Connector housing, connector and connector-equipped electric wire, connector unit, and method for manufacturing connector-equipped electric wire

Abstract

To provide a connector housing in which an electric wire with a terminal is disposed without buckling the electric wire and which is capable of suppressing reduction in transmission characteristics or durability of the electric wire due to buckling, a connector, an electric wire with a connector, a connector unit, and a manufacturing method of an electric wire with a connector.SOLUTION: In an assembly type connector housing 2 comprising a conductive connection terminal 4 including an electric wire connection part 43 connected with a covered electric wire 3 and a dielectric housing main body 2d holding the connection terminal 4, an electric wire connection part arrangement region 62 in which the electric wire connection part 43 is arranged is provided in the housing main body 2d. In a state where the connection terminal 4 is attached to the housing main body 2d, the housing main body 2d opens an upper side U holding the connection terminal 4 in the electric wire connection part arrangement region 62 therebetween.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a connector housing that holds a connection terminal having an electric wire connection portion to be connected to an electric wire having a conductor therein, a connector, an electric wire with a connector, a connector unit, and a method for manufacturing an electric wire with a connector. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art In vehicles such as automobiles, cables with connectors are used to transmit and receive signals between electrical devices and to supply power to these electrical devices. In recent years, as vehicle control has become more complex and faster, there has been a trend toward an increase in the number of electrical devices and an increase in the number of electric wires and connectors that make up connector-equipped cables.

[0003] On the other hand, there is a demand for space-saving connector-equipped cables routed in vehicles in order to improve passenger comfort in the vehicle interior and to ensure space for installing electrical devices. Against this background, efforts are being made to reduce the diameter of electric wires and the size of connector housings.

[0004] Incidentally, as exemplified in Patent Document 1, a conventional electric wire with connector is known in which the terminal portion of the electric wire with terminal (i.e., the connection terminal connected to the electric wire) is inserted into a terminal insertion hole formed through a connector housing, pushed into a terminal accommodating chamber (cavity) that forms part of the terminal insertion hole, and held in the terminal accommodating chamber.

[0005] However, when the terminal portion of the terminal-attached electric wire is inserted into the terminal insertion hole of the connector housing, the electric wire may buckle (bend), which may result in a decrease in the transmission characteristics and durability of the electric wire. For example, a twisted pair of wires, which are formed by twisting a pair of wires together, may have a specified characteristic impedance. When a connection terminal connected to such a twisted pair of wires is inserted into a terminal insertion hole, the wires may buckle, causing a change in the spacing between the wires. If the spacing between the wires changes in this way, the specified characteristic impedance may not be achieved.

[0006] In particular, as mentioned above, when the diameter of the electric wire is reduced or the connector housing is made smaller, it becomes more difficult to insert the connection terminal connected to the electric wire into the terminal insertion hole, and the strength of the electric wire decreases. 2 When a small diameter electric wire of less than 1 / 4" is inserted into a terminal insertion hole of a connector housing, the above-mentioned problem of the electric wire buckling becomes more pronounced. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-153458 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of these problems, and aims to provide a connector housing, a connector and a connector-equipped electric wire, a connector unit, and a method for manufacturing a connector-equipped electric wire, which are capable of arranging a terminal-equipped electric wire in a connector housing without buckling the electric wire and suppressing deterioration in the transmission characteristics and durability of the electric wire due to buckling. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] This invention is At the tip of the insulated wire A connector comprising a conductive connection terminal having a wire connection portion to be connected, and a dielectric connector housing for holding the connection terminal, The connector housing and a connector housing cover are assembled to the connector housing so as to accommodate the connection terminals therein together with the connector housing, and the connection terminals have a box portion on one side of the electric wire connection portion for connection with a mating connection terminal. The electric wire connection portion is disposed The box portion has an electric wire connection portion arrangement area and a box portion arrangement area in which the box portion is arranged. A connection portion arrangement portion is provided, The connector housing cover, when attached to the connector housing in which the connection terminals are arranged, closes the box portion arrangement area, and has a cover-side through-hole at a location facing the electric wire connection portion arrangement area, which penetrates in the opposing direction of the connector housing cover and the connector housing, and the cover-side through-hole allows at least one of a pair of tools that sandwich and connect the insulated electric wire and the electric wire connection portion to pass through or be temporarily present in the cover-side through-hole. When the connection terminals are arranged in the connector housing, a rear wall portion is provided that abuts against an end of the connection terminal on the electric wire connection portion side and regulates the position of the connection terminal with respect to the connection portion arrangement area. It is something.

[0010] The opening provided on the opposite side of the connection terminal from the connection portion arrangement portion may be an open portion including the portion of the connector housing facing the connection portion arrangement portion, or may be a partial opening. Furthermore, the opening may remain open or may be closed in use.

[0011] According to the present invention, when connecting an electric wire to a connection terminal held in a connector housing, the electric wire can be properly connected to the connection terminal without buckling. In detail, when the connection terminal is attached to the connector housing, a tool for connecting the wire connection portion and the wire can be applied directly through the opening to the wire connection portion arranged in the connection portion arrangement portion of the connector housing, thereby securely connecting the wire connection portion and the wire.

[0012] As described above, this invention allows the connection terminal to be attached to the connector housing before the electric wire is connected to the electric wire connection portion, thereby preventing problems such as the electric wire buckling when the connection terminal to which the electric wire is connected to the electric wire connection portion is attached to the connector housing, and suppressing a decrease in the transmission characteristics and durability of the electric wire connected to the connector due to buckling.

[0013] The tool for connecting the above-mentioned electric wire connection portion and the electric wire may be a pair of tools such as a so-called anvil and crimper that clamp and connect the electric wire and the electric wire connection portion, or may be a welding tool such as a laser welding tool or an ultrasonic welding tool.

[0014] As an aspect of the present invention, the connector housing may have a fixing structure for fixing the connection terminal. According to this invention, the wire connection portion of the connection terminal fixed to the connector housing can be fixed to the connection portion arrangement portion, so that a tool that acts directly through the opening can reliably act on the wire connection portion, thereby more firmly connecting the wire connection portion and the wire in the connected state.

[0015] The fixing structure for fixing the connection terminal may be provided at any position on the connection terminal, preferably at or near the wire connection portion where a tool directly acts, and may be provided at any position on the connector housing as long as it does not interfere with the tool that acts directly through the opening.

[0016] In another aspect of the present invention, the connector housing may cover a portion other than the opposite side corresponding to the connection portion placement portion. According to this invention, the connector housing covers all areas of the wire connection portion arranged in the connection portion arrangement portion except for the opening where the tool acts, so that the connection terminal can be protected by the connector housing and the connection terminal can be stably fixed to the connector housing.

[0017] In addition, the portion other than the opposite side corresponding to the connection portion arrangement portion may be covered by the connector housing after the electric wire and the connection terminal are connected, or may be covered by a separate connector housing before the electric wire and the connection terminal are connected.

[0018] In another aspect of the present invention, the connection portion placement portion has a through hole that allows at least one of a pair of tools that clamp and connect the electric wire and the electric wire connection portion to pass through or be temporarily present.

[0019] The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing a connector-attached electric wire, which includes a connector having a conductive connection terminal and a dielectric connector housing that holds the connection terminal, and an electric wire whose end portion is connected to the connection terminal, and which electrically connects the electric wire to the electric wire connection portion provided on the connection terminal, the method comprising: a terminal arrangement step of arranging the connection terminal in the connector housing so that the electric wire connection portion is arranged in the connection portion arrangement step of the connector housing; an electric wire arrangement step of arranging the end portion of the electric wire in the electric wire connection portion; and an electric wire connection step of clamping the electric wire connection portion and the electric wire from both sides with a pair of tools to connect them to each other, which are carried out in this order; and in the electric wire connecting step, one of the pair of tools, which is arranged on the side opposite to the side on which the electric wire connection portion is arranged with respect to the connector housing, is inserted into a through hole formed through the connector housing in the clamping direction of the pair of tools, and directly abuts against the electric wire connection portion, thereby pressurizing the electric wire connection portion.

[0020] The present invention also provides a dielectric connector housing that holds a conductive connection terminal having a wire connection portion that is connected to an electric wire having a conductor inside, and that is provided with a connection portion arrangement portion in which the wire connection portion is arranged, and that has a through hole that allows at least one of a pair of tools that clamp and connect the electric wire and the wire connection portion to pass through or be temporarily present.

[0021] The present invention also provides a connector-equipped electric wire comprising an electric wire having a conductor inside, a conductive connection terminal provided with an electric wire connection portion electrically connected to the electric wire, and a dielectric connector housing that holds the connection terminal, wherein the connector housing is provided with a connection portion arrangement portion in which the electric wire connection portion is arranged, and the connection portion arrangement portion has a through hole that allows at least one of a pair of tools that clamp and connect the electric wire and the electric wire connection portion to pass through or be temporarily present. According to this invention, when connecting an electric wire to a connection terminal held in a connector housing, the electric wire and the connection terminal can be properly connected without buckling the electric wire.

[0022] For example, in a configuration in which the wire connection portion arranged in the connection portion arrangement portion and the wire arranged in the wire connection portion are connected to each other by being clamped from both sides by a pair of tools (pressure tools), a configuration can be adopted in which one of the pair of tools, which is arranged on the opposite side of the connector housing from the side having the connection portion arrangement portion, is inserted from the opposite side through a through hole formed in the clamping direction of the pair of tools.

[0023] According to the above configuration, the connector housing has a dielectric property and holds a conductive connection terminal having a wire connection portion. The connection portion arrangement portion and the through hole are provided. One of a pair of tools for connecting the wire connection portion arranged in the connection portion arrangement portion and the wire arranged in the wire connection portion is inserted into the through hole. The pair of tools can then clamp the wire connection portion and the wire while the connector housing is in place, connecting the wire connection portion and the wire. This allows the wire to be properly connected to the connection terminal without buckling the wire. This prevents deterioration in the transmission characteristics and durability of the wire connected to the connector due to buckling.

[0024] According to this invention, when connecting an electric wire to a connection terminal held in a connector housing, the electric wire and the connection terminal can be properly connected without buckling the electric wire, thereby suppressing deterioration in the transmission characteristics and durability of the electric wire due to buckling of the electric wire connected to the connector.

[0025] As an aspect of the present invention, the through hole may be provided with a size and shape that match the characteristic impedance of the connection portion of the electric wire to the connector housing so that it satisfies a predetermined range. According to this invention, matching can be achieved so that the characteristic impedance of the connecting portion of the electric wire to the connector housing falls within a predetermined range in accordance with the size and shape of the through hole formed in the connector housing.

[0026] In another aspect of the present invention, a twisted pair electric wire may be provided by twisting two of the electric wires together, and an untwisted portion may be formed at each end of the two electric wires, and the untwisted portion may be placed at the electric wire connection portion in an untwisted state.

[0027] According to this invention, even if the characteristic impedance of the connector housing portion of the electric wire deviates from a predetermined value, matching can be achieved so that the characteristic impedance of the connection portion of the electric wire to the connector housing is within a predetermined range depending on the size and shape of the through hole formed in the connector housing.

[0028] Here, the characteristic impedance being within a predetermined range means, for example, 95 to 140 Ω, more preferably 120 Ω±10% when the communication protocol is CAN, and, for example, when it is so-called Ethernet (registered trademark), it means 90 to 110 Ω, i.e., 100 Ω±10%.

[0029] In another aspect of the present invention, a surface of the connector housing having the connection portion arrangement portion may have a plurality of the connection portion arrangement portions arranged side by side and spaced apart from each other, and the through holes may be arranged spaced apart from each other at positions corresponding to the connection portion arrangement portions.

[0030] According to this invention, by forming a through hole in the connector housing in the above manner, the reduction (effect of reduction) in the characteristic impedance at the connector portion of the electric wire caused by the presence of a dielectric connector housing can be kept small, and highly accurate matching to a specified value can be achieved. Therefore, even if the characteristic impedance of the electrical wire at the connector housing deviates from a predetermined characteristic impedance, it can be matched with a predetermined value with high accuracy.

[0031] In another aspect of the present invention, a surface of the connector housing having the connection portion arrangement portion may have a plurality of the connection portion arrangement portions arranged side by side and spaced apart from each other, and the through hole may be provided across the areas corresponding to the plurality of connection portion arrangement portions.

[0032] This invention can reduce the reduction in characteristic impedance (the effect of reduction) at the connector portion of the electric wire caused by the presence of a dielectric connector housing. Specifically, this can be significantly reduced compared to when the through holes are provided at intervals at each location corresponding to the connection portion placement portion, and as a result, it is possible to match impedance that is significantly different from a predetermined value.

[0033] That is, by forming the through hole in the connector housing in the above manner, even if the characteristic impedance of the connector housing portion of the electric wire deviates greatly from a predetermined characteristic impedance, it is possible to match the deviation.

[0034] In another aspect of the present invention, the through hole may be a first through hole, and the connector housing may have a second through hole at a location opposite the first through hole, which allows at least the other tool of the pair of tools to pass through or be temporarily present, and the second through hole may be the opening.

[0035] As another aspect of the present invention, in the above-described method for manufacturing an electric wire with a connector, the through hole may be a first through hole, and the connector housing may have a second through hole at a location opposite the first through hole, which allows at least the other tool of the pair of tools to pass through or be temporarily present, and the other tool may be inserted into the second through hole and directly abut against the electric wire connection portion, thereby pressurizing the electric wire connection portion.

[0036] According to the above-described invention, the connector housing has a first through hole in the connection portion arrangement portion and a second through hole in a portion facing the connection portion arrangement portion, so that when crimping the electric wire connection portion to the electric wire, the electric wire connection portion can be directly clamped and crimped with a tool without interference with the connection portion arrangement portion and the portion facing the connection portion arrangement portion.

[0037] Furthermore, according to the above-mentioned invention, by having the connector housing with the first through hole and the second through hole, matching can be achieved so that the characteristic impedance of the connection portion of the electric wire to the connector housing falls within a predetermined range based on the size and shape of not only the first through hole but also the first through hole and the second through hole.

[0038] As another aspect of the present invention, an assembled connector housing may be formed by the connector housing and a connector housing cover that is assembled to the connector housing so as to house the connection terminals together with the connector housing. According to this invention, by accommodating the connection terminals inside the connector housing and the connector housing cover, the connection portions between the connection terminals and the electric wires can be protected from external factors.

[0039] As another aspect of the present invention, the electric wire connecting portion may be provided with a pressure-contact piece. According to this invention, the wire connection portion is provided with a pressure-contact piece that can be inserted into the wire to press it against the insulation, eliminating the need to strip the insulation from the wire. Furthermore, the pressure-contact piece does not need to be plastically deformed by pressure when connecting to the insulation. This allows the wire connection portion to be compact, and ultimately allows the pair of tools that press the connection terminal and the through-hole in the connector housing, into which at least one of the tools is inserted, to be compact as well.

[0040] As another aspect of the present invention, the electric wire connecting portion may be provided with a crimping piece (barrel piece). According to this invention, by providing a crimping piece on the wire connection portion of the connection terminal, the wire and the connection terminal can be connected in a state in which the conductor at the end of the wire is crimped so as to be covered by the crimping piece, and therefore the connection terminal can be connected to the wire with excellent connection strength even when placed in the connector housing.

[0041] The present invention is also characterized in that it is a connector unit comprising a plurality of the above-mentioned connectors and a unit housing for holding the plurality of connectors. According to this invention, by holding a plurality of connectors in a unit housing, it is possible to increase the number of poles compared to when a single connector is used. Therefore, even if the number of poles of connectors increases in accordance with the high performance and high functionality of electrical devices mounted on vehicles, the connectors can be reliably and efficiently connected to the mating connector.

[0042] Furthermore, according to this invention, when a connector having a through hole in the connector housing is configured to be held and accommodated inside a unit housing, the through hole can be covered by the unit housing to prevent water from getting into the connection portion between the electric wire connection portion and the electric wire through the through hole, thereby improving the waterproofness of the connection portion.

[0043] In another aspect of the present invention, the connection portion placement portion is provided with a high-strength portion that is stronger than other portions, which suppresses damage or deformation of the connector housing when the placed electric wire connection portion and the electric wire are clamped and connected by a pair of pressure means.

[0044] The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing a connector-attached electric wire, which comprises a connector having a conductive connection terminal and a dielectric connector housing that holds the connection terminal, and an electric wire whose end is connected to the connection terminal, and which electrically connects the electric wire with an electric wire connection portion provided on the connection terminal, wherein the connector housing is provided with a connection portion arrangement portion in which the electric wire connection portion is arranged while holding the connection terminal, and a pressurized portion formed as a high-strength portion with higher strength than other portions is provided, which suppresses damage or deformation of the connector housing when the electric wire connection portion arranged in the connection portion arrangement portion and the electric wire are clamped and connected by a pair of pressure means, The connector housing includes a terminal arrangement process in which the connection terminal is arranged in the connector housing so that the wire connection portion is arranged in the connection portion arrangement process, a wire arrangement process in which the end portion of the wire is arranged in the wire connection portion, and a wire connection process in which the pair of pressure means clamp the wire connection portion and the wire from both sides to connect them to each other.In the wire connection process, one of the pair of pressure means is arranged on the side opposite to the side having the connection portion arrangement portion in the clamping direction of the pressure means, and presses the wire connection portion through the connector housing, thereby pressurizing the wire connection portion through the pressurized portion in the connector housing.

[0045] The present invention also provides a dielectric connector housing that holds a conductive connection terminal and has a wire connection portion that is connected to an electric wire having a conductor inside, and that has a connection portion arrangement portion in which the wire connection portion is arranged, and that the connection portion arrangement portion is a high-strength portion that is stronger than other portions and that suppresses damage or deformation of the connector housing when the wire connection portion arranged in the connection portion arrangement portion and the electric wire are connected by clamping them with a pair of pressure means.

[0046] The present invention also provides a connector-equipped electric wire comprising an electric wire having a conductor therein, a conductive connection terminal provided with an electric wire connection portion electrically connected to the electric wire, and a dielectric connector housing that holds the connection terminal, wherein the connector housing is provided with a connection portion arrangement portion in which the electric wire connection portion is arranged, and the connection portion arrangement portion is formed as a high-strength portion that is stronger than other portions and that suppresses damage or deformation of the connector housing when the electric wire connection portion arranged in the connection portion arrangement portion and the electric wire are connected by clamping them with a pair of pressure means.

[0047] According to this invention, when connecting an electric wire to a connection terminal held in a connector housing, the electric wire and the connection terminal can be properly connected without buckling of the electric wire. For example, the wire connection portion disposed in the connection portion arrangement portion and the wire disposed in the wire connection portion are connected to each other by being sandwiched from both sides by a pair of pressure means. In this case, one of the pair of pressure means in the sandwiching direction is disposed on the side of the connector housing opposite the side having the connection portion arrangement portion. Therefore, when connecting the wire connection portion and the wire, one of the pressure means indirectly presses the wire connection portion via the connector housing. In this case, the connector housing is directly pressurized by one of the pressure means.

[0048] Therefore, the present invention adopts a configuration in which a portion of the connector housing that is directly pressurized by one of the pressure means is defined as a pressurized portion, and in order to prevent damage or deformation of the connector housing when the wire connection portion arranged in the connection portion arrangement portion and the electric wire are connected by clamping the pressurized portion between a pair of pressure means, a high-strength portion that is stronger than other portions is provided in the connection arrangement portion.

[0049] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the end portions of the electric wires and the electric wire connection portion can be connected by being sandwiched between the pair of pressure means while they are arranged inside the connector housing, so that the end portions of the electric wires can be arranged in the wire connection portion after the electric wire connection portion is arranged in the connection portion arrangement portion. In other words, according to the present invention, the end portions of the electric wires and the electric wire connection portion can be arranged separately inside the connector housing, so that they can be inserted more smoothly than when they are inserted into the connector housing in a connected state.

[0050] More specifically, for example, if the end portion of the electric wire and the electric wire connection portion are connected to each other and inserted together into the inside of the connector housing, as in the conventional method of manufacturing an electric wire with a connector, there is a concern that the wire will easily get caught on the inner wall of the connector housing during insertion, causing buckling.

[0051] In contrast, in the present invention, the end portion of the electric wire and the electric wire connection portion can be positioned inside the connector housing before being connected to each other, so that the end portion of the electric wire and the electric wire connection portion can be inserted smoothly without buckling during insertion.

[0052] According to the above configuration, the pair of pressure means can connect the electric wires to the electric wire connection portion without breaking or deforming the connector housing and without buckling the electric wires, thereby suppressing deterioration in the transmission characteristics and durability of the electric wires due to buckling of the electric wires connected to the connector.

[0053] Here, the pair of pressure applying means is not particularly limited as long as it is configured to connect the electric wire connecting portion and the electric wire by applying pressure (pressing). Specifically, the pair of pressure applying means is not limited to being configured by a pair of tools, and at least one of the pressure applying means may be formed by a pressure applying member other than a tool, such as a jig for supporting a connection terminal or a support surface (placing surface) on a workbench or the like.

[0054] In the present invention, when one of the pair of pressure applying means is configured as a movable tool (for example, a movable tool (anvil) as one tool) and the other pressure applying means is configured as a support surface (a fixed pressure applying member other than a tool), when the electric wire connection portion and the electric wire are clamped between the pair of pressure applying means and connected to each other, for example, the connection terminal may be placed directly on the support surface without using a fixed tool (for example, a fixed tool (crimper) as the other tool), and the movable tool may be moved from the side opposite to the side having the support surface toward the support surface to apply pressure to the electric wire connection portion and the electric wire.

[0055] Furthermore, regardless of whether a tool or a pressure member other than a tool is used as at least one of the pair of pressure means, it is sufficient that at least one of the one pressure means and the other pressure means is movable; for example, a configuration in which both of the pair of pressure means are movable may be used. The direction in which the pair of pressure means clamp the electric wire connection portion and the electric wire, i.e., the pressure direction, is not limited to the vertical direction, but may be any direction other than the vertical direction.

[0056] In one aspect of the present invention, the high-strength portion is provided with a size and shape that match the characteristic impedance of the connecting portion of the electric wire to the connector housing so that it falls within a predetermined range.

[0057] According to the above configuration, by making the high-strength portion sized and shaped to match the characteristic impedance of the connection portion so that it is within a predetermined range, it is possible to match the characteristic impedance so that it is within a predetermined range.

[0058] In other words, by changing the size (including thickness) and shape of the high-strength portion, the characteristic impedance of the connection portion changes, and therefore the size and shape of the high-strength portion can be set so that the characteristic impedance falls within a predetermined range.

[0059] In one embodiment of the present invention, the high strength portion is provided with a raised portion that raises the pressure-applied portion of the connector housing toward the one pressure means relative to the periphery of the pressure-applied portion. According to this invention, by providing a protrusion on the high strength portion of the connector housing, the pressure-receiving portion of the connector housing can be thickened and reinforced.

[0060] Furthermore, according to the present invention, by providing the protrusions on the high strength portions, the characteristic impedance of the connection portion tends to be lower than when no protrusions are provided.

[0061] Therefore, when the characteristic impedance at the connection portion of the electric wire to the connector housing is higher than a predetermined range, by providing a raised portion in the high strength portion, matching can be achieved so that the characteristic impedance of the connection portion is lowered to meet the predetermined range.

[0062] Here, the raised portion is not limited to a configuration in which the entire pressurized area, i.e., the entire high-strength portion, is raised compared to other parts, but may also be configured, for example, in which the pressurized area (the high-strength portion) is partially raised in a rib-like manner.

[0063] In this way, by raising the pressure-receiving portion in a rib-like manner, the strength of the pressure-receiving portion can be efficiently increased while preventing the connector housing from becoming too heavy compared to when the entire pressure-receiving portion is raised.

[0064] In one embodiment of the present invention, the high-strength portion includes a high-strength member having a strength higher than that of the other portions. According to the above configuration, by providing the high-strength portion with a high-strength member, it is possible to increase the strength of the pressure-receiving portion while preventing the pressure-receiving portion from becoming thicker than other portions. Therefore, the strength of the pressure-receiving portion can be increased without increasing the size of the connector housing.

[0065] Here, the material of the high-strength member is not particularly limited as long as it is a member having a strength higher than that of the other portions. For example, even if the high-strength portion and the other portions of the connector housing are both made of a synthetic resin material, the high-strength portion may be made of a different type of synthetic resin material than that of the other portions, and the high-strength portion may have a strength higher than that of the other portions.

[0066] Furthermore, the high-strength portion may be formed, for example, by providing the high-strength member in the portion corresponding to the high-strength portion when molding the connector housing, and molding the portion integrally with the molding of other portions, or by molding only the other portions without having a high-strength portion, and then providing the high-strength member in the other portions by bonding, welding, etc.

[0067] Furthermore, when a high-strength member is used as the high-strength portion, it is preferable that the high-strength member be formed from a material that matches the characteristic impedance of the connection portion of the electric wire to the connector housing so that it is within a predetermined range.

[0068] In another aspect of the present invention, the other portion of the connector housing is made of only a non-metallic material, and the high strength portion is made of a metallic member. According to this invention, by using a metal member for the high strength portion, it is possible to significantly increase the strength compared to when the high strength portion is made of, for example, a synthetic resin material.

[0069] In another aspect of the present invention, the connector housing is configured to have a through hole at a location opposite the connection portion arrangement portion, which allows the pressure applying means to pass through or to be temporarily present therein.

[0070] According to the above configuration, when connecting the electric wire connection portion and the electric wire, one of the pressure applying means can apply pressure to the electric wire connection portion and the electric wire from one side in the clamping direction via the high-strength portion at the pressurized location, and the other pressure applying means can apply pressure to the electric wire connection portion and the electric wire directly through the through hole from the other side in the clamping direction.

[0071] As a result, whether the connector housing is formed as a separate body from the housing body and is provided with a cover as described below, or whether the parts corresponding to the housing body and the cover are formed integrally, the wire connection portion and the wire can be connected to each other when they are arranged inside the connector housing.

