Male connector

Abstract

The present invention aims to provide a male connector that improves the ease of insertion when connecting connectors. [Solution] The male connector 1 comprises a rod-shaped male terminal 2 and a male housing 30 that extends in the same direction as the male terminal 2 and has a terminal housing chamber that accommodates the male terminal 2. The male connector 1 has a position adjustment part 4 that displaces the male terminal 2 in a direction R perpendicular to the direction in which the terminal housing chamber extends. The position adjustment part 4 is supported by the terminal and the inner surface 3S of the male terminal housing chamber 3 and has a coil spring 40 that extends in the direction R perpendicular to the terminal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a male connector.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a connector fitting structure has been proposed that includes a male connector having a male terminal with a rod-shaped portion and a male housing that houses the male terminal, and a female connector having a female terminal with a cylindrical portion into which the rod-shaped portion of the male terminal is inserted and a female housing that houses the female terminal (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] In the conventional connector fitting structure, the male terminal is fixed to a male terminal base fixed to the mounting target, and the female terminal is supported so as to be displaceable with respect to the female housing, so that these two connectors are configured to fit together.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the conventional connector fitting structure, the male terminal is fixed to the mounting target via the male terminal base. Therefore, even if the female terminal is displaced within the movable range, there is a concern that when the terminals are inserted at an extreme angle exceeding the movable range of the female terminal, the terminals may collide with each other and cannot be inserted.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a male connector that improves the insertion workability when connecting connectors.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] To solve the aforementioned problems and achieve the objective, the present invention as described in claim 1 is a male connector comprising a rod-shaped male terminal and a male housing having a terminal housing chamber formed extending in the same direction as the male terminal and housing the male terminal, wherein the male connector has a position adjustment part that displaces the male terminal in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the terminal housing chamber extends, and the position adjustment part is supported by the male terminal and the inner surface of the terminal housing chamber and is configured to have a coil spring extending in the perpendicular direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the ease of insertion when connecting connectors. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing a connector structure including a male connector according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a partial cross-section of the connector structure. [Figure 3] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the connector structure shown, viewed from the side. [Figure 4] This is a front view of the male connector assembly, including the aforementioned male connector. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a connector structure 10 including a male connector 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a partial cross-section of the connector structure 10 shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the connector structure 10 shown in Figure 2, viewed from the side. Figure 4 is a front view of the male connector body 11 including the male connector 1.

[0011] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the connector structure 10 is configured to include a male connector body 11 containing a male connector 1, and a female connector body 50 that is fitted into the male connector body 11.

[0012] In this embodiment, the mating direction in which the male terminal 2 of the male connector 1 and the female terminal 5 of the female connector body 50 are mated is denoted as "front-to-back direction Y," the direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction Y is denoted as "radial direction R (orthogonal direction)," one of the radial directions R, in which the pair of male connectors 1, 1 are aligned, is denoted as "left-to-right direction X," and the other radial direction R, in which the electric wire W extends, is sometimes denoted as "up-down direction Z." In addition, within the front-to-back direction Y, the side of the female connector body 50 as seen from the male connector 1 is sometimes denoted as "front Y1," and the opposite side is sometimes denoted as "rear Y2."

[0013] As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the male connector body 11 comprises a pair of male connectors 1, 1 and a flange portion 12 that supports the pair of male connectors 1, 1 and is fixed to an object to be mounted (not shown).

[0014] As shown in Figure 4, the pair of male connectors 1, 1 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction X. Each male connector 1 comprises a male terminal 2, a male housing 30 having a male terminal housing chamber 3 (terminal housing chamber) that houses the male terminal 2, and a position adjustment part 4 that displaces the male terminal 2.

