connector

Abstract

To provide a connector capable of suppressing an excess increase of an operation temperature of a terminal while avoiding increase in the size of the connector.SOLUTION: A connector 1 comprises: an electric wire 30; a terminal 10 connected to the electric wire 30; a housing 20 including a housing space that houses a connection portion of the electric wire 30 and the terminal 10; and a seal member 93 that seals an open part of the housing space so as to separate the connection portion housed in the housing space from an external part. The terminal 10 includes a gap reduction part 19 arranged so as to embed at least one part of a gap remaining in a circumference of the connection portion in the housing space as one part of the terminal 10. The terminal 10 includes a convex part 19 projected toward a housing 20 as a gap reduction part. The housing 20 includes a concave part 58b receiving the convex part 19 to an inner wall surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a connector including an electric wire, a terminal, a housing that houses a connection portion between the electric wire and the terminal, a seal member that seals an opening portion of the housing space, and a heat storage member disposed in the housing space.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in order to supply (charge) electric power from outside the vehicle to a battery mounted on a vehicle such as an electric vehicle or a plug-in hybrid vehicle, a charging connector installed in the vehicle has been proposed (for example, refer to Patent Document 1). This type of connector is generally also called a charging inlet.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Connectors (charging inlets) of the above-described type generally need to have structures and characteristics defined by various standards. For example, when the above-described connector is actually used, due to the Joule heat generated in the terminal during energization, the temperature of the terminal (so-called operating temperature) rises. Therefore, from the viewpoints of maintaining the quality of the connector and safety, etc., the upper limit value of the operating temperature of the terminal is defined by a predetermined standard. [[ID=三十六]]

[0005] However, in the conventional connectors described above, the connection point between the terminal and the wire generates a lot of heat due to the high contact resistance, yet it is sealed with gaskets or the like to isolate it from the outside for reasons such as waterproofing. Furthermore, the air within this isolated space also acts as an insulator. Therefore, it is considered to be very difficult to dissipate heat to the outside from the connection point between the terminal and the wire. In addition, for example, when rapidly charging a battery, a large current passes through the connector in a short time, so the degree of temperature rise of the terminal (especially the connection point mentioned above) per unit time is higher than when normal charging is performed. For these reasons, with conventional connectors, it may be difficult to keep the operating temperature of the terminal within the range specified in the above standards by natural heat dissipation alone.

[0006] On the other hand, simply attaching heat dissipation components (such as metal plates) to the outside of the connector is undesirable because it can hinder the miniaturization of the connector and because the installation space for the connector inside the vehicle is limited.

[0007] One of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a connector that can suppress an excessive rise in the operating temperature of the terminals while avoiding an increase in the size of the connector. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve the aforementioned objectives, the connector according to the present invention has the following features:

[0009] Power lines and, The terminal connected to the aforementioned electric wire, A housing having an internal space for accommodating the connection point between the electric wire and the terminal connection part, The system includes a sealing member that seals the opening of the housing space so as to isolate the connection point housed in the housing space from the outside, The aforementioned terminal is A gap-reducing portion is provided as part of the terminal, which is positioned within the aforementioned housing space to fill at least a portion of the remaining gap around the connection point and which protrudes from the outer surface of the connection portion.death, The aforementioned terminal is The terminal has a protrusion that extends toward the housing, which serves as the gap-reducing portion. The aforementioned housing is Having a recess that receives the aforementioned protrusion, It must be a connector. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, the connection point between the electric wire and the terminal is housed in a housing space. Furthermore, the terminal has a gap-reducing portion as part of its structure, which is positioned to fill at least a portion of the gap remaining around the connection point within the housing space. This increases the thermal capacity of the terminal itself compared to the case without such a gap-reducing portion. Therefore, by absorbing the heat generated at the connection point between the electric wire and the terminal when power is supplied, even when the amount of heat generated at the connection point per unit time is large, such as during rapid charging, a rapid rise in the operating temperature of the terminal can be suppressed, and the operating temperature of the terminal can be raised gradually. Furthermore, by reducing the gap in the housing space with the gap-reducing portion, the amount of air in the housing space that acts as an insulating material can be reduced. In addition, heat transfer from the terminal to the housing (i.e., heat dissipation to the outside) can be performed efficiently. Therefore, the connector with this configuration can suppress an excessive rise in the operating temperature of the terminal while avoiding an increase in the size of the connector.

