Patent Application
20160141796
The present invention relates to a connector having an electric wire holder for holding an electric wire in a connector housing.
A connector having an electric wire holder for holding an electric wire in a connector housing has been suggested in the past. A first conventional example of such a connector is shown in
In the above configuration, the rear holder 104 is inserted from the rear end of the cylindrical portion 103 of the connector housing 102, and the protrusion 105 of the distal end external periphery of the cylindrical portion 103 is locked with the lock portion 108 arranged at the distal end of the arm 107 of the rear holder 104. Accordingly, the rear holder 104 is fixed to the connector housing 102. Since the electric wire is held by the rear holder 104, this can prevent the electric wire from being pulled out of the connector housing 102, and can prevent a pull-out force from being applied to the distal end side of the electric wire (for example, a terminal).
A second conventional example of this kind of connector is shown in
In the above configuration, the terminal 111 is accommodated in the connector housing 112, and the electric wire W connected to this terminal 111 is inserted into the retainer 114, and the retainer 114 is accommodated in the accommodating chamber 113 of the connector housing 112, and the protrusion 117 of the external periphery of the retainer 114 is locked with the locking hole 116 of the connector housing 112, so that the retainer 114 is fixed to the connector housing 112. Accordingly, the retainer 114 holds the electric wire W, and therefore, this can prevent the electric wire W from being pulled out of the connector housing 112, and can prevent the pull-out force from being applied to the distal end side of the electric wire W.
Patent Literature 1: JP 2001-60475 A
In the connector 100 according to the first conventional example, the protrusion 105 of the connector housing 102 and the lock portion 108 of the rear holder 104 are designed in view of the assembly tolerance, and therefore, a backlash may occur due to an assembly tolerance between the connector housing 102 and the rear holder 104. When there is a backlash between the connector housing 102 and the rear holder 104, there is a problem in that the rear holder 104 cannot shut off vibration from the electric wire.
In addition, in the connector 110 according to the second conventional example, the internal diameter of the accommodating chamber 113 of the connector housing 112 and the external diameter of the retainer 114 are designed in view of an assembly tolerance, and therefore, a backlash may occur due to an assembly tolerance. When there is a backlash between the connector housing 112 and the retainer 114, there is a problem like the above problem in that the retainer 114 cannot shut off vibration from the electric wire.
Accordingly, the present invention is made to solve the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a connector that can suppress backlash between a connector housing and an electric wire holder and in which the electric wire holder can shut off vibration from the electric wire.
A connector according to the present invention includes a connector housing provided with a holder accommodating chamber, and an electric wire holder including an electric wire insertion hole and configured to insert an electric wire into the electric wire insertion hole and to be accommodated within the holder accommodating chamber. An external diameter dimension of the electric wire is configured to be larger than an internal diameter dimension of the electric wire insertion hole of the electric wire holder, and an internal diameter dimension of the holder accommodating chamber of the connector housing is configured to be less than an external diameter dimension of the electric wire holder in a state where the electric wire is accommodated in the electric wire insertion hole.
The electric wire holder of the connector according to the present invention may include two divided bodies each provided with an electric wire groove, and the electric wire insertion hole is formed by the two electric wire grooves.
The two divided bodies of the connector according to the present invention may have a coupling portion for coupling with each other.
According to the present invention, the electric wires are inserted into the electric wire insertion holes of the electric wire holder, and the electric wire holder is accommodated in the holder accommodating chamber of the connector housing, the external diameter dimension of the electric wire is more than the internal diameter dimension of the electric wire insertion hole of the electric wire holder, and the interference of the electric wire of the electric wire holder is exerted, and the external diameter dimension of the electric wire holder increases because of the elastic counterforce of this electric wire, and this eliminates the gap between the electric wire holder and the holder accommodating chamber of the connector housing, and the electric wire holder is pressed against the connector housing. Therefore, backlash between the electric wire and the electric wire holder and in addition is eliminated, backlash between the connector housing and the electric wire holder is eliminated. Therefore, the electric wire holder can cut off the vibration from the electric wire.
An embodiment of the present invention is described in detail with reference to drawings.
In this specification, it must be noted that drawings are schematic views, and constitutions of devices and systems are different from constitutions of an actual device. Accordingly, the specific constitutions should be determined by taking into account the description made hereinafter. Further, it is also needless to say that the respective drawings include portions having different constitutions.
The embodiment of the present invention described hereinafter is provided for exemplifying a device and a method which embody the technical concept of the present invention, and the technical concept of the present invention does not limit materials, shapes, structures, arrangements and the like of the respective constitutional parts to the followings. Various modifications are conceivable with respect to the technical concept of the present invention within the technical scope described in claims.
