JP2003209919A - Apparatus installing connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus installing connector capable of keeping a watertight condition between a connector housing and a case completely even when water is sprayed at high pressure. <P>SOLUTION: A receiving part 17 protruding from the inner periphery of a mounting hole 11 is provided in a mounting hole 11 piercingly provided at a case 10A. A step-off part 18 of which the diameter is enlarged on the whole periphery of part of the outer periphery is provided at a connector housing 13 inserted into the mounting hole 11 from the inner side of the case 10A. A front latching part 25A which can be brought into contact with the receiving part 17 is provided at the step-off part 18, and a bent part is formed in a space between the connector housing 13 and the mounting hole 11 by bringing the front latching part 25A into contact with the receiving part 17. Thus, water pressure can be prevented from being directly applied to a seal, and the connector housing 13 can be positioned to a prescribed insertion depth. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector attached to a case of equipment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A device mounting type connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,732. An outline of the device-mounted connector will be described below with reference to FIG. 3 in which the structure of the device-mounted connector is simplified.

This connector 1 is attached to the wall surface of a fuel tank 2 of an automobile or the like, and is for connecting an electric device in the fuel tank 2 to an external power source, and accommodates a male side terminal fitting 3 inside. The connector housing 4 is mounted so as to penetrate through the mounting hole 5 formed in the wall surface of the fuel tank 2. A seal ring 6 is fitted around the outer periphery of the connector housing 4, and when the connector housing 4 is inserted into the mounting hole 5, the seal ring 6 is compressed between the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole 5. As a result, the connector housing 4 and the mounting hole 5 are sealed.

[0004]

In the above, since the gap between the connector housing 4 and the mounting hole 5 is along the axial direction, for example, when washing the car by spraying high-pressure water, the fuel tank 2 On the other hand, when the high-pressure water acts in the axial direction, the high-pressure water enters the gap between the connector housing 4 and the mounting hole 5 and the water pressure is directly applied to the seal ring 6. In that case, the seal ring 6 is deformed,
The waterproof function may be reduced.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to reliably maintain a watertight state between the connector housing and the case even when water is sprayed at high pressure. The present invention is to provide a device-mounted connector that can

[0006]

As means for achieving the above object, the invention of claim 1 is a connector housing inserted into a mounting hole penetrating a wall surface of a case of a device, and a connector housing. A ring-shaped sealing member that is fitted to the outer periphery of the connector housing and is compressed between the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole and the mounting hole to seal the connector housing is provided. In a device mounting type connector, in the gap between the connector housing and the mounting hole, the seal member is compressed from the hole edge of the hole edge of the mounting hole that is located outside the case. It is characterized in that it is bent in the axial direction up to the seal portion.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the mounting hole is provided with a receiving portion projecting from the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole to the entire periphery thereof, and from the inner side of the case. In the connector housing inserted toward the outside,
When the connector housing is inserted, a front stop portion that can come into contact with the receiving portion is arranged in front of the sealing portion in the insertion direction of the connector housing with respect to the mounting hole, and the connector housing The feature is that it is provided all around.

[0008]

<Operation and effect of the invention><Invention of claim 1> When high pressure water is applied to the case of the equipment from the outside,
Even if the high-pressure water enters along the gap between the connector housing and the mounting hole, the hole edge of the mounting hole is bent from the hole edge located outside the case to the seal member. Therefore, the water pressure is applied to the bent portion, and the water pressure does not directly reach the seal portion. Therefore, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the seal member is deformed. As a result, the space between the connector housing and the mounting hole can be reliably held in a watertight state.

