JPH0348854Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a connector for electrical connection, and more particularly, to a connector equipped with a locking mechanism, which can be easily unlocked with a one-touch operation.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, among connectors consisting of a female connector and a male connector, a connector equipped with a locking mechanism is known, for example, as shown in a perspective view in FIG. 3 and in a vertical cross-sectional view in a mated state in FIG. It is being That is, in the figure, A' indicates a female connector and B' indicates a male connector. Terminal accommodating chambers 1 and 2 are formed inside each connector, and a female terminal 3 and a male terminal are respectively formed in each terminal accommodating chamber 1 and 2. Terminal 4 is inserted.

In addition, there is a male connector at the front of the female connector A'.
A fitting cylindrical wall 6 for B' is formed extending from the housing outer peripheral wall 5, and a part of the fitting cylindrical wall 6 (upper part in the figure)
A notch 7 is formed extending from the edge side to the housing outer peripheral wall 5. In this notch 7, a plate-shaped lock arm 8 having a locking hole 9 in the center extends from the outer peripheral wall 5 of the housing to the end edge of the fitting cylinder wall 6.

Further, a pair of protection walls 10 are provided upright from the fitting cylinder walls 6 close to both side edges of the lock arm 8, with their upper portions bent inward so as to substantially cover the upper portion of the lock arm 8. This protective wall 10 is a lock arm 8
It has the function of protecting the locking portion with the mating connector B' from external force loads.

On the other hand, a fitting cylinder wall 12 extending from the housing outer peripheral wall 11 is formed at the front part of the male connector B', and a lock projection 1 is formed on the housing outer peripheral wall 11.
3 is provided.

Therefore, when mating the male and female connectors A' and B', the male connector
The connector is locked by locking the locking protrusion 13 of B' into the locking hole 9 provided in the locking arm 8 of the female connector A'.

In addition, 14 is the electric wire connected to the female terminal 3 inserted into the female connector A', 15 is the electric wire connected to the male terminal 4 inserted into the male connector B', and 16 is the electric wire connected to the male connector B'. 17 is a panel of a vehicle body, 18 is a waterproof rubber stopper, and 19 is a gasket.

[Problem that the invention attempts to solve]

In order to release the lock in a conventional connector equipped with such a locking mechanism, the locking arm 8 is bent upward using fingers or a jig to disengage the locking protrusion 13 from the locking hole 9. It is done.

However, in cases where the male connector B' is directly attached to the device 16 via the panel 17 as shown in the figure, the distance k between the free end 8a of the lock arm 8 and the panel 17 is narrow, making it difficult to insert fingers or a jig. This poses a problem in that it is difficult to flex the lock arm 8 upwards, and it is not easy to release the lock.

The present invention was devised by focusing on the problems of conventional connectors equipped with such a locking mechanism, and an object of the present invention is to provide a connector that can be easily unlocked with a one-touch operation.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention will be described in detail below based on drawings showing embodiments.

FIG. 1 shows a partially cutaway perspective view of the connector of the present invention separated into a female connector and a male connector. Note that the same parts as those of the conventional connector will be described below using the same reference numerals.

In the figure, the connector of the present invention consists of a female connector A and a male connector B made of plastic material, but in the present invention, the lock portion formed on the fitting cylinder wall 6 of the female connector A has been improved. is being carried out.

That is, the housing outer peripheral wall 5 of the female connector A
A notch 7 is formed in a part of the fitting cylindrical wall 6 extending from the edge thereof to the housing outer circumferential wall 5, and the notch 7 has a locking hole 9 in the center. 8 extends from the outer circumferential wall 5 of the housing to the edge position of the fitting cylindrical wall 6, and has an upper part bent so as to substantially cover the upper part of the lock arm 8 from the fitting cylindrical wall 6 close to both side edges of the lock arm 8. A pair of protective walls 10 are erected. The above configuration is approximately the same as that of the conventional female connector A' described above, but in the female connector A of the present invention, a pair of lock release arms 21 having a bulge 20 at their tips are attached to the inner surface of the protective wall 10. It projects downward from the lock arm 8.

