Connector and terminal unit

Abstract

One aspect of the present disclosure provides a connector and a terminal unit that allow simplification of the shape of both a shield shell and a crimping ring. A terminal unit (4) of the connector comprises: a shielded wire (12) having a tubular braid (11) that accommodates a core wire (10) therein; and a shield shell (13) that accommodates the shielded wire (12) for protection from noise inside a connector housing that accommodates the tip of the shielded wire (12) and mates with a counterpart connector. The terminal unit (4) is provided with: a crimping ring (36) that crimps the tip of the braid (11); a contact spring (39) for connecting the crimping ring (36) to the shield shell (13); and an insulating spring holding part (40) that accommodates the shielded wire (12) therein and holds the contact spring (39).

Description

Connector and Terminal Units

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a connector and a terminal unit.

[0002] A waterproof connector with a shielded electric wire is well known, as disclosed in Patent Document 1. The waterproof connector in Patent Document 1 includes a pair of connecting fittings connected to the shield layer of the shielded electric wire and a shield shell that contacts the connecting fittings. The shield shell is in elastic contact with the connecting fittings via multiple elastic contact pieces formed at the rear end.

[0003] Patent No. 4491738

[0004] However, the shield shell of Patent Document 1 requires the resilient contact pieces to be integrally formed, which results in a complex shape of the shield shell. This complicates the manufacturing process of the shield shell. One possible solution to this problem is to form the resilient contact pieces on the metal fittings instead of the shield shell. However, in this case, the shape of the connector fittings becomes complex, which complicates the manufacturing process of the connector fittings.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a connector and a terminal unit in which both the shield shell and the crimping ring can be made into simple shapes.

[0006] The connector of the present disclosure is configured to include a shielded electric wire having a tubular braid that houses a core wire inside, a connector housing that houses the tip of the shielded electric wire and is fitted into a mating connector, and a shield shell that houses the shielded electric wire inside the connector housing and protects it from noise, and is also equipped with a crimping ring that crimps the tip of the braid, a contact spring that connects the crimping ring to the shield shell, and an insulating spring holding portion that houses the shielded electric wire inside and holds the contact spring.

[0007] In the connector of the present disclosure, both the shield shell and the crimping ring can be made into simple shapes.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a connector and a mating connector according to one embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a terminal unit. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a pair of terminal units as seen from the back. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the connector at the position of a first elastic portion of the contact spring. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the connector at the position of a second elastic portion of the contact spring. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a spring holder having a contact spring. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a spring holder having a contact spring. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a spring piece removed from the spring holder. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a fixing mechanism. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a contact spring according to another example. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a spring piece according to another example.

[0009] First, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below. [1] A connector of the present disclosure includes a shielded electric wire having a tubular braid containing a core wire therein, a connector housing that contains a tip of the shielded electric wire and is fitted to a mating connector, and a shield shell that contains the shielded electric wire inside the connector housing and protects it from noise, and also includes a crimping ring that crimps the tip of the braid, a contact spring that connects the crimping ring to the shield shell, and an insulating spring holding portion that contains the shielded electric wire inside and holds the contact spring.

[0010] According to this configuration, the contact spring that electrically connects the shield shell and the crimping ring is provided as a separate component from the shield shell and the crimping ring. Furthermore, the contact spring is held by the spring holding portion, so its position is determined to prevent it from moving to an unintended position. As a result, it is not necessary for both the shield shell and the crimping ring to have a shape that includes a spring. This allows both the shield shell and the crimping ring to have a simple shape.

[0011] [2] In the above [1], the contact spring has a plurality of spring pieces arranged in the circumferential direction of the spring holding portion. With this configuration, it is possible to make each spring piece have the same simple shape, which contributes to simplifying the manufacturing process of the contact spring.

[0012] [3] In the above [1] or [2], the contact spring has a locking protrusion used for fixing to the spring holding part, and the spring holding part has a protrusion support part that engages with the locking protrusion. With this configuration, the contact spring is fixed to the protrusion support part of the spring holding part via the locking protrusion, making it possible to make it difficult for the contact spring to become displaced or fall off.

