JP6440978B2 - connector - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known a connector including a terminal that can be inserted into a housing chamber (cavity) provided in a housing, and a lance that protrudes from the inner surface of the housing chamber and is formed to be elastically deformable (for example, Patent Document 1). reference). In such a connector, in the process in which the terminal is inserted into the housing chamber, the lance bends and deforms in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction of the terminal, and when the terminal is inserted to the normal position, the lance elastically returns, The terminal is locked in the receiving chamber by the lance.

JP 2014-22155 A JP 2004-14504 A

  By the way, in the conventional connector, for example, due to the influence of the arrangement and shape of the lance, even after the entire terminal is inserted into the accommodation chamber, the bent lance cannot be completely restored and the terminal does not reach the normal position. There may be an insertion state. If the connector is inserted halfway, there is a risk of poor contact with the terminal when the connector is used. For this reason, it is desirable to be able to visually recognize the midway insertion state of the terminal.

  This invention is made | formed in view of said situation, Comprising: It aims at providing the connector which can visually recognize the halfway insertion state to the storage chamber of a terminal favorably.

In order to solve the above-described problems, a connector according to the present invention includes a housing chamber that extends into the housing and is formed in a hollow shape and has an insertion port on one side in the extending direction, and an inner surface of the housing chamber. A lance projecting and elastically deformable, and a terminal that can be inserted into the storage chamber from the insertion port along the extending direction, the terminal extending into the storage chamber In the insertion operation of inserting from the insertion port to accommodate in a predetermined regular position in the direction, the required insertion force that can move the terminal in the extending direction is such that a part of the terminal protrudes from the insertion port. A contact portion between the terminal and the receiving chamber that are in contact with each other during the insertion operation is formed so as to be maximum at a position where the lance is locked, and the terminal is locked to which the lance can be locked at the normal position. And the terminal is the regular A protrusion provided on the surface of the terminal with which the lance contacts before reaching the position, and the lance extends from the base end side to the tip end side in the insertion direction of the terminal. an inclined surface which forms an upward gradient Te, the inclined surface is a contact portion of the housing chamber, which phase to each other contact during the insertion operation and the protrusion, the protrusion and the inclined surface , the Ri portion of terminals Do to the request insertion force up to a position projecting from the insertion opening, after the request insertion force is maximized, and the whole of the terminal is accommodated in the accommodation chamber after deformation amount of deflection of said lance, characterized in that it is formed so that a maximum.

  Further, in the above connector, the locked portion is a lance hole provided in communication with the inside of the terminal, and the lance fits in the regular position, and the protruding portion is an outer edge of the lance hole. Among these, it is preferable that the terminal is provided at a position where it comes into contact with the lance before reaching the normal position.

  In the connector according to the present invention, when the terminal is not inserted to the regular position in the accommodation chamber, a part of the terminal protrudes from the housing, so that the intermediate insertion state of the terminal into the accommodation chamber can be seen well. There is an effect.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a female connector as an example of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the female terminal in FIG. 1 viewed from the lower side in the height direction. FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the female connector showing a state in which the insertion force reaches a maximum value in the insertion operation of the female terminal in the present embodiment. FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the female connector showing a state in which the female terminal is accommodated at a normal position in the accommodation chamber in the insertion operation of the female terminal in the present embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the relationship between the required insertion force of the female terminal and the stroke (insertion amount of the female terminal into the accommodation chamber) during the insertion operation of the female terminal in the present embodiment.

  Embodiments of a connector according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will not be repeated.

[Embodiment]
A configuration of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a female connector as an example of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the female terminal in FIG. 1 viewed from the lower side in the height direction.

  The connector according to the present embodiment is configured by housing a terminal inside a housing, and conductively connects the terminal to a mating terminal. In this embodiment, as an example of such a connector, a female connector 1 configured by housing a female terminal 3 in a female housing 2 will be described. That is, the female housing 2 and the female terminal 3 are an example of a housing and a terminal. The female connector 1 can be electrically connected to the male terminal (not shown) accommodated in the male connector by fitting with the male connector (not shown) of the mating counterpart. The female connector 1 and the male connector are electrically connected to each other so that the electric wires connected to the respective terminals are electrically connected to each other by electrically connecting the female terminals 3 and the male terminals accommodated therein. It is a connection mechanism.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the female connector 1 includes a female housing 2 and female terminals 3.

  The female housing 2 is a structure that constitutes the main body of the female connector 1. The female housing 2 is entirely made of an insulating synthetic resin or the like, and is integrally formed using a mold or the like. The female housing 2 is formed in a substantially rectangular box (cuboid) shape as a whole. The female housing 2 has a plurality of storage chambers 4 extending inside thereof and formed in a hollow shape and capable of storing the female terminals 3. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the female housing 2 has a first side direction (see FIG. 1) of the front surface 21 when the front surface 21 that is one of the outer surfaces of a substantially rectangular box shape is viewed. The six storage chambers 4 are adjacently disposed along the width direction shown in the drawing, and two are accommodated along the second side direction (height direction shown in FIG. 1) perpendicular to the first side direction. The chambers 4 are arranged adjacent to each other, that is, 6 × 2 = 12 storage chambers 4 are provided. These twelve storage chambers 4 are all the same along the direction (extending direction shown in FIG. 1) in which the front surface 21 of the female housing 2 and the back surface 22 arranged on the opposite side of the front surface 21 face each other. It is formed extending in the direction.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a female terminal insertion port 5 serving as an insertion port for inserting the female terminal 3 into the accommodation chamber 4 is provided on the back surface 22 of the female housing 2 so as to communicate with the individual accommodation chambers 4. It has been. Further, the front surface 21 of the female housing 2 is provided with a tab insertion port 6 that communicates with the individual storage chambers 4 and allows the tabs of the male terminals to enter the storage chamber 4. That is, the storage chamber 4 extends inside the female housing 2 and is formed in a hollow shape, and is open to a pair of front surface 21 and back surface 22 facing the female housing 2, which are both ends in the extending direction.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the storage chamber 4 includes four inner wall surfaces of the female housing 2, more specifically, a first inner wall surface 41, a second inner wall surface 42, a third inner wall surface 43, and a fourth inner wall surface (not shown). Or the like) is formed as a substantially rectangular space. Here, the first inner wall surface 41 and the second inner wall surface 42 face each other. The third inner wall surface 43 and the fourth inner wall surface face each other and are substantially orthogonal to the first inner wall surface 41 and the second inner wall surface 42.

  In the following description, the direction in which the accommodation chamber 4 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 extends, that is, the direction in which the pair of front surfaces 21 and rear surfaces 22 of the female housing 2 face each other (the left-right direction in FIG. 2) is referred to as “extension direction”. The front 21 side is referred to as “front side”, and the back 22 side is referred to as “rear side”. Further, a direction (vertical direction in FIG. 2) in which the first inner wall surface 41 and the second inner wall surface 42 of the storage chamber 4 shown in FIG. 2 face each other is referred to as a “height direction”, and the first inner wall surface 41 side is referred to. The “upper side” and the second inner wall surface 42 side are defined as “lower side”. Further, a direction (depth direction in FIG. 2) in which the third inner wall surface 43 and the fourth inner wall surface of the storage chamber 4 face each other is referred to as a “width direction”. In other words, in the present embodiment, the female housing 2 is provided with storage chambers 4 formed therein along the extending direction in two rows in the height direction and six chambers in the width direction. The female terminal 3 is inserted into the accommodating chamber 4 from the female terminal insertion port 5 provided on the rear side in the extending direction of the female housing 2 toward the front side in the extending direction. In the following description, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the direction from the rear side to the front side in the extending direction is also expressed as “insertion direction”.

  As shown in FIG. 2, an elastically deformable lance 7 is provided on the second inner wall surface 42 of the storage chamber 4 so as to protrude from the second inner wall surface 42 to the inner space side of the storage chamber 4. The lance 7 can lock the female terminal 3 in a state where the female terminal 3 is accommodated at a predetermined regular position in the extending direction in the accommodating chamber 4 (see FIG. 5). This is for preventing the insertion port 5 from slipping out of the storage chamber 4.

  The lance 7 is formed in a cantilever shape extending from the base end portion on the second inner wall surface 42 to the front side in the extending direction, and the tip end portion thereof being a free end. In other words, the lance 7 has a base end portion arranged on the rear side in the extending direction and a tip end portion arranged on the front side in the extending direction, and the tip end portion can be elastically bent and deformed in the height direction with the base end portion serving as a fulcrum. It has become.

  A locking claw portion 71 (beak) for locking the female terminal 3 is provided on the surface of the lance 7 that is arranged toward the tip end side and the upper side in the height direction (that is, the inner space side of the housing chamber 4). It has been. When the lance 7 is in a free state where the lance 7 is not bent and deformed, the locking claw portion 71 is positioned above the second inner wall surface 42 of the storage chamber 4 in the height direction and protrudes toward the internal space of the storage chamber 4. Yes. When the female terminal 3 is housed in the normal position in the housing chamber 4 (see FIG. 5), the lance 7 is fitted into the lance hole 12 of the female terminal 3 to be described later. The terminal 3 is configured to be locked.

  The engagement claw portion 71 is formed on an inclination that forms an upward gradient toward the front side in the extending direction so as to gradually protrude toward the storage chamber 4 from the proximal end portion side to the distal end portion side of the lance 7. It has the surface 71a, and the latching surface 71b formed in the step shape bent from the edge part of the extending direction front side of this inclined surface 71a to a height direction lower side. The locking surface 71b is an end surface on the front side in the extending direction of the locking claw portion 71, and is formed in a planar shape substantially orthogonal to the extending direction (the insertion direction of the female terminal 3 with respect to the housing chamber 4). The inclined surface 71 a is a portion of the lance 7 where the female terminal 3 first contacts in the process of inserting the female terminal 3 into the housing chamber 4, and the locking surface 71 b is a regular surface of the female terminal 3 in the housing chamber 4. It is a part which contacts the female terminal 3 in the state accommodated in the position. When the female terminal 3 is inserted into the housing chamber 4, the inclined surface 71 a abuts on the tip of the female terminal 3 and generates a component force that pushes down the entire lance 7. The lance 7 is bent downward in the height direction by the component force received by the inclined surface 71 a and retracts outward from the storage chamber 4. The locking surface 71b engages with a locked portion formed in the female terminal 3 (in this embodiment, a front end surface 12a of the lance hole 12 to be described later) in a state where the entire lance 7 is elastically restored. 3 is a part that regulates the withdrawal of 3. The lance 7 locks the female terminal 3 at a predetermined normal position in the extending direction in the housing chamber 4 by engaging the locking surface 71 b of the engaging claw 71 with the locked portion of the female terminal 3. To do.

  In the female housing 2, an adjacent space portion 8 adjacent to each storage chamber 4 is formed for each storage chamber 4. The adjacent space 8 is formed in a hollow shape so as to extend in parallel with the extending direction of the adjacent storage chamber 4, and is opened in the front surface 21 of the female housing 2. The adjacent space portion 8 is disposed adjacent to the lower side in the height direction with respect to the tab insertion port 6 of the adjacent storage chamber 4 when the front surface 21 of the female housing 2 is viewed. That is, the adjacent space portion 8 is formed on the side where the lance 7 of the adjacent storage chamber 4 is provided, that is, on the second inner wall surface 42 side. The adjacent space portion 8 extends from the front surface 21 of the female housing 2 to the proximal end portion of the lance 7. The adjacent space portion 8 functions as a bending space that allows the lance 7 in the adjacent storage chamber 4 to be elastically bent and deformed downward in the height direction away from the storage chamber 4. The lance 7 is configured to be retracted into the adjacent space 8 at the time of bending deformation. For example, the adjacent space 8 is a mold release space for forming a lance 7 provided in the storage chamber 4.

  The female terminal 3 is a terminal fitting that is formed into a desired shape by punching a conductive metal plate into a predetermined shape and then applying a tapping or bending process. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the female terminal 3 includes a box portion 9 configured to allow insertion of a tab of a male terminal, a core wire crimping portion 10 that is crimped to the core wire portion of the electric wire, and a covering portion of the electric wire. And a wire crimping portion 11 to be crimped. The female terminals 3 are arranged in the order of the box portion 9, the core wire crimping portion 10, and the wire crimping portion 11 from the front side along the extending direction, and are integrally formed.

