connector

Abstract

To provide a compact connector capable of primarily locking and secondarily locking of a terminal.SOLUTION: A connector that holds a terminal 10 comprising a mating terminal connector 12 and a crimped part 14 to be crimped by a wire end, comprises a housing 30 having a cavity 34 capable of storing the terminal, and a terminal holding member 80 capable of fitting into the housing at a first locking position and a second locking position. The terminal holding member comprises a lance 90 capable of temporarily locking the terminal in the cavity at the first locking position, and a locking protrusion 83b capable of locking the terminal in the cavity at the second locking position. The lance has a retraction protrusion 94 having a retraction contact face 94f. The retraction contact face 94f is arranged at a position where the movement of the terminal holding member from the first locking position to the second locking position causes contact with the crimped part 14 so that the lance 90 is elastically deformed in the direction away from the terminal 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present disclosure relates to a connector.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses that a lance for locking and fixing a terminal fitting extends obliquely forward at a substantially central position on the lower surface of a terminal accommodation chamber of a housing body, and the tip side of the lance is formed to be elastically deformable downward and can be elastically engaged with a lance hole provided in the terminal fitting.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Here, it is desired to further miniaturize a connector capable of primary locking and secondary locking of a terminal.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to further miniaturize a connector capable of primary locking and secondary locking of a terminal.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The connector of this disclosure is a connector for holding a terminal having a mating terminal connection portion and a crimp portion that is crimped to the end of an electric wire, comprising: a housing having a cavity formed therein that can accommodate the terminal; and a terminal holding member that can be mounted on the housing in a primary locking position and a secondary locking position, wherein the terminal holding member has a lance that can be temporarily locked to the terminal in the cavity at the primary locking position, and a locking projection that can be locked to the terminal in the cavity at the secondary locking position, the lance having a retractable projection with a retractable contact surface, the retractable contact surface being formed in a position that, as the terminal holding member moves from the primary locking position to the secondary locking position, it contacts the crimp portion and elastically deforms the lance in a direction away from the terminal. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, a connector capable of primary and secondary locking of terminals can be further miniaturized. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a connector according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the connector. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the connector. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Figure 1. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the connector. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI in Figure 5. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in Figure 6. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in Figure 6. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the positional relationship between the lance and the terminal. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] [Description of Embodiments in this Disclosure] First, the embodiments of this disclosure will be listed and described.

[0010] The connectors of this disclosure are as follows:

[0011] (1) A connector for holding a terminal having a mating terminal connection portion and a crimping portion that is crimped to the end of an electric wire, comprising: a housing having a cavity formed therein that can accommodate the terminal; and a terminal holding member that can be mounted on the housing in a primary locking position and a secondary locking position, wherein the terminal holding member has a lance that can be temporarily locked to the terminal in the cavity at the primary locking position, and a locking projection that can be locked to the terminal in the cavity at the secondary locking position, the lance having a retractable projection with a retractable contact surface, the retractable contact surface being formed in a position that, as the terminal holding member moves from the primary locking position to the secondary locking position, it contacts the crimping portion and elastically deforms the lance in a direction away from the terminal.

[0012] This connector features a lance on the terminal holding member for temporary locking of the terminal. Therefore, the housing does not need to have a lance, allowing for a smaller housing. This further reduces the size of the connector capable of temporarily locking the terminal.

[0013] Furthermore, by bringing the retracted contact surface of the lance into contact with the crimping portion, the lance can be elastically deformed away from the terminal, while the terminal holding member can be moved from the primary locking position to the secondary locking position. In this case, since the retracted contact surface comes into contact with the crimping portion, the generation of shavings caused by the lance contacting the terminal is suppressed.

[0014] (2) The connector of (1), wherein the terminal has a recess that is recessed between the mating terminal connection portion and the crimping portion, and the lance is primary locked in the recess when the terminal holding member is in the primary locking position, and the locking projection is secondary locked in the recess when the terminal holding member is in the secondary locking position.

[0015] In this case, the lance and the locking projection can be locked in the same recess. Therefore, it is not necessary to separately form a location where the lance makes a primary lock and a location where the locking projection makes a secondary lock on the terminal. As a result, simplification and miniaturization of the terminal are possible, contributing to miniaturization of the connector.

[0016] (3) The connector according to (1) or (2), wherein the lance has a retaining projection located closer to the mating terminal connection portion side than the retracting projection, and in a state where the terminal holding member is located at the primary locking position, the retaining projection makes a retaining lock on the mating terminal connection portion from the crimping portion side, and the retracting projection may protrude larger toward the terminal side than the retaining projection.

[0017] In this case, since the retracting projection protrudes larger toward the terminal side than the retaining projection, it is easy to bring the retracting projection into contact with the terminal while avoiding contact between the retaining projection and the terminal.

[0018] (4) The connector according to (3), wherein the retracting projection may protrude larger toward the terminal side than the retaining projection in a direction of movement of the terminal holding member from the primary locking position to the secondary locking position and in a direction orthogonal to the movement direction.

[0019] In this case, it becomes easier for the retracting projection to come into contact with the crimping portion prior to the retaining projection, contact between the retaining projection and the pair of side walls is more reliably avoided, and generation of shaving due to contact between the lance and the terminal is more reliably suppressed.

[0020] (5) The connector according to (3) or (4), wherein the terminal has a connecting portion connecting the mating terminal connection portion and the crimping portion, the connecting portion has a bottom portion and a pair of side walls rising from both side edges of the bottom portion, and when the terminal holding member moves from the primary locking position to the secondary locking position, the retracting contact surface may come into contact with the crimping portion so as to avoid contact between the retaining projection and the pair of side walls.

[0021] [[ID=2A]] This prevents contact between the retaining projection and the pair of side walls, and suppresses the generation of shavings caused by the lance contacting the terminal.

[0022] (6) A connector according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the lance has a terminal insertion guide projection located on the opposite side of the mating terminal connection portion relative to the retractable projection, and the terminal insertion guide projection may have a terminal insertion guide surface that is oriented away from the terminal as it extends in the direction of the cavity toward the opposite side of the mating terminal connection portion.

[0023] In this case, when the terminal is inserted into the cavity with the terminal holding member mounted to the housing in its primary locking position, the terminal comes into contact with the terminal insertion guide surface. This allows the lance to elastically deform away from the terminal. As a result, the terminal can be easily inserted into the cavity.

[0024] (7) Any one of the connectors from (1) to (6) may be positioned such that at least a portion of the lance can contact the terminal in the cavity when the terminal retaining member is mounted in the housing in the secondary locking position.

[0025] As a result, with the terminal holding member in the secondary locking position, at least a portion of the lance can support the terminal in the cavity, stabilizing the terminal within the cavity.

[0026] (8)A connector according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein the housing has a secondary locking opening and a primary locking opening, the terminal holding member has a terminal holding body mounted in the secondary locking opening and a pair of locking wall portions extending from both sides of the terminal holding body along both sides of the housing, the locking projection is formed to protrude from the terminal holding body toward the cavity, and the lance may be configured to protrude from the terminal holding body in the same direction as each of the pair of locking wall portions so as to be positioned in the primary locking opening, and to be elastically deformed along a direction intersecting the extending direction of the cavity.

[0027] In this case, the lance is formed to protrude from the terminal holding body in the same direction as the locking wall so that it can be positioned in the primary locking opening, and it elastically deforms in a direction intersecting the extending direction of the cavity. Therefore, the structure for forming the lance can be made smaller compared to when the lance is positioned along the extending direction of the cavity. This makes it possible to reduce the size of the connector in the front-to-back direction.

[0028] (9)(8) connector, wherein the housing has an inner cavity located on the terminal holding body side of the cavity, and the lance may extend to avoid engagement with any of the terminals that are located within the inner cavity.

[0029] In this case, by inserting the terminal into the cavity and first locking the lance to the terminal, then inserting the terminal into the inner cavity, and subsequently moving the terminal holding member from the primary locking position to the secondary locking position, the terminal inside the inner cavity can be prevented from coming loose. Therefore, the configuration for first locking the terminal inside the inner cavity can be eliminated, further simplifying and miniaturizing the connector.

[0030] (10)(8) or (9) connector, wherein the locking projection may protrude from the terminal holding body at a position separate from the lance.

[0031] In this case, the locking projection is located at a distance from the lance and protrudes from the terminal holding body, making it easy to elastically deform the lance.

[0032] A connector according to any one of (11)(8) to (10), wherein each of the pair of locking wall portions may have mounting locking projections that secondarily lock to both sides of the housing at positions on both sides of the primary locking opening along the extending direction of the cavity.

[0033] In this case, each of the pair of locking walls is secondaryly locked to both sides of the housing at positions on both sides of the primary locking opening along the extending direction of the cavity, so that the terminal holding member can be securely attached to the housing.

[0034] [Details of the embodiments of this disclosure] Specific examples of the connectors of this disclosure are described below with reference to the drawings. However, this disclosure is not limited to these examples, and all modifications are intended to be included in the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims, as indicated by the claims.

[0035] [Embodiment] The connector according to the embodiment will be described below. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the connector 20. Figures 2 and 3 are exploded perspective views showing the connector 20. Figure 4 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of Figure 1. In Figure 4, the terminal retaining member 80 is shown by a dashed line. In Figures 1 to 4, the terminal retaining member 80 is in the secondary locking position. Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the connector 20. In Figure 5, the terminals 10 inserted into the cavities 34 and 44 are shown by a dashed line. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI of Figure 5. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII of Figure 6, and Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII of Figure 6. In Figures 5 to 8, the terminal retaining member 80 is in the primary locking position.

[0036] <Overall structure of the connector> The overall structure of connector 20 will now be described. Connector 20 is connected to the mating connector while holding terminal 10.

[0037] Terminal 10 is formed by pressing a metal plate or the like. Terminal 10 comprises a mating terminal connection portion 12 and crimping portions 14 and 15 (see Figure 2). The mating terminal connection portion 12 is the part that is connected to the mating terminal and is formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape, or more specifically, in a rectangular cylindrical shape. The crimping portions 14 and 15 are the parts that are crimped to the end of the electric wire W. In this embodiment, terminal 10 has a core wire crimping portion 14 and a covering crimping portion 15. The core wire crimping portion 14 is the part that is crimped to the core wire portion Wa (see terminal 10 on the right in Figure 6) that is exposed at the end of the electric wire W. The covering crimping portion 15 is the part that is crimped to the covering portion at the end of the electric wire W.

[0038] The mating terminal connection portion 12, the core wire crimping portion 14, and the insulation crimping portion 15 are arranged in a straight line in this order. The thickness of the mating terminal connection portion 12 and the insulation crimping portion 15 is greater than the thickness of the core wire crimping portion 14. Therefore, when the terminal 10 is observed from the side, a recess 11 is formed on the core wire crimping portion 14, between the mating terminal connection portion 12 and the insulation crimping portion 15, in a recessed area in the direction of extension of the terminal 10.

[0039] The core wire crimping section 14 has a pair of crimping pieces 14p that are crimped onto the core wire section Wa. The crimping pieces 14p are bent to form a curved surface that is convex outward relative to the core wire section Wa. Therefore, the upper portions on both sides of the core wire crimping section 14 have a curved surface that is convex outward. The insulation crimping section 15 also has a pair of crimping pieces that are crimped onto the insulation section, similar to the core wire crimping section 14.

[0040] A connecting portion 13 is interposed between the mating terminal connection portion 12 and the core wire crimping portion 14. The connecting portion 13 connects the mating terminal connection portion 12 and the core wire crimping portion 14. The connecting portion 13 has a bottom portion 13a and a pair of side walls 13b rising from both side edges of the bottom portion 13a.

[0041] The bottom portion 13a is connected to the bottom plate portion of the mating terminal connection portion 12 and the bottom plate portion of the core wire crimping portion 14. The pair of side walls 13b are connected to the bottom portion of the pair of side wall portions of the mating terminal connection portion 12 and the base end portion of the pair of crimping pieces 14p. Because the connecting portion 13 has a bottom portion 13a and a pair of side walls 13b, the mating terminal connection portion 12 and the core wire crimping portion 14 are easily kept in a straight line.

[0042] In this embodiment, the connector 20 holds multiple terminals 10. More specifically, multiple (e.g., two) terminals 10 are held in multiple rows (e.g., two rows). In each row, multiple terminals 10 are arranged in a parallel line. The multiple terminals 10 may be the same size and made of the same material, or they may be different in size or material. The number of terminals 10 held by the connector 20 is arbitrary.

[0043] The connector 20 comprises a housing 30 and a terminal retaining member 80. The terminal retaining member 80 holds a plurality of terminals 10 in at least one stage so that they do not come loose from the housing 30. In this embodiment, the terminal retaining member 80 holds multiple stages of terminals 10. The terminal retaining member 80 may also be referred to as a retainer.

[0044] In the following explanation, the side of the terminal 10 extending towards the mating terminal connection portion 12 may be referred to as the front side, and the side of the crimping portions 14 and 15 as the rear side. Also, the side of the terminal holding member 80 with respect to the housing 30 may be referred to as the upper side, and the opposite side as the lower side. Furthermore, the left-right direction may be referred to based on the above front-to-back and up-and-down directions.

[0045] The housing 30 is made of resin or the like and includes terminal housing sections 32 and 42. In this embodiment, the housing 30 includes a lower terminal housing section 32 and an upper terminal housing section 42. The lower terminal housing section 32 has a cavity 34 for housing the terminal 10. In this embodiment, the lower terminal housing section 32 has a plurality (two in this case) of cavities 34 arranged in parallel. The upper terminal housing section 42 has an inner cavity 44 for housing the terminal 10. In this embodiment, the upper terminal housing section 42 has a plurality (two in this case) of inner cavities 44 arranged in parallel. The inner cavities 44 are located closer to the terminal holding body 82 of the terminal holding member 80 than the cavities 34.

[0046] The terminal holding member 80 is configured to be attachable to the housing 30 in a primary locking position and a secondary locking position.

[0047] Secondary locking refers to the state in which the terminal retaining member 80 locks onto the terminal 10 with a force sufficient to prevent the terminal 10 from escaping from the housing 30 when the connector 20 is inserted into or removed from the mating connector. The secondary locking position is the position in which the terminal retaining member 80 can be secondary locked onto the terminal 10 in the cavity 34 and the terminal 10 in the inner cavity 44, respectively.

[0048] Primary locking refers to the state before the terminal holding member 80 is primarily locked to the terminal 10, where the terminal holding member 80 is temporarily locked to the terminal 10. The primary locking position is the position where the terminal holding member 80 can primarily lock to the terminal 10 inside the cavity 34. The holding force of the terminal 10 due to primary locking should be sufficient to prevent the terminal 10 from falling out during the insertion of the terminal 10 into the inner cavity 44 and during the movement of the terminal holding member 80 to the secondary locking position. The holding force of the terminal 10 due to primary locking may be less than the holding force of the terminal 10 due to secondary locking.

[0049] With the terminal retaining member 80 mounted on the housing 30 in the primary locking position, when the terminal 10 is inserted into the cavity 34, the terminal retaining member 80 is temporarily locked to the terminal 10. This prevents the terminal 10 from falling out of the cavity 34. In this state, the terminal 10 can be easily inserted into the inner cavity 44. After this, when the terminal retaining member 80 is moved from the primary locking position to the secondary locking position, the terminal retaining member 80 can be temporarily locked to the terminal 10 in the cavity 34 and the terminal 10 in the inner cavity 44.

[0050] In this embodiment, it is not essential that the housing 30 has an internal cavity 44. In other words, the connector 20 may have a configuration with a single cavity.

[0051] <Regarding the terminal holding structure using terminal holding members> As described above, the housing 30 has multiple inner cavities 44 and multiple cavities 34 arranged in upper and lower rows. The front edge of the housing 30 is provided with a front plate portion 31F that extends in a direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction. The front plate portion 31F is located at the front end of the cavities 34 and 44. The terminals 10 located in the cavities 34 and 44 are restricted from moving forward by contacting the front plate portion 31F. The front plate portion 31F has a connection hole 31Fa into which a mating terminal (for example, a male terminal having an elongated plate portion or a pin-shaped portion) can be inserted. The mating terminal can be connected to the terminals 10 in the cavities 34 and 44 through the connection hole 31Fa.

[0052] Cavities 34 and 44 are open to the rear. Terminal 10 is inserted and positioned into cavities 34 and 44 through the rear opening.

[0053] The housing 30 has a secondary locking opening 52 and a primary locking opening 50.

[0054] The secondary locking opening 52 is an opening for secondary locking the terminal holding member 80 to the terminal 10. In this embodiment, the secondary locking opening 52 is an opening that opens upward in the intermediate region in the extending direction of the cavities 34 and 44. The secondary locking opening 52 is an opening that extends from an opening formed on the upper side of the inner cavity 44 to an opening formed in the partition between the inner cavity 44 and the cavity 34. The recess 11 of the terminal 10, which is located in the cavities 34 and 44, can be exposed upward through the secondary locking opening 52. The inner locking projections 83a and 83b of the terminal holding member 80, which will be described later, are positioned to be able to secondary lock to the terminal 10 in the cavities 34 and 44 by passing through the secondary locking opening 52.

[0055] The primary locking opening 50 is an opening for primary locking the terminal holding member 80 to the terminal 10. In this embodiment, the primary locking opening 50 is formed in the intermediate region in the extending direction of the cavities 34 and 44. The primary locking opening 50 extends along the vertical direction and opens upward at both outer positions of the cavities 34 and 44. The recess 11 of the terminal 10 located in the cavities 34 and 44 can be exposed laterally through the primary locking opening 50. The lance 90 of the terminal holding member 80, which will be described later, can be positioned from above into the primary locking opening 50 and primary lock onto the terminal 10 in the cavity 34.

[0056] A pair of locking recesses 56 are formed on both sides of the housing 30. The locking recesses 56 are partially recessed in the intermediate region in the extending direction of the cavities 34 and 44. In this embodiment, the locking recesses 56 are formed in the region of the terminals 10 within the cavities 34 and 44 that corresponds to the area behind the mating terminal connection portion 12. A locking wall portion 84 of the terminal holding member 80 is positioned in each of the pair of locking recesses 56. The locking recesses 56 extend behind the primary locking opening 50 and the secondary locking opening 52, but this configuration is not essential.

[0057] A primary locking projection 65 and a secondary locking projection 66 are formed in the locking recess 56.

[0058] The primary locking projection 65 is the portion that locks onto the locking wall portion 84 of the terminal holding member 80 when the terminal holding member 80 is in the primary locking position. The primary locking projection 65 protrudes outward from the bottom surface of the locking recess 56. The primary locking projection 65 is an elongated projection that extends along the extending direction of the cavity 34. In the extending direction of the cavity 34, the primary locking projection 65 extends outward in the front-rear direction of the primary locking opening 50. Therefore, the locking wall portion 84 can lock onto the primary locking projection 65 at positions on both the front-rear and outer sides of the primary locking opening 50 along the extending direction of the cavity 34.

[0059] In this embodiment, the primary locking projection 65 passes along the extending direction of the cavity 34 and on the outside of the primary locking opening 50. Therefore, the front and rear portions of the primary locking opening 50 and the secondary locking opening 52 of the housing 30 are connected by the primary locking projection 65. The primary locking projection may be omitted on the outside of the primary locking opening 50.

[0060] The upper part of the primary locking projection 65 is formed in a shape where the protruding dimension gradually decreases toward the upward. This makes it easier for the locking wall 84 to move over the primary locking projection 65. The lower part of the primary locking projection 65 may be formed in a shape where the protruding dimension gradually decreases toward the downward, or it may be formed in a shape perpendicular to the bottom surface of the locking recess 56.

[0061] The secondary locking projection 66 is the portion that locks onto the locking wall portion 84 of the terminal holding member 80 when the terminal holding member 80 is in the secondary locking position. The secondary locking projection 66 protrudes outward from the bottom surface of the locking recess 56. The secondary locking projection 66 is an elongated projection that extends along the extending direction of the cavity 34. In the extending direction of the cavity 34, the secondary locking projection 66 extends outward in the front-rear direction of the primary locking opening 50. Therefore, the locking wall portion 84 can lock onto the secondary locking projection 66 at positions on both the front-rear and outer sides of the primary locking opening 50 along the extending direction of the cavity 34.

[0062] In this embodiment, the secondary locking projection 66 is omitted on the outside of the primary locking opening 50. This makes it easier to secure space for the lance 90, which will be described later, to be displaced outward in the left-right direction. The secondary locking projection 66 may pass on the outside of the primary locking opening 50.

[0063] The upper part of the secondary locking projection 66 is formed in a shape where the protruding dimension gradually decreases toward the upward. This makes it easier for the locking wall 84 to move over the secondary locking projection 66. The lower part of the secondary locking projection 66 may be formed in a shape where the protruding dimension gradually decreases toward the downward, or it may be formed in a shape perpendicular to the bottom surface of the locking recess 56. In this embodiment, the lower part of the secondary locking projection 66 is formed in a shape perpendicular to the bottom surface of the locking recess 56, more specifically, on a surface perpendicular to the setting direction of the terminal holding member 80.

[0064] The primary locking projection 65 is located above the secondary locking projection 66. In this embodiment, the primary locking projection 65 is located above the partition portion of the cavities 34 and 44, and the secondary locking projection 66 is located on the left and right outer side of the cavity 34. The locking wall portion 84, which is inserted from top to bottom along the vertical direction, can be primarily locked to the primary locking projection 65 and then secondarily locked to the secondary locking projection 66.

[0065] The terminal holding member 80 includes a terminal holding body 82 and a pair of locking wall portions 84.

[0066] The terminal holding body 82 is the part that is fitted into the upper recess of the secondary locking opening 52. Here, the terminal holding body 82 is formed in a plate shape that expands to a size that can collectively close the upper recess of the secondary locking opening 52 corresponding to multiple inner cavities 44. With the terminal holding body 82 positioned within the upper recess of the secondary locking opening 52, the front and rear ends of the terminal holding body 82 contact the end faces of the ceiling portion of the housing that face the upper recess. This positions the terminal holding member 80 in the front-rear direction.

[0067] The terminal holding body 82 has inner locking projections 83a and 83b that protrude toward the cavities 34 and 44.

[0068] The inner locking projection 83a is the portion that secondarily locks into the recess 11 of the terminal 10 in the inner cavity 44. More specifically, the inner locking projection 83a protrudes from the inward-facing portion of the terminal holding body 82 toward each inner cavity 44. When the terminal holding member 80 is in the primary locking position, the inner locking projection 83a is located inside the inner cavity 44, allowing the terminal 10 to be inserted into the inner cavity 44. When the terminal holding member 80 is in the secondary locking position, the inner locking projection 83a partially enters the inner cavity 44 and is positioned within the recess 11 of the terminal 10. This positions the inner locking projection 83a so that it can contact the mating terminal connection portion 12 from the rear, preventing the terminal 10 from being pulled out backward. The rear portion of the inner locking projection 83a may be formed in a shape where the protruding dimension gradually decreases toward the rear. As a result, when inserting the terminal 10 into the inner cavity 44, even if the terminal 10 comes into contact with the inner locking projection 83a, the terminal 10 will come into contact with the rear portion of the inner locking projection 83a, causing the terminal holding member 80 to be lifted upward. This makes it easier to insert the terminal 10 into the inner cavity 44 while avoiding interference between the terminal 10 and the inner locking projection 83a.

[0069] The locking projection 83b is the part that secondarily locks into the recess 11 of the terminal 10 in the cavity 34. More specifically, the locking projection 83b has an intermediate wall portion 83b1 and a retaining portion 83b2.

[0070] The intermediate wall portion 83b1 protrudes downward from the middle portion in the width direction of the terminal holding body 82. The intermediate wall portion 83b1 is formed at a position corresponding to the partition between the multiple inner cavities 44. Therefore, the intermediate wall portion 83b1 can pass through the multiple inner cavities 44 toward the cavity 34.

[0071] The retaining portion 83b2 protrudes from the lower end of the intermediate wall portion 83b1 in the left-right direction. The vertical thickness of the retaining portion 83b2 is smaller than the thickness of the partition between the cavity 34 and the inner cavity 44. When the terminal holding member 80 is in the primary locking position, the retaining portion 83b2 is located between the cavity 34 and the inner cavity 44, and does not easily obstruct the insertion of the terminal 10 into the cavity 34 and the inner cavity 44, respectively. When the terminal holding member 80 is in the secondary locking position, the retaining portion 83b2 can enter the cavity 34 and enter the recess 11 of the terminal 10 within the cavity 34. As a result, the retaining portion 83b2 of the locking projection 83b is positioned to be able to contact the mating terminal connection portion 12 from the rear, thereby preventing the terminal 10 from being pulled out to the rear. The rear portion of the lower part of the retaining portion 83b2 may be formed in a shape that gradually curves upward toward the rear. This allows the terminal 10 to contact the retaining portion 83b2 when inserting the terminal 10 into the cavity 34, even if the terminal 10 comes into contact with the rear portion of the lower part of the retaining portion 83b2, causing the terminal holding member 80 to be lifted upward. This makes it easier to insert the terminal 10 into the cavity 34 while avoiding interference between the terminal 10 and the locking projection 83b.

[0072] The pair of locking wall portions 84 are formed in a plate shape that extends from both sides of the terminal holding body 82 along both sides of the housing 30. Mounting locking projections 85 are formed on the inner surface of the pair of locking wall portions 84, near the tip. The mounting locking projections 85 are projections that protrude from the inner surface of the locking wall portion 84. The lower part of the mounting locking projections 85 is formed in a shape that includes a portion where the protruding dimension gradually decreases toward the tip side of the locking wall portion 84. The pair of locking wall portions 84 can be selectively locked to a pair of primary locking projections 65 and a pair of secondary locking projections 66.

[0073] The mounting locking projection 85 may have an elongated convex shape along the extending direction of the cavity 34. In this embodiment, the mounting locking projection 85 is formed at positions that avoid the primary locking opening 50, i.e., at positions before and after the primary locking opening 50. Therefore, the mounting locking projection 85 can be stably locked to the primary locking projection 65 or the secondary locking projection 66 at positions before and after the primary locking opening 50.

[0074] A retractable recess 84g is formed in the locking wall portion 84 in the area outside the cavity 34 and outside the primary locking opening 50. The retractable recess 84g is located outside the tip of the lance 90, which will be described later. Therefore, the lance 90 can be displaced in a direction that retracts away from the cavity 34 while partially entering the retractable recess 84g.

[0075] The terminal holding member 80 has a pair of lances 90 that can be temporarily locked to the terminal 10 in the cavity 34 at the primary locking position. The right lance 90 temporarily locks the terminal 10 in the right cavity 34, and the left lance 90 temporarily locks the terminal in the left cavity 34.

[0076] The lance 90 has a retractable projection 94 having a retractable contact surface 94f. When the terminal holding member 80 moves from the primary locking position to the secondary locking position, the retractable contact surface 94f comes into contact with the core wire crimping portion 14. This allows the lance 90 to elastically deform in a direction away from the terminal 10, in this case outward in the left-right direction.

[0077] In this embodiment, the lance 90 protrudes from the terminal holding body 82 in the same direction as the locking wall portion 84 so that it can be positioned within the primary locking opening 50. With the terminal holding body 82 positioned within the upper recess portion of the secondary locking opening 52, the lance 90 is positioned through the secondary locking opening 52 toward the cavity 34. In this state, the lance 90 is positioned outside the cavity 34, in a position that intersects the cavity 34, in this case, a position that is perpendicular to the cavity 34. The lance 90 can be elastically deformed in a direction intersecting the extending direction of the cavity 34, i.e., in the left-right direction.

[0078] More specifically, the lance 90 has an elastic piece 91 and a temporary locking projection 92.

[0079] The elastic piece 91 is formed to protrude in the same direction as the locking wall portion 84 at an intermediate position in the extending direction of the terminal holding body 82, so that it can be positioned in the primary locking opening 50. The elastic piece 91 is formed relative to the terminal holding body 82 at a position that allows it to be positioned in the primary locking opening 50, that is, at a position that passes outside the cavities 34 and 44.

[0080] Regardless of whether the terminal holding member 80 is in the primary or secondary locking position, the elastic piece 91 is positioned to avoid the cavities 34 and 44 outward, and the temporary locking projection 92 is positioned below the inner cavity 44. For this reason, the lance 90 extends in a manner that avoids locking with the terminal 10 located inside the inner cavity 44.

[0081] The front-to-back length of the elastic piece 91 is such that it fits between the front and back of the primary locking opening 50, and is smaller than the front-to-back length of the locking wall portion 84. The elastic piece 91 protrudes downward from the locking wall portion 84. The elastic piece 91 can be elastically deformed in the left-to-right direction within the primary locking opening 50, centered on its base end.

[0082] The elastic piece 91 protrudes from the terminal holding body 82 at a position separate from the locking projection 83b. Therefore, the elastic deformation area of ​​the elastic piece 91 can be made larger compared to the case where the locking projection is integrated with the side of the base end of the elastic piece.

[0083] A temporary locking projection 92 protrudes from the tip of the elastic piece 91 in the front-rear direction. The temporary locking projection 92 protrudes inward relative to the elastic piece 91. When the terminal holding member 80 is in the primary locking position, the temporary locking projection 92 enters the cavity 34 from the inner surface of the elastic piece 91. This allows the temporary locking projection 92 to be temporarily locked into the recess 11 of the terminal 10 in the cavity 34. When the terminal holding member 80 is in the secondary locking position, the temporary locking projection 92 moves downward from the cavity 34, and the locking is released from the position relative to the recess 11 of the terminal 10.

