JP4793220B2 - connector - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector having a waterproof function.

A connector described in Patent Document 1 is known as a connector having a waterproof function. This is because the terminal fitting is inserted into the cavity formed in the housing from the rear, and the terminal fitting is secured by the locking action of the lance formed along the inner wall of the cavity and connected to the rear end of the terminal fitting. A rubber plug that is externally fitted to the existing electric wire is brought into close contact with the inner periphery of the rear end of the cavity, thereby preventing water from entering between the outer periphery of the electric wire and the inner periphery of the cavity.
JP-A-9-92385

By the way, in the connector described above, the lance interferes with the terminal fitting and is elastically bent during the insertion of the terminal fitting, and when the terminal fitting is properly inserted, the lance returns to the original posture and is locked to the terminal fitting. However, in order for the lance to return to its original position without being caught, when the front end of the terminal fitting hits the front wall of the cavity and stops in front, the terminal fitting Clearance in the insertion / extraction direction is unavoidable.
Therefore, when the lance is locked to the terminal fitting, there is a gap between the front end of the terminal fitting and the front wall of the cavity. There is a risk of rattling in the insertion / extraction direction. The looseness of the terminal fitting causes a problem of fine sliding wear between the terminal fitting and the mating terminal.
In the connector of Patent Document 1 described above, since the rear holder capable of restricting the backward withdrawal of the rubber plug is provided, the movement of the terminal fitting in the withdrawal direction is restricted, but the front end of the terminal fitting and the cavity Since there is a gap between the front wall and the terminal fitting, there is a possibility that the terminal fitting rattles in the insertion / removal direction with elastic deformation of the rubber plug.
This invention is completed based on the above situations, Comprising: It aims at preventing the backlash in the insertion / extraction direction of a terminal metal fitting.

As means for achieving the above-mentioned object, the invention of claim 1 is characterized in that a terminal fitting is inserted into the cavity formed in the housing from the rear, and the locking action of the lance formed along the inner wall of the cavity The terminal fitting is secured in a state where it is inserted to the normal insertion position , connected to the wire crimping portion at the rear end portion of the terminal fitting, and a rubber plug is externally fitted to the electric wire whose axis is directed in the front-rear direction. In the connector in which the gap between the outer periphery of the wire and the inner periphery of the cavity is sealed by sticking the rubber plug to the inner periphery of the rear end of the cavity, the rubber plug is fixed to the wire crimping portion, the housing, the holder for pressing the assembled rubber stopper forwardly so as to elastically deform, by pressing action of the holder, the terminal fitting properly inserted state is, the wire It is pushed forward a finely the rubber plug integral with the front end of the terminal fitting is pressed against the front wall of the cavity, the elastic restoring force of the rubber plug, the front end of the terminal fitting of the cavity The holder is elastically pressed against the front wall, and the holder is open in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of the electric wire, and is formed with an escape groove that avoids interference with the electric wire. It has the characteristics in the place.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, at least a part of the contact area between the rubber plug and the holder is a tapered surface inclined with respect to the insertion / extraction direction of the terminal fitting with respect to the cavity. The taper surface on the holder side is characterized in that it extends further to the rear than the taper surface of the rubber plug.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the present invention, a flange portion is formed on an outer periphery of the rubber plug, and the flange portion extends along an opening edge of the cavity on the rear end surface of the housing. It is characterized by being in close contact with the annular region.

<Invention of Claim 1>
The rubber plug is elastically deformed by the pressing force from the holder, and the front end of the terminal fitting abuts against the front wall of the cavity by the elastic restoring force of the rubber plug, so that the play in the insertion / removal direction of the terminal fitting is prevented. At this time, the rubber plug is elastically deformed so as to be crushed by the holder in the insertion / removal direction of the terminal fitting, and it is difficult to cause further crushing deformation. There is no risk of moving in the direction of removal.
The holder is provided with an escape groove that avoids interference with the electric wire. The escape groove is open in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of the electric wire. It is not necessary to fit in advance, and the assembling work is good.
In addition, in the type of connector that is designed to waterproof by externally fitting a rubber plug for each electric wire, it is possible to fix the rubber plug to the terminal fitting, so means to prevent the rubber plug from being removed is necessary. However, the present invention is characterized in that a holder that can also be used as a means for retaining the rubber plug functions as a means for pressing the rubber plug forward. is doing.

