JP2012043737A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connector with excellent fitting operability and contact reliability by reducing wear due to sliding motions at a terminal contact caused by external vibrations without increasing the force necessary for fitting operation.SOLUTION: In a waterproof connector 31, a connector housing 34 is provided with a slope 81 which exerts a twisting force F tilting the axis on an outer cylinder 41 which is a fitting part of a connector housing 33 by putting the outer cylinder 41 to the connector housing 34 when deepening the fit between the connector housings 33 and 34 by external forces after fitting the connector housings 33 and 34 to each other.

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector.

FIG. 11 shows a conventional example of a connector.
The connector 1 shown in FIG. 11 is disclosed in Patent Document 1 below.
The connector 1 is disclosed in Patent Document 1 below, and includes a first connector housing 3, a second connector housing 4, an annular packing 5, and a front holder 6.

  The first connector housing 3 includes a terminal housing tube portion 9 that houses the female terminal 8 that is the first connection terminal, an outer tube portion 11 that defines a housing space 10 around the outer periphery of the terminal housing tube portion 9, and And a locking portion 12.

  The terminal accommodating cylinder portion 9 is formed with a terminal accommodating hole 9a for accommodating the female terminal 8 so as to penetrate forward from the rear end so that the female terminal 8 can be inserted from the rear end of the housing. The terminal accommodating cylinder portion 9 has a terminal locking lance 9b protruding into the terminal accommodating hole 9a. The terminal locking lance 9b engages with the female terminal 8 inserted into the terminal accommodating hole 9a up to the reference position to prevent the female terminal 8 from coming off.

  A housing space 10 on the outer periphery of the terminal housing tube portion 9 is a space for housing a fitting tube portion of the second connector housing 4 described later.

  The second connector housing 4 is inserted into the accommodating space 10 and is fitted on the outer periphery of the terminal accommodating cylinder portion 9 via the annular packing 5, and protrudes from the outer periphery of the fitting cylinder portion 17. And a terminal support portion 20 that supports a male terminal 19 as a second connection terminal to be fitted to the female terminal 8 on the inner side of the fitting cylinder portion 17.

  When the engagement between the first connector housing 3 and the second connector housing 4 is completed, the rear end 18a engages with the locking portion 12 of the first connector housing 3, and the engagement protrusion 18 The fitting state between the housing 3 and the second connector housing 4 is locked.

  The annular packing 5 is fitted and installed on the outer periphery of the base end side of the terminal accommodating cylinder portion 9, and when the fitting between the first connector housing 3 and the second connector housing 4 is completed, the terminal accommodating cylinder portion 9 and the fitting cylinder 17 are brought into close contact with each other, and the space between the terminal accommodating cylinder 9 and the fitting cylinder 17 is sealed (waterproof).

  The packing 5 includes a cylindrical portion 5a that is sandwiched between the terminal accommodating cylindrical portion 9 and the fitting cylindrical portion 17, and a flange portion 5b that protrudes radially outward from the rear end of the cylindrical portion 5a. Yes. When the fitting between the first connector housing 3 and the second connector housing 4 is completed, the distal end 17a of the fitting cylinder portion 17 comes into contact with the flange portion 5b.

  The front holder 6 includes an insertion part 6 a that is inserted into the terminal accommodating cylinder part 9 and a tip wall 6 b that covers the front surface of the terminal accommodating cylinder part 9. The distal end wall 6 b is set to have an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the terminal accommodating cylinder portion 9, and prevents the annular packing 5 from coming off. The distal end wall 6b has a terminal guide hole 6c for guiding the male terminal 19 to the female terminal 8 side. A positioning wall 6d for positioning the front end portion of the female terminal 8 is integrally formed with the tip wall 6b.

  That is, the front holder 6 is fitted and attached to the distal end portion of the terminal accommodating cylinder portion 9 to prevent the packing 5 from coming off and to position the distal end portion of the female terminal 8 inserted into the terminal accommodating hole 9a. .

