Connector

Abstract

To provide a connector that suppresses temperature rise when electricity is applied.SOLUTION: A connector 1 is connected to an external connector and includes a plurality of terminals 10 having respective joints 12 for ultrasonically joining end portions 101a of core wires 101 of different electric wires 100, and a plurality of non-metallic members which are combined with each other to encapsulate each of the terminals 10. For example, a rear cover 40 which is one of the plurality of non-metallic members has a plurality of heat dissipation ribs 46 which come into contact with the joint 12 for each of the terminals 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a connector.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is a connector with ensured airtightness to suppress ingress of moisture and the like. Patent Document 1 discloses a technique related to a connector in which a non-metallic plug board is included so as to ensure airtightness with respect to a metallic housing.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the connector disclosed in Patent Document 1, the plug board is connected to a plug contact board of a computer or the like. On the other hand, there is a high-voltage connector having a structure for ensuring airtightness and that can be adopted in a power supply system of a motor mounted on an electric vehicle or the like. In such a high-voltage connector, since a larger current is passed than in a connector adopted in a computer, a temperature rise is particularly assumed at a connection portion between a terminal and a core wire of an electric wire. Therefore, in order to suppress melting damage of the connector that may occur due to the connector becoming high temperature, measures against temperature rise are also required.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of such problems of the prior art. And an object of the present invention is to provide a connector that suppresses temperature rise during energization.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] Aspects of the present invention relate to a connector connected to an external connector, having a plurality of terminals each having a joint portion for ultrasonically joining the terminal portions of the core wires of different electric wires, and a plurality of non-metallic members that are combined with each other to enclose each terminal, and at least one of the plurality of non-metallic members has a plurality of heat dissipation ribs that contact the joint portion or the terminal portion for each terminal.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a connector that suppresses a temperature rise during energization.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5A

Figure 5B

Figure 6

Figure 7

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

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

[0010] (First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a connector 1 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the connector 1. The connector 1 is a high-voltage connector that can be adopted, for example, in the power supply system of a rear motor mounted on an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the connector 1 is attached to the power supply system of a three-phase motor (not shown) serving as a rear motor.

[0011] As the power supply system of the three-phase motor, there are three electric wires 100, namely, a first electric wire 100a, a second electric wire 100b, and a third electric wire 100c, in advance. The first electric wire 100a is a wire for the U phase. The second electric wire 100b is a wire for the V phase. The third electric wire 100c is a wire for the W phase. Each electric wire 100 has a core wire 101 that is a conductor and a covering portion 102 that is an insulator covering the core wire 101. One terminal of the electric wire 100 is connected to the three-phase motor, and the other terminal of the electric wire 100 is connected to the connector 1. Note that the core wire 101 may actually be composed of a plurality of strands, but in the following figures, it is simply drawn as one conductive member.

[0012] The connector 1 first includes, as a group of components related to electrical connection, a plurality of terminals 10, an inner housing 20, an outer housing 30, and a rear cover 40.

[0013] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the three terminals 10 connected to the terminals of the respective electric wires 100 and the rear cover 40, extracted from the exploded perspective view of the entire connector 1 shown in FIG. 2. In each electric wire 100, at the terminal on the side connected to the connector 1, the covering portion 102 is removed, and the terminal portion 101a of the core wire 101 is exposed.

[0014] In the present embodiment, as the plurality of terminals 10, there are three terminals 10, namely, a first terminal 10a, a second terminal 10b, and a third terminal 10c, corresponding to the three-phase motor. The first terminal 10a is attached to the terminal of the first electric wire 100a. The second terminal 10b is attached to the terminal of the second electric wire 100b. The third terminal 10c is attached to the terminal of the third electric wire 100c.

[0015] The three terminals 10 are female terminals made of metal and having the same shape as each other, and include a connection part 11 and a joining part 12.

[0016] The connection part 11 is a cylindrical part into which a rod-shaped male terminal as an external terminal of an external connector can be inserted. In order to stably maintain the conduction state with the male terminal inserted therein, the connection part 11 has a leaf spring part that presses a part of the male terminal against the inner wall part of the connection part 11. The leaf spring part may be a part integrated with the connection part 11, or may be a separately prepared leaf spring member installed inside the connection part 11 in advance.

[0017] The joining part 12 is a flat part for joining the terminal part 101a of the core wire 101. Assuming that one end in the axial direction of the connection part 11 is an open end for inserting the male terminal, the joining part 12 is integrated with the other end in the axial direction of the connection part 11. Hereinafter, in the present embodiment, it is assumed that the axial direction of the connection part 11 when the terminal 10 is installed in the connector 1 is along the Z direction. In this case, the joining part 12 may be a flat part parallel to both the Z direction and the Y direction. For example, the planar shape of the joining part 12 may be a substantially rectangle in which two side edges are along the Z direction and the remaining two side edges are along the Y direction orthogonal to the Z direction. The first surface 12a, which is one surface of the joining part 12, is a joining surface to which the terminal part 101a is joined. Note that the second surface 12b, which is the other surface of the joining part 12, is an open surface that is not joined to anything.

[0018] In this embodiment, the terminal portion 101a of the core wire 101 is joined to the first surface 12a of the joint portion 12 by ultrasonic bonding. Ultrasonic bonding sandwiches the joint portion 12 in a state where the terminal portion 101a is in contact with the first surface 12a by a horn and an anvil (not shown respectively), and applies ultrasonic vibration from the horn to perform the bonding. Also, during ultrasonic bonding, for each terminal 10, the direction from the joint portion 12 toward the connection portion 11 along the axial direction of the connection portion 11 and the direction from the terminal portion 101a on the joint portion 12 toward the main body of the electric wire 100 are assumed to be shifted by 90°. That is, when the terminal 10 is installed in the connector 1 and the axial direction of the connection portion 11 is along the Z direction, the terminal portion 101a is arranged in a posture along the Y direction with respect to the first surface 12a of the joint portion 12. At this time, each electric wire 100, starting from the terminal portion 101a on the joint portion 12, extends in a direction opposite to the Y direction from the terminal portion 101a.

