JP3074435B2 - Joint connector - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a joint connector for interconnecting a plurality of terminals housed in a connector housing by bus bars.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A joint connector for interconnecting a plurality of terminals housed in a connector housing by busbars is used, for example, in a case where a signal path is branched into a plurality of signal paths in an electric system of an automobile or the like. It's being used.

FIGS. 19 to 22 show a conventional example of the joint connector. This joint connector is described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. Sho 63-79083, in which a wire connecting portion 1a is provided on a base end side and a bus bar connecting portion for electrically connecting to a bus bar 2 is provided on a distal end side. 1b, and a connector housing 3 provided with a terminal receiving portion 3a and a busbar receiving portion 3b for aligning and receiving the plurality of terminals 1.
A bus bar 2 housed in the bus bar housing 3b to electrically connect a plurality of terminals to each other; and an electric wire 4 connected to an electric wire connecting portion 1a of the terminal 1.

[0004] The terminal 1 is a so-called crimp terminal, and is manufactured by performing a series of sheet metal processing such as punching and bending on a metal plate having excellent conductive properties and having spring properties. Then, as shown in FIG. 19, the wire connecting portion 1a is a cover fixing piece 1c for fixing the insulating coating portion of the wire 4 by performing a caulking operation.
And a crimping piece 1d for crimping the bare wire of the electric wire 4 by performing a caulking operation. Also,
The bus bar connecting portion 1b of the terminal 1 is formed by bending a resilient contact piece 1e for holding the terminal connecting portion 2a of the bus bar 2 by elastic force.

The bus bar 2 is formed of a metal plate having excellent conductive properties.
As shown in FIG. 22, the tongue-shaped terminal connecting portion 2a which engages with the terminal 1 and becomes conductive with the terminal 1 by the elastic contact of
A plurality of combs are connected in accordance with the terminal arrangement in the connector housing 3.

The connector housing 3 is a molded product made of a synthetic resin or the like having excellent insulation properties. As shown in FIG. 19, a busbar receiving portion is provided above a terminal receiving portion 3a for aligning and receiving a plurality of terminals 1. The terminal housing 3a and the busbar housing 3b are both open at one end (the upper side in FIG. 19). The terminal 1 and the bus bar 2 are inserted into the respective accommodation sections through the openings on one end side.

The terminal receiving portion 3a has an engaging recess 1 formed in the terminal 1 when the terminal 1 is inserted to a predetermined position.
f, an elastic locking projection 3 for preventing the terminal 1 from coming off.
c is equipped.

As shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, the base end side of the bus bar 2 (the side where the tongue-shaped terminal connection portions 2a are connected to each other) is embedded in a spacer 5 made of synthetic resin having excellent insulation properties. It has been dressed. This spacer 5
The bus bar 2 is a bus bar accommodating portion 3 of the connector housing 3.
b (ie, the terminal connecting portion 2a and the elastic contact piece 1e).
When the bus bar 2 is inserted up to the position where the engagement with the bus bar 2 is completed, the bus bar 2 serves to fix the bus bar 2 in the bus bar accommodating portion 3b. More specifically, the bus bar 2 is used to prevent a portion other than the terminal connection portion 2 a of the bus bar 2 from conducting with the terminal 1.
And a pair of arm members 5 protruding from both sides of the covering portion 5a to the upper surface side.
b and a stopper portion 5c provided so as to protrude from the rear end of the covering portion 5a to the upper surface side.

As shown in FIG. 19, the front end face 5d of the covering portion 5a comes into contact with the rear end of the elastic contact piece 1e when the bus bar 2 is inserted to the specified position of the bus bar receiving portion 3b.
It assists in fixing the terminal 1 in the terminal accommodating portion 3a.

[0010] The arm member 5b extends from the front end to the rear end of the covering portion 5a.
A locking projection 5e is provided which protrudes into an engagement hole 3d formed in the peripheral wall of the connector housing 3. The engagement of the locking projection 5e with the rear edge of the engagement hole 3d prevents the bus bar 2 inserted to the specified position from coming off.

As shown in FIG. 20, when the bus bar 2 is inserted to a predetermined position of the bus bar accommodating portion 3b, the stopper portion 5c comes into contact with the opening-side end face of the connector housing 3 as positioning means. It functions as a handle and also functions as a handle (a hook portion) when pulling out the bus bar 2.

[0012]

However, in the case of the above-described conventional joint connector, the bus bar connecting portion 1b is not provided.
Of the bus bar connecting portion 1b inevitably due to the limitation on the size of the elastic contact piece 1e in the bending process and the limitation on the shape for securing a necessary and sufficient elastic characteristic to enable stable electrical contact. Since the length dimension (the dimension in the vertical direction in FIG. 19) increases, and eventually the overall length of the terminal 1 increases, the connector housing 3 also needs a large length dimension L as shown in FIG. And causes a problem such as an increase in occupied space.

