JP6891046B2 - Electrical connector with power terminal - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an electric connector having a terminal that can come into contact with a mating terminal provided on the mating housing on a facing surface in the thickness direction.

Patent Document 1 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-47171) shows an example of this type of electric connector.
The electrical connector includes a terminal fitting and a connector housing to which the terminal fitting is fixed. The terminal fitting is elongated in the front-rear direction, and has a plug tab portion, a lance forming portion on which a lance is formed, and a barrel portion crimp-connected to the terminal portion of the electric wire in this order from the front end side. Of these parts, the lance forming part and the barrel part are fixed by the housing, and the plug tab part connected to the terminal fitting on the other side is supported by the housing in a cantilever shape.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-47171

As is clear, when connecting to the terminal fitting on the other side, a large force is applied to the plug tab part, in other words, the part connected to the terminal fitting on the other side. If it is possible to contact the mating terminal on the mating side on the opposite surface in the thickness direction, and further, if one side of the terminal is not supported by a housing or the like, there is a large risk that the terminal fitting will buckle. is there. In order to alleviate this problem, it is preferable to fix the plug tab portion by the housing at a position closer to the connected portion.

However, in the configuration of the above patent document, the plug tab portion has a structure in which the plug tab portion is fixed by the housing only in a portion that does not overlap with the plug tab portion in the contact direction with the terminal fitting on the other side.

The present invention has been made to solve such a problem in the prior art, and provides an electric connector capable of supporting a contact portion with a terminal fitting on the other side at a position closer to the portion. With the goal.

In order to solve the above problems, the electric connector according to one aspect of the present invention includes a housing connected to the mating housing of the mating connector, and a power supply terminal including a substantially plate-like body attached to the housing. The plate-like body has a thickness direction, a width direction orthogonal to the thickness direction, and directions orthogonal to both the thickness direction and the width direction along the contact direction with the mating terminal, and has the substantially plate-like shape. The body is configured to come into contact with a mating terminal provided on the mating housing on a facing surface in the thickness direction when the mating housing is connected to the housing, and the substantially plate-shaped body is configured in the width direction. At least one portion of the end portion included in the band region extending in the width direction is supported by the housing, and the band region includes a contact portion between the substantially plate-like body and the mating terminal, and the band region. It is characterized in that it is arranged at the same position in the direction along the contact direction and has the same length as the contact portion in the direction along the contact direction.
According to the electric connector of this aspect, in the end region in the width direction of the substantially plate-like body, which is the portion in contact with the mating terminal, the contact portion between the substantially plate-shaped body and the mating terminal, that is, the substantially plate-shaped body. Since the part to which a large force is applied at the time of contact with the mating terminal can be supported at a position close to the part, it is in a more stable state as compared with the conventional configuration in which the part is supported at a position deviated in the contact direction. , The substantially plate-like body can be supported by the housing. Further, by applying this configuration to the power supply terminal in particular, the heat dissipation effect can be enhanced through a substantially plate-like body having a certain size in the width direction, and the contact area with the mating terminal can be increased. Therefore, the problem of overheating can be alleviated.

In the electrical connector of the above aspect, it is preferable that at least one of the portions is supported by the housing on a plate thickness surface along the thickness direction of the substantially plate-like body.
According to the electric connector of this aspect, by supporting the plate pressure surface, for example, fixing and positioning in the contact direction can be performed more reliably as compared with the case where only the facing surface in the thickness direction is supported.

Further, in the electric connector of the above aspect, the at least one portion and the other supported portion supported by the housing are positioned so as to face each other in both the direction along the contact direction and the width direction. Is preferable.
According to the electric connector of this aspect, by supporting the substantially plate-like body at the diagonal portion, the substantially plate-like body can be fixed and positioned by the housing in a more stable state.

Furthermore, in the electrical connector of the above aspect, it is preferable that the other supported portion is supported by an elastic support portion that is elastically displaceable at least in the width direction.
According to the electric connector of this aspect, by elastically supporting, the play between the housing and the housing can be reduced, and the substantially plate-shaped body can be reliably positioned at a predetermined position of the housing.

Further, in the electric connector of the above aspect, the other supported portion is located on the side opposite to the contact side with the mating terminal in the direction along the contact direction with respect to at least one of the portions. preferable.
According to the electric connector of this aspect, according to this configuration, the elastic support portion can be displaced in the width direction through the collision between the substantially plate-like body and the elastic support portion, so that the substantially plate-like body can be moved in the contact direction. The substantially plate-like body can be easily attached to the housing simply by allowing it to be attached.

