Connector unit

Abstract

A connector unit includes: a terminal fitting; a housing configured to accommodate the terminal fitting; a fixing fitting embedded in the housing and configured to fasten and fix the terminal fitting and the external conductive member; a metal frame member on which the housing is mounted; and a heat transfer member configured to thermally connect the frame member and a portion of the fixing fitting exposed from the housing. The heat transfer member is sandwiched between a portion of the securing fitting and the frame member, and has a shape sufficiently flexible to deform to fit a gap between the portion of the securing fitting and the frame member.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a connector unit comprising a terminal fitting, a housing for accommodating the terminal fitting, a fixing fitting embedded in the housing and fastening and fixing the terminal fitting and an external conductive component, a metal frame member to which the housing is attached, and a heat transfer member that thermally connects a portion of the frame member and the fixing fitting exposed from the housing. Background Art

[0002] In the related art, various connectors for use in power cables for supplying power from a power source mounted on a vehicle or the like to an electrical load have been proposed (for example, see JP 2022-83460 A).

[0003] In connectors of this type, terminal fittings and conductive components (such as wires and busbars) are typically electrically connected within the housing. Although the connection between the terminal fittings and these conductive components generates significant Joule heat when current is applied due to high contact resistance, this connection is shielded from the outside world by being covered by the housing. Consequently, dissipating heat from the connection makes it difficult. This difficulty in heat dissipation can lead to excessive temperature increases in the connector when power is applied, potentially degrading the connector's components.

[0004] On the other hand, simply attaching a dedicated heat dissipation member (eg, a heat sink) to the outside of the connector is undesirable because the heat dissipation member may hinder miniaturization of the connector and because space for providing the connector inside the vehicle body is limited. Summary of the Invention

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a connector unit capable of improving heat dissipation performance while avoiding an increase in the size of the connector unit.

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the connector unit according to the present invention has the following features.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a connector unit is provided, comprising: a terminal fitting; a housing configured to accommodate the terminal fitting; a fixing fitting embedded in the housing and configured to fasten and fix the terminal fitting and an external conductive component; a metal frame member on which the housing is mounted; and a heat transfer member configured to thermally connect the frame member and a portion of the fixing fitting exposed from the housing, wherein the heat transfer member is sandwiched between a portion of the fixing fitting and the frame member and has sufficient flexibility to deform to fit the shape of a gap between a portion of the fixing fitting and the frame member.

[0008] In the connector unit of the present invention, external conductive components (such as round terminals and busbars) and terminal fittings are secured to the housing while being fastened and fixed to fixing fittings embedded in the housing and electrically connected. Furthermore, a heat transfer member is sandwiched between the portion of the fixing fitting exposed from the housing and the metal frame member. Therefore, when power is applied, heat generated at the contact points between the terminal fittings and their counterparts, the connection points between the terminal fittings and the conductive components, and so on, is transferred sequentially through the fixing fittings, heat transfer member, and frame member. The heat transfer member has sufficient flexibility to deform to conform to the shape of the gap between the frame member and a portion of the fixing fitting. Therefore, compared to a case where the heat transfer member lacks this flexibility, it contacts portions of the frame member and fixing fitting over a larger contact area. Furthermore, even when external forces, such as vibration, are applied during use of the connector unit, or even when the connector unit is used for extended periods, the heat transfer member maintains contact with portions of the frame member and fixing fitting. Furthermore, the metal frame member has a large heat capacity and high thermal conductivity, and because it is in contact with the outside air, it also exhibits excellent heat dissipation performance. Therefore, the connector unit having the present configuration can improve heat dissipation performance while avoiding an increase in the size of the connector unit.

[0009] The heat transfer member may be in direct contact with a portion of the frame member and the fixing fittings, or may be in indirect contact with the frame member and the fixing fittings via an adhesive, pressure-sensitive adhesive, or the like. However, in the latter case, it is preferred that the adhesive, pressure-sensitive adhesive, or the like also have high thermal conductivity. Furthermore, in addition to the adhesive, pressure-sensitive adhesive, or the like, the heat transfer member may be in indirect contact with a portion of the frame member and the fixing fittings, with another member having high thermal conductivity interposed therebetween.

[0010] The present invention has been briefly described above. In addition, by reading the following mode for carrying out the present invention described with reference to the accompanying drawings, the details of the present disclosure will be clarified. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinafter and the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of example only and therefore are not limiting of the present disclosure, in which:

[0012] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a connector unit and a mating connector according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0013] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 a perspective view of the connector unit shown;

[0014] Figure 3 It shows the composition Figure 2 A perspective view showing a state in which a housing, a frame member, and a heat transfer member of a connector unit are separated from each other;

[0015] Figure 4 It is along Figure 2 A cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.

