JP2016207364A - connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connector that achieves two stages of locking, i.e. temporary locking and main locking of a terminal, and is suitably made compact.SOLUTION: A connector 1 has a housing 10, a retainer 20 and two terminals (not shown). The housing 10 has two terminal storage chambers which are arranged side by side and a lateral retainer insertion opening 14. The retainer 20 is inserted into the housing 10 in two stages of a temporary lock position and a main lock position to lock the terminals inserted into the terminal storage chambers. A lock part 241 of a lance 24 projects into the terminal storage chamber when the retainer 20 is inserted into the temporary lock position. Once a terminal is inserted, the lance 24 temporarily flexes to accept the terminal, and restores itself to its original shape to lock the terminal 30. As the retainer 20 is moved to the main lock position, a pair of main lock pieces 251, 252 of the main lock part 25 enters locked parts of the terminal that the lance 24 locked at the temporary lock position to tightly stop the terminal from coming out.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a housing having a structure in which a terminal inserted into the housing is locked by a locking member inserted into the housing to prevent the terminal from coming off.

  Patent Document 1 introduces an example of a conventional general connector as a background art. In the connector, a lance for preventing the terminal from being detached is provided in the terminal housing chamber of the connector housing. When the terminal is inserted into the terminal housing chamber of the connector housing, the insertion of the terminal is allowed while the lance is bent. When the terminal is inserted to a predetermined position, the lance returns from the bent state and engages with the engaging portion of the terminal to prevent the terminal from coming off. This terminal is more firmly locked by a retainer inserted from the side of the connector housing.

  However, if a lance is provided in the connector housing, the shape of the connector housing becomes complicated and it is difficult to mold. Moreover, since it is necessary to give elasticity to the lance, it is difficult to use a strong resin material such as glass because of the limitation of the molding material.

  Therefore, Patent Document 1 proposes to provide a lance for the retainer. By providing the lance on the retainer, some of the problems associated with providing the lance on the connector housing are solved.

JP 2010-73375 A

  In the case of the retainer proposed in Patent Document 1, with respect to the insertion direction of the terminal of the connector housing, a lance is provided on the front side of the retainer and a main locking portion is provided on the rear side. Therefore, the terminal is also provided with an engaging portion that engages with the lance at a position closer to the front, and an engaging portion that engages with the main locking portion of the retainer at a position closer to the rear than that. That is, the terminal is provided with two engaging portions at different positions in the longitudinal direction. For this reason, the length of a terminal is required and the freedom degree of design of a terminal is restrict | limited. Further, since the terminals are long, the connector housing is also enlarged, and it is difficult to reduce the size of the entire connector.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a connector suitable for miniaturization, which performs two-stage locking of terminal temporary locking and final locking.

The connector of the present invention that achieves the above object provides:
A housing having a terminal accommodating chamber extending in the front-rear direction and provided with a hole leading to the terminal accommodating chamber in a direction intersecting with the front-rear direction;
A terminal that extends in the front-rear direction, has a locked portion that is locked for retaining, and is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber;
A locking member that is inserted into the housing from the hole into the temporary locking position and the final locking position in two stages and locks the terminal inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber;
The locking member is
When inserted into the temporary locking position, the terminal protrudes into the terminal accommodating chamber and is pushed by the terminal inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber to bend, thereby allowing the terminal to be inserted, and the terminal is inserted into the predetermined position. An elastic locking part that returns from the bent state at the stage and locks the locked part to prevent the terminal from coming off;
Non-elastic main locking that replaces the locked portion of the locked portion, which was locked by the elastic locking portion at the temporary locking position, from the elastic locking portion by moving from the temporary locking position to the main locking position. Part.

