JP7494761B2 - Relay connector - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to relay connectors.

Patent Document 1 discloses a relay connector that includes a core and a secondary molded portion. The core forms the rear surface of the connector. With the rear surface of the core etc. positioned by an upper die etc., the secondary molded portion is molded using a die.

JP 2009-66858 A

Here, it is desirable to be able to more reliably position the part holding the terminal within the mold while suppressing deformation of the terminal.

Therefore, the purpose of this disclosure is to be able to more reliably position the component that holds the terminal within the mold while suppressing deformation of the terminal.

The relay connector of the present disclosure includes a terminal including a first connector terminal portion, a second connector terminal portion, and an intermediate portion, a first resin portion that holds the terminal, and a second resin portion that is molded using the first resin portion as an insert portion, the first resin portion includes a first resin main body portion that is disposed within the second resin portion, and an exposed portion that is exposed from the second resin portion, the first resin main body portion covers a portion of the intermediate portion, the exposed portion includes a first connector housing portion that is a bottomed cylindrical shape that surrounds the outer periphery of the first connector terminal portion, and the second resin portion includes a second resin main body portion that covers the first resin main body portion and another portion of the intermediate portion, and a second connector housing portion that is a bottomed cylindrical shape that surrounds the outer periphery of the second connector terminal portion.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to more reliably position the part that holds the terminal within the mold while suppressing deformation of the terminal.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a relay connector. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the relay connector. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the relay connector. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the terminal and the first resin portion are arranged in a mold. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a process of molding the second resin portion by using a metal mold.

[Description of the embodiments of the present disclosure]
First, the embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described.

The relay connectors disclosed herein are as follows:

(1) A relay connector comprising a terminal including a first connector terminal portion, a second connector terminal portion, and an intermediate portion, a first resin portion that holds the terminal, and a second resin portion that is molded using the first resin portion as an insert portion, the first resin portion including a first resin main body portion that is disposed within the second resin portion and an exposed portion that is exposed from the second resin portion, the first resin main body portion covering a portion of the intermediate portion, the exposed portion including a first connector housing portion that is a bottomed cylindrical shape that surrounds the outer periphery of the first connector terminal portion, and the second resin portion including a second resin main body portion that covers the first resin main body portion and another portion of the intermediate portion, and a second connector housing portion that is a bottomed cylindrical shape that surrounds the outer periphery of the second connector terminal portion.

According to the present disclosure, when the second resin part is molded using a die, the terminal is held by the first resin main body part within the die. This suppresses deformation of the terminal. Furthermore, when the second resin part is molded using a die, the first resin part can be positioned using the first connector housing part that surrounds the outer periphery of the first connector terminal part, so that the first resin part that holds the terminal is more reliably positioned.

(2) The relay connector of (1), in which the first resin body portion is connected to the exposed portion in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the first connector housing portion.

This allows the first connector housing part to be positioned using the inner and outer surfaces of the bottom of the first connector housing part, and the first resin part is more reliably positioned.

(3) A relay connector as in (2), in which a positioning recess is formed in the outwardly facing portion of the exposed portion opposite the opening of the first connector housing portion.

The first connector housing part can be positioned using the positioning recess, so the first resin part can be positioned more reliably.

(4) A relay connector according to any one of the aspects (1) to (3), in which a positioning groove is formed in the outward portion of the exposed portion, extending from the opening of the first connector housing portion toward the bottom side.

The exposed portion is positioned using the inner surface of the positioning groove, so the first resin portion is more reliably positioned.

(5) A relay connector according to any one of the aspects (1) to (4), in which the second resin body covers a portion of the intermediate portion that extends from the first resin body, and the first resin body includes a fine portion and a thick portion that is located closer to the second connector terminal portion than the fine portion and is thicker than the fine portion.

The portion of the second resin body closer to the second connector terminal does not have to cover the first resin body. This allows the portion of the relay connector closer to the second connector housing to be made smaller. In addition, when the second resin body is molded using a die, the force that tends to deform the terminal is received by the thick portion. This makes it possible to suppress deformation of the terminal.

(6) A relay connector according to (5), in which the thick portion protrudes more from the fine portion at a portion around the middle portion than at other portions.

In this case, the amount of protrusion of the thick portion can be reduced in the other portion of the outer periphery of the relay connector. This allows the shape of the relay connector to be adjusted according to the positional relationship between the connector and other devices in the external environment of the relay connector.

(7) The relay connector of (6), in which the intermediate portion includes a bent portion that is bent outside the first resin portion and within the second resin portion, the second resin body portion covers at least a portion of the intermediate portion that is closer to the first connector terminal portion than the bent portion, and the thick portion protrudes more around the intermediate portion in the direction from the bent portion toward the second connector terminal portion than other portions.

This makes it possible to miniaturize the outer part of the bent portion when the terminal is bent in the middle.

(8) A relay connector according to any one of the aspects (1) to (7), in which a seal member is provided in the second resin portion.

In this case, the second resin part is formed using the first resin part as an insert part, so the surface of the second resin part can be formed more smoothly. This improves the sealing performance of the sealing member.

[Details of the embodiment of the present disclosure]
Specific examples of the relay connector of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to these examples, but is defined by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[Embodiment]
The relay connector according to the embodiment will be described below. Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views showing the relay connector 20. Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the relay connector 20. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Figure 1. The cross-section taken along line IV-IV in Figure 1 is a surface along one terminal 30. In Figure 4, a housing 19 of a device to which the relay connector 20 is attached and connectors 16, 18 to be connected to the relay connector 20 are indicated by two-dot chain lines.

