Terminal structure of shield electric wire and method for forming the same, and electric wire with terminal and electric wire with connector

Abstract

To provide a terminal structure of a shield electric wire that has a high tensile strength of a ferrule relative to a shield electric wire, has a compact terminal structure formed easily and a method for forming the same, and an electric wire with a terminal and an electric wire with a connector.SOLUTION: Provided are a terminal structure of a shield electric wire 10 and a method for forming the same, the terminal structure having a core part 11 in which a conducting wire 12 is covered with an insulating layer 13, a shield layer 14 that is arranged on the outer periphery of the core part, and a casing 15 that covers the outer periphery of the shield layer, and comprising: a ferrule 20 that has a cylindrical part 22 having an inner diameter equal to or more than the outer diameter of the core part 11, wherein the cylindrical part 22 is located between the core part 11 and an exposed portion of the shield layer 14 that is exposed after a predetermined length of casing 15 is peeled off; and a ring-shaped sleeve 30 that has an inner diameter equal to or more than the outer diameter of the shield electric wire 10, and is fixed and arranged at a position facing an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical part 22 while sandwiching the exposed portion of the shield layer 14 with the cylindrical part 22. Provided are an electric wire with a terminal and an electric wire with a connector having the terminal structure.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a terminal structure of a shielded electric wire, a method for forming the same, an electric wire with a terminal, and an electric wire with a connector. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, shielded electric wires have been used in electric wires used in, for example, wire harnesses in automobiles in order to prevent leakage of electromagnetic waves to the outside or to suppress the influence of electromagnetic waves from the outside on the electric wires.

[0003] As such a shielded electric wire, for example, a shielded electric wire has been proposed in which a shield layer including a braided wire is formed on the outer periphery of an insulated coated electric wire, and an outer sheath is formed on the outer periphery of the shielded electric wire. When a terminal or the like is connected to the end of such a shielded electric wire to form a connector, it is necessary to form a terminal structure for grounding the shield layer.

[0004] 12A and 12B are explanatory diagrams showing the steps of forming a conventional terminal structure. First, as shown in Fig. 12A and 12B, a predetermined length of the outermost outer sheath 103 of the shielded electric wire 100 is cut and removed from the end to expose the shield layer 105 including the inner braided wire.

[0005] 12(c), the shield layer 105 is cut to a predetermined length to expose the internal core portion 107. That is, a predetermined length of the shield layer 105 is exposed from the tip of the outer jacket 103, and a predetermined length of the core portion 107 is exposed from the tip of the shield layer 105. The core portion 107 is an electric wire with an insulating coating on a conductor.

[0006] Next, as shown in Fig. 12(d), a predetermined length of inner ferrule 109 is placed near the end of the outer jacket 103. The inner ferrule 109 is a ring-shaped metal member. Thereafter, as shown in Fig. 12(e), the shielding layer 105 exposed from the outer jacket 103 is folded back toward the outer jacket 103 (toward the inner ferrule 109). As a result, the inner ferrule 109 is covered with the shielding layer 105.

[0007] 12(f), the outer ferrule 113 is disposed on the outer periphery of the shield layer 105. The outer ferrule 113 is a metal annular member similar to the inner ferrule 109, and has an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the inner ferrule 109. In this state, by compressing the outer ferrule 113 from the periphery, the inner ferrule 109 and the outer ferrule 113 can be crimped together with the shield layer 105 sandwiched between them.

[0008] Thereafter, a terminal is connected to the core portion 107 and accommodated in the connector body. At this time, the outer ferrule 113 is brought into contact with a metal member inside the connector body, and the metal member is connected to a ground wire, thereby grounding the shield layer of the shielded electric wire 100.

