Patent Publication Number: US-6902417-B2

Title: Connector and a method of forming it

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The invention relates to a connector and to a method of forming it. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-270420 relates to a connector including an assembly formed by molding an outer cover around a terminal. This connector has a connector portion located at one end of a coil device accommodated in a casing and connectable with a connector located outside the casing. This connector portion is comprised of a terminal connected with a coil and an outer covering molded around the coil and the terminal. A coil side of this coil device is held in a device in the casing, whereas a connector side is held while being fit in an opening made in the casing. 
   The coil side and the connector side are held onto different parts in the coil device. Thus, forces to deform the terminal and the outer cover act on the terminal and the outer covering element if there is a relative displacement between the two parts. The outer cover covers the terminal without clearance. Accordingly, there is a danger of cracking the outer cover if there is relative displacement between the terminal and the outer cover. 
   The invention was developed in view of the above problem and an object thereof is to take up a displacement without cracking an outer cover. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to a connector having an outer covering element formed by molding. The connector also has a cover arranged around at least one terminal. The outer covering element comprises a coupled portion coupled to the cover and a separated portion separated from the cover. The coupled portion and the separated portion are separate from each other, and a displacement permitting area is defined between the terminal and the cover. The displacement permitting area permits the terminal to be displaced with respect to the cover if the coupled portion and the separated portion of the outer covering element are displaced from each other. Thus, the displacement can be taken up without causing a crack or the like in the outer covering element. 
   A terminal holding portion preferably is to be fixed to the terminal and the cover and can be held onto the terminal holding portion. The terminal holding portion can position the terminal and the cover in advance. Thus, the outer covering element can be formed easily by molding. 
   The outer covering element may be formed with a plurality of assemblies placed one substantially over another. Each assembly has a plurality of terminals arranged substantially side by side and held by the terminal holding portion. The cover then is held on the terminal holding portion. Each terminal holding portion is fixed to the terminals at at least two positions, and preferably at opposite sides of the corresponding cover. Each cover preferably has two divided pieces mountable on the terminals in directions intersecting the longitudinal direction of the terminals. Thus, the connector can have the terminals placed one over another at a plurality of stages. 
   Several terminals preferably are arranged substantially side by side, and each cover includes at least one partition for partitioning the terminals. The partition prevents the terminals from short-circuiting. 
   Each terminal may have a horizontally wide cross section, and a section of the terminal in the displacement permitting area may be bent along the vertical direction at an intermediate position so that dimensions of the section along horizontal and vertical directions are substantially equal. Thus, the sections of the terminals in the displacement permitting areas can be displaced along horizontal and vertical directions substantially with the same ease, and the displacement can be taken up satisfactorily. 
   A section of each terminal in the displacement permitting area may be narrower and dimensions of the narrow section along horizontal and vertical directions may be substantially equal. Thus, the sections of the terminals in the displacement permitting areas can be displaced along horizontal and vertical directions substantially with the same ease, and the displacement can be taken up satisfactorily. 
   The number of terminals arranged along horizontal direction and the number of the terminals arranged along vertical direction preferably are same. Thus, the displacement can be taken up more satisfactorily. 
   The invention also relates to a method of forming a connector. The method comprises forming an outer covering element of the connector by molding with a cover at least partly arranged around at least one terminal. The outer covering element is formed to have a coupled portion coupled to the cover and a separated portion separated from the cover, the coupled portion and separated portion are separate from each other, and a displacement permitting area is defined between the terminal and the cover for permitting a displacement of the terminal. 
   These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings. It should be understood that even though embodiments are separately described, single features thereof may be combined to additional embodiments. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a mounted state of a connector according to a first embodiment of the invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing a state before covers are mounted on groups of busbars held by the terminal holding portions. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing the respective groups of busbars having the covers mounted thereon and placed one over another. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing a state where an outer covering element is formed by molding. 
       FIG. 5  is a section along  5 — 5  of FIG.  3 . 
       FIG. 6  is a plan view showing groups of busbars held by terminal holding portions according to a second embodiment of the invention. 
       FIG. 7  is a right side view of FIG.  6 . 
       FIG. 8  is a section along  8 — 8  of  FIG. 6  showing the groups of busbars having covers mounted thereon are placed one over another. 
       FIG. 9  is a plan view showing groups of busbars held by terminal holding portions according to a third embodiment of the invention. 
