A connector-container-combination for a lever connector

Abstract: To partially lock a lever of a lever connector accommodated in a container. A partial lock portion (11c) is provided on an inner surface of a connector receptacle (11) provided in a container (10) for a lever connector. With a lever (12) rotatably mounted on a connector housing (13) inclined in one direction while the partial lock portion (11c) is partially locked with a lock portion (12a) of the lever (12), the connector housing (13) is accommodated in the receptacle (11). When the lever (12) inclined in the other direction, the connector housing (13) is accommodated in the receptacle (11) with the lock portion (11c) of the lever (12) partially locked with the partial lock portion (13a) of the connector housing (13).

Description: The present invention relates to a connector-container-combination for a lever connector and is particularly designed to partially lock the lever to prevent its movement regardless of the direction in which the lever is inclined when the connector is accommodated. Conventionally, a plurality of connectors used in an automotive wiring harness are accommodated in a container. The container is secured to a large electrical connection box via a bracket . In recent years, the connectors for an automotive vehicle have had a multitude of contacts, and thereby have become larger. Accordingly, a large force has become necessary to couple these connectors with their mating connectors . Thus, in many cases, a lever connector is employed in which a lever on one connector housing is rotated to couple one connector with the other connector . In the prior art lever connector, as shown in FIGS. 5(A) and 5(B), a U-shaped lever 3 is rotatably mounted on the outer surface of one connector housing 2A. In a partial lock position with the connector housing 2A shown in FIG. 5(A), a lock projection 3a provided on the lever 3 is engaged with a partial lock slot 2A-a formed in the outer surface of the connector housing 2A. The connector housing 2A is fully connected with another connector housing 2B by rotating the lever 3. In this fully connected condition, the lock projection 3a of the lever 3 is locked by the engagement of a lock portion 2B-a on the connector housing 2B. The lever connector 2A provided with the lever 3 may be accommodated in a container 5 as shown in FIG. 6. If the lock projection 3a of the lever 3 is engaged with the partial lock groove 2A-a, there is no likelihood that the lever 3 inadvertently moves inside the container 5. However, depending upon a shipment condition required by a car manufacturer, there are cases where the lever 3 should be inclined to a side (X) opposite to the side where it can be partially locked with the connector housing 3. In the case that the lever 3 is accommodated in the container 5 with the lever 3 inclined to the side where it cannot be partially locked with the connector housing 2A, the lever 3 is free to move in a direction of the arrow of FIG. 6 and may move during shipment since the lever 3 is not partly locked. Accordingly, the lever may be damaged. GB 2 293 053 discloses an electrical connector assembly comprising first and second connectors each comprising a frame in which a plurality of male and female sub-connectors are received and retained. On the first connector there is provided a lever for holding the first and second connectors together. The lever can be held in an "open position", i.e. unused position, by a pin projecting from the lever which fits into a latching hole of the first connector. Upon movement of the lever to couple the first and the second connector, a lock portion of the lever in locked or engaged with a lock portion of the second connector. It is the object of the invention to provide a connector-container-combination for a lever connector which prevents the lever of the connector from being damaged during transportation. This object is fulfilled by a connector-container-combination having the features disclosed in claim 1. Preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent subclaims. Accordingly, the invention provides a connector-container-combination in which a lever can be locked in the case that the lever is accommodated in a container, while being inclined in such a direction that it cannot be locked with a connector housing. According to the invention as defined in claim 1, there is provided a connector-container-combination for a lever connector, comprising a container having a connector formed therein; a connector housing releasably engagable in the connector receptacle of the container; a lever movably mounted on the connector housing, said lever being movable between first and second positions relative to said connector housing, said lever being formed with at least one lock portion thereon; wherein the connector housing is arrangeable at least partially in the connector receptacle with the lever positioned in the first position while the lock portion is locked or engaged with a lock portion provided on the connector receptacle such that the lever does not move before the lever connector is coupled with a mating connector. In the case of accommodating in the receptacle with the lever moved, in particular inclined, in such a direction that it cannot be locked with the connector housing, since the lock portion is provided in the connector receptacle of the container, the lever is positioned and locked in the container only by engaging the lock portion of the lever with this lock portion. Since the lock portion of the lever which is locked with the lock portion of the connector housing is used, the invention can be easily realized by using an already existing lever and providing the lock portion on preferably the inner surface of the connector receptacle of the container. Thus, the lever can be locked in either a first position or second position depending on constraints or conveniences of a particular installation. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, when the lever is inclined in or moved the other direction or second position, the connector housing is held in the connector receptacle with the lock portion of the lever locked or engaged with a connector housing lock portion of the connector housing. Preferably, the lever is pivotably or rotatably mounted about a support shaft on the connector housing. Further preferably, the at least one lock portion is provided on an inner surface of the connector receptacle. Further preferably, the lock portion can undergo elastic deflection to be movably provided on the connector receptacle. Still further preferably, the lock portion is formed with a lock slot to be engaged with a lock projection formed on the lever. Most preferably, one or more lock claws are provided on the connector receptacle, in particular on inner surfaces thereof, the lock claws being preferably engageable with one or more lock slots provided on the connector housing, when the connector housing is accommodated in the receptacle. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is provided a connector-container-combination for a lever connector, comprising: a lock portion provided on an inner surface of a connector receptacle provided in a container for a lever connector, and a lock portion provided on a lever rotatably mounted on a connector housing, wherein the connector housing is accommodated in the receptacle with the lever inclined in one direction while the lock portion of the lever is locked with the lock portion of the connector receptacle such that the lever does not move before the lever connector is coupled with a mating connector. As is clear from the above description, according to the preferred connector-container-combination for the lever connector, the lock portion is provided on the inner surface of the connector receptacle of the container. Accordingly, in the case that the lever needs to be inclined in such a direction that it cannot be locked with the connector housing, the lever can be held positioned by engaging the lock portion of the lever with the lock portion provided on the inner surface of the receptacle. When the lever is inclined in the other direction, the connector housing is held in the receptacle with the lock portion thereof locked with a lock portion of the connector housing . In the case that the lever needs to be inclined in the opposite or second direction, it is sufficient to lock the lock portion of the lever with the partial lock portion preferably provided on the outer surface of the connector housing. Accordingly, the lever can be locked regardless of in which direction the lever is inclined. Thus, the lever does not move before the lever connector is coupled with a mating connector and the inadvertent rotation of the lever which may interfere and damage outer members can be prevented. Further, since the lock portion of the lever used is a lock portion provided also in prior art lever connectors, the invention can be realized easily without increasing production costs by using an already existing lever and by providing only the lock portion in the connector receptacle of the container. According to a further preferred embodiment there is provided a connector-container-combination for a lever connector, comprising a container having a connector receptacle formed therein; a connector housing releasably engageable in the connector receptacle of the container; a lever movably mounted on the connector housing, said lever being movable between first and second positions relative to said connector housing, said lever being formed with at least one lock portion thereon; and at least one lock portion provided on the container in proximity to said connector receptacle therein, said lock portion being configured and disposed for locking with the lock portion of the lever when the lever is moved to the first position relative to the connector housing such that the lever does not move before the lever connector is coupled with a mating connector. These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of a container according to the invention, FIG. 2 is a section along II-II of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a front view of a lever connector to be accommodated in the container, FIG. 4 is a section of the lever connector accommodated in the container while being locked, FIG. 5(A) is a front view of a prior art lever connector with the lever locked with the connector housing, and FIG. 5(B) is a front view of the lever connector fully engaged with a mating connector, and FIG. 6 is a section of a prior art lever connector accommodated in a contained while being locked. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a container 10 is provided with one or more, in particular with two container receptacles 11, 21. In the receptacle 11, a connecter housing 13 on which a lever 12 is mounted as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is or can be accommodated. The container 10 is unitarily or integrally made e.g. of a resin. The container 10 has open opposite ends and is formed with an outer wall 10a and a partition wall 10b. Brackets 10c are used to secure the container 10 with an electrical connection box and are provided on the outer surface, in particular of one side part of the outer wall 10a as shown in FIG. 1. The receptacle 11 is particularly enclosed by the outer wall 10a and the partition wall 10b and preferably has open upper and lower ends. The receptacle 11 is formed such that a configuration defined by the inner surfaces thereof substantially conforms to a configuration defined by the outer surfaces of a connector housing 13 and its horizontal cross section is substantially rectangular. The height of the walls enclosing the receptacle 11 is preferably substantially same as that of the connector housing 13, so that all outer side surfaces of the connector housing 13 are covered by the connector receptacle 11 when the connector housing 13 is accommodated in the receptacle 11. In the connector receptacle 11, elastic lock portions 11d have their bottom portions connected with lateral inner surfaces 11a, 11b with respect to an insertion and withdrawal direction A (FIG. 2)of the connector in and from the connector receptacle 11. The lateral inner surfaces 11a and 11b in particular are substantially