Connector, connector assembly, and vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle. The vehicle comprises a connector or a connector assembly comprising the connector. The connector comprises a first housing, a second housing, a connection terminal and a retainer, wherein the second housing is provided inside the first housing; the connection terminal is provided on the second housing; and the retainer is provided on the second housing and is matched with the connection terminal to prevent the connection terminal from moving in the direction of being disengaged from the second housing.

Description

Connectors, connector assemblies, and vehicles

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on December 26, 2023, with application number 202323571252.3 and titled “Connectors, Connector Assemblies and Vehicles,” the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to the field of vehicles, and in particular to a connector, a connector assembly and a vehicle. Background Art

[0004] Prior art production and assembly of products suffers from low assembly efficiency and high defect rates. Furthermore, the retaining element, once installed in the first housing, is unstable. When installing the second housing into the first, the retaining element can easily collide with the housing, causing it to shift or even fall off, requiring rework and significantly reducing assembly efficiency. Furthermore, when manually installing the second housing into the first, the retaining element can be easily misinstalled, causing it to lock into its locked position, preventing subsequent terminal installation and resulting in product defects.

[0005] Public content

[0006] The present application aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the first purpose of the present application is to provide a connector that does not directly enter a locked position during assembly, thereby improving assembly efficiency.

[0007] A second objective of the present application is to provide a connector assembly, which includes the above-mentioned connector.

[0008] A third object of the present application is to provide a vehicle comprising the above-mentioned connector or connector assembly.

[0009] According to the connector of the embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, it includes: a first shell; a second shell, the second shell is arranged in the first shell; a connecting terminal, the connecting terminal is arranged on the second shell; and a retaining member, the retaining member is arranged on the second shell, and the retaining member cooperates with the connecting terminal to prevent the connecting terminal from moving in the direction of falling out of the second shell.

[0010] The connector according to the embodiment of the present application prevents the retaining member from falling out of the second housing and requiring rework when the retaining member is installed in the second housing. The retaining member cooperates with the connecting terminal to limit the position of the connecting terminal, facilitates the installation of the connecting terminal, and ensures the reliability of the installation of the connecting terminal, preventing the connecting terminal from falling out of the second housing. The retaining member has a simple structure, which can effectively reduce product costs and improve the installation efficiency of the connector.

[0011] In some embodiments, at least one pre-installed position positioning groove and at least one locking position positioning groove are formed on the retaining member, and the pre-installed position positioning groove and the locking position positioning groove are arranged at intervals along the assembly direction of the retaining member, and the pre-installed position positioning groove is located at one end of the locking position positioning groove adjacent to the second shell along the assembly direction of the retaining member; at least one mating protrusion is provided on the second shell, and the mating protrusion is suitable for mating in one of the pre-installed position positioning groove and the locking position positioning groove.

[0012] In some embodiments, the retaining member includes: a main body, which is provided on the second shell; an assembly portion, which is provided at one end of the main body away from the second shell along the assembly direction; and at least one elastic arm, which is connected to the assembly portion, and the elastic arm is located on one side in the width direction of the main body, and the pre-installed position positioning groove and the locking position positioning groove are arranged on the elastic arm apart from each other.

[0013] In some embodiments, there are two elastic arms, and the two elastic arms are respectively located on both sides of the width direction of the main body, and the pre-installed position positioning grooves and the locking position positioning grooves of the two elastic arms are opposite to each other; there are two mating protrusions, and the two mating protrusions are suitable for respectively mating in one of the pre-installed position positioning grooves and the locking position positioning grooves of the two elastic arms.

[0014] In some embodiments, the elastic arm and the body are staggered in a thickness direction of the body.

[0015] In some embodiments, the body is located on one side of the installation direction of the second shell, and the installation direction is perpendicular to the assembly direction; the connector further includes: at least one limiting structure, which is provided on the second shell, and the limiting structure cooperates with the elastic arm to prevent the retaining member from moving in the direction away from the second shell in the installation direction.

[0016] In some embodiments, the limiting structure is a limiting groove formed on the second shell, and the groove wall of the limiting groove adjacent to the side of the installation direction of the second shell is suitable for abutting against the elastic arm.

[0017] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the mating protrusion is located in the limiting groove.

[0018] In some embodiments, a groove is formed on the surface of the side in the installation direction of the second shell, and the body is guided and matched with the groove.

[0019] According to an embodiment of the second aspect of the present application, the connector assembly includes a first connector, which is configured as the connector described in the above embodiment; and a second connector, which cooperates with the first connector.

