Connector and end cover
By designing staggered opening grooves and cantilever hooks on the connector end cover, the problem of mold opening difficulties in the prior art is solved, and the effect of simplified manufacturing and cost saving is achieved.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202410172223.X
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-02-06
- Publication Date
- 2025-08-08
AI Technical Summary
The end caps of existing connectors have inverted areas during injection molding, which makes mold opening difficult, complex manufacturing process and high cost.
The first and second opening grooves of the connector end cover are designed to be staggered in the first direction to avoid the formation of an inverted area, and to achieve fixed connection between the cantilever hook part and the body limit part, so as to achieve no need for a slider release.
Simplifies the manufacturing process of end caps, reduces production costs, and improves molding quality.
Smart Images
Figure CN120453739A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of connectors, and in particular to a connector and an end cover. Background Art
[0002] Figure 1 、 Figure 2 ,as well as Figure 3 The figure shows a connector in the prior art, which includes an end cap 10, a terminal 20, and a body 30. The end cap 10 is provided with a nearly circular slot 101 for receiving and accommodating a cable. The end cap 10 is also provided with a hook portion 102 for fixedly connecting with a hook mating portion 301 on the body 30 to fix the end cap 10 on the connector body 30. Figure 4 However, the connector's slot 101 and hook portion 102 both have internal recesses, creating an undercut 103 during injection molding, hindering mold opening. During the injection molding process, the connector's end cap 10 often requires the aid of a slider for demolding. This difficulty in mold opening complicates the product's manufacturing process, increases production costs, and makes it difficult to guarantee mold quality. Summary of the Invention
[0003] In order to solve the defects of the prior art, the present disclosure provides a connector, wherein the end cover of the connector does not have an undercut area when the mold is opened, thereby making the injection molding manufacturing of the connector more convenient.
[0004] The first aspect of the present disclosure proposes a connector, characterized in that it includes: a body, an end cover, and a terminal. The end cover is used to accommodate a cable, and the end cover includes a first body, and the first body includes: a first opening groove, including a first groove portion provided thereon; and a second opening groove, including a second groove portion provided thereon. The first opening groove and the second opening groove are staggered in the first direction, and the first groove portion and the second groove portion are arranged relative to each other in the second direction for accommodating the cable, and the extension direction of the cable in the end cover is the first direction. The terminal is accommodated in the body, and the terminal is used to pierce the cable to form an electrical connection with the cable.
[0005] The connector's first and second openings are staggered in the first direction, avoiding the creation of undercuts during the molding process. Operators can directly demold the end cap, eliminating the need for tools like sliders. This simplifies the end cap manufacturing process and reduces costs compared to existing technologies.
[0006] In one embodiment, the first groove portion and the second groove portion are both arc-shaped groove portions.
[0007] In one embodiment, the second direction is the direction of gravity.
[0008] In one embodiment, the first body of the end cap further comprises a cantilever including a hook portion disposed at its free end, the hook portion and the first opening slot being staggered in the first direction, and the hook portion and the second opening slot being staggered in the first direction. The main body comprises a second body, the second body comprising a first limiting portion disposed thereon. The hook portion is configured to achieve a fixed connection with the first limiting portion, thereby securing the end cap to the first limiting portion of the main body.
[0009] In one embodiment, the hook portion is distributed between the first opening slot and the second opening slot in the first direction.
[0010] In one embodiment, the hook portion is configured to extend from the cantilever toward the interior of the end cover.
[0011] In one embodiment, the second main body of the body further includes a second limiting portion provided thereon, wherein the hook portion can be detached from the fixed connection with the first limiting portion and then fixedly connected with the second limiting portion, so that the end cap is fixed at the second limiting portion of the body.
[0012] In one embodiment, the hook portion includes a first inclined surface, and the angle between the direction of the first inclined surface and the horizontal direction extending from the bottom end of the first inclined surface toward the hook portion is greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees. Furthermore, at least one of the first limiting portion or the second limiting portion includes a second inclined surface, and the angle between the direction of the second inclined surface and the horizontal direction extending from the bottom end of the second inclined surface toward the limiting portion is greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees.
[0013] A second aspect of the present disclosure provides an end cap for accommodating a cable. The end cap includes a main body. The main body comprises: a first opening slot including a first groove portion disposed thereon; and a second opening slot including a second groove portion disposed thereon. The first opening slot and the second opening slot are staggered in a first direction, and the first groove portion and the second groove portion are arranged opposite each other in a second direction for accommodating the cable. Furthermore, the cable extends in the first direction within the end cap.
