Abstract:
A connector includes: a sensor side connector section mounted to a connector mounting hole and fastened thereto by thread fastening and including a first housing part in which a first terminal is disposed; and a wire harness side connector section disposing a second terminal and including a second housing part capable of being fitted to the first housing part. The connector mounting hole includes a key groove, and the first housing part includes a key protrusion. A bolt prevented from moving axially and supported rotatably is provided on the outer periphery of the first housing part. Screwing the bolt into the connector mounting hole fastens the first housing part to the connector mounting hole by thread fastening.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/JP2014/060700, filed Apr. 15, 2014, and based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-093699, filed Apr. 26, 2013, the entire contents of all of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present application relates to a connector which electrically connects a pair of terminals with each other by fitting a pair of housing parts to each other. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     As for this type of connector, there have been proposed a variety of devices conventionally (see JP 2000-182702 A).  FIG. 8  illustrates a conventional connector. In  FIG. 8 , the conventional connector  50  is installed in a cylinder head  70  of an engine to pick up an output of a built-in fuel pressure sensor element (not illustrated). The connector  50  includes a wire harness side connector section  51  and a sensor side connector section  60 . 
     The wire harness side connector section  51  includes a housing part  52 . Inside the housing part  52 , a first terminal  53  is disposed close to one end of the housing part  52 . Also inside the housing part  52 , an external terminal  54  is disposed close to the other end of the housing part  52 . The first terminal  53  and the external terminal  54  are connected to each other through wires W accommodated in the housing part  52 . 
     The sensor side connector section  60  includes a sensor body part  61  in which a sensor element (not illustrated) is disposed, and a housing part  63  which is fixed to the sensor body part  61  and in which a second terminal  62  is disposed. A threaded part  61   a  is formed on the outer circumference of the sensor body part  61 . By screwing the sensor body part  61  into a threaded hole  70   a  of the cylinder head  70 , the sensor side connector section  60  is installed in the cylinder head  70 . 
     Next, the fitting operation of the connector  50  will be described. A head cover  71  is mounted on the cylinder head  71 . First, the sensor side connector section  60  is inserted through a hole  71   a  of the head cover  71  and installed in the cylinder head  70 . Next, the wire harness side connector section  51  is inserted into the hole  71   a  of the head cover  71  and assembled to the sensor side connector section  60 . 
     SUMMARY 
     In the conventional connector  50 , the sensor side connector section  60  is screw fastened to the threaded hole  70   a  of the cylinder head  70 . Accordingly, the rotational position (orientation) of the housing part  63  of the sensor side connector section  60  is so non-constant. In assembling the wire harness side connector section  51 , the housing part  63  of the sensor side connector part  60  is positioned in the back of the hole  71   a  of the head cover  71 . For this reason, the housing part  63  of the sensor side connector section  60  cannot be visually recognized clearly, so that it is difficult to align the housing part  52  of the wire harness side connector section  51  with a formal fitting rotational position with respect to the housing part  63  of the sensor side connector section  60 , causing a problem of inferior fitting workability. 
     In order to solve the above mentioned problem, therefore, an object of the present application is to provide a connector which is provided, on one side, with a housing part to be screw fastened to a connector mounting hole and which allows the housing part on one side to be mounted at a given rotation angle, thereby providing superior workability in fitting a pair of housing parts. 
     A connector according to an aspect of the present application includes: a first connector section mounted to a connector mounting hole by thread fastening and including a first housing part in which a first terminal is disposed; and a second connector section disposing a second terminal and including a second housing part capable of being fitted to the first housing part, wherein the first terminal and the second terminal are connected to each other at a fitting complete position of the first housing part and the second housing part. The connector mounting hole and the first housing part are provided with a rotation angle restricting mechanism which allows the first housing part to be inserted into the connector mounting hole only when the rotation angle is a desired rotation angle. The first housing part is provided, on an outer circumference thereof, with a thread fastening component whose axial movement is restricted and which is supported rotatably. The first housing part is thread fastened to the connector mounting hole by screwing the thread fastening component into the connector mounting hole. 
     The connector may further include a pair of position restricting walls which are provided so as to protrude from an outer circumference of the first housing part on both outsides of the thread fastening component in an axial direction along which the thread fastening component is arranged, thereby restricting an axial movement of the first housing part in relation to the thread fastening component. In this case, at least one of the pair of position restricting walls permits a movement of the thread fastening component from an end of the first housing part to a position where the thread fastening component is to be arranged and also inhibits a movement of the thread fastening component from the position where the thread fastening component is to be arranged to the end of the first housing part. 
