adapter

Abstract

To provide a technology improving reliability of a fitting state of a cable connector and an adaptor, in a branch adaptor into which a terminal is pressed.SOLUTION: An adaptor comprises a housing 10, and a terminal 20 held in the housing 10. The terminal 20 has a contact portion 21, and contact portions 22 and 23 extending to the opposite side to the contact portion 21. The housing 10 has a fitting recessed portion 11, and fitting recessed portions 12 and 13 opening to the opposite side to the fitting recessed portion 11. The terminal 20 is arranged while the contact portion 21 projects out inside the fitting recessed portion 11, and is arranged while the contact portions 22 and 23 respectively project out inside the fitting recessed portions 12 and 13. The housing 10 has a projecting portion 15 projecting out along the contact portion 21 of the terminal 20, and is configured such that when a cable connector 2 is fitted, an end portion of a housing 5 of the cable connector 2 abuts on an end surface of the projecting portion 15 to be stopped.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5B

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an adapter, and more particularly to an adapter that branches one electric wire into multiple electric wires. [Background technology]

[0002] As an adapter (branch adapter or branch connector) that branches one electric wire into multiple electric wires, there is, for example, a branch connector that fits three mating connectors in a T-shape and electrically connects the cables connected to those mating connectors (see, for example, Patent Document 1). There is also a branch connector that fits one mating connector from one side and two mating connectors from the other side to electrically connect the cables (see, for example, Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-45631 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-153382 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in conventional branch adapters or branch connectors, when the housing is formed and then the terminals are pressed into the housing for assembly, the workability of pressing the terminals into the housing is not good, and the work efficiency and positioning accuracy when fitting the cable connector are not good.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of such problems, and one object of the present invention is to provide a technology that improves the reliability of the mating state between a cable connector and an adapter in a branch adapter into which a terminal is press-fit.

[0006] Another object of the present invention is to provide a technique for improving work efficiency when press-fitting terminals into a branch adapter using a jig.

[0007] The above and other objects and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A brief summary of a representative embodiment of the present invention will be given below.

[0009] That is, a representative embodiment of an adapter comprises a housing and terminals press-fit into the housing and held by the housing, the terminals having a first contact portion extending toward the first connector and a plurality of second contact portions extending on the opposite side of the first contact portion, the housing having a first mating recess opening toward the first connector and a plurality of second mating recesses opening on the opposite side of the first mating recess, the terminals being arranged inside the first mating recess with the first contact portion protruding and inside each of the plurality of second mating recesses with the second contact portion protruding, the housing having a protrusion protruding from the inner surface of the first mating recess toward the opening side along the first contact portion of the terminal inside the first mating recess, and configured so that when the first connector is mated with the first mating recess, an end of the housing of the first connector abuts against the end face of the protrusion and stops. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] The effects obtained by typical embodiments disclosed in the present application can be briefly explained as follows.

[0011] (1) Because the housing has a protrusion at the back of the mating recess, when the cable connector is mated with the adapter, the end of the cable connector abuts the end face of the protrusion inside the adapter housing, stopping and fixing the cable connector. This makes positioning easier, stabilizes the mating state of the cable connector and adapter, and improves reliability.

[0012] (2) Grooves are provided on both sides of the protrusion inside the adapter housing, so when using a tool to press in the terminal, it can be pushed all the way to the end of the protrusion, ensuring that the terminal is pressed in the correct position. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1A] 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an adapter and a cable connector according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 1B] 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an adapter and a cable connector according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a side view showing a state after the adapter and the cable connector according to an embodiment of the present invention are fitted together. FIG. [Figure 3] 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of the adapter and cable connector of FIG. 2 with the housing portion removed. [Figure 4A] 1 is a front view showing the configuration of an adapter and a cable connector according to an embodiment of the present invention (the cable is omitted). [Figure 4B] FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 4A. [Figure 5A] 1 is a front view showing a configuration of an adapter according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5B] FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view taken along the CC cut plane of FIG. 5A. [Figure 5C] FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view taken along the DD section of FIG. 5A. [Figure 6] 1 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the configuration of a housing of an adapter according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a terminal of an adapter according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 8A] 5B is a cross-sectional view (corresponding to the cross section DD in FIG. 5A) showing the process (during press-fitting) of press-fitting the terminal into the adapter according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8B] 5B is a cross-sectional view (corresponding to the cross section DD in FIG. 5A) showing the process of press-fitting the terminal into the adapter according to one embodiment of the present invention (completion of press-fitting). [Figure 9A] 5B is a cross-sectional view (corresponding to the CC cross section of FIG. 5A) showing a process (during press-fitting) of a terminal into an adapter according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9B] 5B is a cross-sectional view (corresponding to the CC cross section in FIG. 5A) showing the process of press-fitting the terminal into the adapter according to one embodiment of the present invention (completion of press-fitting). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In all drawings for explaining the embodiments, the same components are generally designated by the same reference numerals, and repeated description thereof will be omitted.

