Patent Publication Number: US-10763600-B2

Title: Connector structure

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/728,838, filed on Oct. 10, 2017, which is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-200514 filed on Oct. 12, 2016, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a connector structure. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     Conventionally, twisted pair cables obtained by twisting a plurality of electric wires have been suitably used in in-vehicle networks and the like because they are less affected by noise and they provide less noise radiation than mere parallel wires. The twisted pair cables are known to include STP (shielded twisted pair) cables and UTP (unshielded twisted pair) cables. Among these cables, the STP cables have electric wires whose periphery is surrounded by a shield conductor, and have stronger resistance to noise. 
     For example, JP 5333632 B2 discloses a connector including inner conductor terminals which are connected to an end of an STP cable, an inner housing (dielectric) which houses the inner conductor terminals, a shield shell which is connected to a shield conductor of the STP cable and surrounds the inner housing, and an outer housing which houses the shield shell. 
     JP 5087487 B2 discloses a connector including connection terminals which are connected to an end of a UTP cable and a connector body (dielectric) having a terminal housing part which houses the connection terminals. 
     SUMMARY 
     The connectors of JP 5333632 B2 and JP 5087487 B2 have a common structure that the electric wires of the UTP cable or the STP cable are connected to the terminals and the terminals are housed in the dielectric. In this case, if the STP cable can be replaced with the UTP cable or vice versa by making use of the common structural portion in these connectors, the design of a die can be rendered easy and the cost can be reduced. However, there are circumstances that the UTP cable and the STP cable are incompatible with each other in principle, and are different in impedance. 
     The present invention was made based on the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a connector structure in which an STP cable and a UTP cable can be replaced with each other without any major structural change. 
     The present invention relates to a connector structure which selectively uses either a UTP connector or an STP connector. The UTP connector includes UTP connection terminals connected to respective electric wires of the UTP cable and a UTP dielectric having a pair of housing portions in which the UTP connection terminals are housed. The STP connector includes STP connection terminals connected to respective electric wires of the STP cable and an STP dielectric having a pair of housing portions in which the STP connection terminals are housed. In the UTP dielectric, at least a partition wall for partitioning the pair of housing portions is made of a material having a relatively high dielectric constant, and in the STP dielectric, at least a partition wall for partitioning the pair of housing portions is made of a material having a relatively low dielectric constant. 
     A material having a high dielectric constant is used at least as the material for the partition wall of the UTP dielectric, and a material having a low dielectric constant is used at least as the material for the partition wall of the STP dielectric, thereby making it possible to relatively decrease the impedance on the UTP cable side and to relatively increase the impedance on the STP cable side. Thus, impedance can properly be adjusted between the UTP cable side and the STP cable side without major changes of the structures of the UTP dielectric and the STP dielectric, and the two cables can be easily replaced with each other. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a UTP connector of Example 1 according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view showing a partition wall and an upper dielectric in the UTP connector. 
         FIG. 3  is a view in which a body in  FIG. 2  is cut. 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view showing UTP connection terminals connected to electric wires of the UTP cable, and the upper dielectric. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing a state where the UTP connection terminals connected to the respective electric wires of the UTP cable are housed in housing portions of the upper dielectric. 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view showing the upper dielectric in which the UTP connection terminals are housed, and a lower dielectric. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the UTP dielectric in which the lower dielectric and the upper dielectric are held in an assembled state. 
         FIG. 8  is an exploded perspective view showing a UTP dielectric and a UTP housing. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the UTP connector. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross sectional view of the UTP connector in a side view direction. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross sectional view of the UTP connector in a plan view direction. 
         FIG. 12  is a bottom view of a body of the upper dielectric in the UTP connector. 
         FIG. 13  is an exploded perspective view of the STP connector. 
         FIG. 14  is an exploded perspective view showing the partition wall and the upper dielectric in the STP connector. 
         FIG. 15  is an exploded perspective view showing STP connection terminals connected to electric wires of an STP cable, and an upper dielectric. 
         FIG. 16  is a perspective view showing a state where the STP connection terminals connected to the respective electric wires of the STP cable are housed in housing portions of the upper dielectric. 
         FIG. 17  is an exploded perspective view showing the upper dielectric in which the STP connection terminals are housed, and a lower dielectric. 
         FIG. 18  is a perspective view of an STP dielectric in which the lower dielectric and the upper dielectric are held in an assembled state. 
         FIG. 19  is an exploded perspective view showing the STP dielectric and an upper outer conductor. 
         FIG. 20  is a perspective view showing a state where the STP dielectric is supported on the upper outer conductor. 
         FIG. 21  is an exploded perspective view showing the upper outer conductor on which the STP dielectric is supported, and a lower outer conductor. 
         FIG. 22  is a perspective view of an outer conductor in which the upper outer conductor and the lower outer conductor are held in an assembled state and which is connected to a shield conductor of the STP cable. 
         FIG. 23  is an exploded perspective view showing the outer conductor in which the STP dielectric is contained, and an STP housing. 
         FIG. 24  is a cross sectional view of the STP connector in a side view direction. 
         FIG. 25  is a bottom view of a body of the upper dielectric in the STP connector. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described. 
     Each partition wall can preferably be attached to, and detached from, each body of the UTP dielectric and the STP dielectric. By virtue of this, impedance can be adjusted only by changing the material for the partition wall. 
     EXAMPLES 
     Example 1 
     Example 1 of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. A connector structure of Example 1 is used in in-vehicle communication network systems, and can selectively use either a UTP connector  20 A which is provided at an end of a UTP cable  10 A or an STP connector  20 B which is provided at an end of an STP cable  10 B. The UTP connector  20 A and the STP connector  20 B have a structural portion common or similar to each other, and it is made possible to replace the UTP cable  10 A and the STP cable  10 B with each other while adjusting the impedance. 
     The UTP connector  20 A is fitted with a counterpart UTP connector (not shown), and includes UTP connection terminals  21 A, a UTP dielectric  22 A and a UTP housing  23 A as shown in  FIG. 1 . The STP connector  20 B is fitted with a counterpart STP connector (not shown), and includes STP connection terminals  21 B, an STP dielectric  22 B, an outer conductor  24 B and an STP housing  23 B as shown in  FIG. 13 . 
     [UTP Cable] 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the UTP cable  10 A includes a pair of twisted electric wires  11  and a sheath  12  which surrounds the electric wires  11 . The electric wires  11  are each composed of a conductor portion and a covering portion which surrounds the conductor portion. The ends of the electric wires  11  are exposed from the sheath  12  and respectively connected to the UTP connection terminals  21 A. 
     [UTP Connection Terminal] 
     The UTP connection terminals  21 A connected to the respective electric wires  11  of the UTP cable  10 A are constructed in the same shape. When the UTP connector  20 A and the counterpart UTP connector are fitted with each other, the UTP connection terminals  21 A are electrically connected to male tabs (not shown) which are provided in the counterpart UTP connector. Each UTP connection terminal  21 A is integrally formed, for example, by bending a conductive metal plate material, and formed in an elongate shape in the front-back direction (the right and left direction in  FIG. 11 ), as a whole. 
     The UTP connection terminal  21 A includes a front end having a substantially square-cylindrical shaped box portion  27  and a rear end having an open barrel-shaped barrel portion  28 . The male tab is inserted in, and electrically connected to, the box portion  27 . The barrel portion  28  is electrically and mechanically connected to the conductor portion and covering portion of the electric wire  11 . Furthermore, the UTP connection terminal  21 A has a protrusion (not shown) which protrudes upward from one side of the box portion  27 . A crimping ring  29 , which is a component different from the UTP connection terminal  21 A, is crimped and connected to an end of the sheath  12  of the UTP cable  10 A. 
     [UTP Dielectric] 
     The UTP dielectric  22 A is made of a synthetic resin, and made of the same material as that of the STP dielectric  22 B, except partition walls  43 A,  43 B which will be described later, and includes an upper dielectric  35  and a lower dielectric  36  which can be divided in the up-down direction. In the following description,  FIG. 2  to  FIG. 8  are intended to explain the assembling procedures, and are opposite to  FIG. 1  in terms of the reference of the up-down direction. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the upper dielectric  35  has a body  53  and a partition wall  43 A which can be attached to, and detached from, the body  53 . 
     The partition wall  43 A is made of a material having a higher dielectric constant (specific dielectric constant) than that of the partition wall  43 B, as will be described later, of the STP dielectric  22 B, for example, a liquid crystal polymer (LCP). The partition wall  43 A has a plate shape long in the front-back direction, and has a step  74  in its center part in the front-back direction, and its substantially half front part, via the step  74 , is formed slightly thick relative to its substantially half rear part. At both front and rear ends of the partition wall  43 A, strip-shaped tenons  72  are provided respectively so as to protrude in both front and back directions. 
     The body  53  includes an upper wall  33  positioned at its upper end, a pair of right and left side walls  45  positioned at its right and left ends respectively, and a front wall  32  positioned at its front end. 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , the outer surface (upper surface) of the upper wall  33  is provided with a lock protrusion  37  which is engageable with the UTP housing  23 A. In the rear end of the upper wall  33 , an upper end escape hole  55  for letting the upper end of the crimping ring  29  escape is provided to be opened. 
     As shown in  FIG. 12 , a pair of right and left retaining portions  46 , which can retain the partition wall  43 A in a positioned state, is provided on the inner surface (lower surface) of the upper wall  33 . The respective retaining portions  46  are formed in a rib shape along the front-back direction in the front end of the inner surface of the upper wall  33 , and disposed in parallel with each other with the fitting groove  38  being sandwiched therebetween. The lower surface of each retaining portion  46  is provided with a shallow recess  76  which is brought in contact with the box portion  27  of the UTP connection terminal  21 A to determine the longitudinal position of the box portion  27 . At the rear end of the recess  76 , a concave portion  44  is provided to be opened into which the protrusion of the UTP connection terminal  21 A is to be inserted. 
     On the rear side of the fitting groove  38  in the inner surface of the upper wall  33 , a pin-shaped positioning protrusion  52  is provided which defines the rear end position of the partition wall  43 A. At the front end of the positioning protrusion  52 , a mortise groove  73  having a substantially U-shaped cross section is provided so as to extend over the overall height of the up-down direction (protruding direction). Another mortise groove  73  is also provided in a rib-shaped portion which extends in the up-down direction on the rear surface of the front wall  32 . The longitudinal position of the fitting groove  38  is defined by both mortise grooves  73 . 
     The substantially half front part of the partition wall  43 A is fitted into the fitting groove  38  and held between the retaining portions  46 , and the front and rear tenons  72  are fitted and held in the corresponding mortise grooves  73 , whereby the partition wall  43 A is mounted in the body  53 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , in a state where the partition wall  43 A is mounted in the body  53 , a pair of housing portions  26  is formed on both right and left sides of the partition wall  43 A in the upper dielectric  35 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the UTP connection terminals  21 A are housed in the respective housing portions  26  in a fitted state, and the housed UTP connection terminals  21 A are disposed in parallel with each other with the partition wall  43 A being sandwiched therebetween. 
     The outer surfaces of the side walls  45  are provided with front and rear pairs of square-concave mounting receiving portions  41 , and each receiving portion  41  is provided with a mounting protrusion  42  on its inner surface. Furthermore, on the outer surfaces of the side walls  45 , positioning recesses  25  are each provided between the front and rear mounting receiving portions  41  so as to be opened downward. In the front wall  32 A, a pair of right and left tab insertion holes  69  is provided to be opened, and the male tabs are inserted into the tab insertion holes  69  from the front side in a positioned state. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the lower dielectric  36  has a flat plate-shaped support wall  67  which is long in the front-back direction. At the right and left ends of the support wall  67 , front and rear pairs of portal frame-shaped mounting pieces  39  are provided so as to protrude upward, and plate piece-shaped positioning projecting pieces  31  are each provided between the front and rear mounting pieces  39  so as to protrude upward. As shown in  FIG. 7 , the respective positioning projecting pieces  31  are fitted and positioned in the positioning recesses  25 , and the respective mounting pieces  39  are fitted to the mounting receiving portions  41  to be elastically engaged with the mounting protrusions  42 , whereby the upper dielectric  35  and the lower dielectric  36  are held in an assembled state. Furthermore, the upper dielectric  35  and the lower dielectric  36  are assembled so that the partition wall  43 A and UTP connection terminals  21 A are restrained from coming out upward, and are held within the UTP dielectric  22 A. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the upper surface of the support wall  67  is provided with a pair of right and left support ribs  71  at positions opposite to the respective retaining portions  46  in the assembled state, and the lower end of the partition wall  43 A is inserted between the support ribs  71  in a fitted state. In the rear end of the support wall  67 , a lower end escape hole  77  for letting the lower end of the crimping ring  29  escape is provided to be opened. 
     [UTP Housing] 
     The UTP housing  23 A is made of a synthetic resin, and, as shown in  FIG. 9 , has a substantially square-cylindrical shaped housing body  47 . At the center part in the width direction of the upper surface of the housing body  47 , a lock arm  48  is provided so as to protrude. The lock arm  48  is formed so as to extend rearward from the front end of the upper surface of the housing body  47  in a cantilever manner, and elastically engages the counterpart UTP connector to hold the UTP connector  20 A and the counterpart UTP connector in a fitted state. Inside of the housing body  47 , an insertion part  49  is provided so as to penetrate therethrough in the front-back direction. As shown in  FIG. 10 , the UTP dielectric  22 A can be fitted into the insertion part  49 . The upper surface of the inner wall of the insertion part  49 A is provided with a lance  51  which protrudes frontward in a cantilever manner. The UTP dielectric  22 A is inserted from the rear side into the insertion part  49  so that the lance  51  is flexibly deformed by the lock protrusion  37 . Thereafter, the lance  51  returns and elastically engages the lock protrusion  37 , so that the UTP dielectric  22 A is retained in the UTP housing  23 A. 
     [Counterpart UTP Connector] 
     Though not described in detail, the counterpart UTP connector has a hood part made of a synthetic resin, in which the UTP housing  23 A can be fitted, and a pair of right and left male tabs is disposed in the hood part so as to protrude. Furthermore, the counterpart UTP connector is supported by a circuit board (not shown), and the respective male tabs are electrically connected to a conductive part of the circuit board. 
     [STP Cable] 
     As shown in  FIG. 15 , the STP cable  10 B includes a pair of twisted electric wires  11 , a shield conductor  13 , such as a braided wire, which surrounds and shields the electric wires  11  and a sheath  12  which surrounds the shield conductor  13 . The ends of the respective electric wires  11  and the end of the shield conductor  13  are exposed from the sheath  12 , and, among these ends, the end of the shield conductor  13  is folded back to be adhered to the outer peripheral side of the sheath  12 . The ends of the electric wires  11  are respectively connected to the STP connection terminals  21 B. 
     [STP Connection Terminal] 
     The STP connection terminals  21 B connected to the respective electric wires  11  of the STP cable  10 B are constructed in the same shape. When the STP connector  20 B and the counterpart STP connector are fitted with each other, the STP connection terminals  21 B are connected to male tabs (not shown) which are provided in a counterpart STP connector. Each STP connection terminal  21 B has the same shape as that of the UTP connection terminal  21 A and has a box portion  27 , a barrel portion  28  and a protrusion (not shown) in the same arrangement as that of the UTP connection terminal  21 A. 
     [STP Dielectric] 
     The STP dielectric  22 B is made of a synthetic resin, and includes an upper dielectric  35  and a lower dielectric  36  which can be divided in the up-down direction. No crimping ring  29  is provided in the STP connector  20 B, so that the STP dielectric  22 B does not require any structure to receive the crimping ring  29  and accordingly has a shorter longitudinal dimension than that of the UTP dielectric  22 A. In the following description,  FIG. 14  to  FIG. 21  are intended to explain the assembling procedures, and are opposite to  FIG. 13  in terms of the reference of the up-down direction. 
     As shown in  FIG. 14 , the upper dielectric  35  has a body  53  and a partition wall  43 B which can be attached to, and detached from, the body  53 . 
     The partition wall  43 B is made of a material having a lower dielectric constant (specific dielectric constant) than that of the partition wall  43 A of the UTP dielectric  22 A, for example, polypropylene (PP). The partition wall  43 B has the same shape as that of the partition wall  43 A of the UTP dielectric  22 A, and has a step  74  in its center part in the front-back direction, and has tenons  72  which protrude in both front and back directions respectively. 
     The body  53  includes an upper wall  33  positioned at its upper end, a pair of right and left side walls  45  positioned at its right and left ends respectively, and a front wall  32  positioned at its front end. 
     As shown in  FIG. 24 , the front end of the upper surface of the upper wall  33  is provided with an upper positioning protrusion  54  with respect to the outer conductor  24 B. As shown in  FIG. 25 , the inner surface (lower surface) of the upper wall  33  has substantially the same structure as that of the UTP dielectric  22 A, and retaining portions  46  are provided on both right and left sides of the fitting groove  38 . The lower surface of each retaining portion  46  is provided with a recess  76 , and a concave portion  44  is provided to be opened at the rear end of the recess  76 . Furthermore, a positioning protrusion  52  is provided on the rear side of the fitting groove  38 , and mortise grooves  73  are provided in the front surface of the positioning protrusion  52  and in a rib-shaped portion on the rear surface of the front wall  32  so as to be opposite to each other. In the case of the STP dielectric  22 B, a positioning protrusion  52  is placed at the rear end of the inner surface of the upper wall  33 . 
     The substantially half front part of the partition wall  43 B is fitted into the fitting groove  38  and held between the retaining portions  46 , and the front and rear tenons  72  are fitted and held in the corresponding mortise grooves  73 . As shown in  FIG. 15 , a pair of housing portions  26  is formed on both right and left sides of the partition wall  43 B in the upper dielectric  35 , and the STP connection terminals  21 B are housed in the respective housing portions  26  in a fitted state as shown in  FIG. 16 . The housed STP connection terminals  21 B are disposed in parallel with each other with the partition wall  43 B being sandwiched therebetween. 
     Both side walls  45  are opened as cutouts  78  except for both front and rear ends thereof, and claw-shaped mounting protrusions  42  are provided in the center part of the cutouts  78  in the front-back direction so as to protrude. The cutouts  78  are also opened to both right and left ends of the upper wall  33 . The outer surfaces of both front and rear ends of the side walls  45  are provided with engaging protrusions  79  with respect to the outer conductor  24 B. In the front wall  32 A, a pair of right and left tab insertion holes  69  is provided to be opened, and the male tabs are inserted into the tab insertion holes  69  from the front side in a positioned state. 
     As shown in  FIG. 17 , the lower dielectric  36  includes a flat plate-shaped support wall  67  and a pair of mounting pieces  39  which erects from the center part in the front-back direction of both right and left ends of the support wall  67 . The mounting pieces  39  are provided with recess portions in the inner surfaces thereof. As shown in  FIG. 18 , the mounting pieces  39  are fitted with the cutouts  78 , and the mounting protrusions  42  are elastically engaged with the recess portions of the mounting pieces  39 , so that the upper dielectric  35  and the lower dielectric  36  are held in an assembled state. The upper dielectric  35  and the lower dielectric  36  are assembled, so that the partition wall  43 B and STP connection terminals  21 B are restrained from coming out upward, and held within the STP dielectric  22 B. 
     As shown in  FIG. 13 , on the upper surface of the support wall  67 , a pair of right and left support ribs  71  is provided at positions opposite to the respective retaining portions  46  in the assembled state, and the lower end of the partition wall  43 B is inserted between the support ribs  71  in a fitted state. As shown in  FIG. 24 , the front end of the lower surface of the support wall  67  is provided with a lower positioning protrusion  81  with respect to the outer conductor  24 B. 
     [Outer Conductor] 
     The outer conductor  24 B is made of a conductive metal, and includes an upper outer conductor  56  and a lower outer conductor  57  which can be divided in the up-down direction. As shown in  FIG. 19 , the upper outer conductor  56  has a substantially rectangular shaped upper shell part  58  in a plan view and an open barrel-shaped upper barrel portion  59  continued to the rear side of the upper shell part  58 . The upper shell part  58  is disposed so as to cover the upper dielectric  35  from above. As shown in  FIG. 22 , a flat plate portion of the upper shell part  58  has a lock protrusion  37  in the center part in the width direction of the upper surface, and an upper positioning hole  61  is provided to be opened in front of the lock protrusion  37 . Furthermore, as shown in  FIG. 19 , the upper shell part  58  has front and rear pairs of engaging pieces  62  which are suspended from both ends in the width direction of the flat plate portion. The upper barrel portion  59  has projecting piece portions which protrude downward from both right and left sides so as to be displaced from each other in the front-back direction. 
     As shown in  FIG. 21 , the lower outer conductor  57  has a substantially rectangular shaped lower shell part  63  in a plan view and an open barrel-shaped lower barrel portion  64  continued to the rear side of the lower shell part  63 . The lower shell part  63  is disposed so as to cover the lower dielectric  36  from the lower side. The lower shell part  63  has side plate portions which erect from both right and left ends of the flat plate portion, and has front and rear pairs of retaining protrusions  65  on the inner surfaces of the side plate portions. On the front end side of the flat plate portion of the lower shell part  63 , a lower positioning hole  66  is provided to be opened. The lower barrel portion  64  has projecting piece portions which protrude upward from both right and left sides so as to be displaced from each other in the front-back direction. 
     [STP Housing] 
     The STP housing  23 B is made of a synthetic resin, and, as shown in  FIG. 23 , has a substantially square-cylindrical shaped housing body  47 . The STP housing  23 B has the same shape as that of the UTP housing  23 A and has a lock arm  48 , an insertion part  49  and a lance  51  in the same arrangement as that of the UTP housing  23 A. As shown in  FIG. 24 , a counterpart to be engaged with the lance  51  is the lock protrusion  37  of the upper outer conductor  56 . 
     [Counterpart STP Connector] 
     The counterpart STP connector has substantially the same shape as that of the counterpart UTP connector, and has a pair of male terminals. The respective male terminals have a pitch width which is same as that of the respective male terminals of the counterpart UTP connector. 
     [Assembly of UTP Connector] 
     In the assembly of the UTP connector  20 A, firstly, the barrel portions  28  of the UTP connection terminals  21 A are connected by contact-bonding to the ends of the respective electric wires  11  of the UTP cable  10 A. 
     Furthermore, the partition wall  43 A is inserted into the fitting groove  38  of the upper dielectric  35 , and positioned and held between the front wall  32  and the positioning protrusion  52  (see  FIG. 2  to  FIG. 4 ). 
     Subsequently, the UTP connection terminals  21 A are respectively housed in the housing portions  26  which are formed on both sides of the partition wall  43 A (see  FIG. 5 ). At this time, the UTP connection terminals  21 A are housed in the housing portions  26  with the protrusion thereof facing downward, and the protrusions are inserted into the concave portions  44 . Then, the lower dielectric  36  is put onto the upper dielectric  35 , and the mounting pieces  39  are elastically engaged with the mounting protrusions  42 , whereby the upper dielectric  35  and the lower dielectric  36  are held in an assembled state (see  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 ). 
     Subsequently, the UTP dielectric  22 A is inserted from the rear side into the insertion part  49  of the UTP housing  23 A (see  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9 ). When the UTP dielectric  22 A is properly inserted into the insertion part  49 , the lock protrusion  37  of the UTP dielectric  22 A is elastically engaged by the lance  51 , so that the UTP dielectric  22 A is held in the UTP housing  23 A in a retained state (see  FIG. 10 ). 
     [Assembly of STP Connector] 
     In the assembly of the STP connector  20 B, too, firstly, the barrel portions  28  of the STP connection terminals  21 B are connected by contact-bonding to the ends of the respective electric wires  11  of the STP cable  10 B. Furthermore, the partition wall  43 B is inserted into the fitting groove  38  of the upper dielectric  35 , and positioned and held between the front wall  32  and the positioning protrusion  52  (see  FIG. 14  and  FIG. 15 ). 
     Subsequently, the STP connection terminals  21 B are respectively housed in the housing portions  26  which are formed on both sides of the partition wall  43 B (see  FIG. 16 ). At this time, the STP connection terminals  21 B are housed in the housing portions  26  with the protrusions thereof facing downward, and the protrusions are inserted into the concave portions  44 . Then, the lower dielectric  36  is put onto the upper dielectric  35 , and the mounting pieces  39  are elastically engaged with the mounting protrusions  42 , whereby the upper dielectric  35  and the lower dielectric  36  are held in an assembled state (see  FIG. 17  and  FIG. 18 ). 
     Subsequently, the STP dielectric  22 B is supported by the upper shell part  58  of the upper outer conductor  56  (see  FIG. 19  and  FIG. 20 ). The upper positioning protrusion  54  is fitted in the upper positioning hole  61  so that the STP dielectric  22 B is positioned in the upper outer conductor  56 , and the engaging protrusions  79  are engaged with the engaging pieces  62  so that the STP dielectric  22 B is held in the upper outer conductor  56 . Then, the upper barrel portion  59  is connected by contact-bonding to the shield conductor  13  which is exposed to the outer peripheral side of the STP cable  10 B. 
     Thereafter, the lower outer conductor  57  is put onto the upper outer conductor  56  so as to cover the STP dielectric  22 B (see  FIG. 21  and  FIG. 22 ). The side plate portions of the lower outer conductor  57  cover the engaging pieces  62  from the outside, and the lower positioning protrusion  81  is fitted in the lower positioning hole  66 , so that the STP dielectric  22 B is positioned in the lower outer conductor  57 , and the retaining protrusions  65  are engaged with the engaging pieces  62 , with the result that the upper outer conductor  56  and the lower outer conductor  57  are held in an assembled state. Then, the lower barrel portion  64  is connected by contact-bonding to the shield conductor  13  which is exposed to the outer peripheral side of the STP cable  10 B. Thus, the shield conductor  13  is connected to the outer conductor  24 B, and the periphery of the STP connection terminals  21 B is surrounded by the outer conductor  24 B via the STP dielectric  22 B. 
     Subsequently, the outer conductor  24 B in which the STP dielectric  22 B is contained is inserted from the rear side into the insertion part  49  of the STP housing  23 B (see  FIG. 23  and  FIG. 24 ). When the outer conductor  24 B is properly inserted into the insertion part  49 , the lock protrusion  37  of the outer conductor  24 B is elastically engaged by the lance  51 , so that the outer conductor  24 B is held in the STP housing  23 B in a retained state. 
     [Connector Fitting] 
     When the UTP connector  20 A is properly fitted to the counterpart UTP connector, the respective male tabs are inserted and connected to the box portions  27  of the respective UTP connection terminals  21 A via the tab insertion holes  69 . Similarly, when the STP connector  20 B is properly fitted to the counterpart STP connector, the respective male tabs are inserted and connected to the box portions  27  of the respective STP connection terminals  21 B via the tab insertion holes  69 . In the case of the STP connector  20 B, the outer conductor  24 B is connected to an earth part (not shown) which is provided in the counterpart STP connector. 
     The UTP dielectric  22 A and the STP dielectric  22 B are made of the same material except the partition walls  43 A,  43 B; the partition wall  43 A of the UTP dielectric  22 A is made of a material having a relatively high dielectric constant; and the partition wall  43 B of the STP dielectric  22 B is made of a material having a relatively low dielectric constant. Thus, impedance can properly be adjusted without changing the terminal-to-terminal pitches of the UTP dielectric  22 A, the STP dielectric  22 B, the UTP housing  23 A, the STP housing  23 B, the counterpart UTP connector and the counterpart STP connector, and the specification change between the UTP connector  20 A and the STP connector  20 B can be easily made. 
     Especially, the UTP connection terminals  21 A and the STP connection terminals  21 B are designed so as to have substantially the same shape, and the UTP housing  23 A and the STP housing  23 B are designed so as to have substantially the same shape. As a result, it is unnecessary to provide a plurality of types of dies when manufacturing these components, thereby making it possible to greatly reduce the cost. 
     Other Examples 
     Other Examples will be described briefly. 
     (1) Only the partition wall is made of a different material in Example 1. However, in the case of the present invention, the entire UTP dielectric may be made of a material having a relatively high dielectric constant, and the entire STP dielectric may be made of a material having a relatively low dielectric constant. Furthermore, the upper dielectric (dielectric having a partition wall) of the UTP dielectric may be made of a material having a relatively high dielectric constant, and the upper dielectric (dielectric having a partition wall) of the STP dielectric may be made of a material having a relatively low dielectric constant. 
     (2) The partition wall is provided so as to be attachable to, and detachable from, the body in Example 1. However, in the case of the present invention, the partition wall may be provided integrally with the body. 
     (3) Both UTP dielectric and the STP dielectric can be divided in the up-down direction in Example 1. However, in the case of the present invention, at least one of the UTP dielectric and the STP dielectric may be provided integrally in such a manner that it cannot be divided. In this case, the partition wall is preferably slid from the rear side thereby to be attached to the integrated dielectric. 
     (4) The outer conductor of the STP connector can be divided in the up-down direction in Example 1. However, in the case of the present invention, the outer conductor may be provided integrally so as not to be divided.