JP3506361B2 - Assembly connection structure of electrical unit - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to, for example, assembling a meter unit, which is an electrical equipment unit, to an instrument panel of an automobile, and at the same time, assembling an electrical equipment unit for connecting a wire harness on the instrument panel side and a meter unit with a connector. It relates to a connection structure.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 11 shows a conventional assembling and connecting structure of an electric component unit. In FIG. 11, 41 is an instrument panel (hereinafter referred to as instrument panel) of the automobile, and 42 is
A meter unit as an electric component unit, 43 is a meter cluster, 44 is a center cluster, and 45 and 46 are other electric component units.

The meter unit 42 is mounted on the instrument panel 41. Wire harness 47 on the instrument panel side when installing
Is connected to the meter unit 42 by a connector. Further, the center cluster 44 is mounted on the instrument panel 41, and the other electrical components 45, 46 are connected to the instrument panel side wire harness 48.
To the center cluster 44. Connectors (not shown) for connecting the respective wire harnesses 47, 48 to the respective connectors 49 are provided on the back side of each of the electrical equipment units 42, 45, 46.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional assembly and connection structure for the electrical equipment units, the connectors 49 of the wire harnesses 47, 48 are blindly connected to the connectors of the electrical equipment units 42, 45, 46. Alternatively, it is necessary to pull out the wire harnesses 47, 48 from the instrument panel 41 (in this case, it is necessary to set an extra length in the wire harnesses 47, 48) and connect the connectors. In the blind work, the work efficiency of the connector connection is poor, and when the wire harnesses 47, 48 are pulled out, it is necessary to push in the wire harnesses 47, 48.
In addition, the wire harnesses 47 and 48 must be set long, which causes a problem of poor workability and an increase in component cost.

In order to improve the workability of connector connection, at the same time as assembling the electrical unit to the instrument panel,
A structure (not shown) for automatically connecting the connector of the wire harness and the connector of the electrical component unit has also been proposed, but in that case, the connector on the wire harness side is supported by a spring member so as to be movable vertically and horizontally. Therefore, it is necessary to absorb (align) the positional displacement between the connectors, which complicates the structure and requires a large assembling space, and the number of parts increases, resulting in an increase in cost.

In view of the above-mentioned points, the present invention improves the work efficiency of connector connection, surely connects the connector, can easily and surely assemble and remove the electrical unit, and has the centering on the connector side. It is an object of the present invention to provide an assembling and connecting structure of an electrical component unit which does not take up a large space and is advantageous in terms of cost.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a connector on an electrical equipment unit, and a connector on a connection side to an assembly body for the electrical equipment unit,
In an assembling connection structure of an electrical component unit capable of connecting both connectors at the same time when the electrical component unit is assembled to the assembled component, in both sides of the electrical component unit, for locking and aligning with the assembled component The spring member is provided (Claim 1). It is also effective that the spring member 30 is a spring clip having sandwiching and fixing portions 51 and 53 for the electrical component unit 2 and an elastic lock portion 39 that engages with the engaging recess 40 on the assembled body 1 side. There is (claim 2). The elastic contact portion of the terminal of the connector on the assembly target side and the conductive terminal of the connector on the electrical component unit side are vertically opposed to each other (claim 3). Further, the conductive terminal is formed wider than the elastic contact portion (claim 4). Further, the conductive terminal is covered with a terminal cover of the unit case, the elastic contact portion is covered with a slide type terminal cover, and the slide type terminal cover is pressed against the unit case and retracts. ). Further, a cutout groove for confirming and releasing the engagement with the spring member is formed in the assembly body (claim 6).

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Specific examples of embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 6 show an embodiment of an assembling and connecting structure of an electric component unit according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is an instrument panel made of synthetic resin (hereinafter referred to as instrument panel), and 2 is a meter unit (electrical unit) mounted on the instrument panel 1.

An instrument panel (attached body) 1 is formed with a horizontally long rectangular accommodating recess 3 for mounting the meter unit 2 in the horizontal direction. Receiving portions 6 and 7 such as guide rails for the meter unit 2 are formed in parallel on the upper wall 4 and the bottom wall 5 of the housing recessed portion 3, respectively. Receiver 6,
The meter unit 3 is guided to the accommodating recess 3 by 7 and assembled smoothly.

A hanging wall 8 is formed from the upper wall 4 of the instrument panel 1 on the rear side (back side) of the housing recess 3, and the hanging wall 8 houses a case 11 for housing a connector 10 of a wire harness 9 on the instrument panel side and a housing hole. And 12 are formed. The connector 10 is inserted and locked in the case 11, and the elastic contact portion 16 of the terminal 15 projects downward from the lower opening 14 of the connector housing 13 made of synthetic resin and is positioned in the accommodation recess 3. An electric wire (wire harness) 9 is connected to the terminal 15. The connector 10 includes a connector housing 13 and a terminal 1.
It is composed of 5 and 5.

