JPH0412478A - Connection detecting device for connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To detect the connection of connectors by bringing a short circuit/ automatic lock detecting elastic piece into contact with a detecting circuit terminal when both connector housings are completely coupled. CONSTITUTION:A lock confirming slider E assembled with a short circuit/ automatic lock confirming elastic piece G' is combined with a male connector housing A'' from behind and advanced, and a driven section is coupled with a curved drive face 15. A lock detecting arm 8 is pulled down until it is coupled with a lock arm into the preset state. A lock confirming slider E'' is retreated in this situation, an elastic displacement section G'3 is folded inward by a curved face 15', when the housing A'' is completely coupled with the mating housing, the lock confirming slider E'' starts to be advanced by the elastic displacement section G'3, and a contact section G'2 is brought into contact with a detecting circuit terminal F at the foremost position to close a detecting circuit.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a pair of connectors used for connection of automotive wire harnesses, etc., and a method for detecting the connection of a pair of connectors, which has a means for detecting whether or not they are connected normally. It is related to the device.

[Conventional technology]

In FIG. 12, A' is a connector which has a flexible locking piece 2 in the terminal accommodating chamber of the male connector housing A.
B' is a female connector, and a flexible locking piece 4 holds the male terminal in the terminal accommodating chamber 3 of the female connector housing B.

A locking arm 5 is provided on the male connector housing A by a flexible support portion 5a, and a locking portion 5C formed at the tip of the forward elongated hole 5b is connected to a locking protrusion 6 provided on the surface of the female connector housing B. engage with. A lock release operation section 5d is provided at the rear end of the lock arm 5. - A lock confirmation slider E is provided on the male connector housing A so as to be movable in the front and back direction, and a cantilevered flexible lock detection arm 8 protrudes forward from its base 7, and the lock detection arm 8 has a distal end. At the abutment part 8
a and a support portion 8b, and has a long hole 5b of the lock arm 5.
The abutting portion 8a abuts the rear surface of the locking portion 5C, and the support portion 8b abuts the upper surface of the locking portion 5C.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 12(a), before the female and male connector housings A and B are fitted, the lock confirmation slider E is prevented from moving forward by the locking portion 5C of the lock arm 5. ing.

When the female and male connector housings A and B are fitted, the locking portion 5C of the locking arm 5 engages with the tapered guide surface 6 of the locking protrusion 6.
12(b), (C)).
When the locking portion 5C passes over the locking protrusion 6, the lock arm 5 is lowered, and the abutting portion 8a is positioned on the locking protrusion 6, so that the lock detection arm 8 is engaged with the lock arm 5. 12(d)).

In this state, it becomes possible to move the lock confirmation slider E forward, thereby confirming that the female and male connectors A' and B' are completely fitted.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In the above-mentioned conventional technology, since the fitted state is determined by looking at the position of the lock confirmation slider provided on the male connector housing, it is insufficient in detecting incomplete fitting.

The present invention has been made with attention to the above points, and is designed to electrically detect complete fitting of the connector in a connector having such a lock confirmation slider.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides one connector housing having a flexible locking arm, the other connector housing having a retaining portion for the flexible opening arm, and the one connector housing. comprising a lock confirmation slider having a lock detection arm that is provided and capable of moving forward when both the connector housings are fully fitted;
One of the connector housings is provided with a detection circuit terminal and an elastic piece for short circuit and automatic lock confirmation, and when both connector housings are fully mated, the lock confirmation slider is automatically moved by the short circuit and automatic lock confirmation elastic piece. A structure is adopted in which the short-circuit and automatic lock confirmation elastic piece comes into contact with the detection circuit terminal as the connector moves forward, and a detection circuit terminal is provided on one of the connector housings, and the short-circuit and automatic lock confirmation slider is provided with a detection circuit terminal. An elastic piece for confirmation is provided, and when both connector housings are completely mated, the elastic piece for confirming short circuit and automatic lock automatically advances the slider for confirming lock, and the elastic piece for confirming short circuit and automatic lock also moves forward the elastic piece for confirming short circuit and automatic lock. We adopted a configuration that makes contact with the terminal.

〔Example〕

In FIG. 1, the J male connector housing A' has a lock confirmation slider E' that can be moved forward when fully fitted with the mating female connector housing (not shown).Lock confirmation slider E The locking structure between the lock arm 5 and the lock arm 5 is the same as that of the conventional example.

The male connector housing A' is provided with a mantle part 9 surrounding the mating female connector housing in the front half, and a body rail 10 extends rearward from the rear part of the mantle part 9.
Grooves 11 formed on both sides of the base 7 of the lock confirmation slider E' engage with the rails 10, and each of the pair of rails 10 has a terminal accommodating chamber 12 that opens rearward ( (See Figure 2).

A small detection circuit terminal F connected to the electric fIW is inserted in advance into the terminal housing chamber 12, and the locking piece F is inserted into the upper opening 1.
2a, and the terminal F is exposed at the inner opening 12b.

