Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6447346
-
Patent Number
6,447,346
-
Date Filed
Thursday, March 1, 200123 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, September 10, 200221 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
- Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 439 310
- 439 9241
- 439 9242
- 439 259
- 439 362
- 439 635
- 439 595
- 439 262
- 439 701
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A plurality of steps respectively constituted by inner housings (19) are incorporated into an outer housing (18) of a female connector (12). Moreover, a pushing operation force transmitting member (20) is incorporated there into. The engaging relation of this pushing operation force transmitting member (20) to each of the inner housings is changed every time this member is externally operated. Thus, a pushing operation force applied to the outer housing (18) is transmitted to the inner housings (19) sequentially. Consequently, the outer housing (18) and the pushing operation force transmitting member (20) are alternately pushed. Thus, the plurality of steps respectively constituted by the inner housings (19) are sequentially connected to a male connector (12).
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector apparatus suitable for use as a multipolar connector.
2. Related Art
A connector apparatus for use in connecting electric wirings to one another has been in circumstances where contact I frictional resistance between contacts on connection of male and female connectors increases with increase in the number of contacts, so that a large operating force is needed therefor.
Thus, a multipolar connector having many contacts needs a larger force for performing a connecting operation.
As a countermeasure against this, there has been previously provided, for example, an apparatus illustrated in
FIG. 14
, in which a plurality of female connectors
2
(three female connectors
2
a
,
2
b
,
2
c
, in this case) are formed correspondingly to one male connector
1
by dividing a single female connector there into and respectively connected to portions
1
a
,
1
b
, and
1
c
, to which the female connectors should be connected, of the male connector
1
.
In the case of the apparatus configured as described herein above, the number of contacts of each of the female connectors
2
a
,
2
b
, and
2
c
is reduced (incidentally, although each of the female connectors has contacts respectively corresponding to contacts
3
of the male connector
1
, the drawing of such contacts of each of the female connectors is omitted) Consequently, an operating force needed for the connection between the male connector
1
and each of the female connectors
2
a
,
2
b
, and
2
c
can be reduced.
However, there has been necessity for connecting a plurality of female connectors
2
a
,
2
b
, and
2
c
to the portions
1
a
,
1
b
, and
1
c
of the male connector
1
, respectively. Such an operation is troublesome.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is accomplished in view of the aforementioned circumstances. Accordingly, an object of the invention is mainly to provide a connector apparatus that can reduce an operating force needed for connecting male and female connectors to each other and facilitate a connecting operation.
To achieve the foregoing object, according to the invention, there is provided a connector apparatus having a male connector and a female connector, one of the male connector and a female connector comprising:
an outer housing;
a plurality of inner housings positioned in steps and provided in the outer housing, each of the inner housings having at least one contact; and
a pushing operation force transmitting member engageable with the plurality of inner housings in a plurality of engagement states which is changed per the pushing operation force transmitting member is externally operated, which is incorporated into the outer housing, wherein the pushing operation force transmitting member sequentially transmits a pushing force which is applied to the outer housing in a direction of the other connector to each inner housings by changing the plurality of engagement states.
With this configuration, a plurality of steps respectively constituted by the inner housings are sequentially connected to the counterpart connector by alternately pushing the outer housing and the pushing operation force transmitting member.
In this case, preferably, the connector apparatus further comprises a separating operation force transmitting means, which are provided between the outer housing and each of the inner housings, for transmitting a separating operation force, which is applied to the outer housing in a direction opposite to the direction of the counterpart connector, to the inner housings sequentially.
With this configuration, the inner housings are sequentially separated from the counterpart connector by a separating operation using the outer housing.
Further in this case, preferably, each of the plurality of inner housings has same shape.
Further in this case, preferably, the pushing operation force transmitting member is movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of other connector.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS.
1
A(
a
) to
1
E(
c
) are pairs of longitudinally sectional views, each pair of which illustrates a male connector and a female connector of an embodiment of the invention taken at different sectional positions (a), (b), and (c) at a corresponding one of sequential stages
1
A to
1
E of a connecting operation.