<Invention of Claim 2>
Since the taper surface on the holder side extends to the rear of the taper surface of the rubber plug, even if the rear end of the rubber plug is elastically deformed to escape backward by the pressing force from the holder, the rear end of the rubber plug The pressing force from the holder can be applied to the part, and the pressing function by the holder is sufficiently exhibited.

<Invention of Claim 3>
Since the rubber plug exhibits a sealing function on the front end surface of the flange portion in addition to the sealing function on the outer peripheral surface thereof, it has excellent sealing performance.

<Embodiment 1>
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The connector according to the present embodiment is formed by forming a plurality of cavities 11 extending in the front-rear direction in a housing 10 made of synthetic resin, and inserting terminal fittings 20 into the cavities 11 from the rear. A rubber plug 30 is used for each terminal fitting 20 individually.

  A lance 12 is integrally formed in the cavity 11 so as to extend forward in a cantilevered manner along its inner wall surface (lower surface). Further, an insertion port for inserting a mating terminal (not shown) is opened in the front wall 11F of the cavity 11. The inner peripheral surface of the rear end portion of the cavity 11 is a sealing surface 13 having a circular cross section. On the outer surface of the rear end portion of the housing 10, one locking projection 14 protrudes from both the left and right side surfaces, and a pair of left and right locking projections 14 protrude from the lower surface.

  The terminal fitting 20 is elongated in the front-rear direction as a whole, a square tube portion 21 is formed in a substantially first half portion, and a wire crimping portion 22 is formed in a substantially second half portion. A retaining hole 23 is formed in the lower surface of the rectangular tube portion 21. The wire crimping portion 22 includes an open barrel-like wire barrel 24 and an open barrel-like insulation barrel 25 positioned behind the wire barrel 24, and the wire barrel 24 has a front end portion of a conductor 27 of the wire 26. The insulation barrel 25 is connected to the insulation barrel 25 by crimping together the front end portion of the insulating coating 28 of the electric wire 26 and the crimped portion 31 of the rubber plug 30. The electric wire 26 fixed to the electric wire crimping portion 22 is led rearward substantially concentrically with respect to the terminal fitting 20.

  The rubber plug 30 has a cylindrical shape as a whole and is externally fitted to the electric wire 26, and the inner peripheral surface of the rubber plug 30 is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the insulating coating 28 in a liquid-tight manner. A substantially first half region of the rubber plug 30 is a pressure-bonded portion 31 having a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the seal surface 13, and a concentric circle having a slightly larger diameter than the seal surface 13 on the outer periphery of the rear end portion of the pressure-bonded portion 31. In the region from the rear end position to the rear end of the rubber plug 30, the outer diameter dimension is constant over the entire length and is larger than the seal surface 13. A seal portion 33 is formed. A taper surface 34 that is inclined with respect to the insertion / extraction direction of the terminal fitting 20 with respect to the cavity 11 is formed on the outer periphery of the rear end portion of the seal portion 33 over the entire circumference. The rear end surface of the seal portion 33 is a pressing force receiving surface 35 that is a flat surface perpendicular to the insertion / extraction direction of the terminal fitting 20 with respect to the cavity 11.

  The holder 40 is made of synthetic resin, and has a plate-like main body portion 41 that is long in the left-right direction (width direction), a lower surface plate 42 that protrudes forward from the lower end edge of the main body portion 41 into a square plate shape, and the main body portion 41. Are formed integrally with a pair of side plates 43 projecting in a square plate shape forward from both left and right edges.

  A plurality of escape grooves 44 penetrating in the front-rear direction are formed in the main body portion 41 so as to be aligned on the left and right so as to correspond to the cavities 11 (electric wires 26). Each relief groove 44 is elongated in the vertical direction, and the width of the groove is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the insulation coating 28 of the electric wire 26, and is opened upward (that is, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of the electric wire 26). It is a form. The lower end portion of the escape groove 44 has a semicircular arc shape, and the center of the semicircular arc is located coaxially with the axes of the electric wire 26 and the rubber plug 30. On the front surface of the main body 41 (the surface facing the rear end surface of the housing 10), a concave portion 45 having an arc shape concentric with the semicircular arc portion at the lower end of each escape groove 44 is formed. The pressing force applying surface 46 is a flat surface perpendicular to the insertion / extraction direction of the terminal fitting 20 with respect to the cavity 11, and the peripheral region of the recess 45 is a taper inclined with respect to the insertion / extraction direction of the terminal fitting 20 with respect to the cavity 11. Surface 47 is formed. In addition, a pair of left and right locking portions 48 are formed on the lower surface plate 42, and one locking portion 48 is formed on each of the left and right side surface plates 43.