<Overall structure>
The relay connector 20 includes a first connector portion 22 that is connected to the connector 16, and a second connector portion 24 that is connected to the connector 18, and serves to relay-connect the connectors 16, 18 (see FIG. 4).

The relay connector 20 includes a terminal 30, a first resin part 40, and a second resin part 60.

The terminal 30 includes a first connector terminal portion 32, a second connector terminal portion 34, and an intermediate portion 36 (see FIG. 3). The first connector terminal portion 32 is a connector terminal for the first connector portion 22. The second connector terminal portion 34 is a connector terminal for the second connector portion 24. The intermediate portion 36 is a portion that connects the first connector terminal portion 32 and the second connector terminal portion 34.

The first resin part 40 is a part that holds the terminal 30, and includes a first resin body part 41 and an exposed part 50. The first resin body part 41 is a part that is disposed within the second resin part 60 while covering a part of the intermediate part 36. The exposed part 50 is a part that is exposed from the second resin part 60. A first connector housing part 52 that is a bottomed cylinder that surrounds the outer periphery of the first connector terminal part 32 is provided in this exposed part 50.

The second resin part 60 includes a second resin body part 61 and a second connector housing part 72. The second resin body part 61 covers the first resin body part 41 and another part of the intermediate part 36. The second connector housing part 72 is a bottomed cylindrical part that surrounds the outer periphery of the second connector terminal part 34.

The first resin part 40 and the second resin part 60 may be formed from the same resin. The resin may be, for example, PP (polypropylene), polyamide, etc.

In this relay connector 20, the first connector portion 22 is formed by the first connector terminal portion 32 and the first connector housing portion 52. When the connector 16 is connected to the first connector portion 22, the first connector terminal portion 32 is inserted and connected to the connector terminal 16a in the connector 16. The second connector terminal portion 34 and the second connector housing portion 72 form the second connector portion 24. When the connector 18 is connected to the second connector portion 24, the second connector terminal portion 34 is connected to the connector terminal 18a in the connector 18. The first resin body portion 41 and the second resin body portion 61 connect the first connector portion 22 and the second connector portion 24 while maintaining the first connector portion 22 and the second connector portion 24 in a fixed position, and cover the middle portion 36 of the terminal 30 to hold the terminal 30 in a fixed position.

The configuration of each part of the relay connector 20 will now be explained in more detail.

<Terminals>
In this embodiment, the relay connector 20 includes two terminals 30. The number of terminals included in the relay connector 20 is arbitrary, and may be one or more. When the relay connector includes three or more terminals, the multiple terminals may be arranged in a row or vertically and horizontally.

The terminal 30 is formed from a metal such as copper or a copper alloy. The terminal 30 is formed, for example, by pressing a metal plate.

The terminal 30 is formed in an elongated shape and includes a first connector terminal portion 32, a second connector terminal portion 34, and an intermediate portion 36. The first connector terminal portion 32 is an elongated plate-like or pin-like portion formed at one end of the terminal 30. The second connector terminal portion 34 is an elongated plate-like or pin-like portion formed at the other end of the terminal 30. The intermediate portion 36 is provided between the first connector terminal portion 32 and the second connector terminal portion 34, and is a portion that electrically and mechanically connects the first connector terminal portion 32 and the second connector terminal portion 34.

In this embodiment, the terminal 30 is formed in a shape that is bent at two points. More specifically, a portion 36a of the intermediate portion 36 near the first connector terminal portion 32 is bent toward one side in the thickness direction of the intermediate portion 36. Here, the bent portion 36a is bent at a substantially right angle. Also, a portion 36b of the intermediate portion 36 near the second connector terminal portion 34 is bent toward the other side in the thickness direction of the intermediate portion 36. Here, the bent portion 36b is bent at a substantially right angle. In other words, the bent portions 36a and 36b on both sides of the terminal 30 are bent toward opposite sides, and the first connector terminal portion 32 and the second connector terminal portion 34 face in opposite directions. As a result, the connection direction of the connector 16 to the first connector portion 22 including the first connector terminal portion 32 and the connection direction of the connector 18 to the second connector portion 24 including the second connector terminal portion 34 can be set to be opposite to each other.

The shape of the terminal is not limited to the above example. For example, the terminal may be formed in an L-shape, that is, the middle portion may be bent at only one point. In this case, the direction in which the connector is connected to the first connector portion including the first connector terminal portion and the direction in which the connector is connected to the second connector portion including the second connector terminal portion may be set to intersect with each other, for example, to be perpendicular to each other. The shape of the terminal may be linear.

The first connector terminal portion 32 and the second connector terminal portion 34 are thinner than the longitudinal middle portion of the terminal 30. In this embodiment, the region extending from a position closer to the center than the bent portion 36a toward the tip side of the first connector terminal portion 32 is formed thinner than the middle region of the terminal 30. Also, the region extending from a position closer to the second connector terminal portion 34 than the bent portion 36b toward the tip side of the second connector terminal portion 34 is formed thinner than the middle region of the terminal 30. As described later, the bent portion 36b exposed from the first resin portion 40 is thicker than the bent portion 36a in the first resin portion 40, so that the bent portion 36b is less likely to deform when the second resin portion 60 is molded. The thickness of the terminal 30 is set arbitrarily. For example, it is not essential that the first connector terminal portion 32 and the second connector terminal portion 34 are formed thinner than the middle region of the terminal 30, and may be formed to have the same width throughout the entire longitudinal direction of the terminal 30.

In addition, the tip portions of the first connector terminal portion 32 and the second connector terminal portion 34 are formed to gradually become thinner toward the tip side so that they can be easily inserted into the mating connector terminal.

Through holes 36h are formed in the middle portion 36. In this embodiment, multiple (here, two) through holes 36h are formed at intervals along the longitudinal direction of the middle portion 36. The resin forming the second resin portion 60 is filled and arranged in the through holes 36h, so that the terminal 30 is more reliably positioned relative to the second resin portion 60. The through holes 36h may be omitted.

A groove 36g is formed along the width direction of the terminal 30 in a portion of the intermediate portion 36 closer to the second connector terminal portion 34. Here, the groove 36g along the width direction of the terminal 30 is formed on both sides of the portion of the intermediate portion 36. A plurality of grooves 36g are formed on both sides of the portion of the intermediate portion 36, and the plurality of grooves 36g are arranged alternately along the longitudinal direction of the terminal 30. The grooves 36g serve to prevent the formation of gaps along the longitudinal direction of the terminal 30 by collecting air bubbles that may be generated when filling the terminal 30 with resin, which will be described later, in the grooves 36g. The formation of the grooves 36g is not essential.

The multiple terminals 30 are spaced apart and held in a fixed position by the first resin part 40 and the second resin part 60. When manufacturing the relay connector 20, the first resin part 40 is first molded using the terminals 30 as an insert part. As a result, the second resin part 60 is molded using the first resin part 40 holding the terminals 30 as an insert part. The first resin part 40 may be considered to be the primary resin molded part, and the second resin part 60 may be considered to be the secondary resin molded part. In this relay connector 20, the combination of the first resin part 40 and the second resin part 60 can achieve the function of holding the terminals 30 in a fixed position and the function of maintaining the connection state to the connectors 16 and 18.

By molding the resin portion of the relay connector 20 into a first resin portion 40 and a second resin portion 60, the length of the portion of the terminal 30 exposed in the mold space during molding can be shortened, making deformation and displacement of the terminal 30 less likely to occur.

<First resin portion>
As described above, the first resin portion 40 includes the first resin body portion 41 and the exposed portion 50 .

More specifically, the first resin body 41 includes a base 42 and a protruding portion 44. The base 42 is formed in a flat shape, here in a disk shape. The protruding portion 44 protrudes from one side of the base 42. The protruding portion 44 protrudes from a position offset from the center of the base 42, here from the outer periphery. The protruding portion 44 protrudes in a direction intersecting one side of the base 42, here in a direction perpendicular to the one side.

A base frame portion 43 protrudes from the other side of the base portion 42. The base frame portion 43 is formed in a U-shaped frame shape that is open on one side and closed on the other three sides. The intermediate frame portion 58, which will be described later, is connected to this base frame portion 43.

A part of the intermediate portion 36 of the terminal 30 is disposed within the protruding portion 44 along the extending direction of the protruding portion 44. The part of the intermediate portion 36 closer to the second connector terminal portion 34 extends outward from the protruding portion 44. The bent portion 36b is located on the outside of the protruding portion 44. The second connector terminal portion 34 bends at the bent portion 36b and extends along a direction intersecting (here, perpendicular to) the protruding portion 44. The part of the intermediate portion 36 closer to the first connector terminal portion 32 passes through the base portion 42 from the protruding portion 44 and passes through the bottom portion 43a of the base frame portion 43 toward the exposed portion 50. The intermediate portion 36 is bent at the bent portion 36a in the exposed portion 50 toward the opposite side to the second connector terminal portion 34, and the first connector terminal portion 32 extends toward the opposite side to the second connector terminal portion 34.

The exposed portion 50 includes an intermediate frame portion 58 and a first connector housing portion 52.

The intermediate frame portion 58 is formed in a U-shaped frame shape with the other three sides closed. The intermediate frame portion 58 is connected to the base frame portion 43. This forms a rectangular space surrounded by the other side of the base portion 42, the face of the first connector housing portion 52 facing the base portion 42, and the two opposing inward facing faces and inward facing bottom face of the base frame portion 43 and the intermediate frame portion 58 (see FIG. 4). This space opens on the same side as the opening of the first connector housing portion 52.

The first connector housing portion 52 is formed in a bottomed tubular shape that surrounds the outer periphery of the first connector terminal portion 32. Here, the first connector housing portion 52 is formed in a bottomed square tubular shape that is open on one side. The first connector housing portion 52 may also be formed in other bottomed tubular shapes, such as an elliptical tubular shape or a cylindrical shape.

The first connector housing portion 52 includes four peripheral wall portions 53, 54, 55, 56 and a bottom portion 57. The intermediate frame portion 58 is formed so as to extend from the two opposing peripheral wall portions 53, 54 and the bottom portion 57 toward the peripheral wall portion 55. The base frame portion 43 is connected to the extension of this intermediate frame portion 58. As a result, one side of the first connector housing portion 52 is connected to the base frame portion 43 in the first resin main body portion 41 via the intermediate frame portion 58. Note that a locking hole 53h is formed in the peripheral wall portion 53 on one side of the first connector housing portion 52, into which a locking protrusion of the mating connector 18 locks.