FIGS. 2A
to
2
E are broken perspective views each illustrating the male connector and the female connector at a corresponding one of the sequential stages
2
A to
2
B of the connecting operation.
FIGS.
3
F(
a
) to
3
I(
b
) are pairs of longitudinally sectional views, each pair of which illustrates the male connector and the female connector taken at different sectional positions (a) and (b) at a corresponding one of sequential stages
3
F to
3
I of a separating operation.
FIG. 4
is a perspective view illustrating the male connector and the female connector, which are not connected to each other yet.
FIG. 5
is a side view illustrating a single outer housing.
FIG. 6
is a plan view illustrating the single outer housing.
FIG. 7
is a plan view illustrating a single inner housing.
FIG. 8
is a longitudinally sectional side view of the single inner housing, which is taken along line X—X of FIG.
7
.
FIG. 9
is a longitudinally sectional side view of the single inner housing, which is taken along line Y—Y of FIG.
7
.
FIG. 10
is a side view illustrating the single inner housing.
FIG. 11
is a side view illustrating a pushing operation force transmitting member.
FIG. 12
is a rear view illustrating the pushing operation force transmitting member viewed from a direction of an arrow Z of FIG.
11
.
FIGS. 13A
,
13
B, and
13
C are longitudinally sectional views respectively taken at different sectional positions
13
A,
13
B, and
13
C and each illustrating the male connector and the female connector, which are not connected to each other yet.
FIG. 14
is a view illustrating a related apparatus and corresponding to FIG.
4
.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the invention is described with reference to FIGS.
1
A(
a
) to
13
C.
Referring first to
FIG. 4
, there are shown a male connector
11
and a female connector
13
in a state in which these connectors are not connected to each other yet. Between these connectors, the male connector
11
is configured by employing a housing
13
as an outer shell, and providing many male contacts
14
in this housing.
Particularly, in this case, the housing
13
is formed of an insulating material, such as plastics, in such a way as to be integral with a base portion
15
having an electrically conductive part (not shown) to be connected to the male contacts
14
. The housing
13
is shaped nearly like a rectangular box whose right-side end face is opened, as viewed in this figure. The male contacts
14
are provided in such a way as to project from an inner part of this housing
13
toward an opened part thereof, and to be positioned in rows across the width of the housing
13
and in steps (in this case, three steps) across the height thereof. The male contacts
14
are made of an electrically conductive material and each shaped like a pin. A base end portion of each of the male contacts
14
is connected to an electrically conductive part of the base portion
15
.
An inwardly concave portion
16
and two guide grooves
17
provided in opposite sides of the inwardly concave portion
16
are formed in the top portion of the housing
13
in such a way as to project upwardly therefrom and to extend from the opened-part side to the inner-part side thereof. Moreover, a nail hook part (not shown) is formed in an upper inner portion of the concave portion
16
.
On the other hand, the female connector
12
is configured by employing an outer housing
18
as an outer shell, and incorporating a plurality of inner housings (in this case, three inner housings)
19
and a pushing operation force transmitting member
20
into this housing
18
.
The outer housing
18
is separately formed of an insulating material, such as plastics, and shaped like a rectangular box whose left-side face is opened, as viewed in the figures, in contrast with the housing
13
of the male connector
11
. The outer housing
18
is formed in such a manner as to be a size smaller than the housing
13
of the connector
11
so that the housing
13
can accommodate the housing
18
with almost no space therebetween.
As shown in
FIG. 5
, partitions
22
for partitioning the inside of the outer housing
18
into a plurality of chambers
21
positioned in steps (in this case, three steps) across the height thereof are formed on the inner part side of this housing
18
. Further, rectangular holes
23
,
24
, and
25
are formed in opposite side walls of this outer housing
18
in such a way,as to have positions respectively adjusted to those of the chambers
21
and as to have different lengths in a direction from the inner part side to the opened part side. In this case, among those holes, the hole
23
formed in the highest step is the shortest one. The hole
24
formed in the middle step is the second longest one. The hole
25
formed in the lowest step is longer than the hole
24
.
