Electrical connectors – With insulation other than conductor sheath – Plural-contact coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-28
2002-04-23
Bradley, P. Austin (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With insulation other than conductor sheath
Plural-contact coupling part
C439S594000, C439S717000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06375517
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a joining connector system formed in a pair by joining a plurality of connectors, and more particularly to a joining connector system intending to improve an assembly property by reducing an inserting force for combining the connectors.
Conventionally, in order to improve a handling property of a plurality of connectors, there is employed a joining connector system for joining connectors to each other.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Laid-open Publication No. 62-15774 discloses a connector structure employing an engaging projection and an engaging groove.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with a consideration of the inventors of the present application, as shown in
FIGS. 4 and 5
, a plurality of terminal receiving chambers
6
and
7
are formed in connector housings
4
and
5
of two connectors
2
and
3
joined to each other in the joining connector system
1
. Electric wires
10
and
11
from wire harnesses
8
and
9
are drawn into the terminal receiving chambers
6
and
7
in the respective connectors, and connected to terminals (not shown) within the terminal receiving chambers
6
and
7
.
These connectors
2
and
3
are joined to each other by relatively sliding the connector housings
4
and
5
in a direction of an arrow D.
In order to perform the join mentioned above, a fitting groove
12
is formed on an outer wall in one side of the connector housing
4
of the connector
2
, and a T-shaped fitting projection
13
fitting to an engaging groove
12
is formed on an outer wall of the connector housing
5
of the connector
3
corresponding to the fitting groove
12
.
These fitting groove
12
and the fitting projection
13
extend along a fitting direction of the connector housings
4
and
5
, and can join both of the connectors
2
and
3
as shown in
FIG. 5
by fitting the fitting projection
13
to the fitting groove
12
and sliding them.
However, in the joining connector system
1
having the structure mentioned above, a gap
14
is generated between the fitting groove
12
and the fitting projection
13
as shown in
FIG. 6
due to a heat contraction generated at a time of injection molding the connector housings
4
and
5
and the other reasons, a play in directions shown by arrows
16
and
17
is generated due to the gap
14
, and the connector housings
4
and
5
generate a relative positional shift due to the play as shown by a broken line.
Since the connector housings
4
and
5
are shifted from a regular position so as to generate a so-called pitch shift when the play mentioned above is generated, the joining connector system
1
is interfered with an opposing connector (not shown) at a time of fitting the joining connector system
1
to the opposing connector and becomes shaky so as to be hard to be fitted. In addition, there is a case that the terminals within the terminal receiving chambers
6
and
7
can not be in contact with the terminals in the opposing connector in a good state.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a joining connector system which intends to improve an assembly property by reducing an inserting force for combining connectors and reducing a play generated between joined connector housings so as to effectively prevent a pitch shift from generating.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a joining connector system comprises: one connector having an engaging piece protruded on a connector housing thereof; and another connector having an engaging groove to which the engaging piece fits and which is formed in a connector housing thereof, the joining connector system being joined by sliding the engaging groove and the engaging piece with each other in a sliding direction. Further, in such a structure, a protrusion having a shape tapered toward the sliding direction is provided near an end portion in a side in which a join of the joining connector is finished in the sliding direction, in at least one of the engaging piece and the engaging groove.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4425018 (1984-01-01), Stenz
patent: 5895296 (1999-04-01), Okabe
patent: 5904598 (1999-05-01), Yamanashi
patent: 5938481 (1999-08-01), Okabe et al.
patent: 5984732 (1999-11-01), Mehring
patent: 62-15774 (1987-01-01), None
patent: 11-312547 (1999-11-01), None
Okabe Toshiaki
Yamashita Tetsuya
Bradley P. Austin
León Edwin A.
Yazaki -Corporation
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