Wire harness

Abstract

To provide a wiring harness which allows improvement in handleability.SOLUTION: A wiring harness 1 comprises: a connector 2 which has a plurality of terminals 5 each provided with an insertion part 52, and a housings 3 and 4 for holding the plurality of terminals aligned in a plurality of lines arranged in a first direction X, and in which the plurality of terminals include a first terminal group disposed on a first side X1 and a second terminal group disposed on a second side X2; a first flexible printed wiring board 10 having a through hole into which the insertion part of the first terminal group is inserted; a second flexible printed wiring board 20 having a through hole into which the insertion part of the second terminal group is inserted; and a holding member, fitted to the housings, which is capable of holding the first flexible printed wiring board and the second flexible printed wiring board. The holding member has an outlet part so that the first flexible printed wiring board and the second flexible printed wiring board overlapping each other can extend from the outlet part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 18

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a wire harness.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there has been a cable connection structure for a flat cable. In Patent Document 1, a terminal portion of a flat cable is introduced into a connector housing through an introduction hole provided at a base end portion, and a connector housing that houses a terminal connected to the terminal portion of the flat cable, and a seal member interposed between the flat cable and a peripheral wall defining the introduction hole of the connector housing, and a rear cover having an insertion hole through which a flat cable extending from the introduction hole of the connector housing is inserted, and a fixing plate attached to the rear cover so as to sandwich the flat cable inserted through the insertion hole of the rear cover between the rear cover are provided. A waterproof connector for a flat cable is disclosed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] When connecting a plurality of flat cables to one connector in a wire harness to make the connector multi-polar, it is desirable to improve the handleability of the wire harness.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a wire harness that can improve handleability.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The wire harness of the present invention includes a plurality of terminals having rod-shaped or tubular insertion portions, and a housing that holds the plurality of terminals arranged in a plurality of rows aligned in a first direction with the insertion portions protruding. The wire harness includes a connector including a first terminal group in which a plurality of the terminals are arranged on a first side in the first direction and a second terminal group arranged on a second side in the first direction, a through hole into which the insertion portion of the first terminal group is inserted, and a printed circuit connected to the insertion portion of the first terminal group. The wire harness also includes a first flexible printed wiring board having a through hole into which the insertion portion of the second terminal group is inserted and a printed circuit connected to the insertion portion of the second terminal group, a second flexible printed wiring board, and a holding member attached to the housing and configured to hold the first flexible printed wiring board and the second flexible printed wiring board. The holding member has an outlet portion, and the first flexible printed wiring board and the second flexible printed wiring board overlapped with each other extend from the outlet portion.

Advantages of the Invention

[0007] The wire harness according to the present invention has a holding member attached to the housing and configured to hold a first flexible printed wiring board and a second flexible printed wiring board. The holding member has an outlet portion, and the first flexible printed wiring board and the second flexible printed wiring board overlapped with each other extend from the outlet portion. According to the wire harness of the present invention, the handling property can be improved by overlapping and extending two flexible printed wiring boards.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

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BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, a wire harness according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited by this embodiment. In addition, the constituent elements in the following embodiments include those that can be easily assumed by those skilled in the art or those that are substantially the same.

[0010] [Embodiment] Embodiments will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 19. This embodiment relates to a wire harness. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the wire harness and a mating connector of the embodiment, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the components of the wire harness according to the embodiment, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the outer housing according to the embodiment, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the inner housing according to the embodiment, FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the terminal according to the embodiment, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the first flexible printed wiring board according to the embodiment, FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the printed circuit of the first flexible printed wiring board according to the embodiment, FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the second flexible printed wiring board according to the embodiment, FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the printed circuit of the second flexible printed wiring board according to the embodiment, and FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the cover according to the embodiment.

[0011] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the step of inserting the inner housing, FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the step of inserting the terminal, FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the step of installing the flexible printed wiring board, FIG. 14 is a plan view of the installed flexible printed wiring board, FIG. 15 is a diagram showing the step of attaching the cover, FIG. 16 is a diagram showing the step of bending the wiring board, FIG. 17 is a diagram showing the step of holding the wiring board, FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view of the wire harness according to the embodiment, and FIG. 19 is a diagram showing the step of assembling the lever.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the wire harness 1 of this embodiment has a connector 2 and flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20. The wire harness 1 is mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile, for example. The wire harness 1 may be connected to a device disposed on the instrument panel. The connector 2 mates with a mating connector 100. The mating connector 100 is disposed, for example, on the housing of a device such as a display or a meter device. The wire harness 1 may connect a device having the mating connector 100 and a control device that controls this device. The flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 have a printed circuit including power lines and signal lines.

[0013] The mating connector 100 has a housing 110 and a plurality of terminals 120 held by the housing 110. The connector 2 connects the printed circuit of the flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 to the terminals 120. The illustrated connector 2 is a lever-type connector having a lever 7. The connector 2 can be fitted to the housing 110 of the mating connector 100 by a force multiplying mechanism including the lever 7.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 2, the connector 2 has an outer housing 3, a plurality of inner housings 4, a plurality of terminals 5, a first flexible printed wiring board 10, a second flexible printed wiring board 20, and a cover 6. The outer housing 3 and the inner housings 4 are molded of, for example, an insulating synthetic resin. The illustrated outer housing 3 has a rectangular tubular shape and has a housing portion 31 for housing the plurality of inner housings 4.

[0015] The inner housing 4 is a member that holds the terminals 5 and arranges the terminals 5. The inner housing 4 has a cavity into which the terminals 5 are inserted. The plurality of inner housings 4 are stacked and housed in the housing portion 31 of the outer housing 3.

