WO2023166929A1

WO2023166929A1 - Connector with electric wire

Info

Publication number: WO2023166929A1
Application number: PCT/JP2023/004147
Authority: WO
Inventors: 恭平表
Original assignee: 住友電装株式会社
Priority date: 2022-03-01
Filing date: 2023-02-08
Publication date: 2023-09-07
Also published as: JP2023127151A; CN118679652A

Abstract

This connector with an electric wire is mounted on a vehicle, is fitted to an external charging connector of a power supply device outside the vehicle, and is used to charge a battery of the vehicle. The connector with an electric wire comprises a power terminal, a power line, a thermistor attached to the power line, a housing, and a retainer covering the power terminal and a part of the power line. The thermistor is attached to the power line and detects the temperature of the power line. The connector with an electric wire further comprises a waterproofing member covering a power line connecting unit and the thermistor.

Description

Connector with wire

The present disclosure relates to a connector with electric wire.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-500733 discloses a terminal fitting. The terminal fitting described in Patent Document 1 has a sensor for detecting humidity, vibration and/or temperature mounted on the outer surface of the terminal fitting. The sensor is mechanically attached by shrink tubing onto the outer surface of the terminal fitting. In this manner, the sensor is sandwiched and fixed between the outer surface of the terminal fitting and the shrinkable tube.

Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-125341 discloses a power supply side connector mounted on a vehicle. The connector described in Patent Document 2 has a pair of terminals and a temperature sensor attached to each terminal. The temperature sensor is fixed in close contact with the outer surface of the power line connecting portion of the terminal by, for example, a heat-shrinkable tube or the like.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-500733 JP 2021-125341 A

However, there has been a demand for further miniaturization in recent years, especially for connectors mounted on vehicles. For this reason, parts attached to the connector have been omitted as much as possible. On the other hand, the temperature of the terminal fittings is closely related to the state of the power supply system. Therefore, it has been necessary to grasp the temperature of the terminal fittings.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a connector with an electric wire that can be miniaturized and that can grasp the temperature of the power terminal.

A connector with electric wire according to the present disclosure is a connector with electric wire that is mounted on a vehicle, fits with an external charging connector of a power supply device outside the vehicle, and is used for charging a battery of the vehicle. It has a cylindrical portion into which a terminal is inserted, and a power line connection portion provided on the other end side of the cylindrical portion. a connected power line; a thermistor attached to the power line for detecting the temperature of the power line; an opening through which the external charging connector is inserted and removed; a housing having a terminal accommodating portion that is arranged inside and accommodates the power terminal; and a housing that is attached inside the housing along the insertion/extraction direction and holds the power terminal together with the housing. a retainer that covers a portion of the power line, wherein the opening in the housing and the space in the retainer that covers the power line are in fluid communication via the terminal accommodating portion, and the power line connecting portion and the power line connecting portion. The connector with electric wire further includes a waterproof member that covers the thermistor.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a connector with electric wire that can be miniaturized and that allows the temperature of the power terminal to be grasped.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a connector with electric wire according to Embodiment 1 and its assembly mode. FIG. 2 is a rear view showing the connector with wires according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III--III in FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV of FIG. FIG. 6 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a connector with wires. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a power line with a terminal in which a power terminal and a power line are integrated. FIG. 8 is a perspective view for explaining how a power line with a terminal is manufactured.

[Description of Embodiments of the Present Disclosure]
First, the embodiments of the present disclosure are listed and described.

The connector with electric wire of the present disclosure is as follows.

(1) A connector with a wire that is mounted on a vehicle, fits with an external charging connector of a power supply device outside the vehicle, and is used for charging a battery of the vehicle, wherein a terminal of the external charging connector is inserted from one end side. a power terminal having a cylindrical portion and a power line connecting portion provided on the other end side of the cylindrical portion, the power terminal being used for supplying power to the battery; and a power line connected to the power line connecting portion of the power terminal. a thermistor attached to the power line for detecting the temperature of the power line; an opening through which the external charging connector is inserted/extracted; a housing having a terminal accommodating portion that accommodates the power terminal; and a terminal accommodating portion that accommodates the power terminal. and a retainer that covers the power line connecting portion and the thermistor so that the opening in the housing and the space in the retainer that covers the power line are in fluid communication via the terminal accommodating portion. The connector with electric wire further includes a waterproof member. Thus, by providing the thermistor attached to the power line and the waterproof member covering the power line connecting portion and the thermistor, it is possible to provide a connector with a wire that can be miniaturized and that can grasp the temperature of the power terminal. can be done.

(2) In the connector with electric wire of (1), the thermistor is arranged at a position overlapping the retainer in the insertion/removal direction, and the inner end portion of the water stop member in the insertion/removal direction is positioned inside the retainer. Further, the power line may have a bent portion inside the retainer in the insertion/removal direction. As a result, the water-stopping member is not subjected to a load such as bending, so deterioration of the water-stopping member is suppressed.

(3) In the connector with electric wire of (1) or (2), the power terminal has a retainer portion between the cylindrical portion and the power line connecting portion, and the water cutoff member is provided outside in the insertion/removal direction. The end portion may be arranged inside the retaining portion in the insertion/removal direction. This ensures that the power terminals are fixed between the housing and the retainer.

