Electrical connectors – Self aligning contact – Contact mounted in floating nonconductive holder
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-15
2003-12-09
Bradley, P. Austin (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Self aligning contact
Contact mounted in floating nonconductive holder
C439S247000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06659787
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an attachment portion structure of a connector, in which a connector block having a plurality of terminals arranged therein is supported by a holder fixed to a stationary member in such a way as to be able to cause relative displacement with respect to the stationary member.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, there has been developed an apparatus in which a plurality of electronic devices to be installed on an instrumental panel of a vehicle as standard are modulated as an electronic module unit.
For example, an electronic module unit
100
shown in
FIG. 3
has a structure adapted so that this module unit is fitted to a central recess portion of an instrumental panel from the front thereof. A panel side integrated connector
70
is provided on an attachment plate
81
placed in the front of an instrumental panel side, while a module side connector
101
to be connected to a panel side integrated connector
70
is fixed onto a lower part of an attachment surface
100
b
at the side of the rear surface of the electronic module unit
100
.
When this electronic module unit
100
is attached by being fitted into a central recess portion of the instrumental panel from the front thereof, the module side connector
101
is connected to a panel side integrated connector
70
, so that each of electronic devices is electrically connected to an instrumental panel side circuit.
This connector
70
has an oblong connector block
71
, in which a plurality of terminals are arranged, as illustrated in
FIG. 3. A
group
73
of wires respectively connected to the terminals
70
is rearwardly led out of this connector block
71
. Further, this connector
70
has a housing portion
72
a
for accommodating the connector block
71
. This housing portion
72
a
is supported by a holder
72
fixed to an attachment plate
81
in such a way as to be able to cause relative displacement with respect to the stationary attachment plate
81
.
Incidentally, as shown in, for example,
FIG. 4
, a wire harness
73
a,
which includes wires for a power supply system, for a signal system, for a camera image, and for controlling a heater, and antenna wires
73
b
for a television set, for a radio set, and for GPS, and a wire harness
73
c
for retrofitted optional equipment are collectively connected to the panel side integrated connector
70
.
In case of the conventional connection structure of a connector, all the wires
73
to be connected to the connector
70
are bundled and led out in a single direction. Thus, a force biased in a direction, in which the wires are led out, is acted on the connector block
71
, so that the connector block
71
is put into a tilted state. Consequently, the connector block
71
cannot be held in normal connection standby position and attitude. This may impede the connection between both the connectors
70
and
101
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention has been made to solve the problems with the related art, and therefore n object of the invention is to provide an attachment portion structure of a connector, which is enabled to hold a connector block in normal connection position and attitude, thereby to smoothly and reliably perform the connection between connectors.
According to the invention, there is provided an attachment portion structure of a connector having a connector block, in which a plurality of terminals are arranged in a predetermined direction, supported by a holder fixed to a stationary member in such a way as to be able to cause relative displacement with respect to the stationary member. A group of wires connected to the connector is nearly equally divided into divided groups, which are respectively led out to opposite directions, at a rear portion of the connector block, and that each of the divided groups of wires is fixed to the stationary member.
With the aforementioned configuration, a group of wires connected to the connector is nearly equally divided into divided groups, which are respectively led out to opposite directions, at a rear portion of the connector block, and that each of the divided groups of wires is fixed to the stationary member. Forces caused by drawing the groups of wires therearound are uniformly exerted in the opposite directions on the connector block supported on the holder, and thus cancel out. Thus, the connector block is held in the normal connection position and attitude without tilting the connector block. Consequently, the connection of the connectors can be smoothly reliably connected to each other.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5184960 (1993-02-01), Hopkins et al.
patent: 5651683 (1997-07-01), Shimamura et al.
patent: 5857863 (1999-01-01), Onizuka et al.
patent: 5902149 (1999-05-01), Tashiro et al.
patent: 5941731 (1999-08-01), Kodama
patent: 6093040 (2000-07-01), Kodama et al.
patent: 6165009 (2000-12-01), Anbo et al.
patent: 0 863 576 (1998-09-01), None
Autonetworks Technologies Ltd.
Bradley P. Austin
Nguyen Phuongchi
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
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