CONNECTOR

Abstract

A connector comprises: a terminal fitting (10); an electrical wire (20) connected to the terminal fitting (10); a housing (30) in which the terminal fitting (10) is stored, the housing (30) forming a connection portion with a corresponding connector; a shielding sleeve (40) arranged to surround an outer periphery of the housing (30); and a sealing element (50) made of rubber and arranged sandwiched between the housing (30) and the shielding sleeve (40). The sealing element (50) has a rubber hardness of 30 degrees or more and 50 degrees or less.A value obtained by dividing a compressed height, which is the difference between a first height of the sealing element (50) before being sandwiched between the housing (30) and the shielding envelope (40) and a second height of the sealing element (50) when it is sandwiched between the housing (30) and the shielding envelope (40), by the first height is 0.1 or more and 0.4 or less. Figure for the abbreviation: Fig. 1.

Description

Title of the invention: CONNECTOR technical field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a connector. technological BACKGROUND

[0002] Patent document 1 discloses a connector in which a shielding envelope is attached to a housing to prevent leakage of electromagnetic or similar noise.

[0003] Patent document 1: JP2019-125470A Summary of the invention

[0004] In the connector of the type described above, generally, when a sealing element such as a gasket is disposed between the shielding casing and the housing, the relative displacement between the shielding casing and the housing is limited as much as possible in order to stably improve the sealing performance over the long term. This helps to avoid surface pressure fluctuations of the sealing element. Alternatively, the sealing element is not provided, and the shielding casing and the housing are in close contact with each other. However, when the displacement of each component is excessively limited as described above, it is possible that the connectors may not be able to be properly connected to each other due to the manufacturing tolerances of the shielding casing and the housing, and the manufacturing tolerance of a corresponding connector.

[0005] One purpose of this disclosure is to provide a connector using a sealing element capable of maintaining sealing performance and absorbing manufacturing tolerances at the same time.

[0006] A connector comprising: a terminal fitting; an electrical wire connected to the terminal fitting; a housing in which the terminal fitting is stored, the housing constituting a connecting part with a corresponding connector; a shielding envelope arranged to surround an outer periphery of the housing; and a sealing element made of rubber and arranged in a sandwich between the housing and the shielding envelope, in which the sealing element has a rubber hardness of 30 degrees or more and 50 degrees or less, and in which a value obtained by dividing a compressed height, which is a difference between a first height of the sealing element before being arranged in a sandwich between the housing and the shielding envelope and a second height of the sealing element when it is arranged in a sandwich between the housing and the shielding envelope, by the first height is 0.1 or more and 0.4 or less.

[0007] This disclosure is briefly described as above. Further details of this disclosure will be clarified by examining an embodiment of this disclosure described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Brief description of the drawings

[0008] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a connector according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0009] The [Fig.2] is a view showing a main part according to a cross-section along a line AA of the [Fig.1].

[0010] [Fig.3] is an enlarged view of part of [Fig.2]. DESCRIPTION OF IMPLEMENTATION METHODS <Mode de réalisation>

[0011] In the following, a connector 1 according to an embodiment of this disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The connector 1 shown in [Fig. 1] functions as a relay connector that electrically connects a pair of wires 20 of the connector 1 and a corresponding connector (not shown) to be connected to the connector 1.

[0012] In the following, to facilitate description, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, a "front-to-back direction," an "up-to-down direction," and a "width direction" are defined. The "front-to-back direction," the "up-to-down direction," and the "width direction" are orthogonal to each other. The front-to-back direction coincides with a connection direction of connector 1 and the corresponding connector, and "front" and "back" correspond respectively to a forward and a backward side of the connection of connector 1 with the corresponding connector.

[0013] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the connector 1 comprises a pair of terminal fittings 10, a pair of electrical wires 20 connected to the pair of terminal fittings 10, a housing 30 in which the pair of terminal fittings 10 is stored, a shielding sleeve 40 mounted on the housing 30 from one rear side, a sealing element 50 arranged sandwiched between the housing 30 and the shielding sleeve, a housing 60 covering the shielding sleeve 40 and the pair of electrical wires 20, and a trim 70 mounted on the housing 30 from one front side. Each component of the connector 1 will be described in turn.

[0014] First, the terminal connector 10 and the electrical wire 20 will be described. The terminal connector 10 is formed by pressing, bending, and similar processes on a metal plate and has a shape extending in the front-to-back direction. The terminal connector 10 comprises an elongated terminal portion in the form of a flat plate 11 (see [Fig. 1]) extending in the front-to-back direction, and a portion connection (not shown) located at a rear end portion of terminal part 11. An end portion of electrical wire 20 is connected to the connection portion of terminal fitting 10.

