JP4762947B2 - INJECTION MOLDING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING MOLD AND ELECTRIC DEVICE CASE - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an injection molding apparatus and a mold for integrally molding a resin part covering a part of a terminal into a main body and press-fitting a terminal into the main body of the case for an electric device, and a method for manufacturing the case for an electric device.

In many cases of electrical equipment such as electrical connectors, terminals are fixed to the main body, and a part of the terminals is covered with resin.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a shield connector in which a terminal fitting is fixed to a shield shell (main body) and a part of the terminal fitting is covered with a resin connector housing. In this shield connector, when the terminal fitting is connected to the ground potential, the shield shell potential becomes the ground potential, and the shield shell is isolated from electromagnetic noise. A part of the terminal fitting is covered with a resin component in order to prevent short circuit with other fittings.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-25718

The terminal fitting needs to be firmly fixed to the shield connector so as not to cause a connection failure with the shield connector. Therefore, when manufacturing the shield connector of Patent Document 1, conventionally, a process of fixing a terminal fitting to the shield shell and a process of injection molding a resin connector housing to the shield shell to which the terminal fitting is fixed are required. In the prior art, the terminal is firmly fixed to the main body, and many steps are required to manufacture a case for an electric device in which a part of the terminal is covered with resin.
There is a demand for a technique for manufacturing an electrical device case in which a terminal is firmly fixed to a main body and a part of the terminal is covered with a resin with a small number of steps.

  The present invention is an injection molding apparatus for injection molding resin parts on a main body of a case for an electric device, and press-fits a terminal into the main body using a force when closing a mold. When closing the mold by bringing the mold close to the main body while facing the main body on which the terminal is placed, a part of the mold is brought into contact with the terminal and press-fitted into the main body. By doing so, the terminal can be firmly fixed to the main body in the step of injection molding of the resin part by the injection molding apparatus. In addition to the injection molding apparatus, an apparatus for fixing the terminal to the main body is not required, and a case for an electric device in which a part of the terminal fixed to the main body is covered with a resin can be manufactured with fewer steps.

The present invention can be embodied in an injection molding apparatus that press-fits a terminal into a main body of an electrical equipment case and integrally molds a resin component covering a part of the terminal into the main body. The injection molding apparatus includes a first mold, a second mold, and a driving device.
A 1st metal mold | die fixes the main body in which the terminal was mounted. The second mold is supported at a position facing the main body on which the terminal is placed. The driving device moves one of the first mold and the second mold toward the other.
The second mold has a slide member and a biasing means. The slide member protrudes from the surface of the second mold so as to expand and contract at a position facing the terminal placed on the main body. The biasing means biases the slide member in a direction protruding from the surface of the second mold. The biasing means may be a spring, for example.
When the driving device brings the first mold and the second mold closer, the slide member urged by the urging means comes into contact with the terminal placed on the main body and presses the terminal into a predetermined position of the main body. Further, when the dies are brought closer to each other, the dies close while retreating with the slide member in contact with the terminals after the terminals are press-fitted into a predetermined position.

As a result of the press-fitting, the terminal is positioned at a predetermined position of the main body. That is, the position of the terminal before press-fitting is different from the predetermined position of the main body. For example, when the terminal hole is press-fitted into the protrusion formed in the main body, the inner diameter of the terminal hole is formed smaller than the outer diameter of the protrusion, so the terminal before press-fitting is not a predetermined position after press-fitting, It will be locked to the top of the protrusion.
On the other hand, a cavity wall that defines the shape of the resin component is formed on the surface of the second mold. When a part of the terminal is covered with resin, the cavity wall is positioned close to the terminal when the mold is closed. After the terminal is press-fitted into a predetermined position, even if the cavity wall and the terminal do not interfere when the second mold is brought close to the main body, the second is placed in a state where the terminal is placed at a position different from the predetermined position. When the mold is brought closer to the main body, a part different from the part into which the terminal is press-fitted may interfere with the cavity wall first. If a part different from the part to be press-fitted first interferes with the cavity wall, the terminal cannot be press-fitted.
In the present invention, the terminal is press-fitted into a predetermined position of the main body before the cavity wall and the terminal come close to each other so as to interfere with each other by the slide member protruding from the surface of the second mold so as to be stretchable. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the terminal from interfering with the cavity wall before the terminal is pressed into a predetermined position.

