Relay connector

Abstract

To provide a relay connector capable of eliminating the need for a side core in a molding die when a housing is molded, and suppressing complication of a mold structure for molding the housing and an increase in equipment cost.SOLUTION: A first connector 101 is fitted and connected to a housing 11 from one end side, and a second connector 102 is fitted and connected to the housing from the other end side. A plurality of terminals 12 are held by the housing 11 inside the housing 11. A first engaging portion 13 is provided inside the housing 11 and engages with a first engaging arm 113 of the first connector 101. A second engaging portion 14 is provided inside the housing 11 and engages with a second engaging arm 116 of the second connector 102. Inside the housing 11, the entire first engaging portion 13 and the entire second engaging portion 14 are arranged with their positions shifted in a height direction X3 of the housing 11.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a relay connector for relaying and connecting two connectors, a first connector and a second connector.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, when relaying and connecting two connectors, a first connector and a second connector, a relay connector that electrically connects the two connectors by fitting and connecting the two connectors to each other has been used. As such a relay connector, for example, the one disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known.

[0003] The relay connector disclosed in Patent Document 1 is configured such that a first connector and a second connector formed in the same shape are fitted and connected to each other. The first connector is fitted and connected from one end side of the housing of the relay connector, and the second connector is fitted and connected from the other end side of the housing of the relay connector. For this reason, insertion ports into which the first connector and the second connector are respectively inserted and fitted are formed at one end side and the other end side of the housing of the relay connector. The insertion ports provided at one end side and the other end side of the housing of the relay connector open in a direction parallel to the direction in which the first connector and the second connector are fitted.

[0004] Furthermore, the outer circumferential wall of the relay connector housing has through-holes that engage with the locking piece of the first connector, and also through-holes that engage with the locking piece of the second connector. The locking holes provided in the relay connector housing penetrate the outer circumferential wall of the relay connector housing in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the insertion openings provided at one end and the other end of the relay connector housing open. In the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1, the locking pieces of the first connector and the second connector engage with the locking holes provided in the outer circumferential wall of the relay connector housing, respectively. Therefore, the first connector and the second connector can be connected to the relay connector in a locked state. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-317363 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] When molding the housing of the relay connector disclosed in Patent Document 1, a molding die comprising an upper die and a lower die is used. The upper and lower dies of the molding die form the shape of the outer periphery wall of the housing and the internal shape of the housing, such as the insertion openings that open at one end and the other end of the housing.

[0007] However, in the relay connector disclosed in Patent Document 1, a locking hole is formed through the outer peripheral wall of the housing, which engages with the locking pieces of the first connector and the second connector. The locking hole in the housing of the relay connector in Patent Document 1 penetrates the outer peripheral wall of the housing in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the insertion openings open at one end and the other end of the housing.

[0008] Therefore, when molding the housing of the relay connector described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to form the insertion opening using the upper and lower molds of the molding die, and to form a lock hole that penetrates the outer peripheral wall of the housing in a direction perpendicular to the opening direction of the insertion opening using a separate mold different from the upper and lower molds. In other words, a side core is required, which is a mold that is combined with the upper and lower molds in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the upper and lower molds are combined with each other. For this reason, in order to mold the housing of the relay connector described in Patent Document 1, in addition to the upper and lower molds, a side core is also required as a molding die. As a result, when molding the housing of the relay connector described in Patent Document 1, the mold structure for molding the housing becomes complex, which leads to an increase in the equipment cost required for molding the housing.

[0009] In view of the above circumstances, the present invention aims to provide a relay connector that eliminates the need for a side core in the molding die when forming the housing, thereby suppressing the complexity of the mold structure and the increase in equipment costs for forming the housing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] (1) A relay connector according to one aspect of the present invention for achieving the above objective is a relay connector for connecting a first connector and a second connector, comprising: a housing into which the first connector is fitted and connected from one end and the second connector is fitted and connected from the other end; a plurality of terminals held in the housing inside the housing; a first engaging portion provided inside the housing and configured to engage with a first engaging arm of the first connector; and a second engaging portion provided inside the housing and configured to engage with a second engaging arm of the second connector, wherein the housing has a fitting direction which is parallel to the direction in which the first connector and the second connector are fitted together; a width direction which is perpendicular to the fitting direction and in which the plurality of terminals are lined up; and a height direction which is perpendicular to the fitting direction and the width direction, wherein the entirety of the first engaging portion and the entirety of the second engaging portion are arranged to be offset in the height direction or the width direction inside the housing.

[0011] In this configuration, when the first connector and the second connector are connected by the intermediate connector, the first connector is mated and connected to the housing of the intermediate connector from one end, and the second connector is mated and connected from the other end. The first connector, which is mated from one end of the housing, engages with the first engaging arm against the first engaging portion inside the housing and is locked to the housing. Similarly, the second connector, which is mated from the other end of the housing, engages with the second engaging arm against the second engaging portion inside the housing and is locked to the housing. This allows the first and second connectors to be connected to the intermediate connector while the first and second connectors, which are mated to the housing, are locked to the housing.

[0012] Furthermore, according to the above configuration, when forming the housing, the upper and lower molds of the molding die for forming the housing are used in combination in a direction corresponding to the fitting direction of the housing. During the forming of the housing, the upper and lower molds of the molding die form the shape of the outer periphery wall of the housing, the shape of the area on one end of the housing where the first connector fits, and the shape of the area on the other end of the housing where the second connector fits.

[0013] Furthermore, according to the above configuration, a first engaging portion that engages with the first engaging arm of the first connector and a second engaging portion that engages with the second engaging arm of the second connector are provided inside the housing. Moreover, inside the housing, the entirety of the first engaging portion and the entirety of the second engaging portion are positioned offset in the height direction or width direction of the housing. For this reason, when molding the housing, the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion, which are offset in the height direction or width direction of the housing, can be molded by the upper and lower molds of the molding die, which are combined in a direction corresponding to the fitting direction of the housing. Thus, the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion inside the housing can be molded using only the upper and lower molds of the molding die. Therefore, a side core, which is a mold that is combined with the upper and lower molds in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the upper and lower molds are combined with each other, is unnecessary. Furthermore, with the above configuration, a side core is not required in the molding die, and the housing, the first engaging portion, and the second engaging portion can be molded using only the upper and lower dies. This suppresses the complexity of the mold structure and the increase in equipment costs for molding the housing.

[0014] Therefore, according to the above configuration, when forming the housing, a side core can be eliminated in the molding die, thereby suppressing the complexity of the mold structure and the increase in equipment costs for forming the housing, and providing a relay connector.

[0015] (2) Inside the housing, the entirety of the first engaging portion and the entirety of the second engaging portion are arranged so as to be offset in the height direction, and the housing may be provided with a through hole extending in the fitting direction between the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion which are arranged so as to be offset in the height direction inside the housing.

[0016] With this configuration, a through-hole extending in the fitting direction is provided between the first and second engaging parts, which are offset in the height direction within the housing. By utilizing the area of ​​the through-hole, the first and second engaging parts, which are positioned offset in the height direction, can be easily molded using only the upper and lower molds of the molding die. Furthermore, since the area for molding the first and second engaging parts can be formed using only the upper and lower molds of the molding die by utilizing the through-hole extending in the fitting direction between the first and second engaging parts, it is possible to suppress the large height offset between the first and second engaging parts in the housing. This prevents the dimensions of the housing from becoming larger in the height direction, and allows for a more compact housing.

[0017] (3) The first engaging portion and the second engaging portion may have protrusions that protrude in the same direction parallel to the height direction.

[0018] With this configuration, the first connector and the second connector can be locked to the intermediate connector by engaging the first engaging arm of the first connector with the protrusion of the first engaging part, and engaging the second engaging arm of the second connector with the protrusion of the second engaging part. Thus, a mechanism for locking the first connector and the second connector to the intermediate connector can be realized with a simple configuration in which the protrusions are provided inside the housing. Furthermore, the protrusions that engage with the first engaging arm of the first connector and the second engaging arm of the second connector protrude in the same direction in the height direction inside the housing. For this reason, with the first engaging arm and the second engaging arm of the first connector and the second connector facing the same side in the height direction of the intermediate connector housing, the first connector can be fitted to the housing of the intermediate connector from one end and the second connector from the other end. This allows the first connector and the second connector to be connected to the intermediate connector in the same orientation, and the connection operation of the first connector and the second connector to the intermediate connector can be easily performed.

