Abstract:
An object of the present invention is to provide a watertight shield connector able to waterproof successfully without an effect of a parting line, and surely preventing an annular packing or a shield shell from falling out with a plain structure. For attaining the object, there is provided a watertight shield connector  1  including: an insulating connector housing  4  having a terminal attaching portion  9  projected outward from a flange wall  2 , and an annular hole  19  disposed around the terminal attaching portion  9 ; a terminal  10  configured to be inserted into the terminal attaching portion  9  and having a step portion  11   a  in a middle thereof; a conductive shield shell  6  having a flange plate  5  abutting on the flange wall  2 ; an annular packing  8  having an annular packing main body  30  attached to the annular hole  19 , and a flange-shaped projection  7  disposed on an outer periphery of the packing main body  30  and abutting on the flange plate  5 ; and a spacer  12  configured to be engaged with the step portion of the terminal and to abut on an outer end wall  8   a  of the annular packing  8.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates to a watertight shield connector having a waterproof performance, and an electromagnetic shielding performance, and configured to be locked with a terminal and to be directly attached to an on-vehicle device or the like. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
       FIG. 7  shows one embodiment of a conventional watertight shield connector (see Patent Document 1). 
     This watertight shield connector  61  includes: an insulating resin-made connector housing  64  integrally having a flange  63  directly connected to an on-vehicle device  62  with a bolt; a male terminal  66  press-fitted into and fixed to a terminal receiving chamber  65  of the connector housing  64 ; a conductive metal-made shield shell  67  covering the terminal receiving chamber  65  and abutting on the device  62  along the flange  63 ; and a rubber-made annular packing  68  disposed on a peripheral groove of the flange  63  and closely abutting on the device  62 . 
       FIG. 8  shows the other embodiment of the conventional watertight shield connector. 
     This watertight shield connector  71  includes: a connector housing  75  having a flange  72  and a tube  74  projected from a hole  73  of the flange  72  for inserting an electric wire with a terminal; a shield shell (shield terminal)  76  inserted into the hole  73  and fixed to the flange  72  with a bolt; and an annular packing  77  attached to the tube  74  and waterproofing the hole  73 . 
     In Patent Document 2, it is described that a watertight connector (not shown) other than the above described connectors which is not a shield connector has an annular packing attached to an outer periphery of a terminal receiving chamber of a connector housing, and prevents the annular packing from falling out with a spacer for locking a terminal. 
     PRIOR ART DOCUMENT 
     Patent Document 
     
         
         Patent Document 1: JP, A, 2008-41600 ( FIG. 13 ) 
         Patent Document 2: JP, A, 2002-252057 ( FIG. 4 ) 
       
    
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
     Problem to be Solved by the Invention 
     However, in the conventional watertight shield connector  61  shown in  FIG. 7  (Patent Document 1), there is a concern that the shield shell  67  may fall out of the connector housing  64  before the shield shell  67  is caught and fixed between the flange  63  and the device  62 . For preventing this, locking members (not shown) are provided in the shield shell  67  and the connector housing  64 , and there is a problem that a structure of the watertight shield connector becomes complex. 
     Further, in the watertight shield connector  71  shown in  FIG. 8 , when a projection  78  for locking the annular packing  77  is formed on the tube  74 , a resin molding die is moved not only one direction but the other direction with a sliding mechanism or the like. Therefore, a parting line is generated on a sealing surface  74  in an axial direction, and there is a problem that waterproof sealing ability may be reduced. Further, for fixing the shield shell  76 , a locking frame piece  79  is provided in the shield shell  76 , and a hole  80  is provided on the flange  72  of the  75  connector housing  75  for inserting and locking the locking frame piece  79 . Therefore, there is a problem that a fixing structure of the shield shell  76  becomes complex, and a cost of the shield shell  76  is increased. 
     Further, in the watertight shield connector described in the Patent Document 2, when the terminals or the like are electromagnetically shielded using the shield shell, a locking member is provided for preventing the shield shell from falling out similar to the above. Therefore, there is a problem that a structure of the watertight shield connector becomes complex. 
     In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a watertight shield connector able to waterproof successfully without an effect of a parting line, and surely preventing an annular packing or a shield shell from falling out with a plain structure. 
