JP2003059590A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely perform locking of terminal fittings by a retainer. SOLUTION: A short protrusion 38 is formed at the lower surface of a substrate 31 of a retainer 30. At the male housing 20 side, when a bracket 42 is inserted into a mounting rail 40, the protrusion 38 is pushed by the bracket 42, and the retainer 30 is pushed up into a retainer insertion opening 26, and backlash is squeezed. A locking protrusion 32 of the retainer 30 deeply rises up at the back surface of a jaw part 15, and a sufficient margin for hooking is formed, and the male terminal fitting 10 is surely double-locked. At the female housing 60 side, when the female housing 60 is fitted into a hood part 22 of the male housing 20, the protrusion 38 is pushed by the hood part 22, and the retainer 30 is pushed up into a retainer insertion opening 66, and backlash is squeezed. A locking protrusion part 32 deeply rises up at the backside of a jaw part 55, and a sufficient margin for hooking is formed, and the female terminal fitting 50 is surely double-locked.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector with a retainer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, what is shown in FIG. 7 is known as a so-called side retainer type connector. This is formed on the bottom surface of the connector housing 2 in which the cavity 1 is provided so that the retainer insertion port 4 into which the retainer 3 is inserted crosses the cavity 1. As shown in FIG. 7A, the retainer 3 is first held at the temporary locking position where the locking projection 5 is retracted below the cavity 1, and the terminal fitting 6 is inserted into the cavity 1 in such a state. It is temporarily locked by the lance 7. Next, as shown in FIG. 2B, when the retainer 3 is pushed and held in the main locking position, the locking projection 5 projects into the cavity 1 and the terminal fitting 6 is held.
By locking the locked portion 6A, the terminal fitting 6 is double locked so as to prevent it from coming off. A connector of this type is described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-144499.

[0003]

Here, the retainer 3 is
For example, the elastic arm provided on the retainer 3 is retained at the temporary locking position and the final locking position by locking the elastic arm provided on the wall surface of the retainer insertion port 4, respectively. There is a risk of rattling due to the relationship, especially if the product is held at a position shallower than specified at the main locking position,
There is a dislike that the locking force is inferior because the locking projection 5 is insufficient in the amount of protrusion and the engagement allowance for the locked part 6A is insufficient. The present invention has been completed based on the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to reliably engage a terminal fitting with a retainer.

[0004]

As a means for achieving the above object, the invention of claim 1 has a retainer insertion opening on one side surface of a connector housing provided with a cavity into which a terminal fitting is inserted. A connector that is opened across the cavity and has a retainer that can be inserted into the retainer insertion opening so as to prevent the inserted terminal fitting from slipping off, and a mating member that is mounted so as to cover the retainer and the retainer insertion opening. The present invention is characterized in that at least one of the facing surfaces of the member is provided with a protrusion that pushes the retainer toward the back of the retainer insertion opening by abutting against the facing surface of the other party. . According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the retainer according to the first aspect, the retainer has a temporary locking position that allows the terminal fitting to be inserted into and removed from the cavity, and a retainer that is inserted further into the temporary locking position. It is characterized in that it can be held at the main locking position to prevent it from coming off.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the invention, the connector housing is a female connector housing for accommodating the female terminal fittings, and a mating member for accommodating the male terminal fittings. With a connector that can be fitted in the hood of the male connector housing,
It is characterized in that the mating member is the hood portion. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the present invention, in the male connector housing in which the connector housing accommodates the male terminal fitting, the mating member fixes the male connector housing to the fixing member. It has a feature that it is a bracket for attaching to etc.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect of the present invention, the male connector housing is provided with a mounting portion around the retainer insertion opening into which the bracket is inserted. The retainer is characterized in that when it is fastened in front of the retaining position, a part of the retainer projects into the insertion region of the bracket in the mounting portion.

[0006]

<Advantages and Effects of the Invention><Invention of Claim 1> When the mating member is mounted so as to cover the retainer insertion port from the state where the retainer is inserted, the protrusion and the opposing surface of the mating member abut each other. Then, the retainer is pushed in toward the inside of the retainer insertion slot, and the so-called rattling is performed. This makes it possible to reliably prevent the terminal fitting from coming off. <Invention of Claim 2> Since the retainer can be inserted and removed with the retainer sub-assembled to the temporary locking position, it is excellent in usability.

<Invention of Claim 3> In the female connector housing, the retainer is loosened as the retainer is inserted into the locked state and then fitted into the hood portion of the mating male connector housing. It can be performed. <Invention of Claim 4> In the male connector housing, the retainer can be loosened by inserting the retainer in the locked state and then attaching it to the fixing member or the like by the bracket. <Invention of Claim 5> It can be determined that the retainer is not pushed toward the retaining position at the back because the bracket cannot be inserted into the mounting portion.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.
Or, it demonstrates based on FIG. In this embodiment, a pair of male connector M and female connector F that are fitted to each other are provided, and the male and female connectors M and F are attached to the fixing member in a fitted state. As shown in FIG. 1, the male connector M includes a male-side connector housing 20 (hereinafter referred to as a male housing), a male-side terminal fitting 10 accommodated in the male housing 20, and a male-side terminal fitting 10 that does not come off. And a retainer 30 for double locking.

The male terminal fitting 10 is formed of a metal plate having excellent conductivity, and a tab 12 is projectingly provided at the tip of a main body 11 having a rectangular tube shape, and a barrel 13 provided at the rear end side is caulked. Therefore, it is fixed to the end of the electric wire W. Body 11
A lance hole 14 is opened on the upper surface of the. The male housing 20 is formed of a synthetic resin in a shape in which a hood portion 22 is provided on the front surface of a main body 21, and inside the main body 21,
A plurality of cavities 23 facing the front-back direction are provided side by side in the lateral direction. A lance 24 that can be engaged with the lance hole 14 of the male terminal fitting 10 is formed on the ceiling surface of each cavity 23 on the tip side so as to be flexibly deformable.

On the bottom surface of the main body 21 of the male housing 20,
A retainer insertion opening 26 is formed so as to pass through each cavity 23 upward, and the retainer 30 is inserted into the retainer insertion opening 26 in a removable manner. The retainer 30 is also made of synthetic resin, and as shown in FIG. 2, the body portion 1 of the male terminal fitting 10 is provided on the upper surface of the substrate 31 fitted into the inlet of the retainer insertion opening 26.
Locking protrusions 32 that can be locked to one jaw portion 15 are formed side by side at the same pitch as the cavities 23.

A pair of side plates 34 are erected on the left and right ends of the base plate 31 of the retainer 30, and a pair of front and rear temporary holding arms 35 and main holding arms 36 are bent above the side plates 34 in a posture in which they are back to back. It is deformable. On the other hand, at the left and right ends of the bottom surface of the main body 21 of the male housing 20, an insertion groove 27 into which the side plate 34 can be inserted is inserted.
Is cut, and the temporary holding arm 3 is attached to the side edge on the rear side.
The temporary lock protrusion 28 which can be locked by 5 is formed with a main lock protrusion 29 which can be locked by the main holding arm 36 at a position slightly higher than the side edge on the front side.

A position where the retainer 30 is inserted into the retainer insertion port 26 and the temporary holding arm 35 is locked to the temporary locking protrusion 28 is a temporary locking position, and this temporary locking position is shown in FIG. As described above, each locking projection 32 of the retainer 30
Are retracted below the corresponding cavities 23 so that the male-side terminal fittings 10 can be inserted into and removed from the cavities 23. On the other hand, the main holding arm 36 moves the main lock protrusion 29.
The position where the board 31 is locked to the main locking position is the main locking position, and as shown in FIG. 5, the board 31 is flush with the outer bottom surface of the main body 21 of the male housing 20, and
Each locking projection 32 is designed to project into the corresponding cavity 23.

A pair of mounting rails 40 each having a hook-shaped cross section are provided on the left and right sides of the outer bottom surface of the main body 21 of the male housing 20 sandwiching the retainer insertion opening 26 in a front-to-back direction along the front-rear direction. There is. Therefore, the retainer 30 can be inserted into the retainer insertion opening 26 through the space between the both mounting rails 40. Between both mounting rails 40,
A bracket 42 having an L-shaped cross section, which projects from a fixing member (not shown), is inserted into the fixing member from the rear side so that the male housing 20 is attached to the fixing member. On the lower surface of the substrate 31 of the retainer 30, two projecting portions 38 having a plane circular shape and a short height are formed side by side in the left-right direction in the drawing.

As shown in FIG. 3, one female connector F includes a female connector housing 60 (hereinafter referred to as a female housing), a female terminal fitting 50 housed in the female housing 60, and a female terminal. The retainer 30 is configured to double lock the metal fitting 50 in a retaining shape. The female-side terminal fitting 50 is also formed of a metal plate having excellent conductivity, and is provided with a rectangular tube-shaped connecting portion 51 containing a contact piece 52 that comes into contact with the tab 12 of the male-side terminal fitting 10 described above. By caulking the barrel 53 provided at the rear side, the electric wire W is fixed to the end. A lance hole 54 is opened on the upper surface of the connection portion 51.