[0016] In the following description, the direction in which the plurality of inner housings 4 are stacked is referred to as the "first direction X". Also, the insertion direction of the inner housing 4 into the outer housing 3 is referred to as the "third direction Z". The third direction Z is orthogonal to the first direction X. Also, the direction orthogonal to both the first direction X and the third direction Z is referred to as the "second direction Y". The second direction Y is the arrangement direction of the terminals 5 in each inner housing 4. Each inner housing 4 of the present embodiment holds the plurality of terminals 5 linearly arranged in the second direction Y.

[0017] The flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 are film-shaped circuit bodies having flexibility. The first flexible printed wiring board 10 and the second flexible printed wiring board 20 are independent wiring boards from each other. The terminal 5 is inserted into the through holes of the flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 and joined to the printed circuits of the flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20.

[0018] The cover 6 is assembled to the outer housing 3 while covering the joint portion between the flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 and the terminal 5. The cover 6 of the present embodiment is configured to hold the flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 in a state where the two flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 are overlapped, as will be described later.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 3, the outer housing 3 has a cylindrical portion 32 and a bottom wall 33. The cylindrical portion 32 has a rectangular tube shape and has a pair of main walls 32a and a pair of side walls 32b. The pair of main walls 32a face each other in the first direction X and extend in the second direction Y. A cylindrical shaft portion 32c is provided on the outer surface of the main wall 32a. The shaft portion 32c rotatably supports the lever 7.

[0020] The pair of side walls 32b face each other in the second direction Y and extend in the first direction X. A plurality of ribs 32d for guiding the inner housing 4 are provided on the inner surface of the side wall 32b. The rib 32d is a protruding portion protruding in the second direction Y and linearly extends in the third direction Z.

[0021] The bottom wall 33 closes one end of the cylindrical portion 32. That is, the outer housing 3 is a cylindrical member with a bottom. A housing portion 31 is formed by the cylindrical portion 32 and the bottom wall 33. A plurality of through holes 33a are provided in the bottom wall 33. The terminals 120 of the mating connector 100 are inserted into the through holes 33a and connected to the terminal 5. The plurality of through holes 33a are arranged in a plurality of rows. The through holes 33a in each row are arranged in the second direction Y.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 4, the plurality of inner housings 4 include a housing 4A of the first shape and a housing 4B of the second shape. The shapes of the housing 4A of the first shape and the housing 4B of the second shape are rectangular flat plate shapes. The housing 4A of the first shape has a plurality of first cavities 45 for holding the terminals 5. The plurality of first cavities 45 are arranged side by side in the second direction Y and penetrate the housing 4A of the first shape along the third direction Z. The housing 4B of the second shape has a plurality of second cavities 46 for holding the terminals 5. The second cavities 46 are arranged side by side in the second direction Y and penetrate the housing 4B of the second shape along the third direction Z.

[0023] The first cavities 45 and the second cavities 46 are arranged with their positions shifted in the second direction Y. The position of the second cavity 46 in the second direction Y is the position between two adjacent first cavities 45. Therefore, the first cavities 45 and the second cavities 46 arrange and hold the plurality of terminals 5 in a zigzag pattern.

[0024] In the wire harness 1 of the present embodiment, by having a plurality of stackable inner housings 4, it is possible to cope with specification changes of the connector 2. For example, when using different terminals 5 according to the tab size of the terminals 120 of the mating connector 100, it can be coped with by changing the inner housing 4.

[0025] The housing 4A of the first shape has a first surface 41 and a second surface 42. The first surface 41 and the second surface 42 are two main surfaces of the housing 4A of the first shape and face opposite sides of each other. The housing 4B of the second shape has a first surface 43 and a second surface 44. The first surface 43 and the second surface 44 are two main surfaces of the housing 4B of the second shape and face opposite sides of each other. The two housings 4A and 4B can be stacked with the first surface 41 facing the second surface 44. Also, the two housings 4A and 4B can be stacked with the first surface 43 facing the second surface 42. That is, the housing 4A of the first shape and the housing 4B of the second shape are configured to be stackable by overlapping alternately.

[0026] The housing 4A of the first shape has a first protrusion 41a and a first recess 42a. The first protrusion 41a is provided on the first surface 41. The first recess 42a is provided on the second surface 42. The housing 4B of the second shape has a second protrusion 43a and a second recess 44a. The second protrusion 43a is provided on the first surface 43. The second recess 44a is provided on the second surface 44. The first protrusion 41a can be fitted with the second recess 44a, and the second protrusion 43a can be fitted with the first recess 42a. An engaging portion 41b that engages with the second recess 44a is provided on the first protrusion 41a. Similarly, an engaging portion 43b that engages with the first recess 42a is provided on the second protrusion 43a.

[0027] The housing 4A of the first shape is provided with a first support protrusion 47. The housing 4B of the second shape is provided with a second support protrusion 48. The support protrusions 47, 48 are inserted into the flexible printed wiring boards 10, 20 to reduce the stress acting on the printed circuit and the joint portion. The first support protrusion 47 is disposed at one end in the second direction Y, and the second support protrusion 48 is disposed at the other end in the second direction Y.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 5, the terminal 5 has a connection portion 51 and an insertion portion 52. The terminal 5 is formed from a conductive metal plate. The connection portion 51 is disposed at the first end portion 5a of the terminal 5, and the insertion portion 52 is disposed at the second end portion 5b of the terminal 5. The connection portion 51 is a portion connected to the terminal 120 of the mating connector 100. The illustrated connection portion 51 has a rectangular tube shape into which the terminal 120 is inserted. The connection portion 51 is inserted and held in the cavities 45, 46 of the inner housing 4.

