CONNECTOR

A connector includes: a terminal fitting; an electric wire connected to the terminal fitting; a first housing in which the terminal fitting is stored, the first housing constituting a fitting part with a counterpart connector; a seal member disposed so as to surround an outer periphery of the first housing; a front holder mounted on the first housing so as to prevent the seal member from coming out from the first housing; and a second housing including a short terminal, the short terminal being configured to allow a fitting state with the counterpart connector to be detected. The second housing is attached to the first housing and retained by the front holder in a state in which the second housing is displaceable in a direction intersecting a fitting direction with the counterpart connector in a posture in which the short terminal faces the counterpart connector.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based on and claims priority under 35 USC 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-171079 filed on Oct. 19, 2021, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a connector capable of detecting a fitting state with a counterpart connector.

BACKGROUND ART

JP2020-187918A discloses a connector in which a plate-shaped terminal fitting connectable to a device such as an inverter is stored in a housing. Such a connector is generally called a high-voltage connector.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

A connector such as the high-voltage connector in the related art as described above may be designed to detect a fitting state between the connector and a counterpart connector from the viewpoint of safety or the like. For example, a small U-shaped terminal fitting (so-called short terminal) is embedded in the housing and the short terminal is brought into contact with a pair of electrodes in the counterpart connector at the time of fitting to form a short circuit, so that the fitting state can be detected. However, when an excessive positional deviation occurs between the shorting terminal and the electrodes of the counterpart connector due to a manufacturing tolerance or the like of the connector, there is a possibility that it becomes difficult to connect the shorting terminal to the electrodes of the counterpart connector even though the fitting itself is appropriately performed.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a connector in which a short terminal can be easily aligned.

The present disclosure provides a connector including: a terminal fitting; an electric wire connected to the terminal fitting; a first housing in which the terminal fitting is stored, the first housing constituting a fitting part with a counterpart connector; a seal member disposed so as to surround an outer periphery of the first housing; a front holder mounted on the first housing so as to prevent the seal member from coming out from the first housing; and a second housing including a short terminal, the short terminal being configured to allow a fitting state with the counterpart connector to be detected, wherein the second housing is attached to the first housing and retained by the front holder in a state in which the second housing is displaceable in a direction intersecting a fitting direction with the counterpart connector in a posture in which the short terminal faces the counterpart connector.

The present disclosure is briefly described as above. Further, details of the present disclosure will be further clarified by reading through an embodiment of the present invention to be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Embodiment

Hereinafter, a connector1according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The connector1shown inFIG.1functions as a relay connector that electrically connects a pair of electric wires20of the connector1and a counterpart connector (not shown) to be fitted to the connector1. The connector1includes a short terminal90(seeFIGS.1,3, etc.) configured to allow a fitting state with a counterpart connector to be detected. A specific function of the short terminal90will be described later.

Hereinafter, for convenience of description, as shown inFIG.1, etc., a “front-rear direction”, an “upper-lower direction”, and a “width direction” are defined. The “front-rear direction”, the “upper-lower direction”, and the “width direction” are orthogonal to each other. The front-rear direction coincides with a fitting direction of the connector1and the counterpart connector, and “front” and “rear” respectively correspond to an advancing side and a retreating side of the fitting of the connector1with the counterpart connector.

As shown inFIGS.1and2, the connector1includes a pair of terminal fittings10, a pair of electric wires20connected to the pair of terminal fittings10, a first housing30in which the pair of terminal fittings10is stored, a shield shell40mounted on the first housing30from a rear side, a boot50covering the shield shell40and the pair of electric wires20, a packing60mounted on the first housing30from a front side, a front holder70, and a second housing80, and a short terminal90mounted on the second housing80. Hereinafter, each member constituting the connector1will be described in order.

First, the terminal fitting10and the electric wire20will be described. The terminal fitting10is formed by performing pressing, bending and the like on a metal plate and has a shape extending in the front-rear direction. The terminal fitting10integrally includes an elongated flat plate-shaped terminal portion11(seeFIGS.1,2,8, etc.) extending in the front-rear direction, and a connection portion12(seeFIG.8) located at a rear end portion of the terminal portion11. An end portion of the electric wire20is connected to the connection portion12.

