JP2006156081A - Watertight connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a watertight connector that enables smooth insertion of a seal member. <P>SOLUTION: Locking projections 23 are extended in a pressing direction of an assembly tool J from back sides of pressing faces 22A of pressing portions 22. Such structure facilitates the action of pressing force from the assembly tool J in an insertion direction of the locking projections 23 into locking holes 16 to stabilize force pressing projection heads 25 into the locking holes 16. Outer edges of the projection heads 25, when fitted in guide grooves 18, can position a seal ring 20 to ensure positioning between the locking projections 23 and the locking holes 16. The seal ring 20 can thus be inserted smoothly. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a waterproof connector.

FIG. 9 shows a waterproof connector 100 disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 63-162470. In this waterproof connector 100, a fitting space 102 capable of receiving the hood portion 111 of the mating connector 110 is provided on the outer periphery of the terminal accommodating portion 101, and a cylindrical seal member 103 is mounted inside the fitting space 102. Is. The seal member 103 seals the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the terminal accommodating portion 101 and the inner peripheral surface of the hood portion 111.
By the way, in this type of waterproof connector 100, when the mating connector 110 is removed for maintenance or the like, the seal member 103 may come off from the fitting space 102 together. Therefore, as a means for preventing this, a holding hole 104 is provided in the back wall of the fitting space 102, and a rod-shaped locking projection 105 having a large-diameter projection head 105A at the rear end of the seal member 103 is provided. Is forming. Then, by locking the protrusion head 105A of the locking protrusion 105 to the hole edge of the holding hole 104, the forward movement of the seal member 103, that is, the detachment from the fitting space 102 is regulated. Yes.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 63-162470

  However, in the configuration as described above, the seal member 103 may rotate in the circumferential direction and the locking projection 105 and the holding hole 104 may be displaced, and when the seal member 103 is installed in the fitting space 102. In addition, since the projection head 105A of the locking projection 105 needs to be crushed and passed through the holding hole 104, the locking projection 105 may be buckled due to a large insertion resistance. There was a risk of taking time.

  This invention is made | formed in view of an above-described situation, The objective is to provide the waterproof connector which can perform the insertion operation | work of a sealing member smoothly.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a waterproof connector according to a first aspect of the present invention, comprising: a housing including a terminal accommodating portion capable of accommodating a terminal fitting; and a hood provided so as to surround the terminal accommodating portion; A fitting space provided between the hood portion and the hood portion and capable of accommodating the mating housing, and being fitted in the fitting space and sandwiched between the housing and the mating housing, A waterproof connector including a seal member that seals between a housing and the mating housing, and extends along an insertion direction of the seal member into the fitting space on an inner peripheral surface of the fitting space. A guide groove is provided, and a locking hole penetrating in the insertion direction of the seal member is provided in the back wall portion of the fitting space, and the sealing member has a front in the fitting space. A pressing portion that has a pressing surface that projects to the mating region of the mating housing and that can press an assembly jig for pressing the seal member into the assembly space; and a back surface side of the pressing surface in the pressing portion And a locking projection that is provided along the pressing direction of the assembly jig and engageable with the locking hole, and at least one of the pressing portion and the locking projection extends. An end portion is fitted into the guide groove.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the locking projection protrudes along the pressing direction of the assembly jig on the back surface side of the pressing surface at the pressing portion. According to such a configuration, it becomes easier to apply the pressing force from the assembly jig along the insertion direction of the locking projection into the locking hole, so that the pushing force of the locking projection into the locking hole is stabilized. Cheap. In addition, since the projecting end portion of at least one of the pressing portion and the locking projection is used as a guide portion that fits into the guide groove, the positioning of the locking projection and the locking hole is ensured with a simple structure. It can be carried out. Thus, the insertion operation of the seal member can be performed smoothly.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment embodying the waterproof connector of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. The waterproof connector 1 of the present embodiment includes a housing 10 that can be fitted with a counterpart housing (not shown), and a seal ring 20 is mounted inside the housing 10. In the following description, the fitting surface side of the housing 10 with the mating housing is defined as the front.

  The housing 10 of the waterproof connector 1 is integrally formed of a synthetic resin, and includes a terminal housing portion 11 and a hood portion 12 provided around the terminal housing portion 11.

  The terminal accommodating portion 11 is formed in a horizontally long block shape as a whole, and a plurality of cavities 14 capable of receiving terminal fittings (not shown) are provided therethrough in the front-rear direction.

  The hood portion 12 is formed in a cylindrical shape that is open in the front-rear direction and surrounds the periphery of the terminal housing portion 11, and is connected to a connecting wall 13 that protrudes inwardly at a position slightly rearward from the center in the front-rear direction. (Corresponding to the wall portion) and connected to the terminal accommodating portion 11. A space surrounded by the terminal accommodating portion 11, the hood portion 12, and the connecting wall 13 is a bottomed fitting space 15 that opens forward and can be fitted with a seal ring 20 and a counterpart housing described later from the front. Has been. Note that a stepped portion 19 having a diameter larger than that of the front portion is provided in a region from the joining position with the connecting wall 13 slightly forward on the outer peripheral surface 11A of the terminal accommodating portion 11.

