JP7398271B2 - joint connector - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a joint connector.

For example, joint connectors for multiplex communications (hereinafter simply referred to as "joint connectors") used in vehicles, etc., are constructed with a ferrite magnetic core and chip capacitors in order to reduce noise radiation and adverse effects on signal transmission. Some devices have a built-in filter circuit. In this type of joint connector, when a ferrite plate is insert-molded into an outer housing, bending stress is applied to the plate-shaped ferrite plate due to contraction of the synthetic resin after molding, which may cause deformation such as warping. When such deforming stress acts on the ferrite plate, the magnetic permeability of the ferrite plate decreases due to the generally known phenomenon of inverse magnetostriction.

Therefore, Patent Document 1 discloses a joint connector that prevents deformation of a ferrite plate due to insert molding into an outer housing. The joint connector 501 shown in FIGS. 19 and 20 includes an inner housing 503, a connecting portion 505, a ferrite plate 507, and an outer housing 509. The inner housing 503 is assembled with a connecting portion 505 that includes a plurality of terminals 511 and a bus bar 513 that is connected to one end of the plurality of terminals 511. Further, a ferrite plate 507 is attached to the inner housing 503. Ferrite plate 507 is held by resin spring 515 of inner housing 503. Inner housing 503 is fitted into inner housing fitting portion 517 of outer housing 509 . In the thus configured joint connector 501, a mating connector (not shown) is fitted into the connector fitting portion 519.

According to this joint connector 501, the ferrite plate 507 is divided into a plurality of pieces and arranged in the outer housing 509, so even if the resin of the outer housing 509 contracts, it acts on each ferrite plate 507. The stress is small, and deformation of the ferrite plate 507 can be significantly suppressed. Thereby, it is possible to prevent deformation of the ferrite plate 507, suppress deterioration of characteristics of the joint connector for multiplex communication due to decrease in magnetic permeability, and improve transmitted waveform distortion.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-170985

However, in the conventional joint connector 501, there is a concern that a gap may be created between the outer housing 509 and the inner housing 503 when the outer housing 509 and the inner housing 503 are assembled together. In the joint connector 501 where a gap has occurred, the outer housing 509 and the inner housing 503 are relatively loose in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction (see the arrow direction in FIG. 20) due to vibrations such as when the vehicle is running. Attached. The rattled joint connector 501 may cause slight sliding wear at the electrical contact point between the terminal 511 and a mating terminal in a mating connector (not shown), which may reduce electrical connection reliability. Further, the conventional joint connector 501 is not waterproof and does not have a waterproof function.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a joint connector that can suppress slight sliding wear between mating terminals and terminals, and suppress deterioration in electrical connection reliability.

The above object according to the present invention is achieved by the following configuration.
(1) an outer housing having a first fitting space into which a mating connector is inserted; and a side opposite to the insertion side of the mating connector in the outer housing, which is provided in the outer housing and communicates with the first fitting space; a second fitting space having a mounting opening opening into the second fitting space; a holding part into which a connecting part connecting a plurality of terminals is press-fitted; and a holding arm holding a ferrite passed through the terminal; an inner housing that is fitted into the second fitting space from the mounting opening with the terminal passing through the ferrite protruding into the first fitting space; an annular packing that seals watertightly between the inner circumferential surface of the space and the outer circumferential surface of the inner housing , the packing being attached to the inner housing attached to the second fitting space and the outer circumferential surface of the inner housing; A distal end in the mounting direction of the packing is arranged to protrude into the first fitting space, and a waterproof hood portion of the mating connector inserted into the first fitting space is fitted into the distal end in the mounting direction. , the inner circumferential surface of the second fitting space and the waterproof hood portion, wherein the packing watertightly seals between the outer circumferential surface of the inner housing and the inner circumferential surface of the hood of the waterproof hood portion, and contacts the packing. A joint connector characterized in that the inner peripheral surface of the hood has a cross-sectional shape with the same inner dimensions .

According to the joint connector having the configuration (1) above, the outer housing is provided with the first fitting space into which the mating connector is inserted. Further, the outer housing is provided with a second fitting space that communicates with the first fitting space and has a mounting opening that opens on the side opposite to the insertion side of the mating connector. The inner housing is inserted into the second fitting space through the mounting opening and mounted thereon. That is, the inner housing is attached to the outer housing from the side opposite to the insertion side of the mating connector.
The inner housing holds the terminals and ferrite. The plurality of terminals are formed, for example, in the shape of a pin or a tab, and their base ends in the longitudinal direction are connected to each other by a connecting portion. The connecting portion is press-fitted into a holding portion formed in the inner housing. Thereby, the base ends of the plurality of terminals are fixed to the holding part and protrude in parallel from the inner housing. Each terminal passes through the ferrite. A holding arm that holds the ferrite is formed in the inner housing. Therefore, the inner housing is fixed with a plurality of terminals protruding through the connecting portion, and the ferrite through which these terminals pass is held by the holding arm.
An annular packing is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the inner housing. When the inner housing is attached to the second fitting space of the outer housing through the mounting opening, the outer periphery of the packing comes into close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the second fitting space. Thereby, the packing provides a watertight seal between the outer peripheral surface of the inner housing and the inner peripheral surface of the second fitting space.
The packing is disposed in an annular gap formed between the outer circumferential surface of the inner housing and the inner circumferential surface of the second fitting space so as to be elastically deformed in a compressed direction. Therefore, relative displacement between the outer housing and the inner housing is less likely to occur due to the presence of the compressed packing in the gap, compared to the case where no packing is present in the gap. In other words, the packing functions as a buffer material that suppresses relative displacement between the outer housing and the inner housing.
As a result, the inner housing and outer housing become loose relative to each other in the axial direction (longitudinal direction of the terminal) and in the orthogonal direction (direction of increase/decrease of the gap) perpendicular to the axial direction due to vibrations caused when the vehicle is running. Even if this is done, rattling is suppressed due to the presence of the packing. As a result, it is possible to suppress slight sliding wear at the electrical contact point between the mating terminal and the terminal, and it is possible to suppress deterioration in electrical connection reliability.
In addition, the joint connector's packing watertightly closes the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the second mating space and the outer peripheral surface of the inner housing, thereby adding waterproof functionality to a structure that was conventionally non-waterproof. be able to. As a result, the terminals and ferrite can be more reliably protected from water and vibration.

