Metal working – Method of mechanical manufacture – Electrical device making
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-29
2001-03-06
Arbes, Carl J. (Department: 3729)
Metal working
Method of mechanical manufacture
Electrical device making
C029S857000, C029S860000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06195885
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connector wire connecting structure in which a connector terminal is connected to wires by means of ultrasonic vibration and a production method thereof.
2. Description of Relevant Art
This kind of the wire connector structure and a production method thereof have been disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No.7-70345.
This disclosed art, as shown in
FIGS. 1A
,
1
B and
2
, comprises a first member
100
in which small concave portions
100
b
are formed on a bottom of a groove portion
100
a
and a second member
200
in which small convex portions
200
b
are formed on a top face of the convex portion
200
a
which engages the groove portion
100
a
. In the groove portion
100
a
, a terminal
300
is placed and a covered wire
400
is stacked on this terminal
300
. Then, the small concave portions
100
b
and small convex portions
200
b
are aligned with each other and then the second member
200
is fit to the first member
100
. With this condition, with both the first member
100
and second member
200
pressed together, ultrasonic vibration is applied thereto. Consequently, the cover portion of the covered wire
400
placed between the small concave portions
100
b
and small convex portions
200
b
is fused so that the core and terminal
300
are conductively contacted with each other. At the same time, both the first member
100
and second member
200
are integrally fused so as to obtain a connector
500
.
However, in this conventional wire connection structure, both the first member
100
and second member
200
are required, and therefore a number of components increases. Further, upon engagement between the first member
100
and second member
200
, the small concave portions
100
b
and small convex portions
200
b
must be aligned with each other accurately, and therefore efficiency of the connecting operation drops, thereby finally resulting in drop of total production efficiency.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a connector wire connecting structure requiring only a small number of components and not necessitating engagement work between those components, thereby improving total production efficiency, and a production method thereof.
To achieve the object, a first aspect of the invention provides a wire connecting structure of a connector, comprising: a connector housing; a terminal holding portion protruding from an end of the connector housing; terminal incorporating holes which are provided in the terminal holding portion and communicate with the connector housing; terminals disposed within the terminal incorporating holes; covered wires placed on the terminals; and upper hole wall portions which are provided in the terminal holding portion to define upper portions of the terminal incorporating holes and when pressed, subside into the terminal incorporating holes so as to contact said covered wires, core elements of the covered wire and the terminal being subjected to ultrasonic vibration through the upper hole wall portion which is pressed so as to contact the covered wire, so that the core elements and said terminal are conductively contacted with each other, the upper hole wall portion being settled by fusion in each of the terminal incorporating holes by the ultrasonic vibration.
According to the first aspect, by inserting a covered wire into a terminal incorporating hole, positioning between the covered wire and a terminal is achieved. Further, because an interposition part upon ultrasonic vibration is a sunk upper hole all portion in the terminal incorporating hole, positioning of the interposition part is not necessary. Further, such interposition parts as a cover or the like are not required, hereby achieving reduction of the number of components.
Accordingly, total production efficiency can be improved.
The cover portion of the covered wire is melted and removed by ultrasonic vibration so that core elements thereof are conductively contacted with the terminal. This conductive contacting state is secured by settling of the sunk upper hole wall portion in the terminal incorporating hole.
To achieve the object, a second aspect of the invention provides a wire connecting structure of a connector according to the first aspect wherein the upper hole wall portion has protrusions protruding above an external face of the terminal holding portion and each of the protrusions subsides into each of the terminal incorporating holes.
According to the second aspect, ultrasonic vibration is applied to the covered wire through the upper hole wall portion which subsides at each protrusion. Consequently, the cover portion thereof is melted and removed so that the core elements are conductively contacted with the terminal. The sunk upper hole wall portion is settled by fusion in each of the terminal incorporating holes while the protrusion clogs an opening of the sinking portion.
Accordingly, as described above, the sunk upper hole wall portion is used as an interposition part for ultrasonic vibration. Thus, reduction of the number of components can be achieved.
To achieve the object, a third aspect of the invention provides a wire connecting structure of a connector according to the first or second aspect, further comprising: cutting trigger means provided between the upper hole wall portion and the terminal holding portion, which triggers breakage, the upper hole wall portion being sunk when the cutting trigger means is broken, and settled by fusion in each of the terminal incorporating holes.
According to the third aspect, the upper hole wall portion is broken easily by the cutting trigger means so that it is sunk into each of the terminal incorporating holes. Because of provision of the cutting trigger means, only the upper hole wall portion can be sunk without damaging the other portion of the external surface of the terminal holding portion.
Accordingly, the upper hole wall portion is broken easily by the cutting trigger means so that it is sunk into each of the terminal incorporating holes, thereby improving the work efficiency.
To achieve the object, a fourth aspect of the invention provides a wire connecting structure of a connector according to the first aspect wherein the upper hole wall portion is a block body which is connected to the terminal holding portion through thin portions for clogging an upper opening of each of the terminal incorporating holes.
According to the fourth aspect, ultrasonic vibration is applied to the covered wire through the block body. Consequently, the cover portion thereof is melted and removed so that the core elements are conductively contacted with the terminal. The sunk block body substantially clogs the opening of that sunk portion and is settled by fusion in each of the terminal incorporating holes. Because the sinking of this block body is carried out by breaking of the thin portion, the other portion of the external face of terminal holding portion is not damaged.
Accordingly, the block body forming the external face of the terminal holding portion is utilized as an interposition part for ultrasonic vibration. Thus, reduction of the number of components can be achieved.
To achieve the object, a fifth aspect of the invention provides a wire connecting structure of a connector according to the fourth aspect, wherein the terminal holding portion has small protrusions protruding above the external face of the upper opening edge of each of the terminal incorporating holes, the small protrusion clogging a gap between the block body which is melted by the ultrasonic vibration and sunk, and the upper opening edge.
According to the fifth aspect, the small protrusions are melted at the same time when the block body is settled by fusion in each of the terminal incorporating holes, so that a gap between the block body and upper opening edge of the terminal incorporating hole is clogged.
Accordingly, slippage of the block body from the terminal incorporating hole is effectively prevented so
Ito Naoki
Shinchi Akira
Arbes Carl J.
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Yazaki -Corporation
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