BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1A is an oblique view of an electrical connector assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention as seen from the back and from above;
FIG. 1B is an oblique view of the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 1A as seen from the front and from above;
FIG. 2 is an orthogonal diagram view of the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 1A as seen from the left side surface of a first connector of the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 1A;
FIG. 3A is an orthogonal view of the first connector of FIG. 1A as seen from above;
FIG. 3B is an orthogonal view of the first connector of FIG. 1A as seen from the front;
FIG. 4A is an orthogonal view of the first connector of FIG. 1A as seen from below;
FIG. 4B is an orthogonal view of the first connector of FIG. 1A as seen from the back;
FIG. 5A is an orthogonal view of the first connector of FIG. 1A as seen from the left side;
FIG. 5B is an orthogonal cross-sectional view taken along line 5B-5B in FIG. 3B of the first connector of FIG. 1A;
FIG. 6A is an oblique view of a complementary connector of the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 1A as seen from the front and above;
FIG. 6B is an oblique view of the complementary connector of FIG. 1A as seen from the back and above;
FIG. 7A is an oblique view of an undersurface the complementary connector of FIG. 1A as seen from the front and above;
FIG. 7B is an oblique view of an undersurface the complementary connector of FIG. 1A as seen from the back and above;
FIG. 8 is an orthogonal view of the complementary connector of FIG. 1A as seen from above;
FIG. 9A is a cross-section view taken along line 9A-9A in FIG. 8 of the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 1A showing a state in which the side retainer is in the temporary locking position in the complementary connector;
FIG. 9B is a cross-sectional view taken along line 9B-9B in FIG. 8 of the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 1A showing the same state as FIG. 9A;
FIG. 10A is a cross-sectional view taken through the positions of both the first positioning projection and a second positioning projection of the lance block of the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 1A in a state in which the side retainer is in the temporary locking position in the complementary connector;
FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional view taken through the positions of both a second positioning projection of the lance block and a first contact insertion hole in the complementary housing of the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 1A in a state in which the side retainer is in the temporary locking position in the complementary connector;
FIG. 10C is a cross-sectional view taken through the positions of both a third positioning projection of the lance block and a main locking projection of the side retainer of the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 1A in a state in which the side retainer is in the temporary locking position in the complementary connector;
FIG. 11A is a cross-sectional view of the complementary connector of FIG. 1A taken along line 9A-9A in FIG. 8 and shows a state in which the side retainer is in the main locking position in the complementary connector;
FIG. 11B is a cross-sectional view of the complementary connector of FIG. 1A taken along line 9B-9B in FIG. 8 and shows a state in which the side retainer is in the main locking position in the complementary connector;
FIG. 12A is a cross-sectional view of the complementary connector of FIG. 1A taken through the positions of both a third positioning projection of the lance block and a second contact insertion hole in the housing and shows a state in which the side retainer is in the main locking position in the complementary connector;
FIG. 12B is a cross-sectional view of the complementary connector of FIG. 1A taken through the positions of both a first contact insertion hole and a second contact insertion hole in the housing and shows a state in which the side retainer is in the main locking position in the complementary connector;
FIG. 12C is a cross-sectional view of the complementary connector of FIG. 1A taken through the positions of both a third positioning projection of the lance block and a main locking projection of the side retainer and shows a state in which the side retainer is in the main locking position in the complementary connector;
FIG. 13 is an oblique exploded view of the complementary housing, lance block, and side retainer of FIG. 1A as seen from the front and above;
FIG. 14 is an oblique exploded view of the complementary housing, lance block, and side retainer of FIG. 1A as seen from the front and below;
FIG. 15 is an oblique exploded view of the complementary housing, lance block, and side retainer of FIG. 1A as seen from the back and below;
FIG. 16A is an orthogonal top view of the complementary housing of FIG. 1A;
FIG. 16B is an orthogonal front view of the complementary housing of FIG. 1A;
FIG. 16C is an orthogonal back view of the complementary housing of FIG. 1A;
FIG. 17A is an orthogonal right side view of the complementary housing of FIG. 1A;
FIG. 17B is an orthogonal bottom view of the complementary housing of FIG. 1A;
Prior Art FIG. 18 is a front view of a conventional female-type connector; and
Prior Art FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 19-19 in FIG. 18 of the conventional connector of FIG. 18.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S)
Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the figures. As is shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 2, an electrical connector assembly 1 consists of a first connector 10 and a complementary connector 40 that mates with this first connector 10 in the mating direction (direction indicated by arrow C in FIG. 2). This embodiment is further shown in FIGS. 3A-5B.
