Lock release structure of connector

• US 5,584,719 A
• Filed: 03/07/1995
• Issued: 12/17/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Kitamura, Takuya, Tsuji, Masanori, Kashiyama, Motohisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Hien D.
• Application Number:
  US08/399,419
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 439/350, 439/351, 439/352, 439/353, 439/354, 439/355, 439/356, 439/357, 439/358, 439/345
• US Class Current: 439/354
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6272 comprising a single latching arm
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/633 for disengagement only in combination with safety switch H01R13/7132

Abstract

A lock release structure of a connector (23) for locking a male connector (21) with a female connector (27) having a lock portion (51) includes: a lock arm (33) formed in an outer surface of the male connector and having a lock projection (49) engaged with the lock portion (51) of the female connector when both the male and female connectors are locked with each other; and two lock release operation walls (39) formed on both sides of a free end (35) of the lock arm (33). Each of the lock release operation walls is formed with an inner lock engagement release surface (43) brought into contact with one of two free end side surfaces (37) of the lock arm, when the lock release operation walls are depress toward each other, to deform the lock arm by a predetermined distance and thereby to release the lock projection of the lock arm from the lock portion (51) of the female connector. The lock arm can be prevented from being released by an inadvertent external force and is protected from an excessive external force.

Claims

1. A lock release structure of an electrical connector for locking a male connector with a female connector having a lock portion, comprising:

a lock arm formed on an outer surface of the male connector and having a lock projection engaged with the lock portion of the female connector when the male and female connectors are engaged and locked with each other, said lock arm having a free end portion with two transversely and oppositely extending engagement projections; and

two deformable lock release operation walls extending upwardly from said outer surface and enclosing said two engagement projections, each of said lock release operation walls being formed with an inner lock engagement release surface brought into contact with at least one of said two engagement projections of the free end portion of said lock arm when said two lock release operation walls are deformed inwardly toward each other, said lock arm being depressed to a predetermined distance to thereby release the lock projection of said lock arm from the lock portion of the female connector.

2. The lock release structure of claim 1, wherein each of said lock release operation walls is further formed with an inner engagement groove engaged with one of the engagement projections of the free end portion of said lock arm for providing a lock click feeling when said lock arm is depressed the predetermined distance by said lock release operation walls.

3. The lock release structure of claim 1, wherein the inner lock engagement release surfaces formed in said lock release operation walls are formed into a circular arc shape extending from a middle portion of said lock release operation wall toward said outer surface of the male connector.

4. The lock release structure of claim 1, wherein a notched grip portion is formed on an outer free end surface of each of said lock release operation walls.

5. The lock release structure of claim 1, wherein the lock portion of the female connector is an inner wall portion formed on an inner surface of a hood portion of the female connector.

6. A lock structure of an electrical connector for locking a male connector with a female connector having a lock portion comprising:

a lock arm formed on an outer surface of the male connector and having a lock projection engaged with the lock portion of the female connector when the male and female connectors are locked with each other, said lock arm having a free end portion with at least one engagement projection extending transversely from said free end portion; and

at least one deformable lock release operation wall extending upwardly from said outer surface and engaging said at least one engagement projection, said lock release operation wall being formed with an inner lock engagement release surface brought into contact with said least one engagement projection of the free end portion of said lock arm when said lock release operation wall is deformed inwardly toward said lock arm, said lock arm being depressed to a predetermined distance to thereby release the lock projection of said lock arm from the lock portion of the female connector.

8. The lock release structure of claim 6, wherein said lock release operation wall is further formed with an inner engagement groove engaged with the at least one engagement projection of the free end portion of said lock arm for providing a lock click feeling when said lock arm is depressed to the predetermined distance by said lock release operation wall.

9. The lock release structure of claim 6, wherein the inner lock engagement release surface formed in said at least one lock release operation wall is formed into a circular arc shape extending from a middle portion of said lock release operation wall toward said outer surface of the male connector.

10. The lock release structure of claim 6, wherein a notched grip portion is formed on an outer free end surface of said lock release operation wall.

11. The lock release structure of claim 6, wherein the lock portion of the female connector is an inner wall portion formed on an inner surface of a hood portion of the female connector.

7. A lock release structure of an electrical connector for locking a male connector with a female connector having a lock portion, comprising:

a lock arm formed on an outer surface of the male connector and having a lock projection engaged with the lock portion of the female connector when the male and female connectors are locked with each other, said lock arm having a free end portion with oppositely and transversely extending engagement projections; and

two deformable lock arm protective walls extending upwardly from said outer surface and protectively enclosing said engagement projections of said lock arm, each of said lock arm protective walls being formed with an inner lock engagement release surface, each of said inner lock engagement release surfaces being brought into contact with a respective engagement projection of the free end portion of said lock arm when said lock arm protective walls are deformed inwardly toward each other, said lock arm being depressed to a predetermined distance to thereby release the lock projection of said lock arm from the lock portion of the female connector.