JP5630532B1 - Electrical connector housing - Google Patents

Abstract

A housing for an electrical connector is provided which can prevent a decrease in electrical connection reliability by stabilizing a conductive terminal in a terminal accommodating chamber. A housing 30 of an electrical connector 10 has a terminal housing chamber 321 formed with a lance portion 323 having a protrusion 324 for preventing the female terminal 20 from coming off. The lance 323 has a flexible portion 325 that is elastically deformed by being pushed by the protrusion 324 when the female terminal 20 passes through the protrusion 324 and is elastically restored when the protrusion 324 is locked to the female terminal 20. I have. Since the flexible portion 325 is formed in an arch shape with both ends fixed, the flexible terminal 325 presses the female terminal 20 with an elastic restoring force and restricts displacement between the terminal housing chamber 321 and the wall surface. [Selection] Figure 7

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrical connector housing in which a conductive terminal connected to a cable is inserted into a terminal accommodating chamber.

  The electrical connector is hooked into the recess of the female terminal to prevent the female terminal from coming off when the female terminal, which is a conductive terminal connected to the base end of the cable, is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber formed in the housing. This protrusion is formed on the wall surface of the terminal accommodating chamber. As a technique related to an electrical connector provided with such a protrusion (lance), those described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are known.

  The “connector” described in Patent Document 1 includes a creeping surface having a shape substantially along the concave portion on the surface facing the terminal fitting (conductive terminal) in the lance, an upward slope toward the front, and a locking projection. A guide inclined surface that can guide the pressing operation against the lance is formed in the front and rear, and a relief inclined surface that forms a gentler slope than the guide inclined surface is formed between the creeping surface and the guide inclined surface. is there.

  In the “terminal locking method and device” described in Patent Document 2, a contact is formed at the tip, and a protrusion having an inclined portion is formed at the rear of the contact, and the inclined surface of the protrusion is a terminal. At the same time as being clamped by being pressed into the positioning portion of the storage chamber, the locking projection enters the locking portion of the terminal and fixes the terminal.

JP-A-2005-158418 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-78648

  The “connector” described in Patent Document 1 relates to the shape of the projection of the lance when the lance is forcibly bent and deformed when the conductive terminal is removed from the terminal accommodating chamber. On the other hand, since the conductive terminal is inserted from the rear of the terminal accommodating chamber and proceeds toward the front, the terminal accommodating chamber needs to be dimensioned with a margin with respect to the conductive terminal. In addition, since the terminal accommodating chamber and the conductive terminal have tolerances, it is necessary to provide a dimension with a margin from each other also in this respect.

  Then, the conductive terminal inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber is locked to the lance portion and cannot be pulled out, but when the cable swings, the protruding portion of the lance portion is used as a fulcrum in the terminal accommodating chamber. , Rattling occurs where the axis fluctuates.

  In this regard, in the “terminal locking method and apparatus” described in Patent Document 2, the vertical locking surface of the locking protrusion comes into contact with the vertical surface of the rear portion of the protruding portion that fits the positioning portion, and the terminal is Since the terminal is fixed by pressing it against the positioning part of the terminal accommodating chamber, it is possible to prevent rattling in the front-rear direction of the terminal (terminal insertion / extraction direction), but centering on the protruding part fitted in the positioning part There is a possibility that rattling in the vertical direction (direction intersecting with the terminal insertion / extraction direction) cannot be prevented.

  For example, when a conventional electrical connector is installed in a place where vibration is intense, the female terminal swings and rattles, so that each part constituting the female terminal rubs and fine sliding wear occurs. When the fine sliding wear occurs, the electrical resistance increases, and the electrical connection reliability of the electrical connector decreases.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector housing that can suppress a decrease in electrical connection reliability by stabilizing a conductive terminal in a terminal accommodating chamber.

According to the present invention, a lance portion having a protrusion for preventing the conductive terminal from coming off is formed in the terminal accommodating chamber, and the lance is pushed by the protrusion when the conductive terminal passes through the protrusion. In an electrical connector housing having a flexible portion that is elastically deformed and elastically returns when the protruding portion is locked to the conductive terminal, the flexible portion is formed in an arch shape with both ends fixed. The pressing portion is formed and the thickness of both flexible end portions is thinner than that of the pressing portion, and the pressing portion is located before and after the protrusion in the insertion direction of the conductive terminal into the terminal accommodating chamber. Thus, the displacement of the conductive terminal with respect to the wall surface of the terminal accommodating chamber is regulated by pressing the conductive terminal by the elastic restoring force of the flexible portion .

  According to the housing of the electrical connector of the present invention, even if the conductive terminal is vibrated in the insertion / extraction direction or vibrated in the direction orthogonal to the insertion / extraction direction, the conductive terminal is connected between the flexible portion and the wall surface of the terminal accommodating chamber. Since they are pressed and sandwiched between them, the displacement of the conductive terminals is restricted. Therefore, since it can suppress that the member which comprises a conductive terminal rubs because a conductive terminal rattles, the raise of the electrical resistance by fine sliding wear can be suppressed.

The flexible portion, by both ends are fixed, from the state in which only one of a pair is fixed, it is possible to increase the elastic return force, can be pressed strongly conductive terminal by flexible portion.

Since the flexible part is formed so that the thickness of both ends of the flexible part is thinner than the pressing part that presses the conductive terminal, the flexible part is easily bent at both ends. Can be pressed.

The flexible portion is formed in an arch shape, than to press the conductive terminals by the elastic restoring force of the flexible portion tends to deflect the end portions of the flexible portion, firmly presses the conductive terminals be able to.

  The flexible portion is an inclined surface in which a contact surface in contact with the conductive terminal from a position where the female terminal is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber to a position reaching the protruding portion guides the conductive terminal to the protruding portion. It is desirable to be formed. When the conductive terminal is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber and is advanced to the protrusion, the contact surface of the flexible part is formed as an inclined surface that guides the conductive terminal to the protrusion, and the conductive terminal is allowed to advance. Since the bending portion can be pushed and bent, the conductive terminal can be smoothly advanced.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the members constituting the conductive terminals from rubbing due to rattling of the conductive terminals, and thus it is possible to suppress an increase in electrical resistance due to slight sliding wear. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to suppress a decrease in electrical connection reliability by stabilizing the conductive terminal in the terminal accommodating chamber.

It is the perspective view which looked at the electrical connector which concerns on embodiment of this invention from the front side. It is a front view of the electrical connector shown in FIG. It is the sectional view on the AA line of FIG. It is a perspective view of the female terminal of the electrical connector shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the state which inserted the female terminal in the terminal storage chamber. It is a front view of the state which inserted the female terminal in the terminal storage chamber shown in FIG. It is the BB sectional view taken on the line of FIG. It is a perspective view of the state which started inserting a female terminal in a terminal storage chamber. It is a front view of the state which started inserting a female terminal in the terminal storage chamber shown in FIG. It is CC sectional view taken on the line of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the state in the middle of inserting a female terminal in a terminal storage chamber. It is the perspective view which notched a part of the state in the middle of inserting a female terminal in the terminal storage chamber shown in FIG. It is a front view of the state in the middle of inserting a female terminal in the terminal storage chamber shown in FIG. It is the DD sectional view taken on the line of FIG. It is the EE sectional view taken on the line of FIG. FIG. 12 is a partially cutaway perspective view for explaining a slit of the terminal accommodating chamber shown in FIG. 11.

An electrical connector according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
An electrical connector 10 shown in FIG. 1 is a three-terminal female connector into which a male electrical connector having needle-shaped male terminals is fitted. The electrical connector 10 can be used for signal transmission of various sensors.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the electrical connector 10 includes a female terminal 20 into which a male terminal is inserted, and a housing 30 formed by molding.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the female terminal 20 includes a conductive sheath-like portion 201 inserted into the housing 30 and an elastic contact provided in the sheath-like portion 201 in a state of being electrically connected to the sheath-like portion 201. A piece 202, a bundling portion 203 formed on the back of the sheath-like portion 201 for crimping and fixing the cable C, and a waterproof plug (not shown) disposed behind the bundling portion 203 through which the cable C is inserted. Is a conductive terminal.

