JP2015018694A - Expansion connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To deal with increase and decrease of a load flexibly without the unnecessary component cost, when connecting the load with a control bus via a multifunction connector.SOLUTION: When connecting the loads 40-60, having a number of circuits exceeding the number of pins of the output connector 24 of a base module 20, with a control bus, the extension input connector 33 of an extension module 30 is connected with the extension output connector 25 of the base module 20, so that the loads 40-60 can be connected while being distributed to respective output connectors 24, 34 of the base module 20 and extension module 30. Consequently, even if a larger number of pins of the output connector 24 of a base module 20 is not preset, the total number of pins of the output connectors 24, 34 can be increased substantially corresponding to the increased loads 40-60, by connecting the extension module 30 with the base module 20 by chain reaction, when the loads 40-60 are increased.

Description

  The present invention relates to an expansion unit of a high-function connector in which a controller for controlling a load is incorporated in a connector for connecting a load to a control bus.

  In order to capture a control signal related to a specific load from the control bus to which the control signal of the load is transmitted, an individual ID is set in a connector that connects the load to the control bus, and a control signal with a matching ID is received from the control bus. High performance connectors have been proposed. This high-function connector incorporates an IC as a controller that communicates with the control bus and controls the drive of the load. When the IC receives a control signal with a matching ID from the control bus, the IC's function is controlled according to the control signal. The CPU drives and controls the load (for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-27689

  In this type of high-function connector, securing a large number of output pins for the load is advantageous because it can cope with an increase in the load connected to the control bus. Instead, if the number of output pins is not set so that a large surplus does not occur, it becomes an overspec and a wasteful component cost is required.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to flexibly increase or decrease the load without incurring unnecessary component costs when connecting a load to the control bus via a multi-function connector. An object of the present invention is to provide an expansion connector unit that can cope with this.

In order to achieve the above object, an expansion connector unit according to the present invention described in claim 1 comprises:
An expansion connector unit that incorporates an output connector to which a load is connected and a controller that drives and controls the load, and that allows the load to be connected to a control bus to which a control signal of the load is transmitted,
A base module connected to the control bus and having the output connector; and an expansion module connected to the base module and having the output connector;
The base module includes an input connector that is connected to the control bus and receives the control signal from the control bus, and an expansion output connector that distributes and outputs the control signal input to the input connector. And
The extension module has an extension input connector that is connected to the extension output connector of the base module and receives the control signal from the extension output connector.
The controller of the base module generates a drive control signal for the load connected to the output connector based on the control signal input to the input connector and outputs the drive control signal from the output connector,
The controller of the extension module generates the drive control signal of the load connected to the output connector based on the control signal input to the extension input connector and outputs the drive control signal from the output connector.
It is characterized by that.

  According to the extension connector unit of the present invention as set forth in claim 1, an extension which is another multi-function connector by connecting the extension output connector and the extension input connector to the base module which is a multi-function connector having a built-in controller. When the module is connected, the load can be connected to the output connector of the expansion connector in addition to the output connector of the base module so that the drive control signal generated by the controller based on the control signal of the control bus can be output to the load. become.

  For this reason, even if the number of pins of the output connector of the base module is not set to a large number in advance, when the load increases, by connecting the extension module to the base module and increasing the number of multifunction connectors in a chain, The total number of pins of the output connector can be substantially increased corresponding to the increased load.

  Therefore, when a load is connected to the control bus via the multi-function connector, it is possible to flexibly cope with an increase / decrease in the load without incurring unnecessary component costs.

  Further, the expansion connector unit of the present invention described in claim 2 is the expansion connector unit of the present invention described in claim 1, comprising a plurality of the expansion modules connected in a chain to the base module, Each expansion module further includes an expansion output connector to which the control signal input to the expansion input connector is distributed and output, and the expansion input connector of each expansion module is the base module or the other It is connected to the extension output connector of the extension module, and the control signal from the extension output connector is inputted.

  According to the expansion connector unit of the present invention described in claim 2, in the expansion connector unit of the present invention described in claim 1, the expansion input connector of another expansion module is connected to the expansion output connector of the expansion module. Therefore, a plurality of extension modules can be connected to the base module in a chain. For this reason, by increasing / decreasing the number of extension modules connected in series to the base module according to the number of loads, the number of pins of the output connector according to the number of loads can be ensured.

  Furthermore, the expansion connector unit of the present invention described in claim 3 is the expansion connector unit of the present invention described in claim 1 or 2, wherein each of the base module and the expansion module has a housing, and the base The expansion output connector of the module is provided with either one of a locking piece and a locked portion that are releasably locked when the expansion module is fitted to the expansion input connector. The extension input connector is provided with either the locking piece or the locked portion, and at least one of the housing of the base module and the extension module has the locking piece and the locked portion. An exposed portion that exposes an operation portion that is operated when the locking portion is unlocked is formed.

