Connector mating structure

Abstract

A connector mating structure is provided, comprising: a first connector; and a second connector. The first connector includes a guide groove disposed in a first housing. The guide groove includes: a first groove extending along a connector mating direction; a second groove formed such that its width gradually increases from the first groove side toward the second connector side; and a connecting portion connecting the first groove and the second groove. The second connector includes a protrusion disposed in the second housing and inserted into the guide groove. The protrusion has a recess formed on a front end side of the protrusion and at least one side surface of the protrusion opposite to the groove side surface of the guide groove.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a connector mating structure. Background Technology

[0002] In the prior art, wiring harnesses (wires) used for electrical connection to various electrical components installed in automobiles, etc., are connected via connectors. To ensure proper fit of such connectors, a connector guiding mechanism, as described in patent document JP2016-024952A, can be considered.

[0003] The connector guiding mechanism includes a plug, a socket, a plug-side guide, and a socket-side guide. The plug-side guide and the socket-side guide include a positioning portion that, when the plug is inserted into the socket, aligns the front end of the plug-side guide and the plug with a predetermined position in the direction about an axis. The positioning portion includes: a protrusion formed at the front end of the plug-side guide; and a groove formed in an opening of the socket-side guide to allow the protrusion to be inserted into the opening.

[0004] According to this structure, since the front end of the plug-side guide and the plug are restricted in the normal direction by the positioning part, the plug can be inserted and pulled out well even when the central axis direction of the plug and the central axis direction of the socket are inclined.

[0005] In the connector guiding mechanism disclosed in patent document JP2016-024952A, in a top view, the slot has a rectangular shape extending along the mating direction, and the protrusion has a rectangular shape corresponding to the slot. Therefore, in the connector guiding mechanism, although the inlet side of the slot is widened, depending on the insertion angle when the plug is inserted, the protrusion may be stuck by the slot wall near the inlet of the slot, and the plug may not be able to mate smoothly. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This disclosure provides a connector mating structure that allows for smooth insertion and mating of a connector.

[0007] According to an illustrative aspect of this disclosure, a connector mating structure includes: a first connector; and a second connector, wherein the first connector and the second connector mate and are electrically connected. The first connector includes: a first housing receiving a first connecting terminal; and a guide groove disposed within the first housing. The guide groove includes: a first groove extending along a connector mating direction; a second groove formed to gradually increase in width from the first groove side toward the second connector side; and a connecting portion connecting the first groove and the second groove. The second connector includes: a second housing receiving a second connecting terminal; and a protrusion disposed in the second housing and inserted into the guide groove. The protrusion has a recess formed at a front end side of the protrusion and on at least one side surface of the protrusion facing the groove side surface of the guide groove.

[0008] The present disclosure has been briefly described above. The details of the disclosure will become clearer by referring to the accompanying drawings and reading the following description of embodiments for carrying out the invention (hereinafter referred to as "Embodiments"). Attached Figure Description

[0009] Figure 1 This is a perspective view showing an inlet as a second connector and an inlet plug as a first connector to be mated to the inlet, the inlet and the inlet plug constituting a connector mating structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0010] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 An exploded 3D view of the entrance shown.

[0011] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A 3D view of the inlet plug shown.

[0012] Figure 4 It is immediately following Figure 1 The top view shown is of the inlet and inlet plug in their initial mating state, omitting the top plate of the inlet.

[0013] Figure 5 It is shown Figure 4 A top view showing the inlet and inlet plug in a mated configuration.

[0014] Figure 6A It is along Figure 4 The cross-sectional view taken by line AA, and Figure 6B It is along Figure 5 The cross-sectional view of line BB.

[0015] Figure 7 yes Figure 5An enlarged view of section C, showing the protrusion inserted obliquely into the guide groove.

[0016] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 An enlarged view of part D in the image.

[0017] Figure 9 It is shown Figure 5 The top view shows the inlet and inlet plug fully mated together.

[0018] Figure 10 This is a top view showing a modified example of the pickup rib. Detailed Implementation

[0019] In the following description, examples of embodiments according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a perspective view showing an inlet 1 as a second connector and an inlet plug 5 as a first connector to be mated to the inlet 1, the inlet 1 and the inlet plug 5 constituting a connector mating structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The exploded 3D view of entrance 1 is shown. Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A perspective view of the inlet plug 5 shown.

[0021] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the inlet 1 of the second connector according to this embodiment includes: a housing 20 that accommodates a connection terminal (second connection terminal); a shell 51 that serves as the second housing and accommodates and holds the housing 20; and a pickup rib 19 that serves as a protrusion, which is provided on the shell 51 and inserted into a mating guide groove 85 (guide groove). In the pickup rib 19, a plurality of recesses 191 are formed on the front end sides of two side surfaces opposite to the groove side surface of the mating guide groove 85. The mating guide groove 85 is provided in the plug housing 80 of the inlet plug 5.

