JP2014211984A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connector having a highly reliable function for preventing detachment of a terminal fitting while the terminal fitting is temporarily locked.SOLUTION: A connector A comprises: a housing 10 in which a terminal accommodation chamber 11 is formed; a high rigidity part 15 provided on an upper wall 12 (inner wall) of the terminal accommodation chamber 11, having a relatively non-displaceable form to the upper wall 12, and having a locking face 16 faced to a front side; a terminal fitting 25 inserted in the terminal accommodation chamber 11 from a rear side; a locking part 29 that is provided to the terminal fitting 25, and can be locked with the locking face 16 under a normal insertion state; and a lance 20 provided in a region of the terminal accommodation chamber 11 opposite to the high rigid part 15, interferes with the terminal metal fitting 25 during an insertion process of the terminal fitting 25, elastically flexed, elastically recovered while pushing the terminal fitting 25 toward the high rigid part 15 when the terminal fitting 25 reaches the normal insertion position, and locking the locking part 29 with the locking face 16.

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a connector that temporarily locks a terminal fitting inserted into a terminal accommodating chamber of a housing once, and then locks the terminal fitting securely. In this connector, with the retainer attached to the housing held in the temporary locking position, the terminal metal fitting is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber, and the terminal metal fitting is temporarily locked by the elastically deformable lance formed on the retainer. . After that, when the retainer is displaced to the main locking position, the terminal fitting is pushed and moved by the retainer, and is locked to the locking step portion of the inner wall of the terminal accommodating chamber to be in the main locking state so that it can be removed. It has become.

JP 2000-268915 A

In the above connector, while the terminal fitting is temporarily locked, since only the elastically deflectable lance provided in the retainer is locked to the terminal fitting, when the tensile force of the terminal fitting acts, There is a concern that the lance that has lost its tensile force is elastically deformed and the terminal fitting is detached from the lance.
The present invention has been completed based on the above circumstances, and provides a connector with excellent reliability of the function of retaining the terminal fitting in a state where the terminal fitting is temporarily locked. Objective.

The present invention
A housing having a terminal accommodating chamber formed therein;
A high-rigidity portion that is provided on the inner wall of the terminal accommodating chamber and is in a form that is not relatively displaceable relative to the inner wall, and has a locking surface facing forward;
A terminal fitting inserted into the terminal receiving chamber from the rear of the housing;
A locking portion provided on the terminal fitting, and capable of being locked with the locking surface in a state in which the terminal fitting is properly inserted,
Provided in a region opposite to the high-rigidity portion in the terminal accommodating chamber, and in the process of inserting the terminal fitting into the terminal accommodating chamber, the terminal fitting interferes with the terminal fitting and elastically bends away from the high-rigidity portion, When the terminal fitting reaches the normal insertion position, the terminal fitting is provided with a lance that elastically recovers while pushing and moving the terminal fitting toward the high-rigidity portion side to lock the locking portion to the locking surface. Have.

  According to this configuration, when the terminal fitting inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber reaches the normal insertion position, the lance elastically presses the terminal fitting and displaces it toward the high-rigidity portion, so that the locking portion and the locking surface are Lock. Due to this locking, the terminal fitting is in a temporarily locked state in which the terminal fitting is prevented from being removed. In this temporarily locked state, unlike the lance that can be elastically bent, the locking surface that is the locking target of the locking portion is formed in a highly rigid portion that is difficult to elastically bend. Even if it acts, there is no possibility that the highly rigid portion will be deformed. Therefore, the terminal fitting can be securely removed in the temporarily locked state.

Sectional drawing showing the process in which a terminal metal fitting is inserted in a terminal storage chamber in Example 1. Sectional view showing the state where the lance is elastically bent during the insertion of the terminal fitting Sectional view showing the terminal fitting that has reached the normal insertion position being pushed and moved to the high-rigidity side by the lance Sectional drawing showing the state in which the retainer is displaced to the final locking position and the locking state between the locking portion and the locking surface is maintained Sectional drawing which shows the state in which the terminal metal fitting which reached the regular insertion position was pushed and moved to the high-rigidity part side by the lance in the connector of Example 2 Sectional drawing which shows the state which the deflection control member has displaced to the deflection control position and has controlled the elastic deflection of the lance

(1) The connector of the present invention
A temporary locking position for allowing the terminal fitting to be inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber with respect to the housing, and a displacement of the terminal fitting to the lance side to restrict the locking portion and the locking surface. You may provide the retainer which can be selectively attached to the full locking position holding a locked state.
According to this configuration, if the retainer is displaced from the temporary locking position to the final locking position after temporarily locking the terminal metal, the terminal metal is restricted from being displaced toward the lance side, and is engaged with the locking portion. Since the latching state with the stop surface is maintained, the terminal fitting is securely removed.

