connector

Abstract

The present invention provides a connector capable of providing appropriate gasket-based waterproofing. The connector (1) comprises: a housing (2) which fits into a counterpart connector (90); a cover (3) assembled to the housing (2); and an annular gasket (4) which provides waterproofing between the housing (2) and the cover (3). The cover (3) has an inner wall portion (33) of a receiving chamber (26) for receiving the gasket (4), the housing (2) has an outer wall portion (25) of the receiving chamber (26), and the cover (3) is configured to have a deformation-inhibiting portion (38) at a position on the outer periphery of the inner wall portion (33) to inhibit deformation of the gasket (4) toward the outer wall portion (25).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to connectors. Background Technology

[0002] Conventionally, connectors, such as those described in Patent Document 1, have had a cover installed at the opening of the housing. This connector includes a gasket for sealing between the housing and the cover. The gasket is positioned between two walls formed in the cover to seal between the connector and the housing.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2022-181650 Summary of the Invention

[0006] The technical problem that the invention aims to solve

[0007] In such connectors, there is room for improvement regarding the difficulty in achieving proper waterproofing using gaskets. For example, in the connectors described above, due to structural constraints, it is sometimes necessary to create notches in the walls that hold the gasket. In this case, if the gasket tilts, it may be impossible to properly waterproof between the housing and the cover.

[0008] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a connector capable of properly sealing the water between the housing and the cover.

[0009] Technical means for solving problems

[0010] That is, the connector according to the present invention comprises: a housing, which is fitted with a counterpart connector; a cover, which is assembled on the housing; and an annular gasket, which provides waterproofing between the housing and the cover. One of the housing and the cover has an inner wall portion of a receiving chamber for receiving the gasket, and the other of the housing and the cover has an outer wall portion of the receiving chamber. The housing and the cover have a deformation suppression portion at a position on the outer periphery of the inner wall portion to suppress deformation of the gasket toward the outer wall portion.

[0011] Invention Effects

[0012] The connector according to the invention enables appropriate gasket-based waterproofing. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the connector involved in the embodiment.

[0014] Figure 2 This is an exploded perspective view of the connector involved in the embodiment.

[0015] Figure 3 This is an exploded perspective view of the connector involved in the embodiment.

[0016] Figure 4 This is an enlarged view of the housing of the connector involved in the embodiment.

[0017] Figure 5 This is an enlarged view of the cover of the connector involved in the embodiment.

[0018] Figure 6 This is a perspective view of the connector cover and gasket involved in the embodiment.

[0019] Figure 7 This is an explanatory diagram of the notch portion and locking mechanism of the connector involved in the embodiment.

[0020] Figure 8 This is an explanatory diagram of the deformation suppression part of the connector involved in the embodiment.

[0021] Figure 9 This is an explanatory diagram of the housing chamber of the connector involved in the embodiment.

[0022] Figure 10 This is an illustrative diagram of the internal pressure of the connector involved in the embodiment, and a diagram showing the cover inside the connector viewed from the inside. Detailed Implementation

[0023] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Furthermore, the constituent elements of the following embodiments include elements that can be easily substituted by those skilled in the art, or elements that are substantially the same.

[0024] [Example]

[0025] This embodiment relates to a connector. In the following description, the first direction among the intersecting first, second, and third directions is referred to as the "extension direction X," the second direction as the "arrangement direction Y," and the third direction as the "assembly direction Z." Here, the extension direction X, the arrangement direction Y, and the assembly direction Z are orthogonal to each other. Furthermore, orthogonality here includes approximately orthogonality. The extension direction X is the extension direction of a portion of the wires. The arrangement direction Y is the arrangement direction of a portion of the wires. The assembly direction Z corresponds to the direction in which the cover is assembled onto the housing. Additionally, unless otherwise specified, all directions used in the following description refer to directions in the state where the components are already assembled together.