  By the way, in such a connector 1, when a gap is generated in the fitting portion between the first connector housing 3 and the second connector housing 4 due to dimensional tolerance, assembly error, or the like, rattling occurs between the housings due to external vibration. . The backlash between the housings causes sliding friction of the terminal contact portion between the female terminal 8 and the male terminal 19 and accelerates wear of the terminal contact portion. As a result, there is a problem that the contact reliability is lowered.

  Therefore, in the case of the connector 1 described above, the flange portion 5b of the annular packing 5 is sandwiched between the tip of the fitting cylinder portion 17 and the first connector housing 3, thereby preventing backlash in the fitting direction between the housings. ing. In addition, the inner peripheral portion of the fitting cylinder portion 17 is provided with a pressing protrusion 17 b that presses and contacts the outer periphery of the front end side of the cylindrical portion 5 a of the annular packing 5, so that the front end portion of the terminal accommodating cylinder portion 9 extends in the radial direction. Prevents rattling.

JP 2005-174813 A

  However, the connector 1 disclosed in Patent Document 1 has an inner peripheral pressing protrusion 17b on the front end side of the cylindrical portion 5a of the annular packing 5 to prevent rattling on the front holder side. Make a close fit. Thereby, the sliding friction of a terminal contact part can be reduced and contact reliability can be improved. On the other hand, however, the number of mating locations during the mating operation between the connector housings increases, requiring a large mating operation force, resulting in a problem that the mating operability is lowered.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned problems, and reduce the wear caused by sliding of the terminal contact portion due to vibrations from the outside, etc. without increasing the fitting operation force, and fitting. An object of the present invention is to provide a connector that can achieve both improved operability and improved contact reliability.

The above-described object of the present invention is achieved by the following configuration.
(1) a first connector housing provided with a terminal housing tube portion for housing a first connection terminal;
A second connector housing supporting a second connection terminal to be fitted to the first connection terminal inside a fitting cylinder portion to be fitted to an outer periphery of the terminal accommodating cylinder portion;
A connector with
One connector housing of the first connector housing and the second connector housing is further connected to each other by an external force after the fitting between the first connector housing and the second connector housing is completed. When the mating is deepened, a slope portion is provided that applies a twisting force that causes the mating portion of the other connector housing to ride on the mating portion of the other connector housing and tilts the axis of the mating portion. A connector characterized by that.

(2) The first connector housing includes an outer tube portion that fits on an outer periphery of the fitting tube portion,
(2) In the above (1), the second connector housing is provided with the slope portion on which a distal end of the outer cylinder portion is ridden in a partial region of the outer peripheral portion of the proximal end side of the fitting cylinder portion. Connector.

(3) The first connector housing includes an outer cylinder portion that defines an accommodating space in which the fitting cylinder portion is fitted around the terminal accommodating cylinder portion and is fitted to an outer periphery of the fitting cylinder portion,
(1) In the above (1), the slope portion for riding up the tip of the fitting cylinder part is provided in a partial region of the inner bottom part of the outer cylinder part facing the tip of the fitting cylinder part. Connector.

According to the configuration of (1) above, after the fitting between the first connector housing and the second connector housing is completed, the fitting between these connector housings is further deepened by an external force such as an external vibration force, for example. Then, the fitting portion of the other connector housing rides on the slope portion provided in one connector housing, and a twisting force that tilts the axis acts on the fitting portion that rides from the slope portion.
When the axial lines of the connector housings are inclined to each other by this twisting force, the contact pressure at the fitting portion increases in proportion to the displacement amount due to the inclination, and the coupling strength between the connector housings by the fitting increases. Therefore, rattling between the connector housings due to an external vibration force can be suppressed, and accordingly, sliding friction between the terminal contact portions of the connection terminals can be reduced.
Further, in general, in the fitting portion between the first connection terminal and the second connection terminal, a spring member that presses the other connection terminal is provided on one connection terminal in order to ensure a predetermined contact pressure between the connection terminals. It has been. Therefore, when the axes of the connector housings are inclined with each other by the twisting force from the slope portion as described above, the axes of the connector housings are also inclined between the connection terminals. The inclination of the axis line between the connection terminals increases the elastic deformation of the spring member on the connection terminal for securing the contact pressure, and increases the contact load between the connection terminals. This increase in the contact load between the connecting terminals becomes a sliding regulating force that suppresses the sliding of the terminal contact portions between the connecting terminals, and therefore further reduces the sliding of the terminal contact portions due to external vibration force. Can do.
Accordingly, it is possible to reduce wear due to sliding of the terminal contact portion due to external vibration or the like, and improve contact reliability in the connector.
Further, in the configuration of (1), the slope portion that generates a twisting force useful for preventing rattling is not engaged with the mating connector housing when the normal mating between the connector housings is completed. It does not affect the fitting operation force between the housings.
Therefore, without increasing the mating operation force, the wear due to sliding of the terminal contact portion due to external vibration or the like is reduced, and both the mating operability and the contact reliability are improved. be able to.

According to the configuration of the above (2), after the fitting between the first connector housing and the second connector housing is completed, the mutual fitting between these connector housings is further deepened by an external force such as an external vibration force. The distal end of the outer cylindrical portion of the first connector housing rides on the slope portion provided on the outer peripheral portion of the proximal end of the fitting cylindrical portion of the second connector housing, and the connector is applied with a twisting force that acts on the outer cylindrical portion from the slope portion. The axes of the housings are inclined with respect to each other.
In other words, as a means for generating a twisting force, it is only necessary to form a slope portion that is an inclined surface in a partial region of the base end side outer peripheral portion of the fitting cylinder portion of the second connector housing, and to improve fitting operability. And improved contact reliability.

According to the configuration of the above (3), after the fitting between the first connector housing and the second connector housing is completed, when the fitting between these connector housings is further deepened by an external force such as an external vibration force, The tip of the fitting cylinder portion of the second connector housing rides on the slope portion provided on the inner bottom portion of the outer cylinder portion of the first connector housing, and the connector housings are connected to each other by a twisting force acting on the fitting cylinder portion from the slope portion. The axes are inclined with respect to each other.
That is, as a means for generating the twisting force, it is only necessary to form a sloped surface portion that is an inclined surface in a partial region of the inner bottom portion of the outer cylindrical portion of the first connector housing, which improves the fitting operability and the contact reliability. Can be easily realized.

According to the connector of the present invention, after the fitting between the first connector housing and the second connector housing is completed, when the mutual fitting between these connector housings is further deepened by an external force such as a vibration force from the outside, The tip of the mating part of the other connector housing rides on the slope part provided in the connector housing, and the tip of the outer cylinder part of the first connector housing rides on the slope part, and the twisting force acting on the mating part from the slope part The axes of the connector housings are inclined with respect to each other. Due to the inclination of the axis between the connector housings, the coupling strength between the connector housings is increased, and the contact load between the connection terminals is increased, thereby preventing the sliding of the terminal contact portion between the connection terminals. Therefore, it is possible to reduce wear due to sliding of the terminal contact portion due to external vibration or the like, and improve contact reliability in the connector.
Further, according to the connector of the present invention, the slope portion that generates a twisting force useful for preventing rattling is not engaged with the mating connector housing when the normal mating between the connector housings is completed. It does not affect the fitting operation force between the housings.
Therefore, without increasing the mating operation force, the wear due to sliding of the terminal contact portion due to external vibration or the like is reduced, and both the mating operability and the contact reliability are improved. be able to.