On the other hand, as shown in
FIG. 6
, an elastic tongue strip
26
and ribs
27
are formed on the top portion of the outer housing
18
. Among the elastic tongue strip
26
and the ribs
27
, the elastic tongue strip
26
is accommodated in the concave portion
16
of the male connector
11
and has a nail
28
to be engaged with the nail hook part. The ribs
27
are accommodated in the guide grooves
17
and provided on opposite sides of the elastic tongue strip
26
.
Further, a rectangular hole
29
elongated in a direction from the inner part side to the opened part side of this outer housing
18
is formed in the top portion thereof. A cutout (not shown), which has a size equal to that of the hole
29
is formed correspondingly to the hole
29
in each of the partitions
22
.
Each of the inner housings
19
is made of an insulating material, such as plastics, and formed like a rectangular flat block shown in
FIG. 7. A
cutout portion
30
corresponding to the hole
29
of the outer housing
18
is formed in a rear side portion near to a central portion of each of the inner housing
19
. Furthermore, a concave portion
34
, in which a plurality of (in this case, three) step parts
31
,
32
, and
33
serving as engaging portions extending in frontward and backward directions are formed as illustrated in
FIG. 8
, is formed in the bottom-surface side of one (in this case, a lower side, as viewed in
FIG. 7
) of opposite sides of the cutout portion
30
of this inner housing
19
. Further, a concave portion
37
, in which step parts
35
and
36
serving as engaged parts extending in the frontward and backward directions are formed as illustrated in
FIG. 9
, is formed in the top-surface side of the other side (in this case, an upper side, as viewed in
FIG. 7
) of the cutout portion
30
of the inner housing
19
. A concave portion
39
, in which a step part
38
is formed, is formed in the bottom surface side thereof. Incidentally, in this case, the step parts
31
to
33
,
35
, and
38
are each shaped like an upright face facing the backward side, while the step part
36
is shaped like a slope that faces the front side and that has an upward inclination to the rear side.
Furthermore, a male contact
40
to be fitted into and brought into contact with the male contact
14
of the male connector
11
is embedded in a part extending from the front face portion to the inner portion of the inner housing
19
. Additionally, as shown in
FIG. 10
, convex ridge portions.
41
are respectively formed on opposite sides of the inner housing
19
. A projection
42
is formed at a rear end portion of each of the convex ridge portions
41
. Incidentally, holes
43
are formed in opposite lateral side surface portions of the inner housing
19
. Consequently, the projection
42
of the convex ridge portion
41
can be elastically deformed in inward and outward directions of the inner-housing
19
.
The pushing operation force transmitting member
20
-is a plate-like member that has a length in an upward or downward direction perpendicular to all the chambers
21
of the outer housing
18
. As shown in
FIGS. 11 and 12
, convex portions
44
and
45
serving as engaging portions are respectively provided on a middle part and the bottom end part of a side surface of this member
20
in such a way as to protrude therefrom and as to differ from each other in length, which is to be measured in a direction from a rear part side to a front part side thereof, and in width to be measured in an upward or downward direction. On the other side surface of this pushing operation force transmitting member
20
, a convex portion
46
is provided at the top end part thereon in such a manner as to extend over the entire length of the top end part thereon. Furthermore, a convex portion
47
serving as an engaging portion is provided at a front part near to the bottom end part thereon.
The convex portion
46
has a plurality of (in this case, three) step parts
48
,
49
, and
50
, which are provided in the top surface side portion thereof and extend in frontward and backward directions and serve as engaging portions, and also has a single step part
51
provided in the bottom surface side portion thereof. Further, the convex portion
47
has a slope part
52
that is provided in the bottom surface side rear part thereof and that has an upward inclination toward the backward side thereof.
Furthermore, a projection
53
and a through groove
54
for elastically deforming the projection
53
in frontward and backward directions are formed in an upper part of a rear edge portion of the pushing operation force transmitting member
20
.
In this configuration, the pushing operation force transmitting member
20
is inserted into the outer housing
18
through a cutout portion (not shown) from the hole
29
thereof so that only the convex portion
46
is upwardly projected from the outer housing
18
. Furthermore, in such a state, each of the inner housings
19
is inserted into a corresponding one of the chambers
21
of the outer housing
18
from a frontward direction in such a way as to be provided in steps (in this case, three steps) across the height thereof.
