Patent Description:
There are known connectors having configurations to reduce force required for mating. For example, Patent Literature <NUM> discloses a connector with a lever for reducing mating force. <FIG> is a view illustrating an exemplary connector with a lever. The connector <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> includes the lever <NUM>. The lever <NUM> rotates around a rotation axis R in the direction of Arrows O-C between an open state illustrated in <FIG> and a closed state in which the connector <NUM> overlaps a housing <NUM>. When a mating connector <NUM> is mated to the connector <NUM>, the lever <NUM> is caused to be in the open state illustrated in <FIG> and the mating connector <NUM> is inserted into the connector <NUM> in a mating direction. Then, the cam followers <NUM> each formed on each side in the width direction of the mating connector <NUM> enter the cam grooves <NUM> each formed on each side in the width direction of the lever <NUM>. In this state, then, an operating section <NUM> of the lever <NUM> is applied with a force to rotate the lever <NUM> in the direction of Arrow C up to the closed state in which the lever <NUM> overlaps the housing <NUM>. Then, the cam followers <NUM> are drawn in along the shape of the cam grooves <NUM>, and the mating connector <NUM> mates with the connector <NUM>. At this moment, the leverage principal works according to a ratio between the distance between the rotation axis R of the lever <NUM> and the cam grooves <NUM> and the distance between the rotation axis R and the operation section <NUM> of the lever <NUM>. This makes it possible to mate the connector <NUM> to the connector <NUM> with a low operating force. When the lever <NUM> is rotated up to the closed state, the lever <NUM> locks with the locking protrusions <NUM> each provided on each side in the width direction of the housing <NUM> of the connector <NUM>, and the lever <NUM> is held in the closed state. In accordance with the connectors illustrated in <FIG>, force required for mating is reduced. However, since, in a case with a lever of this type, adding the lever may lead to an increase in size, and in addition, the mating connector is drawn in only with two positions each on each side in the width direction, a proceeding direction of the mating connector may deviate from the mating direction, and stable contact may not be obtained. In addition, Patent Literature <NUM> discloses a connector in which an engaging projection is arranged on a bottom of a slider, a guiding slit into which the engaging projection is inserted is disposed in a connector housing. According to the connector of Patent Literature <NUM>, the slider may be prevented from position shifting. Patent Literature <NUM> discloses an electrical connector with a coupling assist member and a secondary locking member. The secondary locking member has camming protrusions that are cammed below a camming surface of the coupling assist member during transverse sliding thereof. Patent Literature <NUM> discloses a female connector equipped with a cam device that is operable to join the female connector and a male connector from an intermediary-joined position to a fully-joined position.

Recently, there have appeared so-called type of card edge connector in which printed wirings arranged at an edge of a printed circuit board are used as they are as contacts to play a role of electrical connection with a mating connector. A connector of the card edge connector type is so made that electrical components and the like mounted on a circuit board are sealed together therewith by resin, and thus, the connector becomes heavy and an integrated rigid body as a whole. For this reason, when backlash occurs between the card edge connector and its mating connector with which the card edge connector mates due to vibration or the like, contacts may be rubbed to be damaged, causing contact failures. In a case in which a mating connector is a connector using a slider to obtain a low mating force, the slider will be interposed between the card edge connector and a housing of the mating connector. And, the slider is arranged to make a gap between the slider and the housing for smooth sliding. For this reason, backlash may occur between the connectors in a mated state. With respect to the type of card edge connector, such backlash may make undesirable effects to electrical performance bigger. However, effects due to such backlash are problems common to a case in which a slider is used to obtain a low mating force, and not limited to a case of the card edge connector type.

In view of the foregoing, the present invention is directed to providing a connector assembly in which a slider is used and backlash between connectors are restrained.

According to the present invention there is provided a connector assembly as defined in claim <NUM>. The connector assembly includes: a first connector and a second connector which are configured to mate with each other, wherein the first connector includes: a housing that has a first receiving space to receive the second connector, and a slider that forms in the first receiving space a second receiving space to receive the second connector, is held by the housing such that the slider is slidable in a direction intersecting a mating direction, slides in a first direction to cause the second connector to move in the mating direction in which the first connector is mated to the second connector, and slides in a second direction opposite to the first direction to cause the second connector to move in a direction opposite to the mating direction, wherein the connector assembly includes, on an inner wall of the slider and an outer wall of the second connector, backlash restraining configurations that abut against each other at the time of mating completion to restrain backlash between the first connector and the second connector.

