JPH1012294A - Plug, receptacle and relay connector having these - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve workability by easily performing work such as installation/ removal of an electric wire by using only a general tool without special guidance in wiring work at a job site. SOLUTION: When a projecting part 11a of a release button 11 engages with a first recessed part 5g, a flat spring 9 blocks up an upper side opening part 5a since a tip part is put in a condition of pressure welding with a terminal metal fitting 7 in the vicinity of a projecting part 7a by energizing force of itself. The pushed-in button 11 slidingly moves downward along a notch groove 5c and a guide hole 5d, and a pressure contact part 11b gradually presses a bending part 9a of the flat spring 9. The flat spring 9 is gradually displaced in the direction for opening the upper side opening part 5a against energizing force from a position to block up the upper side opening part 5a. The projecting part 11a engaged with a second recessed part 5h, and when pushing-in of the button 11 more than that is restrained, a posture of the flat spring 9 is held in a position where the upper side opening part 5a is completely opened. When an electric wire is inserted from the upper side opening part 5a, the electric wire is housed in the terminal metal fitting 7 in a condition of coming into contact with an inner wall surface of the projecting part 7a and the terminal metal fitting 7. The electric wire is fixed by the flat spring 9 and the projecting part 7a by release of pushing-in of the button 11.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement of a relay connector provided with a plug provided at a first wire end and a receptacle provided at a second wire end.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a wiring operation in the field of various electronic devices, an electrical connection between a first electric wire and a second electric wire has been performed through the following steps. That is, each wire end is inserted into a plug and a receptacle, respectively, and crimped to a terminal fitting interposed therein, and caulking or soldering is performed to complete mounting of each pole plug and the receptacle.
The electrical connection was made by fitting a plug into a receptacle.

[0003]

By the way, the above-mentioned work of attaching the electric wire to the plug or the receptacle is relatively small because the plug or the receptacle is formed according to the specification of the electronic equipment, and requires a fine work. Therefore, considerable work is required and work efficiency is poor. In addition, the above crimping and caulking work requires special tools, and it is difficult to perform work with ordinary tools.For example, if a worker forgets a special tool, construction cannot be performed, and Workability was poor. In addition, there are various types of dedicated tools depending on the size of the terminal fittings and the size of the electric wires.If tools suitable for crimping work are not used, problems such as poor connection will occur. Work guidance and management were needed.

[0004] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to improve the workability in wiring work on site by performing work such as mounting / removal of electric wires using only general tools without special work guidance. Is to do so.

[0005]

A plug according to a first aspect of the present invention is provided at an end of a first electric wire and electrically connected to a receptacle provided at an end of a second electric wire. And an electric wire fixing mechanism for fixing the inserted first electric wire. The wire fixing mechanism includes a housing,
It has a spring and a button member. The housing is
An opening for inserting / removing the electric wire, a housing space for housing the electric wire inserted from the opening, and a terminal interposed in the housing space so as to be electrically connectable to the electric wire housed therein. Metal fittings. The spring is interposed in the accommodation space so as to generate an urging force in a direction to close the opening, and when the spring is displaced until the opening is opened against the urging force by an external force, the spring of the electric wire accommodated in the accommodation space is removed. The detachment is prevented in a state of being pressed against the terminal fitting by a biasing force that becomes effective due to the cancellation of the external force. The button member displaces the spring to a position where at least the urging force is invalidated by the pressing, and returns the spring from a position displaced by the release of the pressing to at least a position where the urging force becomes effective.

According to the above configuration, if the button member is pressed, the spring is displaced to the position where the opening is opened, so that the electric wire can be easily housed in the housing space in a state where it can be electrically connected to the terminal fitting. can do. Further, if the button member is kept in the pressed state, the state in which the wire is pressed against the terminal fitting by the spring can be released, so that the wire housed in the housing space can be easily pulled out. Moreover, since the electric wire is fixed to the terminal fitting in the accommodation space by the urging force of the spring, the electrical connection between the electric wire and the terminal fitting can be stably maintained. Furthermore, since the pressing / releasing operation of the button member can be performed by a commonly used driver, a dedicated tool is not required.

In a preferred embodiment according to the first aspect of the present invention, the housing is further provided with an engaging portion that engages with the button member to hold the button member in a pressed state. Further, when inserted into the receptacle, the receptacle is detached by engaging with the inserted receptacle into the spring contact electrically connected to the terminal fitting or the housing, which holds the conductor on the receptacle side in a pressure contact state. It is also possible to further include an engagement mechanism for preventing this.