(4) In the connector with electric wire according to any one of (1) to (3), the water stop member may be a heat-shrinkable tube. As a result, the thermistor can be easily and reliably attached to the power line.

(5) In the connector with electric wire of (4), the heat-shrinkable tube may be attached so as to cover the thermistor temporarily fixed to the power line with a temporary fixing member. This facilitates mounting the thermistor in a fixed position within the heat-shrinkable tube.

(6) In the connector with electric wire according to any one of (1) to (5), the power terminal may be a piece made by pressing a single metal plate. The power terminal can be easily manufactured, and the cost can be reduced.

(7) In the connector with electric wire according to any one of (1) to (6), the housing further has a signal terminal accommodating portion that accommodates a signal terminal above the terminal accommodating portion, and the thermistor: It may be attached below the power line. The thermistor can be attached to the power line while avoiding interference with members on the signal terminal side.

(8) In the connector with wire according to any one of (1) to (7), a ground terminal accommodated in a ground terminal accommodating portion of the housing and having a cylindrical portion and a wire connecting portion; and the wire of the ground terminal. a ground wire connected to the connection portion; and a ground waterproof member covering the wire connection portion and part of the ground wire, wherein the ground terminal is disposed between the pair of power terminals. may As a result, between the pair of power terminals, the connecting portion between the wire connecting portion and the ground wire is prevented from being splashed with water.

(9) In the connector with wire according to any one of (1) to (8), the retainer is provided in an opening for drawing out the power line, a wall surrounding the power line, and a part of the wall. and a drain. As a result, the water that has entered around the water cutoff member is smoothly drained from the drainage section formed in the wall.

[Details of the embodiment of the present disclosure]
A specific example of the connector with electric wire of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. The present disclosure is not limited to these examples, but is indicated by the scope of the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the scope of the claims.

[Embodiment 1]
A connector with electric wire according to the first embodiment will be described below.

<About the vehicle>
First, a vehicle on which a connector with electric wire is mounted will be described.

A vehicle equipped with a connector with electric wire is an electric vehicle equipped with a battery and a motor. A vehicle runs by driving a motor with electric power from a battery. The vehicle may be an electric vehicle having only a motor as a drive source, or a hybrid vehicle having a motor and an engine. A battery in a vehicle is charged with power supplied from an external power source. Connectors with wires are used for charging the batteries of vehicles. The connector with electric wire can be fitted with the external charging connector 200 (see FIG. 4). Thereby, the connector with electric wire and the external charging connector 200 are electrically connected. External charging connector 200 is a connector for a charging cable extending from a power supply device outside the vehicle. In this specification, the inside indicates the inside of the vehicle in the insertion/extraction direction of the external charging connector 200, and the outside indicates the outside of the vehicle in the insertion/extraction direction of the external charging connector 200.

Generally, there are normal charging and rapid charging as charging methods for batteries in vehicles. Rapid charging enables charging in a shorter time than normal charging by allowing a larger current to flow than normal charging. For normal charging, it is assumed that a household power source or an equivalent external power source is used. In rapid charging, it is assumed that a dedicated power supply such as a charging stand is used. Below, the connector with an electric wire corresponding to normal charge is demonstrated. As long as there is no contradiction, the following connectors with electric wires can also be applied to connectors with electric wires that support quick charging.

<Connectors with wires for vehicles>
Referring to FIG. 1, an assembly mode of a connector with electric wire in a vehicle will be described. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a connector with electric wire 10 according to Embodiment 1 and its assembly mode.

The wire connector 10 is attached to, for example, an attachment portion 100 provided on the outer surface of the body of the vehicle. An example of the mounting portion 100 is shown in FIG. The mounting portion 100 is formed, for example, in a concave shape in which a part of a panel forming the body is concave inside the vehicle. A through hole 104 is formed in the bottom panel 102 of the mounting portion 100 .

A connection part with an external charging connector 200 is provided on the front side of the connector 10 with electric wire. The connecting portion includes a portion into which the external charging connector 200 is inserted and electrically connected. A portion of the connector with electric wire 10 including the connecting portion passes through the through hole 104 and is exposed to the outside of the panel 102 . Another part of the connector with wire 10 is arranged inside the vehicle rather than the panel 102 . The mounting portion 100 may be provided with an openable and closable vehicle body side cover or the like. The vehicle body side cover covers the opening of the panel 102 while the vehicle body side cover is closed. When the vehicle body side cover is opened, the connector with wire 10 is exposed, and the connector with wire 10 can be accessed from the outside. By fitting and connecting the external charging connector 200 to the connector with electric wire 10, a battery 230 provided in the vehicle is charged.

In the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 1 , among the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction that are orthogonal to each other, the X direction is the direction parallel to the direction in which the connector with wire 10 penetrates the through hole 104 of the panel 102. be done. Connector with electric wire 10 and external charging connector 200 are connected in the X direction. That is, the X direction is the insertion/extraction direction of external charging connector 200 . The Y direction is the direction in which a pair of power terminals 20P (see FIGS. 2 to 6), which will be described later, are arranged. The Z direction is the direction orthogonal to both the X and Y directions. For example, when the connector with electric wire 10 is provided on the side of a vehicle, the X direction is the width direction of the vehicle, the Y direction is the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and the Z direction is the vertical direction. Further, for example, when the connector with electric wire 10 is provided on the front or rear surface of the vehicle, it is conceivable that the X direction is the front-rear direction of the vehicle, the Y direction is the width direction of the vehicle, and the Z direction is the vertical direction. .