The sheath portion 201, the elastic contact piece 202, the bundling portion 203, and the like are integrally formed by bending a metal plate having good conductivity. However, in the electrical connector according to the embodiment of the present invention, the elastic contact piece 202 is configured as a separate component from the sheath-like portion 201.
The sheath-like portion 201 is formed with a first step portion 202a that is a recess for engaging with a lance portion described later in order to prevent the sheath-like portion 201 from coming off from the housing 30. Further, a second stepped portion 202b for preventing the female terminal 20 from coming off is formed at the rear end portion of the sheath-like portion 201 by a rear holder described later.

  In the following description, the expression “front / rear” represents the insertion direction of the female terminal 20 with respect to the housing 30 (arrow X direction shown in FIG. 1) as “front” and the opposite direction as “rear”. It is.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the housing 30 includes a housing body 300, a front holder 400, and a rear holder 500.
The housing main body 300 includes a cylindrical portion 310 whose outer shape is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a female terminal arrangement portion 320 in which the female terminals 20 are arranged.

The cylindrical portion 310 receives a convex portion at the front end of the housing in the male electrical connector, and is positioned with a bulging edge in the radial direction in order to position the male electrical connector in the rotational direction around the axis. A portion 311 is formed.
An opening for inserting the rear holder 500 behind the female terminal arrangement portion 320 is formed in the upper portion of the cylindrical portion 310.
A fitting space 340 into which the housing of the male electrical connector is fitted is formed between the cylindrical portion 310 and the female terminal arrangement portion 320.

  As shown in FIG. 2, in the female terminal arrangement portion 320, three terminal accommodating chambers 321 are arranged at the apex position of the triangle with the axis of the female terminal arrangement portion 320 as the center. The three terminal storage chambers 321 include two terminal storage chambers 321a and 321b in which the female terminals 20 are stored so that the first stepped portions 202a face each other, and the female terminals 20 are in the two terminal storage chambers 321a and 321b. A terminal accommodating chamber 321c that is accommodated with the first stepped portion 202a facing is formed.

As shown in FIG. 5, each terminal accommodating chamber 321 has a rectangular cross-sectional shape in the room in accordance with the outer shape of the sheath portion 201 formed in a rectangular shape in a cross section along a direction orthogonal to the insertion direction. Is formed. The terminal accommodating chamber 321 is surrounded by a fixed wall 322 having three surfaces and a lance portion 323.
A retreat space S when the lance portion 323 is bent is formed between the terminal accommodating chamber 321a and the terminal accommodating chamber 321b and above the terminal accommodating chamber 321c (see FIG. 2). Here, the lance part 323 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

The lance part 323 prevents the female terminal 20 inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 321 from coming off. The lance part 323 includes a protrusion 324 that is hooked on the first step part 202a when the female terminal 20 is pulled out, and a flexible part 325 on which the protrusion 324 protrudes.
The protruding portion 324 is formed in a trapezoidal shape, and is formed so that a pair of nonparallel opposite sides are inclined forward. The flexible part 325 is fixed by connecting both ends to the fixed wall 322, and the slit 325a (see FIGS. 15 and 16) is formed along both sides, so that the flexible part 325 can be displaced by elastic deformation. .

  The inner side surface 325b of the flexible portion 325 facing inward of the terminal accommodating chamber 321 has a distance from the fixed wall 322 of the opposing terminal accommodating chamber 321 toward both ends from the position where the protruding portion 324 is projected. It is formed in an arc shape that gradually expands. A back surface 325c (a surface opposite to the inner surface 325b) of the flexible portion 325 is formed as a flat surface. As described above, the flexible portion 325 is formed in an arch shape in which both end portions are thin and the central portion is thick. The protruding portion 324 protrudes from a central portion that becomes the top portion 325f of the flexible portion 325 formed in an arch shape.

