JP2002075517A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a simple water-proofing means. SOLUTION: The simple water-proofing means 30 by engagement of a protrusion 31 with a recess 32 is provided in engagement faces 10S, 20S of both housings 10, 20. Even when water intrudes from an outer part of a hood part 13 into an inner part thereof through a releasing space 16, the water is precluded from intruding into a clearance between the engagement faces 10S, 20S by the simple water-proofing means 30 comprising the protrusion 31 and the recess 32. Since the means 30 is formed only in upper edge areas corresponding to the space 16 out of peripheral edges of the faces 10S, 20S, that is, only in the minimum required area, shapes of the engagement faces 10S, 20S is not complicated insignificantly.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector having a simple waterproof function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIGS. 9 and 10 show a conventional connector used in an environment where there is no risk of being wet. This is the male housing 1 with the hood 102
01, and a female housing 103 fitted in the hood portion 102. When the two housings 101, 103 are fitted together, the male terminal fittings 104 projecting from the front end face of the male housing 101 become the female housing 103. The female terminal fitting 1 enters the female housing 103 through the opening at the front end face of the female terminal fitting 1.
05.

[0003] Both housings 101 and 103 fitted together.
Are locking portions 106 formed on the peripheral wall of the hood portion 102 and lock arms 10 formed on the outer surface of the female housing 103.
By the engagement with the lock 7, the lock is locked in the release restriction state. The locking portion 106 of the hood portion 102 constituting this locking means
Are not cut after the molding of the male housing 101 but are formed at the same time when the male housing 101 is molded.
It is unavoidable that the die-cut space 108 for forming the pattern is formed.

[0004] The die-cut space 108 provided in the hood portion 102 allows the gap between the front end faces of the housings 101 and 103, which are in contact with each other, to face the outside of the hood portion 102. In other words, the female Side housing 10
The opening 109 for the male terminal fitting 104 on the front end face of the third terminal 3 is communicated with the outside of the hood portion 102, but as long as this connector is used in an environment where there is no risk of being wetted. Even if the die-cutting space 108 is vacant in the hood portion 102, both terminal fittings 104, 1
There is no danger of the 05 getting wet.

[0005]

A connector used in an environment where there is no danger of being wet as described above basically includes
Although it does not have a waterproof function such as a seal member, if the circuit to which the connector is connected is normally less likely to be wet even if it is likely to be wet, It is desirable to provide the connector with simple waterproof means.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a male housing having a hood portion, and a female housing fitted to the hood portion, wherein the two housings are provided with fitting surfaces. In a state where the two housings are fitted so as to abut each other, the locking arms of the female side housing and the locking portion of the hood portion are locked to lock the two housings in a detachment-restricted state. The hood portion has a die-cutting space for molding the locking portion in a mold,
In a connector formed such that the gap between the fitting surfaces of the two housings faces the outside of the hood portion, the fitting surfaces of the two housings are provided with a simple waterproof means by fitting unevenness, The simple waterproofing means is configured to be formed in a region corresponding to the die-cut space on the periphery of the fitting surface.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the simple waterproofing means comprises a convex portion formed in the male housing and a concave portion formed in the female housing.

[0008]

Operation and Effect of the Invention [Invention of claim 1] Even if water intrudes from the outside of the hood through the die-cutting space to the inside,
The permeated water is prevented from entering the gap between the fitting surfaces by the simple waterproof means provided on the periphery of the fitting surfaces of both housings. Further, if the simple waterproofing means is formed only in the area corresponding to the die-cut space in the peripheral edge of the fitting surface, that is, only in the minimum necessary area, the shape of the fitting face does not needlessly become complicated. .

According to the second aspect of the present invention, even when both housings are separated from each other, the convex portion of the male side housing functions as an eave with respect to the fitting surface thereof. Water can be prevented.

[0010]

[First Embodiment] A first embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. The connector of the present embodiment includes a male housing 10 and a female housing 20 that can be fitted to each other, and a simple waterproofing means 30 for preventing water from entering the fitting surfaces 10S, 20S of the housings 10, 20. It is configured.

The male housing 10 includes a housing body 11 having a cavity 12 formed therein, and a rectangular cylindrical hood portion 13 projecting forward from the outer periphery of the front end of the housing body 11 in a mold (not shown). And are integrally formed by A male terminal fitting (not shown) is inserted into each cavity 12 from the rear. The tip of the male terminal fitting is connected to the fitting surface 10S of the male housing 10 (the female housing 2).
0, and faces the inside of the hood portion 13.

A relief portion 14 is formed on the upper surface wall of the peripheral wall constituting the hood portion 13 in such a manner that a central portion in the width direction is projected upward (outer peripheral side) in a square shape. The relief portion 14 includes the lock arm 2 of the female housing 20.
3 are accommodated. In the escape part 14, the ceiling wall 14
A pair of left and right partitions 14B extending downward from A is formed. Further, on the inner surface (lower surface) of the ceiling wall 14A of the relief portion 14, a die-cutting groove 15 is formed in which a region narrower than the two partition walls 14B at the center in the left-right direction is elongated and cut away in the front-rear direction. ing. The rear end of the mold release groove 15 penetrates the rear wall 14C of the relief portion 14 and
3 is open backward to the outside, and this open portion forms a die-cut space 16. Regarding the positional relationship between the die-cutting space 16 and the fitting surface 10S, since the entire surface of the rear wall 14C of the relief portion 14 and the fitting surface 10S are flush, the front of the die-cutting space 16 is flush. Opening edge is mating surface 10
S and is slightly above the fitting surface 10S. That is, the die-cut space 16 is located close to the fitting surface 10S.

