JPH0945426A - Waterproof connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate attaching to and detaching from the housings of a waterproof connector mutually. SOLUTION: The inner end opening 51a side of a tube 51 having a hollow hole 51b is fixed to a core wire fixing portion 52a of a connection terminal 52, a seal member 53 fitted on the tube 51 is fixed to a coat fixing portion 52b, and a notch hole 51c is formed in the tube 51 between the core wire fixing portion 52a and the coat fixing portion 52b. The connection terminal 52 having the tube 51 is interposed into one of the terminal containing holes of a male housing provided with plural terminal containing holes, the terminal containing hole is sealed by the seal member 53 fitted on the tube 51, and an outer end opening 51d of the tube 51 is disposed at a place having no moisture content. In the case of attaching to and detaching from the housings mutually, their inside air flows via the tube 51 so that no significant increase nor decrease of inside pressure is allowed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a waterproof connector suitable for use in, for example, electric wiring of automobiles and particularly suitable for a multi-pole type having a large number of connection terminals.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As one of the conventional waterproof connectors of this type, for example, one shown in a partially cutaway plan view of FIG. 4 is known, and a first housing 1 and a second housing 2 are known.
Are joined in a sealed state. First
The housing 1 has, for example, terminal receiving holes 3 having different inner diameters.
a and 3b are formed, and the second housing 2 is formed with terminal accommodating holes 4a and 4b corresponding to the terminal accommodating holes 3a and 3b of the first housing 1. For example, the terminal accommodating holes 3a and 4a on the small diameter side accommodate the connection terminals 7 and 8 having the electric wires 5 and 6 fixed to the rear portions thereof, respectively.
The rear portions of a and 4a are sealed by wire seals 9 and 10 fitted to the electric wires 5 and 6, respectively. Then, the terminal accommodating holes 3b, 4b on the large diameter side are provided with the pin-shaped seal 1
They are sealed by 1 and 12, respectively.

On the other hand, the first housing 1 is formed with an inner cylinder portion 13 and an outer cylinder portion 14 on the coupling side with the second housing 2, and between the inner cylinder portion 13 and the outer cylinder portion 14. Ring space 1
5, a packing 16 and a pressing ring 17 for the packing 16 are fitted to the inner cylindrical portion 13. In addition, the second housing 2
A fitting hole 18 into which the inner tubular portion 13 in which the packing 16 and the pressing ring 17 are fitted is fitted, and a tubular portion 19 into which the space 15 of the first housing 1 is fitted are formed in the. Then, the first housing 1 is provided with a lever 2 that utilizes a lever force for mechanically coupling with the second housing 2.
0 is provided.

When the two housings 1 and 2 are joined together, the inner cylinder portion 13 in which the packing 16 and the pressing ring 17 are fitted is fitted into the fitting hole 18, and the lever 20 is rotated. Also,
When the two housings 1 and 2 are to be separated, the lever 20 is rotated in the opposite direction to the coupling.

[0005]

In the above-mentioned conventional example, when the two housings 1 and 2 are combined to connect them, the terminal receiving holes 3a and 4a and the terminal receiving holes 3b and 4b become the wire seals 9 and 10, respectively. The pin-shaped seals 11 and 12 are hermetically sealed, and the combined portion of the housings 1 and 2 is hermetically sealed by the packing 16 and the pressing ring 17. For this reason, particularly in a large-sized multi-pole connector, when the housings 1 and 2 are joined, the air inside them is compressed and the pressure increases significantly, and even if the lever 20 is used, the housings 1 and 2 can be smoothly moved. There is a problem in that it is not possible to bond to, and even if it is, it is not possible to clearly give the feeling of being bonded. Further, when the housings 1 and 2 that have already been joined are separated, a large pressure drop occurs inside them, and even if the lever 20 is used,
There is a problem that 2 cannot be easily removed.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide a waterproof connector capable of easily inserting and removing both housings.

