JPH0850953A - Structure to prevent incorrect insertion of connector terminals - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] The spacer is provided with a blocking part to prevent incorrect insertion of terminals. A connector housing A having a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 12 and a spacer insertion space orthogonal to the terminal accommodating chambers.
And a terminal locking spacer B having a plurality of terminal insertion holes 20 corresponding to the terminal accommodating chamber 12 and inserted into the space, the connector is closed at a required portion of the plurality of terminal insertion holes 20 of the spacer. The portion 1 is provided, and the closing portion 1 prevents the terminal from being inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 12. In addition, the blockage 1
It is configured by inserting a closing member such as a blind plug into the insertion hole 20.
Further, the spacer has a locking portion in the insertion space, the spacer has a temporary locking portion and a main locking portion for the locking portion, and the locking portion and the temporary locking portion or the main locking portion are engaged with each other. The spacer is held by the connector housing in the fitted state.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a structure for preventing incorrect insertion of terminals into a terminal accommodating chamber which does not require insertion of terminals when assembling a connector constituting a wire harness. It is a thing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIGS. 4 to 7 show the structure of a double locking connector similar to that disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-29276. In FIG. 4, A is a male connector housing made of synthetic resin,
B is a spacer (terminal locking device) made of synthetic resin, which is inserted through a window 11 opened on the outer peripheral wall of the upper part of the housing.
The male connector housing A fits into a female connector housing (not shown).

Inside the housing A, a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 12 are formed in multiple stages. As shown in FIG. 5, a flexible locking lance 13 is integrally projected from the lower wall of each terminal accommodating chamber 12, and the flexible locking lance 13 locks the box-shaped electric contact portion 14 a of the female terminal 14. It engages with the hole 15 and prevents rearward slipping (primary locking).

At the front opening of the terminal accommodating chamber 12, the terminals 14 are
A stopper wall 16 is provided to prevent the front wall from coming off. The window 11 of the housing A is provided in the rear of the upper outer peripheral wall so as to cross the plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 12 and penetrate in the up-down direction. Window 11 of the housing A
A front guide groove 17 for the spacer B is provided on both sides of the front side edge of the, and a projection 27 as a temporary locking portion is provided below the front guide groove 17, and a rear side edge of the window 11 is provided. A rear guide groove 19 for the spacer B is provided on both sides, and a projection 26 as a main locking portion is provided below the rear guide groove 19. Further, a step portion 18 is provided inside the rear side edge of the window 11.

An opening 21 of the terminal insertion hole 20 is arranged on a front wall of the spacer B in the terminal insertion direction, and locking projections 22 as locking portions are provided on both lower sides of the front wall.
Vertical slits 2 are provided at the rear portions of both side walls of the spacer B.
3 and a flexible portion 24 that bends in the slit 23 are provided. The flexible portion 24 has a locking protrusion 24a as a locking portion. Further, the rear wall of the spacer B is provided with an eaves portion 25 continuing from the front wall.

At the time of molding, the spacer B is provided with a plurality of terminal insertion holes 20 by using a mold of a molding die (not shown), and each of the terminal insertion holes 20 is provided with a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 12 in the housing A. Are provided at the same pitch as the space between them.

FIG. 5 shows a temporary locking state of the spacer. In this state, as shown in FIG. 5, the locking protrusion 22 passes through the front guide groove 17 and engages with the protrusion 27, so that the flexible portion 2
The locking projection 24a of No. 4 passes through the rear guide groove 19 and the projection 2
It's on top of 6. In this state, the terminal 14 inserted from the rear of the terminal accommodating chamber 12 of the connector housing A
Through the terminal insertion hole 20 of the spacer B, comes into contact with the stopper wall 16 protruding from the tip end portion of the terminal accommodating chamber 12 and stops. At the same time, the electrical contact portion 14 of the terminal 14
The locking hole 15 of a is engaged with the flexible locking lance 13 in the terminal accommodating chamber 12 for primary locking.

FIG. 6 shows a state where the spacer is fully locked. By pushing down the spacer B from the temporarily locked state, the eaves portion 25 is engaged with the step portion 18, and as shown in FIG. 7, the flexible projection 24 is retained while the locking projection 22 is engaged with the projection 27. The locking protrusion 24a of the above engages with the protrusion 26. Spacer B at the same time
By contacting the upper edge 2 of the front opening 21 of the terminal 14,
The rear step portion 28 engages with the spacer B to prevent the terminal 14 from coming off (secondary locking). Therefore, the rear pull-out of the terminal 14 is doubly prevented by the flexible locking lance 13 and the spacer B.

[0009]

However, in the structure of the conventional double locking connector, when the configuration of the wire harness changes depending on the specifications of the automobile, for example, the terminals must be provided in all the terminal accommodating chambers of the connector. It is not inserted, and there are more connectors having empty terminal accommodating chambers in which terminals are not inserted.