  In the case of the connector of the present invention, the locking member is provided with an elastic locking portion and a non-elastic main locking portion. And the to-be-latched part of a terminal is latched by an elastic latching | locking part by inserting a latching member in a temporary latching position, and inserting a terminal. Thereafter, the locking member is moved from the temporary locking position to the final locking position. Then, the locking of the locked portion that has been locked by the elastic locking portion at the temporary locking portion position is changed from the elastic locking portion to the main locking portion. Therefore, the terminal may be provided with one locked portion, and the length thereof can be reduced. In addition, the degree of freedom in terminal design is increased. Since the terminal length is short, the housing is also downsized.

  Here, in the connector of the present invention, it is preferable that the main locking portion has a pair of main locking pieces protruding in a direction approaching each other.

  By locking the terminal with both of the pair of main locking pieces, a stronger retaining can be realized.

  In the connector of the present invention, the housing has a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers in which the housing is arranged in the insertion direction of the locking member and the terminals are respectively inserted, and the locking member is inserted into the locking member. It may have a plurality of elastic locking portions and a plurality of main locking portions arranged alternately in the insertion direction.

  The connector of the present invention is also suitable for a structure having a plurality of terminals.

  According to the present invention described above, a connector suitable for miniaturization is realized that performs two-stage locking of temporary locking and main locking.

It is a disassembled perspective view of the connector as one Embodiment of this invention. It is a disassembled perspective view of the connector as one Embodiment of this invention. It is a front view of a housing. It is sectional drawing which follows the arrow AA shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing which follows the arrow BB shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing which follows the arrow CC shown in FIG. It is a front view of the housing in the state where the terminal was inserted in the housing. It is sectional drawing which follows the arrow DD shown in FIG. It is a cross-sectional perspective view which follows the arrow DD shown in FIG. It is a front view of a housing in the state where a terminal was inserted in a housing, and also a retainer was moved to a final locking position. It is sectional drawing which follows the arrow EE shown in FIG. It is a cross-sectional perspective view which follows the arrow EE shown in FIG.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

  1 and 2 are exploded perspective views of a connector as one embodiment of the present invention. However, the terminals are not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and the housing 10 and the retainer 20 are shown. 1 and 2 show shapes viewed from different directions.

  1 and 2, the arrow F indicates the front and the arrow R indicates the rear. An arrow I indicates a direction in which the retainer 20 is inserted into the housing 10.

  The housing 10 has a central portion 10A and an outer frame 10B. The outer frame 10B surrounds the central portion 10A in a state where a space is provided between the outer frame 10B and the central portion 10A.

  A terminal accommodating chamber 11 into which the terminal 30 is inserted is formed inside the central portion 10A (see, for example, FIG. 8). The terminal 30 is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 11 of the central portion 10A in the direction of the arrow F, that is, from the rear to the front. Further, the front end surface 12 of the housing 10 is a fitting surface with a mating connector (not shown). The front end face 12 is provided with two counterpart terminal insertion openings 13 side by side into which pin-shaped terminals (not shown) of the counterpart connector are inserted. In other words, the connector includes two terminals 30 arranged side by side. Correspondingly, the pin connector is also provided with two pin-shaped terminals. A retainer insertion port 14 into which the retainer 20 is inserted is provided on the side surface of the housing 10.

  The retainer insertion port 14 is a hole connected to the terminal accommodating chamber 11 (see FIG. 8) in the housing 10. Here, the retainer 20 in the present embodiment corresponds to an example of a locking member according to the present invention.

  Further, a lock hole 15 and an unlocking pressing portion 16 are provided on the upper surface of the housing 10. The locking hole of the mating mating connector enters into the lock hole 15 and is locked so as to maintain the fitted state. When the unlocking pressing portion 16 is pushed down, the lock is released and the mating with the mating connector can be released.

  A fitting portion 17 into which a cover member (not shown) that covers the electric wire connected to the terminal is fitted is provided at the rear end portion of the housing 10.

  The retainer 20 is inserted into the housing 10 from the retainer insertion port 14 of the housing 10 in two stages of a temporary locking position and a final locking position.

  The retainer 20 is provided with a locking projection 21.

