JP2010009801A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connector capable of preventing the false insertion of a counterpart terminal. <P>SOLUTION: When a terminal secondary locking member 4 is in a temporary locked state, a plurality of openings 18 of an opening covering part 13 are made to communicate with only lance bending space-cum-jig insertion spaces 7 of corresponding terminal housing rooms 2. After that, when the terminal secondary locking member 4 is in a proper locking state, the openings 18 are made to communicate only with terminal housing spaces 6 of the terminal housing rooms 2, and the lance bending space-cum-jig insertion spaces 7 are covered with thick parts 21 around the openings 18. Even if the connector 1 is insertion-coupled with a counterpart connector, the counterpart terminals are not plugged into the lance bending space-cum-jig insertion spaces 7. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector including a terminal secondary locking member having a function of locking terminals in a double manner, and more particularly to a connector including a terminal secondary locking member having a function of a front cover.

  A conventional connector including an insulating connector housing having a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers extending in the front-rear direction and conductive terminals respectively accommodated in each terminal accommodating chamber has a lance integrally formed in each terminal accommodating chamber. Yes. In such a connector, when the terminal is accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber, the lance can lock the terminal and prevent the connector from being pulled backward.

  In recent connector structures, the number of terminals has been increased, and a terminal secondary locking member is further provided (see, for example, Patent Document 1 below). This is because there is a case where the locking force for the terminal cannot be sufficiently secured only by the lance. The terminal secondary locking member is a separate component with respect to the connector housing. When the terminal secondary locking member is moved vertically, the terminal secondary locking member is temporarily locked or permanently locked. It is comprised so that the latched terminal can be doubly latched.

  When the mating terminal (male terminal) of the mating connector is inserted through the front surface of the connector housing, the connector contacts the terminal (female terminal) accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber and is electrically connected. It has become.

  Regarding the structure of the connector housing, the terminal accommodating chamber is formed so as to penetrate in the front-rear direction of the connector housing as described above. By the way, a lance integrated with such a terminal housing chamber is a portion that cannot be formed unless a structure is formed in which a die-cut hole is opened in the front surface of the connector housing. This is generally known. On the front surface of the connector housing, an opening serving as an insertion port for a mating terminal (male terminal) of the mating connector and the above-described die-cutting hole are opened. The frontage and the die-cutting hole are arranged so as to be continuous in the vertical direction (normally, they are not portions that open separately on the front surface of the connector housing).

  Note that the punched hole functions not only as a part for forming the lance but also as a part for inserting a locking release jig for releasing the locked state of the terminal locked by the lance. Yes.

In the case of a connector having multiple poles, since a small-sized terminal is used, the frontage and the punching hole are formed small.
JP 2006-100228 A

  Multi-pole connectors (multi-pole connectors) have a large number of terminals within a limited size, so when connecting to the mating connector, the mating connector is inserted into the punched hole that opens in the front of the connector housing. The other terminal (male terminal) may be accidentally inserted.

  This invention is made | formed in view of an above-described situation, and makes it a subject to provide the connector which can prevent the incorrect insertion of the other party terminal.

  The connector of the present invention according to claim 1, which has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, has a terminal, a connector housing having a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers penetrating in the front-rear direction for accommodating the terminal from the rear, and moved vertically. A terminal secondary locking member that is in a temporarily locked state or a final locked state with respect to the connector housing, and the terminal accommodating chamber is a lance that locks the terminal and restricts rearward withdrawal, A terminal housing space formed on one of the upper and lower sides of the lance, and a lance bending space and a jig insertion space formed on the other upper and lower side of the lance. In the connector, the connector has a secondary locking portion that double-locks the terminal locked by the lance when in the locked state, and the terminal secondary locking member is vertically positioned at the front surface position of the connector housing. Go to and The front cover portion is formed integrally with a front cover portion that has a plurality of front openings that restricts the terminal from slipping forward and penetrates in accordance with the number and position of the terminal accommodating chambers. The front opening communicates with the lance deflection space and jig insertion space in the stopped state, and the front opening communicates with the terminal accommodating space in the main locking state.

  According to the present invention having such a feature, the terminal secondary locking member formed integrally with the frontage cover portion is provided. In the terminal secondary locking member, the frontage of the frontage cover portion communicates with either the lance deflection space / jig insertion space or the terminal receiving space depending on the temporary locking state or the main locking state with respect to the connector housing. When the terminal insertion of the mating connector is allowed, the frontage communicates only with the terminal accommodating space.

