Connector with bracket

Abstract

Disclosed is a connector with a bracket with which it is possible to suppress interference between an electric wire and another member during assembly work to an object to be fixed, and suppress generation of abnormal noise during traveling of a vehicle.　A bracket-equipped connector (10) comprises a connector (16) and a bracket (20). The bracket (20) includes: a body part (42) that is disposed so as to face the object (18) to which to be fixed; a contact part (44) that protrudes from the body part (42) and contacts the object (18) to which to be fixed; a fitting protrusion (48) that is inserted into and assembled into a fitting hole (26) provided in the object (18) to which to be fixed; a housing attachment part (52) to which a connector housing (14) is attached; a wire holding part (54) that holds an electric wire (12) extending from the connector housing (14); and a pair of side wall parts (62) that demarcate a storage recessed groove (60) in which a tie band (58) for binding the electric wire (12) to the electric wire holding part (54) is accommodated. The protruding dimension (A) of the contact part (44) is set so that the protruding end faces of the side wall parts (62) separate from the object (18) to which to be fixed when the contact part (44) comes into contact with the object (18) to which to be fixed.

Description

Connector with bracket

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a connector with a bracket.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a bracket-equipped connector that includes a connector and a fixing bracket that fixes the connector to a fixing object. In Patent Document 1, the metal bracket to which the connector is attached is fastened to the fixing object with a bolt.

[0003] JP 2009-224040 A

[0004] However, in the structure of Patent Document 1, the electric wires extending from the connector housing are not held in any way, so when assembly is required in a narrow space, there is a risk that the electric wires will interfere with surrounding components, making assembly work difficult. Furthermore, because the bracket is fixed to the fixed object in close proximity to the fixed object, there is a risk that the electric wires extending from the connector housing will come into contact with the fixed object while the vehicle is running, etc., and cause abnormal noise.

[0005] Therefore, a connector with a bracket is disclosed that can suppress interference between the electric wires and other components when assembling the connector to a fixed object, and can also suppress the generation of abnormal noise while the vehicle is running.

[0006] The connector with a bracket of the present disclosure comprises a connector including a connector housing and electric wires extending from a base end of the connector housing, and a fixing bracket for fixing the connector to a fixed object, the bracket comprising a main body portion disposed with one surface facing the fixed object, a contact portion protruding from the one surface of the main body portion and contacting the fixed object, a fitting protrusion protruding from the contact portion and inserted into a fitting hole provided in the fixed object to be assembled non-detachably, and a fitting protrusion provided on the other surface of the main body portion to which the connector housing is attached. a housing mounting portion that is attached to the connector housing, a wire holding portion that extends from the main body portion and holds the wires extending from the connector housing, and a pair of side wall portions that are arranged on the protruding end side of the wire holding portion and define an accommodating groove in which a tie band that binds the wires to the wire holding portion is accommodated, the accommodating groove is open toward the fixed object, and the protruding dimension of the contact portion from the one surface of the main body portion is set so that when the contact portion contacts the fixed object, the protruding end surfaces of the pair of side wall portions are separated from the fixed object.

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a connector with a bracket that can suppress interference between electric wires and other components when assembling the connector to a fixed object, and can also suppress the generation of abnormal noise while the vehicle is running.

[0008] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a bracket-equipped connector according to embodiment 1 from the top side. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the bracket-equipped connector shown in Fig. 1 from the bottom side. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the bracket-equipped connector shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the bracket-equipped connector shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a left side view of the bracket-equipped connector shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a bracket constituting the bracket-equipped connector shown in Fig. 1 from the rear side, illustrating a state in which the connector housing is attached to the housing attachment portion on the left side. Fig. 7 is a front view of the bracket shown in Fig. 6.

[0009] <Description of Embodiments of the Present Disclosure> First, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below. A connector with a bracket of the present disclosure includes: (1) a connector including a connector housing and electric wires extending from a base end of the connector housing; and a fixing bracket for fixing the connector to a fixing object, the bracket having a main body portion disposed with one surface facing the fixing object, a contact portion protruding from the one surface of the main body portion and contacting the fixing object, a fitting protrusion protruding from the contact portion and inserted into a fitting hole provided in the fixing object to be assembled thereto in an undetachable manner, and a housing provided on the other surface of the main body portion to which the connector housing is attached. a wire holding portion that extends from the main body portion and holds the wires extending from the connector housing; and a pair of side wall portions that are arranged on the protruding end side of the wire holding portion and define an accommodation groove in which a tie band that binds the wires to the wire holding portion is accommodated, the accommodation groove opening toward the fixed object, and the protruding dimension of the contact portion from the one surface of the main body portion is set so that when the contact portion contacts the fixed object, the protruding end surfaces of the pair of side wall portions are separated from the fixed object.

[0010] According to the connector with a bracket of the present disclosure, the main body of the bracket is provided with a wire holding portion that holds the wires extending from the connector housing, and the protruding end of the wire holding portion is provided with a receiving groove that receives a tie band that ties the wire to the wire holding portion. This allows the wires extending from the connector housing to be tied and held to the wire holding portion with the tie band. Moreover, since the tie band can be held in a state where it is received in the receiving groove, it is possible to prevent the tie band from coming off the wire holding portion and advantageously maintain the wire fixed to the wire holding portion. This reduces the risk of interference between the wires and surrounding components, even when the installation space for the connector with a bracket is narrow, and improves assembly workability.

[0011] In addition, the housing groove opens toward the fixed object, and the protruding dimension of the contact portion of the bracket that contacts the fixed object from one surface of the main body is set so that the protruding end faces of the pair of side walls of the housing groove are separated from the fixed object when the contact portion contacts the fixed object. This prevents or avoids the problem of the pair of side walls that protrude from the wire holding portion toward the fixed object due to the configuration of the housing groove, even when the housing groove is provided so as to open toward the fixed object on the protruding end side of the electric wire holding portion. As a result, when the vehicle is traveling with the bracket fixed close to the fixed object, the electric wires extending from the connector and the electric wire holding portion can be prevented from abutting against the fixed object and generating abnormal noise.

[0012] (2) In the above (1), it is preferable that the wire holding portion is configured such that a portion of the main body extends in a direction away from the housing attachment portion, the pair of side walls protrude from the one surface of the main body, and the protruding dimension of the contact portion from the one surface is at least twice the protruding dimension from the one surface of the pair of side walls that has a larger protruding dimension. Since the wire holding portion is integrally formed by extending a portion of the main body, the rigidity of the entire main body can be ensured. Additionally, since the protruding dimension of the contact portion from one surface of the main body is at least twice the protruding dimension of the pair of side walls from the same one surface of the main body (or the larger protruding dimension, if the protruding dimensions are different), it is possible to more reliably suppress or prevent the wires extending from the connector or the wire holding portion from contacting a fixed object and generating abnormal noise.

[0013] (3) In the above (1) or (2), it is preferable that a reinforcing rib is provided on the surface of the wire holding portion facing the object to be fixed, extending from the contact portion toward the side wall portion on the side closest to the contact portion and connecting the contact portion to the side wall portion, and that the protruding end surface of the reinforcing rib forms an inclined surface whose protruding dimension decreases from the contact portion toward the side wall portion.

