JP2015028894A - Waterproof connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a waterproof connector in which unnecessary deformation of a family seal can be suppressed, when the waterproof connector is assembled in the wrong orientation, or when positional deviation of protrusions and recesses occurs.SOLUTION: A family seal 50 has a front surface 50a and a rear surface 50b facing each other, and includes a restriction body 53 provided while projecting from the front surface facing a second housing, and restricting the family seal 50 so that the family seal 50 is not assembled to a lance housing 10 in an orientation different from the normal orientation, and a first relief 54 and a second relief 55 for releasing the restriction body 53 into the family seal 50 when the family seal 50 is assembled in the wrong orientation. An outer housing 60 includes a recognition window 63 into which the restriction body 53 is inserted, when the family seal is assembled in the normal orientation.

Description

  The present invention relates to a waterproof electrical connector that prevents water from entering a housing.

  BACKGROUND ART A waterproof electrical connector (hereinafter referred to as a waterproof connector) is provided with a collective rubber plug called a family seal in a connector housing in order to prevent moisture from entering from the outside. This family seal has a wire insertion hole at a position corresponding to each of the cavities holding a plurality of terminal fittings (hereinafter referred to as contacts) in the connector housing. When the contact is inserted into the cavity through the electric wire insertion hole, the electric wire connected to the contact is brought into close contact with the inner peripheral edge of the electric wire insertion hole, thereby ensuring waterproofness.

  If the family seal is assembled in an incorrect orientation different from the correct orientation, waterproofness cannot be ensured. Then, the waterproof connector which prevents that a family seal is assembled | attached in the wrong direction is proposed (for example, patent document 1). It should be noted that the wrong direction here refers to the case where the front (front) and back (back) of the family seal are misoriented, the case where the family seal is misoriented in the plane direction, and both cases, There is. In the waterproof connector of Patent Document 1, the center in the height direction of the group of wire insertion holes composed of a plurality of wire insertion holes is eccentric to one side in the width (height) direction of the family seal. In the dead space on the other side in the width direction of the family seal caused by the eccentricity, a rib 35 for restricting the family seal from being assembled in an incorrect direction with respect to the housing is provided. In the waterproof connector of Patent Document 1, when the family seal is in the correct orientation, the family seal can be assembled to the housing by inserting the rib into the recess 14 formed in the housing.

JP 2009-158262 A (particularly, reference numerals 14 and 35 in FIG. 2)

As described above, even if the combination of the concave and convex portions (the concave portion 14 and the rib 35 of Patent Document 1) is provided on the housing to be assembled with the family seal, problems may occur as described below.
In other words, since the family seal is made of rubber with high elasticity, if it is assembled in the wrong orientation, the projection will be sandwiched between the housing and the circumference of the projection will be unnecessarily deformed. May end up. In addition, if the relative positions of the concave and convex portions are greatly displaced, the convex portions cannot be inserted into the concave portions, and pinching occurs as in the case of being assembled in the wrong direction. If the positional deviation is small, the convex portion is temporarily inserted into the concave portion. However, since the convex portion is inserted only partway through the concave portion, the periphery of the convex portion may be unnecessarily deformed. As described above, if unnecessary deformation occurs in the family seal, the desired sealing performance may not be obtained.
The present invention has been made on the basis of such a technical problem, and can suppress unnecessary deformation that occurs in the family seal when assembled in the wrong orientation or when the uneven position shift occurs. An object is to provide a waterproof connector.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a waterproof connector that can easily recognize that it is assembled in the wrong direction while preventing displacement of the restricting body that restricts assembly in the wrong direction.

The waterproof connector of the present invention (first invention) made for this purpose includes a first housing that holds a plurality of contacts, and a plurality of wires that are assembled to the first housing and into which a plurality of electric wires connected to the contacts are inserted. A family seal that seals between the electric wires when the inner peripheral surface of each electric wire insertion hole is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the electric wire, and the first housing is fitted to each other. A second housing.
The family seal of the first invention has a front surface and a back surface that face each other, is provided so as to protrude from the back surface that faces the second housing, and the family seal has a wrong orientation different from the normal orientation. A first restricting body that restricts the assembly to one housing and a relief groove that allows the first restricting body to escape into the family seal when the family seal is assembled in an incorrect direction.
The second housing of the first invention includes a first restricting body receiver into which the first restricting body is inserted when the family seal is assembled in a normal orientation.

  According to the waterproof connector of the first invention, the first restricting body can escape into the escape groove. Therefore, the waterproof connector according to the first aspect of the invention can suppress unnecessary deformation that occurs in the family seal even if the family seal is assembled in the wrong orientation or the first restrictor is displaced.

  In the first invention, it is preferable that the first restricting body receiver is provided through the second housing. Then, by confirming that the first restricting body is inserted into the first restricting body receiver through the first restricting body receiver that penetrates the second housing, it is confirmed that the family seal is assembled in the correct orientation. it can.

In the first invention, the clearance groove is formed from the back surface of the family seal to a predetermined depth and is formed around the first restriction body, and from the front surface of the family seal to the root of the restriction body. Preferably, the second clearance groove is formed and has a larger opening diameter than the cross-sectional area of the first restricting body.
The first relief groove is effective for the first restriction body to be displaced and escaped mainly in the planar direction of the family seal, and the second escape groove is the first restriction body mainly in the thickness direction of the family seal. It is effective for escaping. Therefore, by providing both the first escape groove and the second escape groove, the first restricting body can be released in an arbitrary direction.

In the first invention, it is preferable that the first housing includes a second restricting body that is inserted with a predetermined gap inside the second escape groove when the family seal is assembled in a normal direction.
Normally, the housing is made of resin, and has higher rigidity than the rubber family seal. Therefore, if the second restricting body is provided in the first housing and inserted into the second relief groove, the first restricting body Misalignment can be suppressed. Since the second restricting body is inserted into the second escape groove with a predetermined gap, even if the first restricting body is displaced, there remains room for the first restricting body to escape in the thickness direction of the family seal. Therefore, it is possible to cope with the positional deviation of the first restricting body.

