JP2012151006A - Terminal half-insertion detection structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a terminal half-insertion detection structure capable of reliably detecting half-insertion, and improving a half-insertion detecting property regardless of magnitude of a flexible deformation amount of a lance on a connector housing side due to half-insertion of a terminal fitting and regardless of molding distortion of the lance.SOLUTION: In this terminal half-insertion detection structure, a tip part of a lance check pin 32 inserted in a lance flexible space 24 of a connector housing 21 comprises a base end side plate part 41 positioned on a base end side, and a tip side plate part 42, which extends from the tip of the base end side plate part 41, and whose thickness is set smaller than that of the base end side plate part 41 to form a step 41a at the tip of the base end side plate part 41. When a flexible deformation amount of the lance 23 is larger than an estimated deformation amount, a tip face 42a of the tip side plate part 42 avoids the lance check pin 32 from entering the lance flexible space 24. When the flexible deformation amount of the lance 23 is smaller than the estimated deformation amount, a surface which is a step 41a of the base end side plate part 41 contacts the tip of the lance 23 to avoid the lance check pin 32 from entering the lance flexible space 24.

Description

  The present invention provides a terminal half-insertion detection structure for detecting whether or not the terminal fitting in the connector housing is in a half-inserted state by attaching a half-insertion detection jig to the front end of the connector housing to which the terminal fitting is attached. About.

FIG. 8 shows a conventional terminal half insertion detection structure.
This terminal half-insertion detection structure is disclosed in the following Patent Document 1, and a half-insertion detection jig 121 is fitted and attached to the front end of a connector housing 111 to which a female terminal fitting 101 is attached, and a connector. It is detected whether the terminal fitting 101 in the housing 111 is in a half-inserted state.

  The connector housing 111 includes a terminal receiving hole 112 into which the terminal fitting 101 is inserted, a lance 113 having a locking projection 113a protruding into the terminal receiving hole 112, a lance bending space 114, and a lance position checking hole 115. Prepare.

  The lance 113 has a configuration in which a locking projection 113a is provided at the distal end of an elastic piece 113b that extends from the proximal end side of the connector housing 111 along the insertion direction of the terminal fitting 101 (the arrow X1 direction in FIG. 8). The locking projection 113 a prevents the terminal fitting 101 from coming off by engaging with the recess 103 at the rear end of the box portion 102 of the female terminal fitting 101.

  With the insertion of the terminal fitting 101 into the terminal receiving hole 112, the lance 113 is bent and displaced so that the locking projection 113a escapes out of the terminal receiving hole 112, and then the lance 113 is inserted into the normal position. The bending displacement is returned, and the terminal fitting 101 is prevented from being detached by the locking projection 113a.

  The lance bending space 114 is formed outside the terminal accommodating hole 112 and allows the lance 113 to be bent and displaced when the terminal fitting 101 is inserted.

  The lance position checking hole 115 communicates with the lance bending space 114 from the front end side of the connector housing 111 along the penetrating direction of the terminal accommodating hole 112.

  The half-insertion detection jig 121 fitted and attached to the front end of the connector housing 111 includes a lance check pin 122 inserted into the lance position check hole 115 and a conduction pin 123. The tip 122a of the lance check pin 122 has a plate shape with a constant thickness t. Further, in FIG. 8, the thickness of the tip 122a of the lance check pin 122 is slightly smaller than the height dimension h of the lance deflection space 114, but is set to a value close to the height dimension h. The conduction pin 123 is provided in parallel with the lance check pin 122 and enters the terminal receiving hole 112 as the lance check pin 122 enters the lance position check hole 115.

  In the terminal half-insertion detection structure described above, when the terminal fitting 101 reaches the normal position and the terminal fitting 101 is normally prevented from being removed by the lance 113, the terminal fitting 101 is fitted to the front end of the connector housing 111. As shown in FIG. 8, the attached half-insertion detection jig 121 has the lance check pin 122 inserted into the lance bending space 114 without interfering with the lance 113, and at the same time, the conduction pin 123 is connected to the tip of the terminal fitting 101. The conductive pin 123 and the terminal fitting 101 are electrically connected to each other. Therefore, it can be seen from the continuity check by the continuity pin 123 that the terminal fitting 101 is in the fully inserted state.

  On the other hand, when the terminal fitting 101 inserted into the terminal receiving hole 112 of the connector housing 111 has not reached the normal position and the lance 113 is bent and displaced into the lance bending space 114, the terminal fitting 101 is placed at the front end of the connector housing 111. When the half-insertion detection jig 121 is fitted and mounted, the tip of the lance check pin 122 collides with the tip of the lance 113, and the entry of the lance check pin 122 into the lance position check hole 115 stops halfway. End up.

