Connector

Abstract

In the connector, the wiring hole includes an inclined surface, in which a distance from an extension axis of a central axis of the sealing hole gradually approaches from the first open end toward the second open end. A first end of the inclined surface at a position closest to the first open end faces an interior of the housing body in a direction opposite to the first direction, and a second end of the inclined surface at a position closest to the second open end forms a narrowest opening portion in the wiring hole.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a connector. Background Art

[0002] There is a conventionally known connector in which the end of a wire to be joined to a terminal is accommodated inside a housing. JP2022 - 168522A discloses a technology related to a connector having a sealing member that is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the wire and the inner peripheral surface of the housing to prevent moisture from entering the housing. The connector has a cylindrical shield case through which the wire passes while the shield case surrounds the outer peripheral surface of the housing. In addition to a first protrusion that prevents the sealing member from coming off, the shield case also has a second protrusion that can contact the wire and is provided farther from the sealing member than the first protrusion in the longitudinal direction of the wire. By providing the second protrusion, even if the wire is bent due to oscillation or the like, the sealing member is prevented from deforming, thereby suppressing deterioration of the waterproof performance. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The connector disclosed in JP2022 - 168522A has a standard shape in which the connection direction to an external connector and the direction in which the wire is led out to the outside are opposite to each other in a straight line, so that even if the wire is bent due to swinging, the degree of bending is relatively small. On the other hand, in a general U-shaped connector in which the connection direction to an external connector and the direction in which the wire is led out to the outside are the same, the wire can be bent into an L shape inside the housing. Applying the technology disclosed in JP2022 - 168522A to a U-shaped connector is difficult, and special improvements are required if deterioration of the waterproof performance is to be prevented.

[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a connector that is advantageous in preventing deterioration of waterproof performance even when the degree of bending of the internal wire is large.

[0005] Aspects of the present invention relate to a connector for connection to an external connector, comprising: a plurality of terminals; a housing body that houses end portions of a plurality of electric wires joined to respective terminals; a wire lead-out portion in the form of a cylinder that is continuous with the housing body and leads the plurality of electric wires to the outside in a first direction of connection to the external connector; and a wire seal that is fitted in close contact with an inner wall surface of the wire lead-out portion and has a plurality of seal holes that allow the electric wires to pass through while being in close contact with each of the electric wires. The wire lead-out portion has a plurality of wiring holes that allow each of the electric wires to be routed between a first open end facing the inside of the housing body and a second open end facing a part of the wire seal fitted to the inner wall surface in the first direction. Each of the wiring holes includes an inclined surface, where the distance from the inclined surface to an extension axis of the central axis of the seal hole gradually approaches from the first open end toward the second open end. A first end of the inclined surface at a position closest to the first open end faces the inside of the housing body in a direction opposite to the first direction, and a second end of the inclined surface at a position closest to the second open end forms the narrowest opening portion in the wiring hole.

[0006] According to the above configuration, even when the degree of bending of the electric wires inside the connector is large, a connector that is advantageous for preventing deterioration of waterproof performance can be provided. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a connector according to a first embodiment.

[0008] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a connector according to a first embodiment.

[0009] Figure 3 is at Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the connector cut at the III-III cross-section in.

[0010] Figure 4 is a perspective view of an outer housing according to a first embodiment.

[0011] Figure 5 is at Figure 3 A perspective view of a connector according to a second embodiment cut at the same position.

[0012] Figure 6 is from Figure 5 A perspective view of a cross-section of the outer housing extracted from. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] Hereinafter, the connector according to each embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that, for ease of explanation, the dimensional ratios in the drawings are exaggerated and may be different from the actual ratios.

[0014] (First Embodiment)

[0015] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a connector 1 according to the first embodiment. Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the connector 1. Figure 3 is at Figure 1 a cross-sectional view of the connector 1 cut at the III-III cross-section in. Figure 3 The cross-section in is an imaginary plane passing through the central axis of the first terminal accommodating portion 21 of the inner housing 20 and the first wire 100a, which will be described later. In the present embodiment, this imaginary plane is the YZ plane.

[0016] The connector 1 is, for example, a high-voltage connector, which can be used for drive system electrical components such as inverters, DC / DC converters, or chargers mounted on electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles. In the present embodiment, the connector 1 is a two-pole high-voltage connector mounted on a vehicle, which is connected to the ends of two wires 100 (i.e., the first wire 100a and the second wire 100b). The wire 100 has a core wire 101 as a conductor and a covering portion 102 as an insulator for covering the core wire 101. One end of the wire 100 is connected to an electrical component, and the other end of the wire 100 is connected to the connector 1. The covering portion 102 at the end of the wire 100 where it is connected to the connector 1 is removed, thereby exposing the end 101a of the core wire 101. The core wire 101 can actually be composed of multiple wires, but in the following drawings, it is simply illustrated as a single conductor component.

[0017] The connector 1 includes a plurality of terminals 10, an inner housing 20, an outer housing 30, and a rear cover 40 as a set of components related to electrical connection.