[0015] In the following embodiments, when necessary for convenience, the description will be divided into multiple sections or embodiments, but unless otherwise specified, they are not unrelated to each other, and one is a partial or complete modification, detail, supplementary explanation, etc. of the other. Furthermore, in the following embodiments, when the number of elements, etc. (including the number, numerical value, amount, range, etc.) is mentioned, it is not limited to that specific number, and may be more or less than the specific number, unless otherwise specified or when it is clearly limited in principle to a specific number.

[0016] 1A and 1B are perspective views showing the configuration of an adapter and a cable connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view showing the adapter and the cable connector after mating, and FIG. 3 is a view of the adapter and the cable connector of FIG. 2 with the housing portion removed. FIG. 4A is a front view showing the configuration of the adapter and the cable connector, and FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 4A. Note that the cable is omitted from FIGS. 4A and 4B. FIG. 5A is a front view showing the configuration of the adapter, FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG. 5A, and FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional view taken along the line DD in FIG. 5A. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the configuration of the adapter housing. Note that FIG. 6 corresponds to the cross-sectional view of FIG. 5C with the terminals omitted. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the adapter terminals.

[0017] First, the configurations of an adapter and a cable connector according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1A and 1B. The adapter 1 according to this embodiment is a branch adapter (or branch connector) that branches one electric wire into multiple electric wires. In this embodiment, an example is shown in which one electric wire is branched into two electric wires, but this is not limited thereto, and one electric wire may be branched into three or more electric wires. Furthermore, in this embodiment, as an example, seven cables 7 are arranged in parallel and each cable is branched, but this is not limited thereto, and only one cable may be used, or multiple cables, such as two to six or eight or more, may be arranged in parallel.

[0018] 1A and 1B, in this embodiment, one cable connector 2 (first connector) to which seven cables 7 are connected is fitted into a fitting recess 11 of the adapter 1, and two cable connectors 3 and 4 (plurality of second connectors) are fitted into two fitting recesses 12 and 13 of the adapter 1, thereby causing each electric wire of the cable 7 to branch into two and be electrically connected. Note that the number of branches may be three or more, and the number of fitting recesses 12 and 13 may be three or more.

[0019] 1A to 7, the adapter 1 includes a housing 10 and a plurality of terminals 20 (see FIG. 3, etc.) inside the housing 10. Each of the plurality of terminals 20 is press-fit into the housing 10 during the adapter 1 assembly process and is held by the housing 10. The housing 10 is made of an insulating material such as resin. The terminals 20 are formed by pressing (punching) a thin flat plate of a conductive material such as metal. The housing 10 has a mating recess 11 (first mating recess) that opens toward the cable connector 2 (Y1 direction), and a plurality (two or more) mating recesses 12, 13 (second mating recesses) that open toward the cable connectors 3, 4 (Y2 direction) on the opposite side of the mating recess 11. Then, when cable connector 2 is fitted into fitting recess 11, cable connector 3 is fitted into fitting recess 12, and cable connector 4 is fitted into fitting recess 13, the multiple electric wires of cable connector 2 are each branched and electrically connected to the multiple electric wires of cable connectors 3 and 4, respectively.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 1B, cable connector 2 and cable connectors 3 and 4 have the same shape and are compatible with each other. Each cable connector 2, 3, and 4 includes a housing 5 and terminals 6 (see FIG. 3, etc.). Housing 5 of cable connectors 2, 3, and 4 includes a mating portion 51 that is inserted into mating recesses 11, 12, and 13 of adapter 1 to mate with adapter 1, and a plurality of holes 52 into which terminals 6 are fitted are provided at the tip of mating portion 51. Terminals 6 arranged in holes 52 contact terminals 20 of adapter 1, electrically connecting cable connectors 2, 3, and 4 to adapter 1. Furthermore, a locking operation portion 53 and a locking claw 54 are provided on the cable 7 side of housing 5 to lock and unlock the mating and unmating of adapter 1 and cable connectors 2, 3, and 4.

[0021] 3 and 7 , each of the multiple terminals 20 of the adapter 1 has a contact portion 21 (first contact portion) extending from the center of the main body 27 of the terminal 20 toward the cable connector 2 (Y1 direction), multiple contact portions 22 and 23 (second contact portions) extending from the end of the main body 27 of the terminal 20 toward the opposite side of the contact portion 21 (toward the cable connectors 3 and 4, Y2 direction), and two carrier coupling portions 24 and 25 that are coupled to the carrier during the adapter assembly process. When the cable connectors 2, 3, and 4 are mated with the adapter 1, the contact portion 21 is mated with the terminal 6 of the cable connector 2, and the contact portions 22 and 23 are mated with the terminals 6 of the cable connectors 3 and 4, thereby electrically connecting the cable connectors 2 and 3, electrically connecting the cable connectors 2 and 4, and electrically connecting the cable connectors 3 and 4. Any of the cable connectors 2, 3, and 4 may serve as an input or output of an electrical signal. Furthermore, the contact portion 21 is located within the mating recess 11 of the housing 10, and the contact portions 22 and 23 are located within the mating recesses 12 and 13, respectively.

[0022] Furthermore, the carrier connecting portion 25 of the terminal 20 is provided with an incorrect insertion prevention portion 26 for preventing incorrect insertion when the terminal 20 is press-fitted into the housing 10. In this embodiment, two carrier connecting portions 24, 25 are provided, but only one may be provided. Also, the incorrect insertion prevention portion 26 may be absent. Press-fitting protrusions 28 are provided on both sides (Z1-Z2 directions) of the main body portion 27 of the terminal 20 for biting into the inner wall surface of the housing 10 to fix the terminal 20 to the housing 10 when the terminal 20 is press-fitted and fixed in the housing 10. Furthermore, the terminal 20 has a joining portion 29 that expands in a curved (R-shaped) shape at the portion where the contact portion 21 is joined to the main body portion 27 of the terminal 20.

[0023] Terminal 20 is arranged with contact portion 21 protruding inside fitting recess 11, and with contact portions 22 and 23 protruding inside multiple fitting recesses 12 and 13 (second fitting recesses), respectively. The width (W2) of contact portions 22 and 23 in the planar direction (Z1-Z2 direction) of terminal 20 is the same as the width (W1) of contact portion 21 in the planar direction (Z1-Z2 direction) of terminal 20.

[0024] The housing 10 has a protrusion 15 that protrudes from the inner surface 14 of the mating recess 11 toward the opening side (Y1 side) along the contact portion 21 of the terminal 20 inside the mating recess 11. When the cable connector 2 is mated with the mating recess 11, an end 55 of the housing 5 of the cable connector 2 abuts against an end face 16 of the protrusion 15, causing the cable connector 2 to stop. The end face 16 of the protrusion 15 is located closer to the mating opening (Y1 direction) than an end face 30 of the main body 27 of the terminal 20 that faces the mating opening (Y1 direction). Because the end face 16 of the protrusion 15 is located closer to the mating opening than the end face 30 of the main body 27, the end 55 of the cable connector 2 does not come into contact with the terminal 20 when the cable connector 2 is mated.

[0025] The housing 10 also has grooves 17 on both sides of the protrusion 15 in the Z1-Z2 direction, which are large enough to receive the tip of the jig 8 that presses the terminals 20. The grooves 17 are necessary when press-fitting the terminals 20 into the housing 10. The housing 10 also has terminal insertion spaces 18 into which the terminals are inserted when press-fitting the terminals 20. Locking holes 19 are provided on both ends of the housing 10 in the X1-X2 direction, with which the locking claws 54 of the cable connectors 2, 3, and 4 engage to lock the terminals.

[0026] 5B, the width (W3) of the protrusion 15 in the Z1Z2 direction is wider than the width (W1) of the contact portion 21 in the Z1Z2 direction, so that the protrusion 15 covers part of the contact portion 21 and the coupling portion 29. The width (W3) of the protrusion 15 in the Z1Z2 direction is wider than the maximum width of the coupling portion 29 of the terminal 20 in the Z1Z2 direction. Furthermore, in the fitting recess 11 and the fitting recesses 12, 13, the multiple terminals 20 are arranged in parallel at equal intervals (X1X2 directions), and in the fitting recess 11, the multiple protrusions 15 are provided at equal intervals between each of the multiple terminals 20.

[0027] Next, a method for press-fitting terminals 20 into housing 10 in the process of assembling adapter 1 will be described with reference to Figures 8A to 9B. Figures 8A to 9B are cross-sectional views showing the process of press-fitting terminals into an adapter according to one embodiment of the present invention, with Figures 8A and 9A showing a temporary holding state and Figures 8B and 9B showing the terminals after press-fitting (normal position). Figures 8A and 8B correspond to Figure 5C, and Figures 9A and 9B correspond to Figure 5B.