  The box portion 9 is formed in a rectangular tube shape that extends in the extending direction, and is formed such that both the front side and the rear side in the extending direction are open. The box 9 has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape when viewed from the extending direction. The box portion 9 includes a bottom plate 91 extending in the extending direction, a pair of side plates 92 and 93 rising in the height direction from both edges in the width direction of the bottom plate 91, and the side plates 92 and 93. A top plate 94 that is bent from the protruding end (upper edge end) of one side plate 92 toward the other side plate 93 and is provided to face the bottom plate 91, and the top plate 94 from the protruding end of the other side plate 93. And an outer plate 95 that is bent so as to overlap the outside.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a lance hole 12 (locked portion) provided in communication with the inside of the female terminal 3 is formed in the bottom plate 91 of the box portion 9. As shown in FIG. 3, the lance hole 12 is an opening formed at a substantially central position in the extending direction of the box portion 9 over the entire width in the width direction of the bottom plate 91. Is divided into a front portion and a rear portion in the extending direction. The lance hole 12 allows the lance 7 provided in the accommodation chamber 4 to enter in a state in which the female terminal 3 is accommodated at a normal position in the accommodation chamber 4, and the front end surface 12 a on the front side in the extending direction of the lance hole 12. On the other hand, the locking surface 71b of the lance 7 can be locked (see FIG. 5).

  In particular, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the protruding portion 13 protrudes outward (downward in the height direction) at a substantially central position of a portion on the front side in the extending direction of the outer edge of the lance hole 12. It is formed to do. In other words, the protrusion 13 is formed in a portion of the outer edge of the lance hole 12 that abuts the inclined surface 71 a of the lance 7 until the female terminal 3 is accommodated at the normal position in the accommodation chamber 4. Further, the protrusion 13 has a rear end surface 13 a on the rear side in the extending direction formed along the front end surface 12 a of the lance hole 12. That is, the rear end surface 13 a of the protrusion 13 is flush with the front end surface 12 a of the lance hole 12, and when the lance 7 is fitted to the female terminal 3, the rear end surface 13 a of the protrusion 13 and the lance hole 12 The front end surface 12 a is configured to contact the locking surface 71 b of the lance 7.

  Next, the insertion operation of the female terminal 3 in the female connector 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the female connector showing a state in which the insertion force reaches a maximum value in the insertion operation of the female terminal in the present embodiment. FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the female connector showing a state in which the female terminal is accommodated at a normal position in the accommodation chamber in the insertion operation of the female terminal in the present embodiment.

  First, as shown in FIG. 2, the female terminal 3 is inserted into the accommodation chamber 4 from the female terminal insertion port 5 of the female housing 2 in the insertion direction on the front side in the extending direction. When the inner space is advanced, the tip of the female terminal 3 comes into contact with the inclined surface 71 a of the engaging claw portion 71 of the lance 7. The female terminal 3 receives resistance from the lance 7 against further movement in the insertion direction by contacting the lance 7 projecting into the storage chamber 4. For this reason, after the female terminal 3 comes into contact with the lance 7, the insertion force of a size required for further inserting the female terminal 3 into the accommodating chamber 4 against the resistance by the lance 7 is It is necessary to be added to the terminal 3 from the insertion direction. In the following description, the minimum external force required to move the female terminal 3 in the extending direction (particularly the insertion direction) in the accommodation chamber 4 against the resistance by the lance 7 is expressed as “required insertion force”. To do. This required insertion force is sequentially changed as the contact location and contact direction between the female terminal 3 and the lance 7 change. The required insertion force can also be expressed as a reaction force (drag) generated against an external force in the insertion direction applied to the female terminal 3.

