The present invention relates to a connector.
Conventionally, as a connector, a connector has been known in which a plurality of sets of terminal-equipped electric wires are arranged side by side in a direction orthogonal to an axial direction of each electric wire in a housing, and are fitted and connected to a counterpart connector in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction and the orthogonal direction. A terminal fitting used in the connector includes a terminal connection portion that is physically and electrically connected to a counterpart connector and an electric wire connection portion that is physically and electrically connected to a terminal of an electric wire, and an extending direction of the terminal connection portion along a fitting connection direction to the counterpart connector and a drawing direction of the electric wire from the electric wire connection portion are orthogonal to each other. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2017-62922 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2019-75203 below disclose this type of connector. In the connector of Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2017-62922, a terminal connection portion protrudes from a position of an electric wire connection portion in a fitting connection direction to a counterpart connector, thereby reducing a size of the terminal fitting in a drawing direction (axial direction) of the electric wire. In addition, in the connector of Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2019-75203, a terminal connection portion and an electric wire connection portion are connected by an elastic member formed of a braided wire, thereby reducing the size of a terminal fitting in a wire drawing direction (axial direction). With use of such a terminal fitting, the connectors of Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2017-62922 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2019-75203 aim to reduce an overall size in the drawing direction (axial direction) of the electric wire.
By the way, in the connector, in a containment chamber of the housing, the respective electric wires of the plurality of sets of terminal-equipped electric wires are arranged in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the electric wires, and the respective terminal fittings of the two adjacent terminal-equipped electric wires are offset from each other in the axial direction of the electric wires in this arrangement state, whereby the respective terminal connection portions may be arranged to be shifted from each other in the axial direction of the electric wires. In such a connector, since the electric wire connection portion is also arranged to be shifted in the axial direction of the electric wire in the containment chamber together with the terminal connection portion, in order to secure a connection region between the electric wire connection portion and the electric wire, there is a need to increase the volume of the containment chamber of the housing in the drawing direction (axial direction) of the electric wire as compared with a case where two adjacent terminal fittings are not arranged to be offset. For this reason, with an increase in the size of the housing of the connector, there is a possibility that an entire size of the connector also increases in the drawing direction (axial direction) of the electric wire.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a connector capable of suppressing an increase in size.
The connector according to one aspect of the present invention includes: a terminal fitting including: an electric wire connection portion that causes an electric wire to which a core wire of a terminal is physically and electrically connected to be drawn out in an axial direction; a terminal connection portion that is a portion protruding in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction and is inserted into a counterpart connector to be physically and electrically connected to an electrical connection target of the counterpart connector; and a coupling portion that couples the electric wire connection portion and the terminal connection portion; and a housing in which a plurality of terminal-equipped electric wires including a set of the terminal fittings and the electric wires are arranged in an arrangement direction orthogonal to the axial direction and the orthogonal direction, protruding directions of the respective terminal connection portions of the plurality of terminal-equipped electric wires are aligned in the same direction, and drawing directions of the electric wires from the respective electric wire connection portions of the plurality of terminal-equipped electric wires are aligned in the same direction and accommodated in an inner containment chamber, wherein a first terminal fitting including a first electric wire connection portion, a first terminal connection portion, and a first coupling portion as the electric wire connection portion, the terminal connection portion, and the coupling portion, and a second terminal fitting including a second electric wire connection portion, a second terminal connection portion, and a second coupling portion as the electric wire connection portion, the terminal connection portion, and the coupling portion are provided as the terminal fitting, the first terminal fitting causes the first coupling portion to protrude from the first electric wire connection portion to a side opposite to the drawing direction and causes the first terminal connection portion to protrude from the first coupling portion in the protruding direction, the second terminal fitting causes the second coupling portion to protrude from the second electric wire connection portion toward the drawing direction and causes the second terminal connection portion to protrude from the second coupling portion in the protruding direction, the second terminal connection portion is disposed at a position overlapping a coating of the electric wire drawn out from the second electric wire connection portion when viewed in the protruding direction of the second terminal connection portion, and in the containment chamber, the first terminal fitting and the second terminal fitting are arranged side by side in the arrangement direction in a state where the second terminal connection portion is offset from the first terminal connection portion in the drawing direction.
