Patent Publication Number: US-2022224059-A1

Title: Shield connector

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a shield connector. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Conventionally, a shield connector is known which includes a housing for holding a part of a wire inserted therein, a core of a shielded cable being electrically connected to a terminal of a mating connector by connecting the housing to the mating connector (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this shield connector, a part of the wire is inserted into the housing, and the core of the wire is electrically connected to an inner conductor and the terminal in the housing. The core is electrically connected to the terminal of the mating connector by the contact of the terminal of the shielded connector with the terminal in the mating connector. 
     PRIOR ART DOCUMENT 
     Patent Document 
     
         
         Patent Document 1: WO 2015/060113 A1 
       
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Problems to be Solved 
     In the shield connector described above, heat generated in the terminal and the inner conductor in the housing is mainly transferred to the wire. Further, since the housing for accommodating the terminal and the inner conductor is separated from the terminal and the inner conductor, the heat is unlikely to be transferred to the housing via an internal air layer. Thus, in a shield connector used in a hybrid vehicle, electric vehicle or the like, the amount of heat generation increases since a large current is supplied also to a connected device. Therefore, to improve heat dissipation performance, the enlargement of the terminal and the inner conductor and a larger diameter of the wire are necessary, and the enlargement of the shield connector itself is concerned about. 
     The present invention was developed to solve the above problem and aims to provide a shield connector capable of improving heat dissipation performance while suppressing enlargement. 
     Means to Solve the Problem 
     The present disclosure is directed to a shielded connector with a housing, a shield shell for covering the housing from outside, a terminal to be accommodated into the housing and electrically connected to a mating device, and an inner conductor for electrically connecting the terminal and a wire, wherein high radiation portions having at least a higher radiation rate than a core of the wire are provided on at least some of a surface of the housing, a surface of the shield shell, a surface of the terminal and a surface of the inner conductor. 
     Effect of the Invention 
     According to the shield connector of the present invention, it is possible to improve heat dissipation performance while suppressing enlargement. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a state where a shield connector in one embodiment is mounted on a case of a device. 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view of the shield connector in the embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the shield connector in the embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a section along  4 - 4  in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram showing a high radiation portion of the shield connector in the embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a section of a shield connector in a modification. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION TO EXECUTE THE INVENTION 
     Description of Embodiments of Present Disclosure 
     First, embodiments of the present disclosure are listed and described. 
     [1] The shield connector of the present disclosure includes a housing, a shield shell for covering the housing from outside, a terminal to be accommodated into the housing and electrically connected to a mating device, and an inner conductor for electrically connecting the terminal and a wire, wherein high radiation portions having at least a higher radiation rate than a core of the wire are provided on at least some of a surface of the housing, a surface of the shield shell, a surface of the terminal and a surface of the inner conductor. 
     According to the above mode, heat generated in the terminal and the inner conductor in association with energization can be actively dissipated from the housing and the shield shell by including the high radiation portions having a higher radiation rate than the core of the wire. Thus, heat dissipation can be improved without enlargement. 
     [2] Preferably, the shield shell includes a low radiation portion having a lower radiation rate than the high radiation portions on at least a part of an outer surface of the shield shell. 
     According to this mode, since the low radiation portion having a lower radiation rate than the high radiation portions is provided on at least the part of the outer surface of the shield shell, the influence of heat by a heat source can be suppressed in the low radiation portion, for example, if the heat source is present outside. 
     [3] Preferably, the low radiation portion is provided at a position facing an external heat source on the outer surface of the shield shell. 
     According to this mode, the influence of heat by the external heat source can be suppressed by providing the low radiation portion at the position facing the external heat source on the outer surface of the shield shell. 
     Details of Embodiment of Present Disclosure 
