JP2003229195A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To smoothly mount a front holder. <P>SOLUTION: An inserting posture of the front holder 30 is stabilized and it can be smoothly mounted, since guide ribs 37, 39 protruded from a front face wall 31 backward comes in sliding contact with a guide wall 24 or a guide groove 26 of a hood part 12 when the front holder 30 is mounted on a housing 10. And also, an elastic locking piece 38 capable of locking to a housing 10 side is protected by the first guide rib 37, so that damages such as the elastic locking piece 38 bumping into a foreign particle during transportation, or the like can be prevented. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector having a front holder.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a connector provided with a front holder, one described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-273732 is known. As shown in FIG. 8, a rectangular hood-shaped mounting portion 102 is formed on the front surface of a housing 100 having a plurality of cavities 101 into which terminal fittings are inserted, and the front portion is formed inside the mounting portion 102. The holder 103 is attached. The front surface of the front holder 103 has a lattice shape corresponding to the respective cavities 101, and the front surface of the mounting portion 102 extends from the front of the mounting portion 102.
The front end portion of the cavity 101 is formed by being inserted while being inserted along the peripheral wall of the cavity 2.

[0003]

In the connector as described above, when there is a gap between the outer peripheral wall of the front holder 103 and the inner peripheral wall of the mounting portion 102, for example, when the peripheral wall of the mounting portion 102 is warped and deformed. When the front holder 103 is inserted, the front holder 103 tilts to one side in the mounting portion 102, and it is not possible to assemble it in the correct posture by just pushing it in, and there is a risk that the assembly work will take time. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a connector capable of smoothly assembling a front holder.

[0004]

A connector according to the invention of claim 1 for solving the above-mentioned problems comprises a plurality of cavities into which terminal fittings are inserted, and a tubular hood portion protruding in front of the cavities. A front holder having a front wall that is assembled to the housing by being inserted into the hood portion from the front and that forms a front end portion of the cavity. A guide rib protruding rearward from the outer peripheral portion of the front wall is formed, and a guide portion slidable on the guide rib is formed on the inner peripheral wall of the hood portion along the front-rear direction. Have.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the front holder is provided with an elastic lock piece projecting rearward from the front wall and elastically engageable with the housing. When formed, the guide ribs are arranged along the elastic lock pieces so that the guide ribs can protect the elastic lock pieces.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect, the guide rib is arranged in a bending direction of the elastic lock piece, and when the elastic lock piece is flexed and deformed by a predetermined amount, the guide rib and the elastic lock piece are formed. It is characterized in that it can contact and regulate the excessive flexural deformation.

The invention of claim 4 is from claim 1 to claim 3.
In any one of the above, the front holder is characterized in that the front holder has a form corresponding to only a part of the region in which the plurality of cavities are provided.

The invention of claim 5 is from claim 1 to claim 4.
In any one of the above, the guide portion has a dovetail groove shape along the front-rear direction, and the guide rib has a dovetail shape and is fitted into the guide portion.

[0009]

According to the invention of claim 1, when the front holder is assembled to the housing, the guide rib protruding rearward from the front wall comes into sliding contact with the guide portion of the hood portion. Is stable and smooth assembly is possible.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the elastic lock pieces are protected by the guide ribs, it is possible to prevent the elastic lock pieces from hitting and being damaged by foreign matter during transportation.

According to the third aspect of the invention, it is possible to prevent the elastic lock piece from being excessively pressed and bent by the guide rib to be damaged.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, if the front holder has a shape corresponding to only a part of the region in which the plurality of cavities are provided, in the conventional case, the front wall of the front holder serves as the hood portion. On the other hand, the insertion posture is difficult to stabilize due to the small area, but in the present invention, the insertion posture of the front holder is stabilized by the guide rib slidingly contacting the guide portion.

According to the invention of claim 5, the guide rib and the guide portion are dovetailed with each other, whereby the guide rib is restricted from coming off the guide portion, and the front holder is prevented from tilting to such a side during insertion. It can be prevented more reliably.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The connector according to the present embodiment includes a housing 10 into which male and female terminal fittings 17 of two sizes (smaller one is shown) are inserted, and a front part which is assembled to the housing 10 and holds a front end portion of the male terminal fitting 17. And a holder 30.

