Patent Description:
In recent years, attention has been drawn to so-called smart clothes that can obtain user's biological data such as the heart rate and the body temperature only by being worn by the user. Such smart clothes have an electrode disposed at a measurement site and constituted of a flexible conductor, and when a wearable device serving as a measurement device is electrically connected to the electrode, biological data can be transmitted to the wearable device.

The electrode and the wearable device can be interconnected by, for instance, use of a connector connected to the flexible conductor.

However, when the wearable device is situated away from the measurement site, it is necessary to provide an electric path connecting the electrode disposed at the measurement site to the place where the connector is attached, and if such an electric path is formed from a flexible conductor, this causes higher electric resistance and higher cost.

To interconnect an electrode constituted of a flexible conductor and a wearable device by use of an electric wire that has low electric resistance and is inexpensive, the development of a small-sized connector connecting the electric wire to the flexible conductor disposed on a garment is in progress.

When an electric wire is connected to a flexible conductor by use of such a connector, tensile forces are applied to the electric wire from various directions due to movement of a garment and other factors, so that a bent portion is formed in the electric wire led out from the connector, and when curvature of this bent portion decreases, a conductor portion of the electric wire may be broken.

As a device for protecting an electric wire that is to be bent, for example, <CIT> discloses a cable protection device for a modular plug, the device including a bendable bushing member as shown in <FIG>. A bushing member <NUM> is attached to a rear portion of a modular plug <NUM>. The bushing member <NUM> is made of rubber or the like and is bendable, and has a through-hole <NUM> through which a cable <NUM> is passed. A front end of the cable <NUM> is disposed inside the modular plug <NUM> through the through-hole <NUM> of the bushing member <NUM>, and a core wire <NUM> of the cable <NUM> is inserted in a core wire insertion hole <NUM> of the modular plug <NUM> and electrically connected to a contact terminal <NUM> disposed at a side portion of the core wire insertion hole <NUM>.

With the device disclosed in <CIT>, even when tensile forces are applied to the cable <NUM> from various directions, due to the presence of the bendable bushing member <NUM>, the cable <NUM> is bent at large curvature as shown by two dot chain line, whereby the core wire <NUM> of the cable <NUM> can be prevented from being broken.

However, the bendable bushing member <NUM> made of rubber or the like needs to be attached to the modular plug <NUM>, so that the number of components and production cost increase.

From <CIT> a method for manufacturing a wire connection structure is known which includes a flat part forming step, an element wire fixing step, and a connection step. The flat part forming step forms a flat part by crushing a conductor of a twisted wire in a radial direction of the twisted wire. The element wire fixing step mutually fixes element wires of the conductor constituting the flat part. The connection step forms a connection part by superposing the flat part on a flat conductor of a flexible flat cable in a thickness direction, and welding them.

From <CIT> an element is known having a housing; a pair of protruding retaining arms provided on the end surface of the housing near the connection portion of a printed wiring board; a retaining portion having tips of the retaining arms disposed inwardly and close to each other to engage with and receive the underside of the connection portion of the printed wiring board; and a protective arm that connects the retaining portions to each other and has a long hole groove parallel to the connection portion of the printed wiring board.

From <CIT> a housing is known having an electrical line connection part arranged between a rounded cable and a foil conductor. A leading edge is rounded in an inlet opening of the housing such that the inlet opening is outwardly extended. A rounded region of the leading edge runs parallel to a broad side of the foil conductor and represents an angle segment with an angle ranging from <NUM> degrees to <NUM> degrees.

The present invention has been made to overcome such a conventional problem and aims at providing a connector capable of connecting a conductor portion of an electric wire to a connection object while the number of components is small and preventing breakage of the conductor portion of the electric wire even when tensile forces are applied to the electric wire led out from a housing from various directions.

A connector according to the present invention is defined in claim <NUM> and is one connecting a conductor portion of an electric wire to a connection object, the connector comprising:.

An embodiment of the present invention is described below based on the accompanying drawings.

<FIG> show a connector according to the embodiment. The connector is used to connect a coated electric wire <NUM> to a sheet type conductive member <NUM> that is used as a connection object, and the connector includes a housing <NUM> formed of an insulating resin material.