With this configuration, there is no need to insert / remove the electric wire while keeping the button member pressed. In addition, rattling between the plug and the receptacle is suppressed by the engagement mechanism, and the electrical connection between the terminal fitting on the plug side and the conductor on the receptacle side is maintained in a good state by the spring contact.

A receptacle according to a second aspect of the present invention is provided at an end of a first electric wire and is for electrically connecting to a plug provided at an end of a second electric wire. And an electric wire fixing mechanism for fixing the electric wire. This electric wire fixing mechanism has a housing, a spring, and a button member. Housing inserts electric wire /
It has an opening for detaching, an accommodation space for accommodating an electric wire inserted from the opening, and a terminal fitting interposed in the accommodation space so as to be electrically connectable to the accommodated electric wire. . The spring is interposed in the accommodation space so as to generate an urging force in a direction to close the opening, and when the spring is displaced until the opening is opened against the urging force by an external force, the spring of the electric wire accommodated in the accommodation space is removed. The detachment is prevented in a state of being pressed against the terminal fitting by a biasing force that becomes effective due to the cancellation of the external force. The button member displaces the spring to a position where at least the biasing force is invalidated by pressing,
The position is returned from the position displaced by the release of the pressing to at least a position where the urging force becomes effective.

[0010] Also in the above configuration, the same effect as the first aspect of the present invention can be obtained.

In a preferred embodiment according to the second aspect of the present invention, when a plug is inserted into the housing, when an engagement portion that engages with the button member to hold the button member in a pressed state or a plug is inserted. A conductor electrically connected to the terminal fitting and held by the spring contact on the plug side in a pressure contact state may be further provided.

A relay connector according to a third aspect of the present invention is for electrically connecting a first electric wire and a second electric wire, and includes a plug provided at an end of the first electric wire, and a second electric wire.
And a receptacle provided at an end of the electric wire. Each of the plug and the receptacle has an electric wire fixing mechanism for fixing the inserted electric wire. This electric wire fixing mechanism has a housing, a spring, and a button member. The housing has an opening for inserting / removing the electric wire, a housing space for housing the electric wire inserted from the opening, and a housing interposed in the housing space so as to be electrically connectable to the housed electric wire. Terminal fittings. The spring is interposed in the accommodation space so as to generate an urging force in a direction to close the opening, and when the spring is displaced until the opening is opened against the urging force by an external force, the spring of the electric wire accommodated in the accommodation space is removed. The detachment is prevented in a state of being pressed against the terminal fitting by a biasing force that becomes effective due to the cancellation of the external force. The button member displaces the spring to a position where at least the urging force is invalidated by the pressing, and returns the spring from a position displaced by the release of the pressing to at least a position where the urging force becomes effective.

[0013] With the above configuration, the same effects as those of the first and second aspects of the present invention can be obtained.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show the overall structure of a so-called two-pole structure relay connector as a relay connector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In the case of wiring work in the field of various electronic devices, this relay connector is used to connect one wire end and the other wire end (the number of wires of each wire is two each because the relay connector has a two-pole structure). Each of them is used for electrical connection, and includes a rectangular parallelepiped plug 1 and a receptacle 3, each of which is formed according to electronic device specifications as shown in the figure.

The plug 1 includes a base housing 5, a terminal fitting 7, a leaf spring 9, and a release button 11, each of which functions as an electric wire fixing mechanism, a plug block 13, which functions as a fitting portion that fits into the receptacle 3, and a spring. And a contact 15 and an engagement arm 17.

Next, each component of the plug 1 will be described.

The base housing 5 includes the plug block 1
3, which functions as an integral part and is made of an insulating member, and has a relatively small upper opening 5a, a housing space 5b,
Notch groove 5c, guide hole 5d, engaging claw 5e, relatively large lower opening 5f, first recess 5g, and second recess 5
h.

The upper opening 5a is provided with a terminal fitting 7 interposed in an accommodation space 5b for an electric wire (indicated by reference numeral 31 in FIG. 6).
It is used when mounting to and removing from the terminal fitting 7, and is formed on the upper end surface of the base housing 5 adjacent to the mounting portion of the release button 11.

The accommodation space 5b communicates with an upper opening 5a and a guide hole 5d extending downward from a mounting portion of the release button 11, and a lower portion thereof is entirely open to have a rectangular shape. A relatively large lower opening 5f is formed.

The notch groove 5c and the guide hole 5d are provided for guiding the release button 11 in the vertical direction in FIG. 2, and the notch groove 5c is formed from the upper end of the base housing 5 to the left side surface shown in FIG. Along the guide hole 5d
Are formed along the upper opening 5a from the upper end surface of the base housing 5, respectively.

