JP3174261B2 - Waterproof connector and method of manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a waterproof connector and a method for manufacturing the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As one type of waterproof connector, as shown in FIG. 10, a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 52 are provided on a rear surface of a connector housing 51 so as to correspond to the respective terminal accommodating chambers 52. The terminal fitting 55 is inserted into the corresponding terminal accommodating chamber 52 through the terminal insertion port 54 by attaching the waterproof rubber plug 53 having the terminal insertion port 54 opened.
It is known that the inner periphery of the terminal insertion port 54 is tightly attached to the electric wire 56 so as to be sealed. On the other hand, in such a waterproof connector, an empty room in which the terminal fitting 55 is not inserted may be left in the terminal accommodating room 52 depending on the purpose of use. In this case, leakage occurs from the terminal insertion port 54 corresponding to the empty room. Terminal insertion port 54
Need to be closed.

Conventionally, as one of measures for preventing leakage, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, a method is known in which dummy plugs 57 are individually inserted into terminal insertion openings 54 corresponding to empty rooms.
When the number of vacant rooms increases, it takes time and effort to insert the dummy plug 57, and there is a disadvantage in that work efficiency is poor.

As another method, as shown in FIG. 12, a cover 58 attachable to the rear side of the waterproof rubber stopper 53 is provided.
According to the arrangement of the terminal accommodating chamber 52 into which the terminal fitting 55 is inserted and the empty room, the insertion holes 5 of the terminal fitting 55 are respectively provided.
It is also practiced to form a so-called dummy plug-integrated cover formed by forming the dummy plug 9 and the dummy plug 60 and using the same. According to this method, although the time and labor required for assembling are reduced, if the specification is different, that is, if the terminal metal 55 has a different insertion arrangement, the cover 5 according to the arrangement is used.
8 had to be separately molded, and there was a problem in cost.

The present invention has been completed on the basis of the above circumstances, and has excellent workability and can easily cope with a change in specifications when closing a terminal insertion port corresponding to an empty room. It is an object of the present invention to provide a waterproof connector and a method for manufacturing the same.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector housing having a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers, wherein a mounting recess is formed on a rear end face of the connector housing.
A waterproof rubber plug having a terminal insertion opening corresponding to each terminal accommodating chamber is mounted in the mounting recess, and when the terminal fitting is inserted into the corresponding terminal accommodating chamber through the terminal insertion opening, the terminal is inserted. A waterproof connector in which the inner periphery of the mouth is sealed by being in close contact with the electric wire, and is vacant when there is a terminal fitting chamber into which a terminal fitting is inserted and a vacant connector in the terminal receiving chamber. in those where the terminal insertion openings corresponding to the terminal accommodating chamber so as to close a dummy plug, the waterproof Gore
From the rear side of the plug in front of the connector housing.
Open the front side with respect to the outer periphery of the rear end with the mounting recess
A box-shaped cover having side walls is fitted therein , and the cover is provided with dummy plugs that can be individually fitted into all the terminal insertion openings, and each dummy plug is punched out by a terminal fitting. in order to open the insertion hole is formed through the thin wall portion, and of
In addition, the side wall of the cover is formed higher than each of the dummy plugs.
It has a characteristic where it is formed .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a mounting recess is formed on a rear end surface of the connector housing provided with a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers.
A waterproof rubber plug having a terminal insertion opening corresponding to each terminal accommodating chamber is mounted in the mounting recess, and the terminal fitting is inserted into the corresponding terminal accommodating chamber through the terminal insertion opening. Is a waterproof connector in which the inner circumference of the terminal is tightly sealed to an electric wire and is sealed, and when there is a terminal receiving chamber in which a terminal fitting is inserted and an empty terminal, there are terminals that become empty. in the accommodation chamber and the corresponding terminal insertion openings that so as to close a dummy plug, the waterproof rubber
From the rear side of the stopper, the connector housing
Open the front side with respect to the outer periphery of the rear end
A box-shaped cover with side walls is fitted and
The cover has a dummy plug that can be individually fitted to all terminal insertion ports.
Is projected through the thin part, and
For the ones corresponding to the terminal receiving chambers into which the terminal fittings are inserted,
The upper mold with the side wall of the cover fitted to the lower mold.
It is characterized by being punched out by a punching pin on the side .

