Equipment direct-mounting-type shield electric connector

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6506078
  • Patent Number
    6,506,078
  • Date Filed
    Tuesday, November 7, 2000
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, January 14, 2003
    21 years ago
Abstract
A first shield connector (2) includes a first connector housing (11), mounted directly on a mounting portion (13), and a first metal terminal (12) which is inserted into a metal terminal receiving chamber (15) in the first connector housing from a connecting side thereof, and is fixed in the chamber. A second shield connector (4) includes a second connector housing (31), abutted against the first connector housing, a second metal terminal (32), which is inserted into a metal terminal receiving chamber (34) in the second connector housing from that side thereof remote from a connecting side thereof, and is electrically connected to the first metal terminal, and a rear holder (33) which is inserted into the second connector housing from that side thereof remote from the connecting side thereof so as to prevent rearward withdrawal of the second metal terminal, and covers an outer surface of the second connector housing, and is retained on an outer surface of the first connector housing.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The present invention relates to an equipment direct-mounting-type shield electric connector.




The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. Hei. 11-316662, which is incorporated herein by reference.




2. Description of the Related Art




There has heretofore been proposed a shield-type electric connector as shown in FIG.


7


.




This shield-type electric connector


80


comprises a first shield connector


82


(see, for example, Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication Nos. Hei. 8-78098 and Hei. 8-64306), mounted directly on an equipment (electrical equipment)


81


, and a second shield connector


83


(see, for example, Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication Nos. Hei. 7-245153 and Hei. 7-282891) connected to the first shield connector


82


.




The first shield connector


82


comprises a first connector housing


84


of a synthetic resin, mounted directly on the equipment


81


, and a first metal terminal


85


inserted in the first connector housing


84


. The first connector housing


84


has a hood portion


86


for receiving a second (mating) connector housing


90


, and a metal terminal receiving chamber


87


for receiving the first metal terminal


85


is formed within the hood portion


86


, and extends therethrough. An engagement hole


86




a


is formed through an outer wall of the hood portion


86


. An outer peripheral surface of the metal terminal receiving chamber


87


is covered with a first shielding shell


88


made of metal. The first shielding shell


88


is connected to an electrically-conductive contact member


89


provided between the first connector housing


84


and a wall surface


81




a


of the equipment


81


.




The second shield connector


83


comprises the second connector housing


90


, made of a synthetic resin, a second metal terminal


91


, inserted in the second connector housing


90


, and a second shielding shell


92


of metal mounted in the second connector housing


90


. A metal terminal receiving chamber


93


is formed within the second connector housing


90


, and a lock projection


94


is formed on and projects from an outer surface of the second connector housing


90


. A conductor


95




a


of a shielded wire (or cable)


95


is electrically connected to the second metal terminal


91


. The second metal terminal


91


is inserted in the second shielding shell


92


, and a braided wire


95




b


of the shielded wire


95


is secured to a rear end of the second shielding shell


92


. The engagement hole


86




a


in the first connector housing


84


and the lock projection


94


on the second connector housing


90


jointly provide a lock mechanism.




When the second shield connector


83


is pushed into the first shield connector


82


, the second connector housing


90


is inserted into the hood portion


86


of the first connector housing


84


. The first metal terminal


85


is electrically connected to the second metal terminal


91


, and the first shielding shell


88


is electrically connected to the second shielding shell


92


. The lock projection


94


on the second connector housing


90


is engaged in the engagement hole


86




a


in the first connector housing


84


. Namely, the first and second shield connectors


82


and


83


are fitted together. As a result, the external shielded wire


95


is electrically connected to the equipment


81


.




However, the second shield connector


83


(including the external shielded wire


95


) and the first shield connector


82


, mounted directly on the equipment, have many component parts, and therefore there has been encountered a drawback that many electrical contact points are provided when the two shield connectors


82


and


83


are connected together. As a result, the electrical resistance has increased, and the shielding effected has been lowered.




