JPH0732866U - Female terminal fittings for connectors - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] Correct the fitting direction of the male terminal fitting to prevent the elastic contact piece from settling. [Structure] A bent plate portion 20 is formed by bending in the vicinity of a fitting opening 14 in a cylindrical fitting portion 12, and an insertion hole 21 that is opened slightly larger than the tab 9 of the male terminal fitting is provided. When the male terminal (tab) 9 is inserted into the connection port 5 of the connector housing 2, the insertion direction is regulated by the connection port 5 and the insertion hole 21, and the insertion is performed between the elastic contact piece 16 and the upper wall portion 13 to squeeze. To be done. Even if the tab 9 is inserted in an oblique direction, the insertion direction is corrected by the insertion hole 21, and the insertion that causes the elastic contact piece 16 to be settled is regulated. Further, since foreign matter larger than the tab 9 is prevented from being inserted by the insertion hole 21, the elastic contact piece 16 is not settled.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a female terminal fitting for a connector in which a mating male terminal fitting is fitted into a tubular fitting portion for connection.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 An example of a female terminal fitting for a connector which is mounted on a connector and connected to a male terminal fitting of a mating connector is shown in FIG. The female terminal fitting 40 is formed by bending and assembling a metal plate material punched into a predetermined shape, and has a tubular fitting portion 41 whose tip opens as a fitting port 42. Inside the tubular fitting portion 41, a portion elongated from the tip of the lower wall plate 43 constituting the tubular fitting portion 41 is bent backward and is given elasticity by the folding portion 45a. A contact piece 45 is provided. The female terminal fitting 40 is inserted into the cavity 51 formed in the connector 50 from the rear side, and is fixed by the lance 53 so that the fitting inlet 42 is aligned with the connection opening 52 opened at the tip of the connector 50. It

When the female terminal fitting 40 attached to the connector 50 and the male terminal fitting attached to the mating connector (not shown) are thus connected, the tab 55 protruding from the tip of the male terminal fitting is 4 through the connection opening 52 of the connector 50 and the fitting opening 42 of the female terminal fitting 40 in order, and the elastic force of the elastic contact piece 45 causes the upper surface and the cylindrical fitting portion 41 in FIG. The male terminal fitting and the female terminal fitting 40 are securely connected to each other by being pinched with the upper wall surface 46.

In the above connecting means, the connection port 52 of the connector 50 is largely opened so that the tab 55 of the male terminal fitting can be inserted and removed, and the fitting inlet 42 of the tubular fitting portion 41 is a tubular fitting. The opening is larger than the connection port 52 over almost the entire tip surface of the portion 41. For this reason, a foreign material such as a tip of a driver, which is thicker than the tab 55 from the connection port 52, is inserted into the tubular fitting portion 41, or the tab 55 is inserted in the oblique direction as shown in FIG. It may be done. In such a case, the folded-back portion 45a of the elastic contact piece 45 exceeds its elastic limit and is excessively bent, and due to this excessive bending, a set is generated and proper spring characteristics are lost. If the proper spring characteristic is lost in this way, the tab 55 in which the elastic contact piece 45 is correctly inserted cannot be pinched with the upper wall surface 46 by a predetermined contact pressure, and the male terminal fitting and the female terminal fitting are not clamped. The contact with the terminal fitting 40 is not reliably performed.

Therefore, in order to prevent the proper spring characteristic of the elastic contact piece 45 from being lost, a part of the lower wall plate 43 of the tubular fitting portion 41 is conventionally bent upward to prevent the tip end thereof from bending. A stopper 48 is provided to face the lower surface of the elastic contact piece 45. When the elastic contact piece 45 is elastically deformed by the stopper 48, the lower surface of the elastic contact piece 45 contacts the tip of the stopper 48 before the amount of flexure exceeds the elastic limit. The above elastic deformation is prevented, and excessive bending exceeding the elastic limit thereof is prevented. Therefore, the proper spring characteristics of the elastic contact piece 45 are maintained, and the male terminal fitting and the female terminal fitting 40 surely contact each other. It is like this.