[0072] According to the above configuration, the connector housing has a high-strength portion and a through hole, so that the characteristic impedance of the connection portion of the electric wire to the connector housing can be more precisely matched so as to be within a specified range based not only on the size and shape of the high-strength portion but also on the size and shape of the high-strength portion and the through hole, respectively.

[0073] In another aspect of the present invention, an assembled connector housing is formed by the connector housing and a connector housing cover that is assembled to the connector housing so as to accommodate the connection terminals together with the connector housing. According to this invention, by accommodating the connection terminals inside the connector housing and the connector housing cover, the connection portions between the connection terminals and the electric wires can be protected from external factors.

[0074] In another aspect of the present invention, the wire connection portion is provided with a crimping piece that pierces and presses against the conductor at the end of the wire where the conductor is covered with an insulating coating. In this way, by inserting the electric wire together with the coated conductor into the insulation displacement piece provided in the electric wire connection part, it is possible to connect the electric wire to the electric wire connection part without peeling off the coated conductor or plastically deforming the insulation displacement piece by applying pressure. As a result, the electric wire connection part can be configured compactly, and the pressing means for pressing the connection terminal can also be made compact. Furthermore, the high-strength portion of the connector housing that is pressed by the pressing means can also be made compact.

[0075] Furthermore, the present invention may also provide a connector unit that includes a plurality of the above-described connectors and a unit housing that holds the plurality of connectors, with the plurality of connectors held in the unit housing.

[0076] According to the above configuration, by holding a plurality of connectors in the unit housing, it is possible to increase the number of poles compared to when a single connector is used. Therefore, even if the number of poles of connectors increases in accordance with the high performance and high functionality of electrical devices mounted on vehicles, the connectors can be reliably and efficiently connected to the mating connector.

[0077] Furthermore, in a connector having a through hole in the connector housing, by adopting a configuration in which the connector is held so as to be accommodated inside a unit housing, the through hole can be covered by the unit housing to prevent water from getting into the connection portion between the electric wire connection portion and the electric wire through the through hole, thereby improving the waterproofness of the connection portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0078] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a connector housing, a connector and a wire with a connector, a connector unit, and a method for manufacturing a wire with a connector, which can arrange a wire with a terminal in a connector housing without buckling the wire and suppress deterioration in the transmission characteristics and durability of the wire due to buckling. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0079] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the connector-attached electric wire according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] 2(a) is a plan view of the connector housing, FIG. 2(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2(a), and FIG. 2(c) is a cross-sectional view of a main part taken along line BB in FIG. 2(a). [Figure 3] 2(a) and 2(b) are plan views showing the terminal arrangement step and the electric wire arrangement step in the first embodiment. [Figure 4] 3A is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state immediately before a wire connecting step in the first embodiment, and FIG. 3B is a transverse sectional view showing a state immediately before a wire connecting step in the first embodiment. [Figure 5] 2(a) and 2(b) are longitudinal and transverse cross-sectional views, respectively, corresponding to FIG. 2(c) and FIG. 2(b), illustrating the state of the electric wire connecting step in the first embodiment. [Figure 6] 2(a) and 2(b) are plan views showing the internal structure of an assembled connector housing for a connector-attached electric wire according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] 6A and 6B are a longitudinal cross-sectional view (a) corresponding to FIG. 2C, a transverse cross-sectional view (b) corresponding to FIG. 2B, and a cross-sectional view (c) taken along the CC line in FIG. 6, showing the internal structure of an assembled connector housing for an electric wire with a connector in the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a connector-attached electric wire according to a second embodiment. [Figure 9] 2(a), a cross-sectional view (b) corresponding to FIG. 2(b), and a longitudinal-sectional view (c) corresponding to FIG. 2(c), respectively, of a connector-attached electric wire of a second embodiment. [Figure 10] 2(a) and 2(b) are plan views showing the terminal arrangement step and the electric wire arrangement step in the second embodiment. [Figure 11] 10A is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state immediately before a wire connecting step in a second embodiment, and FIG. [Figure 12] 2(a) and 2(b) are longitudinal and transverse cross-sectional views, respectively, corresponding to FIG. 2(c) and FIG. 2(b), illustrating the state of an electric wire connecting step in the second embodiment. [Figure 13]2(a) and 2(b) are a plan view and a cross-sectional view, respectively corresponding to FIG. 2(a) and FIG. 2(b), showing the internal configuration of an assembled connector housing for a connector-attached electric wire according to a second embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a connector-attached electric wire according to a third embodiment. [Figure 15] 2(b) is a longitudinal sectional view showing the state immediately before the electric wire connecting step in the third embodiment, corresponding to FIG. 2(c); FIG. [Figure 16] 2(a) and 2(b) are longitudinal and transverse cross-sectional views, respectively, corresponding to FIG. 2(c) and FIG. 2(b), illustrating the internal configuration of an assembled connector housing for a connector-attached electric wire according to a third embodiment. [Figure 17] 17(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A'-A' in FIG. 17(b), a longitudinal cross-sectional view (b) corresponding to FIG. 2(b) of the electric wire with connector of the fourth embodiment, and a horizontal cross-sectional view (c) corresponding to FIG. 2(c). [Figure 18] FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view showing a connector unit including an electric wire with a connector and a mating connector unit according to a third embodiment. [Figure 19] 19 is an external view of the connector unit shown in FIG. 18 as viewed from the other side in the depth direction. [Figure 20] 2(a) is a plan view showing a connector housing according to a modified example of the first embodiment, corresponding to FIG. 2(a); FIG. 2(b) is a plan view showing a connector housing according to a modified example of the second embodiment, corresponding to FIG. 2(a); [Figure 21] 2(a) is a plan view showing a connector housing according to another modified example of the first embodiment, corresponding to FIG. 2(a); FIG. 2(b) is a plan view showing a connector housing according to another modified example of the second embodiment, corresponding to FIG. 2(a); [Figure 22] FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of a connector-attached electric wire according to a sixth embodiment. [Figure 23] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the connector-attached electric wire of the sixth embodiment as viewed from below. [Figure 24]24(a) is a plan view of the connector housing, FIG. 24(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 24(a), and FIG. 24(c) is a cross-sectional view of a main part taken along line BB in FIG. 24(a). [Figure 25] 24(a) and 24(b) are plan views showing the terminal arrangement step and the electric wire arrangement step in the sixth embodiment. [Figure 26] 24(a) and 24(b) are longitudinal and transverse cross-sectional views, respectively, corresponding to FIG. 24(c) and FIG. 24(b), illustrating a state immediately before a wire connecting step in the sixth embodiment. [Figure 27] 24(c) and 24(b) are longitudinal and transverse cross-sectional views, respectively, showing the state of an electric wire connecting step in the sixth embodiment. [Figure 28] 24(a) and 24(b) are plan views showing the internal structure of an assembled connector housing for a connector-attached electric wire according to a sixth embodiment. [Figure 29] 28(a), 28(b), and 28(c) are cross-sectional views showing the internal structure of an assembled connector housing for an electric wire with a connector in the sixth embodiment, respectively. [Figure 30] 24(a), a cross-sectional view (b) corresponding to FIG. 24(b), and a cross-sectional view (c) corresponding to FIG. 24(c), respectively, of a connector-attached electric wire of the seventh embodiment. [Figure 31] FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of a connector-attached electric wire according to an eighth embodiment. [Figure 32] 24(a) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 24(c) showing the state immediately before the electric wire connecting step in the eighth embodiment, and FIG. 24(b) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 24(c) showing the state of the electric wire connecting step in the eighth embodiment. [Figure 33] 24(a) and 24(b) are cross-sectional views showing the internal configuration of an assembled connector housing for a connector-attached electric wire according to an eighth embodiment, respectively, corresponding to FIG. 24(c) and FIG. 24(b). [Figure 34]34(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A'-A' in FIG. 34(b), a horizontal cross-sectional view (b) corresponding to FIG. 24(b) of the connector housing of the electric wire with connector of the ninth embodiment, and a horizontal cross-sectional view (c) corresponding to FIG. 24(c). [Figure 35] FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view showing a connector unit including an electric wire with a connector and a mating connector unit according to an eighth embodiment. [Figure 36] 36 is an external view of the connector unit shown in FIG. 35 as viewed from the other side in the depth direction. [Figure 37] FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of a connector-attached electric wire according to a modified example of the sixth embodiment. [Figure 38] 24(a) and 24(b) are a plan view and a cross-sectional view, respectively, of a connector-attached electric wire according to a modified example of the sixth embodiment, respectively, shown in correspondence with FIG. 24(a) and FIG. 24(b). [Figure 39] 29 is a plan view showing a connector-attached electric wire according to a modified example of the sixth embodiment, corresponding to FIG. 28. [Figure 40] 24(a) and 24(b) are a plan view and a cross-sectional view, respectively, of a connector-attached electric wire according to another modified example of the sixth embodiment, shown in correspondence with FIG. 24(a) and FIG. 24(c). [Figure 41] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a connector-attached electric wire according to a modified example of the first embodiment. [Figure 42] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a connector-attached electric wire according to another modified example of the first embodiment. [Figure 43] 43(a) is a plan view of a connector housing of another modified example in the first embodiment, FIG. 43(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 43(a), and FIG. 43(c) is a cross-sectional view of a main part taken along line BB in FIG. 43(a). [Figure 44] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a terminal arrangement step and an electric wire arrangement step in another modified example of the first embodiment. [Figure 45] 43(a) and 43(b). FIG. 43(a) is a plan view showing the internal structure of an assembled connector housing for an electric wire with a connector according to another modified example of the first embodiment. [Figure 46]43(c) and 45(d), respectively, showing the internal structure of an assembled connector housing of another modified example of a connector-attached electric wire connector according to the first embodiment, in a longitudinal cross-sectional view (a) corresponding to FIG. 43(c), a transverse cross-sectional view (b) corresponding to FIG. 43(b), and a cross-sectional view (c) taken along the CC line in FIG. [Figure 47] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a connector-attached electric wire according to still another modified example of the first embodiment. [Figure 48] 48(a) is a plan view of a connector housing according to still another modification of the first embodiment, FIG. 48(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 48(a), and FIG. 48(c) is a cross-sectional view of a main part taken along line BB in FIG. 48(a). [Figure 49] 48(a) and 48(b) are plan views showing terminal arrangement steps and electric wire arrangement steps according to still another modified example of the first embodiment. [Figure 50] 48(a) and 48(b). FIG. 48(a) is a plan view showing the internal structure of an assembled connector housing for a connector-attached electric wire according to still another modified example of the first embodiment. [Figure 51] 50(a), 50(b), and 50(c) are cross-sectional views showing the internal structure of an assembled connector housing of a further modified example of a connector-attached electric wire according to the first embodiment, respectively. [Figure 52] FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of a connector-attached electric wire according to a modified example of the sixth embodiment. [Figure 53] FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of a connector-attached electric wire according to another modified example of the sixth embodiment. [Figure 54] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a connector-attached electric wire according to another modified example of the sixth embodiment, viewed from below. [Figure 55] FIG. 23 is a plan view showing a terminal arrangement step and an electric wire arrangement step according to another modified example of the sixth embodiment. [Figure 56] FIG. 13 is a plan view showing the internal configuration of an assembled connector housing for a connector-attached electric wire according to another modified example of the sixth embodiment. [Figure 57]57A and 57B are cross-sectional views respectively showing the internal configuration of an assembled connector housing for an electric wire with connector of another modified example in the sixth embodiment, and FIG. 57C is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG. 56. [Figure 58] FIG. 23 is an exploded perspective view of a connector-attached electric wire according to still another modified example of the sixth embodiment. [Figure 59] FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a connector-attached electric wire according to still another modified example of the sixth embodiment, viewed from below. [Figure 60] FIG. 23 is a plan view showing a terminal arrangement step and an electric wire arrangement step according to still another modified example of the sixth embodiment. [Figure 61] FIG. 13 is a plan view showing the internal configuration of an assembled connector housing for a connector-attached electric wire according to still another modified example of the sixth embodiment. [Figure 62] 62(a) and 62(b) are cross-sectional views respectively showing the internal configuration of an assembled connector housing for an electric wire with connector of still another modified example in the sixth embodiment, and FIG. 62(c) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG. 61. [Figure 63] 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a connector unit including a connector-attached electric wire and a mating connector unit; [Figure 64] 64 is an external view of the connector unit shown in FIG. 63 as viewed from the other side in the depth direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0080] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. (First embodiment) 1, the electric wire with connector 1 of the first embodiment includes an assembled connector housing 2, two covered electric wires 3, and two connection terminals 4. Of these, the assembled connector housing 2 and the connection terminals 4 held therein constitute a connector 5.

[0081] In the following description, the longitudinal direction, lateral direction, and thickness direction of the assembled connector housing 2 are referred to as the front-to-rear direction, width direction, and up-to-down direction, respectively, and in Figure 1, arrow F indicates the front direction, arrow U indicates the upward direction, arrow R indicates the rightward direction, and arrow L indicates the leftward direction. As shown in FIG. 1, the coated wire 3 has a conductor 31 made of a conductive material and an insulating coating 32 made of an insulating material that coats the entire outer periphery of the conductor 31.

[0082] Conductor 31 is formed by bundling multiple wires made of copper or its alloy into a copper core wire, but conductor 31 made of a single wire may also be used. Note that the material of conductor 31 can be other than copper or its alloy depending on the purpose, and conductor 31 can be made of a conductor with high conductivity only on its surface.

[0083] An end portion 33 (hereinafter referred to as "wire end portion 33") of the coated wire 3 on the side connected to the connection terminal 4 in the longitudinal direction thereof has an exposed conductor portion 31a formed by exposing the conductor 31 by, for example, stripping off the insulating coating portion 32. Furthermore, a coated end portion 32a is formed on the base side (opposite the end side) of the conductor exposed portion 31a in the wire end portion 33.

[0084] The connector-equipped electric wire 1 includes two of the above-described coated electric wires 3, and these two coated electric wires 3 are twisted together to form a twisted pair electric wire 35. The two coated electric wires 3 are untwisted (uncoated) at the ends of the wires 3 connected to the connector 5 to form untwisted portions 35a. The untwisted portions 35a have electric wire end portions 33 with exposed conductor portions 31a formed thereon.

[0085] The connection terminal 4 is a female terminal fitting, and is formed by punching a conductive metal plate into a predetermined terminal development shape and then bending the same. The connection terminal 4 includes a box portion 41, a transition portion 42, and an electric wire connection portion 43. The box portion 41, the transition portion 42, and the electric wire connection portion 43 are arranged in series from the front to the rear in this order and are integrally formed, and the connection terminal 4 is formed in an elongated shape.

[0086] The box part 41 is formed in a rectangular cylindrical shape. A resilient contact piece 41a (see FIG. 7(c)) is disposed inside the box part 41, the portion of which that extends forward from the front end of the bottom surface of the box part 41 being folded back backward. Therefore, when a tab provided on a mating connection terminal (male connection terminal) not shown is inserted from the front of the box portion 41, the resilient contact piece 41a is biased against the tab and comes into contact with the tab inside the box portion 41, thereby electrically connecting the mating connection terminal and the connection terminal 4. The tab provided on the above-mentioned mating connection terminal (male connection terminal) has the same shape as the male terminal 65 provided on the connection mating connector unit 60 shown in FIG.

[0087] The transition portion 42 is interposed between the box portion 41 and the electric wire connection portion 43, and is a portion that integrally connects the bottom surfaces of these portions. The electric wire connecting portion 43 is a portion for connecting the electric wire end portion 33 of the coated electric wire 3. The electric wire connecting portion 43 has a wire barrel portion 44 on the front side and an insulation barrel portion 45 on the rear side.

[0088] As shown in Figures 3 and 4(a) and (b), the wire barrel portion 44 and the insulation barrel portion 45 are both integrally formed with barrel bottom surfaces 44a and 45a (see Figures 4(a) and (b)) and a pair of left and right barrel pieces 44b and 45b.

[0089] The pair of left and right barrel pieces 44b, 45b are formed so as to extend upward toward the outer sides in the width direction relative to the barrel bottom surfaces 44a, 45a. In this way, the wire barrel portion 44 and the insulation barrel portion 45, which are constituted by the barrel bottom surfaces 44a, 45a and the barrel pieces 44b, 45b, are formed in an open barrel shape.

[0090] The wire barrel portion 44 crimps the exposed conductor portion 31a at the wire end portion 33 in the wire connecting step described below (see FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b)). The insulation barrel portion 45 crimps the coating end portion 32a at the wire end portion 33 side in the wire connecting step (see FIG. 5(a)). The insulation barrel portion 45 is formed slightly larger than the wire barrel portion 44 so that it can hold the coating end portion 32a. As shown in FIG. 1, the connector-attached electric wire 1 of the first embodiment includes two connection terminals 4 in total, each corresponding to one of the two coated electric wires 3 .

[0091] The assembled connector housing 2 is composed of a housing main body 2d and a cover 2u that covers the housing main body 2d from above, and is formed into a rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole. The housing main body 2d and the cover 2u that constitute the assembled connector housing 2 are both made of a synthetic resin material having dielectric (insulating) properties.

[0092] At least one terminal accommodating chamber 6 is provided inside the assembled connector housing 2. One connection terminal 4 is accommodated in each terminal accommodating chamber 6. As shown in Fig. 1 and Figs. 2(a) and (b), in the first embodiment, two terminal accommodating chambers 6 are arranged side by side in the width direction inside the assembled connector housing 2 so that two connection terminals 4 can be accommodated therein.

[0093] As shown in FIGS. 7(b) and (c), the terminal accommodating chamber 6 is composed of an upper terminal accommodating recess 6u and a lower terminal accommodating recess 6d. The upper terminal accommodating recess 6u is formed on the cover 2u side so as to be able to accommodate the upper sides (one side in the thickness direction) of the connection terminals 4. The lower terminal accommodating recess 6d is formed on the housing main body 2d side so as to be able to accommodate the lower sides (the other side in the thickness direction) of the connection terminals 4.

[0094] The upper terminal accommodating recess 6u is formed in a recessed shape with the lower surface of the cover 2u opening downward so that the connection terminal 4 can be fitted into the cover 2u from below. The lower terminal accommodating recess 6d is formed in a recessed shape with the upper surface of the housing main body 2d opening upward so that the connection terminal 4 can be fitted into the housing main body 2d from above.

[0095] Furthermore, as long as the terminal accommodating chamber 6 is capable of accommodating the connection terminal 4, for example, the cover 2u may have a flat lower surface rather than a concave lower surface, and only the upper surface of the housing main body 2d may be concave.

[0096] In this case, the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d is formed to a depth that allows the entire connecting terminal 4 to be fitted in both the vertical direction, and is configured so that when the cover 2u and the housing main body 2d are assembled, the opening of the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d is blocked from above by the cover 2u.

[0097] As shown in Figures 1 and 2(a), (b), and (c), the housing main body 2d is integrally formed and includes a base portion 21, a front wall portion 22, a rear wall portion 23, side wall portions 24, 24 on each side, and a partition portion 25. The base portion 21 forms the bottom plate of the housing body 2d, and the upper surface of the portion of the base portion 21 that corresponds to the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d in plan view forms the bottom surface of the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d.

[0098] The rear wall 23, the partition wall 25, and the left and right side walls 24, 24 are all formed as vertical walls with a height slightly lower than that of the assembled connector housing 2. On the other hand, the front wall 22 is formed as a vertical wall with approximately the same height as that of the assembled connector housing 2.

[0099] As a result, the upper part of the front wall 22 is formed to protrude upward in a stepped manner relative to the upper surfaces of the pair of left and right side walls 24, 24 and the partition wall 25 (see FIG. 1). The side walls 24, 24 extend in the front-rear direction at both widthwise ends of the housing main body 2d. Therefore, the side walls 24, 24 connect both widthwise ends of the front wall 22 and the rear wall 23. The partition wall 25 extends in the front-rear direction so as to widthwise divide box section arrangement regions 61 (described later) on each of the left and right sides.

[0100] As described above, of the upper terminal accommodating recess 6u and the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d that constitute the terminal accommodating chamber 6, the configuration of the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d formed on the housing main body 2d side will be mainly described below. As shown in Figures 2(a), (b), (c), Figure 6, and Figures 7(a), (b), (c), the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d has a box portion arrangement area 61 and an electric wire connection portion arrangement area 62.

[0101] The box portion arrangement region 61 accommodates the box portion 41 of the connection terminal 4, which is arranged so as to be fitted into the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d from above. The wire connecting portion arrangement region 62 accommodates the wire connecting portion 43 and the transition portion 42 of the connection terminal 4 arranged so as to be fitted into the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d from above.

[0102] In the housing body 2d, the inner walls of the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d are formed by a vertical front wall 22, a rear wall 23, side walls 24, 24 and a partition wall 25 so as to face the internal space of the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d.

[0103] As described above, the box portion arrangement regions 61 in the lower terminal accommodating recesses 6d on each of the left and right sides are partitioned in the width direction by the partition wall 25. Furthermore, the box portion arrangement regions 61 are formed by the partition wall 25 and the corresponding left and right side walls 24, 24 to be slightly wider than the width of the box portion 41 so that the box portion 41 can be fitted into them (see FIGS. 6 and 7(c)).

[0104] As a result, the box portions 41 of the two connection terminals 4 are arranged so as to be fitted into the box portion arrangement areas 61 recessed on the left and right sides of the upper surface of the housing main body 2d, respectively. In this state, the box portions 41 are fitted and held in the width direction by the inner walls of the box portion arrangement areas 61 formed by the corresponding left and right side wall portions 24, 24 and the partition wall portion 25.

[0105] In this way, by holding the box portion 41 in the width direction in the box portion arrangement area 61, the housing main body 2d can hold the connection terminal 4 itself in the width direction in a state where it is positioned so as to be fitted into the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d.

[0106] The manner in which the connection terminals 4 are held by the housing body 2d is not limited to the above-described configuration in which the connection terminals 4 are held by fitting the box portion 41 into the box portion arrangement region 61 in the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d.

[0107] For example, although not shown, a configuration may be adopted in which an engaging portion or the like that engages with the connection terminal 4 arranged to be fitted into the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d in the housing main body 2d is formed on the inner wall of the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d, and the connection terminal 4 is held by the engaging portion or the like. Note that the engaging portion or the like may have a known structure, and may have a shape such as an engaging protrusion 29d as shown in FIG. 1, for example.

[0108] As shown in Figures 1 and 2(a), (b), and (c), in the housing main body 2d of the first embodiment, a wide recess 7 that is recessed into the upper surface of the housing main body 2d is formed rearward of the box section arrangement area 61 on each of the left and right sides.

[0109] The wide recess 7 has wire connection part arrangement areas 62 on each side in part, and its bottom surface is formed by the upper surface of the base 21 so as to have the same depth as these wire connection part arrangement areas 62. Furthermore, the inner wall of the wide recess 7 is formed by the side wall parts 24, 24 on each side, the rear wall part 23, and the rear end of the partition part 25 so as to be surrounded by these.

[0110] 1 and 2(a), the wide recess 7 is formed wide so that the inner walls of the widthwise outer ends of the left and right side box portion arrangement regions 61 are positioned widthwise outward of the inner walls of the widthwise outer ends of the corresponding left and right box portion arrangement regions 61. Furthermore, the wide recess 7 is formed so as to straddle the wire connection portion arrangement regions 62 in the width direction, including between the left and right wire connection portion arrangement regions 62 spaced apart in the width direction of the housing main body 2d. In other words, the wide recess 7 is not partitioned in the width direction by the partition wall 25 but is formed so as to communicate with each other in the width direction.

[0111] The rear ends of the box portion arrangement areas 61 on each side open toward the wide recess 7, and the box portion arrangement areas 61 on each side communicate with the wide recess 7 in the front-to-rear direction. In other words, the wide recess 7, which has the wire connection portion arrangement areas 62 on each side in part of its width, is formed in the housing main body 2d.

[0112] In this way, by forming the wide recess 7 in the housing main body 2d, interference between the pair of tools 81, 82 (here, upper tool 81 and lower tool 82, which are pressure tools) that crimp the coated electric wire 3 and the connection terminal 4 during the electric wire connecting process described below is avoided, particularly between the upper tool 81 and the housing main body 2d (see Figures 5(a) and (b)).

[0113] Specifically, in order to connect the coated electric wire 3 and the connection terminal 4, the upper tool 81 is lowered from above onto the electric wire connecting portion 43 arranged in the housing main body 2d. The lowered upper tool 81 enters the recessed space of the wide recess 7, thereby preventing interference between the upper tool 81 and the housing main body 2d.

[0114] As shown in Figures 1 and 2(a), an insertion hole 22a is formed in the front wall portion 22 of the housing main body 2d, into which the tab of the mating connection terminal (male connection terminal) to be connected to the connection terminal 4 is inserted. Specifically, an insertion hole 22a, into which the tab of the mating connection terminal is inserted from the front, is formed penetrating in the front-to-rear direction in the left and right sides of the front wall portion 22 corresponding to the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d when viewed from the front (viewed from the front to the rear).

[0115] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2(a), (b), and (c), a wire placement recess 23a in which the coated wire 3 is placed is formed in the rear wall 23 of the housing main body 2d. In detail, on the left and right sides of the rear wall portion 23, which correspond to the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d when viewed from the rear (viewed from the rear to the front), wire arrangement recesses 23a in which the coated wire 3 is arranged are formed in a concave shape relative to the upper surface of the rear wall portion 23.

[0116] The wire placement recess 23a is intended to avoid interference between the insulated wire 3 and the rear wall portion 23 when the wire end portion 33 is placed in the wire connection portion 43 of the connection terminal 4 placed in the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d during the wire placement process described below (see Figures 3 and 4(a)).

