Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6176745
-
Patent Number
6,176,745
-
Date Filed
Monday, March 29, 199926 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, January 23, 200124 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Sircus; Brian
- Prasad; Chandrika
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 439 701
- 439 752
- 439 695
- 439 696
- 439 598
- 439 702
- 439 703
- 439 731
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A pressure contact connector has inner members which cannot be inserted upside-down, and which has good operability. An inner member includes an upper and lower inner member. A tubular shaped inner housing chamber is provided at the posterior of an outer member, this inner housing chamber being capable of housing the inner member. Position-fixing grooves are formed in a concave manner at the posterior end of the inner housing chamber. When the inner member and outer member are to be attached, position fixing protrusions fit with the position-fixing grooves only when the inner member is in the correct orientation.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a pressure contact electrical connector.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
FIG. 14
of this specification shows an electrical connector as shown in JP-2-148583. This connector comprises an outer member
101
, and two inner members
102
which are housed within the outer member
101
. The anterior portion
104
of the outer member
101
is tubular, and terminal housing chambers
103
are formed on the upper posterior side of portion
104
in order to house pressure contact terminal fittings (not shown). The two inner members
102
can be housed within the portion
104
, and fitting holes
106
are formed on side walls in order to support and maintain the inner members
102
, by engagement with protrusions
107
.
Terminal housing chambers
103
, capable of housing terminal fittings, are formed also on the inner members
102
. Locking protrusions
108
protrude from the posterior ends of the two side walls of the inner members
102
.
In addition to the members
101
and
102
, the connector is provided with a locking member
105
which fits with the locking protrusions
108
and supports the connection of the members
101
and
102
. Locking holes
109
are formed on this locking member
105
, these fitting together with the locking protrusions
108
of the two inner members
102
and the outer member
101
.
When the connector, configured as described above, is assembled, the terminal fittings are first housed within each terminal housing chamber
103
. Next, the inner members
102
are inserted into the attachment member
104
. This causes the fitting holes
106
to fit together with the fitting protrusions
107
, which fixes the position of the anterior ends of the inner members
102
in an up-own and anterior-posterior direction. Next, the locking member
105
is attached from above the outer member
101
, this causing the locking holes
109
and the locking protrusions
108
to fit together. This strengthens the connecting force between the two members
101
and
102
, and fixes the position of the posterior ends of the inner members
102
in an up-down and anterior-posterior direction. Two sets of fitting holes
106
are provided to give temporary and final fitting positions of the inner members
102
.
It is possible for the inner members
102
to be inserted in an inverted state. In such a situation, the opening of the terminal housing chambers
103
faces the wrong direction, and the pressure connection of wires to the terminals cannot be performed. Consequently, the connector which has already been assembled must be separated, and the inner members
102
re-inserted correctly. This is a troublesome operation.
The present invention has been developed after taking the above problem into consideration, and aims to present a pressure contact connector in which the inner members cannot be inserted upside-down, and in which operability is improved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention there is provided a pressure contact electrical connector comprising a tubular outer housing, and an inner housing insertable therein, said inner housing comprising an inner body adapted to contain pressure contact terminal fittings and a cover latchable to the inner body, wherein the inner housing has protrusions on opposite sides thereof, and the outer housing has opposite recesses adapted to receive said protrusions in one respective orientation of said outer housing and inner housing only. Such a connector avoids the prior art problems, and ensures that the terminals face in the correct direction for pressure crimping.
Preferably the protrusions protrude to the exterior and are adapted to be gripped or pinched to permit removal of the inner housing.
Most preferably the protrusions also act as a resilient latch for the cover of the inner housing. Separate means of fixing the cover is thus not required, and the moulding can be simplified.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Other features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment illustrated by way of example only in the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1
is a diagonal view of a connector showing an inner member in a joined state prior to being housed within an outer member.
FIG. 2
is a diagonal view showing an upper and a lower inner member in a separated state.
FIG. 3
is a diagonal view showing the upper inner member from the rear side.
FIG. 4
is a diagonal view showing a terminal fitting about to be attached to the upper inner member.
FIG. 5
is a diagonal view showing the lower inner member from the rear side.
FIG. 6
is a diagonal view showing a terminal fitting about to be attached to the lower inner member.
