CONNECTOR

A connector includes a housing and a seal member. The housing includes a groove portion and a protruding portion. The seal member is attached to the groove portion. The groove portion opens outward in a radial direction of the housing and has a bottom surface, a first side wall and a second side wall. The protruding portion extends from the second side wall toward the first side wall and has an end surface. The end surface has an inclined surface inclined such that an outer end of the inclined surface in the radial direction is closer to the first side wall than an inner end of the inclined surface. A first distance between the outer end and the bottom surface is greater than a second distance between the bottom surface and an outer end of a side surface of the seal member in the radial direction.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-070398 filed on Apr. 9, 2020, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a connector.

BACKGROUND

A related art connector has a waterproof function. For example, the connector is configured such that a ring-shaped seal member is provided between an outer circumferential surface of the connector that holds a plurality of wire-side terminals and an inner circumferential surface of a fitting opening of a counterpart connector. The ring-shaped seal member prevents water from entering fitting portions of both connectors (for example, see JP2004-172009A).

In the above-described connector, in order to prevent the seal member from moving or rotating in a circumferential direction of the connector (that is, occurrence of rotational movement), a protrusion or the like is provided on a housing to be engaged with the seal member to restrict rotation of the seal member. However, when such a protrusion is provided on the housing, the seal member may be deformed and ride/get on the protrusion or the like due to a frictional force or the like exerted by the inner circumferential surface of the fitting opening of the counterpart connector which pushes the seal member along a fitting direction in which the two connectors are fitted to each other. In this case, the seal member riding on the protrusion or the like may hinder the fitting of the connectors themselves.

SUMMARY

Illustrative aspects of the present invention provide a connector configured to enable proper connector fitting while preventing a rotational movement of a seal member with respect to a housing.

According to an illustrative aspect of the present invention, a connector includes a housing configured to be fitted to a counterpart member and having a fitting portion and a seal member configured to be attached to the fitting portion of the housing. The housing includes a groove portion and at least one protruding portion. The groove portion is configured such that the seal member is attached to the groove portion. The groove portion extends continuously over a circumferential direction of the housing, opens outward in a radial direction of the housing and has a bottom surface, a first side wall provided in a first direction in which the housing is fitted to the counterpart member and a second side wall provided in a second direction being opposite to the first direction. The at least one protruding portion extends from the second side wall toward the first side wall and has an end surface facing the first side wall. At least a part of the end surface has an inclined surface inclined such that an outer end of the inclined surface in the radial direction is closer to the first side wall than an inner end of the inclined surface in the radial direction. The seal member includes an engaging portion configured to, when the seal member is attached to the groove portion, engage with the at least one protruding portion and a side surface configured to, when the seal member is attached to the groove portion, face the end surface of the protruding portion. The engaging portion and the protruding portion are configured to be engaged with each other and to prevent the seal member from moving in the circumferential direction with respect to the housing. A first distance between the outer end of the inclined surface in the radial direction and the bottom surface is greater than a second distance between the bottom surface and an outer end of the side surface of the seal member in the radial direction.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, a connector1according to an embodiment shown inFIG. 1will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown inFIGS. 1 to 3, the connector1includes an inner housing2(housing), an outer housing3to be fitted to the inner housing2, and a seal member4to be attached to the inner housing2. The connector1has a waterproof function. Hereinafter, for convenience of description, “front-rear direction”, “front”, and “rear” are defined as shown inFIGS. 1 to 5. The “front-rear direction” is along a direction in which a connector1is fitted to a counterpart connector50. Also, a “front” side is also referred as a first side and a “rear” side as a second side. A direction oriented from the second side toward the first side is referred to as a first direction and another direction opposite to the first direction is referred to as a second direction. The first and second directions are thus along the front-rear direction.

The outer housing3formed of resin is fitted to a later-described second fitting portion13of the inner housing2from a rear side (seeFIGS. 1 and 4), i.e., toward the first direction. At this time, a counterpart housing51(counterpart member) of a counterpart connector50is fitted to a later-described first fitting portion12(seeFIG. 4) of the inner housing2from a front side, i.e., toward the second direction, thereby obtaining a connector unit in which the connector1and the counterpart connector50are fitted to each other. Further, terminals (female terminals, not shown) accommodated in the connector1and terminals (male terminals, not shown) accommodated in the counterpart connector50are electrically connected to each other. The terminals accommodated in the connector1are electrically connected to electric wires W extending from various electrical components and the like. Hereinafter, each member of the connector1will be described in order.