[0009] However, because the inner ferrule 109 and the outer ferrule 113 are fixed to the folded-back piece of the shield layer 105, there is a concern that the tensile strength of these ferrules relative to the shielded wire 100 may be reduced. In addition, the fixed portion between these ferrules and the shielded wire 100 is a laminate of the inner ferrule 109, the folded-back piece of the shield layer 105, the outer ferrule 113, and the jacket 103, and protrudes significantly from the outer periphery of the shielded wire 100, resulting in an increase in the size of the structure in question. Furthermore, because the required length of the shield layer 105 increases by the amount of folding back, stripping cannot be performed all at once; stripping must be performed before and after folding back the shield layer 105, resulting in a large amount of work. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-51141

[0011] [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2021-182467 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0012] Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a shielded electric wire termination structure that has a high tensile strength of the ferrule relative to the shielded electric wire, is compact, and is easy to form, as well as an electric wire with a terminal and an electric wire with a connector that have the termination structure. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for forming a shielded electric wire termination structure that can easily form a shielded electric wire termination structure that has these excellent properties while reducing the amount of work required. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] The above object can be achieved by the present invention, which is described below.

[0014] <1> A terminal structure of a shielded electric wire having a core portion in which a conductor is covered with an insulating layer, a shield layer disposed on the outer periphery of the core portion, and an outer sheath covering the outer periphery of the shield layer, a ferrule having a cylindrical portion having an inner diameter equal to or greater than the outer diameter of the core portion, the cylindrical portion being located between the core portion and an exposed portion of the shielding layer exposed when a predetermined length of the outer jacket is peeled off; a ring-shaped sleeve having an inner diameter equal to or greater than the outer diameter of the shielded electric wire, the ring-shaped sleeve being fixed in place opposite the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion while sandwiching the exposed portion of the shielding layer together with the cylindrical portion.

[0015] <2> <1> A method for forming the terminal structure of a shielded electric wire according to claim 1, a stripping step of stripping the end of the shielded wire from the tip so that the conductor, the insulating layer, and the shielding layer are exposed; a sleeve fitting step of fitting the sleeve from the tip of the shielded wire, passing through a position where an exposed portion of the shield layer is formed, to a position where the outer jacket remains; a ferrule placement step of fitting the cylindrical portion of the ferrule between the exposed portion of the shield layer and the core portion; a sleeve positioning step of moving the sleeve to the exposed portion of the shielding layer and positioning the sleeve so that the sleeve faces the outer peripheral surface of the tubular portion while sandwiching the exposed portion of the shielding layer; a crimping step of crimping the sleeve from the outer periphery to fix the ferrule to the shielded wire; A method for forming a terminal structure of a shielded electric wire, comprising:

[0016] <3> <1> A method for forming the terminal structure of a shielded electric wire according to claim 1, a stripping step of stripping the end of the shielded wire from the tip so that the conductor, the insulating layer, and the shielding layer are exposed; a ferrule placement step of fitting the cylindrical portion of the ferrule between the exposed portion of the shield layer and the core portion; a sleeve arrangement step of winding a band-shaped body around a position facing the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion with the exposed portion of the shielding layer sandwiched therebetween to form a ring shape, and arranging the ring shape as the sleeve; a crimping step of crimping the sleeve from the outer periphery to fix the ferrule to the shielded wire; A method for forming a terminal structure of a shielded electric wire, comprising:

[0017] <4> <1> A terminal-attached electric wire having the terminal structure of the shielded electric wire according to A terminal-attached electric wire, in which a predetermined length of the insulating layer is peeled off from the tip of the core portion, and the internal conductor is connected to a terminal.

