JP2015220203A - Fitting detection connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow fitting detection of connectors by using a simple structure.SOLUTION: A window part 28 which penetrates to the outside is formed on a deep wall 14 of a female connector housing 10. A seal member 8 fitted to an inner cylinder part 12 of the female connector housing 10 is provided with a checking piece 27 at a position corresponding to that of the window part 28. When the female connector housing 10 and a male connector housing 1 are not fitted normally to each other, the checking piece 27 is located inside the female connector housing 10 and thus cannot be visually recognized from the outside. However, when both of the connector housings are fitted normally, the checking piece 27 is pushed to the outside by a projecting piece 7 formed at the tip of a hood part 2 of the male connector housing 1 and thus becomes visible from the outside.

Description

  The present invention relates to a fitting detection connector.

  Conventionally, a fitting detection connector having a function of detecting whether or not male and female connectors are properly fitted is known. The following patent document 1 can be mentioned as what discloses such a connector.

  The connector disclosed here is provided with a slider as a fitting detection member in one connector housing. The slider is assembled via a spring from a direction perpendicular to the fitting direction of both connector housings, and can be displaced in the same direction. During the fitting of the two connector housings, the slider is displaced against the spring by the cam action with the cam projection of the other connector housing. If the mating operation of both connector housings is stopped in the middle of the mating, that is, before the neutral position of the cam action, the other connector housing is returned to the pushing direction by the spring. Is not locked in a semi-fitted state. Further, when the fitting of both the connector housings proceeds to a position exceeding the neutral position of the cam action, the slider is returned to the initial position by the spring, and the two connector housings come to the normal fitting state.

JP 2011-175867 A

  In the above, many members and structures such as sliders, springs, and cams are required to detect whether the connector housings are properly fitted, and the detection structure becomes complicated as the number of parts increases. There was a problem such as.

  This invention is completed based on the above situations, Comprising: It aims at providing the fitting detection connector which can achieve the fitting detection by a simple structure.

  The fitting detection connector of the present invention includes a male connector housing having a hood portion, an inner cylinder portion having a cavity in which a female terminal fitting is accommodated, and an inner cylinder portion arranged so as to surround the inner cylinder portion. And a female connector housing provided with an outer cylinder portion that is a fitting space in which the hood portion is fitted between the inner cylinder portion and the inner portion of the hood portion. A fitting detection connector provided with a seal member that holds both housings in a sealed state when both connector housings are fitted together by being closely adhered along the peripheral surface, and is provided on the back wall of the female connector housing. Is formed with a confirmation piece at a position corresponding to the window portion, and this confirmation piece is fitted in the fitting space when both connector housings are not properly fitted. Located in When the connector housing is fitted legitimate characterized in that protrudes outward at the distal end portion of the hood portion.

  In the present invention, when the male and female connector housings are not properly fitted, the confirmation piece remains in the fitting space and does not protrude from the female connector housing. However, when the two connector housings are properly fitted, the tip portion of the hood portion is projected to the outside through the confirmation piece through the window portion, so that the confirmation piece can be visually confirmed from the outside. From this, the operator can know that both connector housings have been properly fitted.

  Thus, according to this invention, it is set as the structure of a fitting detection using the sealing member which seals between both connector housings. Therefore, a dedicated member for detecting the fitting is unnecessary, and a fitting detection connector having a simple structure can be realized.

Front view of male connector housing Same top view Front view of female connector housing Front view of seal member Side sectional view showing the state before mating of male and female connectors Similarly, a sectional side view showing the state during fitting A side cross-sectional view showing a properly fitted state

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described.
(1) In the fitting detection connector of the present invention, a protruding piece that allows the confirmation piece to protrude may be formed to protrude from the tip of the hood portion.
According to such a configuration, since the confirmation piece can be reliably projected, the accuracy of fitting detection can be improved.

  (2) Moreover, it is good for the said window part and the said confirmation piece to each be provided in multiple places with respect to the said back wall or the said sealing member, respectively.

  According to such a configuration, the viewing direction with respect to the confirmation piece can be selected from a plurality of directions, so that restrictions on connector installation can be relaxed.

