Connector

Abstract

To provide a connector which allows improvement in assemblability of a module into a housing.SOLUTION: A shield member 60 has: a pair of lateral plates 61; a tip end coupling part 63 which extends in a horizontal direction and couples tip end portions of the lateral plates 61; a rear end coupling part 65 which extends in the horizontal direction and couples rear end portions of the lateral plates 61; and an intermediate coupling part 81 which extends in the horizontal direction and couples intermediate portions in a front-to-rear direction of the lateral plates 61. The intermediate coupling part 81 supports a module 20 such that the module 20 may not collapse to a bottom surface 46 side, and the intermediate coupling part is disposed away from a bottom surface 46 of a housing space 45 at a position higher than a rear end bridging part 86 of the rear end coupling part 65. The shield member 60 has a guide part 85 which extends from the intermediate coupling part 67 to a module insertion port 47 in a manner inclining to approach the bottom surface 46 of the housing space 45.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a shield structure for male and female connectors. Of the male and female connectors, the male connector includes two male terminals connected to the ends of a twisted pair cable, a male inner housing that accommodates the male terminals, and a male outer housing that holds the male inner housing. A shield member is attached to the male outer housing. The shield member is a conductive metal plate that shields the twisted pair cable from electromagnetic noise. This shield member has a pair of side walls that face each other, a front connection portion that connects the front ends of the side walls, and a rear connection portion that connects the rear ends of the side walls. Patent Document 2 discloses shield members different from those in Patent Document 1, which are called a plug body and a contact body. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-145083 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2019-71272 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the case of Patent Document 1, the shielding member is exposed to the outside of the male outer housing. However, it is also possible to adopt a structure in which the shielding member is disposed inside the male outer housing, for example, by the following assembly procedure.

[0005] That is, first, the shielding member is assembled inside the male outer housing. Then, separately, each male terminal connected to the end of the twisted pair cable is assembled into the male inner housing. A module is formed by assembling each male terminal and the male inner housing. This module is inserted inside the male outer housing. This forms a shield structure in which the shielding member is disposed between the male inner housing and the male outer housing.

[0006] However, unlike the shielding material in Patent Document 1, for example, if the shielding material includes a stepped portion that creates a height difference, there is a possibility that the module will hit the stepped portion of the shielding material during the process of inserting it into the male outer housing, resulting in a problem that the insertion operation cannot be carried out smoothly.

[0007] In view of the above, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a connector that enables improved ease of assembly of a module to a housing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The connector of the present disclosure comprises a module having terminals and a dielectric that accommodates the terminals, a cylindrical housing, and a shielding member that is arranged inside the housing and outside the module, the housing having an accommodating space that penetrates the housing in the front-rear direction to accommodate the module, and a module insertion port that opens into a rear surface of the housing at a rear end of the accommodating space, the shielding member having a pair of side plates that face each other in the left-right direction and are arranged along the left and right side surfaces of an inner wall of the accommodating space, and a shielding member that extends in the left-right direction and connects front ends of the pair of side plates. the module has a front end connecting portion that is bent downwardly, a rear end connecting portion that extends in the left-right direction and connects the rear ends of the pair of side plates, and an intermediate connecting portion that extends in the left-right direction and connects the front-to-rear middle portions of the pair of side plates, the intermediate connecting portion is positioned at a position higher than the installation portion of the rear end connecting portion and away from the bottom surface of the inner wall of the storage space, the module is supported by the intermediate connecting portion so as not to fall toward the bottom surface, and the shielding member has a guide portion that extends from the intermediate connecting portion toward the module insertion port, at an angle approaching the bottom surface of the inner wall of the storage space. Effect of the Invention

