JP2023169940A - connector - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a connector capable of maintaining electrical connection reliability of a terminal and of preventing deformation of a housing.SOLUTION: A connector 1 comprises: a terminal 3 that has a fitting part 9 extended in a direction of fitting with a partner terminal, and a fixing part 11 extended from the fitting part 9 via a bent part 17 in a direction crossing the fitting part 9 and formed with an insertion hole 21 into which a fastening member 19 is inserted; a nut 5 to which the fastening member 19 inserted into the insertion hole 21 is fastened; and a housing 7 that has a terminal accommodation part 31 for at least accommodating the fitting part 9 and a nut arrangement part 33 where the nut 5 is to be arranged. In the connector 1, the nut 5 is integrally fixed to the nut arrangement part 33, and the nut arrangement part 33 is provided on the housing 7 in a swingable manner in an extending direction of the fitting part 9.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a connector.

Conventionally, a connector is known that includes a first terminal as a terminal and a first connector housing as a housing (see Patent Document 1). In this connector, the first terminal has a male terminal portion as a fitting portion extending along a direction of fitting with a second terminal serving as a mating terminal, and a male terminal portion extending in a direction perpendicular to the male terminal portion. It has a connecting part as a fixed part. An insertion hole into which a fastening member such as a bolt is inserted is formed in the connection portion of the first terminal.

In such a connector, a nut to which a fastening member inserted through an insertion hole is fastened is integrally fixed to the first connector housing by insert molding or the like. The first connector housing is provided with a terminal accommodating portion that accommodates at least the male terminal portion of the terminal. The terminal is arranged such that the insertion hole of the connection portion and the fastening hole of the nut match with each other with the male terminal portion housed in the terminal accommodating portion. A connecting terminal that is electrically connected to the end portion of the electric wire and has an insertion hole through which a fastening member is inserted is arranged at the connecting portion of the terminal. The fastening member is inserted through the insertion hole of the connection portion of the terminal and the insertion hole of the connection terminal, and is fastened to the nut. By fastening the fastening member to the nut, the terminal and the connecting terminal are electrically connected.

JP 2021-57193 Publication

By the way, in the connector as disclosed in Patent Document 1, by fastening the fastening member to the nut, the fitting portion of the terminal can be maintained in the disposed state within the terminal accommodating portion. In such a connector, in order to prevent deformation of the housing when the fastening member is fastened to the nut, the fitting portion of the terminal is placed in the terminal accommodating portion without strongly abutting the inner surface of the terminal accommodating portion. It is preferable that

Here, the extending direction of the fitting part and the extending direction of the fixing part intersect with each other, and the terminal is formed in an L-shape as a whole. By fastening the fastening member to the nut, the fixed part of the terminal comes into contact with and is electrically connected to, for example, a connection terminal disposed between the fixed part and the fastening member. When the fixed portion of the terminal and the connecting terminal come into contact with each other, the contact area can be increased by making surface contact with each other, and electrical connection reliability can be maintained. Therefore, if the bent part of the terminal is bent at an accurate right angle, when the fastening member is fastened to the nut, the contact surfaces of the fixed part and the connecting terminal will be in surface contact, and the fitting part will be in contact with the terminal receiving part. There is no strong contact with the inner surface.

However, the bent portion of the terminal may not be bent at an exact right angle. For such terminals, when the fastening member is fastened to the nut, if the fixing part and the connecting terminal are brought into surface contact, the fitting part will strongly abut against the inner surface of the terminal accommodating part, potentially deforming the housing. be. On the other hand, if the fastening of the fastening member to the nut is weakened in order to prevent the fitting part from coming into strong contact with the inner surface of the terminal accommodating part, the contact between the fixed part and the connecting terminal will become unstable like a line contact. Electrical connection reliability may deteriorate.

The present invention has been made in view of the problems of the prior art. An object of the present invention is to provide a connector that can maintain electrical connection reliability of terminals and prevent deformation of the housing.

