JP2011129492A - Connector member - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connector member capable of further carrying out retention and restraint of a terminal, without fail. <P>SOLUTION: A retainer 20 is to be engaged with a housing 10 by an auxiliary protrusion 24 in the vicinity of a hinge part 21. When a wire 18 is pulled, or the like, in the housing 10 equipped with the retainer 20, a step part 11c of a female terminal 11 pushes a protrusion 23 against a wire 18 side, and the retainer 20 is pressed toward a hinge part 21 side; but the retainer 20, since it is engaged with the housing 10 by the auxiliary protrusion 24 in the vicinity of the hinge part 21, the retainer 20 is prevented from displacing so as to lift up, on a hinge part 21 side. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector member used for connecting an electric wire to a wiring board, for example.

Conventionally, a receptacle connector and a plug connector fitted to the receptacle connector have been used for the purpose of electrically connecting circuit boards and electric wires of various electronic devices for automobiles, for example.
Here, in both the receptacle connector and the plug connector, a plurality of terminals made of a conductive material such as a metal are accommodated in a housing made of an insulating material such as a resin, and one end of the wiring is connected to each terminal. It is common.

In recent years, there has been a demand for miniaturization of connectors used for the purpose of electrically connecting such automobile circuit boards and electric wires.
In the connector, a lance (protrusion) is provided on the housing to prevent the terminal from coming off from the housing. As the connector is downsized, the internal structure is densified, so the terminals are downsized, and as a result, the lance is downsized. If the lance is reduced in size, the force that can hold the terminal is reduced, and the function of preventing the terminal from falling out also decreases.

  Therefore, a retainer is provided in the housing, and the retainer prevents the terminal held in the housing from coming off (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, slots 3 for holding a plurality of terminals 2 are formed in the housing 1 at intervals. In each slot 3, a terminal 2 connected to the end of the electric wire 4 is inserted and held.
On one side of the housing 1, an opening 5 is formed in a portion facing each terminal 2 inserted in the slot 3.

  In the housing 1, a retainer 6 having a shape for closing the opening 5 is integrally formed via a hinge portion 7. The hinge portion 7 is provided on the base 2 a side (electric wire 4) side of the terminal 2 in the retainer 6. Accordingly, the retainer 6 has a state in which the tip end portion 6a swings around the hinge portion 7 and is separated from the opening 5 (housing 1) (FIG. 6A), and a state in which the opening 5 is closed (FIG. 6 ( It can be opened and closed with b)).

A protrusion 8 that abuts against a step portion 2 c formed on the terminal 2 is formed on the side of the distal end portion 6 a of the retainer 6 that faces the terminal 2 in the housing 1. The protrusion 8 has a wedge shape in which the thickness gradually decreases from the side that contacts the stepped part 2c toward the hinge part 7 side.
When the retainer 6 is pushed into the housing 1 to close the opening 5, the protrusion 8 hits the step 2 c of the terminal 2 in this state. This prevents the terminal 2 from being pulled out of the housing 1 even if the electric wire 4 is pulled.

JP 2001-332333 A

However, in the connector housing 1 including the retainer 6 as described above, when the electric wire 4 is pulled, the step 2c of the terminal 2 pushes the protrusion 8 toward the electric wire 4 side. Thereby, the retainer 6 is pressed by the hinge part 7 side. The hinge part 7 is integrally formed of the same material as the retainer 6 and the housing 1, and is formed to be thinner than the retainer 6 and the housing 1 on both sides of the hinge part 7 and elastic to rotate the retainer 6. It is easy to deform. For this reason, when the retainer 6 is pressed toward the hinge part 7, the force concentrates on the hinge part 7. Since the protrusion 8 that abuts against the step 2c of the terminal 2 is located inward of the housing 1 with respect to the hinge part 7 that is located on the surface of the housing 1, the force acting on the hinge part 7 from the protrusion 8 is the hinge part. 7 is an oblique direction (in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 6B) that pushes 7 out of the housing 1. As a result, as shown by the dotted line in FIG. 6B, the hinge portion 7 bulges outside. Then, the retainer 6 as a whole is displaced toward the hinge portion 7 side, and the holding and restraining of the terminal 2 is weakened.
The present invention has been made based on such a technical problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a connector member capable of more reliably holding and restraining terminals.

