阅读说明：本技术 连接器保持件以及具备该连接器保持件的电子设备 (Connector holder and electronic device provided with same ) 是由 高田聪一 于 2019-07-12 设计创作，主要内容包括：在连接器保持件中,即使在连接器的尺寸等的种类与此连接器安装用面板的开口部不对应的情况下,也不会造成任何变形而将连接器良好地安装于面板。连接器保持件(1)可拆装地保持连接器(20)。连接器保持件(1)具备保持件侧弹性卡止部(5)和保持件侧卡止部(15),保持件侧弹性卡止部5弹性变形地卡止在设置于面板的面板开口部。设置于连接器(20)的连接器侧弹性卡止部(24)弹性变形地卡止在保持件侧卡止部(15)。(In the connector holder, even if the type of the size of the connector does not correspond to the opening of the panel for mounting the connector, the connector is not deformed at all and can be mounted on the panel well. The connector holder (1) detachably holds a connector (20). The connector holder (1) is provided with a holder-side elastic locking part (5) and a holder-side locking part (15), and the holder-side elastic locking part (5) is locked in a panel opening part arranged on a panel in an elastic deformation mode. A connector side elastic locking part (24) arranged on the connector (20) is locked on the retainer side locking part (15) in an elastic deformation mode.)

1, A connector holder for detachably holding a connector, comprising:

a retainer-side elastic locking portion which is elastically deformed and locked to a panel opening portion provided in the panel; and

and a holder-side locking portion for elastically deforming and locking a connector-side elastic locking portion provided in the connector.

2. The connector holder according to claim 1,

the connector-side elastic locking portion is elastically deformable to be locked to another panel opening different in size from the panel opening of the panel by the connector alone.

3. Connector holder according to claim 1 or claim 2,

has a flat plate part provided with an opening part for locking the connector,

the retainer side locking part is provided around the connector locking opening part,

the connector-side elastic locking portion is inserted into the connector locking opening portion and locked to the holder-side locking portion.

4. The connector holder according to any of claim 1 to claim 3,

the retainer-side elastic locking portion is provided at a side portion of the connector retainer,

the holder-side engaging portion is provided on the same side as the side on which the holder-side elastic engaging portion is provided.

5. Connector holder according to claim 4,

the retainer-side elastic locking portion is provided with an elastic locking portion inner opening portion that allows locking movement of the connector-side elastic locking portion to the retainer-side locking portion.

6. The connector holder according to any of claim 1 to claim 5,

the locking direction of the retainer-side elastic locking portion to the panel opening is the same as the locking direction of the connector-side elastic locking portion to the retainer-side locking portion.

7. The connector holder according to any of claim 1 to claim 6,

the flat plate portion is located inside the panel opening portion in a state where the retainer-side elastic locking portion is elastically locked to the panel opening portion.

8. The connector holder according to any of claim 1 to claim 7,

in a state where the connector-side elastic locking portion is locked to the holder-side locking portion,

the front end of the retainer-side elastic locking portion is located on the same plane as the front end of the connector or on the rear end side of the connector than the same plane.

An electronic device of the kind 9, , wherein,

the connector holder according to any of claim 1 to claim 8, and a panel having the panel opening portion,

the retainer-side elastic locking portion of the connector retainer is elastically deformed and locked to the panel opening.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a connector holder and an electronic device including the connector holder, and more particularly, to an improvement in mounting and fixing a connector to a panel.

Background

Conventionally, a structure has been adopted in which an opening is formed in a panel in advance when a connector is mounted on the panel, and an elastic locking portion is formed in the connector , and the connector is mounted on and fixed to the panel by inserting the connector into the opening of the panel and locking the elastic locking portion to a periphery of the opening of the panel by elastic deformation.

When the type of connector such as the shape and size is changed, the type of the changed connector does not correspond to the opening of the panel, and therefore kinds of holders for attaching the changed connector to the panel are necessary.