The connector according to the present embodiment includes a fitting portion extending along the fitting direction with a mating terminal, and a fitting portion extending from the fitting portion in a direction intersecting the fitting portion via a bent portion. A terminal having a fixing part having an insertion hole through which a member is inserted, a nut to which the fastening member inserted through the insertion hole is fastened, a terminal accommodating part that accommodates at least the fitting part, and the nut. a housing having a nut arranging part in which the nut arranging part is arranged, the nut being fixed integrally with the nut arranging part, and the nut arranging part being swingable along an extending direction of the fitting part. provided in the housing.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a connector that can maintain electrical connection reliability of terminals and prevent deformation of the housing.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a connector according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a top view of the connector according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the connector according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a terminal of the connector according to the present embodiment.

Hereinafter, the connector according to the present embodiment will be described in detail using the drawings. Note that the dimensional ratios in the drawings are exaggerated for convenience of explanation and may differ from the actual ratios.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the connector 1 according to this embodiment is electrically connected to, for example, a power source mounted on a vehicle. The connector 1 can be fitted with, for example, a mating connector (not shown) provided with a mating terminal (not shown) having a tab-shaped connection portion electrically connected to equipment mounted on a vehicle. When the mating connector is fitted with the connector 1, the mating terminals and the terminals 3 of the connector 1 are electrically connected. The connector 1 includes a terminal 3, a nut 5, and a housing 7.

The terminal 3 is made of a conductive material. The terminal 3 includes a fitting part 9 and a fixing part 11, and is formed into an L-shape as a whole.

The fitting portion 9 extends in a box shape along the fitting direction between the connector 1 and the mating connector. A contact member 15 having a plurality of contact parts 13 is housed inside the fitting part 9 . The contact member 15 is held in contact with the fitting portion 9 and is electrically connected to the terminal 3 . The tab-shaped connecting portion of the mating terminal is inserted into the fitting portion 9 in a state where the connector 1 and the mating connector are fitted. The tab-shaped connecting portion inserted into the fitting portion 9 contacts the plurality of contact portions 13 of the contact member 15, and the terminal 3 and the mating terminal are electrically connected.

The fixing portion 11 is formed of a single member that is continuous with the fitting portion 9 via the bent portion 17 . The bent portion 17 is bent at approximately 90 degrees. Note that the bent portion 17 is bent within a range of 88° to 92° depending on processing accuracy. The fixing portion 11 extends in a plate shape from the bent portion 17 in a direction intersecting (orthogonal to) the fitting portion 9 . The fixing part 11 is formed with an insertion hole 21 that passes through the fixing part 11 and into which a fastening member 19 made of a bolt can be inserted. For example, the fixed portion 11 comes into contact with a plate-shaped connection terminal 23 that is electrically connected to a power source, so that the terminal 3 and the connection terminal 23 are electrically connected. An insertion hole 25 through which the fastening member 19 can be inserted is formed in the connection terminal 23 .

A fastening member 19 is fastened to the nut 5 . The fixing portion 11 of the terminal 3 and the connecting terminal 23 are arranged between the nut 5 and the head 27 of the fastening member 19, with their insertion holes 21 and 25 aligned. Note that a washer 29 is arranged between the connection terminal 23 and the head 27 of the fastening member 19. When the fastening member 19 inserted through the insertion hole 21 of the fixed part 11 and the insertion hole 25 of the connecting terminal 23 is fastened, the nut 5 maintains the contact state between the fixed part 11 and the connecting terminal 23, and the terminal 3 The electrical connection state between the connection terminal 23 and the connection terminal 23 is maintained. In addition, the nut 5 fixes the terminal 3 to the housing 7 by fastening the fastening member 19.

The housing 7 is made of an insulating material such as synthetic resin, for example. The housing 7 includes a terminal accommodating portion 31 and a nut placement portion 33.

