Connector connecting construction and a connector connecting method

A female connector (10) is assembled with a holder (20) on a dashboard (A) and a male connector (30) is assembled with an instrument panel (B). The male connector (30) has a receptacle 32 with a cut-out (35) for receiving the female connector (10). Guide pins (11) of the female connector (10) slide along guide grooves (25) of the holder (20) to displace the female connector (10) normal to an assembling direction and to connect the female connector (10) with the male connector (30). A movable protecting portion (40) is displaced from a protecting position where the movable protecting portion (40) covers the cut-out (35) to a retracted position RP where the movable protecting portion (40) is retracted from the cut-out (35) by sliding movements of guide pins (42) of the movable protection portion (40) along guide grooves (29) of the holder (20).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a connector connecting construction and to a connector connecting method.

2. Description of the Related Art

U.S. Pat. No. 6,217,363 andFIG. 11herein relate to a connector connecting construction e.g. for connecting male and female connectors on an instrument panel and a dashboard of a vehicle body simultaneously with the assembly of the instrument panel and the dashboard.FIG. 11shows a dashboard1and a male connector2laid on the outer surface of the dashboard1. The male connector2has male terminals2aand a forwardly open receptacle2bthat surrounds the male terminals2a. A cut-out2cis formed at the front half of a lower part of the receptacle2b.FIG. 11also shows an instrument panel3and a holder4fixed to the outer surface of the instrument panel3. The holder4is formed with a guide groove4a. A female connector5is mounted on the holder4and is configured to fit in the receptacle2bof the male connector2. The female connector5has a guide pin5athat fits slidably in the guide groove4aof the holder4. The instrument panel3is assembled vertically with the dashboard1in the shown example. Thus, the female connector5enters the receptacle2bthrough the cut-out2cand is pushed down by the ceiling of the receptacle2b, as shown in FIG.12. The female connector5then is moved horizontally in the receptacle2band is connected by the sliding movement of the guide pin5aalong the guide groove4a.

External matter can enter the receptacle2bthrough the open front of the receptacle2bor through the cut-out2cbefore completing the connection. Such external matter can interfere with and damage the male terminals2a. Damage to the male terminals2acan be avoided by elongating the receptacle2band relocating the rear end of the cut-out2cat a more forward position. However, this disadvantageously leads to a larger connection stroke of the connectors and longer connectors.

The invention was developed in view of the above problems and an object thereof is to protect a connecting portion without elongating a receptacle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a connector connecting construction with first and second assembling members that can be assembled together. The first assembling member has a first connector and the second assembling member has a second connector that is connectable with the first connector. The second connector has a receptacle extending at an angle to an assembling direction of the assembling members and has at least one cut-out for permitting the first connector to enter the receptacle and to contact an inner surface of the receptacle in an assembling process. A connecting portion projects into the receptacle and is electrically connectable with the first connector. The first connector is to be assembled with a holder fixed to the first assembling member. Additionally, the first connector is pushed by the inner surface of the receptacle in the assembling process and is displaceable with respect to the second connector at an angle to the assembling direction by connector guiding means. A movable protecting portion is assembled with the second connector for at least partly covering the cut-out. The movable protecting portion and/or the holder comprise protecting-portion guiding means for displacing the movable protecting portion from a protecting position where the movable protecting portion at least partly covers the cut-out to a retracted position where the movable protecting portion is retracted from the cut-out to permit entry of the first connector through the cut-out as the assembling members are assembled.

The movable protecting portion is assembled on the second connector at the protecting position to cover the cut-out and to protect the connecting portion inside the receptacle. However, the protecting-portion guiding means displaces the movable protecting portion to the retracted position when the two assembling members are assembled. Thus, the first connector can enter the receptacle through the cut-out. The first connector then contacts the inner surface of the receptacle, and the connector guiding means displaces the first connector at an angle to the assembling direction with respect to the second connector. As a result, the two connectors are connected and the connecting portion is electrically connected with the first connector.

The movable protecting portion is retractable in the assembling process. Thus, the receptacle can be shorter as compared to a case where the receptacle is elongated to protect the connecting portion. Thus, a connection stroke of the connectors can be shorter and the connectors can be smaller.

The protecting-portion guiding means preferably comprises at least one guide pin on the movable protecting portion and at least one guide groove in the holder. The guide pin slides along the guide groove to displace the movable protecting portion between the protecting position and the retracted position. The guide pin engages the second connector to prevent the movable protecting portion at the protecting position from being displaced toward a side opposite from the retracted position. The guide pin performs two functions, namely, displacing the movable protecting portion and holding the movable protecting portion. Thus, the construction can be simplified.

At least one resilient locking means preferably is provided on the movable protecting portion and/or the second connector for preventing the movable protecting portion at the protecting position from being displaced toward the retracted position. The resilient locking means may be a semi-locking construction so that the locked state is canceled in response to a force of a specified intensity or higher. Thus, the locked state achieved by the resilient locking means is canceled automatically and the movable protecting portion is displaced to the retracted position.

Shake preventing means preferably are provided on the holder and/or the second connector to suppress the shake of the second connector with respect to the holder during the assembling process. Accordingly, the connection process is smoother.

A moving distance of the first connector along a direction arranged at an angle to the assembling direction preferably corresponds to a connection or separation stroke of the two connectors.

The invention also relates to a method of connecting a connector. The method comprises assembling a first connector with a holder fixed to a first assembling member via a connector guiding means. The method then includes providing a second assembling member with a second connector. The method proceeds by inserting the first connector through a cut-out of the second connector and into a receptacle of the second connector. The holder is displaceable with respect to the second connector at an angle to the assembling direction of the two assembling members and is pushed by an inner surface of the receptacle in the assembling process. The method also includes at least partly covering the cut-out by a movable protecting portion assembled with the first connector, and then displacing the movable protecting portion to a retracted position where the movable protecting portion is retracted from the cut-out portion. Thus, the first connector enters the receptacle through the cut-out as the two assembling members are assembled.

The movable protecting portion displacing step preferably comprises a step of guiding the movable protecting portion between the protecting position and the retracted position by means of at least one guide pin on the movable protecting portion and at least one guide groove in the holder. The guide pin preferably can prevent the movable protecting portion located at the protecting position from being displaced towards a side opposite from the retracted position by being engaged with the second connector.

These and other features of the invention will be more apparent upon reading of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. It should be understood that even though embodiments are separately described, single features thereof may be combined to additional embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described with reference toFIGS. 1to10. This embodiment illustrates a construction for assembling a meter module of an automotive vehicle. More particularly, a female connector10on a dashboard A of a vehicle body and a male connector30on an instrument panel B are connected as the dashboard A and the instrument panel B are assembled. In the following description, reference is made toFIG. 1concerning vertical and transverse directions.

A holder20is fixed to a surface of the dashboard A facing the instrument panel B as shown inFIG. 1, and the female connector10is mounted laterally into the holder20. As shown inFIGS. 1,5to7, the female connector10is a wide block and female terminal fittings (not shown) connected with wires (not shown) are accommodated in the female connector10. Substantially cylindrical guide pins11project sideways from left ends of each of the opposite outer side surfaces of the female connector10and a holding portion12bulges out sideways at the bottom end of the female connector10.

The holder20has a bottom wall21and sidewalls22project from the opposite ends of the bottom wall21. A bridging wall23couples left upper ends of the opposite sidewalls22. The female connector10is mounted while being held closely between the opposite sidewalls22. A guiding slanted surface24is formed at the upper ends of the sidewalls22and the inner surface of the bridging wall23for guiding the entrance of a mating male connector30into the holder20. Each sidewall22has a guide groove25and the guide pins11of the female connector10are inserted into the corresponding guide grooves25. An oblique area25ais defined at an upper part of each guide groove25and extends oblique to a vertical assembling direction AD of the instrument panel B and the dashboard A. A straight area25bis defined at a lower part of each guide groove25and extends substantially straight along the vertical assembling direction AD.

The female connector10is displaced obliquely with respect to the holder20while the guide pins11are moved along the oblique areas25aof the guide grooves25. However, the female connector10is displaced only vertically along the assembling direction AD with respect to the holder20while the guide pins11are moved along the straight areas25b. The female connector10is at an initial position (FIG. 1) where the guide pins11are at the open upper ends of the oblique areas25aof the guide grooves25and is at a connecting position (FIG. 4) where the guide pins11are at the bottom ends of the oblique areas25a. The female connector10moves along a transverse direction TD substantially normal to the assembling direction AD a distance that substantially corresponds to a connection or separation stroke of the connectors10,30as the female connector10moves between the initial and connecting positions. At the initial position, a front part of the upper surface of the female connector10is exposed upward to the outside.

Upper and lower holding projections26,27project in from the inner surface of each sidewall22. A right end portion of the holding portion12of the female connector10is held between the holding projections26and27from above and below when the female connector10is at the initial position (see FIG.6). An upwardly open shake-preventing groove28is formed in the inner surface of each sidewall22.

As shown inFIGS. 1,8to10, the male connector30is coupled to the bottom end of a mounting portion31aon the instrument panel B, and has a receptacle32that opens laterally to the front with respect to connecting direction CD. A terminal-accommodating portion33is rearward of the receptacle and accommodates male terminal fittings34connected with unillustrated wires. Tabs34aof the male terminal fittings34project in the receptacle32.

A cut-out35is formed at a lower part32aof the receptacle32atoward an opening end and extends to substantially the same position as the front ends of the tabs34a. The cut-out35permits the female connector10to enter into the receptacle32from below. Additionally, the cut-out35exposes an inner surface32bof an upper part of the receptacle32downward substantially along the assembling direction AD. Thus, the front part of the upper surface of the female connector10that has entered the receptacle32can contact the inner surface32b. Escaping grooves36are formed in the opposite sides of the receptacle32and open leftward along the connecting direction CD for receiving the guide pins11of the female connector10. Disengagement ribs37project out at the bottom ends of the opposite sides of the receptacle32(see FIG.8). The disengagement ribs37interfere with the upper holding projections26to press the upper holding projections26out in an assembling process. Thus, the opposite sidewalls22of the holder20are deformed out away from each other to disengage the holding projections26,27from the holding portion12. Further, a vertically extending shake preventing rib38bulges outward immediately after the escaping groove36at each side of the receptacle32. The shake preventing ribs38enter the shake preventing grooves28of the holder20in the assembling process to suppress shaking of the male connector30with respect to the holder20.

An accommodating chamber39extends transversely in the middle of the lower part32aof the receptacle32of the male connector30, and a movable protecting portion40is accommodated in the accommodating chamber39for covering the cut-out35. This movable protecting portion40is displaceable with respect to the male connector30along the connecting direction CD of the two connectors10,30between a protecting position PP where the movable protecting portion40covers substantially the entire cut-out35to protect the tabs34aof the male terminal fittings34(seeFIG. 1) and a retracted position RP where the movable protecting portion40is retracted from the cut-out35(see FIG.2). The accommodating chamber39is wider than the cut-out35. Thus, the opposite ends of the movable protecting portion40can be held in the cut-out portion35by the opposite lateral edges of the accommodating chamber39(see FIG.8).

The movable protecting portion40is a substantially flat plate and is longer than the receptacle32. Two resilient pieces41are cantilevered to the right from the right ends of the opposite widthwise sides of the movable protecting portion40, and guide pins42project out at the leading ends of the resilient pieces41(see FIG.9). The guide pins42are substantially cylindrical and are engageable with the right end edge of the accommodating chamber39when the movable protecting portion40is at the protecting position PP. Thus, the movable protecting portion40can be held so as not to come out leftward from the protecting position PP toward a side opposite from the retracted position RP.

The holder20is formed with guide grooves29into which the respective guide pins42of the movable protecting portion40are insertable and which open upward substantially along the assembling direction AD as shown in FIG.1. An oblique area29ais defined at an upper part of each guide groove29and inclines down and to the right relative to the vertical assembling direction AD. A straight area29bis defined at a lower part of each guide groove29and extends substantially straight along the vertical direction assembling direction AD. The guide pins42of the movable protecting portion40located at the protecting position PP can enter the upper ends of the oblique areas29aof the guide grooves29. The movable protecting portion40is displaced to the right substantially along the connecting direction CD as the guide pins42are moved down along the oblique areas29a. The movable protecting portion40is displaced to the retracted position RP when the guide pins42reach the bottom ends of the oblique areas29a(see FIG.2). Thus, the movable protecting portion40is transversely displaceable relative to the male connector30and with respect to the assembling direction AD between the protecting position PP and the retracted position RP in the moving process of the guide pins42along the oblique areas29aof the guide grooves29. The movable protecting portion40is not displaced relative to the male connector30in the moving process of the guide pins42along the straight areas29b. The bottom ends of the oblique areas29aof the guide grooves29are substantially at the same height as or higher than the upper surface of the female connector10at the initial position. Accordingly, the movable protecting portion40already is displaced to the retracted position RP when the upper surface of the female connector10reaches the movable protecting portion40in the assembling process to avoid mutual interference. The upper ends of the oblique areas29aof the guide grooves29are near the back end positions of the guiding slanted surfaces24.