Further, since the elastic contact piece 1e is provided by bending, the shape of the terminal 1 is complicated.
There was also a problem that the product cost was high due to the processing of e.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and can reduce the length of the terminal, and can reduce the occupied space by reducing the length of the connector housing. It is another object of the present invention to provide a joint connector capable of reducing product cost by simplifying a terminal shape.

[0015]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an electric vehicle having a plurality of bus bars provided with a wire connecting portion on the base end side and a bus bar connecting portion for electrical connection to the bus bar on the distal end side. And a connector housing provided with a terminal receiving portion and a bus bar receiving portion for aligning and receiving the plurality of terminals, and inserted in the same direction as the terminal insertion direction to be received in the bus bar receiving portion. A structure in which a plurality of terminal connection portions that engage with the bus bar connection portions of the terminals and become conductive with the terminals are connected in correspondence with the terminal arrangement in the connector housing, a joint connector comprising a bus bar for electrically connecting state of the terminal, said end
The busbar connecting portion of the child has an L-shaped cross section,
One of the flat plate portions constituting the character is a terminal connecting portion of the bus bar.
And the other flat part forming the L-shape
Locking projection that protrudes into the terminal housing of the connector housing
This is achieved by a joint connector characterized by being engaged and used for retaining .

[0016]

Further, the terminal of the terminal has a flat board portion inserted into the terminal accommodating portion along the bottom wall of the terminal accommodating portion of the connector housing, and left and right extending from both sides of the board portion. And a busbar connecting portion functioning as a thick flat plate portion that engages with a slit portion formed in the terminal connecting portion of the busbar in a laminated structure in which the plate pieces are folded together, and The above-described object can also be achieved by a configuration in which the position of the busbar connection portion is set such that the center position of the busbar connection portion in the plate thickness direction and the center position of the electric wire held by the electric wire connection portion overlap. You can do it.

[0018]

[0019]

[0020]

According to the above construction of the present invention, the terminal and the bus bar can be electrically connected by tight fitting between the flat plate portion and the slit, so that the terminal end portion can have an extremely simple shape. This makes it possible to reduce the length of the terminal as compared with the conventional case in which an elastic contact piece requiring complicated bending is provided at the tip of the terminal.

Further, by forming the bus bar connecting portion of the terminal in an L-shape, it is possible to secure high strength at the terminal end side while having a simple shape.

Further, the terminal of the terminal has a flat board portion inserted into the terminal accommodating portion along the bottom wall of the terminal accommodating portion of the connector housing, and left and right extending from both sides of the board portion. And a busbar connecting portion functioning as a thick flat plate portion that engages with a slit formed in the terminal connecting portion of the busbar in a laminated structure in which the plate pieces are folded with each other. A larger thickness dimension than the actual plate thickness of the used plate material can be given to the flat bus bar connecting portion, and as a result, the slit width of the bus bar side slit portion to which the bus bar connecting portion is fitted is punched out. Can be easily widened.

Further, in the configuration in which the position of the bus bar connection portion is set such that the center position of the bus bar connection portion in the plate thickness direction and the center position of the electric wire held by the electric wire connection portion overlap each other, The terminal arrangement in the terminal accommodating portion can be made symmetrical with respect to the center position in the width direction of the terminal accommodating portion (that is, the position of the slit portion of the bus bar). In comparison with the above, it is possible to refine the shape of the connector housing by symmetrically arranging the gaps secured on both sides of the terminal in each terminal accommodating portion.

Further, a locking projection protrudingly formed on the bottom wall of the terminal receiving portion when the terminal is inserted to a predetermined position in the terminal receiving portion of the connector housing is engaged with the substrate portion at the tip end of the terminal. In the configuration in which the opening for retaining is provided, and the center position of the retaining opening coincides with the center position of the electric wire fixed to the terminal base end side, the bus bar connecting portion at the tip of the flat terminal is provided. The slit on the bus bar and the wire crimped to the base end of the terminal are aligned on the same center line, and the wire crimped to the terminal is subjected to a pulling force and the terminal is pulled out. Even in this case, a torsional force is less likely to be applied to the tip of the terminal, mechanical strength can be easily secured, and inconvenience such as deformation at the tip of the terminal can be less likely to occur.

[0025]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the joint connector according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 5 show a first embodiment of a joint connector according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway exploded perspective view showing a state before connector assembly.
2 is an assembly view of the connector, FIG. 3 is a plan view of a terminal applied to the present embodiment, FIG. 4 is a view taken in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is a plan view of a bus bar applied to the present embodiment. Is shown.