On the other hand, the front end of the mold release groove 15 is
A is located slightly behind the front end of the
An inner surface portion of the front end of the ceiling wall 14 </ b> A in which no is formed is a locking portion 17 that is formed to protrude relatively to the inner surface of the mold release groove 15. That is, the above-described die-cutting groove 15 and the die-cutting space 16 are formed by extracting a part of the die rearward when the rear surface shape of the locking portion 17 is die-formed. Die-cut groove 15 and die-cut space 16
Is inevitable in the formation of the locking portion 17.

The female housing 20 is fitted into the hood portion 13 so as to fit with the male housing 10. A cavity 21 is formed inside the female housing 20, and a female terminal fitting (not shown) is inserted into each cavity 21 from the rear. Cavity 21
Has a terminal entrance 22 for the male terminal fitting to enter.
It has become. A lock arm 23 is formed on the upper surface of the female housing 20. The lock arm 23 rises from the front end of the upper surface of the female housing 20 and extends rearward in a cantilever manner. The lock arm 23 elastically bends vertically (in a direction approaching or separating from the upper surface of the female housing 20). It is supposed to. The base end 23A of the lock arm 23 (the rising position from the upper surface of the female housing 20) is a fitting surface 20S of the female housing 20 (a front end surface on which the terminal entrance 22 of the cavity 21 is open). ) Is set at a position slightly shifted backward. The lock arm 23 is connected to both the partition walls 1 of the male housing 10.
It is sized and arranged to fit between 4B. A protection wall 24 is formed on the upper surface of the female housing 20 so as to sandwich the lock arm 23 from both left and right sides. The protection walls 24 are located between the side wall 14D of the relief portion 14 and the partition 14B. In the space.

A lock projection 23B is formed on the upper surface of the lock arm 23. When the two housings 10 and 20 are fitted together with their fitting surfaces 10S and 20S attached to each other, a lock projection 23B is formed. By locking the locking projection 23B with respect to the locking portion 17 from behind the locking portion 17, the housings 10 and 20 are locked in the detachment-restricted state. At this time, the lock projection 23B is
5 is entered. In addition, both housings 10,
In a state in which the male terminal fitting 20 is fitted, the distal end of the male terminal fitting protruding from the fitting surface 10S of the male housing 10 enters the cavity 21 from the terminal entrance 22 of the fitting surface 20S of the female housing 20. To be electrically connected to the female terminal fitting.

Next, the simple waterproofing means 30 will be described. The simple waterproofing means 30 includes a convex portion 31 formed on the male housing 10 and a concave portion 32 formed on the female housing 20.
It is composed of The convex portion 31 is located along the upper end edge of the fitting surface 10S of the housing body 11 and forward (female side) of the fitting surface 10S and the rear wall 14C of the relief portion 14 (the opening surface on the inner side of the die-cut space 16). The housing 10 is formed so as to protrude in a rib shape (eave shape) in a direction parallel to the fitting / removing direction of the housings 10 and 20 toward the housing 20. The convex portion 31 is provided on both the right and left partition walls 14 of the escape portion 14.
B is formed over the entire area between B, in other words,
It is formed so as to be inserted between both partition walls 14B. Regarding the positional relationship in the width direction (left-right direction) between the convex portion 31 and the die-cut space 16, the center in the width direction of the convex portion 31 and the center in the width direction of the die-cut space 16 match.
Regarding the dimension of the convex portion 31 and the die-cut space 16 in the width direction,
The width of the protrusion 31 is larger than the width of the opening of the die-cut space 16. That is, the convex portion 31 is
Of the entire upper, lower, left, and right peripheral edges of the OS, it is formed only in a region corresponding to the die-cut space 16 (a central portion in the upper edge).

The upper surface of the convex portion 31 (the surface facing the die release groove 15 and the die release space 16) is flush with the upper surface of the housing body 11, and the lower surface of the convex portion 31 (die release). The surface opposite to the groove 15 and the punching space 16) is
B has the same height as the lower edge. On the other hand, the recess 32
The female housing 20 is formed at the front end of the upper surface. As described above, since the base end 23A of the lock arm 23 is slightly shifted rearward from the fitting surface 20S, the front end of the upper surface of the female housing 20 and the base of the lock arm 23 are provided at the front end. A flat portion 33 in the front-rear direction is secured between the end portion 23A. And when viewed from the side, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG.
A front surface 23C of A is in a positional relationship retreated in a step-like manner with respect to the fitting surface 20S, and the space defined by the flat portion 33 and the front surface 23C of the base end portion 23A of the lock arm 23 is located upward. And a concave portion 32 opened forward (in a direction facing the male housing 10).

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described. In the process of fitting the two housings 10 and 20, the lock arm 23 elastically bends downward because the lock projection 23B interferes with the front edge of the ceiling wall 14A of the relief portion 14 (the front edge of the locking portion 17). However, when the housings 10 and 20 reach a regular fitting state, the lock projection 23B passes through the locking portion 17 and the lock arm 23 elastically returns. Lever lock 1
7, the housings 10 and 20 are locked in the detachment-restricted state.

In this locked state, the simple waterproofing means 3
0 is fitted into the concave portion 32, and by this fitting operation, the gap between the fitting surfaces 10S and 20S of the housings 10 and 20 and the die-cut space 16 located above the gap are formed. The space is blocked by the protrusion 31. In other words, the space between the terminal entrance 22 and the die-cutting space 16 in the fitting surface 20S of the female housing 20 is blocked by the projection 31. Therefore, even if water intrudes from the outside of the hood portion 13 through the die-cutting space 16, the intruded water is transferred to the upper surface of the projection 31 (both the mating surfaces 10).
S, 20S), and there is no risk that water will enter the gap between the two fitting surfaces 10S, 20S. That is, the water that has entered the hood portion 13 from the outside hits the convex portion 31 and is prevented from further entering. As described above, in the present embodiment, since the water is prevented from infiltrating into the gap between the fitting surfaces 10S and 20S, the male terminal fitting is inserted between the two fitting surfaces 10S and 20S. There is no possibility that leaks will occur due to water coming in from outside.

Also, the convex portion 31 as the simple waterproofing means 30
The recesses 32 are formed only in the central portion of the upper edge region corresponding to the die-cut space 16 in the peripheral edges of the fitting surfaces 10S, 20S, that is, only in the minimum necessary region. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the fitting surface 10S in this embodiment is different from the structure in which the convex portion and the concave portion are formed over the entire circumference of the fitting surfaces 10S and 20S.
The peripheral shape of S and 20S does not needlessly become complicated. Further, in the present embodiment, the convex portion 31 serving as the simple waterproofing means 30 is formed in the male housing 10 in which the die-cut space 16 is formed, and even when the two housings 10 and 20 are separated from each other, the male housing 10 is removed. Of the male side housing 10 when the two housings 10 and 20 are detached from each other, since the convex portion 31 protrudes from the fitting surface 10S like an eaves like an eave. Water is prevented.

Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment,
The simple waterproofing means 40 is configured differently from the first embodiment. Other configurations are described in the first embodiment.
Therefore, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description of the structure, operation, and effect is omitted. The simple waterproofing means 40 of the second embodiment includes a convex portion 41 formed on the male housing 10 in which the die-cut space 16 is formed and a concave portion 4 formed on the female housing 20 as in the first embodiment.
And 2. The proximal end 23A of the lock arm 23 of the female housing 20 has its front surface 23C
S is formed so as to be flush with the front side (the male housing 1).
The opening 42 is formed only in the direction (the direction facing 0). On the other hand, on the fitting surface 10 </ b> S of the male housing 10, a convex portion 41 that is tightly fitted to the concave portion 42 of the female housing 20 is formed so as to protrude. The dimensions and the positional relationship between the forming area and the die-cut space 16 in the left-right direction (width direction) of the convex portion 41 and the concave portion 42 are the same as those in the first embodiment. ,
It is formed only in the upper edge region corresponding to the die-cut space 16 in the peripheral edge of 20S.

[Other Embodiments] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above with reference to the drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. In addition, various changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. (1) In the above embodiment, the convex portion is formed in the male housing and the concave portion is formed in the female housing. However, according to the present invention, the concave portion is formed in the male housing and the convex portion is formed in the female housing. May be.

(2) In the above embodiment, only one of the convex portion and the concave portion is formed in each housing. However, according to the present invention, both the convex portion and the concave portion are formed in the male housing and the concave portion is formed in the female housing. And both the projections.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a state in which both housings are fitted in a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a male housing.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a female housing.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a state in which both housings are fitted.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a female housing.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the male housing.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the female housing.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing a state where both housings are fitted in the second embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a conventional example.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Male side housing 10S ... Fitting surface 13 ... Hood part 16 ... Die removal space 17 ... Locking part 20 ... Female side housing 20S ... Fitting surface 23 ... Lock arm 30 ... Simple waterproofing means 31 ... Convex part 32 ... Concave part 40: simple waterproofing means 41: convex part 42: concave part

Claims (2)

[Claims] A male housing having a hood portion; and a female housing fitted to the hood portion, wherein the two housings are fitted so that their fitting surfaces abut each other. The lock arm of the female side housing and the locking portion of the hood portion are locked to lock the two housings in a detachment-restricted state, and the hood portion includes the locking portion. In a connector, a die-cutting space for molding a mold is formed in a form in which a gap between the fitting surfaces of the two housings faces the outside of the hood portion. A connector provided with a simple waterproofing means by fitting unevenness, and the simple waterproofing means is formed in a region corresponding to the die-cut space in a peripheral edge of the fitting surface. 2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein said simple waterproofing means comprises a convex portion formed on said male side housing and a concave portion formed on said female side housing.