It is a disassembled perspective view of 1st Embodiment of the connector which concerns on this invention. FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the connector shown in FIG. 1 in a normal fitting completed state. It is an enlarged view of the A section of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the slope part with which the 2nd connector housing shown in FIG. 1 was equipped. FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the connector according to the first embodiment in a state where the fitting between the connector housings is further deepened from the normal fitting completed state shown in FIG. 2. It is an enlarged view of the B section of FIG. It is a vertical sectional view of the normal fitting completion state of the second embodiment of the waterproof connector according to the present invention. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a cross section of a part of the first connector housing shown in FIG. 7. In the connector of 2nd Embodiment, it is a vertical sectional view of the state where the fitting between the connector housings was further deepened from the normal fitting completed state shown in FIG. It is an enlarged view of the C section of FIG. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the principal part of the assembly state of the conventional connector.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a connector according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[First Embodiment]
1 to 4 show a first embodiment of a connector according to the present invention, FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the connector of the first embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a normal fitting of the connector shown in FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view in a completed state, FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion A in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a slope portion mounted on the second connector housing shown in FIG.

  The connector 31 of the first embodiment includes a first connector housing 33, a second connector housing 34, an annular packing 35, and a front holder 36.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first connector housing 33 includes a terminal accommodating cylinder portion 39 that accommodates the first connection terminal 38 and an outer wall that defines an accommodating space 40 between the terminal accommodating cylinder portion 39. A cylinder portion (hood portion) 41 and a locking arm (lock arm) 42 are provided.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the first connection terminal 38 includes a wire crimping portion 38 a that is crimped and connected to the end portion of the electric wire 44, and a rectangular tube-like terminal fitting portion 38 b into which the male connection terminal is fitted. It is a female connection terminal. The electric wire 44 connected to the first connection terminal 38 is waterproof to prevent a raindrop or the like from entering the terminal accommodating hole 39a from outside by filling a gap between the terminal accommodating hole 39a of the terminal accommodating cylindrical portion 39 described later. A stopper 45 is attached.

As shown in FIG. 3, the terminal fitting portion 38 b of the first connection terminal 38 includes a bottom plate portion 38 b 1 and a spring member 38 b 2 disposed to face the bottom plate portion 38 b 1. The terminal fitting portion 38b achieves electrical connection with the second connection terminal 49 by sandwiching a second connection terminal 49 described later between the bottom plate portion 38b1 and the spring member 38b2.
The spring member 38b2 has a leaf spring structure that presses a later-described second connection terminal 49 in the direction of the arrow X1 in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the terminal accommodating tube portion 39 has a terminal accommodating hole 39a for accommodating the first connection terminal 38 extending forward from the rear end so that the first connection terminal 38 can be inserted from the rear end of the housing. Is formed. The terminal accommodating cylinder portion 39 is integrally formed with a terminal locking lance 39b protruding into the terminal accommodating hole 39a. The terminal locking lance 39b engages with the recess 38d of the first connection terminal 38 inserted into the terminal accommodation hole 39a up to the reference position, thereby preventing the first connection terminal 38 from coming off.

  A housing space 40 on the outer periphery of the terminal housing tube portion 39 is a space for housing a packing 35 and a fitting tube portion of the second connector housing 34 described later. In the innermost part of the accommodation space 40, there is an abutting surface 40 a that abuts the packing 35 fitted to the outer periphery of the base end of the terminal accommodating cylinder portion 39.

The outer tube portion 41 defines the housing space 40 around the outer periphery of the terminal housing tube portion 39 and fits on the outer periphery of a fitting tube portion 47 of the second connector housing 34 described later housed in the housing space 40. Match.
As shown in FIG. 2, a chamfer 41 a is provided at the inner peripheral corner on the distal end side of the outer cylinder portion 41. The chamfer 41a makes it easy to ride the tip of the outer cylinder portion 41 on a slope portion described later.

  When the engagement between the first connector housing 33 and the second connector housing 34 is completed, the locking arm 42 engages with a rear end of an engagement protrusion of the second connector housing 34 described later to engage the second connector housing. 34 is prevented from coming off.

