JP2023148992A - Connector unit and elastic member - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a connector unit and an elastic member that can improve earthquake resistance.SOLUTION: In a connector unit 1, an annular elastic member 30 is attached between a first connector 3 and a second connector 4. The elastic member 30 has a water stop part 32 that seals between the first connector 3 and the second connector 4 over the entire circumference, and a rattle-stuffing part 41 that suppresses vibrations occurring in a mounting direction of the first connector 3 and the second connector 4. The rattle-stuffing part 41 is sandwiched in the mounting direction and held by a first connector housing 11 of the first connector 3 and a second connector housing 15 of the second connector 4. The second connector housing 15 has a space part 42a to release elastic deformation of the rattle-stuffing part 41 during mounting.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

The present invention relates to a connector unit and an elastic member.

Conventionally, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, a connector in which a male connector and a female connector are assembled and electrically connected is well known. In the case of Patent Document 1, a liquid-tight ring having a sealing function is attached to the female connector. A rear end portion of the liquid-tight ring is formed with an ear portion projecting outward in the left-right direction. The ears are fitted into the gaps between the male connector and the female connector, so that they are held in the front so that they do not come off.

JP2020-115445A

By the way, when one of the male connector and the female connector vibrates, terminal wear may occur in which the terminals of the male connector and the female connector wear together. For this reason, if the ears of the liquid-tight ring are not firmly fixed between the connectors, the looseness of this part will become one of the causes of terminal wear. However, a structure in which the ears are simply sandwiched between the connectors does not provide sufficient vibration resistance, so there is room for improvement.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a connector unit and an elastic member that can improve earthquake resistance.

A connector unit that solves the above problem includes a first connector for electrical connection, and a second connector that is fitted and attached to the first connector. The connector unit includes a water stop part that seals between the first connector and the second connector over the entire circumference, and a backlash reduction part that suppresses vibrations that occur in the mounting direction of the first connector and the second connector. An annular elastic member is provided. The backlash filling portion is held between the first connector housing of the first connector and the second connector housing of the second connector in the mounting direction. The second connector housing has a space portion for releasing elastic deformation of the backlash filling portion during attachment.

The elastic member that solves the above problem has an annular shape and is provided between a first connector for electrical connection and a second connector that is fitted and attached to the first connector. The elastic member includes a water stop part that seals between the first connector and the second connector over the entire circumference, and a backlash reduction part that suppresses vibrations that occur in the mounting direction of the first connector and the second connector. and has. The backlash filling portion is held between the first connector housing of the first connector and the second connector housing of the second connector in the mounting direction, and releases deformation of the playback portion during installation. For this purpose, the connector housing is disposed in a space provided in the second connector housing.

The present disclosure can improve vibration resistance.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a connector unit. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the first connector. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the connector unit. FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the connector unit taken along line IV-IV shown in FIG. 12. FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the vicinity of the lock portion. FIG. 6 is a side view of the elastic member. FIG. 7 is a front view of the elastic member. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the elastic member. FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line IX-IX shown in FIG. 12. FIG. 10A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the second housing. FIG. 10B is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the second connector to which the elastic member and retainer are attached. FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along the line XI-XI shown in FIG. 12. FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken along line XII-XII shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the first vibration suppressing section. FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the first vibration suppressing section. FIG. 15 is a front view showing the configuration of the second vibration suppressing section.

First, embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described.
[1] The connector unit of the present disclosure includes a first connector for electrical connection, and a second connector that is fitted and attached to the first connector. The connector unit includes a water stop part that seals between the first connector and the second connector over the entire circumference, and a backlash reduction part that suppresses vibrations that occur in the mounting direction of the first connector and the second connector. An annular elastic member is provided. The backlash filling portion is held between the first connector housing of the first connector and the second connector housing of the second connector in the mounting direction. The second connector housing has a space portion for releasing elastic deformation of the backlash filling portion during attachment.

According to this configuration, when the first connector and the second connector are attached, and when the backlash filling portion is sandwiched and held between the connector housings, the elastically deformed portion of the backlash filling portion is released into the space portion. Therefore, during installation, it is possible to prevent the elastic deformation of the backlash filling portion from affecting the installation positions of the first connector housing and the second connector housing. This makes it possible to attach the elastic member closely between the first connector housing and the second connector housing without any gaps. Therefore, vibration resistance can be improved.

[2] A pair of the backlash reducing portions are provided on both sides in a direction perpendicular to the mounting direction. According to this configuration, the backlash filling portion is provided not all around the elastic member but partially, which contributes to cost reduction, weight reduction, and miniaturization of the elastic member.

[3] The pair of backlash reducing portions have an engagement groove in the center of the elastic member in the annular direction for positioning during installation. The second connector housing has an engagement protrusion that is engaged with the engagement groove of the backlash filling portion when attached to the first connector housing. According to this configuration, since it becomes possible to align the elastic member to the housing side by the uneven shape of the engagement groove and the engagement protrusion during attachment, the attachment work of the first connector and the second connector is facilitated.

