1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a half-fitting prevention connector which reliably prevents half-fitting by way of the resiliency of a resilient member attached to a housing of at least one of a pair of male and female connectors which are fittable to each other, and which reliably effects fitting and locking with the mating connector.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-162967, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
A related example of a half-fitting prevention connector now will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 to 12.
As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, in a half-fitting prevention connector 51, an exclusive housing 55 is provided integrally on a housing 54 of a male connector 52 of a pair of male and female connectors 52 and 53 which are fittable to each other. A pair of compression coil springs 57 are respectively accommodated in a pair of spring accommodating portions 56 on both sides of the interior of this exclusive housing 55, and half-fitting between the male and female connectors 52 and 53 is prevented by the resiliency of the compression springs 57.
In addition, the male connector 52 has a lock arm 58 which has on a lower surface of its tip a retaining pawl 59 for retaining the mating female connector 53 and is supported at its rear end on the housing 54 so as to be flexible as a cantilever. Further, displacement preventing projections 60 are provided on an upper surface of the lock arm 58 on the opposite side to the side where the engaging projection is provided, and a lock peak 61 is provided on the upper surface of its root portion.
In addition, a slider 62 is slidably held in the exclusive housing 55. The slider 62 has a slider body 66 on which a slider arm 69 which is upwardly flexible by using a rear portion of the slider body 66 as a root is formed. A pair of abutment projections 70 are provided on the lower surface of a front end of the slider arm 69. Further, a pressing portion 72 which can be pressed in the rearward direction by an operator""s finger is provided on the upper surface of a rear end portion of the slider body 66.
Further, provided on an upper surface of a female housing 75 are an inclined projection 77 for retaining the retaining pawl 59 and a retaining groove 79 located immediately behind it, and a pair of stopper projections 78, which abut against the abutment projections 70 of the slider 62, are provided on the upper surface of the female housing 75.
In the half-fitting prevention connector 51 having the above-described construction, the male and female connectors 52 and 53 are made to face each other and are pressed in the connector fitting directions, as shown in FIG. 10. Then, since the stopper projections 78 on the female housing 75 abut against the abutment projections 70 of the slider 62, and the slider 62 is pushed in toward the rear of the exclusive housing 55 in the upper portion of the housing 54 while compressing the compression springs 57 (see FIG. 9). Further, as the retaining pawl 59 rides over the inclined projection 77, the lock arm 58 is flexed upward, while the slider arm 69 is flexed upward by riding over the lock peak 61.
If the fitting forces of the male and female connectors 52 and 53 are canceled at this stage, the slider 62 is pushed back by the urging forces of the compression springs 57, so that the female connector 53 is pushed back by the abutment projections 70 and the stopper projections 78. Hence, the male and female connectors 52 and 53 are prevented from being left in a half-fitted state.
If the fitting operation is further advanced, as shown in FIG. 11, the slider arm 69 is flexed further upwardby the lock peak 61, and the abutment projections 70 are disengaged from the stopper projections 78, with the result that the slider 62 is pushed back forwardly by the urging forces of the compression springs 57 (see FIG. 9), and the front end of the pressing portion 72 abuts against the lock peak 61 and stops.
At this time, since the retaining pawl 59 is retained by the inclined projection 77 and the retaining groove 79, the state of flexion of the lock arm 58 returns to its original state, and the displacement preventing portion 71 of the slider 62 is fitted over the displacement preventing projections 60 of the lock arm 58.
Next, to cancel the fitting between the male and female connectors 52 and 53, as shown in FIG. 12, the operator pulls the pressing portion 72 in the rearward direction while compressing the compression springs 57 (see FIG. 9) while holding the housing 75. Consequently, the slider 62 retracts to allow the displacement preventing projections 60 to be canceled from the state of being locked by the displacement preventing portion 71, and since the abutment projections 70 ride over the stopper projections 78, the slider 69 begins to be flexed upward.
If the pressing portion 72 is further pulled, at the same time as the tip portion of the slider arm 69 rides over the lock peak 61, the retaining pawl 59 becomes unlocked from the inclined projection 77 since its rear surface is inclined, so that the fitting between the male and female connectors 52 and 53 can be canceled.
However, with the above-described half-fitting prevention connector 51, there has been a possibility that since the slider 62 is required, the number of component parts increases, and the number of assembling steps increases, leading to higher cost.
