JP7509099B2 - Charging connector - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a charging connector.

Vehicles such as electric vehicles are equipped with a charging connector that is connected to an external charging connector on an electric station to receive charging. A connection terminal is provided at the connection between this charging connector and the external charging connector.

A known example of such a charging connector is the device described in Patent Document 1. The charging connector described in Patent Document 1 has a cylindrical portion that is fitted into the external charging connector. Inside the cylindrical portion, multiple terminals are provided that are electrically connected to the terminals of the external charging connector.

JP 2020-83130 A

Here, if the electric wire extending from the terminal becomes thick, it becomes difficult to bend. In this case, it is desirable to route the electric wire, which is difficult to bend, inside the exterior member (e.g., protector or grommet) while avoiding interference with the exterior member.

Therefore, the objective is to provide a charging connector that can route the electric wires inside the exterior member while avoiding interference between the electric wires and the exterior member.

The charging connector disclosed herein is a charging connector that is mounted on a vehicle, into which an external charging connector connected to an external power source of the vehicle is inserted and removed, and is used to charge a battery provided in the vehicle, and includes a housing main body having a plurality of first terminals, a second terminal thicker than the first terminals, an opening into which the external charging connector can be inserted and removed, a plurality of terminal accommodating portions that are located inside the opening when viewed from the direction in which the external charging connector is inserted and removed and that accommodate the plurality of first terminals and the second terminal, a retainer that is attached to an end of the terminal accommodating portions on the opposite side to the opening and that holds the first terminals and the second terminals together with the housing main body, and a plurality of terminals that are thicker than the first terminals and that accommodate the plurality of first terminals and the second terminals. The connector includes a plurality of first electric wires electrically connected to each of the terminals, a second electric wire electrically connected to the second terminal and thicker than the first electric wires, an electric wire holding portion that holds a portion of the second electric wire in the longitudinal direction at a position away from the second terminal when viewed along the insertion/removal direction so that a portion of the longitudinal direction of the second electric wire is aligned in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the second terminal, and an exterior member that covers the first terminal, the second terminal, the retainer, and the electric wire holding portion from the side opposite the opening, and the second electric wire is located between the second terminal and the electric wire holding portion and has a bent portion that is bent from the longitudinal direction of the second terminal in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the second terminal.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to route the electric wire inside the exterior member while avoiding interference of the electric wire with the exterior member.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a vehicle equipped with a charging connector together with an external power source. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the charging connector according to the first embodiment and an assembly manner thereof. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the charging connector according to the first embodiment from the rear. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the charging connector according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a front view showing the charging connector according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing the housing and the wiring of each electric wire from the rear. FIG. 8 is an explanatory side view showing the housing and the cover member together with the electric wires and the electric wire outlet of the grommet. FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged view showing a part of the housing and the cover member in an exploded state, as viewed from the rear.

[Description of the embodiments of the present disclosure]
First, the embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described.

The charging connector disclosed herein is as follows:

(1) A charging connector that is mounted on a vehicle and into which an external charging connector connected to an external power source of the vehicle is inserted and removed, and that is used to charge a battery provided in the vehicle, the charging connector comprising: a housing body having a plurality of first terminals, a second terminal thicker than the first terminals, an opening into which the external charging connector can be inserted and removed, a plurality of terminal accommodating portions that are located inside the opening when viewed from the direction in which the external charging connector is inserted and removed and that accommodate the plurality of first terminals and the second terminals, a retainer that is attached to an end portion of the terminal accommodating portions on the opposite side to the opening and that holds the first terminals and the second terminals together with the housing body, and a retainer for each of the plurality of first terminals. The charging connector includes a plurality of first electric wires electrically connected to the second terminal, a second electric wire electrically connected to the second terminal and thicker than the first electric wires, an electric wire holding portion that holds a portion of the second electric wire in the longitudinal direction at a position away from the second terminal when viewed along the insertion/removal direction so that a portion of the longitudinal direction of the second electric wire is aligned in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the second terminal, and an exterior member that covers the first terminal, the second terminal, the retainer, and the electric wire holding portion from the side opposite the opening, and the second electric wire is located between the second terminal and the electric wire holding portion and has a bent portion that is bent from the longitudinal direction of the second terminal in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the second terminal.

According to the present disclosure, the second electric wire is maintained in a bent state by the electric wire holding portion. The second electric wire can be routed inside the exterior member while avoiding interference of the second electric wire with the exterior member. This makes it easy to attach an exterior member such as a grommet, for example. In addition, since the electric wire holding portion holds the second electric wire at a position far from the second terminal, the configuration is simplified compared to a configuration in which the entire bent portion is held.

(2) The electric wire holding portion may be provided with a guide portion that guides at least one of the first electric wires at a position separated from the second electric wire via a wall portion. According to the present disclosure, the first electric wire is also guided by the guide portion provided in the electric wire holding portion, and therefore the wiring path of the first electric wire within the vehicle is consolidated and simplified. Since the second electric wire is held in a state separated from the first electric wire via a wall portion, the electric wire holding portion can firmly hold the second electric wire in a fixed position.

(3) The guide portion may have an opening in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the first electric wire and a retaining groove along the longitudinal direction of the first electric wire. According to the present disclosure, the first electric wire can be easily placed in the guide portion.

(4) An arm extending along the second electric wire may be integrally formed with the housing body, and the electric wire holding portion may further include a cover member integrally formed with the arm and removably attached to the electric wire holding portion so as to cover the second electric wire held in the electric wire holding portion. According to the present disclosure, since the electric wire holding portion is provided on the arm portion of the housing, the electric wire holding portion can be separated from the second terminal. Also, by attaching a cover member to the electric wire holding portion, the second electric wire is prevented from coming loose.

(5) The exterior member may be flexible. According to the present disclosure, the grommet is flexible, so that the grommet can be easily attached. Furthermore, even if the bent portion of the second electric wire abuts against the grommet, the bent portion of the second electric wire can be gently pressed.

(6) The exterior member may have a pull-out opening for pulling out both the plurality of first electric wires and the second electric wire to the outside, the electric wire holding portion may guide the second electric wire toward the pull-out opening, and the guide portion may guide the first electric wire toward the pull-out opening. According to the present disclosure, the configuration for holding the first electric wires and the second electric wires can be simplified.

(7) The external charging connector may further include a power terminal connected to a terminal that supplies power to the battery, a relay terminal attached to an end of the power terminal opposite the opening and extending in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the power terminal, and a power line electrically connected to the power terminal via the relay terminal and extending in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the power terminal. According to the present disclosure, since the relay terminal extending in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the power terminal is provided, the power line can be extended in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the power terminal. This makes it possible to avoid interference with other components in the vehicle.

