JP4813973B2 - Connecting member - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a connecting member used for a harness circuit of an automobile, for example.

  In an automobile harness circuit, it is often necessary to branch a plurality of branch lines from a trunk line. Therefore, conventionally, a part of the trunk line is stripped, a splice joint method that branches by crimping the branch line to the exposed conductor, and a circuit branch connector is arranged at the terminal part of the trunk line. For example, two types of methods such as a joint connector method described in Patent Document 1 are often used for branching using a general-purpose connector and a crimp terminal.

Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-71614

  In the former splice joint method, one to three electric wires must be crimped, and there is a problem that workability is very poor in the state after the machining, and crimping is performed on the production line. Is difficult for line production.

  Therefore, the latter joint connector system has been developed as a solution to the problems of the splice joint system. This joint connector method enables joint processing on the harness production line, so that the production efficiency is improved as compared with the splice joint method, and it is possible to cope with the modification of the harness circuit. However, since the number of parts such as the connector and the mating general-purpose connector, bus bar, connection terminal, and the like increases, it takes a long time to assemble the harness circuit.

  In particular, in the wire harness using the joint connector disclosed in Patent Document 1, since the joint connector is large, the wire harness cannot be branched at a position where it should be branched, and the electric wire is connected to a place where there is a space for accommodating the joint connector. It must be extended, which is against the miniaturization of the wire harness.

  That is, even with the joint connector system, there are many problems that need to be solved, such as space saving, further improvement of workability, and simplification of the structure.

  An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems, to provide a connecting member that is easy to manufacture and excellent in assembling of a wire harness.

In order to achieve the above object, a connecting member according to the present invention includes an external holder having a plurality of wire terminal insertion openings provided for each wire terminal and an opening for inserting an internal holder, and the opening to the inside of the external holder. inserted into, and having a plurality of wire terminal holding holes communicating respectively with said wire terminal insertion opening, closed with an internal holder having a Surupin insertion hole intersecting inside and these wire terminal holding holes, a receiving connection end to end a plurality of wire terminal inserting the connecting wires the receiving connecting terminal to the electric wire terminal holding holes of the outer holder of the wire terminal insertion openings of the inner holder through the other end to the rod-shaped portion opening in the outer holder after the insert into Surupin insertion hole of the inner holder the wire and terminals are electrically connected to by sequentially contacting the contacts of the receiving connecting end of the wire terminal in the inner holder, the rod-shaped portion Wherein said be made an opening of the outer holder from the Surupin fitted with fixing holder for sealing, the base.

  According to the connection member according to the present invention, the internal holder having a complicated internal shape is inserted into the external holder, and the insertion terminal is inserted into the internal holder via the electric wire terminal insertion port of the external holder. Electrical connection between the wire terminals in the holder is simplified, the structure is simplified, the reliability of electrical connection is improved, and the space factor, workability, and cost can be reduced.

  In particular, when used in a harness circuit of an automobile, the connection structure becomes much more compact than the conventional joint structure, and the wire harness working time is shortened.

  Further, the installation location in the wire harness is not limited due to the miniaturization, and it can be arranged at any location, and circuit wiring can be performed without extending the electric wire.

  Furthermore, a waterproof structure can be used, and it can be used in places where a waterproof function is required.

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

  In the first embodiment, as shown in the exploded perspective view of FIG. 1, a rectangular parallelepiped external holder 1 having a plurality of wire terminal insertion openings 1a, an internal holder 2 having a receiving connection end holding hole 2a and a through pin insertion hole 2b, A cylindrical contact 3b is provided at the receiving connection end 3a at the front end, and a plurality of wire terminals 3 having a conductor crimping portion 3c with the electric wire 4 connected at the rear end, and a fixed holder 6 to which a through pin 5 is attached. .

  The outer holder 1 is formed with a plurality of wire terminal insertion openings 1a from the left and right sides toward the center, and is provided with a space portion 1b for inserting the inner holder 2 therein. An opening 1c for fitting the fixed holder 6 is provided while the inner holder 2 is inserted into the inner holder 2.

  As a material used as the external holder 1, for example, a thermoplastic synthetic resin is applied. Among them, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) and polypropylene (PP) are used in view of high thermal deformation temperature, high rigidity, electrical insulation characteristics, and mechanical characteristics. And the like are preferred. The vertical and horizontal sizes may be appropriately determined depending on the number and diameter of the electric wires 4 to be used, but the length is usually about 20 mm to 150 mm. In general, the external holder 1 is manufactured by adopting a method in which a thermoplastic resin is injection molded into a predetermined mold.

  The internal holder 2 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and is provided with a receiving connection end holding hole 2a that communicates with the wire terminal insertion port 1a and holds the receiving connection end 3a of the wire terminal 3. A through pin insertion hole 2b orthogonal to each other is formed. The material of the inner holder 2 may be the same as that of the outer holder 1 and is preferably manufactured by injection molding. Further, when the internal shape is complicated, it can be divided into a plurality of parts in a longitudinal section or a transverse section, and can be adhered or fitted together when used.

