[0001] The present invention relates to a branching connector according to the pre-characterizing
part of claim 1.
[0002] In the past, connector systems for coaxial cables have been used as branching connectors
for shielded cables. However, in the case of shielded paired wire cables, the branching
operation cannot be performed in a simple manner and suitable connectors have not
been available for banching shielded cables which contain a multiplicity of insulates
wires.
[0003] DE-A-34 18 582 discloses a branching connector according to the pre-characterizing
part of claim 1. In this prior art connector, the bus cable and the branching cable
are positioned at an angle of 90° within the main party of the casing. The exposed
insulated wires of each cable are introduced into slits of terminal plates, the slits
piercing the insulation of the wires. The insulated exposed wires must be fed from
the entry of the casing to the respective slits of the terminal plates.
[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide for a branching connector which
allows the branching operation be performed in a simple manner.
[0005] This object is achieved by a connector in accordance with claim 1.
[0006] The branching connector is a branching connector for a shielded cable wherein the
cable is formed by enclosing a multiplicity of insulated wires within a shield material.
The branching connector has a casing that accomodates the branching portions of the
bus cable and the terminal portions of the branching cable wherein the outer shell
and shield material of each cable have been peeled away and the insulated wires are
exposed. The casing contains positioning means for positioning the two ends of the
branching portions of the bus cable and other positioning means for positioning the
terminals of the branch cable. Conductive binders surround the shield material of
the bus cable and the shield material of each branch cable. Insulation displacement
contact (IDC) terminals connect the conductive wires of each exposed insulated wire
of the bus cables and the branching cables by severing the insulation coating thereof.
The same members of the binders are interconnected and the same members of the terminals
for connecting the insulated wires to be connected are interconnected.
[0007] IDC terminals that have interconnecting relationships may be formed as a single integrated
body.
[0008] In cases where the connector is used to connect the branching cable to the bus cable,
the outer shell of the branching portion of the bus cable is first removed, the shield
material is peeled away, and an end-portion treatment is performed on the two ends
of the branching portions of the shield material. Afterward, the inner insulated wires
are exposed. The same treatment is also performed on the end of the branching cable.
[0009] The ends of the branching portions of the bus cable and branching cable are then
inserted into the casing of the connector and positioned therein.
[0010] At the same time, the exposed insulated wires to be interconnected are grouped together
and positioned in the casing.
[0011] The binders in the casing are then connected with the treated end portions of the
shield material of the bus cable and the interconnected members of the binders and
the same member of the IDC terminals for connecting the insulated wires are interconnected.
[0012] With this procedure, the shield material of the bus cable and the shield material
of the branching cable are connected electrically, the insulated wires are connected,
and the branching of the bus cable can then be completed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] Figures 1-6 are drawings of Example 1 of the invention.
[0015] Figure 1 shows a side view of the outer configuration of the connector of Example
1.
[0016] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the connector of Figure 1 along cut line II-II.
[0017] Figure 3 describes the top of the casing main body.
[0018] Figure 4 shows a view of the bottom side of the upper cap.
[0019] Figure 5 shows a view of the top side of the lower cap.
[0020] Figure 6 describes the binding configuration between the IDC terminals and the insulated
wires.
[0021] Figures 7-10 are drawings of Example 2 of the invention.
[0022] Figure 7 is a diagram showing the internal structure of the connector covered with
the upper cap.
[0023] Figure 8 shows the bottom side of the upper cap.
[0024] Figure 9 describes the top side of the lower cap.
[0025] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view along cut line X-X of Figure 7.
[0026] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the cable of Example 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0027] The invention is now described with reference to the examples and the figures to
more clearly delineate the boundaries of the invention.
