JPH035105Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to an improvement in the lock structure of a connector for connecting electric wires.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, connectors commonly used for connecting electric wires include, for example, a female connector shown in FIG. 3a.
A' and a male connector B' shown in FIG. 3b. However, the housing 1 in which the terminal insertion hole 2 (terminals are omitted) of the male connector B' of the lever has an outer part on the upper wall 1a thereof.
A cantilever type flexible lock arm 6, which has a base 3 formed at the front of the housing 1, a lock projection 4 formed on the upper surface, and a pressing projection 5 formed at the free end, runs approximately parallel to the upper wall 1a of the housing. It extends horizontally towards the rear.

On the other hand, the housing 7 of the female connector A' is provided with a locking protrusion 9 projecting inward from the upper wall of the fitting chamber 8 into which the male connector B' is fitted.

Therefore, the lock structure when the male connector B' is fitted into the fitting chamber 8 of the female connector A' from the front part is shown in FIG.
As shown in cross section, the lock protrusion 4 of the lock arm 6 is connected to the female connector at its locking end 4a.
It has a structure in which it is engaged with the rear end portion 9a of the locking protrusion 9 protruding from the fitting chamber 8 of A'.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the conventional connector lock structure, when releasing the lock, the pressing protrusion 5 of the lock arm 6 is pushed in the direction of the arrow A as shown in FIG. It is necessary to flex the flexible fulcrum O on the bent portion 3a of the base 3 to the position indicated by the dashed line and disengage the locking projection 4 from the locking projection 9. Since the end portion 4a is located above the flexible fulcrum O of the lock arm 6, when the lock arm 6 is bent, the locking end portion 4a of the lock protrusion 4 follows the trajectory shown by the arrow C, and the locking protrusion 9 A clearance equivalent to D is required before disengaging from the engagement with.

However, in actual use, the male and female connectors in the mated state are often pulled in the direction of the arrow B in FIG. 4, and the locking projection 4 and the locking projection 9 are closely engaged, There is no clearance at all between them, and there is a drawback that it is extremely difficult to release the lock by pressing the pressing projection 5.

The present invention was devised by focusing on the above-mentioned drawbacks associated with the locking structure of conventional connectors. The purpose is to provide a lock structure for

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention will be described in detail below based on drawings showing embodiments.

FIG. 1a shows a perspective view of a female connector A having the lock structure of the present invention, and FIG. 1b shows a perspective view of a male connector B of the same. Note that the same parts as those of the conventional connector shown in FIG. 3 will be described using the same reference numerals.

In the figure, a housing 1 has a terminal insertion hole 2 for a male connector B (the terminals are not shown).
A flexible lock arm 6 is mounted on the housing on the outside of the upper wall 1a, and has a base 3 formed on the front part of the housing 1, a lock projection 4 formed on the upper surface, and a pressing projection 5 formed on the free end. It is almost the same as the conventional male connector B' described above in that it extends horizontally toward the rear of the wall 1a, but the male connector B according to the present invention has a flexible The structure of the lock arm 6 has been improved so that the position of the flexible fulcrum O in the bent portion 3a of the base 3 of the lock arm 6 is formed above the position of the locking end 4a of the lock protrusion 4. Such a formation is
This can be easily accomplished by forming a slope 6a near the bent portion 3a at the base 3 of the lock arm 6 and positioning the upper surface of the lock arm 6 below the bent portion 3a.

On the other hand, the housing 7 of the female connector A has a locking protrusion 9 protruding inward from the upper wall of the fitting chamber 8 into which the male connector B is fitted.
Although it is almost the same as the conventional female connector A' described above, in the female connector A according to the present invention, the height of the locking protrusion 9 is set so that the position of the lock protrusion 4 of the lock arm 6 is formed downward. The height is increased accordingly so as not to interfere with engagement with the lock protrusion 4.

(Function) By fitting the male connector B into the fitting chamber 8 of the female connector A configured as described above, the locking protrusion 4 of the male connector B engaged with the locking protrusion 9 of the female connector A is locked. To release the lock, as shown in FIG. 2, push the pressing protrusion 5 of the lock arm 6 in the direction of the arrow A, flex the lock arm 6 about the fulcrum O to the position indicated by the dashed line, and release the lock protrusion 4. The end portion 4a is disengaged from the locking projection 9.

In this case, according to the lock structure of the present invention, the horizontal position of the locking end 4a of the lock protrusion 4 is at the flexible fulcrum O.
Since it is located below the horizontal position of
Since the direction is away from the engagement surface, the detachment from the engagement surface is performed extremely smoothly without any clearance required for conventional detachment. Further, according to the locking structure of the present invention, since such a clearance is not required, the connectors can be firmly locked together without causing rattling.

In the above, lock arm 6 of male connector B
The locking structure in which the locking protrusion 4 provided on the female connector A engages with the locking protrusion 9 provided on the upper wall of the female connector A has been described as an example. Not only when the locking means is used as a locking means by engaging the projections with the projections as described above, but also when the locking means is used as the locking means between the projections and the locking holes by replacing one of the projections with a locking hole. It is applicable. Also, regarding the extending direction of the lock arm 6 with respect to the upper wall of the housing, the locking means of the lock arm 6 is provided on the upper wall of the mating connector by extending the pressing protrusion 5 provided at the free end toward the front of the housing. The present invention can be similarly applied to a lock structure that is engaged with other locking means.

(Effect of the invention) Since the locking structure of the connector of the present invention has the configuration and operation described in detail above, the mutual unlocking of the connectors is achieved by pulling the male and female connectors outward, so that there is no clearance between the locking means. Even when the lock is not in place, this can be easily done by pressing the pressing protrusion of the flexible lock arm, and the lock itself has the advantage of being strong without wobbling.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1a is a perspective view of a female connector according to the present invention;
Fig. 1b is a perspective view of the same male connector, Fig. 2 is an explanatory view of the operation of the present invention, Fig. 3a is a perspective view of a female connector with a conventional locking structure, and Fig. 3b is a perspective view of the same male connector. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the male and female connectors shown in FIG. 3 in a fitted state, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of the operation of the conventional lock structure. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Housing, 3... Base, 4... Lock protrusion, 4a... Locking end, 5... Pressing protrusion, 6...
...Flexible lock arm, 7...Housing, 9...
...locking protrusion, O...fulcrum.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A male connector comprising a flexible locking arm having a base on the outside of the upper wall of the housing, a locking means on the upper surface, and a pressing protrusion on the free end extending horizontally into the housing is inserted into the fitting chamber. A lock that fits into the fitting chamber of a female connector having locking means corresponding to the locking means of the lock arm on the upper wall, and engages the locking means of the male connector with the locking means of the female connector. 1. A locking structure for a connector, characterized in that a fulcrum position at a base of the flexible locking arm is formed at a position above a locking end of the locking arm locking means.