JPH07326423A - Connector device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a connector device which eliminates the possibility of terminals being touched by an error during maintenance work and keeps water droplets such as raindrops from attaching to the terminals. CONSTITUTION:A hood 16 which is provided integrally with a lid 10 covers the circumferences of male 50 and female 40 terminals when the lid 10 is open. The end of the hood 16 engaged with the stepped portion 29 of a housing 20. When the lid 10 is closed, the flange 17 of the lid makes sealing contact with packing 35, and rubber plugs 46 fitted around wires 45 also make sealing contact with the inner wall surface of the housing 20.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is provided with a male terminal and a female terminal respectively on a first base and a second base which are rotatable relative to each other, and the first base and the second base are rotated relative to each other. The present invention relates to a connector device in which a male terminal is pulled out from a female terminal by moving to interrupt the continuity of a high-voltage circuit to enhance safety during work.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a board of a control switchboard is provided with, for example, a female terminal, and a lid of the control switchboard which is rotatable with respect to the board is provided with a male terminal so that the cover of the control switchboard is closed. In this case, both terminals are engaged with each other to establish a conduction state between the male and female terminals, but at the same time when the lid of the control switchboard is opened, the male terminals are pulled out from the female terminals and the conduction between the male and female terminals is cut off. A connector device designed to enhance the safety during maintenance is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 56-57983.

By the way, in an electric vehicle, which has been drawing attention in recent years from the viewpoint of environmental problems, a high-voltage and large-capacity current flows in a circuit connecting a battery and a drive motor. In addition, because of the nature of automobiles, not only automobile maintenance specialists but also the general public can maintain electric vehicles. It is necessary to further enhance the sex. Therefore, the control switchboard is provided in the engine room of the electric vehicle, and the control switchboard is provided with a connector device that cuts off the continuity of the circuit connecting the battery and the drive motor by opening the cover of the control switchboard during maintenance work. .

[0004]

However, since the conventional connector device of this type has a structure in which the terminals are exposed, an operator can open the lid of the control switchboard during maintenance work. There is a risk that a finger, a tool, or the like may be accidentally brought into contact with the terminal of the connector device to receive an electric shock. Further, since the conventional connector device does not have a waterproof structure, when the control switchboard is provided inside the engine room of an electric vehicle, water droplets such as rainwater may enter the connector device and cause electric leakage. It was

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to erroneously contact a terminal and receive an electric shock during maintenance work, or water droplets such as rain water on the terminal. An object of the present invention is to provide a connector device which does not adhere to cause electric leakage.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The above-mentioned problems are solved by the present invention, a first base body, a second base body rotatably supported by the first base body, and a second base body. A female terminal fixed to the base body and to which wiring is connected, and a female terminal fixed to the first base body and engaged with the pair of female terminals with relative rotation with respect to the second base body. A male terminal for electrically connecting between the female terminals; a rotation restricting means for restricting rotation of the first base body with respect to the second base body in a state where the male terminal and the female terminal are disengaged; A cover means provided on at least one of the first base body and the second base body to cover the periphery of the male terminal and the female terminal, and a seal for liquid-tightly sealing the male terminal and the female terminal engaged with each other. And a connector device comprising: Door can be.

[0007]

In the connector device of the present invention, the male terminal and the female terminal are engaged with each other by relatively rotating the first base body and the second base body to bring them close to each other, and by separating them from each other. The male terminal and the female terminal are disengaged. And
The male terminal engages with the pair of female terminals to electrically connect the wires respectively connected to the female terminals. The rotation restricting means prevents the first base body and the second base body from coming close to each other and the male terminals and the female terminals from engaging with each other, and at the same time, the first base body and the second base body are separated from each other, and the male body is separated from the second base body. It prevents the relative distance between the terminal and the female terminal from expanding. The cover means covers around the male terminal and the female terminal to prevent an operator from touching both terminals. Further, the sealing means seals the male and female terminals so that water droplets and the like do not adhere to prevent the occurrence of electrical leakage.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the connector device of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Here, FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which a male terminal and a female terminal of a connector device of a first embodiment according to the present invention are disengaged, and FIG. 2 is a first embodiment according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a side view for explaining the operation of the rotation restricting means of the connector device in FIG.
4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which a male terminal and a female terminal of a connector device according to a first embodiment of the present invention are engaged, and FIG. 5 is a male terminal and a female terminal of a connector device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which and are engaged, FIG. 6 is an overall plan view of the connector device of the first embodiment according to the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a state in which the lid body of the connector device of the first embodiment according to the present invention is removed. FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a state in which the male terminal and the female terminal of the connector device according to the second embodiment of the present invention are disengaged.