The first connector 10 is constructed to be mounted on a circuit board (not shown in the figures), and comprises a first housing 20 and a plurality of first contacts 30 attached to this first housing 20 in two rows (upper and lower rows). The first housing 20 is formed in a rectangular solid shape extending in the left-right direction (left-right direction in FIG. 3B) by molding an insulating resin. As is shown in FIGS. 1B and 3B, the first housing 20 is provided with a complementary connector receiving concavity 21 that extends in the left-right direction and that is used to receive the complementary connector 40. Furthermore, two projecting ribs 24 that protrude downward are provided in symmetrical positions on either side of the central line CL in the left-right direction on the inside of the upper wall 22 of the first housing 20 located in the upper portion of the complementary connector receiving concavity 21. These two projecting ribs 24 extend rearward from the front surface (lower surface in FIG. 3A) of the first housing 20 (i.e., from the mating surface of the first housing 20 toward the rear in the connector mating direction), and the space between the two projecting ribs 24 demarcates a locking part receiving space 24a that receives the locking part 59 of the complementary connector 40. A first locking projection 24b that engages with a complementary locking projection 59a provided on the locking part 59 is provided on the upper wall 22 located above this locking part receiving space 24a.
Moreover, as is shown in FIG. 3B, two first connector projections 25 that protrude upward are provided in symmetrical positions on either side of the central line CL in the left-right direction on the inside of the lower wall 23 of the first housing 20 located in the lower portion of the complementary connector receiving concavity 21. These two first connector projections 25 are respectively positioned on the outside of the projecting ribs 24 in the left-right direction. In addition, the respective first connector projections 25 extend rearward from the front surface of the first housing 20 (i.e., from the mating surface of the first housing 20 toward the rear in the connector mating direction) as far as the innermost wall of the complementary connector receiving concavity 21. A protruding part 25a that protrudes leftward as seen from the mating surface is provided on the upper portion of the left side surface of each of the first connector projections 25. These protruding parts 25a respectively extend in the connector mating direction from the front ends to the rear ends of the individual first connector projections 25 as shown in FIG. 5B. Furthermore, as is shown in FIG. 3B, a first connector concavity 27 is formed on the inside of each of the left side wall 26a and right side wall 26b of the complementary connector receiving concavity 21 of the first housing 20 slightly toward the bottom in the vertical direction. The first connector concavity 27 formed in the left side wall 26a of the complementary connector receiving concavity 21 is recessed toward the left side as seen from the mating surface, i.e., toward the outside of the first housing 20, and extends only for a specified distance from the front surface of the first housing 20 toward the rear (i.e., from the mating surface of the housing 20 toward the rear in the connector mating direction). Likewise, the first connector concavity 27 formed in the right side wall 26b of the complementary connector receiving concavity 21 is recessed toward the right side as seen from the mating surface, i.e., toward the outside of the first housing 20, and extends only for a specified distance from the front surface of the first housing 20 toward the rear as shown in FIG. 5B. Moreover, a pair of positioning posts 28 are provided on the undersurface of the lower wall 23 of the first housing 20. In addition, a pair of fastening fittings 29 made of metal for fastening the first connector 10 to the surface of the circuit board are attached with each of these fastening fittings 29 being attached to the outer surfaces of the left side wall 26a and right side wall 26b of the first housing 20.
Furthermore, as is shown in FIG. 5B, each of the plurality of first contacts 30 attached to the first housing 20 in two rows (upper and lower rows) comprises a fastening part 31 that is press-fitted to the first housing 20, a first contact part 32 that extends forward from the fastening part 31 and that protrudes into the complementary connector receiving concavity 21, and a board connecting part 33 that extends rearward from the fastening part 31 and that protrudes to the outside of the first housing 20. Each contact 30 is formed by stamping and forming a metal plate. The first contact parts 32 are designed to contact upper complementary contacts 91 and lower complementary contacts 95 provided on the complementary connector 40 during the mating between the first connector 10 and complementary connector 40. Here, the first contact parts 32 are formed in a pin shape, so that the first contacts 30 constitute male-type contacts. However, it will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the first contacts 30 may be formed as contacts other than male-type contacts. Moreover, each of the board connecting parts 33 extends rearward from the fastening part 31, is bent downward at an inclination, and is connected to the conductor of the circuit board.
Next, the complementary connector 40 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6A, 6B, 7A, 7B, 8, 9A, 9B, 10A-10C, 11A, 11B, 12A-12C, 13-15, 16A-16C, 17A and 17B. As is shown in FIGS. 6A, 6B, 7A and 7B, the complementary connector 40 comprises a complementary housing 50, a plurality of upper complementary contacts 91 and lower complementary contacts 95 (see FIGS. 9A, 9B, 11A and 11B) that are accommodated in two rows (upper and lower rows) in the complementary housing 50, a lance block 70, and a side retainer 80. In the following description, the left side and right side in FIG. 8 are respectively referred to as the “left side” and “right side,” and the left side, right side, upper side, and lower side in FIGS. 9A and 9B are respectively referred to as the “front side,” “rear side,” “upper side,” and “lower side.”
Here, as is shown in FIGS. 16A-16C, 17A and 17B, the complementary housing 50 is formed in a rectangular solid shape extending in the left-right direction and having a front surface 51a, a rear surface 51b, an upper surface 51c, an undersurface 51d, a left side surface 51e, and a right side surface 51f. The complementary housing 50 is designed to be received inside the complementary connector receiving concavity 21 of the first connector 10. The complementary housing 50 is formed by molding an insulating resin such as PBT. Furthermore, as is clearly shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, a concavity 54 is formed substantially in the central portion of the complementary housing 50 in the forward-rearward direction from the undersurface 51d of the complementary housing 50 toward the top. Upper contact insertion holes 52 and lower contact insertion holes 53 that are arranged in two rows (upper and lower rows, respectively) at a specified pitch in the left-right direction are formed in the complementary housing 50 in the portion to the rear of the concavity 54. The respective upper contact insertion holes 52 and lower contact insertion holes 53 pass through from the rear surface 51b to the concavity 54 of the complementary housing 50. Moreover, first mating contact insertion holes 52b and second mating contact insertion holes 53b that are arranged in two rows (upper and lower rows, respectively) at a specified pitch in the left-right direction are formed in the complementary housing 50 in the portion to the front of the concavity 54 in positions respectively corresponding to the upper contact insertion holes 52 and lower contact insertion holes 53 in the upper and lower rows. Upper inclined surfaces 52c and lower inclined surfaces 53c for facilitating the introduction of the first contacts 30 provided on the first connector 10 are respectively formed at the front-end entrances of the individual first mating contact insertion holes 52b and second mating contact insertion holes 53b. The respective first mating contact insertion holes 52b and second mating contact insertion holes 53b pass through from the front surface 51a to the concavity 54 of the complementary housing 50. In addition, a plurality of first partition walls 52a that partition mutually adjacent first mating contact insertion holes 52b are provided at the front end of the concavity 54 of the complementary housing 50. The distance between mutually adjacent first partition walls 52a is a distance that allows the accommodation of a upper complementary contact 91. Furthermore, as is shown in FIGS. 13, 14, and 16B, a plurality of upper tool insertion holes 63 corresponding to the respective first mating contact insertion holes 52b are formed in the front surface 51a of the complementary housing 50. Similarly, a plurality of lower tool insertion holes 64 corresponding to the respective second mating contact insertion holes 53b are formed in the front surface 51a of the complementary housing 50.