In the first invention, the escape groove can be a third escape groove extending from the front surface to a predetermined position inside the first restricting body. In this case, when the family seal is assembled in a normal direction, the first housing includes a third restricting body that is inserted without substantially providing a gap inside the third escape groove.
According to this configuration, when the third seal of the first housing is inserted into the third relief groove reaching the inside of the first restrictor of the family seal, the first restrictor is assembled when the family seal is assembled in the correct orientation. Can be suppressed.

The waterproof connector is not limited to providing the regulating body (convex portion) on the family seal, but can also be provided on the housing. However, as described below, the present invention (second invention) also includes the regulating body (convex portion). It can be provided in the housing.
The waterproof connector of the second invention has a first housing that holds a plurality of contacts, a plurality of wire insertion holes that are assembled to the first housing and into which a plurality of wires connected to the contacts are inserted, and each A family seal that seals between the wire through the inner peripheral surface of the wire insertion hole being in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the wire;
And a second housing having a front surface that is fitted to the first housing and faces the family seal, and a back surface that faces the front surface.
A second housing according to the second invention is provided so as to protrude from the front surface, and a fourth restricting body for restricting the family seal from being assembled to the first housing in a wrong direction different from the normal direction; and the family seal Is assembled in the wrong direction, a fourth relief groove for allowing the fourth restrictor to escape into the family seal is provided.
In addition, the family seal according to the second invention includes a fourth restricting body receiver into which the fourth restricting body is inserted when assembled in a regular direction.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the restricting body that restricts the assembly in the wrong direction is provided in the housing having higher rigidity than the family seal, it is difficult to cause positional deviation. Even if the family seal is assembled in the wrong direction, it is easy to recognize because the highly rigid restricting body hits the family seal.

  In the second invention, it is preferable that the fourth relief groove is formed from the back surface to the base of the fourth restricting body, and has an opening diameter larger than a cross-sectional area of the fourth restricting body. If it does so, a 4th control body can be easily displaced to the thickness direction of a 2nd housing.

In the second invention, when the family seal is assembled in the wrong direction, the fourth restricting body can escape from the second housing to the fourth escape groove.
Usually, the housing of the electrical connector is made of resin and exhibits plasticity. Therefore, by utilizing the plasticity of the housing, the fourth restricting body is broken from the second housing by applying a load, and the broken fourth restricting body is recovered in the fourth escape groove. Since the 4th escape groove has reached the back surface of the 2nd housing, it can fracture and the 4th regulation object collected by the 4th escape groove can be taken out to the exterior of the 2nd housing.

In the second invention, the first housing can include a fifth restricting body.
The fifth restricting body is provided so as to protrude from the front surface facing the family seal, and restricts the family seal from being assembled to the first housing in a wrong direction different from the normal direction. In addition, the fifth restricting body is inserted into the fourth restricting body receiver when the family seal is assembled in the normal direction.
It is preferable that the fifth restricting body has a crown shape at its tip.

In the first and second inventions described above, the "regulator" is provided with a relief groove. However, the present invention provides a waterproof connector according to the third invention that solves the problem without providing the relief groove. Can be provided.
The waterproof connector of the third invention has a first housing that holds a plurality of contacts, a plurality of electric wire insertion holes that are assembled to the first housing and into which a plurality of electric wires connected to the contacts are inserted, and each A family seal that seals a gap between the electric wire insertion hole by closely contacting an inner peripheral surface of the electric wire with the outer peripheral surface of the electric wire, and a second housing that is fitted to the first housing.
The family seal of the third invention has a front surface and a back surface that face each other, is provided so as to protrude from a front surface that faces the second housing, and the family seal has an incorrect orientation different from the normal orientation. And a tapered sixth restricting body for restricting assembly to the first housing.
Moreover, the 2nd housing of 3rd invention is equipped with the 6th control body receptacle in which a 6th control body is inserted, when a family seal is assembled | attached in a regular direction.

  In the waterproof connector according to the third aspect of the invention, since the sixth restricting body has a tapered shape and the root is thick, it is difficult to cause positional displacement, and it is about to be assembled in the first housing in an incorrect direction. However, since the repulsive force is large, it is easy to recognize that it is in the wrong direction.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a waterproof connector that can suppress unnecessary deformation that occurs in the family seal when assembled in an incorrect orientation or when a displacement of the regulating body occurs.

It is a disassembled perspective view of the waterproof connector which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. The waterproof connector shown in FIG. 1 is shown, (a) is sectional drawing, (b) is the elements on larger scale of (a), (c) is sectional drawing of a family seal. In the waterproof connector shown in FIG. 1, it is a figure which shows the behavior when a family seal is misassembled, (a) is sectional drawing of a waterproof connector, (b) is the elements on larger scale of (a). (A) is sectional drawing of the waterproof connector which concerns on the example of a change of 1st Embodiment, (b) is the elements on larger scale of (a), (c) is a figure corresponding to (b) which shows a comparative example. . In 1st Embodiment, it is a figure which shows the behavior when the regulating body of a family seal raise | generates position shift, (a) and (b) shows the mounting process of an outer housing, (c) and (d) The state where the mounting of the outer housing is completed is shown. In 1st Embodiment, it is a figure which shows the behavior when a family seal is assembled | attached incorrectly, (a) is sectional drawing of a waterproof connector, (b) is the elements on larger scale of (a). The waterproof connector which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention is shown, (a) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view, (b) is the elements on larger scale of (a), (c) is a cross-sectional view of a family seal. In 2nd Embodiment, it is a figure which shows the behavior when a family seal is misassembled, (a) at the time of mounting | wearing of a family seal, (b) is the mounting | wearing initial stage of an outer housing, and (c) is an outer housing. This shows the completion of installation. The waterproof connector which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention is shown, (a) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view, (b) is the elements on larger scale of (a), (c) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an outer housing. In 3rd Embodiment, it is a figure which shows the behavior when a family seal is assembled | attached incorrectly, (a) has shown the mounting | wearing initial stage of outer housing, (b) has shown the time of completion | finish of mounting | wearing of an outer housing. The waterproof connector which concerns on 4th Embodiment of this invention is shown, (a) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view, (b) is the elements on larger scale of (a), (c) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an outer housing. In 4th Embodiment, it is a figure which shows the behavior when a family seal is assembled | attached incorrectly, (a) is the assembly | attachment of a family seal, (b) is the mounting | wearing initial stage of an outer housing, (c) is an outer housing | casing. It shows when the installation is completed. The modification of 4th Embodiment is shown, (a) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view, (b) is the elements on larger scale of (a), (c) is a cross-sectional view of a family seal, (d) is a longitudinal cross-section of a lance housing FIG. The waterproof connector which concerns on 5th Embodiment of this invention is shown, (a) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view, (b) is the elements on larger scale of (a), (c) is a perspective view of a family seal.