In patent document 1, kinds of technologies have been described as a holder for attaching a connector to a panel, which adopts a structure in which an optical connector having no elastic locking portion is used as the connector and the optical connector is attached to a mounting metal fitting (holder) of the panel, that is, a structure in which an engaging groove is formed in the optical connector, and is provided in the mounting metal fitting, a connecting plate portion and pair side plate portions that engage with the engaging groove and an elastic locking claw for attaching to the panel are formed, and the mounting metal fitting is attached to the optical connector by engagement of the engaging groove with the connecting plate portion and pair side plate portions, and the elastic locking claw is locked to a peripheral edge of an opening portion of the panel to attach and fix the mounting metal fitting to the panel.

Disclosure of Invention

Technical problem to be solved by the invention

However, in the structure of patent document 1 in which the optical adapter is attached to the attachment metal fitting, since the engagement groove of the optical adapter and the connecting plate portion and the pair of side plate portions of the attachment metal fitting are rigid, the engagement between the two is difficult, and when the two are forcibly engaged, the attachment metal fitting itself may be deformed.

The present invention aims to provide a connector holder that can be attached and fixed to a panel without causing any deformation or damage to the connector and the connector holder itself even when the type of the size of the connector does not correspond to the opening of the panel.

Means for solving the problems

In order to achieve the above object, a connector holder according to the present invention is type of connector holders for detachably holding connectors, and is characterized by comprising a holder-side elastic locking portion elastically deformed and locked to a panel opening provided in a panel, and a holder-side locking portion elastically deformed and locked to a connector-side elastic locking portion provided in the connector.

In the above-described configuration, even if the connector whose shape, size, or the like is changed and the changed connector does not correspond to the panel opening, the retainer-side elastic locking portion is locked to the panel opening by elastic deformation, and the connector retainer is attached and fixed to the panel. The connector is attached to the connector holder by elastically deforming the connector-side elastic locking portion of the connector to lock the holder-side locking portion of the connector holder. Here, since the connector holder is attached by the operation of elastically deforming and locking the connector-side elastic locking portion to the holder-side locking portion, the connector can be easily attached and fixed to the connector holder without causing deformation, damage, and the like of the connector-side elastic locking portion and the holder-side locking portion.

Effects of the invention

According to the connector holder of the present invention, even if the type of the shape, size, or the like of the connector does not correspond to the opening portion of the panel, the connector and the connector holder are not deformed or damaged, and the connector can be attached and fixed to the opening portion of the panel satisfactorily.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the connector holder as viewed from obliquely above.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the connector holder as viewed obliquely from below.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the female-side connector viewed from obliquely above.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the female-side connector viewed obliquely from below.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the panel.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the panel with the female-side connector mounted in a single body in the small panel opening of the panel.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the male-side connector.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the connector holder attached to the large panel opening of the panel.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a state in which the female-side connector is attached to the connector holder, as viewed from obliquely above.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the connector holder in a state where the female-side connector is attached.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

(example 1)

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a connector holder according to embodiment 1 as viewed from obliquely above, and fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same connector holder as viewed from obliquely below, fig. 3 is a perspective view of a female-side connector attached to the connector holder as viewed from obliquely above, fig. 4 is a perspective view of a same female-side connector as viewed from obliquely below, and fig. 5 is a perspective view of a panel on which the connector holder is attached.

In fig. 1 and 2, the connector holder 1 includes a main body 2 formed in a rectangular shape, and a rectangular central opening 3, , an abutting portion 4, and a , a holder-side elastic locking portion 5 formed in the central portion of the main body 2, a flat plate portion 8 formed in a flat plate shape around the central opening 3 of the main body 2, and the central opening 3 is an opening into which the rectangular female-side connector 20 shown in fig. 3 and 4 is inserted.

The pair of holder-side elastic locking portions 5 are formed on both right and left sides of the central opening 3, each holder-side elastic locking portion 5 is composed of a rectangular flat plate 5a protruding from the main body 2 and a rectangular claw portion 5b folded back from the front end of the flat plate 5a on the opposite side of the central opening 3, the flat plate 5a and the claw portion 5b are generally U-shaped as a whole, the rear end of the claw portion 5b is close to the main body 2, and the claw portion 5b has an elastic force and is elastically deformed in the direction in which the pressing force is received when receiving the pressing force in the right and left direction orthogonal to the direction in which protrudes from the holder-side elastic locking portion 5 (hereinafter referred to as the front or front side).

