Connector and method for manufacturing connector

Abstract

A connector (10) is provided with: an electric wire (40) having a core wire (41) and an insulating coating part (42) that covers the outer periphery of the core wire (41); a terminal (50) connected to the core wire (41); a connector housing (20) having a terminal housing part (21) in which the terminal (50) is housed; and a rear holding body (30) attached to the rear portion of the connector housing (20), the rear holding body (30) having a wire insertion hole (33) through which the wire (40) is inserted, the terminal (50) having an insertion cylinder portion (55) into which the core wire (41) is inserted from the rear and a contact portion (56) disposed at the rear end portion of the insertion cylinder portion (55) and facing the wire insertion hole (33), the contact portion (56) being configured at the rear end portion of the insertion cylinder portion (55), and the contact portion (56) being configured at the rear end portion of the insertion cylinder portion (55) and facing the wire insertion hole (33). An insulating coating part (42) of an electric wire (40) is provided with a sheath part (43) and a main body part (44) which are separated from each other, and the sheath part (43) is disposed further forward than the main body part (44) and can slide relative to a core wire (41).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a connector and a method for manufacturing the connector. Background Art

[0002] In the past, the female terminal described in Japanese Patent Gazette No. 2019-145208 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1) is known. The female terminal includes a terminal body and a sliding portion that can move along the extension direction relative to the terminal body, and the terminal body includes an upper connecting piece and a lower connecting piece that can be deformed and extend along the extension direction. When the core wire of the electric wire is arranged between the upper connecting piece and the lower connecting piece, the upper connecting piece and the lower connecting piece are pressed against the core wire by moving the sliding portion, so that the upper abutting portion and the lower abutting portion provided on the sliding portion press the upper connecting piece and the lower connecting piece against the core wire, so that the terminal body and the electric wire can be electrically connected. In addition, in the following Patent Document 1, as a connector having the female terminal, a connector having a connector housing for accommodating the female terminal and a rear retaining body installed at the rear end portion of the connector housing in the extension direction is described. Prior art literature Patent Literature

[0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-145208 Summary of the invention Problems to be solved by the invention

[0004] The above-mentioned connector is manufactured as follows. First, the female terminal is accommodated in the connector housing, and the rear retaining body is assembled at the rear end of the connector housing. In this state, the rear retaining body is maintained at a temporary locking position relative to the connector housing. Next, the electric wire is inserted through the insertion hole of the rear retaining body, and the core wire of the electric wire is inserted into the interior of the female terminal. At this time, the core wire is arranged between the upper connecting piece and the lower connecting piece. Next, by moving the sliding part forward relative to the terminal body, the upper abutting part and the lower abutting part press the upper connecting piece and the lower connecting piece to the core wire, thereby connecting the female terminal and the electric wire. Finally, by moving the rear retaining body to a formal locking position that is forward of the temporary locking position, the female terminal is prevented from falling off in the connector housing, thereby completing the manufacture of the connector.

[0005] In the above connector, when inserting the core wire into the female terminal, the front end of the core wire may hit the rear end of the female terminal, making it difficult to insert the core wire into the female terminal. Solutions to Solve Problems

[0006] The connector of the present invention comprises: an electric wire having a core wire and an insulating sheath covering the outer circumference of the core wire; a terminal connected to the core wire; a connector housing having a terminal receiving portion for receiving the terminal therein; and a rear retaining body mounted on the rear side portion of the connector housing, the rear retaining body having an electric wire insertion hole, the electric wire being inserted through the electric wire insertion hole, the terminal having an insertion barrel and an abutment portion arranged at the rear end portion of the insertion barrel and facing the electric wire insertion hole, the core wire being inserted into the insertion barrel from the rear, the insulating sheath of the electric wire having a sheath portion and a main body portion which are separate from each other, the sheath portion being arranged forward of the main body portion and being slidable relative to the core wire. Effects of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a connector in which a core wire can be easily inserted into a terminal. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 It is a perspective view of the connector according to the embodiment. Figure 2 This is an exploded perspective view of the connector. Figure 3 This is the front view of the connector. Figure 4 yes Figure 3 AA section view. Figure 5 It means in Figure 3 FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which the electric wire is inserted into the electric wire insertion hole and the sheath portion abuts against the rear end portion of the terminal in the AA cross section of FIG. Figure 6 It means in Figure 3 From the AA section Figure 5 The electric wire is further pushed forward, and the sheath is slidably moved relative to the core wire. Figure 7 It means in Figure 3 From the AA section Figure 6 The wire is pushed further forward and the core wire reaches the inside of the terminal. Figure 8 is Figure 5 The wires are shown by double-dashed lines in the BB section of FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0009] [Description of Embodiments of the Invention] First, embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of examples.

