JPH08250214A - Incomplete insertion detecting connector and incomplete insertion detecting method for connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide high incomplete insertion detecting performance in simple structure. CONSTITUTION: Windows 13-15 capable of visually checking an edge part 31 which moves in insertion, such as the connection part of a terminal metal fitting with an electric wire 20 are formed, and an insertion state is judged by using one side of the window 13 and the like as a mark. If the edge part 31 is in the position near the side of the window 13 and the like, it is judged as a normal insertion state, but if the edge part 31 is protruded from the side of the window 13 and the like, it is judged as a incomplete insertion state.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a half insertion detection connector and a half insertion detection method for a connector.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this type of half-insertion detection connector, the one shown in FIG. 10 has been known. In the figure,
The housing 1 is formed with a cylindrical terminal fitting housing chamber 2 into which a terminal fitting can be inserted, and an arm-shaped lance 3 extending forward is formed on the bottom surface of the terminal fitting housing chamber 2. ing. The lance 3 is provided with a wedge-shaped projection 3a on the upper surface, and when the terminal fitting 4 is inserted into the terminal fitting housing chamber 2, the projection 3a comes into contact with the lower edge of the front end of the terminal fitting 4 and bends downward. When the terminal fitting 4 is inserted up to a predetermined position, the terminal fitting 4 can face into a locking hole formed in the lower surface of the terminal fitting 4 to be locked. On the other hand, the retainer 5 can be inserted below the lance 3 from the front surface of the housing 1, and prohibits downward bending of the lance 3 at the time of insertion.

As shown in FIG. 10, when the terminal fitting 4 is inserted to the proper position, the lance 3 is returned to the original position, and the retainer 5 can be inserted below. However, FIG.
As shown in, when the terminal fitting 4 is not completely inserted, the lance 3 is bent downward by the protrusion 3a,
Cannot insert retainer 5. That is, the semi-inserted state can be detected depending on whether or not the retainer 5 can be inserted.

[0004]

In the above-mentioned conventional half-insertion detecting connector, a double locking structure is required to detect half-insertion, and an increase in the number of parts and complication of the structure cannot be avoided. Further, it is not possible to detect an incomplete insertion state that does not touch the protrusion 3a of the lance 3, and it cannot be said that the detection performance is good at all.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a half-insertion detection connector having a simple structure and capable of obtaining a good half-insertion detection performance, and a half-insertion detection method for the connector. The purpose is to

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 relates to a housing having a cylindrical terminal fitting housing chamber for housing a terminal fitting to which an electric wire is connected. The edge portion of the terminal metal fitting is configured to be visible together with a mark when the metal fitting is properly inserted.

According to a second aspect of the invention, in the half-insertion detection connector according to the first aspect, a window is formed at a position facing the edge of the connecting portion between the terminal fitting and the electric wire in the housing. There is. Further, in the invention according to claim 3, in the semi-insertion detection connector according to claim 1, a window is formed at a position facing the insertion side front end edge portion of the terminal fitting in the housing. Further, in the invention according to claim 4, in the half-insertion detection connector according to claim 2 or 3, the window is formed in a slit shape.

Further, the invention according to claim 5 is the invention according to claim 2.
In the semi-insertion detection connector according to claim 4, the windows are formed on both side surfaces of the terminal fitting accommodating chamber so that the windows can be seen through. Further, in the invention according to claim 6, a window is formed in the cylindrical terminal fitting housing chamber of the connector housing so as to face an edge portion of the terminal fitting when the terminal fitting is properly inserted. The detection light is made incident and the insertion state of the terminal fitting is detected based on the reflected light.

Further, in the invention according to claim 7, in the cylindrical terminal fitting housing chamber of the connector housing, windows are formed on both side walls facing the edge of the terminal fitting when the terminal fitting is properly inserted. Then, the detection light is made incident on one of the windows, and the insertion state of the terminal fitting is detected based on the transmitted light from the other window.

[0010]

In the invention according to claim 1 configured as described above, the terminal fitting to which the electric wire is connected is inserted into the cylindrical terminal fitting housing chamber of the housing, and when the terminal is in a proper insertion state, the terminal is inserted. The edge of the metal fitting can be seen with the mark. On the other hand, the edge of the terminal fitting cannot be visually observed unless it is properly inserted.