[0011] The present invention has been briefly described above. Further details of the present invention will be clarified by referring to the accompanying drawings and reading through the embodiments for carrying out the invention described below. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention connected to an electric wire. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a front view of the connector shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing some of the components that make up the connector shown in Figure 1 in a disassembled state. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which another part of a plurality of components constituting the connector shown in FIG. 1 is disassembled. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a terminal connected to an electric wire. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. 5. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 2. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line C-C of FIG. 7. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a sectional view corresponding to the sectional view taken along line D-D of FIG. 8 in a modified example of the present invention.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0013] <Embodiment> Hereinafter, the connector 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The connector 1 is installed in a vehicle such as a plug-in hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle, and is a connector connected to an electric wire extending from a battery mounted on the vehicle. The connector 1 is also called a charging inlet. By fitting a mating connector (so-called charging gun) into the fitting recess 63 (see FIG. 1 etc.) of the connector 1, power is supplied from the outside of the vehicle to the battery, and the battery is charged.

[0014] Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, as shown in FIG. 1 etc., the “front-rear direction”, “left-right direction”, “up-down direction”, “up”, “down”, “front” and “rear” are defined. The “front-rear direction”, “left-right direction” and “up-down direction” are orthogonal to each other. The front-rear direction coincides with the fitting direction of the connector 1 and the mating connector (not shown), and the front side in the fitting direction as viewed from the connector 1 (the side approaching the mating connector) is called the “front side”, and the release side in the fitting direction as viewed from the connector 1 (the side moving away from the mating connector) is called the “rear side”. The left-right direction can also be called the “width direction”.

[0015] As shown in Figures 1, 3, and 7, connector 1 comprises a pair of terminals 10 and a housing 20 that houses the pair of terminals 10. One end of a pair of electric wires 30 is connected to each of the terminals 10. The other ends of the pair of electric wires 30 are connected to a battery (not shown). The electric wires 30 consist of a conductor core wire 30a and an insulating resin sheath 30b that covers the conductor core wire 30a (see Figure 7). In reality, in this example, multiple conductor core wires 30a are bundled together and covered by the sheath 30b. However, for the sake of explanation, in Figure 7, these multiple conductor core wires 30a are shown as a single conductor core wire 30a. The same applies to Figures 6 and 8. The components constituting connector 1 will be described in order below.

[0016] First, let's describe the pair of terminals 10. In this example, the pair of terminals 10 are identical in shape. Each terminal 10 is made of metal and, as shown in Figures 5 and 7, has a stepped cylindrical portion consisting of a small diameter portion 11 and a large diameter portion 12 located behind the small diameter portion 11. An annular stepped portion 13 is formed at the boundary between the small diameter portion 11 and the large diameter portion 12. The stepped portion 13 will be locked into the locking projection 57a ​​(see Figure 4) of the front holder 50, which will be described later (see Figure 7).

[0017] The small-diameter portion 11 is integrally provided with a cylindrical female terminal portion 14 that protrudes forward from its front end surface. Of the pair of terminals 10, the female terminal portion 14 of one terminal 10 functions as the anode terminal, and the female terminal portion 14 of the other terminal 10 functions as the cathode terminal. When connector 1 is mated with the mating connector, the female terminal portion 14 of one terminal 10 and the female terminal portion 14 of the other terminal 10 are connected to the anode male terminal portion and the cathode male terminal portion of the mating connector, respectively.

[0018] A recess 15 that curves forward is formed on the rear end surface of the large-diameter portion 12 (see Figure 7). The conductor core wire 30a, exposed at one end of the electric wire 30, is inserted into the recess 15 and crimped into place (see Figure 7). During this crimping, as shown in Figures 5 to 7, concave crimp marks 18 are formed on the outer surface of the large-diameter portion 12 at the upper and lower ends (two locations) in the circumferential direction, due to crimping from above and below. Furthermore, the conductor core wire 30a of the electric wire 30 and the crimp marks 18 of the large-diameter portion 12 are laser-bonded. As a result, the terminal 10 and one end of the electric wire 30 are electrically connected. The large-diameter portion 12 of the terminal 10 and the conductor core wire 30a of the electric wire 30 constitute the "connection point" between the electric wire 30 and the terminal 10.

