CA2116744C - Joint connector - Google Patents
Joint connectorInfo
- Publication number
- CA2116744C CA2116744C CA002116744A CA2116744A CA2116744C CA 2116744 C CA2116744 C CA 2116744C CA 002116744 A CA002116744 A CA 002116744A CA 2116744 A CA2116744 A CA 2116744A CA 2116744 C CA2116744 C CA 2116744C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- shorting
- connector housing
- side wall
- terminal
- chamber
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
- H01R31/00—Coupling parts supported only by co-operation with counterpart
- H01R31/08—Short-circuiting members for bridging contacts in a counterpart
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
- H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
- H01R13/40—Securing contact members in or to a base or case; Insulating of contact members
- H01R13/42—Securing in a demountable manner
- H01R13/422—Securing in resilient one-piece base or case, e.g. by friction; One-piece base or case formed with resilient locking means
- H01R13/4223—Securing in resilient one-piece base or case, e.g. by friction; One-piece base or case formed with resilient locking means comprising integral flexible contact retaining fingers
Abstract
This invention aims to provide a joint connector which makes it easy to insert a tool therein upon detaching a female terminal therefrom and prevents a locking finger from being deformed and impacted. A locking finger (1d) is arranged inwardly below an outer face of a side wall (1b) of a connector housing (1). The side wall (1b) is provided on an outer face with an outwardly slanted portion (1h) which inclines and extends outwardly from an end face (1e) opposite to a distal end of the locking finger to the outer face. The slanted portion (1h) guides a tool (5) to insert it into the connector housing (1). An upper end of the slanted portion (1h) becomes a fulcrum for the tool and thus a distance between the fulcrum and an acting point of the tool becomes longer. In order to prevent a short-circuit due to a leak between branched circuits, a coupling portion (25a) of a shorting plate (60) abuts on a distal end of a side wall (12) of the connector housing (1) so that the distal end limit an insertion position of the shorting plate (60). The connector housing (1) includes first side walls (12a, 12b, 12d) the distal ends of which abut on the coupling portions (25a) of the shorting plates (60A, 60B) for a divisional shorting use and a second side wall (12c) the distal end of which abuts on the coupling portion (25a) of the shorting plate (60) for an all pole shorting use. In order to avoid interference upon connecting alternately electrical wires directed in opposite directions, a joint chamber (115) is provided between piled terminal accommodating chambers (13), which are communicated with the joint chamber through apertures (112). The shorting plate (60) is inserted into the joint chamber (115) to confront a given aperture (112). A female terminal (2) is provided with a tongue piece (22c) which elastically contacts with the shorting plate (60) through the aperture (112). When the terminal (2) is inserted to the terminal accommodating chambers (13) having openings (131) directed alternately in the reversed directions, the tongue piece (22c) contacts with the shorting plate (60) to electrically interconnect them. Since the chamber (13) may be arranged through the aperture (112) adjacent to the joint chamber (115), the chamber can be directed in any direction. In order to use electrical wires having different diameters, the connector housing (1) is provided with terminal accommodating chambers (13) having different sizes so that the housing can simultaneously accommodate electrical wires (91 and 92) with large and small diameters.
Since a contacting portion (22) of each terminal (2) has a common shape, the chamber (13) can accommodate either large or small diameter wires.
Since a contacting portion (22) of each terminal (2) has a common shape, the chamber (13) can accommodate either large or small diameter wires.
Description
21 1 674~
JOINT CONNECTOR
1 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:
Field of the Invention This invention relates to a joint connector which is used to interconnect wire harnesses for an automobile and the like.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of a ~oint connector of the present invention;
FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along lines II - II in FIGURE 1;
FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of a ~oint connector of the present invention;
FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along lines IV - IV in FIGURE 3;
FIGURE 5A is an exploded perspective view of a third embodiment of a ~oint connector having an all pole shorting function in accordance with the present invention;
FIGURE 5B is an exploded perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a ~oint connector having a divisional shorting function in accordance with the present invention;
FIGURE 6A is a fragmentary broken side view of the ~oint connector shown in FIGURE 5A;
FIGURE 6B is a fragmentary broken side view of the ~oint connector shown in FIGURE 5B;
: ~
21 ~6744 l FIGURE 7 is an exploded perspective view of a fifth embodiment of a ~oint connector of the present invention;
FIGURE 8 is an exploded perspective view of the ~oint connector taken from an arrow VIII in FIGURE 7:
FIGURE 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of the joint connector FIGURE 7;
FIGURE lO is an exploded perspective view of a sixth embodiment of a ~oint connector of the present invention;
FIGURE 11 is a perspective view of a female terminal for use with an electrical wire with a large diame,ter;
FIGURE 12 is a perspective view of a female terminal for use with an electrical wire with a small diameter;
FIGURE 13 is a longitudinal sectional view of a ~oint connector of the present invention, illustrating a large terminal accommodating chamber which receives the electrical wire with a large diameter;
FIGURE 14 is a longitudinal sectional view of a joint connector of the present invention, illustrating a large terminal accommodating chamber which receives the electrical wire with a small diameter;
FIGURE 15 is an exploded longitudinal sectional view of a prior joint connector before having a cover mounted thereon;
FIGURE 16 is a longitudinal sectional view of a part of the joint connector shown in FIGURE 15, illustrating the connector on which the cover is mounted;
: ~ - 2 --1 FIGURE 17 is a longitudinal sectional view of a part of the ~oint connector shown in FIGURE 15, illustrating the connector in which a female terminal is incompletely inserted into a connector housing;
FIGURE 18 is an enlarged view of a main part of FIGURE 17;
FIGURE 19 is a schematic fragmentary cross sectional view of a prior joint connector;
FIGURE 20 is a schematic perspective view of a prior ~oint connector;
FIGURE 21 is an exploded longitudinal sectional view of a prior joint connector; and FIGURE 22 is a side elevational view of the prior ~oint connector which ~oints electrical wires.
Statement of the Prior Art For convenience of explanation a conventional ~oint connector will be described below by referring to FIGURES 15 to 22. FIGURE 15 is an exploded longitudinal sectional view of a prior ~oint connector as seen before having a cover mounted thereon. FIGURE 16 is a longitudinal sectional view of a part of the ~oint connector shown in FIGURE 15, illustratlng the connector on which the cover is mounted.
,.~
~ - 3 -l FIGURE 17 is a longitudinal sectional view of a part of the ~oint connector shown in FIGURE 15, illustrating the connector in which a female terminal is incompletely inserted into a connector housing. FIGURE 18 is an enlarged view of a main part of FIGURE 17. FIGURE 19 is a schematic fragmentary cross sectional view of a prior joint connector. FIGURE 20 is a schematic perspective view of a prior joint connector.
FIGURE 21 is an exploded longitudinal sectional view of a prior ~oint connector. FIGURE 22 is a side elevational view of the prior joint connector which ~oints electrical wires.
FIGURES 15 and 16 show an example of a conventional ~oint connector (Japanese Utility Model Public Disclosure No. 3-88278 (1991)). A female terminal 2 is accommodated in a terminal accommodating chamber la ln a connector housing 1.
The terminal accommodating chamber la is provided on its side walls (upper and lower walls) lb with a resilient locking finger ld having a projection lc which engages with a lock aperture 2a in the female terminal 2.
A cover 4 having a male terminal 3 is mounted on the connector housing 1 so that the male terminal 3 is coupled to the female terminal 2 (FIGURE 16).
The locking finger ld of the connector housing 1 is provided on the same plane as an outer face of the side wall lb in the housing 1. In the case that the female terminal 2 is incompletely received in the terminal accommodating chamber la as shown in FIGURE 17. The projection lc on the locking finger ld rides on an outer face of the female terminal 2 so that the locking finger ld projects from the outer face of the side wall lb.
Consequently, when the cover 4 is mounted on the connector housing 1, a distal end of the locking finger ld abuts on a stopper 4a of the cover 4, thereby preventing any further advance of the cover 4. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent a connecting failure of the male terminal 3 resulting from an incomplete insertion of the female terminal 2.
On the other hand, in the case that the female terminal 2 is detached from the terminal accommodating chamber la in order to change an accommodating position of the female terminal 2, after the female terminal 2 has been accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber la in the connector housing 1, the pro~ection lc must be drawn 21 ~ 6744 from the lock aperture 2a in the female terminal 2 by pushing the locking finger ld outwardly.
Accordingly, as shown in FIGURE 18, a plate like tool 5 is inserted between the distal end of the locking finger and an inner end le of the side wall lb of the connector housing 1, which is opposed to the distal end of the finger ld, the tool 5 is swung about a corner a of the inner end le as a fulcrum, and the tool 5 pushes up the locking finger ld at an acting point b on the end of the finger ld.
However, a gap between the distal end of the locking finger ld and the inner end le is so narrow that the tool 5 hardly enters into the gap and a distance between the fulcrum a and the acting point b is so short that an excessive stress is concentrated on the locking finger ld, thereby deforming the locking finger ld.
There are some prior ~oint connectors which are suitable for wiring alternation in electrical equipment for an automobile, an OA device such as a copying device and the like, and an industrial device. In particular, it is necessary to prevent a short-circuit from occurring between branched circuits due to leaking in such joint connectors.
Such ~oint connectors are shown in FIGURES 19 and 20.
In the ~oint connector, a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers la are formed in the connector housing 1 by partitlons lf. A ~emale termlnal 2 is accommodated ln the chamber la and shorting plates 3A and 2i 1 6744 3B are inserted into the connector housing 1. Each of the shorting plates 3A and 3B has a coupling portion 3a and a plurality of contacting portions 3b integrally connected to the coupling portion 3a. The contacting portions contact with the female terminal 2 to form a branched circuit.
The connector housing 1 is integrally provided with a lid 7, which serves to prevent the shorting plates 3A and 3B from sliding out of the connector housing 1 when the housing 1 is closed by the lid 7.
In the joint connector, each of the shorting plates 3A
and 3B is provided with a recess 3C. The lid 7 is provided with protrusions 7a corresponding to the recesses 3C. When the lid 7 closes the housing 1, the protrusions 7a engage with the recesses 3C to hold the shorting plates 3A and 3B
in regular positions, thereby preventing the shorting plates 3A and 3B from loosening in the connector housing 1 and from shorting two branched circuits due to contact of the adjacent shorting plates 3A and 3B. Such a joint connector is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Public Disclosure No. 64-55591 (1989).
However, in the above joint connector, a gap 8 between the adjacent shorting plates 3A and 3B is insulated only by air. Thus, in the case that potentials in the branched circuits formed by the respective shorting plates 3A and 3B
are different or in the case that moisture or dust exists in the gap 8, leaking will occur between the shorting plates 3A
and 3B at the gap 8, thereby shortlng the branched circuits formed by the shorting plates 3A and 3B.
.,~. .
~ 7 -.
It is desirable to make the partition as thin as possible in order to make the joint connector compact and light in the case of using it in an automobile, an OA device, or the like. However, if the partition lf becomes thin, a pitch between the female terminals 2 will become narrow and the gap 8 will become so small that a distance of air insulation is short, thereby readily causing leaking.
FIGURE 21 shows a conventional joint connector which accommodates electrical wires an end of which is connected to a terminal and interconnects given terminals.
In FIGURE 21, a female connector housing 1 accommodates a plurality of electrical wires 9 which are directed to the same sense and have a female terminal 2 at one end. A male connector housing 4A is formed into a box like shape having at an end an opening which is adapted to receive an end of the female connector housing 1. The male connector housing 4A is provided at a bottom wall with a shorting plate 3C which extends inwardly and is directed to the positions of the female terminals in the female connector housing 1. The shorting plate 3C is formed into a U-shape and provided with two distal ends which have the same shape as that of the male terminals. A cover 6 is provided to be mounted on an outer periphery of the male connector housing 4A from its rear side. In order to prevent the cover 6 from falling off the male connector housing 4A, the cover 6 is provided with an aperture 6a while the male connector housing 4A is provided with a projection 4a.
;~
In the above construction, an integrated shorting plate 3C is formed in accordance with female terminals to be connected with each other. The shorting plate 3C is inserted into the male connector housing 4A from its rear side. The cover 6 is put on the housing 4A. Thereafter, the female connector housing 1 is inserted into the male connector housing 4A through its opening so that the shorting plate 3C advances in the female terminal 2. Eventually, desired female terminals 2 are electrically interconnected through the shorting plate 3C.
However, in the case that the electrical wires 9 to be connected with each other are drawn from different two places, as shown in FIGURE 22, the wires 9 are bent at their end and thus the joint connector is arranged in perpendicular to the electrical wires 9.
In the above conventional joint connector, since the shorting plate is inserted into the female terminal, the female terminals must be arranged to close their openings and to direct them in the same sense. Consequently, if the electrical wires 9 to be interconnected are collected from different places, the joint connector projects on wiring parts, thereby obstructing another wirings.
Further, an example of a Joint connector which interconnects a plurality of electrical wires is disclosed in Japanese Patent Public Disclosure No. 61-277180 (1986).
In the jolnt connector, a plurality of same terminal accommodating chambers in a connector housing receive an end portion of an electrical wire having a female terminal at an ,p _ g _ end and a plurality of male terminals to be inserted in the female terminals are provided on the terminal accommodating chambers. The male terminals are coupled to each other in connection with the female terminals to be connected to each other.
When the female connector housing is inserted into the male connector housing after the female terminal is connected to an end of the electrical wire to be connected to another wire and the female terminal is accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber in the female connector housing, the male terminals which are interconnected in the male connector housing enter into the given female terminals, so that a plurality of female terminals are electrically interconnected through the male terminals.
This joint connector is also utilized to branch electrical wires connected to an electrical power source to electrical wires for electrical power sources in a plurality of electrical devices. The electrical wires connected to the electrical power source require a diameter large enough to supply currents to each electrical devices in comparison with branched wires. However, in the prior ~oint connector, since each size of the terminal accommodating chambers for receiving the electrical wires is same, the electrical wires having a large diameter can not be inserted into the chambers even if they are desired to be used.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
A first ob~ect of the present in~ention is to provide a ~oint connector which makes it easy to insert a tool , therein upon detaching a female terminal therefrom and prevents a locking finger from being deformed.
A second ob~ect of the present invention is to provide a ~oint connector which prevents leaking between branched circuits in a connector housing.
A third object of the present invention is to provide a joint connector which avoids interference upon connecting alternately electrical wires directed in opposite directions.
A fourth object of the present invention is to provide a joint connector which can use electrical wires having different diameters.
In order to achieve the first ob~ect, a joint connector of the present invention comprises: a connector housing having a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers which are formed by partitioning an interior thereof by means of side walls; a female terminal accommodated in each of the chambers; and at least one shorting plate having a coupling portion and a plurality of contact portions ~uxtaposed together to coupling portion and contacting with the female terminal to form at least one branched circuit. The side wall of the terminal accommodating chamber in the connector housing is provided with a resilient locking finger having a lock pro~ection adapted to be engaged with a lock aperture in the female terminal accommodated in the chamber. The side wall of the connector housing is provided on an outer face with a slanted portion which inclines and extends outwardly from an end face opposite to a distal end of said locking finger to the outer face.
The locking finger is arranged inwardly below the outer face of said side wall. The slanted portion extends from an inward position aligned to the distal end of the locking finger to an outward position.
The locking finger may be arranged on a plane aligned with the outer face of the side wall.
If marks such as digits indicating pole numbers of female terminals which are accommodated in terminal accommodating chambers are carved on the slanted portion, it is possible to confirm a position in which a certain female terminal should be inserted and to enhance accommodating work.
The marks may be carved on outer face extending from the slanted portion of the side wall.
According to the present invention, since the locking finger is arranged inwardly below the outer face of the side wall, and wherein the slanted portion extends from an inward position aligned to the distal end of the locking finger to an outward position, a gap between the distal end of the locking finger and the inner end face of the side wall can be widened and the tool can be guided along the slanted portion to be easily inserted into the gap. Also, since the fulcrum for swinging the tool exists at an upper end of the slanted portion, a distance from the fulcrum and the acting point becomes long and excessive stress is not concentrated on the locking finger which would otherwise deform it.
'~.
- l2 -In the case that the locking finger is arranged below the outer face of the side wall of the connector housing, the locking finger hardly receives any impact from the exterior.
Further, if marks such as digits indicating pole numbers of female terminals which are accommodated in terminal accommodating chambers are carved on the outer face of the side wall continued to the slanted portion, it is possible to confirm a position in which a certain female terminal should be inserted and to enhance accommodating work.
In order to achieve the second object, the joint connector of the present invention is common to an all pole shorting use in which a single shorting plate connects a plurality of female terminals to a single branched circuit and to a divisional shorting use in which a plurality of shorting plates connect the terminals to more than two branched circuits, wherein the coupling portion of the shorting plate or plates abut on distal ends of the side walls of said connector housing to limit an inserting position of the plate. The connector housing includes first side walls the distal ends of which abut on the coupling portions of the shorting plates for the divisional shorting use and a second side wall the distal end of which abuts on the coupling portion of the shorting plate for the all pole shorting use.
The distal end of the second side wall for positioning the shorting plate for all pole shorting use extends by more than the width of the coupling portion of the shorting plate above the distal ends of the side walls for positioning the shorting plates for the divisional shorting use.
According to the above construction of the joint connector of the present invention, the connector housing can be used in both all pole shorting function and divisional shorting function. Since the side wall is disposed between the divisional shorting plates, insulation between the shorting plates is improved, so that leaking is prevented.
In the case that the distal end of the second wall for positioning the shorting plate for the all pole shorting use extends by more than a width of said coupling portion f the shorting plate above the distal ends of the side walls for positioning the shorting plates for the divisional shorting use, it is possible to more enhance insulation between the shorting plates, thereby positively preventing leaking.
To achieve the above third ob~ect, in the joint connector of the present invention, the terminal accommodat-ing chambers are arranged one upon another in the connector housing. A ~oint chamber is formed between the respective terminal accommodating chambers piled on each other. An aperture is formed in each terminal accommodating chamber to communicate with the ~oint chamber. Each opening of the terminal accommodating chamber is arranged alternately in the reverse direction. The shorting plate is inserted 21 1 674~
-into the joint chamber to confront the given aperture.
The female terminal is provided with a tongue piece which projects through the aperture into the joint chamber when inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber.
In the joint connector of the present invention constructed as above, the terminal accommodating chambers are arranged one upon another in the connector housing, so that the electrical wires disposed in the opposite directions are alternately aligned in a straight line. On the other hand, since the shorting plate is inserted into the joiht chamber to confront the given aperture, the tongue piece elastically contacts with the shorting plate through the aperture when the female terminal is accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber. Thus, the female terminals which contact with the shorting plate are electrically connected with each other.
In comparison with the prior joint connector in which the female terminals contact with the shorting plate from the same direction, the terminal accommodating chambers can be arranged in any direction, since the female terminals can contact with the shorting plate disposed in the chambers.
In order to achieve the fourth ob~ect, in the joint connector of the present invention, the terminal accommodating chambers are formed into different sizes corresponding to the different diameters of electrical wires to be connected to the terminals.
. ~ ~ .
The female terminal is provided with a common contacting portion which contacts with the shorting plate and a barrel portion which has different sizes corresponding to the different diameters of the electrical wire. The terminal accommodating chamber is formed so that its interior holds the common contacting portion.
According to the joint connector of the present invention, since the terminal accommodating chambers have different sizes, the electrical wires with different diameters can be simultaneously accommodated in the chambers.
Since the contacting portions of the female terminals are formed into the same shape although the barrel portions of the female terminals are formed into different sizes in accordance with the diameters of the electrical wires to be interconnected, and since the terminal accommodating chambers are formed into the same shape to hold the contacting portions of the female terminals, the terminal accommodating chamber adapted to receive an electrical wire having a large diameter can receive and hold an electrical wire having a small diameter.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS:
Referring now to FIGURES l to 14, embodiments of a ~oint connector of the present invention will be explained below.
~' FIGURES 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the ~oint connector of the present invention. A connector housing 1 has ten terminal accommodating chamber la with five chambers la being arranged in upper and lower stages. A shorting plate (metal plate) 60 is inserted and held in the connector housing 1 between the upper and lower terminal accommodating chambers la.
A female terminal 2 is accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber la. The female terminal 2 is provided with a lock aperture 2a.
The connector housing 1 is provided on a side wall lb (upper side wall lb in the upper chamber la and lower side wall lb in the lower chamber la) with a locking finger ld having a projection lc which engages with the lock aperture 2a. The locking finger ld is aligned on the outer face of the side wall of the connector housing 1. That is, the locking finger ld is formed by cutting the side wall lb at three sides so that the finger ld can be deflected upwardly and downwardly.
An outwardly slanted portion lh is formed on an inner end le which is opposed to a distal end of the locking finger ld. Preferably, an inclination angle 0 of the slanted portion lh with respect to a longitudinal line at one half of a thickness of the side wall lb is in a range of 10 through 80 degrees.
Since an area of the slanted portion lh is smaller than that of a second embodiment described hereinafter, digits 1 to 10 indicatlng a pole number of the female . ~ .
21 1 67~4 terminal 2 are carved on not the slanted portion lh but an outer face of the side wall lb continued to the portion lh.
When the female terminal 2 is completely inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber la in the connector housing 1, the projection lc engages with the aperture 2a in the female terminal 2 to lock the terminal 2.
On the other hand, in the case that the female terminal 2 is incompletely inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber la in the connector housing 1, the projection lc on the locking finger ld rides on an outer face of the female terminal 2, so that the locking finger ld projects outwardly from the outer face of the side wall lb in the same manner as the prior art (see FIGURE 17).
Consequently, a cover (not shown) can not be mounted on the connector housing 1. This indicates an incomplete coupling of the female terminal.
In the case that the female terminal 2 is detached from the terminal accommodating chamber la in order to alter an accommodating position of the female terminal 2 after the female terminal 2 has been accommodated in the chamber la in the connector housing 1, a flat tool 5 is inserted at its end from the outside into a gap between the distal end of the locking finger ld and the inner end le (FIGURE 2).
Upon inserting the tool 5, the slanted portion lh widens the gap between the distal end of the locking finger ld and the inner end le and guides the tool 5, thereby making it easy to insert the tool 5 into the gap.
When the tool 5 is swung outwardly after inserting it so that it pushes up the locking finger ld and the projection lc is disengaged from the aperture 2a, the tool 5 is swung about the fulcrum a at the upper end of the slanted portion lh of the side wall lb. Consequently, a distance between the fulcrum a and the acting point b at the distal end of the tool 5 becomes longer than that of the prior art (see FIGURE 18). Excessive stress is not concentrated on the locking finger ld which would otherwise deform it.
Although the above joint connector has an all pole shorting plate 60, the connector may have divisional shorting plates 60A and 60B described hereinafter.
FIGURES 3 and 4 show a second embodiment of the joint connector of the present invention. The connector housing 1 is provided on the side wall lb of the terminal accommodating chamber la with the locking finger ld which is arranged below the outer face of the side wall lb of the connector housing 1. That is, a recess lg is formed on the outer face of the side wall lb and the locking finger ld is formed at the bottom of the recess lg. The locking finger ld is formed by cutting the side wall lb at three sides so that the finger ld can be deflected upwardly and downwardly.
An outwardly slanted portion lh is formed on an inner end le which is opposed to a distal end of the locking finger ld. The slanted portion lh extends to the outer face of the side wall lb. Preferably, an inclination angle 0 of the slanted portion lh with respect to a longitudinal line -~ - 19 --at one half of a thickness of an edge of the inner end le is in a range of 10 through 80 degrees.
Digits 1 to 10 indicating a pole number of the female terminal 2 are carved on the slanted portion lh.
When the female terminal 2 is incompletely inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber la in the connector housing 1, the projection lc on the locking finger ld rides on the outer face of the female terminal 2, so that the locking finger ld projects outwardly from the outer face of the side wall lb in the same manner as the prior art (see FIGURE 17). This indicates an incomplete coupling of the female terminal 2.
