Electrical connector terminal and housing

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a connector having a terminal accommodating chamber for accommodating and holding a terminal, and more particularly, to a connector for preventing a terminal from falling out from a terminal accommodating chamber and requiring no double-engaging member.

2. Description of the Related Art

FIGS. 1

,

2

and

3

show a technique achieved by the present inventors.

As shown in

FIG. 1

, a substrate connector

101

includes a connector housing

102

including a plurality terminals

103

arranged therein. The terminals

103

are inserted through holes

105

formed in a printed wiring board

104

. The terminals

103

and lands of the wiring pattern are soldered thereby mounting the terminals

103

to the printed wiring board

104

.

As shown in

FIG. 2

, in the substrate connector

101

, a mating connector

106

is inserted in a terminal accommodating chamber

107

of the connector housing

102

. If the mating connector

106

is connected to the substrate connector

101

, terminals (not shown) of the mating connector

106

comes into contact with the terminals

103

of the substrate connector

101

.

However, as shown in

FIG. 2

, the terminals

103

provided on the connector housing

102

may be pushed out toward a back surface

104

b

of the printed wiring board

104

on the opposite side from a connector mounting surface

104

a

due to contact load of the terminals when or after the mating connector

106

is connected in many cases.

On the other hand, in the case of a so-called electric wire connector as shown in

FIG. 3

, electric wires

111

and

112

are connected to terminals

110

(one of them is not illustrated) accommodated in connector housings

108

and

109

, respectively. The terminals

110

are connected to each other by connecting a female connector

113

to a male connector

114

.

However, in the case of the electric wire connector, there is an adverse possibility that the connector terminal

110

is pulled out from the connector housing

109

by unintentional external force after the connectors were connected. To prevent this, as shown in

FIG. 3

, it is necessary to provide the connector housing

109

with a double engaging member

115

for prevent the terminal

110

from falling out. However, this increases the cost and the number of working steps.

As described above, in the case of the substrate connector

101

and electric wire connector

113

, the terminal

103

or

110

may be pulled out, and the double engaging member

115

is required for preventing the terminal

110

from falling out and thus, the costs is increased and the number of working steps is increased.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thereupon, the present invention has been proposed to solve the above problems, and it is an object of the invention to provide an inexpensive connector having a small number of working steps in which a terminal is prevented from falling out from a terminal chamber and no double engaging member is required.

To solve the above object, according to a first aspect, there is provided a connector comprising a connector terminal including an electric wire connecting portion to which an electric wire is connected, a terminal contact to which a mating terminal is brought into contact, and a connecting portion for connecting the electric wire connecting portion and the terminal contact with each other, in which one ends of the electric wire connecting portion and the terminal contact are connected to the connecting portion, and the other end of the electric wire connecting portion and the terminal contact are directed to the same direction; and a connector housing having a terminal accommodating chamber for accommodating and holding the connector terminal, wherein the connector terminal is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber from a direction in which the mating connector is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber.

According to the present invention, since the connector terminal is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber from the direction in which the mating connector is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber, the connector terminal does not fall out from the terminal accommodating chamber by the connection of the mating connector. Therefore, a double-engaging member for preventing the connector terminal from falling out from the terminal accommodating chamber is unnecessary.

Further, the electric wire connecting portion of the connector terminal and the terminal contact are not provided on the same line, but are disposed such that the base end is connected to the connecting portion and the other end is directed to the same direction. Therefore, the connector terminal can be made compact, and the connector itself can be reduced in size.

According to a second aspect of the invention, in the connector of the first aspect, the terminal accommodating chamber is formed with a terminal-insertion hole through which the connector terminal is inserted and held, and the terminal accommodating chamber is provided with a terminal falling-out preventing portion engaged with the connecting portion of the connector terminal inserted into the terminal-insertion hole.

With this aspect, since the terminal falling-out preventing portion formed in the terminal accommodating chamber is engaged with the connecting portion of the connector terminal inserted into the terminal-insertion hole, the connector terminal does not fall out from the terminal accommodating chamber.

According to a third aspect of the invention, in the connector of the first aspect, when the mating connector is inserted and connected into the terminal accommodating chamber, the connector terminal is pushed by the mating connector.

With this aspect, when the mating connector is inserted and connected into the terminal accommodating chamber, the connector terminal is pushed by the mating connector. Therefore, even if the connector terminal is in the incomplete fitted state, since the connector terminal is pushed deeply, the incomplete mounted state is avoided.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, in the connector of the first aspect, the electric wire connecting portion and the terminal contact of the connector terminal are integrally formed together with the connecting portion.