The connector holder 1 is mounted in a panel 30 shown in fig. 5. The panel 30 is provided on, for example, a left side portion or a right side portion of an image forming apparatus such as an image copying machine, and a plurality of connectors for connecting various peripheral devices (described later) are attached to the image forming apparatus (main body apparatus) by the connectors. The panel 30 is formed with a rectangular panel opening 31 to which the connector holder 1 is attached. The panel opening 31 is larger than the central opening 3 of the connector holder 1, and the outer peripheral edge of the central opening 3 is positioned near the inner peripheral edge of the flat plate portion 8 of the connector holder 1.

When of the connector holder 1 is inserted into the panel opening 31, the claw portion 5b of the holder-side elastic locking portion 5 receives a pressing force from the peripheral edge of the panel opening 31, and is elastically deformed toward the panel opening 31 by the pressing force, the more the connector holder is inserted into the panel opening 31, the more the elastic deformation is strong, and when the rear end portion of the claw portion 5b is pulled out from the panel opening 31, the claw portion 5b is restored by its elastic force in the direction opposite to the central opening 3 side, so that the claw portion 5b is locked to the peripheral edge of the panel opening 31, whereby the connector holder 1 is attached to the peripheral edge of the panel opening 31, and thus , of the connector holder 1 corresponds to the holder-side elastic locking portion 5 and the panel opening 31 in a lockable relationship.

The pair of abutting portions 4 are formed in the connector holder 1 so as to project forward from the upper and lower ends of the body 2. the pair of abutting portions 4 are used to mount, i.e., fix the connector holder 1 to the peripheral edge of the panel opening 31 without loosening, in a state where the pair of holder-side elastic locking portions 5 are locked to the peripheral edge of the panel opening 31, with the front end surface of the abutting portion 4 abutting against the rear surface (back surface) of the panel 30, so that the front and back of the panel 30 are sandwiched by the claw portions 5b of the holder-side elastic locking portions 5 and the abutting portion 4.

Next, a structure in which the female-side connector 20 is attached to the connector holder 1 will be described. First, the structure of the female-side connector 20 will be described.

A female-side connector (connector) 20 shown in fig. 3 and 4 has a main body 21 having terminal portions 22, and the terminal portions 22 have 12 recessed terminals for electrical connection arranged in 3 rows and 4 columns. The terminal portions 22 are formed in a quadrangular shape, and the terminal portions 22 can be inserted into the central opening portion 3 of the connector holder 1.

In the female-side connector 20, connector-side elastic locking portions 24 are formed on both left and right sides of the main body portion 21 in the drawing. The connector-side elastic locking portion 24 includes an L-shaped plate-like portion 24a extending horizontally to the front side (the front side of the terminal portion 22) after extending in the left or right direction from the rear end portion of the main body portion 21, and a claw portion 24b formed at the front end portion of the plate-like portion 24 a. The plate-like portion 24a has elastic force and elastically deforms in the direction of pressure when the plate-like portion receives pressure toward the center of the main body 21. The claw portion 24b is formed in an arrow shape inclined obliquely rearward so as to be apart from the body portion 21, and the rear end portion thereof is inclined obliquely rearward toward the center side of the body portion 21.

As shown in fig. 6, in the female-side connector 20, when the connector-side elastic locking portion 24 can be locked in the small panel opening portion (other panel opening portion) 32 of the panel 30' having a narrow outer shape different from the panel opening portion 31, that is, when the female-side connector 20 and the small panel opening portion 32 of the panel 30' have a corresponding relationship with each other, the female-side connector 20 can be attached to the small panel opening portion 32 of the panel 30 '.