[0084] As the temporary locking projection 92 moves from the recess 11 of the terminal 10 downwards from the terminal 10, the temporary locking projection 92 is pressed against the terminal 10, causing the elastic piece 91 to elastically deform outwards from the cavity 34. By pressing the temporary locking projection 92 against the curved surface of the core wire crimping portion 14, the elastic piece 91 is less likely to be worn down, and the generation of shavings is suppressed.

[0085] More specifically, the temporary locking projection 92 has the retractable projection 94 and the retaining projection 93 (see Figures 3 and 6). The retaining projection 93 is located on the mating terminal connection part 12 side, i.e., on the front side, relative to the retractable projection 94.

[0086] In the extending direction of the cavity 34, the retractable projection 94 is formed in a region that contacts the core wire crimping portion 14, and more preferably, is located within the section between the front and rear ends of the core wire crimping portion 14.

[0087] The retaining projection 93 is continuous with the front side of the retractable projection 94. With the terminal holding member 80 in the primary locking position, the retaining projection 93 is positioned to lock the mating terminal connection part 12 from the core wire crimping part 14 side. In this state, the retractable projection 94 is located outside the core wire crimping part 14. The retractable projection 94 may be in contact with the core wire crimping part 14 to an extent that does not cause elastic deformation of the elastic piece 91.

[0088] The retraction projection 94 protrudes more significantly towards the terminal 10 than the retaining projection 93 (see Figures 3, 7, and 8). In other words, the retraction projection 94 protrudes more than the retaining projection 93 so that when the terminal holding member 80 is moved from the primary locking position to the secondary locking position, the retraction projection 94 contacts the core wire crimping portion 14 first and elastically deforms the elastic piece 91.

[0089] For example, the retraction projection 94 protrudes more than the retaining projection 93 in the direction of movement of the terminal holding member 80 from the primary locking position to the secondary locking position. Also, for example, the retraction projection 94 protrudes more than the retaining projection 93 toward the terminal 10, which is perpendicular to the direction of movement. As a result, the retraction projection 94 can contact the core wire crimping portion 14 before the retaining projection 93.

[0090] If the retraction projection 94 protrudes more than the retaining projection 93 in both the direction of movement and the direction perpendicular to the direction of movement toward the terminal 10, the retraction projection 94 can be more reliably brought into contact with the core wire crimping portion 14 ahead of time.

[0091] The degree of protrusion of the retraction projection 94 is preferably such that it is possible to avoid contact between the retaining projection 93 and the side wall 13b when the terminal holding member 80 moves from the primary locking position to the secondary locking position. The degree of protrusion is set in consideration of the spacing of the connecting portion 13, the position of the upper edge of the side wall 13b, and the size of the core wire crimping portion 14, etc.

[0092] The retraction projection 94 has a retraction contact surface 94f facing the core wire crimping portion 14. Preferably, the retraction contact surface 94f is shaped so that its protruding length gradually decreases inward in the direction of movement of the terminal holding member 80 from the primary locking position to the secondary locking position. This allows the elastic piece 91 to smoothly deform outward by pressing the retraction contact surface 94f against the core wire crimping portion 14.

[0093] The retaining projection 93 may also have a surface shaped to reduce its inward projection length in the direction of movement of the terminal holding member 80, similar to the retractable contact surface 94f. This makes it easier to avoid contact between the retaining projection 93 and the side wall 13b.

[0094] Furthermore, the retaining projection 93 has a terminal insertion guide projection 95 located on the opposite side of the mating terminal connection portion 12 from the retractable projection 94, i.e., on the rear side.

[0095] The inward-facing surface of the terminal insertion guide projection 95 is formed as a terminal insertion guide surface 95f that moves away from the terminal 10 as it extends in the direction of the extension of the cavity 34 toward the opposite side (i.e., the rear side) of the mating terminal connection portion 12 (see Figure 6).

[0096] Therefore, when the terminal 10 is inserted into the cavity 34 with the terminal holding member 80 in the primary locking position, the tip of the terminal 10 comes into contact with the terminal insertion guide surface 95f. As a result, the elastic piece 91 elastically deforms outward in the left-right direction, and the temporary locking projection 92 retracts outward from the cavity 34. When the mating terminal connection portion 12 of the terminal 10 passes over the temporary locking projection 92, the elastic piece 91 returns to its original shape and the temporary locking projection 92 enters the cavity 34. As a result, the retaining projection 93 of the temporary locking projection 92 becomes able to contact the rear end of the mating terminal connection portion 12.

[0097] With the terminal holding member 80 mounted on the housing 30 in the secondary locking position, at least a portion of the temporary locking projection 92 may be positioned to contact the terminal in the cavity 34. In this embodiment, the upward-facing surface of the temporary locking projection 92 is positioned to support the terminal in the cavity 34 from below. For example, the upward-facing surface 92f of the temporary locking projection 92 is positioned on the extension of the bottom surface of the portion of the cavity 34 that accommodates the mating terminal connection portion 12 (see Figure 4). This makes it easier for the terminal 10 to be stably supported within the cavity 34.

[0098] <Regarding terminal retention procedures> An example of the procedure for holding terminal 10 will be explained.

[0099] For example, a configuration is prepared in which the terminal holding member 80 is mounted on the housing 30 in the primary locking position (see Figure 5). In this state, the inner locking projections 83a and 83b do not protrude into the cavities 34 and 44. Also, the temporary locking projection 92 is positioned inside the cavity 34.

[0100] Then, the terminal 10 is inserted into the cavity 34. During insertion of the terminal 10, the tip of the terminal 10 comes into contact with the terminal insertion guide surface 95f (see the cavity 34 on the left in Figure 6). As the terminal 10 is pushed further in, the tip of the terminal 10 moves forward while contacting the terminal insertion guide surface 95f, pushing the temporary locking projection 92 outward to the right or left. As a result, the temporary locking projection 92 moves outward from the cavity 34, and the terminal 10 can be inserted into the back of the cavity 34.

