Electricity: measuring and testing – Fault detecting in electric circuits and of electric components – Of individual circuit component or element
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-28
2002-09-03
Le, N. (Department: 2858)
Electricity: measuring and testing
Fault detecting in electric circuits and of electric components
Of individual circuit component or element
C324S1540PB
Reexamination Certificate
active
06445190
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a continuity checking device for a connector adapted to detect an abnormal condition that terminals in a connector have been incompletely inserted, by abutting an insertion checking pin against a flexible locking lance for locking the terminals, and more particularly to the connector continuity checking device which can detect the abnormal condition by visually observing the connector continuity checking device.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 4
shows an example of a conventional connector continuity checking device.
This connector continuity checking device
70
is intended to check a state of continuity of terminals with electric wires which have been inserted and locked in a connector
71
. The connector continuity checking device
70
includes a connector holding part
73
fixed to a frame
72
, a checking part
74
arranged movably back and forth with respect to the connector holding part
73
, and an operating lever
76
for actuating the checking part
74
by way of links
75
.
The connector holding part
73
has a guide part
77
of a substantially columnar shape on which the connector
71
is adapted to be set from the above. The connector
71
is thus set in the connector holding part
73
. The connector
71
includes a male type connector housing
78
made of synthetic resin and female type terminals with electric wires which have been inserted and locked inside the connector housing
78
.
The checking part
74
includes a guide block
79
made of insulating resin in which a connector engaging chamber
80
is formed. A plurality of electrically conductive continuity checking pins (probe pins) corresponding to the terminals in the connector
71
are provided in the connector engaging chamber
80
. The continuity checking pins (not shown) are connected to electric wires (not shown) and covered with a rear cover
81
at a side where the electric wires are drawn out. The guide block
79
is slidable back and forth along a pair of guide shafts (not shown), for example, in a horizontal direction inside the frame
72
.
The operating lever
76
is bent in a substantially L-shape and rotatably connected to the frame
72
around shafts
82
at lower parts of its forward end portions. Upper parts of the forward end portions of the operating lever
76
are rotatably connected to backward ends of the links
75
around shafts
83
. Forward ends of the links
75
are connected to side wall faces of the guide block
79
of the checking part
74
by means of shafts (bolts)
84
. The shafts
83
,
84
are passed through holes in the links
75
respectively so as to be slidable with respect to inner peripheries of the holes.
By rotating the operating lever
76
in a direction of an arrow a while the connector
71
is set on the connector holding part
73
, the checking part
74
moves toward the connector
71
by way of the links
75
, and a front half portion of the connector
71
is inserted into the connector engaging chamber
80
. At the same time, the continuity checking pins (not shown) are brought into contact with the terminals (not shown) in the connector
71
respectively.
By rotating the operating lever
76
forward, the shafts
83
perform circular motions around the lower shafts
82
whereby the links
75
move forward, and the guide block
79
connected to the other shafts
84
moves forward.
The electric wires
85
from the connector
71
are connected to a continuity checking apparatus (a circuit integrating section) by way of a connector (not shown) which is connected to the other end of the electric wires
85
. The electric wires (not shown) from the continuity checking pins are also connected to the continuity checking apparatus. Thus, the terminals in the connector
71
and the continuity checking pins constitute a closed circuit. When there exists a continuity between both the members, the continuity checking apparatus indicates an OK lamp, and when there is no continuity between them, the continuity checking apparatus indicates NG by means of a buzzer or a flashing light.
Meanwhile, in Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No. 11-31570, there has been proposed a connector continuity checking device as shown in
FIG. 5
which has a function of detecting an inserted state of the terminals in the connector, in addition to the function as the connector continuity checking device as described above.
This connector continuity checking device
94
includes a plurality of insertion checking pins
96
which are integrally formed with a holder
95
made of synthetic resin so as to project therefrom, a plurality of continuity checking pins
98
which are respectively inserted and fixed in cavities
97
in the holder
95
, a pin block
99
made of synthetic resin and adapted to support the holder
95
slidably in back and forth directions, probe pins
101
having slidable portions
100
which are elastically in contact with rear ends of the continuity checking pins
98
, and a guide block
103
having a connector engaging chamber
102
and mated with the pin block
99
. One set of pins
104
is constituted by the holder
95
, the insertion checking pins
96
, and the continuity checking pins
98
.
A connector
105
is inserted into the connector engaging chamber
102
by means of a similar mechanism to the conventional case. On this occasion, in case where one of the terminals is not completely inserted into a terminal containing chamber
107
as represented by a terminal
106
on a lower side, a flexible locking lance
108
of the connector housing is in contact with an outer peripheral face of the terminal
106
and deflected. Accordingly, a distal end of the insertion checking pin
96
is abutted against an end of the flexible locking lance
108
, and the holder
95
retreats integrally with the insertion checking pin
96
and continuity checking pin
98
. In short, the set pin
104
retreats, and the abnormal condition can be detected, because a contact between the continuity checking pin
98
and the terminal
106
is not attained.
In the above described conventional structure as shown in
FIG. 5
, defective continuity is indicated when the terminals
106
have not been completely inserted into the connector housing. However, in such an unusual case as an indication lamp is defective or an operator has missed the indication, it is concerned that quality of the check may not be assured. There is another problem that since the holder
95
slidably retreats in the pin block
99
when the insertion checking pin
96
is abutted against the flexible locking lance
108
, the holder
95
may wear due to repeated use, resulting in bad motion or jerking.
Further, in Japanese Patent laid Open Publication No. 7-73949 (not shown), there is disclosed a structure in which an insertion checking pin abutted against a flexible locking lance which has been deflected retreats and shuts off a switching part, thereby causing a faulty electrical continuity and the NG continuity is indicated. In this structure too, there has been an anxiety that the switching part may wear and must be exchanged depending frequency of operation.
In view of the above described drawbacks, it is an object of the present invention to provide a continuity checking device for a connector which has a mechanism capable of reliably checking an abnormal condition in the event of an accident such as defect of an indication lamp or overlook of the indication, in which wear around the insertion checking pins with respect to the flexible locking lances and resulting breakdown, etc. can be prevented, and further, which has a simple structure and can be manufactured at a low cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to attain the above described object, there is provided, according to the present invention, a connector continuity checking device comprising a connector holding part in which a connector is set, a checking part including continuity checking pins capable of contacting with terminals of the connector, and insertion checkin
Armstrong Westerman & Hattori, LLP
Le N.
Sundaram T. R.
Yazaki -Corporation
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