The connector assembly according to the present invention includes the backlash restraining configurations that abut against each other at the time of mating completion to restrain backlash between the first connector and the second connector, on the inner wall of the slider and the outer wall of the second connector. For this reason, the slider is secured to smoothly move in the course of mating and backlash is restrained at the time of mating completion.

In here, in the connector assembly according to the present invention, the backlash restraining configurations include: a first protrusion that is provided on the inner wall of the slider so as to protrude in an inside of the second receiving space, and a second protrusion that is provided on the outer wall of the second connector so as to protrude outward, and, at the time of mating completion, presses the first protrusion in a direction to expand the second receiving space so as to cause the slider to abut against an inner wall of the housing.

When the first protrusion and the second protrusion are provided, it is possible to securely restrain backlash in simple configurations.

In addition, in the connector assembly according to the present invention, it is preferable that the second connector includes a male terminal having a form of connecting pad formed on a circuit board, and the first connector is a type of card edge connector to receive an edge of the circuit board.

The connector assembly according to the present invention is desirable for a connector assembly including a connector of the card edge connector type and a mating connector thereof.

According to the connector assembly according to the present invention, it is possible to restrain backlash between connectors while using a slider.

<FIG> are perspective views of a connector assembly as an embodiment according to the present invention. In here, <FIG> illustrates a first connector <NUM> and a second connector <NUM> before mating. In addition, <FIG> illustrates a half-mating state. Further, <FIG> illustrates a mating-completion state.

In addition, <FIG> is a rear view of the first connector.

In addition, <FIG> is a cross sectional view in the half-mating state illustrated in <FIG> along Arrows X1-X1 illustrated in <FIG>.

In addition, <FIG> is a cross sectional view in the mating-completion state illustrated in <FIG> along Arrows X2-X2 illustrated in <FIG>.

In addition, <FIG> is a cross sectional view in the mating-completion state illustrated in <FIG> along Arrows X3-X3 illustrated in <FIG>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the connector assembly <NUM> includes the first connector <NUM> and the second connector <NUM>.

The first connector <NUM> includes a housing <NUM> and a slider <NUM>.

The housing <NUM> has a first receiving space <NUM> to receive the second connector <NUM>. The second connector <NUM> being inserted in a direction of Arrow F is received in the first receiving space <NUM>. In addition, a lot of cables <NUM> (see <FIG> and <FIG>) are inserted from a rear side of the housing <NUM> in the housing <NUM> of the first connector <NUM>. Further, terminals <NUM> (see <FIG> and <FIG>) are connected by crimping to core wires of the cables <NUM>. In addition, each of the cables <NUM> is surrounded by a waterproof member <NUM> (see <FIG> and <FIG>), to prevent water from entering an inside of the housing.

In addition, the slider <NUM> of the first connector <NUM> is held by the housing <NUM> such that the slider <NUM> is to be slidable in a width direction indicated by Arrows W1-W2 which direction intersects a mating direction (a direction indicated by Arrow F illustrated in <FIG>). The slider <NUM> is formed in an approximate U-shape, to form a second receiving space <NUM> in the first receiving space <NUM> formed in the housing <NUM>.

In addition, the slider <NUM> includes cam grooves <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, two cam grooves <NUM> are provided in a lower face of an inner wall of the slider <NUM>. In addition, similarly to this, two similar cam grooves are also provided in an upper face of the inner wall of the slider <NUM>.

Further, the slider <NUM> includes first locking sections <NUM> and second locking sections <NUM>. The first locking sections <NUM> are arranged one by one in a top and a bottom of the slider <NUM>, extend in a cantilever form in a direction of Arrow W1, and respectively include protrusions on tips which protrusions protrude in an inside of the second receiving space <NUM>. The two, top and bottom, first locking sections <NUM> lock with the housing <NUM> in the before-mating state, to prevent the slider <NUM> from easily coming out the housing <NUM>. In addition, the second locking sections <NUM> are also arranged one by one in the top and the bottom of the slider <NUM>. These top and bottom locking sections <NUM> extend in a cantilever form in a direction of Arrow W2 opposite to that of the first locking sections <NUM>, and include protrusions on tips thereof which protrusions protrude outward. The two, top and bottom, locking sections <NUM> lock with the housing <NUM> when being in the mating-completion state illustrated in <FIG>, playing a role of maintaining the mating-completion sate.

