Electrical connectors – With coupling separator – Including retainer or joiner
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-03
2001-02-20
Sircus, Brian (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With coupling separator
Including retainer or joiner
C439S354000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06190187
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lever fitting type connector that, by rotating a lever assembled to a male connector, the male connector can be inserted into and fitted with a fitting hood portion formed in a female connector portion thereof.
2. Related Art
Now,
FIG. 4
shows the main portions of a lever fitting type connector; and, in particular, a male connector
1
, and a lever
2
which is rotatably assembled to the male connector
1
. The male connector
1
can be inserted into and fitted with a fitting hood portion
4
formed in a female connector portion (see
FIG. 5
)
3
of the lever fitting type connector, by rotating the lever
2
.
The male connector
1
includes a plurality of terminal storage chambers which respectively extend through the male connector
1
in the vertical direction thereof and store therein their associated terminals. Also, the male connector
1
includes two play preventive ribs
6
and
6
which are respectively provided on and projected laterally from the respective one-end portions of the two side surfaces
5
of the male connector, while the play preventive ribs
6
and
6
respectively extend in the fitting direction of the male connector
1
. And, the male connector
1
further includes two boss portions
7
which are respectively provided on and projected from the two side surfaces
5
, while the lever
2
is rotatably supported on the boss portions
7
.
The lever
2
includes a pair of right and left side walls
8
,
8
, and an operation portion
9
which connects together the right and left side walls
8
and
8
on the rear end side thereof. The two boss portions
7
of the male connector
1
are respectively inserted into the right and left side walls
8
and
8
: that is, the lever
2
can be rotated about the boss portions
7
thanks to the insertion of the boss portions
7
into the right and left side walls
8
and
8
. Also, on the respective leading ends of the side walls
8
and
8
that are located on the opposite side to the operation portion
9
, there are formed two projection portions
10
and
10
which are respectively united integrally with their associated side wall ends and extend through their associated play preventive ribs
6
of the male connector
1
. These projection portions
10
and
10
are respectively inserted into their associated elongated holes which are so formed as to extend through a fitting hood portion (which will be discussed later) formed in a female connector portion of the present connector, so that they provide the fulcrum of rotation of the lever
2
. Also, a lock arm
11
is disposed between the right and left side walls
8
and
8
of the lever
2
and on the operation portion
9
side. The lock arm
11
includes a flexible arm portion
12
, and a lock arm
11
side securing projection
13
which is provided on the arm portion
12
.
The female connector portion
3
includes a fitting hood portion
4
the upper surface of which is opened and into which the male connector
1
can be inserted. In the inner wall of the fitting hood portion
4
on the upper end side thereof, there is formed a lock portion
14
with which the lock arm
11
of the lever
2
can be engaged. The lock portion
14
is composed of a fitting hood portion
4
side securing projection
15
which is provided on and projected inwardly from the inner wall of the fitting hood portion
4
. Also, in the fitting hood portion
4
, there is formed an elongated groove (not shown) into which the play preventive rib
6
of the male connector
1
can be inserted; and, on the side surface of the fitting hood portion
4
, there are formed two elongated holes (not shown) into which the projection portions
10
of the lever
2
can be respectively engaged.
In the present lever fitting type connector, the two boss portions
7
of the male connector
1
are respectively inserted into the right and left side walls
8
of the lever
2
and also the two projection portions
10
are respectively inserted through their associated play preventive ribs
6
, so that the connector can be assembled in such a manner as shown in FIG.
4
. And, after the male connector
1
with the lever
2
assembled thereto is inserted into the fitting hood portion
4
of the female connector portion
3
and the two projection portions
10
of the lever
2
are respectively engaged into their associated elongated holes of the fitting hood portion
4
, the operation portion
9
is pressed to thereby rotate the lever
2
in a direction of an arrow line
16
shown in FIG.
5
. Due to the leverage of the rotation of the lever
2
, the male connector
1
can be inserted into and fitted with the fitting hood portion
4
of the female connector portion
3
.
If the male connector
1
is inserted into and fitted with the fitting hood portion
4
, then the lock arm
11
side securing projection
13
is engaged with the fitting hood portion
4
side securing projection
15
. This can prevent the unexpected rotation of the lever
2
as well as can hold the fitted state of the male connector
1
with the female connector portion
3
.
However, when the lock arm
11
side securing projection
13
is engaged with the fitting hood portion
4
side securing projection
15
, as shown in
FIG. 6
, the lever
2
is rotated about the boss portions
7
, so that these two securing projections
13
and
15
are engaged with each other in such a state as near to a line contact. Therefore, when the two securing projections
13
and
15
are engaged with each other, there can be generated only a low operation sound (locking sound), which lacks in the sense of moderation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention aims at eliminating the drawbacks found in the above-mentioned conventional lever fitting type connector. Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a lever fitting type connector which can make louder an operation sound to be generated when a lever is locked, thereby being able to enhance the sense of moderation.
In attaining the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a lever fitting type connector, comprising: a male connector; a lever to be rotatably assembled to the male connector; and, a female connector portion including a fitting hood portion into which, by rotating the lever, the male connector can be inserted, wherein, if a lock arm disposed on the lever is engaged with a lock portion formed in the fitting hood portion of the female connector portion, then the male connector can be completely fitted into the fitting hood portion of the female connector portion, characterized in that the lock arm is composed of a flexible arm portion and a lock arm side securing projection provided on the flexible arm portion, whereas the lock portion is composed of a reduced thickness plate portion formed in the inner wall of the fitting hood portion and a fitting hood portion side securing projection at least part of which is projected from the reduced thickness plate portion and also which can be engaged with the lock arm side securing projection.
According to the present lever fitting type connector, if the lever is rotated to thereby fit the male connector completely into the fitting hood portion of the female connector portion, then the lock arm side securing projection goes beyond the fitting hood portion side securing projection and is thereby engaged with the fitting hood portion side securing projection. In this operation, since part of the fitting hood portion side securing projection is formed in the reduced thickness plate portion, when the lock arm side securing projection goes beyond the fitting hood portion side securing projection, the lock arm side securing projection flexes once and thereafter returns to its original shape: that is, when the lock arm side securing projection returns to its original shape, it becomes easy to resound, which makes loud the operation sound generated when the male connector is fitted into the fitting hood portion of the female connector portion,
Okabe Toshiaki
Ozawa Toshiaki
Nguyen Son V.
Sircus Brian
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
Yazaki -Corporation
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