JP2570364Y2 - Mating detection connector - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a mating detection connector for electrically detecting whether a connector can be mated.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIGS. 10 to 11 show a conventional mating detection connector described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 4-3419. The connector 28 has one connector housing 29.
A connector fitting detection unit 30 is provided outside the
A sub-housing 33 made of an insulating resin having a terminal accommodating chamber 31 and a contact member insertion portion 32 is provided on the outer wall of the housing. Are projected in parallel from the sub-housing 33, and a pair of contact spring pieces 37, 38 of different heights of a substantially U-shaped contact member 36 inserted and locked in the insertion portion 32 are attached to each male tab 35. The contact spring piece 37 on the non-contact side is pressed by the distal end portion 41 of the flexible lock arm 40 of the other connector housing 39 as shown by a dashed line in FIG. 7 so as to face the pair of male tabs 35 and the pair of contact springs. By connecting the pieces 37 and 38 to each other, the fitting of the connector 28 is detected.

However, in the above-mentioned conventional structure, there is a problem that the connector 28 itself is enlarged because the fitting detecting portion 30 is projected outside the connector housing 29. Further, when the flexible lock arm 40 crosses and engages with the protrusion 42 of the one housing 29, the restoring force of the arm 40 is weakened, the pressing of the contact piece 37 becomes insufficient, and the fitting detection is unreliable. There was concern that it would be.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above, the present invention reliably detects electrical connection of a connector without increasing the size of the connector itself and without impairing the resilience of the flexible lock arm. An object of the present invention is to provide a fitting detection connector that can be performed.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is provided in one connector housing,
A flexible lock arm having a through hole at a distal end thereof and having a pair of detection terminals arranged side by side facing the through hole; and a flexible lock arm provided on a flexible space side of the flexible lock arm. A first spring portion which is inserted between the first and second terminals and the pair of detection terminals, has a projection engaged with the through hole, and urges the flexible lock arm in a counter-bending direction; A second spring portion that constantly urges the lock arm in the counter-deflection direction; and Basically, it is constituted by the other connector housing having an engagement projection for making contact with the terminal.

A structure in which the first spring portion and the second spring portion are integrally formed as a torsion coil spring member;
A first spring portion having the protruding portion, the movable contact portion facing the one detection terminal and urging the flexible lock arm in the anti-deflection direction, and a fixed contact constantly contacting the other detection terminal. And the movable contact portion and the fixed contact portion are continuous via the second spring portion.

[0007]

When the connector is fitted, the engaging projection of the other connector housing bends the flexible lock arm of the one connector housing to engage in the through hole. The engagement protrusion presses and moves the protrusion of the first spring portion to bring the first spring portion into contact with the pair of detection terminals. As a result, the pair of terminals is short-circuited, and electrical conduction is achieved. The first spring portion is pushed by the engagement protrusion to release the engagement with the flexible lock arm, but the second spring portion always urges the lock arm in the anti-deflection direction to exert a restoring force on the arm. Is given. In the structure in which the first spring portion is divided into the movable contact portion and the fixed contact portion, the protrusion is pushed by the engagement protrusion, and the movable contact portion contacts one of the detection terminals, and the second spring portion and It is electrically connected to the other detection terminal via the fixed contact portion.

[0008]

1 to 5 show one embodiment of a mating detection connector according to the present invention. The mating detection connector 1
A female connector housing 4 made of an insulating resin in which a flexible lock arm 3 having a through hole 2 at the distal end is disposed inside;
A pair of detection terminals 6, 6 inserted into the lower half 5 of the flexible arm 3, and a pair of spring portions 7, provided in the female housing 4 on the side of the flexible space of the flexible arm 3. 8, a torsion coil spring member 9 for urging the flexible arm 3 in the anti-deflection direction.
And a male connector housing 12 having an engaging projection 11 for pressing a distal projection 10 of one spring portion 7 engaged with the distal through hole 2 of the flexible arm 3.