[0010] (1) The connector of the present invention comprises: an electric wire having a core wire and an insulating coating covering the outer periphery of the core wire; a terminal connected to the core wire; a connector housing having a terminal receiving portion for receiving the terminal therein; and a rear retaining body mounted on a rear side portion of the connector housing, the rear retaining body having an electric wire insertion hole, the electric wire being inserted through the electric wire insertion hole, the terminal having an insertion barrel and an abutment portion arranged at a rear end portion of the insertion barrel and facing the electric wire insertion hole, the core wire being inserted into the insertion barrel from the rear, the insulating coating of the electric wire having a sheath portion and a main body portion which are separate from each other, the sheath portion being arranged forward of the main body portion and being slidable relative to the core wire.

[0011] According to such a configuration, the sheath portion abuts against the abutment portion by inserting the wire into the wire insertion hole while the front end of the core wire is protected by the sheath portion. When the sheath portion abuts against the abutment portion, the core wire immediately after the insertion barrel portion is located approximately at the center of the sheath portion, and is disposed near the center of the wire insertion hole. Therefore, it is easy to insert the core wire into the insertion barrel portion.

[0012] (2) Preferably, the insertion tube portion includes a first wall portion and a second wall portion opposite to the first wall portion, a gap between the first wall portion and the second wall portion is set smaller than an outer diameter of the electric wire, and both the first wall portion and the second wall portion include the abutment portion.

[0013] According to such a configuration, since both the first wall portion and the second wall portion include the abutment portion, the state in which the sheath portion abuts against the abutment portion can be stabilized. Thus, it is further easier to insert the core wire into the insertion tube portion.

[0014] (3) Preferably, the rear holding body includes a guide portion that protrudes from an inner wall of the wire insertion hole toward the inside of the wire insertion hole as it moves forward.

[0015] According to such a configuration, the sheath portion can be guided by making the sheath portion and the guide portion slide in contact with each other, so that the core wire can be inserted into the insertion tube portion more easily.

[0016] (4) A method for manufacturing a connector of the present invention, the connector comprising: an electric wire having a core wire and an insulating covering portion covering the outer periphery of the core wire; a terminal having an insertion barrel portion, the core wire being inserted into the insertion barrel portion from the rear; a connector housing having a terminal receiving portion; and a rear retaining body having a wire insertion hole, the method for manufacturing the connector comprising: a step of receiving the terminal inside the terminal receiving portion; and a step of attaching the rear retaining body to the rear of the connector housing with at least a portion of the rear end portion of the insertion barrel portion facing the wire insertion hole. The process of cutting off the front end portion of the insulating sheath of the electric wire to form a sheath portion and a main body portion arranged behind the sheath portion; the process of sliding the sheath portion forward relative to the core wire to protect the front end portion of the core wire with the sheath portion; the process of inserting the electric wire with the front end portion of the core wire protected by the sheath portion into the wire insertion hole of the rear retaining body, making the sheath portion abut against the rear end portion of the insertion cylinder portion and guiding the core wire into the interior of the insertion cylinder portion; and the process of connecting the core wire to the terminal.

[0017] According to such a manufacturing method of the connector, since it includes a step of forming a sheath portion on the insulating coating portion and a step of protecting the front end portion of the core wire with the sheath portion, when the electric wire is inserted into the electric wire insertion hole, the sheath portion abuts against the rear end portion of the insertion barrel portion. In a state where the sheath portion abuts against the rear end portion of the insertion barrel portion, the core wire immediately after the insertion barrel portion is located at the approximate center of the sheath portion and is arranged near the center of the electric wire insertion hole. Therefore, it is easy to insert the core wire into the insertion barrel portion.

[0018] [Details of Embodiments of the Invention] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described. The present invention is not limited to these examples but is shown by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims.

[0019] <Implementation Method> Reference Figures 1 to 8 The embodiment of the present invention is described. In the following description, the direction indicated by the arrow line Z is regarded as the top, the direction indicated by the arrow line X is regarded as the front, and the direction indicated by the arrow line Y is regarded as the left. In addition, with respect to a plurality of identical components, sometimes only some of the components are marked with reference numerals, and the reference numerals of the other components are omitted.

[0020] [Connectors] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the connector 10 is configured to include a connector housing 20 , a rear holding body 30 , electric wires 40 , and terminals 50 .

[0021] [electric wire] The electric wire 40 includes a core wire 41 and an insulating coating 42 which is an insulating synthetic resin, and the insulating coating 42 surrounds the outer peripheral surface of the core wire 41. The insulating coating 42 is peeled off at the terminal portion of the electric wire 40 to expose the core wire 41. The core wire 41 is a so-called single-core wire composed of a single metal wire. In addition, the core wire 41 can also be a stranded wire formed by twisting a plurality of metal thin wires. The metal constituting the core wire 41 can be any metal appropriately selected as needed, such as copper, copper alloy, aluminum, aluminum alloy, etc. The core wire 41 of the present embodiment is composed of copper or copper alloy.