[0018] <5> <4> and a connector housing that accommodates the terminal of the terminal-attached electric wire. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a terminal structure for a shielded electric wire that has a high tensile strength of a ferrule with respect to the shielded electric wire, is compact, and is easy to form, as well as an electric wire with a terminal and an electric wire with a connector that have the terminal structure. Also, according to another aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a method for forming a terminal structure for a shielded electric wire that can easily form a terminal structure for a shielded electric wire that has these excellent properties while reducing the amount of work. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an end structure of a shielded electric wire according to an embodiment that is an exemplary aspect of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a shielded electric wire used in a terminal structure of a shielded electric wire according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a ferrule used in the terminal structure of the shielded electric wire according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the end of the shielded electric wire after the operation of the sleeve arrangement step is performed in the method for forming the terminal structure of the shielded electric wire according to the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 5] 1 is a perspective view showing a connector-attached electric wire having a terminal structure of a shielded electric wire according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a connector-attached electric wire having the terminal structure of a shielded electric wire according to an embodiment, taken along the line AA in FIG. 5. FIG. [Figure 7] 1 is an explanatory perspective view showing how a terminal-attached electric wire is incorporated into a connector housing in a connector-attached electric wire having a terminal structure of a shielded electric wire according to an embodiment. FIG. [Figure 8] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the state of an end portion of a shielded electric wire after a stripping step is performed in a method for forming an end structure of a shielded electric wire according to an embodiment. FIG. [Figure 9] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the end of the shielded electric wire after a sleeve fitting step is performed in the method for forming the terminal structure of the shielded electric wire according to the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 10] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the end portion of the shielded electric wire after the operation of the ferrule arrangement step is performed in the method for forming the terminal structure of the shielded electric wire according to the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the end of the shielded electric wire in a sleeve arrangement step in the method for forming the terminal structure of the shielded electric wire according to the modified example. [Figure 12] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing a process for forming a conventional terminal structure of a shielded electric wire. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A shielded wire terminal structure and a method for forming the same according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0022] [Shielded wire terminal structure] First, the terminal structure of the shielded electric wire according to this embodiment will be described. Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the terminal structure of a shielded electric wire according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the terminal structure of a shielded electric wire according to this embodiment (hereinafter, may be simply referred to as "terminal structure") includes a shielded electric wire 10, a ferrule 20, and a sleeve 30, and a terminal 40 is further connected to it.

[0023] 2 is a cross-sectional view of a shielded electric wire 10. The shielded electric wire 10 has a core 11 in which a conductor 12 is covered with an insulating layer 13, a shield layer 14 disposed on the outer periphery of the core 11, and an outer sheath 15 that covers the outer periphery of the shield layer 14. The conductor 12 is made of a conductive metal such as copper, aluminum, stainless steel, or silver, and the insulating layer 13 and the outer sheath 15 are made of an insulating resin such as polyvinyl chloride or polyethylene.

[0024] The shielding layer 14 is a layer of metal such as copper, aluminum, stainless steel, or silver, and may have any structure, such as a braided wire made of braided wires of these metals, a foil-wound wire made of unbraided metal foil tape wound in a spiral shape, or a layer of conductive polymer. The shielding layer 14 may also have a structure combining two or more of these layers (for example, a laminate of a braided wire layer and a foil-wound wire layer).

[0025] The end of the shielded electric wire 10 is stripped so that, starting from the tip 10e, the outer periphery of the conductor 12, the outer periphery of the insulating layer 13, and the outer periphery of the shielding layer 14 become the outermost periphery.

[0026] In the present invention and this specification, the "end" of the shielded electric wire 10 is a concept that refers to the tip 10e of the shielded electric wire 10 and the area nearby. More specifically, it refers to an area extending from the tip 10e of the shielded electric wire 10 to which the effects of various deformations, addition of members, and the like due to the terminal structure according to this embodiment extend.

[0027] Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a ferrule 20 used in the terminal structure of a shielded electric wire according to this embodiment. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the ferrule 20 is a conductive member made of, for example, a metal, and includes a connecting portion 21, a tubular portion 22, and a step portion 23 connecting the connecting portion 21 and the tubular portion 22. That is, the ferrule 20 is formed such that the tubular portion 22 and the connecting portion 21 are integrally formed. The ferrule 20 is made of a metal or alloy such as copper or a copper alloy, aluminum or an aluminum alloy, or iron or an iron alloy (e.g., stainless steel), and has a hardness that allows it to maintain a predetermined shape.

[0028] The connecting portion 21 of the ferrule 20 is connected to a connected portion (not shown) of an external electronic device. The connecting portion 21 of the ferrule 20 has a female fitting shape, and a connected portion of the external electronic device, which has a male fitting shape, fits into the connecting portion 21, thereby connecting the two. Note that this male-female relationship may be reversed.

[0029] In this embodiment, the connection portion 21 of the ferrule 20 has a shape with a rectangular opening, but this is not limited to this, and there are no particular restrictions on the shape of the opening, as long as it is a shape that can be connected to the connected portion of an external electronic device, such as a circle, an ellipse, another polygon, or an irregular shape.

[0030] The external electronic device referred to here refers to an electronic device separate from the shielded electric wire 10 and the terminal structure of the shielded electric wire according to this embodiment, and examples thereof include various ECUs (Electronic Control Units) and control devices mounted on automobiles, various motors, monitors, meters, various lamps, various sensors, and various other electrical equipment.