The joint connector 10 shown in the first embodiment is provided with a wire connecting portion 11a on the base end side and a bus bar connecting portion 11b for electrically connecting to the bus bar 12 on the distal end side. A plurality of terminals 11,
A connector housing 13 provided with a terminal accommodating portion 13a and a busbar accommodating portion 13b for aligning and accommodating the plurality of terminals 11, and electrically connecting the plurality of terminals 11 accommodated in the busbar accommodating portion 13b to each other. The bus bar 12 to be in a state and the electric wire 14 connected to the electric wire connection portion 11a of the terminal 11 are constituted.

In this embodiment, the three terminals 11 are interconnected by busbars 12. By using the joint connector of the first embodiment, a bifurcated branch can be obtained. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an assembled state, and FIG.
3 shows a state in which the terminal 11 has been mounted on the terminal accommodating portion 13a of No. 3 and the bus bar 12 is to be mounted. FIG. 2B shows a state in which the bus bar 12 has been mounted on the bus bar accommodating portion 13b of the connector housing 13 (ie, an assembled state).

The terminal 11 is a so-called crimp terminal, and is manufactured by performing a series of sheet metal processing such as punching and bending on a metal plate having excellent conductive properties and having spring properties. The wire connection part 11a
Is a cover fixing piece 11c for fixing the insulating cover portion of the electric wire 14 by performing a caulking operation in the same manner as the conventional one.
And a crimping piece 11d for crimping the bare wire of the electric wire 14 by performing a caulking operation.

On the other hand, the bus bar connecting portion 11b of the terminal 11
Has a simple L-shape in cross section as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and has no curved portion or the like that is troublesome to process. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the one flat plate portion 11e constituting the L-shape is
And the other flat portion 11f forming the L-shape is connected to the connector housing 13 (described later in detail).
2c (see FIG. 2).
) To function as a stopper.

The bus bar 12 is formed of a metal plate having excellent conductive properties. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, a tongue-shaped terminal connecting portion 12a is provided for connecting the terminal 11 in the connector housing 13. It has a structure in which a plurality of pieces are connected in a comb-like shape corresponding to the arrangement (interval). A slit portion 12b is formed in the center of each terminal connection portion 12a in the width direction (the left-right direction in FIG. 5) so that the flat plate portion 11e of the bus bar connection portion 11b fits tightly. Each slit portion 12b has a wide opening at the opening end so that the flat plate portion 11e is guided to the slit portion 12b to smoothly perform the fitting operation when the slit portion 12b is inserted into the bus bar accommodating portion 13b of the connector housing 13. ing. Further, in order to increase the reliability of electrical contact by tight fitting, the slit 12
b, a contact portion 12c having a narrow slit width is provided at a position slightly entering from the opening end.

A slit 12d is formed between the adjacent terminal connecting portions 12a so that the separating wall 13d of the connector housing 13 can be gently inserted therethrough.
An engagement hole 12e is formed at a position near the rear end, which is an extension of. When the bus bar 12 is inserted to a predetermined position in the bus bar accommodating portion 13b, the engagement hole 12e is engaged with a locking projection (described later) provided on the connector housing 13 side to prevent the bus bar 12 from falling off.

The bus bar 12 used in the first embodiment is formed in advance in a long shape to which a large number of terminal connecting portions 12a are connected, and as shown in FIG. Cut according to number. In FIG. 5, the broken line indicates the separated side.

The connector housing 13 is a molded article made of synthetic resin or the like having excellent insulation properties. As shown in FIG.
The terminal housing 13a and the busbar housing 13b are open at one end (the right side in FIG. 2). Terminal 1
The busbar 1 and the busbar 12 are inserted into the respective accommodation sections through the openings on one end side.

The terminal accommodating portion 13a has an elastic locking projection 13c which protrudes rearward of a flat plate portion 11f formed on the terminal 11 when the terminal 11 is inserted to a prescribed position to prevent the terminal 11 from being pulled out. Equipped.

An isolation wall 1 is provided between adjacent terminal accommodating portions 13a.
3d, this partition wall 13d is
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the upper side corresponding to the busbar accommodating portion 13 b is cut off from the outer wall portion, and furthermore, the intermediate portion on the open end side of the connector housing 13 is cut off, so that It has a configuration having an arm portion 13e capable of elastic displacement in the direction. The arm 13e is provided with a locking projection 13f protruding upward. This locking projection 13f
When the bus bar 12 is inserted from the same direction as the insertion direction of the terminal 11 to the specified position of the bus bar accommodating portion 13b, the bus bar 12 engages with the engagement hole 12e to prevent the terminal 11 from falling off.

A guide groove 13g into which the flat plate portion 11e of the terminal 11 is slidably fitted is formed on the inner surface side of the upper outer peripheral wall of the connector housing 13. The guide groove 13g stabilizes the posture of the terminal 11 when inserting the terminal 11 into the terminal accommodating portion 13a, and ensures the engagement between the bus bar 12 inserted later and the terminal 11.

