connector

Abstract

To provide a connector capable of securing a sufficient contact weight between a dialogue terminal and a mating connector terminal and at the same time achieving an excellent operability in a lock arm.SOLUTION: A connector 1 provides a regulation part 111c that regulates a motion of a branching source part 142a so as to be provided to depress the branching source part 142a of a mating contact part 142 in a dialogue terminal 14 into an inner part of a dialogue terminal housing chamber 111f in the connector; and a branching part 111d that is projected and formed so as to support the branching source part 142a by a top part, and that becomes a support point when the mating contact part 142 is lifted at the time of contact with a mating connector terminal and a support point when the dialogue terminal 14 falls at the time of depressing the lock arm 111b.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a connector having a diagnostic terminal attached to a connector body for electrically diagnosing the mating of the connector with a mating connector. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, connectors are known in which a diagnostic terminal is attached to the connector body for electrically diagnosing the mating with the mating connector (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The diagnostic terminal in Patent Document 1 is attached to the housing so as to short-circuit a pair of mating connector terminals when mating with the mating connector is complete. Diagnosis of mating with the mating connector is performed by, for example, detecting the continuity of the pair of mating connector terminals shorted by the diagnostic terminal using a device in which the mating connector is installed.

[0003] Here, the diagnostic terminal is formed as a metal leaf spring bent into a U-shape. One end of the diagnostic terminal is in contact with a lock arm that engages with the mating connector when mating, and the other end is configured to contact a pair of mating connector terminals when mating is complete. The lock arm is pushed in when engaging with the mating connector and when releasing the engagement to release the mating, and the diagnostic terminal is compressed when the lock arm is pushed in, thereby applying a lock load due to the springiness to the lock arm. The diagnostic terminal contacts the pair of mating connector terminals by being sandwiched between the lock arm and the partition wall of the diagnostic terminal receiving chamber in the housing, and the springiness of the diagnostic terminal also serves as a contact load with the mating connector terminals. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2015-26509 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Here, in the above connector, if the spring strength of the diagnostic terminal is increased to increase the contact load with the mating connector terminal, the locking load of the locking arm also increases, which may reduce the operability of the locking arm.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention focuses on the above-mentioned problems and aims to provide a connector that can ensure both sufficient contact load between the diagnostic terminal and the mating connector terminal and good operability of the lock arm. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, a connector includes a connector main body having connector terminals accommodated in a cavity of a housing, and a diagnostic terminal that is accommodated in a diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber provided in the housing and has an opening on the mating side so as to be able to receive a pair of mating connector terminals when the mating of the connector main body and the mating connector is complete, and that shorts the pair of mating connector terminals to electrically diagnose the mating when the mating is complete, the diagnostic terminal being a U-shaped metal leaf spring that opens toward the mating side, and that has a spring portion that is accommodated in the diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber so that one end side contacts one of a pair of opposing partition walls that define the diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber and the other end side contacts the other partition wall, and a spring portion that branches into two from the other end side of the spring portion and extends toward the mating side so as to sandwich the pair of mating connector terminals between the other partition wall when the mating is complete. and a pair of mating contact portions that come into contact with the pair of mating connector terminals, the housing forming a part of one of the partition walls and arranged to engage the mating connector when the mating is completed, a lock arm that is pushed into the other partition wall while compressing the spring portion when engaging with the mating connector and when releasing the engagement for disengaging the mating, a regulating portion that is arranged inside the diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber so as to press a branch origin portion of the pair of mating contact portions against the other partition wall and regulates movement of the branch origin portion, and a fulcrum portion that is formed on the other partition wall to protrude and support the branch origin portion at its top, and serves as a fulcrum when the pair of mating contact portions are lifted up when contacted with the pair of mating connector terminals and as a fulcrum when the diagnostic terminal falls to the opposite side to the mating side when the lock arm is pushed in. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the above-described connector, it is possible to ensure a sufficient contact load between the diagnostic terminal and the mating connector terminal, while also achieving good operability of the lock arm. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1]1 is a perspective view showing a connector according to one embodiment together with a mating connector. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the connector shown in FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view showing the diagnostic terminal shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. [Figure 4] 4 is a plan view showing the housing shown in FIG. 3 as viewed from the arm installation surface. [Diagram 5] 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber provided in the housing shown in FIG. 4, taken along line V11-V11 in the figure. [Figure 6] 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to that of FIG. 5, showing a state in which a diagnostic terminal is accommodated in the diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] 7 is a diagram showing how the fulcrum portion shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 serves as a fulcrum when the mating contact portion is lifted and when the diagnostic terminal falls to the side opposite to the mating side. [Figure 8] 11 is a diagram showing locations where a contact load with a mating connector terminal and a lock load against a lock arm occur in a diagnostic terminal accommodated in a diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber; FIG. [Figure 9] 9 is a diagram showing a comparative example for comparing the diag terminal receiving structure in the connector shown in FIGS. 1 to 8. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] An embodiment of the connector will now be described.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a connector according to one embodiment together with a mating connector, and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the connector shown in FIG.