[0006]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, the conventional method of preventing the elastic contact piece 45 from excessively bending by providing the stopper 48 as described above has the following problems. That is, when a foreign object is inserted with a large force, the stopper 48 tilts and is damaged by the pressing force from the elastic contact piece 45 side, or the elastic contact piece 45 formed of a thin plate is bent. . Particularly, in the case of a small female terminal fitting 40, such a problem is likely to occur because the plate material used is thin. For this reason, the elastic contact piece 45 is setted and loses proper spring characteristics, or smooth insertion cannot be performed.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and prevents the elastic contact piece from losing proper spring characteristics and preventing the elastic contact piece from being deformed, thereby connecting the male terminal fitting. It is an object of the present invention to provide a female terminal fitting for a connector, which can ensure that the above is performed.

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 According to the first aspect of the present invention, a regulating member for regulating the fitting direction of the male terminal fitting into the tubular fitting portion is arranged at a position on the fitting inlet side of the tubular fitting portion. According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the restricting member is formed by a bent plate portion bent and extended from the wall plate of the tubular fitting portion, and the male terminal fitting is inserted into the bent plate portion. An insertion hole is provided to pass through. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, the tip end portion of the male terminal fitting fitted in the tubular fitting portion is supported at a position opposite to the fitting inlet of the tubular fitting portion. It is provided with an auxiliary regulation unit.

[0009]

[Action]

 According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the female terminal fitting mounted on the connector is connected, the male terminal fitting is inserted obliquely toward one side of the elastic contact with the insertion direction being restricted by the restriction member from the connection port of the connector. Without being inserted, it is inserted in the axial direction and elastically contacts the elastic contact piece.

In the female terminal fitting for a connector according to a second aspect of the present invention, the male terminal fitting is a regulation formed by notching a bent plate-like portion extending from a wall plate of the tubular fitting portion into a hole shape. The fitting direction is guided by penetrating the member.

In the female terminal fitting for a connector according to a third aspect, when the male terminal fitting is fitted into the tubular fitting portion, first, the fitting direction is guided by the fitting member on the fitting inlet side, and thereafter, the tubular fitting is fitted. By entering in the joint part, the fitting direction is guided by the auxiliary regulating member on the side opposite to the fitting port.

[0012]

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION In the present invention, since the restriction member for restricting the inserting direction of the male terminal fitting into the cylindrical fitting portion is arranged at the position on the fitting inlet side of the cylindrical fitting portion, the male terminal is provided. It is possible to prevent the elastic contact piece from being excessively bent and losing the spring characteristic due to the metal fitting being inserted obliquely to the elastic contact piece side or the foreign matter having a plate thickness larger than that of the male terminal metal fitting being inserted.

[0013]

【Example】

 <First Embodiment> A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The female terminal fitting 10 of the present embodiment is inserted into the cavity 3 formed in the connector housing 2 of the connector 1, and is fitted with the tab 9 of the male terminal fitting mounted on the mating connector housing (not shown) to electrically connect. It is designed to be connected. The specific structure will be described below.

The female terminal fitting 10 is formed by punching a conductive metal plate into a predetermined shape and bending a predetermined portion. The portion on the rear end side is a connection portion 11 that is open upward in the figure, and the core wire 8 exposed by peeling off the coating of the electric wire 7 is crimped at this connection portion 11 by crimping. .

On the other hand, the tip end side portion of the female terminal fitting 10 is a tubular fitting portion 12 having a rectangular cross section as a whole. The upper wall plate (hereinafter referred to as the upper wall plate) 13 of the tubular fitting portion 12 in the drawing is a double wall 13A, 13B in which the upper edges of the both side wall plates are bent inward. ing. Further, the tip end surface of the cylindrical fitting portion 12 is largely opened to the outside and serves as a fitting inlet 14 for fitting a male terminal fitting. The fitting port 14 is aligned with and abuts on the inside of the connection port 5 that opens at the tip of the connector housing 2.

