JP2000195620A - Connector sensor assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connector sensor assembly capable of assuring a good sensing characteristic of a thermal sensor, manufacturing and assembling it easily. SOLUTION: In a housing 20 of a connector sensor assembly 10, a connector part 80 which supports a terminal used for electric connection with the outside, and a sensor housing part 30 which supports a temperature sensor 100 are constituted integrally. The sensor housing part 30 has a window 31 which exposes the temperature sensor 100, fixing wall 70 and an elastic arm 40 which prevent the temperature sensor 100 from coming off in the vicinity of the window 31, and a projecting structure 50 which is formed integrally with the housing 20 and can bias the temperature sensor 100 toward the outside of the window 31.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a connector sensor assembly for housing a temperature sensor in a housing of an electrical connector.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Assemblies for accommodating other components within a housing of an integrally formed connector are known, an example of which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,341,745. The disclosed housing is configured to house the fuse component in a room separate from the room used for electrical interconnection.
Further, an example of an assembly which accommodates a temperature sensor and includes a connector portion for electrical connection is disclosed in JP-A-8-1458.
No. 06 is disclosed. According to the disclosed assembly,
It is shown that a temperature sensor used for external temperature sensing can be placed against the thin cover part and further pressed against the cover part by a spring bias.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In an application of an assembly including a temperature sensor, there is a need for a configuration in which the temperature sensor is arranged so as to be in direct contact with an external component in order to perform temperature detection more accurately. In particular, it is desired that such an assembly can be easily manufactured and assembled and provided at low cost. The present invention
It is an object of the present invention to provide a connector sensor assembly that can ensure good sensing characteristics by reliably bringing a temperature sensor into contact with an external component and that can be easily manufactured and assembled.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a connector sensor in which a connector portion for supporting a terminal used for electrical connection with the outside and a sensor housing portion for supporting a temperature sensor are integrally formed in a housing. In the assembly, a window for exposing the temperature sensor, holding means for preventing the temperature sensor from coming off near the window, and the temperature sensor formed integrally with the housing are provided in the sensor accommodating portion. It is characterized by comprising an urging means which can be urged outward.

[0005] Preferably, the biasing means is formed to be thin and has a projecting structure projecting toward the sensor inside the housing and forming a surface of a predetermined area at the tip.

Preferably, the projecting structure has a step-like spring structure or a bellows structure.

[0007] Preferably, the outline of the protruding structure is a truncated quadrangular pyramid.

[0008] Preferably, the holding means is formed integrally with the housing.

Preferably, the holding means includes at least one pair of fixed walls and at least one pair of elastic arms.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A connector sensor assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a housing used in a connector sensor assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view showing the housing of FIG. 1 in a partially broken manner. FIG. 3 is a bottom view showing the housing of FIG. 1 partially broken. In particular, FIGS. 2 and 3 show the cover member in a position before assembly. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line B- in FIG.
It is sectional drawing which follows B. 2 and 4, a temperature sensor is virtually shown.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a housing 20 used in the connector sensor assembly 10 has a sensor housing portion 30 for receiving a sensor on one side and an electric terminal (not shown) on the other side. It has a connector section 80. The connector portion 80 has a fitting portion 81 on one surface side for fitting with a mating component or device. As shown in FIG. 3, the fitting portion 81 has a circular fitting frame wall 82. Sensor housing 30
Has a window 31 that opens on the same side as the fitting portion 81. A through hole 15 is formed at an intermediate position between the sensor housing section 30 and the connector section 80. The through hole 15 is for receiving a screw means for fixing the connector sensor assembly 10 to the above-mentioned mating component or device or another device related thereto. The housing 20 is formed from a material used for a normal connector housing such as PBT.

According to FIGS. 2 and 3, the connector section 80 is capable of receiving three electric terminals (not shown) connected to, for example, wires. Cavity 83 for housing electrical terminal
Is constituted by a main body 21 of the housing 20 and a cover 23 which is connected to the main body 21 by a hinge 22 and is engaged with the main body 21 to be assembled. According to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the housing 20 is
It is understood that the molding is performed in a state of being opened, and then moved in the rotation direction (the direction of arrow A in FIG. 2) and assembled to the main body 21. That is, the cover portion 23 is moved in the rotation direction and fixed to the main body 21 to complete the cavity 83 having the closed structure. This configuration is the housing 20
This is for facilitating the molding of the resin. Cover part 2
Engaging portions 24a and 24b are formed on both side ends of 3 and are engaged with the engaging portions 25a and 25b of the main body 21 to maintain the assembled state.

