JP2010161018A - Connector fitting method, connector housing, and fitting auxiliary tool - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connector fitting method capable of securing an excellent graspability on a connecting operation to another connector housing to easily perform a fitting connection even when the connector housing is small, and capable of avoiding troubles due to a user's mistaken contact by his/her hand or finger. <P>SOLUTION: A fitting auxiliary tool 14 serving as a handle on the fitting operation is fitted at least to one connector housing 11 beforehand, when male and female connector housings 11, 12 are connected to each other, and the tool 14 is removed on completion of mutual connection in the male and female connector housings 11, 12. Consequently, excellent graspability can be secured on the connecting operation to easily perform the fitting connection, and troubles due to user's mistaken contact by his/her hand or finger can be avoided. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector fitting method, a connector housing, and a fitting auxiliary jig that facilitate and ensure a fitting connection between male and female connector housings.

FIG. 17 shows a conventional example of male and female connector housings to be fitted and connected.
The male and female connector housings 1 and 2 shown here are those disclosed in the following Patent Document 1, and the upper surface of the female connector housing 1 is armed when the fitting between the connector housings 1 and 2 is normally completed. A lock arm 3 is provided in which a locking portion 3b on the main body 3a engages with an engagement portion 5 of the male connector housing 2 to lock the fitting state.

  17A shows a state in which the male and female connector housings 1 and 2 are in the middle of fitting, and FIG. 17B shows a state in which the male and female connector housings 1 and 2 have been fitted together.

  A release lever 7 is provided on the upper surface of the female connector housing 1 so as to be adjacent to the lock arm 3. The release lever 7 includes a linkage portion 7a provided in the vicinity of the locking portion 3b, an operation portion 7b that performs a pressing operation with a finger, and a fulcrum portion 7c that acts in a direction in which the locking portion 3b is released and displaced. These function to constitute a mechanical lever.

As shown in FIG. 17 (c), when the operation portion 7 b is pushed down in a state where the connector housings 1 and 2 are connected to each other, the release lever 7 is in contact with the inner wall of the male connector housing 2. 7c is pivoted downward about the fulcrum, and the locking portion 3b connected to the release lever 7 by the linkage portion 7a is displaced downward, and the locked state is released.
In this unlocked state, the connector housings 1 and 2 can be disengaged by pulling the female connector housing 1 backward (in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 17C).

JP 2006-147291 A

By the way, although the connector housings 1 and 2 as described above are being reduced in size and weight in order to reduce the manufacturing cost and the occupied space at the arrangement place, In many cases, it is not possible to secure an appropriately sized gripping portion with good operability during fitting connection.
In addition, since it is not possible to secure a moderately sized gripping portion with good operability, it may be difficult to fit and connect the connector housings 1 and 2.

  In addition, since a clear gripping portion is not secured in the connector housings 1 and 2, the place to be gripped at the time of mating and connecting work is left to the operator, and the operator's fingers are mistakenly operated by the operator during the mating and connecting operation. When touching 7b, the release lever 7 may be actuated to cause poor fitting.

  Further, when the connector housings are fitted and connected, the operation sound generated when the lock arm 3 of one of the connector housings is engaged with the engaging portion 5 of the mating connector housing is normally completed. I often check to see if I did it. However, in the case of a small connector housing in which a dedicated gripping part cannot be secured, for example, since the operator's fingers are touching the lock arm 3 during connection work, the operation sound associated with the engagement at the time of locking is lower than usual. Therefore, there is an inconvenience that the operation sound is mixed with ambient noise, and it is impossible to confirm the completion of the fitting connection work from the operation sound.

  An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and even when the connector housing is small, it is possible to secure a good gripping property when fitting and connecting the connector housings and to facilitate the fitting and connecting work. In addition, a connector that can avoid the occurrence of inconveniences such as a reduction in operating noise caused by the operator's fingers accidentally touching the lock arm or the like because the gripping portion is unclear during the fitting and connection work To provide a fitting method, a connector housing, and a fitting auxiliary jig.

The above-described object of the present invention is achieved by the following configuration.
(1) When the male and female connector housings are fitted and connected, at least one of the connector housings is fitted in advance with a fitting auxiliary jig serving as a grip portion during the fitting operation. A connector fitting method, wherein the fitting auxiliary jig is removed after the fitting connection is completed.

  (2) A connector housing characterized in that a jig coupling portion is provided at the rear end of the connector housing for detachably coupling a fitting auxiliary jig serving as a gripping portion when fitting and connecting to the mating connector housing. .

