JP2014186933A - Joint connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress increase of contact resistance at a connection part of a female terminal and a male terminal.SOLUTION: A joint connector comprises: a housing 10 having a cavity into which a crimp terminal can be inserted from a back side; a joint terminal attached to the housing 10 from a front side. The joint connector further comprises: a lance 14 provided with the housing 10, extending in a cantilever state from a back side to the front side of the housing 10, and stopping the crimp terminal 30 inserted into the cavity at the end surface thereof; and a slit S provided between a back end of the housing 10 and the end surface of the lance 14. The slit S is provided in a front side rather than a center position between the back end of the housing 10 and the end surface of the lance 14.

Description

  The present invention relates to a joint connector.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a joint connector for short-circuiting a plurality of terminals, a joint connector that prevents a female terminal inserted into a housing from being detached by a lance is known. As an example of such a joint connector, for example, a joint connector described in Patent Document 1 is known. This joint connector includes a housing having a cavity into which a female terminal can be inserted from the rear.

  In the joint connector of Patent Document 1, a lance that prevents the female terminal inserted into the cavity from coming off is provided on one side wall of the housing. The lance extends in a cantilevered manner from the rear to the front of the housing on one side wall of the housing, and the lance engages with the female terminal while the female terminal is inserted into the cavity. The female terminal is prevented from coming out rearward of the housing.

JP 2010-67483 A

  By the way, in the joint connector disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, the housing is fixed to the trunk line of the wire harness arranged in the engine room or the like of the automobile, so that the female terminal engaged with the lance is located behind the housing. May be pulled. Further, in a state where the joint connector is fixed to the trunk line of the wire harness, the joint connector may be affected by heat from the outside due to a transition from a normal temperature environment to a high temperature environment, and the side wall of the housing may be thermally expanded.

  Thus, when the side wall of the housing is thermally expanded with the female terminal pulled toward the rear of the housing, the terminal portion of the female terminal engaged with the lance slides greatly between the female terminal and the male terminal in the housing. As a result, there is a problem that a lot of wear powder is generated in the female terminal and the male terminal in the housing, thereby increasing the contact resistance at the contact portion between the female terminal and the male terminal.

  The technology disclosed in this specification has been created in view of the above problems. An object of the technology disclosed in the present specification is to provide a joint connector capable of suppressing an increase in contact resistance at a contact portion between a female terminal and a male terminal.

  The technology disclosed in the present specification includes a housing having a cavity into which a female terminal can be inserted from the rear, and a male terminal attached to the housing from the front. The technique is provided in the housing, and is provided from the rear of the housing. A lance that extends forward in a cantilever manner and prevents the female terminal inserted into the cavity at an end surface thereof; and a slit provided between a rear end of the housing and the end surface of the lance. The slit relates to a joint connector provided on the front side of the housing with respect to a center position between a rear end of the housing and the end face of the lance.

  In the joint connector, the length that the side wall of the housing extends due to thermal expansion is proportional to the size of the side wall affected by heat. Therefore, in the joint connector in which the female terminal is configured to be prevented from coming off at the end face of the lance, the length of the end face of the lance that is extended by thermal expansion is proportional to the distance between the end face and the rear end of the housing. In the joint connector described above, the slit is provided between the end surface of the lance and the rear end of the housing, and the length that the end surface of the lance extends by thermal expansion depends on the distance between the end surface and the slit. It will be. Here, since the distance between the end surface of the lance and the slit is shorter than the distance between the end surface of the lance and the rear end of the housing, the length that the end surface of the lance extends by thermal expansion in the joint connector is as follows. This is shorter than the conventional joint connector in which no slit is provided. Further, since the slit is provided on the front side of the housing with respect to the center position between the rear end of the housing and the end face of the lance, the distance between the end face of the lance and the slit is the distance between the end face of the lance and the housing. It is sufficiently shorter than the distance between the rear end. For this reason, in the joint connector described above, thermal expansion at the end surface of the lance can be suppressed as compared with the conventional joint connector in which no slit is provided. In the terminal, the amount of sliding of the female terminal engaged with the lance can be reduced. As a result, an increase in contact resistance at the contact portion between the female terminal and the male terminal can be suppressed.

The lance may be provided on one side wall of the housing, and the slit may be provided on the one side wall so as to penetrate the one side wall.
According to this configuration, since the lance and the slit are provided on the same side wall in the housing, thermal expansion at the end face of the lance can be effectively suppressed by providing the slit. As a result, an increase in contact resistance at the contact portion between the female terminal and the male terminal can be further suppressed.

A plurality of the slits may be provided on the one side wall.
According to this structure, the opening area by a slit can be expanded. As a result, thermal expansion at the end surface of the lance can be further suppressed, and an increase in contact resistance at the contact portion between the female terminal and the male terminal can be further suppressed.

