JP6179451B2 - connector - Google Patents

Description

  The technology disclosed by this specification is related with the connector provided with the cover.

  As an example of this type of connector, a connector described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-127813 (Patent Document 1 below) is known. In this case, a plurality of terminal fittings connected to the end of the electric wire are inserted and accommodated from behind in a cavity provided in the housing, while a cover is attached to the rear surface of the housing and pulled out from the rear surface of the housing. The electric wire is bent in the cover and led out in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction of the terminal fitting.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-127813

  The connector having the cover as described above is effectively applied when the direction of drawing out the electric wire is changed, but due to its structure, the electric wire takes a form of being bent sharply immediately after the rear surface of the housing. . If the wire is bent suddenly, for example, the rubber plug that is externally fitted to the wire and fitted to the inlet of the cavity may be deformed, resulting in the possibility of impairing the sealing performance. .

  The connector disclosed by this specification is a connector in which a plurality of electric wires having terminal fittings connected to terminals and the terminal fittings inserted into the cavity from behind in a form in which the electric wires are arranged in parallel are accommodated. A housing and a cover having a guide portion that is attached to the rear surface side of the connector housing and guides the electric wires drawn out from the rear surface so as to be bent and led out in a direction different from the pulling direction. The cover is composed of a pair of half covers that are divided in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the electric wires are arranged, and the half covers are joined between the split edges of the half covers. A lock mechanism portion for locking is provided, and a plurality of the electric wires are disposed in the cover at a position spaced apart from the rear surface of the connector housing by a predetermined dimension. Two ribs are provided at a central portion of the narrow width region with a predetermined interval along the arrangement direction of the electric wires, and are provided in a form rising from the inner surface of one of the half covers. The electric wire is characterized in that the electric wire is passed between the ribs and then bent around one of the ribs and inserted into the guide portion.

A plurality of electric wires drawn out side by side from the rear surface of the connector housing are passed between two ribs spaced apart behind the rear surface, and are brought to the center of the width region where the electric wires are arranged. After that, it is led out while being bent and bent by one rib.
Each electric wire drawn from the rear surface of the connector housing is maintained in a gentle inclined posture that is almost straight until it is bent by the rib and bent. For this reason, when a structure is employed in which a rubber plug fitted on the electric wire is fitted to the entrance of the cavity and sealed, deformation of the rubber plug is suppressed, and sealing performance is ensured.

The following configuration may also be used.
(1) The guide portion of the cover is formed in an oblique posture such that a leading end side thereof is gradually displaced toward the half cover side where the rib is raised in the dividing direction of the two half covers. And the auxiliary rib which receives the said electric wire before being guide | induced to the said guide part and lifts is formed between the base parts of both said ribs.
When each electric wire pulled out from the rear surface of the connector housing is bent obliquely toward one side of the cover dividing direction, the bent portion of each electric wire is received by the auxiliary rib and lifted. . Therefore, immediately after being pulled out from the rear surface of the connector housing, the angle at which the electric wire is bent to one side in the cover dividing direction is moderated.

(2) The upper ends of the ribs are extended to form a fitting portion, and the other half-cover is formed with a fitting recess for fitting the fitting portions of the ribs. Yes.
The rib is provided over the entire height of the cover, and the electric wire is prevented from being caught between the upper end of the rib and the other half cover. Further, when the electric wire is pulled in the lead-out direction, a force in the bending direction acts on the rib, but the bending strength against the force is increased.

(3) The cover is formed so that the two guide portions extend in opposite directions.
Each electric wire drawn out from the rear surface of the connector housing can be led out selectively with respect to two opposite directions.

  According to the technique disclosed by this specification, it is suppressed that an electric wire bends immediately immediately after the rear surface of a connector housing.

