JP6879166B2

JP6879166B2 - Connector device

Info

Publication number: JP6879166B2
Application number: JP2017207040A
Authority: JP
Inventors: 歩上野
Original assignee: Toyota Motor Corp
Current assignee: Toyota Motor Corp
Priority date: 2017-10-26
Filing date: 2017-10-26
Publication date: 2021-06-02
Anticipated expiration: 2037-10-26
Also published as: JP2019079739A

Description

本発明は、メス端子を有するメスコネクタとオス端子を有するオスコネクタとを備えたコネクタ装置に関する。 The present invention relates to a connector device including a female connector having a female terminal and a male connector having a male terminal.

板ばねで形成されたコンタクト１３がプラグハウジング１１に設けられたコネクタ装置が知られている（特許文献１）。その他、本発明に関連する先行技術文献として特許文献２が存在する。 A connector device in which a contact 13 formed of a leaf spring is provided in a plug housing 11 is known (Patent Document 1). In addition, Patent Document 2 exists as a prior art document related to the present invention.

特開平９−６３７１２号公報Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-63712 特開２０１３−２５９８８号公報Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-25988

ハウジングの内側に設けられた弾性体によって第１の把持物を把持させ、さらに第１の把持物の内側に設けられた弾性体によって第２の把持物を把持させる場合において、第１の把持物の外側に設けられた弾性体のばね定数が内側に設けられた弾性体のばね定数よりも大きいと、第１の把持物に第２の把持物を把持させた場合に第１の把持物をハウジングによって適切に把持できずにコネクタ装置の適切な接続を確保できないおそれがある。 When the first gripped object is gripped by the elastic body provided inside the housing and the second gripped object is gripped by the elastic body provided inside the first gripped object, the first gripped object is gripped. When the spring constant of the elastic body provided on the outside of the housing is larger than the spring constant of the elastic body provided on the inside, the first gripping object is gripped when the first gripping object grips the second gripping object. The housing may not be able to grip properly and ensure proper connection of the connector device.

そこで、本発明は適切な接続を確保できるコネクタ装置を提供することを目的とする。 Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a connector device capable of ensuring an appropriate connection.

本発明の一態様に係るコネクタ装置は、メスハウジングと前記メスハウジングに収容された中空状のメス端子とを有し、前記メスハウジングと前記メス端子との間に所定の隙間が形成されたメスコネクタと、前記メス端子の中空部に挿入可能なオス端子を有するオスコネクタと、を備え、前記メス端子の中空部に前記オス端子が挿入されることにより前記メス端子が前記隙間を解消する方向に拡張可能に構成されたコネクタ装置であって、前記メス端子の前記中空部に前記オス端子が挿入された際に前記メス端子が前記オス端子を把持する方向の弾性力を発生させる第１弾性部と、前記メス端子の前記中空部に前記オス端子が挿入された際に前記メス端子の拡張を妨げる方向の弾性力を発生させる第２弾性部と、を更に備え、前記第１弾性部は前記第２弾性部に比べてばね定数が大きいものである。 The connector device according to one aspect of the present invention has a female housing and a hollow female terminal housed in the female housing, and a female having a predetermined gap formed between the female housing and the female terminal. A direction in which a connector and a male connector having a male terminal that can be inserted into the hollow portion of the female terminal are provided, and the female terminal eliminates the gap by inserting the male terminal into the hollow portion of the female terminal. It is a connector device that is extensible and has a first elastic force that generates an elastic force in a direction in which the female terminal grips the male terminal when the male terminal is inserted into the hollow portion of the female terminal. The first elastic portion further includes a portion and a second elastic portion that generates an elastic force in a direction that hinders the expansion of the female terminal when the male terminal is inserted into the hollow portion of the female terminal. The spring constant is larger than that of the second elastic portion.

コネクタ装置を模式的に示した構成図。The block diagram which shows the connector device schematically. コネクタ装置の接続時の状態を示した図。The figure which showed the state at the time of connection of a connector device. 図１の矢印III方向から見た状態を示した図。The figure which showed the state seen from the direction of arrow III of FIG. メス端子の一部を模式的に示した斜視図。The perspective view which shows a part of the female terminal schematically. メス端子にオス端子が挿入された状態を模式的に示した図。The figure which showed typically the state which the male terminal was inserted into the female terminal. メス端子にオス端子が挿入された際の作用を示した概念図。A conceptual diagram showing the operation when a male terminal is inserted into a female terminal.

