JP5737140B2 - Seal member and waterproof connector - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a seal member and a waterproof connector.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a conventional sealing member and waterproof connector. The waterproof connector includes a connector housing having a plurality of cavities into which terminal fittings are inserted. The seal member is assembled to the rear end portion of the connector housing, and has a plurality of seal holes at positions communicating with the cavities.

  In addition, a plurality of inner peripheral lips are formed on the inner peripheral surface of each seal hole at intervals in the front-rear direction. Each inner peripheral lip is configured to go around the inner peripheral surface of the seal hole and is arranged in parallel in the front-rear direction. When the terminal fitting is inserted into the cavity from the seal hole, the electric wire is inserted into the seal hole, and each inner peripheral lip is brought into elastic contact with the outer peripheral surface of the electric wire so that the seal around the electric wire is taken. ing.

JP 2010-140876 A

  By the way, in the above case, the outer surface of each inner peripheral lip may be damaged due to the interference with the terminal fitting in the process of the terminal fitting passing through the seal hole. If it does so, there exists a concern that a sealing member cannot ensure predetermined waterproofness.

  This invention is completed based on the above situations, Comprising: It aims at providing the sealing member and waterproof connector which can ensure predetermined waterproofness.

As means for achieving the above object, the invention of claim 1 has a seal hole into which an electric wire connected to the terminal fitting is inserted after the terminal fitting passes, and is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the seal hole. Is formed where a mesh-like lip that adheres to the outer peripheral surface of the electric wire after interfering with the terminal fitting in the process of passing through the seal hole is formed, and a number of ridges are partitioned by the mesh-like lip. Has characteristics.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the lip intersects the first lip and a plurality of first lips parallel to each other extending obliquely with respect to the insertion direction of the electric wire. It is characterized by comprising a plurality of parallel second lips extending obliquely with respect to the direction of insertion of the electric wire.

  The invention of claim 3 is characterized in that, in the invention of claim 1 or 2, the lip is formed over the entire inner peripheral surface of the seal hole.

  The invention of claim 4 is a waterproof connector, wherein the seal member according to any one of claims 1 to 3 is assembled, and a connector housing having a cavity is provided at a position communicating with the seal hole. Have

<Invention of Claims 1 and 4>
When the electric wire is inserted into the seal hole of the seal member, the mesh-shaped lip is brought into close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the electric wire, so that the contact area between the electric wire and the lip is increased as compared with the conventional case. Therefore, even if a part of the lip is damaged due to the passage of the terminal fitting, the predetermined waterproofness of the seal member is ensured by the other part of the lip that is not damaged. In addition, since a large number of ridges are defined by a mesh-like lip on the inner peripheral surface of the seal hole, even if water enters the seal hole, the water is captured by the ridge so that the terminal fitting Water is prevented from adhering to the side.

<Invention of Claim 2>
The lip is composed of a plurality of first and second lips that intersect with each other, and each of the first and second lips extends obliquely with respect to the insertion direction of the electric wire. A hook for the electric wire is formed by the lip, and the holding reliability of the seal member for the electric wire is ensured.

<Invention of Claim 3>
Since the lip is formed over the entire inner peripheral surface of the seal hole, the waterproof property is further improved.

It is a perspective view of the seal member concerning Embodiment 1 of the present invention. It is sectional drawing of a sealing member. It is an expanded view of the internal peripheral surface of the seal hole in a seal member. It is sectional drawing of a waterproof connector.

<Embodiment 1>
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 4 shows the waterproof connector 10 according to the first embodiment. The waterproof connector 10 includes a connector housing 20. The connector housing 20 is made of synthetic resin, has a block shape as a whole, and has a plurality of cavities 21 inside. Each cavity 21 is arranged in two rows in the height direction and in a plurality of rows in the width direction. On the inner surface of each cavity 21, a bendable lance 22 is formed so as to protrude. A terminal fitting 30 is inserted into each cavity 21 from the rear.

  The terminal fitting 30 is integrally formed by bending a conductive metal plate or the like, and has a box-shaped main body portion 31 and an open barrel-shaped barrel portion 32 connected to the rear of the main body portion 31. The main body portion 31 is electrically connected to a mating terminal fitting (not shown) along with the connector fitting, and the barrel portion 32 is connected to the terminal portion of the electric wire 90 by crimping. When the terminal fitting 30 is properly inserted into the cavity 21, the main body 31 is elastically locked to the lance 22, whereby the terminal fitting 30 is prevented from coming off into the cavity 21.

  A housing recess 23 is formed in the rear end surface of the connector housing 20 so as to open. A seal member 60 is assembled from the rear in the housing recess 23, and a holder 80 that prevents the seal member 60 from being detached is assembled. The holder 80 has a housing locking portion 81, and the housing locking portion 81 is held by the connector housing 20 by elastically locking the locking receiving portion 24 formed in the connector housing 20. It has become. Moreover, the holder 80 has a plurality of wire insertion holes 82 into which the wires 90 are inserted in a loosely fitted state at positions where they communicate with the cavities 21 of the connector housing 20.

  The seal member 60 is disposed so as to be sandwiched between the connector housing 20 and the holder 80 in the front-rear direction. Specifically, the seal member 60 is made of rubber such as silicon rubber, and has a mat-like seal body 61 having a predetermined thickness in the front-rear direction, as shown in FIGS. On the outer peripheral surface of the seal body 61, a plurality of outer peripheral lips 62 are formed side by side in the front-rear direction. Each outer peripheral lip 62 is configured to circulate around the outer peripheral surface of the seal main body 61, and is disposed separately from each other with the valley 63 interposed therebetween. When the seal member 60 is assembled in the housing recess 23, the outer peripheral lips 62 are elastically adhered to the inner peripheral surface of the housing recess 23, whereby the inside of the connector housing 20 is sealed in a liquid-tight manner. .

