JP3915665B2 - Waterproof connector - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a waterproof connector, and more particularly, to prevent a pitch shift from occurring between a through hole and a terminal accommodating chamber due to deformation of an integrated rubber plug.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, a waterproof connector using an integrated rubber plug is known to collectively waterproof a plurality of electric wire insertion paths (Patent Document 1). As shown in FIG. 6A, such a waterproof connector 1 includes a cavity 2c surrounded by a peripheral wall 2b on the back side of the connector housing 2 in which a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 2a are formed. On the inner surface of the cavity 2c, an integral rubber plug 3 having a rib 3a that can be elastically adhered is provided around the outer periphery. The integrated rubber plug 3 is provided with through holes 3b corresponding to the arrangement of the terminal accommodating chambers 2a, and the terminal fittings T attached to the terminals of the electric wires W are inserted into the terminal accommodating chambers 2a through the through holes 3b. At the same time, the inner peripheral portion of the through hole 3b is elastically adhered to the outer periphery of the electric wire W, thereby waterproofing the electric wire W. Further, a rear holder 4 for holding the integrated rubber plug 3 attached to the cavity 2c is attached to the rear end surface of the peripheral wall 2b.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-17507
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the waterproof connector 1 using the integrated rubber plug 3, when the integrated rubber plug 3 is inserted into the cavity 2 c of the connector housing 2 as shown in FIG. It will be in the state pressed by the inner wall part of the cavity part 2c in the diameter reduction direction. Due to this pressing action, the through holes 3b near the outer periphery are in a state where the pitch is shifted inward, and therefore there is a possibility that a deviation occurs between the central axis of the through holes 3b and the central axis of the terminal accommodating chamber 2a. When such a misalignment occurs, when the terminal fitting T is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 2a through the through hole 3b, the tip of the terminal fitting T abuts against the partition wall portion at the entrance of the terminal accommodating chamber 2a and is deformed. There was a risk of it occurring.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and even when a pressing force in the reduced diameter direction acts on the integrated rubber plug as the integrated rubber plug is mounted, the through hole for the terminal accommodating chamber is provided. It is an object of the present invention to be able to minimize the pitch deviation of the central axis.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a main body housing provided with a cavity surrounded by a peripheral wall on the back side of a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers, and the cavity is fitted on the peripheral wall of the cavity of the main body housing. A rear holder that closes the part, and an integrated rubber stopper that protrudes from the inner surface of the rear holder and is pushed into the cavity,
The rear holder and the integrated rubber plug are provided with through holes communicating with the terminal accommodating chamber, and the outer peripheral surface of the integrated rubber plug is provided with a rib, while the insertion side end surface of the integrated rubber plug is provided at the outermost surface. A cut groove is provided between the through hole located on the outer periphery and the outer peripheral surface,
When the rib of the integrated rubber plug is pressed against the peripheral wall of the hollow portion, the pressing force applied to the insertion-side tip of the integrated rubber plug is absorbed by the cut groove, and the integrated rubber plug There is provided a waterproof connector characterized in that a through hole is linearly penetrated from a terminal accommodating chamber without pitch deviation.
[0007]
According to the above configuration, when the integrated rubber plug is pressed into the hollow portion of the main body housing and receives a pressing force in the diameter reducing direction, the groove width of the cut groove provided on the insertion tip surface of the integrated rubber plug is By contracting, the pressing force can be absorbed. For this reason, the influence of the said pressing force with respect to the through-hole arrange | positioned inside the notch groove can be stopped to the minimum, and it can prevent that a pitch shift | offset | difference arises between terminal storage chambers.
[0008]
The cut groove is preferably provided in an annular shape in the integral rubber stopper. In this way, it is possible to evenly reduce the influence of the pressing force on each through-hole disposed at a position close to the outer periphery at the insertion tip of the integral rubber plug. Further, it is possible to prevent the biasing force of the ribs that are in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the cavity from being biased.
[0009]
In addition, the inner housing is accommodated in the hollow portion of the main body housing, and the through hole provided in the inner housing communicates linearly with the terminal accommodating chamber of the main body housing, the integral rubber stopper, and the through hole of the rear holder. You may make it make it. In a connector in which the connector housing is divided into a main body housing and an inner housing due to molding reasons, the terminal fitting is introduced into the terminal housing chamber of the main body housing through a through hole provided in the inner housing. Even in such a case, since the through hole of the inner housing communicates linearly with the terminal accommodating chamber, the integrated rubber stopper and the through hole of the rear holder, the terminal fitting can be inserted smoothly. it can.
