JP4420340B2 - connector - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention is a connector mainly used for connection between automobile component modules or between an electrical component and a wire harness. For example, as an electrical component, a door switch, a console switch, an audio device or the like provided at a location of an automobile door The present invention relates to a connector for connecting a harness.

  For example, when two automotive component modules are mechanically coupled, it may be necessary to make an electrical connection as well. In such a case, the connector for electrical connection is attached to a predetermined position of each component module, and when the component modules are coupled to each other, the two connectors are thereby fitted to perform assembly work efficiently. Preferred above. For connectors used in such applications, the dimensional tolerances on the component modules to be joined do not affect the connection of the connectors, and the difference in the vibration mode of each component module does not adversely affect the connector after connection. It is necessary to consider.

  As an example, an assembly process of a door trim module in which a wiring body is provided on a door trim of an automobile will be described. In this assembling step, a female connector connected to the harness is attached in advance to the back side of the door trim, and a male connector attached to the power window regulator is attached to a predetermined position of the panel together with the regulator on the door inner panel. Then, in the module assembly process, the predetermined part of the door trim is first aligned with the mounting reference position of the door inner panel, then the entire door trim is rotated to attach the trim upper edge to the panel upper edge, and then the entire door trim is pushed. Fit the door trim to the panel. In this work process, it is very laborious to perform the work of fitting only the connectors in advance. Therefore, as described above, when attaching the door trim, it is desirable in the work process that the connectors are simultaneously fitted together.

The connector can be fitted in such an invisible part, and it is small and can be centered without visual inspection. Connectors have been developed to prevent wear. This is a connector that includes a first connector, a connector holder that detachably accommodates the first connector, and a second connector that fits into the first connector. In addition to having a temporary fastening and releasing means for releasing the first connector from the connector holder in accordance with the complete fitting with the connector, the connector holder facilitates the fitting between the first connector and the second connector. An alignment means is provided (see Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-323941 (page 3, FIG. 1)

  In the prior art described in Patent Document 1, a connector holder is attached to a vehicle body panel or the like via a clamp, for example. The connector holder can move within a predetermined range around this clamp to absorb errors when the first connector and the second connector are fitted. However, since the movement of the connector holder is performed at the center of the clamp, if the fitting error between the first connector and the second connector is large, the connector holder is inclined obliquely with respect to the axial direction. When the connector and the second connector must be fitted perpendicularly to the vehicle body panel or the like, the connection is difficult. Further, it is difficult to cope with the case where one of the connectors is twisted with respect to the shaft center.

  Therefore, the present invention has a small number of parts, a simple structure that can be manufactured inexpensively, can be fitted with a single touch, absorbs assembly errors, and allows adjustment of misalignment in the axial direction of the connector. It is an object to provide a connector.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a first connector, a bracket to which the first connector is attached, and a second connector having a hollow portion for fitting into the first connector. In the connector, an opening for receiving the first connector in the bracket is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the lower end side of the hollow portion into which the first connector of the second connector is inserted, and the periphery of the opening Forming a gap portion formed on the lower end side of the first connector, and inserting the blade portion into the gap portion of the bracket so that the first connector is within a predetermined range within the gap portion. The blade portion is configured to slide and rotate in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of the shaft, and the blade portion is bent by a pressing force when the second connector is fitted to the first connector to generate a reaction force. like And a shape that is inclined downward toward the front end side, bends at an intermediate portion and extends horizontally, and has an opening portion below the gap portion of the bracket where the blade portion of the first connector is located. A projecting portion is formed at a portion facing the surface, and the projecting portion is disposed so as to face the inclined portion of the first connector .

According to the present invention, in a connector comprising a first connector, a bracket to which the first connector is attached, and a second connector having a hollow portion for fitting into the first connector, A tapered portion that expands downward is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the lower end of the hollow portion into which the first connector of the connector is inserted, and an opening that receives the first connector in the bracket and a gap formed around the opening The blades are provided on both sides of the lower end of the first connector, and these blades are inserted into the gaps of the bracket so that they are within a predetermined range within the gaps with respect to the axial direction of the first connector. The blade portion is configured to slide and rotate in a substantially vertical direction, and the blade portion is configured to bend and generate a reaction force by a pressing force when the second connector is fitted to the first connector. , Inclined downward toward the end side, bends at the middle part and extends horizontally, and is located below the gap part of the bracket where the blade part of the first connector is located and facing the opening part. Since the protruding portion is formed and arranged so as to face the inclined portion of the first connector , the number of parts is small, the structure is simple, and the whole can be provided at low cost. The displacement can be easily adjusted when the connectors are mated. In particular, since the protrusion is formed, when the second connector is pushed down, the blade hits the protrusion and raises the tip, and in this state, the reaction force from the blade is second. The second connector is completely engaged with the first connector by the reaction force of the blades.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a first connector 1, a second connector 2, and a bracket 3 before assembly. Terminals A and B of a wiring W from a power source or a component module are attached to both connectors 1 and 2. The The bracket 3 is fixed to, for example, an instrument panel, and has an opening 4 for receiving the first connector 1 and a gap 5 having a U-shaped cross section formed around the opening 4. Is. The first and second connectors 1 and 2 and the bracket 3 are preferably resin-molded products for inexpensive production.

  The first connector 1 has a guide groove 6 on a side surface, and an inlet side (upper side) of the guide groove 6 is formed in a taper 6 a and is formed in the hollow portion 7 of the second connector 2. A protrusion (not shown) is fitted to restrict rotation of the second connector 2 around the axis of the first connector 1 and assist the complete fitting of both members. A pair of blade portions 8 are provided on both sides of the lower end side of the first connector 1, and these blade portions 8 are inserted into the gap portion 5 of the bracket 3. A plate portion 9 and a tongue piece 10 are provided on the side surface of the first connector 1 where the blade portion 8 is not provided. The pair of blade portions 8 are inclined downward toward the front end side, bent at an intermediate portion (the bent portion is indicated by 8a), and further formed into a horizontally extending shape. It comes to bend flexibly.

  The bracket 3 receives the first connector 1 from the entrance side of the plane U-shaped opening 4, and a wedge-shaped stopper 5 a is provided at the entrance of the gap portion 5 on the same side. When the blade portion 8 of the first connector 1 is inserted into the gap portion 5 so as to get over the stopper 5a, the blade portion 8 once inserted into the gap portion 5 is not likely to come off due to the presence of the stopper 5a. Further, the tongue piece 10 of the first connector 1 also regulates the rotation range of the blade portion 8 within the gap portion 5. Furthermore, the mounting hole 11 is formed in the bracket 3, and it fixes to a panel etc. using this mounting hole 11. FIG.

  FIG. 2 shows a state in which the three members shown in FIG. 1 are assembled. When the second connector 2 is a male connector connected to a component module by wiring, and the first connector 1 is a female connector to which a wire harness connected to a power source is attached, the male and female connectors are completely fitted. In this case, the electrical connection is completed, and the axial centers of both connectors are also matched.

  FIG. 3 illustrates a case where the first connector 1 is attached to the fixed bracket 3 and the second connector 2 is to be fitted to the first connector 1 at an invisible place. It is. That is, when the second connector 2 is to be fitted to the first connector 1 at an invisible place, first, the second connector 2 first expands downward to the inner peripheral surface of the lower end side of the hollow portion 7. The tapered portion 7 a formed as described above hits a part of the outer periphery of the upper end of the first connector 1. When the second connector 2 is further pushed down from the state shown in FIG. 3, the first connector 1 moves so that the axis of the first connector 1 coincides with the axis of the second connector 2 ( In FIG. 3, it moves in the right hand direction). More specifically, when the second connector 2 is pushed down, the force acts to insert the first connector 1 into the hollow portion 7, and the blade portion 8 in the gap portion 5 moves. A protrusion 12 is formed at a position facing the opening 4 below the gap 5 of the bracket 3 where the blade 8 is located. These protrusions 12 are formed on the blade 8 as described later. Bend. In addition, the outer diameter of the lower half is formed larger than the outer diameter of the upper half of the first connector 1, and the lower half is dimensioned to fit almost exactly into the hollow portion 7 of the second connector 2. Yes. Due to the small diameter of the upper half, the first connector 1 is easily inserted into the hollow portion 7 smoothly.

  FIG. 4 shows that the second connector 2 is forcibly pushed down from the state of FIG. 3 to move the first connector 1 to align the axes of the connectors 1 and 2, and then the second connector 2 is further pushed down. When the blade portion 8 hits the protruding portion 12, the tip end side is raised, and the reaction force from the blade portion 8 is generated against the force of the second connector 2 in this state. . Due to the reaction force of the blade portion 8, the second connector 2 is completely fitted to the first connector 1.

  5 to 8 are plan sectional views for explaining the movement of the blade portion 8 in the bracket 3. In FIG. 5, the lateral displacement when the first connector 1 is located at the center of the opening 4 is shown. a, a vertical displacement b, and an angle displacement α of the blade portion 8 are shown, and FIGS. 6 to 8 also show similar displacements a, b, α when the position of the first connector 1 is changed. is there. These are so-called flat surfaces, that is, the alignment in the XY directions, and the structure in which the first connector 1 slides (moves) in the fixed bracket 3 is described. The axial direction, that is, the Z direction is as described above with reference to FIGS.

  The embodiment of the present invention is exemplified by an instrument panel of an automobile, but it can also be applied to a seat of a vehicle or the like, and in particular, in the connection between a headrest incorporating an electrical component mounted on the upper portion of the seat back and the seat back. The effect can be expected. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, a pair of cylindrical stay brackets 22 that support a stay 21 of a hollow headrest (not shown) are fixed to the left and right of the upper part of the frame 20 of the seat back by welding or the like. A support member 23 to which the stay 21 is inserted and held is attached to the stay bracket 22. Further, a pair of left and right mounting plates 24 are fixed to the frame 20, and a headrest vertical adjustment mechanism 25 is mounted on the mounting plate 24. The headrest vertical adjustment mechanism 25 includes an adjustment mechanism base portion 26 fixed to the mounting plate 24 and a movable adjustment portion 27 connected to the lower portion of the headrest stay 21 slidable in the vertical direction on the adjustment mechanism base portion 26. ing. The movable adjustment unit 27 is provided with an actuator such as a motor (not shown), and a stay holder 28 for holding the headrest stay 21 is provided on the left and right sides. The bracket 3 is attached to the lower part of the stay holder 28, and the first connector 1 is assembled. The second connector 2 is attached to the lower opening of the stay 21 as shown in FIG. A terminal B of a wiring W for supplying electricity from a power source mounted on the vehicle is connected to the lower part of the first connector 1. The first and second connectors 1 and 2 are connected at the same time that the stay 21 is mounted on the seat back.

  As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the terminal A of the wiring W passing through the stay 21 is attached to the second connector 2, and the second connector 2 is fitted into the stay 21. A wiring W passing through the stay 21 is connected to an actuator in the headrest. For example, the headrest vertical adjustment mechanism 25 is operated by supplying electricity to the actuator or transmitting a signal.

The perspective view before an assembly | attachment. The perspective view of the assembled state. Sectional drawing of the state which tries to make both connectors fit in the state which the shaft center shifted | deviated. Sectional drawing in which both connectors are completely fitted. The plane sectional view explaining the movement of the blade part in the bracket. FIG. 6 is a plan sectional view similar to FIG. 5. FIG. 6 is a plan sectional view similar to FIG. 5. FIG. 6 is a plan sectional view similar to FIG. 5. The perspective view which shows the internal structure of a seat back. The disassembled perspective view which shows the relationship between a stay and a 2nd connector. The perspective view of the state which attached the 2nd connector to the stay.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 1st connector 2 2nd connector 3 Bracket 4 Opening part 5 Gap part 7 Hollow part 7a Tapered part 8 Blade | wing part 12 Projection part

Claims (3)

In a connector comprising a first connector, a bracket to which the first connector is attached, and a second connector having a hollow portion for fitting into the first connector,
Forming a tapered portion that expands downward on the inner peripheral surface of the lower end side of the hollow portion into which the first connector of the second connector is inserted;
Forming an opening for receiving the first connector in the bracket and a gap formed around the opening;
Providing blade portions on both sides of the lower end of the first connector;
These blade portions are inserted into the gap portion of the bracket, and are configured to slide and rotate in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of the first connector within a predetermined range within the gap portion ,
The blade portion is configured to bend by a pressing force when the second connector is fitted to the first connector to generate a reaction force, and is inclined downward toward the tip side. It is a shape that bends and extends horizontally,
Forming a protrusion on the lower surface of the bracket where the blade portion of the first connector is located and facing the opening,
A connector characterized in that the protruding portion is disposed so as to face the inclined portion of the first connector. Claim 1, wherein the first connector formed larger the outer diameter of the lower half than the outer diameter of the upper half of the lower half is characterized substantially snugly fitted in the hollow portion of the second connector the connector according to. The first connector is attached to one of the headrest or seat back of the seat, said second connector is any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that attached to the other of the seat back or head rest Connector described in.

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