JP2018005988A - Joint connector, and manufacturing method of joint connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a joint connector capable of detecting whether or not a bus bar to be accommodated is actually accommodated, and a manufacturing method thereof. The joint connector includes a bus bar 10, a housing 20 that accommodates the bus bar 10, and a cover 30 that is locked to the housing 20. The bus bar 10 includes a plurality of terminal portions 11 and a connecting portion 12 that connects the plurality of terminal portions 11 and that has an end surface shape 13 that differs depending on the type of the mating connector on the rear end surface. The cover 30 has an inner wall surface shape 35, which differs depending on the type of the mating connector and corresponds to the end surface shape 13, on the inner wall surface on the front side. The cover 30 can be locked to the housing 20 when the end surface and the inner wall surface match, and cannot be locked to the housing 20 when the end surface and the inner wall surface do not match. [Selection diagram] Fig. 5

Description

  The present invention relates to a joint connector that connects a plurality of electric wires belonging to a mating connector via a bus bar, and a method for manufacturing the joint connector.

  Conventionally, a joint connector having a bus bar has been proposed for the purpose of connecting a plurality of electric wires extending from a plurality of electric / electronic devices provided in an automobile or the like.

  For example, one of the conventional joint connectors (hereinafter referred to as “conventional connector”) is a bus bar provided with a plurality of pin terminals for fitting and connecting to terminals provided at terminals of a plurality of electric wires belonging to the mating connector. And a housing that accommodates the bus bar. The plurality of pin terminals extend forward in the housing direction of the housing and are connected to each other via a connecting portion at the rear of the housing direction. That is, the plurality of pin terminals can be electrically connected to each other via the connecting portion. Furthermore, in the conventional connector, after the bus bar is accommodated in the housing, a cover for preventing the bus bar from coming off is attached to the housing (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2003-123918 A

  By the way, when the joint connector is actually used, a bus bar having a shape corresponding to the conduction pattern (how the electric wire extending from the mating connector is conducted and connected) at the mating connector is selected, and the bus bar is accommodated in the housing. Will be. This conduction pattern generally varies depending on the number of wires extending from the mating connector, the combination of wires, the position of the wires in the mating connector, and the like. Hereinafter, for convenience, the conduction pattern in the mating connector is also referred to as “the mating connector type”.

  When selecting a bus bar corresponding to the type (conduction pattern) of the mating connector, if a bus bar different from the bus bar that should be selected is selected by mistake (so-called circuit error occurs), the designed conduction pattern is realized. It will not be possible. Therefore, it is desirable to avoid such a circuit error as much as possible.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a joint connector capable of detecting whether or not a bus bar to be accommodated in the joint connector is actually accommodated, and a method for manufacturing the joint connector. There is.

In order to achieve the above-described object, a “joint connector” according to the present invention is characterized by the following (1) to (3).
(1)
A joint connector for connecting a plurality of electric wires belonging to a mating connector through a bus bar,
The bus bar, a housing that houses the bus bar, and a cover that is locked to the housing along the housing direction of the bus bar,
The bus bar
A plurality of terminal portions extending forward in the accommodation direction, and a connecting portion that connects the plurality of terminal portions behind the plurality of terminal portions in the accommodation direction, and having different end surface shapes for each type of the mating connector A connecting portion on the rear end face in the accommodating direction,
The cover is
An inner wall surface shape that differs depending on the type of the mating connector and corresponds to the end surface shape is provided on the inner wall surface on the front side in the accommodating direction, and when the end surface matches the inner wall surface, It is possible to stop, and when the end surface and the inner wall surface do not match, the housing cannot be locked.
It must be a joint connector.
(2)
In the joint connector according to (1) above,
A plurality of the bus bars are housed in the housing;
The cover has an interposition part sandwiched between one bus bar and the other bus bar on the inner wall surface,
It must be a joint connector.
(3)
In the joint connector according to (1) or (2) above,
The bus bar has, as the end face shape, a recess that is recessed forward in the accommodation direction,
The cover has, as the inner wall surface shape, a convex portion that protrudes forward in the accommodation direction,
By fitting the concave portion and the convex portion, the end surface and the inner wall surface match,
It must be a joint connector.

