Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6488536
-
Patent Number
6,488,536
-
Date Filed
Friday, June 29, 200123 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, December 3, 200222 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Paumen; Gary
- McCamey; Ann
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 439 595
- 439 872
- 439 7331
- 439 680
- 439 7525
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A connector has means for preventing terminal fittings from being inserted in an inverted manner, and in which nothing protrudes from outer faces of these terminal fittings. Cut-away portions 17 are formed at a ceiling side of anterior ends of left and right side plates 11B of a box-shaped member 11 of a terminal fitting 10. Protrusions 34 are formed within a cavity 24 at anterior ends of left and right wall faces thereof, in locations somewhat removed from a wall face having a lance 26 formed thereon. These protrusions 34 are capable of fitting into the cut-away portions 17. When the terminal fitting 10 is correctly inserted, the protrusions 34 fit into the cut-away portions 17, and the terminal fitting 10 is pushed into a correct position and is retained by the lance 26. When the terminal fitting 10 is inserted in an inverted manner, the anterior end of the box-shaped member 11 strikes against the protrusions 34 before the terminal fitting 10 reaches the correct position. Consequently, the terminal fitting 10 is prevented from being inserted any further, and it is not retained by the lance 26.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a connector provided with means for preventing terminal fittings from being inserted in an inverted manner.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
One conventional means for ensuring that terminal fittings are inserted correctly into cavities formed in a connector housing comprises stabilizers protruding from specified locations of outer faces of the terminal fittings, and guiding grooves formed in corresponding wall faces of the cavities, the stabilizers being capable of sliding within these guiding grooves. When the terminal fittings are inserted correctly, the stabilizers slide within the guiding grooves as insertion progresses. When the terminal fittings are inserted in an inverted manner, the stabilizers strike against hole edges of openings of the cavities, thereby preventing insertion from continuing. An example of this type of terminal fitting provided with stabilizers is described in JP-8-45591.
In the conventional example which is provided with stabilizers and guiding grooves, the guiding grooves are cut away in the walls separating the cavities. Consequently, these walls must be thicker, i.e., the pitch of the cavities must be increased. As a result, the connector must be made larger in size.
Conventionally, in order to miniaturize a multi-pole waterproofed connector, separate rubber stoppers are replaced by a rubber stopper comprising a single sheet having a plurality of through holes therein. This sheet covers posterior faces of all the cavities, thereby waterproofing all the cavities in a collective manner. However, when stabilizers protrude from the terminal fittings, as in the case described above, the terminal fittings may damage inner circumference faces of the through holes of the collective rubber stopper into which they have been inserted, thereby decreasing the waterproofing reliability of the rubber stopper.
The present invention has taken the above problems into consideration, and aims to present a connector having a means for preventing terminal fittings from being inserted in an inverted manner, and in which nothing protrudes from outer faces of these terminal fittings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, there is provided an electrical connector comprising a housing, a cavity within said housing, and a terminal fitting insertable in said cavity, said terminal fitting being engageable by retention means at a predetermined insertion depth characterized in that the insertion end of said terminal fitting has a cut-away portion at one side, and said housing include a protrusion extending into said cavity at a corresponding side and for fitting within said cut-away portion at said predetermined insertion depth, whereby a predetermined orientation of said terminal fitting is assured.
Such an arrangement ensures that the terminal fitting can reach the desired insertion depth only if inserted in the correct orientation. No protrusions are required, the corresponding disadvantages are thus avoided, and the connector housing can be miniaturized.
Preferably the terminal fitting is tubular, and the cut-away portion comprises part of the tubular wall. In a preferred embodiment the terminal fitting is rectangular in cross-section at the insertion end.
An engagement member of the retention means may be constituted by an aperture or step in the tubular wall, and this engagement member is preferably provided on the same side of the terminal fitting as the cut-away portion.