In the case that the female terminal 2 is completely inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber la in the connector housing 1, the projection lc engages with the aperture 2a in the female terminal 2 to lock the terminal 2.
Further, since the locking finger ld is inwardly provided below the outer face of the side wall lb of the connector housing 1 i.e., on the bottom of the recess lg, the locking finger ld hardly receives an external impact. Since the digits 1 to 10 indicating the pole number of the female terminal 2 are carved on the slanted portion lh, the digits can be seen more easily than the case of carving the digits on the flat face, thereby making it easy to confirm the accommodating position of the female terminal 2 and to effect an accommodating work of the terminal 2.
,'~
~r ~ 20 -In the case that the female terminal 2 is detached from the terminal accommodating chamber la in order to alter an accommodating position of the female terminal 2 after the female terminal 2 has been accommodated in the chamber la in the connector housing 1; a flat tool 5 is inserted at its end from the out side into a gap between the distal end of the locking finger ld and the inner end le (FIGURE 4).
Upon inserting the tool 5, the slanted portion lh widens the gap between the distal end of the locking finger ld and the inner end le and guides the tool 5, thereby making it easy to insert the tool 5 into the gap.
It will be apparent from the foregoing that in the first and second embodiments of the joint connector of the present invention since the locking finger is arranged inwardly below the outer face of the side wall and the slanted portion extends from an inward position aligned to the distal end of the locking finger to an outward position, a gap between the distal end of the locking finger and the end face of the side wall can be widened and the tool can be guided along the slanted portion to be easily inserted into the gap. Also, since the fulcrum for swinging the tool exists at an upper end of the slanted portion, a distance from the fulcrum and the acting point becomes long and excessive stress is not concentrated on the locking finger which would otherwise deform it.
In the case that the locking finger is arranged below the outer face of the side wall of the connector housing, the locking finger hardly receives an impact from >~
~ ~i.
~ - 2l -the exterior. Further, if marks such as digits indicating pole numbers of female terminals which are accommodated in terminal accommodating chambers are carved on the outer face of the side wall continued to the slanted portion, it is possible to confirm a position in which a certain female terminal should be inserted and to enhance an accommodating work.
Next, third and fourth embodiments of the joint connector of the present invention will be explained below by referring to FIGURES 5A to 6B.
The embodiments of the joint connector have an all pole shorting function which serves to connect a plurality of female terminals 2 to a single circuit (FIGURES 5A and 6A) and a divisional shorting function which serves to connect the female terminals to two branched circuits (FIGURES 5B
and 6B).
A connector housing made of a resin material is provided with terminal accommodating chambers 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d, 13e partitioned by side walls 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d. The terminal accommodating chambers 13a to 13e are provided with guide rail parts 15 which guide shorting plates 60, 60A and 60B described hereinafter. Each guide rail part 15 includes a pair of upper guide rails 15a and a pair of lower guide rails 15b. The terminal accommodating chambers 13a to 13e are partitioned into upper and lower divided chambers 16A
and 16B by the shorting plates 60, 60A and 60B guided by the guide rail parts 15 into the chambers 13a to 13e. The female terminals 2 are received in the divlded chambers 16A and 16B.
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~, The side walls 12a to 12d are provided between the upper and lower guide rails 15a and 15b with grooves 17 which extends from the front side F to the rear side R. In these embodiments, as shown in FIGURES 6A and 6B, an end 18 of the side wall 12C on the front side projects more than ends l9a, l9b, l9c of the side walls on the front side.
The side wall 12C serves to limit an inserting position of the shorting plate 60 in the case of the all pole shorting function of the third embodiment (FIGURE 6A). A projected distance c of the projected end 18 is set to be more than a width D of the coupling portion 25a of the shorting plate 60.
On the other hand, the ends l9a to l9c of the side walls 12a, 12b and 12d except the end 18 of the side wall 12c extend to the same distance on the front side F. In the fourth embodiment of the divisional shorting plates as shown in FIGURE 6B, the side walls l9a, l9b and l9c limit an inserting position of the shorting plates 60A and 60B.
The divided chambers 16A an 16B of the terminal accommodating chambers 13a to 13e are provided with guide grooves 21 for guiding the female terminals from the front side to the rear side.
The female terminal 2 is provided with a sheath clamping portion 22a for a sheath 9a of the electrical wire 9 and a conductor clamping portion 22b for conductors 9b of the electrical wire 9. The female terminal 2 is also provided with a tongue piece 22c made of an elastic material and adapted to contact with contacting portlons 25c, 25d, 25e, 25f, 25g of the shorting plates 60, 60A, 60B. Further, ,, the female terminal 2 is provided with a guide piece 22d, which is adapted to be inserted into the divided chambers 16A and 16B while being guided by the guide grooves 21.
The shorting plate 60 for the use of all pole shorting has the contacting portions 25c, 25d, 25e, 25f, 25g integrally connected to a side face 25b of the coupling portion 25a. Some of contacting portions 25c to 25g (25c, 25e, 25f, 25g in the third embodiment) are provided with pawls 26 adapted to be pushed into the side walls 12.
The shorting plate 60 for the use of all pole shorting is inserted into the groove 17 by the guide rail parts 15 to be pushed into the connector housing 1. The contacting portions 25c to 25g are received in the terminal accommodat-ing chambers 13a to 13e. Then, the shorting plate 60 is inserted into the connector housing 1 until the side face 25b of the coupling portion 25a abuts on the projected end 18. The projected end 18 limits the inserting position of the shorting plate 60.
After inserting the shorting plate 60 into the connector housing 1, the female terminals 2 are inserted into the divided chambers 16A and 16B, so that the tongue pieces 22c of the female terminals 2 contact with the contacting portions 25c to 25g of the shorting plate 60 to form a branched circuit.
The shorting plates 60A and 60B for the use of divisional shorting shown in FIGURES 5B and 6B have contacting portions 28c, 28d, 28e integrally connected to a slde face 28b of the coupling portions 25a in the same i F' -manner of the shorting plate 60 for the use of all pole shorting.
The shorting plates 60a and 60B for the use of divisional shorting are inserted into the connector housing 1 so that the contacting portions 28c to 28e are received in the terminal accommodating chambers 13a to 13e, in the same manner as the case of all pole shorting. Then, since the side wall 12c having the projected end 18 is disposed between the shorting plates 60A and 60B, the side faces 28b of the coupling portions 28a of the shorting plates 60A and 60B abut on the ends l9a, l9b, l9c of the side 12a, 12b, 12d, to limit the inserting position of the plates. Then, the female terminals 2 are inserted into the divided chambers 16A and 16B to form two branched circuits associated with the shorting plates 60A and 60B.
As shown in FIGURE 6B, since the end 18 is projected from the other ends by a distance C more than a width D of the coupling portion 25a, the projected end 18 is disposed between the coupling portions 25a of the shorting plates 60A
and 60B. Even if potentials between the branched circuits formed by the shorting plates 60A and 60B are different, no leak occurs on account of interposition of an insulation material and a short-circuit between the branched circuits can be prevented.
The present invention should not be limited to the above embodiments and may include various alternations.
-For example, although the side wall 12c having the end 18 and two shorting plates 60A and 60B form two branched circuits in the third and fourth embodiments, more than three branched circuits may be formed by increasing the shorting plates and projected ends.
It will be apparent from the foregoing that in the third and fourth embodiments of the joint connector of the present invention the connector housing can be used in all pole shorting and divisional shorting since the connector housing includes first side walls the distal ends of which abut on the coupling portions of the shorting plates for the divisional shorting use and a second side wall the distal end of which abuts on the coupling portion of the shorting plate for the all pole shorting use. Also, the connector housing can be used in both all pole shorting function and divisional shorting function. Since the side wall is disposed between the divisional shorting plates, insulation between the shorting plates is improved, so that leak is prevented.
In the case that the distal end of the second wall for positioning the shorting plate for the all pole shorting use extends by more than a width of the coupling portion of said shorting plate above the distal ends of the side walls for positioning the shorting plates for the divisional shorting use, it is possible to further enhance insulation between the shorting plates, thereby positively preventing leakage.
According to the ~oint connector of the present invention, since insulation is enhanced and leaking is prevented, it is possible to make the side wall of the connector housing thin, to make a pitch between the female terminals short and to make the connector housing compact and light.
Next, a fifth embodiment of the ~oint connector of the present invention will be described below by referring to FIGURES 7 to 9.
FIGURE 7 is an exploded perspective view of a fifth embodiment of a joint connector of the present invention.
FIGURE 8 is an exploded perspective view of the joint connector taken from an arrow VIII in FIGURE 7.
FIGURE 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of the joint connector FIGURE 7.
In the drawings, a connector housing 1 is provided on upper and lower stages with five terminal accommodating chambers 13. Although the terminal accommodating chambers 13 are arranged in parallel with each other, the center chambers 13 are directed in opposite directions from the other chambers. On opening 131 of the chamber 13 is used as an inserting port. Accordingly, there are eight openings 131 on a front side (FIGURE 7) and two openings 132 on a rear side (FIGURE 8~.
A ~oint chamber 115 adapted to receive the shorting plate 60 is provided between the upper and lower terminal accommodating chambers 13. Upper and lower walls of the ~oint chamber 115 are provided with apertures 112 which are communicated with the ~oint chamber 115. Upper and lower walls of the upper and lower terminal accommodating chambers 13 are provided with guide grooves 21 which receive guide projection 22d of the female terminal 2.
The shorting plate 60 is inserted into the ~oint chamber 115 formed between the upper and lower terminal accommodating chambers 13. The shorting plate 60 has a plurality of tab like contacting portions 25 adapted to be inserted into the apertures 112 and a coupling portion 25a which connects proximal ends of the contacting portions 25 together at a certain spaced pitch. Some contacting portions 25 are provided with pawls 26 for preventing of falling off.
The joint chamber 115 is provided with jointing walls in connection with the spaced pitch of the contacting portions 25. When the shorting plate 60 is inserted into the con-nector housing 1, the contacting portions 25 advance in the chamber 13 while contacting the pawl 26 with the jointing walls. When the shorting plate 60 reaches a limit position, the pawls 26 serve to constrain the plate 60 from falling off.
The female terminal 2 is provided at a front side with a contacting portion 22 which contacts with the contacting portion 25 of the shorting plate 60 and at a rear side with a barrel portion 22a which holds the electrical wire 9. The contacting portion 22 is provided on opposite sides with standing side walls 22e, 22e and at an end with a resilient tongue piece 22c which is formed by folding a center plate toward a space between the standing side walls 22e, 22e. One of the walls 22e is provided at its bottom with a pro~ection 22d extending downwardly. The contacting portion 22 is .
provided at rear side, namely at an opposite side of the tongue piece 22c with a lock aperture 2a.
An inner part of the terminal accommodating chamber 13 is formed to receive the contacting portion 25. The connector housing 1 is provided on an outer wall of the chamber 13 with a resilient locking finger ld having a projection lc which is adapted to be engaged with the aperture 2a of the female terminal 2.
Next, an operation of the embodiment constructed above will be explained below.
First, when the shorting plate 60 is inserted into the connector housing 1, the contacting portions 25 of the plate 60 are confronted to the apertures 112 in the chambers 13. In this embodiment, the contacting portions 25 of the shorting plate 60 are confronted to all apertures 112.
Now, eight electrical wires 9 and two electrical wires 9 are introduced from opposite directions and they are interconnected through the ~oint connector at their intermediate positions. The distal ends of the respective electrical wires 9, 9 are connected to the barrel portions 22a of the female terminals 2.
The eight electrical wires 9 are inserted into the eight openings 131 of the terminal accommodating chambers 13 on one side until the pro~ections lc of the locking fingers ld engage with the apertures 2a. The two electrical wires 9 are inserted into the two openings 131 of the chambers 13 on the other side until the pro~ections lc of the locking finger ld engage with the apertures 2a.
.