[0019] (4) Each of the plurality of terminals may have a first contact portion connected to a first mating terminal provided on the first connector, a second contact portion positioned offset in the height direction from the first contact portion and connected to a second mating terminal provided on the second connector, and a connecting portion that integrally connects the first contact portion and the second contact portion.

[0020] In this configuration, the first connector is fitted into the housing and the first mating terminal is connected to the first contact portion, and the second connector is fitted into the housing and the second mating terminal is connected to the second contact portion. The first and second connectors are then electrically connected via the first and second contact portions, which are integrated at the connecting portion. Furthermore, in the above configuration, the second contact portion connected to the second mating terminal is positioned offset in the height direction of the housing relative to the first contact portion connected to the first mating terminal. Therefore, in the housing, the height position at which the first mating terminal connects to the first contact portion when the first connector is fitted into the housing, and the height position at which the second mating terminal connects to the second contact portion when the second connector is fitted into the housing, can be offset in the height direction. As a result, the amount of offset between the height position at which the first mating terminal connects to the first contact portion and the height position at which the second mating terminal connects to the second contact portion can be set to match the amount of offset in the height direction between the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion inside the housing. This makes it easy to realize a configuration in which the first connector and the second connector are connected by mating them into the housing of the intermediate connector, even if they have the same shape.

[0021] (5) Each of the plurality of terminals is provided integrally with the connecting portion and further has an extension portion that is provided at a position offset in the height direction from the first contact portion and extends along the same straight line as the second contact portion in the fitting direction, wherein the extension portion is provided so as to extend from the connecting portion in the direction opposite to the direction in which the second contact portion extends from the connecting portion in the fitting direction.

[0022] This configuration allows for the efficient and compact use of space within the housing, specifically in an area offset in height from the first contact point and aligned with the second contact point, to position the extension. Furthermore, when assembling the intermediate connector and pressing the terminals into the housing, the extension can be held by the gripping part of the press-fitting device, making the terminal press-fitting process much easier. [Effects of the Invention]

[0023] According to the present invention, when molding a housing, it is possible to eliminate the need for a side core in the molding die, and suppress the complication of the die structure for molding the housing and the increase in equipment costs, and a relay connector can be provided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0024] [Figure 1] It is a view showing a relay connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1(A) is a plan view, FIG. 1(B) is a left side view, FIG. 1(C) is a front view, and FIG. 1(D) is a right side view. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view showing the relay connector shown in FIG. 1, the first connector, and the second connector in a state including a cross section, and shows a state before the first connector and the second connector are connected to the relay connector. [Figure 3] It is a front view showing the relay connector shown in FIG. 1, the first connector, and the second connector in a state including a cross section, and shows a state before the first connector and the second connector are connected to the relay connector. [Figure 4] It is a view showing an enlarged relay connector shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 5] It is a view showing an enlarged relay connector shown in FIG. 3. [Figure 6] It is a perspective view showing the relay connector shown in FIG. 2, the first connector, and the second connector in a state including a cross section, and shows a state in which the first connector and the second connector are connected to the relay connector. [Figure 7] It is a front view showing the relay connector shown in FIG. 3, the first connector, and the second connector in a state including a cross section, and shows a state in which the first connector and the second connector are connected to the relay connector. [Figure 8] It is a perspective view showing the relay connector according to the first modification of the present invention, the first connector, and the second connector, and shows a state before the first connector and the second connector are connected to the relay connector. [Figure 9] Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the relay connector, the first connector, and the second connector, with the first connector and the second connector connected to the relay connector. [Figure 10] Figure 10(A) is a front view of the relay connector shown in Figure 8, with the side to which the first connector is connected considered the front side, and Figure 10(B) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in Figure 10(A). [Figure 11] Figure 10(A) is a perspective view of the relay connector, showing a cross-section at the position indicated by the arrow AA in Figure 10(A). [Figure 12] This is a perspective view showing a relay connector, a first connector, and a second connector according to a second modification of the present invention, the diagram showing the state before the first connector and the second connector are connected to the relay connector. [Figure 13] Figure 12 is a perspective view showing the relay connector, the first connector, and the second connector, with the relay connector connected to the first and second connectors. [Figure 14] Figure 14(A) is a front view of the relay connector shown in Figure 12, with the side to which the first connector is connected considered the front side, and Figure 14(B) is a plan view of the relay connector shown in Figure 14(A). [Figure 15] Figure 15(A) is a cross-sectional view of the intermediate connector shown in Figure 14(A), specifically the cross-sectional view at the position indicated by the arrow BB in Figure 14(A). Figure 15(B) is a perspective view of the intermediate connector shown in Figure 14(A), including the cross-section at the position indicated by the arrow BB in Figure 14(A). [Figure 16] Figure 16(A) is a cross-sectional view of the intermediate connector shown in Figure 14(A), specifically the cross-sectional view taken at the position indicated by the CC line in Figure 14(A). Figure 16(B) is a perspective view of the intermediate connector shown in Figure 14(A), specifically the cross-section taken at the position indicated by the CC line in Figure 14(A). [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0025] The embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The present invention can be widely applied to various applications as a relay connector for connecting two connectors, a first connector and a second connector.

[0026] [Overview of the relay connector, first connector, second connector] Figure 1 shows a relay connector 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, where Figure 1(A) is a plan view, Figure 1(B) is a left side view, Figure 1(C) is a front view, and Figure 1(D) is a right side view. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the relay connector 1 shown in Figure 1, the first connector 101, and the second connector 102, including a cross-section. Figure 3 is a front view showing the relay connector 1 shown in Figure 1, the first connector 101, and the second connector 102, including a cross-section. Figures 2 and 3 show the state before the first connector 101 and the second connector 102 are connected to the relay connector 1. In addition, Figures 2 and 3 show cross-sections of the relay connector 1, the first connector 101, and the second connector 102 along the direction in which the first connector 101 and the second connector 102 are mated and connected to the relay connector 1.

[0027] The relay connector 1 shown in Figures 1 to 3 is configured as a connector for relaying and connecting two connectors (101, 102), a first connector 101 and a second connector 102. The first connector 101 is configured as a plug-type connector and is mechanically and electrically connected to the relay connector 1 by mating into it. The second connector 102 is also configured as a plug-type connector and is mechanically and electrically connected to the relay connector 1 by mating into it. In this embodiment, the first connector 101 and the second connector 102 are configured as connectors of the same shape.

[0028] The first connector 101 has multiple wires 110 connected to it, with the multiple wires 110 extending out from one end of the first connector 101 in the longitudinal direction. Note that only a portion of the wires 110 are shown in Figures 2 and 3. The first connector 101 is configured to be fitted into the intermediate connector 1 at the other end of the first connector 101 in the longitudinal direction. The first connector 101 is composed of a first mating housing 111, multiple first mating terminals 112, and a first engaging arm 113 integrally provided on the first mating housing 111.

[0029] The first mating housing 111 is made of an insulating resin material and is configured to mat with the housing 11 of the relay connector 1, which will be described later. The plurality of first mating terminals 112 are made of a conductive metal material and are held inside the first mating housing 111. The first mating terminals 112 are connected to the wire 110 by one end of their longitudinal direction being crimped to the end of the wire 110. Furthermore, when the first connector 101 is connected to the relay connector 1, the other end of the first mating terminal 112 in the longitudinal direction is electrically connected to the terminal 12 of the relay connector 1, which will be described later.

