JPH0456084A - Device for detecting connection of connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To confirm the connection condition by providing contact points, which contact to each other, in the surface of a lever member and in the surface of a connector housing opposite to each other, and providing a connector connection detecting circuit between both the contact points. CONSTITUTION:When an arm 1 is turned to connect both housings A, B, contact pieces 5 (5a, 5b) bend projections 7 of the housing B and while run on the projections 7, and thereafter, contact to contact points 6a, 6b. Thereafter, reverse turning of the arm 1 is hindered by the projections 7 to maintain the contact condition. When the arm 1 is turned to connect both the housings A, B and the contact points 5a, 5b and 6a, 6b contact to each other, a detecting circuit 8 is driven by that contact. The detecting circuit 8 lights a light emitting diode, outputs the detecting signal (connection concluding signal), and for example, after engaging this connector for connection, at the time of testing continuity thereof, the detecting circuit 8 inputs the output thereof to a control unit to detect that the assembly is concluded securely.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application This invention relates to a device for detecting the connection of connectors which can be connected with low insertion force by lever action.

[Conventional technology]

A connector that can be connected by lever action is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2-5
No. 6875, etc., and the applicant of the present application also filed the application
It has been proposed in No. 65607, etc. The connector will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 5. A U-shaped tripod arm 1 serving as a lever member is rotatably attached to a male housing A forming the connector. The housing B is provided with an engaging element 3 that fits into the arcuate groove 2 of the arm 1, and as shown in FIGS. , the engager 3 is 71
When the arm 1 is rotated in the direction of the arrow as shown in FIGS. 5(b) to 5(d), the full 2
The engager 3 moves inside.

At this time, since the groove 2 is gradually approaching the rotation center C of the arm 1 from the 2a side, the engager 3 is brought closer to the rotation center C as the arm 1 rotates, and by the force Both housings A and B are brought close together and combined. When the arm 1 is aligned with the female housing B as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5(d), the connection terminals of both housings AXB are securely connected, and in this state, both housings A and , reverse arm 1 (5th
(Counter-arrow direction) cannot be released unless rotated.
That is, the connector is connected in the locked state [Problem to be solved by the invention] In the above conventional technology, since the connection is performed in the locked state,
Although there is no inconvenience caused by an unexpected connection failure, if the locked state is incomplete, there is a risk of a connection failure or a separation of both housings A and B from each other, resulting in a connection failure.

For this reason, it is necessary to check whether the locked state is good or not, but conventionally this has been determined visually, which is a very troublesome task.

Therefore, the present invention provides a device for detecting the locked state, that is, the connected state of the connector! ! Let it be lIN.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to solve the above 1lWU, in this invention,
In the aforementioned connector that connects by lever action, when both connector housings are coupled and connected (in a locked state), contacts are provided on the opposing surfaces of the lever member and the other connector housing to contact each other. The structure is such that a connector connection detection circuit is provided between both contacts.

In the above, the member is U-shaped, and its both ends are rotatably attached to the opposite side surfaces of one connector housing, and the contact point on the lever member side is attached to a cantilever-shaped elastic contact piece protruding from the lever member. In addition, a protrusion that gradually bulges out in the direction of rotation toward the other contact is provided on the two sides of the connector housing in front of where both contacts come into contact on the rotation locus of the lever member. When you come into contact with
The contact piece may be configured to have a height that engages with the contact piece, and the other contact point may be a spring member that bulges toward the contact surface side.

[Effect]

In the connector connection detection device according to the present invention configured as described above, both housings are smoothly connected by the lever action by the rotation of the lever member, and when the connected state (locked state) is reached, both the housings are connected. The contacts make contact, and the contact drives the detection circuit. The detection circuit lights up the light emitting diode and outputs a detection signal (connection completion signal).

At this time, if the contact on the lever member side is provided on a cantilever-shaped elastic contact piece and a bulging protrusion is provided, as the lever member rotates, the contact piece will climb over the protrusion and the contact will be connected to the other contact. Because of the elasticity of the contact piece, both contacts reliably and smoothly come into contact with each other. Further, the projection prevents the contact piece from rotating in the opposite direction, that is, the lever member from rotating in the opposite direction. To rotate the lever in the opposite direction, just lift the contact piece.

Furthermore, if the other contact point is formed of a spring member, the elasticity of the spring member will ensure that the contact piece makes contact with the contact point.

