Patent Publication Number: US-2022239033-A1

Title: Connector

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a connector. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Conventionally, some connectors include a housing having a tubular wire inserting portion into which a wire member is partially inserted (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This connector includes a tubular rubber seal to be interposed between the inner surface of the wire inserting portion and the outer surface of the wire member and a retainer for restricting the escape of the rubber seal by being mounted in an opening of the wire inserting portion, and the intrusion of liquid into the connector along the wire member exposed to outside is prevented. 
     PRIOR ART DOCUMENT 
     Patent Document 
     
         
         Patent Document  1 : JP 2018-055833 A 
       
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Problems to be Solved 
     In the connector as described above, an interval between the wire inserting portion and the wire member may become large. Specifically, such as when a thin wire member is also dealt with while a thick wire member is dealt with using the housings having the same product number as common components, the interval between the wire inserting portion and the wire member becomes large when the thin wire member is employed. In such a case, since the rubber seal provided in the entire clearance between the wire inserting portion and the wire member becomes thick, it has been difficult to improve the assemblability of the rubber seal with the wire inserting portion while improving waterproofness between the wire member and the rubber seal. That is, if it is attempted to use a rubber seal having a compression ratio equal to that of the rubber seal when the thick wire member is employed, an outer diameter of the rubber seal becomes excessively large and assemblability when the rubber seal is inserted into the wire inserting portion might be deteriorated. 
     The present invention was developed to solve the above problem and aims to provide a connector improved in both assemblability and waterproofness. 
     Means to Solve the Problem 
     The present disclosure is directed to a connector with a housing including a tubular wire inserting portion, a wire member being partially inserted into the wire inserting portion, a tubular rubber seal to be interposed between an inner surface of the wire inserting portion and an outer surface of the wire member, and a retainer for restricting escape of the rubber seal by being fixed to the wire inserting portion while being interposed between the inner surface of the wire inserting portion and the outer surface of the wire member, wherein the rubber seal is formed with an annular recess recessed from one end surface and shaped to surround a through hole of the rubber seal, and the retainer is provided with a fitting tube portion to be fit into the annular recess. 
     Effect of the Invention 
     According to the connector of the present disclosure, both assemblability and waterproofness can be improved. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a connector in one embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the connector in the one embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a partial exploded perspective view of the connector in the one embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a partial section of the connector in the one embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a partial section of the connector in the one embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a partial section of the connector employing a thick wire member. 
     
    
    
     Detailed Description to Execute the Invention 
     [Description of Embodiments of Present Disclosure] 
     First, embodiments of the present disclosure are listed and described. 
     The connector of the present disclosure is provided with a housing including a tubular wire inserting portion, a wire member being partially inserted into the wire inserting portion, a tubular rubber seal to be interposed between an inner surface of the wire inserting portion and an outer surface of the wire member, and a retainer for restricting escape of the rubber seal by being fixed to the wire inserting portion while being interposed between the inner surface of the wire inserting portion and the outer surface of the wire member, wherein the rubber seal is formed with an annular recess recessed from one end surface and shaped to surround a through hole of the rubber seal, and the retainer is provided with a fitting tube portion to be fit into the annular recess. 
     According to this configuration, since the rubber seal is formed with the annular recess recessed from the one end surface and shaped to surround the through hole of the rubber seal and the retainer is provided with the fitting tube portion to be fit into the annular recess, waterproofness between the wire member and the rubber seal can be improved while the assemblability of the rubber seal with the wire inserting portion is improved even if an interval between the wire inserting portion and the wire member is large. That is, in the case of uniformly providing the rubber seal in the entire clearance when the interval between the wire inserting portion and the wire member is large, the rubber seal becomes thick and it is difficult to improve both the assemblability and the waterproofness. However, since a thickness of the rubber seal can be optimally set respectively inside and outside the fitting tube portion of the retainer, both the assemblability and the waterproofness can be improved. Further, the housing of this configuration can be used as a common component also when the wire member is thick. That is, if a thick wire member is employed, the interval between the wire inserting portion and the wire member becomes small and the rubber seal does not become thick even if the rubber seal is provided in the entire clearance. Thus, both the assemblability and the waterproofness can be improved. 
     Preferably, a contact length of the retainer with the wire inserting portion is set equal to or more than an inner diameter of the retainer. 
     According to this configuration, since the contact length of the retainer with the wire inserting portion is set equal to or more than the inner diameter of the retainer, i.e. equal to or more than a diameter of the wire member passed through the retainer, a force generated when the wire member is bent outside the wire inserting portion can be made less likely to be transmitted to the rubber seal by being mainly received by the retainer. Thus, the deformation of the rubber seal can be suppressed and waterproofness between the wire member and the rubber seal can be improved. 