[0031] Furthermore, the connected portion of the external electronic device can be, but is not limited to, a connector 60 described later, and can be anything that is electrically connected to the external electronic device, such as a device that is directly provided on the external electronic device, or a device that is connected to the external electronic device via a cable, etc. In particular, when the connected portion of the external electronic device is a connector 60 as shown in FIG. 5 described later, the shape of the connecting portion 21 of the ferrule 20 is preferably a shape that corresponds to the shape of the connector 60.

[0032] The cylindrical portion 22 of the ferrule 20 has an inner diameter equal to or greater than the outer diameter of the core portion 11, and is fitted between the shield layer 14 and the core portion 11 from the end of the shield layer 14. That is, the cylindrical portion 22 is located between the core portion 11 and an exposed portion of the shield layer 14 that is exposed when a predetermined length of the jacket 15 is peeled off. The shield layer 14 is slightly raised above the core portion 11 at the end of the shielded wire 10, creating a gap, and the cylindrical portion 22 of the ferrule 20 is sandwiched in the gap.

[0033] In this embodiment, the inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 22 of the ferrule 20 is appropriately designed to be larger than the outer diameter of the core portion 11. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 1, a predetermined gap 22g is formed between the core portion 11 and the cylindrical portion 22. By forming the gap 22g between the core portion 11 and the cylindrical portion 22, workability can be improved.

[0034] The sleeve 30 is ring-shaped with an inner diameter equal to or greater than the outer diameter of the shielded wire 10, and is fixedly disposed in a position facing the outer circumferential surface of the tubular portion 22 of the ferrule 20, sandwiching the exposed portion of the shielding layer 14 together with the tubular portion 22. More specifically, the sleeve 30 located on the outer periphery of the shielding layer 14 is crimped in a position facing the outer circumferential surface of the tubular portion 22 with the shielding layer 14 sandwiched therebetween.

[0035] The sleeve 30, the shielding layer 14, and the tubular portion 22 can be crimped together by crimping or welding, but crimping is preferred because the tubular portion 22 serves as a receiving member to firmly fix the ferrule 20 and the shielded wire 10. By crimping the sleeve 30 from the outer periphery of the shielding layer 14, the tubular portion 22 of the ferrule 20 serves as a receiving portion for crimping, and the end of the shielding layer 14 is sandwiched between the sleeve 30 and the tubular portion 22, fixing the ferrule 20 and the shielding layer 14 together.

[0036] The sleeve 30 may be made of the same material as the ferrule 20, or may be made of another material that is less susceptible to stress relaxation. The sleeve 30 may also be made by wrapping a band-shaped (strip-shaped) object around it to form a ring.

[0037] In the terminal structure of the shielded wire according to this embodiment having the above structure, the shield layer 14 to which the ferrule 20 is fixed is not folded back, so the tensile strength of the ferrule 20 relative to the shielded wire 10 is high. Furthermore, because the shield layer 14 is not folded back, there is only one layer of the shield layer 14 at the fixed portion between the ferrule 20 and the shielded wire 10, and there is no outer sheath 15, so there is no large protrusion, resulting in a compact structure. Furthermore, as will be described later, the terminal structure of the shielded wire according to this embodiment is easy to form.

[0038] [Terminal-attached wire] An electric wire with terminal having the terminal structure of the shielded electric wire according to this embodiment will be described. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an electric wire with a terminal having the terminal structure of a shielded electric wire according to an embodiment, in which the terminal is shown in a schematic shape.

[0039] As shown in Fig. 4, in the electric wire with terminal 4 having the termination structure according to this embodiment, a predetermined length of the insulating layer is peeled from the tip of the core portion 11, and the internal conductor 12 is connected to the terminal 40. The conductor 12 and the terminal 40 are connected by ultrasonic welding. Of course, the conductor 12 and the terminal 40 may be connected by other connection methods than ultrasonic welding, such as soldering, crimping, locking, or heat welding. This terminal 40 is generally electrically connected to a connection terminal (not shown) provided on a connected portion of an external electronic device via a connector, which will be described later.

[0040] [Wire with connector] A connector-attached electric wire having the terminal structure of the shielded electric wire according to this embodiment will be described.

[0041] Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a connector-attached electric wire 6 having the terminal structure of a shielded electric wire according to an embodiment, and Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in Fig. 5. The connector-attached electric wire 6 shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is an example of a configuration in which two shielded electric wires are connected to one connector.

[0042] 5, the connector-equipped electric wire 6 includes two of the above-described terminal-equipped electric wires 4, and a connector 60 including a connector housing 61 and two wire holding members 62. In this connector-equipped electric wire 6, the connector housing 61 accommodates an area including the terminal 40, the ferrule 20, and the sleeve 30 in the termination structure of the shielded electric wire 10.

[0043] Fig. 7 is an explanatory perspective view showing how the terminal-fitted wire 4 is assembled into the connector housing 61. However, the wire holding member 62 is not shown in Fig. 7. The connector housing 61 is provided with a first opening 64 that is approximately square, and two adjacent second openings 65 that are rectangular and approximately half the size of the first opening 64.

[0044] 7, the end of the terminal-attached electric wire 4 is inserted (from the terminal 40 side) into the second opening 65. Other components may be added to the end of the terminal-attached electric wire 4 for the purposes of engaging and fixing the terminal 40 in the connector housing 61 and for the purposes of establishing electrical continuity with the shielding layer 14.

[0045] The terminal 40 has a terminal body 41, a fixed portion 43, and a connecting portion 42 that connects the terminal body 41 and the fixed portion 43. The conductor 12 of the shielded electric wire 10 is fixed to the fixed portion 43 by ultrasonic welding and electrically connected. In the drawing, 43a is a welded portion between the conductor 12 and the fixed portion 43 by ultrasonic welding.

[0046] The method for fixing the conductor 12 to the fixing portion 43 is not limited to ultrasonic welding, and may be any conventionally known method such as soldering, crimping, connection using various connecting members, etc. However, among these, ultrasonic welding is preferred because it allows for easy and strong connection.

[0047] The electric wire with terminal 4 inserted through the second opening 65 is positioned so that the terminal body 41 of the terminal 40 can be seen through the first opening 64. One of the two wire holding members 62 is shaped to cover one of the two second openings 65 and has a through hole 63. The shielded electric wire 10 passes through this through hole 63 to connect the inside and outside of the connector housing 61. The electric wire with terminal 4 has the terminal body 41 and ferrule 20 fixed at a predetermined position within the connector housing 61 by fixing means (not shown).

[0048] The connector housing 61 is provided with locking claws 61a on the outer periphery of the opening of the second opening 65. On the other hand, the electric wire holding member 62 is provided with locking holes 62a on the outer periphery thereof, and the electric wire holding member 62 is attached to the connector housing 61 by locking the locking claws 61a into the locking holes 62a, and the second opening 65 is closed by the electric wire holding member 62.

[0049] The terminal-fitted electric wires 4 are inserted into and fixed in the two second openings 65, respectively, and the electric wire holding member 62 is attached, whereby the two terminal-fitted electric wires 4 are attached to the connector housing 61. The connector housing 61 is in a state in which the terminals 40 of the terminal-fitted electric wires 4 are accommodated therein.

[0050] 5 and 6, the connection portions 41a of the terminals 40 of the two terminal-fitted electric wires 4 can be seen through the first opening 64, and an external connection terminal can be accessed. Although not shown, a conductive portion electrically connected to the ferrule 20 can also be seen through the first opening 64, and an external ground terminal electrically connected to the ground can be accessed.

[0051] The connector housing 61 is structured to mate with an external connector (not shown) connected to an external electronic device to fix the connector 60. The external connector includes an external connection terminal that is electrically connected to the external electronic device and an external ground terminal that is electrically connected to ground. The external connector can be coupled to the connector 60 by fitting it into the fitting structure on the edge of the first opening 64. At this time, the external connection terminal of the external connector is connected to the connecting portion 41a of the terminal 40, and the external ground terminal of the external connector is connected to a conductive portion (not shown) that is electrically connected to the ferrule 20.

[0052] In the connector-attached electric wire 6 configured as described above, the terminals can be electrically connected to each other by coupling the connector 60 to an external connector to be connected. In addition, the ferrule 20, which is electrically connected to the shielding layer 14, can also be grounded by being connected to an external ground terminal of the external connector for electrical conduction.

[0053] The connector-attached wire 6 shown in Figures 5 to 7 is an example in which the number of terminals 40 accommodated in the connector housing 61 is two (the number of shielded wires connected to one connector is two), but this is not limited to this, and the number of terminals accommodated in the connector housing may be one or three or more.

[0054] [Method for forming the terminal structure of a shielded electric wire] Next, a method for forming the terminal structure of a shielded electric wire according to this embodiment (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as the "forming method of this embodiment") will be described. The forming method of this embodiment includes a stripping step, a sleeve fitting step, a ferrule arrangement step, a sleeve arrangement step, and a crimping step, followed by a terminal connection step.

[0055] (Strip process) In the forming method of this embodiment, the stripping step is a step of stripping the end of the shielded electric wire 10 shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the end of the shielded electric wire 10 after the stripping step.

[0056] In the stripping process, as shown in Fig. 8, the shielded wire 10 is stripped starting from the tip 10e so that the outer peripheral surfaces (12s, 13s, 14s) of the conductor 12, insulating layer 13, and shielding layer 14 are exposed. This stripping process can be performed sequentially from the opposite side of the tip 10e (the right side in Fig. 8) toward the tip 10e, stripping the outer sheath 15, shielding layer 14, and insulating layer 13, so that all stripping can be completed in a single operation. The stripping process can be performed using a conventionally known measuring stripping device.

[0057] (Sleeve fitting process) In the forming method of this embodiment, the sleeve fitting step is a step of fitting the sleeve 30 from the tip of the shielded electric wire 10, passing through the position (reference numeral 14s) where the exposed portion of the shield layer 14 is formed, to the position 15s where the outer jacket 15 remains. Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the end of the shielded electric wire 10 after the operation in the sleeve fitting step has been performed.

[0058] 9, in the sleeve fitting step, the sleeve 30 is positioned so as to retract to a position 15s where the outer sheath 15 remains relative to the end of the shielded electric wire 10. In this embodiment, a metal ring-shaped molded product is used as the sleeve 30. After the sleeve fitting step, the sleeve 30 is placed on standby on the shielded electric wire 10.

[0059] After the sleeve fitting step, and prior to the next step, the ferrule arrangement step, it is preferable to widen (expand) the shield layer 14 into a horn shape (reference numeral 14f) and provide a small gap 14g between the shield layer 14 and the insulating layer 13 (shield layer diameter expansion step). Figure 9 shows the state in which the shield layer 14 has been made into a horn shape (reference numeral 14f).

[0060] The order of the stripping step and the sleeve fitting step may be the order described in this embodiment, but it may also be reversed, that is, the sleeve fitting step may come first and the stripping step may come later.

[0061] (Ferrule placement process) In the forming method of this embodiment, the ferrule arrangement process is a process of fitting the tubular portion 21 of the ferrule 20 into the gap 14g between the exposed portion (reference numeral 14s) of the shield layer 14 and the core portion 11 (insulating layer 13) after the stripping process and sleeve fitting process. Prior to this process, a shield layer diameter expansion process is performed to expand (expand) the shield layer 14 into a trumpet shape (reference numeral 14f) and provide the gap 14g, which allows the tubular portion 21 of the ferrule 20 to be smoothly fitted into the gap 14g.

[0062] Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the end of the shielded wire 10 after the operation in the ferrule arrangement step has been performed. Fig. 10 shows the state in which the flap-shaped portion 14f of the shielding layer 14 is further expanded (jumped up) when the cylindrical portion 21 of the ferrule 20 is fitted into the small gap 14g between the shielding layer 14 and the core portion 11 (insulating layer 13).

[0063] (Sleeve placement process) In the forming method of this embodiment, the sleeve positioning step is a step of moving the sleeve 30 to the position of the exposed portion (reference symbol 14s) of the shield layer 14 and positioning the sleeve 30 so that it faces the outer circumferential surface of the tubular portion 22 while sandwiching the exposed portion (reference symbol 14s) of the shield layer 14. In the sleeve positioning step, the sleeve 30 moves in the direction indicated by arrow X in FIG.

