Electrical connection testing device and an electrical connection testing method for terminal fittings accommodated in a connector

• US 6,480,005 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2001
• Issued: 11/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Nagano, Yuji, Suzuki, Nobuhiro, Nishino, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Benson, Walter
• Application Number:
  US09/772,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20010013782A1
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 324/72.5, 324/538, 324/754, 439/289, 439/310, 439/680, 439/701
• US Class Current: 324/538
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/69 of terminals at the end of a cable or a wire harness; of plugs; of sockets, e.g. wall sockets or power sockets in appliances

Abstract

An electrical connection testing device is provided with a connector holder (12), first and second probe holders (13, 14) which are successively arranged such that the connector holder (12) and the second probe holder are movable toward and away from the connector holder (12). A pushing mechanism (18) for pushing a receiving surface (14d) of the second probe holder (14) at the opposite side from the connector holder (12) is so coupled with the second probe holder (14) as to be movable toward and away from the second probe holder (14). The second probe holder (14) and the connector holder (12) are moved according to the movement of the pushing mechanism (18), thereby being positioned at testing positions (P1) where probes (16, 17) are inserted into testing holes (1a) of a connector (C) from opposite sides or at retracted positions (P2) where the connector can be taken out of a connector holder (12).

Claims

1. An electrical connection testing device (10;

30;

100) for testing electrical connections of terminal fittings (T) at least partly accommodated in a connector (C) by at least partly inserting testing probes (16;

17) through testing holes (Ce) formed in side walls (Cb) of a connector housing (Ca), so that the testing probes (16, 17) can contact with side surfaces of the terminal fittings (T) of the connector (C), comprising;

a connector holder (12) adapted to hold the connector (C) and formed with probe insertion holes (12e) through which the probes (16, 17) are insertable for contact with the terminal fittings (T) of the held connector (C),

first and second probe holders (13, 14) carrying the respective probes (16, 17), and

a relative displacement mechanism (18;

19;

15;

35;

118) for relatively displacing at least two of the first probe holder (13), the second probe holder (14) and the connector holder (12) with respect to each other so as to insert the probes (16, 17) into the probe insertion holes (12e) and into contact with the terminal fittings (T) of the held connector (C).

2. An electrical connection testing device according to claim 1, further comprising a base portion (11) to which the first probe holder (13) is secured, and on which the connector holder (12) and the second probe holder (14) are provided for movement toward and away from the first probe holder (13).

3. An electrical connection testing device according to claim 2, wherein the relative displacement mechanism (18;

19;

15;

35;

118) comprises a pushing mechanism (18;

118) for pushing a receiving surface (14d;

13b, 14b) of at least one of the first probe holder (13) and the second probe holder (14) at a side opposite from the connector holder (12), the pushing mechanism (14d;

13b, 14b) being movably coupled to at least one of the first probe holder (13) and the second probe holder (14).

4. An electrical connection testing device according to claim 3, wherein the second probe holder (14) and the connector holder (12) are moved toward the first probe holder (13) by a movement of the pushing mechanism (18;

19) toward the second probe holder (14), thereby positioning the probes (16, 17) at testing positions (FIG. 6B) where they are insertable from opposite sides into testing holes (Cd) of a connector (C) held by the connector holder (12).

5. An electrical connection testing device according to claim 4, wherein the pushing mechanism (18;

118) comprises a lever (19) pivotally mounted at an end of a base portion (11) about one point as a fulcrum (A), and a cam (19b) for pushing one of a receiving surface (14d;

14a) of the second probe holder (14) and a receiving surface (13a) of the first probe holder(13) as the lever (19) is pivoted.

6. An electrical connection testing device according to claim 1, wherein the relative displacement mechanism (18;

19;

15;

35;

118) comprises a retraction linking mechanism (15;

35) for moving the second probe holder (14) and the connector holder (12) together to retracted positions (FIG. 6A) where the connector (C) can be at least partly mounted into and taken out of the connector holder (12).

7. An electrical connection testing device according to claim 1, wherein the relative displacement mechanism (18;

19;

15;

35;

118), comprises springs (15a;

15b) provided between the first probe holder (13) and the connector holder (12) and between the connector holder (12) and the second probe holder (14) for biasing the holders (13, 14) in directions away from each other.

8. An electrical connection testing device according to claim 6, wherein the retraction linking mechanism (15;

35) comprises first and second links (35a, 35b) provided between the connector holder (12) and the second probe holder (14) and between the second probe holder (14) and the relative displacement mechanism (18;

19;

15;

35;

118).

9. An electrical connection testing device according to claim 1, wherein the probe insertion holes (12e) are formed in substantially opposite side wall portions (12c) of the connector holder (12) and wherein first and a second probe holders are arranged in such a manner as to substantially face the opposite side surfaces of the connector holder (12).

10. An electrical connection testing device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second probe holders (13, 14) comprises a stopper (20;

21) for preventing relative movements of the first and/or second probe holders (13, 14) to the testing positions (FIG. 6A;

P1) by interfering with a retainer (Ce) when the retainer (Ce) mounted on the connector (C) is insufficiently inserted.

11. An electrical connection testing device according to claim 1,

wherein a pair of probe holders (13, 14) is arranged to move toward and away from the opposite side surfaces of the connector holder (12).

12. An electrical connection testing device according to claim 11, wherein the relative movement mechanism (18;

19;

15;

35;

118) comprises springs (115c, 115d) for biasing the probe holders (13, 14) toward the connector holder (12) to be positioned at testing positions (P1) where the probes (16, 17) are inserted through the testing holes (Cd) of the connector (C) held in the connector holder (12).

13. An electrical connection testing device according to claim 12, wherein the relative movement mechanism (18;

19;

15;

35;

118) comprises a cam (118) that is pivotable about a fulcrum (A), the cam (118) having a pair of pushing surfaces (118a;

118b) projecting in two substantially opposite directions with the fulcrum (A) as a center, the cam (118) being provided on one side wall of the connector holder (12), and the probe holders (13, 14) being formed with guide surfaces (13a, 14a ) with which the corresponding pushing surfaces (118a, 118b) can come into contact,

wherein the pushing surfaces (118a, 118b) push the guide surfaces (13a, 14a ) of the probe holders (13, 14) by the rotation of the cam (118), thereby moving the probe holders (13, 14) away from the connector holder (12), against biasing forces of the springs (115c, 115d) to retracted positions (P2) where the connector (C) can be at least partly inserted into and taken out of the connector holder (12).

14. An electrical connection testing device according to claim 13, wherein the cam (118) is secured to a lever (19) pivotal about the fulcrum (A) and is rotated by a pivotal movement of the lever (19).

15. An electrical connection testing method for testing electrical connections of terminal fittings (T) at least partly accommodated in a connector (C), comprising the following steps:

providing a connector (C) having testing holes (Ce) formed in side walls (Cb) of a connector housing (Ca);

inserting the connector (C) into a connector holder (12) formed with probe insertion holes (12e) substantially corresponding to the testing holes (Ce);

relatively displacing at least two of a first probe holder (13), a second probe holders (13, 14) carrying respective one or more probes (16, 17) and the connector holder (12) with respect to each other so as to at least partly insert the probes (16, 17) into the probe insertion holes (12e) and the testing holes (Cd) for contact with the terminal fittings (T) of the held connector (C); and

testing the terminals fittings (T) at least partly accommodated in the connector (C) by means of the probes.