  A locking hole 16 for locking a locking projection 23 provided on a seal ring 20 (described later) is formed through the connecting wall 13 in the thickness direction (insertion direction of the seal ring 20). A pair of left and right locking holes 16 are provided at symmetrical positions across the terminal accommodating portion 11. A pair of left and right guide grooves 18 having a semicircular cross section are provided on the inner peripheral surface 12A of the hood portion 12 at positions outside the locking holes 16. The guide groove 18 is provided along the front-rear direction (the insertion direction of the seal ring 20) at a position from the opening edge of the front end of the hood portion 12 to the connecting wall 13.

  Further, the outer peripheral surface of the hood portion 12 is provided with a bulging portion that bulges toward the outer peripheral side, and is formed so as to be able to swing in the vertical direction and the locking projection of the counterpart housing. A lock arm 17 is provided to hold the housing 10 and the counterpart housing so as not to be separated from each other.

  A seal ring 20 (corresponding to the seal member of the present invention) made of an elastic member (for example, rubber) is mounted in the fitting space 15. The seal ring 20 is formed in an annular shape and is accommodated at the back end position of the fitting space 15, and the inner peripheral surface 20 </ b> A thereof is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface 11 </ b> A of the terminal accommodating portion 11. In addition, a plurality of lips 21 are provided on the inner peripheral surface 20 </ b> A and the outer peripheral surface 20 </ b> B of the seal ring 20.

  On the outer peripheral surface 20B of the seal ring 20, a pair of left and right pressing portions 22 formed in a flat plate shape are provided at symmetrical positions. These pressing portions 22 are formed so as to project radially outward from the rear end portion of the outer peripheral surface 20 </ b> B of the seal ring 20, and the projecting tips reach the inner peripheral surface 12 </ b> A of the hood portion 12. The front side surface of the pressing portion 22 is a pressing surface 22 </ b> A that receives the assembly jig J when the seal ring 20 is inserted into the fitting space 15.

  On the rear side surface of the pressing portion 22 (the back surface of the pressing surface 22A), a locking projection 23 protrudes at a position aligned with the locking hole 16 provided in the connecting wall 13. The locking projection 23 includes a shaft portion 24 that protrudes rearward from the back surface side of the pressing surface 22 </ b> A and a projection head portion 25 that is provided at the rear end of the shaft portion 24. The shaft portion 24 is formed in a cylindrical shape whose axial direction extends along the insertion direction of the seal ring 20, that is, the pressing direction of the assembly jig J, and is rearward from the rear side surface of the pressing portion 22 by the thickness of the connecting wall 13. Is protruding. Further, the protrusion head 25 is formed from an engagement portion 25A that can be engaged with a hole edge on the rear surface side of the engagement hole 16 that is formed to be slightly larger in diameter than the shaft portion 24, and from the rear end surface of the engagement portion 25A. It consists of a conical portion 25B formed in a conical shape that tapers toward the rear end side, and an apex portion 25C formed in a cylindrical shape with a small diameter at the apex of the conical portion 25B. Further, the outer peripheral edge of the engaging portion 25 </ b> A protrudes slightly to the outer peripheral side from the projecting end of the pressing portion 22 and fits with the guide groove 18. A step receiving portion 26 is provided at the rear end portion of the inner peripheral surface 20 </ b> A of the seal ring 20 so as to be expanded over the entire circumference and aligned with the step portion 19 of the terminal accommodating portion 11.

  When the mating housing is fitted into the housing 10, the skirt portion of the mating housing is inserted into the fitting space 15 of the housing 10. When both housings are properly fitted, the male and female terminal fittings are joined, and the lock arm 17 provided on the hood portion 12 of the waterproof connector 1 engages with the lock protrusion provided on the counterpart housing. By doing so, both housings are held in a retaining state. Also, the tip of the skirt portion enters the space between the outer peripheral surface 20B of the seal ring 20 and the inner peripheral surface 12A of the hood portion 12, and the lip provided on the inner peripheral surface 20A and the outer peripheral surface 20B of the seal ring 20 21 is crushed and pressed against the inner peripheral surface of the skirt portion and the outer peripheral surface 11 </ b> A of the terminal accommodating portion 11. Thereby, the waterproofness between both housings is maintained.

  Next, the operation and effect of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described.

  In order to assemble the seal ring 20 to the housing 10 of the waterproof connector 1, first, the seal ring 20 is aligned with the guide groove 18 in the engagement portion 25 A of the seal ring 20, and the seal ring 20 is moved to the front end of the terminal accommodating portion 11. Set it to fit into the part. Then, the pressing surface 22 </ b> A of the pressing portion 22 in the seal ring 20 is pressed using the assembly jig J, and the seal ring 20 is pressed toward the back of the fitting space 15. At this time, the guide groove 18 guides the locking projection 23, so that the seal ring 20 rotates in the circumferential direction around the terminal accommodating portion 11 and the locking projection 23 and the locking hole 16 are displaced from each other. It is prevented.

