JP2019160810A - Vehicle side connector - Google Patents

Abstract

To improve a draining function of water entering a terminal storage chamber.SOLUTION: A vehicle side connector VC installed on a vehicle includes: a terminal fitting 10P including a cylindrical fitting portion 14P arranged with a plurality of elastic pieces 15P in a circular shape through slits 16P; a housing 30 formed with a terminal storage chamber 42 storing the terminal fitting 10P; a block member 70 installed so as to cover a periphery of a rear end of the terminal storage chamber 42 on a back surface side of the housing 30; and a draining space 100 provided in a form communicated with the terminal storage chamber 42 on the inside of the block member 70. On a lower surface of a storage area of the cylindrical fitting portion 14P of the terminal fitting 10P of the terminal storage chamber 42, a drain groove 46 along an axial direction which has a rear end opened toward the draining space 100 is formed while making its front end face forward than rear ends of the slits 16P in the cylindrical fitting portion 14P of the terminal fitting 10P.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The technology disclosed in this specification relates to a vehicle-side connector that is fitted to a charging connector during charging, and more particularly to a vehicle-side connector in which a drainage structure is improved.

As an example of the vehicle-side connector, one described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-154370 (the following Patent Document 1) is known. This is provided in the form of a sleeve-like terminal housing part that penetrates the front and rear of a hood-shaped inlet board that is attached through the body of the vehicle, and a plurality of elastic members are provided in the terminal housing part. It is a structure in which a female terminal fitting provided with a cylindrical fitting portion in which pieces are arranged in a circle at intervals is accommodated. On the other hand, for drainage, for example, a drainage space is formed by attaching a retainer on the back side of the substrate so as to cover the rear end of the terminal accommodating portion so as to prevent the terminal fitting from being detached. It has a structure in which a drain outlet is formed in the lower part of the working space.
And when water falls on the front surface of the inlet and floods from the front opening of the terminal accommodating part, some water enters the cylindrical fitting part of the terminal fitting, but passes downward through the gap between the elastic pieces. The water that has come off and enters the outside of the cylindrical fitting part flows down on the inner surface of the lower part of the terminal accommodating part toward the rear, and after being led to the drainage space, is drained from the drain outlet to the outside. It has become.

JP 2014-154370 A

In what has a drainage structure as described above, for example, when a large amount of muddy water hangs down and enters the cylindrical fitting portion of the terminal fitting, the lower side of the terminal accommodating portion passes through the gap between the elastic pieces. There is a concern that it will clog up when it comes out on the inner surface of the water and cannot drain smoothly.
The technology disclosed in this specification has been completed based on the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to improve the drainage function of water that has entered the terminal accommodating chamber.

  The technology disclosed in this specification is a vehicle-side connector that is mounted on a vehicle, and includes a terminal fitting including a cylindrical fitting portion in which a plurality of elastic pieces are arranged in a circular shape through slits, and the terminal fitting. A housing in which a terminal accommodating chamber is formed, a closing member mounted around the rear end of the terminal accommodating chamber on the back side of the housing, and the terminal accommodating chamber inside the closing member; A drainage space provided in a communicating form, and a lower end of the terminal fitting chamber in the receiving area of the cylindrical fitting portion of the terminal fitting is located in the drainage space. The drainage groove along the axial direction opened toward the front is formed in such a manner that its front end faces forward from the rear end of the slit in the cylindrical fitting portion of the terminal fitting.

  When water enters from the front opening of the terminal accommodating chamber, part of the water enters the cylindrical fitting portion of the terminal fitting. The water that has entered the cylindrical fitting portion passes through the slits between the elastic pieces and flows downward, is received by the drainage groove, flows down, is guided to the drainage space, and is drained. Since the drainage drainage receives the drainage drained downward through the slits between the elastic pieces, even if a large amount of muddy water enters, it can be drained smoothly without clogging. That is, it is possible to improve the drainage function of the water that has entered the terminal accommodating chamber.