[0020] The vehicle according to the third embodiment of the present application includes the connector described in any one of the above embodiments or the connector assembly described in the above embodiments.

[0021] Additional aspects and advantages of the present application will be given in part in the description below, and in part will become obvious from the description below, or will be learned through practice of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present application will become apparent and easily understood from the description of the embodiments in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0023] FIG1 is a partial schematic diagram of a connector according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0024] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a second housing from a viewing angle according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of a retaining member according to an embodiment of the present application at a viewing angle;

[0026] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of a retaining member from another perspective according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0027] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of a second housing from another perspective according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] FIG6 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a connector assembly according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0029] FIG7 is a schematic block diagram of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] FIG8 is another schematic block diagram of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0031] Reference numerals:

[0032] Vehicle 1000,

[0033] Connector 100, connector assembly 200,

[0034] First housing 10, second housing 20, matching protrusion 21, limiting groove 22, groove 23, sealing hole 24, connecting terminal 30, retaining member 40, body 41, assembly portion 42, elastic arm 43, pre-installation position positioning groove 431, locking position positioning groove 432, third housing 50,

[0035] A first connector 210 and a second connector 220 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] The following describes in detail embodiments of the present application, and the embodiments described with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary.

[0037] A connector 100 according to an embodiment of the present application will be described below with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 6 . The connector 100 includes a first housing 10 , a second housing 20 , a connecting terminal 30 , and a retaining member 40 .

[0038] Specifically, as shown in Figures 1 to 5, the second shell 20 is arranged in the first shell 10, the connecting terminal 30 is arranged on the second shell 20, and the retaining member 40 is arranged on the second shell 20. The retaining member 40 cooperates with the connecting terminal 30 to prevent the connecting terminal 30 from moving in the direction of falling out of the second shell 20.

[0039] In this embodiment, the connecting terminals 30 mate with the second housing 20 along the installation direction B of the second housing 20, and the second housing 20, equipped with the connecting terminals 30, mates with the first housing 10. The assembly direction A of the retaining member 40 is perpendicular to the installation direction B of the second housing 20. After the retaining member 40 is pre-installed with the second housing 20, it mates with the connecting terminals 30 within the second housing 20, facilitating the installation of the connecting terminals 30 and limiting their position, preventing them from falling out of the second housing 20 along the installation direction B of the second housing 20.

[0040] The second housing 20 is provided with a plurality of sealing holes 24 , and the connecting terminals 30 are matched with the sealing holes 24 , and the connecting terminals 30 and the sealing holes 24 are interference fit, thereby achieving waterproof sealing of the connector 100 .

[0041] According to the connector 100 of the embodiment of the present application, the setting of the retaining member 40 can prevent the retaining member 40 from falling off from the second shell 20 and causing rework when the retaining member 40 is installed in the second shell 20, and the retaining member 40 is matched with the connecting terminal 30 to achieve the limitation of the connecting terminal 30, which facilitates the installation of the connecting terminal 30 while ensuring the reliability of the installation of the connecting terminal 30 and prevents the connecting terminal 30 from falling out of the second shell 20. The structure of the retaining member 40 is simple, which can effectively reduce the cost of the product and improve the installation efficiency of the connector 100.

[0042] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, at least one pre-installation position positioning groove 431 and at least one locking position positioning groove 432 are formed on the retaining member 40. The pre-installation position positioning groove 431 and the locking position positioning groove 432 are spaced apart along the assembly direction A of the retaining member 40. The pre-installation position positioning groove 431 is located at one end of the locking position positioning groove 432 adjacent to the second housing 20 along the assembly direction A of the retaining member 40. When the retaining member 40 is installed in the second housing 20, the pre-installation position positioning groove 431 first contacts the second housing 20. For example, at least one mating protrusion 21 is provided on the second housing 20, and the mating protrusion 21 is adapted to be mated with one of the pre-installation position positioning groove 431 and the locking position positioning groove 432.

[0043] That is, when the retaining member 40 is pre-installed with the second housing 20, in order to prevent the retaining member 40 from falling off, the pre-installation position positioning groove 431 on the retaining member 40 cooperates with the mating protrusion 21 to achieve the pre-installation of the retaining member 40 and prevent the retaining member 40 from falling off due to incomplete assembly. The second housing 20 has a mating protrusion 21 opposite thereto. When the retaining member 40 is assembled on the second housing 20, the mating protrusion 21 cooperates with the pre-installation position positioning groove 431, which can effectively prevent the locking position positioning groove 432 of the retaining member 40 from mating with the mating protrusion 21 during pre-installation, thereby facilitating the installation of the connecting terminal 30. After the pre-installation position positioning groove 431 is mated with the mating protrusion 21, the retaining member 40 is pressed again to engage the locking position positioning groove 432 with the mating protrusion 21, thereby achieving the installation of the retaining member 40 and fixing and limiting the connecting terminal 30.

