Patent Grant
11095070
The present invention relates to an electrical connector.
An electrical connector is used at the time of electrically connecting electric wires to each other or an electric wire to a substrate. Such an electrical connector has a housing having terminals and electric wires to be connected to the terminal. As the electric wire for use in the electrical connector, a single wire and a stranded wire are used.
Of these, the single wire is made up of one conductor, and a coating to coat the conductor. At a tip part of the single wire, the coating is removed to expose the outer periphery of the conductor. For example, as shown in JP 2015-011990 A, the conductor being exposed at the tip part of the single wire is held between a pair of leaf spring-shaped connecting pieces to electrically connect the terminal of the electrical connector with the single wire.
Unlike a stranded wire, a single wire for use in an electrical connector is made up of one conductor being relatively thick and has high rigidity. Therefore, when a rotational force is applied around the axis of the single wire, for example, before or after the electrical connector is assembled into a counterpart connector, a coating portion of the single wire and a part of the conductor, which is connected to a terminal of the single wire, are not twisted around the axis like the stranded wire, but both rotate together around the axis.
In this way, when the rotational force is applied around the axis of the conductor in a connecting part between the conductor of the single wire and a terminal of a housing, the conductor being held between terminals rotates with respect to the terminal of the housing to be easily pulled out from the housing.
Then, in view of such problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector that makes it possible to suppress rotation around the axis of a tip part of a single wire connected to a single wire connecting part of a terminal of the electrical connector and to suppress removal of the single wire from a housing.
An electrical connector according to the present invention is an electrical connector, to which a single wire is to be connected, the electrical connector to be electrically connected to a counterpart connector, and the electrical connector comprising: a housing a terminal to which the single wire is to be connected, the terminal being provided in the housing; and a holding member for holding the single wire in a given extending direction, the holding member being mounted to an end part of the housing, the end part being on a side of the housing at which the single wire is connected, wherein the terminal has a single wire insertion part having an inserting port into which a tip part of the single wire is inserted; a single wire connecting part to be electrically connected to the tip part of the single wire; and a counterpart terminal connecting part to be electrically connected to a counterpart terminal of the counterpart connector; the holding member and/or the housing has a leading-out part to lead out the single wire from an inside of the housing to an outside of the housing; and the leading-out part is configured to lead out the single wire being bent and extending in the given extending direction so as to cross an axis direction of the tip part of the single wire connected to the single wire connecting part.
Moreover, the leading-out part preferably has a pair of wall parts to abut against the single wire such that the tip part of the single wire does not rotate around the axis of the tip part.
Furthermore, the single wire connecting part preferably comprises a pair of contact spring parts pinching the tip part of the single wire from both sides of the single wire.
Moreover, the holding member preferably has an engaging part to engage with an engaged part provided on a side face of the housing, and the engaging part is provided at a position being adjacent to the leading-out part.
Furthermore, the holding member preferably has a pressing face extending in a direction being perpendicular to the axis direction of the tip part of the single wire.
Moreover, the holding member and/or the housing further preferably has a second leading-out part, and in a case that the single wire is bent in a second direction other than the extending direction of the single wire being led out in the leading-out part, the second leading-out part is configured to lead out the single wire in the second direction.
Furthermore, preferably, the holding member further has a third leading-out part, and in a case that the single wire extends along the axis direction of the tip part of the single wire, the third leading-out part is configured to lead out the single wire in the axis direction of the tip part of the single wire.
The electrical connector according to the present invention makes it possible to suppress rotation around the axis of a tip part of a single wire connected to a single wire connecting part of a terminal of the electrical connector and to suppress removal of the single wire from a housing.
Below, an Embodiment of an electrical connector according to the present invention is described with reference to the drawings. The Embodiment shown below is merely exemplary, so that the electrical connector according to the present invention is construed to be not limited to the below-described Embodiment.
