Electrical connectors – Interrelated connectors relatively movable during use – Movement about axis
Reexamination Certificate
2002-05-01
2003-11-11
Ta, Tho D. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Interrelated connectors relatively movable during use
Movement about axis
C439S164000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06644978
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotary connector which is mounted on a steering device of an automobile or the like and is used as electric connection means between electric apparatuses such as a steering heater and an air bag system mounted on a car body of an automobile.
2. Description of the Related Art
To explain a drawing which shows a conventional rotary connector,
FIG. 6
is a plan view showing the conventional rotary connector.
The rotary connector
60
is incorporated in a steering apparatus of an automobile or the like (not shown in the drawing) and is employed as electrical connection means for a steering heater circuit mounted in a steering wheel, an airbag circuit, a horn circuit and other switching circuits. The rotary connector
60
is basically comprised of a pair of a stationary housing
61
and a movable housing
62
, both being disposed coaxially and connected together so as to be rotatable relative to each other, a flexible cable (not shown in the drawing) housed in an annular cable accommodating portion (not shown in the drawing) formed between a pair of these stationary and movable housings
61
,
62
such that a flexible cable can be wound and unwound in the space, and a first and a second single lead blocks
63
,
64
which are respectively connected to both ends of the flexible cable.
The flexible cable (not shown in the drawing) is constructed such that a plurality of (for example, six) of conductors made of an extremely thin strip-like copper foil or the like, each conductor being interposed between two sheets of insulating films as a strip-like base film, are disposed in parallel with each other and stuck to the insulating films.
The rotary connector
60
having such a basic construction is further fabricated as follows: fix the stationary housing
61
to a car body (not shown in the drawing) while fixing the movable housing
62
to a steering wheel member (not shown in the drawing); and further connect both ends of the flexible cable to associated electric devices on the sides of the car body and the steering wheel member via respective first and second lead blocks
63
,
64
arranged at the stationary side and the movable side; thus realizing electrical connection means for a heater circuit device for steering apparatus, a vehicle-mounting airbag system and a horn circuit.
The stationary housing
61
made of synthetic resin material includes a cylindrical outer cylinder
65
, a bottom wall
66
which is formed on an end of the outer cylinder
65
, and one first accommodating portion
67
which is projected outwardly from a position in the vicinity of an outer peripheral end of the bottom wall
66
.
On the other hand, the movable housing
62
made of synthetic resin material includes a cylindrical inner cylinder
68
, an upper wall
69
which is formed on an end of the inner cylinder
68
, and one second accommodating portion
70
which is projected outwardly from a position in the vicinity of an outer peripheral end of the upper wall
69
.
The first lead block
63
includes a holding member
63
a
made of synthetic resin material and a plurality (for example, six) of terminals
63
b
made of metal material which are formed in the holding member
63
a
by insert molding. These terminals
63
b
are provided with connection terminal portions
63
c
which are projected outwardly from the holding member
63
a.
These connection terminals
63
c
are extended outwardly in a straight manner from proximal portions thereof which are connected to the holding members
63
a.
Further, these connection terminals
63
c
are arranged in parallel on a straight line S
2
equidistantly in a row.
The first lead block
63
is held in the first accommodating portion
67
of the stationary housing
61
and one end of one (1 piece) flexible cable (not shown in the drawing) is electrically and mechanically connected to each terminal
63
b.
The second lead block
64
includes a holding member
64
a
made of synthetic resin material and a plurality (for example, six) of terminals
64
b
made of metal material which are formed in the holding member
64
a
by insert molding. These terminals
64
b
are provided with connection terminal portions
64
c
which are projected outwardly from the holding member
64
a.
These connection terminal portions
64
c
are extended outwardly in a straight manner from proximal portions thereof which are connected to the holding members
64
a.
Further, these connection terminals
64
c
are arranged in parallel on a straight line S
3
equidistantly in a row.
The second lead block
64
is held in the second accommodating portion
70
of the movable housing
62
and the other end of one (1 piece) flexible cable (not shown in the drawing) which is connected to the terminal
63
b
is electrically and mechanically connected to each terminal
64
b.
Then, with respect to respective terminals
63
b,
64
b
of the above mentioned first and second lead blocks
63
,
64
, two connectors consisting of, for example, a first connector for a steering heater circuit (not shown in the drawing) and a second connector for an air bag circuit and a horn circuit (not shown in the drawing) are respectively inserted into the first and the second accommodating portion
67
,
70
thus establishing the electrical connections.
However, in the above mentioned conventional rotary connector, each connection terminal portion is configured such that two connectors are respectively inserted into one lead block which is extended along one straight line in a straight manner and hence, there arises a problem that these two connectors are erroneously inserted in such a manner that the left position is mistaken for the right position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to solve the above mentioned problems and to provide a rotary connector which can securely connect respective connectors to given connecting terminal portions when two connectors are respectively inserted into one lead block.
According to the rotary connector of first aspect of the present invention, the rotary connector substantially comprises a stationary housing on which a first lead block is mounted, a movable housing on which a second lead block is mounted and is rotatably mounted with respect to the stationary housing, and a flexible cable which is accommodated inside an accommodating portion formed between the stationary housing and the movable housing, wherein at least one of the first and second lead blocks includes a holding member and a plurality of terminals having connection terminal portions which are projected outwardly from the holding member, respective terminal portions of the flexible cable are connected to a plurality of terminals, a plurality of terminals are formed of at least two, that is, first and second groups of terminals, and, at different positions on first and second straight lines which are placed in parallel with each other with a given distance between them, distal ends of respective connection terminal portions of the first and second groups of terminals are arranged in parallel to each other.
Due to such a constitution, when two connectors are respectively inserted into one lead block, respective connectors can be securely connected to given connection terminal portions.
According to the rotary connector of a second aspect of the present invention, respective proximal portions of respective connection terminal portions connected with the holding member are arranged in parallel on the straight lines, the bends are formed on respective connection terminal portions of the first group of terminals and respective connection terminal portions of the second group of terminals are formed in a straight manner.
Due to such a constitution, by providing the bends to respective connection terminal portions of the first group of terminals, the positions of the first and second groups of terminals can be easily made different from each other so that the rotary connector can be provided at a low
Alps Electric Co. ,Ltd.
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
Ta Tho D.
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