Patent Publication Number: US-11031726-B2

Title: Connector assembly having inflow resistant interface

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of the filing date under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2018-0133454, filed on Nov. 2, 2018, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0122086, filed on Oct. 2, 2019. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a connector assembly and, more particularly, to a connector assembly including a housing and a plug inserted in the housing. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A connector assembly may be provided in a space filled with a foaming member for thermal insulation, as in, for example, a refrigerator. In general, a foaming member is hardened after being injected in the form of liquid. Thus, when the space is filled with the foaming member, the foaming member may flow into the connector assembly provided in the space. 
     Even when a sealing structure is adopted to prevent the inflow of the foaming member into the connector assembly, it is impossible to achieve sufficient sealing due to the characteristic of the foaming member and the filling pressure. For example, in a case of a water-resistant connector, a foaming member may flow thereinto through a gap between sealing members, for example, wire seal, peripheral seal, O-ring seal, grommet, and gasket. Further, in a case of a non-water-resistant connector, a foaming member may flow into a connector even when the connector is sealed with adhesive tapes, sponges, or glues. 
     SUMMARY 
     A connector assembly includes a cap housing with a first fastener, a plug, and a position assurance member coupled to the plug and the cap housing. The plug includes a first end portion to be inserted into the cap housing, a plug-side flange protruding from an outer side of the plug, and a second fastener to be fastened to the first fastener. A first end portion of the cap housing is inserted into the plug-side flange. The position assurance member has a coupling flange into which a second end portion of the plug and a second end portion of the cap housing are inserted. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying Figures, of which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a connector assembly according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the connector assembly; 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional side view of the connector assembly, taken along line of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4A  is a sectional side view of a coupling portion of a plug and a cap housing according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 4B  is a sectional side view of a coupling portion of a plug and a cap housing according to another embodiment; 
         FIG. 4C  is a sectional side view of a coupling portion of a plug and a cap housing according to another embodiment; 
         FIG. 4D  is a sectional side view of a coupling portion of a plug and a cap housing according to another embodiment; 
         FIG. 4E  is a sectional side view of a coupling portion of a plug and a cap housing according to another embodiment; 
         FIG. 4F  is a sectional side view of a coupling portion of a plug and a cap housing according to another embodiment; 
         FIG. 4G  is a sectional side view of a coupling portion of a plug and a cap housing according to another embodiment; 
         FIG. 4H  is a sectional side view of a coupling portion of a plug and a cap housing according to another embodiment; 
         FIG. 4I  is a sectional side view of a coupling portion of a plug and a cap housing according to another embodiment; 
         FIG. 4J  is a sectional side view of a coupling portion of a plug and a cap housing according to another embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional top view of a coupling portion of a position assurance member and a cap housing in the connector assembly; 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional top view of the coupling portion of the position assurance member and a plug in the connector assembly; 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of the coupling portion of the position assurance member and the plug; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the position assurance member; and 
         FIG. 9  is a sectional side view of a first division member and a second division member of the position assurance member mated with a wire. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S) 
     Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the illustrative drawings. In denoting reference numerals to constituent elements of the respective drawings, it should be noted that the same constituent elements will be designated by the same reference numerals, if possible, even though the constituent elements are illustrated in different drawings. Further, in the following description of the present embodiments, a detailed description of publicly known configurations or functions incorporated herein will be omitted when it is determined that the detailed description obscures the subject matters of the present embodiments. 
     In addition, the terms first, second, A, B, (a), and (b) may be used to describe constituent elements of the embodiments. These terms are used only for the purpose of discriminating one constituent element from another constituent element, and the nature, the sequences, or the orders of the constituent elements are not limited by the terms. When one constituent element is described as being “connected”, “coupled”, or “attached” to another constituent element, it should be understood that one constituent element can be connected or attached directly to another constituent element, and an intervening constituent element can also be “connected”, “coupled”, or “attached” to the constituent elements. 
     The constituent element, which has the same common function as the constituent element included in any one embodiment, will be described by using the same name in other embodiments. Unless disclosed to the contrary, the configuration disclosed in any one embodiment may be applied to other embodiments, and the specific description of the repeated configuration will be omitted. 
