JP3111169B2 - Connector structure of electrical junction box - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector connecting structure of an electric junction box which can efficiently route a bus bar or the like near a connector connecting portion.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An electrical junction box used for branch connection of a wiring harness for automobiles to various electric components is provided with branch connection points concentrated at one place, and wiring is rationally and economically connected. With the increase in the density of wire harnesses, various types have been developed according to vehicle types or applications.

[0003] On the outer wall of the electric junction box as described above, FIG.
A fixed connector 2 as shown in FIG.
A movable connector 3 to which a wire harness is connected is connected to the fixed connector 2.

A large number of bus bars 5 are arranged in the electric connection box 1 via insulating plates 4, and the ends of the connection terminals 5 a,..., 5 a bent from each bus bar 5 are fitted into the connector of the fixed connector 2. It faces the coupling surface 2b of the portion 2a.

Further, as described in the connection structure of Japanese Patent Application No. 8-40078, a connection terminal (not shown) connected to a wire harness is provided in the movable connector 3, and the tip of the connection terminal is movable. It faces the coupling surface 3b of the connector 3. The movable connector 3 is slidably supported in a coupling / anti-coupling direction in a frame-shaped holder 6, and is locked and held at a predetermined sliding position by support lances 6 a provided on both sides of the holder 6. ing.

As shown in FIG. 4B, when the holder 6 is gripped and moved in the connecting direction, the movable connector 3 is inserted into the connector fitting portion 2a of the fixed connector 2, and the movable connector 3 is connected. When the surface 3b abuts on the coupling surface 2b of the fixed connector 2, the connection terminals of the connectors 2 and 3 are electrically connected to each other.

[0007] The swinging lever 9 is supported on the movable connector 3 by a fulcrum pin 8, and the power point pin 10 of the swinging lever 9 is engaged with the guide groove 3 c of the movable connector 3 to connect the movable connector 3 to the fixed connector. 2, the movable connector 3 can also reduce the coupling insertion force by engaging the action point guide groove 9a of the swing lever 9 with the action point pin 11 of the fitting portion 2a of the fixed connector 2.

[0008]

However, since each support lance 6a of the holder 6 protrudes into each through hole 2d of the fitting portion 2a of the fixed connector 2, the electrical connection is made as shown in FIG. Since the outer wall of the electric connection box 1 needs to be thickened (raised) by the intrusion dimension a so as not to hit the bus bar 5 in the box 1, the electric connection box 1 becomes large.

Further, since the bus bar 5 needs to be routed so as to avoid each support lance 6a, the degree of freedom of the routing is limited. Furthermore, rainwater and the like and dust may enter the electrical connection box 1 from each through hole 2d.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an electric connection box which does not increase the size of an electric connection box, improves the degree of freedom in arranging bus bars, and has no danger of rainwater or the like entering. An object of the present invention is to provide a connector connecting structure for a box.

[0011]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention locks and holds a movable connector supported by a holder at a predetermined position with a support lance of the holder, and moves the holder in the connecting direction. When the movable connector is coupled to the fixed connector of the electrical junction box while the movable connector is released from the locking by the support lance, the movable connector is moved together with the holder in the coupling direction to be coupled to the fixed connector. In the connector connection structure of the connection box, the support lance is supported by the holder so as to be movable in the coupling / anti-coupling direction, and is temporarily locked at the locking and holding position of the movable connector. When it is moved in the connecting direction, the support lance contacts the unlocking part of the movable connector and the temporary locking is released, and only the holder is in the connecting direction. There is provided a connector coupling structure of the electric connection box, characterized in that it has to be moved.

According to the above construction, when the holder is further moved in the connecting direction after the movable lance is connected to the fixed connector so that the support lance can be moved, the temporary locking of the support lance is released and the holder is released. Is moved in the coupling direction, and the support lance does not move in the coupling direction beyond the coupling surface of the fixed connector.

Further, the supporting lance is supported by the pocket-shaped supporting concave portion of the holder so as to be movable in the coupling / anti-coupling direction, and the engagement between the supporting concave portion and the locking concave and convex portion of the supporting lance. When the movable connector is disengaged by moving the holder in the anti-coupling direction, the support lance is pulled out of the support recess at the holding portion of the movable connector, and is again locked in the locked holding position. It can be made to be temporarily locked.