As shown in FIG. 1, the front holder 400 is a cover that is attached to the front surface of the female terminal arrangement portion 320 and prevents the female terminals 20 from being pushed too much. The front holder 400 is formed in a circular shape, and an opening is formed at a position corresponding to the terminal accommodating chamber 321 into which the terminal pin of the male electrical connector is inserted.
The rear holder 500 includes a rectangular plate-shaped top plate portion 510 and leg portions 520 that extend downward from the top plate portion 510 and have a hollow central portion. The rear holder 500 inserts the leg portion 520 into the space formed by the second stepped portion 202b of the female terminal 20 disposed facing each other from the upper opening formed in the housing main body 300, whereby the leg portion 520 is inserted. Are arranged so as to be engaged with the second stepped portions 202b of the respective female terminals 20.

The usage state of the electrical connector according to the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above will be described based on the drawings.
As shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, the front end of the female terminal 20, in which the core of the cable C is fixed to the bundling portion 203 by pressure, is placed in the rear portion of the terminal accommodating chamber 321.

  When the female terminal 20 is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 321, the front end of the sheath-like portion 201 of the female terminal 20 advances while sliding on the inner side surface 325 b of the flexible portion 325 and the fixed wall 222 of the terminal accommodating chamber 321. . The flexible portion 325 is inclined such that the contact surface 325e that contacts the female terminal 20 from the position where the female terminal 20 is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 321 to the position reaching the protruding portion 324 guides the female terminal 20 to the protruding portion 324. Since it is formed on the surface, the flexible portion 325 can be pushed and bent as the female terminal 20 advances, so that the female terminal 20 can be smoothly advanced.

  Then, when the front end of the sheath-like portion 201 of the female terminal 20 is located at the center portion of the terminal accommodating chamber 321, the female terminal 20 is hooked on the protruding portion 324 of the lance portion 323. However, by strongly inserting the female terminal 20 into the terminal accommodating chamber 321, the protrusion 324 is pushed in, and the flexible portion 325 between the fixed ends is elastically deformed and bent into an arc shape. When the flexible portion 325 is bent and pushed up into the retreat space S and escapes, the front end of the sheath-like portion 201 advances while sliding on the inclined surface 324a of the protruding portion 324, as shown in FIGS.

  Then, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, when the front end of the female terminal 20 passes through the protruding portion 324 and proceeds to the front end of the terminal accommodating chamber 321, the first stepped portion 202 a gets over the protruding portion 324. When the first stepped portion 202a gets over the protruding portion 324, the flexible portion 325 is elastically restored and the protruding portion 324 is caught by the first stepped portion 202a. Thereby, even if it is going to pull out the female terminal 20, since the 1st level | step-difference part 202a is hooked on the projection part 324, the female terminal 20 will be in the state which cannot be removed.

  When the insertion of the female terminal 20 into the housing 30 is completed, the top terminal 510 of the rear holder 500 is held and inserted into the opening of the housing 30 as shown in FIGS. When the rear holder 500 is inserted into the opening of the housing 30, even if the female terminal 20 is to be pulled out, the second stepped portion 202 b is caught by the leg portion 520 of the rear holder 500, so that the female terminal 20 cannot be removed. Therefore, the protrusions 324 of the lance 323 and the rear holder 500 can double prevent the female terminal 20 from being pulled out.

  When the female terminal 20 is not inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 321 (the flexible portion 325 is not bent), the distance between the inner side surface 325b of the flexible portion 325 and the fixed wall 322 of the opposing terminal accommodating chamber 321 Thus, the interval between the narrowest portions is formed to be smaller than the thickness of the sheath portion 201 of the female terminal 20. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, in the state where the female terminal 20 is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 321 (the state where the flexible portion 325 is bent), the sheath-like portion 201 of the inner side surface 325 b of the flexible portion 325. In the pressing portion 325d where the distance from the fixed wall 322 becomes narrower than the thickness of the inner wall 325b, the inner surface 325b of the flexible portion 325 is pressed by inserting the sheath-like portion 201. Therefore, on the contrary, the pressing portion 325d presses the sheath-like portion 201 by the elastic restoring force of the flexible portion 325. When the pressing portion 325 d presses the sheath portion 201, the sheath portion 201 is sandwiched between the wall surfaces of the terminal accommodating chamber 321 and cannot move. Thereby, the flexible part 325 can regulate the displacement of the female terminal 20. The pressing portion 325d is disposed at the front and rear positions in the insertion direction of the female terminal 20 with the projection 324 as the center.

