JP4075793B2 - Connector and connector manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector and a method for manufacturing the connector.

As a method of manufacturing a connector in a form in which a bus bar-shaped terminal fitting is accommodated in a housing, a plurality of terminal fittings are held in advance by a core, set in a mold, and molten resin is placed in the mold. It is performed to mold a molded body by injecting. In this connector, a housing is constituted by a molded body and a core. In addition, there exists a thing described in patent document 1 as a connector of the form integrated with the terminal metal fitting by mold-molding a housing.
JP 2001-150481 A

  When molding the connector using the core as described above, since the injection pressure of the molten resin injected from the gate into the mold is high, when the injection pressure acts on the core, The core may be displaced.

  The present invention has been completed based on the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to prevent the displacement of the core due to the injection pressure.

As a means for achieving the above object, the invention of claim 1 is a connector in which the housing is integrated with a plurality of terminal fittings by molding the housing, wherein the housing is the plurality of terminal fittings. A core that is set in a mold in a state of holding the mold, and a molded body that is molded by injecting a molten resin from a gate into the mold and integrated with the core, and the said gate opposite to the portion in a state in which the core is set in the mold of the core, guide surface inclined with respect to the emission direction from the gate is formed with a plurality, the plurality of guide surface Of the plurality of guide surfaces, and the ends on the gate side coincide with each other to form a top, and the top is disposed at a position facing the opening of the gate. Oppose Face each other with a characterized in that there is a symmetric surface.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the core is formed with a contact portion capable of contacting a region of the inner wall of the mold opposite to the gate. However, it has characteristics.

The invention of claim 3 is a method of manufacturing a connector integrated with a plurality of terminal fittings by molding a housing, wherein a core holding the plurality of terminal fittings is set in a mold. In the manufacturing method of the connector, the molten resin is injected from the gate into the mold to mold the molded body, and the housing is molded by integrating the molded body and the core. the said gate opposite to the portion in a state in which the core is set in the mold of the child, guide surface inclined with respect to the emission direction from the gate is formed with a plurality, of the plurality of guide surface The end portions on the gate side coincide with each other to form a top portion, and the top portion is disposed at a position facing the opening of the gate, and among the plurality of guide surfaces, the top portion is sandwiched between the top portions. Face each other countercurrent is after having a structure in which a symmetric surface, having said injected molten resin from the gate where to abut obliquely to the top portion and the plurality of guide surface.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect, the molten resin is injected from the gate in a state where the core is in contact with a region of the inner wall of the mold opposite to the gate. It has a feature.

<Invention of Claims 1 and 3>
The molten resin injected from the gate toward the core is guided in a direction away from the core by abutting obliquely against the guide surface. Thereby, the injection pressure which a core receives is reduced and the position shift of a core is prevented.

<Invention of Claims 2 and 4>
When the abutting portion comes into contact with the inner wall of the mold, the movement of the core that has received the injection pressure in the injection direction is reliably restricted.

<Embodiment 1>
A first embodiment embodying the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

  The connector C of this embodiment is one in which a plurality of terminal fittings 30 are accommodated in a synthetic resin housing 10. The housing 10 has a shape bent into a substantially L shape when viewed from the side, and includes a horizontal portion 11 and a vertical portion 12 extending downward from the rear end of the horizontal portion 11. A hood-like front fitting portion 13 that opens forward is formed at the front end of the horizontal portion 11, and a hood-like lower fitting portion 14 that opens downward is formed at the lower end portion of the vertical portion 12. Is formed. The horizontal portion 11 is formed with a bracket 15 extending upward. The bracket 15 has a thick plate shape in which the plate thickness direction is directed in the front-rear direction, and a bolt hole 16 penetrating in the front-rear direction is formed at an upper end portion of the bracket 15. In this way, an annular metal spacer 17 is attached.

  The housing 10 includes a synthetic resin mold 18 and a synthetic resin core 20. The core 20 is accommodated in the molded product 18, and the front fitting part 13, the lower fitting part 14, and the bracket 15 are all constituted only by the molded product 18.