As shown in
Electric wires 21 are connected to the pair of terminals 2. This electric wire 21 extends from the inside of the connector housing 3 in an electric wire draw-out direction (a direction indicated by arrow A in
The connector housing 3 is provided with a flange portion 30 extending in a direction perpendicular to an electric wire draw-out direction, terminal accommodating chambers 31a accommodating the terminals 2, and electric wire draw-out holes 31b in communication with the terminal accommodating chambers 31a. A part of the electric wire draw-out hole 31b is formed as a holder accommodating chamber 31c. The rear holder (electric wire holder) 32A for holding the electric wire 21 is accommodated in the holder accommodating chamber 31c. A rubber plug 33 for sealing the space between the connector housing 3 and the electric wire 21 is accommodated at the forward position with respect to the holder accommodating chamber 31c.
The rear holder 32A is configured of two divided bodies 32a, 32b assembled with each other. Each of the divided bodies 32a, 32b has an elastic arm locking portion 32c. When the rear holder 32A is inserted to an appropriate position of the holder accommodating chamber 31c, each elastic arm locking portion 32c is locked with a locked projection portion 40 of the connector housing 3. In this case, the elastic arm locking portion 32c and the locked projection portion 40 are designed in view of the assembly tolerance.
Each of the two divided bodies 32a, 32b has a pair of semicircular electric wire grooves 39a, 39b. In the state where the two divided bodies 32a, 32b are assembled, the rear holder 32A has two sets of electric wire insertion holes 39 each configured of the pair of electric wire grooves 39a, 39b.
An external diameter dimension D1 of the electric wire 21 is configured to be larger than an internal diameter dimension D2 of each electric wire insertion hole 39 (the external diameter dimension D1 of the electric wire 21>the internal diameter dimension D2 of each electric wire insertion hole 39). An internal diameter dimension D4 of the holder accommodating chamber 31c of the connector housing 3 is configured to be larger than an external diameter dimension D3 of the rear holder 32A as a component alone (the external diameter dimension D3 of the rear holder 32A as the component alone<the internal diameter dimension D4 of the holder accommodating chamber 31c of the connector housing 3).
Further, the interference of the electric wire 21 with the rear holder 32A is configured to be the same as or larger than the gap between the connector housing 3 and the rear holder 32A (the external diameter dimension D1 of the electric wire 21−the internal diameter dimension D2 of each electric wire insertion hole 39≧the internal diameter dimension D4 of the holder accommodating chamber 31c of the connector housing 3−the external diameter dimension D3 of the rear holder 32A as a component alone). As explained below, in the state where the electric wire 21 is accommodated in the electric wire insertion hole 39, the rear holder 32A is pressurized by the interference of the electric wire 21 with the rear holder 32A, and the diameter of the rear holder 32A is expanded, and accordingly, the external diameter dimension D3 of the rear holder 32A increases.
A pair of right and left housing-side lock portions 35, 36 arranged above side plate parts 58, 59, explained later, of the protector 5 are provided on a surface 34 of the flange portion 30 located at the rear end side of the connector housing 3. Each of the housing-side lock portions 35, 36 includes locked portions 35a, 36a protruding from the surface 34 of the flange portion 30 and extending in the electric wire draw-out direction and stopper portions 35b, 36b that prevent the protector-side lock portions 52, 53 locked with the locked portions 35a, 36a from displacing in the electric wire draw-out direction.
The connector housing 3 is provided with the pair of right and left housing-side lock portions 35, 36 as well as pair of right and left housing-side auxiliary lock portions 37, 38 arranged inside of the side plate parts 58, 59 of the protector 5. Each of the housing-side auxiliary lock portions 37, 38 includes position restriction portions 37a, 38a protruding from the surface 34 of the flange portion 30 and extending in the electric wire draw-out direction and auxiliary lock-side stopper portions 37b, 38b that prevent the protector-side auxiliary lock portions 54, 55, explained later, from displacing in the electric wire draw-out direction.
The shield shell 4 is provided with lock portion insertion holes 41, 42 into which the housing-side lock portions 35, 36, respectively, are inserted, and is provided with auxiliary lock portion insertion holes 43, 44 into which the housing-side auxiliary lock portions 37, 38, respectively, are inserted.
The protector 5 includes a flat plate shaped bottom plate part 56, a top plate part 57 bent at the upper side, and a pair of right and left side plate parts 58, 59 arranged vertically at the right and left end portions of the bottom plate part 56 and the top plate part 57, and is formed to be able to open and close vertically via a hinge 51 arranged on one of the side plate parts 58.
