SEAL MEMBER FOR WATERPROOF CONNECTOR

Abstract

To provide a seal member for a waterproof connector which will not be deteriorated in waterproof performance even when wires swing, and is suited for use even in the type of connector in which an inner housing is swingable as in a floating connector, a seal member for a waterproof connector is mounted at rear ends of terminal receiving chambers of the waterproof connector, and has wire-sealing passage holes in which wires connected to respective terminals can be fitted, respectively. Lip portions are formed on an outer peripheral portion of the seal member over an entire periphery thereof, and also lip portions are formed on front and rear sides of the seal member spaced from each other in an inserting direction, and these lip portions can be compressed and deformed between the seal member and the terminal receiving chambers.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a seal member of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side-elevational view of the seal member of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the seal member of the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a seal member of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a horizontal cross-sectional view showing a condition in which the seal member is mounted in an inner housing.

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the condition in which the seal member is mounted in the inner housing.

FIG. 7 is a horizontal cross-sectional view showing the condition in which the seal member is mounted in the inner housing.

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view showing one example of a waterproof connector to which the invention is applied.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional waterproof connector.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the conventional connector.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a seal member used in a connector, FIG. 2 is a side-elevational view of the seal member, and FIG. 3 is a plan view of the seal member. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a seal member of the invention. FIG. 5 is a horizontal cross-sectional view showing a condition in which the seal member is mounted in an inner housing of a female connector, FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the condition in which the seal member is mounted in the inner housing, and FIG. 7 is a horizontal cross-sectional view showing the condition in which the seal member is mounted in the inner housing.

The seal member 10 is made of an elastic material such as rubber and a soft plastics material, and is integrally molded into a generally rectangular plate-shape, and has a predetermined thickness. Many passage holes 16 are formed through the seal member 10, and wires 14 connected respectively to terminals 12 are adapted to be passed through the respective passage holes 16. Lip portions 16a of a mountain-like shape are formed on an inner surface of each passage hole 16, and when the wire 14 is passed through the passage hole 16, the wire 14 is sealed liquid-tight by the lip portions 16a.

Lip portions 18 are formed on an outer peripheral surface of the seal member 10 over the entire periphery thereof. Two elongate lip portions 18 of a mountain-like shape are formed on each of two long sides (upper and lower sides) of the seal member 10. Also, two elongate lip portions (left and right lip portions) 20 of a mountain-like shape are formed respectively on two short sides (left and right sides) of the seal member 10, and are relatively wide in the direction of the thickness of the seal member 10. Further, two elongate lip portions (front and rear lip portions) 21 of a mountain-like shape are formed respectively at those regions disposed respectively immediately adjacent to and along widthwise-opposite ends (front and rear surfaces in an inserting direction) of each short side of the seal member 10.

Although the seal member 10 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is formed as a one-piece part, it is not limited to such a one-piece part. FIG. 4 shows the seal member 11 of the second embodiment, and this seal member 11 comprises a plurality of separate members 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d and 11e combined together in a stack in the upward-downward direction.

Next, the operation for mounting the seal member 10 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 5, the female connector 22 has a floating structure in which a plate housing 26 is received in a loosely-fitted condition within the inner housing 24. Many female terminals 12 are received within the plate housing 26, and the wires 14 are connected respectively to the female terminals 12. The wires 14 extend rearwardly from a rear end of the plate housing 26, and are fitted respectively in the passage holes 16 of the seal member 10 to be fixedly supported by the respective passage holes 16, and further extend rearwardly from the respective passage holes 16.

A receiving surface 28 for supporting the peripheral edge portion of the seal member 10 is formed on an inner surface of the inner housing 24. A rear holder 30 is attached to the inner housing 24, and is disposed at the rear side of the seal member 10, and this rear holder 30 fixes the wires 14 and the seal member 10 to the inner housing 24.

On the other hand, many male terminals 34 are received in a male connector 32, and when the male terminals 34 projecting from the male connector 32 are fitted respectively into the female terminals 12 within the inner housing 24, the male terminals 34 are electrically connected to the female terminals 12, respectively.

The female connector 22 has the floating structure, and therefore even when the male terminals 34 of the male connector 32 are inserted obliquely into the female connector 22, the plate housing 26 can move in a manner to correspond to this oblique direction, and therefore the two connectors 22 and 32 can be fitted together in a proper electrically-connected condition.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are the cross-sectional views of important portions, showing the condition in which the seal member 10 and the rear holder 30 are attached to the inner housing 24 of the female connector 22. When the seal member 10 is inserted into the inner housing 24 from the rear side thereof, the upper and lower lip portions 18 and the left and right lip portions 20 which are formed on the outer periphery of the seal member 10 are compressed and deformed between the seal member 10 and the inner surface of the inner housing 24 as shown in FIG. 6. At this time, a pressing force has not yet acted on the front and rear lip portions 21 formed at the front and rear sides of the short sides of the seal member 10, and therefore the front and rear lip portions 21 have not yet been deformed.

When the rear holder 30 is further inserted into the inner housing 24 at the rear side of the seal member 10, and is mounted in a proper position within the inner housing 24, the front lip portions 21 formed at the front sides of the short sides of the seal member 10 are pressed against the receiving surface 28 of the inner housing 24, while the rear lip portions 21 formed at the rear sides of the short sides of the seal member 10 are compressed by the rear holder 30, and therefore the front and rear lip portions 21 are deformed between the receiving surface 28 and the rear holder 30.