[0019] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the outer surface of the large-diameter portion 12 has multiple protrusions 19 that project radially outward and extend in the front-rear direction, excluding the positions of the pair of crimp marks 18. The effect of providing these multiple protrusions 19 will be described later. In this example, the provision of multiple protrusions 19 narrows the area on the outer surface of the large-diameter portion 12 that is suitable for crimping (i.e., the area where crimp marks can be formed). On the other hand, in this example, in order to electrically connect the terminal 10 and the conductor core wire 30a of the electric wire 30, in addition to mechanical joining by crimping, metallurgical joining by laser joining is performed at the crimp marks 18. As a result, even if the number of crimp marks is small, the reliability of the electrical connection between the terminal 10 and the conductor core wire 30a of the electric wire 30 is not impaired. That is, the reliability of the electrical connection between the terminal 10 and the conductor core wire 30a of the electric wire 30 can be properly maintained.

[0020] As shown in Figure 7, an annular groove 16 is formed on the outer circumferential surface near the stepped portion 13 of the small diameter portion 11, and an annular groove 17 is formed on the outer circumferential surface near the stepped portion 13 of the large diameter portion 12. A resin locking ring 94 is fitted into the annular groove 16, and a rubber O-ring 92 is fitted into the annular groove 17 (see Figures 5 and 7). The effects of providing the locking ring 94 and the O-ring 92 will be described later. The pair of terminals 10 have now been described.

[0021] Next, the housing 20 will be described. In this example, as shown in Figures 1, 3, and 7, the housing 20 comprises a rear holder 40, a front holder 50, an inner housing body 60, and an outer housing body 70. The rear holder 40, front holder 50, inner housing body 60, and outer housing body 70 are each skeletal components of the housing 20 and constitute a part of the outer surface of the housing 20. The following describes each component that makes up the housing 20 in order. The "skeletal components" of the housing 20 refer to components that have sufficient hardness and strength to maintain the shape of the housing 20 itself in order to hold the position of the terminal 10 against external forces that the terminal 10 receives when the terminal 10 is mated with the mating terminal (not shown). In other words, they refer to components made of a material that does not soften or become brittle to the extent that it is difficult to maintain the shape due to the rise in the operating temperature of the terminal 10.

[0022] First, let's describe the rear holder 40. The rear holder 40 is assembled to the rear end of the front holder 50 from the rear and has the function of holding a pair of electric wires 30 extending rearward from a pair of terminals 10 with a gap between them in the left-right direction. The rear holder 40 is a resin molded product and, as shown in Figure 4, integrally comprises a pair of circular flat rear wall portions 41 arranged in the left-right direction and a connecting portion 42 that connects the pair of rear wall portions 41 in the left-right direction. An electric wire insertion hole 43 that penetrates in the front-rear direction is formed in each rear wall portion 41. A pair of electric wires 30 are inserted through the pair of electric wire insertion holes 43 which are arranged with a gap between them in the left-right direction (see Figure 7).

[0023] Each rear wall portion 41 has a pair of cantilever-shaped locking pieces 44 that extend forward integrally at both the upper and lower ends of its outer peripheral edge. In the region outside the pair of locking pieces 44 on the outer peripheral edge of each rear wall portion 41 in the left-right direction (width direction), a side wall portion 45 is integrally provided that protrudes forward and extends in an arc shape along the outer peripheral edge of the rear wall portion 41. The pair of side wall portions 45 can be attached to the rear end of the front holder 50 so as to cover the outer peripheral surface of the rear end of the pair of terminal holding portions 51 of the front holder 50, which will be described later (see Figure 3).