図１に示したコネクタ装置１はハイブリッド車両に適用され、不図示のバッテリ等の電源側に設けられた端子台２に組み込まれたメスコネクタ３と、負荷側に設けられたオスコネクタ４とを備えている。メスコネクタ３は、端子台２に固定されたメスハウジング５と、メスハウジング５に収容された中空状のメス端子６とを有する。オスコネクタ４は、メス端子６の中空部６ａに挿入可能なオス端子８と、オス端子８を収容するオスハウジング９とを有する。 The connector device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is applied to a hybrid vehicle, and has a female connector 3 incorporated in a terminal block 2 provided on the power supply side of a battery or the like (not shown) and a male connector 4 provided on the load side. I have. The female connector 3 has a female housing 5 fixed to the terminal block 2 and a hollow female terminal 6 housed in the female housing 5. The male connector 4 has a male terminal 8 that can be inserted into the hollow portion 6a of the female terminal 6 and a male housing 9 that houses the male terminal 8.

図２に示すように、コネクタ装置１は、端子台２の接続部２ａに対してオスコネクタ４が挿入されることによりメスコネクタ３とオスコネクタ４とが互いに接続される。この場合、メスコネクタ３のメスハウジング５がオスコネクタ４のオスハウジング９の内周に嵌り込み、かつメス端子６の中空部６ａにオス端子８が挿入されることによりオス端子８がメス端子６に把持される。これによりメスコネクタ３のメス端子６とオスコネクタ４のオス端子８とが通電可能となる。 As shown in FIG. 2, in the connector device 1, the female connector 3 and the male connector 4 are connected to each other by inserting the male connector 4 into the connection portion 2a of the terminal block 2. In this case, the female housing 5 of the female connector 3 fits into the inner circumference of the male housing 9 of the male connector 4, and the male terminal 8 is inserted into the hollow portion 6a of the female terminal 6, so that the male terminal 8 becomes the female terminal 6. Is gripped by. As a result, the female terminal 6 of the female connector 3 and the male terminal 8 of the male connector 4 can be energized.

図１に示すように、メスコネクタ３のメス端子６はメスハウジング５に挿入される挿入部１０と、挿入部１０から延びていてメスハウジング５の所定位置に取り付けられる取付部１１とを含む。図３に示すように、メスハウジング５とメス端子６の挿入部１０との間には、メスコネクタ３の組み立て時にメス端子６をメスハウジング５にスムーズに挿入できるように所定の隙間Ｇが形成されている。 As shown in FIG. 1, the female terminal 6 of the female connector 3 includes an insertion portion 10 that is inserted into the female housing 5, and an attachment portion 11 that extends from the insertion portion 10 and is attached to a predetermined position of the female housing 5. As shown in FIG. 3, a predetermined gap G is formed between the female housing 5 and the insertion portion 10 of the female terminal 6 so that the female terminal 6 can be smoothly inserted into the female housing 5 when the female connector 3 is assembled. Has been done.

図４に示すように、メス端子６は筒状の金属材料で構成されていて、その上面及び下面に相当し互いに対向する二面がそれぞれ複数回屈曲された蛇腹状に形成されている。これにより、メス端子６は蛇腹部１４が弾性体として機能する。すなわち、メス端子６は、隙間Ｇを解消する方向の一例であるＹ軸方向に拡張可能に構成され、かつメス端子６がＹ軸方向に拡張するとその拡張を妨げる方向の弾性力を発生させる。また、メス端子６の中空部６ａには、挿入されたオス端子８を把持するための弾性体の一例である板ばね１５が左右に一つずつ設けられている。メス端子６の板ばね１５はオス端子８が挿入された際にオス端子８を把持する方向の弾性力を発生させる。 As shown in FIG. 4, the female terminal 6 is made of a tubular metal material, and is formed in a bellows shape in which two surfaces corresponding to the upper surface and the lower surface thereof and facing each other are bent a plurality of times. As a result, the bellows portion 14 of the female terminal 6 functions as an elastic body. That is, the female terminal 6 is configured to be expandable in the Y-axis direction, which is an example of the direction in which the gap G is eliminated, and when the female terminal 6 expands in the Y-axis direction, an elastic force in a direction that hinders the expansion is generated. Further, the hollow portion 6a of the female terminal 6 is provided with one leaf spring 15 on each side, which is an example of an elastic body for gripping the inserted male terminal 8. The leaf spring 15 of the female terminal 6 generates an elastic force in the direction of gripping the male terminal 8 when the male terminal 8 is inserted.