That is, as shown in fig. 6, when is inserted into the small panel opening 32 of the panel 30 'with respect to the claw portion 24b of the connector-side elastic locking portion 24, the plate-shaped portion 24a and the claw portion 24b receive a pressure from the peripheral edge of the small panel opening 32, and elastically deform in the direction toward the center of the main body 21 by the pressure, and when the rear end portion of the claw portion 24b is pulled out from the small panel opening 32, the claw portion 24b is restored by the elastic force, so that the claw portion 24b of the connector-side elastic locking portion 24 is locked at the peripheral edge of the small panel opening 32, and the female-side connector 20 is attached to the small panel opening 32 of the panel 30'.

However, the female-side connector 20 and the panel opening (hereinafter referred to as a large panel opening) 31 of the panel 30 are not configured to correspond to each other, and cannot be attached. Therefore, a structure for attaching the female-side connector 20 to the connector holder 1 is formed in the connector holder 1.

Specifically, in the connector holder 1, the flat plate portion 8 of the main body 2 has pairs of holder-side elastic locking portions 5 formed on both left and right sides thereof, and connector locking openings 10 into which the connector-side elastic locking portions 24 of the female-side connector 20 can be inserted are formed.

In the pair-holder-side elastic locking portions 5 of the connector holder 1, elastic locking-portion inner opening portions 9a, 9b connected to the connector locking opening portion 10 are formed for the flat plate 5a and the claw portions 5b, respectively, so that the connector-side elastic locking portion 24 of the female-side connector 20 can be inserted to the front side beyond the connector locking opening portion 10.

Then, when the connector-side elastic locking portion 24 of the female-side connector 20 is inserted into the connector locking opening portion 10 of the connector holder 1 and is further advanced into the elastic locking portion inner opening portions 9a, 9b, the plate-like portion 24a and the claw portion 24b are pressed from the peripheral edge of the connector locking opening portion 10 and elastically deformed in the direction toward the central portion of the main body portion 21 by the pressing force, and then, when the rear end portion of the claw portion 24b exceeds the connector locking opening portion 10 of the flat plate portion 8 of the connector holder 1, the claw portion 24b is restored by its elastic force so that the claw portion 24b is locked at the peripheral edge of the connector locking opening portion 10 of the flat plate portion 8. by this locking, the female-side connector 20 is attached to the peripheral edge of the connector locking opening portion 10 of the connector holder 1. thus , the connector-side elastic locking portion 24 of the female-side connector 20 and the connector locking opening portion 10 of the flat plate portion 8 of the connector holder 1 are configured to be in a relationship of being lockable with each other.

When the connector-side elastic locking portion 24 of the female-side connector 20 is locked to the peripheral edge of the connector locking opening 10 of the flat plate portion 8 of the connector holder 1, the peripheral edge of the connector locking opening 10 after the locking becomes the holder-side locking portion 15 that is locked to the claw portion 24b of the connector-side elastic locking portion 24 of the female-side connector 20.

When the female-side connector 20 is attached to the connector holder 1 in this manner, a stepped portion 27 is formed at the rear of the female-side connector 20 so that the female-side connector 20 does not shift along the plate-like portion 24a on the front side. As shown in fig. 3 and 4, the stepped portions 27 are formed at the four corners of the rear portion of the main body 21. Each step 27 extends vertically upward and downward from the body 21. Then, the flat plate portion 8 of the connector holder 1 is sandwiched between the front end of each step 27 and the rear end of the claw portion 24b of the connector-side elastic locking portion 24 and fixed so as not to loosen the attached state of the female connector 20 and the connector holder 1.

In the female-side connector 20, the length from the front end of the terminal portion 22 to the rear end of the claw portion 24b of the connector-side elastic locking portion 24 is set to be equal to the length in the front-rear direction of the flat plate 5a of the holder-side elastic locking portion 5 of the connector holder 1. with this setting, in a state where the connector-side elastic locking portion 24 of the female-side connector 20 is elastically locked to the holder-side locking portion 15 of the connector holder 1, the front end of the terminal portion 22 of the female-side connector 20 and the front end 5c of the flat plate 5a of the connector holder 1 are on the same plane (the same plane).

