Connector aggregation device, connector group, and connection method of connector group

Abstract

A device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a connector aggregation device comprising: a wiring aggregation unit in which a plurality of parts to be connected are arranged; and a connector group connected to the plurality of parts to be connected. The connector group includes at least two connectors having an order-limiting unit that limits the order of release of connection from the wiring aggregation unit to insert first, remove later.

Description

Connector aggregation device, connector group, and method for connecting connector group

[0001] This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-108072 filed on July 4, 2024, and incorporates by reference all of the contents of that application.

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes an electrical junction box that can reduce the number of parts and improve assembly and maintenance. The electrical junction box in Patent Document 1 is attached to a trim cover facing a cowl side panel, and includes a connector that automatically connects to a mating connector on the cowl side panel when the trim cover is closed.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-8013

[0004] An apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a connector aggregation apparatus comprising a wiring aggregation section in which a plurality of connectable parts are arranged, and a group of connectors connected to the plurality of connectable parts, wherein the group of connectors includes at least two connectors having an order restriction section that restricts the order of disconnection from the wiring aggregation section to first-insertion, then-removal.

[0005] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a connector aggregation device. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a wiring aggregation section. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of an order restriction section. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a connection route and a release route of a group of connectors. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a modified example of the order restriction section. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a female connector having an operation section. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an example of a connector assembly.

[0006] <Problem to be Solved by the Present Disclosure> It is known that the cowl side of a vehicle is likely to be a target of physical attacks by suspicious individuals. However, Patent Document 1 does not anticipate measures to make physical attacks on connectors provided on the cowl side difficult. In view of the above conventional problems, the present disclosure aims to provide a connector aggregation device and the like that can make physical attacks on connectors difficult.

[0007] <Effects of the Present Disclosure> According to the present disclosure, physical attacks on connectors can be made more difficult.

[0008] <Outline of Embodiments of the Present Disclosure> Below, an outline of embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described.

[0009] (1) A device according to one aspect of this embodiment is a connector aggregation device including a wiring aggregation section in which a plurality of connectable parts are arranged, and a group of connectors connected to the plurality of connectable parts, wherein the group of connectors includes at least two connectors having an order restriction section that restricts the order of disconnection from the wiring aggregation section to first-insertion-last-removal.

[0010] According to the connector aggregation device of this embodiment, the order in which at least two connectors can be disconnected from the wiring aggregation section is limited to first-insertion-then-removal, which increases the time required for the disconnection operation compared to when disconnection is possible in any order, thereby making physical attacks on the connectors more difficult.

[0011] (2) In the connector aggregation device of (1) above, the at least two connectors may include a leading connector and a trailing connector connected after the leading connector, and the order restricting unit may include a leading tab protruding from the leading connector and a trailing tab protruding from the trailing connector and having an end that engages with the leading tab. In this case, the order restricting unit that performs the above-mentioned function can be obtained simply by adding tabs to the leading connector and the trailing connector, respectively. This has the advantage that the order restricting unit can be constructed inexpensively.

[0012] (3) In the connector aggregation device of (2) above, the trailing tab may engage with the leading tab of the leading connector that is immediately before the trailing connector in the connection order. In this case, release of the immediately preceding leading connector can be restricted.

[0013] (4) In the connector aggregation device of (2) or (3) above, the trailing tab may engage with the leading tab of the leading connector that is two or more connectors ahead of the trailing connector in the connection order. In this case, release of the leading connector that is two or more connectors ahead can be restricted.

[0014] (5) In the connector aggregation device of (1) to (4) above, the at least two connectors may include three or more connectors, and the release route for releasing the three or more connectors may be a route having at least one bend along the way. In this case, a complex release route other than a straight route may be adopted. Therefore, compared to when only straight routes are adopted, the number of connectors to be installed that impose order restrictions on the wiring aggregation section can be increased.

[0015] (6) In the connector aggregation device of (1) to (5) above, the connection order of the at least two connectors may be determined based on an evaluation policy defined from the perspective of vehicle security risk, and the evaluation policy may be such that connectors with higher security risks are connected first. In this way, it becomes more difficult to disconnect connectors with higher security risks, thereby further improving vehicle security compared to when priority based on security risk is not taken into consideration.

