JP7548161B2 - Connector and connector device - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a connector and a connector device.

Conventionally, in order to electrically connect on-board devices such as motors and inverters, a structure has been adopted in which an external connection connector provided on one device is connected to an external connection connector provided on the other device via a wire harness. In recent years, in order to meet the demands for reducing the number of parts and saving space, a connector device has been proposed that directly connects the external connection connectors of both devices.

For example, in the connector device disclosed in Patent Document 1, a connector provided on one of the devices includes a terminal fitting, a connector housing, and a support member, and the terminal fitting includes an electrical contact portion that connects to the mating connector, an equipment-side connection portion that connects to the in-vehicle device, and an electrical connection portion that links them. The support member supports the electrical contact portion so that it can be displaced within the connector housing. Therefore, even if the electrical contact portion of the connector is misaligned with the electrical contact portion of the mating connector, the electrical contact portion supported by the support member displaces within the connector housing and bends the electrical connection portion, absorbing the misalignment and electrically connecting the electrical contact portions of both connectors.

JP 2010-225488 A

In the connector device of Patent Document 1, the terminal fittings provided on the connector of one of the devices are provided by joining multiple members including an electrical connection section made of braided wire or the like. In addition, a structure is required to hold the support member that supports the electrical contact section displaceably within the connector housing. As a result, there is an inherent problem of a large number of parts, a complex structure, and unavoidable increases in costs.

Therefore, we disclose a connector and connector device with a new structure that can reduce the number of parts, simplify the structure, and reduce costs.

The connector disclosed herein is a connector capable of electrically connecting a first terminal portion of a first vehicle-mounted device and a mating electrical contact portion of a second vehicle-mounted device, and includes a first terminal fitting and a first connector housing that accommodates the first terminal fitting. The first terminal fitting has a first device-side connection portion that can be connected to the first terminal portion, and a first electrical contact portion that can be connected to the mating electrical contact portion and is arranged on the opposite side of the first device-side connection portion in the length direction of the first terminal fitting. The first electrical contact portion and the first device-side connection portion are formed by a single component, and the first electrical contact portion is displaceable relative to the first device-side connection portion.

The connector device disclosed herein is a connector device that electrically connects a first terminal portion of a first vehicle-mounted device and a second terminal portion of a second vehicle-mounted device, and includes a first connector that can be attached to the first vehicle-mounted device and a second connector that can be attached to the second vehicle-mounted device, the first connector has a first terminal fitting and a first connector housing that accommodates the first terminal fitting, the second connector has a second terminal fitting, the second terminal fitting has a second device-side connection portion that can be connected to the second terminal portion, and a second electrical contact portion that is connected to the first terminal fitting and is arranged on the opposite side of the second device-side connection portion, the first terminal fitting has a first device-side connection portion that can be connected to the first terminal portion, and a first electrical contact portion that is connected to the second electrical contact portion and is arranged on the opposite side of the first device-side connection portion in the length direction of the first terminal fitting, the first electrical contact portion and the first device-side connection portion are formed by a single part, and the first electrical contact portion is displaceable relative to the first device-side connection portion.

The connector and connector device disclosed herein can reduce the number of parts, simplify the structure, and reduce costs.

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view showing a connector device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the connector device shown in FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the connector device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the connector device shown in FIG. 3, illustrating a connected state of the first terminal fittings and the second terminal fittings. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the connector device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of the connector device shown in FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of the connector device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of the connector device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of the connector device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view of the connector device shown in FIG. FIG. 11 is a partial cross-sectional view of a connector device according to another embodiment. FIG. 12 is a partially exploded perspective view of a connector device according to another embodiment. FIG. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a connector device according to another embodiment. FIG. 14 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a connector device according to another embodiment.

<Description of the embodiments of the present disclosure>
First, embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described.
The connector of the present disclosure comprises:
(1) A connector capable of electrically connecting a first terminal portion of a first in-vehicle device and a mating electrical contact portion of a second in-vehicle device, comprising: a first terminal fitting; and a first connector housing that accommodates the first terminal fitting, wherein the first terminal fitting has a first equipment side connection portion connectable with the first terminal portion, and a first electrical contact portion connectable with the mating electrical contact portion and arranged on the opposite side of the first equipment side connection portion in the longitudinal direction of the first terminal fitting, wherein the first electrical contact portion and the first equipment side connection portion are formed by a single part, and the first electrical contact portion is displaceable relative to the first equipment side connection portion.

According to the connector of the present disclosure, the displacement of the first electrical contact portion relative to the first device side connection portion can be utilized to absorb misalignment with the mating electrical contact portion. The first electrical contact portion and the first device side connection portion are configured as a single component. Therefore, compared to the conventional structure that requires joining multiple components including braided wire to configure the terminal fitting, and requires a support member to support the electrical contact portion and a mechanism to hold the support member displaceably within the connector housing, it is possible to advantageously reduce the number of components and simplify the structure.

(2) It is preferable that the first terminal metal fitting has a first expandable portion between the first device side connection portion and the first electrical contact portion, and that the first expandable portion is elastically deformed so that the first electrical contact portion can be displaced relative to the first device side connection portion. Since the first terminal metal fitting has a first expandable portion that elastically deforms in the intermediate region in the longitudinal direction, it can more effectively absorb positional deviations between the first electrical contact portion and the mating electrical contact portion.

(3) It is preferable that the first expandable portion is formed by bending the first terminal fitting. The first expandable portion can be easily provided by bending the first terminal fitting, and can be configured without increasing the number of parts.

(4) It is preferable that the first connector housing includes an elastic member that can hold the first electrical contact portion in contact with the mating electrical contact portion and can be displaced in response to the displacement of the first electrical contact portion. By providing an elastic member that can hold the first electrical contact portion in contact with the mating electrical contact portion, the stability of electrical conduction between the two electrical contact portions can be more reliably maintained. Furthermore, since the elastic member is housed in the first connector housing in a state in which it can be displaced in response to the displacement of the first electrical contact portion, the elastic member advantageously prevents the function of absorbing positional deviation caused by the displacement of the first electrical contact portion from being hindered.

(5) It is preferable that the elastic member has a pair of flat plate portions arranged opposite each other with a gap therebetween and a connecting plate portion connecting the pair of flat plate portions, and the elastic member is capable of clamping the first electrical contact portion and the mating electrical contact portion in a contacting state in a direction in which they are in contact with each other by the pair of flat plate portions. This can further simplify the structure of the connector .

(6) It is preferable that the pair of flat plate portions each have a clamping protrusion that protrudes inward in the opposing direction, the clamping protrusion can clamp the first electrical contact portion and the counter electrical contact portion in a contacting state in the direction in which they are in contact with each other, and the clamping protrusion has an arc-shaped cross section. Since the clamping protrusion that clamps the first electrical contact portion and the counter electrical contact portion has an arc-shaped cross section, an inclination of the first electrical contact portion or the counter electrical contact portion and the flat plate portion is permitted.

(7) It is preferable that the first electrical contact portion has a contact portion that protrudes in a dome shape, and that the contact portion is capable of contacting the mating electrical contact portion. Because the contact portion provided on the first electrical contact portion is dome-shaped, even if the mating electrical contact portion that is superimposed on the first electrical contact portion undergoes a torsional displacement such as rolling, the contact state between the two electrical contact portions can be stably maintained.

The connector device of the present disclosure comprises:
(8) A connector device electrically connecting a first terminal portion of a first in-vehicle device and a second terminal portion of a second in-vehicle device, comprising: a first connector attachable to the first in-vehicle device; and a second connector attachable to the second in-vehicle device, wherein the first connector has a first terminal fitting and a first connector housing that accommodates the first terminal fitting, the second connector has a second terminal fitting, the second terminal fitting has a second equipment side connecting portion connectable to the second terminal portion, and a second electrical contact portion connected to the first terminal fitting and arranged on the opposite side of the second equipment side connecting portion, the first terminal fitting has a first equipment side connecting portion connectable to the first terminal portion, and a first electrical contact portion connected to the second electrical contact portion and arranged on the opposite side of the first equipment side connecting portion in the longitudinal direction of the first terminal fitting, the first electrical contact portion and the first equipment side connecting portion are formed by a single component, and the first electrical contact portion is displaceable relative to the first equipment side connecting portion.

