in

FIGS. 1

to

3

, a connector

10

is composed of a holder

20

formed substantially in the shape of a rectangular cylinder which is made of synthetic resin and which is attached to a mounting hole

12

of an inner panel

11

of a vehicle, a cover

30

formed substantially in the shape of a rectangular cylinder which is made of synthetic resin, which is temporarily fitted inside the holder

20

with the cover substantially completely housed and which is provided so that the cover can be slid forward and backward, a pair of levers

40

and

40

which are made of synthetic resin and each base of which is supported by the cover

30

so that the base can be turned for engaging-or disengaging both male and female connector housings

50

and

60

described later by leverage, the male connector housing (one connector housing)

50

made of synthetic resin which is temporarily fitted inside the cover

30

with the male connector housing in a state waiting for engagement and which is provided so that the male connector housing can be reciprocated, being slid and the female connector housing (the other connector housing)

60

made of synthetic resin which is engaged or disengaged with/from the male connector housing

50

in a state waiting for engagement.

Also, as shown in

FIGS. 1

to

3

, the holder

20

is formed by upper and lower walls

20

a

and

20

b

and both side walls

20

c

and

20

c

formed substantially in the shape of a flat rectangular cylinder and the cover

30

is supported inside the holder

20

so that the cover can be slid. A stopper

21

perpendicularly extended outside is respectively integrally protruded at each of four corners at the rear end of an opening on the rear side of each wall

20

a,

20

b

and

20

c

of the holder

20

and in each center at the rear end of the upper and lower walls

20

a

and

20

b,

and a flexible fitting portion

22

obliquely upward extended from the front side to the back side is integrally protruded on each of both sides of the upper and lower walls

20

a

and

20

b

of the holder

20

. An aligning portion

24

is integrally protruded from each flexible fitting portion

22

via a slit

23

in the shape of reverse C so that the aligning portion is extended horizontally backward.

As shown in

FIG. 2

, a dimension between the respective aligning portions

24

of the upper and lower walls

20

a

and

20

b

of the holder

20

is set so that it is equal to the dimension in the direction of the height of the mounting hole

12

of the inner panel

11

. When the holder

20

is inserted from the back of the mounting hole

12

of the inner panel

11

as shown in

FIGS. 10 and 11

in a state shown in

FIG. 1

in which the male connector housing

50

is temporarily fitted inside the cover

30

and the cover

30

is temporarily fitted inside the holder

20

, each flexible fitting portion

22

is bent inside and the front and rear surfaces

11

a

and

11

b

in the vicinity of the mounting hole

12

of the inner panel

11

are fitted between each flexible fitting portion

22

and each stopper

21

so that the front and rear surfaces are respectively held between each flexible fitting portion and each stopper. At this time, as shown in

FIG. 2

, the upper and lower aligning portions

24

respectively integrated with the upper and lower flexible fitting portions

22

via each slit

23

are fitted into the mounting hole

12

in an elastic state.

Also, as shown in

FIGS. 1

to

3

, a tapered surface

25

for guiding engagement with the female connector housing

60

is formed in the whole periphery of the front end (the end on the side with which the female connector housing

60

is engaged) of the opening on the front side of each wall

20

a

,

20

b

,

20

c

of the holder

20

and an L-type flexible arm (temporarily fitting means)

26

is integrated via a slit

26

b

in the shape of a letter C on the rear side from the center of each center of each wall

20

a,

20

b

and

20

c

of the holder

20

. As shown in FIG.

7

(

c

), a protrusion (fitting portion)

26

a

the section of which is trapezoidal is integrally protruded inside the end of each flexible arm

26

. Further, a concave portion

27

for preventing the holder from being opened is integrally protruded outside in the shape of reverse C in a position on the front side opposite to each flexible arm

26

of each wall

20

a

,

20

b

and

20

c

of the holder

20

. As shown in

FIGS. 1 and 5

, a pair of recesses

28

and

28

for housing space when a flexible fitting piece

34

described later of the cover

30

is deformed are respectively formed from the front side to the center of the inner wall on both sides of each concave portion

27

of each wall

20

a

,

20

b

and

20

c

of the holder

20

.

