JP2020136178A - Joint connector and manufacturing method of the same - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a joint connector capable of being easily manufactured even when bus bars are disposed in multiple stages.SOLUTION: The joint connector includes: a resin housing; and conductive bus bars disposed in a plurality of stages in the housing in a height direction. Each of the bus bars extends in a width direction and has a connecting portion covered by a resin of the housing, a tab protruding forward from the connecting portion, and a protruding portion protruding rearward from the connecting portion. In each of the bus bars, the protrusions are mutually displaced in a width direction and tips of the protrusions are exposed on a rear surface of the housing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present disclosure relates to a joint connector and a method for manufacturing the same.

The joint connector described in Patent Document 1 includes a bus bar body in which a conductive bus bar and a resin holder are integrated. The bus bar includes a connecting portion along the width direction and a plurality of tab pieces protruding forward from the connecting portion. Each tab piece is connected to the terminal fitting on the other side. Each terminal fitting is short-circuited via the bus bar.

The bus bar body is manufactured through a step of forming a chain terminal, a step of integrating the bus bar of the chain terminal and the holding body by insert molding, and a step of separating the integrated bus bar and the holding body into a bus bar body. .. The area around the connecting part of the bus bar is covered with resin. As a result, the sealing property around the bus bar is ensured. Note that this type of joint connector is also described in Patent Document 2.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-348838 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2011-28904

Generally, the bus bar may be arranged in a plurality of stages, for example, three or more stages in the height direction (vertical direction) with respect to a housing such as a holding body. However, for example, when the bus bars are arranged in three or more stages, the holding structure for holding the bus bars in the middle stage is restricted by the holding structure for holding the bus bars in the upper and lower stages in the space in the vertical direction. For this reason, it is difficult to provide a mold slide that moves in the vertical direction as a holding structure for holding the bus bar in the middle stage.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a joint connector that is easy to manufacture even when the bus bars are arranged in a plurality of stages.

The joint connector of the present disclosure includes a housing made of resin and conductive bus bars arranged in a plurality of stages in the height direction with respect to the housing, and each of the bus bars extends in the width direction and surrounds the housing. The housing has a connecting portion covered with a resin, a tab protruding forward from the connecting portion, and a protruding portion protruding rearward from the connecting portion. In each of the bus bars, the protruding portion , The tips of the protruding portions are exposed on the rear surface of the housing, which are displaced from each other in the width direction.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to easily manufacture a joint connector in which a plurality of stages of busbars are mounted on a housing.

FIG. 1 is a front view of the joint connector according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. FIG. 3 is a plan sectional view showing a state in which the joint connector and the mating connector are normally fitted. FIG. 4 is a rear view of the joint connector. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the upper base material. FIG. 6 is a plan view of the base material in the middle stage. FIG. 7 is a plan view of the lower base material. FIG. 8 is a plan sectional view showing a mold structure for forming a joint connector. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a slide mold for holding a bus bar in a mold structure for molding a joint connector. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a joint connector to which a base material is mounted.

[Explanation of Embodiments of the present disclosure]
First, embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described.
The joint connector of the present disclosure is
(1) A housing made of resin and conductive bus bars arranged in a plurality of stages in the height direction with respect to the housing are provided, and each bus bar extends in the width direction and surrounds the housing. It has a connecting portion covered with a resin, a tab protruding forward from the connecting portion, and a protruding portion protruding rearward from the connecting portion. In each of the bus bars, the protruding portion is formed in the width direction. The tips of the protrusions are exposed on the rear surface of the housing. According to this, when manufacturing the joint connector, the slide mold or the like that moves in the height direction can hold the portion corresponding to the protruding portion of each bus bar.

(2) It is preferable that each of the bus bars is arranged in the housing in three or more stages. According to this, when manufacturing a joint connector, the part corresponding to the bus bar in the middle stage (base material, etc.) is not restricted by the part corresponding to the bus bar in the upper and lower stages (base material, etc.), and is used in a slide mold or the like. Be retained.