The above and other objects, features, advantages and technical and industrial significance of this invention will be better understood by reading the following detailed description of presently preferred embodiments of the invention, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.
A connector according to the present invention includes a terminal fitting and a housing, and is connected to a terminal of an electric wire.
The terminal fitting includes: an electric wire connection portion that causes an electric wire to which a core wire of a terminal is physically and electrically connected to be drawn out in an axial direction of the electric wire; a terminal connection portion that is a portion protruding in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction and is inserted into a counterpart connector to be physically and electrically connected to an electrical connection target of the counterpart connector; and a coupling portion that couples the electric wire connection portion and the terminal connection portion. Further, in the housing, a plurality of terminal-equipped electric wires including a set of terminal fittings and electric wires are arranged in an arrangement direction orthogonal to the axial direction and the orthogonal direction, protruding directions of the respective terminal connection portions of the plurality of terminal-equipped electric wires are aligned in the same direction, and drawing directions of the electric wires from the respective electric wire connection portions of the plurality of terminal-equipped electric wires are aligned in the same direction, and the plurality of terminal-equipped electric wires are housed in an inner containment chamber.
In this connector, at least two terminal-equipped electric wires are housed in the containment chamber of the housing. Therefore, the connector includes, as a terminal fitting, a first terminal fitting having a first electric wire connection portion, a first terminal connection portion, and a first coupling portion as an electric wire connection portion, a terminal connection portion, and a coupling portion, and a second terminal fitting having a second electric wire connection portion, a second terminal connection portion, and a second coupling portion as an electric wire connection portion, a terminal connection portion, and a coupling portion. The first terminal fitting is formed in a shape in which the first coupling portion protrudes from the first electric wire connection portion to a side opposite to the drawing direction of the electric wire, and the first terminal connection portion protrudes from the first coupling portion in the protruding direction. In addition, the second terminal fitting is formed in a shape in which the second coupling portion protrudes from the second electric wire connection portion toward a wire drawing direction, and the second terminal connection portion protrudes from the second coupling portion in the protruding direction. Then, the second terminal connection portion is arranged at a position overlapping a coating of the electric wire drawn out from the second electric wire connection portion as viewed in the protruding direction. In the containment chamber of the housing, the first terminal fitting and the second terminal fitting are arranged side by side in the arrangement direction in a state where the second terminal connection portion is offset from the first terminal connection portion in the drawing direction of the electric wire.
Here, in the conventional connector, since the plurality of first terminal fittings are accommodated in the containment chamber of the housing, when one first terminal connection portion of two first terminal fittings adjacent in the arrangement direction is offset in the electric wire drawing direction with respect to the other first terminal connection portion, there is a need to enlarge a capacity of the containment chamber of the housing in the electric wire drawing direction (axial direction) in order to secure a connection region between the first electric wire connection portion of one first terminal fitting and the electric wire. Therefore, in the conventional connector, as the size of the housing increases, an entire size also increases in the drawing direction (axial direction) of the electric wire.
On the other hand, in the connector according to the present invention, the arrangement of the second electric wire connection portion and the second terminal connection portion of the second terminal fitting is replaced with respect to the arrangement of the first electric wire connection portion and the first terminal connection portion of the first terminal fitting, and the second terminal connection portion is offset in the electric wire drawing direction with respect to the first terminal connection portion. That is, in the connector according to the present invention, in the containment chamber of the housing, the second electric wire connection portion of the second terminal fitting can be disposed adjacent to the first electric wire connection portion of the first terminal fitting, and the second terminal connection portion of the second terminal fitting can be disposed adjacent to the first electric wire connection portion of the first terminal fitting. Therefore, in the connector according to the present invention, there is no need to increase the volume of the containment chamber of the housing in the electric wire drawing direction (axial direction) only to secure the connection region between the second electric wire connection portion of the second terminal fitting and the electric wire, which makes it possible to suppress an increase in size of the housing in the drawing direction. Therefore, the connector according to the present invention can suppress an increase in size of the entire body in the drawing direction (axial direction) of the electric wire.
Incidentally, in the connector according to the present invention, the terminal fitting is desirably formed in a shape in which the axis of the electric wire drawn out from the electric wire connection portion and the central axis of the terminal connection portion in the protruding direction are arranged on the same plane. As a result, in this connector, the plurality of terminal-equipped electric wires can be arranged with a reduced gap therebetween in the arrangement direction, which makes it possible to suppress an increase in size of the housing in the arrangement direction. Therefore, the connector according to the present invention can also suppress an increase in the overall size in the arrangement direction by using such terminal fittings (first terminal fitting, second terminal fitting).
Further, in the connector according to the present invention, it is desirable to provide a partition wall for partitioning between the first terminal fitting and the second terminal fitting in the containment chamber of the housing. As a result, in this connector, it is possible to suppress contact between the first terminal fitting and the second terminal fitting adjacent to each other. In the connector according to the present invention, when the second coupling portion is arranged to face the electric wire in the arrangement direction, the second coupling portion is desirably arranged to face the coating of the electric wire drawn out from the second electric wire connection portion on the opposite side to the first terminal fitting side. As a result, in this connector, since the second coupling portion does not interfere with the partition wall, the second terminal fitting can be arranged close to the first terminal fitting in the arrangement direction. Therefore, the connector according to the present invention can also suppress an increase in the overall size in the arrangement direction by using such a second terminal fitting.
Hereinafter, a specific embodiment of a connector according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited by the embodiment.
One embodiment of a connector according to the present invention will be described with reference to
Reference numeral 1 in
The connector 1 includes a terminal fitting 10 and an insulating housing 20 that houses the electric wire We and the terminal fitting 10 (
The terminal fitting 10 is made of a conductive material such as metal. For example, the terminal fitting 10 is formed into a predetermined shape by press molding such as bending or cutting a metal plate as a base material.
The terminal fitting 10 is physically and electrically connected to a core wire We1 of the terminal of the electric wire We to form a terminal-equipped electric wire Wt (
The terminal fitting 10 includes an electric wire connection portion 11 that causes the electric wire We to which the core wire We1 of the terminal is physically and electrically connected to be drawn out in the axial direction of the electric wire We (
In addition, the terminal fitting 10 is a portion protruding in a direction orthogonal to an axial direction of the electric wire We, and includes a terminal connection portion 12 which is inserted into a counterpart connector and is physically and electrically connected to an electrical connection target of the counterpart connector (
The terminal connection portion 12 illustrated here has a protruding direction as a fitting connection direction with respect to the counterpart connector terminal connection portion of the counterpart connector terminal fitting, and is physically and electrically connected to the counterpart connector terminal connection portion by being fitted and connected to the counterpart connector terminal connection portion along the fitting connection direction. One of the terminal connection portion 12 and the counterpart connector terminal connection portion is formed in a female terminal shape, and the other is formed in a male terminal shape. In this example, the terminal connection portion 12 is formed in a cylindrical female terminal shape, and the counterpart connector terminal connection portion is formed in a shaft-like male terminal shape to be fitted into the terminal connection portion 12. A contact member (not illustrated) that is elastically deformed as the counterpart connector terminal connection portion is inserted is assembled inside the terminal connection portion 12. Here, the counterpart connector terminal connection portion is fitted into the terminal connection portion 12, and a connection direction with respect to the counterpart connector terminal connection portion as viewed from the terminal connection portion 12 is defined as a fitting connection direction.