  On the other hand, the housing 10 is formed with a temporary locking notch 181 and a final locking notch 182 as shown in FIG. The temporary locking notch 181 is a recess into which the locking protrusion 21 of the retainer 20 is fitted when the retainer 20 is inserted into the housing 10 to the temporary locking position. Further, the main locking notch 182 is a recess into which the locking protrusion 21 of the retainer 20 is fitted when the retainer 20 is inserted into the housing 10 to the main locking position. The retainer 20 is formed with a long hole 22 extending in the horizontal direction immediately above it so that the portion of the locking projection 21 bends when inserted. The locking projection 21 is provided in a portion formed in a doubly supported beam shape by the long hole 22.

  Further, the retainer 20 is provided with a vertically long slot 23 on the rear end side in the insertion direction (arrow I direction). The long hole 23 is a hole into which a jig is inserted when the retainer 20 inserted to the final locking position in the housing 10 is moved to the temporary locking position.

  Further, the retainer 20 is provided with two lances 24 and two main locking portions 25 so as to be alternately arranged in the direction in which the retainer 20 is inserted (direction of arrow I). Here, the lance 24 corresponds to an example of the elastic locking portion according to the present invention.

  The lance 24 has a cantilever shape extending forward with its rear end as a fixed end. A locking portion 241 protruding upward is provided at a portion near the front end. The back surface 241a of the locking portion 241 has an arcuate slope. The lance locking portion 241 protrudes into the terminal accommodating chamber 11 when the retainer 20 is inserted into the temporary locking position in the housing 10. Then, in a state where the retainer 20 is in the temporary locking position, the terminal 30 (see FIG. 8) is inserted into the housing 10 in the direction of the arrow F from the rear. Then, the front end 31 of the terminal 30 abuts against the back surface 241 a of the locking portion 241 of the lance 24. Since the back surface 241a has an arcuate slope, the lance 24 is elastically deformed downward when the terminal 30 hits. Thereby, the passage of the terminal 30 is allowed, and the terminal 30 passes over the lance 24 and is further inserted into a predetermined position. When the terminal 30 is inserted to a predetermined position, the locked portion 32, which is the rear end surface of the contact portion 33 of the terminal 30, becomes a position corresponding to the locking portion 241 of the lance 24. Then, the downward force applied to the lance 24 is released, the deformation of the lance 24 is released, and the lance 24 returns to its original shape.

  By returning to the original shape, the protruding locking portion 241 of the lance 24 faces the locked portion 32 of the terminal 30. The front surface 241 b of the locking portion 241 of the lance 24 is a wall surface extending in a direction orthogonal to the terminal insertion direction F. Therefore, the terminal 30 inserted from the rear is blocked by the front surface 241b, and is prevented from coming out backward.

  Further, a locking release slope 242 is formed in front of the locking portion 241 of the lance 24. In the state where the retainer 20 is inserted into the temporary locking position and the terminal 30 is inserted, a jig is inserted into the groove 19 provided under the mating terminal insertion port 13 on the front surface 12 of the housing 10. The locking release slope 242 of the retainer 20 is pushed. Then, the locking release slope 242 is pushed by the jig, the lance 24 is bent downward, and the locking between the locking portion 241 and the locked portion 32 of the terminal 30 is released. In this state, the terminal 30 can be removed from the housing 20 by pulling the terminal 30 backward.

  The main locking portion 25 of the retainer 20 is provided at a position aligned with the locking portion 241 of the lance 24 in the insertion direction (arrow I direction) of the retainer 20. After the retainer 20 is inserted into the housing 10 to the temporary locking position and the terminal 30 is inserted to the predetermined position, the retainer 20 is moved to the final locking position. Then, instead of the lance 24, the main locking portion of the retainer 20 is replaced with the locked portion 32 of the terminal 30 that the lance 24 of the retainer 20 has locked when the retainer 20 is in the temporary locking position. 25 enters and the main locking portion 25 locks the terminal 30. Unlike the lance 24, the main locking portion 25 is inelastic. For this reason, the terminal 30 is more firmly retained than the lance 24. Further, one lance 24 is engaged with a locked portion 32 of the terminal 30 with respect to one terminal 30. On the other hand, the main locking portion 25 has a pair of main locking pieces 251 and 252 protruding in a direction approaching each other from above and below, and these pair of main locking pieces 251 and 252 are locked to the terminal 30. Engage with part 32. Therefore, from this point as well, the main locking portion 25 provides a stronger stopper.

