Patent Grant
10971851
The present invention relates to a connector.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-055470 discloses a connector used for an in-vehicle LAN (local area network). A wire harness for an in-vehicle LAN is formed by bundling a communication wire constituting a twisted pair wire as a noise countermeasure and a power supply wire for supplying power to equipment such as a car navigation system. Terminal fittings secured to end portions of these electric wires are inserted into a terminal accommodating chamber in a housing.
The terminal fittings connected to the two communication wires constituting the twisted pair wire are individually inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber. Thus, the end portion of the communication wire is untwisted in order to secure extra length for individual insertion; however, the noise countermeasure function is lost in the untwisted region.
As a countermeasure against this, it is conceivable to attach the two terminal fittings connected to the two communication wires to a terminal holding member having a half split structure, which is separate from the housing. If the terminal holding member has the half split structure, the terminal fitting can be attached in a direction crossing the longitudinal direction of the communication wire, so that it is unnecessary to untwist the communication wire with the result that deterioration of the noise countermeasure function can be avoided.
However, when the terminal holding member separate from the housing is used, the housing requires a space for accommodating the terminal holding member in addition to the space for accommodating the terminal fitting, so that such a new problem occurs that the housing is increased in size.
The present invention has been completed based on the above situation and aims to miniaturize a housing.
The present invention is directed to a connector including:
a housing having a terminal accommodating chamber formed therein,
a first terminal fitting inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber,
an elastically displaceable lock arm formed in the housing,
an accommodating recess formed in the housing and communicating with a deflection space of the lock arm,
a terminal holding member mounted in the accommodating recess, and
a pair of second terminal fittings connected to a twisted pair wire and attached to the terminal holding member.
The accommodating recess in which the terminal holding member is accommodated communicates with the deflection space of the lock arm. Accordingly, the housing can be miniaturized as compared with the case where the accommodating recess and the deflection space are partitioned by a partition wall.
An excessive deflection restricting portion may be formed in an opening portion open toward the deflection space in the accommodating recess to restrict excessive elastic displacement of the lock arm toward the terminal holding member. According to this configuration, interference between the lock arm and the terminal holding member can be prevented by the excessive deflection restricting portion.
An escape recess may be formed in a region of an outer surface of the terminal holding member facing the deflection space. The escape recess avoids interference with the lock arm in a state in which the lock arm abuts against the excessive deflection restricting portion. According to this configuration, while an elastic displacement amount of the lock arm is secured, an accommodating position of the terminal holding member can be brought close to the lock arm.
The paired second terminal fittings may be arranged side by side in a direction crossing an arrangement direction of the deflection space and the accommodating recess. According to this configuration, it is possible to further miniaturize the housing in the arrangement direction of the deflection space and the accommodating recess.
Hereinafter, Embodiment 1 in which the present invention is embodied will be described with reference to
A female connector F (connector described in the claims) of the present embodiment includes a female housing 10 (housing described in the claims) made of synthetic resin, a plurality of first female terminal fittings 24, a retainer 30 made of synthetic resin, and a terminal unit 40.
The female housing 10 as a whole has a flat shape having a right-left dimension (width dimension) larger than an up-down dimension. Inside the female housing 10, a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 11 is formed. In each of the terminal accommodating chambers 11, the first terminal fitting 24 is inserted from behind the female housing 10. The inserted first terminal fitting 24 is prevented from being disconnected by engagement with a lance formed in the terminal accommodating chamber 11. Each of the first terminal fittings 24 is connected to a first electric wire 25 which has no countermeasure against noise.
A lock arm 12 disposed so as to face an upper surface of the female housing 10 is formed at a central portion in a width direction of the female housing 10. The lock arm 12 has a plate shape with its thickness direction directed in the up-down direction. A front end portion of the lock arm 12 is a deflection fulcrum portion 15 continued to the upper surface of the female housing 10. The lock arm 12 extends rearward from the deflection fulcrum portion 15 in a cantilevered manner and can be elastically displaced downward in a lock release direction (direction approaching the upper surface of the female housing 10) with the deflection fulcrum portion 15 serving as a fulcrum. In a free state in which the lock arm 12 is not elastically displaced, a space between a lower surface of the lock arm 12 and the upper surface of the female housing 10 is a deflection space 13 for allowing elastic displacement of the lock arm 12.
