JP5952871B2 - Automotive wire connector - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a face seal packing used for an automobile electric wire connector, and more particularly to a face seal packing having improved detachability during maintenance.

Conventionally, various waterproof connectors in which a waterproof seal is applied to an automobile wire connector are known (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).
Here, the waterproof connector of the type which presses the face seal packing provided in the shield shell of the electric wire connector for automobiles against the mating member is targeted.
<Role of face seal packing in automotive wire connectors>
First, the position of the face seal packing to which the present invention is applied is located on the electric wire connector for automobiles and what is used for it will be described.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view (a) and a cross-sectional view (b) of an example of an automobile electric wire connector according to the prior invention of the present applicant.
In FIG. 4, 100 is a wire connector for automobiles according to the present invention, and female terminals C1 and C2 (FIG. 4B) are connected to the tip of the wire W by caulking. The tip of the electric wire W and the female terminal are housed and fixed in the housing 80. An opening for receiving the electric wire is formed in the upper part of the housing 80, and an opening in which the male terminal is inserted from below is formed in the lower part of the housing 80. The vicinity of the bent portion of the electric wire W is covered with a rubber boot 20 to be waterproof. Further, the bent portion is surrounded by the protector 10 from above, and the flange 10F of the protector 10 and the flange 50F of the aluminum shield shell 50 are fastened with bolts B. The reaction force of the bent part is suppressed.
In addition, there are a braid 30, a shield ring 40, an aluminum shield shell 50, a rear holder 60, a rubber plug 70, and a face seal packing 92, which are difficult to understand in FIG. 4, and will be described using the exploded perspective view of FIG. 5.

<Description of each part of automotive wire connector>
FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the connector of FIG. In FIG. 5, 100 is a wire connector for automobiles, 10 is a protector, 20 is a rubber boot, 30 is a braid, 40 is a shield ring covering the rubber plug 70, 50 is a shield shell made of aluminum to block electromagnetic waves, 60 is a rear holder for supporting and fixing the electric wire W in the housing 78, 70 is a rubber plug, 80 is a housing accommodated in the aluminum shield shell 50, and 92 is a face seal packing. W is an electric wire, and C is a female terminal connected to the tip of the electric wire W.

Next, the configuration and function of these components will be briefly described.
<Configuration and function of protector 10>
The protector 10 is for covering the portion where the electric wire W is bent at a right angle to hold the L-shaped bent shape of the electric wire W.

<Configuration and function of rubber boot 20>
This is to prevent rainwater and the like from entering the gap between the internal iron band 40 and the aluminum shield shell 50 through the electric wire W and damaging the iron band 40 and the like.

<Configuration and function of braid 30>
The braid 30 is a cylindrical member in which a copper wire is woven in a mesh shape, and thus the electromagnetic wave is shielded by widely covering the vicinity of the tip of the electric wire W.

<Configuration and function of shield ring 40>
The shield ring 40 is a thin plate-like band made of iron that holds the braid 30 to the aluminum shield shell 50.

<Configuration and function of aluminum shield shell 50>
The aluminum shield shell 50 is an aluminum cap that covers the entire upper portion of the housing 80 to shield electromagnetic waves.

<Configuration and function of rear holder 60>
The rear holder 60 has a shape of approximately 8 provided with two holes through which the two electric wires W pass, and the two electric wires W are respectively passed through the through holes and fixed to the inlet side in the housing 80. Thus, the electric wire W is fixed to the inlet side in the housing 80.

<Configuration and function of rubber plug 70>
The rubber plug 70 is an alternative to conventional potting, and is a donut-shaped rubber part provided with a hole through which the electric wire W passes in the center. By arranging this in parallel with the rear holder 60 inside the rear holder 60, intrusion of rainwater or the like is prevented here, and it does not reach the electric wire or the female terminal.

<Configuration and function of housing 80>
The housing 80 is a resin part including a cylindrical portion made up of an upper portion 81 and a lower portion 82 and a flange 80F formed at the outer center of the cylindrical portion. An opening for receiving an electric wire is formed in the upper part 81 of the housing 80, and an opening for inserting a male terminal from below is formed in the lower part 82 of the housing 80.

