JPH0955253A - Electrical equipment with water-proof connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide the electrical equipment with a water-proof connector, which can save manufacturing manhours without degrading the mounting/ demounting properties of the connector. SOLUTION: The lower end opening of a case 1 housing an electrical part 3 is covered by a base 2, and a connector part 4 is projected downward out of the base 2 so as to be provided. In order to prevent water from ingressing in the connector part 4, a soft water-proof skirt 5 is provided, which is joined to the whole circumference of the outer circumferential surface of the case 1 at its lower part, and is extended downward, and the outer circumferential surface of the connector part 4 is thereby enclosed by the water-proof skirt 5. Since the water-proof skirt 5 is joined to the case 1, there is no need for covering the case 1 as it has been covered so far, and also since it is soft in quality different from a former one, the mounting/ demounting properties will never be degraded.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a waterproof electric device having a connector portion. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is applied to a waterproof relay or the like arranged in a water-exposed portion.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional waterproof relay has a case 1a with a lower end opening and an outer peripheral surface of the case 1 as shown in FIG.
a base 2a fitted to the inner peripheral surface of a to form a component chamber R in the case 1a, electric components (relay) 3a fixed to the base 2a and accommodated in the component chamber R, and downward from the base 2a. The protruding connector portion 4a and the entire outer peripheral surface of the case 1a are covered and extend downward to form the connector portion 4a.
And a rubber waterproof cover 5a surrounding the outer peripheral surface of the.

[0003]

However, the above-mentioned equipment requires a step of covering the case 1a with the rubber waterproof cover 5a, but the waterproof cover 5a is accurately attached to the case 1a.
The work to cover a was not easy. In order to improve this problem, it may be possible to further hang the lower end of the case 1a to surround the outer peripheral surface of the connector. In this way, since the waterproof cover 5a can be formed integrally with the case 1a, the manufacturing process and the assembling process of the waterproof cover 5a are extremely simple and the automation is easy. However, the waterproof cover 5a formed integrally with the case 1a, which needs to be rigid (having rigidity), is difficult to bend, and it is difficult to attach / detach the mating connector 6a to / from the connector portion. Of course, if the length of the waterproof cover 5a is shortened, the connector can be easily attached and detached, but the effect of preventing water from getting wet at the joint between the connector portion and the mating connector is significantly reduced.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an electric device with a waterproof connector, which can reduce the labor of manufacturing without deteriorating the detachability of the connector. .

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a case having a lower end opening and an outer peripheral surface thereof are fitted to an inner peripheral surface of the case to form a component chamber in the case. A base, an electrical component fixed to the base and housed in the component chamber, a connector portion projecting downward from the base, and a joint base portion that is joined over the entire lower peripheral surface of the case. An electric device with a waterproof connector, comprising a soft waterproof skirt that extends downward and surrounds the outer peripheral surface of the connector portion.

According to this structure, since the upper end of the soft waterproof skirt for preventing the connector from being exposed to water is joined over the entire circumference of the lower part of the outer peripheral surface of the case, the waterproof skirt (waterproof cover) as in the conventional case. It is possible to save the trouble of accurately covering the case entirely. The waterproof skirt and the case can be joined to each other not only by integrally molding them but also by bonding or the like, which facilitates automation and labor saving.

Further, since it is not necessary to cover the case with the waterproof skirt (waterproof cover), the waterproof skirt need only have flexibility when the connector is attached and detached, and it does not require elastic deformation for mischief, so a soft material other than rubber can be used. For example, a soft resin can be used. Therefore, according to this configuration,
It is possible to reduce the number of parts and the number of assembling steps while ensuring the waterproofness of the connector section.