The electric terminals (not shown) are inserted into the cavity 83 after the cavity 83 is completed by assembling the cover 23. The electrical terminals are maintained in the cavity 83 by being locked by lances 84 located in the cavity 83. At this time, the female contact portion of the electric terminal is aligned with each of the openings 85 provided in the fitting portion 81.
When the fitting portion 81 is fitted to the mating member, the post provided on the mating member is received in the opening 85, and the post and the electric terminal are electrically connected.

The sensor housing 30 includes an outer wall 28 of the main body 21 of the housing 20, an inner wall 32 extending to cross the main body 21, and a concave space 33 defined by a top wall 29. In the space 33, there is a projecting structure 50 projecting inward from the top wall 29 at the center thereof, and a pair of elastic arms 40 and fixed walls 70 placed on both sides thereof. The elastic arm 40 and the fixed wall 70 are both housing 2
0 is integrally formed. The elastic arm 40 has a fixed wall 70
, Each of which is disposed at a point symmetric position with respect to the protruding structure 50. Details of the protruding structure 50 are shown in FIG. As shown, the protruding structure 50 is thinned and integrally formed with the main body 21 and includes a step-like spring structure or a bellows structure. According to the embodiment, the protruding structure 50 has a substantially truncated quadrangular pyramid shape, includes a surface 51 having a predetermined area at a tip thereof, and has a step 52 on a side surface thereof.

The temperature sensor 100 housed in the sensor housing chamber 30 has an elongated cylindrical outer shape. Temperature sensor 1
00 is placed on top surface 51 of the protruding structure 50. At this time, the temperature sensor 100 is positioned by the fixed wall 70 and is prevented from falling off by the elastic arm 40. In particular, as shown in FIG. 2, the elastic arm 40 includes an engagement protrusion 41 for preventing the temperature sensor 100 from coming off. It should be noted that the temperature sensor 100 is positioned horizontally and retained by the resilient arm 40 and the fixed wall 70, but is positioned freely in the height direction. This is because the protruding structure 50 that supports the temperature sensor 100 on the lower side has a stepped spring structure or a bellows structure, and can be elastically deformed.

By adopting such a configuration, it is possible to guarantee a reliable detection operation of the temperature sensor 100. The connector sensor assembly 10 is mounted and attached to the outer surface of a mating component or device, and realizes electrical interconnection with the mating component or device by the connector portion 80 and detects the temperature of the component or device by the temperature sensor 100. Used. Therefore, the temperature sensor 100 needs to be arranged close to the component or the device. According to the present embodiment,
The temperature sensor 100 is normally arranged to project slightly from the end 26 of the housing 20 (see FIGS. 2 and 4), and when the connector sensor assembly 10 is mounted on a mating component or device and secured by the screw means described above. The temperature sensor 100 is configured to be pushed inward by a mating part or device. Therefore, when the connector sensor assembly 10 is fixed to a mating component or device, the projecting structure 50
Sensor 100 by the spring biasing force or elastic force
Is pressed against the mating part or device. Thus, the temperature of the mating component or the device can be accurately detected by the temperature sensor 100. Electric wires (not shown) are also provided for the temperature sensor 100, but they extend to the outside from an opening 27 provided in the outer wall 28.

As described above, the connector sensor assembly according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described. However, this is merely an example, and does not limit the present invention. Changes are possible. For example, the cover part for completing the cavity does not need to be hinged and may be a separate part, or a separate connector part having the cavity is mounted on the assembly housing to complete the connector part. You may let it.

[0019]

According to the connector sensor assembly of the present invention, the sensor housing is formed integrally with the window for exposing the temperature sensor, holding means for preventing the temperature sensor from coming off near the window, and the housing. Since the temperature sensor is provided with an urging means capable of urging the temperature sensor toward the outside of the window, accurate temperature detection characteristics of the temperature sensor can be guaranteed, and the manufacturing and assembling can be easily performed at a low cost. is there.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a housing used in a connector sensor assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing the housing of FIG. 1 with a part cut away, and also shows a cover portion at a position before assembly.

FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway bottom view of the housing of FIG. 1, showing the cover in a position before assembly.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 3;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Connector sensor assembly 20 Housing 30 Sensor accommodating part 31 Window 40 Elastic arm (holding means) 50 Projection structure (biasing means) 70 Fixed wall (holding means) 80 Connector part

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A connector sensor assembly in which a connector portion for supporting a terminal used for electrical connection with the outside and a sensor housing portion for supporting a temperature sensor are formed in an integrated housing. A window for exposing the temperature sensor, holding means for preventing the temperature sensor from coming off near the window, and being integrally formed with the housing so that the temperature sensor can be biased toward the outside of the window. A connector sensor assembly, comprising: