(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector for use in connecting electric wires and for maintaining a waterproof property between the connector and the electric wires.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Various electronic instruments are mounted on a motor vehicle as a mobile unit. The motor vehicle is provided with a wiring harness for transmitting electric power and control signals to the electronic instruments. The wiring harness includes a plurality of electric wires and connectors. The electric wire is a so-called coated electric wire including an electrically conductive core wire and an electrically insulating coating which coats the core wire.
As the connector described above, for example, a connector disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-294336 is used. The connector disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-294336 includes a connector housing, sealing member and so on. The connector housing includes a tube-shaped outer case and a plurality of plate-shaped housings. The plate-shaped housing is provided with a terminal receiving groove for receiving a terminal fitting to which an electric wire is attached.
The sealing member includes a plurality of sheet-shaped sealing bodies each made of resilient material such as rubber. The sheet-shaped sealing body is attached to the plate-shaped housing so as to maintain a waterproof property between the sheet-shaped sealing body and the electric wire, which is attached to the terminal fitting received in the terminal receiving groove of the plate-shaped housing.
The connector described above is assembled as follows. First, each terminal fitting, to which the electric wire is attached, is received in the terminal receiving groove of the plate-shaped housing and the sheet-shaped sealing bodies are attached to the respective plate-shaped housings. Then, the plate-shaped housings are assembled with each other and the assembled plate-shaped housings are received in the outer case. Thus, the connector described above is assembled and coupled with a mating connector. In the connector thus assembled, the sheet-shaped sealing body maintains a waterproof property between the sheet-shaped sealing body and the electric wire so as to prevent liquid such as water from entering into the terminal receiving groove after passing along the electric wire.
As for the connector disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-294336, since the sheet-shaped sealing bodies, each made of rubber or the like, abut against each other when the plate-shaped housings are assembled with each other, therefore the plate-shaped housings must be assembled with each other opposing against resilient restoring force of the sheet-shaped sealing body. Further, in the connector disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-294336, there is no means provided for fixing the sheet-shaped sealing body on the plate-shaped housing.
Therefore, when the plate-shaped housings are assembled with each other, there might be a problem that the sheet-shaped sealing body comes off from the plate-shaped housing. Therefore, as for the connector disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-294336, it is difficult to assemble the plate-shaped housings with each other on a condition that the sheet-shaped sealing body never comes off from the plate-shaped housing. That is, it is difficult to assemble the connector.
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to solve the above problem and to provide a connector, which can be easily assembled.
In order to attain the above objective, the present invention is to provide a connector including:
a connector housing for receiving terminal fittings;
a rear holder which includes a plurality of holders made of synthetic resin for positioning an electric wire attached to the terminal fitting between the holders, the rear holder being mounted to the connector housing when the holders are attached to one another; and
a sealing member which includes a plurality of sealing pieces made of resilient material for positioning the electric wire between the sealing pieces, the sealing member maintaining a waterproof characteristic between the sealing member and the electric wires when the holders are attached to the respective sealing pieces, the holders are attached to one another, and the rear holder is mounted to the connector housing.
With the construction described above, the sealing pieces of the sealing member are in advance attached to the respective holders of the rear holders. Therefore, when the holders are assembled with each other, the sealing piece can be prevented from coming off from the holder even if resilient restoring force of the sealing piece takes place. Therefore, the rear holder can be easily assembled, that is, the connector can be easily assembled.
A holder base positioned at an end of the rear holder and a laminated holder to be laminated on the holder base are provided as the holders.
With the construction described above, since the holder base and the laminated holder are provided as the holders, therefore the rear holder can securely position an electric wire between the holders. Therefore, the electric wire can be positioned between the sealing pieces, so that liquid such as water can be securely prevented from entering into the connector housing.
The holder base includes a connecting part and a rail part projecting in a laminating direction of the laminated holder from both ends of the connecting part, while the rear holder includes a guiding part which allows the laminated holder to be movable along a longitudinal direction of the rail part.
With the construction described above, the laminated holder is slid along the rail part of the holder base so that the rear holder is assembled. Therefore, the rear holder can be easily assembled.
The rear holder includes an engaging part for engaging an end part of the rail part with a laminated holder, said end part being situated away from the connecting part, and said laminated holder being situated farthest away from the connecting part among the laminated holders.
With the construction described above, the rear holder can be assembled by engaging one of the laminated holders with an end part of the rail part. Therefore, the rear holder can be easily assembled.
