Lock device for electrical connector

Abstract: A lock member 6 is provided with a resilient arm 7 flexible in a plane parallel to the side faces of a housing body 2. A hook portion 8 is provided on the free end of the resilient arm 7. A cam follower 10 is provided on the resilient arm 7 for receiving a force from the release knob. The resilient arm 7 is guided by a guide face 5A so that it is flexible only in a plane parallel to the side face of the housing body. A cam section 13 with a tapered edge 10A is provided on the resilient arm 7 so that when the release knob 11 is squeezed, the cam section 13 presses the cam follower 10 downwardly.

Description: The present invention relates to lock devices for electrical connectors. Connectors having a flat housing body are widely used. The housing body is provided at the front portion with a section of rectangular cross-section for fitting into a mating connector. A connector according to the pre-characterising portion of claim 1 is disclosed by Japanese patent application Kokai No. 7-249 453. As shown in Fig. 6, the connector 50 of the flat type has a rectangular housing body 51 to be fitted into the housing 61 of a mating connector 60. A lock arm 52 extends rearwardly from the middle of an upper face of the housing body 51 and has a pair of extended sections 52A at the rear end. An engaging projection 52B is provided on the upper face of the lock arm 52. A pair of lock release walls 53 are provided on the rear upper face of the housing body 51. Each lock release wall 53 has a lock release face 54 and a fitting groove 55 below the lock release face. An engaging ridge 62 is provided on the front inner face of the housing 61 of the mating connector 60. When the housing body 51 of the connector 50 is inserted into the housing 61 of the mating connector 60, the engaging projection 52B of the lock arm 52 abuts against the engaging ridge 62 of the mating connector 60 so that the lock arm 52 is flexed downwardly to allow further advance of the housing body 51. When the engaging projection 52B passes the engaging ridge 62, the lock arm 52 snaps to the original position for making a lock to prevent separation of the connector 50 from the mating connector 60. To remove the connector 50 from the mating connector 60, the lock release walls 53 are squeezed to flex them inwardly so that the extended sections 52A are pushed downwardly along the lock release faces 54 and retained in the fitting grooves 55. Thus, the engaging projection 52B is moved downwardly and released from the engaging ridge 62 of the mating connector 60. Under such conditions, the connector 50 is pulled out of the mating connector 60. In the above connector, however, the lock release walls 53 project upwardly to a considerable extent, making the connector bulky. In addition, it is necessary to flex the lock release walls 53 to a sufficient amount to push down the extended sections 52A of the lock arm 52. This further elongates the lock release walls 53 and the connector. The operation position of the lock release walls 53 is shifted from the center of the connector 50 so much that it is frequent to tilt the connector 50. Thus, removal of the connector will not be smooth. Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a lock device for electrical connector, which is compact, economical and able to provide stable release operation. To achieve this object the invention provides an electrical connector characterized according to claim 1. Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view of a connector according to an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a lock member useful for the connector of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a lock member according to another embodiment of the invention; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a lock member according to still another embodiment of the invention; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a lock member according to yet another embodiment of the invention; and Fig. 6 is a partially cutaway perspective view of a lock device of a conventional electric connector. In Fig. 1, a housing 1 made of an insulating material has a housing body 2 and a protruding section 3 of rectangular cross-section. The housing body 2 has a flat rectangular shape, and the section 3 projects from the front face of the housing body 2. A connection mouth 4 extends rearwardly from the front end of the section 3 and, contact terminals (not shown) are arranged so as to contact the contact terminals of a mating connector when the connection mouth 4 receives the connection section of the mating connector (not shown). A pair of guiding slit 5 with guiding faces 5A are provided in the upper face of the section 3. The front portions of resilient arms 7 of lock members 6 made of a metal sheet are received in the guiding slits 5 such that hook portions 8 project upwardly from the guiding slits 5. The lock members 6 are accommodated in the cavity of the housing body 2. The lock members 6 are made by stamping a metal sheet so as to provide a resilient arm 7 having the hook portion 8, a U-shaped retention section 9, and a cam follower extending outwardly from the resilient arm 7. The retention section 9 is retained by the housing body 2 such that the resilient arm 7 is guided by the guide face 5A of the guiding section 5. Consequently, the resilient arm 7 is flexible only