  The electric wire terminal 3 is formed by punching one conductive metal plate, and a front end tongue-like receiving connection end 3a is provided with a cylindrical contact 3b drawn into a short cylindrical shape, with a conductor at the rear end. A crimping portion 3c is provided, and the conductor of the electric wire 4 is crimped and connected by the conductor crimping portion 3c.

  The wire terminal 3 may be formed by stamping and molding a copper plate or copper alloy plate into a predetermined shape, or by Sn plating, or by punching and molding a Sn plated copper plate or copper alloy plate into a predetermined shape. . The material is preferably brass in terms of strength and conductivity, and is further preferred in that the corrosion resistance is improved by Sn plating and the conductivity with the contact with the through pin 5 is easily obtained.

  The cylindrical contact 3b only needs to have a shape that allows conduction through contact with the through pin 5, and a tapered guide is provided at the base and tip of the cylindrical contact 3b so that the through pin 5 can be inserted from either side. desirable. Further, even if it is not cylindrical, it may be a circular hole 3d or a polygonal hole as shown in FIG. 2, or a semicircular, U-shaped, concave, or V-shaped cutout 3e as shown in FIG. Good.

  As the electric wire 4, an insulated electric wire in which an outer periphery of a conductor is covered with an insulating layer is applied, and those having a known electric wire diameter can be applied. The conductor is a twisted wire or a single wire of a copper alloy wire such as a Cu-Sn alloy wire that maintains a tensile strength and has a small wire diameter, such as a conventional copper wire or a hard copper wire used in an automobile harness circuit. 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.

  In addition, the connection between the conductor of the electric wire 4 and the electric wire terminal 3 is performed by known caulking, welding, soldering, crimping, etc., but in terms of the time required for connection and the connection strength obtained, The crimping connection by the conductor crimping part 3c is suitable.

  The fixed holder 6 fixes the through pin 5, the intermediate step portion 6 a of the fixed holder 6 is fitted into the opening 1 c of the external holder 1, and the opening 1 c is sealed, whereby the internal holder 2 is connected to the external holder 1. The through pin 5 can be inserted into the through pin insertion hole 2 b of the internal holder 2 and inserted into the cylindrical contact 3 b of the electric wire terminal 3.

  The through pin 5 is a rod-shaped member made of conductive metal for conducting the receiving and connecting ends 3a of the plurality of electric wire terminals 3, and examples of the cross-sectional shape include a circle, a triangle, a quadrangle, and a polygon. However, it is easy to manufacture, does not require a large force when inserted, and is easy to obtain stable and reliable conduction, so that a square cross section is preferable. In this case, the contact shape of the wire terminal 3 is A cylindrical shape or a circular hole shape is preferable.

  Moreover, it is preferable to insert the wire pin 3 while deforming the receiving / connecting end 3a side thereof by making the through pin 5 harder than the receiving / connecting end 3a. The hardness of the through pin 5 and the hardness of the receiving connection end 3a can be appropriately adjusted by processing, heat treatment, and selection of materials. Furthermore, it is preferable that the tip is a conical trapezoidal shape such as a conical shape, a pyramid shape, a truncated cone shape, a truncated pyramid shape, or the like, in order to be surely inserted into the cylindrical contact 3b.

  The through pin 5 is obtained by bending and folding one conductive metal plate, for example, to obtain a substantially square cross section as shown in FIG. 4, and thereafter the tip can be formed into a cone shape by pressing or cutting. . By producing by such a method, even the through pin 5 having a small cross-sectional area is less likely to be bent or broken.

  The contact point of the receiving connection end 3a has a cylindrical shape or a circular shape, the inner diameter is d1, the cross-sectional shape of the through pin 5 is substantially square, and the length of the diagonal line is x, d1 <x. preferable. Alternatively, the through pin 5 may have a circular cross section, and the contact of the receiving connection end 3a may be a hole having a square side of d1 in length. In this case, when the circular outer diameter of the through pin 5 is d2, it is preferable that d1 <d2.

  In order to fit the through pin 5 into the cylindrical contact 3 b of the electric wire terminal 3, a certain amount of force is required. However, the through pin 5 can be easily inserted by being pushed in by holding the fixed holder 6 having an integral structure.

  The material of the fixing holder 6 is not particularly limited as long as it is an electrically insulating material. However, a material that does not break even when a certain amount of force is applied as described above is preferable. Examples thereof include synthetic resin materials such as polybutylene terephthalate, polypropylene, and polyethylene.

  5 is a perspective view of the assembled state, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view thereof. The wire terminal 3 is inserted from each of the four wire terminal insertion openings 1a provided in the external holder 1, and the tube of the receiving connection end 3a is inserted. The center of the contact 3b is aligned with the central axis of the receiving end holding hole 2a. In addition, since the cylindrical contact 3b of the receiving connection end 3a is stacked at the center of the inner holder 2, the wire terminal insertion port 1a is formed in a stepwise manner on the left and right.

  When the cylindrical contact 3b is provided at the receiving connection end 3a, it is important which side the cylindrical contact 3b is directed to when it is inserted into the wire terminal insertion port 1a. That is, if each receiving / connecting end 3a is inserted in an arbitrary direction, it cannot be neatly positioned at a predetermined position in the inside, so it is necessary to display the direction of the cylindrical contact 3b at the inlet of the wire terminal insertion port 1a. It may be.

  When the through pin 5 is inserted from the holding hole 2a of the internal holder 2, the through pin 5 comes into contact with the cylindrical contact 3b of the receiving connection end 3a, and the electric wire terminals 3 are electrically connected. And unless the through pin 5 is removed, the electric wire terminal 3 is not separated.

The fixed holder 6 can be provided with a locking portion provided in the opening 1 c of the external holder 1 and a mechanism for locking, and can be prevented from falling off the external holder 1. Further, it is possible to provide a mechanism for locking the external holder 1 by twisting and preventing the dropout similarly. In this case, the through pin 5 is also rotated, so that the contact with the cylindrical contact 3b is more stable. Become a thing.

  Furthermore, the fixing pin 6 may be fixed by inserting the through pin 5 to the opposite side of the external holder 1 and projecting it, providing a threaded portion at the tip of the through pin 5, and screwing a synthetic resin cap nut. Alternatively, the fixed holder 6 can be fixed to the external holder 1 by covering the external holder 1 with a cover or winding a tape.

  FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the waterproof type outer holder 1, the inner holder 2, the electric wire terminal 3, and the fixed holder 6 according to the second embodiment, and FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the assembled state.

  A cylindrical waterproof sealing material 7 made of synthetic rubber is inserted into the electric wire 4 attached to the electric wire terminal 3 and fixed by a cover crimping portion 3 f extending from the electric wire terminal 3. Moreover, the entrance part of the electric wire terminal insertion port 1a of the external holder 1 has a circular cross section, and is sealed by the waterproof seal material 7 when the electric wire terminal 3 is inserted.

  A cylindrical waterproof seal material 8 is attached to the intermediate step portion 6 a of the fixed holder 6, and this waterproof seal material 8 has a waterproof structure when fitted into the opening 1 c of the external holder 1. In the second embodiment having such a configuration, water penetration is prevented by the waterproof sealing materials 7 and 8 inside the outer holder 1, and this connection member can have a waterproof structure.

  In the first and second embodiments, a total of four wire terminal insertion ports 1a are provided and four wire terminals 3 are inserted therein, but a circuit can be designed by providing a larger number of wire terminal insertion ports 1a. it can. Further, even if the number of rows is one, if the number of through pins 5 to be inserted is not one but two through pins 5 are inserted from above and below, and the length does not short-circuit at the center, the continuity of the wire terminal 3 Can be divided into two groups.

  Moreover, the connection circuit with the electric wire terminal 3 can also be increased by connecting an electric wire to the through pin 5.

1 is an exploded perspective view of Example 1. FIG. It is a perspective view of the modification of an electric wire terminal. It is a principal part perspective view of the other modification of an electric wire terminal. It is sectional drawing of a through pin. It is a perspective view of an assembly. It is sectional drawing of an assembly. 3 is an exploded perspective view of Example 2. FIG. It is sectional drawing of an assembly.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 External holder 1a Electric wire terminal insertion port 1b Space part 1c Opening part 2 Internal holder 2a Receiving connection end holding hole 2b Through pin insertion hole 3 Electric wire terminal 3a Receiving connection end 3b Cylindrical contact 3c Conductor crimping part 3d Circular hole 3e Cutout 3f Cover crimping Part 4 Electric wire 5 Through pin 6 Fixed holder 6a Intermediate step part 7, 8 Waterproof sealant

Claims (6)

An external holder having a plurality of wire terminal insertion openings provided for each wire terminal and an opening for inserting an internal holder ;
Inserted from the opening in the outer holder, and having a plurality of wire terminal holding holes communicating respectively with said wire terminal insertion opening, an internal holder having a Surupin insertion hole intersecting inside and these wire terminal holding holes ,
A plurality of wire terminal to be inserted into the wire terminal holding holes of the inner holder to connect the wire to the other end has a receiving connection edge the receiving connecting end through the wire terminal insertion openings of the outer holder at one end,
A rod portion through the opening of the outer holder is inserted into Surupin insertion hole of the inner holder the wire terminals are electrically connected by sequentially contacting the contacts of the receiving connecting end of the wire terminal in the inner holder A through pin in which a fixed holder for sealing the opening of the external holder is attached to the base of the rod-shaped portion;
A connecting member comprising: The connection member according to claim 1, wherein the contact of the receiving connection end has a cylindrical shape through which the through pin is inserted. The connecting member according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein a cross section of the through pin is substantially rectangular. The connecting member according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein a tip of the through pin has a conical shape or a conical trapezoidal shape. A seal member is attached to the electric wire connection portion of the electric wire terminal to form a waterproof structure between the electric wire terminal insertion port of the external holder, and a seal member is attached to the base portion of the fixed holder and between the opening portion of the external holder. The connection member according to claim 1 , wherein the connection member has a waterproof structure . An automotive harness circuit, wherein the connection member according to any one of claims 1 to 5 is used.

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