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of seal holes 64 are formed in the seal member 60 at positions that communicate with the cavities 21 and the wire insertion holes 82. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each seal hole 64 has a circular cross section and is configured to penetrate in the front-rear direction.

  Now, on the inner circumferential surface of each seal hole 64 in the seal member 60, a lip 65 having a knurled mesh shape is formed. As shown in FIG. 2, the lip 65 extends linearly obliquely upward with respect to the insertion direction A of the electric wire 90 and is parallel to each other, and the electric wires 90 crossing the first lips 66. And a plurality of second lips 67 extending in a straight line obliquely downward with respect to the insertion direction A and parallel to each other. Each of the first and second lips 66 and 67 is stretched around the entire inner peripheral surface of the seal hole 64 in a lattice shape, and its end faces both the front and rear ends of the seal body 61. Each of the first and second lips 66 and 67 has the same protruding dimension, and the protruding end portion is rounded.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the first and second lips 66 and 67 are connected to each other via a plurality of intersections 68 that intersect each other during the extension. In addition, on the inner peripheral surface of each seal hole 64 in the seal member 60, a large number of ridges 69 are defined by the first and second lips 66 and 67 that intersect at each intersection 68. The rods 69 have the same shape and the same size, each having a quadrangular shape, specifically a parallelogram shape, more specifically a rhombus shape, and are arranged in alignment in the front-rear direction and the circumferential direction.

The above is the structure of the first embodiment. Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described.
A seal member 60 is inserted into the housing recess 23 of the connector housing 20 from the rear, and a holder 80 is further inserted and attached. Subsequently, the terminal fitting 30 connected to the terminal portion of the electric wire 90 is inserted into the cavity 21 of the connector housing 20. The terminal fitting 30 is inserted into the cavity 21 from the wire insertion hole 82 through the seal hole 64. When the terminal fitting 30 is properly inserted into the cavity 21, the terminal fitting 30 is prevented from coming off by the locking action of the lance 22, and the lip 65 of the seal hole 64 is elastically adhered to the outer peripheral surface of the electric wire 90. A seal around the wire 90 is taken (see FIG. 4).

  By the way, in the process in which the terminal fitting 30 passes through the seal hole 64, the main body portion 31 interferes with the lip 65, so that the lip 65 may be damaged. However, in the case of the first embodiment, since the lip 65 is stretched over the entire inner peripheral surface of the seal hole 64, even if a part of the lip 65 is damaged, Appropriate waterproofness for the electric wire 90 can be secured. Even if water enters the seal hole 64, the intruded water is captured in the tub 69, thereby causing the barrel portion 32 (the connection portion between the terminal fitting 30 and the electric wire 90) in the cavity 21. Water is prevented from adhering to the surface.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment, when the electric wire 90 is inserted into the seal hole 64 of the seal member 60, the mesh-like lip 65 is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the electric wire 90. The contact area with the lip increases more than the conventional lip, and a predetermined waterproof property can be secured.

  In addition, the lip 65 includes a plurality of first and second lips 66 and 67 intersecting each other, and each of the first and second lips 66 and 67 extends obliquely with respect to the insertion direction A of the electric wire 90. Therefore, the first and second lips 66 and 67 form a hook with respect to the electric wire 90, and the holding reliability of the seal member 60 with respect to the electric wire 90 is ensured. Furthermore, since the lip 65 is formed over the entire inner peripheral surface of the seal hole 64, the waterproof property is further improved.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the above description and drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.
(1) The lip may be formed in a curved shape.
(2) Either one of the first and second lips may extend in the insertion direction of the electric wire.
(3) Although the metal mold | die which shape | molds a lip is generally shape | molded by electrical discharge machining, a lip may be shape | molded by mechanical means, such as a drill, and utilization of a chemical | drug | medicine.
(4) The mesh pattern of the lip may be partially cut.
(5) The collar may be a polygon other than the above, such as a triangle, or may be a circle, such as a circle.
(6) The terminal fitting may be a male terminal fitting having a male tab protruding.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Waterproof connector 20 ... Connector housing 21 ... Cavity 30 ... Terminal metal fitting 60 ... Sealing member 64 ... Seal hole 65 ... Lip 66 ... 1st lip 67 ... 2nd lip 69 ... 枡 90 ... Electric wire A ... Electric wire insertion direction

Claims (4)

A seal hole into which an electric wire connected to the terminal metal fitting is inserted after the terminal metal fitting has passed, and the inner peripheral surface of the seal hole after interfering with the terminal metal fitting in the process of passing through the seal hole A sealing member characterized in that a mesh-like lip that is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of an electric wire is formed, and a number of wrinkles are defined by the mesh-like lip.   The lips include a plurality of first lips parallel to each other that extend obliquely with respect to the insertion direction of the electric wire, and a plurality of first lips that extend obliquely with respect to the insertion direction of the electric wire while intersecting the first lip The sealing member according to claim 1, comprising two lips.   The seal member according to claim 1, wherein the lip is formed over the entire inner peripheral surface of the seal hole.   A waterproof connector comprising: a connector housing having a cavity at a position where the seal member according to claim 1 is assembled and communicating with the seal hole.

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