Joint connector

joint connector {JOINT CONNECTOR}

The present invention relates to a joint connector, and more particularly, to a joint connector capable of providing improved fixing force between a cap, a plug, and a clip and reducing noise generated by the movement of the cap, plug, and clip.

The wiring harness, which bundles the wires for the operation of ignition, lighting, and charging of the vehicle, spans all parts of the vehicle, from the headlamp at the front end to the rear lamp at the rear end, centering on the battery. The circuit components of such a vehicle wiring harness consist of a power/signal input and a ground/signal output, and the same components exist.

Since the joint connector connects the same circuit components (power and ground, indicator lamp, communication signal, etc.) in the wiring harness, the number of circuits is reduced and the circuit and path configuration are simplified.

Among joint connectors, there is a type in which a clip is fastened to the connector housing. In the case of the above type, it is important to have a structure in which each component does not separate from each other while assembling the joint connector is convenient while assembling, and a structure that prevents vibration or noise due to a gap between each component, for example, a housing and a clip It is important to have

<p><patcit num="0001"><text>Laid-open Patent Publication No. 10-2018-0138525 (published date: December 31, 2018)</text></patcit></p>

<p>The present invention has been devised to solve the above problems,</p><p>An object of the present invention is to provide a joint connector capable of improving fixing force between joint connector components.</p><p>An object of the present invention is to provide a joint connector that is easy to assemble and disassemble.</p><p>In addition, the present invention is to propose a joint connector that can realize cost reduction with improved fixing performance.</p><p>An object of the present invention is to propose a joint connector capable of reducing vibration and noise with an improved fixing structure.</p><p>The object of the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned object, and other objects not mentioned are clearly understood by those of ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present invention belongs from the following description Can be.</p>

<p>In order to achieve the object of the present invention as described above and perform the characteristic functions of the present invention to be described later, the features of the present invention are as follows.</p><p>A joint connector according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a cap; a plug accommodated in the cap along the mounting direction; and a clip mounted along the mounting direction to fix the cap and the plug, wherein the plug includes a flexible locking element configured to simultaneously secure the cap and the clip.</p>

<p>According to the present invention, there is provided a joint connector capable of improving the fixing force between the joint connector components.</p><p>According to the present invention, there is provided a joint connector that is easy to assemble and disassemble.</p><p>According to the present invention, a joint connector capable of realizing cost reduction with improved fixing performance is provided.</p><p>According to the present invention, it is intended to propose a joint connector capable of reducing vibration and noise with an improved fixing structure.</p><p>The effects of the present invention are not limited to those described above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly recognized by those skilled in the art from the following description.</p>

1 is a perspective view of a joint connector according to the present invention, 2A is an exploded view of a cap and a plug of a joint connector according to the present invention; Figure 2b is an assembly view of the cap and plug of the joint connector according to the present invention, Figure 3a is a cross-sectional view along the mounting direction of the cap and the plug of the joint connector according to the present invention, showing a process of assembling the plug 40 to the cap 20, Figure 3b is a partial enlarged view of the portion indicated by the dotted line in Figure 3a, Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view along the mounting direction (D) of the joint connector according to the present invention, showing a state in which the assembly is completed, Figure 5a is a cross-sectional view along the mounting direction (D) of the joint connector according to the present invention, showing a process in which the clip 60 is mounted, Figure 5b shows a partial enlarged view of the portion indicated by the dotted line in Figure 5a, 6 shows a plan cross-sectional view of a joint connector according to the present invention, 7 shows the assembly process of the joint connector according to the present invention.

Specific structural or functional descriptions presented in the embodiments of the present invention are exemplified only for the purpose of describing the embodiments according to the concept of the present invention, and embodiments according to the concept of the present invention may be implemented in various forms. In addition, it should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described in the present specification, and should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and substitutes included in the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Meanwhile, in the present invention, terms such as first and/or second may be used to describe various constituent elements, but the constituent elements are not limited to the above terms. The terms are only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from other components, for example, within a range not departing from the scope of the rights according to the concept of the present invention, the first component may be referred to as the second component, Similarly, the second component may be referred to as the first component.

When a component is referred to as being "connected" or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that it is directly connected or may be connected to the other component, but other components may exist in the middle. something to do. On the other hand, when a component is referred to as being "directly connected" or "directly in contact" with another component, it should be understood that there is no other component in the middle. Other expressions for describing the relationship between components, that is, expressions such as "between" and "directly between" or "adjacent to" and "directly adjacent to" should be interpreted as well.

The same reference numbers throughout the specification indicate the same elements. Meanwhile, terms used in the present specification are for describing exemplary embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. In this specification, the singular form also includes the plural form unless specifically stated in the phrase. As used herein, “comprises” and/or “comprising” refers to the presence of one or more other components, steps, actions and/or elements in which the recited component, step, operation and/or element is Or does not preclude additions.

In this specification, the mounting direction (D) refers to a direction in which the plug 40 and the clip 60 are mounted with respect to the cap 20. In the present specification, the mounting direction (D) is used for the purpose of more clearly specifying the position of each component.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the joint connector 1 according to the present invention includes a cap 20, a plug 40, and a clip 60.

Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, an empty space is provided inside the cap 20. The empty space is provided to accommodate the plug 40.

A guide 22 is formed on the upper surface of the cap 20. The guide 22 serves to guide the movement of the clip 60 while the clip 60 is mounted and detached from the cap 20, and after the clip 60 is mounted on the cap 20, the cap 20) for fixing the clip (60). According to an embodiment of the present invention, the cap 20 includes a first portion 221, a second portion 222, a third portion 223 and a fourth portion 224.

The first part 221 and the second part 222 are provided on the inlet side of the clip 60 in the mounting direction D, and on both sides of the cap 20 with respect to the mounting direction D of the clip 60. Each is provided to form an inlet for the clip 60. The first portion 221 protrudes substantially vertically from the surface of the cap 20, and the second portion 222 is bent from the first portion 221 to extend in the horizontal direction. The second portion 222 extends horizontally inward from the first portion 221.

At least a portion of the second portion 222 protrudes along the mounting direction D of the clip 60 to form the third portion 223. The third portion 223 extends along the mounting direction D of the clip 60 perpendicular to the second portion 222. The distal end of the third portion 223 is connected to the fourth portion 224. The fourth portion 224 is formed to protrude from the surface along the lateral direction of the cap 20 perpendicular to the mounting direction D of the clip 60. The fourth part 224 is the part that completes the mounting of the clip 60, blocks the clip 60 from further advancing in the guide 22 and positions the clip 60 with respect to the cap 20..

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the guide 22 includes a bounce portion 225 connecting the first portion 221 and the fourth portion 224. The bounce portion 225 is formed to be convex toward the inner side in the lateral direction of the cap 20 and is configured to be flexible so that it can be deformed by pressing. The bounce unit 225 may be configured to connect the first part 221 and the fourth part 224 to any point in the first part 221 and the fourth part 224. In this case, the open surface 226 is configured such that the inside and the outside of the guide 22 communicate between the second portion 222 and the bounce portion 225 and between the bounce portion 225 and the surface of the cap 20.. Accordingly, when the clip 60 is mounted, the clip 60 can be observed from the outside through the open surface 226, as shown in FIG. 1. In addition, by being configured in this way, the bounce unit 225 is movable with respect to the surface of the cap 20, that is, it can elastically move outward.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the cap 20 includes a ramp 24. The inclined portion 24 is provided on the surface of the cap 20 adjacent to the bounce portion 225, and is configured to collide with the inclined portion 24 when the bounce portion 225 moves outward while being pressed. The clip 60 may be more tightly fixed by the inclined portion 24 while the clip 60 is mounted and the bounce portion 225 extends outward.

Penetrating portions 26 for communicating the inner and outer sides of the cap 20 may be formed on both sides of the cap 20. As will be described later, the through portion 26 may provide additional fixing force to the cap 20 and the plug 40.

The cap 20 also includes a cutout 28. The cut-out portion 28 is formed on the inlet side of the plug 40 in the mounting direction (D). A locking element 80 to be described later is coupled to the cut-out portion 28. The cut-out portion 28 may be formed to extend further from the inside than the end of the cap 20. That is, the opening 128 on the mounting direction (D) side of the cut-out portion 28 is formed laterally smaller than the other portions of the cut-out portion 28, and the lateral length of the cut-out portion 28 is equal to the cap (20) is the smallest at the end.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the cap 20 is formed of a flexible material. As a non-limiting example, the flexible material includes polypropylene. Conventionally, the cap had to be made of expensive polyamide 66 (Polyamide 66, PA66), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), etc., which have relatively excellent rigidity due to the clamping force of the clip, but a joint connector having a structure according to the present invention Cost reduction can be realized by enabling the cap to be constructed with a more flexible material. In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, plug 40 instead of cap 20 may be constructed of a more flexible material. That is, one of the cap 20 and the plug 40 may be made of a more flexible material than the existing one. Due to the fixing structure according to the present invention, both the cap 20 and the plug 40 can be configured with the same or flexible material as the existing ones, thereby achieving cost reduction.

Continuing to refer to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the plug 40 is formed to be insertable into the empty space of the cap 20. A plurality of compartments 42 into which a terminal (not shown) to which a wire is connected can be inserted is provided in the plug 40. On both sides of the plug 40, engaging projections 44 protruding from the surface are formed. When the plug 40 is accommodated in the cap 20, the coupling protrusion 44 is inserted into the through portion 26 to provide additional fixing force of the plug 40 to the cap 20.

The plug 40 is provided with a locking element 80. The locking element 80 performs a function of simultaneously fixing the cap 20 and the clip 60. The locking element 80 is formed to be flexible so that it can be elastically assembled with the cap 20 and the clip 60. In order for the locking element 80 to move flexibly, a recess 46 is formed in the plug 40 which is recessed from the surface. The locking element 80 is coupled to the plug 40 so as to be movable up and down in the recess 46.

The locking element 80 is formed in the cap 20 and the clip 60 and the portion of the plug 40 that can come into contact with it at the same time. According to an embodiment of the invention, the locking element 80 is formed on the upper surface of the plug 40.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the locking element 80 comprises a wing 82, a raised portion 84 and a connecting portion 86. Wings 82 extend laterally on either side of plug 40 in recess 46. Wings 82 may include a pair of wings 82 extending to either side.

The ridge 84 projects from the surface of the locking element 80, preferably upwards. The raised portion 84 may include a tip portion 184 and a hill portion 284 that protrude upwardly longest from the locking element 80. The hill portion 284 may be inclined so as to have an acute angle in a clockwise direction with respect to the mounting direction D from the surface of the locking element 80.

The locking element 80 is connected to the plug 40 via a connecting portion 86. The connecting portion 86 protrudes from the plug 40 in the recess 46 toward the mounting direction D, and the wings 82 are configured to respectively extend laterally outwardly from the connecting portion 86, The base 84 protrudes from the connecting portion 86 in a direction perpendicular to the mounting direction D, and gradually protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the mounting direction D to be inclined upward along the mounting direction D.

The lateral length of the connecting portion 86 may be configured to be less than the sum of the lateral lengths of the wing 82 and the ridge 84. The connecting portion 86 also functions as a pivot point of the locking element 80. The locking element 80 is configured to be able to pivot up and down about the connecting portion 86.

The locking element 80 is coupled to the cutout 28. 3A and 3B, the opening 128 of the cut-out portion 28 is formed to be smaller than the lateral length of the locking element 80, so that the locking element 80 is locked in order to engage the cut-out portion 28. Element 80 may be pressed down to form a bevel within recess 46 and then inserted into cutout 28. The connecting portion 86 is disposed in the opening 128 and the wing 82 and the ridge 84 are received in the cutout 28. According to the present invention, after the locking element 80 is inserted into the cutout portion 28, the plug 40 is not detached from the cap 20 and is firmly fixed unless the locking element 80 is pressed downward. can

The clip 60 is mounted after the cap 20 and the plug 40 are primarily assembled to provide additional fixing force to the cap 20 and the plug 40.

The clip 60 is provided with a slide portion 62. The slide part 62 is formed by being depressed along the longitudinal direction on both sides of the clip 60. The slide part 62 is movable along the guide 22 and is formed in a shape that can be engaged with the guide 22. More specifically, the slide part 62 is configured such that the second part 222 and the third part 223 are mated.

Referring to FIG. 4, the clip 60 includes a fixing protrusion 64 protruding from the surface on the lower side thereof. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the fixing protrusion 64 includes a leading edge 164 and a trailing edge 264. The leading edge 164 is a portion that first meets the plug 40 when the clip 60 is mounted, and the trailing edge 264 is formed at the rear end of the leading edge 164 and is located on the rear side in the mounting direction of the clip 60. will be prepared

The leading edge 164 has an angle of inclination and protrudes from the lower surface of the clip 60. The leading edge 164 may be formed with an acute angle of inclination in a clockwise direction with respect to the direction opposite to the mounting direction D of the clip 60. That is, the leading edge 164 is formed to be inclined by gradually protruding from the surface in the opposite direction to the mounting direction (D). In addition, the inclination of the leading edge 164 may be formed to be substantially the same as or similar to the inclination of the raised portion 84. As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the leading edge 164 comes into contact with the locking element 80 as it progresses, and presses the locking element 80 while riding on the hill 284 of the ridge 84.. When the leading edge 164 crosses the hill 284 and reaches the tip 184, the locking element 80 deforms and descends within the recess 46. As such, the fixing protrusion 64 is fixed while making contact with the lower surface of the cap 20 when the mounting is completed by passing the tip portion 184. Since the locking element 80 fixes the lower surface of the cap 20 by contact after the assembly of the clip 60 is completed, the clip 60 is prevented from being separated from the cap 20 even by an external impact caused by logistics movement, etc. can do.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, after the clip 60 is assembled to the cap 20 and the plug 40, the clip 60 elastically deforms to the outside while pressing the bounce unit 225. When the inclination part 24 is formed in the cap 20, the force to fix both sides of the clip 60 increases as much as the bounce part 225 is pressed outward due to the nature of the raw material of the flexible cap 20, so it is resistant to vibration. It can block the noise generated by it.

According to the present invention, since the locking element 80 of the plug 40 provides a fixing force for both the cap 20 and the clip 60 as one component, an impact is applied from the outside to the joint connector 1. Even in this case, separation of the plug 40 and the clip 60 can be prevented, and as such, excellent fixing force is provided, thereby reducing noise due to flow. In addition, when the joint connector 1 is disassembled for maintenance of the joint connector 1, the clip 60 and the cap 20 can be simultaneously separated very easily and simply by pressing the locking element 80. Therefore, the working time can be shortened.

In the past, there was a gap between the clip and the cap and the plug fixing structure, so there was a problem that noise caused by the flow was generated and the emotional quality of the vehicle was deteriorated. In addition, an expensive plastic material was used for the cap so that it does not come off easily during logistics movement or the operation of fastening the wiring to the vehicle after the clip is coupled to the cap and the plug fixing structure.

According to the present invention, it is possible to apply a lower cost plastic material that is cost-competitive while solving the noise problem.

The present invention described above is not limited to the above-described embodiments and the accompanying drawings, and various substitutions, modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the technical spirit of the present invention. It will be obvious to those who have the knowledge of

1: Joint Connector 20: Cap 22: Guide24: Sergeant 26: Penetration Ministry 28: Cut Out 40: Plug 42: Division 44: Combination 46: Concave 60: Clip 62: Slide part 64: Fixed Penzhen 80: Locking Elements 82: Wing 84: Urban 86: Connection part 128: Opening 164: Reading Edge 184: Tip part 221: 1st part 222: Second part 223: Part 224: 4th part 225: Bounce Division 226: Open Place 264: Trailing Edge 284: Hill D: direction of mounting