[0019] Here, at least on the surface portion of the horn or the anvil on the side that contacts the terminal portion 101a, uneven portions are formed in order to efficiently transmit ultrasonic vibration to the terminal portion 101a to be joined. Specifically, the uneven portions have a knurl shape in which linear ridges and valleys parallel to each other are alternately and continuously arranged. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the shape of the terminal portion 101a joined to the first surface 12a by ultrasonic bonding is a flat plate shape with a substantially rectangular planar shape. Also, when the portion of the terminal portion 101a that contacts the first surface 12a is defined as the inner surface portion 101c by ultrasonic bonding, the shape of the uneven portions formed on the surface portion of the horn or the anvil is transferred to the outer surface portion 101b on the side opposite to the inner surface portion 101c. That is, the outer surface portion 101b of the terminal portion 101a becomes a knurl-shaped uneven portion. In this embodiment, in the knurl shape of the outer surface portion 101b, the extending directions of the plurality of ridges and valleys are along the Z direction, and the parallel direction of the plurality of ridges and valleys is along the Y direction. Note that the terminal portion 101a of the core wire 101 is merely a stranded wire before being joined to the joint portion 12, and may be joined to the first surface 12a by one ultrasonic bonding process after being brought into contact with the first surface 12a in the state of a stranded wire.

[0020] The inner housing 20 is, for example, made of synthetic resin and is an insulating member that protects the terminals 10 by holding the three terminals 10 inside. The inner housing 20 has a first terminal accommodating portion 21, a second terminal accommodating portion 22, a third terminal accommodating portion 23, a base portion 24, and a reinforcing structure portion 25.

[0021] The first terminal accommodating portion 21 is a cylindrical portion that accommodates the connecting portion 11 of the first terminal 10a. The second terminal accommodating portion 22 is a cylindrical portion that accommodates the connecting portion 11 of the second terminal 10b. The third terminal accommodating portion 23 is a cylindrical portion that accommodates the connecting portion 11 of the third terminal 10c. The first terminal accommodating portion 21, the second terminal accommodating portion 22, and the third terminal accommodating portion 23 each accommodate the connecting portion 11 such that the opening direction of the connecting portion 11 to be accommodated inside, that is, the direction opposite to the direction in which the male terminal is inserted, is common along the first direction. In the present embodiment, the first direction is the Z direction. The tip portions of the first terminal accommodating portion 21, the second terminal accommodating portion 22, and the third terminal accommodating portion 23 each open in the first direction and do not impede the entry of the male terminal into the connecting portion 11.

[0022] Also, the first terminal accommodating portion 21, the second terminal accommodating portion 22, and the third terminal accommodating portion 23 are, as an example, arranged in two stages along the Y direction as the second direction defined below. For example, the first terminal accommodating portion 21 may be arranged in the lower stage in the second direction, and the second terminal accommodating portion 22 and the third terminal accommodating portion 23 may be arranged in the upper stage in the second direction. At this time, in the X direction as the third direction defined below, the first terminal accommodating portion 21 may be arranged at an intermediate position between the second terminal accommodating portion 22 and the third terminal accommodating portion 23.

[0023] The base portion 24 is a flat plate portion that supports the first terminal accommodating portion 21, the second terminal accommodating portion 22, and the third terminal accommodating portion 23. The base portion 24 has a front surface portion 24a and a rear surface portion 24b (see FIG. 5B) on the side opposite to the front surface portion 24a. The front surface portion 24a supports the root ends of each of the first terminal accommodating portion 21, the second terminal accommodating portion 22, and the third terminal accommodating portion 23. The internal spaces of each of the first terminal accommodating portion 21, the second terminal accommodating portion 22, and the third terminal accommodating portion 23 are open from the rear surface portion 24b in a direction opposite to the first direction.

[0024] The reinforcing structure portion 25 is a structure in which a plurality of reinforcing ribs are combined in order to ensure the strength of the inner housing 20. The reinforcing structure portion 25 is provided on the rear surface portion 24b of the base portion 24 so as not to obstruct the arrangement of each terminal 10 and each electric wire 100.

[0025] The outer housing 30 is made of, for example, synthetic resin, and is an insulating member that protects the entire three terminals 10 by accommodating at least a part of the inner housing 20 and the joint portions 12 of each terminal 10. The outer housing 30 has a housing main body portion 31, a connector front end portion 32, and an electric wire lead-out portion 33.

[0026] When the first direction is the length direction, the housing main body portion 31 is a box portion defined with the second direction orthogonal to the first direction as the height direction and the third direction orthogonal to both the first direction and the second direction as the width direction. In the present embodiment, the first direction is the Z direction as described above, the second direction is the Y direction, and the third direction is the X direction. The housing main body portion 31 has a front wall 34, an annular side wall 35, and a plurality of support pieces 36.

[0027] The front wall 34 is a wall portion orthogonal to the first direction, and supports the connector frontage portion 32 and the wire lead-out portion 33 so as to be separated from each other in the second direction. The planar shape of the front wall 34 is a substantially rectangular shape defined by a long side approximately along the second direction and a short side approximately along the third direction. Further, on the wall surface of the front wall 34 facing the inside of the housing main body portion 31, although not shown, a first wire contact portion is provided which faces the second wire contact portion 45 while being separated therefrom when the rear cover 40 described later is attached to the outer housing 30. The shape of the first wire contact portion is approximately symmetric with the shape of the second wire contact portion 45 in the Z direction.

[0028] The annular side wall 35, together with the front wall 34, forms an internal space for accommodating at least the joint portions 12 of the respective terminals 10. One annular end of the annular side wall 35 in the first direction is continuous with the peripheral edge portion of the front wall 34. The other annular end of the annular side wall 35 in the first direction is an open end 35a that forms an opening facing the front wall 34. At the time of assembling the connector 1, the three terminals 10 each attached to the end of the wire 100 are accommodated inside the housing main body portion 31 through the opening formed by the open end 35a.

[0029] The support piece 36 is provided on the outer wall surface 35b of the annular side wall 35 and has a fitting hole 36a for fitting an annular collar (not shown). The fitting hole 36a penetrates the support piece 36 along the first direction.

[0030] The connector frontage portion 32 has a frontage 32a with a long oval cross-section that opens in the first direction, and is a cylindrical portion that fits with a part of an external connector (not shown) having a male terminal when the external connector is connected to the connector 1. The connector frontage portion 32 is provided so as to protrude in the first direction from the front wall 34 of the housing main body portion 31. The frontage 32a penetrates between the outside of the outer housing 30 and the inside of the housing main body portion 31, and can accommodate the inner housing 20. In the long oval cross-section of the frontage 32a, the second direction is the longitudinal direction in accordance with the arrangement relationship of the first terminal accommodating portion 21, the second terminal accommodating portion 22, and the third terminal accommodating portion 23 in the inner housing 20.