  The second connector housing 34 is inserted into the accommodating space 40 and is fitted to the outer periphery of the terminal accommodating cylindrical portion 39 via an annular packing 35, and the axial direction of the fitting cylindrical portion 47 (see FIG. 1 in the direction of arrow E) A terminal support portion 50 that supports an engagement protrusion 48 projecting from the outer periphery of the intermediate portion and a second connection terminal 49 to be fitted to the first connection terminal 38 inside the fitting cylinder portion 47. And.

  When the engagement between the first connector housing 33 and the second connector housing 34 is completed, the engagement protrusion 48 engages with the locking arm 42 of the first connector housing 33 as shown in FIG. Accordingly, the fitting state between the first connector housing 33 and the second connector housing 34 is locked.

  The second connection terminal 49 is a male connection terminal that fits into the terminal fitting portion 38 b of the first connection terminal 38. The second connection terminal 49 is inserted into the terminal fitting portion 38b of the first connection terminal 38 when the first connector housing 33 and the second connector housing 34 are fitted, and as shown in FIG. The fitting portion 38 b is fitted between the bottom plate portion 38 b 1 and the spring member 38 b 2 and is connected to the first connection terminal 38.

  The annular packing 35 is fitted on the outer periphery of the base end side of the terminal accommodating cylinder portion 39, and when the fitting between the first connector housing 33 and the second connector housing 34 is completed, the terminal accommodating cylinder portion is provided. 39 and the fitting cylinder 47 are brought into close contact with each other, and the terminal accommodating cylinder 39 and the fitting cylinder 47 are sealed (waterproof).

  As shown in FIG. 2, the packing 35 of the present embodiment has a plurality of strips (3 in the drawing) on the inner peripheral surface that contacts the terminal accommodating cylinder portion 39 and the outer peripheral surface that contacts the fitting cylinder portion 47. Lip) is formed. Each lip is provided in a ring shape continuous in the circumferential direction. Each lip is brought into contact with the other party in an elastically deformed state to enhance the adhesion.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the packing 35 having the above-described configuration is in a state where the packing space 35 is in contact with the abutting surface 40 a of the storage space 40 when properly fitted to the outer periphery of the base end of the terminal storage cylinder portion 39. 40.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the front holder 36 includes a cylindrical portion 71 fitted and attached to the outer periphery of the distal end portion 39 c of the terminal accommodating cylindrical portion 39, and a distal end wall 73 that covers the front of the terminal accommodating hole 39 a. Yes. The cylindrical portion 71 has its rear end (right end in FIG. 2) 71a close to the front end (left end in FIG. 2) of the packing 35 to prevent the annular packing 35 from coming off.

  The tip wall 73 has a terminal guide hole for guiding the second connection terminal 49 to the first connection terminal 38 side. Furthermore, on the inner side of the distal end wall 73, the distal end portion of the terminal fitting portion 38b of the first connection terminal 38 accommodated in the terminal accommodating cylinder portion 39 is positioned.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the rear end of the tubular portion 71 enters the retreat area of the terminal locking lance 39b and restricts the movement of the terminal locking lance 39b to the retreat area. That is, the rear end of the cylindrical portion 71 functions as double locking means for locking the locked state of the first connection terminal 38 by the terminal locking lance 39b.

  That is, the front holder 36 is fitted and attached to the distal end portion 39c of the terminal accommodating cylinder portion 39 to prevent the packing 35 from being detached and to position the distal end portion of the first connection terminal 38 inserted into the terminal accommodating hole 39a. And functions as double locking means for restricting movement of the terminal locking lance 39b.

In the case of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the second connector housing 34, which is one connector housing, includes a slope portion 81.
In the case of the present embodiment, the slope portion 81 is formed in a lower region that is a partial region of the base end side outer peripheral portion of the fitting cylinder portion 47. The area where the slope portion 81 is provided is a position where the tip of the outer cylindrical portion 41 of the first connector housing 33 fitted to the second connector housing 34 faces.

