Abstract:
It is aimed to smoothly proceed with a connecting operation of a connector ( 10 ) and improve assembling operability. The connector ( 10 ) includes a housing ( 20 ) connectable to a mating housing ( 80 ) disposed on a solenoid ( 40 ), and a swing support portion ( 61 ) arranged on a side where a valve body ( 50 ) to be mounted with the solenoid ( 40 ) is located and configured to support the housing ( 20 ) swingably in a direction intersecting with a connecting direction and cause the housing ( 20 ) to be connected to the mating housing ( 80 ) as the solenoid ( 40 ) is mounted into the valve body ( 40 ).

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a connector. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A connector of Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-190720 includes a housing (plug connector housing) connectable to a mating housing (receptacle connector housing). The housing includes a plurality of resilient locking portions. The housing is supported on a panel partition wall swingably in a direction perpendicular to a connecting direction by being inserted into a hole provided on the panel partition wall and bringing each resilient locking portion into contact with a peripheral edge part of the hole. 
     The above conventional connector can absorb a connection error of the two housings by the housing being swingably displaced in the direction perpendicular to the connecting direction via each resilient locking portion with the housing inserted in the hole on the panel partition wall. Thus, the technique of the above connector cannot be substantially applied in the absence of a structure equivalent to the hole of the panel partition wall. For example, in the case of a hydraulic control device of an automatic transmission in which a connector is mounted together with an electronic control unit, a hydraulic sensor and the like, the entire configuration is complicated. Thus, if an operation of connecting the housing to the mating housing takes time, it also affects an assembling operation of other components, thereby presenting a problem of drastically reducing operation efficiency. 
     The present invention was completed based on the above situation and aims to smoothly proceed with a connector connecting operation and improve assembling operation efficiency. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention is directed to a connector with a housing connectable to a mating housing disposed on a solenoid, and a swing support portion arranged on a side where a valve body to be mounted with the solenoid is located and configured to support the housing swingably in a direction intersecting with a connecting direction and cause the housing to be connected to the mating housing as the solenoid is mounted into the valve body. 
     Since the housing and the mating housing are connected when the solenoid is mounted into the valve body, it is not necessary to separately perform a mounting operation of the solenoid and a connecting operation of the connector and assembling operation efficiency is improved. Even if the housing is displaced from a proper connection position to the mating housing when the solenoid is mounted into the valve body, a displacement of the housing is absorbed by the swing support portion, wherefore the connecting operation of the connector can smoothly proceed. The swing support portion may be integral to a cover for covering a wire pulled out from the housing. Accordingly, the configuration is simplified and the number of components is reduced as compared to the case where the swing support portion and the cover are provided separately. 
     Two wings are provided to project on opposite side surfaces of the housing. The swing support portion includes two surrounding portions for surrounding the wings and the wings are accommodated displaceably in the surrounding portions. Accordingly, the swing support portion can be configured relatively simply. 
     The wings may be twisted and deformed in a direction intersecting the connecting direction when the housing swings according to a movement of the mating housing and have resilience capable of cancelling a twisted state thereof. A displacement between the two housings can be properly corrected by the wings having such resilience. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a connector of one embodiment of the present invention showing a state where a housing is arranged to face a mating housing before a solenoid is assembled. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing a state where the housing is properly connected to the mating housing as the solenoid is mounted. 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view in section of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a side view in section of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing the housing swingably supported on a plurality of swing support portions provided on a cover. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the connector when viewed from a front side. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the connector when viewed from a back side. 
         FIG. 8  is a section of the connector when viewed from the back side. 
         FIG. 9  is a section along A-A of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the housing when viewed from the front side. 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the housing when viewed from the back side. 
         FIG. 12  is a rear view of the housing. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     An embodiment of the present invention is described on the basis of the drawings. A connector  10  of this embodiment illustrated is provided in a hydraulic control device  90  of an automatic transmission of an automotive vehicle and includes housings  20  made of synthetic resin and a cover  60  likewise made of synthetic resin. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , although not shown in detail, the hydraulic control device  90  includes the cover  60  and a valve body  50  arranged below the cover  60  in a laminated manner in a height direction. The valve body  50  is incorporated with a plurality of solenoids  40 . A plurality of housings  20  are provided on the cover  60  to correspond to the number of the solenoids  40 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the solenoid  40  has a substantially cylindrical shape and includes an electromagnetic portion  41  and a valve portion  42  projecting from the electromagnetic portion  41 . A mating housing  80  to be connected to the housing  20  is provided to project in the height direction on the outer peripheral surface of the electromagnetic portion  41 . On the other hand, the valve body  50  is provided with a plurality of valve insertion portions  51  into which the valve portions  42  of the solenoids  40  are to be inserted. A hydraulic circuit for a hydraulic control is configured between the valve insertion portion  51  and the valve portion  42 . 
     In mounting the solenoid  40  into the valve body  50 , a mounting operation of the solenoid  40  and a connecting operation of the connector  10  can be simultaneously performed if the housing  20  is also squarely facing the mating housing  80  with the valve insertion portion  51  squarely facing the solenoid  40 . However, if there is a connection error between the housing  20  and the mating housing  80 , the mounting operation of the solenoid  40  and the connecting operation of the connector  10  cannot be simultaneously performed. In view of this, in the connector  10  of this embodiment, the cover  60  is provided with a plurality of swing support portions  61  as a mechanism for absorbing a connection error of the housing  20  and the mating housing  80  as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6 to 9 , the swing support portion  61  includes a pair of left and right surrounding portions  62  and a coupling portion  63  extending in a width direction (lateral direction) and having both ends coupled to the both surrounding portions  62 . The surrounding portion  62  has a substantially rectangular box shape and is composed of a rear surface plate  64 , a front surface plate  65  arranged to face the rear surface plate  64  from front, a ceiling plate  66  bridging between upper ends of the front surface plate  65  and rear surface plate  64  and a resilient piece  67  hanging down from an outer end of the ceiling plate  66 . Any of the rear surface plate  64 , the front surface plate  65  and the resilient piece  67  is in the form of a flat plate. Although the surrounding portions  62  are integrally coupled to other walls of the cover  60  as shown in  FIG. 5 , coupling structures of the surrounding portions  62  to the other walls of the cover  60  are not shown in  FIGS. 6 to 8 . As shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , later-described wing portions  21  of the housing  20  are displaceably accommodated in the surrounding portions  62 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , a pair of slits  68  are formed between the resilient piece  67  and the rear surface plate  64  and between the resilient piece  67  and the front surface plate  65 , and the resilient piece  67  is resiliently deformable with a coupled part to the outer end of the ceiling plate  66  as a supporting point between the both slits  68 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , a holding projection  69  projecting inwardly of the surrounding portion  62  is provided on the lower end of the resilient piece  67 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , the holding projection  69  is in the form of a rib extending in a front-back direction along the lower end of the resilient piece  67 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , the ceiling plate  66  is formed with a penetrating mold removal hole  70  as a mold passes when the holding projection  69  is molded. 
     The coupling portion  63  has an extending length slightly longer than a width of a housing main body  22  to be described later. As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , a standing wall portion  71  extending over the coupling portion  63  and the left and right ceiling plates  66  and bent to be substantially gate-shaped in a plan view is provided on the upper surfaces of the surrounding portions  62 . A rear end part of the housing main body  22  is accommodated in inner spaces of the surrounding portions  62  surrounded by the standing wall portion  71 . In the case of this embodiment, a plurality of swing support portions  61  are arranged at positions corresponding to the valve insertion portions  51  while being juxtaposed with the valve insertion portions  51  in a height direction. 
     Next, a specific structure of the housing  20  is described. As shown in  FIGS. 10 to 12 , the housing  20  includes the housing main body  22  substantially in the form of a rectangular block long in the front-back direction and a pair of plate-like wing portions  21  projecting in the width direction from opposite left and right side surfaces of the rear end part of the housing main body  22 . The housing main body  22  is provided with two cavities  23  into which terminal fittings  100  (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ) are insertable. As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the terminal fitting  100  is connected to an end part of a wire  200  and the connected wire  200  is pulled out from the rear end of the housing main body  22 . Further, the wire  200  pulled out from the rear end of the housing main body  22  is accommodated in the cover  60  and, in that state, arranged in a predetermined direction (direction intersecting with the connecting direction) along the inner surface of the cover  60 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , a resiliently deformable lock arm  24  extending backward after standing up from the front end is provided on the upper surface of the housing main body  22 . Further, a protecting portion  25  stands on the upper surface of the housing main body  22  to surround opposite lateral sides and a rear side of a rear end part of the lock arm  24 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the wing portion  21  includes a first piece portion  26  in the form of a flat plate integrally coupled to the side surface of the housing main body  22  and arranged to extend in the height direction while facing in the front-back direction, and a second piece portion  27  in the form of a flat plate integrally coupled to the outer end of the first piece portion  26  and arranged to extend in the height direction while facing in the width direction. The first and second piece portions  26 ,  27  are orthogonal to each other and substantially T-shaped in a plan view as a whole. As shown in  FIG. 12 , protruding portions  28  protruding outward away from the housing main body  22  are provided on the lower ends of the both second piece portions  27 . The protruding portion  28  is in the form of a rib extending in the front-back direction along the lower end of the second piece portion  27 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the mating housing  80  includes a mating housing portion  81  having an arcuate bottom surface along the outer peripheral surface of the electromagnetic portion  41  and a receptacle  82  projecting substantially in parallel to the valve portion  42  from the mating housing portion  81 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , a pair of tab-shaped mating terminal fittings  300  to be electrically connected to the solenoid  40  are mounted in the mating housing portion  81 . Tip parts of the mating terminal fittings  300  are arranged to project into the receptacle  82 . 
     Next, the connecting operation of the connector  10  synchronized with the mounting operation of the solenoid  40  is described. 
     The rear end part of the housing  20  is inserted into the swing support portion  61  from below (see  FIG. 5 ). In the process of inserting the housing  20 , the both resilient pieces  67  slide on the both wing portions  21  to be resiliently deformed outwardly. When the housing  20  is properly inserted, the rear end part of the housing main body  22  is arranged inside the standing wall portion  71  and the both wing portions  21  are inserted into the both surrounding portions  62  and the both resilient pieces  67  resiliently return. In this way, the protruding portions  28  of the both wing portions  21  are placed and supported on the holding projections  69  of the both resilient pieces  67  to be latched (see  FIGS. 8 and 9 ). Further, the both wing portions  21  are arranged in the both surrounding portions  62  with clearances S defined in the width and upward directions, and the housing  20  is swingably displaceable in a direction intersecting with the connecting direction (front-back direction) within ranges of those clearances S. At this time, the front ends of the second piece portions  27  of the both wing portions  21  are in contact with the front surface plates  65  of the both surrounding portions  62  and the protruding portions  28  of the both wing portions  21  are in contact with the holding projections  69  of the both resilient pieces  67 , whereby the housing  20  is prevented from being inclined forward. Further, the rear ends of the second piece portions  27  of the both wing portions  21  are in contact with the rear surface plates  64  of the both surrounding portions  62 , whereby the housing  20  is prevented from moving backward. With the housing  20  floating-supported in the both surrounding portions  62  of the swing support portion  61 , each wire  200  pulled out from the housing  20  is arranged along the inner surface of the cover  60 . Further, the both wing portions  21  are substantially positioned in such a state as to be swingably displaceable within the ranges of the clearances S of the both surrounding portions  62 , whereby the housing  20  projects forward (toward the mating housing  80 ) from the swing support portion  61  and is arranged at a waiting position where the connecting operation to the mating housing  80  can be started. 
     Subsequently, the cover  60  having the plurality of housings  20  described above mounted thereon is arranged above the valve body  50  and each housing  20  and each valve insertion portion  51  are juxtaposed in the height direction (see  FIG. 1 ). Subsequently, the valve portion  42  of the solenoid  40  is inserted into the valve insertion portion  51  (see  FIGS. 2 to 4 ). At this time, if the valve portion  42  of the solenoid  40  is squarely facing the valve insertion portion  51  and the housing  20  is squarely facing the mating housing  80 , the housing main body  22  of the housing  20  is properly fitted into the receptacle  82  of the mating housing  80  and the two housings  20 ,  80  are held in a connected state as the valve portion  42  of the solenoid  40  is inserted to a proper depth into valve insertion portion  51 . At this time, the lock arm  24  resiliently comes into contact with the inner surface of the receptacle  82 , thereby suppressing the rattling of the two housings  20 ,  80  in the connected state. 
     On the other hand, even if the mating housing  80  is not squarely facing the housing  20  and a connection axis of the housing  20  is deviated or inclined with respect to the mating housing  80  with the valve portion  42  of the solenoid  40  squarely facing the valve insertion portion  51 , a front end part of the housing main body  22  is guided into the receptacle  82  and shallowly inserted, whereby the housing  20  is swingably displaced within the ranges of the clearances S of the wing portions  21  in the surrounding portions  62  and guided to a proper connection position to the mating housing  80 . When the two housings  20 ,  80  are properly connected, the terminal fittings  100 ,  300  are properly electrically conductively connected. 
     In the above case, if the housing  20  is largely inclined according to a movement of the mating housing  80 , the first piece portions  26  of the wing portions  21  are deformed in a twisting direction intersecting with the connecting direction with respect to the second piece portions  27  and the housing main body  22  and their twisted state is resiliently cancelled. As just described, since the first piece portions  26  of the wing portions  21  are resilient, a displacement of the housing  20  and the mating housing  80  is smoothly and properly corrected. Thus, if the housing  20  is displaced relative to the mating housing  80  when the connection of the two housings  20 ,  80  is started, the connecting operation of the connector  10  can be performed in synchronization with the mounting operation of the solenoid  40 . Thereafter, the solenoid  40  is retained and fixed to the valve body  50  via a fixing means (not shown). 
     As described above, according to this embodiment, the housing  20  can reach the proper connection position to the mating housing  80  via the swing support portion  61  at the same time as the solenoid  40  is mounted into the valve body  50 . Thus, it is not necessary to separately perform the mounting operation of the solenoid  40  and the connecting operation of the connector  10  and assembling operation efficiency is improved. Particularly, since the housing  20  is made swingably displaceable in the direction intersecting with the connecting direction by the swing support portion  61 , a displacement between the housing  20  and the mating housing  80  can be properly corrected and the connecting operation of the connector  10  can smoothly proceed. 
     Further, since the swing support portion  61  is provided on the cover  60  for covering the wires  200 , it is not necessary to separately provide the cover  60  and the swing support portion  61  and the entire configuration is simplified and the number of components is reduced. 
     The present invention is not limited to the above described and illustrated embodiment. For example, the following modes are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. 
     The swing support portion has only to support the housing swingably in a direction intersecting with the connecting direction and may not be integrally provided to the cover. 
     The resilient piece may be omitted from the surrounding portion of the swing support portion, a substantially resiliently undeformable latching piece may be provided instead of the resilient piece, and the wing portion of the housing may be provided with a part having a structure equivalent to the resilient piece and to be resiliently locked to the latching piece. 
     The wing portion of the housing may have such rigidity as to be substantially resiliently undeformable. For example, the wing portion may be formed into a block shape. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS 
     
         
           10  . . . connector 
           20  . . . housing 
           21  . . . wing portion 
           40  . . . solenoid 
           50  . . . valve body 
           60  . . . cover 
           61  . . . swing support portion 
           62  . . . surrounding portion 
           80  . . . mating housing 
           100  . . . terminal fitting 
           200  . . . wire