JP7464470B2 - Electrical component wiring structure - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an electrical component wiring structure.

Conventionally, a known electrical component wiring structure includes lighting fixtures as electrical components that operate using power supplied from a main power source, and multiple cables that electrically connect the main power source to the multiple lighting fixtures (see Patent Document 1).

In this electrical component wiring structure, multiple lighting fixtures are provided with a component input section to which power is input from the main power source, and upper and lower two-tiered male connectors as component output sections that output the power input to the component input section. In addition, flat female connectors are provided on both ends of multiple cables, which are electrically connected to one of the upper and lower two-tiered male connectors.

In such an electrical component wiring structure, for example, a flat female connector at one end of a cable is electrically connected to a main power source. The flat female connector at the other end of this cable is electrically connected to one of the two upper and lower rows of male connectors on a lighting fixture. The flat female connector at one end of another cable is electrically connected to the other male connector on this lighting fixture. The flat female connector at the other end of this other cable is electrically connected to one of the two upper and lower rows of male connectors on an adjacent lighting fixture.

In this way, the main power source and the multiple lighting fixtures are electrically connected via multiple cables, and power is supplied from the main power source to the multiple lighting fixtures. The lighting fixtures and the cables are electrically connected to each other by connectors provided on each. By electrically connecting the lighting fixtures and the cables by connectors in this way, it is possible to improve the ease of wiring work in the ceiling of a building, etc.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-293364

In the electrical component wiring structure described in Patent Document 1, the electrical component's component input and component output are male connectors, and the cable input and cable output are female connectors.

The male connector has a male housing into which a female connector can be mated through an opening, and a male terminal that is housed in the male housing and protrudes toward the opening. With this male connector, for example, a worker performing wiring work may come into contact with the male terminal through the opening of the male housing. For this reason, if an electrical component is electrically connected to the main power source and electricity is flowing through the male terminal, there is a risk of electric shock to the worker when mating the male connector of the electrical component with the female connector of the cable.

The present invention was made in consideration of the problems inherent in the conventional technology. The object of the present invention is to provide an electrical component wiring structure that can improve wiring workability without causing electric shock.

The electrical component wiring structure according to this embodiment includes a plurality of electrical components that operate with power supplied from a main power source, and a plurality of cables that electrically connect the main power source and the plurality of electrical components. The plurality of electrical components have a component input section to which power is input from the main power source, and a component output section that outputs the power input to the component input section. The plurality of cables have a cable output section provided at one end and electrically connected to the component input section, and a cable input section provided at the other end and electrically connected to the main power source or the component output section. The component input section and the cable input section are male connectors having a male housing with an opening and a male terminal housed in the male housing and arranged to protrude toward the opening. The component output section and the cable output section are female connectors having a female housing that can be fitted into the male housing from the opening, and a female terminal housed in the female housing, into which the male terminal is inserted and electrically connected to the male terminal.

The component output section and the cable input section are fitted together along the outer surface of the electrical component, and the female housing of the component output section has a fixed section that is fixed to the electrical component and a fitting section that is formed of a single member that is continuous with the fixed section and can be fitted into the male housing of the cable input section, and it is preferable that a gap is formed between the outer surface of the electrical component and the outer surface of the fitting section into which the male housing of the cable input section can be inserted.

The present invention provides an electrical component wiring structure that can improve wiring workability without causing electric shock.

1 is a schematic diagram of an electrical component wiring structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; 2 is a cross-sectional view of a component input portion and a cable output portion of the electrical component wiring structure according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a component output portion and a cable input portion of the electrical component wiring structure according to the embodiment. FIG.

The electrical component wiring structure according to this embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that the dimensional ratios in the drawings have been exaggerated for the sake of explanation and may differ from the actual ratios.

The electrical component wiring structure 1 according to this embodiment includes a plurality of electrical components 3 that operate using power supplied from a main power source, and a plurality of cables 5 that electrically connect the main power source and the plurality of electrical components 3.

The electrical components 3 each have a component input section 7 to which power is input from the main power supply, and a component output section 9 that outputs the power input to the component input section 7. The cables 5 each have a cable output section 11 provided at one end and electrically connected to the component input section 7, and a cable input section 13 provided at the other end and electrically connected to the main power supply or the component output section 9.

The component input unit 7 and the cable input unit 13 are each made up of a male connector 21 having a male housing 17 with an opening 15 and a male terminal 19 housed in the male housing 17 and arranged to protrude toward the opening 15. The component output unit 9 and the cable output unit 11 are each made up of a female housing 23 that can be fitted into the male housing 17 from the opening 15. They are also made up of a female connector 27 that is housed in the female housing 23 and has a female terminal 25 into which the male terminal 19 is inserted and into which it is electrically connected.