Next, the procedure for assembling the connector will be described.
First, the front end portion of the electric wire 26 and the rubber plug 30 are fixed to the electric wire crimping portion 22 of the terminal fitting 20, and the terminal fitting 20 to which the electric wire 26 and the rubber plug 30 are fixed is inserted into the cavity 11 from the rear. In the process of insertion, the rectangular tube portion 21 elastically deflects the lance 12 downward. Then, when the terminal fitting 20 reaches the normal insertion position where it abuts against the front wall 11F of the cavity 11 or just before reaching the normal insertion position, the lance 12 is elastically restored and locked to the retaining hole 23 or engaged. The terminal fitting 20 is brought into a retaining state by the locking action of the lance 12. At this time, when the terminal fitting 20 is pulled rearward so that the lance 12 is locked to the front edge of the retaining hole 23, the lance 12 is interposed between the front end of the terminal fitting 20 and the front wall 11F of the cavity 11. The gap resulting from the dimension setting for ensuring the smooth elastic return operation is opened.

  In the state in which the terminal fitting 20 is properly inserted, the outer periphery of the seal portion 33 of the rubber plug 30 is in close contact with the seal surface 13 of the cavity 11, so that water from the gap between the outer periphery of the electric wire 26 and the inner periphery of the cavity 11 is prevented. Is prevented. Further, the rear end portion of the seal portion 33 protrudes rearward from the rear end surface of the housing 10 by a predetermined dimension.

  From this state, the holder 40 is assembled to the rear end of the housing 10. When assembling, the holder 40 is approached to the electric wire 26 from below at a position slightly behind the assembling position with respect to the housing 10, and each electric wire 26 is fitted into the corresponding relief groove 44. And the holder 40 is made to approach the housing 10 from the back along the axis line of the electric wire 26, maintaining the state which made the electric wire 26 contact | abut to the lower end part of the escape groove | channel 44. FIG. In the process of approaching, the lower surface plate 42 and the side surface plate 43 are elastically deformed so as to be separated from the lower surface and the side surface of the housing 10 by bringing the front end edges thereof into contact with the locking projections 14. Then, when the holder 40 is advanced to the proper assembly position, the lower surface plate 42 and the side surface plate 43 are elastically restored, and the respective locking portions 48 are fitted into the respective locking projections 14. From the rear of the housing 10 is restricted. Further, this fitting also restricts the movement of the holder 40 relative to the housing 10 in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction.

  In a state where the holder 40 is assembled to the housing 10, the pressing force applying surface 46 of the holder 40 applies a forward pressing force to the pressing force receiving surface 35 of the rubber plug 30, and the tapered surface 47 of the holder 40 is A forward pressing force is applied to the tapered surface 34 of the rubber plug 30, and the rubber plug 30 is pushed forward by this pressing action. As the rubber plug 30 advances, the electric wire 26 and the terminal fitting 20 also move forward together with the rubber plug 30, and the front end of the terminal fitting 20 comes into contact with the front wall 11 </ b> F of the cavity 11. Even in the state where the terminal fitting 20 is in contact with the front wall 11F, the seal portion 33 of the rubber plug 30 is elastically bent so as to be compressed in the front-rear direction by the pressing force from the holder 40. Due to the elastic return of the rubber plug 30, the terminal fitting 20 is elastically pressed against the front wall 11F.

  Further, the front surface of the main body 41 of the holder 40 is spaced rearward from the rear end surface of the housing 10. Further, the front end portion of the tapered surface 47 of the holder 40 is positioned further forward than the front end of the tapered surface 34 of the rubber plug 30. Further, since the rear end portion of the seal portion 33 is fitted into the concave portion 45 of the holder 40, there is no possibility that the holder 40 and the rubber plug 30 are greatly moved relative to each other in the radial direction. In addition, since the sealing portion 33 of the rubber plug 30 is compressed and deformed in the front-rear direction, the adhesion of the sealing portion 33 to the seal surface 13 and the electric wire 26 is increased, so that the reliability of the sealing performance of the rubber plug 30 is improved.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the rubber plug 30 is elastically deformed by the pressing force from the holder 40, and the front end of the terminal fitting 20 contacts the front wall 11 </ b> F of the cavity 11 by the elastic restoring force of the rubber plug 30. The backlash of the terminal fitting 20 in the insertion / extraction direction is prevented. At this time, since the rubber plug 30 is elastically deformed so as to be crushed by the holder 40 in the insertion / removal direction of the terminal fitting 20, it is difficult to cause further crushing deformation. Therefore, the terminal fitting 20 crushes the rubber plug 30. There is no fear of moving backward, that is, in the direction of removal while being deformed.
In addition, the holder 40 is formed with an escape groove 44 that avoids interference with the electric wire 26. The escape groove 44 is open in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of the electric wire 26. Therefore, it is not necessary to externally fit the holder 40 to the electric wire 26 in advance, and it is easy to perform the assembling work.