  Like the bracket 15, the core 20 has a thick plate shape with the plate thickness direction facing the front-rear direction and a plate thickness dimension smaller than that of the bracket 15, and is disposed directly below the bracket 15. The upper edge of the core 20 has a bilaterally symmetrical mountain shape (roof shape) when viewed from the front, and the substantially upper half area of the left and right side edges of the core 20 is substantially straight, The substantially lower half region of the core 20 has a substantially semicircular arc shape when viewed from the front, and the front shape of the core 20 is symmetrical.

  The upper surface of the core 20 (the surface facing the gate 55 when set in the mold 50) is constituted by four front and rear guide surfaces 21F, 21R, 22L, and 22R. The front and rear guide surfaces 21F and 21R are symmetrical in the front-rear direction and extend from the flat upper end edges of the front and rear surfaces so that the front-rear width gradually becomes narrower upward and obliquely upward. Make an equilateral triangle. The left and right guide surfaces 22L and 22R are bilaterally symmetric and extend from the upper end edges of the flat left and right side surfaces of the core 20 so that the front and rear widths are gradually narrowed upward and obliquely upward. Forms an isosceles triangle. These four guide surfaces 21F, 21R, 22L, and 22R coincide with each other at the upper ends thereof to form the top 23 at the top end of the core 20, and the top 23 is located directly below the opening of the gate 55. The front guide surface 21F is a flat inclined surface descending toward the front, the rear guide surface 21R is a flat inclined surface descending toward the rear, and the left guide surface 22L is flat toward the left. The right guide surface 22R is a flat inclined surface that descends to the right.

  The core 20 is formed in advance before the housing 10 is formed, and the core 20 has a plurality of terminal through holes 25 penetrating in the front-rear direction. In the terminal through hole 25, the horizontal terminal portion 31 of the terminal fitting 30 is held in a state of being penetrated by press fitting.

  The terminal fitting 30 is formed by bending a metal bar into a substantially L shape, and includes a horizontal terminal portion 31 and a vertical terminal portion 32 extending downward from the rear end of the horizontal terminal portion 31. The horizontal terminal portion 31 is disposed in the horizontal portion 11 of the housing 10 so as to penetrate the core 20 in a state of being parallel to each other and not in contact with each other, and the front end portion of the horizontal terminal portion 31 is the front fitting portion 13. It protrudes forward inside. On the other hand, the vertical terminal portions 32 are arranged in parallel to each other and in a non-contact state in the vertical portion 12 of the housing 10, and the lower end portions of the vertical terminal portions 32 protrude downward in the lower fitting portion 14. Yes.

  Next, the mold 50 will be described. The mold 50 includes a fixed mold 51, an upper mold 52 that is opened upward with respect to the fixed mold 51, a front slide mold 53 that is opened forward with respect to the fixed mold 51, and a fixed mold 51. And a rear slide mold 54 that is opened rearward. The fixed mold 51 forms a substantially front half region on the outer surface of the vertical portion 12, an inner periphery of the lower fitting portion 14, and a substantially lower half region on the outer periphery of the horizontal portion 11. The upper mold 52 is to mold a substantially upper half region on the outer periphery of the horizontal portion 11 and the outer surface of the bracket 15. The upper mold 52 is formed with a fitting hole 52a for fitting the bolt hole forming portions 53a, 54a of the front slide die 53 and the rear slide die 54, and the upper end surface (ceiling) of the bracket forming portion. A gate 55 is formed in the surface. The front slide mold 53 forms the outer periphery and inner periphery of the front fitting portion 13, and has a bolt hole forming portion 53 a that protrudes rearward. The rear slide die 54 is an outer periphery of the vertical portion 12. 1 is formed in a substantially rear half region, and has a bolt hole forming portion 54a protruding forward.

  Next, the manufacturing process of the connector C will be described.

  First, the horizontal terminal portions 31 of the respective terminal fittings 30 are passed through the respective terminal through holes 25 of the core 20. Then, the core 20 in a state where the terminal fittings 30 are passed through and held in all the terminal through holes 25 is set on the fixed mold 51 of the mold 50. At this time, the terminal fitting 30 and the core 20 are positioned by fitting the lower end portion of the vertical terminal portion 32 of the terminal fitting 30 into the terminal holding groove 51 a of the fixed mold 51.

