JP6918586B2 - connector - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a connector.

As a connector, there is known a configuration in which two male terminals have female terminals inserted from opposite sides, and the male terminal, the female terminal, and the male terminal are linearly connected in this order (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-263096

However, in the configuration described in Patent Document 1, since the two male terminals are linearly connected via the female terminals, the physique of the mated connector in the insertion direction of the male terminals becomes large.

An object of the present invention is to provide a connector capable of miniaturizing the physique in the insertion direction of the male terminal in a state where the male terminal is fitted to the female terminal.

In order to achieve the above object, the connector according to the present invention has a first male terminal having a flat plate-shaped first terminal connection portion extending along the insertion direction and a flat plate-shaped terminal extending along the insertion direction. Inserted inside the female terminal, the second male terminal having the second terminal connection portion, the female terminal into which the first terminal connection portion and the second terminal connection portion are inserted from opposite sides in the insertion direction, and the female terminal. A leaf spring provided in a central portion in a direction orthogonal to the direction is provided, and in a fitted state in which the first male terminal and the second male terminal are inserted into the female terminal, the first male terminal and the first terminal connection portion are provided. The second terminal connection portion is fitted at a position where it overlaps in the insertion direction, and the leaf spring connects the first terminal connection portion and the second terminal connection portion to each other in a direction orthogonal to the insertion direction. press the side away, the female terminal, the holding portion is provided in the central portion in the direction perpendicular to the insertion direction, the leaf spring, the by hooking one end of the insertion direction to the holding portion It is characterized in that it is held inside the female terminal and the whole is arranged in the central portion inside the female terminal.

Further, in the connector, the female terminal has a first terminal insertion port into which the first terminal connection portion is inserted from one side in the insertion direction and a second terminal connection portion into which the second terminal connection portion is inserted from the other side in the insertion direction. The second terminal insertion port, the first storage chamber that communicates with the first terminal insertion port and extends along the insertion direction, overlaps the first storage chamber in the insertion direction, and is orthogonal to the insertion direction. It has a second accommodating chamber which is provided at a position deviated from the first accommodating chamber, communicates with the second terminal insertion port, and extends along the insertion direction, and the leaf spring is provided with the first accommodating chamber. It is provided at a position that separates the second storage chamber, and in the fitted state, the leaf spring presses the first terminal connection portion against the inner wall surface of the first storage chamber, and the inner wall surface of the second storage chamber is pressed. It is preferable to press the second terminal connection portion against the surface.

Further, in the connector, the inner wall surface of the first accommodation chamber is a flat surface along the insertion direction, and the inner wall surface of the second accommodation chamber is a direction orthogonal to the insertion direction of the first accommodation chamber. It is a flat surface facing the inner wall surface and along the insertion direction. In the fitted state, the inner wall surface of the first storage chamber and the first terminal connection portion are in surface contact with each other, and the second storage chamber is in surface contact. It is preferable that the inner wall surface and the second terminal connecting portion are in surface contact with each other.

The connector according to the present invention fits into the female terminal at a position where the first terminal connection portion of the first male terminal and the second terminal connection portion of the second male terminal overlap in the insertion direction. As a result, the physique of the mated connector in the insertion direction of the male terminal can be reduced.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a state in which the connectors according to the embodiment are fitted. FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing a state in which the connector according to the embodiment is disconnected. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross section of the mated connector cut along the extending direction. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross section of a portion including a holding portion of a female terminal cut in a direction orthogonal to the extending direction. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross section in which a portion in which the accommodation chamber inside the female terminal is partitioned by a leaf spring is cut in a direction orthogonal to the extending direction.

Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. In addition, the components in the following embodiments include those that can be easily replaced by those skilled in the art, or those that are substantially the same. In addition, the components in the following embodiments can be omitted, replaced, or changed in various ways without departing from the gist of the invention.

The connector according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a state in which the connectors according to the embodiment are fitted. FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing a state in which the connector according to the embodiment is disconnected. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross section of the mated connector cut along the extending direction. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross section of a portion including a holding portion of a female terminal cut in a direction orthogonal to the extending direction. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross section in which a portion in which the accommodation chamber inside the female terminal is partitioned by a leaf spring is cut in a direction orthogonal to the extending direction.

