Floating connector and connector assembly

Abstract

A kind of floating connector, including main body component, attachment plate, first adjusting component and second adjusting component.Main body component includes upper plate, lower plate and sleeve between upper plate and lower plate.Connection hole is in attachment plate, attachment plate is set on the outside of sleeve by connection hole, first adjusting component is integrally connected on the inner wall of the communication hole of attachment plate.Wherein, first adjusting component can provide the movement of attachment plate relative to the horizontal direction of main body component;Second adjusting component can provide the movement of attachment plate relative to the vertical direction of main body component.The connector of the application can realize three-way floating structure with controllable floating amount by simple structure, which reduces the precision requirement of part installation position, and is also beneficial to the automation of assembly.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to a floating connector and a connector assembly including the floating connector. Background Technology

[0002] Floating connectors are commonly used in automobiles to facilitate the alignment and connection of automotive piping using quick-connect fittings. Quick-connect fittings typically consist of a male and a female connector, which are mounted on two separate components of the vehicle. The female connector is usually fixed to a mounting plate on which the floating connector is located. This allows for successful alignment and connection of the male and female connectors even if there is a slight positional deviation between the male and female connectors during installation, thus enabling rapid installation of automotive piping. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The inventors observed that even when using floating connectors, during the process of mates and installs the male connector onto the female connector, the relative positional deviation between the male and female connectors in the floating connector often exceeds a certain range, affecting the alignment and connection, thus hindering proper assembly or even preventing assembly. This application provides a floating connector with a simple structure. Even if there is a significant relative positional deviation between the male and female connectors in the floating connector, it will not affect the alignment and connection of the connectors, thus not affecting assembly, requiring no manual intervention, and facilitating the automation of connector assembly.

[0004] One aspect of this application provides a floating connector, the floating connector including a main body, an attachment plate, a first adjusting member, and a second adjusting member. The main body includes an upper plate, a lower plate, and a sleeve disposed between the upper and lower plates. The attachment plate has a connecting hole, and the attachment plate is fitted over the sleeve through the connecting hole, located between the upper and lower plates of the main body. The inner diameter of the connecting hole is larger than the outer diameter of the sleeve, thereby forming an assembly space between the inner diameter of the connecting hole and the outer diameter of the sleeve. The first adjusting member is located in the assembly space and includes an annular portion having an inner edge, an outer edge, and a first folded portion located between the inner and outer edges. The outer edge is connected to the inner wall of the connecting hole. The second adjusting member includes a cylindrical body fitted over the sleeve, the cylindrical body having a second folded portion. The first adjusting member is disposed around the cylindrical body of the second adjusting member, and the inner edge of the first adjusting member extends integrally from the outer wall of the cylindrical body.

[0005] As described above with a floating connector, the first adjusting member is capable of elastic deformation through the first folding portion, thereby providing horizontal movement of the attachment plate relative to the main body member; and the second adjusting member is capable of elastic deformation through the folding portion, thereby providing vertical movement of the attachment plate relative to the main body member.

[0006] As described above, the first and second adjusting components are integrally made of rubber, and the attachment plate is made of plastic.

[0007] As described above, the floating connector is integrally formed with the first adjusting component through a rubber-coating injection molding process.

[0008] As described above, in the floating connector, the distance between the upper plate and the lower plate of the main body component is greater than the thickness of the attachment plate, so that the attachment plate can move between the upper plate and the lower plate.

[0009] As described above, in the floating connector, the lower plate of the main body component is integrally formed with the sleeve, and the upper plate is fastened to the sleeve.

[0010] Another aspect of this application is to provide a connector assembly, the connector assembly including any of the floating connectors described above, and also including fasteners, the fasteners being capable of connecting the floating connector to a first mounting component to be fixed via the sleeve of the floating connector.

[0011] As described above, the fastener includes a rod, a head disposed at one end of the rod, and a nut connected to the other end of the rod. The rod can be installed in the sleeve, and the first mounting piece to be fixed is connected between the upper / lower plate and the nut / head.

[0012] As described above, the floating connector has mounting holes on its attachment plate for connecting a second mounting component to be fixed.

[0013] A third aspect of this application provides a connector assembly comprising a main body, an attachment plate, a fastener, a first adjusting member, and a second adjusting member. The main body includes an upper plate, a lower plate, and a sleeve disposed between the upper and lower plates. The attachment plate has a connecting hole, and is fitted over the sleeve through the connecting hole, located between the upper and lower plates of the main body. The inner diameter of the connecting hole is larger than the outer diameter of the sleeve, thereby forming an assembly space between the inner wall of the connecting hole and the outer wall of the sleeve. The fastener includes a rod, a head at one end of the rod, and a nut connected to the other end of the rod, the rod being installed in the sleeve. The first adjusting member is located within the assembly space and includes a cylindrical portion and an annular portion integrally extending from the outer wall of the cylindrical portion. The annular portion has an inner edge and an outer edge, and a folded portion located between the inner and outer edges. The outer edge connects to the inner wall of the connecting hole, and the inner edge connects to the outer wall of the cylindrical portion. The second adjusting component is a helical spring, which is fitted onto the rod between the head and the nut of the fastener and is located above the upper plate or below the lower plate of the main body component.

[0014] As described in the third aspect above, the first adjusting member is capable of elastic deformation through the folded portion, thereby providing horizontal movement of the attachment plate relative to the main body member; and the helical spring is capable of elastic deformation, thereby providing vertical movement of the attachment plate relative to the main body member.

