Connector

Abstract

Connectors (11) for a first sheathed cable (21) the a first leader (15), a first coat (21) and a first final section (19) exhibits, and a second sheathed cable (21) the a second conductor (15), a second coat (21) and a second final section (19) exhibits with: the first final section (19) wherein a terminal end of the first conductor (15) is exposed from the first coat (21) and a connection-side end of the first end section (19) forms, a first connection (17), which is fixed to the connection-side end of the first conductor (15); a first sealing section (23), which is made of an insulating and elastic material, and which integrally covers an adjacent section of the first connection (17) and the first mantle (21); the second final section (19) wherein a terminal-side end of the second conductor (15) is exposed from the second sheath (21) and forms a terminal-side end of the second end section (19), a second connection (17), which is fixed to the connection-side end of the second conductor (15); a second sealing section (23), which is made of an insulating and elastic material, and which integrally covers an adjacent section of the second connection (17) and the second sheath (21); and a housing (25), which is made from an insulating resin, that has a strength which is higher than the strength of the elastic material, and wherein the housing (25) integrally covers the entire first sealing section (23), which is provided around the first end section (19) of the sheathed first line (13), wherein the housing (25) integrally covers the entire second sealing section (23), which is provided around the second end section (19) of the sheathed second line (13), wherein a first connection-side end surface (51) of the first sealing section (23) is separated from the housing (25) is exposed so that it surrounds the first terminal (17), where the first connection-side end surface (51) of the first sealing section (23) from the housing (25) is exposed by a first ring-shaped recess (53), which is formed in the housing (25), so that it surrounds the first terminal (17), a contact section (43) of the first connection (17) of the first connection-side end surface (51) of the first sealing section (23) and protrudes from a connection-side end surface (59) of the housing (25), wherein a second connection-side end surface (51) of the second sealing section (23) is separated from the housing (25) is exposed so that it surrounds the second terminal (17), where the second connection-side end surface (51) of the second sealing section (23) from the housing (25) is exposed by a second ring-shaped recess (53), which is formed in the housing (25), so that it surrounds the second terminal (17), a contact section (43) of the second terminal (17) of the second connection-side end surface (51) of the second sealing section (23) and protrudes from the connection-side end surface (59) of the housing (25), and wherein the connector (11) has two connecting sections (31) which connect the two sealing sections (23) together and wherein the two connecting sections (31) are covered by material of the housing (25) when the two sealing sections (23) are overmolded with the material of the housing (25).

Description

Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to a connector. State of the art

[0002] Connectors are known in which electrical conductors are sheathed with a soft resin element, which are covered with a housing made of hard resin material (reference to patent document 1).

[0003] In a shielded cable 501, shown in Fig. 7, a shielded cable 503 is covered with a cylindrical housing 505, and a metal terminal 511 is fixed to a conductor 509 exposed by a core 507 of the shielded cable 503. The gap between a sheath 513, the shielded cable 503, and the housing 505 is sealed with a heat-insulating layer 515 made of relatively soft urethane. When the shielded cable 503 is attached to a shielding wall 517, the gap between a mounting hole 519 and the housing 505, which passes through the mounting hole 519, is sealed by an O-ring 521, and the shielding wall 517 and a shielding layer 523 of the shielded cable 503 are electrically connected.Since the housing 505 covers the exposed section of the conductor 509 in a fluid-tight manner, there is no possibility of fluid passing into the interior of the shielded conductor 503 through the gaps between the element conductors of the conductor 509.

[0004] In a 525 connector, shown in Fig. Figure 8, disclosed in patent document 2, shows a connection 527 and a jacket 529 covered together with a main resin casting element 531. A first sealing element 535 for sealing a first connection section 533 of the main resin casting element 531 and the jacket 529 is arranged there. The first sealing element 535 and the main resin casting element 531 are encased together with a secondary resin casting element 537. The secondary resin casting element 537 prevents the first sealing element 535 from being pulled away from the first connection section 533, thereby increasing the durability of the watertight structure. State of the art document(s) Patent document(s) Patent Document 1: JP-A-2001-273946 Patent Document 2: JP-A-2008-269858 Summary of the invention: Problem to be solved with the invention

[0005] However, in the shielded connector 501 described above, the housing 505 is in close contact with the outer circumferential surface of the front half-section of a hot-melt adhesive 541, which encases a portion of the base section of an eyelet 539 of the connecting metal fastener 511. In the connector 525 described above, the connection 527 and the casing 529 are encased together with the main resin casting element 531, and the first sealing element 535 is encased together with the main resin casting element 531 and the secondary resin casting element 537.Therefore, since the connecting metal fastener 511 of the connection 527 (these are metal components) is encased with the housing 505 or the secondary resin casting element 537 (these are made of hard resin material), a fracture may develop in the housing 505 or the secondary resin casting element 537 in the connection insertion section due to expansion or contraction when thermal stress or positional alignment (displacement) occurs at the time of connection installation.