  Accordingly, it is detected that the terminal fitting 101 is in a half-inserted state because the lance check pin 122 is not sufficiently inserted into the lance position checking hole 115 and contact between the conduction pin 123 and the terminal fitting 101 cannot be obtained. Is done.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-161429

  By the way, the position of the tip portion of the lance 113 in the connector housing 111 may be slightly bent toward the lance bending space 114 due to molding distortion or the like even though the terminal fitting 101 is in the terminal fully inserted state.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, when the thickness t of the tip portion 122 a is set to be approximately equal to the height dimension h of the lance deflection space 114, when the tip portion 122 a enters the lance deflection space 114. The upper end corner 122b of the tip 122a interferes with the tip of the lance 113 that hangs down to the lance deflection space 114 due to molding distortion or the like, and the insertion of the lance check pin 122 is prevented, and the terminal fitting 101 is half inserted. In some cases, the state is erroneously detected.

  Therefore, in actuality, as shown by a broken line in FIG. 8, the thickness of the tip 122a is set to a thickness t1 that is smaller than the height h of the lance deflection space 114 in consideration of the molding distortion of the lance 113. Is done.

  On the other hand, the amount of bending displacement of the lance 113 toward the lance bending space 114 caused by half insertion of the terminal fitting 101 also varies due to a dimensional error of the terminal fitting 101 or the like. Therefore, when the difference between the actual plate thickness t1 and the height dimension h of the front end portion 122a is large and the bending displacement amount of the lance due to the half insertion of the terminal fitting 101 is small, the front end portion 122a is moved to the lance 113. There is a possibility that the lance bending space 114 is entered without interfering with the tip of the lance, and the half-inserted state cannot be detected.

  In other words, in the structure of the conventional lance check pin 122 in which the thickness of the tip portion 122a is constant, depending on the setting of the plate thickness t1 of the tip portion, there is a variation in the amount of deflection displacement of the lance 113 and the influence of molding distortion of the lance 113. There was a risk that the half-insertion detection performance would be degraded.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned problems, and reliably insert the metal fittings half-inserted regardless of the amount of bending displacement of the lance on the connector housing side caused by the half-insertion of the terminal fitting or the distortion of the lance. An object of the present invention is to provide a terminal half-insertion detection structure that can detect the presence / absence and improve the half-insertion detection performance.

The above-described object of the present invention is achieved by the following configuration.
(1) The connector housing includes a terminal receiving hole into which the terminal fitting is inserted, and a locking projection protruding into the terminal receiving hole, and the locking projection is inserted into the terminal receiving hole when the terminal fitting is inserted into the terminal receiving hole. A lance that is deflected so that it escapes out of the terminal receiving hole and then the terminal fitting is inserted to a normal position and then the deflection displacement is returned, and the locking projection is used to prevent the terminal fitting from coming off. A lance deflection space that allows deflection displacement, and a lance position check hole that communicates with the lance deflection space from the front end side of the connector housing along the penetrating direction of the terminal receiving hole,
The semi-insertion detecting jig fitted and attached to the front end of the connector housing is provided with a lance check pin inserted into the lance bending space from the lance position check hole, and provided in parallel with the lance check pin. A conduction pin that enters the terminal receiving hole as the check pin enters the lance position check hole;
In a state where the terminal fitting has not reached the normal position and the lance is bent and displaced in the lance bending space, the lance check pin does not sufficiently enter the lance position check hole, and the conduction pin A terminal half-insertion detection structure for detecting that the terminal fitting is in a half-inserted state by preventing contact with the terminal fitting,
The distal end portion of the lance check pin inserted into the lance bending space extends from the proximal end side plate portion positioned on the proximal end side and the distal end of the proximal end side plate portion and has a plate thickness greater than the proximal end side plate portion. A distal end side plate portion that is set thin and forms a step at the distal end of the proximal end side plate portion,
The distal end surface of the distal end side plate portion abuts against the distal end of the lance when the displacement amount of the lance due to the half insertion of the terminal fitting into the lance bending space is larger than an assumed displacement amount. Preventing the pin from entering the lance bending space,
The surface which is the step at the tip of the base end side plate portion is the tip of the lance when the amount of displacement of the lance due to half insertion of the terminal fitting into the lance bending space is smaller than the assumed amount of displacement. A terminal half-insertion detecting structure that prevents the lance check pin from entering the lance bending space by contacting the lance check pin.