  According to the joint connector having the configuration of (1) above, the end face shape of the end face of the connecting portion of the bus bar (specific shape for each type of the mating connector) and the inner wall face shape of the inner wall surface of the cover (the mating connector) The cover is locked to the housing only when the shape unique to each type matches. Conversely, if they do not match (ie, if the wrong bus bar is attached to the housing), the cover cannot be locked to the housing. Therefore, it is possible to detect whether or not a (correct) bus bar corresponding to the type of the mating connector is accommodated in the housing, depending on whether or not the locking is possible.

  Therefore, the joint connector of this configuration can detect whether or not the bus bar to be accommodated in the joint connector is actually accommodated.

  In addition, it is preferable that the said housing accommodates the said bus bar so that attachment or detachment is possible. As a result, it is possible to easily replace the bus bar when the wrong bus bar is accommodated in the housing, as compared with the case where the bus bar is insert-molded in the housing. Furthermore, it is possible to freely change the joint connector specifications (such as the type of bus bar to be accommodated) according to the type of the mating connector.

  According to the joint connector having the configuration (2), even when a plurality of bus bars are accommodated in the housing, contact between the bus bars in the housing (in other words, short circuit) is prevented by the interposition part. It will be. Therefore, the joint connector of this configuration can reliably ensure insulation between the bus bars even when housing a plurality of bus bars in the housing.

  According to the joint connector configured as described in (3) above, as one specific example for realizing the detection function described in (1) above, a recess provided on the end face of the bus bar and a protrusion provided on the inner wall surface of the cover Can be used.

Furthermore, in order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the “method for manufacturing a joint connector” according to the present invention is characterized by the following (4).
(4)
A bus bar, a housing that accommodates the bus bar, and a cover that is locked to the housing along the accommodating direction of the bus bar, and a plurality of electric wires belonging to the mating connector are connected to each other via the bus bar. A method for manufacturing a joint connector, comprising:
The bus bar includes a plurality of terminal portions that extend forward in the accommodation direction, and a connection portion that connects the plurality of terminal portions behind the plurality of terminal portions in the accommodation direction,
As the bus bar, a plurality of types of the bus bars having different end surface shapes on the rear side in the accommodation direction in the connecting portion for each type of the mating connector are prepared, and as the cover, the front in the accommodation direction The inner wall surface shape of the inner wall surface on the side is different for each type of the mating connector and prepares a plurality of types of the cover corresponding to the end surface shape, and a preparation step,
A selection step of selecting the bus bar and the cover corresponding to the type of the mating connector from the plurality of types of the bus bar and the plurality of types of the cover,
An assembly step of locking the selected cover to the housing after the selected bus bar is received in the housing, and the end surface and the inner wall surface are aligned with each other.
It is a manufacturing method of a joint connector.

  According to the method for manufacturing a joint connector having the above configuration (4), as in the above (1), for the bus bar and the housing selected in the selection step, the end surface shape of the end surface of the connecting portion of the bus bar (for each type of the mating connector) The cover is locked to the housing in the assembling process only when the shape of the inner wall of the cover matches the shape of the inner wall surface of the cover (the shape unique to the type of the mating connector). It will be. Conversely, if they do not match (ie, if the wrong bus bar is attached to the housing), the cover cannot be locked to the housing. Therefore, whether or not the (correct) bus bar corresponding to the type of the mating connector is accommodated in the housing can be detected based on whether or not locking is possible in the assembly process.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the joint connector which can detect whether the bus bar which should be accommodated in a joint connector is actually accommodated, and the manufacturing method of a joint connector can be provided.

  The present invention has been briefly described above. Further, details of the present invention will be further clarified by reading a form for carrying out the invention described below (hereinafter referred to as “embodiment”) with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a joint connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the joint connector shown in FIG. 3A is a view of the joint connector shown in FIG. 2 viewed from the front, and FIG. 3B is a view of the joint connector shown in FIG. 2 viewed from the rear. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 3A, and FIG. 5B is a partially enlarged view of a region P in FIG. 5A. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG. FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line DD in FIG. FIG. 8A is a view of the cover shown in FIG. 1 viewed obliquely from the front, and FIG. 8B is a view of the cover shown in FIG. 1 viewed from the front.

<Embodiment>
Hereinafter, a joint connector according to an embodiment of the present invention and a manufacturing method thereof will be described with reference to the drawings.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the joint connector 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a bus bar 10, a housing 20 that houses the bus bar 10, and a cover 30 that covers the bus bar 10 housed in the housing 20. .

