Connector structure

Abstract

To provide a connector structure and male connector with improved strength.SOLUTION: A male connector 2 includes a plurality of male terminals 21, a short spring 22 that contacts the plurality of male terminals 21, and a male housing 23 that accommodates the plurality of male terminals 21 and the short spring 22. The female connector 3 has a plurality of female terminals 31 that are electrically connected to the plurality of male terminals 21, respectively, and a female housing 32 that accommodates the plurality of female terminals 31. When the short spring 22 contacts a portion of the male terminal 21 that is inserted into the female terminal 31 and the male terminal 21 and the female terminal 31 are electrically connected, the female housing 32 is inserted between the male terminal 21 and the short spring 22.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] As a conventional connector structure, a half-fitting prevention connector described in Patent Document 1 has been proposed (Patent Document 1). According to the half-fitting prevention connector of Patent Document 1, the male connector is provided with a short-circuit spring that short-circuits a plurality of male terminals before fitting with the female connector to prevent malfunction. The female connector is provided with a short-circuit release plate portion that is inserted between the male terminal and the short-circuit spring when the male connector is fitted.

[0003] In the above-described conventional male connector, the short-circuit spring contacts a box portion provided behind the male tab inserted into the female terminal. Therefore, in the female connector, it is necessary to project a thin plate-shaped short-circuit release plate portion forward of the fitting surface of the female housing.

[0004] This thin plate-shaped short-circuit release plate portion has a problem that it is weak in strength and is damaged during fitting or by external force. When the short-circuit release plate portion is damaged, fine fragments enter the terminal contact, causing poor contact. In addition, the short-circuit between the male terminals by the short-circuit spring cannot be released.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to provide a connector structure with improved strength. of

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] To achieve the aforementioned objectives, the connector structure according to the present invention is characterized by the following: A male connector having a plurality of male terminals, a short spring that contacts the plurality of male terminals, and a male housing that accommodates the plurality of male terminals and the short spring, A female connector comprising: a plurality of female terminals electrically connected to each of the plurality of male terminals; and a female housing that accommodates the plurality of female terminals. A connector structure, The short spring is in contact with the portion of the male terminal that is inserted into the female terminal. When the male terminal and the female terminal are electrically connected, the female housing is inserted between the male terminal and the shorting spring. The female housing comprises a plurality of terminal housing chambers for housing the female terminals, and the tip portion of the portion between the terminal housing chambers. The first tip The outer surface of the tip portions on both sides of the aforementioned portion The second tip It has a short-circuit release portion that protrudes from the outer surface, The short-circuit release part is inserted between the male terminal and the shorting spring. It has a connector structure. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, a connector structure with improved strength is obtained. of It can be provided.

[0010] The present invention has been briefly described above. Furthermore, the details of the present invention will be further clarified by referring to the attached drawings and reading through the embodiments for carrying out the invention described below (hereinafter referred to as "embodiments"). [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view before fitting showing an embodiment of the connector structure of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the female connector of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view during fitting of the connector structure shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view after fitting of the connector structure shown in FIG. 1.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0012] Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the respective drawings.

[0013] Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, “front”, “rear”, “left”, “right”, “upper” and “lower” are defined. The “front-rear direction”, “left-right direction” and “upper-lower direction” are orthogonal to each other.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 1, the connector structure 1 of the present embodiment includes a male connector 2, a female connector 3 that fits with the male connector 2, and a CPA (Fitting Position Assurance Lock) 4 that is slidably attached to the outside of the female connector 3.

[0015] The male connector 2 includes two male terminals 21, a short spring 22 that contacts the two male terminals 21, a male housing 23 that houses the male terminals 21 and the short spring 22, and a male front retainer 24.

[0016] The male terminal 21 is provided by punching and bending a conductive metal plate. The male terminal 21 is housed in the male housing 23 such that the longitudinal direction thereof is along the front-rear direction. The two male terminals 21 are housed in the male housing 23 side by side in the left-right direction. The male terminal 21 has a male tab 211, a substantially square tubular box portion 212, and a wire connection portion 213.

[0017] The male tab 211 is provided on the front side (female connector 3 side) and is formed in a tab shape. The male tab 211 is inserted into the female terminal 31 and electrically connected to the female terminal 31. The box portion 212 is provided adjacent to the rear side of the male tab 211 (the side away from the female connector 3) and is formed in a box shape having a bottom surface in substantially the same plane as the male tab 211. The wire connection portion 213 is provided adjacent to the rear side of the box portion 212 and is attached to the terminal of the wire 10. A rubber plug 11 is externally inserted into the terminal of the wire 10, and the portion where the rubber plug 11 is externally inserted is housed in the male housing 23.

[0018] The short spring 22 is provided by punching and bending a conductive metal plate. As shown in FIG. 1, in a state where the male connector 2 and the female connector 3 are not fitted, the short spring 22 contacts the male tab 211 inserted into the female terminal 31 and shorts the two male terminals 21. In other words, the short spring 22 contacts the front side of the fitting surface where the rear end of the female terminal 31 is located at the male terminal 21 when the male connector 2 and the female connector 3 are fitted. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5, in a state where the male connector 2 and the female connector 3 are fitted, the short-circuit release portion 322 of the female connector 3 is inserted between the short spring 22 and the male tab 211, so the connection between the short spring 22 and the male terminal 21 is released.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, the short spring 22 is housed below the male terminal 21. The short spring 22 includes a lower plate 221 disposed on the inner surface of the lower side of the male housing 23, an upper plate 222 disposed above the lower plate 221, and a connecting plate 223 connecting the rear ends of the lower plate 221 and the upper plate 222, and is formed in a substantially U shape. With the above configuration, the front end of the upper plate 222 is provided to be flexible in the vertical direction. A contact point 224 that protrudes upward and contacts the male tab 211 is provided at the front end of the upper plate 222. An inclined surface that approaches the male tab 211 as it moves away from the front end is provided at the front end portion of the contact point 224.

[0020] The male housing 23 is made of an insulating material such as resin. The male housing 23 has an upper lock beak 231, a lower lock beak 232, and a male housing lance 233. The upper lock beak 231 and the lower lock beak 232 are provided to protrude vertically from the outer surface of the cylindrical male housing 23. The upper lock beak 231 is provided to engage with the upper lock beak 231 of the female connector 3, which will be described later. The lower lock beak 232 is provided to engage with the lower lock beak 45 of the CPA 4, which will be described later. The male housing lance 233 is provided to protrude downward and forward from the inner surface of the cylindrical male housing 23 and is provided to engage with the box portion 212 of the male terminal 21.

[0021] The male front retainer 24 is made of an insulating material such as resin. The male front retainer 24 is inserted through the front opening of the male housing 23 and is housed inside the male housing 23. The male front retainer 24 is inserted between the tip of the male housing lance 233 and the inner surface of the male housing 23. This prevents the tip of the male housing lance 233 from bending toward the inner surface of the male housing 23 and releasing the lock with the male terminal 21.

[0022] The female connector 3 includes two female terminals 31 that are electrically connected to each of the two male terminals 21, a female housing 32 that houses the two female terminals 31, and a female front retainer 33 and a packing 34 that are fitted onto the female housing 32.

[0023] The female terminal 31 is made by punching out and bending a conductive metal plate. The female terminal 31 is housed in the female housing 32 so that its longitudinal direction is aligned with the front-to-back direction. Two female terminals 31 are housed in the female housing 32 side by side in the left-to-right direction. The female terminal 31 has a roughly rectangular tubular box portion 311 and a wire connection portion 312.

[0024] The box portion 311 is located on the rear side (male connector 2 side). Inside the box portion 311, there is a contact spring that electrically connects to the male tab 211. The wire connection portion 312 is located adjacent to the front side (the side away from the male connector 2) of the box portion 311, and the end of the wire 10 is attached to it. A rubber stopper 11 is fitted onto the end of the wire 10, and the portion with the rubber stopper 11 fitted is housed inside the female housing 32.

[0025] The female housing 32 is made of an insulating material such as resin. As shown in Figure 2, the female housing 32 has two terminal housing chambers 321 and a short-circuit release section 322. The two terminal housing chambers 321 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction, and each houses one female terminal 31.

[0026] The short-circuit release portion 322 is provided in the female housing 32 with its tip protruding from the terminal housing chamber 321 and the outer surface of the tip between the terminal housing chamber 321. When the male connector 2 and the female connector 3 are mated, this short-circuit release portion 322 pushes down the contact 224 of the shorting spring 22 and is inserted between the male tab 211 and the shorting spring 22. The short-circuit release portion 322 has an inclined surface that slopes downward as it moves away from the rear end (tip), that is, away from the female terminal 31.

[0027] As shown in Figure 1, the female housing 32 includes a pair of locking arms 323, 323, an upper locking beak 324, and a female housing lance 325. The pair of locking arms 323, 323 protrude upward from the upper outer surface of the female housing 32, extend toward the rear (male connector 2 side), and their rear ends are provided to be flexible in the vertical direction. The pair of locking arms 323, 323 are provided side by side in the left-right direction. The upper locking beak 324 is provided to connect the rear ends of this pair of locking arms 323, 323.

[0028] The female housing lance 325 is provided to protrude downward and rearward from the inner surface of the terminal housing chamber 321 and is provided for locking the female terminal 31.

