JP4483529B2 - connector - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector.

Patent Document 1 discloses a connector in which a terminal fitting inserted into a terminal accommodating portion of a housing is prevented from being removed by locking a lance formed along an inner wall of the terminal accommodating portion.
JP-A-5-182712

In the connector as described above, the lance is thinned as one of means for reducing the size (reducing the height). However, since the rigidity of the lance is reduced when the thickness is thinned, the terminal fitting is prevented from being removed. There is concern about reduced functionality reliability.
The present invention has been completed based on the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to improve the reliability of the lance retaining function while reducing the size.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the housing in which the terminal accommodating portion is provided, and the shape along the inner wall of the terminal accommodating portion, the elastic bending toward the bending space adjacent to the terminal accommodating portion is made possible. A lance and a terminal fitting inserted into the terminal accommodating portion, and in the process of inserting the terminal fitting into the terminal accommodating portion, the lance is elastically bent toward the bending space due to interference with the terminal fitting. In the connector in which the terminal fitting is held in the retaining state by locking the lance that is elastically restored to the terminal fitting when the terminal fitting is properly inserted , while reinforcing ribs projecting in the deformation space side is provided on the base end side of a surface facing the deformation space, the deflection space is formed at the outer surface in the opening form of the housing, the housings A protective member having a wall portion that closes the opening of the bending space is assembled to the outer surface of the connector, and the protective member enters the terminal accommodating portion in a state where the protective member is assembled. wherein the terminal fittings by locking the terminal fittings with the terminal locking portion for holding the retaining state is provided, on the surface of the lance and the side facing in the wall portion of the front Symbol protective member Te In the state in which the protective member is assembled, the relief portion provided on the base end side of the lance can accommodate the reinforcing rib, and in the state in which the protective member is also assembled, the facing of the flex space of the lance A restricting portion for restricting the elastic deflection of the lance toward the bending space by contacting the front end side of the surface, and further facing the lance in the wall portion of the protection member The said lance in the plane of the side in the unsupported regions, having characterized in that the reinforcing portion extending in the width direction of the wall portion is formed.

The invention of claim 2 is characterized in that, in the invention of claim 1, the escape portion is formed in a form penetrating the wall portion.

<Invention of Claim 1>
Since the bending space is opened on the outer surface of the housing and the opening of the bending space is closed by the wall of the protective member provided as a separate body, foreign matter can be prevented from entering from the opening of the bending space. Thus, the housing can be downsized in the lance bending direction. When the protective member is assembled to the housing, the terminal locking portion is locked to the terminal fitting in the terminal accommodating portion, and the wall portion is in contact with the lance, thereby restricting the elastic deflection of the lance toward the bending space. Therefore, the reliability of the terminal metal fitting retaining function can be improved.
In addition, since the rigidity of the lance is increased by forming the reinforcing rib, the reliability of the function of retaining the terminal fitting is further improved, and the reinforcing rib is accommodated in the relief portion of the wall portion of the protective member. Therefore, the connector can be prevented from being enlarged in the lance bending direction due to the formation of the reinforcing rib.

<Invention of Claim 2 >
Since the relief portion has a form penetrating the wall portion, the connector can be reduced in size in the lance bending direction as compared with the relief portion having a non-penetrating concave shape.

<Embodiment 1>
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The connector of the present embodiment includes a synthetic resin housing 10, a plurality of terminal fittings 30 accommodated in the housing 10, and a protection member 40 assembled to the housing 10.
The housing 10 has a flat block shape as a whole. Inside the housing 10, a plurality of terminal accommodating portions 11A and 11B are divided into two upper and lower stages, and each stage is formed in parallel at the same height on the left and right. ing. Each terminal accommodating portion 11A, 11B is elongated in the front-rear direction, and the front ends of the terminal accommodating portions 11A, 11B are opened to the front end surface of the housing 10 via a tab insertion port 13 that penetrates the front wall 12 of the housing 10, The rear ends of 11 </ b> A and 11 </ b> B are open to the rear end surface of the housing 10 as terminal insertion ports 14. Each terminal accommodating portion 11A, 11B is formed with lances 15A, 15B extending in a cantilevered manner forward along the lower wall.