[0012] The connector 1 in this embodiment is used, for example, as an end connector of a wire harness mounted on a vehicle, etc. The mating connector 2 is a board-mounted connector, and is mounted on an internal board of a device to which the wire harness is connected. In this embodiment, the connector 1 is a female connector having a rectangular block-like appearance, and the mating connector 2 is a rectangular block-like male connector to which two connectors 1 can be connected.

[0013] The connector 1 includes a connector body 11, a fitting lever 12, a wire cover 13, and a diagnostic terminal 14. The connector body 11 also includes a housing 111, a connector terminal 112, and a spacer 113.

[0014] The connector main body 11 has a housing 111 with a cavity 111a housing the connector terminals 112 accommodated therein. The housing 111 has a rectangular block-like appearance and is made of insulating resin with a plurality of rectangular tubular cavities 111a formed therein. The connector terminals 112 are female terminals made of conductive metal and formed into a rectangular tubular shape by sheet metal processing, and are crimped and connected to the end of the electric wire W1. The connector terminals 112 are accommodated in the cavities 111a of the housing 111 one by one.

[0015] Spacer 113 is an insulating resin member that is inserted through a slit formed on a surface of housing 111 opposite arm installation surface 111e. When spacer 113 is inserted into housing 111, it presses connector terminals 112 in each cavity 111a in the insertion direction, thereby fixing each connector terminal 112 so that it does not come out of each cavity 111a.

[0016] The fitting lever 12 is a resin member supported by the housing 111 so as to be rotatable about an axis 12a that runs along an arm installation surface 111e on the outer surface of the housing 111 and intersects with the fitting direction D11. The fitting lever 13 includes a pair of lever arms 121 that sandwich the housing 111 between them so as to intersect with the axis 12a, and a lever operating part 122 that connects the ends of the pair of lever arms 121 in a bridge shape. When the connector body 11 and the mating connector 2 are fitted together, the fitting lever 12 is rotated around the axis 12a via the lever operating part 122 with the pair of lever arms 121 engaged with the mating connector 2. By this rotation, the fitting lever 12 draws the mating connector 2 to the connector body 11 and fits it.

[0017] The electric wire cover 13 is a resin cover attached to the rear end of the housing 111, opposite the side that is mated with the mating connector 2. The connector terminals 112 are crimped to the end, and the multiple electric wires W1 extending outward from the rear end of the housing 111 are covered and protected by the electric wire cover 13, and are guided in a lateral direction intersecting the direction of extension from the rear end.

[0018] The diagnostic terminal 14 is a metal leaf spring, and is a conductive metal member that is installed near an arm installation surface 111e on which a lock arm 111b (described later) is installed among the four peripheral surfaces of the rectangular block-shaped housing 111. A diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber 111f having two openings on the mating side so as to receive a pair of mating connector terminals 22 when the mating between the connector body 11 and the mating connector 2 is completed is provided near the arm installation surface 111e. The diagnostic terminal 14 is accommodated in the diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber 111f, and is a member that allows electrical diagnosis of the mating by short-circuiting the pair of mating connector terminals 22 when the mating is completed. The diagnosis is performed in a self-diagnostic manner on the device side equipped with the mating connector 2 by checking the continuity of the pair of mating connector terminals 22.

[0019] The mating connector 2 to which the connector 1 of the present embodiment having such a configuration is fitted is a horizontally elongated rectangular block-shaped male connector into which two of the connectors 1 can be fitted side by side. The mating connector 2 includes a horizontally elongated rectangular block-shaped mating housing 21 made of insulating resin and a plurality of board-mounted mating connector terminals 22. Each mating connector terminal 22 has a bent shape that extends from the rear end of the mating housing 21 on the opposite side to the mating side to the outside, bends 90° along the way, and reaches the mounting board. The mating side of the mating connector terminal 22 has a pin shape that can enter the inside of the connector terminal 112, which is a female terminal in a square tube shape. Among the plurality of mating connector terminals 22, a pair of mating connector terminals 22 at positions corresponding to the two openings of the above-mentioned diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber 111f enters the diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber 111f when mated, and is short-circuited by the diagnostic terminal 14.

[0020] The connector 1, which has been outlined above including the mating connector 2, will be described below with a focus on the diagnostic terminal 14 that allows electrical diagnosis of the mating.

[0021] Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view showing the diagnostic terminal shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the housing shown in Fig. 3 as seen from the arm installation surface, and Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber provided in the housing shown in Fig. 4, taken along line V11-V11 in the figure. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the diagnostic terminal is accommodated in the diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber shown in Fig. 5, taken along the same cross-section as Fig. 5.

[0022] 3 to 6, in this embodiment, the diagnostic terminal 14 includes a spring portion 141, a pair of mating contact portions 142, a spring side locking portion 143, and a pair of side pieces 144. Meanwhile, the housing 111 of the connector main body 11 is provided with a lock arm 111b, a restricting portion 111c, a fulcrum portion 111d, an inclined surface 111g, and a housing side locking portion 111h inside and around the diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber 111f.

[0023] The spring portion 141 of the diagnostic terminal 14 is a U-shaped metal plate spring that opens toward the mating side. The spring portion 141 is accommodated in the diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber 111f such that one end side contacts one partition wall 111f-1 of a pair of opposing partition walls 111f-1, 111f-2 that divide the diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber 111f and the other end side contacts the other partition wall 111f-2. The pair of mating contact portions 142 are contact points that bifurcate from the other end side of the spring portion 141 and extend toward the mating side, and contact the pair of mating connector terminals 22 so as to sandwich the pair of mating connector terminals 22 between the other partition wall 111f-2 when mating is complete.

[0024] The lock arm 111b in the housing 111 forms a part of one of the partition walls 111f-1 in the diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber 111f. This lock arm 111b is provided so as to lock the mating housing 21 of the mating connector 2 when the mating is completed. When the mating connector 2 is locked and when the mating is released, the lock arm 111b is pressed into the other partition wall 111f-2 while compressing the spring portion 141 in the diagnostic terminal 14, and the lock is released. The spring portion 141 of the diagnostic terminal 14 applies a lock load, which is the load when the lock arm 111b is pressed, to the lock arm 111b by its spring elasticity.

[0025] The restricting portion 111c in the housing 111 is a portion provided inside the diagnostic terminal receiving chamber 111f so as to press the branch origin portion 142a of the pair of mating contact portions 142 in the diagnostic terminal 14 against the other partition wall 111f-2. This restricting portion 111c restricts the movement of the branch origin portion 142a when the lock arm 111b is pushed in and when the mating connector terminal 22 enters while lifting the tip side of the mating contact portion 142. In this embodiment, this restricting portion 111c is an internal wall that divides the mating side of the diagnostic terminal receiving chamber 111f from the fulcrum portion 111d into a pair of small chambers 111f-3 in which the pair of mating contact portions 142 are respectively arranged. A part of this internal wall, which is the restricting portion 111c, protrudes toward the spring portion 141 from the branch origin portion 142a on the opposite side to the mating side. The restricting portion 111c presses the branch origin portion 142a against the other partition wall 111f-2 at the base side of the protruding portion 111c-1.