First, the inner housing2will be described. As can be understood fromFIGS. 3 and 4, the inner housing2formed of resin includes a substantially rectangular tubular main body portion11extending in the front-rear direction. Hereinafter, for convenience of description, a circumferential direction and a radial direction of the main body portion11and of the inner housing2are simply referred to as a “circumferential direction” and a “radial direction”, respectively.

A front side region of an outer circumference portion of the main body portion11forms a first fitting portion12(fitting portion) to which a substantially rectangular tubular fitting portion52(seeFIG. 6) of the counterpart housing51is externally fitted. A rear side region of the outer circumference portion of the main body portion11forms a second fitting portion13to which a substantially rectangular tubular fitting portion41(seeFIG. 1) of the outer housing3is externally fitted. The second fitting portion13has a larger diameter than that of the first fitting portion12, and protrudes further outward in the radial direction than the first fitting portion12over an entire circumference of the main body portion11.

As shown inFIG. 4, an annular groove portion14is formed on an outer circumferential surface of the second fitting portion13. A rubber O-ring5is to be mounted to the groove portion14. In a state where the fitting portion41of the outer housing3is fitted to the second fitting portion13from the rear side such that the fitting portion41covers the second fitting portion13and the inner housing2and the outer housing3are fitted to each other, an inner circumferential surface of the fitting portion41comes into contact with the O-ring5in a pressed manner over an entire circumference of the fitting portion41, whereby a waterproof function of the O-ring5is exhibited.

As shown inFIGS. 3 to 5, an groove portion15having an annular shape is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the first fitting portion12. The seal member4is to be mounted to the groove portion15. The groove portion15is defined by a bottom surface16extending in the circumferential direction and the front-rear direction, a front side surface17(first side wall) extending in the circumferential direction and the radial direction, and a rear side surface18(second side wall) extending in the circumferential direction and the radial direction. The front side surface17and the rear side surface18are arranged side by side along the front-rear direction, or a longitudinal direction of the inner housing2. The front side surface17is provided further in the first direction than the rear side surface18. The front side surface17defines an end of the groove portion15in the first direction and the rear side surface18defines another end of the groove portion15in the second direction. The front side surface17is to be disposed between the rear side surface18and the counterpart connector50when the connector1is fitted to the counterpart connector50. The groove portion15opens outward in the radial direction.

At a corner portion between the bottom surface16and the rear side surface18inside the groove portion15, i.e., at an inner corner portion of the groove portion15defined by the bottom surface16and the rear side surface18, protruding portions19extending forward, i.e., toward the first direction, from the rear side surface18toward the front side surface17are formed at a plurality of positions in the circumferential direction. In this example, as can be understood fromFIG. 3, the protruding portions19are respectively formed at positions corresponding to central portions of four sides of a rectangular shape of the main body portion11in the circumferential direction in the groove portion15(four positions in total). Each protruding portion19extends forward from the rear side surface18up to a predetermined position on a rear half region of the groove portion15in the front-rear direction. In other words, a distal end of the protruding portion19does not reach a central portion of the groove portion15in the front-rear direction. The protruding portions19are also continuous with/connected to the bottom surface16.

As shown inFIGS. 4 and 5, the protruding portion19has a front end surface21(end surface) substantially facing the front side surface17and being to be facing the seal member4when the seal member4is attached to the groove portion15. The front end surface21of the protruding portion19located on an upper side inFIG. 3is an inclined surface that is inclined such that the front end surface21approaches the front side surface17toward an outer side (toward an opening of the groove portion15) in the radial direction over the entire region. In other words, a part of the front end surface21is the inclined surface inclined such that an outer end of the inclined surface21in the radial direction is closer to the front side surface17than an inner end of the inclined surface in the radial direction. The outer end of the inclined surface21in the radial direction is provided further in the first direction than the inner end of the inclined surface21in the radial direction. A peripheral edge21ais provided on the outer end of the inclined surface21, which can be also described as a distal edge of the protruding portion19. The front end surfaces21of the protruding portions19located on a lower side and lateral sides inFIG. 3may be inclined surfaces similarly inclined, or may be non-inclined surfaces which are perpendicular to the bottom surface16. For example, when the inner housing2is manufactured by an injection molding method, the front end surfaces21of the protruding portion19on the upper side and the lower side may be inclined surfaces, and the front end surface21of the protruding portion19on the lateral sides may be non-inclined surface, in consideration of ease of separation from a mold and the like.

