JP2018181555A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connector which can ensure connection reliability and is adaptable to size reduction.SOLUTION: A connector 10 comprises: a housing 20 having a front face 35 which can face a mating housing 20A serving as a fitting counterpart; a female terminal fitting 70 which is housed in the housing 20 so as to face the front face 35 from a side opposite to that of the mating housing 20A; and a bus bar 80 which is arranged so as to penetrate the front face 35. The bus bar 80 has: a first connection 82 which protrudes from the front face 35 to the mating housing 20A side so as to be connectable to a mating female terminal fitting 70A housed in the mating housing 20A; and a second connection 83 which protrudes from the front face 35 to the female terminal fitting 70 side so as to be connectable to the female terminal fitting 70.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector.

  The connector described in Patent Document 1 is a relay connector, and includes a housing and a bus bar. The housing comprises a first housing and a second housing connectable to each other. The first housing has a back wall and a cylindrical first fitting portion protruding from the outer periphery of the back wall. The second housing also has a back wall and a cylindrical second fitting portion that protrudes from the outer periphery of the back wall. The first housing and the second housing are connected with their back walls in a back-to-back relationship such that the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion open toward the other side. When the two back walls are united, a wall is formed to partition the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion, and the bus bar is disposed through the insertion hole of the wall coaxially communicating the both back walls. . Both end portions of the bus bar are disposed to protrude to the inside of the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion.

  A first connector and a second connector are fitted and held in the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion of the housing, respectively. The first connector and the second connector each include a terminal accommodating portion having a cavity, and a female terminal fitting is inserted into the cavity. When the first connector and the second connector are respectively fitted in the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion, female terminal fittings of the first connector and the second connector are connected to both ends of the bus bar.

Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 2010-244986

  In the case of the relay connector, front wall portions of the first connector and the second connector and both back walls (walls) intervene between female terminal fittings connected to each other through the bus bar. For this reason, the separation distance between the female terminal fittings becomes large, and there is a circumstance that it is difficult to apply to, for example, a circuit that requires high communication performance. In view of this, if the bus bar is omitted and one of the two female terminal fittings is changed to a male terminal fitting and the tab of the male terminal fitting is connected to the female terminal fitting, the wall can be eliminated. Reliability can be ensured. However, since the male terminal fitting is formed by bending a metal plate including the tab, there is a problem that it is difficult to miniaturize.

  The present invention has been completed based on the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a connector capable of securing connection reliability and capable of being miniaturized.

  The connector according to the present invention comprises: a housing having a front face capable of facing a mating housing which is a mating partner; a female terminal fitting housed in the housing and facing the front face from the opposite side to the mating housing; There is provided a first connection portion which is disposed through the front face portion, protrudes from the front face portion to the counterpart housing side, and can be connected to the mating female terminal fitting housed in the counterpart housing, and the front face portion And a bus bar having a second connection portion that protrudes to the terminal fitting side and is connectable to the female terminal fitting.

  When the housing is fitted to the mating housing, the female terminal fitting is connected to the mating female terminal fitting through the bus bar disposed through the front surface of the housing. Only the front part intervenes between the female terminal fitting and the mating female terminal fitting, and the part corresponding to the wall of the relay connector described in the background art is not included. For this reason, the separation distance between the female terminal fitting and the mating female terminal fitting can be reduced, and connection reliability such as communication characteristics can be secured. Further, unlike a tab, if it is a bus bar, since it is not necessary to perform bending or the like, miniaturization can be coped with.

In a connector of Example 1 of the present invention, it is a perspective view showing a state where a front member is attached to a main part of a housing, and a bus bar protrudes from a front part. It is a perspective view which shows the state by which the housing was hold | maintained at the fitting member. It is a perspective view showing the state where the housing was fitted to the other housing in the fitting member. It is a sectional view of a plane view direction showing the state where a front member is attached to a housing main part and a bus bar protrudes from a front part. It is sectional drawing of the side view direction which shows the state by which the housing was hold | maintained at the fitting member. It is a sectional view of the side view direction showing the state where the housing was fitted to the other housing in the fitting member. It is a front view which shows the state in which the front member was mounted | worn with the housing main body. It is XX sectional drawing of FIG. It is a perspective view of a bus bar. The connector of Example 2 of this invention WHEREIN: It is a front view which shows the state in which the front member was mounted | worn with the housing main body.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown below.
The housing may have a housing body having a cavity into which the female terminal fitting can be inserted, and a front member mounted on the housing body and having the front surface. As described above, if the front surface portion is provided on the front member separate from the housing main body, the degree of freedom in forming the front surface portion can be increased. In addition, it is possible to form in the cavity of the housing main body a retaining structure such as a lance for retaining the female terminal fitting with a simple mold structure.