[0015] As shown in Figure 3, the male terminal 2 comprises a rod-shaped base 21 that is electrically connected to the object to be attached, a cylindrical electrical contact portion 22 that extends in the front-rear direction Y, continuous with the front Y1 of the base 21, a gap portion 24 provided between the base 21 and the electrical contact portion 22 and having a step 23 that increases in diameter as it approaches the base 21, and an insulating cap 25 attached to the tip of the electrical contact portion 22.

[0016] As shown in Figure 3, the base portion 21 is provided with a larger diameter than the electrical contact portion 22 and is provided coaxially with the electrical contact portion 22. The base portion 21 is provided with four one-end spring support portions 210 that support one end of the coil spring 40, which constitutes the position adjustment portion 4 described later. The four one-end spring support portions 210 are provided at four locations in the circumferential direction at predetermined positions in the front-rear direction Y of the base portion 21, at equal intervals (only two are shown in Figure 3). Each one-end spring support portion 210 is provided recessed on the surface of the base portion 21, and is configured to support one end of the coil spring 40 by inserting one end of the coil spring 40 into it.

[0017] As shown in Figure 3, the electrical contact portion 22 is formed in a cylindrical shape having a perfectly circular cross-section at any position in the axial direction.

[0018] As shown in Figure 3, the male housing 30 is configured to have a male terminal housing chamber 3 that extends in the same direction as the male terminal 2 (front-rear direction Y) and houses the male terminal 2. The male terminal housing chamber 3 is configured to have a front housing chamber 3F that houses the electrical contact portion 22 and a rear housing chamber 3B that houses the base portion 21 and the intermediate portion 24. The front housing chamber 3F and the rear housing chamber 3B are arranged coaxially, and the rear housing chamber 3B has a smaller inner diameter than the front housing chamber 3F.

[0019] As shown in Figure 3, the front housing chamber 3F is provided continuously to the front Y1 of the rear housing chamber 3B, and extends to approximately the same position as the front end 2f of the male terminal 2 when the male terminal 2 is housed in the male terminal housing chamber 3. That is, the front end 3f of the front housing chamber 3F and the front end 2f of the male terminal 2 are located at approximately the same position in the front-rear direction Y. Furthermore, the front housing chamber 3F is designed so that the female terminal 5 of the female connector body 50 (described later) is inserted, and the female terminal 5 and the male terminal 2 are mated inside the front housing chamber 3F. Hereafter, the electrical contact portion 22 of each male terminal 2 and the female terminal body 51 of each female terminal 5 when the female terminal 5 and male terminal 2 are mated may be referred to as the "terminal mating portion 7".

[0020] As shown in FIG. 3, the rear accommodation chamber 3B is configured to have an inner peripheral surface 3S (the inner surface of the terminal accommodation chamber) centered on an axis extending in the front-rear direction Y. On the inner peripheral surface 3S of the rear accommodation chamber 3B, four other-end spring support portions 31 for supporting the other ends of the coil springs 40 that constitute the position adjustment portion 4 described later are provided (only two are shown in FIG. 3). As shown in FIG. 4, the four other-end spring support portions 31 are provided at positions facing the radial direction R (shown in FIG. 4) of the rear accommodation chamber 3B with respect to the one-end spring support portion 210 provided on the male terminal 2 in a state where the male terminal 2 is accommodated in the male terminal accommodation chamber 3.

[0021] Also, as shown in FIG. 4, the four other-end spring support portions 31 are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the inner peripheral surface 3S of the rear accommodation chamber 3B. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the four other-end spring support portions 31 are provided at both ends in the vertical direction Z across the axis of the rear accommodation chamber 3B and at both ends in the left-right direction X across the axis of the rear accommodation chamber 3B on the inner peripheral surface 3S of the rear accommodation chamber 3B.

[0022] In the present embodiment, the position adjustment portion 4 is configured to have four coil springs 40. As shown in FIG. 3, one end of each coil spring 40 is supported by the one-end spring support portion 210 of the male terminal 2, and the other end is supported by the other-end spring support portion 31 of the male housing 30. By such coil springs 40, the male terminal 2 is supported so as to be displaceable in the radial direction R of the male terminal accommodation chamber 3 as shown in FIG. 4.

