Connector
10897100 ยท 2021-01-19
Assignee
Inventors
Cpc classification
International classification
Abstract
A connector includes a housing and a holder. The housing includes a terminal housing chamber housing a terminals and a support portion in which a first locking portion for locking the holder in the temporary locking position is formed. The holder is mounted on the housing so as to be movable in a fitting direction of the housing and a mating housing between a temporary locking position and a main locking position. The holder is configured to be immovable from the temporary locking position to the main locking position when the terminal inserted into the terminal housing chamber is in a halfway insertion position and is configured to be movable from the temporary locking position to the main locking position when the terminal is in a normal insertion position.
Claims
1. A connector for housing a terminal comprising: a housing; and a holder, wherein the housing includes a terminal housing chamber configured to house the terminal and a support portion in which a first locking portion for locking the holder in the temporary locking position is formed, wherein the holder is mounted on the housing so as to be movable in a fitting direction of the housing and a mating housing between a temporary locking position and a main locking position, wherein the holder is configured to be immovable from the temporary locking position to the main locking position when the terminal configured to be housed in the terminal housing chamber is inserted in a halfway insertion position and is configured to be movable from the temporary locking position to the main locking position when the terminal is in a normal insertion position, wherein the holder includes an arm that is elastically deformable in a direction away from the first locking portion and extends along the fitting direction from a base portion of the holder such that the arm extends forward from the base portion, wherein the arm includes a second locking portion engaged with the first locking portion to lock the holder in the temporary locking position, and wherein the arm has a recess recessed in the fitting direction in a position near the base portion.
2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the support portion is elastically deformable in a direction away from the second locking portion.
3. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the arm includes the second locking portion at a position on the arm adjacent the base portion, and has the recess at a position facing a side surface opposite to a side where the second locking portion is positioned on the arm.
4. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the recess is formed as a cavity in the arm.
5. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the recess is formed as a hollow portion in the arm.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Embodiment
(23) Hereinafter, a connector 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Hereinafter, as shown in
(24) As shown in
(25) <Portion Related to Mounting of Slide Holder 3 on Housing 2 and Slide Holder 3>
(26) First, a portion relating to the mounting of the slide holder 3 on the housing 2 will be described. As shown in
(27) A central portion in the width direction of a front side portion of an upper wall constituting the outer cylindrical portion 11 bulges upward. An insertion space 13 for a mating lock portion into which a mating lock portion (not shown) of a mating housing is inserted is formed below the bulging portion so as to communicate with the annular gap.
(28) A pair of protective walls 14 is integrally provided on a rear side part of the upper wall constituting the outer cylindrical portion 11 so as to extend rearward from both end portions in the width direction of the bulging portion and face each other in the width direction. A space between the pair of protective walls 14 functions as a slide holder mounting space 15 for mounting the slide holder 3. The slide holder mounting space 15 communicates with the insertion space 13 for a mating lock portion in the front-rear direction (see
(29) As shown in
(30) As shown in
(31) The lock portion 18 includes a pair of lock arms 19 extending forward from a rear end portion between the pair of protective walls 14 on the rear side part of the upper wall of the outer cylindrical portion 11 toward the insertion space 13 for a mating lock portion, and a connecting portion 20 that is connected to tip end portions of the pair of lock arms 19 in the width direction. When the mating lock portion is engaged with the connecting portion 20, the completely fitted state between the housing 2 and the mating housing is maintained.
(32) As shown in
(33) As shown in
(34) Next, the slide holder 3 will be described. As shown in
(35) An engaging portion 34 (see also
(36) A guide rib 36 protruding outward in the width direction is formed so as to extend in the front-rear direction at a lower end edge portion of a widthwise outer side surface of each side plate portion 33 A tapered portion 37 in which an upper side inner wall of the guide rib 36 is inclined forward and downward is formed at a front end portion of the guide rib 36 (that is, the end portion of the slide holder 3 on the insertion side) (see also
(37) When the slide holder 3 described above is mounted on the housing 2, the slide holder 3 is brought close to the slide holder mounting space 15 of the housing 2 from the rear side. Then, as shown in
(38) At this time, since the tapered portion 17 is formed in the guide groove 16 and the tapered portion 37 is formed in the guide rib 36, compared with a case where the tapered portions 17, 37 are not formed, the slide holder 3 can be smoothly mounted on the housing 2 and locked in the temporary locking position without interference caused between the protrusion 35 and the protrusion 22 in a state in which the rear side of the slide holder 3 is inclined more upward than the front side with respect to the housing 2.
(39) As shown in
(40) In this state, when the mating housing is fitted to the housing 2 to be in the completely fitted state, the completely fitted state of the housing 2 and the mating housing is maintained by engaging the mating lock portion with the connecting portion 20, and the engagement between the engaging portion 34 and the connecting portion 20 is released by the mating lock portion pushing the engaging portion 34 downward. That is, the slide holder 3 can be moved from the temporary locking position to the main locking position.
(41) Therefore, in the completely fitted state, by pushing the slide holder 3 in the temporary locking position forward, the slide holder 3 is moved to the main locking position as shown in
(42) Hereinafter, the function of the pair of notches 21 provided in the pair of protective walls 14 will be described. As shown in
(43) As a result, when the notch 21 of the housing 2 is viewed from the width direction, it is easily visible whether the slide holder 3 mounted on the housing 2 including the pair of protective walls 14 is in the temporary locking position. The configuration of the portion related to the mounting of the slide holder 3 on the housing 2 and the configuration of the slide holder 3 have been described above. Next, a configuration of a portion related to the mounting of the front holder 5 on the housing 2 and a configuration of the front holder 5 will be described.
(44) <Portion Related to Mounting of Front Holder 5 on Housing 2 and Front Holder 5>
(45) First, the portion related to the mounting of the front holder 5 on the housing 2 will be described. As shown in
(46) In each terminal housing chamber 23, a cantilever-shaped lance 24 which is elastically deformable in the width direction so as to face the inside of the terminal housing chamber 23 from the inside in the width direction is provided so as to extend forward from a substantially central position in the front-rear direction of the terminal housing chamber 23. A lance protrusion 25 extending toward the inside of the terminal housing chamber 23 is integrally formed at a tip end of the lance 24. By locking a predetermined corner of the terminal inserted into the terminal housing chamber 23 from the rear side with the lance protrusion 25, the locking lance 24 provides a function of preventing the terminal from coming out toward the rear side.
(47) When the terminal is in a normal insertion position (in a state in which the lance 24 exerts a retaining function) in the terminal housing chamber 23, the lance protrusion 25 enters the corner of the terminal, so that the lance 24 is maintained in a normal posture (posture shown in
(48) In a widthwise inner region of the lance 24 provided in each terminal housing chamber 23 (a region away from the terminal housing chamber 23), a cantilever-shaped protrusion support portion 26 which has a gap in the width direction with the lance 24 and is elastically deformable in the width direction is provided so as to extend forward from a position near a base portion of the lance 24. A protrusion 27 (see also
(49) Next, the front holder 5 will be described. As shown in
(50) As shown in
(51) Hereinafter, for convenience of description, only a configuration of a left side portion of the functional portion 52 in
(52) The locking arm 54 extending in the front-rear direction has a both-end supported beam shape which is elastically deformable in the width direction, in which a root portion (rear end side) is supported by the base portion 53 and a tip end portion (front end side) is supported by the extending portion 55. A temporary locking protrusion 58 and a main locking protrusion 59 are provided on a widthwise outer side surface of the locking arm 54 (see also
(53) The temporary locking protrusion 58 is provided at the root portion of the locking arm 54, and the locking protrusion 59 is provided at a position forward of the temporary locking protrusion 58. The temporary locking protrusion 58 and the main locking protrusion 59 are disposed at mutually different positions in the upper-lower direction for the convenience of manufacture.
(54) As shown in
(55) One of the plurality of recesses 60 is formed at a position facing a surface on a side opposite to the side where the temporary locking protrusion 58 is formed on the root portion of the locking arm 54. As a result, a thickness of the temporary locking protrusion 58 in a protruding direction (that is, the width direction) on the locking arm 54 at the place where the temporary locking protrusion 58 is formed is reduced. As a result, the locking arm 54 around the temporary locking protrusion 58 is easily elastically deformed so as to reduce a protruding height of the temporary locking protrusion 58 from the locking arm 54.
(56) When the front holder 5 described above is mounted on the housing 2, first, the rectangular cylindrical packing 4 made of rubber (see
(57) Next, the front holder 5 is inserted into the annular gap from the front side. At this time, as shown in
(58) After the temporary locking protrusion 58 comes into contact with the protrusion 27, the temporary locking protrusion 58 rides on the protrusion 27 by elastically deforming the locking arm 54 and the protrusion support portion 26 in a direction (width direction) away from each other as the insertion proceeds. Here, as described above, since the protrusion support portion 26 is elastically deformed in a direction (width direction) away from the temporary locking protrusion 58, and the locking arm 54 around the temporary locking protrusion 58 is easily elastically deformed so as to reduce the protruding height of the temporary locking protrusion 58 from the locking arm 54, it is possible to effectively suppress crushing of the contact portions when temporary locking protrusion 58 rides over the protrusion 27.
(59) Thereafter, as the insertion proceeds, the temporary locking protrusion 58 rides over the protrusion 27, so that the locking arms 54 and the protrusion support portion 26 are elastically returned. As a result, as shown in
(60) In this state, when the terminal is inserted into the terminal housing chamber 23 to the normal insertion position, as described above, the lance 24 is maintained in the normal posture (the posture shown in
(61) On the other hand, in a state in which the terminal is in the halfway insertion position, as described above, the lance 24 is maintained in the posture of being elastically deformed inward in the width direction (the side away from the terminal). Therefore, the gap between the lance 24 and the protrusion support portion 26 is narrowed, so that the tip end portion of the detection arm 56 cannot enter the gap between the lance 24 and the protrusion support portion 26. As a result, the front holder 5 cannot move from the temporary locking position to the main locking position. In this way, since the front holder 5 cannot move from the temporary locking position to the main locking position, the halfway insertion of the terminal can be easily detected.
Functions and Effects
(62) In the connector 1 according to the embodiment in the present invention, since the recess 60 is formed on the base portion 53 of the front holder 5 to which the root portion of the locking arm 54 is connected, even if the thickness of the base portion 53 in the fitting direction is increased and a length of the locking arm 54 is shortened, it is possible to effectively suppress generation of sinks and voids at the time of molding due to the increase in the thickness. That is, it is possible to increase the rigidity of the locking arm 54 by shortening the length of the locking arm 54 while effectively suppressing the generation of the sinks and the voids at the time of molding. As a result, it is possible to effectively prevent the front holder 5 from unintentionally moving from the temporary locking position to the main locking position during conveyance.
(63) Further, compared with an embodiment in which the protrusion support portion 26 is not elastically deformed, because of elastic deformation of the protrusion support portion 26 of the housing 2, it is possible to suppress crushing of the contact portions when temporary locking protrusion 58 rides over the protrusion 27 of the protrusion supporting portion 26.
(64) Further, since the thickness of the temporary locking protrusion 58 in the protruding direction (width direction) on the locking arm 54 at the place where the temporary locking protrusion 58 is formed is reduced, the locking arm 54 around the temporary locking protrusion 58 is easily elastically deformed so as to reduce a protruding height of the temporary locking protrusion 58 from the locking arm 54. As a result, it is possible to suppress crushing of the contact portions when temporary locking protrusion 58 rides over the protrusion 27.
OTHER EMBODIMENTS
(65) The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be adopted within the scope of the present invention. For example, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be appropriately modified, improved or the like. In addition, materials, shapes, sizes, numbers, arrangement places or the like of constituent elements in the above embodiment are optional and not limited as long as the object of the present invention can be achieved.
(66) In the above embodiment, the locking arm 54 of the front holder 5 has a both-end supported beam shape in which a root portion (rear end side) is supported by the base portion 53 and a tip end portion (front end side) is supported by the extending portion 55. In contrast, the locking arm 54 may have a cantilevered shape in which only one of the root portion (rear end side) and the front end portion (front end side) is supported.
(67) Further, in the above embodiment, the protrusion support portion 26 provided with the protrusion 27 which is engaged with the temporary locking protrusion 58 and the main locking protrusion 59 of the locking arm 54 is elastically deformable in a direction (width direction) away from the temporary locking protrusion 58 and the main locking protrusion 59. In contrast, the protrusion support portion 26 may not be elastically deformable in the direction (width direction) away from the temporary locking protrusion 58 and the main locking protrusion 59.
(68) Further, in the above embodiment, one of the plurality of recesses 60 is formed at a position facing a surface on a side opposite to the side where the temporary locking protrusion 58 is formed on the root portion of the locking arm 54. In contrast, any one of the plurality of recesses 60 may be formed at a position facing a surface on a side opposite to the side where the temporary locking protrusion 58 is formed on the root portion of the locking arm 54.
(69) Further, in the embodiment, the front holder 5 mounted on the housing 2 from the front side in the fitting direction is employed as the holder of the present invention. In contrast, as the holder of the present invention, a rear holder that is mounted on the housing 2 from the rear side in the fitting direction may be adopted.
(70) Further, characteristics of the embodiment of the connector 1 according to the present invention described above will be briefly summarized in the following [1] to [3].
(71) [1] A connector (1) comprising:
(72) a housing (2); and
(73) a holder (5),
(74) wherein the housing (2) includes a terminal housing chamber (23) housing a terminals and a support portion (26) in which a first locking portion (27) for locking the holder (5) in the temporary locking position is formed,
(75) wherein the holder (5) is mounted on the housing (2) so as to be movable in a fitting direction of the housing (2) and a mating housing between a temporary locking position and a main locking position,
(76) wherein the holder (5) is configured to be immovable from the temporary locking position to the main locking position when the terminal inserted into the terminal housing chamber (23) is in a halfway insertion position and is configured to be movable from the temporary locking position to the main locking position when the terminal is in a normal insertion position,
(77) wherein the holder (5) includes an arm (54) that is elastically deformable in a direction away from the first locking portion (27) and extends along the fitting direction from a base portion (53) of the holder (5),
(78) wherein the arm (54) includes a second locking portion (58) engaged with the first locking portion (27) to lock the holder (5) in the temporary locking position, and
(79) wherein the arm (54) has a recess (60) recessed in the fitting direction in a position near a root portion of the arm (54) in the base portion (53).
(80) [2] The connector (1) according to the above [1],
(81) wherein the support portion (26) is elastically deformable in a direction away from the second locking portion (58).
(82) [3] The connector (1) according to the above [1] or [2],
(83) wherein the arm (54) includes the second locking portion (58) at the root portion of the arm (54), and has the recess (60) at a position facing a side surface opposite to a side where the second locking portion (58) is positioned at the root portion of the arm (54).
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
(84) 1 connector 2 housing 5 front holder (holder) 23 terminal housing chamber 26 protrusion support portion (support portion) 27 protrusion (first locking portion) 53 base portion 54 locking arm (arm) 58 temporary locking protrusion (second locking portion) 60 recess