[0015] The electrical wire 20 comprises a metallic central conductor and an insulating sheath covering the central conductor. At the end of the electrical wire 20, the insulating sheath is removed to expose the central conductor, and the connection portion of the terminal fitting 10 is crimped and fixed to the exposed central conductor. Thus, the electrical wire 20 connected to the terminal fitting 10 extends rearward from the connection portion of the terminal fitting 10.

[0016] Next, the housing 30 will be described. The housing 30 is a resin-molded product. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the housing 30 has a tubular shape extending in the front-to-back direction and an elongated flat shape in a widthwise direction when viewed from the front-to-back direction. A rim portion 31 projecting outwards in a radial direction is formed on an outer periphery of a central portion of the first housing 30 in the front-to-back direction around its entire periphery. A portion of the housing 30 on the front side of the rim portion 31 constitutes a connecting portion 32 that is inserted into and connected to a corresponding tubular connecting portion (not shown) of the corresponding connector, and a portion of the first housing 30 on the rear side of the rim portion 31 constitutes an insertion portion 33 that is inserted into the shielding casing 40 (see [Fig. 2]).A portion of the annular groove 34, hollowed inwards in the radial direction, is formed in a bordering part between the insertion part 33 and the rim part 31 (see [Fig.2]).

[0017] In the housing 30, a pair of terminal insertion holes 35 (see [Fig. 1]) and a pair of terminal storage chambers (not shown) are formed in this order from the front to the rear at respective pairs of positions arranged at intervals in the width direction so as to communicate with each other in the front-to-rear direction. A front end of the terminal insertion hole 35 opens onto a front end of the first housing 30 (front end of the connection part 32), and a rear end of the terminal storage chamber opens onto a rear end of the first housing 30 (rear end of the insertion part 33).

[0018] The pair of terminal connectors 10, to which end portions of the pair of electrical wires 20 are connected, is stored in the housing 30. Thus, each terminal connector 10 is inserted into the housing 30 from the rear. As a result, the terminal portions 11 are inserted into the corresponding terminal insertion holes 35, and the connecting portions are stored in the corresponding terminal storage chambers. In a state in which the terminal connectors 10 are inserted Completely, the front portions of the pair of terminal parts 11 project forward from the front end of the housing 30 (the front end of the connecting part 32) (see [Fig. 1]), and the pair of electrical wires 20 extending rearward from the pair of terminal fittings 10 extends rearward from the rear end of the housing 30 (the rear end of the insert part 33) (see [Fig. 1]). If necessary, a gasket can be provided that is arranged sandwiched between an outer peripheral surface of the electrical wire 20 and an inner peripheral surface of the terminal storage chamber to ensure the sealing of an annular space between them, as well as a support that prevents the gasket from falling to the rear, or similar.

[0019] Next, the shielding casing 40 and the sealing element 50 will be described. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the metal shielding casing 40 has a tubular shape extending in the front-to-back direction so as to be inserted externally into the insertion portion 33 of the housing 30. The shielding casing 40 is mounted onto the insertion portion 33 of the housing 30 from the rear side and serves to prevent electromagnetic noise from being transmitted to the pair of electrical wires 20 located inside the housing 30.

[0020] The sealing element 50 has the function of ensuring the sealing of an annular space between the insertion part 33 of the housing 30 and the shielding envelope 40 inserted externally into the insertion part 33. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the rubber sealing element 50 comprises a tubular main body part 51 extending in the front-to-back direction and an annular projection 52 projecting inwards in a radial direction from a front end of the main body part 51.A plurality of annular lips 51a projecting outwards in the radial direction and arranged at intervals in the front-to-back direction are formed on an outer peripheral surface of the main body part 51, and a plurality of annular lips 51b projecting inwards in the radial direction and arranged at intervals in the front-to-back direction are formed on an inner peripheral surface of the main body part 51.

[0021] The sealing element 50 is arranged so as to be sandwiched between the insertion portion 33 of the housing 30 and the shielding casing 40 (see [Fig. 2]). Therefore, first, the sealing element 50 is mounted on the insertion portion 33 from the rear side such that the projection 52 enters the annular groove portion 34 and the main body portion 51 covers an outer periphery of the insertion portion 33 (see [Fig. 2]). In this state, the projection 52 of the sealing element 50 entering the annular groove portion 34 has a function of preventing the sealing element 50 from falling rearward from the insertion portion 33. Then, the shielding casing 40 is mounted on the part insertion 33 so as to be inserted externally into the insertion part 33 from the rear side (see [Fig.2]). In a state in which the armor casing 40 is fully mounted, as shown in [Fig.2], a locking piece 41 provided in the armor casing 40 and a locking hole 36 provided in an outer periphery of the insertion part 33 are engaged with each other, so that the armor casing 40 is prevented from falling rearward from the housing 30.