Further, the slope portion 81 will be described in detail.
As shown in FIG. 2, the slope portion 81 is formed when the fitting between the first connector housing 33 and the second connector housing 34 is completed and the fitting between the connector housings 33 and 34 is further deepened by external force. As shown in FIG. 5, it is an inclined surface on which the tip of the outer cylinder portion 41, which is a fitting portion of the first connector housing 33, with respect to the fitting cylinder portion 47 of the second connector housing 34 rides up.

  To explain functionally, the slope part 81 rides on the fitting part (outer cylinder part 41) of the other connector housing 33 with respect to the one connector housing 34, and as shown in FIG. A twisting force F for inclining the axis is applied to the tube portion 41).

  FIG. 6 shows a state where the axis of the first connector housing 33 is inclined by the twisting force F from the slope portion 81. FIG. 6 shows the axial direction of the first connection terminal 38 with respect to the second connection terminal 49. The axis J1 is in a state before the twisting force F is applied, and the axis J2 is in a state after being tilted by the action of the twisting force F. Is shown.

  In the connector 31 of the first embodiment described above, after the fitting of the first connector housing 33 and the second connector housing 34 is completed, these connector housings 33 are further applied by an external force such as an external vibration force, for example. 34, as shown in FIG. 5, the tip of the outer cylindrical portion 41, which is the fitting portion of the other connector housing 33 with respect to one connector housing 34, is mounted on one connector housing 34. A twisting force F that tilts the axis acts on the fitting portion (outer cylinder portion 41) that rides on the slope portion 81 and rides from the slope portion 81.

When the axial lines of the connector housings 33 and 34 are inclined with each other by the twisting force F, the fitting portions (for example, the fitting portion between the fitting cylinder portion 47 and the outer tube portion 41 or the packing 35 are removed). The contact pressure at the fitting cylinder portion 47 and the terminal accommodating cylinder portion 39 is increased in proportion to the displacement amount due to the inclination, and the coupling strength between the connector housings 33 and 34 is increased.
Therefore, rattling between the connector housings 33 and 34 due to an external vibration force can be suppressed, and accordingly, sliding friction between the terminal contact portions of the connection terminals 38 and 49 can be reduced.

  Further, normally, at the fitting portion between the first connection terminal 38 and the second connection terminal 49, as shown in FIG. 3, in order to ensure a predetermined contact pressure between the connection terminals 38 and 49, one connection is made. The terminal 38 is provided with a spring member 38b2 that press-contacts the other connection terminal 49. Therefore, when the axial lines of the connector housings 33 and 34 are inclined with respect to each other by the twisting force F from the slope portion 81 as described above, the mutual axial lines are also between the connection terminals 38 and 49 as shown in FIG. It will be tilted. The inclination of the axis between the connection terminals 38 and 49 increases the elastic deformation of the spring member 38b2 on the connection terminal 38 for securing the contact pressure, and increases the contact load between the connection terminals 38 and 49. The increase in the contact load between the connection terminals 38 and 49 becomes a sliding regulating force that suppresses the sliding of the terminal contact portion between the connection terminals 38 and 49. Therefore, the sliding of the terminal contact portion due to an external vibration force is caused. Motion can be further reduced.

  Accordingly, it is possible to reduce wear due to sliding of the terminal contact portion due to external vibration or the like, and to improve the contact reliability in the connector 31.

Further, in the connector 31 of the first embodiment described above, the slope portion 81 that generates the twisting force F useful for preventing rattling is provided on the mating connector housing 33 when the normal mating between the connector housings 33 and 34 is completed. Are not engaged with each other, and the fitting operation force between the connector housings 33 and 34 is not affected.
Therefore, without increasing the mating operation force, the wear due to sliding of the terminal contact portion due to external vibration or the like is reduced, and both the mating operability and the contact reliability are improved. be able to.