Between the pair of rails 10 of the male connector housing A', the two mounting windings G2 formed at the corners of the roughly U-shaped elastic pieces G for short circuit and automatic lock confirmation are engaged with the mounting rod part 13. By aligning them together and engaging the base portion G1 with the biasing protrusion 14, both elastic contact portions G are provided so as to be able to come into contact with the detection circuit terminal F via the opening 12b. Note that the driven portion G4 is bent inward continuously from the elastic contact portion G3.
is provided. The above-mentioned mounting rod part 13 and biasing protrusion 14
The end surfaces of are formed as tapered surfaces 13a and 14a, and an elastic piece for shorting and automatic lock confirmation is inserted from the rear into the gap S when the lock confirmation slider E' is attached to the male connector housing A'. G is pushed through the tapered surfaces 13a and 14a to connect the mounting winding part G2 and the base part G,
is engaged with the mounting rod portion 13 and the biasing protrusion 14 (FIG. 5).

A curved drive surface 15 is formed in front of the base 7 of the slider E' for lock confirmation, facing the driven part G4 of the elastic piece G for short-circuiting and automatic lock confirmation, and a pair of driven parts G4 are formed.
, G4 contact the curved drive surface 15 in a vertically shifted state.

The lock confirmation slider E' is first moved forward by pushing down the lock arm 5 with a jig to disengage it from the lock detection arm 8, as shown in FIG. The lock confirmation elastic piece G is attached to the male connector housing A', and in this state, the lock confirmation slider E' is moved back (Fig. 4(b)).
At this time, the curved driving surface 15 displaces the short-circuit and automatic lock confirmation elastic piece G inwardly against its elasticity via the driven part G4. Then, by further moving backward, the abutment portion 8a of the lock detection arm 8 is moved to the locking portion 5C of the lock arm 5.
In this state, both elastic contact parts G of the elastic piece G for short circuit and automatic lock confirmation
, is folded inward against its elasticity (Figure 4 (
C)).

In the above configuration, the lock confirmation slider E' is released from the restraint by the lock arm 5 when fully mated with the mating connector.
automatically moves forward due to the elasticity of the folded elastic contact portion Ga (see FIG. 4(C)), and the elastic contact piece G contacts the detection circuit terminal F through the opening 12a to close the detection circuit ( Figure 4(a)).

In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a forwardly curved driving surface 15' is formed at the rear end between the pair of rails 10 of the male connector housing A'', and the base of the lock confirmation slider E'' is An elastic piece G' for short circuit and automatic lock confirmation is attached to 7.

The elastic piece G' for short circuit and automatic lock confirmation is a contact part Gt' wound around the bent part between the base G1 and the pair of elastic displacement parts 03'.
and has a driven part G4' bent inward at the free end, and the base part Gl' is supported by the locking part 16 at the front end of the base part 7 of the lock confirmation slider E''. This allows the driven portion G4' to be opposed to the curved drive surface 15' of the male connector housing A''.

In the above configuration, as shown in FIG.
The driven portion G4' is engaged with the curved drive surface 15' by combining and advancing the male connector housing A" from the rear part thereof (FIG. 8(a)), and then the lock detection arm 8 Pull it down until it engages with the lock arm to set it in the preset state (Fig. 8(C)).

In the preset state, the lock confirmation slider E" is retracted, so the elastic displacement portion 03'
When the male connector housing A'' is completely fitted with the mating connector housing, the lock confirmation slider E7/ is folded inward by the elastic displacement parts G,'
(Fig. 8)), and at the most advanced position, the contact portion 02' contacts the detection circuit terminal F to close the detection circuit (Fig. 8(a)).

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, a pair of support frames 10' are inserted from the rear of the sleeve part 9 of the male connector housing A'.
extends rearward, and a groove 1 formed by the support frame 10'
0'', sliding frame portions 11' formed on both sides of the lock confirmation slider E'' are engaged, and the pair of support frames 10
A terminal accommodating chamber 12 opening rearward is formed in each of the terminals 1 and 2'.

A small detection circuit terminal F, which is connected to an electric wire in advance, is inserted into the terminal storage chamber 12 and locked therein, as in the previous embodiment.
It is exposed at the lower opening 12C facing the groove 10''.

A pressing operation portion 7' is connected to the rear of the base 7 of the lock confirmation slider E'', and an elastic piece G' for short circuit and automatic lock confirmation is provided between the sliding frame portions 11' provided at the lower portions of both sides. The elastic piece G″ for short circuit and automatic lock confirmation has a biasing winding part 0., IP, G, on the U-shaped base GI″.
J' and the urging winding portions 02'', 02'''
An elastic displacement part G, `` , G, '' directed downward from is provided,
Each elastic displacement part G, ``G, 03'' is provided with an elastic contact part G, ``G,'' bent further forward via a supporting shaft part G4'', G4'' bent outward.

A support groove 11a' is formed in the sliding frame portion 11'' in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the lock confirmation slider E''', and a storage groove 11a' is formed on the outside thereof and is continuous with the support groove 11a' and is open at the top. A recess 11b' is provided.