[0023] The flange portion 12 is provided continuously integrally with the rear end portion of each male housing 30. In a state where the flange portion 12 is fixed to the mounting target, each male housing 30 is fixed to the mounting target via the flange portion 12.

[0024] In such a male connector body 11, in a state where the flange portion 12 is fixed to the mounting target, the pair of male housings 30, 30 are fixed to the mounting target via the flange portion 12, and each male terminal 2 is supported by the coil spring 40 so as to be displaceable in the radial direction R of the male terminal accommodation chamber 3.

[0025] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the female connector body 50 comprises a pair of female terminals 5, 5 that can be mated to each of the pair of male terminals 2, and a female housing portion 6 that supports the pair of female terminals 5, 5.

[0026] A pair of female terminals 5, 5 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction X. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, each female terminal 5 comprises a cylindrical female terminal body 51 into which the electrical contact portion 22 of the male terminal 2 is inserted, and a wire connection portion 52 that is provided continuously with the female terminal body 51 and is mechanically and electrically connected to the electric wire W.

[0027] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the female terminal body 51 is supported by the female housing portion 6, which will be described later, with its central axis aligned along the front-rear direction Y. The wire connection portion 52 is continuous with the end of the female terminal body 51 that is away from the male terminal 2, and is bent and extends downward Z2. In this embodiment, the wire connection portion 52 and the wire W are electrically connected by crimping the wire connection portion 52 onto the core wire W1 of the wire W.

[0028] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the female housing portion 6 comprises a box-shaped housing body 61 and a partition portion 62 (shown in Figure 3) that divides the inside of the housing body 61 into left and right sections. The partition portion 62 is flanked by support spaces 6S on both sides in the left-right direction X, for supporting a pair of female terminals 5, 5. When the female terminals 5 are supported in these support spaces 6S, the female terminal body 51 of the female terminal 5 has its base end portion 510 housed in the support space 6S, with its central axis aligned along the front-rear direction Y, and is provided to be displaceable in a direction perpendicular to the central axis. Furthermore, when the female terminals 5 are supported in the support space 6S, the tip end portion 511 of the female terminal body 51 is exposed, and the wire connection portion 52 is located inside the support space 6S, with the wire W connected to the wire connection portion 52 extending downward Z2.

[0029] When mating such a male connector body 11 and female connector body 50, the female connector body 50, which contains a pair of female terminals 5, 5, is brought close to the male connector body 11, which contains a pair of male terminals 2, 2. As a result, the tips of each female terminal 5 are brought close to the tips of each male terminal 2, and the electrical contact portions 22 of each male terminal 2 are inserted into the female terminal bodies 51 of each female terminal 5. As insertion progresses, the rear end 6b of the female housing portion 6 comes into contact with the front end 3f of the male housing 30, and insertion is stopped. In this way, each male terminal 2 and each female terminal 5 are electrically connected, and the male connector body 11 and the female connector body 50 are mated together.

[0030] Here, even if the female connector body 50, which includes a pair of female terminals 5, 5, approaches the male connector body 11, which includes the male connector 1, at an oblique angle, and the female terminals 5 are inserted into the male terminal 2 at an extreme angle, the coil spring 40 contracts and the male terminal 2 is displaceably provided in the male housing 30, and the female terminals 5 are displaceably supported in the support space 6S. As a result, the female terminals 5 and male terminal 2 displace in accordance with each other, or both the male terminals 2 and female terminals 5 displace so that their insertion angles match each other, the electrical contact portion 22 of each male terminal 2 is smoothly inserted into the female terminal body 51 of each female terminal 5.