[0014] In one embodiment, the first groove portion and the second groove portion are both arc-shaped groove portions.
[0015] In one embodiment, the second direction is the direction of gravity.
[0016] In one embodiment, the main body further includes a cantilever including a hook portion disposed at a free end thereof, the hook portion being configured to achieve a fixed connection with a hook mating member of the main body of the connector housing. The hook portion and the first opening slot are staggered in the first direction, and the hook portion and the second opening slot are staggered in the first direction.
[0017] In one embodiment, the hook portion is distributed between the first opening slot and the second opening slot in the first direction.
[0018] In one embodiment, the hook portion is configured to extend from the cantilever toward the interior of the end cover. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] The features, advantages and other aspects of the embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent with reference to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which several embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in an illustrative and non-limiting manner. In the accompanying drawings:
[0020] Figure 1 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of an end cover in the prior art is shown.
[0021] Figure 2 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of a terminal in the prior art is shown.
[0022] Figure 3 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of a body in the prior art is shown.
[0023] Figure 4 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the cooperation between the end cover and the body in the prior art is shown.
[0024] Figure 5 A perspective schematic diagram of an end cap according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.
[0025] Figure 6 A schematic perspective view of a terminal according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.
[0026] Figure 7 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of a body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.
[0027] Figure 8 A side view of an end cap according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.
[0028] Figure 9 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the end cover according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown at another viewing angle.
[0029] Figure 10A side view of an end cap according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, also illustrating an example demolding surface for the end cap.
[0030] Figure 11 A schematic diagram of assembling a connector in the first step according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.
[0031] Figure 12 A schematic diagram of assembling a connector in the second step according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.
[0032] Figure 13 A schematic diagram of assembling the connector in the third step according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.
[0033] Figure 14 Shown Figure 11 Side view along the -z direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0034] In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings which form part of the present disclosure. The accompanying drawings illustrate, by way of example, specific embodiments in which the present disclosure may be implemented. The exemplary embodiments are not intended to be exhaustive of all embodiments according to the present disclosure. In the specification, identical or similar reference numerals indicate identical or similar components. It will be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the following detailed description is not restrictive, and the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims.
[0035] As used herein, the terms "include," "comprising," and similar terms should be understood as open-ended terms, i.e., "including but not limited to," indicating that other contents may also be included. The term "one embodiment" means "at least one embodiment," and the term "another embodiment" means "at least one additional embodiment," etc.
[0036] In order to solve the defects of the prior art, the present disclosure provides a connector, wherein the end cover of the connector does not have an undercut area when the mold is opened, thereby making the injection molding manufacturing of the connector more convenient.
[0037] The connector proposed in the present disclosure includes an end cover 40 , a terminal 50 , and a body 60 . Figure 5 、 Figure 6 ,as well as Figure 7 The following diagrams illustrate a perspective view of an end cap, terminal, and body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The end cap 40 is used to accommodate a cable 70, and the terminal 50 is used to pierce the cable 70 to establish an electrical connection therewith. The terminal 50 is housed in the body 60. The end cap 40 and body 60 can be made of plastic material through an injection molding process. The terminal 50 is made of metal.
[0038] refer to Figure 5 The end cover 40 includes a first body 401, which includes a first opening slot 402 and a second opening slot 403. The first opening slot 402 includes a first groove portion 404 provided thereon, and the second opening slot 403 includes a second groove portion 405 provided thereon. Figure 8 The figure further shows a side view of the end cap viewed along the -z direction. It can be observed that the first opening groove 402 and the second opening groove 403 are staggered in the first direction (i.e., the x direction), which avoids the generation of an undercut area during the molding process of the first opening groove 402 and the second opening groove 403. The first groove portion 404 and the second groove portion 405 are arranged opposite to each other in the second direction (e.g., the y direction shown) to accommodate the cable 70 and thereby fix the cable 70 in the end cap 40. Figure 12 The first direction is the extension direction of the cable 70 in the end cover 40.
[0039] In this embodiment, both the first groove portion 402 and the second groove portion 403 are arc-shaped. The arc-shaped groove portion more closely resembles the circular cross-section of the cable, thereby securing the cable while minimizing space. In other examples, the groove portion may be square, diamond-shaped, or other suitable shapes, as long as it can accommodate the cable.
[0040] In this embodiment, the second direction is the direction of gravity. In other examples, the second direction may be inclined at a certain angle along the direction of gravity. In addition, in this embodiment, the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, but in other examples, the second direction may not be perpendicular to the first direction.