As shown in
In the Embodiment, as shown in
The counterpart connector C is a connector to be connected to the electrical connector 1. In the Embodiment, the counterpart connector C is mounted to the substrate B on which a circuit pattern (not shown) is formed. The electrical connector 1 is fitted and connected to the counterpart connector C in a direction being substantially perpendicular to the substrate B. It should be noted that the electrical connector 1 may be fitted and connected to the counterpart connector C in a direction being substantially parallel to the substrate B. In the specification, a direction in which the electrical connector 1 is fitted to and removed from the counterpart connector C is referred to as a fitting direction. Further, regarding each member constituting electrical connector 1 or counterpart connector C, a side in the fitting direction in which the electrical connector 1 moves when the electrical connector 1 is fitted to the counterpart connector C is referred to as a fitting side. Further, a side in the fitting direction in which the electrical connector 1 moves when the electrical connector 1 is removed from the counterpart connector C is referred to as a removal side. The counterpart connector C may be a connector having an electric wire and not being mounted to the substrate B.
As shown in
The base part C1 has the counterpart terminal C2 and is to be connected to the housing 2 of the electrical connector 1. For example, the base part C1 is formed by a resin material having insulation properties. The shape and structure of the base part C1 are construed to be not particularly limited and may be appropriately changed in accordance with the uses of the connector to be used. In the Embodiment, the base part C1 is mounted to the substrate B, and supports a plurality of (four) counterpart terminals C2 such that they extend in a direction being perpendicular to the substrate B. The base part C1 has a terminal block C11 into which the counterpart terminals C2 are inserted and a counterpart engaging piece C12 extending from the terminal block C11 in a direction being substantially perpendicular to the substrate B. The terminal block C11 is provided on the surface of the substrate B and formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The counterpart engaging piece C12 is formed in a plate shape and has, at the free end thereof, a claw to be engaged with a housing engaging piece E of the housing 2 to be described below.
The counterpart terminal C2 is a terminal to be connected to the terminal 3 of the electrical connector 1. The terminal 3 of the electrical connector 1, and the counterpart terminal C2 are connected to electrically connect the electrical connector 1 and the counterpart connector C. The shape and structure of the counterpart terminal C2 are construed to be not particularly limited as long as the counterpart terminal C2 may be connected to the terminal 3 of the electrical connector 1 to electrically connect the electrical connector 1 and the counterpart connector C. The shape and structure of the counterpart terminal C2 may be appropriately changed in accordance with the shape of the terminal 3 of the electrical connector 1. In the Embodiment, the counterpart terminal C2 is a pin-shaped terminal formed by a material having electrically conductive properties. The counterpart terminal C2 extends in a direction being substantially perpendicular to the substrate B and is provided to penetrate through the terminal block C11 and the substrate B. One end of the counterpart terminal C2 is inserted into the terminal 3 of the electrical connector 1. The counterpart terminal C2 penetrates the substrate B and the other end of the counterpart terminal C2 is connected to the rear surface of the substrate B by soldering. In the Embodiment, four counterpart terminals C2 are provided. However, the number of the counterpart terminals C2 is construed to be not limited and is appropriately changed in accordance with the number of terminals 3 of the electrical connector 1.
The housing 2 of the electrical connector 1 is connected to the counterpart connector C. The housing 2 is formed by a resin material having insulation properties, for example. As shown in
The shape and structure of the housing 2 are construed to be not particularly limited and are appropriately changed in accordance with the uses in which the electrical connector 1 is used or a subject to which the electrical connector 1 is mounted. In the Embodiment, the housing 2 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and is configured such that a plurality of (four) terminals 3 may be housed therein. Specifically, the plurality of housing parts 21 are arranged in a row and are partitioned by a partition wall 22, and the terminals 3 housed in the plurality of housing parts 21 are mutually separated. The housing 2 has a first side face 2a and a second side face 2b opposing each other, and a third side face 2c and a fourth side face 2d, the third side face 2c and the fourth side face 2d to mutually connect the first side face 2a and the second side face 2b. In the Embodiment, the first side face 2a and the second side face 2b are extending in a direction in which the plurality of housing parts 21 are arranged in a row.