  Next, the upper die 52 is lowered and brought into contact with the fixed die 51, and then the front slide die 53 is moved rearward to come into contact with the fixed die 51 and the upper die 52, and the bolt hole forming portion 53a is raised. While being fitted in the fitting hole 52a of the mold 52, the front end portion of the horizontal terminal portion 31 of each terminal fitting 30 is fitted and positioned in the terminal holding hole 53b. At the same time, the rear slide mold 54 is moved forward to contact the fixed mold 51 and the upper mold 52, and the bolt hole forming portion 54 a is inserted into the fitting hole 52 a of the upper mold 52. As a result, a cavity 56 for molding (insert molding) the molded body 18 is formed in the mold 50, and the core 20 and the terminal fitting 30 are set in the cavity 56. The Further, the bolt hole forming portions 53a and 54a abut against the extended end portions, and the spacer 17 is fitted to the abutting portion in a state where the spacer 17 is positioned.

  From this state, molten resin (not shown) is injected into the cavity 56 through the gate 55. At this time, the molten resin is injected under pressure from the gate 55 at a high pressure, and is sprayed in an oblique direction to the top 23 of the core 20 and the upper end portions of the front, rear, left and right guide surfaces 21F, 21R, 22L, 22R. Then, the molten resin flows in the cavity 56 so as to change the direction from front to back and left and right according to the inclination of the front, rear, left and right guide surfaces 21F, 21R, 22L and 22R and to spread from front to back and right and left. At this time, the upper surface of the core 20 that receives the injection pressure of the molten resin is not a surface that is substantially perpendicular to the injection direction, but is an inclined surface that is oblique to the injection direction. The pressure will be attenuated.

  Further, the top portion 23 of the core 20 is located directly below the center of the opening of the gate 55, and the guide surfaces 21F, 21R, 22L, 22R on the upper surface of the core 20 are symmetric in the front-rear direction and in the left-right symmetry. Therefore, the core 20 is not displaced from front to back and left and right by the injection pressure acting on the guide surfaces 21F, 21R, 22L, and 22R.

  When the molten resin has been injected, it waits for the molten resin to harden. When cured, the molded body 18 is molded in a state where it is integrated with the core 20 and the terminal fitting 30, so that the connector C is manufactured at the same time as the housing 10 is constructed. Thereafter, the front slide mold 53 and the rear slide mold 54 are opened back and forth while removing the bolt hole forming portions 53a and 54a from the fitting holes 51a, and then the upper mold 52 is raised and opened. The finished connector C may be taken out from the fixed mold 51.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the guide surfaces 21F, 21R, 22L, and 22R that are inclined with respect to the emission direction from the gate 55 are formed in the corresponding portion of the core 20 with respect to the gate 55. The molten resin injected toward the core 20 is guided obliquely against the guide surfaces 21F, 21R, 22L, and 22R so as to be guided away from the core 20. Thereby, the injection pressure which the core 20 receives is reduced, the position shift of the core 20 is prevented, and consequently the position shift and deformation of the terminal fitting 30 are prevented.

<Embodiment 2>
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The connector of this embodiment is different from that of the first embodiment in that a contact portion 24 that protrudes downward is formed on the lower end surface of the core 20, that is, the surface opposite to the gate 55. Since the other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are used and description thereof is omitted.

  The lateral width of the contact portion 24 is smaller than that of the core 20, and both front and rear surfaces of the contact portion 24 are continuous with the core 20. The core 20 is in contact with the inner wall of the cavity 56 of the mold 50 (the receiving surface 51 b of the fixed mold 51) only on the lower surface of the contact portion 24 in a state where the core 20 is set in the mold 50. Therefore, the lower surface of the contact portion 24 is exposed to the lower surface of the horizontal portion 11 of the housing 10 in a molded state.

  When the core 20 that is held through the terminal fitting 30 through the terminal through hole 25 is set on the fixed mold 51 of the mold 50, the lower end of the vertical terminal portion 32 of the terminal fitting 30 is inserted into the terminal holding groove 51 a of the fixed mold 51. By fitting the portions, the vertical terminal portion 32 of the terminal fitting 30 is positioned, and the lower surface of the contact portion 24 of the core 20 is placed on the receiving surface 51b of the fixed mold 51, so that the core 20 and the horizontal terminal portion 31 of the terminal fitting 30 are positioned.

