Connectors

Abstract

Connector (1), comprising: a connector (10) with a connection part (11) and a conductor connection part (12); a housing (20) with an inner housing chamber (20a) for receiving the connection part (11) and a smooth connection execution area (20c) in which a connection feedthrough (20b) is provided such that the conductor connection part (12) protrudes from the housing chamber (20a) towards an outside; a conductive component (40) which is a component formed in a plate shape with a conductor and an insulator and which has flexibility, wherein the conductive component (40) has a conductor connection area (40a) which physically and electrically connects the conductor to the conductor connection part (12), and a conductor exit area (40b) which extends from the conductor connection area (40a) in an extension direction to protrude from the housing (20); and a reinforcing plate (50) formed in a planar shape from an insulating material, wherein the reinforcing plate (50) is arranged sandwich-like between the conductor connection area (40a) and the terminal execution area (20c), wherein a first level (51) is in contact with the conductor connection area (40a) and a second level (52) is in contact with the terminal execution area (20c), wherein the housing (20) on the pull-out direction side of the connection execution area (20c) has a projection body (25) which projects towards the side of the conductor outlet area (40b) of the conductive component (40) from the same plane as the connection execution area (20c), characterized by the fact that the projecting body (25) contains a chamfered section (25c) formed by chamfering a section of the cut surface where an end surface (25a) on a projection direction of the projecting body (25) intersects an end surface (25b) on the side of the extension direction.

Description

Background of the invention 1. Field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a connector. 2. Description of the state of the art

[0002] One conventionally known connector type comprises a connector, a housing in which the connector is enclosed, and a conductive component formed within a flexible plate standard, such as a flexible printed circuit board (FPC), for electrical connection to the connector. According to this connector, the conductive component includes: a conductor connection area that is physically and electrically connected to a protruding section of the connector extending from the housing; and a conductor exit area that extends from the conductor connection area to protrude from the housing. Another known connector incorporates a reinforcement plate to increase the strength of the conductor connection area within the conductive component. This type of connector is disclosed, for example, in published Japanese patent application No. JP 2020-21595A.

[0003] Furthermore, until the connector assembly is completed in a prescribed position on a vehicle or similar (i.e., until the conductor connection area is attached to the outside of the conductive component), for example, during transport of the conductive component to an assembly plant, the conductive component is in a cantilevered state, with the conductor connection area being the fixed end and the side of the conductor connection area being the free end. Therefore, the side with the conductor connection area can oscillate in the plane direction due to an external force, such as vibration during transport, or it can be deflected in the plane direction by its own weight.As a result of vibration and deflection of the conductor exit area, the conductive component can be bent at the end of the reinforcement plate on the conductor exit side, potentially leading to an overload on the bent section. Generally, a circuit, such as a circuit pattern, is also formed within the bent section of the conductive component. Therefore, this connector could be improved with regard to the impact of such an overload on the circuit.

[0004] From US 2020 / 0 044 376 A1, a connector is known comprising a terminal with a terminal part and a conductor terminal part. It includes a housing with an inner housing chamber for receiving the terminal part and a conductive component in the form of a plate with a conductor. A reinforcing plate is provided in a flat form made of an insulating material, the reinforcing plate being sandwiched between the conductor connection area and the terminal exit area. A first layer is in contact with the conductor connection area and a second layer is in contact with the terminal exit area. Furthermore, the housing has a projection on the pull-out side of the terminal exit area, which projects towards the side of the conductor exit area of ​​the conductive component. Accordingly, US 2020 / 0 044 376 A1 discloses the features of the introductory part of claim 1. Summary of the invention

[0005] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a connector that is able to reduce the load acting on the conductive component.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, a connector according to one aspect of the invention comprises the features of claim 1.

[0007] According to another aspect of the present invention, it is desirable according to the connector that the chamfered section is an arc-shaped rounded chamfered section.

[0008] According to a further aspect of the present invention, it is desirable according to the connector that the projection body protrudes to a position corresponding to the first level of the reinforcement plate, wherein the second level is in contact with the connection execution area, or to a position that is higher than the first level.

[0009] According to a further aspect of the present invention, it is desirable according to the connector that an end surface of the projection body is extended on one side of the projection direction in an orthogonal direction with respect to the projection direction and with respect to the extension direction, and extends over one end to the other end of the conductor outlet area along the orthogonal direction.

[0010] According to a further aspect of the present invention, it is desirable according to the connector that in the reinforcement plate a cut surface section in which the first plane intersects with an end surface on the side of the pull-out direction is formed in the form of a sharp edge.