[0029] The insertion portion 52 is a portion inserted into the through holes of the flexible printed wiring boards 10, 20. The shape of the insertion portion 52 is a cylindrical shape. A tapered portion 52a having a tapered shape is provided at the tip of the insertion portion 52. Note that the shape of the insertion portion 52 may be a rod shape having no space inside, for example, a cylindrical shape.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 6, the first flexible printed wiring board 10 has a base film 11, a printed circuit 12, and a coverlay 13. The base film 11 and the coverlay 13 are films formed of an insulating synthetic resin. The printed circuit 12 is a conductive metal foil formed on the base film 11. The coverlay 13 covers the pattern of the printed circuit 12 and has openings 13a and 13b for exposing lands 16b and 17b.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 7, the printed circuit 12 has a first circuit group 14 and a second circuit group 15. The first circuit group 14 has a plurality of circuits 16 extending in the first direction X. The plurality of circuits 16 are arranged in the second direction Y. The second circuit group 15 has a plurality of circuits 17 extending in the first direction X. The plurality of circuits 17 are arranged in the second direction Y. The printed circuit 12 is configured by alternately arranging one circuit 16 of the first circuit group 14 and one circuit 17 of the second circuit group 15.

[0032] The circuit 16 has a pattern 16a and a land 16b provided at an end of the pattern 16a. The circuit 17 has a pattern 17a and a land 17b provided at an end of the pattern 17a. The plurality of lands 16b are arranged linearly along the second direction Y. The plurality of lands 17b are arranged linearly along the second direction Y. In the first direction X, the position of the land 17b is shifted with respect to the position of the land 16b. More specifically, the land 17b protrudes toward the end 11a of the base film 11 with respect to the land 16b. Therefore, the pattern 17a passes between two adjacent lands 16b.

[0033] The land 16b is formed with a through hole 16c into which the insertion part 52 of the terminal 5 is inserted. The through hole 16c penetrates the base film 11. Similarly, the land 17b is formed with a through hole 17c. The through hole 17c penetrates the base film 11. In the first flexible printed wiring board 10, the through holes 16c and 17c are arranged in a zigzag pattern like a sawtooth. As shown in FIG. 6, the opening 13a of the coverlay 13 exposes the land 16b of the first circuit group 14. The opening 13b exposes the land 17b of the second circuit group 15.

[0034] The first flexible printed wiring board 10 is provided with two through holes 10a and 10b. The two through holes 10a and 10b are arranged at the ends in the second direction Y with the printed circuit 12 therebetween. The through hole 10a is aligned with the opening 13a and is arranged on the extension line in the second direction Y with respect to the plurality of lands 16b. The through hole 10b is aligned with the opening 13b and is arranged on the extension line in the second direction Y with respect to the plurality of lands 17b. The support protrusion 47 of the first-shaped housing 4A is inserted into one of the two through holes 10a and 10b. The support protrusion 48 of the second-shaped housing 4B is inserted into the other of the two through holes 10a and 10b.

[0035] The second flexible printed wiring board 20 is configured in the same manner as the first flexible printed wiring board 10. As shown in FIG. 8, the second flexible printed wiring board 20 has a base film 21, a printed circuit 22, and a coverlay 23. The coverlay 23 covers the pattern of the printed circuit 22 and has openings 23a and 23b that expose the lands 26b and 27b.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 9, the printed circuit 22 has a first circuit group 24 and a second circuit group 25. The first circuit group 24 has a plurality of circuits 26 extending in the first direction X. The plurality of circuits 26 are arranged in the second direction Y. The second circuit group 25 has a plurality of circuits 27 extending in the first direction X. The plurality of circuits 27 are arranged in the second direction Y. The printed circuit 22 is configured by alternately arranging one circuit 26 of the first circuit group 24 and one circuit 27 of the second circuit group 25.

[0037] The circuit 26 has a pattern 26a and lands 26b provided at the ends of the pattern 26a. The circuit 27 has a pattern 27a and lands 27b provided at the ends of the pattern 27a. The plurality of lands 26b and the plurality of lands 27b are linearly arranged along the second direction Y respectively. The land 27b protrudes toward the end 21a of the base film 21 with respect to the land 26b. The pattern 27a passes between two adjacent lands 26b.

[0038] A through-hole 26c into which the insertion portion 52 of the terminal 5 is inserted is formed in the land 26b. A through-hole 27c is formed in the land 27b. That is, in the second flexible printed wiring board 20, the through-holes 26c and the through-holes 27c are arranged in a zigzag pattern like a sawtooth. As shown in FIG. 8, the opening 23a of the coverlay 23 exposes the land 26b of the first circuit group 24. The opening 23b exposes the land 27b of the second circuit group 25.

[0039] The second flexible printed wiring board 20 is provided with two through holes 20a and 20b. The two through holes 20a and 20b are arranged at the ends in the second direction Y with the printed circuit 22 therebetween. The through hole 20a is aligned with the opening 23a and is arranged on the extension line in the second direction Y with respect to the plurality of lands 26b. The through hole 20b is aligned with the opening 23b and is arranged on the extension line in the second direction Y with respect to the plurality of lands 27b. The support protrusion 47 of the housing 4A of the first shape is inserted into one of the two through holes 20a and 20b. The support protrusion 48 of the housing 4B of the second shape is inserted into the other of the two through holes 20a and 20b.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 2, the cover 6 has a main body 61, a holding portion 62, and a hinge portion 63. The cover 6 is formed of, for example, an insulating synthetic resin. The main body 61 is a portion that covers the joint portion of the flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 and the terminals 5, and engages with the outer housing 3. The holding portion 62 is a portion that sandwiches and holds the flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 between the holding portion 62 and the main body 61. The hinge portion 63 connects the main body 61 and the holding portion 62 and has flexibility.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 10, the main body 61 has a covering portion 64 that covers the joint portion and four leg portions 65. The shape of the covering portion 64 is a rectangular flat plate shape. The leg portions 65 are arranged at both ends in the second direction Y of the covering portion 64. The leg portions 65 are portions that engage with the outer housing 3 and protrude from the covering portion 64 in the third direction Z. The leg portions 65 are provided with engaging concave portions 65a and engaging protrusions 65b. The engaging concave portions 65a are formed on the inner surfaces of the leg portions 65 that face the outer housing 3. The engaging concave portions 65a are provided on each of the four leg portions 65. As shown in FIG. 2, engaging protrusions 34 are provided on the outer surface of the outer housing 3. The engaging concave portions 65a of the cover 6 engage with the engaging protrusions 34.