According to the connector device of the present disclosure, the displacement of the first electrical contact portion relative to the first device side connection portion can be utilized to absorb misalignment with the second electrical contact portion. The first electrical contact portion and the first device side connection portion are configured as a single component. Therefore, compared to the conventional structure that requires joining multiple components including braided wire to configure the terminal fitting, and requires a support member to support the electrical contact portion and a mechanism to hold the support member displaceably within the connector housing, it is possible to advantageously reduce the number of components and simplify the structure.

(9) It is preferable that the second electrical contact portion and the second device side connection portion are configured as a single part, and that the second electrical contact portion is displaceable relative to the second device side connection portion. The displacement of the second electrical contact portion relative to the second device side connection portion can be utilized to absorb misalignment with the first electrical contact portion. Furthermore, the second electrical contact portion and the second device side connection portion are configured as a single part. This makes it possible to further advantageously reduce the number of parts and simplify the structure.

(10) When the second connector is attached to the second vehicle-mounted device, it is preferable that the second electrical contact portion protrudes to the outside of the second vehicle-mounted device. Since the second electrical contact portion protrudes to the outside of the second vehicle-mounted device in a state in which it can be displaced relative to the second device-side connection portion, when the first connector and the second connector are mated, the displacement of both the first and second electrical contact portions can be utilized to more advantageously absorb positional deviations between the electrical contact portions of the first connector and the second connector, thereby realizing a stable connection between the two electrical contact portions.

(11) It is preferable that the first terminal metal has a first expandable portion between the first device side connection portion and the first electrical contact portion, and the first expandable portion is elastically deformed so that the first electrical contact portion can be displaced relative to the first device side connection portion, and the first expandable portion is formed by bending the first terminal metal. Since the first terminal metal has a first expandable portion that elastically deforms in the intermediate region in the longitudinal direction, it is possible to more advantageously absorb positional deviations between the first electrical contact portion and the second electrical contact portion. The first expandable portion can be easily provided by bending the first terminal metal, and can be configured without increasing the number of parts.

(12) It is preferable that the first terminal fittings are thinner than the second terminal fittings. Since the first terminal fittings are thinner than the second terminal fittings, the first expandable portion is easily elastically deformed.
(13) It is preferable that the holding force between the first electrical contact portion and the second electrical contact portion is set to be greater than the force required for elastic deformation of the first expandable portion. For example, when the first in-vehicle device and the second in-vehicle device are displaced relative to each other due to vibrations caused by the vehicle traveling, the first expandable portion elastically deforms before the first electrical contact portion and the second electrical contact portion relatively shift in the length direction of the first terminal fitting. This prevents the first electrical contact portion and the second electrical contact portion from wearing out.

(14) It is preferable that the holding force between the first electrical contact portion and the second electrical contact portion includes a frictional force between members that are in contact in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the first terminal fitting. The holding force between the first electrical contact portion and the second electrical contact portion can be set by utilizing the frictional force to be greater than the force required for elastic deformation of the first expandable portion.

(15) It is preferable that one of the first electrical contact portion and the second electrical contact portion has a fitting portion, the other of the first electrical contact portion and the second electrical contact portion has a fitted portion, the fitting portion fits into the fitted portion in a direction intersecting the length direction of the first terminal metal fitting, and the holding force between the first electrical contact portion and the second electrical contact portion includes an engagement force between the fitting portion and the fitted portion that engage in the length direction of the first terminal metal fitting. By utilizing the engagement force between the fitting portion and the fitted portion that engage in the length direction of the first terminal metal fitting, the holding force between the first electrical contact portion and the second electrical contact portion can be set to be greater than the force required for elastic deformation of the first expansion and contraction portion. Compared to the case where the engagement force between the fitting portion and the fitted portion is not utilized, the holding force between the first electrical contact portion and the second electrical contact portion can be set to be stable and large.

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

<Embodiment 1>
A connector device 10 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to Figs. 1 to 10. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the connector device 10 includes a first connector 14 provided on a first vehicle-mounted device 12 and a second connector 18 provided on a second vehicle-mounted device 16. The connector device 10 can be arranged in any orientation, but in the following description, the upward, left, and forward directions are described based on the upward, left, and forward directions shown in the drawings. In addition, for multiple identical members, only some of the members may be labeled with a reference symbol, and the reference symbols may be omitted for the other members.

<First terminal fitting 20>
The first connector 14 has a structure in which two first terminal fittings 20, 20 are accommodated in a first connector housing 22. That is, the first connector 14 includes two first terminal fittings 20, 20 and a first connector housing 22 that accommodates the first terminal fittings 20, 20. As shown in FIG. 3, the first terminal fittings 20 are bus bars made of a plate-shaped conductive metal material. The first terminal fittings 20 are made of an elastic material that allows elastic deformation in the thickness direction. The first terminal fittings 20 are elongated in the front-rear direction, with a front end portion serving as a first device side connecting portion 24 and a rear end portion serving as a first electrical contact portion 26. That is, the first terminal fittings 20 include the first device side connecting portion 24 and the first electrical contact portion 26 that is disposed on the opposite side to the first device side connecting portion 24 in the length direction of the first terminal fittings 20. The first device side connection portion 24 is in the shape of an annular plate and has a first bolt hole 28 penetrating in the up-down direction, which is the thickness direction. The first electrical contact portion 26 has a contact portion 30 that protrudes upward in a dome shape. The contact portion 30 may be formed by partially thickening the first electrical contact portion 26, but for example, it is formed by pressing so that it is partially convex upward and has a concave lower surface. The rear end edge portion of the first electrical contact portion 26 is a guide portion 32 that slopes downward toward the rear.

A first expandable portion 34 is provided between the first device side connection portion 24 and the first electrical contact portion 26 of the first terminal fitting 20. The first expandable portion 34 is formed by bending the first terminal fitting 20 in the plate thickness direction. In other words, the first expandable portion 34 is formed by bending the first terminal fitting 20 at an axial center along the width direction of the first terminal fitting 20. The width direction of the first terminal fitting 20 is the left-right direction. The width direction of the first terminal fitting 20 is also perpendicular to the length direction of the first terminal fitting 20. The width direction of the first terminal fitting 20 is also perpendicular to the plate thickness direction of the first terminal fitting 20. More specifically, the first expandable portion 34 is a groove-shaped U-shaped cross section that opens upward, and is connected to the first device side connection portion 24 and the first electrical contact portion 26 at the open end of the groove. In short, the first terminal fitting 20 includes a first expandable portion 34, an equipment side portion 36 located forward of the first expandable portion 34 and including the first equipment side connection portion 24, and a contact side portion 38 located rearward of the first expandable portion 34 and including the first electrical contact portion 26. In other words, the first terminal fitting 20 includes the first expandable portion 34 in the electrical connection portion, which is the intermediate region connecting the first equipment side connection portion 24 and the first electrical contact portion 26. Between the first equipment side connection portion 24 and the first expandable portion 34 in the equipment side portion 36, a pair of positioning pieces 42, 42 protrude outward in the left and right directions.

The first expandable section 34 of this embodiment has a pair of vertical walls extending perpendicular to the front-rear direction and a bottom wall that connects the vertical walls at their lower ends, and since the vertical walls and the bottom wall are each flat, the first expandable section 34 has four bent portions 40. However, the specific shape of the first expandable section 34 is not limited, and may be, for example, a curved shape in which the vertical walls and the bottom wall are smoothly connected without forming a corner when viewed from the left to right, an expanded or contracted shape in which the opposing distance between the vertical walls changes in the up-down direction, or a V-shape without a bottom wall. The pair of vertical walls may have different height dimensions in the up-down direction, and in that case, for example, in the initial shape of the first terminal fitting 20 that is not deformed by the action of an external force, the first device side connection section 24 and the first electrical contact section 26 are arranged at different positions in the up-down direction. In addition, the bending of the first terminal fitting 20 is not necessarily limited to the first terminal fitting 20 being bent at a corner, but the first terminal fitting 20 can also be bent by a smooth curve without corners. Therefore, the first expandable portion may be, for example, curved in a mountain shape or a wave-like curve with a series of mountain and valley shapes.