<Overall composition>
The overall configuration of the connector with electric wire 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 6 in addition to FIG. FIG. 2 is a rear view showing the connector with electric wire 10 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III--III in FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV of FIG. FIG. 6 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the connector with electric wire 10. FIG. 1 and 2, the grommet 80, which is an exterior member, is drawn in phantom lines. Also, the electric wire 30 is omitted in FIG.

The wire connector 10 includes terminals 20, wires 30, a thermistor unit 40, a housing 50, a retainer 60, a lid 70, and a grommet 80.

<Terminal>
Terminal 20 is housed in housing 50 . Terminal 20 is connected to terminal 210 of external charging connector 200 . The number and type of terminals 20 are appropriately set according to the standard of the connector with electric wire 10 and the like. In the example of this embodiment, as the terminals 20, two power terminals 20P, one ground terminal 20E, and two signal terminals 20S are provided. Power terminal 20P is used to supply power to battery 230 . The ground terminal 20E is used for grounding. The signal terminal 20S is used, for example, for charging control. The ground terminal 20E is arranged between the pair of power terminals 20P.

Each terminal 20, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, has a cylindrical portion 21, a wire connection portion 22, and a projecting portion 24 as a retaining portion. Cylindrical portion 21 is a portion electrically connected to terminal 210 of external charging connector 200 . Terminal 210 of external charging connector 200 is inserted from one end side of tubular portion 21 . The wire connecting portion 22 is provided on the other end side of the tubular portion 21 . A wire 30 corresponding to each terminal 20 is connected to the wire connection portion 22 . Here, the wire connection portion 22 is a crimp portion having a crimp piece 22a. In each terminal 20, a crimping piece 22a is crimped to the end of the corresponding wire 30, respectively. A protruding portion 24 is provided at an intermediate portion of each terminal 20 . The projecting portion 24 is located between the tubular portion 21 and the wire connecting portion 22 . The projecting portion 24 is a portion held down by the retainer 60 . Therefore, the protruding portion 24 plays a role of retaining. The protruding portion 24 protrudes from the connecting portion 23 that connects the cylindrical portion 21 and the wire connecting portion 22 in a direction intersecting with the extending direction of the connecting portion 23 . The projecting portion 24 has a first projecting piece 24a projecting in the Y direction from the connecting portion 23 and a second projecting piece 24b projecting in the Z direction from the tip of the first projecting piece 24a (see FIGS. 7 and 8). . Each terminal 20 is a component formed by pressing (bending) a flat metal plate.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, a plurality of types of terminals 20 having different sizes are used as the plurality of terminals 20 . In this example, the power terminal 20P is larger than the signal terminal 20S in the radial direction and the insertion/extraction direction. The wire connection portion 22 of the power terminal 20P is the power line connection portion. The ground terminal 20E has the same size as the power terminal 20P.

<Electric wire>
One end of each wire 30 is connected to the terminal 20 . The other end of each electric wire 30 extends outside from the grommet 80 . While the connector with wires 10 is mounted on the vehicle, the other end of each electric wire 30 is connected to another device mounted on the vehicle. Such a device is appropriately set according to the type of the electric wire 30, and is assumed to include, for example, a battery 230 and an electronic control unit (ECU). The number and types of wires 30 correspond to the number and types of terminals 20 . In the example of this embodiment, as the electric wires 30, two power lines 30P, one earth line 30E and two signal lines 30S are provided. One end of the power line 30P is connected to the power terminal 20P. The other end of the power line 30P is connected to, for example, the battery 230 of the vehicle. A vehicle battery 230 and a power supply device outside the vehicle are connected via a power terminal 20P and a power line 30P. One end of the ground wire 30E is connected to the ground terminal 20E. The other end of the ground wire 30E is connected to, for example, the ground of the vehicle. One end of the signal line 30S is connected to the signal terminal 20S. The other end of the signal line 30S is connected to, for example, an ECU of the vehicle. For example, the ECU of the vehicle and the power supply device outside the vehicle are communicably connected via the signal terminal 20S and the signal line 30S.

Each electric wire 30 is a covered electric wire. The coated electric wire has a core wire 31 and a coating 32 covering the core wire 31 . The core wire 31 is formed by, for example, twisting a plurality of metal strands. The core wire 31 may be a single core wire. The covering 32 is formed, for example, by extruding an insulating resin around the core wire 31 . A plurality of types of electric wires 30 having different thicknesses are used as the electric wires 30 . In this example, the power line 30P is thicker than the signal line 30S. The ground line 30E has the same thickness as the power line 30P.

One end of the electric wire 30 is inserted into the retainer 60 . The other end of the wire 30 extends from the retainer 60 and is bent within the grommet 80 toward the wire outlet 84 of the grommet 80, as shown in FIG. A plurality of electric wires 30 collectively extend from one electric wire outlet 84 to the outside of the grommet 80 .