[4] The engagement protrusion is formed at a position lower than the backlash reduction portion. According to this configuration, since the shape of the backlash reduction portion is allowed to change, it is possible to set the backlash reduction portion thick. Therefore, it becomes possible to firmly bring the backlash filling part into close contact with the first connector and the second connector during installation.

[5] The first connector housing has a hood portion that is fitted into the second connector housing. The backlash filling portion has a thick wall portion formed by thickening a portion that is crushed by the tip of the hood portion during installation. According to this configuration, it is possible to increase the thickness of only the necessary portions of the elastic member, which contributes to reducing the cost, weight, and size of the elastic member.

[6] The elastic member has an annular anti-vibration portion connected to the water stop portion on at least one of both sides of the water stop portion. According to this configuration, it is possible to suppress vibrations of the connector unit in the height direction, width direction, and diagonal direction by the vibration-proof portion of the elastic member. Therefore, this further contributes to suppressing mutual vibration between the first connector and the second connector.

[7] The elastic member of the present disclosure has an annular shape provided between a first connector for electrical connection and a second connector that is fitted and attached to the first connector. The elastic member includes a water stop part that seals between the first connector and the second connector over the entire circumference, and a backlash reduction part that suppresses vibrations that occur in the mounting direction of the first connector and the second connector. and has. The backlash filling portion is held between the first connector housing of the first connector and the second connector housing of the second connector in the mounting direction, and releases deformation of the playback portion during installation. For this purpose, the connector housing is disposed in a space provided in the second connector housing. According to this configuration, the same effects as those of the connector unit described above can be obtained.

[Details of embodiments of the present disclosure]
Specific examples of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to these examples, but is indicated by the scope of the claims, and is intended to include all changes within the meaning and scope equivalent to the scope of the claims. In each drawing, a part of the configuration may be exaggerated or simplified for convenience of explanation. Furthermore, the dimensional ratio of each part may also differ from the actual size.

(Overview of connector unit 1)
As shown in FIG. 1, a vehicle 2 includes a connector unit 1 that electrically connects electrical components inside the vehicle. In this example, the connector unit 1 includes a first connector 3 for electrical connection, and a second connector 4 that is fitted and attached to the first connector 3. The first connector 3 is provided at the tip of the wiring 5. The second connector 4 is provided at the tip of the wiring 6. The wires 5 and 6 are, for example, cables. The first connector 3 is arranged at a location directly connected to the vibration source 7. The vibration source 7 is, for example, the engine of the vehicle 2. Therefore, vibrations from the vibration source 7 are easily transmitted to the first connector 3 .

(Overview of the first connector 3 and second connector 4)
As shown in FIG. 2, the first connector 3 includes a first connector housing 11 in which a first terminal 10 is provided. The first connector housing 11 includes a main body 12 and a cylindrical hood portion 13 provided at the distal end of the main body 12 . A plurality of first terminals 10 (four in this example) are provided and arranged in line in the width direction (Y-axis direction in the figure). The first terminal 10 is arranged so that its tip portion is exposed inside the hood portion 13. The first connector 3 is a male connector in which the first terminal 10 is a male terminal.

As shown in FIG. 3, the second connector 4 has a second connector housing 15 that fits into the first connector housing 11. The second connector housing 15 has a housing main body 17 provided with a second terminal 16 (see FIG. 9, etc.) that is electrically connected to the first terminal 10. The first connector 3 is fitted to the second connector 4 so that the first connector housing 11 is housed inside the second connector housing 15. The first connector 3 and the second connector 4 are fitted along the axis L1 direction.

As shown in FIG. 4, the housing main body 17 includes a terminal accommodating part 18 in which the second terminal 16 is arranged, a lance 19 for fixing the second terminal 16, and an extension part extending parallel to the terminal accommodating part 18. It is equipped with 20. The terminal storage portions 18 are provided for each second terminal 16, and in this example, a total of four terminal storage portions 18 are arranged along the width direction of the housing body portion 17 (Y-axis direction in FIG. 4). A total of four lances 19 are provided for each terminal storage section 18. A total of four extension portions 20 are provided so as to face each pair of terminal storage portions 18 .

The housing body portion 17 of the first connector 3 and the second connector 4 is inserted into the hood portion 13 of the first connector housing 11 . When the first connector 3 and the second connector 4 are fitted together, the first terminal 10 and the second terminal 16 are electrically connected.

As shown in FIG. 5, a lock portion 23 is provided between the first connector 3 and the second connector 4 to lock the fitting of the first connector 3 and the second connector 4. The lock portion 23 includes a protrusion 24 provided on the top surface of the first connector 3 and an engagement lock 25 provided on the top surface of the second connector 4 . When the first connector 3 and the second connector 4 are fitted, the protrusion 24 is engaged with the recess 26 of the engagement lock 25, thereby locking the first connector 3 and the second connector 4.

