Connector

Abstract

To provide a connector which enables a stable connection between a terminal and a wiring material and improves reliability.SOLUTION: A connector includes: an insulating housing 12; a terminal 13 which is housed inside the housing 12 and to which an end portion of a conductive wiring material W is connected; and a control plate 14 which is arranged in the housing 12 to support the tip portion of the terminal 13. The control plate 14 includes: a first locking part 51 which is locked to each end portion of the housing 12 in a width direction; a second locking part 52 which is locked to each end portion of the wiring material W in a width direction; and a pressing part 53 which presses the tip portion of the terminal 13 against a conductor part Wa side of the wiring material W.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a connector. [Background technology]

[0002] A connector generally comprises a housing and terminals. The terminals are housed inside the housing, and a cable is connected to the terminals. In recent years, flat cables such as FFCs are sometimes used as the cables. An example of such a connector is described in Patent Document 1 below. In the connector of Patent Document 1, the bottom surface of the housing contacts a circuit board, the contacts extend toward the circuit board, and an alignment plate positions and holds the contacts. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2015-204165 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The connector of Patent Document 1 can use an alignment plate to correct the width of the contacts. However, during manufacturing, the tips of the contacts (terminals) become fractured, and rough burrs are generated on the tip surface. The connector of Patent Document 1 cannot use an alignment plate to correct the height of the contacts. Therefore, when a circuit board is attached to the housing, the tips of the contacts (terminals) may not be properly connected to the connection parts of the circuit board, which may result in mounting defects.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide a connector that enables stable connection between a terminal and a wiring material, thereby improving reliability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the connector of the present invention comprises an insulating housing, a terminal housed inside the housing and to which an end of a conductive wiring material is connected, and a control plate attached to the housing and supporting a tip of the terminal, the control plate having a first locking portion that engages with each end of the housing in the width direction, a second locking portion that engages with each end of the wiring material in the width direction, and a pressing portion that presses the tip of the terminal toward the conductor portion of the wiring material. Effect of the Invention

[0007] The connector according to the present invention includes a control plate that supports the tip of the terminal, and the control plate has a first locking portion that locks to the housing, a second locking portion that locks to the wiring material, and a pressing portion that presses the tip of the terminal against the conductor portion of the wiring material. Therefore, the control plate is attached without rattle by locking to the housing and the wiring material, and the pressing portion presses the tip of the terminal against the conductor portion of the wiring material, so that the tip of the terminal is positioned at a predetermined position and contacts the wiring material. As a result, it is possible to achieve a stable connection between the terminal and the wiring material, thereby improving reliability. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a connector according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the connector. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the control plate. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the control plate (cross-section taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 3). [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a main part of the connector. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 5, showing a main part of the control plate. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 6, illustrating a main portion of the control plate. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7, illustrating a main portion of the control plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. In addition, the components in the following embodiments include those that are replaceable and easy for a person skilled in the art, or those that are substantially the same.

[0010] [Embodiment] <Connector Overview> 1 and 2 are perspective views showing a connector according to the present embodiment.

[0011] 1, the connector 11 of this embodiment has a wiring material W connected to one side and a mating connector (not shown) removably connectable to the other side. The connector 11, the wiring material W, and the mating connector constitute a wire harness. The wire harness connects the wiring material W used for power supply and signal communication to each device mounted on a vehicle, for example, via the connector 11 and the mating connector.

[0012] In the following description, the connector connection direction between connector 11 and the mating connector is referred to as the X direction, the width direction of connector 11 perpendicular to the X direction is referred to as the Y direction, and the height direction of connector 11 perpendicular to the X direction is referred to as the Z direction.

[0013] <Routing material> The wiring material W is a conductive part. The wiring material W extends linearly along the axial direction (X direction) and is formed so as to extend with approximately the same diameter in the axial direction (X direction). In this embodiment, the wiring material W is a flat cable. The wiring material W is, for example, an FPC (Flexible printed circuits), which is also called a flexible printed circuit board or a flexible printed wiring board. The wiring material W is a board in which an electrical circuit is formed on a base material made by bonding a thin, soft base film (such as polyimide) having insulating properties and a conductive metal such as copper foil.

