Laminated connector

Abstract

The invention provides a laminated connector which can prevent the number of components from increasing when half-insertion detection of a terminal fitting is carried out through a retainer. The stacked connector includes a first housing and a second housing stacked on each other, a first terminal fitting and a second terminal fitting, and a holder shared by both the first housing and the second housing. The holder has: a first locking part disposed so as to be able to be locked to a first terminal fitting housed in a first cavity of the first housing in a direction of separation from the first cavity; a second locking portion disposed so as to be able to be locked to a second terminal fitting housed in a second cavity of the second housing in a direction in which the second terminal fitting is separated from the second cavity; and an elastic locking part that locks the first housing in a state in which the first locking part is disposed so as to be able to lock the first terminal fitting.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to laminated connectors. Background Technology

[0002] The connector described in Patent Document 1 includes a first housing, a second housing stacked on the first housing, a plurality of first terminal parts housed in the first housing, and a plurality of second terminal parts housed in the second housing. The first housing has a flexible first spear-shaped portion for locking the first terminal parts, a first anti-disengagement portion for preventing the second terminal parts from disengaging, and a locking portion. The second housing has a flexible second spear-shaped portion for locking the second terminal parts, a second anti-disengagement portion for preventing the first terminal parts from disengaging, and a locking receiving portion that elastically engages with the locking portion.

[0003] During connector assembly, firstly, the first terminal component is inserted into the first housing, and the second terminal component is inserted into the second housing. Next, the second housing is assembled onto the first housing from above. When the first terminal component is correctly inserted into the first housing and the second terminal component is correctly inserted into the second housing, the first anti-detachment part and the second anti-detachment part are positioned opposite each other in the disengagement direction. This causes the locking part to reach a position where it engages with the locking receiver, and the first and second housings remain in a stacked state.

[0004] Assuming that at least one of the plurality of first terminal parts is in a state of not being properly inserted relative to the first housing (hereinafter referred to as "partial insertion state"), the second anti-disengagement part interferes with the partially inserted first terminal part from above, and the second housing floats up from the upper surface of the first housing. In that case, the locking part cannot engage with the locking receiving part, and the assembly of the first housing and the second housing is prevented. Similarly, when at least one of the plurality of second terminal parts is in a partially inserted state relative to the second housing, the same applies; the locking part cannot engage with the locking receiving part, and the assembly of the first housing and the second housing is prevented. Therefore, based on the fact that the assembly of the first housing and the second housing is prevented, it can be determined that either the first terminal part or the second terminal part is in a partially inserted state.

[0005] In Patent Document 1, the partial insertion state of either the first terminal part or the second terminal part is detected based on whether the locking part of the first housing can engage with the locking receiving part of the second housing. In contrast, unlike Patent Document 1, a technique for detecting the partial insertion of a terminal part using a retainer mounted on the housing is also known (see, for example, Patent Document 2). The retainer serves as a secondary means of preventing the terminal part from falling off and is typically separate from the housing. Existing technical documents Patent documents

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-004736 Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-129827 Summary of the Invention The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0007] For example, regarding the cascaded connector described in Patent Document 1, if a different method is desired to detect the semi-insertion state of the terminal parts than that described in Patent Document 1, the retaining member with a semi-insertion detection function described in Patent Document 2 could be considered. However, if retaining members are provided separately for the first housing and the second housing, the number of parts increases, which is sometimes not preferable.

[0008] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a stacked connector that prevents an increase in the number of components when performing half-insertion detection of terminal parts through a retainer. Solution for solving the problem

[0009] The stacked connector of the present invention comprises: a first housing having a first cavity; a first terminal part housed in the first cavity; a second housing having a second cavity; a second terminal part housed in the second cavity; and a retaining member shared by both the first housing and the second housing, the first housing and the second housing being stacked on top of each other, the retaining member having: a first locking portion configured to lock the first terminal part housed in the first cavity in a disengagement direction from the first cavity; a second locking portion configured to lock the second terminal part housed in the second cavity in a disengagement direction from the second cavity; and an elastic locking portion that locks the first housing in a state where the first locking portion is configured to lock the first terminal part. Invention Effects

