JP6997952B2 - connector - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a connector.

In Patent Document 1, in a connector in which a terminal fitting is inserted into a cavity of a synthetic resin housing, a rattling piece is formed in the terminal fitting as a means for preventing the terminal fitting from rattling in the cavity. Disclosed is a technique for bringing the packing pieces into contact with the inner wall of the cavity.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2016-48603

When the connector is mounted on a vehicle such as a motorcycle with a large engine vibration, not only the electric wire connected to the terminal fitting vibrates, but also the synthetic resin housing elastically vibrates. When the above connector is used in such an environment, the inner wall of the cavity repeatedly separates and collides with the backlash packing piece due to the elastic vibration of the housing, and the terminal fitting becomes the cavity due to the repeated collision. There is a concern that the relative displacement will occur within, and as a result, the contact portion of the terminal fitting with the mating terminal will wear.

The present invention has been completed based on the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to hold the terminal fittings in a loosely packed state with respect to the housing.

The present invention
The housing in which the terminal storage chamber is formed and
A terminal fitting connected to the terminal portion of an electric wire and inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber from the rear of the housing.
A rattling portion formed in the terminal accommodating chamber and which suppresses rattling of the terminal fitting with respect to the housing by pressing the terminal fitting,
It is characterized in that the housing is formed behind the packing portion and is provided with a relief recess that can prevent the inner wall portion of the terminal accommodating chamber from interfering with the terminal fitting.

When the housing vibrates in the direction intersecting the insertion direction of the terminal fitting, the terminal fitting is displaced integrally with the rattling part, and the area behind the rattling part of the housing is the rattling part and the terminal fitting. Elastically relative to the displacement. In the area behind the stuffed part of the housing, a relief recess is formed to prevent the inner wall of the terminal accommodating chamber from interfering with the terminal fittings, so that it is behind the stuffed part of the housing. There is no risk that the area of will collide with the terminal fittings. Therefore, the terminal fitting is held in a loosely packed state with respect to the terminal accommodating chamber.

Perspective view of the female side connector of the first embodiment Planosection of female housing A plan sectional view of the female side housing and the male side housing fitted together. XX-ray cross-sectional view of FIG. YY line sectional view of FIG. Bottom view of female terminal fittings

In the present invention, the backpacking portion may be arranged only at the front end portion of the terminal accommodating chamber. According to this configuration, in the process of inserting the terminal fitting into the terminal accommodating chamber, the generation of insertion resistance due to the terminal fitting sliding in contact with the rattling portion can be generated only at the end of the insertion process.

In the present invention, the region of the housing behind the stuffed portion may be matable with the hood portion of the mating housing. According to this configuration, the elastic displacement of the region behind the rattling portion of the housing is suppressed by the hood portion.

In the present invention, the backpacking portion may be arranged in the vicinity of the contact portion with the mating terminal in the terminal fitting. According to this configuration, sliding wear at the contact portion between the terminal fitting and the mating terminal can be reduced.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention may include an elastic member attached to the terminal fitting and capable of elastically contacting a region of the housing behind the stuffed portion. According to this configuration, the elastic member can alleviate the elastic relative displacement of the region of the housing behind the rattling portion with respect to the rattling packing portion and the terminal fitting.

In the present invention, the elastic member may have a waterproof function of sealing between the outer peripheral surface of the electric wire and the inner peripheral surface of the terminal accommodating chamber. According to this configuration, the number of parts can be reduced as compared with the case where a dedicated waterproof member is provided separately from the elastic member.

<Example 1>
Hereinafter, Example 1 embodying the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6. The female side connector F (connector according to claim) of the first embodiment is an electrical connection member for which the male side connector M is to be fitted. In the following description, the front-rear direction of the male connector M is defined as the front in FIGS. 2 to 4 and 6, and the front-rear direction of the male connector M is defined as the right in FIGS. 2 to 4 and 6. The direction is defined as forward. As for the vertical direction, the directions appearing in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5 are defined as upward and downward as they are.

The male-side connector M includes a male-side housing 50 made of synthetic resin and a plurality of (three in the first embodiment) male terminal fittings 53 (mother-side terminals according to claim) provided in the male-side housing 50. It is configured in preparation. The male side housing 50 has a terminal holding portion 51 for holding the three male terminal fittings 53, and a hood portion 52 extending forward from the terminal holding portion 51. The tab 54 at the front end of each male terminal fitting 53 is collectively surrounded by the hood portion 52.

