JP3570534B2 - connector - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a connector provided with a so-called side retainer.
[0002]
[Prior art]
An example of a connector with a retainer is a side retainer type connector. This type of connector is described, for example, in Japanese Patent No. 2,627,357. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, a retainer f is provided so as to be insertable from an opening c on a side surface of a housing a in which a plurality of cavities b are provided. First, the retainer f is moved to a temporary locking position shown in FIG. When the terminal fitting d is held, the terminal fitting d is inserted into the cavity b, and then, when the retainer f is pushed into the final locking position shown in FIG. 9, the locking portion g of the retainer f protrudes into the cavity b and the terminal fitting d. The terminal fitting d can be double-locked in a locked state by being locked to the jaw portion e. This type of side retainer has an advantage that the locking force is strong because it can be locked directly to the terminal fitting d.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, this kind of housing a is generally carried in a state where the retainer f is assembled in a temporary locking position to a site where the terminal fitting d is inserted, but at the time of the assembly, the retainer f is Since it is necessary to insert into the opening c on the side of the housing a, it takes a lot of time to adjust the position. Couldn't cope.
[0004]
Some so-called waterproof connectors are provided with a hood on the outer periphery of the housing.However, if a side retainer is applied to this type of connector, a hole for inserting the retainer must be opened in the hood. Because of the disadvantage, a side retainer that can provide a strong locking force has not been used in this type of waterproof connector.
The present invention has been completed based on the above circumstances.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The invention according to claim 1 is a connector provided with a retainer which is inserted into a housing having a main body provided with a cavity into which a terminal fitting is inserted, in a direction intersecting with a direction in which the terminal fitting is inserted, and is engaged with the terminal fitting. In the above, the housing is divided into two in the axial direction which is the insertion direction of the terminal fittings, and one of the divided housings has a rear half of the main body, while the other split housing has a front half of the main body. And an assembling means for assembling the retainer along the axial direction with respect to the one split housing first, and subsequently assembling the other split housing along the axial direction. The retainer is provided, and the retainer is supported movably in a direction intersecting with the axial direction with respect to the assembling means. Characterized in place where the structure and the partial locking position to permit the insertion of the terminal fitting the retainer, the locking means for holding each of the lockable main locking position in the terminal fitting is provided.
[0006]
According to a second aspect of the invention, in the invention of claim 1, wherein the housing is a shape in which the hood is provided so as to cover the front side around the body formed of the cavity and covered with the hood being adapted to the retainer is attached to the present body portion, characterized in was configured to housing is divided into two in the mounting position of the retainer.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, the assembling means is provided with a guide mechanism for guiding the retainer to be assembled at the temporary locking position. However, it has features.
[0007]
Function and effect of the present invention
<Invention of claim 1>
A connector with a side retainer is formed by sequentially assembling the retainer and the other divided housing in the axial direction with respect to the assembling means provided in one of the divided housings. If the retainer is in the temporary locking position, the terminal fitting is allowed to be inserted into the cavity, and then if the retainer is moved to the full locking position, the terminal fitting is locked in a retaining state.
Since the retainer can be assembled along the axial direction of the housing, the assembling work becomes easy, and the automatic assembling can be relatively easily performed.
[0008]
<Invention of Claim 2>
The side retainer can be assembled without providing a retainer insertion opening in the hood, and can be applied to a waterproof connector.
<Invention of Claim 3>
Since the retainer is brought to the temporary locking position in the initial assembling stage, the subsequent operation of inserting the terminal fitting can be smoothly performed.
[0009]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. In this embodiment, a female waterproof connector is illustrated, and the overall structure will be described first with reference to FIGS. The housing H includes a main body 51 provided with a plurality of cavities 50 for accommodating the female terminal fittings 52 crimped to the ends of the electric wires 53, and a hood portion provided so as to cover the outer periphery of the front end side of the main body 51. The hood portion of the mating male housing is fitted inside the hood portion 11 to be sealed by the seal member 17, and a side portion is provided in front of the mounting position of the seal member 17 on the main body 51. A type of retainer 40 is mounted.