[0010] According to the present invention, a stacked connector can be provided that prevents an increase in the number of parts when performing half-insertion detection of terminal parts by means of a retainer. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the stacked connector of Embodiment 1. Figure 2 This is a side sectional view showing the stacked connector of Embodiment 1 housed in the housing. Figure 3 This is a bottom view of the first housing in the stacked connector of Embodiment 1. Figure 4 This is a front view of the first housing in the stacked connector of Embodiment 1. Figure 5 This is a top view of the retainer in the stacked connector of Embodiment 1. Figure 6 This is a front view of the retainer in the stacked connector of Embodiment 1. Figure 7 This is an enlarged side view showing the state in which the first and second elastic locking portions of the retainer in the stacked connector of Embodiment 1 lock the respective locking protrusions of the first and second housings. Figure 8 This is an enlarged front view showing the retainer in the stacked connector of Embodiment 1 reaching a temporary locking position relative to the first housing. Figure 9 This is an enlarged front view showing the retainer in the stacked connector of Embodiment 1 reaching the formal locking position relative to the first housing. Figure 10 This is an enlarged front view showing the retainer in the stacked connector of Embodiment 1 reaching a temporary locking position relative to the second housing. Figure 11 This is an enlarged front view showing the retainer in the stacked connector of Embodiment 1 reaching the formal locking position relative to the second housing. Detailed Implementation

[0012] [Description of Embodiments of the Invention] First, embodiments of the present invention will be described. The stacked connector of the present invention, (1) The device comprises: a first housing having a first cavity; a first terminal part housed in the first cavity; a second housing having a second cavity; a second terminal part housed in the second cavity; and a retaining member shared by both the first housing and the second housing, the first housing and the second housing being stacked on top of each other, the retaining member having: a first locking portion configured to lock the first terminal part housed in the first cavity in a disengagement direction from the first cavity; a second locking portion configured to lock the second terminal part housed in the second cavity in a disengagement direction from the second cavity; and an elastic locking portion that locks the first housing when the first locking portion is configured to lock the first terminal part.

[0013] When the first terminal part is properly seated in the first cavity, the first locking portion of the retainer faces the first terminal part in the disengagement direction, and the elastic locking portion of the retainer can lock the first housing. On the other hand, when the first terminal part is in a semi-inserted state in the first cavity, not properly seated, the first locking portion may collide with the first terminal part from a direction intersecting the disengagement direction, and the elastic locking portion may not lock the first housing in the properly seated position. Therefore, the retainer is prevented from assembling relative to the first housing into a properly seated position or other correct position. Thus, by preventing the retainer from assembling in the properly seated position, it can be determined that the first terminal part is in a semi-inserted state in the first cavity.

[0014] The operation of stacking the second housing onto the first housing is performed with the first terminal component properly positioned in the first cavity and the retainer locking the first housing. When the second terminal component is properly positioned in the second cavity, the second locking portion of the retainer faces the second terminal component in the disengagement direction, and the first and second housings achieve a proper stacking state (e.g., the opposing surfaces of the first and second housings are in face-to-face contact). On the other hand, if the second terminal component is in a semi-inserted state relative to the second cavity, the second locking portion may collide with the second terminal component in a direction intersecting the disengagement direction, and the first and second housings may not achieve a proper stacking state. Therefore, since the first and second housings have not achieved a proper stacking state, it can be determined that the second terminal component is in a semi-inserted state in the second cavity. According to the present invention, by sequentially engaging the retainer with the first and second housings, the semi-inserted state of the first terminal component relative to the first cavity and the semi-inserted state of the second terminal component relative to the second cavity can be sequentially confirmed. In particular, since the retainer is shared by both the first housing and the second housing, the number of parts can be reduced compared to the case where the retainer is provided separately for the first housing and the second housing.

[0015] (2) In the stacked connector described in (1) above, preferably, the elastic locking part has a second elastic locking part in addition to the first elastic locking part that locks the first housing. The second elastic locking part locks the second housing when the second locking part is facing the second terminal part, and the first housing and the second housing are held in a stacked state by the retaining member.

[0016] When the second terminal part is in a semi-inserted state relative to the second cavity, the second locking part collides with the second terminal part from a direction intersecting the disengagement direction, and the second elastic locking part cannot lock the second housing in the proper locking position. Therefore, the retaining member is assembled to a proper position relative to the second housing, such as the proper locking position. Therefore, based on the assembly of the retaining member in the proper position, it can be determined that the second terminal part is in a semi-inserted state relative to the second cavity. In particular, according to (2) above, the locking parts for maintaining the stacked state of the housings can be omitted from both the first housing and the second housing, thus simplifying the structure of each of the first housing and the second housing.

[0017] (3) In the stacked connector described in (2) above, preferably, when the direction in which the first housing and the second housing are stacked is set as the height direction and the direction intersecting the height direction is set as the width direction, the retaining member has a retaining member main body and a connecting part. The retaining member main body is provided with the first locking part and the second locking part protruding from both sides of the height direction, the connecting part protruding from the middle part of the retaining member main body in the height direction to the width direction, the first elastic locking part protruding from the top part of the protruding direction of the connecting part to one direction of the height direction, and the second elastic locking part protruding from the top part of the protruding direction of the connecting part to the other direction of the height direction.

[0018] According to (3) above, by adjusting the range of connection between the first elastic locking part and the second elastic locking part and the connecting part or the amount of protrusion from the connecting part, the elastic reaction force of the first elastic locking part and the second elastic locking part can be adjusted to an appropriate value. (4) In the stacked connector described in (3) above, it is preferred that the retainer has a shape that is linearly symmetrical with respect to a line of symmetry, the line of symmetry passing through the center of the retainer in the height direction and extending along the width direction.

[0019] According to (4) above, when installing retainers on the first housing and the second housing respectively, it is not necessary to distinguish the orientation of the height direction of the retainer, so the workability of the retainer installation can be improved.

[0020] (5) In any of the stacked connectors described in (1) to (4) above, it is preferred that the first housing and the second housing have the same shape.

[0021] Based on (5) above, the first and second housings can be assembled into a stacked state without distinguishing between them, which improves the workability during assembly. In addition, it can reduce the types of components constituting the stacked connector. [Detailed Description of Embodiments of the Invention] Specific examples of embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to these examples, but is intended to include all modifications within the same meaning and scope as the claims, as illustrated by the claims.

[0022] [Implementation Method 1] Reference Figures 1 to 11 Specific examples of Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described below. For example... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the stacked connector 10 of this embodiment 1 includes: a first housing 11 and a second housing 12 stacked on top of each other; a first terminal part 13 and a second terminal part 14 respectively housed in the first housing 11 and the second housing 12; and a retainer 15 for individual components, mounted on the first housing 11 and the second housing 12. The stacked connector 10 is housed in... Figure 2 The housing 100 is shown. The housing 100 engages with a counterpart connector (not shown). Furthermore, in the following description, the vertical direction corresponds to the stacking direction of the first housing 11 and the second housing 12. The front-back direction is the direction in which the housing 100 engages with the counterpart connector. The left-right direction is the direction intersecting the front-back and vertical directions. The vertical direction is synonymous with the height direction, and the left-right direction is synonymous with the width direction. Figure 1 In the diagram, the X, Y, and Z directions represent forward, left, and upward, respectively. The reference for these directions may not necessarily be the same as the reference for the directions when the stacked connector 10 is mounted on a vehicle (not shown) or similar vehicle.

[0023] (Outer shell 100) The outer shell 100 is made of synthetic resin, such as Figure 2 As shown, the device has a connector housing 110 and a cylindrical cover 120 protruding forward from the connector housing 110. The connector housing 110 houses the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 in a stacked state. The other connector is fitted into the cover 120 of the housing 100.

[0024] (Terminal 1 component 13, Terminal 2 component 14) In this embodiment 1, the first terminal part 13 and the second terminal part 14 have the same shape. Therefore, the structure of the first terminal part 13 will be described below, and the structure of the second terminal part 14 will be described as needed. The same reference numerals will be used to mark the same parts in the structures of the first terminal part 13 and the second terminal part 14, and the same names will be used for description unless otherwise specified.

[0025] like Figure 2As shown, the first terminal part 13 is formed into an elongated shape in the front-to-back direction by bending a conductive metal plate or the like. The first terminal part 13 has a terminal body portion 17, an anode plate 18 extending forward from the terminal body portion 17, and a cylindrical portion 19. The terminal body portion 17 is an elongated square cylindrical shape in the front-to-back direction. The terminal body portion 17 has a spear-shaped receiving portion 20 and a locking portion 21. In the case of this embodiment 1, the spear-shaped receiving portion 20 is configured as a spear-shaped hole formed in one wall of the terminal body portion 17. The spear-shaped receiving portion 20 is locked to the spear-shaped portion 22 of the first housing 11 (described later). The locking portion 21 is disposed rearward than the spear-shaped receiving portion 20. The locking portion 21 is formed as the rear end edge of the terminal body portion 17. The locking portion 21 of the first terminal part 13 is opposite to the first locking portion 23 of the retainer 15 (described later). The locking portion 21 of the second terminal part 14 faces the second locking portion 24 of the retainer 15 (described later). With the laminated connector 10 housed in the connector housing portion 110 of the housing 100, the anode plate 18 is positioned to protrude into the cover portion 120. The cylindrical portion 19 is connected to the rear of the terminal body portion 17. The wire 25 is crimped to and mechanically connected to the cylindrical portion 19.