[0026] The fulcrum portion 111d of the housing 111 is a portion formed on the other partition wall 111f-2 so as to protrude and support the branch source portion 142a at its top. The fulcrum portion 111d serves as a fulcrum when the mating contact portion 142 is lifted upon contact with the mating connector terminal 22, and as a fulcrum when the diagnostic terminal 14 falls to the opposite side to the mating side upon pressing in the lock arm 111b.

[0027] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing how the fulcrum portion shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 serves as a fulcrum when the mating contact portion is lifted and when the diagnostic terminal falls to the side opposite the mating side.

[0028] 7, when the mating connector terminal 22 enters the small chamber 111f-3 on the mating side of the diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber 111f during mating, the tip side of the mating contact portion 142 is lifted in a lifting direction D13 and bent. The mating contact portion 142 contacts the mating connector terminal 22 with the other partition wall 111f-2 of the diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber 111f, using the reaction force as a contact load, so as to sandwich the mating connector terminal 22 between the other partition wall 111f-2. The fulcrum portion 111d formed to protrude from the other partition wall 111f-2, in combination with the pressing of the branch origin portion 142a by the restricting portion 111c, serves as a fulcrum when the mating contact portion 142 is lifted and bent.

[0029] When the lock arm 111b is pushed in the unlocking direction D14 toward the other partition wall 111f-2 to release the engagement with the mating connector 2, the diagnostic terminal 14 is compressed by the lock arm 111b and falls toward the opposite side to the mating side. The reaction force when the spring portion 141 of the diagnostic terminal 14 is compressed by the lock arm 111b becomes the lock load. The fulcrum portion 111d, in combination with the pressing of the branch origin portion 142a by the restricting portion 111c, becomes the fulcrum when the terminal falls, as when the mating contact portion 142 is lifted.

[0030] The inclined surface 111g provided in the diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber 111f serves as a surface that supports the diagnostic terminal 14, which falls about the fulcrum portion 111d when the lock arm 111b is pressed in as described above, so that the spring portion 141 comes into contact with the inclined surface 111g. This inclined surface 111g is a portion of the other partition wall 111f on the opposite side to the fitting side from the fulcrum portion 111d, and is formed with an inclination such that its height gradually decreases with increasing distance from the fulcrum portion 111d.

[0031] As described above, the diagnostic terminal 14 includes the spring portion 141 and the mating contact portion 142 as well as the spring side locking portion 143 and a pair of side pieces 144 .

[0032] The spring side locking portion 143 is provided on one end side of the spring portion 141, i.e., on the lock arm 111b side, and is in contact with the lock arm 111b and is locked with a housing side locking portion 111h that constitutes the portion of one of the partition walls 111f-1 other than the lock arm 111b. The spring side locking portion 143 is formed with locking recesses 143a on each of a pair of side edges. The housing side locking portion 111h is provided with a pair of locking protrusions 111h-1 that are locked with the pair of locking recesses 143a.

[0033] In addition, a pair of side pieces 144 of the diagnostic terminal 14 are bent portions that are bent at a pair of side edges at one end of the spring portion 141 toward the other end and further extend toward the curved portion of the spring portion 141.

[0034] In the diagnostic terminal 14 having the above configuration, when it is accommodated in the diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber 111f, a contact load with the mating connector terminal 22 and a lock load with respect to the lock arm 111b are generated at the following locations.

[0035] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing locations where a contact load with a mating connector terminal and a lock load with respect to a lock arm occur in a diagnostic terminal accommodated in a diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber.

[0036] First, in the diagnostic terminal 14 accommodated in the diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber 111f, a contact load with the mating connector terminal 22 is generated at a first location 145 from the contact portion 142b to the branch origin portion 142a in the mating contact portion 142. This is because the movement of the branch origin portion 142a is restricted by the restricting portion 111c pressing the branch origin portion 142a against the fulcrum portion 111d. When contacting with the mating connector terminal 22, the mating contact portion 142 is deflected from the branch origin portion 142a as a starting point, so that a contact load is generated at the first location 145 from the contact portion 142b to the branch origin portion 142a. In addition, a lock load with respect to the lock arm 111b is generated at a second location 146 from the branch origin portion 142a to the curved apex 141a in the spring portion 141 due to the restriction of the movement of the branch origin portion 142a. In the diagnostic terminal 14 of this embodiment, the length of the first location 145 is longer than the length of the second location 146 in the longitudinal direction of the mating contact portion 142.

