JP5598346B2 - connector - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector.

  Patent Document 1 includes a housing into which a terminal fitting is inserted and a retainer attached to the housing, and the retainer attached to the housing allows the terminal fitting to be inserted and removed, and the inserted terminal fitting. A connector is disclosed that is movable between a main locking position for retaining the connector. The retainer is formed so that a temporary locking arm portion and a main locking arm portion that extend substantially parallel to the moving direction are arranged side by side, and each arm portion is bent to be elastically bent between both arm portions. It is a space.

  When the retainer is in the temporary locking position, the temporary locking arm portion is locked to the housing, so that the movement of the retainer in the direction opposite to the main locking position is restricted, and the permanent locking arm When the portion comes into contact with the protrusion of the housing, the movement of the retainer toward the main locking position is restricted. Further, in the process in which the retainer moves from the temporary locking position to the final locking position, the main locking arm part is elastically deformed so as to approach the temporary locking arm part by interfering with the projection part, and the retainer is moved to the main locking position. When the locking position is reached, the main locking arm part is elastically restored and locked to the protrusion, whereby the retainer is held at the main locking position.

JP 2005-123029 A

  In this connector, the retainer is held in the temporary locking position in advance when assembled, and after the terminal fitting is inserted, the retainer is moved to the final locking position. As a means for preventing the movement to the final locking position, the extended end portion of the final locking arm portion is connected to the extended end portion of the temporary locking arm portion. In this way, if the main locking arm portion is in the form of a double-supported beam, the bending rigidity of the main locking arm portion can be increased compared to the cantilever-shaped main locking arm portion. It becomes difficult to bend elastically, and it is possible to avoid inadvertently moving the retainer to the full locking position.

  However, since the rigidity of the main locking arm portion becomes extremely high when the double-supported beam configuration is adopted, if the extension length of the main locking arm portion is short, the retainer is moved from the temporary locking position to the main locking position. In the process of moving, there is a concern that the main locking arm portion exceeds its elastic limit and undergoes plastic deformation. Therefore, in order to avoid plastic deformation, it is necessary to lengthen the extension length of the main locking arm portion, and accordingly, it is necessary to secure a large storage space for the retainer in the housing. Will increase in size.

  The present invention has been completed based on the above circumstances, and aims to reduce the size.

As means for achieving the above object, the invention of claim 1 includes a housing into which a terminal fitting is inserted, and a retainer attached to the housing, and the retainer attached to the housing includes the terminal fitting. It is possible to move between a temporary locking position that allows insertion / extraction of the terminal fitting and a final locking position that holds the inserted terminal fitting, and the retainer is moved from the temporary locking position to the final locking position. The temporary locking arm portion and the final locking arm portion that extend in a cantilevered manner in substantially the same direction as the movement direction are formed with a space therebetween, and the retainer is in the temporary locking position. In this state, the movement of the retainer in the direction opposite to the main locking position is restricted by the locking of the temporary locking arm portion and the housing, and the main locking arm portion is Protrusions The abutment restricts the movement of the retainer toward the main locking position, and in the process of moving the retainer from the temporary locking position to the main locking position, the main locking arm portion and the protrusion When the retainer reaches the final locking position by elastically deforming so as to approach the temporary locking arm and interfere, the main locking arm is elastically restored and locked to the protrusion. Thus, in the connector in which the retainer is held at the final locking position, the main locking arm portion and the temporary locking arm portion are connected to the protrusion portion. It has a bending suppression part which suppresses further elastic bending of the main locking arm part by contacting each other when elastically bending due to interference, and the bending suppression part is the main locking arm part. A contact portion located at the extended end of the And an interference part that interferes with the protruding part at a position closer to the base end side than the extending end part. In the process in which the retainer is moved from the temporary locking position to the final locking position, the interference portion interferes with the projection portion, thereby causing the main locking arm portion and the temporary locking arm portion to move. Among them, only the main locking arm portion is elastically deformed so as to approach the temporary locking arm portion, and further, the abutment portion while the interference portion and the projection portion interfere with each other. Is characterized in that it comes into contact with the receiving part .