[0026] (First shell 11, Second shell 12) In this embodiment 1, the shapes of the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 are identical, similar to those of the first terminal part 13 and the second terminal part 14. Therefore, in the following description, the structure of the first housing 11 will be described, and the structure of the second housing 12 will be described as needed. The same reference numerals will be used to denote the same parts in the structures of the first housing 11 and the second housing 12, and the same names will be used unless otherwise specified. Furthermore, the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 are assembled in opposite vertical directions. Therefore, the vertical orientation of the first housing 11 described below is opposite to the vertical orientation of the second housing 12. In this embodiment 1, for convenience, it is assumed that the first housing 11 is stacked on top of the second housing 12 during assembly.

[0027] The first shell 11 is made of synthetic resin, such as Figure 3 As shown, the main body 26 of the shell has a flat, rectangular parallelepiped shape. Figure 4 As shown, the main body 26 of the housing is longer in the left-right direction than in the top-bottom direction. The main body 26 of the first housing 11 has a plurality of first cavities 16. Each first cavity 16 is arranged in the main body 26 in the left-right direction. Each first cavity 16 extends in the front-back direction and opens at both the front and rear end faces of the first housing 11. Each first terminal part 13 is housed in each first cavity 16. Figure 3As shown, each of the first cavities 16 is divided by a partition 30. Each partition 30 has a protruding wall portion 32 at the portion corresponding to the mounting port 31 described later. Each protruding wall portion 32 protrudes below the upper wall inside each cavity 16. Each protruding wall portion 32, together with the middle portion of each of the first cavities 16 adjacent to it in the left-right direction, forms a retainer mounting hole 49, which receives the upper portion of the retainer body portion 39 of the retainer 15 described later. In addition, a spear-shaped portion 22 is formed protruding from the inner wall of each of the first cavities 16. The spear-shaped portion 22 formed in each of the first cavities 16 is elastically deformable and can lock the spear-shaped portion receiving portion 20 of the first terminal part 13 inserted into the first cavity 16 in its normal state.

[0028] A pair of locking protrusions 34 are formed on the upper surface of the housing body 26. Each locking protrusion 34 is spaced apart on the upper surface of the housing body 26. When the laminated connector 10 is housed in the connector housing portion 110 of the housing 100, each locking protrusion 34 is engaged with a locking portion (not shown) within the connector housing portion 110. This prevents the laminated connector 10 from falling rearward relative to the housing 100.

[0029] A mounting port 31 is provided on the lower surface of the main body 26 of the housing (opposite to the second housing 12). For example... Figure 3 As shown, the mounting port 31 has a main body mounting port 35 that extends elongated in the left-right direction when viewed from below the first housing 11, and a pair of locking part mounting ports 36 that extend elongated in the front-back direction from both ends of the main body mounting port 35.

[0030] The upper part of the retainer body 39 of the retainer 15 is fitted into the retainer mounting hole 49 of the first housing 11 through the body mounting opening 35. When the retainer 15 is installed in the retainer mounting hole 49 of the first housing 11, the first locking part 23 of the retainer 15 (described later) enters the retainer mounting hole 49 through the body mounting opening 35. Similarly, the second locking part 24 (described later) enters the retainer mounting hole 49 through the body mounting opening 35, which opens on the lower surface of the second housing 12.

[0031] In addition, such as Figure 1 and Figure 4As shown, the first housing 11 has a pair of left and right protrusions 28 and a pair of left and right retaining walls 50. The pair of left and right protrusions 28 are formed at the upper ends of the left and right sides of the housing body 26, and the pair of left and right retaining walls 50 are formed at the lower ends of the left and right sides of the housing body 26. Each protrusion 28 extends from the housing body 26 to the left and right sides. Each protrusion 28 extends in a rib-like manner from near the front end of the housing body 26 toward the rear. During the process of housing the laminated connector 10 in the connector housing portion 110 of the housing 100, the top end of each protrusion 28 is inserted into a groove (not shown) in the connector housing portion 110. This guides the assembly operation of the laminated connector 10 relative to the housing 100.

[0032] The retaining member retaining wall 50 extends outward from the housing body 26 by a smaller amount than the protrusion 28. The retaining member retaining walls 50 of the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 are in face-to-face contact with each other when stacked. The locking part mounting port 36 extends along the vertical direction (thickness direction) on the retaining member retaining wall 50 and opens on the upper and lower surfaces of the retaining member retaining wall 50.

