Connector

Abstract

To provide a connector which can inhibit excessive temperature rise of a connection member.SOLUTION: A male connector 2 includes: a ground terminal member 8 which is formed of a conductive metal material and has a plurality of tab parts 31; and a resin male housing 7 in which a portion of the ground terminal member 8 is insert molded. The ground terminal member 8 includes: a body fixed part 21 fixed to a vehicle; a neck part 22 raised from the body fixed part 21; and a base part 32 which is connected to the neck part 22 and in which the plurality of tab parts 31 is formed projecting. A bolt insertion hole 23 is formed in the body fixed part 21, and a pair of reinforcing ribs 25, 25 raised from the body fixed part 21 is formed on both sides in a width direction of a portion of the body fixed part 21 which is close to the neck part 22 relative to the bolt insertion hole 23.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a connector. [Background technology]

[0002] As an earth joint connector for collectively connecting a plurality of electric wires to an earth part of a vehicle, there is a connection member made of a conductive metal material having a plurality of tabs that is integrally provided in a resin housing (see Patent Document 1). This connection member is configured with a fixed plate portion that is fixed to the vehicle, a support plate portion that stands up from the fixed plate portion, and a base portion that is connected to the support plate portion and has a plurality of tabs formed thereon to protrude therefrom. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-110713 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In an earth joint connector, the current flowing from the mating connector passes through the tab portion of the connecting member, joins at the support plate portion, and flows from the fixed plate portion to the vehicle body, but the current can concentrate in the support plate portion, which can generate a large amount of heat.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the problems inherent in the conventional technology, and an object of the present invention is to provide a connector capable of suppressing an excessive rise in temperature of connecting members. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A connector according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a connecting member formed from a conductive metal material having a plurality of tab portions, and a resin housing into which a portion of the connecting member is insert molded, and the connecting member has a fixed plate portion fixed to the vehicle, a support plate portion raised from the fixed plate portion, and a base portion connected to the support plate portion and having a plurality of tab portions protruding therefrom, a bolt insertion hole is formed in the fixed plate portion, and a pair of rib portions raised from the fixed plate portion are formed on both sides of the width of the portion of the fixing plate portion closer to the support plate portion than the bolt insertion hole. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a connector capable of suppressing an excessive temperature rise in a connecting member. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of an earth joint connector according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a side view showing an example of an earth joint connector according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of an earth joint connector according to the present embodiment. [Figure 4] 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a male connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Diagram 5] 1 is a front view showing an example of a male connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 5. [Figure 8] FIG. [Figure 9] 9 is a perspective view of the ground terminal member as viewed from the opposite side to that of FIG. 8. [Figure 10] FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a blank before the ground terminal member is formed. [Figure 12] FIG. 4 is a plan view of a blank before the ground terminal member is formed. [Figure 13A] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a process for applying a waterproofing material to an earth terminal member. [Figure 13B] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a process for applying a waterproofing material to an earth terminal member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, the connector according to the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the dimensional ratios in the drawings are exaggerated for the convenience of explanation and may differ from the actual ratios.

[0010] 1 to 3, the earth joint connector 1 is configured by combining a connector (male connector 2) with a mating connector (female connector 3). The mating connector (female connector 3) is fitted into the connector (male connector 2) according to this embodiment.

[0011] First, the mating connector (female connector 3) will be described.

[0012] The female connector 3 includes a mating housing (female housing 4) made of resin. The female housing 4 has a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 61, and the tip side of the female housing 4 serves as a mating portion 62. These terminal accommodating chambers 61 are formed along the joining direction with the male connector 2. These terminal accommodating chambers 61 are also arranged in the width direction of the female housing 4, and the arrangement is in two upper and lower stages.

[0013] The female terminal 5 is accommodated (inserted) into the terminal accommodating chamber 61 from the rear end side, which is the rear side in the joining direction with the male connector 2. The female terminal 5 is formed from a conductive metal material such as copper or a copper alloy. An electric wire 6 having a conductor covered with an outer sheath is crimped and electrically connected to the female terminal 5. The female terminal 5 is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 61 from the rear end side of the female housing 4, so that the electrical connection portion of the female terminal 5 is engaged with a lance portion (not shown) in the terminal accommodating chamber 61. As a result, the female terminal 5 is held in a state accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber 61.

