JP2006196300A - Protector for cable connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a protector for relay connectors which is reusable with quick and easy attaching and disassembling. <P>SOLUTION: A protector 10 is for signal equipment relay connectors C1 and C2. The connectors C1 and C2 are stored inside first and second rigid bodies 14a and 14b constituted for free opening/closing. Seal members 26a and 26b are attached inside grooves 24a and 24b provided on the inner surface side at the end part of the first and second bodies 14a and 14b. When the first and second bodies 14a and 14b are closed, the connectors C1 and C2 are pinched by the seal members 26a and 26b. Studs 30a and 30b provided to the first and second bodies 14a and 14b fix closed state of the protector 10. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a protective device for a connector for connecting a pair of cables, and more particularly to a protective device for a signal equipment cable connector used in a railway or the like.

  Usually, the traffic light is provided with two or more lamps above the column in order to indicate a signal such as progress / stop. Conventionally, when a failure or the like occurs in a traffic light, wiring has been performed for each lamp, but there is a concern about the possibility of incorrect wiring. In general, since the wiring work of the traffic signal is performed at night, it has been desired that the work can be performed quickly and easily. For this reason, in recent years, instead of performing wiring for each lamp, it has been practiced to combine the wiring of traffic lights into a single cable and directly exchange the traffic light and the cable as a single unit. In this case, signal equipment cable connectors (hereinafter referred to as connectors) are provided at the end of the cable extending from the traffic light and the end of the cable extending from the controller for controlling the blinking operation of the traffic light, and these connectors are connected to each other. By doing so, it is possible to wire the traffic lights at once.

Since the connector is used for signal equipment, it is held so that the connection state of the connector is not easily released, and is not damaged by a load exerted from the external environment, for example, a load caused by a machine tool or a human body in the field. Need to be protected. For this reason, in the prior art, the connector connecting portion is covered with a protective member and then the protective member is plastically deformed (see Patent Document 1), or the connector connecting portion is covered with an armor cast, and then armor cast is performed. It was naturally cured, and the connection part of the connector was fixed tightly. However, when such measures are taken, it takes time and effort to install and dismantle the protective member, which requires management of multiple parts and tools, and may require specific skills, especially for night work. Met. Furthermore, when the protective member is deformed in this way to protect the connector connecting portion, there is a problem that the protective member once used cannot be reused.
Japanese Patent No. 2666949

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and can be quickly and easily attached and disassembled without requiring management of a plurality of parts and tools, and can be reused repeatedly for a cable connector. The purpose is to provide protective equipment.

  As a means for solving the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a protective device for a cable connector according to claim 1, wherein the protective device is a signal equipment cable connector, and is configured to be openable and closable. The first and second rigid main body portions for housing the connector, and when the first and second main body portions are closed, the first and second main body portions are clamped by a seal member. A groove portion is provided on the inner surface side of the end portion side of the second body portion, the seal member is attached to the inside, and the first and second body portions are fixed so as to fix the closed state of the protective device. A metal fitting is provided.

  The invention described in claim 2 is characterized in that, in the invention described in claim 1, a built-up portion is provided in the vicinity of a fastener provided in the first and second main body portions.

  In the invention described in claim 3, in the invention described in claim 1 or 2, the first and second main body portions are provided with at least two fasteners, and the two fasteners are They are provided on opposite sides in the circumferential direction of the main body.

  In the invention described in claim 4, in the invention described in any one of claims 1 to 3, the first and second main body portions are provided with holes for attaching fixed locks. And

  In the invention described in claim 5, in the invention described in any one of claims 1-4, the first and second main body portions are formed of an aluminum casting.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the signal equipment cable connector can be quickly and easily installed and disassembled even during night work without requiring management of a plurality of parts and tools, and can be reused repeatedly. Can provide protective equipment.

  According to the invention described in claim 2, in addition to the effect described in claim 1, it is possible to protect the fasteners exposed to the outside of the protective device main body.

  According to the invention described in claim 3, in addition to the effect described in claim 1 or 2, by providing at least two fasteners at different positions, even if one fastener may be damaged, the other The closed state of the main body can be maintained by the stopper.

  According to the invention described in claim 4, in addition to the effect described in any one of claims 1 to 3, the closed state of the main body is double-locked by using a fixed lock, for example, a padlock. It is possible to prevent the person from opening the protective equipment easily.

  According to the invention described in claim 5, in addition to the effect of any one of claims 1 to 4, by forming the main body of the armor from an aluminum casting, the main body has the necessary strength and is lightweight. Achieved, and material reuse can be ensured.

