Electrical connector having connector cap supported by flexible electrical cable connected to the electrical connector

Abstract: A plug connector 11 with a connector cap 21 comprises a connector hood 13 having an end opening, a plug element 15 mounted within the hood 13 and having a connection end for close fit to a fitting portion of a receptacle connector 29 through the end opening, and the connector cap 21 for closing the connection end when the connection end is disconnected from the receptacle 29 so as to protect the connector 11 from water and dust. The connector cap 21 is firmly fixed, by cable holder, to a flexible cable 17 which is connected to the plug element 15 and is extended through the hood 13, so that the connector cap 21 is kept to be connected to the plug 11 without being lost. The cable holder may be a pair of cable holders 25 on an outer surface of the connector cap 21. Alternatively, the cable holder may be a watertight boot 35 connected to the connector hood at one end and extending through connector cap 21a to expose at the other end. A watertight clamp 37 is provided onto the exposed end of the watertight boot 35 for watertightly sealing between the boot 35 and the cable 17.

Description: Background of the Invention: This invention relates to an electrical connector which is mounted on an end of a flexible cable and is applicable to removable connection to a mating connector and, in particular, to such an electrical connector of a watertight sealing type having a connector cap for closing a connector end thereof for connection with the mating connector when the connector is disconnected from the mating connector. A conventional electrical connector comprises a connector housing or an insulator body having a connector end, one or more contact elements fixed in the insulator body each having a contact portion disposed in the connector end and a terminal portion to be connected to a conductor of a flexible cable. In a conventional electrical connector of a watertight type, the electrical connector is covered with an insulator jacket or a so-called connector hood which has a hood opening at its one end to expose the connector end therethrough. The connector hood is provided with a cable passing hole. The flexible cable is connected to the electrical connector and is outwardly extending through the cable passing hole of the connector hood. The hood is provided with a seal for sealing the outer face of the flexible cable at the cable passing hole. The hood opening is tightly closed by a connector cap when the electrical connector is not connected with the mating connector. When the electrical connector is intended to be connected to the mating connector, the connector cap is removed. In the prior art, the connector cap is kept to be connected to the connector hood with a chain or a string to prevent the connector cap from being lost when it is not applied to the connector hood to close the connector end. It should be noted that the connector cap is used only when the electrical connector is not connected to the mating connector. Otherwise, the connector cap is dangling by the chain or the string. Therefore, it is necessary to use the electrical connector with the connector cap swayed during such a non-connection state of these connectors. This results in a disadvantage such that it is inconvenient for a user to manipulate these connectors. Furthermore, the cap member is inadvertently lost when the chain or the string is broken with external force applied. Use of the chain or the string causes the plug connector to increase its components in number or assembling processes. Thus, productivity of the plug connector is reduced to raise its costs. A similar electrical connector is known from DE 81 15 475 U, which forms the basis for the preamble of claim 1. The connector cap is connected to the flexible cable by a flexible plastic band. Summary of the Invention: It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an electrical connector having a connector cap which a user can handle without care for chain or string. It is a further object of this invention to provide an electrical connector having a connector cap in which there is no more problem of losing the connector cap. According to this invention, there is provided an electrical connector with a connector cap. The connector is connected and mounted on an end of a flexible cable and has a connection end with a mating connector. The connector cap is for closing the connection end when the connector is disconnected from the mating connector. The connector cap has attaching member or members for firmly attaching the connector cap onto the flexible cable in the form of a cable holder having a cable receiving groove for holding the cable. Brief Description of the Drawing: Fig. 1 is a side view of a conventional plug connector with a connector cap removed therefrom; Fig. 2 is a side view of a plug connector with a connector cap according to an embodiment of this invention and a receptacle connector for connection to the plug connector; Fig. 3 is a partial perspective view of the connector cap in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a side view of a plug connector of Fig. 2 with the connector cap being in a state for closing the connector end; Fig. 5 is an enlarged partial vertical sectional view of the plug connector with the connector cap in the closing state illustrated