The sheet type conductive member <NUM> has a top surface and a bottom surface facing in opposite directions from each other and has a flexible conductor 11A exposed at least on the top surface. As the sheet type conductive member <NUM>, conductive cloth woven using a conductive thread such as silver can be used, for example. When such conductive cloth is used, the flexible conductor 11A is exposed not only on the top surface but also on the bottom surface of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>. In addition, one obtained by applying a conductive ink on a surface of cloth having no conductivity by printing or another method to form the flexible conductor 11A on the surface thereof can also be used as the sheet type conductive member <NUM>. Further, a member obtained by forming the flexible conductor 11A formed of a conductive pattern on a surface of an insulating sheet body such as a resin film may be used as the sheet type conductive member <NUM>.

The sheet type conductive member <NUM> has a band shape extending in a predetermined direction.

The coated electric wire <NUM> has a structure in which an outer periphery of a conductor portion to be described later is covered with an insulating coating portion. With the connector according to the embodiment, the conductor portion of the coated electric wire <NUM> is electrically connected to the flexible conductor 11A of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>.

On the opposite side from the sheet type conductive member <NUM> of band shape across the housing <NUM>, the coated electric wire <NUM> extends in the same direction as the direction in which the sheet type conductive member <NUM> extends.

For convenience, the sheet type conductive member <NUM> of band shape is defined as extending along an XY plane, the direction in which the coated electric wire <NUM> extends toward the housing <NUM> is referred to as "+Y direction," and the direction orthogonal to an XY plane is referred to as "Z direction.

<FIG> shows an assembly view of the connector. The connector includes a first insulator <NUM> and a second insulator <NUM>, and these first and second insulators <NUM> and <NUM> constitute the housing <NUM>.

The sheet type conductive member <NUM> is disposed on the +Z direction side of the first insulator <NUM>, and a conductor portion 12A exposed from an insulating coating portion 12B of the coated electric wire <NUM> is disposed on the +Z direction side of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>. The conductor portion 12A of the coated electric wire <NUM> may be either of a so-called solid wire that is formed of one conductor and a so-called stranded wire that is formed by twisting a plurality of conductors.

In addition, the connector includes a contact force-securing member <NUM>. The contact force-securing member <NUM> is disposed on the +Z direction side of the conductor portion 12A of the coated electric wire <NUM>, and the second insulator <NUM> is disposed on the +Z direction side of the contact force-securing member <NUM>.

<FIG> show the first insulator <NUM>. The first insulator <NUM> includes a flat plate portion 14A of substantially rectangular shape extending along an XY plane, and a +Z directional surface of the flat plate portion 14A forms a first retaining surface 14B extending along an XY plane and facing in +Z direction. The first retaining surface 14B is provided with a protrusion portion 14C of substantially prismatic shape protruding toward the +Z direction.

In addition, the first retaining surface 14B is provided with a first conductor insertion groove 14D extending in the Y direction on the -Y direction side from the protrusion portion 14C, a first insulating coating insertion groove 14E communicating with a -Y directional end of the first conductor insertion groove 14D, and a first lead-out groove 14F communicating with a -Y directional end of the first insulating coating insertion groove 14E and extending up to an outer surface of a -Y directional end of the first insulator <NUM>.

Further, the flat plate portion 14A includes three through-holes <NUM> separately formed on opposite sides of the first insulating coating insertion groove 14E in the X direction and near a +Y directional end of the flat plate portion 14A and penetrating the flat plate portion 14A in the Z direction.

In addition, step portions <NUM> extending in the Y direction are separately formed at X-directional opposite lateral surfaces of the flat plate portion 14A.

As shown in <FIG>, the first conductor insertion groove 14D, the first insulating coating insertion groove 14E, and the first lead-out groove 14F are formed coaxially with one another and have a common central axis CL. The first conductor insertion groove 14D has a groove width corresponding to the diameter of the conductor portion 12A of the coated electric wire <NUM>, while the first insulating coating insertion groove 14E has a groove width corresponding to the outer diameter of the insulating coating portion 12B of the coated electric wire <NUM>. The first lead-out groove 14F has the same groove width as that of the first insulating coating insertion groove 14E at its +Y directional end communicating with the first insulating coating insertion groove 14E, and has a shape with the groove width gradually increasing toward the -Y direction along the central axis CL.