板ばね１５のばね定数をＫ１とし、蛇腹部１４のばね定数をＫ２とした場合、板ばね１５と蛇腹部１４との間にはＫ１＞Ｋ２が成立している。そのため、図５に示したように、コネクタ装置１のメスコネクタ３とオスコネクタ４とが接続され、メス端子６にオス端子８が挿入された場合、オス端子８を把持する板ばね１５の弾性力Ｆ１の反力Ｒが蛇腹部１４の弾性力Ｆ２に抗して蛇腹部１４が弾性変形させ、メス端子６が左右方向に拡張してメスハウジング５の内周面５ａに突き当たる。これにより、メス端子６とメスハウジング３との間に形成された隙間Ｇ（図４）がオス端子８の挿入によって解消し、かつ挿入されたオス端子８がメス端子６によって適切に把持される。 When the spring constant of the leaf spring 15 is K1 and the spring constant of the bellows portion 14 is K2, K1> K2 is established between the leaf spring 15 and the bellows portion 14. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, when the female connector 3 of the connector device 1 and the male connector 4 are connected and the male terminal 8 is inserted into the female terminal 6, the elasticity of the leaf spring 15 that grips the male terminal 8 is obtained. The reaction force R of the force F1 elastically deforms the bellows portion 14 against the elastic force F2 of the bellows portion 14, and the female terminal 6 expands in the left-right direction and abuts on the inner peripheral surface 5a of the female housing 5. As a result, the gap G (FIG. 4) formed between the female terminal 6 and the female housing 3 is eliminated by inserting the male terminal 8, and the inserted male terminal 8 is appropriately gripped by the female terminal 6. ..

コネクタ装置１によれば、メス端子６とメスハウジング５との間に形成される隙間Ｇによって、組み立て時にメスハウジング３に対するメス端子６の挿入が容易になる。そして、メスコネクタ３とオスコネクタ４との接続時には隙間Ｇが解消してメス端子６とメスハウジング５の内周面５ａとが接触するので、車両振動などがメス端子６に伝搬してもメスハウジング５内でメス端子６が振動することが抑制される。これにより、コネクタ装置１の接続時にメスハウジング５内でメス端子６が振動することによってメスハウジング５やメス端子６が摩耗することを抑制できる。 According to the connector device 1, the gap G formed between the female terminal 6 and the female housing 5 facilitates insertion of the female terminal 6 into the female housing 3 during assembly. When the female connector 3 and the male connector 4 are connected, the gap G is eliminated and the female terminal 6 and the inner peripheral surface 5a of the female housing 5 come into contact with each other. Therefore, even if vehicle vibration or the like propagates to the female terminal 6, the female terminal 6 is female. Vibration of the female terminal 6 in the housing 5 is suppressed. As a result, it is possible to prevent the female housing 5 and the female terminal 6 from being worn due to the female terminal 6 vibrating in the female housing 5 when the connector device 1 is connected.

また、図６に示すように、メス端子６が破線の位置から矢印方向に拡張して隙間Ｇが解消する際には、メス端子６とメスハウジング５の内周面５ａとが面接触する。そのため、例えば、メス端子６とメスハウジング５との間にばねを介在させる形態と比べて、メス端子６を支持する接触面積が増加するので摩耗に対する耐久性が向上する。さらに、メス端子６の蛇腹部１４を弾性体として機能させているため、メス端子６とは別部品の弾性体を設ける場合と比べて部品点数を削減できる。 Further, as shown in FIG. 6, when the female terminal 6 expands in the direction of the arrow from the position of the broken line and the gap G is eliminated, the female terminal 6 and the inner peripheral surface 5a of the female housing 5 come into surface contact with each other. Therefore, for example, as compared with the form in which the spring is interposed between the female terminal 6 and the female housing 5, the contact area for supporting the female terminal 6 is increased, so that the durability against wear is improved. Further, since the bellows portion 14 of the female terminal 6 functions as an elastic body, the number of parts can be reduced as compared with the case where an elastic body of a separate part from the female terminal 6 is provided.

（変形例）
上記形態は、メス端子６の蛇腹部１４を弾性体として機能させることにより、メス端子６を拡張可能とし、かつその拡張を妨げる方向の弾性力を発生させているが一例にすぎない。例えば、メス端子を２つに分割して拡張可能とし、その分割部分に拡張を妨げる方向の弾性力を発生させるばね等の弾性体を設ける形態に変更することもできる。 (Modification example)
In the above embodiment, the bellows portion 14 of the female terminal 6 functions as an elastic body to make the female terminal 6 expandable and generate an elastic force in a direction that hinders the expansion, but this is only an example. For example, the female terminal can be divided into two so that it can be expanded, and the divided portion can be changed to a form in which an elastic body such as a spring that generates an elastic force in a direction that hinders expansion is provided.

上述した実施の形態及び変形例のそれぞれから導き出される本発明の態様を以下に記載する。 Aspects of the present invention derived from each of the above-described embodiments and modifications are described below.

