Connector

The connector design with a sheet portion and hole-punching pins ensures connection reliability by suppressing external force transmission, addressing the challenge of maintaining connections under tensile stress and facilitating efficient assembly.

JP2024176633AInactive Publication Date: 2024-12-19AUTONETWORKS TECH LTD +2
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2023095350
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2023-06-09
Publication Date
2024-12-19
Estimated Expiration
Not applicable · inactive patent

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing connectors with wiring members composed of parallel electric wires face challenges in maintaining connection reliability when subjected to external forces, particularly tensile forces, as techniques to suppress force transmission to the connection between conductors and terminal fittings are not effectively applicable.

Method used

A connector design featuring a wiring member with an insulating sheet portion and parallel electric wires, incorporating a holding member with hole-punching pins that penetrate and hold the sheet portion to suppress external force transmission, and a housing structure that allows efficient assembly without crimping, ensuring connection reliability.

Benefits of technology

The design effectively maintains connection reliability between electric wires and terminal fittings by suppressing external force transmission, enabling stable connections even under tensile stress, and facilitating efficient assembly through a simplified housing structure.

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Abstract

To provide a connector including a wiring member with a sheet section, in which the connection reliability between an electric wire and a terminal fitting in a connector can be ensured.SOLUTION: A connector 10 includes a retaining member 80 that is retained integrally with or separately from a housing 60. In a wiring member 20, a conductor 23 exposed at a front end portion of a plurality of wires 22 is disposed in front of a sheet section 21 and connected to a terminal fitting 40 inside the housing 60, and the sheet section 21 is disposed behind the housing 60. The retaining member 80 has, behind the housing 60, a hole-opening pin 83 that penetrates and retains the sheet section 21.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3
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Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to connectors. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a structure including a plurality of electric wires having bent portions, an electric wire cover that holds the bent portions, and a cylindrical member that is attached to the electric wire cover. Each electric wire is inserted from the electric wire cover to the cylindrical member. Patent Document 2 discloses a structure including an electric wire cover, a corrugated tube attached to the electric wire cover, and a plurality of electric wires inserted from the electric wire cover to the corrugated tube. Patent Document 3 discloses a wiring member including a plurality of electric wires and an insulating sheet portion that fixes the electric wires in parallel.

[0003] In the cases of Patent Documents 1 to 3, the coating at the front end of each electric wire is stripped to expose the conductor, and the terminal fitting can be connected to the exposed conductor. The terminal fitting is accommodated and held in the housing of the connector.

[0004] In the case of Patent Document 1, when an external force such as a tensile force acts on the electric wire pulled out from the electric wire cover, the bent portion and the tubular member can prevent the external force from being transmitted to the connection portion between the conductor and the terminal fitting, thereby ensuring the connection reliability between the electric wire and the terminal fitting. In the case of Patent Document 2, when an external force such as a tensile force acts on the electric wire pulled out from the wire cover, the corrugated tube can prevent the external force from being transmitted to the connection portion between the conductor and the terminal fitting. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2023-14774 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2023-10275 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2020-24787 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The wiring member of Patent Document 3 has a structure in which multiple electric wires are fixed in parallel to the sheet portion, and is different from the wiring members consisting only of multiple electric wires of Patent Documents 1 and 2. For this reason, in Patent Document 3, when an external force such as a tensile force acts on the sheet portion, it is difficult to apply the technology disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 as a technology for suppressing the transmission of the external force to the connection portion between the conductor and the terminal fitting.