In this state, the axial direction of the first connector housing portion 52 and the extension direction of the intermediate portion 36 within the first resin body portion 41 intersect (here, perpendicular). Therefore, the first resin body portion 41 is connected to the exposed portion 50 in a direction that intersects (here, perpendicular) with the axial direction of the first connector housing portion 52. The orientation of the first connector housing portion 52 may be set according to the orientation of the first connector terminal portion 32 relative to the intermediate portion 36.

The intermediate portion 36 of the terminal 30 passes through the bottom portion of the intermediate frame portion 58 and reaches the bottom portion 57 of the first connector housing portion 52. The intermediate portion 36 is bent at the bent portion 36a within the bottom portion 37. This causes the first connector terminal portion 32 to extend from the bottom portion 37 along its axial direction within the first connector housing portion 52.

The partial configuration of the first resin part 40 will now be described in more detail.

The protruding portion 44 includes a detailed portion 45 and a thick portion 46. The detailed portion 45 is the portion of the protruding portion 44 that is on the base portion 42 side.

The detail 45 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape whose dimension in the direction in which the two terminals 30 are lined up (which is also the tangent direction at the portion of the outer periphery of the base portion 42 where the terminals 30 are provided) is longer than the dimension in the direction perpendicular to the lined up direction of the terminals 30 and the extension direction of the terminals 30 (the radial direction of the base portion 42). A part of the detail 45 protrudes outward from the outer periphery of the base portion 42, but this is not essential.

The thick portion 46 is provided closer to the second connector portion 24 than the detailed portion 45. The thick portion 46 is formed to be thicker than the detailed portion 45. In this embodiment, the thick portion 46 is formed so that a part of the periphery of the intermediate portion 36 protrudes from the detailed portion 45 more than the other parts. Here, the thick portion 46 protrudes more than the other parts around the intermediate portion 36 in the direction from the bent portion 36b toward the second connector terminal portion 34.

More specifically, the thick portion 46 includes a rectangular parallelepiped portion. The rectangular parallelepiped portion protrudes from the detailed portion 45 in the direction toward which the tip of the second connector terminal portion 34 faces, and is flush with the detailed portion 45 in the other three directions. The portion of the rectangular parallelepiped portion that protrudes from the detailed portion 45 is connected to the detailed portion 45 via a slope. The portion of the thick portion 46 opposite the detailed portion 45 is formed in a plane perpendicular to the extension direction of the detailed portion 45, and the middle portion 36 of the terminal 30 extends from this portion.

Window portions 45h1 and 45h2 are formed in the detail portion 45 to expose the intermediate portion 36 to the outside of the first resin portion 40. The window portion 45h1 is formed in a portion of the detail portion 45 closer to the thick portion 46. In the window portion 45h1, a portion of the two intermediate portions 36 is commonly exposed. Two window portions 45h2 are formed corresponding to the two intermediate portions 36. In each window portion 45h2, a portion of the intermediate portion 36 is exposed. In the portion of the intermediate portion 36 exposed in the window portion 45h1, one through hole 36h is formed. The windows 45h1, 45h2 and through hole 36h are filled with the second resin portion 60.

A window portion 43h is formed in the bottom portion 43a of the base frame portion 43 on the opposite side to the opening. Two window portions 43h are formed corresponding to the two intermediate portions 36. A part of the intermediate portion 36 is exposed in each window portion 43h. A through hole 36h is formed in the portion of the intermediate portion 36 exposed in the window portion 43h. The window portion 43h and the through hole 36h are filled with the second resin portion 60.

It is not essential that the windows 45h1, 45h2, and 43h are formed.

A positioning recess 51 is formed in a portion of the exposed portion 50 opposite the opening of the first connector housing portion 52. The positioning recess 51 is a recess that opens on the opposite side to the opening of the first connector housing portion 52. The positioning recess 51 is, for example, a recess defined by a bottom surface 51a facing the opposite side to the opening of the first connector housing portion 52 and four side surfaces 51f. The four side surfaces 51f may include a portion that is perpendicular to the bottom surface 51a. The side surfaces 51f may be disposed at positions corresponding to each side of a rectangle (including a square). Note that the opening edge of the positioning recess 51 is formed into an inclined surface that slopes outward, but this is not essential.

When molding the second resin part 60, the positioning surface on the mold side is brought into contact with the bottom surface 51a and the side surface 51f of the positioning recess 51, so that the exposed part 50 can be positioned in the five directions that these five surfaces face.

In this embodiment, the positioning recess 51 is formed from the outward portion of the bottom 57 of the first connector housing part 52 to the outward portion of the bottom of the intermediate frame part 58. The positioning recess may be formed only on the bottom 57 of the first connector housing part 52, or may be formed only on the outward portion of the bottom of the intermediate frame part 58.

A positioning groove 59 is formed in the outward portion of the exposed portion 50, extending from the opening of the first connector housing portion 52 toward the bottom portion 57. The positioning groove 59 is defined, for example, by a bottom surface 59a facing outward and side surfaces 59b, 59b on both sides of the bottom surface 59a (see FIG. 2).

More specifically, the outward portion of one side of the intermediate frame portion 58, which is closer to the base frame portion 43, is formed thick so as to protrude outward. The peripheral wall portion 53 on one side of the first connector housing portion 52 is formed at a position closer to the outside than one side of the intermediate frame portion 58. A positioning groove 59 is formed between the portion of the exposed portion 50 which is formed thick and the peripheral wall portion 53 on one side of the first connector housing portion 52. The positioning groove 59 may be formed in another portion of the exposed portion 50, for example, on the outer periphery of the first connector housing portion 52.

