Shield connector and method for assembling shield connector

A shield connector includes an inner housing provided with a first terminal receiving chamber and a second terminal receiving chamber which are configured to respectively receive inner terminals attached to ends of a plurality of wires bundled into a shielded electric wire, and a shield terminal incorporating the inner housing therein. The first terminal receiving chamber is provided with an opening which is opened to a side opposite to a side where the second terminal receiving chamber is placed. The opening is opened, from one end of the first terminal receiving chamber at a side of a terminal insertion port of the second terminal receiving chamber through which one of the inner terminals is inserted, to a wall at the other end of the first terminal receiving chamber, so that another one of the inner terminals is received in the first terminal receiving chamber through the opening.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based on Japanese Patent Application (No. 2016-124204) filed on Jun. 23, 2016, the contents of which are incorporated herein by way of reference.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a shield connector configured to have an inner housing provided with plural terminal receiving chambers for respectively receiving plural inner terminals of a shielded electric wire and a shield terminal into which the inner housing is incorporated, and a method for assembling the shield connector.

Conventionally, a high-frequency-capable shielded electric wire is used for transmitting a high-frequency electrical signal to a control part of various electrical components such as a car navigator mounted in a vehicle etc.

The shielded electric wire has a structure in which an outer periphery of an insulating coating formed by coating an outer periphery of a conductor part made of a conductive material is covered with a shielding layer, and the shielding layer arranged in an outer surface can block an electrical influence from the outside to thereby perform high-frequency propagation.

Also, the shielded electric wire includes a shielded electric wire bundled by covering outer peripheries of plural electric wires with a coating material including a shielding material and an insulating material.

A shield connector is used for electrical connection of the shielded electric wire formed by bundling the plural electric wires with the coating material in this manner.

The shield connector is configured to have an inner housing provided with plural terminal receiving chambers for receiving each inner terminal attached to a distal end of each of the electric wires, and a shield terminal into which the inner housing is incorporated.

Incidentally, a cable called a composite cable like the shielded electric wire formed by bundling the plural electric wires with the coating material has a problem of being difficult to receive the terminal attached to the distal end of each of the electric wires in the terminal receiving chamber when the length of each of the electric wires exposed from the coating material is short.

Particularly, the shielded electric wire is adjusted so that the length of each of the electric wires exposed from the coating material becomes short so as to decrease exposure from the coating material including the shielding material in order not to decrease an electromagnetic shielding effect.

As a result, Patent Documents 1 and 2 propose a technique capable of easily receiving a terminal attached to a distal end of each of the electric wires in a corresponding terminal receiving chamber even when the length of each of the electric wires exposed by removing a coating material of a distal end of a composite cable is short.

Since a connector described in Patent Document 1 is constructed so that plural crimping terminals (terminals) can be collectively attached to a case after the crimping terminals (terminals) are respectively attached to a side part of a housing, the connector is constructed so that an extra length ranging from a crimp part of the crimping terminal (terminal) to a distal end (distal end of the coating material) of a cabtire of the composite cable can be shortened.

In a shield connector and a method for assembling the shield connector described in Patent Document 2, the terminals can be respectively inserted into the terminal receiving chambers of divided inner housings every plural small terminal groups, with the result that work of insertion of each of the terminals into the corresponding terminal receiving chamber can easily be done even when the length of each of the electric wires exposed by removing the coating material of the distal end is short.

SUMMARY

An object of the invention is to provide a shield connector and a method for assembling the shield connector capable of easily automating an assembling step.

According to one advantageous effect of the present invention, there is provided a shield connector, including:

an inner housing provided with a first terminal receiving chamber and a second terminal receiving chamber which are configured to respectively receive inner terminals attached to ends of a plurality of wires bundled into a shielded electric wire; and

a shield terminal incorporating the inner housing therein, wherein

the first terminal receiving chamber is provided with an opening which is opened to a side opposite to a side where the second terminal receiving chamber is placed, and

the opening is opened, from one end of the first terminal receiving chamber at a side of a terminal insertion port of the second terminal receiving chamber through which one of the inner terminals is inserted, to a wall at the other end of the first terminal receiving chamber, so that another one of the inner terminals is received in the first terminal receiving chamber through the opening.

The first terminal receiving chamber and the second terminal receiving chamber may be configured to receive the inner terminals each of which includes a mating terminal connecting part having a cylindrical shape and configured to be connected to an mating terminal.