[0022] When the shielding casing 40 is mounted, the main body part 51 of the sealing element 50 is pressed and arranged in a sandwich between the insertion part 33 of the housing 30 and the shielding casing 40. As a result, the main body part 51 performs a function of sealing the annular space between the insertion part 33 and the shielding casing 40. In a state where the main body part 51 is pressed and arranged in a sandwich between the insertion part 33 and the shielding casing 40, the annular lips 51a and 51b are compressed.Therefore, a height of the main body part 51 in the radial direction (a distance between a distal end of the annular lip 51a and a distal end of the annular lip 51b) is reduced from a pre-assembly height H1 before being arranged in a sandwich between the insertion part 33 and the shielding envelope 40 to a post-assembly height H2 (see [Fig.2]).

[0023] Next, a bellows 60 will be described. As shown in [Fig.1], the bellows 60 made of rubber has a tubular shape extending in the front-back direction, and comprises integrally a large diameter part 61 which covers an outer periphery of the shielding sheath 40, a small diameter part 62 which covers the outer peripheries of the pair of electrical wires 20 extending rearward from the shielding sheath 40, and a connecting part 63 which connects the large diameter part 61 and the small diameter part 62.The bellows 60 is moved relatively forward relative to the pair of electrical wires 20 from a state in which the pair of electrical wires 20 is inserted through the bellows 60, and the large diameter part 61 of the shoe 60 is mounted on the outer periphery of the shielding sheath 40, so that the bellows 60 is mounted on the shielding sheath 40 and the pair of electrical wires 20. The bellows 60 has the function of protecting the pair of electrical wires 20 extending backward from the shielding sheath 40.

[0024] Next, the seal 70 will be described. As shown in [Fig. 1], the rubber seal 70, made of rubber, has a tubular shape extending in the front-to-back direction and an elongated flat shape in the width direction, corresponding to an outer peripheral shape of the connecting part 32 of the housing 30 when viewed in the front-to-back direction. The The gasket 70 is mounted on the outer periphery of the connection portion 32 of the housing 30 from the front side (see [Fig. 1]). In a state where the tubular counterparty connection portion of the counterparty connector is inserted externally into the connection portion 32 by connecting connector 1 and the counterparty connector, the gasket 70 mounted on the connection portion 32 is pressed and arranged in a sandwich between an outer peripheral surface of the connection portion 32 and an inner peripheral surface of the counterparty connection portion. This provides a sealing function for the gap between the connection portion 32 and the counterparty connection portion. The components of connector 1 have been described above.

[0025] The assembled connector 1 is connected to the counterpart connector. In order to connect the connector 1 and the counterpart connector to each other, a tubular counterpart connecting portion of the counterpart connector is inserted externally into the connecting portion 32 of the connector 1. As a result, the connector 1 can function as a relay connector that electrically connects the pair of electrical wires 20 and the counterpart connector.

[0026] Next, the rubber hardness and a compression ratio of the sealing element 50 will be described. As described above, the main body portion 51 of the sealing element 50 performs a function of sealing the annular space between the insertion portion 33 and the shielding casing 40 by being pressed and arranged in a sandwich between the insertion portion 33 of the housing 30 and the shielding casing 40. The size of the annular space between the insertion portion 33 and the shielding casing 40 can vary depending on manufacturing tolerances of the housing 30 and the shielding casing 40. Therefore, it is preferable that the main body portion 51 of the sealing element 50 have a characteristic capable of appropriately absorbing such a change in the size of the annular space due to manufacturing tolerances, and of maintaining an airtight seal of the annular space.For the sake of simplicity, a value obtained by dividing the compressed height (AH = H1 - H2), which is the difference between the pre-assembly height H1 and the post-assembly height H2, by the pre-assembly height H1 is defined as a "compression ratio".

[0027] According to tests and examinations by the inventor, it has been found that, compared to other cases, when the rubber hardness of the sealing element 50 is 30 degrees or more and 50 degrees or less, and the compression ratio is 0.1 or more and 0.4 or less, the main body portion 51 of the sealing element 50 can adequately absorb the change in size of the annular space due to the manufacturing tolerances of the housing 30 and the shielding casing 40, and can also maintain the airtightness of the annular space. Here, a value of the Rubber hardness can be measured, for example, in accordance with a test procedure defined in JIS K 6253, JIS meaning Japan Industrial Standards.