A pair of right and left protector-side lock portions 52, 53 locked with the housing-side lock portions 35, 36, respectively, is arranged above the side plate parts 58, 59 of the protector 5. These protector-side lock portions 52, 53 include arm parts 52a, 53a, respectively, protruding to the upper side with respect to the side plate parts 58, 59, respectively, and deforming in a direction perpendicular to the electric wire draw-out direction (a direction indicated by arrows B, C of
In addition, the protector 5 is provided with the pair of right and left protector-side lock portions 52, 53, respectively, and the pair of right and left protector-side auxiliary lock portions 54, 55, respectively. The protector-side auxiliary lock portions 54, 55 are arranged inside of the side plate parts 58, 59 of the protector 5. Upper stopper step surfaces 54a, 55a are arranged above the protector-side auxiliary lock portions 54, 55, respectively, and when the protector 5 is assembled, the position restriction portions 37a, 38a come into contact with the upper stopper step surfaces 54a, 55a, respectively, so that the protector 5 is positioned.
In the above configuration, when the connector 1A is assembled, the shell packing 6 and the shield shell 4 are attached to the connector housing 3, and the terminal 2, the electric wire 21, and the rear holder 32A are assembled into the connector housing 3. At this occasion, the electric wires 21 are inserted into the electric wire grooves 39a, 39b of the divided bodies 32a, 32b, and the divided bodies 32a, 32b are combined with each other, so that the rear holder 32A is integrated and accommodated in the electric wire draw-out hole 31b.
As a result, since the external diameter dimension D1 of the electric wire 21 is more than the internal diameter dimension D2 of the electric wire insertion hole 39 of the rear holder 32A, the interference of the electric wire 21 of the rear holder 32A is exerted, and the diameter of the rear holder 32A is expanded due to the elastic counterforce from the electric wire 21, and accordingly, the external diameter dimension D3 of the rear holder 32A increases, which eliminates the gap between the rear holder 32A and the holder accommodating chamber 31c of the connector housing 3. Therefore, the rear holder 32A is pressed against the connector housing 3 by the elastic counterforce of the electric wire 21, and this can suppress the backlash between the connector housing 3 and the rear holder 32A, and the rear holder 32A can shut off vibration from the electric wire 21. In addition, the backlash between the electric wire 21 and the rear holder 32A can be suppressed.
Subsequently, the rubber boot 22 is attached to cover the electric wires 21 drawn out from the connector housing 3, and the protector 5 is assembled with the connector housing 3 in a direction perpendicular to the electric wire draw-out direction (a direction indicated by arrow D of
When the protector 5 is assembled with the connector housing 3 in a direction perpendicular to the electric wire draw-out direction as described above, the pair of protector-side lock portions 52, 53 are locked such that the arm parts 52a, 53a are deformed in directions opposite to each other, i.e., directions indicated by arrows B, C of
As described above, according to the present embodiment, when the electric wires 21 are inserted into the electric wire insertion holes 39 of the rear holder 32A, and the rear holder 32A is accommodated in the holder accommodating chamber 31c of the connector housing 3, the interference of the electric wire 21 of the rear holder 32A is exerted, and this eliminates the gap between the rear holder 32A and the holder accommodating chamber 31c of the connector housing 3, and the rear holder 32A is pressed against the connector housing 3, and therefore, backlash between the electric wire 21 and the rear holder 32A is eliminated, and in addition, backlash between the connector housing 3 and the rear holder 32A is eliminated. Therefore, the rear holder 32A can cut off vibration from the electric wire 21.
According to the present embodiment, the electric wires 21 are inserted into the electric wire grooves 39a, 39b of the divided bodies 32a, 32b while the rear holder 32A is divided, and the divided bodies 32a, 32b are assembled with each other, and are accommodated in the holder accommodating chamber 31c of the connector housing 3, and therefore, the assembly work of the rear holder 32A and the electric wires 21 can be performed easily.
Like the first embodiment explained above, the connector housing 3 is provided with a terminal accommodating chamber (not shown) and an electric wire draw-out hole (not shown). A portion of the electric wire draw-out hole is formed as a holder accommodating chamber (not shown). The terminals 2 connected to electric wires 21 are accommodated in the terminal accommodating chambers. A rubber plug 33 attached to the electric wire 21 is accommodated in the electric wire draw-out hole. A rear holder 32B which is an electric wire holder attached to the electric wire 21 is accommodated in the holder accommodating chamber.