As shown inFIG.8, the electric wire20includes a conductor core wire21made of metal and an insulating sheath22covering the conductor core wire21. At the end portion of the electric wire20, the insulating sheath22is removed to expose the conductor core wire21, and the connection portion12of the terminal fitting10is crimped and fixed to the exposed conductor core wire21. Thus, the electric wire20connected to the terminal fitting10extends rearward from the connection portion12of the terminal fitting10.

Next, the first housing30will be described. The first housing30is a resin molded product. As shown inFIGS.2,7,8, etc., the first housing30has a tubular shape extending in the front-rear direction, and has a flat shape elongated in a width direction when viewed in the front-rear direction. A flange portion31that protrudes radially outward is formed on an outer periphery of a central portion of the first housing30in the front-rear direction over the entire periphery. A portion of the first housing30on the front side of the flange portion31constitutes a fitting portion32that is inserted into and fitted to a tubular counterpart fitting portion (not shown) of the counterpart connector, and a portion of the first housing30on the rear side of the flange portion31constitutes an insertion portion33that is inserted into the shield shell40(seeFIGS.7and8).

In the first housing30, a pair of terminal insertion holes34, a pair of terminal storing chambers35, and a pair of packing storing portions36are formed in this order from the front side toward the rear side at respective pairs of positions arranged at intervals in the width direction so as to communicate with each other in the front-rear direction. A front end of the terminal insertion hole34opens to a front end of the first housing30(a front end of the fitting portion32), and a rear end of the packing storing portion36opens to a rear end of the first housing30(a rear end of the insertion portion33).

The terminal portions11of the terminal fittings10are inserted into the terminal insertion holes34, the connection portions12of the terminal fittings10are stored in the terminal storing chambers35, and packings93(seeFIG.8), which will be described later, covering the outer peripheries of the pair of electric wires20are stored in the packing storing portions36(seeFIG.8).

A recessed portion37that opens forward and is recessed rearward is formed in lower portions of the pair of terminal insertion holes34in the fitting portion32of the first housing30(seeFIGS.7to9). A protruding portion82(seeFIG.3and the like) of the second housing80, which will be described later, is inserted into the recessed portion37(seeFIGS.7to9).

Next, the shield shell40will be described. As shown inFIGS.1,2,7, and8, the shield shell40made of metal has a tubular shape extending in the front-rear direction so as to be externally inserted into the insertion portion33of the first housing30. The shield shell40is mounted to the insertion portion33of the first housing30from the rear side, and has a function of preventing electromagnetic noise from being transmitted to the pair of electric wires20located inside the first housing30.

Next, the boot50will be described. As shown inFIGS.1and2, the boot50made of rubber has a tubular shape extending in the front-rear direction, and integrally includes a large diameter portion51that covers an outer periphery of the shield shell40, a small diameter portion52that covers the outer peripheries of the pair of electric wires20extending rearward from the shield shell40, and a connecting portion53that connects the large diameter portion51and the small diameter portion52. The boot50has a function of protecting the pair of electric wires20extending rearward from the shield shell40.

The pair of terminal fittings10, the pair of electric wires20, the first housing30, the shield shell40, and the boot50described above constitute a subassembly2(seeFIG.2), which is a part of the connector1. The subassembly2is assembled in the following procedure.

First, by inserting the end portions of the pair of electric wires20into hollow portions of the boot50and the shield shell40in this order from the rear side, the pair of electric wires20is inserted into the boot50and the shield shell40. Next, the pair of electric wires20is inserted through a holder94(seeFIGS.7and8). A pair of through holes95(seeFIG.8) is formed in the holder94made of resin so as to be spaced apart from each other in the width direction. By inserting the end portions of the pair of electric wires20into the pair of through holes95from the rear side, the pair of electric wires20is inserted through the holder94. Next, each of the pair of electric wires20is inserted through the annular packings93made of rubber (seeFIG.8). Next, the connection portions12of the terminal fittings10are crimped and fixed to the exposed conductor core wires21at the end portions of each of the electric wires20.