     Preferably, a depth of the annular recess is set equal to or more than half the length of the rubber seal. 
     According to this configuration, since the depth of the annular recess is set equal to or more than half the length of the rubber seal, the thickness of the rubber seal can be set respectively inside and outside the fitting tube portion in a range equal to or more than half the length of the rubber seal. By so doing, the assemblability and the waterproofness can be further improved as compared to the case where the thickness of the rubber seal is set respectively inside and outside the fitting tube portion in a range less than half the length of the rubber seal. 
     [Details of Embodiment of Present Disclosure] 
     A specific example of a connector of the present disclosure is described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to these illustrations and is intended to be represented by claims and include all changes in the scope of claims and in the meaning and scope of equivalents. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a connector  11  is, for example, connected in a height direction to a mating connector  10  provided in an unillustrated electrical device such as an inverter installed in a vehicle. Further, the connector  11  is for electrically connecting wire members  12  held in the connector  11  to terminals of the mating connector  10  and holding these wire members  12 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the connector  11  includes a housing  13  and a first cover  14  and a second cover  15  provided to cover the outer surface of the housing  13 . The housing  13  is made of a resin material. The first and second covers  14 ,  15  are made of a metal material and function as an electromagnetic shield. 
     The housing  13  includes a body portion  16  and wire inserting portions  17  extending from the body portion  16  in a direction orthogonal to the height direction. The wire inserting portion  17  is formed into a tubular shape and open in the direction orthogonal to the height direction, and a tip part of the wire member  12  is inserted in the wire inserting portion  17 . A pair of the wire inserting portions  17  of this embodiment have a hollow cylindrical shape and are provided side by side in parallel at the same height. A lower housing  18  to be connected to the mating connector  10  is fixed to a lower part in the height direction of the body portion  16  of the housing  13 . The wire member  12  includes a core  12   a  such as a conductive metal wire, and an insulation coating  12   b  for covering the outer periphery of the core  12   a  (see  FIGS. 4 and 5 ). A female terminal  12   c  to be electrically connected to the terminal of the mating connector  10  is fixed to a tip part of the core  12   a  exposed from the insulation coating  12   b.    
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 to 5 , the connector  11  includes rubber seals  19  and retainers  20 . The rubber seal  19  is formed into a tubular shape and interposed between the inner surface of the wire inserting portion  17  and the outer surface of the wire member  12 . The retainer  20  is formed into a tubular shape and restricts the escape of the rubber seal  19  from the wire inserting portion  17  by being fixed to the wire inserting portion  17  while being interposed between the inner surface of the wire inserting portion  17  and the outer surface of the wire member  12 . 
     The rubber seal  19  is formed with an annular recess  19   b  recessed from one end surface of the rubber seal  19  and shaped to surround a through hole  19   a  of the rubber seal  19 . Further, the retainer  20  is provided with a fitting tube portion  20   a  to be fit into the annular recess  19   b.    
     In particular, the rubber seal  19  is in the form of a tube having the through hole  19   a  in a center thereof, and the annular recess  19   b  surrounding the through hole  19   a  is formed in one end surface in a penetrating direction of the through hole  19   a.  As shown in  FIG. 5 , a depth L 1  of the annular recess  19   b  is more than half the length L 2  of the rubber seal  19  and, in this embodiment, set equal to or more than ¾ of the length L 2  of the rubber seal  19 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the retainer  20  is formed by combining a pair of retainer members  21  divided by 180° . As shown in  FIG. 5 , a contact length L 3  of the retainer  20  with the wire inserting portion  17  is set equal to or more than an inner diameter A 1  of the retainer  20 , in other words, equal to or more than a diameter A 2  of the wire member  12  passed through the retainer  20 . Note that the wire members  12  employed in this embodiment have the diameter A 2  of 18 mm. The retainer  20  is formed with the fitting tube portion  20   a  that is shaped to correspond to the annular recess  19   b  and be fit into the annular recess  19   b  substantially without any clearance, and fit into the annular recess  19   b . The fitting tube portion  20   a  is divided and formed into the pair of retainer members  21 . Further, as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the retainer  20  is formed with locking projections  20   b  resiliently deformable in a radial direction and projecting radially outward. The locking projection  20   b  is formed in each retainer member  21 , and a pair of the locking projections  20   b  are provided at an interval of 180° in the retainer  20  formed by combining the pair of retainer members  21 . When being inserted into the wire inserting portion  17 , the retainer  20  is fixed to the wire inserting portion  17  by the locking projections  20   b  being fit and locked into locking holes  17   a  formed in the wire inserting portion  17 . Note that  FIG. 4  is a section of a part corresponding to the locking projections  20   b,  and  FIG. 5  is a section of a part not provided with the locking projections  20   b.    
