JPH0817508A - Female terminal metal fitting of connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To increase the shape holding strength of box type container chambers for respectively containing a connecting piece and a lance. CONSTITUTION:A connector piece container chamber 4 for containing a connector piece 3 and a lance container chamber for containing a lance 5 are formed so as to be vertically piled up. The respective container chambers 4, 6 are formed by bending a metal plate in which the connecting piece 3 and a lance 5 are formed. The connecting piece container chamber 4 is formed in a box-like form by inserting a second plug-in part 40 formed in the right-side edge of the bottom plate 32 into a second fitting hole 42 opened in a common right-side plate 23. The lance container chamber 6 is formed in a box-like form by inserting a first plug-in part 20 formed in the right-side edge of an upper plate 17 into a first fitting hole 41 opened in the common right-side plate 23.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a female terminal fitting provided with a connecting piece which comes into contact with a tab portion of a male terminal fitting and a lance used to prevent the terminal fitting from coming off from a connector housing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In this type of terminal fitting, a connecting piece and a lance are integrally formed with a box-shaped main body by press-molding a single metal plate and cutting and bending it.
As a concrete structure thereof, for example, the Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 56-2818
The one described in Japanese Patent No. 3 is general, and a connecting piece is located inside a box-shaped main body, and a lance is formed at a rear portion of the connecting piece.

[0003]

However, in the conventional case, the box-shaped main body has a weak shape-retaining strength because it has a structure in which the metal plate is bent and the edges are simply abutted against each other to form the box. There was a problem. For this reason,
When the terminal fittings are transported in the connector assembling process or when the terminal fittings are handled in the assembling process, the box-shaped main body portion is likely to be deformed when a little large force is applied. If such deformation occurs, it may be difficult to mount it on the female connector housing, or the connection with the male terminal fitting may become unstable, so such terminal fitting is excluded as a defective product. It has to be done, and waste occurs.

The present invention was completed in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to increase the strength of a box-shaped accommodating chamber for accommodating a connecting piece and a lance. In addition to the above object, an object of the invention of claim 2 is to provide a compact terminal fitting having a reduced axial length. According to the invention of claim 3, in addition to the above objects,
The purpose is to have a function to prevent excessive bending of the lance.

[0005]

As a means for achieving the above object, the invention of claim 1 relates to a connector piece for contacting a tab portion of a male terminal fitting with a female connector housing. In a device provided with a locking lance that engages with a stopper to prevent disengagement, a part of the metal plate on which the connecting piece and the lance are formed is folded back into a U-shape, and the edge of the metal plate is attached to the base of the metal plate. It is characterized in that it is formed by arranging box-shaped accommodating chambers for accommodating the connection piece and the lance, respectively, by inserting them into the fitting holes formed on the side.

A second aspect of the invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect of the invention, the two accommodation chambers are formed so as to overlap each other in the thickness direction of the terminal fitting. According to a third aspect of the invention, in the first or second aspect of the invention, the lance and the side plate of the accommodation chamber that accommodates the lance are provided with an excessive deflection preventing portion that regulates the amount of deflection of the lance. It has characteristics.

[0007]

According to the first aspect of the invention, by folding back the metal plate and inserting the edge thereof into the fitting hole on the base side, two box-shaped accommodating chambers for accommodating the connecting piece and the lance are formed. To be done. As a result, the connection piece and the lance are protected in the storage chamber, and the storage chamber has a high shape-retaining strength because the box is formed by insertion. Claim 3
In the invention of (1), when the lance tries to bend over a certain amount, it is blocked by the excessive deflection blocking portion.

[0008]

According to the present invention, since the shape retaining strength of the accommodating chamber for accommodating the connection piece and the lance is increased, the deformation of the accommodating chamber can be surely prevented, which makes it difficult to mount it on the connector housing. There is an effect that the situation of can be surely prevented.

In particular, according to the second aspect of the invention, in addition to the above effect, both housing chambers are formed so as to overlap in the thickness direction of the terminal fitting, so that a compact terminal fitting having a short length is obtained. To be In addition, the fact that the thickness of the terminal metal fitting becomes large means that after inserting the terminal metal fitting into the housing,
When inserting the retainer, which has a locking part for the terminal fitting, into the housing at a right angle to the insertion direction of the terminal fitting for double locking, take a large locking length between the locking part of the retainer and the terminal fitting. Therefore, there is an effect that the terminal fitting can be more reliably locked in the housing.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the above-mentioned effects, it is possible to prevent the lance from excessively flexing and losing its elastic force, and to exert its locking function for a long period of time.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The female terminal fitting A of this embodiment has a structure in which a main body portion 2 is formed at the tip side of a barrel portion 1 that is connected to an end of an electric wire, and the main body portion 2 is a male side of the counterpart. A box-shaped connection piece accommodating chamber 4 accommodating a connection piece 3 connected to a terminal fitting and a box-shaped lance accommodating chamber 6 accommodating a lance 5 used to prevent the housing from coming off are provided in a vertically stacked manner. It has a structure.

