Abstract:
A first connector ( 3 ) includes: a first housing ( 12 ); and a pair of rotary members ( 13 ) supported on the first housing ( 12 ) for rotating in opposite directions to each other. Rotary members ( 13 ) each include: a first engagement member ( 21, 22 ); and a second connector ( 4 ) configured to be mated with the first connector ( 3 ). The second connector ( 4 ) includes a second housing ( 27 ) configured to be mated with the first housing ( 12 ). The second housing ( 27 ) includes a pair of first mating engagement members ( 36 ). First mating engagement members ( 36 ) are each configured to be abutted on the first engagement member for rotating a rotary member ( 13 ) and to be locked with the first engagement member ( 21, 22 ). The second housing ( 27 ) includes a pair of cuts ( 35 ). Cuts ( 35 ) each are for inserting the rotary member ( 13 ) thereinto when the rotary member ( 13 ) rotates.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a connector system, and, more specifically, to a connector system for supporting and fixing joined mating internal and external connectors to a mounting component. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a connector system for increasing the amount of rotation without increasing the length of an engagement lever. 
     To achieve the object, and according to a first aspect of this invention, a connector system is provided that includes a first connector, which includes a first housing and a pair of rotary members supported on the first housing for rotating in opposite directions to each other. Each of the rotary members includes a first engagement member. The connector system also includes a second connector configured to mate with the first connector. The second connector includes a second housing configured to mate with the first housing and a pair of first mating engagement members. Each of the first mating engagement members is configured to abut the first engagement member for rotating a rotary member and to lock with the first engagement member. The second housing has a pair of slits. A rotary member can be inserted into each of the slits, depending on its rotational position. 
     Preferably, each of the first engagement members includes a first protrusion configured to abut on a first mating engagement member. When the rotary member rotates, the first protrusion rotates on the first mating engagement member. Each of the first engagement members includes a second protrusion separate from the first protrusion at a rotational angle. The second protrusion is configured to move around the rotary member and oppose the first protrusion, relative to the first mating engagement member, when the rotary member rotates. 
     Preferably, each pair of rotary members includes a second engagement member configured to lock with a mounting object. The second engagement member can slide against the mounting object when the rotary member rotates. 
     Preferably, the second engagement member is opposed to the first engagement member relative to a rotational axis of the rotary member. 
     Preferably, each rotary member includes a locking member locked with the first housing. The locking member disengages when the first housing is mated with the second housing. 
     Preferably, rotary members include respective gears that mesh with each other. 
     Preferably, rotary members include respective biasing members biased against each other. 
     According to a second aspect of the invention, a connector system is provided that includes a first connector having a rotatable engagement lever and a second connector that can be mated with the first connector. The second connector has a housing formed with a slit and can rotate a free end of the engagement lever for insertion into the slit. 
     Preferably, when the free end of the engagement lever is locked with a mounting component, and the second connector is pressed into the first connector, the first connector is inserted into the housing. Then, a rotation of the engagement lever causes the first and second connectors to mate. 
     When the first connector is mated with the second connector, the engagement lever rotates a side portion of its free end into the slit formed in the housing of the second connector. This configuration allows the engagement lever to increase its rotational motion, thereby enlarging the amount of the mating movement without requiring the lengthening of the engagement lever. 
     When the first connector mates with the second connector, the side portion of the free end supported by the first connector is inserted into the slit formed in the second connector. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS 
     The above and further objects and novel features of the present invention will emerge more fully from the following detailed description when the same is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a connector system according to this invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an elevational view of a mounting component of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a plan view of a mounting component of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line A 1 —A 1  of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing internal and external connectors of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is an elevational view of an external connector according to this invention that is mounted to a mounting component; 
     FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line B 1 —B 1  of FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 8 is an elevational view showing the internal connector of the embodiment shown of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line C 1 —C 1  of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line D 1 —D 1  of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 11 is an illustrative plan view showing internal and external connectors of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in an initial stage of mating; 
     FIG. 12 is an illustrative plan view showing the internal and external connectors of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 during mating; 
     FIG. 13 is an illustrative plan view showing the internal and external connectors during mating and a provisional engaging abutment piece in a state of disengagement; 
     FIG. 14 is an illustrative plan view showing internal and external connectors during the mating procedure, and a lever plate that has begun to be inserted into a slit for insertion of the lever; and 
     FIG. 15 is an illustrative plan view showing the internal and external connectors of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 that are completely mated with each other. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The preferred embodiment of a connector system according to the present invention is detailed below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     The connector system, as shown in FIG. 1, generally includes mounting component  2  formed from instrument panel  1 , such as a stay member of an automobile, external connector  3  (as a first connector) mounted to mounting component  2 , and internal connector  4  (as a second connector) that is mated with external connector  3 . 