The terminal accommodating portion 31 is formed into a rectangular housing shape along the fitting direction of the connector 1 and the mating connector. One side of the terminal accommodating portion 31 is opened so that the fitting portion 9 of the terminal 3 can be inserted therein. Inside the terminal accommodating portion 31, a locking lance 35 that can be engaged with the fitting portion 9 of the terminal 3 is provided so as to be elastically deformable. The locking lance 35 prevents the terminal 3 from falling off from the housing 7 by engaging with the fitting portion 9 of the terminal 3. The other side of the terminal accommodating portion 31 is provided with an insertion opening 37 into which a tab-shaped connecting portion of a mating terminal is inserted when the connector 1 and the mating connector are fitted together. Note that a release opening 39 is provided adjacent to the insertion opening 37 into which a jig for elastically deforming the locking lance 35 is inserted. The fitting portion 9 of the terminal 3 is arranged in the terminal accommodating portion 31 with the terminal 3 fixed to the housing 7 . In the terminal accommodating portion 31, when the connector 1 and the mating connector are fitted, the tab-shaped connecting portion of the mating terminal is inserted through the insertion opening 37, and the fitting portion 9 and the tab-shaped connecting portion are fitted. . When the fitting portion 9 and the tab-shaped connecting portion are fitted, the contact portion 13 of the contact member 15 comes into contact with the tab-shaped connecting portion, and the terminal 3 and the mating terminal are electrically connected.

The nut placement portion 33 is a member that is continuous with the terminal accommodating portion 31 along the direction perpendicular to the fitting direction between the connector 1 and the mating connector, and is provided in the nut fixing portion 41 formed in a solid rectangular shape. It is being The nut 5 is insert molded into the nut fixing portion 41 when the housing 7 is molded. The part of the nut fixing part 41 into which the nut 5 is insert-molded has openings on both sides in the thickness direction of the nut 5 so that the fastening member 19 can be fastened to the nut 5.

The nut placement portion 33 is formed in the nut fixing portion 41 by providing a hollow portion 43 formed using a plurality of molds (not shown) when molding the housing 7. The nut placement portion 33 is formed into a circular annular shape by providing a hollowed out portion 43 in the nut fixing portion 41 . The hollowed out portions 43 are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the nut placement portion 33 on one side and the other side in the direction in which the fixing portion 11 of the terminal 3 extends, respectively, so as to penetrate the nut fixing portion 41 . The portion of the nut fixing portion 41 that remains after providing the hollowed out portion 43 becomes a connecting portion 45 .

The connecting portion 45 is formed into a shaft shape that is thinner than the thickness of the nut securing portion 41 by providing a hollow portion 43 in the nut securing portion 41 . The connecting portion 45 connects the nut placement portion 33 to the nut fixing portion 41. The connecting portion 45 is provided so as to be elastically deformable so as to be twisted around the axis. A pair of connecting portions 45 are arranged at point-symmetrical positions with respect to the center of the nut 5. A straight line connecting the pair of connecting parts 45, 45 is perpendicular to the extending direction of the fixed part 11 of the terminal 3. Therefore, the nut arrangement part 33 becomes swingable along the extending direction of the fitting part 9 of the terminal 3 by elastically deforming the pair of connecting parts 45, 45 torsionally.

When the bent part 17 of the terminal 3 is not bent at right angles, the nut arrangement part 33 which is provided so as to be able to swing in this manner is connected to the fixed part 11 of the terminal 3 when the fastening member 19 is fastened to the nut 5. Tilt so that they are parallel. The fastening member 19 is fastened to the nut 5 in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the fixing part 11 by tilting the nut arrangement part 33 . Therefore, the fixing part 11 disposed between the nut 5 and the head 27 of the fastening member 19 and the connecting terminal 23 come into surface contact, and the electrical connection reliability between the terminal 3 and the connecting terminal 23 is maintained. be able to.

On the other hand, the fitting part 9 of the terminal 3 is arranged in the terminal accommodating part 31 so as to be parallel to the inner surface of the terminal accommodating part 31 with the fastening member 19 fastened to the nut 5 of the inclined nut arranging part 33. be done. Therefore, the fitting portion 9 does not come into strong contact with the inner surface of the terminal accommodating portion 31, and deformation of the housing 7 can be prevented.

In such a connector 1, a fitting part 9 extends along the fitting direction with a mating terminal, and a fitting part 9 extends from the fitting part 9 in a direction intersecting the fitting part 9 via a bent part 17. The terminal 3 includes a fixing portion 11 having an insertion hole 21 through which a fastening member 19 is inserted. Further, the housing 7 includes a nut 5 to which the fastening member 19 inserted through the insertion hole 21 is fastened, a terminal accommodating part 31 that accommodates at least the fitting part 9, and a nut arrangement part 33 in which the nut 5 is arranged. We are prepared. Further, the nut 5 is fixed integrally with the nut placement portion 33. The nut arrangement portion 33 is swingably provided in the housing 7 along the extending direction of the fitting portion 9 .