[0015] As described in the third aspect above, the first adjusting member is made of rubber and the attachment plate is made of plastic.

[0016] As described in the third aspect above, the attachment plate and the first adjustment component are integrally formed by a rubber-coating injection molding process.

[0017] As described in the third aspect above, in the connector assembly, the attachment plate is clamped between the upper plate and the lower plate of the main body component to restrict movement of the attachment plate between the upper plate and the lower plate.

[0018] As described in the third aspect above, in the connecting component assembly, the upper plate of the main body component is integrally formed with the sleeve, and the lower plate is fastened to the sleeve.

[0019] As described in the third aspect above, the first mounting component to be fixed is connected between the upper / lower plate and the nut / head.

[0020] As described in the third aspect above, the connector assembly has mounting holes on its attachment plate for connecting a second mounting component to be fixed.

[0021] The floating connector of this application can achieve controllable floating in the XYZ directions through a simple structure, which reduces the accuracy requirements of the installation position of the parts during the installation process and facilitates the automation of assembly. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 The three-dimensional structure of the floating connector 100 according to the first embodiment of this application is shown;

[0023] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Exploded view of the floating connector 100 shown;

[0024] Figure 3 for Figure 1 An axial sectional view of the floating connector 100 shown;

[0025] Figure 4 This is the connector assembly 400 of the first embodiment of this application;

[0026] Figure 5 for Figure 4 An axial sectional view of the connector assembly 400 shown;

[0027] Figure 6 It shows Figure 4 The three-dimensional structure of fastener 401 shown;

[0028] Figure 7 A schematic diagram showing the use of two floating connectors 100 in cooperation is shown;

[0029] Figure 8 The three-dimensional structure of the connector assembly 400 according to the second embodiment of this application is shown;

[0030] Figure 9 It shows Figure 8 An exploded view of the connector assembly 400 shown;

[0031] Figures 10A to 10C It shows Figure 9 The fitting relationship between the first adjusting component 211 and the attachment plate 101;

[0032] Figures 11A to 11B It shows Figure 8 Longitudinal sectional views of connector assembly 400 in different positions. Detailed Implementation

[0033] Various specific embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification. It should be understood that although directional terms such as "front," "rear," "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" are used in this application to describe various exemplary structural parts and elements, their use herein is merely for illustrative purposes and is based on the exemplary orientations shown in the accompanying drawings. Since the embodiments disclosed in this application can be arranged in different orientations, these directional terms are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered limiting. Where possible, the same or similar reference numerals used in this application refer to the same parts.

[0034] Figure 1 The three-dimensional structure of the floating connector 100 according to an embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 1 As shown, the floating connector 100 includes an attachment plate 101, a main body component 102, and an adjustment component 103. The attachment plate 101 is connected to the adjustment component 103, and the adjustment component 103 is connected to the main body component 102. The attachment plate 101 extends in the plane formed by the X-axis and Y-axis. The adjustment component 103 allows the attachment plate 101 to float in the plane formed by the X-axis and Y-axis, and also to float in the Z-axis direction, which is perpendicular to the plane formed by the X-axis and Y-axis. Figure 1 The roughly rectangular shape of the attachment plate 101 shown is for illustrative purposes only. In reality, the shape and size of the attachment plate 101 can be adjusted according to the application environment of the floating connector 100.

[0035] Figure 2 for Figure 1 An exploded view of the floating connector 100 is shown. It is worth noting that, as an embodiment, the attachment plate 101 and the adjusting member 103 can be integrally formed; however, for ease of understanding, this application shows the attachment plate 101 and the adjusting member 103 separately. Figure 2 As shown, the attachment plate 101 is flat and has a connecting hole 214. The connecting hole 214 has a circular cross-section. The connecting hole 214 extends through the entire attachment plate 101 in the thickness direction and is used to at least partially accommodate the main body component 102 and the adjusting component 103. The adjusting component 103 includes a first adjusting component 211 and a second adjusting component 212, and as an embodiment, the first adjusting component 211 and the second adjusting component 212 are integrally formed. The second adjusting component 212 is generally tubular and extends vertically; the first adjusting component 211 is generally annular and extends horizontally. Figure 2As shown, the first adjusting component 211 is arranged circumferentially around the outer surface of the second adjusting component 212, and the first adjusting component 211 extends integrally from the outer wall of the second adjusting component 212. The outer edge of the first adjusting component 211 is circular, and its size matches the cross-sectional size of the connection hole 214 of the attachment plate 101, so that the first adjusting component 211 can be connected to the inner wall of the connection hole 214 of the attachment plate 101. In this embodiment, the adjusting component 103 is made of rubber, and the attachment plate 101 is made of plastic, so that the attachment plate 101 can be integrally formed with the adjusting component 103 by a rubber injection molding process. The rubber material itself makes the adjusting component 103 elastic and capable of elastic deformation. However, in order to enhance the floating amount of the floating connector 100, the adjusting component 103 of this application also includes a folded portion. Through the folded structure of the folded portion, the adjusting component 103 made of rubber is easier to stretch and compress, that is, easier to undergo elastic deformation.

