JP7540404B2 - Charging connector - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a charging connector.

Patent Document 1 discloses an inlet assembly that is installed in a vehicle and that uses an external power source to charge an internally mounted power storage device. A grommet is attached to the rear side of the inlet base described in Patent Document 1.

JP 2011-175764 A

Installing the grommets is a hassle.

Therefore, the aim is to provide technology that can facilitate grommet installation work.

The charging connector disclosed herein is a charging connector that is mounted on a vehicle, engages with an external charging connector that is connected to an external power source of the vehicle, and is used to charge a battery provided in the vehicle, and includes first and second power terminals used to supply power to the battery, a plurality of signal terminals, a housing that holds the first and second power terminals and the plurality of signal terminals and engages with the external charging connector at a front end along the insertion/removal direction of the external charging connector, a retainer that combines with the rear end of the housing and holds the first and second power terminals and the plurality of signal terminals together with the housing, and first and second power terminals that are electrically connected to the rear ends of the first and second power terminals and extend in a direction intersecting the insertion/removal direction. A charging connector including a second relay terminal, first and second power lines electrically connected to the first and second power terminals, respectively, via the first and second relay terminals, a plurality of signal lines electrically connected to the plurality of signal terminals, and a grommet that collectively covers the rear end of the housing to the middle of the power lines and the signal lines, the grommet having an opening that covers the rear end of the housing, the retainer having a wall that protrudes along the insertion/removal direction, the wall having a restricting wall that restricts the position of the relay terminal, a reinforcing rib on the outer surface of the end of the restricting wall in the extension direction of the relay terminal, and the grommet having a flange portion provided around the opening.

This disclosure makes grommet installation easy.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a charging connector according to a first embodiment and an assembly mode thereof. FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the charging connector according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the charging connector according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a front view showing the charging connector according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the electric wire with terminal and its accommodation position. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the electric wire path in the charging connector. FIG. 8 is a front view showing the grommet. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a state in which the grommet is temporarily held by the retainer. FIG. 10 is a rear view of the housing. FIG. 11 is a plan view showing how the grommet is attached to the housing and the retainer. FIG. 12 is a plan view showing a state in which the grommet is temporarily held by the retainer. FIG. 13 is a rear view showing a charging connector according to a modified example.

[Description of the embodiments of the present disclosure]
First, the embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described.

The charging connector disclosed herein is as follows:

(1) A charging connector that is mounted on a vehicle, engages with an external charging connector that is connected to an external power source of the vehicle, and is used to charge a battery provided in the vehicle, the charging connector comprising: first and second power terminals used to supply power to the battery; a plurality of signal terminals; a housing that holds the first and second power terminals and the plurality of signal terminals and engages with the external charging connector at a front end along the insertion/removal direction of the external charging connector; a retainer that combines with a rear end of the housing and holds the first and second power terminals and the plurality of signal terminals together with the housing; and first and second intermediate terminals that are electrically connected to the rear ends of the first and second power terminals and extend in a direction intersecting the insertion/removal direction. The charging connector includes a relay terminal, a first and second power line electrically connected to the first and second power terminals, respectively, via the first and second relay terminals, a plurality of signal lines electrically connected to the plurality of signal terminals, respectively, and a grommet that collectively covers the rear end of the housing to the middle of the power line and the signal line, the grommet having an opening that covers the rear end of the housing, the retainer having a wall that protrudes along the insertion/removal direction, the wall having a restricting wall that restricts the position of the relay terminal, a reinforcing rib is provided on the outer surface of the end of the restricting wall in the direction in which the relay terminal extends, and the grommet has a flange portion provided around the opening. When the grommet is attached, the peripheral portion of the opening in the grommet can be temporarily held by being caught on the reinforcing rib of the wall of the retainer. Also, when attaching the grommet, an operator can grip the flange portion to perform the work. This makes it easier to install the grommet.

(2) In the charging connector of (1), the restricting wall may have a first restricting wall and a second restricting wall that face each other across the relay terminal, and the reinforcing rib provided on the first restricting wall and the reinforcing rib provided on the second restricting wall may be formed in opposite directions. This makes it easier for the peripheral portion of the opening in the grommet to be caught by the reinforcing rib of the retainer when the grommet is attached.

(3) In the charging connector of (1) or (2), the grommet may be provided with a drain opening that opens in a direction intersecting the insertion/removal direction, and the wall may have a partition wall that divides the rear end of the retainer into a first region corresponding to the first and second power terminals and the multiple signal terminals and a second region located closer to the drain opening than the first region, and the tip of the partition wall may abut against the inner surface of the grommet. In this way, the space where the terminals are located and the space where the drain opening is located are separated by the lower wall and the grommet, making it difficult for dust and the like that has entered the grommet from the drain opening to reach the space where the terminals are located.

(4) In the charging connector of (3), the insertion/removal direction, the direction in which the drain outlet opens, and the direction in which the power line extends inside the grommet may be directions that intersect with each other. As a result, when the grommet is positioned so that the drain outlet faces vertically downward, the power line extends in a direction that intersects with the vertically downward direction, making it difficult for water to enter through the power line outlet.

(5) In the charging connector of any one of (1) to (4), the housing has a housing main body that holds the first and second power terminals and the multiple signal terminals, and a vehicle mounting portion used for bolt fastening to the vehicle, the vehicle mounting portion has a flange portion that protrudes outward from the housing main body and first and second ribs that protrude from the flange portion in the insertion/removal direction, and the grommet has a protrusion that is provided on the outside of an opening that covers the housing and protrudes toward the vehicle mounting portion, and the protrusion may be fitted between the first and second ribs. This prevents the grommet and the housing from rotating.

(6) In the charging connector of (5), the vehicle attachment portion may have a connecting rib connecting the first and second ribs, and the protrusion may be fitted between the first and second ribs at a position that avoids the connecting rib. This allows the protrusion to prevent rotation while the connecting rib increases the rigidity of the attachment portion.

(7) In any one of the charging connectors (1) to (6), the housing has a housing main body that holds the first and second power terminals and the multiple signal terminals, and a vehicle mounting portion used for bolt fastening to the vehicle, the vehicle mounting portion has a flange portion that protrudes outward from the housing main body and multiple ribs that protrude from the flange portion in the insertion/removal direction, the flange portion is formed with a first mounting hole and a second mounting hole that is closer to the housing main body than the first mounting hole, and the multiple ribs may be provided to increase the rigidity of the portion where the second mounting hole is formed more than the rigidity of the portion where the first mounting hole is formed. Since the second mounting hole is closer to the cylindrical portion of the housing than the first mounting hole, the force applied from the vehicle to the portion where the second mounting hole is formed is likely to be greater than the force applied to the portion where the first mounting hole is formed. Even in this case, the increased rigidity of the portion where the second mounting hole is formed suppresses cracking of the vehicle mounting portion.

