Patent Application
20240128683
The present invention relates to a CPA-attached connector and a wire harness provided with a CPA member for assuring mating with a mating connector.
Conventionally, a CPA-attached connector provided with a CPA member for assuring mating with a mating connector is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). In the CPA-attached connector according to Patent Document 1, the CPA member, which is held on a connector body in a temporary latch state before mating with a mating connector, assures mating by making a full latch during mating.
[Patent Document 1] JP 2009-301775 A
Here, in the above-described CPA-attached connector, the CPA member also has a function of prohibiting mating cancellation of the connector body from the mating connector. During mating cancellation, first, the CPA member is returned from the full latch state to the temporary latch state, so that the mating cancellation is permitted, and thereafter the mating cancellation is performed. In this case, the CPA member in the full latch state may often be touched with a hand. However, it is not desirable that the CPA member is returned to the temporary latch state due to such an unexpected contact, and that the connector body is unintentionally released from the mating connector.
Accordingly, in view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a CPA-attached connector and a wire harness capable of alleviating unintentional returning of the CPA member from the full latch state to the temporary latch state.
In order to solve the above problems, a CPA-attached connector includes a connector body including a peripheral wall in a tubular shape and configured to mate with a mating connector; and a CPA member attached to the connector body in a temporary latch state, and configured to, during mating between the connector body and the mating connector, assure the mating by making a full latch and prohibit mating cancellation, and configured to, before the mating cancellation, return to the temporary latch state to permit the mating cancellation, wherein the connector body includes: a temporary latch portion which is provided on the peripheral wall and to which the CPA member is attached in the temporary latch state; a full latch portion provided on the peripheral wall, the full latch portion being a portion to which, during the mating, the CPA member makes the full latch, and which, before the mating, restricts the full latch of the CPA member, and which, during the mating, cancels restriction of the full latch by the mating connector; and a hood portion provided on the peripheral wall to cover, in a manner of a canopy, a portion of the CPA member in the full latch state, and wherein the CPA member includes: a CPA body configured to make the temporary latch to the temporary latch portion and make the full latch to the full latch portion; and a finger rest portion which is a portion provided on the CPA body so as to be exposed from the hood portion in the temporary latch state and serving as a finger rest during transition to the full latch state, a portion of the finger rest portion being exposed from the hood portion even in the full latch state, an inclined surface being formed in the exposed portion to incline toward a central axis of the connector body in accordance with a distance from the hood portion.
Furthermore, in order to solve the above problems, a wire harness includes the above-described CPA-attached connector and an electric wire extending from the connector body.
According to the above-described CPA-attached connector and the wire harness, unintentional returning of the CPA member from the full latch state to the temporary latch state can be alleviated.
Hereinafter, one embodiment of a CPA-attached connector and a wire harness is explained.
A wire harness 1 according to the present embodiment is mounted on, for example, an automobile to connect various devices, and is installed by being connected to a mating wire harness 2 in a manner of a connector. The wire harness 1 has a CPA-attached connector 1a and an electric wire 1b extending from the CPA-attached connector 1a. The mating wire harness 2 also has a mating connector 2a and an electric wire 2b, and the connection in a manner of a connector between the wire harness 1 and the mating wire harness 2 is performed by mating the CPA-attached connector 1a and the mating connector 2a.
Here, the CPA-attached connector 1a in the wire harness 1 includes a connector body 11 and a CPA member 12. The connector body 11 is made by accommodating a connector terminal, connected to the tip of the electric wire 1b, in a connector housing 111 made of resin including a peripheral wall 111a in a substantially cylindrical shape. The connector body 11 mates with the mating connector 2a in a mating direction D11 along a central axis 1c of the connector body 11.
The CPA member 12 is attached to the outer wall of the connector housing 111 in a temporary latch state. When the connector body 11 and the mating connector 2a mate with each other, the CPA member 12 is pushed in and slid by a finger in the mating direction D11 to fully latch to the connector housing 111.
The CPA member 12 includes a CPA body 121 configured to perform a temporary latch and a full latch and a finger rest portion 122 that is a finger rest during transitioning from the temporary latch state to the full latch state. This CPA member 12 is attached, from an attaching direction D13 intersecting the mating direction D11, to the peripheral wall 111a of the connector housing 111 of the connector body 11.
