JP4695013B2 - Waterproof joint connector - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a waterproof joint connector used in, for example, an automobile harness circuit.

  In a harness circuit, it is often necessary to branch a plurality of branch wires from a trunk wire. For this purpose, conventionally, a part of the trunk line is stripped, and a spline joint method that branches the branch line by crimping the exposed conductor, and a circuit branch connector is arranged at the terminal part of the trunk line. For example, two methods, for example, a joint connector method described in Patent Document 1, which performs branch processing using a general-purpose connector and a crimp terminal, are often used.

  Since the latter joint connector method enables joint processing on the harness production line, the production efficiency is improved as compared with the former spline joint method. The spline joint method cannot change the circuit after completion of the harness, but the joint connector method has an advantage that correction after completion of the harness can be handled. In the joint connector system, since the crimp terminal is used, the reliability of electrical connection equivalent to that of the general-purpose connector can be ensured.

JP 2000-208215 A

  In the conventional spline joint method, it is necessary to move to a dedicated process once in the middle of the harness production line and perform joint processing, or once processing is performed, it is impossible to cope with circuit changes, so production efficiency is improved. In addition, there remains a problem in the reliability of electrical connection, such as the standard method of handling the insulation treatment by taping.

  However, even in the joint connector system, there is a problem that the amount of electric wire used increases due to an increase in the number of parts and an increase in circuit length. In addition, since the terminal crimping process is performed on the branch wire terminal in the early stage of harness manufacturing, it is not necessary to move to another process in the middle of the harness manufacturing line, and the production efficiency is good, but the connector and the mating general-purpose connector to be fitted, Since the number of parts such as bus bars and terminals increases, there is a problem in terms of cost.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a waterproof joint connector that solves the above-described problems, is capable of simple and highly reliable wire branching, and has a waterproof measure.

  The technical feature of the waterproof joint connector according to the present invention for achieving the above-described object is that a plurality of electric wire terminals having pin terminal insertion holes in the axial direction of the holding body and communicating with the pin terminal insertion holes on the surface A holding body provided with an insertion hole, a wire terminal having a receiving connection end to be inserted into the wire terminal insertion hole at one end and an electric wire connected to the other end, and the receiving connection end by being inserted into the pin terminal insertion hole A metal pin terminal electrically connected to the cylindrical case, a cylindrical case in which an assembly of the holding body and the electric wire terminal is inserted, and a waterproof member that waterproofs the inlet of the cylindrical case and the electric wire of the assembly; It is to consist of.

  According to the waterproof joint connector according to the present invention, by adopting a structure in which the pin terminal contacts the wire terminal in the holding body, the structure is simplified, the reliability of the electrical connection is improved, and the conventional example In comparison, the number of parts is reduced, the cost can be reduced, and a waterproof structure is provided.

  In particular, when used in an automobile harness circuit, the connection structure is much more compact than the conventional joint structure.

  The present invention will be described in detail based on the embodiments shown in the drawings.

  The assembly of this embodiment includes a pin terminal insertion hole 1a, a long groove 1b, a wire terminal insertion hole 1c, and a positioning guide groove 1d shown in FIG. 1, and a wire terminal insertion hole 1c of the holding body 1 at the front end. The receiving connection end 2a to be inserted and the electric wire terminal 2 having a crimping portion 2b with the electric wire 3 connected to the rear end are configured.

  A pin terminal insertion hole 1a for inserting a pin terminal, which will be described later, is provided on the central axis of the holding body 1 with the other end closed, and for example, four long grooves 1b having a substantially semicircular cross section are provided along the longitudinal direction on the outside. It has been. Further, at the bottom of the long groove 1b, a wire terminal insertion hole 1c is formed for each long groove 1b, and these wire terminal insertion holes 1c communicate with the central pin terminal insertion hole 1a in the holding body 1. The receiving connection end 2a of the electric wire terminal 2 can be inserted into the electric wire terminal insertion hole 1c. A positioning guide groove 1d is provided along the outer longitudinal direction of the holding body 1, and serves as a guide for insertion into a cylindrical case described later.

  A thermoplastic resin such as polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) or polypropylene (PP) is applied as the material used for the holder 1, but it has a high thermal deformation temperature, high rigidity, electrical insulation characteristics, mechanical characteristics, etc. Polybutylene terephthalate is preferred because of its superiority. Moreover, although the magnitude | size of the holding body 1 is based also on the diameter of the electric wire 3 to be used, etc., a diameter is 5-30 mm and length is about 20-150 mm.

  The holding body 1 is generally manufactured by injection molding a thermoplastic resin (PBT or PP) into a predetermined mold, but the pin terminal insertion hole 1a, the long groove 1b, the electric wire terminal from the block body. The insertion hole 1c and the positioning guide groove 1d may be cut and produced.

  The electric wire terminal 2 is formed by punching one conductive metal plate. As shown in FIG. 2, a cylindrical contact 2c drawn into a cylindrical shape is provided at the receiving connection end 2a at the front end, and at the rear end. Although the crimp part 2b is provided, the electric wire 3 is not connected to the crimp part 2b. When the receiving connection end 2a is inserted into the pin terminal insertion hole 1a through the wire terminal insertion hole 1c, the central axis of the cylindrical contact 2c matches the central axis of the pin terminal insertion hole 1a as shown in FIG. Have been to.

  The front end edge 2d of the receiving connection end 2a has a semicircular shape that coincides with the center of curvature of the cylindrical contact 2c, and the radius of the cylindrical contact 2c of the front end 2d is the pin terminal insertion hole 1a of the holding body 1. Is almost the same as the radius. The cylindrical contact 2c is provided with a tapered guide portion 2e so that a pin terminal can be easily inserted.

  The electric wire 3 is an insulated wire in which an outer periphery of a conductor is covered with an insulating layer, and a known wire diameter can be applied. The conductor is a stranded wire of a copper wire or a hard copper wire conventionally used in an automobile harness circuit, or a stranded wire or a single wire of a copper alloy wire such as a Cu-Sn alloy wire having a reduced wire diameter while maintaining tensile strength. Applied. In addition, conventionally known insulating materials are applied to the insulating layer, and among them, it is preferable to apply a non-halogen insulating material to the insulating layer as an environmental measure.

  FIG. 4 shows a cylindrical cylindrical case 4 made of a synthetic resin material for housing the above-mentioned assembly, the inlet portion being a large diameter portion 4a and the tip portion being a small diameter portion 4b having a bottom portion. 4 has a guide groove 4c and a locking hole 4d. A guide strip 4e (not shown) that fits in the positioning guide groove 1d of the holding body 1 is provided along the longitudinal direction on the wall surface of the small diameter portion 4b. A pin terminal 5 to be inserted into the pin terminal insertion hole 1a of the holding body 1 is fixed toward the inlet at the center of the bottom of the cylindrical case 4.

  The pin terminal 5 is formed by bending a single conductive metal plate, for example, into a substantially rectangular cross section as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. The pin terminal 5 is twisted to improve the contact property with the electric wire terminal 2 and the cross-sectional shape of the pin terminal 5 may be circular, but the substantially square shape is cylindrical as in the embodiment. Good contact with the contact 2c.

  A substantially cylindrical liner 6 made of a synthetic resin material as shown in FIG. 6 can be inserted into the large-diameter portion 4a of the cylindrical case 4, and the liner 6 includes a cylindrical portion 6a and a flange portion 6b. A plurality of slits 6c are provided near the flange portion 6b of the cylindrical portion 6a.

  Further, a substantially cylindrical cap 7 made of a synthetic resin as shown in FIG. 7 can be inserted between the liner 6 and the large diameter portion 4a. On the outer periphery of the cap 7, there are a guide piece 7 a that fits in the guide groove 4 c of the cylindrical case 4 along the longitudinal direction, and a locking piece 7 b that enters the locking hole 4 d of the cylindrical case 4 from the inside and locks it. Is provided. Further, an abutting piece 7 c for abutting against the liner 6 is formed on the inner wall of the cap 7.

  When assembling, for example, after inserting the wire 3 into the cap 7 in advance, the receiving connection end 2a of the wire terminal 2 to which the wire 3 is connected is inserted into the wire terminal insertion hole 1c of the holding body 1 as shown in FIG. Then, the electric wire 3 is pulled out to the opposite side of the pin terminal insertion hole 1a along the long groove 1b. At this time, the inserted receiving connection end 2a is locked by a locking portion (not shown) provided in the wire terminal insertion hole 1c so as not to drop off. Since the front edge 2d of the receiving connection end 2a substantially coincides with the radius of the pin terminal insertion hole 1a, the receiving connection end 2a is stably mounted in the pin terminal insertion hole 1a as shown in FIG. The center of the contact 2c coincides with the center of the pin terminal insertion hole 1a.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 9, after inserting the liner 6 in which the gel-like butyl rubber 8 formed into a plate shape around the cylindrical portion 6 a is inserted into the large-diameter portion 4 a of the cylindrical case 4, The assembly is inserted into the cylindrical case 4 while the pin terminal insertion hole 1a is directed first and fitted into the positioning guide groove 1d and the guide strip 4e of the cylindrical case 4.

  By this insertion, the pin terminal 5 arranged at the bottom of the cylindrical case 4 is inserted into the pin terminal insertion hole 1a, and the pin terminal 5 penetrates the cylindrical contact 2c of the receiving connection end 2a of each wire terminal 2, Since the electric wire terminals 2 are short-circuited by the pin terminals 5, all the electric wires 3 are electrically connected to each other. Since the holding body 1 is fixed to the cylindrical case 4 by the guide strip 4e and the pin terminal 5, the holding body 1 hardly moves in the cylindrical case 4.

  Even if the pin terminal 5 is fixed in the cylindrical case 4 as in the embodiment, the pin terminal 5 is separated from the cylindrical case 4 before inserting the assembly into the cylindrical case 4 in advance. It may be inserted into the pin terminal insertion hole 1 a of the holding body 1 and connected to the wiring terminal 2.

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 10, the cap 7 is pushed into the liner 6, so that the gel-like butyl rubber 8 is crushed by the cap 7 and enters the inside through the slit 6 c of the liner 6. In addition, waterproofing with butyl rubber 8 is performed. According to the waterproof treatment with the butyl rubber 8, waterproofing is possible regardless of the diameter of the electric wire 3.

  In addition, when the cap 7 is inserted by being guided straight with respect to the guide piece 7a by the guide groove 4c of the large-diameter portion 4a of the cylindrical case 4, and further pushed into a predetermined position, the locking piece 7b is inserted into the locking hole 4d. It is inserted and locked, and it will not be dissociated accidentally.

  Thus, since the joint connector of the present Example 1 implement | achieves the connection with the electric wire terminal 2 using the pin terminal 5, it is possible to make the electric wire terminal 2 small, and the external appearance shape after an assembly is the same. It becomes the same shape as the cylindrical case 4 and can be easily incorporated into the harness body. Moreover, since the electric wire terminals 2 are arranged around the pin terminals 5, the interference of the electric wires 3 can be eliminated as compared with the spring contact structure product.

  In addition, in the Example, although the holding body 1 demonstrated as a column shape, it may be a polygonal column shape or an ellipse shape. Moreover, although the four long grooves 1b were provided in the holding body 1, this long groove 1b is not restricted to this number. Furthermore, you may arrange | position the electric wire 3 along the cylindrical holding body 1 without providing the long groove 1b.

  FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the holding body 11 used in the second embodiment. The holding body 11 includes a pin terminal insertion hole 11a, a long groove 11b, a wire terminal insertion hole 11c, and a positioning guide groove 11d (not shown) provided at the end. Provided is the same as the holder 1 of the first embodiment. At the end of the holding body 11 opposite to the entrance of the pin terminal insertion hole 11a, there is provided a pressing plate 11e that fits into the large diameter portion 4a of the cylindrical case 4, and the pressing plate 11e Four cuts 11f that allow the electric wire 3 to pass therethrough and communicate with the long groove 11b are provided.

  FIG. 12 shows a waterproof cap 12 that fits into the cylindrical case 4 into which the assembly is inserted. The cap 12 has substantially the same shape as the end face of the pressing plate 11e, and a gripping protrusion 12a is provided on the surface side. The gel-like butyl rubber 13 having the same shape is attached to the back surface.

  In the second embodiment, the combination of the holding body 11 and the wire terminal 2 is stored in the cylindrical case 4 in the same manner as in the first embodiment, and then the cap 12 is attached to the cylindrical case 4 as shown in FIG. Push into the large diameter part 4a. As a result, the butyl rubber 13 on the back side of the cap 12 is wrapped around the electric wire 3 and filled to achieve a waterproof structure.

1 is an exploded perspective view of Example 1. FIG. It is a perspective view of an electric wire terminal. It is a cross-sectional view of a state in which the electric wire terminal is inserted into the holding body. It is a perspective view of a cylindrical case. It is a cross-sectional view of a pin terminal. It is a perspective view of a liner. It is a perspective view of a cap. It is a perspective view of an assembly and a cap. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the state which inserted the holding body in the cylindrical case. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a state where a cap is pushed into a cylindrical case. It is a perspective view of the holding body of Example 2. It is a perspective view of a cap. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a state where a cap is pushed into a cylindrical case.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 11 Holding body 1a, 11a Pin terminal insertion hole 1b, 11b Long groove 1c, 11c Electric wire terminal insertion hole 1d, 11d Positioning guide groove 2 Electric wire terminal 2a Receiving connection end 2b Crimp part 2c Cylindrical contact 2d Tip edge 3 Electric wire 4 Cylindrical case 5 Pin terminal 6 Liner 7, 12 Cap 8, 13 Butyl rubber 11e Holding plate

Claims (8)

  A holding body having a pin terminal insertion hole in the axial direction of the holding body and having a plurality of wire terminal insertion holes communicating with the pin terminal insertion hole on the surface, and a receiving connection end inserted into the wire terminal insertion hole at one end An electric wire terminal having an electric wire connected to the other end, a metal pin terminal electrically connected to the receiving connection end by being inserted into the pin terminal insertion hole, and an assembly of the holding body and the electric wire terminal A waterproof joint connector, comprising: a cylindrical case into which is inserted; and a waterproof member that waterproofs the inlet of the cylindrical case and the wires of the assembly.   The waterproof joint connector according to claim 1, further comprising a long groove that accommodates the electric wire along a surface of the holding body, and the electric wire terminal insertion hole at a bottom of the long groove. The pin terminals attached to the bottom of the tubular case, upon insertion into the tubular casing of the assembly, according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that inserting the pin terminal into the pin terminal insertion hole Waterproof joint connector. The waterproof joint connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the pin terminals are short-circuited with each other by being inserted into the receiving connection end. The waterproof joint connector according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the waterproof member is butyl rubber, and waterproofing is performed by filling the butyl rubber into an inlet portion of the cylindrical case. .   6. A liner is inserted into an inlet portion of the cylindrical case, a cap through which the electric wire is inserted is inserted into the cylindrical case, and the butyl rubber is pushed in between the liner and the cap. Waterproof joint connector as described in   6. The waterproof joint connector according to claim 5, wherein a cap with the butyl rubber attached is pushed into an inlet portion of the cylindrical case.   The waterproof joint connector according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the cap is locked to the cylindrical case.

Images