JPH0955262A - Engagement structure for connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To formally fit an opposite connector in a connector on the waiting side, and confirm the establishment of their engagement. SOLUTION: A connector mooting board 8 is installed at the back face side of an instrument panel 1. A female connector 9 on the waiting side is held at a working position located in front of a normal assembling positron in a fit-in hole 10 opened in the connector mounting by locking the locking projection 13 of a locking piece 12 capable of being deflected so as to be deformed, an escape hole 17 for fitting the projected part 15 of the locking piece 12 in, and letting it escape, is formed in the hood 5a of a male connector 5 provided for an electrical accessory 2. When the electrical accessory 2 is inserted into a mounting operating 3, the male connector 5 is fitting in the female connector 9 located in the working position, after it has been formally fitted in, the locking piece 12 is capable being deflected so as to be deformed, as the electrical accessory 2 is continued to be pushed in, the female connector 9 is thereby pushed into the assembling position. In a semiengagement condition, since the locking piece 12 is so rigid that neither refraction nor deformation can take place, it cannot be pushed in furthermore at all.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector fitting structure in which one of a pair of male and female connectors is placed in a standby state and the other connector is fitted from the front.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a structure and an assembling procedure of a portion for connecting various electric components such as meters and switches mounted on an instrument panel to a wire harness are as follows. The instrument panel has openings for mounting various electrical components at predetermined positions, while a wire harness is accommodated on the back side of the instrument panel. Corresponding to each opening from the wire harness. Thus, the connector is pulled out. The instrument panel is fixed to the body with the wire harness stored therein. When connecting electrical components to a wire harness, first insert your hand or finger through the opening and pull out the corresponding connector to the front of the instrument panel. After fitting, the electrical components are attached to the opening together with the connector, and this is repeated for each electrical component to assemble. This method has a problem that it takes time and effort to assemble electrical components, resulting in inefficiency.

Therefore, in recent years, in order to improve work efficiency, instrument panels adopting a plug-in type connection structure are being developed one after another. As shown in FIG. 6, this one is provided with a connector mounting plate d in addition to an instrument panel b having an opening c for mounting various electrical components a. On the connector mounting plate d, a plurality of connectors e which can be fitted to the connectors provided in each electrical component a are respectively drawn out from the wire harness f and supported at predetermined positions. This connector e is a so-called standby connector. Then, the connector mounting plate d supporting the connector e is attached to the back side of the instrument panel b in advance, and the instrument panel b is fixed to the body in this state. After that, each electrical component a is sequentially inserted into the opening c, and the connector of the electrical component a is fitted with the corresponding connector e on the connector mounting plate d, thereby connecting each electrical component a. is there.

[0004]

In adopting the plug-in structure, when the connector mounting plate d is mounted on the instrument panel b as described above, it is difficult to obtain the mounting accuracy because both are large molded products. As a result, the distance from the opening c to the connector e on the standby side may vary. for that reason,
For example, if the standby side connector e is retracted too far back, the connector of the other electrical component a cannot be fitted to the normal amount, and conversely, if the standby side connector e is too far forward, the electrical component a side There is a problem that the electrical component a cannot be pushed to a predetermined position in the opening c because the pushing of the connector is restricted. Further, since both connectors are fitted inside the instrument panel b, there is a problem that it is difficult to confirm whether or not they are fitted properly.

The present invention has been completed in view of the above circumstances, and a connector in which the mating connector can be properly fitted to the connector on the standby side and, at the same time, the confirmation thereof can be made. An object is to provide a fitting structure.

[0006]

As a means for achieving the above object, the invention of claim 1 is characterized in that one connector of a pair of male and female connectors is provided on a connector mounting plate in a standby state, and one of them is provided. In the connector fitting structure in which the other connector is fitted from the front of the connector, the connector mounting plate is provided with an opening into which the one connector is fitted so as to be movable in the front-rear direction, One of the connectors is elastically deformable and can be engaged with the opening to hold the one connector in a working position projecting forward from the regular assembly position. A piece is provided, and the other connector is provided with a protrusion that protrudes into the bending space of the locking piece when fitted to the one connector, and the protrusion has a protrusion.
A relief portion is provided that allows the locking piece to flex and deform when the two connectors are properly fitted in the working position, and allows the one connector to be pushed into the proper assembly position. It is characterized in that it is configured as described above.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a pair of male and female connectors to be fitted to each other, an electrical component provided with the one connector, an electrical component mounting plate for mounting the electrical component at a predetermined position, and an electrical component. With a connector mounting plate that can be attached to the product mounting plate and supports the other connector in a standby state,
By attaching the connector mounting plate to the electrical component mounting plate in advance, fixing the electrical component mounting plate to the body, and then mounting the electrical component, the connector on the electrical component side is fitted with the connector on the standby side on the connector mounting plate. The connector mounting plate is provided with an opening into which the connector on the stand-by side is fitted so as to be movable in the front-rear direction, and the connector on the stand-by side is elastically bendable and deformable. A locking piece is provided, and the locking piece engages with the rim of the opening so that the connector can be held at a working position projecting forward from the regular assembly position. The connector on the electrical component side is provided with a protruding portion that protrudes into the bending space of the locking piece when the connector is fitted on the standby side. Is provided with a relief portion that enables the bending deformation of the locking piece, and the connector on the standby side can be pushed into the regular assembly position in accordance with the bending deformation of the locking piece. It has a feature in that it is configured.

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the invention, the connector on the standby side is held at the working position in front of the regular assembly position by the engaging piece elastically engaging with the opening of the connector mounting plate. To be done. The mating connector is fitted into the connector on the standby side at the working position while the plunging part is plunged into the bending space of the locking piece, and both connectors are properly formed until the mating connector is pushed into the predetermined position. Mated. At that time, the locking piece corresponds to the relief part provided in the protruding part, so that the bending deformation becomes possible, and when the mating connector is subsequently pushed to the predetermined position, the locking piece flexes and deforms and waits. The connector on the side is pushed into the regular assembly position together with the mating connector. If both connectors are not fitted properly, the protruding portion restricts the bending deformation of the locking piece, and the connector on the standby side cannot be pushed in from the working position.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the connector on the standby side is held at the working position in front of the regular assembly position by the engaging piece elastically engaging with the opening of the connector mounting plate. To be done. The connector on the electrical component side is fitted with the connector on the standby side in the working position while the protrusion is projected into the bending space of the locking piece, and both connectors are properly operated until the electrical component is pushed into the prescribed position. Is fitted to. then,
When the locking piece corresponds to the relief part of the protrusion, it becomes possible to bend and deform, and when the electrical component is subsequently pushed to a predetermined position, the connector on the standby side bends and deforms the locking piece It is pushed to the proper assembly position while maintaining the fitting state with. If both connectors are not fitted properly, the protruding portion restricts the bending deformation of the locking piece, and the connector on the standby side cannot be pushed in from the working position.

[0010]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the mating connector is fitted in a state where the standby side connector is locked in advance at the work position in front of the regular assembling position, and then the assembling position is set. Since the connectors can be pushed all the way, it is possible to ensure that both connectors are properly fitted, and the mating connector can be surely pushed into a predetermined position for mounting. Also, as long as both connectors are half mated, the connector on the standby side cannot be pushed in from the working position,
When the connector on the standby side is pushed to the assembling position, it is possible to automatically confirm that both connectors are properly fitted.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, even if the connector mounting plate is attached to the electric component mounting plate in the front-rear direction, the connectors on the electric component side corresponding to the standby side are properly fitted to each other. In addition, the electric component can be surely pushed into the predetermined position to be mounted. Further, the fact that the connector on the standby side has been pushed to the proper assembly position has the effect of being able to naturally confirm that both connectors are properly fitted.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a connecting portion of an electric component in an instrument panel will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. In FIG.
Reference numeral 1 denotes an instrument panel similar to that described with reference to FIG. 6, which is integrally molded using synthetic resin as a material. The instrument panel 1 is formed with a plurality of mounting openings 3 for inserting and mounting various electric components 2 from the front side. The mounting opening 3 is formed so as to project like a rectangular tube on the back surface side. On the front side in the insertion direction of the electrical component 2, a hood-like male connector 5 (hereinafter,
A male connector) is integrally provided, and a tab-shaped male terminal metal fitting 6 is projected inside thereof.

On the rear side of the instrument panel 1,
Similarly, a connector mounting plate 8 integrally formed of synthetic resin can be attached. The connector mounting plate 8 has a female connector 9 on the standby side.
A fitting hole 10 into which (hereinafter, referred to as a female connector) can be fitted is formed. Each fitting hole 10 is formed at a position corresponding to each mounting opening 3 when the connector mounting plate 8 is mounted on the instrument panel 1, and the corresponding female connector 9 is formed in each fitting hole 10. It has a clearance so that it can be freely moved in the front-rear direction.

The front end side of the female connector 9 can be fitted into the male connector 5 provided in the electric component 2 described above,
A female terminal fitting connected to an end of an electric wire drawn from a wire harness (not shown) is housed therein. The wire harness is integrally attached to the connector mounting plate 8.

On the upper surface of the female connector 9, there is provided a locking piece 12 which can be elastically bent and deformed. This locking piece 12
Is formed in a shape that rises from the rear end (left end side in FIG. 1) of the female connector 9 and extends toward the front end side.
A locking protrusion 13 that can be locked to the upper edge of the fitting hole 10 is formed at an intermediate position on the upper surface of the locking piece 12 in the longitudinal direction. A taper surface 14 is formed on the rear surface side of the locking projection 13. Further, a protrusion 15 bent downward at a right angle is formed at the tip of the locking piece 12.

The female connector 9 is fitted into the fitting hole 10 from the front side (right side in FIG. 1), and the locking projection 13 of the locking piece 12 abuts on the upper edge of the fitting hole 10 to further prevent the locking. Pushing is once restricted. This position is electrical component 2
4 is a work position where the fitting work with the male connector 5 on the side is performed, and this work position is set in advance more than the assembly position where the female connector 9 is finally pushed and stored as shown in FIG. It projects forward.

The locking piece 1 provided on the female connector 9
2 is set to have a high elastic force, and as will be described later in detail, when the female connector 9 is in the above working position and the male connector 5 on the electrical component 2 side is fitted, The bending deformation is impossible only by receiving the required pushing force. Therefore, the female connector 9 stays in its working position, and the bending deformation occurs only when receiving the pushing force more than that, and the pushing of the female connector 9 is allowed. Is set to the elastic force of.

The hood 5a on the upper side of the male connector 5 is a protruding portion that protrudes into the bending space of the locking piece 12 described above. The hood 5a has a protrusion 15 at the tip of the locking piece 12.
An escape hole 17 is provided so that the user can fit and escape. The escape hole 17 is formed at a position corresponding to just below the protrusion 15 of the locking piece 12 when the connectors 5 and 9 are properly fitted together. Both connectors 5,
9 is provided with a locking mechanism (not shown) for locking each other when they are properly fitted.

A pair of lock pieces 19 for locking the electric component 2 in the mounting opening 3 are provided on both upper and lower surfaces on the rear end side in the insertion direction of the electric component 2. This lock piece 1
9 is formed so as to be flexibly deformable and extends toward the front in the insertion direction, and a fitting protrusion 20 is formed at the extending end. On the other hand, on the upper and lower inner surfaces of the mounting opening 3, there are formed lock recesses 21 into which the fitting protrusions 20 can be fitted. That is, the electrical component 2 is inserted into the mounting opening 3 while flexibly deforming the lock piece 19, and is pushed to a predetermined position (for example, the position where the rear end face in the insertion direction is flush with the surface of the instrument panel 1), The lock piece 19 is restored and deformed, and the fitting protrusion 20 is fitted into the lock recess 21.
It is designed to be locked in a state in which movement in the push-in and pull-out directions is restricted.

This embodiment has the above-described structure,
Subsequently, the procedure of the assembling will be described. As described above, the female connector 9 is fitted into the fitting hole 10 of the connector mounting plate 8 while the female terminal fittings pulled out from the wire harness are fitted to the female connector 9, and the female connector 9 is the work shown in FIG. Supported in position. The connector mounting plate 8 supporting the female connector 9 in this manner is attached to the back side of the instrument panel 1. Next, the instrument panel 1 to which the connector mounting plate 8 is attached in advance
Is fixed to the body.

Subsequently, as shown by the arrow in FIG. 1, the electrical component 2 is pushed into the mounting opening 3 of the instrument panel 1 with a comparatively weak force. In the female connector 9 on the standby side at the working position, the locking projection 13 of the locking piece 12 is fitted into the fitting hole 10
Of the female connector 9 stays in the working position, and the electrical components are locked to the rim on the front side of the body, and the retaining piece 12 has a high elastic force and cannot be easily bent and deformed. The male connector 5 provided in 2 is gradually fitted.

Then, as shown in FIG. 2, both connectors 5,
When 9 is pushed into a position where it is properly fitted, both connectors 5 and 9 are integrally coupled via a lock mechanism, and at the same time, the projection 15 at the tip of the locking piece 12 is provided on the male connector 5. It corresponds to just above the escape hole 17.

Subsequently, when the electric component 2 is pushed in with a stronger force than the above, as shown in FIG.
4 is pressed by the rim of the fitting hole 10 so that the locking piece 12
The force of bending the tip end side of the locking member 12 acts downwardly, and the locking piece 12 is bent and deformed by fitting the projection 15 at the tip end into the escape hole 17 and allowing it to escape, and the female connector 9 is integrated with the male connector 5. It is pushed in the back.

During this time, the electric component 2 is pushed in while flexibly deforming the lock piece 19, and when pushed to a predetermined position, the fitting projection 20 of the lock piece 19 is inserted into the lock recess 21 as shown in FIG. By fitting elastically, electrical components 2
Is installed in a predetermined position with the pushing and locking prevention restricted. At that time, the locking projection 13 of the locking piece 12 of the female connector 9 is pulled out to the rear surface side of the fitting hole 10, and the locking piece 12
Returns to its original position due to the restoring elastic force. As a result, the female connector 9 is normally fitted to the male connector 5, and the locking protrusion 13 is locked to the rear edge of the fitting hole 10 to prevent the female connector 9 from slipping forward. , Stored in the regular assembly position.