[0024] Next, the front holder 50 will be described. The front holder 50 has the function of holding a pair of terminals 10 with a gap between them in the left-right direction and insulated from each other. The front holder 50 is a resin molded product and, as shown in Figure 4, integrally comprises a pair of terminal holding parts 51 that are arranged in the left-right direction corresponding to the pair of wire insertion holes 43 of the rear holder 40, and a connecting part 56 that connects the pair of terminal holding parts 51 in the left-right direction.

[0025] As shown in Figures 4 and 7, each terminal holding portion 51 has a stepped cylindrical shape extending in the front-to-back direction, consisting of a small diameter portion 57, a large diameter portion 58 located behind the small diameter portion 57, and a tapered connecting portion 59 that smoothly connects the small diameter portion 57 and the large diameter portion 58. The connecting portion 56 connects the large diameter portions 58 of the pair of terminal holding portions 51 (see Figure 8). A pair of terminals 10 are inserted into the internal space of the pair of terminal holding portions 51 from the rear.

[0026] The inner diameter of the small-diameter portion 57 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the large-diameter portion 12 of the terminal 10 (see Figure 7). A locking projection 57a ​​is integrally provided on the inner circumferential surface near the front end of the small-diameter portion 57 (see Figures 4 and 7). On the outer circumferential surface of the rear end of the large-diameter portion 58, locking projections 58a are formed at the upper and lower circumferential positions (two locations), corresponding to the pair of upper and lower locking pieces 44 of the rear holder 40 (see Figures 4 and 7).

[0027] A packing 93 (see Figure 4), described later, will be fitted to the inner circumferential surface of the rear region of the large-diameter portion 58 (see Figure 7). On the inner circumferential surface of the front region of the large-diameter portion 58, grooves 58b are provided at multiple locations in the circumferential direction, recessed radially outward and extending in the front-rear direction, corresponding to the multiple protrusions 19 of the large-diameter portion 12 of the terminal 10 (see Figure 8). In other words, on the inner circumferential surface of the front region of the large-diameter portion 58 of the terminal holding portion 51, protrusions 58c are provided at multiple locations in the circumferential direction, projecting radially inward and extending in the front-rear direction, and grooves 58b are formed between adjacent protrusions 58c in the circumferential direction.

[0028] The front end of each pair of small-diameter sections 57 is integrally provided with a pair of extensions 52 that extend outward in the left-right direction (width direction) from both sides of the front end in the left-right direction (width direction), and a pair of side wall sections 53 that extend forward from the extension ends of the pair of extensions 52. When viewed from the front-rear direction, the pair of side wall sections 53 have a shape that corresponds to a part of the circumferential shape (cylindrical shape) of the outer circumference of the cylindrical section 61 (see also Figure 3), which will be described later, of the inner housing body 60, and can be attached to the cylindrical section 61 so as to cover the outer circumference of the rear end of the cylindrical section 61.

[0029] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, bolt insertion portions 54 are provided at multiple locations (four locations in this example) on the outer circumferential surfaces (outer surfaces in the width direction) of the pair of side wall portions 53. A bolt insertion hole 55 is formed in each bolt insertion portion 54, penetrating in the front-to-back direction. Bolts 81 (see Figure 3) for assembling the housing 20 are inserted through the bolt insertion holes 55.

[0030] Next, the inner housing body 60 will be described. The inner housing body 60 is assembled to the front holder 50 from the front and also serves to form the mating recess 63 (see also Figure 1) of the connector 1. The inner housing body 60 is a resin molded product and integrally has a cylindrical tubular portion 61 (see Figure 3) that extends in the front-rear direction and a rear wall portion 62 (see Figure 7) that closes the rear opening of the tubular portion 61. The tubular portion 61 and the rear wall portion 62 define the mating recess 63 that opens forward and is recessed to the rear.

[0031] On the rear wall portion 62, a pair of cylindrical female terminal housing portions 64 are provided so as to protrude forward, corresponding to the female terminal portions 14 of the pair of terminals 10 (see Figures 3 and 7). Each female terminal housing portion 64 is located within a fitting recess 63 and has an internal space that penetrates in the front-rear direction.

