Connector

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to further miniaturize a connector. A connector for holding a terminal includes a housing in which a cavity capable of accommodating the terminal is formed, and a stopper that is attachable to the housing between a temporary attachment position and a formal attachment position, the stopper including an engagement protrusion capable of engaging with the terminal accommodated in the cavity, and the engagement protrusion being engaged with the terminal accommodated in the cavity in a state in which the stopper is in the temporary attachment position, and the engagement protrusion being engaged with the terminal accommodated in the cavity in a state in which the stopper is in the formal attachment position. The locking protrusion is retracted from the cavity, and the locking protrusion protrudes into the cavity and is locked to the terminal in the cavity by the rotation of the stopper from the temporary assembly position to the main assembly position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a connector. Background Art

[0002] Patent document 1 discloses a connector having a housing body with a cavity formed therein for inserting and removing terminal parts and a stopper. A stopper protrusion is formed on the stopper for secondary locking with the terminal parts. The stopper can move between a temporary locking position and a formal locking position relative to the housing body. In the temporary locking position, the female terminal parts can be inserted and removed, and in the formal locking position, the stopper protrusion is secondary locked with the female terminal parts. Prior art literature Patent Literature

[0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-305473 Summary of the invention Problems to be solved by the invention

[0004] Here, further miniaturization of the connector is desired.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to further miniaturize the connector. Solutions to Solve Problems

[0006] The connector disclosed herein is a connector for holding terminals, comprising: a shell having a cavity formed therein which can accommodate the terminals; and a stopper which can be assembled relative to the shell in a temporary assembly position and a formal assembly position, the stopper including a stopper protrusion which can be stopped by the terminals accommodated in the cavity, and when the stopper is located in the temporary assembly position, the stopper protrusion retreats from the cavity, and by the stopper rotating from the temporary assembly position toward the formal assembly position, the stopper protrudes into the cavity and is stopped by the terminals in the cavity. Effects of the Invention

[0007] According to the present disclosure, the connector is further miniaturized. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 This is a perspective view showing the connector according to the first embodiment. Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the connector. Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the connector. Figure 4 yes Figure 1 Partial cross-sectional view along line IV-IV. Figure 5 is a side view showing the connector in a temporarily assembled state. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the connector in a temporarily assembled state. Figure 7 yes Figure 5 VII-VII line cross-sectional view. Figure 8 yes Figure 5 Cross-sectional view along line VIII-VIII. Fig. 9 It is a side view of the connector showing a state in which the stopper body is retracted. Fig.10 It is a cross-sectional view showing the connector in a state where the stopper body is retracted. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0009] [Description of Embodiments of the Present Disclosure] First, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described by way of examples.

[0010] The connector of the present disclosure is as follows.

[0011] (1) A connector is a connector for holding a terminal, comprising: a housing formed with a cavity capable of accommodating the terminal; and a stopper capable of being assembled relative to the housing in a temporary assembly position and a formal assembly position, the stopper including a stopper protrusion capable of being engaged with the terminal accommodated in the cavity, wherein the stopper retreats from the cavity when the stopper is in the temporary assembly position, and the stopper is rotated from the temporary assembly position toward the formal assembly position so that the stopper protrudes into the cavity and is engaged with the terminal in the cavity.

[0012] According to the connector, by rotating the stopper from the temporary assembly position toward the formal assembly position, the locking protrusion can lock the terminal in the cavity to hold the terminal. Therefore, compared with a structure in which the stopper moves in a direction orthogonal to the length direction of the terminal to position the terminal, the structure in which the stopper is supported so as to be movable can be miniaturized. Thus, the miniaturization of the connector can be achieved.

[0013] (2) Based on the connector of (1), the inner side of the terminal relative to the insertion direction of the cavity may be regarded as the front side, and the opposite direction may be regarded as the rear side, and the stopper may be supported at the temporary assembly position to be able to move along an inclined direction away from the cavity toward the rear side along the extension direction of the cavity.

[0014] In this case, since the stopper is supported to be movable in the inclined direction at the temporary mounting position, if the terminal contacts the locking projection during insertion of the terminal into the cavity, the locking projection can move in a direction away from the cavity.

[0015] (3) Based on the connector of (1) or (2), the inner side of the terminal relative to the insertion direction of the cavity may be regarded as the front side, and the opposite direction may be regarded as the rear side, the shell has an assembly opening for assembling the stopper, the stopper includes a stopper body assembled in the assembly opening, a pair of locking wall portions extending from both sides of the stopper body along both sides of the shell, and a pair of anti-slip protrusions protruding from the inner surfaces of the pair of locking wall portions, the shell includes a pair of temporary locking protrusions and a pair of formal locking protrusions protruding from the outer surfaces of both sides thereof, and the one The temporary locking protrusion is located closer to the assembly opening than the pair of formal locking protrusions, and an inclined temporary support groove is formed between the temporary locking protrusion and the formal locking protrusion. The inclined temporary support groove extends along an inclined direction away from the cavity toward the rear side along the extension direction of the cavity, and supports the anti-slip protrusion in a posture along the inclined direction. The surface of the formal locking protrusion on the side opposite to the assembly opening is a formal locking surface that is locked with the anti-slip protrusion to maintain the stop body in the formal assembly position.

[0016] In this case, by arranging a pair of anti-dropout protrusions in the inclined temporary support groove, the stopper is held in the temporary assembly position. In this state, it is easy to insert the terminal into the cavity. Then, when the stopper is pressed and rotated, the pair of anti-dropout protrusions pass over the pair of formal locking protrusions and are locked on the formal locking surface. In this way, the stopper is held in the formal assembly position, and the terminal is prevented from dropping out.

[0017] (4) Based on the connector of (3), the inner groove forming surface of the groove side surface on one side of the formal locking protrusion that forms the inclined temporary support groove may be located forward of the formal locking protrusion, and the temporary locking protrusion may be located forward of the rear edge of the inner groove forming surface in the extension direction of the cavity.

