Patent Description:
The present invention also relates to a connector assembly in which a conductor portion of an electric wire is connected to a flexible conductor of a sheet type conductive member by means of the connector.

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, it has been desired to develop a small-sized connector connecting the electric wire to the flexible conductor disposed on a garment.

As a connector for connecting an electric wire to a flexible conductor, for instance, <CIT> discloses a connector as shown in <FIG>. This connector includes: a first connector <NUM> connected to an end of a sheet type conductive member <NUM>; and a second connector <NUM> attached to tips of electric wires <NUM>. The electric wires <NUM> can be connected to a flexible conductor of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> by fitting the second connector <NUM> to the first connector <NUM>.

However, the first connector <NUM> and the second connector <NUM> to be fitted together are required to connect the electric wires <NUM> to the flexible conductor of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>, and this causes a larger size of a device; and there is a separatable connection portion between the first connector <NUM> and the second connector <NUM>, which impairs the reliability of electric connection.

<CIT>discloses in <FIG> a connector configured to connect a conductor portion <NUM> of an electric wire <NUM> to a flexible conductor exposed on a surface of a sheet type conductive member <NUM> and including: a first insulator <NUM> with a first retaining surface and a projection <NUM> and a second insulator <NUM> with a second retaining surface and a projection accommodating portion <NUM>. The first insulator <NUM> and the second insulator <NUM> are joined to each other and the projection <NUM> is inserted in the opening portion so that the sheet type conductive member <NUM> and the electric wire <NUM> are held between the first retaining surface and the second retaining surface and at least part of the projection <NUM> is accommodated in the projection accommodating portion <NUM>, whereby the conductor portion <NUM> of the electric wire <NUM> is electrically connected to the flexible conductor <NUM> of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> between an outer lateral surface of the projection <NUM> and an inner lateral surface of the projection accommodating portion <NUM>.

The present invention has been made to solve the conventional problem described above and aims at providing a connector and a connector assembly that can be smaller in size while reliably connecting a conductor portion of an electric wire to a flexible conductor of a sheet type conductive member.

A connector according to the present invention is one according to claim <NUM>, being configured to connect a conductor portion of an electric wire to a flexible conductor exposed on at least one surface of a sheet type conductive member having an opening portion, the connector comprising.

A connector assembly according to the present invention comprises:.

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

<FIG> show a connector assembly according to the embodiment. The connector assembly is obtained by connecting a coated electric wire <NUM> to a sheet type conductive member <NUM> by means of a connector <NUM>.

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 12A 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 12A 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 12A on the surface thereof can also be used as the sheet type conductive member <NUM>. Further, a member obtained by forming the flexible conductor 12A 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 insulation coating portion. With the connector <NUM>, the conductor portion of the coated electric wire <NUM> is electrically connected to the flexible conductor 12A of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>.

The coated electric wire <NUM> extends in the same direction as the direction in which the sheet type conductive member <NUM> of band shape extends.

For convenience, the predetermined direction in which the sheet type conductive member <NUM> extends toward the connector <NUM> is called "-Y direction," the width direction of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> of band shape "X direction," and the direction orthogonal to an XY plane "Z direction.

<FIG> and <FIG> show assembly views of the connector assembly. The connector assembly includes a first insulator <NUM> and a second insulator <NUM>.

The sheet type conductive member <NUM> is disposed on the +Z direction side of the first insulator <NUM> via a first adhesive sheet <NUM>, and a conductor portion 13A exposed from an insulation coating portion 13B of the coated electric wire <NUM> is disposed on the +Z direction side of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>. The conductor portion 13A of the coated electric wire <NUM> may be a so-called solid wire that is formed of one conductor or a so-called stranded wire that is formed by twisting a plurality of conductors.

Further, a contact force ensuring member <NUM> is disposed on the +Z direction side of the conductor portion 13A of the coated electric wire <NUM> via a second adhesive sheet <NUM>, and the second insulator <NUM> is disposed on the +Z direction side of the contact force ensuring member <NUM>.