Next, the seal member4will be described. As shown inFIGS. 3 to 5, the seal member4is a rubber packing having a substantially rectangular frame shape and an annular shape, and has a shape corresponding to a shape of the groove portion15. The seal member4includes an annular main body portion31a, a lip portion31band a lip portion31c. There may be a plurality of lip portions31band lip portions31c. In this embodiment, two lip portions31band two lip portions31care provided as an example. The lip portions31bprotrude outward in the radial direction from an outer circumferential surface of the main body portion31aover the entire region of the annular main body portion31ain the circumferential direction. The lip portions31cprotrude inward in the radial direction from the inner circumferential surface of the main body portion31aover the entire region in the circumferential direction. The lip portions31bare formed to be aligned in the front-rear direction. The same applies to the lip portions31c. An original length of the seal member4in the circumferential direction (length when the seal member4is not mounted to the inner housing2) is slightly shorter than a length of the groove portion15in the circumferential direction. Therefore, when the seal member4is mounted to the groove portion15, the lip portion31con an inner side in the radial direction comes into contact with the bottom surface16of the groove portion15in a pressed manner due to elastic deformation of the seal member4.

As shown inFIG. 3, a protruding portion32protruding toward the rear side is formed on a rear end surface of the seal member4over the entire region in the circumferential direction. In other words, the protruding portion32protrudes from the rear end surface of the seal member4and extends along the front-rear direction toward the second direction. Recessed portions33(engaging portions) are respectively formed at positions corresponding to the protruding portions19of the groove portion15in the circumferential direction of the protruding portion32(four positions in total). The recessed portion33is recessed such that a part of the protruding portion32is cut out. A side surface34defines a front end of the recessed portion33in the first direction (seeFIG. 5). The side surface34can be also described as an inner wall surface34of the recessed portion33. The side surface34extends in the circumferential direction and the radial direction. In this example, recessed portions similar to the recessed portions33are also formed at positions corresponding to four corners of the rectangular shape of the main body portion11in the protruding portion32.

As shown inFIG. 2, the seal member4is mounted to the groove portion15such that the corresponding protruding portions19of the inner housing2respectively enter the plurality of recessed portions33. Accordingly, even when the seal member4attempts to be moved relative to the groove portion15in the circumferential direction, a side surface of the protruding portion19in the circumferential direction and a side surface of the recessed portion33in the circumferential direction abut against each other, so that such relative movement is prevented. That is, an interference between the protruding portion19and the recessed portion33prevents positional deviation of the seal member4in the circumferential direction of the inner housing2.

In a state where the seal member4is mounted to the groove portion15, as shown inFIG. 5, the side surface34on a rear side (on a right side inFIG. 5) of the main body portion31aof the seal member4and the front end surface21of the protruding portion19of the groove portion15of the inner housing2face each other along the front-rear direction. As described above, the side surface34is a part of a recessed surface of the recessed portion33. The recessed portion33has a first peripheral edge34aand a second peripheral edge extending along the circumferential direction when the seal member4is attached to the groove portion15. The first peripheral edge34ais to be disposed on an outer side in the radial direction than the second peripheral edge and to be closer to an opening of the groove portion15than the second peripheral edge when the seal member is attached to the groove portion. A distance (height) between an outer circumferential surface of the main body portion31aof the seal member4and the bottom surface16of the groove portion15is defined as “H2(second/third distance)”. In other words, the distance/height “H2” may be described as a distance between the bottom surface16and an outer end34aof the side surface34in the radial direction, or a distance between the bottom surface16and the first peripheral edge34aof the recessed portion33. A distance (height) between the peripheral edge21aon the outer end of the front end surface21(inclined surface) of the protruding portion19of the inner housing2in the radial direction and the bottom surface16is defined as “H1(first distance)”. A relationship of “H1>H2” (“H1” is greater than “H2”) is established between H1and H2. The members of the connector1have been described above.

When the connector1and the counterpart connector50are fitted to each other, the substantially rectangular tubular fitting portion52of the counterpart housing51is fitted to the first fitting portion12(seeFIG. 4) of the inner housing2from the front side such that the fitting portion52covers the first fitting portion12as indicated by an arrow inFIG. 6. When the inner housing2and the counterpart housing51are fitted to each other, the inner circumferential surface of the fitting portion52of the counterpart housing51comes into contact with the lip portion31bin a pressed manner on an outer circumferential surface side of the seal member4over the entire region in the circumferential direction, and the lip portion31con an inner circumferential surface side of the seal member4comes into contact with the bottom surface16of the groove portion15in a pressed manner. As a result, the waterproof function of the seal member4is exhibited.

