Electrical connectors – With insulation other than conductor sheath – Metallic connector or contact secured to insulation
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-04
2001-08-28
Paumen, Gary F. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With insulation other than conductor sheath
Metallic connector or contact secured to insulation
Reexamination Certificate
active
06280261
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a retaining structure of a connector for retaining a terminal portion in a connector housing of the connector without forming a clearance therebetween. In particular, the present invention relates to a retaining structure suited for a high-frequency coaxial connector used in the connection of a car wire harness.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. Hei. 11-98061, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various electronic equipments and parts are mounted on current automobiles, and wire harnesses and connectors have been used in the connection of such electronic equipments and so on. Various connectors are known, and such a related connector will be described with reference to
FIGS. 9
to
13
.
In this connector
31
, a terminal portion
34
is inserted in a receiving portion
33
, formed in a connector housing
32
, and is retained against withdrawal therefrom. The terminal portion
34
, shown in
FIGS. 9 and 10
, is formed by forming an electrically-conductive, resilient flat member (made, for example, of brass) into a generally trough-like shape. Wire clamping piece portions
36
are formed at one end of the terminal portion
34
, and wire conductor-clamping portions
38
are formed generally at a central portion of the terminal portion
34
, and are separated from the wire clamping piece portions
36
by notches
35
, respectively. Notches
37
are formed immediately adjacent to front ends of the conductor clamping portions
38
, respectively.
A pair of spring portions
39
are formed at the other end portion of the terminal portion
34
, and are defined by opposite side wall portions of the other end portion, respectively. A slit is formed in a bottom wall portion
41
, so that that portion of the bottom wall portion
41
, disposed between the two spring portions
39
, forms a resilient-retaining piece portion
42
.
A wire
43
is inserted into the terminal portion
34
as shown in phantom in
FIG. 10
, and a conductor
43
a
of this wire is electrically connected to the terminal portion
34
by pressing the conductor clamping portions
38
, and the wire
43
is fixedly secured to the terminal portion
34
by pressing the wire clamping piece portions
36
.
As shown in
FIG. 11
, the terminal portion
34
, having the wire
43
thus fixed thereto, is received in the hollow receiving portion
33
formed in the connector housing
32
. At this time, the resilient-retaining piece portion
42
is once retracted to a plane, in which the bottom wall portion
41
lies, by a surface of the connector housing
32
as shown in
FIG. 12
, and then when the insertion of the terminal portion
34
further proceeds, so that the resilient-retaining piece portion
42
reaches an opening
32
a
in the connector housing, the resilient-retaining piece portion
42
is restored into its original shape as shown in FIG.
13
.
As a result, the terminal portion
34
is received in the connector housing
32
, and a mating terminal
44
is inserted between the spring portions
39
, and is electrically connected thereto as shown in phantom in FIG.
10
.
In the connector
31
, the terminal portion
34
is inserted until the distal end of the terminal portion
34
is brought into engagement with an inner end surface
33
a
of the receiving portion
33
, and the resilient-retaining piece portion
42
is retainingly engaged in the opening
32
a
, thereby preventing the terminal portion
34
from withdrawal from the connector housing
32
. Therefore, in the assembled condition in which the terminal portion
34
is received in the receiving portion
33
, a clearance L is formed between the resilient-retaining piece portion
42
and a side surface of the opening
32
a
as shown in FIG.
13
.
Therefore, when the mating terminal
44
is inserted into the terminal portion
34
as described above, the terminal portion
34
is moved in accordance with the clearance L, thus causing a relative movement between the terminal portion and the connector housing.
In order to overcome this problem, there have been proposed a construction, in which an increased number of resilient-retaining piece portions are provided, and a construction in which the double retaining is effected. Referring to the construction, having an increased number of resilient-retaining piece portions, in connection with
FIGS. 9 and 10
, the resilient-retaining piece portions are formed respectively at outer surfaces of the wire clamping piece portions
36
. With this construction, although a clearance in a transverse direction can be reduced, a clearance in a longitudinal direction can not be eliminated.
In the construction in which the double retaining is effected, a terminal portion is retained relative to a connector housing, and the terminal portion is retained relative to the connector housing by a completely-retaining member which is separate from or integral with the connector housing. In this construction, the retained condition, achieved by the completely-retaining member, is the completely-retained condition, and during the transfer and production of the connector, the terminal portion is held in a provisionally-retained condition without the use of the completely-retaining member. However, when the completely-retaining member is provided on the connector housing, there have been encountered problems that the completely-retaining member becomes obstructive during the transfer, that the connector fails to be set in an existing automatic wire harness-assembling apparatus, and that the terminal portion is completely retained by the completely-retaining member during the transfer.
The above connector
31
is designed to connect a wire of a power source or the like. There is also known the type of connector designed to connect a shielded wire. Such a shield connector is designed to connect conductors together and also to connect shielded wires together, and therefore has a larger number of component parts as compared with the above connector. Therefore, clearances between members increase a total clearance between a connector housing and a terminal portion, and because of this increased clearance, a relative movement between the terminal portion and the connector housing, occurring when connecting the mating connector to the terminal portion, is large.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
With the above problems in view, it is an object of this invention to provide a retaining structure of a connector which can reduce a clearance between a connector housing and a terminal portion with a simple construction without increasing the number of component parts.
To achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector which comprises a connector housing including a receiving portion formed therein, a terminal portion insertable into the receiving portion of the connector housing, a spring attachable to the connector housing so as to project into the receiving portion, a spring holder formed on a first side surface of the terminal portion, the spring holder pressing the spring so that the spring is resiliently deformed when the terminal portion is inserted into the receiving portion, a resilient-retaining piece portion formed on a second side surface of the terminal portion, the resilient-retaining piece portion being slid on an inner surface of the receiving portion while being resiliently deformed when the terminal portion is inserted into the receiving portion, and a retaining portion formed in the receiving portion, wherein, when the terminal portion is inserted into a predetermined position within the receiving portion, a whole of the terminal portion is pushed by the spring so that the resilient-retaining piece portion is retained by the retaining portion.
Further, according to the second aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the spring is resilient in an axial direction of the terminal portion inserted into the receiving portion.
Fu
Paumen Gary F.
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
Yazaki -Corporation
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