The following configuration may also be used.
The terminal fitting is a round bar-shaped electric wire having a terminal connecting portion provided with the cylindrical fitting portion at the front end and a crimping portion for crimping and crimping the end of the electric wire at the rear end before and after sandwiching the flange. And the terminal housing chamber has a small-diameter front chamber in which the terminal connection portion of the terminal fitting is accommodated and a large-diameter rear portion in which the flange of the terminal fitting can be fitted. The drainage groove is formed in a shape in which a side chamber is continuously provided, and the drainage groove has a rear end opened to the rear chamber on the lower surface of the front chamber, and the front end is located more than the rear end of the slit in the cylindrical fitting portion. It is formed in a form facing forward.
The water that has entered the cylindrical fitting portion passes through the rear end of the slit between the elastic pieces, flows into the drainage groove formed on the lower surface of the front chamber, flows down toward the rear chamber, and then continues to the rear chamber. It flows down along the lower surface of the water and is led to the drainage space for drainage.

A receiving wall that receives the elastic piece of the cylindrical fitting portion of the terminal fitting is formed in the center width position of the drain groove so as to extend along the length direction of the drain groove.
It can be said that the drainage groove has a better drainage performance as the groove width is wider, but when the groove width is larger than the width of the elastic piece constituting the cylindrical fitting part of the terminal fitting, for example, in the cylindrical fitting part of the terminal fitting When the mating pin terminal is fitted in an oblique posture and the elastic piece arranged on the lower surface side of the cylindrical fitting part is obliquely projected, the elastic piece is deflected into the drainage groove and displaced. If it is large, there is a risk of excessive deflection.
As a countermeasure, since the receiving wall is set up at the center width position of the drainage groove, even if the elastic piece protrudes obliquely, it is avoided that the elastic piece is received by the receiving wall and excessively bent. That is, the effective groove width of the drainage groove can be appropriately widened and the drainage function can be maintained, but the elastic piece can be prevented from being excessively bent and plastically deformed.

The groove width of the divided grooves formed separately on both sides of the receiving wall is set to be smaller than the width of the elastic piece of the cylindrical fitting portion in the terminal fitting.
Even if the turning posture when the terminal fitting is accommodated is shifted in the circumferential direction, and the elastic piece constituting the cylindrical fitting portion corresponds to the dividing groove in the drainage groove, the width of the elastic piece is larger than that of the dividing groove. Since it is larger than the groove width, the elastic piece is prevented from being bent and displaced in the dividing groove. Regardless of the rotation posture of the terminal fitting, it is possible to prevent the elastic piece from being excessively bent.

  According to the technique disclosed by this specification, the drainage function of the water which permeated into the terminal accommodating chamber can be improved.

Front view of a vehicle-side connector according to an embodiment Side view Sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. Partial enlarged view of FIG. Sectional view taken along line V-V in FIG. Sectional view along line VI-VI in Fig. 1 Partial enlarged view of FIG. Power terminal perspective view Front view Side view Rear view perspective view of housing Retainer perspective view

<Embodiment>
The embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. In the present embodiment, a vehicle-side connector VC applied to a rapid charging system is illustrated, and the vehicle-side connector VC is connected to a battery (not shown) mounted on an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or the like. When the battery is charged, it is fitted and connected to a charging connector (not shown).

  As shown in FIG. 6, the vehicle-side connector VC includes an inlet housing 30 (hereinafter referred to as a housing 30) that houses the terminal fitting 10 and is attached to the vehicle body, and the housing 30 for preventing the terminal fitting 10 from coming off. And a retainer 70 (corresponding to a “closing member”) mounted on the rear side.

  The terminal fitting 10 is provided with two types of a large-diameter power terminal 10P and a small-diameter signal terminal 10S. Both have the same basic structure. Hereinafter, the power terminal 10P will be described first, and for the signal terminal 10S, parts having the same function as the power terminal 10P are denoted by the same reference numerals in which S is changed to P, thereby simplifying or omitting the description. .

  The power terminal 10P is a female-side terminal also called a slot terminal, and is connected to a mating male-side terminal (not shown) on the front side across the flange 11P, as shown in FIGS. The terminal connecting portion 12P is provided with a wire connecting portion 20P connected to a terminal of an electric wire (not shown) on the rear side.

The terminal connecting portion 12P is provided with a cylindrical fitting portion 14P, in which a pin of a mating male terminal is fitted, connected to the front surface of a short cylindrical base portion 13P, and the cylindrical fitting portion 14P. Has a structure in which a plurality of elastic pieces 15P are arranged in a circular shape having a slightly smaller diameter than the base portion 13P through a slit 16P having a long hole shape.
The electric wire connecting portion 20P has a structure in which a crimp portion 22P to which the end of the electric wire is caulked is formed at the rear end portion of the round bar-shaped main body portion 21P.

