Connector structure

Abstract

To provide a connector structure which can prevent degradation in electrical connection reliability between an outer terminal and a braid in a shield connector.SOLUTION: A connector structure comprises: a shield wire 10; an inner sleeve 6 which has a front crimping part 60 located on an end side of the shield wire 10 and a rear crimping part 64, having an outer shape smaller than that of the front crimping part 60, that is located on a depth side of the front crimping part 60, and which is disposed over an outer peripheral side of a braid 13 exposed from an end of a sheath 14; an inner terminal which is electrically connected to a core wire of an inner wire 11 exposed from the end of the sheath 14; an inner housing 4 in which the inner terminal is housed; and an outer terminal 21 having a shield body 22 which covers an outer periphery of the inner housing 4, and a caulking part 23 which extends from the shield body 22 and is caulked along outer peripheral shapes of the front crimping part 60 and the rear crimping part 64 so as to be electrically connected to a folded portion 13a of the braid 13 that is folded back and disposed over an outer peripheral side of the inner sleeve 6.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] A conventional shielded connector, such as the connector structure disclosed in Patent Document 1, includes a connection terminal (inner terminal) connected to the end of two twisted electric wires (twisted pair electric wires) of an STP (Shielded Twisted Pair) cable, an STP dielectric (inner housing) that houses the connection terminal, and upper and lower outer conductors (outer terminals) that contain the STP dielectric.

[0003] The barrel portions (crimped portions) of the upper and lower outer conductors are electrically connected by crimping to the ends of the shielded conductor (braid) that is folded back and placed on the outer periphery of the sheath, thereby ensuring the noise shielding performance of the shielded connector connected to the terminal of the STP cable. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-63795 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the conventional connector structure described above, if a strong tensile force is applied to the outer conductor (outer terminal) consisting of the upper and lower outer conductors in a direction that causes the STP cable to move away from the outer conductor, the shield conductor (braid) may shift relative to the barrel or come off from the barrel. As a result, there is a concern that the reliability of the electrical connection between the outer conductor and the shield conductor may decrease due to shifting or the like.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above situation, and its purpose is to provide a connector structure that can prevent a decrease in the reliability of the electrical connection between the outer terminal and the braid in a shielded connector. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The above object of the present invention can be achieved by the following configuration. A cable in which a braid surrounding an inner wire is covered with a sheath; an inner sleeve having a front crimping portion located on the end side of the cable and a rear crimping portion having an outer shape smaller than that of the front crimping portion and located on the back side of the front crimping portion, the inner sleeve being fitted over the outer periphery of the braid exposed from the end of the sheath; an inner terminal electrically connected to the core wire of the inner electric wire exposed from the end of the sheath; an inner housing having an inner terminal accommodating portion in which the inner terminal is accommodated; an outer terminal including: a shield body that covers an outer periphery of the inner housing; and a crimping portion that extends from the shield body and is crimped along the outer periphery of the front crimping portion and the rear crimping portion so as to be electrically connected to an end of the braid that is folded back and covered on the outer periphery of the inner sleeve; A connector structure comprising: [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the connector structure of the present invention, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the reliability of the electrical connection between the outer terminal and the braid in the shielded connector.

[0009] The present invention has been briefly described above. The details of the present invention will become clearer by reading the following detailed description of the invention (hereinafter referred to as "embodiments") with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shielded connector showing a state before an inner module having a connector structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is accommodated in an outer housing. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the inner module shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the procedure for connecting the inner module to the end of the cable, showing a state in which a part of the sheath at the end of the cable has been removed. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the procedure for connecting the inner module to the end of the cable, showing the state in which the inner sleeve is placed over the outer periphery of the braid exposed at the end of the cable. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a front view of the inner sleeve crimped onto the end of the cable. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the procedure for connecting an inner module to the end of a cable, showing the state in which the inner terminal is electrically connected to the core wire of the inner electric wire exposed from the end of the sheath. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the procedure for connecting the inner module to the end of the cable, showing the state in which the inner terminal inserted into the matching part is accommodated in the inner terminal accommodating portion of the inner housing. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which the outer terminal is crimped onto the end of the cable. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of part A in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a shielded connector 1 showing an inner module 2 having a connector structure according to an embodiment of the present invention before it is housed in an outer housing 3. Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the inner module 2 shown in Fig. 1.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, a shielded connector 1 having the connector structure of this embodiment is for high-speed transmission and includes an inner module 2 connected to the end of a shielded wire 10, which is an STP (Shielded Twisted Pair) cable in which a braid 13 surrounding an inner wire 11 is covered with a sheath 14, and an outer housing 3 in which this inner module 2 is housed.

