JPH03159078A - Connector locking mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the efficiency of assembly work by enabling the easy release of a lock with a small force via lever action about two support points, and enabling the automatic fitting and insertion of a locking arm into a housing mounting mechanism via insertion from the side thereof. CONSTITUTION:In coupling the first housing 1 to the mating second housing 2, this housing 2 is pressed into the housing 1. Then, the tip of a locking arm 3 inserted through a mounting groove 11 is stranded on a convex part 5 for locking the housing 2, due to elastic deformation. Thereafter, a locking hole 6 is coupled to the aforesaid convex part 5, and the coupling of both housings 1 and 2 is locked. In order to release the locking condition, the pressing part of the locking arm 3 at both sides are pressed by a finger in an arrow P direction. Then, the locking arm 3 is deformed like a phantom line 3' due to lever action with support points 7 and 15 as fulcrums, thereby releasing the engagement of the locking hole 6 and the locking convex part 5. According to the aforesaid construction, workability during assembly can be improved.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a connector locking mechanism that maintains the connected state of a pair of electrical connectors.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, a claw-shaped locking mechanism integrally molded into a synthetic resin housing has been frequently used as a locking mechanism for an electrical connector housing a connecting terminal. However, this type of locking mechanism made of synthetic resin is susceptible to plastic deformation due to high heat, and therefore cannot be used in high-temperature locations, such as near an automobile engine.

Therefore, as a locking means for electrical connectors used in these high-temperature locations, when a male connector is mated to a female connector, a metal ring-shaped wire provided around the female connector is used to lock the male connector. There is a known device that hooks onto the locking claw of the connector.

However, this conventional locking method utilizes the spring properties of the wire to lock and release the lock, making it difficult to release the lock and resulting in poor workability when connecting and disconnecting connectors frequently. It has the disadvantage of being extremely bad. Furthermore, if the slope of the locking pawl on which the wire is caught is made gentler in order to facilitate release, the locking strength becomes weaker (reliability becomes a problem).

Therefore, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 54-31916 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-50819,
It has been proposed that a gold-metallic spring member is used as the locking means, and the lock is released by pressing the end of the spring member.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in this conventional locking mechanism using a spring member, when the spring member is installed, the spring member is pushed in from the rear of the housing in the axial direction and fixed, so it is difficult to assemble the spring member. There are problems such as poor workability, high cost, and difficulty in unlocking.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a connector locking mechanism that improves the above-mentioned problems, has good workability during assembly, and can be unlocked extremely easily.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, in a connector locking mechanism according to the present invention, a locking arm made of a metal plate having spring properties fixed to a first housing locks a second housing. In the locking mechanism of the connector, the locking arm has a distal end portion provided with a locking hole that is coupled to a locking convex portion of the second housing, and the locking arm is connected to the first housing of the first housing. The first housing has an intermediate portion that abuts the fulcrum portion, a pressing portion connected to the intermediate portion, and a mounting portion folded back from the pressing portion. a mounting groove into which the mounting portion can be inserted, a positioning convex portion that engages with a positioning hole provided in the mounting portion, and a second fulcrum portion that supports the mounting portion when the pressing portion is pressed. It is characterized by:

[Function] The locking mechanism of the connector having the above configuration can be incorporated from the side of the housing, which is a locking arm that is a spring member, and when the pressing part is pressed to release the lock, the locking arm moves around the fulcrum part. It is easily elastically deformed by the lever action, and the locking hole at the tip can be easily disengaged from the locking convex portion of the second housing on the mating side.

E Example] The present invention will be explained in detail based on illustrated embodiments.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the locking mechanism of the connector according to the present invention, in which a pair of first housing l and second housing 2 are coupled, and this coupled state is maintained by the first housing l.
The locking arm 3 incorporated into the housing 1
．． It shows a state in which two comrades are locked. Two locking arms 3 are mounted symmetrically on both sides of the first housing l, but only one side of the locking arms 3 is shown in FIG. The first housing 1 is molded from a heat-resistant synthetic resin material such as glass-filled nylon, and accommodates therein an appropriate number of connection terminals 4 to which electric wires are connected. Further, the second housing 2 on the other side is also molded from a similar material, and is provided with a connecting terminal that is removably fitted into the connecting terminal 4 inside.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the locking arm 3 is made by punching and forming a metal plate with spring properties.
A locking hole 6 is provided at the distal end of the locking hole 6 to be engaged with the locking convex portion 5 of the second housing 2 on the other side, and an intermediate portion that abuts on the first fulcrum portion 7 of the first housing l is provided. 8, a pressing portion 9 that is pressed with a fingertip or the like when unlocking, and a mounting portion IO folded back from the pressing portion 9. This mounting portion 10 is formed in the mounting groove 1 of the first housing l.
1 is fitted. The mounting part 10 is attached to the first housing 1
A retaining portion 12 and a positioning hole 13 are provided to prevent withdrawal in the axial direction A.