  The signal terminal 10S is a female terminal of the same split type, but has a smaller diameter and length than the power terminal 10P. Briefly explaining the signal terminal 10S, as shown in FIG. 5, a terminal connecting portion 12S having a cylindrical fitting portion 14S is formed on the front side across the flange 11S, and a crimping portion 22S is formed on the rear side. An electric wire connecting portion 20S is provided.

  Next, the housing 30 will be described. The housing 30 is a female-side housing formed of a synthetic resin material. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the housing 30 has a front rectangular plate that is attached to the body (panel) of the vehicle, and the mounting plate 31. And a fitting tube portion 35 having a front opening provided so as to penetrate through the center of the front and rear. Specifically, the fitting cylinder part 35 has a shape in which a ring-shaped hood part 37 protrudes from the outer peripheral edge of the front surface of the circular base wall 36. A male housing (not shown) is fitted. At the four corners of the mounting plate 31, mounting holes 32 are opened.

  Four terminal accommodating portions 40 are formed in the fitting cylinder portion 35 so as to penetrate the base wall 36 forward and backward. The terminal accommodating portion 40 is provided with two types of first terminal accommodating portions 41 for accommodating the power terminals 10P and two second terminal accommodating portions 50 for accommodating the signal terminals 10S. The accommodating portion 41 is arranged in a horizontal direction, and the second terminal accommodating portion 50 is arranged in a vertical direction so as to form a cross.

  As shown in FIG. 7, a terminal accommodating chamber 42 in which the power terminal 10 </ b> P is inserted from behind is accommodated in the first terminal accommodating portion 41. In detail, the terminal accommodating chamber 42 includes a small-diameter front chamber 43 in which the terminal connection portion 12P of the power terminal 10P is fitted to a portion in front of the base wall 36 including the base wall 36 from the base wall 36. Further, rear chambers 44 having a diameter larger than that of the flange 11P provided on the power terminal 10P are formed in the rear part, and communicated in a stepped shape. On the front wall of the front chamber 43, a terminal insertion port 45 into which a pin of a mating male terminal is inserted is opened.

  A drainage groove 46 is formed along the axial direction at the rear end of the lower surface of the front chamber 43. As shown in FIG. 4, the drain groove 46 has an elastic piece 15P constituting the cylindrical fitting portion 14P of the power terminal 10P, specifically, a groove width W1 larger than the width W3 of the base end portion of the elastic piece 15P. Have. The drainage groove 46 has a rear end opened to the front surface of the rear chamber 44, and a front end is the rear end of the slit 16P in the tubular fitting portion 14P of the power terminal 10P that is normally mounted as shown in FIG. A little more forward.

As shown in FIG. 4, a receiving wall 48 along the length direction of the drainage groove 46 is formed at the center width position of the drainage groove 46 described above over the entire length. The receiving wall 48 has the same height as the depth of the drainage groove 46. In other words, the top surface of the receiving wall 48 is located on the same peripheral surface as the inner peripheral surface of the front chamber 43.
By forming the receiving wall 48 in the drainage groove 46 as described above, the dividing groove 47 is formed on both sides of the receiving wall 48. Here, the groove width W2 of each divided groove 47 is set to be smaller than the width W3 of the base end portion of the elastic piece 15P.

  As shown in FIG. 1, one second terminal accommodating portion 50 has a structure in which four unit accommodating portions 51 that can accommodate signal terminals 10 </ b> S are collectively arranged in a cross shape. is there. As shown in FIG. 5, terminal housing chambers 52 in which signal terminals 10 </ b> S are individually inserted from the rear are housed inside each unit housing portion 51. In the terminal accommodating chamber 52, a small-diameter front chamber 53 into which the terminal connection portion 12 </ b> S of the signal terminal 10 </ b> S is fitted in a portion in front of the base wall 36 including the base wall 36 is behind the base wall 36. The large-diameter rear chambers 54 into which the flanges 11S provided on the signal terminals 10S are fitted are respectively formed in these portions and communicated in a stepped shape. On the front wall of the front chamber 53, a terminal insertion port 55 into which a pin of a mating male terminal is inserted is opened. A drainage groove 56 along the axial direction is formed on the lower surface of the rear chamber 54 over the entire length (see FIG. 11).

