Connector having a slider holder
10770837 ยท 2020-09-08
Assignee
Inventors
Cpc classification
H01R13/639
ELECTRICITY
H01R13/641
ELECTRICITY
International classification
Abstract
A connector includes a housing and a slide holder. The housing includes a lock portion maintaining a completely fitted state with a mating housing. The slide holder is configured to be mounted on the housing so as to be movable in a fitting direction of the housing and the mating housing between a temporary locking position and a main locking position, and is movable from the temporary locking position to the main locking position while avoiding interference with the lock portion only in the completely fitted state. The housing includes a pair of protective walls extending in the fitting direction so as to sandwich the lock portion and the slide holder in a width direction orthogonal to the fitting direction.
Claims
1. A connector comprising: a housing; and a slide holder, wherein the housing includes a lock portion maintaining a completely fitted state with a mating housing, wherein the slide holder is configured to be mounted on the housing so as to be movable in a fitting direction of the housing and the mating housing between a temporary locking position and a main locking position, and is movable from the temporary locking position to the main locking position while avoiding interference with the lock portion only in the completely fitted state, wherein the housing includes a pair of protective walls extending in the fitting direction so as to sandwich the lock portion and the slide holder in a width direction orthogonal to the fitting direction, and wherein the protective wall includes a notch which makes a part of the slide holder visible when the slide holder is in the temporary locking position, and makes the part of the slide holder invisible when the slide holder is in the main locking position when viewed from the width direction.
2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the housing and the slide holder include locking structures for locking the slide holder in the temporary locking position, wherein the slide holder and the pair of protective walls include guide structures that guide the movement of the slide holder with respect to the housing, and wherein the guide structures have relief portions for making the slide holder inclined with respect to the housing in a direction in which the interference of the locking structures is avoided when the slide holder is mounted on the housing.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)
(11)
(12)
(13)
(14)
(15)
(16)
(17)
(18)
(19)
(20)
(21)
(22)
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
(23) <Embodiment>
(24) Hereinafter, a connector 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Hereinafter, as shown in
(25) As shown in
(26) <Portion Related to Mounting of Slide Holder 3 on Housing 2 and Slide Holder 3>
(27) First, a portion relating to the mounting of the slide holder 3 on the housing 2 will be described. As shown in
(28) A central portion in the width direction of a front side portion of an upper wall constituting the outer cylindrical portion 11 bulges upward. An insertion space 13 for a mating lock portion into which a mating lock portion (not shown) of a mating housing is inserted as formed below the bulging portion so as to communicate with the annular gap.
(29) A pair of protective walls 14 is integrally provided on a rear side part of the upper wall constituting the outer cylindrical portion 11 so as to extend rearward from both end portions in the width direction of the bulging portion and face each other in the width direction. A space between the pair of protective walls 14 functions as a slide holder mounting space 15 for mounting the slide holder 3. The slide holder mounting space 15 communicates with the insertion space 13 for a mating lock portion in the front-rear direction (see
(30) As shown in
(31) As shown in
(32) The lock portion 18 includes a pair of lock arms 19 extending forward from a rear end portion between the pair of protective walls 14 on the rear side part of the upper wall of the outer cylindrical portion 11 toward the insertion space 13 for a mating lock portion, and a connecting portion 20 that is connected to tip end portions of the pair of lock arms 19 in the width direction. When the mating lock portion is engaged with the connecting portion 20, the completely fitted state between the housing 2 and the mating housing is maintained.
(33) As shown in
(34) As shown in
(35) Next, the slide holder 3 will be described. As shown in
(36) An engaging portion 34 (see also
(37) A guide rib 36 protruding outward in the width direction is formed so as to extend in the front-rear direction at a lower end edge portion of a widthwise outer side surface of each side plate portion 33. A tapered portion 37 in which an upper side inner wall of the guide rib 36 is inclined forward and downward is formed at a front end portion of the guide rib 36 (that is, the end portion of the slide holder 3 on the insertion side) (see also
(38) When the slide holder 3 described above is mounted on the housing 2, the slide holder 3 is brought close to the slide holder mounting space 15 of the housing 2 from the rear side. Then, as shown in
(39) At this time, since the tapered portion 17 is formed in the guide groove 16 and the tapered portion 37 is formed in the guide rib 36, compared with a case where the tapered portions 17, 37 are not formed, the slide holder 3 can be smoothly mounted on the housing 2 and locked in the temporary locking position without interference caused between the protrusion 35 and the protrusion 22 in a state in which the rear side of the slide holder 3 is inclined more upward than the front side with respect to the housing 2.
(40) As shown in
(41) In this state, when the mating housing is fitted to the housing 2 to be in the completely fitted state, the completely fitted state of the housing 2 and the mating housing is maintained by engaging the mating lock portion with the connecting portion 20, and the engagement between the engaging portion 34 and the connecting portion 20 is released by the mating lock portion pushing the engaging portion 34 downward. That is, the slide holder 3 can be moved from the temporary locking position to the main locking position.
(42) Therefore, in the completely fitted state, by pushing the slide holder 3 in the temporary locking position forward, the slide holder 3 is moved to the main locking position as shown in
(43) Hereinafter, the function of the pair of notches 21 provided in the pair of protective walls 14 will be described. As shown in
(44) As a result, when the notch 21 of the housing 2 is viewed from the width direction, it is easily visible whether the slide holder 3 mounted on the housing 2 including the pair of protective walls 14 is in the temporary locking position. The configuration of the portion related to the mounting of the slide holder 3 on the housing 2 and the configuration of the slide holder 3 have been described above. Next, a configuration of a portion related to the mounting of the front holder 5 on the housing 2 and a configuration of the front holder 5 will be described.
(45) <Portion Related to Mounting of Front Holder on Housing 2 and Front Holder 5>
(46) First, the portion related to the mounting of the front holder 5 on the housing 2 will be described. As shown in
(47) In each terminal housing chamber 23, a cantilever-shaped lance 24 which is elastically deformable in the width direction so as to face the inside of the terminal housing chamber 23 from the inside in the width direction is provided so as to extend forward from a substantially central position in the front-rear direction of the terminal housing chamber 23. A lance protrusion 25 extending toward the inside of the terminal housing chamber 23 is integrally formed at a tip end of the lance 24. By locking a predetermined corner of the terminal inserted into the terminal housing chamber 23 from the rear side with the lance protrusion 25, the locking lance 24 exerts a function of preventing the terminal from coming out toward the rear side.
(48) When the terminal is in a normal insertion position (in a state in which the lance 24 exerts a retaining function) in the terminal housing chamber 23, the lance protrusion 25 enters the corner of the terminal, so that the lance 24 is maintained in a normal posture (posture shown in
(49) In a widthwise inner region of the lance 24 provided in each terminal housing chamber 23 (a region away from the terminal housing chamber 23), a cantilever-shaped protrusion support portion 26 which has a gap in the width direction with the lance 24 and is elastically deformable in the width direction is provided so as to extend forward from a position near a base portion of the lance 24. A protrusion 27 (see also
(50) Next, the front holder 5 will be described. As shown in
(51) As shown in
(52) Hereinafter, for convenience of description, only a configuration of a left side portion of the functional portion 52 in
(53) The locking arm 54 extending in the front-rear direction has a both-end supported beam shape which is elastically deformable in the width direction, in which a root portion (rear end side) is supported by the base portion 53 and a tip end portion (front end side) is supported by the extending portion 55. A temporary locking protrusion 58 and a main locking protrusion 59 are provided on a widthwise outer side surface of the locking arm 54 (see also
(54) The temporary locking protrusion 58 is provided at the root portion of the locking arm 54, and the locking protrusion 59 is provided at a position forward of the temporary locking protrusion 58. The temporary locking protrusion 58 and the main locking protrusion 59 are disposed at mutually different positions in the upper-lower direction for the convenience of manufacture.
(55) As shown in
(56) One of the plurality of recesses 60 is formed at a position facing a surface on a side opposite to the side where the temporary locking protrusion 58 is formed on the root portion of the locking arm 54. As a result, a thickness of the temporary locking protrusion 58 in protrusion direction (that is, the width direction) on the locking arm 54 at the place where the temporary locking protrusion 58 is formed is reduced. As a result, the locking arm 54 around the temporary locking protrusion 58 is easily elastically deformed so as to reduce a protruding height of the temporary locking protrusion 58 from the locking arm 54.
(57) When the front holder 5 described above is mounted on the housing 2, first, the rectangular cylindrical packing 4 made of rubber (see
(58) Next, the front holder 5 is inserted into the annular gap from the front side. At this time, as shown in
(59) After the temporary locking protrusion 58 comes into contact with the protrusion 27, the temporary locking protrusion 58 rides on the protrusion 27 by elastically deforming the locking arm 54 and the protrusion support portion 26 in a direction (width direction) away from each other as the insertion proceeds. Here, as described above, since the protrusion support portion 26 is elastically deformed in a direction (width direction) away from the temporary locking protrusion 58, and the locking arm 54 around the temporary locking protrusion 58 is easily elastically deformed so as to reduce the protruding height of the temporary locking protrusion 58 from the locking arm 54, it is possible to effectively suppress crushing of the contact portions when temporary locking protrusion 58 rides over the protrusion 27.