[0022] In this specification, the front-back direction is along the connector mating direction of the housing 20. Figure 6A and 6B The direction (left-right direction) is defined as the front side of the plug housing 80 that mates with the inlet plug 5. The vertical direction is the direction orthogonal to the connector mating direction of the housing 20. Figure 6A and 6B (The vertical direction in the middle). The top plate 50 side of the outer casing 51 is defined as the upper side.

[0023] The housing 20 of the inlet 1 is formed of electrically insulating synthetic resin. The front wall 26 of the housing 20 is provided with a pair of terminal receiving cylinders 23, 23 protruding toward the inlet plug 5.

[0024] A connection terminal, which connects to the end of a high-voltage cable (not shown), is housed in a terminal housing 23. The high-voltage cable connected to the connection terminal extends out from the rear opening of the terminal housing 23.

[0025] A front surface opening 25 is formed at the front end of the terminal receiving cylinder 23 for inserting the connection terminal (first connection terminal) of the inlet plug 5.

[0026] The connecting terminal is a female terminal made of conductive metal material and is formed in the shape of a cylindrical rod. A mating hole is formed at the rear end of the connecting terminal, and the conductor of the high-voltage cable leading out from the rear end opening of the terminal receiving cylinder 23 is inserted into the mating hole and crimped and connected to the mating hole.

[0027] like Figure 2 As shown, the outer shell 51 is a flat shell formed by the bottom plate 57, side wall components 61 and 63 and the top plate 50.

[0028] The bottom plate 57 is a flat plate slightly smaller than the top plate 50. The bottom plate 57 has an inclined portion on the upper surface of its front end, which guides the inlet plug 5 into the inlet 1.

[0029] Sidewall components 61 and 63 are arranged on the left and right sides of housing 20 and serve as two sidewalls of housing 51. Each of the sidewall components 61 and 63 has a stepped portion at approximately the center position in the front-rear direction, which contacts the two side ends of housing 20.

[0030] In the top plate 50, the eaves 15 extends on the front side of the upper wall portion 13, which together with the bottom plate portion 57 and the side wall components 61, 63 define the receiving space.

[0031] On the lower surface at the center of the eaves 15, a pickup rib 19 extends along the connector mating direction. The pickup rib 19 is used to guide and mate the plug housing 80 of the inlet plug 5 into the housing 20 housed in the housing 51.

[0032] The pickup rib 19 has a generally cuboid shape, with its front end rounded and its length in the connector mating direction longer than its length in the left-right direction. Multiple recesses 191 are formed on the front (front end) side surfaces. The multiple recesses 191 are formed in the pickup rib 19 at predetermined intervals along the connector mating direction from the front end. The predetermined intervals are appropriately determined considering the dimensions of the pickup rib 19, the dimensions of the mating guide groove 85, etc. The recesses 191 have a sinusoidal shape, wherein the cross-section is curved in the plane along the bottom surface of the mating guide groove 85. The cross-sectional shape of the recesses 191 is similar to... Figure 8The recesses 191 shown in the top view have the same shape. Both the left and right side surfaces of the pickup rib 19 face the groove side surface of the mating guide groove 85 provided in the plug housing 80 of the inlet plug 5. On the front end side of the pickup rib 19, a plurality of recesses 191 are provided on the left and right side surfaces, such that the cross-sectional shape in the plane along the bottom surface of the mating guide groove 85 is a circular line shape of multiple connected circles.

[0033] The top plate 50, pickup rib 19, side wall components 61, 63, and bottom plate 57 are integrally formed of electrically insulating synthetic resin. The housing 20, which accommodates the connection terminals, is inserted from the rear into the integrally formed outer shell 51 and tightened.

[0034] The inlet plug 5, used as the first connector according to this embodiment, includes: a plug-side connection terminal that mates with a connection terminal of the inlet 1; a plug housing 80, used as a first housing, having a pair of terminal receiving chambers 83, 83 for receiving the plug-side connection terminal; and a bracket 86 (see...). Figure 1 and 3 ).

[0035] The plug housing 80 is formed of electrically insulating synthetic resin. The bracket 86 is attached to the plug housing 80.

[0036] A mating guide groove 85 is formed in the upper surface of the plug housing 80. The mating guide groove 85 includes: a first groove 85a extending along the connector mating direction; a second groove 85b formed such that its width gradually increases from the side of the first groove 85a toward the inlet 1 (in other words, it is formed to extend obliquely outward along the width direction); and a connecting portion 85c connecting the first groove 85a and the second groove 85b. The width of the first groove 85a corresponds to the width of the pickup rib 19 provided on the top plate 50 of the inlet 1. The mating guide groove 85 has a generally Y-shaped profile in a top view. When the inlet plug 5 mates with the inlet 1, the mating guide groove 85 engages with the pickup rib 19, allowing the plug housing 80 to be mated and guided to the housing 20.

