Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6817900
-
Patent Number
6,817,900
-
Date Filed
Tuesday, July 30, 200222 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, November 16, 200419 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Paumen; Gary
- Leon; Edwin A.
Agents
- Armstrong, Kratz, Quintos, Hanson & Brooks, LLP
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 439 589
- 439 274
- 439 595
- 439 271
- 439 272
- 439 273
- 439 275
- 439 597
- 439 752
- 439 701
- 439 744
- 439 871
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A connector 1 has a resilient terminal locking arm 12 having a forward half 31 and a rear half 33, the forward half 31 partially defining a wall partition wall 11 for a terminal accommodating space 7 of a housing 2 of the connector, the rear half having a fore end to serve as a terminal stopping surface 32. The terminal stopping surface 32 is positioned at a middle of the terminal locking arm 12 in a longitudinal direction of the connector. A pair of the forward arm halves 31 are provided to be opposed to each other in a transverse direction of the connector, and the terminal stopping surface 32 extends across a width of the terminal accommodation space 7 between the pair of forward halves. Furthermore, a holder combined connector has a connector housing 102, and a front holder 105, the connector housing 102 has a resilient terminal locking arm 113 in a terminal accommodating space, and the front holder 105 is coupled to a connector main part 104 of the connector housing to define the terminal accommodating chamber. The front holder 105 has a wall to define at least one of upper and lower walls 132, 110 of the terminal accommodating chamber when the front holder is completely coupled to the connector main part. The wall 112 of the front holder advances into a deflectable space of the terminal locking arm 113 to prevent a deflection of the terminal locking arm.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector having a terminal locking arm which is supported at each end thereof in a housing of the connector.
Furthermore, the present invention relates to an electrical connector combined with a front holder, in which the front holder is coupled to a connector housing to define a terminal accommodating chamber.
2. Related Art
FIG. 5
shows an example of a terminal locking structure of a conventional connector which is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open H. 2-110186.
The connector has a plug-type connector housing
51
made of a synthetic resin material, of which a terminal accommodating chamber
52
is formed with a resilient terminal locking arm
53
. The terminal locking arm
53
is joined to the connector housing
51
at each longitudinal end of the terminal locking arm
53
for supporting the terminal locking arm
53
. The terminal accommodating chamber
52
and the terminal locking arm
53
are provided both in upper and lower portions of the connector housing
51
.
The terminal locking arm
53
has a locking protrusion
54
formed in a forward half thereof. The terminal accommodating chamber
52
has a rear opening for inserting a receptacle terminal
55
connected to an electrical cable. The terminal is locked by the terminal locking arm
53
and abuts against a stopping wall
56
positioned in the terminal accommodating chamber
52
. The receptacle terminal
55
has a box-shaped electrical contact portion
57
in a fore half thereof and a cable crimping portion
58
in a rear half thereof. The electrical contact portion
57
has a bottom wall formed with an engagement hole
59
associated with a locking protrusion
54
of the terminal locking arm
53
.
The receptacle terminal
55
moves into the terminal accommodating chamber
52
while the receptacle terminal
55
deflects the terminal locking arm
53
downward. The complete insertion of the receptacle terminal
55
moves upward the terminal locking arm
53
to resiliently return the arm to its original position and causes the locking protrusion
54
to engage with the engagement hole
59
of the receptacle terminal
55
to lock the receptacle terminal
55
in the terminal accommodating chamber
52
. The receptacle terminal
55
and the connector housing
51
constitute a connector
60
. In this specification, the connector
60
is inserted into a connector engagement space of an associated female connector.
The terminal locking structure of the conventional connector has the locking protrusion
54
formed in the forward half of the terminal locking arm
53
of the connector housing
51
for engagement with the electrical contact portion
57
formed in the forward half of the receptacle terminal
55
. As illustrated in
FIG. 5
, the insertion of the receptacle terminal
55
deflects the terminal locking arm
53
such that the locking protrusion
54
moves not just downward but slightly diagonally forward as shown by an arrow A. Thus, the locking protrusion
54
does not completely engage with the engagement hole
59
so that the locking of the receptacle terminal
55
is insufficient when the locking protrusion
54
has an elongated length sufficiently longer than the engagement hole
59
of the receptacle terminal
55
. However, the elongated engagement hole
59
causes an undesired looseness in locking of the receptacle terminal
55
, so that a resilient contact piece provided in the electrical contact portion
57
of the receptacle terminal
55
suffers a friction wear due to vibration during an operating state of a motor vehicle in which the connector is provided.
Furthermore, since the terminal locking arm
53
deflects with an unstable bent, an arm deflecting space
61
should have a larger size, which disadvantageously requires a larger height of the connector housing
51
for deflection of the arm.
In view of the disadvantage of the conventional art, a first object of the invention is to provide an electrical connector having a terminal locking structure which eliminates a locking looseness of a terminal in the longitudinal direction of the terminal. This allows a reliable locking of the terminal and decreases a housing of the connector in size.
FIGS. 15
to
17
show an example of a conventional connector combined with a holder, which is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H. 11-224 713. The holder combined connector
181
(
FIG. 16
) is constituted by a connector housing
182
made of a synthetic resin material, a front holder
183
made of a synthetic resin material, and a terminal
185
having an electrical cable. The front holder
183
is inserted through a fore opening of the connector housing
182
to define a terminal accommodating chamber
184
. The terminal
185
is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber
184
from a rear opening of the connector housing
182
.
As illustrated in
FIG. 15
, the connector housing
182
includes a resilient terminal locking arm
186
extended therein, and a terminal insertion hole
187
is formed in a rear side of the terminal locking arm
186
to partially define a terminal accommodating chamber.