[0018] In this case, the arrangement space of the temporary locking projection and the final locking projection can be reduced in the up-down direction, which contributes to the miniaturization of the connector.

[0019] (5) Based on the connector of (4), the portion of the formal locking protrusion that is closer to the rear side than the inner groove forming surface is formed as a stop body extension surface, and the protruding length of the stop body extension surface from the outer side surface of the shell increases as it moves away from the assembly opening, and the inner groove forming surface and the front groove forming surface form a posture that is closer to perpendicular to the side surface of the shell than the stop body extension surface, and the front groove forming surface is the surface of the groove side surface on the other side of the inclined temporary support groove formed in the temporary locking protrusion.

[0020] In this case, when the stopper is located at the temporary assembly position, the anti-dropout protrusion maintains an inclined posture between the nearly vertical inner groove forming surface and the front groove forming surface. Therefore, the stopper can easily maintain an inclined posture. If the stopper is rotated, the anti-dropout protrusion contacts the stopper extension surface and the pair of locking wall portions are pushed apart. As a result, the anti-dropout protrusion can pass over the formal locking protrusion and easily stop at the formal locking protrusion.

[0021] (6) In the connector described in any one of (2) to (5), the portion of the locking protrusion that enters the cavity when the stop body is in the temporary assembly position may be formed as a retreat guide surface that moves away from the cavity toward the rear.

[0022] In this case, when the terminal is inserted into the cavity, if the terminal contacts the retreat guide surface of the locking projection, the locking projection is guided in a direction to retreat from the cavity. Thus, the terminal can be smoothly inserted into the cavity.

[0023] (7) Based on the connector of (6), the retreat guide surface may be a surface opposite to the terminal in the direction of pressing the terminal into the cavity when the stop body is located in the formal assembly position, and an anti-detachment surface that prevents the terminal from detaching when the stop body is located in the formal assembly position is connected to the retreat guide surface on the front side.

[0024] According to the connector, since the stopper is a rotating structure, when the stopper is in the temporary assembly position, the anti-slip surface is easily positioned to enter the cavity. In this case, when the terminal is inserted into the cavity, if the terminal contacts the retreat guide surface of the locking protrusion, the locking protrusion is guided in the direction of retreating from the cavity, and the anti-slip surface is also easily guided in the direction of retreating from the cavity. As a result, the terminal is smoothly inserted into the cavity.

[0025] (8) Based on the connector described in any one of (2) to (7), the shell may include a stop body anti-slip receiving surface, and the stop body anti-slip receiving surface is located on the rear side of the stop body located at the temporary assembly position and contacts the stop body from the rear.

[0026] This prevents the stopper from being disengaged rearward from the state in which it is located at the temporary mounting position.

[0027] (9) Based on the connector of (8), the stop body may have an inclined anti-slip surface, which is inclined relative to the extension direction of the cavity when the stop body is located in the formal assembly position, and is oriented toward the rear side in a manner opposite to the anti-slip receiving surface of the stop body when the stop body is located in the temporary assembly position, and the inclined anti-slip surface contacts the anti-slip receiving surface of the stop body to prevent the stop body from detaching.

[0028] Thus, when the stopper has moved in the disengagement direction, the inclined anti-slip surface contacts the stopper anti-slip receiving surface, so the inclination posture of the stopper in the anti-slip state is stable. Thus, the subsequent resetting movement of the stopper can be smoothly performed.

[0029] [Details of the embodiments of the present disclosure] Hereinafter, specific examples of the connector of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, the present disclosure is not limited to these examples, but is indicated by the claims, and includes all changes within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims.

[0030] [Implementation Method] Hereinafter, a connector according to an embodiment will be described. Figure 1 2 is a perspective view showing the connector 20 . Figure 2 and Figure 3 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the connector 20 . Figure 4 yes Figure 1 Partial cross-sectional view along line IV-IV. Figure 4 The electric wire 18 is shown by a two-dot chain line. Figure 5 is a side view showing the connector 20 in a temporarily assembled state. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the connector 20 in a temporarily assembled state. Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the same portion as line IV-IV. Figure 7 yes Figure 5 The VII-VII line cross-sectional view, Figure 8 yes Figure 5 The temporary assembly position state refers to a state in which the stopper 80 is located at the temporary assembly position, and the formal assembly state refers to a state in which the stopper 80 is located at the formal assembly position.

[0031] <Overall structure of the connector> The overall structure of the connector 20 will be described. The connector 20 holds the terminal 10 .

[0032] The terminal 10 is formed by performing a stamping process on a metal plate, etc. The terminal 10 includes a covering crimping portion 11, a core wire crimping portion 12, and a terminal connecting portion 13. The covering crimping portion 11 is a portion of the covering portion crimped to the end of the electric wire 18. The core wire crimping portion 12 is a portion crimped to the core wire portion exposed at the end of the electric wire 18. The terminal connecting portion 13 is a portion connected to the terminal on the other side, and is formed in a cylindrical shape, for example. The covering crimping portion 11, the core wire crimping portion 12, and the terminal connecting portion 13 are arranged in a straight line in sequence. The thickness of the covering crimping portion 11 and the terminal connecting portion 13 is greater than the thickness of the core wire crimping portion 12. Therefore, when the terminal 10 is viewed from the side, a recessed portion 14 that is partially recessed in the extension direction of the terminal 10 is formed on the core wire crimping portion 12 and between the covering crimping portion 11 and the terminal connecting portion 13.

[0033] In the present embodiment, the connector 20 holds a plurality of terminals 10. More specifically, a plurality of (e.g., two) terminals 10 are held in multiple layers (e.g., two layers). In each layer, the plurality of terminals 10 are arranged in a row in a parallel state. In addition, the plurality of terminals 10 may be terminals of the same size and material, or may be terminals of different sizes or materials. In addition, the number of terminals 10 held by the connector 20 is arbitrary.

