JP3204887B2 - Female terminal of connector for electrical connection - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a female terminal of an electrical connection connector, and more particularly, to a female terminal of an electrical connection connector which is engaged with a flexible locking piece formed in a connector housing and is prevented from falling off. It relates to improvement of female terminals.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an electrical connection connector has been used to connect electric wires. Among these connectors, there is a flexible connector integrally formed in a housing so that a female terminal does not come out of the connector housing. There is one in which a locking piece (lance) is engaged with a female terminal.

An example of the structure of such an electrical connection connector will be described with reference to FIG.
A female terminal 4 in which an end of the electric wire 3 is crimped and fixed to an electric wire crimping portion 7 provided at the other end is accommodated in the connector housing 2. A locking hole 4c is formed in the peripheral wall 4b of the terminal fitting portion 4a of the female terminal 4 fitted with the male terminal 5 of the mating connector. Further, a distal engagement portion 6a of a flexible locking piece (lance) 6 formed integrally with the connector housing 2 can be engaged with a locking hole 4c of the female terminal 4. As a result, when assembling the electrical connection connector 1, the female terminal 4 is connected to the connector housing 2 from the rear end side.
5, the distal end engaging portion 6 a of the flexible locking piece 6 engages with the locking hole 4 a of the female terminal 4 as shown in FIG.
Are locked so as not to fall out of the connector housing 2.

[0004]

However, in the electrical connector 1 described above, the distal end engaging portion 6a of the flexible locking piece 6 is provided on the peripheral wall 4b forming the terminal fitting portion 4a of the female terminal 4. A locking hole 4c to be engaged is provided. Then, in order to ensure the engagement between the locking hole 4c of the female terminal 4 and the distal engaging portion 6a of the flexible locking piece 6, if the height of the distal engaging portion 6a is too high, Therefore, the tip engaging portion 6a protrudes above the inner peripheral surface 4d of the female terminal 4. Therefore, when assembling the connectors, there is a possibility that the tip of the male terminal 5 abuts on the tip engaging portion 6a of the flexible locking piece 6 to deteriorate the assemblability of the connectors.

If the height of the tip engaging portion 6a is too low, the engagement between the locking hole 4c of the female terminal 4 and the tip engaging portion 6a becomes incomplete, and the female terminal 4 comes off. The locking stops are uncertain. Further, the locking holes 4 of the female terminals 4 are provided.
If c is provided on the wire crimping portion that does not interfere with the mating male terminal 5, there is a problem that the total length of the female terminal 4 becomes longer and the connector housing becomes larger.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is ensured that a flexible locking piece formed in a connector housing is prevented from falling into a housing, and that the flexible locking piece is a mating male terminal. An object of the present invention is to provide a favorable female terminal of an electrical connector which does not hinder the fitting with the female terminal.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a connector housing which is housed in a connector housing for connecting an electric wire, and is engaged with a flexible locking piece formed in the housing so as to be prevented from coming off. A female terminal of the electrical connection connector, wherein a terminal fitting portion provided at one end for fitting with the mating male terminal has a locking hole engaged with the flexible locking piece; An elastic contact piece that is bent and formed so as to cover the upper side of the stop hole with a gap, and presses against the mating male terminal; and a displacement of the elastic contact piece in contact with the elastic contact piece toward the locking hole side. to have a and prevention stopper portion collapsed to prevent
Side of the elastic contact piece crimped and bent
Contact the end of the wire fixed to the wire crimping section.
And having a pressure contact piece for positioning the electric wire in the axial direction.
In both cases, the end portion is formed by a locking portion formed in the terminal fitting portion.
This is achieved by the female terminal of the connector for electrical connection , wherein the displacement of the child fitting portion in the axial direction is prevented.
You.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of a female terminal of an electrical connector according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Here, FIG. 1 is an overall longitudinal sectional view showing a fitted state of an electrical connection connector having a female terminal according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the female terminal shown in FIG. 3 and 4 are enlarged longitudinal sectional views of the female terminal according to the reference example of the present invention .

First, a terminal 20 to which the electrical connection connector 30 of the first embodiment is electrically connected will be described with reference to FIG. 1. The terminal 20 has a first chamber 21 fitted to a distributor (not shown). And the second chamber 22 in which the electrical connection connector 30 is fitted is the partition wall 2.
It is divided by three. And a strip-shaped male terminal 2
4 penetrates the partition wall 23, and both ends thereof are the first chamber 21 respectively.
And project into the second chamber 22.

