Three-Piece Multiconnector

The present invention relates to a multiconnector having a multiplicity of contacts housed therein, and more particularly to such a multiconnector of a small size.

Multiconnectors of the type described comprise a body of insulating material in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped having a longitudinal slot for the insertion therein of a companion connector and a multiplicity of contacts arranged in an array in the slot. The body of the prior multiconnector has contact housings in the body, and the contacts and terminals thereof which are integrally shaped to contour are inserted respectively into the contact housings through a front face or a rear face of the body and retained securely therein. With this construction, the contacts are inserted one by one into their housings, a limitation which cannot reduce the overall size of the multiconnector to a large extent and prevents automatic fabrication of the multiconnector. When electric wires are to be soldered to the terminals, the flux tends to flow through terminal insertion holes into the body until they reach the contacts, whereupon electric contact with the mating connector can be impaired. One solution to the foregoing problem has been to apply an adhesive to the body to seal the terminals projecting from the body. However, this has required an increased number of processing steps for fabricating multiconnectors.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a multiconnector which can be constructed in small size.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a multiconnector which can be fabricated easily through automatic processing steps.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a multiconnector which is constructed such that no flux will find its way up the contacts and which can be manufactured with ease.

According to the present invention, a multiconnector includes a body comprising first, second and third blocks, the first and second blocks being joined at ends to each other and jointly defining between the ends an insertion slot extending longitudinally of the blocks for insertion therein and removal therefrom a companion connector on a side of the body. The third block is fitted in and closes the insertion slot at a position opposite to the side of the body and has joint means assembling the first and second blocks together. At least one of the first and second blocks has a plurality of guide grooves on an inner surface thereof facing the insertion slot extending in the direction in which the companion connector can be inserted into and removed from the insertion slot, the guide grooves being arrayed in the longitudinal direction of the body. The guide grooves receive contacts respectively therein which are supported on the block having the guide grooves. The contacts have integral terminals projecting out of the block on which the contacts are supported. The contacts also have free end portions positioned in the insertion slots and held in resilient engagement with locking means on the third block so as to be resiliently urged in a direction away from the block on which the contacts are supported. When the companion connector is inserted in the insertion slot, the preloaded contacts are kept in resilient contact with contacts of the companion connector.

With the body composed of the first, second and third blocks, the contacts can be fabricated of electrically conductive resilient wires which are integrally molded in the first and/or second blocks and which are then bent simultaneously into the contacts and terminals. The blocks with the contacts thus mounted are combined together into a multiconnector. Accordingly, no tedious and time-consuming assembling procedure is necessary which would otherwise be the case with conventional preshaped contacts and terminals to be inserted and retained one by one in the body.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a multiconnector according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the multiconnector shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view, partly cut away, of the multiconnector of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of ends of first, second and third blocks of the multiconnector, showing means for joining these blocks together; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrative of the manner in which a contact and a terminal are being supported on the first block.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, a multiconnector according to the present invention has a first block 11 of electrically insulating material such as synthetic resin substantially in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped. The first block 11 includes at its longitudinally opposite ends a pair of lateral projections 11A, 11B extending substantially perpendicularly to the plane of the first block 11 and in the same direction. The multiconnector also has a second block 12 as of synthetic resin substantially in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped having the same length as that of the first block 11. The second block 12 is held in abutment against the ends of the lateral projections 11A, 11B.

The first and second blocks 11, 12 thus put together in confronting relation jointly define therebetween a slot 13 (FIGS. 1, 3 and 5) extending longitudinally therealong for the insertion therein of a companion connector (not shown).

As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5, the first and second blocks 11, 12 have therein guide grooves 14.sub.1, 14.sub.2, . . . 14.sub.n, and guide grooves 15.sub.1, 15.sub.2, . . . 15.sub.n, respectively, opening into the insertion slot 13 and extending in the direction in which the companion connector is to be inserted into or pulled from the insertion slot 13. Between adjacent ones of the grooves 14.sub.1 -14.sub.n and 15.sub.1 -15.sub.n are formed ribs 31.sub.1 -31.sub.n-1 and 32.sub.1 -32.sub.n-1 integrally with the first and second blocks 11, 12, respectively. The guide grooves 14.sub.1, 14.sub.2, . . . 14.sub.n, and the guide grooves 15.sub.1, 15.sub.2, . . . 15.sub.n are arranged in arrays in the longitudinal directions of the first and second blocks 11, 12 and held in confronting relation to each other. In FIG. 3, the guide grooves 14.sub.1 -14.sub.n, and the guide grooves 15.sub.1 -15.sub.n respectively extend into front surfaces 11a, 12a of the first and second blocks 11, 12, and further reach outer side surfaces 11b, 12b of the first and second blocks 11, 12, respectively. Each of the guide grooves, represented by 14.sub.p (also 15.sub.p) in FIG. 3, has a shallow portion substantially parallel to the direction of insertion of the companion connector and a deep portion more remote than the shallow portion from the front surface 11a (also 12a) where the groove is deepened toward the outer side surface 11b (also 12b) thereby forming a space 33.sub.p (also 34.sub.p) which allows the free end portion of a contact 26.sub.p (also 27.sub.p) to move toward the outer side surface 11b (also 12b) in accordance with the guide by the inner side walls of the adjacent ribs when the companion connector is inserted into the slot 13.

The ends of the first and second blocks 11, 12 have in back corners thereof two pairs of recesses 35.sub.1, 35.sub.2, and 36.sub.1, 36.sub.2 (only 35.sub.1, 36.sub.1 are shown in FIG. 5), respectively, so that when the first and second blocks 11, 12 are abutted against each other there are formed T-shaped projecting lands at both ends. A third block 17 of electrically insulating material such as synthetic resin is fittably engaged with the abutted first and second blocks 11, 12 from rear surfaces of the first and second blocks 11, 12 which are remote from the front surfaces 11a, 12a. As shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, the third block 17 has at its longitudinally opposite ends a pair of plate-like retainers 18.sub.1, 18.sub.2 projecting integrally perpendicularly from the plane of the third block 17 and in the same direction. The retainers 18.sub.1, 18.sub.2 include on their opposing inner surfaces two pairs of parallel guide projections 20.sub.1, 20.sub.2 and 21.sub.1, 21.sub.2 (only those of the retainer 18.sub.1 are shown in FIG. 5), respectively, which can fit respectively in the recesses 35.sub.1, 35.sub.2 and 36.sub.1, 36.sub.2 in the first and second blocks 11, 12. Furthermore, at the tops of the parallel guide projections 20.sub.1, 20.sub.2 and 21.sub.1, 21.sub.2 are provided locking projections 22.sub.1, 22.sub.2 and 23.sub.1, 23.sub.2 which are fitted, respectively, into locking slots 28.sub.1, 28.sub.2 and 29.sub.1, 29.sub.2 formed in the two wing portions of the T-shaped projecting lands at both end sides, thereby preventing the retainers 18.sub.1, 18.sub.2 from departing from the abutted first and second blocks 11, 12 outwardly. The third block 17 also has a pair of parallel locking ridges 25.sub.1, 25.sub.2 formed integrally on and extending longitudinally along the surface of the third block 17 which lies between the retainers 18.sub.1, 18.sub.2. The locking ridges 25.sub.1, 25.sub.2 are laterally spaced from each other by a distance substantially equal to the width of the insertion slot 13. As shown in FIG. 3, the locking ridges 25.sub.1, 25.sub.2 are fitted in the insertion slot 13 as it is spread at the rear sides of the first and second blocks 11, 12. The first and second blocks 11, 12 have rear steps 10.sub.1, 10.sub.2, respectively, held in engagement with shoulders 9.sub.1, 9.sub.2, respectively, of the third block 17 which are located behind the locking ridges 25.sub.1, 25.sub.2 respectively.

Two groups of contacts 26.sub.1 through 26.sub.n and 27.sub.1 through 27.sub.n that are made of resilient electrically conductive material in the form of thin webs are disposed respectively in the guide grooves 14.sub.1 through 14.sub.n and 15.sub.1 through 15.sub.n in first and second blocks 11, 12. The contacts 26.sub.1 through 26.sub.n and 27.sub.1 through 27.sub.n respectively represented by 26.sub.p and 27.sub.p in FIG. 3 have front portions extending outwardly around the front surfaces 11a, 12a of the first and second blocks 11, 12, bent and buried under the outer side surfaces 11b, 12b, and projecting through the first and second blocks 11, 12 out beyond the rear surfaces thereof. The projecting ends of the contacts are then bent outwardly at a right angle into terminals 46.sub.1 through 46.sub.n and 47.sub.1 through 47.sub.n, represented by 46.sub.p and 47.sub.p respectively.

For assembly, as shown in FIG. 6, each of the contacts 26.sub.1 through 26.sub.n can be shaped by integrally molding a straight contact 26.sub.p (p=1, 2, . . . n) with a terminal 46.sub.p in the block 11, and then bending a front projecting portion of the contact 26.sub.p along and in a corresponding guide groove 14.sub.p to thereby form the bent contact 26.sub.p. The bent contact 26.sub.p forms an angle with respect to the surface of the shallow portion of the guide groove 14.sub.p so as to depart therefrom as the distance from the front surface 11a increases and is bent inwardly into the space 33.sub.p. The free end portion of the contact 26.sub.p is further bent to direct it to the third block 17. Before the molding, a front end of the contact 26.sub.p may be bent in advance as shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 6; thereafter, the front projecting portion of the contact 26.sub.p is urged against the contour of the corresponding guide groove 14.sub.p and released to form the abovementioned shape of the contact 26.sub.p as seen in FIG. 3 owing to the resiliency of the contact. Likewise, each of the contacts 27.sub.1 through 27.sub.n can be formed by bending a contact 27.sub.p into desired contour and retaining the same in place. The blocks 11, 12 with the contacts 26.sub.1 through 26.sub.n and 27.sub.1 through 27.sub.n mounted thereon are put together as the block 12 is held against the ends of the laterial projections 11A, 11B. The locking ridges 25.sub.1, 25.sub.2 of the third block 17 are fitted into the insertion slot 13 defined between the first and second blocks 11, 12, with the locking projections 20.sub.1, 21.sub.1 on the retainers 18.sub.1, 18.sub.2 being fitted respectively in the recesses 35.sub.1, 36.sub.1 in the first and second blocks 11, 12. The first, second and third blocks 11, 12, 17 are thus assembled together. As assembled, the first and second blocks 11, 12 are sandwiched endwise between the guide projections 20.sub.1, 21.sub.1 on the retainers 18.sub.1, 18.sub.2. The mating surfaces of the blocks 11, 12, 17 can completely be joined together by, for example, ultrasonic welding.

