1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector in which fitting of male and female connectors is performed by operating a lever.
2. Background of the Related Art
FIG. 10 shows a conventional frame, connecting connector 1 which is disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 6-251826. The connector 1 comprises: a female connector section 3 which is disposed on a box main body 2 such as an electrical junction box; a male connector 5 which is to be inserted and fitted into a hood portion 4 of the female connector section 3; and a frame 6 which causes the male connector 5 to be inserted and fitted into the female connector section 3. The frame 6 consists of a main body 7 in which the male connector 5 is rotatably housed, a rotation leg 8 which protrudes from one end of the main body 7, and an operating projection 9 which projects from the other end. A sliding shaft 10 is formed at the tip end portion of the rotation leg 8. The sliding shaft 10 is inserted into and engagingly held to a slide groove 12 of a frame support 11 which is disposed in the periphery of the female connector section 3.
As shown in FIG. 11, the sliding shaft 10 is engagingly held in the slide groove 12, and the operating projection 9 is pressed so that the frame 6 is rotated in the direction of the arrow A about the sliding shaft 10, whereby the male connector 5 is inserted and fitted into the female connector section 3. In the state that the male connector 5 is fitted into the female connector section 3, the operating projection 9 is pressed in the reverse direction so that the frame 6 is rotated in the direction opposite to that of the arrow A, whereby the male connector 5 is removed from the hood portion 4 of the female connector section 3.
In this case, the sliding shaft 10 functions as the fulcrum, so that the operating projection 9 becomes a point where force is applied, and that portion of the male connector 5 rotatably supported by the frame 6 becomes a point of action, thereby enabling the male connector 5 to be fitted into the female connector section 3 with a small force. Therefore, the operating force to be exerted when the male connector 5 is fitted into the female connector section 3 can be reduced.
In the frame connecting connector 1, however, the rotation leg 8 on which the sliding shaft 10 functions as the fulcrum and the operating projection 9 are provided so as to be protruded from the main body 7. Therefore, the frame 6 occupies a large space. This impedes the overall miniaturization of a frame-coupling type connector.
The connector has a further drawback that the main body 7 which is disposed on the outside of the male connector 5 is bent during an operation and hence the portion where the male connector 5 is rotatably supported is easily detached.