JP2009117193A - Connector and detection terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connector and a detection terminal increasing reliability of detection of fitting. <P>SOLUTION: A pair of detection terminals 30A, 30B includes connecting parts 31A, 31B connected to mating detection terminals 60A, 60B and switch parts 32A, 32B performing on/off operations between the detection terminals 30A, 30B not cooperating with the connecting parts 31A, 31B. The switch parts 32A, 32B are pushed to a movable part 70 in the course of fitting with a mating connector 50 to be maintained in a non-contact state between the detection terminals 30A, 30B and are released from the movable part 70 with the completion of fitting with the mating connector 50 into a contact state between the detection terminals 30A, 30B. Before the switch parts enter the contact state, the connecting parts 31A, 31B are connected to the mating detection terminals 60A, 60B to close a detection circuit. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector and a detection terminal accommodated in the connector.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, some connectors are provided with detection terminals in order to electrically detect whether or not male and female connectors are properly fitted (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This means that when the connector is properly fitted with the mating connector, the detection terminal accommodated in the connector comes into contact with the mating detection terminal accommodated in the mating connector to close the detection circuit. A lock arm (movable part) that holds the mating connector in a fitted state is provided.
The detection terminal is composed of a board part, a bifurcated spring piece folded back from the front end thereof, and a connecting part formed by bridging the rear ends of both spring pieces. When the lock arm is bent and deformed, the lock arm presses the connecting portion to deform both spring pieces to a position where they are dissociated from the counterpart detection terminal, so that the counterpart detection terminal is kept in a non-contact state. Then, the detection terminal uses the return operation of the lock arm upon completion of the mating with the mating connector to restore both spring pieces, and the corresponding mating detection terminal is brought into contact with both spring pieces, thereby detecting the mating detection terminal. And short circuit.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-74025

  In the above case, the detection terminal is directly engaged with and interlocked with the lock arm, and the structure and arrangement of the detection terminal are restricted by the operation of the lock arm. Therefore, as described above, it is necessary to extend the spring piece of the detection terminal from the contact position with the counterpart detection terminal to a position pressed by the lock arm, and the detection terminal and the counterpart detection terminal are caused by wobbling of the spring piece. Connection reliability may be impaired.

  This invention is completed based on the above situations, Comprising: It aims at providing the connector and detection terminal which improved the reliability of fitting detection.

  As a means for achieving the above object, the invention of claim 1 is a connector main body having a movable portion that is displaced in the process of mating with the mating connector and returns upon completion of mating with the mating connector; A pair of detection terminals housed in the connector body, wherein the detection terminal is a connection part connectable to the counterpart detection terminal, and a switch that is turned on / off in an interlocked manner with the connection part between the detection terminals. And the switch part is pressed by the movable part in the fitting process with the mating connector and kept in a non-contact state between the two detection terminals, and with the completion of the mating with the mating connector The detection circuit is closed by disengaging from the movable part and being in a contact state between the two detection terminals, and before the contact state is established, the connection part is connected to the counterpart detection terminal. Specially where the connector is Having.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the connecting portion includes a flexible elastic contact piece and a cylindrical portion surrounding the elastic contact piece. It is characterized in that it enters into the cylindrical portion and elastically contacts the elastic contact piece.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a detection terminal accommodated in a pair with a connector main body having a movable portion that is displaced during the mating with the mating connector and returns to the original position upon completion of the mating with the mating connector. A connecting portion connectable to the counterpart detection terminal, and a switch portion that is turned on / off in an interlocked manner with the connection portion between the detection terminals, and the switch portion is fitted to the counterpart connector. It is pressed by the movable part in the joining process and is kept in a non-contact state between the two detection terminals, and is disengaged from the movable part upon completion of the mating with the mating connector to be in a contact state between the two detection terminals. And before it will be in this contact state, it has the characteristics in that the said connection part is a detection terminal of the structure which closes a detection circuit by connecting with the said other party detection terminal.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the present invention, the connecting portion includes a flexible elastic contact piece and a cylindrical portion surrounding the elastic contact piece. It is characterized in that it enters into the cylindrical portion and elastically contacts the elastic contact piece.