For this purpose, the connector member of the present invention is made of a conductive material, and a terminal having a base end connected to one end of the electric wire and a slot into which the tip end of the terminal is inserted are formed. A housing made of an insulating material formed with a recess facing the base end side, and attached to the recess of the housing, and connected to the housing at one end on the base end side of the terminal so as to be rotatable via a hinge portion A first displacement restraining portion that is formed at the other end of the retainer and that restrains displacement toward the base end side of the terminal by striking against a part of the terminal in the recess, and a hinge portion In order to restrain the retainer from displacing in the direction away from the housing on the hinge portion side when the terminal hits the first displacement restraining portion in an attempt to displace to the base end side, the retainer How And having a second displacement restricting portion to engage the portion of the ring, the.
When the terminal comes into contact with the first displacement restraint portion trying to be displaced toward the base end side, the retainer and a part of the housing are engaged by the second displacement restraint portion provided in the vicinity of the hinge portion. Therefore, it is possible to restrain the retainer from being displaced in the direction away from the housing on the hinge part side. Thereby, it can prevent that a hinge part bulges outside.

As such a second displacement restraint portion, in the retainer, a claw member formed to protrude toward the inside of the recess and having a retainer side engagement surface facing the tip end side of the terminal, and the terminal, What consists of a terminal side engagement surface formed in the position facing a retainer side engagement surface can be used. The retainer-side engagement surface and the terminal-side engagement surface engage with each other to engage the retainer and the housing, thereby restraining the retainer from being displaced in a direction away from the housing on the hinge side.
At this time, it is preferable that the retainer-side engagement surface and the terminal-side engagement surface are formed to be inclined toward the base end side of the terminal with respect to the direction in which the retainer is separated from the housing. Accordingly, the retainer and the housing can be reliably engaged with each other in the direction in which the retainer is restrained from being displaced in the direction away from the housing in the vicinity of the hinge portion on the one end side.
Of course, the engagement between the retainer-side engagement surface and the terminal-side engagement surface may be merely a frictional force, or a mechanical engagement may be used.

The second displacement restraint portion is formed in the retainer so as to protrude toward the inside of the recessed portion, and has a claw member having a retainer side engagement surface on the hinge side and a position facing the engagement surface in the terminal. And a terminal side engagement surface.
In this case, the claw member is the first displacement restraining member, and the retainer side engagement surface can be formed on the hinge portion side of the first displacement restraining member.

  According to the present invention, when the terminal comes into contact with the first displacement restraint portion in an attempt to be displaced toward the base end side, the second displacement restraint portion provided in the vicinity of the hinge portion causes the retainer and a part of the housing to be Is engaged, it is possible to restrain the retainer from being displaced in the direction away from the housing on the hinge portion side. Thereby, it can prevent that a hinge part bulges outside and can prevent that the whole retainer displaces to the hinge part side and the holding | maintenance / restraint force of a terminal weakens.