<Invention of Claim 2> When the connector housing is inserted into the mounting hole, the front stopping portion provided on the connector housing side comes into contact with the receiving portion provided on the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole. As a result, it is possible to position the connector housing at a predetermined insertion depth (stopper function). In addition, since the gap between the connector housing and the mounting hole is bent at the contact portion between the receiving portion and the front stopper, even if high-pressure water enters through the gap, the water pressure will not be directly applied to the seal portion. It can be prevented from acting (sealing function). In this way, by providing the receiving portion, the gap between the connector housing and the mounting hole can be bent, and the receiving portion can be brought into contact with the front stopping portion during the insertion process of the connector housing. That is, it is possible to have both a stopper function and a sealing function.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The present embodiment shows a connector 12 that is inserted from the inside of the case 10A into a mounting hole 11 that penetrates the case 10A of a fuel tank 10 of an automobile or the like. In the following description, the insertion end side of the connector housing 13 will be the top.

In the mounting hole 11 which is opened in the case 10A of the fuel tank 10, a receiving portion 17 which is continuous over the entire circumference is formed at the upper edge of the inner peripheral surface thereof. Receiver 1
Since 7 is formed, the upper edge of the mounting hole 11 is
It has a small diameter hole 11A smaller than the diameter of the mounting hole 11,
Since the small diameter hole 11A is provided, the inner periphery of the mounting hole 11 has a stepped shape, and the lower surface 17A of the receiving portion 17 receives the front stop portion 25A described later. On the other hand, the lower edge of the mounting hole 11 is chamfered over the entire circumference.

The connector 12 includes a connector housing 13 made of a synthetic resin material and a terminal fitting 14 housed in the connector housing 13.

As shown in FIG. 1, a connector housing 1
The upper end side of 3 is a hood portion 16 in the shape of a rectangular tube that opens upward. A lock projection 22 is formed substantially at the center of one side surface of the hood portion 16, and a pair of ribs 21 are provided so as to sandwich the lock projection 22. When the mating connector housing (not shown) is fitted to the hood portion 16, the lock arm (not shown) of the mating connector housing is locked to the lock projection 22 to maintain the fitted state. It is like this.

The terminal fitting 14 housed in the connector housing 13 is L-shaped, and one end of the terminal fitting 14 is a hood portion 16.
When the connector housing 13 and the mating connector housing are in a fitted state, the terminal metal fitting (not shown) housed in the mating connector housing
It is designed to be connected to. The other end of the terminal fitting 14 penetrates through the internal connection portion 20 provided on the opposite side of the hood portion 16 and projects laterally, and an electric device (for example, a liquid level sensor) provided in the fuel tank 10 is provided. Connected to.

Between the hood portion 16 of the connector housing 13 and the internal connecting portion 20, the internal connecting portion 20 is provided.
A disk-shaped step portion 18 is provided which has a diameter that increases in three steps toward the side, and can be fitted into the mounting hole 11. When the connector housing 13 is fitted in this way, the connector housing 13 is attached to the case 10A in a retaining state by a retaining means (not shown).

The upper portion 26 of the step portion 18 is formed to have a slightly smaller diameter than the small diameter hole 11A.
The connector housing 13 is positioned in the radial direction by fitting the connector housing 13 in a substantially tight fit.

The middle step portion 25 of the step portion 18 is formed to have a larger diameter than the small diameter hole 11A, and when the connector housing 13 is inserted into the mounting hole 11, the middle step portion 2 is formed.
5 upper surface (front stopping portion 25A which is a constituent of the present invention)
Comes into contact with the lower surface 17A of the receiving portion 17. At this time, the upper surface of the upper step portion 26 and the outer surface of the case 10A are flush with each other. In addition, the lower surface 17A of the receiving portion 17 and the front stopping portion 2
The contact path with 5A causes the launch path to reach the seal portion, which is a vertical path between the inner peripheral surface of the small diameter hole 11A and the outer peripheral surface of the upper step portion 26, the lower surface 17A of the receiving portion 17 and the front stop. The horizontal path is formed so as to be in close contact with the portion 25A. A seal ring 27 is fitted on the outer periphery of the middle step portion 25, and the connector housing 13 is attached to the case 10.
When attached to A, the seal ring 27 is compressed between the outer peripheral surface of the middle step portion 25 and the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole 11.