[0101] When the mating terminal connection portion 12 moves forward past the temporary locking projection 92, the elastic force of the elastic piece 91 returning to its original shape causes the temporary locking projection 92 to return to a state where it protrudes into the cavity 34. As a result, the temporary locking projection 92 is temporarily locked into the recess 11 of the terminal 10. More specifically, the retaining projection 93 locks the mating terminal connection portion 12 from the rear (see Figures 6 to 8).

[0102] The terminal 10 is also inserted into the inner cavity 44 (see Figure 5). At this time, since the terminal 10 is temporarily locked in place within the cavity 34, the insertion of the terminal 10 can be performed without taking care to prevent the terminal 10 from falling out of the cavity 34.

[0103] When the insertion of the terminal 10 into the inner cavity 44 is completed, the terminal holding member 80 moves from the primary locking position to the secondary locking position. Then, the retraction contact surface 94f of the retraction projection 94 comes into contact with the curved surface of the core wire crimping portion 14 (see Figure 9). When the terminal holding member 80 is pushed further, the retraction projection 94 is pushed outwards from the core wire crimping portion 14. When the retraction projection 94 moves below the core wire crimping portion 14, the elastic force of the elastic piece 91 returning to its original shape causes the lance 90 to return to its original shape. The upward surface of the retraction projection 94 is exposed inside the cavity 34 and positioned so that this upward surface can support the terminal 10 from below.

[0104] With respect to the terminals 10 inside the cavity 34, the terminal retaining member 80 can be moved toward the secondary locking position without worrying about them coming loose.

[0105] When the terminal holding member 80 moves to the secondary locking position, the inner locking projection 83a enters the inner cavity 44 and locks into the recess 11 of the terminal 10 inside the inner cavity 44, and the locking projection 83b enters the cavity 34 and locks into the recess 11 of the terminal 10 inside the cavity 34. This prevents the terminal 10 from being pulled out rearward from the cavities 34 and 44.

[0106] <Effects, etc.> As described above, the connector 20 has a lance 90 on the terminal holding member 80 for temporarily locking onto the terminal 10. Therefore, the housing 30 does not need to have a lance, and the housing 30 can be made smaller. This allows for further miniaturization of the connector 20 that can temporarily lock onto the terminal 10.

[0107] Furthermore, by bringing the retractable contact surface 94f of the lance into contact with the core wire crimping portion 14, the lance 90 can be elastically deformed away from the terminal 10, while the terminal holding member 80 can be moved from the primary locking position to the secondary locking position. At this time, since the retractable contact surface 94f comes into contact with the core wire crimping portion 14, the generation of shavings caused by the lance 90 coming into contact with the terminal 10 is suppressed.

[0108] Furthermore, the temporary locking projection 92 of the lance 90 and the locking projection 83b can be locked into the same recess 11 of the terminal 10. Therefore, it is not necessary to separately form a location on the terminal 10 where the lance 90 is primarily locked and a location where the locking projection 83b is primarily locked. This makes it possible to simplify and miniaturize the terminal 10, and also contributes to miniaturizing the connector 20.

[0109] Furthermore, the lance 90 has a retaining projection 93 that is located on the mating terminal connection portion 12 rather than the retractable projection 94, and the retractable projection 94 protrudes more significantly toward the terminal 10 than the retaining projection 93. Therefore, it is easy to bring the retractable projection 94 into contact with the terminal 10 while avoiding contact between the retaining projection 93 and the terminal 10.

[0110] If the retractable projection 94 protrudes more than the retaining projection 93 in the direction of movement of the terminal holding member 80 to the secondary locking position and on the terminal 10 side perpendicular to that direction of movement, the retractable projection 94 is more likely to contact the core wire crimping portion 14 before the retaining projection 93. This more reliably avoids contact between the retaining projection 93 and the side wall 13b, and suppresses the generation of shavings caused by the lance 90 contacting the terminal 10.

[0111] When the terminal holding member 80 moves to the secondary locking position, the retractable contact surface 94f comes into contact with the core wire crimping portion 14 so as to avoid contact between the retaining projection 93 and the pair of side walls 13b, thereby effectively suppressing the generation of shavings caused by the lance 90 coming into contact with the terminal 10.

[0112] Furthermore, the temporary locking projection 92 of the lance 90 has a terminal insertion guide projection 95 having the terminal insertion guide surface 95f. Therefore, when the terminal 10 is inserted into the cavity 34 with the terminal holding member 80 attached to the housing 30 in the primary locking position, the terminal 10 comes into contact with the terminal insertion guide surface 95f. This allows the lance 90 to elastically deform away from the terminal 10. As a result, the terminal 10 can be easily inserted into the cavity 34.

[0113] Furthermore, with the terminal holding member 80 mounted on the housing 30 in the secondary locking position, at least a portion of the temporary locking projection 92 of the lance 90 is positioned to contact the terminal 10 of the cavity 34. It is assumed that a recess is formed around the cavity 34 for the temporary locking projection 92 to pass through, and the temporary locking projection 92 can enter into this recess and support the terminal 10 inside the cavity 34. Therefore, the terminal 10 is more stable inside the cavity 34 compared to the case where the recess for the temporary locking projection 92 to pass through is left as an empty space.

[0114] The lance 90 is formed to protrude from the terminal holding body 82 in the same direction as the locking wall portion 84 so that it can be positioned in the primary locking opening 50, and it elastically deforms in a left-right direction intersecting the extending direction of the cavity 34. Therefore, the structure for forming the lance 90 can be made smaller compared to the case where the lance 90 is positioned along the extending direction of the cavity 34. This makes it possible to reduce the size of the connector 20 in the front-rear direction. The lance may also be formed to be long along the extending direction of the cavity 34.

[0115] Furthermore, the lance 90 extends to avoid locking with the terminal 10 located in the inner cavity 44. Therefore, after inserting the terminal 10 into the cavity 34 and temporarily locking the lance 90 to the terminal 10, the terminal 10 is inserted into the inner cavity 44, and then the terminal holding member 80 is moved from the primary locking position to the secondary locking position, which prevents the terminal 10 from coming out of the inner cavity 44. Thus, the configuration for primary locking to the terminal 10 in the inner cavity 44 is eliminated, and the connector 20 can be further simplified and miniaturized.

