JP2005166348A - Self-aligning connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To manufacture a self-aligning connector with a small number of components at a low cost. <P>SOLUTION: This self-aligning connector 1 is so structured as to be provided with a plug connector housing 10 and a receptacle connector housing 20 having structures fittable to each other. The plug connector housing 10 has a plurality of mounting arm parts 30 formed by integral molding, and supported and fixed to an instrument panel partition wall 90 in a form swingable in planes in the fitting direction to the receptacle connector housing 20 through the plurality of mounting arms 30 and in a direction perpendicular to the fitting direction. The self-aligning connector 1 can be manufactured at a low cost because of dispensing with components such as a conventional guide for a connector. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention is used for, for example, automatic assembly work in connecting auxiliary machines such as automobile module parts having a wire harness, and the auxiliary machine to other parts, etc. The present invention relates to a self-aligning connector that improves reliability.

  Conventionally, so-called alignment connectors have been used to connect wire harnesses used in automobiles, etc., and in automation, so-called fitting errors and attachment errors (mounting) that occur between plug-type connectors and receptacle-type connectors. A self-aligning connector that aligns the backlash in a self-aligning manner is used (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-1223917 (page 4-5, Fig. 1-4) JP 2000-215944 A (page 5-7, FIG. 1-7)

  However, in the auxiliary connector described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, the housing is swingably supported by a connector guide having a spring piece and a flange, and the alignment at the time of fitting is performed by the elasticity of the spring piece or the like. Since this structure is used, parts such as connector guides are required, which increases the number of parts and increases the cost.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a self-aligning connector that can be manufactured inexpensively with a small number of parts.

  The self-aligning connector according to the present invention includes a first housing and a second housing having a structure that can be fitted to each other, and the first housing is attached to the hole portion of the attachment member in which the hole portion is formed. And a plurality of elastic support portions for supporting the first housing in a fitting direction with the second housing and a swingable state in a plane orthogonal to the fitting direction with respect to the mounting member. The plurality of elastic support portions are provided integrally with the first housing, and are erected in parallel with the orthogonal surface from a side portion of the first housing, and have a U-shaped longitudinal section. A flexible stress absorbing portion that is folded back in parallel with the orthogonal surface, and a longitudinal section that is continuous with the stress absorbing portion and that fits into the peripheral edge of the hole portion is folded into a U-shape. With an engaging part of shape Characterized in that it is configured Te.

  As an attachment member to which the self-aligning connector is attached, for example, an automobile instrument panel is optimal.

  According to the present invention, the first housing of the self-aligning connector attached to the hole of the attachment member is fitted in the fitting direction with the second housing formed by integral molding and in a plane perpendicular to the fitting direction. A plurality of elastic support portions for supporting the first housing in a swingable state. This eliminates the need for parts such as a connector guide for swingingly supporting the connector housing as compared with the conventional one, and makes it possible to manufacture at low cost by reducing the number of parts.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  1 is an external perspective view showing a self-aligning connector according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state of the self-aligning connector when the housing is fitted, FIG. FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view for explaining the fitting operation of the self-aligning connector.

  The self-aligning connector 1 includes, for example, a plug connector housing 10 as a first housing and a receptacle connector housing 20 as a second housing made of resin molded members having a structure that can be fitted to each other.

  The plug connector housing 10 is attached to a hole portion 91 of an instrument panel partition wall (hereinafter referred to as “panel partition wall”) 90 as an attachment member in which a hole portion 91 is formed, and is connected to the panel partition wall 90 with a plug connector housing. A plurality of members 10 are supported so as to be swingable in a fitting direction (in the direction of arrow Z in FIG. 1) with the receptacle connector housing 20 and in a plane orthogonal to the fitting direction (in the directions of arrow X and Y in FIG. 1). It has a structure having a plurality of mounting arm portions 30 as elastic support portions.

  The plug connector housing 10 includes a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 11 that accommodate a plurality of connection terminals 40 (see FIGS. 2 to 4) therein, and a receptacle connector at the distal end side of the plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 11. The terminal insertion port 12 into which the connection terminal 50 accommodated in the housing 20 is inserted is provided.

  In this example, each connection terminal 40 accommodated in each of the plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 11 of the plug connector housing 10 includes a cylindrical connection portion 41 and a plurality of electric wires 70 in which core wires 71 are exposed (extracted) at the terminal portion. A wire connection portion 42 that is individually connected to the core wire 71 by, for example, crimping, a wire fixing portion 43 that fixes and holds the electric wire 70 by caulking or the like, and these connection portions 41, the wire connection portion 42, and the wire fixing portion 43. A plate-like connecting portion 44 to be connected is provided.