  The lances 15A and 15B have a flat plate shape in which the width dimension is substantially constant over the entire length, and the thickness dimension (vertical dimension) is also substantially constant over the entire length. The front end portions on the upper surfaces of the lances 15A and 15B are jig receiving surfaces 16 that are notched so as to have a forward-declining slope. A locking projection 17 is formed in a region adjacent to the rear of the jig receiving surface 16 on the upper surface of the lances 15A and 15B. The lances 15A and 15B can be elastically bent in the vertical direction (thickness direction orthogonal to the insertion / removal direction of the terminal fitting 30 with respect to the terminal accommodating portions 11A and 11B) with the rear ends (base ends) as fulcrums. It has become. When the lances 15A and 15B are in a free state where they do not elastically bend, the top surfaces of the lances 15A and 15B are substantially flush with the bottom walls of the terminal accommodating portions 11A and 11B, and the locking projections 17 are the terminal accommodating portions 11A and 11B. It advances into the inside (that is, in the insertion space of the terminal fitting 30). Further, when the lances 15A and 15B are elastically bent downward (toward the bending spaces 21A and 21B), the locking projections 17 are retracted downward from the insertion space of the terminal fitting 30.

  Further, on the lower surface of the lower lance 15B (the surface facing the bending space 21B to be described later), the lance 15B is positioned at the center in the width direction and slightly in the direction from the front end of the lance 15B (the locking projection in the front-rear direction). The reinforcing rib 18 is formed with a length extending from the substantially central position of 17) to the rear end of the lance 15B. The width dimension of the reinforcing rib 18 is narrower than that of the lance 15B. Further, a taper surface 19F having different gradients in two steps is formed at the front end portion of the reinforcing rib 18, and a taper surface 19R having a substantially constant gradient is formed at the rear end portion of the reinforcing rib 18. A reinforcing rib 20 is also formed on the lower surface of the upper lance 15A (the surface facing the bending space 21A).

In the housing 10, bending spaces 21A and 21B for allowing elastic deformation of the lances 15A and 15B are provided. A deflection space 21 </ b> A for the upper lance 15 </ b> A is formed below the lances 15 </ b> A and opened to the front end surface of the housing 10. Further, the upper side deflection space 21 </ b> A and the terminal accommodating portion 11 </ b> A are vertically adjacent to each other. Further, the lower wall 22 constituting the upper deflection space 21A is a partition wall that partitions the lower terminal housing 11B.
On the other hand, the bending space 21B for the lower lance 15B is also formed below the lances 15B and opened to the front end surface of the housing 10 in the same manner as the upper stage. Of the lower-stage side bending space 21B, a region corresponding to the lance 15B and a region slightly ahead of the lance 15B (ie, a region from the rear end of the lance 15B to a position slightly ahead of the front end of the lance 15B). The lower surface (outer surface) of the housing 10 is opened. The opening 23 of the bending space 21 </ b> B is opened over almost the entire width of the housing 10. When the lance 15B is in a free state, the reinforcing ribs 18 on the lower surface of the lance 15B do not protrude outward from the lower surface of the housing 10 and are located inside the housing 10 (in the bending space 21B).

  The terminal fitting 30 is elongated in the front-rear direction as a whole and has a female shape. A substantially first half portion of the terminal fitting 30 is a rectangular tube portion 31, and a substantially second half portion is an open barrel-like wire connecting portion 32, and a terminal portion of the wire 33 is connected to the wire connecting portion 32 by crimping. ing. A locking hole (not shown) for locking the locking projections 17 of the lances 15 </ b> A and 15 </ b> B is formed on the lower surface of the rectangular tube portion 31. The terminal fitting 30 is inserted into the terminal accommodating portions 11A and 11B from the rear. In the insertion process, when the lower surface of the rectangular tube portion 31 abuts against the locking projection 17, the lances 15A and 15B are elastically bent downward (in the direction of advancing into the bending spaces 21A and 21B) to assume a forward inclined posture ( (See FIG. 3). Then, when the terminal fitting 30 reaches the normal insertion position, the lances 15A and 15B are elastically restored and the locking projections 17 are locked in the locking holes, so that the terminal fitting 30 is restricted from being pulled backward. (Retained state).