Next, the pair of terminal fittings10to which the pair of electric wires20is connected is stored in the first housing30. Therefore, each terminal fitting10is inserted into the first housing30from the rear side. As a result, the terminal portions11are inserted into the respective terminal insertion holes34, and the connection portions12are stored in the respective terminal storing chambers35. In a state in which the terminal fittings10are completed inserted, front portions of the pair of terminal portions11protrude forward from the front end of the first housing30(the front end of the fitting portion32) (seeFIG.2), and the pair of electric wires20extending rearward from the pair of terminal fittings10extends rearward from the rear end of the first housing30(the rear end of the insertion portion33). In the state in which the terminal fittings10is completed inserted, as shown inFIG.8, a locking hole11aprovided in the terminal portion11and a locking protrusion34aprovided in the terminal insertion hole34are engaged with each other, so that the terminal fittings10are prevented from coming out to the rear side from the first housing30.

Next, the pair of packings93through which the pair of electric wires20is inserted is relatively moved toward the front side with respect to the pair of electric wires20to be stored in the pair of packing storing portions36of the first housing30, and the holder94through which the pair of electric wires20is inserted is relatively moved toward the front side with respect to the pair of electric wires20to be mounted on the rear end of the first housing30(the rear end of the insertion portion33). In a state in which the packings93are completely stored, the packings93are pressed and sandwiched between outer peripheral surfaces of the electric wires20and inner peripheral surfaces of the packing storing portions36(seeFIG.8), and have a function of sealing a gap between the electric wires20and the packing storing portions36. In a state in which the holder94is completely mounted, as shown inFIG.8, a locking hole96provided in the holder94and a locking protrusion33aprovided on an outer periphery of the insertion portion33are engaged with each other, so that the holder94is prevented from falling off to the rear side from the first housing30. The holder94is disposed adjacent to the pair of packings93on the rear side, so as to function to prevent the pair of packings93from falling off to the rear side from the first housing30.

Next, the shield shell40through which the pair of electric wires20is inserted is mounted to the insertion portion33of the first housing30from the rear side. Therefore, the shield shell40is externally inserted into the insertion portion33of the first housing30. In a state in which the shield shell40is completely mounted, as shown inFIG.7, a locking piece41provided in the shield shell40and a locking hole33bprovided in an outer periphery of the insertion portion33are engaged with each other, so that the shield shell40is prevented from falling off to the rear side from the first housing30.

Next, the boot50through which the pair of electric wires20is inserted is relatively moved forward with respect to the pair of electric wires20, and the large diameter portion51of the boot50is mounted on the outer periphery of the shield shell40. As a result, the mounting of the boot50is completed, and assembling the subassembly2is completed, so that the subassembly2shown inFIG.2is obtained.

Next, the packing60will be described. As shown inFIG.2, the rubber packing60made of rubber has a tubular shape extending in the front-rear direction, and has a flat shape elongated in the width direction corresponding to an outer peripheral shape of the fitting portion32of the first housing30when viewed in the front-rear direction. The packing60is mounted on an outer periphery of the fitting portion32of the subassembly2from the front side (seeFIGS.1,7, etc.). In a state in which the tubular counterpart fitting portion of the counterpart connector is externally inserted into the fitting portion32by fitting of the connector1and the counterpart connector, the packings60mounted on the fitting portion32are pressed and sandwiched between an outer peripheral surface of the fitting portion32and an inner peripheral surface of the counterpart fitting portion. This provides a function of sealing a gap between the fitting portion32and the counterpart fitting portion.

Next, the second housing80and the short terminal90will be described. The second housing80is a resin molded product, and has a function of holding the short terminal90that provides a function of detecting a fitting state with the counterpart connector. As shown inFIG.3, the short terminal90integrally includes a flat plate-shaped base portion91extending in the front-rear direction and the upper-lower direction, and a pair of rod-shaped terminal portions92extending forward from upper and lower ends of a front end of the base portion91.

As shown inFIGS.3to5, the second housing80includes a rectangular tubular main body portion81extending in the front-rear direction. The main body portion81opens to the front side, and the rear side is closed by a rear wall (not shown). When the connector1and the counterpart connector are fitted with each other, a fitting protrusion for fitting detection (not shown) of the counterpart connector is inserted into an internal space of the main body portion81.

