JP2014139890A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connector capable of enhancing the fitting workability.SOLUTION: A connector A includes: a first housing 10 having a terminal housing part 11; a seal ring 20 mounted on the outer periphery of the terminal housing part 11; a second housing 30 which can be fitted into the first housing 10; a hood part 32 formed in the second housing 30 for elastically adhering to the outer periphery of the seal ring 20 in the state when the housings 10 and 30 are fitted into each other; and a pressing force part 33 which keeps a non-contact state with the seal ring 20 until the terminal phase of the fitting process for the housings 10 and 30, and pressing the front end part of the seal ring 20 toward the outer peripheral side to let it adhere to the hood part 32 when reaching the terminal phase of the fitting process.

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a waterproof type connector including a first housing in which a seal ring is attached to the outer periphery of a terminal accommodating portion, and a second housing in which a hood portion is protruded from the terminal holding portion. When both housings are fitted, the hood part is fitted on the seal ring, and the seal ring exerts a sealing function by being crushed elastically between the terminal accommodating part and the hood part.

JP 2012-186109 A

In the connector described above, since the hood portion rubs while crushing the outer periphery of the seal ring immediately after the start of fitting, there is a problem that the frictional resistance is large and fitting workability is poor.
The present invention has been completed based on the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to improve fitting workability.

The connector of the present invention
A first housing having a terminal accommodating portion;
A seal ring attached to the outer periphery of the terminal accommodating portion;
A second housing engageable with the first housing;
A hood portion formed on the second housing, and in a state where the first housing and the second housing are fitted, elastically in close contact with the outer periphery of the seal ring;
Until the end of the fitting process of the first housing and the second housing, it is not in contact with the seal ring. It has a feature in that it is provided with a pressing portion that is in close contact with the hood portion.

  According to this configuration, from the start of fitting of both housings to the end of the fitting process, the front end of the seal ring is not crushed between the terminal accommodating portion and the hood portion, and accordingly, the hood portion. Since the sliding resistance between the seal ring and the seal ring is reduced, the workability is excellent. At the end of the fitting process, the pressing portion presses the front end portion of the seal ring toward the outer peripheral side, so that a sealing function is exhibited between the front end portion of the seal ring and the hood portion.

Sectional drawing of the 1st housing of Example 1. FIG. Sectional view of the second housing Sectional drawing of the state which fitted the 1st housing and the 2nd housing Front view of seal ring Side view of seal ring Cross section of seal ring Sectional drawing of the state which fitted the 1st housing and 2nd housing of Example 2 Sectional drawing of the 1st housing of Example 2.

The connector of the present invention
A recess provided between the outer periphery of the terminal accommodating portion and the inner periphery of the front end of the seal ring;
When the end of the fitting process of the first housing and the second housing is reached, the pressing portion may enter the recess and press the front end portion of the seal ring toward the outer peripheral side.
According to this configuration, the pressing portion can surely enter the inner periphery of the front end portion of the seal ring, so that the seal ring can be securely adhered to the hood portion.

The connector of the present invention
A support portion formed on the outer periphery of the terminal accommodating portion;
An abutting portion that is formed on an inner periphery of the seal ring and that abuts against the support portion to restrict the front end portion of the seal ring from being illegally displaced toward the concave portion may be provided.
According to this configuration, since the position of the front end portion of the seal ring is stabilized, there is no possibility that the seal ring and the pressing portion abut in the fitting process of both housings.

The connector of the present invention
A taper-shaped guide surface that is formed on at least one of the inner surface of the front end portion of the seal ring and the outer periphery of the front end portion of the pressing portion and is inclined with respect to the fitting direction may be provided.
According to this structure, the approach operation | movement of the press part with respect to a recessed part is smoothly performed by the guidance surface.

<Example 1>
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The connector A according to the first embodiment includes a first housing 10, a seal ring 20, and a second housing 30. The first housing 10 and the second housing 30 are fitted so as to approach each other with their front ends facing each other. In the following description, the left direction in FIGS. 1 and 3 is defined as the front of the first housing 10, and the right direction in FIGS. 2 and 3 is defined as the front of the second housing 30.

  The first housing 10 is a synthetic resin member formed by integrally forming a terminal accommodating portion 11 having a block shape and a cylindrical fitting portion 12 surrounding the terminal accommodating portion 11. A plurality of female terminal fittings 13 are accommodated in the terminal accommodating portion 11. The cylindrical fitting portion 12 is connected to the outer periphery of the terminal accommodating portion 11 at the rear end thereof, and is fitted to the front between the outer periphery of the terminal accommodating portion 11 and the inner periphery of the cylindrical fitting portion 12. A joint space 14 is formed.

  In a region facing the fitting space 14 in the outer periphery of the terminal accommodating portion 11, a step-like support portion 15 that causes a difference in height is formed around the entire periphery in the front-rear direction. . The support portion 15 has a support end surface 16 that is substantially perpendicular to the fitting direction of the housings 10 and 30. The support end surface 16 faces frontward. In addition, an outer peripheral region of the support portion 15 that extends forward at a substantially right angle to the support end surface 16 is a support peripheral surface 17 that is substantially parallel to the fitting direction of the housings 10 and 30.

  The seal ring 20 is made of rubber, and has a shape that is connected in a substantially rectangular tube shape over the entire circumference. Three lip portions 21F, 21C, and 21R are formed on the outer periphery of the seal ring 20 at intervals in the front-rear direction (a direction parallel to the fitting direction of the housings 10 and 30). The front lip portion 21F located at the forefront (front of the first housing 10 in the fitting direction with respect to the second housing 30) is disposed at the front end portion of the seal ring 20 in the front-rear direction. The center lip 21C located at the center is located at the center of the seal ring 20 in the front-rear direction. The rearmost lip portion 21 </ b> R located at the rearmost position is disposed at the rear end portion of the seal ring 20.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the protrusion heights Ha and Hb of the lip portions 21F, 21C and 21R with respect to the outer peripheral surface of the front end portion of the seal ring 20 are the heights Ha of the center lip portion 21C and the rear lip portion 21R. The height Hb of the front lip portion 21F is lower than the height Ha of the central lip portion 21C and the rear lip portion 21R.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the front end portion of the seal ring 20 is a movable end portion 22 that is elastically displaced in the radial direction by a pressing portion 33 described later. On the outer periphery of the movable end portion 22, only the front lip portion 21F after the three lip portions 21F, 21C, 21R is formed. A contact portion 23 is formed on the inner periphery of the movable end portion 22 so as to protrude along the circumferential direction. The rear surface (surface opposite to the front surface) of the contact portion 23 is a contact end surface 24 that is substantially perpendicular to the fitting direction of the housings 10 and 30. A region on the rear surface side of the inner peripheral surface of the contact portion 23 is a contact peripheral surface 25 substantially parallel to the fitting direction of both the housings 10 and 30. Further, a region on the front end side of the inner peripheral surface of the contact portion 23 includes a tapered first guide surface 26 (guide surface described in claims) inclined with respect to the fitting direction of the housings 10 and 30. It has become.

  When the seal ring 20 is assembled to the outer periphery of the terminal accommodating portion 11 and the housings 10 and 30 are not fitted, as shown in FIG. 1, most of the region of the seal ring 20 (that is, more than the movable end portion 22). The rear area) is in close contact with the area behind the support end face 16 in the outer periphery of the terminal accommodating portion 11. The movable end portion 22 is positioned so as to be adjacent to the front side of the support end surface 16. A recess 27 opened forward is formed between the outer periphery of the terminal accommodating portion 11 and the inner periphery of the front end portion of the seal ring 20 (that is, the first guide surface 26 of the movable end portion 22).

  The contact end surface 24 of the seal ring 20 is positioned so as to contact or approach the support end surface 16 of the terminal accommodating portion 11 from the front. Further, the contact peripheral surface 25 of the seal ring 20 is in contact with or close to the support peripheral surface 17 of the terminal accommodating portion 11 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the fitting direction of the housings 10 and 30. To position. Therefore, even if the movable end portion 22 tries to displace the head toward the inner peripheral side (direction approaching the outer periphery of the terminal accommodating portion 11) with the vicinity of the outer peripheral edge of the support end surface 16 as a fulcrum, the contact end surface 24 is supported. By abutting on the end surface 16 and the abutting peripheral surface 25 abutting on the supporting peripheral surface 17, the displacement of the movable end portion 22 toward the inner peripheral side is reliably regulated.

  Next, the second housing 30 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the second housing 30 is formed by integrally forming a terminal holding portion 31, a hood portion 32, and a pressing portion 33. A plurality of male terminal fittings 35 are held on the terminal holding portion 31, and a tab 36 at the front end of the male terminal fitting 35 protrudes forward from the terminal holding portion 31. The hood portion 32 has a shape protruding forward from the outer peripheral edge of the terminal holding portion 31 in a substantially rectangular tube shape. The plurality of tabs 36 are collectively surrounded by the hood portion 32. When the two housings 10 and 30 are fitted, as shown in FIG. 3, the hood portion 32 enters the fitting space 14, and the inner periphery of the hood portion 32 is relative to the lip portions 21 F, 21 C, and 21 R of the seal ring 20. It is designed to adhere elastically.