[0010]
In this embodiment, the housing H is divided into the first housing 10 and the second housing 1 at the mounting position of the retainer 40 described above, and the retainer 40 is connected to the first housing 10 as described later. The second housing 1 is sequentially assembled.
[0011]
The structure of the assembly will be described below. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the first housing 10 is formed by a rear half portion of the main body 51 (hereinafter, referred to as a rear main body 12) and the hood section 11. Therefore, the rear half of the cavity 50 (hereinafter, referred to as the rear cavity 13) is formed in the rear main body 12. A fitting recess 30 is formed on the rear surface of the rear body 12, and a single waterproof rubber plug 31 having an electric wire insertion hole 32 corresponding to each rear cavity 13 is fitted therein. It can be attached.
[0012]
As shown in FIG. 1, a pair of guide walls 14 project from the front surface of the rear body 12 in the first housing 10 on the short side edge thereof, and a retainer 40 is provided inside the both guide walls 14. And the second housing 1 are fitted. Further, two guide ribs 20 are provided at the center of the front surface of the rear main body 12 in the horizontal width direction so as to protrude in the vertical width direction. The guide ribs 20 are each formed in a flat L-shape having a projecting portion 21 formed on one surface on one end side. The guide rib 20 penetrates through the retainer 40 and is fitted into a fitting groove (not shown) formed in the rear surface of the second housing 1.
[0013]
First, the structure of the second housing 1 and the assembly structure of the two housings 1 and 10 will be described. The second housing 1 forms the front half of the main body 51 as described above, and has a front half of the cavity 50 (hereinafter referred to as the front cavity 2) formed therein. A pair of ribs 4 are formed on both side surfaces of the second housing 1, and an insertion groove 16 into which the rib 4 is inserted is cut into the guide wall 14 of the first housing 10 to a predetermined depth. ing. Lock projections 15 are formed at four locations on the inner surface of the projecting ends of the two guide walls 14, and the outer periphery of the rear surface (the lower surface in FIG. 1) of the second housing 1 Four locking steps 3 are formed at positions corresponding to the lock projections 15.
[0014]
Therefore, the second housing 1 is aligned by fitting the fitting groove on the rear surface thereof to the protruding end of the guide rib 20, and the rib 4 is inserted into the fitting groove 16 of the guide wall 14 and between the two guide walls 14. Insertion is stopped when the rib 4 hits the inner end of the fitting groove 16. At this time, each locking step 3 gets over the lock projection 15 and is locked inside, so that it can be assembled in a retaining state. At this time, a space is provided between the rear surface of the second housing 1 and the front surface of the rear body 12 of the first housing 10 so that an interval at which the retainer 40 can be mounted is opened.
[0015]
Next, the structure of the retainer 40 and the structure for assembling it to the first housing 10 will be described. The retainer 40 has a thick plate shape, and is mounted so as to be sandwiched between the first housing 10 and the second housing 1 as described above. A communication hole 41 communicating with the cavities 2 and 13 of the housings 1 and 10 is formed in the retainer 40, and a locking projection 44 that can be locked to the jaw portion 54 of the female terminal fitting 52 in each communication hole 41. Is formed.
[0016]
A through groove 42 through which both guide ribs 20 of the first housing 10 can pass is formed at the center of the retainer 40 in the width direction. The through groove 42 has a vertical width slightly longer than the distance between the outer edges of the guide ribs 20, and has a cutout groove 45 larger than the protrusion 21 of the guide rib 20, and The reference numeral 40 is movable along the guide ribs 20 in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG.