Further, in the invention according to claim 2 configured as described above, the window is formed so as to face the edge of the connecting portion between the terminal fitting and the electric wire, and the presence or absence of the electric wire is properly inserted. Can also be visually observed. Further, in the invention according to claim 3 configured as described above, since the window is formed at a position facing the insertion-side tip edge portion of the terminal fitting, when the window is inserted into the hood portion of the mating connector, the window is formed. The part is coated. Further, in the invention according to claim 4 configured as described above, the edge portion of the terminal fitting is removed from the slit-shaped window, and it is determined whether or not the predetermined portion is visible.

Further, in the invention according to claim 5 configured as described above, since the windows are located on both sides of the terminal fitting, the shadow can be seen through the other window when light is incident from one window. , It becomes easier to make a decision based on the shadow. further,
In the invention according to claim 6 configured as described above,
When the detection light is radiated through the window, the reflected light becomes stronger at the metal portion such as the terminal fitting, so that the presence or absence of the edge portion of the terminal fitting can be detected based on the reflected light.

Further, in the invention according to claim 7 configured as described above, the windows are located on both sides of the terminal fitting, and when the detection light is incident from one window, the detection light is transmitted through the other window. Light is obtained, and it becomes easier to make a determination based on the transmitted light. For example, the presence or absence of the terminal metal fitting may be detected by visual inspection or by image processing from transmitted light.

[0014]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the window is formed only at a specific position, the structure is simple, and if the edge of the terminal fitting is not visible, the insertion failure is sure to occur. Therefore, it is possible to provide a half-insertion detection connector that can improve the detection performance.

According to the second aspect of the invention, since the connection portion with the electric wire is viewed, it is possible to detect the half-inserted state and the completely forgotten insertion state in the defective insertion state. Further, according to the invention of claim 3, the window can be covered at the time of fitting with the mating connector. further,
According to the invention of claim 4, it can be determined only by whether or not the edge portion of the terminal fitting is visible in the slit, which facilitates the determination. Further, according to the invention of claim 5, since the window communicates with the opposite side, the light is transmitted and is easy to see.

Further, according to the inventions of claims 6 and 7, it is possible to easily detect the half insertion of the terminal fitting by utilizing light.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a bottom view of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are sectional views showing an inserted state of a terminal fitting. In the figure, inside a thin box-shaped housing 10, four cylindrical terminal fitting housing chambers 11 penetrating in the front-rear direction are formed side by side, and an electric wire 20 is provided in each terminal fitting housing chamber 11. The crimped female terminal fitting 30 can be inserted and accommodated. A lance 12 for locking the terminal fitting 30 in a regular predetermined position is formed in each terminal fitting housing chamber 11, and a state in which the terminal fitting 30 is locked in the lance 12 is a regular insertion state. .

On the bottom surface of the housing 10, there is formed a window 13 which is horizontally long in the width direction and communicates with the terminal fitting accommodating chamber 11. The window 13 includes the terminal fitting 30 and the electric wire 20 in a properly inserted state. Is formed at a position facing the connection part of. The position of the window is such that the edge 31 on the rear end side of the terminal fitting 30 can be slightly seen in the normal insertion state. As shown in FIG. 2, the terminal fitting 30 has a lance 1.
The edge portion 31 of the terminal fitting 30 is slightly visible from the window 13 on the bottom surface when it is properly locked to the 2
As shown in FIG. 3, unless the terminal fitting 30 is properly engaged with the lance 12, the edge 31 of the terminal fitting 30 appears to project backward in the window 13. That is,
The edge 3 of the terminal fitting 30 with the front side of the window 13 as a mark
1 is visible.

In this embodiment, the rear edge 31 of the terminal fitting 30 in the insertion direction is visible, but it may be positioned so as to face the edge moved by the insertion / removal operation. For example, it is not suitable because the insertion position cannot be determined if it is on the side of the terminal fitting, but the stabilizer 32 formed at the front edge or in the middle thereof.
It may be the edge of the. By providing a window facing the edge 31 at the rear end, it is possible to confirm not only the proper insertion state but also the forgetting to insert it at all. On the other hand, if a window is formed facing the edge of the front end, it is possible to distinguish between a defective insertion state where the edge of the front end is not visible and a normal insertion state where the edge of the front end is visible, but it is possible to distinguish whether it is forgotten or half inserted. It cannot be detected separately. However, when it is formed on the front end side, there is an effect that the window is covered when it is inserted into the hood portion of the mating connector, and the terminal fitting 30 is not exposed to the outside.