[0010]
Further, the terminal fitting connected to the wire end is passed through the rear holder, the integrated rubber stopper and the through hole of the inner housing, and the locked portion of the terminal fitting is engaged with the engaging portion provided in the through hole of the inner housing. It stops, and the front-end | tip part of this terminal metal fitting is accommodated in the terminal storage chamber of a main body housing. As described above, the integrated rubber stopper eliminates the pitch deviation from the terminal accommodating chamber by the cut groove, so that the terminal fitting can be removed from the through hole of the rear holder with the rear holder attached. It can be inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber of the main body housing with good workability through the stopper and the inner housing. The terminal fitting can be securely held and held by the locking portion provided in the inner housing.
[0011]
The integral rubber plug is molded from an elastic elastomer and the rear holder is molded from a rigid synthetic resin. The rear holder and the integral rubber plug are molded in two colors, an elastic resin and a synthetic resin. Thus, it is preferable to provide them integrally. In this way, since it is integrated with the rear holder when molding the integrated rubber plug, it is possible to reduce the labor of assembly and to prevent the pitch deviation of the through holes formed in these, and the terminal fitting through the rear holder It is possible to ensure a proper insertion track of the terminal fitting from the initial insertion stage.
In addition, the integral rubber plug to be projected on the inner surface of the rear holder may be integrated by bonding separately molded ones, or by fitting the concave and convex portions in addition to the two-color molding.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, the waterproof connector 10 of the present invention is an integrated type in which a housing 11 having a two-body structure of a synthetic resin main body housing 12 and an inner housing 13 and a plurality of electric wires W can be inserted all together. A rubber plug 14, a rear holder 15 mounted on the back side of the main body housing 12, and a terminal fitting T that is attached to the end of the electric wire W and accommodated in the main body housing 12.
[0013]
The main body housing 12 includes terminal housing chambers 12a that are provided in a plurality of rows and a plurality of rows penetrating in the front-rear direction, and a tab opened to the front surface for receiving a male tab of a mating connector (not shown) on the front surface side. An insertion port 12b is provided. On the back side of the main body housing 12, the peripheral wall 12 c is integrally extended rearward to form a hollow portion 12 d surrounded by the peripheral wall 12 c, and this hollow portion 12 d is formed by the inner housing 13 and the integrated rubber plug 14. It is a containment section. The hollow portion 12 d communicates with the rear portion of each of the plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 12 a formed in the main body housing 12.
[0014]
The inner housing 13 is fitted into the inner part of the cavity 12d, leaving a space in which the integrated rubber plug 14 can be attached to the rear part of the cavity 12d in the fitted state. The inner housing 13 is formed with through holes 13 a communicating with the respective terminal accommodating chambers 12 a of the main body housing 12, and the inner surface of the through hole 13 a is engaged with the locked portion Ta of the terminal fitting T to be connected to the terminal fitting. A locking portion 13b is formed for retaining and holding T. In FIG. 5, a lance projecting in the form of a cantilever beam toward the insertion direction of the terminal fitting T as the locking portion 13b and a jaw portion at the rear end of the connecting portion of the terminal fitting T as the locked portion Ta are shown. As long as the terminal fitting T can be retained and retained, appropriate locking means such as a locking projection and a locking hole, and a concave and convex portion can be employed.
[0015]
As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the integrated rubber plug 14 is formed in a square plate shape corresponding to the hollow portion 12d by an elastomer having elasticity. A plurality of annular ribs 14a projecting outward are integrally provided on the outer periphery of the integrated rubber plug 14, and when the integrated rubber plug 14 is inserted into the cavity 12d as shown in FIG. The rib 14a is elastically pressed against the inner periphery of the peripheral wall 12c of the hollow portion 12d. In addition, a plurality of through holes 14b penetrating in the front-rear direction corresponding to the arrangement of the through holes 13a of the terminal housing chambers 12a and the inner housing 13 so as to communicate with the terminal housing chambers 12a. Is forming. The inner diameter of the through hole 14b is a diameter capable of elastically adhering to the outer periphery of the electric wire W, and the inner peripheral surface has a shape in which irregularities are continuous.