[0013] [4] In the above [3], the contact spring has a first elastic portion that elastically deforms to contact the shield shell and a second elastic portion that elastically deforms to contact the crimp ring, the first elastic portion being one of a plurality of first elastic portions arranged in the circumferential direction of the spring holder, and the second elastic portion being one of a plurality of second elastic portions arranged in the circumferential direction of the spring holder, the protruding support portion being formed on the inner surface of the spring holder, and at least the second elastic portion of the first elastic portion and the second elastic portion being accommodated in a spring accommodating portion recessed between adjacent protruding support portions in the circumferential direction of the spring holder. With this configuration, when the spring holder having the contact spring and the crimp ring are assembled, the second elastic portion elastically deforms to be accommodated in the spring accommodating portion due to the pressure of the crimp ring. At this time, after the crimp ring abuts against the spring holder, the second elastic portion does not push the second elastic portion into the spring accommodating portion. Therefore, it is possible to suppress excessive deformation of the second elastic portion of the contact spring.

[0014] [5] In the above [3], the contact spring has a first elastic portion that elastically deforms to contact the shield shell and a second elastic portion that elastically deforms to contact the crimp ring, the spring holder has a slit formed radially outward of the protruding support portion, the first elastic portion and the second elastic portion are arranged offset in the circumferential direction of the spring holder, the first elastic portion is exposed from the slit and contacts the inner surface of the shield shell, and the second elastic portion is contacts the outer surface of the crimp ring. With this configuration, when the spring holder having the contact spring and the shield shell are assembled, the first elastic portion elastically deforms to be accommodated in the slit due to pressure from the shield shell. At this time, after the shield shell abuts against the spring holder, the first elastic portion does not push the first elastic portion into the slit. This makes it possible to suppress excessive deformation of the first elastic portion of the contact spring.

[0015] [6] In any of the above [1] to [5], the spring holding portion is formed in an annular shape surrounding the entire circumference of the crimping ring. With this configuration, it is possible to accommodate the crimping ring inside the spring holding portion, so that the positional relationship between the crimping ring and the spring holding portion is stable.

[0016] [7] In any of the above [1] to [6], the crimping ring is formed in an annular shape. This configuration allows the crimping ring to be crimped uniformly around the circumferential direction to the tip of the braid. Therefore, when crimping the crimping ring to the tip of the braid, it is less likely that partial variations in the crimping amount will occur, such as the occurrence of areas where the crimping amount is insufficient. This makes it possible to firmly attach the crimping ring to the braid.

[0017] [8] In any of the above [1] to [7], the connector further includes an underlay ring that is placed on a folded portion formed by folding back the tip of the braid and that sandwiches and holds the folded portion with the crimping ring. This configuration allows the reaction force of deformation of the contact spring to be absorbed by the shield shell, the underlay ring, and the spring holding portion. This makes it possible to prevent excessive deformation of the contact spring.

[0018] [9] In any one of the above [1] to [8], the connector includes a pair of terminal units each having the shielded electric wire, the shield shell, the crimping ring, the contact spring, and the spring holding portion. With this configuration, one of the pair of terminal units included in the connector can be used as a positive electric wire and the other as a negative electric wire.

[0019]

[10] A terminal unit according to the present disclosure includes a shielded electric wire having a tubular braid containing a core wire therein, a shield shell that contains the shielded electric wire inside a connector housing that contains the tip of the shielded electric wire and protects it from noise, and further includes a crimping ring crimped around the braid so as to come into contact with the braid, a contact spring that connects the crimping ring to the shield shell, and an insulating spring holding portion that contains the shielded electric wire inside and holds the contact spring. This configuration provides the same effects as those of the above-mentioned [1].

[0020] [Details of the Embodiments of the Present Disclosure] Specific examples of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to these examples, but is defined by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims. In each drawing, for the convenience of explanation, some components may be exaggerated or simplified. Furthermore, the dimensional proportions of each part may differ from the actual ones.

[0021] (Connector 1) As shown in Figure 1, connector 1 includes a connector housing 3 that mates with a mating connector 2, and a terminal unit 4 attached to connector housing 3. Connector 1 has a pair of terminal units 4. Connector 1 is used, for example, in a wire harness of a vehicle. Connector 1 is used, for example, in a cable of a charging inlet of the vehicle. Examples of vehicles include electric vehicles and fuel cell vehicles.

