JP2003346619A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connector capable of removing a relay with a good operability and capable of judging whether the relay is insertion-coupled at a proper position. <P>SOLUTION: The connector 20 is provided with a housing 21 consisting of a terminal containing part 22 and a hood part 23 opened frontward in front of the terminal containing part insertion-coupling with a relay 10, and a hole 23K is fitted at a position toward a terminal containing part 33 at a peripheral wall of the hood part 23 which a front face in an insertion direction of the relay 10 is engaged upon. In this hole 23K, a removing jig 70 for the relay 10 is plugged. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector to which an electric component such as a relay is fitted.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 9, a connector of this type has a hood portion 1 into which a relay (not shown) is fitted through an insertion opening formed on the front surface, and a back surface of the hood portion 1. And a terminal accommodating portion 2 that accommodates a terminal fitting (not shown), and is provided on the peripheral wall of the hood portion 1 with an engaging claw 3 at a tip thereof. 4 is provided so as to be flexibly deformable. Further, a window hole 5 used for picking a relay is cut out in a peripheral wall of the hood portion 1. When the relay is fitted from the insertion opening of the hood part 1,
The relay is inserted while bending the elastic locking piece 4 outward, and when the relay is inserted to the normal position, the elastic locking piece 4 is restored to the original position and the locking claw 3 is moved back in the insertion direction of the relay. The end face is locked so as to be locked in a retaining state. Such a connector for a relay is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-35605.

[0003]

In the case of the conventional connector described above, when the relay is removed for maintenance or the like, the locking claw 3 is pinched by a finger to bend the elastic locking piece 4 outward, and the state is changed. It was necessary to grasp the rear part of the relay with another finger while maintaining it, then pull out the relay and remove the relay from the hood 1. However, in order to release the connection between the relay terminal and the terminal fitting, it is necessary to pull the connection with a considerably strong force, so that the work may be difficult, and improvement in workability has been demanded. Also, it has been difficult to accurately determine whether or not the relay is fitted at a regular position in the hood portion 1.

The present invention has been completed on the basis of the above-mentioned circumstances, and it is possible to remove an electric component such as a relay with good workability. It is an object of the present invention to provide a connector capable of determining whether or not the connection is made.

[0005]

As means for achieving the above object, a first aspect of the present invention is to provide a terminal accommodating portion accommodating terminal fittings, and a front face of the terminal accommodating portion. A connector having a hood portion which is open at the end and which fits an electrical component with a terminal such as a relay, wherein the connector is adapted to establish a connection between the terminal fitting and a terminal of the electrical component. The peripheral wall of the present invention is characterized in that a hole is provided at a position near the terminal accommodating portion so that a front surface in the insertion direction of the electric component faces.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the electric component is fitted to a position where it can be abutted against the front surface of the terminal accommodating portion. A feature is that an insertion port through which a removal jig for the electric component can be inserted is opened in the front surface of the terminal accommodating portion and formed to communicate with the hole.

[0007] The invention of claim 3 is claim 1 or claim 2.
Wherein the hood portion is formed at a front end of the terminal accommodating portion via a step portion, and the electric component includes:
A pedestal part which is an operation fulcrum of a detaching jig for the electric component protrudes at a position of the step part located in the hole in the part which is fitted to a position which can be abutted on the inner surface of the step part. It has features where it is formed.

[0008]

<Operation and effect of the invention><Invention of claim 1> Since a hole facing the front surface in the insertion direction of the electric component is provided at a position near the terminal accommodating portion on the peripheral wall of the hood portion, for example, Insert the jig, break it between the front of the electrical component in the insertion direction and the front of the terminal housing, and then pry the jig to lift the electrical component off the hood and remove it. A series of operations can be performed with good workability. Further, by visually recognizing the position of the front surface in the insertion direction of the electric component through this hole, it is possible to determine whether or not the electric component is fitted at the proper position.

<Invention of Claim 2> On the peripheral wall of the terminal accommodating portion, an insertion opening through which a removal jig for an electric component can be inserted is formed on the front surface of the terminal accommodating portion and communicates with the hole. Therefore, if a jig is inserted into this insertion port and then the jig is pryed, the electric component is lifted by the jig and easily removed from the hood.
In this case, since the jig is inserted into the insertion port without interfering with the electric component, it is possible to prevent the electric component from being damaged at the time of insertion.

<Invention of Claim 3> A pedestal portion is formed at a position of the step portion located in the hole so as to serve as a fulcrum of operation of the removal jig for the electric component. By placing the operation unit and prying the jig using the pedestal as a fulcrum of the lever, the electric components can be easily floated, and the operability is excellent. In addition, by utilizing the action of the lever, the electric component can be easily removed only by applying a small force.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. <First Embodiment> A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In this embodiment, a relay connector 20 to which the relay 10 is fitted is exemplified. The relay 10 is made of a synthetic resin and has a short prismatic shape as a whole, and a plurality of tab-like relay terminals 11 project from the lower surface thereof (see a two-dot chain line in FIG. 4). On the other hand, the connector 20 includes a housing 21 made of a synthetic resin. The housing 21 is formed in a rectangular cylindrical shape and has a terminal receiving portion 22 inside which a terminal fitting (not shown) is stored, and is formed on the front surface of the terminal receiving portion 22 to be slightly larger than the terminal receiving portion 22. And a hood 23 into which the relay 10 can be fitted through an insertion opening that opens to the front. As shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of cavities 40 are formed in the terminal accommodating portion 22 so as to penetrate along the axial direction, and female terminals (not shown) can be accommodated in the cavities 40. A flexible lance 30 is provided in the cavity 40 to lock the female terminal fitting to prevent it from falling off.

The hood portion 23 has a depth dimension capable of accommodating the relay 10, and the front side of one opposing side wall 23A of the four peripheral walls when the relay 10 is picked. A window hole 23B to be used is cut out.
Elastic locking pieces 23D are provided on the other opposing side wall 23C of the peripheral wall of the hood portion 23 to lock the relay 10 in a retaining state. This elastic locking piece 23D has slits 2 on both sides as shown in FIG.
3E, the cantilever is formed in a cantilevered manner, and the distal end side thereof is bent inward and outward of the hood portion 23. The distal ends of the elastic locking pieces 23D are locked inward. A claw 23F is protruded. The distal end surface of the locking claw 23F is a tapered guide surface 23G for guiding the relay 10. Further, an excessive bending prevention portion 23H that covers the outside of the slit 23E and that prevents the elastic locking piece 23D from excessive bending is provided with the slit 2E.
The bulge is formed along the groove edge of 3E.

The side wall 23A provided with the window hole 23B in the hood portion 23 is connected to the front end of the side wall of the terminal accommodating portion 22 via a step 23J. The inner surface of the step portion 23J is flush with the front surface of the terminal accommodating portion 22 and functions as a contact surface 23Q against which the relay 10 inserted into the hood portion 23 is abutted. It is fitted until it hits the contact surface 23Q. A hole 23K is provided at a position of the side wall 23A near the terminal accommodating portion 22 so as to cut out a part of the step portion 23J existing there. The front surface of the terminal housing portion 22 and the front surface of the relay 10 to be inserted face the hole 23K. In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, the hole 23K is also provided on one surface of a side wall 23C provided with an elastic locking piece 23D in the hood portion 23.

The pedestal portion 23 which projects outward and serves as a fulcrum of operation of the removal jig 70 with respect to the relay 10 is provided at a portion of the step portion 23J located in the hole 23K.
M is formed. The pedestal portion 23M has a columnar shape as a whole, is separated from the other step portion 23J to form a gap, and communicates this gap with the hole 23K. Further, the protruding height position of the pedestal portion 23M is set lower than the height position of the other step portion 23J, and the tip in the height direction is:
The front side portion is cut off diagonally to form a tapered guide surface 23.
N.

Here, as shown in FIG. 5, the relay 10 is inserted into the hood 23 of the connector 20 from the left as shown in the figure. The front edge of the relay 10 has a guide surface 23D of a locking claw 23F of an elastic locking piece 23D.
, And each of the elastic locking pieces 23D is pushed outward while being deformed to escape outward. When the relay 10 is pushed into a position where it comes into contact with the front surface of the terminal accommodating portion 22 and the inner surface of the step portion 23J, that is, the regular fitting position of the relay 10, the elastic locking piece 23D is restored and deformed, and the locking claw 23F is turned on. By locking the rear surface of the relay 10 in the insertion direction, the relay 10 is locked. During this time,
The relay terminal 11 enters the corresponding cavity 40 and is connected to the female terminal fitting housed therein.

In this case, the fact that the front surface of the relay 10 is in contact with the front surface of the terminal accommodating portion 22 can be visually recognized through the above-described hole 23K.
Can be determined whether or not the relay 20 is properly fitted in the hood portion 23, thereby preventing the relay 20 from remaining at an incomplete fitting depth. When the relay 10 is removed from the hood 23 for maintenance or the like, first, the elastic locking piece 23D is bent outward to release the locking of the locking claw 23F to the relay 10. From this state, the tip of the removal jig 70 (for example, a flathead screwdriver) with respect to the relay 10 is slid along the guide surface 23N of the pedestal portion 23M while the hole 23 is slid.
K, and the jig 70 is inserted between the front surface of the relay 10 and the front surface of the terminal housing 22.
Next, as shown in FIG. 6, the relay 10 is floated from the front surface of the terminal accommodating portion 22 by prying the jig 70 with the pedestal portion 23M serving as a fulcrum of the lever.
Then, the relay 10 is grasped with a finger and pulled out, and the relay 10 is removed from the hood 23. Here, in the case where the relay 10 is picked out with a finger without using the jig 70 and pulled out, a strong pulling force must be applied to the relay 10.
Cannot be removed, but if the hole 23K as described above is provided, the jig 70 can be inserted into the hole 23K, so that the jig 70 can be easily removed. become.

