Patent ID: 12206206

DETAILED DESCRIPTION TO EXECUTE THE INVENTION

Description of Embodiments of Present Disclosure

First, embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described below.

(1) A wire cover-equipped connector according to the present disclosure is a wire cover-equipped connector including: a housing including a wire lead-out surface; and a wire cover configured to be disposed on the housing so as to cover the wire lead-out surface, wherein the housing includes a slide-receiving portion at a position in line with the wire lead-out surface, the wire cover includes a slide portion configured to slide against the slide-receiving portion, and a wire escape space formed so as to be separated from the slide-receiving portion, and the slide portion includes, in a front end thereof in a sliding direction of sliding against the slide-receiving portion, a wire guiding portion inclined in a direction opposite to the sliding direction while extending toward the wire escape space. With such a configuration, when the wire cover is being attached to the housing, a wire located forward of the slide portion of the wire cover is guided to the wire escape space by the wire guiding portion formed so as to be separated from the slide-receiving portion. Accordingly, when the wire cover is being attached, the wire can be prevented from being caught on the wire cover.

(2) The slide-receiving portion may be a wall provided at a position where the slide-receiving portion overlaps the slide portion in an inner/outer direction of the wire cover. With this configuration, when the wire cover is being attached, a wire that has come in contact with the wire guiding portion moves along the incline of the wire guiding portion and into the wire escape space, and thus the wire is prevented from being pinched between the slide-receiving portion and the slide portion.

(3) It is preferable that the slide-receiving portion protrudes in a lead-out direction in which the wire is lead out from the wire lead-out surface, and the wire escape space is formed at a position shifted in the lead-out direction of the wire relative to a protruding end of the slide-receiving portion. With this configuration, the wire is moved to a position shifted away from the slide-receiving portion, and thus the wire can be prevented from being pinched between the wire cover and the housing.

(4) It is preferable that the slide portion includes, in the front end thereof in the sliding direction, an escape recess that is recessed rearward in the sliding direction. With this configuration, the wire is moved to the escape recess formed in the front end of the slide portion, and thus the wire can be prevented from being pinched between the slide portion and the slide-receiving portion.

(5) It is preferable that the-receiving portion includes an inclined second guiding portion inclined inward in the wire cover while extending forward in the sliding direction. With this configuration, when a wire comes in contact with the second guiding portion provided in the slide-receiving portion, the wire is guided into the wire cover. Accordingly, when the wire cover is being attached, a wire can be prevented from being caught on the wire cover.

Detailed Description of Embodiment of the Present Disclosure

Specific examples of a wire cover-equipped connector C of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to these illustrative examples, but is indicated by the claims, and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.

As shown inFIG.1, the wire cover-equipped connector C includes a housing10and a wire cover20. The housing10has a wire lead-out surface11from which wires W are lead out. The wire lead-out surface11is provided with opening portions from which the wires W are lead out, and by leading out the wires W from these opening portions, the wires W extend out from the wire lead-out surface11. The wire cover20covers the wire lead-out surface11and houses the wires W therein.

Below, for each of the constituent members, the side on which the wire cover20is attached (upper side inFIG.1) is the upper side, and the side opposite to the side on which the wire cover20is attached (lower side inFIG.1) is the lower side. The forward side in the direction in which the wire cover20is moved when attaching the wire cover20to the housing10(right side inFIG.1) is the front side, and the rear side in the direction in which the wire cover20is moved when attaching the wire cover20to the housing10(left side inFIG.1) is the rear side. Also, in the following description, the near side in a direction orthogonal to the sheet plane ofFIG.1is the right side, and the far side is the left side. Note that the position of the wire cover20inFIG.1is the position of the wire cover20once it has been moved and attached to the housing10.

The housing10is made of a synthetic resin. The housing10has an elongated shape in the front-rear direction. As shown inFIG.2, the housing10is provided with terminal housing chambers18that each house a terminal fitting. The terminal housing chambers18are arranged in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction.

Terminal fittings are housed in the terminal housing chambers18from above. Each terminal fitting is connected to a terminal end of a wire W. The wires W extend out upward from the wire lead-out surface11of the housing10. A bundle of wires W are bent forward inside the wire cover20.

As shown inFIGS.2to4, guide frames12are respectively provided on the left and right sides of the wire lead-out surface11(two sides of the wire lead-out surface11in a direction orthogonal to a sliding direction). The guide frames12protrude upward from the wire lead-out surface11. Each guide frame12is elongated in the front-rear direction.

As shown inFIGS.2to4, each guide frame12is provided with rail portions13. The rail portions13are fitted to corresponding rail-receiving portions25provided in the wire cover20(seeFIG.5). The rail portions13protrude outward from the upper end of each guide frame12(the rail portions13provided on the right guide frame12protrude rightward, and the rail portions13provided on the left guide frame12protrude leftward).

As shown inFIGS.2to4, three rail portions13are provided spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction. The three rail portions13are lined up in a straight line. Each rail portion13is longer in the front-rear direction than it is in the left-right direction. Among the three rail portions13, the front-rear lengths of the rail portion13disposed at the front end and the rail portion13disposed at the rear end are smaller than the front-rear length of the rail portion13provided at the center in the front-rear direction. The rail portion13disposed at the rear end also functions as a lock-receiving portion14to which a lock portion27of the wire cover20is locked.

As shown inFIGS.2to4, the housing10has slide-receiving portions15. As shown inFIG.1, slide portions22provided on the wire cover20slide against the slide-receiving portions15when the wire cover20is being attached. The slide-receiving portions15protrude upward (the lead-out direction of the wires W) from the wire lead-out surface11.

As shown inFIGS.2and3, the slide-receiving portions15are provided at positions (on left and right sides) in line with the wire lead-out surface11. The slide-receiving portions15provided on the left side of the wire lead-out surface11are walls that protrude along the left side surface of the housing10. The slide-receiving portions15provided on the right side of the wire lead-out surface11are walls that protrude upward along the right side surface of the housing10.

As shown inFIG.3, the slide-receiving portions15are located outward of the rail portions13(the right slide-receiving portions15are located rightward of the right rail portions13, and the left slide-receiving portions15are located leftward of the left rail portions13).

As shown inFIG.3, the rear surfaces of the slide-receiving portions15are each provided with a second guiding portion17. Each second guiding portion17is formed on an inner corner portion of the rear surface of the corresponding slide-receiving portion15(a corner portion on the left side of the right slide-receiving portions15, and a corner portion on the right side of the left slide-receiving portions15). The second guiding portion17is an inclined surface that is inclined inward in the wire cover20while extending forward (forward in the moving direction of the wire cover20). The second guiding portion17is formed extending the entire length between the upper and lower ends of the slide-receiving portion15.

As shown inFIG.4, two slide-receiving portions15are provided spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction, on each of the left and right sides of the housing10. Each slide-receiving portion15is longer in the front-rear direction than it is in the vertical direction. The vertical length of the slide-receiving portion15is equal to the vertical length of the guide frame12.

As shown inFIG.4, the rear surface of each slide-receiving portion15is provided with an inclined surface16that is inclined upward while extending forward. The inclined surface16of the front slide-receiving portion15is formed extending the entire length between the upper and lower ends of the front slide-receiving portion15. The inclined surface16of the rear slide-receiving portion15is formed in a smaller vertical range than the inclined surface16of the front slide-receiving portion15is. A front surface15A of each slide-receiving portion15is perpendicular to the wire lead-out surface11.

The wire cover20is moved along the wire lead-out surface11and attached to the housing10. The wire cover20is made of a synthetic resin. As shown inFIGS.5and6, the wire cover20has a main body portion21and slide portions22. The main body portion21has a cap shape that is elongated in the front-rear direction. The main body portion21includes a pair of left and right side surface portions23and an upper surface portion24that connects the upper ends of the pair of side surface portions23. The upper surface portion24opposes the wire lead-out surface11when the wire cover20is attached to the housing10. The lower face and the front face of the main body portion21are open.