Hereinafter, embodiments of a waterproof connector according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In the following, the description will be divided into five embodiments, but the first, second, and fifth embodiments are provided with protrusions (detectors) for recognizing misassembly on the family seal. In the fourth embodiment, a detection body is provided on the housing side.

[First Embodiment]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the waterproof connector 1 according to the present embodiment includes a lance housing 10 (first housing) in which a plurality of female contacts (not shown) are accommodated, a front cavity 20, A retainer 30, a seal ring 40, a family seal 50, an outer housing 60 (second housing), and a pair of sliders 70 are provided.
The waterproof connector 1 has a function capable of suppressing the influence of the family seal 50 on the waterproof property even if it is assembled in the wrong direction, on the assumption that the family seal 50 is assembled in the wrong direction. I have. In the following description, the assembly of the family seal 50 in the correct orientation may be referred to as correct assembly, and the assembly of the family seal 50 in the incorrect orientation may be referred to as incorrect assembly.

Hereinafter, the configuration of the waterproof connector 1 will be described element by element with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
<Lance housing 10>
The lance housing 10 is provided with a plurality of contact accommodating cavities 11 penetrating in the front-rear direction. In the present embodiment, the x-axis direction, the y-axis direction, and the z-axis direction in FIG. 1 are defined as a length direction, a width direction, and a front-rear direction, respectively, and will be described below. With respect to the front-rear direction, the side that is mated with the mating connector (the side indicated by the z-axis arrow) is defined as front.
A contact is inserted into each contact accommodating cavity 11 in the direction indicated by arrow A in FIG. Each contact is temporarily locked by a housing lance 14 provided in the lance housing 10. A seal housing space 12 for housing the family seal 50 is provided on the rear side of the lance housing 10. A pair of latch arms 13 for locking the outer housing 60 to the lance housing 10 are provided at both ends in the length direction of the lance housing 10. Further, the lance housing 10 is provided with a retainer receiving recess 15 in which the retainer 30 is assembled. The retainer housing recess 15 is provided in front of the seal housing space 12.

As shown in FIG. 4, the lance housing 10 can include a restricting body 16 (second restricting body) that is inserted into a second relief 55 of the family seal 50 described later when the family seal 50 is properly assembled. . The restricting body 16 is a cylindrical protrusion that protrudes from the rear surface of the lance housing 10 by a predetermined height, and is formed integrally with the lance housing 10.
When the family seal 50 is correctly assembled, the restriction body 16 can be inserted into the second relief 55 of the family seal 50, thereby suppressing the position shift of the family seal 50. Further, when the family seal 50 is misassembled, the restricting body 16 can detect the misassembly by abutting against the front surface of the family seal 50. This will be described in detail later.

  The lance housing 10 is integrally formed by injection molding an insulating resin. Similarly, the front cavity 20, the retainer 30, and the outer housing 60 described below are also integrally formed by injection molding an insulating resin.

<Front cavity 20>
The front cavity 20 is configured to be assembled to the front side of the lance housing 10. The front cavity 20 covers the front surface of the lance housing 10 and is formed with a plurality of mating contact insertion holes 21 through which contacts of mating electrical connectors are inserted in the front-rear direction.

<Retainer 30>
The retainer 30 is configured to be assembled to a retainer receiving recess 15 formed in the lance housing 10 and is formed in a substantially plate shape as shown in FIG. The retainer 30 has a plurality of contact insertion holes 31 formed so as to correspond to the contact accommodating cavities 11 provided in the lance housing 10. The retainer 30 is temporarily held by the lance housing 10 at a temporary locking position where the contact can be inserted into the contact receiving cavity 11 through the contact insertion hole 31, and is further pushed into the temporary holding position. It is fixed to the lance housing 10 in the stop position. When the retainer 30 is fixed to the lance housing 10 at the final locking position, the contact is secondarily locked by the retainer 30.

<Seal ring 40>
When the mating connector and the waterproof connector 1 are fitted together, the seal ring 40 seals between the housing of the mating connector and the lance housing 10, so that the mating connector from the fitting portion. It has a function of preventing water from entering the lance housing 10.
The seal ring 40 is formed by injection molding insulating rubber.

<Family seal 50>
The family seal 50 prevents water from entering the inside of the lance housing 10 through an electric wire connected to a contact held by the lance housing 10.
The family seal 50 is a rubber member formed in a substantially plate shape, and is housed in a seal housing space 12 formed on the rear side of the lance housing 10. The family seal 50 is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the outer wall portion that forms the seal housing space 12 of the lance housing 10. A plurality of insertion holes 51 having a circular cross section are formed in the family seal 50 at positions corresponding to the contact accommodating cavities 11 provided in the lance housing 10. Each insertion hole 51 penetrates in the front-rear direction. An electric wire (not shown) connected to the contact accommodated in the contact accommodating cavity 11 passes through the insertion hole 51 and is led out rearward from the outer housing 60. A plurality of annular seal protrusions 52 are formed on the inner peripheral surface of each insertion hole 51 (FIG. 2 (c)), and these annular seal protrusions 52 are in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the electric wire (not shown). To prevent water from entering the interior of the lance housing 10.
In the family seal 50 assembled to the waterproof connector 1, the surface facing the lance housing 10 is defined as a front surface 50a, and the surface facing the outer housing 60 is defined as a back surface 50b. However, this definition assumes that the family seal 50 is assembled in a normal orientation.

