JPH11250991A - Electrical fitting error preventing structure of plural kinds of connectors - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electrical fitting error preventing structure, by which no form special appearance shapes are not required for each vehicle model, and complicated parts control can be eliminat and fitting errors can be precisely detected on line, for a plural kinds of connectors. SOLUTION: In terminals 5' of a control unit connector 1 and vehicle connectors 2a, 2b, vehicle model determining terminals 5, 5a, 5b for preventing connection errors are arranged. In these terminals 5, 5a, 5b, settings of GND (grounding), OPEN(opening), and the like are previously carried out for electrical determination. If contents of the settings of connectors match each other, the combination of the connectors is right, while fitting errors are determined if the contents do not match each other. In case of fitting errors, an alarm is given by means of an alarm 4.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an erroneous fitting prevention structure for fitting a vehicle-side connector and a control unit-side connector without errors when a plurality of vehicle types flow on the same line. The present invention relates to an electrical erroneous mating prevention structure for a plurality of types of connectors configured to prevent erroneous mating.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a vehicle production line, a plurality of types of vehicle types may be mixed and flow on the same line.
In this case, for example, when the external shape of the vehicle-side connector is the same, it may be assembled as it is.
This erroneous fitting has a problem that cannot be found in a case where only software is different even when the electric current is applied. For this reason, various erroneous fitting prevention structures have conventionally been employed.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show the most obvious structure for preventing incorrect fitting, in which the contour of a connector is changed. That is, the connector 6 shown in FIG. 6 has a rectangular outline having slightly different top and bottom lengths.
The connector 7 shown in FIG. 7 has a square contour shape forming the stepped portion 8. The one shown in FIG.
This is to explain a structure for preventing erroneous fitting when a plurality of vehicle-side connectors 10a and 10b having substantially the same external appearance are fitted to one control unit-side connector 9. In this case, notches 11, 12, and 13 are formed in the contour of the control unit connector 9 and the contour of the vehicle connectors 10a and 10b. Since the notches 11, 12 and 13 have the same electrical setting, matching the notches at the time of assembly prevents erroneous fitting.

[0004] There are also a number of known techniques for preventing erroneous mating. For example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 5-65079 and Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 5-69873 are cited. 5-650
No. 79, "Connector and its mis-mating prevention structure"
A hood formed by combining a pair of divided bodies is provided on a connector body fitted with a mating connector, and a concave or convex asymmetrical fitting portion is formed in the divided body.
Misfitting is identified by non-matching. Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 5-69873 discloses a "connector" in which left and right thicknesses are provided on left and right sides of a longitudinal end of a socket-side connector to be fitted with a plug-side connector. It discloses a connector provided with a matched enclosure to prevent erroneous fitting.

[0005]

In the case of the connectors 6 and 7 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, since the contours of the connectors are clearly different, there is no doubt that erroneous fitting is completely prevented. When there are many types, there is a problem that it is necessary to manufacture a product having a different contour shape each time, which increases the cost and makes the management of connector components extremely complicated. On the other hand, in the connector shown in FIG. 8, the notch portions 12 and 13 are different even if the vehicle-side connectors 10a and 10b have the same external contour, so that a connector having a notch portion corresponding to the vehicle type is required. There are almost the same problems as the above-mentioned connector.

Also, in the case of the above-mentioned known technology, it is necessary to form the asymmetrical fitting portion, the tension and the enclosure according to the vehicle type and the like. In this known technique, various considerations are made for reducing the manufacturing cost and facilitating the assembling, but it is still necessary to form the asymmetrical fitting portion, the tension and the enclosure according to the vehicle type, which increases the cost. There are problems such as complicated parts management.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and prevents the occurrence of erroneous fitting between a vehicle-side connector and a control unit-side connector. An object of the present invention is to provide a structure for preventing electrical misfitting of a plurality of types of connectors, which prevents complication of management, and warns by alarm when misfitting occurs to prevent misfitting. .