The shield connector may be configured such that

the inner housing includes an upper step provided with the first terminal receiving chamber and a lower step provided with the second terminal receiving chamber,

a plurality of upper terminal receiving chambers including the first terminal receiving chamber are provided in the upper step,

a plurality of lower terminal receiving chambers including the second terminal receiving chamber are provided in the lower step, and

each of the upper terminal receiving chambers is provided with the opening.

According to one advantageous effect of the present invention, there is provided a method for assembling a shield connector, wherein the shield connector includes:

an inner housing provided with a first terminal receiving chamber and a second terminal receiving chamber which are configured to respectively receive inner terminals attached to ends of a plurality of wires bundled into a shielded electric wire; and

a shield terminal incorporating the inner housing therein, wherein

the first terminal receiving chamber is provided with an opening which is opened to a side opposite to a side where the second terminal receiving chamber is placed, and

the opening is opened, from one end of the first terminal receiving chamber at a side of a terminal insertion port of the second terminal receiving chamber through which one of the inner terminals is inserted, to a wall at the other end of the first terminal receiving chamber,

the method for assembling the shield connector including:

bending a first one of the wires from a straight state;

inserting the one of the inner terminals attached to a second one of the wires from the terminal insertion port so that the one of the inner terminals is received in the second terminal receiving chamber in a state that the first one of the wires is bent by the bending; and

deforming the first one of the wires into the straight state from the state that the first one of the wires is bent, while inserting another one of the inner terminals attached to the first one of the wires into the first terminal receiving chamber through the opening, in a state that the one of the inner terminals is received in the second terminal receiving chamber.

The method for assembling the shield connector may further include:

before the bending of the first one of the wires, bending the second one of the wires from a straight state while maintaining the first one of the wires in straight, and attaching another one of the inner terminals to the first one of the wires in a state that the second one of the wires is bent; and

after the bending of the first one of the wires and before the inserting of the one of the inner terminals, deforming the second one of the wires into the straight state from a state that the second one of the wires is bent, and attaching the one of the inner terminals to the second one of the wires in a state that the second one of the wires is in the straight state.

The method for assembling the shield connector may further include:

inserting the inner housing into the shield terminal in a state that all of the inner terminals are received in the inner housing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FOR EXEMPLIFIED EMBODIMENTS

In the connector described in Patent Reference 1, each of the electric wires exposed from the distal end of the cabtire must be spread around a center position of a branch and must be bent so as to insert a top end of an engaging part into an engaged part, and the number of man-hours necessary to set the terminals is increased and an assembling step becomes complicated. As a result, there is a problem of becoming difficult to automate the assembling step.

Also, in the shield connector and the method for assembling the shield connector described in Patent Reference 2, the inner housings are divided into an upper inner housing and a lower inner housing, with the result that these inner housings must be separated at the time of inserting the terminals and these inner housings must be united at the time of the completion of insertion of the terminals and an assembling step becomes complicated. As a result, there is a problem of becoming difficult to automate the assembling step.

The invention has been implemented in view of the above, and an object of the invention is to propose a shield connector capable of easily automating an assembling step, and a method for assembling the shield connector.

Embodiments of a shield connector and a method for assembling the shield connector according to the invention will hereinafter be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1is an exploded perspective view of a vehicle-mounted camera100into which a shield connector1according to an embodiment of the invention is incorporated.FIG. 2Ais a perspective view of the vehicle-mounted camera100in the case of being viewed from the side of an electric wire pullout port30aof an outer housing30, andFIG. 2Bis a side view of the vehicle-mounted camera100.FIG. 3Ais a perspective view of an inner housing10in the case of being viewed from the side of an mating terminal insertion port12, andFIG. 3Bis a perspective view of an inner terminal60in the case of being viewed from the side of a terminal insertion port13, andFIG. 3Cis a partially sectional view of the inner housing10shown inFIG. 3B.FIG. 4is an enlarged view of a shielded electric wire40shown inFIG. 1.

The shield connector1according to the embodiment of the invention is used for, for example, electrical connection of the vehicle-mounted camera100.

As a result, the shield connector1is connector-fitted into a connection other connector110with a camera functional component (not shown) received to thereby configure the vehicle-mounted camera100as shown inFIGS. 2A and 2B.