In the present invention, since the electric wire connecting portion and the terminal contact are integrally formed together with the connecting portion, the effect of the invention of the first to third aspect can be achieved more reliably.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1

is a perspective view showing a conventional substrate connector mounted to a printed wiring board;

FIG. 2

is a sectional view showing a terminal pulled out from connector housing when a mating connector is mounted to the substrate connector;

FIG. 3

is a sectional view an electric wire connector provided with a double engaging member to which a mating connector is connected;

FIG. 4

is an exploded perspective view of a vehicle-body mounting bracket that is an auxiliary equipment in this embodiment;

FIG. 5

is an exploded perspective view of a visor-side bracket and a female connector mounted thereto;

FIG. 6

is a sectional view of the assembled vehicle-body mounting bracket;

FIG. 7

show a visor-side bracket, wherein

FIG. 7A

is a plan view,

FIG. 7B

is a sectional view taken along a line

7

B—

7

B in

FIG. 7A

, and

FIG. 7C

is a sectional view taken along a line

7

C—

7

C in

FIG. 7A

;

FIG. 8

show a female connector, wherein

FIG. 8A

is a plan view,

FIG. 8B

is a side view, and

FIG. 8C

is a sectional view;

FIG. 9

is a perspective view of an essential portion of a connector terminal and a terminal accommodating chamber in which the connector terminal is accommodated;

FIG. 10

show a panel-side bracket, wherein

FIG. 10A

is a plan view,

FIG. 10B

is a right side view, and

FIG. 10C

is a sectional view taken along a line

10

C—

10

C;

FIG. 11

show a female terminal accommodated in a male connector, wherein

FIG. 11A

is a plan view,

FIG. 11B

is a side view, and

FIG. 11C

is a bottom view; and

FIG. 12

show a cover, wherein

FIG. 12A

is a plane view,

FIG. 12B

is a sectional view taken along a line

12

B—

12

B, and

FIG. 12C

is a transverse sectional view.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A concrete embodiment to which the present invention is applied will be explained in detail with reference to the drawings below.

In the present embodiment, the present invention is applied to a connector mounted to a vehicle-body bracket for fixing a sun visor (auxiliary equipment) provided on an upper end of a front window of a driver's seat or a passenger's seat of an automobile for example to a vehicle body (panel).

“Structure of a Vehicle-body Mounting Bracket”

A vehicle-body mounting bracket

1

as auxiliary equipment in the present embodiment is for fixing a sun visor (not shown) to an inner panel

2

of a vehicle body as shown in FIG.

4

. The vehicle-body mounting bracket

1

is mounted to a tip end of a fixed shaft

3

that supports the sun visor. The vehicle-body mounting bracket

1

includes a panel-side bracket

5

that is a first bracket having a male connector

4

that is a first connector, and a female connector

6

that is a second connector that coalesces with the panel-side bracket

5

and connected with the male connector

4

. The vehicle-body mounting bracket

1

also includes a visor-side bracket

9

that is a second bracket having cylindrical grommet screws

8

and

8

inserted to bracket-mounting holes

7

and

7

formed in the inner panel

2

and engaged with the inner panel

2

. The vehicle-body mounting bracket

1

also includes a cover

10

mounted to the visor-side bracket

9

on the opposite side from the side to which the panel-side bracket

5

is coalesced.

“Structure of the Visor-side Bracket”

As shown in

FIG. 4

, the visor-side bracket

9

is fixed to the inner panel

2

that is provided on the opposite side from the panel-side bracket

5

with respect to a trim

11

that is an interior member fixed to the inner panel

2

. As shown in

FIGS. 5 and 7

, the visor-side bracket

9

is formed with a shaft-fixing portion

12

for holding a tip end of the fixed shaft

3

. The shaft-fixing portion

12

is formed into a cylindrical body provided at its center with a shaft-fixing hole

13

through which the fixed shaft

3

is inserted.

As shown in

FIGS. 5 and 7

, the visor-side bracket

9

is formed with a connector-mounting portion

14

for mounting the female connector

6

. The connector-mounting portion

14

is formed as a recess for mounting the female connector

6

in front of the shaft-fixing portion

12

, and the female connector

6

is fitted and mounted into the connector-mounting portion

14

in a rattle-free manner. The connector-mounting portion

14

is formed with connector-fixing lock claws

17

and

17

fitted into lock engaging holes

16

and

16

formed in a female connector housing

15

of the female connector

6

for fixing the female connector

6

to the visor-side bracket

9

.