     Next, an assembling procedure and functions of the connector  11  and the wire members  12  configured as described above are described. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the rubber seals  19  and the retainers  20  are first assembled with the wire members  12  and tip sides of the wire members  12  are inserted into the wire inserting portions  17 . At this time, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the rubber seal  19  is press-fit into the wire inserting portion  17 , and the retainer  20  is fixed to the wire inserting portion  17  by the locking projections  20   b  being fit and locked into the locking holes  17   a.    
     Then, the lower housing  18  is assembled with a lower part of the body portion  16  of the housing  13 . Further, the first cover  14  is put on the body portion  16  of the housing  13  from above, the second cover  15  is put on the wire inserting portions  17  of the housing  13  and the second cover  15  is fixed to the first cover  14  by screws  22 . 
     The connector  11  assembled as described above is connected to the mating connector  10  provided in the electrical device such as an inverter from above, and fixed to the electrical device by a screw  23  passed through the first cover  14  and threadably engaged with the electrical device. Note that a cap  24  is put on a head part of the screw  23 . Further, although the connector  11  of this embodiment is configured to be connected to and assembled with the mating connector  10  from above, there is no limitation to this and an assembling method of the connector  11  may be changed to any one of all assembling methods such as a straight connection method and a bolt fastening method. 
     Next, functions of the above embodiment are described. 
     (1) The rubber seal  19  is formed with the annular recess  19   b  recessed from the one end surface and shaped to surround the through hole  19   a  of the rubber seal  19 , and the retainer  20  is provided with the fitting tube portion  20   a  to be fit into the annular recess  19   b.  Thus, even if an interval between the wire inserting portion  17  and the wire member  12  is large, waterproofness between the wire member  12  and the rubber seal  19  can be improved while the assemblability of the rubber seal  19  with the wire inserting portion  17  is improved. That is, in the case of providing a rubber seal not including the annular recess  19   b  in the entire clearance when the interval between the wire inserting portion  17  and the wire member  12  is large, the rubber seal becomes thick and it is difficult to improve both the assemblability and the waterproofness. In contrast, since a thickness of the rubber seal  19  can be optimally set respectively inside and outside the fitting tube portion  20   a  of the retainer  20  in the configuration of this embodiment, both the assemblability and the waterproofness can be improved. Further, the housing  13  of this embodiment can be used as a common component also when the wire members  12  are thick. That is, as shown in  FIG. 6 , if a thick wire member  31  is employed, an interval between the wire inserting portion  17  and the wire member  31  becomes small. Even if a rubber seal  32  is provided in the entire clearance and a retainer  33  not including the fitting tube portion  20   a  is used, both the assemblability and the waterproofness can be improved since the rubber seal  32  does not become thick. In other words, both the assemblability and the waterproofness can be improved even if the thin wire members  12  are also dealt with while the thick wire members  31  are dealt with using the housings  13  having the same product number as common components. 
     (2) Since the contact length L 3  of the retainer  20  with the wire inserting portion  17  is set equal to or more than the inner diameter A 1  of the retainer  20 , i.e. equal to or more than the diameter A 2  of the wire member  12  passed through the retainer  20 , a force generated when the wire member  12  is bent outside the wire  17  as shown in  FIG. 5  can be made less likely to be transmitted to the rubber seal  19  by being mainly received by the retainer  20 . Thus, the deformation of the rubber seal  19  can be suppressed and waterproofness between the wire member  12  and the rubber seal  19  can be improved. 
