JPH04112470A - Connector for discharge lamp - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a connector for discharge lamp which excels in the insulativeness between terminals and whose female side connector member is easy to assemble, by providing a female side connector housing with a hollow convex/concave detaining part capable of detention with the insulate bulkhead of the male side connector member. CONSTITUTION:An insulate bulkhead 18 surrounding male terminals 15, 15 is formed at the periphery of a base 12, and between these male terminals 15, 15 an insulate bulkhead 18a for prevention of electric discharge is formed in such a way as across the first named bulkhead 18. The female side connector member 20 comprises a connector housing 21 in the form of a vessel of synthetic resin, in which a pair of terminal accommodation chambers 24, 24 are formed, and a female terminal holder 41 made of synthetic resin which holds the female terminal 31 fast in terminal accommodation chamber 24. Therein the insulate bulkhead 18a of the male side connector member is detained with the space S2 in a detent recess formed between the terminal accommodation chambers 24, 24 of the female terminal holder 41, and the surface creep distance from the pos. side terminal to neg. side terminal prolongs. Thus the insulativeness is enhanced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a connector for a discharge lamp, and particularly to a connector for a discharge lamp used as a bulb for an automobile.

[Prior art]

As shown in FIG. 5, a conventional connector of this type includes a male connector 1 which is a base 2 of a discharge lamp from which a pair of male terminals 3.
, 3, and a female connector 5 provided with female terminals 6°6 that can be engaged with the male terminals 3, 3, respectively.
, 2a, and a partition wall 6a is formed between the female terminals 6, 6.

When both connectors 1 and 5 are engaged, the male terminal 3
and the female terminal 5 engage with each other, and the partition wall 6a engages with the collar 2.
a, engaging the gap 2b between 2a.

The structure has a long creepage distance between the positive terminal and the negative terminal, improving insulation.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in the conventional connector described above, the base end of the female terminal 6 is fixed to the female connector housing by the nut 7, and it is troublesome to fix the I11 terminal 6 to the connector housing, and as a result, the connector The problem was that it took a long time to assemble.

The present invention has been made in view of the problems of the prior art,
The purpose is to provide a discharge lamp connector which has excellent insulation between terminals and whose female connector is easy to assemble.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the discharge lamp connector according to the present invention includes a male side connector, which is a lamp base of a discharge lamp, from which a pair of male terminals are formed protrudingly;
A discharge lamp connector comprising a male connector and a pair of female connectors that can be engaged with the male connector, which fixedly hold a pair of female terminals that can be engaged with the pair of male terminals, wherein the male connector has a male terminal. A discharge-preventing insulating partition wall protrudingly formed substantially in the center across the area between the terminals, and the female connector housing includes a pair of spaced apart partition walls each forming a terminal accommodating chamber on the outside of the partition wall, and the terminal. Consisting of female terminals each housed in a housing chamber, and a female terminal holder having a male terminal insertion hole formed therein, which is inserted into the female side connector housing by engaging with a concave-convex lance to securely hold the female terminal, The female terminal holder is formed with a hollow concave-convex engaging portion that engages with the region between the terminal accommodating chamber forming partition walls and is engageable with the insulating partition wall of the male connector.

[Effect]

The hollow concave-convex engaging portion of the female terminal holder engages with the area between the partition walls forming the terminal accommodating chamber of the female connector, and the male connector engages with the engaging concave portion formed on the front side of the hollow concave-convex engaging portion of the female terminal holder. The discharge-preventing insulating partition walls of the terminals engage with each other, increasing the spatial distance and creepage distance between the positive terminal and the negative terminal, thereby increasing the insulation between the positive terminal and the negative terminal.

If the female terminal is accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber of the female connector housing and the female terminal holder is inserted into the female connector housing by engaging the concave and convex lance, the female terminal holder will securely hold the female terminal within the connector housing and the female Integrated as a side connector.

〔Example〕

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

Figures 1 to 4 show one embodiment of the present invention.
The figure is an exploded perspective view of the discharge lamp connector, Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the discharge lamp connector with the female terminal housed in the female connector housing, Figure 3 is an exploded longitudinal sectional view of the female connector, FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the female connector and the male connector in a connected state.