     Hereinafter, a specific example of a shield connector is described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to these illustrations and is intended to be represented by claims and include all changes in the scope of claims and in the meaning and scope of equivalents. Further, in figures, a part of a configuration may be shown in an exaggerated or simplified manner for the convenience of description. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , a shield connector  10  of this embodiment is, for example, mounted on a case C of a device such as an inverter or motor of a hybrid vehicle, electric vehicle or the like. An unillustrated device-side connector is disposed inside the case C. The shield connector  10  is connectable to the device-side connector. Note that, in the following description, a vertical direction is based on a vertical direction of  FIG. 4 . Further, a front-rear direction is based on a lateral direction of  FIG. 4 , wherein a leftward direction (connecting direction to the device-side connector) in  FIG. 4  is referred to as a forward direction and a rightward direction (separating direction from the device-side connector) in  FIG. 4  is referred to as a rearward direction. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 4 , the shield connector  10  includes housings  11  made of synthetic resin, a shield shell  12  for covering the housings  11 , inner conductive members  13  provided inside the housings  11 , and connection terminals  14  for electrically connecting the inner conductive members  13  and terminals of the mating connector. 
     The housing  11  is, for example, made of synthetic resin and substantially L-shaped as a whole. One end of the housing  11  projects forward, and the other end projects downward. The device-side connector is connected to a front end part of the housing  11 , and an end of a wire W is introduced into a lower end part of the housing  11 . In other words, the wire W is pulled out from the bottom of the housing  11 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the housing  11  includes a rear member  21 , a front member  22  and a cover member  23 . 
     The rear member  21  includes a first tube portion  24  extending in the front-rear direction and a second tube portion  25  extending downward from a rear side of the first tube portion  24 , and is substantially L-shaped. 
     The first tube portion  24  includes openings  24   a ,  24   b  in both ends in the front-rear direction. The cover member  23  is detachably provided in the opening  24   a  on a rear side of the first tube portion  24 . The front member  22  is mounted in the opening  24   b  on a front side of the first tube portion  24 . 
     The front member  22  is, for example, formed into a tubular shape. 
     The inner conductive member  13  includes a first conductive member  31  to be connected to a core W 1  of the wire W, a second conductive member  32  to be connected to the first conductive member  31  and a third conductive member  33  for connecting the second conductive member  32  and the connection terminal  14 . 
     The first conductive member  31  includes a barrel portion  31   a  to be connected to the core W 1  of the wire W and a terminal portion  31   b  through which a fixing screw N 1  is inserted. The first conductive member  31  of this embodiment is configured by arranging the barrel portion  31   a  and the terminal portion  31   b  in the vertical direction. The barrel portion  31   a  of the first conductive member  31  and the core W 1  of the wire W are accommodated in the second tube portion  25 . Further, the terminal portion  31   b  of the first conductive member  31  is accommodated in the first tube portion  24 . Note that the core W 1  of the wire W and the barrel portion  31   a  are possibly connected, for example, by crimping or welding. However, without limitation to this, a known connection method may be used for connection. 
     The second conductive member  32  is connected to an upper end part of the first conductive member  31  extending in the vertical direction and connected to a rear end part of the third conductive member  33  extending in the front-rear direction. That is, the second conductive member  32  is for relaying the first and third conductive members  31 ,  33 , extending directions of which are orthogonal, and a substantially L-shaped conductive member can be, for example, adopted as such. The second conductive member  32  of this embodiment is fastened to the terminal portion  31   b  of the first conductive member  31  by the fixing screw N 1 . Here, by removing the cover member  23  from the rear opening  24   a  of the first tube portion  24  described above, a fastening operation by the fixing screw N 1  is possible, using the opening  24   a.    
     The third conductive member  33  is a flexible conductive member. A braided wire can be adopted as an example of the third conductive member  33 , but there is no limitation to this. The third conductive member  33  is roughly provided in front of and near the first tube portion  24  of the rear member  21  of the housing  11 . 
     The connection terminal  14  is a conductive member to be attached to the front end of the third conductive member  33 . The connection terminal  14  is, for example, configured such that a rectangular tube portion internally including a resilient contact piece for resiliently contacting a standby terminal of the device and a barrel portion to be connected to the third conductive member  33  by crimping or welding are arranged in the front-rear direction. The connection terminal  14  is accommodated in an accommodation space in the front member  22  of the housing  11 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the housing  11  of this embodiment is covered by the shield shell  12  made of conductive metal. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 , the shield shell  12  is configured by assembling a lower member  41  and an upper member  42  with each other. The lower member  41  is formed by press-working a metal plate material of aluminum, aluminum alloy or the like, and the upper member  42  is made of metal such as aluminum or aluminum alloy and formed by die casting. The lower member  41  and the upper member  42  are fixed to the housing  11  by being fastened together by a fixing screw N 2 . The upper member  42  is fixed to the housing  11  by a fixing screw N 3 . 