The female connector housing 4 has a mating connector fitting chamber 13 in the front half and the flexible arm 3 in the upper rear half. The flexible arm 3 has a distal end 14 having a through hole 2 in the bending direction projected into the fitting chamber 13, and a pair of lower arms 5 projecting stepwise from the distal end 14 as shown in FIG. The detection terminals 6 and 6 are accommodated in parallel and can be bent up and down around the fulcrum 15 on the base end side. The male tab 16 at the end of the detection terminal 6 is connected to the terminal receiving chamber 1 in the lower half 5 of the arm.
7 (FIG. 1) protrudes into the fitting chamber 13 through the insertion hole 18 and is located opposite the lower side of the through hole 2.

A pair of support shafts 20 for the torsion coil spring member 9 project from rear side walls 19 of the female connector housing 4, and the support shaft 20 is provided with a coil portion 21 of the spring member 9. To engage the spring member 9 with the flexible arm 3.
In the lower bending space 22. The torsion coil spring member 9 has a first spring portion 7 which is straight and longer on the upper side via the coil portion 21 and a shorter second spring portion 8 which is bent in a V-shape on the lower side.

The first spring portion 7 has a substantially inverted U-shaped rectangular shape as shown in FIG. 5, and has two longitudinal portions 7a and two longitudinal portions 7a extending from the coil portion 21 along the longitudinal direction of the flexible arm 3. An orthogonal portion 7b connecting the distal end of the flexible arm 3a is formed in a rectangular shape at the center of the orthogonal portion 7b, and the protrusion 10 which enters the through hole 2 of the flexible arm 3 is formed. . The orthogonal portion 7b is inserted between the flexible arm 3 and the male tabs 16, 16 of the pair of terminals 6, 6, and abuts on the lower surface 14a of the distal end portion of the flexible arm 3 to cause the arm 3 to bend in the anti-deflection direction. Energize. The orthogonal portion 7b of the first spring portion 7 and the male tab 16 face each other with a slight gap S (FIG. 2) in a non-contact state.

The second spring portion 8 extends in a bent shape from the coil portion 21 in the shape of a letter, and the distal end 8a is brought into contact with the lower wall surface of the lower half portion (terminal accommodating portion) 5 of the flexible arm 3 so as to be bent. The arm 3 is constantly urged in the anti-deflection direction. The arm 3 has a detachment pressing operation portion 23 projecting rearward of the through hole 2, and the rear of the operation portion 23 abuts on a stop projection 24 projecting from the female connector housing 4 in the cross direction of the arm 3. Stop. The distal end portion 14 of the arm 3 is formed with an upward tapered guide surface 14b for the engaging projection 11 inside the distal end of the mating male connector housing 12.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the flexible arm 3 is fitted with the connector, the distal end portion 14 is pressed against the engaging projection 11 to bend downward against the bias of the spring, and as shown in FIG. The engaging projection 11 is engaged into the inside and is restored. Here, the projection 10 of the first spring portion 7 located in the through hole 2 is pushed by the engagement projection 11 to push down the first spring portion 7 itself. As a result, the orthogonal portion 7b at the distal end of the first spring portion 7 comes into contact with the male tabs 16, 16 of the pair of detection terminals 6, 6, and the fitting of the connector 1 is electrically detected.

The first spring portion 7 is pushed down by the engagement projection 11 and is separated downward from the flexible arm 3, but the second spring portion 8 constantly urges the arm 3 in the upward direction. Therefore, the elastic locking of the flexible arm 3 is reliably performed. In addition, since the first spring portion 7 is securely pushed down by the rigid engagement projection 11 having no flexibility, the first spring portion 7 and the detection terminals 6 and 6 are securely connected.