The component output section 9 and the cable input section 13 are fitted together along the outer surface of the electrical component 3. The female housing 23 of the component output section 9 has a fixed section 29 that is fixed to the electrical component 3, and a fitting section 31 that is formed of a single member that is continuous with the fixed section 29 and can be fitted into the male housing 17 of the cable input section 13. A gap S is formed between the outer surface of the electrical component 3 and the outer surface of the fitting section 31, into which the male housing 17 of the cable input section 13 can be inserted.

As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the electrical component 3 is, for example, a lighting fixture placed on the ceiling of a building. A plurality of electrical components 3 are placed on the ceiling, and are operated, i.e., turned on and off, by power supplied from a main power source (not shown) such as a power supply device installed in the building. Inside such an electrical component 3, a circuit board (not shown) on which electronic components are mounted is housed, and the operation of the circuit board is controlled. The electrical component 3 is provided with a component input unit 7 and a component output unit 9 electrically connected to the internal circuit board, etc.

As shown in FIG. 2, the component input section 7 consists of a male connector 21 having a male housing 17 and a male terminal 19.

The male housing 17 is made of an insulating material such as synthetic resin, and extends along the outer surface of the electrical component 3. The male housing 17 has an opening 15 on the mating surface side with the female connector 27 into which the female connector 27 can be inserted, and is formed in a housing shape so that the female connector 27 can be fitted inside. Such a male housing 17 is fixed to the outer surface of the electrical component 3 via a fixing member (not shown) such as a saddle. The male housing 17 may be fixed to the electrical component 3 directly with a fixing member such as a bolt, or may be fixed to the electrical component 3 by an engagement means or the like.

The male terminal 19 is made of a conductive material and is housed inside the male housing 17. The male terminal 19 is provided with a component connection portion (not shown) that is exposed from the outer surface of the male housing 17 toward the electrical component 3. The component connection portion is inserted into a terminal connection portion (not shown) formed on the electrical component 3 and is electrically connected to a circuit board or the like inside the electrical component 3. The male terminal 19 is also provided with a male electrical connection portion 33 that protrudes from the bottom surface inside the male housing 17 toward the opening 15. The male electrical connection portion 33 is inserted into the female terminal 25 and comes into contact with the female terminal 25 when the male connector 21 and the female connector 27 are engaged, electrically connecting the male terminal 19 and the female terminal 25.

As shown in FIG. 3, the component output section 9 consists of a female connector 27 having a female housing 23 and a female terminal 25.

The female housing 23 is made of an insulating material such as synthetic resin, and has a fixing portion 29 and a fitting portion 31. The fixing portion 29 stands upright in the height direction from the outer surface of the electrical component 3. This fixing portion 29 has a fixing hole 35 that penetrates in the height direction and has a screw-shaped inner surface. When such a fixing portion 29 is placed on the outer surface of the electrical component 3, a bolt 37 is fastened into the fixing hole 35 to fix the female housing 23 to the electrical component 3. By providing the fixing portion 29 on the female housing 23 in this way, there is no need to use a fixing member such as a saddle, and the number of parts can be reduced.

The mating portion 31 is formed of a single member that is continuous with the fixing portion 29, and extends along the outer surface of the electrical component 3. This mating portion 31 is provided with an insertion opening 39 into which the male electrical connection portion 33 of the male terminal 19 can be inserted on the mating surface side with the male connector 21, and is formed in a housing shape so that it can be fitted inside the male housing 17. Such a mating portion 31 fits into the inside of the male housing 17 from the opening 15 along the outer surface of the electrical component 3, and the male electrical connection portion 33 of the male terminal 19 is inserted inside from the insertion opening 39.

The female terminal 25 is made of a conductive material and is housed inside the female housing 23. The female terminal 25 is provided with a component connection portion (not shown) exposed from the outer surface of the female housing 23 toward the electrical component 3. The component connection portion is inserted into a terminal connection portion (not shown) formed on the electrical component 3 and is electrically connected to a circuit board or the like inside the electrical component 3. The female terminal 25 is also provided with a female electrical connection portion 41 arranged on the inner surface of the fitting portion 31. When the male connector 21 and the female connector 27 are fitted together, the female electrical connection portion 41 comes into contact with the male electrical connection portion 33 inserted from the insertion opening 39, electrically connecting the male terminal 19 and the female terminal 25. The female electrical connection portion 41 may be formed to be elastically deformable and elastically contact the male electrical connection portion 33.

The component input unit 7 and component output unit 9 are electrically connected to the main power supply via a cable 5, and the component output unit 9 is electrically connected to an adjacent electrical component 3 via a cable 5.