[0009] The present disclosure can provide a connector that can improve the ease of assembling a module to a housing. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a connector according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the connector of the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional plan view of the connector of the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of a shield member provided in the connector of the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a front view showing a state in which the shielding member is accommodated in the accommodating space of the housing in the connector of the first embodiment. [Figure 6]FIG. 6 is a rear view of the connector of the first embodiment, showing a state in which the shielding member is accommodated in the accommodating space of the housing. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional plan view showing a state in which the shielding member is accommodated in the accommodating space of the housing in the connector of the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a side cross-sectional view showing a state in which the shield member is accommodated in the accommodating space of the housing in the connector of the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a side cross-sectional view showing a state in which the module is being inserted into the accommodating space of the housing with the front tilted downward in the connector of the first embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view showing a state in which the module is accommodated in the accommodating space of the housing in the connector of the first embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a side cross-sectional view showing a state in which the module is being inserted into the accommodating space of the housing with the front tilted upward in the connector of the first embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] [Description of the embodiments of the present disclosure] The following describes exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. The following exemplary features (1) to (3) may be combined in any combination without causing any inconsistency. [1] A connector disclosed herein comprises a module having terminals and a dielectric for accommodating the terminals, a cylindrical housing, and a shielding member disposed inside the housing and outside the module, the housing having an accommodating space penetrating the housing in a front-rear direction for accommodating the module, and a module insertion port opening into a rear surface of the housing at a rear end of the accommodating space, the shielding member comprising a pair of side plates opposed to each other in the left-right direction and arranged along the left and right side surfaces of an inner wall of the accommodating space, and a pair of side plates extending in the left-right direction and arranged such that front ends of the pair of side plates face each other. a front end connecting portion connecting the rear ends of the pair of side plates, a rear end connecting portion extending in the left-right direction to connect the rear ends of the pair of side plates, and an intermediate connecting portion extending in the left-right direction to connect the front-to-rear middle portions of the pair of side plates, the intermediate connecting portion being positioned away from the bottom surface of the inner wall of the storage space at a position higher than the installation portion of the rear end connecting portion, the module being supported by the intermediate connecting portion so as not to fall towards the bottom surface, and the shielding member having a guide portion extending at an angle from the intermediate connecting portion towards the module insertion port so as to approach the bottom surface of the inner wall of the storage space.

[0012] The intermediate connection part of the shielding member has a function of supporting the module accommodated in the accommodation space. This intermediate connection part is disposed at a position higher than the rear end connection part and away from the bottom surface of the inner wall of the accommodation space, and is a step part in the height direction when viewed from the side where the rear end connection part is located. Therefore, when an attempt is made to insert a module into the accommodation space with the shielding member disposed in the accommodation space, the module may interfere with the intermediate connection part, and the insertion of the module into the housing may be restricted. However, according to the configuration of [1] above, the shielding member has a guide part that extends from the intermediate connection part toward the module insertion port while inclining so as to approach the bottom surface of the inner wall of the accommodation space. As a result, the module can be guided by the guide part and inserted into the accommodation space without hitting the intermediate connection part. As a result, the insertion of the module into the accommodation space can be performed without any hindrance.

[0013] [2] In the connector described in [1] above, it is preferable that the intermediate connecting portion has a notch extending in the fore-and-aft direction and opening to a rear end of the intermediate connecting portion, and a slope inclined in the same direction as the guide portion and arranged side by side with the guide portion in the left-right direction via the notch.

[0014] Since the cutout portion is interposed between the guide portion and the slope, the shapes of the guide portion and the slope can be formed with high precision. Furthermore, since the intermediate connector has a slope, it is possible to more reliably prevent the module from hitting the intermediate connector.

[0015] [3] In the connector described in [1] or [2] above, it is preferable that the intermediate connecting portion has a pair of intermediate installation portions in the left-right direction, the pair of intermediate installation portions are butted together and connected at the middle portion of the intermediate connecting portion in the left-right direction, and the guide portions are each arranged to correspond to the pair of intermediate installation portions.

[0016] Since the guide portion does not include an abutting end, the machining precision of the guide portion can be improved. Also, by providing a plurality of guide portions, the guide function for the module can be improved.

[0017] [Details of the embodiment of the present disclosure] The present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. The present disclosure is not limited to these examples, but is defined by the claims, and includes all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0018] [Embodiment 1] The connector 10 of the first embodiment is an example of a male connector, and includes a module 20, a housing 40, and a shield member 60, as shown in FIG. 2. The housing 40 is capable of being fitted to a mating housing (not shown). In the first embodiment, the width direction of the connector 10 is the left-right direction, the fitting direction of the housing 40 and the mating housing is the front-rear direction, and the height direction of the connector 10 is the up-down direction. In FIG. 1-3, the "front side" is represented by "X", the "right side" when viewed from the front side is represented by "Y", and the "upper side" is represented by "Z". The directional references are for convenience and do not necessarily coincide with the directional references when the connector 10 is mounted on a vehicle (not shown) or the like.

[0019] In the following description, the "inner side" refers to the side facing the center of the connector 10, and the "inner wall" refers to a wall (surface) on the "inner side." For example, the inner side in the left-right direction is the side facing the center of the connector 10 in the left-right direction, and the inner wall in the left-right direction is the wall (surface) facing the center of the connector 10 in the left-right direction.

[0020] (Module) As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the module 20 has a terminal 21 and a dielectric 23 that houses the terminal 21. The module 20 is also called a terminal module. The dielectric 23 is made of synthetic resin and is composed of a lower member 24 arranged on the lower side and an upper member 25 arranged on the upper side. The lower member 24 is slidable in the front-rear direction relative to the upper member 25 between an advanced position (see Fig. 9) and a retracted position (see Fig. 10). In the advanced position, the front end of the lower member 24 is arranged to protrude forward from the upper member 25. In the retracted position, the front end of the lower member 24 is arranged to be aligned with the front end of the upper member 25. As shown in Fig. 2, the lower member 24 has a chamfered portion 29 that is inclined downward toward the front at a front end corner where the front surface and the bottom surface intersect.

[0021] 2, the front end of a large-diameter sheath 16, which will be described later, is housed in a rear portion 37 (portion including the rear end) of the lower member 24. The underside of the rear portion 37 of the lower member 24 is disposed one step lower than the underside of a front portion 38 (portion including the front end) of the lower member 24. The underside of the lower member 24 has a step 39 between the front portion 38 and the rear portion 37, which slopes upward from the rear portion 37 side toward the front portion 38 side.

[0022] 3, the upper member 25 has two cavities 27 arranged side by side in the left-right direction. The terminals 21 are accommodated in each cavity 27, disposed between the lower member 24 and the upper member 25, and held inside the dielectric 23. The upper member 25 has a locking protrusion 33 protruding upward from a plate-shaped ceiling portion 30. The locking protrusion 33 is capable of being engaged with a lance 51 of the housing 40, which will be described later.

[0023] The terminal 21 is made of conductive metal and is configured as a male terminal as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The terminal 21 has a tab 22 that protrudes forward. As shown in Fig. 9, the lower member 24 covers and protects the tab 22 at the advanced position. On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 10, the lower member 24 retracts from the tab 22 at the retracted position, making the tab 22 connectable to a mating terminal (not shown). When the housing 40 is fitted to the mating housing (not shown), the lower member 24 is pressed by the mating housing and moved from the advanced position to the retracted position. When the terminal 21 is accommodated in the cavity 27, the terminal 21 is arranged to protrude inside a hood portion 41 (described later). The rear end of the terminal 21 is crimped and connected to the end of the electric wire 15.

[0024] The electric wire 15 is a coated electric wire in which the outer periphery of a core wire is surrounded by an insulating coating. In the case of the present embodiment 1, two electric wires 15 are twisted together to form a twisted pair cable such as a UTP cable (Unshielded Twisted Pair Cable). The two electric wires 15 are arranged inside an insulating sheath 16 except for their front ends. As shown in FIG. 3, the front ends of each electric wire 15 are exposed from the sheath 16 and untwisted. Each terminal 21 is connected to the front ends of each untwisted electric wire 15.

[0025] (housing) As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the housing 40 is made of synthetic resin and has a cylindrical shape that is long in the front-rear direction as a whole. An accommodation space 45 capable of accommodating the module 20 is provided inside the housing 40. The accommodation space 45 penetrates the housing 40 in the front-rear direction. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the accommodation space 45 has a front accommodation space 45A from which the tab 22 protrudes at the front end of the housing 40, a middle accommodation space 45B that accommodates the dielectric 23 of the module 20 at the middle part of the housing 40 in the front-rear direction, and a rear accommodation space 45C that accommodates the rubber plug 90 at the rear end of the housing 40. The front accommodation space 45A, the middle accommodation space 45B, and the rear accommodation space 45C are each connected in the front-rear direction.

[0026] 7, the front housing space 45A is formed with a larger diameter than the intermediate housing space 45B via a step surface 59 in the radial direction (between the left and right). A hood portion 41 is provided at the front end portion of the housing 40. The hood portion 41 has an inner wall 43 that partitions the front housing space 45A. This inner wall 43 is formed on the entire inner surfaces of the front housing space 45A, the intermediate housing space 45B, and the rear housing space 45C.

[0027] As shown in Fig. 5, a plurality of engagement portions 44 are provided on the inner wall 43 of the hood portion 41. Each engagement portion 44 has a rib shape extending in the front-rear direction and is arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction of the hood portion 41. The front end portion of the shielding member 60 contacts each engagement portion 44 and is positioned inside the hood portion 41 (front housing space 45A). A connector lock portion 52 is provided to protrude from the upper surface of the upper wall of the hood portion 41 (the surface opposite to the inner wall 43). The connector lock portion 52 is engaged with a mating housing (not shown) and holds the housing 40 and the mating housing in a mated state.

[0028] 7 and 8, the housing 40 has stopper surfaces 62 in a range extending from the upper surface of the inner wall 43 of the intermediate accommodating space 45B (the surface facing downward above the inner wall 43) to the left and right side surfaces (the surfaces facing each other in the left-right direction). The stopper surfaces 62 are disposed facing forward at a position set back rearward from the step surface 59. The shield member 60 comes into contact with the stopper surfaces 62, and is restricted from retracting from the accommodating space 45.

[0029] 2 and 8, the housing 40 has a lance 51 that protrudes forward from an upper surface of the inner wall 43 of the intermediate accommodation space 45B. The lance 51 is elastically deformable in the vertical direction. The locking protrusion 33 of the upper member 25 is engaged with the lance 51, thereby preventing the module 20 from coming out of the accommodation space 45.

[0030] 6 and 8, the housing 40 has a pair of inclined surfaces 56 (only one is shown in FIG. 8) that incline upward toward the rear from both left and right ends of the upper surface of the inner wall 43 of the intermediate accommodating space 45B. When viewed from the front-rear direction, each inclined surface 56 is disposed on both left and right sides of the base portion of the lance 51 and behind the lance 51. As will be described later, the module 20 in a state of being inclined upward toward the front can slide on each inclined surface 56 (see FIG. 11).

[0031] As shown in Fig. 2, the rear accommodation space 45C is configured as a rubber stopper accommodation chamber 53. The rubber stopper 90 is made of rubber such as silicone rubber and has a cylindrical shape, and is in close contact with the inner wall 43 of the rubber stopper accommodation chamber 53 to liquid-tightly seal the accommodation space 45. As shown in Fig. 6, the inner wall 43 of the rubber stopper accommodation chamber 53 has a circular cross-sectional shape (transverse cross-sectional shape) so that the rubber stopper 90 is accommodated in a close contact state. In contrast, the inner wall 43 of the intermediate accommodation space 45B has a non-circular cross-sectional shape such as a rectangle so as to be opposed to and contactable with each side plate 61 of the shield member 60 (described later). As shown in FIG. 7, the inner wall 43 of the accommodation space 45 has a contact surface 42 along the radial direction (left-right direction) between the rubber stopper accommodation chamber 53 and the intermediate accommodation space 45B. The contact surface 42 is a step formed due to the difference in the cross-sectional shapes of the rubber stopper accommodation chamber 53 and the intermediate accommodation space 45B. The contact surface 42 is disposed facing forward and contacts the rear end of the shield member 60 assembled from the front into the accommodation space 45, and together with the stopper surface 62, restricts the retreat of the shield member 60. In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, the rubber stopper 90 is restricted from coming out of the rubber stopper accommodation chamber 53 by a rear holder 91 attached to the housing 40.

[0032] The rear end of the accommodating space 45 opens at the rear surface of the housing 40 as a module insertion opening 47. The module insertion opening 47 has a circular cross section and constitutes the rear end of the rear accommodating space 45C (rubber plug accommodating chamber 53). As shown in Figures 9 and 11, the module 20 is inserted into the accommodating space 45 through the module insertion opening 47.

[0033] (Shielding material) The shielding member 60 is integrally formed by bending a conductive metal plate material, etc. As shown in Fig. 4, the shielding member 60 has a pair of side plates 61 that face each other in parallel in the left-right direction. Each side plate 61 has a shape that extends long in the front-rear direction with the plate surface facing the left-right direction.

[0034] The shielding member 60 also has a front end connecting portion 63 connecting the front ends of the side plates 61, a rear end connecting portion 65 connecting the rear ends of the side plates 61, and an intermediate connecting portion 67 connecting the middle portions of the side plates 61 in the front-rear direction between the front end connecting portion 63 and the rear end connecting portion 65. The front end connecting portion 63, the rear end connecting portion 65, and the intermediate connecting portion 67 are all strip-shaped extending in the left-right direction and are arranged with their plate surfaces facing the up-down direction. The intermediate connecting portion 67 is arranged forward of the center of the shielding member 60 in the front-rear direction. In the shielding member 60, there is a space between the front end connecting portion 63 and the intermediate connecting portion 67, and between the intermediate connecting portion 67 and the rear end connecting portion 65, which is open in the up-down direction. The left-right distance between the side plates 61 is kept constant by each of the front end connecting portion 63, the rear end connecting portion 65, and the intermediate connecting portion 67.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 8, the shielding member 60 is inserted from the front into the accommodation space 45 before the module 20. As shown in FIG. 4-7, the plate surface of the shielding member 60 is arranged so as to be in surface contact with the inner wall 43 of the accommodation space 45. As shown in FIG. 8, each side plate 61 has a main body side plate portion 69 accommodated in the intermediate accommodation space 45B, and a hood side plate portion 70 connected to the main body side plate portion 69 and accommodated in the front accommodation space 45A (inside the hood portion 41). As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 7, the hood side plate portion 70 is shorter in the front-rear direction than the main body side plate portion 69. In addition, the hood side plate portion 70 has an expanding portion 64 expanding in the left-right direction from the main body side plate portion 69, and thus faces the main body side plate portion 69 with a larger gap in the left-right direction than the main body side plate portion 69.

[0036] 4, each side plate 61 has an extension portion 71 protruding downward from each main body side plate portion 69. Each extension portion 71 is disposed in front of and alongside the intermediate connecting portion 67 at the front end portion of each main body side plate portion 69. A press-fit protrusion 73 is provided at the lower end portion of each extension portion 71.

[0037] 5, each side plate 61 has a stopper piece 77 that is L-shaped when viewed from the front, with a portion protruding upward from each main body side plate portion 69 and a portion protruding inward in the left-right direction (inward in the opposing direction). As shown in FIG. 8, the rear end of the stopper piece 77 is a plate thickness surface facing rearward, and is configured as a stopper portion 79 that can be stopped by abutting against the stopper surface 62.

[0038] 4, the front end connecting portion 63 is formed in a U-shape when viewed from the front between the lower ends of the hood side plate portions 70. The front end connecting portion 63 has an integral front end installation portion 80 that spans in the left-right direction.

[0039] The intermediate connecting portion 67 is composed of a pair of intermediate installation portions 81 extending inward in the left-right direction from the front lower end portion of each of the main body side plate portions 69. Each intermediate installation portion 81 has butt ends 83 that butt together in the left-right center between each of the side plates 61 and engage in a concave-convex manner. The intermediate installation portions 81 are connected by the butt ends 83 to constitute the intermediate connecting portion 67 that spans the left-right direction.

[0040] The rear end connecting portion 65 is formed in a U-shape in rear view between the lower ends of the main body side plates 69. The rear end connecting portion 65 has a pair of rear end installation portions 86 (installation portions of the rear end connecting portion 65) extending inward in the left-right direction from the rear lower end side of each of the main body side plates 69. The rear end installation portions 86 also have portions that butt together in the left-right center between the side plates 61 and engage in a concave-convex manner.

[0041] As shown in Fig. 4, the plate width in the front-rear direction of the rear end connecting portion 65 is greater than the plate width in the front-rear direction of each of the front end connecting portion 63 and the intermediate connecting portion 67. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the intermediate connecting portion 67 (intermediate installation portion 81) is disposed higher than each of the front end installation portion 80 and the rear end installation portion 86. As shown in Fig. 6, the intermediate installation portion 81 is disposed at a position one step higher as viewed from the rear end installation portion 86. As shown in Fig. 2, the height difference between the intermediate installation portion 81 and the rear end installation portion 86 corresponds to the height (vertical dimension) of the step portion 39 of the lower member 24. The front portion 38 of the lower member 24 is supported by the intermediate connecting portion 67. The front portion 38 and the rear portion 37 of the lower member 24 are disposed parallel to each other and staggered with the intermediate connecting portion 67 interposed therebetween.

[0042] 2 and 4, the shielding member 60 has a guide portion 85 that extends from the intermediate connecting portion 67 while sloping downward as it goes rearward. The guide portion 85 is a rectangular plate that continues from the intermediate connecting portion 67, and is disposed with the plate surface facing the up-down direction (also the front-rear direction). The base of the guide portion 85 is connected to the rear end portion of the intermediate connecting portion 67 without any step, and is bent downward from the rear end portion of the intermediate connecting portion 67. The guide portions 85 are disposed in the intermediate connecting portion 67 so as to extend in pairs from both left and right sides of the butted end 83. In other words, the guide portions 85 are disposed corresponding to the respective intermediate installation portions 81.

[0043] As shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the intermediate connector 67 has cutouts 87 on both the left and right sides of the portion connected to each guide portion 85, the cutouts 87 extending short in the front-rear direction and having rear ends that open at the rear end (rear end surface) of the intermediate connector 67. Each cutout 87 is recessed in a U-shape at the rear end of the intermediate connector 67. Also, as shown in Fig. 6, the intermediate connector 67 has a slope 89 that slopes forward and upward at a rear end corner where the upper surface intersects with the rear end surface, and at a portion excluding the cutouts 87 and the portions connected to each guide portion 85. That is, the slope 89 is inclined in the same direction as the inclination of the guide portion 85 at a position aligned with the guide portion 85 in the left-right direction at the rear end of the intermediate connector 67 via the cutouts 87.

[0044] [Assembly method and function of connector 10] Next, an example of the procedure for assembling the connector 10 will be described. First, each terminal 21 is accommodated in each cavity 27 of the upper member 25. An electric wire 15 is connected to each terminal 21 in advance. Next, the lower member 24 is placed over the upper member 25, and each terminal 21 is held between the lower member 24 and the upper member 25. This completes the module 20.

[0045] Separately from the assembly work of the module 20, the shielding member 60 is inserted into the accommodation space 45 from the front of the housing 40. In the process of inserting the shielding member 60, each press-fitting protrusion 73 is press-fitted into the bottom surface (the surface facing upward below the inner wall 43) of the inner wall 43 of the intermediate accommodation space 45B in the housing 40. The lower end portion of each guide portion 85 is displaced along the bottom surface of the inner wall 43 of the intermediate accommodation space 45B and maintains a state of not contacting the inner wall 43. As shown in FIG. 7, the abutting stopper portion 79 of each stopper piece 77 is arranged so as to be able to abut against each stopper surface 62 of the housing 40 from the front, and further, the rear end portions of each side plate 61 and the rear end connecting portion 65 are arranged so as to be able to abut against the abutment surface 42, thereby stopping the insertion of the shielding member 60. Then, as shown in FIG. 8, the press-fitting protrusion 73 bites into the inner wall 43 of the housing 40 in a press-fit state, thereby restricting the shielding member 60 from coming out of the accommodation space 45.

[0046] As a result, the shielding member 60 is accommodated in the accommodation space 45 and held in the housing 40. As shown in Figs. 5-7, with the shielding member 60 accommodated in the accommodation space 45, the side plates 61 are arranged to be able to come into contact with the left and right side surfaces of the inner walls 43 of the front accommodation space 45A and the intermediate accommodation space 45B. As shown in Fig. 7, the expanding portion 64 is arranged to face the step surface 59 from the front. As shown in Fig. 5, the hood side plate portion 70 and the front end connecting portion 63 are arranged to be able to come into contact with the respective engaging portions 44. As shown in FIG. 8, the front end installation portion 80 is arranged so as to be able to come into contact with the bottom surface of the inner wall 43 of the front housing space 45A (which is also the end surface of the engagement portion 44). The rear end installation portion 86 is arranged so as to be able to come into contact with the bottom surface of the inner wall 43 of the intermediate housing space 45B. The intermediate connection portion 67 (intermediate installation portion 81) is arranged so as to be spaced (floating) above the bottom surface of the inner wall 43 of the intermediate housing space 45B. Each guide portion 85 is arranged so as to extend at an angle so as to approach the bottom surface of the inner wall 43 of the intermediate housing space 45B as it goes from the intermediate connection portion 67 to the module insertion opening 47. The lower end portion of each guide portion 85 is arranged close to the bottom surface of the inner wall 43 of the intermediate housing space 45B.

[0047] Next, the module 20 formed as described above is inserted into the accommodation space 45 from the rear of the housing 40. At this time, if the module 20 is to be inserted into the accommodation space 45 in a state in which it is tilted downward at the front as shown in FIG. 9, the chamfered portion 29 of the lower member 24 at the front end of the module 20 faces the rear surfaces (inclined surfaces facing rearward) of the guide parts 85. As the insertion of the module 20 progresses from that state, the chamfered portion 29 of the module 20 is displaced upward while contacting the rear surfaces of the guide parts 85. As the insertion of the module 20 further progresses, the chamfered portion 29 rises above the rear surfaces of the guide parts 85, and the downward-tilted state of the module 20 is gradually eliminated. In other words, the module 20 is corrected to a horizontal accommodation posture. In this embodiment 1, the height dimension (vertical dimension) of the chamfered portion 29 is set to be greater than or equal to the difference in height between the rear surface of the guide portion 85 and the bottom surface of the inner wall 43 so that the chamfered portion 29 can move from the bottom surface of the inner wall 43 of the intermediate storage space 45B to the rear surface of the guide portion 85 even when the module 20 is tilted downward toward the front to the maximum extent.

[0048] When the chamfered portion 29 passes through each guide portion 85, the front portion 38 of the lower member 24 rides up onto the intermediate connecting portion 67 (intermediate installation portion 81) and is placed on the upper surface of the intermediate connecting portion 67. When the front portion 38 of the lower member 24 rides up onto the intermediate connecting portion 67, the inclined surface 89 is inclined in a direction away from the front portion 38 of the lower member 24, so that the module 20 can be prevented from interfering with the inclined surface 89. Therefore, the module 20 is accommodated in the accommodation space 45 in a state where the accommodation posture is corrected without hitting against the rear end portion (rear end surface) of the intermediate connecting portion 67 (intermediate installation portion 81). As shown in FIG. 10, when the module 20 reaches a position where it is accommodated in the accommodation space 45, the front portion 38 of the lower member 24 is supported on the upper surface of the intermediate connecting portion 67 in a surface-contact state, and the rear portion 37 of the lower member 24 is supported on the upper surface of the rear end installation portion 86 in a surface-contact state. The step portions 39 of the lower member 24 are disposed rearward of the guide portions 85 and facing the guide portions 85. As a result, the module 20 is accommodated in the accommodation space 45 while taking a horizontal accommodation posture as a whole. Also, by having the module 20 take a horizontal accommodation posture, it is possible to ensure an engagement allowance of the locking protrusions 33 with the lances 51. The shield member 60 is disposed so as to fill the radial gap formed between the module 20 and the housing 40 as a whole.

[0049] 11 , if the module 20 is to be inserted into the accommodation space 45 in a state in which it is tilted with its front side raised, the front end of the module 20 can be displaced downward while contacting each of the inclined surfaces 56. As the insertion of the module 20 progresses, the front end of the module 20 descends each of the inclined surfaces 56, and the module 20 is gradually released from its raised front state, and similarly to the above, the module 20 is corrected to a horizontal accommodation position. Thereafter, the module 20 is accommodated in the accommodation space 45 while avoiding interference with the base portion of the lance 51.

[0050] After the electrical continuity of terminals 21 has been inspected, lower member 24 or upper member 25 can be pressed by a jig (not shown) so that lower member 24 moves from the advanced position to the retracted position relative to upper member 25. Alternatively, when housing 40 and the mating housing are fitted together, lower member 24 may be pressed by the mating housing to move from the advanced position to the retracted position.

[0051] The connector 10 of the first embodiment includes a module 20 having a terminal 21 and a dielectric 23 that houses the terminal 21, a cylindrical housing 40, and a shielding member 60 disposed inside the housing 40 and outside the module 20. The housing 40 has an accommodation space 45 penetrating in the front-rear direction to accommodate the module 20, and a module insertion port 47 that opens on the rear surface of the housing 40 at the rear end of the accommodation space 45. The shielding member 60 has a pair of side plates 61 that face each other in the left-right direction and are disposed along the left and right side surfaces of the inner wall 43 of the accommodation space 45, a front end connecting portion 63 that extends in the left-right direction to connect the front ends of the side plates 61, a rear end connecting portion 65 that extends in the left-right direction to connect the rear ends of the side plates 61, and an intermediate connecting portion 67 that extends in the left-right direction to connect the intermediate portions of the side plates 61 in the front-rear direction. The intermediate connecting portion 67 is disposed at a position higher than the rear end installation portion 86 (installation portion) of the rear end connecting portion 65 and away from the bottom surface 46 of the inner wall 43 of the accommodating space 45. The module 20 is supported by the intermediate connecting portion 67 so as not to fall toward the bottom surface 46. The shielding member 60 has a guide portion 85 that extends from the intermediate connecting portion 67 toward the module insertion opening 47 while slanting so as to approach the bottom surface 46 of the inner wall 43 of the accommodating space 45.

[0052] According to the first embodiment, even if the module 20 is inclined when being inserted into the accommodation space 45, the guide portion 85 can guide the module 20 into the accommodation space 45 while correcting the accommodation posture of the module 20. As a result, it is possible to prevent the module 20 from hitting the intermediate coupling portion 67 from behind, and it is possible to improve the ease of assembling the module 20 to the housing 40.

[0053] Further, the intermediate connecting portion 67 has a notch 87 that extends in the front-rear direction and opens at the rear end of the intermediate connecting portion 67, and a slope 89 that is inclined in the same direction as the guide portion 85 and is arranged side by side with the guide portion 85 in the left-right direction via the notch 87. With this, the notch 87 is interposed between the guide portion 85 and the slope 89, so that the shapes of the guide portion 85 and the slope 89 can be formed with high precision. Furthermore, since the intermediate connecting portion 67 has the slope 89, it is possible to more reliably prevent the module 20 from hitting the intermediate connecting portion 67.

[0054] Furthermore, the intermediate connecting portion 67 has an abutting end 83 in the middle in the left-right direction. The guide portions 85 are arranged in pairs on both left-right sides of the abutting end 83 in the intermediate connecting portion 67. Therefore, the guide portions 85 do not include the abutting end 83, and the machining accuracy of the guide portions 85 can be improved. Also, since a plurality of guide portions 85 are formed in the shield member 60, the guide function for the module 20 can be improved.

