Title of Invention

"A CONNECTOR AND A CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY"

Abstract

A connector, comprising: a housing (10) connectable with a mating housing (30), the housing (10) including a lock arm (15) cantilevered substantially along a connecting direction of the housing with the mating housing, a lock formed at a position of the lock arm closer to a supporting point of the resilient deformation than a free end, and at least one hitting portion arranged at a position on the lock arm closer to the free end than the lock, and wherein the lock arm (15) is interfered with and resilient deformed by an engaging portion (34) of the mating housing (30) during a connecting operation of the housing with the mating housing (30), wherein the lock (20) is engaged with the engaging portion (34) to hold the housing (10) with the mating housing (30) when the housing (10) is connected properly with the mating housing (30) and the lock arm (15) is restored resiliently, wherein the at least one hitting portion (25) hit at least one receiving portion (35) as the lock arm (15) is restored resiliently, and wherein a hitting surface (25S) of the at least one hitting portion (25) to hit the receiving portion (35) is in the form of a substantially flat surface gradually widened towards the operable portion.

Full Text

The present invention relates to a connector and a connector assembly. There has been known a connector in which a hitting sound is produced when a pair of connector housings are connected, thereby enabling confirmation that a connecting operation of the two connector housings has been properly performed (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-158417). This connector is constructed such that one connector housing includes a lock arm capable of undergoing a seesaw-like resilient deformation and the other connector housing includes a locking projection. During the connecting operation of the two connector housings, a lock portion at the front end of the lock arm moves onto the locking projection to resiliently deform the lock arm, thereby accumulating a resilient force in the lock arm. This resilient force accumulated in the lock arm acts as a driving force for restoring the lock arm to an initial shape when the two connector housings are properly connected, and the lock portion of the lock arm hits the other connector housing upon a restoring movement of the lock arm. in this way, a hitting sound is produced. In the above case, the lock arm is so formed as to undergo a seesaw-like resilient deformation and to locate a supporting point of the resilient deformation thereof substantially in the longitudinal center thereof. Thus, a distance from the supporting point of the resilient deformation of the lock arm to a hitting point (lock portion) becomes shorter to reduce a moment force at the hitting point when the lock arm is resiliency deformed. As a result, the hitting sound is still. The present invention was developed in view of the above situation and an object thereof is to allow to produce a large hitting sound upon a connecting process. This object is solved according to the invention by the features of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments of the invention are subject of the dependent claims. According to the invention, there is provided a connector, comprising: a connector housing connectable with a mating connector, the connector housing including a lock arm substantially in the form of a cantilever extending substantially along a connecting direction of the connector housing with the mating connector housing, a lock portion formed at a position of the lock arm closer to a supporting point of the resilient deformation than a free end, and at least one hitting portion arranged at a position of the lock arm closer to the free end than the lock portion, and wherein the lock arm is interfered with and resilient deformed by an engaging portion of the mating connector housing during a connecting operation of the connector housing with the mating connector housing, wherein the lock portion is engaged with the engaging portion to inseparably hold the connector housing with the mating connector housing when the connector housing is property connected with the mating connector housing and the lock arm is resiliently at least partly restored, and wherein the at least one hitting portion can hit at least one receiving portion as the lock arm is residently restored. Since the lock arm is in the form of a cantilever and the hitting portion is arranged at the position closer to the free end than the lock portion, a distance from the supporting point of the resilient deformation of the lock arm to the hitting portion can be made longer as compared to a seesaw-shaped lock arm. In other words, since a larger moment force of the hitting portion when the lock arm is resiliency deformed can be ensured, a large hitting sound can be produced when the connector housing is substantially properly connected with the mating connector housing. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the hitting portion is arranged at the position displaced from the lock portion in a width direction. Preferably, at least one pair of hitting portions are arranged at the substantially opposite sides of the lock portion in the width direction. Further preferably, an operable portion to be operated to resiliency deform the lock portion in a direction separating the lock portion from the engaging portion is so formed at or near the free end of the lock arm as to be wider than an area where the lock portion is formed. Still further preferably, a hitting surface of the at least one hitting portion to hit the receiving portion is in the form of a substantially flat surface gradually widened toward the operable portion. Most preferably, the inner surface of the hitting portion is substantially parallel to the connecting direction of the connector housing with the mating connector housing so that the hitting surface substantially has a trapezoidal shape with oblique sides having different lengths. According to the invention, there is further provided a connector assembly comprising a connector according to the invention or a preferred embodiment thereof and having a connector housing and a mating connector having a mating connector housing connectabie with the connector housing. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is provided a connector assembly, comprising: a pair of connector housings connectabie with each other, one connector housing including a lock arm in the form of a cantilever extending along a connecting direction of the two connector housings, a lock portion formed at a position of the lock arm closer to a supporting point of the resilient deformation than a free end, and a hitting portion arranged at a position of the lock arm closer to the free end than the lock portion, and the other connector housing including an engaging portion for resiliently deforming the lock arm by interfering with the lock portion during a connecting operation of the two connector housings and being engaged with the lock portion to inseparably hold the two connector housings when the two connector housings are properly connected and the lock arm is resiliently restored, and a receiving portion to be hit by the hitting portion as the lock arm is resiliently restored. Since the lock arm is in the form of a cantilever and the hitting portion is arranged at the position closer to the free end than the lock portion, a distance from the supporting point of the resilient deformation of the lock arm to the hitting portion can be made longer as compared to a seesaw-shaped lock arm. In other words, since a larger moment force of the hitting portion when the lock arm is resiliently deformed can be ensured, a large hitting sound can be produced when two connector housings are properly connected. Preferably, the hitting portion is arranged at the position displaced from the lock portion in a width direction. Since the hitting portion is arranged at the position displaced from the lock portion in the width direction, a degree of freedom is higher upon setting the position of the hitting portion in the longitudinal direction of the lock arm. Further preferably, a pair of hitting portions are arranged at the opposite sides of the lock portion in the width direction, In the case where the hitting portion is arranged at the position displaced from the lock portion in the width direction, the hitting portion might not come into contact with the receiving portion if the lock portion and the engaging portion are engaged with the lock arm inclined in the width direction. Since the pair of hitting portions are arranged at the opposite sides of the lock portion in the width direction according to the present invention, at least either one of the hitting portions certainly comes into contact with the receiving portion even if the lock arm is inclined, wherefore a hitting sound is reliably produced. Most preferably, an operable portion operated to resiliently deform the lock portion in a direction separating the lock portion from the engaging portion is so formed at the free end of the lock arm as to be wider than an area where the lock portion is formed, and a hitting surface of the hitting portion to hit the receiving portion is in the form of a flat surface gradually widened toward the operable portion. Since the operable portion is formed to be wider, an unlocking operation of separating the lock portion from the engaging portion can be easily performed. Further, by forming the hitting surface of the hitting portion to hit the receiving portion into a flat surface gradually widened toward the operable portion, the area of the hitting surface is increased efficiently utilizing a dead space resulting from a width difference between the formation area of the lock portion and the operable portion. In this way, it could be realized to increase the sound volume of the hitting sound. According to the invention, there is further provided a method of connecting a connector assembly, in particular according to the invention or a preferred embodiment thereof, comprising the following steps: providing a pair of connector housings connectable with each other, wherein one connector housing including a lock arm substantially in the form of a cantilever extending substantially along a connecting direction of the two connector housings, a lock portion formed at a position of the lock arm closer to a supporting point of the resilient deformation than a free end, and at least one hitting portion arranged at a posftion of the lock arm closer to the free end than the lock portion, interfering and deforming the lock arm by an engaging portion of the other connector housing during a connecting operation of the connector housings, engaging the lock portion with the engaging portion to inseparably hold the connector housing with the mating connector housing when the connector housing are properly connected and the lock arm is resiliency at least partly restored, and allowing the at least one hitting portion to hit at least one receiving portion as the lock arm is resiliency restored. These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings. It should be understood that even though embodiments are separately described, single features thereof may be combined to additional embodiments. FIG. 1 is a section showing a state where two connector housings are properly connected in one embodiment, FIG. 2 is a section showing an intermediate state of the connecting operation of the two connector housings, FIG. 3 is a side view of the female connector housing, FIG. 4 is a plan view of the female connector housing, FIG. 5 is a front view of the female connector housing, and FIG. 6 is a partial enlarged section showing a contact state of hitting portions and receiving portions. Hereinafter, one preferred embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to FIGS, 1 to 6. A connector of this embodiment is provided with a female connector housing 10 (corresponding to a preferred one connector housing) and a male connector housing 30 (corresponding to a preferred other connector housing) connectable with each other. In the following description, sides of the female and male housings 10, 30 to be connected are referred to as front sides concerning forward and backward directions FBD