JP2016062685A - connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To ensure an area for guiding to an insertion hole, and to ensure the holding force of a terminal fitting without up-sizing the terminal fitting.SOLUTION: A connector 10 includes a female terminal 20, a housing 30 having a cavity 31 for housing the female terminal 20, and provided with an insertion hole 33 for inserting a male terminal connectable with the female terminal 20, an elastic lacking piece 35 cantilevered in the cavity 31, and displaceable elastically toward a deflection space 36 on the outside of the cavity 31, a guide face 34 provided on the periphery of the insertion hole 33, and a punched hole 41 provided across the guide face 34 in the housing 30. When viewing the elastic lacking piece 35 from the front, a wide locking part 42 wider than the width of the punched hole 41 of the guide face 34 is provided at a part on the lower side than the guide face 34 in the elastic lacking piece 35, and the elastic lacking piece 35 displaces elastically upward, and locks the female terminal 20 from the rear by means of the wide locking part 42.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

  The technology disclosed by this specification is related with a connector.

  Conventionally, as a connector having an insertion hole into which a tab of a male terminal fitting is inserted from the front, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-117928 (Patent Document 1 below) is known. A cavity for receiving the female terminal fitting is provided in the back of the insertion hole, and a lance having a locking projection having a trapezoidal shape in a front view with a narrow upper end is provided in the cavity. The peripheral portion of the insertion hole is provided with a guide surface for guiding the tab into the insertion hole, and the guide surface at the lower portion of the insertion hole is provided with a die-cutting hole for forming a lance. The guide surface that constitutes the die-cutting hole is an overhanging portion that protrudes inward toward the top so as to correspond to the shape of the locking projection, and by securing the area of the induction surface by this overhanging portion, The tab portion can be guided to the insertion hole.

JP 2002-117828 A

  By the way, according to said connector, in order to ensure the holding force of the female terminal metal fitting by a lance, the shear position of the lance by a female terminal metal fitting is set to the wide part in the lower end part of a latching protrusion. However, in order to shear the lower end portion of the locking projection, it is necessary to enlarge the female terminal fitting to the position of the lower end portion of the lance. As a result, the shearing area of the lance with respect to the female terminal fitting is reduced, and the holding force of the female terminal fitting cannot be secured.

  In the present specification, a technique for securing an area for guiding the insertion into the insertion hole and ensuring a holding force of the terminal fitting without increasing the size of the terminal fitting is disclosed.

  The technology disclosed in this specification is a connector that is attached to an end of an electric wire, and includes a terminal fitting connected to the end of the electric wire, and a cavity in which the terminal fitting is accommodated from the rear, and the terminal A housing provided with an insertion hole through which a counterpart terminal connectable to a metal fitting is inserted into the cavity from the front, and a cantilevered inner wall of the cavity, toward a bending space provided outside the cavity An elastically disengageable elastic locking piece; a guide surface that is provided at a peripheral edge of the insertion hole in the housing; and guides the counterpart terminal into the insertion hole; and a molding die for the elastic locking piece in the housing A mold punching hole provided over the guide surface for releasing the mold forward, and when the elastic locking piece is viewed from the front through the mold punching hole, the elastic engagement member In the piece, a portion disposed on the side of the bending space with respect to the guide surface is provided with a wide locking portion wider than the width dimension of the punching hole provided in the guide surface, and the elastic engagement member. When the terminal fitting is displaced rearward, the stopper is pressed from the front by the terminal fitting and elastically displaced to the side opposite to the bending space, and the terminal fitting is locked from the rear by the wide locking portion. It has a feature.

According to the connector having such a configuration, in the natural state before the elastic locking piece is elastically displaced, the wide locking portion is arranged on the bending space side with respect to the guide surface, and the terminal fitting forwards the elastic contact piece. And the elastic locking piece is elastically displaced to the side opposite to the bending space side, whereby the wide locking portion locks the terminal fitting from the rear.
In other words, the wide locking portion formed on the side of the bending space with respect to the guide surface is displaced to the position where the terminal metal is locked from the rear, and locks the terminal metal from the rear, so that the punching hole provided in the guide surface The width dimension can be reduced. Thereby, while ensuring the area of a guide surface, the retention strength of a terminal metal fitting can be ensured, without enlarging a terminal metal fitting.