     Means for Solving the Problem 
     For attaining the object, according to the invention described in claim  1 , there is provided a watertight shield connector comprising: 
     an insulating connector housing having a flange wall, a terminal attaching portion projected outward from the flange wall, and an annular hole disposed around the terminal attaching portion; 
     a terminal configured to be inserted into the terminal attaching portion and having a step portion in a middle thereof; 
     a conductive shield shell having a flange plate abutting on the flange wall; 
     an annular packing having an annular packing main body attached to the annular hole, and a flange-shaped projection disposed on an outer periphery of the packing main body and abutting on the flange plate; and 
     a spacer configured to be engaged with the step portion of the terminal and to abut on an outer end wall of the annular packing. 
     According to the above structure, the annular packing is attached to the outer periphery of the terminal attaching portion of the connector housing. An inner periphery of the annular packing closely abuts on the outer periphery of the terminal attaching portion. An outer periphery of the annular packing closely abuts on the inner periphery of the annular hole. The flange plate of the shield shell abuts on the flange wall of the connector housing (a shell main body is inserted into the annular hole). The flange-shaped projection disposed on the outer periphery of the annular packing abuts on the flange plate of the shield shell. The spacer locks the terminal and abuts on the outer end wall of the annular packing to prevent the annular packing from falling out. Further, the flange-shaped projection surely prevents the shield shell from falling out. A projection disposed on the outer periphery of the terminal attaching portion for preventing the annular packing from falling out is unnecessary. Further, a parting line due to the projection upon the resin mold is not generated. 
     According to the invention described in claim  2 , there is provided the watertight shield connector as claimed in claim  1 , wherein a frame wall for terminal insertion is provided in a projecting manner in a terminal guiding wall extended from the terminal attaching portion, wherein the spacer is inserted into a space between the terminal attaching portion and the frame wall, and the spacer abuts on an end wall of the frame wall. 
     According to the above structure, the terminal is inserted into the frame wall, and stably supported, and the spacer abuts on the end wall of the frame wall and is stably supported without falling down, thereby a locking performance of the terminal with the spacer is increased, and a falling-out prevention performance of the annular packing and the shield shell is increased. 
     According to the invention described in claim  3 , there is provided the watertight shield connector as claimed in claim  1  or  2 , wherein a projection of the spacer engaged with the step portion is extended to abut on an another outer end wall of the annular packing. 
     According to the above structure, two positions of the annular packing in a radial direction is stably supported by the two points of a main body of the spacer and an extended portion of the projection, thereby the falling-out prevention performance of the annular packing and the shield shell is increased. 
     Effects of the Invention 
     According to the invention claimed in claim  1 , an engagement of the terminal and falling-out prevention are simultaneously performed by the spacer, and the flange-shaped projection of the annular packing which is prevented from falling out by the spacer surely prevents the shield shell from falling out. Therefore, a member for preventing the annular packing from falling out and a member for preventing the shield shell from falling out are unnecessary, thereby a structure of the watertight shield connector is simplified, and a cost of the watertight shield connector is reduced. Further, because a conventional projection for preventing the annular packing from falling out is unnecessary, a parting line upon resin mold due to the projection is not generated, and a reduction of the seal ability due to the parting line is prevented, thereby good seal ability is maintained. 
     According to the invention claimed in claim  2 , because the end wall of the frame wall of the terminal guiding wall stably supports the spacer without falling down, the locking of the terminal and the falling-out prevention are further surely performed by the spacer. 
     According to the invention claimed in claim  3 , two positions of the annular packing in a radial direction is stably supported by the two points of a main body of the spacer and an extended portion of the projection, thereby the falling-out prevention of the annular packing and the shield shell is further surely performed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       [ FIG. 1 ] An exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of a watertight shield connector according to the present invention. 
       [ FIG. 2 ] An exploded perspective view showing a main part of the same watertight shield connector during assembling. 
       [ FIG. 3A ] A perspective view showing an embodiment of an annular packing. 
       [ FIG. 3B ] A partially notched perspective view showing the embodiment of the annular packing (an enlarged view within a circle). 
       [ FIG. 4 ] A perspective front view showing an embodiment of a shield shell. 
       [ FIG. 5 ] A lateral sectional perspective view showing a main part of the watertight shield connector in an assembling state. 
       [ FIG. 6 ] A vertical sectional perspective view showing the main part of the watertight shield connector in the assembling state. 
       [ FIG. 7 ] A vertical sectional view showing one embodiment of a conventional watertight shield connector. 
       [ FIG. 8 ] An exploded perspective view showing the other embodiment of the conventional watertight shield connector. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of a watertight shield connector according to the present invention. 