[0014] The surface of the wire holding portion facing the object to be fixed is provided with a reinforcing rib that extends from the contact portion toward the side wall portion and connects the two, thereby improving the durability of the wire holding portion and the entire bracket. Furthermore, the protruding end surface of the reinforcing rib forms an inclined surface that protrudes less from the contact portion toward the side wall portion. This allows, when bundling and securing wires to the wire holding portion, the connector can place the wire holding portion on the connector side and wrap a tie band around it, then slide the tie band along the inclined surface of the reinforcing rib toward the receiving groove. This allows the tie band to slide into the receiving groove while maintaining the wires bound by the tie band without any slack. This simplifies the difficult task of bundling and securing wires to the wire holding portion and accommodating the tie band into the receiving groove while suppressing slack in the wire, thereby reinforcing the wire holding portion and improving workability.

[0015] (4) In the above (3), it is preferable that the pair of side walls of the receiving groove, the side wall away from the contact portion, protrude beyond the protruding end surface of the side wall close to the contact portion. The protruding dimension of the pair of side walls defining the receiving groove is greater on the distal side than on the proximal side relative to the contact portion. This advantageously prevents the tie band, which has been moved toward the receiving groove while sliding along the inclined surface, from being dislodged by the force of the sliding beyond the distal side wall. As a result, workability can be further improved.

[0016] (5) In any one of (1) to (4) above, the mating protrusion is preferably configured by a columnar portion disposed through the mating hole, and a clip held in a cantilevered manner at the tip of the columnar portion and having a pair of elastic locking pieces protruding diagonally outward from the tip of the columnar portion toward the base end, the pair of elastic locking pieces of the clip being elastically deformable in opposing directions facing each other with the columnar portion therebetween, each of the elastic locking pieces having an engaging portion provided on the protruding tip side of each of the elastic locking pieces, and when the elastic locking piece of the clip inserted into the mating hole elastically returns to its original state, the engaging portion engages with the mating hole, thereby preventing the clip from slipping out of the mating hole, and at least two of the clips are provided protruding from one surface of the main body at a distance from each other, and the opposing direction of the pair of elastic locking pieces of one of the clips intersects the opposing direction of the pair of elastic locking pieces of the other clip.

[0017] By configuring the mating protrusions as clips, the bracket can be easily secured to the object. Furthermore, at least two clips are provided on the main body at a distance from each other, and the opposing direction of the pair of elastic locking pieces of one clip intersects the opposing direction of the pair of elastic locking pieces of the other clip. This allows the elastic restoring force of the elastic locking pieces of each clip to absorb the tolerance of the opposing directions of the two clips while suppressing displacement in that direction. Therefore, compared to a single clip or when the opposing directions are the same, it is possible to suppress displacement of the bracket relative to the object due to rotational displacement transmitted from the electric wire via the connector. Preferably, the two clips are arranged so that the opposing directions of the pairs of elastic locking pieces of the two clips are perpendicular to each other. This allows suppression of rotational displacement over a wider range, such as front-to-back and left-to-right.

[0018] (6) In the above (5), it is preferable that the base end of the columnar portion of one clip has abutment portions on both radial sides of the fitting hole that can abut against the fitting hole, and the base end of the columnar portion of the other clip has non-abutment portions on both radial sides of the fitting hole that are spaced apart from the fitting hole by a gap and do not abut against the fitting hole. Since the base end of the columnar portion of one clip has abutment portions that can abut against the fitting hole, rotational displacement transmitted from the electric wire via the connector is suppressed by the abutment portions abutting against the fitting hole, thereby more effectively suppressing displacement of the bracket relative to the fixed object. Furthermore, the base end of the columnar portion of the other clip has non-abutment portions on both radial sides of the fitting hole that are spaced apart from the fitting hole by a gap and do not abut against the fitting hole. This allows for tolerance of the distance between the fitting holes in the fixed object and the two clips to be accommodated, making it easier to assemble the bracket to the fixed object.

[0019] (7) In any one of (1) to (6) above, it is preferable that a locking portion is provided inside the housing mounting portion to engage with the connector housing and prevent the connector housing from coming off the housing mounting portion, and that the base end of the connector housing mounted to the housing mounting portion protrudes to the outside from the housing mounting portion.

[0020] Because the locking portion that engages with the connector housing is provided inside the housing attachment portion, it is necessary to confirm complete mating of the connector housing into the housing attachment portion by means other than visual inspection. In this aspect, the base end of the connector housing protrudes outside the housing attachment portion when attached to the housing attachment portion. This allows the worker to check complete mating with the housing attachment portion by pulling the connector housing with their fingers or a tool. Therefore, compared to when the connector housing is completely housed in the housing attachment portion and complete mating is checked by pulling the electric wires, the mating state of the connector housing and the housing attachment portion can be checked without applying unnecessary tensile force to the electric wires of the connector or the connection between the electric wires and the terminals, thereby achieving both improved workability and maintaining stable electrical continuity of the connector.

[0021] (8) In the above (7), it is preferable that at least two of the housing mounting portions are arranged in parallel on the other surface of the main body, and adjacent housing mounting portions are spaced apart from each other in the parallel direction. Even when multiple housing mounting portions are arranged in parallel on the main body, adjacent housing mounting portions are spaced apart from each other in the parallel direction. Therefore, when checking whether the connector housings attached to each housing mounting portion are completely mated, the gaps between adjacent housing mounting portions can be secured as working space, thereby improving the workability of the checking work.

[0022] <Details of the Embodiments of the Present Disclosure> Specific examples of the bracket-equipped connector of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to these examples, but is defined by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0023] First Embodiment A bracket-equipped connector 10 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7. This bracket-equipped connector 10 is used in a vehicle, such as an automobile, to secure a connector 16 having a connector housing 14 at the end of an electric wire 12 to a vehicle body panel 18 (shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 5 ), where the connector 16 is secured to the vehicle body panel 18 via a bracket 20. While the bracket-equipped connector 10 can be positioned in any orientation within the vehicle, in the following description, the upper side will be referred to as the upper side in FIG. 5 , the lower side as the lower side in FIG. 5 , the left side as the lower side in FIG. 3 , the right side as the upper side in FIG. 3 , the front side as the right side in FIG. 3 , and the rear side as the left side in FIG. 3 . In addition, when multiple identical components are shown, only some of the components will be designated by reference numerals, and the reference numerals for the other components will be omitted.

[0024] <Bracket-equipped Connector 10> The bracket-equipped connector 10 includes a connector 16 including the connector housing 14 and the electric wires 12 extending from a base end 22 of the connector housing 14, and a fixing bracket 20 that fixes the connector 16 to a fixing target (a vehicle body panel 18). In the first embodiment, a pair of connectors 16, 16 (a left connector 16a and a right connector 16b) are provided spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction. The left electric wires 12a and the right electric wires 12b extend from base ends 22, 22 (a left base end 22a and a right base end 22b) of the left connector housing 14a and the right connector housing 14b, respectively.

[0025] <Connector Housings 14 (Left and Right Connector Housings 14a, 14b)> Because the left and right connector housings 14a, 14b have the same shape, the following description will focus on the left connector housing 14a, and the right connector housing 14b will be denoted in detail in the drawings by the same reference numerals as the left connector housing 14a. Figures 6 and 7 show a state in which the left connector housing 14a is attached to one of the housing attachment portions 52 (left housing attachment portion 52a) of the bracket 20, described below, and the right connector housing 14b is not attached to the other housing attachment portion 52 (right housing attachment portion 52b).