The electrical connection connector 30 is an electrical connection connector for connecting an ignition cable W, which is a high-voltage resistance wire for supplying a high-voltage current to the ignition plug of the engine, to the male terminal 24 of the terminal 20. Then, when the cylindrical connector housing 31 of the electrical connection connector 30 containing the female terminal 40 described later is inserted into the second chamber 22 of the terminal 20, the lock arm 32 of the connector 30 moves to the outer peripheral surface of the terminal 20. Is engaged with the engagement projection 25 protruding from the first projection. Thereby, the electrical connection connector 30 is integrally connected to the terminal 20, and
The inner wall surface of the second chamber 22 and the connector housing 31
Is sealed in a liquid-tight manner by the packing 33.

A rear end of the electrical connection connector 30 opposite to the terminal 20 has a cylindrical electric wire holding portion 34.
The ignition cable W inserted therein is held in a liquid-tight manner by the packing 35. The packing 35 is prevented from falling into the electric wire holding portion 34 by a rear holder 36 that is fitted inside the rear end of the connector 30. On the other hand, inside the connector housing 31, there is provided a flexible locking piece 37 for retaining the female terminal 40 described later. When the front holder 38 is attached to the distal end of the connector housing 31, the flexible retaining piece holder 39 of the front holder 38 is inserted into the connector housing 31, and the female terminal of the flexible retaining piece 37 Displacement in the direction away from 40 is prevented.

As shown in FIG. 2, the female terminal 40 is a terminal formed by pressing a metal plate. One end of the female terminal 40 is fitted to the male terminal 24.
1, and the other end is an electric wire crimping portion 42 for crimping and fixing the ignition cable W. The terminal fitting portion 41
Is formed with a locking hole 41b through which the distal end engaging portion 37a of the flexible locking piece 37 engages. Also, elastic contact pieces 44 and 45 extending in a pair of upper and lower strips extend from an opening front end portion 43 of the terminal fitting portion 41, respectively. These elastic contact pieces 44, 4
5 are folded back so as to extend toward the electric wire crimping portion 42 side, and extend so as to extend in the axial direction inside the terminal fitting portion 41.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the upper elastic contact piece 44 is curved in a "U" shape, and a slope reaching the top of the curve is a guide surface for guiding the tip of the male terminal 24. I have. Then, the apex of the curve is made to closely contact the side surface of the male terminal 24. On the other hand, the lower elastic contact piece 45 also has a half of the opening front end 43 side curved in a “U” shape, but the curved portion 45a is formed by the locking hole 41b.
At a position substantially opposite to the locking hole 41b so as to be separated from the locking hole 41b toward the inside of the terminal fitting portion 41, and covers above the locking hole 41b (inside the terminal fitting portion 41) with a gap. I have. Furthermore, the end of the bent elastic contact piece 45 on the wire crimping portion 42 side contacts the end of the ignition cable W fixed to the wire crimping portion 42 to position the ignition cable W in the axial direction. The pressure contact piece 45d is formed integrally.

A crush prevention stopper portion 41c is provided on the periphery of the locking hole 41b to abut against the elastic contact piece 45 to prevent the elastic contact piece 45 from being displaced toward the locking hole 41b. Are vertically extended so as to extend inward of the terminal fitting portion 41. Further, the elastic contact piece 45
Is the peripheral wall 4 at the end of the terminal fitting portion 41 on the side of the wire crimping portion 42.
1a is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface. An engaging portion 41d protruding from the peripheral wall 41a of the terminal fitting portion 41 is inserted into a through hole 45c formed in the peripheral wall contact portion 45b. Therefore, the elastic contact piece 45 is prevented from being displaced in the axial direction of the terminal fitting portion 41 by the locking portion 41d whose tip is bent.

That is, the electrical connection connector 30 is formed by bending the elastic contact piece 45 for pressing against the mating male terminal 24 so as to cover a space above the locking hole 41b with a gap. Displacement toward the locking hole 41b is prevented by the stopper portion 41c. Therefore,
The tip of the mating male terminal 24 to be fitted into the terminal fitting portion 41 of the female terminal 40 is guided by the elastic contact piece 45 and does not come into contact with the tip engaging portion 37a of the flexible locking piece 37. The tip engaging portion 37a can be set so as to protrude inward of the terminal fitting portion 41 from the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall 41a of the female terminal 40. Engagement with the locking hole 41b is ensured.

The elastic contact piece 45 is supported from below in the figure by the crush prevention stopper 41c protruding from the peripheral wall 41a. As a result, even if the elastic contact piece 45 is pressed against the male terminal 24 and elastically deforms and tries to be displaced toward the peripheral wall 41a, the elastic contact piece 45 is supported by the crush prevention stopper 41c and the peripheral wall 41a.
Cannot be approached more than a predetermined distance.
The gap above 1b is always maintained.

Further, the female terminal 40 is provided with an elastic contact piece 45.
A pressure contact piece 45d is integrally formed at the end of the wire crimping part 42 side, but the elastic contact piece 45 is locked by the locking part 41d so as not to be displaceable in the axial direction with respect to the terminal fitting part 41. I have. Thus, when the elastic contact piece 45 is pressed against the male terminal 24 and is elastically deformed, the press contact piece 45d is
It can also be prevented from being displaced to the side and pressing the core wire C of the ignition cable W to be damaged. Therefore, the female terminal 40 of the electrical connection connector 30 is securely prevented from falling into the housing by the flexible locking piece 37 formed on the connector housing 31, and the flexible locking piece 37 is connected to the mating male terminal 24. Does not hinder the fitting of

The female terminal of the electrical connector according to the present invention is limited to the configuration of the female terminal 40 according to the first embodiment for connecting the ignition cable W, which is a high-voltage resistance wire, to the terminal 20. It is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to this and can take various forms, and it is needless to say that the present invention can be used for a general electrical connector. Therefore, the female terminal 50 of the electrical connector according to the reference example of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

The female terminal 50 of the reference example is a female terminal used for a general electrical connector. The female terminal 50 is, as in the female terminal 40 of the first embodiment, applied to the end of the electric wire fixed to the electric wire crimping portion. A pressure contact piece that contacts and positions the electric wire in the axial direction is not integrally formed. A locking hole 52 with which a flexible locking piece 59 of a connector housing (not shown) is engaged is formed in a peripheral wall 51a of the cylindrical terminal fitting portion 51 of the female terminal 50. Further, the terminal fitting portion 5
Resilient contact pieces 54 and 56 extending in a pair of upper and lower strips respectively extend from one opening tip 53. Both of these elastic contact pieces 54 and 56 are stripped of the insulation coating and folded back so as to extend toward the wire crimping portion 58 for crimping and fixing the end of the wire, and are axially arranged inside the terminal fitting portion 51. It extends so as to extend.

Further, the lower elastic contact piece 54 is separated from the locking hole 52 to the inside of the terminal fitting portion 51 at a position where the curved portion 54a is substantially opposed to the locking hole 52. And above the locking hole 52 (inside the terminal fitting portion 51).
Is covered with a void. On the periphery of the locking hole 52, a crush prevention stopper portion 57 that abuts against the elastic contact piece 54 to prevent the elastic contact piece 54 from being displaced toward the locking hole 52 is provided with a terminal. It is vertically provided so as to extend inward of the fitting portion 51.

Thus, the terminal fitting portion 51 of the female terminal 50
The distal end of the mating male terminal (not shown) fitted into the flexible engagement piece 59 is guided by the elastic contact piece 54 and does not come into contact with the distal engagement portion 59a of the flexible locking piece 59. Part 5
9a can be set to protrude inward of the terminal fitting portion 51 from the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall 51a of the female terminal 50, and the flexible locking piece 59 is inserted into the locking hole 52 of the female terminal 50. The engagement can be reliably performed. Further, even if the elastic contact piece 54 is pressed against a male terminal (not shown) and elastically deforms and tries to be displaced toward the peripheral wall 51a, the elastic contact piece 54 is supported by the stopper portion 57 for preventing crushing and is fixed to the peripheral wall 51a by a predetermined amount or more. Cannot be approached, the flexible locking piece 59 is pressed and urged by the elastic contact piece 54 to be displaced, and the female terminal 50 is not accidentally disengaged from the locking hole 52.

Next, a female terminal 60 of an electrical connector according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Female terminal 60 of the reference example is obtained by changing the shape of prevention stopper portion 57 collapse in the female terminal 50 of the reference example, the peripheral wall 61a of the tubular terminal fitting portion 61,
A locking hole 62 with which a flexible locking piece 59 of a connector housing (not shown) is engaged is formed. Further, elastic contact pieces 64 and 66 extending in a pair of upper and lower strips extend from an opening front end portion 63 of the terminal fitting portion 61, respectively. Each of the elastic contact pieces 64 and 66 is stripped of the insulating coating and folded back so as to extend toward the electric wire crimping portion 68 for crimping and fixing the end of the electric wire.
1 is extended so as to extend in the axial direction inside the inside 1.

Further, the lower elastic contact piece 64 is separated from the locking hole 62 toward the inside of the terminal fitting portion 61 at a position where the curved portion 64a is substantially opposed to the locking hole 62. And above the locking hole 62 (inside the terminal fitting portion 61).
Is covered with a void. The peripheral wall 61a located closer to the opening front end 63 than the locking hole 62 abuts on the elastic contact piece 64 to prevent the elastic contact piece 64 from being displaced toward the locking hole 62. The crush prevention stopper portion 67 is press-formed so as to protrude inward of the terminal fitting portion 61.

[0024] As a result, the female terminal 60, the above-mentioned reference
Similarly to the female terminal 50 of the example , the distal end engaging portion 59a is
The inner peripheral surface of the 0 peripheral wall 61a can be set to protrude inward from the terminal fitting portion 61, and the flexible locking piece 59 can be securely engaged with the locking hole 62. . Also, when the elastic contact piece 64 is pressed against the male terminal and is elastically deformed,
Since the elastic contact piece 64 is supported by the crush prevention stopper 67 and cannot approach the peripheral wall 61a more than a predetermined amount, the flexible locking piece 59 is pressed and urged by the elastic contact piece 64 to be displaced. The engagement of the terminal 60 with the locking hole 62 does not accidentally come off.

The female terminal of the connector for electrical connection according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that various changes can be made. For example, in the above-described embodiment, both the crush prevention stopper portion and the locking portion are provided on the peripheral wall side forming the terminal fitting portion of the female terminal, but they may be formed on the elastic contact side. it can. Further, a pair of elastic locking pieces are not necessarily required as in the above-described embodiment, and it is sufficient that the elastic locking pieces have at least one elastic locking piece bent and formed so as to cover above the locking holes.

[0026]

As is apparent from the above description, in the female terminal of the electrical connector of the present invention, the tip of the mating male terminal fitted into the terminal fitting portion of the female terminal is guided by the elastic contact piece. And the flexible engagement piece formed in the connector housing does not come into contact with the flexible engagement piece, so that the distal end engagement portion of the flexible engagement piece is located more inward of the terminal fitting portion than the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall of the female terminal. The flexible locking piece can be reliably engaged with the locking hole of the female terminal.

The elastic contact piece is supported by a crush prevention stopper protruding from the peripheral wall. Even if the elastic contact piece is pressed against the male terminal and elastically deformed, the elastic contact piece is displaced toward the peripheral wall. Since it is not possible to approach the peripheral wall more than a predetermined amount, the flexible locking piece is displaced by being pressed and urged by the elastic contact piece, so that the engagement with the locking hole of the female terminal does not accidentally come off. .

[0028] Furthermore, a pressing member is integrally formed on the end portion of the wire crimping portion of the resilient contact piece, the resilient contact piece so as not to displace in the axial direction with respect to the terminal fitting portion by the locking portion locking Is done. Therefore, when the elastic contact piece is pressed against the mating male terminal and is elastically deformed, it is possible to prevent the press contact piece from displacing toward the wire crimping portion and pressing the core wire of the electric wire, thereby preventing damage. Therefore,
The female terminal of the connector for electrical connection of the present invention is securely prevented from falling into the housing by the flexible locking piece formed on the connector housing, and the flexible locking piece prevents the mating with the mating male terminal. There is no.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall vertical sectional view showing a fitted state of an electrical connector provided with a female terminal according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the female terminal shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of a female terminal according to a reference example of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a female terminal according to another reference example of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged longitudinal sectional view of a conventional electrical connector provided with female terminals.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 20 terminal 24 male terminal 30 connector for electrical connection 31 connector housing 37 flexible locking piece 38 front holder 40 female terminal 41 terminal fitting portion 41a peripheral wall 41b locking hole 41c crush prevention stopper portion 41d locking portion 42 wire crimping Part 44 Elastic contact piece 45 Elastic contact piece 45a Curved part 45b Peripheral wall contact part 45d Pressure contact piece W Ignition cable C Core wire

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A female terminal of an electrical connector, which is housed in a connector housing for connecting an electric wire, and is engaged with a flexible locking piece formed in the housing to prevent the female terminal from coming off. A terminal fitting portion provided at one end to be fitted with the mating male terminal covers the locking hole engaged with the flexible locking piece and a space above the locking hole with a gap. An elastic contact piece that is bent and pressed against the mating male terminal; and a crush prevention stopper portion that contacts the elastic contact piece and prevents the elastic contact piece from being displaced toward the locking hole. And the end of the bent elastic contact piece on the wire crimping portion side
Part is in contact with the end of the wire fixed to the wire crimp
With a pressure contact piece for positioning the wire in the axial direction
The terminal is formed by a locking portion formed in the terminal fitting portion.
A female terminal of the connector for electrical connection , wherein displacement of the fitting portion in the axial direction is prevented .