[Details of the embodiment of the present disclosure]
Specific examples of the charging connector of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to these examples, but is defined by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[Embodiment 1]
Hereinafter, the charging connector according to the first embodiment will be described.

<About the vehicle>
First, a vehicle in which the charging connector is installed will be described.

The vehicle in which the charging connector is incorporated is an electric vehicle equipped with a power storage device and a motor. The vehicle runs by driving the motor with power from the power storage device. The vehicle may be an electric vehicle equipped only with a motor as a drive source, or a hybrid vehicle equipped with a motor and an engine. The power storage device in the vehicle is charged with power supplied from an external power source. The charging connector is configured so that an external charging connector can be inserted and electrically connected. The external charging connector is a connector for a charging cable extending from an external power source.

Charging modes for a power storage device in a vehicle generally include normal charging and rapid charging. Rapid charging allows charging to be completed in a shorter time than normal charging by passing a larger current than normal charging. For normal charging, a household power source or an equivalent external power source is assumed to be used. For rapid charging, a dedicated power source such as a charging station is assumed to be used. The charging connector of the present disclosure is described as a charging connector compatible with rapid charging.

<Charging connector in vehicle>
An assembly mode of the charging connector in a vehicle will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a plan view showing a charging connector 10 according to a first embodiment and its assembly mode.

The charging connector 10 is attached to a mounting portion 100 provided on the outer surface of the body of the vehicle, for example. FIG. 1 shows an example of the mounting portion 100. The mounting portion 100 is formed, for example, in such a manner that a part of a panel constituting the body is recessed toward the inside of the vehicle. A through hole 104 is formed in a bottom panel 102 of the mounting portion 100.

A connection portion with an external charging connector is provided on the front side of the charging connector 10. The connection portion includes a portion into which the external charging connector is inserted and electrically connected. A portion of the charging connector 10, including the connection portion, passes through the through hole 104 and is exposed to the outside of the panel 102. Another portion of the charging connector 10 is disposed inside the vehicle relative to the panel 102. Typically, a vehicle body side cover 106 is provided on the mounting portion 100. The vehicle body side cover 106 is attached so as to be openable and closable by a hinge or the like. When the vehicle body side cover 106 is closed, the vehicle body side cover 106 covers the opening of the panel 102. When the vehicle body side cover 106 is open, the charging connector 10 is exposed, and the charging connector 10 can be accessed from the outside.

In this disclosure, as shown in FIG. 1, of the mutually orthogonal X, Y, and Z directions, the X direction is parallel to the direction in which the charging connector 10 passes through the through hole 104 of the panel 102. The charging connector 10 and the external charging connector are connected in the X direction. The Z direction is, for example, the vertical direction. For example, when the charging connector 10 is provided on the side of the vehicle, the Y direction is the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle. For example, when the charging connector 10 is provided on the front or rear surface of the vehicle, the Y direction is the width direction of the vehicle. Below, for members that are not in an installed state, a description will be given in accordance with the directions corresponding to the X, Y, and Z directions when in an installed state.

<Overall composition>
The overall configuration of the charging connector 10 will be described with reference to Figs. 2 to 7 in addition to Fig. 1. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the charging connector 10 according to the first embodiment. Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the charging connector 10 according to the first embodiment. Fig. 4 is a front view showing the charging connector 10 according to the first embodiment. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating a terminal-attached electric wire 38 and its housing position. Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrating the path of the electric wire 30 in the charging connector 10. Note that the electric wire 30 is omitted in Fig. 3. Also, some of the terminal-attached electric wires 38 are omitted in Fig. 6.

The charging connector 10 includes a terminal 20, an electric wire 30, a thermistor unit 40, a housing 50, a retainer 60, an electric wire cover 70, a lid unit 80, and a grommet 90.

<Terminals>
The terminal 20 includes a connector terminal 21 and a relay terminal 28. The connector terminal 21 is accommodated in a housing 50. The connector terminal 21 is connected to a terminal of a mating connector. The number and type of the connector terminals 21 are appropriately set according to the standard of the charging connector 10, etc. In the example of the present embodiment, two power terminals 22, six signal terminals 24, and one ground terminal 26 are provided as the connector terminals 21. The relay terminal 28 is interposed between the power terminal 22 and the electric wire 30. The relay terminals 28 are provided in the same number as the power terminals 22 (here, two). Each terminal 20 is formed by pressing (bending) a metal plate. The two power terminals 22 are an example of a first and second power terminal. The two relay terminals 28 are an example of a first and second relay terminal. Either of the two power terminals 22 may be the first power terminal. Either of the two relay terminals 28 may be the first relay terminal.

The power terminal 22 has a mating connection portion 23a, a terminal fixing portion 23b, and a protrusion 23c. The power terminal 22 further has a thermistor mounting portion 23d. The signal terminal 24 has a mating connection portion 25a, an electric wire connection portion 25b, and a protrusion 25c. The ground terminal 26 has a mating connection portion 27a, an electric wire connection portion 27b, and a protrusion 27c. The relay terminal 28 has a terminal fixing portion 29a and an electric wire connection portion 29b.

The mating connection parts 23a, 25a, 27a are parts that are electrically connected to the connector terminals of the external charging connector. The terminal fixing parts 23b, 29a have holes through which the screws S can be inserted. The power terminal 22 and the relay terminal 28 are fixed and electrically connected to each other by being fixed to the terminal fixing parts 23b, 29a with the screws S. The wire connection parts 25b, 27b, 29b are crimped parts. The signal terminal 24, the ground terminal 26, and the relay terminal 28 are crimped to the ends of the corresponding electric wires 30 by the wire connection parts 25b, 27b, 29b. As a result, the signal terminal 24, the ground terminal 26, and the relay terminal 28 are fixed and electrically connected to the corresponding electric wires 30. The protrusions 23c, 25c, 27c are provided in the middle parts of the connector terminals 21. Protrusions 23c, 25c, and 27c are the parts that are held down by the retainer 60. Thermistor mounting portion 23d is the part where the thermistor unit 40 is mounted.

<Electric wires>
One end of each electric wire 30 is connected to the terminal 20. The other end of each electric wire 30 extends from the grommet 90 to the outside. When the charging connector 10 is mounted on the vehicle, the other end of each electric wire 30 is connected to another device mounted on the vehicle. Such a device is appropriately set according to the type of the electric wire 30, and is assumed to be, for example, a battery, an electronic control unit (ECU), etc. The number and type of the electric wires 30 correspond to the number and type of the connector terminals 21. In the example of the present embodiment, the electric wire 30 includes two power lines 32, six signal lines 34, and one ground line 36. One end of the power lines 32 is connected to the relay terminal 28. The power lines 32 are connected to the power terminal 22 via the relay terminal 28. One end of the signal line 34 is connected to the signal terminal 24. One end of the ground line 36 is connected to the ground terminal 26. One end of the thermistor electric wire 44 is connected to the thermistor 42.