When the base housing 5 is fitted with the plug block 13, the engaging claw 5 e engages with a window 13 e formed on the side surface of the plug block 13,
The base housing 5 is prevented from coming off the plug block 13.

As described above, the lower opening 5f is formed in such a size that the terminal fitting 7 for accommodating the electric wire 31 in an electrically connectable state can be freely inserted / extracted. Is what it is.

The first recess 5g is for stopping the release button 11 at the home position shown in FIG.
It is formed on the upper portion of the left side surface of the base housing 5 shown in FIG. The second concave portion 5h functions to engage with the release button 11 when the release button 11 is pressed and to hold the pressed state of the release button 11 as shown in FIG. 6, and the left side of the base housing 5 as shown in FIG. Formed at the bottom of the surface.

The terminal fitting 7 is provided for electrically connecting to the end of the electric wire 31 inserted through the upper opening 5a as described above, and is provided at a relatively lower portion in the accommodation space 5b. It is formed in a box shape so as to be interposed in a state of being closely attached to the inner wall surface. The inserted electric wire 3 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of a portion corresponding to the upper opening 5a of the terminal fitting 7.
A projection 7a is provided for suppressing the detachment of the terminal 1 from the terminal fitting 7 in cooperation with the upward urging force of the leaf spring 9.

The leaf spring 9 has a bent section 9a which is always in a state of being pressed against the press-contact section 11b of the release button 11 and has a bent section 9a. It is interposed in a fixed state on the inner wall surface of the terminal fitting 7 so as to generate power. The leaf spring 9 is pressed against the protruding portion 7a of the terminal fitting 7 by pressing the release button 11 to open the upper opening 5a against the urging force from the original position where the upper opening 5a is closed. (The wire can be inserted / removed). Thus, the electric wire 31 can be attached to the terminal fitting 7 or the attached electric wire 31 can be taken out from the terminal fitting 7 (see FIGS. 3 and 4 for comparison). When the release button 11 is depressed and returned to the original position in a state where the wire 31 is mounted in the terminal fitting 7, the leaf spring 9 further cooperates with the urging force and the protrusion 7 a to cause the wire 31 to move. Is fixed in a state of being pressed against the terminal fitting 7, whereby the electric wire 31 is connected to the terminal fitting 7.
Prevents escape from inside. When the electric wire 31 is not accommodated in the accommodation space 5a, the leaf spring 9 returns to the original position for closing the upper opening 5a together with the release of the release button 11.

The release button 11 is used for displacing the leaf spring 9 by pushing / releasing as described above, and is made of an insulating member so that it can slide along the cutout groove 5c and the guide hole 5d. Is provided adjacent to the upper opening 5a. The release button 11 has a substantially U-shaped cross section, and the first recess 5 of the base housing 5.
g, a projection 11a protruding inward so as to be able to engage / disengage with the second recess 5h, and an inner side below the guide hole 5d so as to always be able to press against the bent portion 9a of the leaf spring 9. And a pressure-contact portion 11b protruding therefrom.

The plug block 13 is, as described above,
When the base housing 5 is fitted, it functions integrally with the base housing 5 and is made of an insulating member. The plug block 13 includes a guide wall 13 a for guiding the base housing 5, a groove 13 b for inserting the lower end of the base housing 5, and an opening 13 c for inserting / removing a pin contact (conductor) 29 on the receptacle 3 side. Prepare. The plug block 13 communicates with the opening 13c, is provided in the housing space 13d that houses the spring contact 15 and the pin contact 29, and is provided in the guide wall 13a, and engages with the engaging claw 5e of the base housing 5. A window 13e for restricting detachment of the base housing 5 from the plug block 13.

The lower end of the spring contact 15 is substantially “heavy”.
And a pair of conductive members formed symmetrically in a U-shape and holding the pin contact 29 of the receptacle 3 side which enters from the opening 13c when the plug block 13 is inserted into the receptacle 3 in a press-contact state. Therefore, it is interposed in the accommodation space 13d such that an urging force is generated inside. In the present embodiment, the spring contact 15 and the terminal fitting 7 are integrally formed from the same conductive member.

The engagement arm 17 is for maintaining the fitted state between the plug block 13 and the receptacle block 27, and is integrally formed with the plug block 13, and as shown in FIG. Are hinge-coupled one by one to both side surfaces of the receptacle block 27 in a state where the receptacle block 27 is biased from both sides by springs.