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an erroneous fitting of a plurality of types of vehicle-side connectors and control unit-side connectors having the same external shape and different internal software without error. A plurality of terminals of the connector, which are used for vehicle type discrimination, are set in advance, and the terminals are set to GND (earth) and OPEN (open). This constitutes a structure for preventing electrical erroneous fitting of a plurality of types of connectors in which connectors are fitted to each other. Further, when the vehicle-side connector and the control unit-side connector are erroneously fitted, an alarm is issued.

For example, in the case where a plurality of types of vehicle-side connectors having different internal software are fitted without error to a certain control-unit-side connector, the present invention provides a vehicle type discriminating terminal on the control unit-side connector and the vehicle-side connector. It is designed to prevent erroneous fitting electrically. In other words, different settings of the combination of GND and OPEN are electrically formed in the vehicle type determination terminal, and those having the matching settings are assembled. Various known techniques are applied as means for detecting the presence / absence of a match. However, as a simple means, an alarm is issued in the case of a non-match to facilitate discovery. As described above, there is no need to change the external shape for each vehicle type, and troubles such as high cost and complicated component management are eliminated.

[0010]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the structure for preventing electrical mis-fitting of the connector of the present embodiment includes a control unit-side connector 1 and a vehicle-side connector 2 having a vehicle type discriminating setting provided therein, and an erroneous connection between both connectors 1 and 2. It comprises a control unit 3 for detecting the fitting, an alarm 4 for warning, and the like.

First, the electrical discriminating means applied to both connectors 1 and 2 will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 2 schematically shows the electrical determination means of the control unit side connector 1. In this example, the case where the terminals 5 'of the control unit side connector 1 are numbered 1 to 21 is shown, but of course the invention is not limited to this. Among these many terminals 5 ', a plurality of terminals 5' are used as vehicle type discriminating terminals. In this example, as shown in the figure, the terminal No. 5
(Hereinafter referred to as terminal 5). In this example, the number 5 terminal 5 is set as GND (earth), and the other number 5
The number 5 terminal 5 is set to OPEN (open).
The terminals 5 'other than these terminals 5 are of course applied to vehicle-type electric circuits.

FIG. 3 shows a terminal 5 'of a vehicle-side connector 2a used in a certain type of vehicle. This terminal 5 'is also composed of terminals 1 to 21. In this case as well, as in the case of the control unit side connector 1,
The number 5 terminal 5 'is selected as a vehicle type identification terminal 5a (hereinafter referred to as terminal 5a). The terminal 5a of the vehicle-side connector 2a is numbered GND, numbered,
The numbers are electrically set to OPEN. This setting is the same as the setting of the terminal 5 of the control unit side connector.

FIG. 4 shows a terminal 5 'of the vehicle-side connector 2b used in another vehicle type vehicle. This terminal 5 'is also composed of the terminals Nos. 1 to 21 in the same manner as described above. Among them, the terminal No. 5
Is a terminal 5b for vehicle type determination (hereinafter, referred to as a terminal 5b). As the electrical setting of the terminal 5b in the vehicle-side connector 2b, the number is set to GND, and the number, number, and number are electrically set to OPEN. The electrical settings of the terminals 5b are different from the electrical settings of the terminals 5 and 5a of the control unit side connector 1 and the vehicle side connector 2a.

Next, the operation of the structure for preventing electrical misfitting of a plurality of types of connectors according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In this example, for one control unit side connector 1,
Prevention of incorrect fitting when two types of vehicle-side connectors 2a and 2b are fitted will be described, but of course the present invention is not limited to this combination. As described above, the electrical setting of the terminal 5 of the control unit side connector 1 is such that the number is GND, the number, the number, and the number are OPEN. On the other hand, the electrical setting of the terminal 5a of the vehicle side connector 2a is GND, the number, the number, the number is OPEN, and the electrical setting of the terminal 5b of the other vehicle side connector 2b is the number, GND. , Number, and number are OPEN. The control unit 3 shown in FIG. 1 includes the terminal 5 of the control unit side connector 1 and the vehicle side connectors 2a, 2
The circuit is formed so as to determine whether the electrical settings of the terminals 5a and 5b of "b" match or not, and to issue a warning generation command to the alarm 4 side in the case of mismatch. In addition, any method such as the sound of the alarm 4, lighting, and display may be used.

