Patent Publication Number: US-7214085-B2

Title: Connector

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a connector having a male housing and female housing and specifically to a connector providing an improved locking feeling with a locking arm of a cantilever structure. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
     FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a conventional connector.  FIG. 10  is a drawing to explain an operation and problem of the conventional connector. 
   As shown in  FIG. 9 , a box-shaped male housing  8  includes a main locking arm  81  having a center impeller structure, a pair of guide ribs  82  upstanding to the right and left of the main locking arm  81 , a protrusion  81   a  on the main locking arm  81 , and a depressing portion  81   b  having a square button shape and disposed at one end of the main locking arm  81 . A female housing  9  includes a box-shaped receptacle  93  with an inner periphery being same as an outer periphery of the male housing  8 , a pair of guide grooves  92  in accord with the pair of guide ribs  82 , and a notch  91   b  in accord with the depressing portion  81   b.    
   In order to connect the male and female housings  8  and  9 , the guide ribs  82  and the guide grooves  92  are aligned each other and the male housing  8  is inserted into the female housing  9 , in an arrow direction in  FIG. 9 , while depressing the depressing portion  81   b  and deforming an upper portion of the main locking arm  81 . The protrusion  81   a  on the main locking arm  81  abuts to a hood of the female housing  9  during connecting. When the protrusion  81   a  enters into a hole, not shown, the main locking arm  81  resumes an initial shape and the connection is completed. Electric wires  84  and  94  connected to the male and female housings  8  and  9 , respectively, are also electrically connected. 
   JP, H11-31554,A discloses a prior art related to the present invention. 
   In this kind of connectors, a locking feeling to assure the complete connection between the male and female housings  8  and  9  is important. Without the locking feeling, a worker has concerns about the connection and tries again. This causes a low working efficiency. For this reason, the main locking arm  81  has a center impeller structure  81   c  and  81   d  as shown in  FIG. 10 . The center impeller structure gives a relatively large reaction force, or an upward force in  FIG. 10 , to the main locking arm  81  and attains a moderate locking feeling. 
   Meanwhile, an arrangement of the depressing portion  81   b  becomes difficult. If the depressing portion  81   b  is disposed at apart by L from a rear end of the main locking arm  81 , a portion having the depth L extends outside the male housing  8 . If the male housing  8  extends to the rear end of the main locking arm  81  to include this extension, the male housing  8  becomes a large size. 
   Although the center impeller structure gives the suitable locking feeling and the large repulsive force, it becomes difficult to unlock the male and female housings  8  and  9 . 
   The center impeller structure requires the extension L outside the depressing portion  81   b  as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , and causes the difficulty of unlocking. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   An object of the present invention is to provide a connector having a cantilever structure and giving a locking feeling similar to a center impeller structure without an extension of a main locking arm so that the connection and disconnection of a male housing and female housing become easy. 
   According to a first aspect of the present invention, a connector having a male housing and female housing, comprising a main locking arm disposed in one of the male housing and the female housing, the main locking arm having a cantilever structure and being flexible in a vertical direction; a side locking arm disposed to a side of the main locking arm, the side locking arm being flexible in a lateral direction to be sandwiched between the main locking arm and the one housing; a main locking portion disposed on the main locking arm; a side locking portion disposed on the side locking arm; a rib upstanding in the other housing; a rib engaging portion disposed in the rib, the rib engaging portion abutting to the side locking portion to sandwich a part of the side locking arm between the main locking arm and the one housing and lock the side locking portion after sandwiching when the male and female housings being connected to each other; a center engaging portion disposed on a plate of the other housing, the center engaging portion abutting and pressing the main locking portion when the male and female housings being connected to each other and the part of the side locking arm being sandwiched between the main locking arm and the one housing. 
   Thereby, when the male housing is inserted into the female housing, the rib engaging portion abuts to the side locking portion and depresses the side locking arm and pushes a part thereof into between the main locking arm and the one housing. Then, the center engaging portion abuts to the main locking portion. Since the part of the side locking arm is sandwiched between the main locking arm and the one housing, the main locking arm is bent in a bow shape. At this moment, the main locking arm having the cantilever structure becomes a center impeller structure and the main locking portion is depressed with a large force downwardly so that a large upward repulsive force is generated and gives a suitable locking feeling. 
   According to a second aspect of the present invention, the center engaging portion is locked with the main locking portion at the same time when the part of the side locking arm is released from sandwiching. 
   According to a third aspect of the present invention, the main locking arm has a depressing portion at an end thereof, the depressing portion disconnects locking between the main locking portion and the center engaging portion, and depresses downwardly the end of the main locking arm after disconnection while preventing the part of the side locking arm from being sandwiched between the main locking arm and the one housing. 
   Thereby, when the depressing portion is depressed downwardly, the main locking portion is unlocked from the center engaging portion without interference of the side locking arm. The main locking portion and the center engaging portion are unlocked from each other by applying a force equivalent to the cantilever structure. After unlocking, the side locking arm abuts to the side of the main locking arm and can not enter underneath the main locking arm. Although the side locking arm is curved toward the main locking arm it does not give any difficulty for disconnecting each housing. 
   According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the side locking arms are formed in a pair, the side locking portions are disposed at outer faces of the pair of the side locking arms, the ribs are upstanding opposedly, and the rib engaging portions extend out of inner faces of the ribs corresponding to the side locking portions. 
   Thereby, the side locking arms and the side locking portions, and the ribs and the rib engaging portions provide a stable connection between the male and female housings. 
   According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the main locking arms have a guide slit in a longitudinal direction thereof, and the other housing has an upstanding guide rib corresponding to the guide slit. 
   Thereby, they provide a stable connection between the male and female housings. They also give an easy connection and disconnection. 
   According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, a connector having a male housing and female housing, comprising a main locking arm disposed in one of the male housing and the female housing, the main locking arm having a cantilever structure and being flexible in a vertical direction; a side locking arm disposed to a side of the main locking arm, the side locking arm being flexible in a lateral direction; and a rib upstanding in the other housing, whereby, when the male and female housings are connected to each other, the side locking arm contacts with the rib and allows a part of the side locking arm to be sandwiched between the main locking arm and the one housing, and a part of the main locking arm contacts with the other housing so that the main locking arm is depressed. 
   Thereby, the main locking arm having the cantilever structure operates temporarily as a center impeller structure. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a connector of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2A  is a perspective view showing a main portion of the connector of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 2B  is a perspective view showing the main portion viewed from a direction A in  FIG. 2A ; 
       FIG. 3  is a top view of the main portion of the connector of  FIG. 2B ; 
       FIG. 4A  is a front view of a male housing and female housing prior to connection to each other; 
       FIG. 4B  is a sectional view of the male housing and female housing prior to connection to each other; 
       FIG. 5A  is a front view of the male housing and female housing during connection to each other; 
       FIG. 5B  is a sectional view of the male housing and female housing during connection to each other; 
       FIG. 6A  is a front view of the male housing and female housing when they are connected to each other; 
       FIG. 6B  is a sectional view of the male housing and female housing when they are connected to each other; 
       FIG. 7A  is a front view of the male housing and female housing during disconnection from each other; 
       FIG. 7B  is a sectional view of the male housing and female housing during disconnection from each other; 
       FIG. 8A  is a perspective view showing a modification of the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 8B  is a perspective view showing a modification of the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view showing a conventional connector; and 
       FIG. 10  illustrates an operation and problem of the conventional connector. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Embodiments of the present invention are explained by referring to drawings.  FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a connector of the present invention.  FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of a main part of the connector of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 2B  is a perspective view of  FIG. 2A  viewed from a direction of A in  FIG. 2A .  FIG. 3  is a top view of  FIG. 2B . Guide ribs are omitted in  FIG. 3 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , the connector includes a male housing  1  and female housing  2 , made of a synthetic resin, each having pin terminals, not shown, connecting a plurality of electric wires. 
   The male housing  1  is box-shaped and has main locking arms  11  with cantilever structure and side locking arms  12  disposed at both sides of the main locking arms  11 . The main locking arms  11  are connected to the male housing  1  through supporters  11   d  and have main protrusions (main locking portions)  11   a  thereon, a depressing portion  11   b  at an end thereof, and a guide slit  11   e.    
   The female housing  2  is box-shaped and has a receptacle  23  with an inner periphery same as an outer periphery of the male housing  1 . The female housing  2  has a pair of ribs  22  corresponding to the side locking arms  12 , a center protrusion (center engaging portion)  21   a  to be locked with the main protrusions (main locking portions)  11   a , and an upstanding guide rib  21   e  corresponding to the guide slit  11   e.    
     FIGS. 2A ,  2 B and  3  show detailed structures of the male housing  1  and the female housing  2 . The male housing  1  has the main locking arms  11  supported with the supporters  11   d . The main locking arms  11  are flexible in the vertical direction and have the depressing portion  11   b  for depressing the end of the main locking arms  11  downwardly. The depressing portion  11   b  is wider than other portions. 
   The depressing portion  11   b  unlocks locking between the main protrusions  11   a  and the center protrusion (center engaging portion)  21   a  and prevents parts of side locking arms  12  from entering into between the main locking arms  11  and the male housing  1 . The guide slit  11   e  is disposed at the center of the main locking arms  11  along the longitudinal direction. The main locking arms  11  are joined to the depressing portion  11   b  and each has the main protrusion  11   a  with a trapezoid-section thereon. 
   The male housing  1  has the pair of the side locking arms  12  at the both sides thereof. Each side locking arm  12  is also a cantilever structure supported with the male housing  1  and flexible in a lateral direction. The height of the side locking arms  12  is shorter than that of the main locking arms  11  so that the parts, for example, heads, of the side locking arms  12  deformed opposed can enter into between the main locking arms  11  and the male housing  1  and limit downward bending of the main locking arms  11  when the both housing are connected to each other. Each side locking arm  12  has a hill-shaped side protrusion (side locking portion)  12   a  at an outer surface thereof, the detail of which is described later. 
   The upwardly extending ribs  22  opposed to each other, corresponding to the side locking arms  12 , are disposed on the female housing  2 . Each rib  22  has a hill-shaped rib protrusion (rib engaging portion)  22   a  at an inner wall thereof and the rib protrusions  22   a  are opposed to each other and the center protrusion  21   a  with a trapezoid section is disposed midway between the rib protrusions  22   a . The guide rib  21   e  corresponding to the guide slit  11   e  extends upwardly on the housing surface and a part thereof covers the center protrusion  21   a.    
   When the male housing  1  and the female housing  2  are fitted to each other, the rib protrusions (rib engaging portions)  22   a  abut to the side protrusions  12   a  and push parts of the side locking arms  12  into between the lower face of the main locking arms  11  and the male housing  1 . After abutting, the side locking arms  12  return to an initial position so that the rib protrusions  22   a  lock the side protrusions (side locking portions)  12   a . When the male housing  1  and female housing  2  start to be fitted to each other and the parts of the side locking arms  12  enter into between the main locking arms  11  and the male housing  1 , the center protrusion  21   a  presses downwardly the main protrusions  11   a . When the side locking arms  12  return to the initial position with further fitting of the housings, the center protrusion  21   a  locks the main protrusions  11   a.    
   An operation and effect of the connector are explained in  FIGS. 4 to 7 .  FIGS. 4A and 4B  are a front and sectional views prior to the male and female housing being connected to each other, respectively.  FIGS. 5A and 5B  are a front and sectional views while the male and female housing are being connected to each other, respectively.  FIGS. 6A and 6B  are a front and sectional views after the male and female housing are connected to each other, respectively.  FIGS. 7A and 7B  are a front and sectional views during disconnection of the male and female housings. 
   Prior to the male and female housings  1  and  2  being connected to each other the guide slit  11   e , the guide rib  21   e , the side locking arms  12 , and the ribs  22  are positioned and the male housing  1  is inserted into the female housing  2  in a direction of an arrow shown in  FIG. 4A . As shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B , at this state, the main protrusions  11   a  do not contact with the center protrusion  21   a  and the side protrusions  12   a  do not contact with the rib protrusions  22   a . The main locking arms  11  and the side locking arms  12  are not deformed yet. 
   When the male housing  1  is further inserted into the female housing  2 , the connection becomes as shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B . The rib protrusions  22   a  abut to the side protrusions  12   a  and deform the side locking arms  12  and push the parts thereof into between the under face of thre main locking arms  11  and the male housing  1  as shown by R in  FIG. 5A . Shortly, the center protrusion  21   a  abuts to the main protrusions  11   a . Since the parts of the side locking arms  12  are sandwiched between the main locking arms  11  and the housing  1 , the main locking arms  11  are bent in a bow shape as shown in  FIG. 5B . The main locking arms  11  with the cantilever structure become a center impeller structure and the main protrusions  11   a  are depressed with a large force downwardly so that a large upward repulsive force is generated and gives a suitable locking feeling. 
   When the male housing  1  is further inserted into the female housing  2  from  FIGS. 5A and 5B , the side protrusions  12   a  climb over the rib protrusions  22   a  and concurrently the main protrusions  11   a  climb over the center protrusion  21   a  as shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B . When the side protrusions  12   a  climb over the rib protrusions  22   a , the entered parts of the side locking arms  12  are returned to the initial position. According with this, the main protrusions  11   a  climb over the center protrusion  21   a  and are locked with each other and the connection is completed. The electric wires connected to each the male and female housings  1  and  2  are connected electrically after completing the connection. 
   The main locking arms  11  have the cantilever structure but have a locking feeling similar to the center impeller structure. The main locking arms  11  do not extend backwardly such as the center impeller structure as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
   When the male and female housings  1  and  2  are disconnected to each other from the connecting state of  FIG. 6A and 6B , it is simply to push the depressing portion  11   b  in a direction of an arrow in  FIG. 7B  and pull out the depressing portion  11   b  in a direction of an arrow of  FIG. 7A . When the depressing portion  11   b  is depressed downwardly, the main protrusions  11   a  are unlocked from the center protrusion  21   a  without interference of the side locking arms  12 , see  FIG. 6A . At this state, the side locking arms  12  abut to the sides of the main locking arms  11  and do not enter underneath the main locking arms  11 . Then, it is easily to pull out the male housing  1 . When the depressing portion  11   b  is pulled out and the side protrusions  12   a  climb over the rib protrusions  22   a , the side locking arms  12  are curved but do not give any difficulty for disconnecting each housing. 
   Accordingly, the male housing  1  and the female housing  2  are easily disconnected each other by applying a force equivalent to the cantilever structure. 
   According to the embodiment of the invention as described above, the connector does not have the extended portion of the main locking arm as shown in the conventional connector. The cantilever structure connector of the present invention gives the locking feeling similar to the center impeller structure connector and gives easy disconnection due to the cantilever structure. 
   The side locking arms  12  and the side protrusions  12   a , and the ribs  22  and the rib protrusions  22   a  provide a stable connection of the male and female housings. They also give an easy connection and disconnection. The guide slit lie disposed at the center of the main locking arms  11  and the guide rib  21   e  disposed in the female housing  2  provide a stable connection. They also provide an easy connection and disconnection. The male and female are named expediently and do not limit the present invention. 
   As shown in  FIG. 8A , side protrusions  12   a ′ can be disposed on upper faces of the side locking arms  12  instead of the sides thereof. 
   Correspondingly, the rib protrusions  22   a  are modified to openings  22   a ′ (rib engaging portion) as shown in  FIG. 8B . The center protrusions  11   a  can be modified to grooves and correspondingly the center protrusion  21   a  is also modified. The scope of claims includes all modifications of the present invention.