JPH11191456A - Alignment connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an alignment connector allowing no occurrence of incomplete fitting and a wrench, and capable of automatic aligning surely. SOLUTION: A first member is equipped with a cable 16-connected connector portion 11 having at least tow flange portions 23, a connector portion 11, loosely fitted support portion 12 having holes respectively penetrating through flange portions 23, and a lever 21, having one end abutting onto the flange portions 23 and rockably arranged on the respective flange portions 23. The first member is fixed to an instrument panel module. A joint box 15 as second member is equipped with a mating connector portion 18 electrically connected by the fitting of the connector portion 11, and a protrusive push portion 19 abutted by the other end of the lever 21. When the first member and the second member are engaged mutually, the push portion 19 pushes the lever 21, and the lever 21 pushes the flange portions 23 so that the connector portion 11 is thrust into the mating connector portion 18.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a centering connector used in a fully automatic assembling process of modular parts in an automobile assembling process, and more particularly to a centering connector for automatically correcting a large misalignment at the time of fitting. The present invention relates to a centering connector that can reliably prevent incomplete fitting.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in the automobile assembling process, a fully automatic assembling work of modular parts has become mainstream. In this automatic assembling process, it is necessary to automatically correct the misalignment between the connectors and align them while connecting the connectors.

A conventional self-aligning connector for an automobile of this type is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 2-5274. In this self-aligning connector, two frames are provided outside a panel mounting housing, and the two frames are provided in XY directions (vertical, vertical).
Align the side) and use the flexibility of the cable to
The automatic alignment in the axial direction (insertion direction) is performed.

[0004]

However, in this conventional self-aligning connector, centering in the Z-axis direction is performed by utilizing the flexibility of the cable.
A certain amount of sliding is possible in the axial direction. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 8A, there is a problem that the terminal is easily returned to the original state due to the resistance when the terminal is fitted. FIG.
1A, a cable 2 is connected to an alignment connector 1, and the alignment connector 1 is supported by a frame 3. The mating connector portion 4 has a recess having a shape that fits the alignment connector portion 1, and the male terminal 5 is provided at the inner bottom of the recess. In this conventional alignment connector, when the alignment connector portion 1 is fitted to the mating connector portion 4, the male terminal 5 is inserted into the female terminal of the alignment connector portion 1. The connector portion 1 returns in the direction opposite to the insertion direction (A direction) in the frame 3, and incomplete fitting occurs. Further, in the conventional alignment connector, as shown in FIG. 8B, there is a possibility that the alignment connector portion 1 may be fitted while being oblique. As described above, the centering connector portion 1 twists the distal end of the mating connector portion 4, and when this twisting occurs, there is a problem that fitting reliability is reduced and durability is deteriorated. Also, the conventional alignment connector has a protrusion on the outer wall of the inner frame,
Since the alignment movement is restricted by engaging the groove on the inner wall of the outer frame, the movement is poor and the alignment mechanism may not work.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to provide a centering connector that does not cause incomplete fitting and twisting and that can perform automatic centering reliably. .

[0006]

In the centering connector according to the present invention, the first member has a connector portion to which a cable is connected and has at least two flange portions, and the connector portion is loosely fitted to the connector portion. A support member having a hole to be inserted thereinto, and a lever having one end abutting on the flange portion and swingably disposed for each flange portion, wherein the second member is fitted with the connector portion. A mating connector portion electrically connected by a lever, and a projection locked to the other end of the lever, and by engaging the first member and the second member, The connector is fitted to the mating connector by pressing a lever and the lever pressing the flange.

In this centering connector, the first member may be arranged on an automobile instrument panel module, and the second member may be arranged on a vehicle body. Preferably, the mating connector section is provided with a chamfer at an entrance into which the connector section is fitted.

In the present invention, the lever of the first member is pressed by the projection of the second member by engaging the first member and the second member, and the lever presses the flange of the first member. I do. Accordingly, even if the connector portion of the first member is inclined with respect to the mating connector portion of the second member, the lever presses the flange portion, so that the posture of the connector portion returns to a correct state. For this reason, prying is prevented. Further, since the connector portion is pressed in the insertion direction by the lever via the flange portion, even if resistance is present at the time of fitting, the female terminal of the connector portion or the mating connector portion is connected to the male terminal of the mating connector portion or the connector portion. The terminal is inserted securely.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an alignment connector according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the operation, and FIG. 5 is a view showing an application example in which the alignment connector of the present embodiment is mounted. As shown in FIG. 5, the alignment connector according to the present embodiment has a wire harness 1 in the instrument panel module 13 when the instrument panel module 13 (hereinafter referred to as an instrument panel module) is automatically assembled to a vehicle body by a robot.
It is used for relaying between the wire harness 4 and the wire harness (joint box 15 in this embodiment) on the vehicle body side. In such automatic assembly of modularized parts, mounting play is generated, and it is necessary to absorb the play with a connector.

For this reason, the alignment connector of this embodiment has a structure for absorbing the backlash as shown in FIGS. In the instrument panel module 13, a support portion 12 is fixed to a lower portion of the instrument panel module 13 by bolts or the like, and the connector portion 11 is inserted into the support portion 12. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, an installation space portion 31 into which the connector portion 11 is loosely fitted is formed in the support portion 12 so as to extend perpendicular to the instrument panel module 13. The support portion 12 has a pair of holes 32 formed in a side wall of the installation space portion 31. The support 12
, A pair of levers 21 is pivotally supported about a fulcrum 22. The lever 21 is disposed at a position where the inner end thereof is in contact with the flange 23 of the connector 11.