The female-side connector F includes a female-side housing 10 (housing according to claim) made of synthetic resin, and a plurality (three) female terminal fittings 22 (terminal fittings according to claim). The female side housing 10 includes a housing main body 11 and a front retainer 12 attached to the front end portion of the housing main body 11. The housing main body 11 has a block-shaped terminal accommodating portion 13 and a cylindrical fitting portion 14 surrounding the terminal accommodating portion 13. The space provided between the outer circumference of the terminal accommodating portion 13 and the inner circumference of the tubular fitting portion 14 functions as the fitting space 15.

Inside the terminal accommodating portion 13 (female side housing 10), a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 16 elongated in the front-rear direction are formed in parallel in the left-right direction. The front end of the terminal accommodating chamber 16 is opened as a tab insertion port 17 on the front end surface of the female side housing 10. The rear end of the terminal accommodating chamber 16 is opened as a terminal insertion port 18 on the rear end surface of the female side housing 10. A waterproof seal ring 19 is attached to the outer periphery of the terminal accommodating portion 13 (the innermost portion of the fitting space 15).

The region of the terminal accommodating chamber 16 extending from the front end to the position rearward from the center in the front-rear direction is the first accommodating chamber 20F having a substantially square cross-sectional shape orthogonal to the front-rear direction. The region of the terminal accommodating chamber 16 behind the first accommodating chamber 20F is the second accommodating chamber 20R having a circular cross-sectional shape. In the first accommodation chamber 20F, a lance 21 in the form of a cantilever extending forward along the lower wall of the first accommodation chamber 20F is formed.

The female terminal fitting 22 has an elongated shape in the front-rear direction as a whole. A box-shaped portion 23 is formed in the front end side region of the female terminal fitting 22, and a crimping portion 35 connected to the rear end of the box-shaped portion 23 is formed in the rear end side region of the female terminal fitting 22. The box-shaped portion 23 is composed of a square cylinder portion 24 constituting the front end portion of the female terminal fitting 22, and a connecting portion 25 connected to the rear end of the square cylinder portion 24. The square tube portion 24 is composed of a flat plate-shaped upper surface portion 26, a pair of left and right flat plate-shaped side surface portions 27, and a flat plate-shaped lower surface portion 28.

Inside the square tube portion 24, an elastic contact piece 29 having a shape bent like a valley in a side view is housed. The lowermost end of the elastic contact piece 29 is a contact portion 30 that comes into contact with the tab 54. Inside the square tube portion 24, a receiving plate portion 31 arranged so as to face the elastic contact piece 29 along the lower surface portion 28 is housed. The rear end edge of the lower surface portion 28 of the square tube portion 24 is a locking portion 32 that can be locked with the lance 21.

The connecting portion 25 is composed of a substrate portion 33 and a pair of symmetrical side plate portions 34 extending downward from the left and right side edges of the substrate portion 33, and has a box shape with an open lower surface. The substrate portion 33 has a flat plate shape and is connected to the rear end portion of the upper plate portion of the square tube portion 24 so as to be flush with each other. The pair of left and right side plate portions 34 have a flat plate shape, and are flush with the rear end portions of the left and right side surface portions 27 of the square tube portion 24. Therefore, the width dimension (dimension in the left-right direction) of the connecting portion 25 is the same as the width dimension of the square tube portion 24.

The crimping portion 35 is composed of an open barrel-shaped wire barrel 36 connected to the rear end of the connecting portion 25 and an open barrel-shaped insulation barrel 37 connected to the rear end of the wire barrel 36. The minimum width dimension of the wire barrel 36 is set to be smaller than the width dimension of the connecting portion 25 (box-shaped portion 23). The front end portion of the core wire 40 exposed by removing the insulating coating 39 from the electric wire 38 is crimped to the wire barrel 36 so as to be conductive and coaxially.

The front end of the insulating coating 39 of the electric wire 38 is crimped to the insulation barrel 37. The front end of the cylindrical rubber stopper 41 (elastic member according to claim) fitted to the insulation coating 39 is crimped to the insulation barrel 37 together with the electric wire 38. The inner circumference of the rubber stopper 41 is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the electric wire 38 (insulation coating 39) in a liquidtight manner and elastically.