Each electric wire 30 is a coated electric wire. The coated electric wire has a core wire 31a and a coating 31b that covers the core wire 31a. The core wire 31a is formed, for example, by twisting multiple metal wires. The coating 31b is formed, for example, by extruding an insulating resin around the core wire 31a. As the multiple electric wires 30, multiple types of electric wires 30 with different thicknesses are used. The thickness of the electric wire 30 is set according to the allowable current value, etc. Normally, in order to increase the allowable current value, it is necessary to increase the conductor cross-sectional area, and the thickness of the electric wire 30 becomes thicker accordingly. In addition, the thickness of the electric wire 30 is usually correlated with the difficulty of bending the electric wire 30, and as the electric wire 30 becomes thicker, the electric wire 30 becomes harder to bend. For example, when an easy-to-bend electric wire and a hard-to-bend electric wire are bent at the same angle, the radius of curvature of the hard-to-bend electric wire will be larger than the radius of curvature of the easy-to-bend electric wire, and therefore a larger installation space will be required.

In this example, the power line 32 is thicker than the ground line 36 and the signal line 34. Therefore, the power line 32 is less likely to bend than the ground line 36 and the signal line 34. Also, the ground line 36 is thicker than the signal line 34. Therefore, the ground line 36 is less likely to bend than the signal line 34.

<Wire with terminal>
The terminal 20 and the electric wire 30 are fixed and integrated while being electrically connected to each other by crimping during the manufacturing process of the charging connector 10. Such an integrated electric wire 30 and terminal 20 may be called a terminal-attached electric wire 38. In this example, a terminal-attached electric wire 38 in which a power line 32 and a relay terminal 28 are integrated, a terminal-attached electric wire 38 in which a signal line 34 and a signal terminal 24 are integrated, and a terminal-attached electric wire 38 in which a ground line 36 and a ground terminal 26 are integrated are provided.

As shown in FIG. 5, the terminal-attached electric wire 38 may be covered with a shrink tube 39. The shrink tube 39 covers the connection portion between the electric wire 30 and the terminal 20. This prevents water from getting on the connection portion between the electric wire 30 and the terminal 20 and from penetrating into the coating 31b. The shrink tube 39 covers, for example, a portion of the terminal 20 forward of the portion to which the electric wire 30 is connected to the portion of the electric wire 30 where the coating 31b is located. The shrink tube 39 is a heat-shrinkable tube 39 that shrinks when heated. The heat-shrinkable tube 39 is placed over the terminal-attached electric wire 38 in a large diameter state before being heated. After that, when the heat-shrinkable tube 39 is heated and shrinks, it takes a shape corresponding to the shape of the connection portion, so that it can be tightly attached to the connection portion. For example, a hot melt adhesive may be provided on the inner surface of the heat-shrinkable tube 39. This allows the hot melt adhesive to fill the gap between the heat shrink tube 39 and the terminal 20 and the gap between the heat shrink tube 39 and the electric wire 30, improving the waterproofing of the shrink tube 39. The hot melt adhesive does not have to be provided on the inner surface of the heat shrink tube 39. In the electric wire with terminal 38, the shrink tube 39 may not be provided at the connection portion between the electric wire 30 and the terminal 20, and may be exposed. In the electric wire with terminal 38, a resin such as an adhesive may be provided at the connection portion between the electric wire 30 and the terminal 20 instead of the shrink tube 39.

<Thermistor unit>
The thermistor unit 40 measures the temperature of the power supply circuit. In the charging connector 10 for rapid charging, a large current flows through the power supply circuit for charging the battery, and therefore the temperature rise of the power supply circuit is also large. By monitoring the temperature of the power supply circuit using the thermistor unit 40, it is possible to prevent the temperature of the power supply circuit from becoming too high. The thermistor unit 40 has a thermistor 42 and a thermistor wire 44. In this example, the thermistor 42 is attached to each of the pair of power terminals 22, and the temperature of each of the pair of power terminals 22 is measured. One end of the thermistor wire 44 is connected to the thermistor 42. The other end of the thermistor wire 44 extends to the outside from the grommet 90 in the same manner as the other end of the wire 30. When the charging connector 10 is mounted on the vehicle, the other end of the thermistor wire 44 is connected to, for example, an ECU. The thermistor wire 44 is thinner than the power line 32 and the ground line 36. For this reason, the thermistor wire 44 is more easily bent than the power wire 32 and the ground wire 36 .

<Housing>
The housing 50 holds the connector terminal 21 in a predetermined position (a position where the connector terminal 21 of the external charging connector can be connected). The housing 50 includes a housing main body 51, a vehicle attachment portion 54, and a wire pressing portion 57.

The connector terminals 21 are accommodated in the housing body 51. The housing body 51 has an outer frame portion 52 and multiple terminal holding portions 53. Each of the multiple terminal holding portions 53 is formed in a cylindrical shape capable of accommodating a corresponding connector terminal 21. The outer frame portion 52 is formed in a cylindrical shape that surrounds the multiple terminal holding portions 53. At the middle portion of the terminal holding portion 53, the multiple terminal holding portions 53 and the outer frame portion 52 are connected by a flat connecting portion. A lid unit 80 is attached to the front of the housing body 51. A retainer 60 is attached to the rear of the housing body 51.

The vehicle mounting portion 54 is a portion for mounting the charging connector 10 to the mounting portion 100. The vehicle mounting portion 54 is formed in a plate shape that protrudes around the outer frame portion 52 at the middle portion of the housing main body 51. The vehicle mounting portion 54 is attached to the mounting portion 100 by, for example, screws S.

The wire pressing portion 57 presses the middle portion of the wire 30 extending from the terminal 20. This makes it difficult for vibrations occurring on the other end side of the portion of the wire 30 pressed by the wire pressing portion 57 to be transmitted to the terminal 20, suppressing friction between the terminal 20 and the housing body 51. At the rear of the housing body 51, a block-shaped arm 56 protrudes in the Y direction from the outer frame portion 52. A wire pressing portion 57 is provided at the tip of the arm 56 along the protruding direction from the housing body 51. Three wire pressing portions 57 are provided. Two of the three wire pressing portions 57 press two power lines 32, and the remaining wire pressing portion 57 presses one ground line 36.

<Retainer>
The retainer 60 prevents the terminals 20 from coming out of the housing 50. The retainer 60 includes a terminal pressing portion 61 and walls 65 and 66.