[0028] In the Examples,
C1 and
C1′ are bus cables;
C2 is a branching cable;
D1a,
D1b,
D1a′,
D1b′,
D2a and
D2b are insulated wires;
S1,
S1′ and
S2 are treated portions or ends of the shield material;
1 and
31 are casing;
1A,
31A and
91 are casing main body;
2,
3,
4,
32,
33 and
34 are female portions (positioning portions);
91a,
91b and
91c are openings in a positioning portion;
12,
13,
14,
42,
43, and
44 are binding terminal portions (binding portions);
21a,
21b,
22a,
22b,
93a,
93b,
94a and
94b are serrated blades for cutting through the coating of the insulated wire (IDC terminal);
55 to
60 are IDC terminals;
21,
22,
93 and
94 are IDC terminal plate;
81 and
82 are terminal plates.
[0029] Figures 1-6 apply to Example 1.
EXAMPLE 1
[0030] Figure 1 shows that the branching connector
M of Example 1 contains casing
1 which is made from a resin or polymer, for example, and the casing consists of the
casing main body
1A, upper cap
1B and lower cap
1C. Figure 2 shows the connecting configuration of the cables inside casing
1. In Figure 2,
C1 represents the bus cable that runs continuously from left to right and
C2 represents the branching cable. The cables of
C1 and
C2 are shielded cables of the same type. The shielded cable consists of a pair of insulated
wires
D1a and
D1b or
D2a and
D2b. The outside of the pair of insulated wires is surrounded with a shield material,
and the outside of the shield material is wrapped with a resin or polymer shell.
[0031] The outer shells of the branching portion of bus cable
C1 and the end of branching cable
C2 are removed and the shield materials are peeled away. Afterward, the insulated wires
D1a,
D1b,
D2a and
D2b are exposed. Next, the branching portion of bus cable
C1 and the end of branching cable
C2 are inserted into predetermined positions in casing
1. The end portions of peeled shield materials
S1 and
S2 are wrapped onto the outer shell and a commonly-known end-portion treatment is then
performed. In Figure 2, the treated end portions of the shield materials are indicated
by the notations
S1,
S1′ and
S2 (i .e. the portions are indicated with "x").
[0032] Casing main body
1A is a rectangular plate-like body with a thickness greater than the diameter of cable
C1 or
C2. The upper part of said casing main body consists of half-circle female parts
2,
3 and
4 (positioning portions) and connected guiding grooves,
5,
6,
7, and
8.
[0033] The female portions
2 and
3 are formed along the same straight line. The two ends of the branching portion of
the bus cable
C1 are positioned in said female portions
2 and
3. Accordingly, the two treated end portions
S1 and
S1′ of the shield material of the branching portion of bus cable
C1 are placed in female portions
2 and
3 as shown in Figure 2. The female portions
4 and
3 are formed in a parallel manner. The end of branching cable
C2 is positioned in female portion
4. Accordingly, treated end portion
S2 of the shield material of the end of branching cable
C2 is placed in female portion
4.
[0034] The insulated wires to be interconnected are placed in guiding grooves
5 and
6. Accordingly, guiding grooves
5 and
6 are placed next to each other. Next, insulated wire
D1a of bus cable
C1 is inserted into guiding groove
5, which is connected to female portions
2 and
3 as shown in Figure 2 and insulated wire
D2a of branching cable
2 is inserted into guiding groove
6, which is connected to female portion
4 as shown in Figure 2.
[0035] The insulated wires to be interconnected are placed in guiding grooves
7 and
8. Accordingly, guiding grooves
7 and
8 are placed next to each other. Next, insulated wires D1b of bus cable
C1 is inserted into guiding groove
7, which is connected to female portions
3 and
4 as shown in Figure 2, and insulated wire
D2b of branching cable
2 is inserted into guiding groove
8, which is connected to female portion
4 as shown in Figure 2.