When attaching the wire cover20to the housing10, the slide portions22are slid along the slide-receiving portions15of the housing10. As shown inFIG.5, the pair of slide portions22are provided on the left and right sides of the wire cover20. The left and right slide portions22are symmetrical with respect to the center in the left-right direction of the wire cover20.

As shown inFIGS.5and6, the slide portions22are elongated in the front-rear direction along respective bottom edges of the side surface portions23of the main body portion21. The slide portions22protrude inward of the side surface portions23(the left slide portion22protrudes rightward of the left side surface portion23, and the right slide portion22protrudes leftward of the right side surface portion23).

As shown inFIG.5, a sliding surface31is provided on the outer surface of each slide portion22(the right surface of the right slide portion22and the left surface of the left slide portion22). The sliding surface31extends rearward from the front end of the slide portion22. As shown inFIG.7, the sliding surfaces31slide along upper surfaces15C of the slide-receiving portions15of the housing10.

As shown inFIGS.8and10, the front end of each slide portion22is provided with an escape recess32. The escape recess32is formed outward of the front end of the slide portion22(the right escape recess32is provided on the right side of the corresponding slide portion22, and the left escape recess32is provided on the left side of the corresponding slide portion22). The escape recess32is provided in a region above (in the lead-out direction of the wires W) the upper surfaces (protruding ends)15C of the slide-receiving portions15. The escape recess32has a recessed inclined surface32A that is inclined outward while extending toward the rear side. The lower end of the recessed inclined surface32A is continuous with the front end of the sliding surface31. The upper end of the recessed inclined surface32A is continuous with a lower edge21A of the main body portion21.

As shown inFIG.5, each slide portion22is provided with a rail-receiving portion25to which the corresponding rail portions13of the housing10are fitted. The rail-receiving portion25is a groove that is recessed outward from the inner surface of the slide portion22(the right surface of the left slide portion22and the left surface of the right slide portion22).

The rail-receiving portion25includes an opening portion25A in the front surface of the slide portion22. The opening portion25A of the rail-receiving portion25is an access port for the rail portion13. The opening portion25A of the rail-receiving portion25is provided with a tapered portion26that guides in the rail portion13. The tapered portion26is inclined such that the size of the opening portion25A in the left-right and vertical directions decreases rearward.

As shown inFIG.5, the slide portion22is provided with a second groove28that is separate from the rail-receiving portion25. The second groove28is a groove that is recessed upward from the upper surface of the rail-receiving portion25. The second groove28has an opening portion28A in the front surface of the slide portion22. The opening portion28A of the second groove28has an elongated shape in the vertical direction. The lower end of the opening portion28A of the second groove28is continuous with the inner end portion of the opening portion25A of the rail-receiving portion25. The opening portion28A of the second groove28and the opening portion25A of the rail-receiving portion25intersect each other at a right angle.

As shown inFIG.6, the rear end portion of the slide portion22is provided with the lock portion27that locks to the lock-receiving portion14provided in the housing10. The lock portion27protrudes downward from the upper surface of the rail-receiving portion25. The lock portion27can be elastically displaced in the vertical direction.

As shown inFIG.6, the rail-receiving portion25is provided at a position lower than the lower edge21A of the main body portion21. In a state where the wire cover20is attached to the housing10, the lower edges21A of the main body portion21extend parallel to the upper ends of the slide portions22. A gap larger than the outer diameter of a wire W is formed between the lower edge21A of the main body portion21and the upper end of the slide portion22. The gap between the lower edge21A of the main body portion21and the upper end of the slide portion22is open forward.

