Electrical connectors – With or comprising removable circuit modifying arrangement
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-07
2001-10-30
Sircus, Brian (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With or comprising removable circuit modifying arrangement
C430S507000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06309234
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a joint connector, in particular for use in an automotive wire harness.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, when an automotive wire harness is manufactured, first a wire harness subassembly is produced from a relatively small number of electric wires on a subassembly board, and then a complete wire harness is produced by combining a plurality of the wire harness subassemblies on a final assembly board.
FIGS. 5 and 6
depict a conventional joint connector
3
used to make electrical connection between electric wires W that extend from wire harness subassemblies A, B, C. The joint connector
3
has a joint bus bar
2
with a plurality of terminal portions
2
a.
The bus bar
2
is accommodated in a receptacle
1
, into which a male connector
5
is to be inserted. The male connector
5
has a plurality of terminal insertion chambers
5
a
for accommodating terminal fittings
4
. Each terminal fitting
4
is crimped to one end of the wire W, and fixedly inserted within the terminal insertion chamber
5
a.
When the male connector
5
is moved into engagement with the joint connector
3
, the terminal fittings
4
contact the terminal portions
2
a
respectively to make electrical connection between the wires W.
The wires W have a wire W-
1
that extends independently of the wire harness subassemblies A, B, C. The wire W-
1
has one end connected to the connector
5
and the other end connected to a grounding terminal
6
, thereby grounding the remaining wires W extending from the subassemblies A, B, C. Although the joint connector
3
of the above construction is used for the grounding connection, it would also be useful in other applications, e.g. where electrical connection is made merely between electrical circuits.
Wires W-
2
that extend from the sub-assembly A are connected to both the male connector
5
and the joint connector
3
during subassembly. However, wires W-
3
, W-
4
that extend from the sub-assemblies B, C are connected to the connector
5
subsequently on the final assembly board (not shown). The terminal fittings
4
as indicated by black circles in
FIG. 6
are the ones which are subsequently connected to the connector
5
during final assembly.
The prior art joint connector as described above has the following problems.
First, the number of terminal fittings has to be assembled separately and subsequently on the final assembly board, thereby making the overall assembly process cumbersome.
Second, until the terminal fittings are assembled subsequently in the final assembly, they are exposed, hanging from the ends of the wires, which may result in damage to the fittings, or deformation thereof.
Third, each wire is terminated at one end by the terminal fitting, forming an electrical circuit, and has to be connected to the joint connector separately, thereby increasing the number of wires to be connected.
Fourth, terminating the wires with the terminal fittings; connecting them to the male connector; and connecting it to the joint connector is a very tedious and time-consuming operation, and increases the size of the joint connector as a whole.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been developed after taking the above problems and/or other associated problems into consideration, and aims, among other things, to eliminate the terminal fittings which have to be assembled separately and subsequently in the final harness assembly, and to reduce the number of wires to be connected to the joint connector.
To solve the above problems and/or other associated problems, the present invention provides a joint connector provided with a plurality of divisional joint connectors and a joint terminal. Each divisional joint connector includes a case having at least one opening and a pressure contact terminal accommodated in the case. The pressure contact terminal has a wire connection portion and a terminal contact portion.
The wire connection portion has at least one pressure contact blade configured to make pressure contact with a wire extending from a wire harness subassembly. The joint terminal has a joint portion that extends into the at least one opening of each case. The joint portion is connected to a respective one of the terminal contact portions to make electrical connection between a plurality of the pressure contact terminals.
In accordance with this construction of the present invention, the wires can be brought into pressure contact with the pressure contact terminal within the divisional joint connector during subassembly. Hence, the conventional step of assembling the terminal fittings subsequently in the final assembly of a complete wire harness can be eliminated. Since the subsequently assembled terminal fittings can be eliminated, damage thereto or deformation thereof is prevented, thereby increasing the reliability of electric contact.
Furthermore, an intermediate portion of each wire can be connected to the divisional joint connector rather than to an end thereof, as is the case with the prior joint connector. Therefore, two circuits can be formed, one circuit at each side of the intermediate portion of the wire. The two circuits may then be connected to the joint connector. As a result, to connect two circuits, only one wire is required to be connected to the divisional joint connector, thereby reducing by half the number of wires to be connected to the divisional joint connector. This is a significant improvement, compared to the conventional case where two wires are connected to the joint connector to provide a common electrical connection for two circuits.
In another aspect of the present invention, the pressure contact terminal is generally L-shaped. One leg of the L-shape forms the wire connection portion, and extends upwardly from the other leg of the L-shape which forms the terminal contact portion. Additionally, the joint portion contacts a lower surface of a respective one of the terminal contact portions.
In a further aspect of the present invention, the case includes seating portions that are formed in spaced-apart relation. The pressure contact terminal is securely fixed on those portions in such a manner as to leave a space thereunder. The space at least partially aligns with the at least one opening so that the joint portion can extend into the space to contact the lower surface of a respective one of the terminal contact portions.
In a further aspect of the present invention, the case further includes a locking projection formed in the space. The locking projection urges the joint portion upwardly, so that the joint portion can be tightly engaged between the lower surface of a respective one of the terminal contact portions and the locking projection of a respective one of the cases. Preferably, a plurality of spaced-apart bent portions are formed on the joint portion to contact the lower surface of a respective one of the terminal contact portions.
In another aspect of the present invention, the joint terminal is a one-piece member formed from an elongated, planar metal sheet.
In a further aspect of the present invention, the joint terminal further includes a grounding terminal portion at one end of the joint portion, the grounding terminal portion projecting externally of one of the divisional joint connectors for grounding connection.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, the divisional joint connectors are juxtaposed so that the openings are aligned in registry with one another. The joint terminal extends into the openings to contact the pressure contact terminals that are accommodated respectively within the cases of the divisional joint connectors.
Moreover, the present invention provides a wire harness provided with a plurality of wire harness subassemblies, a joint connector, and a joint terminal. More specifically, the joint connector has a plurality of divisional joint connectors. Each divisional joint connector includes a pressure contact terminal having a wire connection portion and a terminal contact portion. The
Hattori Yukimitsu
Matsuoka Mitsuhiko
Greenblum & Bernstein P.L.C.
Prasad Chandrika
Sircus Brian
Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd.
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