Wire equipment

Details Wire equipment Wire equipment

2001-04-20

2002-08-06

Nguyen, Khiem (Department: 2839)

Electrical connectors

With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...

Retaining means

C439S310000, C439S248000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06428340

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wire equipment and, more particularly, to a wire equipment employed for a vehicle such as in meter module, audio deck, or navigation system.
2. Description of Relevant Art
A conventional mounting technology of wire equipment for a vehicle is cited in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 7-45337 (Japanese Patent No. 2956741).
An instrument panel has a guide groove formed thereto. A body has a connector. The instrument panel is assembled with a case for housing electrical equipment. This case has a mating connector mounted thereto at its wire harness end and to be mated with the body connector.
The guide groove of the instrument panel includes a horizontal groove along the direction of pushing the case during assembly, and a vertical groove extending downward from the terminal of horizontal groove at right angle. The case has a roller to be guided by the guide groove of the instrument panel. Thus, the roller runs along the horizontal groove and comes down along the vertical groove upon reaching the terminal of horizontal groove. With this, the mating connector comes down to be joined to the body connector.
Recently, the electrical equipment advances in multiple functionalization have increased numbers of wires coming from the electrical equipment. Thus, advances in multi-polarization increase numbers of mating connectors and connection terminals. Thus, when the multi-polarized mating connectors and body connectors are mated with each other, a large mating load is necessary. The above-described mounting technology, due to the weight of case, and mating of the body connector and mating connector results in a short mating load and difficulty in mounting the case with the electrical equipment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide wire equipment that, without depending on the electrical equipment of own weight, allows reliable and simply operated joining together of connectors and assembly with an electrical equipment.
As a first aspect of the invention, the following wire equipment is provided. The equipment includes a first housing with a first connector and a second housing with a second connector. A first guide mechanism is for guiding the first housing and the second housing to be moved at first displacement of first component and second component for assembly with each other. The first component allows the first and second connectors to be mated with each other. The second component allows the second connector and the second housing to be moved relatively at second displacement.
Preferably, the first guide mechanism includes: a first slider fixed to the first housing; and a first groove part defined by the second housing and in engagement with the first slider.
Preferably, the first groove part includes: a first portion; and a second portion in communication with the first portion. The second portion extends obliquely relative to the first portion.
Preferably, the wire equipment further includes the second guide mechanism for guiding the second connector and the second housing to be moved at the second displacement.
Preferably, the second guide mechanism includes: a second slider fixed to the second connector; and a second groove part defined by the second housing. The second groove part is engaged with the second slider.
Preferably, the second housing has a holder which holds the second connector and defines the second groove part.
Preferably, one of the first and second housing is an instrument panel.
Preferably, the wire equipment further includes a second guide mechanism for guiding the second connector and the second housing to be moved relatively at the second displacement. The second guide mechanism includes: a second slider fixed to the second connector; and the second groove part defined by the second housing and in engagement with the second slider. The second groove part is parallel with the first portion.
Preferably, the second component is equal to the second displacement.
According to the aspect, with a push operation of the first or second housing in an assembly direction, the first guide mechanism guides the first and second housing to be moved at the first displacement. The first and second connectors come close to each other. The first and second connectors are moved at the first component to be mated with each other. While mating the first and second connectors, the first and second connectors are moved at the second component, so that the second connector and second housing are moved relatively at the second displacement. Thus, for example, with pushing the first or second housing in an assembly direction, a component force, being generated while the first and second housing are guided, causes the first and second connectors to be mated with each other.
Thus, an assembly operation of the wire equipment is easy and reliable, thus improving productivity.
According to the first slider and groove, a reliable and simple-structured mounting operation is performed.
According to the second guide mechanism, while mating the first and second connectors, it guides the second connector and the second housing to be moved relatively at the second displacement.
The electrical equipment is to be mounted simply and efficiently to the instrument panel on which mounting of electrical equipment concentrates.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5224018 (1993-06-01), Kobayashi
patent: 6217363 (2001-04-01), Takata
patent: 07-045337 (1995-02-01), None

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