A locking protrusion 16 is formed at a substantially central portion of the lock arm 12 in the front-rear direction. A rear end portion of the lock arm 12 is a release operating portion 17 for elastically displacing the lock arm 12 in the lock release direction. A central portion in a width direction (right-left direction) of a lower surface of the release operating portion 17 is recessed by mold drawing with a mold (not shown), and regions on the right and left sides sandwiching the central recessed portion of the lower surface of the release operating portion 17 are protruding portions 18 which relatively protrudes downward.
An accommodating recess 14 disposed below the lock arm 12 is formed at the central portion in the width direction of the female housing 10. The accommodating recess 14 extends to be elongated in the front-rear direction, and a rear end portion of the accommodating recess 14 is opened as an insertion opening for inserting the terminal unit 40 on a rear end surface of the female housing 10. A front wall portion 19 constituting a front end surface of the female housing 10 is formed at a front end portion of the accommodating recess 14. A fitting opening 20 communicating from the front end surface of the female housing 10 to the inside of the accommodating recess 14 is opened at a central portion in a width direction of the front wall portion 19.
A region on the front end side of the upper surface of the accommodating recess 14 is covered with a partition wall 21 constituting the upper surface of the female housing 10. A formation range in the front-rear direction of the partition wall 21 is a region close to the deflection fulcrum portion 15 of the lock arm 12, that is, a region where, when the lock arm 12 is elastically displaced in the lock release direction, there is no possibility of interference with the lock arm 12.
A region on the rear end side of an upper surface of the accommodating recess 14 is opened upward over the entire width and is an opening 22 communicating with the deflection space 13. A formation region in the front-rear direction of the opening 22 is a range extending from a rear end of the partition wall 21 to the rear end of the accommodating recess 14 (the female housing 10). The region where the opening 22 is formed includes a region to which, when the lock arm 12 is elastically displaced in the lock release direction, the release operating portion 17 with the maximum displacement amount is closest.
The width dimension of the accommodating recess 14 is smaller than the width dimensions of the lock arm 12 and the deflection space 13. An opening edge portion of the opening 22 of the upper surface of the female housing 10 (a surface facing the lower surface of the lock arm 12) functions as a pair of right and left excessive deflection restricting portions 23. When the lock arm 12 is elastically displaced in the lock release direction, if the protruding portion 18 on the lower surface of the release operating portion 17 abuts against the excessive deflection restricting portion 23, further displacement of the lock arm 12 in the lock release direction is restricted. The right and left inner surfaces of the accommodating recess 14 are formed with a pair of right and left symmetrical guide grooves 26. The guide grooves 26 each extend in the front-rear direction (a direction parallel to an assembling direction of the terminal unit 40 with respect to the female housing 10).
As shown in
The retainer 30 is assembled to the female housing 10 from below. The assembled retainer 30 is selectively assembled to the female housing 10 at a regular locking position (see
In the state in which the retainer 30 is located at the regular locking position, the entire retaining function portion 31 is accommodated inside the female housing 10, and the retaining protrusion 33 is disposed at a position to retain the first terminal fitting 24. Similarly, in the state in which the retainer 30 is at the regular locking position, a portion of the plate-shaped connecting portion 32 other than the retaining rib 34 is accommodated below the accommodating recess 14 in the female housing 10, and the retaining rib 34 enters the accommodating recess 14.
In the state in which the retainer 30 is located at the temporary locking position, substantially the entire retaining function portion 31 excluding the lower end portion is accommodated in the housing, and the retaining protrusion 33 is retracted at a position not to retain the first terminal fitting 24 (that is, a position allowing insertion and removal of the first terminal fitting 24 into and from the terminal accommodating chamber 11). Similarly, in the state in which the retainer 30 is at the temporary locking position, the entire plate-shaped connecting portion 32 including the retaining rib 34 is accommodated in the female housing 10 below the accommodating recess 14. A lower surface of the female housing 10 has a height difference in the front-rear direction, and a region rearward of the retainer 30 is lower than a region ahead of the retainer 30. In the state in which the retainer 30 is at the regular locking position, a region of the lower surface of the female housing 10 rearward of the retainer 30 and the lower surface of the retainer 30 are arranged flush with each other at the same level.