<Embodiment 2>
Next, Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the connector according to the second embodiment, the rubber plug 50 and the holder 60 are configured differently from those of the first embodiment. Since the other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, the same reference numeral is given to the same configuration, and the description of the structure, operation, and effect is omitted.

  A flange portion 52 that is concentric with the seal portion 51 and has a larger diameter than the seal portion 51 is formed at the rear end portion of the seal portion 51 of the rubber plug 50. Both the front end surface and the rear end surface of the flange portion 52 are perpendicular to the insertion / extraction direction of the terminal fitting 20 with respect to the cavity 11, and the rear end surface of the flange portion 52 is a pressing force receiving surface 53. When the holder 60 is not assembled to the housing 10 (a free state in which the rubber plug 50 is not elastically bent), the flange portion 52 is located outside the housing 10, and the front end of the terminal fitting 20 is the front wall of the cavity 11. In a state of being in contact with 11F, a gap is formed between the front surface of the flange portion 52 and the rear end surface of the housing 10. Further, the rubber plug 50 is formed with a small-diameter portion 54 that protrudes rearward from the rear end surface of the flange portion 52. The small diameter portion 54 is a concentric circle with the flange portion 52 and has a smaller diameter than the flange portion 52. Further, the rubber plug 50 is formed with a tapered portion 55 that protrudes rearward from the small diameter portion 54. The tapered portion 55 has a truncated cone shape concentric with the flange portion 52 and the small-diameter portion 54, and the outer diameter decreases stepwise toward the rear. The maximum diameter of the tapered portion 55 (the outer diameter of the front end) is a small-diameter portion. 54 and approximately the same dimensions. The outer peripheral surface of the tapered portion 55 is a tapered surface 56 that is inclined with respect to the insertion / extraction direction of the terminal fitting 20 with respect to the cavity 11.

  In the main body portion 61 of the holder 60, an escape groove 62 corresponding to each electric wire 26 is formed in a form opened upward as in the first embodiment. A region excluding the front end edge portion of the inner peripheral surface of the lower end portion forming the semicircular arc shape of the escape groove 62 is a tapered surface 63 inclined with respect to the insertion / extraction direction of the terminal fitting 20 with respect to the cavity 11. Further, the front end edge portion of the inner peripheral surface of the lower end portion that forms the semicircular arc shape of the escape groove 62 is a diameter-enlarged portion 64 that forms a concentric arc shape whose diameter is increased stepwise with respect to the tapered surface 63. Further, a concave portion 65 having an arc shape concentric with the semicircular arc shape portion at the lower end portion of the escape groove 62 is formed on the front surface of the main body portion 61, and the terminal fitting 20 is inserted into and removed from the concave portion 65. A pressing force application surface 66 that is flat and perpendicular to the direction is formed.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.
Since the procedure for assembling the holder 60 with respect to the housing 10 is the same as that in the first embodiment, the description thereof is omitted. In a state where the holder 60 is assembled to the housing 10, the pressing force applying surface 66 and the tapered surface 63 of the holder 60 press the pressing force receiving surface 53 and the tapered surface 56 of the rubber plug 50 forward, whereby the seal portion 51 is moved. The rubber plug 50, the electric wire 26, and the terminal fitting 20 are elastically pushed forward while being compressed and deformed forward and backward, and the front end of the terminal fitting 20 abuts against the front wall 11 </ b> F of the cavity 11. Further, the front end surface of the flange portion 52 comes into close contact with the peripheral region of the opening edge of the cavity 11 on the rear end surface of the housing 10 by the pressing force of the holder 60. The front surface of the main body 61 of the holder 60 is spaced rearward from the rear end surface of the housing 10. Further, the rear end portion of the tapered surface 63 of the holder 60 is located further rearward than the rear end of the tapered surface 56 of the rubber plug 50. Further, there is a gap between the enlarged diameter portion 64 of the holder 60 and the small diameter portion 54 of the rubber plug 50, and there is also a gap between the outer peripheral surface of the flange portion 52 and the inner peripheral surface of the recess 65. Yes.

