Patents
Search within the title, abstract, claims, or full patent document: You can restrict your search to a specific field using field names.
Use TI= to search in the title, AB= for the abstract, CL= for the claims, or TAC= for all three. For example, TI=(safety belt).
Search by Cooperative Patent Classifications (CPCs): These are commonly used to represent ideas in place of keywords, and can also be entered in a search term box. If you're searching forseat belts, you could also search for B60R22/00 to retrieve documents that mention safety belts or body harnesses. CPC=B60R22 will match documents with exactly this CPC, CPC=B60R22/low matches documents with this CPC or a child classification of this CPC.
Learn MoreKeywords and boolean syntax (USPTO or EPO format): seat belt searches these two words, or their plurals and close synonyms. "seat belt" searches this exact phrase, in order. -seat -belt searches for documents not containing either word.
For searches using boolean logic, the default operator is AND with left associativity. Note: this means safety OR seat belt is searched as (safety OR seat) AND belt. Each word automatically includes plurals and close synonyms. Adjacent words that are implicitly ANDed together, such as (safety belt), are treated as a phrase when generating synonyms.
Learn MoreChemistry searches match terms (trade names, IUPAC names, etc. extracted from the entire document, and processed from .MOL files.)
Substructure (use SSS=) and similarity (use ~) searches are limited to one per search at the top-level AND condition. Exact searches can be used multiple times throughout the search query.
Searching by SMILES or InChi key requires no special syntax. To search by SMARTS, use SMARTS=.
To search for multiple molecules, select "Batch" in the "Type" menu. Enter multiple molecules separated by whitespace or by comma.
Learn MoreSearch specific patents by importing a CSV or list of patent publication or application numbers.
Sealed electrical connector and seal ring therefor
CA2034963C
Canada
- Other languages
French - Inventor
Masahiro Yamamoto - Current Assignee
- ABB Installation Products Inc
Description
translated from
1 FIELD OF THE INVENTION: 2034963 The present invention relates to a seal ring and a sealed electrical connector using same.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:
In a waterproof electrical connector having male and female housings, a seal ring for sealing the male and female housings is generally mounted on the outer surface of the male housing, and the resultant structure is inserted into the female housing.
In such structure, since the seal ring is exposed on the outer surface of the male housing, the seal ring may be susceptible to external influences. For example, the seal ring may be damaged during assembly, thus impairing the waterproof properties. In order to solve this problem, a waterproof connector having a cylindrical outer wall for protecting a seal ring on a male housing is Xnown (Japanese Publication No. 1-51031). In this connector, however, the male housing has a relatively high profile, and the connector is bulky, resulting in inconvenience.
In order to protect the seal ring and provide a compact connector, an assembly obtained by mounting a seal ring on the inner wall surface of a female housing is also known (Japanese Laid-Open ~tility Model Application No. 55-31201).
In this case, unless the male housing is inserted into the female housing with care, the seal ring may be folded, removed, or deformed, thereby greatly impairing the waterproofing effect.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
It is therefore an object of the present invention to reduce the conventional drawbacks described above, and to implement a new structure of a seal ring and a new structure of a connector housing mounted with the seal ring, to thereby prevent de~radation of the sealing effect at the tlme of assembly of the connector. ~' , -2- z();~4963 1 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
Figure 1 is a plan view showing an arrangement of a seal ring according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is a sectional view of the seal ring of Figure 1, as seen along viewing lines II-II.
Figure 3 is a sectional view showing an arrangement of an electrical connector according to the present invention, using the seal ring of Figure 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT:
A seal ring according to the present invention is shown in Figures 1 and 2.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the seal ring comprises a rubber ring body 1, projections, such as ribs 2, formed on the outer peripheral surface of the ring body, and projections, such as ribs 3, formed on the inner peripheral surface of the ring body. A locking groove 4 is formed into the ring body and between the projections 2 and 3. In the illustrated embodiment, a total of six locking grooves are formed along the circumference of the seal ring.
Since these locking grooves 4 are to be respectively engaged with latch projections 12 (see Figure 3) formed in a cavity of a female housing 11 for receiving a male housing 10, the locking grooves 4 are formed at positions respectively corresponding to the latch projections, as will be indicated hereinbelow.
The locking groove 4 has a groove 4A extending in a direction perpendicular to the direction of depth of the locking groove 4. The groove 4A corresponds to a projection 12A (see Figure 3) extending from the corresponding latch pro~ection 12 formed in the cavity of the female housing 11.
In the illustrated embodiment, the projections 2 and 3 are formed at substantially corresponding, opposite positions.
Figure 3 shows a sealed connector ~ncluding the seal ring described above.
.. . . ..
.
The grooves 4 on the seal ring are engaged with the S latch projections 12 extending from the bottom surface of the cavity of the female housing 11. As shown in Figure 3, the seal ring is interposed between an outer wall surface of the male housing and an inner wall surface of the female housing to seal the male and female housings when the male and female housings are joined with each other.
Referring still to Figure 3, reference numeral 13 denotes wires each having a distal end terminating at a corresponding receptacle contact 14. A ferrule 14A (crown-shaped cap) is mounted on the distal end of the receptacle contact. A pin contact 15 is received into the corresponding receptacle contact through the corresponding ferrule.
Each pin contact extends through the bottom portion of the cavity of the female housing 11. In the illustrated structure, the pin contact extending through the housing is inserted into and fixed on a printed circuit board 20 through an alignment plate 16.
Reference numeral 17 denotes a bushing having a plurality of holes for receiving the wires 13. The bushing 17 serves to seal the wires 13 and the male housing 10.
Reference numeral 18 denotes a packing rubber member and reference numeral 19, a unit case.
Since the seal ring according to the present~invention has the locking grooves which are respectively engaged with the latch pro~ections formed on the bottom of the cavity of the female housing, the seal ring is not inadvertently folded or the like when the male housing is fitted in the cavity of the female housing. Therefore, the sealing effect is not impaired.
, , ' ,: ' , , .
~, , ~, ~ ' ' ' -4_ 2034363 1 Since the seal ring is fixed in the cavity of the female housing, the seal ring tends not to be adversely affected externally. A special structure for protecting the seal ring (e.g., a cylindrical outer wall for protecting the seal ring in a known connector) is not required, thereby providing a compact structure.
Since each locking groove of the seal ring of the present device has a groove extending in a direction perpendicular to the direction of depth of the locking groove, the seal ring is not easily removed from the latch projections.
Having described the preferred embodiment of the present invention herein, it should be understood that variations may be made thereto without departing from the contemplated scope. Accordingly, the description of the preferréd embodiment is intended to be illustrative rather than limiting. The true scope of the invention is set forth ln the claims appended hereto.
~ '