[Details of the embodiment of the present disclosure]
Specific examples of the charging connector of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to these examples, but is defined by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

In the drawings, for the sake of convenience, some of the components may be exaggerated or simplified. Furthermore, the dimensional ratios of the various parts may differ between the drawings. Furthermore, in this specification, "parallel" and "orthogonal" do not only refer to strictly parallel or orthogonal, but also include roughly parallel or orthogonal within the scope of the action and effect of this embodiment.

[Embodiment 1]
Hereinafter, a description will be given of a charging connector 10 according to embodiment 1. Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a vehicle 1 equipped with a charging connector 10 together with an external power source 9.

<About Car 1>
The vehicle 1 includes a body 2 , a battery 3 , a PCU (Power Control Unit) 4 , a motor generator 5 , a charger 6 , and a charging connector 10 .

The battery 3 is a secondary battery, for example a lithium-ion battery. The PCU 4 includes an inverter and a converter. The motor generator 5 is a rotating electric machine that functions as a drive motor and a generator. The PCU 4 converts the DC power supplied from the battery 3 into AC power and supplies it to the motor generator 5. The motor generator 5 is driven by the AC power (or DC power) supplied from the PCU 4 to drive the drive wheels. The motor generator 5 also generates power when the wheels are decelerating, etc. The PCU 4 converts the AC power generated by the motor generator 5 into DC power to charge the battery 3.

The body 2 is a part that constitutes the external appearance of the vehicle 1. The body 2 is provided with a lid. When the lid is opened, the charging connector 10 is exposed to the outside. The position where the charging connector 10 is provided is arbitrary. For example, the charging connector 10 may be provided at the front of the body 2, or at the rear part on the side.

The charger 6 is connected to the charging connector 10 and the battery 3. The charger 6, for example, converts the AC power supplied from the charging connector 10 into DC power, or converts the voltage of the DC power supplied from the charging connector 10 and supplies it to the battery 3.

Generally, there are two types of charging for the battery 3 in the vehicle 1: normal charging and rapid charging. Rapid charging allows charging to be completed in a shorter time than normal charging by passing a larger current than normal charging. For normal charging, a household power source or an equivalent external power source is assumed to be used. For rapid charging, a dedicated power source such as a charging station is assumed to be used. The charging connector 10 of the present disclosure is described as a charging connector compatible with rapid charging.

<Charging connector 10 in vehicle 1>
The charging connector 10 is used to charge a battery 3 provided in the vehicle 1. The charging connector 10 is mounted on the vehicle 1. An external charging connector 7 connected to an external power source 9 of the vehicle 1 is inserted into and removed from the charging connector 10. Specifically, the charging connector 10 is fitted into the external charging connector 7 to be connected to a terminal of the external charging connector 7. In this embodiment, a pin-shaped terminal of the external charging connector 7 is fitted into and connected to a cylindrical terminal of the charging connector 10. Note that a pin-shaped terminal of the charging connector 10 may also be fitted into and connected to the cylindrical terminal of the external charging connector 7. The external charging connector 7 is connected to the external power source 9 via a converter 8.

The converter 8 adjusts the power current and voltage supplied from the external power source 9 and supplies it to the battery 3. The vehicle 1 runs by driving the motor with the power of the battery 3. The vehicle 1 may be an electric vehicle equipped only with a motor as a drive source, or a hybrid vehicle equipped with a motor and an engine.

Figure 2 is a plan view showing the charging connector 10 according to the first embodiment and its assembly mode. The charging connector 10 is configured so that the external charging connector 7 (see Figure 1) can be fitted and electrically connected. The charging connector 10 is attached to a mounting portion 100 provided on the body 2 of the vehicle 1, for example. Figure 2 shows an example of the mounting portion 100. The mounting portion 100 is, for example, a portion of a panel 102 constituting the body 2 that is formed in a concave shape recessed toward the inside of the vehicle. The opening of the concave portion of this panel 102 forms an opening that can receive the external charging connector. A through hole 104 is formed in the panel 102 at the bottom of the mounting portion 100.

A connection portion with the external charging connector 7 is provided on the outside of the vehicle 1 in the insertion/removal direction of the external charging connector 7 of the charging connector 10. The connection portion includes a portion into which the external charging connector 7 is inserted and electrically connected. A portion of the charging connector 10, including the connection portion, passes through the through hole 104 and is exposed to the outside of the panel 102. Another portion of the charging connector 10 is disposed inside the vehicle relative to the panel 102. Typically, a vehicle body side cover 106 is provided on the mounting portion 100. The vehicle body side cover 106 is attached to the panel 102 by a hinge or the like so that it can be opened and closed. When the vehicle body side cover 106 is closed, the vehicle body side cover 106 covers the opening of the panel 102. When the vehicle body side cover 106 is open, the charging connector 10 is exposed and the charging connector 10 can be accessed from the outside.

In this disclosure, as shown in FIG. 2, of the mutually orthogonal X, Y, and Z directions, the X direction is parallel to the direction in which the charging connector 10 penetrates the through hole 104 of the panel 102. The charging connector 10 and the external charging connector 7 are connected in the X direction. In this specification, the X direction is expressed as the insertion/removal direction of the external charging connector 7. The Y direction is the parallel direction of the pair of power terminals. The Z direction is perpendicular to both the X and Y directions. For example, when the charging connector 10 is provided on the side of the vehicle 1, the X direction is the left-right direction of the vehicle, the Y direction is the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and the Z direction is the vertical direction. For example, when the charging connector 10 is provided on the front or rear surface of the vehicle 1, the X direction is the front-rear direction of the vehicle, the Y direction is the left-right direction of the vehicle, and the Z direction is the vertical direction.

<Overall structure>
The overall configuration of the charging connector 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 3 to Fig. 6 in addition to Fig. 2. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the charging connector 10 according to the first embodiment from the rear. Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the charging connector 10 according to the first embodiment. Fig. 5 is a front view showing the charging connector 10 according to the first embodiment. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is an explanatory view showing the housing 30 and the arrangement of the electric wires from the rear. Note that the power lines 41 are omitted in Fig. 4.

The charging connector 10 includes a housing 30, terminals 11-14, electric wires 41-43, cover members 15 and 16, a retainer 60, a lid unit 80, and a grommet 90 as an exterior component.

<Terminals 11 to 14>
As shown in Fig. 4, Fig. 5, and Fig. 6, the terminals include, for example, a pair of power terminals 11, a signal terminal 12, a ground terminal 13, and a relay terminal 14. The power terminal 11, the signal terminal 12, and the ground terminal 13 are accommodated in a housing 30. The power terminal 11, the signal terminal 12, and the ground terminal 13 are connected to terminals (not shown) of the external charging connector 7 described above during charging. More specifically, the pair of power terminals 11 are connected to terminals of the external charging connector 7 that supplies power from the outside of the vehicle 1 to the battery 3. In addition, the signal terminal 12 is connected to a terminal of the external charging connector 7 that transmits a signal between the outside of the vehicle 1 and a control unit (PCU 4) of the vehicle 1.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the number and type of each terminal 11 to 14 are appropriately set according to the standard of the charging connector 10. In this embodiment, a pair of power terminals 11, six signal terminals 12, and one ground terminal 13 are provided. The relay terminal 14 is interposed between the power terminal 11 and the power line 41 (see Figure 5). The relay terminal 14 electrically connects the power terminal 11 and the power line 41. The same number of relay terminals 14 (two in this example) as the power terminals 11 are provided. Each of the terminals 11 to 14 is formed, for example, by pressing (bending) a metal plate.

<About each wire>
As shown in FIG. 6, one end of each electric wire is electrically connected to, for example, each terminal 11 to 14. The other end of each electric wire extends from a grommet 90 to the outside. When the charging connector 10 is mounted on a vehicle, the other end of each electric wire is connected to another device mounted on the vehicle. Such a device is appropriately set according to the type of electric wire, and is assumed to be, for example, a battery, an electronic control unit (ECU (Electronic Control Unit)), etc. The number and type of electric wires correspond to the number and type of each terminal 11 to 14. In the example of the present embodiment, each electric wire 40 includes two power lines 41, six signal lines 42, and one ground line 43. In addition, each electric wire also includes an electric wire connected to a sensor that measures the temperature of the terminal. One end of the power line 41 is connected to the relay terminal 14. The power line 41 is connected to the power terminal 11 via the relay terminal 14 (see FIG. 7). One end of the signal line 42 is connected to the signal terminal 12. One end of the ground line 43 is connected to the ground terminal 13. In this embodiment, the signal terminal 12 is an example of a first terminal, and the signal line 42 is an example of a first electric wire. The ground terminal 13 is an example of a second terminal that is thicker than the signal terminal 12, and the ground line 43 is an example of a second electric wire that is thicker than the signal line 42.

Each electric wire is a coated electric wire. The coated electric wire has a core wire and a coating that covers the core wire. The core wire is formed, for example, by twisting multiple metal wires. The coating is formed, for example, by extruding an insulating resin around the core wire. A plurality of types of electric wires having different thicknesses may be used as each electric wire. The thickness of each electric wire is set according to the allowable current value, etc. Normally, in order to increase the allowable current value, it is necessary to increase the conductor cross-sectional area, and the thickness of the electric wire increases accordingly. In addition, the thickness of the electric wire is usually correlated with the difficulty of bending the electric wire, and the thicker the electric wire, the harder it is to bend. For example, when an easy-to-bend electric wire and a hard-to-bend electric wire are bent by the same angle, the radius of curvature of the hard-to-bend electric wire is larger than the radius of curvature of the easy-to-bend electric wire, and therefore a larger arrangement space is required.

As shown in FIG. 7, in this example, the power line 41 is thicker than the signal line 42 and the ground line 43. Therefore, the power line 41 is less likely to bend than the signal line 42 and the ground line 43. Also, the ground line 43 is thicker than the signal line 42. Therefore, the ground line 43 is less likely to bend than the signal line 42. Particularly in recent years, the power line 41 has become larger in diameter because a large current flows through the power line 41 due to the demand for rapid charging. For example, an electric wire with a size of 70 square to 95 square or more is used as the power line 41. Also, in response to the demand for rapid charging in recent years, the ground line 43 has become larger in diameter to allow for a large current. For example, an electric wire with a size of 20 square or more is used as the ground line 43. Note that the ground terminal 13 is thicker than the signal terminal 12.

<Regarding relay terminal 14 and power line 41>
As shown in FIGS. 4, 6, and 7, the pair of relay terminals 14 are attached to the end of each power terminal 11 opposite to the side connected to the external charging connector 7 (i.e., the end opposite to the opening 36A). Each relay terminal 14 extends, for example, in a direction perpendicular to the insertion/removal direction (X direction) of the external charging connector 7. Also, as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the pair of power lines 41 are fixed to each relay terminal 14 so as to extend in a direction perpendicular to the insertion/removal direction of the external charging connector 7. With this configuration, the space of the charging connector 10 in the insertion/removal direction (X direction) of the external charging connector 7 is reduced. Note that, in this embodiment, each relay terminal 14 and the power lines 41 are configured to extend in a direction perpendicular to the insertion/removal direction (X direction) of the external charging connector 7, but are not limited to the perpendicular direction and may extend in an intersecting direction. However, from the viewpoint of saving space in the charging connector 10 in the insertion/removal direction (X direction) of the external charging connector 7, a configuration in which the power lines 41 extend in a direction perpendicular to the insertion/removal direction (X direction) of the external charging connector 7 is preferable. In this manner, since the relay terminals 14 extending in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the power terminals 11 (the insertion/removal direction of the external charging connector 7) are provided, the power lines 41 can be extended in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction (X direction) of the power terminals 11. This makes it possible to avoid interference with other components within the vehicle 1.

The power line 41 is connected to the relay terminal 14 and extends linearly from the relay terminal 14 to the power line holding portion 37. When the power line 41 extends linearly in this manner, the extension direction of the power line 41 can be regulated by the extension direction of the relay terminal 14. In other words, the relay terminal 14 increases the degree of freedom of the wiring direction of the power line 41. The power line 41 further extends linearly from the power line holding portion 37 within the grommet 90 and is drawn out from the electric wire drawing outlet 95 of the grommet 90. By having the power line 41 extend linearly within the grommet 90, it is no longer necessary to provide a space to accommodate the bent power line 41 within the grommet 90, and the charging connector 10 can be made smaller.

<Regarding the housing 30>
Fig. 7 is a rear view showing the housing 30 and the relay terminal 14. Fig. 8 is a side view showing the housing 30 and the relay terminal 14. In Figs. 7 and 8, each electric wire is shown by a virtual line.

As shown in Figures 2 to 8, the housing 30 is formed, for example, from a synthetic resin. The housing 30 includes a housing main body 31 and a vehicle mounting portion 32. The housing main body 31 is formed with a pair of power terminal accommodating portions 33, a plurality of signal terminal accommodating portions 34, and a ground terminal accommodating portion 35. The pair of power terminal accommodating portions 33 can each accommodate a pair of power terminals 11. The plurality of signal terminal accommodating portions 34 can each accommodate a plurality of signal terminals 12. The ground terminal accommodating portion 35 can accommodate a ground terminal 13. Each of the terminal accommodating portions 33, 34, 35 is formed in a cylindrical shape capable of accommodating the corresponding terminal 11, 12, 13.