The family seal 50 includes a restriction body 53 (first restriction body) for detecting erroneous assembly.
The restricting body 53 protrudes from the back surface 50 b of the family seal 50 by a predetermined height and is integrally formed with the family seal 50. The restricting body 53 is provided in a peripheral region where the insertion hole 51 is not formed.

The family seal 50 is provided with a first relief 54 and a second relief 55 (escape groove) as shown in FIGS.
The first relief 54 (first relief groove) has a function of escaping deformation of the restricting body 53 caused by axial compression mainly in the plane direction of the family seal 50. The first relief 54 is formed of an annular gap formed around the regulating body 53 and recessed from the back surface 50b by a predetermined depth.

The second relief 55 (second relief groove) has a function of letting the deformation generated by the axial compression of the regulating body 53 mainly in the thickness direction of the family seal 50. The second relief 55 is formed of a cylindrical gap that is recessed from the front surface 50 a of the family seal 50 by a depth reaching the restricting body 53. The second relief 55 is formed coaxially with the regulating body 53, and the opening diameter φ ₅₅ is set to be slightly larger than the diameter φ ₅₃ of the regulating body 53. In the present embodiment, the opening diameter φ ₅₅ of the second relief 55 is equal to the outer diameter φ ₅₄ of the first relief 54.
As shown in FIG. 4, the second relief 55 is a function of receiving insertion of the restriction body 16 of the lance housing 10 when the lance housing 10 includes the restriction body 16 and the family seal 50 is correctly assembled. Also have.

  By forming the first relief 54 and the second relief 55, the restriction body 53 is connected to the family seal 50 via the bridge 56. The bridge 56 is provided in a ring shape around the root 53a of the regulating body 53, and the thickness, which is a dimension in the front-rear direction, is thin. Therefore, when the regulating body 53 receives a load in the axial direction, the bridge 56 is elastically deformed, so that it can be easily displaced in the direction of receiving the load.

<Outer housing 60>
The outer housing 60 is positioned so as to cover the lance housing 10, the front cavity 20, and the like in a state where the waterproof connector 1 is assembled, and is locked to the lance housing 10 by a latch arm 13 provided in the lance housing 10. As a result, the family seal 50 is pressed against the lance housing 10 in the front-rear direction. The outer housing 60 is provided with an insertion plate 62 in which a plurality of insertion holes 61 are formed at positions corresponding to the insertion holes 51 provided in the family seal 50. Each insertion hole 61 penetrates in the front-rear direction. The electric wire connected to each contact is led out backward through each insertion hole 51 of the family seal 50 and each insertion hole 61 of the outer housing 60.

The outer housing 60 includes a recognition window 63 (first restricting body receiver) in the insertion plate 62. The recognition window 63 is provided in order to visually recognize the regulating body 53 from the rear side of the outer housing 60 by inserting the regulating body 53 of the family seal 50 that is assembled in a correct manner. The recognition window 63 is formed through the front and back of the insertion plate 62 at a position corresponding to the restricting body 53 of the family seal 50 that is normally assembled.
A pair of slider receiving grooves 64 extending in the length direction are formed at both ends in the width direction of the outer housing 60. A slider 70 described below is inserted into the slider receiving groove 64.

<Slider 70>
The slider 70 acts as a booster mechanism together with a lever (not shown). When the lever is rotated, the slider 70 moves in the length direction, thereby moving in a direction in which the mating connector is fitted, Further, it moves in a direction away from the waterproof connector 1.
The slider 70 is formed in a substantially plate shape as shown in FIG. 1 and is housed in a slider housing groove 64 of the outer housing 60 so as to be slidable. On the inner surface of each slider 70, two cam grooves 71 for pulling in and pushing out cam protrusions provided on the mating connector are provided. A rack portion 72 that meshes with the pinion of the lever is formed at the rear end edge of each slider 70.

  In addition to the components described above, the waterproof connector 1 is omitted from illustration, but with respect to a wire cover and a wire cover for protecting a bundle of electric wires led backward through the respective insertion holes 61 of the outer housing 60. A lever supported rotatably is provided. Further, the waterproof connector 1 is fitted with the mating connector based on the operation of the lever.

<Behavior during misassembly and misalignment>
The waterproof connector 1 to which the family seal 50 is assembled is visible through the recognition window 63 of the outer housing 60 as shown in FIG. The larger the protruding dimension (hereinafter referred to as length) of the regulating body 53 of the family seal 50 is, the easier it is to visually recognize the regulating body 53 through the recognition window 63, so that the accuracy of identifying correct assembly and incorrect assembly is increased. On the other hand, if the regulating body 53 is long, the regulating body 53 is likely to be displaced with respect to the recognition window 63. This is because the family seal 50 including the restricting body 53 is formed of soft rubber. However, the waterproof connector 1 according to the present embodiment can cope with the problem of displacement of the regulating body 53 by providing the first relief 54 and the second relief 55. The first relief 54 and the second relief 55 also contribute to handling when the family seal 50 is assembled incorrectly. Hereinafter, the behavior of the family seal 50 due to erroneous assembly and misalignment will be described.

<First case: Displacement of regulating body due to incorrect assembly>
First, the case where the family seal 50 is assembled incorrectly will be described with reference to FIG. Here, the incorrect assembly means that the family seal 50 and the outer housing 60 are assembled so that the regulation body 53 and the recognition window 63 do not correspond. Therefore, although the family seal 50 is assembled in the correct orientation, it is not limited to the case where the outer housing 60 is assembled in the wrong orientation, and the reverse is also included in the incorrect assembly.
Due to the incorrect assembly, as shown in FIG. 3, the restriction body 53 of the family seal 50 hits the front surface of the insertion plate 62 of the outer housing 60 and receives a load toward the front. Since the first relief 54 is provided around the regulation body 53 and the second relief 55 is provided in front of the regulation body 53, the regulation body 53 is directed forward by receiving a load. Can be displaced. At this time, the restricting body 53 itself can be contracted in the axial direction, but the bridge 56 is displaced forward mainly due to the elastic deformation of the bridge 56. The restriction body 53 is deformed and displaced so that the whole including the tip end is within the thickness range of the family seal 50. In addition, the white arrow of FIG.3 (b) has shown load, deformation | transformation, and displacement. The same applies to the following.