[0026] like Figures 1-3As shown, connector 1 is a component that connects to the other connector 90, for example, mounted in a vehicle and used in a wiring harness installed within the vehicle. Here, the wiring harness, for example, is a bundle of wiring materials used in power supply and signal communication used for connection between various devices mounted in the vehicle, and the wiring materials are connected to each device using connector 1 or the like. The wiring harness may include, for example, multiple wires W1, W2, W3, and W4; connector 1 for pulling the ends of the multiple wires W1, W2, W3, and W4 into place; and the other connector 90, which is electrically and mechanically connected to connector 1. Furthermore, the wiring harness may also include various components such as loops, protectors, and fasteners.

[0027] Connector 1 includes a housing 2, a cover 3, and a gasket 4. The housing 2 is a component that engages with the other connector 90, and is made of, for example, an insulating resin material. The housing 2 has a housing body 21, an engaging portion 22, a wire insertion portion 23, and a locking protrusion 27. The housing body 21 is formed as a box shape with an opening 211. For example, the housing body 21 has a concave polygonal cross-sectional shape in the direction intersecting the assembly direction Z, with a portion of its corners forming concave corner portions 213. The concave corner portion 213 is set to an angle with an interior angle greater than 180 degrees and less than 360 degrees. Specifically, the housing body 21 has a concave heptagonal cross-sectional shape in the direction intersecting the assembly direction Z, and has a concave corner portion 213. Concave polygons include generally concave polygons, and concave heptagons include generally concave heptagons. Furthermore, the length of the housing body 21 in the assembly direction Z is shorter than its length in the extension direction X and the alignment direction Y. The opening 211 is formed to open one surface of the housing body 21 in the assembly direction Z. For example, the shape of the opening 211 is a shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the shell body 21, and is a concave polygon with an interior angle of one corner greater than 180 degrees and less than 360 degrees.

[0028] The mating portion 22 is provided to protrude from the housing body 21 in the assembly direction Z. The mating portion 22 is formed into a square tube shape extending in the assembly direction Z. For example, a plurality of male terminals are provided inside the mating portion 22. The mating portion 22 connects the connector 1 to the other connector 90 by mating with the other connector 90.

[0029] The wire insertion part 23 is formed by protruding from the side of the housing body 21, and four are provided according to the number of wires W1 to W4. Two wire insertion parts 23 are provided in each of the intersecting directions, for example, two are provided in a way that protrudes along the extension direction X, and two are provided in a way that protrudes along the arrangement direction Y.

[0030] The locking protrusion 27 is a protrusion that protrudes from the side of the housing body 21, and multiple protrusions are provided at intervals along the outer periphery of the housing body 21. The locking protrusion 27 is a protrusion that engages with the locking arm 35 of the cover 3, and locks the cover 3 relative to the housing 2 by engaging with the locking arm 35 when the cover 3 is assembled to the housing 2.

[0031] like Figure 4 As shown, the housing 2 has a housing-side water-stop surface 24 and an outer wall portion 25. The housing-side water-stop surface 24 and the outer wall portion 25 are formed on the housing body 21 and are the portion that holds the gasket 4 and forms the receiving chamber 26 of the gasket 4. The housing-side water-stop surface 24 and the outer wall portion 25 are formed along the outer edge portion of the opening 211. The housing-side water-stop surface 24 is a surface that extends in a direction intersecting the assembly direction Z and extends along the outer edge portion of the opening 211. The housing-side water-stop surface 24 is formed, for example, on the upper end portion of the side wall 212 of the housing body 21. The outer wall portion 25 is a wall portion that is erected from the housing-side water-stop surface 24 toward the assembly direction Z, for example, it is provided at a position on the outer side of the housing-side water-stop surface 24 and covers the outer periphery of the gasket 4. That is, the housing-side water-stop surface 24 is formed to be connected to the outer wall portion 25 in an L-shaped cross section and extends in a direction intersecting the assembly direction Z of the gasket 4.

[0032] The outer wall portion 25 has notches 251 formed at predetermined intervals in the extending direction. The notches 251 serve as spaces for the protruding pieces 42 formed on the pad 4 to be inserted.

[0033] exist Figures 1-3 In this case, the cover 3 is a cover component that covers the opening 211 of the housing 2, and is formed according to the shape and size of the opening 211. For example, the cover 3 is formed in the shape of a concave polygon, and is formed to cover the opening 211 of the housing 2, the housing side water-stop surface 24, and the outer wall portion 25.