The housing 10 is made of a synthetic resin material, and as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a cylindrical hood portion 12 projects forward from the outer peripheral portion of the front end of a housing body 11 having a horizontally long box shape. A mating female connector (not shown) can be fitted therein. Inside the housing body 11, a pair of left and right wide cavities 14
L and one narrow cavity group 14S arranged so as to be sandwiched between these wide cavity groups 14L are formed in a mixed manner. The wide cavity group 14L is composed of a plurality of large cavities 15L collectively arranged in a state of being aligned vertically and horizontally. Large cavity 15L
Is elongated in the front-rear direction and has a substantially rectangular cross section, and is formed by opening in the front-rear direction. On the bottom wall of the large cavity 15L, there is formed a lance 16L that can be flexibly deformed in the vertical direction.
A male side terminal fitting (not shown) inserted into the large cavity 15L from the rear side is locked by the lance 16L in a retaining state.

The narrow cavity group 14S is composed of a plurality of small cavities 15 which are collectively arranged in a vertically and horizontally aligned state.
It is composed of S. The small cavities 15S are elongated in the front-rear direction and have a substantially rectangular cross section. The width and height of the small cavities 15S are both smaller than those of the large cavities 15L. The pitch in the vertical direction is also set to be smaller than that of the large cavity 15L. The male side terminal fitting 17 is inserted from the rear into each small cavity 15S. Inside the small cavity 15S, a lance 1 for preventing the male side terminal fitting 17 from coming off.
6S is formed so as to project forward along the bottom wall of the small cavity 15S in a cantilever manner and to be elastically deflected downward (= the direction of retracting out of the insertion path of the male terminal fitting 17). On the front end surface of the housing body 11, a mounting recess 18 is formed in which a substantially rectangular area corresponding to only the narrow cavity group 14S of the wide cavity group 14L and the narrow cavity group 14S is cut out, and the front side of the front surface of the housing body section 11 is formed there. The holder 30 can be fitted. Also, the mounting recess 1
In the rear end surface of 8 (= a flat surface perpendicular to the insertion direction of the male side terminal fitting 17 with respect to the small cavity 15S), all the small cavities 15S are opened, and the front end portion of the lance 16S thereof is the rear end surface of the mounting recess 18. It is facing the most recent. A retainer mounting hole 19 communicating with each of the small cavities 15S is opened on the bottom surface of the housing body 11, and a retainer 20 that can be locked to the male terminal fitting 17 in a retaining state is provided therein.
Is to be installed.

Further, the housing main body 11 has a relief hole 22 penetrating in the front-rear direction at the upper center portion in the left-right direction (upward position with respect to the narrow cavity group 14S). A lock projection 23 having a tapered front surface is formed on the bottom surface of the escape hole 22. Housing 10
A guide wall 24 (corresponding to the “guide portion” of the present invention) having a gate-shaped cross section is formed in the hood 12 from the upper portion of the escape hole 22 along the front-rear direction. The guide wall 24 is the upper wall 2
4A and a pair of side walls 24B.
Inside, the upper wall 24A also serves as a part of the upper wall of the hood portion 12, and the pair of side walls 24B projects downward. Further, the housing body 11 has
A pair of escape holes 25 are provided on both sides of the mounting recess 18 on both sides with the narrow cavity group 14S interposed therebetween. Further, on the inner bottom surface of the hood portion 12, a guide groove 26 extending from each escape hole 25 to the front end of the hood portion 12 along the front-rear direction.
(Corresponding to the "guide portion" of the present invention) is formed.

The front holder 30 is made of a synthetic resin material, and as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 to 5, the front wall 31 is a rectangular thick plate that can be fitted into the mounting recess 18 of the housing 10 almost tightly. Is equipped with. Front holder 30
Is assembled into the housing 10 by being inserted into the hood portion 12 from the front to the rear. In the assembled state, the front wall 31 is flush with the front end surface of the housing body 11, and the front wall 31 is each small cavity 15S
Constitutes the front end of the. That is, the rear surface of the front wall 31 is provided with a concave terminal accommodating portion 32 having a rectangular cross section corresponding to each small cavity 15S, and a rectangular shape is formed on the back side of each terminal accommodating portion 32 (front side of the front wall 31). The tab insertion hole 33 is opened. In the assembled state, the tab portion 17A of the male-side terminal fitting 17 penetrates the tab insertion hole 33 and projects into the hood portion 12, and the male-side terminal fitting 17 is held in the front stop state by the front wall 31. Further, the front wall 31 is provided with an L-shaped jig insertion hole 34 at a lower right position when viewed from the front with respect to each tab insertion hole 33. This jig insertion hole 34
Is provided in front of the lance 16S, and a lance 16S is inserted by inserting a jig (not shown) from here.
The locking of the male side terminal fitting 17 can be released.