When molding the second resin part 60, the positioning surfaces on the mold side are brought into contact with the bottom surface 59a and both side surfaces 59b of the positioning groove 59, so that the first resin part 40 can be positioned in the three directions in which these surfaces face.

In this embodiment, the outward portion of the other side of the intermediate frame portion 58, which is closer to the base frame portion 43, is also made thick so that it protrudes outward.

<Second resin portion>
As described above, the second resin portion 60 includes the second resin main body portion 61 and the second connector housing portion 72 .

The second resin body 61 includes a base 62 and a protruding portion 64. The base 62 is formed in a flat shape, here in a disk shape. This base 62 covers the outer periphery and both sides of the base 42 of the first resin body 41. The protruding portion 64 protrudes from one side of the base 62. The protruding portion 64 protrudes from a position offset from the center of the base 62. The protruding portion 64 covers the protruding portion 44 of the first resin body 41. The protruding portion 64 also covers the tip of the protruding portion 44. Therefore, the second resin body 61, more specifically, the protruding portion 64 covers the portion of the intermediate portion 36 of the terminal 30 between the protruding portion 44 and the bent portion 36b on the extension of the protruding portion 44. In other words, the second resin body 61 covers at least the portion of the intermediate portion 36 closer to the first connector terminal portion 32 than the bent portion 36b. The portion of the second resin part 60 that covers the thick part 46 protrudes beyond the base part 62 in the direction in which the second connector terminal part 34 extends.

The base portion 62 is provided with the following configuration for mounting the relay connector 20 to the housing 19. That is, a circumferential groove 62g is formed in a portion of the outer periphery of the base portion 62 near the first connector housing portion 52. An annular seal member 80 is fitted into the circumferential groove 62g. The annular seal member 80 is, for example, a rubber ring. When the relay connector 20 is mounted to the housing 19 of the mounting target device (for example, a transmission), the portion of the base portion 62 on the side of the first connector housing portion 52 is fitted into the mounting hole 19h of the housing 19 (see FIG. 4). In this state, the annular seal member 80 is interposed in a compressed state between the second resin main body portion 61 and the inner surface of the mounting hole 19h, and restricts the passage of liquid that has passed between the mounting hole 19h and the relay connector 20. Depending on the application of the relay connector 20, the annular seal member 80 may be omitted.

A screw-fastening portion 68 protrudes from a portion of the outer periphery of the second resin body portion 61. The screw-fastening portion 68 is formed in a flat shape in the direction connecting the first connector housing portion 52 and the second connector housing portion 72. A screw insertion hole 68h is formed in the screw-fastening portion 68. A metal ring-shaped member 68a (also called a metal collar) may be provided in the portion of the screw-fastening portion 68 that forms the screw insertion hole 68h. Then, a screw passes through the screw insertion hole 68h and is screwed into a screw hole on the housing 19 side, whereby the relay connector 20 is screwed to the housing. Note that the relay connector 20 does not need to be fixed by a screw, and may be fixed by other fitting structures, etc.

The second connector housing portion 72 is formed in a bottomed tubular shape that surrounds the outer periphery of the second connector terminal portion 34. Here, the second connector housing portion 72 is formed in a bottomed angular tubular shape that is open on one side and has rounded corners. The second connector housing portion 72 may also be formed in other bottomed tubular shapes, such as an elliptical tubular shape or a cylindrical shape.

The second connector housing portion 72 includes a peripheral wall portion 73 and a bottom portion 77. The peripheral wall portion 73 is cylindrical, and here has a shape of a square tube with rounded corners. A part of the bottom portion 77 of the second connector housing portion 72 and a part of the peripheral wall portion 73 on the protruding portion 64 side close to the bottom portion 77 are connected to the protruding portion 64 of the second resin main body portion 61. In other words, the second connector housing portion 72 is supported in a cantilever manner by the protruding portion 64. In this state, the axial direction of the second connector housing portion 72 and the extension direction of the intermediate portion 36 in the second resin main body portion 61 intersect (here, perpendicular) with each other. The orientation of the second connector housing portion 72 may be set according to the orientation of the second connector terminal portion 34 relative to the intermediate portion 36.

A sealing recess 77h is formed in the inward-facing portion of the bottom 77 of the second connector housing portion 72, where the second connector terminal portion 34 extends (see FIG. 4). The portion of the intermediate portion 36 where the groove 36g is formed is provided within the sealing recess 77h. A terminal seal member 82 is provided within the sealing recess 77h. The terminal seal member 82 is formed by filling and arranging a potting material such as polyurethane within the sealing recess 77h and allowing it to solidify. The terminal seal member 82 may be made of a hot melt resin that softens when heated.

A locking protrusion 75a and a pair of guide protrusions 75b are formed on a part of the outer periphery of the second connector housing part 72, here, on the side of the peripheral wall part 73 opposite the first connector housing part 52. The locking protrusion 75a is formed in a shape that gradually becomes lower toward the opening side of the second connector housing part 72. The pair of guide protrusions 75b are convex shapes that extend along the axial direction of the second connector housing part 72, and are provided on both sides of the locking protrusion 75a at a distance. Then, when the mating connector 18 is connected to the second connector part 24, the locking piece 18P provided on the connector 18 fits into the pair of guide protrusions 75b along the outer surface of the peripheral wall part 73, and the locking protrusion 75a is locked in the locking hole 18Ph formed in the locking piece 18P.

<Installed on the case>
With the relay connector 20 attached to the housing 19, the base portion 62 is fitted into the attachment hole 19h as described above, and the screw fastening portion 68 is screwed and fixed to the housing 19 (see FIG. 4).

The housing 19 is, for example, the housing of a device having a movable mechanism such as a motor or gear. The first connector portion 22 is exposed inside the housing 19, and the second connector portion 24 is exposed outside the housing 19. The first connector portion 22 is connected to, for example, the connector 16 of the wiring end drawn from a small current signal device (e.g., a sensor) inside the housing. The second connector portion 24 is connected to, for example, the connector 18 of the end of the external wire harness. In this way, the relay connector 20 relays and connects the external wire harness and the internal wiring of the device. In this case, the relay connector 20 is a relay connector for signal relay. The terminals 30 for signal relay are often thinner than the terminals for power supply, and in such cases, it is more necessary to suppress deformation of the terminals.

The second resin part 60 is provided with an annular seal member 80 and a terminal seal member 82 that prevent liquid from entering the relay connector 20. Since the second resin part 60 is molded using the first resin part 40 as an insert part, the surface of the second resin part 60 is expected to be smoother than the surface of the first resin part 40. Since the second resin part 60 is provided with the annular seal member 80 and the terminal seal member 82, liquid can be effectively prevented from entering between the second resin part 60 and the annular seal member 80 and the terminal seal member 82.

In particular, the second connector housing part 72, which is a part of the second resin part 60, is exposed to the outside of the housing 19. For this reason, the second connector housing part 72 outside the housing 19 is more susceptible to water than the first connector housing part 52 inside the housing 19. By forming this second connector housing part 72 from the second resin part 60, it is possible to make its surface shape smooth. By providing the terminal seal member 82 on this second connector housing part 72, it is possible to prevent water that has traveled between the terminal seal member 82 and the inner surface of the sealing recess 77h from reaching the terminal 30, and the water-stopping properties of the terminal 30 are further improved.

An annular seal member 84 may be provided between the connector 18 and the second connector housing part 72 (see FIG. 4). The annular seal member 84 may be attached to the connector 18. This annular seal member 84 is also pressed against the inner circumferential surface of the second connector housing part 72, which is part of the second resin part 60. As the inner circumferential surface is also expected to be finished to a smooth surface as described above, the annular seal member 84 also improves the water-stopping properties.

<Example of relay connector manufacturing using a mold>
A manufacturing example in which the second resin portion 60 of the relay connector 20 is molded with a die will be described.

Figure 5 shows an example of the state in which the first resin part 40 molded with the terminal 30 as an insert part is placed in the molds 100, 110 for molding the second resin part 60. The first mold 100 and the second mold 110 are shown as an example. The first mold 100 has a mold surface 102 for forming the surface of the second resin part 60 that can be observed from the side where the first connector housing part 52 opens. The second mold 110 has a mold surface 112 for forming the surface of the second resin part 60 that can be observed from the side where the second connector housing part 72 opens. The first mold 100 and the second mold 110 are combined to form a mold space for forming the second resin part 60. If there is a surface that is not suitable for formation by the first mold 100 and the second mold 110, another mold such as a slide mold is appropriately combined.

The first mold 100 is formed with a positioning annular groove 104 that positions the first connector housing part 52. The positioning annular groove 104 is formed in an annular shape into which the peripheral wall parts 53, 54, 55, and 56 can be fitted. More specifically, the inner surface of the positioning annular groove 104 is formed in a shape that corresponds to the inner peripheral surface shape of the first connector housing part 52 (the same surface shape or a similar shape that is (slightly) smaller). The outer surface of the positioning annular groove 104 is formed in a shape that corresponds to the outer peripheral surface shape of the first connector housing part 52 (the same surface shape or a similar shape that is (slightly) larger).

When the first connector housing part 52 is fitted into the positioning annular groove 104, the outward surfaces of the peripheral wall parts 53, 54, 55, and 56 of the first connector housing part 52 contact the outer surface of the positioning annular groove 104. Also, the inward surfaces of the peripheral wall parts 53, 54, 55, and 56 of the first connector housing part 52 contact the inner surface of the positioning annular groove 104. This positions the first connector housing part 52 in two axial directions that are perpendicular to its axis and perpendicular to each other. Also, the inner part 105 of the positioning annular groove 104 of the first mold 100 contacts the inward surface of the bottom part 77. This positions the first connector housing part 52 in the direction toward its opening side.

The inner portion 105 is formed with a first terminal positioning hole 106 into which the first connector terminal portion 32 is inserted. The terminal 30 is positioned by inserting the first connector terminal portion 32 into the first terminal positioning hole 106.

In addition, the first mold 100 is formed with grooves 107 into which both sides of the intermediate frame portion 58 can be fitted. The both sides of the intermediate frame portion 58 are fitted into the grooves 107, and the inner surface of both sides and the bottom of the intermediate frame portion 58 are also positioned.

In addition, a positioning surface 108f capable of surface contact with the positioning groove 59 is formed on the outer surface of the positioning annular groove 104 and the outer surface of the groove 107 of the first mold 100. Since the positioning groove 59 is a groove that faces the bottom 77 from the opening of the first connector housing part 52, when the exposed part 50 is fitted into the positioning annular groove 104 and the groove 107, the positioning surface 108f can also be easily positioned within the positioning groove 59.