The female terminal fitting 22 connected to the electric wire 38 is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 16 from the rear of the female side housing 10. The female terminal fitting 22 normally inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 16 is held in a retaining state by locking the locking portion 32 to the lance 21. Further, the outer peripheral surface of the rubber stopper 41 elastically adheres to the inner peripheral surface (sealing surface) of the second accommodating chamber 20R, and the outer peripheral surface of the electric wire 38 and the inner peripheral surface of the second accommodating chamber 20R (terminal accommodating chamber 16). Is sealed in a liquidtight manner by the rubber stopper 41.

When the female side housing 10 and the male side housing 50 are fitted, the hood portion 52 is fitted into the fitting space 15, and the terminal accommodating portion 13 is fitted into the hood portion 52. When both housings 10 and 50 are normally fitted, the inner circumference of the front end portion of the hood portion 52 contacts the outer circumference of the seal ring 19, and the outer circumference of the terminal accommodating portion 13 and the inner circumference of the hood portion 52 are sealed rings. It is sealed in a liquidtight manner by 19. Further, the tab 54 penetrates the tab insertion port 17 and enters the square tube portion 24 of the female terminal fitting 22, and is elastically sandwiched between the elastic contact piece 29 and the receiving plate portion 31. The contact portion 30 of the elastic contact piece 29 elastically contacts the upper surface of the tab 54, and both terminal fittings 22 and 53 are electrically connected with a predetermined contact pressure.

The female side housing 10 is formed with a rattling portion 42 for rattling the front end portion of the female terminal fitting 22 that is normally inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 16. The backfilled portion 42 has a form that partially protrudes from both the left and right inner wall portions 16S of the front end portion of the terminal accommodating chamber 16 (first accommodating chamber 20F). The minimum width (minimum facing distance) of the rattling portions 42 formed so as to form a pair on the left and right is smaller than the width dimension of the square cylinder portion 24 (box-shaped portion 23). When the female terminal fitting 22 is normally inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 16, the front end portion of the square tube portion 24 is pressed from the left and right by a pair of rattling portions 42, and the front end portion of the female terminal fitting 22 is the female side housing 10 ( Rattling (relative displacement) in the left-right direction (direction intersecting the insertion direction of the female terminal fitting 22 with respect to the terminal accommodating portion 13) with respect to the front end portion of the terminal accommodating portion 13) is suppressed or restricted.

The region of the female side housing 10 including the formation range of the backfill portion 42 in the front-rear direction is the high-rigidity portion 43H having relatively high rigidity, and the region behind the high-rigidity portion 43H is the high-rigidity portion 43H. It is a low-rigidity portion 43L with lower rigidity. The rigidity of the high-rigidity portion 43H and the low-rigidity portion 43L is not extremely different with a specific portion as a boundary, but the rigidity gradually decreases from the front end side to the rear end side of the female side housing 10. However, in the first embodiment, for convenience, the entire region in front of the position corresponding to the rear end (front end of the connecting portion 25) of the square tube portion 24 is defined as the high rigidity portion 43H, and is defined as the rear end of the square tube portion 24. The entire area behind the corresponding position is defined as the low-rigidity portion 43L.

When both connectors F and M are mounted on a vehicle with large engine vibration such as a motorcycle, not only the electric wire 38 connected to the female terminal fitting 22 vibrates, but also the low rigidity of the female side housing 10 is low. Since the portion 43L elastically vibrates, the inner wall portion 16S of the terminal accommodating chamber 16 may repeatedly separate and collide with the female terminal fitting 22. The front end portion of the female terminal fitting 22 is fixed to the high-rigidity portion 43H of the female side housing 10 by the backlash packing portion 42, but when the above collision is repeated with respect to the portion behind the square cylinder portion 24, There is a concern that the female terminal fitting 22 is relatively displaced to the left and right with the rattling portion 42 as a fulcrum, and as a result, the contact portion between the contact portion 30 of the female terminal fitting 22 and the tab 54 is worn.

As a countermeasure, in the first embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a pair of left and right relief recesses 44 are formed in the left and right inner wall portions 16S of the terminal accommodating chamber 16. The relief recess 44 has a form in which the rear end side region of the first accommodation chamber 20F of the left and right inner side surfaces of the terminal accommodation chamber 16 is recessed from the front end side region of the first accommodation chamber 20F. In other words, the rear end side region of the first accommodation chamber 20F is wider than the front end side region of the first accommodation chamber 20F. The forming range of the relief recess 44 in the height direction extends from the lower end to the upper end of the first accommodation chamber 20F.