[0006] The earlier, but unpublished, publication DE 11 2012 004 002 T5 discloses a watertight connector comprising a flexible flat cable formed in the form of a flat plate, having a plurality of conductors and an insulating film covering the plurality of conductors. A hole is formed between the conductors of the flexible flat cable, and a slot is formed in one end section of the flexible flat cable in its width direction. The cable retaining element comprises a sealing element formed integrally with the conductors and the terminals to enclose the connecting elements, and a retaining element formed integrally with the flexible flat cable that covers the sealing element. A housing of the connector projects over contact sections.

[0007] German patent DE 20 2007 007 831 U1 discloses a single connector in which the electrical contacts are suspended within the housing by means of elastic bushings. The bushings are overmolded with the housing material.

[0008] US patent 2012 / 0040571 A1 shows a single connector in which a plug contact is overmolded with an elastomer. The elastomer is in turn overmolded with a resin that surrounds and compresses the elastomer.

[0009] WO 2012 / 070691A1 shows a copper connector attached to an aluminum conductor. For corrosion protection, both the connector end of the conductor and the conductor end of the connector are overmolded with an elastomer.

[0010] The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and one object of the present invention is therefore to provide a connector that is able to prevent a connection insertion section of a housing from being damaged by displacement of the housing.

[0011] This problem is solved according to the invention by a connector having the features of claim 1.

[0012] The above object of the invention is achieved by the following configurations: (1) A connector comprising: a terminal fixed to a conductor exposed by an end section of a sheathed conductor; a sealing section made of an insulating and elastic material, integrally covering an adjacent section of the terminal and a sheath of the sheathed conductor; and a housing made of an insulating resin having a strength greater than that of the elastic material, integrally covering the entire sealing section provided around the end section of the sheathed conductor, with a terminal side end face of the sealing section exposed by the housing so that it surrounds the terminal.

[0013] In the connector with the configuration described in point (1), because the housing covers the sealing section in such a way that the terminal side end face of the sealing section is exposed so that it surrounds the terminal, a portion of the sealing section is positioned between the terminal and the housing. Therefore, the housing, made of the insulating resin, does not directly cover the terminal. As a result, the sealing section, made of the elastic material, can absorb displacement, expansion, or contraction of the terminal, thus preventing damage to the terminal insertion section of the housing. (2) The connector having the configuration of point (1), wherein the connection side end face of the sealing section is exposed from the housing by an annular recess formed in the housing so that the housing surrounds the connection.

[0014] In the connector having the configuration of point (2), the connection side end face of the sealing section is arranged in the annular recess of the housing. As a result, an event does not occur in which, if deformation of the sealing section due to movement, expansion, or contraction of the connection of a section containing the connection side end face propagates outwards from the connection side end face of the housing and impairs the connector fastening.

[0015] The invention has been briefly and clearly described above. The details of the invention will become apparent when the following section, “Mode of Implementation of the Invention” (hereinafter referred to as an exemplary embodiment), is read with reference to the accompanying drawings. Description of the drawings Fig. Figure 1 is a top view of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. Figure 2 is a sectional view along arrow AA of the connector, shown in Fig. 1. Fig. Figure 3 is a front view of the connector, shown in Fig. 1. Fig. Figure 4 is a top view of the connector, shown in Fig. 1, with one case omitted. Fig. Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view of an injection mold for casting the housing, shown in Fig. 1. Fig. Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view of the injection mold for casting the housing, shown in Fig. 1. Fig. Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view of a conventional shielded connector. Fig. Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view of a conventional connector. Mode for carrying out the invention

[0016] An embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the drawings.

[0017] As in the Fig. As shown in Figures 4 to 5, a connector 11 according to the exemplary embodiment is a so-called overmolded connector in which a terminal 17 with a conductor 15 is connected to each sheathed conductor 13, and the connection section, i.e., an end section 19 of the sheathed conductor 13 and part of the terminal 17, are sheathed with resin casting. In this specification, the connector 11, with its terminal side and sheathed conductor side respectively, is described as the front side and the back side.