(3) In the method for manufacturing a joint connector according to the above (1) or (2), the slide mold is a continuous portion in which the slide mold is continuously provided behind the protruding portion in the base material of each bus bar. A step of holding the base material of each bus bar at different positions in the height direction and the width direction, and arranging the connecting portion of the base material of each bus bar in a mold for forming the housing. The step of closing the mold, the step of injecting the molten resin into the mold and covering the periphery of the connecting portion with the molten resin, the step of opening the mold after the molten resin is cured, and the continuous installation. It is preferable that the manufacturing method includes a step of excising the portion. As a result, each bus bar arranged in a plurality of stages in the height direction is inserted into the housing and mounted.

[Details of Embodiments of the present disclosure]
Specific examples of the joint connector of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to these examples, and is indicated by the scope of claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the scope of claims.

[Example]
The joint connector includes a housing 10 and a bus bar 30, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the housing 10 can be fitted to the mating connector 60. In the following description, in the front-rear direction, the surface side facing the mating connector 60 at the start of fitting is the front side. The vertical direction is based on the vertical direction of each of FIGS. 1, 4 and 9. The left-right direction is based on the left-right direction of each of FIGS. 1 to 10. Further, in the following description, the vertical direction may be referred to as a height direction, and the horizontal direction may be referred to as a width direction.

<Mother connector 60>
As shown in FIG. 3, the mating connector 60 includes a mating housing 61, a female terminal fitting 62, a collective rubber stopper 63, and a rear holder 64. The mating housing 61 is made of synthetic resin and has a plurality of cavities 65 arranged side by side in the width direction.

The terminal fitting 62 is inserted into each cavity 65 from the rear. The terminal fitting 62 is made of conductive metal and has a tubular connecting portion 66 elongated in the front-rear direction. The rear end portion of the terminal fitting 62 is connected to the terminal portion of the electric wire 67 (covered electric wire). Note that FIG. 10 shows only the terminal fitting 62 inserted into the cavity 65 on one end side (left end side) in the width direction.

The rubber stopper 63 is made of rubber such as silicon rubber, and is housed in the rear end portion of the mating housing 61. The rubber stopper 63 is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the electric wire 67 and seals between the electric wire 67 and the mating housing 61. The rear holder 64 is made of synthetic resin and is housed in the rear end portion of the mating housing 61 following the rubber stopper 63. The rear holder 64 is held by the mating housing 61 and restricts the rubber stopper 63 from coming out to the rear.

Further, the mating connector 60 includes a seal member 68 and a front holder 69. The seal member 68 is made of rubber such as silicon rubber, and is arranged in close contact with the front surface of the mating housing 61. The seal member 68 has a seal hole 71 at a position corresponding to each cavity 65. The front holder 69 is made of synthetic resin and is held by the mating housing 61 to prevent the seal member 68 from coming out forward.

<Housing 10>
The housing 10 is made of synthetic resin and has a wall portion 11 arranged along the width direction and the height direction as shown in FIG. The wall portion 11 has a rectangular plate shape with rounded four corners and is long in the width direction. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the housing 10 has a tubular hood portion 12 that projects forward from the outer edge of the wall portion 11. The hood portion 12 has a square tubular shape and, like the wall portion 11, has a long shape in the width direction. As shown in FIG. 3, the mating housing 61 is fitted in the hood portion 12.

The wall portion 11 has a plurality of tower portions 13 projecting forward. Each tower portion 13 has a columnar shape, and as shown in FIG. 1, is arranged in the hood portion 12 so as to be aligned in the height direction and the width direction. As shown in FIG. 3, when the mating housing 61 is fitted into the hood portion 12, each tower portion 13 is inserted into the seal hole 71. As a result, the sealing member 68 is brought into close contact with the outer peripheral surface of each tower portion 13, and the housing 10 and the mating housing 61 are sealed.

<Busbar 30>
The bus bars 30 are arranged in a plurality of stages in the height direction, specifically in three stages, with respect to the housing 10. Each of the upper, middle, and lower bus bars 30 is formed from the corresponding base material 31. As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, each base material 31 has a flat plate shape and is formed by punching a conductive metal plate.

As shown in FIG. 5, the base material 31 corresponding to the upper bus bar 30 (hereinafter referred to as the upper base material 31) includes a connecting portion 32 extending in the width direction and a plurality of connecting portions 32 protruding forward side by side from the front end of the connecting portion 32. The tab 33 and the holding portion 34 projecting rearward from one side (left side in the drawing) of the rear end of the connecting portion 32 in the width direction.

