Connection instrument

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11063375-B2
Application number	US-201816766747-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 6, 2018
Priority date	Dec 6, 2017
Publication date	Jul 13, 2021
Grant date	Jul 13, 2021

Abstract

A connection instrument includes: a cable including an electrical wire and two separated covering parts covering the electrical wire; a connection terminal connectable to a terminal of an external connector; a connection part; a flat plate-shaped wiring board; and a housing. The connection part electrically connects the connection terminal and the electrical wire exposed between the two separated covering parts. The connection terminal and connection part are arranged on the wiring board. The wiring board is located between the two covering parts. The housing allows insertion/extraction of the external connector and houses the wiring board. At least part of the wiring board is roughly in contact with or included in a space linking adjacent ends of the two covering parts.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A connection instrument comprising:
a cable that includes an electrical wire and two covering parts that cover the electrical wire and are separated from one another;
a connection terminal that is connectable to a terminal of an external connector;
a connection part that electrically connects the connection terminal and the electrical wire that is exposed between the two covering parts that are separated from one another;
a wiring board that has a flat plate shape, that has the connection terminal and the connection part arranged thereon, and that is located between the two covering parts; and
a housing that allows insertion and extraction of the external connector and that houses the wiring board, wherein
at least part of the wiring board is roughly in contact with or included in a space that links respective ends of the two covering parts that are adjacent to one another.

2. The connection instrument according to claim 1 , wherein a position of the connection part and a position of the terminal of the external connector roughly coincide in a direction perpendicular to an insertion/extraction direction in which the external connector is inserted and extracted when the external connector is inserted into and extracted from the housing.

3. The connection instrument according to claim 1 , comprising: two of the electrical wire that are arranged in a thickness direction of the wiring board; two of the connection terminal; and two of the connection part, wherein
one of the two connection parts is a metal piece including a notch that, from a side corresponding to the wiring board, pinches an electrical wire among the two electrical wires that is arranged at the side corresponding to the wiring board such that the notch pinches a core wire of the electrical wire,
the other of the two connection parts is a metal piece including a notch that, from an opposite side to the wiring board, pinches an electrical wire among the two electrical wires that is arranged at the opposite side to the wiring board such that the notch pinches a core wire of the electrical wire, and
one of the two connection terminals is electrically connected to one of the two connection parts, and the other of the two connection terminals is electrically connected to the other of the two connection parts.

4. The connection instrument according to claim 1 , wherein
the electrical wire is divided into two electrical wires, and
the connection part includes: wiring that is electrically connected to the connection terminal; a member that electrically connects the wiring and one of the two electrical wires that are divided; and a member that electrically connects the wiring and the other of the two electrical wires that are divided.

5. The connection instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical wire is arranged on the wiring board such that a longitudinal direction of the electrical wire is roughly parallel to an insertion/extraction direction in which the external connector is inserted and extracted.

6. The connection instrument according to claim 1 , further comprising an electrical component arranged on the wiring board, wherein
the electrical component detects electrical continuity between the external connector and the cable.

7. The connection instrument according to claim 1 , further comprising an electrical component arranged on the wiring board, wherein
the electrical component transmits and receives a prescribed signal via the cable.

8. The connection instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the external connector is a connector that is attached to an energy harvester.

9. The connection instrument according to claim 1 , wherein
the connection part is a metal piece formed on the connection terminal,
the metal piece includes a notch, and
the notch pinches a core wire of the electrical wire.

10. The connection instrument according to claim 9 , wherein a longitudinal direction of the notch of the metal piece is roughly perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the electrical wire.

Assignees

• Zeon Corp

Inventors

• Yoshida Masayoshi
• Yamaai Midori
• Shiga Naomi

Classifications

• H10F77/939

  Output lead wires or elements · CPC title

• Y02B10/10

  Photovoltaic [PV] · CPC title

• Y02E10/50

  Photovoltaic [PV] energy · CPC title

• H02S40/34

  comprising specially adapted electrical connection means to be structurally associated with the PV module, e.g. junction boxes · CPC title

• H02G3/16

  structurally associated with support for line-connecting terminals within the box · CPC title