The first side face 2a has a housing engaging piece E to engage with the counterpart engaging piece C12 of the counterpart connector C. When the electrical connector 1 is connected to the counterpart connector C, the housing engaging piece E engages with the counterpart engaging piece C12 to prevent coming off of the electrical connector 1. The housing engaging piece E has a claw on the fitting side (the lower side in
Moreover, as shown in
Furthermore, as shown in
Moreover, as shown in
The terminal 3 is provided in the housing 2, to which the single wire W and the counterpart terminal C2 are connected. The terminal 3 is formed of an electrically conductive material, and when the single wire W and the counterpart terminal C2 are connected, the terminal 3 is electrically connected to the single wire W and to the counterpart terminal C2. The terminal 3 is housed in the housing part 21 of the housing 2. In the Embodiment, the terminal 3 is formed by bending one sheet of metal plate being punched or cut, for example. The terminal 3 is inserted into the housing part 21 of the housing 2 and is mounted to the housing part 21. Specifically, the terminal 3 is formed into a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape by bending the metal plate. The terminal 3 is inserted and fixed to the housing part 21 being elongated in the fitting direction and having a substantially rectangular shape in the cross section being cut perpendicular to the fitting direction. As shown in
As shown in
The single wire inserting part 31 is a part into which the tip part W11 of the single wire W is inserted. The single wire inserting part 31 is provided at a first end part 3a of the terminal 3 and is positioned in proximity to the first opening 211 of the housing 2. The inserting port 31a being formed in the single wire inserting part 31 receives the tip part W11 of the single wire W. In the Embodiment, the inserting port 31a is formed in a circular shape having a diameter being slightly greater than that of the single wire W. Therefore, the inserting port 31a regulates movement of the single wire W in a direction being perpendicular to the inserting direction at the time of inserting the single wire W into the terminal 3 to make it easier to insert the single wire W thereinto. The shape and structure of the inserting part 31a are construed to be not particularly limited as long as the single wire W may be inserted thereto toward the single wire connecting part 32.
The single wire connecting part 32 is a part to be electrically connected to the tip part W11 of the single wire W being inserted into the single wire inserting part 31. The single wire connecting part 32 is preferably configured to hold the single wire W so as to maintain the contact with the tip part W11 of the single wire W. The structure of the single wire connecting part 32 is construed to be not limited to the structure shown as long as the single wire W may be connected thereto. In the Embodiment, the single wire connecting part 32 comprises a pair of contact spring parts 32a and 32b to pinch the tip part W11 of the single wire W from both sides of the tip part W11.
The pair of contact spring parts 32a and 32b pinches the single wire W to electrically connect the single wire W and the terminal 3. The pair of contact spring parts 32a and 32b extends inwardly from each of side faces of the terminal 3 in an inclined manner such that the contact spring parts 32a and 32b mutually extend closer to each other. Specifically, the pair of contact spring parts 32a and 32b extends such that the interval between the contact spring part 32a and the contact spring part 32b decreases as it proceeds in the inserting direction of the single wire W. The pair of contact spring parts 32a and 32b is formed so as to be bent inwardly relative to the side face of the terminal 3 and functions as leaf springs. The interval between the tips of the contact spring parts 32a and 32b before the single wire W is inserted is less than the diameter of the single wire W (see the two-dot chain line in
The counterpart terminal connecting part 33 is a part to which the counterpart terminal C2 of the counterpart connector C is electrically connected. The shape and structure of the counterpart terminal connecting part 33 are construed to be not particularly limited as long as the counterpart terminal connecting part 33 may be electrically connected to the counterpart terminal C2. In the Embodiment, the counterpart terminal connecting part 33 has a spring part 331 formed by bending a metal plate making up the terminal 3 into a spring shape. Specifically, the spring part 331 is formed by being bent at a second end part 3b of the terminal 3 to extend in an inclined manner toward the first end part 3a, and thereafter, further being bent. The interval between the inner surface of the side face of the terminal 3, and the spring part 331 is less than the width of the counterpart terminal C2. The counterpart terminal C2 is configured to be pinched by the inner surface of the side face of the terminal 3, and the spring part 331 at the time the counterpart terminal C2 is connected to the counterpart terminal connecting part 33.