Next, the detailed structure will be described. First, a conductive metal plate is cut into a developed shape as shown in FIG. 1 by press working. On the rear end side of the terminal fitting on the right side of the figure, an insulation barrel 8 is caulked and fixed to the end of the wire sheath, and a wire barrel is caulked and fixed to the end of the core wire protruding from the end of the sheath. 9 and 9 are formed side by side.

On the front edge side of the wire barrel 9, a main body 2 having a substantially rectangular expanded shape elongated in the vertical direction in the figure is formed via a connecting portion 11. A bottom plate 13 of the lance accommodating chamber 6 is formed in a portion of the main body portion 2 corresponding to the central portion in the width direction of the connecting portion 11. Its bottom plate 13
Is cut from the front edge toward the rear edge by a certain length, and the fitting groove 14 into which the locking portion 54 provided in the connector housing 50 described later that accommodates the female terminal fitting A is fitted is formed. .

On one side of the bottom plate 13 (upper side in the figure),
A left side plate 15 as seen from the front of the female terminal fitting A in the lance housing chamber 6 is formed via a folding curve 16. The rear edge of the left side plate 15 is connected to the connecting portion 11. On the outside of the left side plate 15, the upper plate 17 of the lance housing chamber 6 is provided.
Is formed via a curved line 18. The upper plate 17 is attached to the upper plate 17 from the position of the center of the side edge in the longitudinal direction.
A kerf groove 19 is formed across the fold line 18 toward the fold line 18, and then along the fold line 18 toward the front edge side.
A portion surrounded by 9 forms a lance 5.

A pair of first insertion portions 20 are provided at the side edge of the upper plate 17 of the lance accommodation chamber 6 at a position slightly inserted from the front end thereof and at a position rearward of the open end of the cut groove 19. Is projected. A protrusion 21 for preventing excessive flexure is formed on the outer side edge of the tip of the lance 5.

On the other side of the bottom plate 13 of the lance accommodating chamber 6 (the lower side of the figure), a tall side plate 23 is formed via a folding curve 24. In the side plate 23, an inner portion adjacent to the bottom plate 13 serves as a right side plate 25 of the lance housing chamber 6, and an outer portion serves as a right side plate 26 of the connection piece housing chamber 4.
The right side plate 25 of the inner lance housing chamber 6 is connected to the connecting portion 11. On the outside of the right side plate 26 of the connection piece accommodating chamber 4,
An upper plate 28 of the connection piece accommodating chamber 4 is formed via a folding line 29, and a left side plate 30 is formed on the outside thereof via a folding line 31.

A bottom plate 32 of the connection piece accommodating chamber 4 is formed outside the left side plate 30 of the connection piece accommodating chamber 4 via a bending line 33. The bottom plate 32 has a fold line 33 that crosses the bottom plate 32 from the position of the central portion of the side edge in the length direction.
To the front edge of the bottom plate 32, and a portion of the bottom plate 32 outside the folding curve 33 at the front edge is cut out.

A tongue-shaped connecting piece 3 is projectingly provided at the center portion of the front edge of the bottom plate 32 in the width direction, and the portion surrounded by the cut groove 35 is bent at a folding line 37. It is an excessive deflection prevention piece 36. In addition, a raised portion 38 due to punching is formed on the rear edge side of the bottom plate 32.

A pair of second insertion portions 40 are provided on the side edges of the bottom plate 32 of the connection piece accommodating chamber 4 at positions of both front and rear ends thereof. Each of the right side plates 2 is attached to the side plate 23 which also serves as the right side plates 25 and 26 of the lance accommodation chamber 6 and the connection piece accommodation chamber 4 described above.
A pair of first fitting holes 41 into which the first insertion portion 20 projecting from the upper plate 17 of the lance housing chamber 6 is inserted are opened inside the space 5 and 26, and On the outside,
Second insertion portion 40 projecting from the bottom plate 32 of the connection piece accommodating chamber 4
A pair of second fitting holes 42 into which is inserted are opened. Further, the fitting groove 14 of the right side plate 25 of the lance housing chamber 6
A window hole 44 corresponding to an excessive deflection preventing portion into which the projecting piece 21 projecting from the lance 5 enters is formed at a predetermined position on the side edge along the.