(2) The connector of the present invention
The housing is selectively displaceable between a bending allowance position for allowing the elastic deformation of the lance and a bending restricting position for fitting the elastically restored lance to restrict the elastic deformation of the lance. A deflection regulating member may be provided.
According to this configuration, after the lance is elastically restored while pushing the terminal fitting toward the high-rigidity portion and the locking portion is locked to the locking surface, the bending restriction member is bent from the bending allowable position. Displace to position. Thereby, since the elastic deflection of the lance is restricted, the locked state of the locking portion and the locking surface is reliably maintained.

<Example 1>
Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The connector A according to the first embodiment includes a synthetic resin housing 10, a synthetic resin retainer 22, and a terminal fitting 25. In the following description, for the front-rear direction, the left side in FIGS. Further, the vertical direction is based on the direction shown in FIGS.

  Inside the housing 10, a terminal accommodating chamber 11 that is elongated in the front-rear direction and opens at the rear end face of the housing 10 is formed. In the front end portion of the upper surface wall 12 (inner wall described in claims) of the terminal accommodating chamber 11, an escape recess 13 having a shape recessed upward is formed. A region behind the escape recess 13 in the upper surface wall 12 is a receiving portion 14 parallel to the insertion direction of the terminal fitting 25 with respect to the terminal accommodating chamber 11 (hereinafter simply referred to as “insertion direction”). The boundary portion between the escape recess 13 and the receiving portion 14 is a step-like highly rigid portion 15. The high-rigidity portion 15 is a solid portion that constitutes the front end portion of the receiving portion 14, and has a form that does not displace relative to the upper surface wall 12. The high-rigidity portion 15 is formed with a locking surface 16 that faces forward. The locking surface 16 is substantially perpendicular to the insertion direction of the terminal fitting 25.

  A bent space 18 is formed at the front end of the lower surface wall 17 of the terminal accommodating chamber 11 so as to be recessed downward. A region behind the bending space 18 in the lower surface wall 17 is a guide portion 19 parallel to the receiving portion 14. The vertical dimension between the receiving part 14 and the guide part 19 is the same as or slightly larger than the height dimension of the terminal fitting 25, that is, the terminal fitting 25 is not greatly rattled up and down. It is set to a dimension that allows insertion.

  The terminal accommodating chamber 11 is integrally formed with a lance 20 that is cantilevered from the rear end surface of the bending space 18 obliquely upward and forward. The lance 20 can be elastically bent in the vertical direction with the rear end portion (base end portion) as a fulcrum. As shown in FIG. 1, the lance 20 in a free state in which no elastic bending occurs has advanced to a region above the guide portion 19 (in the insertion path of the terminal fitting 25). When the lance 20 is elastically bent, the lance 20 is displaced so as to be retracted into the bending space 18. The lance 20 is disposed in substantially the same area as the escape recess 13 in the front-rear direction. Further, in the vertical direction (that is, the direction intersecting the insertion direction of the terminal fitting 25), the lance 20 is arranged at a position opposite to the high-rigidity portion 15 and the locking surface 16 with the terminal fitting 25 interposed therebetween. Yes.

  A mounting hole 21 is formed in the housing 10 so as to penetrate from the lower surface to the upper surface of the guide portion 19 of the terminal accommodating chamber 11. A retainer 22 is attached to the attachment hole 21. The upper surface of the retainer 22 is a pressing surface 23 parallel to the guide portion 19. The retainer 22 attached to the housing 10 is selectively held between a temporary locking position (see FIGS. 1 to 3) and a final locking position (see FIG. 4) by known locking means (not shown). It has become.

  In a state where the retainer 22 is in the temporary locking position, the entire retainer 22 is accommodated in the mounting hole 21, and the pressing surface 23 is positioned at a height that is substantially flush with the upper surface of the guide portion 19. Further, in a state where the retainer 22 is displaced to the main locking position, the upper end portion of the retainer 22 advances into the insertion path of the terminal fitting 25 in the terminal accommodating chamber 11, and the pressing surface 23 is higher than the upper surface of the guide portion 19. It is placed at a high position.

  The terminal fitting 25 has an elongated shape in the front-rear direction as a whole, and is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 11 from the rear of the housing 10. A rectangular tube-shaped main body portion 26 is formed at the front end portion of the terminal fitting 25. A crimping portion 27 connected to an electric wire (not shown) is formed at the rear end portion of the terminal fitting 25.