<Configuration and function of face seal packing 92>
The face seal packing 92 is an annular packing that is laid in a 360-degree annular groove formed on the back side of the flange 80F of the housing 80, that is, on the aluminum die cast side for installing the connector. This prevents entry into the terminals in the housing. The present invention relates to this improvement.

JP 2002-141137 A JP 2001-267000 A

<Problems of face seal packing 92>
FIG. 6 is a view for explaining the face seal packing 92, and is a cross-sectional view enlarging the shield shell, the housing, and the face seal packing portion of the automobile electric wire connector. FIG. b) is a view after laying.
In FIG. 6, 50 is an aluminum shield shell, 80F is a housing flange, and 92 is a face seal packing which is a problem in the present invention. Reference numeral 200 denotes an attachment counterpart member to which the face seal packing 92 is pressed, and is a metal die cast (aluminum die cast) using metal (aluminum) for noise prevention. The face seal packing 92 is pressed against the aluminum die cast 200 by the upper aluminum shield shell 50 and the housing flange 80F, so that water from the outside enters through the gap between the housing flange 80F and the aluminum die cast 200. The face seal packing 92 prevents it.

《Cause of aluminum die-cast nest》
However, the aluminum die cast 200 is formed by machining a cast and forming a surface by milling. However, it is inevitable that aluminum die cast has many nests (air bubbles) inside. The number of burrows can be reduced by the management of burrows, but the cost is increased. Therefore, when standard die casting is used, a large number of burrows may be unevenly connected continuously. In that case, when it generate | occur | produces on the aluminum die-casting surface, a bypass channel may be made inside. If a bypass passage is formed at both ends of the installation surface of the face seal packing 92, rainwater or the like outside the packing will enter the inside of the packing, that is, the connector even if sealing is performed with the face seal packing 92. .

<< Description of bypass passage etc. in Fig. 6 >>
In FIG. 6A, innumerable large and small circles 20H in the aluminum die-cast 200 represent one of the cast holes. When such a die cast is cut to a desired size, a nest may appear on the surface of the face seal packing 92 in the aluminum die cast 200 as shown in FIG. When the face seal packing 92 is pressed against the aluminum die-cast 200 having such a nest by the housing 82 and the shield shell 52, the face seal packing 92 is sealed as shown in FIG. The nest 20H1->20H2->20H3->20H4->20H5-> 20H6 of the aluminum die-cast 200 may happen to enter the inside of the connector with rainwater or the like as a bypass.

<Solution for face seal packing 92>
It is difficult to eliminate the nest from the aluminum die cast, but the pitch of the nest can be changed by burrow management. As a result of an experiment of the width of the installation surface with respect to the pitch of the nest formed by the burrow management, it was found that if the installation width of the packing is sufficiently wide, there is no problem even if there are many burrows at that pitch. FIG. 7 shows a face seal packing 91 that solves the problem of such a die-cast aluminum die cast 200. (A) is a figure before laying face seal packing 91, (b) is a figure after laying.
In FIG. 7, 50 is a shield shell made of aluminum, 80F is a flange of the housing, and 91 is a face seal packing that solves the problem. The surface seal packing 91 is different from the surface seal packing 92 in the length of the installation surface. 7 is characterized in that the installation surface of the face seal packing 91 is larger than the installation surface of the face seal packing 92 of FIG. Reference numeral 200 denotes an aluminum die-cast 200 having a nest to which the face seal packing 93 is pressed, which is the same as that in FIG. When the face seal packing 91 having a larger installation surface than the face seal packing 92 is pressed against the aluminum die cast 200, the nest 20H1 → 20H2 → 20H3 → 20H4 → 20H5 → 20H6 of the aluminum die cast 200 is wide even if there is a nest. Since it cannot pass under the face seal packing 93 to the inside of the packing and the nest continuation is interrupted on the way, sealing performance is ensured. Since the width of the installation surface of the face seal packing 91 can be easily calculated from the probability that the nests generated in the casting are continuously connected, the surface seal packing 91 having an installation surface wider than that value may be used. .
Thus, the problem of sealing performance was solved by using the face seal packing 91 having a wide installation surface for the aluminum die-cast 200 having a nest.

