Connector with alignment function

• US 9,722,353 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2015
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Maki, Tomohide, Sone, Kosuke, Miyazaki, Katsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): HARVEY, JAMES R
• Application Number:
  US15/127,069
• Publication Number:
  US 20170117666A1
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/91 allowing relative movement between coupling parts, e.g. floating or self aligning for coupling devices not specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, H01R13/6315 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6275 Latching arms not integral with the housing H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6315 allowing relative movement between coupling parts, e.g. floating connection for coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, H01R12/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/26 for vehicles

Abstract

It is aimed to smoothly connect connectors by absorbing assembling variations between the connectors. A first spring piece (24) and a pair of second spring pieces (27) are deflectably provided in a holder portion (H) to resiliently sandwich a first connector (6) in a Y-axis direction. The second spring pieces (27) are formed with upper receiving surfaces (29) symmetrically inclined along an X-axis direction so that resilient forces act on both receiving portions (18) of the first connector (6) toward a center axis along the X-axis direction. Further, the first connector (6) is held in a state displaceable also in a Z-axis direction in the holder portion (H). This causes the first connector (6) to be held at a reference position and held in a three-dimensionally displaceable state.

Claims

1. A connector with alignment function, comprising:

a first connector including a deflectable lock arm;

a holder, the first connector being mountable into the holder and being a waiting side; and

a second connector connectable to the first connector and lockable by the lock arm,

wherein;

a plurality of spring portions for aligning the first connector with a reference position are interposed between the holder and the first connector; and

the plurality of spring portions include;

a Y-direction spring portion arranged at a position across a center axis at the time of connecting the first and second connectors in a Y-axis direction, which is a deflecting direction of the lock arm, and configured to bias the first connector toward the reference position; and

an X-direction spring portion arranged at a position across the center axis in an X-axis direction, which is a direction perpendicular to the Y-axis, and configured to bias the first connector toward the reference position.

2. The connector with alignment function of claim 1, wherein the first connector is mounted in a state displaceable along a Z-axis direction, which is a connecting direction of the first and second connectors, with respect to the holder.

3. The connector with alignment function of claim 2, wherein:

the Y-direction spring portion is composed of a first spring piece and a second spring piece respectively formed to be deflectable along the Y-axis direction in the holder and configured to resiliently sandwich the first connector in the Y-axis direction;

the first spring piece supports a surface of the first connector opposite to a surface where the lock arm is provided with respect to the Y-axis direction;

the first connector is formed with two receiving portions protruding outwardly in the X-axis direction; and

two second spring pieces are provided to correspond respectively to the receiving portions in the holder and the second spring pieces hold the first connector by resiliently sandwiching the first connector in the Y-axis direction between the second spring pieces and the first spring piece.

4. The connector with alignment function of claim 3, wherein the X-direction spring portion is formed on each of surfaces of the second spring pieces facing the receiving portions and the X-direction spring portions are formed to be symmetrically inclined downwardly from inner sides toward outer sides along the X-axis direction.

5. The connector with alignment function of claim 4, wherein:

the second connector is mounted on a solenoid;

the holder is arranged on a valve body including a solenoid mounting portion, into which the solenoid is mountable, and the valve body is equipped in a hydraulic control device of an automatic transmission of an automotive vehicle configured when the solenoid is mounted into the solenoid mounting portion; and

the first and second connectors are connectable as the solenoid is mounted into the solenoid mounting portion.

6. The connector with alignment function of claim 1, wherein:

the Y-direction spring portion is composed of a first spring piece and a second spring piece respectively formed to be deflectable along the Y-axis direction in the holder and configured to resiliently sandwich the first connector in the Y-axis direction;

the first spring piece supports a surface of the first connector opposite to a surface where the lock arm is provided with respect to the Y-axis direction;

the first connector is formed with two receiving portions protruding outwardly in the X-axis direction; and

two second spring pieces are provided to correspond respectively to the receiving portions in the holder and the second spring pieces hold the first connector by resiliently sandwiching the first connector in the Y-axis direction between the second spring pieces and the first spring piece.

7. The connector with alignment function of claim 1, wherein the X-direction spring portion is formed on each of surfaces of the second spring pieces facing the receiving portions and the X-direction spring portions are formed to be symmetrically inclined downwardly from inner sides toward outer sides along the X-axis direction.

8. The connector with alignment function of claim 1, wherein:

the second connector is mounted on a solenoid;

the holder is arranged on a valve body including a solenoid mounting portion, into which the solenoid is mountable, and the valve body is equipped in a hydraulic control device of an automatic transmission of an automotive vehicle configured when the solenoid is mounted into the solenoid mounting portion; and

the first and second connectors are connectable as the solenoid is mounted into the solenoid mounting portion.