     The rotation angle restricting mechanism may include: a key groove provided in one of the connector mounting hole and the first housing part; and a key protrusion provided in the other of the connector mounting hole and the first housing part. 
     The thread fastening component may include a bolt whose outer circumferential surface is formed with a screw part. 
     With the connector according to the aspect of the present application, provided that the rotation angle of the first housing part is set to a predetermined rotation angle, if screwing the thread fastening component into the connector mounting hole by thread fastening, then the first housing part is mounted, at the predetermined rotation angle, on the connector mounting hole. Therefore, it is possible to perform the fitting operation between the first housing part and the second housing part easily. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a connector according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2A  is a front view of an engine essential part to which the connector according to the embodiment is attached,  FIG. 2B  is a sectional view taken along a line A 1 -A 1  of  FIG. 2A , and  FIG. 2C  is a plan view of the engine essential part to which the connector according to the embodiment is attached. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective sectional view of an essential part of a connector mounting hole of the connector according to the embodiment. 
         FIG. 4A  is a front view of a sensor side connector section of the connector according to the embodiment, and  FIG. 4B  is a sectional view taken along a line A 2 -A 2  of  FIG. 4A . 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the sensor side connector section of the connector according to the embodiment in a pre-assembling state. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view illustrating the process of mounting the sensor side connector section of the connector according to the embodiment on a connector mounting part. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view illustrating the process of fitting a wire housing side connector section of the connector according to the embodiment to the sensor side connector section. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view illustrating a process of mounting a sensor side connector section of a conventional connector on a connector mounting hole. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     An embodiment of the present application will be described with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 7 . 
     A connector  1  according to the embodiment includes a combustion pressure sensor element (not illustrated) integrally and is installed in an engine  20 . 
     The engine  20  includes a cylinder head  21 , a head cover  22  arranged above the cylinder head  21 , and a cylindrical part  23  interposed between the cylinder head  21  and the head cover  22 . The cylinder head  21  is formed with a connector mounting hole  24 , and a cylinder support hole  25  having a larger diameter than that of the connector mounting hole  24 . The head cover  22  is formed, directly above the cylinder support hole  25 , with a connector insertion hole  26  of the same diameter. Lower and upper ends of the cylindrical part  25  are disposed in the support hole  25  and the connector insertion hole  26 , respectively. Therefore, from the connector insertion hole  26  of the head cover  22 , the connector mounting hole  24  of the cylinder head  21  is visible through the interior of the cylindrical part  23 . 
     The connector mounting hole  24  includes a screw hole  24   a  whose inner circumferential surface is formed with a thread, and a sensor part insertion hole  24   b  arranged in the back of the screw hole  24   a  and having a smaller diameter than that of the screw hole  24   a . A stepped surface  24   c  is formed between the screw hole  24   a  and the sensor part insertion hole  24   b . On the inner surface of the sensor part insertion hole  24   b , a single key groove  27  is formed along the axial direction. 
     The connector  1  includes a sensor side connector section  2  as a first connector section, and a wire harness side connector section  15  as a second connector section to be attached to the sensor side connector section  2 . 
     The sensor side connector section  2  includes a first housing part  3 , and a bolt  12  as a screw fastening component disposed on the outer circumference of the first housing part  3 . The first housing part  3  integrally includes a sensor accommodating part  4  in which the combustion pressure sensor element (not illustrated) is disposed, a connector fitting part  5 , and a bolt layout part  6  arranged between the sensor accommodating part  4  and the connector fitting part  5 . 
     The sensor accommodating part  4  is established so as to have an outer diameter somewhat smaller than that of the connector mounting hole  24 . A seal ring  7  is attached to the outer circumference of the sensor accommodating part  4 . A clearance between the sensor accommodating part and the connector mounting hole  24  is sealed by the seal ring  7 . The sensor accommodating part  4  is provided, on the outer circumference and above the seal ring  7 , with a key protrusion  8  extending along the axial direction. The insertion of the sensor side connector section  2  into the connector mounting hole  24  is permitted under only condition that the key protrusion  8  has been inserted into a key groove  27 . The rotation angle allowing the key protrusion  8  to be inserted into the key groove  27  is set to a desired orientation of the sensor side connector section  2 . That is, the key protrusion  8  and the key groove  27  constitutes a rotation angle restricting mechanism that allows an insertion of the first housing part  3  into the connector mounting hole  24  only when the rotation angle is a desired rotation angle. 