In the connector holder 1, in a state where the holder-side elastic locking portion 5 is elastically locked to the large panel opening 31 of the panel 30, that is, in a state where the connector holder 1 is attached and fixed to the large panel opening 31 (hereinafter, "attached and fixed" is also referred to as attached), a portion inside the flat plate portion 8 (on the side of the central opening 3) is located inside the large panel opening 31, that is, between the large panel opening 31 and the central opening 3 of the connector holder 1. Therefore, when the female-side connector 20 is attached to the central opening 3 of the connector holder 1 in a state where the connector holder 1 is attached to the large panel opening 31, the flat plate portion 8 covers a space between the large panel opening 31 and the central opening 3.

Fig. 7 shows a male side connector 40 connected to the female side connector 20, the male side connector 40 is used when an image forming apparatus (electronic device) such as an image copying machine and peripheral apparatuses thereof are connected by a connector, the peripheral apparatuses are, for example, an automatic document feeder, a post-processing apparatus and the like, the automatic document feeder automatically feeds a plurality of documents onto a document platen of the image forming apparatus (main apparatus) at times, and discharges sheets of the placed documents onto an appropriate platen of the image forming apparatus (main apparatus) automatically, the post-processing apparatus receives sheets of paper on which images are formed by the main apparatus, performs post-processing such as stapling, folding, punching and the like on the sheets of paper, and completes a final copy product, a plurality of sensors for confirming a feeding state of the documents are arranged in the automatic document feeder, a plurality of sensors for confirming post-processing such as stapling, punching and the like are arranged in the post-processing apparatus, a plurality of sensors for confirming whether or not to reliably post-process the sheets of paper are arranged in the automatic document feeder, the post-processing apparatus, a central processing apparatus (a central processing apparatus is provided in each of the central processing apparatus, and a CPU controls the peripheral apparatuses to perform operations of the image forming apparatus, and the peripheral apparatuses, and the image forming apparatus, and the peripheral apparatuses are not to perform operations of the image forming apparatus, and the peripheral apparatuses, and the image forming apparatus, and the.

The male connector 40 is provided with a rectangular terminal portion 42 having 12 convex terminals for electrical connection in 3 rows and 4 columns in a main body portion 41, and the terminal portion 42 is press-inserted into the terminal portion 22 of the female connector 20, and the convex terminals are inserted into the concave terminals to connect them, similarly to the female connector 20. A space S is formed between the outer periphery of the terminal portion 42 and the main body portion 41, the space S also accommodates pairs of elastic locking portions 5 of the connector holder 1 when the male connector 40 and the female connector 20 are connected in a state where the female connector 20 is mounted on the connector holder 1, and cables 45 connected to the convex terminals are connected to the terminal portion 42.

In the male-side connector 40, in the outer periphery of the space S, there are formed notched portions 42a, for aligning with the terminal portions 22 of the female-side connector 20, as shown in fig. 3, in the terminal portions 22 of the female-side connector 20, there are formed, at the central portions of the upper end portions thereof, protruding portions 26 into which the notched portions 42a are inserted, and, as shown in fig. 1 and 2, in the main body portion 2 of the connector holder 1, there are formed, at the central portions of the upper end portions of the central opening portions 3, notched portions 3a into which the protruding portions 26 of the female-side connector 20 are inserted.

Further, a pin 44 for positioning the male-side connector 40 with respect to the large panel opening 31 is provided in the male-side connector 40 in a protruding manner. Correspondingly, as shown in fig. 5, an engagement hole 34 for engaging the pin 44 of the male-side connector 40 is formed in the panel 30 at a position corresponding to the pin 44.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing a state where the connector holder 1 is attached to the panel 30, when the connector holder 1 is attached to the panel 30, the connector holder 1 is disposed behind the panel 30, pairs of holder-side elastic locking portions 5 are inserted into the large panel opening 31 from the front side of the connector holder 1, the claw portions 5b of the pairs of holder-side elastic locking portions 5 are elastically deformed on the central portion side of the main body portion 2 through the peripheral edge of the large panel opening 31, and are pressed further steps toward the front side of the panel 30, at the time point when the rear end portions of the claw portions 5b of the holder-side elastic locking portions 5 are pulled out from the large panel opening 31, the claw portions 5b are restored by elastic deformation to lock the claw portions 5b to the peripheral edge of the large panel opening 31, and the connector holder 1 is attached to the panel 30, at this time, of the connector holder 1 abuts against the rear surface of the panel 30, the front end portions of the panel 30 are locked to the front end portions of the panel 30, and the connector holder 1 is attached to the panel 30 well.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing a state where the female-side connector 20 is mounted at steps with respect to the connector holder 1 mounted on the panel 30 as viewed from obliquely above, fig. 10 is a perspective view showing the same state as viewed from obliquely below, and in fig. 9 and 10, the panel 30 is not shown in order to clearly show the mounted state of the female-side connector 20 with respect to the connector holder 1.