According to the above construction, the support lance can be temporarily locked again at the locking holding position in conjunction with the movement of the holder in the anti-coupling direction.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

The same components and portions as those in the prior art shown in FIG. 4 et seq. Are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 1, the outer wall 1 of the electric junction box 1
a fixed connector 2 provided in the connector fitting portion 2a
No through-hole 2d is formed in the connecting surface 2b as in the prior art, so that it is not necessary to make the outer wall 1a thicker by the intrusion dimension a as in the prior art, so that the outer wall 1a is thinner by that amount. Accordingly, the connection terminal 5 bent from the bus bar 5
The bending height of a is also low.

A support lance is not integrally formed on both sides of the holder 6 as in the prior art, and the support lance 12 is formed separately.

As shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C, a groove 12a penetrating in the length direction is formed at the center in the width direction on the back surface of the support lance 12. A locking recess 12b is formed at the rear. Further, spring pieces 12c, 12c projecting obliquely rearward in a blade-like manner are integrally formed on both side edges of the support lance 12 in the width direction.

At the rear of both sides of the holder 6, there is formed a pocket-like supporting recess 6c for supporting the rear of the support lance 12 so as to be movable in the front-rear (coupling / anti-coupling) direction.
Enlarged concave portions 6f are formed on both front sides of the support concave portion 6c with which the respective spring piece portions 12c of the support lance 12 abut, and the support lance 12 is held by the spring force of the respective spring piece portions 12c so as not to rattle. You.

In the support recess 6c, a locking projection 6d is formed in which the locking recess 12b of the support lance 12 engages with the support lance 12 locking and holding the movable connector 3 at a predetermined position. Then, as shown in FIG.
2b is engaged with the locking projection 6d, the support lance 12
Is temporarily locked in this state. As shown in FIG. 3C, when the temporary locking is released and the support lance 12 is moved backward by the stroke b, the rear end of the support lance 12 abuts on the bottom surface 6e of the support recess 6c to prevent it from falling off. Is done. In addition,
The concave groove 12a of the support lance 12 is an escape groove for the locking convex portion 6d of the support concave portion 6c.

On the other hand, the housing 3 of the movable connector 3
As shown in FIGS. 2 (A) and 3 (A), cuts 3d into which the support recesses 6c of the holder 6 are fitted when only the holder 6 moves in the front (coupling) direction, as shown in FIGS. The support lance 12 formed and temporarily locked to the holder 6
A concave groove 3e is formed to escape so that the back surface of the groove does not interfere.

Further, ribs 3f, 3f projecting into the cuts 3d are provided in parallel with both side walls of the concave groove 3e, and these ribs 3f are inserted into both sides in the support concave portion 6c when the holder 6 moves alone. , Each spring piece 12 of the support lance 12
c is forcibly elastically deformed inward. And cut 3
By pushing the front end 12e of the support lance 12 with the front end 3g of d, the support lance 12 can be moved backward while forcibly releasing the temporary locking of the support lance 12, as shown in FIG. .

At the leading end of each rib 3f, both sides of the support lance 12 are weaker than the temporary locking force of the locking concave portion 12b and the locking convex portion 6d and stronger than the spring force of each spring piece portion 12c. A clamping projection 3h for clamping the edge is formed.

The operation of the connector connecting structure having the above-described structure will be described below.

As shown in FIG. 1, each support lance 12 of the holder 6 is pulled out in the connecting direction, and
The movable connector 3 is locked and held at a predetermined position in a provisionally locked state in which b is engaged with the locking projection 6d.

In this state, when the holder 6 is gripped and moved in the coupling direction, the movable connector 3 is inserted into the connector fitting portion 2a of the fixed connector 2, and the coupling surface 3b of the movable connector 3 becomes the coupling surface of the fixed connector 2. By contacting the connection terminal 2b, the connection terminals of the connectors 2 and 3 are electrically connected to each other.

After the coupling surface 3b of the movable connector 3 comes into contact with the coupling surface 2b of the fixed connector 2, when only the holder 6 is moved in the coupling direction with a slightly strong force, the ribs 3f of the movable connector 3 become supported concave portions. 6c, each spring piece 12c of the support lance 12 is elastically deformed inward.

Then, the front end 12e of the support lance 12 is pushed by the front end 3g of the cut 3d, and the support lance 12 is moved backward while forcibly releasing the temporary locking by the locking concave portion 12b and the locking convex portion 6d. Be moved. At this time, both side edges of the support lance 12 are clamped by the clamping protrusions 3h of each rib 3f.

The holder 6 is locked to the fixed connector 2 by locking the locking recess 6b to the locking protrusion 2c of the connector fitting portion 2a of the fixed connector 2.

