JP2019212416A - Joined connector - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a joined connector capable of smoothly performing disengagement work from a mating connector.SOLUTION: A joined connector C includes: a center sub-connector 1 having first engagement parts 11 and 12 on both sides in the width direction, respectively, engaged with a joint connector at an insertion completion position of a center position in the width direction, and having a lock arm 13 capable of engagement and disengagement; and a pair of side sub-connectors 2 and 3 which are arranged in the right and left outside the center sub-connector 1 and have second engagement parts 24 and 34 engaged with the first engagement parts 11 and 12 of the center sub-connector 1, respectively.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a combined connector in which a plurality of sub-connectors are fitted.

  There exists what was disclosed by patent document 1 as a conventional union connector. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the united connector 50 includes a plurality of sub-connectors 51 that are stacked in the vertical direction and fitted to each other. Each sub-connector 51 has a housing 52 and a plurality of terminals 53 accommodated in the housing 52. The plurality of terminals 53 are arranged in parallel. Each terminal 53 is connected to a terminal of an electric wire W.

  The mating connector 60 has a mating housing 62 having a housing fitting chamber 61 and a terminal assembly plate 63 accommodated in the mating housing 62. Pin terminals 64 protrude from the terminal assembly plate 63 at predetermined positions, and the predetermined pin terminals 64 are electrically connected.

  The combined connector 50 is fitted into the housing fitting chamber 61 of the mating housing 62. Then, each terminal 53 of the sub connector 51 is connected to the corresponding pin terminal 64 of the mating connector 60. As a result, the joint between the predetermined electric wires W is branched and connected.

  In this way, joint / branch connection can be made between the electric wires W by one-time connector fitting.

  By the way, there are cases where it is desired to separate the combined connector 50 from the mating connector 60 for reasons such as maintenance.

JP 2004-1111279 A

  However, in the above-described conventional example, in order to detach the combined connector 50 from the mating connector 60, it can be detached only by gripping the plurality of electric wires W and applying a pulling force in the direction of detaching from the mating connector 60. Accordingly, the combined connector 50 may be pulled out with the mating connector 50 tilted with respect to the mating connector 60, and the combined connector 50 may not be detached smoothly.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a combined connector that can smoothly perform a work of detaching from a mating connector.

  The present invention has a first engagement portion on both side surfaces in the width direction, a center having a lock arm that engages with the lock portion of the mating connector at the center position in the width direction and can be disengaged. A sub-connector, and a pair of side sub-connectors that are disposed on the left and right outer sides of the center sub-connector and have second engaging portions that are engaged with the first engaging portions of the center sub-connector. It is the united connector characterized.

  According to the present invention, when performing the disengagement work from the mating connector, the disengagement of the lock arm is performed, but the connector disengagement force is applied while supporting the center position of the combined connector. Since the operator can apply the connector detachment force while suppressing the combined connector from being inclined with respect to the joint connector, the detachment operation from the mating connector can be performed smoothly.

1 shows an embodiment of the present invention and is an overall perspective view of a combined connector. FIG. It is a perspective view at the time of isolation | separation of the union connector which shows one Embodiment of this invention. 1A and 1B show an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a center sub-connector, and FIG. It is a perspective view which shows one Embodiment of this invention and demonstrates the unification | combination operation | work of the left side sub connector. It is a perspective view which shows one Embodiment of this invention and demonstrates the unification operation | work of the right side subconnector. It is a perspective view which shows one Embodiment of this invention and demonstrates the unification operation | work of each side subconnector with respect to a center subconnector. It is a perspective view before showing one embodiment of the present invention and uniting a united connector with a joint connector. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, (a) is a perspective view in which a combined connector is combined with a joint connector, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of an engagement portion of a lock arm. It is a perspective view before a conventional example is shown and a united connector and a mating connector (shown in an exploded state) are fitted together. A prior art example is shown, (a) is the perspective view which fitted the union connector to the other party connector, (b) is the perspective view of a subconnector.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  1 to 8 show an embodiment of the present invention. In the following description, the left-right positional relationship indicates the positional relationship on the drawing for convenience.

  The combined connector C includes a center sub-connector 1 and a pair of left and right side sub-connectors 2 and 3.

  The center subconnector 1 has a housing 10 and a plurality of terminals (not shown) accommodated in the housing. Each terminal is a female terminal. The terminal of the electric wire W1 is connected to each terminal. The center sub connector 1 and the plurality of electric wires W1 constitute a first sub wire harness WH1.