The terminal pressing portion 61 presses the rear of the connector terminal 21 housed in the housing 50. This prevents the connector terminal 21 from slipping out rearward from the housing 50. The terminal pressing portion 61 includes a rear cover portion 62 and multiple protruding tube portions 63.

The rear cover part 62 closes the rear opening of the outer frame part 52. The rear cover part 62 has a plurality of through holes formed therein. The plurality of through holes are formed at positions corresponding to the respective terminal holding parts 53. The power terminals 22 and the relay terminals 28 are screwed in contact with each other through the through holes corresponding to the power terminals 22. The relay terminals 28 are disposed on the rear surface of the rear cover part 62. The signal lines 34 and the ground lines 36 are drawn out from the through holes corresponding to the signal terminals 24 and the ground terminals 26.

The multiple protruding tube portions 63 protrude forward (toward the housing 50) from the rear cover portion 62. The multiple protruding tube portions 63 are formed at positions corresponding to each terminal holding portion 53. Each protruding tube portion 63 communicates with each through hole. The tip of each protruding tube portion 63 is inserted into the corresponding terminal holding portion 53 and presses the corresponding protruding portion 23c, 25c, 27c from behind.

The walls 65 and 66 protrude rearward from the rear cover portion 62 in the insertion/removal direction. The wall 65 is a restricting wall 65 that restricts the position of the relay terminal 28. The portion of the relay terminal 28 that is connected to the power terminal 22 is arranged along the restricting wall 65. The restricting wall 65 separates the relay terminals 28 from each other. The restricting wall 65 also separates the relay terminals 28 from the signal terminals 24. The wall 66 is a partition wall 66 that separates the terminal 20 storage space and the drainage space inside the grommet 90.

The housing 50 and the retainer 60 are provided with locking portions. In this example, the locking portions are a locking protrusion formed on the housing 50 and a locking piece formed on the retainer 60. The locking piece locks onto the locking protrusion, thereby maintaining the housing 50 and the retainer 60 in an attached state.

<Wire cover>
The wire cover 70 is attached to the wire pressing portion 57. The wire cover 70 prevents the wire 30 from coming out of the wire pressing portion 57. The wire cover 70 and the wire pressing portion 57 cover the entire periphery of the wire 30. In this embodiment, two wire covers 70 are provided. One of the two wire covers 70 presses two power lines 32. The other of the two wire covers 70 presses one ground line 36.

<Lid unit>
The lid unit 80 is provided in front of the housing main body 51 so as to be openable and closable. When the lid unit 80 is opened, a connection port of the housing main body 51 is exposed. This allows an external charging connector to be connected to the charging connector 10. When the lid unit 80 is closed, the connection port of the housing main body 51 is closed by the lid unit 80. The lid unit 80 has a lid 82, a hinge unit 84, and a lock unit 86. The lid 82 is attached to the housing main body 51 via the hinge unit 84 so as to be openable and closable. The lock unit 86 maintains the lid 82 in a closed state. During charging work, an operator can open the lid 82 by operating the lock unit 86.

<Grommet>
The grommet 90 will be described with reference to Fig. 8 in addition to Fig. 1 to Fig. 7. Fig. 8 is a front view showing the grommet 90.

The grommet 90 covers the housing 50 and the retainer 60. The grommet 90 includes a first protective portion 91 and a second protective portion 94. The first protective portion 91 covers the rear end portion of the housing body 51 and the retainer 60. The second protective portion 94 covers the electric wire pressing portion 57. The grommet 90 is a flexible member. The grommet 90 is made of an elastomer such as EPDM. The grommet 90 is, for example, an integrally molded product.

The first protective portion 91 is formed with a housing pull-out opening 92 and a drainage opening 93. The housing pull-out opening 92 is an example of an opening that covers the rear end of the housing 50. The front end of the housing main body 51 extends to the outside of the grommet 90 through the housing pull-out opening 92. The housing pull-out opening 92 is formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the X direction. The drainage opening 93 is an opening for draining water that has entered the inside of the charging connector 10 to the outside. It is assumed that such water enters from the front end of the housing main body 51 when the lid unit 80 is opened, for example. The drainage opening 93 is formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the Z direction.

A cable tie 98 is attached to the outer surface of the housing pull-out opening 92. The grommet 90 is attached to the housing 50 by the cable tie 98. An annular rib 92a is provided on the inner surface of the housing pull-out opening 92. The annular rib 92a is provided around the entire circumference of the inner surface of the housing pull-out opening 92. The annular rib 92a is in close contact with the outer surface of the housing main body 51 around the entire circumference. By tightening the housing pull-out opening 92 with the cable tie 98, the annular rib 92a is compressed between the inner surface of the housing pull-out opening 92 and the outer surface of the housing main body 51. This improves the watertightness between the outer surface of the housing main body 51 and the inner surface of the housing pull-out opening 92.

The grommet 90 has a flange 92b and a protrusion 92c. The flange 92b and the protrusion 92c are provided around the housing outlet 92.

The flange 92b is provided around the tip of the housing outlet 92, which extends in a cylindrical shape. The flange 92b allows an operator to grip the flange 92b and perform the work of attaching the grommet 90. The flange 92b also prevents the cable tie 98 from shifting position toward the tip of the housing outlet 92. The flange 92b is provided around the entire circumference of the housing outlet 92. The flange 92b may be provided on a portion of the circumference of the housing outlet 92. The protrusion 92c protrudes from the flange 92b toward the vehicle attachment portion 54. The protrusion 92c is used to position (stop rotation) the housing 50 and the grommet 90. This will be described in detail later.

An electric wire outlet 95 is formed in the second protective section 94. The other end of the electric wire 30 extends to the outside of the grommet 90 through the electric wire outlet 95. Three electric wire outlets 95 are provided in one grommet 90. Two of the three electric wire outlets 95 are provided for two power lines 32. One power line 32 is passed through each of the two electric wire outlets 95. The signal line 34, the ground line 36, and the thermistor wire 44 are passed through the remaining one of the three electric wire outlets 95.

<Wire path in charging connector>
The power line 32 extends straight through the grommet 90 from one end connected to the relay terminal 28 to the other end, and extends to the outside of the grommet 90 through the outlet. Therefore, one end of the power line 32 is not inserted into the through hole.