[0018] The sheathed cable 13 has a conductor 15, sheathed with a jacket 21, and is connected to the connector 11 according to the exemplary embodiment. The sheathed cable used in the invention can be either a sheathed cable 13 comprising a conductor 15 sheathed with only one jacket 21, or a shielded cable in which the outer surface of an inner insulating jacket covering the conductor is covered with a metal braid, and the outer surface of the metal braid is sheathed with an outer jacket. The connector 11 according to the exemplary embodiment is provided with a plurality of (in the exemplary embodiment, two) sheathed cables 13, each having a conductor 15 connected to respective terminals 17 arranged side-by-side.

[0019] Terminal 17 is connected and fixed to conductor 15, exposed by the end section 19 of the corresponding sheathed conductor 13. The connection structure of terminal 17 and conductor 15 can be any type of crimp, push-fit, weld, solder, etc. Although a flat terminal, which is a plug-in type, is used as an example for terminal 17 in the exemplary embodiment, terminal 17 can be a ring terminal, a Y-shaped terminal, a receptacle terminal having a box-shaped electrical contact section, or the like.

[0020] The connector 11 is produced in such a way that conductors 15 and end sections 19 of the sheathed conductors 13 are subjected to primary overmolding using an insulating and elastic material, such as a thermoplastic elastomer, to seal sections 23 (see Fig. 4) to form, and then the sealing sections 23 and the end sections 19 are subjected to a second overmolding, using an insulating resin, such as a thermoplastic resin around the housing 25 (see Fig. 1) to form.

[0021] The sealing sections 23 are made of a thermoplastic elastomer and the like, and are connected to each other by connecting sections 31. Each of the sealing sections 23 covers a connecting section 29 of each of the two terminals 17, which are arranged separately and side by side, and the sheath 21 of each of the two sheathed conduits 13, which are arranged separately and side by side. A material capable of easily joining the sheaths 21 of the sheathed conduits 13, the terminals 17, and the housing 25 is selected as the thermoplastic elastomer.

[0022] Thermoplastic elastomers can be modified so that they are able to thermally bond to thermoplastic resins that have a high polarity value (solution parameter), such as common ABS resin and polycarbonate, glass, various metals, light metals such as aluminum and magnesium alloys, and which are excellent in flexibility and castability.

[0023] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 4, the majority (two in this embodiment) are arranged in connection sections 31 in the longitudinal direction of the sheathed conduits 13. In this embodiment, the sealing section 23 is formed with a flange 33 on the sheathed conduit side and with a connecting cast section 35 on the connecting side. The sealing section 23 has a narrowed section 37 between the connecting cast section 35 and the flange 33, which is smaller in diameter than both the connecting cast section 35 and the flange 33. Each sealing section 23 also has a watertight cylinder 39 on the sheathed conduit side of the flange 33, which covers an outer circumferential surface of the sheathed conduit 13. The adjacent flanges 33 and the adjacent connecting cast sections 35 of the sealing sections 23 are connected to each other by the respective connecting sections 31.

[0024] The housing is made of an insulating resin that has a strength higher than that of the elastic material of the sealing sections 23 and integrally covers all of the sealing sections 23 provided around the end section 19 of the respective sheathed conduit 13. That is, the housing 25 covers all of the connecting cast sections 35, the flanges 33, and the watertight cylinders 39 of the two sealing sections 23 arranged side by side. The housing 25 is a housing body 41 that is substantially uniform in thickness, corresponds to the outer lines of the connecting cast sections 35, the flanges 33, and the watertight cylinders 39, and is shaped like solid blocks between the connecting cast sections 35 and the flanges 33 (see Fig. 1) Thus, the housing body 41 is designed such that electrical contact sections 43 of the terminals 17 project forward, and the pair of waterproof cylinders 39, which are covered by the housing 25, extend backward. As in Fig. As shown in Figure 4, the sheathed lines 13 lead to the rear, out of the respective waterproof cylinders 39. Since the waterproof cylinders 39 are covered by the housing 25, the sheathed lines 13 lead directly to the outside from the respective waterproof cylinder sheaths 45 of the housing 25.

[0025] Each waterproof cylindrical shell 45 is formed with a small diameter section 47 at its rear end, thereby forming a stepped section 49. The small diameter section 47, which covers an outer circumferential surface of the sheathed conduit 13, is thin. In the connector 11 according to the exemplary embodiment, the presence of the thin, narrow diameter section 47 ensures stronger adhesion between each of the waterproof cylindrical shells 45 and the sheathed conduit 13 than would be the case if the sheathed conduit 13 led directly away from the waterproof cylindrical shell 45, which lacked the narrow diameter section 47. The narrow diameter section 47 is made of thermoplastic resin, which has a higher strength than thermoplastic elastomer. However, because it is thin, the small diameter section 47 can follow a bend in the conduit to a certain degree.in an area where the pull-off does not occur at the boundary between the watertight cylinder 39 and the sheathed line 13. That is, the small diameter section 47 suppresses a pull-off at the boundary between the watertight cylinder 39 and the sheathed line 13, while allowing the sheathed line 13 to bend in such an area.