The disassembled perspective view of the connector which concerns on embodiment Exploded front view of cover Exploded rear view Exploded side view Sectional view taken along line V-V in FIG. Top view of top cover Bottom view Lower cover plan view Bottom view A plan view of the housing mounted on the lower cover Perspective view of assembled connector Front view Rear view Plan view Side view Same section cutaway longitudinal section

<Embodiment>
The embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 1, the connector C of the present embodiment includes a female connector housing 10 (hereinafter referred to as the housing 10) and a cover 30 that is mounted on the rear surface side of the housing 10. Furthermore, it is divided into a pair of upper and lower half covers 30U, 30D. The shape of the connector C at the time of assembly is as shown in FIGS. 11 and 16, and is fitted to a mating connector provided on the side wall of the device. Hereinafter, the description will be made assuming that the end side (left end side in FIG. 16) fitted to the mating connector in connector C is the front.

  The housing 10 is made of a synthetic resin, and as shown in FIGS. 1 and 16, the fitting cylinder portion 12 having a front opening is provided around the terminal accommodating portion 11 extending in the front-rear direction (most of the front side). Is provided. In the terminal accommodating portion 11, two cavities 13 penetrating in the front-rear direction are formed side by side. In each cavity 13, a female terminal (not shown) connected to the end of the electric wire w is inserted from the rear to be prevented from being removed and accommodated in the rubber fitted to the electric wire w. A stopper is tightly fitted to the rear end of the cavity 13 and sealed.

  A hood portion of a mating male connector housing (mating housing) (not shown) is fitted into the fitting cylinder portion 12 of the housing 10 from the front. An arch portion 14 bulges and is formed at the front end portion of the upper surface of the fitting cylinder portion 12, while the upper surface of the terminal accommodating portion 11 is opened behind the arch portion 14. A lock arm 15 is provided on the upper surface of the accommodating portion 11 to lock the mating housing with the mating housing.

As shown in FIG. 16, the lock arm 15 has a shape extending in the front-rear direction, and can be elastically oscillated and displaced in a seesaw shape around a fulcrum portion 16 provided on the lower surface near the rear end. It has become. A lock hole 17 is provided at the front end portion of the lock arm 15 to lock the locked portion provided in the counterpart housing, and a release operation portion 18 is provided on the upper surface of the rear end. By pressing the portion 18, the lock arm 15 can be forcibly swung in the unlocking direction (clockwise direction in FIG. 16).
On the left and right sides of the lock arm 15, a pair of protective walls 19 that protect the lock arm 15 are formed so as to rise to a position higher than the lock arm 15 in a form connected to the arch portion 14 (see FIG. 1).

Next, the cover 30 will be described. The cover 30 is also made of a synthetic resin and is formed by joining a pair of upper and lower halved covers 30U and 30D as described above. Hereinafter, the upper half cover 30U in FIG. 1 is referred to as an upper cover 30U, and the lower half cover 30D is referred to as a lower cover 30D.
As shown in FIGS. 11 to 15, the overall structure of the cover 30 includes a cylindrical housing housing portion 31 that is mounted to surround the outer periphery of the housing 10, and a configuration in which the housing 10 is connected to the rear of the housing housing portion 31. An electric wire bending portion 32 that is arranged on the rear surface side and functions to bend the electric wire w, and a pair of left and right electric wire guide portions 33 that are connected to the left and right side portions of the electric wire bending portion 32 and protrude laterally. In detail, as shown in FIG. 14, the both wire guide portions 33 are formed in an inclined posture that is swung to the near side from the side and is directed obliquely downward as shown in FIG. 13. A lead-out part 34 for leading the electric wire w to the outside is formed at the protruding end of the electric wire guide part 33, and the lead-out part 34 is turned to a horizontal posture. The lead-out portion 34 also serves as a corrugated attachment portion that fits and attaches an end portion of a corrugated tube (not shown).

