Device connector with mating terminals bolted together

A device connector to be connected with device-side terminals accommodated in a metal case (C) is provided with a first housing (10) for holding first terminals (20) connectable with the device-side terminals by bolt tightening and a second housing (50) connectable with the first housing (10) and adapted to hold second terminals (60) fixed to ends of wires (61). Connecting portions (21, 63) of the first and second terminals (20, 60) are arranged one over the other in a fitting (11) to the second housing (50) and are respectively formed with bolt insertion holes (21A, 63A). The fitting (11) is formed with an operation hole (23) used for bolt tightening operations for the connecting portions (21, 63).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a device connector for supplying power to a device accommodated in a metal case.

2. Description of the Related Art

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-31962 discloses a device connector for supplying power to a device such as a motor accommodated in a metal case in an electric automotive vehicle or the like. This device connector is provided with a first housing to be mounted in a mount hole that penetrates the case in inward and outward directions and a second housing to be mounted on ends of wires. The two housings are connectable with each other.

First terminals that are long and narrow in a connecting direction of the two housings are held in the first housing. Ends of the first terminals to be arranged at a side toward the device are formed with bolt holes and the first terminals are connected with device-side terminals by tightening bolts. Ends of the first terminals opposite the device-side terminals project in the connecting direction with the second housing and are connected with second terminals held in the second housing.

Each second terminal has a rectangular tube at a front end with respect to the connecting direction with the first housing. The projecting ends of the first terminals enter the rectangular tubes of the second terminals and contact resilient contact pieces in the rectangular tubes as the housings are connected for connecting the first and second terminals.

Connected parts of the first terminals and the device-side terminals are pressed strongly into contact with each other by tightening the bolts to improve connection reliability. However, such strong connection is not realized at connected parts of the first terminals and the second terminals and, hence, there is a demand for further improving connection reliability.

The invention was developed in view of the above situation and an object thereof is to improve connection reliability of a device connector.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a device connector to be connected with at least one device-side terminal accommodated in a case. The device connector has a first housing for holding at least one first terminal connectable with the device-side terminal by bolt tightening and a second housing that is connectable with the first housing. The second housing is adapted to hold at least one second terminal fixed to an end of a wire. The second housing is mountable on the case in such a posture that a fitting of the second housing projects out of the casing. One or more connecting portions of the first and second terminals extend substantially in a connecting direction of the two housings and are arranged one over the other in the fitting when the first and second housings are connected. The connecting portions are formed with bolt insertion holes that receive bolts to fix the connecting portions to each other. The fitting of the two housings is formed with an operation hole for a bolt tightening operation for the connecting portions.

According to such a construction, a bolt can be inserted into the fitting of the housing through the operation hole to fasten the bolt insertion holes of the first and second terminals arranged one over the other in the fitting. A strong connection is realized at a connected part of the first and second terminals in addition to the one at a connected part of the device-side terminal and the first terminal. Thus, connection reliability can be improved.

A first shielding shell fixable to the case may be mounted or mountable on a rear side of the first housing with respect to the connecting direction with the second housing, a second shielding shell may be mounted or mountable on a rear side of the second housing with respect to the connecting direction with the first housing, the first and second shielding shells may be fixable to each other while exposing the operation hole to the outside, and a shell cover for covering a part where the operation hole is exposed may be provided separately from the first and second shielding shells.

According to such a construction, the both terminals can be tightened with the bolt with the first and second shielding shells fixed. In other words, both terminals can be tightened with the bolt while the two housings are connected and relative displacements of the bolt insertion holes of the both terminals prevented. Therefore, the bolt tightening operation can be performed easily.

The case may be formed with at least one screw hole for fixing the first shielding shell with at least one screw, and the first shielding shell may be formed with at least one first screw insertion hole at a position corresponding to the screw hole of the case and fixed to the case by tightening at least one screw inserted into the first screw insertion hole into the screw hole of the case.

The second shielding shell may be formed with at least one second screw insertion hole arranged to at least partly overlap the at least one screw hole of the case and/or the first screw insertion hole. The first and second shielding shells may be fixed to the case by tightening the at least one screw inserted into the first screw insertion hole and the second screw insertion hole into the screw hole of the case. Thus, the first and second shielding shells can be fixed by one screw.