[0037] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a comparative example for comparing the housing structure of the diagnostic terminal in the connector shown in FIGS.

[0038] 9 is a long U-shaped metal leaf spring, one end of which contacts the lock arm 511b and the other end of which is bifurcated to form a pair of contacts 542b. The diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber 511f of the comparative example in which the diagnostic terminal 54 is accommodated is not provided with a structure equivalent to the restricting portion 111c in the above-described embodiment, and only the fulcrum portion 511d is formed to protrude from the partition wall 511f-2 facing the lock arm 511b.

[0039] In the configuration of this comparative example, there is no restriction on the movement of the diagnostic terminal 54 in the middle in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, when contacting with the mating connector terminal, the contact side of the diagnostic terminal 54 is lifted and bent starting from the U-shaped curved apex 541a. As a result, the contact load with the mating connector terminal occurs at a first point 545 from the contact portion 542b to the curved apex 541a. On the other hand, when the lock arm 511b is pushed in, the lock arm 511b is pushed in while squeezing the diagnostic terminal 54 between the lock arm 511b and the fulcrum portion 511d. As a result, the lock load on the lock arm 511b occurs at a second point 546 from the contact with the fulcrum portion 511d to the curved apex 541a. In this configuration, the first point 545 is long, so the contact load generated at the first point 545 tends to be weak. However, if the overall spring strength of the diagnostic terminal 54 is increased in order to increase this contact load, the lock load also increases, which may reduce the operability of the lock arm.

[0040] In contrast to such a comparative example, the connector 1 of the above embodiment can provide the following effects. That is, according to the connector 1 of the present embodiment, the lock load when the lock arm 111b is pressed is generated by the spring portion 141 of the diagnostic terminal 14, which is farther from the mating side than the fulcrum portion 111d. On the other hand, the contact load when the mating contact portion 142 and the mating connector terminal 22 contact each other is generated by each of the mating contact portions 142, which are closer to the mating side than the fulcrum portion 111d. In this way, since the location where the lock load is generated and the location where the contact load is generated are separated in the diagnostic terminal 14, it is possible to set the lock load and the contact load to appropriate values ​​individually. That is, according to the connector 1 of the present embodiment, it is possible to ensure both a sufficient contact load between the diagnostic terminal 14 and the mating connector terminal 22 and good operability of the lock arm 111b.

[0041] In this embodiment, the restricting portion 111c is an internal wall that divides the mating side of the diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber 111f into a pair of small chambers 111f-3. The restricting portion 111c presses the branch origin portion 142a against the other partition wall 111f-2 at the base side of the protruding portion 111c-1, which is a part of the restricting portion 111c. According to this configuration, the restricting portion 111c serves as an internal wall for bringing each mating contact portion 142 into contact with each mating connector terminal 22 in the individual small chambers 111f-3, and therefore the internal structure of the diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber 111f can be simplified.

[0042] In this embodiment, one end of the spring portion 141 is provided with a spring side locking portion 143, and the housing 111 is provided with a housing side locking portion 111h. With this configuration, the position of the diagnostic terminal 14 inside the diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber 111f can be stabilized by the locking of the spring side locking portion 143 with the housing side locking portion 111h.

[0043] In this embodiment, a portion of the other partition wall 111f-2 farther from the fitting side than the fulcrum portion 111d is an inclined surface 111g that supports the diagnostic terminal 14, which falls about the fulcrum portion 111d, so that the spring portion 141 comes into contact with the inclined surface 111g. With this configuration, when the lock arm 111b is pressed in, the diagnostic terminal 14 is compressed with the spring portion 141 in contact with the inclined surface 111g, so that a stable lock load can be obtained.