The first insulator <NUM>, the first adhesive sheet <NUM>, the second adhesive sheet <NUM>, the contact force ensuring member <NUM>, and the second insulator <NUM> constitute the connector <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, 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 of flat shape. The first retaining surface 14B is provided at its center with a recessed portion 14C recessed in the -Z direction. Further, the recessed portion 14C is provided at its center with a projection 14D of substantially prismatic shape projecting toward the +Z direction. The projection 14D projects higher than the first retaining surface 14B in the +Z direction.

In the first retaining surface 14B, an insertion groove 14E is formed to extend in the -Y direction from the recessed portion 14C, and at a -Y directional end portion of the insertion groove 14E, an insertion groove 14F is formed with a larger groove width than that of the insertion groove 14E.

At a +Y directional end portion of the recessed portion 14C, an insertion hole <NUM> of recess shape is formed to communicate with the recessed portion 14C.

The flat plate portion 14A includes three through-holes <NUM> separately formed on opposite sides of the insertion groove 14E in the X direction and on the +Y direction side of the insertion hole <NUM>, the through-holes <NUM> penetrating the flat plate portion 14A in the Z direction.

In addition, step portions 14J 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 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 of flat shape. The second retaining surface 15B is provided at its center with a protrusion portion 15C jutting in the -Z direction. Further, the protrusion portion 15C is provided at its center with a projection accommodating portion 15D of recess shape that is recessed in the +Z direction and is deeper than the second retaining surface 15B.

On the -Y directional side of the projection accommodating portion 15D, an insertion groove 15E is formed to extend in the -Y direction, and at a -Y directional end portion of the insertion groove 15E, an insertion groove 15F is formed with a larger groove width than that of the insertion groove 15E.

On the +Y direction side of the protrusion portion 15C, a tip retaining portion <NUM> of columnar shape is formed to protrude in the -Z direction from the second retaining surface 15B, and a slit <NUM> is formed in the tip retaining portion <NUM> to extend in the Y direction so as to divide the tip retaining portion <NUM> in two in the X direction. The tip retaining portion <NUM> is to retain a tip of the conductor portion 13A of the coated electric wire <NUM>, and the slit <NUM> has a slit width slightly smaller than the diameter of the conductor portion 13A of the coated electric wire <NUM> and is configured such that the conductor portion 13A may be inserted thereinto.

The flat plate portion 15A includes three bosses 15J separately formed on opposite sides of the insertion groove 15E in the X direction and on the +Y direction side of the tip retaining portion <NUM>, the bosses 15J protruding in the -Z direction.

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

When the first insulator <NUM> and the second insulator <NUM> are joined to each other, the insertion groove 14E of the first insulator <NUM> and the insertion groove 15E of the second insulator <NUM> work together to retain the conductor portion 13A of the coated electric wire <NUM>, and the insertion groove 14F of the first insulator <NUM> and the insertion groove 15F of the second insulator <NUM> work together to retain the insulation coating portion 13B of the coated electric wire <NUM> so as to constitute an insulation coat retaining portion.

The contact force ensuring member <NUM> is to ensure a contact force between the conductor portion 13A of the coated electric wire <NUM> and the flexible conductor 12A of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the contact force ensuring member <NUM> is formed of a metal sheet being bent and includes a projection penetrating hole 18A which the projection 14D of the first insulator <NUM> penetrates, and a pair of pressing portions 18B facing each other in the Y direction across the projection penetrating hole 18A and protruding in the +Z direction.

As shown in <FIG>, the sheet type conductive member <NUM> has an H-shaped opening portion 12B penetrating the sheet type conductive member <NUM> in the Z direction, and a pair of projecting portions 12C are formed to project from Y directional opposite edges of the opening portion 12B toward the inside of the opening portion 12B and face each other in the Y direction.

Further, the sheet type conductive member <NUM> is provided with through-holes 12D and 12E respectively corresponding to the tip retaining portion <NUM> and a +Y directional boss 15J of the second insulator <NUM> and penetrating the sheet type conductive member <NUM> in the Z direction.

When the connector <NUM> is assembled to produce the connector assembly, first, as shown in <FIG>, the second adhesive sheet <NUM> is disposed on the second retaining surface 15B of the second insulator <NUM>. The second adhesive sheet <NUM> has an opening portion corresponding to the protrusion portion 15C and the tip retaining portion <NUM> of the second insulator <NUM> and three opening portions separately corresponding to the three bosses 15J. The second adhesive sheet <NUM> is disposed on the second retaining surface 15B in the state where the protrusion portion 15C, the tip retaining portion <NUM>, and the three bosses 15J penetrate through these opening portions.

In addition, the contact force ensuring member <NUM> is disposed on the protrusion portion 15C of the second insulator <NUM>, and the pair of pressing portions 18B of the contact force ensuring member <NUM> are inserted into the projection accommodating portion 15D of the second insulator <NUM> along Y directional inner lateral surfaces of the projection accommodating portion 15D.

Further, the conductor portion 13A exposed as a result of removal of a portion of the insulation coating portion 13B at a +Y directional end portion of the coated electric wire <NUM> is disposed on the contact force ensuring member <NUM>, and the tip of the conductor portion 13A is press-fitted in the slit <NUM> formed in the tip retaining portion <NUM> of the second insulator <NUM>, thereby being temporarily retained in the tip retaining portion <NUM>.

Next, as shown in <FIG>, the sheet type conductive member <NUM> is disposed on the second insulator <NUM> while the +Y directional boss 15J of the second insulator <NUM> penetrates the through-hole 12E of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>.

Further, as shown in <FIG>, the first adhesive sheet <NUM> is disposed on the sheet type conductive member <NUM>. The first adhesive sheet <NUM> has an opening portion corresponding to the opening portion 12B and the through-hole 12D of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> and three opening portions separately corresponding to the three bosses 15J of the second insulator <NUM>. The first adhesive sheet <NUM> is disposed on the sheet type conductive member <NUM> in the state where the three bosses 15J penetrate the corresponding opening portions.

At this time, as shown in <FIG>, the conductor portion 13A of the coated electric wire <NUM> extends in the Y direction above the projection accommodating portion 15D of the second insulator <NUM>, and the +Y directional tip of the conductor portion 13A is press-fitted in the slit <NUM> of the tip retaining portion <NUM> of the second insulator <NUM>. Further, the H-shaped opening portion 12B of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> is situated on the conductor portion 13A extending in the Y direction above the projection accommodating portion 15D of the second insulator <NUM>. The opening portion 12B of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> is exposed toward the -Z direction through the corresponding opening portion of the first adhesive sheet <NUM>.

In this state, the first insulator <NUM> is pressed toward the second insulator <NUM> relatively in the +Z direction, whereby the first insulator <NUM> is disposed on the second insulator <NUM> while the three bosses 15J of the second insulator <NUM> separately penetrate the three through-holes <NUM> of the first insulator <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. Consequently, the sheet type conductive member <NUM> and the conductor portion 13A of the coated electric wire <NUM> are sandwiched between the first retaining surface 14B of the first insulator <NUM> and the second retaining surface 15B of the second insulator <NUM>.

At this time, as shown in <FIG>, the projection 14D formed to project in the recessed portion 14C of the first insulator <NUM> is inserted into the H-shaped opening portion 12B of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>, and is accommodated in the projection accommodating portion 15D of the second insulator <NUM> while a +Z directional end portion of the projection 14D pushes the pair of projecting portions 12C of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> and the conductor portion 13A of the coated electric wire <NUM>.

The three bosses 15J of the second insulator <NUM> penetrate the three through-holes <NUM> of the first insulator <NUM> and project on the -Z direction side from the first insulator <NUM>.

When a heat treatment is performed to melt the first adhesive sheet <NUM> and the second adhesive sheet <NUM> while the first insulator <NUM> is kept to be pressed against the second insulator <NUM>, the first insulator <NUM> and the second insulator <NUM> are adhered to each other directly or via the sheet type conductive member <NUM>, and a portion between the first insulator <NUM> and the second insulator <NUM> is sealed. Further, tips of the three bosses 15J projecting on the -Z direction side of the first insulator <NUM> are thermally deformed, whereby the first insulator <NUM> and the second insulator <NUM> are fixed to each other. Thus, the assembling operation of the connector <NUM> is completed.

<FIG> shows the thus-produced connector assembly. While the projection 14D of the first insulator <NUM> is accommodated in the projection accommodating portion 15D of the second insulator <NUM> with the +Z directional end portion of the projection 14D pushing the pair of projecting portions 12C of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> and the conductor portion 13A of the coated electric wire <NUM>, the pair of pressing portions 18B of the contact force ensuring member <NUM> are inserted in the projection accommodating portion 15D. Therefore, each projecting portion 12C of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> deforms to conform to a surface of the projection 14D, and the conductor portion 13A of the coated electric wire <NUM> is held between a surface of the projecting portion 12C of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> and the corresponding pressing portion 18B of the contact force ensuring member <NUM> to be bent to conform to the surface of the deformed projecting portion 12C of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>.

Since the projection 14D has a substantially prismatic shape, each projecting portion 12C, deformed to conform to the surface of the projection 14D, of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> and the conductor portion 13A of the coated electric wire <NUM> are held between the corresponding pressing portion 18B of the contact force ensuring member <NUM> extending along a Y directional inner lateral surface of the projection accommodating portion 15D and a Y directional outer lateral surface of the projection 14D, and the conductor portion 13A of the coated electric wire <NUM> contacts the flexible conductor 12A exposed on the surface of the projecting portion 12C of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> with a predetermined contact force and is electrically connected to the flexible conductor 12A.

In a -Y directional portion of the connector <NUM>, the conductor portion 13A of the coated electric wire <NUM> is retained in the insertion groove 14E of the first insulator <NUM> and the insertion groove 15E of the second insulator <NUM>, while the insulation coating portion 13B of the coated electric wire <NUM> is retained in the insertion groove 14F of the first insulator <NUM> and the insertion groove 15F of the second insulator <NUM>.

In addition, the conductor portion 13A of the coated electric wire <NUM> is bent to conform to the surface of the deformed projecting portions 12C of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>, whereby the tip of the conductor portion 13A temporarily retained in the slit <NUM> of the tip retaining portion <NUM> of the second insulator <NUM> is pulled out from the slit <NUM>.

Further, as shown in <FIG>, the pair of lateral plates <NUM> of the second insulator <NUM> are fitted in the pair of step portions 14J of the first insulator <NUM>.

Thus, with the connector <NUM> according to the embodiment, the projection 14D of the first insulator <NUM> is inserted in the inside of the contact force ensuring member <NUM> that is inserted in the projection accommodating portion 15D of the second insulator <NUM> while pushing the sheet type conductive member <NUM> and the conductor portion 13A of the coated electric wire <NUM>, whereby the flexible conductor 12A exposed on the top surface of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> is electrically connected to the conductor portion 13A of the coated electric wire <NUM>. Hence, the connector can reduce the size thereof while improving reliability of the electric connection between the flexible conductor 12A and the conductor portion 13A.

In particular, since the projection 14D of the first insulator <NUM> is inserted in the opening portion 12B of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>, and each projecting portion 12C of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> contacts the conductor portion 13A of the coated electric wire <NUM> between the inner lateral surface of the projection accommodating portion 15D of the second insulator <NUM> and the outer lateral surface of the projection 14D, only the conductor portion 13A of the coated electric wire <NUM> is disposed between a +Z directional top portion of the projection 14D and a bottom portion of the projection accommodating portion 15D, with the sheet type conductive member <NUM> being not present therebetween. Further, while the pair of pressing portions 18B of the contact force ensuring member <NUM> are inserted in the projection accommodating portion 15D, these pressing portions 18B do not extend between the +Z directional top portion of the projection 14D and the bottom portion of the projection accommodating portion 15D. Therefore, the connector <NUM> can be reduced in thickness.

In addition, the first insulator <NUM> includes the recessed portion 14C formed in the first retaining surface 14B and the projection 14D formed in the recessed portion 14C to project higher than the first retaining surface 14B in the +Z direction, and the second insulator <NUM> includes the protrusion portion 15C formed on the second retaining surface 15B and the projection accommodating portion 15D of recess shape formed in the protrusion portion 15C to be deeper than the second retaining surface 15B. Therefore, the first insulator <NUM> other than the projection 14D is not entirely thinned, but a part of the first insulator <NUM> within the region where the recessed portion 14C is formed, other than the projection 14D, is thinned, and further, the part of the second insulator <NUM> where the projection accommodating portion 15D is formed is thinned, whereby the thin connector <NUM> can be achieved.