[0022] 1, the connector housing 3 has the terminal unit 4 connected to its side and the mating connector 2 connected to its bottom. In this way, the connector 1 is an L-shaped connector in which the direction in which the terminal unit 4 is inserted into the connector housing 3 is perpendicular to the direction in which the connector housing 3 is mated with the mating connector 2. The connector housing 3 has a cover 5 that closes a hole (not shown) through which the terminal unit 4 is inserted.

[0023] An opening 7 is formed in the upper wall of the connector housing 3. The opening 7 is used to insert a fastening portion 6 that fastens the terminal unit 4 to the mating connector 2. The opening 7 is closed by a cap (not shown) via a waterproof elastic member 8 held by a retainer 8a. The fastening portion 6 is provided on each of the terminal units 4. The fastening portion 6 is, for example, a bolt. The waterproof elastic member 8 is, for example, a rubber waterproof ring.

[0024] 2 and 3 , the terminal unit 4 includes a shielded electric wire 12 having a tubular braid 11 with a core wire 10 housed therein, and a shield shell 13 that houses the shielded electric wire 12 inside the connector housing 3 to protect it from noise. One of the pair of terminal units 4 is, for example, a positive electric wire and the other is a negative electric wire. The terminal unit 4 is, for example, a high-voltage electric wire. The shield shell 13 is made of, for example, metal, and is provided as a countermeasure against radiation noise from the shielded electric wire 12.

[0025] (Shielded wire 12) As shown in Fig. 2, the shielded wire 12 has an insulating coating 14 on the outer circumferential surface of the core wire 10. The core wire 10 is preferably a single-core wire made of, for example, a single columnar metal rod having a solid structure. Note that the core wire 10 is not limited to a single-core wire, and may be a stranded wire made by twisting together a plurality of metal wires, or a combination of a single-core wire and a stranded wire. The core wire 10 is made of, for example, a copper-based or aluminum-based metal material.

[0026] The insulating coating 14, for example, covers the entire outer periphery of the core wire 10. The insulating coating 14 is made of an insulating material such as a synthetic resin. For example, a synthetic resin containing a polyolefin resin such as cross-linked polyethylene or cross-linked polypropylene as a main component is used as the material for the insulating coating 14. The insulating coating 14 may be made of one material alone, or may be made of an appropriate combination of two or more materials, such as polyolefin-based and fluorine-based materials.

[0027] The shielded wire 12 has a coating material 15 on the outer peripheral surface of the braid 11. The coating material 15 is, for example, a protective coating made of resin. The coating material 15 protects the outer peripheral surface of the braid 11. The braid 11 is, for example, a braided wire formed by bundling thin metal wires into a braided shape. The braid 11 has a folded portion 16 formed by folding back the tip. The folded portion 16 is formed in a region of the outer peripheral surface of the insulating coating 14 where the coating material 15 is not present.

[0028] A terminal 17, which is electrically connected to the mating connector 2, is attached and fixed to the tip of the core wire 10. The terminal 17 is fixed to a plate-like portion 18 at the tip of the core wire 10 by welding or the like. A hole 19 is formed in the terminal 17, into which the shaft portion of the fastening portion 6 is inserted. The tip of the shielded electric wire 12, specifically the terminal 17 of the shielded electric wire 12, is accommodated inside the connector housing 3.

[0029] 2 and 3 , the shield shell 13 has a shell body 22 that houses the terminals 17, a drawn portion 23 formed at the base end of the shell body 22 with a smaller diameter than the shell body 22, and a contact portion 24 provided on the tip surface of the shell body 22. The shell body 22 is formed, for example, in the shape of a hollow rectangular parallelepiped. The shell body 22 has, for example, an upper wall opening 25 (see FIG. 2 ) in its upper wall for inserting the fastening portion 6, and a bottom wall opening 26 (see FIG. 3 ) in its bottom wall for pulling out the shank of the fastening portion 6 toward the mating connector 2.

[0030] The narrowed portion 23 is formed in an annular (circular ring) shape that follows the outer shape of the shielded electric wire 12. The narrowed portion 23 is formed integrally with the shell main body 22. The contact portion 24 has a plurality of elastic springs 28 that come into contact with contacts 27 (see FIG. 1 ) of the mating connector 2 when the connector 1 is mated with the mating connector 2. The plurality of elastic springs 28 are aligned in the width direction of the shield shell 13 (the Y-axis direction in FIG. 2 , etc.).