     This watertight shield connector  1  includes: an insulating-resin-made connector housing  4  composed of a flange wall  2  and a housing main body  3 ; a conductive-metal-made shield shell (shield terminal)  6  attached to an inside of the housing main body  3  by abutting a flange plate  5  on the flange wall  2 ; a synthetic-resin-made annular packing  8  attached to an outer peripheral wall of a terminal attaching portion  9  of the housing main body  3  while abutting an intermediate flange-shaped projection  7  on the flange plate  5 ; a male terminal  10  attached to an inside of the terminal attaching portion  9 ; and an insulating-resin-made spacer  12  for locking an intermediate step portion  11   a  of the male terminal  10  and a rear end wall (outer end wall)  8   a  of the annular packing  8 . 
     The flange wall  2  of the connector housing  4  is composed of a rectangular portion  2   a  and an extended portion  2   b  extended from the rectangular portion  2   a . Bolt insertion holes (not shown) are provided on four corners of the rectangular portion  2   a . The flange wall  2  is fastened and fixed to an outer wall of a device (not shown) of a vehicle together with the flange wall  5  of the shield shell  6 . A small housing  15  is provided on the extended portion  2   b . An electric wire (not shown) continued to a small terminal in the small housing is guided outside via a tube portion  16  having no projection (no parting line). A small packing  17  is attached to an inside of a hole of the extended portion  2   b  along the tube portion  16 . Because a structure at the small housing side is not a main part of the present invention, the structure is illustrated by an example. 
     The terminal attaching portion (inner housing)  9  of the housing main body  3  is formed in an oval shape, and has a plurality of (two in this embodiment) terminal insertion holes  18  arranged parallel to each other. A rear end of the terminal attaching portion  9  is projected backward from the flange wall  2 . An annular hole  19  for inserting the shield shell  6  is provided outside the terminal attaching portion  9  and extended from a rear end of the flange wall  2  to an inside of the housing main body  3 . A hood portion (outer housing)  20  is provided on an outside of the annular hole  19 . The hood portion  20  is arranged perpendicular to the flange wall  2 , and formed integrally with the flange wall  2 . The terminal attaching portion  9  is formed integrally with the hood portion  20  by a joint portion (not shown) arranged radially. 
     A front half (electric contact portion) of the male terminal  10  is projected in the hood portion  20  to form a connector fitting chamber (not shown) for mating with a mating connector (not shown) having a female terminal. To fit to the mating connector is performed by a lever (not shown) with a low insertion force. 
     An outer peripheral wall of the terminal attaching portion  9  is formed smoothly by extracting a resin mold die in one (front-back) direction without generating a parting line. As shown in  FIG. 2 , an inner peripheral wall of the annular packing  8  is closely fitted to the outer peripheral wall of the rear end of the terminal attaching portion  9  to surely perform watertight sealing ability. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a horizontal plate-shaped terminal guiding wall  21  is formed integrally and projectingly (extendedly) on a rear bottom half of the terminal attaching portion  9 . Rear openings of the terminal insertion holes  18  are arranged along an upper wall  21   a  of the terminal guiding wall  21 . A pair of left and right frame walls  22  is integrally projected from the upper wall  21   a  of the terminal guiding wall  21 . A pair of left and right guiding grooves  23  for inserting the spacer  12  is provided at a root of the terminal guiding wall  21  in between a front end wall (end wall)  22   a  of the frame wall  22  and a rear end wall  9   a  of the terminal attaching portion  9 . A pair of left and right nuts  24  for fixing the terminals is provided in the holes at a back of the frame wall  22 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a pair of left and right male terminals  10  is provided, and includes: a horizontal plate portion  10 ′; projections  11  integrally provided at left and right in a middle of the male terminal  10  in a longitudinal direction and having step portions back and forth; and a bolt insertion hole  26  for fixing at a rear end side of the plate portion  10 ′. A hole in the frame wall  22  and the rear opening of the terminal insertion hole  18  are a little bit wider than a width between the left and right projections  11  of the male terminal  10 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the spacer  12  is composed of a vertical plate portion (main body)  27 , a pair of flexible locking arms  28  projected downward from both left and right sides of the plate portion  27 , and a rectangular projection  29  projected downward from a center bottom end of the plate portion  27 . An upper end wall  