(3) The connector housing is detachably coupled to the rear end of the connector housing, and is used as a grip portion when the connector housing is mated and connected to the mating connector housing. A fitting auxiliary jig to be removed from the housing,
A fitting auxiliary jig comprising: a housing coupling portion coupled to a jig coupling portion provided in the connector housing; and a grip portion provided with a size and a shape that are easy to grip.

(4) The housing coupling portion includes a connector fitting portion that removably fits into a jig fitting hole provided at a rear end of one connector housing as the jig coupling portion, and the jig fitting. A coupling locking piece that engages with a step inside one connector housing when the fitting between the hole and the connector fitting portion is completed, and locks the coupling state between the one connector housing and the fitting auxiliary jig; With
The engagement state of the coupling lock piece with respect to the one connector housing is released by elastically deforming the coupling lock piece by a disengagement member provided in the mating connector housing when the mating connection between the connector housings is completed. The fitting auxiliary jig according to (3), wherein the fitting auxiliary jig is performed.

  In the connector mating method shown in (1) above, the connector housing to which the mating auxiliary jig is fitted and mounted is used as a mating part even when the connector housing itself is small. Since the fitting connection to the connector housing can be performed, good fitting property can be secured at the time of the fitting connection work between the connector housings, and the fitting connection work can be facilitated.

  Moreover, the connector housing equipped with the fitting auxiliary jig serving as the gripping portion has a clear gripping portion at the time of fitting and connecting work. Accordingly, since the gripping portion is unclear during the fitting and connecting work, it is possible to prevent the gripping part from being left to the operator and the operator's fingers to accidentally touch the lock arm or the like.

  Therefore, inconveniences caused by the operator's fingers accidentally touching the lock arm or the like during the mating connection work, for example, inconveniences such as occurrence of poor fitting or reduction of operation sound when the mating connection is completed. Can be avoided. Therefore, it is also easy to confirm the completion of the fitting connection work from the operation sound at the completion of the fitting connection between the connector housings.

  According to the configuration of (2) above, it is possible to fit and connect the fitting auxiliary jig to the rear end of the connector housing, and the male and female connector housings can be fitted to each other using the fitting auxiliary jig as a grip portion. The connector fitting method described in the above (1) for performing the connection work can be performed.

  According to the configuration of (3) above, since the fitting assist jig has a gripping portion of a size and shape that can be easily grasped, the dimensions and the like of the connector housing to which the fitting assist jig is coupled are affected. In addition, when the connector housings are fitted and connected to each other, good gripping properties can be secured and the fitting and connecting work can be facilitated.

  According to the configuration of (4) above, the mating auxiliary jig coupled to the rear end of the connector housing is locked in the coupled state with the connector housing by the coupling lock piece. The connection with the connector housing is not inadvertently disconnected during the connection work, and a stable gripping property can be provided during the fitting connection work between the connector housings.

  In addition, the coupling lock piece that locks the coupling state with the connector housing is unlocked by the engagement release member provided in the mating connector housing when the male and female connector housings are connected to each other. It becomes possible to remove the fitting assist jig from the rear end of the connector housing.

  In other words, the fact that the lock state of the coupling lock piece is released and the fitting auxiliary jig becomes detachable from the connector housing means that the fitting connection of the male and female connector housings has been normally completed, Can be used to confirm completion of mating connection work.

  Therefore, even if it is difficult to hear the operation sound at the completion of the mating connection between the connector housings due to noise at the work site, etc., confirm whether the mating connection between the connector housings is complete by whether or not the mating auxiliary jig can be removed. Can do.

  According to the connector fitting method using the connector housing and the fitting auxiliary jig according to the present invention, the connector housing to which the fitting auxiliary jig is fitted and mounted is mounted even when the connector housing itself is small. Since the fitting auxiliary jig can be used as a gripping part to be fitted and connected to the mating connector housing, it is possible to secure a good gripping property at the time of fitting and connecting the connector housings and facilitate the fitting and connecting work.

  Moreover, the connector housing equipped with the fitting auxiliary jig serving as the gripping portion has a clear gripping portion at the time of fitting and connecting work. Accordingly, since the gripping portion is unclear during the fitting and connecting work, it is possible to prevent the gripping part from being left to the operator and the operator's fingers to accidentally touch the lock arm or the like.

  Therefore, inconvenience caused by the operator's fingers accidentally touching the lock arm or the like during the mating connection work, for example, inconvenience such as occurrence of poor fitting or reduction of operation sound when the mating connection is completed. Can be avoided. Therefore, it is also easy to confirm the completion of the fitting connection work from the operation sound at the completion of the fitting connection between the connector housings.