  The housing may be held in a tubular fitting member surrounding the first connection. According to this, before the housing is fitted with the mating housing, the first connection portion is protected by the fitting member. In addition, the fitting operation between the housing and the mating housing can be smoothly performed by using the fitting member.

  The front surface portion may have a hole into which the bus bar is press-fitted. According to this, the bus bar is easily attached to the front surface.

Example 1
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The connector 10 according to the first embodiment includes a housing 20, a fitting member 50, a female terminal fitting 70, and a bus bar 80. The housing 20 comprises a housing body 21, a front member 22 and a retainer 23. The housing body 21, the front member 22, the retainer 23, and the fitting member 50 are all made of synthetic resin and are separate from each other. The female terminal fitting 70 and the bus bar 80 are made of a conductive metal whose main component is copper or aluminum, and are separated from each other.

  The housing 20 is engageable with the mating housing 20A, as shown in FIG. Similar to the housing 20, the mating housing 20A includes a housing body 21, a front member 22 and a retainer 23. In the case of the first embodiment, the housing 20 and the mating housing 20A are configured in the same form. The mating female terminal fitting 70A is accommodated in the mating housing 20A, and the mating female terminal fitting 70A is also configured in the same form as the female terminal fitting 70. For this reason, the mating female terminal fitting 70A and the mating housing 20A are assigned the same reference numerals as the respective parts of the female terminal fitting 70 and the housing 20 described below, and redundant description will be omitted.

  The housing body 21 is in the form of a block having a substantially rectangular cross section, and has a plurality of cavities 24 as shown in FIG. The respective cavities 24 pass through the housing main body 21 in the front-rear direction, and are arranged in alignment vertically and horizontally. The lower surface of the inner wall of each cavity 24 is provided with a flexible deformable lance 25 projecting forward in a cantilever shape.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a flexible deformable lock arm 26 is provided on the upper surface of the housing main body 21 so as to extend in a cantilever manner rearward from the front end. The lock arm 26 has a plate-like shape having a predetermined width in the left-right direction, has a hook-like lock portion 27 projecting upward in the middle in the front-rear direction, and releases a release operation portion 28 projecting upward similarly at the rear end. Have. The rear end portion of the housing body 21 is provided with a collar portion 29 extending over the entire circumference including an arch portion surrounding the release operation portion 28.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 8, the housing main body 21 is provided with a retainer mounting portion 31 which communicates in the middle of the respective cavities 24 in the front-rear direction and opens in the lower surface. The retainer mounting portion 31 is provided at the rear of each lance 25 in the housing body 21.

  A front member mounting portion 32 is provided on the front surface of the housing main body 21 so as to be recessed by one step. The front member mounting portion 32 is opened not only on the front surface of the housing main body 21 but also on the lower surface, and is opened on the upper surface of the housing main body 21 right behind the root portion of the lock arm 26. The front end of each cavity 24 is open to the back surface of the front member mounting portion 32.

  The female terminal fitting 70 is formed by bending a plate made of a conductive metal and the like so as to be elongated in the front-rear direction as a whole. As shown in FIG. 5, the female terminal fitting 70 has a cylindrical main body 71 whose front and rear ends are open, and a barrel 72 connected to the rear of the main body 71. Inside the main body 71, a resiliently deformable resilient contact piece 73 is provided which protrudes in a cantilevered manner rearward. The barrel portion 72 is connected to the end portion of the wire 100. Here, the electric wire 100 has the conductive conductor portion 101 and the insulating coating 102 surrounding the conductor portion 101, and the coating 102 is peeled off at the end portion, and the conductor portion 101 is exposed.

  The barrel portion 72 is mechanically connected to the sheath 102 on the end side of the electric wire 100 and electrically connected to the exposed conductor portion 101. The rear end of the main body portion 71 has a step between itself and the barrel portion 72, and is a portion engaged with the retainer 23 as described later.

