When the number of contacts in mutually mating connectors increases, the mating force is increased, so that the mating characteristics deteriorate. In order to prevent this deterioration in the mating characteristics, a lever type connector shown in FIGS. 16A and 16B, for example, has been developed in the past (see Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. H9-120861).
The lever type connector 101 shown in FIGS. 16A and 16B comprises a housing 110 that accommodates a plurality of contacts (not shown in the figure), and a lever 120 that is attached to the housing 110 so that this lever can pivot between the initial position and the final position.
Here, the housing 110 comprises a contact accommodating part 111 that accommodates a plurality of contacts and a hood part 112 that receives a mating connector 140. Supporting shafts 114 for supporting the lever 120 in a pivotable manner are provided on both side walls of the hood part 112 in the direction of width (direction perpendicular to the plane of the page in FIG. 16A). Furthermore, guide grooves 113 for drawing in cam followers 141 that are provided on both side surfaces of the mating connector 140 in the direction of width are formed in both side walls of the hood part in the direction of width.
Moreover, the lever 120 is formed with a substantially U shape so that this lever straddles the hood part 112 from above, and comprises a pair of arm parts 122 that are positioned on the outside of either side wall of the hood part 112 in the direction of width, and a base part 121 that connects the upper ends of these arm parts 122. The two arm parts 122 are shaft-supported by the supporting shafts 114 provided on the hood part 112. Furthermore, cam grooves 123 that engage with the cam followers 141 of the mating connector 140 are formed in the two arm parts 122.
In addition, the housing 110 and lever 120 are provided with a locking mechanism 130 that locks the lever 120 in the final position shown in FIG. 16A. The locking mechanism 130 is constructed from a housing-side locking part 133 that extends from the contact accommodating part 111 of the housing 110, and a lever-side locking part 131 that extends from the base part 121 of the lever 120 and that locks with the housing-side locking part 133 when the lever 120 is located in the final position. A locking hole 134 into which a locking part 132 of the lever-side locking part 131 locks is formed in the housing-side locking part 133. Furthermore, an operation part 135 is formed on the upper end of the housing-side locking part 133 so that this operation part 135 protrudes rearward (toward the right in FIG. 16A), and a protruding part 136 is formed underneath the locking hole 134 of the housing-side locking part 133 so that this protruding part 136 protrudes forward. An inclined surface 137 that contacts the lower-front end of the lever-side locking part 131 is formed on the protruding part 136.
When the mating connector 140 mates with the lever type connector 101, the lever 120 is first pivoted into the initial position (position in which the introduction openings of the cam grooves 123 overlap with the guide grooves 113 of the hood part 112), and the mating connector 140 is inserted into the hood part 112. Then, when the cam followers 141 of the mating connector 140 enter the interior of the cam grooves 123 of the arm parts 122, the lever 120 is pivoted in the direction of arrow A from the initial position to the final position shown in FIG. 16A. As a result, the mating connector 140 is drawn into the back of the hood part 112, so that the mating of the mating connector 140 and the lever type connector 101 is completed. In this case, the locking part 132 of the lever-side locking part 131 enters the interior of the locking hole 134 in the housing-side locking part 133, and is locked into this locking hole 134, so that the pivoting of the lever 120 toward the initial position is blocked.
When the mating of the mating connector 140 and lever type connector 101 is to be released, the operation part 135 of the housing-side locking part 133 is pressed down. Then, as a result of this downward pressing operation of the operation part 135, the housing-side locking part 133 tilts rearward, so that the locked state of the locking part 132 of the lever-side locking part 131 with the locking hole 134 in the housing-side locking part 133 is released as shown in FIG. 16B. At the same time, the inclined surface 137 of the protruding part 136 butts against the lower-front end corner portion of the lever-side locking part 131, thus pushing this lever-side locking part 131 upward. Then, the lever 120 is pivoted from the final position to the initial position in the direction of arrow B, which is the opposite direction from the direction of arrow A. As a result, the mating of the mating connector 140 and the lever type connector 101 is released.
Furthermore, the lever type connector shown in FIG. 17 (see Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. H9-147973), for example, has also been known as a conventional lever type connector.
The lever type connector 201 shown in FIG. 17 also comprises a housing 210 that accommodates a plurality of contacts (not shown in the figure) and that receives a mating connector 240, and a lever 220 that is shaft-supported on the housing 210 so that this lever can pivot between the initial position and the final position.
