JPH01309276A - Connector fitting confirmation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to discriminate kinds as required as well as to simplify the work process for a connector by making a success-failure judgement of the fitting condition by means of a detection signal from a fitting detection means and confirmation holes after making scanning with a scanner having light projecting/receiving element facing toward the confirmation holes. CONSTITUTION:A connector 1 consists of a female type housing 2 and a male type housing 2 fitted thereto, a lock lever 4 is provided with free forming movement as a fitting detection means on the upper side back part of the female type housing 2 and on its front, confirmation holes 6a-6d are opened. A fitting confirmation device 10 consists of a scanner 12 for confirmation with light projecting/receiving elements 12a-12d protruded opposite to the confirmation holes 6a-6d, and calculation processing unit 14 and success-failure judgement of fitting condiction is carried out by means of a detection signal formed with the fitting detection means 4 and the confirmation holes 6a-6d by scanning of the scanner 12. Thus, it is possible to easily make success-failure judgement of the fitting and to discriminate the kind of the connector 1 as required.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Purpose of the Invention (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a connector fitting confirmation device, and particularly to a device for checking whether a male housing is correctly inserted into a female housing. This invention relates to a connector fitting confirmation device 3, 2 that can automatically determine the fit.

(Prior Art) As a connector connection confirmation device that enables this type of automatic determination, there is, for example, a device having a structure shown in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 53-951.87.

This device is a connector connecting device equipped with an optical-electrical exchange element that projects light onto a mating position of a connector and converts the light reflected at the mating position into an electrical signal.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) This device requires a detection device consisting of a light emitting section and a light receiving section.

In addition, the structure required for the connector for detection requires that the optical path for emitting and receiving light be formed in the female housing at an angle so that the male housing coincides with the normal fitting state. The mold structure of the connector itself is complicated and the manufacturing cost is high.

Furthermore, it is necessary to provide a reflecting plate on the male housing facing the light transmission/reception optical path, resulting in a complicated component structure.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems by simplifying the processing of the connector to be read, and also enables the connector mating confirmation to be performed at the same time as confirming the mating state and identifying the type if necessary. The purpose is to provide a device.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention checks the fitted state of a connector consisting of one housing and another housing fitted to this one housing. The apparatus includes a fitting detection means provided in the one housing and a confirmation hole formed in a part of the one housing, and detects the fitting by scanning with a scanner having a light emitting/receiving element facing the confirmation hole. The present invention is characterized in that the correctness or failure of the fitted state is determined by obtaining a detection signal formed by the detection means and the confirmation hole.

(Function) According to the above structure, the fitted state can be easily confirmed based on whether the fitting detection means is in the front view position and the detection state of the scanner based on the relationship with the confirmation hole.

That is, a scanner having a light emitting/receiving element is opposed to the confirmation hole, and by scanning with this scanner, a detection signal generated by the fitting detection means and the confirmation hole is obtained, thereby easily determining whether the fitting state is correct or not. It can be done reliably.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail using the drawings.

Figures 1 (a), (b) and Figure 2 (a).

In (b), the connector 1 consists of one housing, that is, a female housing 2, and the other housing, that is, a male housing 3 that is fitted into the female housing 2.

A lock lever 4 as a connector fitting detection means is rotatably provided at the rear of the upper end of the female housing 2 via a hinge pin 5.
A stepped portion 3a is formed on the upper surface, and by pushing down the lock lever 4 with the male housing 3 fully fitted through the fitting hole 2a opened at the front surface of the female housing 2, the lock lever 4 can be moved. A claw portion 4a protruding from the rotating end of the step portion 3a engages with the step wall of the step portion 3a, and is prevented from coming off.

The fitting hole 2a is located on the front surface of the female housing 2.
On the side thereof, there is a scanner guide G, which will be described later, and four confirmation holes 5a and 6b arranged vertically inside the guide G.

6c and 6d are open.

The upper two confirmation holes are through holes and are for confirming fitting. In addition, in this embodiment, the lower two confirmation holes 6c
6d is formed to identify the type, and is a combination of a transparent hole on the top and a blind hole on the bottom, and these can be formed to indicate the type of connector, depending on the type, only the blind hole, both through holes, or both.
There are combinations of patterns such as upper hole and lower hole.

Although not shown, the female housing 2 is equipped with a connection plug, and the male housing 3 is equipped with a receptacle that is fitted and connected to the plug. 2 and 3 go through the mating process and then to the inspection process, where it is determined whether the mating is good or not, and in this example, the type of connector. sent to the process.

