Interfitting structure of connector

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an interfitting structure of a connector made of synthetic resin and having an engaging structure of a connector housing and a cover.

2. Description of the Related Art

As this type of connector there is that disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No, 7-298450 and shown in

FIGS. 1 and 2

. The connector illustrated in

FIG. 1

is constituted by a connector housing

2

and a cover

3

whose cross section is horizontally U shaped and which opens and closes a rear surface

2

a

side of the connector housing

2

. On upper and lower surfaces on the rear surface

2

a

side of the connector housing

2

there are protectively formed a plurality of engaging pawls

4

. Also, at the positions, opposed to the respective engaging pawls

4

, of upper and lower side portions of the cover

3

there are projectively formed, respectively, square-frame like engaging arms

5

that are engaged with or disengaged from their corresponding respective engaging pawls

4

.

And, by engaging the respective engaging arms

5

of the cover

3

with their corresponding respective engaging pawls

4

of the connector housing

2

, a wire harness W drawn out from the rear surface

2

a

of the connector housing

2

is protected by the cover

3

.

Also, a connector

1

′ illustrated in

FIG. 2

is constituted by a connector housing

2

′ and a cover

3

′ whose cross section is horizontally U shaped and which opens and closes a rear surface

2

a

side of the connector housing

2

′. On upper and lower surfaces on the rear surface

2

a

side of the connector housing

2

′ there are protectively formed a plurality of first engaging portions

6

. At the positions biased toward one side portion of the upper and lower surfaces there are projectively formed second engaging portions

7

each consisting of a tapered engaging portion

7

a

and a stopper

7

b

. Also, at the positions, opposed to the first engaging portions

6

, located inside the upper and lower side portions of the cover

3

′ there are protectively formed, respectively, first engaging portions

8

that are engaged with their corresponding first engaging portions

6

. At the positions, opposed to between the tapered engaging portions

7

a

and their corresponding stoppers

7

b

of the second engaging portions

7

, located inside the upper and lower side portions of the cover

3

′ there are projectively formed second engaging portions

9

each engaged with and disengaged from between the tapered engaging portion

7

a

and the stopper

7

b

and concurrently serving as a stopper.

And, the respective first engaging portions

8

of the cover

3

′ are inserted in a direction indicated by an arrow A in

FIG. 2

between the respective first engaging portions

6

of the connector housing

2

′. Then, the cover

3

′ is slid in its longitudinal direction (the direction indicated by an arrow B in

FIG. 2

) to thereby cause the second engaging portions

9

of the cover

3

′ to be retained by or engaged with between the tapered engaging portions

7

a

and their corresponding stoppers

7

b

of the second engaging portions

7

. As a result of this, a wire harness not illustrated that has been drawn out from the rear surface

2

a

of the connector housing

2

′ is protected by being covered by the cover

3

′.

However, the conventional interfitting structure of the conventional connector

1

had the drawback that upon application of an impact force to the cover

3

due to a drop-down or the like the engaging arms

5

of the cover

3

spread outward and as a result the engaging arms

5

were disengaged from the engaging pawls

4

of the connector housing

2

or this impact force was received directly by the engaging arms

5

and as a result the engaging arms

5

were damaged.

Also, although the above-described conventional connector

1

′ has a high strength against an impact applied thereto at the time of, for example, a down strop as well as against the disengagement, since the stopper

7

b

of the second engaging portion

7

of the connector housing

2

′ and the second engaging portion

9

of the cover

3

′ are not coaxial with the first engaging portion

6

of the connector housing

2

′ and the first engaging portion

8

of the cover

3

′, at the time of forming the connector housing

2

′ and cover

3

′ by the use of resin the structure of a forming mold becomes complex, followed by an increase in the cost of the connector. On the other hand, since the cover

3

′ is slid with respect to the connector housing

2

′ in the letter “L” directions (the arrows A, B indicated directions in

FIG. 2

) and engaged therewith, the direction in which the wire harness is drawn out is limited with the result that it was difficult to fix the wire harness by the cover

3

′.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been achieved with such points in mind.

It therefore is an object of the present invention to provide an interfitting structure of an inexpensive connector which can reliably prevent the disengagement and damage of the engaging portions of the cover and can increase the degree of freedom associated with the direction in which electric wires are drawn out.

To attain the above object, a first aspect of the present invention provides an interfitting structure of a connector which comprises: an engaging portion provided on a connector housing; an engaging portion provided on a cover opening and closing one surface side of the connector housing; and a rib provided on an inner side of the engaging portion of the cover, the rib abutting against an inner side wall of the engaging portion of the connector housing, wherein the one surface side of the connector housing is covered by the cover by engagement of the both engaging portions with each other, thereby constructing a connector; wherein a first clearance is provided between an inner side wall of the engaging portion of the cover and an outer side wall of the engaging portion of the connector housing; and wherein a second clearance is provided between the inner side wall of the engaging portion of the connector housing and the rib.