  According to the configuration of (1) above, the distal end portion of the lance check pin inserted into the lance bending space from the front end side of the connector housing is not uniform in thickness but the proximal end side plate portion and the distal end side plate having different plate thicknesses. It consists of a part.

  The distal end surface of the distal end side plate portion having a small plate thickness comes into contact with the distal end of the lance when the displacement amount of the lance due to half insertion of the terminal fitting into the lance deflection space is larger than the assumed displacement amount. Prevents the check pin from entering the lance bending space. In addition, the surface of the base end side plate portion, which is thicker than the tip side plate portion, has a step difference at the tip, where the amount of displacement of the lance into the lance bending space caused by half-insertion of the terminal fitting is the assumed displacement amount. If it is smaller than this, it abuts against the tip of the lance and prevents the lance check pin from entering the lance bending space.

  Therefore, if the plate thickness of the base end side plate part is set in consideration of drooping to the lance deflection space side due to lance molding distortion, etc., the lance deflection displacement on the connector housing side due to half insertion of the terminal fittings Regardless of the amount of size or the distortion of the lance, the presence or absence of half-insertion can be reliably detected, and the detection performance of half-insertion can be improved.

  According to the terminal half-insertion detecting structure according to the present invention, the distal end portion of the lance check pin inserted into the lance bending space from the front end side of the connector housing is composed of the proximal end side plate portion and the distal end side plate portion having different plate thicknesses. Yes. The distal end surface of the distal end side plate portion having a small plate thickness comes into contact with the distal end of the lance when the displacement amount of the lance due to half insertion of the terminal fitting into the lance deflection space is larger than the assumed displacement amount. Prevents the check pin from entering the lance bending space.

  In addition, the surface of the base end side plate portion, which is thicker than the tip side plate portion, has a step difference at the tip, where the amount of displacement of the lance into the lance bending space caused by half-insertion of the terminal fitting is the assumed displacement amount. If it is smaller than this, it abuts against the tip of the lance and prevents the lance check pin from entering the lance bending space.

  Therefore, if the plate thickness of the base end side plate part is set in consideration of drooping to the lance deflection space side due to lance molding distortion, etc., the lance deflection displacement on the connector housing side due to half insertion of the terminal fittings Regardless of the amount of size or the distortion of the lance, the presence or absence of half-insertion can be reliably detected, and the detection performance of half-insertion can be improved.

FIG. 5 is a rear view of the terminal receiving hole when the terminal fitting is in a completely inserted state in the connector housing in which the terminal fitting is detected in the terminal half insertion detection structure according to the present invention. It is AA sectional drawing of FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the half-insertion detection jig shown in FIG. 2. The rear surface of the terminal receiving hole when the terminal fitting is in a half-inserted state with respect to the terminal receiving hole shown in FIG. 2 and the lance is greatly deflected and displaced toward the lance bending space side by half insertion of the terminal fitting. FIG. It is BB sectional drawing of FIG. The rear surface of the terminal receiving hole when the terminal fitting is in a half-inserted state with respect to the terminal receiving hole shown in FIG. 2 and the lance is flexibly displaced toward the lance bending space side by the half insertion of the terminal fitting. FIG. It is CC sectional drawing of FIG. It is a schematic explanatory drawing of the conventional terminal half insertion detection structure.

  Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a terminal half-insertion detection structure according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  1 to 7 show an embodiment of a terminal half-insertion detection structure according to the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a connector housing in which a terminal fitting is detected in the terminal half-insertion detection structure according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a rear view of the terminal receiving hole when the terminal fitting is in a completely inserted state, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 shows a terminal housing in which the terminal fitting is in a half-inserted state with respect to the terminal receiving hole shown in FIG. 2, and the lance is greatly deflected and displaced toward the lance bending space side by half-insertion of the terminal fitting. It is a rear view of a hole. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is a state in which the terminal fitting is in a half-inserted state with respect to the terminal receiving hole shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG. 6, and FIG.

  In the terminal half-insertion detection structure of this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a half-insertion detection jig 31 is fitted and attached to the front end of the connector housing 21 to which the female terminal fitting 11 is attached. Thus, it is detected whether or not the terminal fitting 11 in the connector housing 21 is in a half-inserted state.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the terminal fitting 11 includes a box portion 12 in which a tip portion of a male terminal fitting (not shown) is fitted, and a covering crimping piece 13 that fixes an outer covering portion of the covered electric wire. And a conductor crimping piece 14 for crimping and fixing the conductor portion of the covered electric wire.

