Pressure coupling connector

Provided is a pressure coupling connector which can decrease the number of components for coping with various electric wire diameters, prevent problems due to difference in product kind, and reduce the stock. The pressure coupling connector includes a wire holding block for holding electric wires and a contact block for holding a connection terminal to which the electric wire is coupled with pressure by inserting the wire holding block into the contact block. The connection terminal of the contact block includes a U-shaped blade rising toward an opening surface into which the wire holding block is inserted. The wire holding block includes a wire holding portion in which a holding hole for transmitting the electric wire from the rear side thereof and holding the electric wire is formed and a reception groove for receiving the U-shaped blade of the connection terminal. The U-shaped blade of the connection terminal includes a core pressing blade having a step-shaped slit with two different widths in the vertical direction and a wire holding blade having a step-shaped slit with two different widths in the vertical direction, sequentially from the inside in an electric wire insertion direction. Adapting to the outer shape of an electric wire, the electric wire can be held with a wire holding slit (upper step portion) 53a or a wire holding slit (lower step portion) 53b.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a pressure coupling connector for accomplishing electrical connection by coupling electric wires (lead wires or cables) to connection terminals with pressure.

BACKGROUND ART

Conventionally, as such a kind of connector, there was known a connector in which an insulating housing is formed by integrally coupling a pressure block (wire holding block) to a terminal block (contact block) at the ends thereof and pressure coupling is performed by inserting cables held by the pressure block into connection terminal grooves (for example, see JP-A-9-35771). Such a clamp type of pressure coupling connector provides excellent workability and enables satisfactory insertion works.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

However, in such a conventional pressure coupling connector, various kinds of wire holding blocks (different wire holding diameters) and terminal blocks are provided and various combinations thereof are used, in order to cope with various kinds of electric wires having different sectional area (for example, about AWG20to26). Accordingly, the number of components increases to cope with various wire diameters, stock increases, and problems due to difference in product kind are often caused.

Technical Solution

The present invention is contrived in consideration of the above-mentioned problems. It is an object of the present invention to provide a pressure coupling connector which can decrease the number of components for coping with various wire diameters, prevent problems due to difference in product kind, and reduce the stock.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pressure coupling connector comprising a wire holding block for holding a electric wire and a contact block for holding a connection terminal to which the electric wire is coupled with pressure by inserting the wire holding block into the contact block, wherein the connection terminal includes a U-shaped blade rising toward an opening surface of the contact block into which the wire holding block is inserted, wherein the wire holding block includes a wire holding portion in which a holding hole for transmitting the electric wire from the rear side thereof and holding the electric wire is formed and a reception groove for receiving the U-shaped blade of the connection terminal, and wherein the U-shaped blade of the connection terminal includes a core pressing blade having a step-shaped slit with two different widths in the vertical direction and a wire holding blade having a step-shaped slit with two different widths in the vertical direction, sequentially from the inside in a electric wire insertion direction.

Two kinds of wire holding blocks may be prepared, the holding holes of which correspond to vertical positions having the different widths in the slit of the U-shaped blade, respectively.

Advantageous Effects

Since the pressure coupling connector according to the present invention includes the core pressing U-shaped blades and the wire holding U-shaped blades having a step-shaped slit with two different widths in the vertical direction, the cores can be connected and the electric wires can be held appropriately regardless of the magnitudes in diameter of the electric wires, only by using one connector or a small number of connectors. Accordingly, it is possible to cope with the electric wires having various diameters only with a small number of product kinds, so that the number of components can be decreased, the problems due to difference in product kind can be reduced, and the stock can be reduced.

BEST MODE

Hereinafter, a pressure coupling connector according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. As shown inFIGS. 1 to 3, the pressure coupling connector1according to the present embodiment includes a wire holding block2for holding plural strands of electric wires4(four strands in the present embodiment) and a contact block3to which the electric wires are connected with pressure by inserting the wire holding block2into the contact block3. The respective blocks2and3are made of an insulating resin molded body. The wire holding block2includes an upper block10and a lower block20which are overlapped with each other to form a wire holding portion for holding the electric wires4. The contact block3holds four connection terminals5in the present embodiment and serves as a plug which is inserted into an electric outlet not shown. Front ends5aof the connection terminals5become contact pins for contacting a conductive portion of the electric outlet.

The connection terminals5include a U-shaped blade rising upwardly, as shown inFIG. 2, so as to cope with connections of electric wires having various diameters from a small diameter to a large diameter. The U-shaped blade includes a core pressing U-shaped blade51having a step-shaped slit with two different widths in the vertical (height) direction and a wire holding U-shaped blade53having a step-shaped slit with two different widths in the vertical (height) direction, sequentially from the front end5aof the connection terminal5, that is, sequentially from the inside in a electric wire insertion direction. That is, the core pressing U-shaped blade51has a core pressing slit (upper step portion)51aand a core pressing slit (lower step portion)51band the wire holding U-shaped blade53has a wire holding slit (upper step portion)53aand a wire holding slit (lower step portion)53b. In the respective U-shaped blades, the upper end portion of each slit is widened in a V shape, thereby make it easy to receive and fix the electric wire4pressed downwardly.

In the contact block3, the surface into which the wire holding block2is inserted is opened and the respective U-shaped blades of the connection terminals5rise toward the opening surface31. A concave portion33for fixing the wire holding block2is formed on the inside surface of the opening surface31of the contact block3.

A plurality of holding holes23constituting the wire holding portion into which the electric wires4are inserted from the rear side thereof and which holds the electric wires are formed in the upper and lower blocks10and20of the wire holding block2. In addition, a plurality of reception grooves25for receiving the respective U-shaped blades51and53of the connection terminal5are formed therein.

A protrusion12and a temporarily fixing projected piece13are formed on the side surface of the upper block10and a groove26extending vertically and a protrusion22are formed on the side surface of the lower block20. The bottom surface of the temporarily fixing projected piece13and the bottom surface of the protrusion22are tapered to make the engagement easy.

When the upper and lower blocks10and20are overlapped with each other to be in a body, the temporarily fixing projected piece13slides into and engages with the groove26, as shown in the right upper side ofFIG. 3. The overlapped wire holding block2is inserted into the opening portion31of the contact block3. When the temporarily fixing projected piece13is hooked to the concave portion33, as shown in the right lower side ofFIG. 3, the wire holding block2is semi-coupled to the contact block3in a temporary fixing state. The pressure coupling connector1is delivered in the temporary fixing state for actual use.

In the actual use, as shown inFIG. 3, the coated electric wires4are inserted into the wire holding block2in the temporary fixing state and are held therein, and then the wire holding block2is further pushed into the contact block3. The pushing work is performed by the use of a tool such as a punch. By coupling the protrusions12and22of the wire holding block2contacting vertically each other to be in a body to the concave portion33of the contact block3, the prevention of release is accomplished. At the time of the coupling operation, details of which are described later, the coatings of the electric wires4are destroyed by the core pressing U-shaped blade51and thus the cores of the electric wires4are electrically connected to the connection terminals5, respectively.

FIG. 4shows a detailed structure of the connection terminal5. In the core pressing U-shaped blade51, the core pressing slit (upper step portion)51ahas a slit width of about 0.3 mm and the core pressing slit (lower step portion)51bhas a slit width of about 0.2 mm so that the slit width of the lower step portion is smaller than that of the upper step portion. In the wire holding U-shaped blade53, the wire holding slit (upper step portion)53ahas a slit width of about 0.8 mm and the wire holding slit (lower step portion)53bhas a slit width of about 0.5 mm so that the slit width of the lower step portion is smaller than that of the upper step portion. The height of the core pressing U-shaped blade51is equal to the wire holding U-shaped blade53and the height hi of the steps of the respective slits is equal to each other.

Next, configurations of the contact block3and the wire holding block2will be described with reference toFIGS. 5 to 7.FIG. 5is a perspective plan view illustrating the core pressing U-shaped blade51and the wire holding U-shaped blade53in the state where the wire holding block2is semi-coupled to the contact block3.FIGS. 6A and 6Bshow two kinds of wire holding blocks2aand2b, respectively, andFIG. 6Cshows the contact block3.FIGS. 7A and 7Bshow two kinds of wire holding blocks2a(for the lower step of the slit) and2b(for the upper step of the slit), respectively, andFIG. 7Cshows positions for holding electric wires having various diameters in the contact block3. Here, in the wire holding block2a, the wire holding hole23acorresponds to the vertical position of the core pressing slit (lower step portion)53aand in the other wire holding block2b, the wire holding hole23bcorresponds to the vertical position of the core pressing slit (upper step portion)51a. They also correspond to the vertical positions of the wire holding slit (lower step portion)53band the wire holding slit (upper step portion)53a, respectively. The respective structures of the blocks become apparent with reference toFIGS. 8 to 24.

InFIGS. 5 to 7, the wire holding holes23aand23bof the wire holding blocks2aand2bare formed in the electric wire insertion direction from wire insertion holes27at the rear side by matching gutter-shaped concave portions having a semi-circular section formed in the upper and lower blocks10and20with each other. The wire holding hole23ais used for a small-diameter electric wire, has a diameter of, for example, about 1.2 mm, a small inner diameter, and a central axis located at a lower position. The wire holding hole23bis used for a large-diameter electric wire, has a diameter of, for example, about 2 mm, a small inner diameter, and a central axis located at an upper position. A push-up piece28for pushing up the front end of the inserted electric wire is formed at the front side in the electric wire insertion direction of the wire holding hole of the lower block20and a contact portion29contacting the end of the electric wire is formed at the front side in the electric wire insertion direction of the upper block10. The neighboring connection terminals5are disposed in the contact block3such that the positions of the core pressing U-shaped blades51and the wire holding U-shaped blades53are deviated from each other. Accordingly, the lateral width of the contact block3can be reduced.

At the time of actual use, the electric wire4(comprising twisted cores and a covering) is inserted into the wire holding hole23aor23bof the wire holding block2aor2btemporarily fixed from the wire insertion hole27. The electric wire4goes into the wire holding hole23aor23band goes ahead while pushing up the push-up piece28in the wire holding hole, and when the end of the electric wire contacts the contact portion29, the insertion of the electric wire is stopped.

In this way, after the electric wire4is inserted into and held in the wire holding hole, the wire holding block2aor2bis further inserted into the contact block3. At the time of this insertion, the core pressing U-shaped blade51and the wire holding U-shaped blade53of the connection terminal5are inserted into the reception grooves25of the wire holding block2aor2band the electric wire4is pressed by the top wall of the wire holding hole23aor23bof the wire holding block2aor2b, so that the covering is cut out with the U-shaped blades. Accordingly, the core of the electric wire4is coupled to the slit of the core pressing U-shaped blade51and the electric wire4is electrically connected to the connection terminal5. In addition, the wire holding U-shaped blade53sticks in the covering of the electric wire4, thereby preventing the release of the electric wire4.

InFIG. 7C, holding positions of the electric wires with respect to the wire holding U-shaped blade53of the connection terminal5are shown when the wire holding block is further pushed into the contact block after the electric wires having various sizes are held in the wire holding block2aor2btemporarily fixed. In the figure, A, B, C, and D indicate holding (connecting) positions of the electric wires having F 1.2 mm, F 0.8 mm, F 1.3 mm, and F 2 mm, respectively. The outer circles correspond to the outer shapes of the electric wires and the inner circles correspond to the cores. Here, A and B indicate the states where the electric wire is pushed in the lower step of the slit by using the wire holding block2a, and C and D indicate the states where the electric wire is pushed in the upper step of the slit by using the wire holding block2b. At A and B, the cores are connected to the wire holding slits (lower steps)53band, at C and D, the cores are connected to the wire holding slits (upper steps)53a. This is true of the core pressing slit (upper step)51aand the core pressing slit (lower step)51bof the core pressing U-shaped blade51, the height of which is equal to that of the wire holding U-shaped blade53.

In this way, by using different wire holding blocks2aand2badapting to the outer shapes of the electric wires, the connection terminal5includes the core pressing U-shaped blade51and the wire holding U-shaped blade53having two slit widths in the vertical direction. Accordingly, the electric wires having various diameters from a small diameter to a large diameter can be connected and held with appropriate blades.

Next, referring toFIGS. 8 to 24, the detailed configurations of the upper block10and the lower block20of the wire holding block (2bindicated inFIG. 7) will be described.

FIGS. 8 to 13show the upper block10. The upper block10has a gutter-shaped wall constituting the upper halves of the wire holding holes23disposed in parallel and a plurality of reception grooves25for receiving the core pressing U-shaped blades51and the wire holding U-shaped blades53of the connection terminals5(reference numerals are attached to parts thereof in the figures). The other configurations are as described above.

FIGS. 14 to 19show the lower block20. The lower block20has a gutter-shaped wall constituting the lower halves of the wire holding holes23disposed in parallel and a plurality of reception grooves25for receiving the core pressing U-shaped blades51and the wire holding U-shaped blades53of the connection terminals5. The reception grooves25are formed vertically. The other configurations are as described above.

FIGS. 20 to 22show a state where the upper block10and the lower block20are coupled to each other to be in a body.FIG. 21corresponds to the cross-section taken along Line A-A ofFIGS. 8 and 14andFIG. 22corresponds to the cross-section taken along Line B-B ofFIGS. 8 and 14.

FIGS. 23 and 24show the configuration of the contact block3. The contact block3has a plurality of grooves34for holding and fixing the plurality of connection terminals5. The other configurations are as described above.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

In the pressure coupling connector1according to the present embodiment described above, only by further inserting the wire holding block2in the temporarily fixed state into the contact block3, the core pressing U-shaped blades51and the wire holding U-shaped blades53of the connection terminals5are inserted into the reception holes25of the wire holding block2to destroy the covering of the electric wires4, thereby connecting the cores to the connection terminals5. Here, since the core pressing U-shaped blades and the wire holding U-shaped blades having a step-shaped slit with two different widths in the vertical direction are provided, it is possible to cope with the electric wires having various outer diameters with the small number of components. It is possible to prevent problems due to difference in product kind and to reduce the stock.