The two power lines 32 extend in the grommet 90 side by side in the Z direction. The two power terminals 22 are arranged in the Y direction and housed in the housing body 51. The difference between the direction in which the two power lines 32 are arranged and the direction in which the two power terminals 22 are arranged is absorbed by the relay terminals 28. More specifically, the two relay terminals 28 are each arranged on the rear cover part 62. Of the two relay terminals 28, the relay terminal 28A is connected to the power terminal 22 closer to the outlet, and the relay terminal 28B is connected to the power terminal 22 farther from the outlet. The relay terminals 28A and 28B are arranged in the Y direction in the part connected to the power terminal 22, and in the Z direction in the part connected to the electric wire 30. The relay terminal 28A extends straight along the rear cover part 62 between the part connected to the power terminal 22 and the part connected to the power line 32. The relay terminal 28B is bent away from the rear cover part 62 on the way from the part connected to the power terminal 22 to the part connected to the power line 32.

One end of the signal line 34 is inserted into the terminal holding portion 53. The other end of the signal line 34 extends from the through hole and bends inside the grommet 90 toward the outlet of the grommet 90. Of the multiple signal lines 34, signal line 34A is connected to a signal terminal 24 located above the power terminal 22, and signal line 34B is connected to a signal terminal 24 located below the power terminal 22. After extending from the through hole, signal line 34A passes between the pair of power lines 32, merges with signal line 34B, and extends in the Y direction.

One end of the ground wire 36 is inserted into the terminal holding portion 53. The ground wire 36 extends from one end to the other end through the through hole, and while bending inside the grommet 90, moves toward the outlet of the grommet 90 together with the signal wire 34. As described above, the ground wire 36 is less likely to bend than the signal wire 34, so that the radius of curvature of the ground wire 36 tends to be larger than the radius of curvature of the signal wire 34 at the portion where the signal wire 34 and the ground wire 36 bend from the X direction toward the Y direction. The other end of the ground wire 36 is held down by the wire holding portion 57 and the wire cover 70, preventing the ground wire 36 from bulging too much inside the grommet 90.

The thermistor 42 is housed in the housing body 51 together with the power terminal 22. Therefore, one end of the thermistor wire 44 is also housed in the housing body 51. The other end of the thermistor wire 44 extends outward from the rear cover portion 62 through the through hole, and while bending inside the grommet 90, heads toward the outlet of the grommet 90. The thermistor wire 44 passes through a portion of the through hole that is used to insert the terminal-attached wire 38. The thermistor wire 44 passes between the pair of power lines 32 and extends in the Y direction together with the signal line 34.

The insertion/removal direction, the direction in which the drain hole 93 opens, and the direction in which the power line 32 extends inside the grommet 90 intersect with each other. Here, the insertion/removal direction is the X direction. The direction in which the drain hole 93 opens is the Z direction. The direction in which the power line 32 extends inside the grommet 90 is the Y direction. The insertion/removal direction, the direction in which the drain hole 93 opens, and the direction in which the power line 32 extends inside the grommet 90 are perpendicular to each other, but may intersect at an angle other than perpendicular.

<Charging connector drainage structure>
The drainage structure of the charging connector 10 will be described.

During charging, water may seep into the housing 50 from outside the panel 102 through holes formed in the housing 50. The water is drained to the outside through the drainage holes 64 in the retainer 60 and the drainage openings 93 in the grommet 90.

The drainage hole 64 penetrates the rear cover portion 62 of the retainer 60 in the X direction. The drainage hole 64 is formed in the second region. The drainage hole 64 prevents water from accumulating inside the housing 50. Water inside the housing 50 reaches the inside of the grommet 90 through the drainage hole 64 and is drained to the outside of the grommet 90 through the drainage port 93.

When the drain hole 93 is formed, dust and the like may enter the inside of the grommet 90 from the drain hole 93. The partition wall 66 prevents the dust from adhering to the terminals. Specifically, the partition wall 66 divides the rear end of the retainer 60 into a first region and a second region. The first region is a region corresponding to the power terminals 22 and the signal terminals 24. The second region is a region located closer to the drain hole 93 than the first region. The tip of the partition wall 66 in the X direction abuts against the inner surface of the grommet 90. This makes it difficult for dust to reach the first region from the second region even if dust enters the inside of the grommet 90 from the drain hole 93.

In addition, a barrier 93a is provided above the drainage opening 93 in the grommet 90. This causes dust entering the inside of the grommet 90 from the drainage opening 93 to hit the barrier 93a, weakening its momentum. This makes it difficult for dust that has entered the inside of the grommet 90 to reach the first region.

A through hole for the terminal is formed in the first region of the rear cover part 62. Water may also enter the through hole from the rear end side of the rear cover part 62. The water runs down the partition wall 66 and is guided to the second region where the drainage port 93 is located. Specifically, the portion of the restricting wall 65 that is provided below the relay terminal B also serves as the partition wall 66. The partition wall 66 extends in the Y direction from the portion that also serves as the restricting wall 65 and the partition wall 66. The Y direction end of the partition wall 66 is located lower in the Z direction than the portion that also serves as the restricting wall 65 and the partition wall 66. This allows the water to run down the partition wall 66 and be guided to the second region below.

The portion of the grommet 90 that comes into contact with the tip of the partition wall 66 is made thicker than the other portions, making it less likely to deform. By the partition wall 66 coming into contact with the thicker portion 91a, even if the grommet 90 is pressed against the partition wall 66, the contact state between the grommet 90 and the partition wall 66 is more likely to be maintained.

In the X direction, the partition wall 66 protrudes more than the restricting wall 65. This makes it easier for the partition wall 66 to come into contact with the grommet 90. Furthermore, the thick portion 91a protrudes more inward in the X direction than the other portions, making it thicker than the other portions. This makes the thick portion 91a closer to the partition wall 66 in the X direction than the other portions, making it easier for the partition wall 66 to come into contact with the grommet 90.

<Temporary Retainer and Grommet Holding Structure>
Next, a temporary holding structure of the retainer 60 and the grommet 90 will be described with reference to Fig. 9. Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the state in which the grommet 90 is temporarily held by the retainer 60.

A reinforcing rib 67 is provided on the outer surface of the end of the restricting wall 65 in the direction in which the relay terminal 28 extends. Here, the reinforcing rib 67 is provided on the outer surface of the end of the restricting wall 65A, 65B of the restricting wall 65. The restricting walls 65A, 65B extend toward the electric wire outlet 95 along the Y direction together with the relay terminal 28A. The ends of the restricting walls 65A, 65B reach the outer edge of the rear cover portion 62.

The end of the regulating wall 65 is a terminal end. The reinforcing rib 67 increases the rigidity of the end of the regulating wall 65. The reinforcing rib 67 is provided along the entire length of the regulating wall 65 in the X direction. The reinforcing rib 67 temporarily holds the grommet 90 in the middle of covering the housing 50 to the retainer 60. As shown in FIG. 9, the reinforcing rib 67 catches on the inner surface of the housing withdrawal opening 92, so that the grommet 90 is temporarily held to the retainer 60.