The connecting portion 32 is formed in a strip shape elongated in the width direction. Each tab 33 has an overhanging portion 35 overhanging in the width direction at the rear end portion near the connecting portion 32, and has a base portion 36 overhanging in a rectangular shape in a plan view at a portion connected to the connecting portion 32. There is.

The holding portion 34 includes a pair of protruding portions 37 arranged at the rear end of the connecting portion 32 at intervals, and a continuous portion 39 integrally connected to the rear end of each protruding portion 37 via a breaking line 38. Have. Each protrusion 37 is formed in the shape of a plate having the same width dimension as the base portion 36 of each tab 33. The continuous portion 39 is formed in a gate shape by erection between the rear ends of the portions connected to each protruding portion 37 with the same width. The erected portion of the continuous portion 39 has a pair of hole portions 41 on both sides in the width direction. Each hole 41 is formed to open in a circular shape.

As shown in FIG. 6, the base material 31 corresponding to the bus bar 30 in the middle stage (hereinafter, the base material 31 in the middle stage) has a connecting portion 32, a plurality of tabs 33, and a holding portion 34, and the holding portion with respect to the connecting portion 32. Except for the connection position of 34, it has the same shape as the base material 31 in the upper stage. The holding portion 34 in the base material 31 in the middle stage projects rearward from the center side (left and right center side) in the width direction of the rear end portion of the connecting portion 32.

As shown in FIG. 7, the base material 31 corresponding to the lower bus bar 30 (hereinafter referred to as the lower base material 31) has a connecting portion 32, a plurality of tabs 33, and a holding portion 34, and the holding portion with respect to the connecting portion 32. Except for the connection position of 34, it has the same shape as each base material 31 in the upper and middle stages. The holding portion 34 in the lower base material 31 projects rearward from the other side (right side in the drawing) in the width direction of the rear end portion of the connecting portion 32.

As described above, the upper, middle, and lower base materials 31 are arranged so that the connecting positions of the holding portions 34 with respect to the connecting portions 32 do not overlap each other in the width direction.

As shown in FIG. 2, each of the upper, middle, and lower bus bars 30 is composed of portions of the corresponding base materials 31 excluding the continuous portion 39. Specifically, in each of the upper, middle, and lower bus bars 30, the continuous portion 39 is cut off by cutting the holding portion 34 of the base material 31 corresponding to each in the width direction along the breaking line 38. , Each protrusion 37 is left.

<Insert structure of bus bar 30>
The upper, middle, and lower bus bars 30 are inserted into and mounted on the housing 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the connecting portion 32, the protruding portion 37, and the rear portion of each tab 33 in each bus bar 30 are covered with the resin constituting the wall portion 11 and each tower portion 13. The overhanging portion 35 is arranged in the wall portion 11 and regulates each bus bar 30 from coming out of the housing 10.

The front portion of each tab 33 is arranged so as to project within the hood portion 12. As shown in FIG. 3, when the mating housing 61 is fitted in the hood portion 12, the front portion of each tab 33 is inserted into the connecting portion 66 of the corresponding terminal fitting 62 and connected. As a result, each terminal fitting 62 is short-circuited via the bus bar 30.

When each bus bar 30 is inserted into and mounted on the housing 10, the tip (rear surface, fracture surface) of each protrusion 37 is exposed and arranged on the rear surface of the wall portion 11 of the housing 10. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the tips of the protruding portions 37 of the upper bus bar 30 are exposed in pairs on the rear surface of the wall portion 11 on one side in the width direction of the upper row (left side in FIG. 4). Is placed. The tips of the protrusions 37 of the bus bars 30 in the middle stage are arranged in pairs on the rear surface of the wall portion 11 on the central side in the width direction of the middle stage. The tips of the protruding portions 37 of the lower bus bar 30 are arranged in pairs on the rear surface of the wall portion 11 on the other side in the width direction (right side of FIG. 4). The protrusions 37 are arranged at different positions on the rear surface of the wall portion 11 in the height direction and the width direction.

<Manufacturing method of joint connector>
As shown in FIG. 8, the joint connector includes dies 91 and 92 before and after forming the main part of the housing 10, and upper and lower slide dies 93 and 94 holding each bus bar 30 as shown in FIG. , Manufactured using.

As shown in FIG. 8, the front and rear molds 91 and 92 are formed after the front mold 91 for molding the hood portion 12 side and the wall portion 11 side are molded and the slide molds 93 and 94 are arranged inside. It is composed of a mold 92 on the side.

As shown in FIG. 9, the upper and lower slide dies 93 and 94 are upper slide dies located above the holding portion 34 (specifically, the continuous portion 39) in each of the upper, middle and lower base materials 31. It is composed of 93 and a lower slide mold 94 located below the holding portion 34 in each base material 31. The upper and lower slide molds 93, 94 can move in the vertical direction approaching and separating from each other.

The upper slide mold 93 has an upper holding surface 95 that can come into contact with the upper surface of the holding portion 34 in each base material 31. The lower slide mold 94 has a lower holding surface 96 that can come into contact with the lower surface of the holding portion 34 in each base material 31. The upper holding surface 95 and the lower holding surface 96 are arranged parallel to each other along the width direction. The upper holding surface 95 and the lower holding surface 96 are respectively displaced from each other in the height direction and the width direction for each holding portion 34 in each base material 31, and are formed in a stepped manner.

The upper and lower slide dies 93 and 94 have columnar pins 97 protruding from the upper holding surface 95 and the lower holding surface 96, respectively. Each pin 97 is provided in pairs on the upper holding surface 95 and the lower holding surface 96 so as to correspond to each hole 41 of the holding portion 34 in each base material 31. Each pin 97 is inserted into the corresponding hole 41, and the holding portion 34 is sandwiched between the upper holding surface 95 of the upper slide mold 93 and the lower holding surface 96 of the lower slide mold 94. As a result, each base material 31 is held in the positioned state by the upper and lower slide dies 93 and 94.

When performing insert molding, the upper base material 31 is placed between the upper holding surface 95 and the lower holding surface 96 provided on one side in the width direction of the upper tiers of the upper and lower slide dies 93 and 94 from the vertical direction. Be retained. The base material 31 in the middle stage is held from above and below between the upper holding surface 95 and the lower holding surface 96 provided on the center side in the width direction of the middle stage in the upper and lower slide molds 93 and 94. Then, the lower base material 31 is held from above and below between the upper holding surface 95 and the lower holding surface 96 provided on the other side in the width direction of the lower stage in the upper and lower slide molds 93 and 94.

In performing insert molding, the upper and lower slide dies 93 and 94 are arranged in the rear die 92 while holding each base material 31, and the front and rear dies 91 and 92 are closed. In the mold 91 on the front side, the base materials 31 are arranged in parallel with each other at intervals in the height direction.

In that state, the molten resin is injected into the front and rear molds 91 and 92. After the molten resin is cured, the front and rear molds 91 and 92 are opened back and forth. As a result, the housing 10 is formed, the area around the connecting portion 32 of each base material 31 is covered with the resin of the wall portion 11, and the area around the rear portion of each tab 33 of each base material 31 is covered with the resin of each tower portion 13. Be covered. Subsequently, the upper slide mold 93 is moved upward, and the lower slide mold 94 is moved downward. As a result, the upper and lower slide dies 93 and 94 are separated from the holding portion 34 of each base material 31. The rear surface of the wall portion 11 will be molded by the upper and lower slide dies 93 and 94.

After the vertical slide dies 93 and 94 are moved, the continuous portion 39 of each base material 31 is in a state of projecting rearward from the wall portion 11 of the housing 10 as shown in FIG. On the other hand, the protruding portion 37 of each base material 31 is in a state of being inserted into the wall portion 11. Subsequently, in each of the base materials 31, the holding portion 34 is cut along the breaking line 38, and the continuous portion 39 is removed. As a result, a joint connector in which each bus bar 30 is inserted into the housing 10 is obtained. As shown in FIG. 4, the tip (rear surface, fracture surface) of the protruding portion 37 is positioned on the rear surface of the wall portion 11 of the housing 10 in a state of being displaced from each other in the width direction and the height direction in each of the bus bars 30. Exposed to.

By arranging the protruding portions 37 so as to be displaced in the height direction and the width direction on the rear surface of the wall portion 11 of the housing 10, the protruding portions 31 in the upper, middle and lower base materials 31 at the time of manufacturing the joint connector. The continuous portion 39 connected to the 37 can be held by the upper and lower slide molds 93 and 94. This makes it possible to manufacture a joint connector in which each of the plurality of stages of bus bars 30 is inserted into the housing 10.

In the case of this embodiment, the upper and lower slide dies 93 and 94 hold the holding portions 34 in the upper, middle and lower base materials 31 at different positions in the width direction. Therefore, the middle bus bar 30 sandwiched between the plurality of bus bars 30 is also inserted into the housing 10 without any trouble.

When the mating connector 60 is fitted into the hood portion 12 of the joint connector, each terminal fitting 62 is short-circuited via the bus bar 30. Even if water has penetrated into each terminal fitting 62, since each bus bar 30 is insert-molded into the housing 10, the waterproof property of the bus bar 30 side can be ensured. Moreover, since the rear portion of each tab 33 is inserted into each tower portion 13 and integrated, the waterproofness of the bus bar 30 side can be more reliably ensured.

[Other Examples]
The scope of the present invention is not limited to the above, and is indicated by the scope of claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the scope of claims.
For example, in the above embodiment, the housing 10 has the hood portion 12, but as another embodiment, the hood portion 12 may be omitted from the housing 10.
Further, in the above embodiment, a set of upper and lower slide dies 93 and 94 is provided so as to be able to hold each base material 31 collectively, but as another embodiment, the upper and lower slide dies 93 are provided. , 94 may be provided in a plurality of sets so that each base material 31 can be individually held.
Further, in the above embodiment, each bus bar 30 is arranged in three stages in the vertical direction with respect to the housing 10, but as another embodiment, each bus bar 30 is arranged in two stages in the vertical direction with respect to the housing 10. It may be arranged. Further, as another embodiment, each bus bar 30 may be arranged in four or more steps in the vertical direction with respect to the housing 10. In this case, a plurality of middle-stage bus bars 30 and a base material 31 will be provided.
In the above embodiment, the tip of the protruding portion 37 remains exposed on the rear surface of the housing 10, but as another embodiment, a cover portion or the like is provided on the rear surface of the housing 10, and the tip of the protruding portion 37 is provided. May be hidden by a cover or the like.
Further, in the above embodiment, the tip of the protruding portion 37 is arranged so as to be continuous with the rear surface of the housing 10 without a step, but as another embodiment, the tip of the protruding portion 37 is retracted with respect to the rear surface of the housing 10. It may be located in a position or a protruding position. It is preferable that the tip of the protrusion 37 can be visually recognized as much as possible when the housing 10 is viewed from the rear.

10 ... Housing 11 ... Wall 12 ... Hood 13 ... Tower 30 ... Bus bar 31 ... Base material 32 ... Connecting 33 ... Tab 34 ... Holding 35 ... Overhang 36 ... Base 37 ... Protruding 38 ... Broken Wire 39 ... Continuous part 41 ... Hole 60 ... Mating connector 61 ... Mating housing 62 ... Terminal fitting 63 ... Rubber stopper 64 ... Rear holder 65 ... Cavity 66 ... Connecting part 67 ... Electric wire 68 ... Seal member 69 ... Front holder 71 ... Seal Hole 91 ... Front mold 92 ... Rear mold 93 ... Upper slide mold 94 ... Lower slide mold 95 ... Upper holding surface 96 ... Lower holding surface 97 ... Pin

Claims (3)

A housing made of resin and conductive bus bars arranged in a plurality of stages in the height direction with respect to the housing are provided.
Each of the busbars
A connecting part that extends in the width direction and is surrounded by the resin of the housing.
A tab protruding forward from the connecting portion and
It has a protruding portion protruding rearward from the connecting portion, and has.
In each of the bus bars, the protrusions are displaced from each other in the width direction, and the tip of the protrusion is a joint connector exposed on the rear surface of the housing. The joint connector according to claim 1, wherein each bus bar is arranged in the housing in three or more stages. The slide molds are connected to the base material of each bus bar so as to be connected to the rear of the protruding portion at different positions in the height direction and the width direction for each base material of each bus bar. The process of holding and
A step of arranging the connecting portion of the base material of each bus bar in a mold for molding the housing and closing the mold.
A step of injecting molten resin into the mold and covering the area around the connecting portion with molten resin.
After curing the molten resin, the step of opening the mold and
The method for manufacturing a joint connector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the step of cutting the continuous portion is included.

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