The front holder
183
has a front wall
188
, left and right side walls
189
, a top wall
190
, a short lower wall
191
, and an intermediate partition wall
192
. The front wall
188
is formed with an opposing connector inserting opening and an aperture for receiving a pushing rod for releasing the terminal from the locking of the arm.
As illustrated in
FIG. 16
, the front holder
183
has been completely received in the connector housing
182
to define the terminal accommodating chamber
184
surrounded by the intermediate wall
192
and the upper and lower walls
190
,
191
. In this state, the terminal
185
is inserted into the connector housing
182
and the terminal locking arm
186
abuts against a rear shoulder of a box-shaped electrical contact portion of the terminal
185
to lock the terminal.
As illustrated in
FIG. 17
which is a sectional view taken along line C—C of
FIG. 16
, the terminal locking arm
186
is molded together with the connector housing
182
from a resin material in an absence state of the front holder
183
. Thus, the terminal locking arm
186
can have a width extending close to the inner walls of the front holder
183
, improving the locking force of the terminal locking arm
186
and decreasing the holder combined connector
181
in its lateral dimension.
The conventional holder combined connector
181
can decease a lateral dimension of the connector but is disadvantageous for decreasing a height of the connector housing
182
. Because, the upper and lower walls
190
,
191
of the front holder
183
overlap with upper and lower walls
193
,
194
(
FIG. 15
) of the connector housing
182
. Furthermore, the terminal
185
should be double locked by the terminal locking arm
186
, which requires another member to increase the locking force, and the additional locking member tends to complicate the locking structure and mechanism of the terminal and to increase the size of the holder combined connector
181
.
In view of the aforementioned disadvantage of the conventional connector, a second object of the invention is to provide a holder combined connector which is decreased particularly in the height thereof (in a vertical direction of
FIG. 16
) with keeping a reliable electrical connection with an opposing connector. Furthermore, the connector can lock double a terminal surely with ease.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
For achieving the first object, an electrical connector has a terminal locking structure according to a first aspect of the present invention. The terminal locking structure includes a resilient terminal locking arm having a forward half and a rear half, the forward half defined by a wall for a terminal accommodating space of a housing of the connector, the rear being larger than the forward half in width, the rear half having a fore end to serve as a terminal stopping surface. Preferably, the rear half has a surface tapered in a longitudinal direction of the connector.
In the above-mentioned structure, the terminal moves into the terminal accommodation space while the terminal deflects the rear half of the terminal locking arm. At the same time, the forward half of the terminal locking arm unitarily formed with the rear half also deflects smoothly perpendicular to the terminal insertion direction. On complete insertion of the terminal, the terminal locking arm surely returns to its original position and the fore end stopping surface of the rear half abuts against a rear shoulder of the terminal to reliably lock the terminal.
Furthermore, the forward half of the terminal locking arm serves as a partition of the connector housing so that a longer locking arm can be provided without a larger space for receiving the locking arm. This decreases the connector housing in size. The terminal locking arm deflects with ease, allowing a smaller insertion force of the terminal. Moreover, since the fore end of the rear half of the terminal locking arm serves as a terminal stopping surface, a locking projection which is required for the conventional connector is eliminated. The connector housing is deceased in size by the height of the locking projection. The fore end of the rear half of the terminal locking arm directly locks the terminal, improving the reliability of the locking.
Preferably, the terminal stopping surface is positioned substantially at a middle of the terminal locking arm in the longitudinal direction of the connector.
The structure enables that the terminal stopping surface is positioned at the largest deflection point of the terminal locking arm when the terminal is inserted into the connector, and the terminal stopping surface moves just perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the arm without a longitudinal deviation thereof. Thereby, the terminal stopping surface is correctly positioned in a stopped state of the terminal so that an undesired looseness therebetween can be eliminated. This prevents an increased longitudinal length of the connector housing which will be otherwise required. Furthermore, the terminal locking arm deflects not unstably but linearly unlike the conventional art so that a deflection space for the terminal locking arm is minimized, allowing a decreased dimension of the connector housing in the deflection direction of the terminal locking arm.
Preferably, the structure has a pair of the forward halves opposed to each other in a transverse direction of the connector, wherein the terminal stopping surface extends across a width of the terminal accommodation space between the pair of forward halves.
The structure allows the terminal stopping surface to have a sufficient width between the pair of the forward halves of the terminal locking arm to surely stop the stopped portion of the terminal. The terminal stopping surface is stably supported by the pair of the forward halves of the terminal locking arm so that the terminal stopping surface is correctly positioned on the stopped portion of the terminal, improving the reliability of the locking.
Preferably, the terminal locking arm has a lock releasing portion at a middle of the terminal locking arm in a longitudinal direction of the terminal locking arm so that a tip end of a pushing rod can push the lock releasing portion to release the terminal from the terminal locking arm.
The structure allows that the tip end of the pushing rod can push the lock releasing portion to release the terminal from the terminal locking arm at the middle of the terminal locking arm in the longitudinal direction of the terminal locking arm. Thus, the lock releasing portion is located at the maximum deflection position of the terminal locking arm so that the lock releasing portion moves just perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the terminal locking arm without a deviation in the longitudinal direction. This allows a smaller space for the lock releasing portion, decreasing a dimension of the connector housing in the deflection direction of the terminal locking arm.
Preferably, the lock releasing portion is a projection formed on a side surface of the terminal locking arm.
The structure allows that the projection for releasing the locking is positioned adjacent to a partition of the terminal accommodation spaces. Thus, the pushing rod can be inserted along the partition to surely move the projection in the lock releasing direction, improving the lock releasing in workability and reliability.