<Example>
Next, an embodiment embodying the fitting detection connector of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  A male connector M shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a male connector housing 1 made of synthetic resin. The male connector housing 1 has a hood portion 2 having a substantially rectangular tube shape opening forward, and two tab-shaped male terminal fittings 3 project in parallel inside. A lock protrusion 4 is formed so as to protrude from the center of the upper surface of the hood portion 2 in the width direction and closer to the opening surface. Further, a pair of protective ribs 5 are formed so as to protrude in the front-rear direction (fitting direction) at a position sandwiching the lock protrusion 4 on the upper surface of the hood portion 2. The protruding heights of both protective ribs 5 are approximately the same as those of the lock protrusion 4. Further, guide ribs 6 are formed to protrude along the front-rear direction on both side surfaces and the lower surface of the hood portion 2 in the width direction. The guide ribs 6 disposed on both side surfaces in the width direction of the hood portion 2 are formed at substantially the center portion in the height direction, but the guide ribs 6 disposed on the lower surface of the hood portion 2 are arranged on one side from the center portion in the width direction (see FIG. 1 is formed at a position biased to the left side).

  Furthermore, the protrusion piece 7 is distribute | arranged to the total three places of the opening edge of the food | hood part 2, and it protrudes and forms each forward. In the case of the present embodiment, two of the protruding pieces 7 are provided at portions corresponding to the guide ribs 6 on both side edges in the width direction of the opening edge of the hood portion 2. The remaining one is provided at the center in the width direction below the opening edge of the hood portion 2. These protruding pieces 7 are all formed in a rectangular flat plate shape. However, as shown in FIG. 5 and the like, the thickness of each protruding piece 7 is formed thinner than the thickness of the hood portion 2. For this reason, in the process in which the male and female connectors F and M are fitted, they do not slidably contact each seal lip 9 of the seal member 8 described later.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the female connector F has a female connector housing 10 made of synthetic resin. The female connector housing 10 is formed with an inner cylinder part 12 in which a cavity 16 for accommodating the female terminal fitting 11 is formed, and an outer cylinder part 13 arranged so as to surround the inner cylinder part 12, The inner cylinder part 12 and the outer cylinder part 13 are connected by a back wall 14. A space held between the inner cylinder portion 12 and the outer cylinder portion 13 is a fitting space 15 in which the hood portion 2 of the male connector M is fitted.

  Two cavities 16 formed in the inner cylinder portion 12 are provided and are arranged in parallel in the width direction. Each is formed penetrating along the front-rear direction of the inner cylinder portion 12. The female terminal fitting 11 is accommodated in each cavity 16 from the rear opening. An insertion hole 17 is opened at the front end of the cavity 16 so that the male terminal fitting 3 can enter. A lance 18 that locks to the female terminal fitting 11 is formed inside each cavity 16. The lance 18 cantilevered forward and can be bent in the vertical direction (direction perpendicular to the insertion direction of the female terminal fitting 11).

  As shown in FIG. 5 etc., the inner cylinder part protrudes back from the back wall 14, and the seal | sticker cylinder part 29 is formed. A pair of seal cylinders 29 are provided so as to communicate with each cavity 16 coaxially. Inside the seal tube portion 29, a rubber plug 30 inserted in an electric wire connected to each female terminal fitting 11 is accommodated in a sealed state.

  A lock arm 20 is provided on the upper surface of the inner cylinder portion 12 at a portion corresponding to the inner wall 14 via a pair of support legs 19. The lock arm 20 extends in both the front and rear directions with the support leg 19 as a boundary, and can be bent like a seesaw around the support leg 19. A locking hole 21 is opened in the front portion of the lock arm 20, and when the male and female connectors F and M are properly fitted, the locking projection 4 is fitted and locked in the locking hole 21. , M are locked in the normal fitting state.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the outer cylinder portion 13 is formed so as to surround the front half of the inner cylinder portion 12. An arch portion 22 is formed on the upper portion of the outer cylinder portion 13 so as to cover the front end portion of the lock arm 20 from above. A pair of projecting pieces 23 project inwardly at the base of the arch portion 22. The ends of the overhanging pieces 23 and the both side surfaces of the lock arm 20 are separated from each other, and the protective rib 5 can enter the gap between the male and female connectors F and M when they are fitted. Further, guide grooves 24 are provided on the inner surface side of the outer cylinder portion 13 so as to correspond to the respective guide ribs 6 of the male connector housing 1. Each guide groove 24 is provided along the front-rear direction in the outer cylinder portion 13 and can be fitted with the corresponding guide rib 6 when the male and female connectors F and M are fitted to guide the fitting operation.

