JP2003234138A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To secure a sealing characteristic between a terminal fitting embedded in a housing and the housing. <P>SOLUTION: In a connector C, by occluding a space between the terminal fitting 11 and the housing 40 at the front-end side of the housing 40 with a rubber ring 20, and by occluding a space between a covered part 10A of an electric wire 10 and the housing 40 at the rear-end side with a rubber boot 30, a connecting part (barrel part 13) between the terminal fitting 11 and the electric wire 10 is made water-tight conditioned. The rubber ring 20 is locked to a constricted part 14 formed in the terminal fitting 11, and vulcanized and adhered to the terminal fitting 11, and by these, it is prevented that the rubber ring 20 moves by a resin pressure in molding, Therefore, the space between the terminal fitting 11 and the housing 40 is surely sealed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector formed by embedding a terminal fitting in a resin housing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A connector of this type is shown in FIG. This is a terminal metal fitting 1 at the end of the electric wire 100.
01 is connected, and the terminal metal fitting 101 and the electric wire 10 are connected.
The housing 102 made of resin is molded so that the connection portion with 0 is embedded. Such a connector is often used in an environment where waterproofness is required, but the contact between the terminal fitting 101 and the housing 102 or between the cover of the electric wire 100 and the housing 102 is made of a material. Is bad, and there is a gap that may be flooded. Therefore, conventionally, the sealant 103 is applied to the outer peripheral surface of the terminal fitting 101 and the outer peripheral surface of the electric wire 100 in advance, and then the housing 102 is molded around the sealant 103 to achieve waterproofing. As a structure in which the periphery of the resin-molded terminal fitting is waterproofed with a sealant as described above, for example, there is one described in JP-A-60-124374.

[0003]

However, in the manufacturing process of the above-mentioned connector, there is a drawback that the number of processes increases because the heat treatment is performed after the application of the sealant.
Therefore, the inventors of the present application, instead of the above-mentioned sealing agent, mount a rubber sealing member on the outer peripheral surface of the terminal fitting or the electric wire coating, and mold the housing around the same to simplify the above-described steps. Was considered. However, during molding of the housing, it was found that a strong force is applied to the seal member by the injection pressure of the resin, which causes the seal member to be washed away from its original mounting position, and the sealability may not be sufficiently exhibited. . The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to:
An object of the present invention is to provide a connector capable of ensuring a sealing property between a terminal fitting embedded in a housing and the housing.

[0004]

A connector according to the invention of claim 1 for solving the above-mentioned problems is a connector formed by embedding a terminal fitting inside a resin housing, wherein the terminal fitting is formed. An annular rubber seal member is mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the housing in a portion to be embedded in the housing, and a resin pressure at the time of molding the housing is provided between the terminal fitting and the rubber seal member. It is characterized in that it is provided with a position deviation preventing means for restricting the movement of the rubber seal member due to.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the position shift prevention means locks the rubber seal member on a constricted portion formed in the terminal fitting with a reduced diameter. It is characterized by being configured by

The invention of claim 3 relates to claim 1 or claim 2.
In the structure described in (1) above, the positional deviation prevention means is characterized in that it is configured by adhering the terminal fitting and the rubber seal member to each other with an adhesive.

The invention of claim 4 is from claim 1 to claim 3.
In any one of the above items, a portion of the terminal fitting to which the rubber seal member is attached has a plate shape, and four corners along a length direction thereof are rounded. However, it has a feature.

[0008]

According to the invention of claim 1, the rubber seal member is prevented from moving by the resin pressure at the time of molding by the displacement preventing means, so that the sealing property can be secured.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the rubber seal member is locked to the constricted portion so that the movement due to the resin pressure is restricted.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the movement of the rubber seal member due to the resin pressure is restricted by bonding the terminal fitting and the rubber seal member with the adhesive.