     First, mounting component  2  is described with reference to FIGS. 2-5. 
     Mounting component  2  includes tubular hood  6 , which extends forward from the edge of rectangular opening  5 , which is formed in instrument panel  1 . 
     Engagement plates  7  are located close to and project from the side edges of either side of the upper and lower edges of opening  5 . Each of plates  7  is engaged with the free end of engagement lever  13  and mounted to external connector  3 , as described below. 
     Hood  6  includes upper plate  6 A, lower plate  6 B, and side plates  6 C on both sides of hood  6 . Reinforcement rib  8  is formed at the center of the outer side of each plate  6 A,  6 B, and  6 C and is integral with panel  1 . Upper plate  6 A has a longer forward projecting dimension than lower plate  6 B. Upper plate  6 A includes slits  9  at both sides of rib  8 . 
     Small locking protruding banks  10  protrude rearward and are each formed on the rear side of the side edge of engagement plate  7  facing in toward the other engagement plate  7 . Each of tapered faces  11  is formed on the front side of the side edge for guiding the free end of engagement lever  13  as described later. 
     Second, external connector  3  is described. 
     External connector  3  includes external connector housing  12 , which has a substantially rectangular parallepiped shape, and a pair of engagement levers  13  that are rotatably supported by connector housing  12 . As shown in FIG. 5, external connector  3  is to be inserted inside and engaged with mounting component  2  at the rear side of instrument panel  1 , which is opposite the front side where hood  6  is formed. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, external connector housing  12  houses external connection terminals  14 . Terminals  14  are electrically connected to internal connection terminals  23  of internal connector  4  at the front side of external connector housing  23 . 
     Support axes  15  rotatably support engagement levers  13  on the top and bottom faces of external connector housing  12 , and are located to, and protrude from, the left and right at a predetermined spacing. 
     As shown in FIG. 5, each of engagement levers  13  includes a pair of lever plates  13 A, which are identically shaped, and link parts  13 B, which are integral with lever plates  13 A, and form a link between lever plates  13 A. Rotatable support of lever plates  13 A with support axes  15 , formed on the top and bottom faces of external connector housing  12 , allows respective engagement levers  13  to be rotated. The free end (at link part  13 B) of engagement lever  13  projects rearward from the rear end of external connector housing  12 . 
     Rear engaging abutment projection  16  projects from the surface of the free end of lever plate  13 A of each engagement lever  13 . Locking part  16   a  branches and extends from the central portion of projection  16 . When external connector  3  is mounted to mounting component  2 , rear engaging abutment projection  16  is pressed into contact with the rear side of engagement plate  7  and locking part  16   a  locks with locking bank  10 . 
     Front engaging abutment projection  17  is located on the forward side of rear projection  16  and on one side of a line connecting rear projection  16  and support axis  15 . That is, projection  17  is located at a position that is rotationally angularly leading and radially inward. Front projection  17  has substantially identical height dimensions as rear projection  16 . Rear face  17   a  of front projection  17  engages and contacts the surface of engagement plate  7  when external connector  3  is mounted to mounting component  2 . Rear face  17   a  is curved to allow projection  17  and engagement bank  7  to be relatively rotated. 
     Provisional locking piece  18  is formed from lever plate  13 A at the edge of another side relative to the line connecting rear engagement projection  16  and support axis  15 . Locking piece  18  is used to provisionally lock with the rear edge of external connector housing  12 . Stopper  18   a  protrudes from one side of provisional locking piece  18 , contacting rear end  12   a  of external housing  12 . Gears  19  are formed from opposed edges of lever plates  13 A and mesh with each other. Because gears  19  are formed from adjacent lever plates  13 A, lever plates  13 A rotate in synchrony in opposite directions. 
     Lever plates  13 A are each provided with resilient spring piece  20 , which is a resilient member behind gear  19 , leading from gear  19  at a rotational angle. Each of spring pieces  20  has a curved shape that has a width that enlarges toward the other spring piece  20 . Spring pieces  20  contact each other in an initial state in which provisional locking pieces  18  are locked with the rear end of external connector housing  12 . This causes spring pieces  20  to be biased for repulsion when the free ends of engagement levers  13  rotate closer to each other. 
