Specification
The present invention relates to a connector connecting construction.
The present invention relates to a connector connecting construction arranged in or at a door handle and a handle frame and a clamping member for retaining wires drawn out from a frame-side connector, The present invention further relates to a method of mounting a connector connecting construction.
Various systems for improving convenience in opening and closing automotive doors have been conventionally known. Various electric parts are built in door handles and handle frames in conformity with such systems. For example, in a system disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-82091, a handle-side connector is mounted in a door handle and a frame-side connector is held in a handle frame. An end of the door handle is hinged to the handle frame and the door handle is turned about this hinged end, As the door handle is turned, the two connectors connected with each other are cooperatively and substantially integrally displaced.
Since the frame-side connector is connected with an end of a wire group extending from the interior of a vehicle while being separated from the door handle, there are cases where the frame-side connector is pulled inside by this wire group, cannot easily move toward the door handle and, therefore, cannot flexibly follow the displacement of the handle-side connector when the' door handle is turned. Then, stresses act on the connecting surfaces of both connectors in directions of displacement, which might result in the action of
unnecessary stresses on connected parts of terminal fittings in both
connectors.
The present invention wes developed in view of the above situation, and
an robject thereof is to enable a frame^side connector to be smoothly displaced
when a door handle is turned.
This object is solved according to the invention by the features of the
independent claims. Preferred embodiments of the invention are subject of the
dependent claims,
According to the invention, there is provided a connector connecting
constructiqn, comprising;
a handle-side connector fixed or to be fixed to a doqr handle piyotally
hinged to a handle frame and displaceable as the door handle is turned or
operated,
a frame-side connector located or to be located (at least partly) in or at
the handle frame so as to be connectable with the handle-side connector, and
disiplaceable together with the handle^side connector in its connected state as
the door handle is turned, and
at least one clamping member including at least one wire retaining
portion for retaining a wire group drawn out through or at or near an end
surface of the frame-side connector and at least one handle attaching portion
substantially continuous with the wire retaining portion and attachable to the
door handle so as to make a relative position of the wire retaining portion to the
door handle substantially invariable.
As the door handle is turned or operated, the handle-side connector is
displaced and the frame-side connector connected with this handle-side
connector is displaced together. At this time, the wire group drawn out through
the end surface of the frame-side connector is substantially retained by the wire
retaining portion of the clamping member, and the handle attaching portion of
this clamping member is attached or mounted to the door handle so as to make
the relative position of the wire retaining portion to the door handle substantially
invariable. Thus, as the door handle is turned or operated, no unnecessary
stress acts on the wire retaining portion from the end surface of the frame-side
connector. As a result, stresses acting on the connecting surfaces of the two
connectors in directions of displacement can be suppressed, thereby
guaranteeing the smooth displacements of the two connector during the turning
movement of the door handle.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, an elevating
surface of a door glass is or is to be located at a side of the frame-side
connector substantially opposite to the door handle.
Preferably, the wire group includes an inclined portion to be arranged
oblique to an elevating surface of a door glass in such a manner as to widen a
clearance to the elevating surface of the door glass along a direction away from
the end surface of the frame-side connector, and
the wire retaining portion preferably includes at least one inclined guiding
means for keeping the inclined posture of the inclined portion.
Since the elevating surface of the door glass is located at the side of the
frame-side connector substantially opposite to the door handle, the wire group
drawn out through the end surface of the frame-side connector may interfere
with the door glass. However, the wire retaining portion of the clamping member
includes the inclined guiding means, thereby keeping the inclined posture of the
inclined portion arranged oblique or inclined or at an angle different from 0° or
180° to the elevating surface of the door glass in such a manner as to widen
the clearance to the elevating surface as the wire group extends along the
direction away from the end surface of the frame-'Side connector, Therefore, the
interference of the wire group and the door glass can be avoided.