       FIG. 10  is a section along  10 — 10  of  FIG. 9  showing the respective groups of busbars having covers thereon and placed one over another. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   A connector according to the invention is identified by the numeral  10  in  FIGS. 1  to  5 . The connector  10  is mounted at an opening H of a casing C and connects to a device K that is mounted to an inner surface of the casing C by bolts B. The casing C may be part of an automatic transmission to be mounted in an automotive vehicle. In the following description, reference is made to all the figures except  FIG. 1  concerning vertical and transverse directions unless particularly specified. 
   The connector  10  has a bent shape, as shown in  FIG. 1 , and has a casing-side holding portion  11  at one end and two device side holding portions  12  at the opposite end. The casing-side holding portion  11  is fit into the opening H and held on the casing C. The device-side holding portions  12  are held on the device K in the casing C by being connected with device connectors KC. The casing-side holding portion  11  has an external connecting portion  13  that projects out from the casing C for connection with an external power-supply connector (not shown). Device connecting portions  14 ,  15  are provided between the holding portions  11 ,  12  of the connector  10  and are connectable with other devices (not shown) disposed in or on the casing C. 
   The connector  10  is comprised of busbars  20 , terminal holding portions  30  formed around the busbars  20  by primary molding, covers  40  held on the terminal holding portions  30 , and an outer covering element  60  formed around the terminal holding portions  30  and the covers  40  by secondary molding. Several busbars  20  are arranged substantially side by side and are held together by one of the terminal holding portions  30 , and three stages of the terminal holding portions  30  are fixed by the outer covering element  60  to form the connector  10 . The number of the busbars  20  used differs from stage to stage. In the example shown in  FIGS. 2  to  4 , three, two and four busbars are used at the upper, middle and lower stages, respectively. 
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , each busbar  20  is formed into a specified shape by bending, folding and/or embossing a cut or stamped-out conductive metallic plate and is comprised of a base  21  and branches  22  that branch off from the base  21 . The base  21  is arranged at the device-side holding portion  12  or the device connecting portion  14 ,  15 , and the branches  22  are arranged at the external connecting portion  13 . The base  21  extends in a widthwise direction WD and is covered substantially entirely by the terminal holding portion  30 . However, a device contact  23  is formed at an end of the base  21  opposite from the branches  22  and projects from the terminal holding portion  30 . The device contact  23  is electrically connectable with a terminal of the corresponding device K. More specifically, the bases  21  at the upper stage in the shown example project forward from their positions coupled to the branches  22 . The device contacts  23  then project laterally to right and into the device connecting portion  14  shown at the front side in FIG.  4 . The bases  21  at the middle stage extend forward from their positions coupled to the branches  22  and then are bent laterally to left. The device contacts  23  then project up and into the right device-side holding portion  12  shown in FIG.  4 . Two bases  21  at the lower stage extend toward the back side and the device contacts  23  project up and into the device connecting portion  15  shown at the back side in FIG.  4 . The other two bases  21  at the lower stage extend forward and are then bent laterally to the left and the device contacts  23  project up and into the left device-side holding portion  12  shown in FIG.  4 . 
   The branches  22  extend substantially straight along the transverse direction TD and substantially normal to widthwise direction WD. The branches  22  are fixed by the terminal holding portion  30  at two positions, namely at the left end, which is coupled to the respective base  21 , and at an intermediate position. Right ends of the branches  22  define external contacts  24  that are electrically connectable with terminals of corresponding power-supply connectors. The number of the branches  22  at each stage is set e.g. at eight (a total of twenty four branches). Two or three branches  22  are coupled to each of the three bases  21  at the upper stage; four branches  22  are coupled to each of the two bases  21  at the middle stage; and two branches  21  are coupled to each of the four bases  21  at the lower stage. Each branch  22  has width that is larger than its thickness, and hence each branch  22  has a wide cross section (see FIG.  5 ). The shapes of the bases  21  differ depending on the busbars  20 . However, all of the branches  22  have substantially identically shapes. 