As shown in

FIGS. 4 and 7

, the visor-side bracket

9

is formed with grommet screws

8

and

8

formed in the inner panel

2

that are inserted in the bracket-mounting holes

7

and

7

formed in the inner panel

2

. The grommet screws

8

and

8

are formed as cylindrical bodies having center holes

19

through which grommet-screw projections

18

and

18

formed on the cover

10

which will be described later. Each of the grommet screws

8

and

8

is formed with slits

20

from its tip end to its base portion in the height direction, thereby dividing the screw substantially uniformly into three portions as movable screw pieces

8

a,

8

a

and

8

a.

The grommet screws

8

and

8

are formed at their base ends with bracket supports

21

and

21

for supporting the panel-side bracket

5

. The bracket supports

21

and

21

are formed as cylindrical bodies having greater diameter than the grommet screws

8

and

8

and are integrally formed on the base ends of the grommet screws

8

and

8

. The bracket supports

21

and

21

has annular upper end surfaces on which the panel-side bracket

5

is placed for supporting the latter.

As shown in

FIGS. 5 and 7

, the visor-side bracket

9

is formed with coalescing recesses

22

and

22

for coalescing the panel-side bracket

5

. The coalescing recesses

22

and

22

are formed on opposite sides of the connector-mounting portion

14

. Mounting claws

23

and

23

formed on the panel-side bracket

5

are fitted to the coalescing recesses

22

and

22

to position the panel-side bracket

5

to the visor-side bracket

9

.

As shown in

FIG. 5 and 7

, the visor-side bracket

9

is formed with hanging claws

25

and

25

facing space (not shown) between the inner panel

2

and an outer panel and engaged with inner surface of the inner panel

2

by a connector-insertion hole

24

formed in the inner panel

2

.

As shown in

FIG. 6

, the visor-side bracket

9

is formed with holes

28

and

28

through which locking pieces

27

and

27

provided on tip ends of locking claws

26

and

26

formed on the panel-side bracket

5

(which will be described later) are inserted. The holes

28

and

28

are provided with lock arms

30

and

30

having engaging projections

29

and

29

engaging the locking claws

26

and

26

. Portions of the lock arms

30

and

30

on which the panel-side bracket

5

is coalesced are formed into tongue-like shape hanging down toward back surface on which the cover

10

is mounted, and free ends of the lock arms

30

and

30

facing the holes

28

and

28

such that bent space

31

is generated between the visor-side bracket

9

and the lock arms

30

and

30

.

“Structure of Female Connector”

As shown in

FIGS. 4 and 5

, the female connector

6

mounted to the visor-side bracket

9

includes a female connector housing

15

fitted and mounted to the connector-mounting portion

14

. The female connector housing

15

is formed with a terminal accommodating chamber

34

for accommodating connector terminals

33

and

33

provided on tip ends of lead wires

32

and

32

connected to a lamp provided on the sun visor.

As shown in

FIGS. 8 and 9

, a bottom surface

34

a

of the terminal accommodating chamber

34

is formed with terminal-insertion holes

50

and

50

in which the connector terminals

33

and

33

are inserted and held. The terminal-insertion holes

50

and

50

are formed as stopping holes having rectangular bottoms in which connecting portions

54

of the connector terminals

33

and

33

are inserted. The terminal-insertion holes

50

and

50

guide the connector terminals

33

and

33

in a rattle-free manner. In a state where the connector terminals

33

and

33

are inserted and held in the terminal-insertion holes

50

and

50

, upper edges

54

a

of the connecting portions

54

project slightly or do not project from the terminal-insertion holes

50

and

50

.

The terminal accommodating chamber

34

is formed with a terminal falling-out preventing portion

51

engaged with connecting portions

54

of the connector terminals

33

and

33

inserted into the terminal-insertion holes

50

and

50

. The terminal falling-out preventing portion

51

is provided on a base end of one housing partition wall

15

a

for grasping the connector terminals

33

and

33

from the thickness direction for guiding. The terminal falling-out preventing portion

51

is provided such as to slightly project upward from the terminal-insertion holes

50

and

50

. A lower end surface

51

a

of the terminal falling-out preventing portion

51

comes into contact with the upper edges

54

a

of the connecting portions

54

inserted into the terminal-insertion holes

50

and

50

so that the connector terminals

33

and

33

are prevented from falling out from the terminal accommodating chamber

34

.