The sealing member includes: a plurality of the sealing pieces; and reinforcing members each made of synthetic resin and embedded in a cavity formed in the sealing piece.
With the construction described above, since the reinforcing member is embedded in the sealing piece, therefore the sealing piece is hardly deformed resiliently (i.e. being hardened), so that a waterproof characteristic between the sealing piece and the electric wire can be securely maintained. Therefore, liquid such as water can be securely prevented from entering into the connector.
The sealing piece includes a groove having a semicircular shape in cross section for positioning an electric wire inside, the reinforcing member includes a groove-shaped part formed in accordance with an inner shape of the groove, and the groove-shaped part is parallel to an inner surface of the groove so as to closely come in contact with the sealing piece when the reinforcing member is press-fit into the cavity.
With the construction described above, since the reinforcing member includes a groove-shaped part formed in accordance with an inner shape of the groove of the sealing piece, therefore force that the inner surface of the groove of the sealing piece presses the electric wire is uniform in a circumferential direction of the groove. Therefore, a waterproof characteristic between the sealing piece and the electric wire can be more securely maintained. Therefore, liquid such as water can be securely prevented from entering into the connector.
The reinforcing member is integrally formed with the sealing piece.
With the construction described above, since the reinforcing member is integrally formed with the sealing piece, therefore the reinforcing member closely comes in contact with the sealing piece. Therefore, the sealing piece can securely prevent liquid such as water from entering into the connector.
The sealing member includes a fixing part for fixing the reinforcing members to each other.
With the construction described above, since the sealing member includes a fixing part for fixing the reinforcing members to each other, therefore the fixing part maintains a distance between the sealing pieces constant. Therefore, a waterproof characteristic between the sealing piece and the electric wire can be more securely maintained. Therefore, liquid such as water can be more securely prevented from entering into the connector.
The rear holder includes a holder positioning means for positioning the holders piled up with one another.
With the construction described above, since the holder includes a holder positioning means for positioning mutually the holders lying on top of one another, therefore by the holder positioning means, the holders, that is, the sealing pieces mutually can be always maintained to have a constant positional relation between them. Therefore, a waterproof characteristic between the sealing piece and the electric wire can be securely maintained. Therefore, liquid such as water can be more securely prevented from entering into the connector.
The rear holder includes a holder fixing means for fixing the holders piled up with one another.
With the construction described above, since the rear holder includes a holder fixing means for fixing mutually the holders lying on top of one another, therefore by the holder fixing means, the holders, that is, the sealing pieces can be securely fixed to each other. Therefore, a waterproof characteristic between the sealing piece and the electric wire can be securely maintained. Therefore, liquid such as water can be more securely prevented from entering into the connector.
In the following, a connector according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to
As shown in
The housing body 5 is made of electrically insulating synthetic resin and formed in a tube-shape, including: a facing wall 9 having a plurality of holes 8 through which male tabs of male terminals of a mating connector are passed, said mating connector is to be coupled with the connector 1; and a plurality of peripheral walls 10 standing up from an outer edge of the facing wall 9. A space inside the housing body 5 is divided into plural parts (three parts in an example shown in the figure).
The outer case 6 is made of electrically insulating synthetic resin and formed in a tube-shape. The outer case 6 receives the housing body 5 and connector blocks 7 inside and is fixed to the housing body 5.
In an example shown in the figure, there are three connector blocks 7. As shown in
The cover member 12 is made of electrically insulating synthetic resin and formed in a C-shape, including a flat top wall 15 and standing walls 16 standing up from respective outer edges of the top wall 15. The cover member 12 is piled on the plate-shaped housing 11 in such a manner that the top wall 15 closes a terminal receiving groove 14 of the plate-shaped housing 11, which is situated at the highest among a plurality of the plate-shaped housings 11. The cover member 12 positions a plurality of the plate-shaped housings 11 between the pair of the standing walls 16 and is fixed to these plate-shaped housings 11. Thus, the plate-shaped housings 11, each of which receives the terminal fitting 13 attaching an electric wire 17 thereto in the terminal receiving groove 14, are piled on one another, the plate-shaped housings 11 are covered with the cover member 12, and the plate-shaped housings 11 are fixed to the cover member 12 each other, thereby the connector block 7 is assembled.