[0016] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Magnified view of middle part B. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] Example

[0018] Hereinafter, a connector unit 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The connector unit 1 shown serves as a relay connector that electrically connects the electric wires 82 (see FIG. Figure 4 ) and the mating connector 2 assembled in the connector unit 1 (see Figure 1 ).

[0019] Hereinafter, for the convenience of description, the definitions of “front”, “rear”, “up”, “down”, “left”, “right”, “front-back direction”, “up-down direction” and “left-right direction” are as follows: Figure 1 The "front-rear direction," "up-down direction," and "left-right direction" are orthogonal to each other. The front-rear direction coincides with the direction in which the connector unit 1 and the mating connector 2 are assembled.

[0020] like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the connector unit 1 mainly includes a terminal fitting 10, a housing 20, a nut member 30, a frame member 40, and a heat transfer member 50. Hereinafter, the configuration of the members constituting the connector unit 1 will be described in sequence.

[0021] First, the terminal fitting 10 will be described. Figure 4 As shown, the metal terminal fitting (female terminal) 10 integrally includes a tubular contact portion 11, a plate-shaped fastening portion 12 located on the rear side of the tubular contact portion 11, and a plate-shaped connecting portion 13 connecting the tubular contact portion 11 and the plate-shaped fastening portion 12. The tubular contact portion 11 is electrically connected to the terminal fitting (male terminal) 71 on the mating connector 2 side when the connector unit 1 and the mating connector 2 are mated with each other (see Figure 1 ) portion, and has a tubular shape extending in the front-rear direction. The plate-shaped fastening portion 12 is a portion to which the external terminal 81 connected to the electric wire 82 is fastened and fixed using the nut member 30 and the bolt 91, and has a substantially rectangular flat plate shape with its plate thickness direction oriented in the up-down direction (see also Figure 1 ). A bolt through hole 14 is formed in the center portion of the plate-like fastening portion 12, penetrating the plate-like fastening portion 12 in the plate thickness direction (up and down direction). A pair of left and right locking holes (through holes) 15 are formed in the front end portion of the plate-like fastening portion 12 (see Figure 1 ).

[0022] Next, the housing 20 will be described. The housing 20 is a resin molded product, and Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the outer tube 21 integrally comprises an outer tube portion 21, a pair of cylindrical terminal fitting accommodating tube portions 22, and a flat rear end wall portion 23. The outer tube portion 21 has a long hole shape that is elongated in the left-right direction and extends in the front-to-back direction when viewed from the front. The pair of cylindrical terminal fitting accommodating tube portions 22 extend in the front-to-back direction within the outer tube portion 21 and are arranged side by side in the left-to-right direction. The flat rear end wall portion 23 connects the rear end of the outer tube portion 21 and the pair of terminal fitting accommodating tube portions 22. The front end of the outer tube portion 21 is open, and the rear end is closed by the rear end wall portion 23. The rear end of each terminal fitting accommodating tube portion 22 is open and communicates with the outside through a through-hole 24. The tubular contact portion 11 of the terminal fitting 10 is accommodated in the terminal fitting accommodating tube portion 22. A pair of upper and lower flat flange portions 25 extending outward on both sides are provided at the front end edge of the outer tube portion 21. The rubber gasket 92 is provided at a position adjacent to the rear side of the pair of flange portions 25 on the outer peripheral surface of the outer tube portion 21. The gasket 92 has a function of sealing the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the through hole 42 of the frame member 40 and the outer peripheral surface of the outer tube portion 21 when the housing 20 is mounted on the frame member 40, which is assembled to the outer tube portion 21 from the outside.

