Relay connector

A relay connector includes a relay terminal metal fitting including a connection part to be connected with the apparatus-side terminal metal fitting and a connection part to be connected with the wire-side terminal metal fitting and a relay housing an engagement part to be engaged with the apparatus-side housing and an engagement part to be engaged with the wire-side housing. when operator cannot reach the apparatus, the operator can connect the relay connector to the apparatus side connector and then the relay connector is connected to the wire side connector.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a relay connector which can be assembled between an apparatus and a wire harness.

2. Description of the Related Art

In an electric car, as a measure to connect a wire harness to an apparatus (such as a motor or an inverter), a wire-side connector that is connected with the wire of the wire harness is connected with an apparatus-side connector that is directly connected with the apparatus, thereby connecting the terminal metal fittings of the two connectors by the engagement of male and female parts (See JP-A-9-161892, for example).

In general, space saving is essential in automobile designing. Therefore, there are cases in which an apparatus-side connector is forced to be positioned out of the reach of the operator due to constraints of layout.

One solution for this is to extend the apparatus-side connector to a position within easy reach of the operator by modifying the configuration of the apparatus. However, in the case of trying to share the same apparatus among different types of automobiles for cost reduction, the shape-changed part of an extended apparatus-side connector can be useless or obtrusive in space in other types of automobiles. Therefore, it is preferable that an apparatus shared among different types of automobiles be simplified in shape and miniaturized.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide a relay connector in which a wire-side connector can be connected to an apparatus-side connector without changing the shape of the apparatus-side connector.

According to one aspect of the invention, a relay connector including: an apparatus-side connector which is fixed to an apparatus and which holds an apparatus-side terminal metal fitting in an apparatus-side housing; and a wire-side connector which holds a wire-side terminal connected to a wire in a wire-side housing, a relay terminal metal fitting provided at both ends of the relay terminal metal fitting with a connection part to be connected with the apparatus-side terminal metal fitting and a connection part to be connected with the wire-side terminal metal fitting; a relay housing which houses the relay terminal metal fitting and which is provided at both ends of the relay housing with an engagement part to be engaged with the apparatus-side housing and an engagement part to be engaged with the wire-side housing; and a relay shield shell accommodating the relay housing, and provided at both ends of the relay shield shell with a contact part to be contacted with the apparatus-side shield shell formed on the apparatus and a contact part to be contacted with the wire-side shield shell which accommodates the wire-side housing.

When one end of the relay connector of the present invention is connected to an apparatus-side connector, and the other end of the relay connector is within reach of the operator, even if the apparatus is positioned out of the reach of the operator, the wire-side connector can be connected to the apparatus-side connector without changing the configurations and structures of the apparatus and the apparatus-side connector.

According to another aspect of the invention, the terminal metal fitting includes a terminal main body. A first connection part of the connection part is formed at one end of the terminal main body. The first connection part has a male configuration. A second connection part of the connection is formed at the other end of the terminal main body. The second connection part has a female configuration. The relay housing is configured by combining a first accommodator which accommodates the terminal main body and the first connection part with the male configuration in a penetrated state, and a second accommodator which accommodates the second connection part with the female configuration.

In the case where a relay terminal metal fitting includes a long and narrow terminal main body, a male connection part formed at one end of the terminal main body, and a female connection part formed at the other end of the terminal main body, if the relay terminal metal fitting is intended to be housed into a relay housing with a one-piece structure, it is necessary that the relay housing contain a large insertion space for inserting the female connection part thereinto. This causes the long and narrow terminal main body to rattle inside the insertion space. However, the relay housing is divided into a first and a second accommodator, and makes the second accommodator accommodate the female connection part and also makes the first accommodator accommodate the terminal main body and the male connection part in an inserted state, thereby preventing the rattling of the terminal main body.

According to another aspect of the invention, the relay shield shell has a penetration space for housing the relay housing. The first accommodator which has been assembled to the relay shield shell from one end side of the penetration space and the second accommodator which has been assembled to the relay shield shell from the other end side of the penetration space are combined with each other in a state of sandwiching the relay shield shell.