At least one of the bolt insertion holes of the first and second terminals may have a long shape in the connecting direction of the two housings. Then, the bolt insertion holes overlap even if the first and second terminals are displaced relative to each other in the fitting portion of the housings, provided that the displacement is within the length range of the bolt insertion hole. As a result, the two terminals can be tightened by the bolt.

A cap may be mountable into the operation hole and may include at least one seal ring for closely contacting the circumferential surface of the operation hole to provided sealing between the cap and the operation hole. Thus water cannot enter through the operation hole.

The cap and the fitting portion may include at least one engaging piece and at least one engaging projection engageable with each other to hold the cap mounted into the operation hole.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A device connector according to the invention is described with reference toFIGS. 1 to 10. The device connector is used for supplying power to an unillustrated device (e.g. a motor, an inverter or the like installed in a hybrid vehicle or the like) and has first and second housings10and50that are connectable with and separable from each other. In the following description, ends of the two housings10,50to be connected are referred to as front ends, and reference is made toFIG. 1concerning upper and lower sides. The device is to be accommodated in a conductive metal case C having a shielding function. The case C has a mount hole H that penetrates the case C substantially in inward and outward directions.

The first housing10is made e.g. of synthetic resin and includes a first fitting11in the form of a wide oblong parallelepiped. Flanges12extend back from opposite sides of the bottom end of the first fitting11and a device-side fitting13projects out and down from the lower surface of the flange12. The device-side fitting13is at a position behind adjacent to the first fitting11.

The first housing10is to be mounted into the mount hole H of the case C in a posture so that the first fitting11projects out of the case C and the device-side fitting13is accommodated in the case C. At this time, the flange12extends substantially along an outer surface of the case C.

The first fitting11has a substantially box shape with a hollow inside, and a connection opening15is formed in the front thereof. The connection opening15has a wide substantially oblong shape and extends substantially in forward and backward directions. A slanted connection surface15A is formed around the periphery of the connection opening15and is inclined to increase an opening size toward the front. A flat connection sealing surface15B is formed part in the connection opening15behind the slanted connection surface15A and defines a uniform opening shape in forward and backward directions.

Three wire-side placing tables16are formed substantially side by side in the lateral direction in the first fitting11, and nuts N1are accommodated in the respective wire-side placing tables16. Vertically aligned nuts N1are placed so that their upper surfaces are substantially flush with the upper surfaces of the wire-side placing tables16.

Engaging projections18are provided on the opposite sides of the first fitting11and project sideways from the side surfaces of the first fitting11. Riding surfaces18A are defined along the tops of the engaging projections18. Engaging surfaces18B are defined along the bottoms of the engaging projections18and are aligned substantially perpendicular to the side surfaces of the first fitting11.

Three device-side placing tables19are formed substantially side by side in lateral direction in the device-side fitting13. Three device-side placing tabs19are arranged at positions more distant from the flange12from one side towards the other side of an arranging direction thereof. The middle placing table19is displaced back from those at the opposite ends. Nuts N2are accommodated in the respective device-side placing tables19. The nuts N2are placed so that the axial lines thereof extend substantially vertically and the rear surfaces thereof are substantially flush with those of the device-side placing tables19.

Three, first terminals20are held in the first housing10and are bent to extend from the respective wire-side placing tables16to the corresponding device-side placing tables19. Each first terminal20includes a first connecting portion21that extends substantially forward along the upper surface of the wire-side placing table16and a device-side connecting portion22that extends substantially along the rear surface of the device-side placing table19. The first terminals20are insert molded into the first housing10so that a unitary matrix of resin surrounds and supports a portion of each first terminal20.

The first connecting portion21of each first terminal20has a first bolt insertion hole21A substantially coaxial with the nut N1placed on the corresponding wire-side placing table16. The device-side connecting portion22of each first terminal20has a device-side bolt insertion hole22A substantially coaxial with the nut N2placed on the corresponding device-side placing table19. The bolt insertion holes21A,22A are round and slightly larger than shaft holes of the nuts N1, N2.