[0033] Additionally, the first housing 11 has a pair of left and right recesses 51 and a pair of left and right locking wall portions 27. The pair of left and right recesses 51 are shaped to be recessed inwards to the left and right sides of the left and right sides of the housing body 26, between the retaining wall 50 and the protrusion 28. The pair of left and right locking wall portions 27 are formed on the inner bottom surfaces of the left and right sides of each recess 51. Each locking wall portion 27 constitutes a sidewall on the left and right outer sides of the first cavity 16 located at the left and right ends of the housing body 26. On the left and right outer sides of each locking wall portion 27, temporary locking protrusions 37 and permanent locking protrusions 38 are formed at intervals in the vertical direction. The temporary locking protrusions 37 are positioned lower than the permanent locking protrusions 38. Figure 7 As shown, both the temporary locking protrusion 37 and the formal locking protrusion 38 are rib-shaped and extend for a relatively long distance in the front-back direction.

[0034] like Figure 3As shown, the first housing 11 has a pair of left and right stop portions 29, which protrude outwards from the rear end of the housing body portion 26. Each stop portion 29 defines the rear end of the recess 51. When the stacked connector 10 is housed in the connector housing portion 110 of the housing 100, the stop portion 29 collides with the stop portion (not shown) of the connector housing portion 110 of the housing 100. This prevents the stacked connector 10 from falling forward relative to the housing 100. Furthermore, in the second housing 12, a second cavity 16 is provided as a portion corresponding to the first cavity 16. The first cavity 16 and the second cavity 16 are the same parts in the structure of the first housing 11 and the second housing 12, respectively, and are therefore labeled with the same reference numerals. In addition, the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 do not have locking portions for maintaining their stacked state. As described later, the stacked state of the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 is maintained by a retaining member 15. In other words, the retainer 15 has a portion that corresponds to a locking portion, which is used to hold the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 in a stacked state.

[0035] (Retaining component 15) The retainer 15 is made of synthetic resin and has a retainer body 39. For example... Figure 6 As shown, the retainer body 39 is a flat plate with a horizontal dimension longer than its vertical dimension, and the plate surface is arranged facing the front-to-back direction. The upper part of the retainer body 39 is inserted into the retainer mounting hole 49 of the first housing 11, and the lower part of the retainer body 39 is inserted into the retainer mounting hole 49 of the second housing 12.

[0036] A plurality of first locking portions 23 are formed protruding from the upper end of the retaining member body 39. Each first locking portion 23 is arranged at intervals along the left-right direction at the upper end of the retaining member body 39. The front end face of each first locking portion 23 is continuous with the front surface of the retaining member body 39 without any steps. Figure 5 As shown, each of the first locking portions 23 is rib-shaped and extends in the front-rear direction. In detail, the left and right dimensions of each of the first locking portions 23 gradually increase from the rear end to the front end. When the first terminal part 13 is inserted into the correct position in the first cavity 16, the first locking portion 23 faces the locked portion 21 from the rear, which is in the disengagement direction from the first cavity 16.

[0037] In addition, such as Figure 6As shown, a plurality of protrusions 33 are formed protruding from the upper end of the retainer body 39. The protrusions 33 are arranged at intervals along the left-right direction. The protrusions 33 and the first locking portions 23 are arranged alternately along the left-right direction at the upper end of the retainer body 39. Each protrusion 33 is rib-shaped, extending in the front-rear direction. Specifically, the left-right dimensions of each protrusion 33 gradually increase from the rear end to the front end. With the upper part of the retainer body 39 inserted into the retainer mounting hole 49 of the first housing 11, each protrusion 33 and each protruding wall portion 32 of the first housing 11 are opposed to each other in the vertical direction. Through this mutual opposition, each protrusion 33 and each protruding wall portion 32, like the partition portions 30 other than the protruding wall portions 32, function as a part defining each cavity 16.

[0038] A plurality of second locking portions 24 are formed protruding from the lower end of the retaining body 39. Each second locking portion 24 has the same shape as each first locking portion 23. The second locking portions 24 are arranged at intervals along the left-right direction at the lower end of the retaining body 39. When the second terminal part 14 is inserted into the correct position in the second cavity 16, the second locking portions 24 face the locked portion 21 from the rear, which is in the disengagement direction from the second cavity 16.