Thus, by limiting parts required to be thinned in the first insulator <NUM> and the second insulator <NUM>, the first insulator <NUM> and the second insulator <NUM> can be molded with an insulating resin without impairing fluidity of a melted resin in a mold.

In addition, by limiting parts required to be thinned, the intensity of the first insulator <NUM> and the second insulator <NUM> can be ensured, and even when an external force is applied to the connector <NUM> via the coated electric wire <NUM> or the sheet type conductive member <NUM>, the occurrence of breakage or the like can be avoided.

In addition, since the first adhesive sheet <NUM> and the second adhesive sheet <NUM> are used to seal between the first insulator <NUM> and the second insulator <NUM>, it is possible to prevent entry of water into a site of electric connection between the flexible conductor 12A of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> and the conductor portion 13A of the coated electric wire <NUM>.

When the connector <NUM> of the embodiment is applied to smart clothes, and an electrode (not shown) is connected to the flexible conductor 12A 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.

While in the embodiment described above, the tip retaining portion <NUM> for retaining the tip of the conductor portion 13A of the coated electric wire <NUM> is formed in the second insulator <NUM>, the tip retaining portion may be formed in the first insulator <NUM>.

In addition, while the three bosses 15J of the second insulator <NUM> penetrate the three through-holes <NUM> of the first insulator <NUM> in the embodiment described above, it is possible to configure the connector such that, conversely, a plurality of bosses formed in the first insulator <NUM> penetrate a plurality of through-holes formed in the second insulator <NUM>.

In the embodiment described above, the pair of pressing portions 18B of the contact force ensuring member <NUM> is inserted in the projection accommodating portion 15D of the second insulator <NUM>, and each projecting portion 12C of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> and the conductor portion 13A of the coated electric wire <NUM> are held between the outer lateral surface of the projection 14D and the corresponding pressing portion 18B of the contact force ensuring member <NUM>, but the invention is not limited thereto.

Even when it is configured such that each projecting portion 12C of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> and the conductor portion 13A of the coated electric wire <NUM> are directly held between the outer lateral surface of the projection 14D and the inner lateral surface of the projection accommodating portion 15D without using the contact force ensuring member <NUM>, the conductor portion 13A of the coated electric wire <NUM> can be brought into contact with and electrically connected to the flexible conductor 12A exposed on the top surface of the projecting portion 12C of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>. However, the contact force ensuring member <NUM> is preferably used because a contact force between the conductor portion 13A of the coated electric wire <NUM> and the flexible conductor 12A of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> is reliably ensured.

While the coated electric wire <NUM> is used as an electric wire to be connected to the sheet type conductive member <NUM> in the embodiment described above, an electric wire formed of only the conductor portion 13A whose outer periphery is not covered with the insulation coating portion 13B made of an insulating material may also be connected to the sheet type conductive member <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A connector (<NUM>) configured to connect a conductor portion (13A) of an electric wire (<NUM>) to a flexible conductor (12A) exposed on at least one surface of a sheet type conductive member (<NUM>) having an opening portion (12B), the connector comprising:
a first insulator (<NUM>) including a first retaining surface (14B), a recessed portion (14C) formed in the first retaining surface, and a projection (14D) formed in the recessed portion to project higher than the first retaining surface; and
a second insulator (<NUM>) including a second retaining surface (15B) that faces the first retaining surface, a protrusion portion (15C) that is formed on the second retaining surface and faces the recessed portion, and a projection accommodating portion (15D) of recess shape that is formed in the protrusion portion and is deeper than the second retaining surface,
wherein the first insulator (<NUM>) and the second insulator (<NUM>) are configured to be joined to each other such that the projection is inserted in the opening portion of the sheet type conductive member, that the sheet type conductive member and the electric wire are held between the first retaining surface and the second retaining surface, and that the sheet type conductive member and the electric wire are disposed to overlap each other between the recessed portion and the protrusion portion, and
at least part of the projection is configured to be accommodated in the projection accommodating portion, whereby the conductor portion (13A) of the electric wire (<NUM>) is electrically connected to the flexible conductor (12A) of the sheet type conductive member (<NUM>) between an outer lateral surface of the projection and an inner lateral surface of the projection accommodating portion.