In a preferred embodiment, cut-away portions are provided on either side of a resilient tongue of a female terminal fitting, the tongue comprising a contact member of the female fitting for engagement with a corresponding male terminal fitting.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Other features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments shown by way of example only in the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1
is a disassembled diagonal view of a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2
is a vertical cross-sectional view of a female terminal fitting prior to insertion.
FIG. 3
is a diagonal view of the female terminal fitting.
FIG. 4
is a vertical cross-sectional view of the female terminal fitting.
FIG. 5
is a diagonal view showing the configuration of the interior of a cavity of a female housing.
FIG. 6
is a plan cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the interior of the cavity of the female housing.
FIG. 7
is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the female terminal fitting in a correctly inserted state.
FIG. 8
is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the female terminal fitting inserted in an inverted manner.
FIG. 9
is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a male terminal fitting of a second embodiment of the present invention in a state prior to insertion.
FIG. 10
is a diagonal view of the male terminal fitting.
FIG. 11
is a diagonal view showing the configuration of the interior of a cavity of a male housing.
FIG. 12
is a plan cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the interior of the cavity of the male housing.
FIG. 13
is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the male terminal fitting in a correctly inserted state.
FIG. 14
is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the male terminal fitting inserted in an inverted manner.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A first embodiment of the present invention, which is suitable for a female waterproof connector, is described below with the aid of
FIGS. 1
to
8
.
As shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2
, this connector is provided with a female connector housing
20
(hereafter referred to as female housing), female terminal fittings
10
housed within the female housing
20
, and a collective waterproofing rubber stopper
30
.
Each female terminal fitting
10
is formed from sheet metal which is press moulded. As shown in
FIGS. 3 and 4
, the female terminal fitting
10
has a configuration whereby a barrel
12
is formed at a posterior end of an angular tubular shaped box-shaped member
11
. A resilient tongue member
14
is bent inwards in an angled shape from an anterior edge of a ceiling plate
11
A of the box-shaped member
11
. A stopping hole
15
opens at a central location, relative to the lengthwise direction thereof, of the ceiling plate
11
A. The female terminal fitting
10
is joined to the end of a covered electric wire W by crimping the barrel
12
therewith.
The female housing
20
is made from plastic and has a flattened box-like tower member
21
, the anterior end portion of which is surrounded by a hood
22
. Cavities
24
, into which the female terminal fittings
10
can be inserted, are formed in an upper and a lower set within the tower member
21
. Each set has five cavities
24
, these upper and lower cavities
24
mutually facing one another. A terminal insertion hole
25
opens into an anterior face wall
24
A of each cavity
24
, this allowing the insertion of a tab
44
of a corresponding male terminal fitting
40
(see
FIG. 9
, showing the second embodiment). Bendable lances
26
, which are capable of engaging with the stopping holes
15
of the female terminal fittings
10
, are provided within each cavity
24
, these being formed on wall faces of the walls between the upper and lower cavities
24
. A jig insertion hole
27
opens into the anterior face wall
24
A of each cavity
24
at a location to the anterior of each lance
26
. These jig insertion holes
27
pass through to the terminal insertion holes
25
.
A rubber stopper attachment member
28
is formed within the posterior end of the tower member
21
, this being formed across the entire length thereof by eliminating the partition walls between the cavities
24
. The collective rubber stopper
30
is fitted to this rubber stopper attachment member
28
. The rubber stopper
30
has a horizontally rectangular plate shape when viewed from the front and is capable of fitting within the rubber stopper attachment member
28
. Two lips
31
, one anterior and one posterior, are formed along an outer circumference face of the rubber stopper
30
. Through holes
32
, into which the covered electric wires W can be tightly fitted, are formed in the plate face of the rubber stopper
30
at locations corresponding to the cavities
24
of the female housing
20
.