  A pair of first engaging portions 11, 12 and a lock arm 13 project from the upper surface of the housing 10. A pair of 1st engaging parts 11 and 12 are provided in the right-and-left both sides of the width direction. Each of the first engaging portions 11 and 12 has a structure in which a dovetail-shaped portion and an ant-hozo-shaped portion are continuous as viewed from above. The lock arm 13 is provided at the center position in the width direction. The lock arm 13 includes a cantilevered elastic arm portion 13a, a locking claw portion 13b provided near the tip of the elastic arm portion 13a, and a release operation portion 13c protruding from the tip of the elastic arm portion 13a. Have. The release operation unit 13 c is located at an upper position separated from the upper surface of the housing 10. By operating the release operation portion 13c in a direction in which the release operation portion 13c is pressed against the upper surface of the housing 10, the elastic arm portion 13a bends downward and can be unlocked (see FIG. 8).

  Each side sub-connector 2, 3 is composed of an upper divided sub-connector 20, 30 and a lower divided sub-connector 21, 31. Upper divided sub-connectors 20 and 30 have a third engagement portion (not shown) on the lower surface side. The lower divided sub-connectors 21 and 31 have fourth engaging portions 23 and 33 on the upper surface side. The third engaging portion (not shown) and the fourth engaging portions 23 and 33 are, for example, cylindrical shapes that fit with each other. The upper divided sub-connectors 20 and 30 and the lower divided sub-connectors 21 and 31 are provided so as to be fitted in a vertical direction by a third engaging portion (not shown) and fourth engaging portions 23 and 33.

  The left and right upper divided sub-connectors 20 and 30 are respectively provided with second engaging portions 24 and 34 on one side in the width direction. Similar to the first engaging portions 11 and 12, the second engaging portions 24 and 34 have a structure in which the dovetail-shaped portion and the dovetail-shaped portion are continuous as viewed from above. The 1st engaging parts 11 and 12 and the 2nd engaging parts 24 and 34 are set to the positional relationship with which a mutual dovetail-shaped part and dovetail-shaped part are engaged.

  The left upper divided subconnector 20 and the lower divided subconnector 21 have housings 20a and 21a and a plurality of terminals (not shown) accommodated in the housings 20a and 21a, respectively. Terminals of electric wires W2, W3 are connected to each terminal. The upper divided sub-connector 20 and the plurality of electric wires W2 constitute a second sub-wire harness WH2. The lower divided sub-connector 21 and the plurality of electric wires W3 constitute a third sub-wire harness WH3.

  The upper divided sub-connector 30 and the lower divided sub-connector 31 on the right side have housings 30a and 31a and a plurality of terminals (not shown) accommodated in the housings 30a and 31a, respectively. Each terminal has an electric wire W4. A W5 terminal is connected. The upper divided sub-connector 30a and the plurality of electric wires W4 constitute a fourth sub-wire harness WH4. The lower divided sub connector 31 and the plurality of electric wires W5 constitute a fifth sub wire harness WH5.

  Next, an example of the assembly procedure of the combined connector C will be described. As shown by arrows in FIG. 4, the left upper divided subconnector 20 and the lower divided subconnector 21 are assembled to form the left side subconnector 2. As shown by the arrows in FIG. 5, the right upper divided subconnector 30 and the lower divided subconnector 31 are assembled to form the right side subconnector 3. Next, as shown by arrows in FIG. 6, the left and right side sub-connectors 2 and 3 are assembled to the center sub-connector 1. Thus, the combined connector C is completed.

  Next, the joint connector 4 which is a mating connector will be described. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the joint connector 4 includes a joint housing 41 provided with a housing fitting chamber 40 having one end face opened, and a rear cover 42 assembled on the back side of the joint housing 41. .

  At the center position of the upper surface portion of the joint housing 41, a notch portion 43 opened to the opening surface of the housing fitting chamber 40 is provided. A lock portion 44 that projects from the housing fitting chamber 40 is provided at the center position of the upper surface portion of the joint housing 41 and at a position behind the notch portion 43.

  The rear cover 42 is provided with a substrate (not shown), for example. The substrate is provided with a plurality of pin terminals (male type terminals) and a branch circuit. Each pin terminal protrudes at a predetermined position in the housing fitting chamber 40.

  As shown by an arrow in FIG. 7, the combined connector C is inserted into the housing fitting chamber 40 of the joint housing 41. Then, the lock arm 13 of the combined connector C interferes with the lock portion 44 of the joint housing 41, but the combined connector C is inserted into the housing fitting chamber 40 when the elastic arm portion 13a of the lock arm 13 is bent and deformed. Is acceptable. When the combined connector C is inserted to the insertion completion position, the lock arm 13 is bent and restored, the locking claw portion 13b of the lock arm 13 is locked to the lock portion 44 of the joint housing 41, and the combined connector C and the joint connector are connected. 4 is locked. In the insertion completion position of the combined connector C, each terminal (not shown) in each housing 10, 20, 21, 30, 31 of the combined connector C projects to each pin terminal (not shown) protruding into the housing fitting chamber 40. Connected. Thereby, between each electric wire W1-W5 of five sub wire harnesses WH1-WH5 which comprise a wire harness is joint-branch-connected.