[0017]
A holding protrusion 43 is formed on the surface of the through groove 42 of the retainer 40 opposite to the cutout groove 45. On the other hand, a locking column 22 is formed by cutting a vertical groove 26 at the lower end of the edge of the guide rib 20 on the opposite side of FIG. 1, and a surface of the locking column 22 on the near side in FIG. 1. Is a temporary locking surface 23, and the opposite surface is a final locking surface 24. On one surface side of the guide rib 20, a guide groove 25 in which the holding projection 43 of the retainer 40 is fitted is formed on the same line as the vertical groove 26 and up to a position slightly before the vertical groove 26. A stopper 27 is provided between the guide groove 25 and the vertical groove 26.
[0018]
That is, the retainer 40 is assembled in a retaining state when the holding projection 43 is fitted into the guide groove 20 with the holding projection 43 fitted into the guide groove 25 and the holding projection 43 is fitted over the vertical groove 26 beyond the stopper 27. At this time, as shown in FIG. 3, the holding projection 43 is in contact with the temporary locking surface 23, and the retainer 40 is located at the temporary locking position. When the retainer 40 is in the temporary locking position, as shown in FIG. 5, the locking projection 44 is retracted from the cavity 50, and the female terminal fitting 52 can be inserted.
[0019]
Here, as shown in FIG. 4, the retainer 40 can be moved to a position where the holding protrusion 43 abuts the locking post 22 and abuts on the opposite final locking surface 24. This is the final locking position. At the final locking position, as shown in FIG. 6, the locking projection 44 projects into the cavity 50 and is in a state where it can be locked to the jaw 54 of the female terminal fitting 52.
An operating section 46 is formed on the side surface of the retainer 40 on the front side in FIG. 1, and an operating groove 47 into which a jig for moving the retainer 40 can be inserted is formed in the operating section 46.
[0020]
The present embodiment has the above structure, and its operation will be described below. The retainer 40 and the second housing 1 are sequentially mounted on the first housing 10 in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG.
[0021]
First, the guide ribs 20 of the first housing 10 are inserted into the through grooves 42 by fitting the holding protrusions 43 into the guide grooves 25 formed in substantially the same shape as the holding protrusions 43 provided on the retainer 40. . When the retainer 40 is pushed downward, the retainer 40 is moved downward while being guided by the guide ribs 20, and after the holding protrusion 43 rides on the stopper 27 once from the rear end edge of the guide groove 25, it is fitted into the vertical groove 26, The retainer 40 is held by the first housing 10 in a retaining state. At this time, as shown in FIG. 3, the retainer 40 is assembled at a temporary locking position where the holding protrusion 43 is in contact with the temporary locking surface 23 of the locking column 22.
[0022]
Subsequently, when the guide rib 20 is inserted into the fitting groove of the second housing 1 and the second housing 1 is pushed in, the guide rib 20 is moved downward while being guided by the guide rib 20 and the guide wall 14, and the lower end of the rib 4 is guided. The second housing 1 is brought into contact with the rear end of the fitting groove 16 of the wall 14 and the locking projection 15 provided on the guide wall 14 is locked by the locking step 3 of the second housing 1. 10 is mounted with the retainer 40 interposed therebetween. Thereby, the cavities 2 and 13 of both housings 1 and 10 are communicated through the communication hole 41 of the retainer 40 to form the cavity 50.
[0023]
In the housing H assembled as described above, the locking projection 44 of the retainer 40 held at the temporary locking position is retracted from the cavity 50 as shown in FIG. Therefore, the female terminal fitting 52 can be inserted into the cavity 50. When the female terminal fitting 52 is inserted into the proper position, it is primarily locked by the metal lance 55, and at this time, the jaw portion 54 of the female terminal fitting 52 is It is located at the boundary between the housing 1 and the retainer 40.
[0024]
Next, a jig is inserted into the operation groove 47 of the retainer 40 facing between the hood portion 11 and the main body 51 from the front of the housing H, and the retainer 40 is pushed downward in FIG. As a result, as shown in FIG. 4, the holding projection 43 of the retainer 40 rides over the temporary locking surface 23 of the locking pillar 22 and comes into contact with the final locking surface 24 located on the back side of the temporary locking surface 23. , The retainer 40 is moved and held at the final locking position. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 6, the locking projection 44 of the retainer 40 protrudes into the jaw portion 54 of the female terminal fitting 52, and the female terminal fitting 52 is double-locked.