In view of the above points, the present invention provides a connector terminal misinsertion preventing structure for preventing a terminal from being accidentally inserted into a terminal accommodating chamber in which a terminal need not be inserted when a wire harness is assembled. To do.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention corresponds to a connector housing having a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers and a spacer insertion space orthogonal to the terminal accommodating chambers, and the terminal accommodating chamber. A connector having a plurality of terminal insertion holes that are inserted into the space, and a terminal locking spacer that is inserted into the space, a closing portion is provided at a required portion of the plurality of terminal insertion holes of the spacer, and the terminal is formed at the closing portion. It is characterized by preventing the terminal from being inserted into the accommodation chamber. The closing portion may be configured by inserting a closing member such as a blind plug into the insertion hole. The connector housing has a locking portion in the spacer insertion space, the spacer has a temporary locking portion and a main locking portion for the locking portion, and the locking portion and the temporary locking portion or The spacer is held by the connector housing in an engaged state with the main locking portion.

[0012]

When the terminal is erroneously inserted into the connector housing, even if the terminal is mistakenly inserted into another terminal accommodating chamber, the terminal will not come into contact with the closed portion. This prevents erroneous insertion of terminals. Further, since the closing member can be removed from the terminal insertion hole, it can be freely inserted into a desired terminal insertion hole.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a structure for preventing misinsertion of terminals of a connector according to the present invention. This structure is composed of a male connector housing A made of synthetic resin and a spacer (terminal locking device) B made of synthetic resin mounted through a window 11 opened in an upper outer peripheral wall of the connector housing A. It is characterized in that the closing portion 1 is formed at a required portion of the substantially rectangular terminal insertion hole 20. Since the male connector housing has the same structure as the conventional male connector housing, detailed description thereof will be omitted. Further, in the spacer as well, the detailed configuration of the locking protrusions and the like is similar to the conventional one.

In FIG. 1, of the plurality of upper and lower terminal insertion holes 20 provided on the wall of the spacer B, the upper two places are closed by the closing portions 1. At the time of molding the spacer B, the closing portion 1 is formed in a state where the terminal insertion hole 20 of the spacer B is provided using a piece of a molding die (not shown) and the piece is removed from the molding die. The closing part 1
Are not limited to upper and lower stages and two places, and can be freely provided according to the configuration of the wire harness.

FIG. 2 shows the spacer in a temporarily locked state. In this state, when the closing portion 1 is not provided in the spacer B, the terminal 14 is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 12 through the insertion hole 20 of the spacer B. When the closing portion 1 is provided in the spacer B, the terminal 14 hits the closing portion 1 and is not inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 12. Spacer B
The inside of the terminal accommodating chamber 12 of the housing A corresponding to the closed portion 1 is hollow.

As another embodiment, the closing member may be inserted into the terminal insertion hole 20 of the conventional spacer B after the spacer B is molded. As the closing member, as shown in FIG. 3, a blind plug 3 having the same size as the opening 21 of the terminal insertion hole 20 and the same length as the terminal insertion hole 20 is used. The blind plug 3 has a locking projection 4 on the outside, and the locking projection 4 engages with an engagement hole (not shown) provided inside the terminal insertion hole 20 of the spacer B so that the terminal insertion hole 20 Staying in the inside of the connector housing A to prevent the terminal 14 from being inserted into the terminal housing chamber 12 of the connector housing A.

The blind plug 3 can be freely provided on the conventional spacer B according to the structure of the wire harness. As another example of the closing member, a blind lid (not shown) having the same size as the rear opening of the insertion hole 20 of the conventional spacer B may be provided in the opening.

[0018]

As described above, according to the present invention, by providing the terminal insertion hole of the spacer with the closed portion, when the terminal is erroneously inserted when the spacer is temporarily locked, the terminal can be erroneously inserted. Cannot be entered into the terminal accommodating chamber because it is obstructed by the closing part. This prevents erroneous insertion of the terminals, so that wire harnesses with different specifications can be reliably assembled without paying attention to whether the terminals are inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber. Further, since the closing member such as a blind plug can be removed, the conventional spacer can be diverted to provide the closing portion at a desired portion.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a structure for preventing incorrect insertion of terminals of a connector according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a spacer in a temporarily locked state.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a blind plug.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a conventional double locking connector.

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the spacer in a temporarily locked state.

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view showing a state where the spacers are fully locked.

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of an essential part showing a locked state of the spacer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 A Connector housing B Spacer 1 Closure part 3 Blind plug 10 Spacer insertion space 12 Terminal accommodating chamber 20 Terminal insertion hole

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A connector housing having a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers and a spacer insertion space orthogonal to the terminal accommodating chamber, and a terminal assembly having a plurality of terminal insertion holes for the terminal accommodating chamber and inserted into the space. A connector provided with a stopper spacer, characterized in that a closing portion is provided at a required portion of the plurality of terminal insertion holes of the spacer, and the closing portion prevents insertion of the terminal into the terminal accommodating chamber. The structure to prevent incorrect insertion of terminals. 2. The closing portion is formed by inserting a closing member such as a blind plug into the insertion hole.
Structure to prevent incorrect insertion of the connector terminals. 3. The connector housing has a locking portion in the spacer insertion space, and the spacer has a temporary locking portion and a main locking portion for the locking portion. The connector misinsertion prevention structure for a connector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the spacer is held in the connector housing in an engaged state with the temporary locking portion or the main locking portion.