Abstract:
A method for manufacturing a linkage terminal mounted in a housing of a joint connector is disclosed. The method comprises a step of providing first and second terminal elements. Each terminal element includes a strip-shaped carrier and terminals integral with the carrier. The terminals are arranged at equal intervals along a longitudinal direction of the carrier and extend generally perpendicularly from the carrier. The carrier is wound in a reel. The method further comprises a step of unwinding the reel and shifting the first and second terminal elements relative to each other in the longitudinal directions of the carriers to stack the first and second terminal elements. The method further comprises a steps of welding the carriers of the first and second terminal elements intermittently along the longitudinal directions of the carriers.

Description:
OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a linkage terminal mounted in a housing of a joint connector. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     As a connector using a linkage connector, there has been known a connector assembly disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication (JP-A) No. 8-64314. As illustrated in FIG. 1, after lead frames  2 ,  3  each including a plurality of contacts  1  are stacked and welded continuously, an insulation block  4  is fixed to the lead frames which have been welded, and strip-shaped carriers of the lead frames  2 ,  3  are removed. As shown in FIG. 2, each contact  1  of the connector having such a structure is inserted in a contact accommodation space formed in another insulation housing block  5 . 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In the above conventional connector, however, as the lead frames  2 ,  3  are continuously welded, there is a drawback that a welding time is extended and productivity is limited by the welding time. 
     Also, the insulation housing blocks  4 ,  5  have structures different from each other so that insulation housing blocks of kinds of the number corresponding to the number of layers must be prepared in a multi-layer structure of the insulation housing blocks  5 . 
     Also, since the lead frames  2 ,  3  must be cut in their stacked state, there is a drawback that it is difficult to cut the lead frames  2 ,  3   
     In this manner, in the conventional connector, as much manufacturing time is taken, it is difficult to reduce manufacturing cost. Also, as the contacts  1  are bent after the lead frames  2 ,  3  have been stacked double, there is a drawback that, when the carrier portions of the lead frames  2 ,  3  are welded, stress is liable to be applied on the welded portions, which may be peeled off by the stress. 
     Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a linkage terminal of a joint connector which can be manufactured with a high manufacturing efficiency and where secure electrical connection can be made. 
     In order to achieve the above object, a manufacturing method of a linkage terminal mounted in a housing of a joint connector according to the present invention comprises a first step and a second step. In the first step, a first terminal element and a second terminal element are shifted in their longitudinal directions relative to each other and stacked one on the other. Each of the terminal elements has a strip-shaped carrier and terminals formed integrally with the carrier. The terminals are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the carrier at equal intervals and extend from the carrier generally perpendicularly to the carrier. In the second step, the carriers of the first and second terminal elements are mutually welded along their longitudinal direction. 
     According to the above method, carriers of first and second terminal elements are mutually welded so that distances or intervals between terminals can be made small. As a result, a housing of a joint connector in which a linkage terminal is mounted can also be made compact. 
     In the second step, the carriers may be welded intermittently along their longitudinal directions. 
     According to the above method, as carriers are welded intermittently, a time required for welding is shortened, which results in reduction in manufacturing cost. 
     In the first step, the first terminal element and the second terminal element are stacked in a state where they are shifted relative to each other by half of a pitch between terminals in longitudinal directions of the carriers. 
     According to the above method, first and second terminal elements are shifted by half of a pitch, so that terminals can be disposed at equal small pitches between adjacent terminals. 
     In the second step, portions of the carriers from which the terminals extend may be welded. 
     According to the above method, as only portions of carriers corresponding to terminals have been welded, portions of the carriers to be cut are not welded and they can easily cut off. Thereby, a productivity can be improved. 
     The method further comprises a step for cutting the carriers along directions perpendicular to their longitudinal directions according to the number of terminal accommodation portions of the housing of the joint connector after the carriers may be welded. 
     According to the above method, as the carriers are cut corresponding to the number of terminal accommodation portions of a housing where a linkage terminal is accommodated, the linkage terminal can be provided with a configuration where it can immediately used in a joint connector. 
     The method further comprises a step for bending boundary portions between the carriers and the terminals such that the terminals are arranged with the same height after the carriers may be welded. 
     According to the method, as height positions of terminals can be adjusted by a bending machine, a linkage terminal with an excellent assembling easiness to a housing of a joint connector can be provided. 
     In the bending step, the boundary portions are bent by a bending machine. 