The rear holder 3 is made of electrically insulating and hard (i.e. hardly being resiliently deformed) synthetic resin. One connector block 7 includes a pair of the rear holders 3. As shown in
When one holder 18 (hereinafter, 18a; corresponding to the holder base) out of a plurality of the holders 18 is piled on another holder 18, said one holder 1-8a is positioned at an end of the rear holder 3. As shown in
Each of the other four holders 18 (corresponding to the laminated holders) is formed in a shape of a belt extending straight. As shown in
As shown in
The guiding part 20 includes: a guiding projection 25 (shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Further, the other holder 18b is press-fit into between the pair of the rail parts 21 so as to engage the engaging projection 23 with the engaging recess 24. Thus, as shown in
The sealing member 4 is made of resilient material such as rubber. One sealing member 4 is provided to one connector housing 7. As shown in
Each sealing piece 27 is formed in a bar-shape. The sealing pieces 27 are arranged in parallel to one another having a distance therebetween. One sealing piece 27 (hereinafter, 27a) situated lowest (i.e. situated at one end) in
Another sealing piece 27 (hereinafter, 27b) situated highest (i.e. situated at an opposite end) in
As for the sealing member 4, by means of an adhesive or the like, two holders 18a are attached to the sealing piece 27a, two holders 18b are attached to the sealing piece 27b, and two holders 18c are attached to each sealing piece 27c. At that time, the sealing pieces 27a, 27b and 27c are positioned between the two respective holders 18a, 18b and 18c along the longitudinal direction of the groove 28. Thus, the sealing pieces 27a, 27b and 27c are attached to the respective holders 18a, 18b and 18c.
As for the sealing member 4, when the other holders 18c are piled on the connecting part 22 of the holder 18a in turn, the other sealing pieces 27c are piled on the sealing piece 27a in turn. When the other holder 18b is piled on the other holder 18c finally, the other sealing piece 27b is piled on the sealing piece 27c. As for the sealing member 4, when the rear holder 3 is assembled, a plurality of the sealing pieces 27a, 27b and 27c are simultaneously piled in turn, thereby the sealing member 4 is assembled.
At that time, as shown in
As for the connector 1, first, the connector block 7 is assembled and the rear holder 3 and sealing member 4 are assembled to the connector block 7. The terminal fittings 13 each having the electric wire 17 are press-fit into the terminal receiving groove 14 of each plate-shaped housing 11. Thereby, the terminal fittings 13 each having the electric wire 17 are attached to the plate-shaped housing 11.
As shown in
Then, the plate-shaped housings 11 are mutually pressed in a direction in which the plate-shaped housings 11 approach each other so as to assemble a plurality of the plate-shaped housings 11 with each other, and the holders 18a and 18b are fixed to each other by the engaging part 19 so as to assemble the holders 18a, 18b and 18c to one another and to assemble the sealing pieces 27a, 27b and 27c to one another. Then, as shown in
After the connector block 7 is inserted into the housing body 5, the connector block 7, rear holder 3 and sealing member 4 are press-fit into the outer case 6 per housing body 5. Then, the outer case 6 is engaged with the rear holder 3 each other, so that each sealing piece 27a, 27b or 27c of the sealing member 4 maintains a waterproof characteristic between the sealing piece 27a, 27b or 27c and the electric wire 17, thereby the connector 1 is assembled.
The connector 1 assembled as described above is coupled with a mating connector and constructs a wiring harness to be mounted on a motor vehicle and so on.
According to the preferred embodiment as described above, the sealing pieces 27a, 27b and 27c of the sealing member 4 are in advance attached to the respective holders 18a, 18b and 18c made of synthetic resin of the rear holder 3 by an adhesive or the like. Therefore, when the holders 18a, 18b and 18c are assembled to one another, the sealing pieces 27a, 27b and 27c can be prevented from coming off from the holders 18a, 18b and 18c even if resilient force of the sealing piece 27a, 27b or 27c takes place. Therefore, the rear holder 3 can be easily assembled, that is, the connector 1 can be easily assembled.
The other holders 18c are slid along the rail part 21 of the one holder 18a and further, the other holder 18b is engaged with an opposite end of the rail part 21, so that the rear holder 3 can be easily assembled. Therefore, the connector 1 can be easily assembled.
Since the rear holder 3 includes the holders 18a, 18b and 18c, the rear holder 3 can securely position the electric wires 17 among the holders 18a, 18b and 18c. Therefore, the electric wires 17 can be positioned among the sealing pieces 27a, 27b and 27c, so that liquid such as water can be securely prevented from entering into the connector housing 2.