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , each terminal holding portion  30  includes first and second holding portions  31  and  32 . Each first holding portion  31  is fixed to substantially the entire areas of the bases  21  of the busbars  20  and to the left ends of the branches  22 . Each second holding portion  32  is fixed at the intermediate positions of the branches  22 . Thus, each terminal holding portion  30  is divided into two parts fixed to the branches  22  at substantially opposite sides of the cover  40 . In this way, the respective branches  22 , including the external contacts  24 , are held substantially parallel and at substantially even intervals. The first holding portions  31  are shaped in conformity with the bases  21  of the busbars  20  at each stage and have different shapes depending on the stage. A pair of positioning recesses  33  are formed in each of the upper and lower surfaces of the first holding portion  31  at the middle stage, whereas a pair of positioning projections  34  are on the upper surface of the first holding portion  31  at the lower stage and the lower surface of the first holding portion  31  at the upper stage. The positioning recesses in the lower surface of the first holding portion  31  at the middle stage and the positioning projections of the first holding portion  31  at the upper stage are not shown. 
   Each second holding portion  32  has engaging projections  35  to hold the cover  40  in its mounted state and positioning recesses  36  and/or positioning projections (not shown) for positioning the second holding portion  32  or the cover  40  at the other stage. More specifically, two engaging projections  35  are provided on the upper surface of the second holding portion  32  at the upper stage and are engageable with engaging holes  44  of a first covering member  41  at the upper stage. Two positioning projections (not shown) are provided on the lower surface of the second holding portion  32  at the upper stage and are engageable with positioning holes  45  in a first covering member  41  at the middle stage. Two engaging projections  35  are provided on the upper surface of the second holding portion  32  at the middle stage and are engageable with engaging holes  44  of the first covering member  41  at the middle stage. Two positioning projections (not shown) are provided on the lower surface of the second holding portion  32  at the middle stage and are engageable with positioning recesses  36  in the upper surface of the second holding portion  32  at the lower stage. Two positioning recesses  36  are formed in the upper surface of the second holding portion  32  at the lower stage, whereas two engaging projections  35  are on the lower surface of the second holding portion  32  at the lower stage for engagement with engaging holes  44  in a first covering member  41  at the lower stage. The second holding portions  32  at the upper and middle stages are thinner than the second covering members  42  of the corresponding covers  40 , and the second holding portion  32  at the lower stage is thicker than the second covering member  42  of the corresponding cover  40 . Accordingly, when the assemblies of the busbars  20 , the terminal holding portions  30  and the covers  40  are placed one over another, the second covering member  42  at the upper stage contacts a step  43  of the first covering member  41  at the middle stage and the second covering member  42  at the middle stage contacts the left end surface of the second holding portion  32  at the lower stage to position the respective stages (see FIG.  3 ). Further, steps  37  are formed in the upper surfaces of the second holding portions  32  at the upper and middle stages and in the lower surface of the second holding portion  32  at the lower stage. 
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , each cover  40  is divided into two parts to hold the busbars  20  from above and below, i.e. in directions substantially normal to the extension of the branches  22 . Specifically, each cover  40  is comprised of the first covering member  41  detachably mountable on the second holding portion  32  of the corresponding terminal holding portion  30  and the second covering member  42  detachably mountable on the first covering member  41 . Both upper and lower surfaces of the first covering member  41  are formed with the steps  43  that conform to and engage with the steps  37  of the corresponding second covering member  42  at the other stage and the corresponding second holding portion  32 . Two of the engaging holes  44  and two of the positioning holes  45  are formed the first covering member  41  at the right side of the steps  43 . A plurality of temporary holding holes  46  and a plurality of insertion grooves  47  are formed substantially in alignment. 
   The second covering member  42  has a comb-shaped cross section and includes partitions  48  arranged along the widthwise direction WD for partitioning the branches  22 . Two transversely spaced temporary holding projections  49  are formed on an outer wall at each of the opposite lateral ends of the second covering member  42  and are engageable with the corresponding temporary holding holes  46  to temporarily hold the two covering members  41 ,  42  together. The temporary holding projections  49  are slightly larger than the temporary holding holes  46  and hence are squeezed and compressed slightly when pressed into the temporary holding holes  46 . Two inserting pieces  50  are formed on the upper surface of each partition  48  at substantially the same positions as the temporary holding projections  49  with respect to the transverse direction TD and are insertable into the corresponding insertion grooves  47 . The covers  40  at the three stages are substantially identical. The covers  40  at the upper and middle stages are used with the first covering members  41  located above, whereas the cover  40  at the lower stage is used with the first covering member  41  located above. The second covering member  42  is substantially transversely symmetrical and can be mounted easily without specifying an orientation with respect to the transverse direction TD. 