[0025]
That is, the retainer 40 is of a side type that is moved in a direction crossing the cavity 50, and the locking projection 44 is directly locked to the jaw portion 54 of the female terminal fitting 52, so that a strong locking force can be obtained. it can.
[0026]
By the way, conventionally, when a side retainer is used for a connector with a waterproof hood, for example, a hole or the like opened to the outside in the hood must be provided according to the size of the retainer, and the waterproofness of the connector is impaired. Was sometimes Further, when a front retainer is used in place of the side retainer, a problem remains in terms of terminal holding force.
[0027]
In this regard, in the present embodiment, the side-type retainer 40 that locks the female terminal fitting 52 by operating in a direction crossing the cavity 50 without providing a hole or the like in the hood portion 11 of the housing H is attached. With this configuration, it is possible to sufficiently secure the terminal holding force of the retainer 40 while maintaining the waterproofness of the connector.
[0028]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the housing H is divided into two parts in the axial direction, and the side type retainer 40 is interposed therebetween. The side type retainer 40 having a holding force can be mounted on the housing H. Furthermore, since the guide groove 25 is provided from the leading edge of the guide rib 20 to the rear, the retainer 40 can be held at the temporary locking position at the time of initial assembly, and the subsequent insertion work of the female terminal fitting 52 can be easily performed. Can be. Further, since the mounting directions of the housings H are unified in the same axial direction, the assembling work is facilitated, and it is possible to easily cope with the mechanization of the working process.
[0029]
<Other embodiments>
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the above description and drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention, and are not limited to the following without departing from the gist. Can be implemented with various modifications.
(1) The present invention can be similarly applied to the male connector.
(2) In the above embodiment, a connector with a hood is shown, but the present invention can be applied to a side retainer type connector.
[Brief description of the drawings]
1 is a partially cutaway exploded perspective view of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view after assembly; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a retainer is held at a temporary locking position; FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the retainer is held in a final locking position. FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view showing a state in which the retainer is held in a temporary locking position. FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a connector according to a conventional example. FIG. 8 is a side sectional view showing a temporarily locked state. FIG. 9 is a side sectional view showing a fully locked state. Explanation of code]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... 2nd housing 2 ... Front cavity 10 ... 1st housing 11 ... Hood part 13 ... Rear cavity 20 ... Guide rib 22 ... Holding part 23 ... Temporary locking surface 24 ... Full locking surface 25 ... Guide groove 26 ... Vertical groove 27 ... stopper 40 ... retainer 41 ... communication hole 42 ... through groove 43 ... holding projection 44 ... locking projection 45 ... notch groove 50 ... cavity 51 ... body 52 ... female terminal fitting 54 ... jaw H ... housing

Claims (3)

A connector having a retainer that is inserted into a housing having a main body provided with a cavity into which a terminal fitting is inserted and that is inserted in a direction intersecting with the insertion direction of the terminal fitting to engage with the terminal fitting,
The housing is divided into two in the axial direction, which is the direction in which the terminal fittings are inserted, and one of the divided housings has a rear half of the main body, while the other has a front half of the main body. And an assembling means for assembling the retainer along the axial direction with respect to the one split housing first, and subsequently assembling the other split housing along the axial direction is provided. Along with the assembling means, the retainer is supported so as to be movable in a direction intersecting with the axial direction, and the assembling means includes a temporary locking position for allowing the retainer to insert a terminal fitting, A connector characterized in that it is provided with locking means for holding the terminal fitting in a final locking position which can be locked to the terminal fitting. The housing, as a shape in which the hood is provided so as to cover the front side around the body formed of the cavity, the retainer is attached to the present of the covered part by the hood 2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the housing is divided into two at the mounting position of the retainer. The connector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the assembling means is provided with a guide mechanism for guiding the retainer so as to be assembled at the temporary locking position.

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