Connector

It is aimed to enable a short circuit in a retainer insertion hole to be avoided. Short-circuit preventing walls (18) configured to partition between cavities (11) adjacent in an arrangement direction are provided in a retainer insertion hole (15). A retainer (13) is provided with a plurality of frame-like portions (20) along the arrangement direction of the respective cavities (11). Each frame-like portion (20) is formed to be able to communicate with the corresponding cavity (11). Escaping grooves (32) are formed along a mounting direction of the retainer (13) between the frame-like portions (20) adjacent in the arrangement direction. Escaping grooves (32) are open on front end parts in the mounting direction of the retainer (13) such that the retainer (13) is mountable into the retainer insertion hole (15) while avoiding interference with the short circuit preventing walls (18).

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a connector.

2. Description of the Related Art

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-75508 discloses a connector with terminal fittings accommodated into cavities of a connector housing and retained by locking lances formed in the cavities and a retainer mounted into the connector housing. The retainer is mounted into a retainer insertion hole formed open on a side surface of the connector housing. The retainer insertion hole is provided at intermediate positions of the cavities and formed from the cavities in an uppermost stage to those in a lowermost stage.

The connector housing described above has no partition wall for partitioning between the cavities in the retainer insertion hole and all of the cavities directly communicate. Thus, if water enters the retainer insertion hole, such as when terminal fittings having a potential difference are adjacent in a width direction, the terminal fittings adjacent in the width direction may be short-circuited through a clearance between the retainer and the connector housing.

The present invention was completed based on the above situation and aims to avoid a short circuit in a connector with a retainer to be mounted into a retainer insertion hole.

SUMMARY

The invention is directed to a connector with a connector housing that is connectable to a mating connector housing, and is formed internally with cavities configured to accommodate terminal fittings. The cavities are arranged in parallel in an arrangement direction intersecting a connecting direction. A side surface of the connector housing is formed with a retainer insertion hole communicating with the cavities. A retainer is capable of retaining and locking the terminal fittings by being mounted into the retainer insertion hole. Short circuit preventing walls are provided in the retainer insertion hole and partition between the cavities that are adjacent in the arrangement direction. The short circuit preventing walls are continuous with side walls of the respective cavities in the connecting direction. The retainer includes frame-like portions along the arrangement direction of the respective cavities. Each frame-like portion is formed to communicate with the corresponding cavity. Escaping grooves are formed along a mounting direction of the retainer between the frame-like portions that are adjacent in the arrangement direction. Each escaping groove is open on a front end part in the mounting direction of the retainer such that the retainer is mountable into the retainer insertion hole while avoiding interference with the short circuit preventing walls.

The retainer may be formed with a pressing portion configured to couple the respective frame-like portions on a rear end part in the mounting direction into the retainer insertion hole. Each pair of extended walls extends forward or rearward from both frame pieces located on opposite sides in the arrangement direction. Extending directions of the respective pairs of extended walls alternate in the arrangement direction, and end parts of the respective pairs of extended walls are connected to inner surface sides of a plurality of extended pressing portions connected to the pressing portion. Avoiding recesses are formed in an opening surface of the retainer insertion hole to expand the retainer insertion hole at front and rear alternate positions in the arrangement direction in correspondence with the respective extended pressing portions. The pressing portion and the extended pressing portions are alignable with and fittable into the retainer insertion hole and the avoiding recesses. Insertion grooves into which the respective extended walls are insertable are formed along the mounting direction of the retainer in places of the connector housing where the avoiding recesses are provided.

If the retainer is provided with no extended wall, only a relatively short creepage distance is ensured between the adjacent terminal fittings via clearances between the pressing portion and the short circuit preventing walls. However, by providing forward or rearward extended walls in the retainer as described above, the creepage distance between the adjacent terminal fittings can be increased at least either in a forward or rearward direction. Thus, a short circuit can be avoided more effectively.

Guiding portions may be formed on the front end part of the retainer in the mounting direction, an opening edge of the retainer insertion hole or opening edges of the avoiding recesses. The guiding portions may be configured to correct opening widths of front end sides of the escaping grooves in the mounting direction to a proper width by sliding in contact when the retainer is mounted. According to this configuration, the escaping grooves can be corrected to have a proper width and the short circuit preventing walls can be inserted smoothly therein by the action of the guiding portions, for example, if tip sides of the escaping grooves of the retainer are deformed in a widening direction.

According to the invention, the cavities adjacent in the arrangement direction are partitioned by the short circuit preventing walls in the retainer insertion hole. Thus, even if water enters the retainer insertion hole, a situation where the adjacent terminal fittings are short-circuited can be avoided.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, a specific embodiment of a connector of the present invention is described with reference to the drawings.

First, terminal fittings are described (seeFIGS. 9 and 10). The terminal fitting6is mounted on an end part of each wire W. The terminal fitting6is formed by bending a plate material made of copper or copper alloy and a known female terminal fitting is used as such. Specifically, in the terminal fitting6, a terminal connecting portion6A in the form of a rectangular tube is formed in a front end part and an insulation barrel6B to be crimped to an insulation coating of the wire W and a wire barrel6C to be crimped to a core are formed behind the terminal connecting portion6A as shown inFIG. 10and the like.

A connector housing8of a female connector in which each terminal fitting6is to be accommodated is described (seeFIGS. 1 to 4). In the following description, terms relating to left, right, upper and lower sides are based onFIG. 1and terms relating to front and rear sides correspond to a connecting direction of male and female connectors.

The female connector housing8is made of synthetic resin and in the form of a box. A deflectable lock arm9is formed on the upper surface of the female connector housing8. The lock arm9locks the male and female connector housings10,8in a connected state when the female connector F is connected properly to the male connector housing10.

Cavities11for accommodating the terminal fittings6are formed in the female connector housing8. As shown inFIG. 1, four cavities11are arranged in parallel in each of a vertical direction and a lateral direction (arrangement direction). Each cavity11penetrates though the female connector housing8in a front-rear direction (connecting direction) and a terminal insertion hole12is open on a front surface (connection surface). Each cavity11has a substantially rectangular cross-section, as shown inFIG. 4. Specifically, each cavity11is surrounded by partition walls on four sides except in an area where a retainer13to be described later is to be mounted, thereby partitioning the cavities11adjacent in the vertical and lateral directions.

As shown inFIG. 2, the lower surface of the female connector housing8is recessed to form a retainer insertion hole15communicating with all the cavities11. As shown inFIG. 10, each cavity11is divided into front and rear chambers11F,11R by the retainer insertion hole15, and the terminal connecting portion6A of the terminal fitting6is accommodated in the front chamber11F. As shown inFIG. 10, the rear end positions of the respective terminal connecting portions6A are substantially aligned in the front-rear direction in a state where the terminal fittings6are inserted to a proper depth in the cavities11, and facing the retainer insertion hole15at a short distance from the retainer insertion hole15. Further, a deflectable locking lance33is formed on the ceiling surface of this front chamber11F and retains the terminal fitting6by locking the terminal connecting portion6A. As shown inFIG. 10, a part of the terminal fitting6including the insulation barrel6B and the wire W are accommodated in the rear chamber11R of each cavity11, and a part including the wire barrel6C is positioned in a part of the cavity11corresponding to the retainer insertion hole15.

As shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, a partial locking hole16and a full locking hole17are provided while being vertically spaced apart to penetrate through a part of each of both left and right side surfaces of the female connector housing8corresponding to an area where the retainer13is to be mounted.

As shown inFIG. 2, the cavities11adjacent in the lateral direction are partitioned by short circuit preventing walls18in the retainer insertion hole15. The short circuit preventing walls18couple both left and right side walls of the front and rear chambers11F,11R of the cavity11and have substantially the same wall thickness as the side walls. Further, as shown inFIG. 3, rectangular cut portions19are formed respectively in lengthwise central parts of end side walls of the cavities11located on both left and right end parts of the retainer insertion hole15and lower end edge parts of the respective short circuit preventing walls18. Note that the respective cut portions19are for avoiding interference with parts coupling frame-like portions20constituting vertical rows in the retainer13when the retainer13, to be described later, is mounted into the female connector housing8.

Further, as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, an opening surface of the retainer insertion hole15is formed on the lower surface of the female connector housing8. This opening surface is formed so that front end positions and rear end positions are shifted alternately in correspondence with the cavities11adjacent in the lateral direction. That is, this opening surface is composed of areas (avoiding recesses21) alternately expanding forward or rearward from a central area where each frame-like portion20of the retainer13is passed.

In the female connector housing8, bottom walls of the corresponding cavities11are cut in parts where the avoiding recesses21are formed, and parts of ceiling walls of the cavities11are exposed to outside through the avoiding recesses21in a bottom view shown inFIG. 3. Thus, with the terminal fittings6accommodated in these cavities11, rear parts of the terminal connecting portions6A or parts including the insulation barrels6B are located in the avoiding recesses21. However, the cavities11adjacent in the lateral direction are partitioned by the partition walls constituting the cavities11also in the parts where the avoiding recesses21are formed.

Furthermore, as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, two insertion grooves22are formed by cutting along the left and right partition walls of the respective cavities11arranged in the vertical direction to penetrate through the cavities11arranged in the vertical direction in the part of the female connector housing8where each avoiding recess21is formed. Two extending walls23formed in the retainer13to be described later are insertable into each pair of insertion grooves22.

Tapered guiding surfaces24are inclined down toward an inner side at the opening edge of each avoiding recess21for guiding a mounting operation of the retainer13.

The retainer13also is formed integrally of synthetic resin. As shown inFIGS. 2 and 5, the retainer13includes a plurality of frame-like portions20. The frame-like portions20are in the form of square frames capable of being aligned and communicating with the respective cavities11. As shown inFIG. 5, four assemblies each including three frame-like portions20stacked in the vertical direction are provided in the lateral direction in the retainer13of this embodiment. One frame piece20A of each frame-like portion20is provided with a locking protrusion25. Locking protrusions25also are formed on the frame pieces20A (uppermost frame pieces inFIG. 5) located on a front end part in a mounting direction of the retainer13. As shown inFIG. 10, each locking protrusion25can lock the rear end of the terminal connecting portion6A of the terminal fitting6when the retainer13is at a full locking position to be described later.

As shown inFIGS. 2 and 5, lower end parts in the mounting direction of the respective frame-like portions20arranged in the lateral direction are coupled by a pressing portion26in the form of a flat plate that is long in the lateral direction. As shown inFIG. 5, escaping grooves32for avoiding interference with the short circuit preventing walls18are provided between rows of the frame-like portions20provided by being coupled in the vertical direction. In this way, each row of the frame-like portions20of the retainer13has a cantilever structure with a free end on a front in the mounting direction.

A first locking projection27and a second locking projection28are formed to project in parallel while being vertically spaced apart on each of opposite side surfaces of the retainer13in the lateral direction. The first locking projections27located on a front side in the mounting direction of the retainer13are locked to the partial locking holes16of the female connector housing8to hold the retainer13at a partial locking position with respect to the female connector housing8(seeFIG. 7). When the retainer13is at the partial locking position, each frame-like portion20is substantially aligned with and communicates with the corresponding cavity11and each locking protrusion25is located outside an insertion path for the terminal fitting6. This makes the terminal fitting6freely insertable into and withdrawable from the cavity11. On the other hand, when the retainer13is inserted deeper into the retainer insertion hole15, the first locking projections27are displaced in the partial locking holes16, and the second locking projections28are locked into the full locking holes17to hold the retainer13at a full locking position with respect to the female connector housing8(state ofFIG. 8). When the retainer13is at the full locking position, each locking protrusion25projects into the insertion path for the terminal fitting6and can be locked to the terminal connecting portion6A of the terminal fitting6.

Substantially square extended pressing portions29extend in a state substantially flush with front and rear edge parts of the pressing portion26in correspondence with the avoiding recesses21described above. Specifically, the respective extended pressing portions29extend from the pressing portion26alternately in opposite directions, i.e. forward or rearward with respect to the cavities11arranged in the lateral direction. When the retainer13is mounted in the fully locked state into the female connector housing8, the pressing portion26is aligned with and closes the retainer insertion hole15and each extended pressing portion29is aligned with and closes the corresponding avoiding recess21. At this time, the pressing portion26and each extended pressing portion29are substantially flush with the lower surface of the female connector housing8.

Two extended walls23are provided continuously on an inner surface side of each extended pressing portion29, and each has an extending width equal to a projecting width of the extended pressing portion29from the frame pieces20A located on left and right sides of all the frame-like portions20constituting the vertical row. In other words, the extended walls23are formed over the entire height range of the retainer13while being spaced apart by a distance equal to the width of the corresponding extended pressing portion29, and are formed by extending the left and right frame pieces20A of the respective frame-like portions20constituting the vertical row forward or rearward with front end sides in the mounting direction of the retainer13as free ends. When the retainer13is mounted into the female connector housing8, the extended walls23are inserted into the insertion grooves22and those of the extended walls23extending forward sandwich the rear end parts of the terminal connecting portions6A of the corresponding terminal fittings6in the lateral direction, whereas those extending rearward sandwich the parts of the terminal fittings6substantially including the insulation barrels6B in the lateral direction.