  Since the restricting body 53 is retracted into the first escape 54 and the second escape 55 due to the elastic deformation of the bridge 56, the family seal 50 around the restricting body 53 is not affected by the elastic deformation. Even if it reaches, it is slight. Therefore, the family seal 50 can exhibit the waterproof performance as expected.

  FIG. 3 shows an example of erroneous assembly. However, the position of the restriction body 53 is shifted, and the restriction body 53 is not inserted into the recognition window 63 of the outer housing 60, so that the tip of the restriction body 53 is moved. In some cases, it may hit the front surface of the insertion plate 62. Also in this case, the family seal 50 can exhibit the waterproof performance as expected as in the case of the erroneous assembly described above.

<Second case: Displacement of regulating body due to displacement (lance housing with regulating body)>
Next, a case where a positional deviation occurs in the regulating body 53 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is based on the premise that the regulating body 16 is provided, the lance housing 10 is used, and the family seal 50 is assembled correctly.
In the process of starting to install the outer housing 60, there is a case where the displacement of the regulation body 53 is not inserted into the recognition window 63 because the displacement occurs, and the tip of the regulation body 53 may abut against the front surface of the insertion plate 62. Since there is a gap between the outer housing 60 and the family seal 50, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the restricting body 53 falls down with respect to the axial direction. While the first relief 54 is provided around the restriction body 53, the restriction body 53 can be easily tilted because the root 53a is supported by the thin bridge 56. At this time, the restricting body 53 is displaced toward the first escape 54.

  Push the outer housing 60 to the position where the mounting is completed. Then, since there is no gap between the outer housing 60 and the family seal 50, as shown in FIGS. 5 (c) and 5 (d), the restricting body 53 is locked near the inlet of the recognition window 63, and the load Receive. However, since the bridge 56 is elastically deformed and retracts into the first relief 54 and the second relief 55, the family seal 50 around the restricting body 53 may or may not be affected by the elastic deformation. As a little. Therefore, the family seal 50 can exhibit the waterproof performance as expected. In addition, since the 2nd escape 55 contracts, the clearance gap around the control body 16 may be lose | eliminated.

  Even in the case shown in FIG. 5, although the visibility is inferior, the tip of the regulating body 53 can be recognized through the recognition window 63.

<Third case: Displacement of restriction body due to incorrect assembly (lance housing with restriction body)>
Next, with reference to FIG. 6, a description will be given of a case where the lance housing 10 provided with the regulating body 16 is used and misassembled. The family seal 50 is reversely assembled in the front-rear direction with respect to the normal assembly, and is erroneously assembled in the width direction. In FIG. 6, the outer housing 60 is completely attached.

The restriction body 53 of the family seal 50 is displaced rearward by abutting against the rear surface of the lance housing 10 as shown in FIG. The root 53a of the restricting body 53 escapes to the second escape 55 arranged on the rear side. Therefore, similarly to the first case, the family seal 50 can exhibit the waterproof performance as expected.
Further, since the regulating body 53 cannot be seen even when looking through the recognition window 63 of the outer housing 60, it can be recognized that the family seal 50 will be misassembled.
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6B, the restricting body 16 of the lance housing 10 can penetrate the family seal 50 from the surface and enter the inside. As a result, since the family seal 50 is only displaced in the plane direction around the regulating body 16, it may exhibit waterproof performance even in this region.

Here, it has been described that it is possible to confirm that the family seal 50 has been misassembled on the assumption that the outer housing 60 has been attached. However, as will be described below, the family seal 50 has been previously described. Can be recognized.
When the family seal 50 is attached to the lance housing 10, the restriction body 16 of the lance housing 10 abuts against the front surface of the family seal 50. Therefore, in addition to being able to recognize the wrong assembly by tactile sense, the operator pushes the family seal 50 all the way into the seal housing space 12 so that the regulating body 16 hits the front surface, so that the back side is raised, so that it is visually Can be recognized.
Even if the wrong assembly is not recognized in the process of attaching the family seal 50, when the outer housing 60 is attached, the regulating body 53 of the family seal 50 abuts against the lance housing 10, and the lance housing 10 The regulation body 16 hits the family seal 50. Accordingly, the repulsive force received through the outer housing 60 is larger than the repulsive force generated by the restricting body 53 alone, for example, and it is easy to recognize erroneous assembly by tactile sense.

As described above, according to the waterproof connector 1 of the first embodiment, the restriction body 53 is provided on the family seal 50, while the restriction body 53 is made visible from the recognition window 63 provided on the outer housing 60. An erroneous assembly of the seal 50 can be recognized with high accuracy.
Even if the misassembly has not been recognized or the displacement of the restricting body 53 has occurred, the deformation and displacement of the restricting body 53 and the bridge 56 can be achieved by providing the first relief 54 and the second relief 55. As a result, the deterioration of the sealing performance of the family seal 50 can be minimized. Here, if the regulation body 53 is lengthened, the positional deviation is promoted. However, since the first embodiment can tolerate the positional deviation of the regulation body 53, the regulation body 53 can be lengthened. If the restricting body 53 is long, the visibility of the restricting body 53 through the recognition window 63 is improved, so that the accuracy of recognizing the incorrect assembly of the family seal 50 becomes higher.

  Further, when the restricting body 16 to be inserted into the second relief 55 of the family seal 50 is provided in the lance housing 10, the restricting body 16 suppresses the displacement of the restricting body 53. In addition to this, the regulation body 16 makes it easy for the operator to recognize that the family seal 50 is erroneously assembled through the sense of touch together with the regulation body 53.