[0016] (7) In the connector aggregation device of (6) above, the level of security risk may be determined based on at least one of a risk assessment value determined in accordance with a procedure specified in ISO / SAE 21434, a risk assessment value based on a vehicle control type, and a risk assessment value based on a communication protocol type. In this case, the level of security risk is quantified based on the risk assessment value, so that the connection order can be determined objectively and accurately.

[0017] (8) In the connector aggregation device of (1) to (7) above, the at least two connectors may include connectors having side surfaces where the distance between adjacent connectors is less than the width of a human finger, and an operation unit for unlocking the connection provided on the side surface. In this case, since the distance between the connectors is narrow and the operation unit is difficult to access, physical attacks on the connectors can be made more difficult than when the operation unit is located in an easily accessible location.

[0018] (9) In the connector aggregation devices of (1) to (8) above, the connector group may be configured as a connector assembly in which multiple connectors are integrated by a runner. In this case, all connectors can be connected to multiple connection points at once, making the connection work to the wiring aggregation section easier than connecting each connector one by one.

[0019] (10) A device according to another aspect of this embodiment is a connector group used as a component of the connector aggregation device described above in (1) to (9). Therefore, the connector group of this embodiment has the same effects as the connector aggregation devices described above in (1) to (9).

[0020] (11) A method according to one aspect of this embodiment is a method for connecting a group of connectors to a plurality of connectable parts arranged in a wiring collection section, the group of connectors including a first connector and a second connector that physically restricts the disconnection of the first connector by connecting itself, and the method includes the steps of connecting the first connector, which poses a higher security risk than the second connector, to one of the plurality of connectable parts before the second connector, and connecting the second connector to another of the plurality of connectable parts.

[0021] According to the connection method of this embodiment, the first connector, which poses a higher security risk, is connected to the wiring collection section first, so that the first connector cannot be disconnected unless the second connector is disconnected during the disconnection process, which increases the effort required to disconnect the first connector. In this way, the effort required to disconnect the first connector, which poses a higher security risk, increases, thereby improving security compared to when the disconnection order is reversed or when the disconnection order is not specified.

[0022] <Details of the Embodiments of the Present Disclosure> Hereinafter, details of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that at least some of the embodiments described below may be combined in any manner.

[0023] [Definition of Terms] Before describing the details of the embodiments of the present disclosure, we will first define key terms. "Male connector": A housing that is connected to the end of a transmission line and has a protrusion formed therein that fits into the insertion opening of a female connector. The housing of the male connector may be made of either plastic or metal, or may be a composite of plastic and metal.

[0024] "Female connector": A housing that is connected to the end of a transmission line and has an insertion opening that accepts the protrusion of a male connector. The housing of a female connector may be made of either plastic or metal, or it may be a composite of plastic and metal. "Connector": A general term for male or female connectors before they are connected to each other. "Connector group": A group of connectors that are connected to multiple connected parts that are arranged in a concentrated manner. A connector group may be composed of only male connectors, only female connectors, or both male and female connectors.

[0025] "Transmission line": An insulated wire or cable routed inside a vehicle. The insulated wire may be a single wire or multiple stranded or flat wires. The cable may have at least two wires inside a sheath, and may be either a round wire or a flat wire. "Wire harness": An assembly of transmission components with either or both male and female connectors attached to both ends of a transmission line. Also called a cable assembly.

[0026] "Extension direction": A direction along the center line of a transmission line of a wire harness that extends straight when the transmission line is extended substantially straight. "First direction": An extension direction of a wire harness. In this embodiment, the direction of the X-axis (X direction) in the illustrated three-dimensional coordinate system is defined as the first direction (extension direction).

[0027] "Second direction": Any in-plane direction of a virtual plane S (see FIG. 1 ) whose normal line coincides with the first direction (extension direction) and that is perpendicular to the first direction. In this embodiment, the direction of the Y axis (Y direction) in the illustrated three-dimensional coordinate system is defined as the second direction. "Third direction": Any in-plane direction of a virtual plane S (see FIG. 1 ) whose normal line coincides with the first direction (extension direction) and that is perpendicular to the first and second directions. In this embodiment, the direction of the Z axis (Z direction) in the illustrated three-dimensional coordinate system is defined as the third direction.