In this embodiment, the power terminal housings 33 are arranged in parallel in the Y direction, and the pair of power terminals 11 are also arranged in parallel in the Y direction. The relative arrangement of the power terminals 11 is determined by the charging standard. The signal terminal housings 34 and the signal terminals 12 are located on both sides of the parallel direction of the central axis of the power terminals 11 in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction and parallel direction of the power terminals 11. The ground terminal 13 and the ground terminal housing 35 are located on one side of the parallel direction of the central axis of the power terminals 11. The relative arrangement of the signal terminals 12 and the ground terminals 13 is also determined by the charging standard, and the signal terminal housing 34 and the ground terminal housing 35 are formed accordingly.

The housing body 31 also has an outer frame 36. The outer frame 36 is formed in a cylindrical shape surrounding the terminal accommodating portions 33, 34, 35. At the intermediate portions of the terminal accommodating portions 33, 34, 35, the terminal accommodating portions 33, 34, 35 and the outer frame 36 are connected by, for example, flat connecting portions (see FIGS. 5 and 6). The outer frame 36 has a portion on the outer side of the vehicle that is closer to the flat connecting portions than the flat connecting portions, forming an opening 36A through which the external charging connector 7 can be inserted and removed (see FIGS. 5 and 6). When viewed along the insertion and removal direction, the power terminal accommodating portion 33, the signal terminal accommodating portion 34, and the ground terminal accommodating portion 35 are located inside the opening 36A. A lid unit 80 is attached to the front of the housing body 31. A retainer 60 is attached to the rear of the housing body 31 (i.e., the opposite side of the opening 36A with respect to the housing body 31).

The vehicle mounting portion 32 is a portion for mounting the charging connector 10 to the mounting portion 100 (see FIG. 1). The vehicle mounting portion 32 is formed in a plate shape that protrudes around the outer frame portion 36 at the axial middle portion of the housing body 31. The vehicle mounting portion 32 is attached to the mounting portion 100, for example, by screws.

7 and 8, the housing 30 further includes a power line holding portion 37 and a ground line holding portion 38. That is, the power line holding portion 37 and the ground line holding portion 38 are included in the housing 30. The housing 30 including the power line holding portion 37 and the ground line holding portion 38 is formed by integral molding. When the power line holding portion 37 and the ground line holding portion 38 are integrally molded with the housing 30 in this manner, it is advantageous in that the number of processing steps and parts can be reduced compared to when the power line holding portion 37 and the ground line holding portion 38 are separate parts. In addition, even if the power line holding portion 37 vibrates due to the vibration of the vehicle, the power line holding portion 37 vibrates in the same phase as the housing main body 31 fixed to the vehicle. Therefore, the power line 41 is prevented from swinging around the relay terminal 14 due to a phase shift in the vibration between the relay terminal 14 held by the housing main body 31 and the power line holding portion 37.

In this embodiment, plate-shaped arms 39 protrude from the outer frame 36 in the Y direction. The arms 39 extend in the direction in which the power lines 41 and the ground lines 43 are extended (see FIG. 7). The power line holding portion 37 is provided at the tip of the arms 39 along the protruding direction of the arms 39. Similarly, the ground line holding portion 38 is also provided on the arms 39. That is, in this embodiment, the arms 39 are integrally formed with the housing main body 31, and the ground line holding portion 38 is integrally formed at the tip of the arms 39. The housing 30 can be understood as a member in which the housing main body 31, the arms 39, and the ground line holding portion 38 are integrally molded from the same resin by a mold. The power line holding portion 37 may also be integrally formed at the tip of the arms 39.

<Regarding power line holding unit 37>
Fig. 9 is a partial enlarged view showing the power line holding portion 37 and the ground line holding portion 38 from an oblique rear view. As shown in Figs. 4 and 7, the power line holding portion 37 is provided, for example, at the tip portion of the arm portion 39 (at a position spaced from the outer frame portion 36). This allows the power line holding portion 37 to hold the power lines at a position spaced from the terminals 14 when viewed along the insertion/removal direction. Two power line holding portions 37 are provided so as to fix two power lines 41 (see Fig. 7) respectively.

The power line holding portion 37 holds the middle part of the power line 41 extending from the power terminal 11. With this configuration, the power line holding portion 37 and the power terminal 11 are arranged apart. As a result, even if the part of the power line 41 held by the power line holding portion 37 or the power line holding portion 37 vibrates, the vibration is unlikely to be transmitted to the power terminal 11. As a result, the power terminal 11 itself is unlikely to vibrate, and friction between the power terminal 11 and the housing main body 31 is suppressed. Note that a preferable distance between the power line holding portion 37 and the power terminal 11 is, for example, 80 mm to 100 mm. If it is greater than 80 mm, the vibration of the power line 41 is effectively suppressed from being transmitted to the power terminal 11. Also, if it is less than 100 mm, there is no need to increase the strength required to support the weight of the power line 41 of the power line holding portion 37, so the manufacturing cost of the housing is reduced.

The power line holding portion 37 contacts the power line 41 at least at two or more different positions in the longitudinal direction of the power line 41 to hold the power line 41 (see FIG. 7). In this embodiment, the power line holding portion 37 has a plurality of contact portions 371 with the power line 41. In this embodiment, each power line holding portion 37 has a pair of contact portions 371, 372 (or 373, 374) (below, the explanation of "contact portions 373, 374" is omitted because it is the same as that of contact portions 371, 372).

More specifically, the power line holding portion 37 has a bottom portion 37a and a pair of side wall portions 37b erected from both sides of the bottom portion 37a. The distance between the pair of side wall portions 37b is the same as or larger than the diameter of the power line 41. The protruding dimension of the pair of side wall portions 37b is the same as or larger than the diameter of the power line 41. A groove-shaped space capable of accommodating the power line 41 is formed between the bottom portion 37a and the pair of side wall portions 37b.

As shown in FIG. 9, the contact portions 371 and 372 are provided on the inner surface of the pair of side wall portions 37b at different positions in the extension direction of the power line 41. Here, the contact portion 371 is formed on the inner surface of one side wall portion 37b, and the contact portion 372 is formed on the inner surface of the other side wall portion 37b. This allows the contact portions 371 and 372 to contact the power line 41 from opposite sides at different positions along the longitudinal direction. In this case, the contact portions 371 and 372 narrow the distance between the leading edges of the pair of side wall portions 37b at different positions in the longitudinal direction of the power line 41, so that the power line 41 can be easily inserted between the pair of side wall portions 37b compared to the case where the pair of contact portions are provided at the same position in the longitudinal direction. The contact portions 371 and 372 may be formed on the inner surface of the same side wall portion 37b.

The contact portions 371, 372 are formed in a shape that protrudes from the inner surface of the side wall portion 37b. The distance between the protruding end of the contact portions 371, 372 and the inner surface of the side wall portion 37b that faces the contact portions 371, 372 is set to be smaller than the diameter of the power line 41. As a result, when the power line 41 is disposed between the pair of side wall portions 37b, it is prevented from coming loose by the contact portions 371, 372.