[0011] The foregoing and other tasks, features and advantages, as well as the technical and industrial significance of this invention, will be better understood if the following detailed description of the present preferred embodiments of the invention is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Brief description of the drawings Fig. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a connector according to one embodiment; Fig. 2 is a top view of the connector according to the embodiment as seen from one end of the connector; Fig. Figure 3 is a top view of the connector according to the embodiment, seen from an execution side; Fig. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view along line XX of Fig. 2; Fig. Figure 5 is a perspective exploded view of the connector before it is connected to a cover; Fig. Figure 6 is a perspective exploded view of the connector seen from a different angle before the cover is attached to it; Fig. Figure 7 is a perspective exploded view of the connector (without the cover) according to the embodiment; Fig. Figure 8 is a perspective exploded view of the connector (without the cover) according to the embodiment, viewed from a different angle; Fig. Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the connector of the embodiment together with a mating connector; Fig. 10 is an enlarged view of part A of Fig. 4; and Fig. Figure 11 is a top view of the connector according to the embodiment when viewed from the side, which represents a diagram to illustrate the vibration of a conductive component. Detailed description of preferred embodiments

[0012] An embodiment of a connector according to the present invention is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the invention is not limited to this embodiment. embodiment

[0013] One embodiment of the connector according to the present invention is described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 11 described.

[0014] Reference numeral 1 in Fig. 1 to Fig. Reference numeral 9 designates the connector of the embodiment. The connector 1 comprises: a terminal 10; a housing 20 in which the terminal 10 is housed; a cover 30 which is mounted to the housing 20; and a conductive component 40 which is physically and electrically connected to the terminal 10 in an interior formed by the housing 20 and the cover 30 in an assembled state, and which extends to an exterior surface from the interior. Furthermore, the connector 1 includes a reinforcing plate 50 which partially reinforces the conductive component 40.

[0015] The connector 10 is formed from a conductive material such as metal. For example, the connector 10 is formed into a prescribed shape by pressing, such as folding and cutting operations, which are carried out on a metal plate as the base material. The connector 10 comprises a connection section 11, which is physically and electrically connected to a mating connector 510 of a mating plug connector 501 ( Fig. 9) is connected, and a conductor connection part 12, which is physically and electrically connected to a conductive component EC ( Fig. 4, Fig. 7 and Fig. 8) is connected. It should be noted that the mating connector 501 can be a connector that is electrically connected to an electrical counterpart (inverter or similar), or it can be a part such as a connector part of a terminal block that is formed on the electrical counterpart.

[0016] The connecting part 11 is, for example, designed in the form of a socket or plug. The connecting part 11 described here is designed in the form of a socket with a rectangular, tubular housing body, and the mating connecting part 510 is inserted and withdrawn along its axial direction. Furthermore, the conductor connecting part 12 is designed in a cylindrical shape, the axial direction of which points in the same direction as the axial direction of the connecting part 11.

[0017] The connector 1 of the present embodiment is configured to contain a single or a plurality of terminals 10. The connector 1 described here comprises a plurality of terminals 10.

[0018] The housing 20 is formed from an insulating material such as a synthetic resin. The housing 20 comprises an inner housing chamber 20a for receiving the terminal part 11 of the connector 10 and an opening (hereinafter referred to as the "connection feedthrough") 20b, from which the conductor terminal part 12 of the connector 10 protrudes to an outside side of the housing chamber 20a ( Fig. 7) Furthermore, the housing 20 includes a smooth connection area 20c in which the connection feedthrough 20b is provided ( Fig. 7) In the housing 20, the connection part 11 is housed in the housing chamber 20a from the connection feedthrough 20b, and the conductor connection part 12 protrudes from the connection feedthrough 20b in the direction opposite to a connector insertion direction to a mating connector 501 (i.e. in a connector removal direction).

[0019] The housing 20 described here comprises a plurality of housing chambers 20a, and the connection part 11 is located in each of the housing chambers 20a. All housing chambers 20a are configured such that the connection part 11 is located in each of the housing chambers 20a, pointing in the same direction, and that each of the connection ports 20b is arranged in the same plane. Furthermore, all housing chambers 20a in the housing 20 are arranged in a grid pattern. Therefore, the housing 20 described here includes the rectangular and smooth connection area 20c in which the connection ports 20b are provided.

[0020] With connector 1, it is not necessary to place the connector 10 in all housing chambers 20a, but only at the required points of a circuit in the housing chambers 20a.

[0021] The housing 20 described here comprises a main housing body 21 in which all housing chambers 20a are formed ( Fig. 1 to Fig. 8) The main housing body 21 shown here is cuboid in shape and comprises a first to sixth outer wall surface 21a to 21f ( Fig. 1 to Fig. 6).

[0022] All connection penetrations 20b are located on the first exterior wall surface 21a. Therefore, the connection penetration area 20c is provided on the first exterior wall surface 21a ( Fig. 7).

[0023] In the main housing body 21, the third outer wall surface 21c and the fourth outer wall surface 21d are arranged parallel and orthogonally connected to the first outer wall surface 21a. In the housing 20, the conductor connection parts 12 of all connection pieces 10 projecting from the connection openings 20b are covered for protection on the side of the third outer wall surface 21c and the fourth outer wall surface 21d. Therefore, the housing 20 comprises: a first protective device 22, which, in a position opposite the third outer wall surface 21c, is connected to an intermediate space and also projects outwards from the first outer wall surface 21a; and a second protective device 23, which, in a position opposite the fourth outer wall surface 21d, is connected to an intermediate space and also projects outwards from the first outer wall surface 21a. Fig. 1 to Fig. 3 and Fig. 5 to Fig. 8).

