JP7590186B2 - connector - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a connector.

Conventionally, a connector is known that includes a second housing that can be mated with a mating housing, and a terminal unit that is a terminal accommodated in the second housing (see Patent Document 1).

In this connector, the terminal unit is prevented from coming off the second housing by engaging with a second lance that is provided inside the second housing and capable of elastic deformation as a locking lance.

In such a connector, the second lance is disengaged from the terminal unit by being deformed with a release tool inserted from outside the second housing. By disengaging the second lance from the terminal unit, the terminal unit can be removed from the second housing, for example, when performing maintenance.

JP 2018-152215 A

However, in a connector such as that described in Patent Document 1, the locking lance may be excessively deformed when it is deformed by the release tool. If the locking lance is excessively deformed, there is a risk that the locking lance will undergo plastic deformation.

If the locking lance is plastically deformed, there is a concern that the locking lance and the terminal will not engage properly when the terminal is inserted into the housing again.

The present invention was made in consideration of the problems inherent in the conventional technology. The object of the present invention is to provide a connector that can always properly engage the locking lance with the terminal.

The connector according to this embodiment includes a housing that can be mated with a mating housing, and a terminal accommodated in the housing. The terminal is prevented from coming out of the housing by engaging with a locking lance that is provided inside the housing and capable of elastic deformation. The locking lance is disengaged from the terminal by being deformed by a release tool that is inserted from the outside of the housing. The housing is provided with a restricting portion that abuts against the locking lance when the locking lance is deformed by the release tool to restrict excessive deformation of the locking lance.

The housing is provided with an elastically deformable locking arm that maintains the mating state with the mating housing, the locking arm is elastically deformed toward the locking lance when the mating housing and the housing are mated, the locking lance is deformed toward the locking arm when deformed by the release tool, and the restricting portion is preferably disposed on the base end side of the locking arm between the locking lance and the locking arm.

It is preferable that the restricting portion is integrally provided on the base end side of the lock arm.

The present invention provides a connector that can always properly engage the locking lance with the terminal.

1 is a cross-sectional view of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a housing of the connector according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the connector according to the embodiment when mated with a mating connector. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the connector according to the embodiment and the mating connector in the middle of fitting. FIG.

The connector according to this embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that the dimensional ratios in the drawings have been exaggerated for the convenience of explanation and may differ from the actual ratios.

The connector 1 according to this embodiment includes a housing 5 that can be mated with a mating housing 3, and a terminal unit 7 that serves as a terminal housed in the housing 5.

The terminal unit 7 is prevented from coming off the housing 5 by engaging with a locking lance 9 that is provided inside the housing 5 and capable of elastic deformation. The locking lance 9 is then deformed by a release tool 11 that is inserted from the outside of the housing 5, thereby releasing the engagement with the terminal unit 7.

The housing 5 is provided with a restricting portion 13 that abuts against the locking lance 9 when the locking lance 9 is deformed by the release tool 11, restricting excessive deformation of the locking lance 9.

The housing 5 is provided with an elastically deformable lock arm 15 that maintains the mating state with the mating housing 3. When the mating housing 3 and the housing 5 are mated, the lock arm 15 is elastically deformed toward the locking lance 9. When the locking lance 9 is deformed by the release tool 11, it is deformed toward the locking arm 15. The restricting portion 13 is disposed between the locking lance 9 and the locking arm 15, on the base end side of the locking arm 15.

The restricting portion 13 is also integral with the base end side of the lock arm 15.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the connector 1 can be mated with a mating connector 17. This mating connector 17 is mounted, for example, on a substrate (not shown) and includes a mating inner terminal 19, a mating inner housing 21, a mating outer terminal 23, a mating housing 3, and a shield shell 25.

The mating inner terminal 19 is made of a conductive material and is formed in an L-shape. One end of the mating inner terminal 19 is electrically connected, for example, by soldering to a conductor pattern formed on the board, and the mating inner terminal 19 is electrically connected to the board. The other end of the mating inner terminal 19 is a connecting portion that extends in a rod shape along the mating direction of the connector 1 and the mating connector 17, which is the planar direction of the board. Such a mating inner terminal 19 is housed in a mating inner housing 21.

The mating inner housing 21 is made of an insulating material such as synthetic resin. The mating inner terminal 19 is fixed to this mating inner housing 21 by press-fitting or the like, and one end side and the other end side of the mating inner terminal 19 are exposed to the outside. Such a mating inner housing 21 is accommodated in the mating outer terminal 23, and maintains the insulation between the mating inner terminal 19 and the mating outer terminal 23.

The mating outer terminal 23 is made of a conductive material and is formed into a cylindrical shape so that it can accommodate the mating inner housing 21. This mating outer terminal 23 accommodates the mating inner housing 21, is electrically connected to a ground pattern formed on the board by soldering or the like, and is grounded to the board. Such a mating outer terminal 23 is accommodated in the mating housing 3, and forms a shielded circuit within the mating housing 3, preventing the intrusion and leakage of noise, etc.

The mating housing 3 is made of an insulating material such as synthetic resin, and is formed into a box shape so that it can accommodate the mating outer terminal 23. This mating housing 3 is provided with a hood portion 27 into which the housing 5 of the connector 1 can be fitted. A locked portion 29 that can engage with the lock arm 15 of the connector 1 is provided at the front opening end of this hood portion 27 in the fitting direction with the housing 5. The outer periphery of this mating housing 3 is covered by a shield shell 25.

The shield shell 25 is made of a conductive material and is formed in a frame shape so that it can cover the outer periphery of the hood portion 27 of the mating housing 3. This shield shell 25 covers the outer periphery of the mating housing 3, is electrically connected by soldering or the like to a ground pattern formed on the board, and is grounded to the board. Such a shield shell 25 forms a shield circuit on the outer periphery of the mating housing 3, and together with the mating outer terminal 23, prevents the intrusion and leakage of noise, etc.

In this type of mating connector 17, the housing 5 of the connector 1 is fitted into the hood portion 27 of the mating housing 3 along the planar direction of the board. The connector 1 will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 5.

As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the connector 1 is provided at the end of the coaxial wire 31 and includes a terminal unit 7 and a housing 5.

The coaxial electric wire 31 includes an inner electric wire 33, a shielding member 35, and a sheath 37. The inner electric wire 33 is composed of a core wire in which a plurality of wires made of a conductive material are twisted together, and an insulating coating made of an insulating material that covers the outer periphery of the core wire. The core wire may be a solid wire. The shielding member 35 is composed of a braid formed by weaving a plurality of wires made of a conductive material, and is arranged to cover the outer periphery of the inner electric wire 33. The shielding member 35 is not limited to a braid, and may be a metal foil or the like. The sheath 37 is composed of an insulating material and is arranged to cover the outer periphery of the shielding member 35. A metal foil (not shown) is arranged between the inner electric wire 33 and the shielding member 35.

At the end of the coaxial electric wire 31 thus configured, first, a predetermined length of the sheath 37 is stripped off. Next, an annular metal sleeve 39 is crimped onto the outer periphery of the exposed shielding member 35. Next, the shielding member 35 is folded back so as to cover the outer periphery of the metal sleeve 39. Next, a predetermined length of the exposed metal foil (not shown) is cut off, and then a predetermined length of the insulating coating of the exposed inner electric wire 33 is stripped off to expose the core wire of the inner electric wire 33.

Then, in the coaxial electric wire 31 that has been subjected to terminal processing, the inner terminal 41 of the terminal unit 7 is electrically connected to the exposed core wire of the inner electric wire 33, and the outer terminal 45 of the terminal unit 7 is electrically connected to the exposed shield member 35.

The terminal unit 7 includes an inner terminal 41, an inner housing 43, and an outer terminal 45.

The inner terminal 41 is made of a conductive material and is a female terminal having a box-shaped connection portion into which the tab-shaped connection portion of the mating inner terminal 19 can be inserted. This inner terminal 41 is electrically connected to the inner electric wire 33 by crimping a crimping portion consisting of a pair of crimping pieces to the core wire of the inner electric wire 33. Such an inner terminal 41 is housed in the inner housing 43, and is electrically connected to the mating inner terminal 19 by fitting the connector 1 and the mating connector 17 together.

The inner housing 43 is made of an insulating material such as synthetic resin and is formed into a cylindrical shape so that it can accommodate the inner terminal 41. This inner housing 43 is accommodated in the outer terminal 45 and maintains the insulation between the inner terminal 41 and the outer terminal 45.

The outer terminal 45 is made of a conductive material and is formed into a cylindrical shape so that the inner housing 43 can be accommodated therein. The outer terminal 45 is provided with a shield crimping portion 47 consisting of a pair of crimping pieces. The shield crimping portion 47 is crimped to the shielding member 35 of the coaxial electric wire 31, thereby electrically connecting the outer terminal 45 and the shielding member 35. The outer terminal 45 is also provided with a sheath crimping portion 49 consisting of a pair of crimping pieces. The sheath crimping portion 49 is crimped to the sheath 37 of the coaxial electric wire 31, thereby fixing the outer terminal 45 to the coaxial electric wire 31. When the connector 1 and the mating connector 17 are fitted together, the outer terminal 45 comes into contact with the mating outer terminal 23 and is electrically connected to the mating outer terminal 23 to form a shield circuit. The formation of this shield circuit prevents the intrusion and leakage of noise and the like into the mating inner terminal 19 and the inner terminal 41.

Such a terminal unit 7 is housed in the housing 5 in a state where it is assembled to the terminal portion of the coaxial electric wire 31. The outer periphery of the outer terminal 45 of this terminal unit 7 is provided with an engaged portion 51 that can engage with the locking lance 9 of the housing 5 in the direction of removal from the housing 5. The engagement between the engaged portion 51 and the locking lance 9 prevents the terminal unit 7 from coming out of the housing 5, and the coaxial electric wire 31 is pulled out from the housing 5.

The housing 5 is made of an insulating material such as synthetic resin, and is formed in a shape that can fit into the hood portion 27 of the mating housing 3 of the mating connector 17. Inside this housing 5, there is provided an accommodation chamber 53 that can accommodate the terminal unit 7. The upper wall that constitutes this accommodation chamber 53 is formed of a continuous member with a locking lance 9 that can be elastically deformed in the height direction of the housing 5.

The locking lance 9 extends in the mating direction so as to be elastically deformable, with the rear side in the mating direction of the connector 1 and the mating connector 17 as its base end and the front side in the mating direction as its free end. An engagement portion 55 that protrudes toward the inside of the accommodation chamber 53 is provided on the free end side of the locking lance 9. This engagement portion 55 is positioned so as to be able to abut against the engaged portion 51 of the terminal unit 7 when the terminal unit 7 is placed in the correct position in the accommodation chamber 53, and prevents the terminal unit 7 from coming out of the housing 5.

When the terminal unit 7 is inserted through the insertion opening 57 of the accommodating chamber 53, the engaging portion 55 of the locking lance 9 slides against the outer peripheral surface of the outer terminal 45 of the terminal unit 7. This sliding causes the locking lance 9 to elastically deform upward. When the terminal unit 7 is placed in the correct position in the accommodating chamber 53, the locking lance 9 returns to its original position downward, and the engaging portion 55 is positioned opposite the engaged portion 51 in the removal direction. This positioning of the engaging portion 55 and the engaged portion 51 makes it possible to prevent the terminal unit 7 from slipping out of the insertion opening 57, for example, when a tensile force is applied to the coaxial electric wire 31.

On the other hand, when the terminal unit 7 is to be removed from the accommodation chamber 53, for example for maintenance, the release jig 11 is inserted through the jig insertion opening 59, which is provided on the front side in the fitting direction and communicates with the accommodation chamber 53. The tip of the release jig 11 abuts against the free end side of the locking lance 9, elastically deforming the locking lance 9 upward. This elastic deformation of the locking lance 9 releases the engagement between the engaging portion 55 and the engaged portion 51, allowing the terminal unit 7 to be removed from the insertion opening 57.

Here, in the housing 5, a side spacer 63 is attached to an attachment portion 61 that is connected to the storage chamber 53. When the side spacer 63 is attached to the attachment portion 61 in the temporary locking position, it allows the terminal unit 7 to be accommodated in and removed from the storage chamber 53. Meanwhile, when the side spacer 63 is attached to the attachment portion 61 in the full locking position, it is disposed opposite the terminal unit 7 in the direction of removal from the storage chamber 53, and together with the locking lance 9, it provides a double prevention against removal. In the housing 5 to which such a side spacer 63 is attached, a lock arm 15 that is elastically deformable in the height direction of the housing 5 is formed as a continuous single member.

The locking arm 15 extends in the mating direction so as to be elastically deformable, with the front side in the mating direction of the connector 1 and the mating connector 17 as the base end and the rear side in the mating direction as the free end. The outer surface of this locking arm 15 is provided with a locking portion 65 that protrudes upward. This locking portion 65 is arranged opposite the locked portion 29 in the removal direction when the housing 5 is mated in the correct position within the hood portion 27 of the mating housing 3. The arrangement of this locking portion 65 and locked portion 29 maintains the mated state between the connector 1 and the mating connector 17.

When the housing 5 is inserted into the hood portion 27 of the mating housing 3, the locking portion 65 of the locking arm 15 slides against the locked portion 29. This sliding causes the locking arm 15 to elastically deform downward toward the locking lance 9. When the connector 1 and the mating connector 17 are properly mated, the locking arm 15 returns to its original position upward, and the locking portion 65 is positioned opposite the locked portion 29 in the removal direction. This positioning of the locking portion 65 and the locked portion 29 maintains the mated state between the connector 1 and the mating connector 17.

On the other hand, when the connector 1 and the mating connector 17 need to be disengaged, for example for maintenance, the operating portion 67 provided at the free end of the locking arm 15 is pressed downward, causing the locking arm 15 to elastically deform downward. This elastic deformation of the locking arm 15 disengages the locking portion 65 from the locked portion 29, allowing the housing 5 to be removed from within the hood portion 27.

In such a housing 5, an allowable space 69 is formed, which is partitioned by the inner surface of the housing 5 and the opposing surfaces of the locking lance 9 and the locking arm 15. This allowable space 69 is a space that allows elastic deformation of the locking lance 9 toward the locking arm 15, or upward, and of the locking arm 15 toward the locking lance 9, or downward.

The elastic deformation of the locking lance 9 and the locking arm 15 serve to hold the terminal unit 7 and to maintain the mated state between the connector 1 and the mating connector 17, and are not performed simultaneously. For this reason, the allowable space 69 is set so that at least the range of upward elastic deformation of the locking lance 9 and the range of downward elastic deformation of the locking arm 15 overlap in the height direction of the housing 5. By setting the allowable space 69 in this manner, the housing 5 can be made smaller in height.

When the terminal unit 7 is removed from the housing 5 in this type of connector 1, the locking lance 9 is elastically deformed upward by the release jig 11 inserted through the jig insertion opening 59. If the locking lance 9 is deformed excessively at this time, it may undergo plastic deformation and not return to its normal position downward. For this reason, for example, when the terminal unit 7 is housed back in the housing 5 after maintenance or the like is completed, the engaging portion 55 of the locking lance 9 may not be able to properly engage with the engaged portion 51 of the terminal unit 7.

The housing 5 is provided with a restricting portion 13 that restricts excessive deformation of the locking lance 9. The restricting portion 13 is formed of a single member that is continuous with the root portion 71, which is the base end side of the locking arm 15, and protrudes into the allowable space 69 and is disposed between the locking lance 9 and the locking arm 15. Such a restricting portion 13 comes into contact with the free end of the locking lance 9 when the locking lance 9 is about to be excessively deformed upward by the release tool 11.

The abutment of the restricting portion 13 with the locking lance 9 restricts excessive upward deformation of the locking lance 9, preventing plastic deformation of the locking lance 9. This allows the locking lance 9 to be restored to normal when the engagement with the release tool 11 is released. Therefore, when the terminal unit 7 is housed in the housing 5 again, the engaging portion 55 of the locking lance 9 and the engaged portion 51 of the terminal unit 7 can be properly engaged, allowing the terminal unit 7 to be always stably held in the housing 5.

In such a connector 1, the housing 5 is provided with a restricting portion 13 that abuts against the locking lance 9 when the locking lance 9 is deformed by the release tool 11, and restricts excessive deformation of the locking lance 9. This prevents the locking lance 9 from undergoing plastic deformation due to excessive deformation.

Therefore, in such a connector 1, plastic deformation of the locking lance 9 by the release tool 11 can be prevented, and the locking lance 9 and the terminal unit 7 can always be properly engaged.

The housing 5 is provided with an elastically deformable lock arm 15 that maintains the mating state with the mating housing 3. When the mating housing 3 and the housing 5 are mated, the lock arm 15 is elastically deformed toward the locking lance 9. When the locking lance 9 is deformed by the release tool 11, it is deformed toward the locking arm 15. The restricting portion 13 is disposed between the locking lance 9 and the locking arm 15, on the base end side of the locking arm 15.

As a result, the locking lance 9 and the locking arm 15 are elastically deformed in a direction approaching each other, so that the space in the housing 5 that allows the elastic deformation of the locking lance 9 and the locking arm 15 can be shared, and the housing 5 can be made smaller. In addition, the restricting portion 13 is disposed between the locking lance 9 and the locking arm 15, on the base end side of the locking arm 15, so the restricting portion 13 does not hinder the elastic deformation of the locking arm 15.

The restricting portion 13 is also integral with the base end side of the locking arm 15. This increases the rigidity of the restricting portion 13, and the restricting portion 13 can stably restrict excessive deformation of the locking lance 9.

Although the present embodiment has been described above, the present embodiment is not limited to these, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist of the present embodiment.

For example, in this embodiment, the terminal is a terminal unit that is electrically connected to the coaxial electric wire, but this is not limited to this. The terminal may be electrically connected to a normal electric wire such as a coated electric wire, and the terminal may be in any form as long as it is accommodated in a housing.

In addition, the restricting portion is provided integrally with the base end side of the locking arm, but this is not limited thereto, and the restricting portion may be provided separately from the base end side of the locking arm.

1 Connector 3 Mating housing 5 Housing 7 Terminal unit (terminal)
9: locking lance 11: release jig 13: restricting portion 15: lock arm

Claims (1)

a housing that can be mated with a mating housing;
A terminal accommodated in the housing;
A connector comprising:
The terminal is prevented from coming out of the housing by engaging with a locking lance provided inside the housing so as to be elastically deformable,
The locking lance is deformed by a release tool inserted from outside the housing to release the engagement with the terminal,
the housing is provided with a restricting portion that comes into contact with the locking lance when the locking lance is deformed by the release jig to restrict excessive deformation of the locking lance,
The housing is provided with an elastically deformable lock arm for maintaining a fitted state with the mating housing,
the lock arm is elastically deformed toward the locking lance when the mating housing and the housing are fitted together,
When the locking lance is deformed by the release tool, the locking lance is deformed toward the lock arm side,
the restricting portion is disposed between the locking lance and the locking arm on a base end side of the locking arm,
The housing has an allowable space defined by an inner surface of the housing and opposing surfaces of the locking lance and the lock arm ,
The restricting portion is a connector formed of a single member that is continuous with a base portion at the base end side of the locking arm, and protrudes into the allowable space .

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