本発明の一態様に係るコネクタ装置は、メスハウジングと前記メスハウジングに収容された中空状のメス端子とを有し、前記メスハウジングと前記メス端子との間に所定の隙間が形成されたメスコネクタと、前記メス端子の中空部に挿入可能なオス端子を有するオスコネクタと、を備え、前記メス端子の中空部に前記オス端子が挿入されることにより前記メス端子が前記隙間を解消する方向に拡張可能に構成されたコネクタ装置であって、前記メス端子の前記中空部に前記オス端子が挿入された際に前記メス端子が前記オス端子を把持する方向の弾性力を発生させる第１弾性部と、前記メス端子の前記中空部に前記オス端子が挿入された際に前記メス端子の拡張を妨げる方向の弾性力を発生させる第２弾性部と、を更に備え、前記第１弾性部は前記第２弾性部に比べてばね定数が大きいものである。例えば、上記形態及び上記変形例においては、メス端子６に設けられた板ばね１５が第１弾性部の一例に相当し、メス端子６の蛇腹部１４及び上記変形例に係る弾性体が第２弾性部の一例に相当する。 The connector device according to one aspect of the present invention has a female housing and a hollow female terminal housed in the female housing, and a female having a predetermined gap formed between the female housing and the female terminal. A direction in which a connector and a male connector having a male terminal that can be inserted into the hollow portion of the female terminal are provided, and the female terminal eliminates the gap by inserting the male terminal into the hollow portion of the female terminal. It is a connector device that is extensible and has a first elastic force that generates an elastic force in a direction in which the female terminal grips the male terminal when the male terminal is inserted into the hollow portion of the female terminal. The first elastic portion further includes a portion and a second elastic portion that generates an elastic force in a direction that hinders the expansion of the female terminal when the male terminal is inserted into the hollow portion of the female terminal. The spring constant is larger than that of the second elastic portion. For example, in the above form and the above modification, the leaf spring 15 provided on the female terminal 6 corresponds to an example of the first elastic portion, and the bellows portion 14 of the female terminal 6 and the elastic body according to the above modification are the second. It corresponds to an example of an elastic part.

この態様のコネクタ装置によれば、第１弾性部は第２弾性部に比べてばね定数が大きいので、メス端子にオス端子が挿入された際に第１弾性部が発生させる弾性力の反力がメス端子の拡張を妨げる方向の第２弾性部による弾性力に抗してメス端子を拡張させる。メス端子が拡張する方向はメスハウジングとメス端子との間に形成される隙間を解消する方向であるので、オス端子がメス端子に挿入されることによってメス端子が拡張してその隙間が解消され、メスハウジングとメス端子とが接触する。これにより、メスコネクタの組み立て時にメスハウジングに対するメス端子の挿入が容易になる。そして、メスコネクタとオスコネクタとの接続時にはメス端子とメスハウジングとの間の隙間が解消するので、メス端子に振動が伝搬してもメス端子がメスハウジング内で振動することを抑制でき、その振動によるメス端子やメスハウジングの摩耗を抑制できる。 According to the connector device of this aspect, since the first elastic portion has a larger spring constant than the second elastic portion, the reaction force of the elastic force generated by the first elastic portion when the male terminal is inserted into the female terminal. Expands the female terminal against the elastic force of the second elastic portion in the direction that hinders the expansion of the female terminal. The direction in which the female terminal expands is the direction in which the gap formed between the female housing and the female terminal is eliminated. Therefore, when the male terminal is inserted into the female terminal, the female terminal expands and the gap is eliminated. , The female housing and female terminal come into contact. This facilitates insertion of the female terminal into the female housing when assembling the female connector. When the female connector and the male connector are connected, the gap between the female terminal and the female housing is eliminated, so that even if vibration propagates to the female terminal, the female terminal can be suppressed from vibrating in the female housing. It is possible to suppress wear of the female terminal and female housing due to vibration.

１コネクタ装置
３メスコネクタ
４オスコネクタ
５メスハウジング
６メス端子
６ａ中空部
８オス端子
１４蛇腹部（第２弾性部）
１５板ばね（第１弾性部）
Ｇ隙間 1 Connector device 3 Female connector 4 Male connector 5 Female housing 6 Female terminal 6a Hollow part 8 Male terminal 14 Bellows part (second elastic part)
15 Leaf spring (first elastic part)
G gap

Claims

A female connector having a female housing and a hollow female terminal housed in the female housing and having a predetermined gap formed between the female housing and the female terminal, and inserted into the hollow portion of the female terminal. It is a connector device including a male connector having a possible male terminal, and the female terminal is configured to be expandable in a direction of eliminating the gap by inserting the male terminal into the hollow portion of the female terminal. hand,
A first elastic portion that generates an elastic force in a direction in which the female terminal grips the male terminal when the male terminal is inserted into the hollow portion of the female terminal.
A second elastic portion that generates an elastic force in a direction that hinders the expansion of the female terminal when the male terminal is inserted into the hollow portion of the female terminal is further provided.
The first elastic portion is a connector device having a larger spring constant than the second elastic portion.