The female connector housing

15

is formed with a lock engaging holes

16

and

16

into which the connector-fixing lock claws

17

and

17

formed on the visor-side bracket

9

are inserted and engaged. The female connector housing

15

is provided with an electric wire protecting member

36

that is movable in a direction of an arrow X in FIG.

5

through hinge portions

35

and

35

. The electric wire protecting member

36

is formed as a cap for covering and protecting the electric wires

32

and

32

led out from tip end of the shaft-fixing portion

12

through the fixed shaft

3

. The electric wire protecting member

36

is mounted to a tip end of the shaft-fixing portion

12

.

Arms

39

and

39

connected to the hinge portions

35

and

35

of the electric wire protecting member

36

cover and protect respective electric wires

32

and

32

led out into the terminal accommodating chamber

34

from the tip end of the fixed shaft

3

. The electric wire protecting member

36

is formed with an engaging hole

38

through which a cap-holding projection

37

provided on the female connector housing

15

is inserted and engaged for fixing and holding the electric wire protecting member

36

to the female connector housing

15

using the hinge portions

35

as a bent portion.

“Structure of Connector Terminal”

As shown in

FIGS. 5 and 9

, each of the connector terminals

33

and

33

comprises an electric wire connecting portion

52

to which the electric wires

32

is connected, a terminal contact

53

with which the mating terminal comes into contact, and a connecting portion

54

for connecting the electric wire connecting portion

52

and the terminal contact

53

. The connector terminals

33

and

33

are integrally formed by punching and bending a metal plate.

The electric wire connecting portion

52

comprises an electric wire swaging portion

55

for swaging an insulation-coated portion of the electric wires

32

, and a core wire swaging portion

56

for swaging a core wire of the electric wires

32

.

FIG. 9

shows a state before the electric wire swaging portion

55

and the core wire swaging portion

56

are swaged. The electric wire connecting portion

52

connects a base end of the core wire swaging portion

56

that is one end of the electric wire connecting portion

52

to the connecting portion

54

and turns the electric wire swaging portion

55

that is the other end upward.

The terminal contact

53

is formed as a bar-like contact that is brought into contact with a mating female terminal. A base end of the terminal contact

53

that is one end thereof is connected to the connecting portion

54

and a tip end that is the other end thereof is turned upward that is the same direction as the electric wire connecting portion

52

.

The connecting portion

54

is formed as a flat plate-like body, and is inserted into the terminal-insertion holes

50

and

50

in an insertion direction that is a direction of short side of the connecting portion

54

. The connecting portion

54

is provided at its longitudinally opposite ends with the electric wire connecting portion

52

and the terminal contact

53

substantially in parallel to each other in the upward direction that is the same direction. As a result, the connector terminals

33

and

33

are formed into U-shape as viewed from above.

“Structure of Panel-side Bracket”

As shown in

FIGS. 4 and 10

, the panel-side bracket

5

coalesces with the visor-side bracket

9

with the trim

11

interposed therebetween to connect the male connector

4

and the female connector

6

with each other. The panel-side bracket

5

is provided with the male connector

4

that is connected to the female connector

6

fixed to the visor-side bracket

9

. The male connector

4

is formed with a male connector housing

41

having a terminal accommodating chamber

40

for accommodating a female terminal

57

(which will be described later) connected to a tip end of a wire harness disposed in space between the inner panel

2

and the outer panel. The male connector housing

41

is inserted and fitted in the female connector housing

15

of the female connector

6

for bringing respective terminals into electrical contact.

The panel-side bracket

5

includes mounting claws

23

and

23

fitted into coalescing recesses

22

and

22

formed in the visor-side bracket

9

for coalescing with the visor-side bracket

9

. As shown in

FIGS. 4 and 10

, the mounting claws

23

and

23

are formed into substantially L-shape such that the mounting claws

23

and

23

face the visor-side bracket

9

from an opening

42

formed in the trim

11

.

The panel-side bracket

5

is formed with circular holes

43

and

43

in which the grommet screws

8

and

8

are loosely fitted through the opening

42

, a release hole

44

for preventing the electric wire protecting member

36

from coming into contact with the panel-side bracket

5

, and a trim-engaging claw

45

engaging the trim

11

.

