Ferrite core built-in connector

Abstract

To provide a connector with a built-in ferrite core, which suppresses damage to the ferrite core and provides excellent flexibility in selecting a resin material used.SOLUTION: A connector 10 with a built-in ferrite core includes a terminal fitting 12, a ferrite core 14 arranged around the terminal fitting 12, and a connector housing 16 that accommodates the terminal fitting 12 and the ferrite core 14, and the connector housing 16 includes a first resin portion 18 that holds the terminal fitting 12 in an embedded state, and a second resin portion 20 that holds the first resin portion 18 and the ferrite core 14 in an embedded state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a connector with a built-in ferrite core. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, connectors with built-in ferrite cores, in which ferrite cores are arranged around terminal fittings, have been used to suppress noise during power transmission between on-vehicle components, as disclosed in Patent Document 1. However, when a connector is formed by embedding a ferrite core together with terminal fittings in a connector housing made of synthetic resin by insert molding, there is a risk of the ferrite core being damaged due to the influence of contraction forces during resin hardening. Therefore, Patent Document 1 proposes a solution in which a connector housing is molded using an insert product in which terminal fittings are assembled to a core molded body that is already surrounded by a protective portion made of a resin material softer than the connector housing. According to this solution, because the ferrite core is surrounded by a protective portion made of a resin material softer than the connector housing, the contraction forces of the connector housing during molding are absorbed by the protective portion, thereby suppressing damage to the ferrite core. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-53202 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the structure of Patent Document 1, the protective part needs to be made of a resin material that is softer than the connector housing. Therefore, for example, if the connector requires high heat resistance, the resin material of the protective part may not be able to meet the heat resistance requirement. Therefore, further improvement is needed.

[0005] Therefore, a connector with a built-in ferrite core is disclosed that suppresses damage to the ferrite core and provides excellent freedom in selecting the resin material to be used. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The connector with a built-in ferrite core of the present disclosure includes a terminal fitting, a ferrite core arranged to surround the periphery of the terminal fitting, and a connector housing that accommodates the terminal fitting and the ferrite core, wherein the connector housing includes a first resin portion that holds the terminal fitting in an embedded state, and a second resin portion that holds the first resin portion and the ferrite core in an embedded state. The ferrite core is disposed annularly around the first resin portion, and the second resin portion integrally includes a filling portion that fills the space between the inner peripheral surface of the ferrite core and the opposing surface of the first resin portion, and an outer surface covering portion that covers the outer peripheral surface and a pair of axial end faces of the ferrite core. , is something. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a connector with a built-in ferrite core that suppresses damage to the ferrite core and has excellent freedom in selecting the resin material to be used. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a ferrite core built-in connector according to a first embodiment, with first and second resin portions visible. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the ferrite core built-in connector shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. [Figure 5] 5 is a perspective view showing a terminal fitting that constitutes the ferrite core built-in connector shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a first resin portion constituting the ferrite core built-in connector shown in FIG. 1 with a terminal metal fitting embedded therein. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a ferrite core built-in connector according to the second embodiment. [Figure 8]FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a ferrite core built-in connector according to the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] <Description of Embodiments of the Present Disclosure> First, embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described. The ferrite core built-in connector of the present disclosure includes: The connector comprises a terminal fitting, a ferrite core arranged to surround the terminal fitting, and a connector housing that accommodates the terminal fitting and the ferrite core, wherein the connector housing includes a first resin portion that holds the terminal fitting in an embedded state, and a second resin portion that holds the first resin portion and the ferrite core in an embedded state.

[0010] According to the connector with a built-in ferrite core of the present disclosure, the connector housing is divided into a first resin portion that holds the terminal fittings in an embedded state and a second resin portion that holds the first resin portion and the ferrite core in an embedded state. Therefore, the first resin portion that holds the terminal fittings in an embedded state is formed as a primary molded product, and then the second resin portion is injection-molded using the primary molded product and the ferrite core as an insert, thereby forming the connector with a built-in ferrite core as a secondary molded product. This allows the amount of resin in the secondary molded product, which includes the ferrite core as an insert, to be reduced by the amount of the first resin portion, thereby reducing the contraction force applied to the ferrite core when the resin material of the second resin portion hardens, thereby preventing or suppressing damage to the ferrite core.

[0011] Moreover, the first and second resin portions can be made of any material, without the need to cover the ferrite core with a resin material softer than the connector housing as in Patent Document 1. Therefore, even if a relatively hard and heat-resistant material such as PBT (polybutylene terephthalate) is selected as the resin material, it is possible to reduce the risk of damage to the ferrite core, and a connector with a built-in ferrite core can be provided that offers excellent freedom in selecting the resin material to be used.

[0012] It is preferable that the second resin portion is made of a resin material that is more heat-resistant than PVC. By dividing the connector housing into a first resin portion and a second resin portion, the impact of the shrinkage force on the ferrite core during resin hardening is reduced. Therefore, unlike conventional structures, it is not necessary to surround the ferrite core with a resin material (such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride)) that is softer than the connector housing. It is possible to provide a second resin portion that surrounds the ferrite core with a resin material that is more heat-resistant than PVC. This improves the heat resistance of the ferrite core-integrated connector, thereby providing a ferrite core-integrated connector with excellent heat resistance. Resin materials that are more heat-resistant than PVC preferably include thermoplastic resins such as PBT, PPS (polyphenylene sulfide), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), and PAI (polyamide-imide), and thermosetting resins such as PI (polyimide resin).

