Electrical connectors – With insulation other than conductor sheath – Plural-contact coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-30
2002-04-23
Patel, Tulsidas (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With insulation other than conductor sheath
Plural-contact coupling part
C439S884000, C029S844000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06375518
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a connecting method of connectors and more specifically to a connecting method of stacked connectors.
As this type of connecting method of connectors, there is a method in which a plurality of insulation displacing joint terminals are accommodated in a connector housing, the connector housings are stacked vertically, and the upper and lower connector housings are connected to each other through connections between the predetermined terminals.
First, a group body of a multiple insulation displacing joint terminals is prepared, the group body including the multiple insulation displacing joint terminals with their longitudinal one side ends being integrally formed with the other side edge of a carrier at predetermined intervals. In the terminal, side plates on opposite sides in a transverse direction are bent to face each other and a tab for connection bent to be folded back diagonally upward from a lower part of longitudinal the other side end of the terminal is provided. A part to be connected is formed under the tab. A tab of another terminal disposed under the terminal can be inserted into and connected to the part.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
However, according to the above relevant-art connecting method of the connectors, if the terminal group body is shipped in a state in which the terminal group body is wound around the reel, for example, and if the tabs are in vertically raised states, the tabs may be deformed due to arranging in a step of mounting wire harnesses or in a transferring step. Therefore, it is necessary to make sure again that the tabs are in raised states and to correct the raised states of the tabs in stacking the connectors.
In the above method, since the tabs that are once raised in a press step are laid down if necessary in the step of mounting the wire harnesses, the number of manufacturing processes increases. Moreover, since a part of the tab bent in the raising step is bent again in the laying down step, a crack or the like may generate in the bent part and strength reduces.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a connecting method of connectors by which the number of manufacturing processes can be reduced and strength of the tabs can be increased.
To achieve the object, an aspect of the invention provides a connecting method of connectors comprising the following steps. A first connector is accommodated in a connector housing, with a first connection member lying down relative to the first terminal. The first connection member is raised relative to the first terminal. The first connector and a second connector are stacked to be connected each other.
Preferably, the first connection member lying down is at substantially a right angle to a stacking direction of the first connector and the second connector.
Preferably, the first terminal includes side plates extending from a bottom plate and opposing each other, and the first connection member extends upward from the bottom plate and is bent at a first position in parallel with the bottom plate.
Preferably, the first connection member to be raised is bent at a second position different from the first position.
Preferably, the second connector accommodating a second terminal including a part to be connected for connecting with the first connection member and the second connection member each other and the first connector are stacked each other, and the first connection member raised from the first connector is inserted in the second connector to connect with the part to be connected with of the second terminal.
According to the invention, since the first connection member are not raised, the first connection member is less likely to be deformed in transferring the first terminal. Since the first connection member is raised with the first terminal being accommodated in the connector housing, the interval between the raising of the first connection member and the stacking and connecting of the connectors can be shortened, thereby reducing the possibility of deformation of the first connection member and ensuring the connection. Since it is unnecessary to raise the first connection member in advance, the number of manufacturing processes required to connect the connectors can be reduced.
Since the first connection member are lying in a direction substantially normal to a stacking direction of the connectors before raising the first connection member, winding and arranging of the terminals are facilitated when multiple terminals are formed continuously, for example.
Since the first connection member can be bent to be accommodated between the side plates, the first connection member is protected by the side plates and deformation of the first connection member can be suppressed.
Since the first connection member is bent for the first time in the second position in which the first connection member is raised, a possibility of generation of damage such as a crack in the bent base part of the first connection member can be reduced and strength of the first connection member can be increased.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 5707260 (1998-01-01), Yanase
patent: 5749752 (1998-05-01), Kashiyama et al.
patent: 6017224 (2000-01-01), Yanagida
patent: 6161283 (2000-12-01), Tokuwa
U.S. application No. 09/438,769, filed Nov. 12, 1999.
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Yazaki -Corporation
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