When the first, second and third blocks 11, 12, 17 are combined together, the contacts 26.sub.1, 27.sub.1 ; 26.sub.2, 27.sub.2 ; . . . have their free ends spread away from each other by the locking ridges 25.sub.1, 25.sub.2 positioned therebetween, so that the free ends of the contacts 26.sub.1 through 26.sub.n and 27.sub.1 through 27.sub.n are resiliently held against the locking ridges 25.sub.1, 25.sub.2. The guide grooves 14.sub.p, 15.sub.p (p=1, 2, . . . n) extend toward the outer side surfaces 11b, 12b of the first and second blocks 11, 12 to allow the free ends of the contacts 26.sub.p, 27.sub.p to be spread away from each other by the locking ridges 25.sub.1, 25.sub.2.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4, the insertion slot 13 has a projection 30 which may be formed integrally with the first block 11, for example. The projection 30 is spaced different distances from the opposite ends of the insertion slot 13, and the companion connector has a recess positioned correspondingly to the projection 30 to receive the same. Therefore, the companion connector cannot be inserted into the insertion slot 13 when the companion connector is inverted or turned up side down, thereby preventing improper electric connection between the multiconnector of the invention and the companion connector.

With the multiconnector thus constructed, the two groups of contacts 26.sub.1 through 26.sub.n and 27.sub.1 through 27.sub.n are supported respectively on the first and second blocks 11, 12 and the insertion slot 13 is defined when the first and second blocks 11, 12 are put together. The contacts 26.sub.1 through 26.sub.n and 27.sub.1 through 27.sub.n can be molded in the first and second blocks 11, 12. The contacts are spaced at smaller intervals and hence the multiconnector is smaller in size than would be the case if the contacts were inserted respectively into small holes in the connector body as is conventional. Where the first and second blocks are molded around the contacts with the terminals, the free ends of the terminals may be interconnected by a connector arm extending perpendicularly to the terminals, so that the terminals can stably be retained in the mold to facilitate the molding operation. The contacts thus molded in the blocks are then bent to desired profile simultaneously, and the blocks are assembled together, all in an automatic process. Although the contacts and their terminals have been described as being molded in the blocks 11, 12, the contacts 26.sub.p, 27.sub.p may be formed in an alternative procedure by inserting electrically conductive resilient wires respectively through small holes in the blocks 11, 12 in a manner as shown in FIG. 6, and bending the inserted wires simultaneously into the contacts 26.sub.p, 27.sub.p in an automatic assembling operation. The foregoing process can produce a smaller multiconnector than prior multiconnectors having preshaped contacts and terminals inserted and held in connector bodies.

Since the free ends of the contacts 26.sub.1 through 26.sub.n and 27.sub.1 through 27.sub.n are resiliently held against the locking ridges 25.sub.1, 25.sub.2 and hence are preloaded, the corresponding contacts of the companion connector inserted in the slot 13 can be held in contact with the contacts 26.sub.1 through 26.sub.n and 27.sub.1 through 27.sub.n under sufficient pressures of contact. With the ends of the lateral projections 11A, 11B of the first block 11 being joined to the second block 12 and the first and second blocks 11, 12 being sandwiched in position endwise between the retainers 18.sub.1, 18.sub.2 of the third block 17, the insertion slot 13 has a constant width which permits the companion connector to contact the multiconnector under constant pressure. In case the contacts 26.sub.1 through 26.sub.n and 27.sub.1 through 27.sub.n with their terminals 46.sub.1 through 46.sub.n and 47.sub.1 through 47.sub.n are integrally molded in the blocks 11, 12, there is no danger that any flux used when soldering wires to the terminals will leak along the contacts into the insertion slot 13, with the result that good electric contact will be ensured between the contacts of the multiconnector and those of the companion connector.

While in the illustrated embodiment the contacts 26.sub.1 through 26.sub.n and 27.sub.1 through 27.sub.n are mounted respectively on the first and second blocks 11, 12, either the contacts 26.sub.1 through 26.sub.n or 27.sub.1 through 27.sub.n may be attached to either the first block 11 or the second block 12.

Although a certain preferred embodiment has been shown and described, it should be understood that many changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the appended claims.