JP2012199189A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connector capable of stably holding a terminal in a terminal housing chamber.SOLUTION: A connector 1 comprises a terminal housing chamber 7 which houses a terminal 3 and in which a connection part 5 side of the terminal 3 is opened; a locking lance 13 deflectably arranged in the terminal housing chamber 7 and having an engaging part 11 engaged with an engaged part 9 of the terminal 3; and a pair of support parts 23 arranged on both walls 17 at the opening 15 side of the terminal housing chamber 7 and supporting a lower surface side 21 at both sides in a width direction of the terminal 3. A supporting part 27 extending from the engaging part 11 to the opening 15 and supporting the lower surface 21 of the terminal 13 and a pair of supporting parts 23 in state that the engaging part 11 engages with the engaged part 9, is provided on the locking lance 13.

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector.

  Conventionally, as a connector, a terminal metal fitting as a terminal is accommodated and a cavity as a terminal accommodating chamber in which a tongue piece side as a connecting portion of the terminal metal fitting is opened, and the terminal metal fitting is provided in the cavity so as to be bent. And a pair of support surfaces as a pair of support portions that are provided on both side walls on the opening side of the cavity and support the lower surface sides on both sides in the width direction of the terminal fitting. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

  In this connector, a pair of support surfaces are formed so as to protrude from both sides of the cavity in the width direction, and the lower surfaces of both sides of the terminal metal in the width direction are supported by the pair of support surfaces, thereby restricting the drop of the terminal metal in the cavity. ing.

JP 2007-141609 A

  However, in the connector as described above, since the pair of support portions provided on both side walls of the terminal accommodating chamber has few overhangs, if the terminal rotates even a little in the terminal accommodating chamber, the gap between the pair of supporting portions The terminal may fall, and the terminal could not be stably held in the terminal accommodating chamber.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a connector that can stably hold a terminal in a terminal accommodating chamber.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a terminal accommodating chamber in which a terminal is accommodated and the connecting portion side of the terminal is opened, and a latch provided in the terminal accommodating chamber so as to be bent and engaged with a locked portion of the terminal. And a pair of support portions provided on both side walls on the opening side of the terminal accommodating chamber and supporting the lower surface sides on both sides in the width direction of the terminal. The stop lance extends from the locking portion toward the opening, and the terminal support portion supports the lower surface side of the terminal together with the pair of support portions in a state where the locking portion is engaged with the locked portion. Is provided.

  In this connector, a terminal support portion is provided on the locking lance so as to extend from the locking portion toward the opening and support the lower surface side of the terminal together with the pair of supporting portions in a state where the locking portion is engaged with the locked portion. Thus, the terminal can be supported by the terminal support portion of the locking lance between the pair of support portions, and the terminal can be prevented from falling off between the pair of support portions.

  Therefore, in such a connector, the terminal can be stably held in the terminal accommodating chamber.

  In addition, since the terminal support portion of the locking lance extends from the locking portion toward the opening, the terminal is accommodated between the opening and the locking lance and the terminal accommodating chamber in a state where the terminal is accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber. It is possible to reduce the length of the detection member that detects the conduction of the inserted terminal and the restriction member that detects the engagement state of the locking lance and restricts the bending of the locking lance. Strength can be improved. For this reason, thickness of a detection member, a control member, etc. can also be made thin, and a detection member, a control member, etc. can be reduced in size.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the connector according to claim 1, wherein the lower surface of the locking lance is formed substantially parallel to the inner wall surface of the terminal accommodating chamber facing the lower surface. To do.

  In this connector, since the lower surface of the locking lance is formed substantially parallel to the inner wall surface of the terminal accommodating chamber facing the lower surface, the distance between the lower surface of the locking lance and the inner wall surface of the terminal accommodating chamber is It is possible to reduce the size of the connector in accordance with a downsized detection member or a restriction member inserted between the locking lance and the terminal accommodating chamber from the opening, and the entire connector can be downsized.

  According to the present invention, there is an effect that it is possible to provide a connector that can stably hold a terminal in a terminal accommodating chamber.