The receptacle 3 includes a base housing 19, a terminal fitting 21, a leaf spring 23, and a release button 25, each of which functions as an electric wire fixing mechanism, a receptacle block 27 that functions as a fitting portion to which the plug 1 is fitted,
And a pin contact 29.

The base housing 19 is connected to the base housing 5 of the plug 1, the terminal fitting 21 is connected to the terminal fitting 7 of the plug 1, and
The leaf spring 23 is attached to the leaf spring 9 of the plug 1 and the release button 2
5 has the same configuration as the release button 11 of the plug 1, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The structure of the receptacle block 27 is the same as that of the plug block 13 except that a concave portion for fitting the plug block 13 is formed. The spring contact 1 is formed integrally with the terminal fitting 21.
5 and the configuration is the same.

Next, a process of attaching / detaching an electric wire in the relay connector having the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 which are enlarged sectional views of the plug 1. FIG.

When the release button 11 is at the home position shown in FIG. 3 (the position at which the projection 11a is engaged with the first recess 5g), the leaf spring 9 has its projection at its projection by its own urging force. It is in pressure contact with the terminal fitting 7 near 7a, thereby closing the upper opening 5a. When the release button 11 is pushed in from this state, the release button 11 slides downward along the notch groove 5c and the guide hole 5d, and together with this sliding, the press contact portion 11b is moved to the leaf spring 9.
Is gradually pressed.

As a result, the leaf spring 9 is gradually displaced from the original position (the position closing the upper opening 5a) indicated by the broken line in FIG. 4 in a direction to open the upper opening 5a against the urging force. Go. Then, the protrusion 11a is moved to the second recess 5h.
When the further depression of the release button 11 is suppressed by reaching the position where the upper opening 5a is engaged, the position of the leaf spring 9 is changed to the position shown by the solid line in FIG. 4 (the position where the upper opening 5a is completely opened). Will be held. In this state, when the electric wire 31 is inserted through the upper opening 5a, the electric wire 31 is accommodated in the terminal fitting 7 in a state of being in contact with the protrusion 7a and the inner wall surface of the terminal fitting 7 as shown in FIG. When the pressed state of the release button 11 is released after the insertion of the electric wire 31 into the terminal fitting 7, the release button 11 returns from the position shown in FIG. 4 to the original position shown in FIG. For this reason, the pressing of the bent portion of the leaf spring 9 by the press contact portion 11b is also eliminated, and the leaf spring 9 presses the electric wire 31 against the terminal fitting 7 by the urging force, and presses the electric wire 31 to the terminal fitting 7.
It is fixed in cooperation with the projection 7a on the side. This prevents the electric wire 31 from being detached from the terminal fitting 7.

When the plug block 13 is fitted to the receptacle block 27 after the electric wire 31 has been mounted on the terminal fitting 7 in this way, the pin contact 29 enters the gap while pushing the gap between the spring contacts 15 apart. Then, the pin contact 29 is held in a press-contact state by the urging force inward of the spring contact 15.

The above-described connection between the pin contact 29 and the spring contact 15 can be easily eliminated by pulling out the plug block 13 from the receptacle block 27 while releasing the engagement of the engagement arm 17 with the receptacle block 27. Can be. Further, the electric wire 31 attached to the terminal fitting 7 is taken out by the release button 1.
The pressing state can be eliminated simply by pushing the member 1 from the original position shown in FIG. 3 to the position shown in FIG. 4, so that it can be performed very easily.

Note that the plug block 13 is fitted in the receptacle block 27 in advance, and
May be attached to the terminal fitting 7.

The contents described above relate only to an embodiment of the present invention, and do not mean that the present invention is limited to only the above contents. In the present embodiment, the relay connector suitable for wiring work in the field of various electronic devices has been described.
The present invention is also applicable to a relay connector mounted on a printed circuit board. In this specification, a so-called relay connector having a two-pole structure has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to a relay connector having a two-pole structure. It is also applicable to connectors.

[0042]

As described above, according to the present invention,
In the wiring work at the site, work such as installation / removal of electric wires can be easily performed without special work guidance using only a general tool, and workability can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a relay connector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the relay connector according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is an exemplary sectional view showing the operation of a plug included in the relay connector according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is an exemplary sectional view showing the operation of the plug included in the relay connector according to the embodiment;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Plug 3 Receptacle 5, 19 Base housing 5a Upper opening 5b Housing space 5c Notch groove 5d Guide hole 5e Engaging claw 5f Lower opening 5g First concave portion 5h Second concave portion 7, 21 Terminal fitting 7a Projecting portion 9, 23 Leaf spring 9a Bending part 11, 25 Release button 11a Projection part 11b Pressure contact part 13 Plug block 13a Guide wall 13b Groove part 13c Opening part 13d Housing space 13e Window 15 Spring contact 17 Engagement arm 27 Receptacle block 29 Pin contact 31 Electric wire