<Invention of Claim 1>
In the process in which the retainer moves from the temporary locking position to the final locking position, the main locking arm part approaches the temporary locking arm part, and the deflection suppressing parts come into contact with each other. However, it looks like a doubly supported beam and the bending rigidity is increased. Thereby, since the further elastic bending of the main locking arm portion is suppressed, it is possible to prevent the retainer from inadvertently moving to the full locking position.

  When the extended end portion of the main locking arm portion is connected to the temporary locking arm portion, the maximum displacement portion of the main locking arm portion at the time of interference with the protruding portion is substantially the center in the extending direction. Therefore, in order to avoid plastic deformation of the main locking arm portion, it is necessary to lengthen the extension length of the main locking arm portion. On the other hand, in the present invention, even if the main locking arm portion is in a cantilever form, the bending rigidity can be increased. Can be shortened.

Further, in the process in which the retainer moves from the temporary locking position to the final locking position, after the interference part interferes with the protrusion and the main locking arm part starts elastic bending, the bending suppression parts come into contact with each other. The apparent bending rigidity of the main locking arm portion is increased, and thereafter, the main locking arm portion is further elastically bent by the interference between the interference portion and the projection portion.

Sectional drawing of the 1st connector of this embodiment Sectional drawing showing the state which the retainer was assembled | attached to the temporary latching position in the 1st connector. Retainer top view Side view of retainer Rear view of retainer Sectional drawing showing the state where the retainer is held at the temporary locking position Sectional view showing the process of moving the retainer from the temporary locking position to the final locking position Sectional drawing showing the state in which the retainer is held in the final locking position Sectional drawing showing the fitting state of the 1st connector and the 2nd connector

<Embodiment 1>
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 9 shows a state in which the first connector F (the connector of the present invention) and the second connector M are fitted. The first connector F includes a block-shaped synthetic resin housing 10, a plurality of female terminal fittings 30 (terminal fittings which are constituent elements of the present invention) inserted into the housing 10, and a plurality of inserted females. A retainer 40 made of synthetic resin for retaining the terminal fitting 30 is provided.

  The housing 10 is formed with a lock arm 11 extending in a cantilevered manner along the upper surface thereof in the rear direction (direction opposite to the fitting direction with respect to the second connector M). A lock protrusion 12 is formed on the upper surface of the lock arm 11. The lock protrusion 12 is formed with a locking engagement surface 13 facing rearward and a sliding surface 14 inclined with respect to the fitting direction to the second connector M. The sliding surface 14 is mirror-finished with a lower surface roughness than the region other than the sliding surface 14 in the outer surface of the lock arm 11.

  The second connector M includes a synthetic resin terminal holding part 60, a synthetic resin hood part 61 protruding forward from the terminal holding part 60, and a male terminal fitting (not shown) attached to the terminal holding part 60. I have. On the upper wall portion constituting the hood portion 61, a locking projection 62 is formed that protrudes toward the inner surface side (downward) of the hood portion 61. A guide slope 63 that is inclined with respect to the fitting direction of the connectors F and M is formed on the protruding end face (lower end face) of the locking protrusion 62. The surface roughness of the guide slope 63 is rougher than that of the mirror-treated sliding surface 14.