[0018] In the present embodiment, there are two terminals 10: a first terminal 10a mounted to the end of the first wire 100a and a second terminal 10b mounted to the end of the second wire 100b. The first terminal 10a and the second terminal 10b are made of metal and have female terminals of the same shape, and each has a connection portion 11 and a joint portion 12.

[0019] The connection portion 11 is a cylindrical portion into which a rod-shaped male terminal of an external connector to be connected to the connector 1 can be freely inserted. The connection portion 11 has a leaf spring that presses a part of the male terminal against the inner wall of the connection portion 11 to stably maintain a conduction state with the inserted male terminal. The leaf spring can be a part integrated with the connection portion 11 or a leaf spring component separately manufactured and pre-arranged inside the connection portion 11.

[0020] The joint portion 12 is formed as a flat plate for joining the end 101a of the core wire 101. If one axial end of the connecting portion 11 is an open end for inserting the male terminal, the joint portion 12 is integrated with the other axial end of the connecting portion 11. Hereinafter, in the present embodiment, it is assumed that when the terminal 10 is arranged in the connector 1, the axial direction of the connecting portion 11 is in the Z direction. In this case, the joint portion 12 can be a flat plate parallel to both the Z direction and the Y direction. For example, the planar shape of the joint portion 12 can be substantially rectangular, with two sides in the Z direction and the other two sides in the Y direction perpendicular to the Z direction. One surface of the joint portion 12 is a joint surface that joins with the end 101a.

[0021] In the present embodiment, the end 101a of the core wire 101 is joined to the joint portion 12 by ultrasonic bonding. In ultrasonic bonding, the joint portion 12 and the end 101a are clamped together using an anvil horn and an anvil (not shown), and the end 101a is joined to the joint portion 12 by applying ultrasonic vibration from the anvil horn. Therefore, as Figure 2 shown, the end 101a joined to the joint portion 12 is formed as a flat plate having a substantially rectangular planar shape.

[0022] During the ultrasonic bonding process, for the terminal 10, it is offset by 90° in the axial direction of the connecting portion 11 from the joint portion 12 to the connecting portion 11 and in the direction from the end 101a on the joint portion 12 to the main body of each wire 100. That is, when the terminal 10 is arranged in the connector 1 and the axial direction of the connecting portion 11 is in the Z direction, the end 101a is oriented in the Y direction with respect to one surface of the joint portion 12. Then, each wire 100 starts from the end 101a on the joint portion 12 and extends from the end 101a in the direction opposite to the Y direction.

[0023] The inner housing 20 is an insulating member made of, for example, synthetic resin, and is used to hold the two terminals 10 therein to protect the terminals 10. The inner housing 20 includes a first terminal receiving portion 21, a second terminal receiving portion 22, a base 24, and a reinforcing structure 25.

[0024] The first terminal receiving portion 21 is a cylindrical portion that receives the connecting portion 11 of the first terminal 10a. The second terminal receiving portion 22 is a cylindrical portion that receives the connecting portion 11 of the second terminal 10b. The first terminal receiving portion 21 and the second terminal receiving portion 22 receive the connecting portion 11 such that the opening direction of the connecting portion 11 received therein, which is the direction opposite to the direction in which the male terminal is inserted, is a direction along the first direction. In the present embodiment, the first direction is the Z direction. The ends of the first terminal receiving portion 21 and the second terminal receiving portion 22 open in the first direction and do not obstruct the entry of the male terminal into the connecting portion 11. The first terminal receiving portion 21 and the second terminal receiving portion 22 are arranged on the same level in the Y direction, which is the second direction defined below, and are spaced apart from each other in the X direction, which is the third direction defined below.

[0025] The base 24 supports the first terminal receiving portion 21 and the second terminal receiving portion 22. The base 24 supports the proximal ends of the first terminal receiving portion 21 and the second terminal receiving portion 22 on the front side in the first direction. The inner spaces of the first terminal receiving portion 21 and the second terminal receiving portion 22 open on the rear surface side in the first direction in a direction opposite to the first direction.

[0026] The base 24 includes a total of four locking portions 24a. For example, two locking portions 24a are arranged opposite to the other two locking portions 24a in the second direction. On the other hand, a total of four first engaging claws 37 are arranged inside the housing body 31 of the outer housing 30. Two first engaging claws 37 are arranged opposite to the other two first engaging claws 37 in the second direction. When the inner housing 20 is attached to the outer housing 30, the locking portions 24a engage with the first engaging claws 37, thereby preventing the inner housing 20 from detaching from the outer housing 30.

[0027] The reinforcing structure 25 is a structure that combines a plurality of reinforcing ribs to ensure the strength of the inner housing 20. The reinforcing structure 25 is provided on the rear surface of the base 24 so as not to interfere with the arrangement of the terminals 10 and the wires 100.

[0028] Figure 4 is a perspective view of the outer housing 30 in the direction in which the interior space can be visually recognized from the opening formed at the opening end 35a.