<New problems found in face seal packing 91>
However, a new problem was found while experimenting and verifying the face seal packing 91 having such a wide installation surface. That is, when the installation width of the face seal packing 91 is sufficiently increased, the face seal packing 91 becomes the mating member of aluminum die cast under high heat and strong pressing force when used for a long time after being incorporated in the connector. As a result, the surface seal packing 91 cannot be peeled off from the aluminum die cast 200 during maintenance.

  The present invention has been made to solve such drawbacks, and provides a face seal packing which can prevent air leakage even when used in a die-cast aluminum die and does not cause “sticking” to a mating member. For the purpose.

In order to solve such drawbacks, the first invention of the present application is directed to an electric wire, a terminal crimped to the tip of the wire, a housing surrounding the tip and the terminal of the wire, and an aluminum shield shell covering the housing And an automotive wire connector comprising: an annular face seal packing laid in an annular groove formed on a surface of the housing that contacts the mating member of the flange;
The annular face seal packing is
At the time of non-compression, it has a cross-sectional shape in which two bumps are formed on the first surface accommodated in the flange, and comes into contact with a mating member formed by aluminum die casting opposite to the first surface. Having a continuous annular groove in the longitudinal center of the second surface;
The annular groove is
When the surface seal packing is used, the surface seal packing is crushed and an installation surface which is a surface in contact with the mating member of the second surface is expanded, so that an air layer closed inside the annular groove It blocked by so as to form a
It is characterized by that.

  As described above, the annular groove continuous in the center in the length direction is formed in the annular face seal packing, so that the release property is improved by the heat insulating action of the air layer accumulated in the groove and the reducing action of the pressing force by the groove. I was able to.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a figure showing the electric wire connector for motor vehicles based on this invention, (a) is a perspective view, (b) is the longitudinal cross-sectional view cut | disconnected in the axial direction. It is a figure explaining the face seal packing which concerns on this invention, (a) is the top view which looked at the face seal packing from the side which contact | connects aluminum die-casting, (b) is the AA arrow line view of Fig.2 (a), (C) is a BB arrow line view of Drawing 2 (a), and (d) is a perspective view which looked at the face seal packing of Drawing 2 (a) from the side which touches aluminum die-casting. It is sectional drawing to which the site | part of the shield shell of FIG. 1, a housing, and face seal packing was expanded, (a) is before laying face seal packing, (b) is the figure after laying. 1 is a perspective view (a) and a cross-sectional view (b) of an example of a waterproof automobile wire connector according to the applicant's prior invention. It is a disassembled perspective view of the connector of FIG. 4A and 4B are diagrams for explaining the problematic face seal packing 92 in FIG. 4, in which FIG. 4A is a view before laying the face seal packing, and FIG. It is a figure which shows the face seal packing 91 which solved the problem of the face seal packing 92 of FIG. 6, (a) is before laying, (b) is the figure after laying.

  The face seal packing of the present invention, which can prevent air leakage even when used for aluminum die casting with a nest and does not cause “sticking” to the mating member, will be described with reference to the drawings.

<Automotive Wire Connector According to the Present Invention>
FIG. 1 is a perspective view (a) and a cross-sectional view (b) of an example of an automobile electric wire connector according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, 100 is an automotive electric wire connector according to the present invention, and female terminals C1 and C2 (FIG. 4 (b)) are connected to the end of an electric wire W by caulking. The tip of the electric wire W and the female terminal are housed and fixed in the housing 80. An opening for receiving the electric wire is formed in the upper part of the housing 80, and an opening in which the male terminal is inserted from below is formed in the lower part of the housing 80. The vicinity of the bent portion of the electric wire W is covered with a rubber boot 20 to be waterproof. Further, the bent portion is surrounded by the protector 10 from above, and the flange 10F of the protector 10 and the flange 50F of the aluminum shield shell 50 are fastened with bolts B. The reaction force of the bent part is suppressed.
The face seal packing 90 according to the present invention is laid in an annular groove on the back side of the flange 80F of the housing 80. This face seal packing 90 prevents (a) rainwater from the outside from entering the terminals in the housing, and (b) even if maintenance is performed after a long period of use, the face seal packing 90 is the counterpart. It will not stick to the member. The shape and function of the face seal packing 90 will be described with reference to FIG.

