Metal working – Means to assemble or disassemble – Means to disassemble electrical device
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-06
2003-10-21
Arbes, Carl J. (Department: 3729)
Metal working
Means to assemble or disassemble
Means to disassemble electrical device
C029S235000, C029S758000, C029S426600
Reexamination Certificate
active
06634096
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a terminal removal jig for removing a terminal by warping a securing lance within a connector housing.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 8
is a conventional terminal removal jig
51
disclosed in JUM-A-62-188080.
The terminal removal jig has a size approximately equal to that of a pencil, and is composed of a bar-like grip
52
, an unlocking pin
53
which protrudes from the tip of the grip
52
, a terminal pushing pin
54
which protrudes movably from the tip of the grip
52
and located shorter than the unlocking pin
53
and a coil spring
55
for urging the terminal pushing pin
54
in a protruding direction.
FIGS. 9A
to
9
C sequentially show the process for removing a terminal
57
using the terminal removal jig
51
.
As seen from
FIG. 9A
, a terminal
57
is accommodated in a terminal accommodating chamber
59
at the rear of a connector housing
58
of synthetic resin, and a tab
60
which serves as an electrical contact of the terminal
57
protrudes into a connector fitting chamber
61
at the front of the connector housing
58
. In this state, releasing of the terminal
57
is prevented in such a manner that an elastic locking piece
62
which protrudes from an intermediate portion of the terminal
57
is brought into contact with a step
64
at the end of a space
63
successive from the connector fitting chamber
61
in an axial direction.
The connector housing
58
is a female type which has the connector fitting chamber
61
, whereas the terminal
57
is a male type which has the tab
60
. An electric wire
66
is crimped on the end of the terminal
57
. The female-type connector housing
58
and the male-type terminal
57
constitute a female-type connector
56
. A male connector (not shown) is fit in the connector fitting chamber
61
. The tab
60
of the male terminal
57
is inserted in and connected to an electric contact of a female terminal within the male connector. In this specification, the connector
56
having the connector fitting chamber
61
is defined as a female connector, whereas a connector (not shown) having a front end corresponding to the connector fitting chamber
61
is defined as a male connector.
In
FIG. 9A
, the tip of the terminal removal jig
51
is inserted into the connector filling chamber
61
until the terminal pushing pin
54
is brought into contact with the tip of the tab
60
. In this state, the terminal removal jig
51
is moved forward as seen from
FIGS. 9B and 9C
so that the unlocking pin
53
enters the space
63
where the elastic locking piece
64
of the terminal
57
is located. When the tip of the unlocking pin
53
is brought into contact with the elastic locking piece
64
, it warps the elastic locking piece
62
so that the terminal
57
is eventually unlocked.
At the stage of
FIG. 9B
before unlocking, the terminal pushing pin
54
moves backwards while it compresses the coil spring
55
(FIG.
8
). As seen from
FIG. 9C
, the elastic locking piece
62
, while it is warped, gets over the step
64
. Simultaneously, the terminal
57
is pushed by the terminal pushing pine
54
so that it moves backwards. Finally, the electric wire
66
is pulled to draw out the terminal
57
from the terminal accommodating chamber
59
. The terminal
57
may be drawn out in the cases where the terminal
57
within the connector
56
exhibits poor conduction, the terminal
57
is impaired and an alien terminal is erroneously inserted, etc.
However, the conventional terminal removal jig
51
described above has the following defects. It is difficult to align smoothly the unlocking pin
53
with the elastic securing piece
57
for securing the terminal
57
so that some experience is required to do the work of unlocking the terminal
57
. Owing to unfamiliarity with dealing with the terminal releasing jig, the unlocking pin
53
may be inserted into the other portion of the connector housing
58
, the unlocking pin
53
may pick at the terminal
57
so that the terminal is deformed, or the connector housing
58
maybe damaged. Further, since the locking releasing pin
53
is slender and relatively sharp in its tip, a worker may be injured from the tip of the unlocking pin
53
. The terminal removal jig
51
, which is dedicated to the female connector
56
, cannot be applied to a male connector (not shown). Therefore, the terminal removal jig which can be applied to the male connector and permits the terminal to be unlocked easily by anyone has been eagerly demanded.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a terminal removal jig which can be applied to a male connector and easily aligned when a terminal is unlocked from a connector housing so that the terminal can be unlocked simply, easily and safely by anyone.
In order to attain the above object, in accordance with the invention, there is provided a terminal removal jig comprising: an outer case having a guide groove; a positioning member having a protruding portion at its tip which is to be engaged with a terminal insertion hole at a front end of a connector housing; an elastic body for urging the positioning member toward its protruding direction; and an unlocking plate secured on the outer case and having a unlocking pin at its tip, the unlocking pin being to be mated with an elastic locking lance within the connector housing.
In this configuration, by engaging the protruding portion at the tip of the positioning member in the terminal insertion hole of the connector, the position of the unlocking pin relative to the locking lance is defined accurately. Therefore, in this state, if the outer case is moved forward, the unlocking pin moves forward integrally to it to warp the locking lance so that the terminal is surely unlocked. In this case, while the positioning member moves backward, its protruding portion is always engaged in the terminal insertion hole, the position of the unlocking pin is always defined accurately. Thus, anybody can unlock the terminal simply and surely. Particularly, it is possible to unlock the terminal for the male connector having a terminal insertion hole simply and surely. Further, since an error of inserting the unlocking pin into the terminal insertion hole does not occur, an inconvenience of damaging or deforming the terminal within the connector by the tip of the unlocking pin can be prevented.
Preferably, in a free state of the positioning member, the tip of the unlocking pin is located behind the protruding portion of the positioning member. In this configuration, the tip of the unlocking pin is aligned with the positioning member and does not protrude externally. Therefore, an accident of injuring a worker by the sharp tip of the unlocking pin or damaging the connector housing can be prevented.
Preferably, the unlocking pin is kept in contact with the outer wall of the positioning member. In this configuration, the positioning accuracy of the unlocking pin relative to the positioning member or terminal insertion hole can be enhanced.
Preferably, in a state where the protruding portion is engaged in the terminal insertion hole, the tip of the unlocking pin faces a terminal removal jig insertion hole opposite to the locking lance. In this configuration, the unlocking pin has only to be moved forward so that it is inserted into the terminal removal jig insertion hole. This warps the locking lance to unlock the terminal surely.
Preferably, a protruding strip is formed on the outer wall of the positioning member, and a slit-like guide hole in which the protruding strip is slidably engaged is formed in the unlocking plate. In this configuration, the protruding strip is slidably engaged in the guide hole so that the unlocking plate, i.e. unlocking pin can be accurately positioned with respect to the positioning member.
Preferably, the inner wall of the slit-like guide hole is successive to the stem of the unlocking pin. In this configuration, since the protruding strip is located in contact with the stem of the unlocking
Abe Kimihiro
Yamamoto Masaya
Arbes Carl J.
Armstrong Westerman & Hattori, LLP
Trinh Minh
Yazaki -Corporation
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