Further, as shown in

FIGS. 3 and 4

, a pair of guide grooves

29

and

29

are respectively formed in a rigid place on the side of the inner wall of the upper wall

20

a

of the holder

20

(in a reinforced portion in the vicinity of the lever on both sides of the concave portion

27

in the center) and in a rigid place on the side of the inner wall of the lower wall

20

b

(in the vicinity of the reinforced portion of the stopper

21

on both sides). As shown in

FIGS. 2 and 18

, a reversely tapered surface

29

a

is formed at the front end of each guide groove

29

.

As shown in

FIGS. 3 and 7

, the cover

30

has double structure of an outer wall

31

formed substantially in the shape of a flat rectangular cylinder and an inner wall

32

formed substantially in the shape of a flat rectangular cylinder integrated with the outer wall

31

, the hood

61

of the female connector housing

60

described later is housed between the outer wall

31

the front side of which is open and the inner wall

32

, and the male connector housing

50

is temporarily fitted inside the inner wall

32

in a state waiting for engagement and can be slid inside the inner wall.

As shown in

FIGS. 1

to

3

and

FIGS. 5 and 6

, a tapered surface

33

for guiding engagement with the female connector housing

60

is formed in the whole periphery of the front end (the end on the side on which the female connector housing

60

is engaged) of the opening on the front side of the outer wall

31

of the cover

30

. The tapered surface

33

of the cover

30

and the tapered surface

25

of the holder

20

are respectively formed so that they are on the substantially same plane (the end surface on which the tapered surface

33

of the cover

30

starts is the same as the end of the tapered surface

25

of the holder

20

or is a little backward) when the flexible arm

26

of the holder

20

and the temporarily fitting means

34

described later of the cover

30

are temporarily fitted. That is, as shown in

FIG. 6

, if the cone angle of the tapered surface

25

of the holder

20

is X and the cone angle of the tapered surface

33

of the cover

30

is Y, each of the tapered surfaces

25

and

33

is formed so that Y≧X.

As shown in

FIGS. 3

,

7

(

a

),

7

(

b

) and

7

(

c

), the temporarily fitting means

34

for holding a state waiting for engagement of the male connector housing

50

is integrated in the center on the front side of the upper and lower walls of the outer wall

31

of the cover

30

and in the center on the front side of walls on both sides. The temporarily fitting means

34

is composed of a flexible fitting piece in the shape of reverse C which is engaged or disengaged with/from the protrusion

26

a

of each flexible arm

26

of the holder

20

. That is, each flexible fitting piece

34

as temporarily fitting means is elastically deformed outside in a concave portion

34

b

in the center and a notch

34

c

formed substantially in the shape of reverse C and the protrusion

26

a

of each flexible arm

26

of the holder

20

can be engaged or disengaged with/from the side of the end surface

34

a.

Further, as shown in

FIGS. 2

,

3

and

4

, a stopper convex portion

35

is integrally protruded in a position opposite to each guide groove

29

of the holder

20

outside the outer wall

31

of the cover

30

. A reversely tapered surface

35

a

in the same direction as the reversely tapered surface

29

a

at the front end of each guide groove

29

of the holder

20

is formed on the front side of each stopper convex portion

35

and in a state waiting for engagement of the male connector housing

50

, the reversely tapered surface

29

a

at the front end of each guide groove

29

of the holder

20

and the reversely tapered surface

35

a

of each stopper convex portion

35

of the cover

30

can be touched.

As shown in FIGS.

7

(

a

),

7

(

b

) and

7

(

c

), a temporarily fitting stopper

36

is integrated in the center of the wall on both sides of the inner wall

32

of the cover

30

. A temporary fitting locking portion

56

of the male connector housing

50

described later in a state waiting for engagement is temporarily fitted to each temporarily fitting stopper

36

. A flexible temporary fitting releasing arm

37

provided with a convex portion

37

a

outside the end is integrated in a front position outside the temporarily fitting stopper

36

in the center on the front side of the wall on both sides of the inner wall

32

of the cover

30

. The flexible temporary fitting releasing arm

37

is bent inside by a temporary fitting releasing convex portion

65

of the female connector housing

60

described later as shown in FIG.