[0028] When press-fitting the terminals 20 into the adapter 1, a jig 8 is used. The jig 8 has a protrusion 82 that can be inserted into the mating recess 11 of the housing 10. The protrusion 82 is elongated in the X1-X2 direction. Multiple terminals (seven in this embodiment) are arranged in the X1-X2 direction, and the contact portions 21 of the multiple terminals 20 are clamped by the protrusions 82. The jig 8 is then used to insert the terminals 20 into the terminal insertion space 18 of the housing 10 from the Y1 side. The jig 8 then presses the terminals 20 in the Y2 direction to press them into the housing 10. FIGS. 8A and 9A show the provisionally fixed position of the terminals 20. The press-fitting process is completed by further pressing the terminals 20 to their normal positions as designed. FIGS. 8B and 9B show the normal positions of the terminals after press-fitting. When the terminal 20 is press-fitted using the jig 8, the terminal 20 can be pushed deep inside without the tip 81 of the jig 8 coming into contact with the end face 16 of the protrusion 15, since there are grooves 17 on both sides of the protrusion 15 of the housing 10.

[0029] Therefore, according to the adapter of this embodiment, since the adapter has a protrusion at the back of the mating recess of the housing, when the cable connector is mated to the adapter, the end of the cable connector abuts against the end face of the protrusion inside the adapter housing, causing the cable connector to stop and be fixed, making positioning easier and stabilizing the mating state of the cable connector and adapter, improving reliability.

[0030] In addition, grooves are provided on both sides of the protrusion inside the adapter housing, so when using a tool to press-fit the terminal, it can be pushed all the way into the end face of the protrusion, ensuring that the terminal is pressed into the correct position. This improves the efficiency of the terminal press-fitting process.

[0031] The invention made by the inventor has been specifically described above based on the embodiments thereof, but it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0032] The present invention can be used in electronic devices such as portable information terminals, automobile peripherals, and personal computers. [Explanation of symbols]

[0033] 1: Adapter 2: Cable connector 3: Cable connector 4: Cable connector 5: Housing 6: Terminal 7: Cable 8: Jig 10: Housing 11: Fitting recess 12: Fitting recess 13: Fitting recess 14: Internal surface 15:Protrusion 16: End face 17: Groove 18: Terminal insertion space 19: Lock hole 20: Terminal 21: Contact part 22: Contact part 23: Contact part 24: Carrier connection part 25: Carrier connection part 26: Misinsertion prevention part 27: Main body 28: Press-fit protrusion 29:Joining part 30: End face 51: Fitting part 52: Hole 53: Lock operation section 54: Locking claw 55: Edge 81:Tip 82: Convex part

Claims

1. Housing and a plurality of terminals press-fitted into the housing and held by the housing in an array in a first direction, Each of the plurality of terminals has a first contact portion extending toward the first connector and a plurality of second contact portions extending on an opposite side of the first contact portion and spaced apart in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the housing has a first fitting recess that opens toward the first connector, and a plurality of second fitting recesses that open on the opposite side to the first fitting recess and are spaced apart in the second direction, Each of the plurality of terminals is disposed in the first fitting recess with the first contact portion protruding, and each of the plurality of second fitting recesses is disposed in the second fitting recess with the second contact portion protruding, the housing has, inside the first fitting recess, a plurality of protrusions protruding from an inner surface of the first fitting recess toward an opening along the first contact portions of the terminals, and grooves adjacent to the plurality of protrusions; the plurality of protrusions are located between the terminals adjacent to each other in the first direction, the groove extends in the first direction at a position different from the position of the protrusion in the second direction; An adapter configured so that when the first connector is mated with the first mating recess, an end of a housing of the first connector abuts against an end face of the protrusion and stops.

2. 2. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the groove has a shape sufficient to allow a tip of a jig for press-fitting the plurality of terminals to be inserted therein.

3. 3. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the width of the second contact portion in the second direction of each of the plurality of terminals is the same as the width of the first contact portion in the second direction of each of the plurality of terminals.

4. An adapter as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the width of the protrusion portion in the second direction of each of the plurality of terminals is wider than the width of the first contact portion in the second direction of each of the plurality of terminals.

5. Each of the plurality of terminals has a coupling portion that expands in a curved shape at a portion where the first contact portion is coupled to the body portion of each of the plurality of terminals, An adapter according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the width of the protrusion in the second direction of each of the plurality of terminals is wider than the maximum width of the coupling portion in the second direction of each of the plurality of terminals.

6. 6. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of terminals are arranged at equal intervals in the first direction in the first and second fitting recesses.

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