Further preferably, the end surface of the frame-side connector faces or
is to be arranged so as to substantially face the elevating surface of the door
the wire group is bent after being drawing out through or at or near the
end surface of the frame-side connector, the inclined portion extending from the
bent position, and has an intermediate part thereof bundled at a bundling
position by at least one bundling means, and
out of a plurality of wires forming the wire group, the one to be located at
an inner side of the bend by the bending operation preferably is set shorter
between the end surface of the frame-side connector and the bundling position
than a wire to be located at an outer side of the bend-
With the wire group bent, the wire located at the inner side of the bend is
bent at the bent portion while bulging outward for length adjustment, which
might result in difficulty in being spatially accommodated. However, according
to the above, the wire located at the inner side of the bend is set to have a
shorter length between the end surface of the frame-side connector and the
bundling position than the wire located at the outer side of the bend. Thus, the
bulging-out length at the bent portion of the wire located at the inner side of the
bend can be set shorter, wherefore the wire group can have a compact
configuration at the bent portion.
Most preferably, the clamping member further comprises a connector
attaching portion attachable to the frame-side connector, wherein:
the wire retaining portion preferably is substantially in the form of a strip
extending from the connector attaching portion, and/or
an extending direction of the wire group is defined by turning the wire
retaining portion about the connector attaching portion with the wire group at
least partly arranged along a plate surface of the wire retaining portion.
According to the invention, there is further provided a clamping member
used in the case where a handle-side connector fixed to a door handle pivotally
hinged to a handle frame is displaced as the door handle is turned, whereby a
frame-side connector connected with the handle^side connector and located in
the handle frame is displaced together with the handle-side connector,
comprising: i
at least one wire retaining portion for retaining a wire group drawn out
through an end surface of the frame-side connector, and
at least one handle attaching portion substantially continuous with the
wire retaining portion and attachable to the door handle so as to make a relative
position of the wire retaining portion to the door handle substantially invariable.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, an elevating
surface of a door glass is or is to be located at a side of the frame-side
connector substantially opposite to the door handle.
Preferably, the wire group includes an inclined portion to be arranged
oblique to an elevating surface of a door glass in such a manner as to widen a
clearance to the elevating surface of the door glass along a direction away from
the end surface of the frame-side connector, and
the wire retaining portion preferably includes at least one inclined guiding
means for keeping the inclined posture of the inclined portion.
Further preferably, a connector attaching portion attachable to the frameside
connector is further provided:
the wire retaining portion preferably is substantially in the form of a strip
extending from the connector attaching portion, and/or
an extending direction of the wire group is defined by turning the wire
retaining portion about the connector attaching portion with the wire group at
least partly arranged along a plate surface of the wire retaining portion,
Since the extending direction of the wire group is defined by turning the
wire retaining portion about the connector attaching portion with the wire group
arranged along the plate surface of the wire retaining portion, the wire group
can be easily bent and can be stably kept bent, Further, the wire group is
protected by the wire retaining portion and the connector attaching portion,
According to the invention, there is further provided method of mounting
a connector connecting construction, in particular according to the invention or
a preferred embodiment thereof, comprising the following steps:
fixing a handle-side connector to a door handle pivotally hinged to a
handle frame so as to be displaceable as the door handle is turned,
locating a frames-side connector in or at the handle frame s@ as to be
connectable with the handle^side connector, wherein the frame-^side connector
is displaceable together with the handle-side connector in its connected state
as the door handle is turned,
retaining a wire group drawn out through or at an end surface of the
frame-side connector by means of at least one wire retaining portion of at least
one clamping member, and
attaching at least ope handle attaching portion substantially continuous
with the wire retaining portion to the door handle so as to make a relative
position of the wire retaining portion to the door handle substantially invariable.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the method
further comprises a step of;
arranging an inclined portion of the wire group oblique to an elevating
surface of a door glass in such a manner as to widen a clearance to the
elevating surface of the door glass along a direction away from the encj surface
of the frame*sjde connector,
wherein the wire retaining portion preferably includes at least one
inclined guiding means for keeping the inclined posture of the inclined portion,
Preferably, the method further comprises the steps of;
arranging the end surface of the frameTside connector so as to
substantially face the elevating surface of the door glass ,
bending the wire group after being drawing out through or at the end
surface of the frame*side connector, the inclined portion extending from the
bent position, and bundling an intermediate part thereof at a bundling position
by at least one bundling means, and
out of a plurality of wires forming the wire group, the one to be located at an