Referring to
FIGS. 13A
to
13
C and
FIG. 4
, there is shown a state in which the pushing operation force transmitting member
20
and the inner housings
19
are incorporated into the outer housing
18
. The inner housing
19
provided as the lowest step is in a state in. which the step part
31
thereof is made to abut against and engage with the convex portion
45
of the pushing operation force transmitting member
20
and is held at a position wherein when the part
31
is at this position, the step part
31
thereof protrudes most from the outer housing
18
. The inner housing
19
provided as the middle step is in a state in which the step part
31
thereof is made to abut against and engage with the convex portion
44
of the pushing operation force transmitting member
20
and in which the step part
38
thereof is made to abut against and engage with the convex portion
47
of the member
20
and is held at a position-wherein when the part
31
is at this position, the step part
38
thereof protrudes a little from the outer housing
18
. The inner housing
19
provided as the highest step is in a state in which the step part
31
thereof is advanced in such a way as to abut against and engage with the inner face of the outer housing
18
and thus entirely accommodated therein.
The projection
42
of the inner housing
19
provided as the lowest step is fitted into the forefront part of the hole
25
formed in the lowest step of the outer housing
18
. The projection
42
of the inner housing
19
provided as the middle step is fitted into the forefront part of the hole
24
formed in the middle step. The projection
42
of the inner housing
19
provided as the highest step is fitted into the hole
23
formed in the highest step without frontward and backward margins.
Lead wires
55
connected to the female contacts
40
are backwardly drawn out of each of the inner housings
19
. The lead wires
55
are backwardly drawn out of the outer housing
18
from a hole
56
(see
FIG. 4
) formed in a rear wall portion of the outer housing
18
.
Next, an operation of the apparatus of the aforementioned configuration is described hereinafter.
Referring first to
FIGS. 1A
(
a
) to
1
A (
c
) and
FIG. 2A
, there is shown that the female connector
12
in a state illustrated in
FIGS. 13A
to
13
C and
FIG. 4
is pushed into the housing
13
of the male connector
11
as indicated by an arrow A.
At this time, the female connector
12
is pushed into the housing
13
until the step part
48
of the convex portion
46
of the pushing operation force transmitting member
20
abuts against the top edge part of the opened portion of the housing
13
of the male connector
11
. Further, all the inner housings
19
of the female connector
12
are thus pushed into the housing
13
of the male connector
11
. The inner housing
19
provided as the lowest step having the step part
31
engaged with the convex portion
45
of the pushing operation force transmitting member
20
is pressed (that is, hindered from retreating) by the pushing operation force transmitting member
20
by such an engaging structure. Consequently, the male contacts
14
formed correspondingly to the lowest step is connected to the female contacts
40
provided in the inner housing provided as the lowest step.
Referring to
FIGS. 1B
(
a
) to
1
B (
c
) and
FIG. 2B
, there is shown the pushing operation force transmitting member
20
in the aforementioned state is pushed into the outer housing
18
from above, as indicated by an arrow B.
At this time, the pushing operation force transmitting member
20
is pushed into the outer housing
18
until the convex portion
47
reaches a position on the step part
36
of the inner housing
19
provided as the lowest step (that is, abuts against an upper step part
57
). The engagement between the pushing operation force transmitting member
20
and the convex portion
45
of the inner housing
19
provided as the lowest step is disengaged by downwardly shifting the convex portion
45
from the step part
31
. Then, the convex portion
44
is downwardly shifted from an initial engaging position at which the portion
44
engages with the step part
31
of the inner housing
19
provided as the middle step. Subsequently, the convex portion
46
is shifted to a position wherein when the convex portion
46
is at this position, the step part
48
faces the inside of the housing
13
of the male connector
11
and the step part
49
faces the top edge-part of the opened portion of the housing
13
.
Referring next to
FIGS. 1C
(
a
) to
1
C (
c
) and
FIG. 2C
, there is shown that the female connector
12
is pushed into the housing
13
of the male connector
11
still more, as indicated by an arrow C.