There has been encountered another problem that a pressing force, acting between the first and second shield connectors


82


and


83


during the connecting operation, increases because of an inserting force, acting between the first and second metal terminals


85


and


91


, and a frictional resistance force acting between the first and second shielding shells


88


and


92


.




And besides, there has been a possibility that the first and second connector housings


84


and


90


are damaged by the pressing force, acting on these housings during the connecting operation, since the two connector housings


84


and


90


are made of an insulative resin. In addition, the lock projection


94


and the engagement hole


86




a


are formed by resin molding, and therefore there has been encountered a disadvantage that molds (not shown) for forming the connector housings


84


and


90


are complicated in construction.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




With the above problems in view, it is an object of the present invention to provide a shield-type electric connector in which the number of component parts is reduced, thereby achieving an enhanced shielding effect, a reduced pressing force during a connecting operation, the prevention of damage to two connector housings during the connecting operation, and a simplified design of molds for resin-molding the two connector housings.




To achieve the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an equipment direct-mounting-type shield electric connector which includes a pair of first and second shield connectors fittable to each other,




wherein the first shield connector includes:




a first connector housing, mounted directly on a mounting portion of an equipment, and




a first metal terminal which is inserted into a metal terminal receiving chamber in the first connector housing from a connecting side thereof, and is fixed in the chamber; and




wherein the second shield connector includes:




a second connector housing, abutted against the first connector housing,




a second metal terminal, which is inserted into a metal terminal receiving chamber in the second connector housing from that side thereof remote from a connecting side thereof, and is electrically connected to the first metal terminal, and




a rear holder which is inserted into the second connector housing from that side thereof remote from the connecting side thereof so as to prevent rearward withdrawal of the second metal terminal, and covers an outer surface of the second connector housing, and is retained on an outer surface of the first connector housing.




Accordingly, the first and second shield connectors are simpler in construction as compared with the convention construction. The first and second shield connectors are retained and fixed relative to each other by the rear holder which covers the outer surface of the second connector housing, and serves to prevent the rearward withdrawal of the second metal terminal. With this construction, the first and second connector housings are connected together without the use of the related connector's lock mechanism.




According to a second aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the first metal terminal is inserted into the metal terminal receiving chamber in the first connector housing from that side thereof remote from the connecting side thereof, and a second rear holder for preventing rearward withdrawal of the first metal terminal is mounted on the first connector housing.




In the second aspect of the present invention, the rear holder for preventing the rearward withdrawal of the first metal terminal is mounted on the first connector housing, and therefore the metal terminal, which is to be inserted into the first connector housing from that side remote from the connecting side, can be used.




According to a third aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the outer surfaces of the rear holder and the first connector housing are covered with a shielding shell made of metal, and one end of the shielding shell is fixedly secured to the mounting portion made of metal, and the other end of the shielding shell is fixedly connected to a braided wire of a shielded wire connected to the second metal terminal.




In the third aspect of the present invention, the shielding shell, made of metal, covers the outer surfaces of the rear holder and the first connector housing, and the one end of the shielding shell is fixedly secured to the mounting portion on which the first connector housing is directly mounted, and the other end of the shielding shell is fixedly connected to the braided wire of the shielded wire connected to the second metal terminal. Therefore, the braided wire of the shielded wire is connected to the mounting portion through the shielding shell.




According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the one end of the shielding shell is fixedly secured to the mounting portion, and the shielding shell has a slanting wall formed intermediate the opposite ends thereof, and the slanting wall urges that side of the rear holder, remote from the connecting side thereof, toward the connecting side thereof.




