JPH11135196A - Waterproof connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent imperfect couplings of housings with each other. SOLUTION: A waterproof connector for coupling a first housing 3 with a second housing 5 via a seal member 21 is configured, so that a ring-shaped hole 16 for receiving the cylindrical part 3b of the first housing 3 is furnished in the second housing 5, wherein the seal member 21 is installed in the hole 16, in such a way so as to be movable forward by the biasing force of a compression coil spring 19 and backward by the pressing force of the first housing 3, and a first air passage 17 is furnished for releasing the air in the hole 16 behind the seal member 21 to be ahead of the seal member 21. When the coupling motion of the housings 3 and 5 with each other is stopped before reaching near the completely coupled condition, the air pressure in the hole 16 and the resilient force of the compression coil spring 19 push out the seal member 21 to the front and the first housing 3 is pushed out so as to separate from the second housing 5.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a waterproof connector for electrically connecting electric wires in a waterproof state.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional waterproof connector of this type includes a first housing and a second housing that can be connected to each other via a seal, and the first housing is connected to one of electric wires by a first connection. The terminal houses the terminal, and the second housing houses the second connection terminal connected to the other electric wire. Further, the first housing and the second housing have a lock portion and a locked portion, respectively, which are engaged with each other when completely connected to lock the housings.

[0003]

However, even when the housings are not completely connected to each other, that is, when the lock portion and the locked portion do not engage with each other, the connection terminals may be electrically connected to each other. Therefore, if the housings are erroneously arranged in a place where they vibrate while the locking portion and the locked portion are not engaged with each other, the housings are dissociated by the vibration, and the connection terminals, that is, the wires do not conduct. The problem occurs.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems,
An object of the present invention is to provide a waterproof connector capable of preventing incomplete connection between housings.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided a waterproof connector for connecting a first housing and a second housing via a sealing member. An annular hole for receiving the cylindrical portion is provided in the second housing, and a contact terminal is arranged on a center axis side of the inner cylindrical portion of the annular hole formed by the inner cylindrical portion and the outer cylindrical portion. The seal member, which is in close contact with the inner cylindrical portion and the outer cylindrical portion, is provided so as to be movable forward by an urging force of an elastic member and to be movable backward by a pressing force of the cylindrical portion of the first housing, The peripheral wall of the annular hole is provided with a first air passage that allows air behind the seal member to escape to the front of the seal member when the housings are connected to each other in the vicinity of the completely connected state.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail with reference to the illustrated embodiment. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a first connector 1 and a second connector 2 that can be connected to each other. In the first connector 1, a first connection terminal 4 is housed in a first housing 3; In the second connector 2, a second connection terminal 6 is housed in a second housing 5. The first housing 3 and the second housing 5 are provided with a locking portion and a locked portion (not shown), respectively. The locking portion and the locked portion are engaged when the housings 3 and 5 are completely connected. The housings 3 and 5 are prevented from accidentally coming off from each other.

[0007] The first connection terminal 4 is provided with, for example, a male connection end 4a, and an electric wire (not shown) is connected to a rear portion thereof. The second connection terminal 6 is provided with a female terminal connection portion 6a into which the connection end 4a of the first connection terminal 4 is press-fitted, and an electric wire 7 is connected to a rear portion thereof. The rear portion of the first connector 1 is waterproofed by a wire seal (not shown) fitted to the electric wire, and the rear portion of the second connector 2 is waterproofed by a wire seal 8 fitted to the electric wire 7.

The first housing 3 is provided with a cylindrical portion 3b having an end 3a, and a step 3c is provided inside the cylindrical portion 3b.
Are formed. The second housing 5 has an inner cylinder 11
On the center axis side of the inner cylindrical portion 11, terminal receiving holes 12 for receiving the second connection terminals 6 are formed in, for example, two rows. The terminal connection hole 12 has a second connection terminal 6.
Is provided, and the flexible lance 13 prevents the second connection terminal 6 from slipping backward.