[0024] The first protective device 22 and the second protective device 23 are located in a part of the main housing body 21 with the exception of a connection section 21g ( Fig. 1 and Fig. 5 to Fig. 8) arranged. The connecting section 21g is a section that connects to a mating connecting section 521g of a mating housing 520 ( Fig. 9) can be fitted and connected along the connector insertion direction and can be pulled out from the inside of the mating connection section 521g along the connector removal direction, and the connector piece 10 is housed therein. The connection section 21g is provided on the second outer wall surface 21b of the main housing body 21. Therefore, the first guard 22 and the second guard 23 are arranged on the first outer wall surface 21a of the main housing body 21. Furthermore, in the housing 20, the first guard 22 is arranged at one end on one side and the second guard 23 at one end on the other side. Therefore, in the following, the first guard 22 may be referred to as the “first housing side wall 22” and the second guard 23 as the “second housing side wall 23”.

[0025] The first protective device 22 shown herein comprises a rectangular, flat, planar plate section 22a, which is arranged opposite in a parallel state with respect to the third outer wall surface 21c, with a space provided between them ( Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 5 to Fig. 8) In the first protective device 22, the flat plate section 22a includes a projecting section 22a1 that extends from the first outer wall surface 21a, and the conductor connection parts 12 of all connection pieces 10 are covered by the projecting section 22a1 from the side of the third outer wall surface 21c. Furthermore, the second protective device 23 shown here includes a rectangular, flat, planar plate section 23a that is arranged opposite the fourth outer wall surface 21d with a gap provided between them ( Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 5 to Fig. 8) In the second protective device 23, the flat plate section 23a includes a projecting section 23a1 that extends outwards from the first outer wall surface 21a, and the conductor connection parts 12 of all connection pieces 10 are covered by the projecting section 23a1 from the side of the fourth outer wall surface 21d.

[0026] Furthermore, in the main housing body 21, the fifth outer wall surface 21e and the sixth outer wall surface 21f are arranged parallel and each is orthogonally connected to the first outer wall surface 21a, the third outer wall surface 21c, and the fourth outer wall surface 21d. In the connector 1 described here, the conductive component 40 is guided to the side of the sixth outer wall surface 21f, as will be described later.

[0027] In connector 1, before the cover 30 is mounted on the housing 20, the conductive component 40 is connected to the connecting pieces 10 housed in the housing chambers 20a.

[0028] In this embodiment, a plate-shaped component is used as the conductive component 40. The plate-shaped conductive component 40 is a flat laminate formed from a conductor and a flexible (i.e., bendable) insulator. The conductive component 40 comprises a plurality of conductors, and a circuit pattern is formed with each conductor. Examples of the conductive component 40 include a printed circuit body such as a flexible printed circuit (FPC) and a membrane wiring board, a flat cable (FC), a flexible flat cable (FFC), and the like. The conductive component 40 described here is a flexible printed circuit (FPC) formed in a rectangular shape.

[0029] The conductive component 40 comprises: a conductor connection area 40a, which physically and electrically connects the conductor to the conductor terminal part 12 of the terminal piece 10, which protrudes from the terminal bushing 20b; and a conductor outlet area 40b, which is extended from the conductor connection area 40a in the direction of the pull-out direction to protrude from the housing 20 ( Fig. 4, Fig. 5 and Fig. 7) In the conductive component 40, the conductor connection area 40a is housed in the interior formed by the housing 20 and the cover 30 in a fully assembled state, and the conductor outlet area 40b is led to the outside from an outlet 30c formed with the housing 20 and the cover 30 in the fully assembled state ( Fig. 3 and Fig. 4) The conductive component 40 is subdivided here into the rectangular conductor connection area 40a and the rectangular conductor outlet area 40b. In the following, "extension direction" refers to the extension direction of the conductor outlet area 40b of the conductive component 40, unless otherwise specified.

[0030] The conductor connection area 40a includes a through hole 41, which is a perforated hole for inserting the conductor connection part 12 and which makes it possible to electrically connect the electrical connection part of the conductor to the conductor connection part 12 on an inner circumferential surface of the perforated hole ( Fig. 7 and Fig. 8) In the conductor connection area 40a, the through hole 41 is formed in a circular shape for each of the connecting pieces 10 in order to electrically connect the conductor connection parts 12 of all connecting pieces 10.

[0031] It should be noted that the conductor connection area 40a is reinforced in strength by the reinforcing plate 50. Therefore, the reinforcing plate 50 is laminated to the conductor connection area 40a ( Fig. 4, Fig. 7 and Fig. 8) The reinforcing plate 50 is formed in a flat shape from an insulating material such as a synthetic resin. The reinforcing plate 50 described here is designed as a flat plate with the same outer shape as the conductor connection area 40a (i.e., in a rectangular shape like the conductor connection area 40a). The reinforcing plate 50 has a first layer 51 that is in contact with the conductor connection area 40a, and by bonding the first layer 51 to the conductor connection area 40a with an adhesive or the like, the reinforcing plate 50 is laminated to the conductor connection area 40a ( Fig. 4 and Fig. 10).

[0032] In the reinforcement plate 50, the first level 51 is brought into contact with the conductor connection area 40a and a second level 52 is brought into contact with the connection execution area 20c in order to be accommodated between the conductor connection area 40a and the connection execution area 20c ( Fig. 4 and Fig. 10). Therefore, in the reinforcement plate 50, a perforated hole (hereinafter referred to as the “connection entry hole”) 50a is formed concentrically with the through hole 41 for each of the through holes 41 ( Fig. 7 and Fig. 8) The connection entry hole 50a described here is designed in the same shape as the through hole 41.

[0033] In the reinforcement plate 50, a cut surface section 50b is formed in the form of a sharp edge, where the first plane 51 intersects with an end surface 53 arranged on the outlet side 30c (i.e. the end surface 53 on the side of the outlet direction). Fig. 10) For example, the reinforcement plate 50 described here is made of fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP). Therefore, all end faces of the reinforcement plate 50, including end face 53, are formed by cutting. Thus, the cut part 50b in the reinforcement plate 50 has a sharp edge.

[0034] For example, in a laminated part formed from the conductor connection area 40a and the reinforcement plate 50 described here, the conductor connection parts 12 of all connection pieces 10 housed in the housing chambers 20a are inserted into the through holes 41 and the connection entry holes 50a, so that the second layer 52 of the reinforcement plate 50 is placed on the connection termination area 20c of the main housing body 21. At this point, the reinforcement plate 50 can suppress changes in the shape and position of the conductor connection area 40a due to deflection or the like, thus making it possible to improve functionality when all conductor connection parts 12 are inserted into the through holes 41.Regarding connector 1, with the terminals 10, housing 20, conductive component 40, and reinforcement plate 50 assembled, a soldering operation is performed for each pair of conductor terminal 12 and through-hole 41 to fix the conductor terminal 12 and the through-hole 41 in place. Afterwards, the cover 30 is mounted onto connector 1.

[0035] Furthermore, in connector 1, the conductor outlet area 40b of the conductive component 40 can be pulled out of the outlet 30c by an operator in the direction of execution when the operator is mounting the conductive component 40 to the terminals 10 and the housing 20 while inserting the conductor termination parts 12 into the through holes 41 and the terminal entry holes 50a, or, if possible, the operator can perform connection work between the conductor termination parts 12 and the through holes 41 after assembly. Therefore, connector 1 allows the reinforcing plate 50 to absorb the force generated by the operator's pulling action in order to suppress the force transmitted between the conductor termination parts 12 of the terminals 10 and the circumferential edges of the through holes 41 of the conductive component 40.

[0036] In particular, the housing 20 includes column-shaped or cylindrical locking projections 24, the projection direction of which of the conductor connection part 12 is the axial direction. Each of the locking projections 24 is designed such that it encloses the connection outlet area 20c in a direction orthogonal to the projection direction of the conductor connection part 12 from the connection opening 20b and to the pull-out direction of the conductor outlet area 40b from the outlet 30c. Fig. 4, Fig. 5 and Fig. 7) Furthermore, through holes 42 and 50c are provided in the conductor connection area 40a and in the reinforcement plate 50 for inserting the locking projections 24 ( Fig. 7 and Fig. 8) In connector 1, the through-hole 50c of the reinforcement plate 50 is smaller than the through-hole 42 of the conductor connection area 40a in order to lock the conductor termination part 12 with the circumferential edge of the through-hole 50c of the reinforcement plate 50, so that the reinforcement plate 50 can absorb the force generated when the conductor exit area 40b is pulled out. This improves the durability of the conductor termination part 40 in connector 1.

[0037] The cover 30 is formed from an insulating material such as a synthetic resin. The cover 30 is mounted to the housing 20 to cover the housing 20 from the outside. Specifically, the cover 30 is shaped to cover the portion of the housing 20 that protrudes from the outside of the mating connection section 521g when the mating connection section 21g and the mating connection section 521g are in a fully assembled and connected state. In other words, the cover 30 is shaped to cover the remaining portion of the housing 20 in a state where the mating connection section 21g protrudes from the interior within the cover. Therefore, the cover 30 covers the terminal exit area 20c (i.e., the conductor terminal parts 12 of all terminals 10 that protrude from the terminal exit 20b).

[0038] The cover 30 comprises a cover main wall 31, which forms the main body for covering the aforementioned projecting part (the projecting section of the housing 20 from the mating connection section 521g when the mating connection section 21g and the mating connection section 521g are in a fully fitted and connected state) ( Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 to Fig. 6) The main cover wall 31 described here comprises a first wall body 31A and a second wall body 31B, which are connected in an overlapping state ( Fig. 5 and Fig. 6) As with the cover 30, the first wall body 31A is arranged so that it is opposite the first outer wall surface 21a, with a gap provided between them, and the second wall body 31B is arranged so that it is opposite the first outer wall surface 21a on the side of the fifth outer wall surface 21e, with a gap provided between them.

[0039] Furthermore, the cover 30 comprises a first cover side wall 32 and a second cover side wall 33 with flexibility, which are arranged opposite each other with a space provided between them and are each connected to both ends of the cover main wall 31 in an orthogonal state ( Fig. 1 to Fig. 3, Fig. 5 and Fig. 6) The first cover side wall 32 and the second cover side wall 33 are arranged opposite each other, with a gap provided between them in the orthogonal direction to the connector insertion direction (or to the connector removal direction) and to the pull-out direction of the conductive component 40 (hereinafter referred to as the "lateral direction"). Furthermore, the first cover side wall 32 and the second cover side wall 33 are each connected in an orthogonal position to both ends of the cover main wall 31 in the lateral direction (both ends of each of the first wall bodies 31A and the second wall body 31B).