  In the process of fitting both the connectors F and M, the housing 10 enters the hood portion 61, and the lock arm 11 moves downward (housing 10 as the sliding surface 14 of the locking projection 12 contacts the guide slope 63. In the direction approaching the upper surface of the plate). During this time, a sliding resistance due to the elastic restoring force of the lock arm 11 is generated between the sliding surface 14 and the guide inclined surface 63. In this embodiment, the sliding surface 14 is subjected to mirror surface treatment. Therefore, the sliding resistance between the sliding surface 14 and the guide slope 63 (locking projection 62) is reduced, and the fitting workability is improved. When both the connectors F and M reach the proper fitting state, the lock projection 12 finishes passing through the lock projection 62, so that the lock arm 11 is elastically restored and the lock engagement surface 13 of the lock projection 12 is restored. Is engaged with the locking projection 62, and the normally engaged connectors F and M are locked in the disengagement restricted state by this engaging action.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the housing 10 of the first connector F is formed with a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 15 for inserting the female terminal fitting 30 from the rear in two upper and lower stages. The upper terminal housing chamber 15 is formed with a lance 16 that cantilevered forward along the upper surface wall thereof, and the lower terminal housing chamber 15 is moved forward along the lower wall surface thereof. A lance 16 extending in a holding shape is formed. In the process in which the female terminal fitting 30 is inserted into the upper terminal housing 15 from the rear, the lance 16 is elastically bent upward (in the first housing portion 18 described later) by interference with the female terminal fitting 30. In the process of inserting the female terminal fitting 30 into the lower terminal housing chamber 15 from the rear, the lance 16 is elastically bent downward (in the lower first receiving section 18 described later) due to interference with the female terminal fitting 30. To do. As shown in FIG. 1, when the female terminal fitting 30 is inserted to the normal position, the lance 16 is elastically restored and locked with the female terminal fitting 30, so that the female terminal fitting 30 moves backward. It is held in a regulated retaining state.

  The housing 10 is formed with an accommodation space 17 that is open on the front end surface of the housing 10 in order to accommodate the retainer 40 from the front. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the housing space 17 includes an upper first housing portion 18 desired on the upper surface of the upper lance 16 and a lower first housing portion 18 desired on the upper surface of the lower lance 16. And the 2nd accommodating part 19 (refer FIGS. 6-8) located in the approximate center part of the housing 10 in a height direction. The upper and lower first accommodating portions 18 also have a function as a bending space for allowing the lance 16 to elastically bend in the direction of releasing the locking with the female terminal fitting 30.

  As shown in FIGS. 6-8, the protrusion part 20 is formed in one side surface in the inner wall surface of the 2nd accommodating part 19, and the securing part 23 is formed in the other side surface. The protruding portion 20 and the retaining portion 23 are arranged at substantially the same height and protrude so as to face each other. The front surface of the protrusion 20 is a temporary locking receiving surface 21 inclined with respect to the front-rear direction (the direction parallel to the assembly direction of the retainer 40 with respect to the housing 10), and the rear surface of the protrusion 20 is the front-rear direction. This is a main locking receiving surface 22 inclined with respect to. The front surface of the retaining portion 23 is an assembly guide surface 24 that is inclined with respect to the front-rear direction, and the rear surface of the retaining portion 23 is a retaining contact surface 25 that is substantially perpendicular to the front-rear direction. Yes. In addition, the assembly direction of the retainer 40 with respect to the housing 10 is a direction opposite to the front-back direction with respect to the insertion direction of the female terminal fitting 30 with respect to the housing 10.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the retainer 40 includes a main body portion 41 having a plate shape that is long in the left-right direction, and lances 16 (first housings) of the terminal housing chambers 15 divided into upper and lower stages from the rear surface of the main body portion 41. A plurality of bending restricting portions 42 that protrude in a plate shape so as to correspond to the portion 18), and temporary locks that protrude in a cantilever shape so as to correspond to the second housing portion 19 from the rear surface of the main body portion 41. And a main locking arm portion 48 that protrudes in a cantilevered manner so as to correspond to the second housing portion 19 from the rear surface of the main body portion 41.

