JPH07249449A - Connector with double lock - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To ensure the electrical connection reliability of a connector by surely locking a terminal inserted into cavities of a housing. CONSTITUTION: A lock plate 14 is inserted between both side walls 3 positioned at the front of a housing 1 to a certain degree. With an opening part 15 of the lock plate 14 substantially conforming to a cavity 2 of the housing 1, a latch engagement part 8 is provided for temporarily latching the plate 14. Further, the plate 14 is completely inserted, and a terminal is locked in a state wherein the opening part 15 is relatively displaced from the cavity 2. Hence, cam engagement parts 5, 11, 16 and 20 are provided for moving the plate 14, closely bring it to the front of the housing 1, and regularly latching it.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector having a double lock, and more particularly, to a member formed separately from the housing, in addition to a locking means for the terminal provided in a cavity for inserting the terminal in the housing. It relates to the connector provided with a second locking means for the terminal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Heretofore, a connector having a double lock of this type has been widely used, for example, in an electric component section of an automobile. Various types of locking means for the terminal provided in the terminal insertion cavity in the housing are known, and various types of second locking means provided for a member formed separately from the housing are also known. Has been.

As the second locking means, there are known one in which a member connected to the housing via a hinge has a locking function, and one in which a member formed separately from the housing has a locking function. And, in the latter, a long hole is formed in the housing, a comb-shaped member is inserted from the long hole to press the in barrel of the terminal, and a long hole is formed in the housing, while a stabilizer is added to the terminal, It is known that a comb-shaped member having the stabilizer retainer is inserted through the elongated hole to retain it.

However, in the above-mentioned hinge type, the hinge portion is damaged and locking becomes uncertain,
There are problems such as high density mounting not possible and unstable moldability. If the wire is bent or entangled, the ins-barrel pressing type has a problem that the comb-shaped member cannot be inserted and attached and the workability is poor. In the stabilizer-holding type, it is difficult to add a stabilizer to the small terminals, the structure of the housing becomes complicated, and the moldability thereof deteriorates, so that there is a problem that it is not suitable for inexpensive mass production.

An object of the present invention is to provide a connector having a novel double lock, which can solve the above problems all at once by relatively simple means.

[0006]

A connector having a double lock according to the present invention has a housing having a plurality of cavities and both side walls on a front surface, and a plurality of openings, and is slidable between the both side walls. A lock plate to be inserted into the lock plate, and at the corresponding positions of the inner surfaces of the both side walls and the lock plate, the temporary insertion position of the lock plate and the opening in which the opening and the cavity are substantially aligned. And a latch engagement portion for holding the lock plate at a complete insertion position of the lock plate relatively displaced from each other, and moving the lock plate from the temporary insertion position to the complete insertion position. As it is inserted, a cam engaging portion is provided for moving the lock plate closer to the front surface of the housing facing the lock plate.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIG. 1, a housing 1 made of a plastic material has a large number of cavities 2 arranged to insert and hold terminals described later. The front surface of the housing 1 is formed into an upper concave surface area 1a and a lower convex surface area 1b so that the upper area and the lower area are stepped. On both sides of the front surface of the housing 1, side walls 3 extend forward with a slight gap from both side edges of the front surface. A slide groove 4 is provided on the inner surface of the upper end of the side wall 3, and the lower end of the groove is a dimple groove 5 narrower than the groove. The dimple groove 5 has a front side edge 6 whose upper end is formed as a slope. A part of both side walls 3 near the slide groove 4 is partitioned by the upper and lower slits 7 to form a temporary fixing rack 8. The temporary fixing rack 8 is formed on a rack surface having a plurality of teeth on its inner surface and pushed outward to open,
Moreover, it is possible to recover from the pushed open state. Dimples 9 and 10 each having a lower end formed as a slanted surface at upper and lower portions at predetermined intervals on both side edges of the front surface of the housing 1, and a dimple 1 having an upper end formed as a slanted surface at a lower front edge of each side wall 3.
1 are provided respectively. A continuous portion 12 is provided between the upper end front sides of both side walls 3, and rib grooves 13 are provided in the continuous portion at predetermined intervals in the lateral direction.

The housing 1 includes a lock plate 14 slidably inserted between the side walls 3. The lock plate 14 has an opening 15 arranged substantially the same as the front opening of the cavity 2 of the housing 1. In the vicinity of the upper ends on both sides of the lock plate 14, dimples 16 fitted in the dimple groove 5 of the housing 1 and having the lower end formed into an inclined surface are provided.
In the vicinity of the dimples 16 on both sides, a rack surface portion 17 that engages with the temporary fixing rack 8 in the housing 1 is provided. And dimple grooves 20 having slanted upper surfaces, which are fitted to the dimples 11 in the housing 1, are provided on the lower end front surfaces on both sides thereof. Further, on the upper end of the lock plate 14, ribs 21 that fit in the rib grooves 13 of the housing 1 are provided at predetermined intervals in the lateral direction.

The temporary fixing rack 8 and the rack surface portion 17 constitute a latch engaging portion that cooperates with each other. Further, the dimples 16 and the dimple grooves 5, and the dimples 11 and the dimple grooves 20 cooperate with each other to lock plate 14 respectively.
Configures an engaging portion that prevents the falling off from the front surface of the housing.

In FIG. 4, the cavity 2 of the housing 1 is provided with a lock piece 23 for elastically sandwiching and locking the upper and lower surfaces of the rear portion of the terminal 22 to prevent the rearward movement of the terminal. However, the lock piece 23 is merely an example, and various other structures including the lock structure in the cavity of the known connector can be adopted. In short, any structure may be used as long as the structure prevents the terminal 22 from moving rearward and coming off. The rear surface of the lock plate 14 has an upper concave area 1a of the housing 1.
Are formed in the upper convex surface area 14a and the lower concave surface area 14b so as to correspond to the lower convex surface area 1b and the lower convex surface area 1b, respectively.

In the connector having such a structure, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 (however, refer to FIG. 1), the lock plate 14 is inserted between the both side walls 3 of the housing 1 from above. The dimple 16 fits into the slide groove 4, the rack surface portion 17 engages with the temporary fixing rack 8, and the dimple groove 20 half fits into the dimple 11. At this insertion position, the front opening of the cavity 2 and the lock plate 1
4 substantially coincides with the opening and the lock plate 14 is temporarily fixed so as not to slide down. This temporary fixing insertion position is maintained by the engagement between the temporary fixing rack 8 and the rack surface portion 17, and the engagement at this time is in the state shown in FIG. 8 (A). At this temporary fixing insertion position, the upper convex area 14a on the rear surface of the lock plate 14 is
The lower concave surface area 14b and the upper concave surface area 1a and the lower convex surface area 1b on the front surface of the housing 1 are separated by a predetermined distance. In this temporarily inserted state, a predetermined number of terminals 22 are inserted from the opening 15 of the lock plate 14 into the cavity 2 at a predetermined position.
To insert. When the lock plate 14 is pushed in and further inserted, the dimples 16, 9, 10, 11
Fits into the respective grooves 5, 18, 19 and 20 by slanting downward on the slopes that contact each other. At the same time, the upper convex area 14a and the lower concave area 14b on the rear surface of the lock plate 14 are close to the upper concave area 1a and the lower convex area 1b on the front surface of the housing 1 (see FIGS. 5 and 6). As is clear from this, the dimples 16,
The grooves 9, 10, 11 and the grooves 5, 18, 19, 20 constitute a cam engaging portion for restricting the lock plate 14 from such close movement with respect to the front surface of the housing 1.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 7 (however, see FIG. 1), when the lock plate 14 is further inserted, the rib 21 is inserted into the groove 13 and the dimples 16,
9, 10, 11 are grooves 5, 18, 19, 20 respectively
Completely fit. At the same time, the upper convex area 14 a and the lower concave area 14 b on the rear surface of the lock plate 14 contact the upper concave area 1 a and the lower convex area 1 b on the front surface of the housing 1. The engagement between the temporary fixing rack 8 and the rack surface portion 17 at this time is in the state shown in FIG. 8 (B). in this way,
When the lock plate 14 moves and its rear surface comes into contact with the front surface of the housing 1, and the terminal 22 is slightly projected from the front surface of the housing 1, this is pushed inward, and at the same time, the lock piece 23 in the cavity 2 is pushed. To lock normally. Therefore, the terminal 22 in the cavity 2 is prevented from moving forward by the rear surface of the lock plate 14 and by moving the locking piece 23 in the rearward direction, in other words, double-locked.

[0013]

Since the present invention has the above-mentioned structure, the terminal is inserted into the housing cavity at the temporary insertion position of the lock plate, and the lock plate is moved to the complete insertion position so that the cavity is imperfectly inserted. The inserted terminal can be reliably pushed into the normal position of the cavity by the lock plate.

Further, when the terminal is locked by the lock plate, since the lock plate is securely held by the latch engaging portion and the cam engaging portion, the wire connected to the terminal inserted in the cavity may be twisted or the like. Even if an external force is applied, there is no risk that the lock plate will slide or come off, and eventually the terminal lock will become insecure or released.

Since the present invention has such features, it is suitable for practical use as a connector having a double lock because the electrical connection is extremely reliable.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a housing and a lock plate.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state where the lock plate is temporarily inserted into the housing.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state where the lock plate is completely inserted into the housing.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the state shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a main part in the process of shifting to the full insertion position.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a main part in the process of shifting to the full insertion position.

7 is a cross-sectional view of the main part in the state shown in FIG.

FIG. 8A is a cross-sectional view of a tooth row of a temporary fixing rack portion at the temporary insertion position. FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view of a tooth row of the temporary fixing rack portion at the fully inserted position.

[Explanation of reference numerals] 1 housing 2 cavity 3 side wall 5, 9, 10, 11, 16, 18, 18, 19, 20 cam engagement portion 8, 17 latch engagement portion 14 lock plate 15 opening portion

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A housing having a plurality of cavities and both side walls on a front surface, and a lock plate having a plurality of openings and slidably inserted between the both side walls, the inner surface of the both side walls, and At the corresponding position of the lock plate, a temporary insertion position of the lock plate where the opening and the cavity are substantially aligned and a complete position of the lock plate where the opening and the cavity are relatively displaced from each other. A latch engagement portion for holding the lock plate at the insertion position is provided, and the lock plate is
A connector having a double lock, wherein a cam engaging portion is provided for moving the lock plate closer to the front surface of the housing facing the lock plate when the lock plate is inserted from the temporary insertion position to the complete insertion position.