[0031] The wire lead-out portion 33 is a cylindrical portion for leading out three wires 100 from the inside of the housing main body portion 31 to the outside of the outer housing 30 through a through-hole space having an oval-shaped cross-section that opens in the first direction. The wire lead-out portion 33 is provided so as to protrude in the first direction from the front wall 34 of the housing main body portion 31. In the oval-shaped cross-section of the through-hole space, the three wires 100 are arranged side by side in the second direction in accordance with the arrangement relationship of the first terminal accommodating portion 21, the second terminal accommodating portion 22, and the third terminal accommodating portion 23 in the inner housing 20, and the second direction is the longitudinal direction.

[0032] That is, according to the structure of the outer housing 30, in the connector 1, the direction in which the frontage 32a of the connector frontage portion 32 faces, that is, the direction of connection to the external connector, and the direction in which the three wires 100 are led out from the wire lead-out portion 33 are along the same direction as each other. In the present embodiment, the direction in which the frontage 32a of the connector frontage portion 32 faces and the direction in which the three wires 100 are led out from the wire lead-out portion 33 are along each other in the first direction corresponding to the Z direction.

[0033] The rear cover 40 is made of, for example, a synthetic resin, and is an insulating member that covers an opening formed by an opening end 35a in a state where each terminal 10 having a terminal portion 101a joined to the joining portion 12 is housed together with the terminal portion of the wire 100 inside the housing main body portion 31 of the outer housing 30. The rear cover 40 has a main body wall 41, a plurality of locking portions 42, a plurality of packing locking portions 43, a cover reinforcing rib 44, a second wire contact portion 45, and a plurality of heat dissipation ribs 46.

[0034] The main body wall 41 is a flat plate portion having an outer peripheral edge 41a along the opening end 35a of the housing main body portion 31 when the rear cover 40 is attached to the outer housing 30. The inner wall surface 41b of the main body wall 41 faces the front wall 34 of the housing main body portion 31 when the rear cover 40 is attached to the outer housing 30.

[0035] The plurality of locking portions 42 are respectively provided on the outer peripheral edge 41a of the main body wall 41 at intervals from each other in the circumferential direction along the outer peripheral edge 41a. Although not shown, a plurality of engaging portions are provided on the outer surface portion of the annular side wall 35 of the housing main body portion 31. When the rear cover 40 is attached to the outer housing 30, each locking portion 42 engages with the engaging portion on the annular side wall 35, thereby preventing the rear cover 40 from falling off the outer housing 30.

[0036] The plurality of packing locking portions 43 are respectively provided on the outer peripheral edge 41a of the main body wall 41 at intervals from each other in the circumferential direction along the outer peripheral edge 41a while avoiding the plurality of locking portions 42. Although not shown, a plurality of engaging protrusions are provided on the rear cover packing 61 described later. When the rear cover 40 is attached to the outer housing 30, each packing locking portion 43 engages with the engaging protrusion on the rear cover packing 61, thereby holding the rear cover packing 61 on the rear cover 40.

[0037] The cover reinforcing rib 44 is provided on the inner wall surface 41b so as not to obstruct the arrangement of each terminal 10 and each electric wire 100 in order to ensure the strength of the rear cover 40.

[0038] The second electric wire contact portion 45 is provided on the inner wall surface 41b and contacts each electric wire 100 when the rear cover 40 is attached to the outer housing 30. The second electric wire contact portion 45 has a first contact groove 45a, a second contact groove 45b, and a third contact groove 45c that respectively extend in the second direction and include a curved surface that conforms to the side surface shape of each electric wire 100 routed inside the housing main body portion 31. The first contact groove 45a contacts while accommodating a part of the side surface of the first electric wire 100a. The second contact groove 45b contacts while accommodating a part of the side surface of the second electric wire 100b. The third contact groove 45c contacts while accommodating a part of the side surface of the third electric wire 100c.

[0039] Here, when the rear cover 40 is attached to the outer housing 30, the first contact groove 45a sandwiches the first electric wire 100a together with an equivalent contact groove provided in the housing main body portion 31. Similarly, the second contact groove 45b sandwiches the second electric wire 100b together with an equivalent contact groove provided in the housing main body portion 31. The third contact groove 45c sandwiches the third electric wire 100c together with an equivalent contact groove provided in the housing main body portion 31. That is, the second electric wire contact portion 45 constitutes an electric wire holding portion that holds each electric wire 100 as a combination with the first electric wire contact portion in the housing main body portion 31, thereby suppressing the vibration transmitted from the outside through the electric wire 100 from reaching the terminal 10.

[0040] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the heat dissipation rib 46 provided on the rear cover 40 is in contact with the terminal portion 101a of the core wire 101 joined to the joint portion 12 of each terminal 10, which has changed from the separated state of each terminal 10 and the rear cover 40 shown in FIG. 3.

[0041] The plurality of heat dissipation ribs 46 are provided on the inner wall surface 41b and receive heat from the terminal portion 101a by coming into contact with any one of the terminal portions 101a of the respective electric wires 100 when the rear cover 40 is attached to the outer housing 30. Since the heat dissipation ribs 46 are provided for each terminal 10, in this embodiment, there are three heat dissipation ribs 46, namely, the first heat dissipation rib 46a, the second heat dissipation rib 46b, and the third heat dissipation rib 46c. The first heat dissipation rib 46a is in contact with the terminal portion 101a joined to the joint portion 12 of the first terminal 10a. The second heat dissipation rib 46b is in contact with the terminal portion 101a joined to the joint portion 12 of the second terminal 10b. The third heat dissipation rib 46c is in contact with the terminal portion 101a joined to the joint portion 12 of the third terminal 10c.