It is a perspective view of one embodiment of a male and female connector housing and a fitting auxiliary jig to be fitted by the connector fitting method according to the present invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the male and female connector housings shown in FIG. It is AA sectional drawing of FIG. It is a front view of the female connector housing shown in FIG. It is a rear view of the female connector housing shown in FIG. It is BB sectional drawing of FIG. It is an enlarged view of the fitting auxiliary jig shown in FIG. It is a front view of the fitting auxiliary jig shown in FIG. It is CC sectional drawing of FIG. It is a front view of the male connector housing shown in FIG. (A) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the state in the middle of the fitting connection of the female connector housing and fitting auxiliary jig | tool shown in FIG. 2, (b) is DD sectional drawing of (a). (A) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the state at the time of the completion of fitting connection of the female connector housing and fitting auxiliary jig | tool shown in FIG. 2, (b) is EE sectional drawing of (a). FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the female connector housing and the fitting auxiliary jig shown in FIG. (A) is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in the middle of fitting between the female connector housing with the fitting auxiliary jig shown in FIG. 12 and the male connector housing shown in FIG. 2, and (b) is shown in (a). FIG. 5C is a longitudinal sectional view of the male and female connector housings in a state immediately before the completion of the mating, and FIG. It is an enlarged view of the F section of FIG.14 (c). It is a perspective view of the fitting completion state of the male and female connector housings shown in FIG. In the explanatory drawing of the conventional male and female connector housings, (a) is a longitudinal sectional view in the middle of mating, (b) is a longitudinal sectional view of the mating completed state, (c) is a release lever operated in the mating completed state It is operation | movement explanatory drawing at the time.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a connector fitting method and a fitting auxiliary jig according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a male and female connector housing and a fitting assist jig to be fitted by the connector fitting method according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a male and female connector housing shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.

  In the connector fitting method according to the embodiment of the present invention, when the male and female connector housings 11 and 12 shown in FIG. 1 are fitted and connected to each other, the female connector housing 11 that is one of the connector housings is fitted in advance. The fitting auxiliary jig 14 which becomes a gripping part at the time of operation is fitted and mounted, and the fitting auxiliary jig 14 is removed from the female connector housing 11 after completion of the fitting connection between the male and female connector housings 11 and 12.

  In order to carry out the connector fitting method described above, the female connector housing 11 includes, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, a terminal accommodating portion 22 in which a plurality of female terminal accommodating holes 21 are arranged, and the terminal accommodating portion. The connector housing 11 is engaged with a female hood portion 24 that defines a fitting space 23 of the male connector housing 12 around 22, and a locking engagement portion 51 on the male connector housing 12 that is normally fitted in the fitting space 23. , 12 and a lock arm 25 for locking the mutual fitting state.

  The lock arm 25 is provided with a lock protrusion 25b protruding toward the fitting space 23 at the front end of an arm 25a extending from the rear end side of the housing toward the front end of the housing. The male connector housing 12 is prevented from coming off by being engaged with the step at the rear end of the locking engagement portion 51. Note that both sides of the lock protrusion 25b extend to the front end side of the housing, and the lock protrusion 25b is supported at both ends.

In the case of the present embodiment, a jig coupling portion 31 for detachably coupling the fitting auxiliary jig 14 is provided at the rear end of the female connector housing 11.
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the jig coupling portion 31 includes a pair of jig fitting holes 32 formed in the upper portion of the terminal accommodating portion 22 in parallel with the fitting direction between the connector housings, and a female connector. The jig hood locking portion 33 detachably locks the jig hood portion 43 of the fitting auxiliary jig 14 detachably fitted to the outer periphery of the rear end of the housing 11, and the jig hood locking portion 33 And a step 34 for detachably coupling the fitting auxiliary jig 14 locked to the upper end of the connector housing 11.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the fitting auxiliary jig 14 is fitted and attached to the rear end of the female connector housing 11 and is used as a grip when the female connector housing 11 and the male connector housing 12 are fitted and connected. The housing coupling portion 41 coupled to the jig coupling portion 31 provided in the female connector housing 11 and the gripping portion 42 provided with a size and shape that are easy to grip are integrally formed of resin. Yes.

  In the case of this embodiment, the housing coupling portion 41 has a jig hood portion 43 detachably fitted to the outer periphery of the rear end of the female connector housing 11 and a jig fitting provided at the rear end of the female connector housing 11. The female connector housing 11 is engaged with the connector hood locking portion 33 when the fitting of the connector fitting portion 45 detachably fitted into the hole 32 and the fitting of the jig fitting hole 32 and the connector fitting portion 45 is completed. When the fitting between the connector fitting projection 46 and the fitting fitting hole 32 and the connector fitting portion 45 is completed, the step 34 inside the female connector housing 11 is formed. A coupling lock piece 47 that engages and locks the coupling state of the female connector housing 11 and the fitting assist jig 14 is provided.