  Hereinafter, as shown in FIG. 1, “accommodating direction”, “width direction”, “vertical direction”, “front”, “rear”, “upper”, and “lower” are defined. The “accommodating direction”, “width direction”, and “vertical direction” are orthogonal to each other.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the housing 20 is configured such that the bus bar 10 is accommodated from the rear side and the mating connector 40 is fitted from the front side. In the joint connector 100, a plurality of electric wires (not shown) belonging to the mating connector 40 are connected to each other via the bus bar 10 with respect to the electric wire conduction pattern corresponding to the type of the mating connector 40 (number of electric wires, combination of electric wires, mating partner). The position of the electric wire in the side connector 40 and the like are fulfilled.

  First, the bus bar 10 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the metal bus bar 10 includes a plurality of pin terminals 11 and a connecting portion 12 that extends in the width direction and connects the rear ends of the plurality of pin terminals 11. The plurality of pin terminals 11 extend in parallel with each other toward the front in the accommodation direction so as to be arranged at equal intervals in the width direction from the connecting portion 12.

  In this example, a plurality (specifically, five) bus bars 10 are used in four stages in the vertical direction. One bus bar 10 including seven pin terminals 11 is used in the first, second, and fourth stages from the top. In the third row from the top, one bus bar 10 including four pin terminals 11 and one bus bar 10 including three pin terminals 11 are used.

  On the rear end surface of the connecting portion 12 of each bus bar 10, one or a plurality of concave portions 13 that are recessed forward are provided. As will be described later, in the assembled state, the corresponding convex portions 35 provided on the cover 30 are fitted into the respective concave portions 13 (see FIGS. 5B and 8B). reference). When viewed from the rear in the housing direction, the overall arrangement pattern of the plurality of recesses 13 (the arrangement pattern of the plurality of bus bars 10 and the arrangement pattern of the recesses 13 in each bus bar 10) and the plurality of projections provided on the cover 30 The entire arrangement pattern of the portion 35 matches. The entire arrangement pattern of the plurality of recesses 13 and the entire arrangement pattern of the plurality of projections 35 are different for each type of mating connector 40 (conduction pattern to be realized).

  Next, the housing 20 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to 7, the resin housing 20 includes a main body peripheral wall portion 21 having a rectangular tube shape that is long in the width direction. As shown in FIG. 4, the mating connector 40 is accommodated in the internal space of the main body peripheral wall portion 21. As shown in FIG. 1, the main body peripheral wall portion 21 is integrally provided with a rectangular locking protrusion 22 that is long in the width direction for locking the cover 30 so as to protrude rearward from the rear end portion in the accommodation direction. Is provided.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3B, a plurality of locking claws 23 (eight in this example) for locking the cover 30 are provided at predetermined positions on the outer peripheral side surface of the locking protrusion 22. ing. As will be described later, in the assembly completion state, each of the locking claws 23 engages with the locking frame portion 37 of the cover 30, whereby the cover 30 is locked to the housing 20 (see FIG. 6).

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, a plurality of bus bars 10 (in FIG. 4, pin terminals that are a part of the bus bar 10) are used in the locking protrusions 22 in four stages as described above. 11), four bus bar accommodating holes 24 are provided so as to be arranged at equal intervals in the vertical direction. Each bus bar accommodation hole 24 is a through hole extending in the width direction and penetrating in the accommodation direction.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the bus bars 10 (pin terminals 11) used in the corresponding stages among the four stages are detachably press-fitted and fixed to predetermined positions in the respective bus bar accommodating holes 24. In this state, the bus bars 10 adjacent to each other in the vertical direction are arranged at a predetermined interval in the vertical direction, thereby preventing a short circuit from occurring due to contact between the bus bars 10 adjacent in the vertical direction. it can.

  In a state where the bus bar 10 is fixed at a predetermined position of the bus bar accommodating hole 24, the plurality of pin terminals 11 of the bus bar 10 are exposed to the internal space of the main body peripheral wall portion 21. In this state, by inserting the mating connector 40 into the internal space of the body peripheral wall portion 21, each pin terminal 11 is fitted with the corresponding female terminal 42 accommodated in the terminal accommodating hole 41 of the mating connector 40. Connected.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the rear end surface of the locking projection 22 has a guide plate housing recess that is recessed forward at three positions corresponding to the space between the adjacent bus bar housing holes 24 in the vertical direction. 25 are provided. As will be described later, in the assembled state, the corresponding guide plates 34 provided on the cover 30 are fitted into the respective guide plate housing recesses 25 (see FIG. 4). The housing 20 has been described above.