The shield connector1is configured to have the inner housing10provided with plural terminal receiving chambers11for respectively receiving the inner terminals60of the shielded electric wire40bundled by covering outer peripheries of plural electric wires50in which the inner terminals60are attached to the distal ends with a coating material41including a shielding material and an insulating material, a shield terminal20attached to the inner housing so as to cover an outer periphery of the inner housing10, and the outer housing30which internally receives the inner housing10with the shield terminal20attached and is provided with a connector fitting portion into the connection other connector110.

In addition, a rubber stopper36as a waterproof seal member is fixed to a back end opening of the outer housing30by a holder35.

Such a shield connector1is connector-fitted into the connection other connector110so as to be able to be made waterproof by arranging packing140between the connection other connector110and the shield connector1.

The shielded electric wire40is constructed by covering the plural electric wires50with the multi-layer coating material41.

More concretely, as shown inFIG. 2A, the four electric wires50are covered with metal foil41aso as to be bundled, and an outer periphery of the metal foil41ais further covered with a braid41bbraided by a conductive material, and an outer periphery of the braid41bis further covered with an insulating coating material41cto thereby construct this shielded electric wire40.

Also, as shown inFIG. 4, in the shielded electric wire40, the four electric wires50are exposed to distal ends, and the inner terminal60is crimped to the exposed distal end of each of the electric wires50.

More concretely, in the shielded electric wire40, the insulating coating material41cof the distal end is removed, and the braid41bexposed to a lower layer of the insulating coating material41cis folded back so as to overlap with an outer periphery of the insulating coating material41c, and the metal foil41aexposed to a lower layer of the braid41bis removed to thereby expose each of the electric wires50from the coating material41. The inner terminal60is attached to the distal end of each of the electric wires50in a state in which an insulating coating material52of this exposed distal end of each of the electric wires50is removed and a conductor part51is exposed.

In addition, the length in which each of the electric wires50is exposed from the coating material41is adjusted short in order not to decrease an electromagnetic shielding effect by the metal foil41aor the braid41b.

The inner terminal60is a female terminal, and is configured to have a cylindrical mating terminal connecting part61to which a connection mating terminal of the connection other connector110is connected, a crimp part62crimped to the electric wire50, and a joining part63for joining the mating terminal connecting part61to the crimp part62so that bottom walls continue.

As shown inFIGS. 3A to 3C, the inner housing10has a block shape made of an insulating resin material, and four terminal receiving chambers11are formed in two upper and lower steps, and an upper surface of the terminal receiving chamber11U of the upper step is provided with an opening14for upper step side terminal reception, the opening14being opened from one end face used as the side of the terminal insertion port13of the inner terminal60in the terminal receiving chamber11L of the lower step to a wall forming the other opposed end face so that the inner terminal60can be internally received.

More concretely, an outer wall of the inner housing10is constructed of a bottom wall10a, a pair of side walls10b,10berected on both side ends of the bottom wall10a, and a front end wall10cerected on the end of the side connected to the connection mating terminal in the bottom wall10a, and an outer shell of the inner housing10has substantially a rectangular parallelepiped shape.

Also, the inside of space formed by the bottom wall10a, the pair of side walls10b,10band the front end wall10cis provided with partition walls10dso as to respectively divide the space into two pieces in a vertical direction and a lateral direction to thereby form the terminal receiving chambers11in two upper and lower steps two by two, respectively. In addition, the terminal receiving chamber11L of the lower step and the terminal receiving chamber11U of the upper step may be just one chamber respectively.

The front end wall10cis provided with each of the mating terminal insertion ports12in a position corresponding to each of the terminal receiving chambers11so that the connection mating terminal can be connected to the inner terminal60received in each of the terminal receiving chambers11.

In the two terminal receiving chambers11of the lower step, space capable of receiving the inner terminal60is formed by the bottom wall10a, the side wall10b, the front end wall10cand the partition wall10d, and an end face opposed to the front end wall10cis provided with the terminal insertion port13of the inner terminal60. The numeral of the two terminal receiving chambers11of the lower step is hereinafter set at “11L” in the case of being distinguished from the terminal receiving chambers of the upper step.

In the two terminal receiving chambers11of the upper step, space capable of receiving the inner terminal60is formed by the side wall10b, the front end wall10cand the partition wall10d, and the opening14for upper step side terminal reception are formed. The numeral of the two terminal receiving chambers11of the upper step is hereinafter set at “11U” in the case of being distinguished from the terminal receiving chambers of the lower step. The opening14is opened from one end face used as the side of the terminal insertion port13of the inner terminal60in the terminal receiving chamber11L of the lower step to the wall (front end wall)10cforming the other opposed end face so that the inner terminal60can be internally received. In other words, the opening14is opened to a side opposite to a side where the terminal receiving chamber11L of the lower step is placed.

