Connector

Abstract

To fasten and fix a connector terminal to a device terminal by absorbing any variations in three-dimensional assembly position caused by parts or assembly work that may occur when connecting the connector terminal to the device terminal.SOLUTION: A terminal structure for connecting a connector to a device includes a first terminal arranged on the wire side, a second terminal connected to the first terminal and arranged on the apparatus side, a bolt and a polygonal nut that receives the bolt and fastens the first terminal and the second terminal together, and a connector housing that accommodates the nut movably in the axial direction of the bolt and has a nut accommodating recess with a polygonal inner wall that defines an inscribed circle smaller than the circumscribed circle of the nut.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to a connector for connecting an electric wire to an electric device.

[0002] A connector electrically connects terminals of the connector to mating terminals such as bus bars by fastening them to each other. In order to absorb variations in components and assembly work during such connections, a connector has been disclosed that holds the terminals so that they can move in the axial direction of the bolt when fastened (Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-123024 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the structure of Patent Document 1 only ensures mobility in the axial direction of the bolt, making it difficult to accommodate variations in the plane perpendicular to the axial direction of the bolt.

[0005] This specification provides a technology for fastening and fixing the terminals to the device by absorbing variations in three-dimensional assembly position due to components and assembly work that may occur when connecting the terminals of a connector to the terminals on the device side. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The technology disclosed in this specification is embodied in a terminal structure for connecting a connector to a device. This terminal structure includes a first terminal arranged on an electric wire side, a second terminal connected to the first terminal and arranged on a device side, a bolt and a polygonal nut that fastens and fixes the first terminal and the second terminal, and a connector housing that accommodates the nut movably in the axial direction of the bolt and has a nut accommodating recess with a polygonal inner wall that defines an inscribed circle smaller than the circumscribed circle of the nut.

[0007] In this terminal structure, the nut accommodating recess accommodates the nut so that it can move axially. Therefore, variations in assembly along the axial direction when connecting the second terminal to the device are absorbed. The nut accommodating recess has a polygonal inner wall that defines an inscribed circle smaller than the circumscribed circle of the nut. Therefore, variations in assembly along the plane perpendicular to the axial direction of the bolt when connecting the second terminal to the device are absorbed. Furthermore, when the nut rotates during fastening, it abuts against the inner wall of the nut accommodating recess, restricting its rotation. Therefore, the position of the nut is fixed in the nut accommodating recess, and the fastening and fixing structure between the first terminal and the second terminal is stably maintained. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a terminal structure disclosed in the present specification; [Figure 2] 10 is a plan view showing the relationship between a nut and a nut accommodating recess in the terminal structure; FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The terminal structure of a connector will be described below with reference to the drawings. The connector in this specification is applied, for example, to connecting a high-voltage cable to an electrical device. The electrical device is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, an electrical device mounted on a vehicle.

[0010] FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a portion of a connector 2 that is disposed on the side of an electric device 100. In FIG. The electric device 100 includes a terminal 110 on the electric device side, a bolt hole 112 for fastening the terminal 110, a bolt 114, and a nut 116. The terminal 110 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, a bus bar. The axial direction of the bolt 114 when fastening the bolt 114 is formed to coincide with the axial direction of the bolt 42 when fastening the bolt 42, which will be described later.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, the connector 2 includes a connector housing (hereinafter simply referred to as the housing) 4, a cable 10, a first terminal 20, a second terminal 30, and a connecting portion .

[0012] The housing 4 is formed to receive a cable 10 connected to an appropriate power source and to extend the first terminal 20 and the second terminal 30 toward the electrical device 100. The housing 4 is made of a material such as resin that takes into consideration its function as a connector 2.

[0013] The first terminal 20 is connected to the cable 10. The first terminal 20 is formed as, for example, a bus bar. The first terminal 20 is connected to the cable 10 via a cable connecting portion 12 inside the housing 4.

[0014] The second terminal 30 is connected to the first terminal 20. The second terminal 30 is formed as, for example, a bus bar. The second terminal 30 extends from the housing 4 and is fastened and fixed to a device-side terminal 110 arranged at a predetermined position inside the electric device 100.

[0015] The second terminal 30 is connected to the first terminal 20 by a connecting portion 40. The connecting portion 40 includes a bolt 42, a nut 44, and a nut accommodating recess 46. The bolt 42 and the nut 44 pass through a bolt hole 20a provided at the end of the first terminal 20 on the second terminal 30 side and a bolt hole 30a provided on the first terminal side of the second terminal 30, thereby fastening and fixing the first terminal 20 and the second terminal 30 together.

[0016] The bolt 42 has a head 42a and a shaft 42b. The shaft 42b extends through the bolt hole 20a of the first terminal 20 and the bolt hole 30a of the second terminal 30 into a nut accommodating recess 46 (described later). The bolt 42 may be fixed in contact with the first terminal 20 via a washer 43.