In the preferred embodiment, the sealing pieces 27a, 27b and 27c constituting the sealing member 4 are attached to the holders 18a, 18b and 18c constituting the rear holder 3 by means of an adhesive or the like. However, instead, the sealing pieces 27a, 27b and 27c may be molded integrally with the holders 18a, 18b and 18c by means of insert molding.
In the following, a connector according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to
In the preferred embodiment, as shown in
The reinforcing member receiving hole 30 is formed over the whole length of each sealing piece 27a, 27b or 27c. Each reinforcing member receiving hole 30 has a semicircular convexo-concave face 31 parallel to the inner surface of the groove 28 on a face of the reinforcing member receiving hole 30. The semicircular convexo-concave face 31 is formed in such a manner that a plurality of convex parts having an arc-shape in section are formed toward the inside of the reinforcing member receiving hole 30 along the longitudinal direction of the sealing piece 27a, 27b or 27c. Also, the semicircular convexo-concave face 31 is formed in such a manner that a thickness of a base material of the sealing piece 27a, 27b or 27c between the inner face of the groove 28 and the reinforcing member receiving hole 30 is constant.
Two reinforcing members 29 are provided to one sealing piece 27a, 27b or 27c. These two reinforcing members 29 have the same shape. The reinforcing member 29 is formed along an inner shape of the semicircular convexo-concave face 31, that is, along an inner shape of the groove 28. The reinforcing member 29 includes: a semicircular convexo-concave part 32 that is parallel to the inner face of the groove 28 and closely comes in contact with the semicircular convexo-concave face 31, that is, closely comes in contact with the sealing piece 27a, 27b or 27c when the reinforcing members 29 are press-fit into the reinforcing member receiving hole 30; and a tapered part 33. The maximum thickness of the reinforcing member 29 is larger than the thickness of the reinforcing member receiving hole 30.
The tapered part 33 is formed over the whole length of the reinforcing member 29 in its longitudinal direction and makes the reinforcing member 29 gradually thin along the width direction of the reinforcing member 29. As shown in
In the preferred embodiment, since the reinforcing members 29 are embedded in the respective sealing pieces 27a, 27b and 27c, therefore the sealing pieces 27a, 27b and 27c are hardly deformed resiliently (i.e. being hardened), so that a waterproof characteristic between the sealing piece 27a, 27b or 27c and the electric wire 17 can be securely maintained. Therefore, liquid such as water can be securely prevented from entering into the connector 1.
Since the reinforcing member 29 is provided with the semicircular convexo-concave part 32 that is parallel to the inner face of the groove 28 of the sealing piece 27a, 27b or 27c, therefore force that the inner face of the groove 28 of the sealing piece 27a, 27b or 27c presses the electric wire 17 is uniform in the circumferential direction of the groove 28. Therefore, a waterproof characteristic between the sealing piece 27a, 27b or 27c and the electric wire 17 can be more securely maintained. Therefore, liquid such as water can be securely prevented from entering into the connector 1.
Further, since the reinforcing members 29 are press-fit into the reinforcing member receiving hole 30 so as to be attached to the respective sealing pieces 27a, 27b and 27c, therefore the reinforcing members 29 can be securely embedded in the respective sealing pieces 27a, 27b and 27c. Therefore, the sealing pieces 27a, 27b and 27c can be securely hardened. Therefore, a waterproof characteristic between the sealing piece 27a, 27b or 27c and the electric wire 17 can be securely maintained.
In the preferred embodiment, as shown in
Further, in the preferred embodiment, the reinforcing member receiving hole 30 may not be provided with the semicircular convexo-concave face 31, and the reinforcing member 29 may not be provided with the semicircular convexo-concave part 32. For example, as shown in
In the preferred embodiment, as shown in
The pair of the locking arms 36 is formed at both ends of the reinforcing member 29 in the longitudinal direction. The locking arm 36 includes: an arm body 38 extending from one reinforcing member 29 to another reinforcing member 29; and a locking projection 39 formed at an end of the arm body 38, said end being situated away from the one reinforcing member 29 out of the two reinforcing members 29. The locking projection 39 projects in a direction in which the locking arms 36 approach each other from an end of the arm body 38.
The locking recess 37 is provided at both ends of the other reinforcing member 29 in the longitudinal direction and formed hollow from an end face of the reinforcing member 29. When the locking projections 39 of the locking arms 36 enter into the respective locking recesses 37, the fixing part 34 fixes the two reinforcing members 29 to each other.
In this case, since the sealing member 4 includes the fixing part 34 for fixing the two reinforcing members 29 to each other, therefore the fixing part 34 maintains distances among the sealing pieces 27a, 27b and 27c always constant. Accordingly, the distances among the sealing pieces 27a, 27b and 27c can be prevented from changing largely from predetermined distances. Therefore, a waterproof characteristic between the sealing pieces 27a, 27b and 27c and the electric wires 17 can be more securely maintained, and liquid such as water can be more securely prevented from entering into the connector 1.
Further, in the preferred embodiment, by means of insert molding, as shown in
In the preferred embodiment described above, the rail part 21 is provided with the engaging projection 23, and the holder 18b is provided with the engaging recess 24. However, instead, the holder 18b may be provided with the engaging projection 23, and the rail part 21 may be provided with the engaging recess 24. In the preferred embodiment described above, the holder 18b is provided with the guiding projection 25, and the rail part 21 is provided with the guiding groove 26. However, instead, the holder 18b may be provided with the guiding groove 26, and the rail part 21 may be provided with the guiding projection 25.
In the following, a connector according to the third preferred embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to
As shown in
When a plurality of the holders 18 are piled up with one another, two holders 18 (hereinafter, 18d) situated at both ends of a plurality of the holders 18 piled up with one another are formed in the same shape and as shown in
When a plurality of the holders 18 are piled up with one another, as shown in
Further, as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The holders 18d, 18f, 18e, 18f, and 18d are laminated (i.e. piled up) in turn, so that the rear holder 3 is assembled. At that time, of course, the positioning bars 46 enter into the respective positioning holes 47 and the locking projections 48 and 49 engage with each other. The rear holder 3 is assembled to the connector block 7 together with the sealing member 4 on a condition that the holders 18d, 18e and 18f position the electric wires 17 therebetween and assembled to the connector housing 2.
In
In the third preferred embodiment, similarly to the first and second preferred embodiments, the sealing pieces 27a, 27b and 27c of the sealing member 4 are in advance attached to the respective holders 18d, 18e and 18f made of synthetic resin of the rear holder 3 by an adhesive or the like. Therefore, when the holders 18d, 18e and 18f are assembled to one another, the sealing pieces 27a, 27b and 27c can be prevented from coming off from the holders 18d, 18e and 18f even if resilient force of the sealing piece 27a, 27b or 27c takes place. Therefore, the rear holder 3 can be easily assembled, that is, the connector 1 can be easily assembled.
Further, since the rear holder 3 includes the positioning part 40 for positioning the holders 18d, 18e and 18f with one another, the positioning part 40 maintains the positional relation among the holders 18d, 18e and 18f, that is, among the sealing piece 27a, 27b or 27c always constant. Therefore, a waterproof characteristic between the sealing pieces 27a, 27b and 27c and the electric wires 17 can be securely maintained, and liquid such as water can be more securely prevented from entering into the connector 1.
Further, since the rear holder 3 includes the fixing part 41 for fixing the holders 18d, 18e and 18f to one another, therefore the holders 18d, 18e and 18f can be securely fixed to each other by the fixing part 41, that is, the sealing piece 27a, 27b or 27c can be securely fixed to each other by the fixing part 41. Therefore, a waterproof characteristic between the sealing pieces 27a, 27b and 27c and the electric wires 17 can be securely maintained, and liquid such as water can be more securely prevented from entering into the connector 1.
In the third preferred embodiment, similarly to the first preferred embodiment, a plurality of rear holders 3 may be attached to one connector block 7. The holders 18d, 18e and 18f and the sealing pieces 27a, 27b and 27c may be integrally molded by means of insert molding. Similarly to the second preferred embodiment, the reinforcing members 29 may be embedded in the respective sealing pieces 27a, 27b and 27c, and the sealing member 4 may be provided with a fixing part 34 for fixing the reinforcing members 29 to each other.
The aforementioned preferred embodiments are described to aid in understanding the present invention and variations may be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2006-045810 | Feb 2006 | JP | national |
2006-305450 | Nov 2006 | JP | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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6116952 | Nakata | Sep 2000 | A |
6468113 | Murakami et al. | Oct 2002 | B1 |
6638108 | Tachi | Oct 2003 | B2 |
20050048837 | Ichida et al. | Mar 2005 | A1 |
20070004274 | Tabata et al. | Jan 2007 | A1 |
20070037436 | Iwahori | Feb 2007 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
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2000-294336 | Oct 2000 | JP |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20070197090 A1 | Aug 2007 | US |