In this connector, since an impact force applied from the outside due to, for example, a down drop is absorbed by abutment of the rib of the cover against the inner side wall of the engaging portion of the connector housing, there is no possibility that the engaging portion of the cover will be disengaged from the engaging portion of the connector housing or the engaging portion of the cover will be damaged. Also, by the rib of the cover the state of engagement between the engaging portion of the connector housing and the engaging portion of the cover is reliably held.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, as it depends from the first aspect, there is provided the interfitting structure of a connector wherein the first clearance has been so set as to become larger than the second clearance.

In this connector, by abutment of the rib of the cover against the inner side wall of the engaging portion of the connector housing, the impact force applied from the outside due to, for example, a down drop is reliably absorbed, with the result that there is no possibility that the engaging portion of the cover will receive the impact force from the engaging portion of the connector housing.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, as it depends from the first aspect or the second aspect, there is provided the interfitting structure of a connector wherein the connector housing and the cover are formed by a mold with the use of a synthetic resin; wherein one of the engaging portion of the connector housing and the engaging portion of the cover is made into a hook-shaped engaging pawl; and wherein the other engaging portion is made to be an engaging recessed portion with or from which the engaging pawl is engaged or disengaged.

In this connector, since the engaging portion of the connector housing and the engaging portion of the cover have no such directionality as in the prior art in terms of the engagement direction therebetween, a mold for forming the cover and the connector housing is simplified to thereby reduce the cost of the connector and in addition there is increased the degree of freedom associated with the direction in which electric wires are drawn out from one surface side of the connector housing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

The above and further objects and novel features of the present invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description when the same is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1

is a perspective exploded view illustrating a conventional connector;

FIG. 2

is a perspective exploded view illustrating another conventional connector;

FIG. 3

is a sectional view illustrating a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4

is an enlarged sectional view illustrating a main part of the connector; and

FIG. 5

is an enlarged sectional view illustrating a main part of a connector according to another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

There will be detailed below the preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. Like members are designated by like reference characters.

FIG. 3

is a sectional view illustrating an interfitting structure of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention, and

FIG. 4

is an enlarged sectional view illustrating a main part of the connector according thereto.

As Illustrated in

FIG. 3

, a connector

10

is constituted by a connector housing

11

made of synthetic resin and shaped like a substantially rectangular parallelepiped and a cover

20

made of synthetic resin and substantially horizontally U shaped in cross section and opening and closing a rear surface (one surface)

11

a

side of the connector housing

11

. Whereby, it Is arranged that a wire harness not illustrated serving as an electric wire is drawn out from each of the electric wire accommodation spaces P on left and right sides which are formed between a peripheral wall

11

b

around the rear surface

11

a

of the connector housing

11

and a top wall portion

21

a

of the cover

20

in a state where the rear surface

11

a

side of the connector housing

11

is closed by the cover

20

.

As illustrated in

FIGS. 3 and 4

, on upper and lower end portions (the left/right upper end portions in

FIG. 3

) of the peripheral wall

11

b

of the connector housing

11

there are projectively integrally formed a plurality of hook-shaped engaging pawls (engaging portions)

12

at equal intervals. At the positions, opposed to the respective engaging pawls

12

, of long and short side wall portions

21

b,

21

c

(the left/right side wall portions) of the cover

20

there are integrally formed engaging recessed portions (engaging portions)

22

each having a substantially rectangular hole portion

22

a

with or from which the corresponding engaging pawl

12

is engaged or disengaged. Further, on inner sides (insides) of the respective engaging recessed portions

22

of the cover

20

there are projectively integrally formed ribs

23

that abut on the inner side walls

12

b

of the engaging pawls

12

of the connector housing

11

.

As illustrated in

FIGS. 3 and 4

, the respective engaging pawls

12

of the connector housing

11

are located between the corresponding engaging recessed portions

22

and ribs

23

of the cover

20

. And, as illustrated in FIG.

4

. between the inner side wall

22

b

of the engaging recessed portion

22

of the cover

20

and the outer side wall

12

a

of the corresponding engaging pawl

12

of the connector housing

11

there is provided a first clearance X and, between the inner side wall

12

b

of the engaging pawl

12

of the connector housing

11

and the corresponding rib

23

of the cover

20

, there is provided a second clearance Y. The first clearance X is so set as to become larger than the second clearance Y (X>Y>0).

It is to be noted that on each of the outer side walls

12

a

of the respective engaging pawls

12

of the connector housing

11

there are projectively integrally formed a pair of guide projections

13

,

13

concurrently serving as guides for the reinforcing rib and engaging recessed portion

22

of the cover. Also, in a lower end of the inner side wall

22

b

of each of the respective engaging recessed portions

22

of the cover

20

there is formed a tapered surface

22

c

for release of the rib.

