Information
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Patent Grant
-
6299471
-
Patent Number
6,299,471
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Date Filed
Friday, September 17, 199925 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, October 9, 200122 years ago
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Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Sircus; Brian
- Nguyen; Son V.
Agents
- Sughrue, Mion, Zinn, Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
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CPC
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US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 439 465
- 439 701
- 439 687
- 439 596
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International Classifications
-
Abstract
An insulating base plate 113 of a housing 11 includes an upper plate portion 114, a lower plate portion 115, and reinforcing plate portions 116 are formed on and extend between the upper and lower plate portions 114 and 115, and are disposed respectively at those portions of the upper and lower plate portions corresponding respectively to positions where wires of a wire harness W are press-connected to respective terminals. With this construction, the weight of the housing can be reduced because of the provision of hollow portions 117. And besides, since the reinforcing plate portions 116 are formed at those portions of the insulating base plate corresponding respectively to the positions where the wires of the wire harness W are press-connected to the respective terminals, the press-connecting operation can be carried out in a stable manner without flexing the insulating base plate 113. Therefore, the press-connecting metal terminals 13 will not be displaced upward and downward, and each wire of the wire harness W is prevented from being disposed out of alignment with the associated press-connecting metal terminal 13.
Description
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a press-connecting connector, and more particularly to a press-connecting connector with joint terminals, such as a connector for use with a wire harness and a connector used for connecting various electronic equipments.
2. Related art
One conventional press-connecting connector includes a housing as shown in FIG.
6
. The housing
1
of this press-connecting connector includes a base plate
2
, and a plurality of partition walls
3
are integrally formed perpendicularly on each of upper and lower surfaces of the base plate
2
, and are spaced a predetermined distance from one another. A press-connecting terminal
4
is provided between any two adjacent partition walls
3
. The press-connecting terminal
4
has a generally U-shaped cross-section, and includes pairs of opposed press-connecting blades
4
A, each pair of blades
4
A and
4
A extending inwardly from opposed inner surfaces of the terminal
4
, respectively. For connecting a wire harness W to the press-connecting terminals
4
, each wire of the wire harness W is pressed against the associated press-connecting terminal
4
by a press-connecting punch
5
as shown in FIG.
7
. When the wire of the wire harness W is thus pressed against the press-connecting terminal
4
, each pair of press-connecting blades
4
A and
4
A cut a sheath of the wire of the wire harness W, and are brought into contact with a conductor of the wire. A cover (not shown) is attached to the housing
1
(to which the wire harness W is connected) to form the connector.
In the above conventional press-connecting connector, however, when connecting the wire harness W to the housing by the use of the press-connecting punch
5
, the base plate
2
is flexed by a load, applied from the press-connecting punch
5
, since this base plate
2
is thin as shown in
FIG. 7
, and this results in a problem that the press-connecting operation is unstable. If the thickness of the base plate
2
is increased as shown in
FIG. 8
in order to overcome this problem, the amount of a synthetic resin, forming the housing
1
, increases, and the degree of shrinkage after the molding is large. As a result, there are encountered problems that there occurs an error in the pitch of the arranged wires and that a sinkmark (recess)
6
is formed in the surface of the molded product.
If such a sink mark
6
develops, the wire press-connecting position varies in an upward-downward direction (indicated by arrow h in FIG.
9
), thus inviting a problem that the connection reliability is lowered.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
This invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the invention is to provide a press-connecting connector in which any shrinkage and sink mark will not develop in a molded housing, and besides the wire press-connecting position is stable, thus achieving a high connection reliability.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a press-connecting connector wherein press-connecting metal terminals, to which a plurality of wires are press-connected, respectively, are provided on each of opposite sides of an insulating base plate; provided in that the insulating base plate includes two base plate portions which are spaced a predetermined distance from each other, and define the opposite sides of the insulating base plate, respectively; and reinforcing plate portions are formed on and extend between the two base plate portions, and are disposed respectively at those portions of the two base plate portions corresponding respectively to positions where the wires are press-connected to the respective terminals.
In this invention, the reinforcing plate portions are formed at those portions of the insulating base plate at which the wires are press-connected to the respective terminals, and therefore in the wire press-connecting operation, the flexing of the insulating base plate is suppressed, and each wire is prevented from being disposed out of alignment with the associated press-connecting metal terminal.
In the press-connecting connector of a second aspect of the present invention according to the first aspect of present invention, the reinforcing portions are defined respectively by thickened portions of the insulating base plate in which a constituent material is densely present, the thickened portions extending over an entire width of the insulating base plate.