[0030] The first engaging arm 113 is provided as a mechanism for locking the first connector 101 to the relay connector 1 by engaging with the first engaging portion 13 of the relay connector 1 (described later) when the first connector 101 is connected to the relay connector 1. The first engaging arm 113 is integrally provided with the first mating housing 111 and is provided on one side of the first mating housing 111 in the height direction. The first engaging arm 113 also has a cantilevered portion 113a that is supported in a cantilevered manner with respect to the first mating housing 111, and an engaging projection 113b that is provided to protrude from the cantilevered portion 113a and engage with the first engaging portion 13 of the relay connector 1. The cantilevered portion 113a is provided so as to extend along the direction in which the first mating housing 111 fits into the housing 11 of the relay connector 1, and one end of its longitudinal direction is integrally connected to the first mating housing 111. The engaging projection 113b is provided at the tip of the cantilevered beam portion 113a that extends in a cantilevered manner from the first mating housing 111.

[0031] The second connector 102 has multiple wires 110 connected to it, with the multiple wires 110 extending out from one end of the second connector 102 in the longitudinal direction. The second connector 102 is configured to be mated with the intermediate connector 1 at the other end of the second connector 102 in the longitudinal direction. The second connector 102 also comprises a second mating housing 114, multiple second mating terminals 115, and a second engaging arm 116 integrally provided on the second mating housing 114.

[0032] The second mating housing 114 is made of an insulating resin material and is configured to fit into the housing 11 of the relay connector 1, which will be described later. The second mating housing 114 is formed in the same shape as the first mating housing 111 of the first connector 101. The multiple second mating terminals 115 are made of a conductive metal material and are held inside the second mating housing 114. The second mating terminals 115 are connected to the wire 110 by crimping one end of the second mating terminal 115 in its longitudinal direction to the end of the wire 110. Furthermore, when the second connector 102 is connected to the relay connector 1, the other end of the second mating terminal 115 in its longitudinal direction is electrically connected to the terminal 12 of the relay connector 1, which will be described later. Furthermore, the second mating terminal 115 is formed to have the same shape as the first mating terminal 112 of the first connector 101.

[0033] The second engaging arm 116 is provided as a mechanism for locking the second connector 102 to the relay connector 1 by engaging with the second engaging portion 14 of the relay connector 1 (described later) when the second connector 102 is connected to the relay connector 1. The second engaging arm 116 is integrally provided with the second mating housing 114 and is provided on one side of the second mating housing 114 in the height direction. The second engaging arm 116 also has a cantilevered portion 116a supported in a cantilevered manner with respect to the second mating housing 114, and an engaging projection 116b that protrudes from the cantilevered portion 116a and engages with the second engaging portion 14 of the relay connector 1. The cantilevered portion 116a is provided so as to extend along the direction in which the second mating housing 114 fits into the housing 11 of the relay connector 1, and one end of its longitudinal direction is integrally connected to the second mating housing 114. The engaging projection 116b is provided at the tip of the cantilevered portion 116a that extends in a cantilevered manner from the second mating housing 114. The second engaging arm 116 is formed in the same shape as the first engaging arm 113 of the first connector 101.

[0034] The relay connector 1 is configured to connect the first connector 101 and the second connector 102 by mating and connecting the first connector 101 and the second connector 102 to it. The first connector 101 is connected to the relay connector 1 by mating from one end, and the second connector 102 is connected to the relay connector 1 by mating from the other end. The relay connector 1 is configured to electrically connect the first connector 101 and the second connector 102 by connecting the first connector 101 and the second connector 102. The relay connector 1 also comprises a housing 11, a plurality of terminals 12 held by the housing 11 inside the housing 11, and a first engaging portion 13 and a second engaging portion 14 provided inside the housing 11.

[0035] [housing] Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the relay connector 1 shown in Figure 2. Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the relay connector 1 shown in Figure 3. Referring to Figures 1 to 5, the housing 11 is made of an insulating resin material and has a basic outer shape that is substantially rectangular parallelepiped. The housing 11 is configured so that the first connector 101 is fitted and connected from one end in the longitudinal direction of the basic rectangular parallelepiped shape. Furthermore, the housing 11 is configured so that the second connector 102 is fitted and connected from the other end in the longitudinal direction of the basic rectangular parallelepiped shape. The housing 11 is also configured to hold a plurality of terminals 12 inside it. The plurality of terminals 12 are arranged side by side inside the housing 11. In addition, a first engaging portion 13 and a second engaging portion 14 are provided inside the housing 11.

[0036] The housing 11 has a mating direction X1, a width direction X2, and a height direction X3, which define its basic shape as a roughly rectangular parallelepiped. The mating direction X1 is configured as a direction parallel to the direction in which the first connector 101 and the second connector 102 are mated, and constitutes the longitudinal direction of the housing 11 with its roughly rectangular parallelepiped basic shape. The width direction X2 is configured as a direction perpendicular to the mating direction X1, in which the multiple terminals 12 are arranged. The height direction X3 is configured as a direction perpendicular to both the mating direction X1 and the width direction X2. In Figures 1 to 5, the mating direction X1 of the housing 11 is indicated by double-ended arrows X1, the width direction X2 of the housing 11 is indicated by double-ended arrows X2, and the height direction X3 of the housing 11 is indicated by double-ended arrows X3.

[0037] Furthermore, the housing 11 has an outer peripheral wall portion 15 formed in the shape of a rectangular tube with a substantially rectangular cross-section. The outer peripheral wall portion 15 is composed of a top wall 15a, a bottom wall 15b, and a pair of side walls (15c, 15d). The top wall 15a, bottom wall 15b, side walls 15c, and side walls 15d are all provided to extend along the fitting direction X1. The top wall 15a and the bottom wall 15b are arranged opposite each other in the height direction X3, and the side walls 15c and side walls 15d are arranged opposite each other in the width direction X2. The top wall 15a is provided with a portion in which the distance from the bottom wall 15b in the height direction X3 changes in a stepped manner in the fitting direction X1. For this reason, the distance of the top wall 15a from the bottom wall 15b in the height direction X3 is set to be greater at the one end where the first connector 101 is fitted than at the other end where the second connector 102 is fitted. Furthermore, both ends of the ceiling wall 15a in the width direction X2 are integrally connected to one end of the side wall 15c in the height direction X3 and one end of the side wall 15d in the height direction X3. The both ends of the bottom wall 15b in the width direction X2 are integrally connected to the other end of the side wall 15c in the height direction X3 and the other end of the side wall 15d in the height direction X3. The housing 11 has the above configuration of ceiling wall 15a, bottom wall 15b, side wall 15c, and side wall 15d, so that the multiple terminals 12, the first engaging portion 13, and the second engaging portion 14 arranged inside the housing 11 are protected from the outside along the circumferential direction of the rectangular tubular outer peripheral wall portion 15. That is, the multiple terminals 12, the first engaging portion 13, and the second engaging portion 14 arranged inside the housing 11 are protected from the outside in the width direction X2 and height direction X3 without being exposed to the outside.

[0038] Furthermore, the housing 11 is provided with an insertion opening 16a that opens on one end side in the mating direction X1, and an insertion opening 16b that opens on the other end side in the mating direction X2. The insertion opening 16a is provided as an opening into which the end of the first mating housing 111 of the first connector 101 is inserted when the first connector 101 is connected to the relay connector 1. When the end of the first mating housing 111 is inserted into the insertion opening 16a, the first mating housing 111 is mated to the housing 11 at one end side. The insertion opening 16b is provided as an opening into which the end of the second mating housing 114 of the second connector 102 is inserted when the second connector 102 is connected to the relay connector 1. When the end of the second mating housing 114 is inserted into the insertion opening 16b, the second mating housing 114 is mated to the housing 11 at the other end side.

[0039] Furthermore, the housing 11 is provided with multiple terminal retaining grooves 17 on its inside for holding multiple terminals 12. The multiple terminal retaining grooves 17 are provided on the bottom wall 15b side on the inside of the outer peripheral wall 15. Each of the multiple terminal retaining grooves 17 is provided to extend along the fitting direction X1 and is configured so that each of the multiple terminals 12 is press-fitted into it. That is, each terminal retaining groove 17 is configured to hold each terminal 12 when each terminal 12 is inserted in a press-fit state.