In the fourth aspect of the present invention, the shielding shell has the slanting wall formed intermediate the opposite ends thereof, and therefore after the one end of the shielding shell is fixedly secured to the mounting portion, the slanting wall urges that side of the rear holder, remote from the connecting side thereof, toward the connecting side thereof, so that the connected condition of the first and second connector housings is maintained.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a view showing one preferred embodiment of an equipment direct-mounting-type shield electric connector of the present invention;





FIG. 2

is a view showing a first shield connector in

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 3

is a view showing a second shield connector in

FIG. 1

;





FIGS. 4A and 4B

show a rear holder in

FIG. 3

, and

FIG. 4A

is a front-elevational view, and

FIG. 4B

is a side-elevational view;





FIG. 5

is a perspective view of a shielding shell in

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 6

is a view showing a condition in which the first shield connector, press-fitted into a mounting portion in a fixed manner, and the second shield connector are connected together by the rear holder, and subsequently the two shield connectors are fixed to the mounting portion by the shielding shell; and





FIG. 7

is a view showing a related construction.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to

FIGS. 1

to


6


.

FIGS. 1

to


6


show one preferred embodiment of a shield-type electric connector of the present invention.




As shown in

FIG. 1

, this shield-type electric connector


1


comprises a first shield connector


2


, mounted directly on an equipment (not shown), a second connector


4


, electrically connected to an external shielded wire (or cable)


3


, and a shielding shell


5


connecting and holding the two shield connectors


2


and


4


together.




The shielded wire


3


comprises an electrically-conductive conductor


3




a


, disposed at the center thereof, an insulator


3




b


, covering an outer surface of the conductor


3




a


, a braided wire


3




c


, covering an outer surface of the insulator


3




b


in enclosing relation thereto, and a sheath


3




d


formed on an outer surface of the braided wire


3




c.






As shown in

FIGS. 1 and 2

, the first shield connector


2


comprises a first connector housing


11


of a synthetic resin, mounted directly on the equipment, and a first metal terminal


12


mounted within the first connector housing


11


.




The equipment is provided with a mounting portion


13


through which a wire


3


′ is passed. An engagement peripheral flange


14


is formed on and projects from an outer surface of the mounting portion


13


at an open end


13




a


thereof. A plurality of fastening holes


14




a


are formed in the flange


14


. One end of the first connector housing


11


is the connecting side (front end), and the other end portion of the first connector housing


11


is fitted into the open end


13




a


of the mounting portion


13


. A metal terminal receiving chamber


15


and a terminal receiving chamber


16


are formed in the first connector housing


11


in parallel relation to each other. The first metal terminal


12


for a large electric current is press-fitted into the metal terminal receiving chamber


15


from the front side, and is fixed in this chamber. The metal terminal receiving chamber


15


is tapering toward the rear side, and therefore prevents the first metal terminal


12


from rearward withdrawal therefrom without the use of a rear holder. A conductor


3




a′


of the wire


3


′ is secured to the first metal terminal


12


by pressing (or by press-fitting). On the other hand, a terminal


17


for a signal is retained in the terminal receiving chamber


16


. An elastic retaining lance


16




a


for retaining the terminal


17


is formed integrally on an inner surface of the terminal receiving chamber


16


. A signal wire


3




e′


is connected to the terminal


17


.




A positioning pin


18


is formed integrally on and projects forwardly (in a direction P) from the connecting side (front end) of the first connector housing


11


, this pin


18


being disposed below the metal terminal receiving chamber


15


. A pin receiving hole


19


is formed in the connecting side (front end) of the first connector housing


11


, and extends rearwardly (in a direction Q), this hole


19


being disposed below the positioning pin


18


.




A plurality of engagement projections


20


are formed integrally on the outer surface of the first connector housing


11


at equal intervals.




As shown in

FIGS. 1 and 3

, the second shield connector


4


comprises a second connector housing


31


, made of an insulative synthetic resin, a second metal terminal


32


, mounted within the second connector housing


31


, and a rear holder


33


of an insulative synthetic resin for holding the second metal terminal


32


.