  In addition, a conduction check surface 15 is provided at the front end of the box portion 12 so that a conduction pin of a half-insertion detection jig 31 described later comes into contact therewith. Furthermore, a lance locking portion 16 is provided at the rear end of the box portion 12 to engage a lance in a connector housing 21 described later.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the connector housing 21 includes a terminal receiving hole 22 into which the terminal fitting 11 is inserted, a lance 23, a lance bending space 24, and a lance position check hole 25.

  In the case of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the rear end side 22a of the terminal accommodating hole 22 that opens to the rear end (base end) of the connector housing 21 is determined by the size of the electric wire and is wider than the front end side. Is open.

  Furthermore, a terminal insertion hole 22b through which the tip of a male terminal fitting (not shown) is inserted and a conduction pin of a half-insertion detection jig 31 to be described later are inserted into the tip of the terminal receiving hole 22. A pin insertion opening 22c is formed.

  The lance 23 includes an elastic piece 23b extending from the base end side of the connector housing 21 along the insertion direction of the terminal fitting 11 (the direction of the arrow X2 in FIG. 2), and an elastic piece 23b so as to protrude into the terminal receiving hole 22. It is the structure provided with the latching protrusion 23a protrudingly provided by the front end side.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the lance 23 is bent toward the lance bending space 24 so that the locking protrusion 23 a escapes from the terminal receiving hole 22 with the insertion of the terminal fitting 11 into the terminal receiving hole 22. Displaced to allow insertion of the terminal fitting 11. When the terminal fitting 11 is inserted to the proper position, as shown in FIG. 2, the locking projection 23a engages with the lance locking portion 16 to return the flexural displacement, and the locking projection 23a causes the terminal fitting 11 to 11 is in a retaining state. The locking projection 23 a engages with the lance locking portion 16 at the rear end of the box portion 12 of the female terminal fitting 11 to prevent the terminal fitting 11 from coming off.

  The lance deflection space 24 is formed in a parallel running state outside the terminal accommodation hole 22 and allows the lance 23 to be deflected and displaced when the terminal fitting 11 is inserted.

  The lance position check hole 25 communicates with the lance deflection space 24 from the front end side of the connector housing 21 along the penetrating direction of the terminal accommodating hole 22.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the half-insertion detection jig 31 includes a lance check pin 32 and a conduction pin 33.

  The lance check pin 32 is a plate-like and rod-like member inserted into the lance position check hole 25, and the terminal fitting 11 does not reach the normal position. As shown in FIG. 5 or FIG. In a state where the lance is bent and displaced in the lance bending space 24, the tip end portion 32a hits the lance 23, and the insertion into the lance position check hole 25 stops halfway. In addition, the lance check pin 32 is inserted into the lance position check hole 25 as shown in FIG. 2 when the terminal fitting 11 is in the completely inserted state and the lance 23 is not bent and displaced in the lance bending space 24. The length is set so as to enter the lance deflection space 24 below the lance 23 when inserted.

  The conduction pin 33 is provided in parallel with the lance check pin 32, and enters the conduction pin insertion port 22 c at the tip of the terminal accommodation hole 22 as the lance check pin 32 enters the lance position check hole 25.

  As shown in FIG. 4, when the terminal 11 is in a completely inserted state and the insertion of the lance check pin 32 into the lance position check hole 25 is normally completed, the conduction pin 33 is a terminal receiving hole. 22 is brought into contact with the continuity check surface 15 of the terminal fitting 11 and is electrically connected to the terminal fitting 11. Further, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the conduction pin 33 has the terminal fitting 11 in a half-inserted state, and the lance check pin 32 has a hole 25 for checking the lance position due to the bending displacement of the lance 23. When the insertion into the terminal stops halfway, the terminal fitting 11 is not in contact with the terminal fitting 11 and the terminal fitting 11 cannot be connected to the terminal fitting 11 to detect that the terminal fitting 11 is in a half-inserted state. it can.

  Next, the structure of the tip portion 32a of the lance check pin 32, which is a feature of the present embodiment, will be described in detail.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the distal end portion 32 a of the lance check pin 32 includes a proximal end side plate portion 41 positioned on the proximal end side, and a distal end side plate portion 42 extending from the distal end of the proximal end side plate portion 41. .

  The distal end side plate portion 42 is set to be thinner than the proximal end side plate portion 41, and forms a step 41 a on the side facing the lance 23 at the distal end of the proximal end side plate portion 41.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the front end surface 42 a of the front end side plate portion 42 is formed when the deflection displacement amount of the lance 23 into the lance deflection space 24 due to the half insertion of the terminal fitting 11 is larger than the assumed displacement amount. Abutting on the tip of the lance 23, the lance check pin 32 is prevented from entering the lance bending space 24.