[0013] The outer housing 3 is made of insulating resin and has a box shape, and has a module accommodating section 31 that accommodates the inner module 2. In addition, a lock arm 33 is provided on the top surface 32 of the outer housing 3 to maintain the mated state when mated with a mating connector (not shown).

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the inner module 2 includes a shielded wire 10, an inner terminal 15, an inner housing 4, a matching component 5, an inner sleeve 6, and an outer terminal 21.

[0015] The shielded electric wire 10 includes two twisted inner electric wires (twisted pair electric wires) 11, 11, a braid 13 that covers the two inner electric wires 11, 11 via a metal foil 12, and a sheath 14 made of insulating resin that covers the braid 13.

[0016] In this embodiment, the shielded wire 10 is a cable in which a braid 13 surrounding two inner wires (twisted pair wires) 11, 11 is covered with a sheath 14, but as long as the cable has a braid surrounding the inner wires covered with a sheath, other configurations are not limited, and a coaxial cable or the like can also be used.

[0017] Each inner electric wire 11 has a core wire 11a and a resin insulating coating 11b that covers the core wire 11a (see FIG. 6). The two inner electric wires 11, 11 exposed at the terminal side of the shielded electric wire 10 are untwisted, and an inner terminal 15 is crimped and connected to the core wires 11a exposed from the insulating coating 11b at each terminal.

[0018] The braid 13 exposed at the terminal side of the shielded wire 10 is folded back from the tip edge of the inner sleeve 6 toward the outer periphery, and then a folded back portion 13a is folded back to the outside of the sheath 14 after the inner sleeve 6 is crimped to the outer periphery as described below.

[0019] The inner housing 4 has a housing main body 41 formed of insulating resin in the shape of an elliptical cylinder, and has a pair of inner terminal accommodating portions 45, 45 on both sides thereof for accommodating the inner terminal 15 crimped and connected to the core wire 11a of the shielded electric wire 10. The inner terminal 15 is inserted from the rear end opening of the inner housing 4 and accommodated in the inner terminal accommodating portion 45.

[0020] Furthermore, the inner housing 4 is provided with a retainer 47 on a part of the upper wall of the housing main body 41 for locking and preventing the inner terminals 15 accommodated in the inner terminal accommodating portions 45 from coming out. The retainer 47 is integrally molded with the housing main body 41 via a thin hinge, and is capable of opening and closing relative to an opening communicating with the inner terminal accommodating portions 45. A locking projection (not shown) protruding from the inner surface of the retainer 47 locks the inner terminals 15 accommodated in the inner terminal accommodating portions 45, thereby preventing the inner terminals 15 from coming out of the inner housing 4.

[0021] The matching part 5 is made of metal and is formed in an approximately elliptical cylindrical shape, with the connection part 51 fitted onto the rear end part 43 of the inner housing 4, and the transmission characteristic ensuring part 52, which consists of a pair of hollow resilient accommodating parts, accommodates the insulating coating 11b at the end of each internal electric wire 11, thereby improving the transmission performance of the inner module 2. The transmission characteristic ensuring portion 52 has an inner diameter equivalent to the diameter of each internal electric wire 11, and is set to a dimension such that the internal electric wire 11 and the transmission characteristic ensuring portion 52 come into contact with each other or there is a slight gap therebetween.