[0117] With this configuration, the connection terminal 4 accommodated in the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d is held so as not to shift in position in the front-rear direction. Specifically, the front end of the connection terminal 4 accommodated in the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d abuts against the rear surface of the front wall 22. Furthermore, the rear end of the connection terminal 4 accommodated in the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d abuts against the front surface of the rear wall 23. In this way, the front and rear ends of the connection terminal 4 accommodated in the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d abut against the front wall 22 and the rear wall 23, thereby restricting the position of the connection terminal 4 in the front-rear direction relative to the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d.

[0118] 1 and 2(a), (b), and (c), a through-hole 10 is formed in the electric wire connection portion arrangement region 62 of the housing main body 2d, passing through the housing main body 2d in the up-down direction. The through-hole 10 is formed across the electric wire connection portion arrangement regions 62 on both the left and right sides of the housing main body 2d that are spaced apart in the width direction. In other words, as shown in FIG. 2(a), the through-hole 10 is formed in a rectangular shape in plan view in the central portion of the bottom surface of the wide recess 7 excluding the peripheral edge.

[0119] The through hole 10 is formed to a size and shape that allows at least the lower tool 82 (fixed tool: the tool that is fixed in the wire connection process) of a pair of tools 81, 82 to be inserted when the housing main body 2d is placed relative to the lower tool 82 in the wire connection process described below (see Figures 4(a), (b) and Figures 5(a), (b)).

[0120] Specifically, the through hole 10 is formed to a size and shape that does not interfere with the housing main body 2d when the lower tool 82 supports from below the wire connection parts 43 arranged in the wire connection part arrangement areas 62 on each of the left and right sides (see Figures 5(a) and (b)).

[0121] Furthermore, the through hole 10 in the first embodiment is formed to a size and shape that does not interfere with the housing main body 2d when the upper tool 81 (movable tool: the tool that moves in the wire connection process), of the pair of tools 81, 82, which is positioned above the housing main body 2d, is lowered (see Figure 5(b)).

[0122] In addition, the through hole 10 is formed to have a size and shape that match the characteristic impedance of the connection portion 3C (see FIG. 7(a)) of the coated electric wire 3 to the assembled connector housing 2 so that it falls within a predetermined range. Furthermore, the opposite side of the through-hole 10, that is, the opposite side (upper side) of the electric wire connection portion 43 of the electric wire connection portion arrangement region 62 when the connection terminal 4 is attached, is open.

[0123] As shown in Figures 1 and 7(a) and (b), the above-mentioned cover 2u is integrally formed of a flat top plate portion 27 and cover side wall portions 28, 28 extending downward from both sides of the top plate portion 27 in the width direction. The top plate portion 27 is configured to cover the housing main body 2d including the front wall portion 22 from above. The cover side walls 28, 28 are configured to cover the side walls 24, 24 from the outside in the width direction.

[0124] As shown in FIG. 1, an engagement protrusion 29d is formed on the outer surfaces of the side wall portions 24, 24 of the housing main body 2d. Furthermore, an engagement hole 29u that engages with the engagement protrusion 29d when the housing body 2d and the cover 2u are assembled is formed in a portion of the cover side wall portions 28, 28 corresponding to the engagement protrusion 29d. Note that the engagement protrusion 29d and the engagement hole 29u are only shown in FIG.

[0125] As shown in Figures 7(a), (b), and (c), the electric wire with connector 1 is accommodated inside an assembled connector housing 2, which is formed by assembling a housing main body 2d and a cover 2u into one body, with the connection terminal 4 and the electric wire end portion 33 crimped and connected. As a result, in the connector-attached electric wire 1, the conductor exposed portion 31a of the electric wire end portion 33 and the connection terminal 4 are electrically connected inside the assembled connector housing 2.

[0126] Next, a method for manufacturing the above-mentioned electric wire with connector 1 will be described. The manufacturing method of the connector-attached electric wire 1 includes a terminal arrangement step, an electric wire arrangement step, an electric wire connection step, and a cover assembly step. The terminal arrangement step is a step of arranging the connection terminals 4 in the housing main body 2d.

[0127] The electric wire placement step is a step of placing the electric wire end portion 33 on the electric wire connection portion 43. The electric wire connecting step is a step of crimping and connecting the electric wire connecting portion 43 and the coated electric wire 3 using a pair of tools 81 and 82. The cover assembling step is a step in which the cover 2u is attached to the housing body 2d to complete the connector-attached electric wire 1.

[0128] Each step will be described in detail below. First, a terminal arrangement step is performed in which the connection terminals 4 are arranged in the housing main body 2d. In this terminal arrangement step, the two connection terminals 4 are arranged from above the housing main body 2d so as to fit into the left and right lower terminal accommodating recesses 6d provided in the housing main body 2d (see FIG. 3). As a result, the box portion 41 is held by the inner wall of the box portion arrangement region 61 in the box portion arrangement region 61 of the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d.

[0129] On the other hand, the transition portion 42 and the electric wire connection portion 43 are arranged in the electric wire connection portion arrangement region 62, that is, in a state of being fitted into the wide recess 7. At this time, the electric wire connecting portion 43 is placed in the electric wire connecting portion placement area 62 with both the wire barrel portion 44 and the insulation barrel portion 45 facing upward (see FIG. 3 and FIGS. 4(a) and (b)).

[0130] In the subsequent wire arrangement step, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4(a) and (b), the wire end portion 33 is arranged from above onto the wire connecting portion 43 of the connection terminal 4 arranged in the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d. At this time, the exposed conductor portion 31 a of the wire end portion 33 is placed on the barrel bottom surface 44 a of the wire barrel portion 44 , and the coated end portion 32 a of the wire end portion 33 is placed on the barrel bottom surface 45 a of the insulation barrel portion 45 .

[0131] In the wire connecting process, the wire connecting portion 43 on which the wire end portion 33 is disposed is clamped from both sides in the vertical direction by a pair of tools 81, 82 to crimp and connect them to each other. The pair of tools 81, 82 consists of an upper tool 81 and a lower tool 82.

[0132] In the wire connecting process, as shown in Figures 4(a) and (b), of a pair of tools 81, 82, the lower tool 82 is placed below the wire connecting section 43 where the insulated wire 3 is placed, and the upper tool 81 is placed above it.

[0133] At this time, the lower tool 82 is inserted into the through-hole 10 from below, and the upper surface (pressure surface 82a) of the lower tool 82 is brought into direct contact with the lower surface of the wire connection portion 43. As a result, the lower tool 82 is brought into a state of supporting, from below, the wire connection portion 43 on which the wire end portion 33 is disposed.

[0134] 5(a) and 5(b), the upper tool 81, which is positioned above the wire end portion 33, is lowered. This allows the upper tool 81 and the lower tool 82 to crimp and connect the wire connection portion 43 and the wire end portion 33 to each other by sandwiching them from above and below.

[0135] 5(a) and 5(b), the wire barrel portion 44 is plastically deformed so that the barrel pieces 44b are wound around the outer periphery of the conductor exposed portion 31a of the wire end portion 33. As a result, the conductor exposed portion 31a is crimped by the wire barrel portion 44, and the conductor exposed portion 31a and the wire barrel portion 44 come into contact with each other, electrically connecting the wire end portion 33 and the connection terminal 4.

[0136] The insulation barrel portion 45 is plastically deformed so that the barrel piece 45b is wrapped around the outer periphery of the insulation end portion 32a. As a result, as shown in Fig. 5(b), the insulation end portion 32a is crimped by the insulation barrel portion 45. Therefore, the holding force with which the connection terminal 4 holds the wire end portion 33 can be increased compared to when only the conductor exposed portion 31a and the wire barrel portion 44 are crimped.

[0137] 5(a) and 5(b), in the above-described electric wire connecting step, the electric wire connecting portion 43 is directly supported by a lower tool 82 that is inserted through the through hole 10, without using the housing main body 2d. Furthermore, an upper tool 81 that descends to apply pressure to the electric wire connecting portion 43 is inserted into the wide recess 7 and the through hole 10 from above (see FIG. 5(b)).

[0138] As a result, the upper tool 81 and the lower tool 82 can crimp and connect the electric wire connecting portion 43 and the electric wire end portion 33 without interfering with the housing main body 2d. That is, the electric wire connecting portion 43 and the electric wire end portion 33 can be crimped and connected to each other while both are disposed in the housing main body 2d.

[0139] After the above-mentioned electric wire connecting step, a cover assembling step is carried out, and the cover 2u is assembled onto the housing main body 2d from above. As shown in FIG. 7, the connection terminal 4 of the terminal-attached electric wire, in which the electric wire end portion 33 and the electric wire connecting portion 43 are connected, is fitted into the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d of the housing main body 2d.

[0140] In this state, the cover 2u is placed over the housing body 2d on which the connection terminals 4 of the terminal-equipped electric wires are arranged, and the engaging protrusions 29d on the housing body 2d are engaged with the engaging holes 29u on the cover 2u to fix them in place.

[0141] As a result, as shown in Figures 7(a), (b), and (c), the housing body 2d and the cover 2u can be assembled to each other with the connection terminal 4 of the terminal-equipped electric wire accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber 6, thereby creating the connector-equipped electric wire 1.

[0142] As shown in FIG. 1, the connector-equipped wire 1 includes a coated wire 3 having a conductor 31 therein, a metal connection terminal 4 having a wire connection portion 43 electrically connected to the coated wire 3, and a dielectric housing main body 2d that holds the connection terminal 4.

[0143] 1 and 2(a), (b), and (c), the housing main body 2d is provided with a lower terminal accommodating recess 6d (connection portion arrangement portion) in which the electric wire connecting portion 43 is arranged. As shown in Fig. 3, the electric wire connecting portion 43 arranged in the electric wire connecting portion arrangement region 62 and the electric wire end portion 33 arranged in the electric wire connecting portion 43 are connected to each other by being sandwiched from both sides by a pair of tools 81 and 82, as shown in Figs. 4(a), (b) and 5(a), (b).

[0144] As shown in the figure, a through hole 10 into which a lower tool 82 (one of the pressure tools) arranged on the lower side (opposite the side on which the electric wire connection portion 43 is arranged) of the housing main body 2d is inserted from the lower side (opposite side) is formed in the housing main body 2d in the vertical direction (the clamping direction of the pair of pressure tools) (see Figures 2(a), (b), and (c)).

[0145] According to the above configuration, in the assembled connector housing 2 which includes a conductive connection terminal 4 having a wire connection portion 43 to be connected to the insulated wire 3, and a dielectric housing main body 2d which holds the connection terminal 4, the housing main body 2d is provided with a wire connection portion arrangement area 62 in which the wire connection portion 43 is arranged, and when the connection terminal 4 is attached to the housing main body 2d, the housing main body 2d has an opening at an upper U sandwiching the connection terminal 4 in the wire connection portion arrangement area 62.Therefore, when connecting the insulated wire 3 to the connection terminal 4 held in the housing main body 2d, the insulated wire 3 can be properly connected to the connection terminal 4 without buckling.

[0146] In more detail, with the connection terminal 4 attached to the housing main body 2d, a tool for connecting the wire connection portion 43 and the insulated wire 3 can be applied directly through the opening to the wire connection portion 43 arranged in the wire connection portion arrangement area 62 in the housing main body 2d, thereby ensuring a secure connection between the wire connection portion 43 and the insulated wire 3.

[0147] As described above, since the connection terminal 4 can be attached to the housing main body 2d before the insulated wire 3 is connected to the wire connection portion 43, problems such as the insulated wire 3 buckling can be prevented when the connection terminal 4 connected to the wire connection portion 43 is attached to the housing main body 2d, and deterioration in the transmission characteristics and durability of the insulated wire 3 due to buckling of the insulated wire 3 connected to the assembled connector housing 2 can be suppressed.

[0148] Furthermore, since the housing main body 2d has a fixing structure for fixing the connection terminal 4, the wire connection portion 43 of the connection terminal 4 fixed to the housing main body 2d can be fixed to the wire connection portion arrangement region 62. Therefore, a tool that acts directly through the opening can reliably act on the wire connection portion 43, and the wire connection portion 43 and the covered wire 3 can be more firmly connected in the connected state.

[0149] Furthermore, since the housing main body 2d covers all parts other than the opposite side corresponding to the wire connection portion arrangement area 62, and all parts other than the opening where the tool acts on the wire connection portion 43 arranged in the wire connection portion arrangement area 62 are covered by the housing main body 2d, the connection terminal 4 can be protected by the housing main body 2d and the connection terminal 4 can be stably fixed to the housing main body 2d.

[0150] When connecting the covered electric wire 3 to the connection terminal 4 held in the housing main body 2d, the covered electric wire 3 can be appropriately connected to the connection terminal 4 without buckling of the covered electric wire 3. Therefore, the durability of the covered electric wire 3 connected to the housing main body 2d can be ensured and transmission loss can be suppressed.

[0151] In detail, when connecting the coated electric wire 3 and the connection terminal 4 to the housing main body 2d, the coated electric wire 3 and the connection terminal 4 are placed in a separate state in which they are not connected to each other, in the housing main body 2d that constitutes the connector 5, and then the coated electric wire 3 and the connection terminal 4 are connected in that state.

[0152] Specifically, the wire connection portion 43 arranged in the wire connection portion arrangement area 62 of the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d and the wire end portion 33 arranged in the wire connection portion 43 are clamped from both sides by a pair of tools 81, 82 to connect the coated wire 3 and the connection terminal 4 to each other.

[0153] At that time, the lower tool 82 is inserted through the through hole 10 formed in the vertical direction in the electric wire connection portion arrangement area 62 of the housing main body 2d, and the electric wire connection portion 43 arranged in the electric wire connection portion arrangement area 62 is directly supported from below by the lower tool 82. Then, the wire connecting portion 43 on which the wire end portion 33 is disposed is sandwiched between the upper tool 81 (the other pressure tool) and the lower tool 82 in the vertical direction to connect them together.

[0154] In this way, when connecting the connection terminal 4 arranged in the housing main body 2d to the insulated electric wire 3, the insulated electric wire 3 and the connection terminal 4 are separately arranged relative to the housing main body 2d and then pressurized and connected using a pair of tools 81, 82.Therefore, the connection terminal 4 arranged in the housing main body 2d can be connected to the insulated electric wire 3 without having to insert the connection terminal 4 of the terminal-equipped electric wire, which has been previously connected to the insulated electric wire 3, into the connector housing, as in the conventional case.

[0155] Furthermore, since the coated electric wire 3 and the connection terminal 4 are pressure-connected using a pair of tools 81, 82, the two terminal placement operations of placing the connection terminal 4 on the pressure surface 82a of the lower tool 82 and placing the connection terminal 4 on the housing main body 2d to hold the connection terminal 4 in the housing main body 2d can be combined into a single terminal placement operation of placing the connection terminal 4 on the housing main body 2d, thereby simplifying the effort required for the terminal placement operation.

[0156] More specifically, when connecting the coated electric wire 3 and the connection terminal 4 and arranging the connection terminal 4 in the housing main body 2d, one possible method is to prepare a terminal-attached electric wire with the connection terminal 4 connected in advance, and then connect them together by arranging the connection terminal 4 on this terminal-attached electric wire so that it fits into the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d provided on the top surface of the connector housing.

[0157] This connection method eliminates the need to insert the connection terminal 4 of the terminal-equipped electric wire, which has the connection terminal 4 already connected to it, into the connector housing, as in the conventional method, which has the advantage of eliminating the risk of buckling of the insulated electric wire 3 when connecting the insulated electric wire 3 to the connector housing.

[0158] However, when manufacturing a connector-equipped electric wire by placing the connection terminal 4 of a terminal-equipped electric wire in which the connection terminal 4 and the coated electric wire 3 are previously connected in the housing main body 2d, there is a problem that the work of placing the connection terminal 4, which is performed during the manufacturing process, is time-consuming.

[0159] This is because, in the conventional method of manufacturing an electric wire with a connector, in the electric wire connection process, as a preliminary step to applying pressure with a pair of tools 81, 82, it is necessary to perform both the work of placing the terminal on the pressure surface of the crimper (fixed tool) of the pair of tools 81, 82, and the work of placing the connection terminal 4 of the electric wire with terminal in the connector housing in the terminal attachment process. Therefore, in such a conventional method for producing an electric wire with a connector, the terminals must be arranged in each process, which is troublesome.

[0160] In contrast, in the manufacturing method of the present invention described above, by simply placing the connection terminal 4 in the housing main body 2d, the terminal placement work of placing the connection terminal 4 in the housing main body 2d using a pair of tools 81, 82 to pressurize and connect the connection terminal 4, and the terminal placement work of placing the connection terminal 4 so that it fits into the housing main body 2d to hold (attach and fix) the connection terminal 4 in the housing main body 2d can be combined into one, thereby simplifying the effort required for the terminal placement work.

[0161] In particular, when a connector-attached electric wire has a plurality of connection terminals 4, the terminal arrangement work requires that the connection terminals 4 be arranged one by one in accordance with the number of connection terminals 4. Therefore, when the terminal arrangement work needs to be performed for each process as in the conventional method of producing a connector-attached electric wire, the labor required for the terminal arrangement work as a whole increases as the number of connection terminals 4 increases.

[0162] In contrast, in the manufacturing method of the present invention described above, even when connecting a plurality of thin-diameter coated electric wires 3 to the housing main body 2d, the arrangement of a plurality of connection terminals 4 corresponding to the number of coated electric wires 3 can be consolidated into one between each process, thereby significantly improving the efficiency of the connection process between the connector 5 and the coated electric wires 3.

[0163] Furthermore, with the above-described configuration, it is possible to combine a location where only the pressure connection is performed by clamping the coated electric wire 3 and the connection terminal 4 with the pair of tools 81, 82, and a location where the connection terminal 4 is held and placed in the housing main body 2d, and where the coated electric wire 3 is placed on the connection terminal 4. Therefore, it is possible to configure the manufacturing device for the connector-attached electric wire 1 in a compact manner.

[0164] As shown in Figures 1, 2(a), (b), 6(a), (b), and 7(a), (b), the through hole 10 is provided with a size and shape that matches the characteristic impedance of the connection portion 3C of the insulated electric wire 3 to the housing main body 2d so that it falls within a predetermined range.

[0165] According to the above configuration, matching can be achieved so that the characteristic impedance of the connection portion 3C of the covered electric wire 3 to the housing body 2d falls within a predetermined range in accordance with the size and shape of the through hole 10 formed in the housing body 2d.

[0166] In this embodiment, the size and shape of the through hole 10 are used to achieve matching of the characteristic impedance of the connection portion 3C, but it is also possible to configure the through hole 10 so that only the size or only the shape of the through hole 10 matches the characteristic impedance of the connection portion 3C.

[0167] To be more specific, the characteristic impedance is generally set to 120Ω in a CAN communication system, and to 100Ω in a 100BASE-T communication system commonly used in Ethernet (registered trademark).

[0168] Therefore, for example, when the connector-equipped electric wire 1 is applied to a CAN-type communication system, the characteristic impedance of the connection portion 3C of the insulated electric wire 3 to the housing body 2d is matched to be within the range of 120 Ω ± 10%. Also, when the connector-equipped electric wire is applied to a 100BASE-T communication system, the characteristic impedance of the connection portion 3C is matched to be within the range of 100 Ω ± 10%. Specifically, the thicker the dielectric housing body 2d is, the lower the characteristic impedance of the connection portion 3C of the coated wire 3 to the housing body 2d tends to be.

[0169] Furthermore, the area corresponding to the through-hole 10 formed in the housing main body 2d is filled with air, which has a lower dielectric constant than the housing main body 2d, and therefore tends to have a higher characteristic impedance. Furthermore, the characteristic impedance of the connection portion 3C of the covered electric wire 3 to the housing body 2d tends to increase as the inter-wire distance of the covered electric wires 3 (the distance between a pair of covered electric wires 3) or the distance between the connection portions 3C increases.

[0170] In this way, the characteristic impedance of the connection portion 3C of the coated electric wire 3 varies depending on the inter-wire distance, the dielectric constant of the housing main body 2d, etc., but the size and shape of the through hole 10 formed in the housing main body 2d are set so that the characteristic impedance of the connection portion 3C is matched within a predetermined range of 120Ω±10%.

[0171] For example, in the connection terminal 4, the transition portion 42 that connects the box portion 41 that is connected to the mating connection terminal and the wire connection portion 43 tends to have a higher characteristic impedance because the proportion of metal parts that make up the connection terminal 4 is smaller than that of the box portion 41 and the wire connection portion 43.

[0172] Therefore, by providing a through hole 10 in the area where the transition portion 42 is located, particularly within the electric wire connection portion arrangement area 62, when viewed in a plane of the housing main body 2d, it is possible to more effectively match the characteristic impedance than, for example, when the through hole 10 is provided only in the area where the electric wire connection portion 43 is located.

[0173] The twisted pair electric wire 35 provided in the connector-attached electric wire 1 of the first embodiment, which is formed by twisting together a pair of coated electric wires 3, is generally used in a CAN type communication system. As shown in FIG. 1, each wire end 33 of the twisted pair electric wire 35 formed by twisting two coated electric wires 3 together has an untwisted portion 35a formed therein, which is untwisted and placed at the electric wire connection portion 43.

[0174] Twisted pair electric wires 35 are generally used in CAN-type communication systems, and in CAN-type communication systems, the characteristic impedance is often set to 120 Ω, but due to the formation of untwisted portion 35a at connection portion 3C of insulated electric wire 3 to housing main body 2d, the characteristic impedance may deviate from the predetermined value, i.e., may fall outside the range of 120 Ω ±10%. With the above configuration, matching can be achieved so that the characteristic impedance of connection portion 3C of insulated electric wire 3 to housing main body 2d is within the range of 120 Ω ±10%, depending on the size and shape of through hole 10 formed in housing main body 2d.

[0175] As shown in Figures 2(a), (b), and (c), in the housing main body 2d, two lower terminal accommodating recesses 6d are arranged side by side and spaced apart from each other, and the through hole 10 is provided across the wire connection portion arrangement areas 62 of the two lower terminal accommodating recesses 6d.

[0176] According to the above configuration, the reduction in the characteristic impedance (the influence of the reduction) at the connection portion 3C of the insulated electric wire 3 to the housing main body 2d can be significantly reduced compared to, for example, a case in which the through holes 10 are provided spaced apart from each other at each portion corresponding to the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d. As a result, it is possible to match the characteristic impedance that is significantly deviated from a predetermined value.

[0177] In other words, even if the characteristic impedance at the connection portion 3C of the coated electric wire 3 deviates greatly from a predetermined value, matching can be achieved by forming the through hole 10 in the housing main body 2d across the electric wire connection portion arrangement area 62 as described above.

[0178] As shown in Figures 1 and 7(a), (b), and (c), the assembled connector housing 2 is formed by assembling a cover 2u (connector housing cover) to the housing main body 2d so as to accommodate the connection terminals 4 inside the housing main body 2d. According to the above-described configuration, the connection portion where the coated electric wire 3 and the connection terminal 4 are connected can be housed inside the housing body 2d and the cover 2u, thereby protecting the connection portion from external factors.

[0179] As shown in Figures 1, 3, 4(a), (b), 5(a), (b), 6, and 7(a), (b), the wire connection portion 43 is provided with barrel pieces 44b, 45b that crimp and clamp the arranged wire end portion 33 with a pair of tools 81, 82.

[0180] In this way, by providing the barrel pieces 44b, 45b on the wire connection portion 43 of the connection terminal 4, the conductor exposed portion 31a can be crimped and connected so as to be covered by the barrel pieces 44b, 45b. Therefore, the connection terminal 4 arranged in the housing body 2d and the coated wire 3 can be connected with excellent connection strength.

[0181] Next, other embodiments different from the connector-attached electric wire 1 of the first embodiment will be described. However, the same components as those in the above-described embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted.

[0182] (Second embodiment) As shown in Figures 8 and 10, the connector-equipped electric wire 1A of the second embodiment does not have a conductor exposed portion 31a at the electric wire end portion 33A, and the entire outer periphery of the conductor 31 in the longitudinal direction of the coated electric wire 3A is covered with the insulating coating portion 32 up to the end, including the portion corresponding to the conductor exposed portion 31a.

[0183] Furthermore, the wire connection portion 43A of the connection terminal 4A has an insulation barrel portion 45A on the rear side, but does not have a wire barrel portion 44 on the front side, but has a pressure-contact portion 44A. 11(a) and 11(b), the pressure contact portion 44A has a bottom wall 44Aa, side walls 44Ab extending upward from both left and right ends of the bottom wall 44Aa, and a pair of pressure contact pieces 44Ac. The pair of pressure contact pieces 44Ac are disposed so as to face each other and spaced apart in the front-rear direction.

[0184] 8 and 11(a) and (b), the insulation displacement piece 44Ac is formed to be wider than the outer diameter of the coated electric wire 3A. A recess 44d extending downward from the upper end is formed in the center of the insulation displacement piece 44Ac in the width direction. The recess 44d is formed to be slightly wider than the outer diameter of the conductor 31.

[0185] 8 and 9(a), (b), and (c), the through holes 10A formed through the assembled connector housing 2Ad are spaced apart from each other in the width direction at positions corresponding to the wire connection portion arrangement regions 62 on each of the left and right sides. That is, in one assembled connector housing 2Ad, two through holes 10A corresponding to the wire connection portion arrangement regions 62 on each of the left and right sides are formed independently.

[0186] However, the through holes 10A formed so as to be spaced apart from each other in the width direction in the assembled connector housing 2Ad are formed to a size and shape that allows the lower tool 82 (fixed tool) placed on the lower side of the assembled connector housing 2Ad to be inserted therethrough during the wire connection process (i.e., to allow the lower tool 82 to pass through or to be temporarily present (stay) therein).

[0187] Furthermore, similar to the through hole 10 of the first embodiment, the through hole 10A is formed to have a size and shape that matches the characteristic impedance of the connection portion 3C (see Figure 13(a)) of the coated electric wire 3A so that it is within a predetermined range.