  In the case of the present embodiment, the engagement state of the coupling lock piece 47 with respect to the female connector housing 11 is a male release member provided on the mating connector housing 12 when the connector housings 11 and 12 are completely connected to each other. It is released by the front end portion 54 of the hood portion 53 colliding and elastically deforming the coupling lock piece 47.

  As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the grip portion 42 of the fitting assist jig 14 is formed with a plurality of step shapes 48 that prevent slipping as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 10, the male connector housing 12 is formed with a terminal accommodating portion 56 in which a plurality of male terminal accommodating holes 55 are arranged and extended at the outer peripheral portion on the distal end side of the terminal accommodating portion 56. The locking projection 25b of the locking arm 25 of the female connector housing 11 when the male hood portion 53 that fits into the fitting space 23 of the connector housing 11 and the fitting connection between the female connector housing 11 and the male connector housing 12 are completed normally. And an engaging portion 51 for locking.

  Next, a procedure for fitting and connecting the female connector housing 11 and the male connector housing 12 described above will be described with reference to the drawings.

First, as shown in FIG. 11, the housing coupling portion 41 of the fitting auxiliary jig 14 is fitted into the jig coupling portion 31 of the female connector housing 11, and the fitting auxiliary jig 14 as shown in FIG. 12. The connector coupling protrusion 46 is engaged with the jig hood locking portion 33 and the coupling lock piece 47 is engaged with the step 34, so that the coupling between the fitting assist jig 14 and the female connector housing 11 is locked. Get state.
FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a state in which the fitting auxiliary jig 14 is coupled and locked to the rear end of the female connector housing 11.

  Next, as shown in FIGS. 14A, 14 </ b> B, and 14 </ b> C, the female connector housing 11 to which the fitting auxiliary jig 14 is coupled is fitted to the male connector housing 12. During this operation, the female connector housing 11 is operated by gripping the grip portion 42 of the fitting assist jig 14.

  The fitting of the connector housings 11 and 12 proceeds in the order of (a) and (b). When the fitting of these connector housings 11 and 12 is completed normally, as shown in FIG. The lock projections 25b of the lock arm 25 of the female connector housing 11 are engaged with the locking engagement portions 51 of the connector housing 12, and the fitting state between the connector housings 11 and 12 is locked.

  When the fitting state between the connector housings 11 and 12 is locked, as shown in FIG. 15, the distal end portion 54 of the male hood portion 53 that is pushed into the fitting space 23 of the female connector housing 11 in the arrow X direction is coupled. As shown by an arrow Y, the joint lock piece 47 is caused to bend to collide with the tapered surface 47a at the tip of the lock piece 47 to displace the tip part of the joint lock piece 47 in the direction away from the step 34. 47 and the step 34 are disengaged.

  Therefore, as shown by arrows F and G in FIG. 16, when the fitting assisting jig 14 is pulled in the direction of pulling out from the female connector housing 11, the fitting assisting jig 14 is detached from the female connector housing 11, and the female connector is removed. A state in which the housing 11 and the male connector housing 12 are fitted and connected is obtained.

  As described above, the female connector housing 11 equipped with the jig coupling portion 31 at the rear end can be fitted and connected to the fitting auxiliary jig 14 at the rear end of the housing. Using the tool 14 as a gripping part, it is possible to implement a connector fitting method for performing a fitting connection work between male and female connector housings.

  Further, as in the above embodiment, in the case where the fitting assist jig 14 is configured to include the housing coupling portion 41 for coupling to the female connector housing 11 and the gripping portion 42 for gripping, By setting the size and shape of the portion 42 to be easily gripped, the fitting between the connector housings 11 and 12 is not affected by the dimensions of the female connector housing 11 to which the fitting assisting jig 14 is coupled. A good gripping property can be secured during the mating connection work, and the mating connection work can be facilitated.

  Therefore, in the connector fitting method of the above-described embodiment in which the fitting auxiliary jig 14 is used when the connector housings 11 and 12 are fitted and connected, even if the female connector housing 11 itself is small, the fitted fitting auxiliary treatment is performed. Since the gripping portion 42 of the tool 14 is gripped and can be fitted and connected to the mating connector housing, it is possible to secure a good gripping property when fitting and connecting the connector housings and to facilitate the fitting and connecting work. it can.