[0031] An insulating inner housing 29 that houses the terminals 17 is housed inside the shield shell 13. The inner housing 29, for example, ensures insulation between the shield shell 13 and the terminals 17. The inner housing 29 has, for example, an upper wall opening 30 (see FIG. 2 ) in the top wall for inserting the fastening portion 6, and a bottom wall opening 31 (see FIG. 3 ) in the bottom wall for pulling out the shaft portion of the fastening portion 6 toward the mating connector 2.

[0032] 1 , the mating connector 2 has mating terminal portions 33 to which the terminals 17 are fixed by fastening the fastening portions 6. A pair of mating terminal portions 33 are provided corresponding to the two shielded wires 12. The mating terminal portions 33 have screw holes 34 into which the shanks of the fastening portions 6 are screwed. When the connector 1 is mated with the mating connector 2, the contact portions 24 of the shield shell 13 come into contact with the contacts 27, thereby connecting the shield shell 13 to GND.

[0033] (Crimping ring 36) As shown in Fig. 2, the connector 1 includes a crimping ring 36 that crimps the tip of the braid 11. The crimping ring 36 is made of, for example, metal, and crimps the braid 11 that is exposed outside the coating material 15 on the outer peripheral surface of the insulating coating 14. Specifically, the crimping ring 36 crimps the entire circumference of the folded-back portion 16 of the braid 11. The crimping ring 36 is formed, for example, in an annular shape. The crimping ring 36 is made of, for example, aluminum or the like.

[0034] 4 and 5 , the connector 1 includes an underlay ring 37 that is placed on the folded portion 16 formed by folding back the tip of the braid 11 and that sandwiches and holds the folded portion 16 together with the crimping ring 36. In this way, the crimping ring 36 sandwiches and holds the braid 11 together with the underlay ring 37 that is placed on the folded portion 16. The underlay ring 37 is made of, for example, metal. The underlay ring 37 is formed, for example, in a circular shape to fit the outer periphery of the shielded wire 12.

[0035] 2 , the connector 1 includes a contact spring 39 that connects the crimp ring 36 to the shield shell 13, and an insulating spring holder 40 that houses the shielded electric wire 12 therein and holds the contact spring 39. In this manner, in the connector 1, the shield shell 13 and the crimp ring 36 are electrically connected via the spring structure of the contact spring 39. Therefore, the braid 11 is electrically connected to the shield shell 13 via the crimp ring 36 and the contact spring 39.

[0036] 6 and 7, the contact spring 39 has a plurality of spring pieces 41 arranged in the circumferential direction of the spring holding portion 40. In this example, eight spring pieces 41 are provided and are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the spring holding portion 40. The spring pieces 41 are made of, for example, metal.

[0037] The contact spring 39 (each spring piece 41) has a first elastic portion 42 that elastically deforms to contact the shield shell 13, and a second elastic portion 43 that elastically deforms to contact the crimp ring 36. A plurality of the first elastic portions 42 and second elastic portions 43 are provided in the circumferential direction of the spring holding portion 40. Specifically, a plurality of spring pieces 41 having the first elastic portions 42 and the second elastic portions 43 are provided in the circumferential direction of the spring holding portion 40, thereby disposing a plurality of the first elastic portions 42 and second elastic portions 43 in the circumferential direction of the spring holding portion 40. The first elastic portions 42 and the second elastic portions 43 are, for example, leaf springs.

[0038] The spring holding portion 40 is formed, for example, in a circular ring shape that surrounds the entire circumference of the crimping ring 36. The spring holding portion 40 is disposed, for example, between the shield shell 13 and the crimping ring 36. The spring holding portion 40 is made of, for example, resin.

[0039] 8 , each of the spring pieces 41 is formed in a shape in which the first elastic portion 42 and the second elastic portion 43 are offset in the circumferential direction, and the base end of the first elastic portion 42 and the base end of the second elastic portion 43 are connected. Thus, in this example, the first elastic portion 42 and the second elastic portion 43 are arranged offset in the circumferential direction of the spring holding portion 40. In other words, the spring piece 41 has a crank shape that includes the first elastic portion 42, the second elastic portion 43, and a central connecting portion that connects the first elastic portion 42 and the second elastic portion 43 non-linearly (i.e., at positions offset from each other).

