Electrical connectors – With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in... – Retaining means
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-14
2001-03-20
Vu, Hien (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...
Retaining means
C439S347000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06203351
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector locking structure in which a slide member including a flexible securing projection is mounted on a female connector housing, and the mutually fitting engagement between the male and female connector housings can be locked or unlocked by moving the slide member.
2. Related Art
Conventionally, as shown in
FIG. 11
, in a connecting structure for connecting a male connector
1
on the wire harness side and a female connector
5
on the equipment side, a lock arm
3
is provided on a male connector housing
2
formed of synthetic resin in such a manner that the lock arm
3
is formed integrally with the male connector housing
2
and, similarly, an engaging projection
7
corresponding to the lock arm
3
is provided on a female connector housing
6
, whereby the two connectors
1
and
5
are fitted with and locked to each other.
[0003]
Especially, since a heat resistance property must be given to the female connector housing
6
on the equipment side, the lock arm
3
, which is highly flexible, in most cases, cannot be formed of heat-resisting resin. Also, when the lock arm
3
is provided on the female connector housing
6
on the equipment side, the efficiency of an operation when removing the locked condition of the male and female connectors
1
and
5
is poor. This is the reason why the lock arm
3
including a removal operation portion
4
is provided on the male connector
1
on the wire harness side.
However, in the above-mentioned conventional connecting structure, since the lock arm
3
projects from the male connector housing
2
, the male connector
1
is enlarged in size to thereby increase the size of the whole connector; and, because the lock arm
3
can be easily interfered, there is a fear that the locked condition of the two male and female connectors
1
and
5
can be removed inadvertently.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention aims at eliminating the problems found in the above-mentioned conventional connecting structure. Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a small-sized connector locking structure in which not only the operation of an operation portion of a slide member mounted on a female connector housing can be executed smoothly, but also the locking and unlocking of the fitting engagement between two male and female connector housings can be executed easily and positively.
In attaining the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a connector locking structure in which the engaging projection is formed in the male connector housing, and, in the hood portion of the female connector housing with which the male connector housing can be removably fitted, not only there is formed the insertion groove through which the engaging projection can be inserted, but also there is provided a slide member which includes a flexible securing projection engageable with the engaging projection and also which can be freely moved by operating or pressing the operation portion thereof, whereby, if the flexible securing projection of the slide member is engaged with the engaging projection of the male connector housing, then the fitting engagement between the two male and female connector housing can be locked, characterized in that the number of the engaging projections of the male connector housing is two or more, and the number of the insertion grooves of the female connector housing is so set as to correspond the number of the engaging projections of the male connector housing, while the insertion grooves are respectively formed at the given positions of the hood portion of the female connector housing that are respectively disposed opposed to their associated engaging projections.
With use of the present connector locking structure, in the mutual fitting engagement between the male and female connector housings, the plurality of engaging projections of the male connector housing are respectively restricted in position by the plurality of insertion grooves of the hood portion of the female connector housing, so that the male connector housing can be moved smoothly in a linear manner with respect to the female connector housing. This makes it sure to prevent the deformation and the like of the connector terminals.
According to the present invention, the flexible securing projections corresponding in number to the engaging projections of the male connector housing are respectively provided in the slide member.
With use of the present connector locking structure, in the connector locked condition in-which the plurality of engaging projections of the male connector housing are respectively engaged with the flexible securing projections of the slide member, a sufficient locking strength is secured and, when removing such locked condition, the slide member may be moved by an amount equivalent to one engaging projection. As a result of this, the space necessary for the movement of the slider member can be reduced and thus the whole connector can be made more compact by an amount corresponding to the reduction of the slider member movement space.
According to the present invention, there is provided a connector locking structure as set forth in claim
1
, characterized in that the plurality of guide ribs are formed projectingly and integrally in the hood portion of the female connector housing to thereby form the plurality of insertion grooves.
With use of the present connector locking structure, since the male connector housing can be moved smoothly in a linear manner with respect to the female connector housing through the guide ribs forming the plurality of insertion grooves of the hood portion of the female connector housing, the deformation and the like of the connector terminals can be surely prevented.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4634204 (1987-01-01), Detter et al.
patent: 4884978 (1989-12-01), Inaka et al.
patent: 5236373 (1993-08-01), Kennedy
patent: 5605471 (1997-02-01), Plyler
patent: 5628648 (1997-05-01), Higgins et al.
patent: 5720623 (1998-02-01), Polenick et al.
patent: 5722849 (1998-03-01), Alwine
patent: 5820395 (1998-10-01), Stabroth et al.
patent: 62-176987 (1987-11-01), None
patent: 63-20378 (1988-02-01), None
patent: 5-1178 (1993-01-01), None
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
Vu Hien
Yazaki -Corporation
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