JP2003153412A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the workability for attaching a wire cover to a corrugated tube. SOLUTION: A plurality of engaging means 20F, 20C, and 20R are formed on inner circumferences of a pair of half-divided members 13 of which a wire cover 12 is composed. The engaging members can be mated with bellows grooves 32 of a corrugated tube 31 to connect the corrugated tube 31 to the wire cover 12. As some of the engaging means 20F and 20C comprise protruding engaging parts 21a and 21b protruding from the circumferences only partially, in comparison with the engaging parts protruding over the whole circumferences, contact areas between the retaining means 20F and 20C and the bellows grooves 32 can be small. Therefore, friction resistance produced when the engaging means 20F and 20C are mated with the bellows grooves 32 can be small, so that the wire cover 12 can be attached to the corrugated tube 31 with good workability.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector provided with a wire cover.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a connector in which a wire lead-out portion at a rear end of a housing is protected by a wire cover,
Conventionally, there is one disclosed in JP-A-10-27646. This connector is used to enclose the drawn wire with a bellows-shaped corrugated tube.The part of the wire exposed between the rear end of the housing and the front end of the corrugated tube is surrounded by a cylindrical wire cover. It is supposed to do.

The electric wire cover is formed by combining a pair of half members into a cylindrical shape. The electric wire cover has a mounting portion fitted to the outer circumference of the rear end of the housing and a front end of the corrugated tube on the inner circumference of the electric wire cover. Locking ribs are formed that fit into the bellows grooves on the outer circumference of the part. The locking ribs are formed in the circumferential direction along the bellows groove, and when connecting the electric wire cover and the corrugated tube, the corrugated tube is fixed to the locking rib of one of the electric wire covers with both electric wire covers open. The above-mentioned bellows groove is fitted for about half the circumference, and then the two electric wire covers are joined together in a tubular shape while fitting the locking rib of the other wire cover for the remaining half circumference of the bellows groove.

[0004]

If the corrugated tube is flexible enough to flexibly follow the wiring route of the electric wire, the corrugated tube sufficiently functions as a means for surrounding the electric wire. In manufacturing, high processing accuracy is not required, so that the groove width dimension of the bellows groove and the pitch between the bellows grooves are relatively variable. However, if there are variations in the dimensions of the bellows groove, when the bellows groove and the locking rib of the electric wire cover are fitted together, the corrugated tube is elastically deformed so that the groove width of the bellows groove is widened, Elastic deformation such that the pitch between the bellows grooves is widened,
Due to the elastic restoring force, a large frictional resistance may occur between the bellows groove and the locking rib. In this case, the work of fitting the bellows groove and the locking rib becomes difficult, and thus the work of assembling the corrugated tube and the electric wire cover is hindered.

The present invention was devised in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to improve the workability of assembling the electric wire cover to the corrugated tube.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a housing for leading out an electric wire from a rear end surface thereof, and a pair of half-split members which are united in a tubular shape, and which is attached to a rear end portion of the housing. With an electric wire cover surrounding the electric wire, a plurality of locking means are formed on the inner circumference of the half-divided member along the length direction of the electric wire.
In the connector configured to connect the corrugated tube to the electric wire cover by fitting the corrugated tube on the outer periphery of the front end portion of the corrugated tube in which the electric wire is inserted, at least a part of the plurality of locking means. The locking means is composed of a projecting locking portion arranged in only a part of the annular region along the bellows groove on the inner circumference of the half member in the circumferential direction.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the locking means located at the rearmost end among the plurality of locking means is configured to be continuous over the entire circumference. did.

[0008]

[Advantageous Effects of the Invention] [Invention 1] At least a part of the plurality of locking means to be fitted in the bellows groove is a projecting member arranged only in a part in the circumferential direction. Since it is composed of the stopper, the contact area between the locking means and the bellows groove is small as compared with the case where all the locking means are continuous over the entire circumference. Therefore, the frictional resistance at the time of fitting the locking means and the bellows groove is small, and the workability of assembling the wire cover and the corrugated tube is good.