  On the back surface of the base wall 36 of the fitting cylinder portion 35 in the housing 30, as shown in FIG. 11, a cylindrical peripheral wall 60 having a rear opening is provided with the above-described all terminal accommodating portion 40 (the first terminal accommodating portion 41 and The second terminal accommodating portion 50) is formed so as to surround the rear end portion. As described above in part, the retainer 70 for preventing the terminal fittings 10 (the power terminal 10P and the signal terminal 10S) from being detached is attached to the rear end opening of the peripheral wall 60.

  The retainer 70 is made of a synthetic resin and has a cap shape in which a double cylinder portion 72 including an inner cylinder 73 and an outer cylinder 74 protrudes from the front outer periphery of a circular substrate 71 as shown in FIG. Is formed. The substrate 71 is formed with four pressing cylinder portions 80 penetrating in the front-rear direction, and an attachment cylinder 76 for attaching an electric wire cover (not shown) is formed on the back surface of the substrate 71 so as to protrude.

  The holding cylinder part 80 is provided with two types of two parts, a first holding cylinder part 81 for preventing the power terminal 10P from coming off and a second holding cylinder part 90 for preventing the signal terminal 10S from coming off. The first terminal accommodating portion 41 and the second terminal accommodating portion 50 of the housing 30 are arranged at a position where a cross is assembled.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the first pressing cylinder portion 81 is formed with a double cylinder portion 82 whose front surface is closed on the front side of the substrate 71, and the outer peripheral surface of the double cylinder portion 82 is opposed to the first cylinder portion 82. While being able to closely fit to the inner peripheral surface of the rear chamber 44 of the terminal accommodating portion 41, the front surface of the double cylinder portion 82 can press the flange 11P of the power terminal 10P.

  An insertion hole 83 is formed in the first pressing cylinder 81 so that an electric wire connection portion 20P of the power terminal 10P and an electric wire (not shown) drawn from the electric wire connection portion 20P can be inserted. A housing recess 84 having an enlarged diameter is formed at the front end portion of the insertion hole 83, and a seal ring 85P mounted at a position immediately after the flange 11P in the electric wire connection portion 20P of the power terminal 10P is elastic in the housing recess 84. It is shrunk and can be accommodated.

  As shown in FIG. 12, the second pressing cylinder portion 90 includes a plurality of unit pressing cylinder portions 91 for retaining the signal terminals 10 </ b> S in a triangular or cross-shaped arrangement. This is the structure. In this embodiment, the signal terminal 10S is not accommodated in the unit accommodating portion 51 located at the right corner in the front view among the upper second terminal accommodating portions 50 provided in the housing 30. For this reason, in the upper second pressing tube portion 90, the unit pressing tube portion 91 that should be positioned at the right corner in FIG. 12 is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 5, each unit pressing cylinder portion 91 has an outer peripheral surface at the front end portion thereof that can be fitted into the inner peripheral surface of the rear chamber 54 of the unit storage portion 51 facing each other substantially tightly, An insertion hole 93 through which the electric wire connection portion 20S of the signal terminal 10S and an electric wire (not shown) drawn from the electric wire connection portion 20S can be inserted is formed in the unit pressing cylinder portion 91.

  As shown in FIG. 12, a drainage reservoir 95 that recedes in a semi-dome shape is formed on the rear surface of the retainer 70 at a lower position on the front surface of the substrate 71. A drainage port 96 is opened on the bottom surface of the drainage reservoir 95, and as shown in FIG. The upper surface communicates with the drain port 96.

  As shown in FIG. 12, four lock pieces 78 shown in the figure are formed at equiangular intervals on the front edge of the outer cylinder 74 in the above-described double cylinder portion 72 of the retainer 70. On the outer peripheral surface of the peripheral wall 60, as shown in FIG. 11, lock protrusions 62 that fit into the respective lock pieces 78 are formed correspondingly.

  The retainer 70 takes a predetermined rotation posture and is pushed in while inserting the rear end portion of the peripheral wall 60 into the double cylindrical portion 72, and the rear end of the peripheral wall 60 holds the seal ring 99 as shown in FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 2, each lock piece 78 is elastically fitted to the lock protrusion 62 when it is pushed to the position where it abuts against the back end of the double cylinder portion 72. As a result, the retainer 70 is watertightly attached to the rear surface opening of the peripheral wall 60 with the seal ring 99 interposed therebetween, and is locked in the attached state.