FIG. 7
is a diagonal view showing the inner member with terminal fittings attached and prior to being joined together.
FIG. 8
is a rear side view of the inner member in a joined state.
FIG. 9
is a rear side view of the outer member.
FIG. 10
is a side cross-sectional view of the outer member.
FIG. 11
is a side cross-sectional view of the inner member and the outer member in a joined state (without terminal fittings).
FIG. 12
is a side cross-sectional view of the inner member and the outer member in a joined state.
FIG. 13
is a diagonal view of the connector in which the attachment has been completed.
FIG. 14
is a diagonal view of a prior art connector in a separated state.
As
FIG. 1
shows, a pressure contact connector
1
according to the invention comprises an inner member
3
for housing terminal fittings
2
, and an outer member
4
which houses the inner member
3
. As will be explained later, the inner member
3
comprises connected upper and lower inner members
7
and
8
. In the present embodiment, in order to simplify the explanation, the ‘inner member
3
’ will refer to both the upper and lower inner members
7
and
8
when these are in a connected state. In the following explanation, as shown in
FIG. 1
, the direction in which stopping protrusions
5
of the inner member
3
protrude will be considered to be the upper side, while the direction in which tabs
6
of the terminal fittings
2
protrude from the inner member
3
will be considered to be the anterior side.
As shown in
FIG. 3
, the terminal fittings
2
are provided on the male side and comprise an electrically conductive metal sheet which has been bent, these joining with corresponding female terminal fittings (not shown). These terminal fittings
2
will be termed pressure contact terminal fittings since they are connected to insulated electric wires W by these being pushed on from above. Tabs
6
protrude from the anterior of the terminal fittings
2
, these tabs
6
connecting with the corresponding female terminal fittings. A bendable lance
10
is formed by cutting-away at the posterior of each tab
6
. The right edge portion of each lance
10
is folded upwards to form a stopping edge
10
A. Furthermore, the left and right side edges of the terminal fitting
2
are folded over to form a pair of side walls
38
. A wire insertion groove
37
is formed in the space between the pair of side walls
38
, the insulated wire W being inserted into this groove
37
on the side from which the lance
10
was cut away. A pair of left and right barrels
12
protrude at the posterior of the side walls
38
, these crimping the wire W. This pair of barrels
12
protrudes from asymmetrical positions relative to one another along the anterior-posterior direction of the terminal fitting
2
. A pair of pressure contact blades
11
are cut anteriorly and posteriorly into the sides of the groove
37
, these blades
11
being located in the centre of the two side walls
38
. These blades
11
are symmetrical on each side. The groove between the tips of the pressure contact blades
11
is slightly smaller in width than the insulation of the wire W. The wire W is pushed in from the open side of the blades
11
, which cut into the insulation. The core of the wire W makes contact with the pressure contact blade
11
, and the wire W and the terminal fitting
2
come into electrical contact.
As shown in
FIG. 2
, the inner member
3
comprises connected upper and lower inner members
7
and
8
. The upper and lower inner members
7
and
8
are both of moulded plastic, and the interiors thereof house the terminal fittings
2
.
As shown in
FIG. 2
, a pair of left and right stopping protrusions
5
protrude from the anterior central portion of the upper face of the inner member
7
. A jig insertion groove
18
, into which a jig (not shown) can be inserted, runs down the centre of these two stopping protrusions
5
. This jig insertion groove
18
is provided from the anterior edge of the inner member
7
, and passes through the stopping protrusions
5
to a location slightly to the posterior thereof. A jig is inserted into the groove
18
in order to separate the inner member
3
and the outer member
4
after the pressure contact connector
1
has been assembled. Guiding faces
5
A are formed on the anterior faces of the stopping protrusions
5
, and stopping faces
5
B are formed on the posterior faces, these stopping faces
5
B being perpendicular with respect to the upper face of the inner member
7
.
Terminal housing chambers
9
for housing the terminal fittings
2
are formed on the lower face of the inner member
7
(see FIG.
