JP2010211933A - Waterproof terminal block - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To secure waterproof performance while achieving downsizing of a waterproof terminal block, by pressing a packing evenly on a mounted body with a constant pressure given to the whole periphery of a housing without making a cover partially projected. <P>SOLUTION: The waterproof terminal block 100 is provided with a housing 13 covering an opening hole of a mounted body, and waterproofing and inserting a terminal 11 which conducts between an inside and outside of the opening hole, a ring-shaped packing fitted on an opposing face of the mounted body of the housing 13 and adhered around the opening hole, an upper-part cover 17 surrounding a nearly half periphery of a housing outer periphery, fixing both ends onto the mounted body by a fastening means and pressing the packing onto the mounted body through the housing 13, and a lower-part cover 19 inserted into a groove formed in a direction crossing a direction pressing to the other half periphery of the housing outer periphery, and with both ends overlapped at a lower side of the both ends of the upper-part cover and pressed toward the mounted body. In a structure in which an electric contact part 21 at an outside of the terminal 11 is bent in an L-shape to be housed in the housing 13, the groove is preferably formed at a housing side part 69 of a lower side of the electric contact part 21. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a waterproof terminal block that covers an opening hole of a body panel of a vehicle or a case panel of equipment and waterproof and inserts a terminal that conducts the inside and outside of the opening hole.

  A waterproof terminal block is a member that conducts electricity inside and outside the vehicle body panel and equipment case panel. The waterproof terminal block is fixed by inserting a terminal into a housing which is a main body portion and covering an opening hole formed in the adherend which is the panel. That is, one end of the terminal is disposed outward, and the other end is disposed inward to enable internal and external conduction. For example, a waterproof terminal block (see, for example, Patent Document 1) provided in an outer case of a motor mounted on an electric vehicle is required to be waterproof to prevent rainwater or the like from entering the case through an opening hole.

7 is a perspective view of a conventional waterproof terminal block, FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the waterproof terminal block shown in FIG. 7, and FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the waterproof terminal block shown in FIG.
A conventional waterproof terminal block 500 includes a housing 503 for waterproofing and inserting a terminal 501, an annular packing 507 provided on an adherend facing surface 505 of the housing 503, and an adherend (not shown) that covers the housing 503. The cover 509 is roughly divided into a cover 509 that presses the packing 507 against the adherend via the housing 503 by being fixed to the motor case panel) by fastening means such as bolts.

  The housing 503 has a hood 511 inserted into the opening hole of the adherend at the tip, and the hood 511 accommodates the electrical contact portion 515 of the terminal 501 inside. An electric wire 517 is crimped to the terminal 501, and a cylindrical packing holder 519 inserted into the housing 503 is attached to the electric wire 517. The packing holder 519 seals between the electric wire 517 with an internal packing 521 mounted on the inner periphery and seals with the housing 503 with an external packing 523 mounted on the outer periphery. Further, the electrical contact portion 515 is also sealed between the base end and the housing 503 by a seal member 525.

  A circumferential groove 527 is formed in the adherend facing surface 505 of the housing 503, and the packing 507 is held by the locking means 529 a and 529 b with a part protruding outward from the circumferential groove 527. The adherend facing surface 505 is one surface of a flange portion 531 formed on the outer periphery of the housing 503. The cover 509 is formed with a recess 533 that fits with the flange portion 531. The cover 509 is formed in the outer peripheral flange portion 535 so as to cover the entire housing 503 by fitting the flange portion 531 into the recess 533. It is screwed to the adherend with bolts (not shown) inserted through the plurality of fixing holes 537.

  The cover 509 is bolted to the adherend, whereby an axial force is applied to the flange portion 531 by the bolt. As a result, the packing 507 is pressed through the housing 503, and the entire circumference of the packing 507 is brought into close contact with the adherend at a constant pressure.

JP 2003-115357 A

  However, since the conventional waterproof terminal block 500 has a flange 531 protruding to apply a pressing force evenly to the outer periphery of the housing and the flange portion 531 is fitted and covered with the recess 533 of the cover 509, the waterproof terminal block 500 There was a problem that the overall outer shape became large. For example, when the space for arranging one side portion 535a (see FIG. 7) of the outer peripheral flange portion 535 cannot be secured due to the improvement in arrangement efficiency of various devices, the outer peripheral flange portion 535 becomes a C-shape and the missing one side portion In 535a, the pressing force is not applied to the housing 503, and as a result, the entire circumference of the packing 507 is not evenly brought into close contact, and the waterproof performance may be deteriorated.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above situation, and provides a waterproof terminal block that can apply a constant pressure to the entire circumference of the housing without causing a portion of the cover to protrude, and can evenly press the packing against the adherend. Therefore, an object is to secure waterproof performance while miniaturizing the waterproof terminal block.

The above object of the present invention is achieved by the following configuration.
(1) a housing that covers the opening hole of the adherend and waterproofly inserts a terminal that conducts the inside and outside of the opening hole;
An annular packing provided on the adherend facing surface of the housing and in close contact with the periphery of the opening hole;
An upper cover that surrounds a substantially half circumference of the outer periphery of the housing and fixes both ends to the adherend by fastening means and presses the packing against the adherend through the housing;
A lower cover that is fitted in a groove formed in a direction orthogonal to the pressing direction on the other substantially half circumference of the outer periphery of the housing and has both ends overlapped with the lower side of both ends of the upper cover and pressed toward the adherend,
A waterproof terminal block comprising:

  According to this waterproof terminal block, a substantially half circumference of the outer periphery of the housing is surrounded by the upper cover, the lower cover is fitted into a groove formed on the other substantially half circumference of the outer periphery of the housing, and both ends of the upper cover are attached by fastening means. By fixing to the body, the lower cover with both ends overlapped below both ends of the upper cover is pressed against the adherend, and a constant pressure is applied to the outer periphery of the housing without protruding the lower cover from the side of the housing Thus, the entire circumference of the packing is evenly pressed against the adherend.

(2) The waterproof terminal block of (1),
The electrical contact portion on the outside of the terminal is bent into an L shape and accommodated in the housing,
The waterproof terminal block, wherein the groove is formed in a housing side portion below the electrical contact portion.

  According to this waterproof terminal block, in the structure in which the electrical contact portion on the outside of the terminal is bent in an L shape, the block body-shaped portion of the housing that exists below the electrical contact portion is used to open the housing side portion. A groove can be provided. That is, the lower cover can be accommodated in the outer shape of the housing without protruding from the outer periphery of the housing by effectively using the structural part essential for accommodating the L-shaped terminal. Thereby, especially in the housing which accommodates an L-shaped terminal, a substantially half circumference can be pressed without providing a protrusion on the outer circumference of the housing.

(3) The waterproof terminal block according to (1) or (2),
The upper cover and the lower cover are annularly connected by at least a pair of concave and convex portions that are fitted in the pressing direction, and movement in a direction orthogonal to the pressing direction is restricted. Terminal block.

  According to this waterproof terminal block, the lower cover inserted into the groove is restricted in movement in the pressing direction, but can move in the direction orthogonal to the pressing direction. The upper cover that is provided around the half circumference of the housing is fixed to the adherend by fastening means, and when the concavo-convex portion is fitted, the lower cover and the upper cover are connected in an annular shape to surround the outer periphery of the housing. Then, the lower cover is also restricted in movement in the direction perpendicular to the pressing direction, and is prevented from falling off and is securely held in the groove.

(4) The waterproof terminal block according to any one of (1) to (3),
The waterproof terminal block, wherein the upper cover is fixed to the housing by fastening means.

  According to this waterproof terminal block, after the lower cover is inserted into the groove, when the upper cover that surrounds the substantially half circumference on the opposite side is fixed to the housing by the fastening means, the concave and convex portions of the lower cover and the upper cover are fitted. The lower cover will not fall out of the groove. That is, the concave and convex portions are fitted and the upper cover is fixed to the housing by the fastening means, so that the lower cover and the upper cover connected in an annular shape are integrally mounted and fixed in a state of surrounding the housing.

  According to the waterproof terminal block of the present invention, the cover that surrounds the housing and is pressed against the adherend is divided into an upper cover and a lower cover, and the lower cover is inserted into a groove formed on the side of the housing. At the same time as fixing both ends of the cover to the adherend with fastening means, the lower cover with both ends overlapped on the lower side of both ends of the upper cover can be pressed against the adherend, and the lower cover does not protrude from the side of the housing, A constant pressure can be applied to the entire circumference of the housing to press the packing evenly against the adherend. As a result, waterproof performance can be ensured while miniaturizing the waterproof terminal block.

