Electrical connectors – Coupling part including flexing insulation – Hinged or flexed detent on insulation engaging to secure...
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-03
2004-02-17
Abrams, Neil (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Coupling part including flexing insulation
Hinged or flexed detent on insulation engaging to secure...
Reexamination Certificate
active
06692302
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector, a terminal fitting and a disengagement jig.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-325814 and
FIG. 28
herein disclose a connector with a housing
1
and terminal fittings
2
. The housing
1
is formed with cavities
3
, and the terminal fittings
2
are insertable into the cavities
3
from behind. A deformation permitting space
4
is formed adjacent each cavity
3
and a resin lock
5
is formed between the cavity
3
and the deformation permitting space
4
. The lock
5
deforms into the deformation permitting space
4
in response to pushing forces exerted by the terminal fitting
2
. However, the lock
5
is restored resiliently to engage the terminal fitting
2
when the terminal fitting
2
reaches a proper depth. Each lock
5
has an arm
6
that is cantilevered forward from the upper wall of the cavity
3
and a locking projection
7
that projects into the cavity
3
from the inner surface of the leading end of the arm
6
to engage the terminal fitting
2
. Each cavity
3
has a front wall
8
with a tab insertion hole
9
for insertion of a mating tab terminal into the cavity. A mold-removal hole
5
a
is formed above the tab insertion hole
9
, and is used to remove a mold pin for forming the locking projection
7
during the molding of the housing
1
. A guide surface
9
a
is formed around the periphery of the tab insertion hole
9
for guiding the tab terminal into the tab insertion hole
9
.
A demand exists to reduce the size of the above-described connector. Accordingly, the terminal fittings
2
, the cavities
3
and the locks
5
are made smaller. However, the resin locks
5
are less rigid than the metal terminal fittings
2
and the locks
5
must have a minimum size to obtain a required force to lock the terminal fittings
2
. Thus, if the cavities
3
and the terminal fittings
2
are made smaller while setting the size of the resin locks
5
at a specified fixed size, the projecting ends of the locking projections
7
of the locks
5
reach a height overlapping the guide surfaces
9
a
. Consequently, the mold-removal holes
5
a
for the locks
5
effectively reduce the areas of the guide surfaces
9
a
, and impede the ability to guide a misaligned tab into the tab insertion hole
9
.
A disengagement jig can be inserted into the mold-removal hole
5
a
from the front and can be maneuvered to deform the lock
5
so that the terminal fitting
2
can be removed. However, the jig becomes narrower and weaker as the opening area of the mold-removal holes
5
a
becomes smaller.
Forces generated during a disengaging operation could deform of the resin lock
5
excessively. Thus, an excessive deformation-preventing wall
6
is provided on the side of the deformation space
4
opposite the resin lock
5
. The excessive deformation-preventing wall
6
engages the resin lock
5
and prevents the resin lock
5
from deforming beyond its resiliency limit.
The resin lock
5
, the deformation space
4
and the excessive deformation-preventing wall
6
are provided one over another along the height direction, and tend to make the connector very tall.
In view of the above, an object of the invention is to improve the operational efficiency of a connector.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is relates to a connector with a housing that has at least one cavity. A terminal fitting is insertable into the cavity from behind and is electrically connectable with a mating tab terminal. The housing has a front wall with a tab insertion hole that permits entry of the tab terminal into the cavity. The front edge of the tab insertion hole has a guide surface for guiding the tab terminal into the tab insertion hole. A resiliently deflectable lock is at an inner surface of the cavity, and is engageable with the terminal fitting inserted into the cavity. Part of the lock overlaps the guide surface with respect to the height direction. A mold-removal hole penetrates the front wall of the cavity and cuts off a portion of the guide surface corresponding to the overlapping part as a mold for forming the lock is removed forward. The overlapping part of the lock is narrowed toward its upper side, and the mold-removal hole preferably is formed along the outer periphery of the narrowed portion.
Accordingly, it is possible to guide a tab terminal smoothly into a tab insertion hole. The terminal fitting inserted into the cavity is engaged by the lock and is held so as not to come out of the cavity. Thereafter, a mating tab terminal is inserted into the cavity from the front through the tab insertion hole and is connected electrically with the terminal fitting. A misaligned tab terminal slides along the guide surface and is guided smoothly into the cavity.
The narrowed portion of the lock that overlaps the guide surface enables the mold for forming the lock to have a narrow leading end. The mold-removal hole is at a part of the front wall of the cavity where the guide surface is formed and has a shape conforming to the outer periphery of the narrowed portion. Thus, an area of the guide surface cut off by the mold-removal hole can be made smaller as much as the narrowed portion is narrowed. Accordingly, the guide surface for the tab terminal is as large as possible, and the tab terminal can be guided smoothly into the tab insertion hole.
The narrowed portions preferably are at opposite sides of the lock, and the mold-removal hole preferably defines an M-shape. The widths of portions of the mold-removal hole that correspond to the narrowed portions can be made smaller by providing the narrowed portions at the opposite widthwise sides of the lock. Thus, the tab terminal can be guided more satisfactorily since the part of the guide surface interrupted by the mold-removal hole is divided into two portions, and the widths of the individual interrupted portions is small.
The bottoms of the opposite ends of the substantially M-shaped portion of the mold-removal hole and the end of a portion between the two narrowed portions are at substantially the same height.
Portions of the guide surface at a recessed midpoint of the M-shaped portion of the mold-removal hole and portions thereof at the opposite bottom ends of the M-shaped portion are substantially aligned.
A projection on the terminal fitting slides in contact with surfaces between the two narrowed portions to guide the terminal fitting into the cavity. Thus, widthwise shaking of the terminal fitting is suppressed.
The sliding-contact surfaces preferably are inclined inversely of each other and converge. Accordingly, the terminal fitting is guided to a widthwise center position to suppress the widthwise shaking, and the insertion of the terminal fitting is easier.
The lock preferably is engageable with a rear end of the projection.
The construction of the terminal fitting can be simplified by using the projection as the engaging portion that is engageable with the lock.
The leading end of the narrowed portion preferably reaches the tab insertion hole with respect to height direction, and the narrowed portion may be substantially at the widthwise center of the lock.
The narrowed portion of the lock may have a height that reaches both the guide surface and the tab insertion hole. Thus, the mold-removal hole communicates with the tab insertion hole. The narrowed portion may be substantially at the widthwise center of the lock, and the edge of the mold-removal hole along the outer periphery of the narrowed portion is more inward, thereby making the guide surface larger.
A portion of the lock that engages the terminal fitting preferably is more toward the base end of the lock than the narrowed portion(s).
When the terminal fitting is inserted into the cavity, the projection slides in contact with the sliding-contact surfaces between the narrowed portions of the lock. Thus, widthwise shaking of the terminal fitting is suppressed and the insertion operability of the terminal fitting is better.
A large shear area
Ishikawa Ryotaro
Kawase Hajime
Nakamura Hideto
Tsuji Takeshi
Abrams Neil
Casella Anthony J.
Hespos Gerald E.
Le Thanh-Tam
Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd.
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