Patent Publication Number: US-9419379-B2

Title: Connector having a recessed concave section in a surface between a pair or partition walls between adjacent terminals

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates to a connector. 
     Various kinds of electronic devices are mounted in an automobile. In addition, a wire harness is wired in order to convey power, a control signal, and the like to the electronic devices, and a plurality of electric wires and the connectors which are attached to the terminals of the electric wires are provided in the wire harness. The connectors are each provided with a terminal which is electrically connected to the end of the electric wire and a connector housing where a terminal accommodating chamber is formed which accommodates the terminal. 
     Here, the connector described above is used in an environment where it is easy for foreign matter (such as metal powder, water, and oil) to infiltrate into the connector housing such as, for example, lubricating oil inside an automatic transmission and a junction block which is arranged inside an engine room. In such a connector, there is a possibility that the infiltrated foreign matter adheres to the plurality of terminals and a short occurs between the terminals. It is possible to realize an insulation distance between the terminals by widening an interval (the pitch) between the plurality of terminals erected at a base section of the connector housing, but in this case the connector housing increases in size. 
     Therefore, in the manner of the connector which is disclosed in Patent Document 1, a connector is proposed which prevents a short occurring due to foreign matter by increasing creepage distance by providing concavities and convexities on a fitting surface of the connector housing. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , a connector  501  is provided with a housing  510  which is formed of a base section  511  and a cylindrical section  512 , a pair of male terminals  520  and  530  which are erected on a bottom surface  514  of the base section  511 , and a rib projection  540  which is projected into the bottom surface  514  of the base section  511  between the male terminals  520  and  530 . 
     That is, by projecting the rib projection  540  to the bottom surface  514  between the male terminals  520  and  530  it is possible to realize creepage distance between the base end section of the male terminals  520  and  530  and it is possible to suppress shorts from occurring due to foreign matter. 
     [Patent Document 1] JP-A-2012-155919 
     SUMMARY 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector comprising: 
     a plurality of terminals; 
     a connector housing which includes a base section on which the terminals are erected; 
     a pair of partition walls which are erected on a bottom surface of the base section so as to intersect with a straight line connecting base end sections of the adjacent terminals; and 
     a concave section which is recessed into the bottom surface of the base section so as to intersect with a straight line connecting base end sections of the partition walls at adjacent side end edges of the partition walls. 
     The connector may further comprise a connecting wall which connects the pair of partition walls and is erected on the bottom surface of the base section. 
     The connector may be configured such that the concave section is recessed between one pair of two pairs of the adjacent side end edges, and a creepage distance between the adjacent terminals through the one pair of the adjacent side end edges is shorter than a creepage distance between adjacent terminals through the other pair of adjacent side end edges. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is partial fracture perspective diagram illustrating a configuration of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2A  is a front side diagram of the connector which is shown in  FIG. 1 , and  FIG. 2B  is a cross sectional diagram along A-A of  FIG. 2A . 
         FIG. 3  is a front side diagram of a counterpart side connector which is fitted to the connector which is shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B . 
         FIG. 4  is a cross sectional diagram for describing a fitted state of the connector which is shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B  and the counterpart side connector which is shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a front side diagram illustrating a connector according to a comparative example. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross sectional diagram illustrating a connector in the related art. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLIFIED EMBODIMENTS 
     According to the above connector  501  of the related art as shown in  FIG. 6 , it is necessary to set the width dimension of the rib projection  540  larger than the width of the opposite surface of each of the male terminals  520  and  530  to realize the creepage distance between the base end section of the male terminals  520  and  530  using the rib projection  540  which is projected into the bottom surface  514 . Therefore, when it is attempted to secure a sufficient creepage distance between the base end section and the male terminals  520  and  530  using the rib projection  540 , it is necessary to form the rib projection  540  to be large, as a result, there is a problem in that the opening of the connector housing becomes large and the shape of the outer appearance of the connector increases in size. 
     It is therefore one advantageous aspect of the present invention to provide a connector where shorts between terminals due to mixing in of foreign matter are suppressed and where an increase in size is suppressed. 
     According to the connector of the present invention, a pair of partition walls are erected on the bottom surface of the base section so as to intersect with a straight line which connects base end sections at the adjacent terminals which are erected on a base section of the connector housing, and a concave section is recessed into the bottom surface of the base section so as to intersect with a straight line which connects base end sections at side end edges which are adjacent to the pair of partition walls. That is, creepage distance between adjacent terminals is a distance where a path which bypasses the pair of partition walls and a path which passes an opening edge or an inner surface of the concave section are added. Therefore, it is possible to secure sufficient creepage distance between adjacent terminals without setting the width dimension of the pair of partition walls larger than the width of the opposite surface of each of the adjacent terminals more than necessary. In addition, since the concave section which secures the creepage distance is recessed into the bottom surface of the base section, there is no concern of the connector housing of the fitted counterpart connector interfering and being an obstacle to the connector fitting. Here, it is possible to provide the concave section which is recessed into the bottom surface of the base section so as to pass through the base section of the connector housing. 
     Accordingly, compared to a case of the rib projection in the related art which projects into a bottom surface of a base section between terminals and the pair of partition walls in a case where the concave section is not recessed, with the pair of partition walls in a case where the concave section is recessed, it is possible to reduce the width dimension and it is possible to design the connector with a reduced size of the outer appearance. 
     According to the connector of the present invention, it is possible to increase rigidity by connecting the pair of partition walls using the connecting wall, and it is possible to make collapse difficult without increasing the sheet thickness of each of the partition walls. 
     Accordingly, in a case where the same partition wall interval is set, it is possible to reduce all dimensions in the sheet thickness direction with the pair of partition walls which are connected by the connecting wall compared to the pair of partition walls which are not connected by the connecting wall. 
     According to the connector the present invention, in a case where, for example, it is not possible for two pairs of adjacent side end edges of the pair of partition walls to have an equal creepage distance between the respective adjacent terminals due to layout limitations of a lock mechanism or the like of the connector housing, it is possible to secure the necessary creepage distance by recessing the concave section at least between the adjacent side end edges where the creepage distance is closebetween the adjacent terminals. 
     Accordingly, it is possible for the terminals, the partition walls, and the connector housing to have a higher degree of freedom in terms of layout, and it is possible to configure the connector in various forms. 
     In view of the above, according to the connector as in the present invention, it is possible to provide a connector where shorts between terminals due to mixing in of foreign matter are suppressed and where an increase in size is suppressed. 
     Embodiments according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 
     A connector  1  according to an embodiment of the present invention, for example, is configured on an outer surface of a casing such as a junction block which is not shown in the drawings. The connector  1  is a connector (refer to  FIG. 3 ) which electrically connects the male terminals  20  and  30  respectively to female terminals ( 72  and  74 ) by being fitted to a counterpart side connector  71  outside the casing. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 2B , the connector  1  according to the present embodiment is provided with a plurality (two in the present embodiment) of male terminals (terminals)  20  and  30 , a connector housing  10  which has a base section  14  on which the male terminals  20  and  30  are erected, a pair of partition walls  42  and  44  which are erected on a bottom surface  14   a  of the base section  14 , and a concave section  50  which is recessed into the bottom surface  14   a  of the base section  14 . 
     The male terminals  20  and  30  are tab terminals of a busbar which is formed by bending the respective conductive metal plates or the like. The male terminals  20  and  30  pass through a plurality of through holes  15  at the base section  14  of the connector housing  10  which is formed on the outer surface of the casing, and are erected on the base section  14  with the tips lined up (refer to  FIG. 4 ). Here, in the present embodiment, a tab terminal of a busbar where the through holes  15  are passed through at the base section  14  of the connector housing  10  is described in the example as the terminal, but the terminal of the present invention is not limited thereto, and it is possible to use terminals with various forms such as a tab terminal which is erected by being insert-molded on the base section of the connector housing. 
     The connector housing  10  is formed of an insulating resin material, and has the base section  14  where the through holes  15 , which the male terminals  20  and  30  pass through, are bored, and a cylindrical peripheral wall  12  which is provided at the peripheral edge of the base section  14 . Furthermore, in the connector housing  10  when the base section  14  and the peripheral wall  12  are integrally formed, the pair of partition walls  42  and  44 , and the concave section  50  are also integrally formed. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2A , the pair of partition walls  42  and  44  are erected on the bottom surface  14   a  of the base section  14  so as to intersect with a straight line X which connects base end sections at the adjacent male terminals  20  and  30 . That is, creepage distance between adjacent male terminals  20  and  30  becomes large to be a path which bypasses each of the side end edges  42   a  and  44   a  and  42   b  and  44   b  of the pair of partition walls  42  and  44  by the partition walls  42  and  44  having a width dimension W 2  which is larger than a width dimension W 1  of an opposite surface to each of the adjacent terminals  20  and  30 . In addition, since the pair of partition walls  42  and  44  are erected to be higher than the male terminals  20  and  30  it is possible to secure a distance of an interval between the adjacent male terminals  20  and  30 . 
     Furthermore, a connecting wall  43  which connects the partition walls  42  and  44  is erected on the bottom surface  14   a  of the base section  14  between the pair of partition walls  42  and  44 . Therefore, the pair of partition walls  42  and  44  and the connecting wall  43  configure a columnar body  40  with an H-shaped cross section with high rigidity. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2A , the concave section  50  is recessed into the bottom surface  14   a  of the base section  14  so as to intersect with a straight line Y which connects the base end sections at the adjacent side end edges  42   a  and  44   a  of the pair of partition walls  42  and  44 . The concave section  50  is a cavity with a substantially rectangular shape which has a predetermined depth. That is, creepage distance between adjacent side end edges  42   a  and  44   a  of the pair of partition walls  42  and  44  becomes large to be a path which passes an opening edge or an inner surface of the concave section  50  by the concave section  50  being recessed into the bottom surface  14   a  between the adjacent side end edges  42   a  and  44   a  of the pair of partition walls  42  and  44 . Here, the concave section  50  is set to be a size such that a path which passes an opening edge and a path which passes an inner surface are substantially equal. In addition, the concave section  50  of the present embodiment may be integrally formed by a portion of the opening edge being contiguous with the partition walls  42  and  44  and connecting wall  43 , but the concave section of the present embodiment may be recessed into the bottom surface  14   a  such that a step is formed where the opening edge is separated from the wall surface of the partition walls  42  and  44  and the connecting wall  43 . Furthermore, it is possible to configure the concave section of the present invention which is recessed into the bottom surface  14   a  of the base section  14  as a through hole which is formed through the base section  14  of the connector housing  10 . In this case, it is desirable to make it difficult for foreign matter to infiltrate by arranging a portion of another member such as an insulating substrate below the base section  14  so as to cover the through hole. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , the counterpart side connector  71  which is fitted to the connector  1  according to the present embodiment is provided with two female terminals  72  and  74 , the connector housing  70  which has terminal accommodating chambers  76  and  78  where the female terminals  72  and  74  are accommodated, a columnar body accommodating section  75  which is recessed between the terminal accommodating chambers  76  and  78  and where the columnar body  40  of the connector  1  is fitted during connector fitting, and a locking arm  77  which is provided on the outer surface of the connector housing  70 . 
     Therefore, as shown in  FIG. 4 , when the connector  1  and the counterpart side connector  71  are connector fitted, since the columnar body accommodating section  75  and the columnar body  40  provide one another with insertion guidance, it is possible for the connector housing  70  to prevent wrenching of the male terminals  20  and  30  during connector fitting. 