Cut-away portions
17
are formed in ceiling sides of anterior ends of left and right side plates
11
B of the box-shaped member
11
of each female terminal fitting
10
. As shown in
FIGS. 5 and 6
, protrusions
34
are formed within each cavity
24
at anterior ends of left and right wall faces thereof, in locations somewhat removed from the wall faces having the lances
26
formed thereon. These protrusions
34
are capable of fitting into the cut-away portions
17
formed in the box-shaped members
11
of the female terminal fittings
10
. When the anterior ends of the box-shaped members
11
of the female terminal fittings
10
have made contact with the anterior face walls
24
A of the cavities
24
, the protrusions
34
fit into these cut-away portions
17
. Furthermore, supports
35
adjoin posterior ends of the protrusions
34
. These supports
35
are formed at a lower level than the protrusion
34
and support the posterior side of the cut-away portions
17
in the side plates
11
B of the box-shaped members
11
.
The operation of the first embodiment will be described below. First, as shown in
FIG. 2
, the collective rubber stopper
30
is fitted into the rubber stopper attachment member
28
within the tower member
21
of the female housing
20
. From this state, the female terminal fittings
10
are inserted. As shown in
FIG. 1
, the upper set of female terminal fittings
10
are inserted with the ceiling plates
11
A of the box-shaped members
11
thereof facing downwards, and the lower set of female terminal fittings
10
are inserted with the ceiling plates
11
A of the box-shaped members
11
thereof facing upwards.
Using the upper set of female terminal fittings
10
as an example, the female terminal fittings
10
are passed through the upper set of through holes
32
in the rubber stopper
30
(as shown by the arrow in FIG.
2
), and are inserted from the posterior into the cavities
24
. As the female terminal fittings
10
are inserted they cause the lances
26
to bend, and if the female terminal fittings
10
are inserted correctly (i.e., the ceiling plates
11
A of the box-shaped members
11
thereof are facing downwards), the protrusions
34
of the cavities
24
fit into the cut-away portions
17
, and the female terminal fittings
10
are inserted until they make contact with the anterior face walls
24
A of the cavities
24
(see FIG.
7
). At this juncture, the stopping holes
15
are located at positions corresponding to the lances
26
. These lances
26
return to their original position and fit into the stopping holes
15
, thereby causing the female terminal fittings
10
to be housed in an unremovable state within the cavities
24
. In addition, inner circumference faces of the through holes
32
of the rubber stopper
30
fit tightly with outer circumference faces of the covered electric wires W.
If the upper set of female terminal fittings
10
are inserted incorrectly, that is, the ceiling plates
11
A of the box-shaped members
11
thereof are facing upwards, the anterior ends of the box-shaped members
11
strike against the protrusions
34
before the female terminal fittings
10
have been inserted to the correct position within the cavities
24
(see FIG.
8
). Further insertion is thus prevented. Since the female terminal fittings
10
are not being retained by the lances
26
, they can be removed by pulling the covered electric wires W towards the posterior. In this manner, it can be detected that the female terminal fittings
10
have been inserted in an inverted manner. The female terminal fittings
10
can now be turned over so as to face the correct direction for insertion, and re-inserted.
In the same way, if the lower set of female terminal fittings
10
are inserted correctly, i.e., the ceiling plates
11
A of the box-shaped members
11
thereof are facing upwards, the female terminal fittings
10
are inserted to the correct position with the protrusions
34
fitting into the cut-away portions
17
, and the female terminal fittings
10
are retained by the lances
26
. If the lower set of female terminal fittings
10
are inserted incorrectly, i.e., the ceiling plates
11
A of the box-shaped members
11
thereof are facing downwards, the anterior ends of the box-shaped members
11
strike against the protrusions
34
, thereby preventing further insertion, and preventing the female terminal fittings
10
form being inserted in an inverted manner.
In the present embodiment which has been described above, the means for preventing the female terminal fittings
10
from being inserted in an inverted manner consists of a configuration whereby the cut-away portions
17
are provided in the box-shaped members
11
of the female terminal fittings
10
, and the protrusions
34
, which fit into the cut-away portions
17
, are formed within the cavities
24
. That is, the female terminal fittings
10
have no members (such as the stabilizers in the conventional example) protruding therefrom. Consequently, the walls separating the cavities
24
do not need to be thicker in order to house these protruding members. As a result, the pitch of the cavities
24
can be kept small, and the connector can be miniaturized.
Furthermore, since no members protrude from the female terminal fittings
10
, there is no danger of damaging the inner circumference faces of the through holes
32
(through which the female terminal fittings
10
are passed) of the collective rubber stopper
30
, and the seal thereof can reliably be maintained.
Moreover, the anterior ends of the left and right side plates
11
B of the box-shaped members
11
of the female terminal fittings
10
are usually cut away in advance in order to allow the resilient tongue member
14
to be bent conveniently. These cut away areas are employed as the cut-away portions
17
which prevent inverted insertion from taking place. Consequently, no further cutting away, which would weaken the box-shaped members
11
, is required. Further, no changes are made to the female terminal fittings
10
. Instead, changes are only made to the structure of the cavities
24
of the female housing
20
.
Next, a second embodiment of the prevent invention, this being suitable for a male connector, is described below with the aid of
FIGS. 9
to
14
.
As shown in
FIGS. 9 and 10
, a male terminal fitting
40
is formed from (beginning from the posterior end and proceeding towards the anterior): a barrel
41
, an angular tubular box-shaped member
42
, a tapering head member
43
, and a tab
44
. As shown in
FIG. 9
, this male terminal fitting
40
is inserted from the posterior into a cavity
51
of a male housing
50
, and is retained therein in an unremovable state by means of a lance
52
, the tab
44
protruding from an anterior face wall
51
A.
A ceiling side of the male terminal fitting
40
, extending from the head member
43
to the anterior end of the box-shaped member
42
, has a left and right pair of cut-away portions
47
formed therein.
As shown in
FIGS. 11 and 12
, protrusions
54
are formed at anterior ends of left and right wall faces within the cavity
51
, in locations somewhat removed from the wall face which has the lance
52
formed thereon. These protrusions
54
fit into the cut-away portions
47
of the male terminal fitting
40
. Supports
55
adjoin posterior ends of the protrusions
54
. These supports
55
are formed at a lower level than the protrusions
54
and support the posterior side of the cut-away portions
47
of the box-shaped member
42
.
In the second embodiment, if the male terminal fitting
40
is inserted correctly into the cavity
51
(see FIG.
13
), the protrusions
54
within the cavity
51
fit into the cut-away portions
47
, the male terminal fitting
40
is pushed in to a correct position whereby the head member
43
strikes against the anterior face wall
51
A, and the lance
52
fits resiliently into a stopping hole
45
. The male terminal fitting
40
is thereby housed in an unremovable manner.
If the male terminal fitting
40
is inserted in an inverted manner in the cavity
51
, the head member
43
thereof strikes against the protrusions
54
before the male terminal fitting
40
has been inserted to the correct position (see FIG.
14
). Since further insertion is thus prevented and the male terminal fitting
40
is not being retained by the lance
52
, it can be ascertained that the male terminal fittings
40
has been inserted in an inverted manner.
In this second embodiment also, the means for preventing the male terminal fitting
40
from being inserted in an inverted manner consists of a configuration whereby the male terminal fitting
40
has no members (such as the stabilizers in the conventional example) protruding therefrom. Consequently, the walls separating the cavities
51
do not need to be thicker in order to house these protruding members, and the pitch of the cavities
51
can be kept small. As a result, the connector can be miniaturized. Furthermore, no damage will occur to a waterproofing collective rubber stopper in the case where one is employed.
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above with the aid of figures. For example, the possibilities described below also lie within the technical range of the present invention. In addition, the present invention may be embodied in various other ways without deviating from the scope thereof.
(1) The cut-away portions of the terminal fittings and the protrusions of the cavities may be provided on either the right side alone or the left side alone.
(2) The present invention is also suitable for a regular connector which uses no waterproofing means.
Claims
- 1. An electrical connector comprising a housing, a cavity within said housing, and a terminal fitting insertable in said cavity in a fitting direction, said terminal fitting being engageable by retention means at a predetermined insertion depth to prevent removal of the terminal fitting in a direction opposite to the fitting direction, wherein said terminal fitting has a cut-away portion at the periphery thereof and said housing includes a protrusion extending into said cavity at a corresponding side, said protrusion fitting within said cut-away portion when said terminal fitting is inserted into said cavity to said predetermined insertion depth and engaging said terminal fitting to prevent insertion of said terminal fitting to said predetermined insertion depth when said terminal fitting is reverse oriented, whereby a predetermined orientation of said terminal fitting is assured.
- 2. A connector according to claim 1 wherein said terminal fit ting is male and defines a tab and a tubular body portion, wherein said cut-away portion is adjacent the inner end of said tab.
- 3. A connector according to claim 1 and having a plurality of cavities and corresponding terminal fittings, said housing further including a single resilient plate-like waterproof stopper at the insertion opening of said cavities, and said stopper defining a respective aperture for each cavity, each aperture being adapted to tightly engage a wire attached to the posterior end of the respective terminal fitting.
- 4. A connector according to claim 1 wherein said terminal fitting further defines an engagement member for said retention means, said member being posterior of said cut-away portion.
- 5. A connector according to claim 1 wherein said terminal fitting is tubular, the tubular wall being cut-away to define said cut-away portion.
- 6. A connector according to claim 4 wherein said terminal fitting is tubular, the tubular wall being cut-away to define said cut-away portion.
- 7. A connector according to claim 5 wherein said terminal fitting has a box-like cross-section at said cut-away portion.
- 8. A connector according to claim 6 wherein said terminal fitting has a box-like cross-section at said cut-away portion.
- 9. A connector according to claim 7 wherein said terminal fitting has an internal resilient tongue extending from the insertion end thereof towards the posterior, said cut-away portion being provided adjacent said tongue.
- 10. A connector according to claim 9 wherein said cut-away portion is provide symmetrically on either side of said tongue.
- 11. A connector according to claim 8 wherein said terminal fitting has an internal resilient tongue extending from the insertion end thereof towards the posterior, said cut-away portion being provided adjacent said tongue.
- 12. A connector according to claim 11 wherein said cut-away portion is provide symmetrically on either side of said tongue.
- 13. A connector according to claim 1 wherein said cut-away portion is provided at a fitting end of said terminal fitting.
- 14. A connector according to claim 13 wherein said terminal fitting is female.
- 15. A connector according to claim 14 wherein said cut-away portion is provided on either side of a tongue, said tongue defining a ramp to aid smooth insertion of said terminal through a close fitting aperture of said cavity.
- 16. A connector according to claim 15 wherein said aperture comprises a resilient opening.
- 17. A connector according to claim 13 wherein said cut-away portion is provided on either side of a tongue, said tongue defining a ramp to aid smooth insertion of said terminal through a close fitting aperture of said cavity.
- 18. A connector according to claim 17 wherein said aperture comprises a resilient opening.
- 19. A connector according to claim 1 and further including a resilient waterproof stopper at the insertion opening of said cavity, and said terminal fitting has a wire attached thereto, said stopper defining an aperture smaller than the diameter of said wire.
- 20. A connector according to claim 19 wherein said housing defines a tubular mouth to receive said stopper, and said stopper includes a continuous peripheral sealing lip to engage the interior wall of said tubular mouth.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
2000-201053 |
Jul 2000 |
JP |
|
US Referenced Citations (5)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
8-45591 |
Feb 1996 |
JP |