[0022] The inner sleeve 6 is made of a conductive metal and has a U-shaped cross section. The inner sleeve 6 is integrally formed with a front crimping portion 60 and a rear crimping portion 64 that are connected in the front-rear direction via a connecting portion 63.

[0023] The rear crimping portion 64 has a pair of crimping pieces 65, 65 that are placed over the outer periphery of the rear side of the braid 13 exposed from the end of the sheath 14 and crimped into a cylindrical shape. The front crimping portion 60 has a pair of crimping pieces 61, 61 that are located in front of the rear crimping portion 64 and are crimped into a cylindrical shape having an outer shape larger than the outer shape (outer diameter) of the rear crimping portion 64. Furthermore, the pair of crimping pieces 61, 61 have a tip shape that is formed so that tip mating surfaces 61 a, 61 a extend in a diagonal direction with respect to the axis of the braid 13 after crimping (see FIG. 4).

[0024] That is, the inner sleeve 6 in this embodiment has a front crimping portion 60 located on the end side of the shielded electric wire 10, and a rear crimping portion 64 located on the rear side of the front crimping portion 60 and having an outer shape smaller than the outer shape (outer diameter) of the front crimping portion 60, and is a crimping member that is placed over the outer peripheral side of the braid 13 exposed from the end of the sheath 14 and crimped and fixed.

[0025] The outer terminal 21 is made of a conductive metal and is formed to have a shield body 22 formed in a substantially elliptical cylindrical shape and a crimped portion 23 that expands in diameter from the rear end of the shield body 22 and extends to have a C-shaped cross section. An inner housing accommodating chamber 20 that accommodates the inner housing 4 is formed in the shield body 22. The C-shaped cross section crimped portion 23 is crimped into a stepped cylindrical shape along the outer circumferential shape of the front crimping portion 60 and the rear crimping portion 64 of the inner sleeve 6 so as to be electrically connected to the end of the braid 13 that is folded back and placed around the outer circumferential side of the inner sleeve 6.

[0026] Next, the procedure for assembling the inner module 2 of the above-mentioned shielded connector will be described. 3 to 7 are explanatory diagrams illustrating the procedure for connecting the inner module 2 to the end of the shielded electric wire (cable) 10. FIG.

[0027] First, as shown in FIG. 3, a part of the sheath 14 at the end of the shielded electric wire 10 is cut away to expose the braid 13.

[0028] Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the inner sleeve 6 is crimped to cover the outer periphery of the braid 13 exposed at the end of the shielded electric wire 10. At this time, the rear crimping portion 64 of the inner sleeve 6 is disposed adjacent to the end of the sheath 14 and is crimped into a cylindrical shape having an outer diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the shielded wire 10. Also, the front crimping portion 60 of the inner sleeve 6 is crimped into a cylindrical shape having an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the rear crimping portion 64. Therefore, the inner sleeve 6 crimped onto the outer periphery of the braid 13 has a stepped shape with a step G between the outer peripheral surface of the front crimping portion 60 and the outer peripheral surface of the rear crimping portion 64, as shown in FIG.

[0029] 6, the end of the braid 13 is folded back from the front edge of the front crimping portion 60 of the inner sleeve 6 to the outside of the inner sleeve 6 to form a folded back portion 13a. A braid terminal 13b of the folded back portion 13a reaches the end of the sheath 14. Thereafter, a part of the metal foil 12 is cut away up to the folded portion of the braid 13, and the two inner electric wires 11, 11 are untwisted. Then, an inner terminal 15 is crimped and connected to the core wire 11a exposed from the insulating coating 11b at the end of each inner electric wire 11.

[0030] 7, the inner terminal 15 having the matching component 5 inserted therethrough is accommodated in the inner terminal accommodating portion 45 of the inner housing 4, and the connecting portion 51 of the matching component 5 is fitted onto the rear end portion 43 of the inner housing 4. Then, the portion of the insulating coating 11b at the end of each untwisted inner electric wire 11 is accommodated in the transmission characteristic ensuring portion 52 of the matching component 5.