It is a figure which shows the connector in 1st embodiment, Comprising: (a) is a perspective view, (b) is an expansion perspective view which shows the principal part. 2A and 2B are cross-sectional views of the connector illustrated in FIG. 1, in which FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view of a protrusion portion, and FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the connector in 2nd embodiment. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a contact surface and a receiving surface formed in the connector shown in FIG. 3. It is a perspective view of the conventional connector. FIGS. 6A and 6B are cross-sectional views of the connector shown in FIG. 5, in which FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the retainer is opened, and FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the retainer is closed.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a plug-side housing 10. The housing 10 fits into a housing on the receptacle side (not shown). A plurality of female terminals (terminals) 11 are held in the housing 10, and the female terminals 11 and the male terminals held in the receptacle-side housing are electrically connected to the receptacle-side housing in a state in which the housing 10 is fitted to the receptacle-side housing. To be joined.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a cylindrical slot 12 for holding a plurality of female terminals 11 is formed in the housing 10. One end of the slot 12 is opened in the front surface 10a which is the side of the housing 10 facing the housing on the receptacle side, and is continuously formed toward the rear surface 10b facing the front surface 10a. In the housing 10, these slots 12 are arranged side by side in the direction parallel to the side surface 10c orthogonal to the front surface 10a.
As shown in FIG. 2, each slot 12 is formed in a portion of a certain length from the front surface 10 a of the housing 10, and the distal end portion 11 a side of the female terminal 11 is inserted and held in each slot 12. . On the rear surface 10b side of the housing 10, a concave portion 15 that opens to the side surface 10c side is formed. The recess 15 is located behind the slot 12, and the rear portion 11 b of the female terminal 11 held on the tip 12 a side in the slot 12 is located in the recess 15.

  A communication hole 16 that communicates with the recess 15 is formed in the rear surface 10 b of the housing 10. One end 18 a of the electric wire 18 is inserted into the recess 15 from the rear of the housing 10 through the communication hole 16, and the one end 18 a of the electric wire 18 is joined to the rear portion 11 b of the female terminal 11 in the recess 15.

A retainer 20 </ b> A that closes the opening of the recess 15 is integrally formed on the side surface 10 c of the housing 10 via a hinge portion 21.
The retainer 20 </ b> A includes a rectangular plate part 22 provided to be rotatable about the hinge part 21, and a protrusion (a first displacement restraining part, which is provided integrally with the plate part 22 on the side facing the recess 15. A claw member) 23 and an auxiliary projection (second displacement restraint portion) 24 are integrally formed.
The hinge portion 21 is provided along one side of the plate portion 22 on the side close to the rear surface 10 b of the housing 10. As a result, the retainer 20A is separated from the recess 15 (side surface 10c of the housing 10) when the tip end 20a on the side close to the front surface 10a of the housing 10 swings around the hinge 21 to close the recess 15. It can be opened and closed with

The protrusion 23 has a wedge shape in which the thickness gradually decreases from the side that abuts on the stepped part 11c formed on the female terminal 11 toward the hinge part 21 side.
When the protrusion 23 of the retainer 20 </ b> A is pushed into the housing 10 to close the recess 15, the protrusion 23 hits the stepped portion 11 c of the female terminal 11 located in the recess 15 in this state. This prevents the female terminal 11 from being pulled out of the housing 10 even if the electric wire 18 is pulled.

As shown in FIGS. 1B and 2B, the auxiliary protrusion 24 is provided on the plate portion 22 on the side facing the recess 15 and in the vicinity of the hinge portion 21. Further, the auxiliary protrusions 24 are formed at both end portions of the hinge portion 21 in the retainer 20A.
The auxiliary protrusion 24 has a wedge shape in which the width gradually decreases from the side far from the hinge portion 21 toward the near side.
On the other hand, a concave portion 19 that accommodates the auxiliary protrusion 24 is formed on the side surface 10 c of the housing 10. The recess 19 has a contact surface (terminal-side engagement surface) 19 a that abuts against the front surface (retainer-side engagement surface) 24 a of the auxiliary protrusion 24. The front surface 24a of the auxiliary protrusion 24 and the contact surface 19a of the recess 19 are provided so as to be inclined from the rear surface 10b side to the front surface 10a side from the side near the side surface 10c toward the inner side of the housing 10. As a result, the auxiliary protrusion 24 engages with the abutting surface 19 a of the recess 19.