  When the terminal fitting 30 is removed from the terminal accommodating portions 11A and 11B, an elongated jig (not shown) is inserted from the jig insertion port 24 on the front surface of the housing 10, and the tip of the jig is connected to the lance 15A, When the jig is operated in a state of being directed to the jig receiving surface 16 of 15B, the lances 15A and 15B are forcibly elastically bent toward the bending spaces 21A and 21B so as to disengage the locking projections 17 from the locking holes. Let Thereby, the terminal metal fitting 30 is released from the retaining state by the lances 15A and 15B.

  The protective member 40 is made of a synthetic resin, and includes a wall portion 41 having a rectangular plate shape substantially parallel to the lower surface of the housing 10, a pair of side walls 42 rising upward from left and right side edges of the wall portion 41, and the wall portion 41. And a rear wall 43 that rises upward from the rear end portion. A locking groove 44 is formed on the inner surface of the side wall 42. The upper end portion of the rear wall 43 is a terminal locking portion 45A that can be locked from the rear with respect to the rectangular tube portion 31 of the terminal fitting 30 inserted into the upper terminal accommodating portion 11A. The rear wall 43 is formed with a through hole 46 penetrating in the front-rear direction, and the lower edge portion of the hole edge portion of the through hole 46 is a corner of the terminal fitting 30 inserted into the lower terminal housing portion 11B. A terminal locking portion 45B that can be locked from the rear with respect to the cylindrical portion 31 is formed.

  The protective member 40 is assembled to the housing 10 from below with the side walls 42 along the outer surface of the housing 10. The protective member 40 assembled to the housing 10 includes a temporary locking position (see FIG. 7) for locking the locking groove 44 to the temporary locking protrusion 25 and the main locking protrusion 26 of the housing 10 and the temporary locking. The main locking position (see FIG. 8) for locking the locking groove 44 to the main locking projection 26 of the housing 10 is provided above the position.

  The wall 41 has a form corresponding to the opening 23 of the lower deflection space 21B on the lower surface of the housing 10 (a form that closes the opening 23), and when the protection member 40 is in the temporarily locked position, The wall 41 has a position (height) protruding downward from the lower surface of the housing 10, and a terminal is provided between the upper surface of the wall 41 (the surface facing the bending space 21B) and the lower surface of the free lance 15B. A space that allows the lance 15B to be elastically bent toward the bending space 21B side to an extent that allows the insertion operation of the metal fitting 30 is secured (see FIGS. 2 and 3). In a state where the protective member 40 is in the final locking position, the lower surface (outer surface) of the wall portion 41 is flush with the lower surface (outer surface) of the housing 10 and the upper surface of the wall portion 41 is in the free end of the lance 15B. It comes into contact with the lower surface of the part or faces with a slight clearance (see FIG. 1). In the state of the main locking position, the elastic bending of the lance 15B toward the bending space 21B (the elastic bending in the direction in which the locking protrusion 17 is released from the terminal fitting 30) is restricted.

  The wall portion 41 is formed with a plurality of relief portions 47 corresponding to the lower lance 15B in the left-right direction. The relief portion 47 is disposed so as to correspond to the reinforcing rib 18, and the length dimension and the width dimension of the relief portion 47 are set to a dimension capable of accommodating the reinforcing rib 18 or a dimension capable of fitting the reinforcing rib 18. Yes. Moreover, the relief part 47 has a form that penetrates the wall part 41 in the vertical direction. When the protection member 40 is in the temporary locking position, the relief portion 47 is positioned below the reinforcing rib 18 of the lance 15B in the free state. When the protection member 40 is in the final locking position, the relief portion 47 is located inside the relief portion 47. Reinforcing ribs 18 are accommodated. Further, a rib-shaped reinforcing portion 48 extending in the left-right direction is formed in a form protruding upward at the front end portion of the wall portion 41 (a region not corresponding to the lance 15B, that is, a region in front of the lance 15B). .