opposed to each other at a side substantially opposite to the bracket 10c, and project preferably upward therefrom. The lock portions 11d are preferably each formed with a lock slot 11c. The positions of the lock slots 11c of the lock portions 11d are set such that lock portions 12a of the lever 12 are engaged with the lock slots 11c when the lever 12 mounted on the connector housing 13 is inclined to the left of FIG. 4 after the connector housing 13 is accommodated in the connector receptacle 11. A notch 11f is formed in the left outer wall of the connector, thereby lowering the upper surface thereof, and ribs 11g, 11h project from the front and rear walls at the substantially opposite sides of the notch 11f. Lock claws 11j, 11m which engage lock slots 13a of the connector housing 13 to fix the connector housing 13, are provided on front and rear (corresponding to left and right sides in FIG. 1) inner surfaces 11e, 11k of the connector receptacle 11 with respect to the insertion and withdrawal direction A. The lock claws 11j and 11m engage lock slots 13a of the connector housing 13 to fix the connector housing 13 in the connector receptacle 11. The connector housing 13 on which the lever 12 is mounted is inserted into the connector receptacle 11 of the container 10 through an insertion opening, in particular a bottom end opening. At this time, the lever 12 is rotated about a support shaft 14 to an insertion position, in particular a substantially upright position so as to enable the insertion into the receptacle 11. When the connector housing 13 is accommodated in the receptacle 11, the lock claws 11j, 11m are engaged with the lock slots 13a of the connector housing 13. It is also necessary to lock the lever 12 mounted on the connector housing 13 fixed in the receptacle 11 so as not to move. At this time, the lever 12 is inclined to the left as shown in FIG. 4 (direction L) if it cannot rest on the bracket 10c. Along this inclining direction, a leading end 12b of the lever 12 is inserted into the notch 11f and have its opposite sides protected by the ribs 11g, 11h. In this state, if the leading end 12b of the lever 12 is strongly pushed to come into contact with the notch 11f. As a result, the lock projections 12a of the lever 12 are inserted into the lock slots 11c of the lock portions 11d on the inner surfaces of the connector receptacle 11 . Consequently the lever 12 is locked in the container 10. The lever 12 is held in this position and is not freely movable. On the other hand, in the case that the lever 12 is inclined to the right of FIG. 4 (direction R) where the bracket 10c is provided, i.e. in a direction opposite to the above inclining direction, the lever 12 is locked by inserting its lock projections 12a into lock slots 13c formed in the outer surfaces of the connector housing 13. As explained above, the lock projections 12a of the lever 12 can be engaged either with the lock slots 11c of the container 10 when the lever 12 is inclined to the left, or with the lock slots 13c of the connector housing 13 when the lever 12 is inclined to the right. Therefore the lever 12 can be partially locked using the lock projections 12a regardless of whether it is inclined to the left or to the right. The preceding embodiment was described with respect to a lever being rotatably or pivotably supported on the connector housing. However also a substantially linearly movable lever may be adopted.

Claims: A connector-container-combination for a lever connector, comprising: a container (10) having a connector receptacle (11; 21) formed therein; a connector housing (13) releasably engagable in the connector receptacle (11; 21) of the container (10); a lever (12) movably mounted on the connector housing (13), said lever (12) being movable between first and second positions (L, R) relative to said connector housing (13), said lever (12) being formed with at least one lock portion (12a) thereon; wherein the connector housing (13) is arrangeable at least partially in the connector receptacle (11; 21) with the lever (12) positioned in the first position (L) while the lock portion (12a) is locked or engaged with a lock portion (11d) provided on the connector receptacle (11; 21) such that the lever (12) does not move before the lever connector (13) is coupled with a mating connector. A connector-container-combination according to claim 1, wherein, when the lever (12) is positioned in the second position (R), the connector housing (13) is held in the connector receptacle (11; 21) with the lock portion (12a) of the lever (12) locked or engaged with a connector housing lock portion (13c) of the connector housing (13). A connector-container-combination according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the lever (12) is pivotably or rotatably mounted about a support shaft (14) on the connector housing (12). A connector-container-combination according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one lock portion (11d) is provided on an inner surface (11a; 11b) of the connector receptacle (11; 21). A connector-container-combination according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the lock portion (11d) can undergo elastic deflection to be movably provided on the connector receptacle (11; 21). A connector-container-combination according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the lock portion (11d) is formed with a lock slot (11c) to be engaged with a lock projection (12a) formed on the lever (12). A connector-container-combination according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein one or more lock claws (11j; 11m) are provided on the connector receptacle (11), in particular on inner surfaces (11e; 11k) thereof, the lock claws (11j; 11m) being preferably engageable with one or more lock slots (13a) provided on the connector housing (13), when the connector housing (13) is accommodated in the receptacle (11).

Inventors: MIYAMOTO TAKASHI, MIYAMOTO, TAKASHI, Miyamoto, Takashi, c/o Sumitomo Wiring Syst., Ltd.
Applicants: SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD.
Application year: 1997
Main classification: H01R13
IPC codes: H01R13