As shown in

FIGS. 6 and 10

, the panel-side bracket

5

is formed with the locking pieces

27

and

27

provided at their tip ends with the locking claws

26

and

26

. The locking pieces

27

and

27

are formed as rectangular tongue pieces handing down toward the visor-side bracket

9

, and inserted into the holes

28

and

28

formed in the visor-side bracket

9

. The locking claws

26

and

26

formed on the tip ends of the locking pieces

27

and

27

engage the engaging projections

29

and

29

of the lock arms

30

and

30

formed on the visor-side bracket

9

.

As shown in

FIG. 11

, the female terminal

57

accommodated in the male connector housing

41

comprises an electric wire connecting portion

58

and a terminal contact

59

. The electric wire connecting portion

58

comprises an electric swaging portion

60

for swaging an insulation-coated portion of a wire harness disposed in space between the inner panel

2

and the outer panel, and a core wire swaging connecting portion

61

for swaging the core wire. The terminal contact

59

is formed into a box-like shape into which the terminal contact

53

of the connector terminals

33

and

33

is inserted for establishing electrical contact.

“Structure of Cover”

As shown in

FIG. 4

, the cover

10

is mounted on the visor-side bracket

9

on the opposite side from the panel-side bracket

5

to be coalesced. The cover

10

covers the visor-side bracket

9

. As shown in

FIGS. 4 and 12

, the cover

10

is provided with a plurality of assembling claws

46

that are engaging claws engaged with outer peripheral edges of the visor-side bracket

9

for fixing the cover

10

to the visor-side bracket

9

.

The cover

10

is formed with a notch

48

through which the fixed shaft

3

is inserted. The notch

48

is formed as a notched groove formed straightly from a portion of the outer side edge of the cover

10

to a substantially central portion thereof. Further, the cover

10

is formed with locking projections

49

and

49

inserted into bent space

31

formed in the visor-side bracket

9

for pushing the lock arms

30

and

30

against the locking pieces

27

and

27

formed n the panel-side bracket

5

.

As shown in

FIGS. 6 and 12

, the locking projections

49

and

49

are formed as rectangular tongue pieces. The locking projections

49

and

49

are inclined through angle of θ with respect to a perpendicular such that a distance therebetween is increased toward their tip end. That is, the locking projections

49

and

49

are inclined with respect to an inner surface

10

a

of the cover

10

, and not perpendicular to the inner surface

10

a

. If the locking projections

49

and

49

formed in this manner are fitted into the bent space

31

, the lock arms

30

and

30

are pushed by the locking projections

49

and

49

and pushed toward the locking pieces

27

and

27

.

“Mounting Method of Sun Visor”

The sun visor using the vehicle-body mounting bracket

1

structured as described above is mounted to the vehicle body in the following manner.

First, as shown in

FIG. 4

, the panel-side bracket

5

is mounted to the trim

11

. That is, the mounting claws

23

and

23

, the male connector housing

41

, the locking pieces

27

and

27

and the trim-engaging claw

45

are turned toward the opening

42

. The trim-engaging claw

45

is hooked on the trim

11

, and the panel-side bracket

5

is mounted such as to cover the opening

42

. Then, the trim

11

to which the panel-side bracket

5

is mounted is fixed to the inner panel

2

.

Next, the visor-side bracket

9

fixed to the tip end of the fixed shaft

3

is coalesced with the panel-side bracket

5

with the trim

11

interposed therebetween. That is, the grommet screws

8

and

8

, the electric wire protecting member

36

, the female connector

6

and the hanging claws

25

and

25

are turned toward the opening

42

formed in the trim

11

. The mounting claws

23

and

23

are aligned with the coalescing recesses

22

and

22

of the visor-side bracket

9

, and the visor-side bracket

9

is coalesced with the panel-side bracket

5

.

The grommet screws

8

and

8

face the circular holes

43

and

43

formed in the panel-side bracket

5

and the bracket-mounting holes

7

and

7

formed in the inner panel

2

, and the tip end thereof projects into the space between the inner panel

2

and the outer panel. The electric wire protecting member

36

faces the release hole

44

formed in the panel-side bracket

5

.

When the visor-side bracket

9

is coalesced with the panel-side bracket

5

, the locking pieces

27

and

27

formed on the panel-side bracket

5

are inserted into the holes

28

and

28

formed in the visor-side bracket

9

, and the male connector housing

41

of the male connector

4

is fitted into the female connector housing

15

of the female connector

6

. Then, as shown in

FIG. 3

, when the visor-side bracket

9

and the panel-side bracket

5

are coalesced, the male connector housing

41

and the female connector housing

15

are connected to each other, and the locking claws

26

and

26

of the locking pieces

27

and

27

and the engaging projections

29

and

29

of the lock arms

30

and

30

are engaged with each other. When the locking claws

26

and

26

and the engaging projections

29

and

29

are engaged with each other, the coalesced state between the panel-side bracket

5

and the visor-side bracket

9

is locked.