in a plane parallel to the guide face 5A. The cam follower 10 is curved downwardly to form a sloping face 10A. A pair of release knobs 11 are provided on opposite side walls of the housing 1. An opening 12 is provided in a side wall of the housing body 2, and the base section 11A of the release knob 11 is provided on the housing body 2 at the rear edge of the opening 12 such that the release knob 11 covers substantially the entire area of the opening 12. The release knob 11 is flexible in a plane perpendicular to the side wall of the housing body 2. A cam portion 13 extending inwardly from the release knob 11 and has a tapered front end 13A in the vicinity of the cam follower 10. How to use the connector will be described below. (1) To connect the connector to a mating connector, when the section 3 is fitted into the receiving section of the mating connector, the hook portions 8 of the lock members 6 are pressed downwardly by the mating connector so that the resilient arms 7 are flexed downwardly. Then, the resilient arms 7 spring back so that the hook portions 8 engage the engaging portions (not shown) of the mating connector to prevent separation of the connector. (2) To remove the connector from the mating connector, the release knobs 11 are squeezed toward the housing body 11. (3) When the release knobs 11 are flexed at the base 11A, the tapered face 13A of the cam sections 13 presses downwardly the cam follower 10A. (4) The resilient arms 7 are then pressed downwardly along the guide faces 5A. (5) Thus, the hook portions 8 are released from the engagement with the mating connector so that the connector is removable from the mating connector. In Fig. 2, the lock member 6 has an enlarged section 15 with a window portion 14 such that the lower edge of the window portion 14 forms a cam follower 14A. When the lock is released, the cam section 13 of the released knob 11 enters the window portion 14 so that the tapered face 13A of the cam section 13 presses downwardly the cam follower 14A of the window portion 14. Another embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to Figs. 3-5. In the embodiment, the pressure portion of a resilient arm is provided on the lock member. In Fig. 3, as in Fig. 2, the cam follower 14A is a lower edge of the window portion 14, but a resilient piece 16 extends forwardly from the retention section 9. The free end of the resilient piece 16 is bent to provide a cam portion 17 having a tapered lower edge 17A. The cam portion 17 is held at such a position that the tapered lower edge 17A is in the vicinity of the cam follower 14A. In this embodiment, the release knob 11 does not require such a cam portion 13 as shown in Fig. 1. The resilient pieces 16 are squeezed with or without the knobs 11. When the resilient pieces 16 are squeezed, the cam followers 14A are pressed downwardly by the cam portions 17. The upper edge of the window portion 14 may be omitted. In Fig. 4, a cam face 19 extends inwardly from a resilient piece 18 so as to contact against the cam follower 14A. In Fig. 5, a resilient piece 20 extends upwardly from a lower arm 21 of the lock member 6. As has been described above, the lock members are made flat, and lock and release operations are made in a plane parallel to the flat face while the lock release is made by the cam and cam follower which are movable in the plane perpendicular to the flat face so that the lock mechanism is made thin and compact. In addition, the hook portions for lock and release are movable to a large extent and the release knobs are squeezed with one hand so that stable operations are obtained. Moreover, the lock members are made by a simple process.

Claims: An electrical connector, comprising a housing (1) having a housing body (2) and a protruding section (3) of rectangular cross-section, which has upper, bottom and side faces extending forwardly from said housing body for fitting into a mating connector, at least one guide face (5A) parallel to said side faces and at least one lock device (6) characterized in that said lock device (6) comprises: at least one lock member (6) provided in said housing body and having a resilient arm (7) which is flexible along said guide face in a plane parallel to said side faces and has a free end; a hook portion (8) provided on said free end so as to normally project from said upper face of said protruding section of rectangular cross-section for engagement with said mating connector; at least one release means (11) for flexing said lock member so as to bring said hook portion into a retreated position; a cam follower (10A, 14A) provided on said resilient arm for receiving a force from said release means; and a cam section (13A, 17, 19) pressing said cam follower and said hook portion towards the bottom of said housing for release of said lock member from said mating connector. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said cam section (13A) and said cam follower (10A) is curved to form a sloping face. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein said cam section (13) is provided on said release means. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein said cam section (17, 19) is provided on said lock member.

Inventors: SUZUKI AKIO, SUZUKI, AKIO
Applicants: HIROSE ELECTRIC CO LTD, HIROSE ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Application year: 1997
Main classification: H01R13
IPC codes: H01R13