In addition, the terminal fitting 10 includes a coupling portion 13 obtained by coupling the electric wire connection portion 11 and the terminal connection portion 12 (
In the housing 20, a plurality of terminal-equipped electric wires Wt including the set of terminal fittings 10 and the electric wire We are arranged in an arrangement direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the electric wire We and the protruding direction of the terminal connection portion 12, the protruding directions of the respective terminal connection portions 12 of the plurality of terminal-equipped electric wires Wt are aligned in the same direction, and the drawing directions of the electric wires We from the respective electric wire connection portions 11 of the plurality of terminal-equipped electric wires Wt are aligned in the same direction and housed in an inner containment chamber (hereinafter, referred to as a “terminal containment chamber”) 20a (
In the connector 1 of the present embodiment, as the terminal fitting 10 to be accommodated in the terminal containment chamber 20a, there are provided at least a first terminal fitting 10A having a first electric wire connection portion 11A, a first terminal connection portion 12A, and a first coupling portion 13A as the electric wire connection portion 11, the terminal connection portion 12, and the coupling portion 13, and a second terminal fitting 10B having a second electric wire connection portion 11B, a second terminal connection portion 12B, and a second coupling portion 13B as the electric wire connection portion 11, the terminal connection portion 12, and the coupling portion 13 (
In the first terminal fitting 10A, the first terminal connection portion 12A is disposed on the opposite side of the first electric wire connection portion 11A from the drawing direction of the electric wire We when viewed from the first electric wire connection portion 11A (
Further, the first terminal fitting 10A is formed in a shape in which the axis of the electric wire We drawn out from the first electric wire connection portion 11A and the central axis of the first terminal connection portion 12A in the protruding direction are arranged on the same plane P1 (
In the first terminal fitting 10A shown here, the first coupling portion 13A is arranged on substantially the same plane as a bottom portion of the first electric wire connection portion 11A, and the first terminal connection portion 12A is coupled to the first coupling portion 13A such that the central axis is arranged on the same plane P1 as the axis of the electric wire We drawn out from the first electric wire connection portion 11A. The first coupling portion 13A illustrated here is formed in an L shape connecting the two piece portions, one piece portion protrudes from the bottom portion of the first electric wire connection portion 11A to the side opposite to the drawing direction of the electric wire We, and the other piece portion protrudes from the end portion in the protruding direction toward the fitting connection direction. The main body of the first coupling portion 13A is formed in a flat plate shape, but is connected to the first electric wire connection portion 11A side and the first terminal connection portion 12A side at arc-shaped ends matching the respective shapes of the first electric wire connection portion 11A and the first terminal connection portion 12A. The first terminal connection portion 12A protrudes in the fitting connection direction from an end of the other piece portion of the first coupling portion 13A on the protruding direction side.
In the second terminal fitting 10B, the second terminal connection portion 12B is disposed on the drawing direction side of the electric wire We with respect to the second electric wire connection portion 11B as viewed from the second electric wire connection portion 11B (
Further, the second terminal fitting 10B is formed in a shape in which the axis of the electric wire We drawn out from the second electric wire connection portion 11B and the central axis of the second terminal connection portion 12B in the protruding direction are arranged on the same plane P2 (
In the second terminal fitting 10B illustrated here, the second coupling portion 13B is arranged at a position covering the coating We2 of the electric wire We drawn out from the second electric wire connection portion 11B, and the second terminal connection portion 12B is coupled to the second coupling portion 13B such that the central axis is arranged on the same plane P2 as the axis of the electric wire We. The second coupling portion 13B illustrated here is formed in an L shape in which the respective end portions are offset and connected according to a position of a bottom portion of the second electric wire connection portion 11B and a position of an outer peripheral surface of the second terminal connection portion 12B. In the second coupling portion 13B, one end portion is protruded toward the drawing direction side of the electric wire We while being offset from the bottom portion of the second electric wire connection portion 11B in consideration of a thickness of the coating We2, and is connected to a plate-like main body covering the outer peripheral surface of the electric wire We (outer peripheral surface of the coating We2). In the second coupling portion 13B, the other end portion protrudes in the fitting connection direction while being offset from the main body in consideration of the position of the outer peripheral surface of the second terminal connection portion 12B. The second terminal connection portion 12B protrudes from the other end portion thereof toward the fitting connection direction.