(Configuration of elastic member 30)
As shown in FIG. 4, an elastic member 30 having both a sealing function and a vibration-proofing function is provided between the first connector 3 and the second connector 4. The sealing function is a function for ensuring waterproofness of the attachment portions of the first connector 3 and the second connector 4. The anti-vibration function is a function that suppresses vibrations from the first connector 3 from being transmitted to the second connector 4 and vibrating.

The elastic member 30 is formed in an annular shape so as to seal the entire circumferential area at the contact area between the first connector 3 and the second connector 4. The elastic member 30 is, for example, a rubber ring. The elastic member 30 is attached to the second connector housing 15 with the housing main body 17 inserted into the inner hole 31. The elastic member 30 is arranged between the hood part 13 and the housing body part 17. The elastic member 30 is disposed at the tip of the hood portion 13. That is, the elastic member 30 is locally disposed at the tip of the hood portion 13.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the elastic member 30 includes a water stop portion 32 that satisfies at least a sealing function. The water stop portion 32 is formed into a lip shape having a peak portion 33 and a valley portion 34 . The water stop portion 32 seals between the first connector 3 and the second connector 4 over the entire circumference. The water stop portion 32 deforms when the connectors are fitted together to ensure a sealed state. The water stop portion 32 of this example has two peaks 33 (first peak 33a and second peak 33b) and a valley 34 located between the first peak 33a and second peak 33b. include.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the elastic member 30 includes a vibration-proof portion 36 that satisfies at least a vibration-proof function. The vibration-proof part 36 is connected to the water stop part 32 on both sides of the water stop part 32 (both in the X-axis direction in FIG. 6), and has an annular shape. A pair of vibration-proof parts 36 are provided on both sides of the water stop part 32. The pair of vibration-proof parts 36 includes a first vibration-proof part 36a located in the direction in which the second connector 4 is inserted into the first connector 3 (+X-axis direction in FIG. 6), and a first vibration-proof part 36a located in the direction in which the second connector 4 is removed from the first connector 3. (-X-axis direction in FIG. 6). When the first connector 3 and the second connector 4 are attached, the vibration-proof part 36 of this example collapses while being elastically deformed, so that it comes into close contact with both the first connector 3 and the second connector 4.

The pair of vibration-proof parts 36 suppresses vibrations occurring between the first connector 3 and the second connector 4 in multiple directions. Specifically, the first vibration-proofing part 36a (second vibration-proofing part 36b) has an upper wall 37a, a lower wall 37b, and two side walls 37c. axial direction) vibration. The first vibration-resistant portion 36a (second vibration-resistant portion 36b) suppresses vibration in an oblique direction (direction of arrow R in FIG. 7) by four corner portions 37d.

As shown in FIG. 6, the positions of the apex H1 of the peak portion 33 (the first peak portion 33a, the second peak portion 33b), the peak H2 of the vibration-proof portion 36, and the bottom H3 of the valley portion 34 are the peaks of the peak portion 33. H1, the apex H2 of the vibration proof portion 36, and the bottom H3 of the valley portion 34 are set in this order (relationship H1>H2>H3). By doing so, when the first connector 3 and the second connector 4 are assembled, the water stop part 32 is easily crushed when it comes into close contact with the first connector 3 (the inner surface of the hood part 13). Note that the positions of the apex H1, the apex H2, and the bottom H3 are relative heights based on the bottom H3 of the valley portion 34 in the direction in which the peak portion 33 protrudes.

(Configuration of backlash filling section 41)
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6 to 8, the elastic member 30 has a backlash reduction portion 41 that suppresses vibrations occurring in the mounting direction of the first connector 3 and the second connector 4 (X-axis direction in FIG. 3, etc.) . The backlash filling portion 41 protrudes radially outward of the elastic member 30. A pair of backlash reducing portions 41 are provided on both sides in a direction perpendicular to the mounting direction of the first connector 3 and the second connector 4 (both sides in the width direction of the elastic member 30: Y-axis direction in FIG. 3, etc.). In this example, a total of four looseness reduction parts 41 are provided, two on each side in the width direction. The backlash filling portion 41 is formed, for example, in a rib shape.

As shown in FIG. 8, the looseness reduction part 41 has a thick part 41a formed by thickening the part crushed by the tip of the hood part 13 during fitting. A connecting portion 41b that partially protrudes from the opening edge of the elastic member 30 on the second vibration-proofing portion 36b side is formed at the base end of the thick portion 41a.