[0023] like Figure 1 、 3 As shown in FIG4 , the housing 20 is provided with a substantially rectangular flat plate-shaped extension portion 26 as a whole. The flat plate-shaped extension portion 26 extends rearward from a portion of the rear end wall portion 23, which is adjacent to the lower side of the rear end opening of the pair of terminal fitting accommodating tube portions 22. When the pair of left and right terminal fittings 10 are accommodated in the housing 20, the pair of left and right plate-shaped fastening portions 12 cover the upper surface of the extension portion 26 (see FIG4 ). Figure 1 and 4 ). When the pair of left and right terminal fittings 10 are accommodated in the housing 20, as shown Figure 4 and 5As shown, the nut member 30 is embedded (integrated) into each of the left and right bolt through-holes 14 of the extension portion 26 by insert molding. The nut member 30 is used to fasten and secure the terminal fitting 10 and the external terminal 81 to the housing 20. The nut member 30 is made of metal and includes a cylindrical tubular body portion 31 extending in the vertical direction. The nut member 30 has a lower end blocked by a bottom wall portion 31a and an open upper end, and a flange portion 32 extending radially from the opening edge at the upper end of the tubular body portion 31. Female threads corresponding to the male threads of the bolt 91 are formed on the inner circumferential side of the tubular body portion 31. The majority of the tubular body portion 31 is embedded in the extension portion 26, with the upper end opening of the tubular body portion 31 and the flange portion 32 exposed to the outside at the upper surface of the extension portion 26. The bottom wall portion 31 a of the tubular main body portion 31 (more specifically, a lower end side portion of the bottom wall portion 31 a ) is exposed so as to slightly protrude downward from the lower end surface of the extending portion 26 .

[0024] A pair of left and right locking protrusions 27 are provided on the upper surface of the extension portion 26 at positions adjacent to the front sides of the pair of left and right nut members 30, corresponding to the pair of left and right locking holes 15 of the plate-like fastening portion 12 of each terminal fitting 10 (see FIG. Figure 1 A plate-like partition wall portion 28 that protrudes upward and extends in the front-to-rear direction is provided on the upper surface of the extension portion 26, located between the pair of left and right nut members 30. The partition wall portion 28 partitions the space between the pair of left and right plate-like fastening portions 12 provided on the upper surface of the extension portion 26, thereby preventing an accidental short circuit between the pair of left and right plate-like fastening portions 12.

[0025] Next, the frame member 40 will be described. Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the metal frame member 40 includes a main body 41 having a generally rectangular, flat plate shape that extends in the left-right and up-down directions. A through-hole 42 is provided in the center of the main body 41, corresponding to the outer tube 21 of the housing 20. The through-hole 42 has a long hole shape that extends in the left-right direction when viewed in the front-back direction and penetrates the main body 41 in the front-back direction. The outer tube 21 of the housing 20 is inserted into the through-hole 42, allowing the housing 20 to be mounted on the frame member 40.

[0026] like Figure 1 、 3 As shown in FIG4 , the frame member 40 is provided with a substantially rectangular flat plate-shaped extension portion 43 as a whole. The extension portion 43 extends rearward from the portion of the main body 41 adjacent to the lower side of the rear end opening of the through hole 42. When the housing 20 is mounted on the frame member 40, the extension portion 26 of the housing 20 covers the upper surface of the extension portion 43 (see FIG4 ). Figure 1 and 4). When the housing 20 is mounted on the frame member 40, as shown Figures 3 to 5 As shown, the mounting surface 44 is provided at a position on the upper surface of the extension 43, and the mounting surface 44 faces the bottom wall portions 31a of the pair of left and right nut members 30 exposed from the lower end surface of the extension 26, with a small gap therebetween in the up-down direction. Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the mounting surface 44 is a flat surface that extends slightly obliquely relative to the front-to-back direction with the rear side higher than the front side, and extends parallel to the left-to-right direction over the entire left-to-right region of the extension 43. As will be described later, the mounting surface 44 serves as a portion that sandwiches the sheet-like heat transfer member 50 and the bottom wall portion 31a of the nut member 30.

[0027] Next, the heat transfer member 50 will be described. When the housing 20 is mounted on the frame member 40, the heat transfer member 50 is a member for being sandwiched between the bottom wall portions 31a of the pair of left and right nut members 30 exposed from the lower end surface of the extension portion 26 and the mounting surface 44 of the frame member 40 (see FIG. Figure 4 and Figure 5 ). In this example, if Figure 3 As shown, the heat transfer member 50 has a thin plate shape that is elongated in the left-right direction when viewed from the top and bottom. The heat transfer member 50 is made of a material that has a higher thermal conductivity than the resin material constituting the housing 20 and has sufficient flexibility to deform to fit the shape of the gap between the bottom wall portion 31 a of the nut member 30 and the mounting surface 44 of the frame member 40.

[0028] The heat transfer member 50 can be made of, for example, a thermally conductive resin material, a hybrid material (a base resin mixed with a thermally conductive heat transfer body), or a mesh material made of thermally conductive wire. The heat transfer member 50 can be formed by processing these materials into a plate or ribbon shape. Furthermore, if these materials are sufficiently soft in the environment in which the heat transfer member 50 is used, they can be applied to the housing 20 or the frame member 40 in a paste form.