<Invention of Claims 1 and 3>
Since the connection part is not interlocked with the switch part, it is not affected by the operation of the movable part, so that the connection reliability between the detection terminal and the counterpart detection terminal can be ensured. On the other hand, since the switch portion is not affected by the connection operation of the connection portion, smoothness of the switching operation of contact (on) / non-contact (off) with the movable portion can be ensured. Thereby, the reliability of fitting detection is improved.
Furthermore, since the switch unit is brought into contact and the detection circuit is closed after the connection unit and the counterpart detection terminal are connected, there is a time difference between the connection timing of the connection unit and the timing of closing the detection circuit. Allowed. Therefore, it is not necessary to strictly set the connection timing of the connection portion, and the dimensional tolerance of the connection portion can be increased to increase the degree of freedom in structural design.

<Invention of Claims 2 and 4>
Since the counterpart detection terminal enters into the cylindrical portion and elastically contacts the elastic contact piece, the cylindrical portion prevents the counterpart detection terminal from wobbling, and the connection reliability between the detection terminal and the counterpart detection terminal can be further increased. .

<Embodiment 1>
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The connector 10 of the present embodiment includes a connector main body 20 and detection terminals 30A and 30B. The connector main body 20 can be fitted to the mating connector 50 and has a movable portion 70.

  The mating connector 50 includes a synthetic resin hood 51 and conductive metal mating detection terminals 60A and 60B. The counterpart detection terminals 60A and 60B are elongated in a tab shape and are arranged in parallel in pairs in the width direction (direction perpendicular to the fitting direction). The hood portion 51 is connected to the printed circuit board 80 and has a cylindrical shape as a whole, and a pair of counterpart detection terminals 60A and 60B project in parallel with each other. In addition, the mating connector 50 accommodates a mating male terminal fitting (not shown) connected to the end of the electric wire.

  The connector main body 20 is made of a synthetic resin, has a block shape, and can be fitted into the mating hood portion 51. The detection terminals 30A and 30B are accommodated in the connector main body 20, and are arranged adjacent to each other in parallel at a position corresponding to the counterpart detection terminals 60A and 60B. The movable portion 70 is formed of, for example, a lock arm, and is bent and deformed by interference with a mating lock receiving portion (not shown) while the connector main body 20 is engaged with the mating connector 50. When the normal fitting (fitting completion) is performed, it is elastically returned to the original position to lock the mating lock receiving portion, thereby holding the connector main body 20 to the mating connector 50 in a detachment restricted state. In addition, the connector body 20 accommodates a female terminal fitting (not shown) that is connected to the end of the electric wire and is connectable to the mating male terminal fitting.

  The detection terminals 30A and 30B are formed by bending a single metal plate or the like, and as shown in FIG. 4, the detection terminals 30A and 30B are elongated in the front-rear direction (fitting direction) as a whole. Specifically, the detection terminals 30A and 30B are composed of a first detection terminal 30A and a second detection terminal 30B, and have connection portions 31A and 31B on the front side and switch portions 32A and 32B on the rear side, respectively. The first detection terminal 30A and the second detection terminal 30B can be switched to a contact / non-contact state via the switch portions 32A and 32B.

  The connection portions 31A and 31B correspond to a front box-shaped portion of a known female terminal fitting, and can be directly connected to the counterpart detection terminals 60A and 60B, and can accept the counterpart detection terminals 60A and 60B from the front. These are provided with cylindrical tube portions 33A and 33B having a rectangular tube shape, and elastic contact pieces 34A and 34B disposed in the tube portions 33A and 33B so as to be able to bend and deform. The cylindrical portions 33A and 33B are formed into a square cylindrical shape by bending a portion protruding laterally from both side edges of the substrate portions 35A and 35B extending in a strip shape in the front-rear direction in the width direction, and the elastic contact pieces 34A and 34B are formed. The portions projecting forward from the front ends of the substrate portions 35A and 35B are folded back into a substantially chevron shape and directed to the rear. Here, the mating detection terminals 60A and 60B enter the cylindrical portions 33A and 33B in the process of fitting the connectors 10 and 50, and the tops of the peaks of the elastic contact pieces 34A and 34B and the inner surfaces of the cylindrical portions 33A and 33B. Are connected to the detection terminals 30A and 30B in a state of being elastically sandwiched therebetween. The shapes of the connecting portions 31A and 31B do not change between the first detection terminal 30A and the second detection terminal 30B, and both have a common structure.