  Furthermore, even if the terminal housing chamber is a multipolar connector having a structure with a plurality of stages in the vertical direction, each frontage of the frontage cover portion communicates with either the corresponding lance deflection space / jig insertion space or the terminal accommodation space. .

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the connector according to the first aspect, wherein the front position locking portion that is caught in the front locking portion and the front surface of the connector housing in the fully locked state is formed in the front cover portion. It is characterized by that.

  According to the present invention having such a feature, since the position of the terminal secondary locking member in the final locking state is stabilized, the position of the frontage is also stabilized accordingly.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is an effect that it is possible to prevent erroneous insertion of the mating terminal. In addition, according to the present invention, there is an effect that it is possible to prevent erroneous insertion of a mating terminal even with a multipolar connector.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is an effect that the erroneous insertion of the mating terminal can be prevented more reliably.

  Hereinafter, description will be given with reference to the drawings. 1A and 1B are diagrams showing an embodiment of a connector according to the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a front view of a connector in a temporarily locked state of a terminal secondary locking member, and FIG. 1B is an AA line of FIG. It is sectional drawing (illustration of a terminal is abbreviate | omitted). 2 is a perspective view of the connector housing and the terminal secondary locking member, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the connector (the terminal is not shown).

  1 to 3, reference numeral 1 indicates a connector according to the present invention. The connector 1 is provided at a terminal of a wire harness formed by bundling a plurality of electric wires (not shown), and is used, for example, when connecting wire harnesses. The connector 1 includes a connector housing 3 having a plurality of terminal housing chambers 2, terminals (not shown in the figure, assumed to be known female terminals) housed in the terminal housing chamber 2 of the connector housing 3, connectors A terminal secondary locking member 4 that is in a temporarily locked state or a fully locked state with respect to the housing 3 and that double-locks the terminals is provided. As will be described later, the connector 1 has a structure and structural members that can prevent erroneous insertion of the mating terminal of the mating connector. First, each said structural member is demonstrated.

  The connector housing 3 is a member made of synthetic resin having insulating properties. When the arrow P is defined as the front-rear direction, the arrow Q is defined as the left-right direction, and the arrow R is defined as the up-down direction, the plurality of terminal housing chambers 2 It is arranged so that it is lined up in two and up and down. The plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 2 are formed so as to penetrate in the front-rear direction. The terminal accommodating chamber 2 is formed in accordance with the shape of a terminal (not shown).

  In addition, the terminal has a box-shaped electrical contact portion and an electric wire connection portion continuous to the electrical contact portion. The terminal is connected to the end of the electric wire. The tab-shaped electrical contact portion of the mating terminal in the mating connector is inserted into the box-shaped electrical contact portion. When the terminal is inserted into the inside from the rear opening of the terminal housing chamber 2 (from the rear surface of the connector housing 3), the terminal is locked by the lance 5 formed in the terminal housing chamber 2, and the rearward withdrawal is restricted. It has become.

  The lance 5 is a portion (primary locking portion) for locking the terminal, and is formed to have flexibility. The lance 5 is formed in a cantilever shape. A locking portion for locking the terminal is formed at the tip of the lance 5. In the terminal accommodating chamber 2, the upper side of the lance 5 is a terminal accommodating space 6, and the lower side of the lance 5 is a lance bending space / jig insertion space 7. The lance 5 is allowed to pass through the terminals by being bent toward the lance bending space and jig insertion space 7 side. The lance 5 is formed so that the locking portion protrudes into the terminal accommodating space 6. The terminal accommodating space 6 and the lance deflection space / jig insertion space 7 are formed so as to open side by side on the front surface of the connector housing 3.

  A member housing hole 8 and a front surface position locking portion 9 are formed in the connector housing 3. The member receiving hole 8 is formed as a portion for moving the terminal secondary locking member 4 in the up-down direction to a temporary locking state or a main locking state. The member accommodation hole 8 is formed so as to penetrate from the lower surface of the connector housing 3 to each terminal accommodation chamber 2. The member accommodation hole 8 is formed so as to open behind the lance 5. In such a member receiving hole 8, a temporary locking portion and a main locking portion for the terminal secondary locking member 4 are formed (not shown; temporary locking projections of the terminal secondary locking member 4 described later). The portion 16 and the main locking projection 17 are hooked to form a temporary locking state or a main locking state to restrict the downward movement of the terminal secondary locking member 4).