  The pressing portion 33 has a shape that protrudes forward from the front end surface of the terminal holding portion 31 in a substantially rectangular tube shape. The inner periphery of the pressing portion 33 is formed in a shape and size that can be fitted to the outer periphery of the terminal accommodating portion 11 without rattling. On the outer periphery of the front end portion of the pressing portion 33, a tapered second guide surface 34 (guide surface described in the claims) that is inclined toward the outer periphery with respect to the fitting direction is formed.

  When the two housings 10 and 30 are fitted together, the hood part 32 is caused to enter the fitting space 14. In the fitting process, even if the front end portion of the hood portion 32 reaches a position surrounding the front end portion (movable end portion 22) of the seal ring 20, the pressing portion 33 does not reach the seal ring 20. When the fitting is slightly advanced from this state, the pressing portion 33 is fitted to the outer periphery of the front end portion of the terminal accommodating portion 11, so that the housings 10 and 30 are positioned with respect to the vertical and horizontal directions intersecting the fitting direction. Accordingly, the positional relationship between the hood portion 32 and the seal ring 20 is determined.

  When positioning is performed by fitting the pressing portion 33 and the terminal accommodating portion 11, a positional relationship in which the inner periphery of the hood portion 32 approaches and opposes the front lip portion 21 </ b> F of the seal ring 20, or the hood portion 32. Although the inner circumference of the front part is in light contact with the front lip part 21F, the front lip part 21F is in a positional relationship that hardly elastically deforms. Therefore, a large frictional resistance (sliding resistance) is not generated between the hood part 32 and the front lip part 21F (seal ring 20). The positional relationship between the hood portion 32 and the front lip portion 21F is maintained until the fitting end (immediately before the fitting is completed) by the fitting of the pressing portion 33 and the terminal accommodating portion 11.

  After the pressing portion 33 starts to be fitted onto the terminal accommodating portion 11, when the fitting further proceeds, the inner periphery of the front end portion of the hood portion 32 sequentially contacts the central lip portion 21C and the rear lip portion 21R. The elastic contact state between the hood portion 32 and the lip portions 21C and 21R is maintained in the middle of the fitting and is also maintained after the fitting is completed. Until the fitting is completed, the center lip portion 21C and the rear lip portion 21R are elastically deformed and are in close contact with the inner periphery of the hood portion 32 in a liquid-tight state to be in a sealed state. Therefore, frictional resistance is generated between the hood portion 32 and the lip portions 21C and 21R.

  When the end of the fitting process is reached, the front end portion of the pressing portion 33 enters the recess 27, and the second guide surface 34 comes into contact with the first guide surface 26. When the fitting further proceeds from this state, the front end portion outer periphery (second guide surface 34) of the pressing portion 33 is brought into sliding contact with both guide surfaces 26 and 34, and the front end inner periphery (first guide surface 26) of the movable end portion 22 is. ) To the outer peripheral side. By this pressing action, as shown in FIG. 3, the movable end portion 22 (the front end portion of the seal ring 20) is elastically deformed so as to expand toward the outer peripheral side. As the movable end portion 22 is elastically deformed, the front lip portion 21F elastically collapses and strongly adheres to the inner peripheral surface of the hood portion 32. Thereby, like the center lip part 21C and the rear lip part 21R, the hood part 32 and the front lip part 21F are in close contact with each other in a liquid-tight state to be in a sealed state.

  While fitting is proceeding while the pressing portion 33 elastically displaces the movable end portion 22 toward the outer peripheral side, the elastic restoring force between the front lip portion 21F and the movable end portion 22 causes the hood portion 32 and the front lip portion 21F to move. And the frictional resistance between the first guide surface 26 and the second guide surface 34 increases. However, this state is only at the end of the mating process. Accordingly, the frictional resistance is reduced as compared with the case where the three lip portions 21F, 21C, and 21R are in elastic contact with the hood portion 32 in the entire process from the start to the completion of the fitting process. Thus, the connector A of the first embodiment is excellent in workability because the fitting resistance is reduced.

  In addition, the connector A of the first embodiment is provided with a recess 27 between the outer periphery of the terminal accommodating portion 11 and the inner periphery of the front end portion of the seal ring 20. The part 33 enters the recessed part 27 and presses the front end part of the seal ring 20 to the outer peripheral side. According to this configuration, the pressing portion 33 can surely enter the inner periphery of the front end portion of the seal ring 20, so that the pressing portion 33 securely contacts the hood portion 32 without hitting the front end of the seal ring 20. Can be made.