On the other hand, as illustrated in
The temporary latch portions 112 are portions which are provided on the peripheral wall 111a of the connector housing 111 and to which the CPA body 121 of the CPA member 12 is attached in the temporary latch state. The temporary latch state referred to herein is a state movable in the mating direction D11 during mating between the mating connector 2a and the connector body 11. In the present embodiment, the temporary latch portions 112 are guide rails provided, in a protruding manner along the mating direction D11, on the in inner wall surfaces of the respective side plate ribs 111b-2 of the CPA-receiving portion 111b. The CPA member 12 temporarily latches to the temporary latch portion 112, and the temporary latch portion 112 guides sliding of the CPA member 12 along the mating direction D11.
The full latch portion 113 is a portion which is provided on the bottom plate portion 111b-1 of the CPA-receiving portion 111b of the peripheral wall 111a of the connector housing 111 and to which the CPA member 12 fully latches during mating between the mating connector 2a and the connector body 11. Before mating, the full latch portion 113 restricts full latch by sliding of the CPA member 12, and during mating, restriction is cancelled by the mating connector 2a. In the present embodiment, the full latch portion 113 is a portion that extends along the central axis 1c (
Furthermore, this full latch portion 113 includes: a pair of full latch arms 113b extending from the connection portions 113a to the front and rear in the mating direction D11; and a full latch bridge portion 113c connecting end portions on the front side, in the mating direction D11, of the full latch arms 113b. The CPA member 12 latches to the full latch bridge portion 113c in the full latch state.
Furthermore, the full latch bridge portion 113c of the full latch portion 113 passes over and latches to a protruding portion 211 (
As illustrated in
The CPA body 121 of the CPA member 12 held by a holding structure as explained above provided inside the CPA-receiving portion 111b includes a cross-beam portion 121a, a pair of side arm portions 121b, an arm portion 121c, and a pair of cancellation prohibiting units 121d.
The cross-beam portion 121a is a portion in a beam shape extending in the width direction D15 that intersects both the mating direction D11 and the attaching direction D13.
The pair of side arm portions 121b is a pair of portions in a rib wall shape provided, at both end portions of the cross-beam portion 121a, so as to extend in both the mating direction D11 and the attaching direction D13. Furthermore, groove rails 121b-1 that latch to the temporary latch portions 112 are provided on the respective outer surfaces of the side arm portions 121b, such that the temporary latch portions 112 provided as guide rails on the inner wall surfaces of the side plate ribs 111b-2 of the CPA-receiving portion 111b fit on the inner sides of the groove rails 121b-1. When the CPA member 12 is pushed into the CPA-receiving portion 111b in the attaching direction D13, the groove rails 121b-1 of the side arm portions 121b latch to the temporary latch portions 112 of the side plate ribs 111b-2. A state in which the groove rails 121b-1 and the temporary latch portions 112 latch is the temporary latch state.
The arm portion 121c is a portion that extends in a cantilever manner toward the front side in the mating direction D11 from the central portion of the cross-beam portion 121a in the width direction D15 and that is provided with a lever-tip end portion 121c-1 bent in a hook shape. The arm portion 121c is a portion that latches to the full latch bridge portion 113c of the full latch portion 113 to make the CPA member 12 in the full latch state. Before the mating, when the lever-tip end portion 121c-1 comes into contact with the full latch bridge portion 113c of the full latch portion 113, the full latch is restricted, and the above-described temporary latch state is maintained. On the other hand, during the mating, the lever-tip end portion 121c-1 is pushed up by the mating connector 2a in such a manner as to allow the lever-tip end portion 121c-1 to pass over the full latch bridge portion 113c, so that restriction is cancelled. In this state, the CPA member 12 is pushed in the mating direction D11, so that the lever-tip end portion 121c-1 passes over and latches to the full latch bridge portion 113c to attain the full latch state.
The cancellation prohibiting units 121d are rib-shaped portions for holding, in the attaching direction D13, the full latch arms 113b of the full latch portion 113 in the full latch state. When the full latch arm 113b is held in the attaching direction D13, the full latch bridge portion 113c cannot move in a direction to pass over the protruding portion 211 of the mating connector 2a even if the assist lever 113d is pushed in the attaching direction D13. The pair of cancellation prohibiting units 121d is a portion for prohibiting the mating cancellation with respect to the mating connector 2a by prohibiting passing over the protruding portion 211 by immobilizing the full latch bridge portion 113c in the full latch state. In the present embodiment, the cancellation prohibiting units 121d are arranged inside the side arm portions 121b such that the arm portion 121c is interposed between the cancellation prohibiting units 121d. The cancellation prohibiting units 121d extend in a rib shape from the cross-beam portion 121a to the front side in the mating direction D11 such that the tips of the cancellation prohibiting units 121d are at a position slightly on the rear side in the mating direction D11 with respect to the lever-tip end portion 121c-1 of the arm portion 121c. Since the cancellation prohibiting units 121d are arranged in such a position, the cancellation prohibiting units 121d hold both ends, in the width direction D15, of the full latch arm 113b at a position slightly on the rear side in the mating direction D11 with respect to the full latch bridge portion 113c in the full latch state.