[0036] See Figure 3 The first adjusting component 211 includes an annular portion 307, on which a first folded portion 301 is provided. The folding structure of the first folded portion 301 extends horizontally, thereby enabling the first folded portion 301 to provide elastic deformation in the horizontal direction. The second adjusting component 212 includes a cylindrical body 309, on which a second folded portion 302 is provided. The folding structure of the second folded portion 302 extends approximately vertically, thereby enabling the second folded portion 302 to provide elastic deformation in the vertical direction. The second adjusting component 212 extends vertically along the Z-axis, while the first adjusting component 211 extends horizontally approximately in a plane formed by the X-axis and Y-axis. That is, the first adjusting component 211 can provide elastic deformation in the plane formed by the X-axis and Y-axis, and the second adjusting component 212 can provide elastic deformation in the Z-axis direction.

[0037] like Figure 2 As shown, the main component 102 includes an upper plate 233, a lower plate 234, and a sleeve 232, with the sleeve 232 connected between the upper plate 233 and the lower plate 234. In this embodiment, the lower plate 234 and the sleeve 232 are integrally formed, while the upper plate 233 and the sleeve 232 are separately disposed, and the upper plate 233 and the sleeve 232 are fastened together by an interference fit. The sleeve 232 is cylindrical and has a through hole 202 inside, which penetrates the lower plate 234. Both the upper plate 233 and the lower plate 234 are circular plates, and the upper plate 233 has a circular hole 203 at its center. The inner diameter of the circular hole 203 is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the sleeve 232, so that the sleeve 232 can be locked and fixed to the upper plate 233 by an interference fit. When the sleeve 232 is engaged with the upper plate 233, the through hole 202 inside the sleeve 232 can also penetrate the upper plate 233, thus penetrating the entire main body component 102. Figure 2As shown, the through hole 202 of the sleeve 232 passes through the upper plate 233 and the lower plate 234 at the center of the upper plate 233 and the lower plate 234, respectively.

[0038] In this embodiment, the sleeve 232 and the upper plate 233 are connected by an interference fit. In other embodiments, the upper plate 233 and the sleeve 232 can also be fastened together by other means, such as a threaded connection. In this embodiment, the upper plate 233 and the sleeve 232 are separately disposed, while the lower plate 234 and the sleeve 232 are integrally formed. In other embodiments, the lower plate 234 and the sleeve 232 can also be separately disposed, while the upper plate 233 and the sleeve 232 are integrally formed; or both the upper plate 233 and the lower plate 234 can be separately disposed from the sleeve 232.

[0039] Figure 3 for Figure 1 The axial sectional view of the floating connector 100 shown illustrates the connection relationship between the attachment plate 101, the main body component 102, and the adjusting component 103. Figure 3 As shown, the distance between the upper plate 233 and the lower plate 234 of the main component 102 is greater than the thickness of the attachment plate 101. The sleeve 232 of the main component 102 is disposed in the connecting hole 214 of the attachment plate 101. The upper plate 233 and the lower plate 234 are located on the upper and lower sides of the attachment plate 101, respectively, so that the attachment plate 101 can move between the upper plate 233 and the lower plate 234. The inner diameter of the connecting hole 214 is greater than the outer diameter of the sleeve 232, so that an assembly space 501 can be formed between the inner wall of the connecting hole 214 and the outer wall of the sleeve 232. The assembly space 501 can be used to assemble the adjusting component 103.

[0040] like Figure 3As shown, the second adjusting component 212 is sleeved on the outside of the sleeve 232. The inner diameter of the tube of the second adjusting component 212 is approximately the same as the outer diameter of the sleeve 232, so that the inner wall of the second adjusting component 212 fits against the outer wall of the sleeve 232. The tube of the second adjusting component 212 extends along the axial direction of the sleeve 232, forming two ends, an upper end 311 and a lower end 312, respectively. The axial height of the second adjusting component 212 is approximately the same as the distance between the upper and lower plates of the main body component 102, so that the second adjusting component 212 fits precisely between the upper plate 233 and the lower plate 234 of the main body component 102. The structural design of the upper plate 233 and the lower plate 234 in the main body component 102 can effectively limit the elastic deformation of the second adjusting component 212 in the Z-axis direction, that is, limit the floating of the floating connector 100 in the Z-axis direction. In this embodiment, there is a slight gap between the upper end 311 of the second adjusting member 212 and the upper plate 233, and a slight gap between the lower end 312 of the second adjusting member 212 and the lower plate 234. This arrangement allows the second adjusting member 212 to obtain a larger elastic deformation space in the Z-axis direction, thereby increasing the floating amount of the floating connector 100 in the Z-axis direction to a certain extent. In other embodiments, the axial height of the second adjusting member 212 can also be set such that the upper end 311 of the second adjusting member 212 is exactly connected to the upper plate 233, and the lower end 312 of the second adjusting member 212 is exactly connected to the lower plate 234. This arrangement reduces the floating amount of the floating connector 100 in the Z-axis direction to a certain extent, but avoids the second adjusting member 212 from colliding with the upper plate 233 or the lower plate 234 during transportation, thereby preventing the floating connector 100 from being damaged during transportation.

[0041] like Figure 3 As shown, the first adjusting component 211 is positioned at the midpoint of the axial direction of the second adjusting component 212 and is integrally connected to the second adjusting component 212. The annular portion 307 of the first adjusting component 211 has an inner edge 303 and an outer edge 304, and the first folded portion 301 is located between the inner edge 303 and the outer edge 304. The inner edge 303 of the annular portion 307 is connected to the outer wall of the second adjusting component 212, and the outer edge 304 of the annular portion 307 is connected to the inner wall 308 of the connecting hole 214.