[0040] When the cover 30 is fully mounted to the housing 20, the first cover side wall 32 is arranged in a planar configuration, lying parallel to the flat plate section 22a of the first housing side wall 22 from the outside, and the second cover side wall 33 is arranged in a planar configuration, lying parallel to the flat plate section 23a of the second housing side wall 23 from the outside. The first cover side wall 32 is designed to be flexibly deformable at least in one direction away from the first housing side wall 22. Furthermore, the second cover side wall 33 is designed to be flexibly deformable at least in one direction away from the second housing side wall 23.

[0041] The cover 30 comprises: a first opening 30a, which has as its circumferential edge end sections of each of the cover main wall 31, the first cover side wall 32 and the second cover side wall 33 on the side of the connector insertion direction; and a second opening 30b, which has as its circumferential edge end sections of each of the cover main wall 31, the first cover side wall 32 and the second cover side wall 33 in the extraction direction of the conductive component 40 (i.e., the orthogonal direction to the oppositely arranged direction of the first cover side wall 32 and the second cover side wall 33 (lateral direction) and to the connector insertion direction (or the connector extraction direction)), and of which a part is used as the outlet 30c of the conductive component 40, which is described later ( Fig. 6) The first opening 30a described here is arranged opposite the first wall body 31A on the side of the connector insertion direction, with a gap provided between them, and is configured as an opening having the side sections of each of the second wall body 31B, the first cover side wall 32, and the second cover side wall 33 as its circumferential edge. Furthermore, the second opening 30b is arranged opposite the second wall body 31B, with a gap provided between them, and is configured as an opening having the side sections of each of the first wall body 31A, the first cover side wall 32, and the second cover side wall 33 as its circumferential edge. In the cover 30, the first opening 30a and the second opening 30b are connected in an orthogonal state.Therefore, each of the first cover side wall 32 and the second cover side wall 33 has the greatest deflection amount in the area of ​​overlap where the first opening 30a intersects with the second opening 30b.

[0042] In connector 1, a space is formed between the first outer wall surface 21a of the main housing body 21, the projecting section 22a1 of the first protective device 22 and the projecting section 23a1 of the second protective device 23, as well as the first wall body 31A and the second wall body 31B of the cover 30, and the conductor connection parts 12 of all connection pieces 10 are arranged in this space. Furthermore, as with connector 1, the space is connected to the outside via a portion of the second opening 30b. This portion of the second opening 30b is a gap formed between the housing 20 and the first wall body 31A ( Fig. 3, Fig. 4 and Fig. 10). Therefore, the gap in the connector 1 is the opening (hereinafter referred to as the “outlet”) 30c, from which the conductive component 40 is pulled out from the side of the sixth outer wall surface 21f to the outside.

[0043] The cover 30 is inserted into the housing 20 from the first outer wall surface 21a along the connection installation direction and connected to it. A guide structure 60 is provided between the housing 20 and the cover 30 to guide them together into the fully assembled position along their connection direction ( Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 6) The guide structure 60 is a projection provided either on the housing 20 or on the cover 30 and comprises: a guide projection 61 extending along the connection direction with a wedge-shaped orthogonal section to the connection direction; and a guide groove 62, which is a groove provided on the other part of the housing 20 and the cover 30 and extending along the connection direction to be guided and to guide the inserted guide projection 61 along the connection direction. The guide projection 61 and the guide groove 62 have at least two planes that are parallel to each other or intersect along the connection direction of the housing 20 and the cover 30.

[0044] In the connector 1 described here, the guide structure 60 is provided in two areas. The guide structures 60 in the two areas are designed such that the projection direction of one of the guide projections 61 and the projection direction of the other guide projection 61 are opposite to each other. The guide projection 61 described here is provided on the first cover side wall 32 and on the second cover side wall 33 of the cover 30. The guide projection 61 in the side section on the side of the second opening 30b of both the first cover side wall 32 and the second cover side wall 33 is formed in a rectangular, flat shape. In the cover 30, each of the guide projections 61 projects inwards and is arranged opposite each other.Furthermore, the guide groove 62 described here is provided on the first housing side wall 22 and the second housing side wall 23 of the housing 20. The guide groove 62 on the first housing side wall 22 is located adjacent to the flat plate section 22a on the sixth outer wall surface 21f. The guide groove 62 on the second housing side wall 23 is located adjacent to the flat plate section 23a on the sixth outer wall surface 21f.

[0045] Furthermore, a locking structure (hereinafter referred to as the “first locking structure”) 71 is provided between the housing 20 and the cover 30 to lock their movement in the direction opposite to the direction in which they are connected to each other in a fully assembled state ( Fig. 6) The first locking structure 71 comprises a first locking body 71A provided on the housing 20 and a second locking body 71B provided on the cover 30. The first locking body 71A and the second locking body 71B are arranged to face each other in order to lock movement in the opposite direction to the direction of connection when the housing 20 and the cover 30 are in a fully assembled state.