[0014] Next, the connector (male connector 2) will be described.

[0015] The male connector 2 includes a resin housing (male housing 7). The male housing 7 is formed with a mating recess 11 that is open at its tip end, which is the front side in the joining direction with the female connector 3. The mating portion 62 of the female housing 4 is fitted into the mating recess 11 of the male housing 7, thereby joining the connector (male connector 2) to the mating connector (female connector 3).

[0016] As shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, the male connector 2 has a housing (male housing 7) and a connecting member (ground terminal member 8).

[0017] The male housing 7 has a hood portion 10, the inside of which is a mating recess 11. The hood portion 10 has a rear wall portion (bottom wall portion 12) and a peripheral wall portion 13 extending from the periphery of the bottom wall portion 12 to the tip side. A ring-shaped packing (not shown) is fitted into the hood portion 10 of the male housing 7. This packing seals water between the mating recess 11 and the mating portion 62 when the mating portion 62 of the female housing 4 is mated with the mating recess 11 of the male housing 7.

[0018] 8 to 10, the ground terminal member 8 includes a bus bar 20 and a terminal fitting 30. The bus bar 20 and the terminal fitting 30 are made of a conductive metal material such as copper or a copper alloy, and are integrally formed by pressing.

[0019] The bus bar 20 has a flat fixing plate portion (body fixing portion 21) and a support plate portion (neck portion 22) that rises from the body fixing portion 21. A bolt insertion hole 23 is formed in the body fixing portion 21. The body fixing portion 21 is fastened to the body by fastening a bolt (not shown) inserted into the bolt insertion hole 23 to the body (vehicle body) of the vehicle, thereby grounding the bus bar 20. In addition, an earth terminal (not shown) of an earth wire is fastened together with the body fixing portion 21 by a bolt. A rotation prevention piece 24 is formed in a part of the body fixing portion 21. The rotation prevention piece 24 is a bent portion that engages with a step portion or a hole portion around the ground surface to which the body fixing portion 21 is bolted, and the rotation prevention piece 24 engages with the step portion or the hole portion around the ground surface to restrict rotation of the body fixing portion 21 with respect to the ground surface.

[0020] A protrusion 21a for increasing the rigidity of the busbar 20 is formed from the body fixing portion 21 to the neck portion 22. In addition, a protrusion 24a for increasing the rigidity of the anti-rotation piece 24 is formed on the anti-rotation piece 24.

[0021] At the end of the body fixing part 21 on the neck part 22 side (the part near the neck part 22), ribs (reinforcing ribs 25) are formed vertically rising from the body fixing part 21 on both sides in the width direction. At least the upper part of the pair of reinforcing ribs 25, 25 is covered with a resin part (coating part 16) protruding from the male housing 7 (see Figs. 1 and 2). When vibration is applied to the earth joint connector 1 while it is fixed to the body of the vehicle, the vibration transmitted through the female connector 3 may repeatedly apply a large load to the base part 22a of the neck part 22 located between the body fixing part 21 of the earth terminal member 8. By making the earth terminal member 8 have the above-mentioned structure, the load applied to the earth terminal member 8 through the female connector 3 can be dispersed, and the load can be prevented from being concentrated on the base part 22a of the neck part 22 of the earth terminal member 8.

[0022] In the earth joint connector 1, the current flowing from the female connector 3 passes through the multiple tabs 31 of the earth terminal member 8, joins at the neck portion 22, and flows from the body fixing portion 21 to the vehicle body. At this time, the current may concentrate at the neck portion 22, which may increase the amount of heat generated at the neck portion 22. By configuring the earth terminal member 8 to have a rib portion (reinforcement rib 25) as described above, the rib portion (reinforcement rib 25) can also have a heat dissipation effect, reducing the amount of heat generated at the neck portion 22 and suppressing temperature rise.

[0023] If the reinforcing ribs 25 were to be arranged on both sides in the width direction of the neck portion 22 (at the locations indicated by reference numeral 41 in FIG. 12), the height of the reinforcing ribs 25 would not be ensured because the blank material 40 (the sheet material before being folded into the earth terminal member 8) has tab portions 31 on the outer sides in the width direction. In contrast, in this embodiment, the reinforcing ribs 25 are arranged on both sides in the width direction of the body fixing portion 21, so that the tab portions 31 do not exist on the outer sides in the width direction of the blank material 40, and the height of the reinforcing ribs 25 can be ensured (see FIG. 12). Furthermore, because the reinforcing ribs 25 are arranged in an area that would conventionally be unused and discarded, the material yield can be improved.

[0024] Furthermore, at the end of the neck portion 22 on the terminal fitting 30 side (the portion in the vicinity of the terminal fitting 30), a crank portion 26 is formed by bending into a crank shape.

[0025] The terminal fitting 30 has a base portion 32 and a plurality of tab portions 31. The base portion 32 is formed in a flat plate shape, and the tab portions 31 protrude in the same direction from the edge portion of the base portion 32. In the ground terminal member 8, the plurality of tab portions 31 protruding in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the base portion 32 are arranged in two rows, upper and lower.

[0026] 4 to 7, the ground terminal member 8 is insert-molded into the male housing 7. As a result, the neck portion 22 of the bus bar 20 and the base portion 32 of the terminal fitting 30 of the ground terminal member 8 are integrated in a state where they are embedded in the bottom wall portion 12 that forms the fitting recess 11 of the male housing 7. The tab portion 31 of the ground terminal member 8 protrudes from the bottom wall portion 12 into the fitting recess 11.

[0027] The earth terminal member 8 is formed by punching out a metal plate to produce a blank 40 (see Figs. 11 and 12) and then bending the blank 40. As shown in Figs. 11 and 12, the blank 40 has a busbar 20 formed on one end of the blank 40, a terminal fitting 30 formed on the other end of the blank 40, and a neck portion 22 formed between the busbar 20 and the terminal fitting 30.

[0028] The base portion 32 of the terminal fitting 30 has a first base portion 42 and a pair of second base portions 43, 43 provided adjacent to both sides of the first base portion 42 in the width direction. Each of the pair of second base portions 43 is formed with a tab portion 31, and a base portion of the second base portion 43 is folded back to overlap the first base portion 42. A riveted portion 33 is formed at which the second base portion 43 is fixed to the first base portion 42 by riveting a portion of the overlapping portion between the first base portion 42 and the second base portion 43 (see Figs. 8 and 9).

[0029] In this embodiment, the riveting portion 33 and the widthwise center portion of the base portion 32 are not covered by resin (part of the male housing 7) but are exposed by exposed portions (thinned portions 14, 15) (see Figs. 5 and 6). Since the riveting portion 33 is exposed by the thinned portion 14 after insert molding, it is possible to find any riveting that has been forgotten by visual inspection after insert molding. Furthermore, compared to the case where the riveting portion 33 is covered with resin, the amount of resin used is reduced, and the weight of the male connector 2 can also be reduced.

[0030] Incidentally, the overall volume of the male housing 7 decreases due to the shrinkage of the resin after insert molding. In addition, the earth terminal member 8, which is heated and thermally expanded during insert molding, also decreases in volume after insert molding. However, since the volume reduction rate of the male housing 7 is greater than that of the earth terminal member 8, a small gap may occur between the earth terminal member 8 and the male housing 7 in the male connector 2 due to the difference in these volume reduction rates. Therefore, the earth terminal member 8 is insert molded with a waterproofing material application portion 27 (see FIG. 10) formed around the entire circumference of the neck portion 22 of the earth terminal member 8.

[0031] A water-stopping material 51 (see FIG. 13A) is applied to the earth terminal member 8 at a stage before insert molding. For example, the water-stopping material 51 has a property that it is liquid when applied to the earth terminal member 8 and solidifies when dried. First, as shown in FIG. 13A, the earth terminal member 8 is placed with the tab portion 31 facing up, and the water-stopping material 51 is applied to the neck portion 22 of the busbar 20 using a nozzle 50 such as a dispenser. At this time, the end portion of the neck portion 22 on the terminal fitting 30 side (the portion in the vicinity of the terminal fitting 30) has a crank portion 26 formed by bending into a crank shape, and this crank portion 26 can prevent the water-stopping material 51 from flowing into the tab portion 31. Then, as shown in FIG. 13B, the earth terminal member 8 is placed with the tab portion 31 facing down, and the water-stopping material 51 is also applied to the opposite surface of the neck portion 22 of the busbar 20 using the nozzle 50.

[0032] Thus, the connector (male connector 2) according to the embodiment includes a connection member (earth terminal member 8) made of a conductive metal material having a plurality of tabs 31. The connector (male connector 2) includes a resin housing (male housing 7) in which a part of the connection member (earth terminal member 8) is insert-molded. The connection member (earth terminal member 8) includes a fixed plate portion (body fixing portion 21) that is fixed to the vehicle, and a support plate portion (neck portion 22) that stands up from the fixed plate portion (body fixing portion 21). The connection member (earth terminal member 8) includes a base portion 32 that is connected to the support plate portion (neck portion 22) and has a plurality of tabs 31 protruding therefrom. A bolt insertion hole (23) is formed in the fixed plate portion (body fixing portion 21). A pair of rib portions (reinforcement ribs 25, 25) that stand up from the fixed plate portion (body fixing portion 21) are formed on both sides in the width direction of a portion of the fixed plate portion (body fixing portion 21) that is closer to the support plate portion (neck portion 22) than the bolt insertion hole 23.

[0033] In the earth joint connector 1, the current flowing from the female connector 3 passes through the multiple tabs 31 of the earth terminal member 8, joins at the neck portion 22, and flows from the body fixing portion 21 to the vehicle body. At this time, the current may concentrate at the neck portion 22, which may increase the amount of heat generated at the neck portion 22. By configuring the earth terminal member 8 to have the reinforcing rib 25 as described above, the reinforcing rib 25 provides a heat dissipation effect, reducing the amount of heat generated at the neck portion 22 and suppressing temperature rise.

[0034] As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to provide a connector (male connector 2) capable of suppressing an excessive rise in temperature of the connection member (ground terminal member 8).

[0035] In the connector (male connector 2), a portion of each of the pair of rib portions (reinforcement ribs 25, 25) may be covered with a resin portion (coating portion 16) protruding from the housing (male housing 7).

[0036] By structuring the reinforcing rib 25 in this manner, heat can be dispersed from the neck portion 22 of the earth terminal member 8 to the covering portion 16 (male housing 7), thereby further reducing the amount of heat generated in the neck portion 22 and effectively suppressing temperature rise.

[0037] Although the present embodiment has been described above, the present embodiment is not limited to this, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist of the present embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0038] 2 Male Connector 7 Male housing 8 Earth terminal material 16 Covering part 21 Body fixing part 22 Neck 23 Bolt insertion hole 25 Reinforcing rib 31 Tab section 32 Base

Claims

1. a connecting member formed of a conductive metal material having a plurality of tab portions; a resin housing into which a part of the connection member is insert-molded, The connecting member is A fixed plate portion fixed to a vehicle; A support plate portion raised from the fixed plate portion; a base portion connected to the support plate portion and having a plurality of the tab portions formed thereon to protrude therefrom; The fixing plate portion is formed with a bolt insertion hole, A pair of ribs are formed on both sides in a width direction of a portion of the fixing plate portion closer to the support plate portion with respect to the bolt insertion hole, the pair of ribs being raised from the fixing plate portion. connector.

2. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein a portion of each of the pair of ribs is covered by a resin portion protruding from the housing.

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