CONNECTOR AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS PROVIDED WITH CONNECTOR

• US 20160380384A1
• Filed: 09/13/2016
• Published: 12/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Hideaki Umehara
• Inventors: UMEHARA, Hideaki
• Granted Patent: US 9,887,492 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/4538 Covers sliding or withdrawing in the direction of engagement
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5202 Sealing means between parts of housing or between housing part and a wall, e.g. sealing rings
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5213 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/631 for engagement only
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/58 Contacts spaced along longitudinal axis of engagement

Abstract

A connector includes a housing having a guide part to which a male terminal is inserted, a connection part exposed on the guide part so as to make contact with a terminal member of the male terminal in a state where the male terminal is inserted, a cover member provided on the guide part so as to cover the connection part, while making contact with the connection part, in a state where the male terminal is not inserted, and a spring configured to urge the cover member toward an opening of the guide part in the state where the male terminal is not inserted. The cover member is moved, upon inserting the male terminal, to a side of the guide part opposite to the opening so as not to cover the connection part.

Claims

1. A connector, a housing of the connector having a guide part to which a male terminal is inserted, the connector comprising:

a connection part exposed on the guide part so as to make contact with a terminal member of the male terminal in a state where the male terminal is inserted;

a cover member provided on the guide part so as to cover the connection part, while making contact with the connection part, in a state where the male terminal is not inserted; and

an elastic member configured to urge the cover member toward an opening of the guide part in the state where the male terminal is not inserted,

wherein the cover member is moved, upon inserting the male terminal, to a side of the guide part opposite to the opening so as not to cover the connection part.

2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the cover member is formed to be set in the guide part.

3. The connector according to claim 1,

wherein the cover member comprises a seal member configured to seal a gap with an internal wall of the guide part, and

wherein the seal member is provided on a position closer to the opening than a position of the connection part so as to seal the cover member and the internal wall of the guide part in the state where the male terminal is not inserted.

4. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the cover member is positioned so as to make a flat surface with an external surface of the housing in the state where the male terminal is not inserted.

5. The connector according to claim 1, further comprising an urging stopper configured to prevent the elastic member from urging the cover member toward the opening in the state where the male terminal is inserted.

6. The connector according to claim 5,

wherein the urging stopper comprises

a pin member provided on the cover member, and

a lever member provided on the housing,

wherein the pin member and the lever member stick out in the guide part in the state where the male terminal is inserted, and

wherein the pin member and the lever member make contact with each other on surfaces orthogonal to a direction in which the elastic member urges the cover member toward the opening.

7. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a second seal member provided on a position closer to the opening than the position of the connection part, so as to seal a gap with the male terminal inserted to the guide part.

8. The connector according to claim 1,

wherein the housing has a prominent part sticking out through the guide part toward the opening,

wherein the connection part is provided on a surface of the prominent part, and

wherein the cover member comprises

a third seal member provided on a position closer to the opening than the position of the connection part in the state where the male terminal is not inserted, so to seal a gap with the prominent part, and

a fourth seal member provided on an external surface of the cover member, so as to seal a gap with an internal surface of the guide part.

9. An electronic apparatus comprising a connector according to claim 1.

10. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the cover member is disposed inside the guide part.

11. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the cover member is disposed inside the guide part on such a position as to cover the connection part in the state where the male terminal is not inserted.

12. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the cover member is disposed inside the guide part in such a shape as to close the opening and cover the connection part in the state where the male terminal is not inserted.