Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Limited

Mitsuhiko Matsuoka

Yukimitsu Hattori

Koji Kasai

Takeharu Ito

Akinori Oishi

A joint connector is provided that includes a plurality of divisional joint connectors and a joint terminal. Each divisional joint connector includes a case having a pressure contact terminal and at least one opening. The pressure contact terminal has a wire connection portion and a terminal contact portion. The wire connection portion has at least one pressure contact blade configured to make pressure contact with a wire extending from a wire harness subassembly. The joint terminal extends into the respective openings, and is connected to a respective one of the terminal contact portions of the pressure contact terminals that are accommodated respectively in the cases of the divisional joint connectors. Consequently, electrical connection is made between the wires extending from a plurality of the wire harness subassemblies. With the above construction, it is possible to eliminate terminal fittings which have to be assembled subsequently in final harness assembly of a complete wire harness and to reduce the number of wires to be connected to the joint connector.

Joint connector

The circuitry contained in an electrical connector housing is standardized, so that its manufacturing, modification and addition can be simplified. To this end, a circuitry is designed so as to include a plurality of unit circuits, both ends of which are to be connected to an electrical part such as a relay, fuse or connector. The unit circuits are made of an identical electrically conductive material and formed into long thin elements. The unit circuits are arranged in parallel at a given spacing relative to one another. The electrically conductive element of each unit circuit is connected to the electrical part through another electrically conductive element arranged substantially perpendicular thereto.

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Yokkaichi, Japan

Mitsuhiko Matsuoka