As shown in FIG. 9, the short-circuiting and automatic lock confirmation elastic piece G'' engages each support shaft 04'' with the support groove 11a' of the sliding frame ll', and the elastic contact portion G, ′ is located in the accommodation recess 11b′, and then slide the lock confirmation slider E.
', and at this time, each biasing winding part 0
2'' is located on the side of the pressing operation part 7', and is located on the side of the U-shaped base Gl.
' is located below the pressing operation section 7'.

For the lock confirmation slider E'' incorporating the short-circuit and automatic lock confirmation elastic piece G'', first insert the sliding frame portions 11'□ on both sides into the groove 10'' from the rear of the male connector housing A~, and then The shape of the base Gl" is engaged with the biasing protrusion 14' that stands up at the rear end between the grooves 10" and 10" of the male connector housing A'. In this state, the elastic contact portion G3.," is in contact with the detection circuit terminal F through the opening 12C (FIGS. 10(a) and 10(b)).

Next, as shown in the prior art, the lock confirmation slider E is pulled down until the abutting portion 8a of the lock detection arm 8 is locked with the lock arm, resulting in a preset state (FIG. 11(a)). , (b)). In this state, the U-shaped base 01'' of the short-circuit and automatic lock confirmation elastic piece G'' and the elastic displacement portion 03'' are close to each other, and strong elasticity is accumulated in the biasing winding portion G2''.

In the above configuration, when the male connector housing A'''' is completely fitted with the mating connector housing, the lock confirmation slider E~ is moved forward by the urging force of the elastic displacement portions G, '', etc., and the elastic contact portions G, '' are moved forward. Contact the detection circuit terminal F to close the detection circuit (see Figure 10).

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, the present invention provides one connector housing having a flexible locking arm, the other connector housing having a retaining portion for the flexible locking arm, and a connector housing provided on the one connector housing so that the two connector housings can be completely fitted together. It consists of a lock confirmation slider with a lock detection arm that can move forward when the two connector housings are fully mated, and one of the connector housings is provided with a detection circuit terminal and an elastic piece for shorting and automatic lock confirmation. The lock confirmation slider is automatically advanced by the short circuit and automatic lock confirmation elastic piece, and the short circuit and automatic lock confirmation elastic piece is brought into contact with the detection circuit terminal, or one of the connector housings. A detection circuit terminal is provided on the lock confirmation slider, and an elastic piece for short circuiting and automatic lock confirmation is provided on the lock confirmation slider, and when both connector housings are fully mated, the lock confirmation slider is automatically activated by the short circuit and automatic lock confirmation elastic piece. Since the short-circuit and automatic lock confirmation elastic piece comes into contact with the detection circuit terminal as the connector housing moves forward, the detection circuit is automatically activated when the pair of connector housings are completely mated. can be activated.

[Brief Description of the Drawings] Fig. 1 is a rear view of one embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the same connector housing, and Fig. 3 is a lock confirmation slider shown in the above. Partially cutaway perspective view, Figures 4(a), (b), and (C) are plan views of the connector housing showing the relationship with the lock confirmation slider, and Figure 5 is the mounting part of the elastic piece for short circuit and automatic lock confirmation. FIG. 6 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the connector housing of another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the same lock confirmation slider, and FIG. 8 ( a) (b) (C) is a plan view of the same connector housing shown above showing its relationship with the lock confirmation slider; FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing still another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 10 (a) ) (b) is a perspective view (al
11(a) and 11(b) are perspective views of the state in which the lock confirmation slider is retracted from the connector housing.
al and the operating state of the elastic piece for short circuit and automatic lock confirmation). FIG. 12 is a sectional view of the conventional example, (al (bl (C)
(dl (e) (fl indicates the fitting process of a pair of connector housings. A', A", A'"... Connector housing, E'E
", E~...Slider for lock confirmation, F...Terminal for detection circuit, G, G', G"...Elastic piece for short circuit and automatic lock confirmation. Figure 3 (b) (C) Figure 4 (b) (C) Figure 8 (a) (b) No. 10 (b) Figure 11

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) One connector housing having a flexible locking arm, the other connector housing having an engaging portion for the flexible locking arm, and the one connector housing being provided with the connector housing so as to be able to move forward when the two connector housings are completely fitted together. It consists of a lock confirmation slider with a lock detection arm, and one of the connector housings is equipped with a detection circuit terminal and an elastic piece for short circuit and automatic lock confirmation, and the short circuit and automatic lock confirmation is performed when both connector housings are fully mated. A connector coupling detection device characterized in that the lock confirmation slider is automatically moved forward by the elastic piece, and the short circuit and automatic lock confirmation elastic piece is brought into contact with the detection circuit terminal. (2) One connector housing having a flexible locking arm, the other connector housing having an engaging portion for the flexible locking arm, and the one connector housing being provided with the connector housing so as to be able to move forward when the two connector housings are completely fitted together. One of the connector housings is provided with a detection circuit terminal, and the lock confirmation slider is provided with an elastic piece for short circuiting and automatic lock confirmation, so that both connector housings are completely fitted. When the short-circuit and automatic lock confirmation elastic piece is activated, the lock confirmation slider is automatically moved forward, and the short-circuit and automatic lock confirmation elastic piece is brought into contact with the detection circuit terminal. Detection device.