The outer surface of the reinforcing rib 67 facing the positive side in the Y direction is an inclined surface that follows the outer edge of the rear cover part 62. This inclined surface functions as a guide surface. That is, when the housing outlet 92 of the grommet 90 is moved from the positive side in the Y direction, even if the inner surface of the housing outlet 92 hits the guide surface, the movement of the grommet 90 is not hindered, and the inner surface of the housing outlet 92 easily passes over the reinforcing rib 67. The outer surface of the reinforcing rib 67 facing the negative side in the Y direction is a surface parallel to the XZ plane. This surface is a hook surface. That is, when the grommet 90 that has passed the reinforcing rib 67 tries to return in the Y direction, the inner surface of the housing outlet 92 gets caught on the hook surface, and the return of the grommet 90 is restricted.

The restricting wall 65 has a first restricting wall 65A and a second restricting wall 65B. The first restricting wall 65A and the second restricting wall 65B face each other with the relay terminal 28A in between. The reinforcing rib 67 provided on the first restricting wall 65A and the reinforcing rib 67 provided on the second restricting wall 65B are formed in the opposite direction to each other. The first restricting wall 65A and the second restricting wall 65B are separated on both sides with respect to the center in the vertical direction of the rear cover part 62. Here, the relay terminal 28A extends through the center in the vertical direction of the rear cover part 62. The first restricting wall 65A is located on one side (upper) of the relay terminal 28A. The second restricting wall 65B is located on the other side (lower) of the relay terminal 28A. The reinforcing rib 67 is provided on the upper surface of the first restricting wall 65A and the lower surface of the second restricting wall 65B.

<Housing and grommet positioning structure>
Next, a positioning structure for the housing 50 and the grommet 90 will be described with reference to Fig. 10. Fig. 10 is a rear view of the housing 50. Note that in Fig. 10, the arm 56 is omitted and the housing main body 51 is simplified.

The vehicle mounting portion 54 has a flange portion 54a and multiple ribs 55. The flange portion 54a protrudes outward from the housing body 51. A first mounting hole 54b and a second mounting hole 54c are formed in the flange portion 54a. The second mounting hole 54c is closer to the housing body 51 than the first mounting hole 54b. The multiple ribs 55 protrude from the flange portion 54a in the insertion/removal direction.

The multiple ribs 55 include ribs 55a, 55b, 55c, 55d, 55e, and 55f. The ribs 55a and 55b connect the housing body 51 and the flange portion 54a. The rib 55a extends from the housing body 51 in the Z direction, and the rib 55b extends from the housing body 51 in the Y direction. The rib 55c connects the peripheral portion of the first mounting hole 54b to the housing body 51. The rib 55d connects the peripheral portion of the second mounting hole 54c to the housing body 51. The rib 55e connects the multiple ribs 55a together. The rib 55f connects the peripheral portion of the second mounting hole 54c to the flange portion 54a.

A plurality of ribs 55a are provided. The protrusion 92c of the grommet 90 fits between two ribs 55a. These two ribs 55a are the first and second ribs 55a. The rib 55e that connects the ribs 55a including the two ribs 55a is the connecting rib 55e. The protrusion 92c fits between the first and second ribs 55a at a position that avoids the connecting rib 55e. The rib 55e protrudes from the outer surface of the housing body 51.

The multiple ribs 55 are provided to increase the rigidity of the portion where the second mounting hole 54c is formed compared to the rigidity of the portion where the first mounting hole 54b is formed. Here, the number and thickness of the ribs 55 are different between the portion where the second mounting hole 54c is formed and the portion where the first mounting hole 54b is formed, so that the rigidity of the portion where the second mounting hole 54c is formed is increased compared to the rigidity of the portion where the first mounting hole 54b is formed.

Specifically, FIG. 10 shows an imaginary line L that passes through the center of the housing body 51 and separates the portion where the first mounting hole 54b is formed from the portion where the second mounting hole 54c is formed. In the vehicle mounting portion 54, the portion below the imaginary line L is the portion where the first mounting hole 54b is formed, and the portion above the imaginary line L is the portion where the second mounting hole 54c is formed.

Regarding the number of ribs 55, for example, the number of ribs 55a, 55b in the upper portion is greater than the number of ribs 55a, 55b in the lower portion. Also, for example, the above-mentioned connecting rib 55e is provided in the upper portion, but not in the lower portion. Also, for example, the rib 55f extending from the second mounting hole 54c is provided in the upper portion, but not in the lower portion. These ribs 55a, 55b, 55e, 55f provided in the upper portion, but not in the lower portion, are reinforcing ribs for increasing the rigidity of the upper portion more than the rigidity of the lower portion.

Regarding the size of the ribs 55, the size of rib 55c is larger than the size of rib 55d. As shown in FIG. 10, the thickness of rib 55c is larger than the thickness of rib 55d. Also, as shown in FIG. 3, the height of rib 55c is larger than the height of rib 55d.

<Installation of the grommet to the housing>
Next, the operation of attaching the grommet 90 to the housing 50 will be described with reference to Figures 11 and 12. Figure 11 is a plan view showing the state in which the grommet 90 is attached to the housing 50 and the retainer 60. Figure 12 is a plan view showing the state in which the grommet 90 is temporarily held by the retainer 60.

Before the grommet 90 is attached to the housing 50, some of the assembly operations of the charging connector 10 are performed. The assembly operations of the charging connector 10 performed before the grommet 90 is attached to the housing 50 (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as pre-operations) are, for example, crimping the terminals 24, 26, and 28, inserting the terminal-attached electric wire 38 of the signal terminal 24 and the terminal-attached electric wire 38 of the ground terminal 26 into the retainer 60 and the housing 50, inserting the thermistor unit 40 into the retainer 60, attaching the thermistor unit 40 to the power terminal 22, inserting the power terminal 22 with the thermistor unit 40 into the housing 50, attaching the retainer 60 to the housing 50, attaching the terminal-attached electric wire 38 of the relay terminal 28 to the power terminal 22, and attaching the wire cover 70. FIG. 11 shows the state immediately before the grommet 90 is attached to the housing 50 after these pre-operations have been completed.

It is assumed that some or all of the above preparatory work is performed with each electric wire 30, 44 passing through the grommet 90. In other words, one end of each electric wire 30, 44 extends to the outside of the grommet 90 through the housing outlet 92, and the other end extends to the outside of the grommet 90 through the electric wire outlet 95. In this state, some or all of the above preparatory work is performed at one end of each electric wire 30, 44 located outside the grommet 90 through the housing outlet 92.