The second mold 110 is formed with a bottom positioning surface 113 that positions the bottom 77 of the first connector housing portion 52 and the outward surface of the bottom of the intermediate frame portion 58. The bottom positioning surface 113 includes a surface formed by a positioning protrusion 113P that can be placed in the positioning recess 51. The positioning protrusion 113P has a convex shape that can be placed in the positioning recess 51, and its surface is formed so that it can come into surface contact with the bottom surface 51a and side surface 51f of the positioning recess 51. Therefore, the bottom positioning surface 113 comes into surface contact with the exposed portion 50 from the side opposite to the first mold 100, so that the bottom 77 of the first connector housing portion 52 and the bottom of the intermediate frame portion 58 are positioned in the direction in which the bottom surface 51a and side surface 51f face, respectively.

In addition, a second terminal positioning hole 114 into which the second connector terminal portion 34 can be inserted is formed inside the portion of the second mold 110 that forms the second connector housing portion 72. The second connector terminal portion 34 is inserted into the second terminal positioning hole 114, thereby positioning the terminal 30.

With the exposed portion 50 of the first resin portion 40 supported by the first mold 100 and the second mold 110, the first resin body portion 41 is positioned away from the mold surfaces 102, 112. The middle portion 36 of the terminal 30 extends from the protruding portion 44, passes through the mold space, and bends at the bent portion 36b toward the second terminal positioning hole 114.

In this state, as shown in FIG. 6, molten resin is injected into the mold space. The injection port 120 is formed, for example, so as to face the portion forming the base portion 62. The molten resin passes between the first resin portion 40 and the intermediate portion 36 and the mold surfaces 102, 112, and flows into the space forming the second resin portion 60. The molten resin cools and solidifies, and the second resin portion 60 is molded.

<Effects, etc.>
According to the relay connector 20 configured in this manner, when the second resin part 60 is molded, the first resin body part 41 can hold a part of the terminal 30 in the mold space in the mold 100, 110. Therefore, the length of the part supported so that the terminal 30 is hung in the mold 100, 110 can be shortened, and deformation of the terminal 30 due to resin pressure or the like is suppressed. Furthermore, when the second resin part 60 is molded, the first resin part 40 can be positioned using the first connector housing part 52. Since the first connector housing part 52 has a bottomed cylindrical shape surrounding the first connector terminal part 32, the first resin part 40 can be positioned in multiple directions using the peripheral wall parts 53, 54, 55, 56 and the bottom part 57 of the bottomed cylindrical part. Therefore, the first resin part 40 that holds the terminal 30 can be more reliably positioned. As a result, deformation of the terminal 30 in the relay connector 20 is suppressed, and the alignment state of the multiple terminals 30 is maintained well as designed.

The first resin body 41 is connected to the exposed portion 50 in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the first connector housing portion 52. Therefore, the outward surface of the bottom portion 57 of the first connector housing portion 52 is exposed to the outside. This allows the first resin portion 40 to be positioned in three mutually orthogonal axial directions by utilizing the inner and outer surfaces of the bottom portion 57 of the first connector housing portion 52, and allows the first resin portion 40 to be positioned more reliably.

In addition, a positioning recess 51 is formed in the exposed portion 50 on the side opposite the opening of the first connector housing portion 52, so that the positioning recess 51 can also be used to more reliably position the first resin portion 40.

In addition, a positioning groove 59 is formed in the outward portion of the exposed portion 50, extending from the opening of the first connector housing portion 52 toward the bottom portion 57. This allows the first resin portion 40 to be positioned more reliably by also utilizing the inner surface of the positioning groove 59.

The protruding portion 44 of the first resin body 41 includes a narrow portion 45 and a thick portion 46. The middle portion 36 extends from the thick portion 46 of the protruding portion 44, and this portion is directly covered by the second resin body 60. Therefore, the portion of the second resin body 60 closer to the second connector terminal portion 34 does not need to cover the first resin body 41. This allows the portion of the relay connector 20 closer to the second connector housing portion 72 to be miniaturized. For example, the portion of the second resin body 61 opposite to the direction in which the second connector housing portion 72 protrudes can be miniaturized. Furthermore, when the second resin body 60 is molded, the force that tries to deform the terminal 30 due to the resin pressure tends to act on the thick portion 46, which is the tip of the protruding portion 44. However, this force is received by the thick portion 46. Therefore, the deformation of the terminal 30 is more effectively suppressed.

The thick portion 46 is also thicker in a portion around the detailed portion 45 than in other portions. This makes it easy to adjust the shape of the relay connector 20 depending on the external environment of the relay connector 20.

Here, the thick portion 46 protrudes more around the intermediate portion 36 in the direction toward the second connector terminal portion 34 than the other portions. For this reason, the portion of the second resin body portion 61 toward the second connector housing portion 72 is set to protrude outward from the base portion 62 so that a resin thickness covering the thick portion 46 can be obtained. On the other hand, on the side of the second resin body portion 61 from the intermediate portion 36 toward the center of the base portion 62, the thick portion 46 does not protrude relative to the fine portion 45, so there is no need to form the portion covering the thick portion 46 by protruding greatly toward the center of the base portion 62. As a result, on the other side of the base portion 62 on the side where the second connector housing portion 72 is provided, many portions can be kept flat. As a result, for example, when the relay connector 20 is attached to the housing 19 and another component is present above the relay connector 20, interference between the relay connector 20 and the other component can be effectively suppressed.

The surface of the second resin part 60 is expected to be smoother than the surface of the first resin part 40. Therefore, by providing the second resin part 60 with sealing members such as the annular sealing members 80, 84 and the terminal sealing member 82, it is expected that the sealing members will provide good sealing properties.