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers are provided.
A mounting recess is formed in the rear end face of the connector housing.
The mounting recesses have ends corresponding to the respective terminal accommodating chambers.
A waterproof rubber plug with an open
Inserted into the corresponding terminal receiving chamber through the terminal insertion port
And the inner periphery of the terminal insertion port is in
A waterproof connector to be provided, wherein
There are some where terminal fittings are inserted and some that are empty
In the case, the terminal insertion port corresponding to
The method of manufacturing a waterproof connector plugged with a dummy stopper
From the rear side of the waterproof rubber stopper.
The outer periphery of the rear end provided with the mounting recess in the jing
And a box-shaped cover with an open front side and side walls
Mated, and the cover has individual terminals
A matable dummy plug is projected through the thin-walled part, and
The terminal receiving chamber into which the terminal fitting of each dummy plug is inserted
When punching the corresponding one, the side wall of the cover
With the punching pin on the upper mold side while the
It is characterized by being punched out . Claim 4
The invention according to claim 3, wherein the cover is
Dummy stoppers are made using a jig with punched pins.
The punching pin is worn
It is characterized in that it can be set up so that it can be removed.

[0009]

<Operations and effects of the invention>< Claims 1 to 3 > When a vacant room is formed in the terminal accommodating room, among the dummy plugs protruding from the cover in advance, the dummy plug corresponding to the vacant room remains unchanged. And other dummy plugs are punched out and removed. After the punching, an insertion hole is opened.
When the cover thus treated is attached to the rear side of the waterproof rubber plug, the terminal insertion port corresponding to the empty room is closed by fitting the remaining dummy plug, while the other terminal accommodating chambers are The terminal fitting is inserted from the opened insertion hole through the terminal insertion opening.

< Claim 4 > When the arrangement of the place where the dummy plug is to be left and the place where the insertion hole is opened is changed, it is possible to easily cope with it by merely changing the place where the punching pin is set up.

[0011]

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a female connector housing (hereinafter, simply referred to as a female housing), in which a terminal housing chamber 5 into which a female terminal fitting 3 fixed to an end of an electric wire 2 can be inserted. Are formed in a line up, down, left, and right. A hood 6 is formed on the outer periphery on the front end side (left side in the figure) of the female housing 1, and a mounting recess 7 is formed on a rear end surface of the female housing 1, into which an integrated waterproof rubber plug 9 described later is fitted. Have been.

The waterproof rubber plug 9 is formed to be thick and substantially square in front so that it can be tightly fitted into the mounting recess 7 of the female housing 1. Is a lip 1 that can elastically contact the inner peripheral surface of the mounting recess 7.
A plurality of 0s are formed. In addition, the waterproof rubber stopper 9
A terminal insertion opening 11 penetrating in the front-rear direction is opened at each position corresponding to the position of each terminal accommodating chamber 5 of the female housing 1. An annular ridge 1 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of each terminal insertion port 11.
2 are formed three by three. The inner diameter of this ridge 12 is
The outer diameter of the electric wire 2 to which the female terminal fitting 3 is fixed is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the electric wire 2, and the rear side surface of the ridge 12 is tapered so that the female terminal fitting 3 can be easily inserted. It has become.

That is, when the waterproof rubber plug 9 is pushed into the mounting recess 7 of the female housing 1, the lip 10 is fitted while being pressed against the inner peripheral surface of the mounting recess 7 while being elastically crushed. In this state, when the female terminal fitting 3 is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 5 through the terminal insertion opening 11 of the waterproof rubber plug 9, the female terminal fitting 3 is locked by the lance 14 and accommodated in a retaining state. The electric wire 2 is the ridge 12 of the terminal insertion port 11
The female housing 1
The rear side is sealed from the outside.

Incidentally, as shown in FIG.
A seal ring 15 is fitted in the hood 6 at
A mating portion with a mating male housing (not shown) can be sealed, and a front-type retainer 16 is mounted from the front side of the female housing 1, and a fitting portion 17 protruding from the retainer 16 has a lance. By fitting into the bending deformation space 18 of the 14, the bending deformation of the lance 14 is regulated, and double locking of the female terminal fitting 3 is achieved.