[0028] [Structural Example of Connector Aggregation Device] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a connector aggregation device 1. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a wiring aggregation section 3 in a state where the connector group 2 has been removed from the connector aggregation device 1. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the connector aggregation device 1 of this embodiment includes the connector group 2 and the wiring aggregation section 3.

[0029] The connector group 2 is composed of a plurality of female connectors 21 (11 in the illustrated example) having different YZ plane shapes. One end of a transmission line 22 is connected to the female connector 21. The female connector 21 and the transmission line 22 are components of one wire harness 23. Therefore, when the female connector 21 is connected to a male connector 32 of the wiring collection section 3 (described later), the transmission line 22 of the wire harness 23 is electrically connected to a circuit board or transmission line (not shown) housed inside the wiring collection section 3.

[0030] The female connector 21 has an insertion opening (not shown) that opens on the negative side in the X direction. The male connector 32 has an outer peripheral surface with a YZ plane shape that is substantially the same as the insertion opening of the female connector 21, and can be fitted into the insertion opening in a friction fit state. Therefore, the connection direction of the female connector 21 to the male connector 32 of the wiring collection section 3 is the negative side in the X direction. Conversely, the release direction of the female connector 21 from the male connector 32 of the wiring collection section 3 is the positive side in the X direction.

[0031] The wiring collection section 3 is a type of on-board device, such as an electronic control unit (ECU) or gateway for a vehicle. However, the wiring collection section 3 may also be a junction box in which multiple transmission lines are housed within a casing. The wiring collection section 3 includes a flat, box-shaped housing 31 and multiple (11 in the illustrated example) male connectors 32 collected in the housing 31. Each male connector 32 of the wiring collection section 3 functions as a "receiving part" that accepts connection of a female connector 21.

[0032] The housing 31 is a flat casing with the shortest dimension in the X direction, and houses a circuit board, signal lines, power lines, etc. The housing 31 has a substantially flat array surface 33 on which multiple male connectors 32 are arranged in the same orientation. The YZ plane shape of the array surface 33 is substantially rectangular, and the multiple male connectors 32 are arranged in a densely packed state within the in-plane range of the array surface 33. Each of the multiple male connectors 32 protrudes toward the positive side in the X direction.

[0033] [Reference symbols and connection order of connectors] As shown in Fig. 1, the reference symbol of a female connector 21 that constitutes a connector group 2 may be written as "Fi" (i = 1, 2, ... 11). Similarly, as shown in Fig. 2, the reference symbol of a mating male connector 32 to which a female connector Fi is connected may be written as "Mi" (i = 1, 2, ... 11). The suffix "i" of the reference symbols Fi and Mi is an identification number that indicates the connection order of the female connector 21 and the male connector 32.

[0034] Each female connector Fi constituting the connector group 2 has an "order restriction unit 40" (see FIG. 3) that restricts the order of disconnection from the wiring aggregation unit 3 to first-insertion-last-removal. The order restriction unit 40 is a member that imposes a physical restriction that the disconnection work of the following preceding connector Fk must be conditional on the disconnection work of the following following connector Fk+1. Preceding connector Fk: female connector 21 with identification number i k ("k" is a natural number variable in the range of 1≦k≦10) Following connector Fk+1: female connector 21 with identification number i k+1

[0035] 3 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the order restricting unit 40. As shown in Fig. 3, the order restricting unit 40 of this embodiment includes a leading tab 41 protruding from the leading connector Fk and a trailing tab 42 protruding from the trailing connector Fk+1 and having an end that engages with the leading tab 41.

[0036] The leading tab 41 is, for example, a plate piece that protrudes in a cantilevered manner from a side surface 41a of the leading connector Fk toward the following connector Fk+1. The following tab 42 is, for example, a plate piece that protrudes in a cantilevered manner from a side surface 42a of the following connector Fk+1 toward the leading connector Fk. The base ends of the tabs 41, 42 are not limited to the side surfaces 41a, 42a. However, from the perspective of making the presence of the tabs 41, 42 as inconspicuous as possible, it is preferable that the base ends of the tabs 41, 42 be located on the side surfaces 41a, 42a.