  A locking portion 29 having a step shape is formed on the upper surface portion 28 of the main body portion 26. Of the upper surface 28 of the main body 26, the area behind the locking part 29 is lower than the area ahead of the locking part 29. The maximum height dimension of the main body part 26 (the height dimension of the area in front of the locking part 29 of the main body part 26) is slightly smaller than the vertical dimension between the receiving part 14 and the guide part 19. ing. Therefore, the maximum height dimension of the main body part 26 is larger than the vertical dimension between the pressing surface 23 and the receiving part 14 when the retainer 22 is displaced to the final locking position.

  Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described. When inserting the terminal fitting 25 into the terminal accommodating chamber 11, the retainer 22 is placed in the temporary locking position in advance, and the terminal fitting 25 is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 11 in this state. As shown in FIG. 1, the terminal fitting 25 in the insertion process advances while maintaining a certain height by slidingly contacting the guide portion 19 and the pressing surface 23. When the front end of the terminal fitting 25 passes through the retainer 22, as shown in FIG. 2, the lower surface of the main body portion 26 interferes with the lance 20 and elastically deflects the lance 20 toward the bending space 18. In a state where the lance 20 is elastically bent by the main body portion 26, the locking portion 29 corresponds to the high-rigidity portion 15, but does not reach the locking surface 16.

  When the terminal fitting 25 reaches the normal insertion position, as shown in FIG. 3, the locking portion 29 passes through the high-rigidity portion 15, and the region of the main body portion 26 ahead of the locking portion 29 escapes and is recessed. 13 is reached. Then, the lance 20 returns elastically while pushing and moving the terminal fitting 25 upward (that is, the high-rigidity portion 15 side). Due to the elastic return of the lance 20 and the upward displacement of the terminal fitting 25, the locking portion 29 is locked to the locking surface 16 from the front, so that the displacement of the terminal fitting 25 in the rear direction (withdrawal direction) is restricted. 25 is temporarily locked by the locking of the locking portion 29 and the locking surface 16 and is prevented from being removed.

  In this temporarily locked state, the locking surface 16 that is the locking target of the locking portion 29 is formed on the highly rigid portion 15 that is unlikely to be elastically bent, unlike the lance 20 that can be elastically bent. Even if a rearward tensile force is applied to 25, there is no possibility that the high-rigidity portion 15 will be deformed, and the direction and position of the locking surface 16 will not change. Therefore, since the latching state of the latching part 29 and the latching surface 16 is maintained, the terminal fitting 25 can be reliably prevented from being removed in the temporary latching state.

  After the terminal fitting 25 is in the temporarily locked state, the retainer 22 is pushed up from the temporarily locked position to the fully locked position. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the pressing surface 23 is displaced upward to come into contact with or approach the lower surface of the terminal fitting 25 from below, and the terminal fitting 25 is fully locked. In this fully locked state, since the terminal fitting 25 is displaced downward, that is, the locking portion 29 is restricted from being displaced downward relative to the locking surface 16, the locking portion 29 and The locked state with the locking surface 16 is reliably maintained. Therefore, the terminal metal fitting 25 is securely held in the retaining state.

<Example 2>
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the connector B of the second embodiment, the configuration of the housing 30 is different from that of the first embodiment. Since the other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, the same reference numeral is given to the same configuration, and the description of the structure, operation, and effect is omitted.

  The housing 30 according to the second embodiment includes a housing body 31 and a deflection regulating member 32 attached to the front end portion of the housing body 31. The housing body 31 has the same configuration as that of the housing 10 of the first embodiment except for the front wall. On the front end surface of the housing body 31, an accommodation recess 33 for accommodating the deflection regulating member 32, which is communicated with the terminal accommodation chamber 11, is formed. Further, the position of the front end of the lance 34 according to the second embodiment is located forward of the front end of the lance 20 according to the first embodiment.

  The deflection regulating member 32 corresponds to the front wall in the housing 10 of the first embodiment. A regulating recess 35 is formed on the rear surface of the deflection regulating member 32 (the surface facing the terminal accommodating chamber 11). In the up-and-down direction (direction parallel to the displacement direction when the lance 34 is elastically deformed), the restriction recess 35 is a front end portion (extending end portion) of the lance 34 when the lance 34 is in a free state where the lance 34 is not elastically deformed. It is set to the corresponding height.