  As described above, the housing 10 is formed with two terminal accommodating chambers 11 arranged side by side, and one terminal 30 is inserted into each terminal accommodating chamber 11. For this reason, the retainer 20 is also provided with two lances 24 and two main locking portions 25 alternately. When the retainer 20 is in the temporary locking position, the locking portions 24 of the two lances 24 protrude into the two terminal accommodating chambers 11, respectively. Further, when the retainer 20 is moved from the temporary locking position to the final locking position, each of the two main locking portions 25 is locked by the two terminals 30 inserted into the two terminal accommodating chambers 11, respectively. It engages with each part 32.

  Hereinafter, further description will be continued with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 together with FIGS.

  FIG. 3 is a front view of the housing.

  Here, the retainer 20 is inserted into a temporary locking position in the housing 10. Here, the terminal 30 is not yet inserted. In this temporary locking position, the temporary locking protrusion 21 of the retainer 20 is fitted in the temporary locking notch 181 of the housing 10. Thereby, the retainer 20 is stably arrange | positioned in this temporary latching position.

  4 and 5 are cross-sectional views taken along arrows AA and BB, respectively, shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrow CC shown in FIG.

  When the retainer 20 is in the temporary locking position, the main locking portion 25 is in a position laterally removed from the terminal accommodating chamber 11 as shown in FIGS. On the other hand, when the retainer 20 is in the temporary locking position, the lance 24 is in a position that coincides with the position of the terminal accommodating chamber 11 in the lateral direction as shown in FIGS. At this position, the locking portion 241 of the lance 24 protrudes from the bottom to the inside of the terminal accommodating chamber 11. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the unlocking slope 242 of the lance 24 is at a position visible from the groove 19 provided below the mating terminal insertion port 13 on the front surface 12 of the housing 10.

  FIG. 7 is a front view of the housing in a state where the terminals are inserted into the housing.

  8 and 9 are a sectional view and a sectional perspective view, respectively, taken along the arrow DD shown in FIG. 7 to 9, the terminal 30 is inserted, but the retainer 20 is still in the temporary locking position.

  The terminal 30 is inserted into the housing 10 in the direction of the arrow F from the rear end to the position shown in FIGS. In the middle of the insertion of the terminal 30, the lance 24 bends downward, and when the terminal 30 is completely inserted, the lance 24 returns to its original shape. Then, the locking portion 241 of the lance 24 faces the locked portion 32 of the terminal 30. Thereby, the terminal 30 is temporarily locked in the inserted position. It may be necessary to remove the terminal 30 once inserted into the housing 10 from the housing 10. At this time, when the retainer 20 is in this temporary locking position, a jig is inserted into the groove 19 and the locking release slope 242 of the lance 24 is pushed. Then, the locking release slope 242 is pushed by the jig, the lance 24 is bent downward, and the locking portion 241 of the lance 24 is disengaged from the locked portion 32 of the terminal 30. In this state, an electric wire (not shown) fixed to the terminal 30 is pulled backward (direction of arrow R). By doing so, the terminal 30 can be pulled out of the housing 10.

  FIG. 10 is a front view of the housing in a state in which the terminal is inserted into the housing and the retainer is further moved to the final locking position.

  11 and 12 are a cross-sectional view and a cross-sectional perspective view, respectively, along the arrow EE shown in FIG. However, FIG. 12 shows a state in which the retainer 20 is moved to the final locking position with the cross-section at the temporary locking position shown in FIG.