As shown in

FIG. 3

, the engaged state between the locking claws

26

and

26

and the engaging projections

29

and

29

can visually checked from the holes

28

and

28

formed in the visor-side bracket

9

. Therefore, it is possible to visually check whether the panel-side bracket

5

and the visor-side bracket

9

are completely coalesced or whether the male connector housing

41

and the female connector housing

15

are connected to each other, and it is possible to detect a halfway-fitted state of the connector before the mounting operation of the sun visor is completed.

If the locking claws

26

and

26

and the engaging projections

29

and

29

are normally engaged with each other as shown in

FIG. 3

, the male connector housing

41

and the female connector housing

15

are reliably connected to each other, and the bent space

31

secures desired space. If such a state is not obtained, the engaging projections

29

and

29

are pushed by the locking claws

26

and

26

and the lock arms

30

and

30

are bent, the bent space is reduced or eliminated, and the male connector housing

41

and the female connector housing

15

are brought into the incomplete connected halfway-fitted state.

When the male connector housing

41

and the female connector housing

15

are connected to each other, the connector terminals

33

and

33

accommodated in the female connector housing

15

and the female terminal

57

accommodated in the male connector housing

41

are brought into contact with each other. At that time, even if the connector terminals

33

and

33

are in the incomplete fitted state, since the connector terminals

33

and

33

are pushed deeply by the male connector housing

41

, the incomplete mounted state is avoided.

Next, as shown in

FIG. 6

, the cover

10

is mounted to the visor-side bracket

9

. That is, as shown in

FIG. 6

, the grommet-screw projections

18

and

18

formed on the cover

10

are inserted into the center holes

19

of the grommet screws

8

and

8

. Then, the tip ends of the grommet screws

8

and

8

are pushed and opened by the grommet-screw projections

18

and

18

. With this, the tip ends of the screw pieces

8

a,

8

a

and

8

a

are opened, the screw pieces

8

a,

8

a

and

8

a

are pressed by the opening peripheral edges of the bracket-mounting holes

7

and

7

. As a result, the vehicle-body mounting bracket

1

is fixed to the inner panel

2

.

The locking projections

49

and

49

are brought into the bent space

31

of the visor-side bracket

9

. Then, as shown in

FIG. 6

, the lock arms

30

and

30

are biased toward the locking pieces

27

and

27

formed on the panel-side bracket

5

by the locking projections

49

and

49

, and the engaging state between the locking claws

26

and

26

and the engaging projections

29

and

29

is further enhanced.

According to the present embodiment, the connector terminals

33

and

33

are inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber

34

in the connecting direction in which the male connector

4

is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber

34

. Therefore, the connector terminals

33

and

33

do not fall out from the terminal accommodating chamber

34

by the connection between the male connector

4

and the connector terminals

33

and

33

. Thus, a double-engaging member for preventing the connector terminals

33

and

33

from falling out from the terminal accommodating chamber

34

is unnecessary.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the terminal falling-out preventing portion

51

formed on the terminal accommodating chamber

34

is engaged with the connecting portion

54

of the connector terminals

33

and

33

inserted into the terminal-insertion holes

50

and

50

, the connector terminals

33

and

33

do not fall out from the terminal accommodating chamber

34

.

Although the concrete one embodiment to which the present invention is applied has been explained, the invention is not limited to this embodiment, and various modifications can be made.

Although the present invention is applied to the connector provided on the bracket for fixing the sun visor to the panel in the present embodiment, the connector of the invention can be applied to connectors used in various field. The above-described connector terminal is of U-shape as viewed from above, the shape is not limited to the U-shape.

Number	Name	Date	Kind
4097109	Cross	Jun 1978	A
5186658	Kikuchi et al.	Feb 1993	A
5915992	Conorich et al.	Jun 1999	A

Electrical connector terminal and housing

Information

Patent Number

Date Filed

Date Issued

Inventors

Original Assignees

Examiners

Agents

CPC

US Classifications

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US

International Classifications

Abstract

Description

Claims

Priority Claims (1)

US Referenced Citations (3)