Here, depending on the mode of use of the connector, of the terminal accommodating chambers 5 provided in the female housing 1, a room into which the female terminal fitting 3 is not inserted, that is, an empty room (indicated by reference numeral 5a in the figure). ) May be possible. In this case, since the terminal insertion port 11a corresponding to the empty room 5a is left open and no seal is made, it is necessary to close the terminal insertion port 11a.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, a cover 20 that functions to close such a terminal insertion opening 11a is provided. The cover 20 is formed of the same synthetic resin material as the female housing 1 and has a box shape with an open front side.
The female housing 1 can be fitted to the outer periphery of the rear end of the female housing 1 where the mounting recess 7 is provided. Locking grooves 21 are formed on both upper and lower surfaces of the cover 20, and lock protrusions 22 protruding from upper and lower surfaces of the rear end of the female housing 1 are fitted into the locking grooves 21 to prevent the cover 20 from falling off. It can be attached with.

On the inner surface of the rear plate 24 of the cover 20, dummy plugs 25 are provided in advance at positions corresponding to the respective terminal insertion openings 11 provided in the waterproof rubber plug 9.
The dummy plug 25 has a round bar shape having an outer diameter slightly larger than the inner diameter of the ridge 12 of the terminal insertion port 11, and has a rounded tip. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, a diameter larger by a certain dimension than the dummy plug 25 is provided on the rear surface side (upper side in the figure) of the rear plate 24 of the cover 20 where each dummy plug 25 is projected. A circular punching hole 26 having a depth substantially half the thickness of the rear face plate 24 is formed. Therefore, each of the dummy plugs 25 protrudes from the rear face plate 24 in a state where an annular thin portion 27 is provided around the base end side.

That is, each dummy plug 25 of the cover 20 is provided so as to be removable by punching, and a jig 29 for that purpose is provided. The jig 29 is schematically shown in FIG. 2 and includes a fixed lower die 30 and an upper die 31 which is installed above the lower die 30 so as to be capable of driving up and down.
On the lower surface of the upper die 31, the dummy plug 2 of the cover 20 described above is provided.
5 in the same arrangement as the position where
Is set. A screw hole 34 for mounting the punching pin 33 is formed at each mounting position. The punching pin 33 is formed in a round bar shape having a diameter between the diameter of the dummy plug 25 and the diameter of the punching hole 26, and the tip end surface is obliquely cut off from both sides to form the blade portion 35.
Are formed. Therefore, the blade portion 35 functions to cut the thin portion 27 on the base end side of the dummy plug 25. At the rear end of the punching pin 33, a male screw portion 36 that can be screwed into the screw hole 34 cut at the mounting position is formed.

The lower die 30 is provided with a punching pin 3 at each position corresponding to the mounting position of the punching pin 33.
A longitudinal escape hole 38 through which the third hole 3 can be inserted is formed. That is, the cover 20 is placed on the lower mold 30 while inserting the dummy plugs 25 into the escape holes 38 with the dummy plugs 25 facing downward.

This embodiment has a structure as described above,
Subsequently, the operation will be described. First, the cover 20 is molded in a state where all the dummy plugs 25 are protruded in advance. If there is an empty room 5a in which the female terminal fitting 3 is not inserted in the terminal accommodating room 5 of the female housing 1,
cover 2 leaving dummy plug 25 only at the position corresponding to a
0 is produced. For this reason, in the upper die 31 of the jig 29, the punching pins 33 are respectively set up by screwing the male screw portions 36 into the screw holes 34 at positions other than the positions corresponding to the portions where the dummy plugs 25 are left. .

Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the cover 20 at the time of molding is placed on the lower mold 30 while fitting the dummy plugs 25 into the escape holes 38. Subsequently, as shown in FIG.
When the punching pin 33 is lowered toward 0, the punching pin 33 passes through the escape hole 38 while cutting the thin portion 27 around the base end of the dummy plug 25 with its blade portion 35, whereby the dummy plug 25 is punched out. The punched dummy plug 25 is discharged through the escape hole 38. In portions where the punching pins 33 are not provided, the dummy plug 25 is left as it is.