  Further, even when the male connector housing 12 is in a position where it is difficult to insert a finger and it is difficult to visually check, the fitting connection work can be facilitated by using the fitting auxiliary jig 14.

  Furthermore, in the connector fitting method of the above-described embodiment, the female connector housing 11 to which the fitting assisting jig 14 serving as a gripping part is attached has a clear gripping part at the time of fitting and connecting work. Accordingly, since the gripping portion is unclear during the fitting and connection work, it is possible to prevent the operator from leaving the gripped part to the operator and touching the lock arm 25 or the like by mistake.

  Therefore, inconvenience caused by the operator's fingers accidentally touching the lock arm 25 or the like during the mating connection work, for example, inconvenience such as occurrence of poor fitting or reduction of operation sound when the mating connection is completed. Occurrence can be avoided. Therefore, it is also easy to confirm the completion of the fitting connection work from the operation sound when the fitting connection between the connector housings 11 and 12 is completed.

  Further, in the case of the fitting assisting jig 14 shown in the above-described embodiment, since the coupling state to the connector housing 11 is locked by the coupling lock piece 47, the mating connection work between the male and female connector housings 11 and 12 is performed. The connector housing 11 is not inadvertently disconnected and the connector housings 11 and 12 can be provided with a stable gripping property during the fitting connection operation.

  Further, in the case of the fitting auxiliary jig 14 shown in the above-described embodiment, the coupling lock piece 47 for locking the coupling state with the connector housing 11 has completed the mating connection between the male and female connector housings 11 and 12. Sometimes, the locked state is released by the distal end portion 54 of the male hood 53 which is a member on the mating connector housing 12, and the fitting assist jig 14 can be removed from the rear end of the connector housing 11.

In other words, when the coupling lock piece 47 is unlocked and the mating auxiliary jig 14 can be detached from the connector housing 11, the mating connection between the male and female connector housings 11 and 12 is normally completed. It can be used to confirm the completion of the mating connection work.
Therefore, even if the operation sound at the completion of the mating connection between the connector housings 11 and 12 is difficult to hear due to noise at the work site, the mating between the connector housings 11 and 12 depends on whether or not the mating auxiliary jig 14 can be removed. Completion of connection can be confirmed.

  In the above-described embodiment, the fitting assist jig is coupled to only one of the male and female connector housings to be fitted and connected. You may make it perform a joint connection.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately modified and improved. In addition, the material, shape, dimension, numerical value, form, number, arrangement location, and the like of each component in the above-described embodiment are arbitrary and are not limited as long as the present invention can be achieved.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Female connector housing 12 Male connector housing 14 Fitting auxiliary jig 21 Female terminal accommodating hole 22 Terminal accommodating part 23 Fitting space 24 Female hood part 25 Lock arm 25b Lock protrusion 31 Jig coupling part 32 Jig fitting hole 33 Jig Hood locking part 34 Step 41 Housing coupling part 42 Holding part 43 Jig hood part 45 Connector fitting part 46 Connector coupling projection 47 Bonding lock piece 48 Step shape 51 Locking locking part 53 Male hood part

Claims (4)

  When the male and female connector housings are fitted and connected, at least one of the connector housings is fitted in advance with a fitting auxiliary jig serving as a grip during fitting operation, and the male and female connector housings are fitted together. A connector fitting method, wherein the fitting auxiliary jig is removed after the connection is completed.   A connector housing characterized in that a jig coupling portion is provided at the rear end of the connector housing for detachably coupling a fitting auxiliary jig serving as a gripping portion when fitting and connecting to the mating connector housing. The connector housing is detachably coupled to the rear end of the connector housing, and is used as a grip when the connector housing is mated and connected to the mating connector housing. After the mating and connecting operation is completed, the connector housing is removed from the coupled connector housing. A mating auxiliary jig,
A fitting auxiliary jig comprising: a housing coupling portion coupled to a jig coupling portion provided in the connector housing; and a grip portion provided with a size and a shape that are easy to grip. The housing coupling portion includes a connector fitting portion that is detachably fitted to a jig fitting hole provided at a rear end of one connector housing as the jig coupling portion, the jig fitting hole, A coupling locking piece that engages with the step inside the one connector housing when the mating with the connector fitting portion is completed, and locks the coupling state between the one connector housing and the mating auxiliary jig;
The engagement state of the coupling lock piece with respect to the one connector housing is released by elastically deforming the coupling lock piece by a disengagement member provided in the mating connector housing when the mating connection between the connector housings is completed. The fitting auxiliary jig according to claim 3, wherein the fitting auxiliary jig is performed.

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