Furthermore, a cut groove 14c is formed on the insertion side end surface of the integrated rubber plug 14 between the through hole 14b located on the outermost periphery and the outer peripheral surface. is doing. The cut groove 14c has a tapered shape with a substantially V-shaped cross section, and is provided in an annular shape so as to surround the outermost through hole 14b. The insertion-side end face of the integrated rubber plug 14 is pressed by the cut groove 14c in such a manner that the outermost through hole 14b and the outer peripheral face on which the rib 14a is formed are divided, and the annular rib 14a is pressed in the direction of reducing the diameter. The pressing force can be absorbed by the cut groove 14c.
[0016]
As shown in FIGS. 1, 2A, and 2B, the rear holder 15 is formed of a synthetic resin in the same manner as the main body housing 12, and the rear surface of the peripheral wall 12c is closed so as to close the hollow portion 12d of the main body housing 12. It is set as the cap shape which can be externally fitted to a part. As shown in FIG. 3, the outer peripheral portion 15a of the rear holder 15 and the peripheral wall 12c of the main body housing 12 are provided with a lock portion 16 that engages with the concave and convex portions so that the rear holder 15 can be locked and fixed to the peripheral wall 12c. Further, a through hole 15 c into which the terminal fitting T can be inserted is formed in the base portion 15 b of the rear holder 15 corresponding to each through hole 14 b of the integrated rubber plug 14.
[0017]
In the present embodiment, the integral rubber plug 14 made of an elastic resin and the rear holder 15 made of a synthetic resin having rigidity are integrated by two-color molding in a state where the through holes 14b and 15c are in communication with each other. . As a result, the back side of the integrated rubber plug 14 is tightly integrated with the inner surface of the base 15b of the rear holder 15, so that the integrated rubber plug 14 is inserted into the cavity 12d and the outer peripheral rib 14a is pressed inward. Even if it is done, the pitch of the through holes 14b does not shift.
[0018]
Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the main body housing 12 protects the electric wire W led out to the outside through the rear holder 15 from the terminal fitting T inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 12a, and also extends the electric wire W in the lateral direction. It is possible to attach a connector cover 17 for guiding the above.
[0019]
Next, the operation of the waterproof connector 10 having the above configuration will be described.
As shown in FIG. 3, the inner housing 13 is inserted into the hollow portion 12d of the main body housing 12 so that the through hole 13a communicates with the terminal accommodating chamber 12a. Next, the integrated rubber plug 14 integrated with the rear holder 15 is inserted into the cavity portion 12d so that the outer peripheral rib 14a is brought into pressure contact with the inner periphery of the peripheral wall 12c, thereby providing watertightness with the cavity portion 12d. Secure. At this time, the rib 14a of the integral rubber plug 14 is pressed in the direction of diameter reduction from the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall 12c, and accordingly, the through hole 14b located near the outer periphery is shifted in pitch by the influence of the pressing force. It is a situation to do. However, since the cut-out groove 14c is formed in the insertion side end face of the integrated rubber plug 14, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, even if the rib 14a receives a pressing force in the reduced diameter direction. The pressing force can be absorbed by the interval between the cut grooves 14c being reduced. Therefore, there is almost no influence on the through hole 14b located in the vicinity of the outer periphery, and it is possible to prevent a pitch shift from occurring.
[0020]
On the other hand, since the base portion of the integral rubber plug 14 is integrally formed with the rear holder 15, the pitch of the through holes 14b does not occur due to the influence of the pressing force accompanying the diameter reduction of the rib 14a. In this way, at the same time as the insertion of the integrated rubber plug 14 into the hollow portion 12 d is completed, the outer peripheral portion 15 a of the rear holder 15 is externally fitted to the peripheral wall 12 c and is latched and held by the lock portion 16. Thereby, from the rear holder 15 to the terminal accommodating chamber 12a, the insertion path of the terminal fitting T communicates linearly through the through holes 15c, 14b, and 13a.
[0021]
Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the terminal fitting T of the electric wire W terminal is inserted from the through hole 15 c of the rear holder 15. Then, the terminal fitting T is inserted while expanding the through hole 14b of the integrated rubber plug 14, and is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 12a through the through hole 13a of the inner housing 13. When inserting the terminal fitting T, the through holes 13a, 14b, and 15c reaching the terminal accommodating chamber 12a communicate with each other in a straight line without shifting the pitch, so that the insertion operation of the terminal fitting T can be performed smoothly. it can. And when it inserts to a fixed position, while the latching | locking part 13b of the inner housing 13 engages with the to-be-latched part Ta of the terminal metal fitting T, while the terminal metal fitting T is hold | maintained in the retaining state, the electric wire W is The through-hole 14b is held in a watertight state by the elastic pressure in the direction of diameter reduction. Furthermore, if necessary, the electric wire W led out from the main body housing 12 can be protected, and a connector cover 17 for guiding the electric wire W in the lateral direction can be covered and fixed from the back side.