[0044] In the present embodiment, the length from the contact portion 142b to the branch origin portion 142a of the diagnostic terminal 14 is longer than the length from the branch origin portion 142a to the curved apex portion 141a in the longitudinal direction of the mating contact portion 142. With this configuration, due to the relationship in length, an appropriate lock load by the spring portion 141 and an appropriate contact load by the mating contact portion 142 can be effectively obtained.

[0045] In this embodiment, the diagnostic terminal 14 includes a pair of side pieces 144. With this configuration, the spring portion 141 of the diagnostic terminal 14 is supported from both sides in the width direction by the pair of side pieces 144. This lateral support effectively prevents deformation of the spring portion 141 in the width direction, thereby maintaining good spring properties.

[0046] The above-described embodiment is merely a representative example of the connector, and the connector is not limited to this embodiment but can be modified in various ways.

[0047] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the connector 1 used as an end connector of a wire harness mounted on a vehicle is exemplified as an example of a connector. However, the connector is not limited to this, and there is no restriction on the specific application of the connector.

[0048] In the above-described embodiment, as an example of a connector, a connector 1 having a rectangular block-like appearance and connectable in pairs to a board-mounted mating connector 2 also having a rectangular block-like appearance is given. However, the connector is not limited to this, and the specific external shape and type of the mating connector are not important.

[0049] In the above-described embodiment, the connector 1 is exemplified as an example of a connector, to which the fitting lever 12 for assisting fitting and the wire cover 13 on the rear end side in the fitting direction D11 are attached. However, the connector is not limited to this, and may be one that does not include any fitting lever or wire cover.

[0050] In the above-described embodiment, the connector 1 including the spacer 113 is illustrated as an example of a connector. However, the connector is not limited to this, and other configurations can be arbitrarily set as long as the connector includes a connector main body and a diagnostic terminal.

[0051] In the above-described embodiment, the restricting portion 111c is an internal wall that divides the mating side of the diag terminal accommodating chamber 111f into a pair of small chambers 111f-3. However, the restricting portion is not limited to this, and the above-described internal wall may not be provided inside the diag terminal accommodating chamber, and may be provided separately from the restricting portion. However, as described above, by making the restricting portion 111c serve as the internal wall, the internal structure of the diag terminal accommodating chamber 111f can be simplified.

[0052] In the above-described embodiment, the connector 1 is exemplified as an example of a connector, in which the spring-side locking portion 143 of the diagnostic terminal 14 is accommodated in the diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber 111f with the spring-side locking portion 143 locked with the housing-side locking portion 111h of the housing 111. However, the connector is not limited to this, and the diagnostic terminal may be accommodated in the diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber in a state where it is only in contact with the partition wall. However, as described above, the position of the diagnostic terminal 14 can be stabilized by locking the spring-side locking portion 143 with the housing-side locking portion 111h.

[0053] In the above-described embodiment, the connector 1 is exemplified as an example of a connector in which the other partition wall 111f-2 in the diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber 111f is provided with an inclined surface 111g that supports the diagnostic terminal 14 so that the spring portion 141 comes into contact with the diagnostic terminal 14. However, the connector is not limited to this, and may be one that supports the diagnostic terminal 14 on a flat surface when the lock arm 111b is pressed in. However, as described above, by supporting the diagnostic terminal 14 on the inclined surface 111g when the lock arm 111b is pressed in, a stable lock load can be obtained.

[0054] In the above-described embodiment, the diagnostic terminal 14 is exemplified as an example of the diagnostic terminal in which the length from the contact portion 142b to the branch origin portion 142a is longer than the length from the branch origin portion 142a to the curved top portion 141a. However, the diagnostic terminal is not limited to this, and the length of each portion can be set arbitrarily. However, as described above, the appropriate lock load by the spring portion 141 and the appropriate contact load by the mating contact portion 142 can be effectively obtained depending on the magnitude relationship of the above lengths.