In the joint connector of the first embodiment described above, the flat plate portion 11e of the terminal 11 and the slit of the bus bar 12 are formed.
The terminal 11 and the bus bar 12 are tightly fitted to the portion 12b.
In order to achieve electrical connection with the terminal, the tip of the terminal 11 has a very simple shape, and compared to a conventional one in which an elastic contact piece requiring complicated bending is provided at the tip of the terminal. The length of the terminal 11 can be reduced, and the occupied space can be reduced by reducing the length of the connector housing 13. In addition, the simplification of the terminal shape can reduce the product cost and improve the product yield.

Further, since the bus bar connecting portion 11b of the terminal 11 has an L-shape, it is possible to secure high strength at the terminal end side while having a simple shape. One of them can be used for connection with the bus bar 12 and the other can be used for positioning with respect to the connector housing 13, so that the degree of freedom in design can be increased.

FIGS. 6 to 8 show a second embodiment of the joint connector according to the present invention. The same reference numerals in the drawings as those in the first embodiment denote the same structure. This second
The joint connector 20 of the embodiment is provided with an electric wire connection portion 11a on the proximal end side and a bus bar 22 on the distal end side.
A plurality of terminals 11 provided with bus bar connecting portions 11b for making electrical connection to the plurality of terminals 11;
A connector housing 23 provided with a terminal accommodating portion 23a and a busbar accommodating portion 23b for aligning and accommodating a plurality of terminals 11 accommodated in the busbar accommodating portion 23b and electrically connecting the plurality of terminals 11 to each other. And the electric wire 14 connected to the electric wire connection portion 11a of the terminal 11.

Here, the configurations of the terminal 11 and the electric wire 14 are exactly the same as those of the first embodiment, and therefore the description is omitted. The engagement structure between the bus bar 22 and the terminal 11 is the same as that of the first embodiment. The engagement structure between the bus bar 22 and the connector housing 23 is shown in FIGS.
There are many points in common with the conventional example shown in FIG.

In consideration of these points, the configuration of the bus bar 22 and the connector housing 23 which are different from the first embodiment will be described below. The bus bar 22 is formed of a metal plate having excellent conductive properties.
As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of tongue-shaped terminal connection portions 22a are connected in a comb-tooth shape corresponding to the arrangement (interval) of the terminals 11 in the connector housing 23. A slit portion 22b is formed in the center of each terminal connection portion 22a in the width direction (vertical direction in FIG. 8) so that the flat plate portion 11e of the bus bar connection portion 11b fits tightly. Each of the slit portions 22b is formed when the flat plate portion 11 is inserted into the bus bar accommodating portion 23b of the connector housing 23.
The front end of the opening is widened so that e is guided to the slit portion 22b and the fitting operation is smoothly performed. Further, in order to increase the reliability of electrical contact by tight fitting, the slit portion 22b is provided with a contact portion 22c having a narrow slit width at a position slightly entering from the opening end.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the base end side of the bus bar 22 (the side where the tongue-shaped terminal connecting portions 22a are connected to each other) is embedded in a spacer 5 made of synthetic resin having excellent insulation properties. It has been dressed.

When the bus bar 22 is inserted to the specified position of the bus bar accommodating portion 23b of the connector housing 23 (ie, the position where the engagement between the terminal connecting portion 22a and the flat plate portion 11e is completed), the spacer 5 is 22 plays a role in fixing the busbar inside the busbar accommodating portion 23b.
Since the specific structure is the same as that shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, the description is omitted by attaching the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. 21 and 22.

The connector housing 23 is a molded product made of a synthetic resin or the like having excellent insulating properties. The busbar housing 2 is provided above the terminal housing 23a in which a plurality of terminals 11 are aligned and housed.
3b is a box-like body in which the terminal accommodating portion 23a and the busbar accommodating portion 23b are both on one end side (right side in FIG. 6).
It is open to. The terminal 11 and the bus bar 22 are inserted into the respective accommodation portions through the openings on one end side.

The terminal accommodating portion 23a has an elastic locking projection 23c which protrudes rearward of a flat plate portion 11f formed on the terminal 11 when the terminal 11 is inserted to a prescribed position, and prevents the terminal 11 from coming off. Equipped. An engagement hole 23d is formed in an upper wall portion of the busbar accommodating portion 23b. When the bus bar 22 is inserted to a predetermined position, the engagement hole 23d is provided with the locking projection 5e of the spacer 5.
Are engaged to prevent the bus bar 22 from slipping backward.

Also in the case of the joint connector of the second embodiment, the terminal 11 is tightly fitted with the flat plate portion and the slit.
As a result, the length of the terminal 11 can be reduced to a small value as in the case of the first embodiment.
The occupied space can be reduced by reducing the length dimension of the device, and the product cost can be reduced and the product yield can be improved by simplifying the terminal shape.