As shown in FIG. 5, both connectors 5,
When the female connector 9 on the stand-by side is pushed into the assembling position while 9 is held in the half-fitted state, the escape hole 17 is located immediately below the protrusion 15 of the locking piece 12 in the half-fitted state. Since it does not correspond, the protrusion 15 hits the upper hood 5a of the male connector 5 and the locking piece 12 cannot be flexibly deformed, so that the female connector 9 cannot be pushed. If the electrical component 2 is further pushed in from this state, the electrical component 2 and the male connector 5
Only the connector is pushed in, and as a result, both connectors 5 and 9 are properly fitted, and accordingly, the projection 15 of the locking piece 12 and the escape hole 17 correspond to each other. Therefore, if the electrical component 2 is subsequently pushed in, the locking piece 12 is flexibly deformed as described above, and the female connector 9 is pushed into the regular assembling position with the male connector 5 properly fitted. That is, the female connector 9 on the standby side is not pushed into the regular mounting position until the male connector 5 is properly fitted.

As described above, in this embodiment, the female connector 9 on the stand-by side is held on the connector mounting plate 8 in a state in which the female connector 9 on the stand-by side is locked in advance at the work position in front of the regular assembly position, and is in that work position. Since the male connector 5 on the electrical component 2 side is fitted to the female connector 9 and then pushed to the assembly position, when the connector mounting plate 8 is attached to the instrument panel 1, there are variations in the front-back direction. Even in this case, the connectors 9 and 5 on the side of the electrical component 2 corresponding to the standby side can be properly fitted together, and the electrical component 2 can be securely pushed to a predetermined position for mounting. Further, as long as both connectors 5 and 9 are in the half-fitted state, the female connector 9 on the standby side is reliably prevented from being pushed to the regular assembly position.

<Other Embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. In addition, various changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. (1) The present invention is not limited to a connection part of electrical components in an instrument panel, but one connector of a pair of male and female connectors is provided on a connector mounting plate in a standby state. It can be widely applied to all connector fitting structures in which the connector is fitted.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a female connector on a standby side is held at a working position of a connector mounting plate according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which both connectors are properly fitted.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view in the middle of pushing the female connector from the working position toward the regular assembling position.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which an electric component is mounted at a predetermined position.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view when both connectors are in a semi-fitted state.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing a connection structure of electrical components in a plug-in format.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Instrument panel (electrical equipment mounting plate) 2 ... Electrical equipment 3 ... Mounting opening 5 ... Male connector 5a ... Hood (protruding part) 8 ... Connector mounting plate 9 ... Female connector (standby connector) 10 ... Fitting hole (opening part) ) 12 ... Locking piece 13 ... Locking projection 15 ... Projection 17 ... Relief hole 19 ... Locking piece

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A connector fitting structure in which one connector of a pair of male and female connectors is provided on a connector mounting plate in a standby state, and the other connector is fitted from the front of the one connector. The connector mounting plate is provided with an opening into which the one connector is fitted so as to be movable in the front-rear direction, and the one connector is elastically deformable, and the opening is formed in the opening. A locking piece that is capable of engaging and holding one of the connectors at a working position that protrudes forward from the regular assembly position is provided, and the other connector is provided when the connector is fitted to the one connector. A protruding portion is provided that protrudes into the bending space of the locking piece, and the protruding portion prevents the locking piece from being flexibly deformed when the both connectors are properly fitted at the working position. As capacity, connector fitting structure in which the one connector is characterized in that relief portion to allow the pushed into the assembly position of the normal is provided. 2. A pair of male and female connectors to be fitted to each other, an electrical component provided with one of the connectors, an electrical component mounting plate capable of mounting the electrical component at a predetermined position, and an electrical component mounting plate. A connector mounting plate that supports the other connector in a standby state is possible, and by previously mounting the connector mounting plate on the electrical component mounting plate, fixing the electrical component mounting plate to the body, and then mounting the electrical component, The connector on the electrical component side is fitted to the connector on the standby side on the connector mounting plate, and the connector mounting plate has an opening into which the connector on the standby side is movable in the front-rear direction. Is provided, and the connector on the standby side is provided with an elastically bendable and deformable locking piece, and the locking piece engages with the rim of the opening to connect the connector. It can be held at a work position that protrudes forward from the assembly position of the rule, and the connector on the electrical component side protrudes into the bending space of the locking piece when fitted to the connector on the standby side. And a relief portion that allows the locking piece to be flexibly deformed when both connectors are properly fitted in the working position, and the bending of the locking piece is provided. A connector fitting structure characterized in that the connector on the standby side can be pushed into a regular assembly position due to deformation.