A metal terminal receiving chamber


34


and a terminal receiving chamber


35


are formed in the second connector housing


31


. A pin receiving hole


36


is formed in the second connector housing


31


, and extends rearwardly (in a direction Q′), this hole


36


being disposed below the metal terminal receiving chamber


34


. A positioning pin


37


is formed integrally on and projects forwardly (in a direction P′) from the second connector housing


31


, this pin


37


being disposed below the pin receiving hole


36


. The second metal terminal


32


for a large electric current is inserted in the metal terminal receiving chamber


34


. The conductor


3




a


of the shielded wire


3


is connected to the second metal terminal


32


(by pressing or by press-fitting).




The second metal terminal


32


includes an electrically-conductive tubular terminal body


40


, a spring member


41


, mounted on a front end portion of the terminal body


40


, an engagement flange


42


formed on the terminal body


40


intermediate the opposite ends thereof, and a conductor clamping portion


43


formed at a rear end portion of the terminal body


40


.




A terminal


44


is inserted in the terminal receiving chamber


35


. A signal wire


3




e


, extending from the shielded wire


3


, is secured to the terminal


44


by pressing (or by press-fitting). A retaining lance


35




a


for engagement with a shoulder


44




a


of the terminal


44


is formed integrally on an inner surface of the terminal receiving chamber


35


.




A pair of pressing tube-receiving chambers


38


of a larger diameter are formed in that portion of the metal terminal receiving chamber


34


disposed at the rear portion of the second connector housing


31


remote from the connecting side (front end) thereof. An engagement step portion


39


is formed between the terminal receiving chamber


34


and the pressing-tube receiving chamber


38


.




As shown in

FIGS. 3 and 4

, the rear holder


33


includes a tubular holder body


45


, having an open end (one end)


45




a


and a closed end (the other end)


45




b


, a pair of terminal pressing tubes


46


and


46


, extending from the closed end


45




b


into the interior of the holder body


45


toward the one end thereof, and engagement holes


47


formed through a peripheral wall of the holder body


45


. The terminal pressing tubes


46


are received in the pressing tube-receiving chambers


38


, respectively, so that the engagement flange


42


of the second metal terminal


32


is held against the engagement step portion


39


.




A pair of slits


48


are formed through each of upper, lower, right side and left side portions of the peripheral wall of the holder body


45


, so that four elastic engagement walls


49


are provided. The engagement holes


47


are formed through the four elastic engagement walls


49


, respectively. A signal wire hole


46


′ is formed through an upper portion of the closed end


45




b


of the holder body


45


. The signal wire


3




e


is passed through the signal wire hole


46


′.




As shown in

FIGS. 1 and 4B

, the length L (longitudinal length) of the holder body


45


from the one end to the other end is larger than the length d of the second connector housing


31


from the rear end to the front end, and is smaller than the combined lengths D of the first and second connector housings


11


and


31


(d<L<D).




As shown in

FIGS. 1

,


3


and


5


, the connected condition of the first and second shield connectors


2


and


4


is maintained by the shielding shell


5


made of metal.




The shielding shell


5


includes a cylindrical shell body


51


, a mounting flange


52


, formed integrally at one end of the shell body


51


, a funnel-like slanting (tapering) wall


53


, extending from the other end of the shell body


51


, and a braided wire-connecting tube


54


of a smaller diameter formed integrally at a reduced-diameter end of the slanting wall


53


.




The shell body


51


is designed to cover the outer surface of the rear holder


33


. The diameter of the shell body


51


is larger than the diameter of the rear holder


33


. The mounting flange


52


extends outwardly from the outer surface of the shell body


51


. Fixing holes


52




a


are formed through the mounting flange


52


. The fixing holes


52




a


are to be aligned respectively with the fastening holes


14




a


formed in the engagement flange


14


on the mounting portion


13


. The mounting flange


52


is abutted against the engagement flange


14


, and is fixedly secured thereto by bolts (or screws)


6


. The larger-diameter end of the slanting wall


33


is slightly smaller in diameter than the rear holder


33


. By fixedly securing the mounting flange


52


to the engagement flange


14


, the shielding shell


5


, covering the rear holder


33


, holds and fixes the first and second shield connectors


2


and


4


.