     Each of lever plates  13 A has engagement protrusion  21  located in front of support axis  15 , protruding upwardly or downwardly at its end. Engagement protrusion  21  includes curved side face  21   a  that is directed radially outward and a flat side face  21   b  that is directed radially inward. Internal connector  4  guides engagement protrusion  21 , which acts as a stopper, and prevents internal connector  4  from slipping out. Protrusion  22  is provided between support axis  15  and gear  19  of lever plate  13 A and acts as the engaging abutment on engagement receiver  36 . Protrusion  22  has curved end  22   a,  which is curved in a counterclockwise direction. When protrusion  22  is brought into contact with the front end of internal connector  4 , lever  13  rotates due to the applied force received from internal connector  4 , and moves internal connector  3  rearwardly. 
     The method for assembling external connector  3  to mounting component  2  is described with reference to FIGS. 5-7. First, external connector  3 , as shown in FIG. 5, is inserted at the rear side of instrument panel  1  in the direction shown by the arrow. When edges  13 C of engagement levers  13  come in contact with engagement plate  7 , a moment is exerted on engagement levers  13 . The moment rotates engagement levers  13  about respective support axes  15  so that they come close to each other (the direction shown by the arrow in FIG.  5 ). Simultaneously, spring pieces  20 , which are formed from engagement levers  13 , contact each other and store repulsion for the detachment of the free ends of levers  13  from each other. When a force is applied that overcomes the repulsion, external connector  3  is pushed into mounting component  2 , each of rear projections  16  comes in contact with the rear side of mounting plate  7 , and each of front projections  17  comes in contact with the front side of mounting plate  7 . This causes mounting plate  7  to be gripped between the front and rear projections  16  and  17 , thus mounting external connector  3  to mounting component  2 , as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. 
     The embodiment employs spring piece  20  as a resilient member. On the other hand, for example, coil springs that are arranged to repulse each other or an elastic member, such as a rubber member, is also preferably used. The embodiment shown in FIG. 5, for example, has the resilient members provided on levers  13 . In another preferred embodiment, the resilient member is fixed at an intermediate position between both levers  13  in external housing  12 . 
     Third, internal connector  4  is described below. 
     Internal connector  4 , as shown in FIGS. 1 and 8, is fixed to base plate  24  of a piece of equipment, and is exposed from opening  25 A of escutcheon  25  rising at the rear of the equipment. Opening  25 A of escutcheon  25  is formed with slits  25 B that correspond to reinforcement ribs  8  and supporting projection  25 C for supporting internal connector  4 . 
     As shown in FIG. 9, internal connector  4  includes internal housing  27 , which is formed on the front face with mating recess  26  to be mated with external connector  3 , and internal connection terminals  29 , which pass through bottom plate  28  forming the bottom of recess  26  and project into recess  26 . 
     Both sides of the lower portion of the rear end of internal housing  27  are formed with base-plate fixing parts  30  which extend rearwardly. Arms  33 , which extend forwardly and project from either side of top and bottom plates  31  and  32 , are for the disengagement of provisional locking. Each of disengagement arms  33  flexes provisional locking piece  18 , causing disengagement from rear end  12   a  of external housing  12  in the provisional locking state during the mating of external connector  3  and internal connector  4 . 
     Internal housing  27  has slits  35 , for insertion of levers  13 . Slits  35  are cut deeply rearward at a predetermined dimension and formed at lower and upper positions on the front end face of both side plates  34 . 
     Insertion of levers  13 , which are supported by external connector  3 , in slits  35 , formed in side plate  34  of internal housing  34 , allows an increase in the amount of rotational motion of lever  13 . This geometry results in an increased amount of mating movement (extra portion for mating) of external and internal connectors  3  and  4 . Thus, the amount of the rotational motion of each of engagement levers  13  is increased, rendered unnecessary a longitudinal lengthening of engagement lever  13  for increased mating movement, making engagement lever  13  more compact. 
     Internal wall faces of top and bottom plates  31  and  32  have respective pair of guide channels  31 A and  32 A that correspond to front protrusions  21  formed to external housing  12 , formed thereon. Pairs of engagement receivers  36  are formed on the insides of channels  31 A and  32 A for engaging with front protrusions  21 . Each of receivers  36  has flat side face  36   a  that is abutted on end face  22   a  of rear protrusion  22 . Each of receivers  36  has another side face  36   b  oblique to and opposed to side face  36   a.  Side face  36   b  to be abutted on side face  21   a  of front protrusion  21 . Each of receivers  36  also has another side face that extends from side face  36   b,  obliquely to side face  36   a.  Side face  36   c  is for sliding against side face  21   b.  Side faces  36   b  and  36   c  form an acute angle. 
     Each of front protrusions  21  introduced by channels  31 A and  32 A move in a circumferential form with side faces  36   a,    36   b,  and  36   c,  to be engagingly abutted on engagement receiver  36 . 