[0037] The condition for the positional relationship in the X direction between the leading tab 41 and the trailing tab 42 is that the trailing tab 42 is located on the positive side in the X direction relative to the leading tab 41. In other words, the protrusion amounts and X direction positions of both tabs 41, 42 are specified so that when the leading and trailing connectors Fk, Fk+1 are properly inserted into the mating female connectors Mk, Mk+1, the free end of the trailing tab 42 overlaps the leading tab 41 from the positive side in the X direction.

[0038] When the leading tab 41 and the trailing tab 42 are in the above-described positional relationship, if an attempt is made to disconnect the leading connector Fk while the trailing connector Fk+1 remains connected, the leading tab 41 gets caught on the trailing tab 42, physically restricting the disconnection of the leading connector Fk. The example in Figure 3 illustrates two cases, k = 11 and k = 10, but similarly, when k = 9 or less, an order restriction unit 40 is configured, each consisting of a pair of the leading tab 41 of the leading connector Fk and the trailing tab 42 of the trailing connector Fk+1.

[0039] [Connection Order and Disconnection Order] Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the connection order and disconnection order of the female connectors Fi. As shown in Figure 4, in the connector group 2 of this embodiment, for all female connectors Fi that make up the connector group 2, an order restriction unit 40 is provided between the preceding connector Fk and the succeeding connector Fk+1 (k = 1, 2 ... 10).

[0040] Therefore, the connection order of the female connectors Fi to the wiring collection section 3 is F1 → F2 → F3 → F4 → F5 → F6 → F7 → F8 → F9 → F10 → F11. Hereinafter, the route on the YZ plane (solid arrows in Figure 4) representing the work trajectory when the above connection order is performed will be referred to as the "connection route CR." As shown in Figure 4, the connection route CR is a spiral with the female connector F1 as the start point (white circle) and the female connector F11 as the end point (black circle).

[0041] The order in which the female connectors Fi are released from the wiring gathering section 3 is F11 → F10 → F9 → F8 → F7 → F6 → F5 → F4 → F3 → F2 → F1. Hereinafter, the route on the YZ plane (the dashed-dotted arrow in Figure 4) that represents the work path when the above release order is performed will be referred to as the "release route DR." As shown in Figure 4, the release route DR is a spiral with the female connector F11 as the start point (white circle) and the female connector F1 as the end point (black circle).

[0042] In the connector aggregation device 1 of this embodiment, even if a suspicious person attempts to first remove the female connector F7, the subsequent connector F8 will prevent the female connector F7 from being released. The same result occurs for any female connector Fi (i≠11) other than the last one in the connection order. Because the female connector Fi cannot be released in any order other than the specified release order, the release operation takes longer than if it could be released in any order. This makes physical attacks on the female connectors 21 more difficult.

[0043] 4, the connection route CR and the release route DR of this embodiment are routes that have multiple bends along the way. Specifically, of the 11 female connectors Fi, six hatched female connectors (hereinafter referred to as "corner connectors") F2, F3, F5, F6, F8, and F9 have leading tabs 41 and trailing tabs 42 that protrude in orthogonal directions, thereby forming nodes that bend the connection route SR and the release route DR.

[0044] If the connection route CR and the release route DR are bent using corner connectors F2, F3, F5, F6, F8, and F9, it becomes possible to adopt spiral routes CR and DR, as shown in Figure 4. Therefore, it is possible to increase the number of female connectors Fi that impose order restrictions compared to when the corner connectors F2, F3, F5, F6, F8, and F9 are not used.

[0045] The connection route CR and the release route DR may have a shape other than a spiral, such as a zigzag shape. Furthermore, the connection route CR and the release route DR may be any route that has at least one bend along the way.

[0046] [Method for Determining the Connection Order] The connection order of female connectors Fi to male connectors Mi is determined based on an "evaluation policy" defined from the perspective of vehicle security risk. Specifically, the evaluation policy dictates that female connectors Fi with higher security risk should be connected first. For example, a risk evaluation value E that numerically expresses the magnitude of risk can be used as the vehicle security risk.