In the following description, the direction in which the terminal connection portion of the male terminal extends is described as the "extending direction" or the "insertion direction". Further, the direction orthogonal to the extending direction is described as "thickness direction". The direction orthogonal to the thickness direction and the extension direction is described as the "width direction".

As shown in FIG. 1, the connector 1 includes a first male terminal 10, a second male terminal 20, and a female terminal 30 as a joint terminal for electrically connecting the male terminals 10 and 20. The first male terminal 10 is inserted into the female terminal 30 from one side in the extending direction, and the second male terminal 20 is inserted from the other side in the extending direction.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first male terminal 10 includes a flat plate-shaped first terminal connection portion 11 inserted into the female terminal 30 and a first conductor crimping portion to which a conductor (not shown) of an electric wire is crimped. Has. The first terminal connecting portion 11 is formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape, and extends below the first conductor crimping portion in the insertion direction. The first male terminal 10 is fitted with the female terminal 30 by inserting the first terminal connecting portion 11 into the female terminal 30 along the insertion direction in a state where the electric wire is connected to the first conductor crimping portion. ..

As shown in FIG. 2, the second male terminal 20 includes a flat plate-shaped second terminal connection portion 21 inserted into the female terminal 30 and a second conductor crimping portion on which a conductor (not shown) of an electric wire is crimped. Has. The second terminal connecting portion 21 is formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape, and extends above the second conductor crimping portion in the insertion direction. The second male terminal 20 is fitted with the female terminal 30 by inserting the second terminal connecting portion 21 into the female terminal 30 along the insertion direction in a state where the electric wire is connected to the second conductor crimping portion. ..

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the female terminal 30 is formed in a substantially quadrangular tubular shape extending along the insertion direction, and the first male terminal 10 is inserted on both sides of the insertion direction. The insertion port 31 and the second terminal insertion port 32 into which the second male terminal 20 is inserted are open.

The first terminal insertion port 31 is open at one end (upper side) in the insertion direction, and the first terminal connection portion 11 of the first male terminal 10 is inserted from the upper side in the insertion direction. The second terminal insertion port 32 is open at the other end (lower side) in the insertion direction, and the second terminal connection portion 21 of the second male terminal 20 is inserted from the lower side in the insertion direction. Then, when the male terminals 10 and 20 are inserted into the female terminal 30, the first terminal connection portion 11 and the second terminal connection portion 21 are fitted into the female terminal 30 at positions overlapping in the insertion direction. That is, in the connector 1, the male terminals 10 and 20 inserted from opposite sides in the insertion direction are fitted at positions offset in the thickness direction (direction orthogonal to the insertion direction).

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, inside the female terminal 30, a first storage chamber 33 communicating with the first terminal insertion port 31 and a second storage chamber 34 communicating with the second terminal insertion port 32 are provided. It is formed. Further, inside the female terminal 30, a leaf spring 40 for partitioning between the first accommodating chamber 33 and the second accommodating chamber 34 is provided.

The first accommodating chamber 33 is a portion accommodating the first terminal connecting portion 11. As shown in FIG. 3, the first accommodation chamber 33 is a space extending downward from the first terminal insertion port 31 along the insertion direction, and is an inner wall surface on the left side in the thickness direction of the female terminal 30 (hereinafter, “” One side (left side) in the thickness direction is partitioned by (referred to as "first inner wall surface") 35. The first inner wall surface 35 is a flat surface along the insertion direction, and has a substantially rectangular surface with the insertion direction in the longitudinal direction and the width direction in the lateral direction. The other side (right side) of the first storage chamber 33 in the thickness direction is partitioned by a leaf spring 40.