  If the regulating body 16 is inserted into the second relief 55 without any gap as shown in FIG. 4A in the case of normal assembly, the regulating body 53 loses the escape place when a positional shift occurs. As a result, the second escape 55 does not function effectively. Therefore, when the restricting body 16 is correctly assembled, it is preferable to secure a gap as a escape place of the restricting body 53 as shown in FIG.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
The waterproof connector 101 according to the second embodiment is the same as the first embodiment in that the restriction body 153 is provided on the family seal 150, but the lance housing 110 has a configuration that prevents the displacement of the restriction body 153. This is different from the first embodiment. Hereinafter, the waterproof connector 101 will be described focusing on differences from the first embodiment. In addition, the same code | symbol as 1st Embodiment is attached | subjected to the component similar to 1st Embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 7, in the waterproof connector 101, a regulating body 153 is formed on the family seal 150.
The restricting body 153 protrudes from the back surface 50 b of the family seal 150 by a predetermined height and is integrally formed with the family seal 150.
The family seal 150 is formed with a regulation body receiving cavity 155 (third escape groove) that reaches the inside of the regulation body 153. One end of the restricting body receiving cavity 155 is closed at the tip of the restricting body 153, and the other end is opened on the front surface 50 a of the family seal 150.

The lance housing 110 includes a regulating body 116 (third regulating body). The restricting body 116 is a columnar protrusion that protrudes from the rear surface of the lance housing 110 by a predetermined height, and is formed integrally with the lance housing 110.
When the family seal 150 is correctly assembled, the regulating body 116 is inserted into the regulating body receiving cavity 155 in the radial direction without any gap. Since the regulation body 116 has higher rigidity than the regulation body 153, the regulation body 153 of the family seal 150 is positioned by the regulation body 116. Accordingly, the displacement of the restricting body 153 of the second embodiment is restricted.

<Recognition of wrong assembly>
The waterproof connector 101 can recognize erroneous assembly in three stages, as will be described below.
<When wearing Family Seal 150>
As shown in FIG. 8A, when the family seal 150 is likely to be misassembled into the lance housing 110, the restricting body 116 of the lance housing 110 abuts against the family seal 150. Accordingly, even if the family seal 150 is pushed into the lance housing 110, the portion remains protruding, so that it can be easily recognized that the assembly is incorrect.

<Initial wearing of outer housing 60>
Even if the outer housing 60 is mounted in the state shown in FIG. 8A, the regulating body 116 of the lance housing 110 supports the family seal 150 as shown in FIG. 8B. . Accordingly, even if the outer housing 60 is pushed in, the repulsive force received from the family seal 150 is large, so that the operator is likely to notice misassembly.

<When installation of outer housing 60 is completed>
It is assumed that the outer housing 60 is pushed to the position where the mounting is completed ignoring the repulsive force.
Then, as shown in FIG. 8C, the regulating body 116 of the lance housing 110 breaks through the family seal 150, and the regulating body 116 enters the recognition window 63 of the outer housing 60. Therefore, the operator who installs the waterproof connector 101 can recognize the incorrect assembly by visually recognizing the regulating body 116 through the recognition window 63. In the case of regular assembly, the recognition window 63 shows the restriction member 153 of the family seal 150. However, if the lance housing 110 and the family seal 150 are formed in different colors, both can be easily obtained. Can be distinguished.
On the other hand, the restriction body 153 of the family seal 150 is crushed and enters the restriction body receiving cavity 155.

As described above, according to the waterproof connector 101 of the second embodiment, there is an opportunity to recognize erroneous assembly in three stages, when the family seal 150 is mounted, when the outer housing 60 is mounted, and when the mounting is completed. The waterproof connector 101 has a high accuracy in detecting misassembly.
Further, since the waterproof connector 101 restricts the displacement of the restriction body 153 of the family seal 150 from occurring, it is unlikely that the restriction body 153 is not inserted into the recognition window 63 due to the displacement.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
In the waterproof connector 201 according to the third embodiment, a regulating body 263 (fourth regulating body) is provided in the outer housing 260, and a regulating body receiving cavity 255 (fourth regulating body receiver) that receives the regulating body 263 in the family seal 250. Is provided. Hereinafter, the waterproof connector 201 will be described focusing on differences from the first embodiment. In addition, the same code | symbol as 1st Embodiment is attached | subjected to the component similar to 1st Embodiment. The same applies to the following embodiments.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the outer housing 260 includes a regulating body 263 that protrudes from the front surface 60 a by a predetermined height. The regulating body 263 has a root 263 a formed integrally with the outer housing 260 via a bridge 266. Since the outer housing 260 is formed of a resin having higher rigidity than the family seal 250, the restricting body 263 also has higher rigidity than the restricting body formed integrally with the family seal.

  The outer housing 260 includes a recognition window 265 (fourth relief groove) on the rear side of the base 263a of the regulating body 263. The recognition window 265 provides a function of visually recognizing the family seal 250 when the family seal 250 is misassembled. However, the recognition window 265 is open on the back surface 60 b side of the outer housing 260, but the front surface 60 a side is closed by the root 263 a of the regulating body 263.

  The family seal 250 includes a regulation body receiving cavity 255 into which the regulation body 263 of the outer housing 260 is inserted when the family seal 250 is properly assembled. The regulating body receiving cavity 255 is open on the back surface 50b side of the family seal 250, but is closed on the front surface 50a side.

<Recognition of correct assembly>
In the waterproof connector 201, if the family seal 250 is correctly assembled, the recognition window 265 remains a gap, so that the operator can recognize the correct assembly by looking at the recognition window 265 that is empty inside. .

<Recognition of wrong assembly>
As will be described below, the waterproof connector 201 can recognize erroneous assembly in two stages in the process of mounting the outer housing 260. The following description is based on the assumption that the family seal 250 is misassembled without noticing.

  As shown in FIG. 10A, when the family seal 250 is misassembled, the restriction body receiving cavity 255 does not exist at a position corresponding to the restriction body 263 of the outer housing 260. Therefore, when the outer housing 260 is to be mounted, the regulating body 263 abuts against the front surface 50a of the family seal 250, so that the operator recognizes that the family seal 250 will be misassembled due to the repulsive force. it can.

It is assumed that the outer housing 260 is continuously pushed to the position where the mounting is completed without noticing the incorrect assembly. Then, the thin bridge 266 supporting the restricting body 263 on the outer housing 260 is easily broken, and the restricting body 263 is detached from the outer housing 260 as shown in FIG. Therefore, since the recognition window 265 penetrates the front and back of the insertion plate 62, the operator can view the front surface 50 a of the family seal 250 through the recognition window 265. If the family seal 250 is correctly assembled, since it is the root 263a of the regulating body 263 that can be seen through the recognition window 265, the operator can recognize the incorrect assembly from the difference.
As described above, the misassembly of the family seal 250 can be recognized by grasping the separation of the regulating body 263 or by the object viewed through the recognition window 265.