in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a side view of a modification of the plug connector with the connector plug illustrated in Fig. 2 and the receptacle connector for connection to the plug connector; and Fig. 7 is a side view of the plug connector of Fig. 6 with the connector cap used in place of the receptacle connector to close the connector end. Description of the Preferred Embodiment: Referring to Fig. 1, a conventional electrical connector of a watertight type with a connector cap or a cap member will first be described as to a watertight type plug connector with a cap member in order to facilitate an understanding of this invention. As shown in Fig. 1, a conventional watertight type plug connector 11 with a cap member comprises a connector hood 13 having a hood opening at one end and an electrical plug connector element 15 mounted in the connector hood and partially protruded to have a connector end. The plug connector element 15 is connected to a flexible cable 17 or is mounted on an end of the flexible cable. The plug connector element 15 comprises, as well known in the art, a connector housing or an insulator body having a connector end, one or more contact elements fixed in the insulator body each having a contact portion disposed in the connector end and a terminal portion to be connected to a conductor of the flexible cable. For connection to the plug connector 11, a mating connector or a receptacle connector (later illustrated) comprises a fitting portion defining a plug receiving opening for receiving the plug connector element 15. When the plug connector 15 is fitted into the fitting portion of the receptacle connector, the connector end is shut up by the receptacle connector. The flexible cable 17 is connected to the plug connector element 15 and is extended outwardly from an outlet formed through the connector hood 13. The flexible cable 17 is firmly and watertightly attached to the connector hood 13 through a cable clamp 19. The plug connector 11 further comprises a connector cap or a cap member 21 which is removably attached or applied to the hood opening to close the connector end when the plug connector element 15 is not connected to the receptacle connector. The cap member 21 is connected to the connector hood 13 by a chain 23 or a string. The cap member 21 is formed with a packing 21(1) for a watertight fit with the hood opening. The cap member 21 is used to be removably and watertightly fitted to the hood opening only when the plug connector 11 is not connected to the receptacle connector. While the plug connector 11 is connected to the receptacle connector, the cap member 21 is dangling by the chain 23 from the connector hood 13 in the manner depicted horizontally in Fig. 1. Therefore, it is necessary to use the plug connector 11 with the cap member 21 swayed during such a non-connection state of these connectors. Other inconveniences are inevitable in the manner described heretobefore. Referring now to Figs. 2 through 5, the description will proceed to a plug connector with a connector cap according to an embodiment of this invention. Throughout the following, similar parts are designated by like reference numerals as in Fig. 1 and are not again described for the purpose of simplification of the description. In Figs. 2 and 3, the cap member 21 comprises a top plate portion having an outer surface and a reverse surface for covering over the connector end and a circumferential endless wall projecting from periphery of the reverse surface of the top plate portion. Referring to Fig. 5, the cap member 21 is provided with an engaging shoulder on the outer surface at a projecting end portion of the circumferential wall and has a packing 33 such as an O-ring on the outer surface of the shoulder. When the cap member 21 is applied to the hood opening, the shoulder is inserted or fitted into an endless gap between the hood 13 and the plug connector element 15 mounted in the hood 13, and the packing 33 is brought into close contact with the inner surface of the hood 13. Thus, the interior of the hood 13 and the plug connector element 15 are wartertihgtly protected from the exterior environment. Returning to Figs. 2 and 3, the cap member 21 is provided with a pair of cable holders 25 on the outer surface of the top plate portion and each of the cable holders 25 has a cable receiving groove 27. The cable holders 25 are formed apart along the arrow of the flexible cable 17 on the outer surface of the top plate portion and serve as attaching means for firmly attaching the cap member 21 to the flexible cable 17. The cable receiving groove 27 has a groove width size generally equal to a diameter of the flexible cable 17, but a gap distance between top edges of the cable receiving groove 27 is smaller than the cable diameter. The flexible cable 17 is resiliently received into the receiving groove 27 through the gap distance and is held therein. Incidentally, the connector hood 13 may be made of the resin, hard rubber, metal, etc. When the cap member is made of hard rubber, the packing 33 is also made as an integral body of the cap member. As shown in Fig. 2, a receptacle connector 29 is for connection to the plug connector 11 and comprises a fitting portion 31 defining the plug receiving portion for receiving the plug connector element 15. In operation, when the plug connector 11 is desired to be connected to the receptacle