If the longitudinal portion 7a 'of the first spring portion 7' is formed to be arched as shown in FIG. 6, the longitudinal portion 7a 'is further curved when the engaging projection 11 is pressed. The excess pressing force is absorbed, and the spring force stored in a curved manner increases the resilience of the first spring portion 7 ', thereby improving the spring durability.

7 to 9 show another embodiment of the mating detection connector according to the present invention. This structure includes a first spring portion 44 as shown in FIG.
Of the leading side orthogonal portion 44b, and divided into a stationary contact portion 46 which always contacts the movable contact portion 45 and the other detection terminal 16 ₂ opposed to one of the detection terminals 16 _1, the movable contact portion 45
Is connected to the distal end of the flexible lock arm 3 so as to be engaged with the through hole 2, and the base ends of the pair of long portions 44 a, 44 a having both contact portions 45, 46 are connected to the support shaft 20. And a second spring portion 49 having a substantially inverted U-shape formed by engaging a coil portion 48 with the second spring portion 49.

The second spring portion 49 has a pair of longitudinal portions 49a, 49a bent in a U-shape and a pair of longitudinal portions 49a, 49a.
And an orthogonal portion 49b for connecting the flexible arm 49a to the lower half portion 5 of the flexible arm 3. In the free state, the movable contact portion 45 and the fixed contact portion 46 are separated from each other with a step L, and FIG.
The movable contact portion 45 is pushed down by the protrusion 47 and bends downward, and comes into contact with _one of the detection terminals 161 in a state where the mating side engagement protrusion 11 is engaged with the through hole 2 of the flexible arm 3. . As a result, the pair of detection terminals 16 ₁ and 16 ₂ conduct through the torsion coil spring member 43, and the connector fitting is electrically detected.

[0018]

As described above, according to the present invention, the detection terminal for controlling the electrical connection of the connector and the spring portion are located inside the flexible lock arm and the arm bending space side. Of the connector is prevented, and a slim connector shape is obtained. Further, since the first spring portion is pushed not by the flexible arm but by the rigid engagement projection of the mating connector housing and pressed against the detection terminal, the reliability of electrical detection is improved. Further, even after the first spring portion comes into contact with the detection terminal, the second spring portion urges the flexible arm in the anti-bending direction, so that the arm can be securely locked without settling.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded vertical sectional view showing an embodiment of a mating detection connector according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which a spring member and a terminal are mounted on one connector.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which the connector is being fitted.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state where the fitting is completed.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a main part in the state of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a modified example of the fitting detection connector.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a main part of another embodiment of the mating detection connector according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a torsion coil spring member.

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which the connector is being fitted.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a conventional example.

FIG. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part of the same.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 2 through hole 3 flexible lock arm 4, 12 connector housing 6 detection terminal 7, 44 first spring portion 8, 49 second spring portion 9, 43 torsion coil spring member 10, 47 protrusion 11 engagement protrusion 22 Bending space 45 Movable contact part 46 Fixed contact part

Claims (3)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] A connector housing provided on one of the connector housings;
A flexible lock arm having a through hole at a distal end thereof and having a pair of detection terminals arranged side by side facing the through hole; and a flexible lock arm provided on a flexible space side of the flexible lock arm. A first spring portion which is inserted between the first and second terminals and the pair of detection terminals, has a projection engaged with the through hole, and urges the flexible lock arm in a counter-bending direction; A second spring portion that constantly urges the lock arm in the counter-deflection direction; and A mating detection connector comprising: a second connector housing having an engagement protrusion for contacting a terminal. 2. The mating detection connector according to claim 1, wherein the first spring portion and the second spring portion are integrally formed as a torsion coil spring member. 3. A movable contact portion having the protrusion and urging the flexible lock arm in the direction of the opposite bending to face the one detection terminal, and the other detection terminal. 2. The mating detection connector according to claim 1, wherein the movable contact portion and the fixed contact portion are divided into a fixed contact portion that is always in contact with the movable contact portion, and the movable contact portion and the fixed contact portion are continuous via the second spring portion.