Further, in the electric connector of the above aspect, it is preferable that the substantially plate-like body has a portion that extends further toward the contact side with the mating terminal in a direction along the contact direction than at least one of the portions.
According to the electric connector of this aspect, the effective mating length with the mating terminal can be set longer.

Furthermore, in the electric connector of the above aspect, it is preferable that the substantially plate-like body has a multiple structure in the thickness direction by folding a metal plate while forming a space between the plates.
According to the electric connector of this aspect, the strength of the substantially plate-like body can be secured and the contact width with the mating terminal can be adjusted by forming the multi-layer structure, so that the contact with the mating terminal can be more reliably performed. It can be carried out. Further, by forming a space between the plates when the metal plates are folded, the heat dissipation effect can be significantly enhanced, and the problem of overheating in the substantially plate-like body can be effectively reduced.
Further, in the electric connector of the above aspect, the mating connector and the electric connector according to any one of the above may be combined to form a connector device.

According to the present invention, there is provided an electric connector capable of supporting a contact portion with a terminal fitting on the other side at a position closer to the portion.

It is a perspective view of the cable connector device of this invention. It is an exploded perspective view of the receptacle connector. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. It is a figure which shows the rear perspective view of the housing together with the lid member which is a peripheral member. It is a perspective view which shows an example of an assembly process. It is a partially broken perspective view which shows an example of an assembly process. It is an exploded perspective view of a plug connector. It is a perspective view of the power supply terminal of a female connector. It is a perspective view of the power supply terminal of a male connector. (A) is a plan view of the male connector, and (b) is a front view thereof. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 11-11 in FIG. 10A. It is a schematic cross-sectional perspective view of line 12-12 in FIG. 10 (b). It is a cross-sectional view of 13-13 in FIG. 10 (b).

A cable connector and a cable connector device according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although the cable type electric connector will be described as an example, the present invention can be applied to various types of cable connector devices other than the electric connector.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the cable connector device 1 of the present invention. The cable connector device 1 includes a receptacle connector 2 and a plug connector 6.

The receptacle connector 2 is used as a cable connector that can be connected to one end of the electrical cable 3. On the other hand, the plug connector 6 is used as a board connector that can be installed on the surface of a housing (not shown) of a motor or other device by utilizing a screw 92 or the like. Both can be fitted to each other by approaching them in the fitting direction (in the direction of the arrow “α” in the figure). FIG. 1 shows a state before fitting the receptacle connector 2 and the plug connector 6. Although the type using two cables is shown, the number of cables may be one or three or more.

When the receptacle connector 2 and the plug connector 6 are fitted, the receptacle connector 2 can be locked to the plug connector 6 in order to maintain the fitted state thereof. An arm portion 28 is provided in the housing 20 of the receptacle connector 2 and a locking member 64 is provided in the housing 60 of the plug connector 6 in order to enable locking.

The arm portion 28 is pivotally supported by a rotating shaft 22 provided near the center of the side surface of the housing 20 by utilizing the through hole 28c. The arm portion 28 can rotate about the rotation shaft 22 in the direction of the arrow “Y” in the drawing in a range of approximately 0 ° to 90 °. As shown in FIG. 1, when the arm portion 28 is present at a position of approximately 0 °, the overhanging portion 64a provided in the locking member 64 of the plug connector 6 is caught in the groove 28d provided in the arm portion 28, and as a result, this result. The arm portion 28 of the receptacle connector 2 is fixed to the housing 60 of the plug connector 6, and the receptacle connector 2 is locked to the plug connector 6.

FIG. 2 shows an exploded perspective view of the receptacle connector 2, and FIG. 3 shows a sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. The receptacle connector 2 has a substantially symmetrical shape, and mainly includes a housing 20 provided with an arm portion 28, a closing member 30 fixed to the rear side of the housing 20 using a screw 35 or the like, and a closing member. A clamp 34 and a clamp member 32 attached to the rear side of the 30 so that an electric cable can be fixed, and a terminal structure provided on the bottom side of the housing 20, that is, the fitting side of the receptacle connector 2 and the plug connector 6. Includes 39. FIG. 4 shows a rear perspective view of the housing 20 together with a lid member 27 which is a peripheral member.

The housing 20 is made of a conductive material. By forming with a conductive material, a shielding effect can be added. The conductive material may be a metal plate, or the resin material may be metal-plated.

The housing 20 has a substantially box-shaped main body 21 as a whole. The main body 21 has a length portion 21B extending along the axial direction "β" of the cable, a front wall portion 21A extending in the cross-sectional direction of the cable on the front side of the length portion 21B, and a width on the rear side of the length portion 21B. The enlarged diameter portion 21C extending in the direction "γ" is included, and is formed in a substantially L-shape in a lateral view. The reason why the vertical portion 21A and the length portion 21B are connected by a smooth curved surface is that the rotation of the operating lever 40 is taken into consideration.