  When the locking projection 23 formed at the rear end of the seal ring 20 reaches the back end surface of the fitting space 15, the locking projection 23 enters the locking hole 16, and the outer peripheral portion of the protruding head 25 is pushed. It passes through the locking hole 16 while being crushed. Here, a sliding contact resistance is generated between the outer periphery of the protrusion head 25 and the inner periphery of the locking hole 16, but the locking protrusion 23 of the pressing surface 22 </ b> A against which the assembly jig J is pressed at the pressing portion 22. Since it is provided on the back side and protrudes along the pressing direction of the assembling jig J, the pressing force from the assembling jig J is applied to the locking protrusion 23 in the axial direction, that is, the locking protrusion 23 is locked. It is possible to act along the direction of pushing into the hole 16, and a stable pushing force can be applied to the locking projection 23. Thereby, insertion of the locking projection 23 into the locking hole 16 can be performed smoothly.

  When the seal ring 20 is pushed in until the rear end surface of the seal ring 20 reaches the back end surface of the fitting space 15, the projecting head 25 protrudes toward the rear side of the connecting wall 13 to be restored and deformed. The hole 16 is locked to the hole edge on the rear end side. Thereby, the seal ring 20 is held in a retaining state.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the locking protrusion 23 is provided so as to protrude along the pressing direction of the assembly jig J on the back surface side of the pressing surface 22 </ b> A in the pressing portion 22. According to such a configuration, the pressing force from the assembly jig J can be easily applied along the insertion direction of the locking projection 23 into the locking hole 16, so that the protruding head 25 is applied to the locking hole 16. It is easy to stabilize the pushing force. Further, since the seal ring 20 can be positioned by fitting the outer peripheral edge of the protrusion head 25 into the guide groove 18, the alignment of the locking protrusion 23 and the locking hole 16 can be performed reliably. Accordingly, the insertion operation of the seal ring 20 can be performed smoothly.

<Other embodiments>
The technical scope of the present invention is not limited by the above-described embodiments, and, for example, those described below are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. In addition, the technical scope of the present invention extends to an equivalent range.

(1) In the above embodiment, the outer peripheral edge of the protrusion head 25 is fitted into the guide groove 18, but the protruding end of the pressing portion may be fitted into the guide groove instead of the protrusion head. . Further, like the waterproof connector 30 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the protruding end of the pressing portion 31 protrudes to the same position as the outer peripheral edge of the protruding head 32, and both are fitted in the guide groove 33. Also good.
(2) In the above embodiment, the seal ring 33 is mounted on the outer peripheral surface 11A of the terminal accommodating portion 11, and the seal ring 33 is sandwiched between the outer peripheral surface 11A of the terminal accommodating portion and the inner peripheral surface of the skirt portion. However, the seal member is attached to the inner peripheral surface 12A of the hood portion 12, and the seal member is sandwiched between the inner peripheral surface 12A of the hood portion 12 and the outer peripheral surface of the skirt portion. May be. In this case, the pressing portion may be formed to protrude on the inner peripheral side of the seal member.

Front view of housing of waterproof connector of this embodiment Cross section of housing with seal ring Side sectional view of housing Front view of seal ring Side view of seal ring Side sectional view showing a state in which the seal ring is being inserted into the housing Side view of seal ring of other embodiment The partially expanded sectional view of the housing with which the seal ring of other embodiments was attached. Side sectional view of a conventional connector housing

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Waterproof connector 10 ... Housing 11 ... Terminal accommodating part 12 ... Hood part 15 ... Fitting space 13 ... Connection wall (back wall part)
16 ... Locking hole 18 ... Guide groove 22A ... Pressing surface 22 ... Pressing portion 23 ... Locking protrusion 30 ... Seal ring (seal member)

Claims (1)

A housing composed of a terminal accommodating portion capable of accommodating a terminal fitting and a hood portion provided so as to surround the terminal accommodating portion, and provided between the terminal accommodating portion and the hood portion to accommodate a mating housing. Waterproof provided with a fitting space and a seal member that is mounted in the fitting space and is sandwiched between the housing and the mating housing so as to seal between the housing and the mating housing A connector,
A guide groove extending along the insertion direction of the seal member into the fitting space is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the fitting space, and the inner wall of the fitting space penetrates in the insertion direction of the seal member. A locking hole is provided,
A pressing portion having a pressing surface capable of pressing an assembly jig for pushing the sealing member into the assembly space while projecting to the mating region of the mating housing in the mating space; The pressing portion is provided with a locking projection that protrudes along the pressing direction of the assembly jig on the back surface side of the pressing surface and is engageable with the locking hole, and the pressing portion. A waterproof connector characterized in that at least one overhanging end portion of the locking projection fits into the guide groove.

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