In this invention, the reinforcing portions are defined respectively by the thickened portions of the insulating base plate in which the constituent material is densely present, the thickened portions extending over the entire width of the insulating base plate, and therefore in addition to the effect of the invention of claim
1
, the reinforcing plate portions reinforce the two base plate portions when the base plate portion is pressed, for example, by a press-connecting jig (press-connecting punch), thereby enabling the stable press-connecting operation.
In the press-connecting connector of a third aspect of present invention according to the first or second aspect, a hollow portion is formed between any two adjacent reinforcing plate portions.
In this invention, since the hollow portion is provided formed between any two adjacent reinforcing plate portions, the overall weight of the insulating base plate can be reduced.
In the press-connecting connector of the fourth aspect of the present invention according to the third aspect, the reinforcing plate portions, as well as the hollow portions, are formed continuously relative to the insulating base plate in a direction of extending of the wires.
In this invention, the reinforcing plate portions extend parallel to the hollow portions, and therefore the insulating base plate, when molded of a resin, can be easily removed from a mold.
In the press-connecting connector of the fifth aspect of the present invention according to the third or fourth aspect of the present invention, the cross-section of each hollow portion, disposed substantially perpendicular to the direction of extending of the wires, has one of a circular shape, an oval shape, a rectangular shape and a triangular shape.
In this invention, where the hollow portions have a circular cross-section or an oval cross-section, the insulating base plate has an increased strength in the direction of the thickness thereof. Where the hollow portions have a rectangular shape or a triangular shape, the overall rigidity of the insulating base plate is increased.
In the press-connecting connector of the sixth aspect of the present invention according to the first to fifth aspec to fht present invention, partition walls are formed perpendicularly on each of the opposite sides of the insulating base plate, and separate the press-connecting terminals from one another.
In this invention, the partition walls are provided, and therefore the wires can be arranged on the insulating base plate in insulating relation to one another.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a perspective view showing an important portion of a preferred embodiment of a connector of the present invention.
FIG. 2
is a perspective view showing the overall construction of the connector of the above embodiment.
FIG. 3
is a cross-sectional view showing an important portion of the connector of the above embodiment.
FIG. 4
is a cross-sectional view of an important portion of a modified press-connecting connector of the invention.
FIG. 5
is a cross-sectional view of an important portion of another modified press-connecting connector of the invention.
FIG. 6
is a perspective view showing an important portion of a conventional press-connecting connector.
FIG. 7
is a cross-sectional view of an important portion of the conventional press-connecting connector.
FIG. 8
is a perspective view showing an important portion of a conventional press-connecting connector.
FIG. 9
is a cross-sectional view of a press-connecting metal terminal mounted in the conventional press-connecting connector, showing the positional relation between this terminal and a wire of a wire harness.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A preferred embodiment of a press-connecting connector of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1
is a perspective view showing an important portion of the connector of this embodiment,
FIG. 2
is a perspective view showing the overall construction of the connector, and FIG.
3
is a cross-sectional view showing an important portion of the connector. In this embodiment, the invention is applied to the female connector.
The press-connecting connector
10
of this embodiment broadly comprises a housing
11
and covers
12
. The housing
11
has a socket portion
111
at its front end portion, and a connection portion
112
at its rear end portion, and a wire harness W is adapted to be connected to the connection portion
112
. The housing
11
has an insulating base plate
113
of a generally rectangular shape formed over an entire region thereof. As shown in
FIG. 2
, the wire harness W is adapted to be held in position on opposite sides (faces) of the insulating base plate
113
. The insulating base plate
113
includes a pair of upper and lower plate portions
114
and
115
, spaced a predetermined distance from each other in an upward-downward direction, and a plurality of reinforcing plate portions
116
which are formed on and extend between the two plate portions
114
and
115
, and are spaced at predetermined intervals. A hollow portion
117
of a rectangular cross-section is formed between any two adjacent reinforcing plate portions
116
. The hollow portions
117
are formed through the insulating base plate
113
, and extend continuously from a front end thereof to a rear end thereof. Partition walls
118
are formed on each of opposite sides (faces) of the insulating base plate
113
in such a manner that the partition wall
118
is disposed midway between any two adjacent reinforcing plate portions
116
. Frame plates
119
are formed respectively on opposite side edges of the insulating base plate
113
, and extend in the upward-downward direction.