[0188] Next, a method for manufacturing the connector-equipped electric wire 1A will be described, focusing on the configurations that differ from the method for manufacturing the connector-equipped electric wire 1 according to the first embodiment described above. 10, in the terminal arrangement step, the connection terminals 4 are arranged so as to be fitted into the lower terminal accommodating recesses 6d provided on the left and right sides of the assembled connector housing 2Ad. Then, in the electric wire arrangement step, the electric wire end portions 33A are arranged from above relative to the electric wire connection portions 43A.

[0189] In this case, as shown in FIG. 11(a), the wire end portion 33A is placed from above relative to each of the insulation displacement portion 44A and the insulation barrel portion 45A, and the portion corresponding to the insulation displacement portion 44A is positioned so as to straddle the pair of insulation displacement pieces 44Ac provided on the insulation displacement portion 44A from front to back.

[0190] Next, when performing the wire connection process, the pair of tools 81A, 82A are set so that the lower tool 82A is placed below the wire connection portion 43A where the insulated wire 3A is placed, and the upper tool 81A is placed above (see Figure 11(a)).

[0191] The upper tool 81A includes an upper tool for pressure welding 81Aa and an upper tool for crimping 81Ab, and the lower tool 82A includes a lower tool for pressure welding 82Aa and a lower tool for crimping 82Ab.

[0192] In the electric wire connecting process, the crimping portion 44A and the electric wire end portion 33A are crimped together by an upper crimping tool 81Aa and a lower crimping tool 82Aa. Also, the insulation barrel portion 45A and the electric wire end portion 33A are crimped together by an upper crimping tool 81Ab and a lower crimping tool 82Ab.

[0193] Specifically, the lower tool 82Aa for crimping and the lower tool 82Ab for crimping are inserted into the through hole 10A from the underside of the assembled connector housing 2Ad, and the upper surface (pressure surface) of the lower tool 82Aa for crimping is directly abutted against the underside of the crimping portion 44A of the wire connection portion 43A.

[0194] At the same time, the upper surface (pressure surface) of the lower crimping tool 82Ab is brought into direct contact with the lower surface of the insulation barrel portion 45A of the wire connecting portion 43A. This allows the lower crimping tool 82Aa and the lower crimping tool 82Ab to support from below the wire connecting portion 43A on which the wire end portion 33A is placed.

[0195] From this state, the upper tool 81A (the upper tool for pressure welding 81Aa and the upper tool for crimping 81Ab) arranged above the wire end portion 33A is lowered. As a result, the upper tool for pressure welding 81Aa and the lower tool for pressure welding 82Aa clamp the pressure welding portion 44A and the wire end portion 33A from above and below, thereby crimping and connecting them to each other. Also, the upper tool for pressure welding 81Aa and the lower tool for crimping 82Ab clamp the insulation barrel portion 45A and the wire end portion 33A from above and below, thereby crimping and connecting them to each other.

[0196] In particular, in the pressure-displacement connection, the conductor 31 is fitted into the recess 44d of the pressure-displacement piece 44Ac, the insulation coating portion 32 is cut by the pressure-displacement piece 44Ac, and the conductor 31 fitted into the recess 44d abuts against the periphery of the recess 44d of the pressure-displacement piece 44Ac, thereby electrically connecting the coated electric wire 3A and the connection terminal 4A.

[0197] In this way, since the through hole 10A is provided in the assembled connector housing 2Ad, during the wire connecting process, the lower tool 82A does not interfere with the assembled connector housing 2Ad, and the wire connecting portion 43A can be directly supported by the lower tool 82A inserted into the through hole 10A without going through the assembled connector housing 2Ad. That is, the coated electric wire 3A and the connection terminal 4A can be pressure-connected to each other while they are placed in the assembled connector housing 2Ad.

[0198] In this way, when crimping the insulated electric wire 3A and the connection terminal 4A, it is only necessary to insert the electric wire end portion 33A into the crimping piece 44Ac so as to cut through the insulating coating portion 32. Compared to the first embodiment, where the open-barrel type wire barrel portion 44 is plastically deformed to crimp the insulated electric wire 3A and the connection terminal 4A, the crimping connection can be made without the lower tool 82A interfering with the assembled connector housing 2Ad even if the width of the through hole 10A is small.

[0199] Therefore, the wire connecting portion 43A can be made compact, and the pair of tools 81A, 82A that pressurize the connection terminal 4A can also be made compact. Furthermore, in the assembled connector housing 2Ad, the through hole 10A into which the lower tool 82A is inserted can also be made compact.

[0200] However, even when the coated electric wire 3A and the connection terminal 4A are connected by crimping as in the second embodiment, the through hole of the present invention may be configured to be wide and extend over the electric wire connection portion arrangement area 62 on both the left and right sides of the assembled connector housing 2Ad, like the through hole 10 in the first embodiment.

[0201] Furthermore, even when the through holes of the present invention are used to crimp and connect the coated electric wire 3A and the connection terminal 4 as in the first embodiment, they may be configured to be formed independently for each of the electric wire connection portion arrangement areas 62 on the left and right sides of the housing main body 2d, as in the through holes 10A of the second embodiment, as long as the lower tool 82 does not interfere with the housing main body 2d.

[0202] As shown in Figures 8 and 9(a), (b), and (c), in the second embodiment of the electric wire with connector 1A, the lower terminal accommodating recesses 6d are arranged side by side and spaced apart from each other on each of the left and right sides of the upper surface of the assembled connector housing 2Ad, and the through holes 10A are arranged spaced apart from each other at positions corresponding to these two lower terminal accommodating recesses 6d.

[0203] According to the above configuration, the through holes 10A can be formed to be as small as possible by providing them at intervals in positions corresponding to the lower terminal accommodating recesses 6d, thereby preventing a decrease in strength of the assembled connector housing 2Ad due to the formation of the through holes 10A while avoiding interference between the assembled connector housing 2Ad and the lower tool 82A inserted into the through holes 10A in the wire connecting process.

[0204] Furthermore, by forming the through hole 10A in this manner to keep its size as small as possible, the reduction (effect of reduction) in the characteristic impedance at the connection portion 3C of the insulated electric wire 3A to the assembled connector housing 2Ad, which is caused by the accumulation of electrostatic capacitance in the dielectric assembled connector housing 2Ad, can be kept small compared to when the through hole 10 in the first embodiment is formed wide across the areas corresponding to the lower terminal accommodating recesses 6d on both the left and right sides, thereby enabling highly accurate matching. That is, even if there is a slight deviation from a predetermined value in the characteristic impedance at the connection portion 3C of the coated electric wire 3A, it is possible to achieve high accuracy of matching with the predetermined value.

[0205] (Third embodiment) As shown in Figure 14, the assembled connector housing 2B (hereinafter abbreviated as "assembled connector housing 2B") provided in the connector-equipped electric wire 1B (connector 5B) of the third embodiment has through holes 10 (10d, 10u) formed in both the housing main body 2d and the cover 2Bu.

[0206] In the following description, when distinguishing between the through holes 10 formed on the housing main body 2d side and the cover 2Bu side, the through holes 10 formed on the housing main body 2d side will also be referred to as main body side through holes 10d, and the through holes 10 formed on the cover 2Bu side will also be referred to as cover side through holes 10u.

[0207] Similar to the through holes 10 formed in the housing body 2d in the connector-attached electric wire 1 of the first embodiment, the body-side through holes 10d are formed wide so as to straddle the electric wire connection portion arrangement regions 62 on both the left and right sides. That is, the body-side through holes 10d are formed in the same formation positions as the through holes 10 of the first embodiment and have the same shape and size as the through holes 10.

[0208] On the other hand, the cover-side through-hole 10u in the cover 2Bu is formed at a position on the cover 2Bu that faces the body-side through-hole 10d in the housing body 2d in the up-down direction when the cover 2Bu covers the housing body 2d from above.

[0209] In this embodiment, the position and shape of the cover-side through-hole 10u are formed to completely match the position and shape of the body-side through-hole 10d when the assembled connector housing 2B is viewed in plan.

[0210] The cover-side through-hole 10u allows at least the upper tool 81 of a pair of tools 81, 82 to pass through or to be temporarily present therein during the electric wire connecting step described below (see FIG. 15(b)).

[0211] In the method for manufacturing the connector-attached electric wire 1B of the third embodiment, the cover assembling step is performed between the electric wire arranging step and the electric wire connecting step, rather than after the electric wire connecting step.

[0212] Specifically, as shown by arrow s1 in Figure 14, in the terminal arrangement process, the wire connection portion 43 of the connection terminal 4 is arranged from above in the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d, and as shown by arrow s2 in Figure 14, in the wire arrangement process, the wire end portion 33 is arranged from above relative to the wire connection portion 43 of the connection terminal 4 arranged in the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d in the housing main body 2d.

[0213] In the method for manufacturing the connector-attached electric wire 1B of the third embodiment, the terminal arranging step and the electric wire arranging step may be performed simultaneously. That is, in a state where the electric wire end portion 33 is arranged above the electric wire connection portion 43 of the connection terminal 4, the electric wire connection portion 43 may be arranged together with the electric wire end portion 33 in the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d.

[0214] In a subsequent cover assembling step, the cover 2Bu is attached to the housing main body 2d so as to cover it from above, as shown by an arrow s3 in FIG. As a result, the wire connecting portion 43 and the wire end portion 33 arranged inside the assembled connector housing 2B are exposed to the outside through the cover-side through-hole 10u and the body-side through-hole 10d (see FIG. 15(a)).

[0215] In the subsequent wire connection process, as shown in Figure 15(a), the lower tool 82 supports the wire connection portion 43 of the connection terminal 4 placed in the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d in a state in which it is directly abutted from below through the body-side through-hole 10d, as described above.

[0216] Furthermore, in the electric wire connecting step, the upper tool 81 is lowered onto the electric wire end portion 33 arranged in the electric wire connecting portion 43 from above the cover 2Bu.

[0217] Here, the housing main body 2d is covered from above by the cover 2Bu, and a cover-side through-hole 10u is formed in the cover 2Bu directly above the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 15(b), even if an upper tool 81 is lowered from above the cover 2Bu onto the wire end portion 33 arranged in the wire connection portion 43, the upper tool 81 can directly pressurize the wire connection portion 43 and the wire end portion 33 without interfering with the cover 2Bu.

[0218] This allows the upper tool 81 and the lower tool 82 to crimp and connect the wire connection portion 43 and the wire end portion 33 to each other by sandwiching them from both the top and bottom, thereby obtaining the third embodiment of the connector-equipped wire 1B (connector 5B) as shown in Figures 16(a) and (b).

[0219] In the connector-attached electric wire 1B of the third embodiment described above, by forming the body-side through-hole 10d in the housing main body 2d and the cover-side through-hole 10u in the cover 2Bu, it becomes possible to perform the electric wire connecting step after the cover assembling step. In other words, it becomes possible to connect the electric wire connecting portion 43 of the connection terminal 4 and the electric wire end portion 33 in a state in which the cover 2Bu is assembled to cover the housing main body 2d from above.

[0220] That is, the connection terminal 4 arranged in the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d and the wire end portion 33 arranged in the wire connection portion 43 of the connection terminal 4 can be held by covering them from above with the cover 2Bu so that they do not shift position relative to the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d or slip out during the wire connecting process.

[0221] Therefore, for example, even when performing the wire connection process on-site, the upper tool 81 and the lower tool 82 can easily and accurately crimp the wire connection portion 43 and the wire end portion 33 together compared to when the cover 2Bu is not held down.

[0222] Furthermore, the assembled connector housing 2B of the third embodiment has a body-side through hole 10d formed in the housing body 2d and a cover-side through hole 10u formed in the cover 2Bu, so that the characteristic impedance of the connection portion 3C of the insulated wire 3 to the housing body 2d can be matched to be within a predetermined range based on not only the size and shape of the body-side through hole 10d but also the size and shape of the cover-side through hole 10u. That is, the characteristic impedance can be matched more precisely than when matching is achieved based only on the size and shape of the main body through-hole 10d.

[0223] Furthermore, in the assembled connector housing 2B of the third embodiment, similar to the assembled connector housing 2 of the first embodiment, the cover 2Bu and the housing main body 2d are not integrally formed from a single member, but rather the cover 2Bu and the housing main body 2d are constructed from separate members so that they can be assembled together.

[0224] Therefore, in the assembled connector housing 2B of the third embodiment, similarly to the assembled connector housing 2 of the first embodiment, in the terminal arrangement process, the cover 2Bu is not attached to the housing main body 2d, and the wire connection portion 43 of the connection terminal 4 can be arranged from above in the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d (see Figure 14).

[0225] Furthermore, in the assembled connector housing 2B of the third embodiment, the wire end portion 33 can be placed relative to the wire connecting portion 43 in the wire placement step without attaching the cover 2Bu to the housing main body 2d.

[0226] That is, unlike a connector housing in which the housing main body 2d and the cover 2Bu are integrated, the assembled connector housing 2B of the third embodiment does not require the wire connecting portion 43 and the wire end portion 33 to be inserted into the connector housing during manufacturing. Therefore, there is no risk of the wire connecting portion 43 and the wire end portion 33 buckling as occurs when they are inserted into the connector housing, and they can be easily positioned from above relative to the housing main body 2d.

[0227] Furthermore, in the method for manufacturing the connector-equipped electric wire 1B of the third embodiment, as in the method for manufacturing the connector-equipped electric wire 1 of the first embodiment, the labor required for terminal arrangement work can be simplified compared to the conventional method for manufacturing a connector-equipped electric wire.

[0228] Specifically, in the conventional method for manufacturing an electric wire with a connector, when crimping and connecting the electric wire connection portion 43 provided on the connection terminal 4 to the electric wire end portion 33, it is necessary to place the connection terminal 4 on the pressure surface 82a of the lower tool 82. Furthermore, in the conventional method for manufacturing an electric wire with a connector, in order to attach a connector to the connection portion between the electric wire connection portion 43 and the electric wire end portion 33, it is necessary to insert the connection terminal 4 connected to the electric wire end portion 33 into the connector housing.

[0229] In contrast, in the method for manufacturing the connector-equipped electric wire 1B of the third embodiment, the two terminal arrangement operations described above, which were performed in the conventional method for manufacturing the connector-equipped electric wire, can be combined into a single terminal arrangement operation of arranging the connection terminal 4 and the electric wire end portion 33 in the assembled connector housing 2C.

[0230] (Fourth embodiment) As shown in Figures 17(a), (b), and (c), the integrated assembled connector housing 2C (hereinafter abbreviated as "assembled connector housing 2C") provided in the connector-equipped electric wire 1C (connector 5C) of the fourth embodiment has portions corresponding to the housing main body 2d and the cover 2u in the assembled connector housing 2 of the first embodiment formed integrally.

[0231] The assembled connector housing 2C is formed to have terminal accommodating chambers 6 therein, similar to the assembled connector housing 2 of the first embodiment.

[0232] Specifically, the assembled connector housing 2C is hollow and has two terminal accommodating chambers 6 arranged side by side at least in the width direction (left-right direction) so that two connection terminals 4 can be accommodated therein. As shown in Figures 17(b) and 17(c), the assembled connector housing 2C has an upper wall portion 27' formed at a portion corresponding to the cover 2u (upper surface). Furthermore, the rear wall portion 23', the partition wall portion 25', and the left and right side wall portions 24', 24' are all formed as vertical walls having substantially the same height as the front wall portion 22. The terminal accommodating chambers 6 are configured without being divided into an upper terminal accommodating recess 6u and a lower terminal accommodating recess 6d.

[0233] As with the assembled connector housing 2B of the third embodiment, the assembled connector housing 2C of the fourth embodiment has through holes 10 (10u', 10d') formed in both the base portion 21, which corresponds to the lower wall portion, and the upper wall portion 27'.

[0234] In the following description, the through-holes 10 formed on the base portion 21 side will also be referred to as lower surface side through-holes 10d', and the through-holes 10 formed on the upper wall portion 27' side will also be referred to as upper surface side through-holes 10u'.

[0235] The lower surface through-hole 10d' and the upper surface through-hole 10u' are formed at positions facing each other in the up-down direction across the internal space of the wide recess 7. The lower surface through-hole 10d' corresponds to the body side through-hole 10d in the third embodiment, and the upper surface through-hole 10u' corresponds to the cover side through-hole 10u in the third embodiment.

[0236] In the method for manufacturing the connector-equipped electric wire 1C of the fourth embodiment, in the terminal arrangement process, the connection terminal 4 is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 6 inside the assembled connector housing 2C through the electric wire arrangement recess 23a formed through the rear wall portion 23'.

[0237] As a result, the box portion 41 of the connection terminal 4 is arranged in the box portion arrangement area 61 in the terminal accommodating chamber 6 (see Figures 17(a)(b)(c)), and the wire connection portion 43 of the connection terminal 4 is arranged in the wire connection portion arrangement area 62 in the terminal accommodating chamber 6 (see the same figures).

[0238] Furthermore, in the electric wire arrangement step, the electric wire end portion 33 is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 6 (electric wire connection portion arrangement region 62) inside the assembled connector housing 2C through the electric wire arrangement recess 23a formed through the rear wall portion 23'. As a result, the electric wire end portion 33 is arranged above the electric wire connection portion 43 of the connection terminal 4. In this state, the electric wire end portion 33 and the electric wire connection portion 43 are accommodated (stored) inside the assembled connector housing 2C in a state where they are not connected to each other.

[0239] In the method for manufacturing the connector-attached electric wire 1C of the fourth embodiment, the terminal arrangement step and the electric wire arrangement step may be performed simultaneously. That is, in a state where the electric wire end portion 33 is arranged above the electric wire connection portion 43 of the connection terminal 4, the connection terminal 4 and the electric wire end portion 33 may be simultaneously inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 6 through the electric wire arrangement recess 23a.

[0240] In the subsequent wire connection process, the lower tool 82 can be brought into direct contact with the wire connection portion 43 and the wire end portion 33 from below through the lower surface through-hole 10d', and the upper tool 81 can be brought into direct contact with the wire connection portion 43 and the wire end portion 33 from above through the upper surface through-hole 10u'.

[0241] This allows the upper tool 81 and the lower tool 82 to crimp and connect the wire connection portion 43 and the wire end portion 33 to each other by sandwiching them from both the top and bottom without interfering with the assembled connector housing 2C.

[0242] In addition, in the above-mentioned terminal arrangement process, when arranging the connection terminal 4 in the terminal accommodating chamber 6, it is not limited to inserting it into the terminal accommodating chamber 6 through the wire arrangement recess 23a, but it may also be inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 6 through the lower surface side through hole 10d' or the upper surface side through hole 10u'.

[0243] The method for manufacturing the connector-equipped electric wire 1C of the above-mentioned fourth embodiment differs from the method for manufacturing the connector-equipped electric wire 1B of the third embodiment in that the wire connection portion 43 is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 6 through the wire arrangement recess 23a in the terminal arrangement step, and the wire end portion 33 is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 6 through the wire arrangement recess 23a in the wire arrangement step.

[0244] However, the method for manufacturing the connector-equipped electric wire 1C of the fourth embodiment also simplifies the labor required for terminal arrangement compared to the conventional method for manufacturing a connector-equipped electric wire.

[0245] Specifically, in the method for manufacturing the connector-attached electric wire 1C of the fourth embodiment, before the electric wire connecting step, the connection terminal 4 is inserted into the assembled connector housing 2C through the electric wire arrangement recess 23a. Then, the electric wire end portion 33 is inserted into the assembled connector housing 2C through the electric wire arrangement recess 23a and placed on the electric wire connecting portion 43. This allows the wire end portion 33 and the wire connecting portion 43 to be inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 6 more smoothly through the wire placement recess 23a than when they are inserted in a state in which they are connected in advance.

[0246] More specifically, for example, if the wire end portion 33 and the wire connection portion 43 are pre-connected and inserted into the assembled connector housing 2C, as in the conventional method of manufacturing a connector-equipped wire, there is a concern that the wire may easily get caught on the inner walls of the terminal accommodating chamber 6 or the wire placement recess 23a during insertion, causing buckling.

[0247] In contrast, in the method for manufacturing the connector-equipped electric wire 1C of the fourth embodiment, the electric wire end portion 33 and the electric wire connection portion 43 can be inserted separately from each other into the terminal accommodating chamber 6 through the electric wire arrangement recess 23a, so that the electric wire end portion 33 and the connection terminal 4 can be inserted smoothly without buckling during their insertion.

[0248] Furthermore, in the fourth embodiment of the connector-equipped electric wire 1C described above, the cover 2u is not provided, and an integrated configuration is adopted in which the parts corresponding to the housing main body 2d and the cover 2u are integrally formed. This reduces the number of parts compared to an assembled configuration, and also makes it possible to omit the cover assembly process during manufacturing.

[0249] Furthermore, in the electric wire with connector 1C of the fourth embodiment, similarly to the assembled connector housing 2B of the third embodiment, a bottom surface through hole 10d' and a top surface through hole 10u' are formed in the vertical direction, separated by the wide recess 7. Therefore, the characteristic impedance of the connection portion 3C of the coated electric wire 3 to the assembled connector housing 2C can be matched based on the respective sizes and shapes of the bottom surface through hole 10d' and the top surface through hole 10u'.

[0250] Therefore, the characteristic impedance can be matched more precisely than when the characteristic impedance is matched based on only one of the lower surface through-hole 10d' and the upper surface through-hole 10u' (10d' or 10u').

[0251] (Fifth embodiment) A connector unit 50 will be described as a fifth embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIGS.

[0252] As shown in Figures 18 and 19, the connector unit 50 of this embodiment is equipped with a plurality of (two in this example) connector-equipped electric wires 1B of the third embodiment described above, and is configured to have a unit housing 51 that holds the connectors 5B (assembled connector housings 2B) provided on each of the plurality of connector-equipped electric wires 1B.

[0253] 18 and 19, arrow Y indicates the depth direction of the unit housing 51, arrow Y1 indicates one side in the depth direction, and arrow Y2 indicates the other side in the depth direction. Also, in Fig. 18, detailed illustration of the internal structure (connection portions between the connection terminals 4 and the wire end portions 33) visible from the outside of the connector 5B through the cover-side through-holes 10u provided in the assembled connector housing 2B is omitted.

[0254] The unit housing 51 is made of a synthetic resin material and has a connector fitting portion 55 as an internal space into which a plurality of (two in this example) connectors 5B are fitted and held substantially entirely. A plurality of (two in this example) connector fitting portions 55 are arranged in the width direction corresponding to the plurality of connectors 5B, and each is formed in the same shape and is separated.

[0255] The connector fitting portion 55 is formed to penetrate the inside of the unit housing 51 in the depth direction. A connector insertion port 55a is formed on one side in the depth direction of the connector fitting portion 55, into which the connector 5B is inserted into the connector fitting portion 55. A terminal insertion port 54 (see FIG. 19) is formed on the other side in the depth direction of the connector fitting portion 55, into which a male terminal 65 provided on a mating connector unit 60, which will be described later, can be inserted.

[0256] As shown in Figure 19, two terminal insertion ports 54 are arranged in the width direction per connector fitting portion 55, corresponding to the two insertion holes 22a (see Figure 1) provided in the front wall portion 22 of the assembled connector housing 2B. That is, four terminal insertion ports 54 are arranged in the width direction on the end surface on the other side in the depth direction of the unit housing 51, corresponding to the two connector fitting portions 55 (see FIG. 19).

[0257] As a result, in the connector unit 50 of this embodiment, when the connector 5B is fitted into the connector fitting portion 55, the insertion hole 22a provided in the assembled connector housing 2B and the terminal insertion port 54 provided in the unit housing 51 are connected in the depth direction.

[0258] The connector unit 50 of this embodiment is configured as a female connector unit having multiple poles (four poles in this example, that is, four terminal sockets 54) corresponding to the two assembled connector housings 2B.

[0259] 18, reference numeral 60 denotes a mating connector unit. The mating connector unit 60 is configured as a male connector unit having four poles so that it can be connected to the connector unit 50 of this embodiment from the other side in the depth direction. Note that the mating connector unit 60 of this embodiment is connected to the tip of the cable 63, but it may also be connected to a connector or terminal mounted on a board.

[0260] When the connector 5B is fitted into the connector fitting portion 55 of the connector unit 50 described above, and the mating connector unit 60 is connected to the connector unit 50 from the other side in the depth direction, the male terminal 65 provided on the mating connector unit 60 has a protruding piece 65a (tab) at the tip that is inserted into the box portion 41 (see Figures 1 and 6) of the connection terminal 4 provided inside the connector 5B through the terminal insertion port 54 (see Figure 19) and the insertion hole 22a (see Figure 19), and is electrically connected to the connection terminal 4.

[0261] Furthermore, a shield shell 57 is disposed in the unit housing 51 so as to surround the pair of connector fitting portions 55 from both sides in the width direction and from above. Note that the shield shell 57 may be disposed in at least one of all directions, such as surrounding the unit housing 51 in all directions around a central axis extending in the depth direction.

[0262] The shield shell 57 of this embodiment is formed from a metal plate that is bent to have a size that corresponds to substantially the entire surface of each of the top wall portion and the left and right side wall portions, and is insert-molded so as to be embedded inside each of the top wall portion and the left and right side wall portions of the unit housing 51. The shield shell 57 may be press-fitted into the unit housing 51, or may be formed so as to cover the outer periphery of the unit housing 51.

[0263] The connector unit 50 is provided with a metal shield shell 57 on the unit housing 51, thereby electromagnetically shielding the connection portion between the assembled connector housing 2B and the connector holding portion 54, as well as the connection portion with the mating connector unit 60.

[0264] On the other hand, two sets of twisted pair electric wires 35 corresponding to two assembled connector housings 2B held in the unit housing 51 are covered along the longitudinal direction from the outer periphery of each twisted pair electric wire 35 with a braided wire 58. The shield shell 57 is electrically connected to the end of the braided wire 58 that covers the outer periphery of the coated electric wire 3 along the longitudinal direction. The shield shell 57 may be provided on the assembled connector housing 2B in addition to the unit housing 51, or may be provided only on the assembled connector housing 2B.