[0044] Therefore, the retaining member 40 is provided with a pre-installation position positioning groove 431 and a locking position positioning groove 432. By engaging one of the pre-installation position positioning groove 431 and the locking position positioning groove 432 with the mating protrusion 21, the retaining member 40 remains connected to the second housing 20 at different stages, preventing the retaining member 40 from falling off. During the installation process of the retaining member 40, there is no need to insert the retaining member 40 multiple times, thereby improving the installation efficiency of the retaining member 40. It can also prevent the installer from touching it accidentally, reducing the probability of rework of the connector 100.

[0045] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG4 , the retaining member 40 includes a body 41, an assembly portion 42, and at least one elastic arm 43. The body 41 is disposed on the second housing 20, and the assembly portion 42 is disposed at one end of the body 41 away from the second housing 20 along an assembly direction A. The elastic arm 43 is connected to the assembly portion 42 and is located on one side of the body 41 in the width direction, i.e., a first direction C. The pre-installation position positioning groove 431 and the locking position positioning groove 432 are spaced apart from each other on the elastic arm 43. The first direction C is orthogonal to the assembly direction A and the installation direction B.

[0046] An assembly portion 42 is provided at one end of the body 41 along the assembly direction A. The assembly portion 42 and the body 41 are arranged in a T-shape. The installer presses the assembly portion 42 to install the body 41 into the second shell 20. An elastic arm 43 is provided at at least one end of the assembly portion 42 along the width direction of the body 41, i.e., the first direction C. One end of the elastic arm 43 is connected to the assembly portion 42, and the other end of the elastic arm 43 extends toward the second shell 20 along the assembly direction A of the retaining member 40. The body 41 and the elastic arm 43 are spaced apart. A pre-installation position positioning groove 431 and a locking position positioning groove 432 are provided on the elastic arm 43, and specifically can be provided on the side of the elastic arm 43 adjacent to the body 41 to increase the space utilization on the retaining member 40.

[0047] Optionally, the pre-installation position positioning groove 431 and the locking position positioning groove 432 can be provided at other positions of the elastic arm 43. The cross-sectional area of ​​the assembly portion 42 is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the body 41, which facilitates installation and force application by the installer and increases the reliability of the retainer 40 in the pre-installation position and the locking position.

[0048] Furthermore, referring to Figures 2 and 4 , there are two elastic arms 43, one located on either side of the width direction of the body 41, i.e., the first direction C. The pre-installed position positioning grooves 431 and the locked position positioning grooves 432 of the two elastic arms 43 face each other. There are two mating protrusions 21, each adapted to engage with one of the pre-installed position positioning grooves 431 and the locked position positioning grooves 432 of the two elastic arms 43. In other words, a mating protrusion 21 is provided on either side of the second housing 20 along the width direction of the body 41, i.e., the first direction C. The two elastic arms 43 are symmetrically arranged along the width direction of the body 41, i.e., the first direction C. When the retainer 40 engages with the second housing 20 at the pre-installed position positioning grooves 431 or the locked position positioning grooves 432, the retainer 40 is evenly stressed across the width direction of the body 41, i.e., the first direction C. This increases the service life of the retainer 40 and ensures excellent reliability and stability when the retainer 40 is installed with the second housing 20.

[0049] In some embodiments, the elastic arm 43 and the body 41 are staggered in the thickness direction of the body 41. It can be understood that the elastic arm 43 is provided on one side in the thickness direction of the body 41, that is, on one side of the body 41 along the installation direction B. For example, if one side of the elastic arm 43 along the thickness direction of the body 41 is flush with one side of the assembly portion 42 along the thickness direction of the body 41, the installation of the retaining member 40 is facilitated, and interference of the installation position of the elastic arm 43 with the installation of the body 41 is reduced.

[0050] In some embodiments, as shown in the figures, the body 41 is located on one side of the second housing 20 in the installation direction B, where the installation direction B is perpendicular to the assembly direction A. The connector 100 further includes: at least one limiting structure, which is provided on the second housing 20 and cooperates with the elastic arm 43 to prevent the retaining member 40 from moving away from the second housing 20 in the installation direction B. The limiting structure is provided on a side of the retaining member 40 adjacent to the retaining member 40 in the assembly direction A, and the limiting structure can prevent the retaining member 40 from moving in the installation direction B of the second housing 20, thereby limiting the position of the retaining member 40.