[0026] The left connector housing 14a is made of synthetic resin and has a cylindrical portion 25 therein that holds the core wire 24 of the left electric wire 12a, the cylindrical portion 25 extending in the front-to-rear direction. As described above, the left electric wire 12a extends from the left base end 22a (rear end) of the left connector housing 14a, and the tip-side opening of the left connector housing 14a (cylindrical portion 25) serves as a mating connector insertion port 26 into which a mating connector (not shown) is inserted. The mating connector is inserted into this mating connector insertion port 26 and electrically connected to the core wire 24, thereby electrically connecting the left connector 16a and the mating connector.

[0027] In the first embodiment, the left connector housing 14a has a generally cylindrical overall shape as described above. A pair of legs 28, 28 protrude downward from both left and right sides of the cylindrical portion 25. Each leg 28 extends over a predetermined length in the front-rear direction, and an engaging protrusion 30 protruding inward in the opposing direction (inward in the left-right direction) is provided at the protruding end (lower end) of each leg 28. Each engaging protrusion 30 is formed over the entire length of each leg 28 in the front-rear direction. In the left connector housing 14a, an area surrounded by the cylindrical portion 25, each leg 28, and each engaging protrusion 30 defines a groove-shaped engaging recess 32 that opens inward in the opposing direction of the legs 28 (inward in the left-right direction) and extends in the front-rear direction. The front opening of each engaging recess 32 is open forward, and the rear opening of each engaging recess 32 is closed by a rear side wall 34, as shown in FIG. 6 .

[0028] Furthermore, the left base end 22a of the left connector housing 14a in the first embodiment is provided with a locking protrusion 36 that protrudes downward and engages with a locking recess 94 (described later) serving as a locking portion of the bracket 20. The locking protrusion 36 protrudes downward from the center in the left-right direction of the substantially cylindrical portion of the left connector housing 14a, and in the first embodiment, as shown in Fig. 5 and other figures, has a substantially triangular shape in a side view (projected in the left-right direction).

[0029] The left-side electric wire 12a is a coated electric wire, and an insulating coating 38 made of synthetic resin is fitted and fixed onto the core wire 24. The insulating coating 38 is stripped off at the end of the left-side electric wire 12a to expose the core wire 24, and the exposed core wire 24 is inserted into and fixed in the cylindrical portion 25 of the left-side connector housing 14a, thereby forming the left-side connector 16a. The right-side connector 16b is also formed in a similar shape.

[0030] <Bracket 20> In the first embodiment, the bracket 20 is formed as a single-piece molded product from synthetic resin. As shown in Fig. 5 , the bracket-equipped connector 10 is configured to be fixed by overlapping a vehicle body panel 18, which is the object to be fixed, underneath the bracket 20. The bracket 20 includes a main body 42 with one surface, a lower surface 40, disposed facing the vehicle body panel 18. The bracket 20 also includes a contact portion 44 that protrudes from one surface (the lower surface 40) of the main body 42 and contacts the object to be fixed (the vehicle body panel 18), and a clip 48 that protrudes from the contact portion 44 and serves as a fitting protrusion that is inserted into a fitting hole 46 (shown by a two-dot chain line in Figs. 4 and 5 ) formed in the vehicle body panel 18 for non-detachable assembly.

[0031] Furthermore, the bracket 20 includes housing attachment portions 52 (left housing attachment portion 52a and right housing attachment portion 52b) that are provided on the top surface 50, which is the other surface of the main body 42, and to which the above-mentioned left and right connector housings 14a, 14b are attached, and wire holding portions 54 that extend from the main body 42 and hold the electric wires 12a, 12b extending from each of the connector housings 14a, 14b. The bracket 20 has a pair of side walls 62, 62 that are arranged on the protruding end (rear end 56, as described below) side of the wire holding portion 54 and define an accommodation groove 60 that accommodates tie bands 58 that bind the electric wires 12a, 12b to the wire holding portion 54.

[0032] In the first embodiment, a front contact portion 44a and a rear contact portion 44b are provided on the underside 40 of the main body 42, and the front and rear contact portions 44a, 44b are spaced apart from each other in the front-to-rear direction. A front clip 48a and a rear clip 48b are provided on each of the front and rear contact portions 44a, 44b, respectively, and are adapted to be inserted into a front fitting hole 46a and a rear fitting hole 46b provided in the vehicle body panel 18. Therefore, in the first embodiment, the front clip 48a and the rear clip 48b are spaced apart from each other in the front-to-rear direction. The shapes of the front and rear fitting holes 46a, 46b are not limited, but in the first embodiment, the front fitting hole 46a is a generally oval shape whose front-to-rear dimension is larger than its left-to-right dimension, and the rear fitting hole 46b is a generally perfect circle.

[0033] <Main Body 42> As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the main body 42 has a generally rectangular shape in a plan view (vertical view) and a generally plate-like shape with a predetermined thickness. The front contact portion 44a is provided in a front portion of the underside 40 of the main body 42, and the rear contact portion 44b is provided in a rear portion of the underside 40. A reinforcing rib 64 extending in the front-rear direction is provided between the front and rear contact portions 44a, 44b on the underside 40 of the main body 42. The reinforcing rib 64 also extends in the left-right direction between the front and rear contact portions 44a, 44b. The reinforcing rib 64 also extends so as to protrude outward in the left-right direction from the front and rear contact portions 44a, 44b.

[0034] The wire holding portion 54 extends rearward from the rear end of the main body 42. The width (left-right dimension) of the wire holding portion 54 is smaller than the width (left-right dimension) of the main body 42. In the first embodiment, the front and rear contact portions 44a, 44b are biased leftward on the main body 42, and the wire holding portion 54 is also biased leftward on the main body 42. That is, in the first embodiment, the front and rear contact portions 44a, 44b and the wire holding portion 54 are provided on the same side (left side) of the main body 42 in the left-right direction.

[0035] <Contact Portion 44 (Front Contact Portion 44a and Rear Contact Portion 44b)> As described above, the front and rear contact portions 44a, 44b are provided on the left side of the undersurface 40 of the main body portion 42 and are spaced apart from each other in the front-to-rear direction. In the first embodiment, the front and rear contact portions 44a, 44b are both substantially cylindrical and have a predetermined radial dimension and a protruding dimension A from the undersurface 40. The protruding end surfaces (lower surfaces) of the front and rear contact portions 44a, 44b are configured to overlap with the surrounding portions of the front and rear fitting holes 46a, 46b of the vehicle body panel 18 when the bracket 20 is fixed to the vehicle body panel 18, and the lower surfaces of the contact portions 44a, 44b form a front contact surface 66a and a rear contact surface 66b that come into contact with the vehicle body panel 18. In particular, as described below, each of the contact portions 44a, 44b has a clip 48a, 48b protruding downward from the center of its underside, and therefore the front and rear contact surfaces 66a, 66b are each configured as annular surfaces.

[0036] <Fitting Protrusions (Front Clip 48a and Rear Clip 48b)> The front clip 48a and the rear clip 48b have generally the same shape, and each clip 48a, 48b has a common structure in which each clip 48a, 48b includes a columnar portion 68 that is disposed to pass through each fitting hole 46a, 46b when fixing the bracket 120 to the vehicle body panel 18. Each clip 48a, 48b also includes a pair of elastic locking pieces 70, 70 that are held in a cantilevered manner at the tip end (lower end) of each columnar portion 68 and protrude diagonally outward from the tip end of each columnar portion 68 toward the base end (upper end).

