JP2002158057A - Connector with retainer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the retainer from being pushed into the admission position anadvertently. SOLUTION: The retainer 20 is formed in one body through a hinge 30 that is capable of expansion and contraction, and a protrusion 28 is formed at the top end of the retainer 20. When the hinge 30 is in expanded state, if a rotating force is added to the retainer 20 in the direction of closing, the protrusion 28 touches the front edge 21A of the retainer mounting recess 21 before it arrives the admission position, and a further rotation is restrained, that is, an inadvertent locking into the admission position does not happen. When a female side terminal fitting 15 is inserted in the cavity 12, the retainer 20 is made to rotate in the direction of closing centering on the hinge 30, and, if the retainer 20 is pushed to the rear obliquely at close to the finishing of rotation, the retainer 20 moves to the rear side, while the hinge 30 contracts in loop shape. And if the retainer 20 is further rotated, the retainer 20 is rotated to the admission position as the protrusion 28 enters inside the front edge 21A of the retainer mounting recess 21.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a connector with a retainer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an example of a connector with a retainer of this type, a connector described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-312847 is known. In this connector, an opening is formed in an outer wall of a connector housing provided with a cavity for accommodating a terminal fitting, and a retainer is integrally formed at one edge of the opening so as to be rotatable via a hinge. In the molding state, the terminal fitting is retracted from the cavity to allow insertion and removal of the terminal fitting, and the terminal fitting is prevented from coming off by being rotated to the entry position for entering the cavity.

[0003]

In general, a plurality of connectors of this type are generally packed in a plurality of bags until the site where terminal fittings are inserted. However, there is a risk that the lock may be inadvertently pushed to the entry position and locked. In this case, at the terminal fitting insertion site, it is necessary to return the retainer to the retracted position by using a jig or the like, and thereafter, it is necessary to insert the terminal fitting.
The present invention has been completed based on the above-described circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to prevent a retainer from being accidentally pushed into an approach position.

[0004]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a retainer mounting hole is formed in an outer wall of a connector housing provided with a cavity for accommodating a terminal fitting. A retainer is integrally formed at one edge of the retainer mounting hole so as to be rotatable via a hinge, and the retainer is in a retracted position retracted from the cavity in a molded state, and allows insertion and removal of the terminal fitting. The terminal fitting is prevented from coming off by being rotated to an entry position for entering the cavity. The retainer is provided at the tip of the retainer when the retainer is rotated from the retracted position. A projection is provided which abuts on the other edge of the mounting hole facing the side where the hinge is provided and regulates the rotation thereof, and the hinge is provided on the hinge. Having characterized in that the retainer is configured to slack to permit the flexion to move rearward is provided. A second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect, a lock means for locking the retainer at the entry position is provided between the retainer and the connector housing.

[0005]

<Effects and Effects of the Invention><Invention of claim 1> Even if the retainer is inadvertently turned to the entry position due to the pressing force acting on the retainer, the protrusion at the tip of the retainer is not connected to the hinge in the retainer mounting hole. By hitting the other edge on the opposite side, it is possible to prevent falling into the approach position. Therefore, the subsequent operation of inserting the terminal fitting is smoothly performed. When the terminal fitting is inserted, the retainer is bent around the hinge while bending the slack part of the hinge and moving backward, and the protrusion at the tip passes through the inside of the other edge of the retainer mounting hole and enters the entry position. And the terminal fittings are retained. In addition, the above operation and effect can be obtained by a structure in which the other edge of the retainer mounting hole projects toward the opposite side instead of actually providing the protrusion at the tip of the retainer. In short, the retainer can be obtained with the hinge extended. It is only necessary that the tip of the retainer protrudes so as to hit the other edge of the retainer mounting hole when is rotated, and the configuration of claim 1 structurally describes a portion exhibiting such a function. It is. <Invention of Claim 2> When the retainer is turned to the entry position, the retainer is locked by the locking means, and the terminal fitting is prevented from coming off.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, a female connector is shown as an example.
As shown in FIG. 3, the female housing 10 and the retainer 20 are integrally formed. The female housing 10 has a flat block shape, and a lock arm 11 for locking a mating state with a mating male housing (not shown) is provided on the upper surface of the female housing 10. Is formed. Inside the female housing 10, four cavities 12 capable of accommodating the female terminal fittings 15 (see FIG. 5) are formed side by side in a lateral direction (see FIG. 7). The lance 13 provided on the ceiling surface of the cavity 12 is primarily locked in a locked state.