[0031] According to the embodiment described above, the male connector comprises a rod-shaped male terminal 2 and a male housing 30 having a male terminal housing chamber 3 (terminal housing chamber) that extends in the same direction as the male terminal 2 (front-rear direction Y) and houses the male terminal 2. The male housing 30 has a position adjustment part 4 that displaces the male terminal 2 in the radial direction R (orthogonal direction) of the male terminal housing chamber 3. The position adjustment part 4 is supported by the male terminal 2 and the inner circumferential surface 3S (inner surface of the terminal housing chamber) of the rear housing chamber 3B in the male terminal housing chamber 3, and has a coil spring 40 that extends in the radial direction R. With this configuration, even if the female connector body 50, which includes a pair of female terminals 5, 5, approaches the male connector 1 at an oblique angle, and the female terminals 5 are inserted into the male terminal 2 at an extreme angle, the male terminal 2 will displace to follow the female terminals 5, so that the electrical contact portion 22 of each male terminal 2 is smoothly inserted into the female terminal body 51 of each female terminal 5. This improves the workability when connecting the connector.

[0032] Furthermore, even if an external impact is applied while the electrical contact portion 22 of each male terminal 2 is inserted into the female terminal body 51 of each female terminal 5, the impact is absorbed by the contraction of the coil spring 40, thereby mitigating the impact on the terminal mating portion 7.

[0033] Furthermore, the position adjustment unit 4 has four (or more) coil springs 40, and the multiple coil springs 40 are arranged at equal intervals around the male terminal 2. This makes it possible to displace the male terminal 2 in the radial direction R of the male terminal housing chamber 3. This further improves the workability when connecting the connector.

[0034] Furthermore, the male housing 30 is fixed to the mounting object via the flange portion 12. In this embodiment, even if the male housing 30 is fixed to the mounting object, the male terminal 2 is supported so as to be freely displaceable by the position adjustment portion 4, allowing the connector to be connected without impairing workability.

[0035] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and includes other configurations that can achieve the objectives of the present invention, as well as modifications such as those shown below.

[0036] Furthermore, although the above embodiment has four (or more) coil springs 40, the present invention is not limited thereto. The position adjustment unit 4 only needs to have one or more coil springs 40.

[0037] Furthermore, although the above embodiment has a flange portion 12 that is provided continuously with the male housing 30 and fixed to the object to be mounted, the present invention is not limited thereto. The flange portion 12 may be omitted, and the male housing 30 may not be fixed to the object to be mounted.

[0038] Furthermore, while the best configurations and methods for carrying out the present invention are disclosed in the above description, the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, although the present invention is particularly illustrated and described with respect to specific embodiments, those skilled in the art can make various modifications to the embodiments described above in terms of shape, material, quantity, and other detailed configurations without departing from the scope of the technical idea and objectives of the present invention. Therefore, the limiting descriptions of shape, material, etc. disclosed above are provided as examples to facilitate understanding of the present invention and do not limit the present invention. Accordingly, descriptions of components with some or all of these limitations removed are included in the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0039] 1 Male connector 2 male terminals 3. Male terminal housing chamber (terminal housing chamber) 30 Male Housing 3S Male terminal housing chamber, inner surface of the rear housing chamber (inner surface of the terminal housing chamber) 4 Position adjustment section 40 coil springs 12 Flange section Y: Front-back direction (direction in which the terminal housing chamber extends) R Radial direction (orthogonal direction)

Claims

1. A male connector comprising a rod-shaped male terminal and a male housing having a terminal housing chamber that extends in the same direction as the male terminal and houses the male terminal, The male terminal has a position adjustment unit that displaces it in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the terminal housing chamber extends, The position adjustment section is supported by the male terminal and the inner surface of the terminal housing chamber, and is characterized by having a coil spring extending in the orthogonal direction.

2. The position adjustment unit has a plurality of coil springs, The male connector according to claim 1, characterized in that the plurality of coil springs are provided at equal intervals around the male terminal.

3. Having a flange portion continuous with the male housing, The male connector according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the male housing is fixed to the object to be attached via the flange portion.

Images