[0037] In each of the clips 48a, 48b, the elastic locking pieces 70 are elastically deformable in opposing directions across the columnar portion 68, and each elastic locking piece 70 is provided with an engaging portion 72 on the protruding tip side (upper end side). When the elastic locking pieces 70 of each of the clips 48a, 48b inserted into the fitting holes 46a, 46b elastically return to their original position, the engaging portions 72 engage with the fitting holes 46a, 46b, thereby preventing the clips 48a, 48b from slipping out of the fitting holes 46a, 46b.

[0038] Specifically, each elastic locking piece 70 is pressed against each fitting hole 46a, 46b and elastically deforms in a direction approaching the columnar portion 68, thereby allowing insertion of each elastic locking piece 70 into each fitting hole 46a, 46b. When each engaging portion 72 of each elastic locking piece 70 passes over each fitting hole 46a, 46b and each elastic locking piece 70 elastically returns to its original state, each engaging portion 72 engages with the back side (the lower surface side in the first embodiment) of each fitting hole 46a, 46b, thereby non-detachably assembling each clip 48a, 48b into each fitting hole 46a, 46b.

[0039] In the first embodiment, a stepped portion where the thickness of each elastic locking piece 70 is reduced is formed at the protruding tip end of each elastic locking piece 70, and these stepped surfaces form the above-mentioned engaging portions 72. Also, as described above, a portion where the thickness is reduced is provided at the protruding tip end of each elastic locking piece 70; in other words, a pressure contact piece 74 is provided at the inner portion of each elastic locking piece 70, protruding further toward the protruding tip end than each engaging portion 72. These pressure contact pieces 74 are configured to be in pressure contact with the inner circumferential surfaces of the fitting holes 46 a, 46 b when the engaging portions 72 of each elastic locking piece 70 are engaged with the fitting holes 46 a, 46 b.

[0040] More specifically, each columnar portion 68 has a generally rectangular plate shape and protrudes downward from the center of the protruding end surface (lower surface) of each contact portion 44a, 44b. In the front clip 48a, elastic locking pieces 70 protrude from both sides of each columnar portion 68 in the thickness direction (left-right direction). That is, in the front clip 48a, the elastic locking pieces 70 face each other in the left-right direction and are elastically deformable in the left-right direction. In other words, when the front clip 48a is inserted into the front fitting hole 46a from above, the elastic locking pieces 70 are elastically deformed inward in the opposing direction (inward in the left-right direction), allowing the front clip 48a to be inserted into the front fitting hole 46a. When the engaging portions 72 of each elastic locking piece 70 pass through the front fitting hole 46a, the elastic locking pieces 70 elastically restore and deform, and the engaging portions 72 engage from below with both left and right sides of the front fitting hole 46a in the vehicle body panel 18. This prevents the front clip 48a from coming out of the front fitting hole 46a. When the front clip 48a is engaged with the front fitting hole 46a, each pressure contact piece 74 is located on the inner periphery of the front fitting hole 46a, and is pressed against the inner surfaces of the front fitting hole 46a on both left and right sides by elastic restoring forces acting outward in the left and right directions.

[0041] In the rear clip 48b, elastic locking pieces 70 protrude from both sides of each columnar portion 68 in the thickness direction (front-rear direction). That is, in the rear clip 48b, the elastic locking pieces 70 face each other in the front-rear direction and are elastically deformable in the front-rear direction. In other words, when the rear clip 48b is inserted into the rear fitting hole 46b from above, the elastic locking pieces 70 are elastically deformed inward in the opposing direction (inward in the front-rear direction), allowing the rear clip 48b to be inserted into the rear fitting hole 46b. Then, when the engaging portions 72 of the elastic locking pieces 70 pass through the rear fitting hole 46b, the elastic locking pieces 70 elastically restore their original shape, and the engaging portions 72 engage from below with both front-rear portions of the rear fitting hole 46b in the vehicle body panel 18. This prevents the rear clip 48b from coming out of the rear fitting hole 46b. Furthermore, when the rear clip 48b is engaged with the rear fitting hole 46b, each pressure-contact piece 74 is located on the inner periphery of the rear fitting hole 46b, and each pressure-contact piece 74 is pressed against the inner surface of the rear fitting hole 46b on both sides in the front-to-rear direction by the elastic restoring force acting outward in the front-to-rear direction.

[0042] Therefore, in the first embodiment, the opposing direction (front-to-back direction) of the elastic locking pieces 70 in one clip (rear clip 48b) intersects with the opposing direction (left-to-right direction) of the elastic locking pieces 70 in the other clip (front clip 48a). In particular, in the first embodiment, the opposing direction of the elastic locking pieces 70 in the rear clip 48b and the opposing direction of the elastic locking pieces 70 in the front clip 48a are mutually orthogonal.

[0043] The base end (upper end) of the columnar portion 68 of one clip (rear clip 48b) is provided with abutment portions 76 that can abut against the rear fitting hole 46b on both radial sides of the rear fitting hole 46b. In the first embodiment, as also shown in FIG. 4 , the abutment portions 76 have a generally rectangular shape in a bottom view (up-down projection) and protrude on both left and right sides from the base end of the columnar portion 68. The left-right dimension of the abutment portions 76 is equal to or slightly smaller than the inner diameter dimension of the rear fitting hole 46b. As a result, when the rear clip 48b is inserted into the rear fitting hole 46b, as described above, the pressure-contact pieces 74 of the rear clip 48b are pressed against the inner surfaces of the rear fitting hole 46b on both front-rear sides, and the abutment portions 76 are positioned opposite the inner surfaces of the rear fitting hole 46b on both left-right sides with a small gap between them. This allows the rotational displacement transmitted from each electric wire 12a, 12b via each connector 16a, 16b to be suppressed not only by the pressure contact of each pressure contact piece 74 but also by the contact portion 76 abutting against the rear mating hole 46b.

[0044] Furthermore, on both left and right sides of the rear clip 48b, the tip (lower end) of the columnar portion 68 and the left and right outer surface of the abutment portion 76 are connected by inclined surfaces 78 that gradually incline outward in the left and right direction as they extend upward. As described above, the elastic locking pieces 70 protruding obliquely from the tip to the base of each columnar portion 68, as well as the guiding action of these inclined surfaces 78, guide the rear clip 48b to the center of the rear fitting hole 46b, facilitating the fitting of the rear clip 48b with the rear fitting hole 46b. Furthermore, circumferential extension portions 80 that extend outward in the circumferential direction are provided at both left and right ends of each abutment portion 76. Each of these circumferential extension portions 80 has a predetermined circumferential dimension. As a result, when the rear clip 48b is fitted into the rear mating hole 46b, in addition to each pressure-contact piece 74 and each abutment portion 76, each circumferential extension portion 80 can abut against the inner surface of the rear mating hole 46b, and the friction effect of these abutment surfaces can prevent relative rotation between the rear clip 48b and the rear mating hole 46b.

[0045] The base end (upper end) of the columnar portion 68 of the other clip (front clip 48a) is provided with non-contact portions 81 that extend and protrude on both sides in the front-to-rear direction, which is one radial direction of the front fitting hole 46a. The non-contact portions 81 are separated from the front fitting hole 46a on both sides in the front-to-rear direction by a large gap and are configured as non-contact portions 81 that do not abut against the front fitting hole 46a. This makes it possible to accommodate tolerances in the distance between the front fitting hole 46a and the rear fitting hole 46b and the distance between the front clip 48a and the rear clip 48b, facilitating assembly of the bracket 20 to the vehicle body panel 18 to which it is fixed.