[0036] Grooves
2a,
3a and
4a are formed around the female portions
2,
3 and
4 in such a manner that binding terminal portions (binding portions)
12,
13 an
14 can be inserted into grooves
2a,
3a and
4a, as shown in Figure 4. The binding terminal portions (binding portions) will be described
below. Grooves
2a,
3a and
4a are respectively formed in a direction which is orthogonal to the axial lines of
female portions
2,
3 and
4. Accordingly, cables
C1 and
C2 and binding terminal portions
12,
13 and
14 can be guided and positioned in an orthogonal manner.
[0037] A pair of parallel portions are formed in guiding grooves
5 and
6, and rectangular openings
15 are formed along the pair of parallel portions. Rectangular openings
15, which pass through the casing main body
1A in an up-down direction, are designed to accept the insertion of IDC terminal plate
21 (see Figure 5). Rectangular openings
15 which have the shape of a slot are formed in such a manner that the length thereof
is orthogonal with guiding grooves
5 and
6 and are cut in such a manner that the cutting traverses across grooves
5 and
6, cutting away the side walls of grooves
5 and
6 as shown in Figure 3. As the two ends of IDC terminal plate
21 are caused to slide into the cut-away portions and IDC terminal plate
21 is inserted into rectangular openings
15, terminal plate
21 is guided and positioned orthogonally into guiding grooves
5 and
6.
[0038] Rectangular openings
16 for accepting the insertion of IDC terminal plate
22 are formed next to guiding grooves
7 and
8 in the same manner. Thus, as IDC terminal plate
21 is inserted into rectangular openings
16, IDC terminal plate
22 is guided and positioned orthogonally into guiding grooves
7 and
8.
[0039] Figure 4 shows binding terminal portions
12,
13 and
14 used respectively to bind treated end portions
S1 and
S1′ of the shield material of the branching portion of bus cable
C1 and treated end portion
S2 of the shield material of branching cable
C2. Binding terminal portions
12,
13 and
14 are constructed in the form of a single integrated body on single metal plate
11. Accordingly, these binding terminal portions are interconnected. Single metal plate
11 containing binding terminal portions
12,
13 and
14 is fixed on the lower side of upper cap
1B.
[0040] Pressure-bonding terminal plate
21 shown in Figure 5 is used to interconnect insulated wires
D1a and
D2a which are inserted respectively into guiding grooves
5 and
6 (the insulated wires
D1a and
D2a are wires to be interconnected). IDC terminal plate
21 contains two serrated blades
21a and
21b for connecting wires
D1a and
D2a. Serrated blade
21a is allowed to cut into insulated wire D1a in a manner shown in Figure 6. As a result
of said action, the resin coating of wire
D1a is severed and the interior conductive wire and serrated blade
21a become interconnected. In order to obtain a desirable cutting effect, two pressing
parts
18 are formed on upper cap
1B in a manner shown in Figure 4 wherein pressing parts
18 can press against insulated wire
D1a at each side of serrated blade
21a.
[0041] Meanwhile, IDC terminal plate
22 is used to interconnect insulated wires
D2a and
D2b, which are inserted respectively into guiding grooves
7 and
8 (insulated wires
D2a and
D2b are wires to be interconnected). IDC terminal plate
22 contains two serrated blades
22a and
22b for connecting wires
D2a and
D2b. IDC terminal plates
21 and
22 are fixed onto lower cap
1C.
[0042] It is acceptable for upper cap
1B, lower cap
1C, and casing main body
1A to be formed into a single integrated body by means of hinges.
[0043] The effects of the branching connector with the above structure are now described.
[0044] In cases where branching cable
C2 is brought out from bus cable
C1 using the connector with the above structure, the outer shell of the branching portion
of the cable
C1 is removed, the shield material is peeled away and an end portion treatment is performed
on the shield material of the two ends of the branching portion. Afterward, interior
insulated wires
D1a and
D1b are exposed. The end portion of branching cable
C2 is also treated in the same manner. Afterward, insulated wires
D2a and
D2b are exposed.