In the housing 10 having such a retainer 20A, when the electric wire 18 is pulled, the step portion 11c of the female terminal 11 pushes the protrusion 23 toward the electric wire 18 side. Thereby, the retainer 20A is pressed to the hinge part 21 side.
Since the projection 23 that abuts on the step portion 11 c of the female terminal 11 is positioned inward of the housing 10 with respect to the hinge portion 21, the force that acts on the hinge portion 21 from the projection 23 causes the hinge portion 21 to move outside the housing 10. It becomes the diagonal direction which pushes out toward However, since the retainer 20A is engaged with the housing 10 by the auxiliary protrusion 24 in the vicinity of the hinge portion 21, it is possible to prevent the retainer 20A from being displaced so as to float on the hinge portion 21 side. Can be prevented from bulging out. As a result, the entire retainer 20 </ b> A can be reliably prevented from being displaced toward the hinge portion 21, and the holding / restraining of the female terminal 11 is increased.

In addition, in the said embodiment, although the said auxiliary | assistant protrusion 24 is formed in the both-ends part of the hinge part 21 in the retainer 20A, the position is not restricted to this, The intermediate part of the hinge part 21, and mutually adjacent | abut You may form in other positions, such as between the protrusions 23 and 23 to perform.
Further, the front surface 24a of the auxiliary projection 24 and the abutting surface 19a of the recess 19 are provided so as to be inclined from the rear surface 10b side to the front surface 10a side from the side closer to the side surface 10c toward the inner side of the housing 10, but this is not limited thereto. It is not a thing. If the retainer 20 </ b> A can be engaged with the housing 10 in the vicinity of the hinge portion 21 by engaging the auxiliary protrusion 24 with the contact surface 19 a of the concave portion 19, for example, the front surface 24 a of the auxiliary protrusion 24 and Concavities and convexities, claws, and the like that engage with each other may be provided on the abutting surface 19 a of the concave portion 19.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment of the connector member according to the present invention will be described. In the second embodiment described below, the retainer lifting prevention structure is only different from that in the first embodiment. Therefore, in the following description, the description will focus on the configuration different from that in the first embodiment. The description of the common configuration is omitted.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a retainer 20 </ b> B that closes the opening of the recess 15 is integrally formed on the side surface 10 c of the housing 10 via a hinge portion 21.
The retainer 20 </ b> B is integrally formed with a rectangular plate portion 22 provided so as to be rotatable about the hinge portion 21, and a protrusion 23 provided integrally with the plate portion 22 on the side facing the recess 15. It has a configuration.
The hinge portion 21 is provided on the plate portion 22 on the side close to the rear surface 10 b of the housing 10. Thereby, the retainer 20B is separated from the recess 15 (side surface 10c of the housing 10) when the tip end 20a on the side close to the front surface 10a of the housing 10 swings around the hinge 21 and closes the recess 15. It can be opened and closed with

The protrusion 23 has a wedge shape in which the thickness gradually decreases from the side that abuts on the stepped part 11c formed on the female terminal 11 toward the hinge part 21 side.
When the protrusion 23 of the retainer 20 </ b> B is pushed into the housing 10 to close the recess 15, the protrusion 23 hits the stepped portion 11 c of the female terminal 11 located in the recess 15 in this state. This prevents the female terminal 11 from being pulled out of the housing 10 even if the electric wire 18 is pulled.

On the hinge portion 21 side of the protrusion 23, the abutting surface (second displacement restraining portion, terminal-side engagement surface) that is on the side facing the recess 15 and in the vicinity of the hinge portion 21 is orthogonal to the plate portion 22. 30 is formed.
On the other hand, an opening 17 of the recess 15 is formed in the side surface 10c of the housing 10, and the rear surface 10b side of the housing 10 in the opening 17 is a receiving surface (second displacement restraint portion, opposite to the abutting surface 30). Retainer side engagement surface) 31.
Thereby, the abutting surface 30 formed on the hinge portion 21 side of the protrusion 23 abuts on the receiving surface 31 of the opening 17 of the recess 15.