     The top face of top plate  31  of internal connector housing  27  has support protrusion  37  for fixing to support projecting piece  25 C of escutcheon  25 . 
     The aforementioned description describes a connector system of the present invention. Next, with reference to FIGS. 11-15, a method for connecting internal connector  4  to external connector  3  mounted to mounting component  2 , as well as the function and operation of the connector are explained. Escutcheon  25  is omitted in FIGS. 11-15. 
     First, as shown in FIG. 11, mating between internal connector  4  and external connector  3  (mounted to mounting component  2 ) is initiated. Here, internal connector  4  is close to external connector  3 . As shown in FIG. 12, when mating begins, front protrusions  21  at the front ends of levers  13  are housed in guide channels  31 A and  32 A on the top and bottom internal wall faces of internal connector  4 . Also, the end of each disengagement arm  33  reaches respective provisional locking piece  18 . 
     As shown in FIG. 13, when internal connector  4  is further pushed into external connector  3 , end face  36   a  of receiver  36  is engagingly abutted on rear protrusion  22 , which pushes end face  36   a  rearwardly. Disengagement arms  33  each flex provisional locking piece  18  and disengage them from rear end  12   a  of external connector housing  12  in a locking state. At this time, front protrusions  17 , formed on the pair of engagement levers  13 , are subjected to repulsion on the front face of engagement plate  7 . This causes engagement levers  13  to rotate, and thereby open with respect to one another. Engagement levers  13  are meshed together by gears  19  and rotate synchronously. This causes each of front protrusions  21  to rotate and move to the rear of engagement receiver  36 . In other words, front protrusion  21  rotates on its curved face  21   a,  sliding against oblique face  36   b.  Accordingly, front and rear protrusions  16  and  17  slide transversely and outwardly from engagement plate  7 , respectively. 
     When internal connector  4  is further pushed, as shown in FIG. 13, spring pieces  20  separate and no longer make contact with each other. As shown in FIG. 14, each of front protrusions  21  rotate to move around toward the rear of engagement receiver  36 . In other words, when the connection point between side faces  21   a  and  21   b  corresponds with the connection point of inclined face  36   b  and  36   c,  oblique face  36   c  and side face  21   b  make contact and slide against each other. 
     As shown in FIG. 15, when internal connector  4  is pushed further, front protrusion  21  completely moves to the rear of receiver  36  for engagement, thereby stopping internal connector  4  from slipping out. At this time, lever plates  13 A are each inserted into slit  35 , preventing further mating. Mating of internal connector  4  to external connector  3 , which is mounted to mounting component  2 , is complete. 
     Thus, in this embodiment, engaging abutment of provisional locking piece  18  of lever  13  at the rear end of external connector housing  12  prevents lever  13  from rotation. Strengthening of the holding force of lever  13  in an initial state allows the secure provisional locking to be performed. 
     Also in this embodiment, the act of pushing internal connector  3  to mounting component  2  against a repulsion of spring piece  20  allows the automatic mounting of external connector  3  to mounting component  2 , which simplifies the mounting operation of the connector. 
     This embodiment has gears  19  for meshing together with engagement levers  13 . When an external force is applied to external connector  3 , left and right engagement levers  13  distribute the force equally to mounting component  2 . This advantageously helps to prevent mounting component  2  from slipping out. 
     Furthermore, lever plate  13 A of lever  13 , which is rotatably supported on external connector  3 , is insertable in slit  35 , which is formed in side plate  34  of internal connector housing  27 . This allows an increase in the amount of the rotational motion of lever  13 . Without slit  35 , lever  13  must be enlarged to achieve the same amount of rotation. In this embodiment, slit  35  allows the size of lever  13  to be small, making the connector system more compact. 
     In addition, as shown in this embodiment, rear and front protrusions  16  and  17  securely hold engagement plate  7  therebetween depending on the rotational position of lever  13 . This prevents external connector  3  from becoming loose. 
     It will be appreciated that the above description is for the embodiment shown in the FIGS. The invention, however, is not limited to this embodiment. For example, although the shown embodiment moves lever  13  on the top and bottom faces of external housing  12 , either of the faces can be provided with a pair of plate-shaped engagement levers. 
     Also, in this embodiment, external connector  3  is shown as a first connector, and internal connector  4  is shown as a second connector. On the other hand, a first connector can be mounted to component  2  as an internal connector, and a second connector can be the external connector. 
     In addition, the above-described embodiment shows mounting component  2  provided by instrument panel  1 , although this is not necessary. 
     The content of Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-262868 is incorporated herein by reference.