[0022] [Sheath, body] The insulating covering portion 42 includes a sheath portion 43 and a main body portion 44 which is separate from the sheath portion 43 and arranged behind the sheath portion 43. The sheath portion 43 can slide relative to the core wire 41 in the extending direction (front-rear direction) of the electric wire 40. The sheath portion 43 is formed so as to be cut from the main body portion 44 by a stripping machine or the like. Although described later, the electric wire 40 is inserted into the electric wire insertion hole 33 (see FIG. 3 ) of the rear retaining body 30 while the front end portion of the core wire 41 is protected by the sheath portion 43. Figure 2 and Figure 5 ).

[0023] [Terminal] The terminal 50 is a female terminal, and includes a terminal body 51 made of metal and a sliding portion 52 that can slide relatively to the terminal body 51. The terminal body 51 is formed into a predetermined shape by a known method such as stamping, cutting, and casting. The metal constituting the terminal body 51 can be selected from any metal such as copper, copper alloy, aluminum, aluminum alloy, stainless steel, etc. as needed. The terminal body 51 of the present embodiment is made of copper or copper alloy. A plating layer can also be formed on the surface of the terminal body 51. The metal constituting the plating layer can be selected from any metal such as tin, nickel, silver, etc. as needed. Tin plating is applied to the terminal body 51 of the present embodiment.

[0024] [Terminal body] like Figure 4 As shown, the terminal body 51 includes a square cylindrical connecting tube 51A into which a male terminal (not shown) of the other side is inserted, a square cylindrical base 51B arranged behind the connecting tube 51A, and an upper connecting piece 51C and a lower connecting piece 51D extending backward from the base 51B. The front end of the connecting tube 51A is open in a manner that the male terminal of the other side can be inserted.

[0025] An elastic contact piece 51E capable of elastic deformation is disposed on the side wall of the connecting cylinder 51A. The male terminal inserted into the interior of the connecting cylinder 51A contacts the elastic contact piece 51E. In addition, a metal lance 53 formed by cutting and raising a part of the connecting cylinder 51A is disposed at the front end of the upper wall of the connecting cylinder 51A.

[0026] The upper connecting piece 51C is formed to be elastically deformable in the vertical direction with the rear end of the upper wall of the base 51B as a fulcrum. The lower connecting piece 51D is formed to be elastically deformable in the vertical direction with the rear end of the lower wall of the base 51B as a fulcrum. The lengths of the upper connecting piece 51C and the lower connecting piece 51D in the front-to-back direction are formed to be substantially the same.

[0027] The terminal body 51 further includes a terminal window 51F that opens upward at a position behind the connecting tube 51A and in front of the base 51B. When the core wire 41 is arranged in the space between the upper connecting piece 51C and the lower connecting piece 51D, the front end of the core wire 41 can be detected from the terminal window 51F. The detection includes confirmation by visual recognition by an operator from the outside, detection from the outside by a camera (not shown), and also includes electrical detection of the front end of the core wire 41 by inserting a probe (not shown) from the outside.

[0028] [Sliding part] The sliding portion 52 is in the shape of a square tube extending in the front-rear direction. The sliding portion 52 is formed by known methods such as cutting, casting, and stamping as needed. The metal constituting the sliding portion 52 can be appropriately selected from any metal such as copper, copper alloy, aluminum, aluminum alloy, stainless steel, etc. as needed. The sliding portion 52 of this embodiment is composed of copper or copper alloy. A plating layer can also be formed on the surface of the sliding portion 52. The metal constituting the plating layer can be appropriately selected from any metal such as tin, nickel, silver, etc. as needed. Tin plating is implemented on the sliding portion 52 of this embodiment.

[0029] The cross-sectional shape of the sliding portion 52 is formed to be the same as or slightly larger than the cross-sectional shape of the region where the upper connecting piece 51C and the lower connecting piece 51D are provided in the terminal body 51. Thus, the sliding portion 52 can be externally fitted in the region where the upper connecting piece 51C and the lower connecting piece 51D are provided in the terminal body 51.

[0030] An upper contact portion 52A that protrudes downward is provided on the lower surface of the upper wall of the sliding portion 52. A lower contact portion 52B that protrudes upward is provided on the upper surface of the lower wall of the sliding portion 52.

[0031] The sliding portion 52 can be placed in a temporary locking position ( Figures 5 to 7 The position of the sliding portion 52 in the temporary locking position) and the formal locking position ( Figure 4 When the sliding portion 52 is held in the formally locked position relative to the terminal body 51, the upper abutting portion 52A abuts against the upper surface of the upper connecting piece 51C from above, and the lower abutting portion 52B abuts against the lower surface of the lower connecting piece 51D from below.