In the terminal containment chamber 20a of the housing 20, the first terminal fitting 10A and the second terminal fitting 10B are arranged side by side in the previous arrangement direction in a state where the second terminal connection portion 12B is offset from the first terminal connection portion 12A in the drawing direction of the electric wire We. In the terminal containment chamber 20a, the second electric wire connection portion 11B of the second terminal fitting 10B is disposed adjacent to the first terminal connection portion 12A of the first terminal fitting 10A, and the second terminal connection portion 12B of the second terminal fitting 10B is disposed adjacent to the first electric wire connection portion 11A of the first terminal fitting 10A (
Here, in the terminal containment chamber 20a, in order to prevent contact between the first terminal fitting 10A and the second terminal fitting 10B adjacent to each other, a partition wall 20b (a first partition wall 20b to be described later) partitioning between the first terminal fitting 10A and the second terminal fitting 10B is provided (
Specifically, the connector 1 of the present embodiment includes three terminal-equipped electric wires Wt. For example, the connector 1 can be configured to include another second terminal fitting 10B as the terminal fitting 10 in addition to the first terminal fitting 10A and the second terminal fitting 10B described above. That is, the connector 1 includes one first terminal-equipped electric wire Wt1 provided with the first terminal fitting 10A and two second terminal-equipped electric wires Wt2 provided with the second terminal fitting 10B (not illustrated). In this case, in the terminal containment chamber 20a of the housing 20, similarly to the one second terminal fitting 10B, in a state where the second terminal connection portion 12B of the other second terminal fitting 10B is offset in the drawing direction of the electric wire We with respect to the first terminal connection portion 12A, the other second terminal fitting 10B is arranged side by side on the opposite side of the one second terminal fitting 10B in the arrangement direction with respect to the first terminal fitting 10A. In the terminal containment chamber 20a, the second electric wire connection portions 11B of the respective second terminal fittings 10B are arranged on both sides of the first terminal connection portion 12A of the first terminal fitting 10A, and the second terminal connection portions 12B of the respective second terminal fittings 10B are arranged on both sides of the first electric wire connection portion 11A of the first terminal fitting 10A.
In order to prevent contact between the first terminal fitting 10A and the second terminal fitting 10B adjacent to each other, the terminal containment chamber 20a is provided with a partition wall that partitions between the first terminal fitting 10A and one second terminal fitting 10B and a partition wall that partitions between the first terminal fitting 10A and the other second terminal fitting 10B. However, since the connector 1 of the present embodiment is configured to include one first terminal fitting 10A and two second terminal fittings 10B, there is a need to separate the other second terminal fitting 10B from the first terminal fitting 10A in the arrangement direction in order to prevent interference between the second coupling portion 13B of the other second terminal fitting 10B and the partition wall, which may cause an increase in the overall size in the arrangement direction.
Therefore, the connector 1 of the present embodiment is desirably configured to include, as the terminal fitting 10, in addition to the one first terminal fitting 10A and the one second terminal fitting 10B described above, a third terminal fitting 10C including a third electric wire connection portion 11C, a third terminal connection portion 12C, and a third coupling portion 13C as the electric wire connection portion 11, the terminal connection portion 12, and the coupling portion 13 (
In the third terminal fitting 10C, similarly to the second terminal fitting 10B, the third terminal connection portion 12C is disposed closer to the drawing direction side of the electric wire We than the third electric wire connection portion 11C when viewed from the third electric wire connection portion 11C (
Therefore, the third terminal fitting 10C is formed in a shape in which the third coupling portion 13C protrudes from the third electric wire connection portion 11C toward the drawing direction of the electric wire We, and the third terminal connection portion 12C protrudes from the third coupling portion 13C in the fitting connection direction. Then, the third terminal connection portion 12C is arranged at a position overlapping the coating We2 of the electric wire We drawn out from the third electric wire connection portion 11C as viewed in the protruding direction.