An elastic contact piece 16 that extends from a lower wall plate (hereinafter, referred to as a lower wall plate) 15 in the figure and is integrated with the female terminal fitting 10 is provided in the hollow of the tubular fitting portion 12. It is being done. The elastic contact piece 16 includes a folded-back portion 16A that is folded back from the leading edge of the lower wall plate 15 and an extended portion 16B that extends rearward from the folded-back portion 16A. The extending portion 16B is slightly bent at the center position in the lengthwise direction to form a mountain shape as a whole, and the extending end is in elastic contact with the lower wall plate 15. The bent portion at the center of the extending portion 16B is a contact portion 16C that comes into contact with the tab 9 of the male terminal fitting. In the free state of the elastic contact piece 16, between the contact portion 16C of the elastic contact piece 16 and the upper wall plate 13 of the tubular fitting portion 12 is slightly larger than the thickness dimension of the tab 9 of the male terminal fitting. Can be closely spaced.

The cylindrical fitting portion 12 is provided with a stopper 17 for preventing the elastic contact piece 16 from bending beyond the elastic limit. The stopper 17 is formed by a projecting piece that is formed by bending upward from the edge portion of the lance hole 18 provided in the lower wall plate 15. The tip of the stopper 17 faces the back surface (lower surface) of the extending portion 16B of the elastic contact piece 16 at a predetermined interval in the free state of the elastic contact piece 16.

The lance hole 18 of the lower wall plate 15 is for inserting the lance 4 provided in the connector housing 2, and the lance 4 is locked to the leading edge of the lance hole 18, that is, the base end of the stopper 17. As a result, the female terminal fitting 10 is held in the cavity 3 such that it cannot be pulled out.

The tubular fitting portion 12 is provided with a guide portion for guiding the fitting direction of the tab 9 of the male terminal fitting into the tubular fitting portion 12. The structure will be described below. As shown in FIG. 2, the tip portion of the inner wall plate 13B of the double wall plates 13A and 13B constituting the upper wall plate 13 of the tubular fitting portion 12 is bent downward to form a bent plate portion. It is said to be 20. The bent plate portion 20 is located slightly rearward of the fitting port 14 and has its plate surface oriented at a right angle to the fitting direction of the male terminal fitting. The bent plate portion 20 has an opening slightly larger than the outer diameter of the tab 9 of the male terminal fitting, and an insertion hole 21 is formed as a restriction member formed from the opening edge. Therefore, when the tab 9 of the male terminal fitting is obliquely inserted from the connection port 5, the tip of the tab 9 comes into contact with the bent plate portion 20 to prevent further insertion, and the insertion hole 21 prevents the oblique state. It will be corrected and inserted along the insertion path.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, when connecting the female terminal fitting 10 mounted in the cavity 3 of the connector housing 2 to the male terminal fitting, the tab 9 of the male terminal fitting is connected to the connection port 5 of the connector housing 2 and the cylinder. The insertion port 14 at the tip of the shape-fitting portion 12 and the insertion hole 21 are inserted in this order, and then inserted between the contact portion 16C of the elastic contact piece 16 and the upper wall plate 13 and the elastic force of the elastic contact piece 16 is applied. By being pinched, the male terminal fitting and the female terminal fitting 10 make electrical contact.