     A connector assembly  10  according to an embodiment is shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . The connector assembly  10  comprises a cap housing  11 , a plug  13 , and a position assurance member  15  to be coupled to respective end portions of the cap housing  11  and the plug  13 . The cap housing  11  and the plug  13  respectively include a plurality of terminals T 1  and T 2  provided therein, and wires W 1  and W 2  are respectively connected to the terminals T 1  and T 2 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a portion of the cap housing  11  coupled to the plug  13  is a first end portion  111 , and an opposite portion of the cap housing  11  is a second end portion  112 . A portion of the plug  13  coupled to the cap housing  11  is a first end portion  131 , and an opposite portion of the plug  13  is a second end portion  132 . 
     To maintain the coupling state of the cap housing  11  and the plug  13 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a first fastener  113  is formed on the cap housing  11  and a second fastener  133  is formed on outer sides of the plug  13 . In an embodiment, the second fastener  133  may have a shape of a locking bump protruding from at least one position on the outer side of the plug  13 . The first fastener  113 , in an embodiment, has a shape of an outer latch to be caught and coupled to the second fastener  133 , and may be in the shape of a cantilever formed to extend toward a direction in which the first fastener  113  is coupled to the plug  13  in the cap housing  11 . The shape of the second fastener  133  and the shape of the first fastener  113  may be different in other embodiments; the first fastener  113  and the second fastener  133  may have various shapes to be fastened to each other so as to maintain the coupling state thereof. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the second fastener  133  is formed on an outer side of a plug-side flange  134 . By forming the second fastener  133  in this manner, a length of external exposure of the plug  13  may be reduced, and the length of the first fastener  113  may be reduced. Further, it may be easy to match the height of the first fastener  113  and the second fastener  133  in view of the thickness and the protruding height of the cap housing  11  when the first fastener  113  protrudes from the cap housing  11 . 
     In the shown embodiment, the first fastener  113  and the second fastener  133  each are formed at one position. In other embodiments, the first fastener  113  and the second fastener  133  may be formed at a plurality of positions, including being formed at two positions, for example, on the top surface and the bottom surface. 
     Because the first end portion  131  is inserted into the cap housing  11 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , the first end portion  111  of the cap housing  11  may be positioned on the outer surface of the plug  13 . At a position corresponding to the first end portion  111  of the cap housing  11  on the outer surface of the plug  13 , the plug-side flange  134  is formed such that the first end portion  111  of the cap housing  11  may be inserted thereinto. 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , the plug-side flange  134  is bent approximately in a “square U” shape toward the cap housing  11 , such that the first end portion  111  of the cap housing  11  may be inserted thereinto. The plug-side flange  134  may be formed along the entire outer circumference of the plug  13 . By bending the plug-side flange  134  and inserting the first end portion  11  of the cap housing  111  thereinto, an inflow of a foaming member into the connector assembly  10  may be prevented through a gap between the first end portion  11  of the cap housing  111  and the outer sides of the plug  13 . Further, although a separate member is not provided, the inflow of the foaming member may be prevented using only a coupling structure of the cap housing  11  and the plug  13 . 
     The foaming member is injected in the form of liquid, and thus the pressure at the time of filling may cause an inflow of the foaming member into the connector assembly  10 , such as through the coupling portion of the cap housing  11  and the plug  13 . In this embodiment, to prevent the inflow of the foaming member into the connector assembly  10 , the coupling portion of the cap housing  11  and the plug  13  may be provided in various shapes. 