[0042] The engaging protrusion 65b engages with the holding portion 62 to lock the holding portion 62. The engaging protrusion 65b is provided on two adjacent leg portions 65. The engaging protrusion 65b protrudes in the second direction Y from the outer surface, which is the surface on the side opposite to the side of the engaging recess 65a.

[0043] The holding portion 62 is aligned with the main body 61 in the second direction Y. The holding portion 62 has a first holding portion 62A and a second holding portion 62B. The first holding portion 62A and the second holding portion 62B are aligned in the first direction X. The shapes of the first holding portion 62A and the second holding portion 62B in plan view are rectangular. A slit 66 is provided between the first holding portion 62A and the second holding portion 62B. Therefore, the first holding portion 62A and the second holding portion 62B are independent of each other. The first holding portion 62A holds the first flexible printed wiring board 10. The second holding portion 62B holds the second flexible printed wiring board 20.

[0044] The hinge portion 63 is disposed at an end portion of the main body 61 on the side opposite to the side of the engaging protrusion 65b. The hinge portion 63 has a first hinge portion 63A and a second hinge portion 63B. The first hinge portion 63A connects the first holding portion 62A and the main body 61, and the second hinge portion 63B connects the second holding portion 62B and the main body 61. The hinge portion 63 extends in the second direction Y from the end portion in the second direction Y of the covering portion 64. Engaging portions 62c that engage with the engaging protrusion 65b are provided at the end portions of the first holding portion 62A and the second holding portion 62B.

[0045] The covering portion 64 is provided with ribs 64a that regulate the bending shape of the flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20. The ribs 64a are disposed on the surface facing the holding portion 62 and extend in the second direction Y. The illustrated cross-sectional shape of the ribs 64a is triangular. That is, the cross-sectional shape of the ribs 64a is a tapered shape in which the width in the first direction X becomes narrower as it goes toward the tip in the protruding direction. The first holding portion 62A and the second holding portion 62B are provided with inclined surfaces 62d corresponding to the ribs 64a. The inclined surfaces 62d are disposed at the ends adjacent to the slit 66. The ribs 64a and the inclined surfaces 62d make the bending angle of the flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 an obtuse angle.

[0046] A method for manufacturing a wire harness 1 according to the present embodiment will be described. The method for manufacturing a wire harness includes a step of inserting an inner housing, a step of inserting terminals, a step of installing a flexible printed wiring board, a step of joining, a step of attaching a cover, a step of regulating the direction of the wiring board, and a step of assembling a lever.

[0047] FIG. 11 shows the step of inserting the inner housing. In this step, a plurality of stacked inner housings 4 are inserted into the outer housing 3. The first-shaped housing 4A and the second-shaped housing 4B are alternately stacked and inserted into the outer housing 3. The illustrated connector 2 has two first-shaped housings 4A and two second-shaped housings 4B. The plurality of inner housings 4 are inserted into the accommodating portion 31 along the third direction Z while being guided by the ribs 32d. The plurality of inner housings 4 are held by the accommodating portion 31. The inner housing 4 may have an engaging portion that engages with the outer housing 3.

[0048] FIG. 12 shows the process of inserting terminals. A plurality of terminals 5 are inserted into the cavities 45 of the first-shaped housing 4A and the cavities 46 of the second-shaped housing 4B. The connection portions 51 of the terminals 5 are inserted into the cavities 45 and 46. The inner housing 4 holds the connection portions 51 with the insertion portions 52 of the terminals 5 protruding from the cavities 45 and 46. As a result, four columns of insertion portions 52 arranged in the second direction Y are formed. The four columns are arranged in the first direction X.

[0049] FIG. 13 shows the process of installing a flexible printed wiring board. In this process, the insertion portions 52 of the terminals 5 are inserted into the first flexible printed wiring board 10 and the second flexible printed wiring board 20. More specifically, two columns of insertion portions 52 are inserted into the first flexible printed wiring board 10, and the other two columns of insertion portions 52 are inserted into the second flexible printed wiring board 20.

[0050] The insertion portions 52 corresponding to the first flexible printed wiring board 10 are inserted into the lands 16b of the first circuit group 14 and the lands 17b of the second circuit group 15. The insertion portions 52 corresponding to the second flexible printed wiring board 20 are inserted into the lands 26b of the first circuit group 24 and the lands 27b of the second circuit group 25. Also, the support protrusions 47 and 48 are inserted into the through holes of the flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 14, the plurality of terminals 5 include a first terminal group 5A and a second terminal group 5B. The first terminal group 5A is a group of terminals 5 connected to the first flexible printed wiring board 10. The first terminal group 5A has two columns of terminals 5 along the second direction Y. The first terminal group 5A is the terminals arranged on the first side X1 among the plurality of terminals 5 of the connector 2. The second terminal group 5B is a group of terminals 5 connected to the second flexible printed wiring board 20. The second terminal group 5B has two columns of terminals 5 along the second direction Y. The second terminal group 5B is the terminals arranged on the second side X2 among the plurality of terminals 5 of the connector 2.

[0052] The first flexible printed wiring board 10 has lands 16b and 17b connected to the insertion portions 52 of the first terminal group 5A. As shown in FIG. 7, the lands 16b and 17b have through holes 16c and 17c. The insertion portions 52 of the first terminal group 5A are inserted into the through holes 16c and 17c. As shown in FIG. 14, one row of the insertion portions 52 of the first terminal group 5A is inserted into the land 16b, and the other row of the insertion portions 52 is inserted into the land 17b.