A U-shaped slit is made substantially at a middle position of the movable protecting portion40to form a cantilever-shaped resilient locking piece43, and a protrusion44at the leading end of the resilient locking piece43is engaged with the rear edge of the cut-out portion35to prevent the movable protecting portion40from coming out rightward from the protecting position PP and toward the retracted position RP. The resilient locking piece43is resiliently deformable up and down and is thinner than, most preferably about half as thick as, the movable protecting portion40. Thus, the resilient locking piece43can escape into an empty space during deformation to avoid interference with the wall surface of the accommodating chamber39. Slanted surfaces45are defined at the sides of the protrusion44so that the resilient locking piece43is deformed automatically to cancel the locked state when a force of a specified intensity or higher acts on the movable protecting portion40in the transverse direction TD. Thus, the resilient locking piece43and the rear edge of the cut-out35define a semi-locking construction. Further, an escaping groove35ais formed at the rear end of the lower part32aof the receptacle32(seeFIG. 2) for receiving the protrusion44of the resilient locking piece43when the movable protecting portion40reaches the retracted position RP. The resilient pieces41and the resilient locking piece43are both resiliently deformable as described above. Thus, the movable protecting portion40can be accommodated into the accommodating chamber39by the resilient deformation of either the resilient pieces41or the resilient locking piece43regardless of whether the movable protecting portion40is accommodated from the left or right side.

The female connector10is accommodated into the holder20from a mounting side (right side inFIG. 1) to fit the guide pins11into the guide grooves25. The female connector10is displaced obliquely up along the guide grooves25to a standby position so that the holding portion12is held between the holding projections26,27. Thus, the female connector10is held at the standby position. On the other hand, the resilient pieces41and/or the resilient locking piece43are deformed temporarily when the movable protecting portion40is inserted into the accommodating chamber39from the left or right side in the male connector30, and then are restored when the movable protecting portion40reaches the protecting position PP. Thereupon, the guide pins42engage the right end edge of the accommodating chamber39and the protrusion44of the resilient locking piece43engages the rear edge of the cut-out portion35, thereby holding the movable protecting portion40at the protecting position PP.

In this state, the instrument panel B is assembled with the dashboard A along the assembling direction AD as if being dropped from above. The shake preventing ribs38enter the shake preventing grooves28and the guide pins42of the movable protecting portion40are inserted into the guide grooves29when the male connector30enters the holder20. The guide pins42slide down along the oblique areas29aof the guide grooves29as the assembling proceeds. Thus, the movable protecting portion40is pulled rightward and substantially normal to the assembling direction AD. The resilient locking piece43then is guided by the slanted surface45of the protrusion44, and is deformed resiliently out of engagement with the rear edge of the cut-out portion35. Thus, the movable protecting portion40is moved rightward from the protecting position PP, i.e. moved relatively backward with respect to the male connector30toward the retracted position RP.

The guide pins42reach the bottom ends of the oblique areas29aof the guide grooves29and the movable protecting portion40is moved back to the retracted position RP to open substantially the entire cut-out35when the upper surface of the female connector10reaches a position near the lower surface of the movable protecting portion40, as shown in FIG.2. Thus, the female connector10can enter the receptacle32without interfering with the movable protecting portion40. At this time, the resilient locking piece43is restored resiliently by the protrusion44that escapes into the escaping groove39a. When the assembling further proceeds in this state, the upper surface of the female connector10contacts the inner surface32bof the upper part of the receptacle32as shown in FIG.3. At this time, the disengagement ribs37press the upper holding projections26out in a disengagement direction, and the opposite side walls22of the holder20are deformed out away from each other to disengage the holding projections26,27from the holding portion12. As a result, a relative displacement of the female connector10with respect to the holder20is permitted.

The female connector10is pushed down in the assembling direction AD with respect to the holder20by the inner surface32bof the receptacle32as the assembly proceeds. At this time, the guide pins11slide down along the oblique areas25aof the guide grooves25, and the female connector10is displaced rightward along the connecting direction CD and towards the connecting position from the initial position. Thus, the female connector10is displaced in the receptacle32to approach the male connector30along the connecting direction CD. The female connector10is displaced to the connecting position when the guide pins11reach the bottom ends of the oblique areas25aand is connected to a substantially proper depth in the receptacle32to connect the male and female terminal fittings electrically. In this state, the assembling of the instrument panel B and the dashboard A is not completed yet. The assembling proceeds further so that the guide pins11,42slide along the straight areas25b,29bof the guide grooves25,29, as shown inFIG. 4, and the female connector10and the movable protecting portion40are displaced down along the assembling direction AD without being displaced along the connecting direction CD from the connecting position and the retracted position RP. Thus, an assembling error of the dashboard A and the instrument panel B can be taken up.

The two connectors10,30may have to be detached for maintenance or other reason. The instrument panel B is pulled up from the dashboard A in the state shown in FIG.4. The guide pins11of the female connector10then slide up along the oblique areas25aof the guide grooves25. As a result, the female connector10is displaced leftward along the connecting direction CD in a detachment direction (toward the initial position) so that the receptacle32is separated from the male connector30. In this way, the two connectors10,30are separated and the male and female terminal fittings are separated (see FIG.3). The detachment further proceeds after the guide pins11of the female connector10reach the upper ends of the guide grooves25. As a result, the female connector10reaches the initial position and comes out downward from the receptacle32through the cut-out35(see FIG.2). At this time, the guide pins42of the movable protecting portion40have already reached the bottom ends of the oblique areas29aof the guide grooves29. Thus, the guide pins42slide up along the oblique areas29awhen the detachment further proceeds, with the result that the movable protecting portion40is displaced leftward along the connecting direction CD toward the protecting position PP from the retracted position RP. The movable protecting portion40is returned to the protecting position PP where the guide pins42are at the upper ends of the guide grooves29and the movable protecting portion40covers the cut-out portion35when the male connector30is detached from the holder20.

As described above, the movable protecting portion40for covering the cut-out portion35is assembled into the male connector30and is displaced from the protecting position PP to the retracted position RP by the guide pins42and guide grooves29to permit entry of the female connector10through the cut-out portion35. Thus, the receptacle32can be shorter as compared to a case where the tabs34aof the male terminal fittings34are protected by elongating the receptacle32. Therefore, the connection stroke of the two connectors10,30can be shortened and the connectors can be smaller.

Further, the guide pins42are engaged with the male connector30with the movable protecting portion40located at the protecting position PP, thereby preventing the movable protecting portion40from being displaced toward the side opposite from the retracted position RP. The guide pins42have both a function of displacing the movable protecting portion40and a function of holding the movable protecting portion40. Thus, the construction can be simplified as compared to, for example, a case where two exclusive parts are provided to carry out the respective functions.

Further, the movable protecting portion40can be prevented from being displaced from the protecting position PP toward the retracted position RP by the engagement of the resilient locking piece43formed in the movable protecting portion40with the rear edge of the cut-out35. Furthermore, the locking construction of the resilient locking piece43and the cut-out35is a semi-locking construction. Thus, the locked state is canceled automatically when a force of a specified intensity or higher acts to cause the protecting-portion guiding means to displace the movable protecting portion40toward the standby position, resulting in better operability.

The invention is not limited to the above described and illustrated embodiment. For example, the following embodiments are also embraced by the technical scope of the present invention as defined by the claims. Beside the following embodiments, various changes can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention as defined by the claims.

Although the guide pins provided on the movable protecting portion have the function of holding the movable protecting portion in the foregoing embodiment, a holding portion having such a holding function may be provided separately from the guide pins according to the present invention.

Although the protrusion of the resilient locking piece is formed with the one or more slanted or rounded surfaces in the foregoing embodiment, a similar slanted or rounded surface may be formed alternatively or additionally at the rear edge of the cut-out portion. The locking construction of the resilient locking piece may be a usual locking construction (both locking surfaces are substantially straight surfaces substantially normal to a force acting direction) instead of being a semi-locking construction according to the present invention.

Although the male terminal fittings are at least partly accommodated in the male connector in the foregoing embodiment, the present invention is also applicable, for example, to a case where a printed circuit board is at least partly accommodated in the male connector.

Although the holder and the female connector are provided at the dashboard side and the male connector is provided at the instrument panel side in the foregoing embodiment, a reversed arrangement may be taken according to the present invention.

Although the meter module (assembling member of the vehicle body is the instrument panel and the one of an electrical module is the dashboard) is described in the foregoing embodiment, the present invention is not limited to application to automotive meter modules and may be applied to door modules (assembling member of the vehicle body is a door panel and the one of an electrical module is an inner panel), overhead modules (assembling member of the vehicle body is a roof panel and the one of an electrical module is an inner panel) or the like.