Outside the inner cylinder 11, an outer cylinder 14 is supported by a support wall 15 at a predetermined interval. An annular hole 16 having a front opening 16a is provided between the inner cylindrical portion 11 and the outer cylindrical portion 14 in front of the support wall 15. Annular hole 16
At least one groove-shaped first air passage 17 extending substantially in the front-rear direction is formed in the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylindrical portion 14 at the back of the outer cylindrical portion 14. Further, for example, four circular grooves 18 are formed in the support wall 15 at the back of the annular hole 16 in four directions around the central axis.

The annular hole 16 has, for example, four compression coil springs 19, an annular slider 20, and a cylindrical seal member 2.
1 are sequentially arranged from the back. Compression coil spring 1
Numeral 9 is disposed in the annular hole 16 in the front-rear direction. The rear end of the compression coil spring 19 is fitted in the circular groove 18, and the front end of the compression coil spring 19 is pressed against the slider 20. The slider 20 and the seal member 21 are fitted on the outer periphery of the inner cylindrical portion 11 movably in the front-rear direction.

An inner peripheral surface and an outer peripheral surface of the slider 20 are slidably contactable with the inner cylindrical portion 11 and the outer cylindrical portion 14, respectively. The slider 20 has at least one second air passage 22 penetrating front and rear. Have been. The sealing member 21 has a front surface 21.
a small-diameter portion 21b having an inner cylindrical portion 11 and being pressed against the inner cylindrical portion 11;
1c, and the slider 20 is provided on the flange portion 21c.
A third air passage 23 communicating with the second air passage 22 is formed. The annular hole 16 behind the seal member 21 except for the third air passage 23 is sealed by the inner cylinder portion 11, the outer cylinder portion 14, the support wall 15, and the seal member 21.

With such a configuration, when the first housing 3 and the second housing 5 are connected, the cylindrical portion 3b of the first housing 3 is connected to the second housing 5 as shown in FIG. It enters the annular hole 16 from the front opening 16a,
The end 3 a of the housing 3 seals the third air passage 23 of the seal member 21, and the step 3 c of the first housing 3 contacts the front surface 21 a of the seal member 21.

When the housings 3 and 5 are further connected to each other,
As shown in FIG. 3, the step 3c of the first housing 3 presses the front surface 21a of the seal member 21, and the seal member 21 and the slider 20 move toward the support wall 15 against the urging force of the compression coil spring 19. I do. At this time, since the end 3a of the first housing 3 seals the third air passage 23 of the seal member 21, the air inside the annular hole 16 behind the slider 20 as the slider 20 moves rearward. Pressure rises. At the same time, the air pressure in the annular hole 16 and the elastic force of the compression coil spring 19 act to push the slider 20 forward. Therefore, at this time, the housing 3,
When the hands are released from the housing 5 and the connection between the housings 3 and 5 is stopped, the first housing 3 is pushed out of the second housing 5 via the slider 20 and the seal member 21, and the first housing 3 and the housing 3 are connected to each other. Incomplete coupling is prevented.

Then, as shown in FIG.
When the members 5 are connected to each other in the vicinity of the completely connected state, the flange portion 21c of the seal member 21 moves to a position where the rear portion 17a of the first air passage 17 is opened. At the same time, the air in the annular hole 16 behind the slider 20 is released from the first air passage 17.
Then, the air flows in front of the flange portion 21 c of the seal member 21, and the air pressure in the annular hole 16 behind the slider 20 decreases. Thereby, the slider 20 and the seal member 21
Is easily moved, the slider 20 is pressed against the support wall 15, the lock portion and the locked portion are engaged, and the housings 3 and 5 are locked with each other. Further, even if water enters from the first air passage 17, the water does not enter the connection terminals 4 and 6 by the seal member 21.