As shown in FIG. 9, the backlash filling portion 41 is held between the first connector housing 11 and the second connector housing 15 in the mounting direction (left and right direction in the drawing). Specifically, the tip of the hood portion 13 and the inner surface of the second connector housing 15 hold it in a shape crushed by a predetermined amount. Note that the tip of the hood portion 13 is formed into a tapered shape, for example, in order to release elastic deformation of the backlash filling portion 41.

As shown in FIG. 9, FIG. 10A, and FIG. 10B, the second connector housing 15 includes a play reduction accommodating portion 42 that accommodates a play reduction portion 41 when the elastic member 30 is attached. The play-reducing accommodating portion 42 is formed by recessing a predetermined position of the second connector housing 15. A total of four backlash reduction accommodating portions 42 are provided for each backlash reduction portion 41. In FIG. 10B, the state of the elastic member 30 before elastic deformation is shown by a solid line, and the state after elastic deformation is schematically shown by a two-dot chain line.

The backlash reduction accommodating portion 42 has a space portion 42a for releasing elastic deformation of the backlash reduction portion 41 during installation, and a receiving portion 42b that supports the connecting portion 41b of the backlash reduction portion 41 during installation. The space portion 42a is formed deeper than the receiving portion 42b. The space part 42a accommodates the thick part 41a of the backlash filling part 41, and also allows elastic deformation of the thick part 41a when it is crushed between the first connector housing 11 and the second connector housing 15 to escape. This is the part of the body. The receiving portion 42b is formed shallower than the space portion 42a.

As shown in FIG. 11, the pair of looseness reduction parts 41 have an engagement groove 46 at the center of the elastic member 30 in the annular direction for positioning during attachment. The second connector housing 15 has an engagement protrusion 47 that is engaged with the engagement groove 46 of the backlash reduction part 41 when the second connector housing 15 is fitted into the first connector housing 11 . The engagement protrusion 47 is formed, for example, to take a position lower than the backlash reduction part 41 in the fitted state.

(Configuration of retainer 43)
As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 9, the connector unit 1 includes a retainer 43 that prevents the elastic member 30 from coming off. The retainer 43 is attached to the tip of the housing body 17 so that the housing body 17 is housed inside a housing portion 43a (see FIG. 4, etc.) formed by opening one end. The retainer 43 has a first opening 44 (see FIG. 3, etc.) that exposes the tip of the terminal storage portion 18 to the outside, and a second opening 45 (see FIG. 3, etc.) that exposes the tip of the extension portion 20 to the outside. It has multiple. The retainer 43 is made of resin, for example.

(Configuration of vibration suppressor 48)
As shown in FIG. 12, the connector unit 1 includes a vibration suppressing portion 48 that improves the vibration resistance between the first connector 3 and the second connector 4 at a location other than the elastic member 30. The vibration suppressor 48 connects a convex portion 49 provided on one of the first connector 3 and the second connector 4 (first connector 3 in this example) to the other (second connector 4 in this example). By fixing to the provided recess 50, vibrations generated between the first connector 3 and the second connector 4 are suppressed.

The vibration suppressor 48 includes a first vibration suppressor 48a provided between the first connector 3 and the housing main body 17. The first vibration suppressing part 48a includes a convex part 49 (first convex part 49a) provided on the inner surface of the hood part 13 of the first connector 3, and a concave part 50 (first concave part 50a, 50b: see FIGS. 13 and 14). In the case of this example, a plurality of first convex portions 49a are provided in each of the upper stage and the lower stage. Specifically, a total of four first protrusions 49a are provided, two on the upper stage and two on the lower stage.

As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the first recess 50a is provided at the tip of the extending portion 20 located in the upper row of the housing main body 17 (as shown in FIG. 13). In this example, the first recesses 50a are provided in two of the plurality of extensions 20 located at both ends. The first recess 50b is provided on the back surface of the terminal accommodating portion 18 (as shown in FIG. 14). In the case of this example, the first recesses 50b are provided in two of the plurality of terminal accommodating parts 18 located on the inner side. A crushing protrusion 51 that is crushed when the first convex portion 49a is engaged is provided on each of the inner surfaces of the first recesses 50a and 50b.

As shown in FIG. 13, when the second connector 4 is fitted to the first connector 3, the upper first protrusion 49a of the plurality of first protrusions 49a provided on the inner surface of the hood part 13 is The retainer 43 is inserted into the first recess 50a at the tip of the extension 20 through the second opening 45 provided through the retainer 43. At this time, the first convex portion 49a is firmly assembled and held in the first concave portion 50a by the plurality of crushing protrusions 51 provided on each inner surface of the first concave portion 50a.

As shown in FIG. 14, when the second connector 4 is fitted to the first connector 3, the lower first protrusion 49a of the plurality of first protrusions 49a provided on the inner surface of the hood part 13 is It is inserted into the first recess 50b on the back surface of the terminal accommodating portion 18 through the first opening 44 provided through the retainer 43. At this time, the first convex portion 49a is firmly assembled and held in the first concave portion 50b by the plurality of crushing protrusions 51 provided on each inner surface of the first concave portion 50b.