[0014] The wiring material W has a plate shape, has a predetermined length in the X direction, a predetermined width in the Y direction, and a predetermined thickness in the Z direction. The wiring material W has locking holes (not shown) that penetrate in the thickness direction (Z direction) at the end in the longitudinal direction (X direction) and on each side in the width direction (Y direction). The wiring material W has a conductor part Wa exposed on the flat part W1, which is one surface in the thickness direction (top surface in Figure 2). The wiring material W does not have a conductor part on the flat part W2, which is the other surface in the Z direction (bottom surface in Figure 2). The wiring material W is configured by arranging a main body having a conductor part Wa on the flat part W1 side and arranging a reinforcing plate on the flat part W2 side.

[0015] <Connector> The connector 11 has a housing 12 and terminals 13. The housing 12 houses and holds the terminals 13. The housing 12 is formed of an insulating synthetic resin material or the like. The housing 12 has a rectangular shape along the X direction. The housing 12 has a main housing 21 and a pair of side portions 22. The main housing 21 is configured such that a pair of side portions 22 are integrally provided on one side in the X direction (the right side in FIG. 1) and both sides in the Y direction. The main housing 21 and the pair of side portions 22 form a recess 23 on one side in the X direction (the right side in FIG. 1) of the housing 12.

[0016] The housing 12 has a plurality of cavities 31 arranged along the X direction of the main housing 21. The housing 12 has a holding portion 32 arranged on each side 22. The holding portion 32 has a claw portion 32a arranged on one side in the X direction and a claw portion 32b arranged on the other side in the X direction. A pair of pegs 33 can be attached to the holding portion 32 from one side in the Z direction (the upper side in FIG. 1). The housing 12 has a lock beak 34 arranged on one end of the main housing 21 in the Z direction (the upper surface in FIG. 1). The lock beak 34 allows the housing 12 to be locked to a mating connector.

[0017] The terminal 13 has a wiring material connection portion 41 electrically connected to a conductor portion Wa exposed at an end of the wiring material W on one side in the X direction. The terminal 13 is inserted into and held in a plurality of cavities 31 of the main housing 21 in the housing 12. At this time, the wiring material connection portion 41 is exposed from the housing 12 to the recess 23 side. The terminal 13 is configured as a female terminal fitting having a terminal connection portion (not shown) electrically connected to a terminal of a mating connector on the other side in the X direction.

[0018] The connector 11 is configured with terminals 13 held inside a housing 12, and a wiring material W is connected to the terminals 13. The wiring material W is inserted into the connector 11 from one side in the X direction (the right side in FIG. 1 ). The pair of pegs 33 are inserted into the respective holding portions 32 of the housing 12. At this time, the pair of pegs 33 have their respective tip portions engaged with a pair of engaging holes in the wiring material W, thereby engaging the wiring material W to the housing 12. Then, the conductor portion Wa of the wiring material W is connected to the wiring material connection portion 41 of the terminal 13.

[0019] The housing 12 is provided with a spacer (double locking component) 35 along the Y direction at one end in the Z direction (top surface in FIG. 1). The spacer 35 is a member for preventing halfway insertion of the terminals 13 into the housing 12 and for improving the holding force.

[0020] <Control plate> Figure 3 is an oblique view of the control plate, Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the control plate (cross-section IV-IV in Figure 3), Figure 5 is a plan view showing the main parts of the connector, Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view VI-VI in Figure 5 showing the main parts of the control plate, Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view VII-VII in Figure 6 showing the main parts of the control plate, and Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view VIII-VIII in Figure 7 showing the main parts of the control plate.

[0021] 1, the connector 11 has a control plate 14. The control plate 14 is attached to the housing 12 and supports the tip end portion of the terminal 13, that is, the wiring material connection portion 41.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 3, the control plate 14 includes a first locking portion 51, a second locking portion 52, and a pressing portion 53.

[0023] The control plate 14 has a main body 61, a pair of mounting parts 62, and a pair of block parts 63. The main body 61 has a long rod shape along the width direction (Y direction) of the housing 12, and a shape cut along a plane along the X direction and the Z direction has a rectangular cross section. The pair of mounting parts 62 are provided at each end of the main body 61 in the longitudinal direction (Y direction). The pair of mounting parts 62 extend from each end of the main body 61 in the connector connection direction (X direction). That is, the pair of mounting parts 62 are integrally provided along a direction perpendicular to each end of the main body 61. The pair of block parts 63 are provided on one side of the pair of mounting parts 62 in the connector connection direction (X direction). That is, the pair of block parts 63 are integrally provided at one end of the pair of mounting parts 62 in the X direction. The pair of block parts 63 form a square tube shape along the X direction.