The second accommodating chamber 34 is a portion accommodating the second terminal connecting portion 21. The second accommodation chamber 34 is provided at a position offset from the first accommodation chamber 33 in the thickness direction and at a position overlapping with the first accommodation chamber 33 in the insertion direction. As shown in FIG. 3, the second accommodation chamber 34 is a space extending upward from the second terminal insertion port 32 along the insertion direction, and is an inner wall surface on the right side in the thickness direction of the female terminal 30 (hereinafter, “the first”. The other side (right side) in the thickness direction is partitioned by (2) 36 (referred to as "2 inner wall surface"). The second inner wall surface 36 is a flat surface along the insertion direction, and is a substantially rectangular shape having the insertion direction in the longitudinal direction and the width direction in the lateral direction so as to face the first inner wall surface 35 in the thickness direction. It has a rectangular surface. The second storage chamber 34 is partitioned by a leaf spring 40 on one side (left side) in the thickness direction.

The leaf spring 40 is an elastic body that causes contact loads between the male terminals 10 and 20 and the female terminals 30. As shown in FIG. 3, the leaf spring 40 is provided in the central portion of the female terminal 30 in the thickness direction, and is attached to the holding portion 37 formed inside the female terminal 30. The leaf spring 40 has uneven peaks and valleys in the thickness direction, and has a predetermined length in the insertion direction. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the holding portion 37 is provided at the central portion in the thickness direction of the female terminal 30, and is a beam-shaped portion extending so as to connect the wall portions on both sides in the width direction of the female terminal 30. Is. The leaf spring 40 is held inside the female terminal 30 with the upper end in the insertion direction hooked on the holding portion 37. Further, both sides of the leaf spring 40 are pressing surfaces that push the male terminals 10 and 20 to the opposite sides in the thickness direction.

In the detached connector 1, since the first male terminal 10 and the second male terminal 20 do not come into contact with the leaf spring 40, the leaf spring 40 is not elastically deformed. On the other hand, in the mated connector 1, the leaf spring 40 is sandwiched between the first terminal connecting portion 11 and the second terminal connecting portion 21 in the thickness direction (direction orthogonal to the insertion direction) and elastically deformed. When the connector 1 changes from the detached state to the mated state, the leaf spring 40 is elastically deformed by inserting the first male terminal 10 and the second male terminal 20 into the female terminal 30, and the elastically deformed leaf spring. 40 generates urging forces on both sides in the thickness direction. That is, the leaf spring 40 generates a force (urging force) that pushes the first male terminal 10 to the left in the thickness direction, and also generates a force (urging force) that pushes the second male terminal 20 to the right in the thickness direction. That is, the leaf spring 40 pushes the first terminal connecting portion 11 and the second terminal connecting portion 21 to the side separated from each other in the direction orthogonal to the insertion direction. Further, this urging force generates a force that presses one surface of the first terminal connecting portion 11 against the first inner wall surface 35 and a force that presses one surface of the second terminal connecting portion 21 against the second inner wall surface 36. That is, a contact load is generated at a place where the first terminal connecting portion 11 and the first inner wall surface 35 are in surface contact, and a contact load is generated at a place where the second terminal connecting portion 21 and the second inner wall surface 36 are in surface contact. .. This contact load is a force (holding force) in the direction orthogonal to the insertion direction. As a result, a holding force is generated to prevent the first terminal connection portion 11 from detaching from the first terminal insertion port 31 upward in the insertion direction, and the second terminal connection portion 21 is inserted from the second terminal insertion port 32. A holding force is generated to prevent the vehicle from detaching downward in the direction.

According to the connector 1 described above, by providing the leaf spring 40 at the central portion of the female terminal 30 in the thickness direction, the first male terminal 10 and the second male terminal 20 can be inserted by shifting them in the thickness direction. It will be possible. Then, in the connector 1 in the fitted state, the first terminal connecting portion 11 and the second terminal connecting portion 21 are fitted at a position where they overlap in the insertion direction. As a result, the size of the mated connector 1 in the insertion direction of the male terminal can be reduced.

Further, by providing the leaf spring 40 at the central portion of the female terminal 30 in the thickness direction, the first male terminal 10 and the second male terminal 20 are not arranged in a vertical straight line in the insertion direction, but in a direction orthogonal to the insertion direction. It can be inserted by shifting it in the (thickness direction). Further, the force (holding force) for holding the male terminals 10 and 20 inserted from the vertically opposite sides in the insertion direction inside the female terminal 30 can be secured by the urging force of the leaf spring 40. As described above, in the connector 1, contact loads are generated on both sides in the thickness direction via the leaf spring 40, so that contact stability in the fitted state can be ensured.