8

(

a

), the temporary fitting locking portion

56

of the male connector housing

50

is pressed inside by the flexuous deformation of the temporary fitting releasing arm

37

and a state in which each temporarily fitting stopper

36

and the temporary fitting locking portion

56

of the male connector housing

50

are temporarily fitted is released.

Also, as shown in

FIGS. 3

,

7

(

a

),

7

(

b

) and

7

(

c

), the center on the front side of the upper and lower walls of the inner wall

32

of the cover

30

is notched, and the upper and lower walls of the inner wall

32

of the cover

30

are formed in size in which they can substantially completely wrap the male connector housing

50

in a state waiting for engagement. Further, plural guide grooves

38

a

and

38

b

are respectively formed in the vicinity of a position in which the cover

30

is in the shape of reverse C and is hard to be deformed and on the rigid inner side of the upper and lower walls of the inner wall

32

near to the lever. As shown in

FIG. 4

, a pair of lever relief grooves

39

a

and

39

a

and a pair of lever relief grooves

39

b

and

39

b

are formed on both sides near to the center between the upper and lower walls of the inner wall

32

of the cover

30

and a lever

40

is arranged between the lever relief grooves

39

a

and

39

b

and between the lever relief grooves

39

a

and

39

b.

As shown in

FIGS. 3 and 4

, each lever

40

is formed by synthetic resin substantially in the shape of a rectangular plate and a supporting hole

42

is formed in the center of its base

41

in the shape of a circular arc. The base

41

of the lever

40

is supported so that it can be turned by fitting a spindle

39

c

protruded in each lever relief groove

39

a

on the side of the upper wall of the inner wall

32

of the cover

30

into the supporting hole

42

as shown in FIG.

18

.

As shown in

FIG. 3

, the male connector housing

50

is formed substantially in the shape of a rectangular parallelopiped made of synthetic resin provided with a pair of lever relief grooves

51

and

51

from the front side to the rear side and plural terminal housing chambers

52

are formed between the front side and the rear side. A female terminal

53

which is electrically connected to each male terminal

63

of the female connector housing

60

described later when both connector housings

50

and

60

are engaged for electrically connecting both connector housings

50

and

60

is housed in each terminal housing chamber

52

. A wire harness W shown in

FIGS. 10 and 11

is connected to each female terminal

53

.

A guide bar (point of application)

54

as a lever hooking portion is integrally protruded on the front side of each lever relief groove

51

of the male connector housing

50

. The guide bar

54

is provided with a circular arc surface

54

a

functioning as the point of application of the lever

40

by sliding the side of the halfway portion

43

of the lever

40

as shown in FIG.

18

. Further, a lever extruding portion

55

formed substantially in the shape of a trapezoid with which the halfway portion

43

of the lever

40

comes in contact and is slid in a state waiting for engagement of the male connector housing

50

is integrally protruded on the rear side on one side of each lever relief groove

51

of the male connector housing

50

. An interval between these guide bar

54

and lever extruding portion

55

is set to be small so that it is substantially equal to the width of the halfway portion

43

of the lever

40

as shown in FIG.

18

.

Further, the temporary fitting locking portion

56

the section of which is trapezoidal and which is temporarily fitted to the temporarily fitting stopper

36

of the cover

30

in a state waiting for engagement of the male connector housing

50

is provided on the rear side of both sides

50

a

and

50

a

of the male connector housing

50

. The temporary fitting locking portion

56

is integrated with each flexible arm

57

integrally protruded in the shape of reverse C from both sides

50

a

and

50

a

and is provided with a tapered surface

56

a

on the front side. Stopper convex portions

58

and

59

respectively slid in the guide grooves

38

a

and

38

b

are integrally protruded in positions opposite to the guide groove

38

a

and

38

b

of the inner wall

32

of the cover

30

on the upper and lower surfaces

50

b

and

50

c

of the male connector housing

50

. One stopper convex portion

58

regulates sliding in the front portion of the male connector housing

50

, the other stopper convex portion

59

regulates sliding in the rear portion of the male connector housing

50

and tapered surfaces

58

a

and

59

a

are formed in opposite positions.

As shown in

FIGS. 1 and 9

, in the female connector housing

60

, plural male terminals

63

are exposed among the hood

61

in the shape of a rectangular cylinder and L-type both legs

62

and

62

, the hood

61

is inserted between the outer wall

31

and the inner wall

32

of the cover

30

when both connector housings

50

and

60

are engaged and each terminal

53

and

63

of both connector housings

50

and

60

are electrically connected.

Also, as shown in

FIGS. 1 and 9

, a protrusion

64

also functioning as holding means for holding the temporarily fitted state of the protrusion

26

a

of each flexible arm

26

of the holder

20

and each flexible fitting piece

34

of the cover

30

and as releasing means for releasing the temporarily fitted state of the protrusion

26

a

of each flexible arm

26

of the holder

20

and each flexible fitting piece

34

of the cover

30

when the engagement of both connector housings

50

and

60

is completed and when they are disengaged is integrally protruded in the center on the front side of the outer surfaces of both side walls

61

a

and

61

a

of the hood

61

of the female connector housing

60

and in the center on the front side of the outer surfaces of the upper and lower walls

61

b

and

61

c.

The protrusion

64

is formed substantially in the shape of a triangle pole, the front side has a tapered surface (fitting surface)

64

a

and the rear side also has a tapered surface (disengaging surface)

64

b.

Further, as shown in FIGS.

8

(

a

),

8

(

b

) and

9

, the temporary fitting releasing convex portion

65

the section of which is formed substantially in the shape of a trapezoid for touching or separating to/from the convex portion

37

a

of the temporary fitting releasing arm

37

of the cover

30

is integrally protruded at each front end of the inner surfaces of both side walls

61

a

and

61

a

of the hood

61

of the female connector housing

60

. A relief groove

66

for housing and guiding the convex portion

37

a

of the temporary fitting releasing arm

37

of the cover

30

is formed in each center of the inner surfaces of both side walls

61

a

and

61

a

of the hood

61

.

As shown in

FIGS. 9 and 18

, a rib (fitting portion)

67

is integrally protruded on both sides of the inner surface of the lower wall

61

c

of the hood

61

of the female connector housing

60

. A protrusion

67

a

to which the end

44

of the lever

40

is slid is integrally protruded at the upper end of the rear surface of the rib

67

. The end

44

of the lever

40

is touched to the protrusion

67

a

by being slid and functions as the fulcrum of the lever

40

when the hood

61

of the female connector housing

60

is inserted between the outer wall

31

and the inner wall

32

of the cover

30

, being slid, the female connector housing

60

is pulled into the male connector housing

50

and both connector housings

50

and

60

are engaged or disengaged. Further, a lever relief groove

68

is formed from the back of the rib

67

on the lower wall

61

c

of the hood

61

to a vertical partition wall

61

d

and a lever extruding portion

69

to which the halfway portion

43

of the lever

40

is touched is integrally protruded on the lower side of the partition wall

61

d.

As shown in

FIGS. 1 and 4

, each guide groove

29

on both sides of the upper wall

20

a

of the holder

20

is formed in a position protruded upward, and convex portions

31

e,

32

e

and

61

e

respectively upward protruded are respectively formed in a position on the side of the upper wall of the outer wall

31

and the inner wall

32

of the cover

30

opposite to the convex portion

20

e

and on the side of the upper wall

61

b

of the hood

61

of the female connector housing

60

.

According to the connector

10

of the above embodiment, as shown in

FIGS. 10 and 11

, when the holder

20

is inserted and pressed from the back of the mounting hole

12

of the inner panel

11

in case the male connector housing

50

on the side of the wire harness W is mounted in the mounting hole

12

of the inner panel

11

via the holder

20

, the front and rear surfaces

11

a

and

11

b

of the inner panel

11

are held and fixed between upper and lower each flexible fitting portion

22

of the holder

20

and upper and lower and right and left each stopper

21

. At the time of this engagement, as shown in

FIG. 2

, alignment is made (the holder and others are positioned in the central position of the mounting hole

12

) by bumping upper and lower each aligning portion

24

of the holder

20

against the end surface of the mounting hole

12

of the inner panel

11

and by bending each aligning portion

24

even if the holder

20

is moved upward, downward, rightward or leftward in the mounting hole

12

, the holder and others are securely engaged and fixed. As the holder and others also try to approach the center of the mounting hole

12

because of the elastic effect of each aligning portion

24

of the holder

20

after engagement, width in which the flexible fitting portion

22

and the inner panel

11

are engaged is kept fixed, the holding power of the whole connector

10

when the connector is fixed to the inner panel

11

can be increased and space for attaching the connector to the inner panel

11

can be reduced.

After the male connector housing

50

is attached into the mounting hole

12

of the inner panel

11

via the holder

20

, the female connector housing

60

is engaged with the male connector housing

50

in a state waiting for engagement. Explaining the engagement of these male and female connector housings

50

and

60

, referring to FIGS.

12

(

a

) to

12

(

d

), in the engagement initial state of both connector housings

50

and

60

in which the hood

61

of the female connector housing

60

is inserted between the outer wall

31

and the inner wall

32

of the cover

30

as shown in FIG.

12

(

a

), a state waiting for engagement of the male connector housing

50

is kept by the temporarily fitted state of the protrusion

26

a

of each flexible arm

26

of the holder

20

and the end surface

34

a

of each flexible fitting piece

34

of the cover

30

. When the hood

61

of the female connector housing

60

is inserted between the outer wall

31

and the inner wall

32

of the cover

30

, the hood

61

of the female connector housing

60

can be smoothly led to the side of the male connector housing

50

by the tapered surface

25

of the holder

20

and the tapered surface

33

of the cover

30

. Hereby, the end on the engaged side of the hood

61

of the female connector housing

60

bumps against each front end of the holder

20

and the cover

30

, and the temporarily fitted state of the protrusion

26

a

of each flexible arm

26

of the holder

20

and the end surface

34

a

of each flexible fitting piece

34

of the cover

30

does never come off.

When both connector housings

50

and

60

begin to be engaged, the temporary fitting releasing convex portion

65

of the hood

61

of the female connector housing

60

bumps against the convex portion

37

a

of the flexible temporary fitting releasing arm

37

of the cover

30

as shown in FIG.

12

(

a

) and the temporary fitting releasing arm

37

is bent inside, the temporary fitting locking portion

56

of the male connector housing

50

is pressed inside. Hereby, the flexible arm

57

of the male connector housing

50

is bent inside, the temporary fitting lock of the temporary fitting locking portion

56

and the temporarily fitting stopper

36

of the cover

30

is released and the male connector housing

50

is slid backward inside the inner wall

32

of the cover

30

. As the convex portion

37

a

of the flexible temporary fitting releasing arm

37

of the cover

30

is put in the relief groove

66

of the hood

61

of the female connector housing

60

as shown in FIG.

12

(

c

) when engagement is completed, the temporary fitting releasing arm

37

is restored to an original state.

Next, as shown in FIG.

12

(

b

), during the engagement of both connector housings

50

and

60

, each flexible fitting piece

34

of the cover

30

is elastically deformed outside by the pressure of each protrusion

64

of the female connector housing

60

, the end surface

34

a

of each flexible fitting piece

34

of the cover

30

bumps against the end surface of each flexible arm

26

of the holder

20

and the temporarily fitted state of the protrusion

26

a

of each flexible arm

26

of the holder

20

and the end surface

34

a

of each flexible fitting piece

34

of the cover

30

is more securely maintained.

As shown in FIG.

12

(

c

), when the engagement of both connector housings

50

and

60

is completed, each protrusion

64

of the female connector housing

60

is put in the notch

34

c

in the back of each flexible fitting piece

34

of the cover

30

. At this time, the tapered surface

64

a

of each protrusion

64

of the female connector housing

60

presses the protrusion

26

a

of each flexible arm

26

of the holder

20

outside and each flexible arm

26

is elastically deformed outside and bent. Hereby, as shown in FIGS.

12

(

c

) and

12

(

d

), the temporarily fitted state of the protrusion

26

a

of each flexible arm

26

of the holder

20

and the end surface

34

a

of each flexible fitting piece

34

of the cover

30

is released and both connector housings

50

and

60

the engagement of which is respectively completed are both slid backward inside the cover. When the above sliding is completed, the connector

10

is in an aligned state as shown in FIGS.

12

(

d

) and

13

.

Explaining a process from the engagement initial state of both connector housings

50

and

60

to the engagement completed state concerning relation to the lever

40

, when the hood

61

of the female connector housing

60

is inserted between the outer wall

31

and the inner wall

32

of the cover

30

as shown in FIG.

17

and the female connector housing

60

is pushed in a direction in which both connector housings

50

and

60

are engaged, the end

44

of the lever

40

is touched to the protrusion

67

a

for the fulcrum of the lever of the rib

67

inside the hood

61

of the female connector housing

60

as shown in FIG.

16

and the lever

40

begins to be turned. As shown in

FIG. 15

, when the female connector housing

60

is further pushed in the direction of engagement, the hood

61

of the female connector housing

60

is pulled between the outer wall

31

and the inner wall

32

of the cover

30

by the leverage of the lever

40

(leverage with the spindle

39

c

for supporting the base

41

of the lever

40

so that the base can be turned as a point where force is applied, the circular arc surface

54

a

of the guide bar

54

of the male connector housing

50

as a point of application and the protrusion

67

a

of the rib

67

of the female connector housing

60

as a fulcrum) and both connector housings

50

and

60

are engaged. As a result, both connector housings

50

and

60

can be readily engaged by the leverage of the lever

40

only by sliding the female connector housing

60

with small force in the direction of engagement.

For maintenance, checking and others, in case both connector housings

50

and

60

are disengaged from the completely engaged state shown in

FIGS. 13 and 14

of both connector housings

50

and

60

, they are operated as shown in

FIGS. 13

to

17

. That is, between the start of the disengagement of both connector housings

50

and

60

shown in FIG.

14

and the disengagement of female and male terminals

53

and

63

shown in

FIG. 17

, the end

44

of the lever

40

is touched to the protrusion

67

a

for the fulcrum of the lever of the rib

67

inside the hood

61

of the female connector housing

60

, the lever

40

is turned in a reverse direction to the time of engagement and both connector housings are disengaged, pulling in the guide bar

54

of the male connector housing

50

. Simultaneously when the rib

67

inside the hood

61

of the female connector housing

60

escapes under the end

44

of the lever

40

in a state shown in

FIG. 17

, the disengagement of the female and male terminals

53

and

63

is completed. As a result, both connector housings

50

and

60

can be readily disengaged by the leverage of the lever

40

only by sliding the female connector housing

60

in the direction of disengagement with small force.

As described above, as an interval between the guide bar

54

of the male connector housing

50

and the lever extruding portion

55

is set so that it is smaller (as shown in

FIGS. 14

to

17

) than the interval according to the related art (as shown in

FIG. 19

) both connector housings

50

and

60

can be smoothly and securely engaged or disengaged by the leverage of the lever

40

with small force when both connector housings

50

and

60

are engaged or disengaged. As shown in

FIG. 14

, as the halfway portion

43

of the lever

40

is held among the lever extruding portion

69

integrally protruded from the female connector housing

60

, the guide bar

54

of the male connector housing

50

and the lever extruding portion

55

of the male connector housing

50

when both connector housings

50

and

60

are engaged, the engaged state of both connector housings

50

and

60

can be securely held.

As described above, according to the present invention, as an interval between the point of application of one connector housing and the lever extruding portion is set to be small so that it is substantially equal to the width of the halfway portion of the lever, both connector housings can be smoothly and securely engaged or disengaged by the leverage of the lever by small force when the connector housings are engaged or disengaged.

Number	Name	Date	Kind
5975929	Matsuura et al.	Nov 1999
6030236	Matsuura et al.	Feb 2000

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 (2)

Foreign Referenced Citations (1)