At this time, the slanting wall


53


is in an expanded condition (that is, enlarged in diameter), and therefore the shielding shell


5


urges the rear end of the rear holder


33


toward the first shield connector


2


. Namely, the first and second shield connectors


2


and


4


can be held by the shielding shell


5


through the rear holder


33


.




As shown in

FIGS. 3 and 5

, the reduced-diameter end is smoothly continuous with the braided wire-connecting tube


54


. The inner diameter of the braided wire-connecting tube


54


is generally equal to the outer diameter of the insulator


3




b


of the shielded wire


3


.




As shown in

FIGS. 1 and 3

, the braided wire


3




c


of the shielded wire


3


is mechanically held between the braid wire-connecting tube


54


and a shielding tube


61


of metal, and also is electrically connected thereto. More specifically, the braided wire


3




c


is held between the braided wire-connecting tube


54


and the shielding tube


61


, and thereafter the braided wire-connecting tube


54


and the shielding tube


61


are compressed or deformed by a press or the like (not shown) to hold the braided wire


3




c


therebetween.




The mounting portion


13


, the engagement flange


14


and the shielding shell


5


are all made of metal, and therefore the braided wire


3




c


in the second shield connector


4


is electrically connected to the mounting portion


13


through the shielding shell


5


and the engagement flange


14


. With this construction, the number of electrical contact points is smaller as compared with the conventional construction. Therefore, the shielding effect can be enhanced.




A rubber grommet


62


is fitted on the shielding shell


5


. The grommet


62


encloses the rear end portion of the second shield connector


4


, the braided wire-connecting tube


54


and the exposed conductor


3




a


of the shielded wire


3


. One end portion of the grommet


62


is fixedly secured to the shielding shell


5


by a ring-shaped fastening member


63


, and the other end portion thereof is fixedly secured to the sheath


3




d


of the shielded wire


3


by a ring-shaped wire band


64


. With this construction, the exposed conductor


3




a


of the shielded wire


3


is completely kept in a waterproof condition by the grommet


62


.




Next, a method of producing the shield-type electric connector


1


will be described.




As shown in

FIG. 2

, the conductor


3




a′


and the signal wire


3




e′


of the wire


3


′, extending from the equipment, are passed through the mounting portion


13


. The terminal


17


is secured to the signal wire


3




e′


by pressing (or by press-fitting). The terminal


17


is inserted into the terminal receiving chamber


16


in the first connector housing


11


, and a shoulder


17




a


of the terminal


17


is engaged with the retaining lance


16




a


formed within the terminal receiving chamber


16


. The conductor


3




a′


is inserted into the metal terminal receiving chamber


15


in the first connector housing


11


, and then the first metal terminal


12


is secured to the conductor


3




a′


by pressing (or by press-fitting). The first metal terminal


12


is press-fitted into the metal terminal receiving chamber


15


from the connecting side (front side), and is fixed in this chamber. Thus, the first shield connector


2


is produced. At this time, preferably, a terminal retaining member


15




a


is inserted into the front end portion of the metal terminal receiving chamber


15


so as to prevent the displacement of the first metal terminal


12


.




As shown in

FIG. 3

, the sheath is removed from the shielded wire


3


, thereby exposing the braided wire


3




c


, and the shielded wire


3


is passed through a passage hole


62




a


in the grommet


62


. The terminal


44


is secured to the signal wire


3




e


of the shielded wire


3


by pressing, and this terminal


44


is inserted into the terminal receiving chamber


35


in the second connector housing


31


. The shoulder


44




a


of the terminal


44


is engaged with the retaining lance


35




a


within the terminal receiving chamber


35


. The insulator


3




b


is removed from the shielded wire


3


, thereby exposing the conductor


3




a


, and the second metal terminal is secured to the exposed conductor


3




a


by pressing. The second metal terminal


32


is inserted into the metal terminal receiving chamber


34


through the pressing tube-receiving chamber


38


in the second connector housing


31


. The rear holder


33


is attached to the second connector housing


31


from the rear side thereof so as to prevent the rearward withdrawal of the second metal terminal