[0017] The nut 44 has a female thread that corresponds to the male thread of the shank 42b of the bolt 42, and has a polygonal outer shape. The nut 44 is attached to the connector 2 by fastening it to the shank 42b of the bolt 42 without being fixed to the housing 4 or the like. The polygonal outer shape of the nut 44 will be described later. The nut 44 is housed in the nut housing recess 46 by the shank 42b.

[0018] The nut accommodating recess 46 is a recess formed in a part of the housing 4 corresponding to the area where the connecting portion 40 is formed. The nut accommodating recess 46 accommodates the nut 44 so that it can move in the axial direction of the bolt 42. The nut accommodating recess 46 has a depth along the axial direction that allows the nut 44 to move axially, and a space that allows such movement.

[0019] FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the nut 44 accommodated in the nut accommodating recess 46. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the nut accommodating recess 46 has an inner wall 48 having a polygonal opening 46a and forming a polygonal space extending axially. As shown in FIG. 2, the polygonal inner wall 48 of the nut accommodating recess 46 has an inscribed circle 48a that is smaller than the circumscribed circle 44a of the nut 44. As a result, when the nut 44 rotates within the nut accommodating recess 46, it abuts against the inner wall 48 after rotating through a predetermined angle range. That is, when the nut 44 is rotated to fasten the bolt 42, the outer periphery of the nut 44 abuts against the inner wall 48, restricting its rotation. When the rotation of the nut 44 is restricted, the bolt 42 is fastened and fixed to the nut 44, and the first terminal 20 and the second terminal 30 are connected.

[0020] The polygonal shape of the nut 44 and the polygonal shape defined by the inner wall 48 of the nut accommodating recess 46 are not particularly limited. Furthermore, the size of the nut 44 and the size of the space of the nut accommodating recess 46 are also not particularly limited. The shape and size of these polygons are set appropriately depending on the range of motion required of the connector 2 due to variations when connecting the connector 2 to the electrical device 100. For example, the nut 44 can be a square nut, a hexagonal nut, or the like, and the inner wall 48 of the nut accommodating recess 46 can also be square, hexagonal, or the like.

[0021] Next, a description will be given of the operation when connecting the second terminal 30 of the connector 2 to the terminal 110 of the electric device 100. Before connection to the electric device 100, the first terminal 20 and the second terminal 30 of the connector 2 are loosely fastened together in advance by a bolt 42 and a nut 44.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 1 , the second terminal 30 of the connector 2 is fastened to the terminal 110 of the electrical device 100 with a bolt 114 and a nut 116. At this time, the bolt 114 for fastening the terminal 110 to the second terminal 30 can be easily inserted into the bolt hole 112. Furthermore, the bolt 114 can be fastened without subjecting the second terminal 30 to excessive twisting or other stress. As described above, the bolt 42 and nut 44 connecting the second terminal 30 to the first terminal 20 are loosely fastened, and the nut 44 is accommodated in the nut accommodating recess 46 so as to be movable in the axial direction of the bolt 42. This allows for accommodating any variations in the installation position resulting from the terminal 110, its peripheral components, or the installation process.

[0023] 2, when the bolt 42 is rotated to fasten the nut 44, the nut 44 rotates inside the nut accommodating recess 46 as the bolt 42 rotates. The nut 44 then abuts against the inner wall 48, restricting its rotation. As the bolt 42 is further rotated, the bolt 42 is fastened to the nut 44. As a result, the first terminal 20 and the second terminal 30 are fastened together with any axial variations of the bolt 114 and the bolt 42 and any variations around these axes being absorbed.

[0024] Since nut 44 has a polygonal shape, multiple corners corresponding to the polygon make line contact with inner wall 48 and are fixed in place, so that first terminal 20 and second terminal 30 are reliably and accurately fastened and fixed together.

[0025] As a result, the connector 2 and the electric device 100 are electrically connected. Because the nut 44 is securely fixed in the nut accommodating recess 46, the positions of the first terminal 20 and the second terminal 30 in the axial direction and around the axis of the bolt 42 are restricted and stably held. In addition, vibration input from the connector 2 side to the terminal 110 on the electric device 100 side is also reduced. [Explanation of symbols]

[0026] 2 connector, 4 housing, 10 cable, 20 first terminal, 20a bolt hole, 30 second terminal, 30a bolt hole, 40 terminal connection portion, 42 bolt, 44 nut, 46 nut receiving recess, 48 ​​inner wall, 100 electrical equipment, 110 terminal, 112 bolt hole, 114 bolt, 116 nut

Claims

[Claim 1] A connector for connecting an electric wire to a device, a first terminal disposed on the electric wire side; and a second terminal connected to the first terminal and disposed on the device side; a bolt and a polygonal nut that receives the bolt, which fasten and fix the first terminal and the second terminal together; a connector housing that accommodates the nut movably in the axial direction of the bolt and has a nut accommodating recess having a polygonal inner wall that defines an inscribed circle smaller than the circumscribed circle of the nut; A connector comprising:

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