At an intermediate part in the Y direction of the first insulating coating insertion groove 14E, a projection 14J is formed to project from the bottom surface of the first insulating coating insertion groove 14E toward the inside of the first insulating coating insertion groove 14E in an XZ plane.

The projection 14J has a semicircular shape when viewed in the Y direction along the central axis CL as shown in <FIG>, and has a projection height smaller than the thickness of the insulating coating portion 12B of the coated electric wire <NUM>.

<FIG> shows the second insulator <NUM>. The second insulator <NUM> includes a flat plate portion 15A of substantially rectangular shape extending along an XY plane, and a -Z directional surface of the flat plate portion 15A forms a second retaining surface 15B extending along an XY plane and facing in the -Z direction. A dome-shaped portion D is formed on the +Z direction side of the flat plate portion 15A to project from the flat plate portion 15A toward the +Z direction, and the second retaining surface 15B is provided with a recessed portion 15C extending to the inside of the dome-shaped portion D and opening toward the -Z direction.

In addition, the second retaining surface 15B is provided with: a second conductor insertion groove 15D extending in the Y direction on the -Y direction side from the recessed portion 15C; a second insulating coating insertion groove 15E communicating with a -Y directional end of the second conductor insertion groove 15D; and a second lead-out groove 15F communicating with a -Y directional end of the second insulating coating insertion groove 15E and extending up to an outer surface of a -Y directional end of the second insulator <NUM>.

Further, the flat plate portion 15A includes three bosses <NUM> separately formed on opposite sides of the second insulating coating insertion groove 15E in the X direction and near a +Y directional end of the flat plate portion 15A and projecting in the -Z direction.

In addition, a pair of lateral plates <NUM> protruding in the -Z direction and extending in the Y direction are separately formed at X-directional opposite lateral portions of the flat plate portion 15A.

As shown in <FIG>, the second conductor insertion groove 15D, the second insulating coating insertion groove 15E, and the second lead-out groove 15F are formed coaxially with one another and have the common central axis CL. The second conductor insertion groove 15D has a groove width corresponding to the diameter of the conductor portion 12A of the coated electric wire <NUM>, while the second insulating coating insertion groove 15E has a groove width corresponding to the outer diameter of the insulating coating portion 12B of the coated electric wire <NUM>. The second lead-out groove 15F has the same groove width as that of the second insulating coating insertion groove 15E at its +Y directional end communicating with the second insulating coating insertion groove 15E, and has a shape with the groove width gradually increasing toward the -Y direction along the central axis CL.

As shown in <FIG>, the second insulating coating insertion groove 15E of the second insulator <NUM> is provided with no projection projecting from the bottom surface of the second insulating coating insertion groove 15E toward the inside of the second insulating coating insertion groove 15E.

When the first insulator <NUM> and the second insulator <NUM> are joined to each other to form the housing <NUM>, the first conductor insertion groove 14D of the first insulator <NUM> and the second conductor insertion groove 15D of the second insulator <NUM> are disposed to face each other to thereby retain the conductor portion 12A of the coated electric wire <NUM>, and the first insulating coating insertion groove 14E of the first insulator <NUM> and the second insulating coating insertion groove 15E of the second insulator <NUM> are disposed to face each other to constitute an electric wire fixing portion of cylindrical shape that fastens an outer periphery of the insulating coating portion 12B of the coated electric wire <NUM> and fixes the coated electric wire <NUM>.

Further, when the first insulator <NUM> and the second insulator <NUM> are joined to each other to form the housing <NUM>, the first lead-out groove 14F of the first insulator <NUM> and the second lead-out groove 15F of the second insulator <NUM> are disposed to face each other to constitute an electric wire lead-out port that leads out the coated electric wire <NUM> from the inside to the outside of the housing <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the sheet type conductive member <NUM> is provided with a through-hole 11B corresponding to a +Y directional boss <NUM> on the second insulator <NUM>.

In addition, the contact force-securing member <NUM> shown in <FIG> is formed of a metal material and has a cylindrical shape. The contact force-securing member <NUM> is, when the connector is assembled, disposed between the recessed portion 15C of the second insulator <NUM> and the protrusion portion 14C of the first insulator <NUM> and secures the contact force between the conductor portion 12A of the coated electric wire <NUM> and the flexible conductor 11A of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> contacting each other.

When the connector as above is assembled, the contact force-securing member <NUM> is inserted into the recessed portion 15C of the second insulator <NUM> from the -Z direction, and the three bosses <NUM> of the second insulator <NUM> are separately inserted into the three through-holes <NUM> of the first insulator <NUM> with a +Y directional end of the coated electric wire <NUM> and a -Y directional end of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> being sandwiched between the first retaining surface 14B of the first insulator <NUM> and the second retaining surface 15B of the second insulator <NUM>, whereby the first insulator <NUM> and the second insulator <NUM> are joined to each other.

When the first insulator <NUM> and the second insulator <NUM> are joined to each other, as shown in <FIG>, first, a +Z directional end of the insulating coating portion 12B of the coated electric wire <NUM> is inserted in the second insulating coating insertion groove 15E of the second insulator <NUM>. At this time, since the second insulating coating insertion groove 15E has the groove width corresponding to the outer diameter of the insulating coating portion 12B of the coated electric wire <NUM>, and the second insulating coating insertion groove 15E is provided with no projection projecting from the bottom surface of the second insulating coating insertion groove 15E, the coated electric wire <NUM> is correctly inserted in the second insulating coating insertion groove 15E without misalignment with respect to the second insulating coating insertion groove 15E.

When the first insulator <NUM> is pressed toward the second insulator <NUM> in the +Z direction in this state, the first insulating coating insertion groove 14E of the first insulator <NUM> overlay the coated electric wire <NUM> so as to cover a -Z directional portion of the insulating coating portion 12B of the coated electric wire <NUM>; however, since the first insulating coating insertion groove 14E is provided with the projection 14J projecting from the bottom surface of the first insulating coating insertion groove 14E toward the inside of the first insulating coating insertion groove 14E, the projection 14J bites into the -Z directional portion of the insulating coating portion 12B of the coated electric wire <NUM>.

That is, when the first insulator <NUM> and the second insulator <NUM> are joined to each other to form the housing <NUM>, the coated electric wire <NUM> is fixed to the housing <NUM> by means of the projection 14J biting into the -Z directional portion of the insulating coating portion 12B while being kept to be correctly positioned with respect to the second insulating coating insertion groove 15E of the second insulator <NUM>, whereby the coated electric wire <NUM> is prevented from being pulled out from the housing <NUM>.

When the first insulator <NUM> is pressed against the second insulator <NUM>, the three bosses <NUM> of the second insulator <NUM> separately penetrate the three through-holes <NUM> of the first insulator <NUM>. In this process, the boss <NUM> situated on the +Y direction side among the three bosses <NUM> penetrates the corresponding through-hole <NUM> of the first insulator <NUM> through the through-hole 11B of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> shown in <FIG>.

In addition, as shown in <FIG>, the pair of lateral plates <NUM> of the second insulator <NUM> are fitted in the pair of step portions <NUM> of the first insulator <NUM>.

Tips of the three bosses <NUM> projecting on the -Z direction side of the first insulator <NUM> are then thermally deformed, whereby the first insulator <NUM> and the second insulator <NUM> are fixed to each other to form the housing <NUM>. Thus, the assembling operation of the connector is completed.

<FIG> shows the inside of the connector assembled as above. The sheet type conductive member <NUM> and the conductor portion 12A of the coated electric wire <NUM> are inserted, by means of the protrusion portion 14C of the first insulator <NUM>, in the inside of the contact force-securing member <NUM> disposed inside the recessed portion 15C of the second insulator <NUM> and deform to conform to a surface of the protrusion portion 14C. Thus, the conductor portion 12A of the coated electric wire <NUM> is sandwiched between the top surface of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> and the inner surface of the contact force-securing member <NUM>, is brought into contact with the flexible conductor 11A exposed on the top surface of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> at a predetermined contact force, and is electrically connected to the flexible conductor 11A.

In addition, the conductor portion 12A drawn in the +Y direction from the insulating coating portion 12B of the coated electric wire <NUM> is inserted in the first conductor insertion groove 14D of the first insulator <NUM> and the second conductor insertion groove 15D of the second insulator <NUM>.