  By this required insertion force, the female terminal 3 presses the inclined surface 71a of the lance 7 in the insertion direction, so that the inclined surface 71a generates a component force that pushes the entire lance 7 downward in the height direction. It bends and deforms toward the adjacent space 8 by the component force. The female terminal 3 is inserted into the accommodating chamber 4 while the lance 7 is bent and deformed (elastically deformed) by the required insertion force applied. The inclined surface 71a of the lance 7 transitions in the order of the tip of the box portion 9, the bottom plate 91, and the protruding portion 13 in the order of the contact of the female terminal 3 as the female terminal 3 advances in the housing chamber 4. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, when the inclined surface 71 a of the lance 7 is in contact with the protrusion 13 of the female terminal 3 and the engaging claw 71 is retracted from the storage chamber 4 to the adjacent space 8, the required insertion is performed. The force becomes the maximum value P1 (see FIG. 6), and then the bending deformation amount (elastic deformation amount) of the lance 7 becomes the maximum value. At this time, as shown in FIG. 4, the wire crimping portion 11 of the female terminal 3 protrudes from the terminal insertion port 5.

  After the required insertion force of the female terminal 3 reaches the maximum value P1, the required insertion force becomes equal to or less than the maximum value P1, and therefore the insertion operation of the female terminal 3 is in a state of completion of the insertion operation shown in FIG. A transition is made at a stroke until the female terminal 3 is housed in the regular position in the housing chamber 4. More specifically, when the protruding portion 13 of the female terminal 3 gets over the end portion on the front side in the extending direction of the inclined surface 71a of the lance 7 and advances from the engaging claw portion 71 to the front side in the extending direction, the lance is in a free state. 7 is elastically restored, the engaging claw 71 is fitted into the lance hole 12 of the female terminal 3, and the locking surface 71 b of the engaging claw 71 is connected to the front end surface 12 a of the lance hole 12 of the female terminal 3. And the rear end surface 13a of the protrusion 13 is brought into contact. At this time, the wire crimping portion 11 of the female terminal 3 is completely accommodated in the accommodation chamber 4 from the terminal insertion port 5.

  Here, with reference to FIG. 6, the insertion operation | movement of the female terminal 3 in this embodiment is further demonstrated. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the required insertion force of the female terminal during the insertion operation of the female terminal and the stroke (the amount of insertion of the female terminal 3 into the housing chamber 4) in the present embodiment. The vertical axis in FIG. 6 represents the required insertion force [N], and the horizontal axis represents the stroke [mm]. In addition, the stroke of the horizontal axis of FIG. 6 represents the position where the female terminal 3 begins to contact the inclined surface 71a of the lance 7 in the storage chamber 4 as D0.

  As shown in FIG. 6, when the tip of the box portion 9 of the female terminal 3 comes into contact with the inclined surface 71 a of the lance 7 in the storage chamber 4 in the stroke D 0, the lance 7 is bent and deformed and further advanced to the back side. In addition, the required insertion force in the insertion direction needs to be applied to the female terminal 3. The required insertion force gradually increases as the stroke of the female terminal 3 increases, that is, as the amount of bending deformation of the lance 7 increases, and reaches a maximum value P1 at the stroke D1. This stroke D1 is the state shown in FIG. 4 described above, in which the inclined surface 71a of the lance 7 is in contact with the protrusion 13 of the female terminal 3, and a part of the rear side in the extending direction of the female terminal 3 is It is in a state of protruding from the female terminal insertion port 5. The stroke D1 is smaller than the stroke D2 in which the entire female terminal 3 is accommodated in the accommodation chamber 4. That is, the stroke D <b> 1 is included in a range where the female terminal 3 protrudes from the female housing 2. In other words, in this embodiment, the maximum value P1 of the required insertion force occurs before the entire female terminal 3 is accommodated in the accommodating chamber 4 of the female housing 2.

  Also, due to the influence of the shape of the engaging claw portion 71 of the lance 7 and the like, in this embodiment, during the insertion operation of the female terminal 3, the timing at which the required insertion force reaches the maximum value P1 is the maximum amount of deflection of the lance 7. The timing is different. As shown in FIG. 6, after the required insertion force of the female terminal 3 reaches the maximum value P1 in the stroke D1, the deflection amount of the lance 7 becomes the maximum value in the stroke D3 in which the insertion of the female terminal 3 proceeds. Yes. Thereafter, the insertion operation of the female terminal 3 is completed at the stroke D4 in which the insertion of the female terminal 3 further proceeds. This stroke D4 is the state shown in FIG. 5 described above, and the engagement claw portion 71 of the lance 7 is fitted in the lance hole 12 of the female terminal 3.