  The front surface position locking portion 9 is formed as a portion for stabilizing the position of the terminal secondary locking member 4 in the main locking state. The front surface position locking portion 9 is formed on the front surface of the connector housing 3. Specifically, it is formed at the positions of both ends in the left-right direction on the front surface. The front surface position locking portion 9 is formed to be a convex portion in this embodiment. A concave front position locking portion 19 (described later) of the terminal secondary locking member 4 is hooked on the front position locking portion 9.

  In the connector housing 3, reference numeral 10 indicates a locking arm serving as a fitting portion with the mating connector. Reference numeral 11 denotes an arm protection unit for preventing an erroneous operation of the locking arm 10. The external appearance of the connector housing 3 is basically the same as a known one (detailed description is omitted with respect to the external shape).

  The terminal secondary locking member 4 is a member having a so-called spacer function (to lock the terminal doubly) and a so-called front holder function (to restrict the terminal from being pulled forward). It has the next latching | locking part 12, the frontage cover part 13, and a pair of connection part 14 which connects these, and is formed in the shape as shown in FIG. The terminal secondary locking member 4 is formed such that the secondary locking portion 12, the front cover portion 13, and the connecting portion 14 are integrated into one component. The secondary locking portion 12 is formed to have a spacer function, and the front cover portion 13 is formed to have a front holder function. The terminal secondary locking member 4 is an insulating synthetic resin part.

  The secondary locking portion 12 has a plurality of terminal locking portions 15, a pair of temporary locking projections 16, and a pair of final locking projections 17. Regarding each part, a plurality of terminal locking portions 15 are formed in accordance with the number and arrangement of the terminal accommodating chambers 2. The terminal locking part 15 hooks the terminal in the state accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber 2 and locked by the lance 5 (hooks the end of the box-shaped electrical contact part), and double-locks this terminal. (Secondary locking portion. Basically, it is formed in the same shape as a known shape, and detailed description is omitted here).

  The temporary locking protrusion 16 is formed as a portion that is hooked on the temporary locking portion (not shown) formed in the member receiving hole 8 of the connector housing 3. The temporary locking protrusions 16 are arranged and formed at both end positions in the left-right direction of the secondary locking portion 12. The temporary locking protrusion 16 is flexible and has a short arm shape having a claw-like portion at the tip.

  The main locking projection 17 is formed as a portion that is hooked on the main locking portion (not shown) formed in the member receiving hole 8 of the connector housing 3. The main locking projections 17 are arranged and formed at both end positions in the left-right direction of the secondary locking portion 12. The main locking projection 17 is disposed behind the temporary locking projection 16. The locking projection 17 includes a through-hole portion that is long in the vertical direction, a bent portion that can be bent by forming the through-hole portion, and a substantially triangular-shaped protruding portion that protrudes rearward from the bent portion. Have. In addition, it is also possible to form a through-hole part long in the up-down direction in a slit shape.

  The front cover portion 13 is formed as a portion that moves in the vertical direction at the front surface position of the connector housing 3. Further, the front cover portion 13 is formed as a portion that restricts the terminal from moving forward. In such a front cover portion 13, a plurality of front holes 18 that penetrates in accordance with the number and positions of the terminal accommodating chambers 2 and a pair of front surface position locking portions 19 are formed. The frontage 18 is formed in accordance with the size of the mating terminal of the mating connector and in accordance with the size of the locking release jig 20 for releasing the locking state of the lance 5 (larger than necessary). Shall not be open).

  The plurality of front openings 18 are arranged in two rows in the vertical direction while being aligned in the left-right direction. Further, the plurality of openings 18 are formed so as to penetrate in the front-rear direction. It is assumed that there is a thick portion 21 of the front cover portion 13 around the front opening 18.

  The front surface position locking portion 19 is formed as a concave portion that is hooked on the front surface position locking portion 9 of the connector housing 3 when the terminal secondary locking member 4 is in the final locking state with respect to the connector housing 3. Yes. The terminal secondary locking member 4 can stabilize the position relative to the connector housing 3 when the front surface position locking portion 19 is hooked on the front surface position locking portion 9 of the connector housing 3 (to this). Accordingly, the position of the frontage 18 is also stabilized).

  The pair of connecting portions 14 is formed as a portion for connecting the secondary locking portion 12 and the front cover portion 13 as described above. The pair of connecting portions 14 are formed in the vicinity of the left and right side walls 22 of the connector housing 3 and are inserted into a pair of groove portions 23 formed between the member receiving hole 8 and the front surface of the connector housing 3 so as to extend in the vertical direction. It is supposed to move.

