JP2005190720A - Self-aligning connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a self-aligning connector consisting of a limited number of parts which can be manufactured at inexpensive costs. <P>SOLUTION: The self-aligning connector 1 is constituted by being equipped with a plug connector housing 10 and a receptacle connector housing 20 which are of the structure that can be fitted with each other. The plug connector housing 10 is provided with a plurality of elastic coupling parts 30 formed by integral molding. The plurality of elastic coupling parts 30 are constituted of a first arm part 31 and a second arm part 32. The plug connector housing 10 is fixed and supported in a rocking state on an instrument panel bulkhead 90 via the plurality of elastic coupling parts 30 in the fitting direction to the receptacle connector housing 20 and within a plane orthogonal to this fitting direction. This self-aligning connector 1 can be manufactured at the inexpensive cost since it requires no conventional parts such as guides for connectors. <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. In addition, first and second elastic support portions for supporting the first housing with respect to the mounting member so as to be swingable in a fitting direction with the second housing and in a plane orthogonal to the fitting direction. A structure in which the first elastic support portion is integrally formed and abuts against the surface on the first housing insertion side of the peripheral portion of the hole portion of the mounting member and bends in the fitting direction when the two housings are fitted. The second elastic support portion is in contact with the surface of the peripheral portion of the hole portion of the mounting member opposite to the first housing insertion side and the peripheral surface of the hole portion, and when the two housings are fitted together Parallel to the plane perpendicular to the fitting direction Characterized by comprising the structure to flex in the direction.

  The first elastic support portion provided in the first housing of the self-aligning connector is, for example, viewed from the side of the first housing toward the outside from the side of the first housing toward the outside. The second elastic support portion extends obliquely and extends in a direction parallel to the plane orthogonal to the fitting direction, and the second elastic support portion is viewed from the side of the first housing toward the outside from the side portion of the first housing. It is preferable to have a piece shape extending in a direction parallel to the surface orthogonal to the fitting direction, rising along the fitting direction, and extending in the parallel direction toward the outside of the first housing.

  In addition, the first elastic support portion is formed on the side of the first housing so that the shape seen from the fitting direction is, for example, a substantially plate shape or a substantially U-shape, and the second elastic support portion Is preferably formed on the side of the first housing so that the shape viewed from a direction parallel to the surface orthogonal to the fitting direction is substantially L-shaped.

  For example, when the first elastic support portion is substantially U-shaped when viewed from the fitting direction, the second elastic support portion rises from the inner space of the U-shaped portion to the rise of the second elastic support portion. It is good to be formed in the side part of the 1st housing in the state where a part passes.

  And as an attachment member to which this self-aligning connector is attached, for example, an instrument panel of an automobile is optimal.

  According to the present invention, the first housing of the self-aligning connector attached to the hole of the attachment member swings the first housing in the fitting direction with the second housing and in a plane orthogonal to the fitting direction. A first elastic support portion that is bent in the fitting direction to be supported in a possible state and a second elastic support portion that is bent in a direction parallel to the plane orthogonal to the fitting direction are provided by integral molding. 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 the structure which has the elastic engagement part 30.

  The plug connector housing 10 includes a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 11 for accommodating a plurality of connection terminals 40 (see FIGS. 2 to 4) therein, and an electric wire 80 at the distal end side of the plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 11. And a terminal insertion port 12 into which a connection terminal (not shown) housed in the receptacle connector housing 20 is inserted.

  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 portion 41 of the connection terminal 40, when connecting with a connection terminal (not shown) inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 11 from the terminal insertion port 12, a plate shape of the connection terminal is formed. The contact piece 45 for contacting with the connecting portion 51 is formed.

  The plurality of elastic engagement portions 30 provided in the plug connector housing 10 are composed of, for example, a first arm portion 31 as a first elastic support portion and a second arm portion 32 as a second elastic support portion. ing. The first arm portion 31 abuts against the surface of the peripheral portion of the hole 91 of the panel partition wall 90 on the plug connector housing 10 insertion side and bends in this fitting direction when the plug connector housing 10 and the receptacle connector housing 20 are fitted. It consists of a structure. Further, the second arm portion 32 is in contact with the surface of the peripheral portion of the hole 91 of the panel partition wall 90 on the side opposite to the insertion side of the plug connector housing 10 and the peripheral surface of the hole 91, respectively. It consists of a structure which bends in the direction parallel to the surface orthogonal to the fitting direction at the time of fitting with the housing 20.

  In this example, for example, the first arm portion 31 extends obliquely with respect to the fitting direction from the side portion of the plug connector housing 10 when viewed from the side surface of the plug connector housing 10 and is orthogonal to the fitting direction. It is formed in the side part of the plug connector housing 10 so that it may become a substantially U shape seeing from the fitting direction by the piece shape extended in the direction parallel to the surface to perform.

  In this example, for example, the second arm portion 32 extends from the side portion of the plug connector housing 10 toward the outside in a direction parallel to the surface perpendicular to the fitting direction as viewed from the side surface of the plug connector housing 10 and the fitting. It rises along the mating direction and further extends in the parallel direction toward the outside of the plug connector housing 10, and is formed on the side of the plug connector housing 10 so as to be substantially L-shaped when viewed from the parallel direction. It is formed.

  The second arm portion 32 is formed on the side portion of the plug connector housing 10 so that the rising portion of the second arm portion 32 passes through the inner space of the substantially U-shaped portion of the first arm portion 31.