[0029] The female front retainer 33 is made of an insulating material such as resin. The female front retainer 33 is inserted from the rear of the female housing 32, and a portion of it is housed in the terminal housing chamber 321. The female front retainer 33 housed in the terminal housing chamber 321 is inserted between the tip of the female housing lance 325 and the inner surface of the terminal housing chamber 321. This prevents the tip of the female housing lance 325 from bending toward the inner surface of the terminal housing chamber 321 and releasing the lock with the female terminal 31.

[0030] The packing 34 is fitted onto the female housing 32 located in front of the female front retainer 33.

[0031] The CPA4 is slidably mounted to the female connector 3 in the front-rear direction. The CPA has a roughly rectangular cylindrical housing 41 that houses the female connector 3, an upper lock arm 42, an upper lock beak 43, a lower lock arm 44, and a lower lock beak 45. The upper lock arm 42 extends from the upper side of the housing 41 toward the rear and downward, and its rear end is provided to be flexible in the vertical direction. An upper lock beak 43 is provided at the rear end of the upper lock arm 42, protruding downward. The lower lock arm 44 extends from the lower side of the housing 41 toward the rear and upward, and its rear end is provided to be flexible in the vertical direction. A lower lock beak 45 is provided at the rear end of the lower lock arm 44, protruding upward.

[0032] The CPA4 is slidably positioned between a permanent locking position (see Figure 5) where the upper lock beak 43 is located behind the upper lock beak 324 of the female connector 3, and a temporary locking position (see Figure 1) where the upper lock beak 43 is located in front of the upper lock beak 324 of the female connector 3.

[0033] As shown in Figure 3, the female connector 3 has a pair of locking arms 35, 35 and a pair of female housing side locks 36, 36. The CPA 4 has a pair of CPA side locks 46, 46. The pair of locking arms 35, 35 extend from the left and right outer surfaces of the female housing 32 toward the front, and their front ends are provided to be flexible in the left-right direction. The front ends of this pair of locking arms 35, 35 are provided with a pair of female housing side locks 36, 36 that project outward in the left-right direction. The CPA side locks 46 are provided projecting from the left and right inner surfaces of the housing 41. When the CPA 4 is in the temporary locking position, the female housing side locks 36 and the CPA side locks 46 lock together.

[0034] Next, the mating procedure between the male connector 2 and the female connector 3 described above will be explained. When the female connector 3 has the CPA 4 slid to the rear and is in the permanent locking position, the female terminal 31 is housed in the terminal housing chamber 321. After housing the female terminal 31, as shown in Figure 1, the male connector 2 and the female connector 3 are mated together with the CPA 4 slid to the front and in the temporary locking position. Before the male connector 2 and the female connector 3 are mated together, the shorting spring 22 is in contact with the male terminal 21.

[0035] When the male connector 2 and the female connector 3 are brought closer together, as shown in Figure 4, the male tab 211 of the male terminal 21 is inserted into the box portion 311 of the female terminal 31, and the contact 224 of the shorting spring 22 comes into contact with the short-circuit release portion 322 provided on the female housing 32. At this time, the upper lock beak 324 of the female connector 3 and the upper lock beak 43 of the CPA4 ride up over the upper lock beak 231 of the male connector 2, and the lower lock beak 45 of the CPA4 rides up over the lower lock beak 232 of the male connector 2.

[0036] As the male connector 2 and female connector 3 are brought closer together, as shown in Figure 5, the short spring 22 is pushed down by the short-circuit release part 322 along the inclined surface of the contact of the short spring 22 and the inclined surface of the short-circuit release part 322, and the short-circuit release part 322 is inserted between the male tab 211 and the short spring 22. This releases the short circuit between the two male terminals 21. Also, the upper lock beak 324 of the female connector 3 moves over the upper lock beak 231 of the male connector 2 and is positioned behind the upper lock beak 231. This completes the mating of the male connector 2 and the female connector 3. Once the male connector 2 and the female connector 3 are fully mated, the CPA 4 slides to the rear, and the upper lock beak 43 of the CPA 4 moves over the upper lock beak 324 of the female connector 3 and is positioned behind the upper lock beak 324. Also, the lower lock beak 45 of the CPA 4 moves over the lower lock beak 232 of the female connector 3 and is positioned behind the lower lock beak 232.

[0037] According to the embodiment described above, the short spring 22 is in contact with the portion of the male terminal 21 that is inserted into the female terminal 31. Therefore, it is not necessary to have a plate-shaped short-circuit release portion 322 protrude from the female housing 32 as in the conventional method, and the female housing 32 itself can serve as the short-circuit release portion 322, thereby improving strength.

[0038] According to the embodiment described above, by making the terminal housing chamber 321 of the female housing 32 protrude between the terminal housing chamber 321 and form a short-circuit release portion 322, the strength can be further improved.

[0039] According to the embodiment described above, the short-circuit release portion 322 is provided with an inclined surface that moves away from the female terminal 31 as it moves away from the tip. As a result, the shorting spring 22 is pressed along the inclined surface, allowing the short-circuit release portion 322 to be smoothly inserted between the shorting spring 22 and the male tab 211.