<Thermistor unit>
A thermistor unit 40 measures the temperature of the power circuit. By monitoring the temperature of the power circuit using the thermistor unit 40, it is possible to prevent the temperature of the power circuit from becoming too high. The thermistor unit 40 has a thermistor 42 and a thermistor wire 44 (see FIGS. 3 and 4). In this example, a thermistor 42 is attached to each of the pair of power lines 30P to measure the temperature of each of the pair of power lines 30P.

A power terminal accommodating portion 53P, which will be described later, is preferably formed to have a size just enough to accommodate the power terminal 20P due to the demand for miniaturization of the housing 50 as a whole. Therefore, it may be difficult to secure a space for accommodating the thermistor 42 and the like in addition to the power terminal 20P in the power terminal accommodating portion 53P. On the other hand, since a large amount of current flows through the power terminal 20P, temperature control is important. Therefore, the thermistor 42 is not directly attached to the power terminal 20P, but is attached to the power line 30P at a position close to the power terminal 20P. Since the temperature of the power line 30P located near the power terminal 20P is detected in this manner, the heat generation state of the power terminal 20P can be grasped. The above-mentioned "near position" means a portion of power line 30P arranged within retainer 60 in the insertion/removal direction, as shown in FIGS. That is, the thermistor 42 is arranged at a position overlapping the retainer 60 in the insertion/removal direction. Further, preferably, the thermistor 42 is arranged in a portion forward of the center of the power line 30P arranged in the retainer 60 in the insertion/removal direction.

Also, when the thermistor 42 is attached to the power terminal 20P, the water flowing in from the opening 51A must avoid the thermistor 42 and be drained. On the other hand, since the thermistor 42 is not directly attached to the power terminal 20P, the drainage area of the water flowing in from the opening 51A is increased by the area of the thermistor 42. FIG. For this reason, when the thermistor 42 cannot be directly attached to the power terminal 20P, it is possible to simultaneously achieve downsizing of the housing 50 and improvement in drainage.

One end of the thermistor electric wire 44 is connected to the thermistor 42 . The other end of the thermistor electric wire 44 extends outside from the grommet 80 like the other end of the electric wire 30 . The other end of the thermistor electric wire 44 is connected to, for example, an ECU or the like while the connector with electric wire 10 is mounted on the vehicle. The thermistor electric wire 44 is thinner than the power line 30P.

The thermistor 42 is arranged at a position overlapping the retainer 60 in the X direction. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the thermistor 42 is positioned so as to be covered with the retainer 60 in a side view.

<Housing>
Housing 50 holds terminal 20 in a predetermined position (a position where it can be connected to terminal 210 of external charging connector 200). Housing 50 includes a housing body 51 and a vehicle mounting portion 58 .

The terminal 20 is accommodated in the housing body 51 . The housing body 51 has an outer frame portion 52 and a plurality of terminal accommodating portions 53 . Each of the plurality of terminal accommodating portions 53 is formed in a tubular shape capable of accommodating the corresponding terminal 20 . The outer frame portion 52 is formed in a tubular shape surrounding the plurality of terminal accommodating portions 53 . At an intermediate portion of the terminal accommodating portion 53, the terminal accommodating portions 53 and the outer frame portion 52 are connected by a flat connecting portion. An opening 51A into which the external charging connector 200 is inserted/extracted is formed in a portion of the outer frame portion 52 that faces the outside of the vehicle with respect to the connecting portion (see FIG. 3). The terminal accommodating portion 53 is positioned inside the opening portion 51A when viewed along the insertion/removal direction of the external charging connector 200 . A lid 70 is attached to the front of the housing body 51 . A retainer 60 is attached to the rear of the housing body 51 .

The terminal housing portion 53 has a power terminal housing portion 53P, a ground terminal housing portion 53E, and a signal terminal housing portion 53S. A signal terminal accommodating portion 53S is arranged above the power terminal accommodating portion 53P and the ground terminal accommodating portion 53E. The power terminal 20P is accommodated in the power terminal accommodating portion 53P. The ground terminal 20E is accommodated in the ground terminal accommodating portion 53E. The signal terminal 20S is accommodated in the signal terminal accommodating portion 53S.

The vehicle mounting portion 58 is a portion for mounting the connector with electric wire 10 to the mounting portion 100 . The vehicle mounting portion 58 is formed in a plate-like shape protruding around the outer frame portion 52 at the intermediate portion of the housing body 51 . The vehicle attachment portion 58 is attached to the attachment portion 100 by, for example, screws.

<Retainer>
The retainer 60 is attached inside the housing 50 (on the side opposite to the opening 51A) along the X direction. The retainer 60 prevents the terminals 20 from coming off from the housing 50 . Retainer 60 retains terminals 20 with housing 50 . The retainer 60 partially covers the terminals 20 and the wires 30 . The retainer 60 has a terminal pressing portion 61 .

The terminal pressing portion 61 presses the rear side of the terminal 20 housed in the housing 50 . As shown in FIG. 3, the terminal pressing portion 61E presses the rear of the ground terminal 20E, and as shown in FIG. 4, the terminal pressing portion 61P presses the rear of the power terminal 20P. This prevents the terminal 20 from coming out of the housing 50 backward. Terminal pressing portion 61 includes a rear cover portion 62 and a plurality of projecting tubular portions 63 .

