Patent Publication Number: US-8992245-B2

Title: Connector

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is the National Stage of PCT/JP2011/074100 filed on Oct. 20, 2011, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of Japan Application No. 2010-284392 filed on Dec. 21, 2010, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. The international application under PCT article 21(2) was not published in English. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates to a connector having a water-proof function. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Generally, a connector, which has a water-proof function, is provided with a sealing member. When the connector is mated with a mating connector, the sealing member is sandwiched by a housing of the connector and a housing (mating housing) of the mating connector so as to fill a gap between the housing of the connector and the housing of the mating connector. 
     For example, the connector provided with the aforementioned sealing member is disclosed in Patent Document 1. As shown in  FIG. 11 , the connector of Patent Document 1 has a retainer attached to a mating side of a housing, and a sealing member attached between a rear wall of the housing and the retainer. The retainer of the connector of Patent Document 1 regulates a forward movement of the sealing member. 
     PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS 
     Patent Document(s) 
     Patent Document 1: JP A 2004-63179 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     However, in some cases, it is difficult to form a connector so as to be attachable with a retainer. In these cases, the housing itself should be provided with a movement-regulation structure which regulates a movement of a sealing member. 
     An existing housing shaped in a cylindrical shape is unable to be provided with a simply configured movement-regulation structure therewithin. When the existing housing is provided with a movement-regulation structure, a metal mold for forming the housing is required to have a complicated structure so that a cost may be high. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a connector comprising a new structure, wherein a housing itself has a structure for regulating a movement of a sealing member. 
     Solution to Problem 
     One aspect of the present invention provides a connector comprising a housing and a sealing member attached in the housing. The housing has a rear wall, a plurality of holes, an enclosed portion, a plurality of seal stoppers and an enclosure, wherein the holes pierce the rear wall in a front-rear direction, the enclosed portion extends forward from the rear wall, the seal stoppers are provided on a periphery of the enclosed portion in a direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction so as to correspond to the holes in the front-rear direction, respectively, and the enclosure extends forward from the rear wall while enclosing the enclosed portion and the seal stoppers in a plane perpendicular to the front-rear direction. The sealing member is attached to the periphery of the enclosed portion so as to be located between the rear wall and the seal stopper in the front-rear direction. The sealing member covers the holes. 
     Advantageous Effects of Invention 
     According to the present invention, a housing is provided with a plurality of holes on a rear wall thereof. These holes are used to form seal stoppers for regulating a movement of a sealing member on an enclosed portion which is enclosed by an enclosure. According to the present invention, it is therefore possible to form the seal stoppers without increasing a cost. Moreover, the holes are covered by the sealing members so that no problem damaging a water-proof structure is caused. 
     An appreciation of the objectives of the present invention and a more complete understanding of its structure may be had by studying the following description of the preferred embodiment and by referring to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view schematically showing a system comprising a connector combination according to an embodiment of the present invention as an interface for a storage battery module. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing the connector combination used in the system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view showing a power contact of the connector combination of  FIG. 2  and the vicinity of the power contact. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view showing a signal contact of the connector combination of  FIG. 2  and the vicinity of the signal contact. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing a receptacle (connector) which constitutes one of connectors of the connector combination of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded, perspective view showing the receptacle of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a top view showing the receptacle of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 8  is a front view showing the receptacle of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view showing the receptacle of  FIG. 8 , taken along line IX-IX. 
         FIG. 10  is an enlarged, cross-sectional view showing a seal stopper of the receptacle of  FIG. 5  and the vicinity of the seal stopper. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view showing the connector of Patent Document 1. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a connector combination according to an embodiment of the present invention is used in a system which includes a storage battery module  1 . The connector combination comprises a receptacle (connector)  30  and a plug  50 , wherein the receptacle  30  is attached to a module box  20  which accommodates a storage battery  10 , and the plug  50  is attached to a panel  40 . The connector combination according to the present embodiment has a water-proof function. The receptacle  30  according to the present embodiment has one of essential features related to a water-proof structure. 