As described above, according to the waterproof connector 201 of the third embodiment, erroneous assembly is recognized in two stages, that is, the initial stage where the rigid rigid regulation body 263 hits the family seal 250 and the completion of the installation of the regulation body 263. Because there is an opportunity to do so, the detection accuracy of misassembly is high.
Further, in addition to the rigidity of the regulating body 263 being higher than that of the family seal 250, the clearance between the regulating body 263 and the regulating body receiving cavity 255 is widened, so that the inconvenience due to the displacement of the regulating body 263 is eliminated. .

[Fourth Embodiment]
Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
The waterproof connector 301 according to the fourth embodiment is the same as the third embodiment in that the restriction body receiving cavity 355 is provided in the family seal 350. However, when the family seal 350 is correctly assembled, the restriction body receiving cavity is provided. In 355, a regulating body 363 of the outer housing 360 and a regulating body 316 (fifth regulating body) of the lance housing 310 are inserted. Hereinafter, the waterproof connector 301 will be described focusing on differences from the first and third embodiments. In addition, the same code | symbol as 1st, 3rd Embodiment is attached | subjected to the component similar to 1st, 3rd Embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the outer housing 360 includes a regulating body 363 that protrudes from the front surface 60 a by a predetermined height. The regulation body 363 has a base 363 a integrally formed with the outer housing 360 via a bridge 366. The restricting body 363 has a lower protrusion height than the restricting body 263 of the second embodiment.

  As described above, the family seal 350 includes the regulation body receiving cavity 355 into which the two regulation bodies 363 and the regulation body 316 are inserted. In addition, the regulation body receiving cavity 355 is formed through the front and back of the family seal 350 (see also FIG. 13C).

  In the third embodiment, the lance housing 310 is also provided with a regulating body 316. The restricting body 316 is a cylindrical protrusion that protrudes from the rear surface of the lance housing 310 by a predetermined height, and is formed integrally with the lance housing 310.

  When the family seal 350 is correctly assembled, the regulating body 363 and the regulating body 316 are inserted into the regulating body receiving cavity 355. Here, an example in which no gap is provided between the tip of the regulating body 363 and the tip of the regulating body 316 is shown, but a gap can also be provided.

<Recognition of correct assembly>
When the family seal 350 is correctly assembled in the waterproof connector 301, the recognition window 365 remains a gap, so that the operator can recognize the correct assembly by looking at the empty recognition window 365.

<Recognition of wrong assembly>
The waterproof connector 301 can recognize erroneous assembly in three stages, as will be described below.
<When Family Seal 350 is installed>
As shown in FIG. 12A, when the family seal 350 is likely to be misassembled into the lance housing 310, the restricting body 316 of the lance housing 310 abuts against the family seal 350. Therefore, even if the family seal 350 is pushed into the lance housing 310, the portion remains protruding, so that it can be easily recognized that the assembly is incorrect.

<Initial mounting of outer housing 360>
Even if the outer housing 360 is to be mounted in the state shown in FIG. 12A, the family seal 350 includes the restricting body 316 of the lance housing 310 and the restricting body of the outer housing 360 as shown in FIG. 12B. By 363, the front and back are sandwiched. Therefore, even if the outer housing 360 is pushed in with a strong force, the repulsive force received from the outer housing 360 is increased, so that the operator is likely to notice misassembly.

<When installation of outer housing 360 is completed>
The repulsive force is ignored and the outer housing 360 is continuously pushed to the position where the mounting is completed. Then, the thin bridge 366 supporting the restricting body 363 on the outer housing 360 is easily broken, and the restricting body 363 is detached from the outer housing 360 as shown in FIG. Therefore, since the recognition window 365 penetrates the front and back of the insertion plate, the operator can view the front surface 50a of the family seal 350 through the recognition window 365. As described above, the misassembly of the family seal 350 can be recognized by capturing the separation of the regulating body 363 or by the object viewed through the recognition window 365. On the other hand, if the family seal 350 is properly assembled, the root 363a of the regulating body 363 is visible through the recognition window 365. The restricting body 316 of the lance housing 310 advances while pushing around the family seal 350, for example.

As described above, according to the waterproof connector 301 of the fourth embodiment, when the family seal 350 is attached, incorrect assembly is caused by the attachment of the restriction body 363 and the restriction body 316 against the family seal 350 and the attachment of the restriction body 263. Since there is an opportunity to recognize in three stages at the time of completion, detection accuracy of misassembly is high.
In addition to the fact that the restricting body 316 and the restricting body 363 have higher rigidity than the family seal 250, the clearance between the restricting body 316 and the restricting body 363 and the restricting body receiving cavity 355 is increased, thereby restricting the restricting body. The inconvenience due to the positional deviation between 316 and the regulating body 363 is eliminated.

<Example of change>
A modification of the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
A main change with respect to the fourth embodiment is a restricting body 317 of the lance housing 310. That is, while the regulating body 316 (FIG. 11) has a simple columnar shape, the regulating body 317 is provided with a hollow 317a at the tip thereof, leaving a thin ring-shaped top wall 317b around the tip. Has a crown shape. The restriction body 363 of the outer housing 360 has its tip inserted into the recess 317a.

  The regulation body 317 of the modified example is effective when the family seal 350 is misassembled. That is, when the regulating body 317 is buried in the family seal 350, the top wall 317b functions like a blade and advances while cutting the family seal 350. Since the material of the cut family seal 350 remains inside the top wall 317b, the repulsive force received from the outer housing 360 is larger than that of the regulating body 316 in which the material escapes to the surroundings. .

[Fifth Embodiment]
Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
The waterproof connector 401 according to the fifth embodiment includes a restriction body 453 corresponding to the first escape 54 and the second escape 55 in that the restriction body 453 (sixth restriction body) of the family seal 450 is a truncated cone. Although it differs from the first embodiment in that no accompanying escape is provided, the other parts are the same as in the first embodiment. Hereinafter, the waterproof connector 401 will be described focusing on differences from the first embodiment. In addition, the same code | symbol as 1st Embodiment is attached | subjected to the component similar to 1st Embodiment.