Furthermore, according to the joint connector having the configuration described in ( 1 ) above, when the packing is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the inner housing, the tips of the inner housing and the packing in the attachment direction are arranged so as to protrude into the first fitting space. be done. That is, the end portions in the mounting direction of the inner housing and the packing arranged in the first fitting space become a fitted portion into which a mating connector inserted into the first fitting space is fitted. In the mating connector, a waterproof hood portion protruding from the distal end in the insertion direction is inserted into the first fitting space and externally fitted onto the distal end portions of the inner housing and the packing in the mounting direction. At this time, the space between the inner circumferential surface of the waterproof hood portion and the outer circumferential surface of the inner housing is watertightly closed by a packing attached to the outer circumferential surface of the inner housing.
In the joint connector having the configuration ( 1 ) above, the packing provides a waterproof function between the inner housing and the outer housing when the inner housing is fitted into the second fitting space of the outer housing. At the same time, in the joint connector, when the mating connector is fitted, the packing at the distal end in the mounting direction, which is arranged in the first fitting space, is compressed by the waterproof hood part of the mating connector. This provides a waterproof function between the outer housing of the joint connector and the waterproof hood portion of the mating connector. In other words, the joint connector of this configuration can provide a waterproof function between the inner housing and the outer housing and between the joint connector and the mating connector using one packing.
Therefore, according to the joint connector configured in ( 1 ) above, it is possible to waterproof the spaces between the inner housing and the outer housing, and between the inner housing and the waterproof hood part by using the packing, which is a common part, and the number of parts of the packing can be reduced. can be reduced.
Further, since the first fitting space and the second fitting space can be formed in communication with each other in a cross-sectional shape having substantially the same inner diameter, a partition wall separating the first fitting space and the second fitting space is not necessary. As a result, according to the joint connector of this configuration, since the partition wall can be omitted, the length in the axial direction can be shortened, making it easy to reduce the size and weight.
Further, in the joint connector having the configuration ( 1 ) above, the outer housing is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and does not have a partition wall that partitions the first fitting space and the second fitting space. Therefore, the inner housing with the terminal and ferrite mounted thereon can be disposed with the terminal protruding into the first fitting space by simply mounting it in the first fitting space. This eliminates the need to insert the terminal into the insertion hole of the partition provided on the back side of the first fitting space, making it easier to assemble the inner housing.

( 2 ) The holding arm is formed by providing a holding arm molding hole that opens on the outer peripheral surface of the inner housing, projects inward of the inner housing, and is held by the holding arm inside the inner housing. The joint connector according to ( 1 ) above, wherein the ferrite is covered by the inner housing and a front cover that is attached to the inner housing with the terminals passing through the ferrite.

According to the joint connector having the configuration ( 2 ) above, the ferrite is covered by the inner housing and the front cover in which the holding arm is formed by the holding arm forming hole. This prevents dust from entering the space where the ferrite is housed, for example, during transportation and handling until the inner housing is fitted into the outer housing (this cannot be completely prevented due to the holding arm molding hole) can. Further, for example, when a waterproof joint connector in which an inner housing is fitted into an outer housing is transported or handled until it is fitted with a mating connector, it is possible to prevent dust and the like from entering the space in which the ferrite is accommodated.

( 3 ) The joint connector according to ( 2 ) above, wherein the packing is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the inner housing while closing the holding arm molding hole.

According to the joint connector having the configuration ( 3 ) above, the packing is located on the outer peripheral surface of the inner housing so as to close the holding arm forming hole for forming the holding arm. Therefore, the ferrite is completely covered by the inner housing, front cover, and packing. This can prevent dust and the like from entering the space in which the ferrite is accommodated, for example, during transportation or handling until the inner housing is fitted into the outer housing. Further, for example, when a waterproof joint connector in which the inner housing is fitted to the outer housing is transported or handled until it is fitted with a mating connector, it is possible to prevent dust and the like from entering the space in which the ferrite is accommodated.

According to the joint connector according to the present invention, it is possible to suppress slight sliding wear between a mating terminal and a terminal, and to suppress a decrease in electrical connection reliability.

The present invention has been briefly described above. Furthermore, the details of the present invention will be further clarified by reading the mode for carrying out the invention (hereinafter referred to as "embodiment") described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. .

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a waterproof joint connector having a joint connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the waterproof joint connector shown in FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the joint connector shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the joint connector shown in FIG. 3. FIG. FIG. 7 is an action diagram illustrating movement during thermal expansion when a mating connector is fixed. FIG. 7 is a vertical view of a waterproof joint connector having a joint connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is an action diagram illustrating movement during thermal expansion when the joint connector is fixed. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a waterproof joint connector having a joint connector according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of the waterproof joint connector shown in FIG. 8. FIG. FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the waterproof joint connector shown in FIG. 8; 11 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the joint connector shown in FIG. 10. FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the joint connector shown in FIG. 10. FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of the inner housing shown in FIG. 12. FIG. It is a process diagram showing the assembly procedure of an inner housing. (a) is a front view showing the holding part into which the connecting part is press-fitted, together with an enlarged view of the main parts, and (b) is a front view showing the holding part, into which the connecting part is press-fitted, after being press-fitted, together with an enlarged view of the main parts. It is a diagram. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the inner housing before the front cover is fixed. FIG. 3 is a process diagram showing the assembly procedure of the outer housing. (a) is an exploded perspective view of the outer housing and the inner housing before installation, seen diagonally from above, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the outer housing and the inner housing before installation, seen from diagonally below. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional joint connector for multiplex communication. FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view showing a fitting structure between an inner housing and an outer housing of a conventional joint connector for multiplex communication.