According to the fourth aspect of the invention, since the rubber ring has a shape in which the corners are rounded so that the rubber ring can be easily adhered, the sealing property can be improved.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION <First Embodiment> Next, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 1, the connector C of the present embodiment has a wire 1
The terminal metal fitting 11 connected to the end of No. 0, the rubber ring 20 mounted on the terminal metal fitting 11, the rubber boot 30 mounted on the electric wire 10, and the periphery of each of these members 11, 20, 30 are molded. And a housing 40 made of synthetic resin. In the following explanation,
In the front-back direction, the left side of FIG. 1 is the front, and in the up-down direction, the upper side of FIG. 1 is the top.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the terminal fitting 11 is formed by cutting a conductive metal plate material into a predetermined shape and then bending it. A flat plate-shaped connecting portion 12 having an oval bolt hole 12A is provided at the front of the terminal fitting 11 so that it can be connected to a mating terminal fitting (not shown) by bolting. A barrel portion 13 is provided at a rear portion of the terminal fitting 11, and a core portion 10B exposed from a covering portion 10A of the electric wire 10 is caulked to the barrel portion 13. Between the connecting portion 12 of the terminal fitting 11 and the barrel portion 13, a constricted portion 14 to which the rubber ring 20 is attached.
(Corresponding to the "positional deviation preventing means" of the present invention) is provided. The constricted portion 14 is formed in a flat plate-shaped portion that is continuous from the connection portion 12 rearward, and has a shape in which the width dimension and the thickness dimension (the “diameter dimension” of the present invention) are narrower than the adjacent portions. A pair of inclined stepped portions 14A are formed in front of and behind the constricted portion 14, and a rubber ring 20 described later is locked between the stepped portions 14A while being positioned in the front-rear direction. . Further, as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 4, the constricted portion 14 is provided with inclined surfaces 15 at four corners along the lengthwise direction (front-back direction) thereof, and has a rounded shape as a whole. ing.

The rubber ring 20 is formed of a rubber material having elasticity such as silicon rubber into a rectangular tubular shape (annular shape), and is tightly fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the constricted portion 14. On the outer peripheral surface of the rubber ring 20, a pair of annular lips 21 are provided so as to be juxtaposed side by side. The rubber boot 30 is formed into a cylindrical shape (annular shape) with a rubber material such as silicone rubber having elasticity, and is tightly fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the covering portion 10A of the electric wire 10. An annular groove 31 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the rubber boot 30 on the front end side.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the housing 40 is internally made of a synthetic resin material and has the terminal fitting 11 and the electric wire 1.
It is molded so that the connection portion with 0 is embedded. More specifically, the connection portion 12 of the terminal fitting 11
Is projected outside the housing 40, and the constricted portion 14 to which the rubber ring 20 is attached and the barrel portion 13 to which the electric wire 10 is connected are located inside the housing 40. Further, in the rubber boot 30, a front end side portion including the groove portion 31 is embedded in the housing 40, and a rear portion thereof is protruded to the outside of the housing 40, and the electric wire 10 is led out from the inside thereof.

A mold 50 for molding the housing 40
As shown in FIG. 6, it is configured to include an upper die 50A and a lower die 50B, and a cavity 51 into which molten resin is injected is formed between the upper die 50A and the lower die 50B. In the lower mold 50B, a terminal holding groove 52 in which the connecting portion 12 of the terminal fitting 11 can be mounted is provided in front of the cavity 51. Further, in the upper mold 50A and the lower mold 50B, a rubber boot holding groove 53 in which the rubber boot 30 can be mounted is recessed behind the cavity 51, and an electric wire insertion groove 54 through which the electric wire 10 is inserted is recessed behind the cavity. Has been done.