[0028] In particular, assuming that the size variation width of the annular space due to manufacturing tolerance is 1.2 mm (± 0.6 mm), the airtightness is considered "approved" when the annular space airtightness is 50 kPa or more, and the airtightness is considered "failed" when the annular space airtightness is less than 50 kPa. When the rubber hardness of the sealing element 50 is 30 degrees or more and 50 degrees or less, and the compression ratio is 0.1 or more and 0.4 or less, the airtightness is "approved" regardless of the size of the annular space within the range of the size variation width.On the other hand, in a case where the rubber hardness of the sealing element 50 is not 30 degrees or more and 50 degrees or less, or in a case where the compression ratio is not 0.1 or more and 0.4 or less, the airtightness is "failing" when the size of the annular space has a certain value in the range of the width of variation.<Fonctions et Effets> .

[0029] As described above, according to connector 1 of this embodiment, when the rubber hardness of the sealing element 50 is 30 degrees or more and 50 degrees or less, and the value obtained by dividing the compressed height, which is the difference between the pre-assembly height H1 of the main body part 51 of the sealing element 50 before being arranged in sandwich between the housing 30 and the shielding envelope 40 and the post-assembly height H2 of the main body part 51 of the sealing element 50 when it is arranged in sandwich between the housing 30 and the shielding envelope 40, by the pre-assembly height H1 is 0.1 or more and 0.4 or less, it is possible to advantageously absorb the manufacturing tolerance and maintain airtightness. Therefore, it is possible to supply connector 1 using sealing element 50 capable of appropriately maintaining sealing performance.<Autres modes de réalisation>.

[0030] This disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications may be adopted within the scope of the present invention. For example, this disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment and may be appropriately modified, improved, or otherwise modified. Furthermore, the material, shape, size, number, arrangement position, or similar characteristics of each component in the embodiment described above are optional and are not limited as long as this disclosure can be implemented.

[0031] In the embodiment described above, the sealing element 50 comprises the tubular main body part 51 extending in the front-back direction and the annular projection 52 projecting inwards in the radial direction from the front end of the main body part 51. Alternatively, the sealing element 50 may be formed solely from the tubular main body part 51 extending in the front-back direction.

[0032] Here, connector 1 according to the embodiment of this disclosure described above will be briefly summarized and listed in [1] below. [1] Connector (1) comprising: a terminal fitting (10); an electrical wire (20) connected to the terminal fitting (10); a housing (30) in which the terminal fitting (10) is stored, the housing (30) constituting a connecting part (32) with a corresponding connector; a shielding casing (40) arranged to surround an outer periphery of the housing (30); and a sealing element (50) made of rubber and arranged in a sandwich between the housing (30) and the shielding casing (40), in which the sealing element (50) has a rubber hardness of 30 degrees or more and 50 degrees or less, in which a value obtained by dividing a compressed height (AH), which is a difference between a first height (Hl) of the sealing element (50) before being arranged in sandwich between the housing (30) and the shielding envelope (40) and a second height (H2) of the sealing element (50) when it is arranged in sandwich between the housing (30) and the shielding envelope (40), by the first height (Hl) is 0.1 or more and 0.4 or less.

[0033] According to tests and examinations by the inventor, for a connector with the above configuration [1], when the rubber hardness of the sealing element is 30 degrees or more and 50 degrees or less, and a value obtained by dividing the compressed height (which is the difference between the initial height of the sealing element before being sandwiched between the housing and the shielding casing and the subsequent height of the sealing element when sandwiched between the housing and the shielding casing) by the initial height is 0.1 or more and 0.4 or less, airtightness can be maintained while manufacturing tolerances can be absorbed appropriately. Therefore, it is possible to supply the connector using a sealing element capable of maintaining the sealing performance in a suitable manner.A rubber hardness value described above can be measured, for example, according to a test procedure defined in JIS K 6253.

Claims

[Claim 1] Demands Connector (1) comprising: a terminal fitting (10); an electrical wire (20) connected to the terminal fitting (10); a housing (30) in which the terminal fitting (10) is stored, the housing (30) constituting a connecting part (32) with a corresponding connector; a shielding casing (40) arranged to surround an outer periphery of the housing (30); and a sealing element (50) made of rubber and arranged in a sandwich between the housing (30) and the shielding casing (40), wherein the sealing element (50) has a rubber hardness of 30 degrees or more and 50 degrees or less when the hardness is measured in accordance with a test procedure defined according to JIS K 6253, and in which a compression ratio of the sealing element (50) is 0.1 or more and 0.4 or less, the compression ratio being a value obtained by dividing a compressed height (AH), which is a difference between a first height (Hl) of the sealing element (50) before being arranged in sandwich between the housing (30) and the shielding envelope (40) and a second height (H2) of the sealing element (50) when it is arranged in sandwich between the housing (30) and the shielding envelope (40), by the first height (Hl).

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