[0032] When the sliding portion 52 is held in the formally locked position relative to the terminal body 51, the upper connecting piece 51C is pressed from above by the upper abutting portion 52A, so that the upper connecting piece 51C is elastically deformed downward. In addition, the lower connecting piece 51D is pressed from below by the lower abutting portion 52B, so that the lower connecting piece 51D is elastically deformed upward. Thus, when the core wire 41 is arranged in the space between the upper connecting piece 51C and the lower connecting piece 51D in a state extending in the front-to-back direction, and the sliding portion 52 is held in the formally locked position relative to the terminal body 51, the core wire 41 is clamped from the upper and lower directions by the elastically deformed upper connecting piece 51C and the lower connecting piece 51D. That is, the upper connecting piece 51C contacts the core wire 41 from above by being pressed downward by the upper abutting portion 52A, and the lower connecting piece 51D contacts the core wire 41 from below by being pressed upward by the lower abutting portion 52B.

[0033] The front part of the upper connecting piece 51C protrudes downward, and the rear part of the lower connecting piece 51D protrudes upward, and these protruding parts are arranged staggered in the front-back direction. Therefore, the core wire 41 is kept in a bent state in the up-down direction. In this way, the core wire 41 and the terminal 50 are electrically connected, and are kept in a state of being firmly prevented from being pulled backward against the electric wire 40.

[0034] like Figure 7 As shown, a jig contact portion 54 protruding upward from the upper wall is provided at the front end of the slide portion 52. When a jig (not shown) contacts the jig contact portion 54 from behind, the slide portion 52 is pressed forward by the jig, so that the slide portion 52 can move forward.

[0035] [Insertion tube, first wall, second wall] like Figures 5 to 7 As shown in FIG. 5 , the sliding portion 52 becomes an insertion tube portion 55 into which the core wire 41 is inserted. Figure 8 As shown, the left wall of the insertion tube 55 is the first wall 55A. The right wall of the insertion tube 55 is the second wall 55B. The first wall 55A and the second wall 55B are opposed to each other in a direction (left-right direction) orthogonal to the extension direction (front-back direction) of the electric wire 40. The upper edges of the first wall 55A and the second wall 55B are connected by the upper wall. The lower edges of the first wall 55A and the second wall 55B are connected by the lower wall. The gap CL1 in the left-right direction between the first wall 55A and the second wall 55B is set to be smaller than the outer diameter D1 of the electric wire 40 (insulating coating 42) and larger than the diameter D2 of the core wire 41.

[0036] [Contact part] At least a portion of the rear end of the insertion tube 55 is formed as a contact portion 56 disposed facing the wire insertion hole 33 of the rear retaining body 30. That is, when viewed from the rear, at least a portion of the rear end of the insertion tube 55 is disposed inside the wire insertion hole 33. In the present embodiment, the contact portion 56 is provided on both the first wall portion 55A and the second wall portion 55B. Although described later, when the wire 40 is inserted into the wire insertion hole 33, the contact portion 56 can contact the sheath portion 43 disposed at the terminal end of the wire 40 (see Figures 5 to 7 ).

[0037] [Connector housing] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the connector housing 20 is made of insulating synthetic resin and has a terminal receiving portion 21 for receiving a plurality of terminals 50. The connector housing 20 is in a generally rectangular shape that is flat in the up-down direction and extends in the left-right direction. The terminal receiving portion 21 has a plurality of cavities 21A that penetrate through it in the front-to-back direction. The plurality of cavities 21A are arranged side by side at intervals in the left-to-right direction and overlapped in a double layer in the upper and lower directions. When viewed from above, the cavity 21A formed on the upper layer side and the cavity 21A formed on the lower layer side are arranged at positions that are offset in the left-to-right direction. In addition, the number of cavities 21A is arbitrary, and the number of layers in the case of overlapping up and down is arbitrary.

[0038] The male terminal (not shown) can be inserted into the cavity 21A from the front. Figure 4 As shown, the terminal 50 is inserted into the cavity 21A from the rear, and the terminal 50 can be received inside the terminal receiving portion 21 .

[0039] When the terminal 50 is accommodated in the cavity 21A, a connector window 21B is formed at a position corresponding to the terminal window 51F of the terminal 50 in the terminal accommodation portion 21. The terminal window 51F is connected to the outside through the connector window 21B. The terminal window 51F of the terminal 50 can be detected from the connector window 21B. Thus, the front end of the core wire 41 can be detected from the outside through the connector window 21B and the terminal window 51F.

[0040] like Figure 2 As shown, the connector housing 20 has a partition wall 22 that partitions the cavity 21A on the upper layer side from the cavity 21A on the lower layer side. The partition wall 22 extends rearward from the rear end of the cavity 21A. A partition wall 23 that extends in the front-to-back direction and protrudes upward and downward is provided on the upper surface and the lower surface of the partition wall 22. The terminal 50 accommodated in each cavity 21A is electrically insulated from the terminal 50 adjacent in the left-right direction by the partition wall 23.

[0041] Temporary locking portions 24 protruding outward are provided near rear ends of left and right side walls of the connector housing 20 , and permanent locking portions 25 are provided forward of the temporary locking portions 24 .

[0042] like Figure 4 As shown, a lance hole 26 opening upward is provided at the front end side of the cavity 21A on the upper layer side, and a lance hole 26 opening downward is provided at the front end side of the cavity 21A on the lower layer side. The lance 53 of the terminal 50 is locked with the inner wall constituting the lance hole 26, thereby maintaining the terminal 50 in a state of being accommodated in the cavity 21A.

[0043] [Back holding body] The rear retaining body 30 is made of an insulating synthetic resin. The rear retaining body 30 has a box-shaped cover 31 that is open to the front. The cover 31 is fitted into the rear half of the connector housing 20 from the outside. Figure 2 As shown in FIG. 1 , a lock receiving portion 32 is provided at a position close to the front end of the left and right side walls of the rear holding body 30. The lock receiving portion 32 is substantially in the shape of a door.

[0044] The temporary locking lock portion 24 of the connector housing 20 is locked with the lock receiving portion 32 of the rear retaining body 30, so that the rear retaining body 30 is held at the temporary locking position relative to the connector housing 20. In addition, the permanent locking lock portion 25 of the connector housing 20 is locked with the lock receiving portion 32 of the rear retaining body 30, so that the rear retaining body 30 is held at the permanent locking position relative to the connector housing 20 (see Figure 1 ).

[0045] like Figure 2 As shown, the rear retaining body 30 has a plurality of wire insertion holes 33, and the wires 40 are inserted into the plurality of wire insertion holes 33. The plurality of wire insertion holes 33 are arranged in parallel in the left-right direction and arranged in two layers in the upper and lower directions. Each wire insertion hole 33 is provided at a position corresponding to each cavity 21A of the connector housing 20. The inner diameter of the wire insertion hole 33 is set to be the same as or slightly larger than the outer diameter D1 of the insulating sheath 42 of the wire 40. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. Figure 8 As shown, the inner diameter of the wire insertion hole 33 is larger than the outer diameter D1 of the insulating sheath 42 of the wire 40, but even if the center of the sheath 43 is offset relative to the central position of the wire insertion hole 33 and the sheath 43 slides on the inner wall of the wire insertion hole 33, the core wire 41 is also arranged on the inner side of the insertion tube 55 when viewed from the rear.

[0046] [Guidance Department] like Figure 5As shown, the rear retaining body 30 is provided with a guide portion 34 on the inner wall of the wire insertion hole 33. The guide portion 34 is arranged at the front end of the wire insertion hole 33. The guide portion 34 is formed as a curved surface that is located on the inner side of the wire insertion hole 33 as it moves toward the front. The sheath portion 43 is slidably connected to the guide portion 34, so that the sheath portion 43 is guided to the inner side of the wire insertion hole 33. In this embodiment, in the wire insertion hole 33 on the upper layer side, the guide portion 34 is provided on the inner wall on the upper side of the wire insertion hole 33, and is located at the lower side as it moves toward the front. Although not shown in the figure, in the wire insertion hole 33 on the lower layer side, the guide portion 34 is provided on the inner wall on the lower side of the wire insertion hole 33, and is located at the upper side as it moves toward the front.

[0047] In this embodiment, among the terminals 50 accommodated in the terminal accommodation portion 21 on the upper side, as shown in FIG. Figure 5 and Figure 8 As shown in FIG. 1 , the central position of the insertion tube 55 in the vertical direction is offset downward relative to the central position of the wire insertion hole 33 on the upper layer side in the vertical direction. However, the rear retainer 30 of this embodiment includes a guide portion 34 protruding downward from the inner wall of the wire insertion hole 33 at the front end of the wire insertion hole 33 on the upper layer side, so that the sheath 43 can be guided downward from the central position of the wire insertion hole 33 in the vertical direction by the guide portion 34. As a result, the core wire 41 disposed at the approximate center of the sheath 43 is close to the central position of the insertion tube 55, so that the core wire 41 is easily inserted into the insertion tube 55.

[0048] Although not shown, the guide portion 34 protrudes upward in the wire insertion hole 33 on the lower layer side to guide the sheath portion 43 upward. The insertion barrel portion 55 of the terminal 50 disposed in the terminal housing portion 21 on the lower layer side is disposed offset upward relative to the wire insertion hole 33, so the core wire 41 is easily inserted into the insertion barrel portion 55 through the guide portion 34.

[0049] like Figure 5 As shown, a bulkhead receiving portion 35 is provided near the center of the inner bottom wall of the cover portion 31 in the vertical direction. The bulkhead receiving portion 35 is open to the front, and the vertical dimension of the opening is set to be the same as or slightly larger than the vertical thickness dimension of the bulkhead 22 of the connector housing 20.

[0050] When the rear retaining body 30 is held at the temporary locking position relative to the connector housing 20, the partition wall receiving portion 35 is located behind the rear end edge of the partition wall 22 of the connector housing 20. Figure 4 As shown, when the rear retaining body 30 is held in the formal locking position relative to the connector housing 20, the partition wall 22 of the connector housing 20 is fitted into the opening of the partition wall receiving portion 35 of the rear retaining body 30. Thus, the rear retaining body 30 can be prevented from being displaced in the vertical direction relative to the connector housing 20.

[0051] A step 36 is formed on the inner wall of the cover 31 at the front end of the wire insertion hole 33. When the rear retaining body 30 moves from the temporary locking position to the formal locking position relative to the connector housing 20, the step 36 abuts against the rear end of the sliding portion 52 from the rear. As a result, the terminal 50 is held in the cavity 21A of the connector housing 20 and is prevented from falling out to the rear.

[0052] [Manufacturing method of connector] Next, an example of a method for manufacturing the connector 10 according to the present embodiment will be described. The method for manufacturing the connector 10 is not limited to the following description.

[0053] The terminal body 51 and the sliding portion 52 are formed by a known method. The sliding portion 52 is assembled from the rear with respect to the terminal body 51, and the sliding portion 52 is held at a temporary locking position. Thus, the terminal 50 is obtained.

[0054] The connector housing 20 and the rear retaining body 30 are formed by injection molding a synthetic resin. The terminal 50 is inserted into the cavity 21A of the connector housing 20 from the rear.

[0055] The rear retaining body 30 is assembled from the rear to the rear end of the connector housing 20. Then, the front end of the lock receiving portion 32 of the rear retaining body 30 abuts against the temporary locking portion 24 of the connector housing 20 from the rear, and the lock receiving portion 32 expands and deforms. When the rear retaining body 30 is further pressed forward, the lock receiving portion 32 returns to its original shape, and the lock receiving portion 32 of the rear retaining body 30 elastically locks the temporary locking portion 24 of the connector housing 20. Thus, the rear retaining body 30 is held at the temporary locking position relative to the connector housing 20.

[0056] The insulation coating 42 is stripped at the terminal portion of the electric wire 40 to expose the core wire 41 of a predetermined length. The front end of the insulation coating 42 of the electric wire 40 is cut off by a stripping machine or the like to form a sheath 43 and a main body 44. The sheath 43 is slid forward relative to the core wire 41, so that the front end of the core wire 41 is protected by the sheath 43 (see Figure 2 ).

[0057] Next, the electric wire 40 whose front end portion of the core wire 41 is protected by the sheath 43 is inserted into the electric wire insertion hole 33 (see Figure 5 In the present embodiment, by appropriately setting the inner diameter of the wire insertion hole 33, when the sheath 43 disposed in the wire insertion hole 33 is viewed from the rear, the core wire 41 disposed at the approximate center of the sheath 43 is disposed on the inner side of the insertion tube 55 (see Figure 8 In addition, the sheath 43 and the guide portion 34 are in sliding contact, so that the wire insertion hole 33 is protruded in the direction of the guide portion 34 (in the direction of the guide portion 34). Figure 5 and Figure 8 Since the insertion tube 55 is arranged offset relative to the wire insertion hole 33 in the protruding direction of the guide portion 34, the guide portion 34 makes it easy to align the central positions of the sheath 43 and the insertion tube 55 in the vertical direction.

[0058] When the electric wire 40 is pushed further forward, the front end of the sheath portion 43 abuts against the abutment portion 56 of the insertion tube portion 55. Figure 8 As shown, the contact portion 56 is provided on the first wall portion 55A and the second wall portion 55B, so the front end of the sheath portion 43 is easily stabilized by contacting the contact portion 56. For example, the sheath portion 43 can be prevented from tilting from the state extending in the front-rear direction.

[0059] When the electric wire 40 is pressed further forward, Figure 6 As shown, in a state where the sheath 43 abuts against the abutment portion 56, the core wire 41 slides relative to the sheath 43 and is fed into the interior of the insertion tube 55 (sliding portion 52). As described above, the core wire 41 disposed substantially at the center of the sheath 43 is disposed on the inner side of the insertion tube 55 when viewed from the rear (see FIG. 1 ). Figure 8 ). Therefore, in a state where the sheath 43 abuts against the abutment portion 56, the front end portion of the core wire 41 is arranged to face the insertion barrel 55 at a position immediately after the insertion barrel 55. Therefore, compared with a case where the sheath 43 is not provided, the core wire 41 is easily inserted into the barrel 55.

[0060] When the electric wire 40 is pressed further forward, Figure 7 As shown, the front end portion of the core wire 41 enters the interior of the terminal body 51 and reaches the space between the upper connecting piece 51C and the lower connecting piece 51D.

[0061] In the terminal window 51F that can be visually recognized from the connector window 21B, it is possible to confirm that the core wire 41 has reached a predetermined position by visually checking or detecting the tip of the core wire 41 with a probe or the like.

[0062] Next, when a jig (not shown) is pushed from the rear onto the jig contact portion 54 to slide the sliding portion 52 forward, the sliding portion 52 is held at the formally locked position relative to the terminal body 51. Figure 4 As shown, the upper contact portion 52A of the sliding portion 52 contacts the upper connecting piece 51C of the terminal body 51 from above and presses downward. In addition, the lower contact portion 52B of the sliding portion 52 contacts the lower connecting piece 51D of the terminal body 51 from below and presses upward. As a result, the core wire 41 is clamped from above and below by the upper connecting piece 51C and the lower connecting piece 51D, and the terminal 50 and the electric wire 40 are electrically connected.

[0063] Next, the rear retaining body 30 is further pressed forward relative to the connector housing 20. As a result, the front end of the lock receiving portion 32 of the rear retaining body 30 straddles the formal locking portion 25 and expands and deforms. When the rear retaining body 30 is further pressed forward, the lock receiving portion 32 restores the deformation, and the lock receiving portion 32 of the rear retaining body 30 is elastically locked to the formal locking portion 25 of the connector housing 20. As a result, the rear retaining body 30 is maintained at the formal locking position relative to the connector housing 20 (see Figure 1 ). In this state, the cover portion 31 of the rear retaining body 30 is externally fitted to the rear portion of the connector housing 20, and the connector housing 20 and the rear retaining body 30 are integrally formed. Through the above, the manufacture of the connector 10 is completed.

[0064] [Effects of the Embodiments] According to the embodiment, the following actions and effects are achieved. The connector 10 of the embodiment comprises: an electric wire 40 having a core wire 41 and an insulating covering portion 42 covering the outer periphery of the core wire 41; a terminal 50 connected to the core wire 41; a connector housing 20 having a terminal receiving portion 21 for receiving the terminal 50 therein; and a rear retaining body 30 mounted on the rear side portion of the connector housing 20, the rear retaining body 30 having an electric wire insertion hole 33, the electric wire 40 being inserted through the electric wire insertion hole 33, the terminal 50 having an insertion barrel 55 and an abutment portion 56 arranged at the rear end portion of the insertion barrel 55 and facing the electric wire insertion hole 33, the core wire 41 being inserted into the insertion barrel 55 from the rear, the insulating covering portion 42 of the electric wire 40 having a sheath portion 43 and a main body portion 44 which are separate from each other, the sheath portion 43 being arranged forward of the main body portion 44 and being slidable relative to the core wire 41.

[0065] According to such a configuration, the sheath 43 abuts against the abutment portion 56 by inserting the electric wire 40 into the electric wire insertion hole 33 while the front end of the core wire 41 is protected by the sheath 43. In the state where the sheath 43 abuts against the abutment portion 56, the core wire 41 immediately after the insertion barrel 55 is located substantially at the center of the sheath 43 and is arranged near the center of the electric wire insertion hole 33. Therefore, it is easy to insert the core wire 41 into the insertion barrel 55.

[0066] In the embodiment, the insertion tube 55 includes a first wall portion 55A and a second wall portion 55B opposite to the first wall portion 55A. The gap CL1 between the first wall portion 55A and the second wall portion 55B is set smaller than the outer diameter D1 of the wire 40. Both the first wall portion 55A and the second wall portion 55B include a contact portion 56.

[0067] According to such a configuration, since both the first wall portion 55A and the second wall portion 55B include the contact portion 56, it is possible to stabilize the state in which the sheath portion 43 contacts the contact portion 56. This makes it easier to insert the core wire 41 into the insertion tube 55.

[0068] In the embodiment, the rear holding body 30 includes the guide portion 34 that protrudes from the inner wall of the wire insertion hole 33 toward the inside of the wire insertion hole 33 as it goes forward.

[0069] According to such a configuration, the sheath portion 43 can be guided by slidingly contacting the sheath portion 43 and the guide portion 34. Therefore, the core wire 41 can be inserted into the insertion tube portion 55 more easily.

[0070] In an embodiment, in a method for manufacturing a connector 10 of the present invention, the connector 10 comprises: an electric wire 40 having a core wire 41 and an insulating covering portion 42 covering the outer periphery of the core wire 41; a terminal 50 having an insertion barrel portion 55, into which the core wire 41 is inserted from the rear; a connector housing 20 having a terminal receiving portion 21; and a rear retaining body 30 having a wire insertion hole 33, the method for manufacturing the connector 10 comprising: a step of receiving the terminal 50 inside the terminal receiving portion 21; arranging the rear retaining body 30 so that at least a portion of the rear end portion of the insertion barrel portion 55 faces the wire insertion hole 33, The invention relates to a process of installing the insulating coating 42 of the electric wire 40 on the rear side of the connector housing 20; a process of cutting off the front end of the insulating coating 42 of the electric wire 40 to form a sheath 43 and a main body 44 arranged behind the sheath 43; a process of sliding the sheath 43 forward relative to the core wire 41 to protect the front end of the core wire 41 with the sheath 43; a process of inserting the electric wire 40 with the front end of the core wire 41 protected by the sheath 43 into the electric wire insertion hole 33 of the rear retaining body 30, making the sheath 43 abut against the rear end of the insertion barrel 55 and guiding the core wire 41 into the interior of the insertion barrel 55; and a process of connecting the core wire 41 and the terminal 50.

[0071] According to the manufacturing method of the connector 10, since the steps of forming the sheath 43 on the insulating coating 42 and protecting the front end of the core wire 41 with the sheath 43 are included, when the electric wire 40 is inserted into the electric wire insertion hole 33, the sheath 43 abuts against the rear end of the insertion cylinder 55. In a state where the sheath 43 abuts against the rear end of the insertion cylinder 55, the core wire 41 immediately after the insertion cylinder 55 is located substantially at the center of the sheath 43 and is arranged near the center of the electric wire insertion hole 33. Therefore, it is easy to insert the core wire 41 into the insertion cylinder 55.

[0072] <Other Implementation Methods> (1) In the above embodiment, both the first wall portion 55A and the second wall portion 55B of the insertion tube 55 include the abutment portion 56 . However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and at least a portion of the rear end portion of the insertion tube may include the abutment portion. (2) In the above embodiment, the guide portion 34 is provided on the rear holding body 30 , but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the guide portion may be omitted. Description of Reference Numerals

[0073] 10: Connector 20: Connector housing 21: Terminal storage area 21A: Cavity 21B: Connector window 22: Next Door 23: Divider Wall 24: Temporary locking part 25: Formal locking part 26: Spear hole 30: Rear holding body 31: Hood 32: Lock receiving part 33: Wire insertion hole 34: Guidance 35: Next door receiving part 36: Stairs 40: Wires 41: Core wire 42: Insulation coating 43: Sheath 44: Main body 50: terminal 51: Terminal body 51A: Connecting tube 51B: Base 51C: Upper connecting piece 51D: Lower connecting piece 51E: Elastic contact piece 51F: Terminal window 52: Sliding part 52A: Upper contact portion 52B: Lower side contact portion 53: Spear 54: Jig contact part 55: Insert the barrel 55A: 1st wall 55B: 2nd wall 56: Contact Department CL1: Gap between the first wall and the second wall D1: outer diameter of the wire D2: The diameter of the core wire

Claims

1. A connector having: An electric wire having a core wire and an insulating sheath covering an outer circumference of the core wire; A terminal connected to the core wire; a connector housing having a terminal receiving portion for receiving the terminal therein; and a rear retaining body mounted on the rear side portion of the connector housing, The rear retaining body has an electric wire insertion hole, and the electric wire is inserted into the electric wire insertion hole. The terminal includes an insertion tube and a contact portion disposed at a rear end portion of the insertion tube and facing the wire insertion hole, and the core wire is inserted into the insertion tube from the rear. The insulating coating of the electric wire includes a sheath portion and a main body portion which are separate from each other. The sheath portion is disposed forward of the body portion and is slidably movable relative to the core wire.

2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein: The insertion tube portion includes a first wall portion and a second wall portion facing the first wall portion. The gap between the first wall portion and the second wall portion is set smaller than the outer diameter of the electric wire. Both the first wall portion and the second wall portion include the contact portion.

3. The connector according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein: The rear holding body includes a guide portion that projects from an inner wall of the wire insertion hole toward the inside of the wire insertion hole as it moves forward.

4. A method for manufacturing a connector, the connector comprising: an electric wire having a core wire and an insulating covering portion covering the outer periphery of the core wire; a terminal having an insertion barrel portion, the core wire being inserted into the insertion barrel portion from behind; A connector housing having a terminal receiving portion; and a rear retaining body having a wire insertion hole, the manufacturing method of the connector comprising: The step of accommodating the terminal in the terminal accommodating portion; The step of attaching the rear retaining body to the rear side portion of the connector housing with at least a portion of the rear end portion of the insertion cylinder facing the wire insertion hole; A step of cutting off a front end portion of the insulating coating of the electric wire to form a sheath portion and a main body portion disposed behind the sheath portion; The step of sliding the sheath forward relative to the core wire to protect the front end of the core wire with the sheath; The step of inserting the electric wire whose front end portion of the core wire is protected by the sheath portion through the electric wire insertion hole of the rear retainer, making the sheath portion abut against the rear end portion of the insertion cylinder portion, and introducing the core wire into the interior of the insertion cylinder portion; and A step of connecting the core wire and the terminal.

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