Therefore, the bulge 20 formed at the tip of the lock release arm 21 is shown in FIG. 2a when the female connector A and the male connector B in FIG.
As shown in the -L sectional view, it is located below both sides of the free end 8a of the lock arm 8, and the fitting cylinder wall 12 of the male connector B and the housing outer peripheral wall 11.
is provided in a protruding manner at a position that does not interfere with fitting into the fitting cylindrical wall 6 of the female connector A. The shape of the bulging portion 20 is spherical or cylindrical with a substantially circular cross section, and its diameter l is larger than the height m of the lock protrusion 13 formed on the male connector B. (See FIG. 2c) It is also desirable that the cross section of the lock arm 8 formed in a plate shape has an arcuate taper R on both bottom surfaces, as shown in FIG. 2a.

Further, the protective wall 10 needs to have flexibility,
Protective wall 10 or protective wall 10 and housing outer peripheral wall 5
By providing the slit 22 between the protective wall 10 and the protective wall 10, the protective wall 10 can be easily flexible.

Furthermore, the height h of the protective walls 10 from the fitting cylinder wall 6 is set to such an extent that the pair of protective walls 10 can be easily bent toward the center by pinching the pair of protective walls 10 with fingers.

The male connector B constituting the connector of the present invention is similar to the conventional male connector B', and has a fitting cylindrical wall 12 extending from the housing outer peripheral wall 11 at the front part. A lock protrusion 13 is formed on the top.

[Effect]

The lock release mechanism in the connector of the present invention will be explained based on FIG. 2a and FIGS. 2b and 2c showing operation explanatory views.

Figure 2a shows the state of the lock part when the male connector B is fitted and locked into the female connector A, and the lock protrusion of the male connector B is inserted into the locking hole 9 of the lock arm 8 provided in the female connector A. 13 is locked, and a bulging portion 20 protruding from the inner surface of the protective wall 10 is connected to the outer circumferential wall 11 of the housing of the male connector B.
It is in contact with the surface of

To remove the lock from such a locked condition,
As shown in FIG. 2b, the pair of protective walls 10 are pressed in the direction of arrow A with fingers. Then, the protection wall 10 bends toward the center using the upright base 10b as a fulcrum, and as a result, the bulges 20 located below both sides of the lock arm 8 are bent at the protruding base of the lock release arm 21. Using 21a as a fulcrum, the male connector B slides on the surface of the outer peripheral wall 11 of the housing in the direction of arrow B. In this case, when the arcuate taper R is formed on both sides of the bottom surface of the lock arm 8, the bulging portion 20 can smoothly enter the gap between the outer peripheral wall 11 of the housing of the male connector B and the flat lock arm 8. , whereby the lock arm 8 is pushed upward (in the direction of the arrow C).

When the lock arm 8 is pushed up by the bulge 20, it becomes in the state shown in the enlarged view in FIG. 2c,
Since the diameter l of the bulging portion 20 is larger than the height m of the lock protrusion 13, the lock protrusion 13 is disengaged from the locking hole 9 of the lock arm 8 and the lock is released.

Therefore, by pulling out the female connector A in this state, it can be easily separated from the male connector B.
0 and is elastically returned to its original position.

[Effect of idea]

Since the connector of the present invention has the structure and operation described in detail above, it is possible to easily and reliably unlock the male and female connectors that have been mated and locked with a single touch operation, and the means for unlocking is a bulge. Since it is only necessary to protrude the lock release arm provided with the part into the protective wall, an advantage can be obtained that it can be manufactured without an increase in cost compared to conventional connectors.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the connector of the present invention separated into a female connector and a male connector;
Figure a is a cross-sectional view of the main part of Figure 1 in the fitted state, Figures 2 b and c are explanatory diagrams of the function of the present invention, and Figure 3 is a conventional connector with a female connector and a male connector. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a separated state, and a vertical cross-sectional view of a conventional connector in a fitted state. 5, 11... Housing outer peripheral wall, 6, 12...
Fitting cylinder wall, 7... Notch, 8... Lock arm,
9... Locking hole, 10... Protective wall, 13... Lock protrusion, 20... Swelling part, 21... Lock release arm.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] It has a plate-shaped lock arm having a locking hole extending into a notch in the fitting cylinder wall, and a flexible protection wall that stands upright opposite to the fitting cylinder wall in proximity to both side edges of the lock arm. In a connector consisting of a female connector and a male connector having a lock protrusion on the outer peripheral wall of the housing that is engaged with the lock arm engagement hole of the female connector, the size of the bulge at the tip is larger than the height of the lock protrusion. A connector characterized in that a lock release arm is provided to protrude below the lock arm from the inner surface of the flexible protection wall.