[0046] The portion of the non-contact portion 81 that protrudes rearward from the columnar portion 68 is further provided with left-right protruding portions 82, 82 that protrude outward in the left-right direction. When the front clip 48a is inserted into the front fitting hole 46a, each of these left-right protruding portions 82 is slightly spaced apart from the inner surfaces of the front fitting hole 46a on both left and right sides. By having each left-right protruding portion 82 protrude close to the inner surfaces of the front fitting hole 46a on both left and right sides in this manner, even when the bracket 20 is rotated relative to the body panel 18 around the rear clip 48b, the left-right protruding portions 82 abut against the inner surfaces of the front fitting hole 46a in the left-right direction, thereby preventing relative rotation between the bracket 20 and the body panel 18. In addition, the portion of the non-contact portion 81 that protrudes rearward from the columnar portion 68 and each of the left and right protruding portions 82 have an arc-shaped rear end surface that is convex rearward, but this arc-shaped surface is positioned away from the rear inner surface of the front mating hole 46a.

[0047] <Housing Mounting Portions 52 (Left and Right Housing Mounting Portions 52a, 52b)> As described above, the left and right housing mounting portions 52a, 52b, to which the left and right connector housings 14a, 14b are respectively mounted, are provided on the top surface 50 of the main body 42 of the bracket 20. Note that the left and right housing mounting portions 52a, 52b have the same shape, and therefore, the following description will focus on the left housing mounting portion 52a, and the right housing mounting portion 52b will be denoted in the drawings with the same reference numeral as the left housing mounting portion 52a, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0048] The left housing attachment portion 52a is shaped like a gate that extends in the front-to-rear direction overall and opens downward, and the lower opening is covered by the main body 42 to form a housing attachment hole 84 that penetrates in the front-to-rear direction. That is, the left housing attachment portion 52a includes a pair of side walls 86, 86 that protrude upward from the main body 42 and face each other in the left-to-right direction, and a top wall 88 that connects the upper ends of the side walls 86 to each other.

[0049] 6 and 7 , a support portion 90 is provided inside the left housing attachment portion 52a to support the left connector housing 14a when the left connector housing 14a is inserted into the housing attachment hole 84 from the rear. The support portion 90 includes a generally plate-shaped support plate portion 92 extending in the front-rear direction above the upper surface 50 of the main body portion 42. A locking recess 94 is formed in the rear portion of the support plate portion 92 at the center in the left-right direction, penetrating the support plate portion 92 in the thickness direction (up-down direction). This locking recess 94 has a predetermined front-rear dimension and extends in the front-rear direction. The rear portion of the locking recess 94 is closed by a locking portion 95. As a result, when the left connector housing 14a is attached to the left housing attachment portion 52a, as described below, the locking protrusion 36 is inserted into the locking recess 94, thereby locking the locking protrusion 36 to the locking portion 95, preventing the left connector housing 14a from being separated from the left housing attachment portion 52a.

[0050] Furthermore, upper protrusions 96, 96 protrude upward from the support plate 92 on both left and right sides of the lock recess 94 in the front portion of the support plate 92, and an engagement protrusion 98 protruding outward in the left-right direction is formed at the protruding end (upper end) of each upper protrusion 96. Each of these upper protrusions 96 and each engagement protrusion 98 has a predetermined front-rear dimension. As a result, a groove-shaped engagement recess 100 that opens outward in the left-right direction and extends in the front-rear direction is formed in the support part 90 by an area surrounded by the support plate 92, the upper protrusions 96, and the engagement protrusions 98. The rear opening of each engagement recess 100 is open rearward, and the front opening of each engagement recess 100 is closed by a front side wall 102, as shown in FIG. 7 .

[0051] As a result, when attaching the left connector housing 14a to the left housing attachment portion 52a, the left connector housing 14a is inserted from the rear of the housing attachment hole 84. At this time, the engaging protrusions 98 of the support portion 90 are inserted into the engaging recesses 32 of the left connector housing 14a, and the engaging protrusions 30 of the left connector housing 14a are inserted into the engaging recesses 100 of the support portion 90. In this way, the recesses and projections of the left connector housing 14a and the recesses and projections of the support portion 90 fit together to function as rails, allowing the left connector housing 14a to move forward within the housing attachment hole 84 without tilting.

[0052] Forward displacement of the left connector housing 14a is limited by the engagement protrusions 30 abutting against the front sidewall 102 and the engagement protrusions 98 abutting against the rear sidewall 34. When the left connector housing 14a is moved to its forwardmost position relative to the left housing attachment portion 52a, the locking protrusions 36 protruding downward on the left connector housing 14a are inserted into the locking recesses 94 provided on the support portion 90. This prevents the left connector housing 14a from being pulled out rearward from the housing attachment hole 84. In the first embodiment, when the left connector housing 14a is attached to the left housing attachment portion 52a as described above, the left base end portion 22a of the left connector housing 14a protrudes outward (rearward) from the left housing attachment portion 52a.

[0053] 3 and other figures, the left and right housing mounting portions 52a, 52b having the above-described shape are arranged side by side in the left-right direction on the top surface 50 of the main body 42, and the housing mounting portions 52a, 52b are separated from each other in the left-right direction by a gap 104. In other words, the gap 104 is formed between the right side wall 86 of the left housing mounting portion 52a and the left side wall 86 of the right housing mounting portion 52b.

[0054] <Wire Retaining Portion 54> As described above, the wire retaining portion 54 extends rearward from the left portion of the rear end of the main body portion 42. In other words, the wire retaining portion 54 is configured by a portion of the main body portion 42 extending rearward away from the housing attachment portions 52a, 52b. The wire retaining portion 54 is generally plate-shaped and has a width (left-right dimension) smaller than that of the main body portion 42. The surface of the wire retaining portion 54 opposite the vehicle body panel 18 (top surface) extends continuously from the top surface 50 of the main body portion 42. Furthermore, a reinforcing rib 106 extending rearward from the rear contact portion 44b is provided on the surface of the wire retaining portion 54 facing the vehicle body panel 18 (bottom surface) so as to protrude downward. In the first embodiment, the reinforcing rib 106 is provided on the right end of the wire retaining portion 54. The lower surface of the electric wire holding portion 54 other than the reinforcing rib 106 extends continuously from the lower surface 40 of the main body portion 42 .

[0055] As will be described later, a pair of side walls 62, 62 (a front side wall 62a and a rear side wall 62b) spaced apart in the front-rear direction are provided at the rear end 56 of the electric wire holding portion 54. The reinforcing rib 106 extends from the rear contact portion 44b toward the side wall 62 (i.e., the front side wall 62a) closest to the rear contact portion 44b, connecting the rear contact portion 44b and the front side wall 62a. In the first embodiment, the rear contact portion 44b, the reinforcing rib 106, and the front side wall 62a are formed continuously. In particular, in the first embodiment, the reinforcing rib 106 extends to connect the center of the rear end of the rear contact portion 44b in the left-right direction to the right end of the front side wall 62a. The protruding end surface (lower end surface) of the reinforcing rib 106 is configured as an inclined surface 108 that is inclined in a direction such that the protruding dimension of the reinforcing rib 106 gradually decreases from the rear contact portion 44b toward the front side wall portion 62a.