[0265] Also, a configuration may be adopted in which the shield shell 57 is provided on both the inner periphery of the connector fitting portion 55 of the unit housing 51 and the outer periphery of the assembled connector housing 2B.

[0266] In this configuration, the shield shell 57 on the inner periphery of the connector fitting portion 55 of the unit housing 51 and the shield shell (not shown) on the outer periphery of the assembled connector housing 2B are electrically connected. Furthermore, in this configuration, it is preferable that the braided wire 58 be connected to the shield shell (not shown) provided on the outer periphery of the assembled connector housing 2B.

[0267] Furthermore, according to the above-described configuration, when the connector 5B is fitted into the connector fitting portion 55 of the unit housing 51, the through holes 10u, 10d formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the assembled connector housing 2B can be covered by the inner walls of the connector fitting portion 55.

[0268] Therefore, by fitting the connector 5B into the connector fitting portion 55 of the unit housing 51, the waterproofness of the connection portion between the wire connection portion 43 and the wire end portion 33 can be improved compared to when the connector 5B is used alone without being fitted.

[0269] Furthermore, the connector unit 50 of this embodiment can easily be configured to have a multi-pole (four-pole in this example) structure by holding a plurality of connectors in the connector holding portion 54 of the unit housing 51.

[0270] Furthermore, as described above, the connector unit of the present invention is not limited to a configuration in which multiple connector fitting portions 55 are arranged in the width direction of the unit housing 51, but can be configured to have multiple connector fitting portions in at least one of the width direction and the vertical direction of the unit housing.

[0271] Furthermore, the connector unit of the present invention is not limited to a configuration in which only a connector fitting portion 55 for accommodating the connector 5B is provided, like the unit housing 51 described above, and may also adopt a configuration in which a terminal fitting portion is provided in which the connection terminal 4 can be fitted alone without going through the connector 5B, although this is not shown.

[0272] The present invention is not limited to the configurations of the first to fifth embodiments described above, but can be formed in various other embodiments. As a modified example of the above-described embodiment, when the present invention adopts a configuration in which a through hole is formed in at least the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d of the assembled connector housing 2Ad, the through hole may be extended not only to the portion corresponding to the bottom surface of the wide recess 7 but also to the box portion arrangement area 61.

[0273] Specifically, the through hole of the present invention may be formed in a form such that the through hole 10 of the first embodiment, which is formed across the left and right electric wire connection part arrangement areas 62, is extended to reach the box part arrangement area 61, as in the through hole 10' shown in Fig. 20(a). Also, the through hole 10A of the second embodiment, which is formed in each electric wire connection part arrangement area 62, may be formed in a form such that it is extended to reach the box part arrangement area 61, as in the through hole 10A' shown in Fig. 20(b).

[0274] As a modification of the above-described embodiment, the through hole of the present invention may be formed independently in a portion corresponding to the wire barrel portion 44 and a portion corresponding to the insulation barrel portion 45, as in the through holes 10f and 10r shown in FIG. 21(a), instead of the through hole 10 of the first embodiment formed across the left and right wire connection portion arrangement regions 62.

[0275] Alternatively, the through holes of the present invention may be formed independently in the region corresponding to the insulation contact portion 44A and the region corresponding to the insulation barrel portion 45A, as in the second embodiment where the through holes 10Af and 10Ar are formed spaced apart from each other in the left and right wire connection portion arrangement regions 62, as shown in Figure 21(b). In this way, the through holes of the present invention are not limited to being formed spaced apart in the width direction of the assembled connector housing 2Ad like the through holes 10A of the second embodiment, but may be formed spaced apart in the front-rear direction.

[0276] 21(a), of the above-described through holes 10f, 10r, the through hole 10f (front through hole 10f) formed in the portion corresponding to the wire barrel portion 44 may be extended to reach the box portion arrangement region 61. Furthermore, of the above-described through holes 10Af, 10Ar, the through hole 10Af (front through hole 10Af) formed in the portion corresponding to the insulation displacement portion 44A may be extended to reach the box portion arrangement region 61.

[0277] Furthermore, it goes without saying that when the through holes 10A are formed at intervals in the width direction and the front-to-rear direction of the assembled connector housing 2Ad, although not shown in the figure, a configuration in which three or more holes are provided independently may be adopted, rather than being limited to two each in the width direction or the front-to-rear direction.

[0278] Furthermore, the present invention can employ a configuration in which a through hole is provided in the cover, like the cover 2Bu provided in the connector-attached electric wire 1B of the third embodiment. However, in the present invention, when a through hole is provided in the cover, the through hole can be provided in various modes (size, shape, location, number, etc.) that allow at least the upper tool 81 of the pair of tools 81, 82 to pass through or to be temporarily present in the cover during the electric wire connecting process.

[0279] In other words, the cover-side through hole may be formed in a shape different from the cover-side through hole 10u of the third embodiment, as long as it has a size and shape that does not interfere with a pair of tools 81, 82 (particularly the upper tool 81) when crimping the coated electric wire 3 and the connection terminal 4 with the housing main body 2d covered from above by the cover 2u during the electric wire connecting process.

[0280] Furthermore, the coated electric wire 3 provided in the connector-equipped electric wires 1, 1A, 1B, and 1C of the above-described embodiments is a twisted pair electric wire formed by twisting two of the electric wires together, but is not limited to a twisted pair electric wire, and an untwisted pair electric wire may also be used. Specifically, the electric wire may be a pair electric wire having a pair of conductors 31 arranged so that the distance between them is approximately constant along the longitudinal direction, that is, arranged approximately in parallel.

[0281] The paired electric wires may be twisted or not, and may be, for example, a ribbon electric wire, in which a pair of conductors 31 are arranged in approximately parallel (parallel) with a substantially constant spacing between them along the longitudinal direction and are integrally covered with an insulating covering portion 32. Alternatively, the paired electric wires may be, for example, a power cable in which a pair of conductors 31 are each covered with an insulating covering 32 independently of each other.

[0282] Furthermore, it is preferable that the pair of electric wires, whether twisted or not, are covered with an electromagnetic shielding material made of braided wire, metal foil, or the like, but the electromagnetic shielding material is not essential, and the pair of electric wires may not be covered with an electromagnetic shielding material.

[0283] Furthermore, the connector housing provided in the present invention has a configuration in which the connection terminals 4 are held mainly by the housing main body 2d (lower terminal accommodating recess 6d) of the housing main body 2d and the cover 2u, as in the assembled connector housing 2 of the first embodiment described above, but is not limited to this configuration, and a configuration in which the connection terminals 4 are held mainly by the cover 2u (upper terminal accommodating recess 6u) may also be adopted. That is, the connector housing provided in the present invention may adopt a configuration in which the connection terminals 4 are substantially held in a fitted state on the cover 2u side, not on the housing main body 2d side.

[0284] Furthermore, as described above, the shield shell 57 provided on the unit housing 51 of the connector unit 50 of the fifth embodiment may be provided on the outer periphery of the assembled connector housing 2B, i.e., the assembled connector housing 2B of the first embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and a configuration may be adopted in which the shield shell 57 is provided on the outer periphery of the assembled connector housing 2A of the second embodiment, the outer periphery of the assembled connector housing 2B of the third embodiment, or the outer periphery of the assembled connector housing 2C of the fourth embodiment.

[0285] As shown in FIG. 41, as a modification of the connector-attached electric wire 1 of the first embodiment described above, a cover 2u constituted by a top plate portion 27 and a pair of cover side wall portions 28 may be divided. 41 shows an exploded perspective view of a connector-attached electric wire 1D that is a modified example of the first embodiment. In the following description, the same components as those of the connector-attached electric wire 1 of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

[0286] In the connector-equipped wire 1D, which is a modified example of the connector-equipped wire 1 of the first embodiment, the cover 2u, which is concave and facing in opposite directions when viewed from the arrow F and is made up of a top plate portion 27 and a pair of cover side wall portions 28 in an assembled connector housing 2D, is divided into two in the front-to-back direction: a front cover 2uF and a rear cover 2uB. The front cover 2uF is configured to cover the terminal accommodating chamber 6 in the housing main body 2d from the upper side U, and the rear cover 2uB is configured to cover the wire connecting portion arrangement area 62 in the housing main body 2d from the upper side U.

[0287] Therefore, two engagement holes 29u are provided at a predetermined distance in the front-to-rear direction on each of the cover side wall portions 28 of the front cover 2uF and the rear cover 2uB, and two engagement protrusions 29d are also provided on each of the side wall portions 24 in the terminal accommodating chamber 6 and the side wall portion 24 in the wire connection portion arrangement area 62.

[0288] In the assembled connector housing 2D configured in this manner, the connection terminal 4 is attached to the housing main body 2d, the front cover 2uF is attached to the terminal accommodating chamber 6 in which the box portion 41 is arranged in the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d, the wire end portion 33 is connected to the wire connection portion 43 arranged in the wire connection portion arrangement area 62 using a crimping tool, and then the rear cover 2uB is attached to cover the wire connection portion arrangement area 62.

[0289] In the connector-equipped wire 1D configured in this manner, in addition to the effects achieved by the connector-equipped wire 1 of the first embodiment described above, when connecting the wire end portion 33 to the wire connection portion 43 arranged in the wire connection portion arrangement area 62 with a crimping tool, although the arrow F in the wire connection portion arrangement area 62 is open, the front cover 2uF is attached to and covers the terminal accommodating chamber 6 in which the box portion 41 is arranged in the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d, so that the wire end portion 33 can be connected to the wire connection portion 43 in a stable state.

[0290] 42 to 46, the cover may be formed of only the front cover 2uF without the rear cover 2uB. In this case, the upper side U of the wire connection portion arrangement area 62 where the wire end portion 33 is connected to the wire connection portion 43 remains open.

[0291] Note that Figure 42 shows an exploded oblique view of a connector-attached electric wire 1E of another modified example of the first embodiment, and Figure 43 shows a plan view (a) of an assembled type connector housing 2E of another modified example of the first embodiment, a cross-sectional view (b) of line AA in Figure 43(a), and a cross-sectional view (c) of a main part of line BB in Figure 43(a).

[0292] Figure 44 shows a plan view illustrating the terminal arrangement process and the electric wire arrangement process of another modified example of the first embodiment, and Figure 45 shows a plan view corresponding to Figure 43(a) illustrating the internal structure of an assembled connector housing 2E of an electric wire with connector 1E of another modified example of the first embodiment.

[0293] Figure 46 shows the internal structure of an assembled connector housing 2E of another modified example of a connector-attached electric wire 1E in the first embodiment, in the form of a longitudinal cross-sectional view (a) corresponding to Figure 43(c), a transverse cross-sectional view (b) corresponding to Figure 43(b), and a cross-sectional view (c) taken along the CC line in Figure 45. In the following description, the same components as those of the connector-attached electric wire 1 of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0294] Specifically, the connector-equipped electric wire 1E, which is another modified example of the connector-equipped electric wire 1 of the first embodiment described above, has a cover that is composed only of a front cover 2uF, which is the length of the cover 2u in the connector-equipped electric wire 1 of the above-mentioned example, divided into two in the front-to-rear direction.

[0295] In the assembled connector housing 2E configured in this manner, the connection terminal 4 is attached to the housing main body 2d, the front cover 2uF is attached to the terminal accommodating chamber 6 in which the box portion 41 is arranged in the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d, the wire end portion 33 is connected to the wire connection portion 43 arranged in the wire connection portion arrangement area 62 using a crimping tool, and then the rear cover 2uB is attached to cover the wire connection portion arrangement area 62. Therefore, two engagement holes 29u are provided in the cover side wall portion 28 of the front cover 2uF at a predetermined distance in the front-rear direction, and the side wall portion 24 of the terminal accommodating chamber 6 is also provided with two engagement protrusions 29d.

[0296] The front cover 2uF is attached to the terminal accommodating chamber 6 in the housing main body 2d to cover the upper side U of the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d. In other words, even when the front cover 2uF is attached to the terminal accommodating chamber 6, the upper side U of the wire connection portion arrangement region 62 remains open.

[0297] Therefore, the side walls 24E, 24E on each side of the electric wire connection part arrangement region 62 are formed thicker by the thickness of the cover side wall 28 of the front cover 2uF than the side walls 24, 24 on each side of the electric wire connection part arrangement region 62 of the above-described electric wire with connector 1. Note that the side walls 24E are not provided with the engaging protrusions 29d. As a result, as shown in FIGS. 46 and 47, on the side surface of the assembled connector housing 2E to which the cover 2uE is attached, the cover side wall portion 28 of the cover 2uE and the side wall portion 24E are flush with each other.

[0298] In the connector-equipped wire 1E configured in this manner, in addition to the effects achieved by the connector-equipped wire 1 of the first embodiment described above, when connecting the wire end portion 33 to the wire connection portion 43 arranged in the wire connection portion arrangement area 62 with a crimping tool, although the arrow F in the wire connection portion arrangement area 62 is open, the front cover 2uF is attached to and covers the terminal accommodating chamber 6 in which the box portion 41 is arranged in the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d, so that the wire end portion 33 can be connected to the wire connection portion 43 in a stable state.

[0299] Next, a connector-attached electric wire 1G, which is yet another modified example, will be described with reference to FIGS. Note that Figure 47 shows an exploded oblique view of a connector-equipped electric wire 1G that is yet another modified example of the first embodiment, and Figure 48 shows a plan view (a) of an assembled connector housing 2G that is yet another modified example of the first embodiment, a cross-sectional view (b) of line AA in Figure 48(a), and a cross-sectional view (c) of a key part that is taken along line BB in Figure 48(a).

[0300] Figure 49 shows a plan view corresponding to Figure 48(a) illustrating the terminal arrangement process and the electric wire arrangement process of yet another modified example of the first embodiment, and Figure 50 shows a plan view corresponding to Figure 48(a) illustrating the internal structure of an assembled connector housing 2G of an electric wire with connector 1G of yet another modified example of the first embodiment.

[0301] Figure 51 shows the internal structure of an assembled connector housing 2G of yet another modified example of a connector-attached electric wire 1G in the first embodiment, with a longitudinal cross-sectional view (a) corresponding to Figure 48(c), a transverse cross-sectional view (b) corresponding to Figure 48(b), and a cross-sectional view (c) taken along the CC line in Figure 50. In the following description, the same components as those of the connector-attached electric wire 1 of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0302] In the connector-equipped electric wire 1G shown in FIGS. 47 to 51, the terminal accommodating chamber 6 to which the cover 2u is attached in the connector-equipped electric wire 1 of the first embodiment is integrated. Specifically, in the assembled connector housing 2G, a terminal accommodating chamber 6G in the front-rear direction indicated by an arrow F has a box shape, and a lower terminal accommodating recess 6d is formed inside.

[0303] Then, in the electric wire connection portion arrangement region 62, a rear cover 2uB is attached, which is only the rear portion obtained by dividing the cover 2u in the first embodiment into two in the front-rear direction.

[0304] Therefore, two engagement holes 29u are provided in the cover side wall portion 28 of the rear cover 2uB at a predetermined distance in the front-rear direction, and two engagement protrusions 29d are also provided in the side wall portion 24 in the electric wire connection portion arrangement region 62.

[0305] The left and right side wall portions 24G, 24G of the terminal accommodating chamber 6G are formed thicker by the thickness of the cover side wall portion 28 of the rear cover 2uB than the left and right side wall portions 24, 24 of the terminal accommodating chamber 6 in the first embodiment. As a result, as shown in FIGS. 50 and 51, the side surface of the assembled connector housing 2G to which the rear cover 2uB is attached is flush with the cover side wall portion 28 of the cover 2uG and the side wall portion 24G of the terminal accommodating chamber 6.

[0306] In the assembled connector housing 2G configured in this manner, the connection terminal 4 is attached to the housing main body 2d, the box portion 41 is inserted from the rear into the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d inside the terminal accommodating chamber 6G, the wire end portion 33 is connected to the wire connection portion 43 arranged in the wire connection portion arrangement area 62 using a crimping tool, and then the rear cover 2uB is attached to cover the wire connection portion arrangement area 62.

[0307] In the connector-equipped electric wire 1G configured in this manner, in addition to the effects achieved by the connector-equipped electric wire 1 of the first embodiment described above, when the wire end portion 33 is connected with a crimping tool to the wire connection portion 43 arranged in the wire connection portion arrangement area 62, although the arrow F in the wire connection portion arrangement area 62 is open, the box portion 41 is inserted into the lower terminal accommodating recess 6d inside the box-shaped terminal accommodating chamber 6G, so that the wire end portion 33 can be connected to the wire connection portion 43 in a stable state. It is to be noted that the cover 2uG may not be provided.

[0308] (Sixth embodiment) 22, connector-attached electric wire 101 includes an assembled connector housing 102, two covered electric wires 103, and two connection terminals 104. Of these, assembled connector housing 102 and connection terminals 104 held therein constitute connector 105.

[0309] In the following description, the longitudinal direction, lateral direction, and thickness direction of the assembled connector housing 102 are referred to as the front-to-rear direction, width direction, and up-to-down direction, respectively, and in Figure 22, arrow F indicates the front direction, arrow U indicates the upward direction, arrow R indicates the rightward direction, and arrow L indicates the leftward direction. As shown in FIG. 22, the coated wire 103 has a conductor 131 made of a conductive material and an insulating coating 132 made of an insulating material that coats the entire outer periphery of the conductor 131.

[0310] Conductor 131 is formed by bundling multiple wires made of copper or its alloy into a copper core wire, but conductor 131 made of a single wire may also be used. Note that the material of conductor 131 can be other than copper or its alloy depending on the purpose, and conductor 131 can be made of a conductor with high conductivity only on its surface.

[0311] As shown in Figures 22 and 25, the coated electric wire 103 has the entire outer periphery of the conductor 131 covered with an insulating coating portion 132, including the end portion 133 (hereinafter referred to as the "electric wire end portion 133") on the side that connects to the connection terminal 104 in the longitudinal direction.

[0312] The connector-equipped electric wire 101 includes two of the above-described coated electric wires 103, and these two coated electric wires 103 are twisted together to form a twisted pair electric wire 135. The two coated electric wires 103 are untwisted (uncoated) at the ends of the wires 103 that are connected to the connector 105 to form untwisted portions 135a. The untwisted untwisted portions 135a have electric wire end portions 133 where exposed conductor portions 131a are formed.

[0313] The connection terminal 104 is a female terminal fitting, and is formed by punching a conductive metal plate into a predetermined terminal expansion shape and then bending the same. The connection terminal 104 includes a box portion 141, a transition portion 142, and an electric wire connection portion 143. The box portion 141, the transition portion 142, and the electric wire connection portion 143 are arranged in series from the front to the rear in this order and are integrally formed, and the connection terminal 104 is formed in an elongated shape.

[0314] The box portion 141 is formed in a rectangular cylindrical shape and has an elastic contact piece (not shown) disposed inside, the extension portion of which extends forward from the front end of the bottom surface of the box portion 141 and is folded back backward. Therefore, when a tab provided on a mating connection terminal (male connection terminal) not shown is inserted from the front of the box portion 141, the resilient contact piece is biased against the tab and comes into contact with the tab inside the box portion 141, thereby electrically connecting the mating connection terminal and the connection terminal 104. The tab provided on the above-mentioned mating connection terminal (male connection terminal) has the same shape as the male terminal 165 provided on the connection mating connector unit 160 shown in FIG.

[0315] The transition portion 142 is interposed between the box portion 141 and the electric wire connection portion 143, and is a portion that integrally connects the bottom surfaces of these portions. The electric wire connection portion 143 has a pressure contact portion 144 on the front side and an insulation barrel portion 145 on the rear side.

[0316] The pressure contact portion 144 has a bottom wall 144a, side walls 144b extending upward from both left and right ends of the bottom wall 144a, and a pair of pressure contact pieces 144c. The pair of pressure contact pieces 144c are arranged to face each other and spaced apart in the front-rear direction.

[0317] 22, 25, and 26(b), the pressure-contact piece 144c is formed to be wider than the outer diameter of the coated electric wire 103. A recess 144d extending downward from the upper end is formed in the center of the width direction of the pressure-contact piece 144c. The recess 144d is formed to be slightly wider than the outer diameter of the conductor 131.

[0318] As shown in Figures 24 and 25(a) and (b), the insulation barrel portion 145 is integrally formed of a barrel bottom surface 145a (see Figures 25(a) and (b)) and a pair of left and right barrel pieces 145b. The pair of left and right barrel pieces 145b are formed so as to extend upward toward the outer sides in the width direction relative to the barrel bottom surface 145a.

[0319] In this way, the insulation barrel portion 145, which is composed of the barrel bottom surface 145a and the barrel piece 145b, is formed in an open barrel shape. The insulation barrel portion 145 crimps the covering end portion 132a on the wire end portion 133 side in the wire connecting process (see FIG. 26(a)). As shown in FIGS. 22 and 25, the connector-attached electric wire 101 includes two connection terminals 104 in total, each corresponding to one of the two coated electric wires 103.

[0320] 22 and 23, the assembled connector housing 102 is composed of a housing main body 102d and a cover 102u that covers the housing main body 102d from above, and is formed into a rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole. The housing main body 102d and the cover 102u that constitute the assembled connector housing 102 are both made of a synthetic resin material having dielectric (insulating) properties.

[0321] 22 and 29(c), at least one terminal accommodating chamber 106 is provided inside the assembled connector housing 102. One connection terminal 104 is accommodated in each terminal accommodating chamber 106. Therefore, two terminal accommodating chambers 106 are arranged side by side in the width direction inside the assembled connector housing 102 so as to accommodate two connection terminals 104 (see FIGS. 22 and 24).

[0322] As shown in FIG. 29(c), the terminal accommodating chamber 106 is composed of an upper terminal accommodating recess 106u and a lower terminal accommodating recess 106d. The upper terminal accommodating recess 106u is formed on the cover 102u side so as to be able to accommodate the upper sides (one side in the thickness direction) of the connection terminals 104. The lower terminal accommodating recess 106d is formed on the housing main body 102d side so as to be able to accommodate the lower sides (the other side in the thickness direction) of the connection terminals 104.

[0323] The upper terminal accommodating recess 106u is formed in a recessed shape such that the lower surface of the cover 102u opens downward so that the connection terminal 104 can be fitted into the cover 102u from below. The lower terminal accommodating recess 106d is formed in a recessed shape such that the upper surface of the housing main body 102d opens upward so that the connection terminal 104 can be fitted into the housing main body 102d from above.

[0324] Furthermore, as long as the terminal accommodating chamber 106 is capable of accommodating the connection terminal 104, for example, the cover 102u may have a flat lower surface rather than a concave lower surface, and only the upper surface of the housing main body 102d may be concave.

[0325] In this case, although not shown in the figure, the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d is formed to a depth that allows the entire connecting terminal 104 to be fitted in both the vertical direction, and is configured so that when the cover 102u and the housing main body 102d are assembled, the opening of the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d is blocked from above by the cover 102u.

[0326] As shown in Figures 22, 23, and 24(a), (b), and (c), the housing main body 102d is integrally formed and is composed of a base portion 121, a front wall portion 122, a rear wall portion 123, side wall portions 124, 124 on each side, and a partition portion 125. The base portion 121 forms the bottom plate of the housing main body 102d, and the upper surface of the portion of the base portion 121 that corresponds to the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d in plan view forms the bottom surface of the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d.

[0327] The rear wall 123, the partition wall 125, and the left and right side walls 124, 124 are all formed as vertical walls with a height slightly lower than that of the assembled connector housing 102. On the other hand, the front wall 122 is formed as a vertical wall with approximately the same height as that of the assembled connector housing 102.

[0328] As a result, the upper part of the front wall 122 is formed to protrude upward in a stepped manner relative to the upper surfaces of the pair of left and right side walls 124, 124 and the partition wall 125 (see FIG. 22). The side walls 124, 124 extend in the front-rear direction at both widthwise ends of the housing main body 102d. Therefore, the side walls 124, 124 connect both widthwise ends of the front wall 122 and the rear wall 123. The partition wall 125 extends in the front-rear direction so as to widthwise divide box section arrangement regions 161 (described later) on each of the left and right sides.

[0329] As described above, of the upper terminal accommodating recess 106u and the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d that constitute the terminal accommodating chamber 106, the configuration of the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d formed on the housing main body 102d side will be mainly described below. As shown in Figures 24(a), (b), (c), 25, 28, and 29(a), (b), (c), the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d has a box portion arrangement area 161 and a wire connection portion arrangement area 162.

[0330] The box portion arrangement region 161 is provided with the box portion 141 of the connection terminal 104 arranged so as to be fitted into the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d from above. The wire connecting portion arrangement region 162 accommodates the wire connecting portion 143 and the transition portion 142 of the connection terminal 104 arranged so as to be fitted into the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d from above.

[0331] In the housing body 102d, the inner walls of the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d are formed by a vertical front wall 122, a rear wall 123, side walls 124, 124 and a partition wall 125 so as to face the internal space of the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d.

[0332] 22, 24(a), and 29(c), the box portion arrangement regions 161 in the left and right lower terminal accommodating recesses 106d are partitioned in the width direction by the partition wall 125, as described above. Furthermore, the box portion arrangement regions 161 are formed by the partition wall 125 and the corresponding left and right side walls 124, 124 to be slightly wider than the width of the box portion 141 so that the box portion 141 can be fitted into them (see FIGS. 25 and 29(c)).

[0333] As a result, the box portions 141 of the two connection terminals 104 are arranged so as to be fitted into the box portion arrangement areas 161 recessed on the left and right sides of the upper surface of the housing main body 102d, respectively. In this state, the box portions 141 are fitted and held in the width direction by the inner walls of the box portion arrangement areas 161 formed by the corresponding left and right side wall portions 124, 124 and the partition wall portion 125.

[0334] In this way, by holding the box portion 141 in the width direction in the box portion arrangement area 161, the housing main body 102d can hold the connection terminal 104 itself in the width direction in a state where it is arranged so as to be fitted into the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d.