[0053] The second flexible printed wiring board 20 has lands 26b and 27b connected to the insertion portions 52 of the second terminal group 5B. As shown in FIG. 9, the lands 26b and 27b have through holes 26c and 27c. The insertion portions 52 of the second terminal group 5B are inserted into the through holes 26c and 27c. As shown in FIG. 14, one row of the insertion portions 52 of the second terminal group 5B is inserted into the land 26b, and the other row of the insertion portions 52 is inserted into the land 27b.

[0054] The joining step is a step of joining the insertion portions 52 of the terminals 5 to the lands 16b, 17b, 26b, and 27b. In the wire harness 1 of the present embodiment, the insertion portions 52 are soldered to the lands 16b, 17b, 26b, and 27b. Solder paste may be applied to the lands 16b, 17b, 26b, and 27b in advance. In this case, in the joining step, soldering may be performed by irradiating the solder paste with laser light. For example, all the lands 16b, 17b, 26b, and 27b may be joined to the insertion portions 52 by a single irradiation. However, the soldering method is not limited to the irradiation of laser light, and may be a reflow furnace or other methods.

[0055] The printed circuit 12 of the first flexible printed wiring board 10 extends from the first terminal group 5A toward the first side X1. The printed circuit 22 of the second flexible printed wiring board 20 extends from the second terminal group 5B toward the second side X2. In the wire harness 1 illustrated in FIG. 14, the first side X1 is one side in the first direction X, and the second side X2 is the other side in the first direction X. That is, the two printed circuits 12 and 22 extend toward opposite sides of each other.

[0056] In the step of attaching the cover, as shown in FIG. 15, the main body 61 of the cover 6 is attached to the outer housing 3. The covering portion 64 of the main body 61 covers the joint portion between the flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 and the terminals 5, and protects the joint portion. That is, the covering portion 64 covers and protects the insertion portion 52 of the terminal 5 and the lands 16b, 17b, 26b, and 27b of the flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20. When the main body 61 is assembled to the outer housing 3, the holding portion 62 is positioned at a position shifted in the second direction Y with respect to the flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20.

[0057] The step of regulating the direction of the wiring board includes the step of bending the wiring board and the step of holding the wiring board. FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining the step of bending the wiring board. In the step of bending the wiring board, the first flexible printed wiring board 10 and the second flexible printed wiring board 20 are bent so as to overlap each other. The two flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 are bent so as to wrap the covering portion 64 and are overlapped while facing the cover layers 13 and 23. In other words, the two flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 are bent 180° in a U shape along the covering portion 64.

[0058] FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining the step of holding the wiring board. In the step of holding the wiring board, the two flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 are held by the holding portion 62 of the cover 6. The cover 6 of the present embodiment holds the two flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 in a stacked state.

[0059] The first holding portion 62A is engaged with the main body 61 while bending the first hinge portion 63A. The first holding portion 62A sandwiches the first flexible printed wiring board 10 between the first holding portion 62A and the main body 61. The second holding portion 62B is engaged with the main body 61 while bending the second hinge portion 63B. The second holding portion 62B sandwiches the second flexible printed wiring board 20 between the second holding portion 62B and the main body 61. The two flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 are drawn out to the outside from the slit 66 between the first holding portion 62A and the second holding portion 62B.

[0060] The slit 66 is used as an outlet portion for extending the flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 that are overlapped with each other. The extending direction of the flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 is the third direction Z. More specifically, the flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 extend from the holding portion 62 along the third direction Z toward the side opposite to the outer housing 3. That is, the flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 extend from the holding portion 62 in the direction in which the insertion portion 52 of the terminal 5 protrudes from the inner housing 4.

[0061] FIG. 18 shows the bending shapes of the flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20. As shown in FIG. 18, the first flexible printed wiring board 10 is held by the cover 6 in a state having a first curved portion 10c, a second curved portion 10d, and a third curved portion 10e. The first curved portion 10c is curved in a U shape along the covering portion 64. The second curved portion 10d is formed at a portion where the rib 64a of the covering portion 64 rises. The third curved portion 10e is formed at the tip of the rib 64a. The gap between the covering portion 64 and the first holding portion 62A is bent so as to form the second curved portion 10d and the third curved portion 10e with respect to the first flexible printed wiring board 10. The inner angles of the first curved portion 10c and the second curved portion 10d are obtuse angles, respectively.

[0062] The second flexible printed wiring board 20 is held by the cover 6 in a state having a first curved portion 20c, a second curved portion 20d, and a third curved portion 20e. The first curved portion 20c is curved in a U shape along the covering portion 64. The two first curved portions 10c, 20c are curved toward opposite sides. That is, the first curved portion 10c of the first flexible printed wiring board 10 has a convex curved shape toward the first side X1. On the other hand, the first curved portion 20c of the second flexible printed wiring board 20 has a convex curved shape toward the second side X2. The second curved portion 20d is formed at a portion where the rib 64a rises. The third curved portion 20e is formed at the tip of the rib 64a. The inner angles of the second curved portion 20d and the third curved portion 20e are each obtuse angles.

[0063] The two flexible printed wiring boards 10, 20 are overlapped with each other at the third curved portions 10e, 20e and extend in the third direction Z. The cover 6 of the present embodiment is configured so as not to cause an excessive bending portion in the flexible printed wiring boards 10, 20. For example, at the covering portion 64, the corner portions corresponding to the first curved portions 10c, 20c are chamfered in an arc shape. Further, the portions forming the second curved portions 10d, 20d and the third curved portions 10e, 20e are bent at an angle larger than a right angle. Therefore, the cover 6 of the present embodiment can regulate the paths of the flexible printed wiring boards 10, 20 without forming excessive bending in the flexible printed wiring boards 10, 20.