     A coupling portion of the cap housing  11  and the plug  13  according to various embodiments is shown in  FIGS. 4A-4J .  FIGS. 4A-4J  illustrate only the plug-side flange  134  and the first end portion  111  of the cap housing  11 ; the reference numeral of the plug-side flange  134  and the reference numeral of the first end portion  111  of the cap housing  11  are each followed by a to j, respectively corresponding to  FIGS. 4A-4J , to differentiate the various embodiments. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4A-4J , the plug-side flange  134  and the first end portion  111  of the cap housing  11  may form a plurality of stepped portions and be provided in the corresponding shapes so as to be coupled to each other. When a plurality of stepped portions are formed at each of the plug-side flange  134  and the first end portion  111  of the cap housing  11 , routes along which the foaming member is to flow into the connector assembly  10  may become relatively complex and long. Thus, the inflow of the foaming member may be prevented more effectively. The shapes of the embodiments of  FIGS. 4A-4J , however, are merely exemplary, and the shapes of the plug-side flange  134  and the first end portion  111  of the cap housing  11  are not limited thereto. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , the position assurance member  15  is provided in each of the second end portion  112  of the cap housing  11  and the second end portion  132  of the plug  13 . The position assurance member provided in the cap housing  11  is a first position assurance member  15   a  and the position assurance member provided in the plug  13  is a second position assurance member  15   b . However, because the first and second position assurance members  15   a  and  15   b  are substantially the same, the first and second position assurance members  15   a  and  15   b  will be collectively referred to as the position assurance member  15  unless there is a need to describe the first and second position assurance members  15   a  and  15   b  separately. 
     The position assurance member  15 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , includes wire holes  152  through which the wires W 1  and W 2  may be inserted, a latch  153  protruding a predetermined length at a portion to be inserted into the plug  13  or the cap housing  11 , and a coupling flange  151  into which each of the second end portion  112  of the cap housing  11  and the second end portion  132  of the plug  13  is to be inserted. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5-7 , latch fastening grooves  114  and  135  may be formed respectively on inner sides of the cap housing  11  and the plug  13 , such that the latch  153  of the position assurance member  15  may be caught and coupled thereto. When the position assurance member  15  is inserted into each of the second end portion  112  of the cap housing  11  and the second end portion  132  of the plug  13 , the latch  153  may be caught and coupled to the latch fastening groove  114  or  135  in the connector assembly  10 , whereby the position assurance member  15  may be coupled and the coupling state may be maintained. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the coupling flange  151  may be formed to prevent the inflow of the foaming member through the position assurance member  15  and the coupling portion of the plug  13  and the cap housing  11 . The coupling flange  151  may be formed along the entire outer circumference of the position assurance member  15 . Similar to the plug-side flange  134 , the coupling flange  151  may also be bent approximately in the “square U” shape, such that each of the second end portion  112  of the cap housing  11  and the second end portion  132  of the plug  13  may be inserted thereinto. Further, similar to the plug-side flange  134 , the coupling flange  151  may form a plurality of stepped portions, as shown in  FIGS. 4A-4J . 
     The position assurance member  15 , as shown in  FIGS. 5-9 , may be divided into a first division member  510  and a second division member  520 , provided in a structure to engage with each other while the wires W 1  and W 2  are disposed therebetween. In an embodiment shown in  FIG. 8 , the position assurance member  15  includes an assurance connector  530  connecting the first division member  510  and the second division member  520 . 
     The first division member  510  and the second division member  520 , as shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , include semi-cylindrical wire grooves  511  and  521  formed to fit on an outer circumferential surface of the wires W 1  and W 2 , a plurality of first locking portions  513 ,  523  on surfaces thereof to be coupled to each other, a plurality of second locking portions  514 ,  524  on the outer sides of the first division member  510  and the second division member  520 , and a plurality of sealing stepped portions  515  and  525 . 
     The wire grooves  511  and  521  form the wire holes  152  when the first division member  510  and the second division member  520  are coupled. The position assurance member  15 , as shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , includes a plurality of uneven portions  512  and  522  on the inner circumferential surface of the wire grooves  511  and  521  to press the outer circumferential surface of the wires W 1  and W 2 . The uneven portions  512  and  522  may be provided in the shape of a band with a predetermined width corresponding to the outer circumference of the wires W 1  and W 2 . A plurality of uneven portions  512  and  522  may be formed along the longitudinal direction of the wires W 1  and W 2 . In this example, when the first division member  510  and the second division member  520  are coupled to the wires W 1  and W 2 , the uneven portions  512  and  522  may press the outer circumferential surface of the wires W 1  and W 2 . Thus, the position assurance member  15  may prevent an inflow of a foaming member through gaps between the wire holes  152  and the outer circumferential surface of the wires W 1  and W 2 . 