As shown in FIGURE 9, when the contacting portions 25 are inserted into the inner parts of the terminal accommodat-ing chamber 13, the pro~ections lc of the locking fingers ld engage with the lock aperture 2a of the female terminals 2 to hold them in the chambers 13. Accordingly, the eight electrical wires 9 are inserted and held in the chambers 13 directed to one side and the two electrical wires 9 are inserted and held in the chambers directed to the other side opposite to the one side. The electrical wires 9 are arranged in a straight line with respect to the connector housing 1.
On the other hand, since the tongue piece 22c of the contacting portion 25 passes through and projects from the aperture 112, the tongue piece 22c contacts with the contacting portion 25 of the shorting plate 60 which are confronted to the aperture 112.
As described above, since the contacting portions 25 of the shorting plate 60 are inserted into the connector housing 1 so that the portions 25 are confronted to all apertures 112, the contacting portions 22 of the female terminals 2 accommodated in the terminal accommodating chambers 13 are electrically interconnected through the contacting portions 25 and coupling portion 25a of the shorting plate 60.
Although the two center terminal accommodating chambers 13 are opened in the direction opposite to the other chambers 13 in the fifth embodiment, another arrangement may be carried out.
-2i 1 6744 .
Although it is not shown in the drawings, the terminal accommodating chambers 13 may be reversed in the upper and lower stages.
In such an arrangement, two sets of five electrical wires 9 extending in the opposite directions can be inserted into the respective openings.
As the joint chamber 115 is disposed between the upper and lower terminal accommodating chambers 13 and each chamber 13 is communicated with the joint chamber 115 through the aperture 112, the female terminals 2 accommodated in the chambers 13 are contacted through the aperture 112 with the shorting plate 60 to be electrically connected to each other.
Although a single shorting plate 60 interconnects the female terminals 2 accommodated in the chamber 13 in the fifth embodiment, a plurality of shorting plates separated at the coupling portion 25a described above may be used to define a plurality of groups of the electrical wires to be interconnected.
In the fifth embodiment of the joint connector of the present invention, the openings of the terminal accommodating chambers are formed in accordance with the directions of the electrical wires to be connected. Consequently, the wires can be arranged in a straight line and the connector housing does not interfere with laying of the electrical wires.
Next, a sixth embodiment of the ~oint connector of the present invention will be explained below by referring to FIGURES 10 to 14.
- 3l --FIGURE 10 is an exploded perspective view of a sixth embodiment of a joint connector of the present invention.
In FIGURE 10, a connector housing 1 is formed into a box like body having an opening 131 at one side. Partitions extending from the opening to an inner part define ten terminal accommodating chambers 13 with five chamber 13 being arranged in upper and lower stages. Two center upper and lower chambers 13a have larger openings 131 and a greater depth than those of the other chambers 13b.
A space adapted to receiver the shorting plate 60 is provided between the upper and lower terminal accommodating chambers 13. Upper and lower walls of the space are provided with apertures 112 which are communicated with the joint chamber 115. Upper and lower walls of the upper and lower terminal accommodating chambers 13 are provided with guide grooves 21 which receive guide projection 22d of the female terminal 2.
The shorting plate 60 is inserted into the space formed between the upper and lower terminal accommodating chambers 13. The shorting plate 60 has a plurality of tab like contacting portions 25 adapted to be inserted into the apertures 112 and a coupling portion 25a which connects proximal ends of the contacting portions 25 together at a certain spaced pitch. Some contacting portions 25 are provided with pawls 26 to prevent displacement. The space is provided with jointing walls in connection with the spaced pitch of the contacting portions 25. When the shorting plate 60 is inserted into the connector housing 1, the contacting ~ 32 -, portions 25 advance in the chamber 13 which contacting the pawl 26 with the ~ointing walls. When the shorting plate 60 reaches a limit position, the pawls 26 serve to prevent the plate 60 from falling off.
The female terminal 2 is provided at a front side with a contacting portion 22 which contacts with the contacting portion 25 of the shorting plate 60 and at a rear side with a barrel portion 22a which holds the electrical wire 9. A female terminal 2 shown in FIGURE 11 is used for an electrical wire 91 having a larger diameter while a female terminal 2 shown in FIGURE 12 is used for an electrical wire 92 having a smaller diameter. Both female terminals 2 have the same size and shape with respect to the contacting portions 22 but have different sizes of barrel portions 22a to correspond with the electrical wires having different diameters.
The contacting portion 22 is provided on opposite sides with standing side walls 22e, 22e and at an end with a resilient tongue piece 22c which is formed by folding a center plate toward a space between the standing side walls 22e, 22e. One of the walls 22e is provided at a bottom with a projection 22d extending downwardly. The contacting portion 22 is provided at a rear side, namely at an opposite side of the tongue piece 22c with a lock aperture 2a.
An inner part of the terminal accommodating chamber 13 is formed to receive the contacting portion 25. The connector housing 1 is provided on an outer wall of the chamber 13 with a resilient locking finger ld having a . ~, ~' pro~ection lc which is adapted to be engaged with the aperture 2a of the female terminal 2 (FIGURE 13).
The barrel portion includes an insulation barrel 22a for clamping a sheath of the electrical wire 9 and a conductor barrel 22b for clamping conductors of the electrical wire 9. The barrels 22a and 22b have different sizes in accordance with the larger and smaller diameter wires 91 and 92.
Next, an operation of the embodiment constructed above will be explained below.
First, when the shorting plate 60 is inserted into the connector housing 1, the contacting portions 25 of the plate 60 confront the apertures 112 in the chambers 13. In this embodiment, the contacting portions 25 of the shorting plate 60 confront all apertures 112.
On the other hand, an end of the electrical wire 91 is connected to a primary side while the other end of the wire 91 is clamped by the barrel 22a of the female terminal 2 for the larger diameter wire 91. An end of the electrical wire 92 is connected to a secondary side of an electrical device while the other end of the wire 92 is clamped by the barrel 22a of the female terminal for the smaller diameter wire 92.
The female terminal 2 connected to the electrical wire 91 is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 13a until the pro~ection lc of the locking finger ld engages with the lock aperture 2a. A plurality of female terminals 2 connected to a plurality of electrical wires 92 are inserted into the terminal accommodating chambers 13b until the pro~ections lc of the locking fingers ld engage with the lock apertures 2a. When the contacting portion 22 is inserted into the inner parts of the terminal accommodating chamber 13, as shown in FIGURE 13, the projection lc of the locking finger ld of the connector housing 1 engages with the lock aperture 2a of the female terminal 2 to hold the terminal 2 in the chamber 13. Then, the tongue piece 22c of the contacting portion 22 projects through the aperture 112, so that the tongue piece 22c contacts with the contacting portion 25 of the shorting plate 60 to thereby confront the aperture 112.
As described above, as the contacting portions 25 of the shorting plate 60 are inserted into the connector housing 1 so that the portions 25 confront all apertures 112, the contacting portions 22 of the female terminals 2 accommodated in the terminal accommodating chambers 13 are electrically interconnected through the contacting portions 25 and coupling portion 25a of the shorting plate 60.
That is, the larger diameter wire 91 is branched and connected through the shorting plate 60 to the smaller diameter wires 92 on the secondary side.
In the above embodiment, the female terminal 2 connected to the larger diameter wire 91 is inserted into the larger chamber 13a while the female terminal 2 connected to the smaller diameter wire 92 is inserted into the smaller chamber 13b. However, even if the latter is inserted into the larger chamber 13a, it can be held in the chamber 13a ;~
_ F
21 t 6744 since the size and shape of the inner parts in both chambers 13a and 13b are the same.
In other words, the larger terminal accommodating chamber 13a in the connector housing 1 can be utilized for the smaller diameter wire 92 as well as the larger diameter wire 91.
Although a single shorting plate 60 interconnects the female terminals 2 accommodated in the chamber 13 in the sixth embodiment, a plurality of shorting plates separated at the coupling portion 25a described above may be used to define a plurality of groups of the electrical wires to be interconnected.
Thus, there are a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 13 in the connector housing 1 and they can accom-modate and interconnect the larger and smaller diameterwires 91 and 92 at the same time. Also, since the respective female terminals 2 have common contacting portions 22, even smaller diameter wire can be held in the larger chamber 13a and thus the chamber 13a is not limited to the use of a larger diameter wire.
It will be apparent from the foregoing that the sixth embodiment of the ~oint connector can accommodate different diameter wires and can utilize any electrical wires suitable for a desired electrical capacity.
Further, since the smaller diameter wire can be lnserted to the larger terminal accommodating chamber, the same diameter wires can be inserted into the chamber.
.~ ~
.! P
JOINT CONNECTOR
1 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:
Field of the Invention This invention relates to a joint connector which is used to interconnect wire harnesses for an automobile and the like.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of a ~oint connector of the present invention;
FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along lines II - II in FIGURE 1;
FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of a ~oint connector of the present invention;
FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along lines IV - IV in FIGURE 3;
FIGURE 5A is an exploded perspective view of a third embodiment of a ~oint connector having an all pole shorting function in accordance with the present invention;
FIGURE 5B is an exploded perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a ~oint connector having a divisional shorting function in accordance with the present invention;
FIGURE 6A is a fragmentary broken side view of the ~oint connector shown in FIGURE 5A;
FIGURE 6B is a fragmentary broken side view of the ~oint connector shown in FIGURE 5B;
: ~
21 ~6744 l FIGURE 7 is an exploded perspective view of a fifth embodiment of a ~oint connector of the present invention;
FIGURE 8 is an exploded perspective view of the ~oint connector taken from an arrow VIII in FIGURE 7:
FIGURE 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of the joint connector FIGURE 7;
FIGURE lO is an exploded perspective view of a sixth embodiment of a ~oint connector of the present invention;
FIGURE 11 is a perspective view of a female terminal for use with an electrical wire with a large diame,ter;
FIGURE 12 is a perspective view of a female terminal for use with an electrical wire with a small diameter;
FIGURE 13 is a longitudinal sectional view of a ~oint connector of the present invention, illustrating a large terminal accommodating chamber which receives the electrical wire with a large diameter;
FIGURE 14 is a longitudinal sectional view of a joint connector of the present invention, illustrating a large terminal accommodating chamber which receives the electrical wire with a small diameter;
FIGURE 15 is an exploded longitudinal sectional view of a prior joint connector before having a cover mounted thereon;
FIGURE 16 is a longitudinal sectional view of a part of the joint connector shown in FIGURE 15, illustrating the connector on which the cover is mounted;
: ~ - 2 --1 FIGURE 17 is a longitudinal sectional view of a part of the ~oint connector shown in FIGURE 15, illustrating the connector in which a female terminal is incompletely inserted into a connector housing;
FIGURE 18 is an enlarged view of a main part of FIGURE 17;
FIGURE 19 is a schematic fragmentary cross sectional view of a prior joint connector;
FIGURE 20 is a schematic perspective view of a prior ~oint connector;
FIGURE 21 is an exploded longitudinal sectional view of a prior joint connector; and FIGURE 22 is a side elevational view of the prior ~oint connector which ~oints electrical wires.
Statement of the Prior Art For convenience of explanation a conventional ~oint connector will be described below by referring to FIGURES 15 to 22. FIGURE 15 is an exploded longitudinal sectional view of a prior ~oint connector as seen before having a cover mounted thereon. FIGURE 16 is a longitudinal sectional view of a part of the ~oint connector shown in FIGURE 15, illustratlng the connector on which the cover is mounted.
,.~
~ - 3 -l FIGURE 17 is a longitudinal sectional view of a part of the ~oint connector shown in FIGURE 15, illustrating the connector in which a female terminal is incompletely inserted into a connector housing. FIGURE 18 is an enlarged view of a main part of FIGURE 17. FIGURE 19 is a schematic fragmentary cross sectional view of a prior joint connector. FIGURE 20 is a schematic perspective view of a prior joint connector.
FIGURE 21 is an exploded longitudinal sectional view of a prior ~oint connector. FIGURE 22 is a side elevational view of the prior joint connector which ~oints electrical wires.
