The present disclosure relates to a joint connector.
A joint connector is known from Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H10-261471. In this joint connector, a retainer body of a busbar-equipped retainer is fittably provided at terminal insertion openings of respective terminal accommodation chambers of a housing, the retainer body is provided with locking portions to be locked to engaging portions provided at the terminal insertion openings of the respective terminal accommodation chambers, and terminals of a busbar of the busbar-equipped retainer are lockable to locking portions of a joint terminal. Further, a retainer body of a retainer having the same shape as the busbar-equipped retainer is fittably provided at the terminal insertion openings of the respective terminal accommodation chambers of each housing.
Recently, miniaturization has been required for joint connectors to be equipped in vehicles. As a housing of a joint connector is reduced in size, the miniaturization of a component (e.g. retainer) for locking terminals is also considered. Then, the strength of the component for locking the terminals may be reduced. In this way, the terminals are not firmly locked in the housing, with the result that there is a concern that the terminals and the housing rattle due to an external force transmitted to the terminals via wires. Further, if the terminals are reduced in size, the strength of the terminals themselves is also reduced. Thus, troubles of the terminals themselves may be caused by the external force applied via the wires.
The present disclosure was completed on the basis of the above situation and aims to provide a joint connector capable of suppressing the transmission of an external force from wires to terminals.
The present disclosure is directed to a joint connector for connecting a plurality of wires, the joint connector including the plurality of wires extending in an extending direction, a plurality of terminals to be respectively connected to front end parts in the extending direction of the plurality of wires, a lower housing for accommodating the plurality of terminals, a busbar to be disposed in the lower housing, and an upper cover to be assembled with the lower housing, wherein the busbar includes a plurality of tabs, each of the plurality of terminals includes a busbar connecting portion to be connected to each of the plurality of tabs and a wire connecting portion to be connected to each of the plurality of wires, the plurality of wires drawn out rearward in the extending direction from the lower housing include bent portions folded forward in the extending direction, and the upper cover includes wire pressing portions for holding the plurality of wires folded forward in the extending direction.
According to the present disclosure, it is possible to suppress the transmission of an external force from wires to terminals.
First, embodiments of the present disclosure are listed and described.
(1) The joint connector of the present disclosure is for connecting a plurality of wires and includes the plurality of wires extending in an extending direction, a plurality of terminals to be respectively connected to front end parts in the extending direction of the plurality of wires, a lower housing for accommodating the plurality of terminals, a busbar to be disposed in the lower housing, and an upper cover to be assembled with the lower housing, wherein the busbar includes a plurality of tabs, each of the plurality of terminals includes a busbar connecting portion to be connected to each of the plurality of tabs and a wire connecting portion to be connected to each of the plurality of wires, the plurality of wires drawn out rearward in the extending direction from the lower housing include bent portions folded forward in the extending direction, and the upper cover includes wire pressing portions for holding the plurality of wires folded forward in the extending direction.
If an external force is applied to the plurality of wires extending forward in the extending direction, this external force is transmitted rearward in the respective wires in the extending direction. The extending direction of the respective wires is inverted at the bent portions. In this way, the force transmitted to the respective wires is absorbed at the bent portions, wherefore the transmission of the force applied to the wires to the terminals is suppressed.
(2) Preferably, the upper cover includes a wire pressing portion for pressing the plurality of wires drawn out rearward in the extending direction from the lower housing toward the lower housing.
Since the plurality of wires are pressed toward the lower housing by the wire pressing portion of the upper cover, the transmission of a force applied to the wires beyond the wire pressing portion is suppressed. In this way, the transmission of an external force applied to the wires to the terminals is suppressed.
(3) Preferably, the upper cover is coupled to the lower housing via a hinge extending rearward from the lower housing in the extending direction.
Since the lower housing and the upper cover are coupled via the hinge, the number of components can be reduced. Further, since the plurality of wires are protected by the hinge, the application of an external force to the wires is suppressed.
(4) Preferably, the upper cover includes terminal engaging portions to be engaged with the terminals from behind in the extending direction with the upper cover assembled with the lower housing.
Since the terminal engaging portion is engaged with the terminal from behind in the extending direction, even if an external force applied to the wire reaches the wire connecting portion beyond the bent portion, a rearward movement of the terminal in the extending direction is suppressed. In this way, the terminal is firmly held in the lower housing and the upper cover.
(5) Preferably, a busbar holding portion for sandwiching the busbar between the lower housing and the busbar holding portion with the lower housing and the upper cover assembled is provided on an inner surface of the upper cover.