[0007] In view of the above, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a connector including a wiring member having a sheet portion, which is capable of ensuring connection reliability between an electric wire and a terminal fitting. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The connector of the present disclosure comprises a wiring member, a plurality of terminal fittings connected to the wiring member, a housing that accommodates the plurality of terminal fittings, and a retaining member held integrally with or separately from the housing, wherein the wiring member has an insulating sheet portion and a plurality of electric wires fixed in parallel to the sheet portion, with conductors exposed at the front ends of the plurality of electric wires positioned forward of the sheet portion and connected to the terminal fittings inside the housing, and the sheet portion is positioned rearward of the housing, and the retaining member has a hole-punching pin positioned rearward of the housing that penetrates and holds the sheet portion. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a connector including a wiring member having a sheet portion, which is capable of ensuring connection reliability between an electric wire and a terminal fitting. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of each member, excluding wiring members, in a connector of the first embodiment. FIG. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the connector of the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a rear view of the connector of the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing a portion where a hole-punching pin penetrates a sheet portion of a wiring member in the connector of the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a plan view of the wiring member in the connector of the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a terminal fitting in the connector of the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a state in which a terminal metal fitting is accommodated in a first accommodating chamber of a first member and a conductor of a first wiring member is connected to the accommodated terminal metal fitting in the connector of the first embodiment. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a plan view showing a state in which a terminal fitting is accommodated in the second accommodating chamber of the second member from the state shown in Figure 7 in the connector of embodiment 1, and a conductor of the second wiring member is connected to the accommodated terminal fitting. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a plan view showing a state in which a third member is attached to the connector shown in FIG. 8 in the first embodiment. [Figure 10] 10 is a plan view of the completed connector of the first embodiment, showing a state in which the holding member is attached to the receiving member from the state shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] [Description of the embodiments of the present disclosure] First, the embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described. The connector of the present disclosure comprises: (1) A wiring member, a plurality of terminal fittings connected to the wiring member, a housing accommodating the plurality of terminal fittings, and a retaining member held integrally with or separately from the housing, wherein the wiring member has an insulating sheet portion and a plurality of electric wires fixed in parallel to the sheet portion, the conductors exposed at the front ends of the plurality of electric wires are positioned forward of the sheet portion and connected to the terminal fittings inside the housing, and the sheet portion is positioned rearward of the housing, and the retaining member has a hole-punching pin rearward of the housing that penetrates and holds the sheet portion.

[0012] Since the hole-punching pins of the retaining member penetrate and hold the sheet portion, when an external force such as a tensile force acts on the sheet portion, the external force can be prevented from being transmitted to the connection portion between the conductor and the terminal fitting. As a result, even in a connector equipped with a wiring member having a sheet portion, the connection reliability between the electric wire and the terminal fitting can be ensured.

[0013] (2) In the connector described in (1) above, it is preferable that the connector further comprises a receiving member held integrally with or separately from the housing at a position opposite the retaining member across the seat portion, the receiving member having a pin receiving portion for receiving the hole-punching pin, and the pin receiving portion has an inner peripheral edge on the inner surface of the receiving member facing the retaining member, which cuts through the seat portion between the receiving member and the hole-punching pin.

[0014] The pin receiving portion receives the hole punching pin, and the seat portion is scraped between the inner peripheral edge of the pin receiving portion and the hole punching pin, so that the seat portion is punched and at the same time the hole punching pin penetrates the seat portion. Therefore, it is possible to properly realize a form in which the hole punching pin penetrates and holds the seat portion.

[0015] (3) In the connector described in (2) above, it is preferable that the terminal fitting comprises a connection member into which the conductor is inserted, and a slide member which is mounted on the connection member so as to be slidable between a spaced position in which the conductor does not contact the connection member and a connection position in which the conductor contacts the connection member.

[0016] When the slide member is in the connecting position relative to the connecting member, the conductor can come into contact with the connecting member. Unlike a crimping structure in which the conductor is crimped to the terminal fitting by a barrel or the like, the configuration of (3) above can omit the crimping equipment and the crimping process. On the other hand, the connection structure between the conductor and the connecting member in (3) above has a circumstance where it is difficult to obtain a sufficient holding force compared to the crimping structure. However, as described above, according to the present disclosure, the hole-punching pin and the pin receiving portion can suppress the external force acting on the sheet portion from being transmitted to the connection portion between the conductor and the connecting member, so that the connection state between the conductor and the connecting member can be stably maintained.