Further, similarly to the second terminal fitting 10B, the third terminal fitting 10C is formed in a shape in which the axis of the electric wire We drawn out from the third electric wire connection portion 11C and the central axis of the third terminal connection portion 12C in the protruding direction are arranged on the same plane P3 (
In the third terminal fitting 10C shown here, similarly to the second terminal fitting 10B, the third coupling portion 13C is arranged at a position covering the coating We2 of the electric wire We drawn out from the third electric wire connection portion 11C, and the third terminal connection portion 12C is coupled to the third coupling portion 13C such that the central axis is arranged on the same plane P2 as the axis of the electric wire We. The third coupling portion 13C illustrated here is formed in an L shape in which the respective end portions are offset and connected according to a position of a bottom portion of the third electric wire connection portion 11C and a position of an outer peripheral surface of the third terminal connection portion 12C. In the third coupling portion 13C, one end portion is protruded toward the drawing direction side of the electric wire We while being offset from the bottom portion of the third electric wire connection portion 11C in consideration of a thickness of the coating We2, and is connected to a plate-like main body covering the outer peripheral surface of the electric wire We (outer peripheral surface of the coating We2). In the third coupling portion 13C, the other end portion protrudes in the fitting connection direction while being offset from the main body in consideration of the position of the outer peripheral surface of the third terminal connection portion 12C. The third terminal connection portion 12C protrudes from the other end portion thereof toward the fitting connection direction.
However, in the terminal containment chamber 20a of the housing 20, in a state where the third terminal connection portion 12C is offset from the first terminal connection portion 12A in the drawing direction of the electric wire We, the third terminal fitting 10C is arranged side by side on the opposite side of the second terminal fitting 10B in the arrangement direction with respect to the first terminal fitting 10A. Therefore, in the terminal containment chamber 20a, the second electric wire connection portion 11B of the second terminal fitting 10B and the third electric wire connection portion 11C of the third terminal fitting 10C are arranged on both sides of the first terminal connection portion 12A of the first terminal fitting 10A, and the second terminal connection portion 12B of the second terminal fitting 10B and the third terminal connection portion 12C of the third terminal fitting 10C are arranged on both sides of the first electric wire connection portion 11A of the first terminal fitting 10A (
Here, in the terminal containment chamber 20a, in order to prevent contact between the first terminal fitting 10A and the third terminal fitting 10C adjacent to each other, a second partition wall 20c for partitioning between the first terminal fitting 10A and the third terminal fitting 10C is provided in addition to the previous partition wall 20b (first partition wall 20b) for preventing contact between the first terminal fitting 10A and the second terminal fitting 10B adjacent to each other (
The housing 20 is made of an insulating material such as a synthetic resin.
The housing 20 includes a first cylindrical portion 20d formed in a cylindrical shape, and a second cylindrical portion 20e having a cylindrical shape protruding from one end of the first cylindrical portion 20d in a cylindrical axis direction with the cylindrical axis direction aligned with the cylindrical axis direction (
The terminal of the electric wire We is also accommodated in the space 20d1 inside the first cylindrical portion 20d together with the electric wire connection portion 11. In the first cylindrical portion 20d, a notch 20d2 for drawing out the electric wire We from the space 20d1 is formed (
In the space 20e1 inside the second cylindrical portion 20e, the terminal connection portion 12 is accommodated with the fitting connection direction to the counterpart connector terminal connection portion aligned with the cylindrical axis direction. In the space 20e1 inside the second cylindrical portion 20e illustrated here, the respective terminal connection portions 12 of the two terminal fittings 10 (second terminal fitting 10B, third terminal fitting 10C) are accommodated side by side in a direction orthogonal to the cylindrical axis direction of the second cylindrical portion 20e (fitting connection direction of the terminal connection portion 12) and the drawing direction of the electric wire We from the electric wire connection portion 11, and the terminal connection portion 12 of the remaining one terminal fitting 10 (first terminal fitting 10A) is accommodated at an interval in a direction opposite to the drawing direction of the electric wire We with respect to an intermediate position of the two terminal connection portions 12 (
The housing 20 has a fitting portion to be fitted and connected to a through hole of a housing of an electric device. In the housing 20, the second cylindrical portion 20e is used as the fitting portion (
The connector 1 includes an annular seal member 41 that fills an annular gap between an outer peripheral surface of the fitting portion (second cylindrical portion 20e) and an inner peripheral surface of the through hole in the housing to achieve waterproof and dustproof therebetween (
The housing 20 of the present embodiment includes a housing body 21 provided with such a first cylindrical portion 20d and a second cylindrical portion 20e (
In the housing body 21, all the terminal-equipped electric wires Wt (first terminal-equipped electric wire Wt1, second terminal-equipped electric wire Wt2, and third terminal-equipped electric wire Wt3) are accommodated in the terminal containment chamber 20a from the opening (the opening is an opening at an end opposite to the fitting connection direction, and is hereinafter referred to as “insertion port”) 20d3 (
The housing 20 of the present embodiment includes a terminal holding member 22 that is housed in the terminal containment chamber 20a and holds the terminal fitting 10 in the terminal containment chamber 20a (
In the terminal holding member 22, a cylindrical terminal containment portion 22a that houses and holds the terminal connection portion 12 is provided for each terminal fitting 10 (
The terminal holding member 22 is provided with two wall portions that sandwich the first electric wire connection portion 11A and the first coupling portion 13A of the first terminal fitting 10A in the arrangement direction. In the terminal holding member 22, the second electric wire connection portion 11B and the second coupling portion 13B in the second terminal fitting 10B are arranged together with the electric wire We adjacent to the first electric wire connection portion 11A and the first coupling portion 13A with one wall portion interposed therebetween, and thus, this one wall portion is used as the first partition wall 20b described above (
The terminal holding member 22 is held by the housing body 21 in the terminal containment chamber 20a. For example, the housing body 21 and the terminal holding member 22 are held between each other by a plurality of lock mechanisms 51 using claw portions or the like that hook each other (
In addition, the housing 20 of the present embodiment includes a holding portion (hereinafter, referred to as “electric wire holding portion”) 60 that guides and holds all the electric wires We drawn out from the notch 20d2 of the first cylindrical portion 20d in the drawing direction (
In addition, the housing 20 of the present embodiment includes a cover member 23 that is assembled to the housing body 21 to block the insertion port 20d3 of the first cylindrical portion 20d (
The cover member 23 has a plate-like blockage portion 23a that blocks the insertion port 20d3 of the first cylindrical portion 20d (
The connector 1 includes a seal member 42 that fills a gap between the first cylindrical portion 20d and the blockage portion 23a to achieve waterproof and dustproof therebetween (
The cover member 23 is held by the housing body 21 at an assembly completion position. For example, the housing body 21 and the cover member 23 are held between each other by a plurality of lock mechanisms 52 using claw portions or the like that hook each other (
Further, the cover member 23 includes a second holding portion 62 that serves as one end of the electric wire holding portion 60 together with the first holding portion 61 (
The electric wire holding portion 60 is formed by coupling the first holding portion 61 of the housing body 21 and the second holding portion 62 of the cover member 23 at the assembly completion position of the housing body 21 and the cover member 23. The first holding portion 61 and the second holding portion 62 are assembled to each other in the same direction as the assembling direction of the housing body 21 and the cover member 23.
In addition, the housing 20 of the present embodiment includes a front holder 24 (
The front holder 24 is held by the housing body 21 at the assembly completion position. For example, the housing body 21 and the front holder 24 are held between each other by a plurality of lock mechanisms 53 using claw portions or the like that hook each other (
The shield shell 30 is provided to suppress intrusion of noise into the housing 20 and to release the noise carried on a shield material SH from the housing of the electric device to the vehicle body. Therefore, the shield shell 30 is made of a conductive material such as metal. The shield shell 30 has a containment chamber (hereinafter, referred to as “housing containment chamber”) 30a that covers the housing 20 from the outside to contain the housing 20 (
The shield shell 30 includes a first shield shell member 31 and a second shield shell member 32 assembled to each other (
The housing containment chamber 30a is formed in the first shield shell member 31 (
In the peripheral wall body 31b shown here, the drawing direction side of the electric wire We is notched, and the electric wire holding portion 60 of the housing 20 protrudes outward from the notch 31b1 (
The second shield shell member 32 includes a cylindrical portion 32a having a cylindrical shape that surrounds the electric wire holding portion 60 protruding outward from the notch 31b1 of the first shield shell member 31 from the outside, and a plate-like connection portion 32b that is interposed between the blockage portion 23a of the cover member 23 and the main wall body 31a of the first shield shell member 31 and physically and electrically connected to the main wall body 31a (
