JP3278049B2 - Lever connector - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lever type connector.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 5, a lever type connector has a male connector housing 1 in which a lever 2 having a cam groove 3 is rotatably supported by a support structure of a support shaft 4 and a bearing hole 5. And female connector housing 6
And a cam pin 7 is formed on the upper surface. When the lever 2 is rotated while the cam pin 7 is engaged with the cam groove 3, the male and female connector housings 1, 6 are drawn and fitted by the cam action of the cam groove 3 and the cam pin 7.
During the period from the start of the rotation of the lever 2 to the completion of the rotation, the cam pin 7
Is pressed by the inner surface of the cam groove 3 and moves along the straight path K in parallel with the fitting direction of the two connector housings 1 and 6 while sliding on the inner surface. FIGS. 6A and 6B show how the cam pin 7 moves, and the cam groove 3 moves from a position immediately before the completion of rotation in FIG. 6A to a rotation completion position in FIG. 6B. During the displacement, the cam pin 7 moves by the distance S along the movement path K, and the male and female connector housings 1 and 6 reach a normal fitting state.

[0003]

Generally, in a lever type connector, a clearance is provided between the bearing hole 5 of the lever 2 and the support shaft 4 of the male connector housing 1 in order to ensure smooth rotation. Thus, the cam groove 3 can be displaced in the radial direction. Therefore, as before,
In the case of a structure in which the inner surface of the cam groove 3 presses the cam pin 7 obliquely during the entire rotation stroke, the cam groove 3 may be displaced in the radial direction due to a reaction force when the cam pin 7 is pressed. FIG. 6C shows this displaced state, and the lever is shown in FIG. 6B.
The center 5A of the bearing hole 5 is displaced downward by the dimension H from the center 4A of the support shaft 4 even if the shaft is rotated to the same position as shown in FIG. In this state, the cam groove 3 does not push the cam pin 7 to the regular fitting position, but reaches the regular rotation completion position while shifting downward. As a result, the cam pin 7 is moved as shown in FIG.
And the connector housings 1 and 6 are in a half-fitted state, remaining at a position in front of the regular fitting position by a distance T. The present invention was created in view of the above circumstances,
The purpose is to improve the reliability of the cam function by the cam groove and the cam pin.

[0004]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a lever provided with a cam groove is rotatably supported by a support shaft on one of a pair of connector housings which can be fitted with each other, and the other is provided on the other. In a lever-type connector, a cam pin engageable with a cam groove is formed, and the pair of connector housings are drawn and fitted by a cam action between the cam groove and the cam pin accompanying rotation of the lever. The outer end of the cam groove is provided at the far end of the cam groove.
A semi-circular arc that connects the peripheral cam surface and the inner peripheral cam surface
And a dimension in a radial direction about the support shaft.
The diameter of the cam pin is made larger than
The pressing surface is formed so that the
When the lever is rotated to a position just before the rotation is completed,
The cam pin is supported in the radial direction on the pressing surface.
When the lever comes into contact with a position on the outer peripheral side far from the pivot and the lever moves from a position just before the completion of the rotation to a position where the rotation is completed, the pushing movement is performed.
The surface pushes the cam pin substantially in the rotation direction while sliding the cam pin substantially in the rotation center direction, and the lever reaches the rotation completed posture
The cam pin is close to the support shaft on the pressing surface.
It is configured to be located inside .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the pressing direction of the pressing surface is substantially the same as the direction of displacement of the cam pin.

[0006]

<Operation and Effect of the Invention><Invention of claim 1> In the fitting process accompanying the rotation of the lever, the moving path of the cam pin is linear, while the path of the pressing surface is arc-shaped. Is allowed to slide in the direction of the center of rotation, so that when it is pushed by the pushing surface, it can move in the fitting direction without deviating from a predetermined linear path. Also, even if the cam groove is displaced in the radial direction from the predetermined center of rotation, there is an area on the pushing surface for displacing the cam pin in the direction of the center of rotation, so the pushing surface pushes the cam pin in the direction of rotation. As a result, the connector housing can surely be properly fitted.

