JP2007305378A - Joint connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a joint connector which does not require a dedicated equipment or the like at the time of branching a flat wiring member and can branch the flat wiring member easily without requiring a large space for connection work of the flat wiring members. <P>SOLUTION: The joint connector to electrically connect the flat wiring members includes a plurality of first terminals arranged in a specific direction and a plurality of second terminals arranged in different direction from the arrangement direction of the first terminals. At least one of the first and the second terminals has a terminal pinching part to pinch the mating terminal at a portion where the specific first terminal and the specific second terminal cross each other, and the first terminal and the second terminal are coupled at that intersection portion as the terminal pinching part pinches the mating terminal, and the exposed conductor of the flat wiring member pinched by a conductor pinching part of the first terminal and the exposed conductor of the flat wiring member pinched by the conductor pinching part of the second terminal are electrically connected. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector for electrically connecting flat wiring members such as a plurality of flat cables.

  Conventionally, a flat wiring material has been used for electrical connection between an electrical component and a power source, or between electrical components. The flat wiring material is a wire material integrally covered with a plurality of conductors arranged in a specific direction, and a wiring circuit is formed by branching the flat wiring material.

Here, the branching of the flat wiring material is performed by electrically connecting the first flat wiring material and the second flat wiring material. Specifically, as shown in Patent Document 1 below, the first and second flat wiring members are overlapped so that they intersect each other, and the conductors of both flat wiring members overlap using a dedicated device. A connecting part having a sharp part in the part is pierced. And the conductor of the 1st and 2nd flat wiring material is electrically connected by bending the sharp part of the connection component penetrated by the conductor to the conductor side of the flat wiring material. That is, the flat wiring material is branched using a dedicated device that pierces the connecting component.
JP 2003-168508 A

  However, the flat wiring material branch structure using the connection component described in Patent Document 1 has a problem that the flat wiring material cannot be easily branched. That is, a dedicated device is required to pierce the connection member in the part where the conductors of the flat wiring material overlap, and even when the dedicated device is used, it is necessary to accurately pierce the connection position where the conductors cross each other. It's not easy. In addition, to connect at the part where the conductors intersect using the dedicated device, it is necessary to perform the connection work in a state where the flat wiring materials are wired together, so to connect a long flat wiring material, There was a problem that a large work space was indispensable.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and does not require a dedicated device or the like when branching the flat wiring material, and can easily be performed without requiring a large space for the connection work between the flat wiring materials. It aims at providing the joint connector which can branch a flat wiring material.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the joint connector of the present invention is integrally insulated with a plurality of conductors arranged in a specific direction, and a part of the insulation coating is removed to remove one of the conductors. A joint connector for electrically connecting a plurality of flat wiring members having exposed portions, a plurality of first terminals arranged in a specific direction, and arranged in a direction different from the first terminal arrangement direction A plurality of second terminals, and a housing that holds the first terminals and the second terminals in a state of crossing each other, the first terminals being in a direction substantially orthogonal to the arrangement direction thereof. The second terminal has a shape extending in a direction substantially orthogonal to the arrangement direction thereof, and having a conductor holding portion that holds the exposed conductor at both ends thereof. And there are few At least one of the first and second terminals has a specific first terminal and a specific second terminal intersecting at least one of the first and second terminals. A terminal holding portion that holds the mating terminal that intersects at the portion, and the terminal clamping portion of the first or second terminal is the mating side at the intersection of the first terminal and the second terminal By sandwiching the terminal, the first terminal and the second terminal are connected, and the exposed conductor of the flat wiring member sandwiched between the conductor sandwiching portion of the first terminal and the conductor sandwiching portion of the second terminal The exposed conductor of the flat wiring material is electrically connected.

  According to the joint connector, in the housing, the first terminals arranged in a specific direction and the second terminals arranged in a direction different from the arrangement direction of the first terminals intersect each other, The terminal clamping part of the first or second terminal clamps the specific counterpart terminal to be connected, whereby the first terminal and the second terminal are electrically connected. Therefore, the flat wiring member connected to the first terminal can be obtained by holding the flat wiring member in the conductor holding portion of the first terminal and holding another flat wiring member in the conductor holding portion of the second terminal. Can be branched to a flat wiring material connected to the second terminal. Therefore, since the connection work can be performed simply by holding the exposed conductor of the flat wiring member between the conductor holding portions, a dedicated device for attaching the connection member is provided compared to the conventional branch structure that requires the connection member. In addition to being unnecessary, the connection work can be performed even when the flat wiring material is not wired, and the flat wiring material can be easily branched without requiring a large space for the connection work.

  Further, the housing has a plurality of connecting member fitting portions that are fitted with connecting members that are attached to the terminal portions of the flat wiring material, and the connecting member in which the flat wiring material is attached to the connecting member fitting portion. The exposed conductor of the flat wiring material and the conductor holding portion are coupled to each other, and the flat wiring material and the first or second terminal may be electrically connected.

  According to this configuration, the exposed conductor of the flat wiring member and the conductor holding portion of the first or second terminal are connected by simply fitting the connecting member to which the flat wiring member is attached to the connecting member fitting portion. Therefore, the flat wiring member and the first or second terminal can be easily electrically connected.

  Further, the first or second terminal has a plurality of stages of the conductor sandwiching portions in a direction substantially orthogonal to the respective terminal arrangement directions, and a plurality of the flat wiring members are arranged in a direction substantially orthogonal to the conductor arrangement direction. By fitting the connecting members that are attached in steps to the connecting member fitting portions of the housing, the exposed conductors of the flat wiring members in the plurality of steps and the conductor sandwiching portions in the plurality of steps may be connected respectively. Good.