The portion of the power line holding portion 37 formed by the bottom 37a and the side wall 37b has an arc-shaped surface that follows the circumferential direction of the power line 41 (see FIG. 8). The ends of the arc-shaped surfaces of the contact portions 371 and 372 that are farther from the bottom 37a contact the power line 41 from the opposite side to the bottom 37a. In the protruding direction of the pair of side wall portions 37b, the power line 41 is sandwiched between the bottom 37a and the tip of the arc-shaped surface, and is positioned and held at a fixed position in that direction, and vibration of the power line 41 in that direction is effectively suppressed. Note that if the distance between the pair of side wall portions 37b is the same as or smaller (slightly smaller) than the diameter of the power line 41, the power line 41 is also positioned in the direction connecting the pair of side wall portions 37b, and vibration in that direction is effectively suppressed.

In addition, since the contact portions 371 and 372 contact the power line 41 at two different points in the longitudinal direction of the power line 41, the transmission of lateral vibrations transmitted through the power line 41 is suppressed. For example, if the power line is held in one-point contact, vibrations that have the contact point as a node may be transmitted. If the power line is held in two different points in the longitudinal direction, the transmission of vibrations that have one of the points as a node may be suppressed by the other holding point. Therefore, the vibration of the power line 41 is effectively suppressed from propagating to the power terminal 11. In this embodiment, a pair of side wall portions 37b extending in a predetermined range along the longitudinal direction of the power line 41 sandwich the power line 41, thereby suppressing vibrations in the direction connecting the pair of side wall portions 37b. In addition, the two contact portions 371 and 372 contact the power line 41 from the opposite side to the bottom portion 37a. As a result, vibrations in the direction in which the pair of side walls 37b rise are effectively suppressed at two different points in the longitudinal direction of the power line 41. From the perspective of effectively suppressing the propagation of vibrations, the distance between the two points (at the center) of the contact parts 371 and 372 should be about 20 mm.

<Cover Member 15>
4 and 8, the cover member 15 is detachably attached to the arm portion 39 and the power line holding portion 37. The cover member 15 covers the power line 41 and prevents the power line 41 from coming loose from the power line holding portion 37. The cover member 15 and the power line holding portion 37 cover the entire periphery of the power line 41. In this embodiment, one cover member 15 is provided for the two power line holding portions 37. The cover member 15 holds down the two power lines 41. As shown in FIG. 4, the cover member 15 has an engagement portion 151 that fits into a protrusion 375 formed on the power line holding portion 37.

More specifically, a protrusion 375 is formed on the outer surface of at least one of the pair of side wall portions 37b (see also FIG. 9). Here, in the two power line holding portions 37, the protrusion 375 is formed on the opposing surfaces of the two side wall portions 37b located on the inside.

The cover member 15 has a cover portion 15a and a pair of side wall portions 15b. The cover portion 15a is formed in a plate shape that covers the opening of the two power line holding portions 37 opposite the bottom portion 37a. The pair of side wall portions 15b protrude from both sides of the cover portion 15a toward one main surface of the cover portion 15a. The pair of side wall portions 15b can cover the outer surface of the side wall portion 37b located on the outermost side of the two power line holding portions 37.

A plate-shaped engaging portion 15c protrudes from the middle of the width of the cover portion 15a (see FIG. 8). An engaging hole is formed in the engaging portion 15c into which the protrusion 375 can fit.

The cover portion 15a covers the openings of the two power line holding portions 37, and the pair of side wall portions 15b covers the side wall portions 37b on both sides. At this time, the engaging portion 15c is elastically deformed, so that the protrusion portion 375 can engage with the engaging hole formed in the engaging portion 15c. Furthermore, the engaging portion 15c is elastically deformed, so that the protrusion portion 375 can be released from the engaging hole formed in the engaging portion 15c. This allows the cover member 15 to be detachably attached to the power line holding portion 37. Note that various methods, including other known methods, can be applied as a method of fixing the cover member 15 and the power line holding portion 37. The cover member 15 and the power line holding portion 37 may be attached so as to be openable and closable by a hinge or the like. Furthermore, the cover member 15 may be attached as two separate cover members 15 for each power line holding portion 37.

<Regarding the ground line holding portion 38>
4 and 7, the ground line holding portion 38 is provided, for example, at a middle portion in the extension direction of one side of the arm portion 39 so as to protrude outward in the width direction of the arm portion 39. Therefore, the arm portion 39 is provided at a position spaced apart from the outer frame portion 36. This allows the ground line holding portion 38 to hold the ground line 43 at a position spaced apart from the ground terminal 13 when viewed along the insertion/removal direction.

The ground line holding portion 38 holds the middle part of the ground line 43 extending from the ground terminal 13. With this configuration, the ground line holding portion 38 and the ground terminal 13 are arranged apart from each other. As a result, even if the part of the ground line 43 held by the ground line holding portion 38 or the ground line holding portion 38 vibrates, the vibration is less likely to be transmitted to the ground terminal 13. As a result, the ground terminal 13 itself is less likely to vibrate, and friction between the ground terminal 13 and the housing main body 31 is suppressed. Note that a preferred distance between the ground line holding portion 38 and the ground terminal 13 is, for example, 50 mm to 70 mm. If it is greater than 50 mm, the vibration of the ground line 43 is effectively suppressed from being transmitted to the ground terminal 13. Also, if it is less than 70 mm, there is no need to increase the strength required to support the weight of the ground line 43 of the ground line holding portion 38, so the manufacturing cost of the housing 30 is reduced. The distance between the ground line holding portion 38 and the ground terminal 13 may be shorter than the distance between the power line holding portion 37 and the power terminal 11. This is because the ground line 43 is often thinner than the power line 41, and vibration is not as much of a problem as with the power line 41.

The ground wire holding portion 38 contacts the ground wire 43 at least at two or more different positions in the longitudinal direction of the ground wire 43 to hold the ground wire 43 (see FIG. 7). In this embodiment, the ground wire holding portion 38 has a pair of contact portions 381, 382 that contact the ground wire 43.

More specifically, the ground wire holding portion 38 has a bottom portion 38a and a pair of side wall portions 38b erected from both sides of the bottom portion 38a. The distance between the pair of side wall portions 38b is the same as or larger than the diameter of the ground wire 43. The protruding dimension of the pair of side wall portions 38b is the same as or larger than the diameter of the ground wire 43. A groove-shaped space capable of accommodating the ground wire 43 is formed between the bottom portion 38a and the pair of side wall portions 38b.

As shown in FIG. 9, the contact portions 381 and 382 are provided on the inner surface of a pair of sidewall portions 38b at different positions in the extending direction of the ground line 43. Here, the contact portion 381 is formed on the inner surface of one sidewall portion 38b, and the contact portion 382 is formed on the inner surface of the other sidewall portion 38b. This allows the contact portions 381 and 382 to contact the ground line 43 from opposite sides at different positions along the longitudinal direction. In this case, the contact portions 381 and 382 narrow the distance between the tip edges of the pair of sidewall portions 38b at different positions in the longitudinal direction of the ground line 43, so that the ground line 43 can be easily inserted between the pair of sidewall portions 38b compared to the case where the pair of contact portions are provided at the same position in the longitudinal direction. The contact portions 381 and 382 may be formed on the inner surface of the same sidewall portion 38b.

The contact parts 381 and 382 are formed to protrude from the inner surface of the side wall part 38b. The distance between the protruding end of the contact parts 381 and 382 and the inner surface of the side wall part 38b facing the contact parts 381 and 382 is set to be smaller than the diameter of the ground wire 43. As a result, when the ground wire 43 is disposed between the pair of side wall parts 38b, it is prevented from coming loose by the contact parts 381 and 382.

In addition, the side cross-sectional shape of the ground wire holding portion 38 formed by the side wall portion 38b and the contact portion 381, and the side wall portion 38b and the contact portion 382 has an arc-shaped surface along the circumferential direction of the ground wire 43 (see FIG. 8). The end of the arc-shaped surface of the contact portions 381 and 382 farther from the bottom portion 38a contacts the ground wire 43 from the opposite side to the bottom portion 38a. In the protruding direction of the pair of side wall portions 38b, the ground wire 43 is sandwiched between the bottom portion 38a and the contact portions 381 and 382 of the arc-shaped surface, and is positioned and held at a certain position in that direction, and the ground wire 43 is securely fixed in that direction. Note that if the distance between the pair of side wall portions 38b is the same as or smaller than the diameter of the ground wire 43 (slightly smaller), the ground wire 43 is also positioned in the direction connecting the pair of side wall portions 38b, and the ground wire 43 is securely fixed in that direction. In addition, due to the recent trend of increasing the diameter of the ground wire 43, measures to prevent vibrations of the ground wire 43 outside the charging connector 10 from being transmitted to the ground terminal 13 have become an issue, but this configuration also has the effect of suppressing the propagation of vibrations of the ground wire 43.

In addition, since the contact parts 381 and 382 contact the ground line 43 at two different points in the longitudinal direction of the ground line 43, the ground line 43 can be fixed more reliably, as with the power line holding part 37. In addition, the transmission of lateral vibrations transmitted through the ground line 43 is suppressed. For example, if the ground line 43 is held in one-point contact, vibrations that have the contact point as a node may be transmitted. If the ground line 43 is held in contact at two different points in its longitudinal direction, the transmission of vibrations that have one of the points as a node may be suppressed by the other holding point. Therefore, the vibration of the ground line 43 is effectively suppressed from propagating to the ground terminal 13. In this embodiment, a pair of side wall parts 38b extending in a predetermined range along the longitudinal direction of the ground line 43 sandwich the ground line 43, thereby suppressing vibrations in the direction connecting the pair of side wall parts 38b. In addition, the two contact parts 381 and 382 are arranged at different positions in the vertical direction (Z direction) of the ground line holding part 38 and the extension direction (Y direction) of the ground line 43. This makes it easier to fit the ground line 43 into the ground line holding part 38 compared to a case where the arrangement is different only in the vertical direction (i.e., the two contact parts 381 and 382 are arranged to face each other vertically at the same position in the extension direction of the ground line 43). In addition, the two contact parts 381 and 382 contact the ground line 43 from the side opposite the bottom part 38a. This effectively suppresses vibration in the direction in which the pair of side wall parts 38b rise at two different points in the longitudinal direction of the ground line 43. In addition, the distance between the two points (at the center) of the contact parts 381 and 382 is preferably about 20 mm from the viewpoint of effectively suppressing the propagation of vibration.

As described above, the ground wire 43 is held by the ground wire holding portion 38, so that the ground wire 43 is kept bent within the grommet 90, which will be described later. This makes it less likely that the ground wire 43 will interfere with the exterior member (other parts within the vehicle 1). This makes it easier to attach the exterior member, for example. In addition, the wire holding structure can be simplified.

<Cover Member 16>
As shown in Figures 4, 8, and 9, the cover member 16 is detachably attached to the ground line holding portion 38. The cover member 16 covers the ground line 43 and prevents the ground line 43 from coming out of the ground line holding portion 38. The cover member 16 and the ground line holding portion 38 cover the entire periphery of the ground line 43. The cover member 16 holds the ground line 43. As shown in Figures 4 and 9, the cover member 16 has an engagement portion 16b that fits into a protrusion 383 formed on the ground line holding portion 38.

9, a protrusion 383 is formed on at least one outer surface (here, both outer surfaces) of the pair of side wall portions 38b. The cover member 16 has a cover portion 16a, a pair of engagement portions 16b, and a holding groove 16d as a guide portion formed on the surface side facing the cover portion 16a. As shown in FIG. 7, the holding groove 16d opens in a direction (X direction) intersecting the length direction of the signal line 42. The holding groove 16d is also formed along the longitudinal direction (Y direction) of the signal line 42. The depth and width of the holding groove 16d are changed depending on the type and number of electric wires guided by the holding groove 16d. The depth and width of the holding groove 16d may be large enough to accommodate a plurality of signal lines 42 (six in this embodiment). The charging connector 10 accommodates a plurality of signal terminals 12. Therefore, a plurality of signal lines 42 connected to the signal terminals 12 are drawn into the vehicle 1. In this way, since a large number of electric wires are pulled out, the wiring of the electric wires inside the vehicle 1 tends to become complicated. For this reason, from the viewpoint of simple wiring, it is preferable that as many of the signal wires 42 connected to the signal terminal 12 as possible are guided into the retaining groove 16d. Since the retaining groove 16d is formed in this way, when assembling the electric wires, the worker can intuitively determine that the retaining groove 16d is the location where the electric wires are to be wired. For this reason, the formation of such a retaining groove 16d improves workability.

A pair of engagement parts 16b protrude from both sides of the cover part 16a in the width direction (see FIG. 9). The engagement parts 16b are formed with engagement holes 16c into which the protrusions 383 can fit.

The cover portion 16a is formed in a plate shape to cover the opening of the ground line holding portion 38 on the opposite side to the bottom portion 38a. The space surrounded by the ground line holding portion 38 and the cover portion 16a and the holding groove 16d formed on the surface on the opposite side are separated by the plate thickness of the cover portion 16a. In other words, the cover portion 16a is an example of a wall portion that separates the ground line 43 held by the ground line holding portion 38 and the signal line 42 held by the holding groove 16d. The surface of the cover portion 16a on the side of the ground line holding portion 38 may have an arc-shaped groove that corresponds to the peripheral surface of the ground line 43. The pair of engagement portions 16b protrude from both sides of the cover portion 16a toward one main surface of the cover portion 16a. The pair of engagement portions 16b engage with a pair of protrusions 383 formed on the outer surface of the side wall portion 38b of the ground line holding portion 38. In the ground line holding portion 38, the pair of engaging portions 16b engage with the protrusions 383 corresponding to the respective engaging portions 16b, so that the ground line 43 is held in a manner surrounded by the ground line holding portion 38 and the cover member 16. In addition, the extensions 16e on both sides in the width direction of the cover portion 16a may contact the outside of the portions of the pair of side wall portions 38b where the contact portions 381, 382 are formed. This makes it difficult for the contact portions 381, 382 to be displaced outward when the cover member 15 is placed over the ground line holding portion 38, and prevents the ground line 43 from coming out of the ground line holding portion 38. In addition,
When the ground line holding portion 38 and the cover member 16 are engaged with each other, the pair of engaging portions 16b first cover the outside of the side wall portion 38b. At this time, the engaging portions 16b are elastically deformed, so that the protrusions 383 can be engaged with the engaging holes 16c formed in the engaging portions 16b. Furthermore, the engaging portions 16b are elastically deformed, so that the protrusions 383 can be released from the engagement holes 16c formed in the engaging portions 16b. This allows the cover member 16 to be detachably attached to the ground line holding portion 38. The engagement points between the pair of engaging portions 16b and the pair of protrusions 383 are preferably disposed in the gaps 39b formed between the side wall portion 38b and the arm portion 39 or the auxiliary cover 39a. This makes it difficult to release the engagement between the pair of engaging portions 16b and the pair of protrusions 383. Note that various methods, including other known methods, can be used to fix the cover member 16 and the ground line holding portion 38. The cover member 16 and the ground line holding portion 38 may be attached to each other so as to be openable and closable by a hinge or the like.

In this way, the ground wire holding portion 38 is provided with a guide portion that guides the signal wire 42 at a position separated from the ground wire 43 via a wall portion for the cover member 16, so that multiple electric wires are routed together, simplifying the wiring path of the electric wires. In addition, since the ground wire 43 is held in a state separated from the signal wire 42 via a wall portion, the ground wire holding portion 38 can firmly hold the ground wire 43 in a fixed position. In addition, since the ground wire 43 can be routed near the ground wire 43 while being routed separated from the ground wire 43 via a wall portion, it can be drawn out from the same electric wire drawing port 95 of the exterior member. This also simplifies the wiring path of the electric wires outside the exterior member.

<Regarding the bent portion 43a>
The ground wire 43 has a bent portion 43a located between the ground terminal 13 and the ground wire holding portion 38. As shown in FIG. 2, the ground wire 43 is bent by the bent portion 43a from the longitudinal direction (X direction) of the ground terminal 13 to a direction (Y direction) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (insertion/removal direction of the external charging connector) of the ground terminal 13. The ground wire 43 has a smaller diameter than the power wire 41 and is often highly flexible. Therefore, the extension direction of the ground wire 43 can be changed without using the relay terminal 14 as in the case of the power wire 41. Therefore, the ground wire 43 bent by the bent portion 43a in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the ground terminal 13 (insertion/removal direction of the external charging connector) is held by the ground wire holding portion 38 in the direction perpendicular to the ground terminal 13 as described above. In this embodiment, the bent portion 43a bends the ground wire 43 in a direction (Y direction) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the ground terminal 13 (the direction in which the external charging connector is inserted and removed), but the bending direction is not limited to the perpendicular direction. It may be any direction as long as it intersects. However, it is preferable that the extension direction of the ground wire 43 coincides with the direction of the electric wire outlet 95 of the grommet 90.

In this way, the bent portion 43a holds the ground wire 43 at a position far from the ground terminal 13, which simplifies the configuration, particularly in terms of wiring, compared to a configuration in which the entire bent portion is held.

<Regarding the bent portion 42a>
Like the ground wire 43, the signal wire 42 has a bent portion 42a located between the signal terminal 12 and the cover member 16. Like the ground wire 43, the extension direction of the signal wire 42 is also changeable without using the relay terminal 14. Therefore, the signal wire 42 bent by the bent portion 42a in a direction intersecting with the signal terminal 12 (the direction of insertion/removal of the external charging connector) is held by the holding groove 16d of the cover member 16 in a direction intersecting with the ground terminal 13, as described above.

<Retainer 60>
As shown in Figures 4 and 6, the retainer 60 prevents the terminals 11, etc. from coming out of the housing 30. The retainer 60 includes a terminal pressing portion 61 (see Figure 6) and ribs 65, 66. The terminal pressing portion 61 presses the rear of the terminals 11, 12 accommodated in the housing 30. This prevents the terminals 11, 12 from coming out rearward from the housing 30. In other words, the retainer 60 holds the terminals 11, 12 together with the housing main body 31. The terminal pressing portion 61 includes a rear cover portion 62 and a plurality of protruding tube portions 63.

The rear cover part 62 closes the rear opening of the outer frame part 36. The rear cover part 62 has a plurality of through holes 62a (see FIG. 7). The plurality of through holes 62a are formed at positions corresponding to the terminal accommodating parts 33, 34, 35. The power terminal 11 and the relay terminal 14 are screwed in contact with each other through the through holes corresponding to the power terminal 11. The relay terminal 14 is disposed on the rear surface of the rear cover part 62. The signal line 42 and the ground line 43 are drawn out from the through holes corresponding to the signal terminal 12 and the ground terminal 13.

As shown in FIG. 6, the multiple protruding tubular portions 63 protrude forward (toward the housing 30) from the rear cover portion 62. The multiple protruding tubular portions 63 are formed at positions corresponding to the respective terminal accommodating portions 33, 34, and 35. Each protruding tubular portion 63 communicates with each through hole 62a. The tip of each protruding tubular portion 63 is inserted into the corresponding terminal accommodating portion 33, 34, and 35 to press the corresponding terminals 11, 12, and 13 from behind.

As shown in FIG. 4, the housing 30 and the retainer 60 are provided with locking portions 30p, 60p. In this embodiment, the locking portions are a locking protrusion formed on the housing 30 and a locking piece formed on the retainer 60. The locking piece locks onto the locking protrusion, thereby maintaining the housing 30 and the retainer 60 in an attached state.

<About Grommet 90>
As shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the grommet 90 covers the housing 30 and the cover members 15, 16 from the side opposite to the opening 36A (see Figs. 5 and 6). More specifically, as shown in Fig. 4, the grommet 90 covers the housing 30 and the cover members 15, 16 from the inside of the vehicle 1. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the grommet 90 includes a first protective portion 91 and a second protective portion 94. The first protective portion 91 covers the outer frame portion 36 of the housing 30 (the power terminals 11, the signal terminals 12, and the ground terminals 13 arranged inside the outer frame portion 36) and the relay terminals 14. The grommet 90 also covers the retainer 60 that presses these terminals 11, 12, and 13. The second protective portion 94 covers the power line holding portion 37, the ground line holding portion 38, and the cover members 15, 16. The grommet 90 is formed of a flexible material. The grommet 90 is made of an elastomer such as ethylene propylene diene rubber.

A cable tie 98 is attached to the outer surface of the housing outlet 92 of the grommet 90. The grommet 90 is attached to the housing 30, including the power line holding portion 37 and the ground line holding portion 38, by the cable tie 98.

As shown in FIG. 5, the second protective section 94 is formed with an electric wire outlet 95. The other end of the power line 41 connected from the power terminal 11 via the relay terminal 14 (see FIG. 4 and FIG. 6) extends out of the grommet 90 through the electric wire outlet 95. Three electric wire outlets 95 are provided in one grommet 90. Two of the three electric wire outlets 95 are provided for two power lines 41. One power line 41 is passed through each of the two electric wire outlets 95. The signal line 42 and the ground line 43 are passed through the remaining one of the three electric wire outlets 95. These signal lines 42 and ground lines 43 are the electric wires 40 guided by the ground line holding section 38 and the holding groove 16d of the cover member 16.

The signal line 42 is often made of a wire with a smaller diameter than the power line 41. Therefore, the problem of vibrations propagating to the terminal, as occurs with the power line 41, is less likely to occur. For this reason, the signal line 42 can be routed along a path outside the ground line holding part 38, rather than through the holding groove 16d of the cover member 16. In this case, if the signal line 42 is routed through the side wall part 38b of the ground line holding part 38, the ground line holding part 38 can hold the ground line 43 firmly in a fixed position.

[Note]
In the present embodiment, an example has been described in which the first terminal and the first electric wire are the signal terminal 12 and the signal line 42, and the second terminal and the second electric wire that are thicker than the first terminal and the first electric wire are the ground terminal 13 and the ground line 43. However, the first terminal and the first electric wire and the second terminal and the second electric wire that are thicker than the first terminal and the first electric wire are not limited to the above example. For example, the first terminal and the first electric wire may be the signal terminal 12 and the signal line 42, and the second terminal and the second electric wire that are thicker than the first terminal and the first electric wire may be a power supply terminal and a power line.

In the above embodiment, the power line holding portion 37 and the ground line holding portion 38 are integrally formed with the housing 30, but the power line holding portion 37 and the ground line holding portion 38 may be formed as separate members from the housing 30. In this case, the power line holding portion 37 and the ground line holding portion 38 may be attached to the housing 30 by a screw fastening, fitting structure, or the like. In this case, too, from the viewpoint of suppressing the propagation of vibration from the power line 41 to the power terminal 11, it is preferable that the power line holding portion 37 and the power terminal 11 are spaced apart to a certain extent (for example, about 80 mm to 100 mm).

1 Vehicle 2 Body 3 Battery 5 Motor generator 6 Charger 7 External charging connector 8 Converter 9 External power source 10 Charging connector 11 Power terminal 12 Signal terminal 13 Ground terminal 14 Relay terminal 15 Cover member 15a Cover portion 15b Side wall portion 15c Engagement portion 16 Cover member 16 Cover portion 16a Cover portion 16b Engagement portion 16c Engagement hole 16d Retaining groove 16e Extension portion 30 Housing 30p Locking portion 31 Housing main body 32 Vehicle mounting portion 33 Power terminal accommodating portion 34 Signal terminal accommodating portion 35 Ground terminal accommodating portion 36 Outer frame portion 36A Opening 37 Power line holding portion 37 Ground line holding portion 37a Bottom portion 37b Side wall portion 38 Ground line holding portion 38a Bottom portion 38b Side wall portion 39 Arm portion 39a Auxiliary cover 39b Gap 41 Power line 42 Signal line 42a Bent portion 43 Ground line 43a Bent portion 60 Retainer 60p Locking portion 61 Terminal pressing portion 62 Rear cover portion 62a Through hole 63 Protruding tube portion 65 Rib 66 Rib 80 Lid unit 90 Grommet 91 First protective portion 92 Housing outlet 94 Second protective portion 95 Wire outlet 98 Cable tie 100 Mounting portion 102 Panel 104 Through hole 106 Vehicle body side cover 371, 372, 373, 384 Contact portion 375 Protrusions 381, 382 Contact portion 383 Protrusion

Claims (7)

A charging connector that is mounted on a vehicle, into which an external charging connector that is connected to an external power supply of the vehicle is inserted and removed, and is used to charge a battery provided in the vehicle,
A plurality of first terminals;
a second terminal thicker than the first terminal;
a housing main body including an opening into which the external charging connector can be inserted and removed, and a plurality of terminal accommodating portions that are located inside the opening when viewed from a direction in which the external charging connector is inserted and removed and that accommodate the plurality of first terminals and the second terminal;
a retainer attached to an end of the terminal accommodating portion opposite to the opening, the retainer holding the first terminal and the second terminal together with the housing body;
a plurality of first electric wires electrically connected to the plurality of first terminals, respectively;
a second electric wire electrically connected to the second terminal and having a thickness larger than that of the first electric wire;
a wire holding portion that holds a part of the second wire in a longitudinal direction at a position away from the second terminal as viewed along the insertion/removal direction such that the part of the second wire in the longitudinal direction is aligned in a direction intersecting with the longitudinal direction of the second terminal;
an exterior member that covers the first terminal, the second terminal, the retainer, and the electric wire holding portion from a side opposite to the opening;
Equipped with
the second electric wire is located between the second terminal and the electric wire holding portion, and has a bent portion bent from a longitudinal direction of the second terminal to a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the second terminal. The charging connector according to claim 1,
the electric wire holding portion is provided with a guide portion that guides at least one of the first electric wires at a position separated from the second electric wires via a wall portion. The charging connector according to claim 2,
the guide portion has a holding groove that opens in a direction intersecting a length direction of the first electric wire and extends along the longitudinal direction of the first electric wire. The charging connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
an arm portion extending along the second electric wire is integrally formed with the housing main body,
The electric wire holding portion is integrally formed with the arm portion,
The charging connector further includes a cover member detachably attached to the electric wire holding portion so as to cover the second electric wire held in the electric wire holding portion. The charging connector according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The exterior member of the charging connector is flexible. The charging connector according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
the exterior member has an outlet through which the first electric wires and the second electric wires are both drawn out to the outside,
The electric wire holding portion guides the second electric wire toward the outlet port. 7. The charging connector according to claim 1,
a power terminal connected to a terminal of the external charging connector for supplying power to the battery;
a relay terminal attached to an end of the power terminal opposite to the opening and extending in a direction intersecting a longitudinal direction of the power terminal;
a power line electrically connected to the power terminal via the relay terminal and extending in a direction intersecting a longitudinal direction of the power terminal;
The charging connector further comprises:

Images