  Since the female terminal 20 is pressed and clamped between the pressing portion 325d and the fixed wall 322 even if the female terminal 20 is vibrated in the insertion / removal direction or in a direction orthogonal to the insertion / removal direction, The displacement of the terminal 20 is restricted. Therefore, the male terminal inserted into the female terminal 20 rattles, for example, to prevent the sheath-like portion 201 and the elastic contact piece 202 from rubbing and other members constituting the female terminal 20 from rubbing against each other. can do. Therefore, since an increase in electrical resistance due to fine sliding wear can be suppressed, it is possible to prevent a decrease in electrical connection reliability of the electrical connector.

  Since both ends of the flexible portion 325 are fixed, the elastic return force can be increased as compared with a state where only one of the flexible portions 325 is fixed. Therefore, the female terminal 20 is strongly pressed by the pressing portion 325d of the flexible portion 325. Can be made.

  Since the thickness of the flexible both ends of the flexible portion 325 is formed thinner than the pressing portion 325d that presses the female terminal 20, the flexible portion 325 is easily bent at both ends. The female terminal 20 can be pressed.

  Since the flexible portion 325 is formed in an arch shape and the female terminal 20 is pressed by the top portion 325f of the flexible portion 325, both ends of the flexible portion 325 are easily bent, and the top portion 325f is used as the pressing portion 325d. The female terminal 20 can be pressed.

  In the present embodiment, the flexible portion 325 is formed in an arch shape in which both end portions are thin and the central portion is thick. However, if the flexible portion 325 is bent by the insertion of the female terminal 20, other shapes are possible. But you can. For example, the flexible portion may be formed in an arch shape having the same thickness as a whole, a trapezoidal shape, or a shape having two or more top portions serving as pressing portions.

  In the present embodiment, the conductive terminal inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 321 is described as the female terminal 20, but a male terminal may be used instead of the female terminal 20.

  The housing of the present invention is suitable for an electrical connector widely used in the fields of the automobile industry, the electrical / electronic equipment industry, various machine industries, etc. as a means for connecting an electric wire for conducting an electrical signal.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Electrical connector 20 Female terminal 201 Sheath-shaped part 202 Elastic contact piece 202a 1st step part 202b 2nd step part 203 Bundling part 204 Waterproof stopper 30 Housing 300 Housing main body 310 Cylindrical part 311 Positioning part 320 Female terminal arrangement part 321 321a, 321b, 321c Terminal receiving chamber 322 Fixed wall 323 Lance portion 324 Projection portion 324a Inclined surface 325 Flexible portion 325a Slit 325b Inner side surface 325c Back surface 325d Pressing portion 325e Contact surface 325f Top portion 340 Fitting space 400 Front holder 500 Plate part 520 Leg part C Cable S Retraction space

Claims (2)

A lance portion having a protrusion for preventing the conductive terminal from coming off is formed in the terminal accommodating chamber,
The lance portion includes a flexible portion that is elastically deformed by being pushed by the protrusion when the conductive terminal passes through the protrusion, and that is elastically restored when the protrusion is locked to the conductive terminal. In the electrical connector housing
Both ends of the flexible part are fixed and formed in an arch shape, the pressing part is formed, and the thickness of the flexible both ends is thinner than the pressing part,
The pressing portion presses the conductive terminal by the elastic return force of the flexible portion before and after the protruding portion in the insertion direction of the conductive terminal into the terminal receiving chamber, and the wall of the terminal receiving chamber A housing for an electrical connector that regulates displacement of the conductive terminal between the two. The flexible portion is an inclined surface in which a contact surface in contact with the conductive terminal from a position where the conductive terminal is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber to a position reaching the protruding portion guides the conductive terminal to the protruding portion. claim 1 Symbol placement of the electrical connector housing is formed on.

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