Joint connector

#1. Field of the Invention

#This invention relates to a joint connector in which housings, each receiving a plurality of terminals therein, can be stacked together in such a manner that their terminals are connected.

#2. Related Art

#FIG. 1 is an exploded, perspective view of one preferred embodiment of a joint connector of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment of the joint connector of the invention, showing a condition before housings are stacked together;

#FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the embodiment of the joint connector of the invention, showing a condition in which the housings are stacked together;

#A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIGS. 1 to 11 show one preferred embodiment of a joint connector of the invention.

#FIG. 1 is an exploded, perspective view of the joint connector 100, and this joint connector 100 comprises housings 10, terminals 20, a circuit forming element 30, and a cover 50. Terminal accommodating portions 11 for respectively receiving the plurality of terminals 20 are formed in a juxtaposed manner at the housing 10. Each of these terminal accommodating portions 11 has an inserting port 11a (for the terminal 20), formed in a rear surface (rear side in the drawings) of the housing 10, and also has an insertion port 11b (into which a mating terminal 220, described later, can be inserted) formed in a front surface (front side in the drawings) of the housing 10. A front end portion of each of the terminals 20, connected at its rear end to a wire 21, can be inserted into the terminal accommodating portion 11 through the inserting port 11a.

#As shown in FIG. 2 which is a perspective view showing a condition before the stacking, first engagement recesses 12 are formed respectively in opposite side portions of an upper surface of the housing 10 at the front side thereof, and first engagement projections 13 are formed respectively on the opposite side portions of the upper surface of the housing at the rear side thereof. Second engagement projections 12a are formed respectively on opposite side portions of a lower surface of the housing 10 at the front side thereof, and second engagement recesses 13a are formed respectively in the opposite side portions of the lower surface of the housing 10 at the rear side thereof. The first engagement recesses 12 of one housing 10, disposed at the lower side (in the drawings), are fitted respectively on the second engagement projections 12a of the other housing 10, disposed at the upper side (in the drawings), and also the first engagement projections 13 of the one housing 10 are fitted respectively in the second engagement recesses 13a of the other housing 10, and by doing so, the plurality of housings 10 can be stacked one upon another as shown in FIG. 3 which is a perspective view showing the stacked condition. In this embodiment, the second engagement projections 12a and 12a and the second engagement recesses 13a and 13a are not provided at the lower surface of that housing 10 which is to be disposed at the lowermost position.