[0026] Furthermore, in the connector 11 according to the embodiment, the connection side end surfaces 51 of the sealing sections 23 are exposed from the housing 25, so that they each surround the connections 17 (see Fig. 3) The connection end face 51 is exposed from the connection end face 59 of the housing 25 by an annular recess 53 formed in the housing 25, such that it surrounds the connection 17. That is, the connection end face 51 is exposed from each sealing section 23, which covers the connection 17, to a base of the annular recess 53 (see Fig. 2) In this way, the connection side end face 51 of each sealing section 23 is exposed to the outside through the annular recess 53. Each annular recess 53 serves as a clearance to prevent a portion of the sealing section 23, deformed by a displacement of the connection 17, from protruding outwards from the connection side end face 59 of the housing 25.

[0027] The connector 11 described above is manufactured as follows. First, sheathed cables 13, in which terminals 17 are fixed to the conductors 15, are inserted into a primary mold (not shown) and sealing sections 23, shown in Fig. 4, are formed by primary casting.

[0028] After the formation of the sealing sections 23 by primary casting, the sheathed pipes 13 with the sealing sections 23 are placed in a cavity 56 of a secondary casting mold (injection mold) 55, shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, inserted and secondary casting is carried out using an insulating resin, resulting in a housing 23, shown in Fig. 5, is cast. That is, the sealing sections 23 are formed using a thermoplastic elastomer, which is an elastic material, and the housing 25 is formed using a thermoplastic resin, which is an insulating resin. The secondary mold 55 is equipped with a sliding core 54, which has annular projections 57 for casting the annular recesses 53 of the housing 25. The sliding core 54, which has the annular projections 57, can be incorporated into the secondary mold 55 so that it is sliding and separable.

[0029] The end sections 19 of the two sheathed cables 13, to which the respective terminals 17 are attached, can be positioned relative to each other by the pair of sealing sections 23, which are connected to each other by the connecting sections 31. Since the sealing sections 23, which were attached to the respective end sections 19 of the two sheathed cables 13 by primary casting, are subsequently covered by the housing 25, the end sections 19 of the sheathed cables 13, to which the respective terminals are attached, are accurately positioned in the cavity 56 of the secondary mold when the secondary casting is carried out using the insulating resin. As a result, the efficiency of the injection molding process is improved by placing the end sections 19 of the sheathed cables 13 into the cavity 56.Furthermore, an event does not occur in which the end sections 19 of the sheathed lines 13, which are inserted into the cavity 56, are displaced by the injection pressure acting on the secondary casting resin (insulating resin) to create a non-uniform thickness of the housing. Thus, a connector 11 with precise dimensions can be produced.

[0030] Next, a description of the actions of connector 11, which has the above configuration, will be given.

[0031] In the connector 11 described above, by exposing the terminal end faces 51 of the sealing sections 23 from the terminal end faces 59 of the housing 25, the outer circumferential surfaces of the sealing sections 23 around the central axis of the sheathed conductors 13 are completely covered by the housing 25. Therefore, the housing 25 prevents each of the sealing sections 23 from deforming when the sheathed conductors 13 bend. As a result, stress generated by the conductor bending is not transferred to the boundary between the sheath 21 and the sealing section 23, and pull-off at the boundary can be suppressed.

[0032] Since the housing covers the sealing sections 23, so that the terminal side end face 51 of each sealing section 23 is exposed and surrounds the terminal 17, the terminals 17 are not directly covered by the housing 25, which is made of the insulating resin; instead, a section of the sealing sections 23 is inserted between the terminal 17 and the housing 25. Therefore, the sealing section 23, which is made of an elastic material, can absorb displacement, expansion, or contraction of the terminal 17, thereby preventing damage to the terminal insertion section of the housing 25.

[0033] Furthermore, the connection end face 51 of each sealing section 23 is exposed by the annular recess 53 formed in the housing 25, so that it surrounds the connection 17. That is, the connection end face 51 of the sealing section 23 exists within the annular recess 53 of the housing 25. Therefore, since an event does not occur in which, due to movement, expansion, or contraction of the connection 17, a section containing the connection end face 51 of the sealing section 23 is deformed outwards from the connection end face 59 (see Fig. 2) of the housing 25 and impairs the connector mounting piece.

[0034] Furthermore, each sealing section 23, made of thermoplastic elastomer, is connected to the sheath 21 of the sheathed pipe 13 and the connection 17 by primary casting, thus ensuring a seal. Therefore, it is not necessary to arrange a separate sealing element between the housing 25 and the sheath 21 or between the housing 25 and the connection 17.

[0035] Thus, according to the embodiment, the connector 11 can prevent damage to the associated connection insertion section of the housing 25 due to displacement of the connection 17.

[0036] The features of the connector described above, according to the embodiment of the invention, are summarized as follows: [1] A connector 11 comprising: a terminal 17 fixed to the conductor 15 exposed by an end section 19 of a sheathed conductor 13; a sealing section 23 made of an insulating and elastic material integrally covering an adjacent section of the terminal 17 and a sheath 21 of the sheathed conductor 13; and a housing 25 made of an insulating resin having a strength higher than that of the elastic material, integrally covering the entire sealing section 23 provided around the end section 19 of the sheathed conductor 13, with a terminal side end face 51 of the sealing section 23 exposed by the housing 25 so that it surrounds the terminal 17. [2] The connector 11, which has the configuration of point [1], wherein the connection side end face 51 of the sealing section 23 is exposed from the housing 25 by an annular recess 53 formed in the housing 25, so that it surrounds the connection 17.

[0037] The connector according to the invention is not limited to the one embodiment described above, and various modifications, improvements, etc., can be implemented where appropriate. Furthermore, the material, shape, dimensions, number, and arrangement, etc., of each element of the aforementioned embodiment are optional and non-limiting, as long as they can be incorporated into the invention.

[0038] The present invention is based on Japanese patent application No. 2012-155557, filed on July 11, 2012, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. Industrial applicability

[0039] The connector according to the invention can prevent a connection insertion section of a housing from being damaged by displacement of a connection. Description of the reference symbols 11 connectors 13 sheathed cables 15 ladders 17 connection 19 Final section 21 coat 23 Sealing section 25 cases 51 Connection side end surface 53 ring-shaped recess 59 Connection side end surface

Claims

[1] Connector (11) for a first sheathed cable (21) the a first leader (15), a first coat (21) and a first final section (19) exhibits, and a second sheathed cable (21) the a second conductor (15), a second coat (21) and a second final section (19) exhibits with: the first final section (19) wherein a terminal end of the first conductor (15) is exposed from the first coat (21) and a connection-side end of the first end section (19) forms, a first connection (17), which is fixed to the connection-side end of the first conductor (15); a first sealing section (23), which is made of an insulating and elastic material, and which integrally covers an adjacent section of the first connection (17) and the first mantle (21); the second final section (19) wherein a terminal-side end of the second conductor (15) is exposed from the second sheath (21) and forms a terminal-side end of the second end section (19), a second connection (17), which is fixed to the connection-side end of the second conductor (15); a second sealing section (23), which is made of an insulating and elastic material, and which integrally covers an adjacent section of the second connection (17) and the second sheath (21); and a housing (25), which is made from an insulating resin, that has a strength which is higher than the strength of the elastic material, and wherein the housing (25) integrally covers the entire first sealing section (23), which is provided around the first end section (19) of the sheathed first line (13), wherein the housing (25) integrally covers the entire second sealing section (23), which is provided around the second end section (19) of the sheathed second line (13), wherein a first connection-side end surface (51) of the first sealing section (23) is separated from the housing (25) is exposed so that it surrounds the first terminal (17), where the first connection-side end surface (51) of the first sealing section (23) from the housing (25) is exposed by a first ring-shaped recess (53), which is formed in the housing (25), so that it surrounds the first terminal (17), a contact section (43) of the first connection (17) of the first connection-side end surface (51) of the first sealing section (23) and protrudes from a connection-side end surface (59) of the housing (25), wherein a second connection-side end surface (51) of the second sealing section (23) is separated from the housing (25) is exposed so that it surrounds the second terminal (17), where the second connection-side end surface (51) of the second sealing section (23) from the housing (25) is exposed by a second ring-shaped recess (53), which is formed in the housing (25), so that it surrounds the second terminal (17), a contact section (43) of the second terminal (17) of the second connection-side end surface (51) of the second sealing section (23) and protrudes from the connection-side end surface (59) of the housing (25), and wherein the connector (11) has two connecting sections (31) which connect the two sealing sections (23) together and wherein the two connecting sections (31) are covered by material of the housing (25) when the two sealing sections (23) are overmolded with the material of the housing (25).

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