In addition, first protrusions <NUM> are formed on the inner wall of the slider <NUM>. The first protrusions <NUM> are provided one by one on the upper face and the lower face of the inner wall of the slider <NUM>, to protrude in the inside of the second receiving space <NUM>. And, the upper and lower protrusions <NUM> are provided at locations different from each other with respect to the width direction indicated by Arrows W1-W2. Details will be described later.

The second connector <NUM> has an edge section along a side of a circuit board <NUM> exposed in a tip section thereof on a side of the first connector <NUM>. And, the second connector <NUM> has configurations in which the whole thereof except for the exposed edge section of the circuit board <NUM> is covered with resin <NUM> together with circuit components (not illustrated) mounted on the circuit board <NUM>.

Connecting pads <NUM> formed by printed wirings are arranged on the exposed edge section of the circuit board <NUM>. These connecting pads <NUM> are male terminals to electrically connect to the terminals <NUM> (see <FIG> and <FIG>) connected by crimping to tips of the cables <NUM> of the first connector <NUM>.

The terminals <NUM> are pressed toward the circuit board <NUM> by a spacer <NUM> which is movably accommodated in the housing <NUM>, to contact the connecting pads <NUM>. Incidentally, the spacer <NUM> is pressed by the second connector <NUM> moving in the mating direction by an operation of the slider <NUM>, to move leftward in <FIG> so as to press the terminals <NUM>.

In addition, depressed sections <NUM> are formed two by two on a top and a bottom in a tip portion covered by the resin <NUM> of the second connector <NUM>. The depression sections <NUM> play a role of temporary locking in the half-mating state. In other words, as illustrated in <FIG>, the spacer <NUM> of the first connector <NUM> respectively includes on tips thereof third locking sections <NUM> respectively including protrusions protruding inward in a cantilever form in a direction indicated by Arrow R illustrated in <FIG>. And, in the half-mating state illustrated in <FIG>, the protrusions on the tips of the third locking sections <NUM> enter the depression sections <NUM> of the second connector <NUM>, thereby making a temporary locking state.

In addition, as illustrated in <FIG>, a waterproof member <NUM> circumferentially surrounding the resin <NUM> is arranged slightly more rearward than the depression sections <NUM> on the second connector <NUM>. In addition, further reward, two bosses <NUM> protruding outward from an upper face of an outer wall thereof are provided. Similarly, two bosses <NUM> are also provided on a lower face, in addition to the upper face, of the outer wall of the second connector <NUM>. The two bosses <NUM> provided on the lower face of the outer wall of the second connector <NUM> enter the two cam grooves <NUM> provided in the lower face of the inner wall of the slider <NUM>, respectively. In addition, similarly to this, the two bosses <NUM> provided on the upper face of the outer wall of the second connector <NUM> enter the two cam grooves <NUM> provided in the upper face of the inner wall of the slider <NUM>, respectively (see <FIG> and <FIG>). In this way, each of the bosses <NUM> is caused to enter each of the cam grooves <NUM> to slide the slider <NUM> in a first direction indicated by Arrow W1. Then, the second connector <NUM> is drawn into the inside of the first connector <NUM> in accordance with the shape of the cam grooves <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG> and further in <FIG>. In addition, if the slider <NUM> is drawn out in a second direction indicated by Arrow W2 when the first connector <NUM> and the second connector <NUM> are in the mating-completion state illustrated in <FIG>, the second connector <NUM> is pressed out in the direction of Arrow R, a direction opposite to the mating direction indicated by Arrow F.

In addition, in the second connector <NUM>, a second protrusion <NUM> is formed to protrude outward at a location adjacent to a boss 52a on the left side of the two bosses <NUM> on the upper face of the outer wall illustrated in <FIG>. Another second protrusion <NUM> is also provided on the lower face of the outer wall of the second connector <NUM>, in addition to the upper face of the outer wall. However, the second protrusion <NUM> which is provided on the lower face of the outer wall is not provided right under the second protrusions <NUM> on the upper face of the outer wall. Suppose that the second connector <NUM> is inverted vertically to be in an up-side-down posture from the posture illustrated in <FIG>. The second protrusion <NUM> provided on the lower face of the outer wall is arranged at a location in which, when being in the up-side-down posture, the second protrusion <NUM> of the lower face of the outer wall comes to a same location where the second protrusion <NUM> of the upper face of the outer wall illustrated in <FIG> is located. In other words, when the connector <NUM> is seen through vertically, the second protrusion <NUM> on the lower face of the outer wall is provided at a location adjacent to a boss 52b on the right side at whose adjacent position the second protrusion <NUM> is not provided in <FIG>. Further, the second protrusion provided on the lower face of the outer wall of the second connector <NUM> is provided at a location to go up onto the first protrusion <NUM> provided on the lower face of the inner wall of the slider <NUM> in the mating-completion state illustrated in <FIG>. In addition, similarly to this, the first protrusion is also provided on the upper face of the inner wall of the slider <NUM>. And, the first protrusion on the upper face of the inner wall is provided at a location to vertically overlap the second protrusion <NUM> provided on the upper face of the inner wall of the second connector <NUM> in the mating-completion state illustrated in <FIG>. In other words, in the mating-completion state, the first protrusions <NUM> provided on the slider <NUM> will be pressed by the second protrusions <NUM> provided on the second connector <NUM> to expand the second receiving space <NUM> vertically.

<FIG> illustrates a state in which the first protrusion <NUM> provided on the lower face of the inner wall of the slider <NUM> and the second protrusion <NUM> provided on the lower face of the outer wall of the second connector <NUM> vertically overlap each other. Since the locations at which the first protrusions <NUM> are provided and the locations at which the second protrusions <NUM> are provided are different from each other between the upper face and the lower face, the first protrusion <NUM> and the second protrusion <NUM> on the upper face side are not illustrated in <FIG>. Incidentally, the second connector <NUM> is held by the slider <NUM> also at locations remote from the locations where the first protrusions <NUM> and the second protrusions <NUM> overlap each other, for example, at locations near the waterproof member <NUM>. These configurations also contribute to restraining backlash between the second connector <NUM> and slider <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a state in which positions of cross sections are changed between in the upper half and in the lower half, and thus the first protrusions <NUM> and the second protrusions <NUM> respectively overlap each other both on the upper side and on the lower side.

As described, in the mating-completion state illustrated in <FIG>, the first protrusions <NUM> provided on the slider <NUM> are pressed by the second protrusions <NUM> provided on the second connector <NUM>, so that the upper wall of the slider <NUM> is pressed upward and the lower wall of the slider <NUM> is pressed downward. Thus, the outer walls of the slider <NUM> are caused to abut against the faces of the inner wall of the housing <NUM>. In this way, in the mating-completion state, not only backlash between the second connector <NUM> and the slider <NUM> is restrained, but backlash between the slider <NUM> and the housing <NUM> is also restrained. In other words, in accordance with the present embodiment, with the first protrusions <NUM> and the second protrusions <NUM>, the backlash restraining configurations to restrain backlash between the first connector <NUM> and the second connector <NUM> are obtained.

Claim 1:
A connector assembly that includes a first connector (<NUM>) and a second connector (<NUM>) which are configured to mate with each other, wherein
the first connector (<NUM>) includes:
a housing (<NUM>) that has a first receiving space (<NUM>) to receive the second connector (<NUM>),
a slider (<NUM>) that forms in the first receiving space a second receiving space (<NUM>) to receive the second connector (<NUM>), is held by the housing (<NUM>) such that the slider is slidable in a direction intersecting a mating direction (F), slides in a first direction to cause the second connector (<NUM>) to move in the mating direction (F) in which the first connector (<NUM>) is mated to the second connector (<NUM>), and slides in a second direction opposite to the first direction to cause the second connector (<NUM>) to move in a direction opposite to the mating direction (F),
wherein the connector assembly includes, on an inner wall of the slider (<NUM>) and an outer wall of the second connector (<NUM>), backlash restraining configurations (<NUM>, <NUM>) that abut against each other at the time of mating completion to restrain backlash between the first connector (<NUM>) and the second connector (<NUM>),
characterised in that the backlash restraining configurations include:
a first protrusion (<NUM>) that is provided on the inner wall of the slider (<NUM>) so as to protrude in an inside of the second receiving space, and
a second protrusion (<NUM>) that is provided on the outer wall of the second connector (<NUM>) so as to protrude outward, and, at the time of mating completion, presses the first protrusion (<NUM>) in a direction to expand the second receiving space (<NUM>) so as to cause the slider (<NUM>) to abut against an inner wall of the housing (<NUM>).