  The protective equipment for signal equipment cable connectors according to the present invention is basically configured as described above, but the present invention is not limited by the specific types of connectors used. For example, the protective equipment of the present invention is not limited by the number and type of lamps used in the traffic light, and the specific wiring form. Furthermore, there are known as a traffic light a light bulb type using a light bulb as a light source of a lamp and an LED type using a LED (light emitting diode), but the present invention should be adapted to both cases. Is possible. Further, the protective device according to the present invention accommodates the connector in the inside thereof and protects the connection of the connector from the external environment. If necessary, the connector is axially and / or circumferentially arranged inside the protective device. The internal shape of the protective equipment may be determined so as to prevent the movement. Moreover, you may make it the protective equipment which concerns on this invention attach members other than a connector in this inside. For example, when a protector is inserted between the connectors at the time of connection, these parts may be attached inside the protective equipment. Furthermore, in the present invention, fasteners, fixed locks, and the like are used so as to maintain the closed state of the protective equipment, but the number, mounting position, and more specific structure can be variously configured.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In FIG. 1 attached, the protective equipment 10 which protects these connectors C1 and C2 is shown with the signal equipment cable connectors C1 and C2 which connect the cables U1 and U2 extending from the traffic light and the controller. These connectors C1 and C2 are simply connected to each other (for example, to connect male pins and female sockets) in order to make wiring work quick and easy. It is configured to allow wiring. However, since it is used for signal equipment, the connection state of the connectors C1 and C2 must be maintained so as not to be easily released, and protected so as not to be damaged by a load exerted from the external environment. In the embodiment according to the present invention, in order to protect the connectors C1 and C2, the main body 12 has a substantially cylindrical shape so as to extend along the longitudinal axis XX, and the connectors C1 and C2 are provided inside the main body 12. The protective device 10 is configured so as to be sandwiched. 2 attached herewith shows the protective device 10 shown in FIG. 1 alone. As shown in these drawings, the protective device 10 is configured to cover the outer periphery of the connectors C1 and C2 over a predetermined length. The body 12 is formed from a rigid material to provide the desired strength (eg, may be stepped on), but is preferably formed from a metallic material. As a specific example, the main body 12 is formed of an aluminum casting so as to have a desired strength and achieve weight reduction. Furthermore, by using aluminum castings, it is possible to reuse raw materials and cope with environmental problems. However, it is possible to form the main body 10 using iron or another metal material.

  In the illustrated embodiment, the main body 12 is composed of first and second main body portions 14a and 14b so as to be divided into two along a cylindrical longitudinal axis XX. The closed state (the state where the first and second main body portions 14a and 14b are assembled) shown in FIG. 3 and the open state shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 (the assembly of the first and second main body portions 14a and 14b is released) The protective device 10 is configured to be openable and closable between the two states. Usually, the first and second main body portions 14a and 14b are configured in the same manner. However, in order to facilitate the explanation, the common parts and parts provided in the first and second main body portions 14a and 14b are as follows. The symbols a and b are used for distinction. Referring to FIG. 3, the first and second main body portions 14 a and 14 b have a substantially semi-cylindrical shape, and are connected to each other in a hinge shape on one edge side to open and close the protective device 10. Although this hinge-like connection can be variously configured, for example, connection portions 16a and 16b protruding in a convex shape so as to abut against the pair are provided on the edge sides of the first and second main body portions 14a and 14b. The holes are machined so as to be coaxially aligned with the connection portions 16a and 16b, and the connection pins 18 are attached to the holes. The connection pin 18 extends along the longitudinal axis XX, and allows the first and second main body portions 14a and 14b to move in a hinge-like manner around the connection pin 18. In the illustrated embodiment, two sets of hinge-like connecting portions 16a, 16b, 18 are provided on the side portions of the first and second main body portions 14a, 14b, but this number, size, mounting position, Furthermore, it is possible to add correction and deformation to this configuration.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, in the embodiment of the present invention, a connector mounting seat is provided on the inner surface side of the main body 12 so that the connectors C <b> 1 and C <b> 2 can be accommodated in the protective device 10. Specifically, the first and second main body portions 14a and 14b are respectively provided with concave portions 20a and 20b on the inner surface side, and when the first and second main body portions 14a and 14b are assembled in a closed state, A hollow chamber S (see FIG. 1) can be configured inside. The shape of the hollow chamber S is determined in accordance with the external shape of the connectors C1 and C2 attached inside. In the illustrated embodiment, the hollow chamber S is configured symmetrically so that the connectors C1 and C2 can be accommodated therein regardless of the mounting direction of the connectors C1 and C2. Further, regions 22a and 22b having a smaller inner diameter (or thicker) are provided on the end side of the recessed portions 20a and 20b, and annular grooves 24a and 24b are provided in the regions 22a and 22b, and flexible portions are provided therein. Or elastic sealing members 26a, 26b are attached. Specifically, the seal members 26a and 26b are formed of a pair of O-rings cut in half according to the external shape of the connectors C1 and C2. As shown in FIG. 1, when the protective device 10 is closed and the connectors C1 and C2 are clamped, the inner surfaces of the O-rings 26a and 26b are pressed against the outer surfaces of the connectors C1 and C2, and the protective device 10 and the connectors C1 and C2 are sealed without gaps. The inner diameters of the O-rings 26a and 26b are determined to be equal to or slightly smaller than the outer diameters of the corresponding connectors C1 and C2.

