JP2010062076A - Terminal locking connector - Google Patents

Abstract

Even when the spacer is warped, the locking force between the spacer and the connector housing and the operability of the spacer are satisfactorily maintained.
A terminal locking connector having a spacer 1 inserted into a connector housing 2 to lock a terminal, wherein the spacer is separated from a terminal locking portion 9 and a pair of flexible members for locking the housing. The side plate 6 has a locking portion 7 in the plate thickness direction, and the connector housing has locked portions 19 and 20 for engaging the locking portions in the spacer insertion hole 3. The side plate 6 has ribs 8 for position restriction in the plate width direction, and the connector housing 2 has slits 21 for slidingly inserting the ribs into the spacer insertion holes 3. A low wall portion 5 was erected on both ends of the bottom wall 4 of the spacer 1, a side plate 6 was erected on the outer surface side of the wall portion, and a terminal locking portion 9 was connected to the inner surface side of the wall portion.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a terminal locking connector for locking a terminal in a connector housing with a spacer.

  7 to 8 show one form of a conventional terminal locking connector (see Patent Document 1).

  As shown in FIG. 7, the terminal locking connector 51 includes a synthetic resin connector housing 52 and a synthetic resin spacer for terminal locking inserted into the connector housing 52 from the hole 53 in the bottom wall of the connector housing 52. 54.

  The connector housing 52 has a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 55 in two upper and lower stages, and a terminal locking lance 56 is integrally provided in each terminal accommodating chamber. In a state where the spacer 54 is temporarily locked to the connector housing 52 (half-pressed state of the spacer 54), the terminal 57 is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 55, and the hole portion of the terminal 57 is primarily locked by the locking lance 56. FIG. By pushing the spacer 54 into the connector housing as described above, the rear stage portion of the terminal 57 is secondarily (double) locked by the locking projection wall 58 of the spacer 54.

As shown in FIG. 8, the spacer 54 includes a horizontal bottom plate 59, a side plate 60 erected on both left and right ends of the bottom plate 59, and a frame-like locking protrusion erected by connecting the side plate 60 and the bottom plate 59. And a wall 58. A locking groove 61 is provided on the inner surface of the side plate 60, and a locking projection (not shown) that engages with the locking groove 61 is provided on the connector housing 52 (FIG. 7). The spacer 54 is also called a retainer.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2006-100237 (FIGS. 3 and 10)

  However, in the conventional terminal locking connector 51, when the spacer 54 is warped downward as indicated by an arrow A during resin molding or due to secular change, the side plate 60 opens and deforms to the outside, and the locking groove There is a concern that the allowance between 61 and the locking projection of the connector housing 52 is reduced, and the locking force of the spacer 54 is lowered, which may cause unexpected pull-out. Further, since the engaging force between the locking groove 61 and the locking projection of the connector housing 52 is reduced, the pushing force and the pulling force of the spacer 54 are reduced, and the operator can temporarily lock the main spacer 54 or perform the main locking. There was concern that it was difficult to recognize.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above, the present invention provides a terminal locking connector that can maintain the locking force between the spacer and the connector housing and the operability of the spacer even when the spacer is warped. With the goal.

  To achieve the above object, a terminal locking connector according to claim 1 of the present invention is a terminal locking connector provided with a spacer that is inserted into a connector housing and locks a terminal, wherein the spacer is a terminal locking portion. And a pair of flexible side plates for locking the housing, the side plates have locking portions in the thickness direction, and the connector housing has the locking portions in the spacer insertion holes. It has the to-be-latched part engaged, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  With the above configuration, even when the spacer is warped and deformed, the terminal locking portion and the side plate for locking the connector housing are provided separately and independently, so the warpage of the terminal locking portion may affect the side plate. Instead, the side plate is securely locked to the connector housing with a sufficient locking allowance between the locking portion and the locked portion. Since the locking allowance is large, there is an operational feeling at the time of locking or unlocking, and the operability is enhanced. When the locking portion is a locking projection, the locked portion is a locking projection or a locking recess.

  The terminal locking connector according to claim 2 is the terminal locking connector according to claim 1, wherein the side plate has ribs for position regulation in the plate width direction, and the connector housing is disposed in the spacer insertion hole. It has a slit for slidingly inserting a rib.

  With the above configuration, at the same time that the spacer is inserted into the connector housing, the ribs of the side plate slide-engage with the slits in the spacer insertion hole, the side plate is accurately positioned, and in this state, the locking portion of the side plate is in the spacer insertion hole. Engage securely with a large locking allowance. While the slit is engaged with the rib, the side plate is twisted in the thickness direction and the locking portion is engaged with the locked portion. At the same time, the side plate is untwisted and elastically returns to a flat plate shape.

  The terminal locking connector according to claim 3 is the terminal locking connector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein low wall portions are erected on both end sides of the bottom wall of the spacer, and the side plate is disposed on the outer surface side of the wall portion. And the terminal locking portion is connected to the inner surface side of the wall portion.

  With the above configuration, the side plate for locking the housing and the terminal locking portion are reliably separated inside and outside within the range of the plate thickness of the low wall portion. It is preferable to arrange the side plate and the terminal locking portion so as to be spaced apart from each other on the front and back of the lower wall portion in order to secure an engagement space between the locking portion and the locked portion. The bottom wall of the spacer, the terminal locking portion, and the side plate are integrally formed of synthetic resin.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, even when the spacer is warped, the locking portion of the side plate engages with the locked portion of the connector housing with a large locking allowance regardless of the warpage. The locking force with the housing and the operability of the spacer can always be maintained satisfactorily. As a result, a decrease in the locking force of the spacer, incomplete locking, and unintentional withdrawal of the spacer accompanying them are prevented, and the reliability of terminal locking is increased.

  According to the second aspect of the invention, the ribs of the side plate engage with the slits of the connector housing, so that even if the spacer is warped or twisted, the locking portion of the side plate with respect to the locked portion of the connector housing. The position is precisely defined, and the locking force between the spacer and the connector housing and the operability of the spacer are maintained better. As a result, a decrease in the locking force of the spacer, incomplete locking, and unintentional withdrawal of the spacer accompanying them can be prevented more reliably, and the reliability of terminal locking is further improved.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, the side plate for locking the housing of the spacer and the terminal locking portion can be reliably separated and can be easily formed at low cost by resin molding.

  1 to 6 show an embodiment of a terminal locking connector according to the present invention.

  This terminal locking connector includes a spacer 1 which is a terminal locking member made of synthetic resin shown in FIGS. 1 to 2 and a connector housing 2 made of synthetic resin shown in FIGS.

  1 to 2 are views of the spacer 1 viewed from the back side, FIGS. 3 to 4 are views of the connector housing 2 viewed from the front side, and FIG. 5 is a view of the connector housing 2 viewed from the bottom side. . The spacer 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is reversed and inserted into the spacer insertion hole 3 on the bottom surface side of the connector housing 2.

  As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the spacer 1 includes a horizontally elongated bottom wall 4, a pair of low wall portions 5 erected on both ends of the bottom wall 4, and a pair of low wall portions 5. A pair of thin and flexible side plates 6 erected vertically from the horizontal upper surface 5 a to the same surface as the outer surface 5 b of the wall 5, and locking protrusions (locking) provided on the upper inner surface of each side plate 6 Part) 7, a thin rib 8 for position regulation protruding from the vertical rear end face 6 a of each side plate 6, and each side plate 6 are separated and integrally connected to the inner side surface 5 c of the lower wall portion 5. And a terminal locking portion 9 such as a frame shape.

  A pair of left and right locking side plates 6 having locking protrusions 7 for the connector housing 2 (FIG. 3) are formed separately from the terminal locking portions 9, so that the horizontally long bottom wall 4 of the spacer 1 and the terminals Even when the locking portion 9 is warped, the thin side plate 6 exhibits a locking function independently without being affected by the warping.

  Each locking projection 7 has an upper inclined surface 7a and a lower horizontal locking surface 7b. The width of the locking projection 7 in the front-rear direction is as long as the lateral width of the side plate 6. The rib 8 is thinner than the side plate 6 and is formed vertically in the range from the upper end to the lower end of the side plate 6 in the center of the side plate 6 in the thickness direction. The protruding length of the rib 8 in the horizontal direction (rearward) is the same as or shorter than the protruding length of the locking projection 7 in the lateral direction.