<Invention of Claim 2> Since the pressing direction of the pressing surface is substantially the same as the direction of displacement of the cam pin, the sliding contact area of the cam pin can be narrow. That is, the space required for forming the cam groove can be reduced, and the size of the lever can be reduced.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First Embodiment A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The lever-type connector according to the present embodiment includes a male connector housing (one connector housing which is a component of the present invention) and a female connector housing (the other connector housing which is a component of the present invention) which can be fitted together. 20 and a lever 30 provided on the male connector housing 10. Male connector housing 1
No. 0 accommodates a male terminal (not shown) inside and has a hood 11 protruding forward. The distal end of the male terminal protrudes into the hood 11, into which the female connector housing 20 is fitted. A pair of support shafts 12 for supporting the lever 30 are provided on both left and right outer surfaces of the male connector housing 10.
Are formed. On the other hand, the female connector housing 20
Contains a female terminal (not shown) inside,
A pair of cylindrical cam pins 21 that are engaged with the cam grooves 34 of the lever 30 are formed on both left and right outer surfaces.

The lever 30 has a pair of left and right plate-like arm portions 32 formed at both ends of an operation portion 31 extending left and right.
It is supported by fitting a bearing hole 33 formed in the arm portion 32 to the support shaft 12. As shown in FIG. 1, the lever 30 has a rotation start posture for positioning the operation unit 31 diagonally above and to the left of the support shaft 12 and the operation unit 3 as shown in FIG. 2.
1 can be displaced between a rotation-completed position in which the support housing 1 is positioned diagonally above and to the right of the support shaft 12, and when displaced from the rotation-started position to the rotation-completed position, the two connector housings 10, 20 are actuated by the cam action described later. It is adapted to be fitted.

A cam groove 34 is formed on the inner surface of the arm 32 to engage with the cam pin 21 as the lever 30 rotates to exert a cam function. The cam groove 34 is opened on the peripheral surface of the arm portion 32 as an introduction port 34A for receiving the cam pin 21, and a rear end of the introduction port 34A is an abutting surface 34B. When the lever 30 is in the rotation start position, the introduction port 34A opens in a direction allowing the cam pin 21 to enter, and the male and female connector housings 10,
At the start of the mating of the connector housing 20, the cam pin 21 enters the inlet 34A, and when the cam pin 21 abuts against the abutting surface 34B, the two connector housings 10, 20 are provided.
Are positioned so that they are fitted shallowly. The hood 11 has a relief groove (not shown) for avoiding interference with the cam pin 21.

An inner side surface of the cam groove 34 deeper than the inlet 34A is a cam surface for slidingly contacting the cam pin 21, and an outer peripheral side far from the support shaft 12 is a fitting cam surface 3.
The opposite side is a cam surface 36 for detachment. The fitting cam surface 35 extends obliquely with respect to the direction of introduction of the cam pin 21 into the introduction port 34A (= oblique with respect to both the radial direction and the circumferential direction about the support shaft 12). 35A and the initial sliding contact surface 35 for fitting.
And a middle sliding contact surface 35B for fitting extending substantially in the circumferential direction from A to the rear end of the cam groove 34. On the other hand, the detaching cam surface 36 has a detaching initial sliding contact surface 36A extending substantially in the circumferential direction from the deep end of the cam groove 34 toward the introduction port 34A side, and a detaching extending diagonally extending from the detaching initial sliding contact surface 36A. And a second-stage sliding contact surface 36B.

At the far end of the cam groove 34, when the lever 30 is rotated in the fitting direction, the cam action with the cam pin 21 is surely exhibited just before the completion of the fitting, so that the two connector housings 10, 20 are provided. Is provided with a pressing surface 37 for bringing the member into a properly fitted state. The position of the pressing surface 37 is
The cam pin 21 is set to contact the pressing surface 37 just before the rotation of the lever 30 is completed, that is, just before the connector housings 10 and 20 are properly fitted. Pushing surface 3
Numeral 7 has a substantially semicircular shape so that the above-mentioned middle sliding contact surface 35B for fitting and the first sliding contact surface 36A for disengagement are smoothly connected. The radial dimension of the pressing surface 37, that is, the distance between the middle sliding contact surface 35B for fitting and the first sliding contact surface 36A for disengagement is larger than the diameter of the cam pin 21. It can move a predetermined distance in the radial direction while sliding on the moving surface 37. While the cam pin 21 slides on the pressing surface 37, the pressing surface 37 is
Is pressed in the rotating direction. This pushing surface 3
In a state in which the cam pin 21 is pressed by the cam pin 21, the middle sliding contact surface 35B for fitting and the first sliding contact surface 36A for disengagement are in a direction along the linear movement path M of the cam pin 21, as shown in FIG. The direction in which the cam pin 21 is pressed by the pressing surface 37 is substantially parallel to the movement path M of the cam pin 21.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the connector housings 10 and 20 are fitted shallowly with the lever 30 in the rotation start posture,
The cam pin 21 is caused to enter the inlet 34A, and the abutting surface 34B
Contact. Next, when the lever 30 is rotated clockwise in FIG. 1, the initial sliding contact surface 35A for fitting presses the cam pin 21 to move in the fitting direction (left direction in FIG. 1), and accordingly, the female connector The housing 20 is the hood 11
And the fitting proceeds. At this time, the orientation of the initial sliding contact surface 35A for fitting forms a large angle with respect to the moving path M of the cam pin 21, so that the ratio of the moving distance of the cam pin 21 to the rotation angle of the lever 30 is relatively large. Therefore, the moving distance of the cam pin 21 is large, and the fitting of the two connector housings 10 and 20 proceeds greatly. Thereafter, the cam pin 21 moves from the initial sliding contact surface 35A for fitting to the middle sliding contact surface 35B for fitting, and the cam pin 21 is pushed by the middle sliding contact surface 35B for fitting. At this time, the angle of the middle sliding contact surface 35B with respect to the moving path M of the cam pin 21 is small, so that the ratio of the pushing distance of the cam pin 21 to the rotation angle of the lever 30 is relatively small.
The degree of progress of the fitting of 0, 20 is slight. However, the force required for operating the lever 30 is correspondingly small.

The two connector housings 10, 20
When the cam pin 21 approaches a little before the regular fitting, the cam pin 21 comes into contact with the pressing surface 37 at the back end of the cam groove 34. The contact position is, as shown by a chain line in FIGS. 3A and 4, a radially outer side of the pressing surface 37 (a side farther from the support shaft 12).
Position. In this state, the pressing surface 37 is located on the movement path M of the cam pin 21 behind the cam pin 21. Therefore, when the lever 30 is further rotated from this state, the pushing surface 37 pushes the cam pin 21 substantially in parallel with the movement path M. At this time, the pushing surface 37 is displaced in an arc around the support shaft 12, but since the pushing surface 37 has a sufficient area for sliding the cam pin 21 in the radial direction, The cam pin 21 may come into contact with the middle sliding contact surface 35B for fitting or the first sliding contact surface 36A for disengagement,
No prying occurs between these surfaces.
That is, the cam pin 21 smoothly moves in the predetermined linear movement path M
Can move along. Then, when the lever 30 reaches the rotation completed posture, the cam pin 21 is located on the inner side (the side closer to the support shaft 12) of the pushing surface 37 as shown by the solid line in FIGS. During this time, the cam pin 21 moves by the distance L as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and the two connector housings 10 and 20 reach a proper fitting state.

At this time, even if the cam groove 34 is displaced in the direction away from the support shaft 12 due to the clearance between the support shaft 12 and the bearing hole 33, the cam pin 21 is allowed to slide on the pressing surface 37. It only moves slightly within the range, and the pressing direction of the pressing surface 37 against the cam pin 21 does not change significantly. Therefore, the pushing surface 37 surely pushes the cam pin 21 in a direction along the predetermined moving path M, and the two connector housings 10 and 20 reach a proper fitting state.