The terminal unit 40 includes a terminal holding member 41 made of synthetic resin and a pair of second female terminal fittings 58, and is connected to a front end portion of a twisted pair wire 59. As shown in
As shown in
The second terminal fitting 58 is accommodated in each of the terminal accommodating grooves 47. The second terminal fitting 58 and the first terminal fitting 24 are common parts having the same shape and dimension. The second terminal fitting 58 is held in a state where rearward separation is restricted by the locking protrusion 48 protruding from the bottom wall 43. The second terminal fittings 58 are respectively connected to front end portions of two second electric wires 60.
The two second electric wires 60 are used as communication wires (signal wires), and are twisted helically thereby to constitute the twisted pair wire 59 having a noise reduction function. In a region of the twisted pair wire 59 excluding the front end portion, the two second electric wires 60 are collectively surrounded by a sheath 61. A front end portion of the sheath 61 is also accommodated in a rear end portion of the terminal accommodating groove 47.
The second terminal fitting 58 is mounted in the terminal accommodating groove 47 from above the lower case 42. The mounting direction of the second terminal fitting 58 is a direction crossing the length direction of the twisted pair wire 59. Accordingly, the sheath 61 may be removed to expose the second electric wire 60 at the front end portion of the twisted pair wire 59 only by a dimension required for crimping the second terminal fitting 58 and the second electric wire 60 by a crimping machine (applicator).
As shown in
In a state in which the lower case 42 and the upper case 51 are united and assembled, both the cases 42 and 51 are locked in an assembled state by locking the assembly protrusion 50 of the lower case 42 and the assembly receiving portion of the upper case 51. Since an opening in an upper surface of the terminal accommodating groove 47 is closed by the upper wall portion 52 in the assembled state of both the cases, the second terminal fitting 58 is prevented from being separated outside the terminal accommodating groove 47. The right and left outer surfaces of the terminal holding member 41 is formed with a pair of right and left abutting portions 55 facing forward.
There is a dimensional difference between the height of the second terminal fitting 58 and the diameter of the sheath 61. Thus, in the upper wall portion 52, the height of a region corresponding to the sheath 61 is higher than the height of a region corresponding to the second terminal fitting 58 in the front-rear direction. Between the two regions having a height difference, a central portion in a width direction of the upper wall portion 52 is an inclined portion 56 which is inclined so as to gradually become higher toward the rear side. Regions on right and left sides of the inclined portion 56 of the upper wall portion 52 are escape recesses 57 relatively lower than the inclined portion 56. The escape recesses 57 are each continued with the region corresponding to the second terminal fitting 58 in a flush manner at the same level.
A male connector M includes a male housing 70 and a plurality of male terminal fittings 77. As shown in
The male terminal fitting 77 includes a tab 78 horizontally protruding from the terminal support portion 71 into the hood portion 72 and a board connecting portion 79 which is exposed to the rear side from the terminal support portion 71 and extends downward. An inner surface (lower surface) of an upper plate portion 73 constituting the hood portion 72 is formed with a stepped lock portion 74. A concave portion 76 is formed in a region close to an opening edge of a lower plate portion 75 constituting the hood portion 72.
Next, an assembling procedure of the female connector F will be described. First, the retainer 30 is assembled to the female housing 10 in which the first terminal fitting 24 and the terminal unit 40 are not attached, and the retainer 30 is held at the temporary locking position by a locking means (not shown). Then, the first terminal fitting 24 is inserted into each of the terminal accommodating chambers 11 from the rear side of the female housing 10, and the first terminal fitting 24 is primarily locked by a lance (not shown) formed in the terminal accommodating chamber 11.
Before or after the process of inserting the first terminal fitting 24 into the terminal accommodating chamber 11, the terminal unit 40 is inserted into the accommodating recess 14 from the rear side of the female housing 10. At the time of insertion, the guide rib 54 and the guide groove 26 are fitted and brought into sliding contact with each other. As a result, the terminal unit 40 slides while maintaining an appropriate posture with respect to the female housing 10. When the terminal unit 40 reaches a proper insertion position, the abutting portion 55 of the terminal unit 40 abuts against the front wall portion 19, and the locking groove 49 is located just above the retaining rib 34.