An unillustrated device-side terminal connected with the device is placed on the rear of the device-side connecting portion22placed on the device-side placing table19. The device-side connecting portion22and the device-side terminal are connected electrically by screwing an unillustrated bolt inserted through a bolt hole of the device-side terminal and the device-side bolt insertion hole22A of the device-side connecting portion22into the nut N2.

An operation hole23vertically penetrates part of the upper wall of the first fitting11right above the wire-side placing tables16. The three wire-side placing tables16are exposed outwardly or upwardly of the first fitting11through this operation hole23. As shown inFIG. 2, the operation hole23has a wide substantially oblong shape, and the longer side dimension thereof is the sum of a distance between the opposite ends of the first connecting portions21of the first terminals20and specified dimensions at the opposite sides and the shorter side dimension thereof is the sum of the diameter of the nut N1and specified dimensions at the front and rear sides of the nut N1.

A slanted surface23A is formed around the upper peripheral edge of the operation hole23and is inclined to increase an opening size toward the upper side. A flat sealing surface23B is formed around the periphery of the operation hole23below the slanted surface23A and has the substantially same opening shape in the vertical direction.

The first housing10includes a cap30for closing the operation hole23. The cap30includes a wide substantially oblong lid31slightly larger than the operation hole23. A closing portion32projects down from the lower surface of the lid portion31and has substantially the same outer shape as the sealing surface23B of the operation hole23. A mounting groove33is formed in the outer peripheral surface of the closing portion32over substantially the entire periphery, and a seal ring S1is mounted in the mounting groove33. The seal ring S1closely contacts the sealing surface23B when the cap30is mounted into the operation hole23and provides sealing between the operation hole23and the cap30. Thus, water cannot enter the first fitting11through the operation hole23.

The cap30has engaging pieces35that engage the engaging projections18of the first fitting portion11. The engaging pieces35are cantilevered down at the opposite ends of the lid31and are resiliently deformable in directions facing each other.

A first shielding shell40is mounted on the flange12at the rear side of the first housing10with respect to a connecting direction with the second housing50. The first shielding shell40is aluminum die-cast and has a substantially rectangular escaping portion41cut along the outer shape of the first fitting11and shaped to cover the upper and peripheral surfaces of the flange12.

First screw insertion holes42are formed near four corners of the first shielding shell40and at positions corresponding to screw holes (not shown) of the case C. The first shielding shell40is fixed electrically to the case C by aligning the first screw insertion holes42with the screw holes of the case C. Screws then are inserted through the respective holes and tightened. Thus, the flange12of the first housing10is sandwiched between the outer surface of the case C and the first shielding shell40and a seal14mounted on the lower surface of the flange12is held in close contact with the outer surface of the case C to seal between the peripheral edge of the mount hole H of the case C and the first housing10.

The second housing50is made e.g. of synthetic resin, and three cavities52are formed side by side in the lateral direction. Second terminals60fixed to ends of respective wires61are inserted into the respective cavities52from behind. A locking lance53is provided near the front end of each cavities52for engaging and retaining the corresponding second terminal60.

A front stop wall54projects around the outer periphery of the second housing50at a position slightly before the center of the second housing50in forward and backward directions.

A second fitting55is defined on the second housing50before the front stop wall54and is configured to fit in the first fitting11of the first housing10. A seal ring S2is mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the second fitting55. The seal ring S2closely contacts the connection sealing surface15B when the second fitting55is fit into the first fitting11to provide sealing therebetween and to prevent water from entering into the first fitting11through the connection opening15.

The second terminals60are oblongs that are long in forward and backward directions. Crimping portions62are formed at the rear ends of the second terminals60and are configured for crimped connection with the ends of the three wires61forming a wiring harness W. Second connecting portions63are defined at the front ends of the second terminals60and extend forward from terminal insertion holes56in the front wall of the second fitting portion55when the second terminals60are accommodated in the respective cavities52. The second connecting portions63are placed on the upper surfaces of the first connecting portions21of the first terminals20when the first and second housings10,50are connected. Each second connecting portion63has a second bolt insertion hole63A to be placed above the first bolt insertion hole21A. The second bolt insertion hole63A is slightly larger than the first bolt insertion hole21A and has an oblong shape longer in forward and backward directions (seeFIG. 2). Each second terminal60has an engaging hole64that engages the locking lance53of the corresponding cavity52. Further, a rubber plug65fit on the wire61seals between the wire61and the cavity52.