After the upper mold 31 is returned to the up position, the cover 2
When the 0 is removed from the lower mold 30, the dummy plug 25 is left as it is at the position corresponding to the empty room 5a as shown in FIG. A cover 20a having a possible insertion hole 39 is obtained.

In the case of assembling, first, as shown in FIG.
Is fitted. Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 7, the cover 20 a manufactured by the jig 29 is fitted into the rear end of the female housing 1, and the lock is formed by fitting the lock projection 22 into the locking groove 21. Since the dummy plug 25 is left in the cover 20a at a position corresponding to the empty room 5a, the dummy plug 25 is
Is inserted into the corresponding terminal insertion opening 11a to close the terminal insertion opening 11a. The other terminal insertion openings 11 are aligned with the insertion holes 39 formed in the cover 20a and are opened on the rear surface.

Then, the female terminal fitting 3 fixed to the terminal of the electric wire 2 passes through the terminal insertion opening 11 from the insertion hole 39 of the cover 20a as shown by the arrow in FIG. The terminal insertion port 11 corresponding to the terminal accommodating chamber 5 is closed by the electric wire 2 as shown in FIG. Thereby, the sealing on the rear side of the female housing 1 is completed.

Subsequently, as described above, after the seal ring 15 is fitted into the hood 6, the female terminal fitting 3 is double-locked by mounting the retainer 16, and the female housing 1 is illustrated. When mated with the mating male housing,
The fitting portion is sealed by the seal ring 15 described above.

In the case where the space in which the empty room 5a is formed in the terminal accommodating chamber 5 of the female housing 1 is changed due to the different usage of the connector, the punching pin 33 attached to the upper die 31 of the jig 29 is used. Change the mounting position of.
That is, the punching pin 33 is set up only at the mounting position other than the position corresponding to the empty room 5a. When the cover 20 is punched at the time of molding with such a jig 29, the dummy plug 2 is similarly placed at a position corresponding to the empty room 5a.
5 is left as it is, and in other cases, the dummy plug 25 is punched out to obtain a cover having an insertion hole 39 through which the female terminal fitting 3 can be inserted, and this can be applied to a connector of a new use mode.

That is, according to the present embodiment, the empty room 5
When closing the terminal insertion opening 11a of the waterproof rubber plug 9 corresponding to a, a cover 20a in which only the necessary dummy plug 25 is left by using a jig 29 from the cover 20 provided with all the dummy plugs 25 in advance is manufactured. Since the cover 20a may be attached to the rear side of the waterproof rubber plug 9, the assembling work is extremely simple. In addition, even when the location where the empty room 5a can be formed is changed, it can be easily coped with only by changing the position where the punching pin 33 of the jig 29 is raised and the location where the dummy plug 25 is left.

<Other Embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. In addition, various changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

(1) In the above embodiment, the punching pin 3
As a means for detachably attaching the third die 3, a screw-in type is adopted. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, a mounting hole 42 is opened at each mounting position of the upper die 41, and the mounting hole 42 is provided as necessary. Insert the punching pin 43 and press the holding plate 4
Other means such as fixing with 4 may be adopted.

(2) It is also possible to prepare a plurality of types of upper dies in which the mounting positions of the punching pins are changed, and to replace the upper dies themselves, thereby manufacturing covers having different positions where the dummy plugs are erected. (3) The present invention can be applied not only to the female waterproof connector but also to the male waterproof connector.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a jig and a cover during molding.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing an initial state of a punching step.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view when punching is completed.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the cover alone punched out.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a mounting operation of the cover.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view when a cover is attached.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view when assembly is completed.

FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a mounting structure of a punching pin according to another embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a waterproof connector according to a conventional example.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a dummy plug insertion method of a conventional example.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing another conventional method of inserting a dummy plug.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Female housing 2 ... Electric wire 3 ... Female terminal fitting 5 ... Terminal accommodating room 5a ... Empty room 7 ... Mounting recessed part 9 ... Waterproof rubber stopper 11, 11a ... Terminal insertion port 20 ... Cover 25 ... Dummy stopper 27 ... Thin part 29 ... Jig 30 ... Lower die 31 ... Upper die 33 ... Punching pin 34 ... Screw hole 36 ... Male thread part 39 ... Insertion hole 41 ... Upper die 42 ... Mounting hole 43 ... Punching pin 44 ... Pressing plate

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-3-12279 (JP, A) JP-A 56-175128 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B26F 1/00-3/16 H01R 13/52 301-302 H01R 43/00

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] An attachment recess is formed in a rear end surface of a connector housing provided with a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers.
A waterproof rubber plug having a terminal insertion opening corresponding to each terminal accommodating chamber is mounted in the recess, and when the terminal fitting is inserted into the corresponding terminal accommodating chamber through the terminal insertion opening, the inner periphery of the terminal insertion opening is connected to an electric wire. A waterproof connector that is sealed by being tightly attached to the terminal housing chamber, and when there is a terminal housing in which the terminal fitting is inserted and an empty housing, the terminal housing corresponds to the empty terminal housing. The terminal insertion opening is closed with a dummy plug, and the connector housing is provided from the rear side of the waterproof rubber plug.
With respect to the outer periphery of the rear end portion provided with the mounting recess in
A box-shaped cover with open side and side walls is fitted
Is, and formed on its cover, can fit dummy plugs separately for all terminal insertion openings is projected, and the dummy plug, via the thin portion so as to open the insertion hole of the terminal fittings by punching The side wall of the cover is higher than each of the dummy plugs.
A waterproof connector characterized by being formed . 2. A mounting recess is formed in a rear end surface of a connector housing provided with a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers.
A waterproof rubber plug having a terminal insertion opening corresponding to each terminal accommodating chamber is mounted in the recess, and when the terminal fitting is inserted into the corresponding terminal accommodating chamber through the terminal insertion opening, the inner periphery of the terminal insertion opening is connected to an electric wire. A waterproof connector that is sealed by being tightly attached to the terminal housing chamber, and when there is a terminal housing in which the terminal fitting is inserted and an empty housing, the terminal housing corresponds to the empty terminal housing. The terminal insertion opening is closed with a dummy plug, and the connector housing is provided from the rear side of the waterproof rubber plug.
With respect to the outer periphery of the rear end portion provided with the mounting recess in
A box-shaped cover with open side and side walls is fitted
And the cover can be individually fitted to all terminal insertion ports.
Functional dummy plugs are protruded through the thin-walled portion, and the terminal plugs into which the terminal fittings are inserted among the dummy plugs are inserted.
For the one that corresponds to the storage room, lower the side wall of the cover
Die with the punching pin on the upper
Waterproof connector, characterized in that the unplugged Chi. 3. A connector housing provided with a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers has a mounting recess formed in a rear end surface thereof, and a waterproof rubber plug having a terminal insertion opening corresponding to each terminal housing chamber is formed in the mounting recess. When the terminal fitting is inserted into the corresponding terminal accommodating chamber through the terminal insertion port, the waterproof connector is sealed by the inner periphery of the terminal insertion port being in close contact with the electric wire, and is a waterproof connector. In the method for manufacturing a waterproof connector, in which a terminal fitting is inserted and a vacant one is provided, a terminal insertion port corresponding to the vacant terminal accommodating chamber is closed with a dummy plug. From the rear side of the plug, a box-shaped cover having an open front side and side walls is fitted to the outer periphery of the rear end portion of the connector housing where the mounting recess is provided, and the cover is entirely covered with the cover. Terminal Dummy plugs that can be individually fitted into the insertion ports are protruded through thin portions. Further, when punching out of each dummy plug that corresponds to the terminal accommodating chamber into which the terminal fitting is inserted, the cover of the cover is removed. A method of manufacturing a waterproof connector, characterized in that a side wall is fitted into a lower mold and punched by a punching pin on an upper mold. 4. A dummy plug of the cover is adapted to be punched out using a jig erected the punching pins, according to claim 3, wherein the punching pin, characterized in that it is erected detachably Manufacturing method of waterproof connector.