[0032] As shown in Figure 3, an annular flange portion 65 is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 61 at a position rearward from the center in the front-rear direction, projecting radially outward from the cylindrical portion 61. The flange portion 65 is provided with bolt insertion portions 66 at multiple locations (four in this example) in the circumferential direction, corresponding to the multiple bolt insertion portions 54 of the front holder 50. A bolt insertion hole 67 is formed in each bolt insertion portion 66, penetrating in the front-rear direction. Bolts 81 (see Figure 3) for assembling the housing 20 are inserted through the bolt insertion holes 67.

[0033] Next, the outer housing body 70 will be described. The outer housing body 70 is assembled from the front to the cylindrical portion 61 of the inner housing body 60 and also serves to fix the entire housing 20 to the mounting target portion (not shown) of the connector 1 provided on the vehicle. The outer housing body 70 is a resin molded product and has a cylindrical portion 71 that extends in the front-rear direction (see Figure 3). The cylindrical portion 71 can be attached from the front to the cylindrical portion 61 of the inner housing body 60 so as to cover the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 61 (see Figure 7).

[0034] As shown in Figure 3, an annular flange portion 72 is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 71 at a position rearward from the center in the front-rear direction, projecting radially outward from the cylindrical portion 71. The flange portion 72 has a rectangular outer circumferential shape when viewed from the front-rear direction. Bolt insertion holes 73 are formed at each of the four corners of the flange portion 72, penetrating in the front-rear direction. Bolts (not shown) for fixing the connector 1 to the mounting target portion of the connector 1 are inserted through the bolt insertion holes 73.

[0035] The above describes each component that makes up the housing 20.

[0036] Next, the assembly procedure for connector 1 will be described. First, a pair of terminals 10, to which one end of a pair of electric wires 30 is connected, are inserted into the front holder 50. To prepare for this, as shown in Figures 4 and 7, the insulation 30b of the pair of electric wires 30 connected to the pair of terminals 10 is inserted from the front through a pair of wire insertion holes 43 of the rear holder 40. Then, a cylindrical rubber packing 93 extending in the front-rear direction is inserted from the front through each of the insulation 30b of the pair of electric wires, adjacent to the front side of the rear wall portion 41 of the rear holder 40. Furthermore, a rubber O-ring 92 is attached to each of the annular grooves 17 of the pair of terminals 10, and a resin locking ring 94 is attached to each of the annular grooves 16 of the pair of terminals 10 (see Figures 5 and 7).

[0037] Next, a pair of terminals 10 are inserted from the rear into the internal space of the pair of terminal holding portions 51 of the front holder 50. This insertion is performed so that the multiple protrusions 19 of each terminal 10 are received (enter) into the multiple grooves 58b of the corresponding terminal holding portion 51 of the front holder 50 (see Figure 8). This insertion continues until the female terminal portions 14 of the pair of terminals 10 protrude forward from the front end of the pair of terminal holding portions 51, and the locking rings 94 of the pair of terminals 10 push aside and overcome the pair of locking projections 57a of the front holder 50, until the stepped portions 13 of the pair of terminals 10 are locked into the pair of locking projections 57a.

[0038] When the insertion is complete (i.e., when the pair of terminals 10 have been inserted into the front holder 50), as shown in Figure 7, the engagement of the locking projection 57a ​​with the locking ring 94 and the stepped portion 13 restricts the relative movement of the pair of terminals 10 in both the front and rear directions relative to the front holder 50. Furthermore, the O-ring 92 attached to the terminal 10 is in pressing contact with the inner wall surface of the small-diameter portion 57 of the terminal holding portion 51. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8, each of the multiple protrusions 19 of each terminal 10 is received (entered) into the corresponding groove 58b of the terminal holding portion 51 of the front holder 50 (see Figure 8). The effect of each of the multiple protrusions 19 being received into the corresponding groove 58b will be described later.

[0039] Next, the rear holder 40 is attached to the front holder 50. To do this, the rear holder 40 is pressed forward, and the rear holder 40 and the pair of packings 93 located in front of the rear holder 40 are moved forward relative to the pair of electric wires 30, while the pair of side walls 45 of the rear holder 40 are attached to the rear end of the pair of large diameter portions 58 of the front holder 50 so as to cover the outer circumferential surface of the rear end of the pair of large diameter portions 58 (see Figures 3 and 7).