1 is an external perspective view of a waterproof terminal block according to the present invention. It is the perspective view which looked at the waterproof terminal block shown in FIG. 1 from the lower side. It is a disassembled perspective view of the waterproof terminal block shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing of the waterproof terminal block shown in FIG. It is the perspective view which looked at the upper cover from the lower side. It is an expanded sectional view of the overlap part of an upper cover and a lower cover. It is a perspective view of the conventional waterproof terminal block. It is a disassembled perspective view of the waterproof terminal block shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing of the waterproof terminal block shown in FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a waterproof terminal block according to the present invention.
The waterproof terminal block 100 according to the present embodiment is roughly divided into a terminal 11, a housing 13, a packing 15 (see FIG. 2), an upper cover 17, and a lower cover 19.

  The terminal 11 is formed in an L shape obtained by bending one end of a strip-shaped conductive metal plate, and bolt holes 25 are formed in the electrical contact portions 21 and 23 at both ends. The terminal 11 is fixed to a motor terminal or a counterpart terminal with a bolt (not shown) inserted through the bolt hole 25 of the electrical contact portions 21 and 23.

2 is a perspective view of the waterproof terminal block shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from below.
In the housing 13, a lower holder portion 29 is suspended from the lower surface of the base portion 27. The lower holder portion 29 is formed with a plurality of terminal accommodating portions 33 partitioned by a partition wall 31, and the electric contact portion 23 of the terminal 11 is accommodated in each of the terminal accommodating portions 33. Bolt holes 35 that coincide with the bolt holes 25 are formed in the lower holder portion 29. The accommodated electrical contact portion 23 is fixed by a bolt with the mating terminal coming into contact with the exposed surface.

  In the base portion 27 of the housing 13, the lower surface on which the lower holder portion 29 is suspended serves as an adherend facing surface 37. In the housing 13, the lower holder part 29 is inserted into the opening hole of the adherend (not shown), and the opening part is covered with the base part 27. Thereby, the inside and outside of the opening hole can be conducted by the terminal 11. A circumferential groove 39 is formed in the adherend facing surface 37 of the base portion 27, and the circumferential groove 39 accommodates the annularly formed packing 15. The packing 15 accommodated in the circumferential groove 39 projects a part in the thickness direction from the adherend facing surface 37. The protruding packing 15 is elastically compressed by the housing 13 being pressed toward the adherend by the upper cover 17 and is in close contact with the periphery of the opening hole.

  The packing 15 is formed in an oval shape, and is provided with a plurality of positioning pieces 43 provided with positioning holes 41 (see FIG. 3) in the long side portion. The positioning piece 43 is fitted into a notch 45 formed by connecting to the circumferential groove 39, and a positioning pin 47 erected on the notch 45 is inserted into the positioning hole 41, so that the packing 15 does not cause a displacement. To regulate the position.

3 is an exploded perspective view of the waterproof terminal block shown in FIG.
A rectangular parallelepiped upper holder portion 49 is provided on the upper surface of the base portion 27 so as to protrude upward. The upper holder portion 49 is formed with a plurality of terminal accommodating portions 53 partitioned by a partition wall 51, and the electric contact portion 21 of the terminal 11 is accommodated in each of the terminal accommodating portions 53. A nut 55 is assembled and fixed to the bottom of the terminal accommodating portion 53, and the nut 55 is screwed into a bolt inserted into the bolt hole 25.

  The upper cover 17 surrounds a substantially half circumference of the outer periphery of the housing, and both ends 57 and 57 are fixed to the adherend with bolts (not shown) as fastening means. The upper cover 17 is made of an aluminum material, and is formed in a substantially C-shape with both ends 57 and 57 protruding in the same direction from both longitudinal sides of the base 59. A thin portion 58 is formed at both ends 57 and 57, and the thin portion 58 overlaps both ends 61 and 61 of the lower cover 19. Fixing holes 63 and 63 for inserting bolts as the fastening means are formed at both ends 57 and 57 of the upper cover 17. In the upper cover 17, the lower surface of the base portion 59 is in contact with the upper surface of the base portion 27 of the housing 13. Accordingly, the upper cover 17 presses the packing 17 against the adherend via the housing 13 by fixing both ends 57 and 57.

  Packing holding claws 65 are formed on both side portions on the short side of the base portion 27, and the packing holding claws 65 engage the locking pins 67 provided at both ends of the packing 15 to lock the packing 15 into the circumferential groove 39. Hold on.

  A housing side portion (side portion 69 of the upper holder portion 49, hereinafter referred to as “housing side portion 69”), which is the other substantially half circumference of the outer periphery of the housing, is orthogonal to the direction in which the housing 13 is pressed (arrow a). A groove 71 is formed in the direction (arrow b). The groove 71 is formed linearly along the side portion 69 of the upper holder portion 49, and both ends are opened at the short side portion of the upper holder portion 49.