In the case of this example, the electrical settings of the control unit side connector 1 and the vehicle side connector 2a match,
The electrical settings of the vehicle-side connector 2b do not match. Therefore, if the vehicle-side connector 2a is fitted to the control unit-side connector 1, no alarm is issued from the alarm 4, but if the vehicle-side connector 2b is fitted to the control unit-side connector 1, the control unit 3 A non-match is detected, a detection signal is issued to the alarm 4 side, and a warning is issued from the alarm 4. As described above, erroneous fitting is completely and accurately prevented.

In this example, since four terminals are set as vehicle type identification terminals, the combination of GND and OPEN is 1
There are six types, and erroneous fitting of 16 types of vehicle-side connectors 2 can be prevented. If it is necessary to prevent many types of vehicle-side connectors 2 from being erroneously fitted, the number of vehicle-type determining terminals may be increased by that amount, which is relatively easy. As described above, in the structure for preventing electrical misfitting of a plurality of types of connectors according to the present invention, it is sufficient to simply change the internal software of the connector and make electrical settings in advance to the vehicle type identification terminal, and many connectors are misfitted. Prevention is relatively easy,
Performed at low cost. In addition, the external shape of the connector may be the same, and it is not necessary to change a molding die for each vehicle type,
Manufacturing costs are greatly reduced. In addition, even if the appearance is the same, special parts management is almost unnecessary, and the management cost can be reduced. In the above embodiment, the control unit-side connector 1 is a single connector and the vehicle-side connector 2 is a plurality. However, the reverse case may be of course, or both may be plural.

[0017]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, according to the structure for preventing electrical misfitting of a plurality of types of connectors, even if a plurality of types of control unit side connectors and vehicle side connectors flow together. These erroneous fittings are electrically accurately detected, and erroneous fitting is completely prevented. In addition, since the incorrect fitting prevention is performed electrically, it is not necessary to make the appearance different for each vehicle type as in the prior art, and a plurality of types of molding dies, etc. for the production are not required, and the production cost is reduced. Can be achieved. In addition, management costs can be reduced. 2) According to the electrical erroneous mating prevention structure for a plurality of types of connectors described in claim 2 of the present invention, when erroneous mating occurs,
Since an alarm is issued, an erroneous fitting can be found. Therefore, the trouble flowing with incorrect fitting is completely eliminated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing the entire structure of a structure for preventing electrical misfitting of a plurality of types of connectors of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing an electrical setting of a vehicle type discriminating terminal of a control unit side connector used in an electric mis-fitting prevention structure for a plurality of types of connectors of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an electrical setting of a vehicle type determination terminal of a vehicle-side connector used in a structure for preventing electrical misfitting of a plurality of types of connectors according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an electrical setting of a vehicle type determination terminal of another vehicle-side connector used in the structure for preventing electrical misfitting of a plurality of types of connectors of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view for explaining the operation of the structure for preventing electrical misfitting of a plurality of types of connectors according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a connector for explaining a conventional means for preventing erroneous fitting of the connector.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a connector for explaining a conventional means for preventing erroneous fitting of the connector.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a conventional control unit side connector and a plurality of vehicle-type connectors fitted to the conventional control unit side connector for preventing erroneous fitting.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Control unit side connector 2 Vehicle side connector 2a Vehicle side connector 2b Vehicle side connector 3 Control part 4 Alarm 5 Car type discriminating terminal (terminal) 5a Car type discriminating terminal (terminal) 5b Car type discriminating terminal (terminal) 5 'terminal

Claims (2)

[Claims] An erroneous fitting prevention structure for fitting a plurality of types of vehicle-side connectors and control unit-side connectors having the same external shape and different internal software without error.
Among a plurality of terminals of the connector, a plurality of terminals used for vehicle type discrimination are predetermined, and GND (earth),
An erroneous mating prevention structure for a plurality of types of connectors, wherein an OPEN (open) setting is made and connectors matching the setting are fitted together. 2. The structure according to claim 1, wherein an alarm is issued when the vehicle side connector and the control unit side connector are erroneously mated.