JP2011171163A - Joint connector and manufacturing method therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a joint connector and manufacturing method therefor, of low cost, and which is capable of corresponding to variations of the number of terminals at low cost. <P>SOLUTION: The joint connector 1 is provided with a chained terminal group 2, coupled to a chaining piece 4 and having the desired number of terminal parts 3 with each being connected to a counterpart terminal 20, and a sealing resin part 10 for sealing the chained terminal group 2 made in a desired form. A master chain terminal group with the plurality of terminal parts 3 coupled with the chaining piece 4 is cut off to form the chained terminal group 2 having the desired number of the terminal parts 3 coupled with the chaining piece 4, and then a counterpart terminal 20 is connected to each terminal part 3 of the chained terminal group 2; and afterwards, the chained terminal group 2 made in the desired form is sealed with molding resin. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a joint connector for conducting a plurality of wires through connected mating terminals and a method for manufacturing the joint connector.

  A joint connector may be used for branching the wiring. As a conventional joint connector, there is one disclosed in Patent Document 1.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the joint connector 50 includes a connector housing 51 and two chain terminal groups 52 arranged in the connector housing 51. The connector housing 51 is made of synthetic resin, and includes a plurality of terminal storage chambers 51b that are partitioned by a partition wall 51a and arranged in parallel, and a chain piece storage chamber 51c that communicates with the plurality of terminal storage chambers 51b. . Positioning protrusions 51d are provided at intervals in the chain piece accommodating chamber 51c.

  Each chain terminal group 52 is composed of a plurality of terminal portions 52a arranged in parallel at intervals, and a chain piece 52b connecting them. Positioning holes 52c are formed in the chain piece 52b at intervals along the longitudinal direction. Both the chain terminal groups 52 are arranged in such a manner that every other terminal portion 52a is arranged in a different terminal accommodating chamber 51b, and both the chain pieces 52b are overlapped with the chain piece accommodating chamber 51c. A positioning projection 51d of the connector housing 51 is inserted into the positioning hole 52c of each chain piece 52b. All the terminal parts 52a are made conductive through both chain pieces 52b.

  The upper surface of the joint connector 50 is closed with a cover (not shown).

  In the above configuration, a plurality of mating terminals (not shown) to which the electric wires are connected are respectively inserted into the respective terminal accommodating chambers 51b of the connector housing 51 and connected to the respective terminal portions 52a. The electric wires of the mating terminals (not shown) are electrically connected via the joint connector 50.

  A conventional technique similar to the conventional example is also disclosed in Patent Document 2.

JP-A-11-204154 JP 2000-150106 A

  According to the conventional example, using a mother chain terminal group (not shown) having a plurality of terminal portions 52a connected by a chain piece 52b, this mother chain terminal group is versatile and low cost, The joint connector 50 can be manufactured at low cost.

  However, in order to produce the desired number of joint connectors 50, each of the connector housings 51 having the desired number of terminal accommodating chambers 51b must be produced. In other words, it is necessary to produce a dedicated connector housing 51 for each different desired number of terminals, and there is a problem that variations in the number of terminals cannot be handled at low cost.

  Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and has an object to provide a joint connector that can be manufactured at a low cost and can cope with variations in the number of terminals at a low cost, and a method for manufacturing the joint connector. To do.

  The invention of claim 1 is a chain terminal group having a desired number of terminal portions connected by chain pieces and connected to the respective partner terminals, and a sealing resin portion for sealing the chain terminal group in a desired form. It is a joint connector characterized by comprising.

  Invention of Claim 2 is the joint connector of Claim 1, Comprising: The desired form of the said chain terminal group is a form by which the said chain piece was rounded and the said several terminal part was arranged in the circumferential shape. This is a joint connector.

  Invention of Claim 3 is the joint connector of Claim 1, Comprising: The desired form of the said chain terminal group is a form by which the said chain piece was folded and the said some terminal part was arranged alternately. The joint connector is characterized.

  Invention of Claim 4 cut | disconnects the mother chain terminal group by which the several terminal part was connected with the chain piece, forms the chain terminal group which has the said desired number of said terminal parts connected with the said chain piece, Then, It is a manufacturing method of the joint connector characterized by connecting a partner terminal to each terminal part of the chain terminal group, respectively, and sealing the chain terminal group made into a desired form with mold resin after that.

  According to the first aspect, since the terminal portion uses the chain terminal group obtained by cutting the versatile mother chain terminal group, it can be manufactured at low cost. Then, the chain terminal group can be produced with a desired number of terminals by cutting the mother chain terminal group at a predetermined position, and the parts that house the chain terminal group inside are chain terminals with different numbers of terminal portions. Since the sealing resin portion can basically accommodate the group, it is not necessary to prepare a connector housing for each number of terminals as in the conventional example, and it is possible to cope with variations in the number of terminals at a low cost.

  According to the invention of claim 2, it is possible to manufacture a columnar joint connector having a diameter (volume) as small as possible.

  According to the invention of claim 3, a flat joint connector having a thickness (volume) as small as possible can be manufactured.

  According to the fourth aspect, since the terminal portion uses the chain terminal group obtained by cutting the versatile mother chain terminal group, it can be manufactured at low cost. Then, the chain terminal group can be produced with a desired number of terminals by cutting the mother chain terminal group at a predetermined position, and the parts that house the chain terminal group inside are chain terminals with different numbers of terminal portions. Since the sealing resin portion can basically accommodate the group, it is not necessary to prepare a connector housing for each number of terminals as in the conventional example, and it is possible to cope with variations in the number of terminals at a low cost.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a perspective view of a columnar joint connector, and (b) is a sectional view taken along line AA in (a). 1 is a schematic plan view of a mother chain terminal group according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic plan view which shows one Embodiment of this invention and shows the cutting process of the mother chain terminal group. It is a schematic plan view which shows one Embodiment of this invention and shows the state which connected the other party terminal to the terminal part of the chain terminal group. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention, in which chain pieces are rounded and four terminal portions are arranged circumferentially. 1 is a perspective view of a flat joint connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view explaining the manufacturing process of the joint connector of a prior art example.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  1 to 6 show an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 (a) is a perspective view of a columnar joint connector 1, FIG. 1 (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 1 (a), 2 to 5 are diagrams showing the manufacturing process of the joint connector 1, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the joint connector 30 having a flat shape.

  As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the joint connector 1 includes a chain terminal group 2 having four terminals and four mating terminals connected to each terminal portion 3 of the chain terminal group 2. 20 and a sealing resin portion 10 that seals the chain terminal group 2 together with the mating terminal 20. The joint connector 1 has a cylindrical shape.

  The chain terminal group 2 is composed of four terminal portions 3 arranged in parallel at intervals, and a chain piece 4 connecting the four terminal portions 3. Each terminal portion 3 is a male terminal and is formed by bending. Positioning holes 4a are formed in the chain piece 4 at equal intervals. In the chain terminal group 2, the chain pieces 4 are rounded and the four terminal portions 3 are arranged in a circumferential shape.

  The sealing resin portion 10 is formed by resin molding with respect to the chain terminal group 2. The sealing resin portion 10 has a circumferential outer surface.

  Each mating terminal 20 is a female terminal. An electric wire W is connected to each mating terminal 20.

  Next, the manufacturing procedure of the joint connector 1 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, in the mother chain terminal group 2 </ b> A, the terminal portions 3 are continuously connected by the chain pieces 4. As shown in FIG. 3, the chain piece 4 of the mother chain terminal group A is cut to produce a chain terminal group 2 having four terminal portions 3 connected by the chain piece 4.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the mating terminal 20 to which each electric wire W is connected is connected to each terminal portion 3 of the chain terminal group 2.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the form of the chain terminal group 2 is changed to a state in which the chain pieces 4 are rounded and the four terminal portions 3 are arranged circumferentially.

  Next, the chain terminal group 2 transformed into the form of FIG. 5 is set in a cylindrical resin filling chamber in a resin molding machine (not shown), and resin molding is performed. Thereby, the joint connector 1 shown in FIG. 1 is manufactured.

  Further, in order to manufacture a flat joint connector 30 as shown in FIG. 6, the form of the chain terminal group 2 is modified so that the chain pieces 4 are folded twice and the four terminal portions 3 are alternately arranged. Let Then, the chain terminal group 2 is set in a flat rectangular resin filling chamber in a resin mold molding machine (not shown) and is manufactured by molding.

  As described above, the joint connector 1 includes the chain terminal group 2 having the desired number of terminal portions 3 connected to each other by the chain pieces 4 and to which the mating terminals 20 are respectively connected, and the chain terminal group 2 in the desired form. And a sealing resin portion 10 to be sealed. Then, the joint connector 1 cuts the mother chain terminal group 2A in which the plurality of terminal portions 3 are connected by the chain pieces 4, and forms the chain terminal group 2 having the desired number of terminal portions 3 connected by the chain pieces 4. Then, the mating terminal 20 was connected to each terminal part 3 of the chain terminal group 2, and then the chain terminal group 2 in a desired form was sealed with a mold resin.

  Therefore, since the terminal part 3 utilizes the chain terminal group 2 obtained by cutting the versatile mother chain terminal group 2A, it can be manufactured at low cost. The chain terminal group 2 can be produced by cutting the mother chain terminal group 2A at a predetermined position so as to produce a desired number of terminals. In addition, the chain terminal group 2 is a component that accommodates the chain terminal group 2 therein (in the conventional connector housing). (Corresponding parts) is a sealing resin portion 10 that can basically accommodate a chain terminal group 2 having a different number of terminal portions 3, so there is no need to make a connector housing for each number of terminals as in the conventional example, Can handle variations in the number of terminals at low cost. That is, when the number of terminals is N (N is an integer greater than or equal to 2), a chain terminal group 2 having N terminal portions 3 may be manufactured from the mother chain terminal group 2A.

  In the joint connector 1, the chain terminal group 2 can be deformed to some extent, and the sealing resin portion 10 that accommodates the chain terminal group 2 can also be freely deformed. A suitable product can be easily manufactured.

  That is, the chain terminal group 2 is formed in a form in which the chain pieces 4 are rounded and the four terminal portions 3 are arranged in a circumferential shape, thereby reducing the diameter (volume) as shown in FIG. The columnar joint connector 1 can be made as small as possible.

  By forming the chain terminal group 2 into a form in which the chain pieces 4 are folded and the four terminal portions 3 are laminated, as shown in FIG. 6, a flat joint connector 30 having a thickness (volume) as small as possible. Can be produced.

  If a resin molding machine (not shown) is installed in the wire harness manufacturing process, the use of the mother chain terminal group 2A for the wire harness reduces the manufacturing line capable of manufacturing the joint connectors 1 and 30 in addition to the wire harness. Can be realized at cost.

  Further, in the joint connector 50 of the conventional example, the two chained terminal groups 52 are used and the pitch of the terminal accommodating chambers 51b is ½ pitch of the terminal portions 52a (see FIG. 7). In the present invention, the single chain terminal group 2 can further reduce the size of the conventional example.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,30 Joint connector 2 Chain terminal group 2A Mother chain terminal group 3 Terminal part 4 Chain piece 10 Sealing resin part 20 Opposite terminal

Claims (4)

  A chain terminal group having a desired number of terminal portions connected by chain pieces and connected to respective counterpart terminals, and a sealing resin portion for sealing the chain terminal group in a desired form Joint connector to be used. The joint connector according to claim 1,
A desired form of the chain terminal group is a joint connector in which the chain pieces are rounded and a plurality of the terminal portions are arranged circumferentially. The joint connector according to claim 1,
A desired form of the chain terminal group is a joint connector in which the chain pieces are folded and a plurality of the terminal portions are alternately arranged. Cutting a mother chain terminal group in which a plurality of terminal parts are connected by a chain piece, forming a chain terminal group having a desired number of the terminal parts connected by the chain piece,
Then, each counterpart terminal is connected to each terminal part of the chain terminal group,
Then, the manufacturing method of the joint connector characterized by sealing the said chain terminal group made into the desired form with mold resin.

Images