     (3) Since the depth L 1  of the annular recess  19   b  is set equal to or more than half the length L 2  of the rubber seal  19 , the thickness of the rubber seal  19  can be set respectively inside and outside the fitting tube portion  20   a  in a range equal to or more than the length L 2  of the rubber seal  19 . By so doing, both the assemblability and the waterproofness can be improved as compared to the case where the thickness of the rubber seal  19  is set respectively inside and outside the fitting tube portion  20   a  in a range less than half the length of the rubber seal  19 . Note that since the depth L 1  of the annular recess  19   b  is set equal to or more than ¾ of the length L 2  of the rubber seal  19 , both the assemblability and the waterproofness can be further improved. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the rubber seal  19  can include a resilient inner tube  19   c  defining the through hole  19   a,  a resilient outer tube  19   d  provided radially outwardly of the resilient inner tube  19   c,  and a bottom wall or annular wall  19   e  radially connecting the resilient inner tube  19   c  and the resilient outer tube  19   d.  An annular clearance defined between the resilient inner tube  19   c  and the resilient outer tube  19   d  of the rubber seal  19  constitutes the annular recess  19   b.  This annular recess  19   b  facilitates the resilient deformation of the rubber seal  19  and, thus, facilitates an operation of assembling the rubber seal  19  with the wire inserting portion  17 . Further, a thickness of the resilient inner tube  19   c,  a thickness of the resilient outer tube  19   d  and a radial dimension of the annular wall  19   e  can be independently set. For example, radial dimensions of the resilient inner tube  19   c,  the resilient outer tube  19   d  and the annular wall  19   e  can be independently set according to an outer diameter of the wire member  12  and/or according to an inner diameter of the wire inserting portion  17  of the housing  13 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the wire inserting portion  17  of the housing  13  can have a stopper surface or step  17   b  axially facing or in contact with the annular wall  19   e  of the rubber seal  19 . This step  17   b  suppresses the entrance of liquid such as water in the rubber seal  19  into a back side of the housing  13  beyond the step  17   b.    
     The resilient inner tube  19   c  and the resilient outer tube  19   d  of the rubber seal  19  may be in close contact with the fitting tube portion  20   a  of the retainer  20  over the entire circumference. Although not limited, the outer and inner peripheral surfaces of the fitting tube portion  20   a  of the retainer  20  may be smooth surfaces and the outer peripheral surface of the resilient inner tube  19   c  and the inner peripheral surface of the resilient outer tube  19   d  of the rubber seal  19  may be smooth surfaces. This configuration is advantageous in bringing the rubber seal  19  and the retainer  20  continuously into surface contact over an axial length. In a certain example, an operation of inserting the retainer  20  into the rubber seal  19  is facilitated. In another different example, an operation of separately mounting the rubber seal  19  and the retainer  20  into the wire inserting portion  17  is facilitated. For example, an operation of inserting the fitting tube portion  20   a  of the retainer  20  into the annular recess  19   b  of the rubber seal  19  after the rubber seal  19  is partially or entirely inserted into the wire inserting portion  17  is facilitated. 
     This embodiment can be modified and carried out as follows. This embodiment and the following modifications can be combined with each other and carried out without technically contradicting each other. 
     Although the contact length L 3  of the retainer  20  with the wire inserting portion  17  is set equal to or more than the inner diameter A 1  of the retainer  20 , i.e. equal to or more than the diameter A 2  of the wire member  12  passed through the retainer  20  in the above embodiment, there is no limitation to this and the length L 3  may be set less than the inner diameter A 1  of the retainer  20 , i.e. less than the diameter A 2  of the wire member  12 . 
     Although the depth L 2  of the annular recess  19   b  is set equal to or more than ¾ of the length L 2  of the rubber seal  19  in the above embodiment, there is no limitation to this and the depth L 1  may be set equal to or more than half the length L 2  of the rubber seal  19  and less than ¾ of the length L 2  of the rubber seal  19  or may be set less than half the length L 2  of the rubber seal  19 . 
     Although the wire inserting portion  17  has a hollow cylindrical shape in the above embodiment, there is no limitation to this and the wire inserting portion  17  may have another shape such as a rectangular tube shape. Note that, in this case, the outer shape of the rubber seal  19  preferably corresponds to the shape of the wire inserting portion. 
     Although the annular recess  19   b  and the fitting tube portion  20   a  have a circular shape in the above embodiment, there is no limitation to this and the annular recess  19   b  and the fitting tube portion  20   a  may have another annular shape such as a rectangular shape. 
     Although the retainer  20  is formed by combining the pair of retainer members  21  divided by 180° in the above embodiment, there is no limitation to this and, for example, the retainer  20  may be a single member or may be formed by combining three or more members. 
     Although the rubber seal  19  is formed into a single tubular member in the above embodiment, there is no limitation to this and, for example, the rubber seal  19  may be formed by combining two or more members. 
     Although the retainer  20  is fixed to the wire inserting portion  17  by the locking projections  20   b  being fit and locked into the locking holes  17   a  of the wire inserting portion  17  in the above embodiment, there is no limitation to this and the retainer  20  may be fixed to the wire inserting portion  17  by other than the locking projections  20   b.    
     Although the connector  11  of the above embodiment includes a pair of the wire inserting portions  17 , there is no limitation to this and the connector  11  may include, for example, only one wire inserting portion  17  or three or more wire inserting portions  17 . 