  In the state where the retainer 70 is properly attached as described above, as shown in FIG. 7, both the first pressing cylinder portions 81 enter the corresponding rear side chamber 44 of the first terminal accommodating portion 41 and are accommodated. The power terminal 10P is engaged with the rear surface of the flange 11P, and the inner periphery of the distal end of the first pressing cylinder 81 (double cylinder 82), and the outer periphery of the proximal end of the wire connecting part 20P in the power terminal 10P Is sealed by a seal ring 85P.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the unit pressing cylinder portions 91 constituting each second pressing cylinder portion 90 enter the rear chamber 54 of the unit accommodating portion 51 constituting the corresponding second terminal accommodating portion 50, While latching on the rear surface of the flange 11S of the signal terminal 10S accommodated, the gap between the inner periphery of the distal end of the unit pressing cylinder 91 and the outer periphery of the proximal end of the wire connecting portion 20S in the signal terminal 10S is Sealed by the seal ring 85S.
Accordingly, a closed space is formed between the peripheral wall 60, the terminal accommodating portion 40, and the retainer 70, and a drainage space 100 is formed by the closed space. The drainage reservoir 95 provided in the lower portion of the drainage space 100 described above is in communication with the base end of the drainage pipe 97 through the drainage port 96.

Then, the effect | action of this embodiment is demonstrated.
The vehicle side connector VC is assembled in the following procedure, for example. After a predetermined electric wire (not shown) is passed through the first presser cylinder part 81 and the unit presser cylinder part 91 constituting the second presser cylinder part 90 provided on the retainer 70 from the rear, The terminal of the electric wire is crimped and connected to the crimping portions 22P and 22S of the electric wire connecting portions 20P and 20S of the corresponding power terminal 10P or signal terminal 10S. In addition, seal rings 85P and 85S are attached. After that, for example, the electric wire is pulled back, and the flange 11P of the power terminal 10P and the flange 11S of the signal terminal 10S hit the tip of the corresponding first pressing cylinder 81 or the tip of the unit pressing cylinder 91, respectively. By the way, it is set aside and is in a so-called sub-assembled state.

  The sub-assembled retainer 70 takes a predetermined rotation posture, and is water-tightly attached to the opening of the peripheral wall 60 on the rear surface of the housing 30 and locked in the same attachment state as described above. When the retainer 70 is properly attached, as shown in FIG. 7, the tip of the first pressing cylinder 81 is sealed immediately after the flange 11P while taking a seal with the wire connecting part 20P of the power terminal 10P. The advancing operation is performed to prevent the power terminal 10P from coming out backward. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the tip of the unit presser tube portion 91 constituting the second presser tube portion 90 takes a seal with the wire connection portion 20S of the signal terminal 10S and immediately after the flange 11S. The advancing operation is performed to prevent the signal terminal 10S from coming out backward.

  At the same time, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a drainage space 100 whose rear side is sealed inside the peripheral wall 60 is formed, and in the first terminal accommodating portion 41, the rear surface of the rear chamber 44 is the drainage space 100 described above. Moreover, in the 2nd terminal accommodating part 50, the rear end of the drain groove 56 formed in the lower surface of the rear chamber 54 of each unit accommodating part 51 is connected. Thus, the assembly of the vehicle side connector VC is completed.

The vehicle-side connector VC assembled as described above is inserted into the mounting opening formed in the panel from the inner surface side (back surface side), and is fixed to the panel by bolting the four corners of the mounting plate 31. At this time, the vehicle-side connector VC is actually attached in an oblique posture with the front side slightly raised upward.
The electric wires drawn out behind the vehicle-side connector VC are bundled, passed through a cover or corrugated tube attached to the mounting cylinder 76 of the retainer 70, and waterproofed to be mounted on the vehicle. Connected with battery.

During the charging operation, the lid attached to the front opening of the fitting cylinder portion 35 in the housing 30 of the vehicle-side connector VC is opened, and then the charging connector connected to the external power source is connected to the housing 30 (fitting in the vehicle-side connector VC). It is fitted to the joint tube portion 35) and charged to the battery.
Here, before and after the mating charging connector is fitted, water may hang on the front surface of the housing 30 and may be submerged from the front opening of the terminal accommodating portion 40.

  As shown in FIG. 7, in the first terminal accommodating portion 41, when the water is inserted from the terminal insertion port 45, the cylindrical fitting portion 14 </ b> P of the power terminal 10 </ b> P has a large opening on the front surface. It is also immersed in 14P. The water that has entered the cylindrical fitting portion 14P passes downward through the slits 16P between the elastic pieces 15P, particularly the rear end portion thereof, and is formed in the drainage groove 46 formed on the lower surface of the rear end portion of the front chamber 43. Then, it flows down the drainage groove 46 and flows into the front end of the lower surface of the rear chamber 44. Subsequently, after flowing down the lower surface of the rear chamber 44, it is guided to the drainage space 100, and drained from the drainage port 96 of the drainage reservoir 95 through the drain hose connected to the drainage pipe 97 to the outside.

  On the other hand, in the 2nd terminal accommodating part 50, as shown in FIG. 5, when water is immersed from the terminal insertion port 55 of each unit accommodating part 51, a part of water will be immersed in the cylindrical fitting part 14S of the signal terminal 10S. To do. After the water that has entered the cylindrical fitting portion 14S passes through the slit 16S between the elastic pieces 15S and flows out toward the lower surface of the front chamber 53, and flows down the lower surface of the front chamber 53 following the inclination, then After flowing into the drainage groove 56 on the lower surface of the side chamber 54 and continuing to the drainage space 100, the drainage is conducted to the outside through a drain hose connected to the drainage pipe 97 from the drainage port 96 of the drainage reservoir 95 in the same manner as described above. Is done.

When the charging connector is fitted during the above-described charging operation, the mating pin terminal attached to the charging connector side is a cylinder of the power terminal 10P accommodated in the first terminal accommodating portion 41. When fitted into the shape fitting portion 14P in a slanting posture, the elastic piece 15P disposed on the lower surface side of the cylindrical fitting portion 14P is obliquely projected and deflected and displaced toward the drain groove 46. Forces to act.
However, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the receiving wall 48 rises in the drain groove 46 and is located immediately below the elastic piece 15 </ b> P. Therefore, even when the elastic piece 15 </ b> P is protruded, the receiving wall It is received by 48 and it is controlled that it bends and displaces, and plastic deformation resulting from excessive bending is prevented beforehand.

  In addition, when the power terminal 10P is accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber 42 of the first terminal accommodating portion 41, the rotational posture may be shifted in the circumferential direction, and the elastic piece 15P constituting the cylindrical fitting portion 14P, There is a possibility of corresponding to the dividing groove 47 in the drainage groove 46. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, since the width W3 of the elastic piece 15P is set larger than the groove width W2 of the dividing groove 47, even if the elastic piece 15P is obliquely projected. The elastic piece 15P is received by the side edge of the dividing groove 47 and is prevented from being bent and displaced in the dividing groove 47.

According to this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
On the lower surface of the rear end portion of the front chamber 43 in which the terminal connection portion 12P of the power terminal 10P is accommodated, an axially directed drainage groove 46 opens the rear end to the rear chamber 44, and the front end is fitted into a cylinder. Since the water is infiltrated into the cylindrical fitting portion 14P through the rear end portion of the slit 16P between the elastic pieces 15P because it is formed so as to face the rear end of the slit 16P in the portion 14P. Then, it flows into the drainage groove 46, and then flows down along the lower surface of the rear chamber 44, and then is guided to the drainage space 100 for drainage.
Since the drainage drained through the slit 16P between the elastic pieces 15P is received by the drainage groove 46, even if a large amount of muddy water enters, it can be drained smoothly without clogging. That is, the drainage function of the water that has entered the terminal accommodating chamber 42 can be improved.

It can be said that the drainage groove 46 has a better drainage performance as the groove width W1 is wider. However, when the groove width W1 is larger than the width W3 of the elastic piece 15P constituting the cylindrical fitting portion 14P of the power terminal 10P, the power terminal When the mating pin terminal is fitted in the 10P cylindrical fitting portion 14P in an oblique posture and the elastic piece 15P disposed on the lower surface side of the cylindrical fitting portion 14P is obliquely projected, the elastic piece 15P May be bent and displaced in the drainage groove 46, and if the protrusion is large, it may be excessively bent.
On the other hand, a receiving wall 48 for receiving the elastic piece 15P constituting the cylindrical fitting portion 14P of the power terminal 10P is formed at the center width position of the drainage groove 46. Therefore, even if the elastic piece 15P is obliquely projected, it is avoided that the elastic piece 15P is received by the receiving wall 48 and excessively bent. That is, the effective groove width of the drainage groove 46 can be appropriately widened and the drainage function can be maintained, but the elastic piece 15P can be prevented from being excessively bent and plastically deformed.