[0056] <Accommodation Groove 60 and Side Walls 62 (Front and Rear Side Walls 62a, 62b)> The rear end 56 of the wire holding portion 54 is provided with front and rear side wall portions 62a, 62b that are spaced apart from each other in the front-to-rear direction, and an accommodation groove 60 that accommodates the tie band 58 is formed between the side wall portions 62a, 62b in the front-to-rear direction. Each side wall portion 62a, 62b protrudes downward from the lower surface of the rear end 56 of the wire holding portion 54 (i.e., the lower surface 40 of the main body portion 42), so that the accommodation groove 60 opens downward toward the vehicle body panel 18. Each side wall portion 62a, 62b is provided over the entire length of the rear end 56 of the wire holding portion 54 in the left-to-right direction. Therefore, the accommodation groove 60 is also formed over the entire length of the rear end 56 in the left-to-right direction. In the first embodiment, the bottom surface of the accommodation groove 60 is provided at the same vertical position as the lower surface of the electric wire holding portion 54 , that is, the lower surface 40 of the main body portion 42 .

[0057] The tie band 58 is, for example, a known binding band, and includes a generally belt-shaped band main body 110 and a cylindrical band fixing portion 112 through which the band main body 110 is inserted. By engaging recesses and protrusions (not shown) on the band main body 110 with recesses and protrusions (not shown) on the inner surface of the band fixing portion 112, the band main body 110 forms a loop of a predetermined length and is fixed to the band fixing portion 112. The band main body 110 has a predetermined width, and the width (front-rear dimension) of the accommodation groove 60 is slightly larger than the width of the band main body 110.

[0058] Here, the protrusion dimension B (see FIG. 5) of each side wall portion 62a is formed to be a size that will separate the contact portions 44a, 44b from the vehicle body panel 18 when the bracket 20 is fixed to the vehicle body panel 18 and the contact portions 44a, 44b come into contact with the vehicle body panel 18. In other words, the protrusion dimension A of each contact portion 44a, 44b from the underside 40 of the main body portion 42 is set so that the protruding end faces of the side wall portions 62a, 62b are separated from the vehicle body panel 18 when the contact portions 44a, 44b come into contact with the vehicle body panel 18. In other words, when the contact portions 44a, 44b come into contact with the vehicle body panel 18, gaps 114 are formed between the protruding end faces of the side wall portions 62a, 62b and the vehicle body panel 18 in the vertical direction, and these gaps 114 have a predetermined vertical dimension C (see FIG. 5). The protruding dimension B of each side wall portion 62a, 62b is the vertical dimension from the bottom surface of the accommodating groove 60 (i.e., the lower surface 40 of the main body portion 42) to the protruding end surface (lower end surface) of each side wall portion 62a, 62b.

[0059] Although the protrusion dimension B of each of the side wall portions 62a, 62b is not limited, in the first embodiment, the protrusion dimension B of each of the side wall portions 62a, 62b is different, and the protrusion dimension Ba (see FIG. 5) of the front side wall portion 62a is smaller than the protrusion dimension Bb (see FIG. 5) of the rear side wall portion 62b. That is, in the first embodiment, in each of the side wall portions 62a, 62b of the accommodating groove 60, the side wall portion 62 (rear side wall portion 62b) away from the rear contact portion 44b protrudes beyond the protruding end surface of the side wall portion 62 (front side wall portion 62a) close to the rear contact portion 44b. In particular, in embodiment 1, the protrusion dimension A from the underside 40 of each contact portion 44a, 44b is set to be at least twice ((Bb x 2) ≦ A) the protrusion dimension Bb from the underside 40 of the taller of the side wall portions 62a, 62b (rear side wall portion 62b).

[0060] <Assembly of the bracket-equipped connector 10 and fixing of the bracket-equipped connector 10 to the vehicle body panel 18> As described above, the bracket-equipped connector 10 of the first embodiment is assembled by inserting the connector housings 14a, 14b from the rear into the left and right housing mounting holes 84 and displacing the connector housings 14a, 14b forward. In particular, in the first embodiment, the engaging protrusions 30 of the connector housings 14a, 14b and the engaging protrusions 98 of the support portions 90 fit together to function as rails, allowing the connector housings 14a, 14b to be displaced forward relative to the housing mounting holes 84 without tilting. When the connector housings 14a, 14b are displaced to their forward displacement limits, the locking protrusions 36 of the connector housings 14a, 14b are inserted into the locking recesses 94 of the support portions 90 and locked by the locking portions 95, thereby attaching the connector housings 14a, 14b to the housing mounting portions 52a, 52b. This completes the bracket-equipped connector 10 of the first embodiment.

[0061] The following describes an example of a specific method for fixing the bracket-equipped connector 10 assembled as described above to the vehicle body panel 18. Note that the method for fixing the bracket-equipped connector 10 to the vehicle body panel 18 is not limited to the embodiment described below.

[0062] First, with the clips 48a, 48b facing the fitting holes 46a, 46b in the vehicle body panel 18 in the up-down direction, the bracket-equipped connector 10 is brought close to the vehicle body panel 18 from above. Then, the clips 48a, 48b are press-fit into the fitting holes 46a, 46b as described above, and the engaging portions 72 of the clips 48a, 48b engage with the underside of the vehicle body panel 18. In the first embodiment, the rear fitting hole 46b is substantially circular, while the front fitting hole 46a is substantially oval and extends in the fore-and-aft direction. This allows tolerances in the fore-and-aft direction to be absorbed, allowing the front clip 48a to be stably inserted into the front fitting hole 46a.

[0063] After the bracket-equipped connector 10 is fixed to the vehicle body panel 18, the rear end 56 of the wire holding portion 54 of the bracket 20 and the respective wires 12a, 12b are fixed with the tie band 58. In this case, it is conceivable to insert the band body 110 of the tie band 58 directly into the accommodating groove 60 of the bracket 20, and then insert the end of the band body 110 into the band fixing portion 112 to fix it at an appropriate length; however, if the gap 114 between the rear end 56 of the bracket 20 and the vehicle body panel 18 is small, this operation may be difficult.

[0064] In such a case, a tie band 58 is inserted between the bracket 20 and the vehicle body panel 18 at any position between the rear end portion 56 of the bracket 20 and the rear contact portion 44b in the fore-and-aft direction, and the tie band 58 is tightened to a certain extent. Then, the annular band body 110 is slid rearward along the inclined surface 108 of the reinforcing rib 106 provided between the rear contact portion 44b and the front sidewall portion 60a. Because the inclined surface 108 is continuous with the protruding end surface of the front sidewall portion 60a, the band body 110 sliding along the inclined surface 108 passes over the front sidewall portion 60a and is accommodated in the accommodation groove 60. In particular, because the rear sidewall portion 60b has a larger protruding dimension than the front sidewall portion 60a, the band body 110 sliding rearward abuts against the rear sidewall portion 60b, thereby stably accommodating the band body 110 in the accommodation groove 60. Thereafter, if necessary, the length of each of the electric wires 12a, 12b can be adjusted by pulling them rearward, and then the tie bands 58 can be tightened to complete the fixing of the bracket-equipped connector 10 to the vehicle body panel 18.