[0046] In the connector 1 described here, the first locking structure 71 is provided in two areas located between the first guard 22 and the first cover side wall 32, and between the second guard 23 and the second cover side wall 33. The first locking element 71A and the second locking element 71B are each designed as projections. The first locking elements 71A project outwards from the outer wall surfaces of the first guard 22 and the second guard 23, respectively. The first locking elements 71A are shaped such that their projection directions are opposite to each other. The second locking elements 71B project inwards from the inner wall surfaces of the first cover side wall 32 and the second cover side wall 33, respectively. The second locking elements 71B are shaped such that their projection directions are opposite to each other.

[0047] The first cover side wall 32 and the second cover side wall 33 described here are flexible, as previously described. Therefore, in connector 1, the first locking bodies 71A and the second locking bodies 71B, as pairs, exert force on their inclined surfaces when the housing 20 and the cover 30 are inserted and connected along the guide structure 60, simultaneously causing deflection of the first cover side wall 32 and the second cover side wall 33.Then, in connector 1, the first locking bodies 71A and the second locking bodies 71B are moved relative to each other as pairs, causing a deflection of the first cover side wall 32 and the second cover side wall 33, and the first locking bodies 71A and the second locking bodies 71B are arranged opposite each other to be in a lockable state in the opposite direction to the connection direction, in addition to eliminating the deflection of the first cover side wall 32 and the second cover side wall 33.

[0048] Furthermore, a locking structure (hereinafter referred to as the “second locking structure”) 72 is provided between the housing 20 and the cover 30 to lock their movement in the orthogonal direction to the interconnected direction and to the opposite direction of the first cover side wall 32 and the second cover side wall 33 (i.e. the extension direction of the conductive component 40) in a fully assembled state ( Fig. 2 and Fig. 6) The second locking structure 72 comprises a first locking body 72A provided on the housing 20 and a second locking body 72B provided on the cover 30.

[0049] In the second locking structure 72 shown here, the first locking body 72A is provided in a projecting state on the side of the first outer wall surface 21a of the fifth outer wall surface 21e of the main housing body 21, and the second locking body 72B is formed on the second wall body 31B of the cover 30 as a locking groove into which the first locking body 72A engages. The first locking body 72A and the second locking body 72B form a three-dimensional shape extending along the connection direction and having a substantially trapezoidal cross-section orthogonal to the connection direction of the housing 20 and the cover 30. The first locking body 72A and the second locking body 72B are shaped such that the upper base of the substantially trapezoidal orthogonal section faces the side of the fifth outer wall surface 21e.Therefore, the first locking element 72A and the second locking element 72B lock the relative movement of the conductive component 40 in the extension direction when the housing 20 and the cover 30 are in a fully assembled state. Furthermore, the first locking element 72A and the second locking element 72B also serve as a guide structure when the housing 20 and the cover 30 are inserted and connected. In the connector 1 described here, the second locking element 72 is provided in two areas.

[0050] Furthermore, in connector 1, as previously described, the connecting section 21g of the main housing body 21 is mounted and connected to the mating connecting section 521g of the mating housing 520. The mating connecting section 521g is designed in a rectangular tube shape, and the corresponding connecting section 21g is inserted and secured to the inside of the mating connecting section 521g. A retaining structure 80 is provided between the housing 20 and the mating housing 520 to maintain the fully assembled and connected state. Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 5 to Fig. 8) As structural elements of the retaining structure 80, the housing 20 comprises: a locking body 81, which is connected to a counter-locking body 521h of the counter-connection section 521g ( Fig. 9) engages in the opposite direction to the connector insertion direction when the connecting section 21g and the mating connecting section 521g are in a fully fitted and connected state, in order to keep the connecting section 21g and the mating connecting section 521g in a fully fitted and connected state; and a locking release arm 82 that releases the lockable state of the locking body 81 and the mating locking body 521h by deflecting in response to a locking release force applied to a force point 82a.

[0051] The locking body 81 and the locking release arm 82 are located on the opposite side of the second opening side 30b of the housing 20 (i.e., on the side of the fifth outer wall surface 21e of the housing 20) when the housing 20 and the cover 30 are in a fully assembled state. Furthermore, the locking release arm 82 is designed to be actuated by being pushed toward the second opening side 30b (i.e., toward the fifth outer wall surface 21e) when the lockable state of the locking body 81 and the counter-locking body 521h is released. The locking release arm 82 has the force point 82a as a region that allows an operator to perform the pushing operation.