     According to the above method, as height positions of terminals can be adjusted by a bending machine, a linkage terminal with an excellent assembling easiness to a housing of a joint connector can be provided. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a plan view of a conventional connector; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the conventional connector; 
     FIG. 3 is an explanative view illustrating an embodiment of a manufacturing method of a linkage terminal according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 4A is a plan view illustrating a first terminal element; 
     FIG. 4B is a plan view illustrating the first terminal element and a second terminal element which have been stacked mutually; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a state where the linkage terminal has been accommodated in a housing; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the linkage terminal; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the first and second terminal elements; 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the linkage terminal; 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a state where the linkage terminal is worked by a jig; 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating how to assemble modules; and 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating a connected state between terminals. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A linkage terminal mounted in a housing of a joint connector according to the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to an embodiment illustrated in the drawings. 
     FIGS. 3 to  11  illustrates an embodiment of a manufacturing method of a linkage terminal according to the invention. First, an entire structure of a joint connector will be explained prior to explanation of the manufacturing method. 
     FIG. 5 illustrates a module  100  of the joint connector of this embodiment. The module  100  comprises a linkage terminal  110  and a housing  120  accommodating the linkage terminal  110 . 
     As illustrated in FIG. 6, the linkage terminal  110  comprises first and second terminal elements  110 A,  110 B each of which is provided by working a metal plate. Each of the terminal elements  110 A,  110 B comprises a plurality of terminals  130  arranged in parallel and carriers  140  connecting the terminals  130 . The terminals  130  are connected via the carriers  140  in a multi-continuous manner. 
     Formed in the housing  120  made of resin material are accommodation grooves  121  partitioned by partition walls  122  and arranged in parallel. The respective accommodation grooves  121  correspond to the respective terminals  130  belonging to one linkage terminal  110 , each terminal  130  has a wire holding portion holding a wire. 
     Two protrusions  123  for module engagement are formed at an upper portion of each of a pair of outside faces of the housing  120  opposed to each other. Locking pieces  124 ,  124  for engagement extend downwardly from portions of the outside face positioned below the protrusions  123  for module engagement. An opening  124 A into which a protrusion  123  for module engagement of another housing  120  is formed in each engaging lock piece  124 . 
     Next, the structure of the terminal  130  constituting the linkage terminal  110  will be explained with reference to FIG. 6. A pair of wire press-fitting plates  131 ,  131  erected from both side portions of the terminal  130  are formed on an intermediate portion, in a longitudinal direction, of the terminal  130 . Wire press-contacting pieces  131 A,  131 A are erected in a cutting manner on each wire press-fitting plate  131 . Bending pieces  132  erected from both side portions of the terminal  130  are formed at an intermediate portion between the wire press-fitting plates  131  and the carrier  140 . 
     A standing piece  133  along a standing wall  125  of the housing  120  is disposed nearer to a distal end side than the wire press-fitting plates  131 . A horizontal plate portion  134  extending forward is formed at an upper portion of the standing piece  133 . A plugging-in piece  135  for connection bend downwardly and serving as a connecting portion is formed on the horizontal plate portion  134 . A piece  136  to be connected which is bent upwardly to be erected by a predetermined distance and which serves as a portion to be connected is formed on the horizontal plate portion  134 . 
     A slit  136 A is formed in the piece  136  to be connected. The plugging-in piece  135  can be plugged in the slit  136 A. A protrusion  137  for engagement extending obliquely upward and rearward is disposed in front of the piece  136  to be connected. 
     As illustrated in FIG. 11, in order to connect a wire to the terminal  130 , a conductive wire (not shown) is press-fitted between the wire press-fitting plates  131 ,  131  to be connected to the wire press-contacting pieces  131 A. Then, a portion of the wire  23  which is covered with an insulating cover is disposed between the bending pieces  132  and the wire  23  is fixed to the terminal  130  by bending the bending pieces  132 . 
     Slits (not shown) serving as openings are formed in the housing  120  accommodating the linkage terminal  110  comprising the terminals  130  connected in a multi-continuous manner. The plugging-in piece  135  of each terminal  130  passes through each slit. The plugging-in piece  135  which has passed through the slit projects downward from a lower face of the housing  120 . 
     As illustrated in FIG. 9, in order to separate the multi-continuous linkage terminal  110  into individual terminals  130  according to a connection circuit configuration required, after the linkage terminal  110  is accommodated in the housing  120 , carrier cutting jig  151 A and  151 B are pushed on the carrier  140  and the carrier  140  is cut off by the jigs  151 A and  151 B. 
