Patent ID: 6712636
Filing Date: 2004-03-30
Classification: H01R,Y10T

Abstract:
A connector lock mechanism for locking the connected condition of a set of male and female connectors to be engaged with each other, the connector lock mechanism comprising:a flexible arm disposed on one of the male and female connectors and extending in a cantilevered manner along a direction in which one of the male and female connectors can be engaged with the other one of the male and female connectors, said arm including a base end which is directly connected to the one of the male and female connectors; an engaging portion disposed on the flexible arm; an arm guide surface disposed on the other connector one of the male and female connectors for flexing the flexible arm until a connector mutual engagement length between the two connectors reaches a preset length; a securing member disposed on the other connector, said securing member securing the engaging portion of the flexible arm to thereby prevent the two connectors from being removed from each other when the connector mutual engagement length reaches the preset length; and a connector removing mechanism including said flexible arm, and a push-out guide surface which is formed integrally with said other connector and also which, when said two connectors are operated for their mutual engagement, deforms said flexible arm elastically to thereby generate a push-out force separating said two connectors from each other in mutually removing directions, wherein the elasticity of said flexible arm and an inclination angle of said push-out guide surface are set such that said push-out force generated by said connector removing mechanism is greater than contact resistance caused by mutual connection between male- and female-type terminals respectively held within their associated connectors.