3
). Side walls
40
are formed on the left and right of the inner member
7
, and dividing walls
9
A are provided at identical distances from one another between these side walls
40
. The terminal housing chambers
9
are formed in the divisions between these dividing walls
9
A. The anterior end of each terminal housing chamber
9
is provided with a cover
39
which covers the lower face thereof and which, from the centre to the posterior, leaves the pushed-in portion of the wire W open. The cover
39
connects with the two side walls
40
. A lance stopping groove
41
is formed in an anterior-posterior direction on the cover
39
at a location corresponding to the right side edge portion of the terminal housing chamber
9
, the stopping edge
10
A of the terminal fitting
2
fitting into this lance stopping groove
41
. Furthermore, as shown in
FIG. 3
, only the left halves of protruding edges of the dividing walls
9
A protrude, these forming step-shaped fitting edges
9
B. Dovetailed tenons
14
and
42
protrude from the cover
39
, these serving as stopping members which hold the inner members
7
and
8
together. The tenons
42
are a left and right pair located towards the central portion of the cover
39
. Seen from the left and right sides of the inner member
7
these tenons are fan-shaped, while seen cross-sectionally from the front they have a trapezoid shape. The tenons
14
are located at the left and right sides of the cover
39
. Seen from the anterior and posterior sides of the inner member
7
these tenons are fan-shaped, while seen cross-sectionally from the side they have a trapezoid shape. The engagement of the tenons
14
and
42
is thereby strengthened in either the anterior-posterior direction or the left-right direction, and the inner members
7
and
8
are connected in a balanced manner. The tenons
14
and
42
are engaged respectively by dovetailed grooves
16
and
43
located on the lower inner members
8
. Furthermore, stopping claws
15
are formed on the posterior end portion of the left and right side walls
40
by a cut-away portion thereof, the anterior end of each claw
15
being connected with the side wall
40
. The claws
15
fit with position-fixing protrusions
17
located on the lower side of the inner member
8
.
As shown in
FIG. 2
, the upper face of the lower inner member
8
is configured such that it will fit with each terminal housing chamber
9
of the upper inner member
7
, and will maintain the terminal fittings
2
in a stable manner. The posterior end of the inner member
8
is higher than the central or anterior portions thereof, and dividing-wall housing grooves
22
are formed therein in order to house the fitting edge
9
B of the dividing walls
9
A. Electric wire supporting members
23
protrude at an anterior location from the grooves
22
, these members
23
being provided with pushing faces
23
A which correspond to the external diameter of the wires W. The supporting members
23
push down on the wire W behind the posterior edge of the two side walls
38
of the terminal fittings
2
. The anterior ends of the supporting members
23
form lower, dividing walls
24
which correspond to the location of the dividing walls
9
A. Only half of the edges of the dividing walls
24
protrude, these being on the left in
FIG. 2
, and forming step-shaped fitting edges
24
A. In this manner, the step-shaped fitting edges
9
B and
24
A are formed in a complementary manner, and fit together with virtually no space between the two when the two dividing walls
9
A and
24
are fitted together. An electric wire pressing member
25
protrudes in an anterior-posterior direction from the centre of each dividing wall
24
. These pressing members
25
protrude higher than the dividing walls
24
, and the posterior portion thereof is wider, forming a wide member
25
A. Each pressing member
25
is positioned at the interior of the insertion groove
37
, and presses down on the wire W. The wide members
25
A are located behind the pressure contact blade
11
located at the posterior of the terminal fitting
2
.
The dovetailed grooves
16
and
43
are located at the anterior side of the inner member
8
, these fitting with the dovetailed tenons
14
and
42
. Jig grooves
26
are formed at a location to the posterior of the dovetailed grooves
16
located on the side edges and allow a jig to be inserted to release the fitting of the inner members
7
and
8
. A pair of position-fixing protrusions
17
protrude from both posterior side edges of the upper face of the inner member
8
. These protrusions
17
, which are at the posterior ends of the inner member
8
, can be bent slightly outwards. Connecting grooves
17
A are formed on their inner sides, and fit with the claws
15
. The width of the protrusions
17
is either the same or slightly less than the outer member
4
(to be described later).
