Electrical connectors – With contact preventer or retractable cover part – Dummy connector
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-23
2004-11-09
Duverne, J. F. (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With contact preventer or retractable cover part
Dummy connector
Reexamination Certificate
active
06814595
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure for preventing failure of a connector, which is constituted by a pair of female and male subconnectors and aims at electrical connection of an electrically driven apparatus, such as an electric car, which needs to perform charging operations.
2. Related Art
Hitherto, an internal battery (that is, a chargeable battery) mounted in an electric car is charged by a feeder apparatus installed in a feeder station. That is, a feeder subconnector is connected to an end of a feeder cord drawn out of the feeder apparatus. Power is fed to the internal battery, which is electrically connected to a car-side receiving subconnector, by connecting this feeder subconnector to a vehicle-side receiving subconnector.
In a conventional receiving subconnector
50
illustrated in
FIGS. 7 and 8
, a cap
52
is supported by a cap pin
55
so that neither water nor dust directly enters a housing
51
into which a connecting terminal (not shown) is built.
Further, a cap lock
53
for holding the cap
52
in such a way as to be in a closed state is supported at a side opposite to the cap
52
by a lock pin
56
. This cap
52
is always pushed by a cap spring (not shown) in an opening direction. The cap lock
53
is always pushed by a lock spring
54
toward the inside of the housing.
Moreover, in the conventional feeder subconnector
60
illustrated in
FIGS. 8 and 9
, a housing
61
, into which a connection terminal (not shown) is incorporated, and a lock arm
63
, which is supported on the arm shaft
64
and used for fitting the receiving subconnector
50
into the housing and for holding the receiving subconnector
50
are built into an outer case
62
. Furthermore, an end portion
63
a
of the lock arm
63
is always pushed by a lock arm spring
65
.
When the feeder subconnector
60
is inserted into the receiving subconnector
50
, the cap lock
53
is unlocked. Then, the cap
52
is opened. Subsequently, the feeder subconnector
60
is inserted thereinto. Thus, the end portion
63
a
of the lock arm
63
is stranded on a tapered surface
51
a
of the housing
51
.
Then, the end portion
63
a
of the lock arm
63
passes through the feeder subconnector
60
and is accommodated in a lock arm engaging groove
51
b
by further inserting the feeder subconnector
60
thereinto. Thus, operations of fitting the feeder subconnector
60
into the receiving subconnector
50
and connecting both the subconnectors
50
and
60
to each other are completed.
Further, when both the subconnectors
50
and
60
are disengaged from each other, by pushing an operating portion
63
b
of the lock arm
63
. Thus, the lock arm
63
is turned around the arm shaft
64
, so that the end portion
63
a
upwardly moves. The subconnectors
50
and
60
can be disengaged from each other by then rearwardly pulling out the feeder subconnector
60
.
However, in the case that a force, whose magnitude is equal to or higher than that of a force of an end portion
63
a
of the lock arm
63
, acts in a direction, in which both the conventional receiving subconnector
50
and the conventional feeder subconnector
60
are disengaged from each other, in the aforementioned state in which the conventional receiving subconnector
50
and the conventional feeder subconnector
60
are fitted into each other, there has been caused a problem that the lock arm
63
at the side of the feeder subconnector
60
and a lock plate
57
at the side of the receiving subconnector
50
are damaged. Moreover, there has been caused another problem that in some case, a user's fingers touch an exposed connection terminal and thus a user gets an electric shock.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is accomplished to solve the aforementioned problems of the conventional connector. Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a structure for preventing failure of a connector constituted by a pair of male and female subconnectors, which can be disengaged from each other without damaging a connector body in the case that a force damaging both the female and male subconnectors acts in a direction, in which these subconnectors are disengaged from each other, when both the female and male subconnectors are completely fitted into each other.
The aforementioned problems to be solved by the invention can be solved by a structure (hereunder referred to as a first structure of the invention) for preventing failure of a connector constituted by a first subconnector and a second subconnector to be fitted into each other and electrically connected to each other. The first subconnector having an openable and closable cap, which is provided at a front end portion of the first subconnector, for closing the front end portion. Further, a cap lock for preventing, when both the first and second subconnectors are not fitted into each other, the cap from turning being provided on a connector housing. In this structure, the first subconnector or the second subconnector has a disengaging mechanism for disengaging the second subconnector from the first subconnector before damaged, in a case that a force damaging a connector body of one of the first and second subconnectors acts in a disengaging direction after completion of fitting the first and second subconnectors into each other.
Further, the problems can be solved by an embodiment of the first structure of the invention, which is preferably adapted so that the disengaging mechanism is a relief groove provided in the cap lock serving as a fitting lock for locking a state, in which said first and second subconnectors are fitted into each other, after completion of fitting therebetween and that this relief groove is formed in a support portion of the cap lock engaged with a cap lock shaft turnably supporting the cap lock.
In the first structure for preventing failure of the connector, which has the aforementioned configuration, the cap lock functions as a fitting lock for locking the fitting state, in which the first and second subconnectors are fitted into each other, after completion of fitting the first and second subconnectors into each other. Moreover, the first subconnector or the second subconnector has a disengaging mechanism for disengaging the second subconnector from the first subconnector before damaged, in the case that a force damaging a connector body of one of the first and second subconnectors acts in a disengaging direction after completion of fitting the first and second subconnectors into each other.
Therefore, even in the case that a force, whose magnitude is sufficient for damaging the connector body of at least one of the subconnectors, acts thereon in a disengaging direction when the first and second subconnectors are completely fitted into each other, the cap lock is disengaged from the first subconnector before the first subconnector or the second subconnector is damaged. Thus, the first subconnector or the second subconnector is disengaged from the other subconnector without being damaged. Consequently, the connecting terminal is not exposed by the failure of the connector body. This reliably prevents an operator from touching the connecting terminal with fingers to thereby get an electric shock. Thus, a high safe connector can be obtained.
Further, the disengaging mechanism is a relief groove that is provided in the cap lock serving as a fitting lock for locking a state, in which the first and second subconnectors are fitted into each other, after completion of fitting the first and second subconnectors into each other and that is formed in a support portion of the cap lock engaged with a cap lock shaft turnably supporting the cap lock.
Therefore, one member is used as both the cap lock and the fitting lock. Thus, the number of components is reduced. Moreover, the cap lock shaft gets out of the relief groove formed in the support portion of the cap lock. Consequently, the second subconnector can easily be disengaged from the first subconnector. Hence, the provision of the disengaging mechanism doe
Miyamoto Masahiro
Mori Shigeo
Duverne J. F.
Yazaki -Corporation
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