32


. More specifically, when the terminal pressing tubes


46


of the rear holder


33


are received respectively in the pressing tube-receiving chambers


38


in the second connector housing


31


, the engagement flange


42


is abutted against the engagement step portion


39


by the terminal pressing tube


46


. As a result, the second metal terminal


32


is fixed in the metal terminal receiving chamber


34


. Thus, the second shield connector


4


is produced. In this condition, the signal wire


3




e


is passed through the signal wire hole


46


′ in the rear holder


33


.




As shown in

FIG. 6

, the positioning pin


18


on the first connector housing


11


is aligned with the pin receiving hole


36


in the second connector housing


31


while the positioning pin


37


on the second connector housing


31


is aligned with the pin receiving hole


19


in the first connector housing


11


. When the positioning pins


18


and


37


are inserted into the pin receiving holes


36


and


19


, respectively, the front end surfaces


11




a


and


31




a


of the first and second connector housings


11


and


31


are abutted against each other. As a result, the terminal


17


in the first shield connector


2


is fitted on the terminal


44


in the second shield connector


4


, and also the first metal terminal


12


is fitted on the second metal terminal


32


. Almost simultaneously with this fitting operation, the projections


20


on the first connector housing


11


are engaged respectively in the engagement holes


47


in the rear holder


33


. Thus, there is produced an electric connector member


1


′ in which the first and second shield connectors


2


and


4


are electrically and mechanically connected together.




The insulator


3




b


and the signal wire


3




e


of the shielded wire


3


are beforehand passed through the braided wire-connecting tube


54


of the shielding shell


5


. The braided wire


3




c


of the shielded wire


3


is held between the braided wire-connecting tube


54


and the shielding tube


61


, and the two tubes


54


and


61


are compressed by pressing or the like.




The rear end portion of the first connector housing


11


is press-fitted into the open end


13




a


of the mounting portion


13


, thereby fixing the electric connector member


1


′ to this mounting portion. The shielding shell


5


is fitted onto the electric connector member


1


′ from the rear holder side. The mounting flange


52


of the shielding shell


5


is abutted against the engagement flange


14


of the mounting portion


13


, and are fastened together by the bolts (or screws)


6


each passing through the fixing hole


52




a


into the fastening hole


14




a.






The grommet


62


, through which the shielded wire


3


is beforehand passed, is fitted on the shielding shell


5


. The one end portion of the grommet


62


is fixed to the shielding shell by the fastening member


63


, and the grommet is fixed to the sheath


3




d


of the shielded wire


3


by the wire band


64


. Thus, the shield-type electric connector


1


is produced.




As shown in

FIG. 1

, the number of the component parts of the first and second shield connectors


2


and


4


is smaller as compared with the conventional construction, and therefore the number of electrical contact points, provided when connecting the two shield connectors together, is reduced. Therefore, the electrical contact resistance can be reduced, thereby enhancing the shielding effect.




Because of the reduced number of the component parts, the pressing force, required for connecting the first and second shield connectors


2


and


4


together, can be reduced.




The first and second shield connector housings


11


and


31


are fixed relative to each other by other means than a lock mechanism, and therefore the first connector housing


11


or/and the second connector housing


31


are prevented from damage.




And besides, there is no need to resin-mold those portions corresponding to the lock mechanism, and therefore molds for resin molding the first and second connector housings


11


and


31


can be simplified in configuration. Therefore, the production cost of the molds can be reduced.




In this embodiment, the rear holder (first rear holder)


33


is fitted on the second connector housing


31


to fix the second metal terminal


32


. In a modified form of the present invention, similarly, a second rear holder (not shown) can be fitted on the first connector housing


11


to fix the first metal terminal


12


. In this case, the first metal terminal


12


is inserted into the first connector housing


11


from the rear side thereof as described above for the second metal terminal


32


. The second rear holder (not shown) may be retained on the first connector housing


11


, or may be retained on the first rear holder


33


.