The connector 10 does not have a movable mechanism as in the prior art, but is compactly housed and fixed in the case 11 and the accommodation hole 12. A positioning hole 17 is provided in the vertical wall 8 on the lower side of the connector 10 so as to penetrate in the meter unit insertion direction (arrow A direction).

The meter unit 2 includes a front display section 20 including a pointer 19, a rear drive section 21 including a drive mechanism (not shown), and a synthetic resin unit case 22 covering the display section 20 and the drive section 21. And a plate-shaped conductive terminal 24 following the drive mechanism is provided on the upper wall 23 of the unit case 22 on the drive unit side with the lower surface in close contact and the upper surface exposed. The conduction terminal 24 extends in the insertion direction of the meter unit 2.

A terminal cover 25 is integrally formed with the unit case 22 on the upper side of the conduction terminal 24. An insertion space 26 for the connector 10 on the instrument panel side is formed inside the terminal cover 25. The terminal cover 25 acts as a connector housing and protects the conduction terminal 24 from the outside. The terminal cover (connector housing) 25 and the conduction terminal 24 constitute a connector 27 on the meter unit side. No locking means is provided on both connectors 10 and 27. A positioning pin 28 for the positioning hole 17 is provided on the rear wall of the unit case 22 so as to project therefrom.

As shown in FIG. 2, spring clips (spring members) 30 are provided on both side walls (reception walls) 29 of the meter unit 2, respectively. The spring clip 30 is formed by bending a metal plate into a substantially U shape, and has an elastic lock plate (elastic lock portion) 39 on the outside. As shown in FIG.
The elastic lock plate 39 is provided on both side walls 3 of the housing recess 3 of the instrument panel 1.
The first engaging recess 40 is engaged. As a result, the meter unit 2 is fixed to the instrument panel 1.

That is, the meter unit 2 is replaced by the instrument panel 1
The elastic lock plate 39 of the spring clip 30 is engaged with the engaging recess 40 at the same time when the meter unit 2 is inserted into the housing recess 3 and the meter unit 2 is temporarily fixed. The main fixing of the meter unit 2 is performed by fixing the lower bracket 33 to the instrument panel 1 with a bolt.

As shown in FIGS. 4-5, the spring clip 3
Reference numeral 0 has an elastic holding and fixing plate (holding and fixing portion) 51 for the meter unit 2 inside. A smaller holding and fixing plate (holding and fixing portion) 53 is cut and raised from the elastic lock plate 39 so as to face the holding and fixing plate 51. A hemispherical locking protrusion 52 is formed on the sandwich fixing plate 53. The elastic lock plate 39 is inclined and raised from the vicinity of the bent portion 32, and the tip end of the elastic lock plate 39 is bent inward to engage the top portion 54 in contact with the engagement recess 40 as shown in FIG. A contact portion 56 that contacts the front end surface 55 of the recess 40
And have.

As shown in FIG. 3, both side walls 2 of the meter unit 2 are provided.
9, an entrance space 57 for the tip of the elastic lock plate 39 is formed on the front side, and an engagement hole 58 for the locking projection 52 (FIG. 5) of the holding and fixing plate 53 is formed on the rear side. Insertion portions for the sandwiching and fixing plate 51 are formed on both side walls 29, the both side walls 29 are sandwiched by both of the sandwiching and fixing plates 51 and 53, and the locking projection 52 (FIG. 5) engages with the engagement hole 58. By doing so, the spring clip 30 is firmly fixed to the meter unit 2.

When the meter unit 2 is inserted into the accommodating recess 40, the elastic lock plate 39 slides in contact with the front ends 31a of the side walls 31 and flexes inward to escape into the entry space 57, and is restored upon completion of insertion. The engaging recess 40 is engaged.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a slit-shaped notch groove 34 is formed in the side wall 31 of the housing recess 3 in the height center of the spring clip 30 in the meter unit insertion direction. The notch groove 34 is formed on the front side of the both side walls 31 and continues to a position slightly rearward of the engagement recess 39.

2 and 3, the spring clip 30 has elasticity in the direction orthogonal to the side walls 31 (thickness direction), and the elastic displacement of the spring clip 30 causes the meter unit 2 to move between the side walls 31. Can be moved in the lateral direction, whereby the fitting dimensional error between the housing recess 3 of the instrument panel 1 and the meter unit 2 and the misalignment of both the connectors 10 and 27 (FIG. 2) are absorbed and the core is aligned. In FIG. 3, the meter unit 2 is movable within a gap 59 between the side walls 29 and 31. The elastic lock plate 39 enters into the entry space 57 when the meter unit 2 moves laterally.