Embodiments according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[First embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a waterproof joint connector 13 having a joint connector 11 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the waterproof joint connector 13 shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the joint connector 11 shown in FIG. 1.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the joint connector 11 according to the first embodiment constitutes a waterproof joint connector 13 by being integrally fitted with a mating connector 15. In each of the following embodiments, the joint connector 11 will be described using a male connector having a male terminal 17 (see FIG. 2) as an example. Therefore, in each of the following embodiments, the mating connector 15 will be described by taking as an example a female connector having a female terminal 19 (see FIG. 2) serving as a mating terminal.

When the mating connector 15 is fitted with the joint connector 11, the female terminals 19 come into electrical contact with the male terminals 17 of the joint connector 11. An electric wire 21 is electrically connected to the female terminal 19 of the mating connector 15 . Note that the joint connector 11 may be a female connector that accommodates the female terminals 19. In this case, the mating connector 15 becomes a male connector that accommodates the male terminal 17, and the electric wire 21 is electrically connected to the male terminal 17.

When connected to a mating connector 15, the joint connector 11 electrically connects a plurality of electric wires 21 to each other through a connecting portion 23 that conducts to the male terminal 17, thereby forming a joint circuit of a wire harness wired in a vehicle. do.

As shown in FIG. 3, the mating connector 15 includes a mating housing 25 made of electrically insulating synthetic resin. A flexible arm portion 27 whose base end is connected to the mating housing 25 and is cantilevered is formed on the upper surface of the mating housing 25 . An arm-side locking portion 29 that engages with the joint connector 11 is formed at the tip of the arm portion 27 .

A rectangular cylindrical outer cylindrical portion 31 having an open end on the fitting side is formed on the outer periphery of the mating housing 25 . A fitting inner cylinder part 33 is formed inside the outer cylinder part 31 to accommodate the female terminal 19 with a gap between the outer cylinder part 31 and the fitting inner cylinder part 33 . A circumferential groove is formed between the fitting inner cylinder part 33 and the outer cylinder part 31, into which the fitting hood part 35 of the joint connector 11 is inserted. An annular mating packing 37 is fitted onto the outer periphery of the fitting inner cylindrical portion 33 . The mating packing 37 watertightly closes (seals) the space between the inner periphery of the fitting hood portion 35 inserted into the circumferential groove and the outer periphery of the fitting inner cylindrical portion 33 .

A plurality of (eight in this embodiment) terminal accommodating chambers 39 are defined inside the fitting inner cylindrical portion 33 . A female terminal 19 is attached to each terminal accommodating chamber 39 while being prevented from coming off by a terminal locking portion 41 . The terminal accommodating chamber 39 opens as a male terminal receiving port 43 on the front side in the fitting direction of the mating housing 25, and opens as a wire insertion hole 45 on the rear side in the fitting direction of the mating housing 25. The male terminal 17 of the joint connector 11 enters the male terminal receiving port 43 . The male terminal 17 that has entered through the male terminal receiving opening 43 is electrically connected to the electrical contact piece 47 of the female terminal 19 accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber 39 .

A waterproof plug 53 formed in an annular shape and made of rubber or the like is fitted around the outer periphery of each electric wire 21 . The waterproof plug 53 closes the space between the electric wire 21 and the electric wire insertion hole 45 in a watertight manner.
In the female terminal 19, the core wire crimping piece 49 is fixed to the conductor of the electric wire 21, and the covering crimping piece 51 is fixed to the outer periphery of the electric wire 21 via the cylindrical portion of the waterproof plug 53. The electric wire 21 electrically connected to the female terminal 19 is led out from the electric wire insertion hole 45.

An engaging portion 55 is formed on the lower surface of the mating housing 25 . The engaging portion 55 has an engaging claw 57 . The engaging portion 55 fixes the mating housing 25 and the stay 61 by locking an engaging pawl 57 into an engaging hole 63 of the stay 61 inserted into an engaging groove 59 formed on the lower surface of the mating housing 25. do. The stay 61 is fixed to, for example, a body panel of a vehicle. Therefore, in the first embodiment, the mating housing 25 is fixed to the vehicle body via the stay 61. Thereby, the joint connector 11 is supported by the vehicle body via the mating housing 25 into which it is fitted.

The joint connector 11 according to the first embodiment has an outer housing 65, a second fitting space 67, an inner housing 69, and a packing 71 as main components.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the outer housing 65 has a first fitting space 73 that fits into the fitting inner cylindrical portion 33 of the mating connector 15. As shown in FIGS. The first fitting space 73 is formed inside the fitting hood portion 35 provided on the front side of the outer housing 65 in the fitting direction. A lock protrusion 75 is provided on the upper surface of the fitting hood portion 35 to protrude and lock into the arm-side lock portion 29 provided on the upper surface of the mating housing 25 . When the mating housing 25 and the outer housing 65 are fitted together, the lock protrusion 75 locks onto the arm-side locking portion 29 to lock the mating housing 25 and the outer housing 65 in the fitted state (preventing them from coming off).

Further, a pair of parallel guide rails 77 extending in the fitting direction of the outer housing 65 are provided on both sides of the lock protrusion 75 on the upper surface of the outer housing 65 . The guide rail 77 is inserted into a pair of parallel guide portions 79 formed on the upper surface of the mating housing 25. The guide rail 77 guides the mating of the mating housing 25 and the outer housing 65, and prevents erroneous fitting in the upside-down direction. The outer housing 65 has a rectangular cylindrical inner housing mounting portion 81 that is connected to the fitting hood portion 35 and is formed on the rear side of the outer housing 65 in the fitting direction.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the joint connector 11 shown in FIG. 3.
As shown in FIG. 4, the inner housing 69 is attached to the inner housing attachment portion 81. The inner housing mounting portion 81 has a mounting opening 83 (see FIG. 2) that opens on the side opposite to the insertion side of the mating connector 15. As shown in FIG. 2, a second fitting space 67 that communicates with the first fitting space 73 is formed inside the inner housing mounting portion 81. The second fitting space 67 opens on the opposite side of the first fitting space 73 and serves as a mounting opening 83 . A partition wall 85 (see FIG. 2) is formed between the second fitting space 67 and the first fitting space 73 to partition both spaces. The inner housing 69 is attached to the second fitting space 67 of the inner housing attachment portion 81 through the attachment port 83 . Locking frame portions 87 are formed on both side surfaces of the inner housing 69 so as to project outward. The locking frame portion 87 restricts the inner housing 69 from coming off from the inner housing mounting portion 81 by locking onto locking protrusions 89 protruding from both side surfaces of the inner housing mounting portion 81 .

The inner housing 69 has a holding portion 91 (see FIG. 2) into which the connecting portion 23 connecting the plurality of male terminals 17 is press-fitted. More specifically, the connecting portion 23 is held in a press-fit groove 93 provided in the holding portion 91 (see FIG. 2).

In the first embodiment, the plurality of (four) male terminals 17 and the connecting portion 23 constitute one bus bar 95. Two bus bars 95 are held in the inner housing 69 in upper and lower stages. The bus bar 95 is made of a conductive metal plate made of, for example, copper, copper alloy, aluminum, aluminum alloy, etc., and is formed by press working or the like. The plurality of male terminals 17 of the bus bar 95 are formed in a bar shape with a rectangular cross-sectional view, and are integrally formed with the connecting portion 23 formed in a band shape. These male terminals 17 protrude from the connecting portion 23 in the same direction and are arranged in parallel with each other at intervals.

The respective male terminals 17 protruding from the two bus bars 95 held in the upper and lower press-fit grooves 93 pass through the ferrite 97 (magnetic material). The ferrite 97 is made of a magnetic material and is formed into a vertically long rectangular shape when viewed from the front. The ferrite 97 is provided with a through hole 99 through which the male terminal 17 passes. In this embodiment, a pair of upper and lower male terminals 17 penetrate one ferrite 97 . Therefore, the ferrite 97 is divided into four parts. Each ferrite 97 is provided with a pair of upper and lower through holes 99 .

The inner housing 69 is provided with a pair of holding arms 101 for sandwiching and holding the ferrites 97, which are vertically opposed to each other according to the respective ferrites 97. The holding arm 101 is formed by a holding arm forming hole 103 that communicates with the inside and outside of the inner housing 69 . Therefore, the inner housing 69 has a total of eight holding arm forming holes 103, four on the top surface and four on the bottom surface.

The male terminal 17 is positioned at the center of the through hole 99 of the ferrite 97 with the ferrite 97 and the connecting portion 23 held in the inner housing 69 . The holding arm 101 holds the ferrite 97 through which the male terminal 17 is passed. The male terminal 17 is inserted into the through hole 99 of the ferrite 97 and the insertion hole 105 bored in the partition wall 85 of the outer housing 65 with the inner housing 69 fitted into the second fitting space 67 of the outer housing 65. It penetrates and protrudes into the first fitting space 73 . That is, the inner housing 69 is mounted into the second fitting space 67 through the mounting opening 83, thereby causing the male terminal 17 passing through the ferrite 97 to protrude into the first fitting space 73.

An annular packing 71 is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the inner housing 69. The packing 71 seals the space between the inner circumferential surface of the second fitting space 67 and the outer circumferential surface of the inner housing 69 in a watertight manner. In the first embodiment, the packing 71 is mounted in the packing mounting groove 107 on the rear side of the holding arm forming hole 103 in the mounting direction of the inner housing 69 .

Next, the operation of the configuration according to the first embodiment described above will be explained.
In the joint connector 11 according to this embodiment, the outer housing 65 is provided with a first fitting space 73 into which the mating connector 15 is inserted. Further, the outer housing 65 is provided with a second fitting space 67 that communicates with the first fitting space 73 and has a mounting opening 83 that opens on the side opposite to the insertion side of the mating connector 15 . The inner housing 69 is inserted into the second fitting space 67 through the mounting opening 83 and mounted thereon. That is, the inner housing 69 is attached to the outer housing 65 from the side opposite to the insertion side of the mating connector 15.

Inner housing 69 holds male terminal 17 and ferrite 97. The plurality of male terminals 17 are formed in, for example, a pin shape or a tab shape, and their base ends in the longitudinal direction are connected to each other by a connecting portion 23. The connecting portion 23 is press-fitted into a holding portion 91 formed in the inner housing 69. As a result, the plurality of male terminals 17 have their base ends fixed to the holding portion 91 and protrude from the inner housing 69 in parallel. Each male terminal 17 passes through the ferrite 97. A holding arm 101 that holds the ferrite 97 is formed in the inner housing 69 . Therefore, the inner housing 69 is fixed with the plurality of male terminals 17 protruding through the connecting portion 23, and the ferrite 97 through which these male terminals 17 pass is held by the holding arm 101.

An annular packing 71 is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the inner housing 69. When the inner housing 69 is attached to the second fitting space 67 of the outer housing 65 through the attachment port 83, the outer periphery of the packing 71 comes into close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the second fitting space 67. Thereby, the packing 71 provides a watertight seal between the outer peripheral surface of the inner housing 69 and the inner peripheral surface of the second fitting space 67.

The packing 71 is disposed in an annular gap formed between the outer circumferential surface of the inner housing 69 and the inner circumferential surface of the second fitting space 67 so as to be elastically deformed in a compressed direction. Therefore, relative displacement between the outer housing 65 and the inner housing 69 is less likely to occur due to the compression-deformed packing 71 interposed in the gap, compared to the case where the packing 71 is not interposed in the gap. In other words, the packing 71 functions as a buffer material that suppresses relative displacement between the outer housing 65 and the inner housing 69.

This causes the inner housing 69 and the outer housing 65 to move relative to each other in the axial direction (longitudinal direction of the male terminal 17) and in the orthogonal direction (increase/decrease direction of the gap) perpendicular to the axial direction due to vibrations such as when the vehicle is running. Even if it tends to rattle, the presence of the packing 71 suppresses the rattling. As a result, it is possible to suppress slight sliding wear at the electrical contact point between the female terminal 19 and the male terminal 17, and it is possible to suppress a decrease in electrical connection reliability.

Further, in the joint connector 11 in which the mating connector 15 is fitted into the first fitting space 73, the mating connector 15 has the engaging portion 55. The engaging portion 55 of the mating connector 15 is engaged with a stay 61 fixed to the vehicle. The joint connector 11 with the outer housing 65 fitted into the mating connector 15 is held and fixed to the vehicle via the stay 61 of the mating connector 15.

FIG. 5 is an action diagram illustrating movement during thermal expansion when the mating connector 15 is fixed.
Here, the joint connector 11 may undergo thermal expansion due to heat from the engine or the like. In the joint connector 11, a mating connector 15 is fixed to the vehicle via a stay 61. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, in the joint connector 11, when tension is applied to the electric wire 21 connected to the mating connector 15 and thermal expansion occurs, the female terminal 19 moves from the normal position P1 to the electric wire 21. It moves in the direction a of being pulled. At this time, the female terminal 19 and the male terminal 17 follow the direction a in which the joint connector 11 (outer housing 65 and inner housing 69) is pulled by the electric wire 21 (move to approximately the position indicated by the dashed-dotted line in FIG. 5). This suppresses contact wear.

That is, the outer housing 65 can follow the displacement of the mating connector 15 over a minute distance in the axial direction in a state where the mating connector 15 and the outer housing 65 are fitted and locked via the arm portion 27. is locked. Therefore, the female terminal 19 and the male terminal 17 are difficult to slide relative to each other in the axial direction. As a result, the joint connector 11 fixed to the vehicle via the mating connector 15 suppresses slight sliding wear caused by relative displacement in the axial direction at the electrical contact point between the female terminal 19 and the male terminal 17 even during thermal expansion. Therefore, the structure is such that deterioration in electrical connection reliability can be suppressed.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 5, since the packing 71 seals watertightly between the inner circumferential surface of the second fitting space 67 and the outer circumferential surface of the inner housing 69, the joint connector 11 is conventionally non-waterproof. A waterproof function can be added to the structure. As a result, the male terminal 17 and the ferrite 97 can be more reliably protected from water W and vibrations.

Further, in the joint connector 11, since the packing 71 suppresses rattling between the outer housing 65 and the inner housing 69, it is possible to suppress the generation of abnormal noise caused by the assembly members hitting each other.

[Second embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment according to the present invention will be described.
FIG. 6 is a vertical view of a waterproof joint connector 111 having a joint connector 109 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the same members and parts as those shown in the first embodiment, and redundant explanations will be omitted.
In the waterproof joint connector 111 according to the second embodiment, the mating connector 113 does not have the engaging portion 55 in the mating connector 15 of the first embodiment. In the waterproof joint connector 111, a joint connector 109 into which a mating connector 113 is fitted is fixed in advance to a wire harness 115 with an adhesive tape 117. The waterproof joint connector 111 only requires wiring the wire harness 115 to the vehicle, and there is no need to engage the mating connector 15 that fits into the joint connector 11 with the stay 61 as in the first embodiment. In other words, it is possible to fix the vehicle without providing the stay 61.

FIG. 7 is an action diagram illustrating movement during thermal expansion when the joint connector 109 is fixed.
As described above, in the joint connector 109 according to the second embodiment, the mating connector 113 is not fixed to the vehicle, but the outer housing 119 is fixed to the wire harness 115. In this case, the outer housing 119 is fixed to the main line of the wire harness 115 by wrapping adhesive tape 117, for example. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, in the joint connector 109, when tension is applied to the electric wire 21 connected to the mating connector 113 and thermal expansion occurs, the female terminal 19 moves from the normal position P1 to the electric wire 21. It moves in the direction a of being pulled. At this time, the packing 71 of the female terminal 19 and the male terminal 17 is bent, and the inner housing 121 follows the outer housing 119 in the axial direction (moves to approximately the position indicated by the dashed line in FIG. 7). Thereby, the joint connector 109 can suppress slight sliding wear caused by relative displacement in the axial direction at the electrical contact point between the female terminal 19 and the male terminal 17, and can suppress a decrease in electrical connection reliability. .

[Third embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment according to the present invention will be described.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a waterproof joint connector 125 having a joint connector 123 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 9 and 10 are a longitudinal sectional view and an exploded perspective view of the waterproof joint connector 125 shown in FIG. 8. 11 and 12 are a longitudinal sectional view and an exploded perspective view of the joint connector 123 shown in FIG. 10. In the third embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the same members and parts as those shown in the first embodiment, and redundant explanations will be omitted.
The waterproof joint connector 125 according to the third embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a front cover 129 (see FIG. 12) is attached to the inner housing 127 of the joint connector 123.