[0040] Furthermore, the housing 11 is provided with an internal wall 18a and an internal wall 18b. The internal wall 18a is integrally provided with a first engaging portion 13, which will be described later, and the internal wall 18b is integrally provided with a second engaging portion 14, which will be described later. The internal walls 18a and 18b are located inside the outer peripheral wall portion 15, and are located in the central region in the fitting direction X1 within the region inside the outer peripheral wall portion 15. In addition, both the internal walls 18a and 18b are provided to extend in a plate-like manner along the width direction X2 from the side wall 15c to the side wall 15d, and are provided as plate-like portions that bridge the side wall 15c and the side wall 15d. The ends of the internal wall 18a in the width direction X2 are integrally connected to the side wall 15c and the side wall 15d. Furthermore, both ends of the inner wall 18b in the width direction X2 are integrally connected to the side walls 15c and 15d.

[0041] Furthermore, the surfaces of the internal walls 18a and 18b, which are provided as plate-like portions bridging the side walls 15c and 15d, each constitute a surface perpendicular to the height direction X3. The internal walls 18a and 18b are arranged side by side in the height direction X3, from the ceiling wall 15a toward the bottom wall 15b, in the area inside the outer peripheral wall portion 15. That is, within the housing 11, which is the area inside the outer peripheral wall portion 15, the internal wall 18a is located on the ceiling wall 15a side in the height direction X3 relative to the internal wall 18b, and the internal wall 18b is located on the bottom wall 15b side in the height direction X3 relative to the internal wall 18a. For this reason, the internal walls 18a and 18b are arranged with an overall offset in the height direction within the housing 11.

[0042] Furthermore, the housing 11 is provided with a first through-hole 19 extending along the fitting direction X1 between the inner wall 18a and the inner wall 18b. The first through-hole 19 is formed as a space that penetrates between the inner wall 18a and the inner wall 18b along the fitting direction X1. In addition, the housing 11 is provided with a second through-hole 20 extending along the fitting direction X1 between the inner wall 18a and the ceiling wall 15a. The second through-hole 20 is formed as a space that penetrates between the inner wall 18a and the ceiling wall 15a along the fitting direction X1.

[0043] [First engaging part, second engaging part] Referring to Figures 1 to 5, the first engaging portion 13 is provided inside the housing 11 and is configured to engage with the first engaging arm 113 of the first connector 101. The first engaging portion 13 is provided as a mechanism to lock the first connector 101 to the intermediate connector 1 by engaging with the first engaging arm 113 when the first connector 101 is connected to the intermediate connector 1.

[0044] Furthermore, the first engaging portion 13 is provided inside the housing 11, integrally with the inner wall 18a of the housing 11, and is configured to have a base portion 13a and a protruding portion 13b.

[0045] The base portion 13a is provided as a plate-like portion formed integrally with the inner wall 18a, and is formed to extend in a plate-like manner toward the insertion opening 16a side along the fitting direction X1 relative to the inner wall 18a. The thickness dimension of the base portion 13a, which is the dimension in the height direction X3, is set to be smaller than the thickness dimension of the inner wall 18a, which is the dimension in the height direction X3 of the inner wall 18a. In other words, the thickness dimension of the base portion 13a is set to be thinner than the thickness dimension of the inner wall 18a. When viewed along the fitting direction X1, the base portion 13a is positioned within the range of the thickness dimension of the inner wall 18a.

[0046] The protruding portion 13b is formed as a part that protrudes in a projection shape from the base portion 13a along the height direction X3 toward the ceiling wall 15a. The protruding portion 13b is provided in the first engaging portion 13 as a part that engages with the first engaging arm 113 of the first connector 101. The protruding portion 13b is also provided with an inclined surface 13c on the insertion opening 16a side in the fitting direction X1, and a stepped portion 13d on the insertion opening 16b side in the fitting direction X1.

[0047] The inclined surface 13c is formed as a surface that is inclined with respect to the mating direction X1. Because the inclined surface 13c is provided, the protruding portion 13b is formed so that its height increases in a slope shape from the base portion 13a toward the height direction X3. When the first connector 101 is mated into the insertion opening 16a and connected to the intermediate connector 1, the engagement projection 113b at the tip of the first engagement arm 113 inserted from the insertion opening 16a is displaced so as to ride up along the inclined surface 13c.

[0048] The stepped portion 13d is provided as a part in which the height of the protruding portion 13b in the height direction X3 from the base portion 13a changes in a stepped manner to the height of the base portion 13a. The stepped portion 13d is provided as a part for engaging with the engaging projection 113b of the first engaging arm 113 by catching on it. When the first connector 101 is fitted into the insertion opening 16a and connected to the relay connector 1, the engaging projection 113b of the first engaging arm 113, which is inserted from the insertion opening 16a and rides up along the inclined surface 13c, overcomes the inclined surface 13c and engages with the stepped portion 13d.

[0049] Referring to Figures 1 to 5, the second engaging portion 14 is provided inside the housing 11 and is configured to engage with the second engaging arm 116 of the second connector 102. The second engaging portion 14 is provided as a mechanism to lock the second connector 102 to the relay connector 1 by engaging with the second engaging arm 116 when the second connector 102 is connected to the relay connector 1.

[0050] Furthermore, the second engaging portion 14 is provided inside the housing 11, integrally with the inner wall 18b of the housing 11, and is configured to have a base portion 14a and a protruding portion 14b.

[0051] The base portion 14a is provided as a plate-like portion formed integrally with the inner wall 18b, and is formed to extend in a plate-like manner toward the insertion opening 16b side along the fitting direction X1 relative to the inner wall 18b. The thickness dimension of the base portion 14a, which is the dimension in the height direction X3, is set to be smaller than the thickness dimension of the inner wall 18b, which is the dimension in the height direction X3 of the inner wall 18b. In other words, the thickness dimension of the base portion 14a is set to be thinner than the thickness dimension of the inner wall 18b. When viewed along the fitting direction X1, the base portion 14a is positioned within the range of the thickness dimension of the inner wall 18b.

[0052] The protruding portion 14b is formed as a part that protrudes in a projection shape from the base portion 14a along the height direction X3 toward the ceiling wall 15a. The protruding portion 14b is provided in the second engaging portion 14 as a part that engages with the second engaging arm 116 of the second connector 102. The protruding portion 14b is provided with an inclined surface 14c on the insertion opening 16b side in the fitting direction X1, and a stepped portion 14d on the insertion opening 16a side in the fitting direction X1.

[0053] The inclined surface 14c is formed as a surface that is inclined with respect to the mating direction X1. Because the inclined surface 14c is provided, the protruding portion 14b is formed so that its height increases in a slope shape from the base portion 14a toward the height direction X3. When the second connector 102 is mated into the insertion opening 16b and connected to the relay connector 1, the engagement projection 116b on the tip side of the second engagement arm 116 inserted from the insertion opening 16b is displaced so as to ride up along the inclined surface 14c.

[0054] The stepped portion 14d is provided as a part in which the height of the protruding portion 14b in the height direction X3 from the base portion 14a changes in a stepped manner to the height of the base portion 14a. The stepped portion 14d is provided as a part for engaging with the engaging projection 116b of the second engaging arm 116 by catching on it. When the second connector 102 is fitted into the insertion opening 16b and connected to the relay connector 1, the engaging projection 116b of the second engaging arm 116, which is inserted from the insertion opening 16b and rides up along the inclined surface 14c, overcomes the inclined surface 14c and engages with the stepped portion 14d.

[0055] Furthermore, the first engaging portion 13 has a projection 13b that protrudes from the base portion 13a toward the ceiling wall 15a along the height direction X3. The second engaging portion 14 has a projection 14b that protrudes from the base portion 14a toward the ceiling wall 15a along the height direction X3. Therefore, the projection 13b of the first engaging portion 13 and the projection 14b of the second engaging portion 14 protrude in the same direction parallel to the height direction X3. In other words, in the relay connector 1, the first engaging portion 13 and the second engaging portion 14 are configured to have projections (13b, 14b) that protrude in the same direction parallel to the height direction X3.