[0013] Preferably, the ferrite core is arranged in a ring shape surrounding the first resin portion, and the second resin portion integrally includes a filling portion that fills the space between the inner peripheral surface of the ferrite core and the opposing surface of the first resin portion, and an outer surface covering portion that covers the outer peripheral surface and a pair of axial end faces of the ferrite core. Because the second resin portion integrally includes the filling portion and the outer surface covering portion, the ferrite core can be stably held embedded around the first resin portion. Moreover, because the second resin portion includes the filling portion and the outer surface covering portion as arrangement regions, the amount of resin in each region can be advantageously adjusted.

[0014] It is preferable that the surface of the first resin portion is provided with a protrusion that protrudes toward the inner peripheral surface of the ferrite core. Since the surface of the first resin portion is provided with a protrusion that protrudes toward the inner peripheral surface of the ferrite core, the amount of resin in the filling portion of the second resin portion, which is likely to have a large resin thickness, can be reduced by the volume of the protrusion, and the contraction pressure of the second resin portion in the filling portion when it hardens can be reduced, thereby further suppressing damage to the ferrite core.

[0015] It is preferable that the plurality of protrusions are spaced apart and distributed in the circumferential direction of the surface of the first resin portion. Since the plurality of protrusions are spaced apart and distributed in the circumferential direction of the surface of the first resin portion, the amount of resin in the filling portion of the second resin portion due to the plurality of protrusions can be reduced. Furthermore, each protrusion can be made small, which can prevent problems such as deformation of the first resin portion due to sinking of the protrusions when the first resin portion hardens, resulting in misalignment of the terminal fittings.

[0016] It is preferable that the outer surface covering portion includes an exposure hole that exposes the ferrite core, because the exposure hole reduces the amount of resin in the outer surface covering portion, and damage to the ferrite core due to the contraction force when the second resin portion hardens can be more effectively prevented or suppressed.

[0017] <Details of the embodiment of the present disclosure> Specific examples of the ferrite core built-in connector of the present disclosure are described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to these examples, but is defined by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0018] <Embodiment 1> A ferrite core built-in connector 10 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6. The ferrite core built-in connector 10 is a connector for connecting, for example, a motor and a PCU (power control unit), with one of the terminal fittings 12 in the ferrite core built-in connector 10 electrically connected to the motor (not shown) and the other terminal fitting 12 electrically connected to the PCU (not shown). Note that the ferrite core built-in connector 10 can be positioned in any orientation, but in the following description, the upper side will be referred to as the upper side in FIG. 3, the lower side as the lower side in FIG. 3, the front side as the left side in FIG. 2, the rear side as the right side in FIG. 2, the left side as the upper side in FIG. 2, and the right side as the lower side in FIG. 2. Note that, in some cases, when multiple identical components are shown, only some of the components will be designated by reference numerals, and the reference numerals will be omitted for the other components.

[0019] <Ferrite core built-in connector 10> The connector 10 with a built-in ferrite core includes a terminal fitting 12, a ferrite core 14 that surrounds the terminal fitting 12, and a connector housing 16 that houses the terminal fitting 12 and the ferrite core 14. The connector housing 16 also includes a first resin portion 18 that holds the terminal fitting 12 in an embedded state, and a second resin portion 20 that holds the first resin portion 18 and the ferrite core 14 in an embedded state. Note that in FIG. 1, the first resin portion 18 and the second resin portion 20 are shown with their internal components visible through the view.

[0020] <Terminal fitting 12> As shown in Fig. 5, in the first embodiment, a plurality of terminal fittings 12 are provided, which are, from left to right, a first terminal fitting 12a, a second terminal fitting 12b, and a third terminal fitting 12c. Each terminal fitting 12 (first to third terminal fittings 12a to 12c) is configured as a bus bar and is made of a conductive metal such as copper, a copper alloy, aluminum, or an aluminum alloy. In the first embodiment, the first to third terminal fittings 12a to 12c are each formed into a flat plate shape extending parallel to a horizontal plane (a plane perpendicular to the up-down direction) without any irregularities. In particular, in the first embodiment, the first to third terminal fittings 12a to 12c have a substantially constant lengthwise dimension (front-to-back dimension) and widthwise dimension (left-to-right dimension) as a whole, and each extends in the front-to-back direction.

[0021] A substantially circular front through-hole 22 is formed at the front end of each of the first to third terminal fittings 12a to 12c, penetrating each of them in the plate thickness direction (vertical direction). Furthermore, a substantially circular rear through-hole 24 is formed at the rear end of each of the first to third terminal fittings 12a to 12c, penetrating each of them in the plate thickness direction (vertical direction). As a result, one terminal portion 26 is formed at the front end, which is one end of each of the first to third terminal fittings 12a to 12c, and each one terminal portion 26 is electrically connected to a motor (not shown). Furthermore, the other terminal portion 28 is formed at the rear end, which is the other end of each of the first to third terminal fittings 12a to 12c, and each other terminal portion 28 is electrically connected to a PCU (not shown). In the first to third terminal fittings 12a to 12c, the intermediate portions in the front-rear direction between the one terminal portion 26 and the other terminal portion 28 are defined as intermediate portions 30 (first to third intermediate portions 30a to 30c, respectively).

