JP2001307839A - Connector and electric connection structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a melting damage of a terminal and generation of vehicle fire-hazard by a discharge. SOLUTION: A connector 1 is consisted of a housing 4 as the first member, in which a male type terminal 2 and a male type dummy terminal 3 have been built in, and a female connector 7 as the second member, in which a female type terminal 5 and a female type dummy terminal 6 have been built in. The male type dummy terminal 3 and the female type dummy terminal 6 have been formed longer than the male type terminal 2 and the female type terminal 5 and further protruding the tip so that they are connected prior to the connection of the male type terminal 2 and female type terminal 3 at the time of insertion of the housing 4 and the female connector 7, and so that they are separated later than the male type terminal 2 and the female type terminal 3 in withdrawal. By this, an arc discharge occurs only between the dummy terminals 3, 6.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector and an electric connection structure applicable to, for example, a connection portion of a harness connected to a large power load, a connection portion of a fuse block, and the like, which are applied to a wiring system for an automobile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Heretofore, as this kind of electric connection structure, a structure using a connector of a wire harness for an automobile has been known. For the connector, both male and female terminals are made by pressing copper or copper alloy plate,
Usually, its surface is plated with tin or the like. Further, some of the connector terminals for electric vehicles are silver-plated.

[0003]

In recent years, due to environmental issues and demands for improved fuel efficiency, automotive equipment is changing from mechanical control to electric control. For example, power steering has conventionally generated power at the number of revolutions of the engine, but a so-called electric power steering that generates power electrically has also been developed. For this reason, electrical loads up to several watts at present are expected to reach several kilowatts in the future. At the same time, it has been considered to increase the power supply voltage of the vehicle from the current 14V to 42V from the viewpoint of improving the efficiency of power supply.

If a user disconnects or inserts a harness connector connected to the load while a load supplied with a large amount of power from such a boosted power supply is operating, arc discharge occurs at the tips of the male terminal and the female terminal. It is assumed that the generated energy causes the connector terminals to be melted and damaged, or that the discharge fireworks continue, resulting in a vehicle fire.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a vehicle fire due to melting and discharging of terminal portions by preventing arcing of the connector. And an electrical connection structure.

[0006]

A connector according to the present invention comprises a first member having a male terminal therein, a female terminal therein and a second member having the female terminal therein. A connector in which the male member and the female terminal are electrically connected by fitting the first member and the second member, wherein the male member and the male member are connected to the first member. A male dummy terminal is provided, and a female dummy terminal connected to the female terminal is provided on the second member in correspondence with the male dummy terminal, and the male dummy terminal and the female dummy terminal are provided. The terminal is connected earlier than the corresponding male type terminal and female type terminal, and its tip protrudes beyond the male type terminal and the female type terminal so as to be detached later.

[0007] The electrical connection structure of the present invention comprises a male terminal, a female terminal connected to the male terminal, a male dummy terminal connected to the male terminal, and a female terminal. A female dummy terminal connected thereto, the male dummy terminal and the female dummy terminal are connected earlier than the corresponding male terminal and the female terminal, and their distal ends are detached later. The male terminal and the female terminal protrude from the terminal.

According to the present invention, a male dummy terminal and a female dummy terminal are provided in correspondence with a male terminal and a female terminal, and when connecting the male terminal and the female terminal, first, the male dummy terminal is provided. The terminal and the female dummy terminal are connected, and then the male terminal and the female terminal are connected. On the contrary, when the male terminal and the female terminal are separated, first,
After the male terminal and the female terminal are separated, the male dummy terminal and the female dummy terminal are separated. Therefore, arc discharge occurs only between the two dummy terminals, and does not occur between the male terminal and the female terminal of the present circuit. Therefore, the area between the male terminal and the female terminal is protected from the influence of the discharge.

For the above-mentioned purpose, it is desirable that the male dummy terminal and the female dummy terminal have higher arc discharge resistance than the male terminal and the female terminal. Further, when the male dummy terminal and the female dummy terminal are respectively connected to the male terminal and the female terminal via a resistance element, it is possible to reduce erosion of the dummy terminal itself. I can do it.

[0010]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing a circuit using the connector according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The connector 1 includes a housing 4 as a first member having a male terminal 2 and a male dummy terminal 3 built therein, and a female connector 7 as a second member having a female terminal 5 and a female dummy terminal 6 built therein. . The male terminal 2 and the male dummy terminal 3 are made of a metal plate such as copper or brass having a width, a length and a thickness that can be inserted into the female terminal 5 and the female dummy terminal 6, respectively. The base ends are connected to each other. On the other hand, the female terminal 5 and the female dummy terminal 6 have their tip portions curved from the side to the center inside, and the male terminal 2 at the edge toward the inside.
And the male dummy terminal 3, and is made of a metal plate such as copper or brass. The base ends of the female terminal 5 and the female dummy terminal 6 are also connected.