[0047] In this case, if a large risk assessment value E indicates a high risk, the identification number i of the female connector Fi with the large risk assessment value E is made as small as possible. In other words, priority is given to the connection work of the female connector Fi connected to the communication transmission line 22 with the high risk assessment value E. For example, if the risk assessment values ​​E of the female connectors Fi are as follows, the connection order of the female connectors Fi is, for example, F1 → F2 → F3 → F4 → F5.

[0048] Connector F1: E=8 Connector F2: E=6 Connector F3: E=5 Connector F4: E=5 Connector F5: E=2

[0049] In this way, by adopting a priority order in which the female connector Fi with a higher security risk is inserted first, it becomes more difficult to disconnect the female connector Fi with a higher security risk, thereby improving security compared to when priority order based on security risk is not taken into consideration.

[0050] In the above example, since the risk assessment values ​​E of both female connectors F3 and F4 are "5," female connector F4 may be connected before female connector F3. The risk assessment value E may be an assessment value determined by the procedure specified in ISO / SAE 21434, for example. The risk assessment value E may be set according to the type of vehicle control or the type of communication protocol, such as CAN (Controller Area Network) or Ethernet (registered trademark).

[0051] An example of setting the risk assessment value E based on the type of vehicle control is to increase the assessment value for engine control, steering control, etc., which are more related to vehicle driving, and decrease the assessment value for media systems such as audio and navigation.An example of setting the risk assessment value E based on the type of communication protocol is to increase the assessment value for CAN communication, which is more likely to be related to vehicle driving, and decrease the assessment value for Ethernet communication, which is less likely to be related to vehicle driving.

[0052] 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a modification of the order restriction unit 40. As shown in Fig. 5, the order restriction unit 40 according to the modification includes two subsequent tabs 42A and 42B provided at the subsequent connector Fj+3 (where "j" is a natural number variable in the range of 1≦j≦8), a preceding tab 41A provided at the preceding connector Fj+2 that is immediately preceding in the connection order, and a preceding tab 41B provided at the preceding connector Fj+1 that is two connectors preceding in the connection order.

[0053] Of the two trailing tabs 42A, 42B, one trailing tab 42A engages with the leading tab 41A of the preceding connector Fj+2 to restrict release, and the other trailing tab 42B engages with the leading tab 41B of the preceding connector Fj+1 to restrict release. That is, the order restriction unit 40 according to the modified example has not only tabs 41A, 42A that restrict release of the preceding connector Fj+2, which is one connector earlier in the connection order, but also tabs 41B, 42B that restrict release of the preceding connector Fj+1, which is two connectors earlier in the connection order.

[0054] In this way, the target of the release restriction by the successive connector Fj+3 is not limited to the preceding connector Fj+2 immediately before, but may be the preceding connector F+1 two connectors before. Also, although not shown, it may be the preceding connector three or more connectors before. According to the first modification, by employing the successive connector Fj+3 that restricts the release of the two preceding connectors Fj+2 and Fj+1, there is an advantage that the connection route CR and the release route DR can be configured as branch routes with the successive connector Fj+3 as a branch point.

[0055] [Second Modification] Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a female connector 21 having an operating unit 50. As shown in Figure 6, the female connector 21 according to the modification has a locking mechanism (not shown) that maintains the connection with the male connector 32, and an operating unit 50 for releasing the locking mechanism. The operating unit 50 is, for example, a push button that protrudes from a side surface 50a of the female connector 21. The operating unit 50 is normally biased to a protruding state and releases the lock when pressed.

[0056] The distance D between the side surface 50a on which the operation unit 50 is provided and the adjacent female connector 21 is set to be less than the width of a human finger. Note that a distance D less than the width of a human finger may be, for example, approximately 4 mm to 8 mm. According to the second modification, the narrow distance D makes it difficult to access the operation unit 50. This has the advantage of making physical attacks on the female connector 21 more difficult than when the operation unit 50 is located in an easily accessible location.

[0057] 7 is a perspective view showing an example of a connector assembly 25. As shown in Fig. 7, the connector group 2 according to the modification is configured by a connector assembly 25 in which a plurality of female connectors 21 are integrated together by a runner 24.