On the other hand, a positioning convex portion I4 that fits into the positioning hole 13 is provided on the first housing 1 side. Also, the first
The housing 1 has a second fulcrum that serves as a rotational fulcrum when the pressing part 9 of the locking arm 3 is pressed as shown by arrow P.
A fulcrum portion 15 is formed. The tip 16 of the locking arm 3 is slightly curved outward in order to make it easier to ride onto the locking protrusion 5, and the pressing portion 9 is provided with an anti-slip protrusion 17. .

Further, the first housing 1 is provided with a pressing part 18 that opposes the first fulcrum part 7 and prevents the fulcrum part of the locking arm 3 from lifting up, and the part that comes into contact with the second housing 2 is made of silicone. A connector seal 19 made of rubber or the like is inserted. The mounting groove 11 is opened on the side of the first housing l so that the mounting portion 10 of the locking arm 3 can be inserted from the side, that is, from the direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. The locking arm 3 inserted therein is fixed at a predetermined position by the positioning hole 13 and the positioning convex portion 14 fitted together by utilizing its elastic deformation. In this state, the locking arm 3 is prevented from being pulled out both in the axial direction A and in the lateral direction by the locking part 12, the positioning hole 13, and the positioning convex part 14.

With the above configuration, the first housing l is connected to the second housing l on the other side.
When combined with the second housing 2, the second housing 2
When the locking arm 3 is pushed into the first housing 1, the distal end 16 rides on the locking protrusion 5 of the second housing 2 due to elastic deformation of the locking arm 3, and then the locking hole 6 is fitted into the locking protrusion 5. Then, the state as shown in FIG. 1 is reached, and the state in which the housings 1 and 2 are connected to each other is locked.

To release the locked state, press the pressing parts 9 of the locking arms 3 on both sides with your fingers in the direction of arrow P, and the locking arms 3 will move from the first fulcrum 7° to the second fulcrum 15. Due to the lever action, the housing is deformed as shown by the imaginary line 3', and the engagement between the locking hole 6 and the locking protrusion 5 is disengaged, so that both housings can be separated as they are.

In the above-described embodiment, it is also possible to provide longitudinal protrusions such as ribs on the entire length of the locking arm 3 or partially to reinforce its rigidity. The shape of 10 can be modified in various ways.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the connector locking mechanism according to the present invention can easily unlock the connector with a small force by using the lever action centered on the two fulcrum parts. Further, since the locking arm can be automatically inserted by inserting it into the mounting groove of the housing from the side and attaching it, it is possible to efficiently perform the work of assembling the locking arm, and it is possible to reduce costs.

[BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS] The drawings show an embodiment of the locking mechanism of the connector according to the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a sectional view in a locked state, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the locking arm, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a bottom view, and FIG. 5 is a side view. 1 is the first housing, 2 is the second housing, 3
is a locking arm, 4 is a connection terminal, 5 is a locking convex portion, 6 is a locking hole, 7 is a first fulcrum portion, 8 is an intermediate portion, 9 is a pressing portion, 10 is a mounting portion, 11 is a mounting groove, 12 is a retaining portion, 13 is a positioning hole, 14 is a positioning convex portion, 15 is a second fulcrum portion, 17 is a non-slip projection, 18 is a pressing portion,
19 is a connector seal.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a locking mechanism for a connector that maintains connection with a second housing by a locking arm made of a metal plate having spring properties fixed to the first housing, the locking arm is used for locking the second housing. A middle part that comes into contact with the first fulcrum part of the first housing following the tip part provided with the lock hole that is coupled to the convex part, a pressing part that follows the middle part, and a mounting part that is folded back from the pressing part. The first housing has a mounting groove into which the mounting portion can be inserted from a side direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the first housing, and a positioning convex portion that engages with a positioning hole provided in the mounting portion. A locking mechanism for a connector, comprising: a second fulcrum portion that supports the mounting portion when the pressing portion is pressed.