As shown in FIG. 4 , the rear cover portion 62 closes the rear opening of the outer frame portion 52 . A plurality of through holes are formed in the rear cover portion 62 . A plurality of through holes are formed at positions corresponding to the respective terminal accommodating portions 53 . Each electric wire 30 passes through each through hole.

A plurality of protruding tubular portions 63 protrude from the rear cover portion 62 toward the rear (opposite side of the housing 50). A plurality of projecting tubular portions 63 are formed at positions corresponding to the respective terminal accommodating portions 53 . Each projecting tubular portion 63 communicates with each through hole. The tip of each protruding tubular portion 63 is inserted into the corresponding terminal accommodating portion 53 to press the corresponding protruding portion 24 from behind. In addition, the peripheral surface of the projecting tubular portion 63 serves as a wall surrounding each electric wire 30 .

A protruding tubular portion 63 corresponding to the power terminal 20P and a protruding tubular portion 63 corresponding to the ground terminal 20E protrude rearward from the rear cover portion 62 along the X direction. The positions of the tip of the power line 30P and the tip of the ground wire 30E are regulated via these projecting tubular portions 63 . A power line 30P is drawn out from an opening 64a on the rear side of the projecting tubular portion 63 corresponding to the power terminal 20P.

A drainage part 65 is provided on the wall of the projecting cylindrical part 63 corresponding to the power terminal. The drainage part 65 opens in a direction intersecting with the opening. Here, the drainage part 65 is formed so as to open sideways at a position closer to the lower side than the center of the power terminal 20P. The drainage part 65 has a diameter equal to or larger than that of the power line 30P.

As the drainage section 65, two drainage sections 65 for the power terminals 20P are respectively provided. The two drainage portions 65 are formed in a direction away from each other and in a direction along the alignment of the pair of power terminals 20P.

<Lid>
The lid 70 is attached to the housing 50 so that it can be opened and closed. The opening 51A is exposed when the lid 70 is open. This allows the external charging connector 200 to be inserted into the opening 51A. The opening 51A is closed with the lid 70 closed.

<Grommet>
The grommet 80 collectively covers the retainer 60 and the terminals 20 from the side of the housing 50 opposite to the opening 51A. The grommet 80 covers the rear end of the housing body 51 and the retainer 60 . The grommet 80 is a member having elasticity. The grommet 80 is made of an elastomer such as EPDM, for example. The grommet 80 is, for example, a mold-molded article. Grommet 80 is an example of grommet 80 as an exterior member that collectively covers retainer 60 and terminals 20 . The exterior member does not need to be a member having elasticity, and may be formed of hard resin, metal, or the like. That is, the exterior member may be a protector or a grommet.

The grommet 80 is formed with a housing outlet 81, a drain port 83 and a wire outlet 84. The housing outlet 81 is formed in a tubular shape extending in the X direction. The housing outlet 81 covers the rear end of the housing 50 . A front end portion of the housing body 51 extends outside the grommet 80 through the housing outlet 81 . The drain port 83 is an opening for draining water that has entered the interior of the connector with wire 10 to the outside. Such water is assumed to enter from the front end portion of the housing body 51 when the lid 70 is opened, for example. The drain port 83 is formed in a tubular shape extending in the Z direction. The other end of the wire 30 extends outside the grommet 80 through the wire outlet 84 . Here, there is one wire outlet 84, through which the power line 30P, the signal line 30S, the ground wire 30E, and the thermistor wire 44 are collectively passed. A plurality of wire outlets 84 may be provided, and a plurality of wires 30 may be divided and passed through the plurality of wire outlets 84 .

Here, the insertion/removal direction, the direction in which the wire outlet 84 opens, and the direction in which the drain port 83 opens are directions that intersect each other. Here, the insertion/removal direction is the X direction. The direction in which the wire outlet 84 opens is the Y direction. The direction in which the drain port 83 opens is the Z direction. The insertion/removal direction, the opening direction of the wire outlet 84, and the opening direction of the drain port 83 are orthogonal to each other, but they may intersect at an angle other than orthogonal.

<Electric wire with terminal>
The terminal 20 and the electric wire 30 are electrically connected to each other by crimping or the like, and are fixed and integrated in the middle of manufacturing the connector with electric wire 10 . An electric wire in which the electric wire 30 and the terminal 20 are integrated in this way is sometimes called an electric wire with a terminal. In this example, a terminal-equipped wire (terminal-equipped power wire) in which the power line 30P and the power terminal 20P are integrated, a terminal-equipped wire in which the signal line 30S and the signal terminal 20S are integrated, and a ground wire 30E and the ground terminal 20E are integrated. A terminal-equipped electric wire is provided.

An example of an electric wire with a terminal will be described more specifically with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a terminal-equipped power line 34P in which the power terminal 20P and the power line 30P are integrated. FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating how the terminal-equipped power line 34P is manufactured.