As described above, in the embodiment, the annular hole 16 for receiving the cylindrical portion 3b of the first housing 3 is provided in the second housing 5, and the slider 20 and the sealing member 21 are provided in the annular hole 16 with the compression coil spring 19. When the housings 3 and 5 are connected to each other in the vicinity of a completely connected state, the rear annular member 20 is provided so as to be movable forward by the urging force of the slider 20 and to be movable rearward by the pressing force of the first housing 3. Hole 1
Since the first air passage 17 which vents the air inside the seal member 21 to the front of the seal member 21 is provided, before the housings 3 and 5 are connected to each other in the vicinity of the completely connected state, the annular hole 16 behind the seal member 21 is connected. The internal air pressure can be increased.

Therefore, if the connection between the housings 3 and 5 is stopped and the hands are released before the housings 3 and 5 are connected to each other in the vicinity of the completely connected state, the inside of the annular hole 16 behind the slider 20 is removed. The first housing can be pushed out by the air pressure and the elastic force of the compression coil spring 19, and the incomplete connection between the housings 3, 5 can be prevented.

On the other hand, when the housings 3 and 5 are separated from each other, the housing 3 is completely connected to the housing 5 by the elastic force of the compression coil spring 19 only by releasing the engagement between the locking portion and the locked portion. The housings 3 and 5 are pushed out to the vicinity, and the separation between the housings 3 and 5 is facilitated.

[0018]

As described above, in the waterproof connector according to the present invention, an annular hole for receiving the tubular portion of the first housing is provided in the second housing, and a seal member is provided in the annular hole for the elastic member. It can move forward by urging force and is the first
A first air passage which is provided movably rearward by the pressing force of the housing, and which allows the air behind the seal member to escape to the front of the seal member on the peripheral wall of the annular hole when the housings are connected to each other in the vicinity of the completely connected state; Is provided, the air pressure in the annular hole behind the seal member can be increased before the housings are connected to each other in the vicinity of the completely connected state.

Therefore, when the coupling between the housings is stopped before the coupling between the housings to the vicinity of the completely coupled state, the sealing member is pushed forward by the air pressure behind the sealing member and the elastic force of the elastic member. By doing
The first housing can be pushed away from the second housing, and incomplete coupling between the housings can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a main part of an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an operation at an initial stage of coupling between housings.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an operation when the housings are incompletely connected to each other.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the operation when the housings are completely connected.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 3 1st housing 3a End 3b cylindrical part 4 first connection terminal 5 second housing 6 second connection terminal 11 inner cylinder part 14 outer cylinder part 15 support wall 16 annular hole 17 first air passage 19 Compression coil spring 20 Slider 21 Seal member 22 Second air passage 23 Third air passage

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A waterproof connector for connecting a first housing and a second housing via a seal member, wherein an annular hole for receiving a cylindrical portion of the first housing is provided in the second housing. A contact terminal is arranged on the central axis side of the inner cylindrical portion of the annular hole formed by the portion and the outer cylindrical portion,
In the annular hole, the seal member that is in close contact with the inner cylindrical portion and the outer cylindrical portion can be moved forward by the urging force of the elastic member and can be moved rearward by the pressing force of the cylindrical portion of the first housing. A first wall that allows air behind the seal member to escape to the front of the seal member when the housings are connected to each other in the vicinity of a completely connected state.
A waterproof connector characterized by having an air passage. 2. A second air passage penetrating the seal member in a front-rear direction, wherein the second air passage is sealed by the first housing when the connectors are connected to each other. The waterproof connector described in 1. 3. The waterproof connector according to claim 1, wherein the elastic member is a compression coil spring, and is disposed in the annular hole behind the seal member in the front-rear direction. 4. The waterproof connector according to claim 1, wherein the first air passage is provided on an inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder portion in a front-rear direction. 5. The waterproof connector according to claim 2, wherein a sleeve having a third air passage communicating with the second air passage is provided behind the seal member so as to be driven by the seal member. 6. The seal member is provided with a small-diameter portion that is in close contact with the inner cylinder portion, and a large-diameter portion that is in close contact with the outer cylinder portion at the rear of the small-diameter portion. The waterproof connector according to claim 2, further comprising an air passage.