  As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the surface which is the step 41 a at the distal end of the base end side plate portion 41 assumes a deflection displacement amount of the lance 23 into the lance deflection space 24 due to half insertion of the terminal fitting 11. When it is smaller than the displacement amount, it abuts against the tip of the lance 23 to prevent the lance check pin 32 from entering the lance bending space 24.

  In the terminal half-insertion detection structure of the embodiment described above, the tip end portion 32a of the lance check pin 32 inserted into the lance bending space 24 from the front end side of the connector housing 21 is not a uniform thickness but a plate thickness. The proximal end side plate portion 41 and the distal end side plate portion 42 are different from each other.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the distal end surface 42 a of the distal end side plate portion 42 having a small plate thickness has a deflection displacement amount of the lance 23 into the lance deflection space 24 caused by half insertion of the terminal fitting 11 larger than an assumed displacement amount. When it is large, it abuts against the tip of the lance 23 to prevent the lance check pin 32 from entering the lance bending space 24.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the surface forming the step 41 a at the distal end of the base end side plate portion 41, which is thicker than the distal end side plate portion 42, is formed on the lance 23 caused by half insertion of the terminal fitting 11. When the deflection displacement amount into the lance deflection space 24 is smaller than the assumed displacement amount, the lance check pin 32 is prevented from entering the lance deflection space 24 by contacting the tip of the lance 23.

  Accordingly, the plate thickness of the base end side plate portion 41 is set so as not to interfere with the lance 23 when the terminal fitting 11 is completely inserted in consideration of the drooping of the lance 23 toward the lance bending space 24 due to molding distortion or the like. If so, the presence or absence of half insertion can be reliably detected regardless of the amount of bending displacement of the lance 23 on the connector housing 21 side caused by the half insertion of the terminal fitting 11 or the molding distortion of the lance 23. Detection performance can be improved.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to embodiment mentioned above, A deformation | transformation, improvement, etc. are possible suitably. In addition, the material, shape, dimensions, 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 Terminal metal fitting 12 Box part 15 Conduction check surface 16 Lance latching part 21 Connector housing 22 Terminal accommodation hole 22c Conduction pin insertion port 23 Lance 24 Lance bending space 25 Lance position check hole 31 Half insertion detection jig 32 Lance check pin 32a distal end portion 33 conducting pin 41 proximal end side plate portion 41a step 42 distal end side plate portion 42a distal end surface

Claims (1)

The connector housing includes a terminal receiving hole into which a terminal fitting is inserted and a locking projection protruding into the terminal receiving hole, and the locking projection is inserted into the terminal receiving hole when the terminal fitting is inserted into the terminal receiving hole. A lance that is deflected so as to escape to the outside and the terminal metal fitting is inserted to a normal position and then returned to the deflection position so that the terminal metal fitting is prevented from being pulled out by the locking projection, and the bending displacement of the lance is changed. An allowable lance bending space, and a lance position check hole communicating with the lance bending space from the front end side of the connector housing along the penetrating direction of the terminal receiving hole,
The semi-insertion detecting jig fitted and attached to the front end of the connector housing is provided with a lance check pin inserted into the lance bending space from the lance position check hole, and provided in parallel with the lance check pin. A conduction pin that enters the terminal receiving hole as the check pin enters the lance position check hole;
In a state where the terminal fitting has not reached the normal position and the lance is bent and displaced in the lance bending space, the lance check pin does not sufficiently enter the lance position check hole, and the conduction pin A terminal half-insertion detection structure for detecting that the terminal fitting is in a half-inserted state by preventing contact with the terminal fitting,
The distal end portion of the lance check pin inserted into the lance bending space extends from the proximal end side plate portion positioned on the proximal end side and the distal end of the proximal end side plate portion and has a plate thickness greater than the proximal end side plate portion. A distal end side plate portion that is set thin and forms a step at the distal end of the proximal end side plate portion,
The distal end surface of the distal end side plate portion abuts against the distal end of the lance when the displacement amount of the lance due to the half insertion of the terminal fitting into the lance bending space is larger than an assumed displacement amount. Preventing the pin from entering the lance bending space,
The surface which is the step at the tip of the base end side plate portion is the tip of the lance when the amount of displacement of the lance due to half insertion of the terminal fitting into the lance bending space is smaller than the assumed amount of displacement. A terminal half-insertion detecting structure that prevents the lance check pin from entering the lance bending space by contacting the lance check pin.

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