Next, the procedure for manufacturing the connector C will be described. First, the rubber boot 30 is fitted into the covering portion 10A at the end of the electric wire 10, and the core wire portion 10B exposed from the covering portion 10A.
Is caulked with the barrel portion 13 of the terminal fitting 11. Then, a vulcanizing adhesive 55 for bonding the rubber ring 20.
(Corresponding to the “positional deviation preventing means” of the present invention. See FIG. 4) is applied to the outer peripheral surface of the constricted portion 14. Then, the rubber ring 20 is fitted to the tip of the connecting portion 12 and slid backward. When the rubber ring 20 reaches the constricted portion 14,
The inner peripheral surface of the rubber ring 20 elastically adheres to the outer peripheral surface of the constricted portion 14 with the vulcanizing adhesive 55 sandwiched therebetween, and the step portions 14A before and after the constricted portion 14 are locked to the rubber ring 20 to cause the rubber ring. 20 is positioned in the front-back direction. Then, heat treatment is performed to vulcanize and bond the rubber ring 20 and the terminal fitting 11.

Next, the terminal fitting 11 is set in the cavity 51 of the die 50, and the upper die 50A and the lower die 50B are closed. Then, the molten resin is injected and filled into the cavity 51. At this time, the rubber ring 20 is pressed forward or backward by the resin pressure, but the movement thereof is restricted by being locked to each other with respect to the constricted portion 14 and being bonded to each other. Further, at this time, the rubber boot 30 is also pressed by the resin pressure, but the movement of the rubber boot 30 is restricted because the portion protruding outside the housing 40 is held in the rubber boot holding groove 53 of the mold 50.
Further, the lip 21 of the rubber ring 20 is elastically deformed by being pressed by the resin. After the resin has solidified in this way, the completed connector C can be obtained by opening the mold.

In this connector C, the housing 4
The rubber ring 20 closes the space between the terminal fitting 11 and the housing 40 on the front end side of 0, and the rubber boot 30 covers the space between the covering portion 10A of the electric wire 10 and the housing 40 on the rear end side.
The connection portion (barrel portion 13) between the terminal fitting 11 and the electric wire 10 is made watertight by closing with the plug. The lip 21 of the rubber ring 20 is deformed by the resin pressure at the time of molding and is elastically pressed against the housing 40 by the restoring deformation force after molding, so that the adhesion is improved.

Further, when the resin-molded electric wire is led out from the rear end of the housing as it is as in the conventional case, when the electric wire is subjected to a bending force, the covering portion of the electric wire has an edge portion of the housing. In some cases, the electric wire 10 is led out of the housing 40 with the rubber boot 30 sandwiched between the electric wire 10 and the housing 40.
0A is protected. Further, a groove portion 31 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the rubber boot 30, and the resin enters into the groove portion 31 so that the rubber boot 30 is locked to the housing 40 in a retaining state.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the rubber ring 20 is positioned with respect to the terminal fitting 11 by the two displacement preventing means. That is, the rubber ring 20 is locked to the constricted portion 14 formed on the terminal fitting 11, and the vulcanizing adhesive 55 is used to bond the terminal fitting 1 to the terminal fitting 1.
The rubber ring 20 is prevented from moving due to resin pressure during molding. Therefore, the space between the terminal fitting 11 and the housing 40 is reliably sealed. In addition, the outer peripheral surface of the terminal fitting 11 and the rubber ring 2
Since the inner peripheral surface of 0 is adhered to each other, it is possible to prevent the resin ring from entering between the two members 11 and 20 and the rubber ring 20 from being lifted up with respect to the terminal fitting 11 during molding.

Further, since the four corners along the length direction of the constricted portion 14 to which the rubber ring 20 is attached are rounded, the sealing property between the rubber ring 20 and the terminal fitting 11 is ensured. Can be increased. That is, when the corners of the part to which the rubber ring is attached are right angles, the thickness of the adhesive becomes small at the corners when the adhesive is applied,
Although the coating amount tends to be insufficient, in the present embodiment, since the inclined surface 15 is formed at the corner and is rounded,
The vulcanizing adhesive 55 can be applied in a substantially uniform thickness over the entire circumference of the constricted portion 14. Also, if the corners of the part where the rubber ring is attached are at right angles, it is difficult for the inner peripheral surface of the rubber ring to make close contact, but by rounding the corners, the rubber ring can easily make close contact with the terminal metal fittings. It becomes the shape.