FIGS. 9 to 12 show a third embodiment of the joint connector according to the present invention. FIG. 9 is a partially cutaway exploded perspective view of the connector of the third embodiment, and FIG. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the terminal applied to the present embodiment viewed from the lower surface side, and FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing an assembled state of the connector of the present embodiment. Here, FIG. 12A shows a state in which the terminal 31 has been mounted on the terminal housing portion 33a of the connector housing 33 and the bus bar 32 is to be mounted from now on, and FIG. 12B shows the bus bar housing of the connector housing 33. The state in which the bus bar 32 has been mounted on the portion 33b (that is, the state in which assembly has been completed) is shown.

The joint connector 30 shown in the third embodiment improves the structure of the bus bar connection portion 11b of the terminal 11 in the first embodiment, and a part of the bus bar 12 and the connector in one embodiment correspond to the improvement. Housing 1
3 is a modification of the structure. That is, the joint connector 30 of the third embodiment has an electric wire connection portion 31 on the proximal end side.
a, and a plurality of terminals 31 provided with a bus bar connecting portion 31b for electrically connecting to the bus bar 32 at a distal end side, and a terminal housing for aligning and housing the plurality of terminals 31. Part 33a and busbar storage part 33
b, the bus bar 32 accommodated in the bus bar accommodating portion 33b to electrically connect the plurality of terminals 31 to each other, and the terminal 31
And the electric wire 14 connected to the electric wire connection portion 31a of the first embodiment, except for the structure of the distal end portion which provides the bus bar connection portion 31b of the terminal 31. The structure is almost the same as that of the first embodiment. Is presented.

The terminal 31 is manufactured by performing a series of sheet metal processing such as punching or bending on a metal plate having excellent conductive properties and having spring properties. Similarly to the example, a crimping piece 31c for crimping the bare wire of the electric wire 14 by performing a crimping operation and a coating fixing piece 31c for fixing the insulating coating portion of the electric wire 14 by performing a crimping operation. Is provided.

On the other hand, the tip of the terminal 31 is
As is apparent from FIG. 3, the terminal housing 33 is formed along the bottom wall 34 of the terminal housing 33a of the connector housing 33.
a, a plate-like substrate portion 31e inserted into the
1e, the terminal connecting portion 3 of the bus bar 32 is formed in a laminated structure in which left and right plate pieces 31f extending from both sides are folded.
The bus bar connecting portion 31b functioning as a thick flat plate portion that engages with the slit portion 32b formed in the second portion 2a. Further, as shown in FIG. 10, the busbar connecting portion 31b is overlapped with the center position C1 of the electric wire 14 held in the electric wire connecting portion 31a in the thickness direction by overlapping the busbar. The position of the connection part 31b is set.

The substrate 31e at the tip of the terminal 31
As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12A and 12B, when the terminal 31 is inserted to a predetermined position in the terminal housing 33a of the connector housing 33, a bottom wall of the terminal housing 33a is formed. 34 is provided with a retaining opening 31g with which a locking projection 33c protrudingly formed is engaged, and a center position C3 of the retaining opening 31g is located at a center position of the electric wire 14 fixed to the terminal base end side. The configuration is the same.
That is, the terminal 31 has a symmetric structure with respect to the center line in the width direction.

The bus bar 32 is formed of a metal plate having excellent conductive properties. As in the first embodiment, the tongue-shaped terminal connecting portion 32a is provided with the terminal 31 in the connector housing 33. It has a structure in which a plurality of pieces are connected in a comb-like shape corresponding to the arrangement (interval). At the center in the width direction of each terminal connection portion 32a, a slit portion 32b is formed in which the bus bar connection portion 31b having a flat shape fits tightly. Each of the slit portions 32b is configured such that when the bus bar connecting portion 31b is inserted into the bus bar accommodating portion 33b of the connector housing 33, the slit portion 32b
The opening end side widens the frontage so that the fitting operation can be smoothly achieved by being guided by the wire. Further, in order to enhance the reliability of the electrical contact by tight fitting, the slit portion 32b is provided at a position slightly entering from the opening end at the contact portion 3 having a reduced slit width.
2c is provided. In addition, the slit width is wider than in the first embodiment, corresponding to the bus bar connecting portion 31b whose thickness is increased by the laminated structure.

Then, between the adjacent terminal connecting portions 32a,
A slit 32d through which the isolation wall 33d of the connector housing 33 can be gently inserted is formed. Further, at a position near the rear end which is an extension of the slit 32d, an engagement hole 3d is formed.
2e is formed. When the bus bar 32 is inserted to a predetermined position in the bus bar accommodating portion 33b, the engagement hole 32e is engaged with a locking projection (described later) provided on the connector housing 33 side to prevent the bus bar 32 from coming off.

