Cable connection structure

Abstract

A cable connection structure that can handle large currents with a simple configuration is provided. [Solution] A cable connection structure that detachably connects a male connector (10) provided at the end of cables (1, 2) to a female connector (20), wherein the male connector (10) comprises an electrically insulating support plate (11) and a first male terminal (12) and a second male terminal (13) formed in a flat plate shape and provided on both sides of the support plate (11), and the conductor portions (3, 4) of the cables (1, 2) are fixed to the first male terminal (12) and the second male terminal (13), and the female connector (20) comprises a first female terminal (22) and a second female terminal (23) that contact the first male terminal (12) and the second male terminal (13), respectively, and the first female terminal (22) and the second female terminal (23) are arranged opposite each other with a gap between them so that the first male terminal (12) and the second male terminal (13) can be inserted, and the first male terminal (12) and the second male terminal (13) are clamped in the thickness direction via the support plate (11).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cable connection structure, and more particularly to a cable connection structure for detachably connecting a male connector provided at the end of a cable to a female connector. [Background technology]

[0002] A power cable connection structure that detachably connects a male connector provided at the end of a power cable to a female connector provided in an electronic device or the like is disclosed, for example, in Patent Document 1. In this power cable connection structure, a columnar male terminal is fitted into a terminal insertion hole of the female terminal, and the male connector and female connector are connected and fixed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-169995 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The above-described conventional cable connection structure is not suitable for passing a large current, and there is room for improvement in terms of ensuring a sufficient contact area between the male terminal and the female terminal.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a cable connection structure that is simple in construction and can accommodate the passage of a large current. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a cable connection structure for detachably connecting a male connector provided at an end of a cable to a female connector, the male connector comprising an electrically insulating support plate and first and second male terminals formed in a flat plate shape and respectively provided on both sides of the support plate, the conductor portion of one cable among a plurality of cables being fixed to the first male terminal and the conductor portion of another cable being fixed to the second male terminal, the female connector comprising first and second female terminals that come into contact with the first and second male terminals, respectively, the first and second female terminals being arranged opposite each other with a gap therebetween so that the first and second male terminals can be inserted, and the first and second male terminals being sandwiched in a thickness direction via the support plate. the first male terminal, the support plate, and the second male terminal are interposed between the conductor portion of the one cable and the conductor portion of the other cable; the first female terminal has a plurality of first terminal pieces arranged in parallel at intervals along a surface of the first male terminal; the second female terminal has a plurality of second terminal pieces arranged in parallel at intervals so as to correspond to each of the first terminal pieces; the first terminal pieces sandwich the first male terminal and the second male terminal between themselves and the corresponding second terminal pieces; the first male terminals are arranged on one surface of the support plate at intervals in the parallel direction of the first terminal pieces, and a conductor portion of a different cable is fixed to each of the first male terminals; the second male terminals are arranged on the other surface of the support plate at intervals in the parallel direction of the second terminal pieces, and a conductor portion of a different cable is fixed to each of the second male terminals; a plurality of first female terminals are arranged corresponding to a plurality of the first male terminals; and a plurality of second female terminals are arranged corresponding to a plurality of the second male terminals. This is achieved by a cable connection structure. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a cable connection structure that is simple in configuration and can accommodate the passage of a large current. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view showing a state before connection of a cable connection structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view showing the main part of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a side view showing another main part of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the state after connection in FIG. 1. [Figure 5] 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a state before connection of a cable connection structure according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a plan view showing a cable connection structure according to one embodiment of the present invention in a state before connection. The cable connection structure shown in Fig. 1 is configured by inserting a male connector 10 provided at the end of a cable into a female connector 20 in the direction indicated by the arrow to detachably connect them.

[0012] 2 is a side view of the male connector 10 shown in FIG. 1, seen in the insertion direction. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the male connector 10 comprises a rectangular flat support plate 11 and a support plate 11 a first male terminal 12 provided on one side of the support plate 11 and a second male terminal 13 provided on the other surface of the connector.

[0013] Support plate 11 is made of an electrically insulating material (for example, a thermosetting resin such as phenolic resin or epoxy resin), and electrically insulates first male terminal 12 from second male terminal 13. Mounting notches 14 and 15 are formed on both sides of support plate 11 in the width direction (the direction perpendicular to the insertion direction in the plan view of FIG. 1).