  Thus, by using the sealing members 26a and 26b to hold the connectors C1 and C2 in the regions 22a and 22b on the end side of the protective device 10, the main body 12 of the protective device 10 and the connectors C1 and C2 are in direct contact with each other. The contact between the aluminum casting and the connectors C1 and C2 due to rattling is prevented from being worn. Further, the connectors C1 and C2 are pressure-bonded using the elastic seal members 26a and 26b, thereby preventing the connectors C1 and C2 from being out of position. Further, by using the seal members 26a and 26b, foreign matters such as mud and dust are prevented from entering the protective device 10 from the external environment. Note that the illustrated configuration is an example, and the positions, sizes, and shapes of the clamping regions 22a and 22b of the connectors C1 and C2, and the positions and number of seal members 26a and 26b used are as follows. Various modifications and variations can be made according to the embodiment. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer surface sides of the regions 22a and 22b on the end side of the protective device 10 are tapered, but other than that, the outer surface of the main body 12 is arranged to facilitate the installation work of the protective device 10. Various processes can be applied. It should be understood that the connectors C1 and C2 are usually provided with a waterproof function, and therefore it is not necessary to provide a further waterproof function between the connectors C1 and C2 and the protective device 10.

  Usually, the protective device 10 has a type that protects one connection part of the connectors C1 and C2 (type without a protector) and a type that protects two connection parts by inserting the protector D between the connectors C1 and C2. It is roughly divided into two types: with protector. In the latter case, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, guide portions 28a and 28b for holding the protector D inside the first and second main body portions 14a and 14b, particularly in the central portion of the cylindrical tube. Is preferably provided. The guide portions 28a and 28b are formed so as to be suitable for positioning the protector D according to the external shape of the protector D. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the guide portions 28a and 28b are formed so as to protrude inward from the inner surfaces of the concave portions 20a and 20b of the first and second main body portions 14a and 14b. . The guide portion 28 may be configured to directly support the protector D, or may be configured to support the protector D via a seal member, a buffer member, or the like. Further, in the type in which the protector D is inserted between the connectors C1 and C2, since the connection region extends relatively long, by providing the thick guide portions 28a and 28b as described above at the center of the protective device 10, There is an effect of increasing the strength of the protective equipment 10. The protective device 10 without the protector is illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 attached hereto. 6 corresponds to the closed state of the protective device 10 shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 7 corresponds to the opened state of the protective device 10 shown in FIG. The protective device 10 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is configured in the same manner as the protective device 10 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 except for the presence or absence of the guide portions 28a and 28b for holding the protector D. Further description of the protective device 10 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is omitted.