  According to this configuration, a plurality of flat wiring materials can be branched to another plurality of flat wiring materials at a time.

  In addition, the connection member has a fitting convex portion that is sandwiched by the conductor sandwiching portion of the first or second terminal, and an exposed conductor of the flat wiring material is formed on the surface of the fitting convex portion. By fitting the connecting member to the connecting member fitting portion, the fitting convex portion along the exposed conductor is held by the conductor holding portion, and the exposed conductor is A configuration may be adopted in which the first or second terminal and the exposed conductor of the flat wiring member are electrically connected by being narrowed by the fitting convex portion and the fitting sandwiching portion.

  According to this configuration, the connecting member is fitted to the connecting member fitting portion of the housing in a state where the exposed conductor of the flat wiring member is along the surface of the fitting convex portion of the connecting member. The 1st or 2nd terminal and the exposed conductor of a flat wiring material can be electrically connected.

  The housing is composed of a pair of housing assembly members that are separable in a direction substantially orthogonal to the terminal arrangement direction and have the same shape, and a first terminal is specified in one of the housing assembly members The second housing assembly member holds the second terminals in an orientation that intersects the specific direction, and the housing assembly members are fitted to each other. In the state, the terminal holding portion of the first or second terminal may hold the mating terminal at the intersection of the first terminal and the second terminal.

  According to this configuration, the joint connector can be assembled simply by fitting a set of housing assembly members, and the set of housing assembly members have the same shape, which is advantageous in terms of cost. It can be a joint connector.

  Further, the terminal clamping portion in the first or second terminal has a clamping piece for clamping the terminal to be clamped from the thickness direction, and the terminal to be clamped is inserted into the terminal clamping unit. Accordingly, the holding piece of the terminal holding portion may be bent and deformed, and the terminal to be held may be pinched with the restoring force.

  According to this structure, each terminal can be easily electrically connected only by inserting the terminal used as clamping object in the terminal clamping part of the 1st or 2nd terminal.

  According to the joint connector of the present invention, when a flat wiring material is branched, a dedicated device or the like is unnecessary, and the flat wiring material can be easily branched without requiring a large space for connecting work between the flat wiring materials. it can.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  1 is a perspective view of a joint connector according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a joint connector divided into upper and lower parts, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which terminals of the joint connector of FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V in FIG.

  1 to 5, a joint connector 1 is for branching one flat wiring member 2 to another flat wiring member 2 by electrically connecting the flat wiring members 2 to each other. One terminal 3a and a plurality of second terminals 3b, and a housing 4 for holding the first and second terminals 3a and 3b are provided.

  Here, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the flat wiring member 2 is a wire member in which a plurality of conductors 21 are integrally covered with insulation in a state where a plurality of conductors 21 are arranged at a predetermined pitch in a specific direction. Conductors 21 and an insulating coating 22 that integrally covers these conductors 21. In the present embodiment, the flat wiring member 2 has a portion of the insulating covering portion 22 removed at the end portion of the flat wiring member 2 while leaving the insulating covering portion 22 at the tip position. Conductors 21 are exposed on both surfaces of the material 2. That is, the flat wiring member 2 has a tip covering portion 22a positioned on the terminal side of the exposed conductor 21 and an insulating covering main body portion 22b positioned on the opposite side of the tip covering portion 22a.

  In the present embodiment, an example in which the flat wiring member 2 is connected to the joint connector 1 from four directions orthogonal to each other will be described.

  1 to 5, the housing 4 is a box having a substantially square shape when viewed from above (upper side in FIG. 1) and having a predetermined thickness in the vertical direction. A plurality of first and second terminals 3a and 3b are accommodated in the inside. That is, the first terminals 3a arranged in one direction and the second terminals 3b arranged in a direction substantially orthogonal to the first terminals 3a are housed so as to intersect each other.

  Specifically, it is stored in the state shown in FIG. 3, and the first terminal 3a and the second terminal 3b are stored in a state of being connected to each other. FIG. 3 shows a state in which the first terminal 3a and the second terminal 3b intersect each other, but actually, the second terminal 3b is locked to an upper housing assembly member 5a described later. ing.

  Here, FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically showing an intersecting state of the specific first terminal 3a and the specific second terminal 3b in FIG. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, the first terminal 3a located on the near side and the second terminal 3b located on the near side are terminal clamping portions 33 extending from the second terminal 3b located on the near side. The first terminal 3a located on the near side is sandwiched by the first terminal 3a located on the near side and the second terminal 3b located on the far side are the first terminals located on the near side. The second terminal 3b located on the back side is connected by a terminal holding portion 33 extending from the terminal 3a. That is, the first and second terminals 3a and 3b are accommodated in a state where they are sandwiched with each other by the terminal sandwiching portion 33 extending from one of the first and second terminals 3a and 3b.

  These first and second terminals 3a and 3b have the same shape and are thin plate-like terminals having a certain thickness as shown in FIG. Specifically, the first and second terminals 3a and 3b are a terminal main body 31 extending in one direction and a conductor that is provided at both ends of the terminal main body 31 and sandwiches the exposed conductor 21 of the flat wiring member 2. It has a clamping part 32 and a terminal clamping part 33 that is provided in the central part of the terminal body part 31 and clamps a counterpart terminal (for example, the second terminal 3b in the case of the first terminal 3a).