When insertion of all the first terminal fittings 24 and insertion of the terminal unit 40 are completed, the retainer 30 at the temporary locking position is pushed up to the regular locking position. At this time, if there is any first terminal fitting 24 in a semi-inserted state, the retaining protrusion 33 interferes with the first terminal fitting 24 in the semi-inserted state, so that the retainer 30 cannot be displaced to the regular locking position. Also, if the terminal unit 40 has not reached the proper insertion position, the retaining rib 34 interferes with the bottom wall 43 of the terminal unit 40, so that the retainer 30 cannot be pushed up to the regular locking position.
When all the first terminal fittings 24 and the terminal unit 40 are properly inserted, it is possible to move the retainer 30 to the regular locking position. Accordingly, the insertion state of the first terminal fitting 24 and the terminal unit 40 can be detected based on whether or not the retainer 30 can be moved to the regular locking position. Furthermore, when the operation of pushing up the retainer 30 to the regular locking position is not performed, the terminal unit 40 separates from the female housing 10, so that it is possible to detect whether or not the retainer 30 has moved to the regular locking position. Thus, the assembly of the female connector F is completed.
When the female connector F is fitted to the male connector M, the female connector F (female housing 10) is fitted into the hood portion 72. Here, the lower surface of the female housing 10 in the region rearward of the retainer 30 is relatively lower than the region ahead of the retainer 30. The lower surface of the retainer 30 at the regular locking position is also disposed so as to be flush with the region of the lower surface of the female housing 10 rearward of the retainer 30 at the same level and aligned in the front-rear direction. However, the lower plate portion 75 constituting the hood portion 72 is formed with a concave portion 76 in order to avoid interference with the region of the lower surface of the female housing 10 rearward of the retainer 30 and with a lower end portion of the retainer 30. Accordingly, the female connector F can be fitted into the hood portion 72 without any problems.
In the process of fitting the female connector F into the hood portion 72, the locking protrusion 16 interferes with a front end edge of the hood portion 72, so that the lock arm 12 is elastically displaced toward the deflection space 13 (in a direction approaching the terminal unit 40). An elastic displacement amount of the lock arm 12 in this fitting process is to such an extent that the release operating portion 17 does not abut against the excessive deflection restricting portion 23. When both the connectors F and M reach a proper fitted state, the lock arm 12 elastically returns, and the lock protrusion 16 is locked to the lock portion 74. By this locking action, both the connectors F and M are locked in a fitted state.
When both the connectors F and M are fitted, the tabs 78 of the male terminal fitting 77 are connected to the first terminal fittings 24 and the second terminal fittings 58. Since the paired right and left second terminal fittings 58 are arranged at the same height as the first terminal fittings 24, the tabs 78 of the male connector M are also arranged so as to be aligned right and left at a fixed height. Since the first terminal fitting 24 and the second terminal fitting 58 are common parts, the male terminal fitting 77 connected to the first terminal fitting 24 and the male terminal fitting 77 connected to the second terminal fitting 58 can be common parts.
When both the connectors F and M are to be separated, the release operating portion 17 is operated to be depressed. With this operation, the lock arm 12 is elastically displaced in the lock release direction and the locking protrusion 16 is separated from the lock portion 74, and thereafter both the connectors F and M may be separated while the release operating portion 17 is being operated for lock release.
At this time, in order to firmly grasp the female connector F, the release operating portion 17 may be depressed until the release operating portion 17 abuts against the excessive deflection restricting portion 23. Even if the release operating portion 17 abuts against the excessive deflection restricting portion 23, the lock arm 12 does not interfere with (abut against) the terminal unit 40. Although the paired right and left protruding portions 18 in the lock arm 12 protrude downward toward the upper surface of the terminal unit 40, the lock arm 12 does not abut against the terminal unit 40 since the paired right and left escape recesses 57 corresponding to the protruding portions 18 are formed in the terminal unit 40.