[0065] With the bracket-equipped connector 10 configured as described above, the protrusion dimension A of each contact portion 44a, 44b is set so that when each contact portion 44a, 44b comes into contact with the vehicle body panel 18, the protruding end face of each side wall portion 62a, 62b is spaced apart from the vehicle body panel 18. This reduces the risk of abnormal noise being generated when the rear end portion 56 of the wire holding portion 54 hits the vehicle body panel 18, even if vertical vibrations are input to the fixed portion between the bracket-equipped connector 10 and the vehicle body panel 18, for example, while the vehicle is traveling.

[0066] In the first embodiment, the protrusion dimension A of each contact portion 44 a, 44 b is set to be at least twice the protrusion dimension Bb of the taller side wall portion (rear side wall portion 62 b). In other words, by setting the protrusion dimension B of each side wall portion 62 a, 62 b to be at most half the protrusion dimension A of each contact portion 44 a, 44 b, the risk of abnormal noise being generated when the rear end portion 56 of the wire holding portion 54 hits the vehicle body panel 18 while the vehicle is running is more reliably reduced.

[0067] A reinforcing rib 106 is provided between the rear contact portion 44b and the front sidewall portion 62a, and the protruding end face of the reinforcing rib 106 is configured as an inclined surface 108 that is inclined in a direction such that the protruding dimension of the reinforcing rib 106 gradually decreases toward the rear. As a result, even if it is difficult to insert the tie bands 58 directly into the accommodating grooves 60 when fixing the electric wires 12a, 12b to the electric wire holding portion 54 with the tie bands 58, the tie bands 58 can be easily accommodated in the accommodating grooves 60 by inserting the tie bands 58 between the rear contact portion 44b and the front sidewall portion 62a and moving the tie bands 58 rearward along the inclined surface 108.

[0068] In the first embodiment, the protruding dimension of the rear sidewall portion 62b is larger than that of the front sidewall portion 62a. As a result, the tie band 58 can be more reliably accommodated in the accommodation groove 60 by moving the tie band 58 rearward along the inclined surface 108 and abutting against the rear sidewall portion 62b as described above.

[0069] The opposing direction of the elastic locking pieces 70 of the front clip 48a and the opposing direction of the elastic locking pieces 70 of the rear clip 48b intersect with each other. This allows the elastic locking pieces 70 of the clips 48a, 48b to elastically deform in different directions when the clips 48a, 48b are press-fitted into the fitting holes 46a, 46b, making it possible to absorb tolerances in two different directions. In embodiment 1, the elastic locking pieces 70 of the front clip 48a face each other in the left-right direction, and the elastic locking pieces 70 of the rear clip 48b face each other in the front-rear direction. This allows tolerances in the left-right direction and the front-rear direction to be absorbed by the elastic deformation of the elastic locking pieces 70.

[0070] The base end of the columnar portion 68 of the rear clip 48b has an abutment portion 76 that can abut against the rear fitting hole 46b, while the base end of the columnar portion 68 of the front clip 48a has a non-abutment portion 81 that does not abut against the front fitting hole 46a. As a result, even when the rear clip 48b is press-fitted into the rear fitting hole 46b and fixed, for example, tolerances can be absorbed by the gap between the front fitting hole 46a and the front clip 48a, and the front clip 48a can be stably fixed to the front fitting hole 46a.

[0071] In particular, in the rear clip 48b, the pressure-contact pieces 74, the abutting portions 76, and the circumferential extending portions 80 can abut against the inner peripheral surface of the rear fitting hole 46b in predetermined circumferential regions, while in the front clip 48a, the left and right protruding portions 82 are disposed close to both left and right portions of the inner peripheral surface of the front fitting hole 46a. As a result, even when the bracket 20 rotates around the rear clip 48b relative to the vehicle body panel 18, for example, the left and right protruding portions 82 of the front clip 48a abut against both left and right portions of the inner peripheral surface of the front fitting hole 46a, thereby suppressing the rotational displacement.

[0072] A locking recess 94 serving as a locking portion is provided inside each housing mounting portion 52a, 52b, and each connector housing 14a, 14b is provided with a locking protrusion 36 that fits into each locking recess 94 and is locked by an engaging portion 95. This prevents each connector housing 14a, 14b from being removed from each housing mounting portion 52a, 52b. In particular, when each connector housing 14a, 14b is mounted to each housing mounting portion 52a, 52b, each base end 22a, 22b of each connector housing 14a, 14b protrudes outward (rearward) from each housing mounting portion 52a, 52b. This allows the worker to grasp and pull each base end 22a, 22b with his / her fingers or a tool, etc., when checking whether each connector housing 14a, 14b is correctly attached to each housing attachment portion 52a, 52b, rather than having to pull each electric wire 12a, 12b to check, thereby reducing the risk of damage to each connector 16a, 16b.

[0073] In particular, since each housing mounting portion 52a, 52b is arranged side by side in the left-right direction and separated by a gap 104, it is possible to easily perform the inspection work by grasping each base end portion 22a, 22b as described above while avoiding the fore-aft dimension of the bracket 20 becoming excessively long.

[0074] <Modifications> Although the first embodiment has been described above in detail as a specific example of the present disclosure, the present disclosure is not limited to this specific description. Modifications, improvements, etc. within the scope of achieving the object of the present disclosure are included in the present disclosure. For example, the following modifications of the embodiment are also included in the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0075] (1) In the bracket-equipped connector according to the present disclosure, the protrusion dimension of the side wall portions defining the receiving groove is not limited. In the above embodiment, the protrusion dimension Bb of the rear side wall portion 62b, which is the taller side wall portion, is set to be equal to or less than half the protrusion dimension A of each contact portion 44a, 44b. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and any protrusion dimension may be used as long as it does not generate abnormal noise caused by the side wall portions hitting the object to be fixed when vibrations are input, such as when the vehicle is running.

[0076] (2) In the above embodiment, the protruding end surface (lower end surface) of the reinforcing rib 106 provided between the rear contact portion 44b and the front sidewall portion 62a is formed as an inclined surface 108 that inclines in a direction in which the protruding dimension of the reinforcing rib 106 decreases toward the rear. However, this is not limited to this. The protruding dimension of the reinforcing rib may be, for example, approximately constant in the front-to-rear direction, as long as it does not exceed the protruding dimension of each contact portion. Note that the reinforcing ribs are not essential to the bracket-equipped connector according to the present disclosure.

[0077] (3) In the above embodiment, the opposing directions (left-right direction) of the elastic locking pieces 70 in the front clip 48a and the opposing directions (front-rear direction) of the elastic locking pieces 70 in the rear clip 48b were perpendicular to each other, but this is not limited to this. The opposing directions of the elastic locking pieces in the front clip and the rear clip may intersect at an angle other than 90 degrees, for example, and the opposing directions of the elastic locking pieces may be changed as appropriate depending on, for example, the shape of the fitting holes in the object to be fixed. Note that the number of fitting protrusions (e.g., clips) is not limited to two in the front-rear direction of the bracket, but may be one, three, or more. Furthermore, when multiple fitting protrusions are provided, the fitting protrusions are not limited to being arranged in parallel in the same direction as the extension direction of the electric wires. For example, the fitting protrusions may be arranged in parallel in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the electric wires.