[0116] The temporary locking projection 92 temporarily locks the terminal 10 in the cavity 34, which is far from the terminal holding body 82. Compared to a configuration that temporarily locks the terminal 10 in the inner cavity 44, which is closer to the terminal holding body 82, the temporary locking projection 92 is much easier to elastically deform. This makes it easier to move the terminal holding member 80 toward the secondary locking position.

[0117] Furthermore, since the locking projection 83b protrudes from the terminal holding body 82 at a position separate from the lance 90, it is easy to elastically deform the lance 90.

[0118] Furthermore, each of the pair of locking wall portions 84 engages with the secondary locking projection 66 of the housing 30 at positions on the front and rear outer sides of the primary locking opening 50 along the extending direction of the cavity 34, so that the terminal holding member 80 can be securely attached to the housing 30.

[0119] [Differentiation] In this embodiment, the retractable contact surface 94f of the retractable projection 94 may be in contact with the covering crimping portion 15.

[0120] In this embodiment, a configuration was described in which the temporary locking projection 92 and the locking projection 83b lock into the same recess 11 of the terminal 10. The lance for primary locking and the locking projection for secondary locking may be locked into different positions relative to the terminal.

[0121] In this embodiment, the inward-facing portion of the lance in the extending direction may have a temporary locking projection that can be temporarily locked to a terminal in the inner cavity.

[0122] Furthermore, the configurations described in the above embodiments and each of the modified examples can be combined as appropriate, as long as they do not contradict each other. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0123] 10 terminals 11 recess 12. Connection part to the other terminal 13 Connecting part 13a bottom 13b Side wall 14. Core wire crimping section (crimping section) 14p crimping piece 15 Cover crimping part 20 connectors 30 Housing 31F Front plate part 31Fa connection port 32, 42 Terminal housing section 34 Cavity 44 Inner Cavity 50 Primary locking opening 52 Secondary locking opening 56 Locking recess 65 Primary locking protrusion 66 Secondary locking protrusion 80 Terminal holding member 82 Terminal holding body 83a Inner locking projection 83b Locking protrusion 83b1 Intermediate wall 83b2 Retaining part 84 Locking wall section 84g Recessed recess 85 Locking projection for mounting 90 Lance 91 Elastic piece 92 Temporary locking projection 92f Upward-facing surface 93 Retaining projection 94 Retractable projection 94f Evacuation contact surface 95 Protrusion for terminal insertion guide 95f Terminal insertion guide surface W electric wire Wa core wire section

Claims

1. A connector that holds a terminal having a mating terminal connection portion and a crimping portion that is crimped to the end of an electric wire, A housing having a cavity formed in which the aforementioned terminals can be accommodated, A terminal holding member that can be attached to the housing in a primary locking position and a secondary locking position, Equipped with, The terminal holding member has a lance that can be temporarily locked to the terminal in the cavity at the primary locking position, and a locking projection that can be locked to the terminal in the cavity at the secondary locking position. The lance has a retractable projection having a retractable contact surface, The retraction contact surface is formed in a position where, as the terminal holding member moves from the primary locking position to the secondary locking position, it contacts the crimping portion and elastically deforms the lance away from the terminal, forming a connector.

2. The connector according to claim 1, The terminal has a recess that is recessed between the mating terminal connection portion and the crimping portion. With the terminal holding member in the primary locking position, the lance is initially locked in the recess. A connector in which, when the terminal holding member is in the secondary locking position, the locking projection is secondaryly locked into the recess.

3. A connector according to claim 1 or claim 2, The lance has a retaining projection that is located on the mating terminal connection side of the retractable projection, With the terminal holding member in the primary locking position, the retaining projection locks into the mating terminal connection from the crimping side. The connector wherein the retractable projection protrudes more significantly towards the terminal side than the retaining projection.

4. The connector according to claim 3, The retractable projection protrudes more than the retaining projection in the direction of movement of the terminal holding member from the primary locking position to the secondary locking position and on the terminal side perpendicular to the direction of movement, in a connector.

5. The connector according to claim 3, The terminal has a connecting portion that connects the mating terminal connection portion and the crimping portion. The connecting portion has a bottom and a pair of side walls rising from both side edges of the bottom, A connector wherein, when the terminal holding member moves from the primary locking position to the secondary locking position, the retractable contact surface contacts the crimping portion to avoid contact between the retaining projection and the pair of side walls.

6. A connector according to claim 1 or claim 2, The lance has a terminal insertion guide projection located on the opposite side of the mating terminal connection portion from the retractable projection, The connector wherein the terminal insertion guide projection has a terminal insertion guide surface that moves away from the terminal as it moves toward the opposite side of the mating terminal connection portion in the extending direction of the cavity.

7. A connector according to claim 1 or claim 2, A connector in which, with the terminal holding member mounted in the housing at the secondary locking position, at least a portion of the lance is positioned to be able to contact the terminal in the cavity.

8. A connector according to claim 1 or claim 2, The housing has a secondary locking opening and a primary locking opening. The terminal holding member comprises a terminal holding body fitted into the secondary locking opening and a pair of locking wall portions extending from both sides of the terminal holding body along both sides of the housing. The locking projection is formed to protrude from the terminal holding body toward the cavity, A connector wherein the lance protrudes from the terminal holding body in the same direction as each of the pair of locking walls so as to be positioned in the primary locking opening, and elastically deforms along a direction intersecting the extending direction of the cavity.

9. The connector according to claim 8, The housing has an inner cavity located on the terminal holding body side of the cavity, A connector in which the lance extends to avoid engagement with any of the terminals located within the inner cavity.

10. The connector according to claim 8, The locking projection is a connector that protrudes from the terminal holding body at a position separate from the lance.

11. The connector according to claim 8, A connector in which each of the pair of locking wall portions has mounting locking projections that secondary lock to the housing on both sides, located outside both the primary locking openings along the extending direction of the cavity.

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