The main body 21 is formed in a tubular shape. Further, one end 23A of the L-shape (see FIG. 3), further, the rear side of the enlarged diameter portion 21C and the other end 23B of the L-shape (see FIG. 3), further, the front. A through hole through which the cable 3 (see FIG. 1) can be passed is formed between the wall portion 21A and the bottom side. One end 23A of the through hole is opened to the plug connector 6 side through the insertion port 25, and the other end 23B of the through hole is opened to the cable 3 side by the opening 29 (see FIG. 3). The terminal structure 39 is arranged on the other end 23B side. Since it has a tubular shape, it can be easily sealed and a waterproof function can be added.

The front wall portion 21A of the main body housing 20 is provided with a hook portion 24 that restricts the free rotation of the arm portion 28 with respect to the main body housing 20. When the arm portion 28 is present at a position of approximately 0 ° shown in FIG. 1, a part of the arm portion 28 (locked portion 28b) is caught by the hook portion 24, and the arm portion 28 is unnecessarily rotated with respect to the main body housing 20. Movement can be prevented.

A cable support portion 26 extending to the outside of the housing 20 is provided on the rear side of the enlarged diameter portion 21C of the main body 21 in a state of being continuous with the insertion port 25 along the length direction “β” of the cable 3. By providing the cable support portion 26, the cable 3 can be easily taken into the inside of the main body 21 while being guided by the cable support portion 26. The cross section of the cable support portion 26 is substantially semicircular, and the inner peripheral surface 26b thereof is arcuate in accordance with the outer peripheral surface of the cable. As a result, the contact area with the cable can be increased, and the cable can be supported in a more reliable and stable state.

It suffices if the cable support portion 26 extends to the outside in a continuous state from the insertion port 25, but a part 26a of the cable support portion 26 is further provided in a continuous state with the inside of the main body 21 through the insertion port 25. Is preferable. By providing the cable support portion 26 not only from the outside of the insertion port 25 but also from the inside of the main body 21 in a continuous state, the cable can be supported more smoothly.

The inner diameter of the cable support portion 26 is set to be substantially constant according to the cable, while the outer diameter thereof is set so as to decrease from the front to the rear. By forming a taper by utilizing such a difference in diameter, the cable support portion 26 can also function as a pressure contact member for the cable in cooperation with the closing member 30 and the like.

The cable support portion 26 may be integrally molded with the main body housing 20. By integrally molding, manufacturing becomes easy and manufacturing cost can be reduced. However, it does not necessarily have to be integrally molded, and it may be attached to the main body housing 20 and detachable as a separate body from the main body housing 20.

The cable support 26 is open in the cross-sectional direction “α-γ” of the cable, eg, above it, so that the cable can easily access the cable support 26. According to this configuration, the cable can be easily accessed to the cable support portion 26 through the open side of the cable support portion 26.

The open side of the cable support portion 26 can be closed by using the lid member 27. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an example of an assembly process in which the lid member 27 is attached to the cable support portion 26 and the open side is closed. By providing the lid member 27, it is possible to effectively prevent water, dust, and other contaminants from entering the receptacle connector 2. In addition, the strength of the cable support portion 26 can be increased.

The lid member 27 includes a collar portion 27a and a connecting portion 27b that connects the collar portions 27a to each other. Each of the flange portions 27a has a substantially semicircular cross-sectional shape, and the inner peripheral surface of the flange portion 27a is made of a cable so as to match the shape of the cable in the same manner as the inner peripheral surface 26b of the cable support portion 26. It has an arc shape that matches the outer peripheral surface.

The cable support portion 26 and the lid member 27 are preferably formed of a conductive material, similarly to the housing 20. By forming with a conductive material, a shielding effect can be added.

As shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 3, when the open side of the cable support portion 26 is closed by the lid member 27, the front surface 27h of the collar portion 27a and the connecting portion 27b is an annular shape provided in the enlarged diameter portion 21C of the housing 20. It is abutted against the upper end surface 21h of the protruding portion 21f. The closing member 30 is attached to the housing 20 with the cable support portion 26 and the lid member 27 included. The closing member 30 includes a rectangular main body 30a and two tubular portions 30b extending rearward from the rectangular main body 30a. The rectangular main body 30a is abutted against the rear surface 21e of the enlarged diameter portion 21C of the housing 20 at the front surface 30g thereof. A taper 30h is provided on the front surface 30g of the rectangular body 30a to form a gap for arranging the packing 36 with the rear surface 21e of the enlarged diameter portion 21C. Further, at the tip of the tubular portion 30b, an edge 30c having a notch 30d compatible with a predetermined portion (32c) of the clamp member 32 is provided.