The female housing 60 is made of synthetic resin,
The hood portion 22 of the male housing 20 is formed into a block shape that can be fitted into the hood portion 22 substantially tightly, and a plurality of cavities 63 are provided inside the hood portion 22 in correspondence with the male housing 20 side. On the ceiling surface on the tip side of each cavity 63,
Lance 6 that can be locked in the lance hole 54 of the female terminal fitting 50
4 is formed so as to be flexibly deformable. Female housing 60
A retainer insertion opening 66 is formed on the bottom surface of the retainer so as to pass through each cavity 23 upward. Inside the retainer insertion opening 66, the same retainer 30 as that mounted on the male housing 20 is attached to the front and rear. It is designed to be inserted and removed in an inverted position. Therefore, the insertion groove 6 is similarly formed on the left and right ends of the bottom surface of the female housing 60.
7 is cut, and the temporary locking protrusion 68 is provided on the rear side edge.
However, the main lock protrusions 69 are formed at positions slightly higher than the front side edges.

The position where the retainer 30 is inserted into the retainer insertion port 26 and the temporary holding arm 35 is locked to the temporary locking projection 68 is the temporary locking position, and this temporary locking position is shown in FIG. As described above, each locking projection 32 of the retainer 30
Are retracted below the corresponding cavities 63, and insertion / removal of the female-side terminal fittings 50 into / from the cavities 63 can be permitted. On the other hand, the main holding arm 36 moves the main lock protrusion 69.
The main locking position is the position where the base plate 31 is locked to the outer bottom surface of the female housing 60 as shown in FIG. The 32 projects into the corresponding cavity 63 and can be locked to the jaw 55 of the female terminal fitting 50.

As described above, since the retainer 30 mounted on the female housing 60 has the same shape as the retainer 30 mounted on the male housing 20, the lower surface of the base plate 31 is also formed into a flat circular low mountain shape. Eggplant protrusion 38
Are formed side by side in the left-right direction. Further, a lock arm 70 having a protrusion 71 is provided on the upper surface of the female housing 60, and the mating male housing 2
On the upper surface of the hood portion 22 of 0, both housings 20, 60
The protrusion 71 of the lock arm 70 when the
Is formed with a lock groove 44.

The present embodiment has the above-mentioned structure,
Next, the operation will be described. In assembling the male connector M, the retainer 30 is first held at the temporary locking position shown in FIG. 4, and in this state, the male terminal fitting 10 is inserted into the cavity 23 from the rear. The male-side terminal fitting 10 is pushed in while flexibly deforming the lance 24, and when pushed in to the normal position, the lance 24 is restored and deformed and the lance hole 1 is inserted.
4 and is temporarily locked in a state where the tab 12 is projected into the hood portion 22. When all the male side terminal fittings 10 are inserted into the cavity 23, the retainer 30 is pushed in and held in the main locking position shown in FIG. As a result, the locking projections 32 of the retainer 30 project into the corresponding cavities 23 and are locked behind the jaws 15 of the male terminal fitting 10.

When assembling one female connector F,
Similarly, hold the retainer 30 in the temporary locking position shown in FIG.
The female terminal fitting 50 is inserted into the cavity 63 from the rear. The female terminal fitting 50 is pushed in while flexing and deforming the lance 64, and when pushed in to the normal position, the lance 6
4 is restored and deformed, and fits into the lance hole 54 to be temporarily locked. When all the female-side terminal fittings 50 have been inserted into the cavities 63, the retainer 30 is pushed in and held in the main locking position shown in FIG. As a result, the locking projections 32 of the retainer 30 project into the corresponding cavities 63 and are locked behind the jaws 55 of the female terminal fitting 50.

In each of the male and female connectors M and F, when the retainer 30 is pushed into the main locking position, the female housing 60 is inserted into the hood portion of the male housing 20 as shown by the arrow X in FIG. Fit in 22. When the female housing 60 is pushed in while flexurally deforming the lock arm 70 and fitted into a regular position where the lock arm 70 comes into contact with the inner surface of the hood portion 22, as shown in FIG. 6, the lock arm 70 is restored and deformed to lock the protrusion 71. The male and female housings 20 and 60 are fitted in the grooves 44 and locked in a properly fitted state, and the male and female terminal fittings 10 and 50 are also properly connected.

During this fitting operation, the inner surface of the lower portion of the hood portion 22 of the male housing 20 relatively slides while abutting on the protrusion 38 on the lower surface of the base plate 31 of the retainer 30,
The retainer 30 is the retainer insertion opening 66 of the female housing 60.
It is pushed up inside and is stuffed. As a result, the locking projection 32 is deeply raised on the rear surface of the jaw 55, a sufficient margin is taken, and the female-side terminal fitting 50 is securely double-locked. The protrusion 38 itself of the retainer 30 is short and is formed in a gentle mountain shape.
It does not become an obstacle when fitting 0 into the hood portion 22 of the male housing 20.