  In order to prevent interference between the terminal and the cavity wall, the sliding member can be pressed into the main body at a predetermined position before the tip of the terminal reaches the cavity wall. It is preferable that it is more than the length. Since the terminal is press-fitted to a predetermined position when the tip of the terminal reaches the cavity wall, it is possible to reliably prevent the terminal from interfering with the cavity wall.

  The slide member is preferably located at the end of the slidable range when the mold is closed. By transmitting the closing force of the mold directly to the slide member when the mold is completely closed, the press-fitting part can be reliably press-fitted to a predetermined position.

The present invention can also be embodied in a method for manufacturing a case for an electric device in which a terminal is press-fitted into a main body and a resin part covering a part of the terminal is integrally formed with the main body.
This manufacturing method includes a step of fixing the main body on which the terminal is disposed to the first mold, and a second mold having a slide member that protrudes from the mold surface so as to extend and contract, wherein the slide member faces the terminal. A step of closing the mold close to the first mold while maintaining, and a step of injecting resin into a cavity formed in the closed mold.
In the process of closing the mold, the slide member comes into contact with the terminal placed on the main body while the first mold and the second mold approach, and the terminal is press-fitted into a predetermined position of the main body, and the terminal is press-fitted into the predetermined position. After being done, the first mold and the second mold are finally closed while moving backward with the slide member in contact with the terminal.
According to this manufacturing method, it is possible to inexpensively manufacture an electrical device case in which a resin component covering a part of a terminal press-fitted into the main body is integrally formed with the main body.

According to the present invention, it is possible to realize an injection molding apparatus and an injection molding die that integrally press-fit a terminal into a main body of an electrical equipment case and integrally mold a resin part covering a part of the terminal into the main body.
In addition, it is possible to inexpensively manufacture an electric device case in which a resin part covering a part of a terminal press-fitted into the main body is integrally formed with the main body.

Embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings.
The injection molding apparatus according to the present invention is an apparatus for manufacturing a connector case (electric equipment case) in which a resin connector is integrally formed with a metal body.
First, the connector case will be described. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the connector case 100. In the connector case 100, a resin connector 130 is formed integrally with a metal main body 120. The connector 130 includes a connector base portion 132 that is integrated with the metal main body 120, and a connector fitting portion 134 that protrudes from the connector base portion 132. The connector fitting portion 134 is a portion that fits with another external connector. A metal ground terminal 140 and another terminal group 150 extend from the connector fitting portion 134 along the protruding direction of the connector fitting portion 134. As will be described later, the ground terminal 140 is directly fixed to the main body 120 and is electrically connected to the main body 120. The other terminal group 150 is connected to a substrate (not shown) disposed in the main body 120.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the ground terminal 140. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the main body 120. In FIG. 3, the ground terminal 140 in a state of being press-fitted into the main body 120 is indicated by a virtual line.
The ground terminal 140 includes a bottom plate 142 and pins 146 extending vertically from one end of the bottom plate 142. A press-fit hole 144 for press-fitting the ground terminal 140 into the protrusion 124 of the main body 120 is formed in the bottom plate 142.
The main body 120 is provided with a rectangular parallelepiped notch 122. A resin connector base 132 is injection molded into the notch 122. A protrusion 124 and a through hole 126 are provided on the bottom surface of the notch 122. As shown in FIG. 3, the press-fit hole 144 of the ground terminal 140 is press-fitted into the protrusion 124, whereby the ground terminal 140 is firmly fixed to the main body 120. As will be described later, the ground terminal 140 is press-fitted into the protrusion 124 in the step of injection molding the connector 130.
The through hole 126 is a hole through which the other terminal group 150 passes, and the other terminal group 150 is connected to a substrate (not shown) in the main body 120 through the through hole 126.

  FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. The ground terminal 140 is press-fitted into the protrusion 124 of the main body 120 and a part thereof is covered with the connector 130. The ground terminal 140 is press-fitted to the base of the protrusion 124, whereby the ground terminal 140 is firmly fixed to the protrusion 124, and the bottom plate 142 of the ground terminal 140 is in surface contact with the main body 120 and has good electrical characteristics. Connection is secured. The ground terminal 140 exposes the periphery of the press-fit hole 144 and the tip of the pin 146, and the other part is covered with the connector 130.

Next, an injection molding apparatus 200 that press-fits the ground terminal 140 to the main body 120 and integrally molds the resin connector 130 to the main body 120 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 8. At the same time, a method for manufacturing the connector case 100 using the injection molding apparatus 200 will be described. 5 to 8 show cross sections of the injection molding apparatus 200 corresponding to the cross section taken along line VI-VI in FIG. Therefore, the other terminal group 150 shown in FIG. 1 is not shown in FIGS. 5 to 8 show only the main part of the injection molding apparatus 200, and the other parts of the injection molding apparatus 200 are not shown.
The injection molding apparatus 200 includes a first mold 210, a second mold 220, and a driving device 250.
To manufacture the connector case 100, first, the main body 120 on which the ground terminal 140 is placed is fixed to the first mold 210. The second mold 220 is supported by the driving device 250 at a position facing the main body 120 on which the ground terminal 140 is placed. The driving device 250 can move the second mold 220 toward the first mold 210 by hydraulic pressure.
Next, in order to manufacture the connector case 100, the first mold 210 and the second mold 220 are brought close to each other and the mold is closed. As will be described later, the second mold is provided with a slide member 230 projecting from the mold surface so as to expand and contract, and when the mold is closed, the slide member 230 is kept facing the ground terminal 140. However, the second mold 220 is brought close to the first mold.
The driving device 250 moves the second mold 220 toward the first mold 210 while maintaining the state facing the main body 120. When the driving device 250 moves the second mold 220 and the second mold 220 is in close contact with the first mold 210, a closed space is formed between a part of the lower surface of the second mold 220 and the surface of the notch 122 of the main body 120. Is formed. This closed space becomes a cavity for injecting resin. Contacting the second mold 220 with the first mold 210 may be expressed as “closing the mold”. In other words, the cavity is formed by closing the first mold 210 and the second mold 220.

  Of the lower surface of the second mold 210, the wall surface forming the cavity is the cavity wall 222. The cavity wall 222 is formed with a recess 222a for forming the connector fitting portion 134 by the injected resin. A pore 224 is provided in the recess 222a. As shown in FIG. 5, the ground terminal 140 is inclined when placed on the main body 120, and the axial direction of the pin 146 of the ground terminal 140 does not coincide with the axial direction of the pore 224. As will be described later, the press-fit hole 144 of the ground terminal 140 is press-fitted into the base of the protrusion 124 of the main body 120 as the second mold 220 approaches the first mold 210. As a result, the axial direction of the pin 146 of the ground terminal 140 coincides with the axial direction of the pore 224. In this state, when the second mold 220 further approaches the first mold 210, the tip of the pin 146 of the ground terminal 140 is inserted into the pore 224. The inner diameter of the fine hole 224 and the outer diameter of the pin 146 are substantially equal. By injecting resin into the cavity with the tip of the pin 146 inserted into the fine hole 224, the tip of the pin 146 is exposed and the other part of the pin 146 is exposed. Can be formed.

A slide member 230 is attached to the second mold 220. The slide member 230 protrudes from the surface of the second mold 220 so as to expand and contract at a position facing the ground terminal 140 placed on the main body 120. The slide member 230 is urged by a spring 232 in a direction protruding from the surface of the second mold 220 toward the ground terminal 140. A stopper 234 is provided at a position facing the rear end portion of the slide member 230 of the second mold 220, and the stopper 234 defines the rearmost part of the slideable range of the slide member 230.
A recess 230 a is formed at the tip of the slide member 230. When the second mold 220 approaches the first mold 210, the protrusion 124 of the main body 120 is inserted into the recess 230a.

  5 to 8 show a state in which the second mold 220 is moved toward the first mold 210 by the driving device 250. FIG. 5 shows a state before the second mold 220 is moved, that is, a state where the second mold 220 is completely opened. FIG. 6 shows a state in which the second mold 220 has approached the first mold 210 to a position where the tip of the slide member 230 comes into contact with the ground terminal 140 placed on the main body 120. FIG. 7 shows a state in which the second mold 220 has approached the first mold 210 until the slide member 230 press-fits the ground terminal 140 to the base of the protrusion 124 of the main body 120. FIG. 8 shows a state where the second mold 220 is in close contact with the first mold 210, that is, a state where the molds are closed.

A process from the state in which the first mold 210 and the second mold 220 are completely opened (FIG. 5) to the state in which the molds are closed (FIG. 8) will be described.
First, the state shown in FIG. 5 will be described.
In order to press-fit and fix the ground terminal 140 to the protrusion 124 of the main body 120, the inner diameter of the press-fit hole 144 is formed smaller than the outer diameter of the protrusion 124. For this reason, the press-fit hole 144 does not fit into the protrusion 124 only by placing the ground terminal 140 on the main body 120. Therefore, the ground terminal 140 is placed in a state of being hooked on the upper end of the protrusion 124. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the ground terminal 140 is not located at the original predetermined position (the position press-fitted into the base of the protrusion 124 as shown in FIG. 4) but at a position shifted from the predetermined position. At this time, as shown in FIG. 5, the axial direction of the pin 146 of the ground terminal 140 does not coincide with the axial direction of the pore 224.

Next, the state shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 will be described. The protruding length L of the slide member 230 before coming into contact with the ground terminal 140 is such that the tip of the pin 146 of the ground terminal 140 reaches the cavity wall 222 (including the recess 222a that is a part of the cavity wall 222). However, the length of the ground terminal 140 is set to be longer than the length at which the ground terminal 140 can be pressed into the base of the protrusion 124. That is, as shown in FIG. 6, when the tip of the slide member 230 comes into contact with the ground terminal 140, the tip of the pin 146 does not reach the cavity wall 222 (including the recess 222a). If the protruding length of the slide member 230 is shorter than L shown in FIG. 6, the tip of the pin 146 interferes with the cavity wall 222 (including the recess 222a), and the second mold 220 becomes the first mold. The pin 146 may be bent while approaching 210. In the injection molding apparatus 200, the slide member 230 that moves together with the second mold 220 press-fits the ground terminal 140 while the second mold 220 moves from the state shown in FIG. 6 to the state shown in FIG. Note that the spring 232 applies an urging force large enough to press-fit the ground terminal 140 to the slide member 230.
The slide member 230 is provided with a recess 230a. As the second mold 220 approaches the first mold 210, the protrusion 124 enters the recess 230 a and the tip of the slide member 230 press-fits the ground terminal 140 to the base of the protrusion 124 around the protrusion 124.
As the ground terminal 140 is pressed into the base of the protrusion 124, the inclination of the ground terminal 140 changes. When the ground terminal 140 is finally press-fitted to the base of the protrusion 124, the axial direction of the pin 146 of the ground terminal 140 coincides with the axial direction of the pore 224. Accordingly, as the second mold 220 further approaches the first mold 210, the tip of the pin 146 passes through the pore 224 without interfering with the cavity wall 222 (including the recess 222a).

A process from the state shown in FIG. 7 to the state shown in FIG. 8 will be described.
When the slide member 230 is press-fitted to the base of the protrusion 124, the slide member 230 cannot move further toward the first mold 210 side. In this state, when the second mold 220 further approaches the first mold 210, the slide member 230 moves backward relative to the second mold 220. When the molds are closed, that is, when the second mold 220 is in close contact with the first mold 210, the rear end of the slide member 230 comes into contact with the stopper 234. That is, the slide member 230 is located at the end of the slidable range when the molds are closed. At this time, the driving force (force for closing the mold) output from the driving device 250 is directly transmitted to the slide member 230. Thus, the ground terminal 140 can be finally press-fitted to the base of the protrusion 124 regardless of the urging force of the spring 232. Even if the urging force of the spring 232 becomes small due to a change over time, the stopper 234 can reliably press-fit the ground terminal 140 to the base of the protrusion 124.
When the molds are closed, a cavity 240 is formed by the cavity wall 222 (including the recess 222a) and the surface of the notch 122 of the main body 120. By injecting resin into the cavity 240 in this state, the connector 130 shown in FIG. 1 or 4 can be integrally formed with the main body 120. At this time, the tip of the pin 146 of the ground terminal 140 is inserted into the pore 224 provided in the recess 222a. Therefore, it is possible to form the connector fitting portion 134 in which the tip of the pin 146 is exposed.
The connector case 100 shown in FIG. 1 is completed by opening the mold after the injected resin is cured.

  As described above, the injection molding apparatus 200 press-fits the ground terminal 140 into the main body 120 using the force when the molds are closed. The 2nd metal mold | die 220 is provided with the slide member 230 which protrudes freely from the surface. When the second mold 220 is brought close to the main body 120 while the main body 120 on which the ground terminal 140 is placed is fixed, the cavity wall 222 (including the depression 222a) of the second mold 220 reaches the tip of the ground terminal 140. Before, the slide member 230 press-fits the ground terminal 140 to a predetermined position (base of the protrusion 124). Even if the position of the ground terminal 140 before press-fitting is different from the predetermined position (the base of the protrusion 124) by the projecting slide member 230, the cavity wall (including the recess 222a) of the second mold 220 is used as the ground terminal. Before reaching 140, the ground terminal 140 can be press-fitted to a predetermined position. When the mold is closed, the tip of the pin 146 passes through the pore 224 of the second mold 220 without the tip of the ground terminal 140 interfering with other parts.

  The hole 224 is a hole through which the pin 146 is inserted so that the tip of the pin 146 of the ground terminal 140 is not covered with the connector 130. Therefore, the clearance between the pore 224 and the pin 146 is slight. Therefore, if the ground terminal 140 is not reliably positioned at a predetermined position of the main body 120, the ground terminal 140 and the second mold 220 cause unexpected interference when the second mold 220 approaches the main body 120. there is a possibility. The injection molding apparatus 200 can reliably press-fit the ground terminal 140 into the main body 120 while avoiding unexpected interference between the ground terminal 140 and the second mold 220.

Specific examples of the present invention have been described in detail above, but these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and changes of the specific examples illustrated above.
The technical elements described in this specification or the drawings exhibit technical usefulness alone or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of filing. In addition, the technology exemplified in this specification or the drawings can achieve a plurality of objects at the same time, and has technical usefulness by achieving one of the objects.

It is a perspective view of a connector case. It is a perspective view of the ground terminal press-fitted into the connector case. It is a perspective view of the main body of a connector case. It is sectional drawing along the VI-VI line of FIG. It is a fragmentary sectional view of an injection molding device (state where a metallic mold was opened completely). It is a fragmentary sectional view of an injection molding device (state where a slide member of a metallic mold contacted a ground terminal). It is a fragmentary sectional view of an injection molding device (state where a slide member press-fitted a ground terminal). It is a fragmentary sectional view of an injection molding device (state where a metallic mold was closed).

Explanation of symbols

100: connector case 120: main body 130: connector 140: ground terminal 200: injection molding device 210: first mold 220: second mold 222: cavity wall 230: slide member 232: spring 250: drive device

Claims (5)

It is an injection molding device that press-fits the terminal into the main body of the case for electrical equipment and integrally molds the resin part covering a part of the terminal into the main body.
A first mold for fixing the body on which the terminal is placed;
A second mold supported at a position facing the main body on which the terminal is placed;
A slide member that is disposed in the second mold and protrudes from the surface of the second mold in a retractable manner at a position facing the terminal placed on the main body;
Biasing means for biasing the slide member in a direction protruding from the surface of the second mold;
A driving device for moving one of the first mold and the second mold toward the other;
When the driving device brings the first mold and the second mold close to each other, the slide member urged by the urging means comes into contact with the terminal placed on the main body and press-fits the terminal into a predetermined position of the main body. An injection molding apparatus, wherein the first mold and the second mold are closed while retreating in a state in which the slide member is in contact with the terminal after being pressed into a predetermined position.   A cavity wall that defines the shape of the resin component is formed on the surface of the second mold. The protruding length of the slide member before coming into contact with the terminal is such that the slide member moves before the tip of the terminal reaches the cavity wall. 2. The injection molding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the length of the terminal is at least a length capable of press-fitting the terminal to a predetermined position of the main body.   The injection molding apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the slide member is positioned at a rearmost part of a slidable range when the first mold and the second mold are closed. A mold for press-fitting a terminal into the main body of an electrical equipment case and integrally molding a resin part covering a part of the terminal into the main body,
A sliding member that protrudes from the surface of the mold so as to expand and contract at a position facing the terminal when the mold faces the main body on which the terminal is placed;
An urging means for urging the slide member in a direction protruding from the mold surface;
When the die is brought close to the main body on which the terminal is placed, the slide member urged by the urging means comes into contact with the terminal placed on the main body and press-fits the terminal into a predetermined position of the main body, and the terminal An injection mold, wherein the mold closes while retreating in a state where the slide member is in contact with the terminal after being pressed into a predetermined position. The terminal is press-fitted into the main body, and a resin part covering a part of the terminal is a method for producing a case for an electric device integrally formed in the main body,
Fixing the body on which the terminals are arranged to the first mold;
A step of closing the mold by bringing the second mold having a slide member protruding from the mold surface in a stretchable manner close to the first mold while maintaining the state where the slide member faces the terminal;
Including a step of injecting resin into a cavity formed in a closed mold,
In the step of closing the mold, the slide member comes into contact with a terminal placed on the main body while the first mold and the second mold approach, and the terminal is press-fitted into a predetermined position of the main body. A method of manufacturing a case for an electric device, wherein the first mold and the second mold are finally closed while the slide member is retracted in a state of being pressed against the terminal after being press-fitted.

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