[0064] Thus, the cover 6 of the present embodiment has not only the function of protecting the joint portions of the flexible printed wiring boards 10, 20 and the terminals 5, but also the function of regulating the paths of the flexible printed wiring boards 10, 20. The cover 6 overlaps and extends the two flexible printed wiring boards 10, 20. The overlapping of the two flexible printed wiring boards 10, 20 facilitates the handling of the connector 2. The two flexible printed wiring boards 10, 20 are connected to a device via a connector or the like. The two flexible printed wiring boards 10, 20 may be connected to the same device, or may be connected to different devices respectively.

[0065] Figure 19 shows the connector 2 with the lever 7 assembled thereto. In the process of assembling the lever, the lever 7 is assembled to the outer housing 3. The connector 2 with the lever 7 assembled thereto is fitted to the mating connector 100. The lever 7 amplifies the force input to the lever 7 and transmits it to the mating connector 100, and causes the mating connector 100 to be fitted to the outer housing 3.

[0066] As described above, the wire harness 1 of the present embodiment includes the connector 2, the first flexible printed wiring board 10, the second flexible printed wiring board 20, and the cover 6 as a holding member. The connector 2 includes a plurality of terminals 5 having rod-shaped or cylindrical insertion portions 52, and housings 3 and 4 that hold the plurality of terminals 5 arranged in a plurality of rows with the insertion portions 52 protruding. The plurality of rows are arranged in the first direction X. The plurality of terminals 5 include a first terminal group 5A arranged on the first side X1 in the first direction X and a second terminal group 5B arranged on the second side X2 in the first direction X.

[0067] The first flexible printed wiring board 10 has through holes 16c and 17c into which the insertion portions 52 of the first terminal group 5A are inserted, and a printed circuit 12 connected to the insertion portions 52 of the first terminal portions. The second flexible printed wiring board 20 has through holes 26c and 27c into which the insertion portions 52 of the second terminal group 5B are inserted, and a printed circuit 22 connected to the insertion portions 52 of the second terminal group 5B. The cover 6 as a holding member is attached to the housings 3 and 4 and holds the first flexible printed wiring board 10 and the second flexible printed wiring board 20.

[0068] The cover 6 has an outlet portion, and extends the first flexible printed circuit board 10 and the second flexible printed circuit board 20 that are overlapped with each other from the outlet portion. The outlet portion of the cover 6 is, for example, a slit 66. The wire harness 1 of the present embodiment extends the two flexible printed circuit boards 10 and 20 overlapped with each other by a holding member. Therefore, the wire harness 1 of the present embodiment can improve the ease of handling of the wire harness 1. For example, since the two flexible printed circuit boards 10 and 20 are grouped together, the handling of the wire harness 1 during transportation and wiring becomes easy. The two overlapped flexible printed circuit boards 10 and 20 may be routed in the same path as they are, may be routed in different paths from each other, or may be branched and routed in the middle.

[0069] The cover 6 of the present embodiment holds the first flexible printed circuit board 10 and the second flexible printed circuit board 20 in a bent state respectively, and extends the first flexible printed circuit board 10 and the second flexible printed circuit board 20 that are overlapped with each other from the outlet portion in the protruding direction of the insertion portion 52. Such a configuration is adopted, for example, when the flexible printed circuit boards 10 and 20 are routed along the protruding direction of the insertion portion 52.

[0070] The cover 6 of the present embodiment has a main body 61 attached to the housings 3 and 4 so as to cover the insertion portion 52, a holding portion 62, and a hinge portion 63 connecting the main body 61 and the holding portion 62. The cover 6 sandwiches the first flexible printed circuit board 10 and the second flexible printed circuit board 20 between the main body 61 and the holding portion 62, thereby overlapping the first flexible printed circuit board 10 and the second flexible printed circuit board 20 with each other. The cover 6 of the present embodiment has not only the function of holding the flexible printed circuit boards 10 and 20, but also the function of protecting the joint portion between the insertion portion 52 and the flexible printed circuit boards 10 and 20.

[0071] The cover 6 of the present embodiment includes a main body 61 attached to the housings 3 and 4 so as to cover the insertion portion 52, a first holding portion 62A, a first hinge portion 63A connecting the main body 61 and the first holding portion 62A, a second holding portion 62B, and a second hinge portion 63B connecting the main body 61 and the second holding portion 62B. The cover 6 sandwiches the first flexible printed wiring board 10 between the main body 61 and the first holding portion 62A, sandwiches the second flexible printed wiring board 20 between the main body 61 and the second holding portion 62B, and extends the first flexible printed wiring board 10 and the second flexible printed wiring board 20 that are overlapped with each other from the slit 66. The slit 66 is a gap between the first holding portion 62A and the second holding portion 62B. Since the first holding portion 62A and the second holding portion 62B are independent, the workability of the work of holding the flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 is improved.

[0072] Note that the number of the inner housings 4 of the connector 2 is not limited to four. For example, the first cavity 45 and the second cavity 46 may be provided in the housing 4A of the first shape, and the first cavity 45 and the second cavity 46 may be provided in the housing 4B of the second shape. In this case, the number of the inner housings 4 of the connector 2 may be two.

[0073] The housing of the connector 2 does not have to be divided into the outer housing 3 and the inner housing 4. For example, the cavities 45 and 46 may be provided in the outer housing 3. The connector 2 is not limited to a lever-type connector having a lever 7.

[0074] The main body 61 and the holding portion 62 of the cover 6 do not have to be integral. For example, the main body 61 and the holding portion 62 may be separate members. In this case, first, the main body 61 is attached to the outer housing 3. Then, as shown in FIG. 16, the holding portion 62, which is a separate member in a state where the flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 are bent, may be assembled to the main body 61 or the outer housing 3.