[0031] Next, the end of the shielded electric wire 10 with the inner terminal 15 accommodated in the inner housing 4 is inserted into the outer terminal 21. Then, with the inner housing 4 accommodated in the inner housing accommodating chamber 20 of the shield body 22, the crimping portion 23 is crimped along the outer peripheral shapes of the front crimping portion 60 and the rear crimping portion 64 of the inner sleeve 6, thereby electrically connecting the outer terminal 21 to the folded-back portion 13a of the braid 13.

[0032] At this time, the crimped portion 23 of the outer terminal 21, which is crimped along an outer peripheral shape having a step G between the outer peripheral surface of the front crimping portion 60 and the outer peripheral surface of the rear crimping portion 64 of the inner sleeve 6, is formed into a stepped cylindrical shape having a front tapered portion 24 whose diameter increases toward the rear, a parallel large-diameter cylindrical portion 25, a rear tapered portion 26 whose diameter decreases toward the rear, and parallel small-diameter cylindrical portions 27, as shown in Figures 8 and 9. The small-diameter cylindrical portion 27 of the outer terminal 21 covers the folded-back portion 13a of the braid 13 up to the braid terminal 13b. Then, by crimping the outer terminal 21, the inner module 2 shown in FIG. 1 is completed.

[0033] As described above, in the inner module 2 of the shielded connector 1 having the connector structure of this embodiment, the crimping portion 23 of the outer terminal 21, which is crimped along the outer peripheral shape of the inner sleeve 6, is formed into a stepped cylindrical shape having a rear tapered portion 26 whose diameter narrows toward the rear due to the step G between the outer peripheral surface of the front crimping portion 60 and the outer peripheral surface of the rear crimping portion 64.

[0034] The crimped portion 23 of the outer terminal 21 has a rear tapered portion 26 formed by a step G between the outer peripheral surface of the front crimping portion 60 and the outer peripheral surface of the rear crimping portion 64, which laps the front crimping portion 60 of the inner sleeve 6 with a width X in the front-rear direction and a width Y in the radial direction. Therefore, the shielded wire 10, with the folded portion 13a of the braid 13 sandwiched in this lap portion, is less likely to come off the outer terminal 21, improving the fastening strength.

[0035] Therefore, with the inner module 2 of the shielded connector 1 having the connector structure according to this embodiment, even if a strong tensile force is applied to the outer terminal 21 in a direction that moves the shielded wire 10 relatively away from the outer terminal 21, there is no risk of the braid 13 shifting relative to the inner sleeve 6 or coming off the inner sleeve 6. As a result, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the reliability of the electrical connection between the outer terminal 21 and the braid 13 due to shifting or the like.

[0036] In addition, in the inner module 2 equipped with the connector structure of this embodiment, the front crimping portion 60 is formed so that the tip mating surfaces 61a, 61a of the pair of crimping pieces 61, 61 after crimping extend in an oblique direction relative to the axis of the braid 13.

[0037] Therefore, even if a part of the braided wire of the folded-back portion 13a gets into the gap between the tip mating surfaces 61a, 61a, the oblique tip mating surface 61a acts as a stopper, making it difficult for the part of the braided wire of the folded-back portion 13a, which is pulled backward during the folding process, to drop backward. As a result, the terminal length of the folded-back portion 13a is less likely to be uneven, making it easier to process the braided terminal 13b.

[0038] Therefore, with the shielded connector 1 having the connector structure according to this embodiment, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the reliability of the electrical connection between the outer terminal 21 and the braid 13 in the inner module 2.

[0039] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately modified, improved, etc. Furthermore, the material, shape, size, number, location, etc. of each component in the above-described embodiments are arbitrary and not limited as long as they can achieve the present invention.