The first accommodator and the second accommodator are combined with each other while sandwiching the relay shield shell, so that it is unnecessary to use a lock structure for controlling the independent separation of these accommodators from the relay shield shell.

According to another aspect of the invention, the first accommodator and the second accommodator are kept in a combined state by locking between a bending lock piece which is provided in one of the first accommodator and the second accommodator and which is elastically bendable, and a lock part provided in the other accommodator.

The device for keeping the two accommodators in a combined state is configured by a lock structure having a bending lock piece and a lock part. This can set the accommodators in a combined state with a single motion, and the combined state can be released only by detaching the bending lock piece from the lock part by elastically bending the bending lock piece.

According to another aspect of the invention, the bending lock piece and the lock part are positioned outside the relay shield shell in a state in which the relay housing is assembled to the relay shield shell.

The bending lock piece and the lock part are disposed outside the relay shield shell, so that it is simplified to detach the bending lock piece from the lock part.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following is a description of Embodiment 1 of the present invention with reference toFIGS. 1 to 12.

First, an apparatus10(for example, a motor or an inverter of an electric car) and an apparatus-side connector13will be described. The apparatus10is configured by an unillustrated apparatus main body (for example, a stator in a motor) and an apparatus direct connection terminal18directly connected with the apparatus main body which are accommodated in an apparatus-side shield shell11(for example, a motor case). On a side wall of the apparatus-side shield shell11are three circular attachment holes12laterally arranged in a fixed pitch in such a manner as to penetrate the sidewall in the back-and-forth direction (the lateral direction inFIG. 1) and to communicate the outside (the left side inFIG. 1) and inside of the apparatus-side shield shell11.

The apparatus-side connector13is configured by an apparatus-side housing14made of synthetic resin, and three apparatus-side terminal metal fittings20. The apparatus-side housing14is formed by extending three circular extension parts16from tubular linkage part15in a rear direction (towards the left inFIG. 1). Each of the circular extension parts16are fitted into the attachment holes12from the inside of the apparatus-side shield shell11, and the linkage part15is fixed to the inner surface of the apparatus-side shield shell11with bolts17. The apparatus-side terminal metal fittings20are each configured by a terminal main body21having a circular cross section, a flat tab22formed by placing a plate horizontally at the rear end part of the terminal main body21, and a female screw part23concentrically formed at the front end part of the terminal main body21. The apparatus-side terminal metal fittings20are housed in the respective circular extension parts16by insert molding at the time of metallic molding the apparatus-side housing14. The tabs22are accommodated in engagement concave parts19which are concentrically formed at the rear end parts of the circular extension parts16, and are in standby for the connection with the female connection parts88of the relay connector60. The rear ends of the circular extension parts16are positioned further inward than (in front of) the opening edges of the attachment holes12on the outer surface of the apparatus-side shield shell11. The female screw parts23are exposed on the front end surface of the linkage part15inside the apparatus-side shield shell11, and are connected with the apparatus direct connection terminals18with bolts24. The spacing between the inner circumference of each of the attachment holes12and the outer circumference of each of the apparatus-side housings14is made waterproof by seal rings26provided on the outer circumferences of the circular extension parts16. The outer surface (rear surface) of the apparatus-side shield shell11has female screw holes27for fixing the relay shield shell92of the relay connector60.

The following is a description of the wire-side connector30. The wire-side connector30is connected to the front end parts of the three wires31which do not have a shield function on a stand-alone basis, and is configured by a wire-side housing32made of synthetic resin, three wire-side terminal metal fittings37, and a wire-side shield shell48.

The wire-side housing32is formed by extending the laterally arranged three circular engagement parts34forwards (towards the right inFIG. 1) from a support part33shaped like a roughly flattened oval. The three circular engagement parts34can be fitted into the three engagement concave parts19of the apparatus-side connector13. The circular engagement parts34each have a cavity35which opens to the rear end surface of the support part33, and seal rings36are provided on the rear end parts on the outer circumferences of the circular engagement parts34.