In addition, since when the pressing portion 72 is pulled backward during the releasing operation for the connectors, the pressing portion 72 must be pulled while compressing the compression springs, there has been a possibility that the operating efficiency during releasing operation of the connectors is poor.
Furthermore, since resin members such as the lock arm 58 and the slider arm 69 are flexed greatly during the fitting and releasing operations of the connectors 52 and 53, there may be a problem in the durability.
The present invention has been devised in view of the above-described undesired possibilities of the related art, and its object is to provide a half-fitting prevention connector which has a small number of component parts, offers satisfactory operating efficiency during the releasing operation, and excels in the durability with small flexion of resin members during the fitting and releasing operations.
To achieve the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a half-fitting prevention connector which comprises:
a first connector including a first housing;
a flexible lock arm formed on the first housing, the flexible lock arm having a first retaining portion and a pair of abutment portions which are located at a lower side relative to the first retaining portion, the pair of abutment portions having tapered surfaces which are opposed to each other so that an interval between the tapered surfaces becomes gradually wider in a connector releasing direction of the first connector;
a second connector fittable to the first connector, the second connector including a second housing having a second retaining portion and a press plate;
a resilient member attachable to the second housing, a longitudinal direction of the resilient member being substantially perpendicular to a connector fitting direction of the second connector; and
a fixing mechanism, with which a central portion of the resilient member is fixedly secured to the second housing, so that opposite end portions of the resilient member are flexible in the connector fitting direction and a connector releasing direction of the second connector,
wherein when the first connector and the second connector are about to be fitted to each other, the flexible lock arm is flexed by the press plate of the second housing pressing downward the first retaining portion, and the first retaining portion is slid on the press plate so that the pair of abutment portions of the flexible lock arm are abutted against the opposite end portions of the resilient member,
wherein when the first connector and the second connector are incompletely fitted, the first connector and the second connector are released in respective directions opposite to their connector fitting directions in accordance with a resilient force of the resilient member, and
wherein when the first connector and the second connector are completely fitted to each other, the first retaining portion of the flexible lock arm is retained by the second retaining portion of the second housing.
In accordance with the first aspect of the present invention, since a slider is not required, the number of component parts can be reduced, the structure is simplified, and the number of assembling steps can be reduced, thereby making it possible to lower the cost, thereby making it possible to attain a reduction in cost.
Furthermore, since the amount of the flexion of the lock arm during the fitting and releasing operations of the male and female connectors is small, and resin members other than the lock arm are not flexed, it is possible to improve the durability of the connector.
In addition, since the resilient member is so adapted as to be set in a free state and not to be flexed during the first half of the releasing operation, it is unnecessary to pull back the operating portion against the urging force of the resilient member during the releasing operation. During the second half of the releasing operation, the resilient member is easily flexed in the connector releasing direction by virtue of the tapered surfaces provided on the inner sides of the abutment projections. Hence, it is possible to improve the operating efficiency during the releasing operation.
Furthermore, to achieve the above object, according to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a half-fitting prevention connector which comprises:
a first connector including a first housing;
a flexible lock arm formed on the first housing, the flexible lock arm having a first retaining portion and a pair of abutment portions which are located at a lower side relative to the first retaining portion, the pair of abutment portions having tapered surfaces which are opposed to each other so that an interval between the tapered surfaces becomes gradually wider in a connector releasing direction of the first connector;
a second connector fittable to the first connector, the second connector including a second housing having a second retaining portion and a press plate;
a coil spring attachable to the second housing, a longitudinal direction of the coil spring being substantially perpendicular to a connector fitting direction of the second connector;
a retaining piece, which is formed uprightly on the second housing, and has a nipping slot nipping a central portion of the coil spring, so that at least one of a rear end portion and an upper end portion of the central portion of the coil spring is retained; and
a supporting projection which supports a front end portion of the central portion of the coil spring to fixedly secure the central portion of the coil spring to the second housing in cooperation with the retaining piece, so that opposite end portions of the coil spring are flexible in the connector fitting direction and a connector releasing direction of the second connector,
wherein when the first connector and the second connector are about to be fitted to each other, the flexible lock arm is flexed by the press plate of the second housing pressing downward the first retaining portion, and the first retaining portion is slid on the press plate so that the pair of abutment portions of the flexible lock arm are abutted against the opposite end portions of the coil spring,
wherein when the first connector and the second connector are incompletely fitted, the first connector and the second connector are released in respective directions opposite to their connector fitting directions in accordance with a resilient force of the coil spring, and
wherein when the first connector and the second connector are completely fitted to each other, the first retaining portion of the flexible lock arm is retained by the second retaining portion of the second housing.