  Next, the operation of the connector 1 will be described based on the above structure and constituent members.

  When the terminal secondary locking member 4 is moved upward from the state of FIG. 2 and attached to the connector housing 3, the secondary locking portion 12 of the terminal secondary locking member 4 becomes the member receiving hole 8 of the connector housing 3. The front cover 13 moves upward at the front surface position of the connector housing 3. Then, when the pair of temporary locking projections 16 of the terminal secondary locking member 4 is hooked to the temporary locking portion (not shown) of the connector housing 3 and the temporary locking state as shown in FIG. The plurality of openings 18 of the cover portion 13 communicate only with the lance bending space and jig insertion space 7 of the corresponding terminal accommodating chamber 2. Since the front opening 18 communicates with the lance bending space / jig insertion space 7, it is possible to insert the locking release jig 20 to release the terminal locked state by the lance 5.

  Note that when the terminal secondary locking member 4 is temporarily locked to the connector housing 3, the mating with the mating connector is not performed, so that the mating terminal of the mating connector is not related to the connector 1. Absent.

  When the terminal secondary locking member 4 in the temporary locking state is further pushed upward to bring the terminal secondary locking member 4 into the final locking state with respect to the connector housing 3, the assembly of the connector 1 is completed, and FIG. It will be in the state as shown in. At this time, since the plurality of front openings 18 of the front cover 13 move upward and change their positions in accordance with the transition to the final locking state, the front openings 18 are only in the terminal accommodating spaces 6 of the corresponding terminal accommodating chambers 2. On the other hand, the lance deflection space / jig insertion space 7 is covered with a thick portion 21 around the opening 18 (not shown). Therefore, the connector 1 is not erroneously inserted such that the mating terminal is inserted into the lance bending space and jig insertion space 7 even when the mating with the mating connector is performed.

  As described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, according to the connector 1 of the present invention including the terminal secondary locking member 4 formed integrally with the front cover portion 13, the mating terminal is erroneously detected. There is an effect that insertion can be prevented.

  In addition, since the terminal secondary locking member 4 is formed by integrating the function of the spacer and the function of the front holder, the connector 1 of the present invention also has an effect that the increase in the number of parts can be suppressed. Further, the connector 1 of the present invention also has an effect that it can be formed as a low profile as shown in FIG.

  It goes without saying that the present invention can be variously modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

It is a figure which shows one Embodiment of the connector of this invention, (a) is a connector front view in the temporary latching state of a terminal secondary latching member, (b) is the sectional view on the AA line of (a). The terminal is not shown). It is a perspective view of a connector housing and a terminal secondary locking member. It is a perspective view of a connector (illustration of a terminal is omitted).

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Connector 2 Terminal accommodation chamber 3 Connector housing 4 Terminal secondary locking member 5 Lance 6 Terminal accommodation space 7 Lance bending space and jig insertion space 8 Member accommodation hole 9 Front position latching part 10 Locking arm 11 Arm protection part 12 Secondary Locking part 13 Front cover part 14 Connecting part 15 Terminal locking part 16 Temporary locking projection part 17 Main locking projection part 18 Front part 19 Front position locking part 20 Unlocking jig 21 Thick part 22 Side wall 23 Groove part

Claims (2)

A terminal housing having a plurality of terminal housing chambers penetrating in the front-rear direction to accommodate the terminal from the rear, and a terminal that moves in the up-down direction and is temporarily locked or permanently locked to the connector housing. A next locking member,
The terminal accommodating chamber includes a lance that locks the terminal and restricts rearward withdrawal, a terminal accommodating space that is formed on one upper and lower sides of the lance, and a lance that is formed on the other upper and lower sides of the lance. A bending space and a jig insertion space,
In the connector, the terminal secondary locking member has a secondary locking portion that double locks the terminal locked by the lance when in the final locking state.
The terminal secondary locking member moves in a vertical direction at the front surface position of the connector housing, restricts the terminal from coming out forward, and has a plurality of openings that pass through in accordance with the number and position of the terminal accommodating chambers. While having a frontage cover part integrally formed,
The connector, wherein the front cover communicates with the lance deflection space and jig insertion space in the temporarily locked state, and the front port communicates with the terminal accommodating space in the final locked state. The connector according to claim 1,
A front position locking portion that is hooked in the fully locked state is formed on the front cover portion and the front surface of the connector housing.

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