[0040] When the rear holder 40 is attached to the front holder 50, as shown in Figures 3 and 7, the corresponding locking projections 58a of the front holder 50 are locked into the locking holes of each locking piece 44 of the rear holder 40. This prevents the rear holder 40 from falling out of the front holder 50.

[0041] Furthermore, each packing 93 is pressed and clamped between the inner wall surface of the rear region of the large-diameter portion 58 of the terminal holding portion 51 and the outer surface of the electric wire 30 (insulation 30b). Specifically, the multiple ribs 93a of each packing 93 are pressed against the inner wall surface of the large-diameter portion 58 and the outer surface of the electric wire 30 (insulation 30b). As a result, the water-sealing function of the pair of O-rings 92 and the pair of packings 93 isolates the internal space of the pair of terminal holding portions 51 from the outside. As a result, the intrusion of water from the outside into the internal space of the pair of terminal holding portions 51 (i.e., the connection point between the electric wire 30 and the terminal 10) is suppressed. Furthermore, the front holder 50 holds the pair of terminals 10 in an insulated state with a gap between them in the left-right direction, and the rear holder 40 holds the pair of electric wires 30 extending rearward from the pair of terminals 10 with a gap between them in the left-right direction.

[0042] Once the rear holder 40 is attached to the front holder 50, the inner housing body 60 is then attached to the front holder 50 (see Figures 3 and 7). To do this, the inner housing body 60 is attached to the front holder 50 from the front side so that the pair of side walls 53 of the front holder 50 cover a portion of the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 61 of the inner housing body 60, and the female terminal portions 14 of the pair of terminals 10 are inserted into the pair of female terminal housing portions 64 of the inner housing body 60 (see Figure 7). In this completed state, the front end surfaces of the pair of side walls 53 of the front holder 50 are in contact with the rear end surface of the flange portion 65 of the inner housing body 60 (not shown).

[0043] Once the inner housing body 60 is attached to the front holder 50, the outer housing body 70 is then attached to the inner housing body 60 (see Figures 3 and 7). To do this, the outer housing body 70 is attached to the inner housing body 60 from the front so that the cylindrical portion 71 of the outer housing body 70 covers the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 61 of the inner housing body 60 (see Figure 7). In this completed state, as shown in Figure 7, the rear end surface of the cylindrical portion 71 of the outer housing body 70 is in contact with the front end surface of the flange portion 65 of the inner housing body 60.

[0044] Once the outer housing body 70 is attached to the inner housing body 60, as shown in Figure 3, several bolts (four in this example) 81 are inserted from the rear through several bolt insertion holes 55 in the front holder 50 and several bolt insertion holes 67 in the inner housing body 60, and tightened to several fastening points (not shown) provided on the outer housing body 70. As a result, the front holder 50 and the inner housing body 60 are fastened together to the outer housing body 70, integrating the rear holder 40, front holder 50, inner housing body 60, and outer housing body 70, which constitute the skeletal components of the housing 20. This completes the assembly of the connector 1, and the connector 1 shown in Figure 1 is obtained.

[0045] Once assembled, the connector 1 is fastened and secured to the mounting target portion (not shown) of the vehicle using multiple bolts (not shown) inserted through multiple bolt insertion holes 73 of the outer housing body 70.

[0046] When charging a battery (not shown) mounted on a vehicle, the mating connector (a so-called charging gun) is fitted into the mating recess 63 of the connector 1 fixed to the mounting part of the vehicle. As a result, power is supplied to the battery from outside the vehicle via the mating connector, connector 1, and a pair of electric wires 30 in sequence, and the battery is charged.

[0047] <Effects and Actions> Next, the effect of providing multiple protrusions 19 on the outer surface of the large-diameter portion 12 of the terminal 10 will be explained. As described above, when charging the battery using the connector 1, the temperature of the pair of terminals 10 inside the connector 1 rises due to Joule heating caused by the flow of current. In particular, the connection point between the electric wire 30 and the terminal 10 is a place where a large amount of heat is generated due to the large contact resistance, but it is a place where heat dissipation to the outside is difficult because it is sealed with an O-ring 92 and a packing 93 within the internal space of the terminal holding portion 51 and isolated from the outside, and the air in the isolated internal space acts as an insulator. Therefore, in order to slow down the temperature rise of the terminal 10, it is important to efficiently absorb the heat generated at the connection point between the electric wire 30 and the terminal 10.