The busbar can be held by a simple operation of assembling the lower housing and the upper cover.
(6) Preferably, the wire holding portions are in the form of holes for allowing the wires to be inserted therethrough.
By inserting the wires into the hole-like wire holding portions, the wires can be reliably held along the extending direction. Further, at least parts of the wires disposed in the wire holding portions can be protected from an external force.
(7) Preferably, the wire connecting portion includes a sandwiching portion extending along the extending direction, the sandwiching portion sandwiching one of the plurality of wires, and a slide portion disposed outside the sandwiching portion, the slide portion being movable along the extending direction, and the slide portion includes a pressurizing portion for pressurizing the sandwiching portion toward the wire with one of the plurality of wires sandwiched by the sandwiching portion.
Since the wire and the terminal are connected by the sandwiching portion being pressed by a pressing portion, dies necessary in crimping a barrel to the outer periphery of the wire becomes unnecessary and the manufacturing cost of the joint connector can be reduced.
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure are described. The present invention is not limited to these illustrations and is intended to be represented by claims and include all changes in the scope of claims and in the meaning and scope of equivalents.
A first embodiment of the present disclosure is described with reference to
As shown in
[Wires 11]
As shown in
[Lower Housing 30]
As shown in
As shown in
[Upper Cover 60]
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
[Busbar 50]
As shown in
[Terminals 12]
As shown in
[Terminal Bodies 15]
The terminal body 15 is formed into a predetermined shape by a known method such as press-working, cutting or casting. An arbitrary metal such as copper, copper alloy, aluminum, aluminum alloy or stainless steel can be appropriately selected as a metal constituting the terminal body 15 if necessary. The terminal body 15 according to this embodiment is made of copper or copper alloy. A plating layer may be formed on the surface of the terminal body 15. An arbitrary metal such as tin, nickel or silver can be appropriately selected as a metal constituting the plating layer if necessary. Tin plating is applied to the terminal body 15 according to this embodiment.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
An upper holding protrusion 23A projecting downward is provided at a position in front of a rear end part on the lower surface of the upper sandwiching portion 18A. A lower holding protrusion 23B projecting upward is provided on a rear end part on the upper surface of the lower sandwiching portion 18B. The lower and upper holding protrusions 23B, 23A are provided at positions shifted in the front-rear direction.
The lower surface of the upper sandwiching portion 18A and the upper surface of the lower sandwiching portion 18B bite into an oxide film formed on the surface of the core 13 to peel off the oxide film, whereby a metal surface of the core 13 is exposed. By the contact of this metal surface and the upper and lower sandwiching portions 18A, 18B, the core 13 and the terminal body 15 are electrically connected.
[Slide Portion 16]
As shown in
A cross-section of the inner surface shape of the slide portion 16 is the same as or somewhat larger than that of the outer shape of a region of the terminal body 15 where the upper and lower sandwiching portions 18A, 18B are provided. In this way, the slide portion 16 is disposed outside the region of the terminal body 15 where the upper and lower sandwiching portions 18A, 18B are provided.
As shown in
As shown in
With the locking projection 28 of the terminal body 15 and the partial lock receiving portion 26 of the slide portion 16 locked, the slide portion 16 is held at a partial locking position with respect to the terminal body 15. In this state, the upper and lower pressurizing portions 25A, 25B of the slide portion 16 are separated rearward from the rear end edges of the upper and lower sandwiching portions 18A, 18B of the terminal body 15. Further, in this state, an interval between the upper and lower sandwiching portions 18A, 18B is set to be larger than a diameter of the core 13.
With the locking projection 28 of the terminal body 15 and the full lock receiving portion 27 of the slide portion 16 locked, the slide portion 16 is held at a full locking position with respect to the terminal body 15. As shown in
As described above, the slide portion 16 is slidable between the partial locking position and the full locking position described above while being externally fit to the region of the terminal body 15 where the upper and lower sandwiching portions 18A, 18B are provided.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
[Assembling Process of Joint Connector 10]
Next, an example of an assembling process of the joint connector 10 according to this embodiment is described. The assembling process of the joint connector 10 is not limited to the one described below.
The terminal body 15 and the slide portion 16 are formed by a known method. The slide portion 16 is assembled with the terminal body 15 from behind. The front end edge of the slide portion 16 comes into contact with the locking projection 28 of the terminal body 15 from behind, and the side wall of the slide portion 16 is expanded and deformed. If the slide portion 16 is further pushed forward, the side wall of the slide portion 16 is restored and the partial lock receiving portion 26 of the slide portion 16 is locked to the locking projection 28 of the terminal body 15. In this way, the slide portion 16 is held at the partial locking position with respect to the terminal body 15. In this way, the terminal 12 is obtained.
The lower housing 30 and the upper cover 60 are integrally formed via the hinge 34 by injection-molding a synthetic resin. As shown in
The tabs 52 of the busbar 50 are inserted into the tube portions 17 from front. By the contact of the tabs 52 and the resilient pieces, the tabs 52 and the terminals 12 are electrically connected. In this way, the plurality of terminals 12 are electrically connected via the busbar 50.
As shown in
The core 13 of the wire 11 is exposed by stripping the insulation coating 14 by a known method. As shown in
If the wires 11 are further pushed forward as shown in
Subsequently, as shown in
When the slide portion 16 is moved forward, the side wall of the slide portion 16 is restored and the locking projection 28 of the terminal body 15 and the full lock receiving portion 27 of the slide portion 16 are resiliently locked. In this way, the slide portion 16 is held at the full locking position with respect to the terminal body 15.
With the slide portion 16 held at the full locking position with respect to the terminal body 15, the upper pressurizing portion 25A of the slide portion 16 comes into contact with the upper sandwiching portion 18A of the terminal body 15 from above to press the upper sandwiching portion 18A downward. Further, the lower pressurizing portion 25B of the slide portion 16 comes into contact with the lower sandwiching portion 18B of the terminal body 15 from below to press the lower sandwiching portion 18B upward. In this way, the core 13 is sandwiched from upper and lower sides by the upper and lower sandwiching portions 18A, 18B (see
As shown in
With the core 13 sandwiched from upper and lower sides by the upper and lower sandwiching portions 18A, 18B, the core 13 is sandwiched by the upper holding protrusion 23A of the upper sandwiching portion 18A and the lower holding protrusion 23B of the lower sandwiching portion 18B, thereby being held in the state extending in the front-rear direction and bent in the vertical direction. Since the core 13 can be firmly held in this way, a holding force of the wire 11 and the terminal 12 can be enhanced when a pulling force is applied to the wire 11.
As shown in
Next, functions and effects of this embodiment are described. The joint connector 10 of this embodiment is for connecting the plurality of wires 11 and includes the plurality of wires 11 extending along the front-rear direction, the plurality of terminals 12 to be respectively connected to the front end parts of the plurality of wires 11, the lower housing 30 for accommodating the plurality of terminals 12, the busbar 50 to be disposed in the lower housing 30 and the upper cover 60 to be assembled with the lower housing 30, the busbar 50 includes the plurality of tabs 52, each of the plurality of terminals 12 includes the tube portion 17, into which each of the plurality of tabs 52 is inserted, and the wire connecting portion 20 to be connected to each of the plurality of wires 11, the plurality of wires 11 drawn out rearward from the lower housing 30 are folded forward and the upper cover 60 includes the wire holding portions 37 for holding the plurality of wires 11 folded forward.
If an external force is applied to the plurality of wires 11 extending forward from the upper cover 60, this external force is transmitted rearward in the respective wires 11. An extending direction of each wire 11 is inverted in the front-rear direction at the bent portion 35. Since the force transmitted to each wire 11 is absorbed by the bent portion 35 in this way, the transmission of the force applied to the wire 11 to the terminal 12 is suppressed.
According to this embodiment, the upper cover includes the wire pressing portions 65 for pressing the plurality of wires 11 drawn out rearward from the lower housing toward the lower housing 30.
Since the plurality of wires 11 are pressed toward the lower housing 30 by the wire pressing portions 65 of the upper cover 60, the transmission of a force applied to the wires 11 beyond the wire pressing portions 65 is suppressed. In this way, the transmission of an external force applied to the wires 11 to the terminals 12 is suppressed.
According to this embodiment, the upper cover 60 and the lower housing 30 are coupled via the hinge 34 extending rearward from the lower housing 30.
Since the upper cover 60 and the lower housing 30 are coupled via the hinge 34, the number of components can be reduced. Further, since the plurality of wires 11 are protected by the hinge 34 located outside the plurality of wires 11, the application of an external force to the wires 11 themselves is suppressed.
According to this embodiment, the upper cover 60 includes the terminal engaging portions 63 to be engaged with the terminals 12 from behind with the upper cover 60 assembled with the lower housing 30.
Since the terminal engaging portion 63 is engaged with the terminal 12 from behind along the extending direction, even if an external force applied to the wire 11 reaches the wire connecting portion 20 beyond the bent portion 35, a rearward movement of the terminal 12 is suppressed. In this way, the terminal 12 is firmly held in the lower housing 30 and the upper cover 60.
According to this embodiment, the busbar holding portion 64 for sandwiching the busbar 50 between the lower housing 39 and the busbar holding portion 64 with the lower housing 39 and the upper cover 60 assembled is provided on the lower surface of the upper cover 60.
In this way, the busbar 50 can be held by a simple operation of assembling the lower housing 39 and the upper cover 60.
According to this embodiment, the wire holding portion 37 is formed into a hole through which the wire 11 is inserted.
By inserting the wire 11 through the hole-like wire holding portion 37, the wire 11 can be reliably held along the front-rear direction. Further, at least a part of the wire 11 disposed in the wire holding portion 37 can be protected from an external force.
According to this embodiment, the wire connecting portion 20 includes the upper and lower sandwiching portions 18A, 18B extending along the front-rear direction and configured to sandwich one of the plurality of wires 11 and the slide portion 16 disposed outside the upper and lower sandwiching portions 18A, 18B and movable along the front-rear direction, and the slide portion 16 includes the upper and lower pressurizing portions 25A, 25B for pressurizing the wire 11 toward the upper and lower sandwiching portions 18A, 18B with one of the plurality of wires 11 sandwiched by the upper and lower sandwiching portions 18A, 18B.
Since the wire 11 and the terminal 12 are connected by the upper and lower sandwiching portions 18A, 18B being pressed by the upper and lower pressurizing portions 25A, 25B, dies necessary in crimping a barrel to the outer periphery of the wire 11 become unnecessary and the manufacturing cost of the joint connector 10 can be reduced.
Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure is described with reference to
In this embodiment, wires 11 are inserted into wire holding portions 37 of the upper cover 60 and inserted into terminals 12 accommodated in cavities 29 of the lower housing 30 with the lower housing 30 and the upper cover 60 arranged one behind the other by an unillustrated jig as shown in
Since the other configuration is substantially the same as in the first embodiment, the same members are denoted by the same reference signs and repeated description is omitted.
Next, a third embodiment of the present disclosure is described with reference to
[Lower Housing 81]
As shown in
As shown in
A plurality of (four in this embodiment) mold removal holes 88 are formed to extend in the front-rear direction above the busbar insertion hole 87 in the front end part of the lower housing 81. A locking lance 89 for retaining and holding the terminal 84 in the cavity 85 by being resiliently engaged with the terminal 84 is formed inside each mold removal hole 88. The locking lance 89 is shaped to extend forward from the upper wall of the cavity 85. A front end part of the locking lance 89 is engaged with the terminal 84 and the upper wall of a tube portion 90.
[Terminals 84]
The terminal 84 includes the tube portion 90, into which each of a plurality of tabs 91 provided in the busbar 83 is inserted, and a wire connecting portion 92 provided behind the tube portion 90. The wire connecting portion 92 has a so-called barrel shape, and electrically connects the wire 11 and the terminal 84 by being crimped to the outer periphery of the wire 11.
[Upper Cover 82]
The upper cover 82 is formed with a plurality of (four in this embodiment) wire holding portions 93 extending in the front-rear direction. The wire holding portions 93 are formed into holes penetrating through the upper cover 82 in the front-rear direction.
The upper cover 82 is formed with resiliently deformable lock claws 94 projecting in the vertical direction to correspond to the cut portion 86 of the lower housing 81 near a center position in the front-rear direction. The lock claws 94 are disposed on both left and right sides of the cut portion 86 of the lower housing 81 and resiliently engaged with the lower end edges of the cavities 85, whereby the lower housing 81 and the upper cover 82 are integrally assembled.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Since the other configuration is substantially the same as in the first embodiment, the same members are denoted by the same reference signs and repeated description is omitted.
According to this embodiment, since the terminals 84 can be retained and held in the cavities 85 by assembling the upper cover 82 with the lower housing 81, the terminals 84 can be firmly held in the cavities 85.
(1) The wire holding portions may be in the form of grooves.
(2) The wire pressing portion(s) may be omitted.
(3) The joint connector may be configured to connect two, three, five or more wires.
(4) The terminal may be configured to include one, three or more sandwiching portions.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2019-074919 | Apr 2019 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/JP2020/015214 | 4/2/2020 | WO | 00 |