Further, in the state where the +Y directional end of the insulating coating portion 12B is accommodated in and fixed to the electric wire fixing portion 13E of cylindrical shape formed by the first insulating coating insertion groove 14E of the first insulator <NUM> and the second insulating coating insertion groove 15E of the second insulator <NUM>, the coated electric wire <NUM> is led out in the -Y direction from the electric wire lead-out port 13F formed by the first lead-out groove 14F of the first insulator <NUM> and the second lead-out groove 15F of the second insulator <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the electric wire lead-out port 13F has a so-called horn shape gradually expanding from the electric wire fixing portion 13E of cylindrical shape toward the -Y direction along the central axis CL of the electric wire fixing portion 13E. Specifically, the electric wire lead-out port 13F has a first contact portion S1 connected to the electric wire fixing portion 13E on the -Y direction side of the electric wire fixing portion 13E, a second contact portion S2 connected to the outer surface 13A on the -Y direction side of the housing <NUM>, and a tapered portion S3 disposed between the first contact portion S1 and the second contact portion S2 and connecting the first contact portion S1 and the second contact portion S2 with each other.

As shown in <FIG>, when viewed from the -Y direction along the central axis CL of the electric wire fixing portion 13E, the first contact portion S1 has a circular ring shape surrounding the central axis CL at a position adjacent to the electric wire fixing portion 13E, and the second contact portion S2 has a circular ring shape surrounding the central axis CL in the vicinity of the outer surface 13A of the housing <NUM> and having a radius larger than that of the first contact portion S1.

In addition, as shown in <FIG>, the first contact portion S1 and the second contact portion S2 each have such a curved shape as to protrude toward the central axis CL in a cross section passing the central axis CL of the electric wire fixing portion 13E.

The tapered portion S3 disposed between the first contact portion S1 and the second contact portion S2 has a conical surface expanding toward the outer surface 13A of the housing <NUM>, and is represented by a pair of line segments each inclined with respect to the central axis CL in <FIG>.

Here, as shown in <FIG>, the case is assumed where the coated electric wire <NUM> is bent to contact the outer surface 13A of the housing <NUM> and extend toward the +Z direction along the outer surface 13A. At this time, the coated electric wire <NUM> is led out from the housing <NUM> at a predetermined minimum bending radius determined by the shape of the housing <NUM>, specifically, the shape of the outer surface 13A, around the electric wire lead-out port 13F, and a tensile force is applied to the coated electric wire <NUM> from the +Z direction. However, since the electric wire lead-out port 13F has the first contact portion S1 and the second contact portion S2, the electric wire lead-out port 13F contacts the coated electric wire <NUM> at each of a first contact point P1 situated on the first contact portion S1 and a second contact point P2 situated on the second contact portion S2, and does not contact and is situated away from the coated electric wire <NUM> at the tapered portion S3 between these first and second contact points P1 and P2.

That is, the electric wire lead-out port 13F contacts the coated electric wire <NUM> at each of the first contact portion S1 and the second contact portion S2 that are disposed at two positions separate from each other along the length direction of the coated electric wire <NUM>, and the coated electric wire <NUM> is led out from the housing <NUM> at the predetermined minimum bending radius, whereby a load applied to the coated electric wire <NUM> is dispersed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent breakage of the conductor portion 12A of the coated electric wire <NUM> without using, for example, such a bendable bushing member made of a rubber or the like as that in the conventional cable protection device shown in <FIG>.

In addition, even when the coated electric wire <NUM> is bent to contact the outer surface 13A of the housing <NUM> and extend in various directions other than the +Z direction along the outer surface 13A so that tensile forces are applied from the various direction to the coated electric wire <NUM>, similarly, the electric wire lead-out port 13F contacts the coated electric wire <NUM> at each of the first contact portion S1 and the second contact portion S2 that are disposed at two positions away from each other along the length direction of the coated electric wire <NUM>, and loads applied to the coated electric wire <NUM> are dispersed, whereby breakage of the conductor portion 12A of the coated electric wire <NUM> is prevented.

Note that the tapered portion S3 of the electric wire lead-out port 13F is not limited to one having a conical surface as long as it has a shape that does not contact the coated electric wire <NUM>.

In addition, while the first contact portion S1 and the second contact portion S2 of the electric wire lead-out port 13F each have such a curved shape as to protrude toward the central axis CL of the electric wire fixing portion 13E in the embodiment above, the invention is not limited thereto.