Furthermore, the finger rest portion 122 of the CPA member 12 is a portion that is provided integrally with the CPA body 121 on the rear side of the CPA body 121 in the mating direction D11 and that serves as a finger rest when transitioning from the temporary latch state to the full latch state as described above. On the top surface on the side of the attaching direction D13, an inclined surface 122a is formed such that the boundary between the inclined surface 122a and the CPA body 121 is the top portion of the inclined surface 122a and that the inclined surface 122a descends in the attaching direction D13 in accordance with a distance from the top portion in the cancellation direction D12. Furthermore, the finger rest portion 122 is formed with a notch recess 122b that is notched, at the edge of the lower inclined side opposite to the top portion, in an arcuate shape recessed toward the top portion.
In addition, in the CPA-receiving portion 111b, the following three recesses are formed in the edge on the rear side, in the mating direction D11, of the hood portion 114 that define the front side, in the mating direction D11, of the space for receiving the CPA member 12. Specifically, a rectangular recess 114a in which the arm portion 121c passes in the attaching direction D13 during attachment as illustrated in
Next, the temporary latch state and the full latch state of the CPA member 12 with respect to the connector body 11 is further explained with reference to separate drawings, although some of the explanations overlap with the explanation made so far. First, the temporary latch state is explained.
As illustrated in
In the present embodiment, this temporary latch state is a state in which the CPA member 12 is pushed to the CPA-receiving portion 111b in the attaching direction D13 as illustrated in
In the temporary latch state as explained above, when the connector body 11 and the mating connector 2a mate to each other, and the CPA member 12 is pushed in the mating direction D11 with a finger placed on the notch recess 122b of the finger rest portion 122, the CPA member 12 transitions to the full latch state. The CPA member 12 assures mating by transitioning to the full latch state. Furthermore, in the full latch state, as the above-described, the cancellation prohibiting units 121d of the CPA member 12 hold both ends of the full latch bridge portion 113c of the full latch portion 113 to prohibit cancellation of mating between the connector body 11 and the mating connector 2a. Hereinafter, this full latch state is explained.
When the connector body 11 and the mating connector 2a mate each other, the protruding portion 211 provided on the outer wall of the mating connector 2a as also illustrated in
As explained below, during mating cancellation with the mating connector 2a, the CPA member 12 is returned back to the temporary latch state as illustrated in
In the present embodiment, in the full latch state, the entire finger rest portion 122 of the CPA member 12 is exposed from the hood portion 114 of the connector body 11. In the exposed portion of the finger rest portion 122, the inclined surface 122a is a surface inclined toward the central axis 1c (
Also, as illustrated in
In this case, when the CPA member 12 is returned back from the full latch state to the temporary latch state in order to cancel this prohibited state of mating cancellation, a jig is used to pull the CPA member 12 in the cancellation direction D12. The jig may be a rod-shaped jig in a hook shape a tip of which can latch the cross-beam portion 121a of the CPA member 12.
In this case, in the present embodiment, the rectangular recess 114a for allowing the arm portion 121c to pass when the CPA member 12 is attached is notched and formed in the edge of the hood portion 114 on the side where the finger rest portion 122 is exposed. After the CPA member 12 is attached, the rectangular recess 114a serves as an opening for allowing access to the inside of the hood portion 114. This rectangular recess 114a is used as a jig latching-recessed portion for latching the jig for pulling the CPA member 12 to the CPA member 12. The jig is inserted from the rectangular recess 114a to the inside of the hood portion 114, and the tip in the hook shape is latched to the cross-beam portion 121a of the CPA member 12. In this state, when the jig is pulled in the cancellation direction D12, the lever-tip end portion 121c-1 passes over the full latch bridge portion 113c to be detached in such a manner that the inclined surface formed on the inside of the lever-tip end portion 121c-1 of the arm portion 121c slides on the full latch bridge portion 113c. Subsequently, the CPA member 12 is pulled in the cancellation direction D12, so that the CPA member 12 is returned back to the temporary latch state as illustrated in
According to the CPA-attached connector 1a and the wire harness 1 of the embodiment explained above, the inclined surface 122a is formed in the exposed portion of the finger rest portion 122 of the CPA member 12 that is exposed from the hood portion 114 in the full latch state. This inclined surface 122a makes it more difficult for a finger to grip the finger rest portion 122 even if the CPA member 12 in the full latch state is touched with a hand, and the inclined surface 122a can alleviate unintentional reversion of the CPA member 12 from the full latch state to the temporary latch state.
In this case, in the present embodiment, the inclined surface 122a of the finger rest portion 122 starts to incline, toward the central axis 1c of the connector body 11, from the top portion located immediately below the edge of the hood portion 114 in the full latch state. According to this configuration, the ratio of the inclined surface 122a to the exposed portion of the finger rest portion 122 in the full latch state is high, which makes it even more difficult for a finger to grip the finger rest portion 122, so that unintentional reversion of the CPA member 12 can be further alleviated.
Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the finger rest portion 122 is formed with the notch recess 122b on the edge opposite to the hood portion 114. According to this configuration, the size of area in which a finger can come into contact with the exposed portion of the finger rest portion 122 in the full latch state is reduced due to the notch recess 122b, which makes it more difficult for a finger to grip the finger rest portion 122, and therefore, unintentional reversion of the CPA member 12 can be further alleviated. When the CPA member 12 is pushed into the full latch state, this notch recess 122b serves as a point of reference for putting a finger on the finger rest portion 122. For this reason, while the contactable area is reduced as described above to make it difficult for a finger to grip it intendedly, the CPA member 12 can be caused to transition from the temporary latch state to the full latch state with high operability using the notch recess 122b as a point of reference.
Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the CPA body 121 is provided with the arm portion 121c in the cantilever shape, and before mating with the mating connector 2a, the lever-tip end portion 121c-1 comes into contact with the full latch bridge portion 113c of the full latch portion 113 to restrict the full latch. During the mating, the lever-tip end portion 121c-1 is pushed up by the mating connector 2a in such a manner as to allow the lever-tip end portion 121c-1 to pass over the full latch bridge portion 113c, so that restriction is cancelled. Then, the lever-tip end portion 121c-1 passes over the full latch portion 113 to make a full latch, so that the CPA member 12 transitions to the full latch state. According to this configuration, the arm portion 121c in the cantilever shape of the CPA body 121 can be bent easily, and therefore, transition of the CPA member 12 into the full latch state can be performed smoothly while reducing resistance.
Furthermore, in the present embodiment, during mating, the full latch bridge portion 113c of the full latch portion 113 of the connector body 11 passes over and latches to the protruding portion 211 of the mating connector 2a. During mating cancellation, the full latch bridge portion 113c passes over the protruding portion 211 to be detached from the protruding portion 211. In addition, the CPA body 121 is provided with the cancellation prohibiting units 121d for prohibiting mating cancellation by holding the full latch portion 113 in a direction to prohibit the full latch bridge portion 113c from passing over the protruding portion 211 in the full latch state. According to this configuration, holding of the full latch portion 113 by the cancellation prohibiting units 121d can effectively prevent unintended cancellation of mating with the mating connector when the CPA member 12 is in the full latch state.
Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the CPA member 12 is configured such that the CPA body 121 is pulled in the cancellation direction D12 and returned back to the temporary latch state. The rectangular recess 114a (jig latching-recessed portion) that can be used to cause the jig for pulling the CPA member 12 in the cancellation direction D12 to latch to the CPA member 12 is formed in the edge of the hood portion 114 of the connector body 11. According to this configuration, for mating cancellation, via the rectangular recess 114a (jig latching-recessed portion) provided in the hood portion 114, the jig can latch to the CPA member 12 with high operability, so that the CPA member 12 returns back to the temporary latch state.
The embodiment explained above merely shows typical forms of the CPA-attached connector and the wire harness. The CPA-attached connector and the wire harness are not limited thereto and can be modified and carried out in various manners.
For example, in the above-described embodiment, as an example of the CPA-attached connector and the wire harness, the CPA-attached connector 1a and the wire harness 1 for connecting various devices mounted on an automobile and the like are shown. However, the CPA-attached connector and the wire harness are not limited thereto, and a specific object on which they are mounted is not particularly limited.
Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, as an example of the mating connector of the CPA-attached connector and the wire harness, the mating connector 2a provided on the end portion of the mating wire harness 2 is shown. However, the mating connector is not limited thereto, and may be, for example, a device connector and the like provided on the housing of a device.
Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, as an example of the CPA-attached connector, the CPA-attached connector 1a in which the connector terminal is accommodated in the connector housing 111 having the peripheral wall 111a in the substantially cylindrical shape is shown. However, the CPA-attached connector is not limited thereto, and the shape of the housing and the like may be any tubular shape.
Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, as an example of the CPA-attached connector, the CPA-attached connector 1a in which the CPA member 12 is attached, from the attaching direction D13 crossing the mating direction D11, to the peripheral wall 111a of the connector housing 111 is shown. However, the CPA-attached connector is not limited thereto, and the CPA member may be attached from an attaching direction along the mating direction for mating with the mating connector.
Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, as an example of the inclined surface of the finger rest portion, the inclined surface 122a that starts to incline from the top portion located immediately below the edge of the hood portion 114 in the full latch state is shown. However, the inclined surface of the finger rest portion is not limited thereto, and the inclined surface 122a may start to incline from a top portion that is at any given position of the exposed portion of the finger rest portion that is exposed from the hood portion. However, when the inclined surface 122a is configured to start to incline from the top portion located immediately below the edge of the hood portion 114, the ratio of the inclined surface 122a to the exposed portion in the full latch state is increased, so that unintentional reversion of the CPA member 12 can be further alleviated, as described above. It should be noted that the position of the top portion of the inclined surface of the finger rest portion may be on the inner side of the hood portion that is inner than the edge of the hood portion, and even in this case, similar to the case of the top portion being immediately under the edge, unintentional reversion of the CPA member 12 can be further alleviated.
Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, as an example of the finger rest portion, the finger rest portion 122 formed with the notch recess 122b at the edge is shown. However, the finger rest portion is not limited thereto, and may have a straight edge without any recessed portion. However, when the notch recess 122b is provided at the edge of the finger rest portion 122, unintentional reversion of the CPA member 12 can be further alleviated, and the CPA member 12 can be caused to transition to the full latch state with high operability, as described above.
Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, as an example of the CPA body, the CPA body 121 of which the lever-tip end portion 121c-1 of the arm portion 121c in the cantilever shape fully latches to the full latch bridge portion 113c of the full latch portion 113 in the full latch state is shown. However, the CPA body is not limited thereto, and a specific form of latching of the connector body with the full latch portion is not particularly limited. However, according to the form of latching using the arm portion 121c in the cantilever shape, the CPA member 12 can transition to the full latch state smoothly alleviating resistance, as described above.
Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, as an example of the CPA-attached connector, the CPA-attached connector 1a of which the full latch bridge portion 113c of the full latch portion 113 passes the protruding portion 211 of the mating connector 2a to make a latch is shown. In this CPA-attached connector 1a, the full latch bridge portion 113c passes over the protruding portion 211 to be detached therefrom during mating cancellation. In addition, the CPA body 121 is provided with the cancellation prohibiting unit 121d for prohibiting mating cancellation by holding the full latch portion 113 in the full latch state. However, the form of mating with the mating connector may be those other than the form with latching of the full latch portion to the protruding portion, and the form of prohibiting of mating cancellation at that occasion may be those other than the form provided with the cancellation prohibiting unit for holding the full latch portion. However, the form of prohibiting by holding the full latch portion 113 with the cancellation prohibiting unit 121d can effectively prevent unintended cancellation of mating with the mating connector when the CPA member 12 is in the full latch state, as described above.
Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, as an example of the CPA-attached connector, the CPA-attached connector 1a in which the rectangular recess 114a (jig latching-recessed portion) for the jig for pulling the CPA member 12 is formed at the edge of the hood portion 114 is shown. However, the CPA-attached connector is not limited thereto, and any recessed portion may not be formed in the edge of the hood portion 114, or any jig may not be used for returning to the temporary latch state. However, when the rectangular recess 114a (jig latching-recessed portion) is provided in the edge of the hood portion 114, the jig can be caused to latch to the CPA member 12 so that the CPA member 12 returns to the temporary latch state with high operability, as described above.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-165680 | Oct 2022 | JP | national |