[0041] Figure 9 FIG1 shows a perspective view of the end cap according to an embodiment of the present disclosure from another perspective. The first body 401 of the end cap 40 further includes a cantilever 406, which includes a hook portion 407 provided at its free end. Figure 8 It can be observed that the hook portion 407 and the first opening slot 402 are staggered in the first direction, and the hook portion 407 and the second opening slot 403 are also staggered in the first direction. This arrangement can avoid the generation of an undercut area when forming the hook portion 407. Figure 7 The connector body 60 further includes a second body 601, and the second body 601 includes a first limiting portion 602 provided thereon. Figure 11 As shown, the hook portion 407 can be used to achieve a fixed connection with the first limiting portion 602 , so that the end cover 40 is fixed at the first limiting portion 602 of the body 60 .
[0042] Figure 10The demoulding surface 80 is shown for the end cap in one embodiment. The demoulding surface 80 is used as an example only for demoulding the end cap. If the design proposed in the present disclosure is adopted, the operator can Figure 10 The demolding surface 80 shown is used to demold the end cap 40 from top to bottom without the need for tools such as sliders to assist in demolding. This simplifies the manufacturing process of the end cap 40 and saves costs compared to the prior art. In this embodiment, the hook portion 407 is distributed between the first opening groove 402 and the second opening groove 403 in the first direction.
[0043] In addition, the second main body 601 of the main body 60 may also include a second limiting portion 603 arranged thereon, wherein the hook portion 407 can be detached from the fixed connection with the first limiting portion 602 and then fixedly connected with the second limiting portion 603, so that the end cover 40 is fixed at the second limiting portion 603 of the main body 60. Figures 11 to 13 The assembly process of the connector is shown in sequence. In the first step of the assembly process, Figure 11 As shown, first place the terminal 50 into the body 60, and then fix the end cover 40 on the body 60, wherein the hook portion 407 of the end cover 40 is fixedly connected to the first limiting portion 602 of the body 60. In the second step of the assembly process, as shown in FIG. Figure 12 As shown, the cable 70 is mounted in the end cap 40. In the third step of the assembly process, as shown in FIG. Figure 13 As shown, the end cap 40 is pressed down to disconnect the hook portion 407 from the first limiting portion 602 and then to achieve a fixed connection with the second limiting portion 603. At the same time, the terminal 50 in the body 60 pierces the cable 70 and forms an electrical connection therewith.
[0044] Figure 14 It further shows Figure 11 Side view along the -z direction. It can be observed that the hook portion 407 of the end cover 40 is arranged to extend from the cantilever 406 toward the interior of the end cover 40. Since the hook portion 407 is arranged inside the end cover 40, the size of the hook portion 407 can be flexibly set. Figure 9 The width of the hook portion 407 along the z direction can be close to the width of the end cover 40 along the z direction, which makes the binding force between the hook portion 407 and the limiting portion larger, and the end cover 40 and the body 60 are not easily separated. Figure 4 In the prior art shown, the hook portion 102 is disposed on the periphery of the end cover 10 and extends to both sides, which makes the structure of the hook portion 102 not suitable to be made too large, resulting in a weak bonding force between the end cover 10 and the body 30.
[0045] Continue to refer to Figure 14The hook portion 407 includes a first inclined surface 408, and the angle θ1 between the direction of the inclined surface 408 and the horizontal direction extending from the bottom end of the hook portion 407 is greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees. At least one of the first limiting portion 602 or the second limiting portion 603 includes a second inclined surface 604, and the angle θ2 between the direction of the inclined surface 604 and the horizontal direction extending from the bottom end of the limiting portion is greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees. The arrangement of the first inclined surface 408 and the second inclined surface 604 makes it easier for the hook portion 407 to achieve a snap-fitting engagement with the limiting portion during the downward pressing of the end cap 40, and also makes it easier for the hook portion 407 to disengage from the first limiting portion 602 and then engage with the second limiting portion 603.
[0046] In addition, the present disclosure also provides an end cap 40 for accommodating a cable 70. The end cap 40 includes a first body 401, which includes a first opening slot 402 and a second opening slot 403. The first opening slot 402 includes a first groove portion 404 disposed thereon, and the second opening slot 403 includes a second groove portion 405 disposed thereon. The first opening slot 402 and the second opening slot 403 are staggered in a first direction (i.e., the x-direction), and the first groove portion 404 and the second groove portion 405 are arranged opposite each other in a second direction (e.g., the y-direction) to accommodate the cable 70. The direction in which the cable 70 extends within the end cap 40 is the first direction.