  As described above, in the embodiment of the present invention, the protective device 10 can be arbitrarily selected between the closed state (see FIGS. 1, 2, and 6) and the open state (see FIGS. 3, 4, and 7). The first and second main body portions 14a and 14b are hingedly connected, and after the first and second main body portions 14a and 14b are assembled to each other, a means for fixing the closed state is provided. In the illustrated embodiment, as the fixing means, fasteners 30a and 30b are provided on the outer surfaces of the first and second main body portions 14a and 14b. The fasteners 30a and 30b can be configured in various ways. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, locking female portions 32a and 32b provided on one of the first and second main body portions 14a and 14b, And a pair of locking male portions 34b, 34a provided on the other of the first and second body portions 14a, 14b. Specifically, the locking female portions 32a and 32b are mounted on the end portions of the elongated arm portions 36a and 36b as locking metal portions, and the opposite end portions of the arm portions 36a and 36b are used. It attaches to either one of the 1st, 2nd main-body parts 14a and 14b in the shape of a hinge. The arm portions 36a and 36b are formed in an arc shape so as to extend circumferentially on the outer surfaces of the first and second main body portions 14a and 14b. The locking male portions 34a and 34b are configured as hook portions, and are fixed to either one of the first and second main body portions 14a and 14b, and the hook metal portions 32b for locking the hook portions 34a and 34b, 32a is hooked so that it can be hooked. The attached FIG. 5 shows the fixed state of the stopper 30 in an enlarged manner. In addition, FIG. 8 attached here shows the stopper 30 as a single unit. In these drawings, the part numbers are shown without distinguishing the first and second main body portions a and b.

  The operation of the fasteners 30a and 30b will be briefly described. The first and second main body portions 14a and 14b are assembled with each other so as to accommodate the connectors C1 and C2 therein, and the protective device 10 is opened (FIG. 3, 4 and 7) to the closed state (see FIGS. 1, 2 and 6), and then the arm portions 36 a and 36 b are rotated around the hinge-like connection portions 38 a and 38 b, thereby locking metal parts for locking. The metal parts 32a and 32b are hooked on the hook parts 34b and 34a with the 32a and 32b facing the hook parts 34b and 34a (see FIG. 5). At this time, various means may be taken so that the metal fittings 32a and 32b are not easily detached from the hooks 34b and 34a. For example, the arm portions 36a and 36b are formed to be elongated from a metal rigid material. Then, when hooking the metal parts 32a, 32b on the hook parts 34b, 34a, the arm parts 36a, 36b are forced outward to warp the curved shape, and the metal parts 32a, 32b are forced to the hook parts 34b, 34a. Immediately after being hooked up, the arm portions 36a and 36b are urged so as to bend inward again by the elastic force of the arms themselves. Further, by using the operation parts 48a and 48b, the metal parts 32a and 32b are mechanically fixed so that the metal parts 32a and 32b are not detached from the hook parts 34b and 34a. You may make it hold | maintain with being fixed firmly on 34b, 34a. By configuring the stoppers 30a and 30b in this way, in the embodiment according to the present invention, the connectors C1 and C2 are attached to the inside of the protective device 10, and the first and second main body portions 14a and 14b are closed. After the assembly, the closed state of the protective device 10 can be fixed. Therefore, in the embodiment according to the present invention, when the protective part 10 is attached to the connectors C1 and C2, it is possible to quickly and easily attach and disassemble without requiring management of a plurality of parts and tools. It is very suitable for wiring the traffic lights at night. Furthermore, in the embodiment according to the present invention, the fasteners 30a and 30b can be released quickly and easily by reversing the above procedure, so that the protective device 10 can be reused repeatedly, and the cost can be reduced. It ’s also very good.

  Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiment, since the stoppers 30a and 30b are exposed on the outer surface of the main body 12, measures are taken to prevent the stoppers 30a and 30b from being damaged by the external environment. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, groove portions 40 a and 40 b are provided on the outer surface of the main body 12 so as to extend in the circumferential direction, so that the arm portions 36 a and 36 b can be easily positioned on the outer surface of the main body 12. In use, the arm portions 36a and 36b are accommodated in the groove portions 40a and 40b, so that the arm portions 36a and 36b can be protected from the external environment. The width and depth of the groove portions 40a and 40b are determined so as to be suitable for accommodating the arm portions 36a and 36b therein. In the illustrated embodiment, guard portions 42a and 42b are provided on both sides of the hinge-like attachment portions 38a and 38b of the arm portions 36a and 36b so as to protrude outward from the outer surface of the main body 12. When the main body 12 is formed by an aluminum casting, the guard portions 42a and 42b may be a built-up portion of an aluminum casting. As shown in FIG. 8, preferably, the sizes of the built-up portions 42a and 42b are determined so as to be appropriate for protecting the hinge-like attachment portions 38a and 38b of the arm portions 36a and 36b from the external environment. . As described above, in a preferred embodiment according to the present invention, a means for protecting the fasteners 30a and 30b from the external environment is provided, for example, when the cables U1 and U2 are moved for some reason on installation of signal equipment, Even if the protective device 10 follows and moves, breakage or the like does not occur in the stoppers 30a and 30b exposed to the outside.