When the substantially rectangular tubular fitting portion52of the counterpart housing51is externally fitted to the first fitting portion12of the inner housing2from the front side, a rearward (rightward inFIG. 6) external force may be exerted on the seal member4so as to press the seal member4toward the front end surface21of the protruding portion19of the groove portion15due to a sliding frictional force or the like between an inner wall surface of the substantially rectangular tubular fitting portion52of the counterpart housing51and the lip portion31bof the seal member4.

Here, the front end surface21of the protruding portion19has the inclined surface as described above, and the height “H1” is higher than the height “H2” (seeFIG. 5). Due to these, when the side surface34of the seal member4is pressed against the front end surface21by the above-described external force, a reaction force exerted on the side surface34by the front end surface21is directed toward a bottom surface16side (inner side in the radial direction) of the groove portion15. Further, along the inclination of the front end surface21, the side surface34of the seal member4is pushed so as to approach the bottom surface16, or such that the side surface34is pressed toward the bottom surface16(toward the lower right side of the page ofFIG. 5). As a result, even when the external force as described above is applied from the counterpart housing51to the seal member4, the seal member4can be prevented from riding on the outer side of the protruding portion19in the radial direction.

As described above, according to the connector1of the present embodiment, since the protruding portion19formed in the groove portion15of the inner housing2and the recessed portion33of the seal member4are fitted to each other, it is possible to prevent the positional deviation of the seal member4in the circumferential direction of the inner housing2. Further, the front end surface21of the protruding portion19has the inclined surface that is inclined such that the outer end of the inclined surface in the radial direction is closer to the front side surface17of the groove portion15than the inner end of the inclined surface in the radial direction, the inner end being connected to the bottom surface16. When the counterpart housing51is inserted into the inner housing2, such an external force may be exerted on the seal member4so as to press the side surface34of the recessed portion33of the seal member4toward the front end surface21of the protruding portion19. At this time, the front end surface21of the protruding portion19has the above-described inclined surface, and the height “H1” of the peripheral edge21aof the front end surface21of the protruding portion19of the inner housing2on the outer side in the radial direction from the bottom surface16is higher than the height “H2” of the outer end34aof the side surface34of the recessed portion33of the seal member4in the radial direction from the bottom surface16. Therefore, the reaction force exerted on the side surface34by the front end surface21is directed toward the bottom surface16side (inner side in the radial direction) of the groove portion15. Further, the seal member4is pushed so that the side surface34gets close to the bottom surface16. As a result, the seal member4is prevented from riding on the protruding portion19. Therefore, in the connector1according to the present embodiment, proper connector fitting can be performed while preventing the positional deviation of the seal member4in the circumferential direction with respect to the inner housing2.

While the present invention has been described with reference to certain exemplary embodiments thereof, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described above, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

In the above embodiment, the protruding portions19are formed at a plurality of positions (specifically, four positions) of the groove portion15of the inner housing2in the circumferential direction. However, the protruding portion19may be formed at only one position of the groove portion15of the inner housing2in the circumferential direction.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the entirety of the front end surface21of the protruding portion19has been described as being an inclined surface such that the outer end of the inclined surface in the radial direction is closer to the front side surface17than the inner end of the inclined surface in the radial direction (seeFIG. 5and the like). Alternatively, only a part of the front end surface21of the protruding portion19in the circumferential direction or only a part of the front end surface21in the radial direction may be the inclined surface, and a remaining part of the front end surface21may be a surface extending in the radial direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction.

Further, in the above embodiment, the two lip portions31bare provided on the outer peripheral surface side of the seal member4, and the two lip portions31care provided on the inner circumferential surface of the seal member4. On the other hand, only one lip portion31bmay be provided on the outer circumferential surface side of the seal member4, or three or more lip portions31bmay be provided on the outer circumferential surface side of the seal member4. The same applies to the lip portion31con the inner circumferential surface side of the seal member4. Further, the seal member4may have only the lip portion31bon the outer circumferential surface side without having the lip portion31con the inner circumferential surface side.