[0022] In embodiment 1, in the front-to-rear intermediate portions (first to third intermediate portions 30a to 30c) of the first to third terminal fittings 12a to 12c arranged side by side in the left-to-right direction, the left-to-right dimension from the left end of the first terminal fitting 12a to the right end of the third terminal fitting 12c is smaller than that of other portions (for example, the front end and rear end portions of the first to third terminal fittings 12a to 12c).

[0023] That is, in the front-rear direction intermediate portion of the first terminal fitting 12a, a right protrusion 32 protruding rightward relative to the front and rear ends is provided, and is bent in a generally crank-like manner relative to the front and rear ends. As a result, a left recess 33 opening to the left is formed at the left end of the first terminal fitting 12a, where the right protrusion 32 is formed. Similarly, in the front-rear direction intermediate portion of the third terminal fitting 12c, a left protrusion 34 protruding leftward relative to the front and rear ends is provided, and is bent in a generally crank-like manner relative to the front and rear ends. As a result, a right recess 35 opening to the right is formed at the right end of the third terminal fitting 12c, where the left protrusion 34 is formed. Furthermore, in the front-rear direction intermediate portion of the second terminal fitting 12b, recesses opening outward in the left-right direction are provided at both left-right ends, whereby a narrow width portion 36 having a smaller width dimension (left-right dimension) relative to the front and rear ends is formed.

[0024] The right protrusion 32, narrow width portion 36, and left protrusion 34 are provided at approximately equal positions in the front-to-rear direction of the first to third terminal fittings 12a to 12c, and have approximately equal front-to-rear dimensions. That is, the right protrusion 32 of the first terminal fitting 12a is adjacent to the left recess that constitutes the narrow width portion 36 of the second terminal fitting 12b (or the right protrusion 32 fits into the left recess of the narrow width portion 36). Also, the left protrusion 34 of the third terminal fitting 12c is adjacent to the right recess that constitutes the narrow width portion 36 of the second terminal fitting 12b (or the left protrusion 34 fits into the right recess of the narrow width portion 36).

[0025] As a result, in the first to third terminal fittings 12a to 12c, the left-right dimension from the left end of the first terminal fitting 12a to the right end of the third terminal fitting 12c is smaller than the front end and rear end at the positions where the right protruding portion 32, narrow width portion 36, and left protruding portion 34 are formed. In this portion where the left-right dimension is smaller from the left end of the first terminal fitting 12a to the right end of the third terminal fitting 12c, an arrangement region 38 in which the ferrite core 14 is arranged is defined, including the internal spaces of the left recess 33 and the right recess 35.

[0026] <Ferrite core 14> As shown in FIG. 4 and other figures, the ferrite core 14 is annular as a whole, and the internal space 39 of the ferrite core 14 has a horizontally elongated oval cross section in which the maximum left-right dimension is greater than the maximum up-down dimension. The ferrite core 14 also has a predetermined front-to-rear dimension, which is smaller than the front-to-rear dimension of the left and right recesses 33, 35 that define the mounting region 38. This makes it easier to insert the circumferential ends of the upper and lower ferrite cores 48, 50 into the left and right recesses 33, 35 when arranging the ferrite core 14 (upper and lower ferrite cores 48, 50) around the first resin portion 18 that holds the first to third terminal fittings 12a-12c, as described below. While a conventionally known material may be used for the ferrite core 14, in the first embodiment, the ferrite core 14 is made of Mn-Zn ferrite.

[0027] The ferrite core 14 is disposed so as to cover the rightward protruding portion 32, the narrow width portion 36, and the leftward protruding portion 34 in the portion of the first to third terminal fittings 12a to 12c where the left-right dimension is reduced from the left end of the first terminal fitting 12a to the right end of the third terminal fitting 12c. That is, the ferrite core 14 has an upper portion 40 and a lower portion 42 that respectively cover the rightward protruding portion 32, the narrow width portion 36, and the leftward protruding portion 34 from above and below. The ferrite core 14 also has a left portion 44 that is inserted into the leftward recess 33 in the ferrite core 14 mounting region 38, and a right portion 46 that is inserted into the rightward recess 35 in the ferrite core 14 mounting region 38.

[0028] The upper portion 40 is connected to the left portion 44 and the right portion 46 by upper connecting portions 47a, respectively, and the lower portion 42 is connected to the left portion 44 and the right portion 46 by lower connecting portions 47b, respectively. Each of the upper connecting portions 47a and each of the lower connecting portions 47b extends obliquely relative to the vertical direction and the horizontal direction (the direction perpendicular to the vertical direction).