  When the retainer 20 moves to the final locking position, the locking projection 21 of the retainer 20 is fitted into the main locking notch 182 of the housing 10 and is stabilized at that position. At this time, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, a pair of upper and lower main locking pieces 251 and 252 constituting the main locking portion 25 face the locked portion 32 of the terminal 30. As a result, the terminal 30 is firmly secured to the normal position in the housing 10.

  As shown in FIG. 10, when the retainer 20 is in the final locking position, a main locking piece 252 on the lower side of the main locking portion 25 appears behind the groove 19. When the retainer 20 is in this full locking position, as shown in FIG. 10, a vertically long slot provided in the retainer 20 from a gap between the central portion 10 </ b> A of the housing 10 and the outer frame 10 </ b> B. 23 is in a position where it is visually recognized. When it becomes necessary to remove the terminal 30 from the housing 10 once, a jig is inserted into the elongated hole 23, and the direction of insertion of the retainer 20 (the direction of the arrow I shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) is opposite. Apply power. Then, the locking projection 21 of the retainer 20 is disengaged from the main locking notch 182 of the housing 10 and the retainer 20 moves sideways, and the locking projection 21 is fitted into the temporary locking notch 181. The terminal 30 can be pulled out of the housing 10 by moving the retainer 20 to the temporary locking position in this way and then inserting the jig into the groove 19 and pushing down the lance 24.

  According to the embodiment described above, the same locked portion 32 of the terminal 30 is locked by the lance 24 and the pair of main locking pieces 251 and 252. Therefore, the length of the terminal 30 can be shortened, and the degree of freedom in designing the terminal 30 is increased. Moreover, since the length of the terminal 30 can be shortened, the length of the housing 10 can also be shortened, and the small connector 1 is implement | achieved.

  In the present embodiment, the lances 24 (elastic locking portions) and the main locking portions 25 are alternately arranged, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a plurality of main locking portions may be arranged next to a plurality of elastic locking portions, or a plurality of elastic locking portions are arranged in an upper row or a lower row, and a plurality of main locking portions are arranged in a lower row or an upper row. May be arranged.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Connector 10 Housing 10A Center part 10B Outer frame 11 Terminal accommodating chamber 12 Front end surface 13 Mating terminal insertion port 14 Retainer insertion port 181 Temporary locking notch 182 Main locking notch 19 Groove 20 Retainer 21 Locking protrusion 22, 23 Long hole 24 Lance 241 Locking portion 241a Rear surface 241b Front surface 242 Unlocking slope 25 Main locking portion 251, 252 Main locking piece 30 Terminal 32 Locked portion

Claims (3)

A housing having a terminal accommodating chamber extending in the front-rear direction and provided with a hole leading to the terminal accommodating chamber in a direction intersecting with the front-rear direction;
A terminal extending in the front-rear direction and having a locked portion that is locked for retaining, and a terminal inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber;
A locking member that is inserted into the housing from the hole in two stages of a temporary locking position and a final locking position, and locks the terminal inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber;
The locking member is
When inserted into the temporary locking position, the terminal protrudes into the terminal accommodating chamber and is pushed and bent by the terminal inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber, thereby allowing the terminal to be inserted. An elastic locking portion that returns from a bent state when inserted into a predetermined position and locks the locked portion to prevent the terminal from coming off;
Due to the movement from the temporary locking position to the main locking position, the locking of the locked portion, which has been locked by the elastic locking portion at the temporary locking position, is changed from the elastic locking portion. A connector having an inelastic main locking portion.   The connector according to claim 1, wherein the main locking portion has a pair of main locking pieces protruding in a direction approaching each other. The housing has a plurality of the terminal accommodating chambers arranged in the insertion direction of the locking member and into which the terminals are respectively inserted;
The connector according to claim 1, wherein the locking member includes a plurality of the elastic locking portions and a plurality of the main locking portions that are alternately arranged in the insertion direction of the locking member. .

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