[0024] The first locking portions 51 are locked to each end portion in the width direction (Y direction) of the housing 12. The first locking portions 51 are provided on a pair of mounting portions 62 of the control plate 14. The first locking portions 51 have a pair of plate locking projections 51a provided so as to protrude outward from side surfaces 62a of the pair of mounting portions 62.

[0025] The second locking portion 52 locks to each end in the width direction (Y direction) of the wiring material W. The second locking portion 52 is provided on a pair of block portions 63 of the control plate 14. The second locking portion 52 has a pair of hooks 52a extending from the side surfaces 63a of the pair of block portions 63 toward the wiring material W side (one side in the Z direction).

[0026] The pressing portion 53 presses the wiring material connection portion 41 (see FIG. 1) at the tip of the terminal 13 toward the conductor portion Wa of the wiring material W. The pressing portion 53 is provided on the main body portion 61 of the control plate 14. The pressing portion 53 has a pressing protrusion 53a extending from the lower surface 61a of the main body portion 61 toward the wiring material W side (one side in the Z direction).

[0027] In addition, the control plate 14 has a plurality of corrective grooves 54 provided by providing a plurality of partition plates 64 at intervals in the Y direction on the main body portion 61. The partition plates 64 are provided along the X direction and the Z direction, and extend from the main body portion 61 in one direction in the X direction (to the right in FIG. 4) and in one direction in the Z direction (downward in FIG. 4). Therefore, the plurality of corrective grooves 54 are provided from the main body portion 61 from one side in the X direction (to the right in FIG. 4) to one side in the Z direction (downward in FIG. 4). The pressing portion 53 (pressing protrusion 53a) is located inside the corrective groove 54. The plurality of corrective grooves 54 support and correct the tip portions of the plurality of terminals 13.

[0028] <Control plate mounting configuration> 5 to 7, the first locking portion 51 has a pair of plate locking projections 51a. The pair of plate locking projections 51a are provided so as to protrude outward from outer side surfaces 62a of a pair of mounting portions 62 of the control plate 14. The housing 12 is provided with a pair of housing locking projections 36 that protrude inward from inner surfaces 22a of a pair of side portions 22. The pair of block portions 63 of the control plate 14 abut against end faces 22b of the pair of side portions 22 of the housing 12, and the pair of plate locking projections 51a are locked to the housing locking projections 36 of the pair of side portions 22 of the housing 12. Therefore, the control plate 14 is attached so as to be positioned relative to the housing 12 in the X direction and the Y direction.

[0029] 5 and 6, the second locking portion 52 has a pair of hooks 52a. The pair of hooks 52a are provided so as to protrude downward from the lower surfaces of the pair of block portions 63 of the control plate 14. The wiring material W is disposed on one side of the housing 12 in the Z direction (the lower side in FIG. 6), and is locked to the housing 12 by a pair of pegs 33 (see FIG. 1) and supported by a pair of support shafts 37. The pair of hooks 52a of the control plate 14 are locked to the flat portion W2 of the wiring material W. Therefore, the control plate 14 is attached so as to be positioned in the Z direction with respect to the housing 12.

[0030] 7 and 8, the control plate 14 is provided with a plurality of correction grooves 54 by a plurality of partition plates 64. The control plate 14 also has a plurality of pressing portions 53, and the pressing portions each have a plurality of pressing protrusions 53a. The plurality of terminals 13 held in the housing 12 have wiring material connection portions 41 on their tip ends. The terminals 13 are supported horizontally by the housing 12, and have a vertical portion 13a, a horizontal portion 13b, and an inclined portion 13c on their tip ends, with the horizontal wiring material connection portion 41 provided at the tip of the inclined portion 13d.

[0031] The Y-direction position of the terminal 13 is corrected by supporting the vertical portion 13a, the horizontal portion 13b, and the inclined portion 13c in the correction groove 54. Also, the Z-direction position of the wiring material connection portion 41 of the terminal 13 is corrected by pressing the horizontal portion 13b against the pressing portion (pressing protrusion 53a) of the control plate 14 inside the correction groove 54, and the terminal 13 comes into contact with the conductor portion Wa of the wiring material W.

[0032] <Effects of this embodiment> As described above, the connector of this embodiment comprises an insulating housing 12, a terminal 13 that is housed inside the housing 12 and to which an end of a conductive wiring material W is connected, and a control plate 14 that is attached to the housing 12 and supports the tip of the terminal 13, and the control plate 14 has a first locking portion 51 that engages with each end of the housing 12 in the width direction, a second locking portion 52 that engages with each end of the wiring material W in the width direction, and a pressing portion 53 that presses the tip of the terminal 13 toward the conductor portion Wa of the wiring material W.