The portion where the first terminal connecting portion 11 and the first inner wall surface 35 come into surface contact is a contact that electrically connects the first male terminal 10 and the female terminal 30. Similarly, the portion where the second terminal connecting portion 21 and the second inner wall surface 36 come into surface contact is a contact that electrically connects the second male terminal 20 and the female terminal 30. Then, in the connector 1 in the fitted state, the first male terminal 10 and the second male terminal 20 are electrically connected via the female terminal 30.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the first terminal insertion port 31 opens to the entire end on the upper side in the insertion direction of the female terminal 30, and the second terminal insertion port 32 ends on the lower side in the insertion direction of the female terminal 30. It is open to the entire part. In this case, the portion of the first terminal insertion port 31 into which the first terminal connection portion 11 is inserted and the portion of the second terminal insertion port 32 into which the second terminal connection portion 21 is inserted are in the thickness direction. It suffices if it is offset. Further, the tip end (lower end in the insertion direction) of the first terminal connection portion 11 may penetrate the female terminal 30 and project downward in the insertion direction. The tip of the second terminal connection portion 21 (upper end in the insertion direction) may also penetrate the female terminal 30 and project upward in the insertion direction.

1 Connector 10 1st male terminal 11 1st terminal connection 20 2nd male terminal 21 2nd terminal connection 30 Female terminal 31 1st terminal insertion port 32 2nd terminal insertion port 33 1st storage room 34 2nd storage room 35 1st inner wall surface 36 2nd inner wall surface 37 Holding part 40 Leaf spring

Claims (3)

A first male terminal having a flat plate-shaped first terminal connection extending along the insertion direction,
A second male terminal having a flat plate-shaped second terminal connection extending along the insertion direction,
A female terminal into which the first terminal connection portion and the second terminal connection portion are inserted from opposite sides in the insertion direction, and
Inside the female terminal, a leaf spring provided in a central portion in a direction orthogonal to the insertion direction is provided.
In the fitted state in which the first male terminal and the second male terminal are inserted into the female terminal, the first terminal connection portion and the second terminal connection portion are fitted at positions where they overlap in the insertion direction. and the leaf spring, in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction, press the side away the said first terminal connecting portion and the second terminal connecting portion to each other,
The female terminal is provided with a holding portion at a central portion in a direction orthogonal to the insertion direction.
The leaf spring is held inside the female terminal by hooking one end in the insertion direction on the holding portion, and the entire leaf spring is arranged in the central portion inside the female terminal.
A connector that features that. The female terminal is
The first terminal insertion port into which the first terminal connection portion is inserted from one side in the insertion direction, and
A second terminal insertion port into which the second terminal connection portion is inserted from the other side in the insertion direction,
A first storage chamber that communicates with the first terminal insertion port and extends along the insertion direction.
It is provided at a position overlapping the first storage chamber in the insertion direction and at a position deviated from the first storage chamber in a direction orthogonal to the insertion direction, communicating with the second terminal insertion port and extending along the insertion direction. Has a second containment chamber,
The leaf spring is provided at a position that separates the first accommodating chamber and the second accommodating chamber.
In the mated state, the leaf spring presses the first terminal connecting portion against the inner wall surface of the first accommodating chamber and presses the second terminal connecting portion against the inner wall surface of the second accommodating chamber. The connector according to claim 1. The inner wall surface of the first accommodation chamber is a flat surface along the insertion direction.
The inner wall surface of the second storage chamber is a flat surface facing the inner wall surface of the first storage chamber in a direction orthogonal to the insertion direction and along the insertion direction.
In the mated state, the inner wall surface of the first accommodation chamber and the first terminal connection portion are in surface contact, and the inner wall surface of the second accommodation chamber and the second terminal connection portion are in surface contact. The connector according to claim 2.

Images