Furthermore, in the connector 31 according to the first embodiment described above, after the fitting between the first connector housing 33 and the second connector housing 34 is completed, these connector housings 33 are further applied by an external force such as an external vibration force. , 34 is deepened, the distal end of the outer cylindrical portion of the first connector housing 33 is brought into the slope 81 provided in a partial region of the outer peripheral portion of the proximal end of the fitting cylindrical portion of the second connector housing 34. And the shafts of the connector housings 33 and 34 are inclined with respect to each other by the twisting force F acting on the outer cylindrical portion from the slope portion 81.
That is, as a means for generating the twisting force F, it is only necessary to form the slope part 81 which is an inclined surface in a partial region of the base end side outer peripheral part of the fitting cylinder part 47 of the second connector housing 34. Improvements in operability and contact reliability can be easily realized.

[Second Embodiment]
FIGS. 7 to 10 show a second embodiment of the connector according to the present invention. FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view of the connector of the second embodiment in a normal mating state, and FIG. 8 is shown in FIG. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a part of the first connector housing, FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional view of the connector according to the second embodiment in a state in which the connector housings are further mated from the normal mating completion state, and FIG. It is an enlarged view of the C section of FIG.

The connector 31A of the second embodiment includes a first connector housing 33A, a second connector housing 34A, an annular packing 35, and a front holder 36.
The packing 35 and the front holder 36 have the same structure as that of the first embodiment, and the same numbers are assigned and description thereof is omitted.

  The first connector housing 33A is obtained by improving a part of the first connector housing 33 of the first embodiment. The first connector housing 33 </ b> A of the second embodiment defines an accommodation space 40 in which the fitting cylinder portion 47 of the second connector housing 34 </ b> A is fitted around the terminal accommodating cylinder portion 39 and the fitting cylinder portion 47. In the point provided with the outer cylinder part (hood part) 41 fitted to outer periphery, it is common with the 1st connector housing 33 of 1st Embodiment.

  However, as shown in FIG. 8, the first connector housing 33 </ b> A of the second embodiment has a fitting cylinder portion 47 in a partial region of the inner bottom portion of the outer cylinder portion 41 that faces the tip of the fitting cylinder portion 47. A slope portion 81 is provided that generates a twisting force F that is useful for preventing rattling. The partial region equipped with the slope portion 81 is the inner bottom portion of the outer tube portion 41 located below the terminal accommodating tube portion 39.

The first connector housing 33A of the second embodiment may have the same configuration as the first connector housing 33 of the first embodiment, except that the slope portion 81 is provided. The same numbers are given and the description is omitted.
The second connector housing 34A of the second embodiment has a configuration in which the slope portion 81 is omitted from the second connector housing 34 of the first embodiment.

  In the connector 31A of the second embodiment described above, as shown in FIG. 7, after the fitting between the first connector housing 33A and the second connector housing 34A is completed, for example, by an external force such as an external vibration force. Further, when the fitting between the connector housings 33A and 34A is deepened, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the fitting cylinder portion 47, which is the fitting portion of the other connector housing 34 with respect to the one connector housing 33A, is provided. A twisting force F that tilts the axis acts on the fitting part (fitting cylinder part 47) that rides on the slope part 81 mounted on one connector housing 34 at the tip, and rides from the slope part 81.

When the axial lines of the connector housings 33 and 34 are inclined with each other by the twisting force F, the fitting portions (for example, the fitting portion between the fitting cylinder portion 47 and the outer tube portion 41 or the packing 35 are removed). The contact pressure at the fitting cylinder portion 47 and the terminal accommodating cylinder portion 39 is increased in proportion to the displacement amount due to the inclination, and the coupling strength between the connector housings 33 and 34 is increased.
Therefore, rattling between the connector housings 33 and 34 due to an external vibration force can be suppressed, and accordingly, sliding friction between the terminal contact portions of the connection terminals 38 and 49 can be reduced.

Further, as described above, when the axial lines of the connector housings 33 and 34 are inclined with each other by the twisting force F from the slope 81, the mutual axial lines are also present between the connection terminals 38 and 49 as shown in FIG. It will be tilted.
FIG. 10 shows a state in which the axis of the first connector housing 33 is tilted from the initial position by the twisting force F from the slope portion 81. FIG. 10 shows the axial direction of the first connection terminal 38 with respect to the second connection terminal 49, the axis J1 is in a state before the twisting force F is applied, and the axis J3 is in a state after being tilted by the action of the twisting force F. Is shown.

