connector

Abstract

A connector capable of improving the terminal holding force in a terminal receiving chamber is provided. [Solution] The connector (1) includes a terminal (3) connected to an electric wire (5), a housing (2) having a terminal accommodating chamber (11) for accommodating the terminal (3), and a spacer (4) for holding the terminal (3) in the terminal accommodating chamber (11). The housing (2) has a locking arm (10) that engages with a mating housing (102) and a spacer accommodating chamber (15) for accommodating the spacer (4). The terminal (3) has a cylindrical box portion (30) into which a mating terminal (103) is inserted, and a flexible piece (36) formed on a top wall (33) constituting the box portion (30) and having a terminal locking portion (36a) at its tip. A notch (13) is formed inside the terminal accommodating chamber (11) for engaging with the rear end (30a) of the box portion (30) of the terminal (3). The spacer (4) has a spacer body (40). The spacer body (40) has an inclined surface (40a) for allowing insertion of the terminal (3) in the temporary locking position and a flat surface (40b) for restricting movement of the terminal (3) in the full locking position.

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 terminal having an electric wire connected thereto, a housing having a terminal accommodating chamber for accommodating the terminal, and a spacer for holding the terminal in the terminal accommodating chamber, the housing having a locking arm that engages with a mating housing and a spacer accommodating chamber in which the spacer is accommodated, the terminal having a cylindrical box portion into which the mating terminal is inserted and a flexible piece portion formed on the top wall portion constituting the box portion and having a terminal locking portion at its tip, the interior of the terminal accommodating chamber having a notch that engages with the rear end of the box portion of the terminal, the spacer being accommodated in the spacer accommodating chamber along a transverse direction that intersects with the insertion direction of the terminal, and having a spacer body that is configured to be displaceable between a temporary locking position, which is an intermediate stage of accommodation into the spacer accommodating chamber, and a full locking position, which is a stage where accommodation into the spacer accommodating chamber is complete, the spacer body having an inclined surface for allowing insertion of the terminal at the temporary locking position and a flat surface for restricting movement of the terminal at the full locking position. [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 an exploded perspective view showing an example of a connector structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a connector structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a cross-sectional side view of the housing. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a terminal to which an electric wire is connected. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a housing before a spacer is attached. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a spacer. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view of the housing with the spacer in a provisionally locked state. [Figure 8] 10 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of the housing with the spacer in a provisionally locked state. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view of the housing with the spacer in a fully locked state. [Figure 10] 10 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of the housing with the spacer in a fully locked state. 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. [Figure 11D] 10 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the spacer is in a fully locked state after the terminal is accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber. FIG. 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 convenience and may differ from the actual proportions.

[0010] The connector structure according to this embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 relates to the structure of an automotive connector to be mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile. This connector structure is composed of 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, terminals 3, which are female terminals, and a spacer 4. 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 (e.g., synthetic resin), the terminals 3 are made of, for example, a conductive material (e.g., metal such as copper or aluminum), and the spacer 4 is made of, for example, an insulating material (e.g., synthetic resin).

[0015] 1 and 2, 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 FIG. 4, 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 top wall portion 33 constituting the box portion 30 is formed with a flexible piece portion 36 having a terminal locking portion 36a at its tip. The flexible piece portion 36 is a cut-and-raised piece formed by cutting and raising from the top wall portion 33 outward (toward the inner wall 12 of the terminal accommodating chamber).

[0016] 2, 3, 8, and 10, 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. The 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. 11A) 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] 8 and 10, a spacer accommodating chamber 15 for accommodating the spacer 4 is formed inside the housing 2. This spacer accommodating chamber 15 extends along a transverse direction (left-right direction) that intersects with the insertion direction X (see FIG. 11A) of the terminal 3. Also, as shown in FIG. 5, the housing 2 is formed with a locking portion 16 for locking a locking piece portion 42 of the spacer 4, which will be described later.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 6, the spacer 4 is configured to include a spacer body 40, a connecting portion 41, and a locking piece portion .

[0019] The spacer body 40 is accommodated in the spacer accommodating chamber 15 along a direction intersecting the insertion direction (X direction) of the terminals 3, and is configured to be displaceable between a temporary locking position, which is an intermediate stage of accommodation into the spacer accommodating chamber 15, and a full locking position, which is a stage of complete accommodation into the spacer accommodating chamber 15. The spacer body 40 has an inclined surface 40a for allowing insertion of the terminals 3 at the temporary locking position, and a flat surface 40b for restricting movement of the terminals 3 at the full locking position. Therefore, the inclined surfaces 40a and flat surfaces 40b are alternately formed on the spacer body 40 along its extension direction. That is, the spacer body 40 is basically configured to have a rectangular cross section, but the portion of the spacer body 40 corresponding to the aforementioned temporary locking position is cut out to form the inclined surface 40a.

[0020] The spacer 4 has a plurality of spacer bodies 40, which are connected to one another by connecting portions 41. The connecting portions 41 are also formed with locking pieces 42 that are locked to the locking portions 16 of the housing 2.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 8, 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.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, when the spacer 4 is in the provisionally locked state, the inclined surface 40a provided on the spacer 4 makes it easier for the terminal 3 to be inserted.

[0023] Since there is a clearance between the housing 2 and the terminal 3, the terminal 3 may move inside the housing 2, so a spacer 4 is provided to hold the terminal 3 in the terminal accommodating chamber 11. However, since the spacer 4 has an inclined surface 40a, even if the terminal 3 moves inside the housing 2, when the terminal 3 is inserted in the insertion direction (X direction), the terminal 3 comes into contact with the inclined surface 40a, allowing insertion of the terminal 3.