For achieving the second object, a second aspect of the present invention is a holder combined connector having a connector housing and a front holder, the connector housing having a resilient terminal locking arm in a terminal accommodating space, the front holder coupled to a connector main part of the connector housing to define a terminal accommodating chamber, wherein the front holder has a wall to define at least one of upper and lower walls of the terminal accommodating chamber when the front holder is completely coupled to the connector main part.
In the aforementioned structure, the front holder is coupled to the housing main part so that the walls of the front holder define the upper and lower wall of the terminal accommodating space to complete a terminal accommodating chamber. This eliminates a bottom or top wall of the terminal accommodating chamber of the housing main part, decreasing the vertical dimension of the connector housing by an amount corresponding to the thickness of the bottom or top wall otherwise required for the terminal accommodating chamber.
Preferably, the wall of the front holder advances into a deflectable space of the terminal locking arm to prevent a deflection of the terminal locking arm.
In this structure, the wall of the front holder partially closes the terminal accommodating space and also prevents the deflection of the terminal locking arm to surely stop the terminal. This eliminates an additional stopping member for preventing the deflection of the arm, so that the connector structure is simplified and decreased in size.
Preferably, the front holder has a space to receive a top or bottom wall of the housing main part, and the wall of the front holder is positioned along the top or bottom wall of the housing main part.
In the structure, the front holder has a space to receive the top or bottom wall of the housing main part, so that the wall of the front holder overlaps with the top or bottom wall of the housing main part. Thus, the front holder is surely retained by the housing main part without looseness to be correctly positioned. This improves the connector in correct positioning of the terminal and in a reliable electrical connection with an opposing connector. Furthermore, the wall of the front holder, which contacts the top or bottom wall of the housing main part, prevents the distortion and warping of the top or bottom wall, surely limiting the deflection of the terminal locking arm. The top or bottom wall of the housing main part can be decreased in thickness, enabling a smaller height of the front holder or the connector.
Preferably, the wall of the front holder is positioned forward from the terminal deflection space and the terminal can be inserted into the terminal accommodating space when the front holder has been preliminarily engaged with the housing main part.
In the structure, the terminal which is inserted into the terminal accommodating space at a preliminarily engaged state of the front holder, is smoothly surely received along the wall of the front holder, and subsequently, the front holder is pushed into the housing main part opposite to the terminal insertion direction to be finally engaged with the housing main part. Thereby, the front holder wall has advanced into the deflectable space of the terminal locking arm to allow double locking of the terminal. The terminal is surely locked without an unintentional disengagement of the terminal.
Preferably, the housing main part is formed with a circumferential wall in a rear side of the housing main part for mounting a waterproof packing, and the terminal accommodating space is positioned forward from the circumferential wall, wherein the front holder is coupled to a fore side of the circumferential wall.
This configuration having the packing achieves a waterproof state between the connector and an opposing connector. The engagement of the circumferential wall with the front holder allows the front holder to be surely positioned and retained without looseness, improving an electrical connection with the opposing connector in reliability.
Preferably, the terminal accommodating space is defined between a pair of partition walls, and each of the partition walls is joined to a horizontal continuous wall to define the terminal accommodating space.
In this configuration, the partition walls of the terminal accommodating space, which are joined to the horizontal continuous wall, improves the housing main part in rigidity, preventing the warping and distortion thereof. Moreover, a plurality of the terminal accommodating spaces can be provided parallel to each other with a constant pitch. This improves the terminal received in each terminal accommodating space in its reliable electrical connection with an opposing terminal.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a longitudinal sectional view showing an embodiment of a connector having a terminal locking structure according to the present invention;
FIG. 2
is a perspective view showing primary parts of the connector;
FIG. 3
is a perspective view showing a terminal locking arm;
FIG. 4
is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state where the locking of a terminal is released;
FIG. 5
is a perspective view showing a conventional terminal locking structure of a connector.
FIG. 6
is a longitudinal sectional view showing a connector housing of a first embodiment of a holder combined connector according to the present invention;
FIG. 7
is a longitudinal sectional view showing the connector housing in which a front holder is preliminarily inserted;
FIG. 8
is a longitudinal sectional view showing the connector housing in which a terminal is inserted and the front holder is finally inserted;
FIG. 9
is a front view showing the connector housing;
FIG. 10
is a perspective view (taken diagonally backward) showing the front holder;
FIG. 11
is a sectional view taken line B—B of
FIG. 10
;
FIG. 12
is a longitudinal sectional view showing a second embodiment of a holder combined connector according to the present invention;
FIG. 13
is a longitudinal sectional view showing a connector housing of the second embodiment;
FIG. 14
is a perspective view showing a front holder of the second embodiment;
FIG. 15
is a longitudinal sectional view showing a conventional holder combined connector in a disengaged state thereof;
FIG. 16
is a longitudinal sectional view showing the conventional holder combined connector in its engaged state; and
FIG. 17
is a cross-sectional view taken along line C—C of
FIG. 16
for showing the conventional holder combined connector.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to the accompanied drawings, embodiments of the present invention will be discussed in detail hereinafter.
FIG. 1
shows a plug-type connector employing a terminal locking structure according to the present invention.
The connector
1
has a connector housing
2
made of a synthetic resin material, a front holder
3
also made of a synthetic resin material, and a receptacle terminal
8
with an electrical cable. The front holder
3
is inserted from a front opening
4
a
of the connector housing
2
into a housing main part
5
of a receiving space
4
, and the terminal
8
is inserted from a rear opening
6
a
of a terminal insertion hole
6
of the connector housing
2
into a terminal accommodating space
7
of the housing main part
5
.