  The inclination of the axis between the connection terminals 38 and 49 increases the elastic deformation of the spring member 38b2 on the connection terminal 38 for securing the contact pressure, and increases the contact load between the connection terminals 38 and 49. The increase in the contact load between the connection terminals 38 and 49 becomes a sliding regulating force that suppresses the sliding of the terminal contact portion between the connection terminals 38 and 49. Therefore, the sliding of the terminal contact portion due to an external vibration force is caused. Motion can be further reduced.

  Accordingly, it is possible to reduce wear due to sliding of the terminal contact portion due to external vibration or the like, and to improve the contact reliability in the connector 31A.

Also in the case of the waterproof connector 31A of the second embodiment, the slope portion 81 is not engaged with the mating connector housing 34A when the normal mating between the connector housings 33A and 34A is completed. It does not affect the fitting operation force between 33A and 34A.
Therefore, without increasing the mating operation force, the wear due to sliding of the terminal contact portion due to external vibration or the like is reduced, and both the mating operability and the contact reliability are improved. be able to.

  Further, also in the case of the connector 31A of the second embodiment described above, as a means for generating the twisting force F, a method in which a part of the inner bottom portion of the outer cylindrical portion 41 of the first connector housing 33A has an inclined surface is used. It is only necessary to form the surface portion 81, and it is possible to easily realize improvement in fitting operability and contact reliability.

The connector of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and appropriate modifications and improvements can be made.
For example, the specific equipment position of the slope portion which is a means for generating the twisting force F is not limited to the location shown in the above embodiment. Also, the design of the slope and the like can be changed as appropriate.

Further, the connector of each embodiment described above was a waterproof connector of a type in which an annular packing for waterproofing or a front holder is attached to the terminal accommodating cylinder portion of one connector housing. The present invention can also be applied to a general connector that does not include a packing or a front holder.
However, when applied to a waterproof connector having a packing and a front holder as in the above embodiment, it is not necessary to make the packing lengthy in order to prevent rattling between the connector housings. The connector can be shortened to reduce the weight and size of the connector.

31 Connector 33, 33A First connector housing 34, 34A Second connector housing 35 Packing 36 Front holder 38 First connection terminal 38b2 Spring member 39 Terminal accommodating cylinder part 41 Outer cylinder part (fitting part)
47 Tube part for fitting (fitting part)
50 Terminal support part 81 Slope part

Claims (3)

A first connector housing having a terminal housing cylinder portion for housing the first connection terminal;
A second connector housing supporting a second connection terminal to be fitted to the first connection terminal inside a fitting cylinder portion to be fitted to an outer periphery of the terminal accommodating cylinder portion;
A connector with
One connector housing of the first connector housing and the second connector housing is further connected to each other by an external force after the fitting between the first connector housing and the second connector housing is completed. When the mating is deepened, a slope portion is provided that applies a twisting force that causes the mating portion of the other connector housing to ride on the mating portion of the other connector housing and tilts the axis of the mating portion. A connector characterized by that. The first connector housing includes an outer cylinder portion that fits on an outer periphery of the fitting cylinder portion,
The said 2nd connector housing was equipped with the said slope part which makes the front-end | tip of the said outer cylinder part ride on the partial area | region of the base end side outer peripheral part of the said cylinder part for fitting. connector. The first connector housing includes an outer cylinder portion that defines an accommodating space in which the fitting cylinder portion is fitted around the terminal accommodating cylinder portion and is fitted to an outer periphery of the fitting cylinder portion;
The said slope part which rides on the front-end | tip of the said cylinder part for fitting is provided in the partial area | region of the inner bottom part of the said outer cylinder part facing the front-end | tip of the said cylinder part for fitting. connector.

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