A male connector M is provided on printed circuit board4. As shown inFIG. 12, the male connector M includes the male connector housing10. The male connector housing10is in the form of a rectangular tube open toward a connection surface side. The female connector housing8is fittable into the interior of the male connector housing10. A lock receiving portion is formed at a position of a ceiling wall near the connection surface and can be locked to the lock arm9of the female connector F, although not shown in detail. Male terminal fittings31are arranged in the male connector housing10in accordance with the arrangement of the terminal fittings6(terminal connecting portions6A) on the side of the female connector F. Each male terminal fitting31is a pin, pressed-fit through a back wall of the male connector housing10and drawn out to outside and an end part thereof is inserted into a corresponding through hole formed on the printed circuit board4after being bent substantially at a right angle. The part inserted into the through hole is soldered to be connected electrically to a conductive path formed on the printed circuit board4.

Next, functions and effects of this embodiment configured as described above are described. In the case of assembling the female connector F, the retainer13first is mounted into the retainer insertion hole15. The retainer13is aligned with the retainer insertion hole15while the retainer13is set in an orientation shown inFIG. 2. Thus, each extended pressing portion29and each avoiding recess21are positioned with respect to each other. The pressing portion26and the extended pressing portions29then are pressed to push the retainer13into the retainer insertion hole15. During this time, even if a tip part of each escaping groove32is deformed to widen a spacing in the retainer13, the front end part of the retainer13in the mounting direction slides in contact with the opening edge of the retainer insertion hole15and the guiding portions24formed on the opening edge of each avoiding recess21and the tip side of each escaping groove32is closed forcibly by the function of the tapered guiding portions24. In this way, the escaping grooves32are fit tightly fit to the corresponding short circuit preventing walls18and each extended wall23is inserted into the corresponding insertion groove22. Accordingly, the retainer13is first held at the partial locking position shown inFIG. 7.

In this state, each terminal fitting6is inserted into the corresponding cavity11. If each terminal fitting6is inserted to a proper depth into the cavity11, the terminal connecting portion6A thereof is locked and retained by the locking lance33.

Subsequently, the retainer13is pushed farther and held at the full locking position shown inFIG. 8. At the full locking position, each locking protrusion25of the retainer13locks the rear end of the terminal connecting portion6A of the terminal fitting6so that the terminal fitting6is retained doubly in conjunction with locking by the locking lance33.

The female connector F that is assembled in the above way is fit into the male connector housing10of the male connector M. If the male and female connectors are connected properly, the lock arm9and the lock receiving portion are locked and the male and female connectors are locked in a connected state.

Water that enters through a clearance between the male and female connectors M, F may intrude into the inside through a clearance between the retainer13and the retainer insertion hole15(including the avoiding recesses21). In this embodiment, even if such a situation occurs, a short circuit between the terminal fittings6adjacent in the lateral direction can be avoided effectively. Specifically, in this embodiment, the cavities11adjacent in the lateral direction are partitioned by the short circuit preventing walls18in the retainer insertion hole15. Thus, a short circuit between the terminal fittings6that are adjacent in the lateral direction can be avoided effectively avoided.

Further, the retainer13of this embodiment is configured such that pairs of extended walls23extend alternately forward or rearward from the respective frame-like portions20constituting vertical rows. If a case is assumed where the retainer13including no extended wall23is mounted into the connector housing, a possibility of a short circuit between the terminal connecting portions6A of the terminal fittings6adjacent in the lateral direction or parts from the wire barrels6C to the insulation barrels6B cannot be denied although this possibility is low since these terminal connecting portions6A or the parts from the wire barrels6C to the insulation barrels6B are located at a relatively short electrical distance via the cut portions19of the short circuit preventing walls18. However, the retainer13of this embodiment surrounds the terminal connecting portions6A of the terminal fittings6adjacent in the lateral direction or the parts from the wire barrels6C to the insulation barrels6B with the pairs of extended walls23. Thus, an electrical distance between the terminal fittings6adjacent in the lateral direction is increased by providing the extended walls23, with the result that an occurrence of a short circuit can be avoided more reliably.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the guiding portions24are formed on the opening edges of the avoiding recesses21and are brought into sliding contact with the front end part of the retainer13in the mounting direction when the retainer is mounted. Thus, even if the front end side of each escaping groove32is deformed and widened in the retainer13, such a widening deformation can be corrected automatically in a narrowing direction so that the retainer13can be mounted smoothly.

The invention is not limited to the above described and illustrated embodiment. For example, the following embodiment also is included in the scope of the invention.

Although the retainer13is formed with the extended walls23and the extended pressing portions29and structured to alternately and repeatedly project forward and rearward in the lateral direction in the above embodiment, the retainer13may be flat in the lateral direction without being structured to project forward and rearward. In response to this, the retainer insertion hole15of the female connector housing8may be formed to have a uniform groove width (width in the front-rear direction) without including the avoiding recesses21.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS