JP2006059569A - Water proof connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a waterproof connector capable of preventing a packing from falling off from a female connector in separating a male connector from the female connector, and capable of reducing a fabrication cost. <P>SOLUTION: A protruding engagement hole 25 opening in the fitting direction with the male connector 32 and the female connector 34 is installed at the rubber packing 12 installed at the female connector 34. Together with this, an engaging protrusion 47 which is protruded and formed oppositely to the protruding engagement hole 25 and is enabled to be fitted into the protruding engagement hole 25 is installed at the female connector 34. Therefore, when the male connector 32 is drawn out from the female connector 34, even if the packing 12 is moved in the separation direction of the male connector 32 by a friction force from the male connector 32, the packing 12 is retained by the female connector 34 because the engaging protrusion 47 of the female connector 34 is fitted into the protruding engagement hole 25 of the packing 12. Furthermore, in manufacturing the packing 12, an insert molding becomes unnecessary. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a waterproof connector suitable for connecting, for example, an automobile wire harness.

  For example, a waterproof connector is used for connection of a wire harness for an automobile, and an example thereof is disclosed in Patent Document 1 below. Such a waterproof connector includes a pair of male connectors and female connectors. Further, a packing is attached to the female connector. When the male connector is fitted to the female connector to join them, the packing is interposed between the female connector and the male connector to seal between the female connector and the male connector.

  The packing is formed in a cylindrical shape by a rubber material, and its peripheral portion can be engaged with the female connector. Such a packing moves in the same direction as the male connector by receiving frictional force from the male connector when the male connector is pulled out of the female connector of the waterproof connector in the joined state and the female connector is separated from the male connector. May end up. In this case, the packing is easily bent due to the elasticity of the rubber material, and the peripheral portion of the packing may not be caught by the female connector and may fall off from the female connector.

  Therefore, a packing having a configuration in which a cylindrical portion and an outer peripheral portion are integrated by applying a resin material having a relatively high rigidity as a material of the peripheral portion of the packing and performing insert molding has been proposed.

However, such a packing has the disadvantage that it requires manufacturing costs because it requires insert molding at the time of manufacture and is formed from two types of materials, a resin material and a rubber material. .
JP-A-7-142116

  In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a waterproof connector capable of preventing the packing from falling off the female connector when the male connector is detached from the female connector and reducing the manufacturing cost. With the goal.

  The waterproof connector according to the first aspect of the present invention is a pair of male and female connectors that are joined by being fitted to each other, and both in a joined state between the male connector and the female connector provided on the female connector. A waterproof connector including a rubber packing that is interposed between and seals the joint between the two, and is provided on either the female connector or the packing, and the fitting between the male connector and the female connector An engagement hole that opens in a direction, and a projection that is formed on one of the female connector and the packing so as to face the engagement hole and can be fitted into the engagement hole. When the connector is detached from the female connector, the projection is inserted into the engagement hole to hold the packing.

  In the waterproof connector according to the first aspect of the present invention, the male connector and the female connector are fitted and joined to each other. In the joined state between the male connector and the female connector, rubber packing is interposed between the male connector and the female connector, and the joined portion between the male connector and the female connector is sealed.

  By the way, in such a waterproof connector, when the male connector is pulled out from the female connector, the male connector is detached from the female connector by the friction force generated when the male connector is pulled out from the female connector (the direction in which the male connector is pulled out from the female connector). The packing is also pulled. As a result, the packing tends to move in the direction in which the male connector is detached.

  Here, in the waterproof connector, an engagement hole that opens in the fitting direction of the male connector and the female connector is provided in either the female connector or the packing, and is opposed to the engagement hole. Since the protrusions that are formed and can be inserted into the engagement holes are provided on either the female connector or the packing, even if the packing moves in the direction of detachment of the male connector, the protrusions become the engagement holes. The packing is engaged with the female connector, and the packing is held by the female connector.

  Therefore, it is possible to prevent the packing from falling off the female connector.