FIGURES 15 and 16 show an example of a conventional ~oint connector (Japanese Utility Model Public Disclosure No. 3-88278 (1991)). A female terminal 2 is accommodated in a terminal accommodating chamber la ln a connector housing 1.
The terminal accommodating chamber la is provided on its side walls (upper and lower walls) lb with a resilient locking finger ld having a projection lc which engages with a lock aperture 2a in the female terminal 2.
A cover 4 having a male terminal 3 is mounted on the connector housing 1 so that the male terminal 3 is coupled to the female terminal 2 (FIGURE 16).
The locking finger ld of the connector housing 1 is provided on the same plane as an outer face of the side wall lb in the housing 1. In the case that the female terminal 2 is incompletely received in the terminal accommodating chamber la as shown in FIGURE 17. The projection lc on the locking finger ld rides on an outer face of the female terminal 2 so that the locking finger ld projects from the outer face of the side wall lb.
Consequently, when the cover 4 is mounted on the connector housing 1, a distal end of the locking finger ld abuts on a stopper 4a of the cover 4, thereby preventing any further advance of the cover 4. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent a connecting failure of the male terminal 3 resulting from an incomplete insertion of the female terminal 2.
On the other hand, in the case that the female terminal 2 is detached from the terminal accommodating chamber la in order to change an accommodating position of the female terminal 2, after the female terminal 2 has been accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber la in the connector housing 1, the pro~ection lc must be drawn 21 ~ 6744 from the lock aperture 2a in the female terminal 2 by pushing the locking finger ld outwardly.
Accordingly, as shown in FIGURE 18, a plate like tool 5 is inserted between the distal end of the locking finger and an inner end le of the side wall lb of the connector housing 1, which is opposed to the distal end of the finger ld, the tool 5 is swung about a corner a of the inner end le as a fulcrum, and the tool 5 pushes up the locking finger ld at an acting point b on the end of the finger ld.
However, a gap between the distal end of the locking finger ld and the inner end le is so narrow that the tool 5 hardly enters into the gap and a distance between the fulcrum a and the acting point b is so short that an excessive stress is concentrated on the locking finger ld, thereby deforming the locking finger ld.
There are some prior ~oint connectors which are suitable for wiring alternation in electrical equipment for an automobile, an OA device such as a copying device and the like, and an industrial device. In particular, it is necessary to prevent a short-circuit from occurring between branched circuits due to leaking in such joint connectors.
Such ~oint connectors are shown in FIGURES 19 and 20.
In the ~oint connector, a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers la are formed in the connector housing 1 by partitlons lf. A ~emale termlnal 2 is accommodated ln the chamber la and shorting plates 3A and 2i 1 6744 3B are inserted into the connector housing 1. Each of the shorting plates 3A and 3B has a coupling portion 3a and a plurality of contacting portions 3b integrally connected to the coupling portion 3a. The contacting portions contact with the female terminal 2 to form a branched circuit.
The connector housing 1 is integrally provided with a lid 7, which serves to prevent the shorting plates 3A and 3B from sliding out of the connector housing 1 when the housing 1 is closed by the lid 7.
In the joint connector, each of the shorting plates 3A
and 3B is provided with a recess 3C. The lid 7 is provided with protrusions 7a corresponding to the recesses 3C. When the lid 7 closes the housing 1, the protrusions 7a engage with the recesses 3C to hold the shorting plates 3A and 3B
in regular positions, thereby preventing the shorting plates 3A and 3B from loosening in the connector housing 1 and from shorting two branched circuits due to contact of the adjacent shorting plates 3A and 3B. Such a joint connector is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Public Disclosure No. 64-55591 (1989).
However, in the above joint connector, a gap 8 between the adjacent shorting plates 3A and 3B is insulated only by air. Thus, in the case that potentials in the branched circuits formed by the respective shorting plates 3A and 3B
are different or in the case that moisture or dust exists in the gap 8, leaking will occur between the shorting plates 3A
and 3B at the gap 8, thereby shortlng the branched circuits formed by the shorting plates 3A and 3B.
.,~. .
~ 7 -.
It is desirable to make the partition as thin as possible in order to make the joint connector compact and light in the case of using it in an automobile, an OA device, or the like. However, if the partition lf becomes thin, a pitch between the female terminals 2 will become narrow and the gap 8 will become so small that a distance of air insulation is short, thereby readily causing leaking.
FIGURE 21 shows a conventional joint connector which accommodates electrical wires an end of which is connected to a terminal and interconnects given terminals.
In FIGURE 21, a female connector housing 1 accommodates a plurality of electrical wires 9 which are directed to the same sense and have a female terminal 2 at one end. A male connector housing 4A is formed into a box like shape having at an end an opening which is adapted to receive an end of the female connector housing 1. The male connector housing 4A is provided at a bottom wall with a shorting plate 3C which extends inwardly and is directed to the positions of the female terminals in the female connector housing 1. The shorting plate 3C is formed into a U-shape and provided with two distal ends which have the same shape as that of the male terminals. A cover 6 is provided to be mounted on an outer periphery of the male connector housing 4A from its rear side. In order to prevent the cover 6 from falling off the male connector housing 4A, the cover 6 is provided with an aperture 6a while the male connector housing 4A is provided with a projection 4a.
;~
In the above construction, an integrated shorting plate 3C is formed in accordance with female terminals to be connected with each other. The shorting plate 3C is inserted into the male connector housing 4A from its rear side. The cover 6 is put on the housing 4A. Thereafter, the female connector housing 1 is inserted into the male connector housing 4A through its opening so that the shorting plate 3C advances in the female terminal 2. Eventually, desired female terminals 2 are electrically interconnected through the shorting plate 3C.
However, in the case that the electrical wires 9 to be connected with each other are drawn from different two places, as shown in FIGURE 22, the wires 9 are bent at their end and thus the joint connector is arranged in perpendicular to the electrical wires 9.
In the above conventional joint connector, since the shorting plate is inserted into the female terminal, the female terminals must be arranged to close their openings and to direct them in the same sense. Consequently, if the electrical wires 9 to be interconnected are collected from different places, the joint connector projects on wiring parts, thereby obstructing another wirings.
Further, an example of a Joint connector which interconnects a plurality of electrical wires is disclosed in Japanese Patent Public Disclosure No. 61-277180 (1986).
In the jolnt connector, a plurality of same terminal accommodating chambers in a connector housing receive an end portion of an electrical wire having a female terminal at an ,p _ g _ end and a plurality of male terminals to be inserted in the female terminals are provided on the terminal accommodating chambers. The male terminals are coupled to each other in connection with the female terminals to be connected to each other.
When the female connector housing is inserted into the male connector housing after the female terminal is connected to an end of the electrical wire to be connected to another wire and the female terminal is accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber in the female connector housing, the male terminals which are interconnected in the male connector housing enter into the given female terminals, so that a plurality of female terminals are electrically interconnected through the male terminals.
This joint connector is also utilized to branch electrical wires connected to an electrical power source to electrical wires for electrical power sources in a plurality of electrical devices. The electrical wires connected to the electrical power source require a diameter large enough to supply currents to each electrical devices in comparison with branched wires. However, in the prior ~oint connector, since each size of the terminal accommodating chambers for receiving the electrical wires is same, the electrical wires having a large diameter can not be inserted into the chambers even if they are desired to be used.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
A first ob~ect of the present in~ention is to provide a ~oint connector which makes it easy to insert a tool , therein upon detaching a female terminal therefrom and prevents a locking finger from being deformed.
A second ob~ect of the present invention is to provide a ~oint connector which prevents leaking between branched circuits in a connector housing.
A third object of the present invention is to provide a joint connector which avoids interference upon connecting alternately electrical wires directed in opposite directions.
A fourth object of the present invention is to provide a joint connector which can use electrical wires having different diameters.
In order to achieve the first ob~ect, a joint connector of the present invention comprises: a connector housing having a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers which are formed by partitioning an interior thereof by means of side walls; a female terminal accommodated in each of the chambers; and at least one shorting plate having a coupling portion and a plurality of contact portions ~uxtaposed together to coupling portion and contacting with the female terminal to form at least one branched circuit. The side wall of the terminal accommodating chamber in the connector housing is provided with a resilient locking finger having a lock pro~ection adapted to be engaged with a lock aperture in the female terminal accommodated in the chamber. The side wall of the connector housing is provided on an outer face with a slanted portion which inclines and extends outwardly from an end face opposite to a distal end of said locking finger to the outer face.
The locking finger is arranged inwardly below the outer face of said side wall. The slanted portion extends from an inward position aligned to the distal end of the locking finger to an outward position.
The locking finger may be arranged on a plane aligned with the outer face of the side wall.
If marks such as digits indicating pole numbers of female terminals which are accommodated in terminal accommodating chambers are carved on the slanted portion, it is possible to confirm a position in which a certain female terminal should be inserted and to enhance accommodating work.
The marks may be carved on outer face extending from the slanted portion of the side wall.
According to the present invention, since the locking finger is arranged inwardly below the outer face of the side wall, and wherein the slanted portion extends from an inward position aligned to the distal end of the locking finger to an outward position, a gap between the distal end of the locking finger and the inner end face of the side wall can be widened and the tool can be guided along the slanted portion to be easily inserted into the gap. Also, since the fulcrum for swinging the tool exists at an upper end of the slanted portion, a distance from the fulcrum and the acting point becomes long and excessive stress is not concentrated on the locking finger which would otherwise deform it.
'~.
- l2 -In the case that the locking finger is arranged below the outer face of the side wall of the connector housing, the locking finger hardly receives any impact from the exterior.
Further, if marks such as digits indicating pole numbers of female terminals which are accommodated in terminal accommodating chambers are carved on the outer face of the side wall continued to the slanted portion, it is possible to confirm a position in which a certain female terminal should be inserted and to enhance accommodating work.
In order to achieve the second object, the joint connector of the present invention is common to an all pole shorting use in which a single shorting plate connects a plurality of female terminals to a single branched circuit and to a divisional shorting use in which a plurality of shorting plates connect the terminals to more than two branched circuits, wherein the coupling portion of the shorting plate or plates abut on distal ends of the side walls of said connector housing to limit an inserting position of the plate. The connector housing includes first side walls the distal ends of which abut on the coupling portions of the shorting plates for the divisional shorting use and a second side wall the distal end of which abuts on the coupling portion of the shorting plate for the all pole shorting use.
The distal end of the second side wall for positioning the shorting plate for all pole shorting use extends by more than the width of the coupling portion of the shorting plate above the distal ends of the side walls for positioning the shorting plates for the divisional shorting use.
According to the above construction of the joint connector of the present invention, the connector housing can be used in both all pole shorting function and divisional shorting function. Since the side wall is disposed between the divisional shorting plates, insulation between the shorting plates is improved, so that leaking is prevented.
In the case that the distal end of the second wall for positioning the shorting plate for the all pole shorting use extends by more than a width of said coupling portion f the shorting plate above the distal ends of the side walls for positioning the shorting plates for the divisional shorting use, it is possible to more enhance insulation between the shorting plates, thereby positively preventing leaking.
To achieve the above third ob~ect, in the joint connector of the present invention, the terminal accommodat-ing chambers are arranged one upon another in the connector housing. A ~oint chamber is formed between the respective terminal accommodating chambers piled on each other. An aperture is formed in each terminal accommodating chamber to communicate with the ~oint chamber. Each opening of the terminal accommodating chamber is arranged alternately in the reverse direction. The shorting plate is inserted 21 1 674~
-into the joint chamber to confront the given aperture.
The female terminal is provided with a tongue piece which projects through the aperture into the joint chamber when inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber.
In the joint connector of the present invention constructed as above, the terminal accommodating chambers are arranged one upon another in the connector housing, so that the electrical wires disposed in the opposite directions are alternately aligned in a straight line. On the other hand, since the shorting plate is inserted into the joiht chamber to confront the given aperture, the tongue piece elastically contacts with the shorting plate through the aperture when the female terminal is accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber. Thus, the female terminals which contact with the shorting plate are electrically connected with each other.
In comparison with the prior joint connector in which the female terminals contact with the shorting plate from the same direction, the terminal accommodating chambers can be arranged in any direction, since the female terminals can contact with the shorting plate disposed in the chambers.
In order to achieve the fourth ob~ect, in the joint connector of the present invention, the terminal accommodating chambers are formed into different sizes corresponding to the different diameters of electrical wires to be connected to the terminals.
. ~ ~ .
The female terminal is provided with a common contacting portion which contacts with the shorting plate and a barrel portion which has different sizes corresponding to the different diameters of the electrical wire. The terminal accommodating chamber is formed so that its interior holds the common contacting portion.
According to the joint connector of the present invention, since the terminal accommodating chambers have different sizes, the electrical wires with different diameters can be simultaneously accommodated in the chambers.
Since the contacting portions of the female terminals are formed into the same shape although the barrel portions of the female terminals are formed into different sizes in accordance with the diameters of the electrical wires to be interconnected, and since the terminal accommodating chambers are formed into the same shape to hold the contacting portions of the female terminals, the terminal accommodating chamber adapted to receive an electrical wire having a large diameter can receive and hold an electrical wire having a small diameter.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS:
Referring now to FIGURES l to 14, embodiments of a ~oint connector of the present invention will be explained below.
~' FIGURES 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the ~oint connector of the present invention. A connector housing 1 has ten terminal accommodating chamber la with five chambers la being arranged in upper and lower stages. A shorting plate (metal plate) 60 is inserted and held in the connector housing 1 between the upper and lower terminal accommodating chambers la.
A female terminal 2 is accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber la. The female terminal 2 is provided with a lock aperture 2a.
The connector housing 1 is provided on a side wall lb (upper side wall lb in the upper chamber la and lower side wall lb in the lower chamber la) with a locking finger ld having a projection lc which engages with the lock aperture 2a. The locking finger ld is aligned on the outer face of the side wall of the connector housing 1. That is, the locking finger ld is formed by cutting the side wall lb at three sides so that the finger ld can be deflected upwardly and downwardly.
An outwardly slanted portion lh is formed on an inner end le which is opposed to a distal end of the locking finger ld. Preferably, an inclination angle 0 of the slanted portion lh with respect to a longitudinal line at one half of a thickness of the side wall lb is in a range of 10 through 80 degrees.
Since an area of the slanted portion lh is smaller than that of a second embodiment described hereinafter, digits 1 to 10 indicatlng a pole number of the female . ~ .
21 1 67~4 terminal 2 are carved on not the slanted portion lh but an outer face of the side wall lb continued to the portion lh.
When the female terminal 2 is completely inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber la in the connector housing 1, the projection lc engages with the aperture 2a in the female terminal 2 to lock the terminal 2.
On the other hand, in the case that the female terminal 2 is incompletely inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber la in the connector housing 1, the projection lc on the locking finger ld rides on an outer face of the female terminal 2, so that the locking finger ld projects outwardly from the outer face of the side wall lb in the same manner as the prior art (see FIGURE 17).
Consequently, a cover (not shown) can not be mounted on the connector housing 1. This indicates an incomplete coupling of the female terminal.
In the case that the female terminal 2 is detached from the terminal accommodating chamber la in order to alter an accommodating position of the female terminal 2 after the female terminal 2 has been accommodated in the chamber la in the connector housing 1, a flat tool 5 is inserted at its end from the outside into a gap between the distal end of the locking finger ld and the inner end le (FIGURE 2).
Upon inserting the tool 5, the slanted portion lh widens the gap between the distal end of the locking finger ld and the inner end le and guides the tool 5, thereby making it easy to insert the tool 5 into the gap.
When the tool 5 is swung outwardly after inserting it so that it pushes up the locking finger ld and the projection lc is disengaged from the aperture 2a, the tool 5 is swung about the fulcrum a at the upper end of the slanted portion lh of the side wall lb. Consequently, a distance between the fulcrum a and the acting point b at the distal end of the tool 5 becomes longer than that of the prior art (see FIGURE 18). Excessive stress is not concentrated on the locking finger ld which would otherwise deform it.
Although the above joint connector has an all pole shorting plate 60, the connector may have divisional shorting plates 60A and 60B described hereinafter.
FIGURES 3 and 4 show a second embodiment of the joint connector of the present invention. The connector housing 1 is provided on the side wall lb of the terminal accommodating chamber la with the locking finger ld which is arranged below the outer face of the side wall lb of the connector housing 1. That is, a recess lg is formed on the outer face of the side wall lb and the locking finger ld is formed at the bottom of the recess lg. The locking finger ld is formed by cutting the side wall lb at three sides so that the finger ld can be deflected upwardly and downwardly.
An outwardly slanted portion lh is formed on an inner end le which is opposed to a distal end of the locking finger ld. The slanted portion lh extends to the outer face of the side wall lb. Preferably, an inclination angle 0 of the slanted portion lh with respect to a longitudinal line -~ - 19 --at one half of a thickness of an edge of the inner end le is in a range of 10 through 80 degrees.
Digits 1 to 10 indicating a pole number of the female terminal 2 are carved on the slanted portion lh.
When the female terminal 2 is incompletely inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber la in the connector housing 1, the projection lc on the locking finger ld rides on the outer face of the female terminal 2, so that the locking finger ld projects outwardly from the outer face of the side wall lb in the same manner as the prior art (see FIGURE 17). This indicates an incomplete coupling of the female terminal 2.
In the case that the female terminal 2 is completely inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber la in the connector housing 1, the projection lc engages with the aperture 2a in the female terminal 2 to lock the terminal 2.
Further, since the locking finger ld is inwardly provided below the outer face of the side wall lb of the connector housing 1 i.e., on the bottom of the recess lg, the locking finger ld hardly receives an external impact. Since the digits 1 to 10 indicating the pole number of the female terminal 2 are carved on the slanted portion lh, the digits can be seen more easily than the case of carving the digits on the flat face, thereby making it easy to confirm the accommodating position of the female terminal 2 and to effect an accommodating work of the terminal 2.
,'~
~r ~ 20 -In the case that the female terminal 2 is detached from the terminal accommodating chamber la in order to alter an accommodating position of the female terminal 2 after the female terminal 2 has been accommodated in the chamber la in the connector housing 1; a flat tool 5 is inserted at its end from the out side into a gap between the distal end of the locking finger ld and the inner end le (FIGURE 4).
Upon inserting the tool 5, the slanted portion lh widens the gap between the distal end of the locking finger ld and the inner end le and guides the tool 5, thereby making it easy to insert the tool 5 into the gap.
It will be apparent from the foregoing that in the first and second embodiments of the joint connector of the present invention since the locking finger is arranged inwardly below the outer face of the side wall and the slanted portion extends from an inward position aligned to the distal end of the locking finger to an outward position, a gap between the distal end of the locking finger and the end face of the side wall can be widened and the tool can be guided along the slanted portion to be easily inserted into the gap. Also, since the fulcrum for swinging the tool exists at an upper end of the slanted portion, a distance from the fulcrum and the acting point becomes long and excessive stress is not concentrated on the locking finger which would otherwise deform it.
In the case that the locking finger is arranged below the outer face of the side wall of the connector housing, the locking finger hardly receives an impact from >~
~ ~i.
~ - 2l -the exterior. Further, if marks such as digits indicating pole numbers of female terminals which are accommodated in terminal accommodating chambers are carved on the outer face of the side wall continued to the slanted portion, it is possible to confirm a position in which a certain female terminal should be inserted and to enhance an accommodating work.
Next, third and fourth embodiments of the joint connector of the present invention will be explained below by referring to FIGURES 5A to 6B.
The embodiments of the joint connector have an all pole shorting function which serves to connect a plurality of female terminals 2 to a single circuit (FIGURES 5A and 6A) and a divisional shorting function which serves to connect the female terminals to two branched circuits (FIGURES 5B
and 6B).
A connector housing made of a resin material is provided with terminal accommodating chambers 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d, 13e partitioned by side walls 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d. The terminal accommodating chambers 13a to 13e are provided with guide rail parts 15 which guide shorting plates 60, 60A and 60B described hereinafter. Each guide rail part 15 includes a pair of upper guide rails 15a and a pair of lower guide rails 15b. The terminal accommodating chambers 13a to 13e are partitioned into upper and lower divided chambers 16A
and 16B by the shorting plates 60, 60A and 60B guided by the guide rail parts 15 into the chambers 13a to 13e. The female terminals 2 are received in the divlded chambers 16A and 16B.
,~v;
~, The side walls 12a to 12d are provided between the upper and lower guide rails 15a and 15b with grooves 17 which extends from the front side F to the rear side R. In these embodiments, as shown in FIGURES 6A and 6B, an end 18 of the side wall 12C on the front side projects more than ends l9a, l9b, l9c of the side walls on the front side.
The side wall 12C serves to limit an inserting position of the shorting plate 60 in the case of the all pole shorting function of the third embodiment (FIGURE 6A). A projected distance c of the projected end 18 is set to be more than a width D of the coupling portion 25a of the shorting plate 60.
On the other hand, the ends l9a to l9c of the side walls 12a, 12b and 12d except the end 18 of the side wall 12c extend to the same distance on the front side F. In the fourth embodiment of the divisional shorting plates as shown in FIGURE 6B, the side walls l9a, l9b and l9c limit an inserting position of the shorting plates 60A and 60B.
The divided chambers 16A an 16B of the terminal accommodating chambers 13a to 13e are provided with guide grooves 21 for guiding the female terminals from the front side to the rear side.
The female terminal 2 is provided with a sheath clamping portion 22a for a sheath 9a of the electrical wire 9 and a conductor clamping portion 22b for conductors 9b of the electrical wire 9. The female terminal 2 is also provided with a tongue piece 22c made of an elastic material and adapted to contact with contacting portlons 25c, 25d, 25e, 25f, 25g of the shorting plates 60, 60A, 60B. Further, ,, the female terminal 2 is provided with a guide piece 22d, which is adapted to be inserted into the divided chambers 16A and 16B while being guided by the guide grooves 21.
The shorting plate 60 for the use of all pole shorting has the contacting portions 25c, 25d, 25e, 25f, 25g integrally connected to a side face 25b of the coupling portion 25a. Some of contacting portions 25c to 25g (25c, 25e, 25f, 25g in the third embodiment) are provided with pawls 26 adapted to be pushed into the side walls 12.
The shorting plate 60 for the use of all pole shorting is inserted into the groove 17 by the guide rail parts 15 to be pushed into the connector housing 1. The contacting portions 25c to 25g are received in the terminal accommodat-ing chambers 13a to 13e. Then, the shorting plate 60 is inserted into the connector housing 1 until the side face 25b of the coupling portion 25a abuts on the projected end 18. The projected end 18 limits the inserting position of the shorting plate 60.
After inserting the shorting plate 60 into the connector housing 1, the female terminals 2 are inserted into the divided chambers 16A and 16B, so that the tongue pieces 22c of the female terminals 2 contact with the contacting portions 25c to 25g of the shorting plate 60 to form a branched circuit.
The shorting plates 60A and 60B for the use of divisional shorting shown in FIGURES 5B and 6B have contacting portions 28c, 28d, 28e integrally connected to a slde face 28b of the coupling portions 25a in the same i F' -manner of the shorting plate 60 for the use of all pole shorting.
The shorting plates 60a and 60B for the use of divisional shorting are inserted into the connector housing 1 so that the contacting portions 28c to 28e are received in the terminal accommodating chambers 13a to 13e, in the same manner as the case of all pole shorting. Then, since the side wall 12c having the projected end 18 is disposed between the shorting plates 60A and 60B, the side faces 28b of the coupling portions 28a of the shorting plates 60A and 60B abut on the ends l9a, l9b, l9c of the side 12a, 12b, 12d, to limit the inserting position of the plates. Then, the female terminals 2 are inserted into the divided chambers 16A and 16B to form two branched circuits associated with the shorting plates 60A and 60B.
As shown in FIGURE 6B, since the end 18 is projected from the other ends by a distance C more than a width D of the coupling portion 25a, the projected end 18 is disposed between the coupling portions 25a of the shorting plates 60A
and 60B. Even if potentials between the branched circuits formed by the shorting plates 60A and 60B are different, no leak occurs on account of interposition of an insulation material and a short-circuit between the branched circuits can be prevented.
The present invention should not be limited to the above embodiments and may include various alternations.
-For example, although the side wall 12c having the end 18 and two shorting plates 60A and 60B form two branched circuits in the third and fourth embodiments, more than three branched circuits may be formed by increasing the shorting plates and projected ends.
It will be apparent from the foregoing that in the third and fourth embodiments of the joint connector of the present invention the connector housing can be used in all pole shorting and divisional shorting since the connector housing includes first side walls the distal ends of which abut on the coupling portions of the shorting plates for the divisional shorting use and a second side wall the distal end of which abuts on the coupling portion of the shorting plate for the all pole shorting use. Also, the connector housing can be used in both all pole shorting function and divisional shorting function. Since the side wall is disposed between the divisional shorting plates, insulation between the shorting plates is improved, so that leak is prevented.
In the case that the distal end of the second wall for positioning the shorting plate for the all pole shorting use extends by more than a width of the coupling portion of said shorting plate above the distal ends of the side walls for positioning the shorting plates for the divisional shorting use, it is possible to further enhance insulation between the shorting plates, thereby positively preventing leakage.
According to the ~oint connector of the present invention, since insulation is enhanced and leaking is prevented, it is possible to make the side wall of the connector housing thin, to make a pitch between the female terminals short and to make the connector housing compact and light.
Next, a fifth embodiment of the ~oint connector of the present invention will be described below by referring to FIGURES 7 to 9.
FIGURE 7 is an exploded perspective view of a fifth embodiment of a joint connector of the present invention.
FIGURE 8 is an exploded perspective view of the joint connector taken from an arrow VIII in FIGURE 7.
FIGURE 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of the joint connector FIGURE 7.
In the drawings, a connector housing 1 is provided on upper and lower stages with five terminal accommodating chambers 13. Although the terminal accommodating chambers 13 are arranged in parallel with each other, the center chambers 13 are directed in opposite directions from the other chambers. On opening 131 of the chamber 13 is used as an inserting port. Accordingly, there are eight openings 131 on a front side (FIGURE 7) and two openings 132 on a rear side (FIGURE 8~.
A ~oint chamber 115 adapted to receive the shorting plate 60 is provided between the upper and lower terminal accommodating chambers 13. Upper and lower walls of the ~oint chamber 115 are provided with apertures 112 which are communicated with the ~oint chamber 115. Upper and lower walls of the upper and lower terminal accommodating chambers 13 are provided with guide grooves 21 which receive guide projection 22d of the female terminal 2.
The shorting plate 60 is inserted into the ~oint chamber 115 formed between the upper and lower terminal accommodating chambers 13. The shorting plate 60 has a plurality of tab like contacting portions 25 adapted to be inserted into the apertures 112 and a coupling portion 25a which connects proximal ends of the contacting portions 25 together at a certain spaced pitch. Some contacting portions 25 are provided with pawls 26 for preventing of falling off.
The joint chamber 115 is provided with jointing walls in connection with the spaced pitch of the contacting portions 25. When the shorting plate 60 is inserted into the con-nector housing 1, the contacting portions 25 advance in the chamber 13 while contacting the pawl 26 with the jointing walls. When the shorting plate 60 reaches a limit position, the pawls 26 serve to constrain the plate 60 from falling off.
The female terminal 2 is provided at a front side with a contacting portion 22 which contacts with the contacting portion 25 of the shorting plate 60 and at a rear side with a barrel portion 22a which holds the electrical wire 9. The contacting portion 22 is provided on opposite sides with standing side walls 22e, 22e and at an end with a resilient tongue piece 22c which is formed by folding a center plate toward a space between the standing side walls 22e, 22e. One of the walls 22e is provided at its bottom with a pro~ection 22d extending downwardly. The contacting portion 22 is .
provided at rear side, namely at an opposite side of the tongue piece 22c with a lock aperture 2a.
An inner part of the terminal accommodating chamber 13 is formed to receive the contacting portion 25. The connector housing 1 is provided on an outer wall of the chamber 13 with a resilient locking finger ld having a projection lc which is adapted to be engaged with the aperture 2a of the female terminal 2.
Next, an operation of the embodiment constructed above will be explained below.
First, when the shorting plate 60 is inserted into the connector housing 1, the contacting portions 25 of the plate 60 are confronted to the apertures 112 in the chambers 13. In this embodiment, the contacting portions 25 of the shorting plate 60 are confronted to all apertures 112.
Now, eight electrical wires 9 and two electrical wires 9 are introduced from opposite directions and they are interconnected through the ~oint connector at their intermediate positions. The distal ends of the respective electrical wires 9, 9 are connected to the barrel portions 22a of the female terminals 2.
The eight electrical wires 9 are inserted into the eight openings 131 of the terminal accommodating chambers 13 on one side until the pro~ections lc of the locking fingers ld engage with the apertures 2a. The two electrical wires 9 are inserted into the two openings 131 of the chambers 13 on the other side until the pro~ections lc of the locking finger ld engage with the apertures 2a.
.
As shown in FIGURE 9, when the contacting portions 25 are inserted into the inner parts of the terminal accommodat-ing chamber 13, the pro~ections lc of the locking fingers ld engage with the lock aperture 2a of the female terminals 2 to hold them in the chambers 13. Accordingly, the eight electrical wires 9 are inserted and held in the chambers 13 directed to one side and the two electrical wires 9 are inserted and held in the chambers directed to the other side opposite to the one side. The electrical wires 9 are arranged in a straight line with respect to the connector housing 1.
On the other hand, since the tongue piece 22c of the contacting portion 25 passes through and projects from the aperture 112, the tongue piece 22c contacts with the contacting portion 25 of the shorting plate 60 which are confronted to the aperture 112.
As described above, since the contacting portions 25 of the shorting plate 60 are inserted into the connector housing 1 so that the portions 25 are confronted to all apertures 112, the contacting portions 22 of the female terminals 2 accommodated in the terminal accommodating chambers 13 are electrically interconnected through the contacting portions 25 and coupling portion 25a of the shorting plate 60.
Although the two center terminal accommodating chambers 13 are opened in the direction opposite to the other chambers 13 in the fifth embodiment, another arrangement may be carried out.
-2i 1 6744 .
Although it is not shown in the drawings, the terminal accommodating chambers 13 may be reversed in the upper and lower stages.
In such an arrangement, two sets of five electrical wires 9 extending in the opposite directions can be inserted into the respective openings.
As the joint chamber 115 is disposed between the upper and lower terminal accommodating chambers 13 and each chamber 13 is communicated with the joint chamber 115 through the aperture 112, the female terminals 2 accommodated in the chambers 13 are contacted through the aperture 112 with the shorting plate 60 to be electrically connected to each other.
Although a single shorting plate 60 interconnects the female terminals 2 accommodated in the chamber 13 in the fifth embodiment, a plurality of shorting plates separated at the coupling portion 25a described above may be used to define a plurality of groups of the electrical wires to be interconnected.
In the fifth embodiment of the joint connector of the present invention, the openings of the terminal accommodating chambers are formed in accordance with the directions of the electrical wires to be connected. Consequently, the wires can be arranged in a straight line and the connector housing does not interfere with laying of the electrical wires.
Next, a sixth embodiment of the ~oint connector of the present invention will be explained below by referring to FIGURES 10 to 14.
- 3l --FIGURE 10 is an exploded perspective view of a sixth embodiment of a joint connector of the present invention.
In FIGURE 10, a connector housing 1 is formed into a box like body having an opening 131 at one side. Partitions extending from the opening to an inner part define ten terminal accommodating chambers 13 with five chamber 13 being arranged in upper and lower stages. Two center upper and lower chambers 13a have larger openings 131 and a greater depth than those of the other chambers 13b.
A space adapted to receiver the shorting plate 60 is provided between the upper and lower terminal accommodating chambers 13. Upper and lower walls of the space are provided with apertures 112 which are communicated with the joint chamber 115. Upper and lower walls of the upper and lower terminal accommodating chambers 13 are provided with guide grooves 21 which receive guide projection 22d of the female terminal 2.
The shorting plate 60 is inserted into the space formed between the upper and lower terminal accommodating chambers 13. The shorting plate 60 has a plurality of tab like contacting portions 25 adapted to be inserted into the apertures 112 and a coupling portion 25a which connects proximal ends of the contacting portions 25 together at a certain spaced pitch. Some contacting portions 25 are provided with pawls 26 to prevent displacement. The space is provided with jointing walls in connection with the spaced pitch of the contacting portions 25. When the shorting plate 60 is inserted into the connector housing 1, the contacting ~ 32 -, portions 25 advance in the chamber 13 which contacting the pawl 26 with the ~ointing walls. When the shorting plate 60 reaches a limit position, the pawls 26 serve to prevent the plate 60 from falling off.
The female terminal 2 is provided at a front side with a contacting portion 22 which contacts with the contacting portion 25 of the shorting plate 60 and at a rear side with a barrel portion 22a which holds the electrical wire 9. A female terminal 2 shown in FIGURE 11 is used for an electrical wire 91 having a larger diameter while a female terminal 2 shown in FIGURE 12 is used for an electrical wire 92 having a smaller diameter. Both female terminals 2 have the same size and shape with respect to the contacting portions 22 but have different sizes of barrel portions 22a to correspond with the electrical wires having different diameters.
The contacting portion 22 is provided on opposite sides with standing side walls 22e, 22e and at an end with a resilient tongue piece 22c which is formed by folding a center plate toward a space between the standing side walls 22e, 22e. One of the walls 22e is provided at a bottom with a projection 22d extending downwardly. The contacting portion 22 is provided at a rear side, namely at an opposite side of the tongue piece 22c with a lock aperture 2a.
An inner part of the terminal accommodating chamber 13 is formed to receive the contacting portion 25. The connector housing 1 is provided on an outer wall of the chamber 13 with a resilient locking finger ld having a . ~, ~' pro~ection lc which is adapted to be engaged with the aperture 2a of the female terminal 2 (FIGURE 13).
The barrel portion includes an insulation barrel 22a for clamping a sheath of the electrical wire 9 and a conductor barrel 22b for clamping conductors of the electrical wire 9. The barrels 22a and 22b have different sizes in accordance with the larger and smaller diameter wires 91 and 92.
Next, an operation of the embodiment constructed above will be explained below.
First, when the shorting plate 60 is inserted into the connector housing 1, the contacting portions 25 of the plate 60 confront the apertures 112 in the chambers 13. In this embodiment, the contacting portions 25 of the shorting plate 60 confront all apertures 112.
On the other hand, an end of the electrical wire 91 is connected to a primary side while the other end of the wire 91 is clamped by the barrel 22a of the female terminal 2 for the larger diameter wire 91. An end of the electrical wire 92 is connected to a secondary side of an electrical device while the other end of the wire 92 is clamped by the barrel 22a of the female terminal for the smaller diameter wire 92.
The female terminal 2 connected to the electrical wire 91 is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 13a until the pro~ection lc of the locking finger ld engages with the lock aperture 2a. A plurality of female terminals 2 connected to a plurality of electrical wires 92 are inserted into the terminal accommodating chambers 13b until the pro~ections lc of the locking fingers ld engage with the lock apertures 2a. When the contacting portion 22 is inserted into the inner parts of the terminal accommodating chamber 13, as shown in FIGURE 13, the projection lc of the locking finger ld of the connector housing 1 engages with the lock aperture 2a of the female terminal 2 to hold the terminal 2 in the chamber 13. Then, the tongue piece 22c of the contacting portion 22 projects through the aperture 112, so that the tongue piece 22c contacts with the contacting portion 25 of the shorting plate 60 to thereby confront the aperture 112.
As described above, as the contacting portions 25 of the shorting plate 60 are inserted into the connector housing 1 so that the portions 25 confront all apertures 112, the contacting portions 22 of the female terminals 2 accommodated in the terminal accommodating chambers 13 are electrically interconnected through the contacting portions 25 and coupling portion 25a of the shorting plate 60.
That is, the larger diameter wire 91 is branched and connected through the shorting plate 60 to the smaller diameter wires 92 on the secondary side.
In the above embodiment, the female terminal 2 connected to the larger diameter wire 91 is inserted into the larger chamber 13a while the female terminal 2 connected to the smaller diameter wire 92 is inserted into the smaller chamber 13b. However, even if the latter is inserted into the larger chamber 13a, it can be held in the chamber 13a ;~
_ F
21 t 6744 since the size and shape of the inner parts in both chambers 13a and 13b are the same.
In other words, the larger terminal accommodating chamber 13a in the connector housing 1 can be utilized for the smaller diameter wire 92 as well as the larger diameter wire 91.
Although a single shorting plate 60 interconnects the female terminals 2 accommodated in the chamber 13 in the sixth embodiment, a plurality of shorting plates separated at the coupling portion 25a described above may be used to define a plurality of groups of the electrical wires to be interconnected.
Thus, there are a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 13 in the connector housing 1 and they can accom-modate and interconnect the larger and smaller diameterwires 91 and 92 at the same time. Also, since the respective female terminals 2 have common contacting portions 22, even smaller diameter wire can be held in the larger chamber 13a and thus the chamber 13a is not limited to the use of a larger diameter wire.
It will be apparent from the foregoing that the sixth embodiment of the ~oint connector can accommodate different diameter wires and can utilize any electrical wires suitable for a desired electrical capacity.
Further, since the smaller diameter wire can be lnserted to the larger terminal accommodating chamber, the same diameter wires can be inserted into the chamber.
.~ ~
.! P
Claims (7)
1. A joint connector comprising:
a connector housing having a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers which are formed by partitioning an interior thereof by means of side walls;
a female terminal accommodated in each of said chambers; and at least one shorting plate having a coupling portion and a plurality of contact portions juxtaposed together to said coupling portion and contacting with said female terminal to form at least one branched circuit;
said side wall of said terminal accommodating chamber in said connector housing being provided with a resilient locking finger having a lock projection adapted to be engaged with a lock aperture in said female terminal accommodated in said chamber;
said side wall of said connector housing is provided on an outer face with a slanted portion which inclines and extends outwardly from an end face opposite to a distal end of said locking finger to said outer face.
a connector housing having a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers which are formed by partitioning an interior thereof by means of side walls;
a female terminal accommodated in each of said chambers; and at least one shorting plate having a coupling portion and a plurality of contact portions juxtaposed together to said coupling portion and contacting with said female terminal to form at least one branched circuit;
said side wall of said terminal accommodating chamber in said connector housing being provided with a resilient locking finger having a lock projection adapted to be engaged with a lock aperture in said female terminal accommodated in said chamber;
said side wall of said connector housing is provided on an outer face with a slanted portion which inclines and extends outwardly from an end face opposite to a distal end of said locking finger to said outer face.
2. A joint connector according to Claim 1, wherein said locking finger is arranged inwardly below the outer face of said side wall, and wherein said slanted portion extends from an inward position aligned to the distal end of said locking finger to an outward position.
3. A joint connector according to Claim 1, wherein said locking finger is arranged on a plane aligned to the outer face of said side wall.
4. A joint connector according to Claim 1, wherein said connector is common to an all pole shorting use in which a single shorting plate connects a plurality of female terminals to a single branched circuit and to a divisional shorting use in which a plurality of shorting plates connect said terminals to more than two branched circuits, wherein said coupling portion of said shorting plate or plates abut on distal ends of said side walls of said connector housing to limit an inserting position of said plate, and wherein said connector housing includes first side walls the distal ends of which abut on said coupling portions of the shorting plates for said divisional shorting use and a second side wall the distal end of which abuts on said coupling portion of the shorting plate for said all pole shorting use.
5. A joint connector according to Claim 4, wherein the distal end of said second side wall for positioning said shorting plate for said all pole shorting use extends by more than a width of said coupling portion of said shorting plate above the distal ends of the side walls for positioning said shorting plates for said divisional shorting use.
6. A joint connector according to Claim 1, wherein said terminal accommodating chambers are formed into different sizes corresponding to the different diameters of electrical wires to be connected to said terminals.
7. A joint connector according to Claim 6, wherein said female terminal is provided with a common contacting portion which contacts with said shorting plate and a barrel portion which has different sizes corresponding to the different diameters of said electrical wire, and wherein said terminal accommodating chamber is formed so that its interior holds said common contacting portion.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002139810A CA2139810C (en) | 1993-03-03 | 1994-03-01 | Joint connector |
Applications Claiming Priority (8)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP8505/1993 | 1993-03-03 | ||
| JP1993008505U JP2567854Y2 (en) | 1993-03-03 | 1993-03-03 | Joint connector |
| JP1993009892U JP2567855Y2 (en) | 1993-03-09 | 1993-03-09 | Joint connector |
| JP9892/1993 | 1993-03-09 | ||
| JP146850/1993 | 1993-05-25 | ||
| JP5146850A JP3049994B2 (en) | 1993-05-25 | 1993-05-25 | Joint connector |
| JP5160144A JP3067471B2 (en) | 1993-06-03 | 1993-06-03 | Joint connector |
| JP160144/1993 | 1993-06-03 |
Related Child Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002139810A Division CA2139810C (en) | 1993-03-03 | 1994-03-01 | Joint connector |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2116744A1 CA2116744A1 (en) | 1994-09-04 |
| CA2116744C true CA2116744C (en) | 1997-03-11 |
Family
ID=27454958
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002116744A Expired - Lifetime CA2116744C (en) | 1993-03-03 | 1994-03-01 | Joint connector |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (2) | US5403204A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2116744C (en) |
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| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JP2903918B2 (en) * | 1992-12-09 | 1999-06-14 | 住友電装株式会社 | Joint connector |
| US5556301A (en) * | 1993-11-25 | 1996-09-17 | Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd. | Method and apparatus for connecting a plurality of terminals within a single housing |
| DE4400484C3 (en) * | 1994-01-11 | 2002-05-29 | Pilz Gmbh & Co | Low voltage switchgear |
| US5558530A (en) * | 1994-07-05 | 1996-09-24 | General Motors Corporation | Electrical connector assembly having a terminal locking bussing plate |
| JP3269920B2 (en) * | 1994-07-28 | 2002-04-02 | 三菱電機株式会社 | connector |
| CA2142131A1 (en) * | 1995-02-09 | 1996-08-10 | Benoit Chevarie | Assembly of multi-terminal telecommunications connectors and terminals |
| JP2910623B2 (en) * | 1995-06-06 | 1999-06-23 | 住友電装株式会社 | Joint connector, terminal fitting and connector housing |
| JP2850799B2 (en) * | 1995-06-16 | 1999-01-27 | 住友電装株式会社 | Terminal fitting and joint connector using the same |
| US5540602A (en) * | 1995-06-30 | 1996-07-30 | The Whitaker Company | Terminal junction block having commoned bus members |
| US6068504A (en) * | 1998-09-08 | 2000-05-30 | Molex Incorporated | Selective termination connector assembly |
| EP1030411A1 (en) | 1999-02-16 | 2000-08-23 | Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd. | A joint connector |
| SE9903368L (en) * | 1999-09-20 | 2001-03-21 | Xtrem Int Ab | Connection device for a connection unit |
| WO2002015354A1 (en) * | 2000-08-18 | 2002-02-21 | Technigroup Far East Pte Ltd. | Housing for electrical and data wire management |
| JP2002184502A (en) | 2000-12-18 | 2002-06-28 | Jst Mfg Co Ltd | Electric connector |
| JP4214501B2 (en) * | 2000-12-18 | 2009-01-28 | 日本圧着端子製造株式会社 | Electrical connector |
| JP2006253017A (en) * | 2005-03-11 | 2006-09-21 | Sumitomo Wiring Syst Ltd | Joint connector |
| JP2010040508A (en) * | 2008-07-08 | 2010-02-18 | Sumitomo Wiring Syst Ltd | Connector and wire harness |
| JP2013168302A (en) * | 2012-02-16 | 2013-08-29 | Yazaki Corp | Joint terminal and joint connector |
| JP6141612B2 (en) * | 2012-09-21 | 2017-06-07 | 矢崎総業株式会社 | connector |
| DE102014202316B4 (en) * | 2014-02-07 | 2021-04-01 | Te Connectivity Germany Gmbh | Contact carrier with a base body and at least one contact element, tool for injection molding a contact carrier and method for producing a contact carrier |
| JP6254893B2 (en) * | 2014-04-17 | 2017-12-27 | 矢崎総業株式会社 | connector |
| JP5896009B1 (en) * | 2014-12-12 | 2016-03-30 | 第一精工株式会社 | Connector terminal |
| JP6323401B2 (en) * | 2015-06-26 | 2018-05-16 | 株式会社オートネットワーク技術研究所 | Joint connector |
| KR101755856B1 (en) * | 2015-10-06 | 2017-07-19 | 현대자동차주식회사 | Multi earth Connector For Vehicle |
| CN105428860B (en) * | 2015-12-22 | 2019-02-12 | 欧品电子(昆山)有限公司 | High-speed socket connector |
| JP6626870B2 (en) * | 2017-10-05 | 2019-12-25 | 矢崎総業株式会社 | connector |
| JP6653302B2 (en) * | 2017-10-05 | 2020-02-26 | 矢崎総業株式会社 | connector |
| TWI666833B (en) * | 2018-12-26 | 2019-07-21 | 唐虞企業股份有限公司 | Connector assembly and jumper connector |
| JP7054457B2 (en) * | 2019-01-31 | 2022-04-14 | 住友電装株式会社 | Joint connector and bus bar |
| KR20210033200A (en) * | 2019-09-18 | 2021-03-26 | 현대자동차주식회사 | Connector and manufacturing method thereof |
| DE102020204456A1 (en) * | 2020-04-07 | 2021-10-07 | Te Connectivity Germany Gmbh | Connection arrangement |
| US11322867B1 (en) * | 2020-12-07 | 2022-05-03 | Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc. | Systems and methods for a cable connector |
| US11862889B2 (en) | 2021-02-09 | 2024-01-02 | Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc. | Systems and methods for a cable connector |
| US11545801B2 (en) | 2021-02-15 | 2023-01-03 | Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc. | Systems and methods for flat cable installation |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3373398A (en) * | 1965-09-23 | 1968-03-12 | Amp Inc | Terminal block |
| US3456231A (en) * | 1967-05-23 | 1969-07-15 | Amp Inc | Interconnection wiring system |
| JPS61277180A (en) * | 1985-05-31 | 1986-12-08 | 住友電装株式会社 | Joint connector |
| JPS6455591A (en) * | 1987-08-26 | 1989-03-02 | Yamaha Corp | Membrane resonance musical instrument |
| CA1290832C (en) * | 1988-02-01 | 1991-10-15 | Mitsuhiro Fujitani | Electrical connector with openable cover |
| JPH028390A (en) * | 1988-06-24 | 1990-01-11 | Kamioka Kogyo Kk | Lead dioxide electrode and production thereof |
| FR2644302A1 (en) * | 1989-03-13 | 1990-09-14 | Amp France | ELECTRIC INTERCONNECTION ASSEMBLY |
| JPH065629B2 (en) * | 1989-08-31 | 1994-01-19 | 日本碍子株式会社 | Firing method of beta-alumina tube for sodium-sulfur battery |
| JP2830529B2 (en) * | 1991-08-13 | 1998-12-02 | 住友電装株式会社 | Flexible flat conductor cable connector |
-
1994
- 1994-02-28 US US08/203,332 patent/US5403204A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1994-03-01 CA CA002116744A patent/CA2116744C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
1995
- 1995-02-01 US US08/381,772 patent/US5456617A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CA2116744A1 (en) | 1994-09-04 |
| US5403204A (en) | 1995-04-04 |
| US5456617A (en) | 1995-10-10 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKEX | Expiry |
Effective date: 20140303 |