When the two connector housings 10 and 20 are detached from the fitted state, the lever 30 is rotated in a direction opposite to that at the time of fitting. Then, firstly, the separation first contact surface 36A presses the cam pin 21 along the movement path M in the separation direction. At this time, the direction of the first sliding contact surface 36A for detachment is substantially parallel to the moving path M of the cam pin 21.
Although the moving distance of the cam pin 21 with respect to the rotation angle of 0 is small, the operation force required for the rotation operation of the lever 30 is small. Thereafter, the cam pin 21 is disengaged from the late sliding contact surface 36.
B, the cam pin 21 is largely displaced in the disengagement direction because the angle of the disengagement late sliding surface 36B with respect to the movement path M of the cam pin 21 is large, and the disengagement operation of the connector housings 10, 20 greatly proceeds. Then, the cam pin 21 is disengaged from the release late sliding contact surface 36B and the inlet 34
When it reaches A, the two connector housings 10, 20 may be separated by hand.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the cam pin 21 is pushed along the linear movement path M while the pushing surface 37 is displaced in an arc shape. Since the cam pins 21 can slide in a direction substantially toward the support shaft 12 along the moving surface 37, the cam pins 21 deviate from a predetermined linear path, and twisting occurs between the cam pins 21 and the fitting cam surface 35. And a smooth cam action is exhibited. Further, since the cam pin 21 can be slid in the radial direction along the pressing surface 37, even if the cam groove 34 is shifted from the predetermined center of rotation in the radial direction, the positional shift is prevented by the cam pin 21 being pushed. It is absorbed by the relative sliding contact along the moving surface 37, and the configuration in which the pressing surface 37 presses the cam pin 21 in the circumferential direction does not collapse.
That is, the pushing surface 37 always catches the cam pin 21 and pushes,
The connector housing can be securely fitted properly. In particular, in the present embodiment, the pressing direction of the pressing surface 37 is substantially parallel to the movement path M of the cam pin 21, so that the area required for the sliding contact of the cam pin 21 is small. This means that the space required for forming the cam groove 34, particularly the pressing surface 37, can be reduced, and the lever 30 can be reduced in size.

<Other Embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. In addition, various changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. (1) In the above embodiment, the pushing direction of the cam pin by the pushing surface is substantially the same as the displacement direction of the cam pin.
According to the present invention, the pushing direction of the pushing surface may be oblique to the direction of displacement of the cam pin. Also in this case, by securing a large sliding contact area of the cam pin, the cam pin can be displaced in the fitting direction along a predetermined linear path.

(2) In the above embodiment, the pressing surface is an arc surface, but according to the present invention, the pressing surface may be a flat surface. (3) In the above embodiment, the male connector housing supports the lever and the female connector housing is provided with the cam pin. However, according to the present invention, the male connector housing is provided with the cam pin and the female connector housing is provided with the lever. May be supported.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a state in which a male and female connector housing is separated in a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a state in which the male and female connector housings are fitted in the first embodiment.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are partially enlarged side views showing a cam action by a cam groove and a cam pin according to the first embodiment, wherein FIG. 3A shows a state immediately before rotation is completed, and FIG.

FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged side view showing a cam action of a cam groove and a cam pin according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing a state in which a connector housing is separated in a conventional example.

FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged side view showing a cam action of a cam groove and a cam pin in a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Male connector housing (one connector housing) 12 ... Support shaft (rotation center) 20 ... Female connector housing (other connector housing) 21 ... Cam pin 30 ... Lever 34 ... Cam groove 37 ... Pushing surface

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-6-333637 (JP, A) JP-A-6-231829 (JP, A) JP-A 5-81965 (JP, U) JP-A 5-1179 (JP) , U) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01R 13/629

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A lever having a cam groove is rotatably supported by a support shaft on one of a pair of connector housings that can be fitted with each other, and a cam pin engageable with the cam groove is formed on the other. in the lever type connector which is adapted to fit attracted the pair of connector housings by the cam action between the cam groove and the cam pin with the rotation of the lever, the inner end of the cam groove, the cam Power on the outer peripheral side in the groove
A semi-circular arc continuous with the cam surface and the cam surface on the inner peripheral side,
And the dimension in the radial direction around the support shaft is
By making the diameter larger than the diameter of the cam pin,
Pushing surface which is adapted to be in sliding contact is formed in the radial direction, when the lever is rotated to the front of the complete rotation, the mosquito
The support shaft in the radial direction of the pressing surface.
Abutting against a position on the outer peripheral side farther from the lever , and in a process in which the lever moves from a position just before the completion of the rotation to a position where the rotation is completed, the pressing surface slides the cam pin substantially in the direction of the rotation center while substantially rotating in the rotation direction. When the lever reaches the rotation completed posture, the cam pin is
A configuration located on the inner side close to the support shaft in the pressing surface;
Lever-type connector, characterized in that the. 2. The lever-type connector according to claim 1, wherein the direction of the pressing by the pressing surface is substantially the same as the direction of the displacement of the cam pin.