JP4622669B2 - Vehicle connector - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle connector for electric wires used for wiring of a vehicle such as an automobile.

Various electronic devices and electric devices are used in vehicles such as automobiles. Control signals and electric power are transmitted to these electronic devices and electric devices via wired wires. There is a demand for a suitable connector for an electric wire when connecting the electric wire and a device (for example, Patent Document 1).
JP-A-5-6784

  When wiring an electric wire to a vehicle such as an automobile, in a usage environment such as outside the passenger compartment, the connection portion between the electric wire and the device is required to be waterproof. In addition, in the environment outside the passenger compartment, mud, snow, etc. adhere to the electric wires, so that a large tensile force may be applied to the connecting portion between the electric wires and the equipment due to vibration. The normal connector standard has a tensile force of about 98N and is not guaranteed beyond that. If you try to suppress this tensile force, the number of wires in the short distance between the vehicle body and parts fixed around the vehicle body Need to be fixed, which causes the problem of troublesome work during assembly and maintenance. Therefore, the connector is required to have a sufficient holding force of the electric wire against the pulling force. Furthermore, in an environment outside the passenger compartment, an impact caused by a stepping stone or the like may be applied to the connecting portion. Therefore, the connector is required to have a mechanical strength that is not broken by the impact.

  Generally, a connector having a terminal structure of an electric wire used for an automobile is often made of a resin such as nylon or PBT (polybutylene terephthalate). It has been difficult for a resin connector to satisfy all the requirements such as waterproofness, electric wire holding force against tensile force, and mechanical strength.

The present invention provides a vehicle connector that can be used in an environment outside a passenger compartment, has waterproofness, electric wire holding force against tensile force, mechanical strength, and can be manufactured at a low cost with a simple structure. With the goal.

In order to achieve the above object, the vehicle connector of the present invention has a metal case formed by integrally forming a terminal holder accommodating portion and a metal cylinder portion, and an electric wire is inserted into the metal case. When the terminal provided with the notch and the core of the electric wire is crimped is inserted to a predetermined position in the insulating terminal holder provided with the lance , the insertion direction is tapered and the reverse direction The lance having a vertical cut-off enters the cut-out to fix the terminal to the terminal holder , and the terminal holder is provided with a terminal holder case fixing portion protruding in the vertical direction, the said terminal holder case fixing portion that fixes screwed from the open side of the metal casing to the metallic casing, the terminal holder to the terminal holder accommodating portion of the metallic case The electric wire is fixed to the metal case while securing waterproofness by crimping the metal cylinder portion containing the electric wire so as to bite into the electric wire. is there.

  Further, a resin cover or a rubber cover may be formed outside the metal case.

  You may use the composite cable which has the core wire for electric power and the core wire for signals as an electric wire.

According to the vehicle connector of the present invention, since the electric wire is fixed to the metal case by caulking the metal cylinder portion containing the electric wire, the metal cylinder portion bites into the coating of the electric wire at the caulking location, There is an effect that the covering of the electric wire and the metal cylinder portion of the metal case are in close contact to ensure waterproofness, and the holding force of the electric wire against the tensile force is increased. Furthermore, since a metal case is used as a case for accommodating the end of the electric wire, it has a strong mechanical strength against external impacts such as stepping stones. Therefore, with the connector of the present invention, the electric wire and the electronic device or the electric device can be connected even in an environment where a stepping stone or water immersion outside the passenger compartment occurs.

  The terminal to which the core wire of the electric wire is crimped can be accommodated in the metal case without short-circuiting the terminals by fixing the terminal to the terminal holder accommodating portion of the metal case via an insulating terminal holder.

Further, by reducing the thickness of the metal case and forming a resin cover or rubber cover with high mechanical strength on the metal case, the weight of the vehicle connector is reduced while maintaining the above characteristics. It is also possible.

In addition, since the vehicle connector of the present invention has a simple structure with a small number of parts, the cost can be reduced.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the connector of the present invention. The connector 10 according to the embodiment of FIG. 1 includes an electric wire 21 inserted into a metal case 11 composed of a terminal holder accommodating portion 11a and a metal cylinder portion 11b, and a terminal 13 which is crimped to a core wire of the electric wire 21 is made of PBT or nylon. After being fixed to the terminal holder 12 made of an insulating material, the terminal holder 12 is fixed in the terminal holder accommodating portion 11a (in the state shown in FIG. 2), and the metal cylinder portion 11b accommodating the electric wire 21 is crimped to wire 21 Is fixed to the metal case 11. The caulking is performed, for example, by a process of compressing the metal cylinder from the outer circumferential direction to the inner side with a chisel-like claw and crushing the metal cylinder from the outer periphery in a spot manner. A waterproof packing 14 is provided around the terminal holder 12. Thereby, when connected with the male connector, the water tightness of the connecting portion is maintained. Further, in order to prevent the connector from being detached from the connected device or the like, a bolt 31 for screwing the metal case to the device side is provided.

  FIG. 3 is a view showing an embodiment of a method for fixing a terminal to a terminal holder. As shown in FIG. 3, the terminal holder 12 has small claws (lances) 12 b that are separated from the holder body at three sides. Since the terminal holder is made of resin, when the terminal is inserted, the lance 12b is pushed by the terminal 13 and retracts inside the terminal holder 12, and the terminal 13 is inserted into the back without hitting the lance 12b and stopping. On the other hand, the terminal 13 is provided with a notch 13b into which the lance 12b enters at an appropriate position. When the terminal 13 is inserted to a predetermined position in the terminal holder 12, the lance 12b enters the notch 13b and is fixed. Since the lance 12b is tapered in the insertion direction and vertically cut in the opposite direction, if the lance 12b enters the notch 13b of the terminal, the end of the notch 13b is not connected to the lance 12b. The terminal does not come off when it hits the cut surface. The terminal holder 12 is provided with a terminal holder case fixing portion 12c at the end on the metal case 11 mounting side, and the portion is fixed to the metal case 11 with screws. For example, a screw hole 12d is provided in the terminal holder case fixing portion 12c, and is fixed to the terminal holder accommodating portion with a terminal holder fixing screw 16 as shown in FIGS.

  FIG. 4 shows the relationship between the number of crimping steps of the metal cylinder (meaning the number of locations where the metal cylinder is crimped in the longitudinal direction) and the tensile strength of the electric wire holding force of the metal case. As can be seen from FIG. 3, the tensile strength increases as the number of caulking steps increases. Therefore, the required holding force can be ensured by adjusting the number of caulking steps. In addition to the number of caulking steps, the tensile strength can be adjusted by the caulking rate (compression rate) and the caulking width.

  The metal cylinder part 11b of the metal case 11 is formed by integrally molding with the terminal holder accommodating part 11a or by brazing to the terminal holder accommodating part 11a.

  In the above embodiment, the connector and the device are screwed with the bolt 31. However, as another embodiment, when the terminal holder accommodating portion 11a of the metal case 11 is cylindrical, metal is used. It is good also as a structure which arrange | positions the ring which screwed the ring in the outer periphery of case 11, and screwed in a ring by fixing the screw | thread which corresponds to this to the case of an apparatus side.

  In the above embodiment, a female connector is used. However, as shown in FIG. 5, a male connector can be formed by appropriately changing the shape of the metal case, terminal holder, or terminal. .

  FIG. 6 is a view showing an embodiment of the electric wire used in the present invention. FIG. 6A shows a case where there are two power lines or signal lines. Two power lines or signal lines provided with an insulator 21b on the outer periphery of the conductor 21a are twisted, and a sheath 21c is interposed on the outer periphery via an intervening 21e. Is provided. FIG. 6B shows a case of a composite cable of a power line and a signal line. Two power lines in which an insulator 21b is provided on the outer periphery of the conductor 21a and two signal lines in which an insulator 21b is provided on the outer periphery of the conductor 21a. Are provided with two signal double lines in which a shield 21d is formed on the outer periphery via an intervening 21e, and a sheath 21c is further provided on the outer periphery via the intervening 21e. FIG. 6C shows an embodiment in which a composite cable is used for the connector of the present invention, and the composite cable is fixed to the metal cable by crimping the metal cylinder portion 11b that houses the sheath 21c. A terminal is provided on each core of the power line and the signal line, and is fixed to the terminal holder accommodating portion of the metal case via the terminal holder. The electric wires and cables used in the connector of the present invention are not limited to the above examples, and other forms of electric wires and cables are also applicable.