[0045] The branching portion of bus cable
C1 and the end of branching cable
C2 are now housed and positioned into casing main body
1A. The two treated end portions
S1 and
S1′ of the shield material of the branching portion of bus cable
C1 are respectively placed into female portions
2 and
3, and treated end portion
S2 of the shield material of branching cable
C2 is placed into female portion
S2. Exposed insulated wire
D1a of bus cable
C1 is inserted into guiding groove
5 and insulated wire
D1b is inserted into guiding groove
7. Also insulated wire
D2a of branching cable
C2 for connecting with insulated wire
D1a is inserted into guiding groove
6, and insulated wire
D2b of branching cable
C2 for connecting with insulated wire
D1b is inserted into guiding groove
8.
[0046] Next, upper cap
1B is placed on the upper side of casing main body
1A. Accordingly, binding terminal portions
12,
13 and
14 placed on the lower side of the upper cap are respectively bound to treated end portions
S1,
S1′ and
S2 of the shield material. As a result, the shield material of bus cable
C1 and the shield material of branching cable
C2 are entirely interconnected.
[0047] Lower cap
1C is now fixed to the lower side of casing main body
1A. Accordingly, pressure-bonding terminal plates
21 and
22 which have been integrated onto lower cap
1C are respectively inserted into rectangular openings
15 and
16 of casing main body
1A, and serrated blades
21a,
21b,
22a and
22b are respectively pressed onto insulating wires
D1a,
D2a,
D1b and
D2b. Insulated wires
D1a and
D2a are now conductively interconnected and insulated wires
D1b and
D2b are conductively interconnected. As lower cap
1C is fixed to the lower side of casing main body
1A, pressing parts
18 formed on upper cap
1B are fitted into guiding grooves
5,
6,
7 and
8. As a result, the insulated wires are pressed into place.
[0048] To summarize, the branching operation using the connector of the present example
only involves positioning each cable into casing main body
1A and sequentially covering the casing main body with upper cap
1B and lower cap
1C as described above.
EXAMPLE 2
[0049] Example 2 is described in Figures 7-10.
[0050] This example shows a connector with which the members of the bus cable can be connected
and branched. In Figure 7,
C1 and
C1′ are the bus cable and
C2 is the branching cable. This example can also be conceived as an example wherein
one cable is branched into two branched cables. For convenience, the connector of
this practical example is defined as a connector with which the members of the bus
cable can be connected and branched (
C1 and
C1′ are the bus cable and
C2 is the branching cable).
[0051] The connecting portions of bus cable
C1 and
C1′ correspond to the branching portion of bus cable
C1 of Example 1. The respective insulated wires
D1a,
D1b,
D1a′,
D1b′,
D2a and
D2b of the ends of cables
C1,
C1′ and
C2 are exposed and an end treatment is performed on the end portion of the shield material.
The treated end portions of the shield material are shown by
S1,
S1′ and
S2.
[0052] Connector casing
31 consists of casing main body
31A shown in Figure 7, upper cap
31B shown in Figure 8, and lower cap
31C shown in Figure 9. The female portions (positioning portions)
32,
33,
34, which correspond to female portions
2,
3 and
4 of Example 1, are formed on the upper side of casing main body
31A, as shown in Figure 8. Female portion
32 is formed in the middle of the left end of casing main body
31A along the width direction, and female portions
33 and
34 are respectively formed in positions which are away from the middle of the right
end of casing main body
31A along the width direction.
[0053] Grooves
32a,
33a and
34a are formed around the female portions
32,
33 and
34, respectively for guiding and positioning respective binding terminal portions (binding
portions)
42,
43, and
44 placed on the lower side of upper cap
31B. Binding terminal portions
42,
43, and
44 are for interconnecting treated end portions
S1,
S1′ and
S2 of the shield material of cables
C1,
C1′ and
C2, and are formed on a single piece of metal plate
45 in an interconnected manner, as shown in Figure 8. This single piece of metal plate
45, containing binding terminal portions
42,
43 and
44, is fixed on the lower side of upper cap
31B. The same pressing portions
18 used in Example 1, which are made of a resin or plastic, are placed on the lower
side of upper cap
31B.
