Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Limited

Sumitomo Wiring System, Ltd.

Satomi Seko

Masamitsu Chishima

Yukinori Saka

Eiji Saijo

Hiroyuki Oka

Yoshimasa Wada

Kenji Okamura

Kenii Okamura

A connector is provided to independently perform connection detection and short releasing functions. The connector includes a connection detecting member,and a separate short releasing member,. A connector is assembled by fitting a female connector housing,into a male connector housing,, mounting the connection detecting member,and then mounting the short releasing member,. The connected state of the connector housings,is detected based on whether or not the connection detecting member,can be mounted on the female connector housing,. If the short releasing member,is mounted after the two connector housings are properly connected, the shorted state of male tabs,is released in the male connector housing. Since the connection detecting member,and the short releasing member,are such separate members as to be independently mountable and detachable, both the connection detection and the short releasing can properly be performed.

Connector

A connector is provided to independently perform connection detection and short releasing functions. The connector includes a connection detecting member,and a separate short releasing member,A connector is assembled by fitting a female connector housing,into a male connector housing,mounting the connection detecting member,and then mounting the short releasing member,The connected state of the connector housings,is detected based on whether or not the connection detecting member,can be mounted on the female connector housing,If the short releasing member,is mounted after the two connector housings are properly connected, the shorted state of male tabs,is released in the male connector housing. Since the connection detecting member,and the short releasing member,are such separate members as to be independently mountable and detachable, both the connection detection and the short releasing can properly be performed.

A connector is provided to avoid problems in producing and handling a wiring harness when one conductive path which is branched from a main path of the wiring harness and returns thereto again after passing via branch paths is constructed. To achieve this objective, a cutter,is provided between two blade-type terminal fittings,of a joint connector,, and a main wire Waa is connected with the two blade-type terminal fittings and cut therebetween by the cutter,. By connecting a branching connector,with the joint connector,, branch terminal fittings,are connected with the blade-type terminal fittings,. Since all main wires forming a wiring harness WH are allowed to have the same length and to be bundled together, there is no problem in producing and handling the wiring harness WH.

Connector and a method for producing the same

A connector is provided with a retainer which can prevent a retainer insertion hole from being exposed to the outside and which has a strong force for retaining terminal fittings. The retainer includes a pair of insertion portions 41, 42 having different lengths extend in parallel from a base portion 43 of a retainer 40, and tapered surfaces 32, 33 for guiding the respective insertion portions 41, 42 in a direction oblique to the insertion direction of terminal fittings 20 are provided at the back of a pair of insertion holes 30, 31 formed in a housing 10 in conformity with the insertion portions 41, 42. When the retainer 40 is guided in the oblique direction, lock projections 45 provided on the retainer 40 directly lock the terminal fittings 20. Since the terminal fittings 20 are directly locked by the retainer 40 in this connector, they can be retained with a strong force. Further, since the insertion holes 30, 31 are open in the front surface of the housing 10, they are covered by a mating connector and not exposed to the outside.

Connector provided with a retainer

A connector is provided to independently perform connection detection and short releasing functions. The connector includes a connection detecting member 55 and a separate short releasing member 50. A connector is assembled by fitting a female connector housing 21 into a male connector housing 11, mounting the connection detecting member 55 and then mounting the short releasing member 50. The connected state of the connector housings 11, 21 is detected based on whether or not the connection detecting member 55 can be mounted on the female connector housing 21. If the short releasing member 50 is mounted after the two connector housings are properly connected, the shorted state of male tabs 13 is released in the male connector housing. Since the connection detecting member 55 and the short releasing member 50 are such separate members as to be independently mountable and detachable, both the connection detection and the short releasing can properly be performed.

A cramping terminal is provided to have a strong groove portion and an electrical connection with an improved reliability. The cramping terminal 20 has a side cramping blade 29 provided in a groove portion 25. The side cramping blade 29 is formed by bending projections 40 that define the side cramping blade 29 in different directions. Accordingly, holes 42 formed by the projections 40 are left in one side wall 27 more toward one end of the groove portion 25 than the side cramping blade 29 and in the other side wall more toward the other end of the groove portion 25 than the side cramping blade 29. Therefore, the side walls 27 remain opposite to the hole 42, enhancing the strength of the groove portion 25.

Cramping terminal

A connector is provided with a retainer 30 that is rotatable in a housing 10 about an insertion portion 33. When the retainer 30 is rotated to its lock position, lock projections 32 provided on the insertion portion 33 lock the terminal fittings 20. Since the retainer 30 can directly lock the terminal fittings 20 in this connector, the terminal fittings 20 can be retained with a strong force. Further, since a retainer insertion hole 31 is formed in the front surface of the housing 10, it is not exposed to the outside by being covered by a mating connector. In other words, the inventive connector has advantages of both side retainer type and front retainer type connectors of prior art and retains the terminal fittings 20 with a large force while being designed to be watertight.

An electrical connector can be fitted with either an electric wire cover (40) or a component installation cover (30), the choice of cover corresponding to the presence or absence of an electrical component (39) in the corresponding connector housing. The electric wire cover (40) or the component installation cover (30) are installed detachably and, as a result, the relatively expensive connector housing (10) is provided with shared components which can be adapted to the intended use.

Electrical connector

A connector is provided with a retainer in which a retainer insertion hole is covered and terminal fittings are retained with a large force. The connector has an inner housing 12 fittable into an outer housing 11. A retainer insertion hole 23 is so provided as to extend in a direction normal to the extension of cavities 15. A retainer 40 inserted into this insertion 23 faces rear end surfaces 31B of main portions 31 of terminal fittings 30 to prevent the terminal fittings 30 from coming out. According to this embodiment, since the retainer 40 directly prevents the terminal fittings 30 from coming out, the terminal fittings 30 can be retained with a large force. Further, the retainer insertion hole 23 in the inner housing is covered by the outer housing 11 and therefore is not exposed.

A male terminal fitting 20 is formed by bending, for example, copper alloy metal plate, and comprises, in a unified manner, a barrel member 30, a contact protrusion 40 for insertion into a female terminal fitting, and a tubular member 50 located between these. The terminal fitting comprises an overlapping plate 53 that overlaps with a roof wall 52 of the tubular member 50, a strengthening plate 54 extending in a unified manner from the anterior end of the overlapping plate 53 entering into the root portion of the contact protrusion 40. As a result, the strength of the contact protrusion 40 is increased and change of shape thereof due to an external force is prevented.

Male side terminal fitting

A pair of resilient contacts 12 facing each other are made into a C shape. The base end of each contact 12 connects to a tubular member 11. In this manner, the contact 12 has a strengthening wall 13 formed along the direction of bending. Thus when a male terminal fitting C is inserted between the contacts 12, the strengthening walls 13 bend in a direction that is parallel to the wall face and consequently an increased clamping force can be provided notwithstanding that the thickness of the terminal material is not great. Miniaturization of the terminal is facilitated.

Female terminal fitting

A cover 11 for an electrical terminal is formed by bending a stainless steel stamping into an angular tubular shape. A right side plate 15 of the cover 11 is formed so as to protrude above a plate face of an upper face plate 12, a lance 20 being formed on this plate face by shearing. This protruding portion serves as a stabilizer 17 which is formed in a stepped shape so as to be retracted inwards with respect to the outer face of the right side plate 15. The anterior and posterior ends of the upper face plate 12 have a pair of inserting members 22 formed thereon. The stabilizer 17 has a pair of fitting grooves 23 formed by cutting away into the protruding portion thereof. When the stamping is bent to the angular tubular shape, the inserting members 22 fit into the corresponding groove 23 to improve the stability of the cover, and without protruding beyond the right side plate 15.

Cover of terminal fitting

A protecting cover B is provided for a miniature terminal, the upper face having a lance 41 formed by shearing. This lance 41 has a pair of protecting members 42 located in the posterior side thereof, the posterior edges of the protecting members 42 being cut so as to form diagonal edges with respect to the direction of extension of the lance 41. In this way, a portion of the bending space formed under the lance 41 is surrounded by the protecting member 42, thereby preventing entry of foreign matter. As a result, bending and entanglement can be prevented. The cover may have a protruding wall 43 to provide additional protection against external forces.

Terminal fitting

To ensure a wire arrangement with an improved degree of freedom and in a compact manner. A terminal 10 is formed by bending the opposite ends of a strip 11 in the same direction by different lengths to form two blade portions 12a1, 12b1 of different heights such that slits formed in the blade portions 12a1, 12b1 are aligned with respect to the longitudinal direction of wires to be connected. In a lower casing accommodating the terminals 10, branch wires 50 are placed and retained on the lower blade portions 12b1. In an upper casing 40 for covering the lower casing 30, main wires 60 are so retained as to face the higher blade portions 12a1 when the upper casing 40 is fitted to cover the lower casing 30. When the upper casing 40 is fitted on the lower casing 30, the main wires 60 retained by the upper casing 40 are pressed into the slits of the blade portions 12a1 to be connected therewith, and press the branch wires 50 placed on the blade portions 12b1 in the lower casing 30 into the slits of the blade portions 12b1 so that the branch wires 50 are connected with the blade portions 12b1. Thus, the connected wires 50, 60 can be arranged one over the other in a compact manner.

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Yokkaichi, Japan

Satomi Seko