27   a  of the plate portion  27  is formed in an arc shape along an outer periphery of the annular packing  8 . Each locking arm  28  includes a claw portion  28   a  projecting inward and having a triangular sectional shape at a tip end of the locking arm  28 . The claw portion  28   a  includes: an upper horizontal locking wall; and a lower sloped guiding wall. Incidentally, in the description, upper, lower, left and right directions are expediential for an explanation, and it is not necessary to fit an attaching direction of the watertight shield connector  1 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , the annular packing  8  includes: a packing main body  30  having a flat section; a plurality of small lips  31  provided parallel to each other on an inner peripheral wall of the packing main body  30 ; a plurality of large lips  32  provided parallel to each other on an outer peripheral wall of the packing main body  30 ; and a flange-shaped projection  7  integrally provided on the outer peripheral wall of the packing main body  30  at the center in a width direction. The center of the inner peripheral wall  8   b  inside the flange-shaped projection  7  is formed in a flat shape without a lip. The flange-shaped projection  7  is projected higher than the large lips  32  on the outer peripheral wall. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the shield shell  6  includes: an oval shaped flange plate  5 ; a shell main body  33  integrally provided perpendicular to the flange plate  5  and having an oval cross section. The flange plate  5  includes: pairs of upper and lower projections  34  and bolt insertion holes  35  at both left and right sides; and an oval shaped hole  36  communicating with an inner space of the shell main body  33 . The shell main body  33  includes: a plurality of slits  37  up and down. The slits  37  are inserted into and engaged with joint portions (not show) connecting the terminal attaching portion  9  of the connector housing  4  with the hood portion  20 . The flange plate  5  contacts a conductive-metal-made device to be grounded. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the shell main body  33  of the shield shell  6  is inserted along an inner peripheral wall of the hood portion  20  having a gap between the shell main body  33  and the outer peripheral wall of the terminal attaching portion  9  of the connector housing  4 , and the flange plate  5  abuts on the rear end wall of the flange wall  2 . In  FIG. 1 , a front half of the annular packing  8  (a portion before the flange-shaped projection  7 ) is inserted into the annular hole  19  along the outer peripheral wall of the terminal attaching portion  9 . Then, the small lips  31  ( FIG. 3 ) provided on an front half of the inner peripheral wall are closely attached to the outer peripheral wall of the terminal attaching portion  9 , and the large lips  32  provided on a front half of the outer peripheral wall are closely attached to the inner peripheral wall of the shell main body  33  of the shield shell  6 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , a vertical front end wall of the flange-shaped projection  7  of the annular packing  8  abuts on and is closely attached to the rear wall of the flange plate  5  of the shield shell  6 , and further insertion of the annular packing  8  is prevented. The rear end wall  8   a  of the annular packing  8  is positioned substantially the same plane as the rear end wall  9   a  of the terminal attaching portion  9 . The small lips  31  provided on a rear half of the inner peripheral wall of the annular packing  8  are closely attached to the outer peripheral wall of the terminal attaching portion  9 , and the large lips  32  provided on a rear half of the outer peripheral wall are closely attached to an inner peripheral wall of a hole of a device (not shown). The watertight performance is accomplished by close attachments of the lips  31 ,  32 , and the shield shell  6  is prevented from falling out backward by the flange-shaped projection  7  abutting on the flange plate  5 . 
     Therefore, it is unnecessary to provide a locking member such as a locking claw on the shield shell  6 . If the locking member is provided, when the locking member is unlocked by a vibration of a vehicle, the shield shell  6  is surely prevented from falling out by the flange plate  5  abutting on the flange-shaped projection  7 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the pair of left and right male terminal  10  is inserted into the terminal insertion holes  18  of the terminal attaching portion  9  via the frame walls  22  along the terminal guiding wall  21 . The left and right projections  11  of the male terminal  10  is inserted into the terminal attaching portion  9  via the frame wall  22  and the rear opening of the terminal insertion hole  18 . A rear end of the male terminal  10  is positioned at the same plane as the rear end wall of the terminal guiding wall  21 . The hole  26  of the male terminal  10  is coaxial with the nut  24  ( FIG. 1 ) in the hole of the terminal guiding wall  21 . 