[0040] 6 to 8 , a locking mechanism 45 that locks the contact spring 39 to the spring holding portion 40 is formed between the contact spring 39 and the spring holding portion 40. In this example, the contact spring 39 has a locking protrusion 46 that is used to secure the contact spring 39 to the spring holding portion 40. In addition, the spring holding portion 40 has a protrusion support portion 47 that engages with the locking protrusion 46. In this way, the locking mechanism 45 includes the locking protrusion 46 of the contact spring 39 and the protrusion support portion 47 of the spring holding portion 40.

[0041] The locking protrusions 46 are, for example, raised pieces formed by cutting out and bending a portion of the spring piece 41. The locking protrusions 46 are formed on each spring piece 41. A plurality of protrusion support portions 47 are formed so as to form pairs with each spring piece 41. The protrusion support portions 47 are formed on the inner surface of the spring holding portion 40. The contact spring 39 is assembled to the spring holding portion 40 by engaging the locking protrusions 46 with the holes of the protrusion support portions 47.

[0042] The spring holding portion 40 has a slit 48 formed radially outward of the protruding support portion 47. The slits 48 are formed on the edge of the spring holding portion 40 closer to the shield shell 13, and multiple slits 48 (eight in this example) are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the spring holding portion 40. When the spring piece 41 is attached to the spring holding portion 40, the first elastic portion 42 is disposed in the slit 48. When disposed in the slit 48, the first elastic portion 42 protrudes outward from the outer surface of the spring holding portion 40. In other words, the first elastic portion 42 is exposed from the slit 48.

[0043] The spring holder 40 has a spring accommodating portion 49 recessed between adjacent protruding support portions 47 in the circumferential direction of the spring holder 40. In this example, the second elastic portion 43 of the contact spring 39 (spring piece 41) is accommodated in the spring accommodating portion 49. When accommodated in the spring accommodating portion 49, the second elastic portion 43 protrudes outward from the surface of the protruding support portion 47 (i.e., toward the inside of the spring holder 40).

[0044] (Fixing mechanism 50) As shown in Fig. 9, the spring holding portion 40 is fixed to the shield shell 13 via a fixing mechanism 50. The fixing mechanism 50 has, for example, a flexible fixing piece 50a formed on the shield shell 13 and a fixing protrusion 50b formed on the outer peripheral surface of the spring holding portion 40. It is preferable that a plurality of fixing mechanisms 50 are formed in the circumferential direction of the spring holding portion 40 (only one is shown in Fig. 9). A wall portion 51 is formed in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the spring holding portion 40 for positioning the shield shell 13 in the insertion direction. The spring holding portion 40 is fixed to the shield shell 13 by the fixing protrusion 50b engaging with the hole in the fixing piece 50a.

[0045] (Operation of the embodiment) Next, the operation of the connector 1 (terminal unit 4) of this embodiment will be described. As shown in Figure 2 and other figures, the contact spring 39 that electrically connects the shield shell 13 and the crimp ring 36 is formed as a separate part from the shield shell 13 and the crimp ring 36. This eliminates the need to form a contact spring shape in the shield shell 13 and the crimp ring 36, allowing the shield shell 13 and the crimp ring 36 to have simple shapes. This also simplifies the manufacturing process for the shield shell 13 and the crimp ring 36.

[0046] Incidentally, for example, when forming contact spring shapes in the shield shell 13, if the diameter of the shielded electric wire 12 increases, it is necessary to increase the number of contact spring shapes in order to ensure the shielding performance of the shield shell 13. This makes the shape of the shield shell 13 more complex. On the other hand, if the contact spring shapes are omitted from the shield shell 13, as in this example, this concern does not arise.

[0047] In this example, the contact spring 39 is an independent member, which increases the degree of freedom in selecting the type of crimp ring 36. This makes it possible to use a general-purpose annular ring as the crimp ring 36. This makes it possible to keep the cost of the parts required for the crimp ring 36 low.

[0048] The contact spring 39 (plurality of spring pieces 41) is held by the spring holding portion 40. Therefore, the contact spring 39 and the spring holding portion 40 are integrated into a single component, which makes it easier to handle and manage the components. In particular, since the plurality of spring pieces 41 are held by the spring holding portion 40, it is possible to integrate a large number of components into the spring holding portion 40. Therefore, since the plurality of spring pieces 41 do not come apart, it can be said that it is easier to handle and manage the components.