  The retainer 23 has a flat plate shape, and is inserted into and attached to the retainer mounting portion 31 from the lower side of the housing main body 21. The retainer 23 has through holes 33 communicating with the respective cavities 24 in a state of being mounted on the retainer mounting portion 31, and the rear end of the main body 71 can be locked to a wall portion partitioning the through holes 33. It has a rib-like stopper 34.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the front member 22 is inserted into and mounted on the front member mounting portion 32 from the lower side of the housing main body 21. The front member 22 has a flat front surface portion 35 which can be fitted inside the front member mounting portion 32. On the rear surface of the front surface portion 35, fitting recesses 36 communicating with the respective cavities 24 are provided in a state of being mounted on the front member mounting portion 32. As shown in FIG. 5, the front side of the main body 71 of the female terminal fitting 70 is fitted and inserted into each fitting recess 36.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the front surface portion 35 is provided with holes 37 that extend in the front-rear direction and open in the front surface and the rear surface of each fitting recess 36. As shown in FIG. 7, each hole 37 has a substantially rectangular opening cross section. At the opening edge of each hole 37 on the front surface of the front surface portion 35, a tapered guiding portion 38 which spreads forward is provided. In each of the holes 37, the bus bar 80 is press-fit from the front while being guided by the guiding portion 38.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the front surface portion 35 similarly extends in the front-rear direction and opens on the front surface and the back surface of each fitting recess 36, and opens on both the left and right sides of each hole 37 over the entire length. A hole 39 is provided. Each subhole 39 has a configuration in which the left and right side portions of the corresponding induction portion 38 are cut out in a substantially rectangular shape to widen each hole 37 to the left and right sides. As shown in FIG. 7, concave locking portions 41 are provided on the left and right side surfaces of the front surface portion 35. When the front member 22 is mounted on the front member mounting portion 32, the respective locking portions 41 are locked to the projecting engaged portions 42 provided on the front member mounting portion 32, thereby the front member 22. Is prevented from coming off the front member mounting portion 32. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the front member 22 is also formed with a projection 43 which enters the opening of the front member mounting portion 32 on the top surface of the housing main body 21.

  The bus bar 80 is formed by punching a plate member made of a conductive metal, and is formed of a solid rectangular bar (square pin shape) elongated in the front-rear direction, and is preferably made of the same or the same material as the female terminal fitting 70. As shown in FIG. 9, the bus bar 80 includes a press-fit main body 81 having a rectangular shape in a plan view, a strip-shaped first connection portion 82 projecting forward from the press-fit main body 81 (side of the mating housing 20A), and a press-fit main body A band plate-like second connection portion 83 is projected backward from 81 (to the female terminal fitting 70 side). The press-fit main body portion 81, the first connection portion 82, and the second connection portion 83 have substantially the same thickness over the entire length except for the chamfered portion on the tip end side.

  The first connection portion 82 and the second connection portion 83 have the same shape, and the bus bar 80 is symmetrical in the front-rear direction with respect to the center in the front-rear direction (the press-fit main portion 81). The respective tip portions of the first connection portion 82 and the second connection portion 83 have a configuration in which both left and right sides are tapered and notched.

  The left and right side portions of the press-fit main body portion 81 are configured to project to the left and right sides with respect to the first connection portion 82 and the second connection portion 83. The press-fit main body portion 81 is press-fit into the hole 37 of the front face portion 35. At this time, the left and right side portions of the press-fit main body portion 81 are press-fit in a state (freely held) It is supposed to be.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the fitting member 50 has a rectangular cylindrical shape penetrating in the front-rear direction, and the housing 20 and the mating housing 20A are fitted and inserted on both sides in the front-rear direction of the internal space 51. A pair of lock holes 52 are provided through the front and rear sides of the upper wall of the fitting member 50. Each lock hole 52 has a substantially rectangular, specifically square, open cross section. As shown in FIG. 6, on the front and rear sides of the upper wall of the fitting member 50, inclined portions 53 are provided which expand from the position near the lock holes 52 to the opening end. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the upper wall of the fitting member 50 is provided with a pair of opposing walls 54 disposed over the entire length while hanging down toward the internal space 51. The fitting member 50 is symmetrical in the front-rear direction with respect to the center in the front-rear direction.