  The terminal locking portion 9 includes a plurality of locking protrusions 10 provided on the upper surface 4 a of the bottom wall 4, a frame wall 11 erected from the bottom wall 4, and a plurality of surfaces provided on the upper surface of the frame wall 11. It is comprised with the latching protrusion 10. FIG. The front end surfaces 10a of the upper and lower locking projections 10 lock the terminals (not shown) with two upper and lower wires in the connector housing 2. The frame wall 11 is composed of a vertical wall 11a and an upper horizontal wall 11b. The vertical wall 12 at the left and right ends protrudes higher than the horizontal wall 11b, and is a side plate for locking at the same height as the vertical wall 12 at the left and right ends. 6 are spaced apart in parallel to the front (front side). The bottom wall 4 is horizontally provided with a slit hole 13 for weight reduction and warpage suppression.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the connector housing 2 has a lock arm 14 at the upper center, terminal housing chambers 15 on the upper left and right sides, and a lower stage, and a flange 16 on the rear end side. A rectangular hole 18 in the front-rear direction is provided between the chamber 15 and the left and right outer wall surfaces 17, and a spacer insertion hole 3 in the width (transverse) direction is provided substantially at the center of the bottom wall 4 in FIG. 4 and the upper and lower locking projections (locked portions) 19 and 20 in FIG. 4, and a vertical vertical groove-like position restricting slit 21 on the rear side. have.

  The lower locking projection 19 is a temporary locking projection having a lower inclined surface 19a and an upper horizontal locking surface 19b, and the upper locking projection 20 is a book having upper and lower inclined surfaces 20a. It is a locking projection. The locking protrusion 7 of the spacer 1 (FIG. 1) is temporarily locked by engaging between the upper and lower locking protrusions 19, 20 and is engaged with the upper inclined surface 20 a of the upper locking protrusion 20. Locked. The inclined surfaces 19a and 20a smoothly move the locking protrusions 7 of the spacer 1 in the vertical direction (temporary locking and main locking).

  A slit 21 is disposed outside and on the rear side of the upper and lower locking projections 19, 20, and the slit 21 extends straight from the lower end side of the lower locking projection 19 to the upper end 18 a of the punch hole 18. A tapered guide surface 21a is provided at the lower end. The slit 21 is provided in a vertical groove shape in the vertical back wall 22 in the punch hole 18.

  The rib 8 of the spacer 1 (FIG. 1) slides into the slit 21 from below. At the same time, the locking protrusion 7 of the spacer 1 engages with the locking protrusions 19 and 20 of the connector housing 2. By engaging the ribs 8 with the slits 21, the locking side plate 6 is vertically regulated (corrected) without being tilted or bent. In this state, the locking projection 7 of the side plate 6 engages with the upper and lower locking projections 19 and 20.

  By engaging the ribs 8 with the slits 21, when the locking projections 7 get over the upper and lower locking projections 19, 20, a torsional force acts on the side plates 6 and the locking projections 7 (see FIG. 1). The front end 6b of the side plate 8 is outwardly opened and deformed with respect to the rib 8 at the rear end of the side plate 6), and the side plate 6 is elastically restored to a flat shape simultaneously with the completion of the locking.

  The rib 8 and the slit 21 prevent the position shift of the side plate 6 due to the warp of the spacer 1 and the like. In addition to the separation action of the side plate 6 and the terminal locking portion 9 (FIG. 1), The locking force between 19 and 20 is reliably exhibited. Further, since the side plate 6 is prevented from being bent by the engagement of the rib 8 and the slit 21, the locking protrusions 7, 19, 20 are prevented from being unexpectedly released due to vibration or the like, and the locking protrusions 7, 19 are prevented. , 20 exerts a strong locking force between the two. Further, since the locking of the spacer 1 is not affected by the warp, the bottom wall 4 and the terminal locking portion 9 of the spacer 1 can be formed thin, so that the weight of the spacer 1 and the entire connector can be reduced. It becomes possible.

  As shown in FIG. 5, holes 23 that are slightly longer in the front-rear direction than the longitudinal intermediate portion 3a of the spacer insertion hole 3 communicate with the left and right ends of the horizontally long spacer insertion hole 3 on the bottom wall 4 of the connector housing 2 so as to be vertical. The slit 21 is provided perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the hole from the rear end side of the lower opening (entrance) 23a of the hole 23, and the side plate of the spacer 1 (FIG. 1) is provided in the inner hole 23b adjacent to the slit 21. 6 locking projections 7 enter. The hole 23 is a part of the spacer insertion hole 3.

  The spacer insertion hole 3 communicates perpendicularly to the longitudinal intermediate portion of each terminal receiving chamber 15, and when the spacer 1 is temporarily locked, each locking projection 10 is positioned below each terminal receiving chamber 15 and has a terminal ( (Not shown) can be inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 15, and after the terminal is inserted, the spacer 1 is pushed upward and locked at the same time, and at the same time, each locking projection 10 locks the rear stage of each terminal. The terminal is primarily locked by a flexible locking lance (not shown) in the terminal accommodating chamber 15 when inserted. These are the same as before.