A mating connector 131 that fits into the joint connector 123 has a lock protrusion 75 on the upper surface of the mating housing 133. Therefore, in the waterproof joint connector 125, the arm portion 27 that locks onto the lock protrusion 75 of the mating housing 133 is provided on the outer housing 135 of the joint connector 123. A pair of parallel guide rails 77 extending in the fitting direction of the mating housing 133 are provided on both sides of the mating housing 133 on both sides of the lock protrusion 75 . The guide rail 77 is inserted into a pair of parallel guide portions 79 formed on the upper surface of the outer housing 135. The functions of the guide rail 77 and the guide portion 79 are similar to those of the joint connector 11 of the first embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the joint connector 123 has a first fitting space 73 in the outer housing 135 into which the mating housing 133 is fitted. The outer housing 135 has a second fitting space 67 on the opposite side from the first fitting space 73 . In the third embodiment, the outer housing 135 does not have the partition wall 85 between the first fitting space 73 and the second fitting space 67. Therefore, in the inner housing 127 mounted in the second fitting space 67, the male terminal 17 directly protrudes into the first fitting space 73 without penetrating the partition wall 85 in the first embodiment or the second embodiment. . The inner housing 127 has an engagement flange 139 that fits onto the outer peripheral portion 137 of the rear end of the outer housing 135 .

As shown in FIG. 11, before the joint connector 123 is fitted with the mating housing 133, the inner housing 127 is attached to the rear end outer peripheral part 137 of the outer housing 135, and the male terminal 17 is inserted into the first fitting space. 73. A pair of engagement through holes 141 (see FIG. 10) are formed in the upper and lower surfaces of the engagement flange 139, spaced apart laterally.

As shown in FIG. 12, the outer housing 135 has a pair of engaging convex portions 143 formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the rear end outer circumferential portion 137 and spaced apart laterally. The inner housing 127 is configured so that the engagement flange 139 is fitted onto the rear end outer circumference 137 of the outer housing 135 and the engagement protrusion 143 is engaged with the engagement through hole 141. It is attached to the outer housing 135 while being prevented from coming off. In the outer housing 135, the second fitting space 67 is located inside the outer peripheral portion 137 of the rear end.

As shown in FIG. 11, the joint connector 123 has a distal end portion 145 in the mounting direction (see FIG. ) is arranged to protrude into the first fitting space 73. The waterproof hood portion 147 of the mating connector 15 inserted into the first fitting space 73 is fitted to the outer periphery of the distal end portion 145 in the mounting direction. Therefore, in the joint connector 123, the packing 71 seals watertightly between the outer peripheral surface of the inner housing 127 and the hood inner peripheral surface of the waterproof hood portion 147.

As shown in FIG. 12, in the joint connector 123, the holding arm 101 is formed by providing a holding arm forming hole 103 that opens on the outer peripheral surface of the inner housing 127. The holding arm 101 projects inward of the inner housing 127. The ferrite 97 held by the holding arm 101 inside the inner housing 127 is covered by the inner housing 127 and a front cover 129 that is attached to the inner housing 127 with the male terminal 17 passing through it.

Lock recesses 149 are formed on both side surfaces of the inner housing 127 . The lock recess 149 engages with lock pieces 151 that protrude toward the engagement flange 139 on both sides of the front cover 129 . Further, the front cover 129 is provided with a plurality of terminal insertion holes 153 through which the respective male terminals 17 are inserted. Thereby, the front cover 129 is attached to the front surface of the inner housing 127 with the male terminals 17 passing through it.

In the third embodiment, the joint connector 123 is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the inner housing 127 with the packing 71 closing the holding arm molding hole 103 (see FIG. 11).

FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of the inner housing 127 shown in FIG. 12.
As shown in FIG. 13, the inner housing 127 has two upper and lower holding portions 91 formed on the side where the bus bar 95 is inserted. The holding portion 91 has two vertically long press-fit grooves 93 extending in the lateral direction of the inner housing 127 (see FIG. 11). The press-fit groove 93 is provided with a small press rib 155 (see FIG. 15) that protrudes into the groove. The bus bar 95 is fixed in a state in which the male terminal 17 is implanted by the connecting portion 23 plastically deforming the pressing rib 155 and being press-fitted into the press-fitting groove 93. The ferrite 97 penetrated by the male terminal 17 is fixed to the front side of the inner housing 127 by being sandwiched from above and below by the holding arm 101 formed by the holding arm molding hole 103. In the joint connector 123, a front cover 129 is further attached to the front surface of the ferrite 97, so that the connecting portion 23 and the ferrite 97 are covered.

Next, a procedure for assembling the joint connector 123 will be explained.
FIG. 14 is a process diagram showing the assembly procedure of the inner housing 127. 15(a) is a front view showing the holding part 91 into which the connecting part 23 is press-fitted before being press-fitted together with an enlarged view of the main part, and FIG. 15(b) is a front view showing the holding part 91 into which the connecting part 23 is press-fitted after being press-fitted. It is a front view shown with a partial enlarged view.

As shown in FIG. 14, in order to assemble the joint connector 123, first, the connecting portion 23 of the bus bar 95 is press-fitted into the holding portion 91 of the inner housing 127. Press-fitting is performed by press-fitting a pair of upper and lower bus bars 95 into the upper press-fit groove 93 and the lower press-fit groove 93, respectively.