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.
When the terminal fitting 30 is inserted into the terminal accommodating portions 11A and 11B, the protection member 40 is first held at the temporary locking position. In this state, since the wall portion 41 is spaced apart from the lower lance 15B in the vertical direction, elastic deformation of the lance 15B toward the bending space 21B is allowed, and the terminal locking portions 45A and 45B are connected to the terminals. Since the housing parts 11A and 11B (insertion paths for the terminal fittings 30) are retracted downward, the insertion operation of the terminal fittings 30 into the terminal housing parts 11A and 11B is allowed. In this state, the terminal fitting 30 is inserted into each of the terminal accommodating portions 11A and 11B. In the insertion process, since the lances 15A and 15B are elastically bent toward the bending spaces 21A and 21B, the insertion operation of the terminal fitting 30 is not hindered.

  When the terminal fitting 30 is inserted to the proper position, the lances 15A and 15B are elastically returned to the free state, and the locking projection 17 is locked in the locking hole, whereby the terminal fitting 30 is held in the retaining state. . Thereafter, the protection member 40 at the temporary locking position is pushed up to the final locking position. Then, the terminal fittings 45 </ b> A and 45 </ b> B are locked to the rectangular tube portion 31, so that the terminal fitting 30 is prevented from being pulled out. That is, the terminal fitting 30 is in a state of being double-locked by the lances 15A and 15B and the protection member 40. Further, when the protective member 40 is displaced to the full locking position, the wall portion 41 advances into the bending space of the lance 15B and comes into contact with or very close to the lower surface of the lance 15B, and the reinforcing rib 18 Is accommodated in the escape portion 47. In this state, with respect to the terminal fitting 30 inserted into the lower terminal accommodating portion 11B, the wall portion 41 restricts the elastic deflection of the lance 15B, so that the lance 15B, the terminal locking portion 45B, and the wall portion 41 are tripled. Will be secured.

  When removing the terminal fitting 30 that is secured in the terminal accommodating portions 11A and 11B as described above, first, the protective member 40 is displaced to the temporary locking position, and the terminal locking portions 45A and 45B are connected to the terminals. Dissociate from metal fitting 30. Further, the lower lance 15B is released from a state in which the bending of the wall 41 toward the bending space 21B is restricted. Thereafter, a jig (not shown) is inserted into the jig insertion port 24 from the front of the housing 10 to reach the jig receiving surface 16 of the lances 15A and 15B, and the lances 15A and 15B are moved by the operation of the jig. It is made to elastically bend forcibly toward the bending space 21A, 21B side (namely, the direction which makes it dissociate from the terminal metal fitting 30). As a result, the terminal fitting 30 is released from the retaining state by the lances 15A and 15B. After that, if the retaining member is released from the retaining state by the jig, the electric wire is picked and the terminal member 30 is pulled out backward. Good.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the lances 15A and 15B are provided with the reinforcing ribs 18 and 20 in a form partially protruding from the opposing surfaces (lower surfaces) of the bending spaces 21A and 21B. Since the rigidity of the lances 15A and 15B is increased by 20, the reliability of the function of retaining the terminal fitting 30 is high.
In addition, in the state where the relief portion 47 is provided on the surface of the wall portion 41 facing the lower-side bending space 21B facing the lance 15B and the protection member 40 is assembled at the final locking position, the reinforcing rib 18 is placed in the relief portion 47. Since it is accommodated, it is avoided that the connector is enlarged in the bending direction of the lance 15B due to the formation of the reinforcing rib 18.

  Further, a lower-stage bending space 21B is formed in the form of opening on the outer surface of the housing 10, and the opening portion 23 of the bending space 21B on the outer surface of the housing 10 has a wall portion 41 and a relief portion facing the bending space 21B. The protective member 40 having 47 is assembled. That is, the housing 10 is made smaller in the bending direction of the lance 15B by making the bending space 21B open to the outer surface of the housing 10 and making the wall portion 41 facing the bending space 21B separate from the housing 10. Has been realized.