  In the second embodiment, at least a part of the contact area between the rubber plug 50 and the holder 60 is tapered surfaces 56 and 63 inclined with respect to the insertion / extraction direction of the terminal fitting 20 with respect to the cavity 11. Since the taper surface 63 on the holder 60 side extends further to the rear than the taper surface 56 of the rubber plug 50, even if the rear end portion of the rubber plug 50 is elastically deformed so as to escape backward by the pressing force from the holder 60. The pressing force from the holder 60 can be applied to the rear end portion that has escaped, and the pressing function of the holder 60 is sufficiently exhibited.

  Further, a flange portion 52 is formed on the outer periphery of the rubber plug 50, and the flange portion 52 comes into close contact with an annular region along the opening edge of the cavity 11 on the rear end surface of the housing 10. In addition to the sealing function on the outer peripheral surface of the sealing portion 51, the sealing function is also exhibited on the front end surface of the flange portion 52, and the sealing performance is excellent.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the above description and drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.
(1) In Embodiments 1 and 2 described above, the pressing surface of the holder against the rubber plug is configured by a surface perpendicular to the insertion / extraction direction of the terminal fitting with respect to the cavity and a tapered surface inclined with respect to the insertion / extraction direction. Accordingly, the pressing surface may be only a surface perpendicular to the insertion / extraction direction, or only a tapered surface inclined with respect to the insertion / extraction direction.
(2) In the said Embodiment 1, it is good also as a form which the taper surface of a holder extends back rather than the taper surface of a rubber stopper.
(3) In the first and second embodiments, the rear end of the tapered surface of the holder may be set at a position ahead of the rear end of the tapered surface of the rubber plug.
(4) In the said Embodiment 2, it is good also considering the rear-end surface of a flange part as a taper surface inclined with respect to the insertion / extraction direction of a terminal metal fitting.

Sectional drawing of Embodiment 1 Rear view of housing Partially cutaway plan view with holder mounted on housing Side view with the holder assembled to the housing Rear view with the holder assembled to the housing Top view of holder Horizontal section of holder Front view of holder Sectional drawing of Embodiment 2

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Housing 11 ... Cavity 11F ... Front wall of cavity 12 ... Lance 20 ... Terminal metal fitting 30 ... Rubber plug 34 ... Tapered surface 40 ... Holder 44 ... Escape groove 47 ... Tapered surface 50 ... Rubber plug 52 ... Flange part 56 ... Tapered surface 60 ... Holder 62 ... Relief groove 63 ... Tapered surface

Claims (3)

A terminal fitting is inserted from the back into the cavity formed in the housing,
By the locking action of the lance formed along the inner wall of the cavity, the terminal fitting is prevented from being removed in a state where it is inserted to the normal insertion position ,
A rubber plug is externally fitted to the electric wire connected to the electric wire crimping portion at the rear end of the terminal fitting and having the axis line directed in the front-rear direction,
In the connector in which the gap between the outer periphery of the wire and the inner periphery of the cavity is sealed by closely contacting the rubber plug with the inner periphery of the rear end of the cavity,
The rubber plug is fixed to the wire crimping portion,
The housing is assembled with a holder that presses forward to elastically deform the rubber stopper,
Due to the pressing action of the holder, the terminal fitting in a properly inserted state is pushed forward together with the electric wire and the rubber plug, and the front end of the terminal fitting abuts against the front wall of the cavity. And
Due to the elastic restoring force of the rubber plug, the front end of the terminal fitting is elastically pressed against the front wall of the cavity,
The connector, wherein the holder is open in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of the electric wire, and is formed with a relief groove that avoids interference with the electric wire. At least a part of the contact area between the rubber plug and the holder is a tapered surface inclined with respect to the insertion / extraction direction of the terminal fitting with respect to the cavity,
2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the taper surface on the holder side extends rearward from the taper surface of the rubber plug. A flange is formed on the outer periphery of the rubber plug,
The connector according to claim 1, wherein the flange portion is in close contact with an annular region along an opening edge of the cavity on a rear end surface of the housing.

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