The above is the structure of the connector 10 of the first embodiment, and subsequently, the function and effect of the connector 10 will be described.
At the time of assembly, first, the front surface portion 35 of the front member 22 is mounted on the front member mounting portion 32, and the front surface of the housing main body 21 is covered with the front surface portion 35. Subsequently, each female terminal fitting 70 connected to the end of the electric wire 100 is inserted from the rear into the corresponding cavity 24. Each of the female terminal fittings 70 is temporarily retained in the cavity 24 by being resiliently locked to the lance 25, and the movement is restricted by the main body 71 being fitted and inserted in the fitting recess 36. And further insertion is restricted. Each wire 100 is disposed to extend rearward from the rear surface of the housing body 21. Then, the retainer 23 is attached to the retainer attachment portion 31 at a regular depth, and the respective female terminal fittings 70 are secondarily prevented from coming off the cavity 24.

  Subsequently, each bus bar 80 is press-fit from the front into each hole 37 of the front surface portion 35 and mounted. Here, since each bus bar 80 is symmetrical in the front-rear direction, it is not necessary to distinguish the front-rear direction. The press-fit main body portions 81 of the bus bars 80 are press-fit into the holes 37 of the front face portion 35, whereby the bus bars 80 are prevented from coming off the front face portion 35. At this time, the first connection portions 82 of the bus bars 80 are disposed to protrude in the exposed state on the front side of the front surface portion 35. In addition, the second connection portions 83 of the bus bars 80 are inserted into the main body portions 71 of the corresponding female terminal fittings 70 and elastically contact the elastic contact pieces 73 so that electrical continuity can be established with the female terminal fittings 70. In the same procedure, the mating housing 20A is assembled, and the mating female terminal fittings 70A are attached to the mating housing 20A.

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 5, the housing 20 is inserted from the opening on one side (right side in FIG. 5) of the fitting member 50 in the fitting state into the internal space 51. In the process of inserting the housing 20, while the lock arm 26 is guided by the pair of opposing walls 54, the lock portion 27 slides on the inclined portion 53, and the lock arm 26 is bent and deformed downward. When the housing 20 is inserted into the internal space 51 of the fitting member 50 at a regular depth, the lock arm 26 is elastically displaced in the return direction, and the lock portion 27 is inserted into the lock hole 52 on one side in the front and rear direction Be done. Further, the collar portion 29 is disposed so as to be able to abut on the open end face of the fitting member 50. Thus, the housing 20 is held on one side of the internal space 51 of the fitting member 50 in the front-rear direction, and the first connection portions 82 of the bus bars 80 are disposed so as to protrude toward the other side in the front-rear direction of the internal space 51. Thereby, the assembly of the connector 10 is completed. The lock arm 26 does not completely return elastically, but abuts on the upper wall of the fitting member 50 in a slightly bent and deformed state. Further, when the housing 20 is detached from the fitting member 50, the release operation portion 28 exposed to the outside is pressed to separate the lock portion 27 from the lock hole 52, and in this state, from the fitting member 50 The housing 20 is pulled apart.

  Next, in the same procedure as described above, as shown in FIG. 6, the mating housing 20A accommodating the mating female terminal fitting 70A is from the opening of the other side (left side in FIG. 6) of the fitting member 50 in the longitudinal direction 51 Is inserted in the fitting state. Then, the lock arm 26 is inserted and locked in the lock hole 52 on the other side in the front-rear direction in the same manner as the housing 20, and the mating housing 20A is held on the other side in the front-rear direction of the internal space 51 of the fitting member 50. Ru.

  As the mating housing 20A is inserted into the other side of the internal space 51 of the fitting member 50 in the front-rear direction, the bus bars correspond (face) to the holes 37 of the front surface portion 35 of the front member 22 installed in the mating housing 20A. The 80 first connections 82 are inserted. The first connection portion 82 of each bus bar 80 is inserted into the main body 71 of the mating female terminal fitting 70A inserted into each cavity 24 of the mating housing 20A through each hole 37, and the elastic contact piece 73 inside the main body 71 Elastic contact with Thus, each female terminal fitting 70 is electrically connected to the corresponding mating female terminal fitting 70A via the bus bar 80.

  In the above, the housing 20 and the mating housing 20A are disposed to face each other so that the front surface portions 35 of the fitting member 50 abut on each other in the front-rear direction center portion. It is arranged straddling. The respective female terminal fittings 70 and the respective mating female terminal fittings 70A are disposed apart from each other by the length of the holes 37 in a state where the main body 71 is fitted and inserted in the fitting recess 36.