The connector housing
2
is constituted by an outer hood
9
and the inner housing main part
5
. The hood
9
has a locking arm
10
for an opposing female connector (not shown). The housing main part
5
has a plurality of terminal accommodating spaces
7
separated from each other by a row of parallel partition walls
11
(
FIG. 2
) and also has a resilient terminal locking arm
12
(terminal locking portion) formed unitarily with each partition wall
11
, the arm being supported at each end thereof. The terminal locking arm
12
that is a relevant element of the present invention will be discussed later in detail with referring to FIG.
2
. The housing main part
5
is formed to be extended from a vertical base wall
13
.
The terminal accommodating space
7
has an upper opening
7
a
(
FIG. 2
) and a lower opening
7
b
each defining a slit. The terminal accommodating space
7
also has a generally rectangular front opening
16
formed with a pin terminal guiding protrusion
17
which decreases an open area of the front opening
16
. The pin terminal guiding protrusion
17
serves to stop one of the receptacle terminals and guides an associated pin terminal. The terminal accommodating space
7
is continuous with a rear terminal insertion hole
6
. The housing main part
5
has an outer peripheral surface at a base end thereof for mounting a waterproof packing
18
thereon, and the terminal insertion hole
6
receives a waterproof seals
20
mounted on an outer periphery of an electrical cable
19
.
The front holder
3
has a generally rectangular, cylindrical wall and is received along an outer peripheral surface of the housing main part
5
. The front holder
3
has a top wall
21
, a bottom wall
22
, upper and lower horizontal spaces
23
,
24
each defining a slit, and a plate wall
25
separating the spaces
23
,
24
. The plate wall
25
is extended from a rear end of the holder and can move into the deflection space
26
of the terminal locking arm
12
of the housing main part
5
. In the meantime, an upper wall
27
of the housing main part
5
is inserted into the space
23
and the plurality of partition walls
11
are received in the lower space
24
.
In
FIG. 1
, the front holder
3
is preliminarily locked to the housing main part
5
by a lock means
28
(
FIG. 2
) In this state, the terminal
8
is inserted into the terminal accommodating space
7
and the terminal locking arm
12
stops a rear end
29
a
(rear shoulder) of a box-shaped electrical contact portion
29
of the terminal
8
. Next, the front holder
3
is pushed opposite to the terminal insertion direction. Thereby, the bottom wall
22
of the front holder
3
closes the lower opening
7
b
of the terminal accommodating space
7
and the intermediate plate wall
25
closes the upper opening
7
a
of the terminal accommodating space
7
, while the plate wall
25
moves into the deflection space
26
for the terminal locking arm
12
so that the leading end protrusion
25
a
stops the deflection of the terminal locking arm
12
. The front holder
3
is finally locked to the housing main part
5
by the lock means
28
(FIG.
2
).
FIG. 2
shows a state in which the front holder
3
has been finally locked to the housing main part
5
. The housing main part
5
has a vertical thin plate partition wall
11
formed with a horizontal slit
30
, and a portion of the partition wall
11
which is located above a forward half of the slit
30
defines a fore half
31
of the terminal locking arm
12
. The arm fore half
31
is perpendicular to a generally vertical stopping surface
32
(engagement portion) which is a fore end of a rear arm half
33
of the terminal locking arm
12
. The rear arm half
33
has an upwardly inclined surface continuous with the upper wall
27
of the housing main part
5
in a base side of the terminal accommodating space
7
.
Each of the terminal accommodating space
7
is separated from each other by adjacent two of the vertical partition walls
11
which are joined to a horizontal bottom wall
34
to define generally a U-shape in a longitudinal section thereof. The U-shaped wall
35
is positioned at each side of the terminal accommodating space
7
.
As illustrated in
FIG. 3
, the stopping surface
32
joins a pair of side surfaces
31
a
of the forward arm halves
31
which are opposed to each other within the terminal accommodating space
7
, and the stopping surface
32
extends laterally across the terminal accommodating space
7
. The rear arm half
33
has a width not smaller than the sum of the width of the stopping surface
32
and twice the thickness of the partition wall
11
. That is, the terminal locking arm
12
is constituted by the pair of forward arm halves
31
, the stopping surface
32
joining the forward arm halves
31
, and the rear arm half
33
unitarily contiguous with the stopping surface
32
.
As illustrated in
FIG. 2
, the terminal locking arm
12
is continues with a fore end side surface
31
a
positioned forward from the slit
30
, and the terminal locking arm
12
is continuous with the housing main part
5
at a rear end side portion
33
a
positioned inside the upper wall
27
of the housing main part
5
, so that the terminal locking arm
12
is supported at each end thereof. The slit
30
has a rear open end
30
a
backwardly continuous with the terminal insertion hole
6
.
The forward arm half
31
has a length L
1
which is substantially equal to a length L
2
of the rear arm half
33
and the stopping surface
32
is positioned at a longitudinal middle of the terminal locking arm
12
. Thus, the forward arm half
31
is longitudinally balanced with the rear arm half
33
, so that the stopping surface
32
(
FIG. 2
) moves not longitudinally but vertically when the electrical contact portion
29
of the terminal
8
(
FIG. 1
) pushes upward the terminal locking arm
12
to deflect the terminal locking arm
12
.
This allows a stable smaller clearance between the stopping surface
32
and the rear end
29
a
of the electrical contact portion
29
of the terminal
8
(FIG.
1
). The clearance can be almost 0 (zero), eliminating a longitudinal looseness of the terminal
8
. The terminal locking arm
12
deflects vertically across the minimum distance which makes the deflection space
26
smaller, decreasing the connector housing
2
in size.