Further, in the above embodiment, the groove portion15to which the seal member4is mounted includes the bottom surface16, the front side surface17, and the rear side surface18of the inner housing2itself. On the other hand, when a component (for example, a front holder) separately provided from the inner housing2is attached to the inner housing2, the groove portion15may be formed by the component and the inner housing2. As an example, when a separate front holder is attached to the inner housing2from a front side, a part of the front holder may be used as the front side surface17, and the groove portion15may include a part thereof, and the bottom surface16and the rear side surface18of the inner housing2.

According to an aspect of the embodiments described above, a connector (1) includes a housing (for example, an inner housing2) configured to be fitted to a counterpart member (for example, a counterpart housing51) and having a fitting portion (12) and a seal member (4) configured to be attached to the fitting portion (12) of the housing (2). The housing (2) includes a groove portion (15) and at least one protruding portion (19). The groove portion (15) is configured such that the seal member (4) is attached to the groove portion (15). The groove portion (15) extends continuously over a circumferential direction of the housing (2), opens outward in a radial direction of the housing (2) and has a bottom surface, a first side wall (for example, a front side surface17) provided in a first direction in which the housing (2) is fitted to the counterpart member (51) and a second side wall (for example, rear side surface18) provided in a second direction being opposite to the first direction. The at least one protruding portion (19) extends from the second side wall (18) toward the first side wall (17) and has an end surface (for example, a front end surface21) facing the first side wall (17). At least a part of the end surface (21) has an inclined surface (21) inclined such that an outer end (for example, a peripheral edge21a) of the inclined surface (21) in the radial direction is closer to the first side wall (17) than an inner end of the inclined surface (21) in the radial direction. The seal member (4) includes an engaging portion (33) configured to, when the seal member (4) is attached to the groove portion (15), engage with the at least one protruding portion (19) and a side surface (34) configured to, when the seal member (4) is attached to the groove portion (15), face the end surface (21) of the protruding portion (19). The engaging portion (33) and the protruding portion (19) are configured to be engaged with each other and to prevent the seal member (4) from moving in the circumferential direction with respect to the housing (2). A first distance (H1) between the outer end (21a) of the inclined surface (21) in the radial direction and the bottom surface (16) is greater than a second distance (H2) between the bottom surface (16) and an outer end (34a) of the side surface (34) of the seal member (4) in the radial direction.

According to the connector having the above-described configuration, at least one protruding portion extending from the side surface of the housing on the back side in the fitting direction toward the side surface of the housing on the front side in the fitting direction and the engaging portion of the seal member are fitted to each other, so that it is possible to prevent the positional deviation of the sealing member in the circumferential direction of the housing. Further, at least a part of the end surface of the protruding portion has the inclined surface that is inclined such that the outer end of the inclined surface in the radial direction is closer to the side surface of the housing on the front side than the inner end of the inclined surface in the radial direction. When the counterpart member is inserted into the housing, such an external force may be exerted on the seal member so as to press the seal member toward the end surface of the protruding portion. At this time, the end surface has the above-described inclined surface, and a height of an end portion of the inclined surface on the opening side (hereinafter, referred to as an “inclined surface end portion”) from the bottom surface of the groove portion is higher than a height at which an outer end of the side surface of the seal member in the radial direction is positioned from the bottom surface of the groove portion. Therefore, when the seal member is pressed by the inclined surface, the reaction force exerted on the seal member by the inclined surface is directed to a bottom surface side of the groove portion. As a result, the seal member is prevented from riding on the protruding portion. Therefore, the connector having this configuration enables proper connector fitting while preventing the rotational deviation of the seal member with respect to the housing.

The engaging portion may be a recessed portion (33) having a first peripheral edge (34a) and a second peripheral edge extending along the circumferential direction when the seal member (4) is attached to the groove portion (15). The first peripheral edge (34a) may be disposed on an outer side in the radial direction than the second peripheral edge and may be closer to an opening of the groove portion (15) than the second peripheral edge. When the seal member (4) is attached to the groove portion (15), the first distance (H1) may be greater than a third distance (H2) between the bottom surface (16) and the first peripheral edge (34a).

With this configuration, the peripheral edge of the recessed portion of the seal member, which is considered to have the greatest effect on the riding of the seal member on the protruding portion, is located closer to the bottom surface of the groove portion than the end portion of the inclined surface. Accordingly, it is possible to more appropriately prevent the seal member from riding on the protruding portion. Further, by engaging the engaging portion (recessed portion) of the seal member and the protruding portion of the housing so as to fit each other, it is possible to more appropriately prevent the positional deviation of the seal member in the circumferential direction of the housing