  Next, the cover 30 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to 8, the resin cover 30 includes a rectangular cylindrical frame body portion 31 that is long in the width direction. As shown in FIG. 8B, a flat plate-shaped lid plate portion 33 is integrally fixed inside the frame body portion 31 via a plurality (eight in this example) of connecting portions 32.

  As shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, a plurality of (three in this example) guide plates 34 are provided on the inner wall surface (front surface) of the lid plate portion 33. Corresponding to the guide plate housing recesses 25 (see FIG. 4), they are integrally provided so as to be arranged at equal intervals in the vertical direction. Each guide plate 34 is a flat plate that extends in the width direction and projects forward from the inner wall surface of the lid plate portion 33.

  As shown in FIG. 8B, the inner wall surface of the cover plate portion 33 corresponds to the plurality of bus bars 10 used in four stages as described above, and is predetermined according to the type of the mating connector 40. In this arrangement pattern, a plurality (26 in this example) of convex portions 35 projecting forward are integrally provided. As shown in FIG.5 (b), the protrusion height of the convex part 35 is L1.

  As shown in FIG. 8B, one rib 36 that projects forward is integrally provided at a predetermined position on the inner wall surface of the cover plate portion 33. As will be described later, in the assembled state, the rib 36 is interposed so as to be sandwiched between two bus bars 10 arranged in the third stage from the top (see FIG. 7). As a result, it is possible to prevent a short circuit from occurring due to the contact between the two bus bars 10 arranged in the third row from the top.

  As shown in FIG. 8A (and FIGS. 4, 6 and 7), a locking frame portion 37 is integrally provided on the front end portion of the frame body portion 31 over substantially the entire circumference. Yes. The locking frame portion 37 protrudes inward in the vertical direction from the upper and lower wall portions of the frame body portion 31, and protrudes inward in the width direction from both side wall portions of the frame body portion 31. The cover 30 has been described above.

  Next, the mating connector 40 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3A, in this example, seven connector housings that accommodate four female terminals 42 are arranged in the width direction along the vertical direction. A mating connector 40 is formed by these seven connector housings. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, a plurality (four in this example) of terminal housing holes 41 are formed in each of the seven connector housings along the housing direction. Each terminal accommodation hole 41 accommodates a plurality of female terminals 42 connected to ends of electric wires (not shown). The configuration of the joint connector 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention has been described above.

  Next, a manufacturing method (assembly method) of the joint connector 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  There is a possibility that a plurality of types of mating connectors 40 are accommodated in the housing 20. For each type of the mating connector 40, the conduction patterns of the plurality of wires belonging to the mating connector 40 (number of wires, combination of wires, position of the wires in the mating connector 40, etc.) are different.

  Therefore, first, the overall arrangement pattern of the plurality of recesses 13 (that is, the arrangement pattern of the plurality of bus bars 10 and the arrangement pattern of the recesses 13 in each bus bar 10) is formed to be different for each type of the mating connector 40. A combination of a plurality of types of bus bars 10 is prepared. For each type of mating connector 40, the plurality of bus bars 10 included in the combination of bus bars 10 corresponding to the type are arranged in the vertical direction so that the entire arrangement pattern of the plurality of recesses 13 corresponding to the type is realized. By arranging in four stages, the electric wire conduction pattern corresponding to the type can be obtained.

  Similarly, a plurality of types of covers 30 are prepared in which the overall arrangement pattern of the plurality of convex portions 35 is different for each type of the mating connector 40. For each type of mating connector 40, when viewed from the rear in the accommodation direction, the overall arrangement pattern of the plurality of recesses 13 and the overall arrangement pattern of the plurality of projections 35 match. In order to manufacture a plurality of types of covers 30, a mold may be prepared for each type, or unnecessary protrusions 35 may be cut for each type. Moreover, you may change the color of the cover 30 for every kind.