  For example, unlike the first embodiment, according to the general fitting method using the relay connector as described in the background art, each bus bar 80 is mounted on the partition wall of the relay connector, and thus each female terminal In addition to the front wall portion corresponding to the front face portion 35, a partition wall intervenes between the fitting 70 and each mating female terminal fitting 70A, and each of the female terminal fittings 70 and each mating female terminal corresponds to this partitioning wall. The separation distance between the brackets 70A is increased. In this regard, in the case of the first embodiment, the portions corresponding to the partition walls do not intervene between the respective female terminal fittings 70 and the respective mating female terminal fittings 70A, and only the mutual front surface portions 35 intervene. The separation distance between the female terminal fitting 70 and each mating female terminal fitting 70A can be made sufficiently small. As a result, good signal transferability can be secured, and connection reliability can be improved.

  In addition, since the solid rod-shaped bus bar 80 is used as a means for connecting the female terminal fitting 70 and the mating female terminal fitting 70A, and no male tab requiring bending is used, each female terminal fitting 70 and each piece are connected. It is possible to cope with the miniaturization of the mating female terminal fitting 70A.

  Furthermore, since the housing 20 has the housing main body 21 having the cavity 24 into which the female terminal fitting 70 can be inserted, and the front member 22 mounted on the housing main body 21 and having the front face 35, freedom in forming the front face 35 The degree can be increased. Moreover, the lance 25 for retaining the female terminal fitting 70 can be formed in the cavity 24 of the housing body 21 with a simple mold structure.

  Furthermore, since the housing 20 is held in the cylindrical fitting member 50 surrounding the first connection portion 82, the first connection portion 82 is protected by the fitting member 50 before fitting with the mating housing 20A. Ru. Moreover, the fitting operation between the housing 20 and the mating housing 20A can be smoothly performed by using the fitting member 50. Furthermore, since the front surface portion 35 has the holes 37 into which the bus bar 80 is press-fitted, the bus bar 80 is easily attached to the front surface portion 35.

Example 2
FIG. 10 is different from the first embodiment in the front surface portion 35B of the front member 22B. In the case of the second embodiment, although the holes 37 are provided through the front surface portion 35B of the front member 22B, the holes corresponding to the respective sub holes 39 of the first embodiment are not provided. For this reason, a notch | incision is not provided in the left-right-both-sides part of the guidance part 38B, but the whole is formed in planar taper shape. The basic structure of the bus bar is the same as that of the bus bar 80 of the first embodiment, but the protrusion amount to the left and right sides of the press-fit main body is small, and preferably has a protruding locking portion capable of biting into the inner surface of the hole. ing.

  According to the second embodiment, since the existing front member 22B can be used as it is, it is not necessary to make a new mold for molding the front member 22B, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. Others are the same as in the first embodiment.

Other Embodiments
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above with reference to the drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.
(1) The housing may have no front member, and each bus bar may be inserted and mounted in each hole of the front surface unit integral with the housing body.
(2) After each bus bar is inserted into each hole and mounted to the front surface of the front member, the front member is mounted to the front member mounting portion of the housing body, and each bus bar is connected to the corresponding female terminal fitting It may be
(3) The portion corresponding to the fitting member may be configured as a hood integral with the housing body.
(4) The bus bar may be insert-mounted on the front surface.
(5) The front member may be configured as a front retainer having a restriction piece which enters the bending space of the lance to restrict the bending operation of the lance.

  (6) The electric wire may be a twisted pair wire in which the drawn portions are twisted in pairs. Communication performance can be improved by applying the present invention to a communication connector provided with a twisted pair wire.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Connector 20 ... Housing 20A ... Countering housing 21 ... Housing main body 22, 22B ... Front member 35, 35B ... Front part 37 ... Hole 50 ... Fitting member 70 ... Female terminal fitting 70A ... Countering female terminal fitting 80 ... Busbar 82 ...... First connection 83: second connection

Claims (4)

A housing having a front face capable of facing a mating housing with which it is fitted;
A female terminal fitting housed in the housing and facing the front surface from the opposite side to the mating housing;
It has a first connection portion disposed through the front surface portion, protruding from the front surface portion toward the mating housing, and connectable to a mating female terminal fitting housed in the mating housing, and the front surface portion A bus bar having a second connection portion that protrudes toward the female terminal fitting and is connectable to the female terminal fitting;
A connector characterized by comprising:   The connector according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes a housing body having a cavity into which the female terminal fitting can be inserted, and a front member mounted on the housing body and having the front surface portion.   The connector according to claim 1, wherein the housing is held in a tubular fitting member surrounding the first connection portion.   The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the front surface portion has a hole into which the bus bar is pressed.

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