[0056] Furthermore, the first engaging portion 13 is integrally provided on the inner wall 18a of the housing 11, and the second engaging portion 14 is integrally provided on the inner wall 18b of the housing 11. Within the housing 11, the inner walls 18a and 18b are positioned offset from each other in the height direction X3. Therefore, within the housing 11, the entirety of the first engaging portion 13 and the entirety of the second engaging portion 14 are positioned offset from each other in the height direction X3. That is, the entirety of the first engaging portion 13, consisting of the base 13a and projection 13b, and the entirety of the second engaging portion 14, consisting of the base 14a and projection 14b, are positioned offset from each other in the height direction X3 within the housing 11. Therefore, when viewing the inside of the housing 11 along a direction parallel to the fitting direction X1, the entirety of the first engaging portion 13 (base portion 13a and protruding portion 13b) and the entirety of the second engaging portion 14 (base portion 14a and protruding portion 14b) are arranged so that there is no overlap in the height direction X3.

[0057] Furthermore, within the housing 11, the internal walls 18a and 18b are positioned offset from each other in the height direction X3, and a first through-hole 19 extending in the fitting direction X1 is provided between the internal walls 18a and 18b. The first engaging portion 13 is integrally provided with the internal wall 18a, and the second engaging portion 14 is integrally provided with the internal wall 18b. Therefore, the housing 11 is provided with a first through-hole 19 extending in the fitting direction between the first engaging portion 13 and the second engaging portion 14, which are positioned offset from each other in the height direction within the housing 11. When viewing the inside of the housing 11 from the insertion opening 16a side along a direction parallel to the fitting direction X1, the protruding portion 14b is positioned within the dimensions of the first through-hole 19 in the height direction X3. Furthermore, in addition to the first through-hole 19, the housing 11 is also provided with a second through-hole 20 extending in the fitting direction X1 between the inner wall 18a and the ceiling wall 15a. When the inside of the housing 11 is viewed from the insertion opening 16b side along a direction parallel to the fitting direction X1, the protruding portion 14b is positioned within the dimensions of the second through-hole 20 in the height direction X3.

[0058] [Terminals] Each of the multiple terminals 12 is provided as a terminal that electrically connects each of the multiple first mating terminals 112 and each of the multiple second mating terminals 115 when the first connector 101 and the second connector 102 are connected to the relay connector 1. The multiple terminals 12 are held inside the housing 11 by being press-fitted into each of the multiple terminal retaining grooves 17 provided in the housing 11.

[0059] Each of the multiple terminals 12 is configured to have a first contact portion 21, a second contact portion 22, a connecting portion 23, and an extension portion 24. The first contact portion 21, the second contact portion 22, the connecting portion 23, and the extension portion 24 are integrally formed. The terminal 12 also has a longitudinal direction that extends along the fitting direction X1 when held in the housing 11. In this embodiment, the second contact portion 22, the connecting portion 23, and the extension portion 24 of the terminal 12 are arranged in series along the longitudinal direction of the terminal 12. The first contact portion 21 is provided to branch off from the connecting portion 23 and extend in the direction in which the second contact portion 22, the connecting portion 23, and the extension portion 24 are arranged in series.

[0060] The first contact portion 21 is provided as a contact portion that electrically connects to the first mating terminal 112 provided on the first connector 101 by contacting the first mating terminal 112. The first contact portion 21 is composed of a pair of contact pieces (21a, 21b). The pair of contact pieces (21a, 21b) are provided to extend in a fork shape and are provided to contact the first mating terminal 112 by sandwiching the tip portion of the first mating terminal 112 from both sides. That is, when connecting the first contact portion 21 and the first mating terminal 112, the tip portion of the first mating terminal 112 is inserted and sandwiched between the contact pieces 21a and 21b of the first contact portion 21, and the first contact portion 21 and the first mating terminal 112 are electrically connected by the contact between the contact pieces 21a and 21b and the first mating terminal 112.

[0061] The second contact portion 22 is provided as a contact portion that electrically connects to the second mating terminal 115 provided on the second connector 102 by contacting the second mating terminal 115. The second contact portion 22 is composed of a pair of contact pieces (22a, 22b). The pair of contact pieces (22a, 22b) are provided to extend in a fork shape and are provided to contact the second mating terminal 115 by sandwiching the tip portion of the second mating terminal 115 from both sides. That is, when connecting the second contact portion 22 and the second mating terminal 115, the tip portion of the second mating terminal 115 is inserted and sandwiched between the contact pieces 22a and 22b of the second contact portion 22, and the second contact portion 22 and the second mating terminal 115 are electrically connected when the contact pieces 22a and 22b come into contact with the second mating terminal 115.

[0062] Furthermore, the second contact portion 22, the connecting portion 23, and the extension portion 24 are arranged in series along the fitting direction X1 while the terminal 12 is held in the housing 11. The first contact portion 21 is provided so as to branch off from the connecting portion 23 in the height direction X3 relative to the direction in which the second contact portion 22, the connecting portion 23, and the extension portion 24 are arranged in series, and further extend along the fitting direction X1. For this reason, the second contact portion 22 is configured to be positioned offset by the height direction X3 relative to the first contact portion 21 while the terminal 12 is held in the housing 11.

[0063] The connecting portion 23 is provided as a part that integrally connects the first contact portion 21 and the second contact portion 22. The connecting portion 23 is also configured to integrally connect the extension portion 24 to the first contact portion 21 and the second contact portion 22. With the terminal 12 held in the housing 11, the pair of contact pieces (22a, 22b) of the second contact portion 22 are provided to extend from the connecting portion 23 toward the insertion opening 16b side in the fitting direction X1. Furthermore, with the terminal 12 held in the housing 11, the extension portion 24 is provided to extend from the connecting portion 23 toward the insertion opening 16a side in the fitting direction X1. Furthermore, with the terminal 12 held in the housing 11, the first contact portion 21 branches off from the connecting portion 23 toward the ceiling wall 15a in the height direction X3, and a pair of contact pieces (21a, 21b) of the first contact portion 21 are provided to extend toward the insertion opening 16a in the fitting direction X1.

[0064] The extension portion 24 is provided integrally with the connecting portion 23 and extends from the connecting portion 23 in a plate-like shape. The extension portion 24 is provided as the part that is gripped by the gripping portion (not shown) of the device that performs the press-fitting operation when the terminal 12 is press-fitted into the terminal holding groove 17 of the housing 11.

[0065] Furthermore, the extension portion 24 is provided so as to extend along the fitting direction X1 and in the same straight line as the second contact portion 22, at a position offset in the height direction from the first contact portion 21 while the terminal 12 is held in the housing 11. In addition, the extension portion 24 is provided so as to extend from the connecting portion 23 in the opposite direction to the direction in which the second contact portion 22 extends along the fitting direction X1. That is, the extension portion 24 is provided so as to extend from the connecting portion 23 along the fitting direction X1 and also in the opposite direction to the direction in which the second contact portion 22 extends towards the insertion opening 16a side, which is the opposite direction to the direction in which the second contact portion 22 extends towards the insertion opening 16b side along the fitting direction X1.

[0066] [Connection operation between the relay connector and the first and second connectors] Next, the connection operation when the relay connector 1, the first connector 101, and the second connector 102 are connected will be described. Figure 6 is a perspective view including a cross-section of the relay connector 1, the first connector 101, and the second connector 102 shown in Figure 2, and shows the state in which the first connector 101 and the second connector 102 are connected to the relay connector 1. Figure 7 is a front view including a cross-section of the relay connector 1, the first connector 101, and the second connector 102 shown in Figure 3, and shows the state in which the first connector 101 and the second connector 102 are connected to the relay connector 1.

[0067] Referring to Figures 2, 3, 6, and 7, when the relay connector 1 is connected to the first connector 101 and the second connector 102, for example, first the first connector 101 is connected to one end of the relay connector 1 in the mating direction X1. Then the second connector 102 is connected to the other end of the relay connector 1 in the mating direction X1.

[0068] When the first connector 101 is connected to the relay connector 1, the first mating housing 111 is inserted into the housing 11 through the insertion opening 16a, and the first mating housing 111 is fitted into the housing 11 from one end. When the first mating housing 111 is fitted into the housing 11, the first mating terminal 112 held by the first mating housing 111 is inserted between the pair of contact pieces (21a, 21b) of the first contact portion 21 of the terminal 12 held by the housing 11, and makes contact with the pair of contact pieces (21a, 21b). As a result, the first mating terminal 112 of the first connector 101 and the terminal 12 of the relay connector 1 are electrically connected.

[0069] Furthermore, when the first mating housing 111 is inserted through the insertion opening 16a, the tip portion of the first engaging arm 113 is also inserted into the housing 11 through the insertion opening 16a along with the first mating housing 111. When the tip portion of the first engaging arm 113 is inserted into the insertion opening 16a, the engaging projection 113b of the first engaging arm 113 is displaced so as to ride up onto the inclined surface 13c of the first engaging portion 13, and the first engaging arm 113 temporarily bends in the height direction X3. Then, when the first engaging arm 113 is inserted further into the insertion opening 16a, the engaging projection 113b of the first engaging arm 113 goes over the protruding portion 13b of the first engaging portion 13. As a result, the bending of the first engaging arm 113 in the height direction X3 elastically recovers and returns to its original position, and the engaging projection 113b engages with the stepped portion 13d of the protruding portion 13b of the first engaging portion 13. Inside the housing 11, the first engaging arm 113 engages with the first engaging portion 13, locking the first connector 101 into the intermediate connector 1 and completing the mating connection between the first connector 101 and the intermediate connector 1.

[0070] Next, when the second connector 102 is connected to the relay connector 1, the second mating housing 114 is inserted into the housing 11 through the insertion opening 16b, and the second mating housing 114 is fitted into the housing 11 from the other end. When the second mating housing 114 is fitted into the housing 11, the second mating terminal 115 held in the second mating housing 114 is inserted between the pair of contact pieces (22a, 22b) of the second contact portion 22 of the terminal 12 held in the housing 11, and makes contact with the pair of contact pieces (22a, 22b). As a result, the second mating terminal 115 of the second connector 102 and the terminal 12 of the relay connector 1 are electrically connected.

[0071] Furthermore, when the second mating housing 114 is inserted through the insertion opening 16b, the tip portion of the second engaging arm 116 is also inserted into the housing 11 through the insertion opening 16b along with the second mating housing 114. When the tip portion of the second engaging arm 116 is inserted into the insertion opening 16b, the engaging projection 116b of the second engaging arm 116 is displaced so as to ride on the inclined surface 14c of the second engaging portion 14, and the second engaging arm 116 temporarily bends in the height direction X3. Then, when the second engaging arm 116 is inserted further into the insertion opening 16b, the engaging projection 116b of the second engaging arm 116 goes over the protruding portion 14b of the second engaging portion 14. As a result, the bending of the second engaging arm 116 in the height direction X3 elastically recovers and returns to its original position, and the engaging projection 116b engages with the stepped portion 14d of the protruding portion 14b of the second engaging portion 14. Inside the housing 11, the second engaging arm 116 engages with the second engaging portion 14, locking the second connector 102 into the relay connector 1 and completing the mating connection between the second connector 102 and the relay connector 1.

[0072] As described above, the first connector 101 is connected by mating into one end of the relay connector 1, and the second connector 102 is connected by mating into the other end of the relay connector 1, thereby connecting the first connector 101 and the second connector 102 via the relay connector 1.

[0073] [Operation and Effects of This Embodiment] According to this embodiment, when the first connector 101 and the second connector 102 are connected by the relay connector 1, the first connector 101 is fitted and connected to the housing 11 of the relay connector 1 from one end, and the second connector 102 is fitted and connected from the other end. The first connector 101, fitted from one end of the housing 11, engages with the first engaging arm 113 against the first engaging portion 13 inside the housing 11 and is locked to the housing 11. The second connector 102, fitted from the other end of the housing 11, engages with the second engaging arm 116 against the second engaging portion 14 inside the housing 11 and is locked to the housing 11. As a result, the first connector 101 and the second connector 102 can be connected to the relay connector 1 while the first connector 101 and the second connector 102, fitted into the housing 11, are locked to the housing 11.

[0074] Furthermore, according to the relay connector 1 of this embodiment, when forming the housing 11, the upper and lower molds of the molding die for forming the housing 11 are used in combination in a direction corresponding to the fitting direction X1 of the housing 11. When forming the housing 11, the upper and lower molds of the molding die form the shape of the outer peripheral wall portion 15 of the housing 11, the shape of the area where the first connector 101 is fitted at one end of the housing 11, and the shape of the area where the second connector 102 is fitted at the other end of the housing 11.

[0075] Furthermore, according to the relay connector 1 of this embodiment, a first engaging portion 13 that engages with the first engaging arm 113 of the first connector 101 and a second engaging portion 14 that engages with the second engaging arm 116 of the second connector 102 are provided inside the housing 11. Moreover, inside the housing 11, the entirety of the first engaging portion 13 (base portion 13a and protruding portion 13b) and the entirety of the second engaging portion 14 (base portion 14a and protruding portion 14b) are positioned offset in the height direction X3 of the housing 11. Therefore, when molding the housing 11, the first engaging portion 13 and the second engaging portion 14, which are offset in the height direction X3 of the housing 11, can be molded by the upper and lower molds of a molding die combined in a direction corresponding to the fitting direction X1 of the housing 11. Thus, the first engaging portion 13 and the second engaging portion 14 inside the housing 11 can be molded using only the upper and lower molds. Therefore, a side core, which is a mold that is combined with the upper and lower molds in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the upper and lower molds are combined with each other, becomes unnecessary. Furthermore, with the relay connector 1 of this embodiment, a side core is unnecessary in the molding die, and the housing 11, the first engaging portion 13, and the second engaging portion 14 can be molded using only the upper and lower molds, thus suppressing the complexity of the mold structure and the increase in equipment costs for molding the housing 11.

[0076] Therefore, according to this embodiment, when molding the housing 11, a side core can be eliminated in the molding die, thereby suppressing the complexity of the mold structure and the increase in equipment costs for molding the housing 11, and providing a relay connector 1.

[0077] Furthermore, according to the relay connector 1 of this embodiment, a through hole 19 (first through hole 19) extending in the fitting direction X1 is provided between the first engaging portion 13 and the second engaging portion 14, which are offset in the height direction X3 inside the housing 11. Therefore, by utilizing the area of ​​the through hole 19, the first engaging portion 13 and the second engaging portion 14, which are positioned offset in the height direction X3, can be easily molded using only the upper and lower molds of the molding die. In addition, since the area for molding the first engaging portion 13 and the second engaging portion 14 can be formed using only the upper and lower molds of the molding die by utilizing the through hole 19 extending in the fitting direction between the first engaging portion 13 and the second engaging portion 14, it is possible to suppress the first engaging portion 13 and the second engaging portion 14 from being positioned with a large offset in the height direction X3 of the housing 11. As a result, it is possible to suppress the increase in the dimensions of the housing 11 in the height direction X3 and to make the housing 11 more compact.

[0078] Furthermore, according to the relay connector 1 of this embodiment, the first connector 101 and the second connector 102 can be locked to the relay connector 1 by engaging the first engaging arm 113 of the first connector 101 with the protrusion 13b of the first engaging portion 13, and engaging the second engaging arm 116 of the second connector 102 with the protrusion 14b of the second engaging portion 14. Thus, a mechanism for locking the first connector 101 and the second connector 102 to the relay connector 1 can be realized with a simple configuration in which protrusions (13b, 14b) are provided inside the housing 11. The protrusions (13b, 14b) that engage with the first engaging arm 113 of the first connector 101 and the second engaging arm 116 of the second connector 102 protrude in the same direction in the height direction X3 inside the housing 11. Therefore, with the first engagement arm 113 and the second engagement arm 116 of the first connector 101 and the second connector 102 facing the same side in the height direction X3 of the housing 11 of the relay connector 1, the first connector 101 can be fitted to the housing 11 of the relay connector 1 from one end and the second connector 102 can be fitted from the other end. As a result, the first connector 101 and the second connector 102 can be connected to the relay connector 1 in the same orientation, and the connection operation of the first connector 101 and the second connector 102 to the relay connector 1 can be easily performed.