[0040] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified, improved, etc., as appropriate. In addition, the material, shape, dimensions, number, placement, etc. of each component in the embodiments described above are arbitrary and not limited, as long as they can achieve the present invention.

[0041] For example, in the embodiment described above, a CPA4 that can be slidably attached to the female connector 3 was provided, but providing a CPA4 is not essential and may be omitted.

[0042] Herein, the features of the connector structure and male connector embodiments according to the present invention described above are briefly summarized and listed below in [1] to [4]. [1] A male connector (2) having a plurality of male terminals (21), a shorting spring (22) that contacts the plurality of male terminals (21), and a male housing (23) that houses the plurality of male terminals (21) and the shorting spring (22), A female connector (3) having a plurality of female terminals (31) electrically connected to each of the plurality of male terminals (21), and a female housing (32) that accommodates the plurality of female terminals (31), is provided. Connector structure (1), The short spring (22) is in contact with the portion of the male terminal (21) that is inserted into the female terminal (31), When the male terminal (21) and the female terminal (31) are electrically connected, the female housing (32) is inserted between the male terminal (21) and the shorting spring (22). Connector structure (1).

[0043] According to the configuration described in [1] above, the shorting spring (22) is in contact with the portion of the male terminal (21) that is inserted into the female terminal (31). Therefore, there is no need to make the plate-shaped short-circuit release portion (322) protrude from the female housing (32) as in the conventional design, and the female housing (32) itself can be used as the short-circuit release portion (322), thereby improving strength.

[0044] [2] In the connector structure (1) described in [1], The female housing (32) has a plurality of terminal housing chambers (321) for housing the female terminals (31), and a short-circuit release portion (322) that protrudes from the outer surface of the tip between the terminal housing chambers (321). The short-circuit release portion (322) is inserted between the male terminal (21) and the short-circuit spring (22). Connector structure (1).

[0045] According to the configuration described in [2] above, the strength can be further improved by making the space between the terminal housing chambers (321) of the female housing (32) protrude and forming a short-circuit release section (322).

[0046] [3] In the connector structure described in [2], The short-circuit release portion is provided with an inclined surface that moves away from the female terminal (31) as it moves away from the tip. Connector structure (1).

[0047] According to the configuration described in [3] above, the short-circuit release portion (322) is provided with an inclined surface that moves away from the female terminal (31) as it moves away from the tip. As a result, the shorting spring (22) is pressed along the inclined surface, allowing the short-circuit release portion (322) to be smoothly inserted between the shorting spring (22) and the male tab (211).

[0048] [4] Multiple male terminals (21) are electrically connected to the female terminal (31), A shorting spring (22) that contacts multiple male terminals (21), The device comprises a male housing (23) that accommodates a plurality of the aforementioned male terminals (21) and the aforementioned short springs (22). Male connector (2), The short spring (22) is in contact with the portion of the male terminal (21) that is inserted into the female terminal (31). Male connector (2).

[0049] According to the configuration described in [4] above, the shorting spring (22) is in contact with the portion of the male terminal (21) that is inserted into the female terminal (31). Therefore, there is no need to make the plate-shaped short-circuit release portion (322) protrude from the female housing (32) as in the conventional design, and the female housing (32) itself can be used as the short-circuit release portion (322), thereby improving strength. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0050] 1. Connector structure 2 Male connectors 3 Female connectors 21 Male connector 22 Short springs 23 Male Housing 31 Female terminals 32 Female Housing 321 Terminal housing room 322 Short-circuit release section

Claims

1. A male connector having a plurality of male terminals, a short spring that contacts the plurality of male terminals, and a male housing that accommodates the plurality of male terminals and the short spring, A female connector comprising: a plurality of female terminals electrically connected to each of the plurality of male terminals; and a female housing that accommodates the plurality of female terminals. A connector structure, The short spring is in contact with the portion of the male terminal that is inserted into the female terminal. When the male terminal and the female terminal are electrically connected, the female housing is inserted between the male terminal and the shorting spring. The female housing has a plurality of terminal housing chambers for housing the female terminals, and a short-circuit release portion provided such that the outer surface of the first tip portion, which is the tip of the portion between the terminal housing chambers, protrudes more than the outer surfaces of the second tip portions, which are the tips on both sides of the portion. The short-circuit release part is inserted between the male terminal and the shorting spring. Connector structure.

2. In the connector structure according to claim 1, The short-circuit release portion is provided such that the outer surface extending from the tip surface to the side surface of the first tip portion protrudes more than the outer surface extending from the tip surface to the side surface of the second tip portion. Connector structure.

3. In the connector structure according to claim 2, The short-circuit release portion is provided with an inclined surface that moves away from the female terminal as it moves away from the tip. Connector structure.

Images