<Shape of face seal packing 90>
In FIG. 2, the face seal packing 90 according to the present invention is a closed ring-shaped (rounded rectangular shape in the figure) rubber packing, and a ring groove 90K continuous in the length direction is formed in the center on the surface in contact with the aluminum die cast. It is characterized by being formed.
Further, the opposite surface of the housing 80 accommodated in the flange 80F of the housing 80 is formed with two humps 90Y1 and 90Y2 in an annular shape continuously in the length direction. On the inner peripheral side and the outer peripheral side of the face seal packing 90, there are formed a plurality of fixing pieces (two in the drawing, respectively) that are housed and fixed in the housing 80.

<Function of face seal packing 90>
In FIG. 3, 50 is an aluminum shield shell, 80 is a housing, and 90 is a face seal packing according to the present invention. Reference numeral 200 denotes an aluminum die cast which is a mating member against which the face seal packing 90 is pressed. The aluminum shield shell 50, the housing 80, and the aluminum die cast 200 are the same as those in FIG. Further, the width of the installation surface of the face seal packing 90 according to the present invention is the same as that of the face seal packing 91 of FIG. 7, and the difference is the length on the surface of the face seal packing 90 that contacts the aluminum die cast. This is because the annular groove 90K continuous in the direction is formed at the center (the face seal packing 91 has no annular groove 90K).

<Ensuring sealing performance>
When the surface seal packing 90 having a wide installation surface is pressed against the aluminum die cast 200 by the housing 80 and the aluminum shield shell 50, the surface seal packing 90 is crushed and the installation surface is slightly expanded as shown in FIG. The annular groove 90K is closed, and even if there is a nest 20H1 → 20H2 → 20H3 → 20H4 → 20H5 → 20H6 in the aluminum die cast 200, the nest continuation is interrupted under the face seal packing 90 with a wide installation surface. As a result, the same sealing performance as that in FIG. 7 is secured.

<Elimination of sticking>
On the other hand, even if the installation surface of the face seal packing 90 is increased, air accumulates in the central annular groove 90K, and this portion relaxes overheating. Therefore, the central portion does not become hot, and the central annular groove even under strong pressing force. The pressing force is alleviated by the groove 90K, and the face seal packing 90 does not stick to the mating member aluminum die cast 200.

《Other unexpected effects》
In addition, even when the face seal packing 90 was manufactured, there was an effect that the releasability was improved because of the central annular groove 90K.

  As described above, the annular groove continuous in the center in the length direction is formed in the annular face seal packing, so that the release property is improved by the heat insulating action of the air layer accumulated in the groove and the reducing action of the pressing force by the groove. I was able to.

100 Automotive Wire Connector 10 According to the Present Invention Protector 20 Rubber Boot 30 Braid 40 Shield Ring 50 Aluminum Shield Shell 50F Flange 60 Rear Holder 70 Rubber Plug 80 Housing 80F Flange 90 Face Seal Packing 90K Central Annular Groove 200 Aluminum Die Cast 20H1-20H6 Consecutive nest W Electric wire C1, C2 Female terminal

Claims (1)

An electric wire, a terminal crimped to the tip of the electric wire, a housing surrounding the tip and the terminal of the electric wire, an aluminum shield shell covering the housing, and a surface in contact with a mating member of the flange of the housing An automotive wire connector comprising an annular face seal packing laid in the formed annular groove,
The annular face seal packing is
At the time of non-compression, it has a cross-sectional shape in which two bumps are formed on the first surface accommodated in the flange, and comes into contact with a mating member formed by aluminum die casting opposite to the first surface. Having a continuous annular groove in the longitudinal center of the second surface;
The annular groove is
When the surface seal packing is used, the surface seal packing is crushed and an installation surface which is a surface in contact with the mating member of the second surface is expanded, so that an air layer closed inside the annular groove It blocked by so as to form a
Wire connector for automobiles.

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