[0335] The manner in which the housing body 102d holds the connection terminals 104 is not limited to the above-described configuration in which the box portion 141 is fitted into the box portion arrangement region 161 in the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d to hold the connection terminals 104.

[0336] For example, although not shown in the figures, a configuration may be adopted in which an engaging portion or the like that engages with the connection terminal 104 arranged to fit into the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d is formed on the inner wall of the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d in the housing main body 102d, and the connection terminal 104 is held by the engaging portion or the like. The engaging portion may have a known structure, for example, a shape like the engaging protrusion 129d shown in FIG. 22.

[0337] As shown in Figures 22 and 24(a), (b), and (c), in the housing main body 102d, a wide recess 107 that is recessed into the upper surface of the housing main body 102d is formed behind the box section arrangement area 161 on each of the left and right sides.

[0338] The wide recess 107 has wire connection part arrangement areas 162 on each of the left and right sides in part, and its bottom surface is formed by the upper surface of the base 121 so as to have the same depth as these wire connection part arrangement areas 162. Furthermore, the inner wall of the wide recess 107 is formed by the left and right side wall parts 124, 124, the rear wall part 123, and the rear end of the partition part 125 so as to be surrounded by these.

[0339] 22 and 24(a), the wide recess 107 is formed wide so that the inner walls of the widthwise outer ends of the left and right side are positioned widthwise outward of the inner walls of the widthwise outer ends of the corresponding box portion arrangement regions 161. Furthermore, the wide recess 107 is formed so as to straddle the wire connection portion arrangement regions 162 in the widthwise direction, including between the wire connection portion arrangement regions 162 on the left and right sides that are spaced apart in the widthwise direction of the housing main body 102d. In other words, the wide recess 107 is formed so as to be connected to each other in the widthwise direction without being partitioned in the widthwise direction by the partition wall 125.

[0340] The rear ends of the box portion arrangement areas 161 on each side open toward the wide recess 107, and the box portion arrangement areas 161 on each side communicate with the wide recess 107 in the front-to-rear direction. In other words, the wide recess 107, which has the wire connection portion arrangement areas 162 on each side in part of its width, is formed in the housing main body 102d.

[0341] In this way, by forming a wide recess 107 in the housing main body 102d, which has the wire connection portion arrangement area 162 on each of the left and right sides in part of the width direction, in the wire connection process described below in which the coated wire 103 and the connection terminal 104 are connected using a pair of tools 181, 182 (here, upper tool 181 and lower tool 182 which are pressure tools) as pressure means, the housing main body 102d avoids interference with the pair of tools 181, 182, particularly the upper tool 181 (movable tool).

[0342] Specifically, in order to connect the coated electric wire 103 and the connection terminal 104, the upper tool 181 descends from above onto the electric wire connecting portion 143 arranged in the housing main body 102d. The descended upper tool 181 enters the recessed space of the wide recess 107, thereby preventing interference between the upper tool 181 and the housing main body 102d (see FIGS. 27(a) and (b)).

[0343] 22, 23 and 24(a), an insertion hole 122a is formed in the front wall portion 122 of the housing main body 102d, into which the tab of the mating connection terminal (male connection terminal) to be connected to the connection terminal 104 is inserted. Specifically, in the front wall portion 122, insertion holes 122a into which the tabs of the mating connection terminals are inserted from the front are formed in the front-to-rear direction at the left and right sides corresponding to the lower terminal accommodating recesses 106d when viewed from the front (viewed from the front to the rear).

[0344] As shown in FIG. 22 and FIGS. 24(a), (b), and (c), a wire placement recess 123a in which the coated wire 103 is placed is formed in the rear wall 123 of the housing main body 102d. In detail, on the left and right sides of the rear wall portion 123, which correspond to the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d when viewed from the rear (viewed from the rear to the front), wire arrangement recesses 123a in which the insulated wire 103 is arranged are formed in a concave shape relative to the upper surface of the rear wall portion 123.

[0345] The wire placement recess 123a is intended to avoid interference between the insulated wire 103 and the rear wall portion 123 when the wire end portion 133 is placed in the wire connection portion 143 of the connection terminal 104 placed in the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d during the wire placement process described below (see Figures 25 and 27(a)).

[0346] With this configuration, the connection terminal 104 accommodated in the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d is held so as not to shift in position in the front-to-rear direction. Specifically, the front end of the connection terminal 104 accommodated in the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d abuts against the rear surface of the front wall 122. Furthermore, the rear end of the connection terminal 104 accommodated in the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d abuts against the front surface of the rear wall 123. In this way, the front and rear ends of the connection terminal 104 accommodated in the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d abut against the front wall 122 and the rear wall 123, thereby restricting the position of the connection terminal 104 in the front-to-rear direction with respect to the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d.

[0347] As shown in Figures 26(a) and (b), when viewed in a plane, the areas corresponding to the wire connection portion arrangement areas 162 on at least the left and right sides of the housing main body 102d correspond to areas that overlap with the lower tool 182 (fixed tool) of the pair of tools 181, 182 that is arranged below the housing main body 102d during the wire connection process described below.

[0348] That is, as shown in Figures 22, 23, and 24(a), (b), and (c), the areas corresponding to the wire connection portion arrangement areas 162 on at least the left and right sides of the housing main body 102d in a plan view correspond to the areas (hereinafter referred to as "pressurized areas Zp") that are pressurized from the underside of the housing main body 102d by the lower tool 182 during the wire connecting process (see Figures 26(a) and (b)).

[0349] At least the pressure-receiving portions Zp on each of the left and right sides of the housing main body 102d are formed as high-strength portions 110 that are stronger than other portions. Specifically, the high-strength portions 110 are provided with raised portions 111 that are raised in a stepped manner downward from the periphery of the portions corresponding to the high-strength portions 110 on the underside of the housing main body 102d.

[0350] This raised portion 111 makes the area of ​​the base portion 121 corresponding to the high-strength portion 110 thicker than the surrounding area, thereby forming the high-strength portion 110 into a shape that is highly strong against clamping (pressure in the thickness direction).

[0351] Specifically, the high-strength portion 110 is formed to be thicker than the plate thickness of the remaining portions of the base portion 121 and the front wall portion 122, rear wall portion 123, and left and right side wall portions 124 of the housing main body 102d. As a result, the high-strength portion 110 is formed to have high strength relative to its surroundings so that damage or deformation of the housing main body 102d is suppressed when the lower tool 182 indirectly applies pressure from below via the high-strength portion 110 of the housing main body 102d (see FIGS. 26(a) and 26(b)) in the electric wire connecting step described below. In other words, the raised portion 111 reinforces at least the pressure-receiving portion Zp on each of the left and right sides of the housing main body 102d.

[0352] The protruding portion 111 is made of a dielectric synthetic resin material and is integrally formed with other portions as part of the housing main body 102d. The raised portion 111 is formed continuously on the lower surface of the housing main body 102d, including at least the pressure-receiving portions Zp (portions corresponding to the electric wire connection portion arrangement regions 162) on both the left and right sides.

[0353] The raised portion 111 is formed with the same amount of protrusion (amount of downward protrusion) over the entire raised portion 111 when viewed from the bottom of the housing main body 102d so that the lower surface of the raised portion 111 is flat (see FIG. 23).

[0354] Furthermore, the opposite side of the high strength portion 110, that is, the opposite side (upper side) of the electric wire connecting portion arrangement region 162 across the electric wire connecting portion 143 when the connecting terminal 1044 is attached, is open.

[0355] Also, as shown in Figures 22, 23, 28, and 29(a), (b), and (c), the above-mentioned cover 102u is integrally formed of a flat top plate portion 127 and cover side wall portions 128, 128 extending downward from both sides of the top plate portion 127 in the width direction.

[0356] The top plate portion 127 is configured to cover the housing main body 102d including the front wall portion 122 from above. The cover side walls 128, 128 are configured to cover the side walls 124, 124 from the outside in the width direction.

[0357] As shown in FIGS. 22 and 23, an engagement protrusion 129d is formed on the outer surfaces of the side wall portions 124, 124 of the housing main body 102d. Furthermore, an engagement hole 129u that engages with the engagement protrusion 129d when the housing main body 102d and the cover 102u are assembled is formed in the cover side wall portions 128, 128 at a position corresponding to the engagement protrusion 129d. Note that the engagement protrusion 129d and the engagement hole 129u are only shown in Figures 22 and 23.

[0358] As shown in Figures 23, 28, and 29(a), (b), and (c), the connector-equipped wire 101 is accommodated inside the assembled connector housing 102, which is formed by assembling and integrating a housing main body 102d and a cover 102u, with the connection terminal 104 and the wire end portion 133 connected. As a result, in the connector-attached electric wire 101, the conductor exposed portion 131a of the electric wire end portion 133 and the connection terminal 104 are electrically connected inside the assembled connector housing .

[0359] Next, a method for manufacturing the above-mentioned connector-attached electric wire 101 will be described. The manufacturing method of the connector-attached electric wire 101 includes a terminal arrangement step, an electric wire arrangement step, an electric wire connection step, and a cover assembly step. The terminal arrangement step is a step of arranging the connection terminals 104 in the housing main body 102d.

[0360] The electric wire placement step is a step of placing the electric wire end portion 133 on the electric wire connection portion 143. The electric wire connecting step is a step of crimping the electric wire connecting portion 143 and the coated electric wire 103 with a pair of tools 181 and 182. The cover assembling step is a step in which the cover 102u is attached to the housing body 102d to complete the connector-attached electric wire 101.

[0361] Each step will be described in detail below. First, a terminal arrangement step is performed in which the connection terminals 104 are arranged in the housing main body 102d. In this terminal arrangement step, as shown in FIG. 25, two connection terminals 104 are arranged from above relative to the housing body 102d so as to be fitted into corresponding lower terminal accommodating recesses 106d on the left and right sides of the housing body 102d.

[0362] As a result, the box portion 141 of the connection terminal 104 is held by the housing main body 102d, that is, by the inner wall of the box portion arrangement region 161, in the box portion arrangement region 161 of the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d.

[0363] On the other hand, the transition portion 142 and the electric wire connecting portion 143 of the connection terminal 104 are arranged in the electric wire connecting portion arrangement region 162 , that is, in a state of being fitted into the wide recess 107 . At this time, the electric wire connecting portion 143 is placed in the electric wire connecting portion placement area 162 with both the insulation displacement portion 144 and the insulation barrel portion 145 facing upward (see FIG. 25 and FIGS. 26(a) and 26(b)).

[0364] In the subsequent electric wire arrangement step, as shown in FIGS. 26(a) and 26(b), the electric wire end portion 133 is arranged relative to the electric wire connection portion 143 from above. In this case, as shown in Figure 26(a), the wire end portion 133 is placed from above relative to each of the insulation displacement portion 144 and the insulation barrel portion 145, and the portion corresponding to the insulation displacement portion 144 is positioned so as to straddle a pair of insulation displacement pieces 144c provided on the insulation displacement portion 144 from front to back.

[0365] Next, when performing the wire connection process, the pair of tools 181, 182 are set so that the lower tool 182 is placed below the wire connection portion 143 and the coated wire 103, and the upper tool 181 is placed above them (see Figures 26(a) and (b)). The upper tool 181 includes an upper tool 181a for pressure welding and an upper tool 181b for crimping. The lower tool 182 includes a lower tool 182a for pressure welding and a lower tool 182b for crimping.

[0366] In the electric wire connecting process, as shown in Figures 26(a) and (b), the crimping portion 144 and the electric wire end portion 133 are crimped together by an upper crimping tool 181a and a lower crimping tool 182a, and the insulation barrel portion 145 and the electric wire end portion 133 are crimped together by an upper crimping tool 181b and a lower crimping tool 182b.

[0367] Specifically, as shown in the figure, the lower tool for pressure welding 182a and the lower tool for crimping 182b are set so as to be disposed below the housing main body 102d. The upper surface (pressure surface 182au) of the lower tool for pressure welding 182a and the upper surface (pressure surface 182bu) of the lower tool for crimping 182b are brought into contact with a portion of the lower surface of the housing main body 102d that corresponds to the pressurized location Zp.

[0368] From this state, the upper tool 181 (upper tool 181a for crimping and upper tool 181b for crimping) arranged above the electric wire end portion 133 is lowered. As a result, the upper tool 181a for crimping and the lower tool 182a for crimping crimp the insulation barrel portion 145 and the electric wire end portion 133 so as to sandwich them from above and below (both sides in the clamping direction) and connect them to each other. Also, the upper tool 181b for crimping and the lower tool 182b for crimping crimp the insulation barrel portion 145 and the electric wire end portion 133 so as to sandwich them from above and below (both sides in the clamping direction) and connect them to each other.

[0369] In the above-mentioned electric wire connecting process, for the pressure-connecting portion 144, the conductor 131 is fitted into the recess 144d of the pressure-connecting piece 144c, and the insulating coating portion 132 is cut by the pressure-connecting piece 144c, and the conductor 131 fitted into the recess 144d comes into contact with the periphery of the recess 144d of the pressure-connecting piece 144c, thereby electrically connecting the coated electric wire 103 and the connection terminal 104.

[0370] The insulation barrel portion 145 is plastically deformed so that the barrel piece 145b is wrapped around the outer periphery of the insulation end portion 132a. As a result, as shown in Fig. 26(b), the insulation end portion 132a is crimped by the insulation barrel portion 145. This increases the holding force with which the connection terminal 104 holds the wire end portion 133.

[0371] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned wire connection process, the lower tool 182 (the lower tool 182a for pressure welding and the lower tool 182b for crimping) indirectly pressurizes the wire connection portion 143 from below via the high-strength portion 110 of the housing main body 102d (see Figures 26(a) and (b)).

[0372] As a result, a pressure is applied to housing main body 102d from lower tool 182A, but since high strength portion 110 to which the pressure is applied is reinforced by protruding portion 111, housing main body 102d is not damaged. That is, the coated wire 103 and the connection terminal 104 can be connected to each other while still being disposed in the housing main body 102d.

[0373] As described above, in the assembled connector housing 102 which includes the conductive connection terminal 104 having the wire connection portion 143 to be connected to the insulated wire 103, and the dielectric housing main body 102d which holds the connection terminal 104, the housing main body 102d is provided with the wire connection portion arrangement area 162 in which the wire connection portion 143 is arranged, and when the connection terminal 104 is attached to the housing main body 102d, the housing main body 102d has an opening at the upper U side which sandwiches the connection terminal 104 in the wire connection portion arrangement area 162. Therefore, when connecting the insulated wire 103 to the connection terminal 104 held in the housing main body 102d, the insulated wire 103 can be properly connected to the connection terminal 104 without buckling the insulated wire 103.

[0374] In detail, when the connection terminal 104 is attached to the housing main body 102d, a tool for connecting the wire connection portion 143 and the insulated wire 103 can be applied directly through the opening to the wire connection portion 143 arranged in the wire connection portion arrangement area 162 in the housing main body 102d, thereby ensuring a secure connection between the wire connection portion 143 and the insulated wire 103.

[0375] As described above, since the connection terminal 104 can be attached to the housing main body 102d before the insulated electric wire 103 is connected to the electric wire connection portion 143, problems such as the insulated electric wire 103 buckling can be prevented when the connection terminal 104 connected to the electric wire connection portion 143 is attached to the housing main body 102d, and deterioration in the transmission characteristics and durability of the insulated electric wire 103 due to buckling of the insulated electric wire 103 connected to the assembled connector housing 102 can be suppressed.

[0376] Furthermore, because the housing main body 102d has a fixing structure for fixing the connection terminal 104, the wire connection portion 143 of the connection terminal 104 fixed to the housing main body 102d can be fixed to the wire connection portion arrangement region 162. Therefore, a tool that acts directly through the opening can reliably act on the wire connection portion 143, and the wire connection portion 143 and the insulated wire 103 can be more firmly connected in the connected state.

[0377] Furthermore, since the housing body 102d covers all areas other than the opposite side corresponding to the wire connection portion arrangement area 162, and all areas other than the opening where the tool acts on the wire connection portion 143 arranged in the wire connection portion arrangement area 162 are covered by the housing body 102d, the connection terminal 104 can be protected by the housing body 102d and the connection terminal 104 can be stably fixed to the housing body 102d.

[0378] As shown in Figures 22, 28, and 29(a), (b), and (c), the connector-equipped electric wire 101 is an electric wire with a connector that includes a conductive connection terminal 104 provided with an electric wire connection portion 143 that is electrically connected to a coated electric wire 103 having a conductor 131 therein, and a dielectric (insulating) housing main body 102d that holds the connection terminal 104.

[0379] The housing main body 102d is provided with a wire connection portion arrangement area 162 (connection portion arrangement area) in which the wire connection portion 143 is arranged, and the wire connection portion 143 arranged in the wire connection portion arrangement area 162 and the insulated wire 103 arranged in the wire connection portion 143 are connected to each other by being clamped from both sides by a pair of tools 181, 182 (see Figures 27(a) and (b)).

[0380] Specifically, in the housing main body 102d, of the pair of tools 181, 182, the lower tool (one of the tools) is positioned on the lower side of the housing main body 102d (opposite the side of the housing main body 102d having the wire connection portion arrangement area 162 in the clamping direction of these tools), and applies pressure to the wire connection portion 143 via the housing main body 102d. The pressure-receiving portion Zp of the housing main body 102d that is pressurized by the lower tool 182 is made into a high-strength portion 110 that is stronger than other portions (see FIG. 23 and FIGS. 29(a), (b), and (c)).

[0381] According to the above configuration, when the coated electric wire 103 is connected to the connection terminal 104 held in the housing main body 102d, the coated electric wire 103 can be appropriately connected to the connection terminal 104 without buckling of the coated electric wire 103. Therefore, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the transmission characteristics and durability of the coated electric wire 103 connected to the housing main body 102d.

[0382] More specifically, in performing the electric wire connecting step, the electric wire connecting portion 143 arranged in the electric wire connecting portion arrangement region 162 and the insulated electric wire 103 arranged in the electric wire connecting portion 143 are connected to each other by being sandwiched from both sides by a pair of tools 181, 182. At this time, the lower tool 182 is arranged so as to directly abut from below against the pressurized portion Zp (high strength portion 110) of the housing main body 102d, and in the electric wire connecting step, pressurizes the electric wire connecting portion 143 via the pressurized portion Zp.

[0383] In this way, by separately arranging the connection terminal 104 and the insulated wire 103 in the housing main body 102d and connecting them by pressure using a pair of tools 181, 182, it is possible to connect the connection terminal 104 and the insulated wire 103 in the housing main body 102d without having to insert the terminal portion of the terminal-equipped wire to which the connection terminal 104 is connected into the connector housing as in the conventional case.

[0384] Therefore, when the coated electric wire 103 is connected to the connection terminal 104 held in the housing body 102d, the coated electric wire 103 and the connection terminal 104 can be connected appropriately without the coated electric wire 103 buckling.

[0385] In addition, two terminal placement tasks, namely, the task of placing the connection terminal 104 on the pressure surface 182au of the lower tool 182 of the pair of tools 181, 182 to pressurize and connect the insulated electric wire 103 and the connection terminal 104 using the pair of tools 181, 182, and the task of placing the connection terminal 104 on the housing main body 102d to hold the connection terminal 104 in the housing main body 102d, can be combined into a single terminal placement task of placing the connection terminal 104 on the housing main body 102d, thereby simplifying the effort required for the terminal placement task.

[0386] More specifically, when connecting the coated electric wire 103 and the connection terminal 104 to the housing main body 102d, one possible method is to prepare a terminal-equipped electric wire with the connection terminal 104 connected in advance, and then connect them to each other by fitting the terminal portion of this terminal-equipped electric wire into the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d provided on the top surface of the connector housing.

[0387] This connection method eliminates the need to insert the terminal portion of the terminal-equipped electric wire, to which the connection terminal 104 has been previously connected, into the connector housing, as in the conventional method, which has the advantage of eliminating the risk of buckling of the insulated electric wire 103 when connecting the insulated electric wire 103 to the connector housing.

[0388] However, when manufacturing a connector-equipped electric wire by placing the terminal portion of a terminal-equipped electric wire in which a connection terminal 104 and a coated electric wire 103 are previously connected in a connector housing, there is a problem that the work of placing the connection terminal 104 during the manufacturing process is time-consuming.

[0389] The reason for this will be explained based on a conventional method for producing a connector-attached electric wire, in which an electric wire and a terminal are connected in a wire connecting process in which a pair of tools clamps and presses the terminal and electric wire to connect them, and then in a terminal attachment process to a connector, the terminal portion of the terminal-attached electric wire, in which the electric wire and terminal are connected, is connected to a connector housing.

[0390] In such a conventional method for producing an electric wire with a connector, in the electric wire connecting step, as a step prior to applying pressure with the pair of tools, it is necessary to perform an operation of placing the connection terminal 104 on the pressure surface of the lower tool 182 (fixed tool) of the pair of tools 181, 182. Furthermore, in the terminal attachment step to the connector housing, it is also necessary to perform an operation of placing the terminal portion of the terminal-attached electric wire in the connector housing. Therefore, in such a conventional method for producing an electric wire with a connector, the terminals must be arranged in each process, which is troublesome.

[0391] In contrast, in the manufacturing method of the present invention described above, by simply placing the connection terminal 104 in the housing main body 102d, the terminal placement work of placing the connection terminal 104 in the housing main body 102d using a pair of tools 181, 182 to pressurize and connect the connection terminal 104 to the housing main body 102d, and the terminal placement work of placing the connection terminal 104 so that it fits into the housing main body 102d to hold (attach and fix) the connection terminal 104 in the housing main body 102d can be combined into one, thereby simplifying the effort required for the terminal placement work.

[0392] In particular, when a connector-equipped electric wire has a plurality of connection terminals 104, the terminal arrangement work requires that the connection terminals 104 be arranged one by one in accordance with the number of connection terminals 104. Therefore, when the terminal arrangement work needs to be performed for each process as in the conventional method of producing a connector-equipped electric wire, the labor required for the terminal arrangement work as a whole increases as the number of connection terminals 104 increases.

[0393] In contrast, in the manufacturing method of the present invention described above, even when connecting a plurality of thin-diameter coated electric wires 103 to the housing main body 102d, the arrangement work of the plurality of connection terminals 104 that exist according to the number of coated electric wires 103 can be consolidated into one between each process, thereby significantly improving the efficiency of the connection work between the connector 105 and the coated electric wires 103.

[0394] Furthermore, according to the above-described configuration, it is possible to combine the location where only the pressure connection is performed by clamping the coated electric wire 103 and the connection terminal 104 between a pair of tools 181, 182, and the location where the connection terminal 104 is held and placed in the housing main body 102d, or where the coated electric wire 103 is placed on the connection terminal 104, into one location, thereby making it possible to configure the manufacturing apparatus for the connector-equipped electric wire 101 compact.

[0395] As shown in Figures 23, 26(a), (b), 28, and 29(a), (b), (c), the high-strength portion 110 is provided with a raised portion 111 that raises the pressurized portion Zp in the housing main body 102d downward relative to the periphery of the pressurized portion Zp, i.e., toward the lower tool 182 (the side of one of the tools). According to the above-described configuration, by providing the protruding portion 111 on the high-strength portion 110 of the housing body 102d, the pressure-applied portion Zp of the housing body 102d can be thickened and reinforced.

[0396] Furthermore, when reinforcing the pressurized area Zp, by thickening only the pressurized area Zp relative to its surrounding area, it is possible to pinpoint reinforce the housing main body 102d against pressure applied by the lower tool 182 at the wire connection portion via the housing main body 102d, while preventing the housing main body 102d from becoming heavier and larger.

[0397] Furthermore, according to the above configuration, by providing the raised portion 111 in the high-strength portion 110, the dielectric constant of the raised portion 111 becomes larger than the dielectric constant of air, which tends to reduce the characteristic impedance at the connection portion 103C of the insulated electric wire 103 to the housing main body 102d.

[0398] Therefore, when the characteristic impedance at the connection portion 103C of the coated electric wire 103 is higher than a predetermined range, the characteristic impedance can be adjusted to be within the predetermined range by providing the protruding portion 111 in the high-strength portion 110. The impedance may be adjusted by extending the protruding portion 111 to a part of the base portion 121.

[0399] The twisted pair electric wire 135 provided in the connector-equipped electric wire 101 of the sixth embodiment, which is formed by twisting together a pair of coated electric wires 103, is generally used in CAN type communication systems. As shown in FIG. 22, each wire end 133 of a twisted pair electric wire 135 formed by twisting two coated electric wires 103 together is formed with an untwisted portion 135a that is untwisted and placed at a wire connection portion 143.

[0400] Twisted pair electric wire 135 is generally used in CAN type communication systems, and in CAN type communication systems, the characteristic impedance is often set in the range of 95 to 140 Ω. However, due to the formation of untwisted portion 135a at connection portion 103C of coated electric wire 103 to housing main body 102d, the characteristic impedance may deviate from the predetermined value, i.e., may be outside the range of 95 to 140 Ω.

[0401] According to the above configuration, matching can be achieved so that the characteristic impedance of the connection portion 103C of the insulated electric wire 103 to the housing main body 102d is in the range of 95 to 140Ω, more preferably 120Ω±10%, depending on the size and shape of the protrusion 111 formed on the housing main body 102d.

[0402] If the communication protocol is, for example, so-called Ethernet (registered trademark), it is preferable to match the characteristic impedance of the connection part 103C so that it is in the range of 90 to 110Ω, that is, 100Ω±10%.

[0403] 22, 25, 27(a), (b), 28, and 29(a), (b), (c), the wire connecting portion 143 is provided with a pressure-contact piece 144c that pierces the wire end portion 133 until it abuts against the conductor 131 and presses it into contact with the wire end portion 133.

[0404] In this way, by providing the wire connecting portion 143 with the insulation displacement piece 144c that is in pressure contact with the wire end portion 133 by piercing the wire end portion 133, it is not necessary to strip the insulating coating portion 132 of the wire end portion 133 when connecting the wire connecting portion 143. In addition, it is not necessary to plastically deform the insulation displacement piece 144c by applying pressure in the wire connecting step.