[0075] [First Modification of the Embodiment] The first modification of the embodiment will be described. FIG. 20 is a diagram showing the process of bending the wiring board according to the first modification of the embodiment, FIG. 21 is a diagram showing the process of holding the wiring board according to the first modification of the embodiment, FIGS. 22 to 24 are diagrams showing the process of assembling the lever according to the first modification of the embodiment, FIG. 25 is a diagram showing the fitting process according to the first modification of the embodiment, FIG. 26 is a perspective view showing the wire harness completely fitted to the mating connector, FIG. 27 is a side view showing the wire harness completely fitted to the mating connector, FIG. 28 is a side view showing the wire harness completely fitted to the mating connector, FIG. 29 is a diagram showing the process of bending the wiring board according to the first modification of the embodiment, and FIG. 30 is a diagram showing the process of holding the wiring board according to the first modification of the embodiment. In the first modification of the embodiment, the difference from the above embodiment is, for example, that the flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 extend in the first direction X.

[0076] The direction in which the two flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 extend from the cover 6 may be the first direction X. For example, as shown in FIG. 20, the flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 may be drawn out from the cover 6 to the second side X2 of the first direction X. In this case, in the process of bending the wiring board, as shown in FIG. 20, the operator bends the first flexible printed wiring board 10 and overlaps it on the second flexible printed wiring board 20. The first flexible printed wiring board 10 is folded back so as to be wound around the covering portion 64 of the cover 6 and overlapped on the second flexible printed wiring board 20.

[0077] Next, the process of holding the wiring board is executed. In the process of holding the wiring board, the operator engages the first holding portion 62A and the second holding portion 62B with the main body 61 while bending the hinge portions 63A and 63B. Thereby, the first flexible printed wiring board 10 is sandwiched and held between the two holding portions 62A and 62B and the covering portion 64.

[0078] Next, the process of assembling the lever is executed. In the process of assembling the lever, as shown in FIGS. 22 and 23, the operator bends the two flexible printed circuit boards 10 and 20 along the side surface 62f of the second holding portion 62B. The flexible printed circuit boards 10 and 20 are bent toward the side opposite to the side of the outer housing 3 in the third direction Z.

[0079] As shown in FIG. 23, the two flexible printed circuit boards 10 and 20 are drawn out from the end portion 67 of the cover 6. That is, the end portion 67 of the second side X2 of the cover 6 is used as the outlet portion of the flexible printed circuit boards 10 and 20. More specifically, the first flexible printed circuit board 10 extends outside the cover 6 from the gap between the covering portion 64 and the second holding portion 62B. The second flexible printed circuit board 20 extends outside the cover 6 from the gap between the covering portion 64 and the outer housing 3.

[0080] Next, as shown in FIG. 24, the lever 7 is attached to the outer housing 3. The lever 7 has a pair of arms 71 and an operation portion 72. The pair of arms 71 has a plate shape and faces each other in the first direction X. The operation portion 72 is a portion where the operating force of the operator is input. The operation portion 72 connects the pair of arms 71 and extends in the first direction X.

[0081] The arm 71 is provided with a guide hole 71a and a contact portion 71b. The guide hole 71a is an arc-shaped hole portion into which the shaft portion 32c of the outer housing 3 is inserted. A support portion for locking the contact portion 71b is provided on the inner wall of the housing 110 of the mating connector 100. The contact portion 71b contacts the support portion of the mating connector 100 and is locked by the support portion. The lever 7 fits the outer housing 3 into the housing 110 by rotating about the locked contact portion 71b as a rotation center.

[0082] As shown in FIG. 24, the lever 7 is attached to the outer housing 3 such that the arm 71 is positioned outside with respect to the two overlapping flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20. Accordingly, the flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 extend in the third direction Z in the gap between the arm 71 and the cover 6.

[0083] As shown in FIG. 25, the outer housing 3 is inserted along the third direction Z into the housing 110 of the mating connector 100. When the outer housing 3 is inserted to the half-fitted position, the operator presses the operation portion 72 as indicated by the arrow AR1 to rotate the lever 7. The pressing force of the operator is transmitted to the outer housing 3 via the force multiplying mechanism, and the outer housing 3 is fully fitted to the housing 110.

[0084] FIGS. 26 and 27 show the connector 2 fully fitted to the mating connector 100. When fully fitted, most of the arm 71 of the lever 7 is received in the housing 110. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 27, the arm 71 is received in the housing 110 so as not to overlap with the holding portion 62 when viewed from the first direction X. As shown in FIG. 27, the gap between the second holding portion 62B and the covering portion 64 is open toward the second side X2. Accordingly, the cover 6 according to the first modification of the embodiment can linearly extend the first flexible printed wiring board 10 toward the second side X2.

[0085] The second flexible printed wiring board 20 is drawn out to the second side X2 so as to cross over the arm 71. More specifically, the second flexible printed wiring board 20 is formed with a first portion 20f extending in the third direction Z and a second portion 20g extending in the first direction X. The first portion 20f is formed in the gap between the arm 71 and the outer housing 3. The second flexible printed wiring board 20 bends along the first flexible printed wiring board 10 where the first portion 20f intersects the first flexible printed wiring board 10. Thereby, the second flexible printed wiring board 20 overlaps the first flexible printed wiring board 10. That is, when the connector 2 is fully mated with the mating connector 100, it becomes possible to linearly extend the flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 toward the second side X2.

[0086] In this way, the connector 2 is configured such that the extending directions of the two flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 can also be the first direction X. Therefore, the wire harness 1 can flexibly correspond to various wiring directions when mounted on a vehicle.

[0087] Note that, as shown in FIG. 28, the connector 2 can also extend the flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 from the cover 6 to the first side X1. In this case, as shown in FIG. 29, in the process of bending the wiring board, the operator bends the second flexible printed wiring board 20 and overlaps it with the first flexible printed wiring board 10. The second flexible printed wiring board 20 is folded back so as to be wound around the covering portion 64 of the cover 6 and overlapped with the first flexible printed wiring board 10.