[0051] In this embodiment, there are multiple limiting structures, including a first limiting structure and a second limiting structure, which are arranged at intervals along the first direction C. In addition, the limiting structure can be provided on the other side of the second housing 20 along the installation direction B of the retaining member 40 as needed, that is, the second housing 20 can be provided with limiting structures on both sides along the assembly direction A of the retaining member 40 to ensure the installation of the retaining member 40.

[0052] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG2 , the limiting structure is a limiting groove 22 formed on the second housing 20. The groove wall of the limiting groove 22 on the side adjacent to the installation direction B of the second housing 20 is adapted to abut against the elastic arm 43. That is, after the retaining member 40 is installed with the second housing 20, the elastic arm 43 abuts against the side wall of the second housing 20, and the second housing 20 limits the elastic arm 43, thereby increasing the stability and reliability of the retaining member 40 when installed in the second housing 20 and preventing abnormal noise generated by the retaining member 40 when installed in the second housing 20.

[0053] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the mating protrusion 21 is located within the limiting groove 22. For example, the mating protrusion 21 can be located at the notch of the limiting groove 22. This, on the one hand, facilitates the limiting of the pre-installed position positioning groove 431 and the locked position positioning groove 432 of the retaining member 40 with the mating protrusion 21, making it easier for the installer to confirm whether the installation is correct. On the other hand, it can facilitate the limiting of the elastic arm 43 in the first direction C in combination with the side wall of the second housing 20, thereby increasing the stability of the retaining member 40 installed within the second housing 20.

[0054] In some embodiments, referring to FIG2 , a groove 23 is formed on a surface of one side of the second housing 20 in the installation direction B, and the body 41 is guided and engaged with the groove 23. The groove 23 is provided on a side of the second housing 20 for mounting the connecting terminal 30. After the retaining member 40 is pre-installed with the second housing 20, that is, after the pre-installation position positioning groove 431 is engaged with the mating protrusion 21, the second housing 20 is mated with the first housing 10 to achieve the installation of the second housing 20 and the first housing 10. The connecting terminal 30 is then installed into the second housing 20 from the side of the second housing 20 in the installation direction B away from the first housing 10. After the connecting terminal 30 is installed, the assembly portion 42 is pressed to engage the mating protrusion 21 of the second housing 20 with the locking position positioning groove 432, thereby locking and installing the connecting terminal 30 with the retaining member 40. After the retaining member 40 is assembled with the second shell 20 , the body 41 of the retaining member 40 cooperates with the groove 23 , and the elastic arm 43 of the retaining member 40 cooperates in the limiting structure, thereby achieving connection and fixation with the second shell 20 .

[0055] According to the second embodiment of the present application, the connector assembly 200 , as shown in FIG6 , includes a first connector 210 and a second connector 220 . The first connector 210 is configured as the connector 100 in the above embodiment, and the second connector 220 cooperates with the first connector 210 .

[0056] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG6 , the second connector 220 includes a third housing 50. After the first and second housings 10, 20 of the first connector 210 are installed, the first and second housings 10, 20 serve as the female end of the connector assembly 200 and connect to one of the two wiring harnesses to be connected. The third housing 50 is detachably connected to the first housing 10 on the side of the second housing 20 away from the connection terminals 30. For example, a mating groove is provided at the end of the third housing 50, and a mating portion is provided on the first housing 10. The mating portion and the mating groove cooperate to facilitate the installation of the first and third housings 10, 50. The third housing 50 serves as the male end of the connector assembly 200, and is used to connect to the other of the two wiring harnesses to be connected. When the male end of the connector assembly 200 is plugged into the female end of the connector assembly 200, an electrical connection is achieved between the two wiring harnesses. This allows the first and second connectors 210, 220 of the connector assembly 200 to precisely connect the two wiring harnesses to be connected, improving the efficiency and yield of the wiring harness connections.

[0057] The vehicle 1000 according to the third embodiment of the present application includes the connector 100 or the connector assembly 200 of any one of the above embodiments, as shown in Figures 7 and 8.