  Next, the combination of the bus bar 10 corresponding to the type of the mating connector 40 accommodated in the housing 20 and the cover 30 are selected from among the combination of the plurality of types of bus bars 10 and the plurality of types of covers 30.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 1, the bus bars 10 used (selected) in the corresponding stages among the four stages are press-fitted and fixed to the respective bus bar receiving holes 24 of the housing 20 to predetermined positions. Thereby, the entire arrangement pattern of the plurality of recesses 13 corresponding to the type of the mating connector 40 is realized. The overall arrangement pattern of the plurality of recesses 13 realized in this way matches the overall arrangement pattern of the plurality of projections 35 included in the selected cover 30. In this state, as shown in FIG. 4 and the like, the plurality of pin terminals 11 of each bus bar 10 are exposed in the internal space of the main body peripheral wall portion 21.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 1, the selected cover 30 is assembled to the locking protrusion 22 of the housing 20. In the process of moving the cover 30 forward to the assembly completion position, first, the plurality of guide plates 34 of the cover 30 start to be fitted into the corresponding guide plate receiving recesses 25 of the locking projections 22 respectively. When the cover 30 further moves while being guided by this fitting, the locking frame portion 37 of the cover 30 comes into contact with the plurality of locking claws 23 of the locking projection 22, and then the outside of the frame body portion 31. The locking frame portion 37 rides on the plurality of locking claws 23 while being elastically deformed.

  Thereafter, when the cover 30 reaches the assembly completion position, the locking frame portion 37 gets over the plurality of locking claws 23. In other words, each locking claw 23 is engaged with the locking frame portion 37 by the elastic recovery of the frame body portion 31. As a result, the cover 30 is locked to the housing 20 as shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 6, there is a gap L <b> 2 in the accommodation direction between each locking claw 23 and the locking frame portion 37 in a state where the cover 30 is locked to the housing 20. The gap L2 is smaller than the protruding height L1 of the convex portion 35 of the cover 30 (see FIG. 5B). Details of the effect (detection of a circuit error) realized by the magnitude relationship between the protrusion height L1 and the gap L2 will be described later.

  As shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 5A and FIG. 7, in a state where the cover 30 is locked to the housing 20, all the recesses 13 constituting the entire arrangement pattern of the plurality of recesses 13 The convex portions 35 are fitted with each other. In addition, in Fig.5 (a) which is BB sectional drawing of Fig.3 (a), although the fitting state of the recessed part 13 and the convex part 35 of the bus-bar 10 about only the 1st step from the top is shown, The same applies to the second stage from the top and the fourth stage from the top. In addition, as shown in FIG. 7, the ribs 36 of the cover 30 are interposed so as to be sandwiched between the two bus bars 10 arranged in the third stage from the top.

  Thus, the cover 30 is latched by the housing 20, and the joint connector 100 which concerns on embodiment of this invention will be in an assembly completion state. Thereafter, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the mating connector 40 is inserted to a predetermined position in the internal space of the main body peripheral wall portion 21. In this state, the locking piece 26 provided on the lower surface side of the upper wall portion of the body peripheral wall portion 21 is engaged with the protrusion 43 provided on the upper surface of the mating connector 40, whereby the mating connector 40. Is prevented from coming off from the housing 20.

  In this way, by inserting the mating connector 40 to a predetermined position in the internal space of the main body peripheral wall portion 21, each pin terminal 11 exposed in the internal space of the main body peripheral wall portion 21 is accommodated in the mating connector 40. The corresponding female terminals 42 are respectively fitted and connected. As a result, the electric wire conduction pattern corresponding to the type of the mating connector 40 is obtained for the plurality of wires belonging to the mating connector 40 via the plurality of bus bars 10.

  By the way, as described above, the state in which the cover 30 is locked to the housing 20 is realized because the selection of the bus bar 10 and the cover 30 is correct, Only when the overall arrangement pattern of the plurality of convex portions 35 matches. That is, when both arrangement patterns do not match, a convex portion 35 that cannot be fitted into the concave portion 13 is generated. In addition, as described above, the gap L2 (see FIG. 6) is smaller than the protrusion height L1 of the convex portion 35 (see FIG. 5B). Therefore, when both arrangement patterns do not match, the locking frame portion 37 of the cover 30 cannot get over the locking claw 23 of the housing 20, and as a result, the cover 30 cannot be locked to the housing 20.

  As described above, when both arrangement patterns match (that is, when the correct bus bar 10 is accommodated), the cover 30 can be locked to the housing 20 and when both arrangement patterns do not match (that is, erroneous). When the bus bar 10 is accommodated), the cover 30 cannot be locked to the housing 20. Therefore, whether or not the correct bus bar 10 is actually accommodated in the housing 20 can be detected based on whether or not the locking is possible.