As shown inFIG.7, the slide portion22includes a wire guiding portion29that guides a wire W located forward of the slide portion22into a wire escape space S. Wire escape spaces S are located forward of the front surfaces of the slide portions22, respectively. The wire escape spaces S are distanced from the slide-receiving portions15in a direction orthogonal to the wire lead-out surface11. Each wire escape space S is located at a position higher than the rail-receiving portion25. The wire escape spaces S are formed inward of the side surface portions23(the left wire escape space S is on the right side of the left side surface portion23and the right wire escape space S is on the left side of the right side surface portion23). The wire escape spaces S are provided at positions shifted upward (in the lead-out direction of the wires W) from the upper surfaces15C of the slide-receiving portions15.

The wire guiding portion29is an inclined surface that is formed on the front surface of the slide portion22. The wire guiding portion29is inclined toward the wire escape space S while extending from the front end toward the rear end. In other words, the wire guiding portion29is inclined rearward (in a direction in which the wire cover20is removed from the housing10) while extending from the lower end to the upper end. The wire guiding portion29is formed in a region inward of the escape recess32, in the front surface of the slide portion22(seeFIG.5). As shown inFIG.8, in a state where the wire guiding portion29and the inclined surface16of the slide-receiving portion15face each other in the front-rear direction, the distance between the wire guiding portion29and the inclined surface16in the front-rear direction increases upward. The wire guiding portion29has an incline that is the inverse of that of the inclined surface16of the slide-receiving portion15.

Next, an example of operations for assembling the wire cover-equipped connector C will be described.

First, terminal fittings are housed in the housing10. The terminal fittings fixed to terminal ends of the wires W are inserted into terminal housing chambers18from the wire lead-out surface11side of the housing10. Once the terminal fittings are housed in the terminal housing chambers18, the wires W enter a state where they extend from the wire lead-out surface11.

Next, the wire cover20is attached to the housing10. Specifically, first, the front end portions of the rail-receiving portions25of the wire cover20are respectively fitted to the rail portions13at the rear end of the housing10from the rear side. In doing so, as shown inFIG.8, the sliding surfaces31of the slide portions22of the wire cover20extend along the upper surfaces15C of the slide-receiving portions15of the housing10. Also, as shown inFIG.9, outer side surfaces22A of the slide portions22of the wire cover20extend along inner side surfaces15B of the slide-receiving portions15of the housing10. Specifically, the left side surface of the right slide-receiving portion15extends along the right side surface of the right slide portion22, and the right side surface of the left slide-receiving portion15extends along the left side surface of the left slide portion22.

Next, the wire cover20is moved forward. The wire cover20is guided in a straight line due to the rail portions13being fitted to the rail-receiving portions25. The bundle of electric wires W are bent inward in the main body portion21along with the movement of the wire cover20. At this time, there are cases where a wire W may extend out from the main body portion21(on the left or right side of the main body portion21). As shown inFIG.8, the wire W extending out from the main body portion21comes in contact with the wire guiding portion29of the slide portion22, and is moved to the wire escape space S as the wire cover20moves forward. Here, before the wire W is completely moved to the wire escape space S, the distance in the front-rear direction between the wire guiding portion29and the inclined surface16may become smaller than the outer diameter of the wire W. In this case, the wire W can escape to the escape recess32formed in the front end of the slide portion22. Accordingly, the wire W can be prevented from being pinched between the wire guiding portion29and the inclined surface16. In this manner, the wire W is guided to a position above the upper end of the slide-receiving portion15so as to not become pinched between the wire guiding portion29and the inclined surface16. Also, the wire W comes in contact with the second guiding portion17of the slide-receiving portion15and is guided into the main body portion21. Here, even if the wire W is not entirely positioned inside the main body portion21, the wire W can be prevented from being pinched between the slide portion22and the slide-receiving portion15, as a result of being positioned between the lower end21A of the main body portion21and the upper surface15C of the slide-receiving portion15.

Ultimately, the wire cover20reaches the correct attachment position, and the lock portions27lock to the lock-receiving portions14, respectively. With the above, the operations for assembling the wire cover-equipped connector C are completed.

Next, operation and effects of the wire cover-equipped connector C with the aforementioned configuration will be described.

The wire cover-equipped connector C includes the housing10and the wire cover20. The housing10has the wire lead-out surface11. The wire cover20is disposed on the housing10so as to cover the wire lead-out surface11. The housing10has the slide-receiving portions15that are provided at positions in line with the wire lead-out surface11. The wire cover20has the slide portions22that slide against the slide-receiving portions15, and the wire escape spaces S formed so as to be separated from the slide-receiving portions15. Each slide portion22has, in the front end thereof in the sliding direction of sliding against the slide-receiving portions15, the wire guiding portion29that is inclined rearward (opposite to the sliding direction) while extending toward the wire escape space S.

With this configuration, when the wire cover20is attached to the housing10, a wire W located forward of the slide portion22of the wire cover20is guided away from the slide-receiving portion15by the wire guiding portion29. Accordingly, when attaching the wire cover20, the wire W can be prevented from being caught on the slide portion22of the wire cover20.

The slide-receiving portions15are walls provided at positions where they overlap the slide portions22from the outside. With this configuration, when attaching the wire cover20, a wire W that comes in contact with the wire guiding portion29moves along the incline of the wire guiding portion29and into the wire escape space S, and thus the wire W is prevented from being pinched between the slide-receiving portion15and the slide portion22.

The slide-receiving portions15protrude in the lead-out direction of the wires W, from the wire lead-out surface11. The wire escape spaces S are formed at positions shifted upward from the upper surfaces15C of the slide-receiving portions15. With this configuration, a wire W is moved to a position shifted away from the slide-receiving portions15, and thus the wire W can be prevented from being pinched between the wire cover20and the housing10.

The front end of each slide portion22is provided with the escape recess32that is recessed rearward. With this configuration, a wire W is moved into the escape recess32in the front end of the slide portion22, and the wire W can be prevented from being pinched between the slide portion22and the slide-receiving portion15.

Each slide-receiving portion15has an inclined second guiding portion17that is inclined inward in the wire cover20while extending forward in the sliding direction. With this configuration, if a wire W comes in contact with the second guiding portion17provided on the slide-receiving portion15, the wire W is guided inward in the wire cover20. Thus, when the wire cover20is being attached, the wire W can be prevented from being caught on the slide portion22of the wire cover20.

Other Embodiments of Present Disclosure

The disclosed embodiments are exemplary in all regards and are not to be considered limiting.

(1) In the above embodiment, the slide-receiving portions15protrude upward from the wire lead-out surface11, but in another embodiment, a slide-receiving portion may protrude rightward from the right side surface of the housing and leftward from the left side surface of the housing.

(2) In the above embodiment, the rear surface of each slide-receiving portion15is provided with the second guiding portion17, but in another embodiment, the second guiding portion may be provided on a slide portion of the wire cover. In this case, the front surface of the slide portion may be provided with the second guiding portion.

(3) In the above embodiment, the slide portions22are located inward of the slide-receiving portions15, but in another embodiment, the slide portions may be located outward of the slide-receiving portions.

(4) Examples of the number of and shapes of the slide portions22and the slide-receiving portions15were given in the above embodiment, but in another embodiment, the number and shapes of slide portions and slide-receiving portions may be changed.

(5) In the above embodiment, the wire guiding portion29is an inclined surface, but in another embodiment, the guiding portion may be a curved surface.

(6) In the above embodiment, the escape recess32has the recessed inclined surface32A, but in another embodiment, the escape recess may have a curved recessed surface or the like instead of an inclined surface.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

C Wire cover-equipped connectorS Wire escape spaceW Wire10Housing11Wire lead-out surface12Guide frame13Rail portion14Lock-receiving portion15Slide-receiving portion15A Front surface15B Inner surface15C Upper surface16Inclined surface17Second guiding portion18Terminal housing chamber20Wire cover21Main body portion21A Lower edge22Slide portion22A Outer surface23Side surface portion24Upper surface portion25Rail-receiving portion25A Opening portion26Tapered portion27Lock portion28Second groove28A Opening portion29Wire guiding portion31Sliding surface32Escape recess32A Recessed inclined surface