For example, in an electric wire lead-out port 23F of a housing <NUM> shown in <FIG>, a first contact portion S1 has such a curved shape as to protrude toward the central axis CL, but a second contact portion S2 has an angular shape. Even in the electric wire lead-out port 23F as above, as shown in <FIG>, when the coated electric wire <NUM> is led out from the housing <NUM> at a predetermined minimum bending radius, the electric wire lead-out port 23F contacts the coated electric wire <NUM> at each of a first contact point P1 on the first contact portion S1 and a second contact point P2 on the second contact portion S2 that are disposed at two positions away from each other along the length direction of the coated electric wire <NUM>, and a load applied to the coated electric wire <NUM> is dispersed, whereby breakage of the conductor portion 12A of the coated electric wire <NUM> can be prevented.

In addition, in an electric wire lead-out port 33F of a housing <NUM> shown in <FIG>, a first contact portion S1 has an angular shape, while a second contact portion S2 has such a curved shape as to protrude toward the central axis CL. Even in the electric wire lead-out port 33F as above, as shown in <FIG>, when the coated electric wire <NUM> is led out from the housing <NUM> at a predetermined minimum bending radius, the electric wire lead-out port 33F contacts the coated electric wire <NUM> at each of a first contact point P1 on the first contact portion S1 and a second contact point P2 on the second contact portion S2 that are disposed at two positions away from each other along the length direction of the coated electric wire <NUM>, and a load applied to the coated electric wire <NUM> is dispersed, whereby breakage of the conductor portion 12A of the coated electric wire <NUM> can be prevented.

Further, in an electric wire lead-out port 43F of a housing <NUM> shown in <FIG>, a first contact portion S1 and a second contact portion S2 both have an angular shape. Even in the electric wire lead-out port 43F as above, as shown in <FIG>, when the coated electric wire <NUM> is led out from the housing <NUM> at a predetermined minimum bending radius, the electric wire lead-out port 43F contacts the coated electric wire <NUM> at each of a first contact point P1 on the first contact portion S1 and a second contact point P2 on the second contact portion S2 that are disposed at two positions away from each other along the length direction of the coated electric wire <NUM>, and a load applied to the coated electric wire <NUM> is dispersed, whereby breakage of the conductor portion 12A of the coated electric wire <NUM> can be prevented.

When the connector of the embodiment is applied to smart clothes, and an electrode (not shown) is connected to the flexible conductor 11A of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>, the electrode disposed at a measurement position and a wearable device can be connected to each other by means of the inexpensive coated electric wire <NUM> with low electric resistance.

By using a water-resistant adhesive to seal between the first insulator <NUM> and the second insulator <NUM>, it is possible to configure a waterproof connector that prevents entry of water into a site of electric connection between the flexible conductor 11A of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> and the conductor portion 12A of the coated electric wire <NUM>.

While the contact force-securing member <NUM> is used to secure the contact force between the conductor portion 12A of the coated electric wire <NUM> and the flexible conductor 11A of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> contacting each other in the embodiment as above, it is possible to configure the connector in which the conductor portion 12A of the coated electric wire <NUM> and the flexible conductor 11A of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> are electrically connected with each other between the protrusion portion 14C of the first insulator <NUM> and the recessed portion 15C of the second insulator <NUM> without using the contact force-securing member <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A connector connecting a conductor portion (12A) of an electric wire (<NUM>) to a connection object (<NUM>), the connector comprising:
a housing (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) accommodating an end of the connection object and an end of the electric wire,
wherein the connection object and the conductor portion of the electric wire make contact with and are electrically connected to each other in the housing,
the housing has an electric wire lead-out port (13F, 23F, 33F, 43F) leading out the electric wire from inside to outside of the housing, the connector being characterized in that:
the electric wire lead-out port has a first contact portion (S1) and a second contact portion (S2) that make contact with the electric wire at a first contact point (P1) of the first contact portion and a second contact point (P2) of the second contact portion separate away from each other along a length direction of the electric wire so as to disperse a load applied to the electric wire when the electric wire is led out from the housing at a predetermined minimum bending radius determined by a shape of the housing around the electric wire lead-out port and wherein the electric wire lead-out port is situated away from the electric wire (<NUM>) at a tapered portion (S3) between the first and second contact points (P1, P2).