  The switch portions 32A, 32B are formed into a polygonal cylinder shape (specifically, a pentagonal cylinder shape) by bending a portion protruding from one side edge of the substrate portions 35A, 35B continuous from the connection portions 31A, 31B in the width direction a plurality of times. A gap is formed between the bent end and the other side edge of the substrate portions 35A and 35B. The switch portions 32A and 32B can be bent and deformed with one side edge of the board portions 35A and 35B as the base end, and the other side edge of the board portions 35A and 35B is connected to the switch portions 32A and 32B that are bent and deformed. Relief recesses 36A and 36B for avoiding interference together with the gap are provided by notching.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the switch part 32A of the first detection terminal 30A is arranged on the right side in the rear view, and the switch part 32B of the second detection terminal 30B is arranged on the left side in the rear view. Both the switch portions 32A and 32B have symmetrical shapes (contact points 39A and 39B to be described later) with a boundary line S drawn between the first detection terminal 30A and the second detection terminal 30B at a right angle to the parallel direction. Excluding). The movable portion 70 can be engaged with the switch portions 32A and 32B from above in the illustrated manner so that the switch portions 32A and 32B are inserted between the opposing plates 41A and 41B facing each other.

  The opposing plates 41A and 41B of both the switch portions 32A and 32B are connected to guide portions 37A and 37B that expand toward the upper side in the drawing (the side where the movable portion 70 is disposed) and the narrowed ends of the guide portions 37A and 37B. In the natural state (the state before the bending deformation), the deforming portions 38A and 38B are opposed to each other in parallel and perpendicularly with a slight gap, and are expanded and deformed at an inclination opposite to the guiding portions 37A and 37B during the bending deformation. It consists of. The deforming portions 38A and 38B are provided with contact portions 39A and 39B that come into contact with the wall surfaces of the opposing deforming portions 38A and 38B facing each other in the natural state, and are separated from the wall surfaces when deformed. The contact portions 39A, 39B are embossed toward the opposing counterpart detection terminals 30A, 30B, and are displaced forward and backward at the detection terminals 30A, 30B. The first detection terminal 30A is located forward and the second detection terminal 30B is located rearward.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.
A pair of mating detection terminals 60 </ b> A and 60 </ b> B are accommodated in the mating connector 50, and a pair of detection terminals 30 </ b> A and 30 </ b> B are accommodated in the connector main body 20. At this time, the detection terminals 30A and 30B are brought into contact with each other by bringing the contact portions 39A and 39B into contact with the counterpart switch portions 32A and 32B (see FIG. 4). Subsequently, the connector main body 20 is fitted into the hood portion 51 of the mating connector 50. In the process of fitting, when the movable portion 70 is bent and deformed and displaced toward the detection terminals 30A and 30B, the movable portion 70 abuts on both the switch portions 32A and 32B and is guided to the guide portions 37A and 37B. In this way, the two opposing plates 41A and 41B are separated, whereby the deformed portions 38A and 38B are released and pushed into the recessed portions 36A and 36B, and the two contact portions 39A and 39B are separated from each other (FIG. 1 and FIG. (See FIG. 7). When the fitting further proceeds, the mating detection terminals 60A and 60B enter the cylindrical portions 33A and 33B of the sensing terminals 30A and 30B, and the mating detection terminals 60A and 60B elastically contact the elastic contact pieces 34A and 34B. As a result, the detection terminals 30A and 30B and the counterpart detection terminals 60A and 60B are brought into contact with each other. At this time, the connector body 20 has not yet been fitted into the hood portion 51 at a normal depth, and the displacement state (deflection state) of the movable portion 70 is maintained, so that the non-contact state (off state) of both switches is maintained. So that the sensing circuit is not closed (see FIGS. 2 and 6).

  Thereafter, when the connector main body 20 reaches a normal fitting position where the connector main body 20 is fitted into the hood portion 51 at a normal depth, the movable portion 70 is elastically returned to the original position and dissociated from the switch portions 32A and 32B, and is deformed accordingly. The portions 38A and 38B are also elastically returned to their original positions, and the contact portions 39A and 39B are brought into contact with the opposing detection terminals 30A and 30B, respectively (see FIGS. 3 and 5). Then, as shown by the arrow in FIG. 3, the detection circuit is closed in a loop shape, and the electrical signal returned to the printed circuit board 80 from the contact points of both connection portions 31A and 31B through the contact points of both switch portions 32A and 32B. By detecting this electric signal, it can be understood that both connectors 10 and 50 are in a properly fitted state. On the other hand, when such an electrical signal cannot be detected, it is proof that the connectors 10 and 50 have not yet reached the normal fitting position. In this case, the connector body 20 is pushed further deeply into the hood 51 and the connectors 10 and 10 , 50 is brought to a normal fitting state.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the connection portions 31A and 31B are not interlocked with the switch portions 32A and 32B and are not affected by the operation of the movable portion 70. Connection reliability with the terminals 60A and 60B can be ensured. On the other hand, since the switch portions 32A and 32B are not affected by the connection operation of the connection portions 31A and 31B, the smoothness of the switching operation of contact (ON) / non-contact (OFF) with the movable portion 70 can be ensured. Thereby, the reliability of a fitting detection function is improved.