Also, each of the terminal receiving chambers11is provided with a terminal holding part15for holding the inner terminal60in a predetermined position of the inside of the terminal receiving chamber11.

As shown inFIG. 3C, the terminal holding part15is configured to have step wall parts15ain which both side surfaces of the inside of the terminal receiving chamber11are inwardly projected in step shapes so as to narrow a lateral width of space of the inside of the terminal receiving chamber11in a position in which the mating terminal connecting part61of the inner terminal60is arranged, and curved recessed parts15bin which the step wall parts15aare formed with recesses in curved shapes so as to correspond to an outer periphery of the mating terminal connecting part61.

Such a terminal holding part15performs a function of positioning the mating terminal connecting part61of the inner terminal60inserted into the terminal receiving chamber11L of the lower step from the terminal insertion port13in a position connected to a connection mating terminal inserted from the mating terminal insertion port12, and also performs a function of making the inner terminal60resistant to coming out of the terminal insertion port13by decreasing a gap between the connection mating terminal and an inner surface of the terminal receiving chamber11L.

Also, the terminal holding part15performs a function of positioning the inner terminal60inserted into the terminal receiving chamber11U of the upper step from the opening14for upper step side terminal reception in a position connected to a connection mating terminal inserted from the mating terminal insertion port12, and also performs a function of making the inner terminal60resistant to coming out of the opening14for upper step side terminal reception by decreasing a gap between the connection mating terminal and an inner surface of the terminal receiving chamber11U and using an upper end edge surface of the curved recessed part15bas a hook portion.

The shield terminal20is a terminal connected to the exposed braid41bof the shielded electric wire40while covering an outer periphery of the inner housing10, and is formed in a predetermined shape, for example, by pressing a plate-shaped metal member.

As shown inFIG. 1, this shield terminal20is configured to have a shield terminal body21forming a portion for covering the outer periphery of the inner housing10, and a shield crimp part22forming a portion crimped to the braid41bof the shielded electric wire40.

The shield terminal body21has substantially a rectangular tube shape corresponding to an outer shell of the inner housing10and is configured to cover the outer periphery of the inner housing10and lock the inner housing10in a predetermined position of the tube.

The shield crimp part22is coupled to the shield terminal body21at a bottom wall through a coupling part continuous with a bottom wall of the shield terminal body21, and is formed so as to erect a pair of barrel pieces22a,22afrom both sides of the bottom wall.

This pair of barrel pieces22a,22ais crimped to the exposed braid41bof the shielded electric wire40.

The outer housing30is made of an insulating resin material, and is configured to have a hood part31formed in a hood shape so as to surround an outer periphery of the shield terminal20attached to the inner housing10, a seal member holding receiving part32for holding and receiving the rubber stopper36for sealing the electric wire pullout port30aso as to be able to be made waterproof, a holder lock part33for locking a holder35, and a lock arm part34locked in a locked part121formed on a connector part120described below of the connection other connector110.

Such an outer housing30is constructed so that the inner housing10with the shield terminal20attached is received inside the hood part31and the holder35is mounted from the side of the electric wire pullout port30awith the rubber stopper36set in seal member holding receiving part32.

Here, the connection other connector110will be described.

As shown inFIG. 2, the connection other connector110is configured to have a connector part120forming a portion connector-fitted into the shield connector1, and a camera receiving part130forming a portion for receiving a camera functional component (not shown).

The connector part120has a tube shape, and plural connection mating terminals (not shown) connected to the inner terminals60are held and received with the top end facing to a fitting port. In addition, the connection mating terminal is a male terminal corresponding to the female inner terminal60.

This connector part120is provided with the locked part121in which the lock arm part34of the outer housing30is locked.

The camera receiving part130is configured to have a component attachment part131for attaching the camera functional component, and a camera cover part132for surrounding the component attachment part131including a lens.

Next, a procedure for assembling the shield connector will be described usingFIGS. 5 to 10.