  According to the expansion connector unit of the present invention described in claim 3, when the expansion output connector of the base module and the expansion input connector of the expansion module are fitted in the expansion connector unit of the present invention described in claim 1 or 2. The locking piece provided on both sides and the locked portion are locked. In order to release the fitting between the extension output connector of the base module and the extension input connector of the extension module, it is necessary to operate the operation portion in order to release the locking between the locking piece and the locked portion.

  Therefore, the base module and the expansion unit connected to the base module and the expansion module are formed by forming an exposed portion that exposes the operation unit in the locked state of the locking piece and the locked portion in the housing of at least one of the base module and the expansion module. The module can be reliably separated.

  According to the present invention, when a load is connected to the control bus via the multi-function connector, it is possible to flexibly cope with an increase / decrease in the load without incurring unnecessary component costs.

It is explanatory drawing which shows typically the structure of the expansion connector unit which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows schematic structure of the base module of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows schematic structure of the base module of FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows schematic structure of the expansion module of FIG. FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a state where the base module and the extension module are connected by fitting the extension input connector of the extension module of FIG. 4 to the extension output connector of the base module of FIG. 2. (A), (b) is sectional drawing which each shows the state before and behind the fitting of the expansion input connector of the expansion module of FIG. 4 with respect to the expansion output connector of the base module of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the case where an extension module is further connected in a chain to another extension module connected to the base module of FIG.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of an expansion connector unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The extension connector unit 10 of this embodiment shown in FIG. 1 connects three loads 40 to 60 to a control bus (not shown) by a four-circuit signal cable 70 from a junction box (J / B) (not shown). Is to do. The extension connector unit 10 includes a base module 20 connected to the signal cable 70 and an extension module 30 connected to the base module 20.

  As shown in the explanatory diagram of FIG. 2, the base module 20 stores a substrate 22 in a rectangular housing 21. An input connector 23, an output connector 24, and an extended output connector 25 are mounted on the upper surface 22 a of the substrate 22, and the connectors 23 to 25 are exposed at different side surfaces 21 a to 21 c of the housing 21.

  The input connector 23 and the extended output connector 25 are configured by a 4-pin male connector having the same shape. The input connector 23 is inserted and fitted with the 4-pin female connector 71 of the signal cable 70 described above. The lance 71b on the lock arm 71a of the female connector 71 is locked to the locked portion (not shown) of the cavity of the input connector 23 in a state where the input connector 23 is completely fitted. Of the female connector 71 is prevented.

  As shown in the explanatory view of FIG. 3, the output connector 24 is configured by an 18-pin male connector in the present embodiment. Signal lines 41 and 51 from loads 40 and 50 are connected to the output connector 24. Specifically, the female terminals 41 b and 51 b crimped to the ends of the covered electric wires 41 a and 51 a of the signal lines 41 and 51 are inserted and fitted into cavities corresponding to the pins of the output connector 24.

  In this embodiment, the signal line 41 from the load 40 has 10 circuits and the signal line 51 from the load 50 has 8 circuits, respectively, and a total of 18 female terminals 41b and 51b are 18 pins of the output connector 24. Each of the cavities is inserted and fitted.

  Then, a lance (not shown) on the lock arm provided in the cavity of the output connector 24 is locked in the locking holes 41c and 51c of the female terminals 41b and 51b in a state where the output connector 24 is completely fitted. This prevents the female terminals 41b and 51b from coming off from the output connector 24.

  An IC 26 as a controller schematically shown in FIG. 1 is mounted on the lower surface 22 b of the substrate 22. The IC 26 controls driving of the loads 40 and 50, has a CPU and a memory, and is connected to the input connector 23 and the output connector 24 by a conductive pattern (not shown) of the substrate 22. The extension output connector 25 is branched and connected to the input connector 23 in parallel with the IC 26 by a conductive pattern (not shown) of the substrate 22.

  The IC 26 takes in a control signal having an ID (identifier) corresponding to the loads 40 and 50 connected to the output connector 24 from among the control signals input to the input connector 23 from the control bus via the signal cable 70. Based on the captured control signal, a drive control signal for the corresponding loads 40 and 50 is generated and output from the pins corresponding to the loads 40 and 50 of the output connector 24.

  As shown in the explanatory view of FIG. 4, the expansion module 30 houses a substrate 32 in a rectangular housing 31. An extension input connector 33, an output connector 34, and an extension output connector 35 are mounted on the upper surface 32 a of the substrate 32, and the connectors 33 to 35 are exposed at different side surfaces 31 a to 31 c of the housing 31.