[0029] The configuration of the members constituting the connector unit 1 has been described above.

[0030] Next, the assembly procedure of the connector unit 1 will be described. First, a pair of left and right terminal fittings 10 are accommodated in the housing 20. Therefore, the tubular contact portion 11 of the terminal fitting 10 is inserted into each terminal fitting accommodation tube portion 22 of the housing 20 from the rear side. The plate-shaped fastening portion 12 of the terminal fitting 10 covers the upper surface of the extension portion 26 of the housing 20 so that the bolt through hole 14 is located on the upper end opening of the nut member 30 and the locking hole 15 is locked to the locking protrusion 27 of the housing 20 (see FIG. 2 ). Figure 1 and 4). The locking hole 15 is locked to the locking protrusion 27 , thereby preventing the positional deviation of the terminal fitting 10 relative to the housing 20 .

[0031] Next, the housing 20 is mounted on the frame member 40. Therefore, in a state where the sheet-like heat transfer member 50 is attached to the bottom wall portions 31a of the pair of left and right nut members 30 exposed from the lower end surface of the extension portion 26 of the housing 20 or the mounting surface 44 of the extension portion 43 of the frame member 40, the outer tube portion 21 of the housing 20 is inserted into the through hole 42 of the frame member 40 until the flange portion 25 of the housing 20 abuts against the main body portion 41 of the frame member 40. When the housing 20 is completely mounted on the frame member 40, the heat transfer member 50 is pressed and clamped between the bottom wall portion 31a of the nut member 30 and the mounting surface 44 of the frame member 40, as shown in FIG. Figure 5 As shown, due to the flexibility of the heat transfer member 50, the heat transfer member 50 flexibly deforms to conform to the shape of the gap between the bottom wall portion 31a of the nut member 30 and the mounting surface 44 of the frame member 40. Consequently, compared to a case where the heat transfer member 50 lacks flexibility, the heat transfer member 50 contacts the nut member 30 and the frame member 40 with a larger contact area. In other words, the heat transfer member 50 thermally connects the nut member 30 and the frame member 40. Furthermore, as described above, since the mounting surface 44 extends slightly tilted relative to the front-to-back direction with the rear side higher than the front side, when the housing 20 is mounted on the frame member 40, the heat transfer member 50 is less likely to flip due to friction from the bottom wall portion 31a of the nut member 30. Furthermore, the pressure applied to the heat transfer member 50 from the bottom wall portion 31a of the nut member 30 and the mounting surface 44 increases, making it easier for the heat transfer member 50 to more closely contact the bottom wall portion 31a of the nut member 30 and the mounting surface 44. According to the above, the assembly of the connector unit 1 is completed, and the Figure 1 and Figure 2 Connector unit 1 shown.

[0032] The assembled connector unit 1 is mounted on Figure 1The mating connector 2 is shown. The housing 60 of the mating connector 2 includes a connector portion 61 extending in the front-to-back direction and a wire accommodating portion 62 extending in the top-to-bottom direction. The housing 60 has a generally L-shape when viewed in the left-to-right direction. The connector portion 61 includes an outer tubular portion 63 shaped to fit within the connector portion 61 of the housing 20 and a pair of left and right terminal fitting accommodating tubes 64 shaped to fit within the corresponding pair of left and right terminal fitting accommodating tubes 22 of the housing 20. A terminal fitting (male terminal) 71 is accommodated in each of the left and right terminal fitting accommodating tubes 64. A pair of left and right wires 72, one end of which is connected to the pair of left and right terminal fittings 71, pass through the interior of the wire accommodating portion 62 and extend downward from the lower end opening of the wire accommodating portion 62 to the exterior.

[0033] The connector unit 1 and the mating connector 2 are fitted with each other so that the outer tube portion 21 is mounted on the outer tube portion 63 from the outside and the terminal fitting accommodating tube portion 22 is inserted into the terminal fitting accommodating tube portion 64 from the inside. In the state where the connector unit 1 and the mating connector 2 are assembled, the tubular contact portion 11 of the terminal fitting 10 in the terminal fitting accommodating tube portion 22 is electrically connected to the terminal fitting 71 in the terminal fitting accommodating tube portion 64. The gasket 93 (see FIG. 1 ) provided on the outer peripheral surface of the outer tube portion 63 is Figure 1 ) has a function of sealing a gap between the inner peripheral surface of the outer tube portion 21 of the housing 20 and the outer peripheral surface of the outer tube portion 63, the outer tube portion 21 being fitted to the outer tube portion 63 from the outside.