As described above, in the present invention, the first and second shield connectors are simplified in construction, and therefore the number of the component parts can be reduced. Therefore, the number of electrical contact points, provided when connecting the first and second shield connectors together, is reduced, and therefore the electrical contact resistance is reduced. Therefore, the shielding effect of the shield-type electric connector can be enhanced as compared with the conventional construction.




The first and second connector housings are retained and fixed relative to each other by the rear holder, and therefore as compared with the conventional construction, the first and/or second connector housings are more effectively prevented from being damaged when connecting the two connector housings together. The first metal terminal is inserted into the first connector housing from the connecting side, and therefore a rear holder is not necessary, and the cost of the parts is reduced.




And besides, any means, similar to the conventional lock mechanism, does not need to be formed on the first and second connector housings by resin molding, and therefore the molds for molding the two connector housings can be simplified in construction. Therefore, the production cost of the molds is reduced.




Furthermore, since the first and second shield connectors are simplified in construction, the force, required for connecting the two shield connectors, can be reduced as compared with the conventional construction. Therefore, the connecting operation can be carried out easily.




In the present invention, the second rear holder covers the rear portion of the first connector housing, and therefore the first metal terminal, inserted in the first connector housing, is prevented from rearward withdrawal. Thus, the first and second metal terminals are positively prevented from rearward withdrawal by the respective rear holders.




In the present invention, the shielding shell of metal, covering the outer surfaces of the rear holder and the first connector housing, is directly fixed at one end thereof to the mounting portion of metal. Thus, the mounting portion and the shielding shell, both of which are made of metal, are fixedly connected to each other, and therefore damage (such as cracking) of the first and second connector housings is prevented in the fixing operation as compared with the fixing connection between a resin and metal or between a resin and a resin.




The other end of the shielding shell is fixedly connected to the braided wire of the shielded wire connected to the second metal terminal, and therefore the shielding effect of the shield-type electric connector is further enhanced.




In the present invention, after the one end of the shielding shell is fixedly secured to the mounting portion, the slanting wall, formed on the shielding shell intermediate the opposite ends thereof, urges that side of the rear holder, remote from the connecting side thereof, toward the connecting side thereof. Therefore, since the connected condition of the first and second connector housings can be positively maintained, the two connector housings are prevented from being disengaged from each other during the production of the shield-type electric connector. Therefore, the reliability of the connected condition is enhanced.