Moreover, as is shown in FIGS. 10A and 17B, a first positioning projection concavity 55a into which the first positioning projection 76 of the lance block 70 is inserted is formed in the upper surface of the concavity 54 of the complementary housing 50, and a plurality of second positioning projection concavities 55b into which second positioning projections 77 of the lance block 70 are inserted are formed in the front end surface of the concavity 54 as shown in FIGS. 10A, 10B, and 15. In addition, as is shown in FIGS. 8, 9B, and 10C, a plurality of openings 61 into which third positioning projections 74 of the lance block 70 are inserted are formed in the upper surface 51c of the complementary housing 50 so that these openings 61 pass through to the concavity 54, and shoulder parts 55c with which the third positioning projections 74 engage are respectively formed in the upper edge portions of the first partition walls 52a facing these openings 61. Furthermore, locking projection openings 56 into which the locking catches 75a of the lance block 70 are inserted are respectively formed in the left side surface 51e and right side surface 5 if of the complementary housing 50. Moreover, as is shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, temporary locking projection openings 57a into which temporary locking projections 84 of the side retainer 80 are inserted are respectively formed in the left side surface 51e and right side surface 5 if of the complementary housing 50, and as is shown in FIGS. 10C and 14, a plurality of tabs 57b with which the main locking projections 85a of the side retainer 80 make contact from below are formed on the rear end surface of the concavity 54 of the housing 50. In addition, as is shown in FIGS. 12C and 14, slits 58 into which the main locking projections 85a of the side retainer 80 are inserted pass through to the rear end surface of the complementary housing 50 in the rear end surface of the concavity 54 of the complementary housing 50 above the tabs 57b. Furthermore, a locking part 59 for locking the first connector 10 when the first connector 10 mates is provided on the upper surface 51c of the complementary housing 50, and a complementary locking projection 59a is provided on this locking part 59 substantially in the central portion in the forward-rearward direction. This complementary locking projection 59a is designed to engage with the first locking projection 24b of the first connector 10. Moreover, a protection part 60 for protecting this locking part 59 is provided on the upper surface 51c of the complementary housing 50.
In addition, as is shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, two first grooves 66a that have a cross-sectional shape that is complementary to the cross-sectional shape of the first connector projections 25 of the first connector 10 are formed in the undersurface 51d of the complementary housing 50. The respective first grooves 66a are formed in positions where the first connector projections 25 of the first connector 10 are fitted in the left-right direction of the complementary housing 50. Furthermore, the respective first grooves 66a extend from the front surface 51a of the complementary housing 50 toward the rear (i.e., from the front surface 51a of the complementary housing 50 toward the rear in the connector mating direction) as far as the concavity 54. Moreover, as is shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, side projections 62 that have a cross-sectional shape that is complementary to the cross-sectional shape of the first connector concavities 27 of the first connector 10 are respectively provided on the left side surface 51e and right side surface 51f of the complementary housing 50. The respective side projections 62 extend in the connector mating direction in the lower portion of the temporary locking projection openings 57a. The respective side projections 62 are provided in positions where these side projections 62 are received by the first connector concavities 27 of the first connector 10 in the vertical direction.
Next, the respective upper complementary contacts 91 are designed to be accommodated in the concavity 54 of the complementary housing 50 by passing through the upper contact insertion holes 52 in the upper row from the side of the rear surface of the complementary housing 50 as shown in FIG. 9B. Each of the upper complementary contacts 91 is constructed as a female-type contact, and comprises a substantially box-form upper contact part 92 that receives the first contact part 32 of one of the first contacts 30 provided on the first connector 10 and contacts this first contact part 32, and an upper electrical wire connecting part 93 that extends rearward from the upper contact part 92 and that is connected to one of the electrical wires W. However, it will be appreciated that in other embodiments the upper complementary contacts 91 may not be formed as female-type contacts. An elastic contact piece 92a that contacts the first contact part 32 of one of the first contacts 30 is provided on each upper contact part 92. Each of the upper complementary contacts 91 is formed by stamping and forming a metal plate.