The female terminal fitting A of this embodiment has the developed shape as described above, and is subsequently bent as follows.
First, the tip side of the lance 5 is bent obliquely upward from the surface of the drawing by about the height of the left side plate 15 from the above-mentioned developed state. At the same time, the connecting piece 3 is folded back from the front edge of the bottom plate 32 to the side surface so as to form a letter shape, its tip is brought into contact with the raised portion 38 of the bottom plate 32, and the excessive deflection preventing piece 36 is folded. It is raised at a right angle from the curve 37 toward the upper side of the drawing.

Next, the insulation barrel 8 and the wire barrel 9 are bent into a substantially V-shape that is open upward in the plane of the drawing. At the same time, the left side plate 15 of the lance accommodating chamber 6 is raised at a right angle along the bending line 16, and the upper plate 17
Is bent inward at a right angle from the fold line 18. Further, the side plates 23 on the opposite sides of the bottom plate 13 are raised at right angles from the folding line 24.

Then, the lance housing chamber 6 is formed by inserting the first insertion portion 20 of the upper plate 17 into the raised first fitting hole 41 of the side plate 23. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the lance accommodating chamber 6 has an elongated box shape with both front and rear surfaces opened, and a fitting groove 14 is cut out on the front edge side of the bottom plate 13. The lance 5 projects obliquely downward from the front end side of the upper plate 17 to reach the fitting groove 14 and reaches the fitting groove 14, and the projecting piece 21 formed at the side edge of the tip of the lance 5 has the window hole 44 of the right side plate 25. It is housed in the lance housing chamber 6 in a state of being fitted to the lower side of the.

Regarding the connection piece accommodating chamber 4, the upper plate 28 is bent at a right angle inward along a folding line 29 and the left side plate 30 is bent downward at a right angle from the folding line 31 from the developed shape of FIG. Further, the bottom plate 32 is bent at a right angle inward from the bending line 33 so as to overlap with the upper surface of the upper plate 17 of the lance housing chamber 6, and finally, the bottom plate 32 is bent in a U shape. Then, the second insertion portion 40 of the bottom plate 32 has the side plate 23.
By being inserted into the second fitting hole 42, the connection piece accommodating chamber 4 is formed so as to overlap the upper surface of the lance accommodating chamber 6.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the connecting piece accommodating chamber 4 is also in the shape of an elongated box with both front and rear sides opened, and the connecting piece 3 is folded backward from the front end of the bottom plate 32 to the side surface. Then, the folded end is housed in the connection piece housing chamber 4 in a state of being in contact with the raised portion 38. Further, an excessive deflection preventing piece 36 rises from the bottom plate 32 in correspondence with the lower surface slightly forward of the apex of the connecting piece 3.

The female terminal metal fitting A of this embodiment is formed as described above, and is fitted into the wire barrel 9 and the insulation barrel 8 where the end of the electric wire 46 is open, and the end of the electric wire 46 is covered. The insulation barrel 8
In addition, the wire barrel 9 is crimped to the wire protruding from the end of the coating, whereby the wire 4
The female terminal metal fitting A is connected to the terminal of 6.

The female terminal metal fitting A fixed to the end of the electric wire 46 is housed in the connector housing 50. In this connector housing 50, as shown in FIG. 8, a terminal housing cavity 52 having a rear side (right side in the figure) opened is formed in a main body 51 in two upper and lower stages.
On the front surface of each cavity 52, a terminal insertion hole 53 into which a mating male terminal is inserted is opened. A locking portion 54 that locks with the lance 5 formed on each female terminal fitting A is provided at a predetermined position on the upper surface of each cavity 52, and each lower surface of the main body 51 has a locking portion 54. A retainer insertion port 55 into which a retainer (not shown) can be inserted is formed in a direction orthogonal to the cavity 52.

Then, when each female terminal fitting A is inserted into each cavity 52 of the connector housing 50 through the opening 56 on the rear surface with the lance 5 facing the upper surface side, the locking portion 54 on the upper surface of the cavity 52 accommodates the lance. It is relatively fitted into the fitting groove 14 of the bottom plate 13 of the chamber 6, and as shown in the upper female terminal metal fitting A, the lance 5 abuts on the locking portion 54 and the protrusion 21 on the side edge at the tip thereof. To the window hole 44 of the right side plate 25
It is elastically bent downward while moving inside. further,
When the female terminal fitting A is pushed in and the lance 5 passes through the locking portion 54, as shown in the female terminal fitting A in the lower stage, the lance 5 is returned to the original position by the resilience and is forward of the locking portion 54. , And the female terminal fitting A is housed in the cavity 52 so as not to come off.