Claims
  • 1. An equipment direct-mounting-type shield electric connector, comprising a pair of first and second shield connectors fittable to each other,wherein the first shield connector comprises: a first connector housing, mounted directly on a mounting portion of an equipment, and a first metal terminal which is inserted into a metal terminal receiving chamber in the first connector housing, and is fixed in the chamber; and wherein the second shield connector comprises: a second connector housing, abutted against the first connector housing, a second metal terminal, which is inserted into a metal terminal receiving chamber in the second connector housing from a side thereof remote from a connecting side thereof, and is electrically connected to the first metal terminal, and a rear holder which is inserted into the second connector housing from the side thereof remote from the connecting side thereof so as to prevent rearward withdrawal of the second metal terminal, and covers the outer surface of the second connector housing, and is retained on the outer surface of the first connector housing.
  • 2. An equipment direct-mounting-type shield electric connector according to claim 1, wherein an outer surface of the rear holder and the outer surface of the first connector housing are covered with a shielding shell made of metal, and one end of the shielding shell is fixedly secured to the mounting portion made of metal, and another end of the shielding shell is fixedly connected to a braided wire of a shielded wire connected to the second metal terminal.
  • 3. An equipment direct-mounting-type shield electric connector according to claim 2, wherein the one end of the shielding shell is fixedly secured to the mounting portion, and the shielding shell has a slanting wall formed intermediate opposite ends thereof, and the slanting wall urges a side of the rear holder, remote from the connecting side thereof, toward the connecting side thereof.
  • 4. An equipment direct-mounting-type shield electric connector according to claim 1, wherein the first connector housing has projections which are respectively engaged in engagement holes of the rear holder.
  • 5. An equipment direct-mounting-type shield electric connector, comprising a pair of first and second shield connectors fittable to each other,wherein the first shield connector comprises: a first connector housing, mounted directly on a mounting portion of an equipment, and a first metal terminal which is inserted into a metal terminal receiving chamber in the first connector housing from a connecting side thereof, and is fixed in the chamber; and wherein the second shield connector comprises: a second connector housing, abutted against the first connector housing, a second metal terminal, which is inserted into a metal terminal receiving chamber in the second connector housing from a side thereof remote from a connecting side thereof, and is electrically connected to the first metal terminal, and a rear holder which is inserted into the second connector housing from the side thereof remote from the connecting side thereof so as to prevent rearward withdrawal of the second metal terminal, and covers an outer surface of the second connector housing, and is retained on an outer surface of the first connector housing, wherein an outer surface of the rear holder and the outer surface of the first connector housing are covered with a shielding shell made of metal, and one end of the shielding shell is fixedly secured to the mounting portion made of metal, and another end of the shielding shell is fixedly connected to a braided wire of a shielded wire connected to the second metal terminal, and wherein the shielding shell has a slanting wall formed intermediate opposite ends thereof, and the slanting wall urges a side of the rear holder, remote from the connecting side thereof, toward the connecting side thereof.
  • 6. An equipment direct-mounting-type shield electric connector, comprising a pair of first and second shield connectors fittable to each other,wherein the first shield connector comprises: a first connector housing, mounted directly on a mounting portion of an equipment, and a first metal terminal which is inserted into a metal terminal receiving chamber in the first connector housing, and is fixed in the chamber; and wherein the second shield connector comprises: a second connector housing, abutted against the first connector housing, a second metal terminal, which is inserted into a metal terminal receiving chamber in the second connector housing from a side thereof remote from a connecting side thereof, and is electrically connected to the first metal terminal, and a rear holder which is inserted into the second connector housing from the side thereof remote from the connecting side thereof so as to prevent rearward withdrawal of the second metal terminal, and covers an outer surface of the second connector housing, and is retained on an outer surface of the first connector housing, and wherein an outer surface of the rear holder and the outer surface of the first connector housing are covered with a shielding shell made of metal, and one end of the shielding shell is fixedly secured to the mounting portion made of metal, and another end of the shielding shell is fixedly connected to a braided wire of a shielded wire connected to the second metal terminal, and wherein the one end of the shielding shell is fixedly secured to the mounting portion, and the shielding shell has a slanting wall formed intermediate opposite ends thereof, and the slanting wall urges a side of the rear holder, remote from the connecting side thereof, toward the connecting side thereof.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
11-316662 Nov 1999 JP
US Referenced Citations (10)
Number Name Date Kind
4236779 Tang Dec 1980 A
4310211 Bunnell et al. Jan 1982 A
4402564 Frantz Sep 1983 A
4830629 Yoshimura May 1989 A
5108313 Adams Apr 1992 A
5167534 Ohsumi Dec 1992 A
5803759 Griffith et al. Sep 1998 A
5823824 Mitamura et al. Oct 1998 A
6109969 Kuo et al. Aug 2000 A
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Foreign Referenced Citations (5)
Number Date Country
62-285377 Dec 1987 JP
7-245153 Sep 1995 JP
7-282891 Oct 1995 JP
6-64306 Mar 1996 JP
8-78098 Mar 1996 JP
Non-Patent Literature Citations (3)
Entry
Japanese Abstract No. 07282891 dated Nov. 27, 1995.
Japanese Abstract No. 08064306 dated Mar. 8, 1996.
Japanese Abstract No. 07245153 dated Sep. 19, 1995.