[0014] The first male terminal 12 and the second male terminal 13 are made of a conductive material such as a relatively thick (for example, about 0.8 mm) copper plate, and are formed in the shape of a rectangular flat plate that is slightly smaller than the support plate 11. The first male terminal 12 and the second male terminal 13 are fixed to both sides of the support plate 11 with an adhesive or the like.

[0015] A conductor portion 3 exposed at the end of cable 1 is fixed to first male terminal 12, and a conductor portion 4 exposed at the end of cable 2 is fixed to second male terminal 13. The conductor portions 3, 4 can be joined to first male terminal 12 and second male terminal 13 by ultrasonic welding or the like. The two cables 1, 2 are, for example, power cables.

[0016] Fig. 3 is a side view of female connector 20 shown in Fig. 1 as viewed in the insertion direction. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, female connector 20 includes casing 21 into which male connector 10 can be inserted, and conductive first female terminals 22 and second female terminals 23 disposed inside casing 21. A gap is formed between first female terminal 22 and second female terminal 23 to accommodate male connector 10, and first female terminal 22 and second female terminal 23 can sandwich first male terminal 12 and second male terminal 13 in the thickness direction via support plate 11. Female connector 20 is provided in an electronic device such as a server.

[0017] 1, the first female terminal 22 comprises a strip-shaped first base 24 extending in the width direction of the female connector 20 (the vertical direction in FIG. 1), and a plurality of (five in this embodiment) first terminal pieces 26 protruding from the first base 24 in a direction facing the male connector 10. The first terminal pieces 26 have a shape formed by bending an elongated member, and are arranged in parallel at intervals along the longitudinal direction of the first base 24 so as to fit along the surface of the inserted first male terminal 12. The base ends of the first terminal pieces 26 are fixed to the first base 24 so that the tip ends are elastically deformable.

[0018] Second female terminal 23 is configured similarly to first female terminal 22, and includes a strip-shaped second base 25 extending in the width direction, and a plurality of (five in this embodiment) second terminal pieces 27 protruding from second base 25 in a direction facing male connector 10. Second terminal pieces 27 are arranged so as to overlap with corresponding first terminal pieces 26 in the plan view shown in Fig. 1, and are arranged in parallel at intervals along the longitudinal direction of second base 25 so as to follow the surface of inserted second male terminal 13.

[0019] Pivotally supported arms 28, 29 are provided on both widthwise sides of casing 21. By rotating arms 28, 29 in the direction of the arrow after male connector 10 is inserted into female connector 20, arms 28, 29 engage with notches 14, 15 of male connector 10, respectively, and fix male connector 10 to female connector 20.

[0020] Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the state after male connector 10 and female connector 20 shown in Fig. 1 have been connected, and Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 4. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, when male connector 10 and female connector 20 are connected, the leading end of male connector 10 in the insertion direction is received between first terminal piece 26 of first female terminal 22 and second terminal piece 27 of second female terminal 23, thereby sandwiching first male terminal 12 and second male terminal 13 between corresponding first terminal piece 26 and second terminal piece 27 via support plate 11. This establishes electrical continuity between first male terminal 12 and first female terminal 22, and second male terminal 13 and second female terminal 23.

[0021] According to the cable connection structure of this embodiment, the male connector 10 is configured to have a first male terminal 12 and a second male terminal 13 on both sides of the support plate 11, which makes it easy to ensure the necessary contact area with the first female terminal 22 and the second female terminal 23, thereby making it possible to accommodate the passage of large currents with a simple configuration.

[0022] The number of first terminal pieces 26 and second terminal pieces 27 included in the first female terminal 22 and the second female terminal 23 is not particularly limited and can be set appropriately so as to ensure a sufficient contact area according to the widthwise length of the first male terminal 12 and the second male terminal 13. When a plurality of first terminal pieces 26 and a plurality of second terminal pieces 27 are provided, as in this embodiment, it is preferable that each first terminal piece 26 and each second terminal piece 27 be independently elastically deformable with respect to the first base 24 and the second base 25. This allows each combination of the first terminal pieces 26 and the second terminal pieces 27 to reliably clamp the first male terminal 12 and the second male terminal 13.