[0029] In the first embodiment, the ferrite core 14 can be divided in the vertical direction, and is composed of an upper ferrite core 48 located on the upper side and a lower ferrite core 50 located on the lower side. That is, the upper ferrite core 48 and the lower ferrite core 50 are both semi-cylindrical, and the circumferential end faces of the upper ferrite core 48 and the lower ferrite core 50 are overlapped with each other in the vertical direction, so that the openings of the upper ferrite core 48 and the lower ferrite core 50 are mutually covered, thereby forming an oval internal space 39.

[0030] In other words, the upper and lower ferrite cores 48, 50 are formed by the circumferentially intermediate portions thereof to define the upper and lower portions 40, 42 of the ferrite core 14, each having a predetermined left-right dimension. sideEach upper connection portion 47a is formed by a portion of the upper ferrite core 48, and each lower connection portion 47b is formed by both circumferential side portions of the lower ferrite core 50. The left circumferential end portions of the upper ferrite core 48 and the lower ferrite core 50 are overlapped to form the left portion 44 of the ferrite core 14. Similarly, the right circumferential end portions of the upper ferrite core 48 and the lower ferrite core 50 are overlapped to form the right portion 46 of the ferrite core 14.

[0031] Furthermore, the inner peripheral surface 52 of the ferrite core 14 is made up of the inner peripheral surface 52a of the upper ferrite core 48 and the inner peripheral surface 52b of the lower ferrite core 50, and the outer peripheral surface 54 of the ferrite core 14 is made up of the outer peripheral surface 54a of the upper ferrite core 48 and the outer peripheral surface 54b of the lower ferrite core 50. Furthermore, the front end surface 56, which is one axial end surface of the ferrite core 14, is made up of the front end surface 56a of the upper ferrite core 48 and the front end surface 56b of the lower ferrite core 50, and the rear end surface 58, which is the other axial end surface of the ferrite core 14, is made up of the rear end surface 58a of the upper ferrite core 48 and the rear end surface 58b of the lower ferrite core 50.

[0032] <Connector housing 16> As described above, the connector housing 16 includes the first resin portion 18 and the second resin portion 20. While the synthetic resin material constituting the first resin portion 18 and the second resin portion 20 is not limited, it is preferable that both be formed of a highly heat-resistant resin material. Furthermore, the synthetic resin materials constituting the first resin portion 18 and the second resin portion 20 may be the same or different. In the first embodiment, both the first resin portion 18 and the second resin portion 20 are formed of PBT (polybutylene terephthalate), which is a resin material that has higher heat resistance than PVC (polyvinyl chloride). Examples of resin materials that are more heat-resistant than PVC include thermoplastic resins such as PBT, PPS (polyphenylene sulfide), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), and PAI (polyamide-imide), and thermosetting resins such as PI (polyimide resin). These materials can be suitably used as the material for the first resin portion 18 and the second resin portion 20.

[0033] <First resin portion 18> 6, the first resin portion 18 holds the terminal fittings 12 (first to third terminal fittings 12a to 12c) in an embedded state. Specifically, the first resin portion 18 substantially entirely covers the front-rear direction intermediate portions (first to third intermediate portions 30a to 30c) of the terminal fittings 12 (first to third terminal fittings 12a to 12c). In other words, one terminal portion 26 (front terminal portion) of each of the first to third terminal fittings 12a to 12c protrudes forward from the first resin portion 18, and the other terminal portion 28 (rear terminal portion) of each of the first to third terminal fittings 12a to 12c protrudes rearward from the first resin portion 18. In embodiment 1, as also shown in Figures 3 and 4, the first resin portion 18 having a substantially uniform thickness is fixed over substantially the entire surface of a predetermined region (first to third intermediate portions 30a to 30c) of each terminal fitting 12 (first to third terminal fittings 12a to 12c).

[0034] Furthermore, leg portions 59 protruding outward in the left-right direction are provided at both left-right end portions of the rear portion of the first resin portion 18. Each of these leg portions 59 is provided outward in the left-right direction from the first terminal fittings 12a and the third terminal fittings 12c, and a metal collar 62 having a bolt insertion hole 60 is provided on each leg portion 59. That is, the pair of collars 62, 62 are held by the leg portions 59 of the first resin portion 18 at the rear portion of the first resin portion 18, outward in the left-right direction from the first terminal fittings 12a and the third terminal fittings 12c. By using bolts (not shown) inserted into the bolt insertion holes 60, the ferrite core built-in connector 10 is fixed to a motor or PCU connected to one terminal portion 26 or the other terminal portion 28 of each terminal fitting 12, or to an in-vehicle component disposed between them.

[0035] In the first embodiment, the first resin portion 18 is formed as an integrally molded product (primary molded product 64) including the first to third terminal fittings 12a to 12c and the pair of collars 62, 62. In short, when molding the first resin portion 18, the first to third terminal fittings 12a to 12c and the pair of collars 62, 62 are set in the molding cavity of the first resin portion 18, and then the resin material (PBT) that constitutes the first resin portion 18 is injected and molded, thereby forming the primary molded product 64 shown in Fig. 6.