As shown in FIG. 7, the terminal-equipped power line 34P may be provided with a water stop member 36 . The water stop member 36 covers the connecting portion between the power terminal 20P and the power line 30P. The water stop member 36 covers, for example, a portion of the power terminal 20P that is forward of the portion to which the power line 30P is connected to a portion of the power line 30P where the coating 32 is present. More specifically, the water stop member 36 covers the core wire 31 at the end of the power line 30P from above the thermistor 42 attached to the power line 30P. This prevents water from splashing on the core wire 31 and the thermistor 42, which are the connecting portions between the power line 30P and the power terminal 20P. In addition, since the core wire 31 is not exposed to water, intrusion of water into the coating 32 is suppressed. Here, the water stop member 36 is a shrinkable tube. The waterproof member 36 may be an elastic rubber tube or a resin such as an adhesive.

The shrinkable tube 36 as the waterproof member 36 is, for example, a heat-shrinkable tube that shrinks when heated. The shrinkable tube 36, which has a large diameter before being heated, is placed over the terminal-equipped power line 34P. After that, when the shrinkable tube 36 is heated and shrunk, it assumes a shape corresponding to the shape of the connecting portion, thereby being able to adhere to the connecting portion. For example, the tip of the shrinkable tube 36 before heating may fit into a recess formed in the first projecting piece 24a of the projecting portion 24 and may be positioned by abutting against the first projecting piece 24a. The tip of the shrinkable tube 36 after being shrunk may remain fitted in the recess formed in the first protruding piece 24 a of the protruding portion 24 . The tip of the shrinkable tube 36 after shrinking may come out rearward from the recess. By adopting the heat-shrinkable tube 36 as the water stop member 36, it is considered that the number of parts can be reduced compared to adopting other water stop structures. Moreover, by adopting the heat-absorbing shrinkable tube 36 as the water stop member 36, it becomes easy to attach the thermistor 42 to the power line 30P.

For example, the inner surface of the shrinkable tube 36 may be provided with a hot-melt adhesive. Thereby, the hot-melt adhesive can fill the gap between the shrinkable tube 36 and the terminal 20 and the gap between the shrinkable tube 36 and the power line 30P, and the waterproofness of the shrinkable tube 36 is enhanced. The inner surface of the shrinkable tube 36 may not be provided with a hot-melt adhesive. In the power line with terminal 34P, the connection portion between the power line 30P and the power terminal 20P may be exposed without the shrinkable tube 36 being provided.

The thermistor 42 is located on the outer peripheral side of the coating 32 at a position (for example, a slightly distant position) from the connecting portion between the power line 30P and the power terminal 20P. The thermistor 42 is also located inside the shrink tube 36 along with the power line 30P. One end of the thermistor electric wire 44 connected to the thermistor 42 is positioned inside the shrinkable tube 36 . The other end of the thermistor electric wire 44 extends outside from the end of the shrinkable tube 36 . The other end of the thermistor wire 44 extends out of the grommet 80 together with the power line 30P, the ground line 30E and the signal line 30S. The wire connection portion 22 of the power terminal 20P and the thermistor 42 are positioned on a drainage path A3, which will be described later.

The thermistor 42 may be positioned on the covering 32 by a temporary fixing member such as an adhesive tape 46 before the shrinkable tube 36 is attached. This increases the accuracy of the positional relationship of the thermistor 42 with respect to the power line 34P with terminals. In this case, the temporary fixing member such as the adhesive tape 46 is also positioned inside the shrinkable tube 36 . In other words, the shrinkable tube 36 is attached so as to cover the thermistor 42 temporarily fixed to the covering 32 by a temporary fixing member such as the adhesive tape 46 . For example, the adhesive tape 56 is wrapped around the power line 30P and the thermistor 42 while the thermistor 42 is placed in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the power line 30P. The adhesive tape 56 need only be wrapped around the power line 30</b>P to the extent that the thermistor 42 can be held at a fixed position, and does not have to cover the entire circumference of the thermistor 42 . The shrinkable tube 36 preferably covers the entire adhesive tape 56 .

The shrinkable tube 36 may also be provided on an electric wire 34E with a terminal in which the ground terminal 20E and the ground wire 30E are integrated, and an electric wire 34S with a terminal in which the signal terminal 20S and the signal wire 30S are integrated. In this case, the shrinkable tube 36 covers the wire connecting portion 22 of the ground terminal 20E and part of the ground wire 30E (core wire 31E portion). Also, the shrinkable tube 36 covers the wire connection portion 22 of the signal terminal 20S and a portion of the signal wire 30S (core wire 31S portion). As a result, the connection portion between the wire connection portion 22 and the ground wire 30E or the signal wire 30S is prevented from being splashed with water. 3 and 5, the heat-shrinkable tube that covers the wire connection portion 22 of the ground terminal 20E and part of the ground wire 30E (the core wire 31E portion and the end of the coating) is indicated by a two-dot chain line. A shrinkable tube is the earth water stop member 38 .

In addition, as shown in FIG. 5, the power line 30P has a bent portion 33 inward (of the vehicle) from the retainer 60 in the X direction. For this reason, the water cutoff member 36 is not subjected to a load such as bending, and deterioration of the water cutoff member 36 can be expected to be suppressed. Stated from another point of view, as shown in FIG. 7, the X-direction inner end 36I of the shrinkable tube 36 is positioned inside the retainer 60 . By doing so, the bent portion 33 of the power line 30</b>P is not covered with the water cutoff member 36 , so that the water cutoff member 36 is not burdened with bending or the like.