     Here, as shown in  FIG. 2A , a lock receiving section  48  for receiving the locking arm  77  of the counterpart side connector  71  is formed in the connector housing  10  for the connector  1  during connector fitting. For this reason, the columnar body  40  which is formed of the pair of partition walls  42  and  44  and the connecting wall  43  is erected to be offset at the opposite side to the lock receiving section  48  with respect to the straight line X which connects the base end sections at the adjacent male terminals  20  and  30  in order to avoid interference with the lock receiving section  48 . Therefore, the concave section  50  is recessed between one of two pairs of the adjacent side end edges  42   a  and  44   a , wherein a creepage distance between the adjacent male terminals  20  and  30  through the one of the two pairs of the adjacent side end edges  42   a  and  44   a  is shorter than a creepage distance between adjacent male terminals  20  and  30  through the other pair of the two pairs of adjacent side end edges  42   b  and  44   b  if the concave section  50  is not provided. 
     Next, the actions of the connector  1  according to the present embodiment will be described. 
     In the connector  1  according to the present embodiment, the pair of partition walls  42  and  44  are erected on the bottom surface  14   a  of the base section  14  so as to intersect with the straight line X which connects the base end sections at the adjacent male terminals  20  and  30  which are erected on the base section  14  of the connector housing  10 , and the concave section  50  is recessed into the bottom surface  14   a  of the base section  14  so as to intersect with the straight line Y which connects the base end sections at the side end edges  42   a  and  44   a  which are adjacent to the pair of partition walls  42  and  44 . 
     That is, creepage distance between the adjacent male terminals  20  and  30  is a distance where a path which bypasses the pair of partition walls  42  and  44  and a path which passes an opening edge or an inner surface of the concave section  50  are added. Therefore, it is possible to secure a sufficient creepage distance between the adjacent male terminals  20  and  30  without setting the width dimension W 2  of the pair of partition walls  42  and  44  larger than the width W 1  of the opposite surface of each of the adjacent terminals  20  and  30  more than necessary. In addition, since the concave section  50  which secures the creepage distance is recessed into the bottom surface  14   a  of the base section  14 , there is no concern of the connector housing  70  of the fitted counterpart side connector  71  interfering and being an obstacle to the connector fitting. 
     Accordingly, compared to the rib projection  540  (refer to  FIG. 6 ) in the related art which projects into a bottom surface  514  of a base section  511  between the male terminals  520  and  530 , with the pair of partition walls  42  and  44  in a case where the concave section  50  is recessed, it is possible to reduce the width dimension W 2 . 
     In addition, a connector  101  according to the comparative example which is shown in  FIG. 5  is provided with the male terminals  20  and  30 , a connector housing  110  which has a base section  114  where the male terminals  20  and  30  are erected, and a pair of partition walls  142  and  144  which are erected on a bottom surface  114   a  of the base section  114 . However, the concave section  50  such as of the connector  1  according to the present embodiment (an imaginary line which is shown in  FIG. 5 ) is not formed in the connector  101 . Therefore, in order to realize the necessary creepage distance between the adjacent male terminals  20  and  30 , it is necessary for the pair of partition walls  142  and  144  to have a width dimension W 3  which is larger than the width dimension W 2  of the pair of partition walls  42  and  44  according to the present embodiment. That is, accompanying an increase in the width dimension W 3  of the pair of partition walls  142  and  144 , the connector housing  110  also increases in size. 
     Accordingly, compared to the width dimension W 3  of the pair of partition walls  142  and  144  in a case where the concave section  50  is not recessed, it is possible to reduce the width dimension W 2  of the pair of partition walls  42  and  44  of the present embodiment where the concave section  50  is recessed, and it is possible to design the connector  1  with a reduced size of the outer appearance compared to the connector  101 . 
     In addition, in the connector  1  according to the present embodiment, it is possible to increase rigidity by connecting the pair of partition walls  42  and  44  using the connecting wall  43  to configure the columnar body  40  with an H-shaped cross section, and it is possible to make collapse difficult without increasing the sheet thickness of each of the partition walls  42  and  44 . 
     Accordingly, in a case where the same partition wall interval is set, it is possible to reduce all dimensions in the sheet thickness direction (the left and right direction in  FIG. 2A ) with the pair of partition walls  42  and  44  which are connected by the connecting wall  43  compared to the pair of partition walls  42  and  44  which are not connected by the connecting wall  43 . 