  The lower cover 19 is made of an aluminum material, and is formed in a substantially E shape with both ends 61 and 61 protruding in the same direction from both longitudinal sides of the base 73. The lower cover 19 is inserted into the groove 71 in the direction of arrow b, and both ends 61 and 61 protrude outward from the short side portion of the upper holder portion 49. The protruding both ends 61, 61 overlap the both ends 57, 57 of the upper cover 17 on the lower side. Therefore, the lower cover 19 is fitted in the groove 71, and both ends 61, 61 overlap with the lower sides of the upper cover ends 57, 57 and are pressed toward the adherend.

4 is a cross-sectional view of the waterproof terminal block shown in FIG.
The upper holder part 49 and the base part 27 are provided with a terminal waterproof part 75 that passes through the electric contact part 23 side of the terminal 11. The lower end of the terminal waterproof part 75 communicates with the terminal insertion hole 79 through the step part 77. A holder 81 and a terminal packing 83 are sequentially attached to the proximal end of the electrical contact portion 23 from the distal end side (lower end side in FIG. 4). The terminal 11 is inserted with the electrical contact portion 23 into the terminal insertion hole 79 with the holder 81 and the terminal packing 83 attached, so that the terminal packing 83 comes into contact with the stepped portion 77 and the space between the waterproof portions 75 is sealed. Is done. As a result, the terminal 11 is waterproofed and inserted into the housing 13.

  In the present embodiment, the electrical contact portion 21 on the outside of the terminal 11 is bent into an L shape and accommodated in the upper holder portion 49 of the housing 13. The groove 71 is formed in the housing side portion 69 below the electrical contact portion 21. That is, in the structure in which the electrical contact portion 21 outside the terminal 11 is bent in an L shape, the block body portion 85 (see FIG. 4) of the housing 13 existing below the electrical contact portion 21 is used to A groove 71 opening in the portion 69 can be provided. That is, the lower cover 19 can be accommodated in the outer shape of the housing 13 without protruding from the outer periphery of the housing by effectively utilizing the structural part essential for accommodating the L-shaped terminal. Thereby, especially in the housing 13 which accommodates the L-shaped terminal 11, substantially half circumference can be pressed without providing a protrusion part in the housing outer periphery.

  In the present embodiment, a pair of fixing holes 87 and 87 are formed in the base 59 of the upper cover 17, and the fixing holes 87 and 87 are inserted through screws 89 and 89 that are fastening means. The screws 89, 89 inserted through the upper cover 17 are screwed to a fixing column 91 provided on the base portion 27 of the housing 13. That is, the upper cover 17 is fixed to the housing 13.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the upper cover as viewed from below.
The upper cover 17 and the lower cover 19 are connected in an annular shape by at least a pair of concave and convex portions 93 and 95 that are fitted in the pressing direction a, and movement in the direction b orthogonal to the pressing direction is restricted. For example, the concave portion 93 is formed as a fitting hole of the lower cover 19, and the convex portion 95 can be formed as a restriction pin of the upper cover 17.

  The lower cover 19 fitted in the groove 71 is restricted in movement in the pressing direction a, but can move in the direction b orthogonal to the pressing direction. When the upper cover 17 provided so as to surround the substantially half circumference of the housing 13 is fixed to the adherend with bolts, and the concave and convex portions 93 and 95 are fitted, the lower cover 19 and the upper cover 17 are connected in an annular shape. Thus, the outer periphery of the housing is surrounded, and the lower cover 19 is also restricted in movement in the pressing orthogonal direction b. As a result, the lower cover 19 is prevented from falling off and is securely held in the groove 71.

  Before the waterproof terminal block 100 is attached to the adherend, the lower cover 19 is inserted into the groove 71, and then the upper cover 17 surrounding the substantially half circumference on the opposite side is fixed to the housing 13 with screws 89 and 89. Then, the concave and convex portions 93 and 95 of the lower cover 19 and the upper cover 17 are fitted, and the lower cover 19 does not fall out of the groove 71. That is, the concave and convex portions 93 and 95 are fitted and the upper cover 17 is fixed to the housing 13 with screws 89 and 89, so that the lower cover 19 and the upper cover 17 connected in an annular shape surround the housing 13. It will be attached and fixed together. Attachment workability to an adherend can be improved.