As shown in FIGS. 13 and 15, the position where the cover 30 is divided into the upper cover 30U and the lower cover 30D is generally up and down with respect to the housing accommodating portion 31 and the wire guide portion 33 (including the lead-out portion 34). About the position which bisects and the electric wire bending part 32, it is a position right under the top surface wall 32U.
In other words, the upper cover 30U includes the upper half of the housing accommodating portion 31 (upper accommodating portion 31U), the top wall 32U of the electric wire bent portion 32, the upper half of the electric wire guide portion 33 and the outlet portion 34 (upper guide portion 33U and Upper derivation unit 34U).
On the other hand, the lower cover 30D includes a lower half (lower accommodating portion 31D) of the housing accommodating portion 31, a bent portion main body 32D including the bottom wall 40 and the rear wall 41 in the electric wire bent portion 32, the electric wire guide portion 33, and the lead-out. The lower half of the part 34 (lower guide part 33D and lower derivation part 34D) is provided.

The upper cover 30U and the lower cover 30D are coupled in a form in which the divided end edges 35U and 35D are in contact with each other, and the divided end edges 35U and 35D have a locking mechanism for locking in the coupled state. A portion 37 is provided.
The lock mechanism portion 37 is set at eight positions on both the left and right sides of the housing accommodating portion 31, the left and right end portions of the rear surface of the electric wire bending portion 32, and the front and rear surfaces of the left and right lead-out portions 34. Each lock mechanism 37 is provided with an elastically displaceable lock frame 38 projecting downward from the outer surface of the divided end edge 35U of the upper cover 30U, while being locked to the outer surface of the divided end edge 35D of the lower cover 30D. It is configured by forming a lock projection 39 that fits and locks in the frame 38.

As will be described in detail later, the connector C is assembled by fitting the housing 10 into the lower housing portion 31D of the lower cover 30D and then placing it on the upper cover 30U and coupling it to the lower cover 30D.
For positioning when the housing 10 is placed on the lower cover 30D, the position close to the rear end on the bottom surface of the lower housing portion 31D of the lower cover 30D is directed in the left-right direction as shown in FIGS. A positioning groove 44 is formed, and a positioning rib 21 formed extending in the left-right direction at a position near the rear end of the lower surface of the housing 10 is fitted into the positioning groove 44. Further, the rear end edge of the bottom surface of the lower housing portion 31D is raised one step, and sandwiching portions 46 are formed on both left and right ends of the bottom raised portion 45 so as to sandwich both the left and right sides of the rear end portion of the terminal housing portion 11 in the housing 10. Yes. Note that the bottom raised portion 45 at the rear end edge of the bottom surface of the lower housing portion 31D is formed flush with the bottom wall 40 of the bent portion main body 32D.

On the other hand, the upper housing portion 31U of the upper cover 30U is formed in a shape that can be fitted and covered with the upper half (including the left and right protective walls 19) of the housing 10 in general. However, as shown in FIG. 14 in detail, the upper operation portion 31U has a rear end on the upper surface thereof, and in the region corresponding to the upper portion of the release operation portion 18 of the lock arm 15, the release operation portion 18 is pressed. As wide as possible, the opening 48 for operation is cut out.
Further, a narrow confirmation opening 49 is cut out in a front end portion of the upper surface of the upper accommodating portion 31U, specifically, in a region corresponding to the upper portion of the lock arm 15 where the lock hole 17 is formed. ing. The confirmation opening 49 is applied to visually confirming a fitting state between the lock hole 17 of the lock arm 15 and a locked portion (not shown) of the mating housing.

  Furthermore, the electric wire bending part 32 is demonstrated. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 16, a partition corresponding to the rear surface of the terminal accommodating portion 11 of the housing 10 is provided at the front end portion (the boundary portion with the lower accommodating portion 31 </ b> D) of the bottom wall 40 of the bent portion main body 32 </ b> D in the lower cover 30 </ b> D. A wall 50 is formed to rise. An insertion groove 51 into which the electric wire w drawn from the rear surface of the housing 10 can be inserted is formed in the central portion of the partition wall 50 in the width direction so as to open at the upper edge. The width of the insertion groove 51 is, for example, a dimension comparable to the pitch between the left and right cavities 13.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 8, a pair of left and right belt-like vertical ribs 55 are integrally formed along the side edge portion on the rear surface side of the insertion groove 51 of the partition wall 50 described above. As shown in FIG. 8, the two vertical ribs 55 are formed so as to rise from the bottom wall 40 in an oblique posture in which the rear edge side gradually approaches. The interval s between the narrowed rear edges of both the longitudinal ribs 55 is set to a dimension slightly less than twice the diameter of the electric wire.