The wire-side terminal metal fittings37are each configured by combining a thick-walled terminal main body38and a thin-walled elastic contact piece39which are molded as separate parts to each other. The roughly front end part of each terminal main body38is a square cylinder40, and the roughly latter part makes a compression adhesion part41. The elastic contact piece is assembled in a state of being accommodated in the square cylinder40. The square cylinder40and the elastic contact piece39compose a connection device connectable with the male connection parts87of the relay terminal metal fittings85and the tabs22of the apparatus-side terminal metal fittings20. The wire-side terminal metal fittings37are connected with the wires31in the compression adhesion parts41, and are inserted into the cavities35from behind so as to be prevented from coming off by locking lances42formed inside the cavities35by lance holes43of the square cylinder parts40. The spacing between the wires31and the cavities35is made waterproof by rubber stoppers44externally fitted to the wires31, and the rubber stoppers44are prevented from coming off by holders45provided on the rear-end-side opening part of the apparatus-side housing14.

The three wires31are collectively shielded by a cylindrical shielding member46formed by knitting a metal wire into a mesh. The front end part of the shield member46is externally fixed to the wire-side shield shell48by crimping a crimp ring47. The wire-side shield shell48is provided with a plurality of pressure pieces49which project inwards from the rear end edge of the wire-side shield shell48. The wire-side shield shell48is assembled in such a manner that the whole circumference of the wire-side housing32is accommodated by the support part33in a state where the pressure pieces49are brought into contact with the back surface of the support part33of the wire-side housing32from behind. The wire-side shield shell48is provided with two attachment pieces which are laterally arranged and project outwards from the front end edge of the wire-side shield shell48as a device for attaching to the relay shield shell92.

The following is a description of the relay connector60.

The relay connector60is configured by combining three relay housings61, three relay terminal metal fittings85, and a relay shield shell92.

The relay housings61are configured by combining the first accommodator62made of synthetic resin and the second accommodator71also made of synthetic resin.

The first accommodator62has a long and narrow shape in the back-and-forth direction as a whole and is provided with a wire engagement part63which is shaped like a cylinder opened in the rear direction as a device for engaging with the wire-side housing32at the rear end parts. From the center of the support wall64formed at the front end of the wire engagement part63is straightly extended a square cylinder part65having a cross section of a rectangle longer horizontally than vertically, and the inner space of the flat square cross section of the square cylinder part65communicates with the wire engagement part63. On the top surface of the square cylinder part65is formed a top surface rib66which rises from the center in the width direction and which extends straight in parallel with the square cylinder part65. The formation area of the top surface rib66extends from the support wall64of the wire engagement part63to the front end of the square cylinder part65. Concerning the height of the top surface rib66from the square cylinder part65, the front end side is slightly lower than the center in the back-and-forth direction with the step part67close to the front end of the square cylinder part65as a border. The left and right side surfaces of the square cylinder part65are provided with side-surface ribs68which project outwards from the center in the height direction of the square cylinder part65and which extend straight in parallel with the square cylinder part65. The formation area of the side-surface rib68extends from the support wall64of the wire engagement part63to the step part67of the top surface rib66. On the bottom surface of the square cylinder part65are formed a pair of left and right bottom surface ribs69extending straight in parallel with the square cylinder part65at two positions closer to the inside than the left and right side edges. The formation area of the bottom surface ribs69extends from the support wall64of the wire engagement part63to the front end of the square cylinder part65as in the case of the top surface rib66. The positions of the bottom end edges of the bottom surface ribs69are higher on the front end side with the step part67of the top surface rib66as a border.

The square cylinder part65includes a bending lock piece70which extends in a cantilevered manner from a position close to the front end on its bottom surface forwards along the bottom surface and which is sandwiched between the left and right bottom surface ribs69. The bending lock piece70is designed to be elastically bendable in the vertical direction with the support part of the rear end of the bending lock piece70as the fulcrum. On the front-end-part bottom surface of the bending lock piece70is formed a lock projection70awhich projects further downward than the bottom end edge of the bottom surface rib69.