[0034] like Figure 5 As shown, the cover 3 has a cover body 31, a cover side water-stopping surface 32, and an inner wall portion 33. The cover body 31 is a plate-shaped portion with a concave polygonal shape. The cover side water-stopping surface 32 and the inner wall portion 33 are formed in the cover body 31 and are portions that hold the gasket 4 and form the receiving chamber 26 of the gasket 4. The cover side water-stopping surface 32 and the inner wall portion 33 are formed along the outer edge portion of the cover body 31. For example, the cover side water-stopping surface 32 is formed on the lower surface of the cover body 31 and is a surface that extends in a direction intersecting the assembly direction Z, and extends along the outer edge portion of the cover body 31. The inner wall portion 33 is a wall portion that hangs down from the cover side water-stopping surface 32 toward the assembly direction Z, for example, it is provided at a position near the inner side of the cover side water-stopping surface 32, and covers the inner peripheral side of the gasket 4. That is, the cover side water-stopping surface 32 is formed to be connected to the inner wall portion 33 in an L-shaped cross section and extends in a direction intersecting the assembly direction Z of the gasket 4.

[0035] like Figure 6 As shown, the gasket 4 is a water-stopping component that seals the space between the housing 2 and the cover 3, and is configured to be formed into a ring shape by an elastic material such as rubber or an elastomer. The gasket 4 is formed, for example, into a concave polygonal ring shape corresponding to the shape of the opening 211. The gasket 4 has a gasket body 41 and protruding pieces 42. The gasket body 41, which functions as a water-stopping component, is formed into a ring shape. Multiple protruding pieces 42 are provided at predetermined intervals, protruding from the gasket body 41 outwards from the ring shape. The protruding pieces 42, for example, engage with the cover 3, restricting the movement of the gasket 4 between the housing 2 and the cover 3. The protruding pieces 42 have a locking portion 421 protruding towards the cover 3. The locking portion 421 engages with a locked portion 311 formed on the cover body 31 of the cover 3, fixing the gasket 4 relative to the cover 3. The locked portion 311 is, for example, a hole through which the locking portion 421 can be inserted. The number of locking portions 311 varies depending on the number of protruding pieces 42, and they are positioned at positions corresponding to the formation positions of the locking portions 421.

[0036] like Figures 1-3 As shown, connector 1 has an upper housing 5 and a lower housing 6. The upper housing 5 is a shielding member that covers the cover 3 and housing 2. The upper housing 5 is a plate-shaped member that is larger than the cover 3. The upper housing 5 is arranged to overlap the cover 3 from the outside. The lower housing 6 is arranged to cover the wire insertion portion 23. For example, two lower housings 6 are provided, and each is arranged to cover two wire insertion portions 23 arranged in a row. The lower housing 6 is formed by arranging two arcuate portions, and is sandwiched between it and the upper housing 5 to cover the wire insertion portion 23.

[0037] Next, the waterproof structure of connector 1 involved in this embodiment will be described.

[0038] like Figure 9 As shown, a receiving chamber 26 is formed by a housing 2 and a cover 3, and a gasket 4 disposed in the receiving chamber 26 provides waterproofing between the housing 2 and the cover 3. That is, by assembling the cover 3 with the housing 2, the connector 1 forms a labyrinth-structured receiving chamber 26 by the outer wall portion 25 of the housing 2 and the housing-side waterproofing surface 24, and the inner wall portion 33 of the cover 3 and the cover-side waterproofing surface 32. The gasket 4 is disposed in the receiving chamber 26 and abuts against the housing-side waterproofing surface 24 and the cover-side waterproofing surface 32 to provide waterproofing between the housing 2 and the cover 3. In this way, when the receiving chamber 26 is composed of the outer wall portion 25, the housing-side waterproofing surface 24, the inner wall portion 33, and the cover-side waterproofing surface 32, it is possible to prevent the gasket 4 from tilting towards the inner wall portion 33 or the outer wall portion 25, and waterproofing based on the gasket 4 can be appropriately achieved.