As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the cable 5 is routed, for example, behind the ceiling. A plurality of cables 5 are routed between the main power source and a plurality of electrical components 3, electrically connecting the main power source and the plurality of electrical components 3, and supplying power from the main power source to the plurality of electrical components 3. At both ends of such a cable 5, a cable output section 11 and a cable input section 13 are provided, which are electrically connected to the cable 5.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cable output section 11 is provided on one end of the cable 5 and is made up of a female connector 27 having a female housing 23 and a female terminal 25. In this cable output section 11, the female housing 23 is formed in a housing shape extending along the outer surface of the electrical component 3 so as to have only a mating portion 31 (see FIG. 3). The female terminal 25 is electrically connected to the end portion of the cable 5 and is housed within the female housing 23. The female connector 27 as the cable output section 11 is mated with the male connector 21 as the component input section 7. This mating brings the female terminal 25 into contact with the male terminal 19, electrically connecting the cable 5 and the electrical component 3.

As shown in FIG. 3, the cable input section 13 is provided on the other end of the cable 5 and is composed of a male connector 21 having a male housing 17 and a male terminal 19. In this cable input section 13, the male terminal 19 is electrically connected to the end portion of the cable 5 and is housed in the male housing 17. Such a male connector 21 as the cable input section 13 is fitted into a female connector 27 as the component output section 9. This fitting brings the male terminal 19 into contact with the female terminal 25, electrically connecting the cable 5 and the electrical component 3.

In the electrical component wiring structure 1 configured in this manner, first, the male connector 21 serving as the cable input section 13 of the cable 5 is electrically connected to the main power supply. The connector of the main power supply is generally a female connector 27 with the female terminal 25 not exposed to the outside. Therefore, the worker does not come into contact with the female terminal 25 through which electricity from the main power supply flows, and therefore does not receive an electric shock.

Next, the female connector 27 serving as the cable output part 11 of the cable 5 is fitted into the male connector 21 serving as the component input part 7 of the electrical component 3. At this time, the cable output part 11 through which electricity flows from the main power source is the female connector 27 with the female terminal 25 not exposed to the outside. Therefore, the worker does not come into contact with the female terminal 25 through which electricity flows from the main power source, and therefore does not receive an electric shock.

Next, the male connector 21 serving as the cable input section 13 of the cable 5 is fitted into the female connector 27 serving as the component output section 9 of the electrical component 3 electrically connected to the main power source. At this time, the component output section 9 through which electricity flows from the main power source is the female connector 27 whose female terminal 25 is not exposed to the outside. Therefore, the worker does not come into contact with the female terminal 25 through which electricity flows from the main power source, and therefore does not receive an electric shock.

By providing the component output section 9 and cable output section 11, through which electricity from the main power source may flow, with female connectors 27 that do not have exposed female terminals 25 to the outside, workers do not come into contact with the female terminals 25, preventing electric shock. Furthermore, since the electrical connection between the main power source and the multiple electrical components 3 via the cables 5 is a connector connection, wiring workability can be improved. In addition, the electrical components 3 and the cables 5 can be handled separately, and the packaging for the electrical components 3 does not become large, as would be the case if the electrical components 3 and the cables 5 were provided integrally.

Here, the female connector 27 serving as the component output section 9 and the male connector 21 serving as the cable input section 13 are fitted together along the outer surface of the electrical component 3. Furthermore, when the female connector 27 is fitted together with the male connector 21, the fitting section 31 of the female housing 23 is fitted together so as to be housed inside the male housing 17. Therefore, if the outer surface of the fitting section 31 of the female housing 23 is in contact with the outer surface of the electrical component 3, the fitting section 31 cannot be inserted into the male housing 17, and the female connector 27 cannot be fitted together with the male connector 21.

To mate the female connector 27 and the male connector 21, it is possible to have the mating portion 31 protrude from the outer surface of the electrical component 3 and to fit the mating portion 31 into the male housing 17. However, with this mating structure, the female connector 27 protrudes from the electrical component 3, which increases the size of the electrical component 3. In addition, the female connector 27 protruding from the electrical component 3 may interfere with surrounding components, potentially damaging the female connector 27.

On the other hand, in order to fit the female connector 27 and the male connector 21, it is possible to interpose a spacer or the like between the outer surface of the fitting portion 31 and the outer surface of the electrical component 3, forming a gap between the outer surface of the fitting portion 31 and the outer surface of the electrical component 3. However, this fitting structure requires fixing the spacer or the like and fixing the female connector 27, which increases the number of parts and the labor required for fixing.

As described above, the female housing 23 of the component output section 9 has a fixed section 29 that is fixed to the electrical component 3, and a fitting section 31 that is formed of a single member that is continuous with the fixed section 29 and can be fitted into the male housing 17 of the cable input section 13. A gap S is formed between the outer surface of the electrical component 3 and the outer surface of the fitting section 31, into which the male housing 17 of the cable input section 13 can be inserted. This gap S is set to be equal to the thickness of the male housing 17. In addition, in order to prevent an increase in the fitting force due to friction, etc., the gap S may be set so that there is a small gap between the outer surface of the male housing 17 and the outer surface of the electrical component 3. In this case, it is preferable to prevent the cable 5, etc. from being inserted into the small gap.