[0017] (4) In the connector described in (3) above, the housing comprises a first member having a first accommodating chamber for accommodating the connecting member and a first exposed surface for exposing the sliding member, and a second member attached to the first member so as to cover the first exposed surface, and it is preferable that the retaining member is separate from the housing and configured to be attachable to the receiving member from the side where the second member is located relative to the first member.

[0018] When assembling the connector, first, the slide member is placed at the separated position, and the connection member is accommodated in the first accommodation chamber. Next, the conductor of the electric wire is inserted into the connection member through the slide member. In this state, the slide member exposed on the first exposed surface is pressed and moved to the connection position. As a result, the connection member comes into contact with the conductor, and the electric wire and the terminal metal fitting are connected. Next, the second member is attached to the first member, and the first exposed surface is covered by the first member. Finally, the holding member is attached to the receiving member from the side where the second member is located relative to the first member, and the seat portion is positioned and held on the holding member by the hole punching pin and the pin receiving portion. The configuration of (4) above allows the second member and the holding member to be attached to the first member and the receiving member from the same side, so that the connector assembly work can be efficiently performed using, for example, an automatic machine.

[0019] (5) In the connector described in (4) above, the second member has a second exposed surface on the opposite side to the surface covering the first exposed surface, which has a second accommodating chamber for accommodating the connecting member and exposes the slide member, the housing further includes a third member attached to the second member so as to cover the second exposed surface, the wiring member has a first wiring member corresponding to the terminal fitting held by the first member and a second wiring member corresponding to the terminal fitting held by the second member, and it is preferable that the hole-punching pin penetrates the first wiring member and the second wiring member together.

[0020] For example, when the wiring member has a two-layer structure of a first wiring member and a second wiring member, the hole-punching pin penetrates the first wiring member and the second wiring member together, so that the structure of the holding member can be simplified compared to the case where the hole-punching pin penetrates each of the first wiring member and the second wiring member individually. Also, in the configuration of (5) above, the third member can be attached to the first member and the second member from the same side as the holding member, etc., so that the connector assembly work can be performed more efficiently.

[0021] [Details of the embodiment of the present disclosure] Specific examples of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to these examples, but is defined by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0022] <Embodiment 1> The connector 10 of the first embodiment includes a wiring member 20, a terminal fitting 40 connected to the wiring member 20, a housing 60 that accommodates the terminal fitting 40, and a holding member 80 and a receiving member 90 that are held by the housing 60. In the following description, the front side is defined as the side where the connector 10 is mated with a mating connector (not shown). The up-down direction is based on the up-down direction in Figs. 1 and 2. In Figs. 1 and 2, arrows X, Y, and Z represent the front, right, and upward, respectively. These directions do not necessarily coincide with the directional references when the connector 10 is mounted on a vehicle (not shown) or the like.

[0023] (Wiring materials) 5, the wiring member 20 has a sheet portion 21 and a plurality of electric wires 22 fixed to the sheet portion 21. The sheet portion 21 is made of an insulating material, for example, a nonwoven fabric. An example of the electric wires 22 is a covered electric wire in which an outer periphery of a conductor 23, such as a core wire, is covered with an insulating covering 24.

[0024] The multiple electric wires 22 are fixed to one surface of the sheet portion 21 (the lower surface in the case of the first embodiment) in a state lined up in the left-right direction. Each electric wire 22 is fixed to one surface of the sheet portion 21 by, for example, a welding means. As the welding means, a known welding means such as ultrasonic welding, heat and pressure welding, high frequency welding, etc. The wiring member 20 is flexible overall, and has a flat rectangular shape in a plan view with a reduced height dimension.

[0025] A front end of each electric wire 22 is disposed so as to protrude forward from the sheet portion 21. In addition, at the front end of each electric wire 22, the covering 24 is stripped to expose the conductor 23 (hereinafter, the conductor exposed at the front end of each electric wire 22 is referred to as the "exposed conductor 23").

[0026] In the case of the first embodiment, as shown in Fig. 3, the wiring member 20 has a first wiring member 20A arranged in a lower stage and a second wiring member 20B arranged in an upper stage inside the connector 10. The number of each electric wire 22 fixed to the sheet portion 21 differs between the first wiring member 20A and the second wiring member 20B. Specifically, the first wiring member 20A includes a portion in the left-right central portion of the sheet portion 21 where the electric wire 22 is not fixed, and the number of each electric wire 22 is accordingly smaller than that of the second wiring member 20B. However, the number of each electric wire 22 may be the same between the first wiring member 20A and the second wiring member 20B, or, conversely, the number of each electric wire 22 may be greater in the first wiring member 20A than in the second wiring member 20B.

[0027] (Terminal fittings) 6, the terminal fitting 40 includes a connection member 41 and a slide member 42 that is attached to the connection member 41 so as to be slidable between a separated position and a connected position. The connection member 41 and the slide member 42 are separate from each other. Both the connection member 41 and the slide member 42 are formed by bending a conductive metal plate or the like.

[0028] The connection member 41 has a cylindrical, for example, rectangular, connection body 43. The connection body 43 receives a mating terminal fitting (not shown) from the front and is electrically connected to the mating terminal fitting. The connection member 41 also has a contact portion (not shown) extending rearward from the connection body 43.

[0029] The slide member 42 has a cylindrical, for example, square cylindrical box portion 45. The contact portion of the connection member 41 is inserted into the box portion 45. The slide member 42 has a pressing portion (not shown) inside the box portion 45. When the slide member 42 is in the separated position, the exposed conductor 23 of the electric wire 22 of the wiring member 20 is inserted into the connection member 41. The exposed conductor 23 does not contact the connection member 41 and is disposed away from the contact portion. In this state, the slide member 42 can be pushed forward and reach the connection position. When the slide member 42 is in the connection position, the pressing portion presses the contact portion, and the contact portion contacts the exposed conductor 23. As a result, the electric wire 22 of the wiring member 20 is electrically and mechanically connected to the terminal fitting 40.

[0030] (housing) 1, the housing 60 is composed of a first member 61, a second member 62, and a third member 63. The first member 61, the second member 62, and the third member 63 are arranged in this order in a stacked state from the bottom up. The first member 61, the second member 62, and the third member 63 are all made of synthetic resin.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 1, the first member 61 is configured as a lower housing. The first member 61 has a rectangular shape in a plan view and is formed long in the left-right direction. The first member 61 has a plurality of first accommodating chambers 64 arranged in a row in the left-right direction on the upper surface side. Each of the first accommodating chambers 64 extends in the front-rear direction in the first member 61 and opens rearward. The terminal fittings 40 are inserted from the rear into the first accommodating chambers 64 and accommodated therein. The first member 61 has a front wall 65 constituting the front portion of the housing 60. The front wall 65 has a plurality of terminal insertion holes 66 communicating with the front openings of each of the first accommodating chambers 64 and each of the second accommodating chambers 71 described later. The terminal insertion holes 66 are opened in two rows, one above the other, and in a row in the left-right direction. A mating terminal fitting (not shown) is connected to the terminal fitting 40 from the front of the housing 60 through the terminal insertion holes 66.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 7, the first member 61 has a flat first cover portion 67 that closes the upper surface of the front part of each first housing chamber 64. The connection member 41 of the terminal fitting 40 is accommodated in the front part of the first housing chamber 64, and the first cover portion 67 prevents the connection member 41 from slipping out upward. The first member 61 has a first exposed surface 68 that opens the upper surface of the rear part of each first housing chamber 64. The slide member 42 of the terminal fitting 40 is accommodated in the rear part of the first housing chamber 64, and is exposed upward by the first exposed surface 68. When a part of the slide member 42 exposed on the first exposed surface 68 (see the protrusion 47 in FIG. 6) is pressed forward, the slide member 42 is moved from the separated position to the connected position. As shown in FIG. 1, the first member 61 has a pair of first housing lock portions 69 at both left and right ends.

[0033] The second member 62 is configured as an inner housing. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 8, the second member 62 has a rectangular shape in a plan view that is slightly smaller than the first member 61, and is formed long in the left-right direction. The lower surface of the second member 62 covers the upper surface of the first member 61 and closes the first exposed surface 68. The second member 62 has a plurality of second housing chambers 71 arranged in a row in the left-right direction on the upper surface side. Each of the second housing chambers 71 extends in the front-rear direction in the second member 62 and is open to the rear. The terminal fitting 40 is inserted from the rear into the second housing chamber 71 and housed therein. The second member 62 has a flat second cover portion 72 that closes the upper surface of the front part of each of the second housing chambers 71, and has a second exposed surface 73 that opens the upper surface of the rear part of each of the second housing chambers 71. The functions of the second cover portion 72 and the second exposed surface 73 are similar to those of the first cover portion 67 and the first exposed surface 68 described above. The second member 62 has a pair of second housing locking portions 74 at both left and right ends. The second member 62 is held by the first member 61 by each of the second housing locking portions 74 being locked to each of the first housing locking portions 69 from the inside.

[0034] The third member 63 is configured as an upper housing. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 9, the third member 63 has a rectangular shape in a plan view that is slightly larger than the first member 61, and is formed long in the left-right direction. The lower surface of the third member 63 covers the upper surface of the second member 62 and closes the second exposed surface 73. The third member 63 has a plurality of housing grooves 75 (see FIG. 3) continuously provided at the rear end of the lower surface. The housing grooves 75 are arranged in a row in the left-right direction at positions corresponding to the second storage chambers 71. The housing grooves 75 have a U-shaped cross section and open downward. The housing grooves 75 are arranged behind the first member 61 and the second member 62 when the first member 61, the second member 62, and the third member 63 are in a stacked state. The electric wires 22 of the second wiring member 20B are inserted into the housing grooves 75 from below.

[0035] The third member 63 has an elastically deformable lock arm 76 at the left and right central portion of the upper surface. The lock arm 76 locks the mating connector and holds the connector 10 and the mating connector in a mated state. The third member 63 has a pair of third housing locking portions 77 at both left and right ends. Each third housing locking portion 77 is locked to each first housing locking portion 69 from the outside, so that the third member 63 is held in a stacked state with respect to the first member 61 and the second member 62 (see Figs. 1 and 2). The third member 63 has a pair of locking portions 78 at both left and right ends and at a rear end portion behind each third housing locking portion 77. Each locking portion 78 has a rectangular column shape extending in the vertical direction. When the first member 61, the second member 62, and the third member 63 are in a stacked state, each locking portion 78 is disposed behind each of the first member 61 and the second member 62. The locking portions 78 are locked to the holding member 80 and the receiving member 90, so that the third member 63 and therefore the housing 60 are held (coupled) to the holding member 80 and the receiving member 90.

[0036] (Receiving member) The receiving member 90 is configured as a lower cover. The receiving member 90 is made of synthetic resin, has a rectangular shape in a plan view, and is formed long in the left-right direction. The receiving member 90 is arranged in line with the first member 61 behind the first member 61. The receiving member 90 has a flat receiving body 91. The receiving member 90 has a plurality of cover grooves 92 connected to the front end of the receiving body 91. The cover grooves 92 are arranged in a line in the left-right direction at positions corresponding to the first storage chambers 64. The cover grooves 92 have a U-shaped cross section and open upward. As shown in FIG. 3, the electric wires 22 of the first wiring member 20A are inserted into the cover grooves 92 from above. The cover grooves 92 and the housing grooves 75 are misaligned with each other in the width direction.

[0037] As shown in Fig. 7, the receiving member 90 has a pair of first receiving portions 93 at the front end of the receiving body 91, on both left and right ends sandwiching each cover groove portion 92. Each first receiving portion 93 has a rectangular recessed shape in cross section and is open upward. The lower portion of each locking portion 78 is fitted into each first receiving portion 93 from above in a positioned state (see Fig. 9).

[0038] As shown in FIG. 1, the receiving member 90 has a flat facing surface 94 facing the sheet portion 21 of the wiring member 20 behind each of the cover grooves 92 and each of the first receiving portions 93 on the upper surface of the receiving body 91. The receiving member 90 has a pair of pin receiving portions 95 at both left and right ends of the receiving body 91 and behind each of the first receiving portions 93. Each pin receiving portion 95 is a hole with a circular cross section, penetrates the receiving body 91 in the vertical direction (thickness direction), and opens on the facing surface 94 and the lower surface of the receiving body 91. The inner peripheral edge of each pin receiving portion 95 opening on the facing surface 94 is edge-shaped and is configured as a scraping edge 96 that can scrape the sheet portion 21 between the hole punching pin 83 described later. In addition, the receiving member 90 has a pair of first cover locking portions 97 connected to both left and right ends of the receiving body 91.

[0039] (Retaining member) The holding member 80 is configured as an upper cover. The holding member 80 is made of synthetic resin, has a rectangular shape in a plan view, and is formed long in the left-right direction. The holding member 80 is arranged side by side with the third member 63 behind the third member 63. As shown in FIG. 3, the holding member 80 is arranged facing the receiving member 90 with the first wiring member 20A and the second wiring member 20B sandwiched therebetween. As shown in FIG. 1, the holding member 80 has a flat plate-shaped holding body 81. The holding member 80 has a pair of second receiving portions 82 that protrude forward from both the left and right sides of the holding body 81. Each second receiving portion 82 has a rectangular frame shape. The upper portion of each locking portion 78 is fitted into each second receiving portion 82 from below in a positioned state (see FIG. 2).

[0040] The lower surface of the holding body 81 is formed flat. As shown in FIG. 3, the holding member 80 has a pair of hole-making pins 83 protruding from the lower surface of the holding body 81 behind each of the second receiving portions 82. Each hole-making pin 83 is cylindrical. Each hole-making pin 83 extends downward from the lower surface of the holding body 81 with the same diameter, and has a tapered reduced diameter portion 84 at the lower end. The holding member 80 has a pair of second cover locking portions 85 connected to the ends on both the left and right sides of the holding body 81. Each second cover locking portion 85 is engaged with each first cover locking portion 97, so that the holding member 80 is held in a connected state to the receiving member 90 (see FIG. 2).

[0041] (Connector Function) The following describes an example of a procedure for assembling the connector 10. The connector 10 can be automatically assembled using an automatic machine, for example. First, each terminal fitting 40 is accommodated in each first accommodation chamber 64 of the first member 61. At this time, the slide member 42 is arranged at a position separated from the connection member 41. Then, the receiving member 90 is arranged behind the first member 61, and each electric wire 22 of the first wiring member 20A is inserted into each terminal fitting 40 from the rear. Each electric wire 22 is positioned in each cover groove portion 92 of the first member 61. The exposed conductor 23 of each electric wire 22 is arranged inside the terminal fitting 40 from the slide member 42 to the connection member 41. Since each electric wire 22 is fixed to the sheet portion 21 common to each electric wire 22, by moving the sheet portion 21 forward, each electric wire 22 can be inserted into each terminal fitting 40 at the same time. From this state, the slide member 42 of each terminal fitting 40 is moved to the connection position via the first exposed surface 68 (see FIG. 7). As a result, each terminal fitting 40 is connected to each electric wire 22 of the first wiring member 20A.

[0042] Next, the second member 62 is attached to and engaged with the first member 61 from above the first member 61. The first exposed surface 68 is covered by the second member 62. As described above, each terminal fitting 40 is accommodated in each second accommodating chamber 71 of the second member 62, and further each electric wire 22 of the second wiring member 20B is inserted into each terminal fitting 40. Then, the slide member 42 of each terminal fitting 40 is moved to the connection position via the second exposed surface 73 (see FIG. 8).

[0043] Next, the third member 63 is attached to and engaged with the first member 61 from above the second member 62. The second exposed surface 73 is covered by the third member 63 (see FIG. 9). This completes the assembly of the housing 60. The sheet portions 21 of the first wiring member 20A and the second wiring member 20B are disposed at the rear of the housing 60 and supportable on the opposing surface 94 of the first member 61.

[0044] Next, the holding member 80 is attached to the receiving member 90 from above and locked (see FIG. 10). In the process of attaching the receiving member 90, each hole-punching pin 83 presses each sheet portion 21 of the first wiring member 20A and the second wiring member 20B against the opposing surface 94 of the receiving member 90. Each sheet portion 21 is sandwiched collectively between the reduced diameter portion 84 of each hole-punching pin 83 and the chamfered edge 96 of each pin receiving portion 95. Then, as the holding member 80 descends, each sheet portion 21 is chamfered by the chamfered edge 96 of each pin receiving portion 95, and at the same time, each hole-punching pin 83 penetrates each sheet portion 21. As a result, each sheet portion 21 is held by each hole-punching pin 83 in a vertical line. As shown in FIG. 4, the diameter of the hole formed in the sheet portion 21 is equal to the diameter of the hole-punching pin 83 penetrating the hole. For convenience, FIG. 4 omits the second wiring member 20B and shows only the state in which the hole-forming pin 83 penetrates the first wiring member 20A.

[0045] As described above, the exposed conductor 23 of the electric wire 22 is pressed against the pressing portion inside the connection member 41 and held against the terminal fitting 40. The holding force with which the terminal fitting 40 holds the exposed conductor 23 tends to be weaker than when the exposed conductor 23 is crimped by the barrel of a general terminal. In this respect, in the case of the first embodiment, for example, even if a tensile force acts backward on the seat portion 21 from the housing 60, the hole-punching pins 83 penetrate and hold the seat portion 21, so that the tensile force can be resisted. For this reason, it is possible to prevent the seat portion 21 from retreating in response to the tensile force, and the position of the seat portion 21 relative to the terminal fitting 40 can be maintained constant. As a result, the state in which each electric wire 22 of the wiring member 20 is connected to each terminal fitting 40 can be maintained.

[0046] As described above, according to the first embodiment, the hole-punching pins 83 of the holding member 80 penetrate and hold the sheet portions 21, so that when an external force such as a tensile force acts on each sheet portion 21, it is possible to prevent the external force from being transmitted to the connection portion between the exposed conductors 23 of each wiring member 20 and each terminal fitting 40. As a result, even in the connector 10 including the wiring member 20 having the sheet portion 21, the connection reliability between the electric wires 22 and the terminal fittings 40 can be ensured.

[0047] Furthermore, each pin receiving portion 95 receives each hole-punching pin 83, and each seat portion 21 is scraped between the scraping edge 96 of each pin receiving portion 95 and each hole-punching pin 83, so that each seat portion 21 is punched and at the same time each hole-punching pin 83 can penetrate each seat portion 21. Therefore, it is possible to properly realize a form in which each hole-punching pin 83 penetrates and holds each seat portion 21.

[0048] In the case of the first embodiment, the first member 61, the second member 62, and the third member 63 are sequentially attached from below while sandwiching the first wiring member 20A and the second wiring member 20B therebetween, and the receiving member 90 and the holding member 80 are also sequentially attached from below, thereby assembling the connector 10. Therefore, the assembly work of the connector 10 can be efficiently performed using an automated machine or the like. Furthermore, since each hole punching pin 83 collectively penetrates each sheet portion 21 of the first wiring member 20A and the second wiring member 20B, the efficiency of the assembly work can be further improved.

[0049] [Another embodiment of the present disclosure] The above-described first embodiment disclosed herein should be considered as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. In the case of the above-mentioned embodiment 1, both the holding member and the receiving member are held (connected) separately from the housing at the rear of the housing. In contrast, according to another embodiment, at least one of the holding member and the receiving member may be held integrally with the housing at the rear of the housing. In the case of the above-mentioned embodiment 1, the sheet portion of the wiring member is configured to be punched by the hole punching pin while being sandwiched between the hole punching pin of the holding member and the pin receiving portion of the receiving member. In contrast, according to another embodiment, the connector may not include a receiving member, and the sheet portion of the wiring member may be configured to be punched only by the hole punching pin of the holding member. In the above-mentioned embodiment 1, the wiring member is composed of the first wiring member and the second wiring member. In contrast, according to other embodiments, the wiring member may be composed of only one of the first wiring member and the second wiring member, or may include another wiring member in addition to the first wiring member and the second wiring member. In the case of the above-mentioned embodiment 1, the terminal fitting is configured to be connected to the electric wire by sliding the slide member to the connecting position relative to the connecting member. In contrast, according to another embodiment, the terminal fitting may be a general terminal that is crimped to the electric wire by a barrel. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] 10…Connector 20...Wiring material 20A…First wiring member 20B: Second wiring member 21…Seat section 22...Electric wire 23...Exposed conductor (conductor) 24…Covering 40...Terminal fitting 41...Connecting member 42...Slide member 43…Connection body 45...Hakobe 47…Protrusion 60…Housing 61...First member 62...Second member 63…Third member 64…First Containment Cell 65...Front wall 66...Terminal insertion hole 67…First cover part 68...1st exposed surface 69…First housing lock part 71…Second Containment Cell 72…Second cover part 73…Second exposed surface 74…Second housing lock part 75…Housing groove 76...Lock arm 77…Third housing lock part 78…Latching part 80...Retaining member 81...Holding body 82…Second receptor 83…Punching pin 84...Reduced diameter part 85…Second cover lock part 90…Receiving member 91…Receiver body 92…Cover groove 93…First Receptor 94…Opposite surface 95…Pin receiving part 96…Flat edge 97…First cover lock part

Claims

1. a wiring member, a plurality of terminal fittings connected to the wiring member, a housing that houses the plurality of terminal fittings, and a holding member that is held integrally with or separately from the housing, the wiring member has an insulating sheet portion and a plurality of electric wires fixed in parallel to the sheet portion, conductors exposed at front ends of the plurality of electric wires are disposed forward of the sheet portion and connected to the terminal fittings inside the housing, and the sheet portion is disposed rearward of the housing, A connector, wherein the retaining member has a hole-piercing pin rearward of the housing that penetrates and retains the seat portion.

2. a receiving member that is held integrally with or separately from the housing and that is located opposite the holding member with the seat portion between them, The receiving member has a pin receiving portion that receives the hole punching pin, 2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the pin receiving portion has an inner peripheral edge on an inner surface of the receiving member facing the holding member, the inner peripheral edge cutting through the seat portion between the receiving member and the hole punch pin.

3. 3. The connector of claim 2, wherein the terminal fitting comprises a connection member into which the conductor is inserted, and a slide member which is slidably attached to the connection member between a spaced position in which the conductor does not contact the connection member and a connection position in which the conductor contacts the connection member.

4. the housing includes a first member having a first accommodating chamber that accommodates the connecting member and a first exposed surface that exposes the slide member, and a second member attached to the first member so as to cover the first exposed surface, The connector according to claim 3 , wherein the holding member is separate from the housing and configured to be attachable to the receiving member from a side where the second member is located relative to the first member.

5. the second member has a second accommodating chamber that accommodates the connecting member and a second exposed surface that exposes the sliding member, on an opposite side to a surface that covers the first exposed surface; The housing further includes a third member attached to the second member so as to cover the second exposed surface, the wiring member includes a first wiring member corresponding to the terminal metal fitting held by the first member, and a second wiring member corresponding to the terminal metal fitting held by the second member, The connector according to claim 4 , wherein the hole-punching pin penetrates the first wiring member and the second wiring member together.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

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