The second accommodator71is shaped like a cylinder as a whole. Its hollow part is opened in the rear direction, and its front surface has a front wall72. The roughly former part of the hollow of the second accommodator71has a cavity73of a rectangle longer horizontally than vertically, and below the cavity73is formed a lance74which extends forwards in a cantilevered manner. The front wall72has an insertion opening75which is shaped like a rectangle longer horizontally than vertically in such a manner as to penetrate from the outer surface (front end surface) of the front wall72to the cavity73, and also has a die-cutting hole77for forming a bending space76with the lance74. The front-end-part top surface part of the second accommodator71has a lightened part79whose lateral ends are cut so as to leave a reinforcing rib78that extends in the back-and-forth direction of the center in the width direction. The lightened part79has a horizontal top surface. Thus, the roughly former part of the second accommodator71, that is, the apparatus engagement part80, which is the part to be engaged with the wire-side housing32, has a non-circular cross section both in the inner and outer circumferences because it includes the cavity, the lance, the lightened part, and the reinforcing rib.

On the other hand, the roughly latter half of the second accommodator71makes a combining cylindrical part81shaped like a cylinder. On the outer circumference of the combining cylindrical part81is formed a flange part82shaped like a circle concentric with the cylindrical part, and at the top end part of this flange part82is formed a positioning cut part83. In a position a slightly in front of the flange part82in the combining cylindrical part81is formed a lock part84having a square-shaped hole penetrating from the inner circumference to the outer circumference.

The relay terminal metal fittings85are each provided with a terminal main body86that extends long and narrow in the back-and-forth direction, a female connection part88formed on the front end part of the terminal main body86, and a male connection part87formed integrally with the rear end part of the terminal main body86. The terminal main body86is made of a thick-walled metal plate which is horizontal and has a fixed width throughout the length. The terminal main body86and the male connection part87are connected with each other seamlessly or to form a single plane. The male connection part87has the same configuration and size with the tabs22of the apparatus-side terminal metal fittings20.

The female connection part88is formed by combining two components: a square cylindrical box-shaped engagement part89formed integral with the terminal main body86and an elastic contact piece90accommodated in the box-shaped engagement part89. The elastic contact piece90is thinner-walled than the terminal main body86and is upwardly curved when seen from a side. The elastic contact piece90is kept in a manner so as to be accommodated inside the box-shaped engagement part89by locking its front end part by the box-shaped engagement part89. The bottom surface of the box-shaped engagement part89has a lance hole91. The female connection part88has the same configuration and size as the connection device configured by the square cylinder part40and the elastic contact piece39of the wire-side terminal metal fitting37.

In the border between the female connection part88and the terminal main body86, the terminal main body86is bent like a step, thereby making the height of the terminal main body86and the male connection part87nearly equal to the height of the center of the female connection part88.

The relay sealed shell92is a one-piece die cast product (for example, made of an aluminum alloy), and has a flat shape as a whole. Inside the relay shield shell92are formed three penetration spaces93with a circular cross section which penetrate in the back-and-forth direction and are laterally arranged in a fixed pitch. The penetration spaces93are configured by a small-diameter part94occupying a long region extending from its front end to a position close to the rear end, and a large-diameter part95having a larger inner diameter than the small-diameter part94and occupying the rear end part region of the penetration space93(shorter region than the small-diameter part94). The small-diameter part94and the large-diameter part95are consecutive in a concentric manner, and the border between the small-diameter part94and the large-diameter part95makes a rear part stopper96which is configured like a step continuous throughout the circumference. At the top end part of the inner surface of the small-diameter part94is formed a pair of left and right positioning ribs97with a prescribed length extending forwards from the rear part stopper96.

The front end surface of the relay shield shell92includes forwardly projecting cylindrical engagement parts98having inner circumferences which are cylindrically shaped and which are continuous with the respective penetration spaces93concentrically and with the same diameter. The front end surface of each of the cylindrical engagement parts98makes a front part stopper99. The outer circumference of the cylindrical engagement part98is provided with a seal ring100. At the top end on the front end surface of the cylindrical engagement part98is formed a forwardly-projecting positioning projection101.

In the rear end part of the relay shield shell92are formed two wire contact parts102which extend in the shape of plates both in the diagonally upper right and diagonally lower left directions so as to correspond to the attachment pieces50of the wire-side shield shell48as a device for contacting with the wire-side shield shell48. In addition, on the front end part of the relay shield shell92are formed two apparatus contact parts103which project in the shape of plates both upwardly and downwardly so as to correspond to the female screw holes27of the apparatus-side shield shell11as a device for contacting with the apparatus-side shield shell11.