When the male and female connectors M and F are fitted, as shown by the arrow Y in FIG. 5, the mounting rail 40 provided on the male housing 20 is attached to the tip of the bracket 42 projecting from the fixing member. 6, the insertion is stopped when the mounting rail 40 hits the base of the bracket 42 as shown in FIG. 6, whereby the male and female connectors M and F which are properly fitted are fixed via the bracket 42. It will be in a state of being attached to the member.

During this mounting operation, the upper surface of the bracket 42 relatively slides while coming into contact with the projection 38 on the lower surface of the base plate 31 of the retainer 30, and similarly the retainer 30 causes the retainer insertion opening 26 of the male housing 20. It is pushed up inside and is stuffed. As a result, the locking projection 32 rises deeply on the rear surface of the jaw portion 15, a sufficient margin is taken, and the male side terminal fitting 10 is also reliably double-locked. Similarly, the protrusion 38 of the retainer 30 does not become an obstacle when the bracket 42 is inserted between the mounting rails 40.

As described above, according to this embodiment, since the retainer 30 is rattled at the main locking position in the male housing 20 and the female housing 60, the terminal fitting 10, The 50 can be securely double-locked. In addition, the looseness of the retainer 30 is accompanied by the operation of attaching the retainer 30 to the bracket 42 on the male housing 20 side, and the male housing 20 on the female housing 60 side.
Since they are carried out in accordance with the respective mating operations, it is possible to easily deal with both structurally and operationally.

<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 to the above, various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. (1) The present invention is similarly applicable to a type in which the retainer is inserted and removed from the left and right side surfaces or the upper surface of the connector housing. (2) Regarding the procedure of attachment, the male connector may be attached to the bracket first, and then the female connector may be fitted to the male connector. (3) In the above embodiment, the male and female connectors have a common retainer, but they may have different shapes. (4) The retainer may be directly inserted and held in the main locking position without being temporarily assembled in the temporary locking position.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded vertical sectional view of a male connector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a retainer.

FIG. 3 is an exploded vertical sectional view of the female connector.

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which a retainer is mounted at a temporary locking position.

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which a retainer is mounted at a main locking position.

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which the male and female connectors that have been normally fitted are attached to the fixing member.

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

M ... Male connector 10 ... Male side terminal fitting 15 ... jaw 20 ... Male housing 22 ... Hood part (counterpart member) 23 ... Cavity 26 ... Retainer insertion opening 28 ... Temporary lock protrusion 29 ... This lock protrusion 30 ... Retainer 31 ... Substrate 32 ... Locking protrusion 35 ... Temporary holding arm 36 ... Book holding arm 38 ... Projection 40 ... Mounting rail 42 ... Bracket (mate) F ... Female connector 50 ... Female terminal fitting 55 ... jaw 60 ... Female housing 63 ... Cavity 66 ... Retainer insertion opening 68 ... Temporary lock protrusion 69 ... Book lock protrusion

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Ryotaro Ishikawa             Sumitomo Den 1-14 Nishi-Suehiro-cho, Yokkaichi-shi, Mie Prefecture             Sozo Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Osamu Kawase             Sumitomo Den 1-14 Nishi-Suehiro-cho, Yokkaichi-shi, Mie Prefecture             Sozo Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 5E021 FA05 FA09 FA14 FA16 FB07                       FC31 FC38 JA05 JA07                 5E087 EE04 EE14 FF03 FF08 FF13                       GG15 GG26 GG31 GG32 GG33                       MM05 RR26

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A retainer insertion opening is formed across one side of the connector housing having a cavity into which the terminal fitting is inserted, and the inserted terminal fitting is removed into the retainer insertion opening. In the connector in which the retainer to be stopped is insertable, at least one of the facing surface of the retainer and a mating member mounted so as to cover the retainer insertion opening is in contact with the mating facing surface of the mating member. A connector provided with a protrusion that pushes the retainer toward the inside of the retainer insertion opening. 2. The retainer is held at a temporary locking position that allows the terminal fitting to be inserted into and removed from the cavity and a main locking position that locks the terminal fitting out of the temporary locking position. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the connector is capable. 3. The connector housing is a female connector housing that accommodates female terminal fittings, and can be fitted into a hood portion of a mating male connector housing that accommodates male terminal fittings. The connector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mating member is the hood portion. 4. A male connector housing in which the connector housing accommodates a male terminal fitting, wherein the mating member is a bracket for attaching the male connector housing to a fixing member or the like. The connector according to claim 1 or 2. 5. The male connector housing is provided with a mounting portion around the retainer insertion opening, into which the bracket is inserted, and the retainer is fastened to a position closer to the rear than the retaining position. The connector according to claim 4, wherein, when present, a part of the retainer projects into an insertion region of the bracket in the mounting portion.