<Drainage route>
In the connector with electric wire 10, the opening 51A of the housing 50 and the internal space of the grommet 80 communicate with liquid such as water (hereinafter referred to as water) so as to be able to flow therethrough. Water entering from the opening 51A flows outside the grommet 80 along the drainage path in the connector with electric wire 10 . The drainage path in the connector with electric wire 10 will be described more specifically. Arrows A1, A2, A3, and A4 in FIGS. 3 to 5 indicate part of the drainage paths in the connector with electric wire 10. FIG.

A drainage path A1 shown in FIG. 3 is a drainage path through a drainage hole 51h formed below the opening 51A of the housing 50. The drainage path A1 shown in FIG. The drainage path A1 is a drainage path that does not pass through the terminal accommodating portion 53 . Water that has entered through the drain hole 51 h of the housing 50 is discharged from the drain port 83 of the grommet 80 through the lower passage of the terminal housing portion 53 and the drain hole 62 h of the retainer 60 .

A drainage path A2 shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 is a drainage path via the ground terminal accommodating portion 53E. In the drainage path A2, water flows downward from the opening of the retainer 60 connected to the rear of the ground terminal accommodating portion 53E. After that, it is discharged from the drain port 83 of the grommet 80 .

A drainage path A3 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is a drainage path via the power terminal accommodating portion 53P. In the drainage path A3, similarly to the drainage path A2, water flows downward from the opening of the retainer 60 connected to the rear of the power terminal accommodating portion 53P. After that, it is discharged from the drain port 83 of the grommet 80 through the inner surface of the cylindrical portion of the grommet 80 .

A drainage path A4 shown in FIG. 5 is a drainage path via the power terminal housing portion 53P, and is a drainage path different from the drainage path A3. In the drainage path A4, water flows laterally from the drainage portion 65 of the power terminal pressing portion 61P and is discharged from the drainage port 83 of the grommet 80. As shown in FIG.

In the drainage path through the power terminal accommodating portion 53P, water can flow through any path between the drainage path A3 and the drainage path A4. In the electric wire connector 10 , the opening 51</b>A in the housing 50 and the space covering the power line 30</b>P in the retainer 60 communicate with each other through the terminal accommodating portion 53 so that water can flow. Water that has entered from the opening 51A flows toward the outside of the grommet 80 along the drainage path A3, the drainage path A4, or the drainage paths therebetween.

Although the drainage path through the signal terminal housing portion 53S is omitted from the drawing, it is basically the same as the drainage paths A2 and A3. That is, water flows downward from the rear opening of the signal terminal holding portion 61S. Then, it is discharged from the drain port 83 of the grommet 80 through the inner surface of the cylindrical portion of the grommet 80 .

<Effects, etc.>
According to the connector with wire 10 configured as described above, by including the thermistor 42 attached to the power line 30P and the water stop member 36 covering the wire connecting portion 22 and the thermistor 42, the size can be reduced, and It is possible to provide the connector with electric wire 10 that allows the temperature of the power terminal 20P to be grasped. That is, since it is not necessary to secure a space for accommodating the thermistor 42 in the power terminal accommodating portion 53P, it is possible to reduce the size of the connector with electric wire 10, particularly when viewed from the front. In addition, since it is not necessary to stop water between the housing 50 and the power terminal 20P with a rubber plug or the like, the degree of freedom in design is improved.

The thermistor 42 is arranged at a position overlapping the retainer 60 in the X direction, and the inner end 36I of the water stop member 36 in the X direction is located inside the retainer 60 . Also, the power line 30P may have a bent portion 33 inward of the retainer 60 in the X direction. As a result, the water cutoff member 36 is not subjected to a load such as bending, so deterioration of the water cutoff member 36 is suppressed.

The power terminal 20P has a projecting portion 24 as a retaining portion between the cylindrical portion 21 and the wire connection portion 22. Thereby, the power terminal 20P is securely fixed between the housing 50 and the retainer 60. As shown in FIG.

The water stop member 36 may be a heat-shrinkable tube. As a result, the thermistor 42 can be easily and reliably attached to the power line 30P.

A heat-shrinkable tube as the water cutoff member 36 may be attached so as to cover the thermistor 42 temporarily fixed to the power line 30P with a temporary fixing member such as an adhesive tape 46 . This makes it easy to attach the thermistor 42 at a fixed position within the heat-shrinkable tube.

The power terminal 20P may be a pressed part made from a single metal plate. As a result, the power terminal 20P can be easily manufactured and the cost can be reduced as compared with the case where the power terminal 20P is a machined product or a cast product (die-cast). In the case where the power terminal 20P is a pressed component, the configuration in which the wire connection portion 22 and the thermistor 42 are covered with the water stop member 36 is particularly effective for the following reasons. In other words, if the power terminal 20P is a pressed component, it may be difficult to realize a structure that seals off water between the inside and outside of the housing 50 with a rubber ring or the like. Therefore, by covering the wire connecting portion 22 and the thermistor 42 with the water stop member 36 , even if the water reaches the inside of the housing 50 , it is allowed to pass outside the water stop member 36 . As a result, even when the power terminal 20P is a press-formed part, it is possible to take measures to prevent water from flowing into the wire connecting portion 22 and the thermistor 42. FIG. It is not essential that the power terminal 20P is a pressed component, and may be formed by cutting a metal bar, for example.