The assembly of the relay connector60is carried out as follows. First, the male connection parts88of the three wire-side terminal metal fittings37are inserted into the cavities73of the second accommodator71from behind, so as to strike the front ends of the female connection parts88into the front wall72of the second accommodator71. As a result, the female connection parts88are prevented from coming off by locking the lance hole91by the lance74of the cavity73, thereby assembling the wire-side terminal metal fittings37and the second accommodator71. In an assembled state, the front end parts of the relay terminal metal fittings85, that is, the female contact parts88are accommodated inside the second accommodator71; however, most of the terminal main body86and the male connection part87are projected from the second accommodator71outside in the rear direction.

Next, the first accommodator62is inserted from behind into the three penetration spaces93of the relay shield shell92. In this case, the first accommodator62is positioned in the circumferential direction with respect to the relay shield shell92(penetration spaces93) by fitting the top surface rib66in between the two positioning ribs97. The fitted first accommodator62is stopped in the regular insertion position by striking the front-end outer edge of the wire engagement part63into the rear end stopper96. In this state, the square cylinder part40, the top surface rib66, the side surface rib68, and the bottom surface rib69are accommodated in the small-diameter part94, whereas the wire engagement part63is accommodated in the large-diameter part95. The rattling of the first accommodator62in the diameter direction with respect to the penetration spaces93is reduced by bringing the top surface rib66, the side surface rib68, and the bottom surface rib69into contact with the inner circumference of the small-diameter part94, and by bringing the outer circumference of the wire engagement part63into contact with the inner circumference of the large-diameter part95. The rear end of the wire engagement part63is positioned further inward than (in front of) the rear end opening of the large-diameter part95, and the front end part of the first accommodator62penetrates the penetration spaces93and slightly projects in front of the relay shield shell92.

After the fitting of the first accommodator62, the second accommodator71and the relay terminal metal fittings85are assembled from in front of the relay shield shell92and the first accommodator62. In this assembly, first of all, the male connection part87at the rear end of the relay terminal metal fitting85is inserted from in front of the square cylinder part65projecting from the penetration space93, and then the terminal main body86is inserted into the square cylinder part65. The male connection part87and the terminal main body86inserted into the square cylinder part65are fitted without causing rattling in any direction with respect to the square cylinder part65.

When the male connection part87and the terminal main body86are further inserted, the combining cylindrical part81of the second accommodator71is inserted into the clearance between the small-diameter part94of the penetration space93and the front end part of the first accommodator62. At this moment, the combining cylindrical part81makes contact with the inner circumference of the small-diameter part94, so that there is no rattling caused in the diameter direction. In the process of insertion, the bottom end part of the inner circumference of the combining cylindrical part81comes into contact with the bending lock piece70, thereby elastically bending the bending lock piece70upwards. Immediately before the second accommodator71and the relay terminal metal fittings85reach the regular insertion positions, the second accommodator71is positioned in the circumferential direction by fitting the positioning cut part83into the positioning projection101of the relay shield shell92.

Then, when fitted into the regular insert-ion-positions, the second accommodator71and the relay terminal metal fittings85are stopped by the flange part82of the second accommodator71coming into contact with the front part stopper99from in front. At the same time, the bending lock piece70of the first accommodator62is returned to its original shape so as to fit the lock projection70ainto the lock part84of the second accommodator71. Consequently, the first accommodator62and the second accommodator71are combined with each other so as to control the separation from each other in the back-and-forth direction, thereby composing the relay housing61. On the inner circumference of the combining cylindrical part81of the second accommodator71, the top surface rib66, the side surface rib68, and the bottom surface rib69of the first accommodator62, and the square edge of the square cylinder part65make contact with each other in the diameter direction, so that the rattling between the accommodators62and71in the diameter direction is controlled.