[0052] The locking element 81 is designed as a locking projection, and the counter-locking element 521h as a perforated hole into which the locking element 81 is inserted and engaged. The locking element 81 described here engages with a circumferential wall of the counter-locking element 521h as a perforated hole. Furthermore, the locking release arm 82 has a cantilevered shape that can be elastically deformed, with the fixed end forming the pivot point. The fixed end is located on the side of the connecting section 21g of the fifth outer wall surface 21e, and the free end is located on the side of the first outer wall surface 21a of the fifth outer wall surface 21e (part excluding the connecting section 21g). In the locking release arm 82, the free end is the force point 82a. The force point 82a is designed here in a rectangular, planar shape.Furthermore, the locking release arm 82 has wall surfaces that are arranged opposite the fifth outer wall surface 21e of the main housing body 21 on the side of the connection section 21g, and between which a gap is provided. In the locking release arm 82, the locking element 81 is provided in a projecting position between the fixed end and the free end on the wall surface on the side opposite the aforementioned wall surfaces. With the locking release arm 82 configured in this way, a locking release force is exerted on the force point 82a in the direction of the fifth outer wall surface 21e when the lockable state of the locking element 81 and the counter-locking element 521h is released.With the retaining structure 80, the locking release arm 82 is deflected by the locking release force, and the locking body 81 is simultaneously displaced to the side of the fifth outer wall surface 21e with the deflection of the locking release arm 82, thereby releasing the lockable state of the locking body 81 and the counter-locking body 521h.

[0053] As with the cover 30 described above, the second wall body 31B is arranged such that it faces the side of the first outer wall surface 21a of the fifth outer wall surface 21e, with a gap provided between them, so that not only the side of the first outer wall surface 21a of the fifth outer wall surface 21e, but also the free end (i.e., the force point 82a) of the locking release arm 82 is covered by the second wall body 31B. Therefore, the second wall body 31B is provided with a press section 34 that covers the force point 82a and pushes and moves the force point 82a towards the side of the fifth outer wall surface 21e by being displaced towards the side of the second opening 30b (the side of the fifth outer wall surface 21e). Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 5, Fig. 6 and Fig. 9) The press section 34 is designed in a self-supporting form with flexibility. The press section 34 described here is designed as a one-piece element, with the side of the first wall body 31A forming the fixed end and the side of the first opening 30a forming the free end. By being pushed towards the fifth outer wall surface 21e, the press section 34 pushes and moves the force point 82a in a contact state towards the fifth outer wall surface 21e in order to release the lockable state of the locking body 81 and the counter-locking body 521h.

[0054] As previously described, the conductive component 40 in the connector 1 is in a cantilevered state, with the conductor connection area 40a being the fixed end and the conductor exit area 40b the free end, until the conductor exit area 40b is secured. Therefore, the side of the conductor exit area 40b can be oriented in the plane direction (the direction of an arrow A1 or the direction of an arrow A2 in the Fig. 11) due to an externally exerted force, such as vibration during transport, the conductor outlet area 40b may be set into vibration, or the side of the conductor outlet area 40b may be deflected in the plane direction (downwards along the vertical direction) by its own weight if the connector 1 is positioned such that the plane of the conductor outlet area 40b is orthogonal to the vertical direction. Furthermore, in the connector 1, the reinforcing plate 50 is arranged between the conductor connection area 40a and the terminal termination area 20c. Therefore, if the side of the conductor outlet area 40b is pivoted in the direction of arrow A1 (i.e., towards the side of the reinforcing plate 50), or if the side of the conductor outlet area 40b is deflected by its own weight towards the side of the housing 20 (i.e., towards the side of the reinforcing plate 50), the conductive component 40 at the end of the reinforcing plate 50 may be bent on the side of the end face 53.In particular, in the reinforcement plate 50 described here, the cut surface section 50b, where the first plane 51 intersects the end surface 53, is formed in the form of a sharp edge, as previously described. Therefore, in the conductive component 40, if the bent part formed by the cut surface section 50b has a small radius of curvature and an overload is applied to the bent part, the circuit present in the bent part of the conductive component 40 can be subjected to the overload.

[0055] Therefore, connector 1 includes a part to reduce the stress on the bent part of the conductive component 40 in the housing 20. In particular, housing 20 has a projection 25 on the side of the pull-out direction from the terminal outlet area 20c, which projects towards the conductor outlet area 40b of the conductive component 40 from the same plane as the terminal outlet area 20c. Fig. 3 to Fig. 5, Fig. 7 and Fig. 10).

[0056] This allows the connector 1 to function even if the position of an end face 25a of the projection body 25 is on the side of the projection direction ( Fig. 10) lower than the position of the first level 51 of the reinforcement plate 50, with the second level 52 in contact with the terminal termination area 20c (i.e., the reinforcement plate 50 that is mounted with the housing 20), the conductor exit area 40b of the conductive component 40 is locked by the projection body 25, so that the contact amount and the deflection amount of the side of the conductor exit area 40b are suppressed. Therefore, the radius of curvature of the bent part of the conductive component 40, which is bent by the cut surface section 50b of the reinforcement plate 50, can be increased. As a result, the load exerted on the bent part of the conductive component 40, which is bent by the cut surface section 50b of the reinforcement plate 50, is reduced.This makes it possible to protect the circuit of the conductive component 40 with connector 1, thus improving durability and ensuring electrical line quality.