[0023] Fig. 6 is a plan view showing a cable connection structure according to another embodiment of the present invention in a state before connection. While the cable connection structure shown in Fig. 1 has two connection terminals, the cable connection structure shown in Fig. 6 has four connection terminals. In Fig. 6, the same components as in Fig. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 6, male connector 10′ has first male terminals 12, 112 provided on one side of support plate 11, and second male terminals 13, 113 provided on the other side of support plate 11. A plurality of first male terminals 12, 112 and a plurality of second male terminals 13, 113 are arranged at intervals in the width direction of support plate 11 (the vertical direction in FIG. 6). Conductor portion 3 of cable 1 is fixed to one first male terminal 12, and conductor portion 103 of cable 101 is fixed to the other first male terminal 112. Conductor portion 4 of cable 2 is fixed to one second male terminal 13, and conductor portion 104 of cable 102 is fixed to the other second male terminal 113. A positioning notch 16 is formed in the edge of support plate 11 at the center in the width direction.

[0025] In female connector 20′, a plurality of first female terminals 22, 122 are arranged corresponding to a plurality of first male terminals 12, 112, and a plurality of second female terminals 23, 123 are arranged corresponding to a plurality of second male terminals 13, 113. Like one first female terminal 22, the other first female terminal 122 has a strip-shaped first base 124 extending in the width direction and a plurality of first terminal pieces 126 protruding from first base 124. Similarly to one second female terminal 23, the other second female terminal 123 has a strip-shaped second base 125 extending in the width direction and a plurality of second terminal pieces 127 protruding from second base 125. An engagement protrusion 30 is provided in the center of the width direction within casing 21, and notch 16 of male connector 10′ inserted into female connector 20′ engages with engagement protrusion 30.

[0026] The multiple first male terminals 12, 112 are arranged at intervals in the parallel direction of the first terminal pieces 26, 126, and the multiple second male terminals 13, 113 are arranged at intervals in the parallel direction of the second terminal pieces 27, 127, so that a sufficient contact area can be ensured for the connection between the first male terminals 12, 112 and the first female terminals 22, 122, and for the connection between the second male terminals 13, 113 and the second female terminals 23, 123. In this way, the cable connection structure of the present invention can easily accommodate multiple terminals. [Explanation of symbols]

[0027] 1,2 Cable 3,4 Conductor 10 Male Connector 11 Support plate 12 First male terminal 13 Second male terminal 20 female connector 22 First female terminal 23 Second female terminal 26 1st terminal piece 27 2nd terminal piece

Claims

[Claim 1] A cable connection structure for detachably connecting a male connector provided at an end of a cable to a female connector, The male connector includes an electrically insulating support plate, and first and second male terminals formed in a flat plate shape and provided on both sides of the support plate, Among the plurality of cables, a conductor portion of one cable is fixed to the first male terminal, and a conductor portion of another cable is fixed to the second male terminal, the female connector includes a first female terminal and a second female terminal that contact the first male terminal and the second male terminal, respectively; the first female terminal and the second female terminal are arranged opposite to each other with a gap therebetween so that the first male terminal and the second male terminal can be inserted thereinto, and the first male terminal and the second male terminal are sandwiched in a thickness direction via the support plate; the first male terminal, the support plate, and the second male terminal are interposed between the conductor portion of the one cable and the conductor portion of the other cable; the first female terminal includes a plurality of first terminal pieces arranged in parallel at intervals along a surface of the first male terminal; the second female terminal includes a plurality of second terminal pieces arranged in parallel at intervals so as to correspond to the first terminal pieces, the first terminal piece sandwiches the first male terminal and the second male terminal between itself and the corresponding second terminal piece; a plurality of the first male terminals are arranged on one surface of the support plate at intervals in the parallel direction of the first terminal pieces, and conductor portions of different cables are fixed to the respective first male terminals; a plurality of the second male terminals are arranged on the other surface of the support plate at intervals in the parallel direction of the second terminal pieces, and conductor portions of different cables are fixed to each of the second male terminals; a plurality of the first female terminals are arranged corresponding to the plurality of the first male terminals; A cable connection structure in which a plurality of the second female terminals are arranged corresponding to a plurality of the second male terminals.

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