A second structure of the present invention is characterized in that, in the above-mentioned first structure, there is further provided an engaging projection projecting from an outer peripheral surface of the case and embedded in the upper end portion of the waterproof skirt. According to this configuration, since the engaging protrusion is embedded in the waterproof skirt, the joint strength between the two is significantly improved, and peeling of the joint part is prevented by repeated heat stress or external force, and the joint part is separated from the peeled part. Water can be prevented from entering.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the first aspect, the portion of the waterproof skirt in the vicinity of the joint base is disposed facing the outer peripheral surface of the lower end of the case with a predetermined gap. It is characterized by that. According to this configuration, even if a crack is generated in the waterproof skirt, the water that has entered the inner peripheral surface of the waterproof skirt from the crack does not wet the case, and as a result, the water that wets the outer peripheral surface of the case is capillary. It is possible to prevent being sucked into the parts chamber due to a phenomenon or a breathing action of the parts chamber.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the following examples.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A relay with a waterproof connector of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. This relay includes a resin case 1 having a lower end opening, a base 2 whose outer peripheral surface is fitted to the inner peripheral surface of the case 1 to form a component chamber R in the case 1, and a component fixed to the base 2 Relay 3 housed in room R and base 2
The connector portion 4 integrally formed with the base portion 2 and protruding downward from the base 2, and the connector portion 4 extending downward from the joint base portion 51 joined to the lower portion of the outer peripheral surface of the case 1 over the entire circumference.
And a waterproof skirt 5 made of a soft resin surrounding the outer peripheral surface of the. 6 is a mating connector, which is attached to and detached from the connector section 4. The connector section 4 constitutes a terminal of the relay 3. Further, the lower end of the waterproof skirt 5 is located further below the lower end of the connector portion 4.

FIG. 2 shows a cross section of only the case 1 and the waterproof skirt 5. Engagement protrusions 11 are provided at a plurality of predetermined locations on the lower portion of the outer peripheral surface of the case 1 and are embedded in the joint base 51 of the waterproof skirt 5. The engagement protrusions 11 are a pair of leg portions 11 protruding from the outer peripheral surface 10 of the case 1 as shown in FIG.
1 and a bar portion 112 connecting the tips of these leg portions 111.

In this way, the joint base portion 51 of the waterproof skirt 5 wraps around between the bar portion 112 and the outer peripheral surface 10, so that the joint strength between them is improved. Further, the portion 52 of the waterproof skirt 5 directly below the joint base 51 is arranged facing the outer peripheral surface 10 of the case 1 with a predetermined gap S therebetween. By doing so, even if some external force is applied to the waterproof skirt 5 and the waterproof skirt 5 is cracked, the water wets the inner peripheral surface of the waterproof skirt 5 but does not wet the outer peripheral surface 10 of the case 1. It is possible to prevent the water from being sucked into the parts room R.

Further, when some external force is applied to the upper end of the waterproof skirt 5 toward the inside, the upper end of the waterproof skirt 5 can be elastically deformed and bent inward, and the external force is transmitted to the lower end of the case 1. This prevents the case 1 from being damaged. In order to manufacture the case 1 with the waterproof skirt 5, it is possible to easily form the case 1 by bonding the two, by insert molding, or by so-called two-color molding.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing an embodiment of an electric device with a waterproof connector of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a case 1 and a waterproof skirt 5.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an engagement protrusion 11 of the case 1.

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a conventional electric device with a waterproof connector.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Case 3 ... Relay (electrical parts) 4 ... Connector part 5 ... Waterproof skirt

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A case having a lower end opening, a base having an outer peripheral surface fitted to an inner peripheral surface of the case to form a component chamber in the case, and fixed to the base and accommodated in the component chamber. An electric component, a connector portion projecting downward from the base, and a soft waterproof member that extends downward from a joining base portion that is joined over the entire lower peripheral surface of the case and surrounds the outer peripheral surface of the connector portion. An electric device with a waterproof connector, comprising: a skirt. 2. The electric device with a waterproof connector according to claim 1, further comprising an engaging projection protruding from an outer peripheral surface of the case and embedded in the upper end portion of the waterproof skirt. 3. The electric device with a waterproof connector according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the waterproof skirt in the vicinity of the joint base portion is face-to-face with the outer peripheral surface of the lower end portion of the case with a predetermined gap.