JPH03280370A - Lock sensing mechanism of electric connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make double checking and recording of the locked state whether it is acceptable, by pinching off and recording the mark furnished on a removable check slider when the housing is fitted and locked in its specified position. CONSTITUTION:When a slider S is pushed, a stopper 24a of a lock sensing arm 24 reaches backmore than a detent boss 14b, and the sensing arm 24 returns by resilience while the slider S moves to the lock checking position. At the same time, a mark (m) provided on the block sensing arm 24 is located right under a window 14e of a locking arm 14. This position is a lock point where the detent boss 14b is fitted surely with a level difference 22 in a female connector F, and a male connector M is secured to the female connector F. The mark (m) on the slider S is read through the window 14e by a mark reader G, and checking and recording of the locked state whether it is acceptable or not can be made.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a lock detection mechanism for an electrical connector used to connect wire harnesses to each other or to connect wire harnesses to electrical equipment.

[Conventional technology]

Electrical connectors are generally constructed so that a ridge containing a terminal and a male connector housing are fitted together, and a locking means is provided between the two housings to prevent the two housings from coming apart, thereby ensuring electrical connection.

The process of fitting female and tIj1 connectors tends to be automated in vehicle production lines using robots and the like, and it is necessary to inspect whether the fitting and locking are complete.

As a means for detecting the fitting and locking of such female and male connectors, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-225480 discloses
As shown in FIG. 5, a predetermined mark c1cz is provided on each of the male connector a and the female connector b, which forms a specific mark C when the two are completely fitted, and a light emitting/receiving type mark reader d is attached to this mark C. A method is disclosed in which the mark C is read by emitting light and receiving the reflected light, confirming the fitting of both connectors a and b, and recording.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

According to the above conventionally known technology, female and male connectors a.

If one side of b is a direct plug type connector for electrical equipment such as an instrument panel, car radio, or electrical connection box, it is difficult to place a mark on the equipment side.
It is not possible to check the fit of various types of connectors.

The present invention has been made focusing on the above problems,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a fitting and locking detection mechanism for electrical connectors capable of detecting the fitting and locking states of a pair of female and male connectors, regardless of their type.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the lock detection mechanism of the electrical connector of the present invention includes a pair of female connectors facing each other.

An electrical connector comprising a male connector housing and a locking means that engages when both housings are fitted in the normal position, the electrical connector having a locking means that engages when both housings are fitted in the normal position. The lock confirmation slider is provided with a lock confirmation slider that can be attached to at least one of both housings, and the lock confirmation slider is provided with a mark that can be read from the outside by a mark reader when the lock confirmation slider is attached.

[For production]

The electrical connector according to the present invention includes a lock confirmation slider that can be attached only when the female and m connector housings are completely fitted and locked.

This lock confirmation slider is attached to at least one of the female and male connector housings, and the mark provided on the lock confirmation slider is confirmed and recorded by the mark reader through a window provided in the locking arm, for example. .

Therefore, the lock detection mechanism according to the present invention can be applied to either mutually independent type female 1 m connectors or a type of connector in which one of the connectors is directly connected to a device.

Hereinafter, the above configuration and operation will be specifically explained with reference to drawings showing examples.

〔Example〕

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the lock detection mechanism of an electrical connector according to the present invention in a separated state, Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the same partially assembled state, and Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line mm in Fig. 2. Indicated.

In these figures, M indicates a boiled connector, F indicates a female connector provided directly on the electrical connection box J, and S indicates a lock confirmation slider.

Inside the connector housing 11 of the male connector M, a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 12 are formed in upper and lower stages, and each accommodating chamber 12
A female terminal 13 (see FIG. 2) is accommodated in the housing. Further, a locking arm 1 is provided on the upper outer peripheral wall of the housing 11.
4 is provided.

This locking arm 14 includes a pair of arm plates 14a, 14a that extend forward through a portal-shaped (or channel-shaped) fulcrum part 15 at the rear, and locking protrusions 14b, 14b formed on their free ends. , and a connecting piece 14c that connects both of the locking protrusions, and a reinforcing plate 14d that connects the base ends of the pair of arm plates 14a, 14a of the locking arm 14 has a window 14e. Also,
A passage 16 is formed between the pair of arm plates 14a, 14a to allow movement of a detection arm 24, which will be described later, back and forth. This passage 16 includes side plates 15a on both sides of the fulcrum portion 15,
15a, and communicates with the space formed between the side plates 1.
A locking protrusion 17 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) is provided on the upper outer circumferential wall between 5a and 15a.

The connector housing 18 of the female connector F in the electrical junction box J houses therein a male terminal 20' (see FIG. 2) corresponding to the female terminal 13 of the male connector M.

This male terminal 20' is directly led out from a circuit board (not shown) in the electrical connection box J.

The housing 18 has a hood 18a in its front half for receiving the male connector M, and a lock chamber 21 for receiving the locking arm 14 is formed in an enlarged upper outer peripheral wall of the hood 18a. A detent 22 (see FIG. 2) is provided protruding from the inner surface of the ceiling wall. This detent 22 has a guide taper 22a on its lower surface and engages with the locking projection 14b of the locking arm 14.

The lock confirmation slider S consists of a slider body 23 and a lock detection arm 24 that integrally extends forward from the slider body 23. The slider body 23 includes a slide plate 23a and an operation plate 23.
A guide groove 25 for the protrusion 17 is provided on the back surface of the slide plate 23a (see FIGS. 2 and 3), and a protrusion 26 is provided at the end of the political condition 25. There is. The lock detection arm 24 has a protruding stopper 24a at its free end and a support guide 24 that protrudes forward.
b is formed. Further, a mark m for lock detection is provided at the center of the upper surface of the lock detection arm 24. This mark m may be any mark as long as it can be recognized by the above-mentioned known mark reader, and may be made by means of several unevennesses, a bar code, coloring, etc., and the standard of the connector,
It is preferable to make the display such as the number of poles easy to distinguish.

