JP4933246B2 - Connection member and harness connection body using the connection member - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a connection member used for, for example, a harness circuit of an automobile and a harness connection body using the connection member.

  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.

JP-A-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, the joint connector system also has many problems that need to be solved, such as space saving, further improvement of workability, simplification of structure, and increase of current capacity.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a connection member that solves the above-described problems, is easy to manufacture, has a large current capacity, and is excellent in assembling of a wire harness, and a harness connection body using the connection member.

The technical feature of the connecting member according to the present invention for achieving the above object is that an external holder having a plurality of wire terminal insertion openings provided on both left and right sides and arranged in a stepwise manner on the left and right sides, and from the opening of the external holder to the inside. An internal holder having a plurality of pin terminal insertion holes that are inserted and used and communicate with the electric wire terminal insertion port, and a plurality of pin terminal insertion holes that intersect the electric wire terminal holding holes, and the outer holder A plurality of wire terminals each having a tongue-like connection portion to be inserted into the wire terminal holding hole of the internal holder through the wire terminal insertion port, and provided with a plurality of contacts along the longitudinal direction of the connection portion; the by through the opening of the outer holder is inserted into the pin terminal insertion hole of the inner holder, respectively contact a plurality of contacts of the connecting portion of the inserted the wire terminal into the inner holder, the wire A pin terminal of the plurality of electrically connecting the child together is to consist of a fixing holder for sealing the opening of the outer holder.

  According to the connection member and the harness connection body using the connection member according to the present invention, the internal holder having a complicated internal shape is inserted into the external holder, and a plurality of pin terminals are inserted into the wire terminal insertion port of the external holder. Inserted into the internal holder, the electrical terminals having a plurality of contacts in the internal holder are electrically connected to each other, the structure is simplified, the current carrying capacity is increased, and the connection reliability is improved. 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 harness connection body using the connection member of Example 1, as shown in the exploded perspective view of FIG. 1, a rectangular parallelepiped external holder 1 having a plurality of wire terminal insertion ports 1a, a connection portion holding hole 2a, and a pin terminal A plurality of inner holders 2 having insertion holes 2b and 2b, and conductor crimping portions 3c provided with two cylindrical contacts 3b and 3b along the longitudinal direction of the connecting portion 3a at the front end and connected to the electric wire 4 at the rear end. Wire terminal 3 and a fixed holder 6 to which two pin terminals 5 and 5 are 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 inserting the internal holder 2 and fitting the pin terminals 5, 5 and the fixed holder 6 is provided.

  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 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 inner holder 2 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, is provided with a connection portion holding hole 2a that communicates with the wire terminal insertion port 1a and holds the connection portion 3a of the wire terminal 3, and is orthogonal to the connection portion holding hole 2a. Two pin terminal insertion holes 2b, 2b are 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.
Furthermore, two ribs 2e and 2f are formed on one side of the outer surface of the inner holder 2, and one rib 2g is formed on the other side. In the space 1b into which the internal holder 2 of the external holder 1 is inserted, a groove for receiving these ribs 2e, 2f, 2g is formed.

  The electric wire terminal 3 is formed by punching one conductive metal plate, and the front end tongue-like connecting portion 3a has two cylindrical contacts drawn in a short cylinder and arranged in the longitudinal direction. 3b and 3b are provided, and a conductor crimping portion 3c is provided at the rear end, 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 preferable in that the corrosion resistance is improved by Sn plating and the conductivity with the contact with the pin terminals 5 and 5 is easily obtained.

The cylindrical contacts 3b and 3b only need to have a shape that conducts by contacting with the pin terminals 5 and 5 respectively, and the bases of the cylindrical contacts 3b and 3b can be inserted from either side so that the pin terminals 5 and 5 can be inserted. It is desirable to provide a tapered guide at the tip. Moreover, even the contact is not cylindrical, FIG. 2 (a), the a polygonal hole even circular hole 3d as shown in (b). Further, the contact on the distal end side of the connecting portion 3a may be a notch as shown in (c) to (f).

  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 two pin terminals 5 and 5, the fixed holder 6 is fitted into the opening 1 c of the external holder 1, and the opening 1 c is sealed, so that the internal holder 2 is sealed with the external holder 1, the pin terminals 5 and 5 can be inserted into the pin terminal insertion holes 2 b and 2 b of the internal holder 2 and inserted into the cylindrical contacts 3 b and 3 b of the electric wire terminal 3.

  The pin terminals 5 and 5 are bar members made of conductive metal for conducting the connection portions 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, a square cross section is preferable because it is easy to manufacture, does not require a large force when inserted, and easily obtains stable and reliable conduction.

  Moreover, it is preferable to insert the pin terminals 5 and 5 while deforming the side of the connection part 3a of the wire terminal 3 by making the hardness of the pin terminals 5 and 5 harder than that of the connection part 3a. The hardness of the pin terminals 5 and 5 and the hardness of the connection portion 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 that the cylindrical contacts 3b and 3b are reliably inserted.

  For example, the pin terminals 5 and 5 can be obtained by bending and folding one conductive metal plate to obtain a substantially square cross section as shown in FIG. be able to. By manufacturing in this way, even the pin terminals 5 and 5 having a small cross-sectional area are less likely to be bent or broken.

  When the contact of the connecting portion 3a is cylindrical or circular, its inner diameter is d1, the cross-sectional shape of the pin terminals 5 and 5 is substantially square, and the length of the diagonal line is x, d1 <x. It is preferable. Further, the pin terminals 5 and 5 may have a circular cross section, and the contact point of the connection portion 3a may be a hole having a square side of d1 in length. In this case, when the circular outer diameter of the pin terminals 5 and 5 is d2, it is preferable that d1 <d2.

  In order to insert the pin terminals 5 and 5 into the cylindrical contacts 3b and 3b of the electric wire terminal 3 at the same time, a certain amount of force is required. can do. The material of the fixing holder 6 is not particularly limited as long as it is an electrically insulating material. Is preferred. Examples thereof include synthetic resin materials such as polybutylene terephthalate, polypropylene, and polyethylene.

4 is a perspective view of the assembled state, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view thereof. The internal holder 2 is inserted into the external holder 1. The electric wire terminals 3 are respectively inserted from the four electric wire terminal insertion openings 1a provided in the external holder 1, and the centers of the cylindrical contacts 3b and 3b of the connection portion 3a are respectively pin pin insertion holes 2b and 2b of the internal holder 2. To the center axis of In addition, in order that the cylindrical contacts 3b and 3b of the connection part 3a may be piled up in the center of the internal holder 2, the electric wire terminal insertion port 1a is formed in the right and left steps.

  When the connecting portion 3a has the cylindrical contacts 3b and 3b, it is important which side the cylindrical contacts 3b and 3b are facing when inserted into the wire terminal insertion port 1a. In other words, if each connecting portion 3a is inserted in an arbitrary direction, it cannot be neatly positioned at a predetermined position inside, so the direction of the cylindrical contacts 3b, 3b is displayed at the inlet portion of the wire terminal insertion port 1a. You may need it.

  When the pin holders 5 and 5 are inserted into the pin terminal insertion holes 2b and 2b of the internal holder 2 by attaching the fixed holder 6 to the opening 1c of the external holder 1, the pin terminals 5 and 5 are connected to the tube of the connection portion 3a. The wire contacts 3b and 3b are brought into contact with each other by being inserted, and the electric wire terminals 3 are electrically connected. And unless the pin terminals 5 and 5 are 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.

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

  FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the waterproof outer holder 1, the inner holder 2, the electric wire terminal 3, and the fixed holder 6 according to the second embodiment, and FIG. 7 is a sectional view in an 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 e 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, the number of pin terminals 5 and 5 is not limited to two, and may be three or more.

  Further, the pin terminals 5 and 5 may be separated from the fixed holder 6, and the fixed holder 6 may be attached after the pin terminals 5 and 5 are inserted, or after the internal holder 2 is fixed by the fixed holder 6, the fixed holder 6 The pin terminals 5 and 5 may be inserted through the hole provided in FIG. Further, the inner holder 2 and the fixed holder 6 may be integrated. In this case, the pin terminals 5 and 5 need to be separated from the fixed holder 6.

  In the case of the waterproof type, when the pin terminals 5 and 5 and the fixed holder 6 are separated, the terminal of the pin terminals 5 and 5 is provided with a waterproof measure, or the waterproof seal material or the like is provided for the fixed holder 6 with a waterproof measure. It is necessary to take measures for waterproofing either or both.

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 sectional drawing of a pin terminal. It is a perspective view of the assembly state of a harness connection body. It is sectional drawing of a harness connection body. 3 is an exploded perspective view of Example 2. FIG. It is sectional drawing of the assembly state of a harness connection body.

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 Connection part holding hole 2b Pin terminal insertion hole 3 Electric wire terminal 3a Connection part 3b Cylindrical contact 3c Conductor crimping part 3d Circular hole 3e Covering crimping part 4 Electric wire 5 Pin terminal 6 Fixed holder 6a Intermediate step 7, 8 Waterproof sealant

Claims (8)

An external holder having a plurality of wire terminal insertion holes provided on both the left and right sides and arranged in a stepwise manner on the left and right sides, and an electric wire terminal holding hole communicating with the wire terminal insertion port is used by being inserted into the inside from the opening of the external holder. And an internal holder having a plurality of pin terminal insertion holes intersecting with these electric wire terminal holding holes, and a tongue piece inserted into the electric wire terminal holding hole of the inner holder through the electric wire terminal insertion port of the outer holder A plurality of electric wire terminals each having a plurality of contact points along the longitudinal direction of the connection portion, and a pin terminal insertion hole of the inner holder through the opening of the outer holder. by inserting the respectively contact a plurality of contacts of the connecting portion of the inserted the wire terminal into the inner holder, and the pin terminals of the plurality of electrically connecting the wire terminals of, prior to said outer holder Connecting member characterized by comprising a fixing holder for sealing the opening. The connection member according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of pin terminals are integrally attached to the fixed holder. The connection member according to claim 1 or 2 a plurality of contacts of the connection part is characterized in that the cylindrical inserting the pin terminal. Connecting member according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that it has a substantially square cross section of the pin terminal. The connection member according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the tip of the pin terminal has a conical shape or a conical trapezoidal shape. A sealing member attached to the wire connecting portions of the wire terminals, wherein between the wire terminal insertion openings of the outer holder with a waterproof structure, a seal member mounted around the stationary holder, the opening of the outer holder The connection member according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a waterproof structure is provided between the two . A harness connector using the connection member according to any one of claims 1 to 6 . The harness circuit of the motor vehicle which uses the harness connection body of Claim 7 .

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