[0034] The connector 20 includes a housing 30 and a stopper 80. The stopper 80 holds the plurality of terminals 10 in at least one layer so as not to be separated from the housing 30. In the present embodiment, the connector 20 further includes a cover 60. The cover 60 is mounted on the opposite side of the stopper 80 relative to the housing 30. The cover 60 holds the plurality of terminals 10 in other layers so as not to be separated from the housing 30.

[0035] In the following description, the terminal connection portion 13 side in the extension direction of the terminal 10 is sometimes referred to as the front side, and the covering crimping portion 11 side is sometimes referred to as the rear side. In addition, the cover 60 side is sometimes referred to as the lower side, and the stopper 80 side is sometimes referred to as the upper side. In addition, the left and right directions are sometimes referred to as a state in which a person stands in front of the cover 60 and faces the front side.

[0036] The housing 30 is formed of resin or the like, and includes terminal receiving portions 32 and 42. In the present embodiment, the housing 30 includes a terminal receiving portion 32 on the lower side and a terminal receiving portion 42 on the upper side. The terminal receiving portion 32 on the lower side has a cavity 34 for receiving the terminal 10. In the present embodiment, the terminal receiving portion 32 on the lower side has a plurality of (here, two) cavities 34 arranged in parallel. The terminal receiving portion 42 on the upper side has a cavity 44 for receiving the terminal 10. In the present embodiment, the terminal receiving portion 42 on the upper side has a plurality of (here, two) cavities 44 arranged in parallel.

[0037] The stopper 80 is combined with the upper terminal receiving portion 42 to hold the terminal 10 in the upper cavity 44. That is, the terminal 10 is inserted into the cavity 44 before the stopper 80 is formally assembled. With the terminal 10 inserted in the cavity 44, the stopper 80 is formally assembled to the upper terminal receiving portion 42. In this way, the terminal 10 will not fall out of the upper cavity 44. In addition, the inner side of the terminal 10 relative to the insertion direction of the cavity 44 is the front side, and the opposite direction is the rear side.

[0038] The cover 60 is integrated with the lower terminal receiving portion 32 to hold the terminal 10 in the lower cavity 34. That is, before the cover 60 is assembled to the lower terminal receiving portion 32, the terminal 10 is placed in the lower cavity 34. In this state, the cover 60 is assembled to the lower terminal receiving portion 32. In this way, the terminal 10 will not fall out of the lower cavity 34.

[0039] It is not essential for the connector to include the cover 60 described above and the terminal 10 held by the cover 60 .

[0040] The structure in which the terminal 10 is held by the stopper 80 will be described in more detail.

[0041] <Regarding the holding structure of the stopper> The stopper 80 is configured to be assembled relative to the housing 30 in a temporary assembly position and a formal assembly position. Formal assembly refers to an assembly state in which the stopper 80 is locked to the terminal 10 in a manner that prevents the terminal 10 from being detached when the connector 20 is in use. When the stopper 80 is assembled to the housing 30 in the formal assembly position, the terminal 10 is held in the cavity 44 without being detached from the housing 30 even if the connector 20 is transported or plugged in or out of the other connector. Temporary assembly refers to a state in which the stopper 80 is in a state before the formal assembly state in which it can be combined with the housing 30 and handled as a whole, and the terminal 10 can be inserted into the cavity 44. That is, in the temporary assembly state, the housing 30 and the stopper 80 can be stored and transported as a single component, and can be provided to the operator who inserts the terminal 10.

[0042] More specifically, the housing 30 has a partition portion 31 that separates the cavity 44 of the upper layer from the lower side. In the present embodiment, the partition portion 31 is located between the terminal receiving portion on the lower side and the terminal receiving portion on the lower side, and separates the cavity 34 on the lower side from the cavity 44 on the upper side. The partition portion 31 can also be understood as a bottom plate located at the bottom of the cavity 44 on the upper layer. The housing 30 includes a pair of outer walls 43, 43 located on both sides of the housing 30. The pair of outer walls 43, 43 extend from both sides of the partition portion 31 toward the upper side. The pair of outer walls 43, 43 are plate-shaped portions that are orthogonal to the partition portion 31 and extend along the extension direction of the cavity 44. The pair of outer walls 43, 43 are also along the protruding direction of the stop wall portion 84 described below. The pair of outer walls 43, 43 are exposed on the left or right outer side of the housing 30.

[0043] In addition, the housing 30 includes a middle wall 42M between the pair of outer walls 43, 43, which partitions the plurality of cavities 44. That is, the pair of outer walls 43, 43 and the middle wall 42M are arranged in parallel with a gap in the width direction of the housing 30.

[0044] A front plate portion 31F extending in a direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction is provided at the front edge of the housing 30. The front plate portion 31F is located at the front end of the cavity 44. The terminal 10 disposed in the cavity 44 is restricted from moving forward by contacting the front plate portion 31F. A connection hole 31Fa is formed in the front plate portion 31F into which a terminal on the other side (for example, a male terminal having an elongated plate portion or a pin-shaped portion) can be inserted. The terminal on the other side can pass through the connection hole 31Fa and be connected to the terminal 10 in the cavity 44.

[0045] At least a portion of the openings on the side opposite to the partition portion 31 in the pair of outer walls 43, 43 and the middle wall 42M is closed by the top plate portion 43c. The upper terminal storage portion 42 is a structure including the upper part of the partition portion 31, the pair of outer walls 43, 43, the middle wall 42M, the top plate portion 43c and the front plate portion 31F, and a plurality of cavities 44 are formed in each gap between the pair of outer walls 43, 43 and the middle wall 42M. The cavity 44 has a rear opening, and the terminal 10 is inserted into the cavity through the rear opening.