     The shield connector  10  of this embodiment includes high radiation portions  51  on a surface  14   a  of the connection terminal  14 , a surface  13   a  of the inner conductive member  13 , a surface  11   a  of the housing  11  and an inner surface  12   a  of the shield shell  12 . 
     The high radiation portion  51  has, for example, a higher radiation rate than the core W 1  (copper) of the wire W. For example, the core W 1  made of copper has a higher radiation rate, for example, by being oxidized. The radiation rate mentioned here means a radiation rate before oxidation. Further, the radiation rate of the high radiation portion  51  is preferably, for example, 0.7 or more. The entire high radiation portion  51  may have the same radiation rate or may have varying radiation rates. 
     A formation method by plating or painting can be, for example, adopted for the high radiation portion  51  of the connection terminal  14 , the high radiation portion  51  of the inner conductive member  13  and the high radiation portion  51  of the shield shell  12 . Further, the high radiation portion  51  of the housing  11  may be formed, for example, using a resin material colored in advance or may be formed on the surface  11   a  of the housing  11  by painting or the like. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , an outer surface  12   b  of the shield shell  12  includes a low radiation portion  52  entirely having a lower radiation rate than the high radiation portion  51 . The low radiation portion  52  is, for example, the outer surface  12   b  of the shield shell  12  itself. That is, the radiation rate of the low radiation portion  52  is that of the outer surface  12   b  of the shield shell  12 . The shield shell  12  is made of the conductive metal material (aluminum, aluminum alloy or the like as an example) as described above. The radiation rate in this case is, for example, 0.3 or less. The entire low radiation portion  52  may have the same radiation rate or may have varying radiation rates. 
     Functions of this embodiment are described. 
     In the shield connector  10  of this embodiment, the core W 1  of the wire W is connected to the inner conductive member  13  and the inner conductive member  13  is connected to the connection terminal  14 . The connection terminal  14  is, for example, connected to the terminal of the device-side connector of the mating device. In this way, a current can be supplied between the wire W (core W 1 ) and the mating device. 
     Further, the high radiation portions  51  having a higher radiation rate than the core W 1  of the wire W are provided on the surface  14   a  of the connection terminal  14 , the surface  13   a  of the inner conductive member  13 , the surface  11   a  of the housing  11  and the inner surface  12   a  of the shield shell  12 . Here, in the shield connector  10 , heat is generated, for example, in the inner conductive member  13  and the connection terminal  14  connecting the mating connector and the wire W in the case of supplying a current between the device-side connector and the wire W. Part of the heat generated in the inner conductive member  13  and the connection terminal  14  is transferred to the housing  11  having the high radiation portion  51  via an air layer. At least part of the heat transferred to the housing  11  is transferred to the shield shell  12  having the high radiation portion  51 . The heat transferred to the shield shell  12  is dissipated to outside. At this time, since the outer surface  12   b  of the shield shell  12  has the low radiation portion  52 , the transfer of the dissipated heat from the outer surface  12   b  of the shield shell  12  to the inside again is suppressed. Further, even if another heat source is located outside, the influence of heat by the external heat source can be suppressed since the outer surface  12   b  of the shield shell  12  has the low radiation portion  52 . 
     Effects of this embodiment are described. 
     (1) Since heat generated in the connection terminal  14  and the inner conductive member  13  in association with energization can be actively dissipated from the housing  11  and the shield shell  12  by having the high radiation portions  51  having a higher radiation rate than the wire W 1  of the wire W, heat dissipation can be improved without enlargement. 
     (2) The low radiation portion  52  having a lower radiation rate than the high radiation portions  51  is provided on at least a part of the outer surface  12   b  of the shield shell  12 . Thus, for example, if a heat source is present outside, the influence of heat by the heat source can be suppressed in the low radiation portion  52 . Particularly, in the shield connector for connecting the motor or inverter as in this embodiment, the motor or inverter itself tends to become an external heat source and the influence thereof is large. Therefore, a configuration for providing the low radiation portion  52  on the outer surface  12   b  of the shield shell  12  located on an outermost side can suitably suppress the influence of heat by the heat source. 
     Note that the above embodiment can be modified and carried out as follows. The above embodiment and the following modifications can be carried out in combination without technically contradicting each other.
         Although the low radiation portion  52  is provided on the entire outer surface  12   b  of the shield shell  12  in the above embodiment, there is no limitation to this.       