[Embodiment] In the drawings, the same reference numerals as those described above have the same functions, so their explanation will be omitted, and only the characteristic parts related to the present invention will be explained. First, the aforementioned tripod-like arm 1 is made of a conductive elastic material. A contact piece 4 extending outward from the center is formed respectively, and the tips of both contact pieces 4 are formed in an arc shape in the inner width direction and serve as contact points 5a and 5b (third
On the other hand, on both sides of the female housing B, connection state detection terminals 6.6 shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 are fitted into the synthetic resin cover 10. Ori,
As mentioned above, rotate arm 1 to remove both housings A and B.
When the connectors are connected (arm 1 is locked), the contacts 5a and 5b connect to the contact 6 of the terminal 6.6.
a and 6b, respectively.

A protrusion 7 is formed on both sides of the female housing B in contact with the contacts 6a and 6b. It gradually bulges out and becomes higher than the contact points 6a and 6b (see Figs. 2 and 3). Therefore, Figs.
As shown in FIG. 3, when the arm 1 is rotated to couple and connect both housings A and B, the contact piece 5 (contacts 5a, 5b) bends its protrusion 7, as shown in FIG. However, after riding on the contact point 6a16, the contact point 6a16 is contacted, and thereafter rotation in the opposite direction is prevented by the protrusion 7 and the contact state is maintained.

A connector connection detection circuit 8 is connected to the contacts 6a and 6b via lead wires, and when the arm 1 is rotated, both housings A and B are coupled and connected, and the contacts 5a, 5b and 6a,
When 6b makes contact, the detection circuit 8 is driven by the contact. The detection circuit 8 lights up a light emitting diode and outputs a detection signal (connection completion signal). For example, after the connector is mated and connected, the output is input to the controller and set (& [I set up] has definitely been completed (
Detect what was done correctly).

The embodiments shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 are those in which the present invention is applied to a rectangular pot lid, and the embodiment shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, the arm 1 is locked by the protrusion 7 fitting into the notch 9 of the contact piece 4. 7 is a spring member in which the arm 1 is locked when the protrusion 7 fits into the through hole 11 of the arm 1, and the contacts 6a and 6b bulge toward the contact surface. and
Its contactability is improved.

In the above embodiment, the arm 1 is made conductive and the contacts 5a, 5
If the arm 1 is made of a non-conductive material such as synthetic resin, the conduction can be established by using well-known means such as lead wires or printed wiring. ,
Only one pair of contacts 6a, 5b, 6b may be used, and in this case, the detection circuit 8 is connected between both contacts 5a, 6a or 5b, 6b.

When assembling this type of connector automatically, it is very useful to input the detection signal from the detection circuit 8 into the controller of the automatic assembly machine, since it is possible to detect the completion of the assembly.

〔Effect of the invention〕

Since the present invention is configured as described above, the connection state of the connector can be detected on the container.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the connection state of the embodiment, Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram of contact connection operation of the embodiment, and Fig. 4 is an illustration of the embodiment Schematic wiring diagram, Figure 5 (
Figures a) to 4 are explanatory diagrams of the connection of the connector of the same embodiment, Figures 6 and 7 respectively show other embodiments, Figures 6 and 7 are exploded perspective views of the connector, and Figures 6 and 7 are exploded perspective views of the connector, respectively. ) and (C) are respectively perspective views for explaining the connection action. A: Male housing, B: Female housing, 1: Arm (lever member), 2: Arc-shaped groove, 3:... engager,
4...Contact piece, 5a, 5b...Lever member side contact, 6...
・Terminals, 5a, 5b...Housing side contacts, 7...
...Protrusion, 8...Connector connection detection circuit, 9...
Notch, 10...Cover 11...
...Through hole.

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) One of the pair of connector housings is provided with a lever member rotatable toward the other, and the other is provided with a member that engages with the lever member, and the lever member is moved from the other connector housing to one side. As the lever member rotates in the opposite direction, the engagement point of the lever member and the engaging member gradually approaches the center of rotation of the lever member, and when the connector housings are connected together, the lever member gradually approaches the rotation center of the lever member. A connector connection detection device comprising contact points that come into contact with each other on opposing surfaces of the connector housing and the other connector housing, and a connector connection detection circuit provided between the two contacts. (2) The lever member is U-shaped, and both ends thereof are rotatably attached to the opposing side surfaces of one connector housing, and the contact point on the lever member side is a cantilever-shaped elastic contact that protrudes from the lever member. In addition, a protrusion that gradually bulges out in the direction of rotation toward the other contact is provided on the upper surface of the connector housing before the two contacts come into contact on the rotation locus of the lever member. The connector connection detection device according to claim 1, characterized in that the connector has a height that locks the contact piece when the connector contacts the contact piece. (3) The connector connection detection device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the other connector housing side contact is a spring member that bulges in the direction of the contact surface.