  Of the plurality of elastic engagement portions 30 configured in this way, the first arm portion 31 is structured to bend in the direction of arrow Z in FIG. 1, and the second arm portion 32 is in the direction of arrow X in FIG. Since the plug connector housing 10 is bent in the Y direction, the plug connector housing 10 is swung in any of the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction in FIG. Supported in a movable state.

  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 elastic engaging portions 30 are fitted, the fitting in the X direction and the Y direction is performed. Even when there is a combined error N1 or when there is a fitting error N2 in the Z direction as shown in FIG. 4, the first and second arm portions 31, 32 constituting the plurality of elastic engaging portions 30 are By appropriately bending, these fitting errors N1 and N2 can be reliably absorbed, and 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 to the plug connector housing 10 is fixedly attached to an audio console panel (not shown), has a connection terminal (not shown) inside, and has a concave fitting portion 21 to which the plug connector housing 10 is fitted. Have.

  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 a plurality of elastic engagement portions 30 formed by integral molding includes a plurality of plug connector housings 10. The first and second arm portions 31 and 32 constituting the elastic engagement portion 30 are fitted to the panel partition wall 90 with the receptacle connector housing 20 in the fitting direction (the Z direction) and the plane perpendicular to the fitting direction (the above-mentioned (X direction and Y direction). 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, the case where the plug connector housing 10 is provided with a plurality of elastic engagement portions 30 by integral molding has been described. For example, the receptacle connector housing 20 has a plurality of elastic engagements. It is also possible to have a configuration in which the portion 30 is provided, and the receptacle connector housing 20 is swingably attached to the panel partition wall 90 via the plurality of elastic engagement portions 30.

  Further, as described above, the plurality of elastic engagement portions 30 are connected to the plug connector in a state where the second arm portion 32 passes through the inner space of the substantially U-shaped portion of the first arm portion 31 and the rising portion of the second arm portion 32 passes. Although it may be formed in the side part of the housing 10, for example, the first arm part 31 is substantially plate-like when viewed from the fitting direction, and the plug connector housing 10 insertion side at the peripheral part of the hole 91 of the panel partition wall 90 In the case of a structure that abuts against the surface, such a structure is not necessary. That is, even if the second arm portion 32 is formed in the side portion of the plug connector housing 10 adjacent to the portion where the first arm portion 31 is formed, the plurality of elastic engagement portions 30 constituted by these are provided in the hole portion 91. Any structure that engages with the peripheral edge is applicable.

  Further, as described above, the plurality of elastic engagement portions 30 are configured by the respective portions of the first arm portion 31 and the second arm portion 32, and the first arm portion 31 is the second arm in the Z direction. Since the arm portion 32 has separate fitting tolerance absorbing structures in the X direction and the Y direction, the input in the X direction and the Y direction and the input in the Z direction at the time of connector fitting are respectively performed. It can be handled by another member.

  Thereby, it is possible to improve the reliability of the self-aligning connector 1 as compared with the case where fitting tolerance absorption in the X, Y, and Z directions is handled by one member.

  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 ... Elastic engaging part, 31 ... 1st arm , 32 ... second arm part, 40 ... connection terminal, 41, 51 ... connection part, 42 ... electric wire connection part, 43 ... electric wire fixing part, 44 ... connection part, 45 ... contact piece, 90 ... instrument panel partition, 91 ... hole.

Claims (6)

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 of the attachment member in which the hole is formed, and the first housing is fitted to the second housing with respect to the attachment member and orthogonal to the fitting direction. The first and second elastic support portions that are supported so as to be capable of swinging in a plane are integrally formed,
The first elastic support portion has a structure that abuts against a surface on the first housing insertion side of a peripheral portion of the hole portion of the mounting member and bends in the fitting direction when the two housings are fitted,
The second elastic support portion is in contact with the surface of the peripheral portion of the hole portion of the mounting member opposite to the first housing insertion side and the peripheral surface of the hole portion, and is fitted when the two housings are fitted. A self-aligning connector characterized by comprising a structure that bends in a direction parallel to a plane perpendicular to the direction. The first elastic support portion extends obliquely with respect to the fitting direction from the side portion of the first housing toward the outside as viewed from the side surface of the first housing, and is a surface orthogonal to the fitting direction. It consists of a single piece extending in a parallel direction,
The second elastic support portion extends in a direction parallel to a surface orthogonal to the fitting direction from the side portion of the first housing toward the outside as viewed from a side surface of the first housing and in the fitting direction. The self-aligning connector according to claim 1, wherein the self-aligning connector has a piece shape that rises along the first housing and extends in the parallel direction toward the outside of the first housing. The first elastic support portion is formed on a side portion of the first housing so that a shape viewed from the fitting direction is a substantially plate surface shape or a substantially U-shape. Item 3. The self-aligning connector according to item 1 or 2. The second elastic support portion is formed on a side portion of the first housing so that a shape viewed from a direction parallel to a surface orthogonal to the fitting direction is substantially L-shaped. The self-aligning connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3. When the first elastic support portion is substantially U-shaped when viewed from the fitting direction, the second elastic support portion rises from the inner space of the U-shaped portion to the rise of the second elastic support portion. The self-aligning connector according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the self-aligning connector is formed on a side portion of the first housing in a state where the portion passes.   The self-aligning connector according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the mounting member is an automobile instrument panel.

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