The second shielding shell70is die-cast unitarily from aluminum to define a wide oblong tubular main portion71and mounting portions72that extend from the main portion71. The main portion71is fit on a rear part of the second housing50. A shield66, such a braided wire or a conductive film, collectively surrounds the three wires61, and an end of the shield66is fit on the outer peripheral surface of the main portion71. The shield66is fixed electrically to the main portion71by a crimp ring73. The shield66and the wires W form part of the wiring harness W.

A bulge74bulges out near the front end of the main portion71of the second shielding shell70. The bulge74has a wide rectangular outer shape slightly larger than the main portion71, and the upper end thereof is bent to extend slightly forward. A lower plate75projects forward from the lower edge of the bulge74and has a wide substantially rectangular shape that covers a front portion of the second housing50from below.

Main portions72project out sideways at positions slightly before the bulge74and have bottom ends bent forward. These bent portions have second screw insertion holes76at positions overlapping the screw holes of the case C and the first screw insertion holes42of the first shielding shell40. Thus, the first and second shielding shells40and70can be fixed electrically to the case C by screwing screws inserted through the first screw insertion holes42and the second screw insertion holes76into the screw holes of the case C. The second screw insertion hole76on the left side ofFIG. 4is arranged substantially at the same height as the lower plate75, and the second screw insertion hole76on the right side ofFIG. 4is located above the lower plate75by a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the first shielding shell40.

Cover mountable portions77project sideways from the upper edges of both main portions72of the second shielding shell70. The cover mountable portions77are formed with cover screw holes77A.

The first fitting11is covered by the first and second shielding shells40,70except its rear, upper and opposite sides when the first and second housings10,50are connected and the first and second shielding shells40,70are fixed. Thus, the rear, upper and opposite side surfaces of the first fitting11are exposed to the outside, including the operation hole23(seeFIGS. 7 and 8).

These exposed parts are covered by a shell cover80that is separate from the first and second shielding shells40,70. The shell cover80is die-cast aluminum and includes an upper plate81for covering the upper surface of the first fitting11, side plates82for covering the opposite side surfaces of the first fitting11and a rear plate83for covering the rear surface of the first fitting11. The upper plate81is substantially rectangular and slightly larger than the escaping portion41of the first shielding shell40.

Cover mounting portions84project sideways from the lateral edges of the upper plate81of the shell cover80(seeFIG. 8). The cover mounting portions84are placed on the upper surfaces of the cover mountable portions77of the second shielding shell70when the shell cover80is mounted to cover the exposed parts,. Cover fixing holes84A are formed in the cover mounting portions84at positions to overlap the cover screw holes77A of the cover mountable portions77. The shell cover80is fixed electrically to the second shielding shell70by screwing screws78inserted through the cover fixing holes84A into the cover screw holes77A.

The second fitting55of the second housing50is fit into the connection opening15of the first fitting11. Then, the second connecting portions63of the second terminals60reach positions above the first connecting portions21of the first terminals20at the back side of the first fitting11and the second bolt insertion holes63A are placed above the first bolt insertion holes21A (seeFIG. 7). Further, the second screw insertion holes76of the second shielding shell70reach the screw holes of the case C and the first screw insertion holes42of the first shielding shell40that already are arranged to overlap (seeFIG. 8). The upper second screw insertion hole76inFIG. 4is above the first screw insertion hole42. However, the lower second screw insertion hole76inFIG. 4is between the first screw insertion hole42and the case C. Screws79are inserted through the overlapping first and second screw insertion holes42,76and screwed into the screw holes of the case C to fix the first and second shielding shells40,70electrically to the case C. The two first screw insertion holes42at the rear (right inFIG. 8) are fixed only to the case C.

The first and second shielding shells40,70are fixed at two positions by tightening the screws at a total of two positions. This contrasts with arrangements where each of first and second shielding shells is fixed to a case at two different positions, and hence requiring a total of four screw tightening operations have to be performed at a total of four positions. Therefore, the number of screws and the number of screw tightening operations can be reduced with the subject invention.

Bolts V are inserted through the operation hole23, through the first and second bolt insertion holes21A and63A and into the respective nuts N1in the wire-side placing tables16after the first and second housings10,50are connected and the first and second shielding shells40,70are fixed to the case C by the screws. Thus, the first and second terminals20,60are pressed strongly against each other to be electrically connected. Hence, connection reliability is improved since strong connection by bolt tightening is realized at the connected parts of the first and second terminals20,40in addition to the connection at the connected parts of the device-side terminals and the first terminals20.

The fixed first and second shielding shells40,70prevent the connected first and second housings10and50from being displaced away from one another. Thus, the first and second bolt insertion holes21A and63A remain aligned and the bolts V can be inserted into the bolt insertion holes21A,63A without holding the first and second terminals20,40by hand to prevent displacement of the bolt insertion holes21A,63A. Hence, the bolt tightening operation is more efficient.

The second bolt insertion holes63A are slightly larger than the first bolt insertion holes21A and have an oblong shape longer in forward and backward directions. Therefore, the bolt insertion holes21A,63A will remain sufficiently overlapped for an efficient connecting operation even if the first and second connecting portions21,63are displaced from each other, provided such displacements are within the size of the second bolt insertion holes63A. Therefore, the terminals20,60can be bolted reliably. The second bolt insertion holes63A need not be as wide as they are long in the connecting direction of the housings10,50because the terminals20,60more likely to displace in the connecting direction.

The operation hole23is sufficiently large for a tool, such as an impact wrench, to be inserted easily into the operation hole23for tightening the bolts V. Therefore the bolt tightening operations can be performed easily.

The cap30is mounted into the operation hole23when the bolt tightening operations for the terminals20,60are completed. More particularly, the closing portion32of the cap30is fit into the operation hole23. Thus, the engaging pieces35move onto the riding surfaces18A of the engaging projections18and resiliently deform outward. The lid31is on the upper surface of the first fitting11when the closing portion32of the cap30is fit completely into the operation hole23. Simultaneously, the engaging pieces35move over the engaging projections18and resiliently restore to engage the engaging surfaces18B of the engaging projections18for holding the cap30. The cap30can be mounted easily by a one-touch operation.

The shell cover80then is mounted from above the first fitting11and fixed to the second shielding shell70with the screws. Thus, the first and second housings10,50are shielded while being covered by the first and second shielding shells40,70and the shell cover80(seeFIGS. 9 and 10).

As described above, the bolt insertion holes21A,63A of the first and second terminals20,60are arranged one above the other in the first fitting11and are fastened with the bolts. Thus, strong reliable connection is realized at the connected parts of the first and second terminals20,60in addition to the connection at the connected parts of the device-side terminals and the first terminals20.

The invention is not limited to the above described and illustrated embodiment. For example, the following embodiments are also embraced by the technical scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.

The shell cover80is separate from the first and second shielding shells40,70in the above embodiment. However, a shell cover may be formed integral to the second shielding shell in such a state as to be displaceable between a position for covering the operating hole and a position for exposing the operation hole.

Although the second fitting55is fittable into the first fitting11in the above embodiment, the second fitting may include a receptacle that can fit onto the first fitting. At this time, if the first and second fittings overlap, an operation hole penetrating both may be formed.

The second bolt insertion holes63A are slightly larger than the first bolt insertion holes21A and have a substantially oblong shape slightly longer in forward and backward directions in the above embodiment. However, the second bolt insertion holes may have the same size as the first bolt insertion holes. Alternatively, the first bolt insertion holes may be larger than the second bolt insertion holes.

Although the cap30is provided to close the operation hole23in the above embodiment, it may not necessarily be provided.

Although the cap30includes the seal ring S1in the above embodiment, the seal ring may not necessarily be provided.

The cap30includes the engaging pieces35and the first fitting portion11includes the engaging projections18in the illustrated embodiment. However, the engagement of the cap and the first fitting portion does not matter.