With the female terminal fitting 22 normally inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 16, the entire region of the square cylinder portion 24, the entire region of the connecting portion 25, and almost the entire region of the wire barrel portion 36 are in the first accommodating chamber 20F. Is housed. In the front-rear direction, the forming range of the relief recess 44 is slightly smaller than the rear end (rear end of the wire barrel portion 36) of the first accommodation chamber 20F from the position corresponding to the rear end (front end of the connecting portion 25) of the square tube portion 24. This is the area leading to the front position). An interference avoidance space 45 is secured between the inner surface of the relief recess 44 and the outer surface of the female terminal fitting 22 (connecting portion 25).

When the low-rigidity portion 43L of the female side housing 10 repeats elastic deformation in the left-right direction, the inner wall portion 16S of the first accommodation chamber 20F repeatedly approaches and separates from the connecting portion 25 and the wire barrel portion 36. However, since the interference avoidance space 45 is provided between the connecting portion 25 and the wire barrel portion 36 and the inner wall portion 16S of the first accommodation chamber 20F, the inner wall portion 16S of the first accommodation chamber 20F is connected to the connecting portion. The number of collisions with the 25 and the wire barrel portion 36 can be reduced.

As described above, the female side connector F of the first embodiment is connected to the female side housing 10 made of synthetic resin in which the terminal accommodating chamber 16 is formed and the terminal portion of the electric wire 38, and is connected to the rear of the female side housing 10. It is provided with a female terminal fitting 22 inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 16, a backpacking portion 42, and a relief recess 44. The rattling packing portion 42 is formed in the terminal accommodating chamber 16 and suppresses rattling of the female terminal fitting 22 with respect to the female terminal housing 10 in the left-right direction intersecting the insertion direction by pressing the female terminal fitting 22. Or regulate. Further, the relief recess 44 is formed in a region of the female side housing 10 behind the backfilled portion 42 (a low-rigidity portion 43L having a lower rigidity than the formed region of the backpacked portion 42). The relief recess 44 functions as a means for preventing the inner wall portion 16S of the terminal accommodating chamber 16 from interfering with the female terminal fitting 22.

When the female terminal fitting 10 vibrates in the left-right direction intersecting the insertion direction of the female terminal fitting 22, the female terminal fitting 22 is integrally displaced with the rattling packing portion 42, and the rattling filling portion 42 of the female terminal fitting 22 is displaced. The low-rigidity portion 43L in the rearward region is elastically displaced relative to the rattling portion 42 and the female terminal fitting 22. Since the low-rigidity portion 43L is formed with a relief recess 44 for preventing the inner wall portion 16S of the terminal accommodating chamber 16 from interfering with the female terminal fitting 22, the low-rigidity portion 43L collides with the female terminal fitting 22. There is no risk of doing so. Therefore, the female terminal fitting 22 is not likely to be displaced in the left-right direction, and is kept in a state of being packed by the rattling portion 42. As a result, sliding wear does not occur at the contact portion between the contact portion 30 of the female terminal fitting 22 and the tab 54.

Further, the rattling portion 42 is arranged in the vicinity of the contact portion 30 with the male terminal fitting 53 (tab 54) in the female terminal fitting 22, and more specifically, at a position slightly in front of the contact portion 30. According to this configuration, sliding wear at the contact portion between the female terminal fitting 22 and the male terminal fitting 53 can be more effectively reduced.

Further, the backlash packing portion 42 is arranged only in the front end portion of the terminal accommodating chamber 16. According to this configuration, in the process of inserting the female terminal fitting 22 into the terminal accommodating chamber 16 from the rear of the female side housing 10, insertion resistance is generated due to the female terminal fitting 22 sliding in contact with the rattling filling portion 42. , Only at the end of the insertion process. Therefore, the workability when inserting the female terminal fitting 22 is improved.

Further, of the terminal accommodating portion 13 of the female side housing 10, the region corresponding to the relief recess 44 in the front-rear direction (the region behind the backpacking portion 42) is the low-rigidity portion 43L having lower rigidity than the backpacking portion 42. However, this low-rigidity portion 43L can be fitted to the hood portion 52 of the male side housing 50. The outer periphery of the low-rigidity portion 43L is elastically surrounded by a seal ring 19 interposed between the inner peripheral surface of the hood portion 52. Therefore, the elastic displacement of the low-rigidity portion 43L in the left-right direction is suppressed by the seal ring 19 and the hood portion 52.