[Invention of Claim 2] The locking means located at the rearmost end, that is, the locking means located closest to the outer surface of the electric wire cover, is continuously fitted in the bellows groove over the entire circumference. In this fitting portion, the function of simple waterproofing and the function of preventing foreign matter from entering are exhibited.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [First Embodiment] A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The connector 10 of the present embodiment includes a housing 11 in which a terminal metal fitting (not shown) is housed and an electric wire 30 connected to the terminal metal fitting is led out from a rear end surface thereof, and a left and right pair which are united in a rectangular tube shape. And an electric wire cover 12 composed of a half member 13. The front end of the electric wire cover 12 is fitted to the outer periphery of the rear end of the housing 11, and the rear end of the electric wire cover 12 is led out of the electric wire 30.
Is fitted into the bellows groove 32 on the outer periphery of the front end of the corrugated tube 31. This allows the wire cover 1
2 protects the electric wire 30 by surrounding the exposed portion of the electric wire 30 between the rear end surface of the housing 11 and the front end of the corrugated tube 31, and the corrugated tube 31 protects the housing 11 and the electric wire cover. Assembled to 12.

Next, details of the structure of the wire cover 12 will be described. The pair of half-divided members 13 forming the electric wire cover 12 are the same component, and the two half-divided members 13 are arranged such that their internal spaces correspond to each other, and the axial line of the electric wire 30 in the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction) is set. They are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center, and are brought together by bringing the abutting surfaces 14 into contact with each other. The united half members 13 are held in the united state by the engagement between the engagement projections 15 on the outer periphery of the half members 13 and the engagement pieces 16 protruding toward the other side. A circumferential mounting groove 18 that is fitted to a circumferential mounting rib 17 on the outer circumference of the housing 11 is formed on the inner circumference of the front end of the half member 13.

Further, on the inner circumference of the rear end portion of the half member 13, three locking means 20F, 20C, 20R are formed which are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the electric wire 30 at substantially the same pitch as the parallel pitch of the bellows grooves 32. There is. These three locking means 20F, 20C,
Of the 20R, the locking means 20F, 20C on the front side and the center are of the same form, and these two locking means 20F, 2C are
0C is the upper and lower three projecting locking portions 2 spaced apart in the circumferential direction.
It is composed of 1a, 21b and 21a. Of the three projecting locking portions 21a, 21b, 21a, the two projecting locking portions 21a on the upper side and the lower side extend substantially horizontally (left-right direction) along the upper surface wall and the lower surface wall of the half member 13. It has a rib shape, and the formation region in the left-right direction is the entire width of the upper surface wall and the lower surface wall, that is, the range from the abutting surface 14 of the half-split member 13 to the side wall. The upper and lower two protruding locking portions 21a
Is vertically symmetrical. Further, the central protruding locking portion 21b is
The wire is projected laterally from the center height of the side wall of the half-split member 13 and in a form discontinuous with the upper and lower projecting locking portions 21a. It has a trapezoid that is narrow and isosceles.

The three projecting locking portions 21a, 21b,
21a is arranged in only a part in the circumferential direction of the annular region along the bellows groove 32 on the inner periphery of the half member 13,
Part of the bellows groove 32 is partially fitted in the bellows groove 32 at a circumferential interval. Further, the three protruding locking portions 21
The widths of the a, 21b, and 21a in the front-rear direction are all the same, and are the same as or slightly larger than the minimum groove width of the bellows groove 32. With this size setting, the protruding locking is performed. It is intended to prevent rattling in the front-rear direction (the groove width direction of the bellows groove 32) when the portions 21a, 21b, 21a and the bellows groove 32 are fitted together.

The three locking means 20F, 20C, 2
The locking means 20R on the rear side of 0R is flush with the rear wall of the half-split member 13, and is a semi-circular arc projecting continuously from the upper wall, the side wall and the lower wall in the circumferential direction. It is composed of an arcuate locking portion 22. The inner circumference of the semi-circular locking portion 22 is concentric with the bellows groove 32, and the inner diameter of the semi-circular locking portion 22 is the same as or smaller than the outer diameter of the groove bottom of the bellows groove 32. Is also slightly larger.

