JPH082933Y2 - Waterproof electrical connector - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial field of application] The present invention has a waterproof electrical connector, in particular, having a large number of contacts, and waterproofing the contacts inserted and held in the connector housing and the wires connected thereto. The present invention relates to a connector suitable for a vehicle or the like that uses an elastic bushing.

[Prior art and its problems]

For connecting electronic circuits such as vehicles used in harsh environments such as high temperature and high humidity, use an elastic bushing (or rubber stopper) between the contact (connection terminal) connected to the wire and the insulating housing for waterproofing or Electric connectors with a drip-proof structure are often used. In the present specification, electric connectors having a waterproof and drip-proof structure are collectively referred to as a waterproof electric connector.

In such a waterproof type electrical connector, a female connector (a connector having a receptacle contact) and a male connector (a connector having a tab contact) which are fitted to each other
For each of the above, an elastic bushing is arranged on the rear surface (opposite to the fitting surface) of the plurality of contact cavities (or passages) of the housing, and the elastic bushing has an opening communicating with the contact cavity. A contact connected to the wire is inserted and held in the communicating cavity and the opening. Further, by inserting a bushing also on the fitting surfaces of the male and female connectors, it is possible to prevent water or moisture from entering from the fitting portion between the both.

The waterproof electric connector thus configured has the following problems. First, as the number of contacts (poles) increases and the density increases, it becomes difficult to align the opening of the bushing or the rubber plug with the cavity of the housing. In particular, rubber cannot be dimensioned with a high degree of accuracy, and its dimensions can change significantly due to pressure and other requirements, while the cavity of the housing has a molded, constant dimension so that the two can be properly aligned. It is difficult. To solve this problem, it has been proposed to form an opening and a projection on the contact surface between the bushing and the housing to align the two (for example, see JP-A-62-241277).

Secondly, if the inserted contact is inserted in the wrong position or in the wrong direction, or if a defect is found in the inserted contact, the elastic bushing will come off when the contact is removed, and the already inserted contact will come out. It is a bad thing. There is no specific solution for this,
The only countermeasure was to prevent this by pushing the elastic bushing by hand when removing it. This is not only inefficient in working efficiency, but also has a problem in that when a large number of contacts have been inserted, the wires interfere and cannot be effectively dealt with.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a waterproof electric connector which enables insertion and removal of contacts without disturbing the already inserted contacts and has excellent workability.

[Means and Actions for Solving Problems]

According to the waterproof electrical connector of the present invention, one or more hook-shaped protrusions are formed in the space between the cavity of the end face of the housing having the contact receiving cavity or the passage, and the one or more hook (hook) -shaped protrusions are formed on the opposing surface of the elastic bushing arranged therein. Form a recess that engages the protrusion. As a result, the connector housing and the elastic bushing are fitted to each other, so that the connector housing and the elastic bushing are securely held in place. Moreover, by forming the projection and the recess on the entire opposing surface, the cavity of the housing and the opening of the elastic bushing are always communicated correctly.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an elastic bushing 10 made of rubber or similar material used in the waterproof electric connector of the present invention. FIG. 1 (A) is a front view and FIG. 1 (B) is a side view. The present embodiment is a 40-pole (contact) type electrical connector, and for example, contact insertion openings 12 through which a wire with a pin (male) type contact is inserted are formed in four rows. The contact insertion openings 12 are configured to be displaced (staggered) between adjacent rows so as to reinforce the strength of the elastic bushing and maximize the distance between adjacent contacts. Further, three rows of rectangular locking recesses 14 are formed between the 12 rows of contact communication openings. Each recess 14 is preferably located substantially in the center of the four adjacent contact communication openings 12 in two rows. A flange 16 is formed on the outer circumference of the elastic bushing 10, and a plurality of grooves 18 are formed in at least a part of the flange 16 to engage with a ridge formed on the inner wall of the corresponding connector housing.
The holding force with the connector housing 20 is increased.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the positional relationship between the elastic bushing 10 and the connector housing 20 of FIG. 2 (A) and 2 (B) are vertical cross-sectional views through the contact insertion opening 12 and the engaging recess 14 of the elastic bushing 10 of FIG. 1, respectively.
In this embodiment, ten contact insertion openings 12 are arranged at substantially equal intervals, and five engagement recesses 14 are provided. Details of the shapes of the openings 12 and the recesses 14 will be described later with reference to FIG.

