connector

Abstract

A connector capable of being mounted to a housing without bolt coupling is provided. A connector (C) is mounted to a housing (100), wherein the connector (C) includes a housing (10), a terminal fitting (40), an inner side wire harness (60), and a C-ring (70), the housing (10) is formed through a mounting hole (101) of the housing (100), the terminal fitting (40) is held to the housing (10), the inner side wire harness (60) is connected to the terminal fitting (40) on an inner side of the housing (100), and the C-ring (70) is mounted to an outer peripheral surface of the housing (10), the outer peripheral surface of the housing (10) has a flange (13) and a C-ring mounting groove (14), the flange (13) protrudes to an outer peripheral side, the C-ring (70) is mounted to the C-ring mounting groove (14), and the flange (13) and the C-ring (70) sandwich a peripheral edge portion of the mounting hole (101) in the housing (100).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to connectors. Background Technology

[0002] Conventionally, connectors for mounting on transmission housings and the like are known. For example, the connector described in Patent Document 1 below has a mounting flange. The mounting flange is bolted to the transmission housing.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-69116 Summary of the Invention

[0006] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0007] However, regarding the aforementioned connector, the gearbox housing requires holes for bolt connections. However, due to the layout of the housing side, sometimes these bolt connection holes are not provided in the housing itself.

[0008] Therefore, the purpose of this disclosure is to provide a connector that can be installed in a housing without bolt connection.

[0009] Technical solutions for solving the problem

[0010] The connector disclosed herein is mounted on a housing, wherein the connector includes a housing, terminal fittings, an inner wiring harness, and a C-ring. The housing has a mounting hole formed through it. The terminal fittings are held in the housing. The inner wiring harness is connected to the terminal fittings inside the housing. The C-ring is mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the housing. The outer peripheral surface of the housing has a flange and a C-ring mounting groove. The flange protrudes outwards, and the C-ring is mounted in the C-ring mounting groove. The flange and the C-ring clamp the periphery of the mounting hole in the housing. The terminal fittings... The component has an inner connecting portion and an outer connecting portion. The inner connecting portion is connected to the inner wiring harness. The outer connecting portion protrudes from the housing to the outside of the housing. An encapsulating material is disposed on the outer terminal holding surface of the outer connecting portion protruding in the housing so as to cover the outer terminal holding surface. The inner connecting portion has a connecting member that connects to the inner wiring harness. The axis of the connecting member extends along the housing in a through direction that passes through the mounting hole. The inner wiring harness is configured to extend from the inner connecting portion in a direction that intersects the through direction.

[0011] Invention Effects

[0012] According to this disclosure, a connector that can be installed in a housing without bolt connection can be provided. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is the connector involved in this embodiment, shown in a side view of its installed state in the housing.

[0014] Figure 2 This is a perspective view showing the connector.

[0015] Figure 3 This is the front view showing the connector.

[0016] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view showing the connector, which is related to... Figure 3 The section view at position AA is equivalent to the cross-sectional view.

[0017] Figure 5 This is a perspective view showing the terminal fittings.

[0018] Figure 6 This is a bottom view showing the connector.

[0019] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view showing the C-ring mounting groove, which is related to... Figure 3 The section view at the BB position is equivalent to a cross-sectional view. Detailed Implementation

[0020] [Description of embodiments of this disclosure]

[0021] First, embodiments of this disclosure will be described.

[0022] Regarding the connectors disclosed herein,

[0023] (1) A connector mounted on a housing, wherein the connector comprises a housing, terminal fittings, an inner wiring harness, and a C-ring, the housing having a through-hole formed in the housing, the terminal fittings being held in the housing, the inner wiring harness being connected to the terminal fittings inside the housing, the C-ring being mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the housing, the outer peripheral surface of the housing having a flange and a C-ring mounting groove, the flange protruding outwards, the C-ring being mounted in the C-ring mounting groove, the flange and the C-ring clamping the periphery of the mounting hole in the housing, the terminal fittings being mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the housing, the inner wiring harness being connected to the terminal fitting inside ... The accessory has an inner connecting portion and an outer connecting portion. The inner connecting portion connects to the inner wiring harness, and the outer connecting portion protrudes from the housing to the outside of the housing. A potting material is disposed on the outer terminal holding surface of the protruding outer connecting portion within the housing, covering the outer terminal holding surface. The inner connecting portion has a connecting member that connects to the inner wiring harness. The axis of the connecting member extends along the through-direction of the housing towards the mounting hole. The inner wiring harness is configured to extend from the inner connecting portion in a direction intersecting the through-direction. With this structure, the housing can be held in the mounting hole by the flange and C-ring, thus allowing the connector to be installed in the housing without bolts. Furthermore, the potting material disposed on the outer terminal holding surface of the protruding outer connecting portion within the housing prevents liquid inside the housing from leaking out to the outside of the housing along the boundary between the terminal accessory and the housing. Additionally, the axis of the connecting member is in the same direction as the through-direction of the housing towards the mounting hole, thus easily ensuring space for connection operations. Furthermore, the inner wiring harness extends from the inner connection portion in a direction that intersects with the through direction of the housing to the mounting hole. Therefore, compared with the case where the inner wiring harness extends in the through direction of the housing to the mounting hole, the connector can be made to be lower in profile.