First, a connector device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the connector device 100 according to the first embodiment.
Is a lid 10 as a first base, a housing 20 as a second base, a female terminal 40 fixed to the housing 20, and a male terminal 50 fixed to the lid 10.
And a rotation restricting means 60 having a locking portion 23 provided on the housing 20 and a locking piece 61 extending from the lid body 10 that engages with the locking portion 23, and the rotation regulating means 60 integrated with the lid body 10. And a packing 35 and a rubber stopper 46 as sealing means.

The lid 10 is resin-molded, and has a plate-shaped main body portion 11 having a rectangular outer shape, and a pair of plate-shaped first body portions integrally extending from the main body portion 11 and extending in parallel with each other. 1 support piece 12, a rotating shaft 13 connecting the tip end portions of both supporting pieces 12, and a pair extending integrally from the main body portion 11 on the side opposite to the rotating shaft 13 and extending parallel to each other. Plate-shaped second support piece 14 and both support pieces 14
An operating lever 15 for connecting the distal end portions of the two, a flange 17 standingly provided so as to extend from the main body portion 11 toward the housing 20 side, and a rectangular cross section extending inside the flange 17 toward the housing 20 side. A cylindrical hood 16 having an opening and a swinging shaft 1 that is swingably extended to an end portion of the main body portion 11 on the operation lever 15 side.
3 is provided with a lock arm 18 extending in a vertical direction.

The housing 20 has a cylindrical main body portion 21 having a substantially rectangular cross section, and integrally extends from an outer surface of the main body portion 21 so as to extend in parallel with each other, and the tip of the lid body 10 is rotated at its tip portion. The movable shaft 13 is provided with a pair of support pieces 22 provided with a groove 22a with which the movable shaft 13 is rotatably engaged. Further, at the end of the opening of the main body portion 21 on the side of the lid body 10, a concave groove 24 for receiving the tip end portion of the flange 17 of the lid body 10 is recessed all around. Then, when the lid 10 is rotated to close the opening of the housing 20, the flange 1 is attached to the bottom of the groove 24.
An annular packing 35 with which the front end surface of 7 is in close contact is fixed. Inside the body portion 21, four female terminals 40 are provided.
A female terminal accommodating chamber 26 for accommodating the female terminal 40 is formed, and a flexible locking piece 27 that engages with the female terminal 40 to prevent the female terminal 40 from coming off and is fixed is provided inside thereof. The hood 16 of the lid 10 is loosely fitted into the space formed by the side wall of the female terminal storage chamber 26 and the side wall of the main body portion 21.

As shown in a plan view in FIG. 7, the female terminal 40 has a rotary shaft 13 of the lid 10 in a female terminal accommodating chamber 26.
Are arranged in two rows in the extending direction and in two rows in the direction away from the rotating shaft 13. The rubber plug 46 fitted on the wiring 45 connected to the female terminal 40 is in close contact with the inner wall surface of the wiring insertion hole 28 of the housing 20, and the female terminal accommodation chamber 26 is inserted through the wiring insertion hole 28. It is liquid-tightly sealed to prevent water droplets from entering inside.

The male terminal 50 is formed by punching out a metal plate in a U-shape, and the pair of male terminals 50 extend in parallel with each other and in a direction perpendicular to the rotating shaft 13 of the lid 10. The main body 11 of the lid 10 is integrally molded. As a result, when the lid body 10 is closed with respect to the housing 20, the respective male terminals 50 engage with the pair of female terminals 40 to establish conduction between the pair of female terminals 40, and open the lid body 10 conversely. Thus, the conduction between the pair of female terminals 40 is cut off.

The rotation restricting means 60 is shown in FIGS.
2 and 3, a through hole 23a formed by a belt-shaped locking portion 23 extending parallel to the outer surface of the main body portion 21 and the lid 10 as shown in FIGS.
The first engaging protrusion 6 that extends in a belt shape from the side edge of the housing toward the housing 20 and that engages with the locking portion 23.
2 is provided with a locking piece 61 protrudingly provided. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 2, when the lid 10 is opened, the locking piece 61 slides in the through hole 23a, and the first engaging projection 62 engages with the locking portion 23. , The lid 10 can no longer be opened. At this time, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the tip of the hood 16 engages with the step portion 29 provided in the housing 20, so that the lid body 10 is left open. 2 in FIG.
As shown by a dotted line, a second engaging projection 63 is provided on the engaging piece 61 at a position facing the first engaging projection 62, and the second engaging projection 63 is provided on the engaging portion. The lid 10 may be left open by engaging with the lid 23.