In the fitting process, automatic or manual fitting scanning is performed.

The fitting confirmation device 10 used in this inspection process includes a confirmation scanner 12 having light emitting/receiving elements 12a to 12d protruding in a vertical line facing the confirmation holes 6a to 6d, and a scanner 12 for confirmation.
and an arithmetic processing section 14 constituting a type identification means connected to.

Each of the light emitting/receiving elements 12a to 12d has an optical fiber or the like as a light emitting/receiving surface, and a through-hole element and a light receiving element (not shown) built into the scanner 12 are made to face these optical fibers, and detecting the light receiving element. The output is processed by the arithmetic processing section 1.
4 Send to @.

Output pattern patterns according to the type of connector are registered in the arithmetic processing unit 14 in advance, and the combination of output values detected by the scanner 12 determines which of the pre-registered pattern patterns is used for inspection. Identify the type of target connector. In addition, if it is not registered, that is, if it does not correspond to any of the output patterns, it is determined that there is a poor fit.
Generates an alarm output.

For example, if the connector 1 flows along a conveyance line and is detected by a fixed scanner and the fitting is normal, the connector 1 is passed through the line, and the number of connectors of the type corresponding to the pattern is updated.

In addition, in the case of poor mating, automated processing such as flashing a warning buzzer, warning lamp, etc., stopping the line, or instructing a line change to be moved to a different line from the main line is carried out. It can be carried out.

In the above configuration, as shown in FIG. 2(a), the fitting state of the A-type housing 3 to the female-type housing 2 is incomplete, and the lock lever 4 serving as the fitting detection means of the connector is completely locked. If not, only the lowest confirmation hole 6d reflects and is received by the light receiving element, and the other confirmation holes 6a to 6C transmit or diffusely reflect the light from the transparent elements, resulting in only one signal. In this case, the arithmetic processing unit 14 determines that there is no match, that is, there is a poor fit.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2(b), when the lock is completely locked, the confirmation holes 6b and 6d are reflected, and the scanner 1
0 outputs a normally registered waveform.

Therefore, the arithmetic processing unit 14 determines that the fitting is good, determines the type of connector, and performs the above-mentioned processing.

In the above embodiment, the rotary lock lever of the female housing was used as the fitting detection means, but a fitting detection means may be provided separately from the lock lever, or the lock lever may be a male type. It is also possible to form it in the housing and provide the fitting detection means in the female housing. Further, the fitting detection means is not limited to a rotary type, but may be provided so as to be movable up and down, and the movement or design form does not matter.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above in detail using the embodiments, the connector fitting confirmation device according to the present invention has the following effects.

By optically scanning the side of one housing using a scanner, this can be converted into an electrical waveform to determine whether the fit is correct or not.

Additionally, the type of connector can be determined if necessary.

Therefore, one inspection device can be used to inspect various types of connectors, depending on the light projection/reception pattern for each confirmation hole depending on the type of connector.

Furthermore, since the optical reading method allows reading while moving relative to each other, inspection can be performed in an assembly line rather than in a fixed manner as in the past.

Further, according to the present invention, since the confirmation hole opened in one housing port vJ is simply blocked by the other housing, there is no need for the complexity of the conventional connector i. A reading function can be added to determine whether the fitting is correct or not.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIGS. 1(a) and (b) are perspective views showing a connector to which the present invention is applied and a scanner for determining the mating state thereof, and FIGS. 2(a) and (b) are perspective views showing the reading state of the scanner and It is an explanatory diagram showing the output waveform. 1... Connector 2... One housing (female housing) 3...
The other housing (male housing) 4... Fitting detection means (lock lever) 6a to 6d... Confirmation hole 10... Fitting confirmation device 12... Scanner 12a to 12d... Light emitting/receiving element 14...Arithmetic processing unit (type identification means) agent Patent attorney Yasu Miyoshi Male I...Connector 2...One housing (male type housing) 3...fl
! One housing (male housing) 4... Fitting detection means (lob flavor) 6a to 6d... Fllling hole 0... Fitting FMLI device 12... Scanner +2a to 12d... Light emitting/receiving element

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A device for checking the fitted state of a connector consisting of one housing and another housing fitted to the one housing, wherein the one housing is provided with a fitting detection means, and the one housing is provided with a fitting detection means. A confirmation hole is formed in a part of the confirmation hole, and a detection signal formed by the fitting detection means and the confirmation hole is obtained by scanning with a scanner having a light emitting/receiving element facing the confirmation hole, thereby determining whether the fitted state is correct or not. A connector fitting confirmation device characterized by making a judgment.