It is sufficient that at least one window 13 is formed. For example, as shown in FIG.
It is also possible to form windows 14 on both side surfaces of the terminal fitting accommodating chamber 11 so that the terminal 1 can be seen through. In this case, it is possible to detect light in a half-inserted state by performing image processing by allowing the detection light to enter through one window 14 and installing the image sensor 50 outside the other window 14. FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 show images taken by the image pickup device 50 through the window 14, and the image pattern taken in the regular insertion state is compared with the image taken by the image pickup device 50. Detect. In the figure, FIG. 5 matches the image pattern in the normal insertion state. By transmitting the detection light, the shadow portion is clear and accurate image processing can be performed.

The edge portion 31 does not necessarily have to be visible in the proper insertion state, but can be made visible when the insertion is defective. The window may have any shape as long as the edge 31 of the terminal fitting 30 can be seen, and the window 15 may have a slit shape as shown in FIG. 7. In the case of the slit shape, the edge portion 31 may be barely hidden in the normal insertion state, and the window 15 may be closed if the edge portion 31 is slightly protruded. Then, if only the electric wire 20 can be seen from the window 15, it is in a properly inserted state, and if it is in a half-inserted state, the terminal fitting 3
0 will be blocked. Therefore, the judgment becomes easy.

Further, since the terminal fitting 30 is made of metal and has a high reflectance, the light emitting element 61 and the light receiving element 62 are installed as shown in the figure, and the half insertion state is detected by the intensity of the reflected light. You can also do it. Although it is not possible to make a complicated judgment like image processing, it is possible to judge whether or not it is in a regular insertion state with a simple configuration. Since it is sufficient that the edge portion 31 of the terminal fitting 30 can be visually recognized together with the mark, it is not always necessary to form the window, and the housing 10 as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.
It is also possible to make the length of the wire short so that the edge 31 of the connection portion between the electric wire 20 and the terminal fitting 30 is exposed or barely exposed.

As described above, the windows 13 to 15 are formed so that the edge portion 31 which is displaced at the time of insertion and removal, such as the connecting portion between the terminal fitting 30 and the electric wire 20, can be seen, and one side of the windows 13 to 15 is used as a mark. To determine the insertion state. Edge 31 is window 1
If the position is close to the side of 3 to 15, it can be determined that it is a normal insertion state, and if it is protruding from the side of the windows 13 to 15, it can be determined that it is a half insertion state.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a bottom view of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the connector showing a normal insertion state.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the connector showing a half-inserted state.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a connector according to another embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a photographed image in a normal insertion state according to the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a photographed image in a semi-inserted state according to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a connector according to another embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a regular insertion state according to another embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing a half-inserted state according to the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing a conventional half insertion detection connector.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Housing 11 ... Terminal metal fitting accommodation chamber 12 ... Lance 13-15 ... Window 20 ... Electric wire 30 ... Female terminal metal fitting 31 ... Edge 32 ... Stabilizer 50 ... Imaging element 61 ... Light emitting element 62 ... Light receiving element

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A housing in which a cylindrical terminal fitting housing chamber for housing a terminal fitting to which an electric wire is connected is formed, and an edge portion of the terminal fitting can be visually recognized together with a mark when the terminal fitting is properly inserted. A half-insertion detection connector, which is provided with a housing. 2. The half-insertion detection connector according to claim 1, wherein a window is formed at a position facing an edge portion of a connecting portion between the terminal fitting and the electric wire in the housing. Detection connector. 3. The half-insertion detection connector according to claim 1, wherein a window is formed at a position of the housing facing the insertion-side tip edge of the terminal fitting. 4. The half-insertion detection connector according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the window is formed in a slit shape. 5. The half-insertion detection connector according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the windows are formed on both side surfaces of the terminal fitting housing chamber so that the windows can be seen through. connector. 6. A tubular terminal fitting housing chamber of the connector housing is provided with a window facing the edge of the terminal fitting when the terminal fitting is properly inserted, and the detection light is made incident on the window. At the same time, the insertion state of the terminal fitting is detected based on the reflected light. 7. A cylindrical terminal fitting accommodating chamber in a connector housing is provided with windows on both side walls facing the edge of the terminal fitting when the terminal fitting is properly inserted. Is detected and the insertion state of the terminal fitting is detected based on the transmitted light from the other window.