As illustrated in
FIG. 2
, the height of the forward arm half
31
of the terminal locking arm
12
is determined to be larger than the thickness of the partition wall
11
, so that the forward arm half
31
deflects upward linearly without an unstable warp. Thus, the stopping surface
32
does not deviate in the longitudinal direction of the arm, minimizing the connector housing
2
in size.
The stopping surface
32
(
FIG. 3
) of the terminal locking arm
12
is laterally elongated to abut against the electrical contact portion
29
of the terminal
8
across the whole width of the electrical contact portion
29
, and the stopping surface
32
is joined to the forward arm half
31
at each side end of the stopping surface
32
, the forward arm half
31
being contiguous with the partition wall
11
. Thus, the stopping surface
32
provides a stopper with an increased resistance force, improving the reliability thereof.
Above the partition wall
11
(FIG.
2
), there is provided a slit-shaped space for receiving the plate wall
25
of the front holder
3
. The terminal
8
can be inserted in the connector housing
2
during a preliminary engagement sate of the front holder
3
, i.e. while the plate wall
25
has not been inserted in the slit-shaped space. Thus, both the forward arm half
31
and the rear arm half
33
of the terminal locking arm
12
can deflect in the slit-shaped space unitarily with each other. Subsequently, the front holder
3
is further moved into the connector housing
2
so that the plate wall
25
moves into the slit-shaped space. This eliminates a space specified only for deflection of the terminal locking arm
12
, decreasing the height of the connector housing
2
.
In
FIG. 4
, a pushing rod
37
for releasing the terminal is inserted from the front opening
4
a
into a U-channel-shaped space
36
defined by a pair of the adjacent partition walls
11
and the bottom wall
34
.
In the space
36
for the pushing rod
37
, there is a lock releasing projection
38
shown in
FIG. 3
for releasing the engagement of the arm.
The lock releasing projection
38
(
FIG. 3
) is horizontally extended from a base end of the forward arm half
31
along a side surface of one of the rear arm halves
33
in a lateral side of the stopping surface
32
. The rear arm half
33
is slightly inclined in the rear direction thereof while the lock releasing projection
38
is horizontal. The lock releasing projection
38
has a fore end positioned at a longitudinal middle of the terminal locking arm
12
as well as the stopping surface
32
. The rear arm half
33
has a width including the thickness of the lock releasing projection
38
, and the lock releasing projection
38
has a generally semi-circular curbed surface
38
a
at a fore end thereof. Alternatively, there may be provided another lock releasing projection
38
formed on an outer side surface of each of two adjacent terminal locking arms
12
.
As illustrated in
FIG. 4
, the pushing rod
37
is inserted backward into the U-shaped space
36
while the front holder
3
(
FIG. 1
) is preliminarily engaged with or disengaged from the connector housing
2
. An upward tapered surface
37
a
formed in the pushing rod
37
moves along the curbed surface
38
a
of the lock releasing projection
38
to deflect the terminal locking arm
12
upward.
Since the lock releasing projection
38
is positioned at the longitudinal middle of the terminal locking arm
12
supported by the both ends, the pushing rod
37
can move just upward (vertically) the terminal locking arm
12
by a minimum distance without a longitudinal deviation of the terminal locking arm
12
. Thus, there occurs no severe frictional interference between the stopping surface
32
(
FIG. 3
) and the rear end
29
a
of the electrical contact portion
29
of the terminal
8
(FIG.
1
), achieving a smooth, reliable release of the engagement. This allows a smaller movement of the terminal locking arm
12
to release the terminal so that the deflection space
26
(
FIG. 2
) may be smaller, decreasing the connector housing
2
in size.
In
FIG. 2
, the upper wall
27
of the housing main part
5
is unitarily formed with a lock arm (locking means)
28
, and a lock portion (not-shown) corresponding to the lock arm
28
is provided on the front holder
3
so as to be preliminarily or finally engageable with the lock arm
28
. Note that the terminal locking structure according to the present invention is not only applied to the plug-type connector
1
but also to a receptacle-type connector (not shown) having a connector mating chamber. The receptacle-type connector has a housing main part (
5
), which is constituted by a horizontal lower wall, a plurality of partition walls (
11
) depending from the lower wall, and a terminal locking arm (
12
) unitarily formed with each partition wall (
11
). Between two adjacent partition walls (
11
) there is defined a pushing rod insertion space (
36
). An upper opening (
7
a
) of a terminal accommodating space (
7
) is covered by a plate wall (
25
) of a front holder (
3
) for preventing the deflection of the locking arm. A pin terminal (not shown) has a locked portion which is a rear end of a box-shaped portion continuous with a pin contact.
Furthermore, the terminal locking structure according to the present invention can be applied to a connector having a plurality of terminal accommodation spaces layered one another. The terminal locking structure may be also applied to a conventional connector having vertical partitions as mentioned above but with no front holder
3
. Note that the locked portion of the terminal is not limited in the rear end of the box-shaped portion of the terminal.
FIGS. 6
to
8
show an embodiment of a holder combined connector according to the present invention.
The holder combined connector
101
(
FIG. 8
) is constituted by a plug-type connector housing
102
made of a synthetic resin material, a front holder
105
also made of a synthetic resin material, and a receptacle terminal
107
with an electrical cable
106
. The front holder
105
is coupled to a housing main part
104
positioned inside a hood
103
of the connector housing
102
as illustrated in FIG.
7
. The terminal
107
is inserted into the connector housing
102
and into the front holder
105
as illustrated in FIG.
8
.