The connector housing 33 is a molded product made of synthetic resin or the like having excellent insulation properties. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 12, a bus bar is provided above a terminal accommodating portion 33a for accommodating a plurality of terminals 31 in a line. A box-like body in which the housing portions 33b are arranged, the terminal housing portion 33a and the busbar housing portion 3
3b is open at one end (right side in FIG. 12). The terminal 31 and the bus bar 32 are inserted into the respective accommodating portions 32a and 32b from the openings on one end side.

When the terminal 31 is inserted to the prescribed position, it protrudes into the retaining opening 31g formed in the substrate portion 31e of the terminal 31, and the terminal 3
1 is provided with an elastic locking projection 33c for preventing the back of the device 1 from falling off. The elastic locking projection 33c is provided at the center in the width direction of the terminal accommodating portion 33a, corresponding to the position of the retaining opening 31g.

The space between the adjacent terminal accommodating portions 33a is partitioned by a partition wall 33d.
As shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 12, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 12, the upper side corresponding to the busbar accommodating portion 33b is cut off from the outer wall portion, and the middle portion on the opening end side of the connector housing 33 is cut off. With this configuration, the arm 33e has an arm portion 33e that can be elastically displaced in the vertical direction. The arm 33e is provided with a locking projection 33f protruding upward. When the bus bar 32 is inserted from the same direction as the insertion direction of the terminal 31 to the specified position of the bus bar accommodating portion 33b, the locking projection 33f is engaged with the engagement hole 32e to prevent the terminal 31 from falling off. I do.

The busbar connecting portion 31b of the terminal 31 is provided on the inner surface of the upper outer peripheral wall of the connector housing 33.
A guide groove 33g into which the tip of the terminal housing slidably fits is cut along the front-rear direction of the connector housing at the center position in the width direction of the terminal accommodating chamber 33a. This guide groove 33
g stabilizes the posture of the terminal 31 when the terminal 31 is inserted into the terminal accommodating portion 33a, and the bus bar 3 to be inserted later is used.
Engagement of 2 with terminal 31 is ensured.

The joint connector 30 of the third embodiment
Also, in the case of (1), the terminal 31 and the bus bar 32 are tightly fitted by the substantially flat bus bar connecting portion 31b and the slit portion 32b.
Therefore, as in the first and second embodiments, the length of the terminal 11 can be reduced, and the length of the connector housing 33 can be reduced. The occupied space can be reduced by reducing the dimensions, and the product cost can be reduced and the product yield can be improved by simplifying the terminal shape.

Further, as compared with the first and second embodiments, the mechanical strength of the tip of the terminal 31 can be increased, and the processing of the bus bar 32 can be facilitated. Further, it is possible to provide a sophisticated connector housing 33 that allows high-density mounting of the terminals 31 without leaving useless space around the terminals 31. These new effects will be described in detail below.

In the case of the first embodiment, the busbar 12
The slit width of the slit portion 12b formed on the terminal 1 is equivalent to the thickness of the metal plate used for the terminal 11;
The thickness of the metal plate used in (1) is extremely small as compared with the permissible dimension of the normal punching process. Therefore, there is a problem that the processing of the slit portion 12b becomes precise and it is difficult to reduce the product cost. there were. In the case of the first embodiment described above, as shown in FIG. 13, the position of the flat plate portion 11e fitted into the slit portion 12b of the bus bar 12 is shifted from the center position C4 of the electric wire 14 crimped to the terminal 11. Distance L
14, and furthermore, as shown in FIG. 14, the elastic locking projection 13c engages with the flat plate portion 11f bent in the width direction of the terminal accommodating portion 13a from the tip of the flat plate portion 11e. When a tensile force is applied to the electric wire 14 as shown by an arrow (a) in FIG. 14, a torsional force as shown by arrows (b) and (c) is applied to the distal end of the terminal 11 as shown in FIG. Act, there is a possibility that the bent portion (d) between the flat portions may be damaged by stress concentration.

Further, as shown in FIG.
Gap L secured on both sides of terminal 11 inserted in 3a
2 and L3 become irregular on the left and right, and the connector housing 1
There is a possibility that useless space increases in 3 and the mounting density decreases.

However, in the third embodiment described above,
The above problems can be solved. That is, a bus bar connecting portion 31b formed at the tip of the terminal 31
The dimension of fitting the slit portion 32b of the bus bar 32 is doubled due to the structure in which the two plate pieces 31f are superimposed, and the slit width of the slit portion 32b is reduced by the corresponding amount. Can be widened.

In the case of the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 16, the terminal arrangement in the terminal accommodating portion 33a of the connector housing 33 is changed to the center position in the width direction of the terminal accommodating portion 33a (that is, the bus bar 32). (The position of the slit portion 32b) of the terminal 31 in each terminal accommodating portion 33a as compared with the first embodiment in which the terminal tip is L-shaped. Gap L4 to secure
By arranging L5 symmetrically, the shape of the connector housing 33 can be designed to have a sophisticated structure with no useless gap, so that the mounting density can be improved or the connector housing 33 can be made more compact.