   The two covering members  41 ,  42  are assembled together and mounted partly onto the second holding portions  32  so that the covers  40  are spaced apart from the right ends of the first holding portions  31  by a specified distance, as shown in  FIG. 3 , and so that displacement permitting spaces  51  are defined between the covers  40  and the respective branches  22 , as shown in FIG.  5 . The displacement permitting spaces  51  permit relative displacements of the branches  22  with respect to the covers  40 . More specifically, the first and second covering members  41 ,  42  of the covers  40  are spaced apart from the branches  22  by the displacement permitting spaces  51 , and the respective branches  22  and the covers  40  are held so as not to contact each other. Accordingly, sections of the branches  22  between the first and second holding portions  31 ,  32  of the terminal holding portions  30  are displaceable within the displacement permitting spaces  51  with respect to the cover  40  substantially along a direction of a plane normal to the longitudinal direction thereof. In this way, relative displacements between a side of the first holding portions  31  (a side of a separated portion  62 ) and a side of the second holding portions  32  (a side of a coupled portion  61 ) may be at least partly taken up by deformations of the branches  22  in the displacement permitting spaces  51 . 
   The outer covering element  60  is comprised of the coupled portion  61  and the separated portion  62 . The coupled portion  61  includes the casing-side holding portion  11  and is coupled to the covers  40 . The separated portion  62  includes the device-side holding portion  12  and the device connecting portions  14 ,  15  and is separated from the covers  40 . Additionally the two portions  61 ,  62  are separate from each other. The coupled portion  61  covers the right ends of the covers  40  and the second holding portions  32  of the terminal holding portions  30 , as shown in FIG.  4  and is provided with the substantially cylindrical casing-side holding portion  11 . A seal-ring mounting groove  63  is formed in the outer circumferential surface of the casing-side holding portion  11  and receives a seal ring  64  that closely contacts the inner peripheral surface of the opening H to seal the opening H. A substantially rectangular flange  65  bulges out at the left side of the casing-side holding portion  11 . The flange  65  contacts the inner surface of the casing C when the connector  10  is mounted into the casing C, thereby positioning the connector  10  (see FIG.  1 ). A rectangular tubular external connecting portion  13  is formed a the right side of the casing-side holding portion  11 , and the external contact portions  24  of the respective branches  22  project inside the external connecting portion  13 . 
   The separated portion  62  of the outer covering element  60  covers the first holding portions  31  of the terminal holding portions  30 , excluding the right ends thereof. Two device-side holding portions  12  are arranged substantially side by side at a part of the separated portion  62  that projects to left. The device-side holding portions  12  are vertically hollow cylinders that extend substantially normal to the transverse direction TD and normal to the widthwise direction WD. Two device contact portions  23  of the busbars  20  are arranged in each device-side holding portion  12 . The device connecting portion  14  is a substantially rectangular tube having an open right end at the front side of a right end portion of the separated portion  62  in FIG.  4 . Three device contact portions  23  project in the device connecting portion  14 . The device connecting portion  15  is at the back end of the separated portion  62  in  FIG. 4 , and two device contact portions  23  are exposed at the opposite sides of the device connecting portion  15 . 
   Groups of busbars  20  of the respective stages are set in a mold for primary molding, and a molten resin is filled in the mold. The mold is opened after the resin is solidified to obtain primary products in each of which the terminal holding portions  30  fix the group of the busbars  20 . 
   The covers  40  then are mounted on the respective primary products, as shown in FIG.  2 . More particularly, the first and second covering members  41  and  42  are mounted onto the primary products at the upper and middle stages from above and below, respectively, and along the vertical direction VD. Similarly, the first and second covering members  41 ,  42  are mounted onto the primary product at the lower stage from below and above, respectively, and along the vertical direction VD. The steps  43  of the first covering members  41  engage the stepped recesses  37 , and the engaging projections  35  fit into the engaging holes  44 . Additionally, the covers  40  are positioned with respect to the second holding portions  32  of the corresponding terminal holding portions  30  and the temporary holding projections  49  are pressed and squeezed slightly into the temporary holding holes  46 . Furthermore, the inserting pieces  50  are inserted into the corresponding insertion grooves  47 . As a result, the covering members  41 ,  42  are assembled together temporarily. In this state, the displacement permitting spaces  51  are defined around the branches  22  and the branches do not contact the covers  40 . 
   The primary products having the covers  40  mounted thereon then are assembled one over another. More particularly, the primary product of the middle stage is placed on the primary product of the lower stage as shown in FIG.  3 . In this process, the positioning projections  34  fit into the unillustrated positioning recesses at the side of the first holding portions  31 , the unillustrated positioning projections fit into the positioning recesses  36  at the side of the second holding portions  32 , and the right end surface of the second covering member  42  of the middle stage contacts the left end surface of the second holding portion  32  of the lower stage to position these two primary products with respect to each other. Similarly, the primary product of the upper stage is placed on the primary product of the middle stage. In this process, the unillustrated positioning projections fit into the positioning recesses  33  at the side of the first holding portions  31 , the unillustrated positioning projections fit into the positioning holes  45  at the side of the second holding portions  32 , and the right end surface of the second covering member  42  of the upper stage contacts the stepped portion  43  of the first covering member  41  of the middle stage to position these two primary products with respect to each other. Of course, the above-described assembling procedure can be changed. 
   The primary products assembled as described above are set in a mold for secondary molding, and a molten resin is filled into the mold. The mold is opened after the resin is solidified to obtain a secondary product with the outer covering element  60  as shown in FIG.  4 . The seal ring  64  then is mounted into the seal-ring mounting groove  63  and a sealant is fit into the external connecting portion  13  to complete the assembling of the connector  10 . 
   The connector  10  then is mounted in the casing C and onto the device K. Specifically, the connector  10  is arranged in the casing C and the two device connectors KC of the device K are fit in the two device-side holding portions  12  to hold the connector  10  on the device K. The external connecting portion  13  of the connector  10  is introduced through the opening H of the casing C to be exposed to the outside, and the casing-side holding portion  11  is fit into the opening H until the flange  65  contacts the inner surface of the casing C to hold the connector  10  on the casing C. At this time, the seal ring  64  closely contacts the inner peripheral surface of the opening H to provide sealing between the casing-side holding portion  11  and the opening H. It should be noted that the device connectors KC may be fit after the external connecting portion  13  is fitted into the opening H. 
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , the device K is fixed to the casing C by the bolts B. At this time, the device K may be mounted at a position displaced from a proper position with respect to the casing C. If this happens, the device connectors KC also are displaced and the device-side holding portions  12  are displaced relative to the casing-side holding portion  11  of the connector  10 . However, even in such a case, the separated portion  62  (including the device-side holding portions  12 ) and the coupled portion  61  (including the casing-side holding portion  11 ) are separated from each other, and the respective branches  22  of the busbars  20  are deformed in directions at an angle to their longitudinal directions. However, the deformed branches  22  escape into the displacement permitting spaces  51 . Therefore, the displacement can be taken up without causing a crack in the outer covering element  60  or the like. 
   As described above, the coupled portion  61  and the separated portion  62  are formed separately. The coupled portion  61  is coupled to the covers  40 , but the separated portion  62  is separated from the covers  40 . Additionally the displacement permitting spaces  51  are between the branches  22  and the covers  40  for permitting displacement of the branches  22 . Thus, even if the coupled portion  61  and the separated portion  62  are displaced from each other, the branches  22  can deform in the displacement permitting spaces  51  to accommodate the relative displacement without causing crack in the outer covering element  60  or the like. 
   The terminal holding portions  30  are fixed to the branches  22  and the covers  40  are held onto the terminal holding portions  30 . The branches  22  and the covers  40  can be positioned in advance by the terminal holding portions  30  to facilitate the operation of molding the outer covering element  60 . Furthermore, the respective branches  22  are partitioned by the partitioning portions  48  of the covers  40 . Thus, the branches  22  can not short-circuit. 
   A second embodiment of the invention is described with reference to  FIGS. 6  to  8 . In the second embodiment, the shapes of the busbars  20  are changed. No repetitive description is given for elements of the second embodiment that are the same as the first embodiment. Rather, those similar elements merely are identified by the same reference numeral 
   As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , sections of branches  22 A of the busbars  20  to be surrounded by the covers  40  in the displacement permitting spaces  51 , are stepped at their intermediate positions. Specifically, each branch  22 A is formed by cutting or stamping a base material to have a substantially cranked shape with two portions  25 ,  26  that extend in the transverse direction TD of  FIGS. 6 and 7 . However, the two portions  25 ,  26  of each branch  22 A are displaced in the widthwise direction WD, which is substantially normal to the transverse direction TD. One displaced portion  25  then is bent substantially at a right angle to the other displaced portion  26  at their coupled position. Accordingly, the portion  25  of each branch  22 A held by the first holding portion  31  has a vertically long cross section, whereas the portion  26  held by the second holding portion  32  has a horizontally wide cross section, and the larger sides of the cross sections of these two portions  25 ,  26  substantially equal a dimension T, as shown in FIG.  8 . 