[0039] Furthermore, protrusions 33 are also formed at the lower end of the main body portion 39 of the retainer. The protrusions 33 formed at the lower end of the main body portion 39 of the retainer and the second locking portions 24 are arranged alternately in the left-right direction. When the lower part of the main body portion 39 of the retainer is inserted into the retainer mounting hole 49 of the second housing 12, the protrusions 33 and the convex wall portions 32 of the second housing 12 are opposed to each other in the vertical direction.

[0040] The retainer 15 has a pair of left and right connecting portions 40, which protrude slightly outward from the upper and lower middle portions (excluding the upper and lower ends) on the left and right sides of the retainer body 39. Additionally, the retainer 15 has a pair of elastic locking portions 41 extending upward and downward from the middle portions 44 at the left and right outer ends of each connecting portion 40. Each elastic locking portion 41, viewed from the side, is a flat plate with a front-to-back dimension longer than its top-to-bottom dimension, and is positioned with its surface facing left and right.

[0041] Each elastic locking part 41 is positioned opposite the left and right sides of the retaining body 39 at a distance in the left-right direction. For example... Figure 11As shown, the aforementioned locking wall portion 27 is sandwiched between each elastic locking portion 41 and the retaining member main body portion 39 in a left-right opposing interval. Each elastic locking portion 41 has a pair of first elastic locking portions 42 protruding upward from the middle portion 44 and a pair of second elastic locking portions 43 protruding upward from the middle portion 44. The first elastic locking portions 42 and second elastic locking portions 43 have the same shape and are arranged symmetrically above and below the middle portion 44. Each first elastic locking portion 42 and each second elastic locking portion 43 can elastically deform in the left-right direction with the root portion connected to the middle portion 44 as the fulcrum. The first elastic locking portion 42 has a first locking claw 45 and a first locking body portion 46. The first locking body portion 46 is a plate-shaped portion protruding upward from the middle portion 44. The plate thickness (left-right dimension) of the first locking body portion 46 is smaller than the thickness in the vertical direction of the middle portion 44. The first locking pawl 45 forms the upper end of the first elastic locking portion 42 and protrudes from the first locking body portion 46 to the left and right inward. The first locking pawl 45 is formed in such a way that it extends in the front-back direction of the first elastic locking portion 42. The first locking pawl 45 can lock onto the temporary locking protrusion 37 and the permanent locking protrusion 38.

[0042] The second elastic locking portion 43 has the same shape as the first elastic locking portion 42, and has a second locking body portion 48 protruding downward from the middle portion 44 and a second locking claw 47 protruding to the left and right inward from the second locking body portion 48. Similar to the first locking claw 45, the second locking claw 47 can engage with the temporary locking protrusion 37 and the permanent locking protrusion 38. In the case of this embodiment 1, as... Figure 6 As shown, the retainer 15 is linearly symmetrical with respect to the line of symmetry S, which passes through the center of the retainer 15 in the vertical direction and extends in the horizontal direction.

[0043] (Assembly sequence of the stacked connector 10) Next, an example of the assembly sequence of the stacked connector 10 will be described.

[0044] First, the upper part of the retainer 15 is inserted into the retainer mounting hole 49 through the mounting opening 31 on the lower surface of the first housing 11. Each first elastic locking part 42 is disposed within the recess 51 through the locking part mounting opening 36 of the first housing 11. The first locking claw 45 contacts the temporary locking protrusion 37, and the first elastic locking part 42 elastically deforms to the left and right. The first locking claw 45 opposes the upper end of the temporary locking protrusion 37, and the first elastic locking part 42 elastically returns to its original position. Figure 8 As shown, the retainer 15 is held in a temporary locking position relative to the first housing 11.

[0045] When the retainer 15 is in a temporary locking position relative to the first housing 11, the first terminal part 13 is inserted into the first cavity 16 from the rear of the first housing 11. After inserting all the first terminal parts 13 into each of the first cavities 16, the retainer 15 is pressed upward to release the locking of the first locking claw 45 and the temporary locking protrusion 37. As a result, the retainer 15 is in a state where it can move upward relative to the first housing 11. During the upward movement of the retainer 15, the first locking claw 45 contacts the permanent locking protrusion 38, and the first elastic locking part 42 elastically deforms to the left and right.