[0024] (2) Preferably, the C-ring mounting groove is formed circumferentially on the outer peripheral surface of the housing, and a first protrusion and a second protrusion are located on opposite sides of the outer peripheral surface of the housing. The circumferential dimension of the first protrusion is smaller than that of the second protrusion. The C-ring has a fitting portion that fits into the first protrusion when the C-ring is mounted in the C-ring mounting groove, and the circumferential dimension of the fitting portion is smaller than that of the second protrusion. With this structure, the C-ring can be mounted in the C-ring mounting groove only according to the orientation in which the fitting portion fits into the first protrusion. Therefore, the orientation of the C-ring can be set.

[0025] (3) Preferably, the inner terminal holding surfaces of the plurality of inner connecting portions in the housing have a first rib and a second rib, the first rib being disposed between adjacent inner connecting portions, and the second rib being disposed in a position opposite to the first rib relative to one of the adjacent inner connecting portions. With this structure, short circuits between adjacent inner connecting portions can be prevented by the first rib. Furthermore, the extension direction of the inner wiring harness can be limited to a specified range by the first and second ribs.

[0026] (4) Preferably, the first rib is located on the front side in the rotational direction when the connecting member provided on one of the adjacent inner connecting portions is tightened, and the second rib is located on the front side in the rotational direction when the connecting member provided on the other of the adjacent inner connecting portions is tightened. With this structure, the first rib functions as a locking member when connecting the inner wire harness to one of the inner connecting portions. The second rib functions as a locking member when connecting the inner wire harness to the other inner connecting portion. Therefore, the connection operation of the inner wire harness can be easily performed.

[0027] (5) Preferably, a through hole is formed in the inner connecting portion, the connecting member has a press-in nut and a bolt, the press-in nut is pressed into the through hole, and the bolt is installed in the press-in nut. According to this structure, the inner wire harness can be connected to the inner connecting portion by bolting the inner wire harness to the press-in nut.

[0028] (6) Preferably, the housing has a peripheral protrusion that protrudes from a portion of the peripheral surface in the circumferential direction. With this structure, by abutting the peripheral protrusion against a positioning portion provided on the housing, the connector can be fixed to the housing in a predetermined orientation.

[0029] (7) Preferably, the terminal fitting is a bus having an inner connecting portion, an outer connecting portion, and a connection between the inner connecting portion and the outer connecting portion. With this structure, the terminal fitting can be embedded in the housing by insert molding, thus enabling easy manufacturing of the connector.

[0030] (8) Preferably, the housing has a cover portion disposed on the outside of the housing to engage with a counterpart connector. The outer terminal holding surface is the inner surface of the cover portion. A plurality of outer connecting portions are arranged at intervals on the outer terminal holding surface. Each connecting portion has a bent portion formed by bending in the arrangement direction of the outer connecting portions. With this structure, the intervals of the plurality of outer connecting portions are arranged to match the intervals of the terminal fittings of the counterpart connector. Inside the housing, the intervals of the connecting portions can be made smaller than the intervals of the outer connecting portions. Therefore, the outer diameter of the housing can be reduced.

[0031] [Details of the embodiments disclosed herein]

[0032] Specific examples of the connectors disclosed herein will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the invention is not limited to these examples, but is intended to encompass all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0033] like Figure 1 As shown, connector C is mounted on the cover of housing 100. Housing 100 is a gearbox housing of a vehicle's transmission, etc. Connector C relays a wire harness (not shown) disposed outside housing 100 to an electrical component (not shown) disposed inside housing 100. Connector C prevents oil from leaking from the inside of housing 100 to the outside of housing 100. Connector C has a cover portion 18 (see reference) that can engage with a counterpart connector (not shown). Figure 2 ).

[0034] exist Figure 1 In this context, the X-axis direction is along the outer surface of the housing 100 and is the mating direction with the opposite connector. The Y-axis direction is orthogonal to the X-axis direction and is the through direction of the housing 10 through the mounting hole 101. Figure 2 In this context, the Z-axis direction is orthogonal to the X and Y axes. Below, in the various structural components of connector C, [the following will be described]... Figure 2 The positive X-axis direction side (the mating side with the opposite connector, the side with the opening of the cover 18) is defined as the front side, the negative X-axis direction side as the rear side, the positive Y-axis direction side (the outer side of the housing 100) as the upper side, the negative Y-axis direction side (the inner side of the housing 100) as the lower side, the positive Z-axis direction side as the left side, and the negative Z-axis direction side (the side from which the inner wiring harness 60 extends) as the right side. In this embodiment, "orthogonal" includes not only strictly orthogonal states, but also approximately orthogonal states, such as states where the angle between the two directions is less than 90 degrees but more than 85 degrees.