(A) is a perspective view of a male terminal among terminals accommodated in a connector concerning an embodiment of the invention. (B) is sectional drawing of Fig.1 (a). (A) is a perspective view of a female terminal among terminals accommodated in a connector concerning an embodiment of the invention. (B) is sectional drawing of Fig.2 (a). It is sectional drawing of the connector which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. (A) is a front view of the connector which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. (B) is sectional drawing of Fig.4 (a). (A) is sectional drawing of the connector which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. (B) is an expanded sectional view of the connector concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing of the connector which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

  A connector according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

(First embodiment)
The first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The connector 1 according to the present embodiment includes a terminal housing chamber 7 in which the terminal 3 is accommodated and the connection portion 5 side of the terminal 3 is opened, and the terminal 3 is locked in the terminal housing chamber 7. The locking lance 13 provided with the locking portion 11 to be engaged with the portion 9 and the side walls 17 and 19 on the opening 15 side of the terminal accommodating chamber 7 are supported on the lower surface 21 side on both sides in the width direction of the terminal 3. And a pair of support portions 23 and 25.

  The locking lance 13 extends from the locking portion 11 toward the opening 15, and the lower surface 21 of the terminal 3 together with the pair of support portions 23 and 25 in a state where the locking portion 11 is engaged with the locked portion 9. A terminal support 27 for supporting the side is provided.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the terminal 3 is made of a conductive material, has a male terminal 3 a and a female terminal 3 b, and includes a connection portion 5, a wire fixing portion 29, and a locked portion 9. Yes. The connection part 5 of the male terminal 3 a has a tab 31, and the connection part 5 of the female terminal 3 b has a spring 33. In addition, the wire fixing portion 29 of the male terminal 3a and the female terminal 3b includes a core wire fixing portion 35 to which a core wire of a covered electric wire (not shown) is conducted and caulked, and a covered portion of the covered electric wire to be caulked to fix the covered electric wire. And a covering fixing portion 37. The male terminal 3 a and the female terminal 3 b are provided with a locked portion 9 formed of a lance hole for locking the terminal 3 in the terminal accommodating chamber 7 between the connection portion 5 and the wire fixing portion 29. ing. In the following description, the female terminal 3b is accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber 7, and the female terminal 3b is described as the terminal 3. However, even when the male terminal 3a is the terminal 3, the female terminal 3b functions similarly to the female terminal 3b. The effect obtained is the same.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the connector 1 includes a terminal accommodating chamber 7, a locking lance 13, and a pair of support portions 23 and 25. The terminal accommodating chambers 7 are provided in a plurality of rows (here, four rows) in the width direction of the housing 39, and are provided in a plurality of steps (here, two steps) in the height direction of the housing 39. Each terminal accommodating chamber 7 is extended in the fitting direction of the housing 39 with respect to a mating housing (not shown), the terminal 3 is inserted from the insertion port 41 side, and the connection portion 5 of the terminal 3 is opened to the opening 15 side. The side is arranged. By accommodating the terminal 3 in the terminal accommodating chamber 7 in this manner and fitting the housing 39 with the mating housing, the tab 31 (see FIG. 1) of the mating terminal is inserted from the connection portion insertion port 43 on the opening 15 side. Then, the connection portion 5 of each terminal 3 and each counterpart terminal are connected. The terminal 3 accommodated in such a terminal accommodating chamber 7 is locked by the locking lance 13 and is prevented from coming off from the terminal accommodating chamber 7.

  The locking lance 13 is provided in the terminal accommodating chamber 7 so that it can be bent, and is provided with a locking portion 11 that protrudes upward in the bending direction. When the terminal 3 is accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber 7 from the insertion port 41 side, the locking lance 13 is moved downward when the inclined surface 45 on the insertion port 41 side of the locking portion 11 contacts the terminal 3. It is bent. By inserting the terminal 3 toward the opening 15 from this state, the locking portion 11 is restored upward when the locking portion 11 is positioned at the locked portion 9, and the locking portion 11 and the locked portion 9 are engaged. The terminal 3 is prevented from coming off from the terminal accommodating chamber 7. The terminal 3 that is prevented from being detached by the locking lance 13 is held in the terminal accommodating chamber 7 by the pair of support portions 23 and 25.

  The pair of support portions 23, 25 are extended from both the side walls 17, 19 of the terminal accommodating chamber 7 toward the inside from the opening 15 side, and project so as to be close to each other. The pair of support portions 23 and 25 support the lower surface 21 side on both sides in the width direction on the connection portion 5 side of the terminal 3 in a state where the terminal 3 is accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber 7.

  Here, when the terminal 3 is released from the state of being locked by the locking lance 13, a releasing jig (not shown) is inserted from the opening 15, and a jig releasing portion 47, which is the tip of the locking lance 13. The engagement between the locking portion 11 and the locked portion 9 is released by abutting the release jig and bending the locking lance 13 downward. For this reason, in order to improve the support of the terminal 3 by the pair of support portions 23, 25, the pair of support portions 23, 25 are protruded closer to each other, or the pair of support portions 23, 25 are continuously connected. If it is configured as a member, the releasing jig cannot be inserted, and the locking of the terminal 3 by the locking lance 13 cannot be released. Therefore, a terminal support portion 27 is provided on the locking lance 13.

  The terminal support portion 27 extends from the locking portion 11 toward the opening 15 between the pair of support portions 23 and 25. The support surface 49 of the terminal support portion 27 is set to be flush with the support surfaces 51 of the pair of support portions 23 and 25 in a state where the locking portion 11 is engaged with the locked portion 9 of the terminal 3. ing. For this reason, the lower surface 21 side of the terminal 3 is supported by the pair of support portions 23 and 25 and the terminal support portion 27, and the support of the terminal 3 in the terminal accommodating chamber 7 is stabilized.

  In addition, after accommodating the terminal 3 in the terminal accommodating chamber 7, the accommodation state and conduction | electrical_connection state of the terminal 3 to the terminal accommodating chamber 7 are detected by the detection member 53 as shown in FIG. Specifically, the detection member 53 includes a conduction pin 55 and a detection pin 57. When the detection member 53 is inserted from the opening 15, the conduction pin 55 is brought into contact with the connection portion 5 of the terminal 3 to detect conduction of the terminal 3. When the detection member 53 is inserted from the opening 15, the detection pin 57 is inserted between the lower surface 59 of the locking lance 13 and the inner wall surface 61 facing the lower surface 59 of the terminal accommodating chamber 7. At this time, as shown in FIG. 3, when the locking portion 11 of the locking lance 13 and the locked portion 9 of the terminal 3 are normally engaged, the locking lance 13 moves upward. Therefore, the detection pin 57 can be inserted between the lower surface 59 and the inner wall surface 61. On the other hand, when the locking portion 11 of the locking lance 13 and the locked portion 9 of the terminal 3 are not engaged, the locking lance 13 is moved downward by the lower surface 21 of the terminal 3. The detection pin 57 comes into contact with the jig releasing portion 47 of the locking lance 13, and the detection pin 57 cannot be inserted between the lower surface 59 and the inner wall surface 61.

  Based on whether or not the detection pin 57 can be inserted between the lower surface 59 of the locking lance 13 and the inner wall surface 61 of the terminal accommodating chamber 7, the accommodation state of the terminal 3 in the terminal accommodating chamber 7 can be detected. Further, in a state where the detection pin 57 cannot be inserted between the lower surface 59 and the inner wall surface 61, the conduction pin 55 is set so as not to contact the connecting portion 5 of the terminal 3. Abnormalities in the terminal accommodating chamber 7 of the terminal 3 can be detected. After the detection of the state of the terminal 3 by the detection member 53, a regulating member (not shown) such as a spacer is inserted between the lower surface 59 of the locking lance 13 and the inner wall surface 61 of the terminal accommodating chamber 7, The downward deflection of the lance 13 is restricted, and the engagement between the locking portion 11 and the locked portion 9 of the terminal 3 is prevented from being released.

  Thus, in the configuration in which the abnormality of the terminal 3 is detected by the contact between the detection pin 57 and the jig releasing portion 47 of the locking lance 13, the terminal support portion 27 of the locking lance 13 extends from the locking portion 11 to the opening 15. Since it is extended toward, the detection pin 57 of the detection member 53 can be reduced, and the strength of the detection pin 57 can be improved. Due to this strength improvement, the thickness of the detection pin 57 can be reduced, and the restriction member inserted between the lower surface 59 of the detection member 53 or the locking lance 13 and the inner wall surface 61 of the terminal accommodating chamber 7 can be reduced in size. be able to.

  In such a connector 1, the locking lance 13 extends from the locking portion 11 toward the opening 15 and the locking portion 11 is engaged with the locked portion 9 together with the pair of support portions 23 and 25. 3 is provided, the terminal 3 can be supported by the terminal support 27 of the locking lance 13 between the pair of support portions 23 and 25. Can be prevented from falling off between the pair of support portions 23 and 25.

  Therefore, in such a connector 1, the terminal 3 can be stably held in the terminal accommodating chamber 7.

  Further, since the terminal support portion 27 of the locking lance 13 extends from the locking portion 11 toward the opening 15, the locking lance is extended from the opening 15 in a state where the terminal 3 is accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber 7. The length of the detecting member 53 for detecting the conduction of the terminal 3 inserted between the terminal 13 and the terminal accommodating chamber 7 and the length of the regulating member for detecting the engagement state of the locking lance 13 and restricting the bending of the locking lance. Therefore, the strength of the detection member 53 and the regulating member can be improved. For this reason, the thicknesses of the detection member 53 and the regulating member can be reduced, and the detection member 53 and the regulating member can be miniaturized.

(Second Embodiment)
A second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  In the connector 101 according to the present embodiment, the lower surface 59 of the locking lance 103 is formed substantially parallel to the inner wall surface 61 of the terminal accommodating chamber 7 facing the lower surface 59. In addition, although the same code | symbol is described to the structure same as 1st Embodiment, description is abbreviate | omitted, but since it is the same structure as 1st Embodiment, a structure and functional description refer to 1st Embodiment. Although omitted, the obtained effects are the same.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the lower surface 59 of the locking lance 103 has an inner wall surface 61 of the terminal accommodating chamber 7 facing the lower surface 59 in a state where the locking portion 11 is engaged with the locked portion 9 of the terminal 3. It is formed substantially in parallel. Thus, by forming the lower surface 59 substantially parallel to the inner wall surface 61, the distance between the lower surface 59 of the locking lance 103 and the inner wall surface 61 of the terminal accommodating chamber 7 can be reduced. For this reason, the thickness of the detection pin 57 and the regulating member of the detection member 53 inserted between the lower surface 59 of the locking lance 103 and the inner wall surface 61 of the terminal accommodating chamber 7 can be further reduced. In addition, since the distance between the lower surface 59 of the locking lance 103 and the inner wall surface 61 of the terminal accommodating chamber 7 can be reduced, the housing 39 of the connector 101 can be downsized in the height direction.

  In order to reduce the distance between the lower surface 59 of the locking lance 103 and the inner wall surface 61 of the terminal accommodating chamber 7, the lower surface 59 of the locking lance 103 is inclined downward toward the opening 15 slightly from the parallel. It is good also as an inclined surface. Further, although the support surface 49 of the terminal support portion 27 of the locking lance 103 is slightly inclined, the lower surface of the terminal 3 with the locking portion 11 engaged with the locked portion 9 of the terminal 3. The support surface 49 may be formed so as to be flush with the surface 21.

  In such a connector 101, the lower surface 59 of the locking lance 103 is formed substantially parallel to the inner wall surface 61 of the terminal accommodating chamber 7 facing the lower surface 59. 7 can be reduced in accordance with the downsized detection member 53 and the regulating member inserted between the locking lance 103 and the terminal accommodating chamber 7 from the opening 15. The entire connector 101 can be reduced in size.

  In the connector according to the embodiment of the present invention, the support surface of the pair of support portions and the support surface of the terminal support portion are set to be the same surface. The support surfaces of the pair of support portions and the terminal support portion may be set in accordance with the shape of each.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,101 ... Connector 3 ... Terminal 5 ... Connection part 7 ... Terminal accommodating chamber 9 ... Locked part 11 ... Locking part 13,103 ... Locking lance 15 ... Opening 17, 19 ... Both side walls 21 ... Bottom surface of terminal 23 , 25 ... support portion 27 ... terminal support portion 59 ... lower surface of the locking lance 61 ... inner wall surface

Claims (2)

A terminal housing chamber in which a terminal is accommodated and a connection portion side of the terminal is opened, and a locking lance provided with a locking portion that is flexibly provided in the terminal housing chamber and engages with a locked portion of the terminal. And a pair of support portions that are provided on both side walls on the opening side of the terminal accommodating chamber and support the lower surface sides on both sides in the width direction of the terminal,
The locking lance extends from the locking portion toward the opening, and supports the lower surface side of the terminal together with the pair of support portions in a state where the locking portion is engaged with the locked portion. A connector provided with a support portion. The connector according to claim 1,
The connector is characterized in that the lower surface of the locking lance is formed substantially parallel to the inner wall surface of the terminal accommodating chamber facing the lower surface.

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