[0046] With all the first terminal parts 13 inserted into their proper positions in each of the first cavities 16, the spear-shaped receiving portion 20 of each first terminal part 13 engages with the spear-shaped portion 22 of the first housing 11 (see reference). Figure 2 Furthermore, the first elastic locking part 42 elastically resets, as... Figure 9 As shown, the first locking claw 45 is configured to oppose and lock against the upper end of the formal locking protrusion 38, and the retaining member 15 is held in the formal locking position relative to the first housing 11. At this time, each first locking portion 23 is configured to lock against and oppose the locking portion 21 of each first terminal part 13 from the rear. Therefore, by means of each spear-shaped portion 22 and each first locking portion 23, the rearward dislodgement of each first terminal part 13 from each first cavity 16 can be prevented.

[0047] In contrast, when at least one of the first terminal parts 13 is in a state of partial insertion relative to the corresponding first cavity 16, i.e., a half-insertion state, the first locking part 23 is not configured to lock the half-inserted first terminal part 13 in the disengagement direction, but instead collides with the lower surface of the terminal body part 17. In that case, the first locking claw 45 cannot be configured to lock at the upper end of the full locking protrusion 38. Therefore, the elastic deformation of the first elastic locking part 42 cannot be eliminated, and the retaining member 15 cannot reach the full locking position relative to the first housing 11. Therefore, by preventing the retaining member 15 from moving relative to the first housing 11 towards the full locking position, it can be determined that the first terminal part 13 is in a half-insertion state relative to the first cavity 16.

[0048] After confirming that all first terminal parts 13 are properly inserted into each first cavity 16 as described above, the lower part of the retainer 15 is then inserted from the mounting port 31 on the upper surface of the second housing 12 into the retainer mounting hole 49. For example... Figure 10As shown, the retainer 15 is held in a temporary locked position relative to the second housing 12 by engaging the second locking claw 47 with the temporary locking protrusion 37 of the second housing 12. After the operation of inserting all the second terminal parts 14 into each of the second cavities 16 is completed, the retainer 15 is pressed to move it to the proper locked position. Similarly, if all the second terminal parts 14 are inserted into the proper position in each of the second cavities 16, the spear-shaped receiving portion 20 of each second terminal part 14 engages with the spear-shaped portion 22 of the second housing 12, and the second locking claw 47 is configured to oppose and engage with the lower end of the proper locking protrusion 38. Figure 9 As shown, the retainer 15 is held in the locked position relative to the second housing 12. Furthermore, each second locking portion 24 is configured to lock from the rear to the locking portion 21 of each second terminal part 14, thereby preventing each second terminal part 14 from falling rearward from each second cavity 16.

[0049] When the retainer 15 reaches the fully engaged position relative to the second housing 12, the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 also achieve a proper stacking state (in the case of this embodiment 1, the lower surface of the first housing 11 and the upper surface of the second housing 12 are in face-to-face contact with each other). Furthermore, the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 can be maintained in a mutually held (connected) state via the retainer 15.

[0050] In contrast, when at least one of the second terminal parts 14 is in a semi-inserted state relative to the corresponding second cavity 16, each of the second locking portions 24 is not configured to lock the semi-inserted second terminal part 14 in the disengagement direction, but instead collides with the upper surface of the terminal body portion 17. Therefore, the second locking claw 47 cannot be configured to lock at the lower end of the formal locking protrusion 38, and the retaining member 15 cannot reach the formal locking position relative to the second housing 12. Therefore, by preventing the retaining member 15 from moving relative to the second housing 12 towards the formal locking position, it can be determined that the second terminal part 14 is in a semi-inserted state relative to the second cavity 16.

[0051] (Function of the stacked connector 10) According to Embodiment 1, the retainer 15 engages sequentially with the first housing 11 and the second housing 12, allowing for the sequential confirmation of the partial insertion state of the first terminal part 13 relative to the first cavity 16 and the partial insertion state of the second terminal part 14 relative to the second cavity 16. Therefore, the partial insertion states of the first terminal part 13 and the second terminal part 14 can be detected separately. In particular, in Embodiment 1, since the retainer 15 is shared by both the first housing 11 and the second housing 12, it has the advantage of reducing the number of components compared to the case where retainers are provided separately for each of the first housing 11 and the second housing 12.

[0052] Furthermore, the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 are held in a stacked state by the retainer 15. By means of the elastic locking part 41 of the retainer 15, the housing locking part that holds the stacked state of the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 can be omitted from each of them, which simplifies the structure of the first housing 11 and the second housing 12.