The female housing 10 is integrally formed with a retainer 20 for double-locking the female terminal fitting 15 described above. A retainer mounting recess 21 is formed in the lower surface of the female housing 10 at a substantially central portion in the length direction thereof. As shown in FIG. 2, the retainer mounting concave portion 21 is formed over the entire width except that a predetermined region at the rear end (right side in the drawing) is formed narrow. A locking concave surface 22 is formed so as to extend around the left and right side surfaces of the female housing 10.
An insertion port 23 that communicates with the bottom surface of each cavity 12 is formed at a position in the retainer mounting recess 21 that extends from a position slightly in from the front end to a rear end.

The retainer 20 is provided with a substrate 25 for closing the above-mentioned retainer mounting concave portion 21. On the upper surface of the substrate 25, a locking portion 26 that can individually enter each cavity 12 through the insertion port 23 is provided. When the retainer 20 is rotated to an entry position described later, the locking portion 26 is engaged with the jaw portion 16 of the female terminal fitting 15 inserted into the cavity 12.
It can be locked to the rear surface. Substrate 2 of retainer 20
At the center in the width direction at the front edge of 5, a protruding portion 28 which is slightly thicker than the substrate 25 and protrudes in a short arch shape is formed. The rear edge of the substrate 25 is connected to the rear edge of the narrow portion of the retainer mounting concave portion 21 by a hinge 30.

The hinge 30 is in the form of a thin plate and is always extended in an arc shape, and is capable of allowing the rotation of the retainer 20, and is bendable so as to contract. As shown in FIG. 3, the retainer 20 is formed in advance so that the tip is directed obliquely downward. In this position, the locking portion 26 of the retainer 20 is retracted to the outside of the cavity 12, and the female terminal fitting is formed. 15 is allowed to be inserted into and removed from the cavity 12 (retreat position). Also,
When the hinge 30 is in an extended state during molding, the retainer 2
When the pivot 0 rotates about the hinge 30, the protrusion 28 at the tip hits the front edge 21A of the retainer mounting concave portion 21 before the substrate 25 reaches the position where the retainer mounting concave portion 21 is closed, thereby restricting further rotation. It is set to be.

On the other hand, as described above, the hinge 30 is bendable so as to contract, and there is a gap between the left and right ends of the rear edge of the wide portion of the substrate 25 and the stepped portion 21B of the retainer mounting recess 21. Therefore, the retainer 20 can be moved rearward while the hinge 30 is contracted in a loop shape (see FIG. 6). When the retainer 20 is rotated around the hinge 30 in a state where the retainer 20 is moved rearward in this manner, the projection 28 at the tip enters the inside of the front edge 21A of the retainer mounting concave portion 21, and the substrate 25 is Rotation is possible to a position where the retainer mounting recess 21 is closed. Here, the retainer mounting recess 21
In the area before the position where the insertion port 23 is provided in
An escape hole 32 into which the projection 28 is fitted and escaped is recessed. Also, this position is the entry position of the retainer 20, and the locking portion 26 can enter the cavity 12 through the corresponding insertion port 23.

A locking projection 34 is formed on the locking concave surface 22 of the female housing 10. The lock projection 34 is formed in an arc shape following the rotation locus of the retainer 20, and has a tapered surface 35 on the near side. On the other hand, from both left and right edges of the substrate 25 in the retainer 20, a lock plate 3 which can slide on the lock concave surface 22 is provided.
7 are formed at right angles. This lock plate 3
7, a lock hole 38 into which the lock protrusion 34 can be fitted when the retainer 20 is normally rotated to the above-described entry position is opened.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described. The female housing 10 is formed in advance with the retainer 20 in a posture in which the retainer 20 opens in an oblique direction. This female housing 10
During the transportation of the female terminal fitting 15 to the insertion work site or the like, a pressing force in the closing direction may act on the retainer 20, as shown by an arrow A in FIG. The retainer 20 rotates in the closing direction around the hinge 30 by receiving the pressing force, but as shown in the figure, before the substrate 25 closes the retainer mounting concave portion 21, the protrusion 28 at the distal end becomes the retainer mounting concave portion. Further rotation is restricted by hitting the front edge 21A of 21. Therefore, the lock is not applied, and when the pressing force is removed, the retainer 20 is deformed to return to the original retracted position.