Next, the assembly procedure of the waterproof terminal block 100 having the above configuration will be described.
In order to assemble the waterproof terminal block 100, first, the holder 81 and the terminal packing 83 are externally attached to the terminal 11 in this order from the distal end side of the electrical contact portion 23. The nut 55 is assembled to the upper holder part 49 and the lower holder part 29. The electrical contact part 23 of the terminal 11 is inserted into the terminal waterproof part 75 of the upper holder part 49 assembled with the nut 55.

  After the terminal packing 83 comes into contact with the stepped portion 77, the terminal 11 is pushed in until the electrical contact portion 21 enters the terminal accommodating portion 53. Next, after attaching the lower cover 19 to the groove 71 of the housing side portion 69, the upper cover 17 is placed on the base portion 27 and fixed with screws 89 and 89. Next, the packing 15 is attached to the circumferential groove 39 of the adherend facing surface 37 to complete the assembly of the waterproof terminal block 100.

  The assembled waterproof terminal block 100 is arranged such that the lower holder portion 29 is inserted into the opening hole 99 of the adherend 97 (see FIG. 6) and the base portion 27 covers the opening hole 99. Next, bolts (not shown) are inserted into the fixing holes 63 and 63 provided at both ends 57 and 57 of the upper cover 17 and screwed and fixed to the adherend.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the overlapping portion of the upper cover and the lower cover.
In the waterproof terminal block 100 having the above-described configuration, a substantially half circumference of the outer periphery of the housing is surrounded by the upper cover 17. The other substantially half circumference of the outer periphery of the housing is surrounded by the lower cover 19 fitted in the groove 71. By fixing both ends 57, 57 of the upper cover 17 to the adherend 97 with bolts, the lower cover 19 in which both ends 61, 61 are superimposed on the lower side of the upper cover ends 57, 57 is attached to the adherend 97. It is pushed toward. Accordingly, a constant pressure is applied to the outer periphery of the housing without causing the lower cover 19 to protrude from the housing side portion 69, and the entire periphery of the packing 15 is evenly pressed against the adherend 97. In FIG. 6, reference numeral 101 denotes a central axis of a bolt that is a fastening means.

  Therefore, according to the waterproof terminal block 100, the covers 17 and 19 that surround the housing 13 and are pressed against the adherend 97 are divided into the upper cover 17 and the lower cover 19, and the lower cover 19 is attached to the housing side portion 69. Since the upper cover both ends 57 and 57 are fixed to the adherend 97 by fastening means, the lower cover 19 having both ends 61 and 61 superimposed on the lower side of the upper cover both ends 57 and 57 is inserted. The packing 15 can be pressed evenly against the adherend 97 by applying a constant pressure to the entire circumference of the housing 13 without causing the lower cover 19 to protrude from the housing side portion 69 without being pressed toward the adherend 97. it can. As a result, the waterproof performance can be ensured while the waterproof terminal block 100 is downsized.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Terminal 13 Housing 15 Packing 17 Upper cover 19 Lower cover 21 External contact part of terminal 37 Opposite surface 57 Upper cover both ends 61 Lower cover both ends 69 Housing side 71 Groove 93, 95 Concavity and convexity 97 Adhered body 99 Opening hole 100 Waterproof terminal block a Pressing direction b Direction orthogonal to pressing direction

Claims (4)

A housing that covers the opening hole of the adherend and that allows the terminal that conducts the inside and outside of the opening hole to be waterproofed and inserted;
An annular packing provided on the adherend facing surface of the housing and in close contact with the periphery of the opening hole;
An upper cover that surrounds a substantially half circumference of the outer periphery of the housing and fixes both ends to the adherend by fastening means and presses the packing against the adherend through the housing;
A lower cover that is fitted in a groove formed in a direction orthogonal to the pressing direction on the other substantially half circumference of the outer periphery of the housing and has both ends overlapped with the lower side of both ends of the upper cover and pressed toward the adherend,
A waterproof terminal block comprising: The waterproof terminal block according to claim 1,
The electrical contact portion on the outside of the terminal is bent into an L shape and accommodated in the housing,
The waterproof terminal block, wherein the groove is formed in a housing side portion below the electrical contact portion. The waterproof terminal block according to claim 1 or 2,
The upper cover and the lower cover are annularly connected by at least a pair of concave and convex portions that are fitted in the pressing direction, and movement in a direction orthogonal to the pressing direction is restricted. Terminal block. The waterproof terminal block according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The waterproof terminal block, wherein the upper cover is fixed to the housing by fastening means.

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