As shown in FIG. 13, when the second connector 4 is fitted to the first connector 3, the positioning piece 54 provided on the inner surface of the hood portion 13 of the first connector 3 positions the distal end surface of the retainer 43. By being engaged with the groove 55, the first connector 3 is guided to be assembled to the retainer 43 in the correct position. In this example, three positioning pieces 54 are provided in the width direction of the first connector 3 (Y-axis direction in FIG. 13). Similarly, a total of three positioning grooves 55 are provided on the distal end surface of the retainer 43 so as to form pairs with each of the positioning pieces 54.

As shown in FIG. 15, the vibration suppressor 48 includes a second vibration suppressor 48b provided between the first connector 3 and the second connector housing 15. The second vibration suppressing portion 48b includes a convex portion 49 (second convex portion 49t) provided at the lower part of the hood portion 13 of the first connector 3, and a concave portion 50 (second convex portion 49t) provided on the inner surface of the second connector housing 15. recessed portion 50t). A pair of second convex portions 49t are provided on both sides of the hood portion 13 in the width direction (Y-axis direction in FIG. 15). A crushing protrusion 57 that is crushed when the second convex portion 49t is engaged is provided on each inner surface of the second concave portion 50t.

When the second connector 4 is fitted to the first connector 3, the pair of second protrusions 49t provided at the lower part of the hood part 13 are inserted into the second recesses 50t on the inner surface of the second connector housing 15. . At this time, the second convex portion 49t is firmly assembled and held in the second concave portion 50t by the crushing protrusions 57 provided on each inner surface of the second concave portion 50t.

(Action of embodiment)
Next, the operation of the connector unit 1 (elastic member 30) of this embodiment will be explained.
As shown in FIG. 4, the first connector 3 may vibrate due to the vibration source 7 of the vehicle 2. In particular, since the first connector 3 is provided on the vehicle body side, it is easily influenced by the vibration source 7 and vibrations are likely to occur. When the first connector 3 vibrates, this vibration is transmitted to the second connector 4, and the second connector 4 vibrates together with the first connector 3 in the direction of arrow A in the figure. Specifically, a vibration occurs in which the tip of the first connector 3 swings around the base end of the first connector 3 as a fulcrum.

When the first connector 3 and the second connector 4 vibrate with each other, terminal wear may occur where the first terminal 10 and the second terminal 16 rub against each other. If terminal wear occurs, electrical contact failure will occur, so some kind of countermeasure is required.

In this example, an elastic member 30 having a water stop part 32 and a vibration proof part 36 is provided between the first connector 3 and the second connector 4. In the case of this elastic member 30, vibration-resistant parts 36 are provided on both sides of the water stop part 32, and the pair of vibration-resistant parts 36 suppresses vibration, so that the vibration-proof performance is high. Therefore, even if a load that causes vibration is generated in the first connector 3 due to the vibration source 7, it is possible to suppress the vibration between the first connector 3 and the second connector 4.

In the vibration-proof portion 36, the upper wall 37a, the lower wall 37b, and the side wall 37c serve as restraints against vibration in the vertical and horizontal directions, and the corner portions 37d serve as restraints against vibration in the diagonal direction. Therefore, it is possible to suppress vibrations in the vertical, horizontal, and diagonal directions by the vibration-resistant portion 36. Further, the elastic member 30 has a backlash reduction portion 41 that serves as a depth direction restraint against vibration. Therefore, vibration in the depth direction can also be suppressed by the backlash reduction portion 41. As described above, in the case of the elastic member 30 of this example, it is possible to absorb vibrations in four directions: the vertical direction, the horizontal direction, the diagonal direction, and the depth direction, so it can be said that the vibration resistance of the connector unit 1 is high in this respect as well.

The elastic member 30 is disposed at the tip of the first connector 3 , specifically, at the tip of the hood portion 13 . In this way, in the case of this example, the elastic member 30 is arranged at the location where the vibration load is most applied when the first connector 3 vibrates. Therefore, since the elastic member 30 is arranged at a location where a high vibration resistance effect can be obtained, it is possible to improve vibration resistance performance.

Of the first vibration-proof part 36a and the second vibration-proof part 36b, the first vibration-proof part 36a is arranged inside the water stop part 32. Therefore, even if fluid (water droplets, etc.) enters the gap between the first connector 3 and the second connector 4, this fluid is blocked by the water stop portion 32 and hardly reaches the first vibration-proof portion 36a. Therefore, it becomes possible to suppress deterioration of the first vibration-proof portion 36a.