The front and center locking means 2 described above are also provided.
Three projecting locking portions 21a, 21 constituting 0F, 20C
The upper and lower protruding locking portions 21a of b are fitted in the bellows groove 32 at the portion closest to the abutting surface 14, and the fitting portion is fitted in the bellows groove 32. The depth is set to the same dimension as the fitting depth of the semi-circular locking portion 22 into the bellows groove 32. Further, the central projecting locking portion 2
The fitting depth of 1b into the bellows groove 32 is also equal to that of the semi-circular locking portion 22.
The depth is set to be the same as the depth of fitting into the bellows groove 32.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.
When assembling the wire cover 12 and the corrugated tube 31 into the housing 11, first, the half members 13 are separated from each other, and the corrugated tube 3 is attached to the inner circumference of one half member 13.
Fit the front end of 1. At this time, each locking means 20
F, 20C, 20R, that is, the protruding locking portions 21a, 21b,
21a and the semi-circular locking portion 22 are fitted to the corresponding three bellows grooves 32, and by this fitting, the front end portion of the corrugated tube 31 is temporarily assembled to the half member 13. Become.

Next, the half-split member 13 in which the corrugated tube 31 is temporarily assembled is assembled to the rear end portion of the housing 11. Finally, the other half member 13 is united to form the electric wire cover 12 in the shape of a rectangular tube. At this time,
Each locking means 20F, 20 of the half member 13 to be united
C, 20R, that is, the protruding locking portions 21a, 21b, 21a and the semi-circular locking portion 22 correspond to these three bellows grooves 3
Mating with 2. In the fitted state, a total of six projecting locking portions 21a, 21b, 21a are provided in the front and center bellows grooves 32 of the three bellows grooves 32, three from the left and right sides, respectively.
Are fitted at intervals in the circumferential direction, and two semi-circular locking portions 22 are fitted in the bellows groove 32 on the rear side from the left and right sides so as to be continuous over the entire circumference.

As described above, in this embodiment, the three locking means 20F, 20C, 2 fitted in the bellows groove 32 are provided.
Two locking means 20F, 20C on the front side and the center of 0R
(At least a part of the locking means) is composed of projecting locking portions 21a, 21b, 21a arranged only in a part in the circumferential direction. Therefore, as compared with the case where all the locking means are continuous over the entire circumference, the locking means 20
The contact area between F and 20C and the bellows groove 32 is small. As a result, the locking means 20F, 20C and the bellows groove 32 are formed.
The fitting resistance at the time of mating with is enough, and the wire cover 12
The workability of assembling the corrugated tube 31 with the corrugated tube 31 is good.

Further, the locking means 20 located at the rearmost end
R, that is, the locking means 20R located closest to the outer surface of the electric wire cover 12 is adapted to be continuously fitted into the bellows groove 32 over the entire circumference thereof, and therefore, the simple waterproof at the fitting portion. And the function of preventing foreign matter intrusion are exhibited. [Other Embodiments] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. Various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

(1) A partial projecting locking portion is formed on one half-divided member, while the other half-divided member has a substantially semi-circular arc shape continuous over the entire circumferential length of the half-divided member. A locking portion may be formed, and the protruding locking portion and the substantially semi-circular locking portion may be locked in one bellows groove. (2) The locking means located at the rearmost end of the half-split member may be a projecting locking portion arranged only in a part in the circumferential direction.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a state in which a wire cover is removed from a housing in the first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a state in which the wire cover is assembled to the housing.

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of a half member.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the electric wire cover removed from the corrugated tube.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the electric wire cover assembled to a corrugated tube.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a state in which the wire cover is attached to the housing.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a state in which the wire cover is removed from the housing.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Connector 11 ... Housing 12 ... Wire cover 13 ... Half member 20F, 20C, 20R ... Locking means 21a, 21b ... Projective locking portion 30 ... Electric wire 31 ... Corrugated tube 32 ... Bellows groove

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An electric wire cover, which comprises a housing for leading out an electric wire from a rear end surface thereof, and a pair of half-divided members joined together in a tubular shape, and which is attached to the rear end portion of the housing to surround the electric wire. A plurality of locking means are formed on the inner circumference of the half member along the length direction of the electric wire, and the locking means are formed on the outer circumference of the front end of the corrugated tube through which the electric wire is inserted. In the connector configured to connect the corrugated tube to the electric wire cover by fitting the at least one locking means to the corrugated tube, at least a part of the locking means includes the bellows on the inner circumference of the half member. A connector characterized in that the connector is constituted by a projecting locking portion arranged only in a part in a circumferential direction of an annular region along the groove. 2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the locking means located at the rearmost end among the plurality of locking means has a continuous form over the entire circumference.