[0035] like Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, connector C includes a housing 10, terminal fittings 40, and inner wiring harnesses 60. Each of the terminal fittings 40 and inner wiring harnesses 60 has two wires. The inner wiring harnesses 60 are connected to the terminal fittings 40 inside the housing 100.

[0036] The outer casing 10 is inserted into the mounting hole 101 of the housing 100. The mounting hole 101 is cylindrical and extends through the housing 100 in the inward and outward directions. The outer casing 10 has an inner mounting portion 15, an outer mounting portion 16, and a middle portion 17. The inner mounting portion 15 is disposed on the inner side of the housing 100. The outer mounting portion 16 is disposed on the outer side of the housing 100. The middle portion 17 is fitted into the mounting hole 101.

[0037] Terminal fittings 40 are retained within housing 10. Terminal fittings 40 are high-current (permissible current value of 60 amperes or more) busbars. Terminal fittings 40 are formed of copper or a copper alloy. Each terminal fitting 40 has an inner connecting portion 41, an outer connecting portion 42, and a connecting portion 43 (see reference). Figure 3 The inner connecting portion 41 is disposed on the inner side of the housing 100. The outer connecting portion 42 is disposed on the outer side of the housing 100. The connecting portion 43 connects the inner connecting portion 41 and the outer connecting portion 42. The inner connecting portion 41 and the outer connecting portion 42 are exposed to the outside of the housing 10. The connecting portion 43 is embedded in the inside of the housing 10.

[0038] like Figure 1 As shown, the inner configuration portion 15 has two inner terminal holding surfaces 19 protruding from the inner connecting portions 41. The inner terminal holding surfaces 19 are arranged parallel to the inner surface 102 of the housing 100.

[0039] The outer configuration part 16 has a cover part 18. For example... Figure 3 As shown, when viewed from the front side, the cover 18 has a quadrilateral shape that is longer in the left-right direction. The outer mounting portion 16 has two outer terminal holding surfaces 21 with two outer connecting portions 42 protruding from them. The outer terminal holding surfaces 21 are the inner surfaces of the cover 18. The outer terminal holding surfaces 21 are orthogonal to the inner terminal holding surfaces 19. Encapsulating material 22 is disposed on the outer terminal holding surfaces 21. Figure 4 As shown, potting material 22 is filled into the recess 23 formed on the outer terminal holding surface 21. The potting material 22 covers the entire root of the two outer connecting portions 42. The potting material 22 seals the gap between each terminal fitting 40 and the resin forming the housing 10. The potting material 22 prevents oil inside the housing 100 from leaking along the boundary between each terminal fitting 40 and the housing 10 to the outer terminal holding surface 21 of the housing 10.

[0040] The outer circumference of the middle portion 17 is cylindrical. In the middle portion 17, as... Figure 1As shown, an O-ring mounting groove 11 is formed. An O-ring 12 mounted in the O-ring mounting groove 11 is in close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the mounting hole 101. The O-ring mounting groove 11 extends continuously around the entire circumference of the housing 10.

[0041] A flange 13 is provided at the lower end of the outer side mounting portion 16 of the housing 10. The flange 13 protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the housing 10. The flange 13 is engaged with the outer side of the peripheral portion of the mounting hole 101. A C-ring 70, which is mounted in the C-ring mounting groove 14, is engaged with the inner side of the peripheral portion of the mounting hole 101. The housing 10 is held in the housing 100 by the flange 13 and the C-ring 70. The C-ring mounting groove 14 will be described in detail later.

[0042] like Figure 4 As shown, the housing 10 has a primary molding portion 24 and a secondary molding portion 25. The primary molding portion 24 and the secondary molding portion 25 are obtained by injection molding of an insulating synthetic resin. Two terminal fittings 40 are inserted into the primary molding portion 24. The secondary molding portion 25 is resin-molded around the outer periphery of the primary molding portion 24. The secondary molding portion 25 has a cover portion 18, a flange 13, and an O-ring mounting groove 11.

[0043] like Figure 5 As shown, the terminal fitting 40 includes a first terminal fitting 40F and a second terminal fitting 40S. The outer connecting portions 42 of the two terminal fittings 40F and 40S extend forward from the upper end of the connecting portion 43. (As shown...) Figure 3 As shown, two outer connecting portions 42 are arranged at a predetermined interval in the left-right direction on the outer terminal holding surface 21. The plate surfaces of the outer connecting portions 42 face the left and right sides. The plate surfaces of the outer connecting portions 42 of the first terminal accessory 40F and the second terminal accessory 40S are arranged parallel to each other. The outer connecting portions 42 of the first terminal accessory 40F and the outer connecting portions 42 of the second terminal accessory 40S are aligned vertically.

[0044] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the inner connecting portion 41 of the two terminal fittings 40F and 40S includes an extension portion 44 and a nut mounting portion 45. The extension portion 44 extends downward from the inner terminal holding surface 19. The nut mounting portion 45 bends from the lower end of the extension portion 44. The extension portion 44 and the nut mounting portion 45 are at right angles. The plate surface of the nut mounting portion 45 faces the upper and lower sides. The nut mounting portion 45 of the first terminal fitting 40F and the nut mounting portion 45 of the second terminal fitting 40S are aligned vertically. The nut mounting portion 45 has a through hole 46.

[0045] The inner connecting portion 41 has a bolt (not shown) and a press-fit nut 47 as connecting members for connecting the inner wiring harness 60. The bolt and press-fit nut 47 are made of iron, iron alloy, or stainless steel. Due to its high rigidity, the press-fit nut 47 is not easily deformed during connection. Compared with components made of aluminum or aluminum alloy, the press-fit nut 47 has a smaller difference in ionization tendency with the terminal fitting 40. Therefore, it is less prone to intermetallic corrosion. The press-fit nut 47 is pressed into the through hole 46 of the nut setting portion 45. The axis L of the press-fit nut 47, which is fixed to the nut setting portion 45, extends in the vertical direction (the through direction in which the housing 10 passes through the mounting hole 101).

[0046] like Figure 5 As shown, the connecting portion 43 of the first terminal accessory 40F includes a bent portion 48 and a straight portion 49. The bent portion 48 bends to the left (in the arrangement direction of the outer connecting portions 42) from the rear end of the outer connecting portion 42. The left edge of the bent portion 48 is connected to the front edge of the straight portion 49. The plate surface of the bent portion 48 faces the front and rear sides. The plate surface of the straight portion 49 faces the left and right sides. The plate surface of the straight portion 49 is parallel to the plate surface of the outer connecting portion 42. The straight portion 49 is offset to the left of the outer connecting portion 42. The connecting portion 43 of the second terminal accessory 40S is disposed on the same plane as the outer connecting portion 42.

[0047] The connecting portion 43 of the first terminal accessory 40F and the second terminal accessory 40S includes an inclined portion 51. The inclined portion 51 is provided at the lower end of the connecting portion 43. The inclined portion 51 is embedded in the one-piece molded portion 24 (see reference). Figure 4 The inclined portion 51 of the first terminal accessory 40F and the inclined portion 51 of the second terminal accessory 40S are inclined in opposite directions. Specifically, the inclined portion 51 of the first terminal accessory 40F extends obliquely rearward while pointing downward. The inclined portion 51 of the second terminal accessory 40S extends obliquely forward while pointing downward. Thus, the two inner connecting portions 41 are arranged separately from the two connecting portions 43 in the front-rear direction. The inner connecting portion 41 of the first terminal accessory 40F is arranged rearward compared to the inner connecting portion 41 of the second terminal accessory 40S. The connecting portions 43 of the first terminal accessory 40F and the connecting portions 43 of the second terminal accessory 40S are arranged in a position that overlaps in the front-rear direction.

[0048] like Figure 6 As shown, the inner connecting portion 41 of the second terminal accessory 40S is located at the center of the inner terminal holding surface 19 in the left-right direction. The inner connecting portion 41 of the first terminal accessory 40F is located on the right side compared to the inner connecting portion 41 of the second terminal accessory 40S.

[0049] like Figure 6As shown, the inner terminal holding surface 19 has a first rib 26 and a second rib 27. The first rib 26 and the second rib 27 protrude downward from the inner terminal holding surface 19 (see reference). Figure 4 The vertical dimensions of the first rib 26 and the second rib 27 are equal. The lower ends of the first rib 26 and the second rib 27 are located below the lower surface of the nut mounting portion 45.

[0050] The first rib 26 is disposed at the center of the inner terminal holding surface 19 in the front-rear direction. The first rib 26 is disposed between adjacent inner connecting portions 41. The first rib 26 increases the surface distance between adjacent inner connecting portions 41. The first rib 26 is disposed in such a way that it bisects the inner terminal holding surface 19. The first rib 26 extends from near the left end to near the right end of the inner terminal holding surface 19. The first rib 26 is located in the rotation direction (in the direction of rotation) of the connecting member provided in the inner connecting portion 41 (one of the adjacent inner connecting portions 41) of the first terminal fitting 40F. Figure 6 The front side (clockwise) is the connecting member. The rotation direction of the connecting member is the rotation direction of the bolt relative to the press-in nut 47 when tightening.

[0051] The second rib 27 is disposed on the periphery of the inner terminal holding surface 19. The second rib 27 and the first rib 26 are positioned to sandwich an inner connecting portion 41. The second rib 27 is located on the front side of the inner connecting portion 41 of the second terminal fitting 40S. The front surface of the second rib 27 is arc-shaped along the outer peripheral surface of the housing 10. The second rib 27 is located in the direction of rotation of the connecting member provided in the inner connecting portion 41 of the second terminal fitting 40S (the other of the adjacent inner connecting portions 41). Figure 6 The middle is the front side (clockwise).

[0052] like Figure 6 As shown, the right edge of the first rib 26 is the first abutment surface 28 of the inner wire harness 60. The right edge of the second rib 27 is the second abutment surface 29 of the inner wire harness 60. The first abutment surface 28 and the second abutment surface 29 extend linearly in the vertical direction (see reference). Figure 3 The crimp terminal 61 of the inner wiring harness 60 abuts against the first abutment surface 28 and the second abutment surface 29. The first abutment surface 28 is located on the right side compared to the second abutment surface 29. The first abutment surface 28 is located on the rear side compared to the second abutment surface 29.

[0053] Between the first abutment surface 28 and the second abutment surface 29, such as Figure 6 As shown, an outlet 34 is formed for the inner wire harness 60. One inner wire harness 60 is led out from the outlet 34. The extension direction of the inner wire harness 60 is determined by making the two inner wire harnesses 60 abut against the first abutment surface 28 and the second abutment surface 29, respectively.

[0054] The inner wire harness 60 is a sheathed wire made by coating a conductive metal core wire with insulating resin. The inner wire harness 60 is a thick-fiber wire with a relatively large diameter. The cross-sectional area of ​​the core wire in the inner wire harness 60 is 8 mm². 2 (So-called 8sq) or higher. Connect the crimp terminal 61 to the end of the inner wire harness 60. The crimp terminal 61 is a circular terminal.

[0055] like Figure 6 As shown, the housing 10 has a peripheral protrusion 31. The peripheral protrusion 31 abuts against a positioning portion (not shown) provided on the housing 100. This allows the orientation of the connector C to be determined. The peripheral protrusion 31 is provided on the flange 13. The peripheral protrusion 31 protrudes to the right from a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the flange 13. The peripheral protrusion 31 is located on the same side as the first abutment surface 28 and the second abutment surface 29. The protruding direction of the peripheral protrusion 31 is the same as the extension direction of the inner wire harness 60. The front and rear surfaces of the peripheral protrusion 31 are parallel to the front and rear surfaces of the first rib 26 and the rear surface of the second rib 27.

[0056] like Figure 7 As shown, the C-ring mounting groove 14 has a first protrusion 32 and a second protrusion 33. The first protrusion 32 and the second protrusion 33 are shaped to fill a portion of the circumferential direction of the C-ring mounting groove 14. The first protrusion 32 and the second protrusion 33 are shaped to fill the entire depth direction of the C-ring mounting groove 14. The first protrusion 32 and the second protrusion 33 cut off the C-ring mounting groove 14. The width dimension (circumferential dimension of the housing 10) W1 of the first protrusion 32 is smaller than the width dimension W2 of the second protrusion 33. The first protrusion 32 and the second protrusion 33 are arranged in opposite positions in the C-ring mounting groove 14. Specifically, the first protrusion 32 is provided on the left surface of the housing 10, and the second protrusion 33 is provided on the right surface of the housing 10 (see reference). Figure 3 The first protrusion 32 is located on the opposite side to the first abutment surface 28 and the second abutment surface 29.

[0057] The C-ring 70 is made by bending metal wire into a roughly C-shape. For example... Figure 7As shown, the C-ring 70 has an arcuate portion 71, a front end portion 72, and a fitting portion 73. The arcuate portion 71 is mounted along the C-ring mounting groove 14. The front end portion 72 extends radially outward from the end of the arcuate portion 71. The spacing of the front end portion 72 is greater than the width dimension W2 of the second protrusion 33. The fitting portion 73 protrudes radially outward. The fitting portion 73 can fit into the first protrusion 32. The width dimension W3 of the open portion of the fitting portion 73 (the dimension between the ends of the arcuate portion 71) is smaller than the width dimension W2 of the second protrusion 33. Therefore, the C-ring 70 cannot be mounted into the C-ring mounting groove 14 from the side (right side) where the second protrusion 33 is provided. In addition, due to the presence of the first protrusion 32 and the second protrusion 33, the C-ring 70 cannot be mounted into the C-ring mounting groove 14 from the front and rear. In other words, the C-ring 70 can only be installed into the C-ring mounting groove 14 from the side (left side) where the first protrusion 32 is provided.

[0058] Next, an example of the operation of installing connector C into housing 100 will be described. First, housing 10 is inserted into mounting hole 101 of housing 100. Specifically, the inner mounting portion 15 is inserted into mounting hole 101 first. At this time, the second rib 27 is aligned with the circumferential surface of mounting hole 101. The insertion of housing 10 is guided by the second rib 27. Subsequently, the lower surface of flange 13 abuts against the outer side of housing 100. This prevents housing 10 from disengaging into housing 100.

[0059] Next, the C-ring 70 is installed on the housing 10. The C-ring 70 is inserted into the C-ring mounting groove 14 from the first protrusion 32 side. The front end 72 of the C-ring 70 enters the C-ring mounting groove 14 from the front and rear sides of the first protrusion 32 and is positioned on the front and rear sides of the second protrusion 33. The arcuate portion 71 is installed in the C-ring mounting groove 14. The fitting portion 73 is fitted into the first protrusion 32. In this way, the C-ring 70 is installed in the C-ring mounting groove 14. The front end 72 and the fitting portion 73 of the C-ring 70 protrude outward from the outer periphery of the housing 10 and are locked onto the inner surface 102 of the housing 100. The housing 10 is held in a position where it is fitted into the mounting hole 101 by the flange 13 and the C-ring 70.

[0060] Here, when attempting to insert the C-ring 70 into the C-ring mounting groove 14 from a side other than the first protrusion 32, the front end 72 of the C-ring 70 impacts the second protrusion 33 and cannot be inserted. Therefore, the C-ring 70 is only installed into the C-ring mounting groove 14 from the side of the first protrusion 32. Thus, the position of the front end 72 of the C-ring 70 is determined to be the position of the front and rear sides of the second protrusion 33.

[0061] Next, the inner wiring harness 60 is connected to the inner connecting portion 41. Specifically, the crimp terminals 61 of the inner wiring harness 60 are overlapped on the lower surface of the inner connecting portion 41, and a bolt (not shown) is used for connection. The bolt is inserted into the crimp terminals 61 and the nut 47 is pressed in from below and tightened. The lower side of the housing 10 allows for easy operation due to the availability of working space. When the bolt is rotated, the crimp terminals 61 abut against the first abutment surface 28 and the second abutment surface 29, respectively, and are locked in place. Therefore, the bolt connection operation can be performed easily. In this way, the two inner wiring harnesses 60 are connected to the first terminal accessory 40F and the second terminal accessory 40S, respectively. Since the inner wiring harnesses 60 are connected after the housing 10 is fixed to the housing 100, the flexibility of the layout within the housing 100 can be increased. Thus, the operation of installing the connector C into the housing 100 is completed.

[0062] Next, the function and effects of the embodiment configured as described above will be explained. Connector C is mounted on housing 100. Connector C includes a housing 10, terminal fitting 40, inner wiring harness 60, and C-ring 70. Housing 10 passes through a mounting hole 101 formed in housing 100. The outer peripheral surface of housing 10 has a flange 13 and a C-ring mounting groove 14, the flange 13 protruding outwards, and the C-ring 70 being mounted in the C-ring mounting groove 14. The flange 13 and C-ring 70 clamp the peripheral portion of the mounting hole 101 in housing 100. Terminal fitting 40 is held in housing 10. Terminal fitting 40 has an inner connecting portion 41 and an outer connecting portion 42. The inner connecting portion 41 is connected to the inner wiring harness 60. The outer connecting portion 42 protrudes from housing 10 outwards from housing 100. A potting material 22 is disposed on the outer terminal holding surface 21 protruding from the outer connecting portion 42 in housing 10, covering the outer terminal holding surface 21. The inner connecting portion 41 has a press-in nut 47 for connecting the inner wiring harness 60. The axis L of the press-in nut 47 extends along the through direction of the housing 10 toward the mounting hole 101. The inner wiring harness 60 is configured to extend from the inner connecting portion 41 in a direction intersecting the through direction of the housing 10 toward the mounting hole 101.

[0063] According to this structure, the housing 10 can be held in the mounting hole 101 by the flange 13 and the C-ring 70, so the connector C can be installed into the housing 100 without bolt connection. In addition, the connector C may not have a part that connects to the housing 100, so it can be miniaturized.

[0064] A potting material 22 is disposed on the outer terminal holding surface 21 protruding from the outer connecting portion 42 in the housing 10. This prevents oil inside the housing 100 from leaking to the outside of the housing 10 along the boundary between each terminal fitting 40 and the housing 10.

[0065] Since the axis L of the press-in nut 47 is in the same direction as the through direction of the housing 10 through the mounting hole 101, it is easy to ensure space for connection operations.

[0066] The inner wiring harness 60 extends from the inner connecting portion 41 in a direction intersecting the through-direction of the housing 10 through the mounting hole 101. Therefore, compared to the case where the inner wiring harness 60 extends along the through-direction of the housing 10 through the mounting hole 101, the connector C can be made lower in profile. When the crimp terminals are arranged vertically on the inner terminal holding surface, the total height of the connector including the inner wiring harness tends to increase. However, since the crimp terminals 61 are arranged parallel to the inner terminal holding surface 19, the connector C can be made lower in profile. Furthermore, when the inner wiring harness extends vertically from the inner terminal holding surface, if the inner wiring harness is to be arranged in a direction parallel to the inner terminal holding surface, the bending radius tends to increase. However, since the inner wiring harness 60 extends in a direction parallel to the inner terminal holding surface 19, the bending radius can be reduced, resulting in better space efficiency within the housing 100.

[0067] A C-ring mounting groove 14 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the housing 10, extending circumferentially. The C-ring mounting groove 14 has a first protrusion 32 and a second protrusion 33 on opposite sides of the outer peripheral surface of the housing 10. The circumferential dimension of the first protrusion 32 is smaller than that of the second protrusion 33. The C-ring 70 has a fitting portion 73 that fits into the first protrusion 32 when the C-ring 70 is mounted in the C-ring mounting groove 14. The circumferential dimension of the fitting portion 73 is smaller than that of the second protrusion 33. With this structure, the C-ring 70 can be mounted in the C-ring mounting groove 14 only with the fitting portion 73 fitting into the first protrusion 32. Therefore, the orientation of the C-ring 70 can be set.

[0068] Two inner wire harnesses 60 extend along the protruding direction of the front end portion 72 of the C-ring 70 and are positioned on the lower side of the front end portion 72 of the C-ring 70. This makes it difficult for foreign objects to come into contact with the front end portion 72 of the C-ring 70, thus preventing the C-ring 70 from accidentally deforming in the opening direction and detaching from the housing 10.

[0069] The inner terminal holding surface 19 of the two inner connecting portions 41 protruding in the housing 10 has a first rib 26 and a second rib 27. The first rib 26 is disposed between adjacent inner connecting portions 41. The second rib 27 is disposed in a position opposite to the first rib 26 relative to one of the adjacent inner connecting portions 41. According to this structure, short circuits between adjacent inner connecting portions 41 can be prevented by the first rib 26. The extension direction of the inner wiring harness 60 can be restricted by the first rib 26 and the second rib 27.

[0070] The first rib 26 is located at the front side in the rotational direction when the bolt is tightened onto the press-in nut 47 of one of the adjacent inner connecting portions 41. The second rib 27 is located at the front side in the rotational direction when the bolt is tightened onto the press-in nut 47 of the other inner connecting portion 41. According to this structure, the first rib 26 functions as a locking member when the inner wire harness 60 is connected to one inner connecting portion 41. The second rib 27 functions as a locking member when the inner wire harness 60 is connected to the other inner connecting portion 41. Therefore, the operation of connecting the inner wire harness 60 to the inner connecting portion 41 can be performed easily.

[0071] A through hole 46 is formed in the inner connecting portion 41. The connecting member has a press-fit nut 47, which is pressed into the through hole 46. According to this structure, the inner wire harness 60 can be connected to the inner connecting portion 41 by bolting the inner wire harness 60 to the press-fit nut 47.

[0072] The housing 10 has a peripheral protrusion 31 that protrudes circumferentially from a portion of the outer peripheral surface. According to this structure, by abutting the peripheral protrusion 31 against a positioning portion provided on the housing 100, the connector C can be fixed to the housing 100 in a predetermined orientation.

[0073] Terminal fitting 40 is a busbar having an inner connecting portion 41, an outer connecting portion 42, and a connecting portion 43 between the inner connecting portion 41 and the outer connecting portion 42. With this structure, terminal fitting 40 can be embedded in housing 10 by insert molding, thus enabling easy manufacturing of connector C.

[0074] The housing 10 has a cover 18 disposed on the outside of the housing 100 and capable of engaging with a counterpart connector. The outer terminal holding surface 21 is the inner surface of the cover 18. Two outer connecting portions 42 are arranged at a distance from each other on the outer terminal holding surface 21. Connecting portions 43 have a bent portion 48 formed by bending in the arrangement direction of the outer connecting portions 42. According to this structure, the spacing of the two outer connecting portions 42 is matched to the spacing of the terminal fittings of the counterpart connector, and inside the housing 10, the spacing of the connecting portions 43 can be smaller than the spacing of the outer connecting portions 42. Therefore, the outer diameter of the housing 10 can be reduced.

[0075] [Other embodiments of this disclosure]

[0076] It should be considered that the embodiments disclosed herein are exemplary in all respects and not restrictive.

[0077] In the above embodiment, the inner terminal holding surface 19 has a first rib 26 and a second rib 27. However, in other embodiments, a third rib may be provided in addition to the first and second ribs. The number, arrangement, and shape of the ribs can be appropriately changed depending on the number of terminal fittings and the shape of the inner connecting portion.

[0078] In the above-described embodiment, the C-ring mounting groove 14 has a first protrusion 32 and a second protrusion 33, but it is not necessary to provide the first protrusion and the second protrusion in the C-ring mounting groove.

[0079] In the above embodiment, connector C has two terminal accessories 40F and 40S, but in other embodiments, connector may also have one or more terminal accessories.

[0080] In the above embodiment, the first protrusion 32 and the second protrusion 33 cut off the C-ring mounting groove 14. However, in other embodiments, the first protrusion and the second protrusion may also be formed to fill a portion of the inner circumferential side of the C-ring mounting groove, and the C-ring mounting groove may also extend to the outer circumferential side of the first protrusion and the second protrusion.

[0081] Label Explanation

[0082] C… connector

[0083] L…axis

[0084] W1… Width dimension (circumferential dimension) of the first protrusion.

[0085] W2… Width dimension (circumferential dimension) of the second protrusion.

[0086] The width dimension of the open portion of W3…fitting part 73

[0087] 10…outer shell

[0088] 11…O-ring mounting groove

[0089] 12…O-ring

[0090] 13…sudden edge

[0091] 14…C-ring mounting groove

[0092] 15…Inner Configuration Section

[0093] 16…Outer side configuration section

[0094] 17…Middle section

[0095] 18…covering

[0096] 19…Inner terminal retaining surface

[0097] 21…Outer terminal retaining surface

[0098] 22…Potting Material

[0099] 23…concave

[0100] 24…One-piece molding section

[0101] 25…Secondary Molding Section

[0102] 26…First rib

[0103] 27…Second rib

[0104] 28…First contact surface

[0105] 29…Second contact surface

[0106] 31… Peripheral protrusion

[0107] 32…First convex part

[0108] 33…Second convex part

[0109] 34…exit

[0110] 40…Terminal accessories

[0111] 40F…First Terminal Accessories

[0112] 40S…Second Terminal Accessories

[0113] 41…Inner connecting part

[0114] 42…Outer connecting part

[0115] 43…Connecting Section

[0116] 44…Extension Section

[0117] 45…Nut setting section

[0118] 46… Through hole

[0119] 47… Press in the nut

[0120] 48…bend

[0121] 49…Straight section

[0122] 51… Inclined section

[0123] 60…Inner harness

[0124] 61…Crimp terminal

[0125] 70…C-shaped ring

[0126] 71…arc-shaped part

[0127] 72…front end

[0128] 73…Chimeric part

[0129] 100…shell

[0130] 101… Mounting Hole

[0131] 102…Inner surface

Claims

1. A connector, mounted on a housing, wherein, The connector includes a housing, two terminal fittings, an inner wiring harness, and a C-ring. The housing has a through-hole formed in the housing. The terminal fittings are held in the housing. The inner wiring harness is connected to the terminal fittings inside the housing. The C-ring is mounted on the outer circumferential surface of the housing. The outer peripheral surface of the housing has a flange and a C-shaped ring mounting groove. The flange protrudes outward to the outer peripheral side, and the C-shaped ring is mounted in the C-shaped ring mounting groove. The flange and the C-ring clamp the periphery of the mounting hole in the housing. The terminal fitting has an inner connecting portion and an outer connecting portion. The inner connecting portion connects to the inner wiring harness, and the outer connecting portion protrudes from the outer casing to the outer side of the housing. The outer terminal retaining surface protruding from the outer connecting portion in the housing is provided with potting material in such a way that it covers the outer terminal retaining surface. The inner connecting portion has a connecting member that connects to the inner wiring harness. The axis of the connecting member extends along the through direction of the outer shell toward the mounting hole. The inner wiring harness is configured to extend from the inner connecting portion in a direction intersecting the through direction. The terminal accessory is a busbar, which has an inner connecting portion, an outer connecting portion, and a connection portion between the inner connecting portion and the outer connecting portion. The housing has a cover portion disposed on the outside of the housing and capable of engaging with the opposite connector. The outer terminal holding surface is the inner surface of the cover. The two outer connecting portions are arranged at intervals on the outer terminal holding surface. One of the connecting portions has a curved portion, which is formed by bending in the arrangement direction of the two outer connecting portions. Inside the housing, the interval between the two connecting portions is smaller than the interval between the two outer connecting portions.

2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein, The C-shaped mounting groove extends circumferentially and is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the housing. A first protrusion and a second protrusion are located on opposite sides of the outer peripheral surface of the housing. The circumferential dimension of the first protrusion is smaller than the circumferential dimension of the second protrusion. The C-ring has a fitting portion that fits into the first protrusion when the C-ring is installed in the C-ring mounting groove. The circumferential dimension of the fitting portion is smaller than the circumferential dimension of the second protrusion.

3. The connector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The inner terminal retaining surfaces of the plurality of inner connecting portions in the housing have a first rib and a second rib. The first rib is disposed between adjacent inner connecting portions. The second rib is located opposite to the first rib relative to one of the adjacent inner connecting portions.

4. The connector according to claim 3, wherein, The first rib is located on the front side of the connecting member in the rotational direction during fastening, which is provided on one of the adjacent inner connecting portions. The second rib is located in front of the connecting member in the direction of rotation when it is fastened, which is provided on the other side of the adjacent inner connecting portion.

5. The connector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, A through hole is formed in the inner connecting part. The connecting member has a press-in nut and a bolt, the press-in nut being pressed into the through hole, and the bolt being installed on the press-in nut.

6. The connector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The housing has a peripheral protrusion that protrudes circumferentially from a portion of the peripheral surface.

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