FIG. 2C is a schematic sectional view of an end portion of the connector housing 20 that receives the elastic bushing 10. A chamber 22 for receiving the elastic bushing 10 is provided at an end portion of the connector housing 20, and a plurality of hook-shaped projections 26 (five in each row) stand upright from a bottom surface 24 of the chamber 22. When the elastic bushing 10 is inserted into the connector housing 20 at a predetermined position, the bottom surface of the flange 16 contacts the stepped portion 27, and each hook-shaped projection 26 is inserted into the engaging recess 14 of the elastic bushing 10. Once inserted, the hook portion 25 of the hook-shaped projection 26 and the hook portion of the engaging recess 14 are engaged,
In addition, the elastic bushing 10 is housed in the chamber of the connector housing 20 by the engagement of the groove 18 formed on the inner periphery of the elastic bushing 10 with the plurality of hook-shaped protrusions 28 formed on the peripheral edge of the housing 20.
It is completely fixed in 22. Therefore, for example, even if the contact once inserted is pulled out, the elastic bushing 10 remains at that position and is not pulled out.

Although not shown at the cross-sectional position in FIG. 2C, a plurality of contact cavities communicating with the contact insertion opening 12 of the elastic bushing 10 are formed in the connector housing 20. is there. Further, since these contacts may be any known ones, the description thereof will be omitted.

3 (A) and 3 (B) are detailed explanatory views of a preferred embodiment of the contact insertion opening 12 and the engaging recess 14 of the elastic bushing 10. Contact insertion opening as shown in FIG.
Reference numeral 12 has a tapered inlet portion 12a, three node portions 12b with a narrow mutual spacing, and an abdominal portion 12c with a slightly wide spacing therebetween. By adopting such an opening 12 having a non-uniform cross-sectional shape, insertion of a contact to be inserted is facilitated, and the contact is closely contacted with the outer circumference of the wire connected thereto to maintain sufficient airtightness and waterproofness.

On the other hand, the engagement recess 14 in FIG.
a, a protruding portion 14b in the recess and a relatively wide portion 14c at the back thereof
Consists of Elastic bushing 10 to connector housing 20
And the hook portion 25 of the hook-shaped projection 26,
Engage with the hook at the back of 14b. As a result, substantially the entire elastic bushing 10 is held on the end surface of the connector housing 20 with sufficient strength.

The waterproof electric connector of the present invention has been described above based on the preferred embodiment, but various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, the hook-shaped protrusion 26 may have an umbrella shape having a protrusion on the entire circumference. In that case, it goes without saying that the shape of the engaging recess 14 is also adapted to the shape.

[Effect of device]

According to the waterproof electric connector of the present invention, once the elastic bushing is inserted into the connector housing, the engaging recess and the hook-shaped projection between the elastic bushing and the elastic bushing firmly hold the entire surface thereof. Therefore, even when an external force is applied to the elastic bushing during the connector assembly work or the airtightness test of the connector, this can be correctly maintained at the predetermined position. Also,
The opening of the elastic bushing and the cavity of the housing are correctly positioned. As a result, the assembly work efficiency of the multi-pole waterproof connector is improved, and the reliability is improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 (A) and 1 (B) are a front view and a side view of a preferred embodiment of an elastic bushing used in the waterproof electric connector of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 (A) to (C) are elastic views of FIG. FIGS. 3A and 3B are enlarged cross-sectional views of the contact insertion opening and the engagement recess of the elastic bushing of FIG. 1 for explaining the fitting state between the bushing and the connector housing. 10 …… Elastic bushing, 20 …… Housing 26 …… Hook-like projection 12 …… Contact receiving cavity 14 …… Engagement recess

Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Katsuhiko Yuasa 87 Hisamoto, Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Pref.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A waterproof electrical connector comprising: a housing having a cavity for accommodating a plurality of contacts; and an elastic bushing disposed at an end surface of the contact accommodating cavity of the housing and having a plurality of through holes communicating with the cavity. At least one hook-shaped projection formed on the contact surface of the housing with the elastic bushing, and a recess formed on the contact surface side of the elastic bushing corresponding to the hook-shaped projection. A waterproof electrical connector characterized in that