     In addition, in the connector  1  according to the present embodiment, the lock receiving section  48  for receiving the locking arm  77  is formed in the connector housing  10 . Therefore, the columnar body  40  which is formed of the pair of partition walls  42  and  44  and the connecting wall  43  is erected to be offset at the opposite side to the lock receiving section  48  with respect to the straight line X which connects the base end sections at the adjacent male terminals  20  and  30 . For this reason, it is not possible for the two pairs of adjacent side end edges  42   a  and  44   a ; and  42   b  and  44   b  of the pair of partition walls  42  and  44  to have equal creepage distance between each of the adjacent male terminals  20  and  30 . However, it is possible to secure the necessary creepage distance by recessing the concave section  50  between the adjacent side end edges  42   a  and  44   a  where the creepage distance is closebetween the adjacent male terminals  20  and  30 . 
     Here, in a case where the columnar body  40  which is formed of the pair of partition walls  42  and  44  and the connecting wall  43  is erected on the straight line X which connects the base end sections at the adjacent male terminals  20  and  30 , the two pairs of adjacent side end edges  42   a  and  44   a ; and  42   b  and  44   b  of the pair of partition walls  42  and  44  have equal creepage distance between each of the adjacent male terminals  20  and  30 . Therefore, when the creepage distance is realized between the adjacent male terminals  20  and  30 , it is possible to recess the concave section  50  both between the adjacent side end edges  42   a  and  44   a  and between the adjacent side end edges  42   b  and  44   b.    
     As a result, it is possible for the male terminals  20  and  30 , the partition walls  42  and  44 , and the connector housing  10  according to the present embodiment to have a higher degree of freedom in terms of layout, and it is possible to configure the connector  1  in various forms. 
     Accordingly, according to the connector  1  as in the above embodiment, shorts between terminals due to mixing in of foreign matter are suppressed, and an increase in size is suppressed. 
     Here, the characteristics of the embodiment of the connector according to the present invention described above are respectively listed collectively below for ease of reference. 
     A connector ( 1 ) is characterized in being provided with a plurality of terminals (male terminals  20  and  30 ), a connector housing ( 10 ) which includes a base section ( 14 ) on which the terminals (male terminals  20  and  30 ) are erected, a pair of partition walls ( 42  and  44 ) which are erected on a bottom surface ( 14   a ) of the base section ( 14 ) so as to intersect with a straight line (X) connecting base end sections of a pair of the terminals (male terminals  20  and  30 ) adjacent to each other, and a concave section ( 50 ) which is recessed into the bottom surface ( 14   a ) of the base section ( 14 ) so as to intersect with a straight line (Y) connecting base end sections of the partition walls ( 42  and  44 ) at side end edges ( 42   a  and  44   a ). 
     The connector ( 1 ) described in above is characterized by further comprising a connecting wall ( 43 ) which connects the pair of partition walls ( 42  and  44 ) and is erected on a bottom surface ( 14   a ) of the base section ( 14 ). 
     The connector ( 1 ) described in or above is characterized by the concave section ( 50 ) being recessed between one pair of two pairs of the adjacent side end edges ( 42   a  and  44   a ), and a creepage distance between the pair of the terminals (male terminals  20  and  30 ) through the one pair of the adjacent side end edges ( 42   a  and  44   a ) is shorter than a creepage distance between the pair of the terminals (male terminals  20  and  30 ) through the other pair of adjacent side end edges ( 42   b  and  44   b ). 
     Here, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and appropriate modifications, improvements, or the like are possible. In addition, it is possible to realize the present invention arbitrarily with the materials, form, dimensions, number, arrangement location, and the like of each configuring element in the embodiments described above, but the invention is not limited thereto. 
     For example, an example is described of a case where the connector  1  according to the embodiments above is configured on the outer surface of a casing such as a junction block, but the connector of the present invention is not limited thereto, and it is possible to apply to various connectors such as a connector which is provided with a connector housing which accommodates a terminal which is fixed to the end of an electric wire and is fitted to a counterpart side connector. 
     The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-086308 filed on Apr. 18, 2014, the content of which is incorporated herein by way of reference.