     Next, the spacer  12  is inserted downward from a top along the rear end wall  9   a  of the terminal attaching portion  9 . The locking arms  28  are bent outward while engaging along the guiding grooves  23 , and when restoring, the claw portions  28   a  are engaged with lower end walls  23   a  of the guiding grooves  23 . The lower end walls  23   a  are positioned higher than a lower wall of the terminal guiding wall  21 . At the same time, the projection  29  at the center of the spacer  12  is inserted into between the left and right male terminals  10 , and engaged, with a space between the front end walls  22   a  of the left and right frame walls  22  and the rear end wall  9   a  of the terminal attaching portion  9  (See  FIG. 5 ). As shown in  FIG. 6 , a front end wall  12   a  of the spacer  12  abuts on both the rear end wall  9   a  of the terminal attaching portion  9  and the rear end wall  8   a  of the annular packing  8 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , a projection (step portion)  38  is provided in the middle of each terminal insertion hole  18  ( FIG. 2 ) of the terminal attaching portion  9 . A front end wall  11   b  of the projection  11  of each male terminal  10  abuts on a rear end wall  38   a  of the projection  38 , and a further insertion of the male terminal  10  is prevented. A width between the left and right projections  38  is a little narrower than a width of the plate portion  10 ′ of the male terminal  10  so that the male terminal  10  is press-inserted and fixed between the projections  38 . A front end wall  8   b  of the annular packing  8  abuts on a rear end wall of a flange portion  39  projected outward from a front end of the terminal attaching portion  9 , and is stopped. In  FIG. 5 , reference sign  20  indicates the hood portion,  8  indicates the annular packing,  6  indicates the shield shell, and  40  indicates an annular small packing provided on an outside of the shield shell  6  and closely attached to a mating connector. 
     The projections  11  of the left and right male terminals  10  are locked on the center projection  29  to prevent the male terminals  10  from falling out backward. At the same time, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the front end wall  12   a  of the upper end wall  27   a  of the plate portion  27  of the spacer  12  abuts on the upper rear end wall  8   a  of the annular packing  8  to prevent the annular packing  8  from falling out backward with the spacer  12 , and the flange-shaped projection  7  of the annular packing  8  which is pressed by the spacer  12  (prevented from falling out) abuts on the rear end wall of the flange plate  5  of the shield shell  6  to surely prevent the shield shell  6  from falling out backward. 
     The frame wall  22  together with the guiding groove  23  ( FIG. 2 ) supports the spacer  12  vertically to prevent the spacer  12  from falling down, and to make the spacer  12  surely press the annular packing  8 . Because the large lips  32  provided on the outer peripheral wall of the annular packing  8  are projected higher (outward in a radial direction) than the upper end wall  27   a  of the spacer  12 , there is no fear to interfere with the spacer  12  when the rear half of the annular packing  8  is inserted into a hole of a device (not shown). 
     Incidentally, in the above-described embodiment, the male terminal  10  is used. When a female terminal (female type electric contact portion is provided on the front half of the plate portion  10 ′) is used instead of the male terminal  10 , the terminal insertion hole  18  of the terminal attaching portion  9  of the connector housing  4  and the frame wall  22  are formed wider in a vertical direction, the terminal attaching portion  9  is extended forward to make a terminal receiving chamber, the tubular shell main body  33  of the shield shell  6  is arranged along the outer peripheral wall of the terminal attaching portion  9 , and the hood portion  20  is eliminated. 
     Further, in the above-described embodiment, projections  11  are provided on the male terminal  10  to form step portions. However, it is also possible to provide a concave portion (not shown) as a step portion instead of the projections  11 , and to engage the projection  29  of the spacer  12  with the concave portion. In this case, inner widths of the frame wall  22  and the terminal insertion hole  18  are a little bit smaller than a width of the male terminal  10 . 
     Further, in the above-described embodiment, the spacer  12  abuts and is locked on only the upper rear end wall (outer end wall)  8   a  of the annular packing  8 . However, it is also possible to extend downward the center projection  29  of the spacer  12 , to provide a through hole (not shown) on the terminal guiding wall  21  through which the extended projection ( 29 ) penetrates, and to abut and lock on the lower (other) rear end wall (outer end wall)  8   a ′ of the annular packing  8  with a tip end of the extended projection ( 29 ) (to simultaneously press upper and lower portions in 180 degree direction of the annular packing  8  with the spacer  12 ). 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     The watertight shield connector according to the present invention can be used to surely make a connector for directly attaching a device to such as a vehicle watertight, to simplify a locking mechanism of a watertight annular packing with a shield shell for electromagnetic shield and to reduce cost of the watertight shield connector. 
     REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
     
         
           1  watertight shield connector 
           2  flange wall 
           4  connector housing 
           5  flange plate 
           6  shield shell 
           7  flange-shaped projection 
           8  annular packing 
           8   a  rear end wall (outer end wall) 
           8   b  the other rear end wall (outer end wall) 
           9  terminal attaching portion 
           10  male terminal (terminal) 
           11   a  step portion 
           12  spacer 
           19  annular hole 
           21  terminal guiding wall 
           22  frame wall 
           22   a  end wall 
         projection 
         packing main body