Further, since the elastic lock plate 32 of the spring clip 30 is exposed from the outside through the notch groove 34 after the meter unit 2 is assembled, the locked state of the spring clip 30 and the side walls 31 can be easily confirmed. Further, the lock of the spring clip 30 can be easily released by inserting a jig rod (not shown) into the notch groove 34, whereby the meter unit 2 can be easily removed.

Note that the spring clip 30 may be formed integrally with the synthetic resin unit case 22 of the meter unit 2 instead of as a separate member. Further, instead of the spring clip 30, a leaf spring (spring member) (not shown) may be used to lock and align the meter unit 2.

In FIG. 2, 25 is a terminal cover, 17 is a positioning hole, and 10 is a connector on the instrument panel side. The connector 27 including the terminal cover 25 is arranged at the center of the upper part of the unit case 22. As a result, the meter unit 2 is stably supported when the connector is connected, as will be described later with reference to FIG. Further, the connector 27 is made thin by using the plate-shaped conductive terminal 24 (FIG. 1) so as not to be much different from the thickness of the upper wall 35 of the unit case 22, and the enlargement of the meter unit 2 is prevented. There is.

As shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of terminals 15 are arranged in parallel on the instrument panel side (wire harness side) connector 10. The elastic contact portion 16 of the terminal 15 elastically contacts the conductive terminal 24 on the meter unit side. The width dimension L _{2 of the} conductive terminal 24 is larger than the width dimension L ₁ of the elastic contact portion 16.
Is about twice as large, and both connectors 1
Even if 0 and 27 (FIG. 2) are slightly displaced laterally, good electrical contact between the terminals 15 and 24 is ensured. Further, since the elastic contact portion 16 is capable of bending in the vertical direction, good contact between the terminals 15 and 24 is ensured even if the connectors 10 and 27 (FIG. 2) are slightly displaced in the vertical direction. To be done.

FIGS. 7 to 10 sequentially show a state in which both connectors 10 and 27 are connected. In the figure, 2 is a meter unit, 24 is a conduction terminal, 25 is a terminal cover, 8 is a vertical wall of an instrument panel, 10 (FIG. 8) is a connector on the instrument panel side, 3
Reference numeral 7 denotes a slide-type terminal cover on the instrument panel side which will be described newly.

The terminal cover 37 is made of synthetic resin in a substantially rectangular tube shape and is provided on the vertical wall 8 so as to be slidable in the connector fitting direction. Horizontally slit-shaped guide grooves 38 are vertically formed on the hanging wall 8, and a slide engaging portion 50 (FIG. 7) for the guide grooves 38 is formed on the terminal cover. The terminal cover 37 surrounds and protects the connector 10 (FIG. 7).

As shown in FIG. 7, the terminal cover 37 covers the connector 10 (FIG. 8) by biasing it forward by a spring or the like (not shown) before connecting the connector. Thereby, terminal 1
5 (FIG. 9), the exposed elastic contact portion 16 is protected.

At the same time when the meter unit 2 is inserted into the housing recess 3 of the instrument panel 1, the terminal cover 37 is pushed by the upper part of the unit case of the meter unit 2 and slides rearward as shown in FIGS. Accordingly, the connector 10 on the instrument panel side is connected to the terminal cover 25 on the meter unit side.
The elastic contact portion 16 of the terminal 15 comes into contact with the conductive terminal 24 by being inserted into the insertion space 26 inside.

As shown in FIG. 10, the connector 10 has a conductive terminal 2
4 and the terminal cover 25, the elastic contact portion 16
Is protected by the terminal cover 25 on the meter unit side. Further, since the upper surface of the connector housing 13 is in contact with the upper wall of the terminal cover 25 to define the position of the connector 10, the contact pressure of the elastic contact portion 16 with respect to the conductive terminal 24 is secured. Further, the connector housing 13 has the terminal cover 2
By supporting the meter unit 2 in the height direction by contacting with 5, the position of the meter unit 2 in the height direction is accurately defined.

According to this embodiment, at the same time when the meter unit 2 is inserted into the accommodation recess 3 of the instrument panel 1, the fixed connector 27 on the meter unit side and the fixed connector 10 of the wire harness 9 on the instrument panel side are provided. The connection is smooth and reliable, and the conventional cumbersome connector connection work is unnecessary. Further, not only the connector 27 on the meter unit side, but also the connector 10 on the wire harness side does not use a conventional aligning mechanism using a spring member or a connector fitting mechanism using bolts and nuts, so that the structure is simplified. The number of parts can be reduced, and cost reduction can be achieved.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the conductive terminal 24 on the meter unit side is formed wider than the elastic contact portion 16 of the terminal 15 on the wire harness side.
Even if there is a positional deviation in the width direction between the elastic contact portion 16 and the elastic contact portion 16, electrical contact is reliably performed, and a lateral position error of the meter unit 2 is allowed. Since the spring clip 30 as the locking means for the instrument panel 1 also serves as the centering action in the lateral direction of the meter unit 2, this also reduces the number of parts.

Furthermore, the terminals 15 and 24 of the respective connectors 10 and 27 are protected by the terminal covers 25 and 37, and the sliding type terminal cover 37 is retracted when the connectors are fitted to provide a connector fitting space. Since this does not occur, the fitting form of the connectors can be made compact.

The structure of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 10 is not limited to the instrument panel 1 and the meter unit 2, but is applied to a structure for assembling and connecting all electrical units of an automobile to an instrument panel or other assembly object. It is possible.

[0034]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, since the electrical unit is automatically centered laterally by the spring member, it is not necessary to provide a centering mechanism on the wire harness side connector. The structure of the connector (wire harness) is simplified and the cost is reduced. In addition, since the electrical component unit is locked to the assembly target by the spring member, the work of assembling the electrical component unit is facilitated and ensured. In addition, claim 2
According to the invention described above, the spring clip is inserted into the electrical component unit with one touch, and the electrical component unit is inserted into the assembly target body, so that the elastic lock portion engages with the engaging recess and the electrical component of the electrical component unit is pressed with one touch. Locking is performed. Further, according to the third aspect of the present invention, the elastic contact portion and the conductive terminal are brought into contact with each other in the vertical direction, so that a vertical assembly dimension error of the electrical component unit is allowed within the elastic displacement of the elastic contact portion. . Further, according to the invention described in claim 4, even if the electrical component unit is laterally displaced, good electrical contact between the elastic contact portion and the conductive terminal is maintained. Further, according to the invention of claim 5, the elastic contact portion and the conductive terminal are protected by the respective terminal covers, so that the terminals are prevented from being damaged when the electrical equipment unit is assembled. According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to confirm the engagement / disengagement of the electrical component unit through the notch groove, so that the assembly of the electrical component unit is ensured. Moreover, since the locking of the spring member can be easily released from the notch groove, the work of removing the electrical component unit is facilitated and the maintainability is improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of an assembly connection structure for an electrical component unit according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an assembling and connecting structure of the electric component unit.

3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a spring clip.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a spring clip.

FIG. 6 is a front view showing a connecting portion of a connector.

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which the electrical equipment unit is assembled to an assembly target body.

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state where both connectors have started contact with each other.

FIG. 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state where the terminal cover is slid in the process of engaging the connector.

FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state where the connection of both connectors is completed.

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Instrument panel (attached body) 2 meter unit (electrical unit) 10,27 connector 15 terminals 16 Elastic contact part 22 unit case 24 conductive terminals 25,37 Terminal cover 30 Spring clip (spring member) 34 Notch groove 39 Elastic lock plate (elastic lock part) 40 Engagement recess 51, 53 clamping plate (clamping fixing part)

Continuation of the front page (56) Reference JP-A-9-301096 (JP, A) JP-A-10-12321 (JP, A) JP-A-9-82419 (JP, A) JP-A-2-12784 (JP , A) Actual development Sho 61-35207 (JP, U) Actual development 4-55420 (JP, U) Actual development 6-17168 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB) Name) H01R 13/629 B60K 37/00 H01R 23/02

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A connector is provided on an electrical equipment unit, and a connector on a connection side is provided on an assembly body for the electrical equipment unit,
In an assembling connection structure of an electrical component unit capable of connecting both connectors at the same time when the electrical component unit is assembled to the assembled component, in both sides of the electrical component unit, for locking and aligning with the assembled component An assembling and connecting structure of an electric equipment unit, characterized in that the spring member is provided. 2. The spring member is a spring clip having a holding and fixing portion for the electrical component unit and an elastic lock portion that engages with an engaging recess on the assembly target side. Assembling and connecting structure of the described electrical unit. 3. The elastic contact portion of the terminal of the connector on the assembly target side and the conductive terminal of the connector on the electrical equipment unit side are vertically opposed to each other.
Alternatively, the assembling and connecting structure of the electrical equipment unit according to 2 is provided. 4. The assembly connection structure for an electrical component unit according to claim 3, wherein the conductive terminal is formed wider than the elastic contact portion. 5. The conductive terminal is covered with a terminal cover of a unit case, the elastic contact portion is covered with a slide type terminal cover, and the slide type terminal cover is pressed against the unit case to retreat. The assembly connection structure for an electrical component unit according to claim 3 or 4. 6. The electrical equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the assembled body is formed with a cutout groove for locking confirmation and unlocking of the spring member. Unit assembly connection structure.