At that time, the female connector
12
is pushed into the housing
13
of the male connector
11
until the step part
49
of the convex portion
46
of the pushing operation force transmitting member
20
abuts against the top edge part of the opened portion of the housing
13
. Further, thus, both the inner housings
19
respectively provided as the middle step and the highest step are pushed into the housing
13
of the male connector
11
still more. Between these, the inner housing
19
provided as then middle step having the step part
31
engaged with the convex portion
44
of the pushing operation force transmitting member
20
is pressed by the pushing operation force transmitting member
20
by such an engaging structure. Consequently, the male contacts
14
of the middle step of the connector
11
is fitted into the female contacts
40
of the housing provided as the middle step.
At this time, the convex portion
45
of the pushing operation force transmitting member
20
is made to only advance to the step part
32
in the concave portion
34
of the inner housing
19
provided as the lowest step. Therefore, the convex portion
45
does not provide a pushing force to the inner housing
19
provided as the lowest step.
Moreover, at this time, the outer housing
18
advances to a position wherein when the housing
18
is at this position, the projection
42
of the inner housing
19
provided as the lowest step is placed in a middle portion of the hole
25
formed in the lowest step.
Referring next to
FIGS. 1D
(
a
) to
1
D (
c
) and
FIG. 2D
, there is shown a state in which the pushing operation force transmitting member
20
is pushed into the outer housing
18
still more from above, as indicated by an arrow D.
At this time, the pushing operation force transmitting member
20
is pushed into the outer housing
18
until the convex portion
47
reaches a position under the step part
36
of the inner housing
19
provided as the lowest step (that is, abuts against a lower step part
58
). Thus, the engagement between the convex portion
45
and the inner housing
19
provided as the lowest step is disengaged by downwardly shifting the convex portion
45
from the step part
32
of the inner housing
19
, while the engagement between the convex portion
44
and the inner housing
19
provided as the middle step is disengaged by downwardly shifting the convex portion
44
from the step part
31
of the inner housing
19
. Furthermore, the convex portion of the pushing operation force transmitting member
20
is shifted to a position wherein when the portion
46
is at this position; the step part
48
is engaged with the step part
35
of the inner housing
19
provided as the highest step, the step part
49
faces the inside of the housing
13
of the male connector
11
, and the step part
50
faces the top edge part of the opened portion of the housing
13
.
Referring next to
FIGS. 1E
(
a
) to
1
E (
c
) and
FIG. 2E
, there is shown that the female connector
12
in the aforementioned state is pushed into the housing
13
of the male connector
11
still more, as indicated by an arrow E.
At that time, the male connector
12
is pushed into the housing
13
of the male connector
11
until the step part
50
of the convex portion
46
of the pushing operation force transmitting member
20
abuts against the top edge part of the opened portion of the housing
13
. Thus, the step part
35
is engaged with the step part
48
of the convex portion
46
of the pushing operation force transmitting member
20
. The inner housing
19
provided as the highest step having the step part
31
engaged with the outer housing
18
is pressed by the pushing operation force transmitting member
20
by such an engaging structure. Consequently, the male contacts
14
formed correspondingly to the highest step of the male connector is fitted into the female contacts
40
of the inner housing
19
provided as the highest step. Thus, all the inner housings
19
of the female connector
12
are connected to the male connector
11
.
At this time, the convex portion
45
of the pushing operation transmitting member
20
is made to only advance to the step part
33
in the concave portion
34
of the inner housing
19
provided as the lowest step. The convex portion
44
is made to only advance to the step part
32
in the concave portion
34
of the inner housing
19
provided as the middle step. The convex portion
47
is made to only advance to the step part
35
in the concave portion
37
of the inner housing
19
provided as the lowest step. Therefore, these convex portions do not give pushing forces to the inner housing
19
provided as the lowest step and the housing
19
provided as the middle step.
At this time, the outer housing
18
advances to a position wherein when the housing
18
is at this position, the projection
42
of the inner housing
19
provided as the lowest step is placed at the rearmost portion of the hole
25
formed in the lowest step, and the projection
42
of the inner housing
19
provided as the middle step is placed at the rearmost portion of the hole
24
formed in the middle step.