Next, the operation of the connector device 100 of this embodiment will be described. First, as shown in FIG.
When the operating lever 15 is gripped and rotated about the rotating shaft 13, the male terminal 50 and the pair of female terminals 40 are disengaged from each other, and the wiring 45 connected to each female terminal 40 is disconnected. Is cut off. Then, when the lid body 10 is rotated by a predetermined angle or more, the first engaging protrusions 62 of the engaging piece 61 provided integrally with the lid body 10 are provided with the engaging portion provided integrally with the housing 20. Since it engages with 23, the lid 10 can no longer be opened. At the same time, the tip of the hood 16 is provided on the housing 20 to form the stepped portion 2.
9, the lid 10 is fixed to the housing 20 in an open state. As a result, the lid 10 is closed carelessly, the male terminal 50 engages with the female terminal 40, and it is possible to eliminate the possibility that a current flows between the wires 45. Further, at this time, since the hood 16 covers the female terminal 40, it is possible to eliminate the risk of an electric shock caused by an operator touching the female terminal 40 with a finger or a tool. In order to open the lid 10 completely, the locking piece 61 is pressed in the direction of the arrow C shown in FIG. 3 to bend the locking piece 61, and thus to engage the first engaging projection 62. It suffices to disengage the engagement with the stopper 23.

The lid 10 is closed and the male terminal 50 is connected to the female terminal 40.
In order to engage the hood 16, the hood 16 is pressed in the direction of the arrow A shown in FIG. 1 to bend the hood 16, and the tip of the hood 16 and the step portion 29 of the housing 20 are disengaged. Then, when the lid body 10 is closed, as shown in FIG. 4, the lock arm 18 provided on the lid body 10 engages with the lock piece 31 (see FIG. 1) of the housing 20, and the lid body 10 is closed. Fixed in state. As a result, the male terminal 50 becomes the female terminal 40.
And the wiring 45 can be electrically connected. At this time, the tip of the flange 17 of the lid 10 is attached to the housing 20.
Since it closely adheres to the packing 35 attached in the concave groove 24, the space between the lid 10 and the housing 20 can be liquid-tightly sealed. Further, as described above, since the rubber plug 46 fitted on the wiring 45 is in close contact with the inner wall surface of the wiring insertion hole 28 of the housing 20, the wiring insertion hole 28 is formed.
Water such as rainwater does not enter the female terminal storage chamber 26 through the. Thereby, even when the connector device of the present embodiment is provided in the engine room of an electric vehicle,
It is possible to prevent rainwater and the like from entering the inside of the connector device 100 and leaking electricity. In order to reopen the lid 10, the lock release portion 19 of the lock arm 18 is pressed in the direction of arrow E shown in FIG.
8 so that the lock piece 31 of the housing 20 is rotated.
(See FIG. 1).

That is, the connector device 100 of this embodiment.
In the above, the lid 10 is opened so that the tip of the hood 16 engages with the step portion 29 of the housing 20.
The wall surface of 6 is pressed to bend the stepped portion 29 of the housing 20.
Since the lid 10 cannot be closed unless it is disengaged from the lid 10, the lid 10 is closed carelessly during the work so that the male terminal 50 engages with the female terminal 40 to electrically connect the wires 45. There is no danger of sudden current flow in the circuit. Further, since the hood 16 is formed integrally with the lid body 10, the structure can be simplified and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

Next, a connector device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 8, the connector device 200 of the second embodiment is different from the connector device 100 of the first embodiment described above in the structure of the hood 71 as the cover means, but the other structures are the same as those of the first embodiment. The connector device 100 is the same as the connector device 100 of FIG. That is, the second embodiment
In the connector device 200, the tubular first hood 71 having a rectangular cross section is provided integrally with the lid body 10, and the tubular second hood 72 having a rectangular cross section is provided.
Is loosely fitted to the side wall 26a of the female terminal storage chamber 26. Then, the second hood 72 is interposed between the bottom surface 25a of the hood housing recess 25 and the projection 72a protruding from the outer surface of the second hood 72, and is a spring 73 as a biasing means. Thus, the lid 10 is constantly urged toward the side. As a result, when the lid 10 is opened, the second hood 72
Is displaced toward the lid 10, and the second hood 72 is moved to the first position.
The outer periphery of the male terminal 50 and the female terminal 40 is covered together with the hood 71. Therefore, the housing 2
Even if it is not possible to cover the periphery of the male terminal 50 and the female terminal 40 only with the first hood 71 that can be stored in the storage recess 25 provided in 0, By adding the second hood 72, the periphery of the male terminal 50 and the female terminal 40 can be reliably covered.