     As can be seen from  FIGS. 1 to 4 , the receptacle  30  and the plug  50 , which constitute the connector combination, are mateable with each other and removable from each other along the X-direction (front-rear direction). In the following description, a side, which is a part of the receptacle  30  and is configured to be mated with the plug  50  (mating connector), is referred to as a front side while its opposite side is referred to as a rear side. Accordingly, as for the receptacle  30 , the positive X-direction is directed forward while the negative X-direction is directed rearward. Hereinafter, an explanation is made about a structure related to the water-proof function of the receptacle  30  with reference to the drawings. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5 to 9 , the receptacle  30  according to the present embodiment comprises a housing  100  made of an insulating material, two power contacts  200  each made of a metal, two springs  250  each made of a metal, a sealing member  300  having a ring-like shape and made of an elastic member, C-type retaining rings (fixing members)  260  each made of a metal, and an intermediary connector  400 . Each of the power contacts  200  is held by the housing  100  so as to extend forward. The sealing member  300  is attached in the housing  100 . The receptacle  30  may comprise a metal ring (for example, an E-type retaining ring) other than the C-type retaining ring  260 . Moreover, the receptacle  30  may comprise a fixing member other than the metal ring. However, considering its small sire in the X-direction, it is preferred to comprise the metal ring rather than the other fixing member. In addition, considering a capability as a fixing member, it is preferred to comprise the C-type retaining ring  260  rather than the E-type retaining ring or the like. 
     As can be seen from  FIGS. 6 to 9 , the housing  100  has a rear wall  110 , an enclosed portion  120 , two contact-enclosures  140 , an intermediary-connector enclosure  150 , an enclosure  160  and a flange  165 , wherein the enclosed portion  120  extends forward from the rear wall  110 , the contact-enclosures  140  further extend forward from the enclosed portion  120 , the intermediary-connector enclosure  150  is located between the two contact-enclosures  140 , the enclosure  160  extends forward from the rear wall  110 , and the flange  165  is formed on a front end of the enclosure  160 . The two contact-enclosures  140  cover the two power contacts  200 , respectively. The flange  165  is used when the receptacle  30  is attached to the module box  20 . 
     As can be seen from  FIGS. 6 and 9 , the rear wall  110  is formed with two contact holding holes  142  and one intermediary-connector holding hole  152 . Each of the contact holding holes  142  and the intermediary-connector holding hole  152  pierces the rear wall  110  along the front-rear direction. The contact holding hole  142  is located within the contact-enclosure  140  in the YZ-plane. The intermediary-connector holding hole  152  is located within the intermediary-connector enclosure  150  in the YZ-plane. 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , the housing  100  is formed with a plurality of holes  132  which pierce the rear wall  110  in the X-direction. The hole  132  has a rectangular shape in the YZ-plane. A partial surface (for example, a lower surface of the hole  132  of  FIG. 10 ), which is a part of the inside surface of the hole  132  and is near to the center of the housing  100 , is flush with a periphery  120   p  of the enclosed portion  120 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , the periphery  120   p  of the enclosed portion  120  is provided with a plurality of seal stoppers  134  each of which protrudes in a direction (a direction directed toward the enclosure  160 ) perpendicular to the X-direction. The seal stoppers  134  correspond to the holes  132 , respectively. More specifically, each of the seal stoppers  134  is located forward of the corresponding hole  132  when seen from a rear surface  110   b  of the rear wall  110  of the housing  100 . In other words, the seal stoppers  134  are provided on the periphery  120   p  of the enclosed portion  120  in a direction perpendicular to the X-direction so as to correspond to the holes  132  in the X-direction, respectively. In general, when a housing is formed by using two metal molds, it is difficult to form a seal stopper, which regulates a movement of a sealing member, on an enclosed portion enclosed by an enclosure. However, when the holes  132  are formed as described above, the seal stoppers  134  may be easily provided. In detail, the holes  132  are traces of a metal mold which is removed to form the seal stoppers  134  when the housing  100  is formed by a molding process. When the two metal molds are removed from each other along the X-direction, parts of the metal mold which form rear surfaces of the seal stoppers  134  pass along the X-direction to leave the traces or holes  132 , 
     An illustrated front surface of the seal stopper  134  is oblique to both the X-direction and a protruding direction of the seal stopper  134  (for example, the Z-direction of the seal stopper  134  of  FIG. 10 ). In other words, the front surface of the seal stopper  134  is a slope oblique to the front-rear direction. On the other hand, the rear surface of the seal stopper  134  is a plane perpendicular to the X-direction. The seal stopper  134  has a rectangular shape in the YZ-plane. As previously described, the hole  132  is the trace of the metal mold which is used when the seal stopper  134  is molded. Accordingly, the rear surface of the seal stopper  134  has almost the same size as the hole  132  in the YZ-plane. 
     The rear wall  110  is formed with a plurality of ditches  136  which are recessed rearward from the front surface  110   f . As shown in  FIG. 10 , the ditches  136  communicate with the holes  132 , respectively. The ditch  136  is larger than the hole  132  in a direction perpendicular to the X-direction (for example, the Z-direction of  FIG. 10 ). The ditches  136  according to the present embodiment are formed over a full circumference of the periphery  120   p  of the enclosed portion  120 . 
     As can be seen from  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the enclosure  160  encloses the enclosed portion  120  and the seal stoppers  134  in the YZ-plane. The flange  165 , which is the front end of the enclosure  160 , is located rearward of the contact-enclosures  140  and the intermediary-connector enclosure  150 . In other words, as shown in  FIG. 7 , the contact-enclosures  140  and the intermediary-connector enclosure  150  protrude forward beyond the enclosure  160 . Moreover, the contact-enclosures  140  protrude forward beyond the intermediary-connector enclosure  150 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 9 , the power contact  200  is formed with a contact receiver  202  which is configured to receive a power contact  700  of the mating connector or the plug  50 . The contact receiver  202  is provided with an attached portion  204  at a front end thereof. The attached portion  204  is attached with the spring  250 . 
     The power contact  200  has a held portion  210  held in the contact holding hole  142 , and a fixed portion  216  formed behind the held portion  210 . 
     The held portion  210  has an external form corresponding to the contact holding hole  142 . The held portion  210  is inserted into the contact holding hole  142  from the front (i.e. according to the present embodiment, along the negative X-direction) so that the power contact  200  is held by the housing  100 . 
     The fixed portion  216  is a ditch recessed toward the center of the power contact  200  in a radius direction. A width (a length in the X-direction) of the ditch, which constitutes the fixed portion  216 , corresponds to a thickness of the C-type retaining ring  260 . The C-type retaining ring  260  is attached to the fixed portion  216  under a state where the held portion  210  is inserted in the contact holding hole  142  so that the power contact  200  is fixed to and held by the housing  100 . 
     The sealing member  300  is attached to the periphery  120   p  of the enclosed portion  120  so as to be located between the ditches  136  of the rear wall  110  and the seal stoppers  134  in the X-direction. In detail, as shown in  FIG. 10 , a front end  300   f  of the sealing member  300  is brought into abutment with the rear surfaces of the seal stoppers  134  while a rear end  300   b  of the sealing member  300  is accommodated in the ditches  136 . In other words, the sealing member  300  is sandwiched by the seal stoppers  134  and the ditches  136  in the X-direction so that a movement of the sealing member  300  in the X-direction is regulated. According to the present embodiment, the rear end  300   b  of the sealing member  300  is accommodated in and held by the ditches  136  so that the sealing member  300  is prevented from being out of position. 