  For example, in the cylindrical connection part 41 of the connection terminal 40, when connecting with the connection terminal 50 inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 11 from the terminal insertion opening 12, the plate-like connection part of the connection terminal 50 is provided. A contact piece 45 for contacting 51 is formed.

  The plurality of mounting arm portions 30 are formed by, for example, integral molding on the side portion of the plug connector housing 10, and each of the mounting arm portions 30 is erected in parallel with the orthogonal surface from the side portion of the plug connector housing 10 and has a U-shaped longitudinal section. A curved portion 31 as a flexible stress absorbing portion having a shape folded back in parallel to the orthogonal plane so as to form a mold, and a peripheral portion of the hole portion 91 of the panel partition wall 90 continuous with the curved portion 31. The hole engaging part 32 as an engaging part which has the shape bent so that the vertical cross section to fit may become a U-shape is comprised.

  The plurality of mounting arm portions 30 configured in this way are structured to bend in any of the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction in FIG. The plurality of mounting arm portions 30 are similarly supported so as to be swingable in the arrow X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction in FIG.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, when the plug connector housing 10 and the receptacle connector housing 20 attached to the panel partition wall 90 via the plurality of attachment arm portions 30 are fitted, the fitting in the X direction and the Y direction is performed. Even when there is an error N1 or when there is a fitting error N2 in the Z direction as shown in FIG. 4, these fitting errors N1 and N2 can be ensured by bending the plurality of mounting arm portions 30. Thus, the plug connector housing 10 and the receptacle connector housing 20 can be accurately and reliably fitted.

  The receptacle connector housing 20 to be fitted with the plug connector housing 10 is fixedly attached to an audio console panel (hereinafter referred to as “panel”) 80, accommodates the connection terminal 50 therein, and is fitted with the plug connector housing 10. It has the concave fitting part 21 to match.

  In the self-aligning connector 1 configured as described above, the plug connector housing 10 attached to the hole 91 of the panel partition wall 90 through the plurality of attachment arm portions 30 formed by integral molding has a plurality of attachments. The arm portion 30 supports the panel partition wall 90 so as to be swingable in the fitting direction (the Z direction) with the receptacle connector housing 20 and in a plane perpendicular to the fitting direction (the X direction and the Y direction). Is done. For this reason, parts for supporting the plug connector housing 10 so as to be swingable are not required as compared with the conventional one, and the number of parts of the self-aligning connector 1 can be reduced and manufactured at low cost.

  In the self-aligning connector 1 of this example, a case has been described in which the plug connector housing 10 is provided with a plurality of mounting arm portions 30 by integral molding. For example, the receptacle connector housing 20 has a plurality of mounting arm portions 30. The receptacle connector housing 20 may be swingably attached to the panel partition wall 90 via a plurality of attachment arm portions 30.

  Further, the total number of the mounting arm portions 30 of the self-aligning connector 1 of this example can be appropriately changed according to the insertion force of both the connector housings 10 and 20.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used for various applications that use a self-aligning connector that is attached in a loosely fitted state.

1 is an external perspective view showing a self-aligning connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a partial cross section figure which shows the state at the time of housing fitting of the self-aligning type connector. It is a partial sectional view for explaining fitting operation of the self-aligning connector. It is a partial sectional view for explaining fitting operation of the self-aligning connector.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Self-aligning type connector, 10 ... Plug connector housing, 11 ... Terminal accommodating chamber, 12 ... Terminal insertion port, 20 ... Receptacle connector housing, 21 ... Fitting part, 30 ... Mounting arm part, 31 ... Curved part, 32 ... hole engaging part, 40, 50 ... connecting terminal, 41, 51 ... connecting part, 42 ... electric wire connecting part, 43 ... electric wire fixing part, 44 ... connecting part, 45 ... contact piece, 80 ... audio console panel, 90 ... Instrument panel partition, 91 ... hole.

Claims (2)

A first housing and a second housing having a structure that can be fitted to each other;
The first housing is attached to the hole portion of the attachment member in which the hole portion is formed, and the first housing is fitted to the second housing with respect to the attachment member and orthogonal to the fitting direction. It has a plurality of elastic support parts that are supported in a swingable state in the plane,
The plurality of elastic support portions are provided integrally with the first housing, are erected in parallel with the orthogonal surface from the side portion of the first housing, and have a U-shaped longitudinal section. A flexible stress absorbing portion that is folded in parallel with the orthogonal surface, and a shape that is bent so that the longitudinal section that is continuous with the stress absorbing portion and fits to the peripheral portion of the hole portion has a U shape. A self-aligning connector characterized by comprising an engaging portion.   2. The self-aligning connector according to claim 1, wherein the mounting member is an instrument panel of an automobile.