[0064] It should be noted that the state after the operation in the sleeve placement process has not yet been subjected to the next crimping process, and therefore the terminal structure of the shielded electric wire according to this embodiment is not complete. However, although there are some changes such as slight changes in the outer diameter and shape of the sleeve 30, there is no significant change in shape before and after the crimping process, and therefore the description will be given with reference to FIG. 1.

[0065] By performing the operation in the sleeve placement step, the trumpet-shaped portion 14f of the shield layer 14 that was expanded (jumped up) in the ferrule placement step is pressed down and placed over the outer circumferential surface of the tubular portion 22 when the sleeve 30 is moved to a position facing the outer circumferential surface of the tubular portion 22. As shown in Fig. 1, by performing the operation in the sleeve placement step, the end of the shield layer 14 is sandwiched between the tubular portion 22 of the ferrule 20 and the sleeve 30.

[0066] (Crimping process) In the forming method of this embodiment, the crimping step is a step of crimping the sleeve 30 from the outer periphery to fix the ferrule 20 to the shielded wire 10. As described above, methods for crimping the sleeve 30, the shield layer 14, and the tubular portion 22 include crimping and welding, but crimping is preferred because it firmly fixes the ferrule 20 and the shielded wire 10 together.

[0067] In the case of crimping by crimping, the ring-shaped sleeve 30 is cylindrical before crimping, but is crimped into, for example, a hexagonal shape. Note that the shape of the sleeve 30 after crimping is not limited to a hexagonal shape, and may be other polygonal shapes, an elliptical shape, a shape with one or multiple convex indentations protruding toward the center in the circumferential direction, a shape combining these, or an irregular shape. By carrying out the operations of the steps of the forming method of this embodiment described above, the terminal structure of the shielded electric wire according to this embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is formed.

[0068] According to the method for forming the terminal structure of a shielded electric wire according to the present embodiment described above, the stripping process can be performed in a series of operations in the stripping step, and the work of folding back the shield layer is not required. Therefore, a terminal structure of a shielded electric wire with excellent properties can be easily formed while reducing the amount of work.

[0069] (Terminal connection process) The terminal connecting step, which follows the forming method of this embodiment, is a step of connecting a terminal 40 to the end of the conductor 12. By performing the operation in the terminal connecting step, a terminal-attached electric wire having the terminal structure of the shielded electric wire 10 according to this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 7, is formed. The connection between the conductor 12 and the terminal 40 may be made by welding, or may be made by a connection method other than welding, such as soldering, crimping, or locking.

[0070] The above-described embodiments merely show examples of typical forms of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, in the above-described embodiments, the shielded electric wire 10 is described as a so-called coaxial cable shielded electric wire in which the core portion 11 has one conductor wire 12 covered with one insulating layer 13, but the present invention may also be a bundle of electric wires in which the core portion includes two or more electric wires (= conductor wires covered with an insulating layer).

[0071] In addition, in the forming method of the above embodiment, an example is given in which a metal molded product formed into a ring shape is used as the sleeve 30, but a strip-shaped body (band-shaped object) may also be wound around and fixed into a ring shape to form the sleeve. Below, a modified example in which a sleeve made of a strip-shaped body is used will be described.

[0072] This modified example includes a stripping step, a ferrule placement step, a sleeve placement step, and a crimping step, and does not require the sleeve fitting step that was required in the above embodiment. As with the above embodiment, these steps are followed by a terminal connection step. Furthermore, since each step other than the sleeve placement step is the same as the above embodiment, including the case where a shield layer diameter expansion step is included, a description of this modified example will be omitted.

[0073] 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the end of the shielded electric wire in the sleeve arrangement step in the method for forming a shielded electric wire termination structure according to a modified example in which a ribbon-shaped sleeve is used. In FIG. 11, cross sections in the short direction of the ribbon-shaped body 30' are drawn at two positions, one above the other, on the drawing.

[0074] In this modified example, the sleeve arrangement step is a step of wrapping the exposed portion 14s of the shielding layer 14 in a position facing the outer circumferential surface of the tubular portion 22 to form a ring shape, and arranging this as the sleeve 30. Fig. 11 shows the state before the band-shaped body 30' is wrapped; by wrapping the band-shaped body 30' toward the outer circumferential surface of the tubular portion 22, the diameter of the band-shaped body 30' is narrowed in the direction of the arrow Z, and it takes on a ring shape.

