Electrical connection structure between module device and an external device

An object is to provide an electrical connection structure between a module device and outside having high reliability of electrical connection and excellent assembling performance. There is provided the electrical connection structure of a module device, wherein a housing accommodating the module device has a mounting hole for mounting a cable connector electrically connected with an external device, a contact of the module device side is disposed inside a housing positioned in the mounting hole, the structure includes a terminal pressed and connected to the contact of the module device side, and a connector housing that accommodates and holds the terminal, the terminal is held in the connector housing so as to have airtight and watertight properties from a connection portion between the terminal and a core wire of a cable to a covering portion of the cable, and the cable connector and the housing are connected so as to have the watertight property.

CROSS REFERENCE SECTION

This application claims priority under to Japanese patent application JP2012-261610 under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) filed on Nov. 29, 2012, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to an electrical connector and more particularly, relates to a connection structure for electrically connecting a module device such as a camera with an external device such as a control device, power supply, and the like.

2. Description of Related Art

A module device such as a vehicle mounted camera is typically electrically connected to an external control device, power supply, etc. The electrical connection between the vehicle mounted camera and the external device is typically subjected to a variety of harsh environmental conditions, including but not limited to vibration as well as liquids (e.g., water). Despite efforts to date, designing an electrical connection that is both durable to withstand the environmental conditions and reliable to consistently provide a stable electrical connection is difficult. Thus, there remains a need in the art for a durable, reliable electrical connecter and further, there is a need for an easy to assemble electrical connector. An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connection structure between a module device and an outside external device which has high reliability of electrical connection and excellent assembling performance.

SUMMARY

An electrical connection structure between the module device and the outside device according to the invention includes a mounting hole for mounting a cable connector electrically connected to an external device, the mounting hole formed in a module housing that accommodates a module device, a contact of the module device side is disposed inside module the housing located in the mounting hole, the structure has a terminal pressed and connected to the contact of the module device side, and a connector housing that accommodates and holds the terminal, the terminal is held in the connector housing so as to have airtight and watertight properties from the connection portion between the terminal and a core wire of the cable to a covering portion of the cable, and the cable connector and the housing are connected to each other so as to have watertight property.

According to the invention, the assembling performance is improved by providing the mounting hole of the cable connector allowed to directly pass through the housing, and moisture is prevented from entering the housing by ventilation or the like via the cable interior.

Although there are various methods in such a waterproof means, for example, the terminal can be accommodated in the connector housing in a state in which the core wire of the cable is connected to the rear portion of the terminal, and portions from the connection portion between the terminal and the core wire of the cable to the covering portion of the cable can be embedded in a sealant.

In this context, the sealant refers to a material having the waterproof property. The connection portion between the terminal and the cable core to the covering portion of the cable are enclosed by this sealant. Various methods can be employed in this case.

For example, there are some methods such as a method of placing portions from the connection portion between the terminal and the core wire to the covering portion of the cable into a mold, and injecting and curing an adhesive into the mold, a method of injecting and molding a hot-melt resin, a method using an RIM molding (polymerization reaction and curing are performed in the mold) and the like.

Furthermore, in this case, the sealant is connected to the cable using a cord bushing, and the cord bushing and the housing may be fixedly connected with the fixing member via a seal member.

In the invention, since the connection structure is adopted that brings the terminal provided in the cable connector into pressure-contact with the contact of the module device side, the assembling performance is excellent.

In general, a plurality of connection terminals is required in the case of the module device.

In order to easily secure flatness, parallelism, and pressing force of the terminals in such a case, a retainer for supporting the terminals from the rear may be disposed in the state of accommodating the terminal in the connector housing.

In the external electrical connection structure of the module device according to the invention, since it is possible to directly electrically connect the cable connector to the mounting substrate of the module device side, while securing the waterproof property, the number of assembly steps is less than the prior art, and the connection structure becomes more compact.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Description of Reference Numerals

As discussed above, when a module device such as a monitor camera device (which is mounted to a vehicle) is electrically connected to an external control device, a power supply or the like, the module device requires reliability of electrical connection capable of withstanding the vibration or the like during driving of the vehicle, and further may requires high waterproof property.

For example, one conventional electrical connector—disclosed in JP 2008-170801 A—highlights one attempt to provide an electrical device for a module device that secures reliability of the electrical connection and has high waterproof property. Such electrical connector is shown inFIG. 8. Particularly,FIG. 8schematically illustrates an electrical connection structure between the module device and the external device.

Referring toFIG. 8, there is provided a connector terminal130passing through a wall of a housing121that is equipped with a module device such as a monitor camera device in a watertight state, and an inner end portion of the connector terminal130is pressed and connected to an elastic contact24of a connector23implemented on a substrate22of the module device side.

Meanwhile, a socket terminal115of a connector113attached to a leading end of a cable14is electrically connected to the outside of the connector terminal130allowed to pass through the housing121.