[0034] Furthermore, in the connector unit 1 after assembly, the external terminal 81 connected to the electric wire 82 is fastened and fixed to the plate-like fastening portion 12 (see FIG. 1 ) of the pair of left and right terminal fittings 10 using the nut member 30 and the bolt 91. Figure 4 Specifically, the bolt 91 sequentially inserted into the bolt through-hole 81 a formed in the flat plate-shaped portion of the external terminal 81 and the bolt through-hole 14 of the plate-shaped fastening portion 12 is screwed toward the interior space of the tubular main body portion 31 of the nut member 30, so that the terminal fitting 10 and the external terminal 81 are fastened and fixed to the nut member 30 fixed to the housing 20.

[0035] In connector unit 1, the contact point between terminal fitting 10 and terminal fitting 71 is located within housing 20 for external insulation, even though the contact point is located where Joule heat generated in the terminal fitting is high during power-on due to high contact resistance. Therefore, it is difficult to dissipate heat from the contact point between terminal fitting 10 and terminal fitting 71 to the outside. Furthermore, when a high current flows through connector unit 1, for example, when connector unit 1 and mating connector 2 are mated, the heat generated also increases. In this regard, in connector unit 1, heat transfer member 50 is sandwiched between the bottom wall portion 31a of nut member 30, which is exposed from housing 20, and metal frame member 40. Therefore, heat generated at the contact point between terminal fitting 10 and terminal fitting 71 during power-on is transferred sequentially through nut member 30, heat transfer member 50, and frame member 40. Because heat transfer member 50 is flexible as described above, it contacts frame member 40 and nut member 30 over a larger contact area than would be the case if heat transfer member 50 were not flexible. Therefore, in the connector unit 1, heat dissipation can be improved.

[0036] Operation and Effect

[0037] As described above, according to the connector unit 1 of this embodiment, the external terminal 81 and the terminal fitting 10 are secured to the housing 20 while being fastened and fixed to the nut member 30 embedded in the housing 20 and electrically connected. Furthermore, the heat transfer member 50 is sandwiched between the bottom wall portion 31a of the nut member 30, which is exposed from the housing 20, and the metal frame member 40. Therefore, when power is applied, heat generated at the contact point between the terminal fitting 10 and the terminal fitting 71 of the mating connector 2 is transferred sequentially through the nut member 30, the heat transfer member 50, and the frame member 40. The heat transfer member 50 has sufficient flexibility to deform to conform to the shape of the gap between the frame member 40 and the bottom wall portion 31a of the nut member 30. Therefore, compared to a case where the heat transfer member 50 does not have this flexibility, the heat transfer member 50 contacts the frame member 40 and the bottom wall portion 31a of the nut member 30 over a larger contact area. Furthermore, even when external forces such as vibrations are applied while the connector unit 1 is in use, or even when the connector unit 1 is used for an extended period, the heat transfer member 50 can be maintained in contact with the frame member 40 and the bottom wall portion 31a of the nut member 30. Furthermore, the metal frame member 40 has a large heat capacity and high thermal conductivity, and since the frame member 40 is in contact with the outside air, it also exhibits excellent heat dissipation performance. Therefore, the connector unit 1 according to this embodiment can improve heat dissipation performance while avoiding an increase in the size of the connector unit 1.

[0038] Other embodiments

[0039] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be used within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and modifications, improvements, etc. can be made as appropriate. In addition, the materials, shapes, sizes, quantities, and arrangement positions of the components in the above-described embodiments are freely selectable and are not limited as long as the present disclosure can be implemented.

[0040] Here, the features of the connector unit 1 according to the above-described embodiment of the present invention are briefly summarized and listed in the following [1] to [3].

[0041] [1] A connector unit (1), comprising:

[0042] Terminal fittings (10);

[0043] a housing (20) configured to accommodate the terminal fitting (10);

[0044] a fixing fitting (30) embedded in the housing (20) and configured to fasten and fix the terminal fitting (10) and the external conductive member (81);

[0045] a metal frame member (40) on which the housing (20) is mounted; and

[0046] A heat transfer member (50) configured to thermally connect the frame member (40) and a portion (31a) of the fixing fitting (30) exposed from the housing (20),

[0047] The heat transfer member (50) is sandwiched between a portion (31a) of the fixing fitting (30) and the frame member (40), and has sufficient flexibility to deform to fit the shape of the gap between the portion (31a) of the fixing fitting (30) and the frame member (40).

[0048] According to the connector unit having the configuration described in [1] above, the external conductive components (e.g., round terminals and busbars) and the terminal fittings are fixed to the housing in a state where they are fastened and fixed to the fixing fittings embedded in the housing and electrically connected. In addition, the heat transfer member is sandwiched between the portion of the fixing fitting exposed from the housing and the metal frame member. Therefore, when power is applied, heat generated at the contact points between the terminal fittings and the mating terminal fittings, the connection positions between the terminal fittings and the conductive components, etc., is transferred in the order of the fixing fittings, the heat transfer member, and the frame member. The heat transfer member has sufficient flexibility to deform to fit the shape of the gap between the frame member and the fixing fitting portion, so that the heat transfer member contacts the frame member and the fixing fitting portion with a larger contact area than when the heat transfer member does not have such flexibility. In addition, even when an external force such as vibration is applied when the connector unit is used, or even when the connector unit is used for a long time, the state in which the heat transfer member contacts a portion of the frame member and the fixing fitting can be maintained. In addition, the metal frame member has a large heat capacity and high thermal conductivity, and since the frame member is in contact with the outside air, the frame member also has excellent heat dissipation performance. Therefore, the connector unit having the present configuration can improve heat dissipation performance while avoiding an increase in the size of the connector unit.

[0049] The heat transfer member may be in direct contact with a portion of the frame member and the fixing fittings, or may be in indirect contact with the frame member and the fixing fittings via an adhesive, pressure-sensitive adhesive, or the like interposed therebetween. However, in the latter case, it is preferred that the adhesive, pressure-sensitive adhesive, or the like also have high thermal conductivity. Furthermore, in addition to the adhesive, pressure-sensitive adhesive, or the like, the heat transfer member may be in indirect contact with a portion of the frame member and the fixing fittings, with another member having high thermal conductivity interposed therebetween.

[0050] [2] The connector unit (1) according to [1] above,

[0051] wherein the frame member (40) has a mounting surface (44) extending in a direction intersecting with a mounting direction in which the housing (20) is mounted on the frame member (40), and

[0052] The heat transfer member (50) is sandwiched between a portion (31a) of the fixing fitting (30) and the mounting surface (44).

[0053] According to the connector unit having the configuration described in [2] above, when the housing is mounted on the frame member, the heat transfer member is sandwiched between a portion of the fixing fitting and the mounting surface of the frame member. Therefore, the heat transfer member is sandwiched between a portion of the fixing fitting and the mounting surface, and is in close contact with a portion of the fixing fitting and the mounting surface. Here, since the mounting surface extends in a direction intersecting with the mounting direction in which the housing is mounted on the frame member, the heat transfer member is less likely to flip when the housing is mounted on the frame member, compared to a case where the mounting surface extends parallel to the mounting direction, and the pressure received by the heat transfer member from a portion of the fixing fitting and the mounting surface increases, making it easier for the heat transfer member to come into closer contact with a portion of the fixing fitting and the mounting surface. Therefore, heat generated when power is applied is effectively transferred from a portion of the fixing fitting to the frame member through the heat transfer member.

[0054] [3] According to the connector unit (1) of [1] above,

[0055] The material constituting the heat transfer member (50) has a higher thermal conductivity than the material constituting the housing (20).

[0056] According to the connector unit having the configuration described in [3] above, the material constituting the heat transfer member has a higher thermal conductivity than the material constituting the housing. Therefore, compared to when the housing and the shielding member are in direct contact, heat generated at the connection location between the terminal fitting and the conductive member can be dissipated to the outside more efficiently through the heat transfer member.

Claims

1. A connector unit, comprising: Terminal accessories; a housing configured to accommodate the terminal fitting; a fixing fitting embedded in the housing and configured to fasten and fix the terminal fitting and the external conductive member; a metal frame member on which the housing is mounted; and a heat transfer member configured to thermally connect the frame member and a portion of the fixing fitting exposed from the housing, The heat transfer member is sandwiched between the portion of the fixing fitting and the frame member and is flexible enough to deform to fit the shape of the gap between the portion of the fixing fitting and the frame member.

2. The connector unit according to claim 1, in, The frame member has a mounting surface extending in a direction intersecting a mounting direction in which the housing is mounted on the frame member, and wherein the heat transfer member is sandwiched between the portion of the fixing fitting and the mounting surface.

3. The connector unit according to claim 1, in, The material constituting the heat transfer member has higher thermal conductivity than the material constituting the housing.

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