As an aspect of the technology disclosed by this specification, the following configurations are preferable.
The front end portion with which the terminal fitting contacts the elastic locking piece may be configured to be inclined toward the front from the position where the wide locking portion is provided toward the side opposite to the bending space.
According to such a configuration, when the terminal fitting is displaced rearward and contacts the front end portion of the elastic locking piece, the terminal fitting is guided toward the wide locking portion. The terminal fitting can be reliably guided to the wide locking portion while being elastically displaced to the opposite side.

  According to the technology disclosed in this specification, it is possible to secure an area for guiding the insertion hole into the insertion hole and to secure a holding force of the terminal fitting without increasing the size of the terminal fitting.

Front view of housing Sectional drawing of the connector equivalent to the cross section of the AA line of FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part The principal part enlarged front view of FIG. 1 corresponded in the state before the baseplate of a female terminal contacts an elastic locking piece. The principal part expanded sectional view which shows the state which the female terminal displaced back Main part enlarged front view corresponding to the state in which the bottom plate of the female terminal is in contact with the easy shearing part of the elastic locking piece Enlarged sectional view of the main part of the process of inserting the jig into the housing The principal part expanded sectional view which shows the state which pressed the jig operation part with the cancellation | release jig Top view of the release jig

<Embodiment>
Embodiments will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9.
As shown in FIG. 2, this embodiment illustrates a connector 10 that is attached to the end of an electric wire W and that is fitted to a mating connector (not shown). In the following description, the vertical direction is based on the vertical direction in FIGS. Further, the front-rear direction will be described with the left side in the figure as the front side and the right side in the figure as the rear side with reference to the left-right direction in FIG.

  The connector 10 includes a female terminal (corresponding to a “terminal fitting”) 20 connected to the terminal of the electric wire W, and a housing 30 having a cavity 31 that accommodates the female terminal 20 from behind.

  The female terminal 20 is formed by processing a metal plate having conductivity, such as pressing. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the female terminal 20 is provided on the rear side of the connecting tube portion 21 and a rectangular tube-shaped connecting tube portion 21 that is electrically connected to a male terminal (not shown) provided on the mating connector. The electric wire connecting portion 22 is connected in the front-rear direction, and the female terminal 20 is connected to the end of the electric wire W by crimping the electric wire connecting portion 22 to the end of the electric wire W.

The connecting cylinder portion 21 bends the extending end portions of a pair of side plates 21B extending downward from both side edges of the ceiling plate 21A so as to face each other so as to face the ceiling plate 21A. By forming, it is formed in the shape of a square cylinder, and a male terminal can be inserted from the front.
As shown in FIG. 2, a contact piece 23 that can be elastically contacted with the male terminal is provided on the inner surface of the ceiling plate 21 </ b> A of the connection cylinder portion 21. The contact piece 23 is configured to extend forward from the ceiling plate 21 </ b> A in a cantilevered manner, and the contact piece 23 elastically contacts the male terminal that has entered the connection tube portion 21, thereby allowing the female terminal 20 and a male terminal are electrically connected.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the housing 30 is made of synthetic resin and is formed in a block shape that is long in the front-rear direction. As shown in FIG. 1, the housing 30 includes a plurality of cavities 31 aligned in the vertical and width directions, and a plurality of jigs extending in the front-rear direction corresponding to the lower portions of the cavities 31. An insertion hole 32 is provided.
Each cavity 31 is formed so as to penetrate the housing 30 in the front-rear direction, and the front half of the cavity 31 is provided with a jig insertion hole 32 below the front side of the cavity 31, so that it is more than the rear half of the cavity 31. The diameter is reduced. For this reason, the bottom wall 31 </ b> A in the front part of the cavity 31 is arranged above the bottom wall 31 </ b> A in the rear part of the cavity 31.