     The connector fitting part  5  includes a terminal accommodating chamber  5   a  opening upward. A male terminal  9  as a first terminal is arranged in the terminal accommodating chamber  5   a . The information about the combustion pressure sensor element is outputted from the male terminal  9  to an outside. The connector fitting part  5  is provided, on its outer circumference, with a positioning groove  5   b  extending in the axial direction, and a lock claw  5   c  projecting from the bottom surface of the positioning groove  5   b.    
     A first position restricting wall  10  and a second position restricting wall  11  are formed so as to project from the outer circumference of the bolt layout part  6  while leaving a space in the axial direction. The first position restricting wall  10  is formed over the whole circumference of the bolt layout part. In the first position restricting wall  10 , its upper and lower surfaces are formed so as to be respective vertical surfaces  10   a  perpendicular to the outer circumferential surface of the bolt layout part  6 . The second position restricting wall  11  is formed by short width protrusions located in positions opposed by 180°. In the second position restricting wall  11 , its respective lower surfaces are formed so as to be respective vertical surfaces  11   a  perpendicular to the outer circumferential surface of the bolt layout part  6 , while respective upper surfaces are formed so as to be respective tapered surfaces  11   b  to the outer circumferential surface of the bolt layout part  6 . 
     The bolt  12  includes a hexagonal protruding part  13 , and a screw part  14  whose outer circumferential surface is formed with a thread. The bolt  12  is provided with a hole  12   a  having a dimension somewhat larger than the first housing part  3  (including the bolt layout part  6 ). The bolt  12  is fitted to the outer circumference of the bolt layout part  6  of the first housing part  3 . The bolt  12  is restricted in its axial movement by the first position restricting wall  10  and the second position restricting wall  11  and also supported rotatably. When the bolt  12  is inserted from the top side of the first housing part  3 , as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the bolt  12  can climb over the tapered surfaces  11   b  of the second position restricting wall  11  and advance up to the bolt layout part  6 . In this way, the bolt  12  can be fitted to the first housing part  3  easily. As the bolt  12  advanced up to the bolt layout part  6  is restricted in position by the respective vertical surfaces  10   a ,  11   a  of the first position restricting wall  10  and the second position restricting wall  11 , the bolt  12  is unable to get out of the bolt layout part. 
     The wire harness side connector section  15  includes a second housing part  16 . The second housing part  16  includes a connector fitting part  17  arranged on the lower end side, and an external connector fitting part  18  arranged on the upper end side. The connector fitting part  17  includes a terminal accommodating chamber (not illustrated) opening downward. A female terminal (not illustrated) as a second terminal is arranged in the terminal accommodating chamber. The connector fitting part  17  of the second housing part  16  is fitted to the connector fitting part  5  of the sensor side connector section  2 . The connector fitting part  17  is provided with an arm lock  17   a  projecting into the terminal accommodating chamber. In fitting the connector, the arm lock  17   a  is inserted into the positioning groove  5   b  of the connector fitting part  5 . Then, the arm lock  17   a  is locked to the lock claw  5   c  at the connector fitting completion position. 
     The external connector fitting part  18  includes a terminal accommodating chamber  18   a  opening upward. An external lead terminal (not illustrated) is disposed in the terminal receiving chamber  18   a . The external lead terminal and the female terminal are electrically connected to each other by wires (not illustrated) routed in the second housing part  16 . Fitted to the external connector fitting part  18  is a connector (not illustrated) for a wire harness which is routed in an engine room. 