  In the present embodiment, as an example of a configuration for realizing the required insertion force and stroke characteristics as shown in FIG. 6, the protrusion 13 is provided on the outer edge of the lance hole 12 of the female terminal 3. For example, according to the shape of the inclined surface 71a of the lance 7 that is in contact with the projection 13 during the insertion operation, specifications such as the shape and dimensions thereof are set so as to realize the characteristics shown in FIG. That is, the protruding portion 13 is a portion where the lance 7 contacts with the shape of the lance 7.

  Next, effects of the female connector 1 according to this embodiment will be described. The female connector 1 according to the present embodiment extends from the female housing 2 and is formed in a hollow shape. The female connector 1 includes a housing chamber 4 having a terminal insertion port 5 on the rear side in the extending direction, and the female terminal insertion port 5. And a female terminal 3 that can be inserted into the interior of the housing chamber 4 along the extending direction. The female connector 1 moves the female terminal 3 in the extending direction in an insertion operation of inserting the female terminal 3 from the female terminal insertion port 5 in order to accommodate the female terminal 3 in a predetermined regular position in the extending direction in the accommodating chamber 4. And the female terminal 3 that contacts each other during the insertion operation so that the required insertion force becomes a maximum value P1 at a position (stroke D1) where a part of the female terminal 3 protrudes from the female terminal insertion port 5 A contact portion of the chamber 4 is formed. Specifically, it is provided in communication with the inside of the female terminal 3 and contacts the lance 7 before the female terminal 3 reaches the normal position among the outer edges of the lance hole 12 into which the lance 7 is fitted at the normal position. A protrusion 13 is provided at the position.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 6, in the insertion operation of the female terminal 3, if an external force corresponding to the maximum value P <b> 1 of the required insertion force is applied to the female terminal 3 in the stroke D <b> 1, after that, The female terminal 3 can be inserted to the normal position (stroke D4). In other words, if the external force applied to the female terminal 3 in the stroke D1 is less than the predetermined maximum value P1 of the required insertion force, the female terminal 3 is moved by inertia after that. It is considered that it is impossible to finally reach the normal position in the storage chamber 4 and the female terminal 3 is inserted halfway into the female housing 2 (storage chamber 4). In the halfway insertion state, contact failure may occur between the terminals when the connector is used. Therefore, it is desirable that the middle insertion state of the female terminal 3 be visible.

  On the other hand, in the present embodiment, with the above configuration, in the insertion operation of the female terminal 3, the required insertion force of the female terminal 3 is a position (stroke) where a part of the female terminal 3 protrudes from the female terminal insertion port 5. D1) is set to be the maximum. Thereby, when the female terminal 3 is not inserted to the normal position in the storage chamber 4, a part of the rear side in the extending direction of the female terminal 3 protrudes from the female housing 2. The state of the midway insertion into the chamber 4 can be visually confirmed well.

  In the present embodiment, the protrusion 13 is provided on the outer edge of the lance hole 12 of the female terminal 3 so that the required insertion force is maximized at the position where a part of the female terminal 3 protrudes from the female terminal insertion port 5. It can be. With this configuration, a desired insertion force characteristic can be realized simply by providing the female terminal 3 with the protrusion 13. In addition, since no new components are added to the female housing 2, existing products can be used. Therefore, productivity can be improved and manufacturing cost can be reduced.

  Further, since the protrusion 13 is formed so that the rear end surface 13a is flush with the front end surface 12a of the lance hole 12, when the lance 7 is fitted to the female terminal 3, the rear end surface 13a of the protrusion 13 is formed. And the front end surface 12 a of the lance hole 12 abut on the locking surface 71 b of the lance 7. That is, by providing the protruding portion 13, the area where the locking surface 71 b of the lance 7 contacts the female terminal 3 can be increased, and the locking depth of the lance 7 can be sufficiently secured. Accordingly, the terminal holding force (the force (holding force) for locking the female terminal 3 in the storage chamber 4 by the lance 7) or the female terminal 3 for locking the female terminal 3 in the storage chamber 4 is stored in the storage chamber 4. Force required for pulling out from the housing) increases, so that the locked state of the female terminal 3 in the housing chamber 4 can be further strengthened.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, the said embodiment was shown as an example and is not intending limiting the range of invention. The above-described embodiment can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The above-described embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof, as long as they are included in the scope and gist of the invention.