The closing member 30 is fixed in close contact with the rear surface 21e of the housing 20 at its front surface 30g, and closes the insertion port 25 of the housing 20 leaving the cable outlet portion. The housing 20 can be fixed to the housing 20 by using screw holes 30d or the like provided at the four corners of the rectangular body 30a. A through hole 30e for inserting a cable is provided in the center of the rectangular body 30a. The cable is taken out to the outside through the through hole 30e and the tubular portion 30b of the closing member 30. A screw is cut on the outer circumference of the tubular portion 30b so as to be screwed with the clamp 34.

In order to enhance the waterproof function, it is preferable to provide a packing 36 between the closing member 30 and the housing 20. The packing 36 is attached to a substantially elliptical annular protrusion 21f provided on the rear surface 21e of the enlarged diameter portion 21C of the housing 20. The annular projecting portion 21f projects radially from the rear surface 21e toward the rear, and has a groove 21g on the outer peripheral surface thereof for positioning the packing 36. A part of the annular protrusion 21f, particularly the lower side, also serves as a portion forming an outer peripheral surface of the cable support portion 26.

FIG. 6 shows a partially broken perspective view showing a state in which the gasket 31, the clamp member 32, and the clamp 34 are attached to the configuration shown in FIG.
As is often shown in FIGS. 6 and 3, the clamp 34 is a tubular member, and a screw is cut on the inner circumference thereof corresponding to the tubular portion 30b of the closing member 30. The clamp member 32 includes an annular main body 32a and a plurality of clamp pieces projecting to the rear side of the main body 32a, here four clamp pieces 32b, and a plurality of clamp members 32 protruding forward from the main body 32a, here two arc-shaped edges 32c. Including.

The cable 3 has a braid 3a whose tip 3b is attached to the arc-shaped inner flange 27d of the lid member 27 and whose tip is exposed to the outside in the axial direction to the outer cover of the cable 3 of the cable 3. It is arranged on the cable support portion 26 in a state of being along the "β".

The gasket 31 is abutted against both the rear end surface 26c of the cable support portion 26 and the rear end surface 27c of the lid member 27 along the axial direction “β” of the cable 3 in a state of being in close contact with the outer circumference of the cable 3. In this state, it is included in a compressed state by the tubular portion 30b of the closing member 30 and the clamp 34.

The clamp member 32 has a portion of the gasket 31 housed inside the arc-shaped edge 32c protruding to the front side, and the edge 32c protruding to the front side is provided with a notch 30d provided in the tubular portion 30b of the closing member 30. It is included in the clamp 34 in a state of being fitted and abutted against the gasket 31 along the axial direction "β" of the cable 3.

When the clamp 34 is screwed into the tubular portion 30b of the closing member 30, the clamp piece 32b is outside the cable 3 through contact between the outer peripheral surface 32d of the clamp piece 32b of the clamp member 34 and the inner peripheral surface 34a of the clamp 34. Pressed against the cover, the clamp 34 is fixed to the cable 3. The diameters of the outer peripheral surface 32d of the clamp piece 32b and the inner peripheral surface 34a of the clamp 34 are adjusted so that the clamp piece 32b is pressed against the cable 3 as the clamp piece is screwed, and a tapered cross section is formed. ..

Further, the clamp 34, together with the closing member 30, functions as a pressure contact member that presses the cable support portion 26 and the lid member 27 against each other in the cross-sectional direction “α-γ”. When the clamp 34 is screwed into the closing member 30, the flange portion 27a becomes the housing 20 through contact between the outer peripheral surface 27g of the flange portion 27a of the lid member 27 and the inner peripheral surface 30f of the tubular portion 30b of the closing member 30. The cable support portion 26 and the lid member 27 are pressed against each other by using the clamp 34 and the closing member 30, which are pressed toward the cable support portion 26. As a result, the cable 3 can be firmly fixed by the housing 20. The diameters of the outer peripheral surface 27g of the flange portion 27a, the outer peripheral surface 26f of the cable support portion 26, and the inner peripheral surface 30f of the tubular portion 30b are adjusted so as to be pressure-welded with the screwing, and a tapered cross section is formed. There is. A part 27e of the inner peripheral surface on the rear end side of the collar portion 27a projects toward the center side in order to strengthen the contact with the cable.

The configuration of the terminal structure 39 will be described with reference to FIG. 2 again. The terminal structure 39 mainly includes a power supply terminal 50 and a signal terminal 59, a power supply housing unit 40A for positioning and fixing the power supply terminal 50, a signal housing unit 40B for positioning and fixing the signal terminal 59, and a power supply housing. A frame body 44 that supports the unit 40A and the signal housing unit 40B in parallel, a shield plate 42 that shields between the power supply terminal 50 and the signal terminal 59, and further, the shield plate 42 and the frame body 44 are electrically connected. The ground member 43 is included.

The power housing unit 40A and the signal housing unit 40B are formed of an insulating material such as resin, and the frame body 44 is formed of a conductive material like the shield plate 42 and the grounding member 43.

The power supply terminal 50 and the signal terminal 59 are used in a state of being attached to the tip of the cable 3. The attachment is performed with the cable 3 penetrating the main body 21. In order to attach the terminals 50 and 59 to the cable 3, the cable 3 penetrating the main body 21 is slightly protruded from the opening 29 (see FIG. 4) provided in the main body 21, and the terminals 50 and 59 are separated from each other. After attaching to the terminal hole 41A of the power housing unit 40A and the terminal hole 41B of the signal housing unit 40B and attaching to the frame body 44 to which the shield metal fitting 42 described later is attached, the cable 3 is returned to the housing 20 and fixed. To do. In this way, for example, even when it is necessary to provide terminals 50 and 59 on the tip side of the cable 3 with the cable 3 penetrating the main body 21, the cable 3 can be connected to the main body by using the cable support portion 26. By moving in and out from 21, the terminal structure 39 such as the terminals 50 and 59 and the insulating housing of the power supply housing 40A and the signal housing 40B can be easily attached to the cable 3 and accommodated in the main body 21.

The frame body 44 has a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view. The power supply housing 40A and the signal housing 40B are inserted and installed in the opening 44b of the frame body 44.

The shield plate 42 is formed by punching and bending a metal plate. The shield plate 42 is arranged between the power supply housing 40A and the signal housing 40B installed on the frame body 44. The shield plate 42 is connected to a ground member 43 arranged so as to straddle the upper part of the power supply housing 40A and the signal housing 40B, and the tongue piece 42a provided on the side surface of the shield plate 42 is inserted and fixed in the slit 27f to be electrically connected. Is connected. It is electrically connected to the frame 44 via the ground member 43. The tongue piece 42c provided on the front plate 42b of the shield plate 32 is connected to the front inner wall 44a of the frame body 44 and conducts with the frame body 44. Further, by providing the shield plate 42, the cable connected to the power supply terminal 50 and the cable connected to the signal terminal 59 can be electrically shielded inside the main body 21 of the housing 20.

The structure of the plug connector 6 will be described with reference to FIG. 7. FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the plug connector 6. The plug connector 6 is provided in a housing 60 provided with a locking member 64 to which the arm portion 28 is locked, and various housings inserted and installed in the housing 60, that is, a power supply housing 70A and a signal housing 70B, and a power supply housing 70A. It includes two types of terminals to be fixed, that is, a ground terminal 91 and a power supply terminal 80, and a signal terminal 90 fixed to the signal housing 70B.

The housing 60 is made of a conductive material, similarly to the housing 20 housing 20 of the receptacle connector 2. When the housing 60 of the plug connector 6 and the housing 20 of the receptacle connector 2 are fitted, the housing 60 and the housing 20 are made conductive. The conductive material may be a metal plate, or the resin material may be metal-plated.

The housing 60 mainly includes a main body 61 that is fixed to the housing of the device via packing 99B, and a frame body 65 that extends vertically from the main body 61 together with the locking member 64.

The frame body 65 can be fixed to a housing or the like by using the screw holes 61a. An opening 62 in which the power supply housing 70A is inserted and installed from the mating side of the plug connector 6 and the receptacle connector 2 and an opening 63 in which the signal housing 70B is inserted and installed are adjacent to each other in the frame body 65. It is arranged together. The inner wall of the frame body 65 is provided with a locked piece 62a in which the elastic locking piece 73A of the power housing 70A is locked when the power housing 70A is inserted into the opening 62. The frame body 65 may be provided with an annular recess 65a into which the packing 99A is fitted. The packing 99A provides a gap that may occur between the frame 65 of the housing 60 and the opening 29 (see FIG. 4) of the housing 20 when the housing 60 of the plug connector 6 and the housing 20 of the receptacle connector 2 are fitted. fill in.

The power supply housing 70A and the signal housing 70B are formed of an insulating material such as resin, and the frame body 44 is formed of a conductive material like the shield plate 42 and the grounding member 43.