Here, when the tab 9 is inserted from the connection port 5 in a state of being largely inclined, the tip of the tab 9 comes into contact with the bent plate portion 20 to prevent the entry thereof. Further, even if the tab 9 is inserted in a tilted state, when the tip of the tab 9 is inserted into the insertion hole 21, the path of the connection is between the connection port 5 of the connector housing 2 and the insertion hole 21 of the tubular fitting portion 12. Since it is regulated in two places, the fitting direction is corrected by penetrating both the connection port 5 and the insertion hole 21. As a result, it is possible to prevent the tab 9 from coming into contact with the extending portion 16B in a state of being inclined at a large angle and causing a settling in the folded portion 16A. Therefore, the proper spring characteristic of the elastic contact piece 16 is not lost, the elastic contact piece 16 and the tab 9 contact with each other at a predetermined contact pressure, and the electrical contact between the male terminal fitting and the female terminal fitting 10 is prevented. It will be certain.

Even if an attempt is made to insert a foreign object having a thickness larger than that of the tab 9, the foreign object cannot be inserted because it abuts on the peripheral surface of the insertion hole 21. Therefore, it is avoided that the elastic contact piece 16 excessively bends beyond its elastic limit due to the intrusion of a foreign matter larger than the tab 9, and the proper spring characteristic of the elastic contact piece 16 is lost. It is prevented from being exposed.

Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The female terminal fitting 30 of the present embodiment has the same configuration as the female terminal fitting 10 of the first embodiment, and additionally includes an auxiliary regulating member 31. The auxiliary restricting member 31 bends the rear end portion of the inner wall plate 33B of the double wall plates 33A and 33B forming the upper wall plate 33 of the tubular fitting portion 32 downward, The bent plate portion 34 is formed by opening it slightly larger than the tab of the male terminal fitting (not shown). The auxiliary regulation member 31 is located on the rear side of the contact portion 35C that comes into contact with the tab of the male terminal fitting of the elastic contact piece 35. A restricting member 36 having the same structure as the female terminal fitting 10 of the first embodiment is formed at the tip of the wall plate 33B on which the auxiliary restricting member 31 is formed. Both the regulation member 36 and the auxiliary regulation member 31 are arranged on the fitting line of the tab of the male terminal fitting.

When the female terminal fitting 30 and the male terminal fitting of the second embodiment are connected, the tab of the male terminal fitting is connected to the connector housing connection port (not shown) and the fitting portion 37 of the tubular fitting portion 32. After passing through the regulating member 36 in order and being pinched between the contact portion 35C of the elastic contact piece 35 and the upper wall plate 33, it is fitted into the auxiliary regulating member 31. During this fitting, the tab is corrected in its insertion direction by the restricting member 36, and the tip of the tab 9 is finely corrected by the auxiliary restricting member 31 so that the tab 9 is pressed against the wall plate 33B by elastic contact. The load applied to the piece 35 can be reduced. Even when vibration is applied to the connector, the amount of amplitude by which the tip of the tab 9 moves up and down is restricted, so that stable electrical contact can be obtained.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a state in which the connector is attached to a connector of Example 1.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Connector 5 ... Connection port 10 ... Female terminal metal fitting 12 ... Cylindrical fitting part 14 ... Fitting inlet 16 ... Elastic contact piece 21 ... Regulation member (insertion hole)

Claims (3)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A male fitting of a mating connector is attached to a connector when the male fitting of the mating connector is attached to the connector, the tubular fitting having an elastic contact piece inside and a fitting inlet provided at the tip. And a female terminal fitting for a connector which is fitted into the tubular fitting portion through the fitting opening and is pressed into contact with the elastic contact piece to electrically connect to the male terminal fitting, wherein the fitting of the tubular fitting portion A female terminal fitting for a connector, characterized in that a restricting member for restricting a fitting direction of the male terminal fitting into the tubular fitting portion is disposed on the mouth side. 2. The regulating member is formed by a bent plate portion bent and extended from a wall plate of the tubular fitting portion, and the bent plate portion is provided with an insertion hole for inserting a male terminal fitting. The female terminal fitting for a connector according to claim 1, wherein: 3. A tubular fitting portion at a position opposite to a fitting inlet,
The female terminal fitting for a connector according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: an auxiliary restricting portion that supports a tip portion of the male terminal fitting fitted in the tubular fitting portion.