Claims (11)

[Claims] A plug provided at an end of a first electric wire and electrically connected to a receptacle provided at an end of a second electric wire, wherein the electric wire for fixing the inserted first electric wire is provided. The electric wire fixing mechanism includes an opening for inserting / removing an electric wire, a housing space for housing an electric wire inserted from the opening, and an electric wire housed in the housing space. A housing having terminal fittings interposed electrically connectable therein; and a housing in the housing space in which an urging force is generated in a direction to close the opening, and the opening is opposed to the urging force by an external force. A spring for preventing detachment of the electric wire housed in the housing space when displaced until the part is opened, in a state of being pressed against the terminal fitting by the urging force which is effective due to the elimination of the external force; The sp And a button member for displacing the at least one urging force to a position where the urging force becomes invalid by pressing, and returning the urging force to at least a position where the urging force becomes effective by releasing the pressing force. And plug. 2. The plug according to claim 1, wherein the spring is bent in a substantially rectangular shape as a whole so as to generate the urging force in the housing space, and a portion receiving the pressing force of the button member is provided. A plug that is bent so that the effectiveness of the urging force can be controlled in accordance with pressing / release of the button member. 3. The plug according to claim 1, further comprising an engaging portion on the housing, the engaging portion being engaged with the button member to hold the button member in a pressed state. 4. The plug according to claim 1, further comprising a spring contact electrically connected to the terminal fitting, the plug contact being configured to enclose the conductor on the receptacle side in a press-contact state when inserted into the receptacle. And plug. 5. The plug according to claim 1, further comprising an engaging mechanism for preventing the receptacle from being detached by engaging the inserted receptacle with the housing. plug. 6. A receptacle provided at an end of a first electric wire and electrically connected to a plug provided at an end of a second electric wire, wherein the electric wire for fixing the inserted first electric wire. The electric wire fixing mechanism comprises an opening for inserting / removing an electric wire, a housing space for housing an electric wire inserted from the opening, and the electric wire accommodated in the housing space. A housing having terminal fittings interposed electrically connectable with the housing, the housing space is interposed so as to generate a biasing force in a direction to close the opening, and the external force resists the biasing force. A spring that, when displaced until the opening is opened, prevents the electric wire housed in the housing space from being detached in a state in which the electric wire is pressed against the terminal fitting by the urging force that becomes effective due to the elimination of the external force. And said A button member for displacing the pulling to a position where at least the urging force becomes invalid by pressing, and returning from the displaced position to a position at which the urging force becomes effective by releasing the pressing. Receptacle. 7. The receptacle according to claim 6, wherein the spring is bent in a substantially rectangular shape as a whole so as to generate the urging force in the accommodation space, and a portion receiving the pressing force of the button member is A receptacle that is bent so that the effectiveness of the urging force can be controlled in response to pressing / release of the button member. 8. The receptacle according to claim 6, further comprising an engaging portion in the housing, the engaging portion being engaged with the button member to hold the button member in a pressed state. 9. The receptacle according to claim 6, further comprising a conductor electrically connected to the terminal fitting, which is held in a press-contact state by a spring contact on the plug side when the plug is inserted. A receptacle characterized by the above-mentioned. 10. A relay connector for electrically connecting a first electric wire and a second electric wire, wherein: a plug provided at an end of the first electric wire; and a plug provided at an end of the second electric wire. A plug, and an electric wire fixing mechanism for fixing an electric wire in which each of the plug and the receptacle is inserted. The electric wire fixing mechanism includes an opening for inserting / removing an electric wire, and the opening. A housing space for accommodating an electric wire inserted from the portion, a housing having a terminal fitting interposed electrically connectable to the accommodated electric wire in the accommodation space; and When the urging force in the direction of closing the opening is interposed, the electric wire accommodated in the accommodating space is disengaged when displaced until the opening is opened against the urging force by an external force. For eliminating external force A spring that is pressed against the terminal fitting by the effective urging force and is displaced to at least a position where the urging force becomes invalid by pressing, and the spring is displaced by releasing the pressing. And a button member for returning the urging force from a set position to at least a position where the urging force becomes effective. 11. The relay connector according to claim 10, wherein the spring is bent in a substantially rectangular shape as a whole so as to generate the urging force in the housing space, and receives the pressing force of the button member. Is bent so that the effectiveness of the urging force can be controlled in accordance with the pressing / releasing of the button member.