As illustrated in
FIG. 6
, the housing main part
104
has a terminal accommodating space with a bottom wall (cavity bottom wall), a fore half of which is widely opened. A top wall (cavity top wall) of the terminal accommodating space is also largely opened. Reference numerals
108
and
109
designate the opened portions. As illustrated in
FIG. 8
, the front holder
105
has a bottom wall
110
, which closes the lower opening
108
so as to be combined with a short rear bottom wall
111
of the housing main part
104
to complimentarily define a cavity bottom wall. Furthermore, the front holder
105
has a plate wall
112
for double locking the terminal, which closes the upper opening
109
to complimentarily define a cavity upper wall. The plate wall
112
advances into an arm deflection space
114
of a terminal locking arm
113
of the housing main part
104
for double locking the terminal
107
.
As illustrated in
FIG. 6
, the connector housing
102
has the hood
103
of a generally rectangular circumferential shape in an outer side thereof. The hood
103
is formed with a horizontal lock arm
115
for an opposing female connector (not shown) Within an inner space
129
of the hood
103
, there is provided a vertical base wall
116
from which the housing main part
104
is unitarily extended forward. Rearward from the base wall
116
, there is formed a generally cylindrical terminal insertion portion
118
having a terminal insertion hole
117
. The terminal insertion hole
117
is contiguous with a terminal accommodating space
119
of the housing main part
104
, and a plurality of terminal accommodating spaces
119
are provided longitudinally parallel to each other. The terminal insertion portion
118
is provided for each terminal accommodating space
119
.
As illustrated in
FIG. 9
, which is a front view of the connector housing
102
, each terminal accommodating space
119
is defined between left and right vertical partition walls
120
and has the lower and upper openings
108
,
109
. Each partition wall
120
is extended from an inner wall of the terminal insertion hole
117
(
FIG. 6
) parallel to the terminal insertion direction. The partition wall
120
has a stopper protrusion
121
at fore end thereof for abutting the terminal
107
(FIG.
8
).
FIG. 6
is a sectional view taken along line A—A of FIG.
9
. In this specification, the connector having the housing main part
104
is defined as a plug-type connector and an opposing connector having an engagement chamber for coupling of the housing main part
104
is defined as a receptacle-type connector.
In
FIG. 9
, between adjacent two of the terminal accommodating spaces
119
, a narrow horizontal connection wall
122
is provided to join the partition walls
120
. The connection wall
122
and the partition walls
120
positioned at each side of the connection wall
122
constitute a longitudinally U-shaped wall. The connection wall
122
has a longitudinal length the same as that of the partition wall
120
illustrated in
FIG. 6
(the connection wall
122
is not shown in FIG.
6
). Above the opening
109
of the terminal accommodating space
119
, there is provided a horizontal slit-shaped insertion space
123
for receiving a plate. Further above the plate wall insertion space
123
, there are an upper wall
124
of the housing main part
104
and a lock arm
125
unitarily with the upper wall
124
. The lock arm
125
is positioned in the same horizontal plain as the upper wail
124
. The lock arm
125
is formed with a preliminary locking portion and a final locking portion for the front holder
105
sequentially in a longitudinal direction thereof.
The lock arm
125
locks the front holder
105
and is positioned in the same plane as the upper wall
124
so that decreases the height of the connector housing
2
. In
FIG. 9
, reference numeral
126
designates a rectangular circumferential peripheral wall extended from the base wall
116
. On the peripheral wall
126
, there are unitarily formed the upper wall
124
having a larger thickness and a rear half of the bottom wall
111
having a small thickness.
As illustrated in
FIG. 6
, the peripheral wall
126
has an intermediate step
126
a
which further decreases a forward part
111
a
of the rear bottom wall
111
in thickness. On an outer surface of the rear bottom wall
111
, as illustrated in
FIG. 7
, a waterproof packing
127
is mounted to contact an opposing plug-type connector (not shown). The upper wall
124
of the housing main part
104
(
FIG. 6
) is extended from the base wall
116
to come near a front opening
128
of the hood
103
. The rear bottom wall
111
is extended short from the base wall
116
parallel to the upper wall
124
so as to have a substantially half length of the upper wall
124
.
From a base side of the upper wall
124
, the resilient terminal locking arm
113
is provided in each terminal accommodating space
119
so as to extend forward and diagonally downward. Between the terminal locking arm
113
and the upper wall
124
, the arm deflection space
114
is positioned, and the terminal locking arm
113
has a fore end located slightly backward than a forward end of the rear bottom wall
111
.
As illustrated in
FIG. 7
, the front holder
105
outwardly engages with the housing main part
104
while the terminal
107
(
FIG. 8
) is not inserted into the connector. The front holder
105
is preliminarily locked by the lock arm
125
(
FIG. 9
) and the locking portion (not shown) of the front holder
105
.
As illustrated in an example of the front holder
105
of
FIG. 10
, the front holder
105
is generally cylindrical. The front holder
105
has a bottom wall
110
unitarily with a peripheral wall
131
having a larger thickness, a top wall
132
having a slightly smaller thickness as illustrated in
FIG. 7
, and the plate wall
112
positioned under the top wall
132
for double locking the terminal. Between the bottom wall
110
and the plate wall
112
, a laterally elongated slit-shaped space
133
is defined for inserting each partition wall
120
. The bottom wall
110
is formed with a shallow U-shaped groove
134
partially defining a terminal accommodating chamber. The groove
134
is opposed to the opening
108
of the terminal accommodating space
119
(
FIG. 6
) of the housing main part
104
. The front holder
105
has a tapered guide surface
135
at a forward end of the front holder
105
for each groove
134
to guide an opposing pin terminal (not shown). As illustrated in
FIG. 7
, between the top wall
132
and the plate wall
112
, there is defined a laterally elongated slit-shaped space
136
for receiving the upper wall
124
of the housing main part
104
. As illustrated in
FIG. 10
, the top wall
132
and the plate wall
112
are joined by a front wall
137
.