As described above, according to the connector

10

of this embodiment, by clamping the respective engaging pawls

12

of the connector housing

11

between their corresponding respective engaging recessed portions

22

and ribs

23

of the cover

20

, it is possible to reliably hold the engagement state between the respective engaging pawls

12

of the connector housing

11

and their corresponding holes

22

a

of the engaging recessed portions

22

of the cover

20

. Also, even when an impact force is applied to the cover

20

due to, for example, a down drop of the connector

10

, this impact force can be reliably absorbed by the respective ribs

23

of the cover

20

and their corresponding inner side walls

12

b

of the respective engaging pawls

12

of the connector housing

11

against which the ribs

23

abut. And it is possible to reliably prevent the resulting disengagement of the engaging recessed portions

22

of the cover

20

from their corresponding engaging pawls

12

of the connector housing

11

and the resulting damage of the engaging recessed portions

22

of the cover

20

.

Also, since the first clearance X between the inner side walls

22

b

of the respective engaging recessed portions

22

of the cover

20

and their corresponding outer side walls

12

a

of the respective engaging pawls

12

of the connector housing

11

has been so set as to be larger than the second clearance Y between the inner side walls

12

b

of the respective engaging pawls

12

of the connector housing

11

and their corresponding ribs

23

of the cover

20

, in a case where an impact force has been applied from the outside to the connector due to, for example, a down drop thereof, this impact force can be reliably absorbed by abutment of the respective ribs

23

against the inner side walls

12

b

of the respective engaging pawls

12

of the connector housing

11

, with the result that there is no possibility that the respective engaging recessed portions

22

of the cover

20

will receive the impact force from their corresponding engaging pawls

12

of the connector housing

11

.

Further, since no such directionality as in the prior art exists regarding the engagement between the respective engaging pawls

12

of the connector housing

11

and their corresponding engaging recessed portions

22

of the cover

20

, it is possible to form using a mold not illustrated the respective engaging pawls

12

of the connector housing

11

and their corresponding respective engaging recessed portions

22

of the cover

20

by coaxial movement of the mold. As a result of this, it is possible to simplify a mold for forming the connector housing

11

and cover

20

and thereby manufacture the connector

10

at a low cost, as well as to increase the degree of freedom associated with the direction in which the wire harness is drawn out from the rear surface

11

a

side of the connector housing

11

.

It is to be noted that although according to the above-described embodiment the engaging pawls

12

have been provided on the connector housing

11

and the engaging recessed portions

22

engaged with and disengaged from the engaging pawls

12

have been provided in the cover

20

, as in the case of another embodiment illustrated in

FIG. 5

the engaging portions of a connector housing

11

′ may be made to be engaging recessed portions

12

′ and the engaging portions of a cover

20

′ may be made to be hook-shaped engaging pawls

22

′. In even this case, the same functions and effects as attainable with the above-described embodiment will be obtained. In said case, also, the first clearance x between the inner side walls

22

b

of the engaging pawls

22

′ of the cover

20

′ and the outer side walls

12

a

of the engaging recessed portions

12

′ of the connector housing

11

′ is so set as to be larger than the second clearance Y between the inner side walls

12

b

of the engaging recessed portions

12

′ of the connector housing

11

′ and their corresponding ribs

23

of the cover

20

′. Also, between the inner side wall

22

b

of the engaging pawl

22

′ of the cover

20

′ and its corresponding rib

23

, there is formed a draw-off hole

24

for release of the mold used.

While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described using specific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. An interfitting structure of a connector, comprising:an engaging portion provided on a connector housing; an engaging portion provided on a cover opening and closing one surface side of the connector housing; and a rib provided on an inner side of the engaging portion of the cover, the rib abutting against an inner side wall of the engaging portion of the connector housing, wherein the one surface side of the connector housing is covered by the cover by engagement of the both engaging portions with each other, thereby constructing a connector; wherein a first clearance is provided between an inner side wall of the engaging portion of the cover and an outer side wall of the engaging portion of the connector housing; and wherein a second clearance is provided between the inner side wall of the engaging portion of the connector housing and the rib.
2. An interfitting structure of a connector according to claim 1, whereinthe first clearance has been so set as to become larger than the second clearance.
3. An interfitting structure of a connector according to claim 1,wherein the connector housing and the cover are formed by a mold with the use of a synthetic resin; wherein one of the engaging portion of the connector housing and the engaging portion of the cover is made into a hook-shaped engaging pawl; and wherein the other engaging portion is made to be an engaging recessed portion with or from which the engaging pawl is engaged or disengaged.
4. An interfitting structure of a connector according to claim 2,wherein the connector housing and the cover are formed by a mold with the use of a synthetic resin; wherein one of the engaging portion of the connector housing and the engaging portion of the cover is made into a hook-shaped engaging pawl; and wherein the other engaging portion is made to be an engaging recessed portion with or from which the engaging pawl is engaged or disengaged.

US Referenced Citations (1)

Number	Name	Date	Kind
4708662	Klein	Nov 1987

Foreign Referenced Citations (1)

Number	Date	Country
7-298450	Nov 1995	JP

Interfitting structure of connector

Information

Patent Number

Date Filed

Date Issued

Inventors

Original Assignees

Examiners

Agents

CPC

US Classifications

Field of Search

US

International Classifications

Abstract

Description

Claims

US Referenced Citations (1)

Foreign Referenced Citations (1)