  According to the joint connector 100 and the manufacturing method thereof according to the embodiment of the present invention, the selection of the bus bar 10 and the cover 30 is correct, so that the entire arrangement pattern of the plurality of recesses 13 in the plurality of bus bars 10 (partners). Only when the arrangement pattern unique to each type of the side connector 40 matches the overall arrangement pattern of the plurality of convex portions 35 in the cover 30 (specific arrangement pattern for each type of the mating connector 40). The cover 30 is locked to the housing 20. In other words, the cover 30 cannot be locked to the housing 20 when the two do not match (that is, when the wrong bus bar 10 is attached). Therefore, whether or not the correct bus bar 10 is actually accommodated in the housing 20 can be detected based on whether or not the locking is possible.

  Furthermore, in the assembled state, a wall (a wall between the adjacent bus bar accommodation holes 24) by the housing 20 is interposed between the bus bars 10 adjacent in the vertical direction. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a short circuit in the circuit due to the contact between the bus bars 10 adjacent in the vertical direction. In addition, the ribs 36 of the cover 30 are interposed between the two bus bars 10 arranged in the third row from the top in the assembled state (see FIG. 7). As a result, it is possible to prevent a short circuit from occurring due to the contact between the two bus bars 10 arranged in the third row from the top.

  Further, the bus bar 10 is press-fitted and fixed in the bus bar housing hole 24 so as to be detachable. Therefore, when changing the type of the mating connector 40 housed in the housing 20 (the conduction pattern of the wire to be conductively connected), the cover 30 is removed, the bus bar 10 is replaced, and the cover 30 is replaced. The electric wire conduction pattern corresponding to the side connector 40 can be realized.

<Other aspects>
In addition, this invention is not limited to said each embodiment, A various modification is employable within the scope of the present invention. For example, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and modifications, improvements, and the like can be made as appropriate. In addition, the material, shape, dimensions, number, arrangement location, and the like of each component in the above-described embodiment are arbitrary and are not limited as long as the present invention can be achieved.

  For example, in the above embodiment, the bus bar 10 is detachably accommodated (press-fit) in the housing 20, but the bus bar 10 may be detachably accommodated in the housing 20 (for example, insert molding).

  Furthermore, in the said embodiment, the bus-bar 10 has the recessed part 13 hollow in the front of an accommodation direction as "end surface shape" of a rear side end surface, and the cover 30 is "inner wall surface shape" of the inner wall surface of the front side. As described above, the protrusion 35 protrudes forward in the accommodating direction, but the bus bar 10 has a protrusion protruding rearward in the accommodating direction as an “end face shape”, and the cover 30 has an inner wall shape as the accommodating direction. You may have the recessed part dented in the back.

  Further, the bus bar 10 and the cover 30 can be locked as long as the cover 30 can be locked to the housing 20 when both match, and the cover 30 cannot be locked to the housing 20 when both do not match. Each of them may have any “end surface shape” and “inner wall surface shape”.

