Connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10490928-B2
Application number	US-201716066074-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 5, 2017
Priority date	Jan 12, 2016
Publication date	Nov 26, 2019
Grant date	Nov 26, 2019

Abstract

A connector has parts that can be used in common as much as possible in different specifications to reduce cost and to facilitate parts management. In a first specification having a high shielding function, a terminal fitting (20) connected to a shielded electric wire (15) is accommodated in a dielectric (23). The dielectric (23) is surrounded by an outer conductor (40) that is connected to a braided wire (18). The second specification requires no shielding function, and thus the outer conductor (40) is not used. Rather, a sub-housing (70) having the same shape and size as the outer conductor (40) of the first specification is used. The sub-housing (70) is configured to accommodate and retain the terminal fitting (20) and is locked in a same retained state as in the first specification when accommodated in a common housing (10) used in both specifications.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A connector capable of selecting either a first specification or a second specification, the first specification comprising a terminal fitting attached to a distal end of an electric wire having a shield layer, a dielectric formed of an insulating material and accommodating the terminal fitting in a retained state, an outer conductor formed of a conductive material and connected to the shield layer while surrounding the dielectric, and a housing accommodating the terminal fitting, the dielectric, and the outer conductor in a retained state, the second specification using at least the housing in common and not comprising at least the outer conductor,
wherein in the second specification, a sub housing which accommodates the terminal fitting in a retained state is provided instead of the dielectric, the sub housing being formed with a lock receiving portion capable of being locked to a lock portion formed in the housing and configured to be incorporated into the housing in a retained state.

2. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the dielectric and the sub housing are each divided into a pair of half bodies by a dividing plane along the longitudinal direction thereof, and when the terminal fitting is fitted into one of the half bodies from the dividing plane side, a part of the terminal fitting is capable of being locked non-elastically to a lock portion formed in the one half body, and when both half bodies are united, the terminal fitting is accommodated therein in a retained state.

3. The connector according to claim 1 ,
wherein the electric wire is a twisted wire formed by twisting two core wires together, the core wires being covered with respective insulating inner covers, the first specification using a shielded electric wire provided with a braided wire and an insulating outer cover, the braided wire serving as the shield layer and collectively surrounding the insulating inner covers, the insulating outer cover surrounding the braided wire, the braided wire being selectively usable in the electric wire in the second specification;
wherein in the first specification, the braided wire in a state of being exposed by peeling off of an end portion of the outer cover and folded back onto the outer cover is swaged by a swaging piece formed in the outer conductor; and
wherein in the second specification, a swaging ring is provided which indirectly swages the outer cover with the folded-back braided wire being interposed therebetween, or directly swages the outer cover without the braided wire being interposing therebetween.

4. A connector capable of selecting either a first specification or a second specification, the first specification comprising a terminal fitting attached to a distal end of an electric wire having a shield layer, a dielectric formed of an insulating material and accommodating the terminal fitting in a retained state, an outer conductor formed of a conductive material and connected to the shield layer while surrounding the dielectric, and a housing accommodating the terminal fitting, the dielectric, and the outer conductor in a retained state, the second specification using at least the housing in common, not comprising the outer conductor, and using the electric wire not having the shield layer,
wherein in the second specification, a sub-housing accommodating the terminal fitting in a retained state is provided instead of the dielectric, the sub-housing being provided with a lock receiving portion capable of being locked to a lock portion formed in the housing and configured to be incorporated into the housing in a retained state.

5. The connector according to claim 2 ,
wherein the electric wire is a twisted wire formed by twisting two core wires together, the core wires being covered with respective insulating inner covers, the first specification using a shielded electric wire provided with a braided wire and an insulating outer cover, the braided wire serving as the shield layer and collectively surrounding the insulating inner covers, the insulating outer cover surrounding the braided wire, the braided wire being selectively usable in the electric wire in the second specification;
wherein in the first specification, the braided wire in a state of being exposed by peeling off of an end portion of the outer cover and folded back onto the outer cover is swaged by a swaging piece formed in the outer conductor; and
wherein in the second specification, a swaging ring is provided which indirectly swages the outer cover with the folded-back braided wire being interposed therebetween, or directly swages the outer cover without the braided wire being interposing therebetween.

Assignees

• Autonetworks Technologies Ltd
• Sumitomo Wiring Systems
• Sumitomo Electric Industries
• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Matsui Hajime
• Omori Yasuo
• Maesoba Hiroyoshi
• Ichio Toshifumi
• Okumura Kimiyasu
• Tabata Masaaki
• Yamazaki Ryutaro
• Kobayashi Hiroshi
• Hara Motoya

Classifications

• H01R13/4361

  Insertion of locking piece perpendicular to direction of contact insertion · CPC title

• H01R13/6592

  the conductive member being a shielded cable · CPC title

• H01R13/516 Primary

  Means for holding or embracing insulating body, e.g. casing {, hoods} · CPC title

• H01R2103/00

  Two poles · CPC title

• H01R13/6581

  Shield structure · CPC title