  As shown in FIG. 5 and the like, a seal member 8 for sealing between the male and female connectors F and M is fitted to a portion of the inner peripheral surface of the inner cylinder portion 12 and closer to the inner wall 14. As shown in FIG. 4, the seal member 8 is formed in a horizontally long ring shape with a rubber material having good elasticity. A total of three seal lips 9 are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the seal member 8. As shown in FIG. 5 and the like, the respective seal lips 9 are provided side by side at equal pitch intervals in the front and rear, and each is formed over the entire circumference of the seal member 8. Each of the seal lips 9 is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the hood portion 2 of the male connector housing 1 in a compressed state when the male and female connectors F and M are fitted.

  As shown in FIG. 5 and the like, a retainer 25 formed in a cap shape is put on the distal end portion of the inner cylinder portion 12. In a state where the retainer 25 is attached to the inner cylinder portion 12, the front end edge of the retainer 25 faces the front end edge of the seal member 8, thereby preventing the seal member 8 from coming forward. A regulating piece 26 is formed to extend inside the retainer 25. When the retainer 25 is attached to the inner cylinder portion 12, the tip end of the regulating piece 26 enters the bending space of the lance 18, and the lance 18 is a female terminal fitting. 11 so as not to be deformed in the direction of releasing the lock.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a total of three check pieces 27 are provided on the seal member 8. Of these, two pieces are arranged in pairs at the center of both short sides of the seal member 8, and the remaining one piece is arranged at the center of the lower long side. When the seal member 8 is fitted to the inner cylinder portion 12, each check piece 27 is positioned corresponding to each protruding piece 7 on the male connector M side.

  As shown in FIG. 5 and the like, each check piece 27 has an overhanging portion 27 </ b> A that protrudes radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the seal member 8. In a state where the seal member 8 is attached to the inner cylinder portion 12, the back surface of the projecting portion 27 </ b> A is positioned so as to be substantially flush with or slightly retracted from the outer surface of the back wall 14. The tip of the overhanging portion 27A extends in a folded manner forward over its entire width, and an abutment receiving portion 27B is formed. In a state where the seal member 8 is attached to the inner cylinder portion 12, the outer surface side of the abutment receiving portion 27 </ b> B is in close contact with the inner surface of the outer cylinder portion 13 in a pressing manner. The abutting receiving portion 27B is formed thinner than the overhanging portion 27A. The width of each butting receiving portion 27 </ b> B is set substantially equal to the width of the protruding piece 7.

  On the other hand, in the inner wall 14 of the female connector housing, window portions 28 are respectively provided through three positions corresponding to the back of each check piece 27. As shown in FIG. 7, in a state where the male and female connectors F and M are properly fitted, each protruding piece 7 is inserted into the window portion 28, and the tip thereof is substantially flush with the outer surface of the back wall 14 or slightly retracted. It is set to be located. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, each window portion 28 has a rectangular long hole shape, and is formed to be slightly wider than each confirmation piece 27. As a result, as shown in FIG. 7, when the male and female connectors F and M are properly fitted and each protruding piece 7 abuts against the abutting receiving portion 27 </ b> B of the confirmation piece 27, each confirmation piece 27 is removed from the window portion 28. Will be pushed out.

  Next, the function and effect of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described. When the female terminal fitting 11 is inserted into each cavity 16 of the female connector housing 10, the female terminal fitting 11 is primarily locked by the lance 18. Thereafter, when the retainer 25 is attached to the inner cylinder portion 12 at a position where the restricting piece 26 enters the bending space of the lance 18, the female terminal fitting 11 is doubled and retained in the cavity 16.

  In this state, the male and female connectors F and M are adapted to start fitting. In the middle of the fitting, the lock arm 20 swings around the support leg 19 and the tip end rides on the lock projection 4 (state of FIG. 6). Then, when the male and female connectors F and M are in a proper fitting state, the distal end portion of the lock arm 20 gets over the lock protrusion 4 and returns elastically, enters the locking hole 21 and is locked. As a result, the fitted state of the male and female connectors F and M is locked, and the male and female terminal fittings are in a regular connection state.