FIG. 5Ais a perspective view of the shielded electric wire40in a state in which each of the coating materials41of a distal end is removed and the four electric wires50are exposed with the braid41bfolded back on an outer periphery of the insulating coating material41cand the conductor part51of a distal end of each of the electric wires50is exposed, andFIG. 5Bis a perspective view of the shielded electric wire40in a state in which two of the four electric wires50exposed to the distal end are downwardly bent.FIG. 6Ais a perspective view of the shielded electric wire40in a state in which the inner terminals60are attached to the distal ends of the two electric wires50which are not downwardly bent, andFIG. 6Bis a view describing that the inner terminals60are attached to the distal ends of the two electric wires50by a crimping apparatus200.FIG. 7Ais a perspective view of the shielded electric wire40in a state in which the two electric wires50to which the inner terminals60are attached are upwardly bent and also the two downwardly bent electric wires50are returned to an unbent state, andFIG. 7Bis a perspective view of the shielded electric wire40in a state in which the inner terminals60are attached to the distal ends of the two electric wires50returned to the unbent state.FIG. 8Ais a view showing a state in which the inner terminals60are received in the terminal receiving chambers11L of the lower step, andFIG. 8Bis a view showing a state in which the inner terminals60are received in the terminal receiving chambers11U of the upper step to thereby receive all the inner terminals60in the corresponding terminal receiving chambers11.FIG. 9Ais a view describing a situation in which the shield terminal20is to be attached to the inner housing10, andFIG. 9Bis a view showing a state in which the inner housing10is to be covered by a shield terminal body21of the shield terminal20.FIG. 10is a view showing a state in which the shield terminal has been attached to the inner housing10.

Assembling work of this shield connector1is done by, for example, an automatic machine (not shown).

As preprocessing of this assembling work, the shielded electric wire40is in a state in which each of the coating materials41of a distal end is removed and the four electric wires50are exposed with the braid41bfolded back on an outer periphery of the insulating coating material41cand the conductor part51of a distal end of each of the electric wires50is exposed (seeFIG. 5A).

In addition, this preprocessing may be performed by the automatic machine.

First, the automatic machine downwardly bends two of the four electric wires50exposed to the distal end of the shielded electric wire40(seeFIG. 5B).

Here, the two electric wires50are bent in the same direction and in only one place, with the result that the electric wire50can easily be bent without performing a complicated step even when the length of the portion in which the electric wire50is exposed from the coating material41is short.

Next, the automatic machine attaches the inner terminals60to the distal ends of the two electric wires50which are not downwardly bent (seeFIG. 6A).

When the inner terminals60are attached to the distal ends of the two electric wires50, the crimp parts62of the inner terminals60are crimped to the electric wires50by the crimping apparatus200called a crimper210and an anvil220.

Here, the two electric wires50are aligned at a pitch corresponding to the crimping apparatus200, and the inner terminals60are simultaneously crimped to the electric wires50(seeFIG. 6B).

When the inner terminals60are crimped to the distal ends of the two electric wires50in this manner, the two remaining electric wires50to which the inner terminals60are not crimped are downwardly bent, with the result that the processing is not hindered.

In addition, the two inner terminals60, respectively attached to the distal ends of the two electric wires50in this step, of the four inner terminals60received in the four terminal receiving chambers11of the two upper and lower steps are received in the two terminal receiving chambers11U of the upper step.

Then, the automatic machine upwardly bends the two electric wires50with the inner terminals60attached, and also returns the two downwardly bent electric wires50to an unbent state (seeFIG. 7A).

Here, the two electric wires50, to which the inner terminals60received in the terminal receiving chambers11U of the upper step of the inner housing10are attached, of the four electric wires50are upwardly bent.

Also, the two electric wires50, to which the inner terminals60received in the terminal receiving chambers11L of the lower step of the inner housing10are attached, of the four electric wires50are returned to the unbent straight state.

Then, the automatic machine attaches the inner terminals60to the distal ends of the two electric wires50returned to the unbent state (seeFIG. 7B).

Here, in a manner similar to the two electric wires50to which the inner terminals60are already attached, the inner terminals60are attached to the two electric wires50.

When the inner terminals60are crimped to the distal ends of the two electric wires50in this manner, the two remaining electric wires50to which the inner terminals60are already crimped are upwardly bent, with the result that the processing is not hindered.

In addition, the two inner terminals60respectively attached to the distal ends of the two electric wires50herein are received in the two terminal receiving chambers11L of the lower step.

Then, the automatic machine receives the inner terminals60in the terminal receiving chambers11L of the lower step by inserting the inner terminals60received in the terminal receiving chambers11L of the lower step from the terminal insertion ports13(seeFIG. 8A).

Here, the two electric wires50in which the inner terminals60received in the terminal receiving chambers11L of the lower step are attached to the distal ends are returned to the unbent straight state. As a result, the inner terminals60received in the terminal receiving chambers11L of the lower step are easily received in the terminal receiving chambers11L from the terminal insertion ports13.

Also, since the mating terminal connecting part61of the inner terminal60has a cylindrical shape, the inner terminal60can be inserted into the terminal receiving chamber11L from the terminal insertion port13without considering directionality.

Then, the automatic machine receives the inner terminals60in the terminal receiving chambers11U of the upper step from the openings14for upper step side terminal reception while returning the upwardly bent electric wires50from an upwardly bent state to an unbent straight state (seeFIG. 8B).

Here, the opening14for upper step side terminal reception is opened from one end face used as the side of the terminal insertion port13of the inner terminal60in the terminal receiving chamber11L of the lower step to the front end wall10cforming the other opposed end face so that the inner terminal60can be internally received.

As a result, by returning the electric wire50from the upwardly bent state to the unbent straight state, the inner terminal60is easily received in the terminal receiving chamber11U from the upper surface side of the inner housing10through the opening14for upper step side terminal reception.

Also, since the mating terminal connecting part61of the inner terminal60has the cylindrical shape, the inner terminal60can be inserted into the terminal receiving chamber11U from the opening14for upper step side terminal reception without considering directionality.

Then, the automatic machine attaches the shield terminal20to the inner housing10(seeFIGS. 9A to 10).

Here, each of the openings14for upper step side terminal reception is closed by covering an outer periphery of the inner housing10with the shield terminal body21.

Also, the shield crimp part22is crimped to the exposed braid41bof the shielded electric wire40.

Thereafter, the inner housing10with the shield terminal20attached is incorporated into the outer housing30, and the rubber stopper36is fixed to the electric wire pullout port30aof the outer housing30by the holder35to thereby complete the shield connector1.

In the shield connector1according to the embodiment of the invention, in a state in which the electric wire50to which the inner terminal60received in the terminal receiving chamber11U of the upper step is attached is upwardly bent, the inner terminal60can be received in the terminal receiving chamber11L of the lower step from the terminal insertion port13of one end face of the inner housing10with the electric wire50set in substantially a straight state, and after the inner terminal60is received in the terminal receiving chamber11L of the lower step, the inner terminal60can be received in the terminal receiving chamber11U of the upper step from the opening14for upper step side terminal reception while returning the upwardly bent electric wire50to the unbent straight state, with the result that the inner terminal60can be received in the corresponding terminal receiving chamber11L of the lower step in a state in which each electric wire50to which the inner terminal60received in the terminal receiving chamber11L of the lower step is attached is in a straight state without performing a complicated step even when the length of the portion in which the electric wire50is exposed from the coating material41is short, and the inner terminal60can be received in the corresponding terminal receiving chamber11U of the upper step by only bending each electric wire50to which the inner terminal60received in the terminal receiving chamber11U of the upper step is attached in the same direction and in only one place. As a result, an assembling step can easily be automated.

Also, in the shield connector1according to the embodiment of the invention, the mating terminal connecting part61of the inner terminal60has the cylindrical shape, with the result that the plural inner terminal60can be received in the corresponding terminal receiving chambers11without considering directionality of the mating terminal connecting part61in an outer peripheral direction. As a result, the assembling step can easily be automated.

Also, in the method for assembling the shield connector according to the embodiment of the invention, in a state in which the electric wire50, to which the inner terminal received in the terminal receiving chamber11U of the upper step of the inner housing10is attached, of the plural electric wires50is upwardly bent in an electric wire bending step, the inner terminal60attached to the electric wire50in a straight state without being upwardly bent can be inserted from the terminal insertion port13to thereby receive the inner terminal60in the terminal receiving chamber11L of the lower step in a lower step terminal receiving step, and the inner terminal60can be received in the terminal receiving chamber11U of the upper step from the opening14for upper step side terminal reception while returning the electric wire50upwardly bent in the electric wire bending step from an upwardly bent state to an unbent straight state in an upper step terminal receiving step, with the result that the plural inner terminals60can be received in the corresponding terminal receiving chambers by only bending each electric wire50to which the inner terminal60received in the terminal receiving chamber11U of the upper step is attached in the same direction and in only one place without performing a complicated step even when the length of the portion in which the electric wire50is exposed from the coating material41is short. As a result, an assembling step can easily be automated.

Also, in the method for assembling the shield connector according to the embodiment of the invention, a series of operations of attaching the inner terminals to the distal ends of the plural electric wires50and respectively receiving the plural inner terminals60in the corresponding terminal receiving chambers11can be performed by only repeating an operation of bending each electric wire50in the same direction and in only one place, the operation in which the electric wire50to which the inner terminal60received in the terminal receiving chamber11L of the lower step is attached is downwardly bent in an upper step terminal attaching step, and the electric wire50to which the inner terminal60received in the terminal receiving chamber11U of the upper step is attached is upwardly bent in the electric wire bending step, and the downwardly bent electric wire50is returned to the straight state in a lower step terminal attaching step, and the upwardly bent electric wire50is returned from the upwardly bent state to the unbent straight state in the upper step terminal receiving step. As a result, the assembling step can easily be automated.

In addition, the shield connector1according to the embodiment of the invention illustrates the shield connector configured to have the inner housing10provided with the four terminal receiving chambers11in two upper and lower steps, but the number of terminal receiving chambers11is not limited to four, and may be numbers other than four as long as the terminal receiving chambers11are formed in two upper and lower steps.

Also, the shield connector1according to the embodiment of the invention illustrates the case where the mating terminal connecting part61of the inner terminal60has the cylindrical shape, but the shape is not limited to this cylindrical shape, and may be other shapes. For example, the mating terminal connecting part61may have a rectangular tube shape.

In view of the above, according to an aspect of the invention, there is provided the shield connector and the method for assembling the shield connector described as (i) to (vi) below.

an inner housing (10) provided with a first terminal receiving chamber (11U) and a second terminal receiving chamber (11L) which are configured to respectively receive inner terminals (60) attached to ends of a plurality of wires (50) bundled into a shielded electric wire (40); and

a shield terminal (20) incorporating the inner housing (10) therein, wherein

the first terminal receiving chamber (11U) is provided with an opening (14) which is opened to a side opposite to a side where the second terminal receiving chamber (11L) is placed, and

the opening (14) is opened, from one end of the first terminal receiving chamber (11U) at a side of a terminal insertion port (13) of the second terminal receiving chamber (11U) through which one of the inner terminals (60) is inserted, to a wall (10c) at the other end of the first terminal receiving chamber (11U), so that another one of the inner terminals (60) is received in the first terminal receiving chamber (11U) through the opening (14).

(ii) The shield connector (1) as set forth in the (i) above, wherein

the first terminal receiving chamber (11U) and the second terminal receiving chamber (11L) are configured to receive the inner terminals (60) each of which includes a mating terminal connecting part (61) having a cylindrical shape and configured to be connected to an mating terminal.

(iii) The shield connector (1) as set forth in the (i) above, wherein

the inner housing (10) includes an upper step provided with the first terminal receiving chamber (11U) and a lower step provided with the second terminal receiving chamber (11L),

a plurality of upper terminal receiving chambers (11U) including the first terminal receiving chamber (11U) are provided in the upper step,

a plurality of lower terminal receiving chambers (11L) including the second terminal receiving chamber (11L) are provided in the lower step, and

each of the upper terminal receiving chambers (11U) is provided with the opening (14).

(iv) A method for assembling a shield connector (1), wherein the shield connector (1) includes:

an inner housing (10) provided with a first terminal receiving chamber (11U) and a second terminal receiving chamber (11L) which are configured to respectively receive inner terminals (60) attached to ends of a plurality of wires (50) bundled into a shielded electric wire (40); and

a shield terminal (20) incorporating the inner housing (10) therein, wherein

the first terminal receiving chamber (11U) is provided with an opening (14) which is opened to a side opposite to a side where the second terminal receiving chamber (11L) is placed, and

the opening (14) is opened, from one end of the first terminal receiving chamber (11U) at a side of a terminal insertion port (13) of the second terminal receiving chamber (11L) through which one of the inner terminals (60) is inserted, to a wall (10c) at the other end of the first terminal receiving chamber (11U),

the method for assembling the shield connector (1) including:

bending a first one of the wires (50) from a straight state;

inserting the one of the inner terminals (60) attached to a second one of the wires (50) from the terminal insertion port (13) so that the one of the inner terminals (60) is received in the second terminal receiving chamber (11L) in a state that the first one of the wires (50) is bent by the bending; and

deforming the first one of the wires (50) into the straight state from the state that the first one of the wires (50) is bent, while inserting another one of the inner terminals (60) attached to the first one of the wires (50) into the first terminal receiving chamber (11U) through the opening (14), in a state that the one of the inner terminals (60) is received in the second terminal receiving chamber (11L).