[0039] Here, as Figure 7 As shown, in connector 1, due to structural constraints, a notch 251 is formed in the outer wall portion 25. Figure 7 The notch 251 is formed by a locking mechanism consisting of a locking protrusion 27 and a locking arm 35 located at adjacent positions. Furthermore, this notch 251 is formed at the concave corner 213 of the housing body 21. Figure 10 As shown, when pressure is applied from the inside of the connector 1, the gasket 4 is pressed outwards, and in the cut-off portion of the outer wall 25, the gasket 4 tilts or falls off, which may result in the inability to maintain the proper setting state.

[0040] In contrast, in connector 1 of this embodiment, by forming a deformation-inhibiting portion 38 on the outer periphery of the inner wall portion 33 of the cover 3, the gasket 4 can be maintained in an appropriate state, and water sealing based on the gasket 4 can be appropriately achieved. Figure 8 As shown, the deformation suppression part 38 is, for example, a protrusion that protrudes from near the cover-side water-stop surface 32 of the cover 3, so as to be inserted into Figure 7 The notch 251 is provided. Furthermore, in... Figure 8 In the diagram, the deformation suppression part 38 is shown as a cylindrical protrusion, but it can also be a shape other than cylindrical. The deformation suppression part 38 is located on the outer side of the gasket 4. Even if the gasket 4 is subjected to pressure from inside the connector 1 and is about to move or tilt outwards, the deformation suppression part 38 supports the gasket 4 and suppresses its deformation. Thus, the deformation suppression part 38 maintains the gasket 4 in a proper state, achieving proper waterproofing through the gasket 4.

[0041] As explained above, the connector 1 involved in this embodiment has a deformation suppression part 38, which can suppress the outward deformation of the gasket 4 and can properly stop water between the housing 2 and the cover 3 through the gasket 4.

[0042] In addition, in the connector 1 of this embodiment, the deformation suppression part 38 is formed at a position corresponding to the notch 251 of the outer wall part 25, thereby reliably suppressing the deformation of the pad 4 in the parts of the pad 4 that are prone to deformation.

[0043] In addition, in the connector 1 of this embodiment, the notch 251 and the deformation suppression part 38 are formed in the concave corner 213 of the housing 2, thereby reliably suppressing the deformation of the pad 4 in the concave corner 213 where the pad 4 is prone to deform outward.

[0044] Furthermore, the connector involved in this invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims. The connector 1 involved in this embodiment can also be constructed by appropriately combining the constituent elements of the various embodiments and modifications described above.

[0045] For example, in the connector 1 described in the above embodiment, an outer wall portion 25 is provided in the housing 2 and an inner wall portion 33 is provided in the cover 3. However, it is also possible to provide an inner wall portion 33 in the housing 2 and an outer wall portion 25 in the cover 3. Even with such a connector, the same functional effect as the connector 1 described above can be achieved. By having a deformation-inhibiting portion 38, the gasket 4 can be used to properly seal the water between the housing 2 and the cover 3.

[0046] Furthermore, the above embodiment describes the case where the connector 1 is mounted on a vehicle, but it can also be used on objects other than vehicles.

[0047] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0048] 1: Connector

[0049] 2: Shell

[0050] 3: Cover

[0051] 4: Padding

[0052] 24: Waterstop surface on the shell side

[0053] 25: Outer wall section

[0054] 26: Containment Room

[0055] 32: Side waterstop surface

[0056] 33: Inner wall part

[0057] 38: Deformation suppression part

[0058] 90: The other party's connector

[0059] 213: Concave corner

[0060] 251: Notch

[0061] Z: Assembly direction

Claims

1. A connector, characterized in that, have: A housing that engages with the other connector; A cover, the cover being assembled to the housing; and An annular gasket that prevents water from seeping between the housing and the cover. One of the housing and the cover has an inner wall portion of a receiving chamber for receiving the padding. The other of the housing and the cover has the outer wall portion of the receiving chamber. One of the housing and the cover has a deformation-suppressing portion at a position on the outer peripheral side of the inner wall portion to suppress deformation of the liner toward the outer wall portion.

2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein, The deformation suppression portion is formed at a position corresponding to the notch portion formed by cutting a portion of the outer wall portion.

3. The connector according to claim 2, wherein, The notch and the deformation suppression portion are formed at the concave corner of the housing.

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