(60) Thereafter, as the insertion proceeds, the temporary locking protrusion 58 rides over the protrusion 27, so that the locking arms 54 and the protrusion support portion 26 are elastically returned. As a result, as shown in
(61) In this state, when the terminal is inserted into the terminal housing chamber 23 to the normal insertion position, as described above, the lance 24 is maintained in the normal posture (the posture shown in
(62) On the other hand, in a state in which the terminal is in the halfway insertion position, as described above, the lance 24 is maintained in the posture of being elastically deformed inward in the width direction (the side away from the terminal). Therefore, the gap between the lance 24 and the protrusion support portion 26 is narrowed, so that the tip end portion of the detection arm 56 cannot enter the gap between the lance 24 and the protrusion support portion 26. As a result, the front holder 5 cannot move from the temporary locking position to the main locking position. In this way, since the front holder 5 cannot move from the temporary locking position to the main locking position, it is possible to easily detect the halfway insertion of the terminal.
(63) <Functions and Effects>
(64) According to the connector 1 of the embodiment of the present invention, the pair of protective walls 14 is provided with the notches 21 respectively which make a part of the slide holder 3 visible when the slide holder 3 is in the temporary locking position, and make the part (same part) of the slide holder 3 invisible when the slide holder 3 is in the main locking position when viewed from the width direction. As a result, it is easily visible from the width direction of the housing 2 whether the slide holder 3 mounted on the housing 2 having the pair of protective walls 14 is in the temporary locking position.
(65) Further, according to the connector 1, guide structures constituted by the guide ribs 36 of the slide holder 3 and the guide grooves 16 of the protective walls 14 are provided with relief portions constituted by the tapered portions 17, 37. As a result, in a state in which the slide holder 3 is inclined with respect to the housing 2 so as to avoid interference of the locking structures constituted by the protrusion 22 of the housing 2 and the protrusion 35 of the slide holder 3, the slide holder 3 can be smoothly mounted on the housing 2 and locked in the temporary locking position by using the guide structures without the interference of the locking structures. As a result, an engagement margin of the locking structures (the protrusion 22 and the protrusion 35) can be increased, and the slide holder 3 can be more reliably locked in the temporary locking position.
(66) <Other Embodiments>
(67) The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be adopted within the scope of the present invention. For example, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be appropriately modified, improved or the like. In addition, materials, shapes, sizes, numbers, arrangement places or the like of constituent elements in the above embodiment are optional and not limited as long as the object of the present invention can be achieved.
(68) In the above embodiment, the notch 21 is provided so as to be recessed forward on the rear end surface of each protective wall 14. In contrast, the notch can be provided at any position of the protective wall 14 as long as the part of the slide holder 3 is visible when the slide holder 3 is in the temporary locking position, and the part of the slide holder 3 is invisible when the slide holder 3 is in the main locking position.
(69) Further, in the above embodiment, the guide structures constituted by the guide ribs 36 of the slide holder 3 and the guide grooves 16 of the protective walls 14 are provided with the relief portions constituted by the tapered portions 17, 37, but the relief portion may not be provided. Further, the guide structures may be configured by guide grooves of the slide holder 3 and guide ribs of the protective wall 14.
(70) Further, characteristics of the embodiment of the connector 1 according to the present invention described above will be briefly summarized in the following [1] and [2].
(71) [1] A connector (1) comprising: a housing (2); and a slide holder (3), wherein the housing (2) includes a lock portion (18) maintaining a completely fitted state with a mating housing, wherein the slide holder (3) that is configured to be mounted on the housing (2) so as to be movable in a fitting direction of the housing (2) and the mating housing between a temporary locking position and a main locking position, and is movable from the temporary locking position to the main locking position while avoiding interference with the lock portion (18) only in the completely fitted state, wherein the housing (2) includes a pair of protective walls (14) extending in the fitting direction so as to sandwich the lock portion (18) and the slide holder (3) in a width direction orthogonal to the fitting direction, and wherein the protective wall (14) includes a notch (21) which makes a part of the slide holder (3) visible when the slide holder (3) is in the temporary locking position, and makes the part of the slide holder (3) invisible when the slide holder (3) is in the main locking position when viewed from the width direction.
(72) [2] The connector (1) according to the above [1], wherein the housing (2) and the slide holder (3) include locking structures (22, 35) for locking the slide holder (3) in the temporary locking position, wherein the slide holder (3) and the pair of protective walls (14) include guide structures (16, 36) that guide the movement of the slide holder (3) with respect to the housing (2), and wherein the guide structures (16, 36) have relief portions (17, 37) for making the slide holder (3) inclined with respect to the housing (2) in a direction in which the interference of the locking structures (22, 35) is avoided when the slide holder (3) is mounted on the housing (2).
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
(73) 1 connector
(74) 2 housing
(75) 3 slide holder
(76) 14 protective wall
(77) 16 guide groove (guide structure)
(78) 17 tapered portion (relief portion)
(79) 18 lock portion
(80) 21 notch
(81) 22 protrusion (locking structure)
(82) 35 protrusion (locking structure)
(83) 36 guide rib (guide structure)
(84) 37 tapered portion (relief portion)