(v) The method for assembling the shield connector (1) as set forth in the (iv) above, further comprising:

before the bending of the first one of the wires (50), bending the second one of the wires (50) from a straight state while maintaining the first one of the wires (50) in straight, and attaching another one of the inner terminals (60) to the first one of the wires (50) in a state that the second one of the wires (50) is bent; and

after the bending of the first one of the wires (50) and before the inserting of the one of the inner terminals (60), deforming the second one of the wires (50) into the straight state from a state that the second one of the wires (50) is bent, and attaching the one of the inner terminals (60) to the second one of the wires (50) in a state that the second one of the wires (50) is in the straight state.

(vi) The method for assembling the shield connector (1) as set forth in the (iv) above, further comprising:

inserting the inner housing (10) into the shield terminal (20) in a state that all of the inner terminals (60) are received in the inner housing (10).

In the shield connector according to the invention, in a state in which the electric wire to which the inner terminal received in the terminal receiving chamber of the upper step is attached is upwardly bent, the inner terminal can be received in the terminal receiving chamber of the lower step from the terminal insertion port of one end face of the inner housing with the electric wire set in substantially a straight state, and after the inner terminal is received in the terminal receiving chamber of the lower step, the inner terminal can be received in the terminal receiving chamber of the upper step from the opening for upper step side terminal reception while returning the upwardly bent electric wire to the unbent straight state, with the result that the inner terminal can be received in the corresponding terminal receiving chamber of the lower step in a state in which each electric wire to which the inner terminal received in the terminal receiving chamber of the lower step is attached is in a straight state without performing a complicated step even when the length of the portion in which the electric wire is exposed from the coating material is short, and the inner terminal can be received in the corresponding terminal receiving chamber of the upper step by only bending each electric wire to which the inner terminal received in the terminal receiving chamber of the upper step is attached in the same direction and in only one place. As a result, an assembling step can easily be automated.

In the shield connector according to the invention, the mating terminal connecting part of the inner terminal has the cylindrical shape, with the result that the plural inner terminal can be received in the corresponding terminal receiving chambers without considering directionality of the mating terminal connecting part in an outer peripheral direction. As a result, the assembling step can easily be automated.

In the method for assembling the shield connector of the invention, in a state in which the electric wire, to which the inner terminal received in the terminal receiving chamber of the upper step of the inner housing is attached, of the plural electric wires is upwardly bent in the electric wire bending step, the inner terminal attached to the electric wire in a straight state without being upwardly bent can be inserted from the terminal insertion port to thereby receive the inner terminal in the terminal receiving chamber of the lower step in the lower step terminal receiving step, and the inner terminal can be received in the terminal receiving chamber of the upper step from the opening for upper step side terminal reception while returning the electric wire upwardly bent in the electric wire bending step from the upwardly bent state to the unbent straight state in the upper step terminal receiving step, with the result that the plural inner terminals can be received in the corresponding terminal receiving chambers by only bending each electric wire to which the inner terminal received in the terminal receiving chamber of the upper step is attached in the same direction and in only one place without performing a complicated step even when the length of the portion in which the electric wire is exposed from the coating material is short. As a result, an assembling step can easily be automated.

In the method for assembling the shield connector of the invention, a series of operations of attaching the inner terminals to the distal ends of the plural electric wires and respectively receiving the plural inner terminals in the corresponding terminal receiving chambers can be performed by only repeating an operation of bending each electric wire in the same direction and in only one place, the operation in which the electric wire to which the inner terminal received in the terminal receiving chamber of the lower step is attached is downwardly bent in the upper step terminal attaching step, and the electric wire to which the inner terminal received in the terminal receiving chamber of the upper step is attached is upwardly bent in the electric wire bending step, and the downwardly bent electric wire is returned to the straight state in the lower step terminal attaching step, and the upwardly bent electric wire is returned from the upwardly bent state to the unbent straight state in the upper step terminal receiving step. As a result, the assembling step can easily be automated.

The invention implemented by the present inventor has been described above concretely based on the embodiment of the invention described above, but the invention is not limited to the embodiment of the invention described above, and various changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention.