Patent Publication Number: US-11646524-B2

Title: Cable connector and method for manufacturing cable connector

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The contents of the following Japanese patent application are incorporated herein by reference, 
     Japanese Patent Application NO. 2020-203405 filed on Dec. 8, 2020. 
     FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a cable connector connected to a cable and a method for manufacturing the cable connector. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Automotive and other cable connectors desirably have high cable tensile strength, and improved strength has been demanded of cable connections heretofore. 
     Patent Literature 1 discloses a configuration related to a connector terminal fixed to a cable. In the disclosed configuration, a sleeve is located on the outer perimeter of a cable jacket, a shield braid in the cable is folded back over the outer perimeter of the sleeve, and a shield shell barrel is further caulked thereto from outside. However, since the cable jacket of the connector terminal disclosed in Patent Literature 1 is thick and elastic, there are concerns that application of a load toward the opening direction of the sleeve and the barrel can loosen the caulking and make the conduction between the shield and the barrel unstable, and that the fixing strength between the cable and the connector terminal can decrease. 
     In view of this, a cable connector in which a caulking section is soldered has been developed in order to resolve these foregoing concerns. 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     
         
         Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-092063 
       
    
     SUMMARY 
     Technical Problem 
     However, the cable connector with a soldered caulking section has problems of increasing machining cost and creating variations in quality. 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a cable connector that can suppress an increase in machining cost and variations in quality while preventing loosening of the caulking, stabilizing conduction with a conductive part of the cable, and preventing a decrease in the fixing strength to the cable. 
     Solution to Problem 
     A cable connector according to a first aspect of the present invention is a cable connector connected to a cable including a conductive part and an insulating part covering the conductive part. The cable connector includes: a conductive contact that is connected to the conductive part; an insulating insulator that holds the contact; a conductive shell that includes a caulking section caulked to the insulating part and covers the insulator; and a cylindrical conductive first sleeve that is located over the caulking section and caulked to the insulating part via the caulking section. 
     A method for manufacturing a cable connector according to a second aspect of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a cable connector connected to a cable including a conductive part and an insulating part covering the conductive part. The method includes the steps of: connecting a conductive contact to the conductive part; holding the contact by an insulating insulator; covering the insulator with a main body section of a conductive shell and caulking a caulking section of the shell to the insulating part; and locating a cylindrical conductive sleeve over the caulking section and then caulking the sleeve to the insulating part via the caulking section. 
     If a force in a direction of loosening the caulking of the caulking section is applied from the insulating part of the cable etc., the cylindrical first sleeve suppresses the force in the direction of loosening the caulking of the caulking section. 
     According to the aspect(s) of the present invention, an increase in machining cost and variations in quality can be suppressed while preventing loosening of the caulking, stabilizing conduction with the conductive part of the cable, and preventing a decrease in the fixing strength to the cable. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of a cable connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  2    is a side view of the cable connector according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  3    is a perspective view illustrating a state where internal conductive parts of a cable are connected to contacts in a manufacturing process of the cable connector according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective view illustrating a state where an inner sleeve is caulked to an external insulating part of the cable in the manufacturing process of the cable connector according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  5    is a perspective view illustrating a state where a braid part of the cable is folded back over the outer perimeter of the inner sleeve in the manufacturing process of the cable connector according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  6    is a perspective view illustrating a state where the contacts are held by an insulator and a shell is caulked to the braid part of the cable in the manufacturing process of the cable connector according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  7    is a perspective view illustrating a state where an outer sleeve is caulked to the shell in the manufacturing process of the cable connector according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  8    is a plan view illustrating the state where the outer sleeve is caulked to the shell in the manufacturing process of the cable connector according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  9    is a rear view illustrating the state where the outer sleeve is caulked to the shell in the manufacturing process of the cable connector according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  10    is a perspective view of the outer sleeve of the cable connector according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  11    is a front view of the outer sleeve of the cable connector according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     A cable connector according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings as appropriate. 
     &lt;Configuration of Cable Connector&gt; 
     A configuration of a cable connector  1  according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to  FIGS.  1  to  11   . In the following description, the leftward direction in  FIGS.  2  and  8    will be referred to as a forward direction, and the rightward direction in  FIGS.  2  and  8    a backward direction. 
     The cable connector  1  is connected to a cable  100 , and includes contacts  10 , an inner sleeve  20 , an insulator  30 , a shell  40 , an outer sleeve  50 , a housing  60 , and a cover  70 . 
     The cable  100  includes a plurality of internal conductive parts  101 , a plurality of internal insulating parts  102  covering the respective plurality of internal conductive parts  101 , a braid part  103  serving as an external conductive part covering the internal insulating parts  102 , and an external insulating part  104  covering the braid part  103 . In the illustrated example, the number of internal conductive parts  101  is four. 
     The contacts  10  are made of a conductive material. As illustrated in  FIGS.  3  to  5   , the contacts  10  each include a fixing section  11 , an engaging section  12 , and a connection section  13 . 
     The fixing sections  11  are fixed and connected to the internal conductive parts  101  of the cable  100 . 
     The engaging sections  12  are each formed by stamping a metal plate and bending the metal plate outward. The engaging sections  12  are engaged with the insulator  30 , whereby the contacts  10  are held by the insulator  30 . 
     The connection sections  13  are connected to conductive contacts of a not-illustrated counterpart connector by elastic force. The connection sections  13  each include a connection piece  131  that is formed by stamping a metal plate and bending the metal plate inward. The connection pieces  131  are connected to the conductive contacts of the counterpart connector with elastic deformation. 
     The inner sleeve  20  is made of a conductive material and has an open barrel configuration. The inner sleeve  20  is located between the external insulating part  104  and a caulking section  42  of the shell  40  later described. The inner sleeve  20  is cylindrically caulked to the external insulating part  104  of the cable  100 . The caulked inner sleeve  20  has a circular cross section when cut by a plane orthogonal to an axis P of the cable  100  illustrated in  FIG.  4   . As illustrated in  FIG.  5   , the braid part  103  of the cable  100  is folded back over the outer perimeter of the inner sleeve  20 . 
     The insulator  30  is made of an insulating material and has a rectangular shape as illustrated in  FIG.  6   . The insulator  30  has through holes  31  running through in the front-to-back direction. The through holes  31  hold the contacts  10  in a mutually insulated state, and enable insertion of the not-illustrated conductive contacts of the counterpart connector from the front. 
     The shell  40  is made of a conductive material, and includes a main body section  41 , the caulking section  42 , and a connection section  43  as illustrated in  FIGS.  6  to  8   . 
     The main body section  41  covers the insulator  30 . The main body section  41  includes engaging pieces  411  formed by cutting and erecting outward a metal plate. The main body section  41  is connected to a conductive part of the not-illustrated counterpart connector. 
     The caulking section  42  has an open barrel configuration and is located between the inner sleeve  20  and the outer sleeve  50 . The caulking section  42  is caulked to the external insulating part  104  via the inner sleeve  20  so that the braid part  103  of the cable  100  folded back over the outer perimeter of the inner sleeve  20  is sandwiched between the caulking section  42  and the inner sleeve  20 . The caulking section  42  is cylindrically caulked to the external insulating part  104  of the cable  100 . The caulking section  42  is caulked to have a circular cross section when cut by a plane orthogonal to the axis P of the cable  100  illustrated in  FIG.  6   . 
     The connection section  43  connects the main body section  41  to the caulking section  42 . 
     The outer sleeve  50  is made of a conductive material. As illustrated in  FIGS.  7  to  11   , the outer sleeve  50  has a circumferentially seamless, cylindrical (pipe-like) closed barrel configuration. The outer sleeve  50  includes straight wall sections  51  and curved wall sections  52 . The straight wall sections  51  are extended in parallel and situated opposed to each other. The curved wall sections  52  are curved to bulge outward and situated opposed to each other, and are continuous with the straight wall sections  51 . As illustrated in  FIG.  11   , the outer sleeve  50  has a substantially hexagonal shape. The outer sleeve  50  is located over the caulking section  42 , and caulked to the external insulating part  104  of the cable  100  via the inner sleeve  20  and the caulking section  42  sandwiching the braid part  103  therebetween. 
     The outer sleeve  50  is not limited to the hexagonal shape illustrated in  FIG.  11   , and may have any shape such as an octagonal shape. While the outer sleeve  50  in  FIG.  9    has a substantially hexagonal shape, the outer sleeve  50  is in fact, plastically deformed by caulking. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS.  1  and  2   , the housing  60  is engaged with the engaging pieces  411  of the shell  40  and thereby attached to the shell  40  to cover the shell  40 . The housing  60  includes an opening  61 , a mating piece  62 , and engaging protrusions  63 . 
     The opening  61  is opened in the front end and exposes the insulator  30  to the outside. The not-illustrated counterpart connector is inserted into the opening  61 . 
     The mating piece  62  is elastically deformable. The mating piece  62  is elastically deformed and mated with a not-illustrated lock part of the counterpart connector, whereby the cable connector  1  and the counterpart connector are connected. 
     The engaging protrusions  63  are located on the rear end side and protruded outward. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS.  1  and  2   , the cover  70  includes elastically deformable engaging pieces  71 . The engaging pieces  71  are engaged with the engaging protrusions  63  of the housing  60 , whereby the cover  70  is attached to the housing  60  to cover the rear portion of the housing  60 . 
     &lt;Method for Manufacturing Cable Connector&gt; 
     A method for manufacturing the cable connector  1  according to the embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail. 
     As illustrated in  FIG.  3   , the contacts  10  are initially connected to the respective internal conductive parts  101  of the cable  100  by fixing the fixing sections  11  of the contacts  10  thereto. 
     Next, the external insulating part  104  of the cable  100  is partly cut off to expose the braid part  103  from the external insulating part  104 . The external insulating part  104  of the cable  100  is then inserted through the inner sleeve  20 , and the inner sleeve  20  is caulked to the external insulating part  104  as illustrated in  FIG.  4   . The exposed braid part  103  is omitted in  FIG.  4   . 
     Here, the inner sleeve  20  is caulked to the external insulating part  104  with a circumferential end  20   a  and the other circumferential end  20   b  in contact with each other. This prevents excessive caulking of the inner sleeve  20 , whereby disconnection of the cable  100  resulting from caulking can be prevented. 
     Next, as illustrated in  FIG.  5   , the exposed braid part  103  of the cable  100  is folded back over the outer perimeter of the inner sleeve  20 . 
     Next, the cable  100  is inserted through the cover  70  and through the outer sleeve  50 . The step of inserting the cable  100  through the cover  70  and the step of inserting the cable  100  through the outer sleeve  50  may be performed at any timing before the step of folding back the braid part  103  over the outer perimeter of the inner sleeve  20 . 
     Next, as illustrated in  FIG.  6   , the connection sections  13  of the contacts  10  are inserted into the through holes  31  of the insulator  30  from behind, and the engaging sections  12  of the contacts  10  are engaged with not-illustrated engaging sections of the insulator  30 , whereby the insulator  30  is attached to the cable  100 . The step of attaching the insulator  30  to the cable  100  may be performed after the step of inserting the cable  100  through the cover  70  and the step of inserting the cable  100  through the outer sleeve  50  and before the step of folding back the braid part  103  over the outer perimeter of the inner sleeve  20 . 
     Next, as illustrated in  FIG.  6   , the insulator  30  is covered with a main body section  41  of the shell  40 , and the caulking section  42  of the shell  40  is caulked to the external insulating part  104  via the inner sleeve  20  with the braid part  103  sandwiched between the caulking section  42  and the inner sleeve  20 . Here, the inner sleeve  20  is cylindrically caulked to the external insulating part  104  of the cable  100  and the caulking section  42  is cylindrically caulked to the external insulating part  104  of the cable  100 . The braid part  103  can thus be uniformly sandwiched between the inner sleeve  20  and the caulking section  42  in a balanced manner, maintaining caulking strength and an electrical connection. 
     Next, the outer sleeve  50  is moved to cover the caulking section  42 . As illustrated in  FIGS.  7  and  8   , the outer sleeve  50  is then caulked to the external insulating part  104  of the cable  100  via the inner sleeve  20  and the caulking section  42  sandwiching the braid part  103  therebetween. Since the inner sleeve  20  is located between the outer sleeve  50  and the external insulating part  104 , the force to be applied to the outer sleeve  50  in caulking the outer sleeve  50  can be set somewhat roughly, facilitating manufacturing. 
     Next, the housing  60  is attached to the shell  40  in order to cover the shell  40 . 
     Next, the cover  70  is moved to the rear of the housing  60  to engage the engaging pieces  71  of the cover  70  with the engaging protrusions  63  of the housing  60 , whereby the cable connector  1  is complete. 
     With the cable connector  1  produced by the abovementioned manufacturing method, the tensile strength of the cable  100  can be improved by sandwiching the braid part  103  between the inner sleeve  20  and the shell  40 . 
     Moreover, the placement of the outer sleeve  50  can prevent the decrease in strength caused by the elastic nature of the external insulating part  104  serving as a cushion and preventing rigidity of the inner sleeve  20  and by force being applied in the loosening direction of the caulking acting on the inner sleeve  20  and the caulking section  42  of the shell  40 . 
     Caulking the external insulating part  104  of the cable  100  via the inner sleeve  20  can maintain caulking strength while avoiding deterioration in signal transmission performance due to excessive caulking and preventing disconnection of the cable  100  resulting from the caulking. 
     Sandwiching the braid part  103  between the caulking section  42  of the shell  40  and the inner sleeve  20  and caulking the caulking section  42  to the external insulating part  104  can stabilize contact with the braid part  103  and prevent a decrease in caulking strength. 
     Forming the outer sleeve  50  in the circumferentially seamless cylindrical shape can reliably prevent the inner sleeve  20  and the caulking section  42  of the shell  40  being expanded by the external insulating part  104  and the like. 
     Incidentally, if the thickness of the shell  40  is increased to improve the caulking strength to the cable  100 , the spring property of the shell  40  decreases. This lowers the contact performance between the shell  40  and the counterpart connector, and lowers the attachability of the shell  40  to the insulator  30  and the housing  60 . 
     According to the present embodiment, the caulking section  42  is caulked to the external insulating part  104 . The conductive shell  40  covers the insulator  30 , and the cylindrical conductive outer sleeve  50  is placed over the caulking section  42  and caulked to the external insulating part  104  via the caulking section  42 . The provision of such members can suppress an increase in machining cost and restrict variations in quality while preventing loosening of the caulking, stabilizing conduction with the conductive parts of the cable, and preventing a decrease in the fixing strength to the cable. 
     It will be understood that the types, arrangement, and number of members according to the present invention are not limited to the aforementioned embodiment, and modifications can be made appropriately without departing from the gist of the invention, like replacing the components with ones of similar operations and effects. 
     Specifically, in the present embodiment, the cable connector  1  is connected to the cable  100  including the internal conductive parts  101 , the internal insulating parts  102 , the braid part  103 , and the external insulating part  104 . However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the cable connector  1  may be connected to a cable including conductive parts and insulating parts covering the conductive parts. 
     In the aforementioned embodiment, the cable connector  1  is connected to the cable  100  including four internal conductive parts  101 . However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the cable connector  1  may be configured to connect to a cable including one or a plurality of internal conductive parts other than four. 
     In the present embodiment, the caulking section  42  of the shell  40  is caulked with the braid part  103  sandwiched between the inner sleeve  20  and the caulking section  42 . However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the caulking section  42  of the shell  40  may be caulked without the braid part  103  sandwiched between the inner sleeve  20  and the caulking section  42 . 
     In the aforementioned embodiment, the cable connector  1  includes the inner sleeve  20 . However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the inner sleeve  20  may be omitted. 
     The cable connector and the method for manufacturing the cable connector according to the embodiment of the present invention are suitable to suppress an increase in machining cost and restrict variations in quality while preventing loosening of the caulking, stabilizing the conduction with the conductive parts of the cable, and preventing a decrease in the fixing strength to the cable. 
     REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
     
         
         
           
               1  cable connector 
               10  contact 
               11  fixing section 
               12  engaging section 
               13  connection section 
               20  inner sleeve 
               30  insulator 
               31  through hole 
               40  shell 
               41  main body section 
               42  caulking section 
               43  connection section 
               50  outer sleeve 
               51  straight wall section 
               52  curved wall section 
               60  housing 
               61  opening 
               62  mating piece 
               63  engaging protrusion 
               70  cover 
               71  engaging piece 
               100  cable 
               101  internal conductive part 
               102  internal insulating part 
               103  braid part 
               104  external insulating part 
               131  connection piece