JP2008171626A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connector capable of firmly locking a housing body with an outer section. <P>SOLUTION: An outer housing 20 has a bottom cover member 23 for covering an inner housing 10 at an opposite side to the attaching direction Y2, and a locking section 23A disposed on an end portion of a female terminal of the bottom cover member 23 on a side opposite to the insertion direction Y1, for locking the inner housing 10 at the locking position. The outer housing 20 has a pair of side cover sections 25 nipping the inner housing 10 in the perpendicular direction Y3. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector, and in particular, a connector housing having a terminal locking lance that primarily locks a terminal, and a connector housing that is mounted in the connector housing from a direction orthogonal to the terminal insertion direction to secondary-lock the terminal. The present invention relates to a connector provided with a spacer.

  As the above-described connector, for example, a connector as shown in FIG. 8 has been proposed (for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2). As shown in the figure, the connector is composed of two parts, a connector housing 100 (= housing body) and a retainer 200 (= outer portion). The connector housing 100 has a cavity 101 (= terminal accommodating chamber), a lance (= terminal locking lance) not shown, and a lock arm 102. The lance locks the female terminal 300 accommodated in the cavity 101.

  In the retainer 200, a bottom wall portion 201 (= bottom surface cover portion), four partition walls 202, and a front wall portion 203 are integrally formed. The retainer 200 is mounted on the connector housing 100 from the mounting direction Y2 orthogonal to the insertion direction Y1 of the female terminal 300. The bottom wall 201 covers the opposite side of the connector housing 100 from the mounting direction Y2.

The partition wall 202 is provided with a temporary locking protrusion 204 that locks with the connector housing 100 at a temporary locking position that permits insertion of the female terminal 300 in the cavity 101. The partition wall portion 202 has a main locking projection 206 that locks with the connector housing 100 at a main locking position where the double locking portion 205 protrudes into each cavity 101 and locks to the rear end of the stabilizer 301 of the female terminal 300. Is provided. The front wall 203 covers the insertion direction Y1 side of the female terminal 300 of the connector housing 100, and is provided with a tab insertion hole 207 as a male terminal insertion hole communicating with the cavity 101.
JP-A-10-289747 JP 2001-326011 A

  The above-described locking between the connector housing 100 and the retainer 200 is weak because it is performed only by the temporary locking protrusions 204 and the main locking protrusions 206 provided on the partition wall portion 202. When the bottom wall portion 201 is disposed in the vehicle with the bottom surface as a bottom surface, for example, a force that is pulled to the opposite side of the mounting direction Y2 is applied to the electric wire 302 of the female terminal 300 by gravity or the like. Then, the electric wire 302 applies a force that is pulled to the opposite side of the mounting direction Y2 to the end of the bottom wall 201 opposite to the insertion direction Y1, and the engagement between the connector housing 100 and the retainer 200 is released. There was a problem.

  Then, this invention pays attention to the above problems, and makes it a subject to provide the connector which can latch a housing main body and an outer part firmly.

  The invention according to claim 1, which has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, includes a housing body having a terminal housing chamber, a terminal locking lance for locking the terminal housed in the terminal housing chamber, and an insertion direction of the terminal. A temporary locking position that allows the terminal to be inserted into the terminal receiving chamber and the temporary locking position that allows the terminal to be inserted into the terminal receiving chamber, and prevents the terminal from being detached from the terminal receiving chamber. A bottom cover that covers the opposite side of the housing body in the mounting direction, wherein the outer body is provided with an outer portion formed with a spacer portion that is locked to the housing body at both positions. Engaging the housing body at the temporary locking position and / or the main locking position provided at the end of the bottom cover portion opposite to the terminal insertion direction. It consists in a connector and having a part, a.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the locking portion for locking the housing main body is provided at the end of the bottom cover portion opposite to the terminal insertion direction, the bottom cover is covered by the electric wire connected to the terminal. Even if a force in the detaching direction is applied to the end of the part opposite to the insertion direction of the terminal, the locking is not easily released. In addition, by providing the locking portion on the bottom surface cover portion, it is possible to secure the thickness of the locking portion in the mounting direction, so that the locking can be more easily removed.

  The invention according to claim 2 resides in the connector according to claim 1, wherein the housing body has a lock arm for locking a mating connector provided on the mounting direction side.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, the housing body has the lock arm that locks the mating connector provided on the mounting direction side, so that the mounting direction side where the lock arm is provided faces upward, and the bottom cover If the part is arranged as the bottom, even if a force in the direction of separation is applied to the end of the bottom cover part opposite to the terminal insertion direction by an electric wire connected to the terminal by gravity or the like, the locking is not easily released .

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, the outer portion is formed on a pair of side surface cover portions sandwiching a direction orthogonal to both the mounting direction and the insertion direction of the housing body, and on the outer surface of the pair of side surface cover portions. A bulging portion provided, and a guide groove provided along the mounting direction in a portion of the inner side surface of the pair of side surface cover portions facing the bulging portion, and the housing body includes the guide The connector according to claim 1, further comprising a guide protrusion fitted into the groove.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, the outer portion has the pair of side surface cover portions sandwiching the direction orthogonal to both the mounting direction and the insertion direction of the housing main body, so that it is opposite to the mounting direction. That is, since there is no gap between the outer part and the cover part on the side where the electric wire hangs down, there is no possibility that the electric wire enters the gap and the locking is released. In addition, a guide groove provided in the outer portion with a bulging portion provided on the outer side surface of the pair of side surface cover portions and a portion facing the bulging portion on the inner side surface of the pair of side surface cover portions along the mounting direction. And the housing body has a guide projection that is fitted into the guide groove, so that the outer part and the housing are mounted by mounting the outer part on the housing body so that the guide groove follows the guide protrusion. Reverse assembly with the main body and misalignment of the assembly can be prevented. Furthermore, by providing the guide groove in the portion facing the bulging portion, it is possible to secure the depth of the guide groove while facilitating the mounting operation.

  As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, even if a force in the separation direction is applied to the end of the bottom cover portion opposite to the insertion direction of the terminal by the electric wire connected to the terminal, Hard to come off. In addition, by providing the locking portion on the bottom surface cover portion, it is possible to secure the thickness in the mounting direction of the locking portion, and thus it is possible to make the locking more difficult to release. Can be locked to.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the mounting direction side where the lock arm is provided is directed upward and the bottom surface cover portion is disposed as the bottom surface, the terminals of the bottom surface cover portion are connected to the terminals by gravity or the like. Even if a force in the detaching direction is applied to the end opposite to the insertion direction, the locking is not easily released, so that the housing main body and the outer portion can be locked more firmly.

  According to the invention described in claim 3, since the gap between the outer portion and the cover portion is not provided on the side opposite to the mounting direction, that is, the side where the electric wire hangs down, the electric wire enters the gap and the locking is released. Therefore, the housing main body and the outer portion can be more firmly locked. Further, by attaching the outer portion to the housing body so that the guide groove is along the guide protrusion, it is possible to prevent the outer portion and the housing body from being reversely assembled or misaligned. Furthermore, by providing the guide groove in the portion facing the bulging portion, it is possible to secure the depth of the guide groove while facilitating the mounting operation.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an inner housing and an outer housing of the connector of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a rear view of the connector shown in FIG. 1 in the temporary locking position. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. FIG. 5 is a rear view of the connector shown in FIG. 1 in the final locking position. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, this connector has a synthetic resin inner housing 10 (= housing main body) and a synthetic resin outer housing 20 (= outer portion), as shown in FIG. . The inner housing 10 is provided with twelve terminal accommodating chambers 11 in two stages along the mounting direction Y2. A female terminal (not shown) is inserted and accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber 11 from the female terminal insertion hole 12 toward the insertion direction Y1. The outer housing 20 is mounted on the inner housing 10 from the mounting direction Y2 orthogonal to the insertion direction Y1.

  The inner housing 10 described above has a substantially box shape, and is formed with a fitting groove 13, a lock arm 14, a pair of left and right side surfaces 15, a guide protrusion 16, and a main locking protrusion 17. The fitting groove 13 is provided in the middle of the insertion direction Y1 of the inner housing 10. The fitting groove 13 extends in an orthogonal direction Y3 orthogonal to both the insertion direction Y1 and the mounting direction Y2, and a spacer portion 21 of the outer housing 20 described later is fitted therein. The lock arm 14 is provided on the mounting direction Y2 side of the inner housing 10. The lock arm 14 locks a mating connector housing (not shown).

  The pair of left and right side surfaces 15 are provided to face the orthogonal direction Y3. A terminal accommodating chamber 11 is provided between the pair of left and right side surfaces 15. Locking protrusions 18 are formed on the outer sides of the left and right side surfaces 15 to lock the temporary locking grooves 22A and the main locking grooves 22B of the outer housing 20, respectively.

  The guide protrusion 16 is provided on the outside of the left and right side surfaces 15 so as to protrude in the orthogonal direction Y3. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, the guide protrusion 16 is provided along the mounting direction Y2 so as to be slidably fitted in a guide groove 26 of the outer housing 20 described later in the mounting direction Y2.

  The inner housing 10 is also provided with a flexible terminal locking lance (hereinafter referred to as locking lance) (not shown) provided so as to protrude into each terminal accommodating chamber 11. The locking lance is provided closer to the insertion direction Y1 than the fitting groove 13. The locking lance locks the female terminal accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber 11. The locking lance is formed in a cantilever shape in which the insertion direction Y1 side is a free end, and the free end is flexibly provided in the mounting direction Y2.

  The main locking projection 17 is provided at the end of the inner housing 10 opposite to the mounting direction Y2 and opposite to the insertion direction Y1. The main locking projection 17 is provided so as to protrude toward the opposite side of the mounting direction Y2. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, a locking claw 17 </ b> A is provided on the insertion direction Y <b> 1 side of the locking protrusion 17. The locking claw 17A is provided on the opposite side of the mounting direction Y1 so as to be able to bend and deform. As shown in FIG. 6, the locking claw 17 </ b> A is provided so as to be fully locked to a locking portion 23 </ b> A of the outer housing 20 described later.

  The outer housing 20 is integrally formed with a bottom cover portion 23, a front portion 24, a pair of side surface cover portions 25, a guide groove 26, a bulging portion 27, and the spacer portion 21 described above. The bottom cover portion 23 covers the side opposite to the mounting direction Y2 of the inner housing 10. A bulging portion 28 is provided at the end of the bottom cover portion 23 opposite to the insertion direction Y1. The bulging portion 28 is provided so as to protrude toward the side opposite to the mounting direction Y2. The bulging portion 28 and the bottom cover portion 23 are formed with a notch 29 into which the main locking projection 17 is fitted. And the latching | locking part 23A provided in the edge part on the opposite side to the insertion direction Y1 of the bottom face cover part 23 from this notch part 29 is exposed.

  The front portion 24 is erected at the end of the bottom cover portion 23 on the insertion direction Y1 side. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the front portion 24 is provided so as to cover the insertion direction Y1 side of the inner housing 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the front portion 24 is formed with a male terminal insertion hole 24 </ b> A that communicates with each terminal accommodating chamber 11 and into which a mating male terminal is inserted.

  The pair of side surface cover portions 25 are erected on the end portions of the bottom surface cover portion 23 in the orthogonal direction Y3. The pair of side cover portions 25 are provided so as to cover the left and right side surfaces 15 of the inner housing 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the pair of side cover portions 25 are formed with a temporary locking groove 22 </ b> A and a main locking groove 22 </ b> B inside.

  The temporary locking groove 22A and the main locking groove 22B described above are each formed in a straight line along the insertion direction Y1 from the end of the side cover portion 25 opposite to the insertion direction Y1. The bulging portion 27 is provided on the outer surface of the side cover portion 25 so as to protrude in the orthogonal direction Y3. The guide groove 26 is provided along the mounting direction Y <b> 2 at a portion facing the bulging portion 27 on the inner side surface of the side cover portion 25.

  The above-described female terminal (not shown) includes a crimping piece to which the electric wire is caulked and fixed, a spacer locking step portion to be locked with the spacer portion, a lance locking step portion to be locked with the terminal locking lance, A cylindrical portion into which the male terminal enters is provided in this order along the insertion direction Y1.

  Next, a procedure for assembling the connector described above will be described. First, the outer housing 20 is slid in the mounting direction Y2 side with the guide protrusion 16 fitted in the guide groove 26, and mounted on the inner housing 10. At this time, the spacer portion 21 is inserted into the fitting groove 13 of the inner housing 10.

  When the outer housing 20 is slid along the guide protrusion 16, the locking protrusion 18 formed on the inner housing 10 is temporarily locked by the temporary locking groove 22 </ b> A of the outer housing 20. In this temporary locking position, the spacer portion 21 allows insertion of female terminals into the terminal accommodating chamber 11.

  Next, the female terminal is inserted from the female terminal insertion hole 12 in the insertion direction Y1. When the female terminal is completely received in the terminal receiving chamber 11, the terminal locking lance temporarily locks the lance locking step portion of the female terminal, and the female terminal is received and held in the terminal receiving chamber 11. .

  Finally, the outer housing 20 is further pressed and slid in the mounting direction Y2. As a result, the temporary locking between the temporary locking groove 22A and the locking protrusion 18 is released, and the locking protrusion 18 formed on the inner housing 10 is locked to the main locking groove 22B of the outer housing 20 to be locked at the final locking position. It becomes.

  Further, when the locking claw 17A reaches the locking portion 23A by the slide, the main locking projection 17 bends to the opposite side to the insertion direction Y1, and slides on the opposite side of the locking portion 23A from the insertion direction Y1.

  When the outer housing 20 is further slid and the locking claw 17A gets over the locking portion 23A as shown in FIG. 6, the main locking projection 17 is restored, and the locking claw 17A and the locking portion 23A are locked. This is the final locking position. At this time, since the bulging portion 28 is located on the opposite side to the mounting direction Y2 of the locking claw 17A and covers the tip of the main locking projection 17, the locking by the locking claw 17A is not easily released. Yes.

  At this time, the spacer locking step portion of the female terminal is finally locked by the spacer portion 21. Thus, in the main locking position, the spacer portion 21 locks the female terminal, and even if the locking of the female terminal by the locking terminal lance is released, the female terminal is removed from the terminal accommodating chamber. It is designed not to come out.

  According to the embodiment described above, since the locking portion 23A for locking the inner housing 10 is provided at the end of the bottom cover portion 23 opposite to the insertion direction Y1, the electric wire connected to the female terminal is used. Even if a force in the detachment direction is applied to the end of the bottom cover portion 20 opposite to the insertion direction Y1, it is difficult to release the lock. In addition, by providing the locking portion 23A on the bottom surface cover portion 23, the thickness of the locking portion 23A in the mounting direction Y2 can be ensured, so that the locking can be made more difficult to disengage. The housing 20 can be firmly locked.

  In addition, according to the above-described embodiment, the outer housing 20 has the pair of side surface cover portions 25 that sandwich the orthogonal direction Y3 of the inner housing 10, and therefore, the side opposite to the mounting direction Y2, that is, the electric wire hangs down. Since the gap S between the outer housing 20 and the inner housing 10 is not provided on the side where the inner housing 10 is located, there is no fear that the electric wire enters the gap S and the locking is released, and the inner housing 10 and the outer housing 20 are further released. Can be firmly locked. The side surface of the guide protrusion 16 is wedge-shaped (that is, the guide protrusion 16 is formed so that the width of the guide protrusion 16 on the side cover portion 25 side is wider than the width of the left and right side surfaces 15 side), and the guide groove 26, the guide groove 26 is formed in a shape corresponding to the guide protrusion 16 (that is, the guide groove 26 is formed so that the groove width on the side cover portion 25 side of the guide groove 26 is wider than the width on the left and right side surfaces 15 side). Opening can be prevented more reliably.

  Further, according to the above-described embodiment, the outer housing 20 is opposed to the bulging portion 27 provided on the outer surface of the pair of side surface cover portions 25 and the bulging portion 27 on the inner side surface of the pair of side surface cover portions 25. Since the inner housing 10 has the guide protrusion 16 fitted to the guide groove 26, the guide groove 26 is provided as a guide. By mounting the outer housing 20 on the inner housing 10 along the protrusions 16, it is possible to prevent reverse assembly and misalignment of the outer housing 20 and the inner housing 10. Further, by providing the guide groove 26 in a portion facing the bulging portion 27, the depth of the guide groove 26 can be secured, and the mounting operation can be further facilitated.

  Further, the above-described embodiments are merely representative forms of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments. That is, various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the inner housing and outer housing of the connector of this invention. It is a rear view of the connector shown in FIG. 1 in a temporary latching position. It is the III-III sectional view taken on the line of FIG. It is the IV-IV sectional view taken on the line of FIG. It is a rear view of the connector shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 5. It is the VII-VII sectional view taken on the line of FIG. It is a disassembled oblique view which shows the conventional connector.

Explanation of symbols

10 Inner housing (housing body)
11 Terminal housing chamber 14 Lock arm 16 Guide protrusion 20 Outer housing (outer portion)
21 Spacer part 23 Bottom cover part 23A Locking part 25 Side cover part 26 Guide groove 27 Swelling part Y1 Insertion direction Y2 Mounting direction

Claims (3)

(A) a housing body having a terminal housing chamber and a terminal locking lance for locking a terminal housed in the terminal housing chamber; and
(B) The terminal receiving chamber is fixed to a temporary locking position that allows the terminal to be inserted into the terminal housing chamber while being mounted to the housing body from a mounting direction orthogonal to the terminal insertion direction. In the connector provided with an outer portion formed with a spacer portion that is locked to the housing main body at both the position of the main locking position that prevents coming off from the housing,
The outer cover includes a bottom cover that covers a side opposite to the mounting direction of the housing body; and the temporary locking position provided at an end of the bottom cover that is opposite to the terminal insertion direction and / or Or a locking portion for locking the housing body at the main locking position.   The connector according to claim 1, wherein the housing body has a lock arm that locks a mating connector provided on the mounting direction side. A pair of side cover parts sandwiching a direction orthogonal to both the mounting direction and the insertion direction of the housing body, and a bulge part provided on an outer surface of the pair of side cover parts, A guide groove provided along the mounting direction in a portion of the inner side surface of the pair of side surface cover portions facing the bulging portion;
The connector according to claim 1, wherein the housing main body includes a guide protrusion that is fitted into the guide groove.

Images