  The protruding directions of the temporary locking arm portion 43 and the main locking arm portion 48 are substantially the same as the assembly direction of the retainer 40 with respect to the housing 10. Further, the temporary locking arm portion 43 and the main locking arm portion 48 are arranged at substantially the same height (that is, the height corresponding to the protruding portion 20 and the locking protrusion 44), and the left and right direction (with respect to the housing 10). They are arranged so as to be arranged with a space 53 for bending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the assembly direction of the retainer 40. The bending space 53 is a space for allowing elastic bending of the temporary locking arm portion 43 and the main locking arm portion 48.

  The temporary locking arm portion 43 can be elastically bent in the left-right direction so as to advance into the bending space 53 with the base end portion (front end portion connected to the main body portion 41) as a fulcrum. When the temporary locking arm 43 is elastically bent, the amount of displacement of the temporary locking arm 43 is maximized at the extended end 43E (rear end). The locking arm portion 48 can be elastically bent in the left-right direction so as to advance into the bending space 53 with the base end portion (the front end portion connected to the main body portion 41) as a fulcrum. When the main locking arm portion 48 is elastically bent, the displacement amount of the main locking arm portion 48 becomes maximum at the extended end portion 48E (rear end portion).

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6 to 8, the extended end portion 43 </ b> E of the temporary locking arm portion 43 is formed with a locking projection 44 that protrudes from the side surface opposite to the main locking arm portion 48. Has been. The front surface of the locking projection 44 is a retaining surface 45 for retaining substantially perpendicular to the assembly direction of the retainer 40, and the rear surface of the locking projection 44 is inclined with respect to the assembly direction of the retainer 40. The inclined surface 46 for assembling is provided. The extended end portion 43E on the side facing the main locking arm portion 48 of the left and right side surfaces of the temporary locking arm portion 43 is a receiving portion 47 (a temporary locking arm which is a constituent element of the present invention). Part bending suppression part).

  An interference portion 49 protruding from the side surface opposite to the temporary locking arm portion 43 is formed at a position closer to the base end side than the extending end portion 48E of the main locking arm portion 48. The front surface of the interference part 49 is a main locking contact surface 50 inclined with respect to the assembly direction of the retainer 40, and the rear surface of the interference part 49 is temporarily inclined with respect to the assembly direction of the retainer 40. A locking contact surface 51 is formed. Of the left and right side surfaces of the main locking arm portion 48, the extended end portion 48E on the side facing the temporary locking arm portion 43 is an abutment portion 52 (the main locking arm portion which is a constituent of the present invention). It is a bending suppression part of the arm part).

  Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. When assembling the first connector F, first, the retainer 40 is assembled to the housing 10 from the front, and held in the temporary locking position (see FIGS. 2 and 6). When assembling, the bending restricting portion 42 is caused to enter the first housing portion 18, and the temporary locking arm portion 43 and the main locking arm portion 48 are caused to enter the second housing portion 19. In the assembling process, the mounting inclined surface 46 of the locking projection 44 of the temporary locking arm portion 43 comes into sliding contact with the mounting guide surface 24 of the retaining portion 23 of the housing 10, and accordingly, the temporary engagement. The stopping arm portion 43 is elastically bent so as to enter the bending space 53. When the retainer 40 reaches the temporary locking position, the locking projection 44 finishes passing through the retaining portion 23, so that the temporary locking arm portion 43 is elastically restored, and the temporary locking arm portion 43 is retained. The locking surface 45 is locked to the retaining contact surface 25 of the retaining portion 23, and this retaining action restricts the retainer 40 from moving forward.

  When the retainer 40 reaches the temporary locking position, the temporary locking contact surface 51 of the interference portion 49 of the main locking arm 48 contacts or approaches the temporary locking receiving surface 21 of the housing 10. Thus, the retainer 40 is restricted from being pushed inward (rearward) from the temporary locking position. Since both the temporary locking contact surface 51 and the temporary locking receiving surface 21 are inclined with respect to the assembly direction of the retainer 40, the movement of the retainer 40 is regulated by a semi-lock structure. Will be. Thus, the retainer 40 is held at the temporary locking position. Further, when the retainer 40 is in the temporary locking position, as shown in FIG. 2, since the bending restricting portion 42 is retracted forward from the front end (extending end) of the lance 16, the elastic bending of the lance 16 is performed. Is possible. After assembling the retainer 40 at the temporary locking position, the female terminal fittings 30 are inserted into the terminal accommodating chambers 15 respectively. The inserted female terminal fitting 30 is held in a retaining state by the primary locking action of the lance 16.