[0079] Furthermore, according to the relay connector 1 of this embodiment, the first connector 101 is fitted into the housing 11 and the first mating terminal 112 is connected to the first contact portion 21, and the second connector 102 is fitted into the housing 11 and the second mating terminal 115 is connected to the second contact portion 22. The first connector 101 and the second connector 102 are electrically connected via the first contact portion 21 and the second contact portion 22 which are integrated by the connecting portion 23. In addition, according to the relay connector 1, the second contact portion 22 connected to the second mating terminal 115 is positioned offset in the height direction X3 of the housing 11 relative to the first contact portion 21 connected to the first mating terminal 112. Therefore, in the housing 11, the height position at which the first mating terminal 112 connects to the first contact portion 21 when the first connector 101 is mated to the housing 11, and the height position at which the second mating terminal 115 connects to the second contact portion 22 when the second connector 102 is mated to the housing 11, can be shifted in the height direction X3. Therefore, the amount of shift between the height position at which the first mating terminal 112 connects to the first contact portion 21 and the height position at which the second mating terminal 115 connects to the second contact portion 22 can be set to match the amount of positional shift in the height direction X3 between the first engaging portion 13 and the second engaging portion 14 inside the housing 11. As a result, even if the first connector 101 and the second connector 102 have the same shape, a configuration in which they are mated to the housing 11 of the relay connector 1 can be easily realized.

[0080] Furthermore, according to the relay connector 1 of this embodiment, the extension portion 24 can be positioned compactly and space-efficiently by utilizing the area inside the housing 11 that is offset in the height direction X3 from the first contact portion 21 and is aligned with the second contact portion 22. When assembling the relay connector 1 and pressing the terminals 12 into the housing 11, the extension portion 24 can be held by the gripping part of the press-fitting device, making it easy to press the terminals 12 into the housing 11.

[0081] [Differentiation] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible as long as they are within the scope of the claims. For example, it may be implemented with the following modifications.

[0082] (1) In the above-described embodiment, the first and second contact portions of the terminal of the relay connector were described as having a pair of fork-shaped contact pieces, but this is not required. The shapes of the first and second contact portions may be changed in various ways, such as socket-type contact portions, pin-type contact portions, post-type contact portions, or tab-type contact portions.

[0083] (2) In the embodiments described above, an example was given in which an extension portion is provided at the terminal of the relay connector, but this is not required. A relay connector equipped with a terminal without an extension portion may also be implemented.

[0084] (3) In the embodiments described above, the first contact portion and the second contact portion of the terminal of the relay connector were described as being integrally formed via a connecting portion, but this is not required. A relay connector may be implemented with a terminal in which the first contact portion and the second contact portion are formed from separate members and the first contact portion and the second contact portion are connected inside the housing.

[0085] (4) In the above-described embodiment, an example was given in which the entirety of the first engaging portion 13 and the entirety of the second engaging portion 14 are arranged inside the housing 11 so as to be offset in the height direction X3, but this is not required. An example is also given in which the entirety of the first engaging portion 13 and the entirety of the second engaging portion 14 are arranged inside the housing 11 so as to be offset in the width direction X2 instead of the height direction X3. As an example of an example in which the entirety of the first engaging portion 13 and the entirety of the second engaging portion 14 are arranged so as to be offset in the width direction X2, for example, the form of the relay connector 1A according to the first modified example shown in Figures 8 to 11 or the form of the relay connector 1B according to the second modified example shown in Figures 12 to 16 may be given.

[0086] Figure 8 is a perspective view showing a relay connector 1A, a first connector 101, and a second connector 102 according to a first modification of the present invention, showing the state before the first connector 101 and the second connector 102 are connected to the relay connector 1A. Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the relay connector 1A, the first connector 101, and the second connector 102 shown in Figure 8, showing the state after the first connector 101 and the second connector 102 are connected to the relay connector 1A. Figure 10(A) is a front view of the relay connector 1A shown in Figure 8, with the side to which the first connector 101 is connected as the front side, and Figure 10(B) is a cross-sectional view taken at the position indicated by the arrow AA in Figure 10(A). Figure 11 is a perspective view of the relay connector 1A shown in Figure 10(A), showing a state including the cross-section taken at the position indicated by the arrow AA in Figure 10(A). In the following description of the first modified example, elements configured in the same manner as those in the previously described embodiment and elements configured in correspondence with the previously described embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings, or referred to by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will be omitted.

[0087] The relay connector 1A according to the first modified example shown in Figures 8 to 11 is configured in the same way as the relay connector 1 of the above-described embodiment. However, the relay connector 1A differs from the relay connector 1 in that, within the housing 11, the entirety of the first engaging portion 13 and the entirety of the second engaging portion 14 are arranged to be offset in the width direction X2.

[0088] In the relay connector 1A, the multiple terminals 12 are arranged side by side inside the housing 11. The direction in which the multiple terminals 12 are arranged in the housing 11 is the width direction X2 of the housing 11. The width direction X2 of the housing 11 is perpendicular to the mating direction X1, which is the direction in which the first connector 101 and the second connector 102 are mated, and is the direction in which the multiple terminals 12 are arranged. Each of the multiple terminals 12 is provided as a terminal that electrically connects each of the multiple first mating terminals 112 and each of the multiple second mating terminals 115 when the first connector 101 and the second connector 102 are connected to the relay connector 1A. In the relay connector 1A, each terminal 12 is provided as, for example, a pin-shaped terminal that extends linearly along the mating direction X1.

[0089] The housing 11 of the relay connector 1A is provided with an internal wall 25 as a plate-shaped portion extending along a plane perpendicular to the height direction X3, and a terminal retaining wall 26 for holding multiple terminals 12. The terminal retaining wall 26 is provided as a plate-shaped portion extending along a plane perpendicular to the mating direction X1, approximately in the center of the housing 11 in the mating direction X1. The terminal retaining wall 26 is provided with press-fitting holes as through holes into which each terminal 12 is press-fitted, and the terminal retaining wall 26 holds multiple terminals 12 when each terminal 12 is press-fitted into the press-fitting holes. Note that within the housing 11, the terminal retaining wall 26 is not positioned in the area on the ceiling wall 15a side in the height direction X3 relative to the internal wall 25.

[0090] The first engaging portion 13 of the relay connector 1A is provided inside the housing 11 and engages with the first engaging arm 113 of the first connector 101. The first engaging portion 13 is a mechanism that engages with the first engaging arm 113 when the first connector 101 is connected to the relay connector 1A, locking the first connector 101 to the relay connector 1A. The first engaging portion 13 is provided inside the housing 11, integrally with the inner wall 25 of the housing 11, and is formed as a protruding portion that extends from the inner wall 25 toward the ceiling wall 15a along the height direction X3. The first engaging portion 13 is provided with an inclined surface 13c on the insertion opening 16a side in the fitting direction X1, and a stepped portion 13d on the insertion opening 16b side in the fitting direction X1. When the first connector 101 is fitted into the insertion opening 16a and connected to the intermediate connector 1A, the engaging projection 113b of the first engaging arm 113, which is inserted from the insertion opening 16a and rises along the inclined surface 13c, overcomes the inclined surface 13c and engages with the stepped portion 13d by catching on it.

[0091] The second engaging portion 14 of the relay connector 1A is provided inside the housing 11 and engages with the second engaging arm 116 of the second connector 102. The second engaging portion 14 is a mechanism that engages with the second engaging arm 116 when the second connector 102 is connected to the relay connector 1A, locking the second connector 102 to the relay connector 1A. The second engaging portion 14 is provided inside the housing 11, integrally with the inner wall 25 of the housing 11, and is formed as a protruding portion that extends from the inner wall 25 toward the ceiling wall 15a along the height direction X3. The second engaging portion 14 is provided with an inclined surface 14c on the insertion opening 16b side in the fitting direction X1, and a stepped portion 14d on the insertion opening 16a side in the fitting direction X1. When the second connector 102 is fitted into the insertion opening 16b and connected to the relay connector 1A, the engaging projection 116b of the second engaging arm 116, which is inserted from the insertion opening 16b and rises along the inclined surface 14c, overcomes the inclined surface 14c and engages with the stepped portion 14d by catching on it.