By forming the gap S in this way, the female connector 27 and the male connector 21 can be fitted together without the fitting portion 31 of the female housing 23 protruding from the outer surface of the electrical component 3. In addition, there is no need to use a separate member such as a spacer, and the number of parts and labor required is not increased.

In this electrical component wiring structure 1, the component input section 7 and the cable input section 13 are made up of a male connector 21 having a male housing 17 with an opening 15 and a male terminal 19 housed in the male housing 17 and arranged to protrude towards the opening 15. The component output section 9 and the cable output section 11 are made up of a female housing 23 that can be fitted into the male housing 17 from the opening 15. Furthermore, the component output section 9 and the cable output section 11 are made up of a female connector 27 that is housed in the female housing 23 and has a female terminal 25 into which the male terminal 19 is inserted and electrically connected to the male terminal 19.

Therefore, by making the component output section 9 and the cable output section 11, through which electricity from the main power source may flow, into female connectors 27 with no exposed female terminals 25 to the outside, workers do not come into contact with the female terminals 25, preventing electric shock. In addition, since the electrical connection between the main power source and the multiple electrical components 3 via the cable 5 is a connector connection, wiring workability can be improved. Therefore, with such an electrical component wiring structure 1, wiring workability can be improved without electric shock.

The female housing 23 of the component output section 9 has a fixed section 29 that is fixed to the electrical component 3, and a mating section 31 that is formed of a single member that is continuous with the fixed section 29 and can be fitted into the male housing 17 of the cable input section 13. A gap S is formed between the outer surface of the electrical component 3 and the outer surface of the mating section 31, into which the male housing 17 of the cable input section 13 can be inserted.

As a result, the female connector 27 and the male connector 21 can be mated without the mating portion 31 of the female housing 23 protruding from the outer surface of the electrical component 3, preventing the electrical component 3 from becoming larger. In addition, interference between the female connector 27 and surrounding components can be prevented, preventing damage to the female connector 27. Furthermore, since the fixing portion 29 is formed from a single member that is continuous with the mating portion 31, there is no increase in the number of parts or labor required.

Although the present embodiment has been described above, the present embodiment is not limited to these, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist of the present embodiment.

For example, the connector is mated in a direction along the outer surface of the electrical component, but this is not limited thereto, and the connector may be mated in a direction approaching the electrical component.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Electrical component wiring structure 3 Electrical component 5 Cable 7 Component input section 9 Component output section 11 Cable output section 13 Cable input section 15 Opening 17 Male housing 19 Male terminal 21 Male connector 23 Female housing 25 Female terminal 27 Female connector 29 Fixing section 31 Fitting section S Gap

Claims (2)

A plurality of electrical components that operate using power supplied from a main power source;
a plurality of cables electrically connecting the main power source and the plurality of electrical components;
Equipped with
the plurality of electric components each having a component input unit to which electric power is input from the main power supply side and a component output unit that outputs the electric power input to the component input unit,
the plurality of cables each have a cable output section provided at one end thereof and electrically connected to the component input section, and a cable input section provided at the other end thereof and electrically connected to the main power supply or the component output section,
the component input portion and the cable input portion each include a male connector having a male housing having an opening and a male terminal accommodated in the male housing and arranged to protrude toward the opening,
the component output portion and the cable output portion each include a female connector having a female housing that can be fitted into the male housing from the opening, and a female terminal that is accommodated in the female housing and into which the male terminal is inserted and electrically connected,
the component output portion and the cable input portion are fitted together along an outer surface of the electrical component,
the female housing of the component output portion has a fixing portion which is erected in a height direction away from an outer surface of the electrical component and is fixed to the electrical component, and a fitting portion which is formed of a single member continuous with the fixing portion and which is extended in a direction along the outer surface of the electrical component and can be fitted into the male housing of the cable input portion,
The fixing portion is provided with a fixing hole penetrating in the height direction,
With the fixing portion disposed on an outer surface of the electrical component, a bolt is inserted into the fixing hole and fastened to the electrical component, thereby fixing the fixing portion to the electrical component;
A gap into which the male housing of the cable input portion can be inserted is formed between an outer surface of the electrical component and an outer surface of the fitting portion.
Electrical component wiring structure. With the fixing portion disposed on the outer surface of the electrical component, the bolt is fastened into the fixing hole and to the electrical component, thereby fixing the fixing portion to the electrical component.
The electrical component wiring structure according to claim 1 .

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