[0405] As a result, the wire connection portion 143 can be configured compactly, the pair of tools 181, 182 that pressurize the connection terminal 104 can also be made compact, and the high-strength portion 110 in the housing main body 102d that is pressurized by the lower tool 182 can also be made compact.

[0406] As shown in Figures 22, 23, 28, and 29(a), (b), and (c), the assembled connector housing 102 is made up of the above-mentioned housing main body 102d and a cover 102u (connector housing cover) that is assembled to the housing main body 102d so as to accommodate the connection terminals 104 therein together with the housing main body 102d.

[0407] According to the above configuration, the connection portion where the coated electric wire 103 and the connection terminal 104 are connected can be housed inside the housing body 102d and the cover 102u, thereby protecting the connection portion from external factors.

[0408] Next, other embodiments different from the connector-attached electric wire 101 of the sixth embodiment will be described. However, the same components as those in the above-described embodiments will be denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0409] (Seventh embodiment) As shown in Figures 30(a), (b), and (c), the connector-equipped electric wire 101A of the seventh embodiment does not have a raised portion 111 in the high-strength portion 110 described above, but instead has, for example, a metal plate 112 as a material stronger than the synthetic resin material that is the main forming material of the housing main body 102Ad.

[0410] The metal plate 112 is formed thinner than the base portion 121A of the housing main body 102Ad and is provided inside the housing main body 102Ad. That is, the housing main body 102Ad is insert-molded so that the metal plate 112 is embedded in a portion of the base portion 121A that corresponds to the pressure-applied portion Zp (see FIGS. 30(b) and (c)).

[0411] As a result, the metal plate 112 reinforces the pressure-applied portion Zp of the housing main body 102Ad. The metal plate 112 is disposed at least at the pressure-receiving portion Zp of the housing main body 102Ad, in other words, at a portion that coincides with the above-described protruding portion 111 in a plan view.

[0412] Furthermore, even in a configuration in which metal plate 112 is embedded in high strength portion 110A, base portion 121A is formed so that high strength portion 110A and its periphery have the same plate thickness (see FIGS. 30(b) and 30(c)). That is, the lower surface of housing main body 102Ad is formed flat so that the area corresponding to high strength portion 110A and its periphery are flush with each other.

[0413] As described above, the connector-equipped electric wire 101A has other parts of the housing main body 102Ad formed only from synthetic resin (non-metallic material), and the high-strength part 110A is provided with a metal plate 112 (metallic member) that is stronger than the other parts.

[0414] According to the above configuration, by providing the high strength portion 110A with the metal plate 112, the strength of the pressure-applied portion Zp can be increased without the pressure-applied portion Zp becoming thicker than other portions. Therefore, the strength of the pressure-receiving portion Zp against the pressure of the lower tool 182 can be increased without increasing the size of the housing main body 102Ad.

[0415] Furthermore, by providing the metal plate 112 at the pressure-applied portion Zp of the housing main body 102Ad, the rigidity of the pressure-applied portion Zp can be increased. Therefore, the pressure force indirectly input from the lower tool 182 to the wire connecting portion via the pressure-receiving portion Zp of the housing main body 102Ad in the wire connecting step can be efficiently transmitted to the wire connecting portion.

[0416] Furthermore, by providing the metal plate 112 in a state where it is embedded inside the housing main body 102Ad so as not to be exposed, the rust resistance of the metal plate 112 can be improved. Furthermore, by interposing the metal plate 112 at the pressurized portion Zp of the housing main body 102Ad, the characteristic impedance at the location where the metal plate 112 is disposed tends to decrease, just as in the case where the protrusion 111 is provided in the high-strength portion 110. By utilizing this tendency, the characteristic impedance can be matched to fall within a predetermined range.

[0417] (Eighth embodiment) As shown in Figure 31, a cover 102Bu of an assembled connector housing 102B (hereinafter abbreviated as "assembled connector housing 102B") provided on the connector-equipped electric wire 101B (connector 105B) of the eighth embodiment has a through hole 120 that penetrates in the vertical direction. The through-holes 120 are formed in the cover 102Bu in the width direction (left-right direction) across the portions of the cover 102Bu that face the electric wire connection portion arrangement regions 162 on the left and right sides of the housing main body 102d.

[0418] In detail, when the wire connection process described below is performed with the housing main body 102d covered from above by the cover 102u, the through hole 120 is formed in the cover 102Bu with a size and shape such that the upper tool 181 (movable tool) of the pair of tools 181, 182, which is positioned above the cover 102Bu, does not interfere with the cover 102Bu even when the upper tool 181 is lowered.

[0419] In other words, the through hole 120 is formed to have a size and shape that allows the upper tool 108 to pass through the cover 102Bu from top to bottom when it descends during the wire connection process in the cover 102Bu, or to be temporarily present in the area corresponding to the cover 102Bu.

[0420] In addition, the through-hole 120 is formed to have a size and shape that match the characteristic impedance of the connection portion 103C of the coated electric wire 103 to the assembled connector housing 102 so that it falls within a predetermined range.

[0421] In the method for manufacturing the connector-attached electric wire 101B of the eighth embodiment, the cover assembling step is performed between the electric wire arranging step and the electric wire connecting step, rather than after the electric wire connecting step. Specifically, as shown by arrow s1 in Figure 31, in the terminal arrangement process, the wire connection portion 143 of the connection terminal 104 is arranged from above in the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d, and as shown by arrow s2 in Figure 31, in the wire arrangement process, the wire end portion 133 is arranged from above relative to the wire connection portion 143 of the connection terminal 104 arranged in the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d in the housing main body 102d.

[0422] In the method for manufacturing the connector-attached electric wire 101B of the eighth embodiment, the terminal arrangement step and the electric wire arrangement step may be performed simultaneously. That is, in a state where the electric wire end portion 133 is arranged above the electric wire connection portion 143 of the connection terminal 104, the electric wire connection portion 143 together with the electric wire end portion 133 may be arranged in the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d.

[0423] In a subsequent cover assembling step, as shown by an arrow s3 in FIG. 31, the cover 102Bu is attached to the housing main body 102d so as to cover it from above. As a result, the wire connection portion 143 and the wire end portion 133 are housed inside the assembled connector housing 102B in an unconnected state, and are exposed to the outside through the through hole 120 formed in the cover 102Bu.

[0424] In the subsequent wire connecting process, as shown in Figure 32(a), the lower tool 182 supports the wire connecting portion 143 of the connection terminal 104 arranged in the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d so that it indirectly abuts from below via the pressurized portion Zp of the housing main body 102d, in other words, the high-strength portion 110, as described above. Furthermore, in the electric wire connecting step, the upper tool 181 is lowered onto the electric wire end portion 133 arranged in the electric wire connecting portion 143 from above the cover 102Bu.

[0425] Here, the housing main body 102d is covered from above by the cover 102Bu, and a through-hole 120 is formed in the cover 102Bu directly above the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d. Therefore, even if the upper tool 181 is lowered from above the cover 102Bu onto the wire end portion 133 arranged in the wire connection portion 143 as shown in Fig. 32(a), the upper tool 181 can directly pressurize the wire connection portion 143 and the wire end portion 133 without interfering with the cover 102Bu as shown in Fig. 32(b). On the other hand, the lower tool 182 indirectly presses the wire connection portion 143 from below via the high-strength portion 110 of the housing main body 102d as described above (see Fig. 32(b)).

[0426] This allows the upper tool 181 and the lower tool 182 to crimp and connect the wire connection portion 143 and the wire end portion 133 to each other by sandwiching them from both the top and bottom, thereby obtaining the connector-equipped wire 101B (connector 105B) of the eighth embodiment, as shown in Figures 33(a) and (b).

[0427] In the connector-attached electric wire 101B of the above-described eighth embodiment, the through-hole 120 is formed in the cover 102Bu, so that the electric wire connecting step can be performed after the cover assembling step. In other words, the electric wire connecting portion 143 of the connection terminal 104 can be connected to the electric wire end portion 133 in a state where the cover 102Bu is assembled to cover the housing main body 102d from above.

[0428] This allows the cover 102Bu to cover and hold the connection terminal 104 placed in the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d and the wire end portion 133 placed in the wire connection portion 143 of the connection terminal 104 from above so that they do not shift position relative to the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d or come out during the wire connecting process.

[0429] Therefore, for example, even when performing the wire connection process on-site, the upper tool 181 and the lower tool 182 can easily and accurately connect (press-weld) the wire connection portion 143 and the wire end portion 133 compared to when the cover 102Bu is not held down.

[0430] Furthermore, the assembled connector housing 102B of the eighth embodiment has a protrusion 111 as a high-strength portion 110 at the pressurized portion Zp of the housing main body 102d, and also has a through hole 120 formed in the cover 102Bu, so that the characteristic impedance of the connection portion 103C of the insulated electric wire 103 to the housing main body 102d can be matched to be within a predetermined range based on not only the size and shape of the protrusion 111 but also the size and shape of the through hole 120.

[0431] Specifically, the portion of the cover 102Bu corresponding to the high-strength portion 110 is filled with air, which has a lower dielectric constant than the synthetic resin material forming the cover 102Bu, and therefore the characteristic impedance tends to increase at the connection portion 103C of the insulated electric wire 103 to the housing main body 102d. On the other hand, by providing the protruding portion 111 as the high-strength portion 110 on the housing main body 102d, the dielectric constant of the protruding portion 111 becomes greater than the dielectric constant of air, and the characteristic impedance tends to decrease.

[0432] In this way, since the cover 102Bu and the housing main body 102d are expected to have opposing effects with respect to the characteristic impedance, the characteristic impedance can be precisely matched based on the respective sizes and shapes of the high strength portion 110 and the raised portion 111.

[0433] Furthermore, in the assembled connector housing 102B of the eighth embodiment, similar to the assembled connector housing 102 of the sixth embodiment, the cover 102Bu and the housing main body 102d are not integrally formed from a single member, but rather the cover 102Bu and the housing main body 102d are constructed from separate members so that they can be assembled together.

[0434] Therefore, in the assembled connector housing 102B of the eighth embodiment, similar to the assembled connector housing 102 of the sixth embodiment, in the terminal arrangement process, the cover 102Bu is not attached to the housing main body 102d, and the wire connection portion 143 of the connection terminal 104 can be arranged from above in the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d (see Figure 31).

[0435] Furthermore, in the assembled connector housing 102B of the eighth embodiment, in the wire arrangement step, the wire end portion 133 can be arranged relative to the wire connecting portion 143 without attaching the cover 102Bu to the housing main body 102d (see the same figure).

[0436] That is, unlike a connector housing in which the housing main body 102d and the cover 102Bu are integrated, the assembled connector housing 102B of the eighth embodiment does not require the wire connecting portion 143 and the wire end portion 133 to be inserted into the connector housing during manufacturing. Therefore, there is no risk of buckling as occurs when the wire connecting portion 143 and the wire end portion 133 are inserted into the connector housing, and they can be easily positioned from above relative to the housing main body 102d.

[0437] Furthermore, in the method for manufacturing the connector-equipped electric wire 101B of the eighth embodiment, as in the method for manufacturing the connector-equipped electric wire 101 of the sixth embodiment, the labor required for terminal arrangement can be simplified compared to the conventional method for manufacturing a connector-equipped electric wire.

[0438] Specifically, in the conventional manufacturing method of an electric wire with a connector, when connecting (insulating) the electric wire connecting portion 143 provided on the connection terminal 104 and the electric wire end portion 133, it is necessary to place the connection terminal 104 on the pressure surfaces 182au, 182bu of the lower tool 182. Furthermore, in the conventional manufacturing method of an electric wire with a connector, in order to attach the connector to the connection portion between the electric wire connecting portion 143 and the electric wire end portion 133, it is necessary to insert the connection terminal 104 connected to the electric wire end portion 133 into the connector housing.

[0439] In contrast, in the method for manufacturing the connector-equipped electric wire 101B of the eighth embodiment, the two terminal arrangement operations described above, which were performed in the conventional method for manufacturing a connector-equipped electric wire, can be combined into a single terminal arrangement operation of arranging the connection terminal 104 and the electric wire end portion 133 in the assembled connector housing 102C.

[0440] (Ninth embodiment) As shown in Figures 34(a), (b), and (c), the integrated assembled connector housing 102C (hereinafter abbreviated as "assembled connector housing 102C") provided in the connector-attached electric wire 101C (connector 105C) of the ninth embodiment has portions corresponding to the housing main body 102d and the cover 102Bu in the assembled connector housing 102 of the sixth embodiment formed integrally.

[0441] The assembled connector housing 102C is formed to have terminal accommodating chambers 106 therein, similar to the assembled connector housing 102 of the sixth embodiment. Specifically, the assembled connector housing 102C is hollow and has two terminal accommodating chambers 106 arranged side by side at least in the width direction (left-right direction) so that two connection terminals 104 can be accommodated therein. As shown in FIGS. 34(b) and (c), the assembled connector housing 102C has an upper wall 127' formed at a portion corresponding to the cover 102Bu (top surface). Furthermore, the rear wall 123', the partition wall 125', and the left and right side walls 124', 124' are all formed as vertical walls having substantially the same height as the front wall 122. The terminal accommodating chambers 106 are not divided into an upper terminal accommodating recess 106u and a lower terminal accommodating recess 106d.

[0442] As with the assembled connector housing 102B of the eighth embodiment, the assembled connector housing 102C of the ninth embodiment has a base portion 121 corresponding to the lower wall portion provided with a raised portion 111 as a high-strength portion 110, and a through hole 120 formed in the upper wall portion 127'.

[0443] In the method for manufacturing the connector-equipped electric wire 101C of the ninth embodiment, in the terminal arrangement process, the connection terminal 104 is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 106 inside the assembled connector housing 102C through the electric wire arrangement recess 123a formed through the rear wall portion 123'.

[0444] As a result, the box portion 141 of the connection terminal 104 is arranged in the box portion arrangement area 161 in the terminal accommodating chamber 106, and the wire connection portion 143 of the connection terminal 104 is arranged in the wire connection portion arrangement area 162 in the terminal accommodating chamber 106.

[0445] Furthermore, in the electric wire arrangement step, the electric wire end portion 133 is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 106 (electric wire connection portion arrangement region 162) inside the assembled connector housing 102C through the electric wire arrangement recess 123a formed through the rear wall portion 123'. As a result, the electric wire end portion 133 is arranged above the electric wire connection portion 143 of the connection terminal 104. In this state, the electric wire end portion 133 and the electric wire connection portion 143 are accommodated (stored) inside the assembled connector housing 102C in a state where they are not connected to each other.

[0446] In the method for manufacturing the connector-attached electric wire 101C of the ninth embodiment, the terminal arrangement step and the electric wire arrangement step may be performed simultaneously. That is, with the electric wire end portion 133 arranged above the electric wire connection portion 143 of the connection terminal 104, the connection terminal 104 and the electric wire end portion 133 may be simultaneously inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 106 through the electric wire arrangement recess 123a.

[0447] In the subsequent wire connecting step, the upper tool 181 applies pressure directly from above to the wire connecting portion 143 and the wire end portion 133 through the through hole 120 without interfering with the upper wall of the assembled connector housing 102C, and the lower tool 182 applies pressure indirectly from below to the wire connecting portion 143 and the wire end portion 133 via the high-strength portion 110 of the housing main body 102d. This allows the wire connecting portion 143 and the wire end portion 133 to be crimped and connected to each other so as to be sandwiched from both above and below.

[0448] In the above-described terminal arranging step, when arranging the connection terminal 104 in the terminal accommodating chamber 106, the connection terminal 104 may be inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 106 through the through-hole 120, not necessarily through the electric wire arrangement recess 123a.

[0449] The method for manufacturing the connector-equipped electric wire 101C of the above-mentioned ninth embodiment differs from the method for manufacturing the connector-equipped electric wire 101B of the eighth embodiment in that the wire connection portion 143 is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 106 through the wire arrangement recess 123a in the terminal arrangement process, and the wire end portion 133 is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 106 through the wire arrangement recess 123a in the wire arrangement process.

[0450] However, the method for manufacturing the connector-equipped electric wire 101C of the ninth embodiment also simplifies the labor required for arranging terminals compared to the conventional method for manufacturing a connector-equipped electric wire. Specifically, in the method for manufacturing the connector-attached electric wire 101C of the ninth embodiment, before the electric wire connecting step, the connection terminal 104 is inserted into the assembled connector housing 102C through the electric wire arrangement recess 123a. Then, the electric wire end portion 133 is inserted into the assembled connector housing 102C through the electric wire arrangement recess 123a and placed on the electric wire connecting portion 143.

[0451] This allows the wire end portion 133 and the wire connecting portion 143 to be inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 106 more smoothly through the wire placement recess 123a than when they are inserted in a state in which they are connected in advance.

[0452] More specifically, for example, if the wire end portion 133 and the wire connection portion 143 are pre-connected and inserted together into the assembled connector housing 102C, as in the conventional method of manufacturing a connector-equipped wire, there is a concern that they may get caught on the inner walls of the terminal accommodating chamber 106 or the wire placement recess 123a during insertion, causing buckling.

[0453] In contrast, in the method for manufacturing the connector-equipped electric wire 101C of the ninth embodiment, the electric wire end portion 133 and the electric wire connection portion 143 can be inserted separately from each other into the terminal accommodating chamber 106 through the electric wire arrangement recess 123a, so that the electric wire end portion 133 and the connection terminal 104 can be inserted smoothly without buckling during their insertion.

[0454] Furthermore, the connector-equipped electric wire 101C of the above-mentioned ninth embodiment does not have a cover 102Bu, but instead employs an integrated configuration in which the parts corresponding to the housing main body 102d and the cover 102Bu are integrally formed. This reduces the number of parts compared to an assembled configuration, and also eliminates the cover assembly process during manufacturing.

[0455] Furthermore, in the ninth embodiment, as with the assembled connector housing 102B of the eighth embodiment, in addition to providing a raised portion 111 as a high-strength portion 110 on the base portion 121 of the housing main body 102d, a through hole 120 is formed in the upper wall portion 127', so that the characteristic impedance of the connection portion 103C of the insulated electric wire 103 to the housing main body 102d can be matched to be within a predetermined range based on not only the size and shape of the raised portion 111 but also the size and shape of the through hole 120. That is, the characteristic impedance can be matched more precisely than when the characteristic impedance is matched based only on the size and shape of the protrusion 111.

[0456] (Tenth embodiment) As a tenth embodiment of the present invention, a connector unit 150 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0457] As shown in Figures 35 and 36, the connector unit 150 of this embodiment is equipped with a plurality of (two in this example) connector-equipped electric wires 101B of the above-mentioned eighth embodiment, and is configured to have a unit housing 151 that holds the connectors 105B (assembled connector housings 102B) provided on each of the plurality of connector-equipped electric wires 101B.

[0458] 35 and 36, arrow Y indicates the depth direction of the unit housing 151, arrow Y1 indicates one side in the depth direction, and arrow Y2 indicates the other side in the depth direction. Also, in Fig. 35, detailed illustration of the internal structure (connection portions between the connection terminals 104 and the wire end portions 133) visible from the outside of the connector 105B through the cover-side through-holes 110u provided in the assembled connector housing 102B is omitted.

[0459] The unit housing 151 is made of a synthetic resin material and has a connector fitting portion 155 as an internal space into which a plurality of (two in this example) connectors 105B are fitted and held substantially entirely.

[0460] A plurality of (two in this example) connector fitting portions 155 are arranged in the width direction corresponding to the plurality of connectors 105B, and each is formed in the same shape and is separated. The connector fitting portion 155 is formed to penetrate the inside of the unit housing 151 in the depth direction.

[0461] A connector insertion port 155a is formed on one side in the depth direction of the connector fitting portion 155, into which the connector 105B is inserted into the connector fitting portion 155. A terminal insertion port 154 (see FIG. 36) is formed on the other side in the depth direction of the connector fitting portion 155, into which a male terminal 165 provided on a mating connection connector unit 160, which will be described later, can be inserted.

[0462] As shown in Figure 36, two terminal insertion ports 154 are arranged in the width direction per connector fitting portion 155, corresponding to the two insertion holes 122a (see Figure 22) provided in the front wall portion 122 of the assembled connector housing 102B. That is, four terminal insertion ports 154 are arranged in the width direction on the end surface on the other side in the depth direction of unit housing 151, corresponding to the two connector fitting portions 155 (see FIG. 36).

[0463] As a result, in the connector unit 150 of this embodiment, when the connector 105B is fitted into the connector fitting portion 155, the insertion hole 122a provided in the assembled connector housing 102B and the terminal insertion port 154 provided in the unit housing 151 are connected in the depth direction.

[0464] The connector unit 150 of this embodiment is configured as a female connector unit having multiple poles (four poles in this example, that is, four terminal sockets 154) corresponding to the two assembled connector housings 102B.

[0465] 35, reference numeral 60 denotes a mating connector unit. The mating connector unit 160 is configured as a male connector unit having four poles so that it can be connected to the connector unit 150 of this embodiment from the other side in the depth direction. Although the mating connector unit 160 of this embodiment is connected to the tip of the cable 163, it may also be connected to a connector or terminal mounted on a board.

[0466] When the connector 105B is fitted into the connector fitting portion 155 of the connector unit 150 described above, and the mating connector unit 160 is connected to the connector unit 150 from the other side in the depth direction, the male terminal 165 provided on the mating connector unit 160 has a protruding piece 165a (tab) at its tip inserted into the box portion 141 (see Figures 22 and 28) of the connection terminal 104 provided inside the connector 105B through the terminal insertion port 154 (see Figure 36) and the insertion hole 122a (see Figure 36), and is electrically connected to the connection terminal 104.

[0467] Furthermore, a shield shell 157 is disposed in the unit housing 151 so as to surround the pair of connector fitting portions 155 from both sides in the width direction and from above. Note that the shield shell 157 may be disposed in at least one of all directions, such as surrounding the unit housing 151 in all directions around a central axis extending in the depth direction.

[0468] The shield shell 157 of this embodiment is formed from a metal plate that is bent to have a size that corresponds to substantially the entire surface of each of the top wall portion and the left and right side wall portions, and is insert-molded so as to be embedded inside each of the top wall portion and the left and right side wall portions of the unit housing 151. Note that the shield shell 157 may be press-fitted into the unit housing 151, or may be formed so as to cover the outer periphery of the unit housing 151.

[0469] The connector unit 150 is provided with a metal shield shell 157 on the unit housing 151, thereby electromagnetically shielding the connection portion between the assembled connector housing 102B and the connector holding portion 154, and the connection portion with the mating connector unit 160.

[0470] On the other hand, two pairs of twisted pair electric wires 135 corresponding to two assembled connector housings 102B held in unit housing 151 are covered along the longitudinal direction from the outer periphery of each twisted pair electric wire 135 with braided wire 158. Then, shield shell 157 is electrically connected to the end portion of braided wire 158 that covers the outer periphery of coated electric wire 103 along the longitudinal direction.

[0471] The shield shell 157 may be provided on the assembled connector housing 102B in addition to the unit housing 151, or may be provided only on the assembled connector housing 102B. Also, a configuration may be adopted in which the shield shell 157 is provided on both the inner periphery of the connector fitting portion 155 of the unit housing 151 and the outer periphery of the assembled type connector housing 102B.

[0472] In this configuration, the shield shell 157 on the inner periphery of the connector fitting portion 155 of the unit housing 151 and the shield shell (not shown) on the outer periphery of the assembled connector housing 102B are electrically connected. Furthermore, in this configuration, it is preferable that the braided wire 158 be connected to the shield shell (not shown) provided on the outer periphery of the assembled connector housing 102B.

[0473] Furthermore, according to the above-described configuration, when the connector 105B is fitted into the connector fitting portion 155 of the unit housing 151, the through hole 120 formed in the upper wall portion 127' of the assembled connector housing 102B can be covered by the inner wall of the connector fitting portion 155.

[0474] Therefore, by fitting connector 105B into connector fitting portion 155 of unit housing 151, the waterproofness of the connection portion between wire connection portion 143 and wire end portion 133 can be improved compared to when connector 105B is used alone without being fitted.

[0475] Furthermore, the connector unit 150 of this embodiment can easily be configured to have a multi-pole (four-pole in this example) structure by holding a plurality of connectors in the connector holding portion 154 of the unit housing 151.

[0476] Furthermore, as described above, the connector unit of the present invention is not limited to a configuration in which multiple connector fitting portions 155 are arranged in the width direction of the unit housing 151, but can be configured to have multiple connector fitting portions in at least one of the width direction and the vertical direction of the unit housing.

[0477] Furthermore, the connector unit of the present invention is not limited to a configuration in which only a connector fitting portion 155 for accommodating connector 105B is provided, like the above-mentioned unit housing 151, and may also adopt a configuration in which a terminal fitting portion is provided in which connection terminal 104 can be fitted alone without going through connector 105B, although this is not shown.

[0478] The present invention is not limited to the configurations of the first to fifth embodiments described above, but can be formed in various other embodiments. For example, the coated electric wire 103 provided in the connector-equipped electric wires 101, 101A, 101B, and 101C in the above-described embodiments is a twisted pair electric wire formed by twisting two of the above-described electric wires together, but is not limited to a twisted pair electric wire, and an untwisted pair electric wire may also be used.

[0479] Specifically, the electric wire may be a pair electric wire having a pair of conductors 131 arranged so that the distance between them is approximately constant along the longitudinal direction, that is, arranged approximately in parallel. The paired electric wires may be, regardless of whether they are twisted or not, for example, a ribbon electric wire, in which a pair of conductors 131 are arranged in approximately parallel (parallel) with approximately constant spacing between them along the longitudinal direction and are integrally covered with an insulating covering portion 132.

[0480] Alternatively, the paired electric wires may be, for example, a power cable in which a pair of conductors 131 are each independently covered with an insulating covering 132 . Furthermore, it is preferable that the pair of electric wires, whether twisted or not, are covered with an electromagnetic shielding material made of braided wire, metal foil, or the like, but the electromagnetic shielding material is not essential, and the pair of electric wires may not be covered with an electromagnetic shielding material.