[0036] Here, protrusions 68 are provided in the first resin portion 18 in the portions covering the right protrusion 32, the narrow portion 36, and the left protrusion 34 of the first to third terminal fittings 12a to 12c, protruding in both the up-down direction from an upper surface 66a and a lower surface 66b, which are the surfaces of the first resin portion 18. In the first embodiment, a plurality of (five) protrusions 68 are dispersed and spaced apart from each other in the width direction (left-right direction), which is the circumferential direction, on each of the upper surface 66a and the lower surface 66b of the first resin portion 18. The protrusions 68 have the same shape, and in the first embodiment, the protrusions 68 are formed in the shape of a substantially rectangular flat plate.

[0037] As will be described later, the ferrite core 14 (upper and lower ferrite cores 48, 50) is disposed on the outer circumferential side of the portion of the first resin portion 18 that covers the rightward protruding portion 32, the narrow portion 36, and the leftward protruding portion 34 of the first to third terminal fittings 12a to 12c, and therefore each protrusion 68 protrudes toward the inner circumferential surface 52 of the ferrite core 14. In other words, each protrusion 68 that protrudes upward protrudes toward the inner circumferential surface 52a of the upper ferrite core 48, and each protrusion 68 that protrudes downward protrudes toward the inner circumferential surface 52b of the lower ferrite core 50. In other words, the rightward protruding portion 32, the narrow portion 36, and the leftward protruding portion 34 of the first to third terminal fittings 12a to 12c, the first resin portion 18 that covers them, and each protrusion 68 that protrudes outward in the vertical direction from the first resin portion 18 are disposed in the internal space 39 of the ferrite core 14. In this manner, the ferrite core 14 is disposed in an annular shape surrounding the periphery of the first resin portion 18.

[0038] The protruding tip of each protrusion 68 protruding outward in the up-down direction from the surface (upper surface 66a and lower surface 66b) of the first resin portion 18 may be in contact with the inner circumferential surface 52 (inner circumferential surfaces 52a, 52b) of the ferrite core 14, or may be spaced a predetermined distance apart. In the first embodiment, the protruding tip of each protrusion 68 faces the inner circumferential surface 52 (inner circumferential surfaces 52a, 52b) of the ferrite core 14 in the up-down direction at a slight distance.

[0039] <Second resin portion 20> With the ferrite core 14 disposed on the outer periphery of the first resin portion 18 that holds the first to third terminal fittings 12a to 12c, the second resin portion 20 is provided on the outer periphery of the ferrite core 14, and the second resin portion 20 holds the first resin portion 18 and the ferrite core 14 in an embedded state. That is, the second resin portion 20 has an outer surface covering portion 70 that covers the outer periphery 54 of the ferrite core 14 and a pair of axial end faces, that is, the front end face 56 and the rear end face 58. In the first embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , the outer surface covering portion 70, which has a substantially uniform thickness, is fixed to substantially the entire outer periphery 54, the front end face 56, and the rear end face 58 of the ferrite core 14.

[0040] The second resin portion 20 also fills the internal space 39 of the ferrite core 14. Specifically, the second resin portion 20 has a filling portion 72 that fills between the opposing surfaces of the inner circumferential surface 52 of the ferrite core 14 and the first resin portion 18, that is, between the vertically opposing surfaces of the inner circumferential surface 52a of the upper ferrite core 48 and the upper surface 66a of the first resin portion 18, and between the vertically opposing surfaces of the inner circumferential surface 52b of the lower ferrite core 50 and the lower surface 66b of the first resin portion 18. In other words, the filling portion 72 is fixed to each of the inner circumferential surfaces 52a, 52b of the upper and lower ferrite cores 48, 50 and the upper surface 66a and lower surface 66b of the first resin portion 18. The second resin portion 20 integrally includes an outer surface covering portion 70 provided on the outside of the ferrite core 14 and a filling portion 72 provided on the inside of the ferrite core 14.

[0041] In the first embodiment, the second resin part 20 is formed as an integrally molded product (secondary molded product) including the primary molded product 64 and the ferrite core 14, and this secondary molded product constitutes the ferrite core built-in connector 10. In short, when molding the second resin part 20, the ferrite core 14 (upper and lower ferrite cores 48, 50) is set on the outer periphery of the primary molded product 64 in the molding cavity of the second resin part 20, and then the resin material (PBT) that constitutes the second resin part 20 is injected and molded. In this way, the ferrite core built-in connector 10 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 is formed simultaneously with the formation of the second resin part 20 and the connector housing 16.

[0042] <Method of manufacturing the ferrite core built-in connector 10> The following describes a specific example of a method for manufacturing the ferrite core built-in connector 10. However, the method for manufacturing the ferrite core built-in connector 10 is not limited to the embodiment described below.

[0043] First, the first to third terminal fittings 12a to 12c and a pair of collars 62, 62 are prepared. Then, in the molding cavity for the first resin portion 18, the first to third terminal fittings 12a to 12c are arranged side by side in the left-right direction as shown in Fig. 5, and the pair of collars 62, 62 are arranged outward in the left-right direction from the first terminal fitting 12a and the third terminal fitting 12c. Thereafter, the resin material (PBT) that constitutes the first resin portion 18 is injected into the molding cavity for the first resin portion 18 and molded. After molding, the mold is opened to obtain a primary molded product 64.