In each cavity 31, the female terminal 20 is accommodated from the rear, and the male terminal of the mating connector is inserted into the front end opening of each cavity 31 when the mating connector and the connector 10 are fitted. A substantially rectangular insertion hole 33 is formed.
As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, four guide surfaces 34 that are inclined toward the axial center of the insertion hole 33 are formed on the opening edge of the insertion hole 33 from the front to the rear. The male terminal is guided into the insertion hole 33 by the surface 34, so that the male terminal is guided to the female terminal 20 in the cavity 31.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an elastic locking piece 35 that locks the connection tube portion 21 of the female terminal 20 from the rear can be elastically displaced vertically at the substantially central portion of the bottom wall 31 </ b> A of the cavity 31. Is provided.
The elastic locking piece 35 is formed so as to divide the cavity 31 and the jig insertion hole 32 forward and backward in a long form in order to secure the holding force of the female terminal 20, and forward from the bottom wall 31A. A locking piece main body 37 that extends in a cantilevered manner toward the upper surface of the locking piece main body 37, and a block-shaped locking projection 38 that protrudes upward from the upper surface of the locking piece main body 37 and is arranged behind the connecting tube portion 21. It is prepared for.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the housing 30 has a jig insertion hole 32 disposed below the locking piece main body 37 (outside the cavity 31) and communicated in the front-rear direction. A deflection space 36 is provided. The bending space 36 is arranged below the cavities 31 so that the locking piece main body 37 can enter from above. That is, the locking piece main body 37 can be elastically displaced vertically by entering the cavity 31 disposed on the upper side and the bending space 36 disposed on the lower side with the base portion of the locking piece main body 37 as a fulcrum. It is said that.

As shown in FIG. 4, the locking piece main body 37 is an upper locking piece main body 37 </ b> U whose upper half has a trapezoidal shape in front view, and the lower half protrudes slightly forward from the upper locking piece main body 37 </ b> U. The lower locking piece main body 37L has a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the front.
As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, a pair of recesses 39 that open to the front and side are provided at both ends in the width direction at the front end of the upper locking piece main body 37 </ b> U. A space between the pair of recesses 39 in the upper locking piece main body 37U is narrower than the locking protrusion 38 and short in the front-rear direction. The front surface of the easy-shearing portion 40 is shown in FIG. As shown, it is in a form that is inclined backward as it goes downward.

  Further, a wide locking portion 42 wider than the easy shearing portion 40 is provided behind the easy shearing portion 40 in the upper locking piece main body 37U. The wide locking portion 42 is provided over the range of the rear end portion of the upper locking piece main body 37U immediately after the easy shearing portion 40, and includes the rear inner walls of the pair of recesses 39. It is formed over the entire width of the locking piece body 37U.

  On the other hand, in the region between the insertion hole 33 and the jig insertion hole 32 in the housing 30, as shown in FIG. 4, a molding die (not shown) for molding the upper locking piece main body 37 </ b> U and the locking protrusion 38. 3) is provided with a die-cutting hole 41 for releasing the front side). The punching hole 41 is formed so as to communicate with the insertion hole 33 and the jig insertion hole 32 in the vertical direction at the center in the width direction of the housing 30.

  Of the mold release holes 41, the mold release hole 41 provided in the lower guide surface 34 </ b> L disposed below the insertion hole 33 is an upper mold release hole 41 </ b> U having a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the front. The locking projection 38 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the front by a molding die that is released through the mold release hole 41U. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, the locking projection 38 is in a state of facing forward through the upper die-cutting hole 41 </ b> U.

  On the other hand, among the mold release holes 41, the mold release hole 41 arranged below the upper mold release hole 41U is a lower mold release hole 41L. The lower mold release hole 41L is provided in a region between the lower guide surface 34L of the insertion hole 33 and the jig insertion hole 32, and is moved upward by a molding die that is released through the lower mold release hole 41L. A locking piece main body 37U is formed, and a lower locking piece main body 37L is formed by a molding die that is released through the jig insertion hole 32.

  In addition, the lower die-cutting hole 41L has a trapezoidal shape that is wider than the upper die-cutting hole 41U by gradually widening both ends in the width direction toward the lower side. The upper side locking piece main body 37U (wide locking portion 42) facing forward through the hole 41L is also formed in a trapezoidal shape that becomes wider as it goes downward.

The lower locking piece main body 37L is formed in a substantially rectangular shape in front view facing forward through the jig insertion hole 32, and the width dimension of the lower locking piece main body 37L is that of the upper locking piece main body 37U. It is set to be the same as the width dimension of the lower end.
That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the wide locking portion 42 in the upper locking piece main body 37 </ b> U is obtained by gradually widening the lower mold cutting hole 41 </ b> L to be wider than the upper mold cutting hole 41 </ b> U. It is formed so as to be wider than the upper die hole 41U and the locking projection 38 below the lower guide surface 34L.

  On the other hand, on both sides in the width direction of the lower locking piece main body 37L, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 8, a pair of jigs that elastically displace the locking piece main body 37 toward the bending space 36 by pressing. The operation unit 43 is integrally provided. The pair of jig operation portions 43 are formed to extend in the front-rear direction so as to extend along the lower locking piece main body 37L in a form protruding in the width direction from both widthwise sides of the lower locking piece main body 37L.

  Each jig operation portion 43 is formed in a taper shape in which the upper surface is horizontal and the lower surface is slightly inclined upward as it goes forward, and the upper locking portion from the base of the lower locking piece main body 37L. It is made into the form extended to the position of the rear-end lower part of the recessed part 39 in the piece main body 37U. Therefore, the pair of jig operation portions 43 function as reinforcing portions that reinforce the locking piece main body 37 on both sides of the elastic locking piece 35 so that the holding force of the elastic locking piece 35 can be further improved. It has become.

In the upper part of the front end of the jig operation part 43, a pressing part 44 that is inclined downward toward the front is provided. The pressing part 44 is moved from the front by a release jig J inserted through the jig insertion hole 32. Press operation is possible.
As shown in FIG. 9, the release jig J has a bifurcated portion J1 whose tip is divided into two in the width direction, and the lower end of the bifurcated portion J1 is shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. As described above, the rounded R surface J2 is provided.

  When the release jig J is inserted into the jig insertion hole 32 from the front, as shown in FIG. 8, the pressing portion 44 is pressed by the R surface J2 of the bifurcated portion J1, and the locking piece main body 37 is moved into the bending space 36. By elastically displacing toward the front, the elastic locking piece 35 can be detached downward from the rear of the connecting tube portion 21.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the locking protrusion 38 protrudes upward from the position of the bottom wall 31 </ b> A in the front portion of the cavity 31 in a natural state before the locking piece body 37 is elastically displaced, The rear surface of the locking projection 38 is inclined obliquely forward and upward. The front end surface of the locking projection 38 is a guide surface 38A having a substantially front view that inclines in an overhang toward the front from the bottom to the top. It is formed flush with the front end face.

  That is, the front end portion of the elastic locking piece 35 is inclined rearward from the upper end of the locking projection 38 on the side opposite to the bending space 36 toward the easy shearing portion 40 on the bending space 36 side, and is easily sheared. The position of the front end portion of the upper locking piece main body 37U provided with the portion 40 is configured to be the narrowest.

  The locking protrusion 38 protrudes upward from the position of the bottom wall 31 </ b> A in the front part of the cavity 31, and is inserted rearward by the bottom plate 21 </ b> C of the connecting cylinder part 21 when the female terminal 20 is inserted into the cavity 31. It comes to be pressed from. When the locking projection 38 is pressed by the bottom plate 21C of the connecting tube portion 21, the locking piece main body 37 is elastically displaced toward the bending space 36, and accordingly the locking projection 38 is also displaced downward. To do.

  When the female terminal 20 is inserted to the proper position, the pressing state of the bottom plate 21C of the connecting tube portion 21 against the locking projection 38 is released, and the locking piece main body 37 is elastically restored. When the locking piece main body 37 is elastically restored, the locking projection 38 is arranged behind the bottom plate 21C of the connecting cylinder portion 21, and the bottom plate 21C of the connecting cylinder portion 21 is locked from behind by the elastic locking piece 35. As a result, the female terminal 20 is held in the cavity 31 so as not to be detached.