  In the state immediately before the male and female connectors F and M are brought into the normal fitting state (the state in which the male and female connectors F and M are slightly engaged from the state of FIG. 6), the protruding pieces 7 of the male connector M are sealed. The member 8 comes into contact with the tip of the butting receiving portion 27B of the corresponding confirmation piece 27. When the fitting of the male and female connectors F and M proceeds from this state, as shown in FIG. For this reason, the rear surface portion of the butting receiving portion 27B gradually protrudes rearward from the window portion 28. When the male and female connectors F and M are properly fitted, the tip of each protruding piece 7 reaches a position where the protruding piece 7 enters the corresponding window portion 28, so that the entire confirmation piece 27 is protruded from the window portion 28. Exposed to the outside of the female connector housing 10. In the case of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, each check piece 27 is exposed as a whole in a state where the abutment receiving portion 27 </ b> B is hooked on the rear surface of the outer tubular portion 13 of the female connector housing 10.

  On the contrary, when the male and female connectors F and M are not properly fitted, the protrusions 7 of the protrusions 7 with respect to the respective contact receiving portions 27B are not sufficiently protruded, and the entire check piece 27 is external to the female connector housing 10. Can not be exposed. Each of the check pieces 27 is exposed to the outside of the female connector housing 10 for the first time when the male and female connectors F and M are in the normal fitting state. It can be detected that the male and female connectors F and M are properly fitted by being exposed from the connector housing 10 to the outside.

  In this case, by appropriately selecting the colors of the female connector housing 10 and the seal member 8 (for example, the female connector housing 10 is black and the seal member 8 is yellow, a color that makes the difference in hue stand out is set. It is preferable that the exposed state of the seal member 8 is easily recognized.

  Further, in this embodiment, the protrusion with respect to the confirmation piece 27 is performed by causing the protrusion piece 7 to protrude from the tip of the hood portion 2. Therefore, the confirmation piece 27 can be reliably protruded to the outside of the female connector housing 10, which can contribute to improving the reliability of detection accuracy.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the window portion 28 and the confirmation piece 27 are set at three places at different locations. If only one is set, the exposed portion of the confirmation piece 27 must be set in accordance with the direction of the operator's line of sight, which is a major restriction on the installation of the connector. In the present embodiment, since the direction of the line of sight with respect to the confirmation piece 27 can be selected from three directions, the installation conditions of the connector can be relaxed accordingly.

  Furthermore, since the protruding piece 7 does not hit the seal lip 9 during the fitting of the male and female connectors F and M, it is possible to obtain an effect that an increase in fitting resistance is avoided in the initial stage of fitting.

  Thus, according to the present embodiment, since a part of the existing seal member 8 is used as the fitting detection means in the waterproof connector, compared with the case where a dedicated means for fitting detection as in the prior art is set. Thus, the configuration of the connector can be simplified.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Male connector housing 2 ... Hood part 7 ... Protruding piece 11 ... Female terminal metal fitting 12 ... Inner cylinder part 13 ... Outer cylinder part 14 ... Back wall 15 ... Fitting space 16 ... Cavity 27 ... Confirmation piece 28 ... Window part

Claims (3)

A male connector housing having a hood;
An inner cylinder part having a cavity in which a female terminal fitting is accommodated, and the inner cylinder part are arranged so as to surround the inner cylinder part and are connected to each other by a back wall, and the hood is between the inner cylinder part A female connector housing provided with an outer tube portion serving as a fitting space into which the portion is fitted;
A seal member that is fitted into the inner portion of the inner cylinder portion and is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the hood portion, and holds both housings in a sealed state when the two connector housings are fitted. A mating detection connector provided,
While the back wall of the female connector housing is formed with a window portion penetrating outward,
A confirmation piece is formed in the seal member at a position corresponding to the window portion, and the confirmation piece is located in the fitting space when the two connector housings are not properly fitted, and the two connector housings are A fitting detection connector characterized in that when fitted, the fitting is projected outward at the tip of the hood.   The fitting detection connector according to claim 1, wherein a protruding piece that allows the confirmation piece to protrude is formed at a distal end portion of the hood portion.   The fitting detection connector according to claim 1, wherein the window portion and the confirmation piece are respectively provided at a plurality of locations with respect to the back wall or the seal member.

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