[0029] The outer housing 30 is made of, for example, synthetic resin and is an insulating member that integrally protects the two terminals 10 by receiving at least a part of the inner housing 20 and the joint portions 12 of the respective terminals 10. The outer housing 30 has a housing body 31, a connector cover 32, and a wire lead-out portion 33.

[0030] The housing body 31 is box-shaped. Here, when the first direction is the length direction, the second direction perpendicular to the first direction is the height direction, and the third direction perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction is the width direction. In this embodiment, as described above, the first direction is the Z direction, the second direction is the Y direction, and the third direction is the X direction. The housing body 31 has a front wall 34, an annular side wall 35, and a plurality of support pieces 36.

[0031] The front wall 34 is a wall perpendicular to the first direction and is supported by a first wall surface 34a (see Figure 2 ), such that the connector cover 32 and the wire lead-out portion 33 are separated from each other in the second direction. The planar shape of the front wall 34 is a substantially rectangular shape defined by a long side substantially in the second direction and a short side substantially in the third direction.

[0032] The front wall 34 has a first wire contact portion 38 on a second wall surface 34b facing the inside of the housing body 31. When the rear cover 40 is attached to the outer housing 30, the first wire contact portion 38 faces a second wire contact portion 45 provided on the rear cover 40 and is spaced apart from the second wire contact portion 45. The first wire contact portion 38 has a first curved groove 38a and a second curved groove 38b. Each of the curved grooves extends in the second direction and includes a curved surface that matches the shape of the side surface of the wire 100 disposed inside the housing body 31. The first curved groove 38a accommodates a part of the side surface of the first wire 100a. The second curved groove 38b accommodates a part of the side surface of the second wire 100b. Each of the first curved groove 38a and the second curved groove 38b may have a plurality of first ribs 38c. In this embodiment, both the first curved groove 38a and the second curved groove 38b have a total of four first ribs 38c arranged in two rows in the second direction.

[0033] The annular side wall 35 and the front wall 34 together form an internal space for accommodating at least the joint portion 12 of the terminal 10. One annular end of the annular side wall 35 in the first direction is continuous with the periphery of the front wall 34. The other annular end of the annular side wall 35 in the first direction is an open end 35a, which forms an opening opposite to the front wall 34. When assembling the connector 1, the two terminals 10 respectively attached to the ends of the wire 100 are received in the housing body 31 from the opening formed by the open end 35a. In addition, the annular side wall 35 has a plurality of engaging portions 35c provided on the outer wall surface 35b and spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction.

[0034] The support piece 36 is provided on the outer wall surface 35b of the annular side wall 35 and includes a fitting hole 36a into which an annular collar 91 is fitted. The fitting hole 36a penetrates the support piece 36 in the first direction.

[0035] The connector cover 32 has a cover opening 32a which has an oblong hole shape in cross-section and opens in the first direction. The connector cover 32 is a cylindrical portion which mates with a part of the external connector when the external connector having male terminals is connected to the connector 1. The connector cover 32 is provided to project from the front wall 34 of the housing main body 31 in the first direction. The cover opening 32a penetrates through the inside of the housing main body 31 from the outside of the outer housing 30 and can accommodate the inner housing 20. In the cross-section of the oblong hole of the cover opening 32a, the second direction is the length direction according to the layout relationship between the first terminal accommodating portion 21 and the second terminal accommodating portion 22 in the inner housing 20.

[0036] The outer periphery of the connector cover 32 includes a lower surface located on the end side in the first direction and an upper surface located on the base side in the first direction, and the unit seal 60 is attached to the lower surface. The shape of the outer periphery of the upper surface is larger than the shape of the outer periphery of the lower surface. Therefore, when the unit seal 60 is attached to the lower surface, at least a part of the unit seal 60 faces the end portion of the upper surface in the first direction. Therefore, the movement of the unit seal 60 more than a certain amount toward the base side of the connector cover 32 is restricted.

[0037] In addition, the connector cover 32 has a plurality of first engaging claws 37 with the cover opening 32a therebetween. In the present embodiment, as described above, there are four first engaging claws 37. Similarly, the connector cover 32 has a plurality of second engaging claws 39 with the cover opening 32a therebetween. In the present embodiment, there are four second engaging claws 39. The four second engaging claws 39 are arranged in pairs to face each other in the second direction.

[0038] The wire lead-out portion 33 is a cylindrical portion for leading the wire 100 from the inside of the housing main body 31 to the outside of the outer housing 30 through a through space formed by the inner wall surface 33a, and has an oblong hole shape opening in the first direction. The wire lead-out portion 33 is provided to project from the front wall 34 of the housing main body 31 in the first direction. In the oblong circular cross-section of the through space, the second direction is the length direction so that the wires 100 are arranged in the second direction according to the layout relationship between the first terminal accommodating portion 21 and the second terminal accommodating portion 22 in the inner housing 20. The wire lead-out portion 33 has a plurality of wiring holes 33b and a plurality of retainer engaging portions 33d.