  The extension input connector 33 is a 4-pin female connector corresponding to the extension output connector 25 of the base module 20, similarly to the female connector 71 of the signal cable 70 described above. The extension output connector 35 is a 4-pin male connector having the same shape as the extension output connector 25 of the base module 20.

  The extension input connector 33 is inserted and fitted into the extension output connector 25 of the base module 20 or the extension output connector 35 of another extension module 30. For example, as shown in the perspective view of FIG. 5, when the extension module 30 is connected to the base module 20, the extension input connector 33 of the extension module 30 is connected to the extension output of the base module 20 as shown in FIG. The connector 25 is inserted and fitted.

  When the expansion input connector 33 of the expansion module 30 is completely fitted into the expansion output connector 25 of the base module 20, as shown in FIG. 6B, the lock arm 33a of the expansion input connector 33 (operation in claims) The lance 33b (corresponding to the locking piece in the claims) on the upper portion of the lance 33b is locked to the locked portion 25a of the cavity of the extension output connector 25. This locking prevents the extension input connector 33 from coming off the extension output connector 25.

  By the way, when the expansion input connector 33 of the expansion module 30 is fitted to the expansion output connector 25 of the base module 20, the side surface 21 c of the housing 21 of the base module 20 and the side surface 31 a of the housing 31 of the expansion module 30 abut. In this state, a space for operating the lock arm 33 a of the extension input connector 33 cannot be secured in the gap between the housings 21 and 31.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, a recess 31e (corresponding to an exposed portion in the claims) is formed in the edge portion on the side surface 31a side of the upper surface 31d of the housing 31 of the expansion module 30. Thereby, even when the expansion input connector 33 of the expansion module 30 is fitted to the expansion output connector 25 of the base module 20, a space for operating the lock arm 33a is secured as shown in FIG. 6B. Accordingly, the locking of the lance 33b to the locked portion 25a is released, the fitting of the expansion input connector 33 to the expansion output connector 25 is released, and the expansion input connector 33 can be pulled out of the expansion output connector 25. .

  As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, a locked portion 35 a is also formed in the cavity of the extension output connector 35 of the extension module 30. Therefore, for example, as shown in the perspective view of FIG. 7, the extension input connector 33 can be inserted and fitted into the extension output connector 35 of another extension module 30 connected to the base module 20.

  In this case, when the extension input connector 33 is completely fitted to the extension output connector 35, the lance 33b on the lock arm 33a of the extension input connector 33 is replaced with another extension shown in FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b). The module 30 is locked to the locked portion 35 a of the expansion output connector 35. This locking prevents the extension input connector 33 from coming off the extension output connector 35.

  Further, when the expansion input connector 33 of the expansion module 30 is inserted and fitted into the expansion output connector 35 of another expansion module 30, the expansion input connector is formed by the recess 31 e formed on the upper surface 31 d of the housing 31 of the expansion module 30. A space for operating the 33 lock arms 33a can be secured.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the output connector 34 is configured by a 14-pin male connector in the present embodiment. A signal line 61 from the load 60 is connected to the output connector 34. Specifically, the female terminal 61b crimped to the end of the covered electric wire 61a of the signal line 61 is inserted and fitted into a cavity corresponding to each pin of the output connector 34.

  In the present embodiment, the signal line 61 from the load 60 has nine circuits, and nine female terminals 61b are inserted and fitted into cavities corresponding to nine of 14 pins of the output connector 34, respectively. .

  Then, the lance (not shown) of the cavity of the output connector 34 is locked in the locking hole 61c of the female terminal 61b in a state where the output connector 34 is completely fitted, and the female terminal 61b from the output connector 34 is locked. Omission is prevented.

  An IC 36 as a controller schematically shown in FIG. 1 is mounted on the lower surface 32 b of the substrate 32. The IC 36 controls driving of the load 60, has a CPU and a memory, and is connected to the expansion input connector 33 and the output connector 34 by a conductive pattern (not shown) of the substrate 32. The extension output connector 35 is branched and connected to the extension input connector 33 in parallel with the IC 36 by a conductive pattern (not shown) of the substrate 32.

  The IC 36 receives a control signal having an ID (identifier) corresponding to the load 60 connected to the output connector 34 from among the control signals input from the control bus to the expansion input connector 33 via the base module 20 and the signal cable 70. take in. Then, a drive control signal for the load 60 is generated based on the captured control signal, and is output from a pin corresponding to the load 60 of the output connector 34.