  Further, in a preferred embodiment according to the present invention, at least two fasteners 30a and 30b are provided, and even if one fastener 30a and 30b itself is damaged due to an unexpected situation, the protective equipment is provided. 10 closed states are maintained. Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment according to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 9, in particular, when the protector 10 is provided with two sets of fasteners 30a and 30b, the fasteners 30a and 30b are arranged around the body portions 14a and 14b. In the direction, they are on opposite sides. For example, one fastener 30a is fixed on the first main body portion 14a in a hinge shape, and is fixed in a hook shape so as to be releasable with respect to the second main body portion 14b. Further, the other stopper 30b is fixed to the second main body portion 14b in a hinge shape and fixed to a hook shape so as to be releasable with respect to the first main body portion 14a. As described above, in the illustrated embodiment, two sets of fasteners 30a and 30b are provided on the main body portions 14a and 14b in the circumferential direction on opposite sides, and temporarily provided with one fastener due to a load exerted from the external environment. Even if 30a may be damaged, the stopper 30b provided on the opposite side is prevented from being damaged. It should be noted that the illustrated embodiment is shown as an example, and it is possible to make corrections and modifications to the positions, the number, and the mounting direction of these fasteners 30a, 30b.

  Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment according to the present invention, holes 50a and 50b are provided on the outer surface of the main body 12 for locking with a fixing lock, such as a padlock, in order to maintain the fixed state of the protective device 10 more reliably. . For example, convex bulges 52a and 52b are provided on the sides of the first and second main body parts 14a and 14b, and holes 50a and 50b are machined in the bulges 52a and 52b, respectively. As shown in FIG. 2, when the first and second main body portions 14a and 14b are closed, the holes 50a and 50b are arranged on the same axis. And after fixing the 1st, 2nd main-body parts 14a and 14b in the closed state by the said fasteners 30a and 30b, attaching fixed locks, such as a padlock, so that it may pass through each hole 50a and 50b, 1st, 1st The fixed state of the two main body portions 14a and 14b is locked. In the attached figure, the fixed lock is not shown. For this reason, in use, the connectors C1 and C2 are accommodated in the protective device 10, and after the main body 12 is shifted from the open state to the closed state, the closed state is fixed using the fasteners 30a and 30b. In addition to this, the above-mentioned locked state is double-fixed so as to be locked with the padlock or the like. Therefore, the closed state of the protective device 10 can be maintained more reliably, and a third party cannot easily open the protective device 10. In the attached figure, only one set of holes 50a and 50b for locking with a locking pad such as a padlock is shown, but it is optional to modify or change the number, position and shape. is there.

It is sectional drawing of the armor which concerns on embodiment of this invention shown in the state which attached the connector inside. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the protective device shown in FIG. 2 in a closed state. It is a perspective view of the open state of the protective equipment shown in FIG. It is a perspective view of the back side of the armor shown in FIG. It is a principal part enlarged view of the fastener shown in FIG. It is a perspective view of the closed state of the protector which concerns on other embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view of the open state of the armor shown in FIG. It is a side view of the fastener which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed the attachment state of one set of fasteners seen from the IX-IX line of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

C1, C2 connector D protector 10 protective equipment 12 main body 14a, 14b first, second main body part 20a, 20b concave part 26a, 26b seal member (O-ring)
30a, 30b metal fittings 40a, 40b groove part 42a, 42b guard part (building up)
50a, 50b Hole for padlock

Claims (5)

  A protective device for a signal equipment cable connector, which is configured to be openable and closable, and has first and second rigid body portions for housing the connector on the inner surface side, and the first and second body portions are When the connector is closed, a groove is provided on the inner surfaces of the first and second body portions so that the connector is clamped by the seal member, and the seal member is attached to the inside, and the protective device A protective device for a cable connector, wherein the first and second main body portions are provided with fasteners so as to fix the closed state of the cable connector.   The armor for a cable connector according to claim 1, further comprising a built-up portion in the vicinity of a stopper provided on the first and second main body portions.   The said 1st and 2nd main-body part is equipped with the said two metal fittings at least, Furthermore, the said two metal fittings are provided in the circumferential direction of the said main-body part, and the other side mutually. Or the protective equipment for cable connectors as described in 2.   The protective equipment for a cable connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first and second main body portions are provided with holes for attaching fixed locks. The said 1st and 2nd main-body part is formed with the aluminum casting, The protector for cable connectors in any one of Claims 1-4 characterized by the above-mentioned.

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