[0039] The wiring hole 33b extends in the first direction and enables each wire 100 to be led out from the interior of the housing main body 31 for wiring in the first direction. Specifically, the wiring hole 33b routes the wire 100 between a first opening end 33e and a second opening end 33f that are located at opposite positions. The first opening end 33e is the opening end facing the interior of the housing main body 31. The second opening end 33f is the opening end facing a part of the wire seal 62 attached to the inner wall surface 33a in the first direction. In the present embodiment, since two wires 100 are led out from the interior of the housing main body 31, two wiring holes 33b are provided in parallel in the third direction.

[0040] The cross-section of the through-hole in the first opening end 33e is generally elliptical, with its major axis in the second direction corresponding to the Y direction and its minor axis in the third direction corresponding to the X direction, and is generally constant in the first direction. A part of the inner peripheral surface 33i is continuous with the inner wall surface 33a to which the wire seal 62 is attached.

[0041] Here, regarding the cross-sectional shape of the through-hole in the first opening end 33e, the direction of the major axis of the ellipse is defined along the extending direction of the wire 100 extending from the joint portion 12 of each terminal 10 inside the housing main body 31. Thus, for example, when assembling the connector 1, the advantage is that the operator can easily bend the wire 100 extending from the joint portion 12 inside the housing main body 31 while inserting it into the wiring hole 33b.

[0042] In addition, each wiring hole 33b has a plurality of ribs 33j, and the plurality of ribs 33j are provided so as to be spaced apart from each other along the inner circumference of the inner peripheral surface 33i. Here, the shape etc. of the rib 33j are defined with reference to the extending axis AX of the central axis of the sealing hole 62a when the wire seal 62 is attached to the inner wall surface 33a. The rib 33j is elongated in the first direction as the longitudinal direction and protrudes toward the extending axis AX. In the present embodiment, as an example, each wiring hole 33b has eight ribs 33j. In addition, the ribs 33j included in each wiring hole 33b may be arranged at substantially equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0043] The rib 33j has an inclined surface 33c, one end of which is a first end 33g and the other end of which is a second end 33h. The first end 33g is the end closest to the first opening end 33e. The second end 33h is the end closest to the second opening end 33f. The inclined surface 33c is inclined such that the distance L to the extending axis AX gradually narrows from the first opening end 33e toward the second opening end 33f.

[0044] Here, the first end 33g faces the inside of the housing body 31 in a direction opposite to the first direction. Thus, in the direction from the first end 33g toward the inside of the housing body 31, no part of the wiring hole 33b is narrower than the opening part at the first end 33g. For example, as Figure 3 shown, in the second direction corresponding to the Y direction, the opening distance at the first end 33g is represented by a first distance L1.

[0045] On the other hand, the second end 33h forms the narrowest opening part at the wiring hole 33b. For example, as Figure 3 shown, in the second direction corresponding to the Y direction, the opening distance at the second end 33h is represented by a second distance L2. The second distance L2 is smaller than the first distance L1 associated with the first end 33g. Assuming that the second end 33h of the rib 33j is connected in the circumferential direction of the wiring hole 33b, a virtual circle having an inner diameter that can be the dimension value of the second distance L2 is defined. In this case, the inner diameter of the virtual circle, that is, the dimension value of the second distance L2 can be set equal to the outer diameter D of the electric wire 100.

[0046] In the present embodiment, the retainer engaging portions 33d are provided at both ends of the electric wire lead-out portion 33 in the third direction corresponding to the X direction. The retainer engaging portions 33d engage with the engaging portions 72b provided in the rear retainer 72.

[0047] In other words, in the structure of the outer housing 30, in the connector 1, the orientation direction of the cover opening 32a of the connector cover 32, that is, the direction in which the connector is connected to the external connector and the direction in which the electric wire 100 is led out from the electric wire lead-out portion 33 are in the same direction. In the present embodiment, the direction in which the cover opening 32a of the connector cover 32 is oriented and the direction in which the electric wire 100 is led out from the electric wire lead-out portion 33 are both in the first direction corresponding to the Z direction.

[0048] The rear cover 40 is made of, for example, a synthetic resin and is an insulating member for covering the opening formed by the open end 35a after the terminal 10 of the end 101a joined to the joining portion 12 and the end of the electric wire 100 are housed together in the housing body 31 of the outer housing 30. The rear cover 40 has a main body wall (not shown), a plurality of locking portions 42, a plurality of seal locking portions 43, and a second electric wire contact portion 45.

[0049] The main body wall is in a flat plate shape, and when the rear cover 40 is attached to the outer housing 30, the outer peripheral edge 41a of the main body wall follows the open end 35a of the housing body 31. When the rear cover 40 is attached to the outer housing 30, the inner wall surface of the main body wall faces the front wall 34 of the housing body 31.

[0050] The locking portions 42 are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction along the outer peripheral edge 41a of the main body wall on the outer peripheral edge 41a. When the rear cover 40 is attached to the outer casing 30, the locking portions 42 are engaged with the engaging portions 35c on the annular side wall 35 to prevent the rear cover 40 from detaching from the outer casing 30.