[0042] As described above, the joint portion 12 of each terminal 10 is a flat plate portion along which two end sides extend in the first direction corresponding to the Z direction and the remaining two end sides extend in the second direction corresponding to the Y direction. The first direction is the direction from the joint portion 12 toward the connection portion 11 along the axial direction of the connection portion 11. The second direction is the direction in which the terminal portion 101a is disposed on the joint portion 12 from the main body of the electric wire 100. Also, the shape of the terminal portion 101a joined to the first surface 12a of the joint portion 12 is also flat plate-shaped such that two end sides extend in the first direction and the remaining two end sides extend in the second direction in accordance with the shape of the joint portion 12. On the other hand, the shape of each heat dissipation rib 46 is also flat plate-shaped, and the planar shape of the heat dissipation rib 46 is substantially rectangular such that two end sides extend in the first direction and the remaining two end sides extend in the second direction. That is, in the state where the connector 1 is assembled, the joint portion 12, the terminal portion 101a, and the heat dissipation rib 46, which are each flat plate-shaped, are parallel to each other.

[0043] Also, one main plane of each heat dissipation rib 46 is a contact surface 47 that contacts the outer surface portion 101b of the corresponding terminal portion 101a when the rear cover 40 is attached to the outer housing 30. That is, each heat dissipation rib 46 projects in the first direction and is supported by the inner wall surface 41b such that the contact surface 47 contacts the outer surface portion 101b when the rear cover 40 is attached to the outer housing 30. Also, regarding the planar shape of each heat dissipation rib 46 and the thickness in the third direction corresponding to the X direction, it is set so that the arrangement of the terminals 10 for which one heat dissipation rib 46 is the contact target is not obstructed by the other heat dissipation rib 46.

[0044] Also, as described above, the outer surface portion 101b of the terminal portion 101a has uneven portions having a similar knurl shape due to the shape of the uneven portions of the horn or anvil being transferred during ultrasonic bonding. On the other hand, the contact surface 47 of each heat dissipation rib 46 has a shape that matches the knurl shape of the outer surface portion 101b. In the present embodiment, in the knurl shape of the outer surface portion 101b, the extending direction of the plurality of ridges and valleys is along the first direction corresponding to the Z direction, and the parallel direction of the plurality of ridges and valleys is along the second direction corresponding to the Y direction. Therefore, also for the knurl shape of the contact surface 47, in accordance with the knurl shape of the outer surface portion 101b, the extending direction of the plurality of ridges and valleys is along the first direction, and the parallel direction of the plurality of ridges and valleys is set in advance to be along the second direction.

[0045] By each heat dissipation rib 46 having the above-described shape, when the rear cover 40 is attached to the outer housing 30, the contact surfaces 47 engage with the outer surface portion 101b, which are uneven portions with each other, so that they are in close contact with the terminal portion 101a.

[0046] Here, each heat dissipation rib 46 may be supported in advance so that the contact surface 47 can press against the outer surface portion 101b at a position or posture where it can be in closer contact with the terminal portion 101a on the inner wall surface 41b of the rear cover 40.

[0047] Also, the connector 1 includes a unit packing 60, a rear cover packing 61, and a wire packing 62 as waterproof members that prevent moisture from entering the inside of the outer housing 30 from the outside.

[0048] The unit packing 60 is an annular elastic member that is tightly attached to the outer peripheral surface of the connector intermediate opening portion 32 in the outer housing 30. The unit packing 60 seals the space between the outer peripheral surface of the connector intermediate opening portion 32 and the fitting surface of the external connector when the external connector is connected to the connector 1.

[0049] The rear cover packing 61 is an annular elastic member that is tightly attached in accordance with the opening end 35a of the housing main body 31 in the outer housing 30. The rear cover packing 61 seals between the opening end 35a of the housing main body 31 and the outer peripheral edge 41a of the rear cover 40 when the rear cover 40 is attached to the outer housing 30.

[0050] The wire packing 62 is an oblong flat plate-shaped elastic member that is tightly attached in accordance with the inner wall surface of the wire lead-out portion 33 in the outer housing 30. Further, the wire packing 62 has three through holes 62a that penetrate individually while being in close contact with each wire 100. The wire packing 62 seals between the inner wall surface of the wire lead-out portion 33 and each wire 100 that penetrates the through space of the wire lead-out portion 33.

[0051] Also, the connector 1 includes a front holder 70 and a rear holder 75 as holding members for various packings.

[0052] The front holder 70 is made of synthetic resin and is attached to the outer housing 30 in order to prevent the unit packing 60 from falling off from the connector front end opening 32. The front holder 70 has a front plate 71, a cylindrical portion 72, and a plurality of locking portions 73.

[0053] The front plate 71 is a flange-shaped annular plate portion that is located at the tip of the connector front end opening 32 when the front holder 70 is attached to the outer housing 30. The front plate 71 has an opening 71a that exposes the first terminal accommodating portion 21, the second terminal accommodating portion 22, and the third terminal accommodating portion 23 of the inner housing 20 to the outside from the connector front end opening 32. At least a part of the outer peripheral portion of the front plate 71 faces at least a part of the unit packing 60 attached to the connector front end opening 32 in the first direction when the front holder 70 is attached to the outer housing 30. Therefore, even if the unit packing 60 moves to the front end side of the connector front end opening 32, it abuts against the front plate 71 and further movement is restricted, so that the drop from the connector front end opening 32 is suppressed.

[0054] The cylindrical portion 72 is housed in the frontage 32a of the connector frontage portion 32 when the front holder 70 is attached to the outer housing 30. One open end of the cylindrical portion 72 is a fixed end continuous with the opening 71a of the front plate 71. The other open end of the cylindrical portion 72 is an open end facing the inside of the housing main body portion 31 when the front holder 70 is attached to the outer housing 30. Note that a reinforcing structure portion for ensuring the strength of the front holder 70 may be provided inside the cylindrical portion 72.

[0055] The plurality of locking portions 73 are respectively provided at intervals in the circumferential direction on a part of the cylindrical portion 72. Although not shown, a plurality of engaging portions are provided on the outer surface portion of the annular side wall 35 of the housing main body portion 31 or on the inner surface portion of the frontage 32a of the connector frontage portion 32. Each locking portion 73 suppresses the detachment of the front holder 70 from the outer housing 30 by engaging with, for example, the engaging portion on the annular side wall 35 when the front holder 70 is attached to the outer housing 30.

[0056] The rear holder 75 is made of synthetic resin and is attached to the outer housing 30 to suppress the detachment of the wire packing 62 from the wire lead-out portion 33. The rear holder 75 has three through holes 62a for individually passing through each wire 100, and is an oval flat plate-shaped member similar to the shape of the wire packing 62. The rear holder 75 is inserted into the through space from the front end side of the wire lead-out portion 33 and supported by the wire lead-out portion 33 in a state where the wire packing 62 seals the space between the inner wall surface of the wire lead-out portion 33 and each wire 100. Thereby, the rear holder 75 suppresses the detachment of the wire packing 62 from the wire lead-out portion 33.

[0057] Further, the connector 1 includes an upper shell 80, a lower shell 81, and a shield ring 83 as a shield member for shielding noise.

[0058] The upper shell 80 is made of metal and covers the housing main body 31 with the rear cover 40 attached in the outer housing 30. Note that the upper shell 80 may cover at least a part of the connector frontage 32 or the wire lead-out part 33 of the outer housing 30 while accommodating the housing main body 31. The upper shell 80 is a box part defined with the first direction corresponding to the Z direction as the length direction, the second direction corresponding to the Y direction as the height direction, and the third direction corresponding to the X direction as the width direction. The upper shell 80 has a bottom wall 80a, an annular side wall 80b, a plurality of first support pieces 80e, and a plurality of second support pieces 80g.

[0059] The bottom wall 80a is a wall part orthogonal to the first direction. The planar shape of the bottom wall 80a is a substantially rectangle defined by a long side approximately along the second direction and a short side approximately along the third direction.

[0060] The annular side wall 80b, together with the bottom wall 80a, forms an internal space for accommodating the housing main body 31. One annular end of the annular side wall 80b in the first direction is continuous with the peripheral edge of the bottom wall 80a. The other annular end of the annular side wall 80b in the first direction is an opening end 80c that forms an opening facing the bottom wall 80a. When assembling the connector 1, the housing main body 31 with the rear cover 40 attached is accommodated through the opening formed at the opening end 80c.

[0061] The first support piece 80e is provided, for example, as a part where a part of the annular side wall 80b is bent, and has a first through hole 80d through which a bolt 90 passing through the fitting hole 36a provided in the outer housing 30 during the assembly of the connector 1 passes.

[0062] The second support piece 80g is provided, for example, as a part where a part protruding from the opening end 80c of the annular side wall 80b is bent, and has a second through hole 80f through which a mounting bolt (not shown) passes when attaching the connector 1 to the housing of the external connector.

[0063] The lower shell 81 is made of metal and covers a part of the front wall 34 of the housing main body 31 in the outer housing 30 and the wire lead-out part 33. The lower shell 81 has a cylindrical part 81a, a flange part 81b, and a support piece 81c.

[0064] The cylindrical part 81a covers the wire lead-out part 33 by accommodating the wire lead-out part 33 through a through-space with an oval long-hole cross-section that opens in the first direction. One open end of the cylindrical part 81a is a fixed end continuous with the flange part 81b. The other open end of the cylindrical part 81a is an open end that forms an opening for drawing out each wire 100 from the wire lead-out part 33 to the outside.

[0065] The flange part 81b is a flat plate part orthogonal to the first direction and covers a part of the front wall 34 by facing a part of the front wall 34.

[0066] The support piece 81c is provided as a part protruding outward from the edge of the flange part 81b and has a through-hole 81d through which a bolt 90 that penetrates a fitting hole 36a provided in the outer housing 30 during the assembly of the connector 1 is pre-penetrated.

[0067] The shield ring 83 is a metal fastening member for crimping a shield braid (not shown) to the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical part 81a of the lower shell 81. The shield braid is a metal braid that partly covers the tip of the cylindrical part 81a and is wound so as to integrally cover the three wires 100 drawn out from the cylindrical part 81a to the outside.

[0068] Furthermore, the connector 1 includes, as members for assembling each component, a plurality of bolts 90 (see FIG. 1) and a plurality of colors (not shown) that are fitted in advance into the fitting holes 36a of the outer housing 30. As described above, the support piece 81c of the lower shell 81 is provided with a through hole 81d. A color is fitted in the fitting hole 36a of the outer housing 30. And, the first support piece 80e of the upper shell 80 is provided with a first through hole 80d. The bolt 90 passes through the through hole 81d, the color in the fitting hole 36a, and the first through hole 80d and is fastened, whereby the lower shell 81, the outer housing 30, and the upper shell 80 are integrally assembled.

[0069] Next, the operation and effects of the connector 1 according to the first embodiment will be described.

[0070] The connector 1 is connected to an external connector and has a plurality of terminals 10 each having a joint portion 12 for ultrasonic bonding the terminal portions 101a of the core wires 101 of different electric wires 100, and a plurality of non-metallic members that are combined with each other to enclose each terminal 10. At least one of the plurality of non-metallic members has a plurality of heat dissipation ribs that come into contact with the terminal portion 101a for each terminal 10.

[0071] Here, the plurality of non-metallic members that are combined with each other to enclose each terminal 10 are members that constitute a space in which the terminal 10 is arranged when combined with each other, and refer to a group of members that can ensure airtightness in order to suppress the intrusion of moisture into the space. Examples of such a plurality of non-metallic members include the inner housing 20, the outer housing 30, and the rear cover 40, each made of synthetic resin, in the above example. And, in the present embodiment, the case where the rear cover 40 as an example of the non-metallic member here has a plurality of heat dissipation ribs 46 is illustrated.

[0072] In the connector 1, for each electric wire 100, the joint portion 12 or the terminal portion 101a of the core wire 101 ultrasonically joined to the joint portion 12 can be regarded as a heat generation source where the heat particularly increases during energization. In this regard, this is remarkable when the connector 1 is a high-voltage in-vehicle connector as assumed in the present embodiment. On the other hand, in the connector 1, for each terminal 10, a heat dissipation rib 46 that contacts the terminal portion 101a that becomes high temperature is provided as a part of the rear cover 40 made of synthetic resin. Therefore, the heat of the terminal portion 101a is transmitted to the entire rear cover 40 through the heat dissipation rib 46 and is finally released to the outside of the rear cover 40, so that the temperature rise of the terminal portion 101a, and thus the temperature rise of the connector 1, can be suppressed in advance.

[0073] As described above, according to the present embodiment, the connector 1 that suppresses the temperature rise during energization can be provided. By suppressing the temperature rise in this way, for example, it is possible to avoid in advance the melting damage of the connector 1 that may occur due to the connector 1 becoming high temperature.

[0074] Also, the direction of connecting to the external connector is defined as the first direction, and the direction that intersects the first direction and in which the terminal portion 101a is arranged from the main body of the electric wire 100 to the joint portion 12 is defined as the second direction. Here, in the connector 1, the joint portion 12 may be a flat plate portion having a first surface 12a and a second surface 12b that are surfaces parallel to the first direction and the second direction. Each heat dissipation rib 46 may contact the terminal portion 101a along a third direction that is orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction.

[0075] Here, in the above example, the first direction corresponds to the Z direction, the second direction corresponds to the Y direction, and the third direction corresponds to the X direction. In the above description, the case where the first direction and the second direction are orthogonal is exemplified, but it is not necessarily limited to the orthogonal case.

[0076] For example, assume a case where a rear cover 40 as an example of a non-metallic member having a plurality of heat dissipation ribs 46 is assembled and the heat dissipation ribs 46 are brought into contact with respective terminal portions 101a already disposed inside the connector 1. In this case, while assembling the rear cover 40 along the first direction, the heat dissipation ribs 46 can be brought into contact with the terminal portions 101a along the third direction without interfering with the electric wire 100 routed along the second direction toward the joint portion 12. Therefore, according to this connector 1, it is advantageous in terms of simplifying the structure of the connector 1 or facilitating the assembling workability, etc.

[0077] Also, in the connector 1, the non-metallic member having each heat dissipation rib 46 may be a rear cover 40 as a cover member assembled along the first direction. The shape of the terminal portion 101a joined to the joint portion 12 may be a flat plate shape having an inner surface portion 101c that contacts the first surface 12a of the joint portion 12 and an outer surface portion 101b that is an uneven portion where the nail shape is transferred during joining. Each heat dissipation rib 46 may have an uneven shape conforming to the nail shape on the outer surface portion 101b of the terminal portion 101a and may have a contact surface 47 that contacts the outer surface portion 101b of the terminal portion 101a when the rear cover 40 is assembled.

[0078] According to this connector 1, when the heat dissipation rib 46 comes into contact with the terminal portion 101a, the contact surface 47 having an uneven shape in the heat dissipation rib 46 meshes with the outer surface portion 101b having an uneven shape in the terminal portion 101a and they are in a state of being in close contact with each other. Therefore, heat of the terminal portion 101a can be made more likely to be transmitted to the synthetic resin-made heat dissipation rib 46, so that the temperature rise during energization can be further suppressed.

[0079] (Second Embodiment) In the first embodiment, a case where a rear cover 40 as an example of a non-metallic member has a plurality of heat dissipation ribs 46 was illustrated. In contrast, in the second embodiment, an inner housing 20 as an example of a non-metallic member has a plurality of heat dissipation ribs 27.

[0080] FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are views of the inner housing 20. FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the inner housing 20 in which the reinforcing structure portion 25 provided on the back surface portion 24b of the base portion 24 can be visually recognized. FIG. 5B is a rear view of the inner housing 20 when viewed from the first direction corresponding to the Z direction of the back surface portion 24b. FIG. 6 is a rear view of the inner housing 20 with the three terminals 10 attached. Hereinafter, the same parts of the connector 1 according to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

[0081] As described above, the inner housing 20 has the first terminal accommodating portion 21, the second terminal accommodating portion 22, the third terminal accommodating portion 23, the base portion 24, and the reinforcing structure portion 25.

[0082] As shown in FIG. 5B, the first terminal accommodating portion 21 has a first spring structure portion 21a that presses the connection portion 11 against the inner wall on the opposite side in order to maintain the accommodation state when the connection portion 11 of the first terminal 10a is accommodated. Similarly, the second terminal accommodating portion 22 has a second spring structure portion 22a. The third terminal accommodating portion 23 has a third spring structure portion 23a.

[0083] The reinforcing structure portion 25 has at least a first plate portion 25a and a second plate portion 25b as portions constituting the main shape of the reinforcing structure portion 25. As shown in FIG. 6, the first plate portion 25a and the second plate portion 25b are flat plate-like portions each having a surface facing the second surface 12b of the joint portion 12 in each terminal 10 in a state of being attached to the inner housing 20 along the third direction corresponding to the X direction. In other words, at the joint portion 12 of each terminal 10, the terminal portion 101a is joined in advance so that the second surface 12b faces either the first plate portion 25a or the second plate portion 25b when the terminal 10 is attached to the inner housing 20.

[0084] The first plate portion 25a and the second plate portion 25b are each supported by the back surface portion 24b of the base portion 24, are approximately parallel to the virtual YZ plane, and have shapes that are symmetric with respect to each other in the third direction. Hereinafter, in the first plate portion 25a and the second plate portion 25b, the surfaces on the opposing sides are defined as the inner surfaces 25c, and the surfaces on the opposite sides are defined as the outer surfaces 25d. In the view in the first direction corresponding to the Z direction, as shown in FIG. 5B, the first plate portion 25a is arranged so as to penetrate between the opening of the first terminal accommodating portion 21 and the opening of the third terminal accommodating portion 23 in the second direction corresponding to the Y direction. In this case, in the first plate portion 25a, a part of the inner surface 25c is adjacent to the opening of the first terminal accommodating portion 21, and a part of the outer surface 25d is adjacent to the opening of the third terminal accommodating portion 23. On the other hand, in the view in the first direction, the second plate portion 25b is arranged so as to penetrate between the opening of the first terminal accommodating portion 21 and the opening of the second terminal accommodating portion 22 in the second direction. In this case, in the second plate portion 25b, a part of the inner surface 25c is adjacent to the opening of the first terminal accommodating portion 21, and a part of the outer surface 25d is adjacent to the opening of the second terminal accommodating portion 22. That is, according to the arrangement relationship between the first plate portion 25a and the second plate portion 25b, the opening of the first terminal accommodating portion 21 is opened from the back surface portion 24b into the space sandwiched between the first plate portion 25a and the second plate portion 25b. The opening of the second terminal accommodating portion 22 is opened from the back surface portion 24b into the space facing the outer surface 25d of the second plate portion 25b. The opening of the third terminal accommodating portion 23 is opened from the back surface portion 24b into the space facing the outer surface 25d of the first plate portion 25a.

[0085] Note that the reinforcing structure portion 25 may have, in addition to the first plate portion 25a and the second plate portion 25b, a plurality of plate portions that are effective for reinforcing the inner housing 20, such as a plate portion that is continuous with both the first plate portion 25a and the second plate portion 25b, as a portion constituting the main shape of the reinforcing structure portion 25.

[0086] Further, the reinforcing structure portion 25 has a plurality of guide ribs 26 and a plurality of heat dissipation ribs 27.

[0087] The plurality of guide ribs 26 guide the connection portion 11 into contact with the terminal accommodating portion such as the first terminal accommodating portion 21 when accommodating the terminal 10 in the terminal accommodating portion, and guide the entry of the connection portion 11 into the terminal accommodating portion. Since the guide ribs 26 are provided for each terminal 10, in the present embodiment, there are three sets of guide ribs 26, namely, the first guide rib 26a, the second guide rib 26b, and the third guide rib 26c. The first guide rib 26a guides the entry of the connection portion 11 of the first terminal 10a into the first terminal accommodating portion 21. The second guide rib 26b guides the entry of the connection portion 11 of the second terminal 10b into the second terminal accommodating portion 22. The third guide rib 26c guides the entry of the connection portion 11 of the third terminal 10c into the third terminal accommodating portion 23.

[0088] The guide ribs 26 are each composed of a set of two ribs extending in the first direction. For example, referring to the first guide rib 26a in FIG. 5B, the two ribs constituting the first guide rib 26a are symmetrically arranged with respect to the virtual XZ plane passing through the central axis AX of the first terminal accommodating portion 21. Then, when the operator pushes the first terminal 10a toward the first terminal accommodating portion 21 while bringing the connection portion 11 of the first terminal 10a into contact with both of the two ribs of the first guide rib 26a, the connection portion 11 is guided by the first guide rib 26a and accommodated in the first terminal accommodating portion 21. Therefore, the first guide rib 26a is provided on the inner surface 25c of either the first plate portion 25a or the second plate portion 25b such that one end faces the opening of the first terminal accommodating portion 21. In the present embodiment, the first guide rib 26a is provided on the inner surface 25c of the first plate portion 25a. Similarly, the second guide rib 26b is provided on the outer surface 25d of the second plate portion 25b such that one end faces the opening of the second terminal accommodating portion 22. The third guide rib 26c is provided on the outer surface 25d of the first plate portion 25a such that one end faces the opening of the third terminal accommodating portion 23.

[0089] The plurality of heat dissipation ribs 27 receive heat from the joint portion 12 by coming into contact with the joint portion 12 of each terminal 10 when each terminal 10 is attached to the inner housing 20. Since the heat dissipation ribs 27 are provided for each terminal 10, in this embodiment, there are three heat dissipation ribs 27, namely, a first heat dissipation rib 27a, a second heat dissipation rib 27b, and a third heat dissipation rib 27c. The first heat dissipation rib 27a contacts the second surface 12b of the joint portion 12 in the first terminal 10a. The second heat dissipation rib 27b contacts the second surface 12b of the joint portion 12 in the second terminal 10b. The third heat dissipation rib 27c contacts the second surface 12b of the joint portion 12 in the third terminal 10c.

[0090] The heat dissipation ribs 27 are each a set of two ribs extending in the first direction. For example, referring to the first heat dissipation rib 27a in FIG. 5B, the two ribs constituting the first heat dissipation rib 27a are symmetrically arranged with respect to each other based on a virtual XZ plane passing through the central axis AX of the first terminal housing portion 21. And as shown in FIG. 6, when the connection portion 11 of the first terminal 10a is housed in the first terminal housing portion 21, the second surface 12b of the joint portion 12 contacts the tip of the first heat dissipation rib 27a. Therefore, the first heat dissipation rib 27a is provided on the inner surface 25c of either the first plate portion 25a or the second plate portion 25b. In this embodiment, the first heat dissipation rib 27a is provided on the inner surface 25c of the first plate portion 25a. Similarly, the second heat dissipation rib 27b is provided on the outer surface 25d of the second plate portion 25b. The third heat dissipation rib 27c is provided on the outer surface 25d of the first plate portion 25a.

[0091] Here, as described above, a plurality of guide ribs 26 are provided on the first plate portion 25a or the second plate portion 25b. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5B, the two ribs constituting the first heat dissipation rib 27a may be arranged so as to sandwich the first guide rib 26a in the second direction. Similarly, the two ribs constituting the second heat dissipation rib 27b may be arranged so as to sandwich the second guide rib 26b in the second direction. The two ribs constituting the third heat dissipation rib 27c may be arranged so as to sandwich the third guide rib 26c in the second direction.

[0092] Further, the height H1 of each heat dissipation rib 27 is preset to a value that can continuously press the second surface 12b of the joint portion 12 at all times after each terminal 10 is attached to the inner housing 20. Further, the height H1 of each heat dissipation rib 27 is set higher than the height H2 of each guide rib 26 due to the difference in the functions of the heat dissipation rib 27 and the guide rib 26.

[0093] Next, the operation and effects of the connector 1 according to the second embodiment will be described.

[0094] The connector 1 is connected to an external connector, and includes a plurality of terminals 10 having a joint portion 12 for ultrasonic bonding the terminal portions 101a of the core wires 101 of different electric wires 100, and a plurality of non-metallic members that enclose each terminal 10 when combined with each other. At least one of the plurality of non-metallic members has a plurality of heat dissipation ribs that contact the joint portion 12 for each terminal 10.

[0095] Here, in the present embodiment, a case where the inner housing 20 as an example of the non-metallic member has a plurality of heat dissipation ribs 27 is illustrated.

[0096] In the connector 1, for each terminal 10, a heat dissipation rib 27 that contacts the joint portion 12 that becomes hot is provided as a part of the synthetic resin inner housing 20. Therefore, the heat of the joint portion 12 is transmitted to the entire inner housing 20 through the heat dissipation rib 27 and is finally released to the outside of the inner housing 20, so that the temperature rise of the joint portion 12, and thus the temperature rise of the connector 1, can be suppressed in advance.

[0097] As described above, according to the present embodiment, similar to the first embodiment, it is possible to provide the connector 1 that suppresses the temperature rise during energization.

