JOINT CONNECTOR AND WIRE HARNESS

Abstract

A joint connector and a wire harness in which a plurality of conductor portions exposed at ends of a plurality of covered electric wires can be reliably electrically connected to a joint portion of a joint terminal. They include a conductor holding member that has larger holes guiding cover portions of the covered electric wires so as to allow the cover portions abut from a side of one end face into which the covered electric wires are inserted and smaller holes allowing the conductor portions protruding from the cover portions to pass through to another end face.

Claims

1. A joint connector for joining, in a bundled state, and electrically connecting a plurality of conductor portions exposed from cover portions at ends of a plurality of covered electric wires arranged parallel to each other, the joint connector comprising: a conductor holding member that has cover guide portions for guiding the cover portions of the plurality of covered electric wires so as to allow the cover portions to abut from a side of one end face into which the plurality of covered electric wires are inserted, and conductor passing portions allowing the conductor portions protruding from the cover portions to pass through to another end face, the conductor holding member holding the plurality of covered electric wires in a state in which tips of the plurality of conductor portions protrude from the conductor passing portions; and a joint terminal that has a joint portion for joining, in a bundled state, the tips of the plurality of conductor portions that protrude from the conductor holding member and are parallel to each other, and a connection terminal portion formed integrally with the joint portion, wherein the conductor holding member holds the conductor portions of the plurality of covered electric wires in parallel to an axis, the joint portion of the joint terminal extends in an axial direction of the conductor holding member, the conductor portions arranged in parallel to each other in the conductor holding member are bundled towards the axis of the conductor holding member between the other end face of the conductor holding member and the joint portion of the joint terminal.

2. The joint connector according to claim 1, wherein the conductor holding member has a plurality of conductor insertion holes into which the plurality of conductor portions are inserted.

3. The joint connector according to claim 1, wherein the conductor holding member has a plurality of larger holes formed in the one end face such that the cover portions of the plurality of covered electric wires can be inserted respectively into the larger holes, a plurality of smaller holes formed closer to the other end face than the larger holes such that the plurality of conductor portions can pass through the smaller holes, and cover abutments formed between the larger holes and the smaller holes.

4. The joint connector according to claim 1, wherein the joint portion of the joint terminal has a curved cross-sectional shape, and the tips of the plurality of conductor portions are crimped to the joint portion.

5. The joint connector according to claim 1, wherein the tips of the plurality of conductor portions are welded to the joint portion.

6. A wire harness comprising an electric wire group constituted by a plurality of covered electric wires and the joint connector according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0024] FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of a joint connector according to an embodiment.

[0025] FIG. 2 is a view taken in direction A-A in FIG. 1.

[0026] FIG. 3 is a view of the conductor holding member in FIG. 1, viewed in the axial direction.

[0027] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along B-B in FIG. 3.

[0028] FIG. 5 is diagram showing a state in which covered electric wires are inserted into the conductor holding member in FIG. 3.

[0029] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a state before the electric wires are inserted into the electric wire accommodating grooves in the conventional joint connector for earthing.

[0030] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a state after the electric wires are inserted into the electric wire accommodating grooves in the conventional joint connector for earthing.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0031] Hereinafter, a joint connector and a wire harness according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0032] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a wire harness 100 according to the present embodiment includes a joint connector 1 and an electric wire group 41, and is routed in a vehicle such as a car. The joint connector 1 includes a conductor holding member 20 and a joint terminal 30. The electric wire group 41 has a plurality of covered electric wires 40 that electrically connect electronic components mounted on the vehicle.

[0033] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the conductor holding member 20 has an approximately cylindrical shape, and has a plurality of electric wire accommodating holes 21 that pass from one end face 20a to the other end face 20b. The conductor holing member 20 is not limited to the above-described shape, and may also have a rectangular columnar shape, a polygonal columnar shape, or the like. Also, the conductor holding member 20 need not be conductive, and may be made of either a resin material or a metal material.

[0034] The electric wire accommodating holes 21 include a plurality of larger holes 21a that extend in parallel to the axis of the conductor holding member 20 from the one end face 20a of the conductor holding member 20 toward the middle in the axial direction and a plurality of smaller holes 21b that are continuous and coaxial with the larger holes 21a and extend toward the other end face 20b of the conductor holding member 20. Furthermore, the electric wire accommodating holes 21 each have an annular cover abutment 21c that is approximately parallel to the one end face 20a and the other end face 20b of the conductor holding member 20, at the border between the larger hole 21a and the smaller hole 21b.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 5, the inner diameter of the larger hole 21a is set such that the portion of the covered electric wire 40 from which the cover portion 40b is not removed can be inserted into the larger hole 21a. These larger holes 21a and the cover abutments 21c constitute a cover guide portion that guides the cover portions 40b of the plurality of covered electric wires 40 so that they abut thereon from the side of the one end face 20a of the conductor holding member 20.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 5, the inner diameter of the smaller hole 21b is set such that the conductor portion 40a exposed from the cover portion 40b at the end of the covered electric wire 40 can be inserted into the smaller hole 21b. These smaller holes 21b constitute conductor insertion holes and conductor passing portions that allow the conductor portions 40a protruding from the cover portions 40b to pass through to the other end face 20b of the conductor holding member 20.

[0037] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the joint terminal 30 includes a joint portion 31 that joins the tips of the plurality of conductor portions 40a in a bundled state, and a connection terminal portion 32 formed integrally (in one piece) with the joint portion 31. The joint terminal 30 is made of a metal material because it needs be conductive.

[0038] The joint portion 31 is a cylindrical body having a curved cross-sectional shape such that the tips of the plurality of conductor portions 40a can be inserted into the inner portion of the joint portion 31 and extending in the axial direction of the conductor holding member 20. One end portion 31a is provided on the side of the other end face 20b of the conductor holding member 20, and the tips of the plurality of conductor portions 40a can be inserted into the joint portion 31. The cross-sectional shape of the joint portion 31 may be a circular, rectangular, or open shape, for example.

[0039] The front end of the connection terminal portion 32 has a bolt hole 32a into which a bolt for earthing (not shown) is inserted, and the connection terminal portion 32 protrudes from the other end 31b of the joint portion 31 toward the side opposite to the conductor holding member 20.

[0040] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the conductor portions 40a of the covered electric wires 40 are exposed from the cover portions 40b at the ends, and the covered electric wires 40 are inserted into the electric wire accommodating holes 21 from the one end face 20a to the other end face 20b of the conductor holding member 20.

[0041] The conductor portions 40a of the covered electric wires 40 are accommodated into the smaller holes 21b, and their tips protrude from the other end face 20b of the conductor holding member 20 to the outside. The cover portions 40b of the covered electric wires 40 are accommodated in the larger holes 21a, and their ends abut against the cover abutments 21c.

[0042] Furthermore, the tips of the conductor portions 40a of the covered electric wires 40 are inserted into the joint portion 31 of the joint terminal 30, and are electrically connected to the joint terminal 30. When the conductor portions 40a are electrically connected to the joint terminal 30, the joint portion 31 is crimped to the conductor portions 40a by subjecting the joint portion 31 to plastic deformation with a tool or the like, for example. Note that when the conductor portions 40a are electrically connected to the joint terminal 30, the conductor portions 40a and the joint portion 31 may be bonded by resistance welding, ultrasonic welding, or the like.

[0043] In the joint connector 1 according to the present embodiment, when the covered electric wires 40 are inserted into the electric wire accommodating holes 21 from the one end face 20a of the conductor holding member 20, the ends of the cover portions 40b accommodated in the larger holes 21a abut against the cover abutments 21c, and only the conductor portions 40a protrude from the smaller holes 21b from the other end face 20b of the conductor holding member 20 through the smaller holes 21b to the outside. Therefore, the cover portions 40b of the covered electric wires 40 do not enter the joint portion 31 of the joint terminal 30. Therefore, in the joint connector 1, the covered electric wires 40 and the joint terminal 30 can be reliably electrically connected.

[0044] Also, in the joint connector 1 according to the present embodiment, when the conductor portions 40a are inserted into the smaller holes 21b, the conductor portions 40a are covered by the conductor holding member 20, and thus the conductor portions 40a can be protected.

[0045] As described above, the joint connector and the wire harness according to the present invention have the effect of reliably electrically connecting the plurality of conductor portions exposed from the cover portions at the ends of the plurality of covered electric wires to the joint portion of the joint terminal, and are useful for general joint connectors and wire harnesses that are adopted in vehicles, various apparatuses, mechanical equipment, and the like.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

[0046] 1 Joint connector [0047] 20 Conductor holding member [0048] 20a One end face [0049] 20b Other end face [0050] 21a Larger hole (cover guide portion) [0051] 21b Smaller hole (conductor passing portion, conductor insertion hole) [0052] 21c Cover abutment [0053] 30 Joint terminal [0054] 31 Joint portion [0055] 32 Connection terminal portion [0056] 40 Covered electric wire [0057] 41 Electric wire group