[0046] The housing 30 has an attachment opening 45 into which the stopper body 80 is attached.

[0047] In the present embodiment, a partially opened assembly opening 45 is formed in the middle portion of the extension direction of the cavity 44 in the top plate portion 43c of the housing 30. When the front end of the terminal 10 disposed in the cavity 44 is in contact with the front plate portion 31F, at least a portion of the recess 14 in the terminal 10 can pass through the assembly opening 45 and be exposed outside the housing 30. The stopper 80 is embedded in the assembly opening 45, and the stopper 80 closes the assembly opening 45 in a state in which it is positioned in the front-rear direction.

[0048] The housing 30 includes a pair of temporary stop convex portions 46 and a pair of formal stop convex portions 48 protruding from the outer surfaces on both sides thereof. The pair of temporary stop convex portions 46 are located closer to the assembly opening 45 than the pair of formal stop convex portions 48. Therefore, the stopper 80 assembled to the housing 30 from the assembly opening 45 side can be formally stopped by the pair of formal stop convex portions 48 after being temporarily stopped by the pair of temporary stop convex portions 46.

[0049] More specifically, the portions of the pair of outer walls 43, 43 corresponding to the assembly opening 45 are more recessed than other portions. The bottom surface of the recessed portion of the outer walls 43, 43 is a portion of the outer surface of the outer wall 43, and the temporary locking protrusion 46 and the formal locking protrusion 48 are formed on the bottom surface.

[0050] The length of the permanent locking protrusion 48 is preferably as large as possible within the recessed portion of the outer walls 43 , 43 , for example, at least half the length of the mounting opening 45 .

[0051] The temporary locking protrusion 46 is formed into a convex shape that is spaced apart upward from the formal locking protrusion 48. The front-to-back length of the temporary locking protrusion 46 may be smaller than the front-to-back length of the formal locking protrusion 48. In the present embodiment, the temporary locking protrusion 46 is located on the upper side of the front end of the formal locking protrusion 48. In addition, the front-to-back length of the temporary locking protrusion 46 is less than half of the front-to-back length of the formal locking protrusion 48.

[0052] The stopper 80 can be mounted in a temporary mounting position and a permanent mounting position relative to the housing 30 . The stopper 80 includes a locking projection 83 that can be locked relative to the terminal 10 accommodated in the cavity 44 .

[0053] When the stopper 80 is assembled in the temporary assembly position, the locking protrusion 83 retreats from the cavity 44. Here, the locking protrusion 83 retreats from the cavity 44 means that the position of the locking protrusion 83 in the temporary assembly state is located farther from the center of the cavity 44 than the position of the locking protrusion 83 in the formal assembly state. Therefore, when the stopper 80 is assembled in the temporary assembly position, a part of the locking protrusion 83 can also enter the cavity 44. In other words, the locking protrusion 83 in the temporary assembly state is in a state that is less likely to hinder the insertion of the terminal 10 into the cavity 44 than the locking protrusion 83 in the formal assembly state.

[0054] The stopper 80 can be rotated from the temporary assembly position to the formal assembly position. The rotation of the stopper 80 is performed by rotating within a predetermined range around an axis (here, around an axis in the left-right direction) that is orthogonal to the extension direction of the cavity 44. The stopper 80 is rotated to be located at the formal assembly position, so that the locking protrusion 83 can protrude into the cavity 44 through the assembly opening 45 and be locked to the terminal 10 in the cavity 44.

[0055] More specifically, the stopper 80 includes a stopper body 82 , a pair of locking wall portions 84 , and a pair of anti-detachment projections 85 .

[0056] The stopper body 82 is formed in a plate shape, here a square plate shape, that is expanded to a size capable of collectively closing the mounting openings 45 corresponding to the plurality of cavities 44. The stopper body 82 is mounted to the mounting openings 45 to close the upper openings of the plurality of cavities 44.

[0057] A locking protrusion 83 is formed on the stopper body 82. Here, a plurality of locking protrusions 83 are formed in parallel corresponding to a plurality of cavities 44. The locking protrusion 83 is formed in the middle portion of the extension direction of the cavity 44, more specifically, in the region where the core wire crimping portion 12 is located in the extension direction of the cavity 44. Moreover, when the stopper body 82 is assembled in the assembly opening 45, the locking protrusion 83 can protrude into the cavity 44. In this state, the locking protrusion 83 can be embedded in the recess 14 between the covering crimping portion 11 and the terminal connecting portion 13 of the terminal 10 in the cavity 44. As a result, the terminal 10 is positioned in its extension direction, and the detachment to the rear is suppressed.

[0058] A pair of locking wall portions 84 extend from both sides of the stop body main body 82 to both sides of the shell 30, here along the outer surfaces of the pair of outer walls 43, 43. A pair of anti-slip protrusions 85 are formed near the top end on the inner surfaces of the pair of locking wall portions 84. The anti-slip protrusions 85 are elongated protrusions protruding from the inner surfaces of the locking wall portions 84. In the formally assembled state, the anti-slip protrusions 85 are along the extension direction of the cavity 44. In the present embodiment, the top edge of the locking wall portion 84 is along the extension direction of the cavity 44 in the formally assembled state, and the anti-slip protrusions 85 are along the top edge of the locking wall portion 84. The anti-slip protrusions 85 are formed into a shape including a guide surface 85f whose protruding size gradually decreases toward the top end side of the locking wall portion 84 (refer to Figure 3 , Figure 8 The pair of locking wall portions 84 can be locked to the pair of temporary locking protrusions 46 or the pair of permanent locking protrusions 48 .