The housing 50 further has a signal terminal accommodating portion 53S above the terminal accommodating portion 53 for accommodating the signal terminal 20S. Alternatively, the thermistor 42 may be attached below the power line 30P. While avoiding interference with the signal line 30S extending from the signal terminal 20S, the arrangement space for the thermistor 42 attached to the electric wire 30O can be secured.

A ground terminal 20E, which is housed in a terminal housing portion 53 of a housing 50 and has a cylindrical portion 21 and a wire connection portion 22, and a grounding waterproof member 38 which covers the wire connection portion 22 and part of the ground wire 30E. Prepare more. Also, the ground terminal 20E may be arranged between the pair of power terminals 20P. This prevents water from splashing on the connecting portion between the wire connecting portion 22 and the ground wire 30E.

In the retainer 60, the drainage part 65 is provided in a part of the wall surrounding the power line 30P, so that the water that has entered the terminal accommodating part 53 can be drained more efficiently.

It should be noted that the configurations described in the above embodiments and modifications can be appropriately combined as long as they do not contradict each other.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 connector with electric wire 20 terminal 20E ground terminal 20P power terminal 20S signal terminal 21 cylindrical portion 22 wire connecting portion 22a crimping piece 23 connecting portion 24 projecting portion 24a first projecting piece 24b second projecting piece 30 electric wire 30E ground wire 30O electric wire

30P power line

30S Signal line 31 Core wire 32 Coating 33 Bend 34E Wire with terminal 34P Power wire with terminal 34S Wire with terminal 36 Shrinkable tube, waterproof member 36I Inner end 38 Grounding waterproof member 40 Thermistor unit 42 Thermistor 44 Thermistor wire 46 Adhesive Tape 50 Housing 51 Housing body 51A Opening 51h Drain hole 52 Outer frame 53 Terminal accommodating portion 53E Earth terminal accommodating portion 53P Power terminal accommodating portion 53S Signal terminal accommodating portion 56 Adhesive tape 58 Vehicle mounting portion 60 Retainer 61 Terminal pressing portion 61P Power terminal pressing portion 61S Signal terminal pressing portion 62 Rear cover portion 62h Drain hole 63 Protruding tubular portion 64a Opening 65 Drainage portion 70 Lid 80 Grommet 81 Housing outlet 83 Drainage port 84 Wire outlet 100 Mounting portion 102 Panel 104 Through hole 200 External charging connector 210 Terminal 230 Battery A1, A2, A3, A4 Drainage path

Claims

A connector with a wire mounted on a vehicle, fitted with an external charging connector of a power supply device outside the vehicle, and used for charging a battery of the vehicle,
a power terminal having a cylindrical portion into which terminals of the external charging connector are inserted from one end side and a power line connection portion provided on the other end side of the cylindrical portion, and used for supplying power to the battery;
a power line connected to the power line connection portion of the power terminal;
a thermistor attached to the power line and detecting the temperature of the power line;
a housing having an opening through which the external charging connector is inserted and removed, and a terminal accommodating portion that is arranged inside the opening when viewed from the insertion/extraction direction of the external charging connector and that accommodates the power terminal;
a retainer mounted inside the housing along the inserting/removing direction, holding the power terminal together with the housing, and covering the power terminal and part of the power line;
with
liquid is communicated through the terminal accommodating portion from the opening in the housing to the space covering the power line in the retainer;
A connector with an electric wire, further comprising a waterproof member that covers the power line connecting portion and the thermistor.
The connector with electric wire according to claim 1,
The thermistor is arranged at a position overlapping the retainer in the insertion/removal direction,
an inner end portion of the water stop member in the insertion/removal direction is positioned inside the retainer;
A connector with an electric wire, wherein the power line has a bent portion inward of the retainer in the insertion/removal direction.
The connector with electric wire according to claim 1 or 2,
The power terminal has a retaining portion between the tubular portion and the power line connecting portion,
The connector with electric wire, wherein an outer end portion of the water stop member in the insertion/removal direction is arranged inside the retaining portion in the insertion/removal direction.
A connector with a wire according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A connector with an electric wire, wherein the waterproof member is a heat-shrinkable tube.
The connector with electric wire according to claim 4,
A connector with electric wire, wherein the heat-shrinkable tube is attached so as to cover the thermistor temporarily fixed to the power line by a temporary fixing member.
A connector with a wire according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
A connector with an electric wire, wherein the power terminal is a pressed part made of a single metal plate.
The connector with electric wire according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
the housing further has a signal terminal accommodating portion for accommodating a signal terminal above the terminal accommodating portion;
A connector with a wire, wherein the thermistor is attached below the power line.
A connector with an electric wire according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
a ground terminal accommodated in the ground terminal accommodating portion of the housing and having a cylindrical portion and a wire connecting portion;
a ground wire connected to the wire connecting portion of the ground terminal;
a water stop member for grounding that covers the wire connecting portion and a part of the grounding wire;
A connector with electric wire, wherein the ground terminal is arranged between the pair of power terminals.
A connector with a wire according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
A connector with a wire, wherein the retainer has an opening through which the power line is led out, a wall surrounding the power line, and a drainage part provided in a part of the wall.