In fig. 9 and 10, when the female-side connector 20 is attached to the connector holder 1, the female-side connector 20 is disposed on the rear side of the connector holder 1, and the female-side connector 20 starts to be inserted into the central opening 3 of the connector holder 1 from the rear to the front. The insertion direction is the same direction as the direction in which the connector holder 1 is inserted into the large panel opening 31 (i.e., the direction from the rear to the front).

Then, the projection 26 of the female-side connector 20 is inserted through the central opening 3 of the connector holder 1 while the notch 3a of the connector holder 1 is inserted, and the main body 21 of the female-side connector 20 is inserted through the connector locking opening 10 formed in the flat plate portion 8 of the connector holder 1, and the connector-side elastic locking portion 24 of the female-side connector 20 is inserted through the connector locking opening 10 formed in the flat plate portion 8 of the connector holder 1, so that the plate-like portion 24a and the claw portion 24b of the connector-side elastic locking portion 24 are elastically deformed at the central portion side of the main body 21 and pressed forward of the connector holder 1 at the step . at the time point when the rear end of the claw portion 24b of the connector-side elastic locking portion 24 is pulled out from the connector locking opening 10 of the flat plate portion 8 of the connector holder 1, the claw portion 24b is elastically deformed to return to lock the claw portions 24b to the holder-side locking portions 15 of the flat plate portion 8 of the connector holder 1, and at this time, the flat plate portion 24b of the connector holder 1 is held between the claw portion 24b of the terminal portion 24b of the female-side elastic locking portion 20 and the front end portion 355 of the connector holder 1, and the connector holder 1 is held in the state where the front end portion 355 of the connector holder is held by the connector holder 20.

Next, in a state where the female-side connector 20 is attached to the connector holder 1 attached to the panel 30 by , when the male-side connector 40 is connected to the female-side connector 20, the pin 44 of the male-side connector 40 is inserted into and positioned in the engagement hole 34 of the panel 30, and the protrusion 26 of the female-side connector 20 is fitted into the notch 42a of the male-side connector 40 to press and connect the terminal portion 42 of the male-side connector 40 to the terminal portion 22 of the female-side connector 20, at this time, the terminal portion 22 of the female-side connector 20 and the of the connector holder 1 are in a state of being accommodated in the space S of the male-side connector 40.

According to the above configuration, in the present embodiment, when mounting the small-sized female-side connector 20 to the large panel opening 31, although the kind of the size and the like of the female-side connector 20 does not correspond to the large panel opening 31, the connector holder 1 is used to lock the pair of holder-side elastic locking portions 5 to the periphery of the large panel opening 31 by elastic deformation, and the connector holder 1 is first mounted to the large panel opening 31, and thereafter, the female-side connector 20 is mounted to the connector holder 1 by locking the pair of connector-side elastic locking portions 24 of the female-side connector 20 to the pair of holder-side locking portions 15 of the mounted connector holder 1 by elastic deformation, and locking the female-side connector 20 to the large panel opening 31 via the connector holder 1.

