Electrical connectors – With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in... – Including compound movement of coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-21
2001-04-17
Bradley, Paula (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...
Including compound movement of coupling part
C439S247000, C439S248000, C439S354000, C439S034000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06217363
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector such as used in an automobile that is adapted to be connected together at the same time when a module side movable panel is attached to a vehicle body side fixed panel, and also relates to a connector attachment structure in which said connector can be attached to a corresponding connector even when there is caused a deviation in position between a vehicle body side fixed panel and a module side movable panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in an assembling process of meter modules, door modules, overhead modules or the like, it is the practice to mount an electrical equipment module side panel (for instance, an instrument panel or an inner panel) on a vehicle body side panel (for instance, a dash panel, a door panel, or a roof panel) after a wiring harness connector of the former and a wiring harness connector of the latter are connected together with hands, this causing a problem that the assembling efficiency is deteriorated because the connectors have to manually be connected together. In addition, the wiring harness for each connector needs to have a certain extra length for such a manual connection of connectors, this constituting a cause for abnormal noises generated by running vibrations and producing a risk of an unnecessarily long electric wire being bitten by nearby components, and thus various types of countermeasures need to be taken thereagainst. Due to this, there is proposed a connector adapted to be connected together at the same time when a module side movable panel is attached to a vehicle body side fixed panel (refer to the official gazette of Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. Hei.5-54933).
In this proposed technology, a bracket having a fitting attachment port is attached, for instance, to a vehicle body side fixed panel, and the outside of a connector holder formed integral with a connector is supported with a plurality of elastic supporting pieces provided around the periphery of the fitting attachment port of the bracket. Then, another connector attached to a module side movable panel so as to correspond to that connector is connected to the corresponding connector. With this technology, even when there is caused a deviation in position between the vehicle body side fixed panel and the module side movable panel, the elastic supporting pieces are adapted to deflect to absorb such a deviation, the both connectors being thereby connected to each other.
In a conventional connector, however, a connector is only fixed on each panel in a longitudinal or antero-posterior direction, and therefore this causes a problem that a wide connector connecting space needs to be secured between the respective panels(in a depth-wise direction). To cope with the problem, there is conceived a connector in which a first connector is fixed to a first attachment member (module side movable panel) in a position where it is oriented transversely, while a second connector is supported on a holder for a second attachment member (vehicle body side fixed panel) in such a manner as to be displaced in a transversely oriented advancing direction, whereby the second connector is displaced in the transversely oriented advancing direction so at to eventually be connected with the first connector when the both attachment members are caused to relatively approach each other. In this connector, since the respective connectors are in a position they are oriented transversely before and after connection, there is no need to secure a wide connector connecting space between the respective attachment members (in a depth-wise direction), a connection of connectors thus being able to be effected even with a narrow depth-wise space. However, in order to put this connector to practical use, there remain several things to be improved for instance from an assembling point of view.
Furthermore, with the technology described above, in order to support the connector holder on the outside thereof by the elastic supporting pieces, for instance, in a case where the connector holder is rectangular, at least four elastic supporting pieces are needed, and in addition, the respective elastic pieces need to be brought into engagement with the connector holder, and this causes problems of a complicated structure and troublesome assembling work.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention was made to solve the above problem inherent in the prior art and an object thereof is to provide a connector that can be connected together even in a space limited in the depth-wise direction. Additionally, the present invention is to provide a connector that can provide good assembling efficiency and be suitable for practical use.
Furthermore, the present invention is to provide a connector and a connector attachment structure that can facilitate an attachment of components through provision of a state in which a deviation in position is absorbed.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, the prevent invention provides a connector in which a first connector provided on a first attachment member and a second connector provided on a second attachment member are connected to each other when the both attachment members are caused to relatively approach each other, wherein the first connector is fixed on the first attachment member in a position where it is transversely oriented, while the second connector is supported on a holder fixed on the second attachment member in a position where it is transversely oriented in such a manner as to be displaced in a transversely oriented advancing direction, whereby the second connector is adapted to be displaced relative to said first connector in the transversely oriented advancing direction for connection with the first connector when the both attachment members are caused to relatively approach each other.
In the present invention, the second connector is displaced in the transversely oriented advancing direction for connection with the first connector by fixing the first connector to the first attachment member in a position where it is transversely oriented (oriented normal to a direction in which the attachment members are opposed to each other), supporting the second connector with the holder of the second attachment member in such a manner that the second connector is displaced in the transversely oriented advancing direction, and approaching the both attachment members to each other.
Therefore, since the both connectors remain in the transversely oriented positions before and after connection, there is no need to secure a wide connector connecting space between the respective attachment members (in the depth-wise direction), and therefore the connectors can be connected together even when the depth-wise space is limited or narrow.
Further, there is a feature that, it can be constructed such that guide pin portions of the second connector are fitted and supported in cam slot portions formed in the above holder in such a manner that the pin portions move in the transversely oriented advancing direction, that the second connector is moved in the transversely oriented direction by the cam slot portions when the both attachment members are caused to relatively approach each other, whereby the second connector is moved further in the transversely oriented advancing direction after the terminals of the first connector and the terminals of the second connector are completely fitted in each other.
With the above construction, when the both attachment members are caused to relatively approach each other, the second connector is moved toward the first connector in the transversely oriented advancing direction, and before they are completely connected each other the terminals of the first connector and the terminals of the second connector are completely fitted in each other. The first and second connectors are completely connected to each other thereafter. Thus, since the respective terminals are completely fitted in each other before the respective
Bradley Paula
Gilman Alexander
Harness System Technologies Research Ltd.
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
LandOfFree
Connector and connector attachment structure does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Connector and connector attachment structure, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Connector and connector attachment structure will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2527092