When the accommodators62and71are combined, the forward relative movement of the first accommodator62and the backward relative movement of the second accommodator71are controlled with respect to the relay shield shell92. In other words, the two accommodators62and71, which are in a combined state so as to control their separation in the back-and-forth direction, sandwich the relay shield shell92from the front and back sides so that the two accommodators62and71(that is, the relay housing61) are integrally-combined with the relay shield shell92. Furthermore, the male connection part87of the relay terminal metal fitting85is positioned inside the wire engagement part63, and the apparatus engagement part80of the second accommodator71projects in front of the cylindrical engagement part98of the relay shield shell92. Thus, the assembly of the relay connector is complete.

This relay connector60is connected with the apparatus-side connector13prior to the connection with the wire-side connector30in advance. In this connection, the front end part of the relay connector60, that is, the apparatus engagement part80of the relay housing61and the cylindrical engagement part98of the relay shield shell92are inserted into the attachment holes12of the apparatus-side connector13. When inserted as far as the regular positions, the apparatus engagement part80is fitted into the engagement concave parts19of the apparatus-side housing14without causing rattling in the diameter direction, thereby putting the housings14and61into a regular engagement state. In addition, the tabs22come into the apparatus engagement part80so as to make elastic contact with the elastic contact pieces90of the female connection parts88, thereby putting both terminal metal fittings20and85in a state of being conductively connected. At the same time, the clearance between the outer circumference of the cylindrical engagement parts98of the relay shield shell92and the inner circumference of the attachment holes12is made waterproof with seal rings. Since the front end surface of the apparatus contact part103of the relay shield shell92comes into contact with the apparatus-side shield shell11, after this, the apparatus contact part103is conductively fixed to the apparatus-side shield shell11with bolts104.

Thus, the connection of the relay connector60with the apparatus-side connector13is complete. In this state, the rear end part of the relay connector60, that is, the wire engagement part63, the male connection part87, and the wire contact part102standby at positions away from the apparatus-side connector13for the connection with the wire-side connector30.

Then, the wire-side connector30is connected with the rear end part of the relay connector60. In this connection, first of all, each of the circular engagement parts34of the wire-side housing32is fitted into the wire engagement parts63of the relay housing61in the penetration spaces93. When the circular engagement parts34are fitted as far as the regular positions, the male connection part87of the relay terminal metal fitting85comes into the square cylinder part40of the wire-side terminal metal fitting37so as to make elastic contact with the elastic contact piece39. In addition, the clearance between the outer circumference of the wire-side housing32and the inner circumference of the large-diameter part95of the penetration space93is made waterproof with seal rings36. Next, the wire-side shield shell48is combined from behind with the relay shield shall92. At this moment, the pressure pieces49of the wire-side shield cell48are brought into contact with the support part33of the wire-side housing32from behind, thereby controlling the backward separation of the wire-side housing32from the relay housing61. The two attachment pieces50of the wire-side shield shell48are brought into contact with the wire contact parts102of the relay shield shell92from behind, thereby conductively fixing both shield shells48and92by the bolt105. Thus, the connection of the wire-side connector30with the relay connector60is complete, and the wire-side connector30is connected with the apparatus-side connector13via the relay connector60.

When the relay connector60is exploded for maintenance or other reasons, a jig (not illustrated) is inserted into the lock part84positioned in front of the relay shield shell92so as to elastically bend the bending lock piece70to be released from the lock part84, and in this state the first and second accommodators62and71are separated from each other in the back-and-forth direction. As a result, the combination of these accommodators62and71are released, at the same time, both accommodators62and71(relay housing61) are detached from the relay shield shell92. Since the relay terminal metal fittings85are separated from the first accommodator62and held in the second accommodator71, a jig (not illustrated) is inserted into the die-cutting space77from in front of the second accommodator71to elastically bend the lance74to be released from the wire-side terminal metal fittings37. In this state, the wire-side terminal metal fittings37are pulled in the rear direction to be released from the second accommodator71.

When the relay housing61of the present embodiment is unnecessary, the wire-side connector30can be fitted directly into the apparatus-side connector13. In this case, the wire-side shield shell48must be replaced by another having attachment pieces corresponding to the female screw parts27of the apparatus-side shield shell11; however, other components can be used as they are. To be more specific, the circular engagement parts34of the wire-side housing32can be fitted into the engagement concave parts19of the apparatus-side housing14, and the clearance between the outer circumference of the wire-side housing32and the inner circumferences of the attachment holes12of the apparatus10can be made waterproof with the seal rings36of the wire-side housing32. Furthermore, the wire-side terminal metal fitting37can be directly fitted into the apparatus-side terminal metal fitting20so as to be put in a conductively connected state.