Thereafter, a retainer (not shown) is inserted from the retainer insertion port 55 on the lower surface of the connector housing 50, and the retainer is locked to the rear surface of the connection piece accommodating chamber 4 in the insertion direction, so that the female terminal metal fitting A is doubled. Locked in. And
When the mating male side terminal is inserted from the terminal insertion hole 53 on the front surface of each cavity 52, the tab portion of the male side terminal enters into the connecting piece accommodating chamber 4 and bends the connecting piece 3 flatly. It is inserted and both terminal fittings are connected. At that time, if the connecting piece 3 tries to bend excessively, for example, when the male-side terminal is inserted at an angle, the excessive bending-preventing piece 36 hits the connecting piece 3 to prevent it.

As described above, in the female terminal fitting A of this embodiment, since the connection piece 3 and the lance 5 are housed in the box-shaped connection piece storage chamber 4 and the lance storage chamber 6, respectively, the connection piece 3 is connected.
The lance 5 is protected from inadvertently interfering with external devices. Moreover, the accommodating chambers 4 and 6 are provided at the first and right side edges of the bottom plate 32 and the upper plate 17, respectively.
And the second plugs 20 and 40 on the common right side plate 25
Since it is inserted into the second fitting holes 41, 42 and formed into a box shape, the shape holding strength is high. Therefore, there is no risk that the box will be crushed and deformed during transportation or when it is attached to the connector housing 50, and the connection piece 3 and the lance 5 can be reliably prevented from being deformed due to the deformation of the box. It is possible to surely prevent the situation where the fitting of the terminal fitting on the male side becomes uncertain due to the deformation of the box and the mounting to the connector housing 50 becomes difficult.

Further, in this embodiment, since the connecting piece accommodating chamber 4 and the lance accommodating chamber 6 are formed so as to be vertically overlapped with each other, the connecting piece accommodating chamber 4 serves as an engaging surface when engaging with the retainer.
Since the entire rear surface can be used, the female terminal fitting A can be more reliably prevented from coming off. At the same time, the female terminal fittings A are assembled into a compact one that is short in the lengthwise direction, and the connector housing 50 can be correspondingly made compact.

Further, the lance 5 is excessively bent by a simple structure in which the protrusion 21 is provided on the side edge of the tip of the lance 5 and the window hole 44 for restricting the movement amount of the protrusion 21 is provided on the right side plate 25. Is reliably prevented. For this reason,
For example, in order to pull out the female terminal fitting A from the connector housing 50 for repair or inspection, when the tip of the jig is applied to the lance 5 to bend it, the lance 5 is excessively bent and plastically deformed. It is surely prevented.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the above description and drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

(1) In the above embodiment, the connection piece accommodating chamber 4 and the lance accommodating chamber 6 are formed so as to be vertically stacked, but they may be formed side by side in the longitudinal direction.

(2) In the above-described embodiment, the right side plate 25 of the female terminal fitting A is provided with the window hole 44 for restricting the movement amount of the projecting piece 21 as an excessive deflection preventing portion. A protruding piece capable of locking the lance 5 may be bent and formed inward from the side plate of the shaped terminal fitting A, and this may be used as an excessive deflection preventing portion of the lance 5.

Besides, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the above description and the drawings, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a development view of a female terminal fitting according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the terminal fitting of the present embodiment after being bent.

FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing the inside thereof.

FIG. 4 is a right side view thereof.

FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway right side view thereof.

FIG. 6 is a left side view thereof.

FIG. 7 is a front view thereof.

FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state where the terminal fitting is housed in the connector housing.

[Explanation of symbols]

 A ... Female terminal metal fitting 3 ... Connection piece 4 ... Connection piece storage chamber 5 ... Lance 6 ... Lance storage chamber 20 ... First insertion portion 44 ... Window hole (excessive deflection preventing portion) 40 ... Second insertion portion 41 ... First fitting hole 42 ... Second fitting hole

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A female terminal fitting that is mounted in a female connector housing and is connected to a male terminal fitting mounted in a male connector housing, the tab being the male terminal fitting. A metal plate formed with the connection piece and the lance, wherein the connection piece and the lance are engaged with the locking portion of the female connector housing to prevent the connection. By folding the portion into a U-shape and inserting the edge of the metal plate into a fitting hole formed on the base side of the metal plate, box-shaped accommodating chambers for accommodating the connection piece and the lance are formed side by side. Female terminal metal fittings for connectors characterized in that 2. The female terminal fitting for a connector according to claim 1, wherein the two accommodation chambers are formed so as to overlap each other in the thickness direction of the female terminal fitting. 3. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the lance and the side plate of the accommodation chamber for accommodating the lance are provided with an excessive deflection preventing portion for restricting a deflection amount of the lance. Female terminal fittings.