[0044] Next, the upper and lower ferrite cores 48, 50 are arranged vertically outward of each protrusion 68 on the primary molded product 64, and the circumferential end faces of the upper and lower ferrite cores 48, 50 are butted together and overlapped, and the primary molded product 64 and the upper and lower ferrite cores 48, 50 in this state are set in the molding cavity for the second resin part 20. Then, the resin material (PBT) that constitutes the second resin part 20 is injected into the molding cavity for the second resin part 20 to be molded. This forms the connector housing 16 simultaneously with the formation of the second resin part 20. After molding, the mold is opened to obtain the ferrite core-integrated connector 10 as a secondary molded product, completing the manufacture of the ferrite core-integrated connector 10.

[0045] In the ferrite core built-in connector 10 manufactured in this manner, one of the terminal portions 26 (front terminal portion) is electrically connected to a motor (not shown), and the other of the terminal portions 28 (rear terminal portion) is electrically connected to a PCU (not shown). The ferrite core built-in connector 10 is fixed to the motor, the PCU, or other appropriate on-board components (not shown) by bolts (not shown) inserted through bolt insertion holes 60 of the collars 62 provided on the legs 59. In this ferrite core built-in connector 10, the ferrite core 14 is disposed around each of the terminal fittings 12 (first to third terminal fittings 12a to 12c), and the ferrite core 14 suppresses noise in power transmission between the motor and the PCU.

[0046] According to the connector 10 with a built-in ferrite core of the first embodiment, the connector housing 16 includes a first resin portion 18 that holds the terminal fittings 12 in an embedded state, and a second resin portion 20 that holds the first resin portion 18 and the ferrite core 14 in an embedded state. The first resin portion 18 holds the terminal fittings 12 (first to third terminal fittings) in an embedded state. 12 a~ 12 The second resin portion 20 is formed as an integrally molded product (primary molded product 64) including the primary molded product 64 and the ferrite core 14. The second resin portion 20 is formed as an integrally molded product (secondary molded product) including the primary molded product 64 and the ferrite core 14. That is, the filling portion 72 of the second resin portion 20 is also filled inside the ferrite core 14. However, since the second resin portion 20 is molded with the primary molded product 64 disposed inside the ferrite core 14, the amount of resin material for the second resin portion 20, particularly the filling portion 72, can be reduced. In other words, by configuring the connector housing 16 to include the first resin portion 18 and the second resin portion 20, the amount of resin material required for one molding operation can be reduced compared to, for example, molding a connector housing with the terminal fittings simply disposed inside the ferrite core. Therefore, damage to the ferrite core 14 due to shrinkage of the resin material during molding of the second resin portion 20 can be avoided.

[0047] This increases the degree of freedom in selecting the material for the member surrounding the ferrite core 14, and makes it possible to use a resin material with higher heat resistance than PVC (PBT in the first embodiment) as the resin material for the second resin portion 20, which is the member surrounding the ferrite core 14. As a result, it is possible to provide a ferrite core built-in connector 10 with excellent heat resistance.

[0048] The ferrite core 14 is disposed in an annular shape surrounding the first resin portion 18, and the second resin portion 20 integrally includes a filling portion 72 that fills the inside of the ferrite core 14 and an outer surface covering portion 70 that covers the outside of the ferrite core 14. By disposing the first resin portion 18 (primary molded product 64) inside the ferrite core 14, the amount of resin material used for the filling portion 72 can be more reliably reduced. Furthermore, by molding the second resin portion 20 with the primary molded product 64 and the ferrite core 14 set in the cavity, the filling portion 72 and the outer surface covering portion 70 can be integrally formed, thereby improving the manufacturing efficiency of the second resin portion 20 and, ultimately, the ferrite core-embedded connector 10. In particular, the ferrite core 14 has a structure that can be separated into upper and lower portions, making it easy to arrange the ferrite core 14 so that it surrounds the first resin portion 18.

[0049] The surfaces (upper surface 66a and lower surface 66b) of the first resin portion 18 are provided with protrusions 68 that protrude toward the inner peripheral surface 52 of the ferrite core 14. This makes it possible to further reduce the amount of resin material in the filling portion 72 when molding the second resin portion 20, and more reliably avoid damage to the ferrite core 14 when the second resin portion 20 shrinks.

[0050] In particular, a plurality of protrusions 68 are dispersed and spaced apart from one another in the circumferential direction on the surface (upper surface 66a and lower surface 66b) of the first resin portion 18. This allows the amount of resin material in the filling portion 72 to be further reduced when molding the second resin portion 20, and more reliably prevents damage to the ferrite core 14 when the second resin portion 20 shrinks. Also, compared to when a single large protrusion is provided on the surface of the first resin portion, the terminal fittings 12 (first to third) located inside the first resin portion 18 are more likely to be damaged by shrinkage of the first resin portion 18 when molding the first resin portion 18. of This can reduce the risk of the terminal fittings (12a to 12c) being bent or damaged.