connector 29, the cap member 21 is first removed from the hood opening of the hood 13 as shown in Fig. 2. Since the cable 17 is flexible, the removal operation of the cap member 21 can be readily performed without difficulty due to connection of the cable with the cap member. Then, the plug connector element 15 is connected to the receptacle connector 29. Since the cap member 21 is firmly attached to the flexible cable 17, the connecting operation can be readily performed without any trouble by the cap member 21. The cap member 21 may further be moved away for the connector hood 13 to a suitable position along the flexible cable 17 by the user. As a result, the user can handle the plug and the receptacle connectors 11 and 29 with ease and without care of the problem of losing the cap member 29. When the plug connector 11 is intended to be disconnected from the receptacle connector 29, the connector end is closed by the cap member 21 as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, after the receptacle connector 29 is disconnected from the plug connector 11. Thus, the interior of the hood 13 and the plug connector element 15 are protected from water and dust invading. Referring afresh to Figs. 6 and 7, a modification of the plug connector 11 is similar to the plug connector of Figs. 2-5, but the connector cap indicated by a fresh reference numeral 21a further comprises a watertight boot 35 which is joined or connected to the connector hood 13 at its one end. The cap member 21a is provided with a through-hole shown at 21b in Fig. 6 in the top plate portion thereof through which the watertight boot 35 extends in parallel with the outer surface with the other end thereof being exposed outside the cap member 21a. A watertight clamp 37 is attached to the other end of the flexible cable 17 extending outwardly or upwardly in Fig. 7 from the cap member 21a in order to watertight seal the flexible cable 17. Thus, the connector hood 13, the watertight boot 35 and the cap member 21a are made as an one body part. The watertight boot 35 and the water tight clamp 35 are for protecting and guiding the flexible cable extending from the plug connector element 15 through the connector hood to the clamp 35 and provide the watertight sealing for preventing water or dusts from passing along the flexible cable 17. It is more effective to watertight seal the flexible cable 17 by a use of the watertight boot 35 and the watertight clamp 37. The connector hood 13, the watertight boot 35, and the cap member 21a may be prepared separately and later be assembled into a single body part by either carrying out a mold-in operation or a use of adhesives. Those can also be formed as a discrete body or an integral entity by a molding operation. The integral entity by the molding operation may result in more beautiful appearances. While this invention has thus far been described in specific conjunction with a preferred embodiment thereof, it will now be readily possible for one skilled in the art to put this invention into effect in various other manners. For example, the present invention can be applied not only to a watertight type plug connector with a cap member but to a general electrical connector with a connector cap such as a plug connector with a connector cap, a receptacle connector with a connector cap and a watertight type receptacle connector with a connector cap.

Claims: An electrical connector (11) with a connector cap (21), the connector being connected and mounted on an end of a flexible cable (17) and having a connection end with a mating connector (29), the connector cap (21) being for closing the connection end when said connector (11) is disconnected from said mating connector (29), characterized in that said connector cap (21) comprises a top plate portion which has attaching means in the form of a cable holder (25) having a cable receiving groove (27) for holding said flexible cable (17). An electrical connector with a connector cap as claimed in claim 1, said electrical connector being a watertight type, which further comprises: a connector hood (13) covering said connector and having an opening (15) at one end to expose said connection end, said flexible cable (17) being watertightly extended outside said connector hood (13), said connector cap (21) being attached to said hood so as to watertightly close said opening. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said connector cap (21a) has a watertight boot (35) having an end connected to said connector hood (13), and said connector cap (21a), said watertight boot (35) and said connector hood (13) are formed as a single part, said flexible cable (17) extending within said watertight boot (35) from said connector to be exposed from said connector cap (21a). A plug connector as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein said watertight boot (35) extends through said connector cap (21a) to expose the other end from said connector cap (21a), and a watertight clamp (37) is attached onto the other end of said watertight boot (35).

Inventors: ICHIMURA YOSHIAKI, SATO KAZUOMI, ICHIMURA, YOSHIAKI, SATO, KAZUOMI, Ichimura, Yoshiaki, c/o Japan Av. Elec. Ind., Ltd., Sato, Kazuomi, c/o Japan Av. Elec. Ind., Ltd.
Applicants: JAPAN AVIATION ELECTRON, JAPAN AVIATION ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY, LIMITED
Application year: 1995
Main classification: H01R13
IPC codes: H01R13