At the center of the upper part of the front wall 31, an upwardly projecting portion 36 is formed, and a first guide rib 37 is formed so as to project rearward from the tip of the overhanging portion 36. The first guide rib 37 is in the form of a horizontal plate piece as a whole. First guide rib 37 and overhang portion 36
Is slidable in the front-rear direction while being fitted inside the guide wall 24. The guide wall 24 has a dovetail shape in which both side walls 24B are closer to each other toward the lower side, and the first guide rib 37 and the protruding portion 3 fitted therein are formed.
6 has an ant shape that becomes wider as it goes upward.

In addition, the front holder 30 has an overhanging portion 3
An elastic lock piece 38 is provided so as to project rearward from the vicinity of the connecting portion between the front wall 31 and the front wall 6. This elastic lock piece 38
Is bent and deformable in the vertical direction, and a locking portion 38A capable of elastically locking the locking projection 23 is formed at the front end thereof. The first guide rib 37
Are arranged along the upper side of the elastic lock piece 38, and the length dimension of the first guide rib 37 is set to be the same as or slightly longer than the elastic lock piece 38, and the width of the first guide rib 37. The size is set larger than that of the elastic lock piece 38. Further, as shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 1, when the elastic lock piece 38 is flexed and deformed upward by a predetermined amount,
By contacting the first guide rib 37, the elastic lock piece 38
Further deformation (above the elastic limit) of is restricted.
The first guide rib 37 and the elastic lock piece 38 both enter the relief hole 22 in the assembled state. First
Since the guide ribs 37 and the elastic lock pieces 38 are common to the portions where they enter, space saving of the housing 10 is achieved.

Further, on the lower portion of the front wall 31, vertical plate-shaped second guide ribs 39 are provided so as to project rearward from both left and right ends. The length of the second guide rib 39 is slightly shorter than half of that of the first guide rib 37, and the second guide rib 39 enters the escape hole 25 when the front holder 30 is assembled in the mounting recess 18. It has become. A part of the second guide rib 39 projects downward from the lower end of the front wall 31, and this projecting portion is slidable in the front-rear direction while being fitted in the guide groove 26 of the hood portion 12. The guide groove 26 has a dovetail shape in which one side wall approaches the other side wall as it goes upward, and the downward protruding portion of the second guide rib 39 fitted therein is directed downward. The shape of the ant becomes wider as it goes.

The present embodiment is configured as described above, and its operation will be described below. Front holder 30 to housing 10
When assembling to the first guide rib 37, first the tip of the first guide rib 37 is fitted inside the guide wall 24, and then the second guide rib 3
9 is fitted in the guide groove 26, and the front holder 3
0 is made to enter the inside of the hood portion 12. At this time, the first guide rib 37 slides on the upper wall 24A of the guide wall 24,
Since the second guide rib 39 is in sliding contact with the bottom surface of the guide groove 26, the front holder 30 is unlikely to tilt back and forth. Further, since the first guide rib 37 is fitted inside the guide wall 24 and the second guide rib 39 is fitted inside the guide groove 26, the front holder 30 is also prevented from tilting in the left-right direction. Furthermore, since both guide ribs 37 and 39 are in a state of being dovetailed with the guide wall 24 or the guide groove 26, it is restricted that the guide ribs 37 and 39 come off the guide wall 24 or the guide groove 26, and the front The holder 30 is more reliably prevented from inclining to such a side (front-back direction). In this way, the insertion posture of the front holder 30 is stabilized, so that when the front holder 30 is inserted deep into the hood portion 12, the front holder 30 is guided in the correct posture to the mounting recess 18 which is the regular assembly position. .

Subsequently, when the tip of the elastic lock piece 38 comes into contact with the lock projection 23, the elastic lock piece 38 is locked by the lock projection 2.
Climb 3 and bend upward to deform. Then, when the front holder 30 reaches the proper mounting position, the elastic lock piece 38 is deformed to return and the locking portion 38A is locked to the lock projection 23, whereby the mounting of the front holder 30 to the housing 10 is completed. (See FIGS. 6 and 7). Thereafter, the male side terminal fitting 17 is inserted into each of the cavities 15L and 15S, and the front holder 30 holds the front portion of the male side terminal fitting 17. Finally, the retainer 20 double-locks the male terminal fitting 17 to complete the assembly of the connector.