[0051] The seal locking portions 43 are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction along the outer peripheral edge 41a on the outer peripheral edge 41a of the main body wall, avoiding the plurality of locking portions 42. The rear cover seal 61 described later is provided with a plurality of engaging protrusions 61a. When the rear cover 40 is attached to the outer casing 30, each seal locking portion 43 is engaged with one of the engaging protrusions 61a on the rear cover seal 61.

[0052] The second wire contact portion 45 is provided on the inner wall surface of the main body wall. When the rear cover 40 is attached to the outer casing 30, the second wire contact portion 45 contacts the wire 100. The second wire contact portion 45 has a first curved groove 45a and a second curved groove 45b, each curved groove extending in the second direction and including a curved surface that matches the shape of the side surface of the wire 100 arranged in the housing main body 31. The first curved groove 45a accommodates a part of the side surface of the first wire 100a. The second curved groove 45b accommodates a part of the side surface of the second wire 100b. Similar to the first ribs 38c provided on the outer casing 30, the first curved groove 45a and the second curved groove 45b may each have four second ribs.

[0053] When the rear cover 40 is attached to the outer casing 30, the first wire contact portion 38 and the second wire contact portion 45 sandwich the wire 100. Specifically, a part of the first wire 100a is held between the first curved groove 38a provided as a part of the outer casing 30 and the first curved groove 45a provided as a part of the rear cover 40. Then, the four first ribs 38c of the first curved groove 38a and the four second ribs of the first curved groove 45a are press-fitted into the covering portion 102 on the outer periphery of the first wire 100a. Similarly, a part of the second wire 100b is clamped between the second curved groove 38b as a part of the outer casing 30 and the second curved groove 45b as a part of the rear cover 40. Then, the four first ribs 38c of the second curved groove 38b and the four second ribs of the second curved groove 45b are press-fitted into the covering portion 102 on the outer periphery of the second wire 100b. Therefore, for example, it is possible to prevent the reaction force generated by the oscillation of the wire 100 caused by vehicle oscillation from being transmitted to the terminal 10 through the wire 100 led out from the wire lead-out portion 33. Therefore, the portion where the joint portion 12 as a part of the terminal 10 is joined to the end 101a of the core wire 101 of the wire 100 is protected, thereby improving the reliability of the joint portion.

[0054] In addition, the connector 1 includes a unit seal 60, a rear cover seal 61, and a wire seal 62 as waterproof components for preventing moisture from entering the outer housing 30 from the outside.

[0055] The unit seal 60 is an annular elastic member that is tightly fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the connector cover 32 in the outer housing 30. When an external connector is connected to the connector 1, the unit seal 60 seals the space between the outer peripheral surface of the connector cover 32 and the mating surface of the external connector.

[0056] The rear cover seal 61 is an annular elastic member that is tightly fitted to the open end 35a of the housing body 31 of the outer housing 30. When the rear cover 40 is attached to the outer housing 30, the rear cover seal 61 seals the space between the open end 35a of the housing body 31 and the outer peripheral edge 41a of the rear cover 40.

[0057] The wire seal 62 is an elastic member in the shape of an elongated circular flat plate, which is tightly fitted to the inner wall surface 33a of the wire lead-out portion 33 of the outer housing 30. In addition, the wire seal 62 has a plurality of seal holes 62a that allow the wires 100 to pass through while being in close contact with each wire 100. In this embodiment, since the wire seal 62 allows two wires 100 to pass through separately, there are two seal holes 62a. When the wire seal 62 is attached to the inner wall surface 33a of the wire lead-out portion 33, the seal holes 62a are close to the second open end 33f of one of the wiring holes 33b. When the wire seal 62 is attached to the inner wall surface 33a, the central axis of each seal hole 62a is along the first direction. Here, the extension axis of the central axis of the seal hole 62a is denoted as "extension axis AX". The wire seal 62 seals the space between the inner wall surface 33a of the wire lead-out portion 33 and the wire 100 passing through the through space of the wire lead-out portion 33.

[0058] In addition, the connector 1 includes a front retainer 70 and a rear retainer 72 as retaining members for different types of seals.

[0059] The front retainer 70 is made of synthetic resin and is a cylindrical member attached to the connector cover 32 to prevent the unit seal 60 from falling off the connector cover 32 of the outer housing 30. The front retainer 70 is formed to engage with the end of the connector cover 32 while being partially accommodated in the cover opening 32a of the connector cover 32. When the front retainer 70 is attached to the connector cover 32, it faces at least a part of the unit seal 60 in the first direction. Therefore, even if the unit seal 60 moves to the end of the connector cover 32, further movement can be restricted by abutting against a part of the front retainer 70, thereby preventing it from falling off the connector cover 32.

[0060] The first terminal receiving portion 21 and the second terminal receiving portion 22 of the inner housing 20 penetrate through the inside of the inner wall 71 of the front retainer 70. An opening 71a communicating with the inner wall 71 exposes the ends of the first terminal receiving portion 21 and the second terminal receiving portion 22 to the outside.

[0061] In addition, the front retainer 70 has a plurality of engaging portions 71b on a part of the inner wall 71. The engaging portions 71b engage with the first engaging claws 37 provided on the connector cover 32. That is, in the present embodiment, four engaging portions 71b are provided corresponding to the number of the provided first engaging claws 37. When the front retainer 70 is attached to the connector cover 32, the engaging portions 71b engage with the first engaging claws 37 to prevent the front retainer 70 from detaching from the connector cover 32.

[0062] The rear retainer 72 is made of synthetic resin and is attached to the wire lead-out portion 33 to prevent the wire seal 62 from detaching from the wire lead-out portion 33 of the outer housing 30. The rear retainer 72 has two through holes 72a, each of which enables the wire 100 to pass through, and is an elongated flat plate member similar in shape to the wire seal 62. When the wire seal 62 seals the space between the inner wall surface 33a of the wire lead-out portion 33 and the wire 100, the rear retainer 72 is inserted into the through space from the end of the wire lead-out portion 33 and is supported by the wire lead-out portion 33. Thus, the rear retainer 72 prevents the wire seal 62 from detaching from the wire lead-out portion 33.

[0063] In addition, the rear retainer 72 has a plurality of locking portions 72b protruding from the outer peripheral edge in a direction opposite to the first direction. The locking portions 72b engage with the retainer engaging portions 33d provided in the wire lead-out portion 33. That is, in the present embodiment, two locking portions 72b are provided corresponding to the number of the provided retainer engaging portions 33d. When the rear retainer 72 is attached to the wire lead-out portion 33, the locking portions 72b engage with the retainer engaging portions 33d, thereby preventing the rear retainer 72 from detaching from the wire lead-out portion 33.

[0064] In addition, the connector 1 includes an upper cover 80, a lower cover 81, a shielding braid 82, and a shielding ring 83 as shielding members for shielding noise.

[0065] The upper cover 80 is made of metal and covers the housing main body 31 of the outer housing 30 when the rear cover 40 is attached thereto. The upper cover 80 can cover at least a part of the connector cover 32 or the wire lead-out portion 33 of the outer housing 30 while accommodating the housing main body 31. The upper cover 80 is a box-shaped portion defined with the first direction corresponding to the Z direction as the length direction, the second direction corresponding to the Y direction as the height direction, and the third direction corresponding to the X direction as the width direction. The upper cover 80 has a bottom wall 80a, an annular side wall 80b, a plurality of support portions 80e, and a plurality of support pieces 80g.

[0066] The bottom wall 80a is a wall portion orthogonal to the first direction. The planar shape of the bottom wall 80a is a substantially rectangular shape defined by a long side substantially in the second direction and a short side substantially in the third direction.

[0067] The annular side wall 80b and the bottom wall 80a together form an internal space for accommodating the housing body 31. One annular end of the annular side wall 80b in the first direction is continuous with the peripheral portion of the bottom wall 80a. The other annular end of the annular side wall 80b in the first direction is an open end 80c that forms an opening facing the bottom wall 80a. When assembling the connector 1, the housing body 31 with the rear cover 40 attached is accommodated through the opening formed by the open end 80c.

[0068] The support portion 80e has a first through hole 80d, and when assembling the connector 1, the bolt 90 passes through the first through hole 80d after passing through the mating hole 36a provided in the outer housing 30.

[0069] The support piece 80g is a portion provided, for example, by bending a portion protruding from the open end 80c of the annular side wall 80b, and each support piece 80g has a second through hole 80f, and when the connector 1 is attached to the housing of an external connector, a mounting bolt (not shown) passes through the second through hole 80f.

[0070] The lower cover 81 is made of metal and covers a part of the front wall 34 of the housing body 31 of the outer housing 30 and the wire lead-out portion 33. The lower cover 81 has a cylindrical portion 81a and a flange 81b.

[0071] The cylindrical portion 81a covers the wire lead-out portion 33 by accommodating the wire lead-out portion 33 through a through space having an elongated circular hole in cross section and opening in the first direction. One open end of the cylindrical portion 81a is a fixed end continuous with the flange 81b. The other open end of the cylindrical portion 81a is an open end that forms an opening for leading out the wire 100 from the wire lead-out portion 33.

[0072] The flange 81b, which is a flat plate orthogonal to the first direction, faces a part of the front wall 34 to cover a part of the front wall 34. In addition, the flange 81b has a through hole 81c, and when assembling the connector 1, the bolt 90 passes through the through hole 81c before passing through the mating hole 36a provided in the outer housing 30.

[0073] The shielding braid 82 is a metal braid, a part of which covers the end of the cylindrical portion 81a, and the other part is wound to cover the two wires 100 led out from the cylindrical portion 81a as a whole.

[0074] The shielding ring 83 is a metal fastening member for press-fitting the shielding braid 82 to the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 81a of the lower cover 81.

[0075] In addition, the connector 1 includes a plurality of bolts 90 and a plurality of annular collars 91 pre-fitted into the fitting holes 36a of the outer housing 30 as components for assembling the components. As described above, the flange 81b of the lower cover 81 is provided with a through hole 81c. The annular collar 91 is fitted into the fitting hole 36a of the outer housing 30. The support portion 80e of the upper cover 80 is provided with a first through hole 80d. The bolt 90 passes through the through hole 81c, the annular collar 91 of the fitting hole 36a, and the first through hole 80d to be fastened, and thereby the lower cover 81, the outer housing 30, and the upper cover 80 are integrally assembled.

[0076] Next, the operation and effects of the connector 1 will be described.

[0077] The connector 1 connected to an external connector includes a plurality of terminals and a housing body 31 that houses the ends of a plurality of electric wires 100 joined to each terminal 10. The connector 1 includes a wire lead-out portion 33 in a cylindrical form, which is continuous with the housing body 31 and leads out the plurality of electric wires 100 to the outside in a first direction of connection to the external connector. The connector 1 further includes a wire seal 62 fitted to the inner wall surface 33a of the wire lead-out portion 33 in a closely contacting manner, and has a plurality of seal holes 62a that allow the electric wires to pass through while being in close contact with each electric wire 100. The wire lead-out portion 33 has a plurality of wiring holes 33b that allow each electric wire 100 to be laid between a first open end 33e facing the inside of the housing body 31 and a second open end 33f facing a part of the wire seal 62 fitted to the inner wall surface 33a in the first direction. The wiring hole includes an inclined surface 33c, where the distance L from the extension axis to the central axis of the seal hole 62a becomes closer from the first open end 33e toward the second open end 33f. The first end 33g of the inclined surface 33c at the position closest to the first open end 33e faces the inside of the housing body 31 in a direction opposite to the first direction, and the second end 33h of the inclined surface 33c at the position closest to the second open end 33f forms the narrowest opening part in the wiring hole 33b.

[0078] In the illustrated example, the electric wires 100 correspond to a first electric wire 100a and a second electric wire 100b. In the illustrated example, the terminals 10 correspond to a first terminal 10a fitted to the end of the first electric wire 100a and a second terminal 10b fitted to the end of the second electric wire 100b. In the illustrated example, the first direction corresponds to the Z direction.

[0079] The connector 1 has a general U-shaped form, where the connection direction to the external connector and the direction of leading out the wire 100 to the outside are in the first direction. In this case, since the wire 100 extending in the second direction intersecting the first direction is finally led out from the wire leading-out portion 33 in the first direction, it is bent by approximately 90 degrees within the connector 1. In the above description, the first direction and the second direction are orthogonal, but are not limited to the orthogonal case.

[0080] First, the wire leading-out portion 33 is a part for leading out the wire 100 to the outside, and each wiring hole 33b routes one of the wires 100 within the wire leading-out portion 33. That is, the narrowest opening portion in each wiring hole 33b formed at the second end 33h of the inclined surface 33c has a shape that at least allows the wire 100 to pass through. In each wiring hole 33b, the inclined surface 33c is inclined so as to gradually approach the seal hole 62a in the first direction. Therefore, the wire 100 pulled into the wire leading-out portion 33 from inside the housing main body 31 contacts a part of the inclined surface 33c in each wiring hole 33b and is guided by the inclined surface 33c toward the seal hole 62a. Thus, at least inside the wire seal 62 in the wire leading-out portion 33, the wire 100 is held in an orientation where the central axis of the wire 100 is substantially coaxial with the central axis of the seal hole 62a.

[0081] A large bend of the wire 100 in the housing main body 31 causes an elastic force for the wire 100 to return to its original shape in the wire leading-out portion 33. On the other hand, with the connector 1, deviation of the wire 100 caused by the elastic force is suppressed in the wire seal 62, thereby suppressing deformation of the wire seal 62, that is, deviation of the so-called tightening margin, and as a result, deterioration of the waterproof performance can be prevented.

[0082] As described above, according to the present embodiment, even when the degree of bending of the internal wire 100 is large, the connector 1 that is advantageous for preventing deterioration of the waterproof performance can be provided.

[0083] Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, the opening portion at the first end 33g facing the inside of the housing main body 31 is wider than the opening portion at the second end 33h with respect to the inclined surface 33c. Thus, for example, when an operator assembles the connector 1, the wire 100 greatly bent inside the housing main body 31 is pulled into the wire leading-out portion 33. As a result, interference with the wire leading-out portion 33 hardly occurs, and the connector 1 is advantageous in terms of improving the assembling convenience.

[0084] In the connector 1, each wiring hole 33b may have: an inner peripheral surface 33i that is partially continuous with the inner wall surface 33a where the wire seal 62 is mounted; and a plurality of ribs 33j arranged at intervals along the inner periphery of the inner peripheral surface 33i. An inclined surface 33c may be provided for each rib 33j.

[0085] According to the connector 1, it is effective as an example to provide the inclined surface 33c in each of the wiring holes 33b, and it is advantageous to reduce the weight of the outer housing 30 by providing only the ribs 33j necessary to guide the wire 100 toward the sealing hole 62a.

[0086] (Second Embodiment)

[0087] In the connector 1 according to the first embodiment, the inclined surface 33c is provided as part of the ribs 33j in each of the wiring holes 33b in the wire lead-out portion 33. On the other hand, in the connector 2 according to the second embodiment, instead of the plurality of wiring holes 33b, the wire lead-out portion 33 has a plurality of wiring holes 33k, and in the wiring holes 33k, a part of the inner peripheral surface 33n is the inclined surface 33m.

[0088] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the connector 2 according to the second embodiment cut at the same position as that Figure 3 used to describe the connector 1 according to the first embodiment. Figure 6 is from Figure 5 a perspective view of a cross-section of the outer housing 30a according to the second embodiment extracted therefrom. For the connector 2, components having the same structure or the same shape as those of the connector 1 according to the first embodiment are identified by the same reference numerals, and their detailed description will be omitted.

[0089] The connector 2 includes an outer housing 30a, replacing the outer housing 30 included in the connector 1. The wire lead-out portion 33 of the outer housing 30a includes a plurality of wiring holes 33k, replacing the plurality of wiring holes 33b included in the wire lead-out portion 33 of the outer housing 30.

[0090] Similar to the plurality of wiring holes 33b, a first opening end 33e and a second opening end 33f are defined in the plurality of wiring holes 33k. However, in the wiring holes 33k in the present embodiment, a part of the inner peripheral surface 33n constitutes an inclined surface 33m continuously formed along the inner periphery. Similar to the inclined surface 33c in the first embodiment, in the present embodiment, the inclined surface 33m has a first end 33g at one end and a second end 33h at the other end. The inclined surface 33m is inclined such that the distance L to the extension axis AX gradually narrows from the first opening end 33e toward the second opening end 33f.

[0091] In the direction from the first end 33g toward the inside of the housing body 31, no part of the plurality of wiring portions 33k is narrower than the opening portion at the first end 33g. For example, as Figure 5As shown, in the second direction corresponding to the Y direction, the opening distance at the first end 33g is represented by the first distance L1. The second end 33h forms the narrowest opening portion at the wiring hole 33k. For example, as Figure 5 shown, in the second direction corresponding to the Y direction, the opening distance at the second end 33h is represented by the second distance L2. For the first end 33g, the second distance L2 is less than the first distance L1. Here, the second end 33h is in a circular shape, and its inner diameter is represented by the dimension value of the second distance L2. In this case, the inner diameter of the second end 33h, that is, the dimension value of the second distance L2, can be set equal to the outer diameter D of the wire 100.

[0092] Thus, in the connector 2, the inclined surface 33m can be at least a part of the inner peripheral surface 33n of the wiring hole 33k.

[0093] With the connector 2, an effect equivalent to that of the connector 1 according to the first embodiment can be obtained. In particular, for example, for the connector 2, the shape of the wiring hole 33k is simpler than the shape of the wiring hole 33b according to the first embodiment. As a result, advantageously, the shape of the outer housing 30a itself can be simpler.

[0094] Although specific embodiments have been described, these embodiments are disclosed only by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. In fact, the novel embodiments described herein can be implemented in various other forms; in addition, various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the forms of the embodiments described herein can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The appended claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications that fall within the scope and spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A connector connected to an external connector, comprising: a plurality of terminals; a housing body that houses end portions of a plurality of electric wires joined to each of the terminals; a wire lead-out portion in a cylindrical form, which is continuous with the housing body and leads the plurality of electric wires to the outside in a first direction of connection to the external connector; and a wire seal that is fitted in close contact with an inner wall surface of the wire lead-out portion and has a plurality of seal holes that allow the electric wires to pass through while being in close contact with each of the electric wires, wherein: the wire lead-out portion has a plurality of wiring holes that allow each of the electric wires to be routed between a first open end and a second open end, the first open end facing the inside of the housing body, and the second open end facing a part of the wire seal fitted to the inner wall surface in the first direction; each of the wiring holes includes an inclined surface, wherein a distance between the inclined surface and an extension axis of a central axis of the seal hole gradually approaches from the first open end to the second open end; a first end of the inclined surface at a position closest to the first open end faces the inside of the housing body in a direction opposite to the first direction, and a second end of the inclined surface at a position closest to the second open end forms the narrowest opening portion in the wiring hole.

2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein: each of the wiring holes has: an inner circumferential surface that is continuous with a portion of the inner wall surface to which the wire seal is fitted; and a plurality of ribs that are arranged at intervals along an inner circumference of the inner circumferential surface, and the inclined surface is provided for each of the ribs.

3. The connector according to claim 1, wherein, The inclined surface is at least a part of the inner circumferential surface of the wiring hole.

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