  Moreover, since the packing which comprises this waterproof connector is formed only from one type of material (rubber material), it can manufacture even if it does not perform insert molding. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost of the packing and thus the waterproof connector.

  As described above, the waterproof connector according to the present invention can prevent the packing from falling off the female connector when the male connector is detached from the female connector, and can reduce the manufacturing cost.

  A waterproof connector 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the waterproof connector 10 taken along line 1-1 of FIG. 2, and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing an outline of the waterproof connector 10. As shown in FIG. 3 shows an enlarged view of the vicinity of the engagement portion between the female connector 34 and the packing 12 of the waterproof connector 10, and FIG. 4 shows a state in which the male connector 32 and the female connector 34 are detached. A cross-sectional view corresponding to is shown.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the waterproof connector 10 includes a male connector 32, a female connector 34, and a packing 12.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the male connector 32 includes a cylindrical portion 36 formed in a substantially cylindrical shape. Further, the male connector 32 includes an insertion hole 40 through which an automobile wire harness, a cord and the like (hereinafter simply referred to as a cord) are inserted.

  On the other hand, the female connector 34 includes an insertion portion 38 formed corresponding to the cylindrical portion 36 of the male connector 32. The insertion portion 38 of the female connector 34 is formed with a diameter smaller than that of the cylindrical portion 36 of the male connector 32. Further, the female connector 34 includes an insertion hole 43 provided corresponding to the insertion hole 40 of the male connector 32, and a cord is inserted therethrough. When the insertion portion 38 of the female connector 34 is inserted into the cylindrical portion 36 of the male connector 32 (that is, the male connector 32 and the female connector 34 are fitted to each other), the female connector 34 is connected to the male connector 32. It is joined with.

  The female connector 34 includes an outer cylinder portion 42 formed corresponding to the cylindrical portion 36 of the male connector 32. The outer cylindrical portion 42 of the female connector 34 is formed with a diameter larger than that of the cylindrical portion 36 of the male connector 32.

  In such a female connector 34, a gap portion between the insertion portion 38 and the outer cylinder portion 42 is closed by a wall portion 48 on the axial base end side (the side opposite to the male connector 32).

  The outer cylindrical portion 42 of the female connector 34 has an engagement hole 44 formed along the substantially radial direction in the vicinity of the wall portion 48. Furthermore, an engagement piece 46 is integrally formed on the engagement hole 44 side of the outer cylinder portion 42. The engagement piece 46 is bent inward in the radial direction in the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 1, and its tip is bent and protrudes toward the wall 48 along the axial direction of the female connector 34. As shown in FIG. The distal end portion of the engagement piece 46 is formed so as to face a projection engagement hole 25 of the packing 12 described later attached to the female connector 34, and is an engagement projection 47.

  On the other hand, the packing 12 is used by being attached to the female connector 34 in advance before the female connector 34 and the male connector 32 are fitted to each other. The packing 12 includes a main body portion 14 formed in a substantially cylindrical shape by a rubber material. The main body 14 is formed in a shape corresponding to both the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 36 of the male connector 32 and the outer surface of the insertion portion 38 of the female connector 34, and the joined state of the male connector 32 and the female connector 34. Then, it is interposed between the cylindrical portion 36 of the male connector 32 and the insertion portion 38 of the female connector 34.

  On the outer surface of the main body part 14, an annular close contact part 16 bulging outward in the radial direction is formed integrally with the main body part 14 at a position near one end in the axial direction. When the packing 12 is in a natural state (in a state where it is not elastically deformed), the outer periphery of the contact portion 16 (the ridge line portion that bulges to the outermost side of the contact portion 16) is the cylindrical portion 36 of the male connector 32 It is formed so as to be located outside the inner surface.

  Accordingly, the inner surface of the main body portion 14 of the packing 12 is elastically bent radially outward by contacting the outer surface of the insertion portion 38 of the female connector 34, and this reaction force causes the outer surface of the insertion portion 38 to extend over the entire circumference. And adhere closely. Similarly, the contact portion 16 of the packing 12 is elastically bent radially inward by contacting the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 36 of the male connector 32, and this reaction force causes the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 36 to move around the entire circumference. It sticks over. Thereby, inflow of fluid (for example, water, oil, etc.) into waterproof connector 10 is blocked, and the cord inside waterproof connector 10 is waterproofed.

  Further, a flange portion 22 formed in an annular shape by extending the main body portion 14 radially outward is integrally provided at the other axial end portion of the main body portion 14 of the packing 12. Further, from both ends of the main body 14 in the radial direction (vertical direction in FIG. 1), an engagement piece 24 in which the flange 22 is partially protruded radially outward is integrated with the flange 22 (and thus the main body 14). Is formed. The engagement piece 24 is formed corresponding to the engagement hole 44 formed in the outer cylinder portion 42 of the female connector 34 described above, and the engagement piece 24 is inserted (accommodated) into the engagement hole 44. The packing 12 is engaged with the female connector 34. Such an engagement piece 24 is formed along the direction in which the male connector 32 is detached from the female connector 34 (the direction in which the male connector 32 is pulled out from the female connector 34 along the axial direction of the female connector 34). A protrusion engaging hole 25 is provided. The protrusion engaging hole 25 corresponds to the engaging protrusion 47 of the female connector 34 described above, and opens toward the engaging protrusion 47 along the axial direction of the female connector 34. In a state where the packing 12 is engaged with the female connector 34, when the packing 12 moves in a direction in which the male connector 32 is detached from the female connector 34, the engaging protrusion of the female connector 34 is inserted into the protrusion engaging hole 25 of the packing 12. 47 is inserted, and the packing 12 is held by the female connector 34 (see FIGS. 3 and 4).

  Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  The packing 12 is attached to the insertion portion 38 of the female connector 34 in a state where the male connector 32 and the female connector 34 are separated. In this case, the insertion portion 38 of the female connector 34 is applied to the opening on the other end portion side of the main body portion 14 of the packing 12, and the packing 12 is attached to the insertion portion 38 so as to push the entire packing 12.

  Further, in the middle of mounting the packing 12 on the insertion portion 38, the engaging piece 24 formed on the flange portion 22 of the packing 12 comes into contact with the outer cylindrical portion 42 of the female connector 34, but the packing 12 is entirely formed. Since it is formed of a rubber material, the engagement piece 24 bends. For this reason, when the packing 12 is mounted on the insertion portion 38 of the female connector 34, the engagement piece 24 does not become an obstacle or receives a large resistance, and can be mounted smoothly.

  Further, when the engagement piece 24 is inserted into the engagement hole 44 and elastically restored and inserted through the engagement hole 44, and the flange portion 22 of the packing 12 abuts against the wall portion 48 of the female connector 34, the packing 12 Is attached to the female connector 34.

  In a state where the packing 12 is attached to the female connector 34, the main body 14 of the packing 12 is pressed from the outer surface of the insertion portion 38 of the female connector 34 and elastically bends radially outward. The inner surface presses and adheres to the outer surface of the insertion portion 38 of the female connector 34. Accordingly, a predetermined frictional force is generated between the outer surface of the insertion portion 38 of the female connector 34 and the inner surface of the main body portion 14 of the packing 12.

  Next, the tubular portion 36 of the male connector 32 is inserted between the outer tubular portion 42 of the female connector 34 and the main body portion 14 of the packing 12 (the male connector 32 and the female connector 34 are fitted to each other). As a result, the male connector 32 and the female connector 34 are joined together to form the waterproof connector 10 as a whole.

  The close contact portion 16 formed on the main body portion 14 of the packing 12 is pressed against the inner surface of the tubular portion 36 of the male connector 32 and elastically bends inward in the radial direction, and is adhered to the inner surface of the tubular portion 36 by the reaction force. is doing. Therefore, the inner surface of the main body portion 14 of the packing 12 is in close contact with the outer surface of the insertion portion 38 of the female connector 34, and the close contact portion 16 of the packing 12 is in close contact with the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 36 of the male connector 32. The space between the outer surface of the insertion portion 38 and the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 36 of the male connector 32 is sealed. For this reason, the cord inserted through the waterproof connector 10 is waterproofed (see FIGS. 1 and 2).

  When the male connector 32 is pulled with respect to the female connector 34 in the joined state of the male connector 32 and the female connector 34, this tensile force also acts on the main body portion 14 of the packing 12 through the contact portion 16. . However, since a predetermined frictional force is generated between the main body portion 14 of the packing 12 and the outer surface of the insertion portion 38 of the female connector 34 due to the elastic deformation of the main body portion 14 of the packing 12, the female connector of the packing 12. The movement of the separation direction with respect to 34 is prevented.

  Here, if a force larger than the frictional force acts on the packing 12 and the packing 12 moves in the disengagement direction of the male connector 32 (left direction in FIG. 1), the engagement piece of the packing 12 The engagement protrusions 47 of the engagement pieces 46 of the female connector 34 are fitted into the protrusion engagement holes 25 of the 24, and the engagement pieces 24 are engaged with the engagement pieces 46. For this reason, the movement of the packing 12 in the detachment direction is restricted, and the packing 12 is held by the female connector 34. That is, the packing 12 is connected to the female connector by the frictional force generated between the main body portion 14 of the packing 12 and the outer surface of the insertion portion 38 of the female connector 34 and the movement resistance due to the engagement piece 24 coming into contact with the engagement piece 46. It is reliably prevented from falling off 34 (see FIGS. 3 and 4).

  For this reason, when the male connector 32 is refitted and joined to the female connector 34 to which the packing 12 is attached (see FIG. 4), the cylindrical portion 36 of the male connector 32 is connected to the outer cylindrical portion of the female connector 34. 42 and the main body portion 14 of the packing 12. At this time, the packing 12 is inserted into the female connector until the flange portion 22 abuts against the wall portion 48 of the female connector 34 by the cylindrical portion 36 of the male connector 32. 34 is pushed into the proximal end side. Therefore, in the waterproof connector 10, once the packing 12 is attached to the female connector 34, the male connector 32 and the female connector 34 can be connected to each other even when the male connector 32 and the female connector 34 are repeatedly attached and detached. Desorption is not hindered, which is preferable.

  Moreover, since the packing 12 which comprises this waterproof connector 10 is formed only from one type of material (rubber material), it can manufacture even if it does not insert-mold. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of the packing 12, and consequently the waterproof connector 10, can be reduced.

  In the present embodiment, the female connector 34 is provided with the engagement protrusion 47 and the packing 12 is provided with the protrusion engagement hole 25. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the female connector 34 is provided with a protrusion engaging hole so that the protrusion engaging hole and the engaging protrusion face each other along the axial direction of the female connector 34, and the packing 12 is provided with an engaging protrusion. When the male connector 32 is pulled out from 34 and the packing 12 is moved in the pulling direction of the male connector 32, the engagement protrusion of the packing 12 may be fitted into the protrusion engagement hole of the female connector 34. .

It is a figure which shows the outline of the waterproof connector which concerns on embodiment of this invention, and is sectional drawing along the 1-1 line | wire of FIG. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the outline of a waterproof connector. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of an engagement portion between a female connector and a packing of a waterproof connector. It is sectional drawing corresponding to FIG. 1 at the time of releasing a male connector and a female connector.

Explanation of symbols

10 Waterproof connector 12 Packing 25 Projection engagement hole (engagement hole)
32 Male connector 34 Female connector 47 Engagement protrusion (protrusion)

Claims (1)

A pair of male and female connectors that are joined by being fitted to each other, and the male connector that is provided in the female connector and interposed between the male connector and the female connector and seals the joint between the two In a waterproof connector provided with a rubber packing,
An engagement hole provided in any one of the female connector and the packing, and opening in the fitting direction of the male connector and the female connector;
A protrusion formed on one of the other of the female connector and the packing so as to face the engagement hole, and can be fitted into the engagement hole;
And holding the packing by fitting the projection into the engagement hole when the male connector is detached from the female connector.
Waterproof connector characterized by that.

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