FIG. 6 shows the condition in which the rear holder 30 is attached to the inner housing 24, but has not yet pressed the seal member 10, and therefore the front and rear lip portions 21 have not yet been deformed. FIG. 7 shows the condition in which the rear holder 30 is attached to the inner housing 24, and only the front lip portions 21 among the front and rear lip portions 21 are deformed.

When the female terminals 12 of the plate housing 26 are fitted to the respective male terminals 34 of the male connector 32 in an oblique direction as shown in FIG. 5, a rotating force as indicated by arrow A acts on the seal member 10 because of the bending of the wires 14 fitted in the seal member 10. In the case of the conventional seal member, a gap is formed between this seal member and the inner surface of the inner housing 24. In the seal member 10 of the above construction, however, the left and right lip portions 20 of the seal member 10 are deformed, and therefore any gap will not be formed between the seal member 10 and the inner surface of the inner housing 24.

Also, even when a rotating force in the opposite direction acts on the seal member 10, the left and right lip portions 20 are deformed similarly, and therefore any gap will not be formed between the seal member 10 and the inner surface of the inner housing 24. And besides, the upper and lower lip portions 18 of the seal member 10 are also deformed similarly, any gap will not be formed between the seal member 10 and the inner surface of the inner housing 24.

Furthermore, the seal member 10 is pressed by the rear holder 30, and therefore the front lip portions 21 are deformed between the seal member 10 and the receiving surface 28 of the inner housing 24, and are held in intimate contact with the receiving surface 28, and also the rear lip portions 21 are deformed between the seal member 10 and the rear holder 30, and are held in intimate contact with the rear holder 30. Therefore, any gap will not develop between the seal member 10 and the receiving surface 28 and also between the seal member 10 and the rear holder 30.

Therefore, even when the seal member 10 is subjected to a force acting in any direction, any gap will not develop between the seal member 10 and the inner housing 24 and also between the seal member 10 and the rear holder 30, and the positive waterproof performance is ensured.

Particularly in the type of connector (such as the floating-type connector shown in FIG. 5) in which the wires 14 are liable to exert a force on the seal member 10, the positive waterproof performance can be ensured even when a force in any direction acts on the seal member 10. And besides, the seal member 10 itself is also molded of the elastic material, and therefore can be suitably deformed within the inner housing 24, and therefore the more positive waterproof effect can be achieved.

Furthermore, the rear holder 30 is held in contact with the compressed and deformed lip portions 21, and therefore a reaction force which the rear holder 30 receives from the seal member 10 is not so large, and there is no fear that the rear holder 30 is disengaged from the inner housing 24.

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view showing one example of a waterproof connector to which the above embodiment is applied.

As shown in FIG. 8, the waterproof connector 40 comprises a male connector 41, a female connector 42, a lever 43, and a wire cover 44. The male connector 41 includes male housings 45, a board 46, a male outer cover 47, and a board support base 48. The female connector 42 includes a female inner housing 49, a female outer housing 50, a female plate housing 51, and wire seals 52.

The male housing 45 receives a number of male terminals 53 therein, and the male terminals 53 are mounted on the board 46, and hence are fixed to the board 46. The male terminals 53 are electrically connected to printed wiring (formed on the board 46) and electronic elements or devices mounted on the board 46. The male outer cover 47 is fixed to the board support base 48, with the board 46 interposed therebetween, such that the male housings 45 are disposed at an end portion of the male connector 41.

The female inner housing 49 is formed into a square frame-like shape, and is received in the female outer housing 50 slightly larger in size than the female inner housing 49. The female outer housing 50 has pivot shafts 54 formed on and projecting respectively from inner surfaces of top and bottom plates 53 thereof. The pivot shafts 54 are engaged respectively in pivot holes 56 formed in the lever 43.

The female plate housing 51 receives a number of female terminals 55 therein, and the female plate housing 51 is received in the female inner housing 49, and then by pivotally moving the lever 43, the female inner housing 49 is slid toward the male housing 45 through the female outer housing 50, thereby connecting the female terminals 55 to the respective male terminals 53. Wires (not shown) electrically connected to the respective female terminals 55 are held liquid-tight by the wire seal 52 attached to the female plate housing 51, and are covered and protected by the wire cover 44 attached to the outside of the female outer housing 50.

The seal member of the above embodiment can be used as the wire seal for the waterproof connector shown in FIG. 8, and achieves the above-mentioned advantageous effects.

Claims

1. A seal member for a waterproof connector, adapted to be mounted at a rear end of a terminal receiving chamber of the waterproof connector, comprising: a wire-sealing passage hole in which a wire connected to a terminal can be fitted;a lip portion provided at an outer peripheral portion of said seal member over an entire periphery thereof, and provided at front and rear sides of said seal member spaced from each other in an inserting direction such that said lip portions can be compressed and deformed between said seal member and said terminal receiving chamber.

2. The seal member for a waterproof connector according to claim 1, wherein said waterproof connector is comprised of an inner housing and an outer housing; andthe inner housing is swingably provided within the outer housing.

3. The seal member for a waterproof connector according to claim 1, wherein said seal member is an integrally-molded product.

4. The seal member for a waterproof connector according to claim 1, wherein said seal member has a stack structure.