<Second Embodiment> Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. Since most of the configuration of the present embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, the same reference numerals will be given to the same configurations as the first embodiment in the following description, and the description will be partially omitted. The connector C2 of the present embodiment is a terminal fitting 6 connected to the end of the electric wire 10.
0, a rubber ring 61 attached to the terminal fitting 60, and a synthetic resin housing 62 molded around the respective members 60, 61.
In this connector C2, instead of the rubber boot 30 of the first embodiment, the electric wire 10 and the housing 6 are formed by the sealant 64 applied to the outer peripheral surface of the covering portion 10A of the electric wire 10.
It is designed to be waterproof between the two. The constricted portion 65 of the terminal fitting 60 is rounded at four corner portions 66 along the length direction thereof.

To manufacture the connector C2, the terminal fitting 6
After caulking and connecting the core wire portion 10B of the electric wire 10 to the barrel portion 13 of 0, the rubber ring 61 is fitted to the constricted portion 65. Then, after applying the sealant 64 to the outer peripheral surface of the covering portion 10A of the electric wire 10, the terminal fitting 60 is set in a mold (not shown) to mold the housing 62. Also in this embodiment, the rubber ring 61 is prevented from moving due to the resin pressure at the time of molding by being locked to the constricted portion 65 formed on the terminal fitting 60. Therefore, the sealing property between the terminal fitting 60 and the housing 62 can be ensured.

The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the following technical scope is also included in the technical scope of the present invention. (1)
In each of the above-described embodiments, the rubber ring is locked to the constricted portion of the terminal fitting as the displacement preventing means for the rubber seal member. However, according to the present invention, for example, the terminal fitting is provided with a locking projection. Is also good. Further, in the first embodiment, the rubber ring is vulcanized and adhered using the vulcanization adhesive,
According to the present invention, adhesion means other than vulcanization adhesion may be used.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing a connector according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an exploded side view showing a rubber ring, a terminal fitting, an electric wire, and a rubber boot.

[Figure 3] Plan view of the terminal fitting

FIG. 4 is a front sectional view showing a state where a rubber ring is attached to the terminal fitting.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the connector.

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view showing a state where molten resin is injected into the mold.

FIG. 7 is a side sectional view showing the connector of the second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a front sectional view showing a state where a rubber ring is attached to the terminal fitting.

FIG. 9 is a side sectional view showing a conventional connector.

[Explanation of symbols]

C, C2 ... Connector 11,60 ... Terminal fittings 14,65 ... Constriction 20, 61 ... Rubber ring (rubber seal member) 40, 62 ... Housing 55 ... Vulcanizing adhesive (adhesive)

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Tadashi Miyazaki             1-7-10 Kikuzumi, Minami-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi             Auto Network Technical Laboratory Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Mio Mizutani             1-7-10 Kikuzumi, Minami-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi             Auto Network Technical Laboratory Co., Ltd. F term (reference) 5E087 EE06 FF13 GG02 GG05 LL03                       LL14 RR12

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A connector formed by embedding a terminal fitting in a resin housing, wherein an annular rubber seal member is attached to an outer peripheral surface of the terminal fitting at a portion embedded in the housing. And a displacement preventing means for restricting movement of the rubber seal member due to resin pressure during molding of the housing is provided between the terminal fitting and the rubber seal member. Characteristic connector. 2. The displacement prevention means is configured by locking the rubber seal member to a constricted portion formed in the terminal fitting with a reduced diameter. Connector described in. 3. The position deviation prevention means is configured by adhering the terminal fitting and the rubber seal member to each other with an adhesive agent. connector. 4. A portion of the terminal fitting to which the rubber seal member is attached has a plate shape, and four corners along a length direction thereof are rounded. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3.