The power supply housing 70A is provided with a terminal hole 71A to which the ground terminal 91 is fixed and a terminal hole 72A to which the power supply terminal 80 is fixed. The ground terminal 91 is fixed to each hole from the mating side of the plug connector 6 and the receptacle connector 2, while the power supply terminal 80 is fixed to each hole from the side opposite to the mating side of the plug connector 6 and the receptacle connector 2. The connector.
The signal housing 70B is provided with a terminal hole 71B to which the signal terminal 90 is fixed. Like the power supply terminal 80, the signal terminal 90 is fixed to each hole from the side opposite to the mating side of the plug connector 6 and the receptacle connector 2.

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of the power supply terminal 50 of the receptacle connector 2. The power supply terminal 50 is formed by punching and bending a metal plate. The power supply terminal 50 has a rounded small diameter main body portion 51, a contact portion 53 formed on the mating side of the plug connector 6 and the receptacle connector 2 with respect to the main body portion 51, and further to the main body portion 51. The large diameter portion 52 formed on the side opposite to the contact portion 53, that is, on the side opposite to the fitting side between the plug connector 6 and the receptacle connector 2 is included. Although not clear from the drawings, the main body 51 is used as a portion connected to the core wire of the cable, while the large diameter portion 52 is used as a portion to be crimped to the outer cover of the cable.

The contact portion 53 has a width direction “β” (cable) orthogonal to the direction along the contact direction “α1” with the power supply terminal 80 which is the mating terminal (corresponding to the mating direction “α” of the plug connector 6 and the receptacle connector 2). It has two contact pieces 53b1 and 53b2 extending in the axial direction "β" of 3. The free end sides of these contact pieces 53b1 and 53b2 are bent inward to form facing bent portions 53e1 and 53e2. The space 53d formed between the contact piece 53b1 and the contact piece 53b2 is used as an insertion space into which the power supply terminal 80, which is a mating terminal, is inserted. Contact points 53a1 and 53a2 with the power supply terminal 80 are formed on the contact pieces 53b1 and 53b2, respectively. These contacts 53a1 and 53a2 are slightly bent toward the contact side with the power supply terminal 80 in order to make the contact with the power supply terminal 80 of the plug connector 6 more reliable.

FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of the power supply terminal 80 of the plug connector 6. The power supply terminal 80 is formed by punching and bending a metal plate. The power supply terminal 80 is formed on a rounded small-diameter main body 81, a contact portion 83 formed on the mating side of the plug connector 6 and the receptacle connector 2 with respect to the main body 81, and further on the main body 81. On the other hand, the large diameter portion 82 formed on the side opposite to the contact portion 83, that is, on the side opposite to the fitting side between the plug connector 6 and the receptacle connector 2 is included. Although not clear from the drawings, the main body 81 is used as a portion connected to the core wire of the cable, while the large diameter portion 82 is used as a portion to be crimped to the outer cover of the cable.

The contact portion 83 is formed as a substantially plate-like body. The substantially plate-shaped body 83 corresponds to the thickness direction "γ" (corresponding to the width direction "γ" of the housing 20) and the width direction "β" (corresponding to the axial direction "β" of the cable 3 perpendicular to the thickness direction "γ"). ) And the direction along the contact direction "α2" with the power supply terminal 50, which is the mating terminal, orthogonal to both the thickness direction "γ" and the width direction "β" (the mating direction of the plug connector 6 and the receptacle connector 2 " Corresponds to α ”). By forming the contact portion 83 of the power supply terminal 80 as a substantially plate-like body in this way, the width direction “β” can be increased to enhance the heat dissipation effect, and the contact area with the mating terminal can be increased. , The problem of overheating can also be alleviated.

The substantially plate-like body 83 preferably has a multiple structure in the thickness direction "γ" by folding a metal plate. By adopting the multiple structure, the strength of the substantially plate-shaped body 83 can be secured, and the contact width with the power supply terminal 50, which is the mating terminal, can be adjusted, so that the contact with the mating terminal can be performed more reliably. it can. Further, by forming a space between the plates when the metal plates are folded, the heat dissipation effect can be significantly enhanced, and the problem of overheating in the substantially plate-like body can be effectively reduced.

As is clear from FIGS. 8 and 9, when the plug connector 6 and the receptacle connector 2 are fitted, in other words, when the housing 60 of the plug connector 6 and the housing 20 of the receptacle connector 2 are connected, the substantially plate-like body 83 is formed. Both the facing surfaces 83A and 83B in the thickness direction "γ" can come into contact with the power supply terminal 50, particularly the contact pieces 53b1 and 53b2, respectively.