  Further, the connector A according to the first embodiment forms the support portion 15 on the outer periphery of the terminal accommodating portion 11, forms the contact portion 23 on the inner periphery of the seal ring 20, and sets the contact portion 23 as the support portion 15. By abutting, the front end portion of the seal ring 20 is prevented from being illegally displaced toward the inner peripheral side (the concave portion 27 side). According to this configuration, since the position of the front end portion of the seal ring 20 is stabilized, there is no possibility that the front end of the seal ring 20 and the front end of the pressing portion 33 abut in the fitting process of the housings 10 and 30.

  The connector A according to the first embodiment includes a tapered first guide surface 26 and a second guide that are inclined with respect to the fitting direction on both the inner periphery of the front end portion of the seal ring 20 and the outer periphery of the front end portion of the pressing portion 33. A surface 34 is formed. According to this configuration, the entry operation of the pressing portion 33 with respect to the concave portion 27 is smoothly performed by the both guide surfaces 26 and 34. In addition, the operation of the pressing portion 33 elastically displacing the front end portion of the seal ring 20 toward the outer peripheral side can be smoothly performed.

<Example 2>
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the connector A of the first embodiment, the support portion 15 is formed on the outer periphery of the terminal accommodating portion 11, and the contact portion 23 is formed on the inner periphery of the front end portion of the seal ring 20. By the contact action, the front end portion of the seal ring 20 is prevented from being illegally displaced toward the inner peripheral side (the concave portion 27 side). On the other hand, in the connector B of the second embodiment, the support portion 15 and the contact portion 23 are not formed. Since the other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, the same reference numeral is given to the same configuration, and the description of the structure, operation, and effect is omitted.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the above description and drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.
(1) In the first and second embodiments, the tapered first guide surface is formed on the inner periphery of the front end of the seal ring. However, the tapered guide surface may not be formed on the inner periphery of the front end of the seal ring.
(2) In the first and second embodiments, the tapered second guide surface is formed on the outer periphery of the front end portion of the pressing portion. However, the tapered guide surface may not be formed on the outer periphery of the front end portion of the pressing portion.
(3) In the first and second embodiments, the pressing portion is formed integrally with the second housing, but the pressing portion may be formed on a front member such as a front retainer assembled from the front side of the first housing. Good. In this case, at the end of the fitting process, the front member is pushed by the second housing and moves together, whereby the pressing portion elastically displaces the front end portion of the seal ring toward the outer peripheral side.
(4) In the first and second embodiments, the pressing portion is formed in a cylindrical shape that is continuous over the entire circumference. However, the pressing portion may be distributed and arranged at a plurality of locations spaced in the circumferential direction. .
(5) In the first and second embodiments, three lip portions are formed on the outer periphery of the seal ring. However, the number of lip portions formed on the outer periphery of the seal ring may be two, or four or more.
(6) In the first and second embodiments, the number of lip portions that are in close contact with the hood portion by the pressing action of the pressing portion is only one, but the number of lip portions that are in close contact with the hood portion by the pressing action of the pressing portion. May be plural.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS A, B ... Connector 10 ... 1st housing 11 ... Terminal accommodating part 15 ... Supporting part 20 ... Seal ring 23 ... Abutting part 26 ... 1st guide surface (guide ring guide surface)
27 ... concave part 30 ... second housing 32 ... hood part 33 ... pressing part 34 ... second guide surface (guide surface of the press part)

Claims (4)

A first housing having a terminal accommodating portion;
A seal ring attached to the outer periphery of the terminal accommodating portion;
A second housing engageable with the first housing;
A hood portion formed on the second housing, and in a state where the first housing and the second housing are fitted, elastically in close contact with the outer periphery of the seal ring;
Until the end of the fitting process of the first housing and the second housing, it is not in contact with the seal ring, and when the end of the fitting process is reached, the front end of the seal ring is pressed toward the outer peripheral side to A connector comprising: a pressing portion that is in close contact with the hood portion. A recess provided between the outer periphery of the terminal accommodating portion and the inner periphery of the front end of the seal ring;
When the end of the fitting process between the first housing and the second housing is reached, the pressing portion enters the recess and presses the front end portion of the seal ring toward the outer peripheral side. The connector according to claim 1. A support portion formed on the outer periphery of the terminal accommodating portion;
A contact portion that is formed on an inner periphery of the seal ring and that abuts on the support portion to restrict the front end portion of the seal ring from being illegally displaced toward the concave portion. The connector according to claim 2.   The taper-shaped guide surface which is formed in at least one peripheral surface among the front end part inner circumference of the seal ring, and the front end part outer periphery of the press part, and is inclined to the fitting direction. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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