  The terminal main body 31 has a base portion 31a extending in one direction and vertical end portions 31b orthogonal to the base portion 31a at both ends of the base portion 31a, and has a substantially U shape. Further, locking pieces 31c protruding in the extending direction of the base portion 31a are formed at both end portions of the base portion 31a, and are locked to locking portions 51b of the housing 4 described later.

  The conductor sandwiching portion 32 sandwiches a fitting convex portion 61a of the connecting member 6 described later, and includes a support piece 32a and a connection bending piece 32b that can be bent and deformed with respect to the support piece 32a. . In the present embodiment, the conductor clamping portion 32 is formed in two stages in the vertical direction (vertical direction in FIG. 6). That is, the upper conductor holding portion 32 composed of the common support piece 32a and the connection bending piece 32b positioned above the support piece 32a, and the common support piece 32a and the lower support piece 32a. A lower conductor sandwiching portion 32 is formed which is composed of a connection bending piece 32b located on the side.

  The support piece 32a has a flat plate shape and is formed so as to protrude from the vertical end portion 31b in the direction in which the base portion 31a extends. And the dimension of an up-down direction is set larger than a thickness dimension, and it forms so that it cannot bend in an up-down direction.

  The connection bending piece 32b has a shape that approaches the support piece 32a from the root portion (right end portion 31b side portion) to the tip portion, and the distance between the tip portion of the connection bending piece 32b and the support piece 32a. Is formed so as to be smaller than the thickness dimension of the fitting convex portion 61a of the connecting member 6 described later. Therefore, when the fitting convex portion 61a of the connection member 6 is inserted between the support piece 32a and the connection bending piece 32b, the connection bending piece 32b is bent and deformed, and the connection bending piece 32b attempts to return to the original shape. Due to the restoring force, the fitting convex portion 61a is sandwiched between the connecting deflecting piece 32b and the support piece 32a.

  The terminal clamping part 33 clamps the first or second terminal 3a, 3b to be clamped, that is, the counterpart terminal at the intersection (for example, the second terminal 3b in the case of the first terminal 3a). It is. This terminal clamping part 33 has a pair of clamping pieces 33a that can be bent and deformed in the extending direction of the base part 31a, and has a substantially U-shape.

  The sandwiching piece 33a is formed so that the interval between the sandwiching pieces 33a is narrowed from the base portion on the base 31a side to the tip portion. Specifically, the gap between the pair of sandwiching pieces 33a at the distal end portion is set to be smaller than the thickness dimension of the terminal body 31 of the counterpart terminal. Therefore, when the counterpart terminal to be clamped is inserted between the pair of clamp pieces 33a, the clamp piece 33a is bent and deformed, and the terminal main body 31 of the counterpart terminal is narrowed by the restoring force of the clamp piece 33a. It is to be pinched.

  Five such terminal clamping portions 33 are provided on the base portion 31 a of the terminal main body portion 31. Specifically, the terminal clamping portions 33 are provided at predetermined intervals in such a posture that the pair of clamping pieces 33a are arranged in the extending direction of the base portion 31a. Moreover, these terminal clamping parts 33 are provided in the state which approached any one vertical end part 31b side. In the present embodiment, the terminal holding portion 33 close to the upright end portion 31b is particularly referred to as a proximity terminal holding portion 33b.

  In the present embodiment, ten such first terminals 3a and second terminals 3b are housed in a state where they intersect each other. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the first terminal 3 a is held in a state where the proximity terminal clamping portion 33 b is located on the near side from the near side, and on the far side of the first terminal 3 a. The adjacent first terminals 3a are held in a state where the proximity terminal holding portion 33b is located on the back side. Thus, the 1st terminal 3a is hold | maintained in the state by which the position of the proximity | contact terminal clamping part 33b is alternately switched to the near side and the back side from the near side toward the back side. In the state of being held in this way, these terminal clamping portions 33 are in a staggered arrangement as viewed from the first terminal arrangement direction. That is, in the state where the first terminals 3a are arranged, the terminal clamping portions 33 of the first terminals 3a located in the odd rows are arranged in the first terminal arrangement direction when viewed from the first terminal arrangement direction. Between the terminal holding portions 33 of the first terminals 3a located in the odd rows, the terminal holding portions 33 of the first terminals 3a located in the even rows are arranged in the first terminal arrangement direction. Become. Therefore, in a state where the first terminals 3a are arranged, ten rows of terminal holding portions 33 arranged every other terminal are arranged in the first terminal arrangement direction.

  Similarly to the first terminal 3a, the second terminal 3b has 10 rows of terminal holding portions 33 arranged in every other terminal in the second terminal arrangement direction. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, in a state where the first terminal 3a and the second terminal 3b intersect, the terminal holding portion 33 of the first terminal 3a connects the terminal main body portion 31 of the second terminal 3b. On the other hand, between the terminal holding portions 33 of the first terminal 3a, the terminal holding portion 33 of the second terminal 3b holds the terminal main body portion 31 of the first terminal 3a. Thus, at the intersection of the first and second terminals 3a and 3b, one of the terminal clamping portions 33 is the terminal body of the counterpart terminal (for example, the second terminal 3b in the case of the first terminal 3a). Each is electrically connected by sandwiching the portion 31.

  The housing 4 is composed of a housing assembly member having the same shape that can be separated vertically, that is, an upper housing assembly member 5a and a lower housing assembly member 5b. The upper and lower housing assembly members 5a and 5b hold the first and second terminals 3a and 3b in a state of being orthogonal to each other. Specifically, the first and second terminals 3a and 3b are respectively locked to the housing assembly member 5a (or housing assembly member 5b) on one side and the housing assembly member 5b (or housing assembly member) on the other side. By being fitted to 5a), the first and second terminals 3a and 3b are held in an intersecting state. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the first terminal 3a is locked to the lower housing assembly member 5b.

  The lower housing assembly member 5b includes a fixed wall portion 51 for arranging and fixing the first terminals 3a, and the fixed wall portion at both ends of the fixed wall portion 51 perpendicular to the first terminal arrangement direction. 51 and a side wall 52 extending in the first terminal arrangement direction.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the fixed wall portion 51 has a square, substantially flat plate shape. On the surface of the fixed wall portion 51, a terminal groove 53 that holds the first terminals 3 a arranged in the first terminal arrangement direction, and a second terminal 3 b arranged in a direction orthogonal to the terminal groove 53. In the example shown in FIG. 2, ten fitting grooves 54 to be fitted are formed.

  The terminal groove 53 is formed to extend in a direction orthogonal to the side wall portion 52. The terminal groove 53 has a groove width substantially the same as the thickness dimension of the first terminal 3a, and is formed so that the base 31a side of the first terminal 3a can be inserted into the terminal groove 53. . Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, at both end portions of the terminal groove 53 in the longitudinal direction, protruding portions 51 a in which a part of the fixed wall portion 51 protrudes into the terminal groove 53 are formed. The central part of the is formed deeper than both end parts. The central portion of the terminal groove 53 is formed so that the base portion 31a of the first terminal 3a can be inserted. The protruding portion 51a in the terminal groove 53 is formed with a locking portion 51b that protrudes toward the center portion side. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, when the first terminal 3a is inserted into the terminal groove 53, the locking piece 31c of the first terminal 3a enters the fixed wall 51 side from the locking portion 51b. Thus, the locking piece 31c and the locking portion 51b are engaged, the first terminal 3a is locked to the locking portion 51b, and the first terminal 3a can be prevented from dropping out of the terminal groove 53. It has become. Therefore, in a state where the first terminal 3a is inserted into the terminal groove 53, the terminal holding portion 33 of the first terminal 3a is locked in a posture facing upward.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the fitting groove 54 is a groove fitted to the second terminal 3 b and has a shape extending in a direction substantially parallel to the extending direction of the side wall portion 52. Projecting portions 51a in which a part of the fixed wall portion 51 protrudes into the fitting groove 54 are formed at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the fitting groove 54. It is formed deeper than. The longitudinal dimension of the central portion is formed to be substantially the same as the longitudinal dimension of the upper end portion of the second terminal 3b, that is, the dimension from one vertical end portion 31b to the other vertical end portion 31b. . That is, when the upper end portion of the second terminal 3b is inserted into the fitting groove 54, the upright end portion 31b of the second terminal 3b comes into contact with the projecting portion 51a, whereby the second terminal 3b. Is positioned, and the movement of the second terminal 3b in the longitudinal direction is restricted.

  Further, the upper housing assembly member 5a has the same configuration as the lower housing assembly member 5b. That is, the fixed wall portion 51 of the upper housing assembly member 5a is formed with a terminal groove 53 to be engaged with the second terminal 3b so as to extend in a direction perpendicular to the side wall portion 52, and the first terminal 3a The fitting groove 54 to be fitted is formed so as to extend in a direction substantially parallel to the side wall 52.

  Accordingly, in a state where the upper and lower housing assembly members 5a and 5b are fitted, the terminal groove 53 and the fitting groove 54 formed in each of the upper and lower housing assembly members 5a and 5b face each other. 3a and 3b are held by the terminal groove 53 and the fitting groove 54 so as to stand upright from the fixed wall portion 51, and the terminal holding portion 33 is held in a state of holding the mating terminal at the intersection. (See FIGS. 4 and 5).

  Moreover, the side wall part 52 of the lower housing assembly member 5b has a shape that can be fitted to the side wall part 52 of the upper housing assembly member 5a. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the convex portion 55 has a shape extending in the first terminal arrangement direction from the fixed wall portion 51 and extending upward with substantially the same dimension as the width dimension of the substrate portion. And an extension portion 56 extending in the first terminal arrangement direction from the fixed wall portion 51. And the dimension between the extension parts 56 in the direction where the 1st terminal 3a is extended is set to the dimension substantially the same as the longitudinal direction dimension of the convex part 55, and the convex part 55 can be engage | inserted between this extension part 56. FIG. It is like that. In addition, a protrusion 55 a protruding in the longitudinal direction is formed on the side surface in the longitudinal direction of the convex portion 55, and a recess 56 a is formed on the inner surface of the extension portion 56. Accordingly, when the convex portion 55 is fitted between the extension portions 56, the projection portions 55a of the convex portion 55 and the recess portions 56a of the extension portion 56 are fitted, thereby connecting the housing assembly members 5a and 5b. It is like that.

  Further, the side wall portion 52 is formed with a connection member fitting portion 57 for fitting with a connection member 6 described later at a position where the conductor holding portion 32 of the first terminal 3a is arranged. The connection member fitting portion 57 is formed so as to open in the extending direction of the first terminal 3a so that the conductor holding portions 32 arranged in the first terminal arrangement direction can face the connection member fitting portion 57. It has become. The connection member fitting portion 57 is formed with a recess 57a so that it can be fitted with a projection 66 of the connection member 6 to be described later.

  The upper housing assembly member 5a also has a side wall portion 52 having the same shape as the lower housing assembly member 5b. That is, it has a shape extending in the second terminal arrangement direction from the fixed wall portion 51, and is higher than the convex portion 55 and the fixed wall portion 51 extending upward with substantially the same width as the fixed wall portion 51. 2 and an extension portion 56 extending in the terminal arrangement direction. Further, the side wall portion 52 is formed with a connection member fitting portion 57 for fitting with a connection member 6 described later at a position where the conductor holding portion 32 of the second terminal 3b is arranged.

  The connecting member 6 is a member that electrically connects the flat wiring member 2 to the first terminal 3 a in the housing 4. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the connecting member 6 includes a horizontal plate portion 61 having a substantially flat plate shape extending in the conductor arrangement direction (width direction) of the flat wiring member 2, and the horizontal beam portion 61. A bottom wall portion 62 and an upper wall portion 63 that are arranged side by side at a predetermined interval, and a side rail portion 64 that connects both side portions 61, the upper wall portion 63, and both end portions of the bottom wall portion 62. Yes. In the present embodiment, two horizontal crosspieces 61 are arranged in parallel in the vertical direction (direction perpendicular to the conductor arrangement direction of the flat wiring member 2) at a predetermined interval, and the upper and lower horizontal crosspieces 61 are arranged. A separate flat wiring member 2 is attached to each.

  The horizontal rail portion 61 is a portion to which the flat wiring member 2 is attached, and a fitting convex portion 61a sandwiched between the conductor sandwiching portions 32 and a horizontal rail body located on the opposite side of the fitting convex portion 61a. Part 61b.

  The horizontal beam main body portion 61b has a flat plate shape extending in the width direction, and is connected to the side surface portion 64 at both end portions thereof.

  The fitting convex portion 61a is formed to extend from the horizontal beam main body portion 61b to the housing assembly members 5a and 5b (front side) in the width direction, and has an arc shape that swells to the front side when viewed from the longitudinal direction. is doing. In addition, a partition wall 61c (see FIG. 2) is formed on the surface of the fitting convex portion 61a so as to protrude from the surface and extend from the upper surface side to the lower surface side along the surface of the fitting convex portion 61a. It is formed at predetermined intervals in the direction. Specifically, the partition walls 61c adjacent to each other are formed to have approximately the same width as the exposed conductor 21 and each partition wall 61c is formed to have the same pitch as that of the exposed conductor 21. Has been. Therefore, in a state where the exposed conductors 21 are along the fitting convex portions 61a, the partition walls 61c protrude from between the exposed conductors 21, and the pitch of the exposed conductors 21 is maintained at a predetermined pitch.

  The thickness dimension of the fitting convex portion 61a (the vertical dimension in FIGS. 4 and 5) is set to be larger than the thickness dimension of the horizontal beam main body portion 61b. Specifically, in the example shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the step between the upper surface of the fitting convex portion 61a and the upper surface of the horizontal beam main body portion 61b, and the lower surface of the fitting convex portion 61a and the lower surface of the horizontal beam main body portion 61b, Are set to be approximately the same as the thickness dimension of the insulating coating portion 22 on one side of the flat wiring member 2.

  When the flat wiring member 2 is attached to such a connecting member 6, the two upper and lower flat wiring members 2 are inserted between the upper and lower horizontal crosspieces 61. Then, the front end portion of the upper flat wiring member 2 is folded upward, and the front end portion of the upper flat wiring member 2 is inserted between the upper horizontal rail portion 61 and the upper wall portion 63, and the upper flat wiring member 2 is inserted. The two end covering portions 22a are brought into contact with the horizontal beam main body portion 61b. Further, the front end portion of the lower flat wiring member 2 is folded downward, and the front end portion of the lower flat wiring member 2 is inserted between the lower side rail portion 61 and the bottom wall portion 62, and The front end covering portion 22a of the flat wiring member 2 on the side is brought into contact with the horizontal rail main body portion 61b. Thus, in a state where the flat wiring member 2 is attached to the upper and lower horizontal rail portions 61, the tip covering portion 22a abuts on the horizontal rail main body portion 61b, and the exposed conductor 21 is fitted to the fitting protrusion. It is bent along the surface of the portion 61a, and the insulating coating main body portion 22b comes into contact with the horizontal rail main body portion 61b. That is, the thicknesses of the tip covering portion 22a and the insulation covering main body portion 22b are absorbed by the steps, so that the conductor 21 of the flat wiring member 2 is smoothly bent along the horizontal rail portion 61 without bending. Can be made. Moreover, since the fitting convex part 61a has the circular arc shape which swells to the front side, the exposed conductor 21 is bent along the surface of this fitting convex part 61a without bending.

  Further, the upper wall portion 63 of the connecting member 6 has a shape extending in the width direction so as to face the horizontal rail portion 61, and a slit 65 having a shape extending in the width direction is formed in the upper wall portion 63. Has been. A pressure contact piece 65a for locking the flat wiring member 2 is formed on the upper wall portion 63, and is formed so as to be able to bend and deform in the slit 65 toward the flat wiring member 2 side. Therefore, by pressing the pressure contact piece 65a from the upper side with the flat wiring member 2 along the upper side crosspiece 61, the pressure contact piece 65a is bent and deformed, and on the lower surface portion of the upper wall portion 63. It is supposed to be caught.

  The bottom wall portion 62 of the connecting member 6 also has a pressure contact piece 65a configured similarly to the upper wall portion 63, and the pressure contact piece 65a is bent and deformed by pressing the pressure contact piece 65a from below. At the same time, it is caught on the upper surface portion of the bottom wall 62.

  Therefore, when these pressure contact pieces 65a are pressed, they are fixed in a posture to abut against the flat wiring member 2 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, so that the insulation covering main body portion 22b of the flat wiring member 2 becomes the horizontal rail main body portion. The flat wiring member 2 is held by the connecting member 6 by being sandwiched between 61b and the pressure contact piece 65a.

  The upper wall portion 63 and the bottom wall portion 62 are formed with a convex portion 66 that fits into the concave portion 57 a of the connection member fitting portion 57, and the connection member 6 is fitted into the connection member fitting portion 57. Then, the convex portion 66 and the concave portion 57a of the connection member fitting portion 57 are fitted, so that the connection member 6 can be prevented from falling off the connection member fitting portion 57.

  Next, assembly of such a joint connector 1 will be described.

  First, among the pair of housing assembly members 5a and 5b, for example, the first terminal 3a is attached to the lower housing assembly member 5b, and the second terminal 3b is attached to the upper housing assembly member 5a. Specifically, the terminal main body 31 of the first terminal 3a is inserted into the terminal groove 53, and is pushed in and fixed until the locking piece 31c of the first terminal 3a is positioned below the locking portion 51b. That is, the locking piece 31c of the first terminal 3a is pushed in until it is positioned below the locking portion 51b of the lower housing assembly member 5b, whereby the locking piece 31c is hooked on the locking portion 51b, and the first The terminal 3 a is locked in the terminal groove 53. The ten first terminals 3a are inserted and fixed in the terminal grooves 53, respectively, but the adjacent terminal holding portions 33b between the adjacent first terminals 3a are seen from the first terminal arrangement direction. The first terminals 3a are inserted and fixed so as to be alternately arranged in the extending direction.

  Similarly, the second terminal 3b is fixed to the upper housing assembly member 5a.

  Next, the upper housing assembly member 5a and the lower housing assembly member 5b are fitted. Specifically, the convex portion 55 in the side wall portion 52 of the upper housing assembly member 5a is disposed so as to be positioned between the extension portions 56 of the lower housing assembly member 5b. In this state, since the terminal grooves 53 of the upper and lower housing assembly members 5a and 5b are formed to extend in a direction perpendicular to the side wall portion 52, the first terminals 3a locked to the upper housing assembly member 5a; The second terminal 3b locked to the lower housing assembly member 5b is in a state of being orthogonal to each other. Then, when the upper and lower housing assembly members 5a and 5b are fitted, the second terminal 3b is connected to the terminal clamping portion 33 of the first terminal 3a at the intersection of the first terminal 3a and the second terminal 3b. The first terminal 3a is inserted into the terminal holding portion 33 of the second terminal 3b, and the terminal main body portion 31 of the first or second terminal 3a, 3b is held by each terminal holding portion 33. . That is, at the intersection of the first terminal 3a and the second terminal 3b, for example, the terminal clamping portion 33 of the first terminal 3a and the terminal body 31 of the second terminal 3b intersect, and this state By fitting the upper and lower housing assembly members 5a and 5b from each other, the holding piece 33a of the first terminal 3a is bent and deformed, and the terminal main body 31 of the second terminal 3b is held by the restoring force. That is, the pair of holding pieces 33a in the first terminal 3a narrows the second terminal 3b main body portion in the thickness direction, so that the terminal holding portion 33 holds the terminal main body portion 31 of the counterpart terminal. ing. On the other hand, the front end portion of the upright end portion 31b of the first terminal 3a and the front end portion of the upright end portion 31b of the second terminal 3b are inserted into the fitting grooves 54 of the housing assembly members 5a and 5b, respectively. As a result, the first and second terminals 3a and 3b are connected by either one of the terminal holding portions 33 at the intersecting portions, and are upright in the housing 4 by the terminal grooves 53 and the fitting grooves 54. Retained. Then, the projections 55a of the housing assembly members 5a and 5b are fitted into the mating recesses 56a, whereby the upper and lower housing assembly members 5a and 5b are connected and fixed, and the assembly of the joint connector 1 is completed.

  In order to branch the flat wiring member 2 using such a joint connector 1, the connecting member 6 attached to the end portion of the flat wiring member 2 is connected to the housing 4 of the joint connector 1.

  First, the above-described joint connector 1 is connected to a portion where the first flat wiring member 2 (comprising two flat wiring members 2) constituting the electric circuit is branched. That is, the connecting member 6 is attached to the terminal portion of the first flat wiring member 2 in that portion, and the connecting member 6 is fitted to the connecting member fitting portion 57 of the housing assembly member 5b, for example. That is, the conductor 21 is removed by removing a part of the insulating coating portion 22 of the first flat wiring material 2 while leaving the insulating coating portion 22 (tip coating portion 22a) at the terminal portion of the first flat wiring material 2. Expose on both sides. The first flat wiring member 2 is fixed in a state along the horizontal crosspiece 61 of the connecting member 6. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the tip covering portion 22a of the first flat wiring member 2 on the upper stage side is inserted from between the horizontal rail portions 61 arranged vertically, and each exposed conductor 21 is fitted. Each exposed conductor 21 is bent and deformed along the surface of the fitting convex portion 61a while being located between the partition walls 61c of the convex portion 61a. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the tip covering portion 22a abuts the upper surface of the horizontal beam main body portion 61b, the exposed conductor 21 is bent along the surface of the fitting convex portion 61a, and the insulating covering main body portion 22b is The first flat wiring member 2 is attached to the connecting member 6 in a state where it abuts on the lower surface of the main body 61b. Then, the pressure contact piece 65a is pressed from above and brought into contact with the insulation coating main body portion 22b of the first flat wiring member 2, so that the insulation coating main body portion 22b is sandwiched between the horizontal rail main body portion 61b and the pressure contact piece 65a. The first flat wiring member 2 is fixed to the crosspiece 61 by being pressed.

  Similarly, the first flat wiring member 2 is attached to the connecting member 6 in two upper and lower stages by attaching the first flat wiring member 2 on the lower stage side to the horizontal rail portion 61 on the lower stage side.

  Then, the connecting member 6 to which the first flat wiring member 2 is attached is assembled to the housing 4. That is, for example, the connecting member fitting portion 57 of the lower housing assembly member 5b is fitted. Specifically, when the connecting member 6 is moved to the housing 4 side with the connecting member 6 and the connecting member fitting portion 57 facing each other, the fitting convex portion 61a moves to the conductor holding portion 32 side. Thus, the connection bending piece 32b of the conductor holding portion 32 is bent and deformed, and the fitting convex portion 61a is held by the conductor holding portion 32 by the restoring force. That is, with the exposed conductor 21 of the first flat wiring member 2 along the surface of the fitting convex portion 61a, the fitting convex portion 61a is sandwiched from the thickness direction by the support piece 32a and the connection bending piece 32b. As a result, the exposed conductor 21 is clamped from above and below by the fitting convex portion 61a and the conductor clamping portion 32. Thereby, the exposed conductor 21 of the first flat wiring member 2 and the first terminal 3a are electrically connected. Then, when the convex portion 66 of the connecting member 6 is engaged with the concave portion 57 a of the connecting member fitting portion 57, the connecting member 6 is locked to the connecting member fitting portion 57, and the connecting member 6 is attached to the housing 4. Movement in the direction opposite to the insertion direction is restricted.

  By assembling the connection member 6 to which the first flat wiring member 2 is attached in this way to the connection member fitting portions 57 at both ends of the housing 4 (both ends of the lower housing assembly member 5b), the housing assembly member The first flat wiring members 2 connected to both ends of 5b are electrically connected by the first terminal 3a. That is, in the branch part of the 1st flat wiring material 2, it will be in the state electrically connected in the state which interposed the joint connector 1. FIG.

  Next, the second flat wiring member 2 to be branched is connected from a direction orthogonal to the first flat wiring member 2. Specifically, similarly to the first flat wiring member 2 described above, the connecting member 6 is attached to the terminal portion of the second flat wiring member 2, and the connecting member 6 is orthogonal to the first flat wiring member 2. Are assembled to both connecting member fitting portions 57 in the direction (the connecting member fitting portion 57 of the upper housing assembly member 5a). As a result, the second flat wiring members 2 are electrically connected to each other by the second terminals 3b, and the first flat wiring member 2 and the second flat wiring member 2 are electrically connected. That is, the first terminal 3 a to which the exposed conductor 21 of the first flat wiring member 2 is connected and the second terminal 3 b to which the exposed conductor 21 of the second flat wiring member 2 is connected are in the housing 4. By being connected by the terminal clamping part 33, the exposed conductor 21 of the 1st flat wiring material 2 and the exposed conductor 21 of the 2nd flat wiring material 2 are electrically connected. Accordingly, the first flat wiring member 2 can be branched to the second flat wiring member 2 through the joint connector 1 at the branch portion.

  Thus, according to the joint connector 1 in the above embodiment, in the housing 4, the first terminals 3a arranged in one direction and the second terminals arranged in a direction orthogonal to the first terminals 3a. The first terminal 3a and the second terminal are clamped by pinching a specific mating terminal to be connected to the terminal clamping portion 33 of the first or second terminal 3a, 3b at a portion where 3b intersects each other. 3b is electrically connected. Therefore, the first flat wiring member 2 is sandwiched between the conductor sandwiching portions 32 of the first terminals 3a and the second flat wiring member 2 is sandwiched between the conductor sandwiching portions 32 of the second terminals 3b. The first flat wiring member 2 connected to the first terminal 3a can be branched to the second flat wiring member 2 connected to the second terminal 3b. Therefore, since the connection work can be performed only by holding the exposed conductor 21 of the flat wiring member 2 between the conductor holding portions 32, the connection member 6 is attached as compared with the conventional branch structure that requires the connection member 6. In addition, a dedicated device is not required, and the connection work can be performed even when the flat wiring material 2 is not wired, and the flat wiring material 2 can be easily branched without requiring a large space for the connection work. It can be performed.

  Moreover, although the said embodiment demonstrated the example in which the terminal clamping part 33 is provided in any one in the cross | intersection part of the 1st terminal 3a and the 2nd terminal 3b, 1st and 2nd terminal 3a, The terminal clamping part 33 may be provided in both 3b. Thereby, since each terminal main-body part 31 is clamped by each terminal clamping part 33, the electrical connection reliability in an intersection part can be improved.

  Moreover, although the specific 1st terminal 3a was connected to all the 2nd terminals 3b in the said embodiment, the specific 2nd terminal 3b which should be connected with the specific 1st terminal 3a was demonstrated. It is good also as a structure which leaves the terminal clamping part 33 only in the crossing part, and removes the other terminal clamping part 33. FIG. Thereby, the specific 1st terminal 3a and the specific 2nd terminal 3b are connected, and the specific conductor 21 of the 1st flat wiring material 2 and the specific conductor 21 of the 2nd flat wiring material 2 are connected. It can be electrically connected.

  Moreover, although the said embodiment demonstrated the example which connected the 2nd flat wiring material 2 from both sides with respect to the 1st flat wiring material 2, and branched to both, the 2nd flat wiring material 2 is either Only one of them may be connected. Specifically, the conductor pinching portion 32 in the second terminal 3b is provided only on one of the connecting member fitting portions 57 side, and the connecting member fitting in which the conductor pinching portions 32 of the second terminal 3b are arranged. The connecting member 6 may be coupled to the joint portion 57 so that the first flat wiring member 2 and the second flat wiring member 2 are branched only on one side.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, it connects to the conductor clamping part 32 of the 1st or 2nd terminal 3a, 3b in the state which put the exposed conductor 21 of the flat wiring material 2 along the fitting convex part 61a of the connection member 6. FIG. The connecting member 6 has a reinforcing plate that prevents the flat wiring member 2 from being bent and deformed, and the exposed conductor 21 of the flat wiring member 2 is attached to the reinforcing plate and attached to the reinforcing plate. The structure which connects the exposed conductor 21 to the conductor clamping part 32 of the 1st or 2nd terminal 3a, 3b may be sufficient.

  Moreover, although the example which branches the upper and lower two-stage flat wiring material 2 was demonstrated in the said embodiment, it was set as the structure which attaches the flat wiring material 2 over 2 or more steps to the connection member 6, and flat wiring over multiple steps The material 2 may be branched.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the example which branches the flat wiring material 2 over several steps was demonstrated, it was set as the structure which attaches the single flat wiring material 2 to the connection member 6, and the structure which branches the single flat wiring material 2 It is good.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the case where the number of the 1st and 2nd flat wiring materials 2 was the same was demonstrated, by changing the number of the 1st and 2nd flat wiring materials 2 attached to the connection member 6, The structure which connects the mutually different number of 1st and 2nd flat wiring materials 2 may be sufficient.

It is a perspective view which shows the joint connector which concerns on this invention. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the joint connector divided | segmented up and down. In FIG. 2, it is a perspective view which shows the state which a terminal cross | intersects in a housing virtually. It is sectional drawing in the IV-IV line of FIG. It is sectional drawing in the VV line of FIG. It is a figure which shows a terminal. It is the schematic which shows the state in which terminals cross | intersect.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Joint connector 2 Flat wiring material 3a 1st terminal 3b 2nd terminal 4 Housing 5 Housing assembly member 6 Connection member 21 Exposed conductor 32 Conductor clamping part 33 Terminal clamping part 57 Connection member fitting part 61a Fitting convex part

Claims (6)

A plurality of flat wiring members that are integrally insulated with a plurality of conductors arranged in a specific direction and a portion of the conductor is exposed by removing a part of the insulation coating are electrically connected to each other. A joint connector to be connected,
A plurality of first terminals arranged in a specific direction and a plurality of second terminals arranged in a direction different from the first terminal arrangement direction;
A housing that holds the first terminal and the second terminal crossing each other;
With
The first terminal has a shape extending in a direction substantially orthogonal to the arrangement direction, and has a conductor holding portion that holds the exposed conductor at both ends thereof,
The second terminal has a shape extending in a direction substantially orthogonal to the arrangement direction thereof, and has a conductor holding portion that holds the exposed conductor at at least one of both end portions thereof.
At least one of the first and second terminals has a terminal clamping portion that clamps a counterpart terminal that intersects at a portion where the specific first terminal and the specific second terminal intersect,
At the intersection of the first terminal and the second terminal, the first terminal and the second terminal are connected by the terminal holding portion of the first or second terminal holding the counterpart terminal. The exposed conductor of the flat wiring member sandwiched between the conductor sandwiching portions of the first terminal and the exposed conductor of the flat wiring member sandwiched between the conductor sandwiching portions of the second terminal are electrically connected. And joint connector.   The housing has a plurality of connecting member fitting portions that are fitted with connecting members attached to the terminal portions of the flat wiring material, and the connecting member fitted with the flat wiring material is fitted into the connecting member fitting portion. The exposed conductor of a flat wiring material and the said conductor clamping part are connected by combining, and a flat wiring material and the 1st or 2nd terminal are electrically connected, The Claim 1 characterized by the above-mentioned. Joint connector. The first or second terminal has a plurality of stages of the conductor sandwiching portion in a direction substantially orthogonal to each terminal arrangement direction,
By fitting the connecting member in which the flat wiring member is mounted in a plurality of stages in a direction substantially orthogonal to the conductor arrangement direction to the connecting member fitting portion of the housing, the exposed conductors of the flat wiring material in the plurality of stages and the The joint connector according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of conductor pinching portions are connected to each other.   The connection member has a fitting convex portion sandwiched by the conductor sandwiching portion of the first or second terminal, and the exposed conductor of the flat wiring member extends along the surface of the fitting convex portion. By holding the connecting member in the connecting member fitting portion, the fitting convex portion along the exposed conductor is held by the conductor holding portion, and the exposed conductor is fitted. 4. The device according to claim 2, wherein the first terminal or the second terminal is electrically connected to the exposed conductor of the flat wiring member by being narrowed by the convex portion and the fitting sandwiching portion. The described joint connector.   The housing is composed of a pair of housing assembly members that are separable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the terminal arrangement direction and have the same shape as each other. The second housing assembly member holds the second terminals in a posture in which the second terminals are arranged in a direction crossing the specific direction, and the housing assembly members are fitted to each other. 2. The joint connector according to claim 1, wherein the terminal clamping portion of the first or second terminal clamps the mating terminal at the intersection of the first terminal and the second terminal.   The terminal clamping part in the first or second terminal has a clamping piece for clamping the terminal to be clamped from the thickness direction, and the terminal to be clamped is inserted into the terminal clamping part. The joint connector according to claim 5, wherein the pinching piece of the terminal pinching portion is bent and deformed, and the terminal to be pinched is pinched by the restoring force thereof.

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