As described above, according to this embodiment, when the front holder 30 is assembled to the housing 10,
Since the guide ribs 37 and 39 protruding rearward from the front wall 31 are in sliding contact with the guide wall 24 or the guide groove 26 of the hood portion 12, the insertion posture of the front holder 30 is stable, and smooth assembly is possible.

Further, since the elastic lock pieces 38 are protected by the first guide ribs 37, it is possible to prevent the elastic lock pieces 38 from hitting and being damaged by foreign matter during transportation, for example. In addition, the first guide rib 37 can prevent the elastic lock piece 38 from being excessively pressed and bent and damaged.

Further, if the front holder 30 is shaped to correspond to only a partial region (narrow cavity group 14S) of the regions where the plurality of cavities 15L and 15S are provided as in the present embodiment, in the conventional case. Since the front wall of the front holder has a small area with respect to the hood portion, it is difficult to stabilize the insertion posture, but in the present embodiment, both guide ribs 3
The insertion posture of the front holder 30 is stabilized by the sliding contact of the guide walls 7 and 39 with the guide wall 24 or the guide groove 26.

The guide ribs 37 and 39 and the guide wall 24 are also provided.
Alternatively, when the guide groove 26 and the guide groove 26 are engaged with each other, the guide rib 3
It is possible to prevent the 7, 39 from coming off the guide wall 24 or the guide groove 26, and it is possible to more reliably prevent the front holder 30 from tilting to such a side during insertion.

The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the following technical scope is also included in the technical scope of the present invention. (1) In the above embodiment, the guide ribs are provided on the upper and lower portions of the outer peripheral portion of the front wall of the front holder, but according to the present invention, the guide ribs may be provided at any position on the outer peripheral portion of the front wall. The number of guide ribs may be one, two, or four or more. (2) In the above-described embodiment, the front holder has a form corresponding to only a part of the cavities.
It can also be applied when one front holder is provided so as to correspond to all cavities. (3) In the above embodiment, the front holder is attached to the front end portion of the cavity into which the male side terminal fitting is inserted, but in the present invention, the front holder is attached to the front end portion of the cavity into which the female side terminal fitting is inserted. It can also be applied when

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded side sectional view of a connector of this embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the housing.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the front holder.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the front holder.

[Fig. 5] Bottom view of the front holder

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view showing a state in which a front holder is assembled to the housing.

[Figure 7] Front view

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view showing a conventional connector.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Housing 12 ... Hood section 15L, 15S ... Cavity 24 ... Guiding wall (guiding section) 26 ... Guide groove (guide part) 30 ... Front holder 31 ... Front wall 37 ... First guide rib 38 ... Elastic locking piece 39 ... Second guide rib

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A housing having a plurality of cavities into which terminal fittings are inserted, and a tubular hood portion projecting forward of the cavities, and a housing that is assembled into the housing by being inserted into the hood portion from the front. A connector provided with a front holder having a front wall forming a front end portion of the cavity, wherein the front holder is formed with a guide rib protruding rearward from an outer peripheral portion of the front wall, and the hood portion is provided. The inner peripheral wall of the connector is formed with a guide portion slidably contacting the guide rib along the front-rear direction. 2. The front holder is formed with an elastic lock piece that projects rearward from the front wall and can be elastically locked to the housing side, and the guide rib is attached to the elastic lock piece. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the guide rib can protect the elastic lock piece by arranging along the guide rib. 3. The guide rib is arranged in a bending direction of the elastic lock piece, and when the elastic lock piece is flexed and deformed by a predetermined amount, the guide rib comes into contact with the elastic lock piece so that excessive flexural deformation can be restricted. The connector according to claim 2, wherein: 4. The front holder according to claim 1, wherein the front holder has a form corresponding to only a part of a region in which the plurality of cavities are provided. The connector according to any one of 3 above. 5. The guide according to claim 1, wherein the guide portion has a dovetail groove shape along the front-rear direction, and the guide rib has a dovetail shape and is fitted into the guide portion. The connector described in either one.