[0088] In the step of holding the wiring board, the second flexible printed wiring board 20 is sandwiched and held between the two holding portions 62A and 62B and the covering portion 64. Thereafter, in the step of assembling the lever, the two flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 are bent along the side surface 62e of the first holding portion 62A, and the lever 7 is attached to the outer housing 3. When the connector 2 is fully mated with the mating connector 100, as shown in FIG. 28, it becomes possible to linearly extend the overlapping flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 toward the first side X1.

[0089] [Second Modification of the Embodiment] The second modification of the embodiment will be described. FIG. 31 is a cross-sectional view of a wire harness according to the second modification of the embodiment. In the second modification of the embodiment, the difference from the above embodiment is, for example, the attachment direction of the flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 to the terminals 5. The first flexible printed wiring board 10 shown in FIG. 31 is joined to the first terminal group 5A so as to extend from the first terminal group 5A toward the second side X2. The second flexible printed wiring board 20 is joined to the second terminal group 5B so as to extend from the second terminal group 5B toward the first side X1.

[0090] The two flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 are bent and overlapped in the third direction Z at a position between the first terminal group 5A and the second terminal group 5B. The connector 2 of the second modification may have a holding member attached to the outer housing 3 so as to extend the two flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 in the third direction Z.

[0091] The connector 2 may be configured as a shield connector. In this case, the first flexible printed wiring board 10 and the second flexible printed wiring board 20 may be provided with a conductive shield layer. In a state where the two flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 are overlapped, the shield layer is disposed on the outside. The shield layer may be a conductive paste applied to the outer surfaces of the base films 11 and 21.

[0092] When the connector 2 is configured as a shield connector, the connector 2 may have a conductive portion for grounding the shield layer. The conductive portion for grounding grounds the shield layers of the flexible printed wiring boards 10 and 20 to a metal housing or the like. The conductive portion for grounding may be a conductive member provided in the outer housing 3, or may be a shield shell covering the outer housing 3.

[0093] The contents disclosed in the above embodiments and modifications can be executed in appropriate combination.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0094] 1: Wire harness, 2: Connector, 3: Outer housing 4: Inner housing 4A: Housing of the first shape, 4B: Housing of the second shape 5: Terminal, 5A: First terminal group, 5B: Second terminal group 6: Cover, 7: Lever 10: First flexible printed wiring board, 10a, 10b: Through holes 10c: First bending portion, 10d: Second bending portion, 10e: Third bending portion 11: Base film, 12: Printed circuit, 13: Coverlay 14: First circuit group, 15: Second circuit group, 16, 17: Circuits 16a, 17a: Patterns, 16b, 17b: Lands 16c, 17c: Through holes 20: Second flexible printed wiring board 20c: First bending portion, 20d: Second bending portion, 20e: Third bending portion 21: Base film, 22: Printed circuit, 23: Coverlay 24: First circuit group, 25: Second circuit group, 26, 27: Circuits 26a, 27a: Patterns, 26b, 27b: Lands 26c, 27c: Through holes 31: Accommodating portion 32: Cylindrical portion, 32a: Main wall, 32b: Side wall, 32c: Shaft portion, 32d: Rib 33: Bottom wall, 33a: Through hole 41: First surface, 41a: First protrusion, 41b: Engagement portion 42: Second surface, 42a: First recess 43: First surface, 43a: Second protrusion, 43b: Engagement portion 44: Second surface, 44a: Second recess 45: First cavity, 46: Second cavity 47: First support protrusion, 48: Second support protrusion 51: Connection portion, 52: Insertion portion, 52a: Taper portion 61: Body 62: Holding portion, 62A: First holding portion, 62B: Second holding portion 62c: Engagement portion, 62d: Inclined surface, 62e: Side surface, 62f: Side surface 63: Hinge portion, 63A: First hinge portion, 63B: Second hinge portion 64: Cover portion 65: Leg portion, 65a: Engagement recess, 65b: Engagement protrusion 66: Slit 71: Arm, 71a: Guide hole, 71b: Contact portion 100: Mate connector, 110: Housing, 120: Terminal X: First direction, X1: First side, X2: Second side Y: Second direction, Z: Third direction

Claims

【Claim 1】 A connector having: a plurality of terminals each having a rod-shaped or cylindrical insertion portion; and a housing that holds the plurality of terminals arranged and held in a plurality of rows aligned in a first direction with the insertion portions protruding, the plurality of terminals including a first terminal group arranged on a first side in the first direction and a second terminal group arranged on a second side in the first direction; A first flexible printed wiring board having a through hole into which the insertion portion of the first terminal group is inserted and a printed circuit connected to the insertion portion of the first terminal group; A second flexible printed wiring board having a through hole into which the insertion portion of the second terminal group is inserted and a printed circuit connected to the insertion portion of the second terminal group; A holding member attached to the housing and configured to be able to hold the first flexible printed wiring board and the second flexible printed wiring board; Comprising: The first flexible printed wiring board and the second flexible printed wiring board are overlapped with each other by bending at least one of the first flexible printed wiring board and the second flexible printed wiring board; The holding member has an outlet portion, and extends the overlapped first flexible printed wiring board and second flexible printed wiring board from the outlet portion; The holding member holds the first flexible printed wiring board and the second flexible printed wiring board in a bent state respectively, and extends the overlapped first flexible printed wiring board and second flexible printed wiring board from the outlet portion in the protruding direction of the insertion portion; The holding member has a main body attached to the housing so as to cover the insertion portion, a first holding portion, a first hinge portion connecting the main body and the first holding portion, a second holding portion, and a second hinge portion connecting the main body and the second holding portion; The holding member sandwiches the first flexible printed wiring board between the main body and the first holding portion, sandwiches the second flexible printed wiring board between the main body and the second holding portion, and extends the overlapped first flexible printed wiring board and second flexible printed wiring board from a gap between the first holding portion and the second holding portion; A wire harness characterized by the above.

Images