[0033] According to the connector of this embodiment, the control plate 14 is engaged with the housing 12 by the first engaging portion 51, and engaged with the wiring material W by the second engaging portion 52, so that the control plate 14 is attached without any rattle. Then, the pressing portion 53 of the control plate 14 presses the tip portion of the terminal 13 against the conductor portion Wb of the wiring material W, so that the tip portion of the terminal 13 is positioned at a predetermined position and comes into contact with the conductor portion Wb of the wiring material W. As a result, so-called coplanarity of the terminal 13 can be ensured, and a stable connection between the terminal 13 and the wiring material W can be achieved, thereby improving reliability.

[0034] In the connector according to this embodiment, the control plate 14 has a main body portion 61 that is long along the width direction of the housing 12, a pair of mounting portions 62 that extend in the connector connecting direction (X direction) from each end of the main body portion 61 in the longitudinal direction, and a pair of block portions 63 that are provided on one side of the pair of mounting portions 62 in the connector connecting direction, and the first locking portion 51 has a pair of plate locking projections 51a that are provided to protrude outward from side surfaces 62a of the pair of mounting portions 62. Therefore, the pair of plate locking projections 51a can appropriately fix the control plate 14 to the housing 12.

[0035] In the connector according to this embodiment, the housing 12 has a pair of housing locking projections 36 on both sides in the width direction (Y direction) to which the pair of plate locking projections 51a lock. Therefore, by locking the pair of plate locking projections 51a to the pair of plate locking projections 51a, the control plate 14 can be easily fixed to the housing 12.

[0036] In the connector according to this embodiment, the second locking portion 52 has a pair of hooks 52a extending from the side surfaces of the pair of block portions 63 toward the wiring material W. Therefore, the pair of hooks 52a can appropriately fix the control plate 14 to the wiring material W via the housing 12.

[0037] In the connector according to this embodiment, the pressing portion 53 has a pressing protrusion 53a extending from the main body 61 toward the wiring material W. Therefore, by pressing the tip of the terminal 13 with the pressing protrusion 53a, the wiring material connection portion 41 can be appropriately connected to the conductor portion Wa of the wiring material W.

[0038] In the connector according to this embodiment, the control plate 14 has a correction groove 54 that supports the terminal 13. Therefore, by supporting the terminal 13 in the correction groove 54, the position of the terminal 13 in the Y direction can be appropriately adjusted.

[0039] The connector according to the embodiment of the present invention described above is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 11 Connectors 12. Housing 13 Terminals 14 Control Plate 21 Main body housing 22 Side 23 Recess 31 Cavity 32 Holding part 33 Peg 34 Rockbeak 35 Spacer 36 Housing locking projection 41 Cable connection part 51 First locking portion 51a Plate locking protrusion 52 Second locking portion 52a Hook 53 Pressing section 53a Presser protrusion 54 Straightening groove 61 Main body 62 Mounting part 63 Block section 64 Partition W Routing material Wa conductor

Claims

1. A housing having insulating properties; A terminal to which an end of a wiring material having conductivity is connected, the terminal being accommodated inside the housing; a control plate attached to the housing and supporting the tip portions of the terminals; Equipped with The control plate includes: a first engaging portion that engages with each end of the housing in a width direction; A second engaging portion that engages with each end portion in the width direction of the wiring material; A pressing portion that presses the tip portion of the terminal toward the conductor portion of the wiring material; having connector.

2. The control plate has a main body portion that is long along the width direction of the housing, a pair of mounting portions extending from each end of the main body portion in the longitudinal direction in the connector connection direction, and a pair of block portions provided on one side of the pair of mounting portions in the connector connection direction, and the first engaging portion has a pair of plate engaging projections that protrude outward from side surfaces of the pair of mounting portions. The connector of claim 1 .

3. The housing has a pair of housing locking projections on both sides in a width direction, the pair of plate locking projections being locked to the pair of housing locking projections. The connector according to claim 2.

4. The second engaging portion has a pair of hooks extending from the side surfaces of the pair of block portions toward the wiring material side. The connector according to claim 2 or 3.

5. The pressing portion has a pressing protrusion extending from the main body portion toward the wiring material, The connector according to claim 2 or 3.

6. The control plate has a straightening groove for supporting the terminal. The connector of claim 1 .

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