Further, in the case of the third embodiment, the locking position of the terminal 31 by the elastic locking projection 33c provided on the connector housing 33 side, the bus bar connecting portion 31b at the tip of the flat terminal 31 and the bus bar 32 Upper slit part 32
b, even when the wire 14 crimped to the terminal 31 is aligned on the same center line, even if a pulling force acts on the terminal 31 due to a tensile force acting on the wire 14 crimped to the terminal 31 or the like. In addition, a torsional force is less likely to be applied to the tip of the terminal 31, mechanical strength is easily ensured, and inconvenience such as deformation at the tip of the terminal can be suppressed.

FIG. 17 shows a terminal 41 of a joint connector according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. This terminal 41 is obtained by partially improving the tip of the terminal 31 of the third embodiment, and the other portions have the same structure as those of the third embodiment. The description is omitted. As in the case of the third embodiment, the distal end of the terminal 41 has a laminated structure in which a plate-like substrate 31e and a pair of left and right plate pieces 31f extending from both sides of the substrate 31e are folded together. The bus bar connecting portion 31b functioning as a thick flat plate portion that engages with a slit formed in the bus bar. And
Further, the position of the bus bar connecting portion 31b is set such that the center position of the bus bar connecting portion 31b in the thickness direction and the center position of the electric wire 14 held by the electric wire connecting portion 31a overlap.

However, a folded plate portion 41h is provided on one upper edge of a pair of left and right plate pieces 31f extending from both sides of the substrate portion 31e. After joining, by turning the upper edge of the other plate piece 31f, the folded plate portion 41h extending on the one plate piece 31f is turned back on the other plate piece 31f,
The bus bar connecting portion 31b has a three-layer structure, and the plate thickness dimension is increased and the mechanical strength is improved as compared with the third embodiment.

FIG. 18 shows a terminal 51 of a joint connector according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. This terminal 51 is, like the fourth embodiment, a pair of left and right plate pieces 31f.
Is folded in a folding manner, and then a folded plate portion 51h extending on one plate piece 31f is folded back on the other plate piece 31f, thereby forming a busbar connecting portion 3 having a three-layer structure.
1b, but the extending direction of the folded plate portion 51h is different from that of the fourth embodiment. The folded plate portion 51h of the fifth embodiment extends from the side edge of one plate piece 31f on the wire connection portion 31a side toward the wire connection portion 31a, and the other plate piece 31f on the wire connection portion 31a side. Is folded on the other plate piece 31f. In the case of the fifth embodiment, the same operation and effect as those of the fourth embodiment can be obtained.

In the above embodiment, the bus bar connecting portion of the terminal is formed in a simple flat plate shape, and the terminal connecting portion of the bus bar is provided with a slit for tightly fitting the bus bar connecting portion. However, the slit portion may be provided on the bus bar connecting portion, or may be provided on both sides. Further, in the above embodiment, the arrangement of the locking projection for fixing the terminal and the bus bar at a predetermined position in the connector housing is also shown. However, the means for positioning and fixing the terminal and the bus bar in the connector housing is the same as that of the above embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

[0069]

As is clear from the above description, in the joint connector according to the present invention, the electrical connection between the terminal and the bus bar is achieved by the close fitting of the flat plate portion and the slit portion. Can be completed in an extremely simple shape, and the length of the terminal can be reduced compared to the conventional case where the terminal of the terminal is equipped with an elastic contact piece that requires complicated bending. Accordingly, the occupied space can be reduced by reducing the length of the connector housing.

Further, the simplification of the terminal shape can reduce the product cost and improve the product yield. In addition, by making the bus bar connecting portion of the terminal L-shaped, it is possible to secure high strength at the terminal tip side while having a simple shape, and furthermore, for example, of two orthogonal flat plate portions, One can be used for connection with the bus bar and the other is used for positioning in the connector housing, so that the degree of freedom in design can be increased.

Further, the terminal of the terminal has a flat board portion inserted into the terminal accommodating portion along the bottom wall of the terminal accommodating portion of the connector housing, and left and right extending from both sides of the board portion. And a busbar connecting portion functioning as a thick flat plate portion that engages with a slit formed in the terminal connecting portion of the busbar in a laminated structure in which the plate pieces are folded with each other. A larger thickness dimension than the actual plate thickness of the used plate material can be given to the flat bus bar connecting portion, and as a result, the slit width of the bus bar side slit portion to which the bus bar connecting portion is fitted is punched out. Can be widened to an easy width, and the reduction in product cost can be promoted by improving the workability of the bus bar and the like.

Further, in the configuration in which the position of the bus bar connection portion is set such that the center position of the bus bar connection portion in the plate thickness direction and the center position of the electric wire held by the wire connection portion overlap each other, The terminal arrangement in the terminal accommodating portion can be made symmetrical with respect to the center position in the width direction of the terminal accommodating portion (that is, the position of the slit portion of the bus bar). In comparison with the above, it is possible to refine the shape of the connector housing by symmetrically arranging the gaps secured on both sides of the terminal in each terminal accommodating portion.

Further, a locking projection formed on the bottom wall of the terminal receiving portion when the terminal is inserted to a predetermined position in the terminal receiving portion of the connector housing engages with the substrate portion at the tip of the terminal. In the configuration in which the opening for retaining is provided, and the center position of the retaining opening coincides with the center position of the electric wire fixed to the terminal base end side, the bus bar connecting portion at the tip of the flat terminal is provided. The slit on the bus bar and the wire crimped to the base end of the terminal are aligned on the same center line, and the wire crimped to the terminal is subjected to a pulling force and the terminal is pulled out. Even in this case, a torsional force is less likely to be applied to the tip of the terminal, mechanical strength can be easily secured, and inconvenience such as deformation at the tip of the terminal can be less likely to occur.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially exploded perspective view of a joint connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an assembly view of the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view showing a state before the bus bar is mounted, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view in a state where the assembly of the connector with the bus bar completed.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a view taken in the direction of the arrow A in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a bus bar according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view of a bus bar in the second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a bus bar in the second embodiment.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing a joint connector according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a terminal according to a third embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the lower surface side.

FIG. 12 is an assembly view of a third embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 12A is a cross-sectional view showing a state before the bus bar is mounted, and FIG. 12B is a cross-sectional view in a state where the assembly of the connector with the bus bar completed.

FIG. 13 is a supplementary explanatory diagram of the configuration of the first embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a supplementary explanatory diagram of the configuration of the first embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a supplementary explanatory diagram of the configuration of the first embodiment.

FIG. 16 is an operation explanatory view in the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing a fourth embodiment of the terminal according to the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing a fifth embodiment of the terminal according to the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a longitudinal sectional view of a conventional joint connector.

FIG. 20 is a plan view of a conventional joint connector.

FIG. 21 is a side view of a bus bar used in a conventional joint connector.

FIG. 22 is a plan view of a bus bar used in a conventional joint connector.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11, 31 Terminal 11a, 31a Electric wire connection part 11b, 31b Bus bar connection part 11e, 11f Flat plate part 12, 22, 32 Bus bar 12a, 32a Terminal connection part 12b, 32b Slit part 13, 23, 33 Connector housing 13a, 23a, 33a Terminal accommodating portions 13b, 23b, 33b Busbar accommodating portions 13d, 33d Separation wall 14 Electric wire 31e Board portion 31f Plate piece

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-2-281582 (JP, A) JP-A-6-76899 (JP, A) JP-A-5-290917 (JP, A) JP-A-6-76891 52953 (JP, A) JP-A-6-181083 (JP, A) JP-A-7-37659 (JP, A) JP-A-5-234648 (JP, A) Japanese Utility Model Application Sho-63-79083 (JP, U) Hirai 2-98479 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01R 31/02

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A plurality of terminals provided with a wire connecting portion on a base end and a bus bar connecting portion for electrically connecting to a bus bar on a distal end side, and aligning the plurality of terminals. A connector housing provided with a terminal housing portion and a busbar housing portion for housing, and inserted into the busbar housing portion by being inserted from the same direction as the terminal insertion direction, and engaged with the busbar connection portion of the terminal. A bus bar that has a structure in which a plurality of terminal connection portions that are in a conductive state with the terminals are connected corresponding to the terminal arrangement in the connector housing, and the plurality of terminals in the connector housing are in an electrically connected state. Wherein the busbar connection portion of the terminal has a cross-sectional shape.
Has an L-shape, and one flat plate portion forming the L-shape is
Engage with the terminal connection part of the subbar and form an L-shape.
The other flat part is inside the terminal housing of the connector housing.
A joint connector characterized by being used for retaining by engaging with a protruding locking projection . 2. The connector housing according to claim 1 , wherein the tip of the terminal is the connector
Inserted into the terminal housing along the bottom wall of the terminal housing.
A flat substrate part to be inserted and extending from both sides of the substrate part
The left and right plate pieces are folded together to form a laminated structure.
Engage with slits formed in the terminal connection of the subbar
A busbar connecting portion functioning as a thick flat plate portion.
In the thickness direction of the bus bar connection portion
The center position and the center position of the wire held by the wire connection part
The joint connector according to claim 1, wherein the position of the bus bar connecting portion is set such that the position of the bus bar overlaps with the position of the bus bar connecting portion .