[0092] The first engaging portion 13 and the second engaging portion 14 are integrally provided on the inner wall 25 and protrude from the inner wall 25 toward the ceiling wall 15a along the height direction X3. Inside the housing 11, the entirety of the first engaging portion 13 and the entirety of the second engaging portion 14 are positioned offset from each other in the width direction X2. Therefore, when viewed in a direction parallel to the fitting direction X1, the entirety of the first engaging portion 13 and the entirety of the second engaging portion 14 are positioned so that there is no overlapping portion in the width direction X2.

[0093] According to the first modified relay connector 1A, when forming the housing 11, the upper and lower molds of the molding die for forming the housing 11 are used in combination in a direction corresponding to the fitting direction X1 of the housing 11. When forming the housing 11, the upper and lower molds of the molding die form the shape of the outer peripheral wall portion 15 of the housing 11, the shape of the area where the first connector 101 is fitted at one end of the housing 11, and the shape of the area where the second connector 102 is fitted at the other end of the housing 11.

[0094] Furthermore, according to the relay connector 1A of the first modified example, a first engaging portion 13 that engages with the first engaging arm 113 of the first connector 101 and a second engaging portion 14 that engages with the second engaging arm 116 of the second connector 102 are provided inside the housing 11. Moreover, inside the housing 11, the entirety of the first engaging portion 13 and the entirety of the second engaging portion 14 are positioned offset in the width direction X2 of the housing 11. Therefore, when molding the housing 11, the first engaging portion 13 and the second engaging portion 14, which are offset in the width direction X2 of the housing 11, can be molded by the upper and lower molds of the molding die, which are combined in a direction corresponding to the fitting direction X1 of the housing 11. Thus, the first engaging portion 13 and the second engaging portion 14 inside the housing 11 can be molded by the upper and lower molds alone. Therefore, a side core, which is a mold that is combined with the upper and lower molds in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the upper and lower molds are combined, becomes unnecessary. Furthermore, according to the relay connector 1A of the first modified example, a side core is not required in the molding die, and the housing 11, the first engaging portion 13, and the second engaging portion 14 can be molded using only the upper and lower dies, thereby suppressing the complexity of the mold structure and the increase in equipment costs for molding the housing 11.

[0095] Therefore, according to the first modified example, when molding the housing 11, a side core can be made unnecessary in the molding die, thereby suppressing the complexity of the mold structure and the increase in equipment costs for molding the housing 11, and providing a relay connector 1A.

[0096] Next, a second modified relay connector 1B will be described. Figure 12 is a perspective view showing the relay connector 1B according to the second modified version of the present invention, the first connector 101, and the second connector 102, and shows the state before the first connector 101 and the second connector 102 are connected to the relay connector 1B. Figure 13 is a perspective view showing the relay connector 1B, the first connector 101, and the second connector 102 shown in Figure 12, and shows the state after the first connector 101 and the second connector 102 are connected to the relay connector 1B. Figure 14(A) is a front view of the relay connector 1B shown in Figure 12, with the side to which the first connector 101 is connected as the front side, and Figure 14(B) is a plan view of the relay connector 1B shown in Figure 14(A). Figure 15(A) is a cross-sectional view of the relay connector 1B shown in Figure 14(A), specifically the cross-sectional view taken at the position indicated by the arrow BB in Figure 14(A). Figure 15(B) is a perspective view of the relay connector 1B shown in Figure 14(A), including the cross-section taken at the position indicated by the arrow BB in Figure 14(A). Figure 16(A) is a cross-sectional view of the relay connector 1B shown in Figure 14(A), specifically the cross-sectional view taken at the position indicated by the arrow CC in Figure 14(A). Figure 16(B) is a perspective view of the relay connector 1B shown in Figure 14(A), including the cross-section taken at the position indicated by the arrow CC in Figure 14(A). In the following description of the second modified example, elements configured in the same manner as the above-described embodiment and elements configured in correspondence with the above-described embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings, or referred to by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will be omitted. Furthermore, in the following description of the second modified example, elements configured in the same way as the first modified example described above, and elements configured in correspondence with the first modified example described above, will be omitted from the description by using the same reference numerals in the drawings or by referring to the same reference numerals.

[0097] The relay connector 1B according to the second modified example shown in Figures 12 to 16 is configured in the same way as the relay connector 1A of the first modified example described above. However, the relay connector 1B differs from the relay connector 1A of the first modified example in the external shape of the housing 11.

[0098] The housing 11 of the intermediate connector 1A has an outer peripheral wall portion 15 formed in a rectangular tubular shape with a substantially rectangular cross-section, which extends along the mating direction X1 and then bends in a crank shape along the width direction X2 midway along the mating direction X1. That is, the outer peripheral wall portion 15 of the housing 11 of the intermediate connector 1B extends linearly parallel to the mating direction X1, then bends to extend diagonally with respect to the mating direction X1 along the width direction X2, and then extends linearly parallel to the mating direction X1.

[0099] In the relay connector 1B, the first engaging portion 13 and the second engaging portion 14 are integrally provided on the inner wall 25 and protrude from the inner wall 25 toward the ceiling wall 15a along the height direction X3. Inside the housing 11, the entirety of the first engaging portion 13 and the entirety of the second engaging portion 14 are positioned offset in the width direction X2. Therefore, when viewed in a direction parallel to the mating direction X1, the entirety of the first engaging portion 13 and the entirety of the second engaging portion 14 are positioned so that there is no overlapping portion in the width direction X2.

[0100] The second modification can achieve the same effects as the first modification. Specifically, the second modification makes it possible to eliminate the need for a side core in the molding die when molding the housing 11, thereby providing a relay connector 1B that can suppress the complexity of the mold structure and the increase in equipment costs for molding the housing 11. [Industrial applicability]

[0101] The present invention can be widely applied as a relay connector for connecting two connectors, a first connector and a second connector. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0102] 1,1A,1B: Intermediate connector, 11: Housing, 12: Terminal, 13: First engaging part, 14: Second engaging part, 19: First through hole (through hole), 21: First contact part, 22: Second contact part, 23: Connecting part, 101: First connector, 102: Second connector, 112: First mating terminal, 113: First engaging arm, 115: Second mating terminal, 116: Second engaging arm

Claims

1. A relay connector for connecting a first connector and a second connector, The device comprises a housing into which the first connector is mated and connected from one end and the second connector is mated and connected from the other end; a plurality of terminals held within the housing; a first engaging portion provided inside the housing and configured to engage with the first engaging arm of the first connector; and a second engaging portion provided inside the housing and configured to engage with the second engaging arm of the second connector. The housing has a mating direction which is parallel to the direction in which the first connector and the second connector are mated, a width direction which is perpendicular to the mating direction and in which the plurality of terminals are arranged, and a height direction which is perpendicular to the mating direction and the width direction. Within the housing, the entirety of the first engaging portion and the entirety of the second engaging portion are positioned offset from each other in the height direction. The housing is provided with a through hole extending in the fitting direction between the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion, which are positioned offset in the height direction within the housing. A relay connector characterized in that the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion have protrusions that protrude in the same direction parallel to the height direction.

2. A relay connector according to claim 1, Each of the aforementioned terminals is A first contact portion connected to a first mating terminal provided on the first connector, A second contact portion is positioned at a height offset from the first contact portion and is connected to a second mating terminal provided on the second connector, A connecting portion that integrally connects the first contact portion and the second contact portion, A relay connector characterized by having the following features.

3. The relay connector according to claim 2, Each of the aforementioned terminals is The connecting portion is integrally provided with the connecting portion and further comprises an extension portion that extends along the same straight line as the second contact portion in the fitting direction, at a position offset in the height direction from the first contact portion, The extension portion is provided such that it extends from the connecting portion in a direction opposite to the direction in which the second contact portion extends along the fitting direction.

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