[0042] In this embodiment, both the first folding portion 301 and the second folding portion 302 have a wave-like folding structure, which helps the adjusting component 103 to achieve elastic deformation in the XYZ directions. In other embodiments, only a portion of the structure of the first adjusting component 211 may be configured to have the first folding portion 301, or only a portion of the structure of the second adjusting component 212 may be configured to have the second folding portion 302, as long as the first adjusting component 211 and the second adjusting component 212 can achieve appropriate elastic deformation in the XYZ directions.

[0043] The attachment plate 101 has a certain thickness H. The first adjusting component 211 is connected to the inner wall of the connecting hole 214 of the attachment plate 101, and the connection point of the first adjusting component 211 on the attachment plate 101 is located at the middle position in the thickness H direction of the attachment plate 101. Since the attachment plate 101 and the first adjusting component 211 are integrally connected, and the first adjusting component 211 and the second adjusting component 212 are integrally connected, the elastic deformation of the first adjusting component 211 in the X and Y axis directions can drive the attachment plate 101 to move in the X and Y axis directions, and the elastic deformation of the second adjusting component 212 in the Z axis direction can drive the attachment plate 101 to move in the Z axis direction. The range of movement of the attachment plate 101 in the X and Y axis directions corresponds to the deformation of the first adjusting component 211 in the X and Y axis directions, and the range of movement of the attachment plate 101 in the Z axis direction corresponds to the deformation of the second adjusting component 212 in the Z axis direction. In other words, the first adjusting component 211 and the second adjusting component 212 can provide displacement floating in the XYZ directions for the attachment plate 101.

[0044] The floating connector 100 of this application has a simple structure. The adjusting component 103 is made of rubber material, and the tensile and compressive properties of the rubber material are used to achieve controllable floating in the XYZ directions. Furthermore, the floating connector 100 requires fewer parts to assemble, which facilitates automated assembly. For the integrally formed attachment plate 101 and adjusting component 103 assembly, the integrally formed lower plate 234 and sleeve 232 assembly are installed from below the adjusting component 103, so that the sleeve 232 is fitted inside the tube of the second adjusting component 212, and the lower plate 234 is located at the lower end of the second adjusting component 212. At this time, the top of the sleeve 232 extends out from above the second adjusting component 212. Then, the circular hole 203 of the upper plate 233 is aligned with the top of the sleeve 232 and installed, so that the upper plate 233 and the sleeve 232 are interference-fitted, thus completing the assembly of the floating connector 100.

[0045] Figure 4 The connector assembly 400 of the first embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 1The mating relationship between the floating connector 100 and the fastener 401 is shown. Figure 5 for Figure 4 An axial sectional view of the connector assembly 400 shown; Figure 6 It shows Figure 4 The three-dimensional structure of fastener 401 is shown. (See attached image.) Figures 4 to 6 As shown, the floating connector 100 can be used in conjunction with the fastener 401 to form a connector assembly 400. In this embodiment, the fastener 401 includes a bolt 305 and a nut 306. Figure 6 As shown, bolt 305 includes a head 601 and a shank 602. The shank 602 of bolt 305 is provided with external threads (not shown in the figure), and the nut 306 is provided with internal threads (not shown in the figure). The external threads and internal threads cooperate with each other so that the nut 306 can be fixed on bolt 305.

[0046] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, when bolt 305 and nut 306 are fitted onto the floating connector 100, the shank 602 of bolt 305 is inserted into the sleeve 232, while the head 601 of bolt 305 remains above the upper plate 233. The end of the shank 602 of bolt 305 extends a certain length from the lower surface of the lower plate 234, ensuring that even when nut 306 is fully fitted to the end of the shank 602 of bolt 305, a certain amount of accommodating space 502 remains between nut 306 and lower plate 234. This accommodating space 502 between nut 306 and lower plate 234 can accommodate the first mounting component to be fixed. (For simplified viewing,...) Figure 4 and Figure 5 The first mounting component is not shown. The first mounting component has an insertion hole through which the shank 602 of the bolt 305 can pass, thereby fixing the first mounting component between the lower plate 234 of the floating connector 100 and the nut 306 of the fastener 401. In other words, the fastener 401 can connect the floating connector 100 to the first mounting component to be fixed. In this embodiment, the first mounting component to be fixed is a fixed mounting plate on an automobile, thus the floating connector 100 can provide a three-way floating mounting structure for automobile components.

[0047] When connecting the floating connector 100 to the first mounting component to be fixed using bolts 305 and nuts 306, the shank 602 of the bolt 305 can be inserted into the sleeve 232 from above the floating connector 100, with the head 601 of the bolt 305 remaining above the upper plate 233. The floating connector 100 with the bolt 305 installed is then fixed to the upper surface of the first mounting component (i.e., the vehicle's mounting plate). The end of the shank 602 of the bolt 305 passes through the insertion hole on the first mounting component and extends out from the lower surface of the first mounting component. Finally, the nut 306 is installed from below the first mounting component at the end of the shank 602 of the bolt 305, and the nut 306 is rotated upwards until its upper surface abuts against the lower surface of the first mounting component, thus connecting the floating connector 100 to the first mounting component.

[0048] In the first embodiment of this application, the first mounting member is fixed between the lower plate 234 of the main body component 102 and the nut 306 of the fastener 401. In other embodiments, the first mounting member may also be connected between the upper plate 233 of the main body component 102 and the head 601 of the bolt 305.

[0049] Figure 7 A schematic diagram is shown of two floating connectors 100 used in conjunction, whose unique structural arrangement allows the two floating connectors 100 to be connected to the same first mounting component to be fixed. Figure 7 The two floating connectors 100 shown are related to this application. Figures 1 to 3 The floating connector 100 shown has the same structure. It is worth noting that... Figure 7 The two floating connectors 100 include two main components 102 and two adjusting components 103, but they share the same attachment plate 101. That is to say, Figure 7 The attachment plate 101 has two connecting holes 214. Each connecting hole 214 has an integrally formed adjusting component 103 on its inner wall. The two adjusting components 103 provide floating adjustment in the XYZ directions for the same attachment plate 101. To match the connection and installation of the two floating connectors 100 to the first mounting component to be fixed, the two floating connectors 100 need to be matched with two fasteners 401. The first mounting component to be fixed can have two insertion holes, the structure of which corresponds to the structure of the two fasteners 401. Thus, the two fasteners 401 can respectively fix the two floating connectors 100 to the first mounting component through the two insertion holes. The cooperative use of the two floating connectors 100 ensures both the stability of the floating adjustment of the attachment plate 101 and the secure installation of the floating connectors 100 on the first mounting component.

[0050] like Figure 7As shown, the attachment plate 101 is also provided with a mounting hole 701 for connecting a second mounting component (not shown in the figure) to be fixed. To ensure a stable mounting structure for the second mounting component, the mounting hole 701 is located in the middle of the two floating connectors 100. When the second mounting component to be fixed is installed in the mounting hole 701, the second mounting component can float in the XYZ directions with the attachment plate 101. That is, the second mounting component can achieve a certain range of floating displacement relative to the first mounting component in the XYZ directions. In this embodiment, the second mounting component is a female connector in a quick-connect fitting for automotive pipelines. The above arrangement enables the female connector of the quick-connect fitting for automotive pipelines to float in the XYZ directions relative to the automotive fixed mounting plate, so that even if the male connector has a certain positional deviation relative to the female connector during the insertion of the male connector into the female connector, the male connector and the female connector can be quickly and effectively connected together.

[0051] This application provides a floating connector with a simple structure. Even if there is a large deviation in the relative position of the male and female connectors in the floating connector, it will not affect the alignment and connection of the male and female connectors, nor will it affect the assembly. No manual intervention is required, which is conducive to the automation of connector assembly.

[0052] The floating connector 100 of this application utilizes the elasticity of the rubber material itself to achieve a three-way floating structure with controllable floating amount. It has a simple structure, which simplifies the parts installation steps of the floating connector 100. It not only reduces the positional accuracy requirements between the male and female connectors in the quick-connect fittings for automotive pipelines, but also avoids assembly failure caused by mismatch in the assembly positions of the parts during the assembly process, and is conducive to the realization of assembly automation.

[0053] In embodiments of this application, the first adjusting member 211 and the second adjusting member 212 provide elastic deformation for the adjusting member 103 through a folded portion. In other embodiments, other structures may also be used to provide elastic deformation for the first adjusting portion 211 and the second adjusting member 212. In this embodiment, the fastener 401 includes a bolt 305 and a nut 306; other forms of fastener 401 may also be used in other embodiments.

[0054] Figure 8 The three-dimensional structure of the connector assembly 400 according to the second embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 8As shown, the connector assembly 400 of the second embodiment includes a floating connector 100 and a fastener 401. The floating connector 100 includes a main body 102, an attachment plate 101, and an adjustment member 103. Similar in structure and function to the floating connector 100 of the first embodiment, in the floating connector 100 of the second embodiment, the attachment plate 101 extends in a plane formed by the X-axis and Y-axis, and the adjustment member 103 is provided so that the attachment plate 101 can float in the plane formed by the X-axis and Y-axis, and can float in the Z-axis direction perpendicular to the plane formed by the X-axis and Y-axis.

[0055] Figure 9 It shows Figure 8 An exploded view of the connector assembly 400 shown. Figure 9 As shown, the structure of the fastener 401 in the second embodiment of this application is similar to that of the fastener 401 in the first embodiment, including a bolt 305 and a nut 306. The bolt 305 includes a head 601 and a shank 602, and the nut 306 can be fastened to the shank 602 of the bolt 305.

[0056] In the second embodiment, the structure of the main component 102 is largely the same as that in the first embodiment, including an upper plate 233, a lower plate 234, and a sleeve 232. The sleeve 232 connects the upper plate 233 and the lower plate 234, which will not be described in detail here. The difference is that, unlike the structure in the first embodiment where the upper plate 233 and the sleeve 232 are separate and the lower plate 234 and the sleeve 232 are integrally formed, in the second embodiment of this application, the upper plate 233 and the sleeve 232 are integrally formed, while the lower plate 234 and the sleeve 232 are separate, and the lower plate 234 and the sleeve 232 can be fastened together by an interference fit.

[0057] The attachment plate 101 is flat and has a connecting hole 214. The connecting hole 214 has a circular cross-section and extends through the entire attachment plate 101 in the thickness direction. The attachment plate 101 also has a plurality of injection holes 901, which are evenly spaced around the outer periphery of the connecting hole 214. Each injection hole 901 is a cylindrical hole that extends along and through the thickness direction of the attachment plate 101. The plurality of injection holes 901 and the connecting hole 214 together form an assembly space 501. In the second embodiment of this application, the attachment plate 101 is made of plastic, and four injection holes 901 are arranged around the outer periphery of the connecting hole 214. In other embodiments, the attachment plate 101 can also be made of other materials, and other numbers of injection holes 901 can be provided.

[0058] The adjusting component 103 includes a first adjusting component 211 and a second adjusting component 212. In the second embodiment of this application, the first adjusting component 211 is made of rubber material, and the second adjusting component 212 is made of metal material. The first adjusting component 211 includes a cylindrical portion 902, an annular portion 307, and an injection-molded portion 904, wherein the cylindrical portion 902, the annular portion 307, and the injection-molded portion 904 are integrally formed. The first adjusting component 211 is capable of elastic deformation in the plane formed by the X-axis and Y-axis, which helps the attachment plate 101 float in the plane formed by the X-axis and Y-axis. The second adjusting component 212 is a helical spring 903. The helical spring 903 is generally cylindrical and extends helically along the Z-axis direction. The helical spring 903 is capable of elastic deformation in the Z-axis direction, which helps the attachment plate 101 float in the Z-axis direction.

[0059] Figures 10A to 10C It shows Figure 9 The mating relationship between the first adjusting component 211 and the attachment plate 101. Figure 10A This illustrates the three-dimensional structure in which the first adjusting component 211 is connected to the attachment plate 101. Figure 10B and Figure 10C The diagram shows longitudinal sectional views of the assembly in which the first adjusting component 211 mates with the attachment plate 101 at different positions. Figure 10C This is a sectional view on the plane formed by the X and Z axes. For example... Figure 10A , Figure 10B and Figure 10C As shown, the first adjusting component 211 is installed in the assembly space 501 of the attachment plate 101 and is connected to the attachment plate 101 by an overmolding process. The cylindrical portion 902 of the first adjusting component 211 is generally cylindrical and extends along the Z-axis. The annular portion 307 extends integrally from the outer wall 1001 of the cylindrical portion 902. The annular portion 307 has an inner edge 303 and an outer edge 304. The inner edge 303 is connected to the outer wall 1001 of the cylindrical portion 902, and the outer edge 304 is connected to the inner wall 308 of the connection hole 214 of the attachment plate 101. In the second embodiment of this application, the outer edge 304 of the annular portion 307 is completely embedded in the attachment plate 101. The arrangement of the cylindrical portion 902 helps to relatively fix the annular component 307 on one side of the inner edge 303. The annular portion 307 has a folded portion 1004 between the inner edge 303 and the outer edge 304. Figure 10B and Figure 10C The longitudinal section of the folded portion 1004 is approximately "V" shaped. The "V" shaped structure allows the folded portion 1004 to undergo elastic stretching and compression movements in the plane formed by the X and Y axes.

[0060] Injection section 904 includes two annular injection sections 1006 and multiple cylindrical injection sections 1007. Figure 10C This shows a longitudinal sectional view through the two cylindrical injection-molded sections 1007. Combined with... Figure 9 , Figure 10A , Figure 10B and Figure 10C As can be seen, the two annular injection molding portions 1006 are identical in size and shape, each circular, and extend along the plane formed by the X and Y axes, respectively, surrounding the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion 902. One annular injection molding portion 1006 is approximately flush with the top of the cylindrical portion 902, and the other is approximately flush with the bottom. Multiple cylindrical injection molding portions 1007 are positioned between the two annular injection molding portions 1006, each extending along the Z-axis. An annular portion 307 is positioned between the two annular injection molding portions 1006 and connected to the multiple cylindrical injection molding portions 1007. The multiple cylindrical injection molding portions 1007 are spaced apart at the outer edge 304 of the annular portion 307.

[0061] The structural design of the injection-molded portion 904 facilitates the injection-molded connection between the first adjusting component 211 and the attachment plate 101. Figure 10A , Figure 10B and Figure 10C This illustrates the structure of the first adjusting component 211 injection-molded onto the attachment plate 101. (See diagram below.) Figure 10A , Figure 10B and Figure 10C As shown, two annular injection-molded portions 1006 are respectively disposed on the upper and lower surfaces of the attachment plate 101, and cylindrical injection-molded portions 1007 are correspondingly disposed in the injection holes 901 of the attachment plate 101. Corresponding to the four injection holes 901 of the attachment plate 101 in the second embodiment, the first adjusting component 211 is provided with four cylindrical injection-molded portions 1007 in the injection-molded portion 904, wherein the four cylindrical injection-molded portions 1007 of the first adjusting component 211 are correspondingly disposed in the four injection holes 901 of the attachment plate 101. The structure in which the first adjusting component 211 and the attachment plate 101 are integrally connected by the injection molding process effectively reduces the number of parts in the connector assembly 400 of the second embodiment and simplifies the installation steps of the connector assembly 400 of the second embodiment.

[0062] Figures 11A to 11B It shows Figure 8 Longitudinal sectional views of the connector assembly 400 at different positions, wherein Figure 11A The connector assembly 400 of the second embodiment is shown in Figure 10C The longitudinal section view shown is taken at the longitudinal section position. Figure 11BThe connector assembly 400 of the second embodiment is shown in Figure 10B A longitudinal sectional view at the indicated longitudinal sectional position. For example... Figures 11A to 11B As shown, the inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 902 of the first adjusting component 211 is larger than the outer diameter of the sleeve 232, and the sleeve 232 of the main body component 102 is coaxially disposed inside the cylindrical portion 902 of the first adjusting component 211. The upper plate 233 and the lower plate 234 of the main body component 102 are located on the upper and lower sides of the first adjusting component 211, respectively, so that the first adjusting component 211 is generally limited within the coverage area of ​​the main body component 102. At the same time, the attachment plate 101, which is injection molded to the first adjusting component 211, is also clamped between the upper plate 233 and the lower plate 234 of the main body component 102, so that the attachment plate 101 can be restricted to move between the upper plate 233 and the lower plate 234.

[0063] The coil spring 903, serving as the second adjusting component 212, is secured above the upper plate 233 of the main body component 102 via fastener 401. The shank 602 of the bolt 305 passes sequentially from bottom to top through the interior of the sleeve 232 and the interior of the coil spring 903, with the head 601 of the bolt 305 remaining below the lower plate 234. In the second embodiment of this application, the coil spring 903 is positioned above the upper plate 233 of the main body component 102; in other embodiments, the coil spring 903 may also be positioned below the lower plate 234 of the main body component 102.

[0064] The end of the bolt 305 shank 602 extends a certain length from the top of the coil spring 903, so that even when the nut 306 is fully fitted to the end of the bolt 305 shank 602, a certain amount of accommodating space 502 can be maintained between the nut 306 and the coil spring 903. This accommodating space 502 between the nut 306 and the coil spring 903 can be used to accommodate the first mounting component to be fixed. For the sake of simplicity, Figure 11A and Figure 11B The first mounting component is not shown. The first mounting component has an insertion hole through which the shank 602 of the bolt 305 can pass, thereby fixing the first mounting component between the nut 306 and the coil spring 903. That is, the connector assembly 400 can be connected to the first mounting component to be fixed via the fastener 401 of the connector assembly 400. Similar to the first embodiment of this application, in the second embodiment, the first mounting component to be fixed is a fixed mounting plate on an automobile, thereby enabling the connector assembly 400 to provide a mounting structure for automobile components that floats in the X, Y, and Z axes.

[0065] The user can connect the connector assembly 400 of the second embodiment to the first mounting member to be fixed by the following steps: First, insert the sleeve 232 of the main body component 102 into the cylindrical portion 902 of the first adjusting component 211 from above the attachment plate 101 on which the first adjusting component 211 is injection molded. At this time, the upper plate 233 integrally connected with the sleeve 232 abuts against the top of the first adjusting component 211. Next, install the lower plate 234 to the bottom end of the sleeve 232, so that the lower plate 234 abuts against the bottom of the first adjusting component 211. Then, insert the shank 602 of the bolt 305 into the sleeve 232 and the coil spring 903 sequentially from below the lower plate 234, so that the coil spring 903 is installed above the upper plate 102. At this time, the head 601 of the bolt 305 remains below the lower plate 234. Subsequently, pass the end of the shank 602 of the bolt 305 through the insertion hole on the first mounting member and extend it out from the lower surface of the first mounting member. Finally, the nut 306 is fastened from above the first mounting member to the end of the shank 602 of the bolt 305, so that the lower surface of the nut 306 abuts against the upper surface of the first mounting member, thereby fixing the connector assembly 400 of the second embodiment to the first mounting member (i.e., the fixed mounting plate of the car) to be fixed.

[0066] In the second embodiment of this application, the helical spring 903 is mounted above the upper plate 233, so that the first mounting member to be fixed is connected between the upper plate 233 and the nut 306. In other embodiments, when the helical spring 903 is mounted below the lower plate 234, the first mounting member to be fixed can also be connected between the lower plate 234 and the head 601 of the screw 305.

[0067] Compared with the first embodiment of this application Figure 7 Similar to the structure shown in the illustration, which uses two floating connectors 100 working together, two connector assemblies 400 of the second embodiment of this application, sharing a single attachment plate 101, can also be used to provide floating adjustment in the XYZ three-dimensional directions for the attachment plate 101. In the embodiment where two floating connectors 100 work together to provide three-dimensional floating adjustment for the attachment plate 101, mounting holes 701 can also be provided on the attachment plate 101 for connecting a second mounting component to be fixed. In some embodiments, the second mounting component is a female connector in a quick-connect fitting for automotive piping. When the female connector is installed on the attachment plate 101, the female connector can float relative to the first mounting component (e.g., an automotive mounting plate) in the XYZ three-dimensional directions, so that even if there is a certain positional deviation between the male connector and the female connector during the insertion of the male connector into the female connector, the male connector and the female connector can be quickly and effectively mated together.

[0068] Unlike the connector assembly 400 of the first embodiment of this application, which integrally provides the first adjusting component 211 and the second adjusting component 212, the connector assembly 400 of the second embodiment of this application provides the first adjusting component 211 and the second adjusting component 212 separately. This separate structure allows users to easily select the first adjusting component 211 and the second adjusting component 212 with different materials and structures according to their needs, which helps to meet the floating amount requirements of the attachment plate 101 in the plane formed by the X-axis and Y-axis, and the floating amount in the Z-axis direction, respectively.

[0069] The floating connectors and connector assemblies of this application use rubber as the material to provide floating adjustment motion (e.g., the first adjustment component 211, or the first adjustment component 211 and the second adjustment component 212). Since the internal damping of rubber is much greater than that of metal, the floating connectors and connector assemblies of this application have lower excitation transmission during resonance, resulting in better vibration isolation performance and vibration reduction effect. Furthermore, compared to springs made of metal materials, the first adjustment component 211 and the second adjustment component 212, made of rubber material, have less shape restriction. Manufacturers can adjust the stiffness in three directions according to design requirements, resulting in a large range of stiffness variation for the floating connectors and connector assemblies, thereby achieving controllable floating amount over a wider range. This application uses rubber to prepare the first adjusting component 211, or the first adjusting component 211 and the second adjusting component 212, and integrally molds the rubber component with the surrounding attachment plate 101 (for example, by using a secondary injection molding process to integrally mold the first adjusting component 211 with the plastic attachment plate 101), eliminating the assembly process of the first adjusting component 211 and the attachment plate 101, and simplifying the assembly steps of the floating connector and the connector assembly.

[0070] Although this application will be described with reference to the specific embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the floating connector of this application can have many variations without departing from the spirit, scope, and context of the teachings of this application. Those skilled in the art will also recognize that there are different ways to modify the structural details of the embodiments disclosed in this application, all of which fall within the spirit and scope of this application and the claims.

Claims

1. A floating connector, characterized in that, The floating connector includes: The main component includes an upper plate, a lower plate, and a sleeve disposed between the upper plate and the lower plate; An attachment plate having a connecting hole is fitted onto the outside of the sleeve through the connecting hole and located between the upper and lower plates of the main body component. The inner diameter of the connecting hole is larger than the outer diameter of the sleeve, thereby forming an assembly space between the inner wall of the connecting hole and the outer wall of the sleeve. A first adjusting component, located within the assembly space, includes an annular portion having an inner edge, an outer edge, and a first folded portion located between the inner and outer edges, the outer edge being connected to the inner wall of the connecting hole; and The second adjusting component includes a cylindrical body that is sleeved on the outside of the sleeve, and the cylindrical body has a second folded portion. The first adjusting component is disposed around the cylindrical body of the second adjusting component, and the inner edge of the first adjusting component extends integrally from the outer wall of the cylindrical body; and The first adjusting member is configured to allow the attachment plate to move horizontally relative to the main body member through the elastic deformation of the first folded portion, and the second adjusting member is configured to allow the attachment plate to move vertically relative to the main body member through the elastic deformation of the second folded portion.

2. The floating connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thickness of the attachment plate is greater than the thickness of the first adjusting component.

3. The floating connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first and second adjusting components are made of rubber in one piece, and the attachment plate is made of plastic.

4. The floating connector according to claim 3, characterized in that, The attachment plate and the first adjustment component are integrally formed by a rubber-coating injection molding process.

5. The floating connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The distance between the upper plate and the lower plate of the main body component is greater than the thickness of the attachment plate, so that the attachment plate can move between the upper plate and the lower plate.

6. The floating connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lower plate of the main body component is integrally formed with the sleeve, and the upper plate is fastened to the sleeve.

7. A connector assembly, characterized in that, The connector assembly includes: The floating connector according to any one of claims 1-6; and Fasteners that enable the floating connector to be connected to a first mounting component to be secured via the sleeve of the floating connector.

8. The connector assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that, The fastener includes a rod, a head disposed at one end of the rod, and a nut connected to the other end of the rod. The rod can be installed in the sleeve, and the first mounting piece to be fixed is connected between the upper / lower plate and the nut / head.

9. The connector assembly according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that, The attachment plate of the floating connector is provided with mounting holes for connecting a second mounting component to be fixed.

10. A connector assembly, characterized in that, The connector assembly includes: The main component includes an upper plate, a lower plate, and a sleeve disposed between the upper plate and the lower plate; An attachment plate having a connecting hole is fitted onto the outside of the sleeve through the connecting hole and located between the upper and lower plates of the main body component. The inner diameter of the connecting hole is larger than the outer diameter of the sleeve, thereby forming an assembly space between the inner wall of the connecting hole and the outer wall of the sleeve. A fastener comprising a rod, a head disposed at one end of the rod, and a nut connected to the other end of the rod, the rod being mounted in the sleeve; A first adjusting component, located within the assembly space, includes a cylindrical portion and an annular portion integrally extending from the outer wall of the cylindrical portion. The annular portion has an inner edge and an outer edge, and a folded portion located between the inner and outer edges. The outer edge is connected to the inner wall of the connecting hole, and the inner edge is connected to the outer wall of the cylindrical portion. The second adjusting component is a helical spring, which is sleeved on the rod between the head and the nut of the fastener and is located above the upper plate or below the lower plate of the main body component.

11. The connector assembly according to claim 10, characterized in that: The first adjusting member is capable of elastic deformation through the folded portion, thereby providing horizontal movement of the attachment plate relative to the main body member; and The helical spring is capable of elastic deformation, thereby providing vertical movement of the attachment plate relative to the main body component.

12. The connector assembly according to claim 11, characterized in that: The first adjusting component is made of rubber, and the attachment plate is made of plastic.

13. The connector assembly according to claim 12, characterized in that: The attachment plate and the first adjustment component are integrally formed by a rubber-coating injection molding process.

14. The connector assembly according to claim 10, characterized in that, The attachment plate is clamped between the upper plate and the lower plate of the main body component to restrict movement of the attachment plate between the upper plate and the lower plate.

15. The connector assembly according to claim 10, characterized in that, The upper plate of the main component is integrally formed with the sleeve, and the lower plate is fastened to the sleeve.

16. The connector assembly according to claim 10, characterized in that: The first mounting component to be fixed is connected between the upper / lower plate and the nut / head.

17. The connector assembly according to claim 16, characterized in that, The attachment plate of the connector is provided with mounting holes for connecting a second mounting component to be fixed.

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