inner side of the bend of the bending operation preferably is set shorter
between the end surface of the frame side connector and the bundling position
than a wire to be located at an outer side of the bend These
and other objects, features and advantages of the present
invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following detailed
description of preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings. It should be
understood that even though embodiments are separately described, single
features thereof may be combined to additional embodiments,
FIG, 1 ig a side view of a connector connecting construction according to
a first embodiment,
FlCi 2 is a side view showing a state before a. wire group and a cjamping
member are bent,
FIG, 3 is a rear view of the damping member,
FIG, 4 is a plan view of the clamping member,
FIG. 5 is a side view of the clamping member,
FIG. 6 is a side view of a connector connecting construction according to
a second embodiment,
FIG. 7 is a rear view of a clamping member,
FIG. 8 is a plan view of the clamping member, and
FIG, 9 is a side view of the clamping member
< First Embpdiment>
A first preferred embodiment of the, present invention is described with
reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. This embodiment illustrates a connector connecting
construction in a vehicle door handle device S and a clamping member 60 used
therein. The door handle device S is for building a so-called smart door-lock
system applied upon locking and unlocking a door lock and includes a door
handle 10 and a handle frame 20, wherein a handle-side connector 30 is
provided at least partly in or at the door handle 10 and a frame-side connector
40 is provided at least partly in or at the handle frame 2Q.
As shown in ilC3, 1, the door handle 10 at least partly projects on the
outer surface of a door panel 15 (door outer plate) and is comprised of an armshaped
fulcrum portion 11 and a (preferably substantially hollow and/or flat)
handle main body 12 extending laterally (or backward of a vehicle) from the
outer1 edge of the fulcrum portion 11. The inner surface of the handle main body
12 is formed into a curved surface 12A separated fr-om a concave surface 1SA
of the door panel 15, thereby being substantially grip-shaped so as to be easily
gripped. Various electric parts (not shown) such as a sensor are built in or
provided at the handle main body 12, The handle-side connector 30 electrically
connected with the sensor and the like is integrally or unitarily supported
adjacent to the fulcrum portion 11 at a position of the handle main body 12 near
the fulcrum portion 11. This har;dle^side connector 30 integrally moves with the
doorhandle 1Q.
The fulcrum portion 11 is at least partly inserted together with the
handle^side connector 30 through a handle insertion opening 16 formed in the
door panel 15 to be located at least partly inside the door panel 15. A handle
frame 20 to be secured to the inner surface of the door panel 15 is prepared
inside the door panel 15, and the fulcrum portion 11 and the handle-side
connector 30 located at least partly inside the door panel 15 are introduced into
the handle frame 20r The fulcrum portion 11 includes a shaft 13, which is
engaged or engageable with a bearing portion (not shown) of the handle frame
20 to permit the door handle 10 to turn or pivot about the shaft 13 relative to the
handle frame 20. More specifically, the handle main body 12 is inclined in an
inclination direction ID (arrow of FIG. 1) about the shaft 13 by pulling the rear
part of the handle main body 12 with respect to the vehicle in a direction away
from the door panel 15.
Further, the frame-side connector 4Q is pivotally arranged in or at the
handle frame 20. The frame-side connector 40 is arranged such that the
connecting surface thereof is substantially faced toward the door handle 10
substantially in conformity with the arranged position of the handle-side
connector 30 when the two connectors 30, 4Q are connected, An elevating
surface 91 of a door glass 90 is arranged in proximity to the handle frame 20 at
the inner side of the handle frame 20, i.e. at a side of the handle frame 20
substantially opposite to the door handle 10, The elevating surface 91 of the
door glass 90 is located at a position substantially behind the connected frameside
connector 40 with respect to a connecting direction GP and/or proximate to
the frame*side connector 40, One or more, preferably a plurality of terminal
fittings (not shown) are at least partly aecemmodated in the fram©*side
connector 40, and the one or more respective terminal fittings are connected
with an end of a wire group 80 (one or more, preferably a plurality of (two in the
shown case) wires 81) fixed or mounted to a door body and extending
substantially from the
The present jnypntjgn i§ 0$ lirnitgd tg tb§ etee desQrJbe,c! and
illustrated embodiments. For example, the following embodiments are also
embraced by the technical scope of the present invention as defined by the
claims. Beside the following embodiments, various changes-can be made
without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention as defined
by the ejaims,
(1) Although the clamping member is attachable tp the frame«side
GQFineGtoT by having the connector attaehing portion in the foregoing
embodiments, it may not be engaged with the frame-side eo-nnector without
having the connector attaching portion according to the present invention. For
example, the elamping member may be comprised of a wire re|aining portion
for retaining the wire group drawn out through the end surface of {he frame-side
connector at a position distant from this end surface and a handle attaching
portion continuous with this wire retaining portion. In short, it is sufficient for the
elamping member to have an invariable relative position to the door handle by
having the handle attaching portion,
(2) Although the bundling portion by taping or the like is provided in
addition to the clamping member in the first embodiment, the wire retaining
portion may double as the bundling portion according to the present invention.
This can reduce the number of parts.
(3) Although the wire group extends via the bent portion while
substantially facing the elevating surface of the door glass in the foregoing
embodiments, it may extend without via the bent portion while facing the
elevating surface of the door glass. In this case, the facing directions of the
connecting surfaces of the two connectors may be set substantially parallel to
the elevating surface of the door glass and/or their connecting direction may be
substantially normal to the elevating surface of the door glass,
(4) In the foregoing embodiments, the sleep handle is provided with
the engaging projections and the clamping member is pr-ovided with th© handle
attaching main bodies in the form of projecting pieces. Conversely, according to
the present invention, the door handle may be provided with members in the
form of projecting pieces equivalent to the handle attaching main bodies and
th@ clamping member may be provided with engaging projections,
(5) In the foregoing embodiments, the mounting grooves are formed
in the connector attaching portion and the mounting r-ibs are provided ©n the
frame-side connector. Conversely, according to the present invention, the
connector attaching portion may be provided with mounting ribs and the frameside
connector may be provided with mounting grooves.
(6) Although the handle frame is a member separate from the door
panel in the foregoing embodiments, it may be constructed as the same
member as the door panel according to the present invention.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
9 .,. door handle device
10 ,„ dpor hand'®
11 .„ fulcrum portion
13 ... shaft
20 ... handle frame
30 ... handle-side connector
40 ••• frame-side connector
60 ... clamping member
61 ... wire retaining portion
62 .... handle attaching pQrtiQo
63 - connecter attaqhing pertiao
64 ,., hinp RQrtipn,
66 ... inclined guiding portjpn (inclined guiding means)
80 ... wire group
8QA ... inclined portion
85 ... bundling portion (bundling means)
90 ... deo,r glass
91 ... elevating surface
WE CLAIM:
1. A connector connecting construction, comprising:
a handle-side connector (30) to be fixed to a door handle (10) pivotally hinged to a handle frame (20) and displaceable as the door handle (10) is turned,
a frame-side connector (40) to be located in or at the handle frame (20) so as to be connectable with the handle-side connector (30), and displaceable together with the handle-side connector (30) in its connected state as the door handle (10) is turned,
characterized in, that it further comprises
at least one clamping member (60) including at least one wire retaining portion (61) for retaining a wire group (80) drawn out through or at an end surface of the frame-side connector (40), a connector attaching portion (63) attachable to the frame-side connector (40), and at least one handle attaching portion (62) substantially continuous with the wire retaining portion (61) and attachable to the door handle (10) so as to make a relative position of the wire retaining portion (61) to the door handle (10) substantially invariable.
2. A connector connecting construction as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
the wire group (80) includes an inclined portion (80A) to be arranged oblique to an elevating surface (91) of a door glass (90) in such a manner as to widen a clearance to the elevating surface (91) of the door glass (90) along a direction away from the end surface of the frame-side connector (40), and
the wire retaining portion (61) preferably includes at least one inclined guiding means (66) for keeping the inclined posture of the inclined portion (80A).
3. A connector connecting construction as claimed in claim 2, wherein:
the end surface of the frame-side connector (40) is to be arranged so as to face the elevating surface (91) of the door glass (90),
the wire group (80) is bent after being drawing out through or at the end surface of the frame-side connector (40), the inclined portion (80A) extending from the bent position, and has an intermediate part thereof bundled at a bundling position by at least one bundling means (85); and
out of a plurality of wires (81) forming the wire group (80), the one (81A) to be located at an inner side of the bend of the bending operation preferably is set shorter between the end surface of the frame-side connector (40) and the bundling position than a wire (81B) to be located at an outer side of the bend.
4. A connector connecting construction as claimed in one or more the preceding
claims, wherein:
the wire retaining portion (61) preferably is substantially in the form of a strip extending from the connector attaching portion (63), and/or
an extending direction of the wire group (80) is defined by turning the wire retaining portion (61) about the connector attaching portion (63) with the wire group (80) at least partly arranged along a plate surface of the wire retaining portion (61).
5. A clamping member (60) used in the case where a handle-side connector (30)
fixed to a door handle (10) pivotally hinged to a handle frame (20) is displaced as the
door handle (10) is turned, whereby a frame-side connector (40) connected with the
handle-side connector (30) and located in or at the handle frame (20) is displaced together
with the handle-side connector (30), comprising:
at least one wire retaining portion (61) for retaining a wire group (80) drawn out through or at and end surface of the frame-side connector (40),
a connector attaching portion (63) attachable to the frame-side connector (40), and
at least one handle attaching portion (62) substantially continuous with the wire
retaining portion (61) and attachable to the door handle (10) so as to make a relative
position of the wire retaining portion (61) to the door handle (10) substantially invariable.
6. A clamping member as claimed in claim 5, wherein:
the wire group (80) includes an inclined portion (80A) to be arranged oblique to an elevating surface (91) of a door glass (90) in such a manner as to widen a clearance to the elevating surface (91) of the door glass (90) along a direction away from the end surface of the frame-side connector (40), and
the wire retaining portion (61) preferably includes inclined at least one guiding means (66) for keeping the inclined posture of the inclined portion (80A).
7. A clamping member as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein:
the wire retaining portion (61) preferably is substantially in the form of a slip extending from the connector attaching portion (63), and/or
an extending direction of the wire group (80) is defined by turning the wire retaining portion (61) about the connector attaching portion (63) with the wire group (80) at least partly arranged along a plate surface of the wire retaining portion (61).
8. A method of mounting a connector connecting construction, comprising the
following steps:
fixing a handle-side connector (30) to a door handle (10) pivotally hinged to a handle frame (20) so as to be displaceable as the door handle (10) is turned;
locating a frame-side connector (40) in or at the handle frame (20) so as to be connectable with the handle-side connector (30), wherein the frame-side connector (40) is displaceable together with the handle-side connector (30) in its connected state as the door handle (10) is turned;
retaining a wire group (80) drawn out through or at an end surface of the frame-side connector (40) by means of at least one wire retaining portion (61) of at least one clamping member (60);
attaching a connector attaching portion 863) of the clamping member (60) to the frame-side connector (40); and
attaching at least one handle attaching portion (62) substantially continuous with the wire retaining portion (61) to the door handle (10) so as to make a relative position of the wire retaining portion (61) to the door handle (10) substantially invariable.
9. A method of mounting a connector connecting construction as claimed in claim 8,
wherein a step of:
arranging an inclined portion (80A) of the wire group (80) oblique to an elevating surface (91) of a door glass (90) in such a manner as to widen a clearance to the elevating surface (91) of the door glass (90) along a direction away from the end surface of the frame-side connector (40);
wherein, the wire retaining portion (61) preferably included at least one inclined guiding means (66) for keeping the inclined posture of the inclined portion (80A).
10. A method of mounting a connector connecting construction as claimed in claim 9,
further comprising the steps of:
arranging the end surface of the frame-side connector (40) so as to substantially face the elevating surface (91) of the door glass (90);
bending the wire group (80) after being drawing out through or at the end surface of the frame-side connector (40), the inclined portion (80A) extending from the bent position, and bundling an intermediate part thereof at a bundling position by at least one bundling means (85); and
out of a plurality of wires (81) forming the wire group (80), the one (81 A) to be located at an inner side of the bend of the bending operation preferably is set shorter between the end surface of the frame-side connector (40) and the bundling position than a wire (8 IB) to be located at an outer side of the bend.
