This application is based on and claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-143811, filed on Aug. 27, 2020, with the Japan Patent Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in their entireties by reference.
The present disclosure relates to a connector.
A connector disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2010-153312 includes a lower housing (hereinafter, first housing) and an upper housing (hereinafter, second housing). The second housing is coupled to the first housing from above. With the first and second housings coupled, the upper surface of the first housing and the lower surface of the second housing are arranged to face each other.
A locking groove is provided to be open in a widthwise central side of the front surface of the second housing. A locking piece to be fit into the locking groove is provided on a widthwise central side of the facing surface of the first housing. Locking pieces are provided on side surfaces on both widthwise end sides of the second housing. Locking projections to be locked to the locking pieces are provided on side surfaces on both widthwise end sides of the first housing. Such a connector is also disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2017-004737.
In the case of Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2010-153312, when a worker pinches wires pulled out from the rear surfaces of the respective first and second housings, the first and second housings may be deformed by being pushed by the wires. For example, a relative positional relationship can be maintained by the locking of the locking pieces and the locking projections on both widthwise end sides of the first and second housings. However, the locking piece possibly comes out from the locking groove on the widthwise central parts of the first and second housings and there is a concern that so-called opening between the mutually facing surfaces (the upper surface of the first housing and the lower surface of the second housing) occurs.
Accordingly, the present disclosure aims to provide a connector capable of suppressing opening between mutually facing surfaces of a first housing and a second housing.
The present disclosure is directed to a connector with a first housing and a second housing having facing surfaces facing each other, wherein one of the first and second housings includes a receiving portion open forward in a front end part and the other includes a rotating portion to be arranged in the receiving portion in the front end part, the second housing is rotated with respect to the first housing about an axis passing through the rotating portion in the receiving portion along a width direction and is coupled to the first housing, the first housing includes a lock receiving portion open forward and rearward and recessed toward a side away from the second housing in the front end part, the second housing includes a locking portion projecting toward the first housing and to be fit to the lock receiving portion in the front end part, the locking portion includes a restricting portion wider than a base end side in a projecting direction on a tip side in the projecting direction, and the lock receiving portion includes a restriction receiving portion wider than an opening end side in a recess direction on a back end side in the recess direction.
According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a connector capable of suppressing opening between mutually facing surfaces of a first housing and a second housing.
The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description.
In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented here.
First, embodiments of the present disclosure are listed and described.
(1) The connector of the present disclosure includes a first housing and a second housing having facing surfaces facing each other, wherein one of the first and second housings includes a receiving portion open forward in a front end part and the other includes a rotating portion to be arranged in the receiving portion in the front end part, the second housing is rotated with respect to the first housing about an axis passing through the rotating portion in the receiving portion along a width direction and is coupled to the first housing, the first housing includes a lock receiving portion open forward and rearward and recessed toward a side away from the second housing in the front end part, the second housing includes a locking portion projecting toward the first housing and to be fit to the lock receiving portion in the front end part, the locking portion includes a restricting portion wider than a base end side in a projecting direction on a tip side in the projecting direction, and the lock receiving portion includes a restriction receiving portion wider than an opening end side in a recess direction on a back end side in the recess direction.
According to the above configuration, the rotating portion is inserted into the receiving portion from front, and the locking portion is fit to the lock receiving portion and, consequently, the restricting portion is fit to the restriction receiving portion in conjunction with the rotation of the first and second housings about the axis passing through the rotating portion along the width direction. In this way, the restricting portion is locked to the restriction receiving portion and a clearance between the mutually facing surfaces of the first and second housings can be suppressed.
Note that, in the case of Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2010-153312 described above, since the first and second housings are brought closer and coupled to each other in the vertical direction, a structure for firmly locking the locking piece into the locking groove cannot be realized because the locking piece has to be fit into the locking groove, such as by being deflected and deformed.
(2) Preferably, the lock receiving portion is arranged on a central side in the width direction of the first housing and the locking portion is arranged on a central side in the width direction of the second housing, and the first housing includes first lock portions on both end sides in the width direction and the second housing includes second lock portions on both end sides in the width direction, the second lock portions being locked to the first lock portions to hold the first and second housings in a coupled state.
According to the above configuration, a relative positional relationship of the first and second housings can be maintained by the locking of the first and second lock portions on the both widthwise end sides of the first and second housings. Further, the relative positional relationship of the first and second housings can be maintained by the locking of the locking portion and the lock receiving portion on the widthwise central sides of the first and second housings. Thus, even if the first and second housings are shaped to be long in the width direction, the clearance between the mutually facing surfaces can be suppressed.
(3) A slope inclined forward may be provided on an end side on a tip side in the projecting direction of the restricting portion.
According to the above configuration, the interference of the slope of the restricting portion and the back surface of the restriction receiving portion can be avoided during the rotation of the first and second housings, and a rotating operation of the first and second housings can smoothly proceed.
(4) The slope of the restricting portion may be curved toward the back surface of the restriction receiving portion.
According to the above configuration, a displacement of the restricting portion can be guided along the curved shape of the slope. Further, the rigidity of the restricting portion is enhanced by as much as the slope is curved.
(5) Further, either one of the restriction receiving portion and the restricting portion may be provided with a protrusion projecting toward the other, and the other may be provided with a recess to be fit to the protrusion.
According to the above configuration, position shifts of the locking portion and the lock receiving portion in the width direction can be effectively suppressed by fitting the protrusion into the recess.
A specific example of the present disclosure is described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to these illustrations and is intended to be represented by claims and include all changes in the scope of claims and in the meaning and scope of equivalents.
As shown in
(First Housing 11)
The first housing 11 is arranged below the second housing 12. The upper surface of the first housing 11 serves as a facing surface 51 facing the second housing 12 to be able to contact the second housing 12. As shown in
The first housing 11 includes a plurality of first detecting portions 14. The respective detecting portions 14 project from the facing surface 51 of the first housing 11 and are arranged side by side in the width direction. Further, each first detecting portion 14 is arranged to straddle between the adjacent first cavities 13. The first housing 11 includes a plurality of first locking lances 15 in front of the respective first detecting portions 14. The respective first locking lances 15 are exposed on the facing surface 51 of the first housing 11 and arranged at positions corresponding to the first cavities 13.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The first housing 11 includes a front wall 22 long in the width direction. A plurality of tab insertion openings 23 communicating with the respective first cavities 13 are provided to be open in the front wall 22. A tab of an unillustrated mating terminal fitting is inserted into each tab insertion opening 23 from front. The tab of the mating terminal fitting is electrically connected to the terminal fitting 20 arranged in the first cavity 13.
As shown in
As shown in
The back surface (surface on the back end side in the recess direction) of the restriction receiving portion 27 is arranged to be flat along the lateral direction. A rib-like protrusion 28 extending in the front-rear direction is provided to project on the back surface of the restriction receiving portion 27. As shown in
(Second Housing 12)
The second housing 12 is arranged above the first housing 11. The lower surface of the second housing 12 serves as a facing surface 52 facing the first housing 11 to be able to contact the first housing 11. As shown in
The second housing 12 includes a plurality of second detecting portions 31. The respective detecting portions 31 project from the facing surface 52 of the second housing 12 and are arranged side by side in the width direction. Further, each second detecting portion 31 is arranged to straddle between the adjacent second cavities 29. The second housing 12 includes a plurality of second locking lances 32 in front of the respective second detecting portions 31. The respective second locking lances 32 are exposed on the facing surface 52 of the second housing 12 and arranged at positions corresponding to the second cavities 29. As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
A pair of the second fulcrum portions 37 are arranged on front end sides of the respective side surface portions 39. As shown in
As shown in
The locking portion 44 includes a base portion 46 on an upper end side (base end side in a projecting direction) and a restricting portion 47 wider than the base portion 46 on a lower end side (tip side in the projecting direction). The base portion 46 is shaped to project downward from the front wall 33 while having a constant width. The restricting portion 47 is shaped to gradually increase a width from the base portion 46 toward the tip side. As shown in
As shown in
The back surface of the recess 49 is arranged to be flat along the front-rear direction. Since the recess 49 is open in the slope 48, a rear end side is recessed deeper than a front end side. The protrusion 28 is fittable into the recess 49.