The connector113is screwed into a female screw portion121dby the use of a fixing member118via a fixing hole113aso as to insert a seal member117into the housing121.

Although the electrical connection structure as disclosed in JP 2008-170801 A is compact and has high waterproof property, such an electrical connection structure requires a significant assembling work of electrically connecting a substrate of the electrical module device and the inside of the connector terminal provided by passing through the housing, and an assembling work of electrically connecting the cable connector to the outside of the connector terminal. Therefore, this requires an improvement in assembly performance and size reduction.

As discussed above, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connection structure between a module device and the outside which has high reliability of the electrical connection and excellent assembling performance.

Hereinafter, an example of an electrical connection structure according to the invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1illustrates a cross-sectional view, andFIG. 2illustrates a connecting means. An embodiment illustrated inFIG. 1is an example that connects a monitor camera device mounted on a vehicle to an external device via a cable.

This is an example in which a mounting hole21cof a cable connector10is provided in a housing21equipped with a monitor camera as a module device20.

FIG. 1does not illustrate the monitor camera, and only represents a substrate22, a connector23implemented on the substrate22, and a contact24made of an elastic piece.

Since a mounting hole21cis provided in the housing21, in a state in which the monitor camera is built in the interior of a rear case21aand a front case21bconstituting the housing21, a portion between the rear case21aand the front case21bis first joined by welding or the like, and the monitor camera may be built in the housing.

The cable connector10has a connector housing11, and a plurality of terminals15disposed inside the connector housing11. The rear side of the terminal15is crimped to a core wire14bof a single line14aof a cable14by a crimping portion15a, and portions from the crimping portion15ato a covering end portion14cof the cable14are embedded in a hot-melt molding body12.

In addition, as long as the hot-melt molding body is a sealant having the waterproof property that is intended to prevent the ventilation (moisture penetration) via the interior of the cable14, the hot-melt molding body is not limited to hot-melt resin.

A cord bushing13is molded by the insert molding so as to include a portion from an outer peripheral portion of the connector housing11to an outer peripheral portion of the hot-melt molding body12.

Furthermore, when the terminal15is disposed inside the connector housing11, a retainer16for supporting, from the back side, a terminal contact surface15bformed by bending the leading end side of the terminal15substantially at a right angle.

FIGS. 1 and 2schematically represent these structures in cross-sectional views. For example,FIG. 2Aillustrates a state before a cable connector is connected to the module device, andFIG. 2Billustrates a connection state. Specific examples of the assembly procedure of the cable connector are further illustrated inFIGS. 4 to 7.

FIG. 4illustrates an example of a 6P type in which six crimp terminals are crimped and connected to each single line14aof the cable14.

In addition, the invention is not limited to the 6P type. The terminal15has a caulking portion15ccaulked with the covering portion of the single line14aof the cable, and a crimping portion15acaulking-crimped to the core wire14bof the single line on the rear side.

The leading end of the terminal15is formed with a terminal contact surface15bcoming into pressure-contact with the contact24made of an elastic piece of the module device side by being bent at a right angle.

In such a state, each terminal15is incorporated into the inside of the housing11from the back side of the housing11, as illustrated inFIG. 4B.

An example of the internal structure of the housing11is illustrated inFIG. 7.

The housing11has a terminal hole11athrough which the terminal contact surface15bof each terminal15of 6P is inserted, and has a retainer insertion hole11bfor inserting the retainer16that supports the terminal contact surface15bfrom the back side.

As illustrated inFIG. 5, the retainer16has a support surface16aof the terminal15, and an engagement portion16bengaging the retainer with the housing11, and is inserted from the side portion of the housing11.

The interior of the housing11has ribs11cand11das illustrated inFIG. 7, and the engagement portion16bof the retainer16is engaged with the ribs.

Next, as illustrated inFIG. 5B, the interior of the housing11, the crimping portion15aof the terminal15, and a portion from the cable single line14ato the covering end portion14cof the cable14are embedded into the hot-melt molding body12molded by injecting the hot-melt resin (12ato12c).

Next, the cord bushing13is molded by the insert molding so as to enclose the hot-melt molding body12from the rear portion of the connector housing11as illustrated inFIG. 6.

In addition, an example illustrated inFIG. 6illustrates an example of providing a seal member17abetween the cord bushing and the housing11.

The cord bushing13has a loading portion13ccharged to the mounting hole21cof the housing21, and a flange portion13b, and the flange portion13bhas a mounting hole13a.

A cross-sectional structure thereof is illustrated inFIG. 7.

As a method for connecting and fixing the cable connector10and the housing21, as illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2, a fixing member18such as a screw may be screwed into a female screw portion (fixing hole)21dof the housing21so as to interpose the seal member17abetween the flange portion13band the housing21via the mounting hole13aprovided in the flange portion13b. Furthermore, as illustrated inFIG. 3, a method may be provided which fits the flange portion13bto a fitting hole21eso as to interpose the seal member17aby providing the fitting hole in the housing21.