JPH0535554B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a connector fitting confirmation device that can confirm the fitting state of a connector.

(Prior Art) Connectors are used to connect various electrical components mounted on a vehicle. A connector usually consists of a male connector and a female connector, and when making a connection, both connectors are fitted together, and both connectors are provided with a locking mechanism to ensure the fitting. FIG. 5 shows conventional connectors in a mated state, where 1 is a female connector, 2 is a male connector, 3 is a lock arm provided in the housing 1a of the female connector 1, and 4 is provided in the housing 2a of the male connector 2. The lock arms 3 and 4 are locked when both the connectors 1 and 2 are completely fitted together. Conventionally, the operator used his ears or hands to sense the clicking sound or feel that occurs when the connectors are locked, or to visually check the connection state to confirm that the connectors were completely mated.

However, the workplace where these connectors are fitted is usually noisy, making it difficult to confirm by ear, and the connectors are located in places where they cannot be seen directly, such as behind the instrument panel, making it difficult to fit them by hand. In cases such as when mating is required, it is not possible to visually confirm the mating state.

(Objective and Structure of the Invention) The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to make it possible to reliably check the fitted state of a connector. At least one pair of adjacent female terminals has a portion of each terminal itself formed into an arm shape to form an electrical contact, both contacts are in electrical contact with each other, and further, the electrical contact is formed. a first connector housing having a groove provided between the pair of adjacent female terminals; a second connector housing having a protrusion that is inserted into the groove and releases the electrical contacts of the pair of female terminals when engaged with the first connector housing;
The present invention is characterized by comprising: a connector housing; and an alarm means connected to the pair of female terminals to issue an alarm when the pair of female terminals are in electrical contact with each other.

(Example) The present invention will be explained below based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing an embodiment of the connector fitting confirmation device according to the present invention, and this embodiment uses an alarm buzzer for alarming the radiator fluid level as a warning means when the fitting is incomplete. An example is shown in which the fitting state of five connectors can be confirmed. In the figure, 5 is a battery, 6 is a fuse,
Reference numeral 7 denotes an alarm buzzer that warns of insufficient amount of engine cooling water in the radiator, and is turned on and off by a liquid amount sensor 8. Reference numerals 9 to 13 indicate fitting confirmation contacts provided on each of the five connectors, and all the contacts are connected in parallel between the alarm buzzer 7 and the ground. Contacts 9 to 13 are open when the connectors are mated, and closed when the connectors are not mated.If even one of the five connectors is not mated, the circuit in Figure 1 is closed. The warning buzzer 7 is set to sound.

Next, the structure of the contact 9 of the connector used in the present invention will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4. Components in the figure that are the same as those in FIG. 5 are designated with the same reference numerals.

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the female connector 1 having six terminals, in which a female terminal 14 for confirming fitting is provided among the six terminals. FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the male connector 2 that fits into the female connector 1, in which six male terminals 15 are provided. A wall 4a is provided on the inner surface of the housing 2a of the male connector 2, and a groove 1b that fits into the wall 4a is provided in the housing 1a of the female connector 1.

Figure 3 shows the female connector housing 1 in Figure 2 A.
It is an AA sectional view of a, and a is before the connector is fitted.
B is a sectional view after the connector is fitted. A female terminal 17 is provided adjacent to the female terminal 14 with a groove 1b in between. Note that this terminal also serves as a dedicated ground terminal for the connector. As shown in FIG. 4, 9a is a contact arm that is flexibly provided integrally with the female terminal 14, and is connected to the alarm buzzer 7 in the circuit shown in FIG. Similarly, reference numeral 9b is a contact arm which is provided in a flexible manner integrally with the female terminal 17, and is connected to earth. Contact arms 9a and 9b form electrical contacts and include male,
When female connectors 1 and 2 are not mated, the third
As shown in Figure A, it is in the closed state, but when the connector is completely fitted in the predetermined position, it is pushed open by the wall 4a and becomes the open state. In addition, in Figure 3, 14
a and 17a are female terminals 14 and 17, respectively.
16 is the housing 1a of the female connector 1.
This is a terminal holding arm provided integrally with the terminal.

With the above configuration, if all five connectors are completely fitted in their predetermined positions, contacts 9 to 1
3 is open and the alarm buzzer 7 does not sound, but if there is even one connector that is not completely mated, the mating confirmation contact of that connector is closed, so the alarm buzzer sounds and indicates that the connector is not fully mated. It can be confirmed that there is.

In the above embodiment, a radiator fluid level alarm buzzer was used as the alarm means, but it goes without saying that other alarm buzzers may be used. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to this, and an independent alarm buzzer may be used.Furthermore, alarm means such as a chime or a lamp may be used instead of the buzzer.

Further, in the above embodiments, the fitting confirmation contact is in the open state when the connector is fitted, and in the closed state when the connector is not fitted, but the opposite may be used.

Further, in the above embodiment, the female terminal 14 for fitting confirmation is provided as a dedicated terminal, but a female terminal for signal transmission inside the connector may be used. On the other hand, female terminal 17
is used in combination with a dedicated ground terminal inside the connector, but it may also be provided as a dedicated terminal.

(Effect of the invention) As explained above, in the present invention, the first
A protrusion provided on the second connector housing is inserted into a groove provided on the second connector housing.
Therefore, even if the connector is placed in a place that cannot be seen directly with the naked eye, it is possible to grope and fit the connector by touching the groove and the protrusion with a finger, and the protrusion will not be inserted into the groove. As long as the terminal itself is in the form of an arm, the electrical contact remains closed, which has the effect of reliably warning of incomplete fitting between the two connector housings. In addition, at least one pair of female terminals has a part shaped like an arm to form an electrical contact, and since there is no dedicated terminal for detecting incomplete insertion, there is no need for wasted space as a connector. .

Further, according to the present invention, since the existing alarm buzzer and female terminal can be used together, the fitted state can be checked at low cost.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of an embodiment of the connector fitting confirmation device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a female connector in the connector fitting confirmation device according to the present invention.
B is a perspective view of the female connector, FIG. 3A is a sectional view taken along line A-A of the female connector in FIG.
-A sectional view, FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the female terminal for fitting confirmation provided in the female connector of FIGS. 2 and 3, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the conventional connector in the fitted state. . 1...Female connector, 2...Male connector, 1b...
...Groove, 4a...Wall, 9-13...Contact for fitting confirmation, 9a, 9b...Arm for contact, 14,17...
...Female terminal for fitting confirmation, 15...Male terminal.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A device comprising a plurality of female terminals, in which at least one pair of adjacent female terminals has a portion of each terminal itself formed into an arm shape to form an electrical contact, and both contacts are electrically connected to each other. a first connector housing that is in contact with the first connector housing and further includes a groove provided between the pair of adjacent female terminals in which the electrical contacts are formed; a plurality of male terminals that engage with the female terminals; a protrusion that is inserted into the groove and releases the electrical contacts of the pair of female terminals when engaged with the first connector housing; the second with the part
A connector fitting confirmation device comprising: a connector housing; and an alarm means that is connected to the pair of female terminals and issues an alarm when the pair of female terminals are in electrical contact with each other.