The elastic member 30 is a component in which a water stop part 32 and a vibration proof part 36 are integrated. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the number of parts required for the sealing function and anti-vibration function. Furthermore, the assembly cost can be kept low accordingly. Further, since the elastic member 30 is made of a rubber member, it is difficult to damage the first connector 3 and the second connector 4 during assembly. Therefore, it is also possible to suppress deterioration of the sealing performance of the elastic member 30.

(Effects of embodiment)
According to the connector unit 1 (elastic member 30) of the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) The connector unit 1 includes a first connector 3 for electrical connection and a second connector 4 fitted and attached to the first connector 3. The annular elastic member 30 has a water stop portion 32 that seals between the first connector 3 and the second connector 4 over the entire circumference, and suppresses vibrations that occur in the mounting direction of the first connector 3 and the second connector 4. It has a backlash reduction part 41. The backlash filling portion 41 is held between the first connector housing 11 of the first connector 3 and the second connector housing 15 of the second connector 4 in the mounting direction. The second connector housing 15 has a space portion 42a for releasing elastic deformation of the backlash filling portion 41 during fitting.

According to this configuration, when the first connector 3 and the second connector 4 are fitted together and the backlash filling portion 41 is sandwiched and held between these connector housings, the elastically deformed portion of the backlash filling portion 41 becomes the space portion. 42a escapes. Therefore, during fitting, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the elastic deformation of the backlash filling portion 41 affects the mounting positions of the first connector housing 11 and the second connector housing 15. This makes it possible to attach the elastic member 30 closely between the first connector housing 11 and the second connector housing 15 without any gaps. Therefore, in the connector unit 1, vibration resistance can be improved.

(2) A pair of backlash reducing portions 41 are provided on both sides in a direction perpendicular to the mounting direction of the first connector 3 and the second connector 4. According to this configuration, the backlash filling portion 41 is provided not all around the elastic member 30 but partially, which contributes to reducing the cost, weight, and size of the elastic member 30.

(3) The pair of looseness reduction parts 41 have an engagement groove 46 at the center of the elastic member 30 in the annular direction for positioning during installation. The second connector housing 15 has an engagement protrusion 47 that is engaged with the engagement groove 46 of the backlash filling portion 41 when attached to the first connector housing 11 . According to this configuration, it is possible to align the elastic member 30 with the housing side (in this example, the second connector housing 15) by the uneven shapes of the engagement groove 46 and the engagement protrusion 47 during installation. The work of attaching the first connector 3 and the second connector 4 becomes easier.

(4) The engaging protrusion 47 is formed so as to be positioned lower than the backlash reduction portion 41. According to this configuration, deformation of the shape of the backlash reducing portion 41 is allowed, so that the backlash reducing portion 41 can be set thick. Therefore, it becomes easier to bring the backlash filling portion 41 into close contact with the first connector 3 and the second connector 4 during installation.

(5) The first connector housing 11 has a hood portion 13 as a portion fitted into the second connector housing 15. The backlash filling part 41 has a thick wall part 41a formed by thickening the part crushed by the tip of the hood part 13 during installation. According to this configuration, it is possible to increase the thickness of only the necessary portions of the elastic member 30, which contributes to reducing the cost, weight, and size of the elastic member 30.

(6) The elastic member 30 has an annular anti-vibration portion 36 connected to the water stop portion 32 on at least one of both sides of the water stop portion 32 . According to this configuration, the vibration-resistant portion 36 of the elastic member 30 can suppress vibrations of the connector unit 1 in the height direction, width direction, and diagonal direction. Therefore, this further contributes to suppressing mutual vibration between the first connector 3 and the second connector 4.

(7) The first connector 3 has a first connector housing 11 in which the first terminal 10 is provided. The second connector 4 has a second connector housing 15 that is fitted onto the first connector housing 11 . The second connector housing 15 has a housing body portion 17 provided with a second terminal 16 that is electrically connected to the first terminal 10 . The first connector 3 and the second connector 4 connect the first terminal 10 and the second terminal 16 by inserting the housing body 17 into the hood 13 provided at the tip of the first connector housing 11. Attached by The elastic member 30 is arranged between the hood part 13 and the housing body part 17. According to this configuration, it is possible to seal the terminal group arranged inside the housing main body part 17 with the water stop part 32 of the elastic member 30. Therefore, the terminal group can be made waterproof. In addition, since the elastic member 30 is provided with the vibration-proof portion 36, measures for vibration resistance can be taken at locations where the terminal group is waterproofed.

(8) The elastic member 30 is disposed at the tip of the hood portion 13. According to this configuration, since the elastic member 30 is arranged at the tip of the hood part 13 where vibration is assumed to be large in the first connector 3, mutual vibration between the first connector 3 and the second connector 4 is effectively suppressed. be able to.

(9) The first connector 3 is arranged at a location directly connected to the vibration source 7. According to this configuration, although the first connector 3 is likely to vibrate due to the influence of the vibration source 7, the mutual vibration of the first connector 3 and the second connector 4 caused by the vibration source 7 is suppressed by the elastic member 30. can be effectively suppressed.