[0481] Furthermore, the connector housing provided in the present invention employs a configuration in which the connection terminals 104 are held mainly by the housing main body 102d (lower terminal accommodating recess 106d) of the housing main body 102d and the cover 102u, as in the assembled connector housing 102 of the sixth embodiment described above, but is not limited to this configuration, and a configuration in which the connection terminals 104 are held mainly by the cover 102u (upper terminal accommodating recess 106u) may also be employed.

[0482] That is, the connector housing provided in the present invention may adopt a configuration in which the connection terminals 104 are substantially held in a fitted state on the cover 102u side, not on the housing main body 102d side. Furthermore, for example, the protrusion 111 of the sixth embodiment provided at the pressurized portion Zp and the metal plate 112 of the seventh embodiment provided at the pressurized portion Zp may be provided independently so as to be spaced apart for each pressurized portion Zp corresponding to the left and right wire connection portion arrangement areas 162.

[0483] Furthermore, the electric wire connection portion of the present invention is not limited to a configuration having a crimping piece 144c like the above-mentioned electric wire connection portion 143, but may have a configuration in which the end portion of the electric wire is not covered with the insulating covering portion 132 so that the conductor 131 is exposed, and the end portion of the covered electric wire 103 is positioned and has a crimping piece (barrel piece) that is crimped by a pair of tools, like the wire barrel portion 44 or insulation barrel portion 45 shown in FIG. 1 above.

[0484] In this way, by providing a crimping piece at the wire connection portion, when the terminal is placed in the connector housing, the conductor 131 exposed to the insulating coating portion 132 at the end of the wire can be crimped to cover it, thereby firmly connecting the coated wire 103 and the connection terminal 104.

[0485] Furthermore, the present invention can employ a configuration in which a through hole is provided in the cover, like the cover 102Bu provided on the connector-attached electric wire 101B of the eighth embodiment. However, in the present invention, when a through hole is provided in the cover, the through hole can be provided in various modes (size, shape, location, number, etc.) that allow at least the upper tool 181 of the pair of tools 181, 182 to pass through or to be temporarily present in the electric wire connecting process.

[0486] In other words, the cover side through hole may be formed in a shape different from the cover side through hole 120u of the eighth embodiment, as long as it has a size and shape that does not interfere with the pair of tools 181, 182 (particularly the upper tool 181) when the insulated electric wire 103 and the connection terminal 104 are crimped together in the electric wire connecting process with the housing main body 102d covered from above by the cover u. Needless to say, in the present invention, the configuration in which a through hole is provided in the cover may be applied to the cover 102u provided on the connector-attached electric wire 101A of the seventh embodiment.

[0487] Furthermore, as described above, the shield shell 157 provided on the unit housing 151 of the connector unit 150 of the tenth embodiment may be provided on the outer periphery of the assembled connector housing 102B, i.e., the assembled connector housing 102B of the sixth embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and a configuration may be adopted in which the shield shell 157 is provided on the outer periphery of the assembled connector housing 102A of the seventh embodiment, the outer periphery of the assembled connector housing 102B of the eighth embodiment, or the outer periphery of the assembled connector housing 102C of the ninth embodiment.

[0488] Furthermore, for example, the partition wall portion 125 provided in the assembled connector housing 102 of the sixth embodiment is formed so as to divide the box portion arrangement areas 161 described later on each of the left and right sides in the width direction (see Figure 22), but the connector housing of the present invention may adopt a configuration in which the partition wall portion 125 is formed in the shape of a vertical wall so as to divide the wire connection portion arrangement area 162 in the width direction, as long as it is configured to divide the terminal accommodating chamber 106 (lower terminal accommodating recess 106d).

[0489] In more detail, as shown in Figures 37, 38(a), (b), and 39, for example, a connector-equipped electric wire 10101' (assembled connector housing 102') relating to a modified example of the sixth embodiment has a partition portion 125 formed with a box portion partition portion 125a and an electric wire connection portion partition portion 125b, which extends continuously in a straight line so as to connect the front wall portion 122 and the rear wall portion 123 in the fore-and-aft direction.

[0490] The wire connection portion partition 125b is configured to guide the wire connection portion 143 arranged in the wire connection portion arrangement region 162 (connection portion arrangement portion) from the inside (center side) in the width direction. However, the wire connection portion partition 125b is formed shorter and narrower than the box portion partition 125a so as not to interfere with the descending upper tool 181 when the pair of tools 181, 182 clamp the insulation displacement portion 144 and the wire end portion 133 from above and below to connect them together.

[0491] According to the above configuration, the wire connection portion partition portion 125b can enhance the guide function of the wire connection portion 143 arranged in the wire connection portion arrangement area 162, so that the connection terminal 104 can be prevented from shifting position when the pair of tools 181, 182 is used to pressure-connect the insulation displacement portion 144 and the wire end portion 133 from both the top and bottom sides.

[0492] Therefore, the connection portion between the wire end portion 133 and the wire connection portion 143 is accommodated inside the assembled connector housing 102' in a state where they are lined up in the width direction, but the relative position of this pair of connection portions does not change from the relative position before connection, so the characteristic impedance of the connection portion 103C can be set to the desired value or a value as close to that value as possible.

[0493] The partition portion of the present invention is not limited to the shape of the above-described wire connection portion partition portion 125b, and can be formed in other shapes as long as it has an arrangement and shape (size) that does not interfere with the descending upper tool 181 when the pair of tools 181, 182 clamp the insulation displacement portion 144 and the wire end portion 133 from both the top and bottom to connect them to each other by crimping them.

[0494] For example, as shown in Figures 40(a) and (b), the wire connection portion partition portion 125b may be formed only in the portion corresponding to the insulation barrel portion 145 of the wire connection portion 143 in the front-to-rear direction, but not in the portion corresponding to the insulation contact portion 144.

[0495] Furthermore, even when a configuration is adopted in which the wire connection portion has a crimping piece (barrel piece), the wire connection portion partition portion 125b can be formed in a position and shape (size) that does not interfere with the upper tool when the pair of tools are used to crimp and connect the insulation displacement portion 144 and the wire end portion 133 to each other by clamping them from both the top and bottom.

[0496] Furthermore, the high strength portions 110, 110A are not limited to being provided on the base portion 121, but may be provided on at least a part of the cover 102u (upper wall portion), the front wall portion 122, the rear wall portion 123, and the left and right side wall portions 124, 124 of the connector housing.

[0497] Furthermore, the high-strength portions 110, 110A are not limited to being provided only at the pressurized portion Zp, as long as they are provided at least at the pressurized portion Zp. For example, the high-strength portions 110 may be provided on the base portion 121 so as to integrally reinforce the wide recess 107 from the pressurized portion Zp to the side wall portions 124, 124.

[0498] As shown in FIG. 52, as a modification of the connector-attached electric wire 101 of the sixth embodiment, the cover 102u composed of a top plate portion 127 and a pair of cover side wall portions 128 may be divided. 52 shows an exploded perspective view of a connector-attached electric wire 101D which is a modified example of the sixth embodiment. In the following description, the same components as those in the connector-attached electric wire 101 of the sixth embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

[0499] The connector-attached wire 101D, which is a modified example of the connector-attached wire 101 of the sixth embodiment, has a cover 102u that is concave and facing in the opposite direction when viewed from the arrow F, and is made up of a top plate portion 127 and a pair of cover side wall portions 128, and is divided into two in the front-to-back direction, a front cover 2uF and a rear cover 102uB. The assembled connector housing 102uF is configured to cover the terminal accommodating chambers 106 in the housing body 102d from the upper side U, and the rear cover 102uB is configured to cover the wire connecting portion arrangement area 162 in the housing body 102d from the upper side U.

[0500] Therefore, two engagement holes 129u are provided at a predetermined distance in the front-to-rear direction on each of the cover side wall portions 128 of the assembled connector housing 102uF and the rear cover 102uB, and two engagement protrusions 129d are also provided on each of the side wall portions 124 in the terminal accommodating chamber 106 and the side wall portion 124 in the wire connection portion arrangement area 162.

[0501] In the connector-equipped electric wire 101E configured in this manner, the connection terminal 104 is attached to the housing main body 102d, the assembled connector housing 102uF is attached to the terminal accommodating chamber 106 in which the box portion 141 is arranged in the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d, the electric wire end portion 133 is connected to the electric wire connection portion 143 arranged in the electric wire connection portion arrangement area 162 using a crimping tool, and then the rear cover 102uB is attached to the electric wire connection portion arrangement area 162 to cover it.

[0502] In the connector-equipped wire 101D configured in this manner, in addition to the effects achieved by the connector-equipped wire 101 of the sixth embodiment described above, when the wire end portion 133 is connected with a crimping tool to the wire connection portion 143 arranged in the wire connection portion arrangement area 162, although the arrow F of the wire connection portion arrangement area 162 is open, the assembled connector housing 102uF is attached to and covers the terminal accommodating chamber 106 in which the box portion 141 is arranged in the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d, so that the wire end portion 133 can be connected to the wire connection portion 143 in a stable state.

[0503] It is also possible to have only the assembled connector housing 102uF without providing the rear cover 102uB, in which case the upper side U of the electric wire connection portion arrangement area 162 where the electric wire end portion 133 is connected to the electric wire connection portion 143 remains open.

[0504] 53 to 46, the rear cover 102uB may not be provided, and the cover may be formed only by the assembled connector housing 102uF. In this case, the upper side U of the wire connection portion arrangement area 162 where the wire end portion 133 is connected to the wire connection portion 143 remains open.

[0505] FIG. 53 is an exploded perspective view of a connector-equipped electric wire 101E according to another modification of the sixth embodiment, and FIG. 54 is a perspective view of the connector-equipped electric wire 101E according to another modification of the sixth embodiment as viewed from below.

[0506] Figure 55 shows a plan view illustrating the terminal arrangement process and the electric wire arrangement process of another modified example of the sixth embodiment, and Figure 56 shows a plan view illustrating the internal structure of an assembled type connector housing 102E of a connector-attached electric wire 101E of another modified example of the sixth embodiment.

[0507] 57A and 57B show cross-sectional views (a) and (b) respectively illustrating the internal structure of an assembled connector housing 102E of a connector-attached electric wire 101E according to another modified example of the sixth embodiment, and FIG. 57C shows a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG. In the following description, the same components as those of the connector-attached electric wire 101 of the sixth embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0508] Specifically, the connector-equipped electric wire 101E, which is another modified example of the connector-equipped electric wire 101 of the sixth embodiment described above, has a cover composed only of an assembled connector housing 102uF whose length is obtained by dividing the cover 102u in the connector-equipped electric wire 101 of the above-mentioned example in half in the front-to-back direction.

[0509] In the assembled connector housing 102E configured in this manner, the connection terminal 104 is attached to the housing main body 102d, the front cover 2uF is attached to the terminal accommodating chamber 106 in which the box portion 141 is arranged in the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d, the wire end portion 133 is connected to the wire connection portion 143 arranged in the wire connection portion arrangement area 162 using a crimping tool, and then the rear cover 102uB is attached to the wire connection portion arrangement area 162 to cover it.

[0510] For this purpose, two engaging holes 129u are provided in the cover side wall portion 128 of the assembled connector housing 102uF at a predetermined distance in the front-rear direction, and two engaging protrusions 129d are also provided in the side wall portion 124 of the terminal accommodating chamber 106.

[0511] The assembled connector housing 102uF is attached to the terminal accommodating chamber 106 in the housing main body 102d and covers the upper side U of the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d. In other words, even when the assembled connector housing 102uF is attached to the terminal accommodating chamber 106, the upper side U of the wire connection portion arrangement region 162 remains open.

[0512] Therefore, the side walls 124E, 124E on each side of the electric wire connection portion arrangement region 162 are formed thicker by the thickness of the cover side wall 128 of the assembled type connector housing 102uF than the side walls 124, 124 on each side of the electric wire connection portion arrangement region 162 of the above-mentioned connector-attached electric wire 101. Note that the side walls 124E are not provided with the engaging protrusions 129d. As a result, as shown in FIG. 45, the side surface of the assembled connector housing 102E to which the cover 102uE is attached is flush with the cover side wall portion 128 of the cover 102uE and the side wall portion 124E.

[0513] In the connector-equipped wire 101E configured in this manner, in addition to the effects achieved by the connector-equipped wire 101 of the sixth embodiment described above, when the wire end portion 133 is connected with a crimping tool to the wire connection portion 143 arranged in the wire connection portion arrangement area 162, although the arrow F of the wire connection portion arrangement area 162 is open, the assembled connector housing 102uF is attached to and covers the terminal accommodating chamber 106 in which the box portion 141 is arranged in the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d, so that the wire end portion 133 can be connected to the wire connection portion 143 in a stable state.

[0514] Next, a connector-attached electric wire 1G, which is yet another modified example, will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 58 is an exploded perspective view of a connector-attached electric wire 101G according to yet another modification of the sixth embodiment.

[0515] Figure 59 shows an oblique view from below of a connector-equipped electric wire 101G of yet another modified example of the sixth embodiment, Figure 60 shows a plan view illustrating the terminal arrangement process and the electric wire arrangement process of yet another modified example of the sixth embodiment, and Figure 61 shows a plan view illustrating the internal structure of an assembled connector housing 102g of a connector-equipped electric wire 101G of yet another modified example of the sixth embodiment.

[0516] 62A and 62B show cross-sectional views (a) and (b) respectively illustrating the internal structure of an assembled connector housing 102g of a connector-attached electric wire 101G according to still another modified example of the sixth embodiment, and FIG. 62C shows a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG. In the following description, the same components as those of the connector-attached electric wire 101 of the sixth embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0517] In the connector-equipped electric wire 101G shown in FIGS. 58 to 62, the terminal accommodating chamber 106 to which the cover 102u is attached in the connector-equipped electric wire 101 of the sixth embodiment is integrated. Specifically, in the assembled connector housing 102G, a terminal accommodating chamber 106G in the front-rear direction indicated by an arrow F has a box shape, and a lower terminal accommodating recess 106d is formed inside.

[0518] Then, in the electric wire connection portion arrangement region 162, a rear cover 102uB is attached, which is only the rear portion obtained by dividing the cover 102u in the sixth embodiment into two in the front-rear direction.

[0519] Therefore, two engagement holes 129u are provided in the cover side wall 128 of the rear cover 102uB at a predetermined distance in the front-rear direction, and two engagement protrusions 129d are also provided in the side wall 124 in the electric wire connection portion arrangement region 162.

[0520] The left and right side walls 124G, 124G of the terminal accommodating chamber 106G are formed thicker than the left and right side walls 124, 124 of the terminal accommodating chamber 6 in the sixth embodiment by the thickness of the cover side walls 128 of the rear cover 102uB. As a result, as shown in FIGS. 50 and 62, on the side surface of the assembled connector housing 102G to which the rear cover 102uB is attached, the cover side wall portion 128 of the cover 102uG and the side wall portion 124G of the terminal accommodating chamber 6 are flush with each other.

[0521] In the assembled connector housing 102G configured in this manner, the connection terminal 104 is attached to the housing main body 102d, the box portion 141 is inserted from the rear into the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d inside the terminal accommodating chamber 106G, the wire end portion 133 is connected to the wire connection portion 143 arranged in the wire connection portion arrangement area 162 using a crimping tool, and then the rear cover 102uB is attached to the wire connection portion arrangement area 162 to cover it.

[0522] In the connector-equipped wire 1G configured in this manner, in addition to the effects achieved by the connector-equipped wire 1 of the sixth embodiment described above, when the wire end portion 133 is connected with a crimping tool to the wire connection portion 143 arranged in the wire connection portion arrangement area 162, although the arrow F in the wire connection portion arrangement area 162 is open, the box portion 141 is inserted into the lower terminal accommodating recess 106d inside the box-shaped terminal accommodating chamber 106G, so that the wire end portion 133 can be connected to the wire connection portion 143 in a stable state. Note that the cover 102uG may not be provided.

[0523] Next, modifications of the connector units 50, 150 described above as the fifth and tenth embodiments will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0524] In the following description, the same components as those of the connector units 50, 150 described as the fifth and tenth embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0525] As shown in FIGS. 63 and 64, a connector unit 50X of this embodiment, like the connector units 50 and 150 described above, includes a plurality of (two in this example) connector-attached electric wires 1 and 101, which are housed in a unit housing 51X.

[0526] In the above-mentioned connector units 50, 150, the assembled connector housings 2, 102 of the connector-attached electric wires 1, 101 are arranged widthwise and housed in the unit housing 51, 151, but in the connector unit 50X, the assembled connector housings 2, 102 are stacked thicknesswise and housed in the unit housing 51X. In this case, the male terminals 65 of the mating connector unit 60X to be connected are arranged in a substantially square shape when viewed from one side Y1 in the depth direction.

[0527] The connector unit 50X configured in this manner has the same effects as the connector units 50, 150 described above, and although it is taller than the connector units 50, 150 described above, it is narrower in width, so it can be placed even in narrow placement locations where the connector units 50, 150 described above cannot be placed.

[0528] In addition, although the above-mentioned connector unit 50X has two assembled connector housings 2, 102 arranged in the vertical direction, three or more assembled connector housings 2, 102 may be arranged, or multiple assembled connector housings 2, 102 arranged in the width direction as in the above-mentioned connector unit 50, 150 may be further arranged in the vertical direction.

[0529] In addition, in the above description, the insulated electric wires 3, 103 and the connection terminals 4, 104 arranged in the electric wire connection portion arrangement area 62, 162 are connected by being sandwiched from above and below with a pair of pressure means, an upper tool 81, 181 and a lower tool 82, 182, but they may also be connected by welding from the upper side U of the electric wire connection portion arrangement area 62, 162 using a welding tool such as laser welding or ultrasonic welding. [Explanation of symbols]

[0530] 1, 1A, 1B, 1C...Wire with connector 2, 2A, 2B... Assembled connector housing (connector housing) 2C...Integrated connector housing (connector housing) 2d, 2Ad, 2d', 2Ad', 2d'', 2Ad''...Housing body 2u, 2Bu...Cover (Connector housing cover) 3,3A...Insulated wire 3C: Connection part of the wire to the connector housing 4,4A...Connection terminal 5, 5B, 5C...Connector 6d...Lower terminal accommodating recess (connection part placement area) 10(10d,10d'),10A,10',10A',10f,10r,10Af,10Ar,10u,10u'...Through hole 31...conductor 33...End of electric wire (end of electric wire) 35...Twisted pair wire 35a...Untwisting section 43, 43A... Wire connection part 44Ac...Pressure welding piece 44b, 45b...Barrel piece (crimped piece) 50...Connector unit 51...Unit housing 81, 82...A pair of tools 101, 101', 101A, 101B, 101C... Wires with connectors 102, 102', 102A, 102B... Assembled connector housing (connector housing) 102C...Integrated connector housing (connector housing) 102d, 102d', 102Ad...Housing body 102u, 102Bu...Cover (connector housing cover) 103...Insulated wire 104...Connection terminal 105, 105B, 105C...Connectors 110,110A…High strength part 111...Protuberance 112...Metal plate (metal member) 120...Through hole 131...conductor 132...insulating coating part 133...End of electric wire (end of electric wire) 143... Wire connection part 144c...Pressure welding piece 150...Connector unit 151...Unit housing 162... Wire connection part arrangement area (connection part arrangement part) 181, 182...A pair of tools (a pair of pressure means) Zp: Pressurized area

Claims

1. A connector comprising a conductive connection terminal having a wire connection portion to be connected to the tip portion of a covered wire, and a dielectric connector housing for holding the connection terminal, the connector housing and a connector housing cover that is assembled to the connector housing so as to accommodate the connection terminals therein together with the connector housing constitute an assembled connector housing, the connection terminal has a box portion on one side of the electric wire connection portion for connection to a mating connection terminal, the connector housing is provided with a connection portion arrangement portion having an electric wire connection portion arrangement region in which the electric wire connection portion is arranged and a box portion arrangement region in which the box portion is arranged, the connector housing cover closes the box portion arrangement area when attached to the connector housing in which the connection terminals are arranged, and has a cover-side through-hole at a location facing the electric wire connection portion arrangement area, the cover penetrating in a direction in which the connector housing cover and the connector housing face each other, the cover-side through-hole allows at least one of a pair of tools that sandwich and connect the insulated electric wire and the electric wire connection portion to pass through or be temporarily present in the cover-side through-hole; The connector housing is provided with a rear wall portion that abuts against an end of the connection terminal on the side of the electric wire connection portion when the connection terminal is arranged in the connector housing, and that regulates the position of the connection terminal relative to the connection portion arrangement portion. connector.

2. the wire connection portion is provided with a pair of pressure-connecting pieces that connect to the conductor of the insulated wire, the insulated wire having a conductor made of a conductive material and an insulating coating portion made of an insulating material that coats the entire outer periphery of the conductor; the pressure-contact piece has a diameter that decreases toward the center in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the connected insulated electric wire as it moves toward the connector housing with respect to the connector housing cover, and a recess having the same diameter as the conductor is formed in the central portion in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, The cover-side through-hole is provided at a position corresponding to at least the recess. The connector according to claim 1 .

3. an insulation barrel portion for holding the insulating coating portion is provided on the connection terminal closer to the electric wire connection portion than the insulation displacement piece; The cover-side through-hole is provided at a position corresponding to the recess and the insulation barrel portion. The connector according to claim 2 .

4. The cover-side through-hole is provided with a size and shape that matches the characteristic impedance of the connection portion of the covered electric wire to the connector housing so that it satisfies a predetermined range. The connector according to claim 1 .

5. a twisted pair electric wire formed by twisting two of the coated electric wires together, An untwisted portion is formed at each end of the two coated electric wires and is placed in the electric wire connection portion in an untwisted state. The connector according to claim 4.

6. a plurality of the connection portion arrangement portions are arranged side by side and spaced apart from each other on a surface of the connector housing that has the connection portion arrangement portion; The cover-side through-hole is provided across the areas corresponding to the plurality of connection portion arrangement portions. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

7. The connection portion arrangement portion is provided with a high-strength portion that is stronger than other portions and that suppresses damage or deformation of the connector housing when the arranged electric wire connection portion and the insulated electric wire are connected by being sandwiched between a pair of pressure means. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

8. The high-strength portion is provided with a size and shape that matches the characteristic impedance of the connection portion of the insulated electric wire to the connector housing so that it falls within a predetermined range. The connector according to claim 7.

9. The high strength portion is provided with a raised portion that raises the pressure-receiving portion of the connector housing toward the one pressure means relative to the periphery of the pressure-receiving portion. The connector according to claim 7.

10. The high-strength portion is provided with a high-strength member having a strength higher than that of the other portion. The connector according to claim 7.

11. the other portion of the connector housing is formed only from a non-metallic material, The high strength portion is a metal member. The connector of claim 10.

12. In the connector housing, at a position facing the cover-side through hole, A main body-side through hole is provided through which at least the other tool of the pair of tools passes or is allowed to temporarily exist. The connector according to claim 1 .

13. An assembled connector housing including a conductive connection terminal having an electric wire connection portion to be connected to a coated electric wire, and a dielectric connector housing for holding the connection terminal, the connector housing and a connector housing cover that is assembled to the connector housing so as to accommodate the connection terminals therein, the connection terminal has a box portion on one side of the electric wire connection portion for connection to a mating connection terminal, the connector housing is provided with a connection portion arrangement portion having an electric wire connection portion arrangement region in which the electric wire connection portion is arranged and a box portion arrangement region in which the box portion is arranged, the connector housing cover closes the box portion arrangement area when attached to the connector housing in which the connection terminals are arranged, and has a cover-side through-hole at a location facing the electric wire connection portion arrangement area, the cover penetrating in a direction in which the connector housing cover and the connector housing face each other, the cover-side through-hole allows at least one of a pair of tools that sandwich and connect the insulated electric wire and the electric wire connection portion to pass through or be temporarily present in the cover-side through-hole; The connector housing is provided with a rear wall portion that abuts against an end of the connection terminal on the side of the electric wire connection portion when the connection terminal is arranged in the connector housing, and that regulates the position of the connection terminal relative to the connection portion arrangement portion. Assembled connector housing.

14. A method for manufacturing an electric wire with a connector, comprising: holding conductive connection terminals in an assembled connector housing, the assembly comprising a connector housing and a connector housing cover assembled together with the connector housing so as to house connection terminals therein; and electrically connecting wire connection portions provided on the connection terminals to insulated electric wires, the connection terminal has a box portion on one side of the electric wire connection portion for connection to a mating connection terminal, a terminal arrangement process in which, with the connector housing cover removed, the wire connection portions are arranged in wire connection portion arrangement areas of a connection portion arrangement portion provided in the connector housing, and the box portion is arranged in a box portion arrangement area of ​​the connection portion arrangement portion; an electric wire arrangement step of arranging the insulated electric wire in the electric wire connection portion; a cover assembling step of assembling the connector housing cover to the connector housing; a wire connecting step of clamping the wire connection portion and the insulated wire from both sides with a pair of tools to connect them to each other, In the terminal arranging step, an end of the connection terminal on the side of the wire connection portion is brought into contact with a rear wall portion provided on the connector housing, thereby regulating the position of the connection terminal with respect to the connection portion arranging portion, In the electric wire connecting step, one of the pair of tools, which is arranged on the side opposite to the side on which the electric wire connection portion is arranged with respect to the connector housing, is inserted into a cover-side through-hole formed in the connector housing cover in the clamping direction of the pair of tools, and directly abuts on the electric wire connection portion, thereby pressurizing the electric wire connection portion. Manufacturing method for electrical wire with connector.

15. A plurality of connectors according to claim 1; and a unit housing for holding a plurality of the connectors. Connector unit.

16. The connector according to claim 1; a covered electric wire connected to the connection terminal held by the connector. Wires with connectors.

Images