[0048] In this embodiment, the terminal 10 has multiple protrusions 19, which fill a portion of the gap around the connection point between the electric wire 30 and the terminal 10 within the internal space of the terminal holding portion 51 (see Figure 8). That is, the gap around the connection point is reduced compared to the case without the protrusions 19. As a result, the heat capacity of the terminal 10 itself is increased compared to the case without such protrusions. Therefore, by absorbing the heat generated at the connection point between the electric wire 30 and the terminal 10 when power is supplied, even when the amount of heat generated at the connection point per unit time is large, such as during rapid charging, a rapid rise in the operating temperature of the terminal 10 is suppressed, and the operating temperature of the terminal 10 can be raised gradually. Furthermore, by reducing the gap in the internal space of the terminal holding portion 51 with the multiple protrusions 19, the amount of air in the internal space that acts as an insulating material can be reduced. In addition, heat transfer (i.e., heat dissipation to the outside) from the terminal 10 to the front holder 50 (housing 20) can be performed efficiently.

[0049] Furthermore, in this embodiment, each of the multiple protrusions 19 provided on the outer circumferential surface of the large-diameter portion 12 of the terminal 10 fits into a corresponding groove 58b provided on the inner circumferential surface of the large-diameter portion 58 of the front holder 50 (see Figure 8). This increases the surface area that contributes to heat transfer between the two, making heat transfer (i.e., heat dissipation) from the terminal 10 to the front holder 50 (housing 20) even more efficient.

[0050] <Other forms> It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be adopted within the scope of the present invention. For example, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified, improved, etc. as appropriate. Furthermore, the material, shape, dimensions, number, placement, etc. of each component in the embodiments described above are arbitrary and not limited as long as they can achieve the present invention.

[0051] For example, in the above embodiment, in order to electrically connect the terminal 10 and the conductor core wire 30a of the electric wire 30, in addition to mechanical joining by crimping, metallurgical joining by laser joining is also performed at the crimping marks 18 of the terminal 10. In contrast, for the electrical connection between the terminal 10 and the conductor core wire 30a of the electric wire 30, only crimping may be performed. Furthermore, at the crimping marks 18, fusion welding such as electron beam joining, which is different from laser joining, or pressure welding such as ultrasonic joining, or brazing such as soldering may be performed.

[0052] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a protrusion 19 is provided as a "gap reduction portion" of the terminal 10, projecting radially outward from the outer circumferential surface of the large-diameter portion 12 of the terminal 10 and extending in the front-rear direction. In contrast, a protrusion may be provided as a "gap reduction portion" of the terminal 10, projecting radially outward from the outer circumferential surface of the large-diameter portion 12 of the terminal 10 and extending in the circumferential direction of the large-diameter portion 12.

[0053] Furthermore, as shown in the modified example in Figure 9, the rear end 58d of the projection 58c (see also Figure 7) provided on the inner circumferential surface of the large-diameter portion 58 of the terminal holding portion 51 may be brought into contact with the front end of the packing 93. In this modified example, the packing 93 is sandwiched between the projection 58c and the rear holder 40, thereby holding the packing 93 in a predetermined position in the front-rear direction (i.e., positioning it). Furthermore, instead of the projection 58c, the rear end of the large-diameter portion 12 of the terminal 10 may be brought into contact with the packing 93. Note that, as shown in Figure 7, the packing 93 may be arranged so as not to contact the projection 58c and not to contact the terminal 10. Figure 9 is not the DD cross-sectional view of Figure 8 itself, but a cross-sectional view of the connector 1 according to this modified example when it is cut at the location corresponding to the DD cross-sectional view of Figure 8.