As described hereinbefore, in the present embodiment, when the front end part of the relay connector60is connected with the apparatus-side connector13, and the rear end part of the relay connector60is positioned within reach of the operator, even if the apparatus10is positioned out of reach of the operator, the wire-side connector30can be connected to the apparatus10-side connector without changing the configurations and structures of the apparatus10and the apparatus-side connector.13.

The relay terminal metal fittings85each include the long and narrow terminal main body86, the male connection part87formed at the rear end of the terminal main body86, and the female connection part88provided on the front end of the terminal main body86. If the relay terminal metal fittings85are intended to be housed into the relay housing with a one-piece structure, it is necessary that the relay housing contain a large insertion space for inserting the female connection part88thereinto, and this causes the long and narrow terminal main body86to rattle inside the insertion space. However, according to the present invention, the relay housing61is divided into the first and second accommodators62and71, and makes the second accommodator71accommodate the female connection part88, and also makes the first accommodator62accommodate the long and narrow terminal main body86and the male connection part87in an inserted state, thereby preventing rattling of the terminal main body86in the diameter direction.

Since the first accommodator62and the second accommodator71are combined in a state of sandwiching the relay shield shell92, it is unnecessary to provide a lock structure for controlling the individual separation of the first and second accommodators62and71from the relay shield shell.

The device for keeping the two accommodators62and71in a combined state is configured by a lock structure having the bending lock piece70that is elastically bendable and the lock part84that is locked by the bending lock piece70. This can set the accommodators62and71in a combined state with a single motion, and the combined state can be released only by detaching the bending lock piece70from the lock part84by elastically bending the bending lock piece70.

The bending lock piece70and the locking piece84are disposed outside the relay shield shell92when the relay housing61is combined with the relay shield shell92, and the opening part of the lock part84can be made a visual inspection (the insertion of the jig) from outside the relay shield shell92, thereby facilitating operation to release the bending lock piece70from the lock part84.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above with the drawings. The following embodiments are included in the technical scope of the present invention, and other various modifications can be performed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

(1) In the aforementioned embodiment, the relay connector has a straight shape as a whole; however, according to the present invention, the relay connector can be curved, L-shaped, bent at an obtuse angle, bent at an acute angle, or complicatedly shaped by combining these shapes two or three dimensionally.

(2) In the aforementioned embodiment, the plural relay housings are collectively housed in the single relay shield shell; however, according to the present invention, only one relay housing can be housed in a single relay shield shell.

(3) In the aforementioned embodiment, the connection part of one end side of the relay terminal metal fittings has a male configuration, and the connection part of the other end side has a female configuration; however, according to the present invention, both ends can be male-configured or female-configured.

(4) In the aforementioned embodiment, each relay housing is configured by two components; however, according to the present invention, it can be configured by one component or three or more components.

(5) In the aforementioned embodiment, the device for locking two accommodators into a combined state is disposed outside the relay shield shell; however, according to the present invention, the lock device can be housed inside the relay shield shell.

(6) In the aforementioned embodiment, the relay housings are integrated with the relay shield shell by sandwiching the relay shield shell between the two accommodators from front and back; however, according to the present invention, it is possible to compose the relay shield shell by two components and to sandwich the relay housings between the two components.

(7) In the aforementioned embodiment, the relay shield shell is made of a single component; however, according to the present invention, the relay shield shell can be configured by multiple components.

(8) In the aforementioned embodiment, plural non-shield wires are collectively accommodated by a shielding member; however, according to the present invention, it is possible to use shield wires provided with a shielding function and to connect the shield wires individually with the wire-side shield shell.

(9) In the aforementioned embodiment, the apparatus-side terminal metal fittings are male-configured, and the wire-side terminal metal fittings are female-configured; however, according to the present invention, the apparatus-side terminal metal fittings can be female-configured, and the wire-side terminal metal fittings can be male-configured.