The main body portion81is integrally provided with the protruding portion82that protrudes rearward from a rear wall of the main body portion81. The protruding portion82includes a central protruding portion83that protrudes rearward from a central portion of the rear wall of the main body portion81in the width direction and extends in the upper-lower direction, and a pair of flat plate portions84that extends to both sides in the width direction from a central portion of the central protruding portion83in the upper-lower direction and extends forward from the rear wall of the main body portion81. A cantilevered elastic piece85extending in the front-rear direction is integrally formed at an outer end edge in the width direction of each flat plate portion84. Positions of fixed ends and free ends of the elastic piece85on one side in the width direction and of the elastic piece85on the other side in the width direction are opposite to each other in the front-rear direction. A protrusion85aprotruding downward is formed at the free end of each elastic piece85. The main body portion81is formed with a pair of flat plate-shaped flange portions86that is continuous from the rear wall of the main body portion81, protrudes toward both sides in the width direction, and extends in the upper-lower direction.

A press-fit recessed portion83athat opens to the front side and is recessed to the rear side is formed inside the central protruding portion83(seeFIG.9). The press-fit recessed portion83acommunicates with the internal space of the main body portion81in the front-rear direction. The base portion91(seeFIG.3) of the short terminal90is press-fitted into the press-fit recessed portion83afrom the front side. Thus, the short terminal90is fixed to the second housing80such that the pair of terminal portions92protrudes forward from the rear wall of the main body portion81and is positioned in the internal space of the main body portion81.

The second housing80is mounted on the first housing30by inserting the protruding portion82(the central protruding portion83and the pair of flat plate portions84) into the recessed portion37of the first housing30in the subassembly2from the front side (seeFIGS.7to9). In a state in which the protruding portion82is inserted into the recessed portion37of the first housing30, as shown inFIGS.7to9, a gap H is formed around a side face of the protruding portion82, so that the protruding portion82(that is, the second housing80) can be displaced in any direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction with respect to the recessed portion37(that is, the first housing30). When the second housing80is moved downward with respect to the first housing30in a state where the protruding portion82is inserted into the recessed portion37of the first housing30, the protrusions85aof the pair of elastic pieces85come into contact with a bottom wall of the recessed portion37. When the second housing80is pressed downward from this state, the pair of elastic pieces85are elastically deformed upward by an upward force received by the pair of protrusions85afrom the bottom wall of the recessed portion37, and the second housing80is pushed back upward by a downward elastic restoring force of the pair of elastic pieces85.

Next, the front holder70will be described. The front holder70has a function of preventing the packings60and the second housing80from falling off to the front side from the first housing30. The front holder70is a resin molded product and includes a tubular portion71as shown inFIG.2. The tubular portion71has a tubular shape extending in the front-rear direction, and has a flat shape elongated in the width direction corresponding to the outer peripheral shape of the fitting portion32of the first housing30when viewed in the front-rear direction. A rectangular notch71arecessed toward the rear side from a front end of the tubular portion71is formed in the central portion of a lower portion of the tubular portion71in the width direction. The notch71ais provided to prevent interference between the main body portion81of the second housing80and the front holder70.

In the tubular portion71, a flat plate-shaped partition wall72is formed at a position on the front side of the center of the tubular portion71in the front-rear direction so as to partition an internal space of the tubular portion71into front and rear spaces. Slits73(through holes) extending in the width direction through which the terminal portions11of the pair of terminal fittings10are inserted are formed in the partition wall72. A rectangular notch74is formed in the partition wall72at a central portion in the width direction of a lower portion of the slit73. An upper end of the notch74communicates with the slits73, and a lower end of the notch74communicates with the notch71a. Similarly to the notch71a, the notch74is also provided to prevent interference between the main body portion81of the second housing80and the front holder70.

In a state where the packings60and the second housing80are mounted on the subassembly2, the front holder70is mounted on the outer periphery of the fitting portion32from the front side such that the terminal portions11of the pair of terminal fittings10are inserted through the slits73and the main body portion81of the second housing80passes through the notch74(seeFIGS.1,7, etc.).

