JP2003264025A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To aim at down-sizing of a housing. <P>SOLUTION: Terminal fittings 10A, 10B are loaded to a terminal loading groove 21 installed side by side at vertical both face sides of a terminal holder 20 of a flat-plate state, and terminal fittings 10A, 10B are locked by heat- caulking. After that, the terminal holder 20 made to retain the terminal fittings 10A, 10B is housed in a housing 30. By this, because a lance to elastically lock the terminal fittings becomes unnecessary, an arrangement pitch of terminal fittings 10A, 10B is made smaller, and the housing 30 can be down-sized concerning the breadth direction. Further, tab parts 15 of terminal fittings 10B are folded in the plate thickness direction of the terminal holder 20, and the tab parts 15 of the terminal fittings 10A, 10B of vertical both sides are alternately arranged at a same height position. By this, the arrangement pitch of the tab parts 15 can be made to the half as against the arrangement pitch of the terminal fittings 10A, 10B. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a connector.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a general connector structure, a terminal fitting is housed in each of a plurality of cavities provided side by side in a housing, and the terminal fitting is made elastic by a cantilevered lance formed on the bottom surface of the cavity. There is one that prevents the terminal fitting from coming off by locking it to. A connector having such a structure is described in, for example, Japanese Patent No. 2627357.

[0003]

In the connector having the above-mentioned structure, when the housing is downsized in the lateral width direction, the arrangement pitch of the terminal fittings is narrowed, which is accompanied by the width of the lance in the cavity. The dimensions will also be reduced. However, if the width dimension of the lance is too small, the elastic force is insufficient, and as a result, the locking force for the terminal fitting is insufficient, which is an obstacle to miniaturization. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a connector capable of reducing the size of a housing.

[0004]

A connector according to a first aspect of the invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is a plurality of terminal fittings, which are substantially flat plate-shaped, and which can be mounted on one surface side thereof. The terminal holder is provided with terminal mounting grooves arranged side by side in the lateral direction, and a housing capable of accommodating the terminal holder. The terminal holder is provided with a heat for locking the terminal fitting in the terminal mounting groove by caulking. The feature is that the caulking portion is provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the terminal mounting groove is provided on both sides of the terminal holder.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect, the terminal fitting includes a tab portion projecting forward of the terminal holder, and at least the terminal fittings on both sides of the terminal holder. It is characterized in that the tab portions of the terminal metal fittings on one surface side are bent in the plate thickness direction of the terminal holder so that the tab portions of the terminal metal fittings on both surface sides are alternately aligned at the same height position. .

[0007]

According to the invention of claim 1, the terminal fittings are mounted in the terminal mounting grooves arranged in parallel on one side of the terminal holder, and the terminal fittings are locked by heat staking.
Then, the terminal holder holding the terminal fittings is housed in the housing. This eliminates the need for a lance that elastically locks the terminal fittings, so that the arrangement pitch of the terminal fittings can be reduced and the housing can be downsized in the lateral width direction.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in the terminal holder, since the terminal mounting grooves are arranged in parallel on both sides of the terminal holder, the number of terminal fittings to be used is increased without increasing the lateral width of the housing. be able to.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, a part of the tab portion of the terminal fitting is bent in the plate thickness direction of the terminal holder, and the tab portions of the terminal fittings on both sides are alternately arranged at the same height position. Thereby, the arrangement pitch of the tab portions can be halved with respect to the arrangement pitch of the terminal mounting grooves.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 1, the connector of the present embodiment includes a plurality of terminal fittings 10A and 10B connected to the end portion of the electric wire W, and these terminal fittings 1.
0A, 10B holding the terminal holder 20, a housing 30 for housing the terminal holder 20, a housing 30
And a rubber plug 40 attached to the rear part of the vehicle.

The terminal fittings 10A and 10B are shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 3, the conductive metal plate is formed in a slender shape in the front and rear, and a barrel portion 11 is provided at the rear end thereof, and the end portion of the electric wire W is caulked and connected thereto. A flat plate-like connecting portion 12 is provided in front of the barrel portion 11, and positioning protrusions 13 projecting in the lateral width direction are formed at both left and right ends thereof. Further, the connecting portion 12 is provided with a circular insertion hole 14 penetrating in the thickness direction. Further, an elongated bar-shaped tab portion 15 is provided in front of the connecting portion 12.
Is projected. The terminal fittings 10A and 10B are
The tab portion 15 has a linear shape (reference numeral 10A, three shown)
And a tab portion 15 that is bent in a step shape in the vertical direction at a step portion 15A provided at a predetermined position near the connecting portion 12 (reference numeral 10B, two in the figure).

The terminal holder 20 is made of a synthetic resin material and, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, has a substantially rectangular flat plate shape that is flat in the vertical direction. On both upper and lower surfaces of the terminal holder 20, three terminal mounting grooves 21 for mounting the terminal fittings 10A and 10B are provided on the upper surface and two on the lower surface side by side with a constant pitch in the lateral width direction. The terminal mounting groove 21 is located in the middle of the upper terminal mounting groove 21, and the front side and the rear side are arranged in a staggered arrangement with a 1/2 pitch shift. Each terminal mounting groove 21 is formed from the front end to the rear end of the terminal holder 20, and the depth dimension thereof is approximately the same as the plate thickness of the metal plate forming the terminal fittings 10A and 10B. Each terminal mounting groove 21 has a terminal fitting 10
The portions from the rear portion to the rear end of the tab portion 15 in A and 10B are adapted to be fitted tightly with the connecting portion 12 in close contact with the bottom surface. Note that the terminal fitting 10B
In the tab portion 15, the step size in the step part 15A is set to be approximately the same as the plate thickness size of the terminal holder 20, and when the terminal fittings 10A and 10B are mounted in the terminal mounting groove 21, The tips of the tab portions 15 of the upper and lower terminal fittings 10A, 10B are alternately aligned at the same height position, and the arrangement pitch of the tab portions 15 is half the arrangement pitch of the upper and lower terminal fittings 10A, 10B. It becomes 1.

Further, on the bottom surface of the terminal mounting groove 21, there is provided a cylindrical heat staking projection 22 (corresponding to the "heat staking portion" of the present invention) which can be engaged with the insertion hole 14 of the terminal fitting 10A, 10B. ing. The projecting dimension of the heat staking projection 22 is formed to be larger than the thickness dimension of the connecting portion 12 of the terminal fittings 10A and 10B, and the terminal fittings 10A and 10B are fitted into the terminal mounting groove 21 as shown in FIG. In this state, the upper part thereof projects from the upper surface of the terminal fittings 10A and 10B, and the protruding parts are heat-staking (including ultrasonic welding), so that the terminal fittings 10A and 10B can be locked in the terminal mounting groove 21. Is being done. Further, elastic lock pieces 23 extending in a cantilever manner from the vicinity of the front end toward the rear are provided on both left and right sides of the terminal holder 20.
The elastic lock piece 23 can be bent and deformed in the thickness direction (horizontal direction), and a lock projection 23 </ b> A projecting outward of the terminal holder 20 is formed at the tip end portion thereof.

The housing 30 is made of a synthetic resin material. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, when roughly divided, a holder accommodating portion 31 having a substantially rectangular tube shape opening to the front and rear.
And a mounting portion 32 that projects from the outer periphery of the holder housing portion 31 in the radial direction (vertical and horizontal directions). A nut 34 for screwing is embedded in the front surface of the mounting portion 32, and the housing 30 is fixed to the panel P by screwing so that the front surface of the mounting portion 32 faces the panel P (see FIG. 9). It is possible. Panel P
A mating connector (not shown) equipped with female-side terminal fittings connectable to the terminal fittings 10A and 10B is attached to. On the other hand, the front half of the holder accommodating portion 31 is a fitting portion 31A capable of fitting approximately two-thirds of the front side of the terminal holder 20 from the rear side, and the front end surface of the fitting portion 31A has the terminal fittings 10A and 10B.
A tab insertion hole 35 through which the tab portions 15 of A and 10B can be inserted is formed. Further, as shown in FIG. 8, the lock protrusion 23 of the elastic lock piece 23 is provided on the inner wall of the fitting portion 31A.
A lock receiving portion 36 capable of locking A is formed in a stepped shape. The second half of the holder accommodating portion 31 has a rubber plug mounting portion 31.
B has a diameter larger than that of the fitting portion 31A and can accommodate about one third of the rear side of the terminal holder 20 and a collective rubber stopper 40 on the rear side thereof. It can be fitted tightly.

As shown in FIG. 5, the rubber plug 40 is formed in a thick rectangular shape on the front so that the rear opening of the rubber plug mounting portion 31B can be closed. The rubber stopper 40 has
Electric wire insertion hole 41 that can penetrate the electric wire W in a watertight manner in the front-back direction
Are the terminal fittings 10A, 10B for the terminal holder 20.
Are formed in a zigzag pattern corresponding to the mounting positions of.

Next, the assembling procedure of this embodiment will be described. First, the terminal fittings 10A and 10B corresponding to the electric wire insertion holes 41 of the rubber stopper 40 are inserted, and the rubber stopper 40 is attached to the electric wire W at a position slightly separated from the barrel portion 11. Then, attach the terminal fittings 10A and 10B to the terminal holder 2
It is fitted into the terminal mounting groove 21 of No. 0, and the heat caulking projection 22 is engaged with the insertion hole 14 (see FIG. 7A).
As a result, the terminal fittings 10A and 10B are connected to the terminal holder 20.
The plate is positioned in the direction along the plate surface of. Then, the upper portions of the respective heat-crimping projections 22 are heated and crushed, so that the terminal fittings 10A and 10B are attached to the terminal mounting grooves 21
To prevent it from coming off (see FIGS. 6 and 7B).

Next, the terminal holder 20 holding the terminal fittings 10A and 10B is inserted into the holder accommodating portion 31 of the housing 30 from the rear side. When the terminal holder 20 is inserted to the normal position where it abuts against the front end surface of the fitting portion 31A, the lock protrusion 23A of the elastic lock piece 23 elastically engages with the lock receiving portion 36, and the terminal holder 20 is in a state of being prevented from coming off. Becomes Subsequently, when the rubber stopper 40 is pushed into the rubber stopper mounting portion 31B while being shifted to the front side of the electric wire W (barrel portion 11 side),
The rear opening of the holder accommodating portion 31 is closed in a watertight manner (see FIGS. 8 and 9). By the above, the assembling of the connector is completed. When this connector is screwed and fixed to the panel P, the terminal fitting 1 protruding from the front end surface of the holder housing portion 31
The tab portions 15 of 0A and 10B are connected to female terminal fittings (not shown) of the mating connector.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the terminal fittings 10A, 10B are mounted in the terminal mounting grooves 21 arranged in parallel on one side of the terminal holder 20, and the terminal fittings 10A, 10B are engaged by heat staking. Stop, then terminal fitting 10
The terminal holder 20 holding A and 10B is attached to the housing 3
It is housed in 0. This eliminates the need for a lance that elastically locks the terminal fittings, so that the terminal fittings 10A, 10B
The array pitch can be reduced to reduce the size of the housing 30 in the lateral direction.

Further, in the terminal holder 20, since the terminal mounting grooves 21 are provided in parallel on the upper and lower surfaces of the terminal holder 20, the number of the terminal fittings 10A, 10B to be used is increased without increasing the lateral width dimension of the housing 30. be able to.

Further, the tab portions 15 of the terminal fittings 10B are bent in the plate thickness direction of the terminal holder 20, and the tab portions 15 of the terminal fittings 10A and 10B on the upper and lower sides are alternately arranged at the same height position. Thereby, the arrangement pitch of the tab portions 15 can be halved with respect to the arrangement pitch of the terminal fittings 10A and 10B, and for example, the configuration of the mating connector can be simplified.

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 waterproof type connector in which the rubber plug is attached to the rear portion of the housing is shown.
It can also be applied to non-waterproof types. (2) In the above embodiment, the terminal fittings are mounted on both sides of the terminal holder, but according to the present invention, the terminal fittings may be mounted on only one side of the terminal holder. (3) In the above embodiment, only the tab portion of the terminal fitting on the one surface side of the terminal holder is bent in the plate thickness direction.
According to the present invention, the tab portions of the terminal fittings on both sides may be bent in the plate thickness direction so that the height positions of the tab portions are aligned. (4) In the above embodiment, the terminal fitting is locked by the cylindrical heat staking protrusion, but according to the present invention,
The number, arrangement, shape, etc. of the heat crimped portions can be arbitrarily changed as long as the terminal fittings are locked by the heat crimped.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a connector according to this embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the terminal holder.

[Figure 3] Rear view of the terminal holder

[Fig. 4] Rear view of the housing

FIG. 5 is a front view of the rubber stopper.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a state where a terminal holder holds a terminal fitting.

FIG. 7A is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing a state before heat staking, and FIG. 7B is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing a state after heat staking.

FIG. 8 is a plan sectional view of the connector after the assembly is completed.

FIG. 9 is a side sectional view of the connector after assembly is completed.

[Explanation of symbols]

10A, 10B ... Terminal fittings 15 ... Tab section 20 ... Terminal holder 21 ... Terminal mounting groove 22 ... Thermal caulking protrusion (thermal caulking part) 30 ... Housing

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of terminal fittings, a terminal holder having a substantially flat plate shape, and terminal mounting grooves on one surface of which a terminal fitting can be mounted are provided side by side in a lateral width direction, and the terminal holder can be accommodated. And a housing, wherein the terminal holder is provided with a heat staking portion that locks the terminal fitting in the terminal mounting groove by heat staking. 2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the terminal mounting groove is provided on both surface sides of the terminal holder. 3. The terminal fitting includes a tab portion projecting forward of the terminal holder, and at least one of the terminal fittings on both sides of the terminal holder has a tab portion of a plate of the terminal holder. Bent in the thickness direction,
The connector according to claim 2, wherein the tab portions of the terminal fittings on the both surfaces are alternately arranged at the same height position.