header connector

Abstract

A joint connector includes: a circuit board positioned behind the rear wall of the connector housing through a component space; an independent male terminal connected to the circuit board; and a joint terminal. The joint terminal includes: a bridge portion fixed to the connector housing; a plurality of male terminal portions electrically conductive to each other and projecting into the fitting space of the connector housing to serve as connection terminals; and a contact conductive piece extending behind the rear wall of the connector housing and making elastic conductive contact with one of the independent male terminals via a spring portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a joint connector for forming a branch circuit, and more particularly, to a joint connector having a function of electrically connecting wires to a circuit board in an electronic circuit unit while making a plurality of wires connected to a mating connector conductive to each other by fitting the mating connector. Background Art

[0002] There is a case where a connector for connecting to external electric wires is directly provided in a housing of an electronic circuit unit mounted on a vehicle or the like. As one of these connectors, there is a female connector that has a function of connecting a plurality of electric wires connected to a male mating connector to a circuit board in the electronic circuit unit while making the plurality of electric wires electrically conductive to each other (short-circuiting) when the male mating connector is fitted.

[0003] This type of connector is used to form a branch circuit, for example, when multiple wires are to be connected to a circuit conductor on a circuit board in a mating connector.

[0004] In this type of conventional joint connector, to provide a joint between male terminals in circuit conductors of a circuit board, the proximal end portion of each male terminal to be connected extends to the circuit conductor (circuit pattern) on the circuit board and is soldered to the circuit conductor.

[0005] However, in such a joint connector, it is necessary to ensure space for the joint in the circuit board corresponding to the number of male terminals to be connected, which leads to an increase in the area of the circuit board. This also leads to a problem of increasing the size of the electronic circuit unit accommodating the circuit board.

[0006] Since the space between the circuit board and the rear wall of the connector case is occupied by bridging as many conductors as the number of male terminals to be connected, there is no room for securing the space between the circuit board and the rear wall of the connector case, and there is a problem in that electronic components cannot be arranged in the space.

[0007] Patent Document 1 discloses a circuit board connector using connector terminals, wherein multiple terminal engaging portions (corresponding to male terminal portions that engage with mating connector terminals) extend from a circuit board connection portion (the proximal end of the terminal connected to the circuit board). With this connector, a circuit on the circuit board can be branched into multiple circuits by the branching action of the connector terminals.

[0008] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a connector having a configuration in which one end of a joint terminal is brought into conduction with a connector terminal connected to a circuit board within a fitting space of a mating connector of a connector housing.

[0009] Citation List

[0010] Patent Literature

[0011] Patent Document 1: JP-2016-72032-A;

[0012] Patent document 2: JP-H6-5327-U.

[0013] In this type of joint connector, in addition to the requirement to reduce the area of the circuit board and to ensure space for accommodating electronic components, there are the following requirements.

[0014] Right now,

[0015] (1) Even if the number of terminals to be connected is changed, it is desirable to be able to keep the circuit board unchanged, that is, to cope with the change in the number of terminals to be connected while sharing the circuit board; and

[0016] (2) It is undesirable to significantly affect the internal structure of the fitting space of the connector housing.

[0017] That is, it is desirable to avoid variations in the shapes of the connection terminals arranged in the fitting space of the connector housing due to the use of the joint terminals.

[0018] In contrast, in the connector of Patent Document 1, since the circuit board connecting portion and the terminal fitting portion of the connector terminal are integrally coupled and difficult to separate, there is a problem that it is difficult to easily cope with changes in the number of connector terminals.

[0019] In the connector of Patent Document 2, since the joint terminal conducts electricity with the connection terminal connected to the circuit board in the fitting space of the connector housing, there is a problem that the terminal shape of this portion is changed and cannot be the same as the other connection terminals. Summary of the Invention

[0020] The present invention was developed in response to the aforementioned situation. An object of the present invention is to provide a joint connector that can reduce circuit board area or secure mounting space for additional electronic components within the circuit board. This connector connector can share the circuit board while easily accommodating changes in the number of terminals to be connected as needed, without requiring significant changes to the arrangement of the connecting terminals within the mating space of the connector housing.

[0021] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the joint connector according to the present invention includes: a connector shell, which defines a fitting space for a mating connector by a rear wall and a cover wall extending forward from the rear wall; a circuit board, which is fixed to a shell body on which the connector shell is detachably mounted, and when the connector shell is mounted on the shell, it is positioned behind the rear wall of the connector shell through the component space; an independent terminal, when the proximal end is connected to the circuit conductor of the circuit board and the connector shell is mounted on the shell, the terminal portion at its distal end passes through the rear wall of the connector shell and protrudes into the fitting space to serve as a connecting terminal; a relay terminal, which has a proximal end connected to the circuit conductor of the circuit board; and a joint terminal. The connector terminal includes: a bridging portion fixed to the rear wall of the connector shell; a plurality of terminal portions extending forward from the bridging portion in a state of being electrically conductive to each other through the bridging portion, and projecting into the fitting space of the connector shell to serve as connecting terminals, and extending forward from the bridging portion; and a contact conductive sheet extending from the bridging portion to the rear of the rear wall of the connector shell, and elastically conductively contacting the relay terminal via an elastic deformation portion when the connector shell is mounted on the housing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Figure 1 is an external perspective view of an electronic circuit unit including a joint connector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 2 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a state before the joint connector according to the first embodiment of the present invention and a mating connector to be fitted to the joint connector are fitted.

[0024] Figure 3 is a sectional view showing a fitted state of the joint connector and a mating connector to be fitted to the joint connector according to the first embodiment.

[0025] Figure 4 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a state before the joint connector according to the second embodiment of the present invention and a mating connector to be fitted thereto are fitted.

[0026] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a joint connector in a first example compared with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 6 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a state before the joint connector and the mating connector in a second example to be compared with the embodiment of the present invention are fitted together.

[0028] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a fitted state of the joint connector and the mating connector in the second example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0030] Figure 1 is an external perspective view of an electronic circuit unit including a joint connector according to an embodiment.

[0031] like Figure 1 As shown, the electronic circuit unit 1 includes a unit housing 2A and a unit housing cover 2B as a case member, and necessary components and elements including a circuit board 5 are arranged inside the electronic circuit unit 1. The unit housing cover 2B is detachably attached to the unit housing 2A. The joint connector 10 of the embodiment is directly provided on the unit housing cover 2B.

[0032] Figure 2 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a state before the joint connector according to the first embodiment of the present invention and a male counterpart connector to be fitted to the joint connector are fitted. Figure 3 is a sectional view showing a fitted state of the joint connector and a male counterpart connector to be fitted to the joint connector according to the first embodiment.

[0033] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the joint connector 10 includes a connector housing 11 , a circuit board 5 , a plurality of independent male terminals 15 , a joint terminal 17 , an independent male terminal fixing member 16 , and a joint terminal fixing member 19 .

[0034] The connector shell 11 is a female connector shell in which the fitting space 12 of the male counterpart connector 30 is defined by a rear wall 11a and a cover wall 11b extending forward from the rear wall 11a. The connector shell 11 is integrally formed with a cover wall 11b that is detachably mounted to the unit housing 2A (see FIG. 1 ). Figure 1 The cover wall 11b of the connector housing 11 is provided with an engaging portion 13, which engages with a locking arm 33 formed on the connector housing 31 of the mating connector 30 when the mating connector 30 is fitted into the fitting space 12 at an appropriate position.

[0035] The circuit board 5 is fixed to the unit case 2A side and is arranged to be located behind the rear wall 11 a of the connector case 11 via the component space 6 when the unit case cover 2B formed integrally with the connector case 11 is mounted to the unit case 2A.

[0036] The independent male terminals 15 are independent male terminals, each of which does not have a connector function. Each independent male terminal 15 is fixed to the side of the unit housing 2A by soldering the proximal end 15b to the circuit conductor (circuit pattern) of the circuit board 5. When the unit housing cover 2B integrally formed with the connector shell 11 is mounted to the unit housing 2A, the male terminal portion 15a at the distal end of the independent male terminal 15 is inserted into the through hole 14 of the rear wall 11a of the connector shell 11 and protrudes into the fitting space 12 to serve as a connecting terminal. The bases of the plurality of independent male terminals 15 are stably held by the independent male terminal fixing member 16 fixed to the circuit board 5. The independent male terminal fixing member 16, to which a hook (not shown) is mounted, is a resin component fixed to the circuit board 5 and is fixed to the circuit board 5 by soldering the hook to the circuit board 5. Therefore, the soldered portion of the independent male terminal 15 is protected from additional stress.

[0037] In the present embodiment, one of the plurality of independent male terminals 15 located close to the joint terminal 17 also functions as a relay terminal for conducting the joint terminal 17 to the circuit board 5 .

[0038] The connector terminal 17 has a bridge portion 17c fixed to the rear wall 11a of the connector shell 11 for short-circuiting. A plurality of male terminal portions 17a extend forward from the bridge portion 17c. The plurality of male terminal portions 17a are electrically conductive to each other via the bridge portion 17c, and the male terminal portions 17a extending forward from the bridge portion 17c are inserted into the through-hole 14 of the rear wall 11a of the connector shell 11 and protrude into the fitting space 12 to serve as a connection terminal. The bridge portion 17c is provided with a contact conductive piece 17b that extends from the bridge portion 17c to the rear side of the rear wall 11a of the connector shell 11 and, when the unit shell cover 2B is mounted to the unit housing 2A, elastically and electrically conductively contacts an independent male terminal 15 serving as a relay terminal 18 via the spring portion 18.

[0039] With the plurality of male terminal portions 17a protruding from the through-holes 14 of the rear wall 11a of the connector case 11 into the fitting space 12, the bridge portion 17c is fixed to the rear of the rear wall 11a of the connector case 11 by the connector terminal fixing member 19, thereby mounting the connector terminal 17 to the unit case cover 2B.

[0040] In this embodiment, the spring portion 18 is integrally provided with the contact conductive piece 17b of the connector terminal 17. When the unit housing cover 2B integrally formed with the connector housing 11 is mounted to the unit housing 2A, the spring portion 18 of the contact conductive piece 17b elastically and electrically contacts the side surface of an independent male terminal 15.

[0041] Next, the operation will be described. Figure 3 In the embodiment, a plurality of female terminals 32 are actually clamped to the distal end portion (not shown) of the electric wire.

[0042] like Figure 3 As shown, when the male mating connector 30 is fitted to the joint connector 10, the individual male terminals 15 of the joint connector 10 and the male terminal portions 15a and 17a of the joint terminals 17 are fitted into the female terminals 32 accommodated in the terminal accommodation chambers through the front end holes 22 of the connector housing 31 of the mating connector 30. Thus, the wires connected to the circuit board 5 and the mating connector 30 are connected to each other. A circuit on the circuit board 5 branches off via the joint terminals 17 and is connected to the wires.

[0043] According to the joint connector 10, the joint terminals 17 themselves are joined between the male terminal portions 17a (between the connection terminals) and are not directly soldered to the circuit board 5, so the number of terminals directly joined to the circuit board 5 can be reduced. Figure 3 As shown, the area of the circuit board 5 can be reduced and miniaturization of the electronic circuit unit 1 can be facilitated.

[0044] Since the number of terminals directly bonded to the circuit board 5 is reduced, a space S is generated between the circuit board 5 and the rear wall 11a of the connector case 11 (see FIG. Figure 2 ), and electronic components and the like can be accommodated in this space. Therefore, the area of the circuit board can be further reduced.

[0045] Furthermore, since the connector terminals 17 are fixed to the rear wall 11a of the connector shell 11 integrally formed with the unit shell cover 2B, the connector terminals 17 can be removed together by removing the unit shell cover 2B from the unit housing 2A. That is, since the electrical connection between the connector terminals 17 and the relay terminal (an independent male terminal 15 located near the connector terminal 17) is elastically contacted and conductive via the spring portion 18, the connector terminals 17 and the relay terminal are easily separated from each other, and the connector terminals 17 can be easily removed from the circuit board 5 side. Therefore, the specifications of the connector terminals 17 can be easily changed while sharing the circuit board 5 fixed on the unit housing 2A side. For example, the number of male terminal portions 17a of the connector terminals 17 can be easily changed, and the number of mutually conductive connection terminals can be changed as needed.

[0046] Since the connection between the contact conductive piece 17b of the connector terminal 17 and the circuit board 5 is made behind the rear wall 11a of the connector shell 11, the connection does not affect the fitting space 12 of the connector shell 11, and the male terminal portion 15a of the independent terminal 15 and the male terminal portion 17a of the connector terminal 17 can be arranged in the fitting space 12 as connecting terminals having the same shape.

[0047] In the joint connector 10 of the present embodiment, since one of the independent terminals 15 has the function of a relay terminal, an independent relay terminal is not required, which is advantageous in reducing the area of the circuit board 5 and securing the space.

[0048] Figure 4 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a state before the joint connector according to the second embodiment of the present invention and a mating connector to be fitted thereto are fitted.

[0049] like Figure 4 As shown, the joint connector 110 of the second embodiment includes a connector housing 111 , a circuit board 105 , a plurality of independent male terminals 115 , a joint terminal 117 , a relay terminal 118 , a terminal fixing member 116 , and a joint terminal fixing member 119 .

[0050] The connector shell 111 is a female connector shell in which a fitting space 112 of a male mating connector 130 is defined by a rear wall 111a and a cover wall 111b extending forward from the rear wall 111a. The connector shell 111 is integrally formed with a unit shell cover 2B (see FIG. 1 ) which is detachably mounted to the unit housing 2A. Figure 1 ).

[0051] The circuit board 105 is fixed to the unit housing 2A side and is arranged to be located behind the rear wall 111 a of the connector housing 111 via the component space 106 when the unit housing cover 2B formed integrally with the connector housing 111 is attached to the unit housing 2A.

[0052] The independent male terminals 115 are simple, independent male terminals, each without a connector function. Each independent male terminal 115 is secured to the unit housing 2A side by soldering its proximal end 115b to a circuit conductor (circuit pattern) on the circuit board 105. When the unit housing cover 2B, which is integrally molded with the connector housing 111, is attached to the unit housing 2A, the distal male terminal portion 115a of the independent male terminal 115 is inserted into the through-hole 114 in the rear wall 111a of the connector housing 111 and protrudes into the fitting space 112, functioning as a connection terminal.

[0053] The proximal end 118b of the relay terminal 118 is connected to the circuit conductor of the circuit board 105, and the distal end of the relay terminal 118 is configured as a clamping terminal portion having a spring piece 118a. In the illustrated example, the relay terminal 118 is configured as a tuning fork-type terminal portion so that the contact conductive piece 117b on the other side can be clamped between a pair of spring pieces 118a. The relay terminal 118 is arranged behind the rear wall 111a of the connector housing 111.

[0054] The bases of the plurality of individual male terminals 15 and the bases of the relay terminals 118 are stably held by a terminal retainer 116 fixed to the circuit board 105. The terminal retainer 116, to which the metal hooks 120 are attached, is a resin member fixed to the circuit board 105 and is fixed to the circuit board 105 by soldering the hooks 120 to the circuit board 105. Therefore, the soldered portions of the individual male terminals 15 and the soldered portions of the relay terminals 118 are protected from additional stress.

[0055] The present embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the relay terminals 118 for conducting the joint terminals 117 to the circuit board 105 are provided separately from the plurality of independent male terminals 15 .

[0056] The connector terminal 117 has a bridge portion 117c for short-circuiting fixed to the rear wall 111a of the connector shell 111. A plurality of male terminal portions 117a extend forward from the bridge portion 117c. The plurality of male terminal portions 117a are electrically conductive (short-circuited) to each other through the bridge portion 117c, and the male terminal portions 117a extending forward from the bridge portion 117c pass through the rear wall 111a of the connector shell 111 and protrude into the fitting space 112 to serve as a connecting terminal. The bridge portion 117c is provided with a contact conductive piece 117b, which extends from the bridge portion 117c to the rear side of the rear wall 111a of the connector shell 111, and when the unit shell cover 2B integrally formed with the connector shell 111 is mounted on the unit housing 2A, it elastically and electrically conductively contacts the relay terminal 118 via the spring piece 118a.

[0057] With the plurality of male terminal portions 117a protruding from the rear wall 111a of the connector shell 111 into the fitting space 12, the bridging portion 117c housed in the rear recess 111c of the rear wall 111a of the connector shell 111 is fixed by the connector terminal fixing member 119, thereby mounting the connector terminal 117 to the unit shell cover 2B.

[0058] In this embodiment, the relay terminal 118 is provided with a spring piece 118a that is separated from the contact conductive piece 117b of the connector terminal 117. When the unit housing cover 2B, which is integrally formed with the connector housing 111, is mounted to the unit housing 2A, the contact conductive piece 117b of the connector terminal 117 is elastically clamped by the pair of spring pieces 118a of the clamping terminal portion (tuning fork-type terminal portion), and the contact conductive piece 117b and the relay terminal 118 are in conductive contact with each other.

[0059] According to the joint connector 110 of the second embodiment, since the independent relay terminal 118 is used to connect the contact conductive piece 117b of the joint terminal 117, the joint can be achieved without affecting the independent male terminal 115. Other operations and effects are the same as those of the first embodiment, so their description will be omitted.

[0060] In this embodiment, a tuning fork-type terminal portion is used as a clamping terminal portion, in which the contact conductive piece 117b of the connector terminal 117 is clamped between a pair of clamping pieces (spring pieces 118a). Alternatively, a box-type female terminal portion may be used, in which the contact conductive piece 117b of the connector terminal 117 is clamped between the inner wall of the box portion and a spring piece provided inside the box portion or the like.

[0061] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a joint connector in a first example compared with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0062] In this example of the joint connector 210, the proximal end portion 217b of the joint terminal 217 is directly soldered to the circuit board 5. The joint terminal 217 has three male terminal portions 217a that are short-circuited by a bridge portion 217c and protrude from the through-hole 14 of the rear wall 11a of the connector housing 11 into the fitting space 12. The joint terminal 217 and the independent male terminal 15 are protectively supported by the terminal fixing member 219. In this example, since the joint terminal 217 is bonded to the circuit board 5 at one proximal end portion 217b, a space S can be secured behind the male terminal portion 217a. However, since the joint terminal 217 is fixed to the circuit board 5, the number of male terminal portions 217a cannot be changed by using the circuit board 5 in common.

[0063] Figure 6 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a state before the joint connector and the mating connector in a second example to be compared with the embodiment of the present invention are fitted together. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a fitted state of the joint connector and the mating connector in the second example.

[0064] In the joint connector 310 of this example, the joint terminal 317 uses a plurality of male terminal portions 317a that are electrically conductive to each other via a bridge portion 317c as a connection terminal, but is not electrically connected to the circuit board 5. Therefore, the number of male terminal portions 317a can be changed by using the circuit board 5 in common, but it is only possible to make the female terminal of the male connector 30 electrically conductive when the male mating connector 30 is fitted.

[0065] Here, the features of the joint connector according to the above-mentioned embodiment of the present invention will be briefly summarized and listed in the following [1] to [4]. [1]

[0067] A joint connector (10, 110) comprising:

[0068] A connector housing (11, 111) defines a fitting space (12, 112) for a mating connector (30, 130) through a rear wall (11a, 111a) and a cover wall (11b, 111b) extending forward from the rear wall (11a, 111a);

[0069] a circuit board (5, 105) fixed to a housing (2A) on which the connector housing (11, 111) is detachably mounted, and positioned behind the rear wall (11a, 111a) of the connector housing (11, 111) through an assembly space (6, 106) when the connector housing (11, 111) is mounted on the housing (2A);

[0070] an independent terminal (15, 115) whose terminal portion (15a) at the distal end passes through the rear wall (11a, 111a) of the connector shell (11, 111) and protrudes into the fitting space (12, 112) to serve as a connection terminal when the proximal end is connected to the circuit conductor of the circuit board (5, 105) and the connector shell (11, 111) is mounted to the housing (2A);

[0071] a relay terminal (15, 118) having a proximal end connected to the circuit conductor of the circuit board (5, 105); and

[0072] A connector terminal (17, 117) comprising:

[0073] a bridging portion (17c, 117c) fixed to the rear wall (11a, 111a) of the connector housing (11, 111);

[0074] a plurality of terminal portions (17a, 117a) extending forward from the bridge portion (17c, 117c) in a state of being electrically conductive with each other via the bridge portion (17c, 117c) and projecting into the fitting space (12, 112) of the connector housing (11, 111) to serve as connection terminals; and

[0075] A contact conductive sheet (17b, 117b) extends from the bridging portion (17c, 117c) to the rear of the rear wall (11a, 111a) of the connector shell (11, 111) and is in elastic conductive contact with the relay terminal (15, 118) via an elastic deformation portion (18, 118a) when the connector shell (11, 111) is mounted on the housing (2A). [2]

[0077] The joint connector (10) according to [1], wherein

[0078] One of the independent terminals (15) also serves as the relay terminal,

[0079] The elastic deformation portion (18) is integrally provided on the contact conductive piece (17b) of the connector terminal (17), and

[0080] When the connector shell (11) is mounted on the housing (2A), the elastic deformation portion (18) of the contact conductive piece (17b) is in elastic conductive contact with the independent terminal (15). [3]

[0082] The joint connector (110) according to [1], wherein

[0083] The distal end of the relay terminal (118) is configured as a clamping terminal portion having the elastic deformation portion (118a) and located behind the rear wall (111a) of the connector housing (111), and

[0084] When the connector shell (111) is mounted to the housing (2A), the contact conductive piece (117b) of the connector terminal (117) is elastically clamped by the elastic deformation portion (118a) of the clamping terminal portion, and the contact conductive piece (117b) and the relay terminal (118) are in conductive contact with each other. [4]

[0086] The joint connector (10, 110) according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein

[0087] The connector shell (11, 111) is integrally formed with a shell cover (2B) that is detachably mounted to the housing (2A).

[0088] According to the joint connector having the above-mentioned configuration (1), since the terminal portion (connection terminal) is connected by the joint terminal itself, the number of terminals directly connected to the circuit board can be reduced. Therefore, the area of the circuit board can be reduced, and the miniaturization of the electronic circuit unit is contributed to. Since the number of terminals directly connected to the circuit board is reduced, a space is generated between the circuit board and the rear wall of the connector housing, and electronic components and the like can be accommodated in the space for the connector. Therefore, the area of the circuit board can be further reduced.

[0089] Since the connector terminals are fixed to the rear wall of the connector shell that is detachably mounted to the housing, the connector terminals can be removed together by removing the connector shell from the housing. That is, since the electrical connection between the connector terminals and the relay terminals is elastically contacted and electrically conductive via the elastic deformation portion, the connector terminals and the relay terminals are easily separated from each other, and the connector terminals can be easily removed from the circuit board side. Therefore, when sharing a circuit board fixed to the housing, the specifications of the connector terminals can be easily changed. For example, the number of terminal portions of the connector terminals, that is, the number of mutually conductive connection terminals, can be easily changed according to needs.

[0090] Since the connection between the contact conductive sheet of the connector terminal and the circuit board is made on the rear surface side of the rear wall of the connector shell, the connection does not affect the fitting space of the connector shell, and the terminal portion of the independent terminal and the terminal portion of the connector terminal can be arranged in the fitting space as connecting terminals having the same shape.

[0091] According to the joint connector having the configuration (2) described above, since one of the independent terminals has the function of the relay terminal, an independent relay terminal is not required, which is advantageous in reducing the area of the circuit board and securing the space.

[0092] According to the joint connector having the structure (3), since the independent relay terminal is used to connect the contact conductive piece of the joint terminal, the joint can be realized without affecting the independent terminal. As the clamping terminal portion, a tuning fork type terminal portion in which the contact conductive piece of the joint terminal is clamped between a pair of clamping pieces, and a box type female terminal portion in which the contact conductive piece of the joint terminal is clamped between the inner wall of the box portion and a spring piece provided inside the box portion, etc. can be adopted.

[0093] According to the joint connector having the configuration (4) described above, the joint connector can be constructed by mounting the housing cover on the housing. The joint terminal can be separated from the circuit board side by removing the housing cover from the housing.

[0094] According to the present invention, the area of a circuit board can be reduced or space for mounting additional electronic components on the circuit board can be secured. When a circuit board is shared, the number of terminals to be connected can be easily adjusted to meet demand. The shape of the connecting terminals within the fitting space of the connector housing can be standardized, and the arrangement of the connecting terminals will not be significantly affected.

Claims

1. A joint connector comprising: a connector housing defining a fitting space for a mating connector by a rear wall and a cover wall extending forward from the rear wall; a circuit board fixed to a housing to which the connector housing is detachably mounted and positioned behind the rear wall of the connector housing through an assembly space when the connector housing is mounted to the housing; an independent terminal, the terminal portion at the distal end of which passes through the rear wall of the connector case and projects into the fitting space to serve as a connection terminal when a proximal end is connected to a circuit conductor of the circuit board and the connector case is mounted to the housing; a relay terminal having a proximal end connected to the circuit conductor of the circuit board; as well as A connector terminal comprising: a bridging portion fixed to the rear wall of the connector housing; a plurality of terminal portions extending forward from the bridge portion in a state of being electrically conductive with each other via the bridge portion and projecting into the fitting space of the connector case to serve as connection terminals; and A contact conductive piece extends from the bridge portion to the rear of the rear wall of the connector case and elastically and conductively contacts the relay terminal via the elastic deformation portion when the connector case is mounted on the housing.

2. The joint connector according to claim 1, wherein One of the plurality of independent terminals also serves as the relay terminal, The elastic deformation portion is integrally provided on the contact conductive piece of the connector terminal, and When the connector shell is mounted on the housing, the elastic deformation portion of the conductive contact piece is in elastic conductive contact with an independent terminal.

3. The joint connector according to claim 1, wherein The distal end of the relay terminal is configured as a clip-type terminal portion having the elastic deformation portion and located behind the rear wall of the connector case, and When the connector shell is mounted to the housing, the contact conductive piece of the joint terminal is elastically clamped by the elastic deformation portion of the clamping terminal portion, and the contact conductive piece and the relay terminal are in conductive contact with each other.

4. The joint connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The connector case is integrally formed with a case cover detachably mounted to the housing.

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