In a state in which the front holder70is completely mounted, front portions of the terminal portions11of the pair of terminal fittings10and front portion of the main body portion81of the second housing80protrude forward from the partition wall72of the front holder70. In other words, the pair of terminal portions11and the pair of terminal portions92of the short terminal90fixed to the second housing80are exposed forward. In the state in which the front holder70is completely mounted, as shown inFIG.7, the locking hole32aprovided on the outer periphery of the fitting portion32and the locking protrusion75provided on the front holder70are engaged with each other, so that the front holder70is prevented from coming out to the front side from the first housing30.

As can be understood fromFIG.8, in the state in which the front holder70is completely mounted, the tubular portion71is disposed adjacent to the front side of the packing60, so that the packing60is prevented from falling off to the front side from the first housing30; and the pair of flange portions86of the second housing80is sandwiched in the front-rear direction by the front end of the first housing30(the front end of the fitting portion32) and the partition wall72of the front holder70, so that the front holder70is prevented from falling off to the front side from the first housing30. As described above, after the front holder70is completed mounted, assembling the connector1is completed, and the connector1shown inFIG.1is obtained. The members constituting the connector1have been described above.

In an assembled state of the connector1, even when the second housing80is displaced in any direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction with respect to the first housing30within a range of the above-described gap H (seeFIGS.7to9), the main body portion81of the second housing80does not interfere with an edge portion of the notch71aand an edge portion of the notch74of the front holder70(seeFIG.6). That is, the second housing80attached to the fitting portion32(recessed portion37) of the first housing30can be displaced in any direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction with respect to the first housing30within the range of the gap H while maintaining a posture in which the pair of terminal portions92of the short terminal90faces the counterpart connector.

The assembled connector1is fitted to the counterpart connector. In order to fit the connector1and the counterpart connector to each other, a tubular counterpart fitting portion of the counterpart connector is externally inserted into the fitting portion32of the connector1. As the counterpart fitting portion is externally inserted into the fitting portion32, the fitting protrusion for fitting detection provided on the counterpart fitting portion is inserted into the internal space of the main body portion81of the second housing80. A pair of female terminal portions (not shown) corresponding to the pair of terminal portions92of the short terminal90is stored in the fitting protrusion for fitting detection. The pair of female terminal portions is connected to a signal circuit for fitting detection provided in the counterpart connector. In a state in which the pair of female terminal portions is not respectively connected to the pair of terminal portions92of the short terminal90, the signal circuit for fitting detection is disconnected.

When the connector1and the counterpart connector are fitted to each other, the fitting protrusion for fitting detection of the counterpart connector is inserted into the internal space of the main body portion81, so that the pair of terminal portions92of the short terminal90and the pair of female terminal portions are electrically connected to each other. As a result, the signal circuit for fitting detection is connected. In this way, by electrically detecting the transition from the disconnection to the connection of the signal circuit for fitting detection, the fitting of the connector1and the counterpart connector is detected.

Here, as described above, in the connector1, the second housing80, in which the short terminal90is stored, is displaceable with respect to the first housing30in any direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction within the range of the gap H with respect to the first housing30(fitting portion32). Therefore, when the connector1and the counterpart connector are fitted to each other, even if a positional deviation (a positional deviation in a direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction) occurs between the terminal portions92of the short terminal90and the female terminal portions of the counterpart connector due to a manufacturing tolerance of the connector1, a manufacturing tolerance of the counterpart connector, or the like, the positional deviation can be absorbed by relatively moving the second housing80with respect to the first housing30(the fitting portion32) in a direction in which the positional deviation disappears.

Further, in a case where the counterpart connector is not provided with the signal circuit for fitting detection (including the fitting protrusion for fitting detection and the pair of female terminal portions), the connector1can be changed to a structure that does not include the short terminal90by simply omitting the attachment of the second housing80, in which the short terminal90is stored, to the first housing30without changing the shape and the like of other members constituting the connector1.