[0019]

Since the present invention is constructed as described above, the following excellent effects can be obtained. That is,
In the connector device of the present invention, since the cover means covers the periphery of the male terminal and the female terminal, it is possible to eliminate the risk of electric shock caused by the operator touching the terminal with his / her finger or tool. Also,
In the connector device of the present invention, the rotation restricting means is the first.
Since the rotation of the base body with respect to the second base body is prevented so that the male terminal and the female terminal are maintained in the disengaged state, the male terminal and the female terminal are inadvertently engaged during the work. There is no risk of sudden current flow in the circuit. Further, in the connector device of the present invention, since the sealing means liquid-tightly seals the male terminal and the female terminal which are engaged with each other, there is no risk of water such as rainwater entering and leaking electricity.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which a male terminal and a female terminal of a connector device according to a first embodiment of the present invention are disengaged.

FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating the operation of the rotation restricting means of the connector device according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which the male terminal and the female terminal of the connector device according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention are engaged with each other.

FIG. 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view showing a state in which the male terminal and the female terminal of the connector device according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention are engaged with each other.

FIG. 6 is an overall plan view of the connector device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a state in which the lid body of the connector device according to the first embodiment of the present invention is removed.

FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which a male terminal and a female terminal of a connector device according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention are disengaged.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Lid 11 Main body part 12 Support piece 13 Rotating shaft 14 Support piece 15 Operation lever 16 Hood 17 Flange 18 Lock arm 19 Lock release part 20 Housing 21 Main body 22 Support piece 22a Engagement groove 23 Engagement part 23a Engagement piece insertion hole 24 recessed groove 25 hood storage recess 26 female terminal storage chamber 27 flexible locking piece 28 wiring insertion hole 29 step 31 lock portion 35 packing 40 female terminal 41 plate-like portion 45 wiring 46 rubber plug 50 male terminal 60 rotation restricting means 61 Locking Piece 62 First Engagement Protrusion 63 Second Engagement Protrusion 71 First Hood 72 Second Hood 72a Protrusion 73 Spring 100 Connector Device of Example 1 200 Connector Device of Example 2

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A first base body, a second base body rotatably supported on the first base body, and a female terminal fixed to the second base body and to which wiring is connected. And the first
A male terminal that is fixed to the base body and that engages with the pair of female terminals with the relative rotation with respect to the second base body to establish electrical connection between the pair of female terminals; and the male terminal and the female terminal. In the disengaged state, the second of the first base body is
Rotation restricting means for restricting rotation with respect to the base body, and cover means provided on at least one of the first base body and the second base body and covering the periphery of the male terminal and the female terminal, are engaged with each other. A connector device, comprising: a sealing means for liquid-tightly sealing the male terminal and the female terminal. 2. The first base body, wherein the rotation restricting means has a through hole penetratingly provided in the second base body and a projection which is inserted into the through hole and engages with the through hole. The connector device according to claim 1, further comprising a strip-shaped locking piece extending integrally. 3. The cover according to claim 1, wherein the cover means is a cylindrical body integrally extending from the first base body that is loosely fitted to the second base body. Connector device. 4. A wall surface of the cover means is formed to be bendable, and a tip portion of the cover means engages with the second base body to prevent the first base body from rotating toward the second base body side. The connector device according to claim 3, wherein 5. A second cover means which is slidably fitted to the second base body and is biased toward the first base body by a biasing means. Item 5. The connector device according to any one of items 1 to 4. 6. The sealing means is externally fitted to a packing which is sandwiched and pressed by the first base body and the second base body, and a wire which is connected to the female terminal, and is attached to the second base body. The connector device according to any one of claims 2 to 5, further comprising: a rubber plug that comes into close contact with an inner wall surface of the provided wiring insertion hole.