In these figures, reference numeral 10 denotes a discharge lamp used in an automobile headlamp, in which a discharge lamp body 16 is supported by a pair of long and short reed supports 14a and 14b protruding from the front of an insulating lamp base 12 made of synthetic resin. ing. The curved surface of the base 12 is covered with a UV shielding glove 5.
The opening side base end of the discharge lamp body 16 is fixed with an adhesive, and the discharge lamp body 16 is surrounded by a cup-shaped globe 50. It is cut at 50. Furthermore, male terminals 15 and 15, which are integrated with the lead supports 14a and 14b by welding or the like, protrude from the rear part of the base 12, and protrude from the insulating lamp base 1.
A male connector 13 is integrally formed at the rear end of the connector 2. M-edge partition walls 18 are formed on the periphery of the base 12 to surround the male terminals 15 and 15, respectively.
This partition wall 18 crosses between the holes 5 and 5 to form an insulating partition wall 18a for preventing discharge.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a female connector, which has a pair of terminal accommodating chambers 24.
A container-shaped connector housing 21 made of synthetic resin having a number 24 formed therein and a ## accommodated in a terminal accommodating chamber 24°24.
It is composed of a terminal 31, 31, and a female terminal holder 41 made of synthetic resin that fixes and holds the # terminal 31 in the terminal housing chamber 24.

A pair of partition walls 23.23 are formed on the front surface of the connector housing 21 at a predetermined distance S, and a terminal accommodating chamber with a step 25 is formed between each partition wall 23.23 and the outer peripheral wall 22 of the housing. 24 is formed. Reference numeral 23a denotes a vertical rib extending parallel to the partition wall 23, which supports both left and right side surfaces of the terminal 31 accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber 24.

The female terminal 31 is made by bending and forming a thin metal plate cut into a predetermined shape, and has a U-shaped cross section, a cord connection area 32 that extends left and right, and a cross section that rises upward from this coat connection area 32. It has a structure in which an L-shaped extension region 33 and a rectangular frame-shaped terminal region 34 formed at the upper end of the extension region and into which the male terminal 15 can engage are integrated. This female terminal 31 has a terminal area 34 attached to the outside of the terminal accommodating chamber forming partition 23, the left and right sides of the terminal area 34 are brought into contact with the vertical ribs 23a, and the coat connection area 32 extends from the terminal accommodating chamber to the outside. It is accommodated and arranged within the coat insertion passage 26. And this female terminal 31. The extension region 33 has a curved and separated cross-sectional shape,
The overall length of the terminal in the connector insertion/removal direction (vertical direction in FIG. 3) is shortened, and the female connector 20 is made more compact.

The female terminal holter 41 has a shape in which a pair of rectangular container-shaped regions 42.42 corresponding to the terminal accommodating chambers 24.24 are integrally formed with a predetermined gap S2 therebetween, and the longitudinal side edges of the holter 43 is adapted to be engaged with a hook 22a formed on the outer peripheral wall 22 of the female connector to be prevented from being removed. This rectangular container-shaped region 42 has a shape that completely covers the female terminal 3J- from above, thereby ensuring reliable insulation between the female terminals 31 and 31. Opposing side walls 42a, 42a of the rectangular container-shaped area 42.42 constitute a hollow partition 45 (see FIGS. 2 and 3), and when the terminal holder 41 is inserted into the connector housing 21, the side walls 42a, 42a is adapted to be tightly engaged with the recess H between the partition walls 23 and 23. A pair of vertical ribs 42b, 42b extending vertically are formed in the container-shaped region 42, 42, respectively, and the vertical ribs 42b abut and hold the terminal region 34 of the female terminal accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber 24. It looks like this. Further, the rectangular container-shaped region 42 is sized to just fit inside the partition wall 18 of the male connector 13. Furthermore, a male terminal insertion hole 44 is formed in the upper end surface of each container-shaped region 42 of the terminal holder 41, and when the terminal holder 41 is inserted into the female connector housing 21, the female terminal 31 is inserted into the terminal accommodation chamber 24. When both connectors 13 and 20 are engaged and connected, the male terminal 15 protruding from the terminal insertion hole 44 into the terminal accommodating chamber 24 is inserted into the terminal area 34 of the female terminal. There is. Also, the gap S2 between the container-shaped areas 42, 42 is large enough to engage the insulating partition wall 18a of the male connector 13, and the insulating partition wall 18a completely engages within this gap S2 when both connectors 13, 20 are connected. It looks like this.

Next, a procedure for assembling the female connector 20 and a procedure for connecting the difficult connectors 13 and 20 will be explained.

As shown in FIG.
The female terminal holder 4 is accommodated in the terminal accommodation chamber 24 of
1 is pushed in against the elastic force of the hook 22a to engage the female connector housing 2'' with the concave and convex lance. At this time, the hollow partition wall body 45 of the female terminal holder 41 engages with the recess H between the partition walls 23 and 23 of the female connector housing 21, and the vertical rib 42b on the terminal holder 41 side supports the female terminal 31. The female terminal 31 is fixedly held within the housing chamber 24 and integrated as the female connector 20. Then, install the reflector's bulb insertion hole (
This female connector 20 is connected to the male connector 13 of the discharge lamp 10 inserted into the discharge lamp (not shown). To connect the connector 13° 20, the male terminal 15 can be inserted into the male terminal insertion hole 44, and the hook (not shown) of the male connector formed on the outer surface of the insulating partition wall 18 can be connected to the female connector. Connector housing 21 of side connector 20
It is engaged with the engagement recess 22d (see FIG. 1) formed in the holder and is prevented from being removed.

The state in which the male connector 13 and the female connector 20 are connected is shown in FIG. 4, with the insulating partition wall 18a of the male connector 13 inserted into the gap S2 of the female terminal holder 41. and terminal 15 (31), 15
(31) Opposing side walls (synthetic resin material) 42a, '42a and an insulating partition wall (synthetic resin material) 18a of the terminal holder, which have higher insulating properties than the air layer, extend between the opposing terminals 15 (31). , 15 (31) because the spatial distance and creepage distance between them become longer by approximately the length of the protrusion of the insulating partition 18a.
The insulation between the positive and negative terminals is increased.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As is clear from the above description, according to the discharge lamp connector according to the present invention, the hollow concave-convex engaging portion of the female terminal holder engages with the area between the partition walls forming the terminal accommodating chamber of the female side connector, and the female terminal holder The discharge prevention insulating barrier of the male connector engages with the engagement recess formed on the front side of the hollow uneven engagement part, increasing the spatial distance and creepage distance between the positive terminal and the negative terminal. Therefore, it has excellent insulation properties.

In addition, if the female terminal is accommodated in the terminal accommodation chamber of the female connector housing and the female terminal holter is inserted into the female connector housing by engaging the concave and convex lance, the female terminal holder accommodates and fixes the female terminal in the connector housing. Since the female connector and the female connector are integrated together, the assembly of the female connector and the connector connection work are facilitated.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a discharge lamp connector according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the discharge lamp connector with the female terminal housed in the female connector housing, and FIG. Exploded longitudinal sectional view of the female connector, No. 4
The figure is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the female connector and the male connector in a connected state, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional connector. 10...Discharge lamp, 13.Male side connector integrally formed on the insulating lamp base 15...Male terminal, 18.18a...Insulating partition, 2
0...Female side connector 21...Female side connector housing, 23...Female side terminal accommodating chamber forming partition, 24...Terminal accommodating chamber, 31...Female terminal. 41 - Female terminal holder 45...Hollow partition body which is a hollow uneven engagement part formed on the female terminal holder, H...Concave part between partition walls forming terminal accommodating chamber, S2...Concave side of hollow uneven engagement part Gap, 22a, 43
...An uneven lance engagement part between the female terminal holder and the female connector housing. Patent: Koito Seisakusho Co., Ltd. Figure No. 1 cause t + do a

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A male connector, which is a lamp base of a discharge lamp, from which a pair of male terminals are formed protruding; and a male connector, which is engaged with the male connector and which fixes and holds a pair of female terminals that can be engaged with the pair of male terminals. A discharge lamp connector comprising a pair of matable female connectors, wherein the male connector has a discharge-preventing insulating partition wall protrudingly formed approximately in the center between the male terminals and across the area between the terminals; , a female connector housing in which a terminal accommodating chamber is formed on the outside of the partition by a pair of spaced apart partition walls, a female terminal accommodated in each of the terminal accommodating chambers, and a female terminal inserted into the female connector housing by engagement with a concave-convex lance. a female terminal holder having a male terminal insertion hole formed therein for fixedly holding the female terminal; A connector for a discharge lamp, characterized in that a hollow concave-convex engaging portion that can be engaged with an insulating partition wall is formed.