  Further, in the state where the protective member 40 is assembled at the main locking position, the wall portion 41 facing the lower bending space 21B is made to enter the bending area of the lance 15B in the bending space 21B. The housing 10 can be reduced in size in the bending direction of the lance 15B as compared with the case where the necessary space is secured. Furthermore, since the opening 23 of the bending space 21B on the outer surface of the housing 10 is blocked by the wall 41 of the protection member 40, foreign matter can be prevented from entering the housing 10 from the opening 23 of the bending space 21B. .

Further, in the state in which the protection member 40 is assembled at the final locking position, the elastic deformation of the lance 15B toward the bending space 21B side is regulated by the wall portion 41 coming into contact with the lance 15B. The reliability of the retaining function is high.
Similarly, in the state where the protection member 40 is assembled at the final locking position, the terminal locking portions 45A and 45B of the protection member 40 are locked to the terminal fittings 30 in the terminal accommodating portions 11A and 11B. The reliability of the retaining function of the metal fitting 30 is high.
In addition, since the relief portion 47 has a form that penetrates the wall portion 41, the connector can be reduced in size in the bending direction of the lance 15B as compared with the relief portion having a non-through recess shape.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described with reference to the above description and drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention, and further, within the scope not departing from the gist of the invention other than the following. Various modifications can be made.
(1) In the above embodiment, the escape portion penetrates the wall portion. However, according to the present invention, the relief portion may be recessed without penetrating the wall portion.
(2) In the above embodiment, the protective member can be assembled to the temporary locking position for allowing the insertion of the terminal fitting to the housing and the final locking position for preventing the terminal fitting from being removed. For example, the protection member may not be assembled at the temporary locking position.
(3) Although the case where the terminal fitting is a female terminal fitting has been described in the above embodiment, the present invention can also be applied when the terminal fitting is a male terminal fitting.
(4) In the above embodiment, the reinforcing rib is not accommodated in the escape portion when the lance is elastically bent. However, according to the present invention, the reinforcing rib is accommodated in the relief portion while the lance is elastically bent. It may be.

  The longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the state which has a protection member in this locking position in Embodiment 1   A longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which the protective member is in the temporary locking position.   Vertical section showing the process of inserting the terminal fitting   Enlarged perspective view of the lower lance   An enlarged perspective view of the lower lance as seen from the bottom side   Perspective view of protective member   Cross-sectional view showing a state where the protective member is in the temporary locking position   A cross-sectional view showing a state in which the protective member is in the final locking position

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Housing 11B ... Terminal accommodating part 15B ... Lance 18 ... Reinforcing rib 21B ... Deflection space 23 ... Opening part 30 ... Terminal metal fitting 40 ... Protection member 41 ... Wall part 45B ... Terminal locking part 47 ... Escape part

Claims (2)

A housing provided with a terminal accommodating portion, a lance that is configured along the inner wall of the terminal accommodating portion and is capable of being elastically bent toward the bending space adjacent to the terminal accommodating portion, and in the terminal accommodating portion With terminal fittings inserted into the
In the process of inserting the terminal fitting into the terminal receiving portion, the lance is elastically bent toward the bending space due to interference with the terminal fitting, and the lance that is elastically restored when the terminal fitting is properly inserted is the terminal. In the connector in which the terminal metal fitting is held in a retaining state by locking to the metal fitting,
While the lance is provided with a reinforcing rib projecting to the side of the bending space on the base end side of the surface facing the bending space,
The deformation space is formed at the outer surface in the opening form of the housing, on the outer surface of the housing, it is adapted to the protection member is assembled having a wall portion for closing the opening portion of the deformation space,
The protection member is provided with a terminal locking portion that holds the terminal metal fitting in a non-removable state by entering the terminal housing portion and locking the terminal metal fitting when the protective member is assembled. along with the
The surface of the lance and the side facing in the wall portion of the front Symbol protective member, and the reinforcing ribs can accommodate a relief portion provided in a state assembled with the said protective member to the base end side of the lance, as well In a state where the protection member is assembled, a regulating portion is provided that regulates elastic deflection of the lance toward the bending space by contacting the front end side of the facing surface with the bending space of the lance.
Furthermore, a reinforcing portion extending in the width direction of the wall portion is formed in a region that does not correspond to the lance on the surface of the protective member on the side facing the lance. Connector. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the relief portion is formed so as to penetrate the wall portion.

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