Therefore, for example, in the case where the panel 30 is provided as a main body frame of an image forming apparatus or the like (main body apparatus), even if the types of the male side connector and the female side connector for the peripheral apparatus are changed to be small in size or the like in the case of a peripheral apparatus connected to the main body apparatus by a connector, the changed small-size female side connector 20 can be attached to the large panel opening 31 via the connector holder 1, and in addition , in the case where the female side and the male side connector of the peripheral apparatus are large in size or the like before the change, the large-size female side connector before the change can be attached to the large panel opening 31 as a single body without using the connector holder 1, and therefore, even if the female side and the male side connector of the peripheral apparatus connected by a connector are any types before the change or after the change such as the size or the like, it is possible to attach any type of the large panel opening 31 only by forming the 1 type of the large panel opening 31 in the main body frame (panel 30) and thus, it is not possible to manufacture the panel which is the size of the panel opening, and accordingly, it is not possible to improve the cost.

Further, when the female-side connector 20 is attached to the connector holder 1, the female-side connector 20 is inserted into the central opening 3 of the connector holder 1, the of the female-side connector 20 is elastically deformed by the claw portion 24b of the connector-side elastic locking portion 24 passing through the peripheral edge of the connector locking opening 10 of the flat plate portion 8, and the insertion is performed, and when the rear end portion of the claw portion 24b is pulled out from the connector locking opening 10, the claw portion 24b is restored by its elastic force to lock the claw portion 24b to the holder-side locking portion 15 of the connector holder 1, as in this , the locking of the female-side connector 20 to the connector holder 1 is performed by the elastic deformation of the connector-side elastic locking portion 24, and therefore, at the time of the locking, an excessive pressure generated at the time of attachment between rigid bodies as in the past does not act on the connector-side elastic locking portion 24, and the connector-side elastic locking portion 24 holds a desired function, and therefore, the female-side connector 20 can be reliably attached to the connector holder 1 without loosening.

As shown in fig. 6, the female-side connector 20 can be configured such that of the connector-side elastic locking portion 24 is locked to the periphery of the small panel opening 32 of the panel 30' in the form of a single female-side connector 20. in the present embodiment, the female-side connector 20 is attached to the connector holder 1 by using the existing of the connector-side elastic locking portion 24 and locking the connector-side elastic locking portion 24 to the holder-side locking portion 15 of the connector holder 1, and therefore, the existing female-side connector 20 can be directly attached to the connector holder 1 without additionally adding a new elastic locking portion for attaching to the connector holder 1 to the female-side connector 20.

In the connector holder 1, the outer periphery of the central opening 3 into which the female-side connector 20 is inserted is formed as a flat plate portion 8, a connector locking opening 10 into which the connector-side elastic locking portion 24 of the female-side connector 20 is inserted is formed in the flat plate portion 8, and the periphery of the connector locking opening 10 is formed as a holder-side locking portion 15. Therefore, when the connector-side elastic locking portion 24 of the female-side connector 20 is locked to the holder-side locking portion 15, the flat plate portion 8 having a flat plate shape can be used without forming the holder-side locking portion 15 separately.

In the present embodiment, pairs of holder-side elastic locking portions 5 are formed on both left and right side portions of the connector holder 1, and holder-side locking portions 15 are further formed on the left and right side portions, so the rigidity of the left and right side portions is increased by the holder-side elastic locking portions 5, and holder-side locking portions 15 are further formed on both left and right side portions, so the rigidity of the holder-side locking portions 15 is high, and as a result, the connector-side elastic locking portions 24 can be reliably locked to the holder-side locking portions 15 of the connector holder 1 without loosening when the female-side connector 20 is attached to the connector holder 1.

In the connector holder 1, the holder-side elastic locking portion 5 and the holder-side locking portion 15 are provided on the same side (left and right sides), and the holder-side elastic locking portion 5 is formed with elastic locking portion inner openings 9a and 9 b. When the connector-side elastic locking portion 24 of the female-side connector 20 is inserted into the connector locking opening 10 toward the holder-side locking portion 15, the claw portion 24b of the connector-side elastic locking portion 24 is not caught by the holder-side elastic locking portion 5, and the elastic locking portion inner openings 9a and 9b allow the locking operation of the holder-side locking portion 15 of the connector-side elastic locking portion 24. Therefore, the mounting operation of the female-side connector 20 can be performed easily and smoothly.