     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the low radiation portion  52  may be provided on a part of the outer surface  12   b . In this case, the high radiation portion  51  is provided on the remaining part of the outer surface  12   b.    
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the low radiation portion  52  may be provided in a part  12   c  facing an external heat source H on the outer surface  12   b . By providing the low radiation portion  52  in the part  12   c  facing the external heat source H, the influence of heat by the external heat source H can be effectively suppressed. Particularly, since the shield connector  10  is often proximate to a vehicle drive source (motor) or inverter, the shield connector  10  is easily affected by heat of the heat source H and the provision of the low radiation portion as described above can suitably suppress the influence of heat by the heat source H. In a configuration shown in  FIG. 6 , the high radiation portion  51  may be provided in a part (e.g. rear surface  12   d ) not facing the external heat source H on the outer surface  12   b.    
     Further, the high radiation portion  51  may be provided on the outer surface  12   b  of the shield shell  12  by omitting the low radiation portion  52 . That is, the high radiation portions  51  may be provided on the inner surface  12   a  and the outer surface  12   b  of the shield shell  12 .
         Although the housing  11  is composed of the rear member  21 , the front member  22  and the cover member  23  in the above embodiment, there is no limitation to this. For example, the rear member  21  and the front member  22  may be integrally formed in advance. Further, the housing  11  may be composed of two or less members or four or more members.   Although the shield shell  12  is composed of the lower member  41  and the upper member  42  in the above embodiment, there is no limitation to this. For example, a lower member and an upper member may be integrally formed in advance. The shield shell  12  may be composed of three or more members.   Although the lower member  41  and the upper member  42  are fastened together to configure the shield shell  12  in the above embodiment, a shield shell may be configured by separately fastening an upper member and a lower member to the housing  11  by screws.   Although the L-shaped housing  11  from which the wire W is pulled out downward is used in the above embodiment, there is no limitation to this. For example, an I-shaped (linear) housing from which the wire W is pulled out rearward may be used.   Although the inner conductive member  13  for connecting the wire W and the connection terminal  14  is composed of three members including the first, second and third conductive members  31 ,  32  and  33  in the above embodiment, there is no limitation to this. The number of components of an inner conductive member for connecting the wire W and the connection terminal  14  can be changed as appropriate.   The housing  11  and the inner conductive member  13 , and the housing  11  and the connection terminal  14  may be facing each other via an air layer.   Although not particularly mentioned in the above embodiment, a high radiation portion may be similarly provided on another member if this member is arranged, for example, between the housing  11  and the inner conductive member  13  or between the housing  11  and the connection terminal  14 .   In several implementation examples of the present disclosure, the high radiation portions  51  may be radiation rate improving films configured to increase radiation rates of base materials at least for infrared rays (e.g. near infrared rays, far infrared rays) having a predetermined wavelength by being held in close contact with the base material (e.g. synthetic resin) of the housing  11 , the base material (e.g. conductive metal) of the shield shell  12 , the base material (e.g. conductive metal) of the connection terminal  14  and the base material (e.g. conductive metal) of the inner conductive member  13 .   In several implementation examples of the present disclosure, some or all of the plurality of high radiation portions  51  can be formed of materials same as or different from the respective base materials of the housing  11 , the shield shell  12 , the connection terminal  14  and the inner conductive member  13 .   In several implementation examples of the present disclosure, the base material of the shield shell  12 , the base material of the connection terminal  14  and the base material of the inner conductive member  13  may be formed of a first metal base material mainly containing a first metal element (e.g. aluminum), and the high radiation portions  51  may be plating films containing a second metal element (e.g. nickel or chromium) different from the first metal element or resin films and may contain pigments or colorants.       

     [Addendum 1] A shield connector according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a housing, a shield shell for covering the housing from outside, a terminal to be accommodated into the housing and electrically connected to a mating device, and an inner conductor for electrically connecting the terminal and the wire, wherein high radiation portions made of a second material having at least a higher radiation rate than a first material constituting a core of the wire are provided on at least some of a surface of the housing, a surface of the shield shell, a surface of the terminal and a surface of the inner conductor. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
         
           
               10  shield connector 
               11  housing 
               11   a  surface 
               12  shield shell 
               12   a  inner surface 
               12   b  outer surface 
               12   c  part 
               13  inner conductive member (inner conductor) 
               13   a  surface 
               14  connection terminal (terminal) 
               14   a  surface 
               21  rear member 
               22  front member 
               23  cover member 
               24  first tube portion 
               24   a  opening 
               24   b  opening 
               25  second tube portion 
               31  first conductive member 
               31   a  barrel portion 
               31   b  terminal portion 
               32  second conductive member 
               33  third conductive member 
               41  lower member 
               42  upper member 
               51  high radiation portion 
               52  low radiation portion 
             C case 
             H heat source 
             N 1  fixing screw 
             N 2  fixing screw 
             N 3  fixing screw 
             W wire 
             W 1  core