[0054] Guiding grooves
35,
36,
37,
38,
39 and
40 for guiding insulated wires
D1a′,
D1b′,
D1a,
D1b,
D2a and
D2b are formed in such a manner that the guiding grooves and female portions
32,
33 and
34 are connected, as shown in Figure 7. All of these guiding grooves
35 to
40 run in a parallel manner. Respective rectangular openings
65,
66,
67,
68,
69 and
70, which are designed to accept the insertion of IDC terminals
55,
56,
57,
58,
59 and
60, shown in Figure 9, are made along guiding grooves
35,
36,
37,
38,
39 and
40.
[0055] Rectangular openings
65,
67 and
69, which pass through guiding grooves
35,
37 and
39 used to interconnect the first group of insulated wires
D1a′,
D1a and
D2a, are aligned in one row, which is orthogonal to guiding grooves
35 to
40. These rectangular openings are tied together by means of groove
80 formed in the lower side of casing main body
31A in a manner shown in Figure
10. Pressure-bonding terminals
55,
57 and
59 are interconnected. The base portion of terminal plate 81 is then inserted into groove
80 in a manner that allows the insertion of each of IDC terminals
55,
57 and
59 into each of rectangular openings
65,
67 and
69.
[0056] Remaining rectangular openings
66,
68 and
70 are aligned in one row, which is orthogonal to guiding grooves
35 to
40 at a location away from the row of rectangular openings, as shown in Figure 7. IDC
terminals
56,
58 and
60 for inserting into rectangular openings
66,
68 and
70 are formed on a single piece of terminal plate
82 in such a manner that IDC terminals
56,
58 and
60 are interconnected. Terminal plate
82 is then inserted into a groove that ties together rectangular openings
66,
68 and
70 (diagram omitted) in a manner that allows the insertion of each of the IDC terminals
56,
58 and
60 into each of the rectangular openings
66,
68 and
70.
[0057] IDC terminals
55 to
60 are respectively connected to insulated wires
D1a′,
D1b′,
D1a,
D1b,
D2a and
D2b in a (conductive) interconnecting manner shown in Figure 7. These IDC terminals are
fixed onto the upper side of lower cap
31C in the form of terminal plates
81 and
82.
[0058] The effects of the branching connector with the above structure for connecting each
cable are now described.
[0059] First, the outer shells of the ends of cable
C1,
C1′ and
C2 are removed, the shield materials are peeled away, an end portion treatment is performed
on the shield materials, and interior insulated wires
D1a,
D1b,
D1a′,
D1b′,
D2a and
D2b are exposed.
[0060] Next, the ends are housed into casing main body
31A and positioned respectively in designated locations. Namely, treated end portions
S1 and
S1′ of the shield material of bus cables
C1 and
C1′ are respectively placed into female portions
32 and
33, and treated end portion
S2 of the shield material of branching cable
C2 is placed into female portion
34. In addition, exposed insulated wire
D1a of bus cable
C1 is inserted into guiding groove
37 and exposed insulated wire
D1b is inserted into guiding groove
38. Insulated wire
D1b of the cable
C1′ (connected to the insulated wire
D1a) is inserted into guiding groove
34 and insulated wire
D1b′ of the cable
C1′ (connected to insulated wire
D1b) is inserted into guiding groove
36. Insulated wire
D2a of cable
C2 (connected to insulated wire
D1a) is inserted into guiding groove
39 and insulated wire
D2b of cable
C2 (connected to insulated wire
D1b) is inserted into guiding groove
40.
[0061] Upper cap
31B is placed on the upper side of casing main body
31A. As a result, binding terminal portions
32,
33 and
34 (formed on the lower side of upper cap
31B) are respectively bound to treated end portions
S1,
S1′ and
S2 of the shield materials, and all of the shield materials of cables
C1 and
C1′ and branching cable
C2 are interconnected thereupon.