[0037] Connection terminal 90 (see) connects to the end of the high-voltage cable (not shown) on the plug side. Figure 6A and 6B It is housed in the terminal housing chamber 83. The plug-side high-voltage cable connected to the connection terminal 90 is led out from the rear opening of the terminal housing chamber 83.

[0038] Figure 6A and 6B The connecting terminal 90 shown is a male terminal made of conductive metal material and is formed in the shape of a cylindrical rod. A mating hole is formed at the rear end of the connecting terminal 90, and the conductor of the high-voltage cable leading out from the rear opening of the terminal receiving chamber 83 is inserted into the mating hole and crimped and connected to the mating hole.

[0039] Next, we will refer to Figures 4 to 9 Describe the operation of the connection between inlet 1 and inlet plug 5.

[0040] Starting with the inlet plug 5 and inlet 1 facing each other, move the inlet plug 5 towards the inlet 1 side, and the plug housing 80 begins to insert and engage with the housing 51. Immediately following the engagement, as... Figure 4 and Figure 6A As shown, the upper surface of the plug housing 80 abuts against the lower surface of the top plate 50 of the inlet 1, and the front end of the pickup rib 19 is inserted into the second groove 85b of the mating guide groove 85.

[0041] When the inlet plug 5 is inserted further into the inlet 1 to... Figure 4 and Figure 6A As shown, when advancing towards the rear of entrance 1, as... Figure 5 and Figure 6B As shown, the front end of the pickup rib 19 is guided into the first groove 85a via the connecting part 85c of the mating guide groove 85. Figure 1 The diagram shows the inlet 1 and inlet plug 5 in a mating state.

[0042] On the other hand, when the inlet plug 5 is inserted at an angle in the left-right direction relative to the connector mating direction, immediately after the mating begins, the front end of the pickup rib 19 abuts against the groove side surface of the second groove portion 85b in the mating guide groove 85 (see...). Figure 4 From this state, as the inlet plug 5 is further inserted deeper to advance towards the rear of the inlet 1, while the side surface of the pickup rib 19 slides into contact with the groove side surface of the second groove 85b of the mating guide groove 85, the front end of the pickup rib 19 reaches between the two groove side surfaces of the connecting portion 85c, as shown. Figure 7 As shown.

[0043] When the inlet plug 5 is inserted further into the inlet 1 to... Figure 7 As the device moves toward the rear of inlet 1, the pickup rib 19 inserts between the two side surfaces of the first groove 85a in the mating guide groove 85. When the pickup rib 19 enters the first groove 85a, it corrects the tilted mating direction to the correct connector mating direction, and simultaneously mates and guides the plug housing 80 toward the housing 20.

[0044] Then, when the inlet plug 5 is inserted further into the inlet 1 to advance towards the rear of the inlet 1, as... Figure 9 As shown, the front end of the plug housing 80 abuts against the front wall 26 of the housing 20. Figure 9In this state, the terminal 90 of the inlet plug 5 engages and connects to the terminal of the inlet 1, and thus, the high-voltage cable on the inlet 1 side is electrically connected to the high-voltage cable on the plug side.

[0045] Here, we will refer to Figure 8 Compare the shape of the pickup rib 19 in this embodiment with the shape of the pickup rib 19A in the reference example. Figure 8 In the diagram, the shape of pickup rib 19 is indicated by a solid line, and the shape of pickup rib 19A is indicated by a single-dot dashed line. The pickup rib 19A in the reference example has a shape in which the pickup rib 19 of this embodiment does not have a recess 191. Because the pickup rib 19A in the reference example... Figure 8 The position marked by the rectangular frame interferes with the groove side surface of the connecting part 85c, so the pickup rib 19A is stuck when the inlet plug 5 is inserted into the inlet 1. On the other hand, since the pickup rib 19 in the embodiment does not interfere with the connecting part 85c, the pickup rib 19 will not stick to the connecting part 85c.

[0046] As described above, in the connector mating structure of the inlet 1 and the inlet plug 5 according to this embodiment, a recess 191 is formed in the side surface of the pickup rib 19. With this configuration, even when the pickup rib 19 is inserted obliquely into the mating guide groove 85, interference between the pickup rib 19 and the connecting portion 85c is avoided by the recess 191, and the pickup rib 19 and the connecting portion 85c do not jam against each other. Therefore, the inlet 1 and the inlet plug 5 can smoothly mate with each other. Therefore, the connector mating structure of this embodiment is particularly useful when the inlet 1 and the inlet plug 5 mate automatically or semi-automatically. Furthermore, since multiple recesses 191 are formed on one side surface of the pickup rib 19, even when the approach angle of the pickup rib 19 changes, interference with the connecting portion 85c can be avoided in any of the recesses 191.

