JP5263138B2 - connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connector which is improved in holding force against a terminal metal fitting. <P>SOLUTION: A lance 70 is composed of a lance body 71 extended so as to be nearly along an insertion direction of the terminal fitting from an inner face of a cavity, and a locking convex portion 72 protruded from the lance body 71 into the cavity. In a process in which the terminal metal fitting is inserted into the cavity of a housing, the lance body 71 is flex-deformed, the lance body 71 elastically returns as the terminal fitting is normally inserted into the cavity, and according to such an elastic returning, the locking convex portion 72 locks the terminal fitting by preventing it from slipping off. The locking protruding portion 72 has a width dimension which is larger than that of the lance body 71, and is arranged so as to include a portion along an action direction of shearing force from the terminal fitting. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a conventional connector. This includes a housing having a cavity into which a terminal fitting can be inserted. A lance that can be bent and deformed is formed on the inner surface of the cavity in the housing. The lance includes a lance body that extends from the inner surface of the cavity so as to substantially follow the insertion direction of the terminal fitting, and a locking projection that protrudes into the cavity from the tip of the lance body. When the terminal fitting is inserted into the cavity, the locking projection protrudes and locks the terminal fitting after the lance body is bent.

JP 2007-141609 A

  In the above conventional connector, when the terminal fitting is pulled rearward with the locking projection locking the terminal fitting, a shearing force along the pulling direction (front-rear direction) of the terminal fitting is applied to the locking projection. Will work. In this case, since the shearing force is proportional to the shearing area, it is required to increase the shearing area in order to cope with a large shearing force. However, since the above-mentioned locking projection has a trapezoidal shape that narrows the width dimension as it moves away from the lance body, there is a circumstance that the shear area is reduced by the narrow width at the top. As a result, the holding force with respect to the terminal fitting is reduced, and when the terminal fitting is pulled strongly, the lance may be buckled in the worst case.

  This invention is completed based on the above situations, Comprising: It aims at improving the retention strength with respect to a terminal metal fitting.

  As means for achieving the above object, the invention of claim 1 includes a housing having a cavity into which a terminal fitting can be inserted, and a lance is formed on the inner surface of the cavity in the housing, and the lance is formed in the cavity. A lance main body extending from the inner surface of the lance main body so as to extend substantially along the insertion direction of the terminal fitting, and a locking projection protruding from the lance main body into the cavity, and the terminal fitting is inserted into the cavity. The lance body is bent and deformed, and the lance body is elastically restored as the terminal fitting is properly inserted into the cavity. An extension portion having a larger width dimension than the lance body is formed on the locking projection, and the extension portion is connected to the terminal. Characterized in place which are arranged so as to include a portion extending along the direction of action of shearing force from ingredients.

  A second aspect of the invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect of the invention, the extension portion has an inverted trapezoidal shape in which the width dimension is gradually increased as the distance from the lance body increases.

  A third aspect of the invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect of the invention, the extension portion has a rectangular block shape having a substantially constant width dimension over the entire height.

<Invention of Claim 1>
Since the extension portion having a larger width dimension than the lance body is formed on the locking projection, and the extension portion is arranged so as to include a portion along the direction of the action of the shearing force from the terminal fitting, the extension portion is expanded. The shear area of the locking protrusion increases. As a result, the holding force with respect to the terminal fitting is improved. In this case, since the lance body has a width dimension smaller than that of the locking protrusion, good flexibility is ensured.

<Invention of Claim 2>
Since the extension portion has an inverted trapezoidal shape that gradually increases the width dimension as it moves away from the lance body, the shear area gradually increases in the direction in which the shear force acts.

<Invention of Claim 3>
Since the extended portion has a square block shape having a substantially constant width dimension over the entire height, the holding force for the terminal fitting is further enhanced.

It is a front view of the lance in the connector concerning Embodiment 1 of the present invention. It is a side view of a lance. It is the figure which fractured | ruptured the latching protrusion along the X-ray of FIG. It is sectional drawing of the housing which inserted the terminal metal fitting in the cavity. 10 is a front view of a lance in the connector according to Embodiment 2. FIG. It is a side view of a lance. It is the figure which fractured | ruptured the latching protrusion along the Y line of FIG.

<Embodiment 1>
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 4, the connector according to the first embodiment includes a terminal fitting 10 and a housing 60. The housing 60 can be fitted with a mating housing (not shown).

  The housing 60 is made of a synthetic resin and has a block shape as a whole. A cavity 61 extending in the front-rear direction is formed in the housing 60. The terminal fitting 10 is inserted into the cavity 61 of the housing 60 from the rear. A lance 70 that can lock the terminal fitting 10 is formed at the lower part of the inner surface of the cavity 61. The front surface of the cavity 61 is formed with a front wall 62 for front-stopping the terminal fitting 10, and the front wall 62 is formed with a tab insertion opening 63 into which a tab of a mating terminal (not shown) is opened. Yes.

  The terminal fitting 10 is integrally formed by bending a conductive metal plate or the like, and includes a cylindrical main body portion 11 and an open barrel-shaped barrel portion 12 coupled to the rear of the main body portion 11. The barrel portion 12 is connected to the terminal portion of the electric wire 90 by caulking. A tab is inserted and connected to the main body 11 from the front with the mating housing. A recess 13 into which the lance 70 is fitted is formed on the lower surface of the main body 11, and an engagement receiving portion 14 that is engaged with the lance 70 is formed at the front end of the recess 13.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the lance 70 is cantilevered from the inner surface of the cavity 61 to the front (a direction along the insertion direction of the terminal fitting 10), and is upward from the upper surface on the tip side of the lance body 71. It consists of a locking projection 72 protruding into the cavity 61. The lance body 71 has a square bar shape and has a substantially constant width dimension over the entire height. The lance body 71 can be bent and deformed in the vertical direction with a base end portion connected to the inner surface of the cavity 61 as a fulcrum. Below the lance 70 in the housing 60, a bending space 66 of the lance 70 is formed to open to the front surface of the housing 60.

  The locking protrusion 72 extends in the front-rear direction from the base end side of the lance main body 71 toward the front end, and is wider than the lance main body 71. The lower end of the locking projection 72 has substantially the same width as the lance body 71, and the upper end of the locking projection 72 has a larger width than the lance body 71. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the locking protrusion 72 has an inverted trapezoidal shape that gradually increases the width dimension from the lower end to the upper end. Then, both side surfaces of the locking projection 72 are reverse tapered slopes 73 that expand upward. In the present embodiment, the entire locking projection 72 constitutes an extended portion in the present invention.

The connector according to the first embodiment is as described above, and subsequently, the locking operation and operational effects of the lance 70 will be described.
The terminal fitting 10 is inserted into the cavity 61 of the housing 60 from the rear. In the process of insertion, the main body portion 11 interferes with the locking projection 72, and the lance main body 71 is bent and deformed downward (toward the bending space 66). When the terminal fitting 10 reaches the proper insertion position, the lance body 71 is elastically returned to the original position, and accordingly, the locking projection 72 is fitted into the recess 13 and is engaged with the locking receiving portion 14 from behind. It is arranged to be able to stop.

  In this state, when the electric wire 90 connected to the terminal fitting 10 is pulled rearward, a shearing force along the front-rear direction (shear direction) is applied from the latch receiving portion 14 to the latch protrusion 72. In this case, the cross section along the acting direction of the shearing force (the direction along the X-ray in FIG. 2) constitutes the shearing surface, and as shown in FIG. 3, from the front end to the rear end of the locking projection 72. It becomes the form gradually widened in the acting direction of the shearing force. That is, the shear area increasing portion 77 having a triangular shape in plan view that gradually increases the width dimension as it goes rearward is formed at both ends in the width direction of the locking projection 72.

Here, when the shear force P acts on the shear area A, the shear stress τ is
τ = P / A
Therefore, in order to avoid the shear stress τ from becoming excessive, it is necessary to increase the shear area A. In that respect, according to the present embodiment, since the locking projection 72 has the shear area increasing portion 77, even if a large shearing force P acts, it can be resisted. As a result, the holding force of the lance 70 with respect to the terminal fitting 10 is enhanced. Further, since the terminal holding force is increased in this way, it is possible to omit a retainer for doublely locking the terminal fitting 10. On the other hand, since the lance main body 71 is suppressed to a small width dimension as before, smooth flexibility is ensured.

<Embodiment 2>
5 to 7 show Embodiment 2 of the present invention. In the second embodiment, the shape of the locking projection 72A of the lance 70A is different from that of the first embodiment. Others are the same as those of the first embodiment, and redundant description is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the locking projection 72 </ b> A has a square block shape having a substantially constant width dimension over the entire height, and is connected to the upper end of the lance body 71 via a step 78 in the width direction. Is widened. Both side surfaces of the locking projection 72A are vertical surfaces 79 that are cut in the height direction.

  When a rearward pulling force acts on the terminal fitting 10, the locking projection 72A receives a shearing force along the Y line in FIG. 6, and the shearing surface has a rectangular shape that is long in the front-rear direction, as shown in FIG. Present. For this reason, a shear area increasing portion 77A having a substantially constant width is formed over the entire length of the shearing surface at both ends in the width direction of the locking projection 72A. Therefore, the shearing area is increased by the shearing area increasing portion 77A rather than the locking projection 72A having the same width as the lance main body 71, and the holding force of the lance 70A with respect to the terminal fitting 10 is increased accordingly. . Moreover, according to Embodiment 2, since the shear distance along the front-back direction also increases, the terminal holding force is further enhanced.

<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.
(1) A structure in which a retainer is mounted on the housing and the terminal fitting is double-locked by the retainer and the lance may be employed.
(2) In the first and second embodiments, the entire locking projection is an extended portion having a width dimension larger than that of the lance body. However, according to the present invention, the extended portion is one of the locking projections. It may be formed in a portion (including a portion along the direction of application of the shearing force from the terminal fitting).
(3) The lance may lock the male terminal fitting having a tab.
(4) The front and rear ends of the lance body may be integrally connected to the inner surface of the cavity, so that the lance has a doubly supported shape.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Terminal metal fitting 60 ... Housing 61 ... Cavity 70, 70A ... Lance 71 ... Lance main body 72, 72A ... Locking protrusion (expansion part)

Claims (3)

A housing having a cavity into which a terminal fitting can be inserted, a lance formed on the inner surface of the cavity in the housing, and the lance extending from the inner surface of the cavity substantially along the insertion direction of the terminal fitting; A locking projection protruding from the lance body into the cavity,
The lance main body is bent and deformed in the process of inserting the terminal fitting into the cavity, and the lance main body is elastically restored as the terminal fitting is properly inserted into the cavity. Is a connector for retaining and locking the terminal fitting,
An extension portion having a larger width dimension than the lance body is formed on the locking projection, and the extension portion is disposed so as to include a portion along a direction in which a shearing force is applied from the terminal fitting. A connector characterized by that.   The connector according to claim 1, wherein the extension portion has an inverted trapezoidal shape that gradually increases in width as the distance from the lance body increases.   2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the extension portion has a rectangular block shape having a substantially constant width dimension over the entire height.

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