As described above, according to the connector1of the present embodiment, the second housing80having the short terminal90is attached to the first housing30separately from the first housing30constituting the fitting part (fitting portion32) to be fitted to the counterpart connector. The second housing80is attached to the first housing30in a state in which the second housing80is displaceable in a direction intersecting the fitting direction with the mating connector in a posture in which the short terminal90faces the counterpart connector. Therefore, displacement of the second housing80can absorb positional displacement due to manufacturing tolerance or the like. Therefore, in the connector1according to the present embodiment, the alignment of the short terminal90is easy.

Further, the protruding portion82of the second housing80is inserted into the recessed portion37of the first housing30, and there is a displacement gap (gap H) between the protruding portion82and the inner wall of the recessed portion37, so that the second housing80can be displaced in the direction intersecting the fitting direction. Thus, the second housing80can be attached to the first housing30in a displaceable manner.

Further, the second housing80is attached to the fitting part (fitting portion32) of the first housing30, so that the connector1can be downsized as compared with a case where the second housing80is attached to another position of the first housing30.

Other Embodiments

The present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be adopted within the scope of the present invention. For example, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment, and may be appropriately modified, improved or the like. In addition, materials, shapes, dimensions, numerals, disposition locations or the like of constituent elements in the above embodiment are optional and not limited as long as the object of the present disclosure can be achieved.

In the above embodiment, in the state in which the protruding portion82of the second housing80is inserted into the recessed portion37of the first housing30, the gap H is formed around the side face of the protruding portion82, so that the second housing80is displaceable in any direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction with respect to the first housing30. In this regard, the second housing80may be attached to the first housing30by any structure as long as the second housing80can be displaced with respect to the first housing30in any direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction.

Further, in the above embodiment, the second housing80is attached to the fitting part (fitting portion32) of the first housing30. Alternatively, the second housing80may be attached to a part of the first housing30other than the fitting part (fitting portion32).

Here, the connector1according to the embodiment of the present disclosure described above will be briefly summarized and listed in [1] to [3] below.

a terminal fitting (10);

an electric wire (20) connected to the terminal fitting (10);

a first housing (30) in which the terminal fitting (10) is stored, the first housing (30) constituting a fitting part (32) with a counterpart connector;

a seal member (60) disposed so as to surround an outer periphery of the first housing (30);

a front holder (70) mounted on the first housing (30) so as to prevent the seal member (60) from coming out from the first housing (30); and

a second housing (80) including a short terminal (90), the short terminal (90) being configured to allow a fitting state with the counterpart connector to be detected,

wherein the second housing (80) is attached to the first housing (30) and retained by the front holder (70) in a state in which the second housing (80) is displaceable in a direction intersecting a fitting direction with the counterpart connector in a posture in which the short terminal (90) faces the counterpart connector.

According to the connector having the configuration [1], the second housing having the short terminal is attached to the first housing separately from the first housing constituting a fitting part with the counterpart connector. The second housing is attached to the first housing in a state in which the second housing is displaceable in a direction intersecting the fitting direction with the mating connector in a posture in which the short terminal faces the counterpart connector. Therefore, displacement of the second housing can absorb positional displacement due to manufacturing tolerance or the like. Therefore, in the connector of the present configuration, the alignment of the short terminal is easy.

[2] The connector (1) according to [1],

wherein the second housing (80) includes a protruding portion (82) protruding in a direction away from the counterpart connector,

wherein the first housing (30) has a recessed portion (37) into which the protruding portion (82) is inserted,

wherein the protruding portion (82) and an inner wall of the recessed portion (37) define a displacement gap (H) therebetween, and

wherein the displacement gap (H) allows the second housing (80) to be displaced in a direction intersecting the fitting direction.

According to the connector having the configuration [2], the protruding portion of the second housing is inserted into the recessed portion of the first housing, and the displacement gap is defined between the protruding portion and the inner wall of the recessed portion, so that the second housing is displaceable in the direction intersecting the fitting direction. Thus, the second housing can be attached to the first housing in a displaceable manner.

[3] The connector (1) according to [1] or [2],

wherein the second housing (80) is attached to the fitting part (32) of the first housing (30).

According to the connector having the configuration [3], the second housing is attached to the fitting part of the first housing, so that the size of the connector as a whole can be reduced as compared with a case where the second housing is attached to another part.