[0053] The retainer 15 has a connecting portion 40 that protrudes relatively shortly from the upper and lower middle portions of the retainer body 39 in the left and right directions. The first elastic locking portion 42 and the second elastic locking portion 43 protrude vertically and in opposite directions from the left and right ends of the connecting portion 40. Therefore, the range of connection between the first elastic locking portion 42 and the second elastic locking portion 43 and the connecting portion 40, or the amount of protrusion from the connecting portion 40, can be easily adjusted, and the elastic reaction force of the first elastic locking portion 42 and the second elastic locking portion 43 can be adjusted to an appropriate value.

[0054] The retainer 15 is linearly symmetrical with respect to the line of symmetry S, which passes through the upper and lower centers of the retainer 15 and extends in the left and right direction. Therefore, when installing the retainer 15 on the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 respectively, it is not necessary to distinguish the orientation of the retainer 15 in the upper and lower directions, which improves the workability of the retainer 15 during installation.

[0055] Furthermore, since the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 have the same shape, they can be assembled into a stacked state without distinguishing between the first housing 11 and the second housing 12, which improves the workability during assembly. In addition, it can reduce the types of components constituting the stacked connector 10. [Other embodiments of the present invention] It should be considered that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative rather than restrictive in all respects.

[0056] In Embodiment 1 described above, the second elastic locking portion of the retainer engages the locking protrusion of the second housing, thereby holding the first and second housings in a stacked state via the retainer. In contrast, according to other embodiments, the retainer may not have a second elastic locking portion engaging the second housing. For example, the first and second housings may each have locking portions that engage with each other, holding the first and second housings in a stacked state by the engagement of each locking portion. In Embodiment 1 described above, the first and second housings have the same shape. In contrast, according to other embodiments, the first and second housings may have different shapes.

[0057] In the case of Embodiment 1 described above, the first terminal component and the second terminal component have the same shape. In contrast, according to other embodiments, the first terminal component and the second terminal component may have different shapes. Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0058] 10: Stacked connectors 11: First shell 12: Second shell 13: Terminal 1 component 14: Terminal 2 component 15: Retaining parts 16: First cavity, second cavity 17: Terminal body 18: Anode plate 19: Cylinder section 20: Spear-shaped receiving part 21: Stuck part 22: Spear-shaped part 23: First locking part 24: Second locking part 25: Electrical wire 26: Main body of the shell 27: Locking the wall 28: Protruding part 29: Stop section 30: Divider 31: Installation port 32: Convex wall part 33: convex part 34: Locking protrusion 35: Main body mounting port 36: Locking part mounting port 37: Temporary stop for sudden rise 38: Formal stop the sudden rise 39: Main body of retaining component 40: Connecting Part 41: Elastic locking part 42: First elastic locking part 43: Second elastic locking part 44: Middle section 45: First stop claw 46: First Locking Main Body 47: Second stop claw 48: Second Locking Main Body 49: Retainer mounting hole 50: Retaining element retaining wall 51: concave part 100: Outer shell 110: Connector Storage Section 120: Cover S: Line of symmetry

Claims

1. A stacked connector, comprising: The first housing has a first cavity; The first terminal component is housed in the first cavity; The second housing has a second cavity; The second terminal component is housed in the second cavity; as well as The retainer is shared by both the first housing and the second housing. The first shell and the second shell are stacked on top of each other. The retainer has: The first locking part is configured to lock onto the first terminal part housed in the first cavity in the disengagement direction from the first cavity; The second locking part is configured to lock into the second terminal part housed in the second cavity in the disengagement direction from the second cavity; as well as The elastic locking part locks the first housing in a state where the first locking part is configured to lock onto the first terminal part.

2. The laminated connector according to claim 1, wherein, In addition to the first elastic locking part that locks the first housing, the elastic locking part also has a second elastic locking part. The second elastic locking part locks the second housing when the second locking part is configured to lock onto the second terminal part. The first housing and the second housing are held in a stacked state by the retaining member.

3. The laminated connector according to claim 2, wherein, When the direction in which the first housing and the second housing are stacked is defined as the height direction, and the direction intersecting the height direction is defined as the width direction,... The retaining member has a retaining member main body and a connecting part. The retaining member main body has a first locking part and a second locking part protruding from both sides in the height direction, and the connecting part protrudes from the middle part of the retaining member main body in the height direction toward the width direction. The first elastic locking part protrudes from the top end of the connecting part in the protruding direction in one direction in the height direction. The second elastic locking part protrudes from the top end of the protruding part in the protruding direction to the other direction in the height direction.

4. The laminated connector according to claim 3, wherein, The retainer is linearly symmetrical with respect to a line of symmetry that passes through the center of the retainer in the height direction and extends along the width direction.

5. The laminated connector according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The first housing and the second housing have the same shape.

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