[0049] 4, when the shield shell 13 and the spring holding portion 40 are attached, the first elastic portion 42 of the contact spring 39 is pressed from above by the shield shell 13, causing it to elastically deform. In this example, the first elastic portion 42 is disposed within the slit 48 of the spring holding portion 40. Therefore, the inner surface of the shield shell 13 is supported by the outer surface of the spring holding portion 40, so that the shield shell 13 does not press the first elastic portion 42 any further. Therefore, excessive deformation of the first elastic portion 42 can be suppressed.

[0050] 5, when the crimping ring 36 and the spring holding portion 40 are attached, the second elastic portion 43 of the contact spring 39 is lifted up by the crimping ring 36, causing it to elastically deform. In this example, the second elastic portion 43 is disposed within the spring accommodating portion 49. Therefore, the surface of the crimping ring 36 is supported by the inner surface of the spring holding portion 40, so the crimping ring 36 does not press the second elastic portion 43 any further. This makes it possible to prevent excessive deformation of the second elastic portion 43.

[0051] (Effects of the Embodiments) The configuration of the above-described embodiments provides the following effects: (1) The connector 1 includes a shielded electric wire 12 having a tubular braid 11 that houses a core wire 10 therein, a connector housing 3 that houses the tip of the shielded electric wire 12 and is fitted into a mating connector 2, and a shield shell 13 that houses the shielded electric wire 12 inside the connector housing 3 to protect it from noise. The connector 1 includes a crimping ring 36 that crimps the tip of the braid 11, a contact spring 39 that connects the crimping ring 36 to the shield shell 13, and an insulating spring holding portion 40 that houses the shielded electric wire 12 therein and holds the contact spring 39.

[0052] According to this configuration, the contact spring 39 that electrically connects the shield shell 13 and the crimp ring 36 is provided as a separate component from the shield shell 13 and the crimp ring 36. Furthermore, the contact spring 39 is held by the spring holder 40, so that the position of the contact spring 39 is determined so that it does not move to an unintended position. As described above, it is not necessary to design both the shield shell 13 and the crimp ring 36 in a shape that includes a spring. Therefore, both the shield shell 13 and the crimp ring 36 can be designed in a simple shape.

[0053] (2) The contact spring 39 has a plurality of spring pieces 41 arranged in the circumferential direction of the spring holding portion 40. With this configuration, it is possible to make each of the spring pieces 41 have the same simple shape, which contributes to simplifying the manufacturing process of the contact spring 39.

[0054] (3) The contact spring 39 has a locking protrusion 46 used to secure the contact spring 39 to the spring holding portion 40. The spring holding portion 40 has a protrusion support portion 47 that engages with the locking protrusion 46. With this configuration, the contact spring 39 is secured to the protrusion support portion 47 of the spring holding portion 40 via the locking protrusion 46, making it less likely that the contact spring 39 will shift position or fall off.

[0055] (4) The contact spring 39 has a first elastic portion 42 that elastically deforms to contact the shield shell 13, and a second elastic portion 43 that elastically deforms to contact the crimp ring 36. A plurality of the first elastic portions 42 and the second elastic portions 43 are provided in the circumferential direction of the spring holding portion 40. The protruding support portions 47 are formed on the inner surface of the spring holding portion 40. Of the first elastic portion 42 and the second elastic portion 43, at least the second elastic portion 43 is housed in a spring housing portion 49 recessed between adjacent protruding support portions 47 in the circumferential direction of the spring holding portion 40.

[0056] According to this configuration, when the spring holding portion 40 having the contact spring 39 and the crimping ring 36 are assembled, the second elastic portion 43 is elastically deformed by the pressure of the crimping ring 36 so as to be accommodated in the spring accommodating portion 49. At this time, after the crimping ring 36 abuts against the spring holding portion 40, the second elastic portion 43 is not pressed into the spring accommodating portion 49. Therefore, excessive deformation of the second elastic portion 43 in the contact spring 39 can be suppressed.

[0057] (5) The contact spring 39 has a first elastic portion 42 and a second elastic portion 43. The spring holder 40 has a slit 48 formed radially outward of the protruding support portion 47. The first elastic portion 42 and the second elastic portion 43 are arranged offset in the circumferential direction of the spring holder 40. The first elastic portion 42 is exposed from the slit 48 and contacts the inner surface of the shield shell 13. The second elastic portion 43 contacts the outer surface of the crimp ring 36.