As described above, after the movable connector 3 is coupled to the fixed connector 2, the holder 6 is further moved in the coupling direction, whereby the temporary locking of the support lance 12 is released, and only the holder 6 is moved in the coupling direction. And the support lance 12 is connected to the fixed surface 2 b of the fixed connector 2.
Since it does not move in the coupling direction as described above, a through hole as in the related art is unnecessary.

This eliminates the need to support the outer wall 1a of the electric junction box 1 and increase the thickness of the lance 12 by the protrusion dimension a, thereby reducing the size of the electric junction box 1.

Further, since the bus bar 5 does not need to be routed around the support lance 6a which protrudes from the through hole 2d as in the prior art, the degree of freedom in routing is improved. Furthermore, since there is no through-hole 2d, there is no danger of rainwater or the like entering the electrical connection box 1.

On the other hand, when the holder 6 is moved in the anti-coupling direction to release the connection of the movable connector 3, the holding projection 3h of the movable connector 3 is interlocked with the movement of the holder 6.
The support lance 12 is pulled out from the support recess 6c, and the locking recess 12b is again engaged with the locking projection 6d at the locking holding position and temporarily locked, so that the support lance 12 is manually locked. There is no need to temporarily lock in the holding position.

[0035]

As is apparent from the above description, the connector connecting structure of the present invention is such that when the holder is further moved in the connecting direction after the movable connector is connected to the fixed connector, the support lance is temporarily locked. Is released and only the holder is moved in the coupling direction, so that the support lance does not move in the coupling direction beyond the coupling surface of the fixed connector, so there is no need for a through hole as in the past, and the outer wall of the electrical junction box Therefore, it is not necessary to increase the thickness of the lance by the size of the lance, so that the electric junction box can be downsized.

Further, the bus bar does not need to be routed so as to avoid the support lance which enters through the through hole as in the prior art, so that the degree of freedom of wiring is improved. Does not enter the electrical junction box.

When the movable connector is disengaged by moving the holder in the anti-coupling direction, the support lance is pulled out of the support recess by the holding portion of the movable connector. Since the support lance can be temporarily locked at the locking holding position again in conjunction with the movement in the direction,
It is not necessary to temporarily lock the support lance in the lock holding position by manual operation.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a connector connection structure of the present invention, in which (A) is a plan sectional view before connection, and (B) is a plan sectional view after connection.

FIG. 2A is a sectional perspective view of a side portion of a movable connector,
(B) is a cross-sectional perspective view of a side portion of the holder in which the support lance is temporarily locked, and (C) is a cross-sectional perspective view of the side portion of the holder before the support lance is temporarily locked.

FIG. 3A is an inner view of a side portion of a movable connector,
(B) is an inner view of the side of the holder in which the support lance is temporarily locked, and (C) is an inner view of the side of the holder in which the support lance has moved backward.

FIG. 4 is a conventional connector connection structure, in which (A) is a plan cross-sectional view before connection, and (B) is a plan cross-sectional view after connection.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Electric connection box 2 Fixed connector 2c Locking convex part 3 Movable connector 3g Front end part (locking release part) 3h Nipping protrusion part 6 Holder 6c Support concave part 6c Lock convex part 12 Support lance 12b Lock concave part

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-9-306589 (JP, A) Japanese Utility Model 4-5067 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model 4-5066 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model 3 95578 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model Hei 7-23935 (JP, U) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01R 13/56-13/72

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] When a movable connector supported by a holder is locked and held at a predetermined position by a support lance of a holder, and the movable connector is coupled to a fixed connector of an electric connection box while moving the holder in a coupling direction, In the connector connection structure of an electric connection box, in which the movable connector is unlocked and held by the support lance, and the movable connector is moved together with the holder in the connection direction to be connected to the fixed connector, the support lance is connected by the holder・ Supporting the movable connector in the anti-coupling direction, temporarily locking it at the locking and holding position of the movable connector, and when the holder is moved in the coupling direction after the coupling of the movable connector, the support lance locks the movable connector. The temporary connection is released by contacting the release portion, and only the holder is moved in the coupling direction. Connector coupling structure. 2. The supporting lance is supported by a pocket-shaped supporting concave portion of the holder so as to be movable in a coupling / anti-coupling direction.
The support recess is temporarily locked by the engagement of the locking concave and convex portion of the support lance, and the holder is moved in the anti-coupling direction to release the connection of the movable connector. 2. The connector connecting structure for an electric connection box according to claim 1, wherein the connector is pulled out of the supporting recess and is temporarily locked again at the locking holding position.