[0058] 7, the female connectors F1 to F11 are arranged in appropriate positions so that the YZ plane positions of the insertion openings of the female connectors F1 to F11 match the YZ plane positions of the mating male connectors M1 to M11. Each of the female connectors F1 to F11 included in the connector assembly 25 is also integrally molded with an order-limiting portion 40 consisting of a leading tab 41 and a trailing tab 42.

[0059] By employing the connector group (connector assembly 25) according to the modified example, all of the female connectors F1 to F11 can be connected at once to the male connectors M1 to M11 of the wiring collection section 3. This has the advantage of simplifying the connection work to the wiring collection section 3. After the connection is complete, the female connectors F1 to F11 can be individually separated by cutting the runner 24 with a tool such as nippers.

[0060] [Other Modifications] The embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and are not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and includes all modifications within the scope of equivalents to the configurations described in the claims. In the above-described embodiments, the multiple connected portions of the wiring collection section 3 may be "female connectors," and the connector of the wire harness 23 may be "male connectors." Alternatively, the multiple connected portions of the wiring collection section 3 may be arranged in a mixed arrangement of female and male connectors.

[0061] In the above-described embodiment, the connector group 2 may be a group that includes a mixture of connectors 21 that employ the order restriction unit 40 and connectors (not shown) that do not employ the order restriction unit 40. In this case, it is possible to determine which connectors employ the order restriction unit 40 depending on, for example, the level of the security risk described above.

[0062] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Connector aggregation device 2 Connector group 3 Wiring aggregation section 21 Female connector (connector) 22 Transmission line 23 Wire harness 24 Runner 25 Connector assembly 31 Housing 32 Male connector (connected portion) 33 Arrangement surface 40 Order restriction section 41 Leading tab 41A Leading tab 41B Leading tab 41a Side surface 42 Trailing tab 42A Trailing tab 42B Trailing tab 42a Side surface 50 Operation section 50a Side surface

Claims

1. A connector aggregation device comprising: a wiring aggregation section in which a plurality of connectable parts are arranged; and a group of connectors connected to the plurality of connectable parts, wherein the group of connectors includes at least two connectors having an order restriction section that restricts the order in which connectors are disconnected from the wiring aggregation section to first-insertion, then-removal.

2. The connector aggregation device described in claim 1, wherein the at least two connectors include a leading connector and a trailing connector that is connected after the leading connector, and the order restriction portion includes a leading tab that protrudes from the leading connector and a trailing tab that protrudes from the trailing connector and has an end that engages with the leading tab.

3. The connector aggregation device according to claim 2, wherein the trailing tab engages with the leading tab of the leading connector that is one connector before the trailing connector in the connection order.

4. A connector aggregation device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the trailing tab engages with the leading tab of the leading connector that is two or more connectors ahead of the trailing connector in the connection order.

5. A connector aggregation device as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the at least two connectors include three or more connectors, and the release route for releasing the three or more connectors is a route having at least one bend along the way.

6. A connector aggregation device as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the connection order of the at least two connectors is determined based on an evaluation policy defined from the perspective of vehicle security risk, and the evaluation policy dictates that the connector with the higher security risk is connected first.

7. The connector aggregation device described in claim 6, wherein the level of security risk is determined based on at least one of a risk assessment value determined in accordance with a procedure specified in ISO / SAE 21434, a risk assessment value based on the vehicle control type, and a risk assessment value based on the communication protocol type.

8. A connector aggregation device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the at least two connectors include a connector having side surfaces with a distance between adjacent connectors that is less than the width of a human finger, and an operating unit for unlocking the connection provided on the side surface.

9. A connector aggregation device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the connector group is constituted by a connector assembly in which a plurality of connectors are integrated by a runner.

10. A connector group that is connected to a plurality of connected parts arranged in a wiring collection section, and includes at least two connectors having an order restriction section that restricts the order in which the connectors are disconnected from the wiring collection section to first-insertion, then-removal.

11. A method for connecting a group of connectors to a plurality of connectable parts arranged in a wiring collection section, the group of connectors including a first connector and a second connector that physically restricts the disconnection of the first connector by connecting itself, the method including the steps of: connecting the first connector, which poses a higher security risk than the second connector, to one of the plurality of connectable parts before the second connector; and connecting the second connector to another of the plurality of connectable parts.

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