  When molten resin is injected from the gate 55 into the cavity 56, the lower surface of the contact portion 24 formed on the lower end portion of the core 20 (the surface facing the opposite side to the upper surface of the core 20 receiving the injection pressure) is The core 20 abuts against the inner wall (receiving surface 51b) of the cavity 56, and the movement of the core 20 is restricted from moving in the same direction as the injection direction from the gate 55. Therefore, the core 20 is displaced downward. Is reliably prevented.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described with reference to the above description and drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention, and further, within the scope not departing from the gist of the invention other than the following. Various modifications can be made.

  (1) In the said embodiment, although the terminal metal fitting was penetrated to the terminal through-hole of the core by press-fitting, according to the present invention, the terminal metal fitting may be integrated with the core by insert molding.

(2) In the above-described embodiment, a total of four guiding surfaces are provided in the front, rear, left, and right directions. However, according to the present invention, various forms of guiding surfaces such as only the front and rear surfaces and only the left and right surfaces can be formed. .

  (3) In the above embodiment, the gate is arranged on the bracket. However, according to the present invention, the gate may be arranged at a place other than the bracket.

  (4) Although the case where the whole connector and the terminal fitting are L-shaped has been described in the above embodiment, the present invention can also be applied to a connector in which the terminal fitting extends in a substantially straight line.

  (5) Although the case where the connector has a bracket has been described in the above embodiment, the present invention can also be applied to a connector having no bracket.

1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a connector according to a first embodiment. Front view of connector Longitudinal section showing the core and terminal fitting set in the mold Cross-sectional view showing the core and terminal fitting set in the mold Perspective view of the core Vertical sectional view of the connector of Embodiment 2 Front view of connector Longitudinal section showing the core and terminal fitting set in the mold Cross-sectional view showing the core and terminal fitting set in the mold Perspective view of the core

Explanation of symbols

C ... Connector 10 ... Housing 18 ... Molded body 20 ... Core 21F, 21R, 22L, 22R ... Guiding surface 24 ... Abutting part 30 ... Terminal metal fitting 50 ... Mold 55 ... Gate

Claims (4)

It is a connector in a form integrated with a plurality of terminal fittings by molding the housing,
The housing is molded by injecting molten resin from a gate into the mold and integrated with the core while holding the plurality of terminal fittings in the mold. A molded body,
Wherein the said gate opposite to the portion in a state in which the core is set in the mold of the core, guide surface inclined with respect to the emission direction from the gate is formed with a plurality, the plurality of induction The gate-side end portions of the surfaces coincide with each other to form a top portion, and the top portion is disposed at a position facing the opening of the gate, and the plurality of guide surfaces sandwich the top portion. A connector characterized in that surfaces facing each other are symmetrical surfaces . The connector according to claim 1, wherein the core is formed with an abutting portion capable of abutting on a region of the inner wall of the mold opposite to the gate. A method of manufacturing a connector integrated with a plurality of terminal fittings by molding a housing,
Set the core holding the plurality of terminal fittings in the mold,
In the manufacturing method of the connector for molding the housing by injecting molten resin from the gate into the mold to mold the molded body and integrating the molded body and the core,
Wherein the said gate opposite to the portion in a state in which the core is set in the mold of the core, guide surface inclined with respect to the emission direction from the gate is formed with a plurality, the plurality of induction The gate-side end portions of the surfaces coincide with each other to form a top portion, and the top portion is disposed at a position facing the opening of the gate, and the plurality of guide surfaces sandwich the top portion. In the structure where the surfaces facing each other are symmetrical surfaces ,
A manufacturing method of a connector, wherein the molten resin injected from the gate is brought into contact with the top and the plurality of guide surfaces obliquely. 4. The method of manufacturing a connector according to claim 3, wherein the molten resin is injected from the gate in a state where the core is in contact with a region of the inner wall of the mold opposite to the gate.

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