(Coupling Method and Coupling Structure of First Housing 11 and Second Housing 12)
In coupling the first and second housings 11, 12, the second housing 12 is arranged in front of the first housing 11 as shown in
By the contact of the rotating portions 43 with the inner surfaces of the receiving portions 21, a movement of the second housing 12 is restricted and the second housing 12 is stopped at an initial position with respect to the first housing 11.
Subsequently, as shown in
Further, as shown in
When the second housing 12 is rotated to reach the horizontal posture, the first and second housings 11, 12 are stopped at the coupling position by the locking of the first and second lock projections 18, 41 after the first lock portions 17 are deflected and deformed.
The first and second housings 11, 12 are arranged in parallel so that the mutually facing surfaces 51, 52 can contact each other at the coupling position. The first and second housings 11, 12 are held in a separation restricted state at the coupling position by maintaining the locked state of the first and second lock portions 17, 38 on the both widthwise end sides of the rear end parts, maintaining the fit state of the first and second fulcrum portions 19, 37 on the both widthwise end sides of the front end parts and maintaining the fit state of the locking portion 44 and the lock receiving portion 24 on the widthwise central sides of the front end parts. Further, as shown in
With the first and second housings 11, 12 held at the coupling position, an opening part of the facing surface 51 of the first housing 11 is closed by the second housing 12, the second detecting portions 31 enter the first cavities 13 and the terminal fittings 20 in the first cavities 13 are secondarily retained by the second detecting portions 31 as shown in
If a worker pinches the respective wires 31 pulled out rearward with fingers with the first and second housings 11, 12 held at the coupling position, such a force as to separate the mutually facing surfaces 51, 52 acts on the first and second housings 11, 12. In this case, since the first and second housings 11, 12 are shaped to be long in the width direction, there is a concern that so-called opening between the mutually facing surfaces 51, 52 occurs at the widthwise central side.
However, in the case of this embodiment, since the locking portion 44 is fit to the lock receiving portion 24 and a widened part of the restricting portion 47 is locked to a widened part of the restriction receiving portion 27 from below as shown in
As just described, according to this embodiment, in coupling the first and second housings 11, 12, the rotating portions 43 are inserted into the receiving portions 21 from front and, subsequently, the restricting portion 47 is fit and locked to the restriction receiving portion 27 in conjunction with the rotation of the first and second housings 11, 12 about the axis of rotation 60 passing through the rotating portions 43. In this way, the escape of the locking portion 44 from the lock receiving portion 24 is restricted and, consequently, the occurrence of the opening between the mutually facing surfaces 51, 52 of the first and second housings 11, 12 can be suppressed.
Further, since the slope 48 inclined forward is provided on the lower surface of the restricting portion 47, the interference of the restricting portion 47 and the restriction receiving portion 27 can be avoided and a rotating operation of the first and second housings 11, 12 can smoothly proceed. Further, since the slope 48 of the restricting portion 47 is curved toward the back surface of the restriction receiving portion 27, the rigidity of the restricting portion 47 is enhanced by as much as the slope 48 is curved.
Further, by fitting the protrusion 28 to the recess 49, it is possible to effectively suppress the locking portion 44 and the lock receiving portion 24 from being displaced in the width direction.
The embodiment disclosed this time should be considered illustrative in all aspects, rather than restrictive.
Although the first housing is provided with the receiving portions and the second housing is provided with the rotating portions in the case of the above embodiment, a first housing may be provided with rotating portions and a second housing may be provided with receiving portions as another embodiment.
Although the first housing is arranged below the second housing in the case of the above embodiment, a first housing may be arranged above a second housing as another embodiment. Alternatively, a first housing and a second housing may be arranged side by side in the width direction.
Although the restricting portion is provided with the recess and the restriction receiving portion is provided with the protrusion in the case of the above embodiment, a restriction receiving portion may be provided with a recess and a restricting portion may be provided with a protrusion as another embodiment.
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been described herein for purposes of illustration, and that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the various exemplary embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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JP2020-143811 | Aug 2020 | JP | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
7695315 | Hitchcock | Apr 2010 | B2 |
8215984 | Yokozeki | Jul 2012 | B2 |
9722347 | Chikusa et al. | Aug 2017 | B2 |
10700467 | Chikusa | Jun 2020 | B2 |
20190267746 | Chikusa | Aug 2019 | A1 |
20210167543 | Oka | Jun 2021 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20220069524 A1 | Mar 2022 | US |