In the housing 10 including such a retainer 20B, when the electric wire 18 is pulled or the like, the step portion 11c of the female terminal 11 pushes the protrusion 23 toward the electric wire 18 side. Thereby, the retainer 20B is pressed to the hinge part 21 side.
Since the projection 23 that abuts on the step portion 11 c of the female terminal 11 is positioned inward of the housing 10 with respect to the hinge portion 21, the force that acts on the hinge portion 21 from the projection 23 causes the hinge portion 21 to move outside the housing 10. It becomes the diagonal direction which pushes out toward However, the abutting surface 30 formed on the hinge portion 21 side of the protrusion 23 abuts against the receiving surface 31 of the opening 17 of the recess 15. Thereby, it can prevent that the retainer 20B displaces so that it may float on the hinge part 21 side, As a result, it can prevent that the hinge part 21 bulges outside.
As a result, it is possible to reliably prevent the entire retainer 20B from being displaced toward the hinge portion 21, and the holding / restraining of the female terminal 11 is increased.

In the above embodiment, the abutting surface 30 is formed on the hinge portion 21 side of the protrusion 23, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a separate protrusion may be provided on the plate portion 22 and the contact surface 30 may be formed on the protrusion.
Moreover, although each part of the housing 10 was demonstrated in said each embodiment, as long as it is in the main point of this invention, it is good also as any other structure.
In addition to this, as long as it does not depart from the gist of the present invention, the configuration described in the above embodiment can be selected or changed to another configuration as appropriate.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Housing, 11 ... Female terminal (terminal), 11c ... Step part, 12 ... Slot, 15 ... Recessed part, 17 ... Opening part, 18 ... Electric wire, 19a ... Butting surface (terminal side engaging surface), 20A, 20B ... Retainer, 21 ... hinge part, 22 ... plate part, 23 ... projection (first displacement restraint part, claw member), 24 ... auxiliary projection (second displacement restraint part), 24a ... front face (retainer side engagement surface) , 30 ... abutting surface (second displacement restraint portion, terminal side engagement surface), 31 ... receiving surface (second displacement restraint portion, retainer side engagement surface)

Claims (5)

A terminal made of a conductive material and having a proximal end connected to one end of the wire;
A housing made of an insulating material, in which a slot into which the distal end portion of the terminal is inserted is formed and a recess facing the proximal end side of the terminal is formed;
A retainer mounted in the recess of the housing and rotatably connected to the housing via a hinge at one end of the terminal on the base end side;
A first displacement restraining portion that is formed at the other end of the retainer and restrains the displacement of the terminal toward the base end by striking a part of the terminal in the recess;
The retainer is provided in the vicinity of the hinge portion, and the retainer is displaced in a direction away from the housing on the hinge portion side when the terminal hits the first displacement restraining portion in an attempt to displace to the base end portion side. A second displacement restraining portion for engaging the retainer and a part of the housing,
A connector member comprising: The second displacement restraint portion is
A claw member formed on the retainer so as to protrude inward of the recess and having a retainer side engagement surface facing the tip end side of the terminal;
The connector member according to claim 1, further comprising a terminal-side engagement surface formed at a position facing the retainer-side engagement surface.   3. The retainer side engagement surface and the terminal side engagement surface are formed to be inclined toward the base end side of the terminal with respect to a direction in which the retainer is separated from the housing. The connector member as described in 2. The second displacement restraint portion is
A claw member formed to protrude toward the inside of the recess in the retainer, and having a retainer side engagement surface on the hinge part side;
The connector member according to claim 1, further comprising a terminal-side engagement surface formed at a position facing the engagement surface in the terminal.   The said claw member is said 1st displacement restraint member, The said retainer side engaging surface is formed in the said hinge part side of said 1st displacement restraint member, It is characterized by the above-mentioned. Connector member.

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