JPH0433665Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Purpose of the Invention] (Prior Art) The present invention relates to a connector with a locking mechanism. There are various types of connectors, such as those that connect electrical systems, optical fiber systems, and so-called photoelectric composite types that combine these, but these include a receptacle connector fixed to the equipment side and a connector that is inserted into the connector. Ensure that the connected plug connectors are locked together. The plug connector is prevented from coming off due to the tensile force applied to the cable, thereby preventing erroneous disconnection. For example, the following locking structure has been proposed in the past.

In one example, as shown in FIG. 1, a locking device 1, which integrally includes an operating piece 1a, a locking piece 1b, a return spring piece 1c, and a tip key portion 1d, is pivoted on both left and right sides of a plug connector 2. This is what I did. When the plug connector 2 is inserted and connected to the receptacle connector 3, the tip key portion 1a of the locking piece 1b is latched and locked by the tip key portions 4a of the locking tools 4 provided on the left and right sides of the receptacle connector 3. To release the plug, push the operating piece 1a against the force of the return spring piece 1c to move the locked piece 1b outward to release the lock between the tip key part 4a and the key part 1d, and release the plug. The connector 2 can be pulled out. In another example, as shown in FIG. 2, a locking device 1 having an operating piece 1a and an inverted U-shaped locking piece 1b is pivoted on one side of a plug connector 2 at both shoulders thereof. . When the plug connector 2 is inserted and connected to the receptacle connector 3, the tip key portion 1d of the locking piece 1b is locked by the key portion 4a of the locking tool 4 provided on one surface of the receptacle connector 3, and the lock is released. To cancel, press operation piece 1a.
By pulling in the pulling direction, the piece to be locked 1b
Curve inward as shown by the arrow in the figure, and insert the key part 4.
A and the key part 1d are unlocked, and the plug connector 2 is pulled out in this state.

(Problems with conventional techniques) However, these conventional techniques have the following drawbacks. That is, when inserting a plug connector into a receptacle connector, the plug connector can be connected by grasping any part of the plug connector. However, when pulling out the plug connector, it is necessary to operate the operation piece 1a, so it is necessary to have the will to search for the operation piece 1a provided at a specific position such as the left and right sides or one side of the plug connector, and to do so. It is a three step operation requiring the will to operate the plug connector and the will to pull out the plug connector. Therefore, not only is it not possible to operate the plug connector by holding it anywhere, as when it is inserted, but the connector is located in a dark place where it is difficult to see, such as between two devices.
It becomes even more troublesome if the extraction has to be done by hand. Furthermore, if the user does not know that the operation piece 1a needs to be operated, the plug connector cannot be pulled out.

With this invention, the lock is automatically released by the final operation of pulling out the plug connector, without having to use the will to operate the operating piece at all, and the plug can be pulled out as easily as when plugging in and connecting.
Moreover, by providing a connector with a locking mechanism that can reliably prevent erroneous disconnection due to external tensile force applied to the cable, the drawbacks of the conventional structure have been eliminated. Next, details of the present invention will be explained using the drawings.

[Structure of the idea]

(Means for Solving the Problems) Figures 3 and 4 a and b show an embodiment of the present invention, of which Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view and Figures 4 a and b
are a partially sectional front view and a top view, and one of the features of the present invention is as follows.
That is, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a locking member 5 is provided integrally with the plug connector at both left and right ends of the plug connector 2 in the insertion direction with a slight gap from the side surface thereof. That is, a rectangular frame-shaped operating body retaining key portion 5a that retains the rectangular frame-shaped operating body 6, which will be described later;
A locking device side retaining step portion 5b that retains the upper end of the return spring body 7, an unlocking slope 5c that slopes inward at both left and right ends toward the tip in the insertion direction, and a lower end portion of this member at both left and right ends. The locking device 5 is formed of a locking piece 5e having a locking key portion 5d protruding outward from the locking portion. Another feature is that a rectangular frame-shaped operating body 6 is provided that can be inserted into the connector containing the locking device 5 with a slight gap. That is, a restraining protrusion 6a that engages with the rectangular frame-shaped operating body retaining key portion 5a of the locked tool 5, and an operating body side retaining step portion 6b that retains the lower end of the return spring body 7.
Further, a square frame-shaped operating body 6 is provided below the lock release protrusion 6c, which is provided on the inside of the square frame shape. Another feature is a rectangular frame-shaped return spring body that is large enough to be fitted into the outer periphery of the left and right locking devices 5 and housed inside the square frame-shaped operating body 6. 7 constitutes a locking mechanism in which the connector 2 and the rectangular frame-shaped operating body 6 are linked to each other.

To assemble this locking mechanism, as shown in FIG.
Then, while bending the locked pieces 5e inward and compressing the return spring body 7 by the locking tool side retaining step 5b and the operating body side retaining step 6b, The shaped operating body 6 is fitted into the outer periphery of the plug connector 2. Finally, the restraining protrusion 6a of the square frame-shaped operating body 6 is attached to the lower guide slope 5.
The square frame-shaped operating body 6 is held in the plug connector 2 by positioning it above the rectangular frame-shaped operating body retaining key portion 5a of the plug connector 2 using the lever a, and then the square frame-shaped operating body 6 is inserted, pulled out, and locked in the following manner. and its cancellation.

(Operation) Locking is performed as follows. First, the plug connector 2 is inserted into the receptacle connector 3 using the square frame-shaped operating body 6. That is, the restraining protrusion 6a provided on the inner side of the upper end of the square frame-like operating body 6 engages the square frame-like operating body retaining key portion 5a provided on the shoulder of the plug connector 2.
Press to insert the plug connector 2 into the receptacle connector 3. Also, at this time, the locked key part 5
d climbs over the tip key part 4a of the locking tool 4 provided on the side of the receptacle connector 3, and then returns to its original position by the restoring force due to the elasticity of the piece to be locked 5e.
As a result, the plug connector 2 is locked by the tip key portion 4a, and the plug connector 2 is inserted and connected to the receptacle connector 3 as shown in FIG. 4.

Furthermore, the connection is canceled as follows. First, when the plug connector 2 is grasped by the square frame-shaped operating body 6 and pulled out against the spring force of the return spring body 7, the unlocking slope 5 of the locked piece 5e is released.
c is pushed back inward by the lock release protrusion 6c. This releases the lock between the locked key portion 5d and the tip key portion 4a of the locking tool 4 on the receptacle connector 3 side. In other words, the lock is released. Also, at this time, the locking device side retaining step 5b provided on the plug connector 2 side is pushed up by the operating body side retaining step 6b of the square frame-like operating body 6 via the return spring body 7, so that the plug connector 2 is pushed up. It can be pulled out.

(Effects) As described above, in the present invention, connection and locking with the receptacle connector 3 can be performed by simply grasping and inserting the rectangular frame-shaped operating body 6 attached to the outer periphery of the plug connector 2. Further, the lock and the connection can be released by a single operation of grasping the square frame-shaped operating body 6 and pulling it out from the receptacle connector 3. Therefore, if the rectangular frame-shaped operating body 6 is made so as to surround most of the four circumferential sides of the plug connector 2, the plug connector 2 can be automatically grasped when the square frame-shaped operating body 6 is grasped. As a result, unlike conventional connectors with a locking mechanism, when the plug connector is pulled out, there is no need to search for an operation piece for unlocking or to perform the lock release operation. By simply grasping and pulling out the plug connector with the same feeling as above, the connection and lock are released, which greatly simplifies the operation.

The present invention has been described above with reference to one embodiment. For example, as shown in the perspective view shown in FIG. 5, the plug connector 2 The square frame-shaped operation body 6 may be gripped more reliably when the user grips the square frame-shaped operating body 6.

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a connector with a locking mechanism that allows easy pulling out of the plug connector, and has great practical effects.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1 and 2 are explanatory diagrams of a conventional connector with a locking mechanism, Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention, and Figures 4a and 4b are a partially sectional front view and a top view thereof. , FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a modification of the present invention. 1... Locked tool, 1a... Operation piece, 1b...
Locked piece, 1c... Spring piece for return, 1d... Tip key part, 2... Plug connector, 3... Receptacle connector, 4... Locking tool, 4a... Tip key part, 5... Locking tool , 5a... Square frame-shaped operation body retention key part, 5b... Locked tool side retention step part, 5c...
...Lock release slope, 5d...Locked key part, 5
e...Locked piece, 6... Square frame-shaped operating body, 6a...
...Deterrent protrusion, 6b...Operation body side retaining step, 6c
. . . Lock release protrusion, 7 . . . Square frame-shaped return spring body.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] A locking tool 4 having a hook-shaped tip key portion 4a at its tip.
A locking mechanism is provided in which a plug connector 2 having a locking tool 5 having a locking key portion 5d provided at the tip portion for engaging with the tip key portion 4a is inserted into and pulled out of the receptacle connector 3 having the above-mentioned tip key portion 4a. In the connector, the lockable key portion 5d is formed at the free end portion of the tip extending from the shoulder portion of the plug connector 2 along the side surface of the plug connector 2 at appropriate intervals, and at least the shoulder portion The locked tool 5 is constructed by forming an unlocking slope 5c connected to the locked key part 5d on a part or all of the extension from the locking key part 5d to the locked key part 5d. The plug connector 2 is formed into a sleeve shape that envelops the outer periphery of the side surface of the plug connector 2 and a part or all of the locking device 5, and allows the plug connector 2 to slide an appropriate distance in the direction of insertion and withdrawal. a rectangular frame-shaped operating body 6 fitted to the outer periphery of the side surface of the plug connector 2 and a part or all of the locking device 5 so that the plug connector 2 can be inserted and pulled out integrally with the locking device 5; The lock releasing protrusion 6c is provided on the sleeve-shaped inner wall of the rectangular frame-shaped operating body 6 facing the lock releasing slope 5c of No. 5, and the lock releasing protrusion 6c When the square frame-shaped operating body 6 is slid in the insertion direction of the plug connector 2, the locked key portion 5d of the locked tool 5 is locked by the hook-shaped tip key portion 4a.
After getting over the tip of the plug connector, it is positioned so as to be able to engage with the tip key portion 4a by its own restoring force, and the square frame-shaped operating body 6 is slid in the direction in which the plug connector 2 is pulled out. When the unlocking protrusion 6c comes into contact with the unlocking slope 5c and moves up, the locking tool 5 resists its own restoring force and locks the locked key portion 5d. A connector with a locking mechanism, characterized in that the connector is positioned so as to be moved in a direction of disengaging from the hook-shaped tip end key portion 4a.