[0051] <Embodiment 2> A ferrite core built-in connector 80 according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to Figure 7. The ferrite core built-in connector 80 according to the second embodiment has a structure similar to that of the ferrite core built-in connector 10 according to the first embodiment, but differs in that it has an exposure hole 86 that exposes the ferrite core 14 in an outer surface coating portion 84 of the second resin portion 82. In the following description, members and parts that are substantially the same as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0052] Specifically, exposure holes 86 that penetrate the outer surface covering portion 84 in the up-down or left-right direction are formed in the outer surface covering portion 84, particularly in a portion that covers the outer peripheral surface 54 (outer peripheral surfaces 54a, 54b) of the ferrite core 14. In the second embodiment, a plurality of exposure holes 86 that are substantially circular in plan view or side view are formed, and the plurality of exposure holes 86 are aligned at predetermined distances from each other in the circumferential direction and the front-rear direction of the outer surface covering portion 84. The outer peripheral surface 54 (outer peripheral surfaces 54a, 54b) of the ferrite core 14 is exposed to the outside through these plurality of exposure holes 86.

[0053] In addition, in the portion of the second resin portion 82 that covers the left portion 44 and the right portion 46 of the ferrite core 14 from the outside in the left-right direction, a plurality of exposure holes 86 that are substantially circular in side view are formed so as to penetrate the second resin portion 82 in the left-right direction. In addition, in other portions of the second resin portion 82 (portions that cover from the outside the upper portion 40 and the lower portion 42 of the ferrite core 14 and the upper connecting portions 47a and lower connecting portions 47b that extend in the diagonal direction), a plurality of exposure holes 86 that are substantially circular in plan view are formed so as to penetrate the second resin portion 82 in the up-down direction.

[0054] In the connector 80 with a built-in ferrite core according to the second embodiment, the connector housing 16 includes a first resin portion 18 and a second resin portion 82, and therefore the same effects as those of the connector 10 with a built-in ferrite core according to the first embodiment can be achieved. That is, by providing the first resin portion 18 inside the ferrite core 14, the amount of resin material of the second resin portion 82 (filling portion 72) filled inside the ferrite core 14 can be reduced. In addition, in the second embodiment, a plurality of exposure holes 86 are provided in the outer surface covering portion 84 of the second resin portion 82, which allows the amount of resin material of the second resin portion 82 (outer surface covering portion 84) provided outside the ferrite core 14 to be reduced. As a result, the amount of resin material of the second resin portion 82 can be further reduced, and the risk of damage to the ferrite core 14 due to shrinkage of the resin material during molding of the second resin portion 82 can be further reduced.

[0055] Furthermore, since the outer surface 54 (outer surfaces 54a, 54b) of the ferrite core 14 is exposed to the outside through a plurality of exposure holes 86, even when the ferrite core 14 generates heat during noise absorption, the heat can be dissipated to the external space through the plurality of exposure holes 86, thereby providing a ferrite core-embedded connector 80 with excellent thermal performance.

[0056] <Embodiment 3> A ferrite core built-in connector 90 according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to Fig. 8. Similar to the ferrite core built-in connector 80 according to the second embodiment, the ferrite core built-in connector 90 according to the third embodiment has an exposure hole 96 that exposes the ferrite core 14 in the outer surface coating portion 94 of the second resin portion 92. This allows the ferrite core built-in connector 90 according to the third embodiment to achieve the same effects as the ferrite core built-in connector 80 according to the second embodiment.

[0057] While the second embodiment provides a substantially circular exposure hole 86, the third embodiment provides an exposure hole 96 that is substantially rectangular in plan or side view. Also in the third embodiment, a plurality of exposure holes 96 are provided in the outer surface covering portion 94 at predetermined distances in the circumferential direction, but the cross-sectional area of ​​each exposure hole 96 is larger than that of the exposure hole 86 in the second embodiment. Furthermore, in the third embodiment, the sum of the cross-sectional areas of the plurality of exposure holes 96 is larger than that of the plurality of exposure holes 86 in the second embodiment. This allows the second resin portion 92 to use less resin material in the portion that constitutes the outer surface covering portion 94 than the outer surface covering portion 84 in the second embodiment. As a result, the risk of damage to the ferrite core 14 due to shrinkage of the resin material during molding of the second resin portion 92 can be further reduced.

[0058] <Other embodiments> The technology described in this specification is not limited to the embodiments described above and in the drawings, and for example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the technology described in this specification.

[0059] (1) In the above embodiment, each of the terminal fittings 12 (first to third terminal fittings 12a to 12c) is provided with the right protruding portion 32 (left recess 33), the narrow portion 36, and the left protruding portion 34 (right recess 35). However, at least one of the terminal fittings may extend substantially straight in the front-rear direction. In the above embodiment, three terminal fittings 12 (first to third terminal fittings 12a to 12c) are provided, but the number of terminal fittings is not limited to one, two, four or more.