Furthermore, as is shown in FIG. 9A, the respective lower complementary contacts 95 are designed to be accommodated in the concavity 54 of the complementary housing 50 by passing through the lower contact insertion holes 53 in the lower row from the side of the rear surface of the complementary housing 50. As is the case with each upper complementary contact 91, each of the lower complementary contacts 95 is constructed as a female-type contact, and comprises a substantially box-form lower contact part 96 that receives the first contact part 32 of one of the first contacts 30 provided on the first connector 10 and contacts this first contact part 32, and a lower electrical wire connecting part 97 that extends rearward from the lower contact part 96 and that is connected to one of the electrical wires W. However, it will be appreciated that in other embodiments the lower complementary contacts 95 may not be formed as female-type contacts. As is the case with the upper contact part 92 of each upper complementary contact 91, an elastic contact piece 96a that contacts the first contact part 32 of one of the first contacts 30 is provided on each lower contact part 96. Each of the lower complementary contacts 95 is formed by stamping and forming a metal plate.
Moreover, as is shown in FIGS. 9A, 9B, 10A-10C, 11A, 11B, and 12A-12C, the lance block 70 is accommodated in the concavity 54 of the complementary housing 50 by being inserted from the side of the undersurface, so that the primary locking of the upper complementary contacts 91 and lower complementary contacts 95 is accomplished. As is shown in FIGS. 13-15, this lance block 70 comprises a lance block base 71 that extends in the left-right direction in dimensions that allow accommodation into the concavity 54 of the complementary housing 50. The lance block 70 is formed by molding an insulating resin. The lance block base 71 is provided with a plurality of lance block through-holes 73 that are arranged in the left-right direction at the same pitch as the lower contact insertion holes 53 and second mating contact insertion holes 53b in the lower row of the complementary housing 50. The width of each of the lance block through-holes 73 is a width that allows the insertion of a lower complementary contact 95. Lower elastic lances 73a for the primary locking of the lower complementary contacts 95 are provided in the respective lance block through-holes 73. Furthermore, a plurality of second partition walls 72 that are aligned in the left-right direction and vertical direction with the first partition walls 52a provided on the complementary housing 50 when the lance block 70 is accommodated in the concavity 54 are provided above the lance block through-holes 73 of the lance block base 71. The distance between mutually adjacent second partition walls 72 is a distance that allows the insertion of a first contact 91. The upper elastic lances 72a for the primary locking of the upper complementary contacts 91 are respectively provided between mutually adjacent second partition walls 72.
In addition, as is shown in FIG. 13, third positioning projections 74 are respectively provided on the upper ends of mutually adjacent second partition walls 72 in a shape that links the two upper ends. The third positioning projections 74 position the lance block 70 in the left-right direction by entering the openings 61 formed in the upper surface 51c of the complementary housing 50, and also restrict the downward movement of the lance block 70 by contacting the shoulder parts 55c formed on the upper edge portions of the first partition walls 52a of the complementary housing 50. Furthermore, as is shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, a pair of elastic tongue parts 75 that extend rearward are provided with each of these tongue parts being provided on the left side surface and right side surface of the lance block base 71, and as is shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the locking catches 75a that enter the locking projection openings 56 in the complementary housing 50 are provided on the rear ends of the respective elastic tongue parts 75. The locking catches 75a restrict the movement of the lance block 70 in the forward-rearward direction by entering the locking projection openings 56 in the complementary housing 50. Moreover, the first positioning projection 76 that enters the first positioning projection concavity 55a formed in the complementary housing 50 is provided on the upper surface of the lance block base 71. The first positioning projection 76 restricts the forward and upward movement of the lance block 70 by entering the first positioning projection concavity 55a. In addition, a plurality of second positioning projections 77 that enter the second positioning projection concavities 55b formed in the complementary housing 50 are provided on the front surface of the lance block base 71. The second positioning projections 77 restrict the movement of the lance block 70 in the vertical direction by entering the second positioning projection concavities 55b. Furthermore, as is shown in FIGS. 10B and 15, a plurality of sloped walls 78 that are pressed by pressing projections 86 of the side retainer 80 are formed at the lower corner edge of the rear surface of the lance block base 71.
