Patent ID: 7331813
Filing Date: 2008-02-19
Classification: F16B

Abstract:
1. A plug-socket assembly comprising a plug and a socket that receives and secures said plug; said socket comprising: a socket body having a plug insertion hole; a locking element fitted to said socket body so as to be displaceable in a radial direction of said plug insertion hole; a locking element-actuating member fitted to an outside of said socket body so as to be displaceable in an axial direction of said plug insertion hole; and a resilient member that urges said locking element-actuating member in said axial direction; said plug having a forward end head portion that is slidably inserted into said plug insertion hole of said socket, and a reduced-diameter portion following said forward end head portion; said forward end head portion having a slant rear surface that extends radially inward toward a rear end thereof as viewed in a plug insertion direction; said reduced-diameter portion extending rearward of said plug from a rear end of the slant rear surface; wherein said locking element-actuating member of said socket has a locking element sliding surface provided on an inner side thereof, said locking element sliding surface extends radially outward in an urging direction in which said locking element-actuating member is urged by said resilient member, so that said locking element sliding surface pressingly engages said locking element by being urged in said axial direction by said resilient member; said locking element sliding surface of said locking element-actuating member of said socket having: a first portion that engages said locking element to apply force to said locking element in order to project said locking element as far as a first position in said plug insertion hole when said plug is not inserted in said plug insertion hole; a second portion that is spaced apart from said first portion by a predetermined distance in said urging direction, said second portion being arranged so that when engaging said second portion, said locking element is positioned at a second position that is radially outward of said first position to allow the forward end head portion of said plug to be inserted into said plug insertion hole beyond said locking element; a third portion that is closer to said first portion than said second portion, said third portion being arranged such that when said forward end head portion of said plug is inserted beyond said locking element, said third portion pressingly engages said locking element that is engaged by the slant rear surface of the forward end head portion of said plug at a position radially outward away from said reduced-diameter portion where said third portion cannot contact said reduced-diameter portion; and a fourth portion that engages said locking element at an intermediate position between said second portion and said third portion and that is configured so that even if said locking element applies a radially outward force to said locking element sliding surface, said locking element-actuating member will not be forced to move in a direction opposite to said urging direction.