  In addition, since the switch units 32A and 32B are brought into contact with each other and the detection circuit is closed after the connection units 31A and 31B are connected to the counterpart detection terminals 60A and 60B, the connection timing and the detection circuit of the connection units 31A and 31B are A time difference is allowed to occur with respect to the closing timing. Therefore, it is not necessary to strictly set the connection timing of the connection portions 31A and 31B, and the dimensional tolerance of the connection portions 31A and 31B can be increased to increase the degree of freedom in structural design.

  Further, the mating detection terminals 60A and 60B entering the cylinder portions 33A and 33B elastically contact the elastic contact pieces 34A and 34B, and the mating detection terminals 60A and 60B are in contact with the inner surfaces of the cylinder portions 33A and 33B and the elastic contact pieces 34A. 34B, the wobbling of the counterpart detection terminals 60A and 60B is avoided, and the connection reliability between the detection terminals 30A and 30B and the counterpart detection terminals 60A and 60B is further improved.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the above description and drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.
(1) The shape of the switch portion is arbitrary, and for example, a configuration in which the embossed contact portions are in contact with each other in a contact state (ON state) may be employed.
(2) The movable part may be a lever that engages both connectors with a low operating force by lever action, or a mechanical fitting that allows movement only when both connectors are properly fitted. It may be a slider for joint detection.
(3) The connecting portion may have a shape that does not have a cylindrical portion.
(4) The detection terminal may be accommodated in the female connector, and the counterpart detection terminal may be accommodated in the male connector.

In Embodiment 1 of this invention, the schematic when a connector begins to be fitted to a mating connector Schematic diagram in the middle of fitting the connector to the mating connector Schematic diagram when the detection circuit is closed by properly fitting the connector to the mating connector A plan view of a pair of detection terminals in which the switch part is in an ON state. XX sectional view of FIG. A plan view of a pair of detection terminals in which the switch part is in an OFF state. YY sectional view of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Connector 20 ... Connector main body 30A ... 1st detection terminal (detection terminal)
30B ... 2nd detection terminal (detection terminal)
31A, 31B ... Connection part 32A, 32B ... Switch part 33A, 33B ... Tube part 34A, 34B
50 ... Mating connector 60A, 60B ... Mating terminal 70 ... Movable part

Claims (4)

Displaced in the mating process with the mating connector, comprising a connector body having a movable part that returns upon completion of mating with the mating connector, and a pair of detection terminals accommodated in the connector body,
The detection terminal includes a connection portion connectable to the counterpart detection terminal, and a switch portion that performs an on / off operation in conjunction with the connection portion between the detection terminals.
The switch part is pressed by the movable part during the mating process with the mating connector and is kept in a non-contact state between the two detection terminals, and is disengaged from the movable part upon completion of mating with the mating connector. Then, the connector is characterized in that the detection circuit is closed by the contact portion being connected to the counterpart detection terminal before the contact state is established between the detection terminals.   The connecting portion includes a flexible elastic contact piece and a cylindrical portion surrounding the elastic contact piece, and the counterpart detection terminal enters the cylindrical portion and elastically contacts the elastic contact piece. The connector according to claim 1. Displacement in the mating process with the mating connector, a detection terminal accommodated in a pair with a connector body having a movable part that returns to the original position upon completion of mating with the mating connector,
A connection portion connectable to the partner detection terminal, and a switch portion that operates on / off in an interlocked manner with the connection portion between both detection terminals,
The switch part is pressed by the movable part during the mating process with the mating connector and is kept in a non-contact state between the two detection terminals, and is disengaged from the movable part upon completion of mating with the mating connector. Then, the detection terminal is in a contact state between the two detection terminals, and before the contact state is established, the detection circuit is closed by connecting the connecting portion to the counterpart detection terminal. .   The connecting portion includes a flexible elastic contact piece and a cylindrical portion surrounding the elastic contact piece, and the counterpart detection terminal enters the cylindrical portion and elastically contacts the elastic contact piece. The detection terminal according to claim 3.

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