[0055] [Another embodiment of the present disclosure] The above-described first embodiment disclosed herein should be considered as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. (1) In the above embodiment 1, the inclination angle of guide portion 85 and the inclination angle of the inclined surface arranged next to guide portion 85 in the left-right direction are approximately the same, but the inclination angles of the two do not necessarily have to be the same as long as they are within the range in which the problems of the present disclosure can be solved. (2) In the above-described first embodiment, the shield member 60 has a pair of side plates 61. The pair of side plates 61 are formed by a pair of main body side plate portions 69 and a pair of hood side plate portions 70. However, the side plates do not have to be formed by the main body side plate portions and the hood side plate portions. For example, the side plates may be formed only by the main body side plates. (3) In the above-described first embodiment, the guide portion 85 of the shield member 60 is spaced apart from the bottom surface 46. However, the guide portion 85 and the bottom surface 46 may be in contact with each other. (4) In the above embodiment 1, the terminal 21 accommodated in the housing 40 is configured as a male terminal. However, the terminal accommodated in the housing may be configured as a female terminal. When the terminal is a female terminal, the hood portion can be omitted from the housing. (5) In the case of the above-mentioned embodiment 1, the conductive member includes two electric wires 15 as a twisted pair cable. However, the two electric wires as the conductive member do not have to constitute a twisted pair cable. In addition, the conductive member may include one electric wire or three or more electric wires. (6) In the case of the above-mentioned embodiment 1, the shielding member 60 is composed of a pair of side plates 61, a front end connecting portion 63, an intermediate connecting portion 67, and a rear end connecting portion 65, and is open upward and downward through a space. However, the shielding member 60 may be formed in a cylindrical shape with closed upper and lower surfaces. (7) In the case of the above-mentioned embodiment 1, the shielding member 60 has one intermediate connecting portion 67 between the front end connecting portion 63 and the rear end connecting portion 65. However, the shielding member may have two or more intermediate connecting portions between the front end connecting portion and the rear end connecting portion. (8) In the first embodiment, the connector 10 is a waterproof connector. However, the connector 10 may be a non-waterproof connector that does not have a rubber plug or a connector seal member. (9) In the above embodiment 1, the dielectric 23 is configured to be separable into the lower member 24 and the upper member 25. However, the dielectric may be integrally molded without distinguishing between the lower member and the upper member. When the dielectric is integrally molded, the terminals may be inserted into the cavity of the dielectric from the rear. (10) In the case of the above-mentioned embodiment 1, the dielectric 23 accommodating the terminal 21 is configured to be inserted into the accommodating space 45 of the housing 40. However, the configuration may be such that the terminal is accommodated in the dielectric (for example, the integrally molded dielectric described in the above (9)) after it is inserted into the accommodating space of the housing. [Explanation of symbols]

[0056] 10…Connector 15...Electric wire 16…Sheath 20…Module 21...Terminal 22…Tab 23...Dielectric 24...Lower member 25…Upper member 27…Cavity 29…Beveled part 30…Ceiling 33…Lock protrusion 36…Main body side plate 37...(Lower member) rear 38...(Front part of lower member) 39...(lower member) step 40…Housing 41…Hood section 42…Abutment surface 43…Inner wall 44…Engagement part 45…Containment space 45A…Front storage space 45B...Intermediate containment space 45C…Rear storage space 46…Bottom 47…Module insertion port 51…Lance 52…Connector lock section 53…Rubber stopper storage chamber 56…Slope surface 59...Step surface 60...Shielding material 61…Side panel 62...Stopper surface 63...Front end connection part 64…Expansion section 65…Rear end connection part 67…Intermediate connection 69…Main body side plate 70…Hood side plate 71…Extension 73…Press-fit protrusion 77…Stopper piece 79…Stopping part 80…Front end installation part 81...Intermediate installation section 83…Butt end 85…Guide section 86…Rear end installation part (installation part) 87…Notch 89…Slope 90…Rubber stopper 91…Rear holder

Claims

1. a module having terminals and a dielectric housing the terminals; A cylindrical housing; a shield member disposed inside the housing and outside the module; The housing includes: an accommodation space penetrating the housing in the front-rear direction and accommodating the module; a module insertion port that opens to a rear surface of the housing at a rear end of the accommodation space, The shield member is A pair of side plates facing each other in the left-right direction and arranged along the left and right side surfaces of the inner wall of the storage space; a front end connecting portion extending in the left-right direction and connecting front ends of the pair of side plates; a rear end connecting portion extending in the left-right direction and connecting rear ends of the pair of side plates; an intermediate connecting portion extending in the left-right direction and connecting intermediate portions of the pair of side plates in the front-rear direction, the intermediate connecting portion is disposed at a position higher than a bridge portion of the rear end connecting portion and away from a bottom surface of the inner wall of the accommodation space, The module is supported by the intermediate connector so as not to tip over toward the bottom surface, the shield member has a guide portion that extends from the intermediate connecting portion toward the module insertion opening while being inclined so as to approach a bottom surface of the inner wall of the accommodating space.

2. 2. The connector as described in claim 1, wherein the intermediate connecting portion has a notch extending in the front-to-rear direction and opening to a rear end of the intermediate connecting portion, and a slope that is inclined in the same direction as the guide portion and is arranged in line with the guide portion in the left-right direction via the notch.

3. The intermediate connecting portion has a pair of intermediate installation portions in the left-right direction, The pair of intermediate installation parts are butted against each other and connected to each other at intermediate parts in the left-right direction of the intermediate connection part, 3. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the guide portions are disposed corresponding to the pair of intermediate installation portions.

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