[0007]

A waterproof connector according to the present invention for achieving the above object comprises a pair of housings for accommodating connection terminals and fitting with each other. In the waterproof connector for sealing the above, at least one of the housings is provided with a flexible ventilation tube for ventilating the sealed inside with the outside air.

In the waterproof connector having the above-mentioned structure, when the housings are inserted into and removed from the housings, air circulates inside the sealed interiors of the housings through the ventilation tube, so that the pressure inside the housings greatly increases and decreases. There is nothing to do.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention will be described in detail with reference to the embodiments shown in FIGS. Figure 1 shows a male housing 2
1 and female housing 22 are packing 23 and retaining ring 24
It is a partial cutaway plan view showing a state of being coupled via
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the male housing 21. The male housing 21 is formed with an inner tubular portion 31 and an outer tubular portion 32 on the side of coupling with the female housing 22, and an annular space 33 is provided between the inner tubular portion 31 and the outer tubular portion 32. Has been. Inside the male housing 21, a plurality of terminal accommodating holes 34a, 34b having different inner diameters are formed. For example, a female terminal 36 having an electric wire 35 connected to the rear portion is accommodated in the terminal accommodating hole 34a on the smaller diameter side. The female terminal 36 is locked by a locking lance 37a to prevent the female terminal 36 from coming out backward.
The locking lance 37a is pressed by the holder 38 to reinforce the locking force. The rear portion of the terminal accommodating hole 34a is provided with the electric wire 3
The seal member 39 fitted to the connector 5 and fixed to the connection terminal 36
Sealed. The male housing 21 is provided with a rotatable lever 40, and the male housing 2
The reference numeral 1 indicates that the female housing 22 on the mating side and the lever 40 can be connected by the lever force.

On the other hand, in the female housing 22, a fitting hole 41 into which the inner tubular portion 31 of the male housing 21 fits together with the pressing ring 24, and a tubular portion 42 into which the space 33 of the male housing 21 is fitted. Is provided. Inside the female housing 22, terminal accommodating holes 43a, 43b having different inner diameters are formed at positions corresponding to the terminal accommodating holes 34a, 34b of the male housing 21. A male terminal 45 with an electric wire 44 connected to the mating female terminal 36 is accommodated in the small-diameter side terminal accommodating hole 43a, and the male terminal 45 is prevented from coming out backward by the locking lance 46a and the holder 47. ing. The rear portion of the terminal accommodating hole 43a is sealed by the seal member 48 fitted to the electric wire 44 and fixed to the connection terminal 45, and the terminal accommodating hole 43b in which the male terminal 45 is not accommodated is
It is sealed by a pin-shaped seal 49.

Here, at least one of the large-diameter side terminal accommodating holes 34b of the male housing 21 is made of a synthetic resin pipe and can be pulled out to a portion free from water, for example, a length of about 1 m. A connection terminal 52 having a tube 51 fixed to the rear portion is accommodated, and the terminal accommodating hole 34b is sealed by a seal member 53 fitted in the tube 51. The connection terminal 52 is the same as that used by connecting an electric wire (not shown). These tubes 5
1 and the connection terminal 52, the inner end opening 5 of the tube 51 is provided in the core wire fixing portion 52a of the connection terminal 52 as shown in the sectional view of FIG.
1a side is fixed, and the same sealing member 53 that is fitted to the electric wire connected to the normal connecting terminal is fixed to the covering fixing portion 52b of the connecting terminal 52 while being fitted around the tube 51. ing.

The tube 51 is fixed by the core wire fixing portion 52a and the covering fixing portion 52b so that the hollow hole 51b is not closed, and the tube 51 is fixed in the hollow hole 51b between the core wire fixing portion 52a and the covering fixing portion 52b. Notch hole 51 communicating
c is formed. As a result, the terminal accommodating hole 34b inside the seal member 53 is surely communicated to the outside through the hollow hole 51b from the inner end opening 51a and the cutout hole 51c. The outer end opening 51d of the tube 51 is drawn out through a grommet or the like, for example, into the interior of an automobile where water does not exist.

The male housing 21 thus constructed
When the male housing 21 and the female housing 22 are joined together, first, the packing 23 and the pressing ring 24 are attached to the inner cylindrical portion 31 of the male housing 21.
And presses the inner cylinder portion 31 together with the pressing ring 24 into the fitting hole 41 of the female housing 22.
Combine 1 and 22. At this time, the female housing 2
The second cylindrical portion 42 is fitted into the space 33 of the male housing 21 from the outside of the packing 23 and the pressing ring 24, and the air inside the housings 21 and 22 is sealed. From this state, rotate the lever 40 to rotate both housings 21, 22.
, The air inside the sealed housings 21 and 22 is pushed out from the outer end opening 51d through the hollow hole 51b of the tube 51, and the pressure inside the housings 21 and 22 is not significantly increased. Since there is no such housing, both housings 21 and 22 can be easily fitted together.

On the other hand, when the lever 40 is reversed and the housings 21 and 22 are separated, air flows into the insides of the housings 21 and 22 through the hollow hole 51b of the tube 51, and the pressure inside them is greatly increased. Since it does not descend, it can be easily removed.

As described above, in the embodiment, the tube 51 is connected to the connection terminal 52 used by connecting the electric wire, and the terminal accommodating hole 34b outside the tube 51 is connected to the electric wire seal member 5.
Since it is sealed by 3, the same male housing 2 as before
It is possible to connect the inside and the outside of the female housing 22 with the tube 51 by the tube 51. Therefore, it is possible to prevent an increase or decrease in the internal pressure when the housings 21 and 22 are fitted and removed while keeping the cost down, it is possible to easily fit them, and it is possible to give a clear feeling that they are connected.

The tube 51 is a male housing 21.
Although it is provided on the side, there is no problem if it is provided on the side of the female housing 22. In addition, the tube 51 has a large-diameter side connection terminal 52.
Although a thin tube can be connected to the connection terminals 36 and 45 on the small diameter side if the ventilation amount is allowed. Further, instead of connecting the tube 51 to the housing by using the connection terminal, a cylindrical part communicating with the inside may be provided on the surface of the housing and the tube 51 may be connected to the cylindrical part.

[0017]

As described above, in the waterproof connector according to the present invention, since the flexible ventilation tube for ventilating with the outside air is provided in the inner space sealed by the pair of housings, both housings are fitted. It is possible to prevent the internal pressure of these from greatly increasing or decreasing when released. Therefore,
The housing can be easily inserted and removed,
The feel of the housing being joined can be clearly given. .

Further, the waterproof connector according to claim 2 is
The connection terminal with the ventilation tube fixed was housed in the terminal housing hole, and the terminal housing hole was sealed by the sealing member fitted to the ventilation tube, so it is possible to ventilate the inside and outside without modifying the conventional housing, and reduce costs. The housing can be easily inserted and removed while it is being held, and a feeling that the housing is coupled can be clearly given.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a coupled state of a male housing and a female housing.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a male housing.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a connection terminal to which a tube is connected.

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 21 male housing 22 female housing 23 packing 24 retaining ring 34a, 34b, 43a, 43b terminal accommodating hole 35, 44 electric wire 36, 52 female terminal 39, 48, 53 sealing member 49 pin type seal 51 tube

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A waterproof connector comprising a pair of housings for accommodating connection terminals and fitted to each other, wherein the housings are hermetically sealed in the fitted state, at least one of the housings is provided with the hermetically sealed interior. A waterproof connector provided with a flexible ventilation tube for ventilating the outside air with the outside air. 2. The ventilation tube is fixed to at least one of the connection terminals, the connection terminal is accommodated in a terminal accommodating hole of the housing, and then the terminal accommodating hole is closed by a sealing member fitted to the ventilation tube. The waterproof connector according to claim 1, which is hermetically sealed. 3. The waterproof connector according to claim 2, wherein an end portion of the ventilation tube is fixed to a core wire fixing portion of the connection terminal, and the sealing member is fixed to a cover fixing portion of the connection terminal.