  Since the groove width W2 of the dividing groove 47 formed separately on both sides of the receiving wall 48 is set to be smaller than the width W3 of the elastic piece 15P constituting the cylindrical fitting portion 14P of the power terminal 10P, In a state in which the turning posture when the power terminal 10P is accommodated is shifted in the circumferential direction, and the elastic piece 15P constituting the cylindrical fitting portion 14P corresponds to the dividing groove 47 in the drainage groove 46, the elastic piece 15P is temporarily inclined. Even if it is struck, it is prevented from being deflected and displaced in the dividing groove 47. It is possible to prevent the elastic piece 15P from being excessively bent regardless of the rotation posture when the power terminal 10P is accommodated.

<Other embodiments>
The technology disclosed in this specification is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the above description and drawings, and includes, for example, the following various aspects.
(1) The receiving wall formed in the drainage groove does not necessarily need to be formed over the entire length of the drainage groove, and may be only a partial length region.
(2) The drainage structure in the portion where the signal terminal is accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber can be similarly applied.
(3) In the above embodiment, the case where the drainage led to the drainage space is drained to the rear surface side of the inverter housing by the drainage pipe is exemplified. Applicable.

(4) The structure of the retainer is not limited to that illustrated in the above-described embodiment. In short, the retainer is watertightly attached to the rear surface opening of the peripheral wall and communicates with the terminal accommodating chamber between the peripheral wall and the terminal accommodating portion. Other structures may be used as long as the drainage space can be provided in the form.
(5) Further, the closing member may be provided as a separate member from the retainer for preventing the terminal fitting from coming off.

VC ... Vehicle side connector 10P ... Power terminal (terminal fitting)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11P ... Flange 12P ... Terminal connection part 14P ... Cylindrical fitting part 15P ... Elastic piece 16P ... Slit 20P ... Electric wire connection part 22P ... Crimp part 30 ... Inlet housing (housing)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 41 ... 1st terminal accommodating part 42 ... Terminal accommodating chamber 43 ... Front side chamber 44 ... Rear side chamber 46 ... Drainage groove 47 ... Dividing groove 48 ... Receiving wall 70 ... Retainer (closing member)
100: Space for drainage

Claims (4)

A vehicle-side connector mounted on a vehicle,
A terminal fitting provided with a cylindrical fitting portion in which a plurality of elastic pieces are arranged in a circular shape through slits;
A housing in which a terminal accommodating chamber in which the terminal fitting is accommodated is formed;
A closing member mounted around the rear end of the terminal accommodating chamber on the back side of the housing;
A drainage space provided in a form communicating with the terminal accommodating chamber inside the closing member; and
And in the lower surface of the storage area of the cylindrical fitting portion of the terminal fitting in the terminal storage chamber, a drainage groove along the axial direction whose rear end opens toward the drainage space has its front end. A vehicle-side connector formed in a form facing forward from the rear end of the slit in the cylindrical fitting portion of the terminal fitting. The terminal fitting is a round bar-shaped electric wire having a terminal connecting portion provided with the cylindrical fitting portion at the front end and a crimping portion for crimping and crimping the end of the electric wire at the rear end before and after sandwiching the flange. It is a shape provided with a connection part,
The terminal accommodating chamber has a shape in which a small-diameter front chamber in which the terminal connection portion of the terminal fitting is accommodated and a large-diameter rear chamber into which the flange of the terminal fitting can be fitted,
The drainage groove is formed on the lower surface of the front chamber so that the rear end is opened to the rear chamber and the front end faces forward from the rear end of the slit in the cylindrical fitting portion. The vehicle side connector according to claim 1.   The receiving wall which receives the said elastic piece of the said cylindrical fitting part in the said terminal metal fitting is formed in the center width position of the said drain groove in the form extended along the length direction of the said drain groove. Or the vehicle side connector of Claim 2.   4. The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein a groove width of the divided groove formed separately on both sides of the receiving wall is set to be smaller than a width of the elastic piece of the cylindrical fitting portion in the terminal fitting. Side connector.

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