Electric wire with terminal and connector

Abstract

The present application provides a temperature sensor with excellent temperature measurement performance. The terminal wire (2) has a terminal (10), a wire (20) with a conductor core (21) connected to the terminal (10), a first tube (30) covering the contact between the terminal (10) and the conductor core (21), a temperature sensor (40) configured in contact with the first tube (30) and capable of measuring the temperature of the terminal (10), and a second tube (50) covering the temperature sensor (40). The first tube (30) has an adhesive layer (31) on the inner surface of the cylinder, and the second tube (50) does not have an adhesive layer (31) on the inner surface of the cylinder. The temperature sensor (40) is a thermistor (41).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a wire with terminals to which wires are connected, and a connector having a wire with terminals. Background Technology

[0002] In the past, in order to supply power (charge) to the batteries of vehicles such as electric vehicles or plug-in hybrid vehicles from outside the vehicle, a charging connector provided in the vehicle has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 1). Such a connector is generally referred to as a charging interface.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-131545 Summary of the Invention

[0006] The technical problem that the invention aims to solve

[0007] The aforementioned connectors (charging interfaces) are typically required to conform to the structures and characteristics specified in various standards. For example, due to the Joule heat generated at the terminals when power is applied, the terminal temperature (so-called operating temperature) rises, and standards sometimes specify limits related to terminal temperature changes. In fact, in the aforementioned conventional connectors, thermistors are used to measure the terminal operating temperature. However, in these existing connectors, a metal bracket is used to position the thermistor separately from the terminal, and heat is transferred from the terminal to the thermistor via this bracket. With heat transferred via this path, the heat transfer from the terminal to the bracket takes time, depending on the size of the contact area between the terminal (the heat source) and the bracket. As a result, there is a possibility that the temperature detection by the thermistor will be time-consuming. From the viewpoint of improving the temperature measurement performance of the thermistor, it is desirable to minimize the time required for temperature detection.

[0008] One of the objectives of this invention is to provide a terminal wire and connector for a temperature sensor with excellent temperature measurement performance.

[0009] Technical solutions for solving technical problems

[0010] To achieve the above objectives, the terminal wire and connector of the present invention are characterized as follows.

[0011] A terminal wire comprising: a terminal; a wire having a conductor core connected to the terminal; a first tube covering the area around the contact point between the terminal and the conductor core; a temperature sensor configured to contact the first tube and capable of measuring the temperature of the terminal; and a second tube covering the temperature sensor.

[0012] A connector comprising: the aforementioned wire with terminals; and a housing for receiving the terminals of the wire with terminals.

[0013] Invention Effects

[0014] According to the terminald wire and connector of the present invention, a first tube (e.g., heat-shrink tubing) covers the area around the contact point between the conductor core of the wire and the terminal, and a temperature sensor is configured to contact the first tube. Furthermore, a second tube covers the temperature sensor. Thus, heat emanating from the contact point, which may generate particularly large Joule heat due to the contact resistance between the terminal and the conductor core, is rapidly transferred to the temperature sensor via the first tube, which is configured to cover the contact point (i.e., with a larger contact area relative to the contact point). Therefore, compared to the conventional connector described above, the time required for temperature detection by the temperature sensor can be shortened. Additionally, by covering the temperature sensor with the second tube, the contact between the temperature sensor and the first tube is appropriately maintained. Therefore, the temperature sensor of the terminald wire and connector of the present invention exhibits excellent temperature measurement performance.

[0015] The present invention has been briefly described above. The details of the invention will then become clearer by referring to the accompanying drawings and describing embodiments for carrying out the invention as described below. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a perspective view showing the state in which the terminal wires of the connector constituting an embodiment of the present invention are separated from the housing.

[0017] Figure 2 It means Figure 1 A three-dimensional diagram of a wire with terminals is shown.

[0018] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 An exploded perspective view of the wire with terminals shown.

[0019] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 AA cross-section view.

[0020] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 An enlarged view of part B.

[0021] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0022] 1: Connector;

[0023] 2: Wires with terminals;

[0024] 10: terminal;

[0025] 20: Electrical wire;

[0026] 21: Conductor core wire;

[0027] 30: Heat shrink tubing (first tubing);

[0028] 31: Adhesive layer;

[0029] 40: Temperature sensor;

[0030] 41: Thermistor element (thermometer);

[0031] 50: Heat shrink tubing (second tubing);

[0032] 60: Shell. Detailed Implementation

[0033] <Implementation Method>

[0034] Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, a connector 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, including a terminal wire 2, will be described. The connector 1 is provided in a vehicle such as a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle or an electric vehicle, and is connected to a wire extending from a battery mounted in the vehicle. The connector 1 is also referred to as a charging interface. This is achieved by fitting the opposite connector (so-called charging gun) into the fitting recess 82 of the connector 1 (see reference 82). Figure 1 (This refers to a device that supplies power to the battery from outside the vehicle, thereby charging the battery.)

[0035] For ease of explanation, the following is as follows: Figure 1 The terms "front," "rear," "left," "right," "up," and "down" are defined as shown. The "front-rear direction," "left-right direction," and "up-down direction" are orthogonal to each other. The front-rear direction is consistent with the mating direction of connector 1 and the opposite connector (not shown). The side facing the mating direction from connector 1 (the side closer to the opposite connector) is called the "front side," and the side facing away from the mating direction from connector 1 (the side furthest from the opposite connector) is called the "rear side." It should be noted that the terms "front-rear direction," "left-right direction," and "up-down direction" are merely for illustrative purposes and do not necessarily correspond to the front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions of the vehicle when connector 1 is mounted.

[0036] like Figure 1 As shown, connector 1 has multiple (two in this example) terminald wires 2 and a terminal 10 for housing the terminald wires 2 (see reference). Figure 2 and Figure 4 The housing 60 (etc.). Hereinafter, the terminal wire 2 constituting the connector 1 and the housing 60 will be described in sequence.

[0037] First, let's explain wire 2 with terminals. For example... Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the terminald wire 2 includes a terminal 10, a wire 20 connected to the terminal 10, a heat shrink tubing 30 covering the contact area between the conductor core 2 of the terminal 10 and the wire 20, a temperature sensor 40 configured to contact the heat shrink tubing 30 and capable of measuring the temperature of the terminal 10, and a heat shrink tubing 50 covering the temperature sensor 40. The wire 20 is composed of a conductor core 21 and a sheath 22 made of insulating resin covering the conductor core 21 (see reference). Figure 4 ).

[0038] Terminal 10 is made of metal, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the male terminal 10 has a stepped cylindrical shape extending in the front-rear direction, consisting of a small diameter portion 11 and a large diameter portion (12) located behind the small diameter portion 11. When the connector 1 is engaged with the other connector, the small diameter portion 11 of the terminal 10 is connected to the other connector's other terminal (female terminal, not shown).

[0039] A cylindrical recess 13 is formed on the rear end face of the large diameter portion 12, which is concave inward (see reference). Figure 4 The conductor core 21, protruding from one end of the wire 20, is inserted into the recess 13 and secured. Thus, the terminal 10 is electrically connected to the wire 20. The contact point between the inner circumferential side of the recess 13 of the large-diameter portion 12 and the outer circumferential side of one end of the conductor core 21 constitutes a "contact" between the terminal 10 and the conductor core 21. Furthermore, the other end of the wire 20 may be connected, for example, to a battery (not shown).

[0040] The outer diameter of the large-diameter portion 12 is approximately equal to the outer diameter of the covering portion 22 of the wire 20. A resin heat shrink tubing 30 is installed at the connection point between the terminal 10 and the wire 20, such that the outer peripheral surface of the large-diameter portion 12 and the outer peripheral surface of one end of the covering portion 22 of the wire 20 are tightly fitted and covered together. The heat shrink tubing 30 is a cylindrical tube made of resins such as polyolefins or fluoropolymers. The heat shrink tubing 30 has an adhesive layer 31 made of resin adhesive on its inner surface (see reference). Figure 5 ).

[0041] The heat shrink tubing 30 is heated and shrunk while installed to cover the connection between the terminal 10 and the wire 20. Then, the shrunk heat shrink tubing 30 tightly adheres to and covers the outer peripheral surface of the large-diameter portion 12 of the terminal 10 and the outer peripheral surface of one end of the covering portion 22 of the wire 20. The heat shrink tubing 30 is configured in this manner (see reference...). Figure 3 and Figure 4As a result, the adhesive layer 31 on the inner surface of the heat shrink tubing 30 tightly adheres to the terminal 10 and the wire 20, covering the area around the "contact" between the terminal 10 and the conductor core 21, thereby appropriately suppressing water from entering the "contact" between the terminal 10 and the conductor core 21. Furthermore, the adhesive layer 31 firmly maintains a tight fit between the heat shrink tubing 30 and the terminal 10 and the wire 20.

[0042] Temperature sensor 40 functions to measure the temperature of terminal 10. Temperature sensor 40 is a thermistor that functions as a contact-type temperature sensor; specifically, as... Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the main body 42 includes a thermistor element 41 and a built-in thermistor element 41. The thermistor element 41 is suitable for measuring the temperature of the terminals 10 of a wire 2 with terminals because it has excellent temperature measurement accuracy and high resistance to external forces such as vibration. In this example, the main body 42 has a generally cuboid shape extending in the front-rear direction. A pair of wires 43, connected to the thermistor element 41, extend from the rear end of the main body 42.

[0043] The temperature sensor 40 is configured such that its main body 42 is in direct contact with the outer peripheral surface of the heat shrink tubing 30 mounted at the connection point between the terminal 10 and the wire 20, and a pair of wires 43 extending rearward from the main body 42 extend along the outer peripheral surface of the wire 20 extending from the rear end of the heat shrink tubing 30. Furthermore, a resin heat shrink tubing 50 is mounted in such a way that it tightly adheres to and covers both the heat shrink tubing 30 and the main body 42 of the temperature sensor 40 mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the heat shrink tubing 30 (see reference). Figures 2-4 Like heat shrink tubing 30, heat shrink tubing 50 is a cylindrical tube made of resins such as polyolefins and fluoropolymers. Unlike heat shrink tubing 30, heat shrink tubing 50 does not have an adhesive layer on its inner surface, given the lower necessity for waterproofing the "contacts" between the terminal 10 and the conductor core 21. As a result, the manufacturing cost of the terminald wire 2 can be reduced.

[0044] The heat shrink tubing 50 covers both the heat shrink tubing 30 and the main body 42 of the temperature sensor 40 disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the heat shrink tubing 30. When heated in this installed state, it shrinks, tightly adhering to and covering the heat shrink tubing 30 and the main body 42 of the temperature sensor 40. As a result, the main body 42 of the temperature sensor 40 is fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the heat shrink tubing 30, appropriately maintaining direct contact between the main body 42 and the outer peripheral surface of the heat shrink tubing 30 (see reference). Figure 4 and Figure 5Thus, heat from terminal 10 is rapidly transferred to the thermistor element 41 of temperature sensor 40 via heat shrink tubing 30. Therefore, the temperature sensor 40 with terminald wire 2 exhibits excellent temperature measurement performance. The terminald wire 2 has been described above.

[0045] The terminals 10 of the wire 2 with terminals having the above structure are housed in the housing 60. The housing 60 will be described below.

[0046] like Figure 1 As shown, the housing 60 includes a base support 70 and a housing body 80. The base support 70 and the housing body 80 are the skeleton components of the housing 60, forming part of the outer surface of the housing 60.

[0047] First, the base bracket 70 will be described. The base bracket 70 is a resin molded part that serves to hold the terminals 10 of a pair of wires 2 with terminals in a state of mutual insulation with a gap in the left-right direction. For example... Figure 1 As shown, a pair of left and right terminal receiving chambers 71 extending in the front-rear direction are formed in the base support 70. By storing the terminals 10 of the left and right pairs of wires 2 with terminals in the left and right pair of terminal receiving chambers 71 from the rear, the terminals 10 of the left and right pairs of wires 2 with terminals are held in the base support 70.

[0048] Next, the housing body 80 will be described. The housing body 80 is a resin molded part, assembled to the base bracket 70 from the front. In the housing body 80, as... Figure 1 As shown, corresponding to the left and right pairs of terminals 10, a pair of cylindrical terminal receiving portions 81 protrude forward. Each terminal receiving portion 81 is located within a fitting recess 82 and has an internal space that extends in the front-to-back direction. By assembling the housing body 80 onto the base bracket 70, the terminals 10 of the left and right pairs of wires 2 with terminals are respectively received in the left and right pair of terminal receiving portions 81 of the housing body 80. The housing body 80 is provided with flange portions 83 that extend in the left-to-right and up-down directions. Using bolts (not shown) that pass through the multiple bolt insertion holes 84 provided in the flange portions 83, the flange portions 83 are fastened to the mounting portion (not shown) of the connector 1 installed on the vehicle, thereby fixing the housing 60 (base bracket 70 + housing body 80) as a whole to the mounting portion. The housing 60 has been described above.

[0049] <Function & Effect>

[0050] In the terminald wire 2 and connector 1 of this embodiment, a first tube (heat shrink tubing 30) covers the area around the contact point between the conductor core 21 of the wire 20 and the terminal 10, and a temperature sensor 40 is arranged in contact with the first tube. Furthermore, a second tube (heat shrink tubing 50) covers the temperature sensor 40. Thus, heat emitted from the contact point, which may generate particularly large Joule heat due to the contact resistance between the terminal 10 and the conductor core 21, is rapidly transferred to the temperature sensor 40 via the first tube 30, which covers the contact point (i.e., with a large contact area relative to the contact point). Therefore, compared to the conventional connector described above, the time required for temperature detection by the temperature sensor 40 can be shortened. Furthermore, by covering the temperature sensor 40 with the second tube 50, the contact between the temperature sensor 40 and the first tube 30 is appropriately maintained. Therefore, the temperature sensor 40 of the terminald wire 2 and connector 1 of this structure exhibits excellent temperature measurement performance.

[0051] Furthermore, in the terminald wire 2 according to this embodiment, the adhesive layer 31 on the inner surface of the first tube 30 is tightly bonded to the terminal 10 and the wire 20, thereby firmly maintaining the tight bonding state of the first tube 30 around the contact point. Additionally, water intrusion from the outside into the contact point between the conductor core 21 of the terminal 10 and the wire 20 is appropriately suppressed. Moreover, since waterproofing the connection point is not necessary, the second tube 50 does not have an adhesive layer, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the terminald wire 2.

[0052] Furthermore, in the terminal wire 2 according to this embodiment, a thermistor (thermal resistor element 41) is used as the temperature sensor 40. The thermistor (thermal resistor element 41) has excellent temperature measurement accuracy and high resistance to external forces such as vibration, and therefore can be used for temperature measurement of the terminals 10 in the terminal wire 2.

[0053] <Other Options>

[0054] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be adopted within the scope of the present invention. For example, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and appropriate modifications and improvements can be made. Furthermore, the material, shape, size, quantity, and arrangement of the constituent elements in the above embodiments can be arbitrary and not limited, as long as they enable the implementation of the present invention.

[0055] Here, the features of the above-described embodiments of the terminal wire 2 and connector 1 of the present invention are briefly summarized as follows [1] to [4].

[0056] [1] A terminal wire (2) comprising: a terminal (10); a wire (20) having a conductor core (21) connected to the terminal (10); a first tube (30) covering the area around the contact point between the terminal (10) and the conductor core (21); a temperature sensor (40) configured to contact the first tube (30) and capable of measuring the temperature of the terminal (10); and a second tube (50) covering the temperature sensor (40).

[0057] According to the terminald wire of the above-described scheme [1], a first tube (e.g., heat-shrink tubing) covers the area around the contact point between the conductor core of the wire and the terminal, and a temperature sensor is configured to contact the first tube. Additionally, a second tube covers the temperature sensor. Thus, heat emitted from the contact point, which may generate particularly large Joule heat due to the contact resistance between the terminal and the conductor core, is rapidly transferred to the temperature sensor via the first tube, which is configured to cover the contact point (i.e., with a larger contact area relative to the contact point). Therefore, compared to the conventional connector described above, the time required for the temperature sensor to perform temperature detection can be shortened. Moreover, the second tube covers the temperature sensor, thereby appropriately maintaining the contact state between the temperature sensor and the first tube. Therefore, the temperature sensor of the terminald wire of this scheme exhibits excellent temperature measurement performance.

[0058] [2] In the terminal wire (2) described in [1] above,

[0059] The first tube (30) has an adhesive layer (31) made of adhesive on its inner surface.

[0060] The second tube (50) does not have the adhesive layer (31) on its inner surface.

[0061] According to the terminald wire of the above-described scheme [2], the adhesive layer on the inner surface of the first tube is tightly bonded to the terminal and the wire, thereby firmly maintaining the tight bond between the first tube and the contact. Furthermore, it appropriately suppresses water from entering the contact between the terminal and the conductor core of the wire. Moreover, since the second tube, which is not essential for waterproofing the contacts, does not have an adhesive layer, the manufacturing cost of the terminald wire can be reduced.

[0062] [3] In the terminal wire (2) described in [1] above,

[0063] The temperature sensor (40) is a thermistor (41).

[0064] According to the scheme described above [3], a thermistor is used as a temperature sensor for the terminal wire. Thermistors have excellent temperature measurement accuracy and high resistance to external forces such as vibration, so they are suitable for temperature measurement of the terminals of terminal wires.

[0065] [4] A connector (1) comprising:

[0066] The terminal wire (2) described in any one of [1] to [3] above;

[0067] A housing (60) for receiving the terminal (10) of the wire (2) with terminals.

[0068] According to the connector of the above-described [4] scheme, a first tube (e.g., heat shrink tubing) covers the area around the contact point between the conductor core of the wire and the terminal, and a temperature sensor is positioned in contact with the first tube. Additionally, a second tube covers the temperature sensor. Thus, heat emitted from the contact point, which may generate particularly large Joule heat due to the contact resistance between the terminal and the conductor core, is rapidly transferred to the temperature sensor via the first tube, which is configured to cover the contact point (i.e., with a large contact area relative to the contact point). Therefore, compared to the conventional connector described above, the time required for temperature detection by the temperature sensor can be shortened. Moreover, by covering the temperature sensor with the second tube, the contact state between the temperature sensor and the first tube is appropriately maintained. Therefore, the temperature sensor of the connector of this scheme exhibits excellent temperature measurement performance.

Claims

1. A wire with terminals, characterized in that, have: terminal; An electrical wire having a conductor core connected to the terminal; The first tube covers the area around the contact point between the terminal and the conductor core wire; A temperature sensor, configured to contact the first tube, is capable of measuring the temperature of the terminal. The second tube covers the temperature sensor.

2. The wire with terminals according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first tube has an adhesive layer made of adhesive on its inner surface. The second tube does not have the adhesive layer on its inner surface.

3. The wire with terminals according to claim 1, characterized in that, The temperature sensor is a thermistor.

4. A connector, characterized in that, have: The wire with terminals as described in any one of claims 1 to 3; A housing that houses the terminals of the wire with terminals.

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