[0059] Furthermore, in the temporary assembly position, the stopper 80 is supported so as to be movable in an inclined direction relative to the extension direction of the cavity 44. The inclined direction is a direction away from the cavity 44 as it moves toward the rear side along the extension direction of the cavity 44. Since the stopper 80 is supported so as to be movable in the inclined direction, when the terminal 10 is inserted into the cavity 44, if the terminal 10 interferes with the locking protrusion 83, the stopper 80 can be moved backward to eliminate the interference between the terminal 10 and the locking protrusion 83.

[0060] More specifically, an inclined temporary support groove 90 extending in the above-mentioned inclined direction is formed between the above-mentioned temporary locking protrusion 46 and the formal locking protrusion 48. The groove width of the inclined temporary support groove 90 is the same as or larger than the width of the anti-slip protrusion 85 within the range that the anti-slip protrusion 85 can be supported in the above-mentioned inclined direction. By arranging the anti-slip protrusion 85 in the inclined temporary support groove 90, the anti-slip protrusion 85 is supported in a posture along the inclined direction. The anti-slip protrusion 85 can move in the inclined direction in the inclined temporary support groove 90.

[0061] One groove side surface of the inclined temporary support groove 90 is the front groove forming surface 46f1, and the other groove side surface is the back groove forming surface 48f1. The front groove forming surface 46f1 is the lower side surface of the temporary locking protrusion 46 that is farther from the assembly opening 45. The back groove forming surface 48f1 is the upper side surface of the formal locking protrusion 48 that is closer to the assembly opening 45.

[0062] The inner groove forming surface 48f1 is located at the front position of the formal locking protrusion 48. For example, the inner groove forming surface 48f1 is formed to extend to a region of 1 / 2 to 3 / 4 from the front edge of the formal locking protrusion 48 toward the rear. The inner groove forming surface 48f1 extends toward the front in a manner that gradually inclines downward relative to the portion of the formal locking protrusion 48 that is connected to the rear of the inner groove forming surface 48f1.

[0063] The portion of the protruding portion 48 for formal locking that is further rearward than the inner groove forming surface 48f1 is formed as a stopper extension surface 48f2. The stopper extension surface 48f2 is formed as an inclined surface whose protruding length from the outer side surface of the housing 30 increases as it moves away from the assembly opening 45 (see Figure 8 The downward surface of the formal locking protrusion 48 on the side opposite to the assembly opening 45 is formed as a formal locking surface 48f3 (see Figure 7 and Figure 8 ).

[0064] In this embodiment, when viewed from the side, the stopper extension surface 48f2 and the formal stopper surface 48f3 are formed in a shape extending in the extension direction of the cavity 44. Therefore, when the formal stopper projection 48 is viewed from the side, the portion where the stopper extension surface 48f2 is formed is a portion continuous with the same width, and the upper portion of the front portion where the inner groove forming surface 48f1 is formed is in a shape that is inclined downward toward the front side.

[0065] When the stopper 80 is pressed while the anti-slip convex portion 85 is disposed on the inner groove forming surface 48f1, the anti-slip convex portion 85 contacts the stopper extension surface 48f2. Thus, by pressing the stopper 80, the anti-slip convex portion 85 passes over the stopper extension surface 48f2, and the locking wall portion 84 elastically deforms and expands outward. When the anti-slip convex portion 85 passes over the formal locking convex portion 48 to the lower side, the locking wall portion 84 elastically returns to its original shape, and the anti-slip convex portion 85 can be formally locked to the formal locking surface 48f3 of the formal locking convex portion 48 from the lower side.

[0066] The temporary locking protrusion 46 is located at a position forward of the rear edge of the inner groove forming surface 48f1 in the extending direction of the cavity 44. That is, when the formal locking protrusion 48 is viewed from the side, the temporary locking protrusion 46 is located above the portion extending obliquely downward toward the front side. That is, the space descending obliquely downward in the formal locking protrusion 48 can be effectively utilized to provide the configuration space of the anti-drop protrusion 85 for temporary locking.

[0067] The front edge of the temporary locking protrusion 46 may be located behind or in front of the front edge of the permanent locking protrusion 48. In this embodiment, the front edge of the temporary locking protrusion 46 is located in front of the front edge of the permanent locking protrusion 48.

[0068] The temporary locking protrusion 46 may also extend to the rear side of the rear edge of the inner groove forming surface 48f1 in the extending direction of the cavity 44. In this case, from the perspective of strength, it is preferred to increase the vertical dimension of the temporary locking protrusion 46 and extend it rearward. From the perspective of further miniaturization, the temporary locking protrusion 46 is preferably located at a position forward of the rear edge of the inner groove forming surface 48f1.

[0069] The inner groove forming surface 48f1 and the front groove forming surface 46f1 are preferably closer to the side surface of the housing 30, that is, the outer surface of the outer wall 43, than the stopper extension surface 48f2. In the present embodiment, the inner groove forming surface 48f1 and the front groove forming surface 46f1 are perpendicular to the outer surface of the outer wall 43 (see Figure 7 ), but may also be inclined relative to this outer surface.

[0070] If the back groove forming surface 48f1 and the front groove forming surface 46f1 are in a posture close to being perpendicular to the outer surface of the outer wall 43, the anti-detachment projection 85 can easily maintain a state of being supported along the inclined temporary support groove 90.

[0071] In addition, if the rear end of the stop body 80 is pressed, while the front end of the anti-slip protrusion 85 is prevented from detaching due to the surface 46f1 formed by the groove on the front side, the rear part of the anti-slip protrusion 85 can easily pass over the stop body extension surface 48f2, so that the stop body 80 can easily rotate around the front end of the anti-slip protrusion 85.

[0072] In addition, since it is not necessary to form an inclined shape for expanding the stopper 80 at the front end of the permanent locking projection 48, it is possible to suppress the front end of the permanent locking projection 48 from becoming too thin.

[0073] When the stopper 80 is temporarily mounted, the locking wall 84 of the stopper 80 hits the front wall of the recess formed in the outer wall 43, and the forward movement of the stopper 80 is restricted. In this state, a part of the locking projection 83 can also protrude into the cavity 44 through the assembly opening 45 (see Figure 6 In this case, the inserted terminal 10 contacts the locking projection 83 to cause the stopper 80 to retreat.

[0074] The portion of the locking protrusion 83 that enters the cavity 44 when the stopper 80 is located in the temporary assembly position may also have a retreat guide surface 83f1 that moves away from the cavity 44 as it moves toward the rear side. In the present embodiment, the front portion of the top end surface of the locking protrusion 83 is the retreat guide surface 83f1. The retreat guide surface 83f1 is a surface that is opposite to the terminal 10 in the direction (upward) of pressing the terminal 10 into the cavity 44 when the stopper 80 is located in the formal assembly position. The retreat guide surface 83f1 is formed as a surface along the extension direction of the anti-slip protrusion 85. In the formal assembly state, the retreat guide surface 83f1 is along the extension direction of the cavity 44. In the temporary assembly state, when the retreat guide surface 83f1 is along the inclined direction as the extension direction of the anti-slip protrusion 85, the top end of the retreat guide surface 83f1 faces rearward and enters the cavity 44.

[0075] Furthermore, when the terminal 10 is inserted into the cavity 44, the top end of the terminal 10 contacts the retreat guide surface 83f1. Thus, the top end of the terminal 10 is pushed out of the retreat guide surface 83f1 to the outside of the cavity 44. As a result, the stopper 80 moves backward and obliquely backward, and the locking protrusion 83 retreats from the cavity 44. As a result, the terminal 10 can be inserted into the inner side of the cavity 44 without interfering with the locking protrusion 83.

[0076] The locking protrusion 83 has an anti-slip surface 83f2 that is continuous with the retreat guide surface 83f1. The anti-slip surface 83f2 is a surface that is connected to the retreat guide surface 83f1 at the front side and prevents the terminal 10 from slipping out when the stopper 80 is in the formal assembly position. The anti-slip surface 83f2 is preferably a surface orthogonal to the extension direction of the cavity 44, but it is not necessary.

[0077] As described above, since the stopper 80 is a structure that rotates around the front end, in the temporary assembly state, the anti-slip surface 83f2 is easily positioned to enter the cavity 44. In this case, the retreat guide surface 83f1 facing the anti-slip surface 83f2 can smoothly guide the locking protrusion 83 in the direction of retreating from the cavity 44 by the insertion of the terminal 10.

[0078] The housing 30 includes a stopper anti-detachment receiving surface 43f which exists on the rear side of the stopper 80 located in the temporary assembly position and can contact the stopper 80 from the rear. In the present embodiment, the stopper anti-detachment receiving surface 43f is a surface on the rear side of the recessed portion of the outer wall 43 and is a surface facing the front side. The stopper anti-detachment receiving surface 43f is a surface orthogonal to the extension direction of the cavity 44. The stopper anti-detachment receiving surface 43f contacts the rear part of the locking wall portion 84 of the stopper 80, and can restrict the stopper 80 from detaching to the rear.

[0079] The stopper 80 has an inclined anti-slip surface 84f, which is inclined relative to the extension direction of the cavity 44 when located in the formal assembly position, and faces the rear side in a manner opposite to the stopper anti-slip receiving surface 43f when located in the temporary assembly position. In the present embodiment, the inclined anti-slip surface 84f is formed as an inclined surface that faces the front side as it faces downward in the formal assembly state. The inclined anti-slip surface 84f is preferably parallel to the stopper anti-slip receiving surface 43f as much as possible in the temporary assembly state, but it is not necessary.

[0080] If the stopper 80 descends backward, the inclined anti-slip surface 84f contacts the stopper anti-slip receiving surface 43f and the movement backward is restricted. At this time, the stopper 80 is in an inclined posture allowed under the guidance of the inclined temporary support groove 90, and the inclined anti-slip surface 84f can contact the stopper anti-slip receiving surface 43f. Thus, even when the stopper 80 moves backward, the stopper 80 can stably be in an inclined posture. Therefore, after the terminal 10 is inserted, the stopper 80 can stably return to the front.

[0081] <Terminal holding operation> An example of the holding operation of the terminal 10 will be described.

[0082] The structure for temporarily assembling the stopper 80 to the housing 30 is prepared (see Figures 5 to 8). In this state, the anti-slip protrusion 85 of the stopper 80 is embedded in the inclined temporary support groove 90 and is supported in an inclined posture relative to the housing 30. The anti-slip protrusion 85 passes forward over the formal locking protrusion 48. The anti-slip protrusion 85 can move in the inclined temporary support groove 90 along the inclined direction of the inclined temporary support groove 90. Therefore, the stopper 80 can move backward in an inclined posture until the inclined anti-slip surface 84f contacts the stopper anti-slip receiving surface 43f. In addition, the front end portion of the locking protrusion 83 protrudes into the cavity 44 (refer to Figure 6 ), the front end portion of the retraction guide surface 83f1 faces obliquely rearward in the cavity 44.

[0083] The terminal 10 is inserted into the cavity 44 from the rear opening of the cavity 44. In this way, the top end of the terminal 10 contacts the retreat guide surface 83f1 of the locking protrusion 83. If the terminal 10 moves further to the inside, the top end of the terminal 10 pushes the retreat guide surface 83f1 to the outside rear of the cavity 44 (see Fig. 9 and Fig.10 ). As a result, the stopper 80 moves in the direction away from the cavity 44 along the inclined direction of the inclined temporary support groove 90. In this way, the terminal 10 can move further inward in the cavity 44. When the terminal 10 is inserted into the cavity 44 until it touches the inner surface of the front plate portion 31F, the recess 14 of the terminal 10 is arranged on the inner side of the assembly opening 45. As a result, the stopper 80 can return to its original position. The stopper 80 can return to its original position due to its own weight, or it can return to its original position by manual operation of the operator. If the stopper 80 returns to its original position, the front end of the locking protrusion 83 enters the cavity 44. Therefore, the anti-detachment surface 83f2 of the locking protrusion 83 can be hooked on the rear end of the terminal connecting portion 13, so that when the stopper 80 is rotated to the formal assembly position, the terminal 10 can not be disengaged.

[0084] Next, the stopper 80 is pressed toward the assembly opening 45. In addition, the rear end of the stopper 80 is preferably pressed against the assembly opening 45. When the stopper 80 is pressed, the guide surface 85f of the anti-slip convex portion 85 abuts against the stopper extension surface 48f2 of the formal locking convex portion 48, so that the locking wall portion 84 extends outward along the inclination of the stopper extension surface 48f2. Since the front end of the anti-slip convex portion 85 is locked to the front groove forming surface 46f1, it is difficult to move upward. Therefore, the stopper 80 can rotate around the front end of the anti-slip convex portion 85.

[0085] In particular, the front groove forming surface 46f1 is closer to being perpendicular to the outer surface of the outer wall 43 than the stopper extension surface 48f2. Therefore, the rear end of the anti-slip convex portion 85 can touch the stopper extension surface 48f2 and easily pass over the formal locking convex portion 48, while the rear end of the anti-slip convex portion 85 is difficult to pass over the front groove forming surface 46f1. Therefore, the stopper 80 can more reliably rotate around the front end of the anti-slip convex portion 85.

[0086] When the anti-slip convex portion 85 passes over the final locking convex portion 48, the anti-slip convex portion 85 is locked to the final locking surface 48f3 of the final locking convex portion 48. Thus, the stopper 80 is formally mounted on the housing 30 in a state of being located at the final mounting position.

[0087] In this state, the tip end of the locking projection 83 of the stopper 80 enters the cavity 44 and is locked to the recess 14 of the terminal 10. Therefore, the terminal 10 is held so as not to be disengaged to the rear of the cavity 44.

[0088] <Effects, etc.> According to the connector 20 constructed as above, by rotating the stopper 80 from the temporary assembly position toward the formal assembly position, the locking protrusion 83 can be locked to the terminal 10 in the cavity 44 to hold the terminal 10. Therefore, compared with the structure in which the stopper moves in a direction orthogonal to the length direction of the terminal to position the terminal, the structure in which the stopper 80 is supported to be movable can be miniaturized. For example, in the structure in which the stopper moves in a direction orthogonal to the length direction of the terminal to position the terminal, a space in which the anti-slip protrusion can move in parallel is ensured on the side of the shell. In this embodiment, a space in which the anti-slip protrusion 85 can rotate is provided on the side of the shell 30. Therefore, the miniaturization of the shell 30 can be achieved, and the miniaturization of the connector 20 as a whole can also be achieved.

[0089] In addition, the stopper 80 is supported at the temporary assembly position in a manner that can move in an inclined direction. Therefore, when the terminal 10 contacts the locking projection 83 during the insertion of the terminal 10, the locking projection 83 can move away from the cavity 44, and the terminal 10 can be smoothly inserted.

[0090] In addition, by arranging a pair of anti-dropout protrusions 85 in the inclined temporary support groove 90, the stopper 80 is held in the temporary assembly position. In this state, the terminal 10 can be easily inserted into the cavity 44. Then, when the stopper 80 is pressed and rotated, the pair of anti-dropout protrusions 85 pass over the pair of formal locking protrusions 48 and are locked on the formal locking surface 48f3. Thus, the stopper 80 is held in the formal assembly position, and a structure for preventing the terminal 10 from being separated is easily realized.

[0091] In addition, the inner groove forming surface 48f1 is located in front of the formal locking protrusion 48, and the temporary locking protrusion 46 is located in front of the rear edge of the inner groove forming surface 48f1. Therefore, the configuration space of the temporary locking protrusion 46 and the formal locking protrusion 48 can be reduced in the vertical direction, which contributes to the miniaturization of the connector 20.

[0092] In addition, when the stopper 80 is located at the temporary assembly position, the anti-dropout convex portion 85 is inserted between the nearly vertical inner groove forming surface 48f1 and the front groove forming surface 46f1. Therefore, the stopper 80 can be easily and more reliably maintained in an inclined posture. If the stopper 80 is rotated, the anti-dropout convex portion 85 contacts the stopper extension surface 48f2 and the pair of locking wall portions 84 are pushed apart. As a result, the anti-dropout convex portion 85 can pass over the formal locking convex portion 48 and easily be anti-dropout locked to the formal locking convex portion 48.

[0093] In addition, a retraction guide surface 83f1 is formed on the locking protrusion 83. Therefore, when the terminal 10 is inserted into the cavity 44, if the terminal 10 contacts the retraction guide surface 83f1 of the locking protrusion 83, the locking protrusion 83 is guided in a direction to retract from the cavity 44. Thus, the terminal 10 is smoothly inserted into the cavity 44.

[0094] In addition, the anti-slip surface 83f2 is connected to the retreat guide surface 83f1 at the front side. Since the stopper 80 is a rotating structure, when the stopper 80 is located at the temporary assembly position, it is easy to be in a positional relationship where the anti-slip surface 83f2 enters the cavity 44. In this case, when the terminal 10 is inserted into the cavity 44, if the terminal 10 contacts the retreat guide surface 83f1 of the locking protrusion 83, the locking protrusion 83 is guided in the direction of retreating from the cavity 44, and the anti-slip surface 83f2 is also easily guided in the direction of retreating from the cavity 44. As a result, the terminal 10 is smoothly inserted into the cavity 44.

[0095] In addition, the anti-detachment surface 83f2 also plays a role in preventing the terminal 10 from detaching backward during the rotation operation of the stopper 80.