Here, the housing 210 comprises a contact accommodating part 211 that accommodates a plurality of contacts, and a hood part 212 that receives the mating connector 240; an annular sealing member 213 is attached to the periphery of this housing. The sealing member 213 extends from the interior of the hood part 212 toward the periphery of the contact accommodating part 211, and an attachment band 213a is formed on the periphery of the contact accommodating part 211. Furthermore, guide grooves 215 for drawing in cam followers 241 that are provided on both side surfaces of the mating connector 240 in the direction of width are formed in both side walls of the hood part 212 in the direction of width.
Moreover, the lever 220 is formed with a substantially U shape so that this lever straddles the hood part 212 from above, and comprises a pair of arm parts 222 that are positioned on the outside of either side wall of the hood part 212 in the direction of width, and a base part 221 that connects the upper ends of these arm parts 222. The two arm parts 222 are shaft-supported in a pivotable manner by supporting shafts 214 that are provided on the hood part 212. Furthermore, cam grooves 223 that engage with the cam followers 241 of the mating connector 240 are formed in the two arm parts 222.
Furthermore, the housing 210 and lever 220 are provided with a locking mechanism 230 that locks the lever 220 in the final position shown in FIG. 17. The locking mechanism 230 is constructed from a housing-side locking part 234 that extends from the contact accommodating part 211 of the housing 210, and a lever-side locking part 231 that extends from the base part 221 of the lever 220 and that locks with the housing-side locking part 234 when the lever 220 is located in the final position. A locking part 232 that locks with the housing-side locking part 234 is formed on the lever-side locking part 231 so that this locking part 232 protrudes rearward, and a butting part 233 is formed to protrude downward from the locking part 232. The lower end of this butting part 233 butts against the upper surface of the attachment band 213a in the final position, so that the attachment band 213a is compressed between this lower end and the contact accommodating part 211.
Furthermore, when the mating connector 240 mates with the lever type connector 201, the lever 220 is first pivoted into the initial position (position in which the introduction openings of the cam grooves 223 overlap with the guide grooves 215 of the hood part 212), and the mating connector 240 is inserted into the hood part 212. Then, when the cam followers 241 of the mating connector 240 enter the interior of the cam grooves 223 of the arm parts 222, the lever 220 is pivoted in the direction of arrow A from the initial position to the final position shown in FIG. 17. As a result, the mating connector 240 is drawn into the back of the hood part 212, so that the mating of the mating connector 240 and the lever type connector 201 is completed. In this case, the locking part 232 of the lever-side locking part 231 is locked with the housing-side locking part 234, so that the pivoting of the lever 220 toward the initial position is blocked. Furthermore, at a stage slightly before the locking part 232 locks with the housing-side locking part 234, the butting part 233 butts against the attachment band 213a, and compresses the attachment band 213a as the lever 220 is pivoted.
When the mating of the mating connector 240 and lever type connector 201 is to be released, the housing-side locking part 234 is pressed downward to the rear. Then, the housing-side locking part 234 tilts rearward, so that the locked state of the locking part 232 of the lever-side locking part 231 with the housing-side locking part 234 is released. As a result, the lever 220 is slightly pushed back via the butting part 233 by the repulsion force of the compressed attachment band 213a, and is placed in a floating state. Then, the lever 220 is pivoted from the final position to the initial position in the direction of arrow B, which is the opposite direction from the direction of arrow A. As a result, the mating of the mating connector 240 and the lever type connector 201 is released.
However, the following problems have been encountered in these conventional lever type connectors shown in FIGS. 16A and 16B, and 17:
Specifically, in both of the lever type connectors 101 and 201 shown in FIGS. 16A and 16B, and 17, when the respective mating of the mating connectors 140 and 240 with the lever type connectors 101 and 201 is to be released, it is necessary to perform the downward pressing operation of the housing-side locking parts 133 and 234 for the purpose of releasing the locked state of the levers 120 and 220 and the pivoting operation of the levers 120 and 220 from the final position to the initial position in a direction different from that of this downward pressing operation. Accordingly, it is impossible to continuously perform the lock releasing operation of the levers 120 and 220 and the pivoting operation of the levers 120 and 220. Thus, for example, the need for performing these two operations with separate hands arises, and the releasing operation of the respective mating of the mating connectors 140 and 240 with the lever type connectors 101 and 201 cannot be performed easily.
Furthermore, in the case of the lever type connector 201 shown in FIG. 17, it is necessary to extend the sealing member 213 from the interior of the hood part 212 toward the periphery of the contact accommodating part 211, which creates the following problems: namely, there are structural restrictions, and the manufacturing cost is correspondingly increased.