Electrical connectors – With coupling separator – Including retainer or joiner
Patent
1996-06-04
1999-05-18
Bradley, Paula
Electrical connectors
With coupling separator
Including retainer or joiner
H01R13/62
Patent
active
059045833
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to lever connectors in which two connector housings are fitted to each other by turning a lever thereof.
BACKGROUND ART
FIG. 6 illustrates a conventional lever connector. Of two connector housings 50 and 60 fitted to each other, a female connector housing 50 has two engagement pins 51 projecting from respective opposite side walls. The male connector housing 60 has two support shafts 61 formed on respective opposite side walls thereof and a lever 62 whose arms 63 extend from both ends of the lever and are rotatably mounted on the support shafts 61.
In connecting the connector housings 50 and 60 together, the female connector housing 50 is inserted slightly into a hood 64 of the male connector housing 60 so that engagement pins 51 enter openings of respective cam grooves 65 formed in the arms 63. With insertion of the female connector housing 50 into the hood 64, a protrusion 52 formed on the underside of the female connector housing 50 and a protrusion 66 formed on the bottom of the hood 64 of the male connector housing 60 move over each other, 25 thereby being engaged with each other. As a result of the engagement of the protrusions 52 and 66, each of the connector housings 50 and 60 is prevented from being moved in a direction in which they come apart from each other. Thus, both connector housings 50 and 60 are held in a preliminary fitted state wherein the engagement pins 51 are located in the respective cam grooves 65, as shown in FIG. 7.
Subsequently, the lever 62 is turned in the above-described state. Both connector housings 50 and 60 are held in the preliminary fitted state such that there is no possibility of disengagement of the engagement pins 51 from the respective cam grooves 65. Accordingly, the lever 62 can be turned smoothly and reliably. By engagement of the pins 51 with the respective cam grooves 65 caused by the turning of the lever 62, the female and male connector housings 50 and 60 are drawn nearer to each other, whereupon both connector housings are connected together in a final fitted state.
As described above, the conventional lever connector employs, as a means for holding both connector housings in preliminary fitted state, a method of engaging the protrusion 52 formed on the underside of the female connector housing 50 and the protrusion 66 formed on the bottom of the hood 64 of the male connector housing 60 with each other.
However, this preliminary engaging means has the following problem. That is, a metal mold for forming a bottom face lying at the rear of the protrusion 66 needs to be drawn out when the protrusion 66 is formed on the bottom of the hood 64 of the male connector housing 60. Accordingly, a mold drawing hole 67 open to the outside of the hood 64 is formed in the inner end face of the hood 64. Consequently, the interior of the connector communicates with the exterior thereof through the hole 67 in the state where both connector housings 50 and 60 are in fitting engagement. There is thus a possibility that water may penetrate into the connector to thereby wet the terminals therein.
Another prior art lever connector will be described with reference to FIG. 16.
Of two connector housings fitted to each other, the male connector housing 170 has two support shafts 171 formed on opposite side walls thereof, respectively, and a lever 172 which is formed into a U-shape and which has plate-shaped arms 173 extending from both ends thereof and rotatably mounted on the support shafts 171 in the same manner as in the foregoing prior art lever connector. The female connector housing has two engagement pins formed on opposite side walls thereof and engaged with cam groove 174 formed in the inner side, faces of the arms, respectively. In the connection of both connector housings, the female connector housing is slightly inserted into the hood 175 of the male connector housing 170 so that the engagement pins enter openings of cam grooves 174 of the arms 173, respectively. Upon turning of the lever 172 in this state, the female conn
REFERENCES:
patent: 5171156 (1992-12-01), Nagasaka et al.
patent: 5178553 (1993-01-01), Hatagishi et al.
patent: 5183408 (1993-02-01), Hatagishi et al.
patent: 5205752 (1993-04-01), Taguchi et al.
patent: 5230635 (1993-07-01), Takenouchi et al.
patent: 5257942 (1993-11-01), Taguchi
patent: 5320544 (1994-06-01), Naoto et al.
patent: 5499926 (1996-03-01), Akeda
patent: 5790373 (1998-08-01), Kim et al.
Katsuma Takatoshi
Kounoya Hisashi
Bradley Paula
Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd.
Ta Tho D.
LandOfFree
Lever connector does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Lever connector, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Lever connector will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1756234