Connector

Abstract

To provide a connector capable of improving terminal holding force in a terminal housing chamber.SOLUTION: The connector 1 includes a housing 2 and a terminal 3 to which an electric wire 5 is connected. The housing 2 includes a lock arm 10 that engages with the mating housing 102, and a terminal accommodating chamber 11 that accommodates the terminal 3. The terminal 3 has a cylindrical box part 30 into which the mating side terminals 103 are inserted, and a flexible piece part 36 which is formed on a sidewall part 35 constituting the box part 30 and has a terminal-locking part 36a at a tip part. A notch portion 13 to be engaged with an 30a of a rear end portion of the box portion 30 of the terminal 3 is formed inside the terminal accommodation chamber 11.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] An example of this type of connector is disclosed in Patent Document 1. In the connector disclosed in Patent Document 1, a terminal inserted into a housing is fixed within the housing by engaging a cut-out piece (lance) on the terminal with a part of the inner wall of the housing to position and lock it. A part of the terminal is punched out to form a lance that is elastic in the vertical direction and extends in the direction opposite to the insertion direction of the terminal into the housing. When the terminal is inserted into the housing in a certain direction, the lance is pressed against the inner wall of the housing, and the flexible contact is attached to a fixed position in the housing. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 2967881 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in conventional connectors, the terminals are held in place only by lances provided on the terminals, resulting in low terminal retention force, and there is a possibility that the terminals may fall out of the housing when the wire connected to the terminals is pulled.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the problems inherent in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a connector that can improve the terminal retention force within the terminal accommodating chamber. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A connector according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a housing and a terminal to which an electric wire is connected, the housing having a locking arm that engages with a mating housing and a terminal accommodating chamber that accommodates the terminal, the terminal having a cylindrical box portion into which the mating terminal is inserted and a flexible piece portion formed on the side wall that constitutes the box portion and having a terminal locking portion at its tip, and a notch formed inside the terminal accommodating chamber that engages with the rear end of the box portion of the terminal. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a connector that can improve the terminal holding force in the terminal accommodating chamber. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a connector structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is an exploded perspective view of a connector structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a connector structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a planar cross section of the housing. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a terminal to which an electric wire is connected. [Figure 6] 4 is an enlarged plan cross-sectional view of a main portion showing a terminal accommodated in a terminal accommodating chamber. FIG. [Figure 7A] FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing a state in which a terminal is inserted into a terminal receiving chamber. [Figure 7B] 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the flexible piece portion is bent in the process of pushing the terminal. FIG. [Figure 7C] FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the terminal is accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view of a connector structure according to another embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a planar cross section of the housing. [Figure 10] 4 is an enlarged plan cross-sectional view of a main portion showing a terminal accommodated in a terminal accommodating chamber. FIG. [Figure 11A]FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing a state in which a terminal is inserted into a terminal receiving chamber. [Figure 11B] 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the flexible piece portion is bent in the process of pushing the terminal. FIG. [Figure 11C] FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the terminal is accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The connector according to the present embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that the dimensional proportions in the drawings are exaggerated for the sake of explanation and may differ from the actual proportions.

[0010] The connector structure according to this embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3 relates to the structure of an automotive connector to be mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile. This connector structure is configured to include connector 1, which is a female connector, and mating connector 100, which is a male connector. When connector 1 is inserted into mating space 101 of mating connector 100, connector 1 and mating connector 100 are mated, and terminals 3 of connector 1 and mating terminals 103 of mating connector 100 are electrically connected.

[0011] The mating connector 100, which is a male connector, includes a mating housing 102, which is a male housing, mating terminals 103, which are male terminals, and a spacer 104. The mating housing 102 has a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 110, each of which accommodates a mating terminal 103. One end of an electric wire 105 is connected to the rear end of the mating terminal 103, and the other end of the electric wire 105 connected to the rear end of the mating terminal 103 is drawn out from the mating housing 102. The spacer 104 is assembled to the bottom of the mating housing 102, and the spacer 104 is engaged with the mating housing 102, thereby engaging the mating terminals 103 and the like inside the mating housing 102.

[0012] The mating housing 102 and the spacer 104 are formed, for example, from an insulating material (for example, synthetic resin), and the mating terminal 103 is formed, for example, from a conductive material (for example, metal such as copper or aluminum).

[0013] Connector 1, which is a female connector, includes housing 2, which is a female housing, and terminals 3, which are female terminals. Housing 2 has locking arms 10 that engage with mating housing 102, and multiple terminal accommodating chambers 11, each accommodating a terminal 3. One end of electric wire 5 is connected to the rear end of terminal 3, and the other end of electric wire 5, which is connected to the rear end of mating terminal 103, is drawn out from housing 2.

[0014] The housing 2 is made of, for example, an insulating material (for example, synthetic resin), and the terminals 3 are made of, for example, a conductive material (for example, a metal such as copper or aluminum).

[0015] 2 and 3, the terminal 3 has a cylindrical box portion 30 into which the mating terminal 103 is inserted, a core wire connecting portion 31 disposed behind the box portion 30 and to which the core wire of the electric wire 5 is connected, and an insulating sheath connecting portion 32 disposed behind the core wire connecting portion 31 and to which the insulating sheath of the electric wire 5 is connected. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the box portion 30 is configured to have a top wall portion 33, a bottom wall portion 34, and a pair of side wall portions 35. The side wall portions 35 constituting the box portion 30 are formed with flexible piece portions 36 having terminal locking portions 36a at their tip portions. The flexible piece portions 36 are cut and raised pieces formed by cutting and raising from the side wall portions 35 outward (toward the inner wall 12 of the terminal accommodating chamber).

[0016] 3, 4, and 6, terminal accommodating chambers 11 extend inside housing 2 along the mating direction (front-rear direction) of connector 1 and mating connector 100. An inner wall 12 of terminal accommodating chamber 11 is formed with a notch 13 that engages with a rear end 30a of box portion 30 of terminal 3. This notch 13 has a vertical surface 13a that is formed perpendicular to the mating direction (front-rear direction) of connector 1 and mating connector 100. In addition, inner wall 12 of terminal accommodating chamber 11 is formed with a flat surface 14b that is located rearward of vertical surface 13a in the insertion direction X of terminal 3 (see FIG. 7) and parallel to insertion direction X, and an inclined surface 14a that is located rearward of flat surface 14b in the insertion direction X and inclined upward from rear to front. That is, on the inner wall 12 of the terminal accommodating chamber 11, a protrusion 14 having an inclined surface 14a, a flat surface 14b, and a vertical surface 13a is formed in this order from the rear in the insertion direction X of the terminal 3 so as to protrude inward.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 6, when the terminal 3 is inserted into the housing 2, the flexible piece portion 36 of the terminal 3 is bent, thereby inserting the terminal 3 into the housing 2.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 7A, when the terminal 3 is inserted into the housing 2 in the insertion direction X, the terminal locking portion 36a comes into contact with the inner wall 12 of the terminal accommodating chamber 11, causing the flexible piece portion 36 of the terminal 3 to bend.

[0019] As shown in Figure 7B, when the terminal 3 is further pushed in along the insertion direction X from the state shown in Figure 7A, the box portion 30 of the terminal 3 rides on the protrusion 14 of the housing 2, and the flexible piece portion 36 of the terminal 3 is further bent and deformed as the terminal 3 is pushed in.

[0020] As shown in Figure 7C, when the terminal 3 is further pushed in along the insertion direction X from the state shown in Figure 7B, the terminal 3 is shifted (displaced) laterally (in the Y direction) at the position where the rear end 30a of the box portion 30 of the terminal 3 passes through the notch 13 (protrusion 14) of the housing 2.

[0021] When the terminal 3 is displaced (shifted) to the side (Y direction), the flexible piece portion 36, which had been bent until then, elastically returns to its original shape, and the displaced terminal 3 is locked in place by the engagement between the rear end portion 30a of the box portion 30 and the cutout portion 13 of the housing 2.

[0022] In the case of the connector 1 according to this embodiment, when the terminals 3 are locked in the terminal accommodating chambers 11 of the housing 2, the flexible pieces 36 provided on the side walls 35 of the box portion 30 can reduce the clearance in the Y direction (left-right direction) to zero, thereby suppressing rattle of the terminals 3. Furthermore, by reducing the clearance in the Y direction (left-right direction) to zero with the flexible pieces 36, thereby suppressing rattle of the terminals 3, it is also possible to reduce the size of the housing 2 in the X direction (front-back direction).

[0023] As described above, the connector 1 according to this embodiment includes a housing 2 and a terminal 3 to which an electric wire 5 is connected. The housing 2 has a locking arm 10 that engages with a mating housing 102 and a terminal accommodating chamber 11 that accommodates the terminal 3. The terminal 3 has a cylindrical box portion 30 into which a mating terminal 103 is inserted, and a flexible piece portion 36 that is formed on a side wall portion 35 that constitutes the box portion 30 and has a terminal locking portion 36a at its tip. A notch 13 that engages with the rear end portion 30a of the box portion 30 of the terminal 3 is formed inside the terminal accommodating chamber 11.

[0024] In this embodiment, a flexible piece 36 having a terminal locking portion 36a at its tip is formed on the side wall 35 of the box portion 30 of the terminal 3, and a notch 13 that engages with the rear end portion 30a of the box portion 30 of the terminal 3 is formed on the inner wall 12 of the terminal accommodating chamber 11. The terminal 3 accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber 11 is locked by the engagement between the terminal locking portion 36a of the flexible piece 36 provided on the side wall 35 of the box portion 30 and the inner wall 12 of the terminal accommodating chamber 11, and by the engagement between the rear end portion 30a of the box portion 30 and the notch 13 of the housing 2 (see FIG. 7C ). Therefore, it is possible to improve the terminal retention force in the terminal accommodating chamber 11 compared to when the terminal is locked only by the spring force (restoring force) of the cut-off piece (lance) provided on the terminal.

[0025] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a connector 1 capable of improving the terminal holding force in the terminal accommodating chamber 11.

[0026] In the connector 1, the notch 13 may have a vertical surface 13a formed so as to be perpendicular to the insertion direction X of the terminal 3.

[0027] By configuring the notch 13 in this manner, the vertical surface 13a functions as a retainer when the wire 5 connected to the terminal 3 is pulled, making it possible to more effectively prevent the terminal 3 from falling off the housing 2.

[0028] [Other embodiments] Next, a connector structure according to another embodiment will be described. Note that components that are substantially the same as those in the connector structure described above are given the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0029] 8 to 10, a locking protrusion 20 is formed on the inner wall 12 of the housing 2 of the connector 1A to engage with a terminal locking portion 36a of a flexible piece portion 36 formed on a side wall portion 35 of the terminal 3. The locking protrusion 20 has an inclined surface portion 20a that is inclined with respect to the insertion direction X of the terminal 3 (see FIG. 11A), and a vertical surface portion 20c that is positioned in front of the inclined surface portion 20a in the insertion direction X and is formed perpendicular to the insertion direction X. The locking protrusion 20 also has a flat surface portion 20b that is formed between the inclined surface portion 20a and the vertical surface portion 20c and is parallel to the insertion direction X. That is, the locking protrusion 20 is formed on the inner wall 12 of the terminal accommodating chamber 11 so as to protrude inward, and has, in this order from the rear in the insertion direction X of the terminal 3, the inclined surface portion 20a, the flat surface portion 20b, and the vertical surface portion 20c.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 10, when the terminal 3 is inserted into the housing 2, the flexible piece portion 36 of the terminal 3 is bent, thereby inserting the terminal 3 into the housing 2.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 11A, when the terminal 3 is inserted into the housing 2 in the insertion direction X, the terminal locking portion 36a comes into contact with the inner wall 12 of the terminal accommodating chamber 11, causing the flexible piece portion 36 of the terminal 3 to bend.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 11B, when the terminal 3 is further pushed in along the insertion direction X from the state shown in FIG. 11A, the box portion 30 of the terminal 3 rides on the protrusion 14 of the housing 2, and the flexible piece portion 36 of the terminal 3 is further bent and deformed as the terminal 3 is pushed in.

[0033] As shown in Figure 11C, when the terminal 3 is further pushed in along the insertion direction X from the state shown in Figure 11B, the terminal 3 is shifted (displaced) laterally (in the Y direction) at the position where the rear end 30a of the box portion 30 of the terminal 3 passes through the notch 13 (protrusion 14) of the housing 2.

[0034] When the terminal 3 is displaced (shifted) to the side (Y direction), the flexible piece portion 36, which had been bent until then, elastically returns to its original shape, and the displaced terminal 3 is locked in place by the engagement between the rear end portion 30a of the box portion 30 and the cutout portion 13 of the housing 2.

[0035] 11C , the box portion 30 of the terminal 3 can be positioned further forward in the insertion direction X, whereby the terminal 3 passes through the notch 13 (protrusion 14) of the housing 2, and the flexible piece 36 provided on the side wall 35 of the box portion 30 moves over the locking protrusion 20. When the flexible piece 36 provided on the side wall 35 of the box portion 30 moves over the locking protrusion 20, the bent flexible piece 36 returns to its original shape due to elasticity, and the terminal 3 is locked by the engagement between the terminal locking portion 36a of the flexible piece 36 and the locking protrusion 20 of the housing 2. Furthermore, by further pushing the terminal 3 to the position shown in FIG. 11C , the box portion 30 of the terminal 3 can be positioned further forward in the insertion direction X, and the stability of the electrical contact between the terminal 3 and the mating terminal 103 can be improved.

[0036] In the case of the connector 1 according to this embodiment, when the terminals 3 are locked in the terminal accommodating chambers 11 of the housing 2, the flexible pieces 36 provided on the side walls 35 of the box portion 30 can reduce the clearance in the Y direction (left-right direction) to zero, thereby suppressing rattle of the terminals 3. Furthermore, by reducing the clearance in the Y direction (left-right direction) to zero with the flexible pieces 36, thereby suppressing rattle of the terminals 3, it is also possible to reduce the size of the housing 2 in the X direction (front-back direction).

[0037] In the connector 1A, inside the terminal accommodating chamber 11, a locking protrusion 20 that engages with a terminal locking portion 36a of a flexible piece portion 36 formed on a side wall portion 35 of the terminal 3 may be formed.

[0038] In this embodiment, a flexible piece 36 having a terminal locking portion 36a at its tip is formed on the side wall 35 of the box portion 30 of the terminal 3, and a locking protrusion 20 is formed on the inner wall 12 of the terminal accommodating chamber 11 to engage with the terminal locking portion 36a of the flexible piece 36 formed on the side wall 35 of the terminal 3. The terminal 3 accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber 11 is locked by the engagement between the terminal locking portion 36a of the flexible piece 36 provided on the side wall 35 of the box portion 30 and the inner wall 12 of the terminal accommodating chamber 11, and by the engagement between the terminal locking portion 36a of the flexible piece 36 and the locking protrusion 20 of the housing 2 (see FIG. 11C ). Therefore, the terminal retention force within the terminal accommodating chamber 11 can be improved compared to when the terminal is locked only by the spring force (restoring force) of a cut-and-raised piece (lance) provided on the terminal.

[0039] In the connector 1A, the locking protrusion 20 may have an inclined surface portion 20a that is inclined with respect to the insertion direction X of the terminal 3, and a vertical surface portion 20c that is positioned in front of the inclined surface portion 20a in the insertion direction X and is formed so as to be perpendicular to the insertion direction X.

[0040] By configuring the locking protrusion portion 20 in this manner, the vertical surface portion 20c functions as a retainer when the electric wire 5 connected to the terminal 3 is pulled, making it possible to more effectively prevent the terminal 3 from falling off the housing 2.

[0041] Although the present embodiment has been described above, the present embodiment is not limited to this, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist of the present embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0042] 1 connector 2. Housing 3 terminals 5 Electric wire 10 Lock Arm 11 Terminal housing 13 Notch 13a Vertical plane 20 Locking protrusion 20a Slope section 20c Vertical section 30 Hakobe 30a Rear end 35 Side wall 36 Flexible piece part 36a Terminal locking part 102 Mating Housing 103 Mating terminal

Claims

1. Housing and a terminal to which an electric wire is connected, The housing has a lock arm that engages with a mating housing and a terminal accommodating chamber that accommodates the terminal, The terminal has a cylindrical box portion into which a mating terminal is inserted, and a flexible piece portion formed on a side wall portion constituting the box portion and having a terminal locking portion at a tip end thereof, A notch is formed inside the terminal accommodating chamber to engage with the rear end of the box portion of the terminal. connector.

2. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the notch has a vertical surface formed perpendicular to the insertion direction of the terminal.

3. 3. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the terminal accommodating chamber has a locking projection formed therein for engaging with the terminal locking portion of the flexible piece formed on the side wall of the terminal.

4. 4. The connector of claim 3, wherein the locking protrusion has an inclined surface portion inclined with respect to the insertion direction of the terminal, and a vertical surface portion positioned in front of the inclined surface portion in the insertion direction and formed so as to be perpendicular to the insertion direction.

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