[0040] Here, the features of the connector structure according to the present invention described above will be briefly summarized and listed below in [1] and [2]. [1] A cable (shielded wire 10) in which a braid (13) surrounding an inner wire (11) is covered with a sheath (14); an inner sleeve (6) having a front crimping portion (60) located on the end side of the cable (shielded electric wire 10) and a rear crimping portion (64) having an outer shape smaller than that of the front crimping portion (60) and located on the back side of the front crimping portion (60), the inner sleeve (6) being fitted over the outer periphery of the braid (13) exposed from the end of the sheath (14); an inner terminal (15) electrically connected to the core wire (11a) of the inner electric wire (11) exposed from the end of the sheath (14); an inner housing (4) in which the inner terminal (15) is accommodated in an inner terminal accommodating portion (45); an outer terminal (21) including: a shield body (22) covering the outer periphery of the inner housing (4); and a crimping portion (23) extending from the shield body (22) and crimped along the outer periphery of the front crimping portion (60) and the rear crimping portion (64) so ​​as to be electrically connected to an end (folded portion 13a) of the braid (13) folded back and covered on the outer periphery of the inner sleeve (6); A connector structure comprising:

[0041] According to the connector structure described in [1] above, the crimping portion (23) of the outer terminal (21), which is crimped along the outer peripheral shape of the inner sleeve (6), is formed into a stepped cylindrical shape having a rear tapered portion (26) whose diameter decreases toward the rear due to a step (G) between the outer peripheral surface of the front crimping portion (60) and the outer peripheral surface of the rear crimping portion (64). The crimped portion 23 of the outer terminal 21 has a rear tapered portion 26 formed by a step G between the outer peripheral surface of the front crimping portion 60 and the outer peripheral surface of the rear crimping portion 64, which laps the front crimping portion 60 of the inner sleeve 6 with a width X in the front-rear direction and a width Y in the radial direction. Therefore, the cable (shielded wire 10) with the end (folded portion 13a) of the braid 13 clamped in this lapped portion is less likely to come off the outer terminal 21, improving the fastening strength.

[0042] [2] The tip mating surfaces (61a, 61a) of the pair of crimping pieces (61, 61) of the front crimping portion (60) extend in a direction oblique to the axis of the braid (13). The connector structure according to [1] above.

[0043] According to the connector structure described in [2] above, even if a portion of the braided wire in the folded-back portion (13a) falls into the gap between the tip mating surfaces (61a, 61a), the oblique tip mating surface (61a) acts as a stopper, making it difficult for the portion of the braided wire in the folded-back portion (13a), which is pulled backward during the folding process, to fall backward. As a result, the terminal length of the folded-back portion (13a) is less likely to become uneven, making it easier to process the braided terminal. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 1...Shielded connector 4...Inner housing 6...Inner sleeve 10...Shielded wire (cable) 11...Internal wire 11a...core wire 13...Braid 13a...Folded section 14...Sheath 15...Inner terminal 21...Outer terminal 22...Shield body 23... Crimping part 45...Inner terminal housing 60...Front crimping part 64...Post-crimping part

Claims

1. A cable in which a braid surrounding an inner wire is covered with a sheath; an inner sleeve having a front crimping portion located on the end side of the cable and a rear crimping portion having an outer shape smaller than that of the front crimping portion and located on the back side of the front crimping portion, the inner sleeve being fitted over the outer periphery of the braid exposed from the end of the sheath; an inner terminal electrically connected to the core wire of the inner electric wire exposed from the end of the sheath; an inner housing having an inner terminal accommodating portion in which the inner terminal is accommodated; an outer terminal including: a shield body that covers an outer periphery of the inner housing; and a crimping portion that extends from the shield body and is crimped along the outer periphery of the front crimping portion and the rear crimping portion so as to be electrically connected to an end of the braid that is folded back and covered on the outer periphery of the inner sleeve; A connector structure comprising:

2. The tip mating surfaces of the pair of crimping pieces of the front crimping portion extend in an oblique direction with respect to the axis of the braid. The connector structure according to claim 1 .

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