Here, the features of the above-described joint connector according to the present invention and the method for manufacturing the joint connector are briefly summarized and listed in the following (1) to (4), respectively.
(1)
A joint connector (100) for connecting a plurality of electric wires belonging to the mating connector (40) via a bus bar (10),
The bus bar (10), a housing (20) for housing the bus bar, and a cover (30) locked to the housing along the housing direction of the bus bar,
The bus bar (10)
A plurality of terminal portions (11) extending forward in the accommodation direction; and a connecting portion (12) connecting the plurality of terminal portions behind the plurality of terminal portions in the accommodation direction, the mating connector (40 ) Having a different end surface shape (recess 13) on the rear end surface in the accommodation direction for each type,
The cover (30)
An inner wall surface shape (convex portion 35) that differs depending on the type of the mating connector (40) and corresponds to the end surface shape (concave portion 13) is provided on the inner wall surface on the front side in the accommodation direction, and the end surface and the inner surface When the wall surface matches, the housing (20) can be locked, and when the end surface and the inner wall surface do not match, the housing (20) cannot be locked.
Joint connector.
(2)
In the joint connector according to (1) above,
A plurality of the bus bars (10) are accommodated in the housing (20),
The cover (30) has an interposition part (34, 36) sandwiched between one bus bar and another bus bar on the inner wall surface,
Joint connector.
(3)
In the joint connector according to (1) or (2) above,
The bus bar (10) has, as the end face shape, a recess (13) that is recessed forward in the accommodation direction,
The cover (30) has, as the inner wall surface shape, a convex portion (35) protruding forward in the accommodation direction,
By fitting the concave portion (13) and the convex portion (35), the end surface and the inner wall surface match.
Joint connector.
(4)
A bus bar (10), a housing (20) that houses the bus bar, and a cover (30) that is locked to the housing along the housing direction of the bus bar, and belong to the mating connector (40) A method of manufacturing a joint connector for connecting a plurality of electric wires to each other via the bus bar (10),
The bus bar (10) includes a plurality of terminal portions (11) extending forward in the accommodating direction, and a connecting portion (12) connecting the plurality of terminal portions at the rear of the accommodating direction rather than the plurality of terminal portions, Have
As the bus bar (10), a plurality of types of the bus bars (end portions (recesses 13) that the end surfaces on the rear side in the accommodation direction of the connecting portion (12) have different for each type of the mating connector (40)). 10), and as the cover (30), the inner wall surface shape (convex portion) of the inner wall surface on the front side in the accommodation direction is different for each type of the mating connector (40) and the end surface shape Preparing a plurality of types of the covers (30) corresponding to (recesses 13); and
A selection step of selecting the bus bar and the cover corresponding to the type of the mating connector (40) from the plurality of types of the bus bar (10) and the plurality of types of the cover (30);
An assembly step of engaging the selected cover (30) with the housing after the selected bus bar (10) is accommodated in the housing (20), so that the end surface and the inner wall surface coincide with each other. Including,
Manufacturing method of joint connector.

10 Bus bar 11 Pin terminal (terminal part)
12 connecting part 13 recessed part (end face shape)
20 Housing 30 Cover 35 Convex part (inner wall surface shape)
36 ribs (intervening part)
40 Mating connector 100 Joint connector

Claims (4)

A joint connector for connecting a plurality of electric wires belonging to a mating connector through a bus bar,
The bus bar, a housing that houses the bus bar, and a cover that is locked to the housing along the housing direction of the bus bar,
The bus bar
A plurality of terminal portions extending forward in the accommodation direction, and a connecting portion that connects the plurality of terminal portions behind the plurality of terminal portions in the accommodation direction, and having different end surface shapes for each type of the mating connector A connecting portion on the rear end face in the accommodating direction,
The cover is
An inner wall surface shape that differs depending on the type of the mating connector and corresponds to the end surface shape is provided on the inner wall surface on the front side in the accommodating direction, and when the end surface matches the inner wall surface, It is possible to stop, and when the end surface and the inner wall surface do not match, the housing cannot be locked.
Joint connector. The joint connector according to claim 1, wherein
A plurality of the bus bars are housed in the housing;
The cover has an interposition part sandwiched between one bus bar and the other bus bar on the inner wall surface,
Joint connector. In the joint connector according to claim 1 or 2,
The bus bar has, as the end face shape, a recess that is recessed forward in the accommodation direction,
The cover has, as the inner wall surface shape, a convex portion that protrudes forward in the accommodation direction,
By fitting the concave portion and the convex portion, the end surface and the inner wall surface match,
Joint connector. A bus bar, a housing that accommodates the bus bar, and a cover that is locked to the housing along the accommodating direction of the bus bar, and a plurality of electric wires belonging to the mating connector are connected to each other via the bus bar. A method for manufacturing a joint connector, comprising:
The bus bar includes a plurality of terminal portions that extend forward in the accommodation direction, and a connection portion that connects the plurality of terminal portions behind the plurality of terminal portions in the accommodation direction,
As the bus bar, a plurality of types of the bus bars having different end surface shapes on the rear side in the accommodation direction in the connecting portion for each type of the mating connector are prepared, and as the cover, the front in the accommodation direction The inner wall surface shape of the inner wall surface on the side is different for each type of the mating connector and prepares a plurality of types of the cover corresponding to the end surface shape, and a preparation step,
A selection step of selecting the bus bar and the cover corresponding to the type of the mating connector from the plurality of types of the bus bar and the plurality of types of the cover,
An assembly step of locking the selected cover to the housing after the selected bus bar is received in the housing, and the end surface and the inner wall surface are aligned with each other.
Manufacturing method of joint connector.

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