     Next, the mounting operation of the connector  1  will be described. As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the sensor side connector section  2  having the bolt  12  mounted on the first housing part  3  is inserted from the connector insertion hole  26  of the head cover  22  up to the vicinity of the cylinder head  21  in the back of the cylindrical part  23 . Then, after aligning the key protrusion  8  of the sensor side connector section  2  with the key groove  27  of the connector mounting hole  24 , the sensor accommodating part  4  of the sensor side connector section  2  is inserted into the sensor part insertion hole  24   b  of the connector mounting hole  24 . Next, the bolt  12  is rotated in the fastening direction. Then, the bolt  12  is rotated in relation to the first housing part  3 , so that the screw part  14  of the bolt  12  is screwed into the screw hole  24   a  of the connector mounting hole  24 . By this screwing, the bolt  12  gets into the back of the connector mounting hole  24  gradually. When the bolt  12  gets into the back of the connector mounting hole  24  gradually, the bolt  12  presses the first position restricting wall  10 . If the first housing part  3  has not been inserted up to the insertion completion position yet, the first housing part  3  conducts tracking movement to the back of the connector mounting hole  24 . Here, since the first housing part  3  is in a state where its rotation is inhibited by the key groove  27  and the key protrusion  8 , there is no possibility that the first housing part  3  rotates. When the sensor side connector section  2  is inserted up to a position where the lower surface of the first position restricting wall  10  of the first housing part  3  comes into pressure contact with the stepped surface  24   c  of the connector mounting hole  24 , the mounting of the sensor side connector section  2  is completed. 
     Next, as illustrated in  FIG. 7 , it is performed to insert the wire harness side connector section  15 , while orienting its direction to a predetermined orientation, from the connector insertion hole  26  of the head cover  22  into the back of the cylindrical part  23 . Then, the arm lock  17   a  of the connector fitting part  17  gets into the positioning groove  5   b  of the connector fitting part  5 , so that the fitting is permitted. That is, as the rotation angle (fitting orientation) of the connector fitting part  5  of the sensor side connector section  2  accord with the desired orientation, the fitting between the connector sections can be accomplished by orienting the connector fitting part  17  of the wire harness side connector section  15  to the rotation angle (fitting orientation), easily. 
     When inserting the connector fitting part  17  of the wire harness side connector section  15  up to the fitting completion position of the connector fitting part  5  of the sensor side connector section  2 , the arm lock  17   a  is locked to the lock claw  5   c . At the connector fitting completion position, the male terminal  9  and female terminal (not illustrated) are electrically connected to each other. In this way, the mounting operation between the sensor side connector section  2  and the wire harness side connector section  15  is completed. 
     In the connector mounting hole  24  and the first housing part  3  of the sensor side connector section  2 , as described above, there are provided the key protrusion  8  and the key groove  27  as the rotation angle restricting mechanism that permits the insertion of the first housing part  3  into the connector mounting hole  24  only when the rotation angle is a desired rotation angle. Additionally, the first housing part  3  is provided, on the outer circumference, with the bolt  12  which is restricted in its axial movement and which is supported by the first housing part  3  rotatably. Then, by screwing the bolts  12  into the screw hole  24   a  of the connector mounting hole  24 , the first housing part  3  of the sensor side connector section  2  is fastened to the connector mounting hole  24  by thread fastening. Thus, as the rotation angle (fitting orientation) of the connector fitting part  5  of the sensor side connector section  2  is the desired orientation, the fitting between the connector sections can be accomplished by orienting the connector fitting part  17  of the wire harness side connector section  15  to the rotation angle (fitting orientation), easily. 
     The second position restricting wall  11  is constructed so as to permit a movement of the bolt  12  from the end of the housing part  3  to the bolt layout part  6  and also inhibit a movement of the bolt  12  from the bolt layout part  6  to the end of the housing part  3 . Therefore, even if the first housing part  3  of the sensor side connector section  2  cannot be recognized clearly by a visual observation, the wire harness side connector section  15  can be easily mounted on the sensor side connector section  2 . 
     Although the rotation angle restricting mechanism is composed of the key groove  27  provided in the connector mounting hole  24  and the key protrusion  8  provided on the first housing part  3 , the key protrusion  8  may be provided in the connector mounting hole  24  while the key groove  27  is provided on the first housing part  3  conversely. Additionally, the rotation angle restricting mechanism may be composed of a configuration other than the key groove  27  and the key projection  8 , as long as it can restrict the rotating orientation of the first housing part  3 . 
     Although the thread fastening component is composed of the bolt  12  provided with the screw part  14  on the outer circumferential surface, the component may be composed of a configuration other than the bolt  12 . 
     As the first position restricting wall  10  doubles as the falling preventing function of the bolt  12  and the pressure contact function of the connector mounting hole  24  with the stepped surface  24   c  of the bolt  12 , the connector is simplified in constitution. 
     Although the connector  1  is mounted on the cylinder head  21  in the embodiment, the invention is not limited to this arrangement, as a matter of course.