Patent ID: 9601870
Date: 2017-03-21
CPC Classifications: H01R

Claim:
1. A locking structure of a connector assembly having a plug and a receptacle that are fitted to each other along a fitting axis, wherein the plug includes a plug shell of cylindrical shape, a sleeve of cylindrical shape disposed on outer periphery of the plug shell, and a C-ring disposed between the outer periphery of the plug shell and inner periphery of the sleeve, wherein the receptacle includes a receptacle shell of cylindrical shape having an end that is inserted between the outer periphery of the plug shell and the inner periphery of the sleeve when the receptacle is fitted to the plug, wherein the C-ring has, on its outer periphery, a sleeve contacting surface facing in a first direction and a radially-outward direction and, on its inner periphery, a receptacle shell contacting surface facing in a second direction and a radially-inward direction, the first direction being a direction from the plug to the receptacle along the fitting axis, and the second direction being a direction opposite from the first direction along the fitting axis, and the C-ring is elastically deformable between a first state in which the C-ring has a ring diameter allowing the receptacle shell contacting surface to come in contact with the receptacle shell and a second state in which the C-ring has a ring diameter, larger than that in the first state, allowing the receptacle shell contacting surface to separate from the receptacle shell, wherein the sleeve contacting surface and the receptacle shell contacting surface each form an inclined surface extending to diagonally intersect the fitting axis, and wherein when, with the C-ring being in the first state, the sleeve contacting surface comes in contact with the sleeve and the receptacle shell contacting surface comes in contact with the receptacle shell, a fitted state between the plug and the receptacle is locked.