[0096] Furthermore, since the housing 30 includes the inclined anti-detachment surface 84 f , the stopper 80 is prevented from detaching rearward from the state in which it is located at the temporary mounting position.

[0097] In addition, the stopper 80 has an inclined anti-slip surface 84f. When the stopper 80 moves in the disengagement direction, the inclined anti-slip surface 84f contacts the stopper anti-slip receiving surface 43f, so the stopper 80 in the anti-slip state is stably maintained in an inclined posture. Therefore, the anti-slip convex portion 85 is easy to maintain a state along the inclined temporary support groove 90. As a result, the subsequent return movement of the stopper 80 is smoothly performed.

[0098] [Modifications] In addition, the structure for supporting the stopper 80 so as to be rotatable is not limited to the above example. For example, a convex portion is formed on one of a pair of locking wall portions of the stopper and a pair of outer surfaces of the housing, and a concave portion for the convex portion to be fitted is formed on the other side, and the stopper rotates relative to the housing by a structure in which the convex portion is rotatably fitted into the concave portion.

[0099] In addition, the respective configurations described in the above-mentioned embodiment and the respective modifications can be combined as appropriate within a range where no contradiction occurs between them. Description of Reference Numerals

[0100] 10 terminals 11 Covering crimping part 12 Core wire crimping section 13 Terminal connection 14 recess 18 Wire 20 Connectors 30 Shell 31 Partition 31F front panel 31Fa connection hole 32, 42 terminal storage area 34, 44 cavity 42M Intermediate wall 43 outer wall 43c Top plate 43f Stopper anti-dropping bearing surface 45 Assembly opening 46 Temporary stop convex part 46f1 front side groove forming surface 48 Formal locking convex part 48f1 inner groove forming surface 48f2 stop body extension surface 48f3 formal stop surface 60 hood 80 stop body 82 Stopper body 83 locking protrusion 83f1 Retreat guide surface 83f2 anti-slip surface 84 locking wall 84f Inclined anti-slip surface 85 Anti-falling convex part 85f Guide surface 90° inclined temporary support groove

Claims

1. A connector is a connector for holding a terminal, comprising: a housing having a cavity formed therein capable of receiving the terminal; and a stopper body which can be assembled relative to the housing in a temporary assembly position and a formal assembly position, The stopper includes a stopper protrusion capable of being stopped by the terminal accommodated in the cavity. When the stopper is located at the temporary assembly position, the locking protrusion retreats from the cavity, and when the stopper rotates from the temporary assembly position toward the formal assembly position, the locking protrusion protrudes into the cavity and is locked to the terminal in the cavity.

2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein: The inner side of the terminal relative to the insertion direction of the cavity is referred to as the front side, and the opposite direction is referred to as the rear side. The stopper is supported at the temporary mounting position so as to be movable in an inclined direction away from the cavity as it moves toward the rear side in the extending direction of the cavity.

3. The connector according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein: The inner side of the terminal relative to the insertion direction of the cavity is referred to as the front side, and the opposite direction is referred to as the rear side. The housing has an assembly opening for assembling the stopper. The stopper includes a stopper body assembled in the assembly opening, a pair of stopper wall portions extending from both sides of the stopper body along both sides of the housing, and a pair of anti-dropping protrusions protruding from inner surfaces of the pair of stopper wall portions. The housing includes a pair of temporary locking protrusions and a pair of formal locking protrusions protruding from the outer surfaces of both sides thereof, wherein the pair of temporary locking protrusions are located closer to the assembly opening than the pair of formal locking protrusions. An inclined temporary support groove is formed between the temporary locking protrusion and the formal locking protrusion, the inclined temporary support groove extending in an inclined direction away from the cavity toward the rear side along the extending direction of the cavity, and supporting the anti-slip protrusion in a posture along the inclined direction. The surface of the permanent locking projection on the opposite side to the mounting opening is a permanent locking surface that is locked with the anti-slip projection to hold the stopper at the permanent mounting position.

4. The connector according to claim 3, wherein: The inner groove forming surface of the groove side surface of one of the groove sides forming the inclined temporary support groove in the permanent locking protrusion is located forward of the permanent locking protrusion. The temporary locking projection is located forward of a rear edge of the back groove forming surface in the extending direction of the cavity.

5. The connector according to claim 4, wherein: The portion of the formal locking protrusion that is closer to the rear side than the inner groove forming surface is formed as a stopper extension surface, and the protruding length of the stopper extension surface protruding from the outer side surface of the housing increases as it moves away from the assembly opening. The inner groove forming surface and the front groove forming surface are closer to being perpendicular to the side surface of the shell than the stopper extension surface, and the front groove forming surface is a surface of the groove side surface of the temporary locking protrusion forming the other side of the inclined temporary supporting groove.

6. The connector according to claim 2, wherein: A portion of the locking projection that enters the cavity when the stopper is located at the temporary mounting position is formed as a retreat guide surface that moves away from the cavity toward the rear.

7. The connector according to claim 6, wherein: The retraction guide surface is a surface facing the terminal in a direction in which the terminal is pressed into the cavity when the stopper is located at the formal assembly position. The anti-separation surface for preventing the terminal from coming off is continuous with respect to the retreat guide surface at the front side when the stopper is located at the regular mounting position.

8. The connector according to claim 2, wherein: The housing includes a stopper body anti-detachment receiving surface, which is located at the rear side of the stopper body located at the temporary assembly position and contacts the stopper body from the rear.

9. The connector according to claim 8, wherein: The stopper has an inclined anti-slip surface, which is inclined relative to the extension direction of the cavity when the stopper is located in the formal assembly position, and faces rearward in a manner opposite to the anti-slip receiving surface of the stopper when the stopper is located in the temporary assembly position. The inclined anti-slip surface contacts the anti-slip receiving surface of the stopper to prevent the stopper from slipping off.

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