The holding member 4 is mounted to an end part of the housing 2, the end part being on the side to which the single wire W is connected. The holding member 4 holds the single wire W so that the single wire W extends in a given extending direction. In the Embodiment, the single wire W extends from the holding member 4 so as to be bent with respect to the tip part W11 of the single wire W. In other words, the holding member 4 holds the single wire W such that a part of the single wire W, which extends to the outside of the housing 2, is not on the same axis as the tip part W11 being connected to the single wire connecting part 32 of the terminal 3. While the material of the holding member 4 is construed to be not particularly limited, the holding member 4 may be formed by a resin material having insulation properties, for example.
The holding member 4 is mounted to an end part of the housing 2, the end part being on the side to which the single wire W is connected (an end part in which the first opening 211 is provided), when the single wire W is connected to the terminal 3 and bent. It should be noted that the single wire W may be bent after it is connected to the terminal 3, or may be bent before it is connected to the terminal 3. A method of assembly between the holding member 4 and the housing 2 is construed to be not particularly limited as long as the holding member 4 and the housing 2 may be connected with the single wire W extending in the given extending direction. In the Embodiment, the holding member 4 is mounted to the housing 2 by engaging with the housing 2. Specifically, as shown in
Moreover, as shown in
In the Embodiment, as shown in
In the Embodiment, the holding member 4 has, besides the first engaging part 41 and the second engaging part 43, side walls being provided so as to cover the end part of the housing 2 with the side walls opposing the three outer surfaces (the first side face 2a, the third side face 2c, and the fourth side face 2d) of the housing 2 when the holding member 4 is mounted to the housing 2 (see
As shown in
The leading-out part 44 is a part to guide the single wire W such that the single wire W extends in a bent state with respect to the tip part W11. In the Embodiment, the dimension of the leading-out part 44 in the axis X direction is defined by a bottom face 42b of the base body 42 of the holding member 4, and an upper end face 26 of the second side face 2b of the housing 2. While details will be described below, in the Embodiment, the leading-out part 44 has a pair of wall parts 44a and 44b to abut against the single wire W so that the tip part W11 of the single wire W does not rotate around the axis X of the tip part W11. The pair of wall parts 44a and 44b is separated from each other at a distance corresponding to the diameter of the single wire W along the width direction of the housing 2. In the Embodiment, the pair of wall parts 44a and 44b is made up by the mutually opposing side edges of the pair of the first engaging parts 41 neighboring each other. In the single wire W being provided on the outermost side, the side edge of the first engaging part 41, and a side wall 42c of the base body 42 opposing the side edge of the first engaging part 41 (see
Next, the effect of the Embodiment is described.
In the Embodiment, the holding member 4 has the leading-out part 44, and the leading-out part 44 is configured to lead out the single wire W being bent and extending in a given extending direction so as to cross the axis X direction of the tip part W11 of the single wire W. In this way, the single wire W is mounted such that the axis X of the tip part W11 of the single wire W and the axis X2 of a leading-out portion of the single wire W being led out from the leading-out part 44 cross each other when the single wire W is connected to the electrical connector 1. Therefore, even in a case that a rotational force F (see
Moreover, in the Embodiment, the leading-out part 44 has the pair of wall parts 44a and 44b, and the single wire W passing through the leading-out part 44 abuts against the pair of wall parts 44a and 44b. Therefore, the single wire W abuts against the pair of wall parts 44a and 44b even in a case that a force F2 to rotate the single wire W around the axis X of the tip part W11 of the single wire W in the horizontal direction is applied, as shown in
Furthermore, in the Embodiment, the first engaging part 41 of the holding member 4 is provided at a position neighboring the leading-out part 44. Since the first engaging part 41 is provided at the position neighboring the leading-out part 44, even in a case that a force F3 is applied to the single wire W in a direction such that the holding member 4 is removed from the housing 2 as shown with an arrow F3 in
Next, variations of the Embodiment are described.
While the leading-out part 44 is configured such that the plurality of single wires W extend in the same direction in the above-described Embodiment, as shown in
The second leading-out part 45 is shown as a partitioned rectangular through hole in
Moreover, as shown in
Furthermore, as shown in a schematic view in
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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| JP2019-086646 | Apr 2019 | JP | national |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 20200343669 A1 | Oct 2020 | US |