  The deflection regulating member 32 attached to the housing body 31 is selected between a deflection allowable position (see FIG. 5) and a deflection regulating position (see FIG. 6) behind the deflection allowable position by a well-known locking means (not shown). It is designed to be retained. In a state where the deflection regulating member 32 is in the deflection allowable position, the deflection regulating member 32 is retracted to a position ahead of the front end of the lance 34. Therefore, the lance 34 can be elastically bent freely in the vertical direction. Further, in a state in which the deflection regulating member 32 is in the deflection regulating position, the regulation recess 35 is fitted to the front end portion of the lance 34 that is not elastically bent.

  When the terminal fitting 25 is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 11, the retainer 22 is held in the temporary locking position in advance, and the bending restricting member 32 is put on standby at the bending allowable position. In the process of inserting the terminal fitting 25, the lance 34 does not interfere with the bending restricting member 32 but is pushed by the terminal fitting 25 and elastically bent downward. When the terminal fitting 25 reaches the normal insertion position, the lance 34 elastically returns while displacing the terminal fitting 25 upward, and the locking portion 29 is locked to the locking surface 16. The lance 34 does not interfere with the bending restricting member 32 even when the lance 34 returns to elasticity. In a state where the terminal fitting 25 is properly inserted and the lance 34 is elastically restored, the front end portion of the lance 34 projects forward from the front end of the terminal fitting 25.

  In this state, when the bending restricting member 32 is displaced from the bending allowable position to the bending restricting position, the restricting recess 35 is fitted to the front end portion of the lance 34, so that the displacement of the lance 34 toward the bending space 18 is reliably restricted. As a result, the downward displacement of the terminal fitting 25 is reliably regulated. The fact that the downward displacement of the terminal fitting 25 is reliably regulated means that the locking state between the locking portion 29 and the locking surface 16 is reliably maintained. Therefore, the connector B of the second embodiment can reliably hold the terminal fitting 25 in the locked state.

  After the deflection regulating member 32 is displaced to the deflection regulating position, the retainer 22 is displaced from the temporary locking position to the final locking position, and the pressing surface 23 is brought into contact with or close to the lower surface of the terminal fitting 25. Opposite states. Thereby, since the area | region behind the latching | locking part 29 and the latching surface 16 among the terminal metal fittings 25 is controlled, the attitude | position of the terminal metal fittings 25 does not incline.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the above description and drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.
(1) In the first and second embodiments, the high-rigidity portion has a step shape, but the high-rigidity portion may have a protrusion shape.
(2) In the first and second embodiments, when the retainer is displaced to the final locking position, the retainer is not locked to the terminal fitting from the rear, but when the retainer is displaced to the final locking position. In addition, the retainer may be configured to be locked from the rear with respect to the terminal fitting.
(3) In the second embodiment, the deflection regulating member serves as the front wall of the housing. However, the deflection regulating member may be a dedicated member independent of the front wall of the housing.

A ... Connector 10 ... Housing 11 ... Terminal accommodating chamber 12 ... Top wall (inner wall)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 15 ... Highly rigid part 16 ... Locking surface 20 ... Lance 22 ... Retainer 25 ... Terminal metal fitting 29 ... Locking part B ... Connector 30 ... Housing 32 ... Deflection control member 34 ... Lance

Claims (3)

A housing having a terminal accommodating chamber formed therein;
A high-rigidity portion that is provided on the inner wall of the terminal accommodating chamber and is in a form that is not relatively displaceable relative to the inner wall, and has a locking surface facing forward;
A terminal fitting inserted into the terminal receiving chamber from the rear of the housing;
A locking portion provided on the terminal fitting, and capable of being locked with the locking surface in a state in which the terminal fitting is properly inserted,
Provided in a region opposite to the high-rigidity portion in the terminal accommodating chamber, and in the process of inserting the terminal fitting into the terminal accommodating chamber, the terminal fitting interferes with the terminal fitting and elastically bends away from the high-rigidity portion, And a lance for elastically returning the terminal fitting to the locking surface by pushing the terminal fitting toward the high-rigidity portion when the terminal fitting reaches the normal insertion position. Connector.   A temporary locking position for allowing the terminal fitting to be inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber with respect to the housing, and a displacement of the terminal fitting to the lance side to restrict the locking portion and the locking surface. The connector according to claim 1, further comprising a retainer that can be selectively attached to a main locking position that holds the locked state.   The housing is selectively displaceable between a bending allowance position for allowing the elastic deformation of the lance and a bending restricting position for fitting the elastically restored lance to restrict the elastic deformation of the lance. The connector according to claim 1, further comprising a deflection regulating member.

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