10A shows a plan view of the plug connector 6, FIG. 10B shows a front view thereof, and FIG. 11 shows a sectional view taken along line XI-XI in FIG. 10A. , A schematic cross-sectional perspective view of line XII-XII in FIG. 10B and a partially enlarged view thereof are shown, and FIG. 13 shows a sectional view taken along line 13-13 in FIG. 10B.
FIG. 11 shows, in particular, a state in which the power supply terminal 80 is attached to the power supply housing 70A, and FIG. 12 shows, in particular, the housing 60 of the plug connector 6, the power supply housing 70A fixed to the housing 60, and further to the power supply housing 70A. The relationship between the fixed power supply terminals 80 is shown.

The power supply housing 70A is locked at a predetermined position of the housing 60 by locking the elastic locking piece 73A provided on the front wall thereof with the locking protrusion 62 of the housing 60.

As shown in FIG. 12, when the plug connector 6 and the receptacle connector 2 are fitted, the substantially plate-like body 83 of the power supply terminal 80 provided in the housing 60 of the plug connector 6 is formed in the width direction “β” of the substantially plate-like body 83. , That is, among the ends included in the regions indicated by "d1" and "d2" (the regions surrounded by the dotted lines in FIGS. 12 and 9), the band region "β" extending in the width direction "β". It is supported by the housing 60 at at least one portion included in "X" (a strip-shaped region surrounded by an alternate long and short dash line), for example, in the illustrated example, at the stepped portion 83a. Here, the band region “X” is the contact portion “y” between the substantially plate-like body 83 and the power supply terminal 50 when the housing 60 of the plug connector 6 and the housing 20 of the receptacle connector 2 are connected (FIGS. 12, FIG. In 9, the portion surrounded by the alternate long and short dash line) and the contact portion "y" are arranged at the same position in the direction "α" along the contact direction "α2" and in the direction "α" along the contact direction "α2". Has the same length as. According to this configuration, of the substantially plate state 83, a portion to which a large force is applied at the time of contact between the substantially plate-like body 83 and the power supply terminal 50 is supported at a position shifted in the contact direction “α2”, for example, Patent Document 1. Compared with the conventional configuration, it can be supported at a position closer to the portion "y", and the substantially plate-like body 83 can be supported by the housing 60 in a more stable state.

The substantially plate-shaped body 83 is supported not only by the step portion 83a but also by the corner portion 83c. Although the corner portion 83c is not included in the band region “X” in the present embodiment, it may be arranged at a position included in the band region “X” as in the step portion 83a. By arranging the corner portion 83c, which is another supported portion, at such a position, the substantially plate-shaped body 83 can be supported in a more stable state.

The other supported portion, for example, the corner portion 83c, faces the step portion 83a in both the direction “α” along the contact direction “α2” and the width direction “β2” as shown in the present embodiment. It is preferable that it is positioned. By supporting the corner portion 83c and the step portion 83a at diagonal positions, the substantially plate-shaped body 83 can be fixed and positioned by the housing 60 in a more stable state.

Further, it is preferable that the step portions 83a and the corner portions 83c are supported by the housing 60 on the plate thickness surface 85 along the thickness direction "γ2" of the substantially plate-like body 83. By supporting the plate thickness surface 85, for example, in the direction "α" along the contact direction "α2", as compared with the case where only the facing surfaces 83A and 83B in the thickness direction "γ2" of the substantially plate-like body 83 are supported. Fixing and positioning can be performed more reliably. However, it may support only the facing surfaces 83A and 83B instead of the plate thickness surface 85.

Of the diagonally located step 83a and the corner 83c, for example, the step 83a located on the contact side with the power supply terminal 50 in the direction "α" along the contact direction "α2" is the central portion of the housing 60. It is fixed by engaging with the protrusion 76A supported by the 75A.
On the other hand, for example, the corner portion 83c located on the opposite side in the direction "α" along the contact direction "α2" from the contact side with the power supply terminal 50 may be supported by the elastic support portion 74A provided in the housing 60. ..

The elastic support portion 74A includes a support portion 74a connected to the main body of the power supply housing 70A, an elastic piece 74b extending like a cantilever from the support portion 74a, and a grip portion 74c provided at the tip of the cantilever. The grip portion 74c supports the vicinity of the corner portions 83c of the facing surfaces 83A and 83B of the substantially plate-shaped body 83A in both the direction “α” along the contact direction “α2” and the width direction “β2” (FIG. 11, FIG. 13 etc.), the corner portion 83c is supported in the thickness direction “γ2” of the substantially plate-like body 83A (see FIG. 11 etc.).