[0078] (4) In the above embodiment, the abutment portion 76 is provided at the base end of the columnar portion 68 of the rear clip 48b, and the left-right dimension of this abutment portion 76 is equal to or slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the rear fitting hole 46b. However, this is not limited to this. The portion of the rear clip that protrudes outward in the left-right direction from the base end of the columnar portion may have a left-right dimension equal to or slightly larger than the inner diameter of the rear fitting hole. For example, when the rear clip is inserted into the rear fitting hole, the portion that protrudes outward in the left-right direction from the base end of the columnar portion is inserted into the rear fitting hole in a substantially press-fit state, which more effectively prevents relative rotation between the bracket and the object to be fixed. Note that in the bracket-equipped connector according to the present disclosure, the base end of the columnar portion of each clip does not necessarily have to protrude outward in the left-right direction or the front-rear direction.

[0079] (5) In the above embodiment, two connectors 16 (left and right connectors 16a, 16b) are attached to the bracket 20. However, this is not limited to this, and one or three or more connectors may be attached to the bracket. When three or more connectors are provided, the same number of connector attachment portions as the number of connectors may be arranged, for example, in parallel, on the other surface (e.g., the top surface) of the main body of the bracket. In this case, it is preferable that a gap be provided between adjacent housing attachment portions so that they are spaced apart in the parallel direction.

[0080] (6) In the above embodiment, the relatively concave accommodating groove 60 is formed by providing the side walls 62 a, 62 b that protrude downward on the lower surface of the wire holding portion 54. However, the accommodating groove may be formed directly on the lower surface of the wire holding portion, thereby forming relatively convex side walls on both sides of the accommodating groove. Furthermore, the side walls and the accommodating groove may be provided on the protruding end (rear end) side of the wire holding portion, or may be provided at a position spaced a predetermined distance forward from the protruding end (rear end).

[0081] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Connector with bracket 12 Electric wire 12a Left-side electric wire 12b Right-side electric wire 14 Connector housing 14a Left-side connector housing 14b Right-side connector housing 16 Connector 16a Left-side connector 16b Right-side connector 18 Vehicle body panel 20 Bracket 22 Base end portion 22a Left-side base end portion 22b Right-side base end portion 24 Core wire 25 Cylindrical portion 26 Mating connector insertion port 28 Leg portion 30 Engaging protrusion 32 Engaging recess 34 Rear side wall portion 36 Locking protrusion 38 Insulating coating 40 Underside (one surface) 42 Main body portion 44 Contact portion 44a Front contact portion 44b Rear contact portion 46 Fitting hole 46a Front fitting hole 46b Rear fitting hole 48 Clip (fitting protrusion) 48a Front clip 48b Rear clip 50 Top surface (other surface) 52 Housing attachment portion 52a Left housing attachment portion 52b Right housing attachment portion 54 Wire holding portion 56 Rear end portion (protruding end portion) 58 Tie band 60 Housing groove 62 Side wall portion 62a Front side wall portion 62b Rear side wall portion 64 Reinforcing rib 66a Front contact surface 66b Rear contact surface 68 Pillar portion 70 Elastic locking piece 72 Engagement portion 74 Press-contact piece 76 Contact portion 78 Inclined surface 80 Circumferential extension portion 81 Non-contact portion 82 Left-right protrusion portion 84 Housing attachment hole 86 Side wall 88 Top wall 90 Support portion 92 Support plate portion 94 Lock recess (lock portion) 95 Locking portion 96 Upper protrusion 98 Engaging protrusion 100 Engaging recess 102 Front side wall 104 Gap 106 Reinforcing rib 108 Inclined surface 110 Band main body 112 Band fixing portion 114 Gap A Protrusion dimension from one surface of the main body at the contact portion B Protrusion dimension from one surface of the main body at the side wall Ba Protrusion dimension from one surface of the main body at the side wall with the lower protrusion dimension (front side wall) Bb Protrusion dimension from one surface of the main body at the side wall with the higher protrusion dimension (rear side wall) C Vertical dimension of the gap between the side wall and the object to be fixed

Claims

1. A connector comprising: a connector housing and electric wires extending from a base end of the connector housing; and a fixing bracket for fixing the connector to a fixed object, wherein the bracket has: a main body portion with one surface disposed facing the fixed object; a contact portion protruding from the one surface of the main body portion and contacting the fixed object; a fitting protrusion protruding from the contact portion and inserted into a fitting hole provided in the fixed object to be assembled thereto so as not to be detached; a housing mounting portion provided on the other surface of the main body portion and to which the connector housing is mounted; an electric wire holding portion extending from the main body portion and holding the electric wires extending from the connector housing; and a pair of side walls disposed on the protruding end side of the electric wire holding portion and defining an accommodating groove for accommodating a tie band for binding the electric wire to the electric wire holding portion, the accommodating groove being open toward the fixed object, A connector with a bracket, wherein the protruding dimension of the contact portion from one surface of the main body portion is set so that when the contact portion contacts the fixed object, the protruding end surfaces of the pair of side wall portions are separated from the fixed object.

2. A connector with a bracket as described in claim 1, wherein the wire holding portion is configured such that a portion of the main body extends in a direction away from the housing attachment portion, the pair of side walls are protruding from the one surface of the main body, and the protruding dimension of the contact portion from the one surface is at least twice the protruding dimension of the pair of side walls from the one surface which is the higher of the two.

3. A connector with a bracket as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a reinforcing rib is provided on the surface of the wire holding portion facing the object to be fixed, extending from the contact portion toward the side wall portion on the side closest to the contact portion and connecting the contact portion to the side wall portion, and the protruding end surface of the reinforcing rib forms an inclined surface whose protruding dimension decreases from the contact portion toward the side wall portion.

4. A connector with a bracket as described in claim 3, wherein, in the pair of side wall portions of the accommodating groove, the side wall portion away from the contact portion protrudes beyond the protruding end face of the side wall portion close to the contact portion.

5. A connector with a bracket as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the mating protrusion is composed of a columnar portion disposed through the mating hole, and a clip held in a cantilevered manner at the tip of the columnar portion and having a pair of elastic locking pieces protruding obliquely outward from the tip of the columnar portion towards the base end, the pair of elastic locking pieces of the clip are elastically deformable in opposing directions facing each other with the columnar portion therebetween, and each of the elastic locking pieces has an engaging portion provided on the protruding tip side of each of the elastic pieces, and when the elastic locking piece of the clip inserted into the mating hole elastically returns to its original shape, the engaging portion engages with the mating hole, thereby preventing the clip from slipping out of the mating hole, and at least two of the clips are provided on one surface of the main body at a distance from each other and protrude, and the opposing direction of the pair of elastic locking pieces of one of the clips intersects the opposing direction of the pair of elastic locking pieces of the other clip.

6. A bracket-equipped connector as described in claim 5, wherein the base end of the columnar portion of one clip has abutment portions on both radial sides of the mating hole that can abut against the mating hole, and the base end of the columnar portion of the other clip has non-abutment portions on both radial sides of the mating hole that are separated from the mating hole by a gap and do not abut against the mating hole.

7. A connector with a bracket as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a locking portion is provided inside the housing mounting portion to engage with the connector housing and prevent the connector housing from coming off the housing mounting portion, and the base end of the connector housing mounted on the housing mounting portion protrudes outward from the housing mounting portion.

8. A connector with a bracket as described in claim 7, wherein at least two of the housing mounting portions are arranged in parallel on the other surface of the main body, and adjacent housing mounting portions are spaced apart from each other in the parallel direction.

Images