[0075] The ring-shaped band 30' may be glued at the overlapping portions to maintain the ring shape, or may not be glued if the ring shape can be maintained. When glued, any conventionally known method can be used, such as using an adhesive, soldering, or welding. The ring-shaped band 30' is thus positioned as a sleeve 30. The use of the band 30' as the sleeve 30 further simplifies the manufacturing process.

[0076] In addition, those skilled in the art can implement various modifications in accordance with conventionally known knowledge without departing from the gist of the present invention. As long as such modifications still provide the shielded electric wire termination structure and the method for forming the same, and the configuration of the electric wire with terminal and the electric wire with connector of the present invention, they are of course included in the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] 4: Wire with terminals, 6: Wire with connector, 10: Shielded wire, 11: Core part, 12: Conductor, 13: insulating layer, 14: Shielding layer, 15: Outer covering, 20: Ferrule, 21: cylindrical part, 22: Stepped part, 23: Connection part, 30: Sleeve, 40: terminal, 41: Terminal body, 41a: Connection part, 42: Connecting part, 43: Fixed part, 43a: Welded part, 60: Connector, 61: Connector housing, 61a: locking claw, 62: Wire holding member, 62a: locking hole, 63: through hole, 64: first opening, 65: second opening, 100: Shielded wire, 103: Outer covering; 105: Shielding layer, 107: Core part, 109: Inner ferrule, 113: Outer ferrule

Claims

1. A terminal structure of a shielded electric wire having a core portion in which a conductor is covered with an insulating layer, a shield layer disposed on the outer periphery of the core portion, and an outer sheath covering the outer periphery of the shield layer, a ferrule having a cylindrical portion having an inner diameter equal to or greater than the outer diameter of the core portion, the cylindrical portion being located between the core portion and an exposed portion of the shielding layer exposed when a predetermined length of the outer jacket is stripped off; a ring-shaped sleeve having an inner diameter equal to or greater than the outer diameter of the shielded electric wire, the ring-shaped sleeve being fixed in place opposite the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion while sandwiching the exposed portion of the shielding layer together with the cylindrical portion.

2. A method for forming the terminal structure of a shielded electric wire according to claim 1, comprising: a stripping step of stripping the end of the shielded wire in order from the tip so that the conductor, the insulating layer, and the shielding layer are exposed; a sleeve fitting step of fitting the sleeve from the tip of the shielded wire, passing through a position where an exposed portion of the shield layer is formed, to a position where the outer jacket remains; a ferrule placement step of fitting the cylindrical portion of the ferrule between the exposed portion of the shield layer and the core portion; a sleeve positioning step of moving the sleeve to the exposed portion of the shielding layer and positioning the sleeve so that the sleeve faces the outer peripheral surface of the tubular portion while sandwiching the exposed portion of the shielding layer; a crimping step of crimping the sleeve from the outer periphery to fix the ferrule to the shielded wire; A method for forming a terminal structure of a shielded electric wire, comprising:

3. A method for forming the terminal structure of a shielded electric wire according to claim 1, comprising: a stripping step of stripping the end of the shielded wire in order from the tip so that the conductor, the insulating layer, and the shielding layer are exposed; a ferrule placement step of fitting the cylindrical portion of the ferrule between the exposed portion of the shield layer and the core portion; a sleeve arrangement step of winding a band-shaped body around a position facing the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion with the exposed portion of the shielding layer sandwiched therebetween to form a ring shape, and arranging the ring shape as the sleeve; a crimping step of crimping the sleeve from the outer periphery to fix the ferrule to the shielded wire; A method for forming a terminal structure of a shielded electric wire, comprising:

4. A terminal-attached electric wire having the terminal structure of the shielded electric wire according to claim 1, A terminal-attached electric wire, in which a predetermined length of the insulating layer is peeled off from the tip of the core portion, and the internal conductor is connected to a terminal.

5. A connector-attached electric wire comprising: the terminal-attached electric wire according to claim 4; and a connector housing in which the terminal of the terminal-attached electric wire is accommodated.

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