[0047] This disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be appropriately modified and improved. Furthermore, as long as the purpose of this disclosure can be achieved, the material, shape, size, quantity, and arrangement of the constituent elements in the above embodiments are arbitrary and unrestricted.

[0048] For example, in the above embodiments, although an inlet for electric vehicles, etc., has been described as an example of the connector described above, the connector of this disclosure is not limited thereto, and can be applied to various connectors based on the spirit of the present invention.

[0049] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, although multiple recesses 191 are provided in both side surfaces of the pickup rib 19, at least one recess 191 may be provided on the front end side of at least one side surface of the pickup rib 19. Additionally, the cross-sectional shape or shape in the top view of the recess formed in the pickup rib 19 is not limited to a curved shape, and may be formed as follows: Figure 10 The curved straight line is like the recess 191 provided in the pickup rib 19B shown.

[0050] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the pickup rib 19 with the recess 191 is provided in the inlet 1 and is provided in the inlet plug 5 in conjunction with the guide groove 85; however, this disclosure is not limited to this structure. One of the two cooperating connectors may be provided with a protrusion corresponding to the pickup rib with the recess, and the other connector may be provided with a guide groove for the protrusion to be inserted.

[0051] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, a connector mating structure includes: a first connector (inlet plug 5); and a second connector (inlet 1), wherein the first connector (5) and the second connector (1) mate with each other and are electrically connected. The first connector (5) includes: a first housing (plug housing 80) that accommodates a first connecting terminal; and a guide groove (mating guide groove 85) disposed in the first housing (80). The guide groove (85) includes: a first groove (85a) that extends along the connector mating direction; a second groove (85b) that is formed to gradually increase in width from the first groove side toward the second connector side; and a connecting portion (85c) that connects the first groove and the second groove. The second connector (1) includes: a second housing (outer housing 51) that accommodates a second connecting terminal; and a protrusion (pickup rib 19) disposed in the second housing and inserted into the guide groove. The protrusion (pick-up rib 19) has a recess (191) formed on the front end side of the protrusion and on at least one side surface of the protrusion facing the groove side surface of the guide groove.

[0052] According to the connector having the first aspect of the structure, since the recess is formed on the side surface of the protrusion, even when the protrusion is inserted into the guide groove at an angle, interference between the connection between the protrusion and the guide groove is avoided by the recess, and the connection between the protrusion and the guide groove is not jammed. Therefore, the first connector and the second connector can smoothly mate with each other. An angled insertion means that the protrusion is inserted into the guide groove at an angle relative to the connector mating direction in the width direction of the guide groove.

[0053] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, the recess (191) may be formed on two side surfaces of the protrusion (19) that face the groove side surface.

[0054] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, the recess (191) may include a plurality of recesses (191), and the plurality of recesses (191) may be formed at predetermined intervals in the protrusion from the front end side along the connector mating direction.

[0055] According to a fourth aspect of this disclosure, the cross-sectional shape of the recess taken as a planar section along the bottom surface of the guide groove (85) can have a curved shape.

[0056] According to the fifth aspect of this disclosure, the cross-sectional shape of at least one side surface of the protrusion (19) may have a sinusoidal shape.

[0057] According to this disclosure, a connector mating structure that allows for smooth insertion and mating of a connector can be provided.

Claims

1. A connector mating structure, comprising: First connector; as well as The second connector, wherein, The first connector and the second connector mate and are electrically connected. The first connector includes: A first housing, the first housing accommodating a first connection terminal; and A guide groove is disposed in the first housing. The guide groove includes: A first groove extends along the connector mating direction; A second groove, wherein the width of the second groove gradually increases from the first groove side toward the second connector side; and A connecting portion, which connects the first groove portion and the second groove portion, The second connector includes: A second housing, which accommodates a second connection terminal; and A protrusion, which is provided on the second housing and inserted into the guide groove, and The protrusion has a recess formed on the front end side of the protrusion, and the recess is formed on at least one side surface of the protrusion that faces the groove side surface of the guide groove. The protrusion is used to guide the first housing and the second housing of the second connector to engage and disengage along the connector mating direction by inserting into and pulling out of the guide groove. The cross-sectional shape of the recess, taken as a planar section along the bottom surface of the guide groove, has a curved shape or a sine wave shape.

2. The connector mating structure according to claim 1, wherein, The recesses are formed on the two side surfaces of the protrusion that face the groove side surface.

3. The connector mating structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The recess includes multiple recesses, and The plurality of recesses are formed in the protrusion at predetermined intervals along the connector mating direction from the front end side.

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