  FIG. 7 is a view showing an example of use of the connector of the present invention. In the usage example of FIG. 7, a control signal or electric power is supplied from a control unit or power supply 61 installed in the passenger compartment to the equipment 41 outside the passenger compartment via the electric wire 21. The device 41 outside the passenger compartment is connected by the connector 10 of the present invention. As a result, a highly reliable connection is possible in terms of waterproofness, wire holding force against tensile force, and mechanical strength.

  FIG. 8 is a view showing another example of use of the connector of the present invention. The use example of FIG. 8 shows the connector (male type) 72 of the present invention provided on the electric wire 22 extending from the equipment 41 outside the passenger compartment and the electric wire 21 extending from the control unit or power source 61 installed in the passenger compartment. It is connected by a connector (female type) 71. The connector (male type) 72 is different from the embodiment of FIG. 5 in that the shape of the metal case is changed so that it can be inserted into the connector (female type) 71. The connection part may be housed in a case made of all or part of metal, or may be fixed to a vehicle body of a vehicle such as an automobile with a bracket or the like. As in the example of use in FIG. 7, a highly reliable connection is possible in terms of waterproofness, electric wire holding force against tensile force, and mechanical strength.

  The present invention can be applied to connection to an electronic device used outside the vehicle such as an ABS sensor or a wheel speed sensor, or an electric device such as an electric parking brake or an electric brake.

It is sectional drawing which shows one Embodiment of the connector of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows one Embodiment (before caulking) of the connector of this invention. It is a figure which shows one Embodiment of the fixing method to the terminal holder of the terminal in the connector of this invention. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the number of crimping steps, and the tensile strength of the holding force of an electric wire. It is sectional drawing which shows one Embodiment of the connector (male type) of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the Example of the electric wire and cable which are used for the connector of this invention. It is a figure which shows the usage example of the connector of this invention. It is a figure which shows the other usage example of the connector of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Connector 11 Metal case 11a Terminal holder accommodating part 11b Metal cylinder part 12 Terminal holder 12b Lance 12c Terminal holder case fixing part 13 Terminal (female)
13b Notch 14 Waterproof packing 15 Terminal (male)
16 Terminal holder fixing screw 21 Electric wire (vehicle compartment electronic control unit or power supply side)
21a Conductor 21b Insulator 21c Sheath 21d Shield 21e Interposition 22 Electric wire (electronic equipment or electric equipment side)
31 Case fixing bolt 41 Equipment (electronic equipment or electric equipment)
51 In-vehicle electronic control unit (or power supply) connector 61 In-vehicle electronic control unit (or power supply)
71 connector (female)
72 connector (male)

Claims (3)

It has a metal case formed by integrally molding the terminal holder housing part and the metal cylinder part, and an electric wire is inserted into the metal case,
When a terminal provided with a notch and crimped to the core of the electric wire is inserted to a predetermined position in an insulating terminal holder provided with a lance , a taper is cut in the insertion direction, and a reverse direction is obtained. Is fixed to the terminal holder by the lance having a vertical cut into the notch ,
The terminal holder is provided with a terminal holder case fixing portion protruding in the vertical direction, and the terminal holder case fixing portion is fixed to the metal case by screwing from the opening side of the metal case. , The terminal holder is fixedly accommodated in the terminal holder accommodating portion of the metal case,
A vehicle connector characterized in that the electric wire is fixed to the metal case while securing waterproofness by crimping the metal cylinder portion containing the electric wire so as to bite into the electric wire. The vehicle connector according to claim 1, further comprising a resin cover or a rubber cover outside the metal case. The vehicle connector according to claim 1, wherein the electric wire is a composite cable having a power core wire and a signal core wire.

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