  After the insertion of the female terminal fitting 30 is completed, the retainer 40 at the temporary locking position is moved backward so as to be pushed into the final locking position. When the retainer 40 moves to the final locking position, as shown in FIG. 1, the bending restricting portion 42 enters deeply to a position facing the lance 16 in the second accommodating portion 19, and the bending restricting portion 42 causes the lance 16 to move. The elastic bending in the direction of dissociating from the female terminal fitting 30 is restricted. Due to the secondary locking action of the retainer 40 and the primary locking action of the lance 16, the female terminal fitting 30 is securely locked in the retaining state.

  In the process in which the retainer 40 moves to the final locking position, the interference portion 49 of the main locking arm portion 48 interferes with the protruding portion 20 of the housing 10, and the temporary locking contact surface of the main locking arm portion 48. 51 and the receiving surface 21 for temporary locking of the housing 10 interfere with each other so that the main locking arm portion 48 enters the bending space 53 (so as to approach the temporary locking arm portion 43). ) Elastically bent (see FIG. 7). And while the interference part 49 and the projection part 20 interfere, the contact part 52 of the main locking arm part 48 contacts the receiving part 47 of the temporary locking arm part 43, and this contact action. Thus, further elastic deflection of the main locking arm portion 48 is suppressed, and the main locking arm portion 48 has a front end and a rear end portion (extended end portion 48E) before and after the base end portion (front end portion). It becomes a doubly-supported beam form in two places, and the apparent bending rigidity of the arm part 48 for this latching is improved.

  Therefore, in order to advance the assembly of the retainer 40 to the main locking position from this state, a stronger operating force (pushing force) is required. Thereafter, as the push-in is advanced, the interference portion 49 and the projection portion 20 are in sliding contact with the amount of elastic deflection of the locking arm portion 48 being increased. When the retainer 40 moves to the final locking position, as shown in FIG. 8, the main locking contact surface 50 of the main locking arm portion 48 is in contact with the main locking receiving surface 22 of the housing 10. By abutting from the rear, the retainer 40 is restricted from moving (returning) toward the temporary locking position. In addition, since the main locking contact surface 50 and the main locking receiving surface 22 are both inclined with respect to the assembly direction of the retainer 40, the return restriction of the retainer 40 is performed by a semi-lock structure. Will be. When the retainer 40 is moved to the final locking position, the assembly of the first connector F is completed.

  In the first connector F of the present embodiment, the retainer 40 has a cantilever temporary locking arm portion 43 and a main locking arm portion 48, and the retainer 40 at the temporary locking position is the main locking portion. When the stop arm portion 48 abuts against the protrusion 20 of the housing 10, the movement toward the final locking position is restricted. Further, in the process in which the retainer 40 moves from the temporary locking position to the final locking position, the main locking arm 48 is elastically deformed so as to interfere with the protrusion 20 and approach the temporary locking arm 43. . Then, the main locking arm portion 48 and the temporary locking arm portion 43 are in contact with each other when the main locking arm portion 48 interferes with the protruding portion 20 and elastically bends, respectively. A contact portion 52 and a receiving portion 47 are formed as a deflection suppressing portion that suppresses the elastic deflection of the main locking arm portion 48.

  Therefore, when an unexpected pushing force due to foreign matter interference or the like acts on the retainer 40 held at the temporary locking position from the front, the main locking is performed before the retainer 40 reaches the final locking position. The abutment portion 52 of the arm portion for contact 48 abuts against the receiving portion 47 of the arm portion for temporary locking 43, so that the apparent bending rigidity of the arm portion for locking 48 is increased. The retainer 40 is not pushed into the main locking position.