A cable 16 is connected to the connector portion 11, and a pair of flange portions 23 is formed at a position from the base end of the connector portion 11. It is to be inserted.

A mating connector portion 18 into which the connector portion 11 is fitted is formed at the center of the joint box 15. A chamfered portion 20 is formed on the inner surface of the projecting portion of the mating connector portion 18, and the connector portion 11 is formed.
Makes insertion easier. The male terminal 17 is provided at the bottom of the concave portion of the mating connector portion 18. A projecting pressing portion 19 is formed on the peripheral edge of the joint box 15, and the pressing portion 19 comes into contact with the other end of the lever 21.

Next, the operation of the centering connector of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described. The support section 12 is fixed to the instrument panel module 13 and the connector section 1
1 is loosely fitted in the fitting portion 31 of the support portion 12, and 3 of XYZ
It is held with a clearance that can move in the axial direction. Although the cable 16 is on the same Z axis in the Z axis direction, the cable 16 can slide without any problem due to expansion and contraction of the cable itself. The play in the XY directions at the time of attachment is absorbed by the slide in the guide part 12 of the connector part 11 and the entrance chamfered part 20 of the mating connector part 18 of the joint box 15.

That is, as shown in FIG.
With instrument panel module 13 and joint box 1
5 and is inserted into the mating connector section 18 while aligning the leading end of the connector section 11 with the chamfered section 20 so as to align the center. In this case, the connector 11
When the instrument panel module 13 is further advanced even if it is inclined with respect to the mating connector section 18, the pressing section 19
Eventually, it comes into contact with the outer end of the lever 21 and presses the lever 21 to swing it about the fulcrum 22. As a result, the inner end of the lever 21 presses down one flange 23 of the connector 11 inclining.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 3, the posture of the connector section 11 is perpendicular to the instrument panel module 13. Then, the inner ends of the pair of levers 21 are all in the form of the flange 2
3, and the pair of levers 21 uniformly press the respective flange portions 23 toward the mating connector portion 18. This allows
The connector portion 11 reliably enters the mating connector portion 18, and the female terminal of the connector portion 11 is connected to the joint box 15.
To the male terminal 17.

When the instrument panel module 13 is further pushed in, the pressing portion 19 further presses the lever 21 as shown in FIG.
Is further pressed, and the connector 11 is moved to the mating connector 18.
Push in. Thereby, the male terminal 17 of the mating connector 18 is securely inserted into the female terminal of the connector 11,
It is prevented that the connector portion 11 is pushed back and incompletely fitted.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the connector portion 11 is securely inserted into the mating connector portion 18 by the swing of the lever 21, and the male terminal of the mating connector portion 18 is connected to the female terminal of the connector portion 11. It is securely inserted, the two are electrically connected, and incomplete fitting is prevented. Also,
In the present embodiment, since the posture of the connector portion 11 is corrected by the swing of the lever 21, no twisting occurs.

In order to assemble the connector portion 11 to the support portion 12, the following operation is performed. The support part 12 is a divided part that is divided into two parts vertically at a boundary 24, and the connector part 11 to which the cable 16 is attached via terminals.
After setting, each is assembled and connected to obtain the structure shown in FIG.

However, the present embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the support section 12 may have a structure as shown in FIG.
In other words, the front part of the support part 12 is a mouth-shaped separate part 25, and after the connector part 11 to which the cable 16 is attached via the terminal is installed on the support part 12, the separate part 25 is supported. Attach to the part 12.

As shown in FIG. 7, the upper part and the lower part of the front part of the support part 12 are formed as separate rod-shaped parts 26, and the connector part 11 to which the cable 16 is attached via terminals is installed on the support part 12. After that, another component 26 may be attached to the support portion 12.

Further, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, two levers 21 are provided to have a function of correcting the inclination of the connector portion 11 in one direction.
The present invention is not limited thereto. For example, two pairs of levers 21 may be provided so as to face each other in a direction orthogonal to each other. Thereby, even if the connector portion 11 is inclined in any direction,
The posture can be corrected.

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the connector portion is loosely fitted in the support portion, self-alignment can be performed easily and smoothly. Further, since the pressing portion of the second member presses the lever of the first member and swings the lever, incomplete fitting can be prevented. Furthermore, in this case, since the connector is fitted to the mating connector while correcting the posture of the connector by the lever, twisting can be prevented, and the fitting reliability can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an alignment connector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the same operation.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the same operation.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the same operation.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state where the present invention is arranged in an instrument panel module.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a modification of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing another modification of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a view showing a conventional alignment connector.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11: Connector part 12: Support part 13: Instrument panel module 14: Wire harness 15: Joint box 16: Cable 17: Male terminal 18: Mating connector part 19: Pressing part 20: Chamfer part 21: Lever 22: Support point 23: Flange part 25, 26: separate parts 31: installation space 32: holes

Claims (3)

[Claims] A first member having a connector to which a cable is connected and having at least two flange portions; a support portion having a hole for loosely fitting the connector portion and inserting the respective flange portions;
A lever, one end of which abuts against the flange portion and is pivotally disposed for each flange portion, wherein a second member is electrically connected by fitting the connector portion. And a projection that abuts the other end of the lever,
By engaging the first member and the second member, the protrusion presses the lever, and the lever presses the flange, whereby the connector fits into the mating connector. A centering connector characterized by the above-mentioned. 2. The alignment connector according to claim 1, wherein the first member is disposed on an automobile instrument panel module, and the second member is disposed on a vehicle body. 3. The centering connector according to claim 1, wherein the mating connector has a chamfer at an entrance into which the connector is fitted.