     When the modules  100  each having the housing  120  accommodating a plurality of the terminals  130  are stacked and a connection between the upper and lower modules is performed, and there is one of pairs of corresponding upper and lower terminals  130 ,  130  where connection between the corresponding upper and lower terminals  130  are not required, the piece  136  to be connected of the lower terminal  130  of the pair of the corresponding upper and lower terminals  130  whose connection is not required is fallen down by using such a bending jig  152 , as illustrated in FIG.  9 . 
     As illustrated in FIG. 10, in order to stack the modules  100  vertically, each module  100  having the housing  120  accommodating a plurality of the terminals  130 , a plurality of the modules  100  are stacked one on another in a state where a wire has been connected to each terminal  130  in each housing  120 . Then, the protrusions  123  for module engagement of the lower housing  120  are fitted into the openings  124 A of the locking pieces  124  for engagement of the upper housing  120 . Thereby, the upper and lower modules  100  are locked to each other in a stacked state. 
     At this time, as illustrated in FIG. 11, the plugging-in piece  135  of the terminal  130  of the terminals in the upper housing  120  which is required to be electrically connected to a corresponding terminal  130  in the lower housing  120  is plugged in the slit  136 A of the piece  136  to be connected of the corresponding terminal  130  in the lower housing  120  so that corresponding terminals  130  in the upper and lower housings  120  are electrically connected to each other. 
     Next, the manufacturing method of the linkage terminal  110  will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3,  4 A,  4 B, and  6  to  8 . 
     The linkage terminal  110  comprises two terminal elements  110 A,  110 B having the structure illustrated in FIG.  6 . Both the terminal elements  110 A,  110 B have the same continuous configuration. The two terminal elements  110 A,  110 B are stacked in a state where they have been shifted by half of a pitch and the carriers  140  are welded such that the terminals  130  of the terminal element  110 A and the terminals of the terminal element  110 B are arranged in a staggered manner. 
     As illustrated in FIG. 3, first of all, reels  11 ,  12  which have been respectively wound with the terminal elements  110 A,  110 B are disposed to be opposed to each other, the terminal elements  110 A,  110 B are taken out from the respective reels  11 ,  12  with half of one pitch shift between the terminal elements  110 A,  110 B and with their stacked state. The one pitch corresponds to the distance  50 . FIG. 4A is a plan view of the terminal element  110 A. FIG. 4B is a plan view illustrating a state where the two terminal elements  110 A,  110 B have been stacked with a half pitch shifting. In FIG. 4B, the first terminal element  110 A is represented with a broken line and the second terminal element  110 B is represented in a solid line. 
     Incidentally, positioning holes  140 A are formed at half pitch intervals in the carrier  140  of each of the terminal elements  110 A,  110 B. Accordingly, the corresponding positioning holes  140 A are matched with each other between the carriers  140  of the first and second terminal elements  110 A,  110 B so that the terminal elements  110 A,  110 B are stacked with the half pitch shifting. 
     The boundary portions between the terminals  130  and the carriers  140  of the terminal elements  110 A,  110 B stacked are bent by a bending machine  13  such that they are positioned on a plane (the terminals  130  are arranged at generally even heights). According to such a bending step, the linkage terminal  110  such as illustrated in FIG. 6 is formed. 
     Next, the carriers  140  of the first and second terminal elements  110 A,  110 B are welded intermittently by a welding machine  14 . The intermittent welding can be obtained by a welding machine  14  turned on intermittently. Hatched portions illustrated in FIG. 4B indicate welded portions. 
     Next, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the carrier  140  of the linkage terminal  110  which have been welded and integrated is cut off by a cutting machine  15 , for example as illustrated in FIG. 8, so as to corresponding to the housing  120 . In this embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the linkage terminal  110  which has been cut is conveyed to be inserted and mounted in the housing  120 . 
     In the embodiment thus structured, the linkage terminal  110  can be manufactured by using the terminal elements  110 A,  110 B having the same shape. Therefore, the linkage terminal  110  can easily be manufactured and managed without increasing kinds of parts. Also, the carriers  140  are welded at their portions from which the terminals  130  extend. Therefore, electrical conduction can be secured. Furthermore, in this embodiment, positioning can easily be performed only by matching the positioning holes  140 A with each other between the terminal elements  110 A,  110 B. 
     In the above, the explanation has been given of each explanation, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiment. Various design modifications may be performed within the gist of the structure of the invention. In the embodiment, for example, the two terminal elements  110 A,  110 B having the same shape are used for the linkage terminal  110 , but the present invention is not limited to these terminal elements.