By using the elastic support portion 74A, the backlash between the elastic support portion 74A and the housing 60 can be reduced, and the substantially plate-shaped body 83 can be reliably positioned at a predetermined position of the housing 60. Further, by supporting the portion located on the opposite side in the contact direction "α2" from the contact side with the power supply terminal 50 by the elastic support portion 74A, such as the corner portion 83c, the substantially plate-like body 83 and the elastic support are elastically supported. Since the elastic support portion 74A can be displaced in the width direction "β2" through the collision with the portion 74A, the substantially plate-shaped body 83 can be moved to the housing 60 simply by moving the substantially plate-shaped body 83 in the contact direction "α2". Can be easily installed.

The length of the contact portion “y” shown in FIG. 12 in the direction “α” along the contact direction “α2” corresponds to the effective mating length of the power supply terminal 80 and the power supply terminal 50. By providing the substantially plate-shaped body 83 with a portion 83b further extending to the contact side with the power supply terminal 50 in the direction "α" along the contact direction "α2" from the step portion 83a and the corner portion 83c, the substantially plate-like body 83 can be connected to the power supply terminal 50. The effective mating length may be set longer. Thereby, the contact with the power supply terminal 50 can be made more reliable.

Further, although optional, it is preferable to provide an additional step portion 83d between the extension portion 83b and the step portion 83a. As is often shown in the partially enlarged view of FIG. 12, by providing such a step portion 83d, when the connector 2 on the other side comes into contact with the connector 2, the opposite bent portions 53e1 and 53e2 of the terminal 50 on the other side are provided. Collision can be effectively prevented.

α Direction along the contact direction α2 Contact direction β Width direction γ Thickness direction 2 Receptacle connector 3 Cable 6 Plug connector 20 Housing 50 Power supply terminal 59 Signal terminal 60 Housing 74A Elastic support 80 Power supply terminal 83 Approximate plate-like body 83A, 83B Opposing surface 83a Step 83c Square 85 Plate thickness

Claims (9)

The housing connected to the mating housing of the mating connector and
A power supply terminal including a substantially plate-like body attached to the housing, and
With
The substantially plate-like body has a thickness direction, a width direction orthogonal to the thickness direction, and a direction along a contact direction with a mating terminal provided on the mating housing, which is orthogonal to both the thickness direction and the width direction. Have and
The substantially plate-like body is configured to come into contact with the mating terminal on a facing surface in the thickness direction when the mating housing is connected to the housing.
The substantially plate-like body is supported by the housing at at least one of the ends in the width direction included in the band region extending in the width direction.
The substantially plate-like body has a multiple structure in the thickness direction by folding metal plates while forming a space between the plates.
The band region is arranged at the same position as the contact portion between the substantially plate-shaped body and the mating terminal in the direction along the contact direction, and has the same length as the contact portion in the direction along the contact direction. An electrical connector characterized by having. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the other supported portion supported by the housing is supported by an elastic support portion provided in the housing that is elastically displaceable at least in the width direction. The housing connected to the mating housing of the mating connector and
A power supply terminal including a substantially plate-like body attached to the housing, and
With
The substantially plate-like body has a thickness direction, a width direction orthogonal to the thickness direction, and a direction along a contact direction with a mating terminal provided on the mating housing, which is orthogonal to both the thickness direction and the width direction. Have and
The substantially plate-like body is configured to come into contact with the mating terminal on a facing surface in the thickness direction when the mating housing is connected to the housing.
The substantially plate-like body is supported by the housing at at least one of the ends in the width direction included in the band region extending in the width direction.
The other supported portion supported by the housing is supported by an elastic support portion that is elastically displaceable at least in the width direction.
The band region is arranged at the same position as the contact portion between the substantially plate-shaped body and the mating terminal in the direction along the contact direction, and has the same length as the contact portion in the direction along the contact direction. An electrical connector characterized by having. The electric connector according to claim 3, wherein the substantially plate-like body has a multiple structure in the thickness direction by folding a metal plate while forming a space between the plates. The electric connector according to any one of claims 2 to 4 , wherein the at least one portion and the other supported portion are positioned so as to face each other in both the direction along the contact direction and the width direction. .. The other supported portion according to any one of claims 2 to 5 , wherein the other supported portion is located on the opposite side of the contact side with the mating terminal with respect to at least one of the portions in a direction along the contact direction. Electrical connector. The electric connector according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein at least one of the portions is supported by the housing on a plate thickness surface along the thickness direction of the substantially plate-like body. The electric connector according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the substantially plate-like body has a portion that extends further toward the contact side with the mating terminal in a direction along the contact direction than at least one of the portions. A connector device comprising a pair of the mating connector and the electrical connector according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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