In accordance with the second aspect of the present invention, for example, a coil spring may be employed as a resilient member. Accordingly, since the coil spring has the form of the most widespread spring, the coil spring can be produced at low cost. Further, in accordance with the second aspect, for example, a retaining piece and a supporting projection may be employed as a fixing mechanism for the coil spring. Therefore, the coil spring can be easily fixed by such the fixing mechanism with which the coil spring is clamped between the retaining piece and the supporting projection. Accordingly, the assembling operation at the time of attaching the coil spring in the housing can be facilitated, thereby making it possible to improve productivity and attain a reduction in cost.
Furthermore, to achieve the above object, according to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a half-fitting prevention connector which comprises:
a first connector including a first housing;
a flexible lock arm formed on the first housing, the flexible lock arm having a first retaining portion and a pair of abutment portions which are located at a lower side relative to the first retaining portion, the pair of abutment portions having tapered surfaces which are opposed to each other so that an interval between the tapered surfaces becomes gradually wider in a connector releasing direction of the first connector;
a second connector fittable to the first connector, the second connector including a second housing having a second retaining portion and a press plate;
a balanced-type spring attachable to the second housing, a longitudinal direction of the balanced-type spring being substantially perpendicular to a connector fitting direction of the second connector, the balanced-type spring including:
a central fixing portion,
a pair of flexible portions which are extended laterally from opposite sides of the central fixing portion, and
a pair of inwardly convoluted portions, which are located at opposite end portions of the balanced-type spring and are formed by inwardly convoluting tips of the pair of flexible portions;
a retaining column formed uprightly on the second housing, the retaining column having a flange portion, which is formed on an upper end portion of the retaining column, and with which the central fixing portion of the balanced-type spring is retained; and
a pair of receiving projections which receive rear end portions of the pair of flexible portions at positions adjacent to the central fixing portion to fixedly secure the balanced-type spring to the second housing in cooperation with the retaining column, so that the pair of inwardly convoluted portions of the balanced-type spring are flexible in the connector fitting direction and a connector releasing direction of the second connector,
wherein when the first connector and the second connector are about to be fitted to each other, the flexible lock arm is flexed by the press plate of the second housing pressing downward the first retaining portion, and the first retaining portion is slid on the press plate so that the pair of abutment portions of the flexible lock arm are abutted against the pair of inwardly convoluted portions of the balanced-type spring,
wherein when the first connector and the second connector are incompletely fitted, the first connector and the second connector are released in respective directions opposite to their connector fitting directions in accordance with a resilient force of the balanced-type spring, and
wherein when the first connector and the second connector are completely fitted to each other, the first retaining portion of the flexible lock arm is retained by the second retaining portion of the second housing.
In accordance with the third aspect of the present invention, for example, a balanced-type spring may be employed as a resilient member. Since the inwardly convoluted portions are provided on such the balanced-type spring, when the balanced-type spring is pressed in the connector fitting direction by the abutment projections, the abutment projections are difficult to be dislocated from the opposite end portions of the spring, and the urging force becomes strong. On the other hand, when the balanced-type spring is pressed in the connector releasing direction at the ti me of the releasing operation of the connectors, the abutment projections are easily dislocated from the opposite end portions of the spring, and the urging force becomes weak. Therefore, an undue stress is not applied to the spring, and the fitting and releasing operations are facilitated.
Further, in accordance with the third aspect, for example, a retaining column and a receiving projection may be employed as a fixing mechanism for the balanced-type spring. Therefore, the balanced-type spring can be easily fixed by such the fixing mechanism with which the central fixing portion of the balanced-type spring is retained and clamped. Accordingly, the assembling operation and the fitting and releasing operations at the time of attaching the balanced-type spring to the housing are facilitated, and the life of such the spring is prolonged, thereby making it possible to improve the reliability of the connector.