As illustrated in
FIG. 10
, within the space
136
defined between the top wall
132
and the plate wall
112
, there is provided a locking portion (not shown) for the housing main part
104
(FIG.
7
). The peripheral wall
131
has a rear enlarged portion
139
contiguous with a tapered portion
138
. The enlarged portion
139
can receive a fore half (shown by reference numeral
111
a
) of the peripheral wall
126
(
FIG. 6
) of the housing main part
104
.
As illustrated in
FIG. 7
, the plate wall
112
for the double-locking has a thin thickness and is elongated parallel to the top wall
132
to extend from the enlarged portion
139
of the front holder
105
. A leading end portion of the plate wall
112
can be inserted into the arm deflection space
114
of the housing main part
104
. The leading end portion of the plate wall
112
is formed with a protrusion
141
which can contact a surface of the terminal locking arm
113
.
As illustrated in
FIG. 11
which is a sectional view taken along line B—B of
FIG. 10
, the terminal locking plate wall
112
is a generally rectangular flat plate having a width slightly smaller than the inner width of the front holder
105
. A plurality of the protrusions
141
are provided each for each terminal accommodating space
119
(FIG.
6
). Each side end
142
of the plate wall
112
is joined to an inner wall of the peripheral wall
131
. In
FIG. 11
, reference numeral
143
designates a channel portion.
In a preliminarily engaged state of the front holder
105
which is shown in
FIG. 7
, the upper wall
124
of the housing main part
104
is inserted halfway between the top wall
132
and the plate wall
112
of the front holder
105
. The locking protrusion
141
of the plate wall
112
is still positioned forward from the fore end of the terminal locking arm
113
(forward from the locking arm deflection space), so that the terminal locking arm
113
can be feely deflected. The partition wall
120
of the housing main part
104
is inserted halfway in the space
133
positioned in a lower side of front holder. The bottom wall
110
of the front holder
105
is contacting a forward lower surface of the partition wall
120
of the housing main part
104
. The enlarged portion
139
formed in a rear end portion of the bottom wall
110
is positioned a little forward from the bottom wall rear half
111
of the housing main part
104
.
In the preliminarily engaged state of the front holder
105
, the terminal
107
is completely inserted into the front holder
105
. At this step, the forward box-shaped electrical contact portion
144
of the terminal
107
advances into the terminal accommodating space
119
of the housing main part
104
, while the electrical contact portion
144
is deflecting the terminal locking arm
113
. The electrical contact portion
144
also advances halfway into the space
133
of the housing main part
104
way along the bottom wall
110
of the front holder
105
until the electrical contact portion
144
abuts against the stopper protrusion
121
formed at the fore end of the partition wall to be stopped there. The bottom wall
110
of the front holder
105
guides forward the fore end lower portion of the terminal
107
so that the terminal
107
(
FIG. 8
) is inserted smoothly. The fore end of the terminal locking arm
113
abuts against a rear shoulder
144
a
of the box-shaped electrical contact portion
144
of the terminal
107
to lock the terminal
107
. In the embodiment, the electrical cable
106
connected to the terminal has a waterproof rubber packing
145
received in the terminal insertion hole
117
.
After the insertion of the terminal, the front holder
105
is completely inserted so that the front holder
105
is finally engaged with the housing main part
104
as illustrated in FIG.
8
. At the same time, the leading end portion of the plate wall
112
of the front holder
105
advances into the arm deflection space
114
to prevent the deflection of the terminal locking arm
113
for double locking the terminal
107
. In the meantime, the upper wall
124
of the housing main part
104
is completely inserted into the upper space
136
(
FIG. 7
) of the front holder
105
, while the terminal
107
is finally received in the lower space
133
(
FIG. 7
) of the front holder
105
. The circumferential enlarged portion
139
of the front holder
105
is engaged with an outer peripheral surface of a forward half of the peripheral wall
126
of the housing main part
104
.
Thus, the thick upper wall
124
of the housing main part
104
is deeply inserted into the front holder
105
so that the front holder
105
is stably retained by the housing main part
104
without looseness or distortion, and the terminal is also reliably held. Furthermore, the thin plate wall
112
for double locking the terminal also serves as an upper wall of the terminal accommodating chamber, simplifying the structure and decreasing the height of the connector housing
102
. The bottom wall
110
of the front holder
105
complimentarily provides a cavity bottom wall of the housing main part
104
, so that the height of the connector housing
102
can be decreased by the bottom wall thickness of a conventional housing main part which is molded from a resin material. The terminal accommodating chamber can be also decreased in size. The waterproof packing
127
attached on the peripheral wall
126
in a base side of the housing main part
104
achieves a sure waterproof of the connector together with an opposing connector.
When there is not provided a waterproof packing
127
, the upper wall
124
of the housing main part
104
is extended from the base wall
116
of the connector housing
102
(
FIG. 6
) and the peripheral wall
126
is eliminated. Without the rear bottom wall
111
of the housing main part
104
, a bottom wall of the terminal accommodating chamber (cavity bottom wall) may be substituted by the bottom wall
110
of the front holder
105
. In these cases, the horizontal connection wall
122
of the housing main part
104
is preferably provided between the terminal accommodating chambers
109
in view of positioning and strength of the terminal accommodating chambers. In this embodiment, a cavity bottom wall of the housing main part
104
is eliminated. Alternatively, a cavity top wall may be eliminated in place of the cavity bottom wall to modify the arrangement of FIG.
8
.
FIG. 12
shows a second embodiment of a holder combined connector according to the present invention.
FIGS. 13 and 14
each show a female connector housing or a front holder which constitutes the holder combined connector.
As illustrated in
FIG. 12
, a holder combined connector
151
is a female one corresponding to the plug-type connector
101
of the first embodiment. The holder combined connector
151
has a female connector housing
153
having a connector engagement space
152
, a front holder
154
which is inserted from a front opening
152
a
into the connector engagement space
152
, and a terminal (not shown) with a cable which is inserted from a rear insertion hole
156
into a terminal accommodating cavity
155
of the front holder
154
.
As illustrated in
FIGS. 12 and 13
, within the connector engagement space
152
of the connector housing
153
, a housing main part
158
is provided to extend forward. The housing main part
158
has a horizontal bottom wall
159
, a plurality of partition walls
160
raised from the bottom wall
159
, and a plurality of stopper protrusions
161
positioned in a fore end side of the partition walls
160
. The bottom wall
159
and a pair of adjacent partition walls
160
define the terminal accommodating cavity
155
having a U-shaped cross section. The terminal accommodating cavities
155
are arranged laterally parallel to each other. In the second embodiment, a cavity upper wall is eliminated while a cavity bottom wall is eliminated in the first embodiment.
The bottom wall
159
of the housing main part
158
is a single rectangular plate extended from a base wall
157
to horizontally join each partition wall
160
to the bottom wall
159
. The terminal accommodating cavity
155
is contiguous with a rear terminal insertion hole
156
a
. Within the terminal insertion hole
156
a
, a resilient terminal locking arm
162
is provided. Opposed to an upper opening
171
of the terminal accommodating cavity
155
, a pair of lock arms (not shown) for a front holder
154
is provided. In the connector engagement space
152
, a circumferential holder receiving space
152
b
is defined around the housing main part
158
.
As illustrated in
FIG. 14
, the front holder
154
has a bottom wall
163
and a top wall
164
to be defined in a rectangular cylindrical shape. Under the top wall
164
, there is disposed a plate wall
165
for double locking a terminal. The plate wall
165
is horizontality longer than that of the first embodiment. On an upper surface of the plate wall
165
, there is provided a locking portion
166
inserted into the pair of lock arms. In a lower surface of the plate wall
165
, a plurality of grooves
167
are provided for slidingly receiving the partition walls
160
(FIG.
12
). Between the plate wall
165
and the bottom wall
163
, there is defined a laterally elongated space
168
for receiving the housing main part
158
(FIG.
13
). On a lower surface of the plate wall
165
, there is formed a protrusion
170
under the top wall
164
for pressing a box-shaped portion (not shown) of the terminal as illustrated in FIG.
12
.
In
FIG. 12
, the front holder
154
is completely inserted in the connector housing
153
to be finally locked thereto. As well as the first embodiment, a pin terminal (not shown) is inserted forward in a preliminary insertion (engagement) state of the front holder
154
. Thereby, a contact pin (not shown) of the pin terminal is extended into the connector engagement space
152
through the front holder
154
, and the terminal locking arm
162
locks a rear end of a box-shaped portion of the pin terminal. The terminal is pressed by the protrusion
170
to be reliably held.
Subsequently, the front holder
154
is completely pushed into the connector engagement space
152
to be finally locked by a locking means (lock arm and lock portion
166
). The plate wall
165
of the front holder
154
advances into a deflection space
169
for the terminal locking arm
162
to prevent the deflection of the terminal locking arm
162
and to define an upper wall of the terminal accommodating cavity
155
for the terminal accommodating chamber.
The second embodiment achieves operational effects similar to the first embodiment. Particularly, the double-locking plate wall
165
of the front holder
154
also serves as an upper wall of the terminal accommodating chamber, so that the height of the housing main part
158
can be decreased when the connector housing
153
is molded from a resin material. This decreases the height of the connector housing
153
, i.e. of the holder combined connector
151
.
Claims
- 1. An electrical connector having a terminal locking structure wherein the structure comprises a resilient terminal locking arm having a pair of forward halves opposed to each other in a transverse direction of the connector, and a rear half, the forward halves defined by a wall for a terminal accommodating space of a housing of the connector, the rear half being larger than the pair of forward halves in width, the rear half having a fore end to serve as a terminal stopping surface, whereinthe terminal stopping surface extends across a width of the terminal accommodation space between the pair of forward halves.
- 2. The connector according to claim 1 wherein the terminal stopping surface is positioned substantially at a middle of the terminal locking arm in a longitudinal direction of the connector.
- 3. The connector according to claim 1 wherein the rear half has a surface tapered in a longitudinal direction of the connector.
- 4. The connector according to claim 1 wherein the connector has a front holder which is coupled to a connector main part of the connector housing to complimentarily define a terminal accommodating chamber.
- 5. An electrical connector having a terminal locking structure wherein the structure comprises a resilient terminal locking arm having a forward half and a rear half, the forward half defined by a wall for a terminal accommodating space of a housing of the connector, the rear half being larger than the forward half in width, the rear half having a fore end to serve as a terminal stopping surface, whereinthe terminal locking arm has a lock releasing portion at a middle of the terminal locking arm in a longitudinal direction of the terminal locking arm so that a tip of a pushing rod can push the lock releasing portion to release the terminal from the terminal locking arm, and the lock releasing portion is a projection formed on a side surface of the terminal locking arm.
Priority Claims (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
2001-232004 |
Jul 2001 |
JP |
|
2001-232008 |
Jul 2001 |
JP |
|
US Referenced Citations (9)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
1 209 766 |
May 2002 |
EP |
2-110186 |
Sep 1990 |
JP |
11-224713 |
Aug 1999 |
JP |