The male dummy terminal 3 and the female dummy terminal 6 are connected before the male terminal 2 and the female terminal 3 when the housing 4 and the female connector 7 are inserted. It is longer than the male terminal 2 and the female terminal 5 so as to be separated from the terminal 3 later,
And it is formed so that the tip protrudes. In addition, these dummy terminals 3 and 6 are used to enhance arc discharge resistance.
For example, silver plating is applied, or carbon is printed on the tip. The male terminal 2 and the male dummy terminal 3 are commonly connected to a battery 8. The female terminal 5 and the female dummy terminal 6 are commonly connected to a load 9.

According to this configuration, when inserting the female connector 7 into the housing 4, first, the male dummy terminal 3, the male terminal 1, and the female terminal 3 are close to each other, and between them. Although arc discharge may occur, the male terminal 2
When the dummy terminal 3 and the female terminal 5 are connected to each other, no arc discharge occurs between the male terminal 2 and the female terminal 5 because the dummy terminals 3 and 6 are already connected. On the other hand, when the female connector 7 is pulled out from the housing 4, the dummy terminals 3 and 6 are still connected when the male terminal 2 and the female terminal 5 are separated from each other. No arcing occurs. For this reason, according to the connector of this embodiment, it is possible to prevent the terminals 2 and 5 from being damaged by arc discharge.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention. The same parts as those in FIG. This embodiment differs from the previous embodiment in that a resistor 11 is provided between the male dummy terminal 3 and the line connected to the battery 8.
And the resistor 12 is inserted between the female dummy terminal 6 and the line connected to the load 9. According to this configuration, the occurrence of arc discharge when the dummy terminals 3 and 6 are connected to each other can also be suppressed. In the case of this embodiment,
When the male terminal 2 and the female terminal 5 are connected, a voltage corresponding to the voltage drop of the resistors 11 and 12 is applied to both terminals 2 and 5, so that the resistors 11 and 12 are prevented from increasing too much. The resistance value of 12 may be set to an appropriate value.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a connector according to a third embodiment of the present invention. As in the previous embodiment, the connector of this embodiment also includes a housing 21 and a housing 21.
And a female connector 22 to be fitted. Housing 2
As shown in the plan view of FIG. 4, a male connecting terminal 24 and a male dummy connecting terminal 25 having a wire harness 23 soldered to the base end are built in the inside of the unit 1 vertically.
The male connecting terminal 24 and the male dummy connecting terminal 25 are deposited on each comb tooth portion of the insulating base 26 formed in a comb shape,
The conductor 27 is arranged by printing, plating, sticking, or the like. The distal end of the male dummy terminal 25 projects forward from the male terminal 24.

The female connector 22 has a female terminal 31 and a female dummy terminal 32 into which the respective comb teeth of the male and male dummy terminals 24 and 25 are inserted. The base end of the female dummy terminal 32 is connected to the wire harness 33 by, for example, caulking. The female terminal 31 is located on the deeper side of the female connector 22 than the female dummy terminal 32. The housing 21 and the female connector 22 are fitted with each other so that the snap engagement portions 34 and 35 are engaged with each other to prevent the housing 21 and the female connector 22 from coming off. Also in this embodiment, since the male dummy terminal 24 and the female dummy terminal 32 are provided, the terminal can be prevented from being damaged by the discharge between the male terminal 24 and the female terminal 31. .

The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above. For example, in the above-described embodiment, a comb-shaped continuous terminal is shown as a male terminal, but a conventional single male terminal can be used as it is simply by changing its length. Further, the present invention is applicable not only to the above-described connector, but also to any electrical connection structure connected to a large power load, for example, a connection portion between a fuse block and a fuse.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention, arc discharge occurs only between the two dummy terminals and does not occur between the male terminal and the female terminal of the present circuit. Further, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a vehicle fire due to the discharge.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a circuit using a connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of a circuit using a connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a connector according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a male connecting terminal and a male dummy connecting terminal built in the connector.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Connector, 2 ... Male terminal, 3 ... Male dummy terminal, 4, 21 ... Housing, 5, 31 ... Female terminal,
6, 32: female dummy terminal, 7, 22: female connector, 8: battery, 9: load.

Claims (4)

[Claims] A first member having a built-in male terminal therein; a female member having a built-in female terminal therein; and a second member having a built-in female terminal therein, wherein the first member and the second member are provided. And the male terminal and the female terminal are electrically connected by being fitted with each other, and the first member is provided with a male dummy terminal connected to the male terminal. Providing a female dummy terminal connected to the female terminal in correspondence with the male dummy terminal in the second member, wherein the male dummy terminal and the female dummy terminal correspond to the male terminal and Connected before the female terminal,
A connector characterized in that its distal end protrudes from said male terminal and female terminal so as to be detached later. 2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the male and female dummy terminals have improved arc discharge resistance as compared with the male and female terminals. 3. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the male dummy terminal and the female dummy terminal are respectively connected to the male terminal and the female terminal via a resistance element. 4. A male terminal, a female terminal connected to the male terminal, a male dummy terminal connected to the male terminal, and a female dummy terminal connected to the female terminal. Wherein the male dummy terminal and the female dummy terminal are connected earlier than the corresponding male terminal and female terminal,
An electrical connection structure characterized in that the distal end portion protrudes from the male terminal and the female terminal so as to be detached later.