The shield material SH is physically and electrically connected to an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 32a by covering an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 32a with an end portion of the shield material SH and further crimping an annular caulking member 33 covered from the outer side thereof (
In the shield shell 30, two female screw portions 34A in which the fitting connection direction of the fitting portion (second cylindrical portion 20e) is a screw axis direction are formed in the first shield shell member 31, and the first shield shell member 31 and the second shield shell member 32 are screwed and fixed by screwing a male screw member 34B inserted into a through hole of each female screw portion 34A of a fixing portion 32d of the second shield shell member 32 into the female screw portion 34A (
The shield shell 30 is physically and electrically connected to the housing of the electric device by screwing and fixing the peripheral wall body 31b of the first shield shell member 31 to the housing of the electric device. For example, two female screw portions (not illustrated) are formed on an attachment surface of the housing, and the peripheral wall body 31b is screwed and fixed by a screw shaft orthogonal to a fitting connection direction of the fitting portion (second cylindrical portion 20e). In the peripheral wall body 31b, a through hole 35 for inserting a male screw member (not illustrated) to be screwed into the female screw portion is formed for each female screw portion (
As described above, in the connector 1 of the present embodiment, in the two terminal fittings 10 adjacent to each other in the arrangement direction, the electric wire connection portion 11 and the terminal connection portion 12 of one terminal fitting 10 are arranged side by side in this order in the direction opposite to the drawing direction (axial direction) of the electric wire We, and the electric wire connection portion 11 and the terminal connection portion 12 of the other terminal fitting 10 are arranged side by side in this order in the drawing direction (axial direction) of the electric wire We. In the connector 1, the terminal connection portion 12 of one terminal fitting 10 is offset from the terminal connection portion 12 of the other terminal fitting 10 in the drawing direction (axial direction) of the electric wire We. Therefore, in the connector 1 of the present embodiment, a connection region between the electric wire connection portion 11 and the electric wire We can be secured in the other terminal fitting 10 in which the terminal connection portion 12 is offset in the drawing direction (axial direction) of the electric wire We without enlarging the volume of the terminal containment chamber 20a of the housing 20 in the drawing direction (axial direction) of the electric wire We. Therefore, the connector 1 can suppress an increase in size of the housing in the drawing direction (axial direction) of the electric wire We, and can suppress an increase in size of the entire body in the drawing direction (axial direction).
In the connector according to the present embodiment, the arrangement of the second electric wire connection portion and the second terminal connection portion of the second terminal fitting is replaced with respect to the arrangement of the first electric wire connection portion and the first terminal connection portion of the first terminal fitting, and the second terminal connection portion is offset in the drawing direction of the electric wire with respect to the first terminal connection portion. That is, in the connector according to the present invention, in the containment chamber of the housing, the second electric wire connection portion of the second terminal fitting can be disposed adjacent to the first electric wire connection portion of the first terminal fitting, and the second terminal connection portion of the second terminal fitting can be disposed adjacent to the first electric wire connection portion of the first terminal fitting. Therefore, in the connector according to the present invention, there is no need to enlarge a capacity of the containment chamber of the housing in the electric wire drawing direction (axial direction) only to secure a connection region between the second electric wire connection portion of the second terminal fitting and the electric wire, and it is possible to suppress an increase in size of the housing in the electric wire drawing direction. Therefore, the connector according to the present invention can suppress an increase in size of the entire body in the drawing direction (axial direction) of the electric wire.
Although the invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments for a complete and clear disclosure, the appended claims are not to be thus limited but are to be construed as embodying all modifications and alternative constructions that may occur to one skilled in the art that fairly fall within the basic teaching herein set forth.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2021-214459 | Dec 2021 | JP | national |
This application is a continuation application of International Application No. PCT/JP2022/044679 filed on Dec. 5, 2022 which claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-214459 filed on Dec. 28, 2021 and designating the U.S., the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/JP2022/044679 | Dec 2022 | WO |
Child | 18599213 | US |