The female connector F of the present embodiment includes the female housing 10 having the terminal accommodating chamber 11 formed therein and the first terminal fitting 24 inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 11. The elastically displaceable lock arm 12 and the accommodating recess 14 communicating with the deflection space 13 of the lock arm 12 are formed in the female housing 10. Here, the deflection space 13 is a space corresponding to the rear end side (free end side) of the lock arm 12 in the front-rear direction between the upper surface of the female housing 10 and the lower surface of the lock arm 12.
The terminal unit 40 (terminal holding member 41) is mounted in the accommodating recess 14, and the pair of second terminal fittings 58 connected to the twisted pair wire 59 is attached to the terminal holding member 41. Since the accommodating recess 14 in which the terminal holding member 41 is accommodated communicates with the deflection space 13 of the lock arm 12, the housing can be miniaturized (reduced in height) as compared with the case where the accommodating recess 14 and the deflection space 13 are partitioned by a partition wall.
Furthermore, the excessive deflection restricting portion 23 which restricts excessive elastic displacement of the lock arm 12 toward the terminal holding member 41 is formed at the opening edge portion of the opening 22 open toward the deflection space 13 in the accommodating recess 14. According to this configuration, interference between the lock arm 12 and the terminal holding member 41 can be prevented by the excessive deflection restricting portion 23.
Furthermore, the escape recess 57 which avoids interference with the lock arm 12 in a state in which the lock arm 12 abuts against the excessive deflection restricting portion 23 is formed in a region of the outer surface of the terminal holding member 41 (terminal unit 40), which region faces the deflection space 13. According to this configuration, while the elastic displacement amount of the lock arm 12 is secured, an accommodating position of the terminal holding member 41 can be brought close to the lock arm 12.
Furthermore, the paired second terminal fittings 58 are arranged side by side in a direction (right-left direction) crossing an arrangement direction of the deflection space 13 and the accommodating recess 14 (up-down direction). According to this configuration, it is possible to further miniaturize (reduce the height of) the housing in the arrangement direction of the deflection space 13 and the accommodating recess 14.
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, which has been described using the foregoing description and the drawings, and, for example, embodiments as described below are also encompassed within the technical scope of the present invention.
(1) In the above embodiment, the excessive deflection restricting portion is formed at the opening portion open toward the deflection space in the accommodating recess. However, the excessive deflection restricting portion may not be formed.
(2) In the above embodiment, the escape recess is formed on the outer surface of the terminal holding member. However, the escape recess may not be formed.
(3) In the above embodiment, the deflection space and the accommodating recess are arranged so as to be aligned in the direction parallel to the elastic displacement direction of the lock arm. However, the deflection space and the accommodating recess may be arranged so as to be aligned in a direction crossing the elastic displacement direction of the lock arm.
(4) In the above embodiment, the paired second terminal fittings are arranged side by side in the direction crossing the arrangement direction of the deflection space and the accommodating recess. However, the paired second terminal fittings may be arranged side by side parallel to the arrangement direction of the deflection space and the accommodating recess.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP2016-199676 | Oct 2016 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2017/033974 | 9/20/2017 | WO | 00 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2018/070197 | 4/19/2018 | WO | A |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7470156 | Suemitsu | Dec 2008 | B2 |
| 8187041 | Ito | May 2012 | B2 |
| 8636536 | Suemitsu et al. | Jan 2014 | B2 |
| 8747169 | Ito | Jun 2014 | B2 |
| 10320116 | Miyamura | Jun 2019 | B2 |
| 10615532 | Miyamura | Apr 2020 | B2 |
| 10770838 | Miyamura | Sep 2020 | B2 |
| 20050095876 | Nishide | May 2005 | A1 |
| 20050170704 | Ishikawa | Aug 2005 | A1 |
| 20110250793 | Yokozeki | Oct 2011 | A1 |
| 20120164866 | Suemitsu et al. | Jun 2012 | A1 |
| 20150155670 | Gardner | Jun 2015 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 102544856 | Jul 2012 | CN |
| 2004-55470 | Feb 2004 | JP |
| 2005-135685 | May 2005 | JP |
| 2005-216813 | Aug 2005 | JP |
| 2015-216015 | Dec 2015 | JP |
| 2015-537327 | Dec 2015 | JP |
| Entry |
|---|
| International Search Report dated Dec. 12, 2017. |
| Chinese Office Action dated May 29, 2019. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20200303865 A1 | Sep 2020 | US |