When the bent portion 17 of the terminal 3 is not bent at a right angle, when the fastening member 19 is fastened to the nut 5, the nut placement portion 33 is inclined to be parallel to the fixed portion 11 of the terminal 3. The fastening member 19 is fastened to the nut 5 in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the fixing part 11 by tilting the nut arrangement part 33 . Therefore, the fixed part 11 disposed between the nut 5 and the fastening member 19 and the connecting terminal 23 are parallel to each other, and the fixed part 11 and the connecting terminal 23 are in surface contact, and the electrical connection between the terminal 3 and the connecting terminal 23 is connection reliability can be maintained.

The fitting portion 9 of the terminal 3 whose bent portion 17 is not bent at a right angle strongly contacts the inner surface of the terminal accommodating portion 31 when the fastening member 19 is fastened to the nut 5 of the inclined nut placement portion 33. There is no. Therefore, deformation of the housing 7 due to strong contact of the fitting portion 9 can be prevented.

Therefore, in such a connector 1, the electrical connection reliability of the terminals 3 can be maintained and the deformation of the housing 7 can be prevented.

Moreover, the nut arrangement part 33 is swingably provided in the housing 7 via the remaining elastically deformable connecting part 45 by providing a hollow part 43 in the housing 7 on the outer periphery. Therefore, by providing the hollowed out portion 43 in the housing 7 and allowing the nut placement portion 33 to swing with the remaining connecting portion 45, the swinging of the nut placement portion 33 can be stabilized with a simple structure. can do.

Further, the hollowed out portion 43 is a hole formed through the hole. Therefore, the connecting portion 45 can be formed thin with a space around the connecting portion 45, making it easy to elastically deform the connecting portion 45, and stabilizing the rocking of the nut arrangement portion 33.

Further, a pair of connecting portions 45 are arranged at positions that are point symmetrical with respect to the center of the nut 5. Therefore, the nut arranging part 33 can be made swingable by the connecting part 45 at two locations in the circumferential direction of the nut arranging part 33, and the swinging of the nut arranging part 33 can be stabilized.

Although this embodiment has been described above, this embodiment is not limited to these, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the gist of this embodiment.

For example, in this embodiment, the hollowed out part is a hole formed through the hole, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, the connecting part may be made thinner than other parts and elastically deformed. For example, the hole need not be formed through the hollowed out portion.

Furthermore, although the nut is integrally fixed to the nut placement part by insert molding, the nut is not limited to this, for example, an engaging part that restricts the rotation and movement of the nut may be provided to fix the nut to the nut placement part. They may be fixed together.

1 Connector 3 Terminal 5 Nut 7 Housing 9 Fitting part 11 Fixing part 17 Bent part 19 Fastening member 21 Insertion hole 31 Terminal accommodating part 33 Nut placement part 43 Lightening part 45 Connection part

Claims (4)

A fitting portion extending along the fitting direction with the mating terminal, and an insertion hole extending from the fitting portion in a direction intersecting the fitting portion via the bent portion and into which the fastening member is inserted. a terminal having a fixed portion formed therein;
a nut to which the fastening member inserted through the insertion hole is fastened;
A housing including at least a terminal accommodating part that accommodates the fitting part and a nut arranging part in which the nut is arranged;
Equipped with
The nut is fixed integrally with the nut arrangement part,
The nut arrangement part is provided in the housing so as to be swingable along the extending direction of the fitting part. 2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the nut arranging portion is swingably provided to the housing via a remaining elastically deformable connecting portion by providing a hollowed portion in the housing on an outer periphery. 3. The connector according to claim 2, wherein the hollowed out portion is a hole formed therethrough. The connector according to claim 2 or 3, wherein a pair of the connecting portions are arranged in point-symmetrical positions with respect to the center of the nut.

Images