As shown in
FIGS. 1 and 3
, a press-connecting metal terminal
13
of a generally U-shaped cross-section is provided in each of sections formed by the partition walls of the housing
11
. The press-connecting metal terminal
13
has two pairs of opposed press-connecting blades
13
A formed at a front end portion thereof. When a wire of the wire harness W is press-fitted into a gap between each pair of opposed press-connecting blades
13
A, the press-connecting blades
13
A cut a sheath W
1
of the wire, and are brought into contact with a conductor W
2
of the wire as shown in
FIG. 3
, thereby creating an electrical connection. In
FIG. 3
, reference numeral
14
denotes a press-connecting jig. The press-connecting jig
14
comprises a holder member
14
A and a press-connecting punch
14
B. In the press-connecting operation, the holder member
14
A engages opposite outer side surfaces of the press-connecting metal terminal
13
to prevent this terminal
13
from spreading out.
A hood portion
11
A is formed at the front end portion of the housing
11
, and this hood portion
11
A surrounds the insulating base plate
113
, the partition walls
118
and the wire harness W. As shown in
FIG. 2
, the covers
12
, made of an insulating synthetic resin, are attached to the rear end portion of the housing
11
to cover the exposed press-connecting metal terminals
13
, thus forming the press-connecting connector
10
.
As shown in
FIG. 3
, in the press-connecting connector
10
of this embodiment, the reinforcing plate portions
116
, extending in the upward-downward direction, are formed respectively at those portions of the insulating base plate
113
corresponding respectively to those positions where the wires of the wire harness W is press-connected respectively to the press-connecting terminals
13
. Therefore, when press-connecting the wire harness W by the press-connecting punch
14
B, the reinforcing plate portions
116
perform a reinforcing function to prevent the insulating base plate
113
from being flexed. And besides, since the plurality of hollow portions
117
extend from the front end of the base plate
113
to the rear end thereof, the housing
11
can have a lightweight design.
Although the female connector, embodying the present invention, has been described, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, but various modifications can be made within the scope of the invention. For example, although the hollow portions
117
of a rectangular cross-section are formed in the insulating base plate
113
, the hollow portions may have a circular cross-section, an oval cross-section or a triangular cross-section.
FIG. 4
shows a modified housing
11
in which hollow portions
117
of an oval cross-section are formed. In this modification, the long axis of each oval hollow portion
117
extends in the direction of the width of the insulating base plate
113
. In this example, each reinforcing plate portion
116
, formed between the hollow portions
117
, is thicker at its upper and lower portions than at its intermediate portion, and therefore has an increased strength withstanding pressures applied in the upward and downward directions.
FIG. 5
shows another modified housing
11
in which two hollow portions
117
of a circular cross-section are formed between any two adjacent reinforcing plate portions
116
. This modification has an advantage that those portions of the insulating base plate, on which the partition walls
118
are formed, are reinforced.
As is clear from the foregoing description, in the first aspect of the invention, the reinforcing plate portions are formed at those portions of the insulating base plate at which the wires are press-connected to the respective terminals, and therefore in the wire press-connecting operation, the flexing of the insulating base plate is suppressed, and each wire is prevented from being disposed out of alignment with the associated press-connecting metal terminal.
In the second aspect of the invention, in addition to the effect of the first aspect of invention, the reinforcing plate portions reinforce the two base plate portions when the base plate portion is pressed, for example, by the press-connecting jig (press-connecting punch), thereby enabling the stable press-connecting operation.
In the third aspect of the invention, the hollow portion is provided formed between any two adjacent reinforcing plate portions, and therefore in addition to the effects of the first or second aspect of the invention, there is achieved an advantage that the overall weight of the insulating base plate can be reduced.
In the fourth aspect of the invention, the reinforcing plate portions extend parallel to the hollow portions, and therefore in addition to the effect of third aspect of the invention, there is achieved an advantage that the insulating base plate, when molded of a resin, can be easily removed from a mold.
In the fifth aspect of the fifth aspect of the invention, the effects of the third or fourth aspect of the invention are achieved, and in addition, where the hollow portions have a circular cross-section or an oval cross-section, the insulating base plate has an increased strength in the direction of the thickness thereof. Where the hollow portions have a rectangular shape or a triangular shape, the overall rigidity of the insulating base plate is increased.
In the sixth aspect of the invention, the partition walls are provided, and therefore in addition to the effects of the first to fifth aspects of the invention, there is achieved an advantage that the wires can be arranged on the insulating base plate in insulating relation to one another.
Claims
- 1. A press-connecting connector comprising:press-connecting metal terminals to which a plurality of wires are press-connected, respectively; an insulating base plate, said press-connecting metal terminals being provided on each of opposite sides of said insulating base plate, and said insulating base plate includes two base plate portions which are spaced a predetermined distance from each other, and define said opposite sides of said insulating base plate, respectively; and reinforcing plate portions which are formed on and extend between said two base plate portions, wherein said reinforcing plate portions are disposed respectively at all locations along said two base plate portions which correspond respectively to positions where said wires are press-connected to the respective terminals.
- 2. A press-connecting connector according to claim 1, wherein said reinforcing portions are defined respectively by thickened portions of said insulating base plate in which a constituent material is densely present, said thickened portions extending over an entire width of said insulating base plate.
- 3. A press-connecting connector according to claim 1, wherein a hollow portion is formed between any two adjacent reinforcing plate portions.
- 4. A press-connecting connector according to claim 2, wherein a hollow portion is formed between any two adjacent reinforcing plate portions.
- 5. A press-connecting connector according to claim 3, wherein said reinforcing plate portions, as well as said hollow portions, are formed continuously relative to said insulating base plate in a direction of extending of said wires.
- 6. A press-connecting connector according to claim 4, wherein said reinforcing plate portions, as well as said hollow portions, are formed continuously relative to said insulating base plate in a direction of extending of said wires.
- 7. A press-connecting connector according to claim 3, wherein the cross-section of each hollow portion, disposed substantially perpendicular to the direction of extending of said wires, has one of a circular shape, an oval shape, a rectangular shape and a triangular shape.
- 8. A press-connecting connector according to claim 4, wherein the cross-section of each hollow portion, disposed substantially perpendicular to the direction of extending of said wires, has one of a circular shape, an oval shape, a rectangular shape and a triangular shape.
- 9. A press-connecting connector according to claim 5, wherein the cross-section of each hollow portion, disposed substantially perpendicular to the direction of extending of said wires, has one of a circular shape, an oval shape, a rectangular shape and a triangular shape.
- 10. A press-connecting connector according to claim 6, wherein the cross-section of each hollow portion, disposed substantially perpendicular to the direction of extending of said wires, has one of a circular shape, an oval shape, a rectangular shape and a triangular shape.
- 11. A press-connecting connector according to claim 1, wherein said insulating base plate has partition walls which are formed perpendicularly on each of said opposite sides of said insulating base plate, and separate said press-connecting terminals from one another.
- 12. A press-connecting connector according to claim 2, wherein said insulating base plate has partition walls which are formed perpendicularly on each of said opposite sides of said insulating base plate, and separate said press-connecting terminals from one another.
- 13. A press-connecting connector according to claim 3, wherein said insulating base plate has partition walls which are formed perpendicularly on each of said opposite sides of said insulating base plate, and separate said press-connecting terminals from one another.
- 14. A press-connecting connector according to claim 4, wherein said insulating base plate has partition walls which are formed perpendicularly on each of said opposite sides of said insulating base plate, and separate said press-connecting terminals from one another.
- 15. A press-connecting connector according to claim 5, wherein said insulating base plate has partition walls which are formed perpendicularly on each of said opposite sides of said insulating base plate, and separate said press-connecting terminals from one another.
- 16. A press-connecting connector according to claim 6, wherein said insulating base plate has partition walls which are formed perpendicularly on each of said opposite sides of said insulating base plate, and separate said press-connecting terminals from one another.
- 17. A press-connecting connector according to claim 7, wherein said insulating base plate has partition walls which are formed perpendicularly on each of said opposite sides of said insulating base plate, and separate said press-connecting terminals from one another.
- 18. A press-connecting connector according to claim 8, wherein said insulating base plate has partition walls which are formed perpendicularly on each of said opposite sides of said insulating base plate, and separate said press-connecting terminals from one another.
- 19. A press-connecting connector according to claim 9, wherein said insulating base plate has partition walls which are formed perpendicularly on each of said opposite sides of said insulating base plate, and separate said press-connecting terminals from one another.
- 20. A press-connecting connector according to claim 10, wherein said insulating base plate has partition walls which are formed perpendicularly on each of said opposite sides of said insulating base plate, and separate said press-connecting terminals from one another.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
10-319442 |
Nov 1998 |
JP |
|
US Referenced Citations (3)