Moreover, as is shown in FIGS. 7A, 7B, 14, and 15, two second grooves 66b that have a cross-sectional shape that is complementary to the cross-sectional shape of the first connector projections 25 of the first connector 10 are formed in the undersurface of the lance block base 71 of the lance block 70. The respective second grooves 66b are formed in positions where the first connector projections 25 of the first connector 10 are fitted in the left-right direction of the lance block base 71. Furthermore, the respective second grooves 66b extend from the front surface of the lance block base 71 toward the rear (i.e., toward the rear in the connector mating direction) as far as the rear surface.
In addition, as is shown in FIGS. 9A, 9B, 10A-10C, 11A, 11B, 12A-12C, the side retainer 80 is accommodated in the concavity 54 of the complementary housing 50 by being inserted from the undersurface side, so that the secondary locking of the upper complementary contacts 91 and lower complementary contacts 95 is accomplished. The side retainer 80 moves from the temporary locking position shown in FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 10A-10C to the main locking position shown in FIGS. 11A, 11B, and 12A-12C. The side retainer 80 performs the secondary locking of the upper complementary contacts 91 and lower complementary contacts 95 when located in the main locking position. The side retainer 80 comprises a side retainer base 81 that extends in the left-right direction in dimensions that allow accommodation in the concavity 54 of the complementary housing 50 as shown in FIGS. 13-15. The side retainer 80 is formed by molding an insulating resin. A plurality of side retainer through-holes 83 that are arranged in the left-right direction at the same pitch as the second contact insertion holes 53 and second mating contact insertion holes 53b of the complementary housing 50 are formed in the side retainer base 81. The width of each of the side retainer through-holes 83 is a width that allows the insertion of a lower complementary contact 95. Furthermore, a plurality of third partition walls 82 that are aligned in the left-right direction and vertical direction with the second partition walls 72 provided on the lance block 70 when the side retainer 80 is accommodated in the concavity 54 of the complementary housing 50 are provided above the side retainer through-holes 83 of the side retainer base 81. The distance between mutually adjacent third partition walls 82 is a distance that allows the insertion of a upper complementary contact 91.
Moreover, as is shown in FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 13-15, a pair of temporary locking projections 84 that enter the temporary locking projection openings 57a formed in the complementary housing 50 are provided with each of these temporary locking projections being provided on the left side surface and right side surface of the side retainer base 81. The respective temporary locking projections 84 restrict the downward movement of the side retainer 80 by engaging with the lower edge portions of the temporary locking projection openings 57a in the temporary locking position shown in FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 10A-10C. Furthermore, a plurality of elastic parts 85 that protrude rearward are provided on the rear surface of the side retainer base 81, and a main locking projection 85a that protrudes rearward is provided on each of the elastic parts 85. The respective main locking projections 85a restrict the upward movement of the side retainer 80 by contacting the tabs 57b of the complementary housing 50 from below in the temporary locking position shown in FIG. 10C. Moreover, the respective main locking projections 85a restrict the movement of the side retainer 80 in the vertical direction by entering the slits 58 of the complementary housing 50 in the main locking position shown in FIG. 12C. In addition, a plurality of pressing projections 86 that press the sloped walls 78 formed on the lance block 70 when the side retainer 80 is in the main locking position are formed on the front surface of the side retainer base 81. As a result, the side retainer 80 presses the lance block 70 in the forward direction, thus fastening this lance block 70 to the complementary housing 50.
Furthermore, as is shown in FIGS. 7A, 7B, 14 and 15, two third grooves 66c that have a cross-sectional shape that is complementary to the cross-sectional shape of the first connector projections 25 of the first connector 10 are formed in the undersurface of the side retainer base 81 of the side retainer 80. The respective third grooves 66c are formed in positions where the first connector projections 25 of the first connector 10 are fitted in the left-right direction of the base part 81 when the side retainer 80 is in the main locking position. Moreover, the respective third grooves 66c extend from the front surface of the side retainer base 81 toward the rear (i.e., toward the rear in the connector mating direction).
Next, an assembly method of the complementary connector 40 will be described. First, in the state shown in FIGS. 13-15, and 16A-16C, the lance block 70 is accommodated inside the concavity 54 of the complementary housing 50 by being inserted from the side of the undersurface of the complementary housing 50. In this case, the lance block 70 is inserted into the concavity 54 from the side of the undersurface of the complementary housing 50, and this lance block 70 is moved in the forward direction, so that the lance block 70 is fastened to the complementary housing 50.
When the lance block 70 is accommodated inside the concavity 54 of the complementary housing 50, the second partition walls 72 of the lance block 70 are aligned in the left-right direction and vertical direction with the first partition walls 52a of the complementary housing 50 as shown in FIG. 10B. Furthermore, the lance block through-holes 73 in the lance block 70 are aligned with the lower contact insertion holes 53 and second mating contact insertion holes 53b in the complementary housing 50.
Next, the side retainer 80 is inserted into the concavity 54 of the complementary housing 50 from the side of the undersurface of the complementary housing 50 and caused to be positioned in the temporary locking position shown in FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 10A-10C. In this temporary locking position, the third partition walls 82 of the side retainer 80 are aligned in the left-right direction with the second partition walls 72 of the lance block 70 as shown in FIG. 10B. Furthermore, the side retainer through-holes 83 in the side retainer 80 are aligned with the lower contact insertion holes 53 in the complementary housing 50 and the lance block through-holes 73 in the lance block 70 as shown in FIG. 9A.
Then, as is shown in FIG. 9B, in the temporary locking position of the side retainer 80, the respective upper complementary contacts 91 are accommodated from the rear of the complementary housing 50 toward the front between the first partition walls 52a of the complementary housing 50 by passing through the upper contact insertion holes 52 in the upper row, between the third partition walls 82 of the side retainer 80, and between the second partition walls 72 of the lance block 70. Then, the primary locking of the respective upper complementary contacts 91 is accomplished by the upper elastic lances 72a of the lance block 70. In this case, the respective upper complementary contacts 91 are disposed coaxially with the respective first mating contact insertion holes 52b.
Furthermore, as is shown in FIG. 9A, in the temporary locking position of the side retainer 80, the respective lower complementary contacts 95 are accommodated from the rear of the complementary housing 50 toward the front in the lance block through-holes 73 of the lance block 70 by passing through the lower contact insertion holes 53 in the lower row and the side retainer through-holes 83 in the side retainer 80. Then, the primary locking of the respective lower complementary contacts 95 is accomplished by the lower elastic lances 73a of the lance block 70. In this case, the respective lower complementary contacts 95 are disposed coaxially with the respective second mating contact insertion holes 53b.
Next, the side retainer 80 is moved further upward so as to be positioned in the main locking position as shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B. In this main locking position, as is shown in FIG. 12B, the third partition walls 82 of the side retainer 80 are aligned in the vertical direction with the second partition walls 72 of the lance block 70, and as is shown in FIG. 11B, the front end surface of the side retainer base 81 below the third partition walls 82 performs the secondary locking of the upper complementary contacts 91, so that the upper complementary contacts 91 are prevented from slipping out. At the same time, as is shown in FIG. 12B, the side retainer through-holes 83 in the side retainer 80 are positioned slightly above the lower contact insertion holes 53 in the complementary housing 50, and as is shown in FIG. 11A, the front end surface of the side retainer base 81 below the side retainer through-holes 83 performs the secondary locking of the lower complementary contacts 95, so that the lower complementary contacts 95 are prevented from slipping out. As a result of the secondary locking of the upper complementary contacts 91 and lower complementary contacts 95 by means of the side retainer 80, the complementary connector 40 is completed.
When the complementary connector 40 thus completed mates with the first connector 10 in the mating direction (direction indicated by arrow C in FIG. 2), the first contact parts 32 of the first contacts 30 of the first connector 10 contact the upper contact parts 92 of the upper complementary contacts 91 and the lower contact parts 96 of the lower complementary contacts 95 of the complementary connector 40, so that the circuit board connected to the first contacts 30 are electrically connected to the electrical wires W connected to the upper complementary contacts 91 and lower complementary contacts 95. During the mating of the complementary connector 40 and first connector 10, the complementary housing 50 of the complementary connector 40 is received inside the complementary connector receiving concavity 21 of the first housing 20. Then, the complementary locking projection 59a of the complementary connector 40 engages with the first locking projection 24b of the first connector 10. In this mating state, the complementary connector 40 is prevented from being pulled out of the first connector 10 by the locking force between the complementary locking projection 59a of the complementary connector 40 and the first locking projection 24b of the first connector 10 and also by the contact force between the upper complementary contacts 91 and lower complementary contacts 95 of the complementary connector 40 and the first contacts 30 of the first connector 10.
During this mating, furthermore, the first connector projections 25 of the first housing 20 are successively fitted into the first grooves 66a in the complementary housing 50, the second grooves 66b in the lance block 70, and the third grooves 66c in the side retainer 80, and thus restrict the displacement of the complementary housing 50 in the vertical direction (direction indicated by arrow D in FIG. 2). Moreover, the side projections 62 of the complementary housing 50 are received by the first connector concavities 27 of the first housing 20, and thus restrict the displacement of the complementary housing 50 in the vertical direction. As a result, it is possible to provide an electrical connector assembly 1 which can manifest strength against the driving of the complementary connector 40 in the vertical direction without increasing the wall thickness of the first housing 20 in the first connector 10. Here, this electrical connector assembly is devised so that the first connector projections 25 provided on the first housing 20 have the protruding parts 25a that protrude in a direction perpendicular to the connector mating direction (forward-rearward direction), and so that the first connector projections 25 that include these protruding parts 25a are fitted into the first grooves 66a in the complementary housing 50, the second grooves 66b in the lance block 70, and the third grooves 66c in the side retainer 80. Accordingly, the displacement of the complementary housing 50 in the vertical direction can be securely restricted.
In particular, because the first connector 10 is mounted on the circuit board, the complementary connector 40 that mates with this first connector 10 tends to be driven in the upward direction, and the electrical connector assembly 1 can exhibit an especially high level of strength against the driving of this complementary connector 40 in the upward direction.
In addition, the projection ribs 24 and first connector projections 25 provided on the first connector 10 have the function of preventing the deformation (preventing so-called twisting) of the male-type first contacts 30 caused by the corner portions or the like of the complementary connector 40 and the function of preventing the upside-down insertion of the complementary connector 40.
An embodiment of the present invention has been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and various alterations or modifications can be made.
For example, it is not absolutely necessary to dispose the first contacts 30 provided on the first connector 10 in two rows (upper and lower rows). The contacts may be in a single row or in three or more rows; alternatively, a single contact may also be used.
Furthermore, it is not absolutely necessary to provide a lance block 70 and a side retainer 80 on the complementary connector 40; the complementary connector 40 may also be constructed from a complementary housing 50 and contacts attached to this complementary housing 50. In this case, the contacts do not necessarily need to be disposed in two rows (upper and lower rows); the contacts may be in a single row or in three or more rows; alternatively, a single contact may also be used. Moreover, in cases where no lance block 70 or side retainer 80 is provided, grooves that are relatively long in the connector mating direction are formed in the complementary housing 50 so that the first connector projections 25 of the first connector 10 are fitted into these grooves.
In addition, it would also be possible to construct the first contacts 30 attached to the first housing 20 as female-type contacts, and to construct the contacts attached to the complementary housing 50 as male-type contacts.
Patent Application
20070281512