  The restricting body 453 has a truncated cone shape, and the base 453a has a large diameter. Therefore, for example, even if a load that would fall if the columnar restricting body has the same diameter as the tip 453b, the restricting body 453 will not fall. Further, since the diameter of the root 453a is thick, it is difficult to cause a positional shift.

It is assumed that the family seal 450 is likely to be misassembled when the family seal 450 is attached to the lance housing 110. However, the restricting body 453 has a large rigidity because the diameter increases from the tip 453b toward the root 453a. Therefore, since the repulsive force received from the regulation body 453 via the family seal 450 when it is misassembled, it can be easily recognized that it is misassembly. This is the same even if the outer housing 60 is to be mounted thereafter.
When the family seal 450 is attached without displacement, the restricting body 453 is inserted into the recognition window 63 (sixth restricting body).

The preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above. However, the configuration described in the above embodiment can be selected or changed to another configuration as appropriate without departing from the gist of the present invention.
The structure of the waterproof connector is arbitrary, and can be widely applied to a waterproof connector including a family seal.
Further, in the first embodiment described above, the recognition window 63 penetrating the outer housing 60 is provided to receive the restricting body 53 when it is assembled correctly. However, even if it is not penetrating, if the restricting body 53 can be received, incorrect assembly can be restricted together with the restricting body 53. Therefore, the restricting body receiver in the present invention does not necessarily require penetration.
Further, in the first embodiment described above, the two relief grooves of the first relief 54 and the second relief 55 are provided. However, if the function as the escape groove is exhibited, the two relief grooves are not necessarily provided. It is not limited to. For example, the function as a relief groove can be exhibited only by the second relief 55.

1, 101, 201.301, 401 Waterproof connector 10, 110, 310 Lance housing 16, 116, 316, 317 Regulator 20 Front cavity 30 Retainer 50, 150, 250, 350, 450 Family seal 50a, 60a Front face 50b, 60b Back surface 53, 153, 263, 363, 453 Restrictor 53a, 263a, 363a, 453a Root 54 First relief 55 Second relief 453b Tip 56, 266, 366 Bridge 155, 255, 355 Restrictor receiving cavity 60 , 260, 360 Outer housing 63, 265, 365 Recognition window 70 Slider 317a Depression 317b Top wall

Claims (11)

A first housing holding a plurality of contacts;
A plurality of electric wire insertion holes into which a plurality of electric wires connected to the contacts are inserted, and an inner peripheral surface of each electric wire insertion hole is in close contact with an outer peripheral surface of the electric wire; And a family seal that seals between the wires,
A second housing mated with the first housing;
With
The family seal is
Having front and back surfaces facing each other,
A first restricting body that protrudes from the back surface facing the second housing and restricts the family seal from being assembled to the first housing in a wrong direction different from a normal direction;
An escape groove for escaping the first restricting body into the family seal when the family seal is assembled in the wrong orientation;
The second housing is
When the family seal is assembled in a normal orientation, the first seal body is provided with a first restrictor body inserted therein.
Waterproof connector characterized by that. The first restricting body receiver is provided through the second housing;
The waterproof connector according to claim 1. The escape groove is
A first relief groove formed around the first restrictor from the back surface to a predetermined depth;
The waterproof connector according to claim 1, further comprising: a second relief groove formed from the front surface to a base of the restricting body and having an opening diameter larger than a cross-sectional area of the first restricting body. The first housing is
When the family seal is assembled in a normal orientation, the second seal body is inserted with a predetermined gap inside the second escape groove,
The waterproof connector according to claim 3. The escape groove is
A third relief groove extending from the front surface to a predetermined position inside the first regulating body,
The first housing is
When the family seal is assembled in a normal orientation, the third seal body is inserted without substantially providing a gap inside the third escape groove,
The waterproof connector according to claim 1 or 2. A first housing holding a plurality of contacts;
A plurality of electric wire insertion holes into which a plurality of electric wires connected to the contacts are inserted, and an inner peripheral surface of each electric wire insertion hole is in close contact with an outer peripheral surface of the electric wire; And a family seal that seals between the wires,
A second housing fitted with the first housing and having a front surface facing the family seal and a back surface facing the front surface;
With
The second housing is
A fourth restricting body that protrudes from the front surface and restricts the family seal from being assembled to the first housing in a wrong direction different from a normal direction;
A fourth relief groove for allowing the fourth restrictor to escape into the family seal when the family seal is assembled in the wrong orientation;
The family seal is
When assembled in the normal orientation,
A fourth restricting body receiver into which the fourth restricting body is inserted;
Waterproof connector characterized by that. The fourth escape groove is
It is formed from the back surface to the base of the fourth restricting body, and the opening diameter is larger than the cross sectional area of the fourth restricting body.
The waterproof connector according to claim 6. When the family seal is assembled in the wrong direction, the fourth restricting body escapes into the fourth escape groove by breaking from the second housing.
The waterproof connector according to claim 6 or 7. The first housing is
A fifth restricting body that protrudes from the front surface facing the family seal and restricts the family seal from being assembled to the first housing in a wrong orientation different from a normal orientation;
The fifth restricting body is inserted into the fourth restricting body receiver when the family seal is assembled in the regular direction.
The waterproof connector as described in any one of Claims 6-8. The fifth regulating body includes a crown-shaped tip;
The waterproof connector according to claim 9. A first housing holding a plurality of contacts;
A plurality of electric wire insertion holes into which a plurality of electric wires connected to the contacts are inserted, and an inner peripheral surface of each electric wire insertion hole is in close contact with an outer peripheral surface of the electric wire; And a family seal that seals between the wires,
A second housing mated with the first housing;
With
The family seal is
Having front and back surfaces facing each other,
A tapered sixth restricting body that protrudes from the back surface facing the second housing and restricts the family seal from being assembled to the first housing in a wrong direction different from a normal direction; With
The second housing is
When the family seal is assembled in a normal orientation, the sixth restriction body receiver into which the first restriction body is inserted is provided.
Waterproof connector characterized by that.

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