In the present embodiment, when the connector holder 1 is attached to the panel 30, the holder-side elastic locking portion 5 of the connector holder 1 is inserted into the large panel opening 31 from the rear of the panel 30. Also, when the female-side connector 20 is attached to the connector holder 1, the connector-side elastic locking portion 24 of the female-side connector 20 is inserted into the connector locking opening 10 from the rear of the connector holder 1, and the holder-side locking portion 15 is inserted. That is, the locking operation direction of the holder-side elastic locking portion 5 of the connector holder 1 with respect to the large panel opening 31 is the same direction as the locking operation direction of the connector-side elastic locking portion 24 of the female-side connector 20 with respect to the holder-side locking portion 15 of the connector holder 1. Therefore, the panel 30, the connector holder 1, and the female-side connector 20 can be easily attached to each other.

In the connector holder 1, the peripheral edge of the central opening 3 of the female-side connector 20, that is, the portion 16 inside the flat plate portion 8 is located in a space between the large panel opening 31 and the central opening 3 of the connector holder 1 when the connector holder 1 is attached to the panel 30. Therefore, even when the small-sized female-side connector 20 is mounted in the large panel opening 31 via the connector holder 1, the space between the large panel opening 31 and the central opening 3 is covered by the portion 16 inside the flat plate portion 8, so that the rear of the panel 30 is not visible, and the female-side connector 20 can be mounted to the connector holder 1.

In the present embodiment, in the attached state of the female connector 20 and the connector holder 1, that is, in the state in which the connector-side elastic locking portion 24 of the female connector 20 is locked to the holder-side locking portion 15 of the connector holder 1, the front end portion of the terminal portion 22 of the female connector 20 and the front end portion of the holder-side elastic locking portion 5 of the connector holder 1 are on the same plane (the same plane), so that, in the operation of pressing and inserting the terminal portion 22 of the female connector 20 into the space S outside the terminal portion 42 of the male connector 40 to connect to the terminal portion 42 of the male connector 40 when the male connector 40 is connected to the female connector 20, does not become an obstacle to the holder-side elastic locking portion 5 and the connection between the both terminal portions 22, 42 can be reliably performed, and it is noted that, when the male connector 20 is pressed and inserted, the holder-side elastic locking portion 5 of the connector holder 1 does not become an obstacle, and therefore, the front end portion of the holder-side elastic locking portion 5 can be positioned further to the rear side (the rear side of the female connector 20) than the same plane.

(example 2)

In the above-described embodiment, pairs of holder-side elastic locking portions 5 and holder-side locking portions 15 are disposed on both left and right side portions of the connector holder 1, but as in embodiment 2, either side of the two locking portions 5, 15 may be disposed on both upper and lower side portions of the connector holder 1.

(example 3)

In the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the female-side connector 20 is attached to the connector holder 1 was described, but as embodiment 3, the configuration in which the male-side connector 40 is attached to the connector holder 1 may be adopted instead of the configuration of the female-side connector 20 and the male-side connector 40.

The present invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Accordingly, the above embodiments are merely examples and are not to be construed as limiting. Variations and modifications within the equivalent range of the technical solution of the present invention are within the scope of the present invention.

Industrial applicability of the invention

The connector holder according to the present invention is suitable for use in such a connector holder and an electronic device having the connector holder mounted on a panel, and is useful because the connector can be mounted on the panel via the connector holder without causing deformation or damage to the connector and the connector holder even when the type of the connector such as the size does not correspond to the opening of the panel for mounting the connector.

Description of the reference numerals

1 connector holder

3 central opening part

5 holder-side elastic engaging part

5a flat plate

5b claw part

8 flat plate part

9a, 9b elastic locking part inner opening part

10 connector locking opening part

15 retainer side engaging part

20 female side connector (connector)

22 terminal portion

24-connector-side elastic locking part

24a plate-like part

24b claw part

30. 30' panel

31 large panel opening

32 Small panel opening (other panel opening)

40 male side connector

42 terminal part