[0060] (2) In the above embodiment, five protrusions 68 each having a substantially rectangular plate shape are provided on the upper surface 66a and the lower surface 66b of the first resin portion 18. However, the number and shape of the protrusions are not limited to these. For example, one to four protrusions, or six or more protrusions, may be provided on the upper and lower surfaces of the first resin portion. Furthermore, the shape of the protrusions in a side view is not limited to a substantially rectangular shape. They may be triangular, polygonal, or semicircular, or a combination thereof. Furthermore, the protrusions may be provided on only one of the upper and lower surfaces of the first resin portion. Alternatively, the protrusions may be provided on the left or right end surface of the first resin portion instead of or in addition to the upper or lower surface. Note that the protrusions provided on the first resin portion are not essential to the ferrite core-integrated connector according to the present disclosure.

[0061] (3) In the above embodiment, the protruding tip of each protrusion 68 faces the inner circumferential surface 52 (inner circumferential surfaces 52a, 52b) of the ferrite core 14 at a slight distance in the up-down direction, but this is not limited to this. That is, the protruding tip of each protrusion may abut against the inner circumferential surface of the ferrite core. As a result, when the upper ferrite core and the lower ferrite core are positioned from the outside in the up-down direction of the first resin portion, the protrusions may abut against the inner circumferential surfaces of the upper and lower ferrite cores, thereby defining the up-down positions of the upper ferrite core and the lower ferrite core. That is, the circumferential end faces of the upper ferrite core and the lower ferrite core do not have to overlap each other in the up-down direction, but may face each other at a slight distance in the up-down direction.

[0062] (4) In the second and third embodiments, the outer surface coating portion 84, 94 of the second resin portion 82, 92 is provided with an exposure hole 86, 96 penetrating the second resin portion 82, 92. However, this is not limited to this. That is, for example, the outer surface coating portion of the second resin portion may simply be provided with a bottomed recess that opens to the outer periphery, which also achieves a reduction in the amount of resin material in the second resin portion. In this case, the recess may be provided in a portion of the outer surface coating portion of the second resin portion that covers the axial end face of the ferrite core, instead of or in addition to the portion of the outer surface coating portion of the second resin portion that covers the outer periphery of the ferrite core.

[0063] (5) In the second and third embodiments, the exposure holes 86, 96 were formed to penetrate the second resin portion 82, 92 in the up-down direction or the left-right direction, but the exposure holes may be formed to penetrate the second resin portion in the thickness direction. That is, in the second and third embodiments, the exposure holes 86, 96 provided in the outer surface covering portions 84, 94 of the second resin portion 82, 92 in the portions covering the upper connecting portions 47 a and the lower connecting portions 47 b that extend in a diagonal direction were also formed to penetrate the second resin portion 82, 92 in the up-down direction, but the exposure holes provided in these portions may be formed to penetrate the second resin portion in a diagonal direction. [Explanation of symbols]

[0064] 10. Ferrite core built-in connector (embodiment 1) 12 Terminal fittings 12a First terminal fitting 12b Second terminal fitting 12c Third terminal fitting 14 Ferrite core 16 Connector housing 18 First resin part 20 Second resin part 22 Front through hole 24 Rear through hole 26 One terminal part (front terminal part) 28 Other terminal part (rear terminal part) 30 Middle section 30a First intermediate section 30b Second intermediate section 30c Third Middle Section 32 Right protrusion 33 Left recess 34 Left protrusion 35 Right recess 36 Narrow section 38 Placement area 39 Interior Space 40 Upper part 42 Lower part 44 Left side 46 Right side 47a Upper connection 47b Lower connection 48 Upper ferrite core 50 Lower ferrite core 52,52a,52b Inner surface 54,54a,54b Outer surface 56, 56a, 56b Front end face (one axial end face) 58, 58a, 58b Rear end face (other axial end face) 59 Legs 60 Bolt insertion hole 62 Color 64 Primary molded products 66a Top surface (front surface) 66b Bottom surface (front surface) 68 Protrusion 70 External covering part 72 Filling section 80 Ferrite core built-in connector (embodiment 2) 82 Second resin part 84 External coating 86 Exposure hole 90 Ferrite core built-in connector (embodiment 3) 92 Second resin part 94 External covering part 96 Exposure hole

Claims

1. Terminal fittings, a ferrite core disposed around the terminal fitting; a connector housing that accommodates the terminal fitting and the ferrite core, the connector housing includes a first resin portion that holds the terminal fitting in an embedded state, and a second resin portion that holds the first resin portion and the ferrite core in an embedded state, the ferrite core is disposed in an annular shape so as to surround the periphery of the first resin portion, the second resin portion integrally includes a filling portion that fills a space between an inner peripheral surface of the ferrite core and an opposing surface of the first resin portion, and an outer surface covering portion that covers an outer peripheral surface and a pair of axial end faces of the ferrite core. Connector with built-in ferrite core.

2. 2. The connector with a built-in ferrite core according to claim 1, wherein the second resin portion is made of a resin material having higher heat resistance than PVC.

3. 3. The connector with a built-in ferrite core according to claim 1, wherein a protrusion protruding toward the inner peripheral surface of the ferrite core is provided on a surface of the first resin portion.

4. 4. The connector with a built-in ferrite core according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of protrusions are dispersed and spaced apart from one another in the circumferential direction of the surface of the first resin portion.

5. 3. The connector with a built-in ferrite core according to claim 1, wherein the outer covering portion includes an exposure hole for exposing the ferrite core.

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