As shown in
FIGS. 5 and 6
, the lower face of the inner member
8
is provided with terminal housing chambers
27
for housing the terminal fittings
2
. These terminal housing chambers
27
have approximately the same configuration as the terminal housing chambers
9
of the upper inner member
7
, and have a dividing wall
27
A, and a fitting edge
27
B. A cover
44
is provided on the anterior side of the chambers
27
, this cover
44
joining left and right side walls
47
and resulting in the interior of the terminal housing chambers
27
having an angular tubular shape. A lance stopping groove is formed on the cover
44
at a location corresponding to the right side edge portion of each terminal housing chamber
27
, these lance stopping grooves being formed in an anterior-posterior direction relative to the inner member
8
. (These lance stopping grooves are not shown in
FIGS. 5
or
6
; however, they are identical with the lance stopping grooves
41
of the inner member
7
). Stopping claws
48
are formed on the posterior end portion of the left and right side walls
47
, on thin flat faces
48
A. These claws
48
fit with claw receiving members
49
that are provided on the cover
44
.
A pivotable cover
46
is joined to the posterior end of the cover
44
via a pair of left and right hinges
45
. The cover
46
can be pivoted after the terminal fittings
2
have been housed in the terminal housing chambers
27
. The rear face of the cover
46
(the face covering the terminal housing chambers
27
) has the same configuration as the upper face of the inner member
8
. That is, the posterior end of the cover
46
is higher than the central or anterior portions of the cover
46
, and dividing-wall housing grooves
50
are formed in this posterior end in order to house the fitting edges
27
B located at the tips to the dividing walls
27
A. Wire supporting members
51
protrude at a location anterior to the dividing-wall housing grooves
50
, and have pushing faces
51
A which correspond to the external diameter of the wires W. The supporting members
51
push down on the wire W at a location to the posterior of the posterior edge of the two side walls
38
of the terminal fittings
2
. The anterior ends of the supporting members
51
form lower, dividing walls
52
corresponding to the location of the dividing walls
27
A. Fitting edges
52
A are formed in a step-shape on the tips of the dividing walls
52
, these being formed in a complementary manner so as to fit with the fitting edges
27
B. A wire pressing member
53
protrudes from the centre of each dividing wall
52
, and the posterior portion thereof forms a wide member
53
A located to the posterior of the pressure contact blade
11
. The pair of claw receiving members
49
protrude from both sides of the posterior portion of the cover
46
and are capable of bending slightly outwards relative to the cover
46
, while receiving holes
49
A, formed at the centre of the claw receiving members
49
, fit with the claws
48
.
Before joining the inner members
7
and
8
, the terminal fittings
2
are attached to the inner members
7
and
8
.
As shown in
FIG. 3
, the terminal housing chambers
9
of the inner member
7
face upwards, and the terminal fittings
2
are attached thereto. The terminal fittings
2
are pushed in while the lances
10
are bent downwards to make contact with the lower face of the cover
39
. The lances
10
change shape and return to their original position when the terminal fittings
2
are pushed in to the correct position, and the stopping edges
10
A of the terminal fitting
2
fit with the posterior edges of the lance stopping grooves
41
. At this juncture the electric wire insertion grooves
37
are in a state in which they are open at the top (see FIG.
4
). The wire W is inserted from the top of the terminal fittings
2
towards the pressure contact blades
11
which cut the insulation and make electrical contact with the core wire. The barrel
12
is crimped to the wire W, and the terminal fittings
2
is thus completed.
To attach the terminal fittings
2
to the lower inner member
8
, the terminal housing chambers
27
face upwards, and the terminal fittings
2
are pushed in to a prescribed position, this causing the stopping edges
10
A of the lances
10
to be engaged by the posterior edges of the lance stopping grooves
41
, thus retaining the terminal fittings
2
in the terminal housing chambers
27
(see FIG.
6
). After this, the pressing operation of the wires W onto the pressure contact blades
11
of the terminal fittings
2
is the same as that described for the inner member
7
, and accordingly an explanation thereof is omitted.