[0022]
In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the housing 11 has a two-body structure of the main body housing 12 and the inner housing 13 is shown, but the present invention can be similarly applied to a housing in which both are integrated. Moreover, although the example in which the cut groove 14c formed on the insertion end face of the integrated rubber plug 14 is formed in a continuous annular shape has been shown, it may be an intermittent cut groove 14c. Further, although the example in which the integrated rubber plug 14 and the rear holder 15 are integrated by two-color molding has been shown, they may be integrated by adhesion and uneven fitting. Moreover, although the example of the female connector which used the female terminal as the terminal metal fitting T was shown, it can apply similarly to the male connector using a male terminal.
[0023]
【The invention's effect】
As is clear from the above description, in the present invention, a cut groove is provided between the through hole located on the outermost periphery on the insertion side end surface of the integrated rubber stopper and the outer peripheral surface. The pressing force applied to the outer periphery of the integral rubber plug when the body rubber plug is inserted can be absorbed. Therefore, there is no pitch shift in the arrangement of the through holes of the integrated rubber plug, and the terminal fitting can be smoothly inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber through the integrated rubber plug.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an exploded cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a waterproof connector of the present invention.
2A is a front view of an integrated rubber stopper and a rear holder, and FIG. 2B is a sectional view taken along line XX.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an assembled state of a main body housing, an inner housing, an integrated rubber stopper, and a rear holder.
4A is a cross-sectional view of the main part in the middle of inserting the integrated rubber plug into the cavity of the main body housing, and FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view of the main part in a completely inserted state.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a terminal fitting is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber.
6A is a cross-sectional view of a conventional example, and FIG. 6B is a schematic cross-sectional view of a problem of the conventional example.
[Explanation of symbols]
T terminal metal fitting Ta locked part W electric wire 10 waterproof connector 12 main body housing 12a terminal accommodating chamber 12c peripheral wall 12d hollow part 13 inner housing 13a through hole 13b locking part 14 integral rubber plug 14a rib 14b through hole 14c cut groove 15 Rear holder 15c Through hole

Claims (5)

A main body housing provided with a cavity surrounded by a peripheral wall on the back side of the plurality of terminal accommodating chambers; a rear holder that is externally fitted to the peripheral wall of the cavity of the main body housing to close the cavity; and An integrated rubber plug that protrudes on the inner surface side and is pushed into the cavity,
The rear holder and the integrated rubber plug are provided with through holes communicating with the terminal accommodating chamber, and the outer peripheral surface of the integrated rubber plug is provided with a rib, while the insertion side end surface of the integrated rubber plug is provided at the outermost surface. A cut groove is provided between the through hole located on the outer periphery and the outer peripheral surface,
When the rib of the integrated rubber plug is pressed against the peripheral wall of the hollow portion, the pressing force applied to the insertion-side tip of the integrated rubber plug is absorbed by the cut groove, and the integrated rubber plug A waterproof connector characterized in that a through hole is linearly penetrated from a terminal accommodating chamber without pitch deviation. The waterproof connector according to claim 1, wherein the cut groove is annularly provided in the integral rubber stopper. The inner housing is accommodated in the hollow portion of the main body housing, and the through hole provided in the inner housing is linearly communicated with the terminal accommodating chamber of the main body housing, the integral rubber stopper, and the through hole of the rear holder. The waterproof connector according to claim 1 or 2. Pass the terminal fitting connected to the wire end through the rear holder, the integrated rubber stopper and the through hole of the inner housing, and lock the locked portion of the terminal fitting with the locking portion provided in the through hole of the inner housing. The waterproof connector according to claim 3, wherein a distal end portion of the terminal fitting is accommodated in a terminal accommodating chamber of the main body housing. The integral rubber plug is molded from an elastic elastomer and the rear holder is molded from a rigid synthetic resin. The rear holder and the integral rubber plug are molded in two colors, an elastic resin and a synthetic resin. The waterproof connector according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the waterproof connector is integrally provided.

Images