Next, we will explain the lock detection mechanism and operation by using the lock fl* confirmation slider S (Fig. 4 a to f). The lock confirmation slider S is attached to the male connector M in advance as shown in Fig. 2. I'll keep it.

That is, when the slider S is inserted into the space between the housing 11 and the fulcrum part 15, the lock detection arm 24 moves forward in the passage 16 of the locking arm 14, and the front hanging wall of the stopper 24a connects with the connecting piece 14C (hereinafter referred to as Locking protrusion 14
b) and stops, and the support guide 24b becomes in a state of supporting the locking protrusion 14b from below. At the same time, the protrusion 26 of the slide plate 23a rides over the protrusion 17 on the outer peripheral wall of the housing. As a result, the slider S is locked to the housing 11 and the lock detection arm 24 is held by the locking arm 14.

FIG. 4a shows a state in which the male connector M to which the slider S is attached as described above is partially fitted into the hood 18a of the female connector F. The free end of the locking arm 14 rests against a detent 22 in the locking chamber 21.

Further, since the slider S has not entered sufficiently deep into the locking arm 14, the mark m cannot be read from the window 14e.

In this state, when the slider S (or male connector M) is pushed in the direction of the arrow P, the locking arm 14 slides into contact with the guide taper 22a and moves forward while being bent downward, as shown in FIG. 4C. At this time, since the stopper 24a and the support guide 24b are engaged with the locking protrusion 14b of the arm 14,
The lock detection arm 24 also bends downward, and the stopper 24a
It is now in a state where it slips under the detent 22.

Between c and d in FIG. 4, the locking protrusion 14b
When the locking arm 14 enters deeper than 2, the locking arm 14 is released, and the locking arm 14 elastically returns and bends upward. As a result, the locking protrusion 14b engages with the detent 22, and the female and a
Full mating and locking of connectors F, M is achieved simultaneously, said female.

An electrical connection is made to the male terminal 13.20'.

Furthermore, due to the elastic return of the locking arm 14, there is no longer an obstacle (locking protrusion 14b) that prevents the stopper 24a from moving forward, and the front part is released.

Then, if you press the slider S further as shown in Figure 4 e and f,
When the lock detection arm 24 moves forward and the stopper 24a reaches deeper than the locking protrusion 14b, the arm 24 also returns elastically.

As a result, the slider S moves to the lock confirmation position as shown in FIG. 4f. At the same time, the mark m provided on the lock detection arm 24 comes to be located directly below the window 14e of the locking arm 14.

As mentioned above, the lock confirmation slider S is female.

It operates only when the male connector is completely fitted and locked and the locking arm and lock detection arm are disengaged. Therefore, it is possible to confirm that the lock is completely engaged when the connector is fitted.

In addition, by confirming and recording the mark m on the slider S through the window 14e of the locking arm 14 using the mark reader G, complete mating and locking of the female and M connectors F and M can be determined without relying on visual inspection and recorded. You can save the results.

A known mark reader may be used for this mark reader, and although the details are omitted, the L
A light source such as an ED, an optical sensor that detects reflected light from the mark m, a computer that compares and determines information from the optical sensor with pre-stored information, and means for displaying and/or recording the computer's determination results. It is sufficient as long as it has the following.

In this way, complete fitting and locking of the female and a connectors F and M can be double confirmed by mounting the lock confirmation slider S and reading the mark m.

The above is the lock detection arm 2 of the slider S for lock confirmation.
4 is provided with the support guide 24b that engages with the locking protrusion 14b of the locking arm 14, but the guide 24b may be omitted.

In this case, as can be clearly seen from FIGS. 4b to 4d, the lock detection arm 24 bends later than the locking arm 14, so the slider S can be mounted with low insertion force. can.

Furthermore, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the case where the female connector F is provided integrally with the electrical connection box J, but can be applied to a normal independent one.

Furthermore, in the case of a type of electrical connector in which the locking arm 14 is provided to protrude forward from the sleeve part 18 of the female connector F, and the male connector M is provided with a gate-shaped locking part (not shown) to lock the connector. In this case, the lock confirmation slider S may be mounted from the direction opposite to the direction in which the locking arm extends from the locking portion.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, it is possible to double check and record the fit and lock status of an electrical connector consisting of a pair of female and male connectors. It can be used to connect the circuits of safety devices such as

Further, the present invention can be applied even if one of the female and A connectors is a direct plug type for electrical equipment, so it can be used for general purposes.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a separated state showing a first embodiment of the device of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a partially combined state of the same, and Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line I-1 in Fig. 2. , FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the main part showing the fitting process and operating state, respectively, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of a conventional example. F...Female connector, M...Male connector, S...Lock confirmation slider, G...Mark reader, M...
Mark, 11... (male) connector housing, 14.
...Nissoking arm, 14b...locking protrusion, 14e
...window, 15...fulcrum, 16...passage, 18.
... ([) Connector housing, 22... Detent,
24...Lock detection arm. Figure Figure

Claims (1)

[Claims] Comprising a pair of female and male connector housings facing each other,
In an electrical connector comprising a locking means that engages when both housings are fitted in the normal position, the electrical connector is configured to engage at least one of the housings when the housings are fitted and locked in the normal position. A lock detection mechanism for an electrical connector, comprising a lock confirmation slider that can be attached, and a mark that can be read from the outside by a mark reader when the lock confirmation slider is attached.