In the grommet 90, the housing outlet 92 and the electric wire outlet 95 open in mutually intersecting directions. Therefore, at least one of the grommet 90 and the electric wires 30, 44 is bent, so that the electric wires 30, 44 pass through the grommet 90. Which of the electric wires 30, 44 and the grommet 90 is bent can be determined, for example, by the rigidity of the electric wires 30, 44 and the grommet 90. If the rigidity of the electric wires 30, 44 (particularly the power line 32) is higher than the rigidity of the grommet 90, the grommet 90 is bent so that the housing outlet 92 and the electric wire outlet 95 are aligned as shown in FIG. 11. If the rigidity of the grommet 90 is higher than the rigidity of the electric wires 30, 44, the electric wires 30, 44 may be bent inside the grommet 90.

From the state shown in FIG. 11, the grommet 90 moves toward the housing 50 along the electric wires 30, 44. At this time, the worker accommodates the housing 50, the retainer 60, and the electric wire cover 70 inside the grommet 90 from the housing outlet 92 while pulling out the electric wires 30, 44 from the electric wire outlet 95. The operation of pulling out the electric wires 30, 44 from the electric wire outlet 95 is the operation of moving the second protective part 94 of the grommet 90 toward the housing 50. The operation of accommodating the housing 50, the retainer 60, and the electric wire cover 70 inside the grommet 90 from the housing outlet 92 is the operation of moving the first protective part 91 of the grommet 90 toward the housing 50. When moving the first protective part 91, the worker can grip the flange 92b.

Because the electric wire outlet 95 is in close contact with the electric wires 30 and 44, when pulling out the electric wires 30 and 44 from the electric wire outlet 95, it is time-consuming to pull it with a strong force or to widen the electric wire outlet 95. In addition, if the housing 50, the retainer 60, and the electric wire cover 70 are larger than the housing outlet 92, it is time-consuming to widen the housing outlet 92. In addition, because the housing outlet 92 and the electric wire outlet 95 open in the grommet 90 in directions that cross each other, it is time-consuming to work with the grommet 90 bent or to change the angle of the grommet 90. Usually, the operation of moving the first protective part 91 toward the housing 50 and the operation of moving the second protective part 94 toward the housing 50 are performed alternately and little by little. In other words, after moving the first protective part 91, the second protective part 94 is moved next, and then the first protective part 91 is moved again.

When the grommet 90 moves along the wires 30, 44 and the arm 56 and wire cover 70 are housed inside the grommet 90 from the housing outlet 92, the state shown in FIG. 12 is reached. The state in FIG. 12 is the state in FIG. 9, that is, the state in which the grommet 90 is temporarily held by the retainer 60. In this way, by temporarily holding the grommet 90 by the retainer 60, it becomes easier to perform other work during this time. The other work is, for example, the work of moving the second protective portion 94 of the grommet 90 to the housing 50.

When the grommet 90 moves further in the Y direction along the electric wires 30, 44 from the state shown in FIG. 12, the rear end of the retainer 60 is accommodated inside the grommet 90 through the housing outlet 92. After this, the bending deformation of the grommet 90 is released and the housing outlet 92 moves along the X direction, causing the grommet 90 to cover the rear end of the housing 50. After this, a cable tie 98 is fastened around the housing outlet 92, completing the installation of the grommet 90 to the housing 50.

<Effects, etc.>
According to the charging connector 10 configured as described above, when the grommet 90 is attached, the peripheral edge of the housing withdrawal opening 92 of the grommet 90 can be temporarily held by being caught by the reinforcing rib 67 of the wall 65 of the retainer 60. Furthermore, when attaching the grommet 90, an operator can grip the flange portion 92b to perform the work. This makes the work of attaching the grommet 90 easier.

The reinforcing rib 67 on the first restricting wall 65A and the reinforcing rib 67 on the second restricting wall 65B are formed in opposite directions. This makes it easier for the peripheral portion of the housing outlet 92 in the grommet 90 to be caught by the reinforcing rib 67 of the retainer 60 when the grommet 90 is attached.

The tip of the partition wall 66 that divides the rear end of the retainer 60 into a first region and a second region abuts against the inner surface of the grommet 90. As a result, the partition wall 66 and the grommet 90 separate the space in which the terminals 22, 24, 26, and 28 are located from the space in which the drain hole 93 is located.

In addition, the insertion/removal direction, the direction in which the drain hole 93 opens, and the direction in which the power line 32 extends inside the grommet 90 intersect with each other. As a result, when the grommet 90 is positioned so that the drain hole 93 faces vertically downward, the power line 32 extends in a direction that intersects with the vertically downward direction, making it difficult for water to enter through the electric wire outlet 95.

In addition, the protrusion 92c fits between the first and second ribs 55a. This prevents the grommet 90 and the housing 50 from rotating.

The protrusion 92c fits between the first and second ribs 55a at a position that avoids the connecting rib 55e. This allows the protrusion 92c to prevent rotation, while the connecting rib 55e increases the rigidity of the vehicle attachment portion 54.

In addition, because the second mounting hole 54c is closer to the housing body 51 than the first mounting hole 54b, the force applied to the second mounting hole 54c is likely to be greater than the force applied to the first mounting hole 54b. By making the rigidity of the portion in which the multiple ribs 55 and the second mounting hole 54c are formed greater than the rigidity of the portion in which the first mounting hole 54b is formed, cracks in the vehicle mounting portion 54 are suppressed.

[Additional Notes]
Fig. 13 is a rear view showing a charging connector 110 according to a modified example. Note that some members such as the electric wire 30 are omitted in Fig. 13. In addition, in the description of this modified example, the same components as those described so far are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

In the charging connector 110 shown in FIG. 13, a reinforcing rib 67 is also provided at the end of the partition wall 66. The reinforcing rib 67 of the partition wall 66 is formed in the opposite direction to the reinforcing rib 67 of the second restriction wall 65B. The reinforcing rib 67 of the partition wall 66 may be used to temporarily hold the retainer 160 and the grommet 90. In this case, the temporary holding position of the retainer 160 and the grommet 90 using the reinforcing rib 67 of the partition wall 66 is closer to the housing 50 than the temporary holding position of the retainer 160 and the grommet 90 using the reinforcing rib 67 of the second restriction wall 65B. In this way, by providing multiple temporary holding positions, the installation work of the grommet 90 is made easier.

The charging connector 110 shown in FIG. 13 has eight signal terminals 24. In this example, the ground terminal 26 is omitted. Accordingly, the structure relating to the ground terminal 26 is omitted from the housing 150 and the retainer 160.

In addition, although it has been described above that the reinforcing rib 67 on the first restricting wall 65A and the reinforcing rib 67 on the second restricting wall 65B are formed in opposite directions, this is not a required configuration. For example, the reinforcing rib 67 may be provided on only one wall. Furthermore, the reinforcing ribs 67 may be provided on multiple restricting walls 65 in the same direction.