FIG. 7
shows the upper and lower inner members
7
and
8
in a state prior to being joined together. The cover
46
is pivoted so as to cover the terminal housing chambers
27
. The attachment continues with the stopping claws
48
bending the claw receiving members
49
outwards, until the receiving holes
49
A fit with the claws
48
. The claw receiving members
49
return to their original position, and the attachment of the inner member
8
is complete. The terminal housing chambers
9
of the upper inner member
7
are next placed against the upper face of the lower inner member
8
, and both inner members
7
and
8
are pushed together. The dovetailed tenons
14
and
42
fit with the corresponding dovetailed grooves
16
and
43
, and the protrusions
17
are bent slightly outwards by the stopping claws
15
until they fit together. In this fitted state, the inner members
7
and
8
form the inner member
3
. The upper face of the inner member
3
has a single unified face, whereas the lower face of the inner member
3
has a slight step formed between the cover
46
and the cover
44
. That is, as shown in
FIGS. 11 and 12
, the position of the cover
44
is above that of the cover
46
.
Cut-away portions
57
are located on the side edges of all sides of the anterior end face of the inner member
3
. These make contact with contact walls
56
provided on the outer member
4
.
Next the outer member
4
will be explained with the aid of
FIGS. 9
to
12
. The outer member
4
is made from plastic in a unified manner and has an angular tubular shape. It houses a corresponding female connector (not shown). The posterior of the outer member
4
is provided with an inner housing chamber
33
that houses the inner member
3
. The anterior of the outer member
4
is provided with a hood
34
which is slightly larger than the inner housing chamber
33
.
The interior space of the hood
34
is divided into two main sections, the lower section thereof forming a female connector housing space
34
A that has approximately the same diameter as the inner housing chamber
33
. Above the female connector housing space
34
A is a locking space
34
B for locking the corresponding female connector (not shown). A locking member
35
is provided on the upper side of this locking space
34
B, at the centre of the upper wall of the hood
34
. The female connector (not shown) is provided with a locking arm that locks with this locking member
35
, the fitting together of this locking arm and the locking member
35
maintaining the two connectors in a connected state. Further, a hole
19
is formed on the upper portion of the posterior face of the hood
34
at the same time that the locking member
35
is formed. A jig guiding groove
20
is formed in a concave manner from the centre of the hole
19
to the upper face of the hood
34
. This jig guiding groove
20
is used to guide a jig (not shown) to separate the inner member
3
and the outer member
4
. A stopping arm
36
protrudes from the lower face of the hood
34
, this stopping arm
36
being bendable in an up-down direction, the tip thereof having a hook-shaped protrusion
36
A. This stopping arm
36
serves to fix the pressure contact connector
1
to other members.
The inner housing chamber
33
is slightly larger than the inner member
3
, and is formed in an angular tubular shape. It is thinner than the hood
34
. The inner member
3
has a pair of left and right side walls
33
A, the posterior of these side walls
33
A being cut-into to form a pair of left and right position-fixing grooves
28
. These position-fixing grooves
28
are provided on the upper half of the posterior end of each side wall
33
A, and are very slightly larger than the position-fixing protrusions
17
of the inner member
3
. Furthermore, the portion of the side walls
33
A which is below the position-fixing grooves
28
constitutes thin walls
33
B, which are thinner than the rest of the side walls
33
A. A resilient member
31
is provided in the centre of the anterior portion of an upper wall
30
, and is formed by making a C-shaped opening
32
, and this resilient member
31
is capable of being bent upwards. The resilient member
31
is slightly wider than the combined width of the stopping protrusions
5
. The anterior side of the opening
32
forms a fitting groove
32
A, the length from the anterior to the posterior of this fitting groove
32
A being slightly longer than the anterior-posterior length of the stopping protrusions
5
. The upper wall
30
is thinner, from its posterior end to a posterior end
31
A of the resilient member
31
, than other wall portions of the inner member
3
, and is slightly bendable (see FIG.
11
). The upper wall
30
grows gradually thicker from the posterior end
31
A of the resilient member
31
to the posterior end of the hood
34
, thereby increasing the strength of the upper wall
30
. Thick members
55
are provided in an anterior-posterior direction on both sides of the upper wall
30
, and are thicker than the rest of the upper wall
30
. These thick members
55
form a pair on both outer sides of the resilient member
31
, and the outer sides of the thick members
55
are as thin as the rest of the upper wall
30
. Consequently, the thick members
55
can easily be bent to the left and right.
The inner housing chamber
33
has a lower wall
29
, the posterior portion of which being lower in height than the anterior portion at a location corresponding to the posterior end
31
A of the resilient member
31
. The portion where the height changes forms a guiding face
29
A. In addition, a pair of left and right ribs
54
protrude at the anterior of the lower wall
29
, these ribs
54
protruding from a location corresponding to the tip of the resilient member
31
to the end of the inner housing chamber
33
. The posterior ends of these ribs
54
have guiding faces
54
A. When the inner member
3
is to be housed within the inner housing chamber
33
, these ribs
54
push and guide the inner member
3
upwards.
The contact walls
56
are located at the innermost portion of the inner housing member
33
, the contact walls
56
protruding inwards from the point where the upper, lower and left and right walls
29
,
30
and
33
A join with the furthermost inwards portion of the hood
34
. These walls
56
make contact with the cut-away portions
57
of the inner member
3
and stop the inner member
3
in an anterior direction.
A prescribed clearance is maintained between the inner member
3
and the upper, lower and left and right walls
33
A,
30
, and
29
at the opening side of the inner housing chamber
33
of the outer member
4
. As the inner member
3
goes deeper into the inner housing chamber
33
, the clearance between it and each of the walls
33
A,
30
, and
29
decreases.
The attachment operation of the inner member
3
has already been explained. This inner member
3
is positioned at the posterior of the outer member
4
, and is pushed towards the inner housing chamber
33
(see FIG.
1
). The attachment is carried out by the stopping protrusions
5
of the inner member
3
making contact with the posterior end of the inner housing chamber
33
, and the guiding faces
5
A pushing the upper wall
30
of the inner housing chamber
33
upwards.
The lower face of the inner member
3
has a step formed between the cover
46
and the cover
44
and, consequently as the cover
46
is pushed into the inner housing chamber
33
, the upper wall
30
is bent further.
As the inner member
3
is pushed further inwards, the guiding face
29
A of the lower wall
29
of the inner housing chamber
33
pushes the cover
44
of the inner member
3
upwards, whereupon the edge of the cover
44
rises over the ribs
54
and the stopping protrusions
5
bend the resilient member
31
further upwards.
Finally, the inner member
3
is pushed into the correct housing position, the stopping protrusions
5
move past the resilient member
31
, and the resilient member
31
returns to its original position. In this manner, the stopping protrusions
5
fit with the fitting groove
32
A, the resilient member
31
fits with the stopping faces
5
B of the stopping protrusions
5
, and the inner member
3
and the outer member
4
are latched together. At this juncture, at the anterior end face of the inner member
3
, the cut-away members
57
make contact with the contact walls
56
, thus fixing the position of the inner member
3
in an anterior direction. Furthermore, at the anterior end portion of the inner housing chamber
33
, the position-fixing protrusions
17
fit with the position-fixing grooves
28
. In this manner the attachment of the pressure contact connector
1
is completed.
In addition, when the inner member
3
and the inner housing chamber
33
are attached as part of the attachment process described above, the position-fixing protrusions
17
fit with the position-fixing grooves
28
if the inner member
3
and the outer member
4
are attached in the correct position. However, if the inner member
3
is inserted into the inner housing chamber
33
in an upside-down state, this fitting-together will not occur, and as a result it will be apparent that this insertion in incorrect.
In order to separate the stopping protrusions
5
and the resilient member
31
, a jig (not shown, but being of a narrow screwdriver shape) is applied to the jig guiding groove
20
of the outer member
4
, and the tip of the jig is pushed into the jig insertion groove
18
. Then the tip of the jig is levered upwards, and the resilient member
31
is resiliently bent so as to lift up, thereby releasing the stopping protrusions
5
. In this state the inner member
3
is removed from the inner housing chamber
33
of the outer member
4
. The width of the position-fixing protrusion
17
is the same as or slightly shorter than that of the outer member
4
and, consequently, when the pressure contact connector
1
is in the completely attached state, the position-fixing protrusions
17
can be pinched from the outer side of the inner housing chamber
33
. In this manner, when the inner member
3
and the outer member
4
of the pressure contact connector
1
are to be separated, both position-fixing protrusions
17
are pinched from the outside, and the inner member
3
and the outer member
4
can be pulled apart.
According to the present embodiment, when the inner member
3
and the outer member
4
are being attached, the fitting together of the position-fixing protrusions
17
fit with the position-fixing grooves
28
prevents this insertion from being performed incorrectly.
Further, the position-fixing protrusions
17
perform a second function of acting as a joining means for the inner members
7
and
8
. As a result, there is no need to provide the position-fixing protrusions
17
and the joining means separately, and the configuration is therefore simpler.
Moreover, the position-fixing protrusions
17
are formed so as not to protrude beyond the side walls of the outer member
4
. As a result, when the pressure contact connector
1
is in a joined state the position-fixing protrusions
17
do not protrude outwards and cannot become entangled with other members, etc.
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. For example, the possibilities described below also lie within the technical range of the present invention.
(1) In the present embodiment only male terminal fittings are shown. However, according to the present invention, a female connector can be used to house female terminal fittings.
(2) The terminal housing chamber may be of more than two layers.
Claims
- 1. A pressure contact electrical connector comprising a tubular outer housing, and an inner housing insertable into said outer housing, said inner housing comprising a first inner body and a second inner body each adapted to contain pressure contact terminal fittings, wherein the inner housing has protrusions on opposite sides thereof, the protrusions each having a latch member to latch the first and second inner bodies together, and wherein the outer housing has opposite recesses to receive said protrusions in only one orientation of said outer housing and said inner housing.
- 2. A connector according to claim 1 wherein said protrusions protrude to the exterior of said outer housing, and are adapted to be pinched to permit removal of said inner housing from said outer housing.
- 3. A connector according to claim 2 wherein said protrusions extend upwardly and laterally from an upper face of said inner housing.
- 4. A connector according to claim 1 wherein resilient latch members of one of the inner bodies are engageable in corresponding recesses of said protrusions on another of the inner bodies to latch the two bodies together.
- 5. A connector according to claim 1 wherein said inner housing includes a projection on an outer face thereof for latching engagement in a recess of said outer housing.
- 6. A connector according to claim 5 wherein the wall thickness of said outer housing is reduced in the direction of insertion from the mouth thereof to said recess.
- 7. A connector according to claim 5 wherein said projection defines a channel passed therethrough in the insertion direction of said inner housing, and said recess comprises an aperture in the wall of said outer housing, said aperture having slits extending in the direction of withdrawal of said inner housing to define a tongue engageable against said projection, in use a tool in said channel being adapted to lift said tongue to permit said inner housing to be withdrawn.
- 8. A connector according to claim 6 wherein said projection defines a channel passed therethrough in the insertion direction of said inner housing, and said recess comprises an aperture in the wall of said outer housing, said aperture having slits extending in the direction of withdrawal of said inner housing to define a tongue engageable against said projection, in use a tool in said channel being adapted to lift said tongue to permit said inner housing to be withdrawn.
- 9. A connector according to claim 7 wherein said outer housing defines a groove aligned with said channel and adapted to support a release tool.
- 10. A connector according to claim 8 wherein said outer housing defines a groove aligned with said channel and adapted to support a release tool.
- 11. A connector according to claim 1 wherein said outer housing includes an internal projection to limit insertion of said inner housing.
- 12. A connector according to claim 1 wherein said inner housing is received in said outer housing with a peripheral clearance, said clearance reducing from the mouth of said outer housing.
- 13. A pressure contact electrical connector comprising a tubular outer housing, and an inner housing insertable into said outer housing, the inner housing including an inner body containing pressure contact terminal fittings, a pivotal cover latchable to the inner body in a closed position over wire engaging portions of the terminal fittings, and protrusions on opposite sides thereof, and wherein the outer housing includes opposite recesses to receive the protrusions in only one orientation of said outer housing and said inner housing.
- 14. A connector according to claim 13 wherein the inner housing includes a second inner body containing contact terminal fittings which is latchable to the first inner body.
- 15. A connector according to claim 14 wherein the protrusions each include latch members to latch the two inner bodies together.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
10-096473 |
Apr 1998 |
JP |
|
US Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
5122077 |
Maejima et al. |
Jun 1992 |
|
5957732 |
Ito et al. |
Sep 1999 |
|
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
35 26 664 |
Feb 1986 |
DE |
951 100 |
Apr 1998 |
EP |