[0055] In the above-described embodiment, the diagnostic terminal 14 having a pair of side pieces 144 is illustrated as an example of the diagnostic terminal. However, the diagnostic terminal is not limited to this, and may be formed only in a simple U-shape. However, as described above, by providing the pair of side pieces 144, deformation in the width direction of the spring portion 141 can be effectively suppressed and good spring properties can be maintained. [Explanation of symbols]

[0056] 1 Connector 2 Mating Connector 11 Connector body 12 Mating lever 12a axis 13 Wire cover 14 Diagnostic terminal 21 Opponent Housing 22 Mating connector terminal 111 Housing 111a Cavity 111b Lock Arm 111c Regulatory Division 111c-1 Projection 111d Fulcrum part 111e Arm installation surface 111f Diagnostic terminal room 111f-1 One partition wall 111f-2 The other partition wall 111f-3 Small room 111g sloped surface 111h Housing side locking part 111h-1 Locking protrusion 112 Connector terminal 113 Spacer 121 Lever Arm 122 Lever operation part 141 Spring part 141a curved top 142 Contact point with other party 142a Branching part 142b Contact part 143 Spring side locking part 143a Locking recess 144 Side piece 145 No. 1 146 2nd Place D11 Mating direction D12 Movement direction D13 Lifting direction D14 Unlock direction W1 electric wire

Claims

1. a connector body having connector terminals accommodated in a cavity of a housing; a diagnostic terminal that is accommodated in a diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber provided in the housing and has an opening on the mating side so as to be able to receive a pair of mating connector terminals when the mating between the connector body and the mating connector is completed, and that shorts the pair of mating connector terminals when the mating is completed, thereby enabling an electrical diagnosis of the mating; The diagnostic terminal is a U-shaped metal leaf spring that is open toward the fitting side, the spring portion being accommodated in the diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber such that one end side of the spring portion contacts one of a pair of opposing partition walls that define the diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber and the other end side of the spring portion contacts the other partition wall; a pair of mating contact portions which are bifurcated from the other end side of the spring portion and extend toward the mating side, and which come into contact with the pair of mating connector terminals so as to sandwich the pair of mating connector terminals between the other partition wall and the pair of mating connector terminals when the mating is completed; The housing comprises: a lock arm that forms a part of the one of the partition walls and is provided to lock the mating connector when the mating is completed, and that is pushed into the other partition wall while compressing the spring portion when locking with the mating connector and when releasing the lock for disengaging the mating; a restricting portion provided inside the diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber so as to press the branch origin portion of the pair of mating contact portions against the other partition wall and restrict movement of the branch origin portion; a fulcrum portion formed on the other partition wall so as to protrude and support the branch origin portion at its top, the fulcrum portion serving as a fulcrum when the pair of mating contact portions are lifted upon contact with the pair of mating connector terminals, and a fulcrum portion when the diagnostic terminal falls to the side opposite the mating side when the lock arm is pushed in.

2. 2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the restricting portion is an internal wall that divides the mating side of the diagnostic terminal accommodating chamber from the fulcrum portion into a pair of small chambers in which the pair of mating contact portions are respectively arranged, and a portion of the restricting portion protrudes toward the spring portion beyond the branch origin portion on the opposite side to the mating side, and a base side of the protruding portion presses the branch origin portion against the other partition wall.

3. a spring-side engaging portion is provided on one end side of the spring portion, the spring-side engaging portion being in contact with the lock arm and engaging with a portion of the one partition wall other than the lock arm; 2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a housing-side locking portion provided on a portion of the one partition wall other than the lock arm and adapted to lock with the spring-side locking portion.

4. 2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the other partition wall farther from the mating side than the fulcrum portion is inclined so that its height gradually decreases as it moves away from the fulcrum portion, forming an inclined surface that supports the diagnostic terminal, which falls around the fulcrum portion when the lock arm is pressed in, so that the spring portion comes into contact with the diagnostic terminal.

5. The connector according to claim 1, characterized in that the length of the diagnostic terminal from the contact portion to the branch origin portion in each of the pair of mating contact portions in the longitudinal direction of the pair of mating contact portions is longer than the length from the branch origin portion to the curved apex of the spring portion.

6. 2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the diagnostic terminal is bent at a pair of side edges at one end of the spring portion toward the other end, and further includes a pair of side pieces extending toward the curved portion of the spring portion.

Images