As shown in FIGS. 15(a) and 15(b), the press-fitting groove 93 into which the connecting portion 23 of the bus bar 95 is press-fitted has a pressing rib 155 that abuts at least one of the upper and lower surfaces of the connecting portion 23. It protrudes toward 93. The connecting portion 23 of the bus bar 95 is press-fitted into the press-fitting groove 93 by deforming the pressing rib 155 . As a result, the connecting portion 23 of the bus bar 95 is fixed to the holding portion 91, and the male terminal 17 is held in a state protruding from the front surface of the inner housing 127.

Next, the ferrite 97 is attached to the front surface of the inner housing 127. The male terminal 17 is inserted into the through hole 99 of the ferrite 97 . The ferrite 97 through which the male terminal 17 has passed is held by a pair of holding arms 101 located above and below the inner housing 127 (see FIG. 11).

Next, the front cover 129 is attached to the inner housing 127.
FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view of the inner housing 127 before the front cover 129 is fixed.
As shown in FIG. 16, the front cover 129 is fixed to the front surface of the inner housing 127 by engaging lock pieces 151 provided on both sides in lock recesses 149 provided on both sides of the inner housing 127. At this time, the male terminals 17 are inserted into the respective terminal insertion holes 153 of the front cover 129 . As a result, the connecting portion 23 of the bus bar 95 and the ferrite 97 are covered by the inner housing 127 and the front cover 129.

FIG. 17 is a process diagram showing the assembly procedure of the outer housing 135.
Next, the packing 71 is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the inner housing 127. As shown in FIG. 17, the packing 71 is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the inner housing 127 so as to close the holding arm molding hole 103.

Next, the inner housing 127 with the packing 71 attached thereto and the outer housing 135 are assembled. The outer housing 135 incorporates the inner housing 127 through the mounting opening 83 of the second fitting space 67 .

FIG. 18(a) is an exploded perspective view of the outer housing 135 and the inner housing 127 before installation, seen diagonally from above, and FIG. 18(b) is an exploded perspective view of the outer housing 135 and the inner housing 127 before installation, seen from diagonally below. It is a diagram.
As shown in FIG. 18, when the inner housing 127 is installed through the mounting port 83 of the outer housing 135, the engagement protrusion 143 of the outer housing 135 engages with the engagement through hole 141 of the inner housing 127. The joint connector 123 is fixed to the second fitting space 67 of the outer housing 135 with the inner housing 127 attached thereto. This completes the assembly of the joint connector 123.

The inner housing 127 mounted in the second fitting space 67 of the outer housing 135 has a distal end portion 145 in the mounting direction disposed in the first fitting space 73 of the outer housing 135 . The mating housing 133 inserted into the first fitting space 73 fits into this mounting direction tip portion 145 . As a result, in the waterproof joint connector 125, it becomes possible to seal watertightly between the outer housing 135 and the inner housing 127 and between the joint connector 123 and the mating housing 133 with one packing 71.

Next, the operation of the configuration according to the third embodiment described above will be explained.
In the joint connector 123 according to the third embodiment, with the packing 71 attached to the outer peripheral surface of the inner housing 127, the distal ends 145 of the inner housing 127 and the packing 71 in the attachment direction protrude into the first fitting space 73. will be placed. That is, the inner housing 127 and the distal end portion 145 in the mounting direction of the packing 71 arranged in the first fitting space 73 become a fitted portion into which the mating connector 15 inserted into the first fitting space 73 is fitted. In the mating connector 15 , a waterproof hood portion 147 that protrudes from the tip in the insertion direction is inserted into the first fitting space 73 and externally fitted onto the inner housing 127 and the tip portion 145 in the mounting direction of the packing 71 . At this time, the space between the inner circumferential surface of the waterproof hood part 147 and the outer circumferential surface of the inner housing 127 is sealed watertightly by the packing 71 attached to the outer circumferential surface of the inner housing 127.

In the joint connector 123 of the third embodiment, when the inner housing 127 is fitted into the second fitting space 67 of the outer housing 135, the packing 71 provides a waterproof function between the inner housing 127 and the outer housing 135. Give. At the same time, when the joint connector 123 is fitted with the mating connector 131, the packing 71 of the mounting direction distal end 145 disposed in the first fitting space 73 is compressed by the waterproof hood part 147 of the mating connector 15. be done. Thereby, a waterproof function is also provided between the outer housing 135 of the joint connector 123 and the waterproof hood portion 147 of the mating connector 131. In other words, the joint connector 123 of the third embodiment can provide a waterproof function between the inner housing 127 and the outer housing 135 and between the joint connector 123 and the mating connector 131 using one packing 71. .

Therefore, according to the joint connector 123 of the third embodiment, it is possible to waterproof the spaces between the inner housing 127 and the outer housing 135 and between the inner housing 127 and the waterproof hood part 147 by using the packing 71, which is a common component. , the number of parts of the packing 71 can be reduced.

In addition, since the first fitting space 73 and the second fitting space 67 can be formed in communication with each other with a cross-sectional shape having approximately the same inner diameter, the partition wall 85 that partitions the first fitting space 73 and the second fitting space 67 can be formed to communicate with each other. No longer needed. As a result, in the joint connector 123 of the third embodiment, since the partition wall 85 can be omitted, the length in the axial direction can be shortened, and the joint connector 123 can be made smaller and lighter.

Further, in the joint connector 123 of the third embodiment, the outer housing 135 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and does not have the partition wall 85 that partitions the first fitting space 73 and the second fitting space 67. Therefore, the inner housing 127 to which the male terminal 17 and the ferrite 97 are attached can be placed so that the male terminal 17 protrudes into the first fitting space 73 by simply being attached to the first fitting space 73. This eliminates the need to insert the male terminal 17 into the insertion hole 105 of the partition wall 85 provided on the back side of the first fitting space 73, making it easier to assemble the inner housing 127. .

Furthermore, in the joint connector 123 of the third embodiment, the ferrite 97 is covered by the inner housing 127 and the front cover 129. This prevents dust from entering the space in which the ferrite 97 is housed, for example, during transportation or handling until the inner housing 127 is fitted into the outer housing 135 (because of the holding arm molding hole 103, it is completely prevented). (cannot be prevented). Further, for example, when the joint connector 123 in which the inner housing 127 is fitted to the outer housing 135 is transported or handled until it is fitted with the mating connector 131, dust etc. may not enter the space in which the ferrite 97 is accommodated. can be suppressed.

Furthermore, in the joint connector 123 of the third embodiment, the packing 71 is located on the outer peripheral surface of the inner housing 127 so as to close the holding arm forming hole 103 for forming the holding arm 101. Therefore, the ferrite 97 is completely covered by the inner housing 127, the front cover 129, and the packing 71. This can prevent dust and the like from entering the space in which the ferrite 97 is accommodated, for example, during transportation or handling until the inner housing 127 is fitted into the outer housing 135. Further, for example, when the joint connector 123 in which the inner housing 127 is fitted to the outer housing 135 is transported or handled until it is fitted with the mating connector 131, dust etc. may not enter the space in which the ferrite 97 is accommodated. can be prevented.

Therefore, according to the joint connector 11, the joint connector 109, and the joint connector 123 according to each of the embodiments described above, it is possible to suppress slight sliding wear between the female terminal 19 and the male terminal 17, and to suppress a decrease in electrical connection reliability. .

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and those skilled in the art may combine the configurations of the embodiments with each other, or make changes and applications based on the description of the specification and well-known techniques. This is the intended purpose of the invention and falls within the scope for which protection is sought.

Here, the features of the embodiments of the joint connector according to the present invention described above will be briefly summarized and listed below in [1] to [4].
[1] An outer housing (65, 135) having a first fitting space (73) into which a mating connector (15, 131) is inserted;
An opening is provided in the outer housing (65, 135), communicates with the first fitting space (73), and opens on the side opposite to the insertion side of the mating connector (15, 131) in the outer housing (65, 135). a second fitting space (67) having a mounting opening (83);
A holding arm (91) having a holding part (91) into which a connecting part (23) connecting a plurality of terminals (male terminals 17) is press-fitted, and holding a ferrite (97) passed through the terminals (male terminals 17). 101), and the terminal (male terminal 17) passing through the ferrite (97) is made to protrude into the first fitting space (73) and is inserted into the second fitting space (67) from the mounting opening (83). ) an inner housing (69, 127) attached to the
an annular packing that is attached to the outer circumferential surface of the inner housing (69, 127) and seals watertightly between the inner circumferential surface of the second fitting space (67) and the outer circumferential surface of the inner housing (69, 127); (71) and
A joint connector (11, 123) characterized by comprising:
[2] The inner housing (127) installed in the second fitting space (67) and the distal end (145) in the installation direction of the packing (71) installed on the outer peripheral surface of the inner housing (127) , is arranged to protrude into the first fitting space (73),
The waterproof hood part (147) of the mating connector (131) inserted into the first fitting space (73) fits into the mounting direction tip part (145),
The joint connector according to [1] above, wherein the packing (71) seals watertightly between the outer circumferential surface of the inner housing (127) and the inner circumferential surface of the hood of the waterproof hood portion (147). (123).
[3] The holding arm (101) is formed by providing a holding arm forming hole (103) that opens on the outer peripheral surface of the inner housing (127) and protrudes inward of the inner housing (127);
A front cover is attached to the inner housing (127) with the ferrite (97) held by the holding arm (101) inside the inner housing (127) passing through the terminal (male terminal 17). (129) and the inner housing (127), the joint connector (123) according to item [2] above.
[4] The joint connector (123) according to [3] above, wherein the packing (71) is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the inner housing (127) while closing the holding arm molding hole (103). ).

11... Joint connector 15... Mating connector 17... Male terminal (terminal)
23... Connecting portion 65... Outer housing 67... Second fitting space 69... Inner housing 71... Packing 73... First fitting space 83... Mounting port 91... Holding part 97... Ferrite 101... Holding arm 103... Holding arm forming hole

Claims (3)

an outer housing having a first fitting space into which a mating connector is inserted;
a second fitting space provided in the outer housing and having a mounting opening communicating with the first fitting space and opening on a side opposite to an insertion side of the mating connector in the outer housing;
It has a holding part into which a connecting part that connects a plurality of terminals is press-fitted, and a holding arm that holds a ferrite penetrating the terminal, and the terminal penetrating the ferrite protrudes into the first fitting space. an inner housing that is installed into the second fitting space from the installation opening;
an annular packing that is attached to the outer circumferential surface of the inner housing and seals watertightly between the inner circumferential surface of the second fitting space and the outer circumferential surface of the inner housing;
Equipped with
The inner housing mounted in the second fitting space and the distal end portion in the mounting direction of the packing mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the inner housing are arranged to protrude into the first fitting space,
A waterproof hood portion of the mating connector inserted into the first fitting space fits into the distal end portion in the mounting direction,
The packing seals watertightly between the outer circumferential surface of the inner housing and the inner circumferential surface of the hood of the waterproof hood portion,
The joint connector is characterized in that an inner circumferential surface of the second fitting space and an inner circumferential surface of the hood of the waterproof hood part that contact the packing have cross-sectional shapes with the same inner dimensions . The holding arm is formed by providing a holding arm molding hole that opens on the outer peripheral surface of the inner housing and protrudes inward of the inner housing,
Claim 1, wherein the ferrite held by the holding arm inside the inner housing is covered by the inner housing and a front cover that is attached to the inner housing with the terminal passing through it. Joint connector described in. 3. The joint connector according to claim 2 , wherein the packing is attached to the outer circumferential surface of the inner housing so as to close the holding arm molding hole .

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