  The effect of this embodiment is as follows. If the extended end portion of the main locking arm portion is connected to the temporary locking arm portion, the maximum displacement portion of the main locking arm portion at the time of interference with the protruding portion is in the extending direction. Since it is a substantially central portion, it is necessary to lengthen the extension length of the main locking arm portion in order to avoid plastic deformation of the main locking arm portion. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, even if the locking arm portion 48 is in a cantilever form, the flexural rigidity can be increased. The extension length of the stop arm portion 48 can be shortened, and as a result, the first connector F can be reduced in size.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the above description and drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.
(1) In the above embodiment, a semi-lock structure that does not require an unlocking operation when moving the retainer to the temporary locking position is used as means for holding the retainer at the final locking position. In this case, the retainer may be held at the main locking position by a lock structure that requires an unlocking operation.
(2) In the above embodiment, the movement direction of the retainer from the temporary locking position to the final locking position is opposite to the insertion direction of the terminal fitting. The direction of movement to the position may be a direction that intersects the insertion direction of the terminal fitting.

(3) In the above embodiment, the retainer indirectly prevents the terminal fitting from being pulled out by restricting the elastic deflection of the lance. May be.

F ... 1st connector (connector)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Housing 20 ... Projection part 30 ... Female terminal metal fitting (terminal metal fitting)
40 ... Retainer 43 ... Temporary locking arm portion 47 ... Receiving portion (deflection suppression portion of temporary locking arm portion)
48 ... Main locking arm portion 48E ... Extended end portion of main locking arm portion 49 ... Interference portion 52 ... Abutting portion (deflection suppressing portion of main locking arm portion)
53 ... Space for bending (space between the temporary locking arm and the final locking arm)

Claims (1)

A housing into which the terminal fitting is inserted;
A retainer attached to the housing;
The retainer attached to the housing is movable between a temporary locking position that allows insertion / extraction of the terminal fitting and a final locking position that holds the inserted terminal fitting,
In the retainer, a temporary locking arm portion and a final locking arm portion that extend in a cantilevered manner in substantially the same direction as the movement direction from the temporary locking position to the final locking position are arranged with a space therebetween. Is formed as
In the state where the retainer is in the temporary locking position, the movement of the retainer in the direction opposite to the main locking position is restricted by the locking of the temporary locking arm portion and the housing, and the main locking mechanism. When the stop arm portion comes into contact with the protrusion of the housing, the movement of the retainer toward the main locking position is restricted,
In the process of moving the retainer from the temporary locking position to the final locking position, the main locking arm portion is elastically deformed so as to interfere with the protrusion and approach the temporary locking arm portion, In the connector in which when the retainer reaches the final locking position, the main locking arm part is elastically restored and locked to the protrusion, whereby the retainer is held at the final locking position. ,
The main locking arm portion and the temporary locking arm portion are brought into contact with each other when the main locking arm portion is elastically deflected by interference with the protrusion, thereby further locking the main locking arm portion. A flexure suppression part that suppresses the elastic flexure of the arm part for use ,
The deflection suppressing portion includes a contact portion positioned at an extended end portion of the main locking arm portion and a receiving portion positioned at an extended end portion of the temporary locking arm portion. In the stopping arm portion, an interference portion that interferes with the protruding portion is formed at a position closer to the base end side than the extending end portion, and the retainer moves from the temporary locking position to the final locking position. When the interference portion interferes with the protrusion, only the main locking arm portion of the main locking arm portion and the temporary locking arm portion becomes the temporary locking arm portion. The connector is characterized in that it is elastically deformed so as to approach, and further, the contact portion comes into contact with the receiving portion while the interference portion and the projection portion interfere with each other .

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