Further, a rubber stopper 41 that elastically contacts the low rigidity portion 43L (inner peripheral surface of the terminal accommodating chamber 16) is attached to the rear end portion of the female terminal fitting 22. The rubber stopper 41 is arranged at a position rearward of the region of the female terminal fitting 22 facing the relief recess 44 in the front-rear direction. According to this configuration, the elastic relative displacement of the low-rigidity portion 43L with respect to the backlash packing portion 42 and the female terminal fitting 22 can be alleviated by the rubber stopper 41. Further, since the rubber stopper 41 has a waterproof function of sealing between the outer peripheral surface of the electric wire 38 and the inner peripheral surface of the terminal accommodating chamber 16, when a dedicated waterproof member is provided separately from the rubber stopper 41. In comparison, the number of parts can be reduced.

<Other Examples>
The present invention is not limited to the first embodiment described by the above description and the drawings, and for example, the following examples are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.
(1) In the first embodiment, the case where the rattling target is a female terminal fitting having a square tube portion at the front end portion has been described, but in the present invention, the rattling target has a tab at the front end portion. It can also be applied when it is a male terminal fitting.
(2) In the first embodiment, the rattling portion is arranged at the front end portion of the terminal accommodating chamber, but the rattling filling portion may be arranged in the region behind the front end portion of the terminal accommodating chamber.
(3) In the first embodiment, the elastic member also has a waterproof function, but the elastic member may not have a waterproof function.
(4) In the first embodiment, the rubber stopper (elastic member) is attached to the female terminal fitting, but the rubber stopper may not be attached to the female terminal fitting.
(5) In the first embodiment, the forming range of the relief recess in the front-rear direction is a region generally rearward from the rear end (front end of the connecting portion) of the square tube portion, but the forming range of the relief recess in the front-rear direction is. It may include a region corresponding to the rear end portion of the square tube portion.
(6) In the first embodiment, the low-rigidity portion can be fitted to the hood portion of the male side housing (counterpart housing), but the low-rigidity portion may not be fitted to the hood portion.
(7) In the first embodiment, the region behind the backfilled portion of the housing is set as a low-rigidity portion having lower rigidity than the formed region of the backpacked portion, but the region behind the backfilled portion of the housing is used. The rigidity of the region may be the same as the formation region of the backfilled portion, or may be higher than the formation region of the backpacked portion.

F ... Female side connector (connector)
10 ... Female side housing (housing)
16 ... Terminal storage chamber 16S ... Inner wall of terminal storage chamber 22 ... Female terminal fittings (terminal fittings)
30 ... Contact part 38 ... Electric wire 41 ... Rubber stopper (elastic member)
42 ... Rattling packing part 43L ... Low rigidity part 44 ... Relief recess 50 ... Male side housing (counterpart housing)
52 ... Hood part 53 ... Male terminal metal fittings (counterpart terminal)

Claims (6)

The housing in which the terminal storage chamber is formed and
A terminal fitting connected to the terminal portion of an electric wire and inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber from the rear of the housing.
A rattling portion formed in the terminal accommodating chamber and which suppresses rattling of the terminal fitting with respect to the housing by pressing the terminal fitting,
The housing is provided with a relief recess that is formed behind the packing portion and can prevent the inner wall portion of the terminal accommodating chamber from interfering with the terminal fitting.
The housing has a high-rigidity portion including a region for forming the backpack portion and a low-rigidity portion having a lower rigidity than the high-rigidity portion.
A connector in which the relief recess is formed in the low rigidity portion . A square tube is formed at the front end of the terminal fitting.
The region of the housing in front of the rear end of the square tube portion is the high-rigidity portion.
The region of the housing behind the rear end of the square tube portion is the low-rigidity portion.
The backpacking portion is arranged only at the front end portion of the terminal accommodating chamber.
The connector according to claim 1, wherein the square tube portion is fixed to the high-rigidity portion by the rattling portion . The connector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the low-rigidity portion, which is a region of the housing behind the stuffed portion, can be fitted to the hood portion of the mating housing. The region behind the stuffed portion is the low-rigidity portion.
The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the stuffed portion is arranged in the vicinity of a contact portion with a terminal on the other side of the terminal fitting. The one according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the housing is provided with an elastic member attached to the terminal fitting and capable of elastically contacting a region of the housing behind the packing portion. connector. The connector according to claim 5, wherein the elastic member has a waterproof function of sealing between the outer peripheral surface of the electric wire and the inner peripheral surface of the terminal accommodating chamber.

Images