As shown in
Each of the two divided bodies 32a, 32b has a pair of semicircular electric wire grooves 39a, 39b. Multiple ribs 46 are provided on the inner periphery of each of the electric wire grooves 39a, 39b. Each of the divided bodies 32a, 32b is provided with a coupling portion 47 for coupling with each other. The coupling portion 47 includes mating walls 47a at multiple portions that protrude from an abutment surface 48 of each other of the divided bodies 32a, 32b, mating grooves 47b at multiple portions that are formed to be open at the opposite position of the other mating wall 47a and with which each mating wall 47a is mated, and a lock arm 47c that protrudes from the abutment surface 48 of each other, and a lock arm locking portion 47d with which the lock arm 47c is locked. The rear holder 32B is coupled such that the mating wall 47a of each other is mated with the mating groove 47b, and the lock arm 47c of each other is locked with the lock arm locking portion 47d. The mating walls 47a and the mating grooves 47b at multiple positions have the positioning function and the coupling strengthening function of the two divided bodies 32a, 32b.
In the rear holder 32B, each of the two electric wire insertion holes 39 is configured of a pair of electric wire grooves 39a, 39b while the two divided bodies 32a, 32b are assembled. Like the first embodiment explained above, an external diameter dimension D1 of the electric wire 21 is configured to be larger than an internal diameter dimension D2 of each electric wire insertion hole 39 (the external diameter dimension D1 of the electric wire 21>the internal diameter dimension D2 of each electric wire insertion hole 39). An internal diameter dimension D4 of the holder accommodating chamber of the connector housing 3 is configured to be larger than an external diameter dimension D3 of the rear holder 32B as a component alone (the external diameter dimension D3 of the rear holder 32B as the component alone<the internal diameter dimension D4 of the holder accommodating chamber of the connector housing 3).
An assembly step of the rear holder 32B to the electric wire 21 and an assembly step of the rubber plug 33, the rear holder 32B, and the like to the connector housing 3 are shown in
With the connector 1B according to this second embodiment, because of the same reason as those of the first embodiment explained above, backlash between the electric wire 21 and the rear holder 32B is eliminated, and in addition, backlash between the connector housing 3 and the rear holder 32B is eliminated. Therefore, the rear holder 32B can shut off vibration from the electric wire 21. In addition, in each of the divided bodies 32a, 32b, multiple ribs 46 are provided on the inner periphery of each of the electric wire grooves 39a, 39b. The rib 46 digs into the electric wire 21, so that the fixing force between the electric wire 21 and the rear holder 32B is improved.
The two divided bodies 32a, 32b have the coupling portion 47 for coupling with each other. Therefore, the attachment performance of the rear holder 32B to the electric wire 21 is high, and furthermore, the two divided bodies 32a, 32b are rigidly coupled, and this reliably prevents the backlash between the electric wire 21 and the rear holder 32B and between the connector housing 3 and the rear holder 32B.
The coupling portion 47 has the mating walls 47a and the mating grooves 47b mating therewith at multiple portions. Therefore, two divided bodies 32a, 32b can maintain an appropriate coupling form even while the two divided bodies 32a, 32b receive a compression force, and this can reliably prevent backlash between the electric wire 21 and the rear holder 32B and between the connector housing 3 and the rear holder 32B.
Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described heretofore, the embodiment is merely exemplified for facilitating the understanding of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiment. The technical scope of the present invention may include not only the specific technical matters disclosed in the above-described embodiment but also various modifications, changes, and alternative techniques easily derived from the above-described specific technical matters.
This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-130299 filed on Jun. 21, 2013, and the entire contents thereof are herein incorporated by reference.
According to the present invention, the electric wires are inserted into the electric wire insertion holes of the electric wire holder, and the electric wire holder is accommodated in the holder accommodating chamber of the connector housing, the external diameter dimension of the electric wire is more than the internal diameter dimension of the electric wire insertion hole of the electric wire holder, and the interference of the electric wire of the electric wire holder is exerted, and the external diameter dimension of the electric wire holder increases because of the elastic counterforce of this electric wire, and this eliminates the gap between the electric wire holder and the holder accommodating chamber of the connector housing, and the electric wire holder is pressed against the connector housing. Therefore, backlash between the electric wire and the electric wire holder is eliminated and in addition, backlash between the connector housing and the electric wire holder is eliminated. Therefore, the electric wire holder can cut off the vibration from the electric wire.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-130299 | Jun 2013 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2014/066242 | 6/19/2014 | WO | 00 |