or connecting direction CD, The female connector housing 10 is an integral or unitary assembly of a housing main body 11 and a lock arm 15. The housing main body 11 preferably substantially i's in the form of a vertically long block as a whole, one or more female terminals 13 are at teast partly accommodated in cavities 12 of the housing main body 11, and one or more wires 14 connected or connectable with the female terminals 13 are or can be drawn out substantially backward from the housing main body 11. The lock arm 15 is integrally or unitarily formed on the lateral (preferably upper) surface of the housing main body 11, The lock arm 15 has an arm main body 16 preferably substantially in the form of a cantilever extending backward (direction substantially in parallel with a connecting direction CD of the two connector housings 10, 30) from the front end of the housing main body 11, and supported on the housing main body 11 at a leg portion 17 at or near the front end of the lock arm 15. This lock arm 15 is resiliency deformable upward and downward (directions at an angle different from 0° or 180°, preferably substantially normal to the connecting direction CD of the two connector housings 10, 30 and/or directions away and toward the upper surface of the housing main body 11) with the leg portion 17 as a supporting point. In a free state where the lock arm 15 is not resiliency deformed, the arm main body 16 preferably is substantially parallel to the connecting direction CD of the two connector housings 10, 30 (lateral (upper) surface of the housing main body 11). The outer (upper) surface of the arm main body 16 has its widthwise intermediate part (preferably its widthwise substantially middle part) cut out from the front end of the arm main body 16 to an intermediate position (preferably a substantially longitudinal middle position) to form a front groove 18 preferably substantially having a rectangular cross section. Similarly, the outer (upper) surface of the arm main body 16 has widthwise intermediate part (preferably its its widthwise substantially middle part) cut out from a position slightly behind the front groove 18 towards or to the rear end of the arm main body 16 to form a rear groove 19 preferably substantially having a rectangular cross section. A part of an outer (upper) surface portion of the arm main body 16 partitioning the front and rear grooves 18 and 19 serves as a lock portion 20. The lock portion 20 has its widthwise intermediate part (preferably its widthwise substantially middle part) cut out to form a middle groove 21. The middle groove 21 is open in the upper and rear surfaces of the lock portion 20 and substantially communicates with the rear groove 19, The outer or distal (upper) surface of the lock portion 20 preferably is set to be slightly higher than the upper surface of the arm main body 16. An operable portion 22 substantially extending further backward from the rear end of the arm main body 16 is formed at or near the free end of the lock arm 15. The operable portion 22 preferably substantially is transversely symmetrically shaped similar to the arm main body 16, and is comprised of one or more, preferably a pair of supporting portions 23 standing upward (toward a side opposite to the housing main body 11) from the (preferably substantially opposite) lateral (left and/or right) edge(s) of the arm main body 16 and projecting further backward from the rear end of the arm main body 16 and a finger placing portion 24 preferably substantially in the form of a plate substantially parallel to the arm main body 16 and coupling the upper end edges of the both supporting portions 23. Such a lock arm 15 is formed with one or more, preferably a pair of (preferably substantially transversely symmetrical) hitting portions 25, which construct or form part of the side walls of the rear groove 19 and are substantially continuous with the front ends of the supporting portions 23 of the operable portion 22. In other words, the (pair of) hitting portions 25 are arranged behind the lock portion 20 (i.e. at a side of the lock arm 15 substantially opposite to the leg portion 17 as the supporting point of the resilient deformation) with respect to the longitudinal direction of the lock arm 15 (connecting direction CD of the two connector housings 10, 30) and, at the same time, displaced outward in a width direction WD (or in a direction at an angle different from 0" or 180",-preferably substantially normal to the connecting direction CD) relative to the lock portion 20. The outer or upper surfaces of the hitting portions 25 serve as one or more hitting surfaces 25S that are substantially flat surfaces substantially parallel to the connecting direction CD of the two connector housings 10, 30. The hitting surfaces 25S are located slightly higher than the upper surface of the lock portion 20. The width of the arm main body 16 preferably is substantially constant from the front end of the arm main body 16 (leg portion 17) to a longitudinal intermediate position (preferably substantially a longitudinal middle position) of the lock portion 20, but the above operable portion 22 preferably is wider than the arm main body 16. In an area extending from the longitudinal intermediate position (preferably substantially the longitudinal middle position) of the lock portion 20 to or towards the front end of the operable portion 22, the width of the arm main body 16 is gradually increased. The hitting portions 25 are arranged in this area gradually widened toward the back side. Accordingly, the hitting surfaces 25S (hitting portions 25) are gradually widened from the front ends toward the rear ends. Here, the hitting surfaces 25S preferably substantially have a trapezoidal shape with oblique sides having different lengths since the inner surfaces of the supporting portions 23 and those of the hitting portions 25 are substantially parallel to the connecting direction of the two connector housings 10, 30 and/or substantially continuous and flush with each other. The male connector housing 30 includes a receptacle 31 having an open front side (toward the female connector housing 10), and one or mroe narrow and long male terminals 32 