The lower step portion 28 of the step portion 18 is formed to have a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the mounting hole 11, and when the connector housing 13 is inserted, the lower step portion 28 is fitted into the mounting hole 11 almost tightly so that the above-described upper step portion is formed. 26, the connector housing 13 is positioned in the radial direction. In addition, the lower step portion 28 prevents the seal ring 27 from coming off from the connector housing 13.

The present embodiment is configured as described above, and its operation will be described subsequently. First, the connector housing 13 is inserted into the mounting hole 11 from the inside of the case 10A with the seal ring 27 fitted on the outer peripheral surface of the middle step portion 25. Then, the upper part 2 of the connector housing 13
6 fits into the small diameter hole 11A, and the lower step portion 28 fits into the mounting hole 11 so that the connector housing 1
3 is positioned in the radial direction. Then, after the connector housing 13 is properly inserted and the front stopper portion 25A is abutted against the lower surface 17A of the receiving portion 17, the connector housing 13 is locked by a retaining means (not shown). The connector housing 13 is held in the retaining state, and the insertion of the connector housing 13 is completed. At this time, the seal ring 27 is in a compressed state between the outer peripheral surface of the middle step portion 25 and the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole 11,
A watertight state is maintained between the connector housing 13 and the case 10A.

In FIG. 2, the high pressure water between the outer peripheral surface of the connector housing 13 and the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole 11 when high pressure water (arrow A shown in FIG. 2) acts on the case 10A in the axial direction. Considering the approach route of the front stop 2
Since the approach path is bent at the contact portion between 5A and the lower surface 17A of the receiving portion 17, the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the small-diameter hole 11A and the outer peripheral surface of the upper step portion 26 in the step portion 18 extends along the axial direction. The hydraulic pressure of the high pressure water that has entered does not directly act on the seal portion. As a result, the seal ring 2
It is possible to avoid the deformation of 7 due to water pressure, and it is possible to reliably maintain the watertight state between the connector housing 13 and the case 10A.

When the connector housing 13 is attached to the case 10A, the receiving portion 17 contacts the front stopping portion 25A. That is, the receiving portion 17 is the connector housing 1.
With a stopper function that can position 3 at the regular insertion depth,
It also has the sealing function by the bent portion as described above. Therefore, the structure is simple as compared with a structure in which the stopper function and the sealing function are separately provided.

<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. In addition to the above, various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

(1) In the above embodiment, the receiving portion 17 is configured to project from the upper edge of the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole 11.
If it is above the sealing portion, it may be projected from a midway position within the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole 11.

(2) In the above embodiment, the front stopping portion 25A
In forming the above, the outer peripheral surface of the connector housing 13 above the seal portion was formed by denting in the inner peripheral direction, but conversely, by protruding the outer peripheral surface of the connector housing 13 in the seal portion in the outer peripheral direction. You may form.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an assembled state of a connector according to a first embodiment.

[Fig. 2] Enlarged view of the seal part

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Fuel tank 10A ... Case 11 ... Mounting hole 12 ... Connector 13 ... Connector housing 17 ... Receiver 18 ... Step 25A ... Front stop 27 ... Seal ring (seal member)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A connector housing that is inserted into a mounting hole that is provided through a wall surface of a case of a device, and a connector housing that is fitted to the outer periphery of the connector housing and compressed between the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole. A device-mounting type connector provided with a ring-shaped sealing member for sealing between the mounting hole and the connector housing, wherein the mounting is provided in a gap between the connector housing and the mounting hole. A device that is bent in the axial direction from a hole edge of the hole located on the outside of the case to a seal portion where the seal member is compressed, of the hole edges of the hole. Mountable connector. 2. The receiving hole is provided in the mounting hole so as to project from the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole over the entire circumference thereof, and the connector housing inserted in the case from the inside to the outside of the mounting hole is provided with the receiving portion. A front stop portion capable of contacting the receiving portion when the connector housing is inserted is arranged in front of the seal portion in the insertion direction of the connector housing with respect to the mounting hole, and at the same time, the entire front end portion of the connector housing is provided. The device-mounted connector according to claim 1, wherein the connector is provided over the circumference.