  To release the united connector C from the joint connector 4 due to maintenance or the like, the release operation portion 13c of the lock arm 13 is pressed. Then, as shown by the phantom line in FIG. 8B, the engagement between the locking claw portion 13b of the lock arm 13 and the lock portion 44 of the joint housing 41 is released. The operator pulls out the combined connector C from the joint housing 41 while keeping the release operation portion 13c of the lock arm 13 depressed, and removes the combined connector C. That is, the connector detachment force is applied while supporting the center position of the combined connector C, and the combined connector C is released.

  As described above, the united connector C has the first engaging portions 11 and 12 on both side portions in the width direction, and is connected to the joint connector 4 that is the mating connector at the insertion completion position at the center position in the width direction. A center sub-connector 1 having a lock arm 13 that can be engaged and disengaged, and disposed on the left and right outer sides of the center sub-connector 1 and engaged with the first engaging portions 11 and 12 of the center sub-connector 1 And a pair of side sub-connectors 2 and 3 having second engaging portions 24 and 34.

  As described above, when the united connector C is detached from the joint connector 4, the operation of releasing the engagement of the lock arm 13 is performed, but the position of the lock arm 13 is the center position in the width direction of the united connector C. Therefore, the connector detachment force is applied while supporting the center position of the combined connector C. Therefore, since the operator can apply the connector detaching force while suppressing the combined connector C from being inclined with respect to the joint connector 4, the detaching operation can be performed smoothly. In other words, the connector detachment force substantially coincides with the proper detachment direction of the merged connector C, and the detachment work can be performed smoothly without tilting the merged connector C with respect to the proper detachment direction.

  The left and right side sub-connectors 2 and 3 are respectively composed of upper divided sub-connectors 20 and 30 and lower divided sub-connectors 21 and 31 that are fitted in the vertical direction. Therefore, the sub-harness can be further divided and manufactured. Each of the left and right side sub-connectors 2 and 3 may be composed of three or more connectors. The left and right side sub-connectors 2 and 3 may be a single connector.

  Since the combined connector C has a symmetrical configuration, the detachment force applied via the lock arm 13 surely acts in the proper detachment direction of the combined connector C, and the detachment operation is further smoothly performed from this point. be able to.

  Each of the first engaging portions 11 and 12 and the second engaging portions 24 and 34 has a dovetail shaped portion and an anthozo shaped portion, and the dovetail shaped portion and the dovetail shaped portion are engaged with each other. The Therefore, the center sub-connector 1 and the side sub-connectors 2 and 3 can be securely and securely combined. In this embodiment, the first engaging portions 11 and 12 and the second engaging portions 24 and 34 have a structure in which the dovetail-shaped portion and the dovetail-shaped portion are continuous when viewed from above, but are fitted in the left-right direction. Any structure can be used.

  The individual sub-connectors constituting the combined connector C, that is, the center sub-connector 1, the two upper divided sub-connectors 20 and 30 constituting the side sub-connectors 2 and 3, and the two lower divided side connectors 21 and 31 Constitutes the sub wire harnesses WH1 to WH5 together with the electric wires W1 to W5 connected thereto, respectively. And between each electric wire W1-W5 of each subwire harness WH1-WH5 is joint-branch-connected via the joint connector 4 which is a mating connector.

  Therefore, the terminal processing of the wire harness comprised from the some sub wire harness W1-W5 can be performed by one connector fitting operation | work.

  In this embodiment, the third engaging portion (not shown) and the fourth engaging portion 23 are, for example, cylindrical shapes that are fitted to each other, but may be any structure that can be fitted in the vertical direction.

  In this embodiment, the center sub-connector 1 is a single connector, but may be composed of two or more connectors.

C Combined connector 1 Center sub-connector 2, 3 Side sub-connector 11, 12 First engaging portion 20, 30 Upper split sub-connector (split sub-connector)
21, 31 Lower split sub-connector (split sub-connector)
24, 34 2nd engaging part W1-W5 electric wire WH1-WH5 Sub wire harness

Claims (4)

A center sub-connector having first engaging portions on both side surfaces in the width direction, engaging the mating connector at the insertion completion position at the center position in the width direction, and having a lock arm that can be disengaged; ,
And a pair of side sub-connectors that are disposed on the left and right outer sides of the center sub-connector and have second engaging portions that are engaged with the first engaging portions of the center sub-connector. connector. The united connector according to claim 1,
The side sub-connector is two split sub-connectors fitted in the vertical direction. The united connector according to claim 1 or 2,
The first engagement portion and the second engagement portion both have a dovetail shape portion and a dovetail shape portion, and the dovetail shape portion and the dovetail shape portion are engaged with each other. And union connector. The union connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
When the center sub-connector, each side sub-connector, and each side sub-connector are constituted by two divided sub-connectors, the two divided sub-connectors respectively constitute sub-wire harnesses together with the electric wires connected thereto. And
The mating connector is characterized in that the mating connector is a joint connector, and the electric wires of the sub-wire harnesses are jointed and branchedly connected through the joint connector.

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