  Thus, in this embodiment, the expansion connector unit 10 is configured by the base module 20 and the expansion module 30 having the expansion input connector 33 that can be connected to the expansion output connector 25 of the base module 20. When it is necessary to connect loads 40 to 60 (a total of 27 circuits) having more than 18 circuits, which is the number of pins of the output connector 24 of the base module 20, to the control bus, the expansion module 30 is added to the base module 20. Connected and configured to be able to connect loads 40 to 60 in a distributed manner to the output connectors 24 and 34 of the base module 20 and the expansion module 30.

  Therefore, even if the number of pins of the output connector 24 of the base module 20 is not set to be large in advance, when the loads 40 to 60 are increased, the expansion module 30 can be connected to the base module 20 in a chain. The total number of pins of the output connectors 24 and 34 can be substantially increased corresponding to the increased loads 40-60.

  Therefore, when connecting the loads 40 to 60 to the control bus via a multi-function connector (base module 20, expansion module 30) equipped with a controller for driving and controlling the loads 40 to 60, the base module 20 is connected in a chain. By increasing / decreasing the number of expansion modules 30 to be connected, it is possible to flexibly cope with increase / decrease in loads 40 to 60 without incurring unnecessary component costs.

  In addition, the extension output connector 25 of the base module 20 and the extension output connector 35 of the extension module 30 can be composed of the same parts, and the extension input connector 33 of the extension module 30 is also the same as the female connector 71 of the signal cable 70. Since it can be configured with parts, cost reduction can be achieved by sharing the constituent parts of the base module 20 and the expansion module 30.

  Note that the number of the extension modules 30 connected to the base module 20 and constituting the extension connector unit 10 may be at least one, and in this case, the extension output connector 35 of the extension module 30 may be omitted.

  Further, the recess 31e that allows the lock arm 33a of the extension input connector 33 to be operated in a state where the extension module 30 is connected to the base module 20 may be replaced with another configuration. When the lock arm 33a can be exposed between the housings 21 and 31 of the connected base module 20 and the extension module 30, the provision of the recess 31e and the like may be omitted.

  Further, in place of providing the extension input connector 33 of the extension module 30 with the lock arm 33a and the lance 33b, and providing the extended output connector 25 of the base module 20 with the locked portion 25a, the base module 20 is provided with a lock arm and lance, You may provide a to-be-latched part in the expansion module 30. FIG.

  The present invention is extremely useful when used as a connector for connecting a load to a control bus when a high-function connector incorporating a controller for controlling the load is used.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Expansion connector unit 20 Base module 21, 31 Housing 21a-21c, 31a-31c Side surface 22, 32 Board | substrate 22a, 32a Upper surface 22b, 32b Lower surface 23 Input connector 24, 34 Output connector 25, 35 Expansion output connector 25a Locking part 26, 36 IC (controller)
30 Expansion module 31d Upper surface 31e Concave part (exposed part)
33 Extension input connector 33a Lock arm (operation part)
33b Lance (locking piece)
35a Locked portion 40, 50, 60 Load 41, 51, 61 Signal wire 41a, 51a, 61a Covered wire 41b, 51b, 61b Female terminal 41c, 51c, 61c Locking hole 70 Signal cable 71 Female connector 71a Lock arm 71b Lance

Claims (3)

An expansion connector unit that incorporates an output connector to which a load is connected and a controller that drives and controls the load, and that allows the load to be connected to a control bus to which a control signal of the load is transmitted,
A base module connected to the control bus and having the output connector; and an expansion module connected to the base module and having the output connector;
The base module includes an input connector that is connected to the control bus and receives the control signal from the control bus, and an expansion output connector that distributes and outputs the control signal input to the input connector. And
The extension module has an extension input connector that is connected to the extension output connector of the base module and receives the control signal from the extension output connector.
The controller of the base module generates a drive control signal for the load connected to the output connector based on the control signal input to the input connector and outputs the drive control signal from the output connector,
The controller of the extension module generates the drive control signal of the load connected to the output connector based on the control signal input to the extension input connector and outputs the drive control signal from the output connector.
An extension connector unit characterized by that.   The expansion module includes a plurality of expansion modules connected in a chain to the base module, and each expansion module further includes an expansion output connector to which the control signal input to the expansion input connector is distributed and output. The expansion input connector of each expansion module is connected to the expansion output connector of the base module or another expansion module, and the control signal is input from the expansion output connector. The expansion connector unit according to claim 1.   Each of the base module and the extension module has a housing, and a locking piece that is detachably locked to the extension output connector of the base module when the extension module is fitted with the extension input connector. And one of the locked portions, and the expansion input connector of the expansion module is provided with either the locking piece or the locked portion, and the base module and At least one housing of the extension module is formed with an exposed portion that exposes an operating portion that is operated when the locking piece in the locked state and the locked portion are unlocked. The expansion connector unit according to claim 1 or 2.

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