are at least partly accommodated in the receptacle 31. Further, the female connector housing 10 is at least partly fittable into the receptacle 31. A lateral (preferably upper) wall 33 of the receptacle 31 is formed with an engaging portion 34 projecting inward or downward from a position near the opening edge of the receptacle 31. Parts of the upper wall 33 at the substantially opposite lateral (left and right) sides of the engaging portion 34 serve as a pair of receiving portions 35. The lower surfaces of the receiving portions 35 (i.e. inner surface of the receptacle 31) serve as receiving surfaces 35S that preferably are substantially flat surfaces substantially parallel to the connecting direction CD of the two connector housings 10, 30. Upon connecting the two connector housings 10, 30, the female connector housing 10 is at least partly fitted into the receptacle 31. As the female connector housing 10 is at least partly fitted, the lock portion 20 and the engaging portion 34 interfere with each other, whereby the lock arm 15 is resiliently deformed downward or towards the connector main housing 11 as shown in FIG. 2 to accumulate a resilient restoring force in the lock arm 15. At this time, the hitting portions 25 are located substantially corresponding to (or substantially below) the receiving portions 35, As the female connector housing 10 is further fitted to reach a substantially properly connected state of the two connector housings 10,30, the lock portion 20 passes the engaging portion 34, the lock arm 15 is resiliency restored towards or to its original posture, and the one or more, preferably the pair of hitting portions 25 hit or strike or abut the one or more, preferably the pair of receiving portions 35 to produce a hitting sound. At this time, since the (substantially flat) hitting surfaces 25S come substantially into surface contact with the (similar substantially flat) receiving surfaces 35S, a large collision sound is produced. In the property connected state, the lock portion 20 and the engaging portion 34 are engaged to inseparably lock the two connector housings 10, 30 into each other. In this embodiment, the lock arm 15 preferably is substantially in the form of a cantilever extending substantially along the connecting direction CD of the two connector housings 10, 30, the lock portion 20 preferably is arranged at a position closer to the supporting point of the resilient deformation (leg portion 17) than the free end of the lock arm 15, and the hitting portion(s) 25 preferably is/are arranged at position(s) closer to the free end than the lock portion 20. Thus, a distance from the supporting point of the resilient deformation of the lock arm 15 to the hitting portion(s) 25 is longer as compared to the case where the lock arm 15 is seesaw-shaped. In other words, large moment forces of the hitting portions 25 with a center on the supporting point of the resilient deformation of the lock arm 15 (leg portion 17) can be ensured when the lock arm 15 is resiliently deformed. Therefore, a large hitting sound can be produced when the two connector housings 10, 30 are properly connected. Since the one or more hitting portions 25 are arranged at the one or more positions distanced from the lock portion 20 in the width direction WD, a degree of freedom is higher upon setting the positions of the hitting portions 25 in the longitudinal direction of the lock arm 15. In the case where the one or more hitting portions 25 are arranged at the positions displaced from the lock portion 20 in the width direction WD, the hitting portions 25 might not come into contact with the receiving portions 35 if the lock portion 20 and the engaging portion 34 are engaged with the lock arm 15 inclined in the width direction WD. Since the pair or more of hitting portions 25 preferably are arranged at the substantially opposite sides of the lock portion 20 in the width direction WD in this embodiment, at least either one of the hitting portions 25 certainly comes substantially into contact with the receiving portion 35 even if the lock arm 15 is inclined, wherefore a hitting sound is reliably produced, The operable portion 22 for resiliency deforming the lock arm 15 in a direction separating the lock portion 20 from the engaging portion 34 in the properly connected state is formed at the free end of the lock arm 15. This operable portion 22 preferably is formed to be wider than the area where the lock portion 20 is formed. Accordingly, an unlocking operation of separating the lock portion 20 from the engaging portion 34 can be easily performed. Further, by paying attention to the widened operable portion 22, the hitting surfaces 25S of the hitting portions 25 to hit the receiving portions 35 preferably are formed substantially into flat surfaces substantially gradually or stepwisely widened toward the operable portion 22 to increase the areas of the hitting surfaces 25S in this embodiment in order to efficiently utilize dead spaces resulting from a width difference between the formation area of the lock portion 20 and the operable portion 22. in this way, it could be realized to increase the sound volume of the hitting sound. Accordingly, to provide a connector capable of producing a large hitting sound, since a lock arm 15 is substantially in the form of a cantilever and one or more hitting portions 25 are arranged at positions closer to the free end of the lock arm 15 than a lock portion 20, a distance from a supporting point of the resilient deformation of the lock arm 15 (leg portion 17) to the one or more hitting portions 25 can be made longer as compared to a seesaw-shaped lock arm. This means that larger momentum forces or momentum of the hitting portions 25 can be ensured when the lock arm 15 is resiliency deformed. Therefore, a large hitting sound can be produced when two connector housings 10, 30 are property connected. The present invention is not limited to the above described and illustrated embodiment. For example, the following embodiments are also embraced by the technical scope of the present invention as defined by the claims. (1) According to the present invention, one, three or more hitting portions may be provided. (2) According to the present invention, the pair of hitting portions may be asymmetric with respect to the width direction WD, (3) According to the present invention, the shape of the hitting surfaces of the hitting portions is not limited to the trapezoidal shape with oblique sides having different lengths, but may substantially be the shape of an isosceles trapezoid, 3 rectangle other than trapezoids, a triangle or the like. (4) Although the engaging portion, the receiving portions and the hitting portions are arranged at the same position with respect to the longitudinal direction of the lock arm in the foregoing embodiment, the engaging portion may be arranged at a position displaced from the receiving portions and the hitting portions in the longitudinal direction according to the present invention. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 10 ... female connector housing (one connector housing) 15 ... lock arm 20 ... lock portion 22 ... operable portion 25 ... hitting portion 25S ... hitting surface 30 ... male connector housing (other connector housing) 34 ... engaging portion 35 ... receiving portion We Claim: 1. A connector, comprising: a housing (10) connectable with a mating housing (30), the housing (10) including a lock arm (15) cantilevered substantially along a connecting direction of the housing with the mating housing, a lock formed at a position of the lock arm closer to a supporting point of the resilient deformation than a free end, and at least one hitting portion arranged at a position on the lock arm closer to the free end than the lock, and wherein the lock arm (15) is interfered with and resilient deformed by an engaging portion (34) of the mating housing (30) during a connecting operation of the housing with the mating housing (30), wherein the lock (20) is engaged with the engaging portion (34) to hold the housing (10) with the mating housing (30) when the housing (10) is connected properly with the mating housing (30) and the lock arm (15) is restored resiliently, wherein the at least one hitting portion (25) hit at least one receiving portion (35) as the lock arm (15) is restored resiliently, and wherein a hitting surface (25S) of the at least one hitting portion (25) to hit the receiving portion (35) is in the form of a substantially flat surface gradually widened towards the operable portion. 2. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hitting portion (25) is arranged at the position displaced from the lock (20) in a width direction. 3. The connector as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one pair of hitting portions (25) are arranged at substantially opposite sides of the lock (20) in the width direction. 4. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein an operable portion (22) to be operated to deform the lock (20) in a direction separating the lock (20) from the engaging portion (34) is formed near the free end of the lock arm (15) and is wider than an area where the lock (20) is formed. 5. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the hitting portion (25) is substantially parallel to the connecting direction (CD) of the housing (10) with the mating housing (30) so that the hitting surface (25S) has a substantially trapezoidal shape with oblique sides having different lengths. 6. A connector, comprising a housing with a main body having opposite front and rear ends, a lock arm having a leg joined to the main body substantially adjacent the front end and a beam cantilevered from the leg towards the rear end of the main body a lock formed on a surface of the beam facing away from the main body and at a position along the beam spaced rearward from the leg and at least one hitting portion projecting from the surface of the beam facing away from the main body and at a position along the beam so that the lock is between the leg and the hitting portion, the hitting portion gradually widens at positions farther from the lock. 7. The connector as claimed in claim 6, wherein the hitting portion (25) has a hitting surface (25S) facing away from the main body, the hitting surface (25S) being substantially planar. 8. The connector as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least one hitting portion (25) comprises first and second hitting portions offset laterally from one another. 9. The connector as claimed in claim 8, wherein the hitting portions (25) are offset laterally from the lock. 10. The connector as claimed in claim 6, comprising an operable portion at an end of the lock arm remote from the leg, the operable portion being wider than the beam. 11. A connector assembly, comprising: a first housing; a second housing connectable with the first housing; a resiliently deformable lock arm formed on the first housing and cantilevered substantially along a connecting direction of the first and second housings, a lock formed on the lock arm closer to a support of resilient deformation than a free end, and at least one hitting portion at a position on the lock arm closer to the free end than the lock, the hitting portion gradually widening at positions farther from the lock; an engaging portion formed on the second housing at a position for interfering with the lock during a connecting operation of the first housing with the second housing, the lock arm being restored resiliently when the housings are connected properly so that the lock engages the engaging portion to hold the first and second housings together; and at least one receiving portion formed on the second housing in a position to be engaged by the hitting portion the lock arm is restored resiliently to generate a hitting sound indicating complete connection. 12. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the hitting portion (25) has a substantially planar hitting surface. 13. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the at least one hitting portion (25) comprises first and second hitting portions offset laterally from one another. 14. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the hitting portions (25) are offset laterally from the lock. 15. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein an operable portion at the free end of the lock arm.