     The sealing member  300  covers the holes  132  from the front under a state where the rear end  300   b  is accommodated in the ditches  136 . The sealing member  300  is configured so that only the rear end  300   b  is visible when the holes  132  are seen from the rear surface  110   b  of the rear wall  110 . Accordingly, the holes  132  cause no problem damaging the water-proof structure. 
     The sealing member  300  is attached by inserting the sealing member  300  from a front side of the housing  100 . As previously described, the front surface of the seal stopper  134  is a slope so that the sealing member  300  is able to be inserted relatively easily. The rear surface of the seal stopper  134  is perpendicular to the X-direction so that the sealing member  300  is not removed easily when once the sealing member  300  is inserted to be attached. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the intermediary connector  400  comprises en intermediary housing  410  and signal contacts  420  which are connected to a cable and held by the intermediary housing  410 . The intermediary connector  400  is configured to be inserted in the intermediary-connector holding hole  152  from the rear surface  110   b  of the rear wall  110  of the housing  100  so that the intermediary connector  400  is attachably/detachably held by the housing  100 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 to 4 , the plug  50  according to the present embodiment comprises a housing  600  made of an insulating material, two power contacts  700  each made of a metal and an intermediary connector  900 . The power contact  700  is connected to the power contact  200  when the plug  50  is mated with the receptacle  30 . Similarly, the intermediary connector  900  is connected to the intermediary connector  400  installed in the receptacle  30  when the plug  50  is mated with the receptacle  30 . 
     As described in reference to  FIG. 7 , the contact-enclosure  140  or the like (the contact-enclosures  140  and the intermediary-connector enclosure  150 ) of the receptacle  30  according to the present embodiment protrudes beyond the enclosure  160 . Accordingly, when the receptacle  30  is mated with the plug  50 , the housing  600  of the plug  50  is mated with the contact-enclosure  140  or the like before mated with the enclosure  160 . Thus, the connector combination according to the present embodiment is roughly and temporarily positioned by the contact-enclosure  140  or the like of the receptacle  30 . Then, the housing  600  of the plug  50  is inserted into the enclosure  160  so that the connector combination is further positioned. Accordingly, the sealing by the sealing member  300  is more securely done while the mating operation is more easily done. 
     According to the aforementioned embodiment, the ditches  136  are provided to hold the rear end  300   b  of the sealing member  300 . However, it is possible to configure without the ditches  136 . For example, the sealing member  300  may be provided with protruding portions which are inserted in the holes  132  while the ditches  136  are not provided. In this case, the protruding portion of the sealing member  300  is required to also have a function for filling the hole  132 . Accordingly, the protruding portion of the sealing member  300  should have a shape corresponding to the hole  132  in the YZ-plane. Moreover, the receptacle  30  may comprise both the protruding portion and the aforementioned ditch  136  instead of being provided with only one of them. 
     The present application is based on a Japanese patent application of JP2010-284392 filed before the Japan Patent Office on Dec. 21, 2010, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     While there has been described what is believed to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that other and further modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended to claim all such embodiments that fall within the true scope of the invention. 
     Reference Signs List 
       1  storage battery module 
       10  storage battery 
       20  module box 
       30  receptacle (connector) 
       40  panel 
       50  plug 
       100  housing 
       110  rear wall 
       110   f  front surface 
       110   b  rear surface 
       120  enclosed portion 
       120   p  peripheral portion 
       132  hole 
       134  seal stopper 
       136  ditch 
       140  contact-enclosure 
       142  contact holding hole 
       150  intermediary-connector enclosure 
       152  intermediary-connector holding hole 
       160  enclosure 
       165  flange 
       200  power contact 
       200   f  front end 
       200   b  rear end 
       202  contact receiver 
       204  attached portion 
       210  held portion 
       216  fixed portion 
       250  spring 
       260  C-type retaining ring (fixing member) 
       300  sealing member 
       300   f  front end 
       300   b  rear end 
       400  intermediary connector 
       410  intermediary housing 
       420  signal contact 
       600  housing 
       700  power contact 
       900  intermediary connector