[0062] Lower cap
31C is fixed to the lower side of the casing main body
31A. This action leads to the respective insertion of IDC terminals
55 to
60 into rectangular openings
65 to
70 in casing main body
31A. The IDC terminals are formed on lower cap
31 as a single integrated body. As a result, pressure-bonding terminals
55 to
60 cut into insulated wires
D1a′,
D1b′,
D1a,
D1b,
D2a and
D2b situated in guiding grooves
35 to
40 and become connected to the insulated wires in such a manner that insulated wires
D1a′,
D1a and
D2a and insulated wires
D1b′ ,
D1b and
D2b are conductively interconnected. As lower cap
31C is fixed to the lower side of casing main body
31A, pressing parts
18 formed on upper cap
31B are fitted into guiding grooves
35 to
40 to press the insulated wires into place.
[0063] Summarizing, the branching operation using the connector of Example 2 only involves
positioning each cable into casing main body
31A and sequentially covering the casing main body with upper cap
31B and lower cap
31C.
[0064] In Examples 1 and 2, metal plates
11 and
45 are placed on the inner surface of upper caps
1A and
31A in the form of a single integrated body and are configured in such a way that metal
plates
11 and
45 act as a shield. A better interconnection with metal plate
11 or
45 can be obtained by placing or applying a metal plating onto the sides of casing main
body
1A or
31A and/or lower cap
1C or
31C in a manner that the entire surface of the branching connector is covered with a
shield material.
[0065] In Examples 1 and 2, binding terminal portions (binding portions)
12,
13,
14,
42,
43 and
44 are formed on upper cap
1B and
31B. It is also acceptable that metal plates be mounted onto positioning female portions
2, 3,
4,
32,
33 and
34 and that serrated materials, such as for binding the shield material (binding portions),
are formed on the metal plates mounted on the female portions. When this configuration
is used, all of the metal plates are connected. In Examples 1 and 2, casings
1 and
31 consist of main bodies
1A and
31A, upper caps
1B and
31B, and lower caps
1C and
31C.
EXAMPLE 3
[0066] Example 3 is also described in Figure 11.
[0067] Next, another example is briefly described which concerns the branching connector
shown in Figure 11.
[0068] In this branching connector, casing main body
91 is made of a metal and the sides of the casing main body contain openings
91a and
91b (positioning portions) for bus cable
C1 to pass through and opening
91c (positioning portion) for the insertion of branching cable
C2. Serrated binders (binding portions) are formed around openings
91a,
91b and
91c. All of the shield materials can be interconnected by binding these serrated binders
to treated end portions
S1,
S1′ and
S2 of the shield materials.
[0069] Terminal plate
93 which contains serrated blades
93a and
93b (the cutting action of the serrated blades is equivalent to that of an IDC terminal)
for cutting through the coating material of the insulated wires, and terminal plate
94, which contains serated blades
94a and
94b, is formed onto cap body
92.
[0070] In a procedure to connect branching cable
2 to bus cable
C1, the branching portion of bus cable
C1 and the end of branching cable
C2 are treated in the same manner described in Examples 1 and 2. Bus cable
C1 is then inserted through openings
91a and
91b of casing main body
91 and the end of branching cable
C2 is inserted into opening
91c. Next, the serrated material around the openings is then used to bind treated end
portions
S1,
S1′ and
S2 of the shield materials. Afterward, the casing main body is covered with cap body
92. As a result, insulated wires
D1a and
D2a to be connected are conductively interconnected by terminal plate
93 and insulated wires
D1b and
D2b are conductively interconnected by terminal plate
94. Afterward, the branching operation is completed.
[0071] It is thus illustrated by Examples 1, 2 and 3 that shielded cables containing a multiplicity
of insulated wires can be simply branched using the branching connector of the present
invention.