The configurations described in the above embodiment and each modified example can be combined as appropriate as long as they are not mutually inconsistent.

Reference Signs List 16, 18 Connectors 16a, 18a Connector terminal 18P Lock piece 18Ph Locking hole 19 Housing 19h Mounting hole 20 Relay connector 22 First connector portion 24 Second connector portion 30 Terminal 32 First connector terminal portion 34 Second connector terminal portion 36 Middle portion 36a, 36b Bent portion 36g Groove 36h Through hole 40 First resin portion 41 First resin main body portion 42 Base portion 43 Base frame portion 43a Bottom portion 43h Window portion 44 Protruding portion 45 Small portion 45h1, 45h2 Window portion 46 Thick portion 50 Exposed portion 51 Positioning recess 51a Bottom surface 51f Side surface 52 First connector housing portion 53, 54, 55, 56 Peripheral wall portion 53h Locking hole 57 Bottom portion 58 Middle frame portion 59 Positioning groove 59a Bottom surface 59b Side surface 60 Second resin portion 61 Second resin body portion 62 Base portion 62g Circumferential groove 64 Protrusion 68 Screw stop portion 68a Metal annular member 68h Screw insertion hole 72 Second connector housing portion 73 Circumferential wall portion 75a Locking protrusion 75b Guide protrusion 77 Bottom portion 77h Sealing recess 80, 84 Annular seal member 82 Terminal seal member 100 First mold 102, 112 Mold surface 104 Positioning annular groove 105 Inner portion 106 First terminal positioning hole 107 Groove 108f Positioning surface 110 Second mold 113 Bottom positioning surface 113P Positioning protrusion 114 Second terminal positioning hole 120 Injection port

Claims (6)

a terminal including a first connector terminal portion, a second connector terminal portion, and an intermediate portion;
a first resin portion for holding the terminal;
a second resin portion molded by a die using the first resin portion as an insert portion;
Equipped with
the first resin part includes a first resin main body part disposed in the second resin part and an exposed part exposed from the second resin part,
the first resin body portion covers a portion of the intermediate portion,
the exposed portion includes a first connector housing portion having a bottomed cylindrical shape that surrounds an outer periphery of the first connector terminal portion,
the second resin portion includes a second resin body portion that covers the first resin body portion and another part of the intermediate portion, and a second connector housing portion having a bottomed cylindrical shape that surrounds an outer periphery of the second connector terminal portion,
the first resin body portion is connected to the exposed portion in a direction intersecting with an axial direction of the first connector housing portion,
a positioning recess formed in an outward portion of the exposed portion opposite the opening of the first connector housing portion; a terminal including a first connector terminal portion, a second connector terminal portion, and an intermediate portion;
a first resin portion for holding the terminal;
a second resin portion molded by a die using the first resin portion as an insert portion;
Equipped with
the first resin part includes a first resin main body part disposed in the second resin part and an exposed part exposed from the second resin part,
the first resin body portion covers a portion of the intermediate portion,
the exposed portion includes a first connector housing portion having a bottomed cylindrical shape that surrounds an outer periphery of the first connector terminal portion,
the second resin portion includes a second resin body portion that covers the first resin body portion and another part of the intermediate portion, and a second connector housing portion having a bottomed cylindrical shape that surrounds an outer periphery of the second connector terminal portion,
a positioning groove extending from the opening of the first connector housing portion toward a bottom side is formed in an outward portion of the exposed portion; a terminal including a first connector terminal portion, a second connector terminal portion, and an intermediate portion;
a first resin portion for holding the terminal;
a second resin portion molded by a die using the first resin portion as an insert portion;
Equipped with
the first resin part includes a first resin main body part disposed in the second resin part and an exposed part exposed from the second resin part,
The first resin body portion covers a portion of the intermediate portion,
the exposed portion includes a first connector housing portion having a bottomed cylindrical shape that surrounds an outer periphery of the first connector terminal portion,
the second resin portion includes a second resin body portion that covers the first resin body portion and another part of the intermediate portion, and a second connector housing portion having a bottomed cylindrical shape that surrounds an outer periphery of the second connector terminal portion,
the second resin body portion covers a portion of the intermediate portion that extends from the first resin body portion,
The first resin body portion includes a thin portion and a thick portion that is located closer to the second connector terminal portion than the thin portion and is thicker than the thin portion. The relay connector according to claim 3 ,
The thick portion protrudes from the fine portion at a portion around the middle portion more than other portions. The relay connector according to claim 4 ,
the intermediate portion includes a bent portion that is bent outside the first resin portion and within the second resin portion,
the second resin body portion covers at least a portion of the intermediate portion closer to the first connector terminal portion than the bent portion,
the thick portion protrudes around the intermediate portion in a direction from the bent portion toward the second connector terminal portion more than other portions. a terminal including a first connector terminal portion, a second connector terminal portion, and an intermediate portion;
a first resin portion for holding the terminal;
a second resin portion molded by a die using the first resin portion as an insert portion;
Equipped with
the first resin part includes a first resin main body part disposed in the second resin part and an exposed part exposed from the second resin part,
The first resin body portion covers a portion of the intermediate portion,
the exposed portion includes a first connector housing portion having a bottomed cylindrical shape that surrounds an outer periphery of the first connector terminal portion,
the second resin portion includes a second resin body portion that covers the first resin body portion and another part of the intermediate portion, and a second connector housing portion having a bottomed cylindrical shape that surrounds an outer periphery of the second connector terminal portion,
The second resin portion is provided with a seal member.

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