  In the above embodiment, the female connector 1 has been described as an example of the connector, but the present invention can also be applied to a male connector (a connector in which a male terminal is inserted into a male housing). The male connector is configured by accommodating a male terminal in a male housing, and electrically connects the internal male terminal to the female terminal 3 as a counterpart terminal. Similarly to the female connector 1 described above, the male connector also includes a housing chamber for housing the male terminal in the male housing, and the male terminal inserted into the housing chamber is locked by a lance provided in the housing chamber.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, the female terminal 3 and storage chamber 4 which mutually contact | connect during insertion operation so that the maximum value P1 of required insertion force may arise before the whole female terminal 3 is accommodated in the storage chamber 4. FIG. As an example of the configuration for forming the contact portion, the configuration in which the protrusion 13 is provided on the outer edge of the lance hole 12 of the female terminal 3 is illustrated, but other configurations may be used. For example, it is good also as a structure which provides a processus | protrusion in the inclined surface 71a of the lance 7. FIG. Moreover, it can also be set as the structure which increases the protrusion amount to the storage chamber 4 side of the inclined surface 71a of the lance 7. FIG. In other words, the inclined surface 71 a of the lance 7 may be formed so that the required insertion force is maximized at a position where a part of the female terminal 3 protrudes from the female terminal insertion port 5.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the structure which fits the engaging claw part 71 of the lance 7 in the storage chamber 4 to the lance hole 12 of the female terminal 3 was illustrated, other latching mechanisms may be sufficient. For example, the lance hole 12 may not be provided in the female terminal 3, and the lance 7 on the housing portion 4 side may be locked to the rear end of the box portion 9 of the female terminal 3. In this case, in order to make the characteristic of the maximum insertion force value P1 the same as in the above embodiment, for example, a protrusion similar to that in the above embodiment on the outer peripheral surface of the box portion 9 that contacts the lance during the insertion operation. It can be set as the structure which provides the part 13. FIG. Further, a protrusion may be provided on the inclined surface 71 a of the lance 7, or the protrusion amount of the lance 7 toward the inside of the storage chamber 4 may be increased.

1 Female connector (connector)
2 Female housing (housing)
3 Female terminal (terminal)
4 Accommodating room 5 Female terminal insertion slot (insertion slot)
7 Lance 71a Inclined surface 12 Lance hole (locked part)
13 Protrusion

Claims (2)

A housing chamber that extends into the housing and is formed in a hollow shape, and has an insertion port on one side in the extending direction;
A lance projecting from the inner surface of the storage chamber and formed elastically deformable,
A terminal that can be inserted into the storage chamber along the extending direction from the insertion port;
With
In an insertion operation of inserting the terminal from the insertion port in order to accommodate the terminal at a predetermined regular position in the extension direction in the storage chamber, a required insertion force capable of moving the terminal in the extension direction is A contact portion between the terminal and the storage chamber that is in contact with each other during the insertion operation is formed so that a part of the terminal is maximized at a position protruding from the insertion port,
The terminal is
A locked portion that can lock the lance at the normal position;
A protrusion provided on the surface of the terminal with which the lance contacts before the terminal reaches the normal position,
The lance is
From the base end side to the tip end side, having an inclined surface that forms an upward slope toward the insertion direction of the terminal,
The inclined surface is a contact portion of the storage chamber is intended to mutually contact during the insertion operation and the projections,
The protrusion and the inclined surface, the whole of the said request insertion force in a position partially projecting from the insertion port of the terminal Ri is max, after the request insertion force is maximized, and the terminal after There housed in the housing chamber, a connector, wherein a deformation amount of deflection of the lance is formed so that a maximum. The locked portion is provided in communication with the inside of the terminal, and is a lance hole into which the lance is fitted at the regular position;
2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion is provided at a position of the outer edge of the lance hole that contacts the lance before the terminal reaches the normal position. 3.

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