[0054] Here, the features of the embodiments of the connector 1 according to the present invention described above are briefly summarized and listed below in [1] to [3]. [1] Electric wire (30) and, The terminal (10) connected to the aforementioned electric wire (30), A housing (20) having an internal space for accommodating the connection point between the electric wire (30) and the terminal (10), The device includes a sealing member (93) that seals the opening of the housing space so as to isolate the connection point housed in the housing space from the outside, The aforementioned terminal (10) is The terminal (10) has a gap-reducing portion (19) which is arranged to fill at least a portion of the gap remaining around the connection point within the aforementioned housing space, Connector (1).

[0055] In the connector configuration described in [1] above, the connection point between the wire and the terminal is housed within a housing space. Furthermore, the terminal has a gap-reducing portion as part of its structure, which is positioned to fill at least a portion of the remaining gap around the connection point within the housing space. This increases the thermal capacity of the terminal itself compared to the case without such a gap-reducing portion. Therefore, by absorbing the heat generated at the connection point between the wire and the terminal when power is supplied, even when the amount of heat generated at the connection point per unit time is large, such as during rapid charging, a rapid rise in the operating temperature of the terminal can be suppressed, and the operating temperature of the terminal can be raised gradually. In addition, by reducing the gap within the housing space with the gap-reducing portion, the amount of air in the housing space that acts as an insulator can be reduced. Moreover, heat transfer from the terminal to the housing (i.e., heat dissipation to the outside) can be performed efficiently. Thus, this connector configuration can suppress an excessive rise in the operating temperature of the terminal while avoiding an increase in the size of the connector.

[0056] [2] The connector (1) described in [1] above, The aforementioned terminal (10) is The terminal (10) has a protrusion (19) that extends toward the housing (20) as the gap reduction portion, The housing (20) is Having a recess (58b) that receives the convex portion (19), Connector (1).

[0057] With the connector configuration described in [2] above, the protrusions on the terminals that serve as gap-reducing parts fit into the recesses of the housing, increasing the surface area that contributes to heat transfer between the two, and enabling more efficient heat transfer (i.e., heat dissipation) from the terminals to the housing.

[0058] [3] In the connector (1) described in [1] or [2] above, The aforementioned terminal (10) is At the connection point, the conductor core wire (30a) of the electric wire (30) is crimped to the conductor core wire (30a) and mechanically joined to the conductor core wire (30a), and is also metallurgically joined to the conductor core wire (30a) by a crimp mark (18) that is recessed toward the conductor core wire (30a). Connector (1).

[0059] According to the connector configuration described in [3] above, the terminal and the conductor core of the electric wire are connected not only by mechanical joining through crimping, but also by metallurgical joining at the crimped marks (for example, fusion welding such as laser bonding, pressure bonding such as ultrasonic bonding, and brazing such as soldering). As a result, even if the number of locations suitable for mechanical joining (i.e., locations where crimped marks are generated) is reduced by providing a gap reduction section in the terminal, the terminal and the conductor core can be properly electrically connected by metallurgical joining. Therefore, it is possible to suppress an excessive rise in the operating temperature of the terminal without compromising the reliability of the electrical connection between the terminal and the conductor core. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 1 Connector 10 terminals 18 Caulking marks 19. Protrusions (gap reduction sections, convex sections) 20 Housing 30 Electric wire 30a Conductor core wire 58b Groove (recess) 93 Packing (sealing material)

Claims

1. A wire and A terminal connected to the aforementioned electric wire, A housing having an internal storage space for accommodating the connection point between the electric wire and the terminal connection part, The system includes a sealing member that seals the opening of the housing space so as to isolate the connection point housed in the housing space from the outside, The aforementioned terminal is, The terminal has a gap-reducing portion that is positioned to fill at least a portion of the remaining gap around the connection point within the aforementioned housing space and protrudes from the outer surface of the connection portion, The aforementioned terminal is, The terminal has a protrusion that extends toward the housing, which serves as the gap-reducing portion. The aforementioned housing is Having a recess that receives the aforementioned protrusion, connector.

2. In the connector according to claim 1, The aforementioned terminal is, At the connection point, the conductor core of the electric wire is crimped to the conductor core and mechanically joined to the conductor core, and is also metallurgically joined to the conductor core by a crimp mark that is recessed toward the conductor core. connector.

3. In the connector according to claim 2, The gap reduction portion is provided in a position that avoids the crimping marks. connector.

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