Documents:

1415-DEL-2007-Abstract-(26-04-2012).pdf

1415-del-2007-abstract.pdf

1415-del-2007-claims-(05-11-2012).pdf

1415-DEL-2007-Claims-(26-04-2012).pdf

1415-del-2007-claims.pdf

1415-del-2007-Correspondence Others-(25-05-2012).pdf

1415-DEL-2007-Correspondence Others-(26-04-2012).pdf

1415-del-2007-Correspondence-IPO-(05-11-2012).pdf

1415-DEL-2007-Correspondence-Others-(24-06-2010).pdf

1415-del-2007-correspondence-others.pdf

1415-DEL-2007-Description (Complete)-(26-04-2012).pdf

1415-del-2007-description (complete).pdf

1415-del-2007-drawings.pdf

1415-DEL-2007-Form-1-(26-04-2012).pdf

1415-del-2007-form-1.pdf

1415-DEL-2007-Form-2-(26-04-2012).pdf

1415-del-2007-form-2.pdf

1415-DEL-2007-Form-3-(24-06-2010).pdf

1415-del-2007-Form-3-(25-05-2012).pdf

1415-del-2007-form-3.pdf

1415-DEL-2007-Form-5-(26-04-2012).pdf

1415-del-2007-form-5.pdf

1415-DEL-2007-GPA-(26-04-2012).pdf

1415-del-2007-gpa.pdf

1415-DEL-2007-Petition-137-(26-04-2012).pdf

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