[0098] Also, let the direction of connection to the external connector be the first direction, and the direction that intersects the first direction and in which the terminal portion 101a is arranged from the main body of the electric wire 100 to the joint portion 12 be the second direction. Here, in the connector 1, the joint portion 12 may be a flat plate portion having a first surface 12a and a second surface 12b that are surfaces parallel to the first direction and the second direction. Each heat dissipation rib 27 may be in contact with the joint portion 12 along a third direction that is orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction.

[0099] Here too, the first direction corresponds to the Z direction, the second direction corresponds to the Y direction, and the third direction corresponds to the X direction. Also, the first direction and the second direction only need to intersect and are not necessarily orthogonal.

[0100] For example, assume a case where each terminal 10 is attached to an inner housing 20 as an example of a non-metallic member having a plurality of heat dissipation ribs 27, and the heat dissipation rib 27 is brought into contact with the second surface 12b of the joint portion 12 for each terminal 10. In this case, while attaching each terminal 10 along the first direction, the heat dissipation rib 27 can be brought into contact with the second surface 12b of the joint portion 12 along the third direction without interfering with the electric wire 100 that is routed along the second direction toward the joint portion 12. Therefore, according to this connector 1, it is advantageous in terms of simplifying the structure of the connector 1 or facilitating the assembly workability.

[0101] Also, in the connector 1, each terminal 10 may have a connection portion 11 for connecting to an external terminal of the external connector. The non-metallic member having each heat dissipation rib 27 may be an inner housing 20 as a terminal holding member. The inner housing 20 may have a terminal housing portion that houses the connection portion 11 for each terminal 10 along the first direction, and a reinforcing structure portion 25 that includes a plate portion facing the second surface 12b on the side where the terminal portion 101a is not joined at the joint portion 12. Each heat dissipation rib 27 may protrude from the plate portion and be in contact with the joint portion 12 when the terminal 10 is held by the inner housing 20.

[0102] Here, the terminal housing portion in the inner housing 20 corresponds to the first terminal housing portion 21, the second terminal housing portion 22, and the third terminal housing portion 23 in the above example. Also, the plate portions in the reinforcing structure portion 25 where the respective heat dissipation ribs 27 are provided correspond to the first plate portion 25a and the second plate portion 25b in the above example.

[0103] FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the holding state of the third terminal 10c in the inner housing 20 corresponding to the VII-VII cross-section in FIG. 1. However, in FIG. 7, for the sake of convenience, the drawing of the rear cover 40 and the upper shell 80 is omitted.

[0104] According to this connector 1, since the heat dissipation rib 27 contacts the joint portion 12, the heat of the joint portion 12 can be transferred to the synthetic resin heat dissipation rib 27, so that the temperature rise during energization can be further suppressed.

[0105] On the other hand, taking the third terminal 10c as an example, as shown in FIG. 7, in a state where the connection portion 11 of the third terminal 10c is housed in the third terminal housing portion 23, the third heat dissipation rib 27c contacts the second surface 12b of the joint portion 12 while pressing in the direction indicated by the black arrow. Therefore, according to this connector 1, the inclination of the third terminal 10c held by the inner housing 20 can be suppressed, so that the contact with the external terminal for the third terminal 10c can be stabilized. This also applies to the holding of the first terminal 10a and the second terminal 10b.

[0106] Note that the structure of the heat dissipation rib 46 in the first embodiment and the structure of the heat dissipation rib 27 in the second embodiment may be implemented simultaneously.

[0107] In addition, in each of the above-described embodiments, the structure related to the heat dissipation rib 27 or the heat dissipation rib 46 is described as being adopted for the connector 1 having a U-shaped side view such that the direction of connection to the external connector and the direction of drawing out the electric wire to the outside are along the same direction. However, a structure such as the heat dissipation rib 27 or the heat dissipation rib 46 can also be adopted for a connector having an L-shaped side view, for example, such that the direction of connection to the external connector and the direction of drawing out the electric wire to the outside are orthogonal to each other.

[0108] Although each of the embodiments has been described above, the embodiments are not limited to these, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist of the embodiments.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0109] 1 Connector 10 Terminals 11 Connection Portion 12 Joint Portion 12a First Surface 12b Second Surface 20 Inner Housing 21 First Terminal Accommodation Portion 22 Second Terminal Accommodation Portion 23 Third Terminal Accommodation Portion 25 Reinforcement Structure Portion 25a First Plate Portion 25b Second Plate Portion 27 Heat Dissipation Rib 40 Rear Cover 46 Heat Dissipation Rib 100 Electric Wire 101 Core Wire 101a Terminal Portion 101b Outer Surface Portion 101c Inner Surface Portion

Claims

1. A connector connected to an external connector, comprising: a plurality of terminals having joints for ultrasonically joining terminal portions of core wires of different electric wires; a plurality of non-metallic members that are combined with each other to enclose each of the terminals; A connector, wherein at least one of the plurality of non-metallic members has a plurality of heat dissipation ribs that contact the joint or the terminal portion for each terminal.

2. Taking the direction of connection to the external connector as the first direction, and taking the direction that intersects the first direction and in which the terminal portion is arranged from the main body of the electric wire to the joint as the second direction, The joint is a flat plate portion having a surface parallel to the first direction and the second direction, The connector according to claim 1, wherein each of the heat dissipation ribs contacts the joint or the terminal portion along a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction.

3. The non-metallic member having each of the heat dissipation ribs is a cover member assembled along the first direction, The shape of the terminal portion joined to the joint is a flat plate shape having an inner surface portion that contacts the surface of the joint and an outer surface portion that is an uneven portion where the nail shape is transferred during joining, The connector according to claim 2, wherein each of the heat dissipation ribs has an uneven shape adapted to the nail shape on the outer surface portion of the terminal portion and has a contact surface that contacts the outer surface portion of the terminal portion when the cover member is assembled.

4. Each of the terminals has a connection portion for connecting an external terminal of the external connector, The non-metallic member having each of the heat dissipation ribs, a terminal housing portion that houses the connection portion for each terminal along the first direction, a reinforcing structure portion including a plate portion facing the surface on the side where the terminal portion is not joined at the joint; is a terminal holding member having, The connector according to claim 2, wherein each of the heat dissipation ribs protrudes from the plate portion and contacts the joint when the terminal is held by the terminal holding member.

Images