Furthermore, the ribs
27
of the female connector
12
are inserted into the guide groove
17
of the male connector
11
, and also guide the connectors into a connected state. The elastic tongue strip
26
of female connector
12
is inserted into the concave portion
16
and finally maintains the connected state by engaging the nail
28
with a nail hook portion (not shown)
On the other hand,
FIGS. 3F
(
a
) and
3
F (
b
) illustrate a state where the nail
28
is disengaged from the nail hook portion (not shown) by pushing the leading end portion of the elastic tongue strip
26
, which remains placed outside the concave portion
16
, in the aforementioned condition, and where the female connector
12
is then pulled out of the male connector
11
as indicated by an arrow F.
At this time, the inner housing
19
provided as the highest step having the projection
42
engaged with the hole
23
formed in the highest step is pulled by the outer housing
18
by such an engaging structural Thus, the female contacts
40
is detached and separated from the male contact
14
of the highest step of the male connector
11
.
Moreover, at this time, the outer housing
18
is retreated to a position wherein when the housing
18
is at this position, the projection
42
of the inner housing
19
provided as the middle step is placed at the forefront portion of the hole
24
formed in the middle step, and the projection
42
of the inner housing
19
provided as the lowest step is placed in a middle portion of the hole
25
formed in the lowest step. The step part
50
of the concave portion
46
of the pushing operation force transmitting member
20
is detached from the top edge part of the opened portion of the housing
13
of the male connector
11
. The concave portion
47
is detached from the step part
35
of the inner housing
19
provided as the lowest step.
Referring next to
FIGS. 3G
(
a
) and
3
G (
b
), there is illustrated a state where the female connector
12
in the aforementioned state is pulled out of the male connector
11
still more, as indicated by an arrow G.
At that time, similarly as in the aforementioned case, the inner housing
19
provided as the highest step is pulled. The inner housing
19
provided as the middle step having the projection
42
engaged with the forefront part of the hole
24
formed in the middle step of the outer housing
18
is pulled by the outer housing
18
by such an engaging structure. Thus, the female contacts
40
are detached and separated from the male contacts
14
of the male connector
11
.
At this time, the outer housing
18
retreats to a position wherein when the housing
18
is at this position, the projection
42
of the inner housing
19
provided as the lowest step is placed at the forefront part of the hole
25
formed in the lowest. step. Furthermore, the slope part
52
of the convex portion
47
slides over the slope of the step part
36
, so that the pushing operation force transmitting member
20
is upwardly moved to a position; on the step part
36
(that is, moved to an upper step part
57
). Moreover, the step part
49
is detached from the top edge part of the opened portion of the housing
13
of the male connector Referring next to
FIGS. 3H
(
a
) and
3
H (
b
), there is illustrated a state where the female connector
12
is pulled out of the male connector
11
still more, as indicated by an arrow H.
At that time, similarly as in the aforementioned case, both the inner housing
19
provided as the highest step and the inner housing
19
provided as the middle step are pulled. Moreover, the inner housing
18
provided as the lowest step having the projection
42
engaged with the forefront part of the hole
25
formed in the lowest step is pulled by the outer housing
18
by such an engaging structure. Thus, the female contacts
40
are detached and separated from the male contacts
14
formed correspondingly to the lowest step of the male connector
11
. Thus, all the inner housings
19
of the female connector-
12
are separated from the male connector
11
. Therefore, in this case, the holes
23
and
24
of the housing
18
of the female connector
12
and the projection
42
of each of the inner housings
19
serve as separating operation force transmitting means for transmitting a separating operation force, which is applied to the outer housing
18
, to the inner housings
19
sequentially.
Further, at that time, the step part
48
of the pushing operation force transmitting member is detached from the top edge of the opened portion of the housing
13
of the male connector
11
by keeping the step part
48
placed under the top end part thereof.
Referring next to
FIG. 3I
(
a
) and
3
I (
b
), there is illustrated a state where the pushing operation force transmitting member
20
in the aforementioned state is upwardly moved as indicated by an arrow I. Thus, the female connector
12
is returned to a state in which the connectors are not connected to each other yet.