The upper ends of both vertical ribs 55 are extended to such an extent that when the top wall 32U is covered with the bent portion main body 32D in association with the upper and lower covers 30U, 30D, the top wall 32U is just penetrated. As shown in FIG. 3, a fitting portion 56 having a narrow width is formed on the side edges facing each other, as shown in FIG. Each fitting portion 56 is formed in a substantially trapezoidal shape with side edges facing each other having a tapered shape.
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7, a pair of left and right fitting recesses 58 into which the fitting portions 56 of the respective vertical ribs 55 are fitted are formed on the inner surface of the top wall 32U of the upper cover 30U. The portion of each fitting recess 58 where the higher surface of the fitting portion 56 fits is formed to open on the upper surface (see the opening 58A and the fitting portion 56 in FIGS. 7 and 8).

Auxiliary ribs 60 facing in the left-right direction are formed between the root portions of the side edges of the two vertical ribs 55 facing each other. The auxiliary rib 60 rises from the bottom wall 40 by a size comparable to the wire diameter.
As shown in FIG. 1, the left and right side edges of the bottom wall 40 of the bent portion main body 32D of the lower cover 30D are connected to the upper edge of the inclined bottom surface of the left and right lower guide portions 33D without any step at the same height position. ing.

Further, as described above, since the left and right electric wire guide portions 33 are formed in an inclined posture that is swung forward and obliquely downward, the rear shape of the connector C of the present embodiment is shown in FIG. Thus, it becomes the form by which the recessed part 62 which makes a substantially trapezoid was formed in the downward direction of the outer bottom face of the electric wire bending part 32, and the outer bottom face of the right and left electric wire guide part 33. FIG.
On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 9, reinforcing ribs 64 facing in the left-right direction are formed on the outer bottom surface of the bent portion main body 32 </ b> D of the lower cover 30 </ b> D. As will be described later, the reinforcing rib 64 can be used as a finger hook when the lock arm 15 is unlocked.

Then, the effect | action of this embodiment is demonstrated.
The assembly of the connector C is performed as follows. First, the female terminals attached to the ends of the two electric wires w are respectively inserted from the rear side to be prevented from being removed from the left and right cavities 13 of the housing 10, and the rubber plugs are accommodated in the rear end portions of the cavities 13. Are tightly fitted and sealed.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the housing 10 in which the female terminals are accommodated is placed in the lower accommodation portion 31D of the lower cover 30D. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 16, the housing 10 sandwiches the rear end portion of the terminal accommodating portion 11 between the left and right clamping portions 46, and the rear surface of the terminal accommodating portion 11 faces the front surface of the partition wall 50. The positioning rib 21 provided on the bottom surface of the rear end portion of the housing 10 is finally fitted into the positioning groove 44 so that the housing 10 is positioned at a fixed position of the lower housing portion 31D in the lower cover 30D. In FIG. 1, the lens is placed so as to be immovable in the front-rear and left-right directions.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the two electric wires w drawn from the rear ends of the left and right cavities 13 are passed through the insertion grooves 51 of the partition wall 50 and then moved toward each other between the two vertical ribs 55. Passed through. Since the interval s (see FIG. 8) between the trailing edges of the two vertical ribs 55 is slightly less than twice the diameter of the electric wire, the two electric wires w are inserted substantially in the vertical direction. After that, the two electric wires w are bent to the right while being applied to the right vertical rib 55 in FIG. 10, for example, wired along the inclined bottom surface of the right lower guide portion 33D, and the right lower lead-out portion. It is led out through 34D. At this time, in the bent part of both electric wires w, as shown in FIG. 16, both electric wires w are pressed against the auxiliary rib 60 while overlapping vertically.

Next, although not shown, the corrugated tube fitted to the lead-out portions of the two electric wires w is slid toward the lower cover 30D, and the end thereof is fitted into the lower lead-out portion 34D.
From such a state, the upper cover 30U is covered from above so that the divided edges 35U and 35D abut against the lower cover 30D. The upper cover 30U is pushed into the lock mechanism portion 37 provided at eight convenient positions while elastically displacing the lock frame 38 onto the lock projection 39 and is pushed in, and the divided edges 35U and 35D are brought into contact with each other. While the lock frame 38 is restored and displaced, the lock protrusion 39 is fitted and locked in the lock frame 38, that is, the upper and lower covers 30U and 30D are locked in the coupled state.

At that time, the fitting portions 56 at the upper ends of the left and right vertical ribs 55 are fitted into the corresponding fitting recesses 58 of the upper cover 30U. The release operation portion 18 of the lock arm 15 provided in the housing 10 is opened to the outside through the operation opening 48 formed in the upper cover 30U, and the front end portion in which the lock hole 17 in the lock arm 15 is formed. Is visible from above through a confirmation opening 49 also formed in the upper cover 30U.
In addition, the end portion of the corrugated tube is fitted and attached to the lead-out portion 34.

  As described above, the assembly of the connector C is completed, and the cover 30 integrated from the outer periphery to the rear surface side of the housing 10 is mounted. In the connector C assembled in this way, the two electric wires w pulled out from the rear surface of the housing 10 are bent to the right side in the front view in the electric wire bending portion 32 of the cover 30, and right inside the electric wire guide portion 33 on the right side. It is inserted obliquely downward while being swung forward, led out from the right lead-out portion 34 with the direction changed horizontally, and this lead-out portion is covered with a corrugated tube.

  When such a connector C is fitted into a mating connector provided in the apparatus as shown by the arrow in FIG. 16 and is properly fitted, the locked hole of the mating housing is inserted into the lock hole 17 of the lock arm 15. The part fits and is locked. Since the front end side of the lock arm 15 provided with the lock hole 17 can be visually confirmed through the confirmation opening 49, it can be visually confirmed whether or not the lock arm 15 is normally locked.

  In order to remove the connector C from the mating connector in maintenance or the like, from the state shown in FIG. 16, the two fingers are held against the release operation portion 18 of the lock arm 15 and the reinforcing rib 64 which is a finger-hanging portion. Since the arm 15 rotates in the clockwise direction in the figure and the lock with the mating connector is released, it can be removed from the mating connector by subsequently pulling the connector C backward.

According to the present embodiment, the two electric wires w drawn side by side from the rear surface of the housing 10 are passed between the two vertical ribs 55 while being brought close to each other, and then are passed to the right vertical rib 55. Since it is applied and bent substantially in the right direction, it is maintained in a slightly bent state in the left-right direction until bent by the vertical rib 55. In addition, the two electric wires w are bent obliquely downward, but are received by the auxiliary rib 60 and slightly lifted, so that the electric wire w is bent downward immediately after the rear surface of the housing 10. Can also be held loose.
Therefore, deformation of the rubber plug fitted to the rear end of the cavity 13 is suppressed, and sealing performance is ensured.

  The distance s between the trailing edges of the two vertical ribs 55 is set to be slightly less than twice the diameter of the electric wire, so that the two electric wires w are inserted between the vertical ribs 55 in a state of overlapping in the vertical direction. After that, since it is bent substantially to the right side, the space for accommodating the electric wire w behind the vertical rib 55 can be suppressed as much as possible, and the size of the cover 30 can be reduced accordingly.

  Further, the fitting portions 56 at the upper ends of both the vertical ribs 55 are fitted into the corresponding fitting recesses 58 of the upper cover 30U, that is, the two vertical ribs 55 are provided over the entire height in the cover 30. Therefore, the electric wire w is prevented from being bitten between the upper end of the vertical rib 55 and the upper cover 30U. Further, when the electric wire w is pulled in the lead-out direction, a force in the bending direction acts on the right vertical rib 55, but the bending strength against the force is also increased.

  Contrary to the above-described embodiment, the two electric wires w drawn from the rear surface of the housing 10 are passed between the two vertical ribs 55 and then turned to the left vertical rib 55 to be turned to the left when viewed from the front. It can be used in such a manner that it is led out to the left and obliquely downwardly shaken toward the front by passing the wire guide 33 on the left side. The same effect as that derived from the right side can be obtained.

<Other embodiments>
The technology disclosed in the present specification is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the above description and drawings, and includes the following embodiments, for example.
(1) In the above-described embodiment, the case where the two vertical ribs are formed integrally with the partition wall against which the rear surface of the housing is applied is illustrated, but may be formed separately.
(2) In the above-described embodiment, the case where the left and right wire guide portions are formed in an inclined posture that is swung forward and diagonally downward is illustrated. However, the left and right wire guide portions are swung forward. The present invention can be applied in the same manner to those formed in an inclined posture that faces obliquely downward, and further, those that are formed to face substantially straight without inclining downward.

(3) The present invention can be similarly applied to a type in which the wire guide portion has only one of the left and right sides.
(4) In the above embodiment, the two right and left electric wires are drawn from the rear surface of the housing. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and three or more electric wires are drawn out side by side, and moreover in a plurality of stages. It can also be applied to those of the type drawn out.
(5) In the above embodiment, the case where the cover is composed of two pieces of the upper cover and the lower cover is exemplified, but as a four-piece structure in which either the upper or lower lead-out portion is formed separately so that it can be retrofitted. Also good.

w ... Electric wire 10 ... Connector housing 13 ... Cavity 30 ... Cover 30U ... Upper cover (Half cover)
30D ... Lower cover (half cover)
31 ... Housing accommodating part 32 ... Electric wire bending part 32U ... Top wall 32D ... Bending part main body 33 ... Electric wire guide part (guide part)
34 ... Lead-out part 35U, 35D ... Split edge 37 ... Lock mechanism part 40 ... Bottom wall (of bending part main body 32D) 55 ... Vertical rib (rib)
56 ... Fitting part 58 ... Fitting concave part 60 ... Auxiliary rib

Claims (3)

A plurality of wires with terminal fittings connected to the terminal;
A connector housing in which each of the terminal fittings is inserted into the cavity from behind in a form in which the electric wires are arranged in parallel;
A cover that is mounted on the rear surface side of the connector housing and has a guide portion that guides and inserts the electric wires drawn out from the rear surface so as to be bent and led out in a direction different from the drawing direction;
The cover is composed of a pair of half covers that are divided in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the electric wires, and the half covers are locked in a coupled state between the split edges of the half covers. A locking mechanism is provided,
In the cover, two ribs are predetermined along the arrangement direction of the electric wires at a position spaced apart from the rear surface of the connector housing by a predetermined dimension and at the center of the width region where the electric wires are arranged. And is provided in a form rising from the inner surface of one of the half covers,
The plurality of electric wires are inserted through the guide portion by turning one of the ribs after passing between the ribs .
The guide portion of the cover is formed in an oblique posture such that the lead-out end side is gradually displaced toward the half cover side where the ribs are raised in the dividing direction of the both half covers,
A connector in which an auxiliary rib for receiving and lifting the electric wire before being guided to the guide portion is formed between the root portions of the two ribs . The upper ends of the ribs are extended to form a fitting portion, and the other half-split cover is formed with a fitting recess for fitting the fitting portions of the ribs. The connector according to 1 . The cover, the connector according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the guide portion of the two is formed so as to extend toward the opposite direction.

Images