[0024] As shown in Figures 9 and 10, when the spacer 4 is in the fully locked state, the flat surface 40b on the spacer 4 comes into surface contact with the box portion 30 of the terminal 3, thereby restricting the movement of the terminal 3.

[0025] By placing the spacer 4 in the fully locked state, the surface facing the box portion 30 of the terminal 3 shifts from the inclined surface 40a to the flat surface 40b. Therefore, after the insertion of the terminal 3 is complete, the flat surface 40b provided on the spacer 4 comes into surface contact with the box portion 30 of the terminal 3, thereby restricting the movement of the terminal 3.

[0026] 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.

[0027] 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.

[0028] 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) downward (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.

[0029] When the terminal 3 is displaced (shifted) downward (in the 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.

[0030] 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 piece 36 provided on the top wall 33 of the box portion 30 can reduce the clearance in the Y direction (up and down direction) to zero, thereby suppressing rattle of the terminals 3. Furthermore, by reducing the clearance in the Y direction (up and down direction) to zero with the flexible piece 36, it is also possible to reduce the size of the housing 2 in the X direction (front and back direction).

[0031] Although the spacer 4 is not shown in FIGS. 11A to 11C, the spacer 4 may be inserted into the housing 2 in the state shown in FIGS. 11A to 11C to be in a provisionally locked state.

[0032] Then, as shown in FIG. 11D, after the terminal 3 is accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber 11, the spacer 4 is brought into a fully locked state, and the spacer 4 is locked to the housing 2, thereby restricting the movement of the terminal 3 in the X direction (front-to-back direction).

[0033] As described above, the connector 1 according to this embodiment includes a terminal 3 connected to an electric wire 5, a housing 2 having a terminal accommodating chamber 11 for accommodating the terminal 3, and a spacer 4 for holding the terminal 3 in the terminal accommodating chamber 11. The housing 2 has a locking arm 10 that engages with a mating housing 102 and a spacer accommodating chamber 15 for accommodating the spacer 4. The terminal 3 has a cylindrical box portion 30 into which a mating terminal 103 is inserted, and a flexible piece portion 36 formed on a top wall portion 33 constituting the box portion 30 and having a terminal locking portion 36a at its tip. A notch 13 that engages with a rear end portion 30a of the box portion 30 of the terminal 3 is formed inside the terminal accommodating chamber 11. The spacer 4 has a spacer main body 40 that is accommodated in the spacer accommodating chamber 15 along a transverse direction intersecting the insertion direction (X direction) of the terminal 3. The spacer main body 40 is configured to be displaceable between a provisionally locked position, which is an intermediate stage of accommodation into the spacer accommodating chamber 15, and a fully locked position, which is a stage of complete accommodation into the spacer accommodating chamber 15. The spacer body 40 has an inclined surface 40a for allowing insertion of the terminal 3 at the temporary locking position, and a flat surface 40b for restricting movement of the terminal 3 at the full locking position.

[0034] In this embodiment, a flexible piece 36 having a terminal locking portion 36a at its tip is formed on the top wall 33 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 top wall 33 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. 11C ). 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.

[0035] In this embodiment, the spacer 4 (spacer body 40) accommodated in the spacer accommodating chamber 15 of the housing 2 is formed with an inclined surface 40a for allowing insertion of the terminal 3 at the temporary locking position and a flat surface 40b for restricting movement of the terminal 3 at the full locking position. Therefore, when the spacer 4 is in the temporary locking state, the inclined surface 40a on the spacer 4 makes it easy to insert the terminal 3. On the other hand, when the spacer 4 is in the full locking state, the flat surface 40b on the spacer 4 restricts movement of the terminal 3.

[0036] 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.

[0037] In the connector 1, the spacer body 40 may have inclined surfaces 40a and flat surfaces 40b formed alternately along the intersecting direction.

[0038] By configuring the spacer body 40 in this manner, each of the flat surfaces 40b can come into surface contact with the box portion 30 of the terminal 3, thereby restricting the movement of the terminal 3, and it is possible to hold multiple terminals 3 in the terminal accommodating chamber 11 simultaneously.

[0039] In the connector 1, the notch 13 may have a vertical surface 13a formed so as to be perpendicular to the insertion direction of the terminal 3 (X direction).

[0040] 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.

[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 4 spacers 5 Electric wire 10 Lock Arm 11 Terminal housing 13 Notch 13a Vertical plane 15 Spacer Containment Room 30 Hakobe 30a Rear end 33 Ceiling wall 36 Flexible piece part 36a Terminal locking part 40 Spacer body 40a Slope 40b flat surface 102 Mating Housing 103 Mating terminal

Claims

1. a terminal to which an electric wire is connected; a housing having a terminal accommodating chamber for accommodating the terminal; a spacer that holds the terminal in the terminal accommodating chamber, The housing has a lock arm that engages with a mating housing and a spacer accommodating chamber in which the spacer is accommodated, The terminal has a cylindrical box portion into which a mating terminal is inserted, and a flexible piece portion formed on a top 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, The spacer is accommodated in the spacer accommodating chamber along a direction intersecting the insertion direction of the terminal, and has a spacer body configured to be displaceable between a temporary locking position, which is an intermediate stage of accommodation into the spacer accommodating chamber, and a full locking position, which is a stage of completion of accommodation into the spacer accommodating chamber; The spacer body has an inclined surface for allowing insertion of the terminal at the temporary locking position and a flat surface for restricting movement of the terminal at the full locking position. connector.

2. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the inclined surfaces and the flat surfaces are alternately formed on the spacer body along the intersecting direction.

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

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