     The position assurance member  15  may include the latch  153  on one of the first division member  510  and the second division member  520 , as shown in  FIG. 8 . In the shown embodiment, the latch  153  is formed on the second division member  520 . In another embodiment, the latch  153  may be formed on the first division member  510 . The latch  153  is formed on only one of the first division member  510  and the second division member  520 ; the structure of the position assurance member  15  may be simplified, and the position assurance member  15  may be fixed to the cap housing  11  and the plug  13 . 
     The second division member  520  in the position assurance member  15  may be fixed to the cap housing  11  and the plug  13  by the latch  153 . By forming the first locking portions  513  and  523  and the second locking portions  514  and  524 , a separation of the first division member  510  and the second division member  520  from each other may be prevented. 
     The first locking portions  513  and  523 , as shown in  FIG. 8 , include a plurality of projections  513  formed to protrude from the surface of the first division member  510  coupled to the second division member  520 , and a plurality of grooves  523  formed on the second division member  520 , such that the projections  513  may be inserted thereinto. However, the positions and the shapes of the projections  513  and the grooves  523  in the first locking portions  513  and  523  are not limited thereto. In another example, the first locking portions  513  and  523  may include grooves formed on the first division member  510  and projections formed on the second division member  520 . In a state in which the position assurance member  15  is coupled to the cap housing  11  and the plug  13 , the projections  513  may be coupled to the grooves  523 , thereby maintaining the fixing state of the first division member  510  and the second division member  520  and preventing a separation thereof from each other. 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , the second locking portions  514  and  524  may include protrusions  514  formed outward from the first division member  510 , and protruding pieces  524  formed on the second division member  520 , so as to be locked with the protrusions  514 . However, the positions and the shapes of the protrusions  514  and the protruding pieces  524  in the second locking portions  514  and  524  are not limited thereto. In another example, the second locking portions  514  and  524  may include protruding pieces formed on the first division member  510  and protrusions formed on the second division member  520 . In a state in which the position assurance member  15  is coupled to the cap housing  11  and the plug  13 , the protruding pieces  524  may be locked with the protrusions  514 , thereby maintaining the fixing state of the first division member  510  and the second division member  520  and preventing a separation thereof from each other. 
     The sealing stepped portions  515  and  525 , shown in  FIG. 8 , may prevent an inflow of a foaming member through the coupling portion of the first division member  510  and the second division member  520 . For example, a first sealing stepped portion  515  having a predetermined stepped shape may be formed along an edge of the first division member  510 , and a second sealing stepped portion  525  may be formed to protrude to a predetermined height along an edge of the second division member  520 , so as to cover the outer side of the first sealing stepped portion  515 . However, the positions and the shapes of the sealing stepped portions  515  and  525  in the first division member  510  and the second division member  520  are not limited thereto. In another example, the sealing stepped portions  515  and  525  may include a sealing stepped portion formed to protrude from the first division member  510 , and a sealing stepped portion having a predetermined shape not protruding from the edge of the second division member  520 . By forming the sealing stepped portions  515  and  525  on the first division member  510  and the second division member  520  such that the edges of the first division member  510  and the second division member  520  may overlap, an inflow of a foaming member into the position assurance member  15  and the connector assembly  10  through the coupling portion and the edges of the first division member  510  and the second division member  520  may be effectively prevented. 
     By forming the plug-side flange  134  on the coupling portion of the cap housing  11  and the plug  13  and forming the coupling flange  151  on the coupling portion of the position assurance member  15  and the cap housing  11  and the coupling portion of the position assurance member  15  and the plug  13 , an inflow of the foaming member into the connector assembly  10  through the coupling portions of the components may be prevented. Further, an inflow of the foaming member into the connector assembly  10  may be prevented using only the coupling structure of the components, without using a separate member.