The positions of the pushing operation force transmitting member
20
moved up and down as described above are maintained by a frictional force generated by causing the convex portions
44
to
47
to abut against the inner housings
19
and a frictional force generated by pressure-contacting the projection
53
with an inner face part of the outer housing
18
owing to elasticity of the through groove
54
.
Thus, according to the connector apparatus of this configuration, a plurality of steps respectively constituted by the inner housings
19
of the female connector
12
can be sequentially connected to the male connector
11
by alternately pushing the outer housing
18
of the female connector
12
and the pushing operation force transmitting member
20
. Thus, this invention can save trouble in connecting the female connectors
2
a
,
2
b
, and
2
c
, which are provided correspondingly to the single male connector
1
in the related apparatus by dividing a single female connector, to the portions
1
a
,
1
b
, and
1
c
of the male connector
1
. Consequently, a connecting operation can be facilitated.
Moreover, although the total number of the female contacts
40
of the female connector
12
of the apparatus of the invention is large, the female contacts are distributed among the inner housings
19
, so that the number of the female contacts
40
of each of the inner housings
19
is small. Therefore, an operating force needed for the connection between the male connector
11
and each of the inner housings
19
can be reduced.
Additionally, in the case of the connector apparatus of the invention, the inner housings
19
of the female connector
12
can be sequentially separated from the male connector
11
by using the separating operation force transmitting means consisting of the holes
23
and
24
of the outer housing
18
of the female connector
12
and the projection
42
of each of the inner housings
19
. Thus, the apparatus of the invention can save trouble in separating the female connectors
2
a
,
2
b
, and
2
c
from the portions
1
a
,
1
b
, and
1
c
of the male connector
1
of the related apparatus. Consequently, a separating operation can be facilitated.
Although the female connector
12
is provided with the plurality of the inner housing
19
in this embodiment of the invention, instead, the male connector
11
may be provided with the plurality of the housing
19
. Further, the positional relation in upward and downward directions among all of constituent elements of the embodiment may be reversed. Moreover, a connector apparatus of the invention may be implemented by converting the positional relation in upward and downward directions among all of constituent elements of the embodiment into the positional relation in lateral directions there among. Furthermore, the relation between the concave portions, which are implemented by the holes
23
to
25
of the separating operation force transmitting portion, and the convex portions, which are implemented by the projections
42
, may be reversed.
Additionally, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described in the foregoing description and illustrated in the drawings. The invention can be practiced by being suitably changed without departing from the gist thereof.
The apparatus of the invention is constituted as described above, and thus has the following effects.
According to the connector apparatus of the invention, a plurality of steps respectively constituted by the inner housings of the female connector can be sequentially connected to the male connector by alternately pushing the outer housing of the female connector and the pushing operation force transmitting member. Thus, an operating force needed for the connection between the male and female connectors can be reduced. Moreover, a connecting operation can be facilitated.
According to an embodiment of this connector apparatus of the invention, the inner housings of the female connector can be sequentially separated from the male connector by using the separating operation force transmitting means. Thus, a separating operation can be facilitated.
Claims
- 1. A connector apparatus having a male connector and a female connector, one of the male connector and a female connector comprising:an outer housing; a plurality of inner housings positioned in steps and provided in the outer housing, each of the inner housings being movable with respect to the outer housing and having at least one contact; and a pushing operation force transmitting member engageable with the plurality of inner housings in a plurality of engagement states which is changed when the pushing operation force transmitting member, incorporated into the outer housing, is externally operated, wherein the pushing operation force transmitting member sequentially transmits a pushing force which is applied to the outer housing in a direction toward the other connector to each inner housings by changing the plurality of engagement states.
- 2. The connector apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:a separating operation force transmitting means, provided at the outer housing and each of the inner housings, for sequentially transmitting a separating operation force which is applied to the outer housing in a direction opposite to the direction of the other connector to each of the inner housings.
- 3. The connector apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of inner housings has same shape.
- 4. The connector apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the pushing operation force transmitting member is movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of other connector.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
2000-057120 |
Mar 2000 |
JP |
|
US Referenced Citations (6)