[0058] According to this configuration, when the spring holding portion 40 having the contact spring 39 and the shield shell 13 are assembled, the first elastic portion 42 is elastically deformed so as to be housed in the slit 48 due to the pressure of the shield shell 13. At this time, after the shield shell 13 abuts against the spring holding portion 40, the first elastic portion 42 is not pressed into the slit 48. Therefore, excessive deformation of the first elastic portion 42 in the contact spring 39 can be suppressed.

[0059] (6) The spring holding portion 40 is formed in a circular ring shape that surrounds the entire circumference of the crimping ring 36. With this configuration, it is possible to house the crimping ring 36 inside the spring holding portion 40, and the positional relationship between the crimping ring 36 and the spring holding portion 40 is stable.

[0060] (7) The crimping ring 36 is formed in an annular shape. This configuration allows the crimping ring 36 to be crimped uniformly around the circumferential direction to the tip of the braid 11. Therefore, when the crimping ring 36 is crimped to the tip of the braid 11, partial variations in the amount of crimping, such as the occurrence of portions where the amount of crimping is insufficient, are less likely to occur. Therefore, the crimping ring 36 can be firmly attached to the braid 11.

[0061] (8) The connector 1 includes an underlay ring 37 that is laid on the folded portion 16 formed by folding back the tip of the braid 11 and that sandwiches and holds the folded portion 16 together with the crimping ring 36. This configuration allows the reaction force of the deformation of the contact spring 39 to be received by the shield shell 13, the underlay ring 37, and the spring holding portion 40. This makes it possible to prevent excessive deformation of the contact spring 39.

[0062] (9) A pair of terminal units 4 are provided, each having the shielded electric wire 12, the shield shell 13, the crimping ring 36, the contact spring 39, and the spring holding portion 40. With this configuration, one of the pair of terminal units 4 included in the connector 1 can be used as a positive electric wire, and the other can be used as a negative electric wire.

[0063] (Other Embodiments) This embodiment can be modified as follows: This embodiment and the following modifications can be combined and implemented within the scope of technical compatibility.

[0064] As shown in Fig. 10, the contact spring 39 may have a shape in which a plurality of spring pieces 41 (see Fig. 2) are integrated. Specifically, the contact spring 39 may have a shape in which a plurality of spring pieces 41 (see Fig. 2) arranged in the circumferential direction are connected by a central cylindrical portion 52. In this case, the contact spring 39 becomes a single component, making it easier to handle.

[0065] As shown in FIG. 11 , the spring piece 41 may have a shape in which the first elastic portion 42 and the second elastic portion 43 are aligned in the longitudinal direction. In other words, the spring piece 41 has a T-shape including the first elastic portion 42, the second elastic portion 43 connected in a straight line with the first elastic portion 42, and a protrusion extending from the connection point between the first elastic portion 42 and the second elastic portion 43. In this case, the locking protrusion 46 may be formed on the protrusion. In this case, both the first elastic portion 42 and the second elastic portion 43 of the spring piece 41 are accommodated in the spring accommodating portion 49 on the inner surface of the spring holding portion 40, and the shield shell 13 is fitted into the spring holding portion 40. When the shield shell 13 and the spring holding portion 40 are attached, the first elastic portion 42 of the spring piece 41 contacts the outer surface of the shield shell 13. In this case, the shape of the spring piece 41 is simplified.

[0066] The shield shell 13 may have a tubular shape without the narrowed portion 23. The shield shell 13 may have a cylindrical shape or a rectangular tubular shape. The contact spring 39 may be fixed to the spring holding portion 40 by, for example, press-fitting.

[0067] At least one of the plurality of spring pieces 41 may have a different shape from the other spring pieces 41. The spring pieces 41 may be arranged only in a portion of the shielded electric wire 12 in the circumferential direction.

[0068] The number of spring pieces 41 may be only one. The shape of the spring holding portion 40 is not limited to a cylindrical shape, and may be, for example, a part of a cylindrical shape, specifically, an arc shape.

[0069] The crimping ring 36 is not limited to a circular ring and may be, for example, a square ring. The underlay ring 37 may be omitted. The number of terminal units 4 is not limited to two and may be three or more, or may be only one.