Although it has been described above that the tip of the partition wall 66 abuts against the inner surface of the grommet 90, this is not a required configuration. For example, the partition wall 66 does not have to be provided. Also, for example, if the partition wall 66 is provided, the tip of the partition wall 66 does not have to abut against the inner surface of the grommet 90.

Up to this point, the insertion/removal direction, the direction in which the drain hole 93 opens, and the direction in which the power line 32 extends inside the grommet 90 have been described as intersecting each other, but this is not a required configuration. For example, any two of the insertion/removal direction, the direction in which the drain hole 93 opens, and the direction in which the power line 32 extends inside the grommet 90 may be parallel.

Although it has been described above that the protrusion 92c fits between the first and second ribs 55a, this is not a required configuration. For example, the protrusion 93c does not have to be provided on the grommet 90. Furthermore, it has been described above that the protrusion 93c fits between the first and second ribs 55a at a position that avoids the connecting rib 55e, but this is not a required configuration. For example, the connecting rib 55e does not have to be provided on the vehicle mounting portion 54.

Although the multiple ribs 55 have been described so far as being provided to increase the rigidity of the portion where the second mounting hole 54c is formed more than the rigidity of the portion where the first mounting hole 54b is formed, this is not a required configuration. For example, the multiple ribs 55 may be provided in the same manner in the portion where the first mounting hole 54b is formed and in the portion where the second mounting hole 54c is formed. Also, for example, in the vehicle mounting portion 54, the flange portion 54a alone may have sufficient rigidity, and the multiple ribs 55 may be omitted. Also, for example, the multiple mounting holes 54b, 54c may be provided in symmetrical positions with the housing main body 51 as the center.

The configurations described in the above embodiments and modifications can be combined as appropriate as long as they are not mutually inconsistent.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 charging connector 20 terminal 21 connector terminal 22 power terminal 23a counterpart connection portion 23b terminal fixing portion 23c protrusion 23d thermistor attachment portion 24 signal terminal 25a counterpart connection portion 25b electric wire connection portion 25c protrusion 26 ground terminal 27a counterpart connection portion 27b electric wire connection portion 27c protrusion 28, 28A, 28B relay terminal 29a terminal fixing portion 29b electric wire connection portion 30 electric wire 31a core wire 31b coating 32 power line 34, 34A, 34B signal line 36 ground line 38 electric wire with terminal 39 shrink tube 40 thermistor unit 42 thermistor 44 thermistor electric wire 50 housing 51 housing body 52 Outer frame portion 53 Terminal holding portion 54 Vehicle mounting portion 54a Flange portion 54b First mounting hole 54c Second mounting hole 55, 55a, 55b, 55c, 55d, 55e, 55f Rib 56 Arm 57 Wire pressing portion 60 Retainer 61 Terminal pressing portion 62 Rear cover portion 63 Protruding tube portion 64 Water drain hole 65 Restriction wall 65A First restriction wall 65B Second restriction wall 66 Partition wall 67 Reinforcing rib 70 Wire cover 80 Lid unit 82 Lid 84 Hinge unit 86 Lock unit 90 Grommet 91 First protective portion 91a Thick portion 92 Housing pull-out opening (opening)
92a Annular rib 92b Flange 92c Protrusion 93 Drain hole 93a Barrier 94 Second protective part 95 Electric wire outlet 98 Cable tie 100 Mounting part 102 Panel 104 Through hole 106 Vehicle body side cover S Screw

Claims (7)

A charging connector that is mounted on a vehicle, is mated with an external charging connector that is connected to an external power source of the vehicle, and is used to charge a battery provided in the vehicle,
first and second power terminals used to supply power to the battery;
A plurality of signal terminals;
a housing that holds the first and second power terminals and the plurality of signal terminals and that is adapted to be engaged with the external charging connector at a front end portion along an insertion/removal direction of the external charging connector;
a retainer mated with a rear end of the housing to hold the first and second power terminals and the plurality of signal terminals together with the housing;
first and second relay terminals electrically connected to rear end portions of the first and second power terminals, respectively, and extending in a direction intersecting the insertion/removal direction;
first and second power lines electrically connected to the first and second power terminals via the first and second relay terminals, respectively;
a plurality of signal lines electrically connected to the plurality of signal terminals, respectively;
a grommet that collectively covers the rear end portion of the housing to intermediate portions of the power lines and the signal lines;
Equipped with
The grommet has an opening that fits over the rear end of the housing,
The retainer has a wall protruding along the insertion/removal direction,
the wall includes a restricting wall that restricts a position of the relay terminal,
a reinforcing rib is provided on an outer surface of an end portion of the restricting wall in an extending direction of the relay terminal;
The grommet has a flange portion provided around the opening. The charging connector according to claim 1,
The restricting wall includes a first restricting wall and a second restricting wall opposed to each other with the relay terminal therebetween,
the reinforcing rib provided on the first restriction wall and the reinforcing rib provided on the second restriction wall are formed in opposite directions to each other. The charging connector according to claim 1 or 2,
The grommet is provided with a drain hole that opens in a direction intersecting the insertion/removal direction,
the wall includes a partition wall that divides a rear end portion of the retainer into a first region corresponding to the first and second power terminals and the plurality of signal terminals, and a second region located closer to the drain outlet than the first region;
a tip end of the partition wall abuts against an inner surface of the grommet. The charging connector according to claim 3,
the insertion/removal direction, the direction in which the drain outlet opens, and the direction in which the power lines extend inside the grommet intersect with each other. The charging connector according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
the housing includes a housing main body that holds the first and second power terminals and the plurality of signal terminals, and a vehicle mounting portion that is used for bolt fastening to the vehicle;
the vehicle attachment portion has a flange portion protruding outward from the housing body, and first and second ribs protruding from the flange portion in the insertion/removal direction,
The grommet has a projection provided on the outside of an opening that covers the housing and projects toward the vehicle mounting portion,
The protrusion fits between the first and second ribs. The charging connector according to claim 5,
The vehicle attachment portion has a connecting rib that connects the first and second ribs to each other,
The protrusion is fitted between the first and second ribs at a position that avoids the connecting rib. The charging connector according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
the housing includes a housing main body that holds the first and second power terminals and the plurality of signal terminals, and a vehicle mounting portion that is used for bolt fastening to the vehicle;
the vehicle attachment portion has a flange portion protruding outward from the housing body and a plurality of ribs protruding from the flange portion in the insertion/removal direction,
The flange portion is formed with a first mounting hole and a second mounting hole that is closer to the housing body than the first mounting hole,
the plurality of ribs are provided so as to increase rigidity of a portion in which the second mounting hole is formed greater than rigidity of a portion in which the first mounting hole is formed.

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