(10) The water stop portion 32 is provided in a lip shape having a peak portion 33 and a valley portion 34. The positions of the peak H1 of the peak 33, the peak H2 of the vibration-resistant part 36, and the bottom H3 of the valley 34 are in the order of the peak H1 of the peak 33, the peak H2 of the vibration-resistant part 36, and the bottom H3 of the valley 34. It is set to be low. According to this configuration, when the water stop part 32 of the elastic member 30 is crushed during assembly, it becomes possible to bring the water stop part 32 and the vibration proof part 36 into close contact with the surroundings without any gaps. Therefore, it is possible to have both the water stop portion 32 having high sealing performance and the vibration proof portion 36 having high vibration resistance.

(11) The connector unit 1 has a convex portion 49 provided on one of the first connector 3 and the second connector 4, and a concave portion 50 provided on the other of these and in which the convex portion 49 is engaged. 48. According to this configuration, not only the elastic member 30 but also the vibration suppressing section 48 can suppress mutual vibration of the first connector 3 and the second connector 4. Therefore, it further contributes to improving vibration resistance.

(12) The vibration suppressing portion 48 is provided at least one between the first connector 3 and the housing main body 17 and between the first connector 3 and the second connector housing 15. According to this configuration, the vibration suppressing portion 48 is provided between the first connector 3 and the housing main body 17 and between the first connector 3 and the second connector housing 15, so that the first connector 3 and the second connector 4 are It is possible to effectively suppress mutual vibration.

(Other embodiments)
Note that this embodiment can be implemented with the following modifications. This embodiment and the following modified examples can be implemented in combination with each other within a technically consistent range.

- The backlash reducing portion 41 may be provided only on one side of the elastic member 30 in the width direction, for example.
- The backlash filling portions 41 are not limited to being provided as a pair on each of the left and right sides, but may be provided as one pair on each side.

- The backlash filling portion 41 may have a shape in which the thick portion 41a is omitted.
- The backlash filling portion 41 is not limited to a shape that protrudes outward in the insertion direction and radial direction from the end surface of the elastic member 30, but may have a shape that protrudes only radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the elastic member 30.

- The backlash filling part 41 is not limited to being disposed on the side wall 37c of the elastic member 30, but may be disposed on the upper wall 37a or the lower wall 37b, for example.
- The shape of the space portion 42a may be changed to another shape as long as it can release the elastic deformation of the backlash filling portion 41.

- The engaging protrusion 47 may have a curved tip, for example. Further, the shape of the engagement groove 46 can be changed as appropriate depending on the shape of the engagement protrusion 47.
- The shape of the water stop portion 32 may be a shape in which one protrusion is formed, or a lip shape in which three or more protrusions are formed.

- The pair of vibration-proof parts 36 are not limited to having the same shape, and the first vibration-proof part 36a and the second vibration-proof part 36b may have different shapes.
- The elastic member 30 may be attached to another member of the second connector 4 instead of the housing body 17 of the second connector 4.

- The elastic member 30 may be attached to the first connector 3 instead of the second connector 4.
- The vibration suppressing part 48 is not limited to being provided at the location described in the embodiment, but may be provided at a location where the first connector 3 and the second connector 4 come into contact. Further, the number of vibration suppressing sections 48 may be changed as appropriate.

- The first connector 3 may be a female connector, and the second connector 4 may be a male connector.
- The connector unit 1 is not limited to use in a vehicle, and may be used in other equipment or devices.
- Although the present disclosure has been described based on examples, it is understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the examples or structures. The present disclosure also includes various modifications and equivalent modifications. In addition, various combinations and configurations, as well as other combinations and configurations that include only one, more, or fewer elements, are within the scope and scope of the present disclosure.

Next, technical ideas that can be understood from the above embodiment and modified examples will be described.
(a) In either the connector unit or the elastic member, the connector housing has a first terminal therein, and the second connector housing has a second terminal electrically connected to the first terminal. The first connector and the second connector have a housing main body portion provided at a distal end of the first connector housing, and the first terminal and the second connector The elastic member is attached by connecting the second terminal, and the elastic member is disposed between the hood portion and the housing body portion. According to this configuration, it is possible to seal the terminal group arranged inside the housing main body with the water stop portion of the elastic member. Therefore, the terminal group can be made waterproof. Furthermore, since the elastic member is provided with a vibration-proof portion, it is possible to take measures for vibration-proofing at locations where the terminal group is waterproofed.

(b) In either the connector unit or the elastic member, the elastic member is disposed at a tip position of the hood portion. According to this configuration, since the elastic member is arranged at the tip of the hood part where vibration is assumed to be large in the first connector, it is possible to effectively suppress mutual vibration between the first connector and the second connector. .