[0047] In this example, the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. In other examples, the second direction may not be perpendicular to the first direction.
[0048] In one embodiment, the first groove portion 404 and the second groove portion 405 are both arc-shaped groove portions. In this embodiment, the second direction is the direction of gravity.
[0049] Furthermore, the first body 401 also includes a cantilever 406, and the cantilever 406 includes a hook portion 407 arranged at its free end. The hook portion 407 is used to achieve a fixed connection with the hook mating part (such as the first limiting portion 602 or the second limiting portion 603) of the main body 60 of the connector housing. The hook portion 407 and the first opening groove 402 are staggered in the first direction, and the hook portion 407 and the second opening groove 403 are staggered in the first direction. In one embodiment, the hook portion 407 is distributed between the first opening groove 402 and the second opening groove 403 in the first direction. In another embodiment, the hook portion 407 is configured to extend from the cantilever 406 toward the interior of the end cover 40.
[0050] It should be noted that the above examples are merely specific embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the present invention is not limited to the above examples, and many similar variations are possible. All variations directly derived from or associating with the present invention by those skilled in the art are intended to fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.
Claims
1. A connector, characterized in that: include: ontology; An end cap is used to accommodate a cable, and the end cap includes a first body, and the first body includes: A first opening slot including a first groove portion provided thereon; and a second opening slot including a second groove portion disposed thereon; wherein the first opening slot and the second opening slot are staggered in a first direction, the first groove portion and the second groove portion are arranged opposite to each other in a second direction for accommodating the cable, and the extension direction of the cable in the end cover is the first direction; and The terminal is accommodated in the body and is used to pierce the cable to form an electrical connection with the cable.
2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein: The first groove portion and the second groove portion are both arc-shaped groove portions.
3. The connector according to claim 1, wherein: The second direction is the direction of gravity.
4. The connector according to claim 1, wherein: The first body of the end cap further includes: a cantilever including a hook portion provided at a free end thereof, the hook portion and the first opening slot being staggered in the first direction, and the hook portion and the second opening slot being staggered in the first direction; The main body includes a second body, and the second body includes a first limiting portion provided thereon; The hook portion is used to achieve a fixed connection with the first limiting portion, so that the end cover is fixed at the first limiting portion of the body.
5. The connector according to claim 4, wherein: The hook portions are distributed between the first opening slot and the second opening slot in the first direction.
6. The connector according to claim 4, wherein: The hook portion is configured to extend from the cantilever toward the interior of the end cover.
7. The connector according to claim 4, wherein: The second main body of the body further includes a second limiting portion provided thereon, The hook portion can be detached from the fixed connection with the first limiting portion and further be fixedly connected with the second limiting portion, so that the end cover is fixed at the second limiting portion of the body.
8. The connector according to claim 7, wherein: The hook portion includes a first inclined surface, and an angle between a direction of the first inclined surface and a horizontal direction extending from a bottom end of the first inclined surface toward the hook portion is greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees. And wherein, at least one of the first limiting portion or the second limiting portion includes a second inclined surface, and the angle between the direction of the second inclined surface and the horizontal direction extending from the bottom end of the second inclined surface toward the limiting portion is greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees.
9. An end cap, characterized in that: The end cap is used to accommodate the cable, and the end cap includes a main body, and the main body includes: A first opening slot including a first groove portion provided thereon; and a second opening slot including a second groove portion disposed thereon; The first opening slot and the second opening slot are staggered in the first direction, and the first groove portion and the second groove portion are arranged opposite to each other in the second direction for accommodating the cable. And wherein, the extension direction of the cable in the end cover is the first direction.
10. The end cap according to claim 9, characterized in that The first groove portion and the second groove portion are both arc-shaped groove portions.
11. The end cap according to claim 9, wherein: The second direction is the direction of gravity.
12. The end cap according to claim 9, wherein: The subject also includes: The cantilever includes a hook portion provided at its free end, the hook portion being used to achieve a fixed connection with a hook fitting of the body of the connector housing. The hook portion and the first opening slot are staggered in the first direction, and the hook portion and the second opening slot are staggered in the first direction.
13. The end cap according to claim 10, wherein: The hook portions are distributed between the first opening slot and the second opening slot in the first direction.
14. The end cap according to claim 10, wherein: The hook portion is configured to extend from the cantilever toward the interior of the end cover.