At the work site where the female terminal fittings 15 are inserted, the female terminal fittings 15 are inserted into the cavity 12 of the female housing 10 from the rear with the retainer 20 at the retracted position. 13 is primarily locked. Subsequently, the retainer 20 is rotated in the closing direction about the hinge 30.
When the retainer 20 is pushed obliquely rearward as indicated by the arrow B in FIG.
When the retainer 20 is further rotated in this state, as shown in FIG. 6, the protrusion 28 at the tip enters the inside of the front edge 21A of the retainer mounting concave portion 21, and the substrate 25
Is rotated to a position (entering position) for closing the retainer mounting concave portion 21.

During this time, the lock plates 37 at both ends of the retainer 20 are rotated while opening and climbing on the tapered surface 35 of the lock projection 34. When the lock plates 37 are rotated to the approach position as described above, the lock plates 37 are restored. The lock projections 34 are fitted into the lock holes 38 while deforming, and the retainer 20 is locked at the entry position. In this entry position, as shown in FIG. 6, the locking portion 26 enters the cavity 12 through the insertion port 23, and the female terminal fitting 1 temporarily locked in the cavity 12.
5 is fitted to the rear surface of the jaw portion 16 to double-lock the female terminal fitting 15 in a retaining state.

As described above, according to the present embodiment,
While the protrusion 28 is provided at the tip of the retainer 20, the hinge 3
A simple structure, such as providing a slack at 0, prevents the retainer 20 from accidentally turning to the entry position, and prevents the retainer 20 from turning to the entry position after the female terminal fitting 15 is inserted. The double locking function of the female terminal fitting 15 can be reliably performed by allowing it.

<Other Embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. In addition, various changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. (1) The present invention is also applicable to a type in which cavities are provided in two upper and lower stages and retainers are provided on both upper and lower surfaces of a connector housing. (2) The present invention can be similarly applied to a male connector accommodating a male terminal fitting.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view when a retainer according to an embodiment of the present invention is at a retracted position.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which an inadvertent drop of the retainer is prevented;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an operation of pushing a retainer to an entry position.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which the retainer is locked at the entry position.

FIG. 7 is a front view thereof.

FIG. 8 is a side view thereof.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Female housing (connector housing) 12 ... Cavity 15 ... Female side terminal fitting 16 ... Jaw part 20 ... Retainer 21 ... Retainer mounting concave part 21A ... Front edge (of the retainer mounting concave part 21) 23 ... Insert port 26 ... Locking part 28 ... projection 30 ... hinge 34 ... lock projection 38 ... lock hole

Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Izumi Suzuki 1-14 Nishisuehirocho, Yokkaichi-shi, Mie F-term (reference) in Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd. 5E087 EE14 FF06 GG15 GG26 GG31 GG32 HH04 RR25

Claims (2)

[Claims] A retainer mounting hole is opened in an outer wall of a connector housing provided with a cavity for accommodating a terminal fitting, and a retainer is integrally formed at one edge of the retainer mounting hole so as to be rotatable via a hinge. , This retainer
In the molding state, in the retracted position retracted from the cavity, insertion and removal of the terminal fittings are allowed, and the terminal fittings are prevented from coming off by being rotated to an entry position for entering the cavity. At the tip of the retainer, a projection that restricts the rotation by abutting the other edge of the retainer mounting hole facing the hinge-provided side when the retainer is rotated from the retracted position. A connector provided with a retainer, wherein the hinge is provided with a slack at the hinge to allow the retainer to move rearward by bending. 2. A locking means for locking the retainer at the entry position is provided between the retainer and the connector housing.
Connector with retainer as described.