The first terminal metal fitting 20 is expandable so that the distance in the front-rear direction, which is the separation direction between the first device side connection part 24 and the first electrical contact part 26, changes due to the elastic deformation of the first expansion part 34. That is, the first terminal metal fitting 20 is made of a plate material that is elastically deformable in the thickness direction, so that the angle of the four bent parts 40 in the first expansion part 34 can be elastically changed. By changing the angle of the bent parts 40, the first expansion part 34 expands and contracts so that the width dimension in the front-rear direction of the upper opening changes, and therefore the distance in the front-rear direction between the first device side connection part 24 connected to the upper edge of the first expansion part 34 and the first electrical contact part 26 changes. That is, the first electrical contact part 26 can be displaced relative to the first device side connection part 24 due to the elastic deformation of the first expansion part 34.

In the first terminal fitting 20, the relative movement in the vertical direction between the first device side connection portion 24 and the first electrical contact portion 26, which involves a change in the relative angle between the device side portion 36 and the contact side portion 38, is also permitted by the deformation of the first expansion and contraction portion 34. Note that the relative movement in the vertical direction between the first device side connection portion 24 and the first electrical contact portion 26 can also be permitted by elastic deformation in the thickness direction of the device side portion 36 and the contact side portion 38.

The first stretchable section 34 is composed of a pair of flat vertical and horizontal walls, with four bent portions 40 each forming a substantially right angle. Therefore, compared to a case where the entire first stretchable section is smoothly curved, the first stretchable section 34 is more likely to stretch due to changes in the angle between the vertical and horizontal walls, or between the vertical walls and the device side section 36 or the contact side section 38.

The first expandable portion 34, which allows relative displacement in the front-rear and up-down directions between the first device side connection portion 24 and the first electrical contact portion 26 as described above, can be easily provided by bending the first terminal fitting 20, which is made of a single part, the bus bar, in the plate thickness direction. Moreover, since the first expandable portion 34 is provided integrally with a part of the first terminal fitting 20, an increase in the number of parts is avoided, and costs can be expected to be reduced.

<Leaf spring clip 44>
A leaf spring clip 44 is attached to the first electrical contact portion 26 of the first terminal fitting 20 as an elastic member. The leaf spring clip 44 has a pair of rectangular flat plate portions 46, 46 facing each other with a gap in the up-down direction, and a connecting plate portion 48 connecting the pair of flat plate portions 46 to each other at one side edge portion (first side edge portion) in the left-right direction. The leaf spring clip 44 is formed of an elastic material such as metal. In the leaf spring clip 44, the opposing distance between the pair of flat plate portions 46, 46 at a position away from the first side edge portion can be changed by elastic angle change between the flat plate portions 46, 46 and the connecting plate portion 48. The leaf spring clip 44 may be formed of an electrically insulating material, but is preferably formed of a conductive material.

The pair of flat plate portions 46, 46 each have a clamping protrusion 50 that protrudes inward in the opposing direction. The clamping protrusion 50 extends in the front-rear direction with an arc-shaped cross section. The clamping protrusion 50 can be formed, for example, by partially recessing the flat plate portion 46 by press processing, similar to the contact portion 30 of the first terminal metal fitting 20. The upper flat plate portion 46 is provided with a pair of guide pieces 52, 52 that protrude outward in the front-rear direction. The guide pieces 52, 52 are inclined upward toward the protruding tip from the flat plate portion 46. The guide pieces 52 may be provided only on the rear side of the flat plate portion 46 in order to obtain the guide function of the second terminal metal fitting 92 described later. The guide pieces 52 may be provided on both the front and rear sides of the flat plate portion 46. When the guide pieces 52 are provided on both the front and rear sides of the flat plate portion 46, the pair of left and right leaf spring clips 44 can be shared.

The leaf spring clip 44 is attached to the first electrical contact portion 26 of the first terminal fitting 20 by inserting the first electrical contact portion 26 of the first terminal fitting 20 between a pair of opposing flat portions 46, 46. The leaf spring clip 44 may be fixed to the first terminal fitting 20, for example, by fixing the lower flat portion 46 to the underside of the first electrical contact portion 26. In this embodiment, the leaf spring clip 44 is not particularly positioned relative to the first terminal fitting 20. The leaf spring clip 44 is prevented from coming off the first terminal fitting 20 by being accommodated in the first connector housing 22 described below.

<First connector housing 22>
The first connector housing 22 is generally in the shape of a hollow box, and is structured by combining a first member 54 and a second member 56 in the vertical direction. The first member 54 is generally in the shape of a cylinder with a bottom that opens upward, has a rectangular cylindrical peripheral wall 58, and is provided with a partition wall portion 60 that extends perpendicular to the horizontal direction at the center in the horizontal direction. The first member 54 is symmetrical with respect to the partition wall portion 60, so only one of the left and right structures with respect to the partition wall portion 60 will be described here. The distance between the left and right opposing peripheral wall 58 and partition wall portion 60 of the first member 54 is larger than the width dimension of the first terminal fitting 20 in the horizontal direction.

The first member 54 has a first accommodating recess 62 that accommodates the first expandable portion 34 of the first terminal fitting 20. At the front end of the first accommodating recess 62, positioning protrusions 64 that protrude upward from the bottom wall of the first member 54 along the peripheral wall 58 are provided at both left and right end portions. The distance between the pair of positioning protrusions 64, 64 of the first accommodating recess 62 in the left and right direction is approximately the same as the width dimension of the first expandable portion 34 in the left and right direction.

2, a terminal receiving portion 66 is provided in front of the first receiving recess 62 in the first member 54 at the upper end of the first receiving recess 62, protruding forward. As shown in FIG. 3, the front portion of the peripheral wall 58 of the first member 54 has a protruding portion 67 protruding upward from the front end of the terminal receiving portion 66. In other words, the terminal receiving portion 66 is provided in a stepped shape in the middle portion in the vertical direction of the front portion of the peripheral wall 58 of the first member 54. The protruding portion 67, which is a portion of the peripheral wall 58 that protrudes upward from the terminal receiving portion 66, faces the positioning protrusion 64 of the first receiving recess 62 in the front-to-rear direction. The distance between the protruding portion 67 and the positioning protrusion 64 in the front-to-rear direction is approximately the same as the front-to-rear width dimension of the positioning piece 42 of the first terminal metal fitting 20. The protruding portion 67 is partially provided at both ends and the center in the left-to-right direction of the first member 54, and constitutes a groove-shaped device-side insertion portion 68 that penetrates in the front-to-rear direction.

A second accommodating recess 70 for accommodating the first electrical contact portion 26 of the first terminal fitting 20 is formed behind the first accommodating recess 62 in the first member 54. The first accommodating recess 62 has a larger vertical depth dimension than the second accommodating recess 70 in order to accommodate the first expandable portion 34 that protrudes downward from the first electrical contact portion 26. At the boundary between the first accommodating recess 62 and the second accommodating recess 70, a pair of first position defining portions 72, 72 protruding from the left and right opposing surfaces of the peripheral wall 58 and the partition wall portion 60 of the first member 54 are provided. The left-right distance between the first position defining portions 72, 72 is approximately the same as the left-right width dimension of the contact side portion 38 in the first terminal fitting 20. In addition, a pair of second position defining portions 74, 74 protruding from the left and right opposing surfaces of the peripheral wall 58 and the partition wall portion 60 in the second accommodating recess 70 is provided behind the first position defining portion 72. The left-right distance between the second position determining portions 74, 74 is approximately the same as the left-right distance between the first position determining portions 72, 72.

A pair of insertion windows 76, 76 penetrating in the front-rear direction are formed in the peripheral wall 58 in a portion that constitutes the rear wall of the second housing recess 70. The insertion window 76 has an opening shape that allows the front end portion of the second terminal metal fitting 92, which will be described later, to be inserted therethrough. The insertion window 76 has a hole cross-section that is larger in the up-down and left-right directions than the cross-section of the second terminal metal fitting 92 in the direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction. The pair of insertion windows 76, 76 are located on the outside on the left and right sides of the partition wall portion 60. The second housing recess 70 is open to the outside through the insertion window 76.

A locking claw 78 is formed on the outer surface of the peripheral wall 58 in the left-right direction. The locking claw 78 protrudes outward in the left-right direction from the peripheral wall 58. The locking claw 78 has a right-angled triangular cross section whose lower surface is approximately perpendicular to the up-down direction. The locking claw 78 protrudes less upward. In this embodiment, two locking claws 78 are disposed at positions separated in the front-rear direction. The two locking claws 78 are provided on both the left and right sides of the first member 54. There are no particular limitations on the number or arrangement of the locking claws 78.

2, the second member 56 is plate-shaped to cover the upper opening of the first member 54, and has a third position determining portion 77 that protrudes downward. As shown in FIG. 3, the second member 56 has locking pieces 80 protruding downward at both left and right ends. The locking pieces 80 are plate-shaped and are allowed to bend in the left and right direction, which is the thickness direction. The locking pieces 80 have claw insertion holes 82 that penetrate in the left and right direction and correspond to the locking claws 78 of the first member 54. In this embodiment, two locking pieces 80 are arranged at positions separated in the front-rear direction. The two locking pieces 80 are provided on both the left and right sides of the second member 56. The number and arrangement of the locking pieces 80 can be changed appropriately according to the locking claws 78.

By overlapping the second member 56 on the top surface of the first member 54, the upper opening of the first member 54 is blocked by the second member 56, forming a first connector housing 22 with a hollow structure and an internal space. The locking piece 80 of the second member 56 is locked to the locking claw 78 of the first member 54, so that the first member 54 and the second member 56 are positioned relative to each other.

<Assembly of the first connector 14>
A pair of first terminal fittings 20, 20 and a pair of leaf spring clips 44, 44 are accommodated in the first connector housing 22. That is, the first expandable portion 34 of the first terminal fitting 20 is inserted from above into the first accommodating recess 62 of the first member 54, and the contact side portion 38 of the first terminal fitting 20 is inserted from above into the second accommodating recess 70 of the first member 54. The device side portion 36 of the first terminal fitting 20 is supported with its rear end portion overlapping the upper surface of the terminal receiving portion 66 in the device side insertion portion 68 of the first member 54, and the first device side connecting portion 24 is located forward of the first member 54 through the device side insertion portion 68. The leaf spring clip 44 is accommodated in the second accommodating recess 70 of the first member 54 in a state where it is attached to the first electrical contact portion 26 of the first terminal fitting 20. Then, the second member 56 is fixed to the first member 54 so as to close the upper opening of the first member 54 that houses the first terminal fittings 20 and the leaf spring clips 44. In this way, the first connector 14 is formed, having a structure in which the first terminal fittings 20 and the leaf spring clips 44 are housed in the first connector housing 22.

The first terminal metal fitting 20 is positioned in the left-right direction relative to the first member 54 by arranging the first expansion part 34 between the left and right of a pair of positioning protrusions 64, 64. The first terminal metal fitting 20 is also positioned in the left-right direction relative to the first member 54 by inserting the device side part 36 into the device side insertion part 68. The positioning piece 42 provided on the device side part 36 is inserted between the protrusion 67 and the positioning protrusion 64 facing each other in the front-rear direction, so that the first terminal metal fitting 20 is positioned in the front-rear direction relative to the first member 54. The first terminal metal fitting 20 is also positioned in the left-right direction relative to the first member 54 by arranging the contact side part 38 between the left and right of a pair of first position determination parts 72, 72. The first terminal metal fitting 20 is also positioned in the left-right direction relative to the first member 54 by arranging the contact side part 38 between the left and right of a pair of second position determination parts 74, 74.

In addition, when the first terminal metal fitting 20 is positioned relative to the first connector housing 22 as described above, the first expandable portion 34 of the first terminal metal fitting 20 accommodated in the first accommodation recess 62 is separated from the inner surface of the first accommodation recess 62 as shown in FIG. 2. This allows the first expandable portion 34 to deform and displace within the first connector housing 22. This means that the expansion and contraction of the first expandable portion 34 is not restricted by the first connector housing 22. In addition, the contact side portion 38 of the first terminal metal fitting 20 is positioned relative to the first connector housing 22 in the left-right direction, and is allowed to deform and displace in the up-down direction and the front-back direction. As a result, the first electrical contact portion 26 accommodated in the first connector housing 22 is allowed to displace in the up-down direction and the front-back direction within the first connector housing 22.

The leaf spring clip 44 is not fixed to the first connector housing 22, and is displaceable within the first connector housing 22 in response to displacement of the first electrical contact portion 26. The leaf spring clip 44 is disposed rearward of the second position determining portion 74, and the amount of displacement of the leaf spring clip 44 in the front-rear and left-right directions relative to the first terminal fitting 20 is limited by the first member 54. This prevents the leaf spring clip 44 from falling off the first terminal fitting 20. The amount of forward displacement of the leaf spring clip 44 relative to the first connector housing 22 is also limited by the abutment of the leaf spring clip 44 against the third position determining portion 77 provided on the second member 56.

<First in-vehicle device 12>
The first connector 14 thus constructed is provided in the first vehicle-mounted device 12 as shown in FIG. 2. The first vehicle-mounted device 12 is, for example, a motor of an automobile. The first case 84 has a structure in which a first connection terminal 86 is housed inside the first case 84. The first case 84 has a first window 88 penetrating a rear wall in the front-rear direction. The first case 84 accommodates a front portion of the first connector housing 22. The first device side connecting portion 24 of the first terminal metal fitting 20 protruding forward from the first connector housing 22 is The first device side connection portion 24 and the first connection terminal 86 that are overlapped are inserted into the first bolt hole 28 of the first device side connection portion 24. The electrical connection is secured by one bolt 90 . As a result, the first connector 14 is provided on the first in-vehicle device 12 with the first terminal fittings 20 being electrically connected to the first connection terminals 86 of the first in-vehicle device 12. The first connector housing 22 is , and protrudes rearward from the first case 84 through the first window portion 88.

<Second Connector 18 (Second Terminal Fitting 92)>
The second connector 18 includes a second terminal metal 92. As shown in FIG. 3, the second terminal metal 92 is a bus bar formed of a plate-like conductive metal, similar to the first terminal metal 20. The second terminal metal 92 is thicker than the first terminal metal 20. In other words, the first terminal metal 20 is thinner than the second terminal metal 92. The second terminal metal 92 is longer in the front-rear direction than the first terminal metal 20. The second terminal metal 92 is allowed to elastically bend in the up-down direction, which is the thickness direction. In this way, the second terminal metal 92 is allowed to deform in the thickness direction by a simple configuration of a single part, the bus bar. The second terminal metal 92 includes a second device side connection portion 94 at the rear end portion, and a second electrical contact portion 96 as a mating electrical contact portion at the front end portion. The second device side connection portion 94 is wider in the left-right direction than the other portion of the second terminal metal fitting 92, and is provided with a second bolt hole 98 that penetrates in the up-down direction. The second electrical contact portion 96 has a tapered shape in which the front end portion narrows in the left-right direction toward the front. Note that the front end portion of the second electrical contact portion 96 may be thinner in the up-down direction toward the front.

<Second in-vehicle equipment 16>
As shown in FIG. 2, the second terminal metal fitting 92 constituting the second connector 18 has a second device side connection portion 94 connected to the second in-vehicle device 16. The second on-board device 16 is a device electrically connected to the device 12, such as an inverter or an ECU (Electric Control Unit) of an automobile. The second on-board device 16 has a second terminal inside a second case 100 serving as a housing. The second case 100 has a structure in which a second connection terminal 102 serving as a through hole is housed. The second case 100 has a second window 104 serving as a through hole penetrating the front wall in the front-rear direction. The second terminal metal fitting 92 is inserted into a second window 104 of a second case 100 of the second in-vehicle device 16. The second device side connection portion 94 of the second terminal metal fitting 92 is connected to a second connection terminal 102. is superimposed on The second device side connection portion 94 and the second connection terminal 102 are fixed in an electrically connected state by a second bolt 106 inserted into the second bolt hole 98. As a result, the second connector 18 is The terminal fitting 92 is provided on the second in-vehicle device 16 in a state in which it is electrically connected to a second connection terminal 102 of the second in-vehicle device 16. The second electrical contact portion 96 is connected to the second case 102 through a second window portion 104. The second electrical contact portion 96 protrudes outward from the second device side connecting portion 94 toward the front. In other words, the second electrical contact portion 96 is displaceable in the up-down direction relative to the second device side connecting portion 94 by the elastic deformation of the second terminal metal fitting 92. It is essentially displaceable.

<Connection between the first connector 14 and the second connector 18>
The front end portion of the second terminal metal fitting 92 extending forward from the second case 100 of the second in-vehicle device 16 through the second window portion 104 is inserted into the insertion window 76 of the first connector housing 22. The second electric contact portion 96 of the second terminal metal fitting 92 inserted into the inside of the first connector housing 22 is inserted between the upper flat plate portion 46 of the leaf spring clip 44 and the first electric contact portion 26 of the first terminal metal fitting 20, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The first electric contact portion 26 and the second electric contact portion 96 are held in a state of being pressed against each other by the elasticity of the leaf spring clip 44. In other words, the first electric contact portion 26 and the second electric contact portion 96 are held in a state of contact by the elasticity of the leaf spring clip 44. More specifically, the first electric contact portion 26 and the second electric contact portion 96 in a state of being in contact in the vertical direction are sandwiched in the vertical direction by the pair of flat plate portions 46. 5, the first electrical contact portion 26 and the second electrical contact portion 96, which are in contact with each other in the vertical direction, are clamped in the vertical direction by the clamping protrusions 50 of the pair of flat plate portions 46. This connects the first terminal fitting 20 and the second terminal fitting 92 in a conductive state. This electrically connects the first in-vehicle device 12 and the second in-vehicle device 16 by the connector device 10 consisting of the first connector 14 and the second connector 18.

In addition, the holding force between the first electrical contact portion 26 and the second electrical contact portion 96 held as described above is set to be greater than the force required for the elastic deformation of the first expandable portion 34. In other words, when the first in-vehicle device 12 and the second in-vehicle device 16 in the assembled state are displaced relatively due to vibration or the like, the first expandable portion 34 is set to elastically deform before the first electrical contact portion 26 and the second electrical contact portion 96 are relatively displaced in the front-rear direction. The holding force between the first electrical contact portion 26 and the second electrical contact portion 96 includes the frictional force between the members that are in contact in a direction intersecting the length direction of the first terminal metal fitting 20. In more detail, the holding force between the first electrical contact portion 26 and the second electrical contact portion 96 includes the frictional force between the first electrical contact portion 26 and the second electrical contact portion 96, the frictional force between the first electrical contact portion 26 and the lower flat plate portion 46, and the frictional force between the second electrical contact portion 96 and the upper flat plate portion 46. In FIG. 4, the first and second terminal fittings 20, 92 are connected with the second member 56 of the first connector housing 22 removed from the first member 54. Also, in FIG. 4, the other first and second terminal fittings 20, 92 and the leaf spring clip 44 are shown in a disassembled state.

The rear end surface of the leaf spring clip 44 is formed by a guide piece 52 and a clamping protrusion 50. The rear end surface of the leaf spring clip 44 is an inclined surface that widens in the vertical direction toward the rear. As a result, when the second terminal metal fitting 92 contacts the leaf spring clip 44 from behind, a component of the abutment reaction force acts upward on the leaf spring clip 44, and the upper flat portion 46 moves upward relative to the first electrical contact portion 26 of the first terminal metal fitting 20. As a result, a gap is formed between the upper flat portion 46 of the leaf spring clip 44 and the first electrical contact portion 26, and the second electrical contact portion 96 of the second terminal metal fitting 92 can be inserted into the gap.

When a first vehicle-mounted device 12 having a first connector 14 and a second vehicle-mounted device 16 having a second connector 18 are connected, if a positional deviation occurs between the first vehicle-mounted device 12 and the second vehicle-mounted device 16 due to a dimensional error or the like, the positional deviation is tolerated by the connector device 10.

That is, when the positions of the first in-vehicle device 12 and the second in-vehicle device 16 are misaligned in the vertical direction, the first terminal metal fitting 20 in the first connector 14 elastically deforms at the first expansion section 34, so that the first electrical contact portion 26 moves in the vertical direction relative to the first device side connection section 24 to a position where the first electrical contact portion 26 and the second electrical contact portion 96 can be connected. Note that misalignment in the vertical direction is also permitted by bending deformation in the thickness direction of at least one of the device side portion 36 and the contact side portion 38 of the first terminal metal fitting 20. Furthermore, because the second terminal metal fitting 92 is a bus bar, bending deformation in the thickness direction of the second terminal metal fitting 92 also allows misalignment in the vertical direction between the first in-vehicle device 12 and the second in-vehicle device 16.

In addition, when the relative positions of the first in-vehicle device 12 and the second in-vehicle device 16 are misaligned in the fore-aft direction, the first terminal fitting 20 elastically deforms at the first expansion/contraction section 34, changing the fore-aft distance between the first device side connection section 24 and the first electrical contact section 26, allowing for misalignment in the fore-aft direction between the first in-vehicle device 12 and the second in-vehicle device 16. In addition, because the second terminal fitting 92 extends in the fore-aft direction and is inserted into the first connector 14 in the fore-aft direction, a change in the amount of insertion of the second terminal fitting 92 into the first connector 14 also allows for misalignment in the fore-aft direction between the first in-vehicle device 12 and the second in-vehicle device 16.

In addition, because the second electrical contact portion 96 of the second terminal fitting 92 is flat, even if the positions of the first in-vehicle device 12 and the second in-vehicle device 16 are misaligned in the left-right direction, the first electrical contact portion 26 and the second electrical contact portion 96 can be connected due to the width of the second electrical contact portion 96.

For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the first electrical contact portion 26 and the second electrical contact portion 96 maintain a connected state even if their respective center positions in the left-right direction are misaligned.
In addition, when the first in-vehicle device 12 and the second in-vehicle device 16 are inclined in the circumferential direction around a central axis extending in the front-rear direction, the contact portion 30 of the first electrical contact portion 26 is dome-shaped, so that the second electrical contact portion 96 can be in contact with the contact portion 30, and the first electrical contact portion 26 and the second electrical contact portion 96 can be connected. For example, as shown in Fig. 7, even if the second electrical contact portion 96 is inclined around a central axis extending in the front-rear direction relative to the first electrical contact portion 26, the connection state with the contact portion 30 of the first electrical contact portion 26 is maintained. In this embodiment, since the clamping protrusion 50 of the leaf spring clip 44 has an arc-shaped cross section, inclination of the first electrical contact portion 26 or the second electrical contact portion 96 and the leaf spring clip 44 is permitted, and this also allows the first electrical contact portion 26 and the second electrical contact portion 96 to be in a contact state inclined around a central axis extending in the front-rear direction.

In this way, according to the connector device 10, the first terminal fittings 20 of the first connector 14 are bus bars, and thus the relative positional deviation of the first in-vehicle device 12 and the second in-vehicle device 16 when mounted on the vehicle is permitted by deformation of the first terminal fittings 20, etc. In addition, in this embodiment, the second terminal fittings 92 of the second connector 18 are also bus bars, and thus the relative positional deviation of the first in-vehicle device 12 and the second in-vehicle device 16 when mounted on the vehicle is permitted by deformation of the second terminal fittings 92, etc. Moreover, as described above, the contact portion 30 and the clamping protrusion 50 of the leaf spring clip 44, etc., permit the relative positional deviation of the first in-vehicle device 12 and the second in-vehicle device 16 with a greater degree of freedom, including twisting, etc. Therefore, damage to the connector device 10, the first in-vehicle device 12, the second in-vehicle device 16, etc. due to the continuous action of stress associated with the positional deviation, and poor connection between the first connector 14 and the second connector 18, etc. are prevented.

Because the connector device 10 allows relative displacement between the first in-vehicle device 12 and the second in-vehicle device 16, the connector device 10 allows the relative displacement between the first in-vehicle device 12 and the second in-vehicle device 16 even when vibrations caused by the vehicle traveling are input between the first in-vehicle device 12 and the second in-vehicle device 16. Therefore, damage to the connector device 10, the first in-vehicle device 12, and the second in-vehicle device 16 caused by inputs during traveling is avoided. In particular, in the structure of this embodiment that includes the first expandable section 34, the deformation of the first expandable section 34 makes it easier to allow the relative displacement between the first in-vehicle device 12 and the second in-vehicle device 16, and improves the followability to vibration input.

The leaf spring clip 44, which holds the first electrical contact portion 26 of the first terminal metal fitting 20 and the second electrical contact portion 96 of the second terminal metal fitting 92 in contact with each other, is displaceable inside the first connector housing 22. This allows the relative displacement between the first device side connection portion 24 and the first electrical contact portion 26 and the relative displacement between the second device side connection portion 94 and the second electrical contact portion 96 to be permitted without being hindered by the leaf spring clip 44. Therefore, the connector device 10 can effectively tolerate the relative displacement caused by the positional deviation or vibration input between the first in-vehicle device 12 and the second in-vehicle device 16. In addition, the simple structure of arranging the leaf spring clip 44 with a gap in the first connector housing 22 allows the relative displacement between the first electrical contact portion 26 and the second electrical contact portion 96 to be permitted while maintaining a stable contact state between the first electrical contact portion 26 and the second electrical contact portion 96.

Next, the effects of the above embodiment will be supplemented.
The first electrical contact portion 26 is displaceable relative to the first device side connection portion 24 .
8, for example, the first terminal fitting 20 is configured such that the angles of the four bent portions 40 of the first expandable portion 34 can be changed by elastic deformation. This allows the first electrical contact portion 26 to be displaced relatively in the front-rear direction with respect to the first device-side connecting portion 24.

For example, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, the angle of the bent portion 40 at the boundary between the first expandable portion 34 and the contact side portion 38 of the first terminal fitting 20 can be changed by elastic deformation. Note that Figures 9 and 10 show a schematic diagram of only the bent portion 40 at the boundary between the first expandable portion 34 and the contact side portion 38 elastically deforming. This allows the first electrical contact portion 26 to be displaced vertically relative to the first device side connection portion 24.

Moreover, when viewed from the left-right direction, each linear portion of the first terminal fitting 20 can be bent into a curved shape by elastic deformation.
The first electrical contact portion 26 is capable of being displaced relatively in the front-rear direction and the up-down direction with respect to the first device side connection portion 24 by a combination of the above-mentioned elastic deformations.

The second terminal metal fitting 92 is also capable of bending into a curved shape due to elastic deformation when viewed from the left and right direction. Therefore, the second electrical contact portion 96 is capable of being displaced in the up and down direction relative to the second device side connection portion 94.

Therefore, even if the positions of the first in-vehicle device 12 and the second in-vehicle device 16 are misaligned in the front-rear direction, the up-down direction, or both the front-rear direction and the up-down direction, the first electrical contact portion 26 and the second electrical contact portion 96 can be well connected. Furthermore, the first electrical contact portion 26, the first expandable portion 34, and the first device side connection portion 24 are configured as a single part. Furthermore, the second terminal fitting 92 is configured as a single part. Note that the term "single part" does not include parts that are formed by joining multiple members. Therefore, compared to the conventional structure in which the terminal fitting is formed by joining multiple members including braided wire, the number of parts can be advantageously reduced and the structure can be simplified.

In addition, the holding force between the first electrical contact portion 26 and the second electrical contact portion 96 is set to be greater than the force required for the elastic deformation of the first expandable portion 34. Therefore, for example, when the first in-vehicle device 12 and the second in-vehicle device 16 are displaced relative to each other due to vibrations caused by the vehicle traveling, the first expandable portion 34 elastically deforms before the first electrical contact portion 26 and the second electrical contact portion 96 are relatively displaced in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the first electrical contact portion 26 and the second electrical contact portion 96 are prevented from wearing out. In this embodiment, the holding force between the first electrical contact portion 26 and the second electrical contact portion 96 utilizes the frictional force between the members that are in contact in a direction intersecting the length direction of the first terminal metal fitting 20, so that, for example, a special structure that generates a force other than a frictional force is not required. Therefore, there is no need to design or process the first terminal metal fitting 20 or the second terminal metal fitting 92 to have a special structure.

The first terminal fitting 20 is thinner than the second terminal fitting 92, so the first expandable portion 34 is more likely to elastically deform. Also, the second terminal fitting 92 is thicker than the first terminal fitting 20, so it is less likely to bend. In particular, the second electrical contact portion 96 of this embodiment protrudes outside the second in-vehicle device 16, so there is a risk that it may collide with other components before being connected to the first electrical contact portion 26, but the second terminal fitting 92 is thicker than the first terminal fitting 20, so bending is suppressed.

<Modification>
Although the first embodiment has been described above as a specific example of the present disclosure, the present disclosure is not limited to this specific description. Modifications, improvements, etc. within the scope of achieving the object of the present disclosure are included in the present disclosure. For example, the following modified examples of the embodiment are also included in the technical scope of the present disclosure.

(1) The first terminal fitting 20 may be provided with a plurality of first expandable portions 34. Also, the first terminal fitting 20 may not have the first expandable portion 34. The first expandable portion may be formed, for example, by a single vertical wall connecting the device side portion 36 and the contact side portion 38. In this case, for example, the first terminal fitting may be crank-shaped (step-shaped), and in the initial shape of the first terminal fitting, the first device side connection portion 24 and the first electrical contact portion 26 may be misaligned in the vertical direction.

(2) The second terminal fitting 92 may be provided with a second expandable portion similar to the first expandable portion 34 of the first terminal fitting 20, so that the second terminal fitting 92 can expand and contract in the direction of separation between the second device side connection portion 94 and the second electrical contact portion 96. When a second expandable portion is provided, various shapes may be adopted, similar to the first expandable portion 34. Also, the second terminal fitting 92 may be provided with multiple second expandable portions.

(3) The width and thickness of the first terminal fitting 20 may change midway. For example, the width of the first expandable portion 34 of the first terminal fitting 20 may be made smaller than the device side portion 36 and the contact side portion 38 to reduce the deformation rigidity of the first expandable portion 34. Also, for example, the first terminal fitting 20 may be provided with a partial protruding portion such as a positioning piece 42 or a partial recessed portion opening to the side, so that the first terminal fitting 20 is positioned in the first connector housing 22 using the protruding portion or recessed portion. The above-mentioned change in the cross-sectional shape of the terminal fitting is permitted not only for the first terminal fitting 20 but also for the second terminal fitting 92.

(4) The elastic member is not limited to the leaf spring clip 44 shown in the above embodiment. For example, upper and lower coil springs may be provided to bias the overlapping first electrical contact portion 26 and second electrical contact portion 96 toward each other in the vertical direction, and the first electrical contact portion 26 and second electrical contact portion 96 may be held in contact with each other by the elasticity of the coil springs. In this case, the elastic member is composed of upper and lower coil springs.

(5) The elastic member is not essential. For example, if one of the first electrical contact portion 26 and the second electrical contact portion 96 is a male terminal and the other is a female terminal, and the first and second electrical contact portions 26, 96 are connected by fitting the male and female terminals together, there is no need to provide a separate elastic member.

(6) In the above embodiment, the second connector 18 is composed of two second terminal fittings 92, 92. However, the second connector may have a structure in which the second terminal fittings 92, 92 are housed in a second connector housing having a hollow structure. By providing a second connector housing, the two second terminal fittings 92, 92 can be easily handled as a single unit as the second connector.

(7) The first connector housing 22 of the first connector 14 may be at least partially housed in the first case 84 as in the above embodiment, or may be entirely disposed outside the first case 84 of the first vehicle-mounted device 12.

(8) In the above embodiment, the holding force between the first electrical contact portion 26 and the second electrical contact portion 96 utilizes the frictional force between the members that are in contact in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the first terminal fitting 20, but it may also include forces other than frictional force.

For example, as shown in FIG. 11 and FIG. 12, the shapes of the first electrical contact portion 26 and the second electrical contact portion 96 may be changed to set the holding force between the first electrical contact portion 26 and the second electrical contact portion 96. In this example, the first electrical contact portion 26 has a mating portion 110, and the second electrical contact portion 96 has a mated portion 112.

The fitting portion 110 is a convex portion provided on the upper surface of the first electrical contact portion 26. The fitting portion 110 is formed over the entire first electrical contact portion 26 in the left-right direction, i.e., the width direction. The fitting portion 110 has an arc shape when viewed from the width direction of the first electrical contact portion 26. The fitting portion 110 is formed by pressing the first electrical contact portion 26 so that it is partially convex upward. Therefore, the first electrical contact portion 26 has a concave portion 114 on the lower surface corresponding to the fitting portion 110.

The mated portion 112 is a recess provided on the underside of the second electrical contact portion 96. The mated portion 112 is formed across the entire second electrical contact portion 96 in the left-right direction, i.e., the width direction. The mated portion 112 is formed by pressing the second electrical contact portion 96 so that it is partially convex upward. Therefore, the second electrical contact portion 96 has a convex portion 116 on its upper surface corresponding to the mated portion 112.

The mating portion 110 fits upward into the mated portion 112 in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the first terminal fitting 20. As a result, the holding force between the first electrical contact portion 26 and the second electrical contact portion 96 includes the engagement force between the mating portion 110 and the mated portion 112, which engage in the longitudinal direction of the first terminal fitting 20. The holding force between the first electrical contact portion 26 and the second electrical contact portion 96, including the engagement force between the mating portion 110 and the mated portion 112, is set to be greater than the force required for elastic deformation of the first expandable portion 34.

Even in this case, for example, when the first in-vehicle device 12 and the second in-vehicle device 16 are displaced relative to each other due to vibrations caused by the vehicle traveling, the first expandable portion 34 elastically deforms before the first electrical contact portion 26 and the second electrical contact portion 96 are displaced relative to each other in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the first electrical contact portion 26 and the second electrical contact portion 96 are prevented from wearing out. In addition, in this example, the holding force between the first electrical contact portion 26 and the second electrical contact portion 96 can be set to be greater than the force required for the elastic deformation of the first expandable portion 34 by utilizing the engagement force between the fitting portion 110 and the fitted portion 112 that engage in the length direction of the first terminal metal fitting 20. Therefore, the holding force between the first electrical contact portion 26 and the second electrical contact portion 96 can be set to be stable and large, compared to, for example, the above embodiment in which the engagement force between the fitting portion 110 and the fitted portion 112 is not used.

(9) In the above embodiment, the first case 84 and the second case 100 are configured to be spaced apart in the front-to-rear direction, but this is not limited thereto, and the first case 84 and the second case 100 may be configured to be close to each other in the front-to-rear direction.

For example, as shown in FIG. 13, the first case 120 may be configured to accommodate the entire first connector housing 22.
Also, for example, as shown in FIG. 14 , the second case 122 may be configured to accommodate substantially the entire second electrical contact portion 96 and also to be able to accommodate the rear portion of the first connector housing 22 .

In this way, the connector device 10 can be prevented from being exposed.
The embodiments of the present disclosure are listed and described below.
The connector of the present disclosure comprises:
(1) A connector comprising: a first terminal fitting formed of a bus bar, the first terminal fitting having a first equipment side connection portion provided at one end thereof for connecting to a terminal portion of a first vehicle-mounted equipment, and a first electrical contact portion provided at the other end thereof for connecting to a mating electrical contact portion; and a first connector housing accommodating the first terminal fitting, wherein the first electrical contact portion is accommodated within the first connector housing in a displaceable manner.

According to the connector of the present disclosure, the first terminal fitting is composed of a bus bar, which is a single component. Furthermore, due to the simple structure of displaceably housing the first electrical contact portion within the first connector housing, the displacement of the first electrical contact portion can be utilized to absorb misalignment with the mating electrical contact portion. Therefore, compared to the conventional structure in which the terminal fitting must be constructed by joining multiple components, including braided wire, and a support member for supporting the electrical contact portion and a mechanism for displaceably holding the support member within the connector housing were required, it is possible to advantageously reduce the number of components and simplify the structure.

(2) The first terminal metal fitting is preferably bent in the thickness direction at a portion between the first device side connection portion and the first electrical contact portion, has a first expandable portion that can expand and contract in the direction of separation between the first device side connection portion and the first electrical contact portion, and is accommodated in the first connector housing in an expandable manner. Since the first terminal metal fitting has a first expandable portion in the middle region in the length direction, it is possible to more advantageously absorb the positional deviation between the first electrical contact portion and the mating electrical contact portion. Moreover, the first expandable portion can be easily provided by bending the first terminal metal fitting formed of a bus bar in the thickness direction, and can be configured without increasing the number of parts. Furthermore, since the first expandable portion is accommodated in the first connector housing in an expandable manner, the expansion and contraction of the first expandable portion is prevented from being restricted by the first connector housing.

(3) It is preferable that an elastic member is provided to hold the first electrical contact portion in contact with the mating electrical contact portion, and that the elastic member is accommodated in the first connector housing in a state in which it can be displaced in response to the displacement of the first electrical contact portion. By providing an elastic member that holds the flat first electrical contact portion formed by a bus bar in contact with the mating electrical contact portion, it is possible to more reliably maintain the stability of electrical conduction between the two electrical contact portions. Furthermore, since the elastic member is accommodated in the first connector housing in a state in which it can be displaced in response to the displacement of the first electrical contact portion, it is advantageously prevented that the elastic member impedes the function of absorbing positional deviations caused by the displacement of the first electrical contact portion.

(4) In the above (3), it is preferable that the elastic member is constituted by a leaf spring clip having a pair of flat plate portions arranged opposite to each other with a gap therebetween and a connecting plate portion connecting the first side edges of the pair of flat plate portions, and the leaf spring clip is assembled to the first electrical contact portion in a state in which the first electrical contact portion is inserted between the pair of flat plate portions and one of the pair of flat plate portions is superimposed on the bottom surface of the first electrical contact portion, and the mating electrical contact portion is inserted between the pair of flat plate portions and superimposed on the first electrical contact portion. This makes it possible to provide the elastic member by using the leaf spring clip. Moreover, by simply assembling the leaf spring clip to the first electrical contact portion, it is possible to construct a structure in which the elastic member is accommodated in the first connector housing in a state in which it can be displaced in accordance with the displacement of the first electrical contact portion. Therefore , it is possible to further simplify the structure of the connector .

(5) It is preferable that the first electrical contact portion has a contact portion that protrudes in a dome shape toward the mating electrical contact portion. Because the contact portion provided on the first electrical contact portion is dome-shaped, the contact state between the two electrical contact portions can be stably maintained even if the mating electrical contact portion that is superimposed on the first electrical contact portion undergoes torsional displacement such as rolling.

The connector device of the present disclosure comprises:
(6) A connector device including a first connector provided on a first vehicle-mounted device and a second connector provided on a second vehicle-mounted device and connected to the first connector, wherein the first connector is constituted by a connector described in any one of (1) to (5) above.

According to the connector device of the present disclosure, since the first connector is configured by any of the connectors described in (1) to (5) of the present disclosure, it is possible to absorb misalignment between the first connector and the second connector and reliably connect the two connectors, and it is possible to similarly enjoy the above-mentioned effects of the connector of the present disclosure.

(7) In the above (6), the second connector has a second terminal metal fitting formed of a bus bar, the second terminal metal fitting has a second device side connection part provided on one end side and connected to the terminal part of the second vehicle device, and a second electrical contact part provided on the other end side and connected to the first electrical contact part, and the second electrical contact part is preferably displaceably protruding from an insertion hole provided in the housing of the second vehicle device. Since the second terminal metal fitting of the second connector is also formed of a bus bar and the second electrical contact part is displaceably protruding from the second vehicle device to the outside, when the first connector and the second connector are mated, the displacement of both the first and second electrical contact parts is utilized to more advantageously absorb the positional deviation between the electrical contact parts of the first connector and the second connector, and the connection between the two electrical contact parts can be stably realized. Moreover, since the second terminal metal fitting is also formed of a bus bar, which is a single part, the number of parts in the connector device can be reduced and the structure can be more advantageously simplified.

10 Connector device 12 First vehicle-mounted device 14 First connector (connector)
16 Second vehicle-mounted device 18 Second connector 20 First terminal fitting 22 First connector housing 24 First device-side connection portion 26 First electrical contact portion 28 First bolt hole 30 Contact portion 32 Guide portion 34 First expandable portion 36 Device-side portion 38 Contact-side portion 40 Bent portion 42 Positioning piece 44 Leaf spring clip (elastic member)
46 Flat plate portion 48 Connecting plate portion 50 Clamping protrusion 52 Guide piece 54 First member 56 Second member 58 Peripheral wall 60 Partition wall portion 62 First accommodating recess 64 Positioning protrusion 66 Terminal receiving portion 67 Protrusion 68 Device-side insertion portion 70 Second accommodating recess 72 First position determining portion 74 Second position determining portion 76 Insertion window 77 Third position determining portion 78 Locking claw 80 Locking piece 82 Claw insertion hole 84 First case 86 First connection terminal (first terminal portion)
88 First window portion 90 First bolt 92 Second terminal metal fitting 94 Second device side connection portion 96 Second electrical contact portion (counterpart electrical contact portion)
98 Second bolt hole 100 Second case (housing)
102 Second connection terminal (second terminal portion)
104 Second window portion (insertion hole)
106 Second bolt 110 Fitting portion 112 Fitted portion 114 Recessed portion 116 Protruding portion 120 First case 122 Second case

Claims (11)

A connector capable of electrically connecting a first terminal portion of a first in-vehicle device and a flat-plate-shaped mating electrical contact portion of a second in-vehicle device,
A first terminal fitting;
a first connector housing that receives the first terminal fitting,
the first terminal fitting has a first device side connecting portion protruding with a protruding length from the first connector housing so as to be connectable with the first terminal portion, and a first electrical contact portion connectable with the mating electrical contact portion and disposed on an opposite side to the first device side connecting portion in a longitudinal direction of the first terminal fitting,
the first electrical contact portion and the first device side connection portion are configured as a single component,
the first electrical contact portion is displaceable relative to the first device side connection portion,
when the first electrical contact portion is displaced relative to the first device side connection portion, the protruding length of the first device side connection portion from the first connector housing does not change, and the first electrical contact portion of the first terminal fitting is displaced within the first connector housing,
The connector includes an elastic member accommodated in the first connector housing,
the elastic member is capable of holding the first electrical contact portion in a state in which the first electrical contact portion is in contact with the mating electrical contact portion, and is capable of being displaced in the first connector housing in association with displacement of the first electrical contact portion,
The elastic member has a pair of flat plate portions arranged opposite to each other with a gap therebetween, and a connecting plate portion connecting the pair of flat plate portions,
the elastic member is capable of clamping the first electrical contact portion and the mating electrical contact portion in a contacting state between the pair of flat plate portions in a direction in which the first electrical contact portion and the mating electrical contact portion are in contact with each other,
The pair of flat plate portions each have a clamping protrusion protruding inward in the opposing direction,
the clamping protrusion is capable of clamping the first electrical contact portion and the mating electrical contact portion in a direction in which they are in contact with each other,
the first electrical contact portion has a contact portion which is a circular dome-shaped protrusion having a diameter in a plan view and which is capable of coming into contact with the mating electrical contact portion;
Each of the clamping protrusions of the pair of flat plate portions of the elastic member is an elongated protrusion having an arc-shaped cross section,
when the elastic member sandwiches the first electrical contact portion and the mating electrical contact portion, one of the sandwiching protrusions of the pair of flat portions is configured to come into contact with the flat-plate-shaped mating electrical contact portion with a contact length in the longitudinal direction of the first terminal fitting,
When the elastic member is sandwiching the first electrical contact portion and the mating electrical contact portion, the sandwiching protrusion having the arc-shaped cross section of the elastic member and the circular dome-shaped contact portion of the first electrical contact portion allow the flat-plate-shaped mating electrical contact portion to be twisted and displaced in an out-of-plane direction of the flat-plate-shaped mating electrical contact portion.
connector. the first terminal fitting has a first expandable portion between the first device side connection portion and the first electrical contact portion,
When the first expanding and contracting portion is elastically deformed, the first electrical contact portion is displaceable relative to the first device side connection portion.
The connector of claim 1 . The first expandable portion is formed by bending the first terminal fitting.
The connector according to claim 2. A connector device that electrically connects a first terminal portion of a first in-vehicle device and a second terminal portion of a second in-vehicle device,
a first connector that can be attached to the first in-vehicle device;
a second connector that can be attached to the second in-vehicle device,
the first connector includes a first terminal metal fitting and a first connector housing that receives the first terminal metal fitting;
The second connector has a second terminal metal fitting,
the second terminal metal fitting has a second device side connection portion connectable to the second terminal portion, and a flat second electrical contact portion connected to the first terminal metal fitting and disposed on the opposite side to the second device side connection portion,
the first terminal fitting has a first device side connecting portion protruding with a protruding length from the first connector housing so as to be connectable with the first terminal portion, and a first electrical contact portion connected to the second electrical contact portion and disposed on an opposite side to the first device side connecting portion in a longitudinal direction of the first terminal fitting,
the first electrical contact portion and the first device side connection portion are configured as a single component,
the first electrical contact portion is displaceable relative to the first device side connection portion,
when the first electrical contact portion is displaced relative to the first device side connection portion, the protruding length of the first device side connection portion from the first connector housing does not change, and the first electrical contact portion of the first terminal fitting is displaced within the first connector housing,
The first connector includes an elastic member accommodated in the first connector housing,
the elastic member is capable of holding the first electrical contact portion in a state in which the first electrical contact portion is in contact with the second electrical contact portion, and is capable of being displaced in the first connector housing in accordance with displacement of the first electrical contact portion;
The elastic member has a pair of flat plate portions arranged opposite to each other with a gap therebetween, and a connecting plate portion connecting the pair of flat plate portions,
the elastic member is capable of sandwiching the first electrical contact portion and the second electrical contact portion in a contacting state between the pair of flat plate portions in a direction in which the first electrical contact portion and the second electrical contact portion are in contact with each other,
The pair of flat plate portions each have a clamping protrusion protruding inward in the opposing direction,
the clamping protrusion is capable of clamping the first electrical contact portion and the second electrical contact portion in a direction in which they are in contact with each other,
the first electrical contact portion has a contact portion that is a circular dome-shaped protrusion having a diameter in a plan view and is capable of coming into contact with the second electrical contact portion;
Each of the clamping protrusions of the pair of flat plate portions of the elastic member is an elongated protrusion having an arc-shaped cross section,
when the elastic member sandwiches the first electrical contact portion and the second electrical contact portion, one of the sandwiching protrusions of the pair of flat plate portions is configured to come into contact with the flat second electrical contact portion with a contact length in the longitudinal direction of the first terminal fitting,
When the elastic member is sandwiching the first electrical contact portion and the second electrical contact portion, the sandwiching protrusion having the arc-shaped cross section of the elastic member and the circular dome-shaped contact portion of the first electrical contact portion allow the flat second electrical contact portion to be twisted and displaced in an out-of-plane direction of the flat second electrical contact portion.
Connector device. the second electrical contact portion and the second device side connection portion are configured as a single component,
The second electrical contact portion is displaceable relative to the second device side connection portion.
5. The connector device according to claim 4 . In a state in which the second connector is attached to the second in-vehicle device,
The second electrical contact portion protrudes to the outside of the second in-vehicle device.
6. The connector device according to claim 5 . the first terminal fitting has a first expandable portion between the first device side connection portion and the first electrical contact portion,
When the first expandable portion is elastically deformed, the first electrical contact portion is displaceable relative to the first device side connection portion,
The first expandable portion is formed by bending the first terminal fitting.
The connector device according to any one of claims 4 to 6 . The first terminal metal fitting is thinner than the second terminal metal fitting.
8. The connector device of claim 7 . A holding force between the first electrical contact portion and the second electrical contact portion is set to be greater than a force required for elastic deformation of the first expandable portion.
9. A connector device according to claim 7 or 8 . a holding force between the first electrical contact portion and the second electrical contact portion includes a frictional force between members that are in contact with each other in a direction intersecting a longitudinal direction of the first terminal fitting,
10. The connector device of claim 9 . One of the first electrical contact portion and the second electrical contact portion has a fitting portion,
the other of the first electrical contact portion and the second electrical contact portion has a fitted portion,
the fitting portion is fitted into the fitted portion in a direction intersecting a longitudinal direction of the first terminal fitting,
a holding force between the first electrical contact portion and the second electrical contact portion includes an engagement force between the fitting portion and the fitted portion that engage with each other in a longitudinal direction of the first terminal fitting.
A connector device according to claim 9 or 10 .

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