   The shapes of the covers  40  are changed from the first embodiment to ensure the displacement permitting spaces  51  between the covers  40  and the branches  22 . 
   In the above construction, the branches  22 A are displaced in the displacement permitting spaces  51  if the coupled portion  61  and the separated portion  62  of the outer covering element  60  are displaced from each other. Specifically, if a displacement occurs along the vertical direction in  FIG. 8 , the horizontally long sections  26  of the branches  22 A are displaced in the displacement permitting spaces  51 . If a displacement occurs along the horizontal direction in  FIG. 8 , the vertically long sections  25  of the branched portions  22 A are displaced in the displacement permitting spaces  51 . The branches  22 A of the second embodiment are displaced along vertical and horizontal directions in the displacement permitting spaces  51  with substantially the same ease. Thus, the displacement can be taken up more satisfactorily. 
   A third embodiment of the invention is described with reference to  FIGS. 9 and 10 . In the third embodiment, the numbers of branches  22 B at the respective stages are changed and the number of primary products to be placed one over another is changed after the shapes of the busbars  20  are changed. No repetitive description is given for elements of the third embodiment that are the same as the first embodiment. Rather, those similar elements merely are identified by the same reference numerals. 
   As shown in  FIG. 9 , sections  27  of the branches  22 B between the two holding portions  31 ,  32  are narrower than the other sections, and the width of these narrowed sections  27  is substantially equal to thickness t thereof. Thus, sections of the branches  22 B surrounded by the covers  40  and in the displacement permitting spaces  51  have a substantially square cross section as shown in FIG.  10 . Five branches are at each stage and five primary products are placed one over another. Thus, the same number of branches  22 B arranged along the vertical direction equals the number of branches  22 B along horizontal direction. Four branches  22 B are at the middle stage. Thus, the first and third embodiments each have twenty four branches  22 B. The branches  22 B are partially narrowed and the external contacts  24  have the same horizontally long cross section as in the first embodiment. Thus, the construction of a mating power-supply connector needs not be changed. 
   In the above construction, the narrowed sections  27  of the branches  22 B have substantially equal heights and widths. Thus, the narrowed sections  27  can displace similarly in the horizontal and vertical directions to accommodate relative displacements of the coupled and separated portions  61  and  62  of the outer covering element  60 . Accordingly, displacements can be taken up more satisfactorily because the branches  22 B can be displaced in vertical and/or horizontal directions substantially with the same ease. Further, displacements can be taken up even more satisfactorily because equal numbers of branches  22 B are arranged along vertical and horizontal directions. 
   The invention is not limited to the above described and illustrated embodiments. For example, the following embodiments are also embraced by the technical scope of the present invention as defined by the claims. Beside the following embodiments, various changes can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention as defined by the claims. 
   Elastic members, such as rubber members, may be arranged in the displacement permitting spaces to form displacement permitting areas for permitting of resilient displacements of the branches. 
   The terminal holding portions are molded around the busbars in the foregoing embodiments. However, separately formed terminal holding portions may be assembled with the busbars according to the invention. 
   The terminal holding portions may be omitted. In such a case, the branches and the covers may be held to define the displacement permitting spaces by the mold for molding the outer covering element. 
   Several branches are coupled to each base in the foregoing embodiments. However, they may not be coupled to the base portion according to the present invention. 
   The terminal holding portions and the covers both are comprised of two pieces in the foregoing embodiments. However, they may be both comprised of one piece. Specifically, the second holding portions may be omitted and lattice-shaped covers may be fitted from the side of the external contact portions (see  FIG. 2 ) to be mounted on the branches. 
   Although the groups of busbars are placed one over another at three or five stages in the foregoing embodiments, they may be placed one over another at two, four, six or more stages or may be arranged at one stage. 
   Connectors with substantially cranked shapes are illustrated in the foregoing embodiments. However, the invention is also applicable to L-shaped or straight-shaped connectors. 
   Although the intermediate connectors are illustrated in the foregoing embodiments, the invention is also applicable to connectors provided at ends of coil devices, bulb sockets and other electric devices.