Further, when the jig 70 is operated, the base 23M is used as an operating fulcrum of the lever, so that work can be performed with good workability. Further, since the relay 10 can be removed with a small force by the action of the lever, the work load can be reduced. Furthermore, pedestal part 2
By sliding the front end of the jig 70 along the 3M guide surface 23N, the jig 70 can be smoothly inserted between the front surface of the relay 10 and the front surface of the terminal housing 22. Further, the hole 23K is formed in the side wall 23 of the hood portion 23.
Since the jig 70 can be acted on the connector 20 from three directions and the fitting position of the relay 10 can be visually recognized from three directions by providing the connector 20 on three surfaces of A and 23C, the versatility can be improved. Excellent.

<Second Embodiment> Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Connector 2 of the present embodiment
0A is different from the first embodiment in that an insertion port 55 for inserting a removal jig 70 for the relay 10 into the terminal accommodating portion 22 is provided, but other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment. Since the configuration is almost the same, the same reference numerals are given to the same configuration, and the description of the structure, operation, and effect is omitted.

In the first embodiment, the pedestal portion 23M is used when the detaching jig 70 for the relay 10 is operated, but in the present embodiment, such a pedestal portion 2 is used.
While the 3M is not provided, an insertion port 55 is cut out at the front end of the terminal accommodating section 22, and the jig 70 is inserted into the insertion port 55. That is, at the front end of the peripheral wall of the terminal accommodating portion 22, an insertion port 55 that opens to the front surface of the terminal accommodating portion 22 and communicates with the hole 23 </ b> K is large enough to allow the tip of the jig 70 to be inserted. The opening is formed. Therefore, when the jig 70 is inserted into the insertion port 55, the jig 70 is smoothly inserted into the insertion port 55 without interfering with the relay 10, so that the relay 10 is prevented from being damaged at the time of insertion. it can.

<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 may be applied to a connector 20B having a basic shape as shown in FIG. 8 if convenience of handling is not so required when operating the jig. That is, the connector 20B is
A hole 23K is provided at a position near the terminal accommodating portion 22 so that the front surface of the relay 10 can be faced.
No 3M or the like is provided. According to such a mode, the relay 10 can be removed by inserting the jig 70 from the hole 23K, and it is also possible to visually recognize that the relay 10 is at the regular fitting position through the hole 23K.

(2) In the above embodiment, the hole is provided on three of the side walls of the hood portion.
It may be provided on two or four surfaces (entire surface). (3) The hood portion and the terminal accommodating portion do not pass through the step portion,
They may be connected at the same level. (4) Further, the present invention can be applied to all connectors to which fuses and other electric components are fitted.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is also a side view

FIG. 3 is also a plan view

FIG. 4 is also a cross-sectional view

FIG. 5 is a partially broken side view showing a state before and after fitting the relay.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part showing a state in which a relay is removed by operating a jig.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a connector according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a conventional connector.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Relay 11 Relay terminals (terminals of electrical components) 20, 20A, 20B ... connector 21 ... Housing 22 ... terminal housing 23 ... Food section 23J: Step 23K ... hole 23M ... pedestal part 70 ... jig (removal jig)

Claims (3)

[Claims] A terminal accommodating portion accommodating a terminal fitting;
A housing that includes a hood portion that opens forward on the front surface of the terminal accommodating portion and fits an electric component with a terminal such as a relay, and a connection between the terminal fitting and a terminal of the electric component. A connector characterized in that a hole is provided in a peripheral wall of the hood portion near the terminal accommodating portion so that a front surface in the insertion direction of the electric component faces. 2. The electric component according to claim 1, wherein said electric component is fitted to a position at which said electric component can be abutted against the front surface of said terminal accommodating portion. The connector according to claim 1, wherein an inlet is formed in the front surface of the terminal accommodating portion and communicates with the hole. 3. The stepped portion, wherein the hood portion is formed at a front end of the terminal accommodating portion via a stepped portion, and wherein the electric component is fitted to a position where it can be abutted against an inner surface of the stepped portion. 3. The connector according to claim 1, wherein a pedestal portion is formed so as to protrude from a position located in the hole, the pedestal portion serving as an operation fulcrum of a removal jig for the electric component.