[0070] The connector 1 may include a positioning portion that positions the spring holding portion 40 in the axial direction. The expression "at least one" used in this disclosure means "one or more" of the desired options. As an example, the expression "at least one" used in this disclosure means "only one option" or "both of two options" if the number of options is two. As another example, the expression "at least one" used in this disclosure means "only one option" or "any combination of two or more options" if the number of options is three or more.

[0071] While the present disclosure has been described with reference to the embodiments, it is understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments or structures. The present disclosure also encompasses various modifications and modifications within the scope of equivalents. In addition, various combinations and forms, including only one element, more than one element, or less than one element, are also within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.

[0072] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Connector 2 Mating connector 3 Connector housing 4 Terminal unit 5 Cover 6 Fastening portion 7 Opening 8 Elastic material 10 Core wire 11 Braid 12 Shielded wire 13 Shield shell 14 Insulating coating 15 Coating material 16 Folded portion 17 Terminal 18 Plate-shaped portion 19 Hole portion 22 Shell body 23 Narrowed portion 24 Contact portion 25 Top wall opening 26 Bottom wall opening 27 Contact 28 Elastic spring 29 Inner housing 30 Top wall opening 31 Bottom wall opening 33 Mating terminal portion 34 Screw hole 36 Crimping ring 37 Underlay ring 39 Contact spring 40 Spring holding portion 41 Spring piece 42 First elastic portion 43 Second elastic portion 45 Locking mechanism 46 Locking protrusion 47 Protrusion support portion 48 Slit 49 Spring accommodating portion 50 Fixing mechanism 50a Fixing piece 50b Fixing protrusion 51 Wall portion 52 Cylindrical portion

Claims

1. A connector comprising: a shielded electric wire having a tubular braid that houses a core wire inside; a connector housing that houses the tip of the shielded electric wire and is fitted into a mating connector; and a shield shell that houses the shielded electric wire inside the connector housing and protects it from noise, the connector comprising: a crimping ring that crimps the tip of the braid; a contact spring that connects the crimping ring to the shield shell; and an insulating spring holding portion that houses the shielded electric wire inside and holds the contact spring.

2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the contact spring has a plurality of spring pieces arranged in the circumferential direction of the spring holding portion.

3. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the contact spring has a locking protrusion used for fixing to the spring holding portion, and the spring holding portion has a protrusion support portion that engages with the locking protrusion.

4. The connector described in claim 3, wherein the contact spring has a first elastic portion that elastically deforms to contact the shield shell and a second elastic portion that elastically deforms to contact the crimping ring, the first elastic portion being one of a plurality of first elastic portions provided in the circumferential direction of the spring holding portion, and the second elastic portion being one of a plurality of second elastic portions provided in the circumferential direction of the spring holding portion, the protruding support portion being formed on the inner surface of the spring holding portion, and at least the second elastic portion of the first elastic portion and the second elastic portion being housed in a spring housing portion recessed between the protruding support portions adjacent in the circumferential direction of the spring holding portion.

5. A connector as described in claim 3, wherein the contact spring has a first elastic portion that elastically deforms to contact the shield shell and a second elastic portion that elastically deforms to contact the crimp ring, the spring holding portion has a slit formed radially outward of the protruding support portion, the first elastic portion and the second elastic portion are arranged offset in the circumferential direction of the spring holding portion, the first elastic portion is exposed from the slit and contacts the inner surface of the shield shell, and the second elastic portion contacts the outer surface of the crimp ring.

6. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the spring holding portion is formed in an annular shape surrounding the entire circumference of the crimping ring.

7. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the crimping ring is formed in an annular shape.

8. A connector as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an underlay ring which is laid on a folded portion formed by folding back the tip of said braid and which sandwiches and holds said folded portion together with said crimping ring.

9. The connector according to claim 1, comprising a pair of terminal units each having the shielded wire, the shield shell, the crimping ring, the contact spring, and the spring retainer.

10. A terminal unit comprising: a shielded electric wire having a tubular braid that houses a core wire inside; and a shield shell that houses the shielded electric wire inside a connector housing that houses the tip of the shielded electric wire and protects it from noise, the terminal unit comprising: a crimping ring that is crimped around the braid so as to come into contact with the braid; a contact spring that connects the crimping ring to the shield shell; and an insulating spring holding portion that houses the shielded electric wire inside and holds the contact spring.

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