[0057] Furthermore, in connector 1, the conductive component 40 cannot be bent by the cut surface section 50b of the reinforcement plate 50 if the position of the end face 25a of the projection body 25 is higher than the position of the first level 51 of the reinforcement plate 50, which is mounted to the housing 20. Therefore, there is no load exerted on the conductive component 40 by the cut surface section 50b. In this connector 1, the conductive component 40 is indeed bent by the projection body 25 in the direction of the Fig. The component is bent in the direction indicated by arrow A2 in Figure 11, but the bend does not originate in this direction. Therefore, the radius of curvature of the bent part is greater than that of the bent part bent by the cut surface section 50b of the reinforcement plate 50. Consequently, the load exerted on the part bent by the protrusion 25 in the conductive component 40 is less than the load exerted on the part bent by the cut surface section 50b of the reinforcement plate 50. Therefore, even when using such a protrusion 25, it is possible to protect the circuit of the conductive component 40 with the connector 1, thus improving durability and ensuring electrical conductivity.

[0058] Furthermore, in connector 1, neither bending of the conductive component 40 at the cut surface section 50b of the reinforcement plate 50 nor bending of the conductive component 40 by the projection body 25 occurs when the position of the end face 25a of the projection body 25 coincides with the position of the first level 51 of the reinforcement plate 50, which is mounted on the housing 20. Thus, there is no load exerted on the conductive component 40 by the cut surface section 50b and the projection body 25. Therefore, in this case, connector 1 can most efficiently protect the circuit of the conductive component 40, thereby efficiently improving durability and ensuring electrical conductivity. This case is illustrated here ( Fig. 10).

[0059] As previously described, there is no bending of the conductive component 40 caused by the cut surface section 50b of the reinforcement plate 50, so it is desirable for the projection body 25 to protrude in a position corresponding to the first level 51 of the reinforcement plate 50 mounted on the housing 20, or in a position higher than the first level 51. In particular, it is desirable for the projection body 25 to protrude in a position corresponding to the first level 51 of the reinforcement plate 50 in a mounted state, since it is possible to suppress the load exerted on the conductive component 40 by both the cut surface section 50b of the reinforcement plate 50 and the projection body 25.

[0060] In particular, the projecting body 25 described here protrudes from the first outer wall surface 21a, which is on the same level as the connection execution area 20c.

[0061] Furthermore, the end surface 25a of the projecting body 25 described here is extended in the orthogonal direction to its projection direction and to the extension direction, and extends from one end to the other end of the conductor outlet area 40b in the orthogonal direction. Therefore, with the connector 1, it is possible to support the conductor outlet area 40b from one end to its other end with the projecting body 25, so that the load to be applied to the conductive component 40 can be distributed and reduced if the position of the first level 51 of the reinforcement plate 50 in an assembled state does not coincide with the position of the end surface 25a of the projecting body 25. In the case shown here, the end surface 25a is extended so that it projects from one end of the conductor outlet area 40b.

[0062] The projecting body 25 described here has a chamfered section 25c, which is formed by chamfering the section of the cut surface where the end surface 25a intersects with an end surface 25b on the side of the extraction direction ( Fig.10) This allows, as with the conductive component 40, the radius of curvature of the part bent from the chamfer section 25c to be increased compared to a case where no chamfer section 25c is formed, thus reducing the load exerted on the bent part. For example, the chamfer section 25c can be a planar chamfered part that is chamfered in a plane shape (referred to as a C-chamfer), or it can be an arcuate chamfered part that is rounded in an arcuate shape (referred to as a rounded plane). It is possible to reduce the load exerted on the bent part of the conductive component 40 regardless of whether the chamfer section 25c is a planar chamfered part or an arcuate chamfered part.However, the arc-shaped chamfered section can increase the load-relieving effect more than the planar chamfered section, where the edges remain, intersecting at an obtuse angle. The projecting body 25 shown here, for example, is cuboid in shape and extends in the direction described above. Therefore, the end surfaces 25a and 25b of the projecting body 25 each intersect at a right angle, and the section of the cut surface extending in the direction of extension is chamfered. The chamfered section 25c is designed here as an arc-shaped chamfered part.

[0063] As previously described, in connector 1 of this embodiment, the conductor outlet area 40b can be supported by the projection body 24 until the conductor outlet area 40b is secured, thus eliminating or reducing the bending of the conductive component 40 at the cut surface section 50b of the reinforcement plate 50. Since, compared to conventional connectors, the stress exerted on the conductive component 40 until the conductor outlet area 40b is secured can be reduced by connector 1, it is possible to improve durability and also ensure electrical conductivity.

[0064] Furthermore, the reinforcement plate 50 of the connector 1 shown here is made of fiber-reinforced plastic, so it is necessary to chamfer the cut surface section 50b separately in order to reduce, for example, the strong impact on the conductive component 40 caused by the sharp-edged cut surface section 50b of the reinforcement plate 50. However, in the connector 1, it is possible to reduce the stress by forming the protruding body 25 simultaneously with the molding of the housing 20 and by using the protruding body 25 to reduce the stress exerted on the conductive component 40 without increasing the number of work steps, such as chamfering the cut surface section 50b.

[0065] The connector according to the present embodiment is able to support the conductor exit area with its projecting body until the conductor exit area is secured, thus preventing or reducing bending of the conductive component at the cut surface section of the reinforcement plate. Therefore, compared to conventional connectors, this connector is able to reduce the load exerted on the conductive component until the conductor exit area is secured, thereby improving durability and ensuring electrical conductivity.

Images