  According to the technique disclosed in this specification, it is possible to provide a joint connector capable of suppressing an increase in contact resistance at a contact portion between a female terminal and a male terminal.

The perspective view which looked at the joint connector and crimp terminal which concern on embodiment from the 1st side wall side Top view of housing viewed from above Front view of the housing from the front Rear view of the housing with the joint terminals attached as seen from the rear AA line sectional view of Drawing 3 showing the state before inserting a crimp terminal in a housing AA line sectional view of Drawing 3 showing the state after inserting a crimp terminal in a housing

  Embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. The joint connector JC according to the embodiment is wound and fixed on a wire harness (not shown) with a tape (not shown). As shown in FIG. 1, the joint connector JC includes a housing 10 in which a cavity 11 (see FIG. 5) into which a crimp terminal (an example of a female terminal) 30 can be inserted from the rear, and a front of the housing 10. To a joint terminal (an example of a male terminal) 40 attached to the housing 10. The joint terminal 40 short-circuits the crimp terminals 30 inserted into the cavity 11. Hereinafter, in each component, the lower left side of FIG. 1 is described as the front, the upper right side is the rear, the upper side is the upper side, and the lower side is the lower side. 3 to 6 are shown upside down.

  The housing 10 is made of a synthetic resin and has a flat box shape as a whole. Four cavities 11 are elongated in the front-rear direction, and four cavities 11 are arranged in the width direction of the housing 10. Each cavity 11 has a substantially rectangular shape that is slightly larger than a connection portion 31 described later of the crimp terminal 30, and the crimp terminal 30 can be inserted from the rear thereof. Below, among the side walls (walls covering the periphery of the cavity 11) 12 of the housing 10, the side wall located above the cavity 11 is defined as the first side wall (an example of one side wall) 12A, and the side wall disposed below the side wall. The side wall disposed on the second side wall 12B and on both sides (both sides on both ends of the cavity 11 in the parallel cavities 11) is referred to as a third side wall 12C. The joint connector JC is fixed to the main line in a direction in which the first side wall 12A is in contact with the main line of the wire harness.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, four lances 14 and four slits S are provided on the first side wall 12 </ b> A of the side walls 12 of the housing 10. The slit S will be described in detail later. The four lances 14 are provided side by side, and each extends in a cantilevered manner toward the front. Each lance 14 can be elastically bent in the inner and outer directions (vertical direction) of the housing 10. Each lance 14 is bent so that its end surface 14A (see FIGS. 5 and 6) can engage with an engaged portion 33 provided at the tip of the crimp terminal 30. Each lance 14 has its end face 14 </ b> A engaged with the engaged portion 33 of the crimp terminal 30, thereby preventing the crimp terminal 30 from coming off from the cavity 11. When the lance 14 is in a natural state, the entire lance 14 does not protrude outward from the first side wall 12A of the housing 10, and the outer surface of the lance 14 and the outer surface of the first side wall 12A constitute a flat surface (FIG. 5). reference).

  A first rib 15 </ b> A extending in the left-right direction is provided at the rear end of the first side wall 12 </ b> A of the housing 10. A second rib 15B extending in the front-rear direction is provided at one end of the second side wall 12B of the housing 10 in the left-right direction. In addition to the slit S, an opening 17 is provided in front of the lance 14 in the first side wall 12A.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the crimp terminal 30 is formed of a conductive metal plate material, and has an elongated shape in the front-rear direction as a whole. A connection part 31 connected to the joint terminal 40 is provided on the front side of the crimp terminal 30, and a barrel part 32 for caulking the terminal part of the electric wire W is provided on the rear side of the crimp terminal 30. The crimp terminal 30 is connected to a terminal portion of the electric wire W constituting the wire harness.

  The connection portion 31 provided in the crimp terminal 30 has a rectangular tube shape opened in the front-rear direction, and the terminal portion 42 of the joint terminal 40 is inserted from the front to be electrically connected. Further, as described above, an engaged portion 33 that can engage with the end surface 14A of the lance 14 is projected from the connection portion 31. The engaged portion 33 is provided at a position near the front end of the connection portion 31, and the end surface 14A of the lance 14 can be engaged from the rear (see FIG. 6).

  The joint terminal 40 is manufactured by pressing a conductive metal member. As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of (four in the embodiment) are provided at predetermined intervals from the strip-shaped base 41. The terminal portion 42 has a protruding shape.

  The joint terminal 40 is attached to the front end of the housing 10 from the front with the terminal portion 42 as a tip (in a direction in which the terminal portion 42 protrudes rearward). In a state where the joint terminal 40 is mounted on the housing 10, each terminal portion 42 protrudes into each cavity 11 (see FIGS. 5 and 6).

  As shown in FIG. 3, a mounting portion 16 to which the belt-like base portion 41 of the joint terminal 40 is mounted is provided at the front end portion of the housing 10. The mounting portion 16 is a space provided in front of the cavity 11 and opens in front of the housing 10. The mounting portion 16 has a height dimension equivalent to the plate thickness dimension of the joint terminal 40. In addition, the mounting portion 16 has a rectangular shape that conforms to the outer shape of the belt-like base portion 41 in plan view. The front end (opening edge) of the mounting portion 16 is a tapered portion 16A having a shape in which the mounting portion 16 widens toward the front.

  As shown in FIG. 3, an elastic wall 19 is provided above the mounting portion 16. The elastic wall 19 has a wall shape along the mounting direction of the joint terminal 40, and has a substantially rectangular shape that is long in the width direction of the housing 10 when viewed from above and below. Both end edges (left and right end edges) of the elastic wall 19 in the longitudinal direction are connected to the third side wall 12C of the housing 10, and the rear end edge of the elastic wall 19 is provided to be connected to a partition wall 13 described later.

  As shown in FIG. 4, openings of the cavities 11 are provided at the rear end of the housing 10, and the connection portions 31 of the crimp terminals 30 are inserted into these openings. In addition, a partition wall 13 that partitions adjacent cavities 11 is provided inside the housing 10 (inside the side wall 12). The partition wall 13 is provided so as to extend in the front-rear direction inside the housing 10.

  Then, the structure and arrangement | positioning of the slit S which are the principal parts of the joint connector JC which concern on embodiment are demonstrated. As shown in FIG. 2, the first side wall 12A of the housing 10 is provided with four slits S penetrating the first side wall 12A in a linear and intermittent manner. Each slit S has a rectangular shape whose opening extends along a direction (left-right direction) orthogonal to the direction (front-rear direction) in which the lance 14 extends. Each slit S is provided at a position aligned with the four lances 14 in the front-rear direction. Specifically, the long side dimension of the opening of each slit S is approximately the same as the width of each lance 14, and the portion between adjacent slits S is in the front-rear direction and the gap between adjacent lances 14. They are arranged side by side.

  As shown in FIG. 6, each slit S is at a position slightly shifted to the front side of the housing 10 from the center position CP between the rear end of the housing 10 and the end face 14A of the lance 14 on the first side wall 12A. Is provided. For this reason, each slit S is arranged close to each lance 14. Specifically, in this embodiment, the length L1 between the rear end of the housing 10 and the end face 14A of the lance 14 is 16 mm, and the length L2 between the slit S and the end face 14A of the lance 14 is set. Is 6 mm.

  Subsequently, an aspect when the crimp terminal 30 is inserted into the housing 10 to which the joint terminal 40 is mounted will be described. When the connecting portion 31 of the crimp terminal 30 is inserted into the cavity 11 from the rear end of the housing 10 with respect to the housing 10 (see FIG. 5) to which the joint terminal 40 is mounted, the lance is connected to the engaged portion 33 of the crimp terminal 30. The front end part 14B of 14 rises and the lance 14 is elastically bent outward. By further inserting the crimp terminal 30 into the cavity 11, the engaged portion 33 of the crimp terminal 30 is positioned in front of the lance 14, and the front end portion 14 </ b> B of the lance 14 is separated from the engaged portion 33 of the crimp terminal 30. Then, the bent lance 14 is elastically restored to return to the natural state. As a result, as shown in FIG. 6, the end surface 14 </ b> A of the lance 14 faces the rear end surface 33 </ b> A of the engaged portion 33 of the crimp terminal 30, and the crimp terminal 30 is engaged with the lance 14.

  In the joint connector, the length of the side wall 12 of the housing 10 that extends due to thermal expansion is proportional to the size of the side wall 12 affected by heat. Therefore, in the joint connector in which the crimp terminal 30 is configured to be prevented from coming off at the end face 14A of the lance 14, the length that the end face 14A of the lance 14 extends due to thermal expansion is between the end face 14A and the rear end of the housing 10. Proportional to the distance between. Here, as for the joint connector JC of this embodiment made into the state shown in FIG. 6, the crimp terminal 30 may be pulled back by the housing 10 being fixed on the trunk line of a wire harness. When the crimp terminal 30 is pulled rearward, the end surface 14A of the lance 14 is caught on the rear end surface 33A of the engaged portion 33 of the crimp terminal 30, and the crimp terminal 30 is restricted from moving further rearward. In such a restricted state, in the conventional joint connector in which the portion between the end face of the lance on the side wall of the housing and the rear end of the housing is connected, the thermal expansion is caused when externally affected by heat. As a result, the portion extends over the entire area, and the terminal portion of the crimp terminal engaged with the lance slides greatly between the crimp terminal and the joint terminal in the housing.

  On the other hand, in the joint connector JC of the present embodiment, when the slit S is provided, when affected by heat from the outside, both portions sandwiching the slit S in the first side wall 12A are expanded by thermal expansion. Will be. That is, when receiving heat from the outside, a portion between the slit S and the rear end of the housing 30 is extended by thermal expansion in the first side wall 12A of the housing 30 and between the end surface 14A of the lance 14 and the slit S. This part is elongated by thermal expansion. For this reason, in the crimp terminal 30 and the joint terminal 40 in the housing 10, the distance that the engaged portion 33 of the crimp terminal 30 engaged with the lance 14 slides with the thermal expansion of the housing 10 is the distance of the lance 14. This depends on the distance L2 (see FIG. 6) between the end face 14A and the slit S. Therefore, in the joint connector JC of the present embodiment, the distance that the engaged portion 33 slides with the thermal expansion of the housing 10 is such that the end surface 14A of the lance 14 and the housing 10 are in the first side wall 12A of the housing 10. Compared to the conventional joint connector in which the rear end is connected, it is greatly reduced.

  As described above, in the joint connector JC according to the embodiment, since the slit S is provided between the end surface 14A of the lance 14 and the rear end of the housing 10, the length that the end surface 14A of the lance 14 extends by thermal expansion is as follows. This is shorter than the conventional joint connector in which the slit S is not provided.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the slit S is provided on the front side of the housing 10 with respect to the center position CP between the rear end of the housing 10 and the end face 14A of the lance 14, and therefore the end face 14A of the lance 14 and the slit are provided. The distance from S is sufficiently shorter than the distance between the end face 14 </ b> A of the lance 14 and the rear end of the housing 10. For this reason, in the joint connector JC of this embodiment, compared with the conventional joint connector in which the slit S is not provided, the thermal expansion in the end surface 14A of the lance 14 can be suppressed, and the housing is expanded during the thermal expansion of the end surface 14A. In the crimping terminal 30 and the joint terminal 40 in 10, the amount by which the engaged portion 33 of the crimping terminal 30 engaged with the lance 14 slides can be reduced. As a result, an increase in contact resistance at the contact portion between the crimp terminal 30 and the joint terminal 40 can be suppressed.

  In the joint connector JC of the present embodiment, the lance 14 is provided on the first side wall 12A of the housing 10, and the slit S is provided on the first side wall 12A so as to penetrate the first side wall 12A. With such a configuration, the lance 14 and the slit S are provided on the same side wall in the housing 10, so that the thermal expansion at the end surface 14 </ b> A of the lance 14 can be effectively performed by providing the slit S. Can be suppressed. As a result, an increase in contact resistance at the contact portion between the crimp terminal 30 and the joint terminal 40 can be further suppressed.

  In the joint connector JC of this embodiment, four slits S are provided on the first side wall 12A. With such a configuration, the opening area by the slit S can be increased. As a result, thermal expansion at the end face 14A of the lance 14 can be further suppressed, and an increase in contact resistance at the contact portion between the crimp terminal 30 and the joint terminal 40 can be further suppressed.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and with reference to the drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.
(1) In the above embodiment, the configuration in which four slits are provided on the first side wall of the housing is exemplified, but the number of slits provided is not limited.

(2) In the above embodiment, the configuration in which the slit opening has a shape extending along a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the lance extends is illustrated, but the shape of the slit opening is not limited.

(3) In the above embodiment, the configuration in which the slit and the end surface of the lance are respectively provided at positions overlapping the front-rear direction of the housing on the first side wall is illustrated. However, the slit is the rear end of the housing and the end surface of the lance. What is necessary is just to be provided in the front side of a housing rather than the center position between, and arrangement | positioning of a slit is not limited.

(4) In the above embodiment, the configuration in which the slit is provided so as to penetrate the first side wall is illustrated, but the slit may be configured to open to the outside, and is not limited thereto. For example, a configuration in which the slit does not penetrate the first side wall and has a groove shape may be employed.

(5) In addition to the above embodiment, the number, shape, arrangement, configuration, and the like of the slits can be changed as appropriate.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Housing 12A ... 1st side wall 14 ... Lance 14A ... End surface (of lance) 30 ... Crimp terminal 33 ... Engaged part 40 ... Joint terminal JC ... Joint connector S ... Slit

Claims (3)

A housing having a cavity into which a female terminal can be inserted from behind;
A male terminal attached to the housing from the front,
A lance provided in the housing, extending in a cantilevered manner from the rear to the front of the housing and preventing the female terminal inserted into the cavity at an end surface thereof; a rear end of the housing; A slit provided between the end face,
The said slit is a joint connector provided in the front side of the said housing rather than the center position between the rear end of the said housing and the said end surface of the said lance. The lance is provided on one side wall of the housing;
The joint connector according to claim 1, wherein the slit is provided in the one side wall so as to penetrate the one side wall.   The joint connector according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the slits are provided on the one side wall.

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