(c) In either the connector unit or the elastic member, the first connector is disposed at a location directly connected to a vibration source. According to this configuration, although the first connector is likely to vibrate due to the influence of the vibration source, mutual vibration of the first connector and the second connector caused by this vibration source can be effectively suppressed by the elastic member. becomes possible.

(d) In either the connector unit or the elastic member, the water stop portion is formed in a lip shape having a peak portion and a valley portion, and the water stop portion is formed in a lip shape having a peak portion, a bottom of the valley portion, and the vibration proof portion. The positions of the vertices are set to be lower in the order of the apex of the mountain part, the apex of the vibration-proof part, and the bottom of the valley part. According to this configuration, when the water stop portion of the elastic member is crushed during assembly, it is possible to bring the water stop portion and the vibration proof portion into close contact with the surroundings without any gaps. Therefore, it is possible to provide the water stop portion with high sealing performance.

(e) In either the connector unit or the elastic member, a convex portion provided on one of the first connector and the second connector, and a concave portion provided on the other of the connectors and engaged with the convex portion. A vibration suppressing section is provided. According to this configuration, it is possible to suppress mutual vibration of the first connector and the second connector not only by the elastic member but also by the vibration suppressing section. Therefore, it further contributes to improving vibration resistance.

(f) In either the connector unit or the elastic member, the vibration suppressing portion is arranged between at least one of between the first connector and the housing main body, and between the first connector and the second connector housing. It is set in. According to this configuration, the vibration suppressing portion is provided between the first connector and the housing body and between the first connector and the second connector housing to prevent the first connector and the second connector from vibrating with each other. , it becomes possible to effectively suppress it.

1 Connector unit 2 Vehicle 3 First connector 4 Second connector 5 Wiring 6 Wiring 7 Vibration source 10 First terminal 11 First connector housing 12 Main body 13 Hood portion 15 Second connector housing 16 Second terminal 17 Housing body portion 18 Terminal storage Part 19 Lance 20 Extension part 23 Lock part 24 Projection 25 Engagement lock 26 Recess 30 Elastic member 31 Hole 32 Water stop part 33 Peak part 33a First peak part 33b Second peak part 34 Valley part 36 Anti-vibration part 36a First anti-vibration part Part 36b Second vibration-proof part 37a Upper wall 37b Lower wall 37c Side wall 37d Corner part 41 Backlash reduction part 41a Thick part 41b Connecting part 42 Accommodating part 42a Space part 42b Receiving part 43 Retainer 43a Accommodating part 44 First opening 45 Second opening 46 Engagement groove 47 Engagement protrusion 48 Vibration suppressing part 48a First vibration suppressing part 48b Second vibration suppressing part 49 Convex part 49a First convex part 49t Second convex part 50 Concave part 50a First concave part 50b First concave part 50t Second Recessed portion 51 Crushing protrusion 54 Positioning piece 55 Positioning groove 57 Crushing protrusion H1 Vertex H2 Vertex H3 Bottom

Claims (7)

A connector unit comprising a first connector for electrical connection and a second connector fitted and attached to the first connector,
An annular ring having a water stop part that seals between the first connector and the second connector over the entire circumference, and a backlash reduction part that suppresses vibrations that occur in the mounting direction of the first connector and the second connector. Equipped with an elastic member,
The backlash filling portion is held between a first connector housing of the first connector and a second connector housing of the second connector in the mounting direction,
The second connector housing is a connector unit, wherein the second connector housing has a space portion for releasing elastic deformation of the backlash filling portion during attachment. 2. The connector unit according to claim 1, wherein a pair of the backlash reducing portions are provided on both sides in a direction perpendicular to the mounting direction. The pair of backlash filling parts have an engagement groove in the center of the elastic member in the annular direction for positioning during installation,
3. The connector unit according to claim 2, wherein the second connector housing has an engagement protrusion that is engaged with the engagement groove of the backlash reduction part when attached to the first connector housing. 4. The connector unit according to claim 3, wherein the engaging protrusion is formed at a position lower than the backlash filling part. The first connector housing has a hood part as a part fitted to the second connector housing,
The connector unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the backlash filling portion has a thick wall portion formed by thickening a portion crushed by the tip of the hood portion during attachment. The connector unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the elastic member has an annular vibration-proof part connected to the water stop part on at least one of both sides of the water stop part. An annular elastic member provided between a first connector for electrical connection and a second connector fitted and attached to the first connector,
It has a water stop part that seals between the first connector and the second connector over the entire circumference, and a backlash reduction part that suppresses vibrations that occur in the mounting direction of the first connector and the second connector,
The backlash filling portion is held between the first connector housing of the first connector and the second connector housing of the second connector in the mounting direction, and releases deformation of the playback portion during installation. an elastic member disposed in a space provided in the second connector housing for the purpose;

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