     The wire inserting portion  17  of the housing  13  of the embodiment is an example of a tubular wire draw-out port. The rubber seal  19  of the embodiment is an example of a resilient seal plug. The retainer  20  of the embodiment is an example of a plug retainer configured to prevent the detachment of the resilient seal plug from the tubular wire draw-out port. The fitting tube portion  20   a  of the embodiment is an example of a tubular projection of the retainer  20 . 
     The present disclosure includes the following implementation examples. Reference numerals of several constituent elements of illustrative embodiments are given not for limitation, but for understanding assistance. Matters described in the following implementation examples may be partly omitted or several of the matters described in the implementation examples may be selected or extracted and combined. 
     The wire inserting portion  17  of the housing  13  of the embodiment is an example of a tubular wire draw-out port. The rubber seal  19  of the embodiment is an example of a resilient seal plug. The retainer  20  of the embodiment is an example of a plug retainer configured to prevent the detachment of the resilient seal plug from the tubular wire draw-our port. The fitting tube portion  20   a  of the embodiment is an example of a tubular projection of the retainer  20 . 
     The present disclosure includes the following implementation examples. Reference numerals of several constituent elements of illustrative embodiments are given not for limitation, but for understanding assistance. Matters described in the following implementation examples may be partly omitted or several of the matters described in the implementation examples may be selected or extracted and combined. 
     [Addendum 1]A connector ( 11 ) according to one or more implementation examples of the present disclosure includes:
         a connector housing ( 13 ) having a tubular wire draw-out port ( 17 );   a wire ( 12 ) to be drawn out to outside of the connector housing ( 13 ) from the tubular wire draw-out port ( 17 ),   a resilient seal plug ( 19 ) to be mounted into the tubular wire draw-out port ( 17 ) through an opening of the tubular wire draw-out port ( 17 ) and arranged between the inner surface of the tubular wire draw-out port ( 17 ) and the outer surface of the wire ( 12 ); and   a plug retainer ( 20 ) to be mounted into the tubular wire draw-out port ( 17 ) through the opening of the tubular wire draw-out port ( 17 ) and configured to prevent the detachment of the resilient seal plug ( 19 ) from the tubular wire draw-out port ( 17 ), wherein:   the resilient seal plug ( 19 ) includes a resilient inner tube ( 19   c ) configured to contact the outer surface of the wire ( 12 ) to stop water, a resilient outer tube ( 19   d ) configured to contact the inner surface of the tubular wire draw-out port ( 17 ) to stop water and an annular groove ( 19   b ) defined by the resilient inner tube ( 19   c ) and the resilient outer tube ( 19   d ), and       

     the plug retainer ( 20 ) includes a tubular projection ( 20   a ) to be inserted into the annular groove ( 19   b ) of the resilient seal plug ( 19 ). 
     [Addendum 2] In several implementation examples, 
     the tubular projection ( 20   a ) of the plug retainer ( 20 ) may be configured to radially press the resilient inner tube ( 19   c ) of the resilient seal plug ( 19 ) toward the outer surface of the wire ( 12 ), and 
     the tubular projection ( 20   a ) of the plug retainer ( 20 ) may be configured to radially press the resilient outer tube ( 19   d ) of the resilient seal plug ( 19 ) toward the inner surface of the tubular wire draw-out port ( 17 ). 
     [Addendum 3] In several implementation examples, the resilient seal plug ( 19 ) may be configured to be mountable into the tubular wire draw-out port ( 17 ) separately from the plug retainer ( 20 ) or with the resilient seal plug ( 19 ) mounted in the plug retainer ( 20 ). 
     [Addendum 4] In several implementation examples, the tubular projection ( 20   a ) of the plug retainer ( 20 ) may be configured to slide in contact with the annular groove ( 19   b ) of the resilient seal plug ( 19 ) in an axial direction before the resilient seal plug ( 19 ) is mounted into the tubular wire draw-out port ( 17 ) or after the resilient seal plug ( 19 ) is mounted into the tubular wire draw-out port ( 17 ). 
     [Addendum 5] In several implementation examples, the connector ( 11 ) may be provided on one end part of a vehicle wiring harness. 
     LIST OF REFRENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
           11  connector 
           12  wire member 
           12   a  core 
           12   b  insulation coating 
           12   c  female terminal 
           13  housing 
           14  first cover 
           15  second cover 
           16  body portion 
           17  wire inserting portion 
           17   a  locking hole 
           18  lower housing 
           19  rubber seal 
           19   a  through hole 
           19   b  annular recess 
           20  retainer 
           20   a  locking projection 
           20   b  fitting tube portion 
           21  retainer member 
           22 ,  23  screw 
           24  cap 
         A 1  inner diameter 
         A 2  diameter 
         L 1  depth 
         L 2 , L 3  length