The connector 10 of this embodiment is the above structures, Comprising: The effect when the female terminal 20 displaces back is demonstrated.
For example, when the female terminal 20 is displaced rearward, for example, when the electric wire W is pulled backward, the bottom plate 21C of the connection tube portion 21 contacts the front end portion of the elastic locking piece 35, and the bottom plate of the connection tube portion 21 21C presses the guide surface 38A of the locking projection 38 from the front.

  Here, the guide surface 38A of the locking protrusion 38 is wider than the easy shearing portion 40 and is inclined rearward toward the easy shearing portion 40, and the guide surface 38A has a narrow easy shearing portion 40. Compared to the above, the force received from the connecting tube portion 21 can be dispersed. Therefore, when the force of the connecting cylinder portion 21 acts on the guide surface 38A, the pressure received by the guide surface 38A is smaller than the pressure received by the easy shearing portion 40, and the connecting cylinder from the guiding surface 38A to the easy shearing portion 40 is obtained. The bottom plate 21C of the part 21 is guided. That is, for example, the bottom plate 21 </ b> C of the connecting cylinder portion 21 is promptly directed toward the easy shearing portion 40 by the amount that the pressure is reduced as compared with the case where the pressure is reduced compared to the case where the guide surface is formed so as to be inclined. And can be guided reliably.

  When the bottom plate 21C of the connecting tube portion 21 is guided to the easy shearing portion 40 by the guide surface 38A, the locking piece main body 37 is bent with the root portion as a fulcrum and is on the opposite side to the space 36. It is elastically displaced (see FIG. 5), and the locking projection 38 is displaced upward. And the easy shearing part 40 latches 21 C of bottom plates of the connection cylinder part 21 from back.

  Here, when the locking projection 38 is displaced upward together with the locking piece main body 37, as shown in FIG. 5, the elastic locking piece (upper locking) at the height position where the bottom plate 21C of the connecting cylinder portion 21 is disposed. As shown in FIG. 3, the length dimension L1 in the front-rear direction of the piece main body 37U) 35 is a height position where the bottom plate 21C of the connecting tube portion 21 is disposed when the elastic locking piece 35 is in a natural state (locking). This is longer than the length dimension L2 in the front-rear direction at the position where the protrusion 38 is disposed. That is, when the locking protrusion 38 is displaced upward together with the locking piece main body 37, the shear distance of the elastic locking piece 35 with respect to the bottom plate 21C of the connection cylinder portion 21 becomes longer in the front-rear direction, and as a result, the shear area is It can be enlarged.

  Further, when the locking projection 38 is displaced upward together with the locking piece main body 37, as shown in FIG. 6, the portion arranged behind the bottom plate 21 </ b> C of the connecting tube portion 21 is moved from the position of the locking projection 38. The position that is displaced to the position of the upper locking piece main body 37U and is sheared by the bottom plate 21C of the connecting cylinder portion 21 is set to the wide locking portion 42 that is wider than the easy shearing portion 40 and the locking protrusion 38.

If the female terminal 20 is further displaced rearward as it is, the easy shearing portion 40 engages the bottom plate 21C of the connecting tube portion 21 from the rear, and then shearing of the easy shearing portion 40 is started. When the easy shearing portion 40 is completely sheared, the wide locking portion 42 having the same width as the base portion of the locking piece main body 37 locks the bottom plate 21C of the connecting tube portion 21 from the rear, and then the wide engagement portion. Shearing of the stop 42 is started.
That is, when the elastic locking piece 35 is displaced upward from the natural state and the easy shearing portion 40 is sheared, the shear width of the elastic locking piece 35 with respect to the bottom plate 21 </ b> C of the connecting tube portion 21 is larger than that of the locking projection 38. As a result, the shear area can be increased.

  Further, the shearing position by the bottom plate 21 </ b> C of the connecting cylinder portion 21 is such that the upper locking piece main body 37 </ b> U that is wider from the locking projection 38 to the locking projection 38 because the elastic locking piece 35 is displaced upward. Since the upper locking piece main body 37U is formed, the lower mold punching hole 41L for molding the upper locking piece main body 37U is formed on the lower outer side of the lower guide surface 34L. it can. Thereby, the width dimension of the upper die-cutting hole 41U can be reduced, and a large area of the lower guide surface 34L provided with the upper die-cutting hole 41U can be secured.

  By the way, in order to secure the shear area of the elastic locking piece 35 with respect to the female terminal 20 as in the present embodiment, for example, when a long elastic locking piece is formed in the front and rear, the electric wire is pulled and the female terminal is moved backward. When displaced, there is a concern that the elastic locking piece will buckle so that the base portion of the elastic locking piece bends before the elastic locking piece is sheared by the female terminal. For this reason, for example, a method for preventing the buckling of the elastic locking piece by thickening the base portion of the elastic locking piece is conceivable. The connector becomes larger in the direction, and the connector becomes larger in the vertical direction.

  However, according to the present embodiment, the bottom plate 21C of the connecting tube portion 21 is guided to the easy shearing portion 40 by the guide surface 38A of the locking projection 38, and the elastic locking piece 35 is elastically displaced upward accordingly. The force from the bottom plate 21 </ b> C of the connecting tube portion 21 guided by the easy shearing portion 40 is applied to the narrow easy shearing portion 40 before the wide locking portion 42 disposed at the rear portion of the elastic locking piece 35. Concentrate and the shearing of the easy-shearing part 40 starts immediately. That is, it is possible to prevent the base portion of the elastic locking piece 35 from buckling by concentrating the force on the easy shearing portion 40 before the wide locking portion 42 to quickly shear the easy shearing portion 40. It can be done.

  And after the easy shearing part 40 is sheared, the length dimension before and behind the elastic locking piece 35 becomes short by the length of the easy shearing part 40, and the intensity | strength of the elastic locking piece 35 whole becomes high. Thereby, also at this time, buckling of the elastic locking piece 35 can be suppressed. In addition, after the easy shearing portion 40 is sheared, the wide locking portion 42 is sheared by the bottom plate 21C of the connecting cylinder portion 21, so that the holding force of the female terminal 20 can be increased without increasing the size of the housing 30 in the vertical direction. Can be secured.

In addition, for example, by eliminating the easy shearing portion, the length of the front and rear of the elastic locking piece is shortened to the position of the wide locking portion, and buckling is suppressed by increasing the rigidity of the elastic locking piece. Means are also conceivable. However, if the elastic locking piece is shortened back and forth without the easy shearing portion, the shear area of the elastic locking piece with respect to the female terminal becomes extremely small, and the holding force of the female terminal may not be ensured.
However, according to the present embodiment, although the easy shearing portion 40 is narrower than the base portion of the elastic locking piece 35, the shear area for the female terminal 20 can be increased as compared with the case where the easy shearing portion 40 is not provided. Therefore, the holding force of the female terminal 20 can be ensured.

  In configuring the easy shearing portion 40 at the front end portion of the locking piece main body 37, for example, if a wide concave portion is provided on one side in the width direction of the elastic locking piece and the easy shearing portion is configured on the other side, the There is a possibility that the force from the female terminal concentrates on the shearing portion side and the female terminal is inclined in the width direction in the cavity. However, according to the present embodiment, the easy shearing portion 40 is provided with a pair of concave portions 39 on both sides in the width direction of the locking piece main body 37, and the easy shearing portion 40 is formed in the central portion in the width direction. Compared with the case where a wide concave portion is provided on one side in the width direction of the locking piece, the female terminal 20 can be prevented from being inclined in the width direction in the cavity 31.

  Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, the jig operating portion 43 that is pressed by the release jig J functions as a reinforcing portion that reinforces the elastic locking piece 35. Therefore, the elastic locking piece 35 can be reinforced without increasing the size of the housing 30 in the vertical direction or complicating the elastic locking piece 35 as compared with the case where a separate reinforcing portion is provided. .

  By the way, in general, in order to elastically displace the elastic locking piece toward the bending space, a jig operation portion is provided at the tip of the elastic locking piece, and the jig operation portion does not interfere with the bottom wall constituting the bending space. In addition, a housing is formed. However, if the housing is configured so that the jig operating portion does not interfere with the bottom wall, the housing is enlarged in the vertical direction. However, according to the present embodiment, since the pair of jig operation portions 43 are provided on both sides in the width direction of the elastic locking pieces 35, for example, compared to the case where the jig operation portions are provided at the tips of the elastic locking pieces. The housing 30 can be prevented from increasing in size in the vertical direction.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the lower mold release hole 41L is wider than the upper mold release hole 41U, and the wide engagement portion 42 of the upper engagement piece body 37U is engaged with the engagement protrusion 38 or the upper mold release. When the elastic locking piece 35 is pressed by the bottom plate 21C of the connecting tube portion 21 and displaced upward, the position where the elastic locking piece 35 is sheared by the bottom plate 21C of the connecting tube portion 21 is formed to be wider than the hole 41U. To the upper locking piece main body 37U. Thereby, it is not necessary to increase the width dimension of the upper die-cutting hole 41U to form the elastic locking piece 35, and a large area of the guide surface 34 can be secured.
Further, according to the present embodiment, the elastic locking piece 35 is displaced upward and the wide locking portion 42 is sheared by the female terminal 20, so that, for example, the wide locking portion of the elastic locking piece that does not displace upward is female. Compared with the case where shearing is performed by the terminal, it is possible to prevent the female terminal 20 from being enlarged by the dimension that the wide locking portion 42 is displaced upward.

  Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, the bottom plate 21C of the connecting cylinder portion 21 is guided to the easy-to-shear portion 40 of the upper locking piece main body 37U in the locking protrusion 38 disposed on the upper front end of the elastic locking piece 35. Since the guide surface 38A is provided, the bottom plate 21C of the connecting tube portion 21 can be reliably guided to the easily shearing portion 40 and the wide locking portion 42, and the holding force of the female terminal 20 can be reliably ensured. it can.

<Other embodiments>
The technology disclosed in the present specification is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the above description and drawings, and includes, for example, the following various aspects.
(1) In the above embodiment, the upper locking piece main body 37U is configured in a trapezoidal shape that is wider than the locking projection 38 and the upper die-cutting hole 41U. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the upper locking piece main body only needs to be wider than the locking protrusion and the upper die-cutting hole. For example, the upper locking piece main body may be configured in a substantially rectangular shape in front view. .
(2) In the above-described embodiment, the guide surface 38A of the locking projection 38 is configured in a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the front. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the guide surface may be configured to become narrower as it goes downward.
(3) In the said embodiment, the connector 10 which accommodates a female terminal inside was shown as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the technology disclosed in this specification may be applied to connectors in general such as a connector that accommodates a male terminal inside or a waterproof connector.

W: Electric wire 10: Connector 20: Female terminal (terminal fitting)
30: Housing 31: Cavity 33: Insertion hole 34: Guide surface 35: Elastic locking piece 36: Deflection space 41: Die release hole 42: Wide locking portion

Claims (2)

A connector attached to the end of the electric wire,
A terminal fitting connected to the end of the wire;
A housing having a cavity in which the terminal fitting is housed from the rear and provided with an insertion hole for inserting a counterpart terminal connectable with the terminal fitting into the cavity from the front;
An elastic locking piece provided in a cantilever manner on the inner wall of the cavity and elastically displaceable toward a flexure space provided outside the cavity;
A guide surface that is provided at a peripheral portion of the insertion hole in the housing, and guides the counterpart terminal into the insertion hole;
The housing includes a die-cutting hole provided over the guide surface to release the molding die of the elastic locking piece forward;
When the elastic locking piece is viewed from the front through the mold punching hole, a portion of the elastic locking piece that is disposed closer to the bending space than the guide surface is provided with the mold provided on the guide surface. A wide locking part wider than the width dimension of the punched hole is provided,
When the terminal fitting is displaced rearward, the elastic locking piece is pressed from the front by the terminal fitting and is elastically displaced to the side opposite to the bending space, and the terminal fitting is moved rearward by the wide locking portion. Connector to be locked from.   The front end portion of the elastic locking piece with which the terminal fitting contacts is inclined forward as it goes from the position where the wide locking portion is provided to the side opposite to the bending space. connector.

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