[0058] According to the vehicle 1000 of the embodiment of the present application, through the setting of the above-mentioned connector 100, during the installation process of the connector 100, by setting a plurality of positioning grooves for pre-installation and locking on the retaining member 40, the retaining member 40 can be pressed into the second shell 20 twice when the retaining member 40 is installed with the second shell 20. The retaining member 40 is limited by the preset pre-installation position positioning groove 431, which can effectively avoid the retaining member 40 from being directly inserted into the locking position, improve the installation tolerance and installation efficiency of the retaining member 40, effectively prevent the retaining member 40 from falling off, and facilitate the operation of the installer, thereby improving the electrical connection of the relevant wiring harness during the internal installation of the vehicle 1000, improving the assembly efficiency and quality of the vehicle, and increasing the reliability and stability of the vehicle.

[0059] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0060] In the description of the present application, "first feature" and "second feature" may include one or more of the features. In the description of the present application, "plurality" means two or more. In the description of the present application, the first feature being "above" or "below" the second feature may include the first and second features being in direct contact, or may include the first and second features not being in direct contact but being in contact through another feature between them. In the description of the present application, the first feature being "above", "above" and "above" the second feature includes the first feature being directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature.

[0061] Throughout this specification, reference to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples" means that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in conjunction with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In this specification, illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example.

[0062] Although the embodiments of the present application have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and intent of the present application, and that the scope of the present application is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A connector (100), characterized in that, Comprising: A first housing (10); A second housing (20), the second housing (20) being disposed within the first housing (10); Connection terminals (30), the connection terminals (30) being disposed on the second housing (20); and A retaining member (40), the retaining member (40) being disposed on the second housing (20), the retaining member (40) cooperating with the connection terminals (30) to prevent the connection terminals (30) from moving in a direction away from the second housing (20).

2. The connector (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least one pre-assembly position positioning groove (431) and at least one locking position positioning groove (432) are formed on the retaining member (40), the pre-assembly position positioning groove (431) and the locking position positioning groove (432) are spaced apart along the assembly direction of the retaining member (40), and the pre-assembly position positioning groove (431) is located at one end of the locking position positioning groove (432) adjacent to the second housing (20) along the assembly direction of the retaining member (40); At least one mating protrusion (21) is provided on the second housing (20), and the mating protrusion (21) is adapted to be fitted into one of the pre-assembly position positioning groove (431) and the locking position positioning groove (432).

3. The connector (100) according to claim 2, wherein, The retaining member (40) includes: A body (41), the body (41) being disposed on the second housing (20); An assembly portion (42), the assembly portion (42) being disposed at one end of the body (41) away from the second housing (20) along the assembly direction; and At least one elastic arm (43), the elastic arm (43) being connected to the assembly portion (42), the elastic arm (43) being located on one side of the body (41) in the width direction, and the pre-assembly position positioning groove (431) and the locking position positioning groove (432) are spaced apart from each other and disposed on the elastic arm (43).

4. The connector (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that, There are two elastic arms (43), and the two elastic arms (43) are respectively located on both sides of the body (41) in the width direction. The pre-assembly position positioning grooves (431) and the locking position positioning grooves (432) of the two elastic arms (43) are opposite to each other; There are two mating protrusions (21), and the two mating protrusions (21) are adapted to be respectively fitted into one of the pre-assembly position positioning grooves (431) and the locking position positioning grooves (432) of the two elastic arms (43).

5. The connector (100) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, The elastic arm (43) and the body (41) are offset in the thickness direction of the body (41).

6. The connector (100) according to any one of claims 3-5, characterized in that, The body (41) is located on one side of the second housing (20) in the installation direction, and the installation direction is perpendicular to the assembly direction; The connector (100) further includes: At least one limiting structure, the limiting structure being disposed on the second housing (20), the limiting structure cooperating with the elastic arm (43) to prevent the retaining member (40) from moving in the installation direction away from the second housing (20).

7. The connector (100) according to claim 6, characterized in that, The limiting structure is a limiting groove (22) formed on the second housing (20), and a groove wall of the limiting groove (22) on the side adjacent to the installation direction of the second housing (20) is adapted to abut against the elastic arm (43).

8. The connector (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that, At least a part of the fitting projection (21) is located in the limiting groove (22).

9. The connector (100) according to any one of claims 3-8, characterized in that, A groove (23) is formed on a surface of the second housing (20) on the side in the installation direction, and the body (41) is in guiding fit with the groove (23).

10. A connector assembly (200), characterized in that, Comprising: A first connector (210), the first connector (210) being configured as the connector (100) according to any one of claims 1-9; and A second connector (220), the second connector (220) cooperating with the first connector (210).

11. A vehicle (1000), characterized in that, Comprising the connector (100) according to any one of claims 1-9 or the connector assembly (200) according to claim 10.

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