  FIG. 6 shows a state in which the rib 8 of the side plate 6 of the spacer 1 is engaged with the slit 21 in the spacer insertion hole 3 of the connector housing 2, and the upper end side of the rib 8 is inserted into the lower end side of the slit 21. By pushing the spacer 1 upward from this state, the rib 8 is further slid and inserted along the slit 21, and at the same time, the locking projection 7 of the side plate 6 is engaged between the upper and lower locking projections 19, 20. It is stopped and it is finally locked over the upper locking projection 20.

  The side plate 6 is guided by the front vertical wall surface 24 in the spacer insertion hole 3. The lower wall portion 5 of the spacer 1 rises along the vertical surface 25a of the stepped wall portion 25 in the spacer insertion hole 3, and stops by contacting the upper horizontal surface 25b. The horizontal surface 25 b is connected to the upper wall portion 22, and a slit 21 is provided in the upper wall portion (back wall) 22. The vertical walls 12 at the left and right ends of the terminal locking portion 9 (FIG. 1) rise along the vertical side surface 25 c of the upper wall portion 22. Unlocking of the spacer 1 is performed by an operation (operation) opposite to the above by grasping the left and right flanges (FIG. 1) 26 of the bottom wall 4.

  The connector housing 2 shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 accommodates female terminals with electric wires, but the same structure of the spacer 1 and the slit 21 and the like also in a connector housing (not shown) that accommodates male terminals. It is possible to apply.

  In this case, the first half of the connector housing has a connector fitting chamber for fitting a mating connector (not shown), and a tab or pin-shaped electrical contact portion of the male terminal protrudes into the connector fitting chamber, and the second half of the connector housing. Are provided with a terminal accommodating chamber for accommodating the electric wire connecting portion side of the male terminal, and a spacer insertion hole 3 orthogonal to each terminal accommodating chamber.

  In general, the connector housing 2, the spacer 1, and the terminals constitute a connector. Usually, the terminal housing 15 of the connector housing 2 has a flexible terminal locking lance (not shown), but if there is no concern about the terminal slipping off when the terminal is inserted, the locking lance should be eliminated. It is also possible to lock the terminal with only the spacer 1.

  Further, it is also possible to eliminate the temporary locking protrusion 19 of the connector housing 2 so that only the main locking protrusion 20 is provided, and the spacer 1 can be mounted after the terminal is inserted into the connector housing 2. Further, a locking recess (not shown) such as a hole or a groove serving as a locking portion is provided in place of the locking projection 7 of the spacer 1, or the locking projections 19 and 20 of the connector housing 2 are locked. It is also possible to provide a similar locking recess as a part.

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view (enlarged view in a circle) showing an embodiment of a spacer which is a part of the terminal locking connector of the present invention. It is a rear view which similarly shows a spacer. It is a front view perspective view which shows one Embodiment of the connector housing which is one component of a terminal latching connector. FIG. 2 is a front view of the connector housing (enlarged view in a circle). FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the connector housing in the same manner (enlarged view in a circle). It is a bottom view perspective view which shows the state which inserts a spacer in a connector housing. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows one form of the conventional terminal locking connector. It is a front view perspective view which similarly shows a spacer.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Spacer 2 Connector housing 3 Spacer insertion hole 4 Bottom wall 5 Low wall part 6 Side plate 7 Locking protrusion (locking part)
8 Rib 9 Terminal locking part 19, 20 Locking protrusion (locked part)
21 Slit

Claims (3)

  In a terminal locking connector including a spacer that is inserted into a connector housing and locks a terminal, the spacer has a pair of flexible side plates for locking the housing separately from the terminal locking portion, A terminal locking connector, wherein the side plate has a locking portion in the plate thickness direction, and the connector housing has a locked portion for engaging the locking portion in a spacer insertion hole.   2. The terminal locking connector according to claim 1, wherein the side plate has a rib for position restriction in the plate width direction, and the connector housing has a slit for slidingly inserting the rib into the spacer insertion hole. .   A low wall portion is erected on both ends of the bottom wall of the spacer, the side plate is erected on the outer surface side of the wall portion, and the terminal locking portion is connected to the inner surface side of the wall portion. The terminal locking connector according to claim 1 or 2.

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