Fuse-equipped connector, and connector structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12294188-B2
Application number	US-202117925451-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 12, 2021
Priority date	Jun 1, 2020
Publication date	May 6, 2025
Grant date	May 6, 2025

Abstract

Provided is a fuse-equipped connector including: a housing; a fuse terminal configured to be attached to the housing; a holder configured to be attached to the housing; and a fuse configured to be attached to the holder, and be electrically connected to the fuse terminal, wherein the housing includes a lock portion, and the holder includes a lock receiving portion configured to be elastically locked to the lock portion, the holder includes a fuse accommodating portion in which the fuse is to be removably accommodated, the fuse includes a terminal portion, and the fuse terminal includes a fuse elastic contact portion configured to come into elastic contact with the terminal portion of the fuse.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fuse-equipped connector comprising:
a housing;
a fuse terminal configured to be attached to the housing;
a holder configured to be attached to the housing; and
a fuse configured to be attached to the holder, and to be electrically connected to the fuse terminal,
wherein the housing includes a lock portion, and the holder includes a lock receiving portion configured to be elastically locked to the lock portion,
the holder includes a fuse accommodating portion in which the fuse is to be removably accommodated,
the fuse includes a terminal portion, and
the fuse terminal includes a fuse elastic contact portion configured to come into elastic contact with the terminal portion of the fuse,
a relay terminal is attached to the housing,
the holder includes a bus bar accommodating portion in which a bus bar configured to be electrically connected to the relay terminal is to be accommodated,
the relay terminal includes a bus bar tube portion in which the bus bar is to be accommodated, and
the bus bar tube portion includes a bus bar elastic contact portion configured to protrude into the bus bar tube portion so as to come into elastic contact with the bus bar inserted in the bus bar tube portion.

2. The fuse-equipped connector according to claim 1 ,
wherein the terminal portion is provided on an outer surface of the fuse, and
the fuse elastic contact portion of the fuse terminal is configured to be elastically fitted onto the terminal portion.

3. The fuse-equipped connector according to claim 1 ,
wherein the terminal portion of the fuse includes a tab portion having a plate shape,
the fuse terminal includes a fuse tube portion into which the tab portion is to be inserted, and
the fuse tube portion includes a fuse elastic contact portion configured to protrude into the fuse tube portion so as to come into elastic contact with the tab portion inserted in the fuse tube portion.

4. A connector structure comprising:
the fuse-equipped connector according to claim 1 ; and
a counterpart connector configured to be fitted to the fuse-equipped connector,
wherein the counterpart connector includes a counterpart terminal configured to be electrically connected to the terminal portion of the fuse, and
the counterpart terminal includes a counterpart fuse elastic contact portion configured to come into elastic contact with the terminal portion of the fuse.

5. A connector structure comprising:
a fuse-equipped connector; and
a counterpart connector configured to be fitted to the fuse-equipped connector,
wherein the fuse-equipped connector comprises:
a housing including a tubular circumferential wall that extends in a front-rear direction and an opening that opens forward and through which the counterpart connector is fitted into the housing of the fuse-equipped connector in the front-rear direction;
a fuse terminal configured to be attached to the housing;
a holder configured to be attached to the housing; and
a fuse configured to be attached to the holder, and to be electrically connected to the fuse terminal,

the housing includes a lock portion, and the holder includes a lock receiving portion configured to be elastically locked to the lock portion,
the holder includes a fuse accommodating portion in which the fuse is to be removably accommodated,
the fuse includes a terminal portion,
the fuse terminal includes a fuse elastic contact portion configured to come into elastic contact with the terminal portion of the fuse,
the counterpart connector includes a counterpart terminal configured to be electrically connected to the terminal portion of the fuse,
the counterpart terminal includes a counterpart fuse elastic contact portion configured to come into elastic contact with the terminal portion of the fuse,
the housing of the fuse-equipped connector includes a window portion in the tubular circumferential wall, wherein the window portion opens upward in a direction different from the opening of the housing, and the holder mounted to the housing and the fuse attached to the holder are exposed from the window portion, and
the counterpart connector includes a hood portion configured to cover the fuse so as to close the window portion in a state in which the fuse-equipped connector and the counterpart connector are fitted to each other.

6. The connector structure according to claim 5 ,
wherein a relay terminal is attached to the housing,
the holder includes a bus bar accommodating portion in which a bus bar configured to be electrically connected to the relay terminal is to be accommodated,
the relay terminal includes a bus bar tube portion in which the bus bar is to be accommodated, and
the bus bar tube portion includes a bus bar elastic contact portion configured to protrude into the bus bar tube portion so as to come into elastic contact with the bus bar inserted in the bus bar tube portion.

7. The connector structure according to claim 5 , wherein
the window portion is provided in an upper wall of the tubular circumferential wall, and a lower wall of the tubular circumferential wall facing the window portion is closed.

8. The connector structure according to claim 5 , wherein
an upper side of the holder mounted to the housing and an upper side of the fuse attached to the holder are exposed from the window portion, and an lower side of the holder mounted to the housing and a lower side of the fuse attached to the holder are covered by the tubular circumferential wall facing the window portion.

9. The connector structure according to claim 5 ,
wherein the terminal portion is provided on an outer surface of the fuse, and
the fuse elastic contact portion of the fuse terminal is configured to be elastically fitted onto the terminal portion.

10. The connector structure according to claim 5 ,
wherein the terminal portion of the fuse includes a tab portion having a plate shape,
the fuse terminal includes a fuse tube portion into which the tab portion is to be inserted, and
the fuse tube portion includes a fuse elastic contact portion configured to protrude into the fuse tube portion so as to come into elastic contact with the tab portion inserted in the fuse tube portion.

Assignees

• Autonetworks Technologies Ltd
• Sumitomo Wiring Systems
• Sumitomo Electric Industries

Inventors

• Shimizu Hiroshi
• Takeda Hitoshi

Classifications

• H01H85/202

  for fuses with ferrule type end contacts · CPC title

• H01H85/201

  for connecting a fuse in a lead and adapted to be supported by the lead alone · CPC title

• H01H85/0026

  casings for the fuse and its base contacts · CPC title

• H01R31/065

  with built-in electric apparatus · CPC title

• H01R13/6272

  comprising a single latching arm · CPC title