Terminal waterproof structure

Abstract

To provide a terminal waterproof structure that can improve waterproof performance without using a heat-shrinkable tube.SOLUTION: A terminal waterproof structure 10 comprises an electric wire 11 having a core wire 12 and an insulating coating 13, and a terminal 20 attached to a terminal part of the electric wire 11. The terminal 20 has a terminal connection part 21 formed at a front end of the terminal 20 and having a mating terminal electrically connected thereto, and an electric wire connection part 23 formed cylindrically on a rear end side of the terminal 20 and having the core wire 12 exposed from the insulating coating 13 arranged therein. The terminal 20 has a terminal waterproof part 24 formed cylindrically at a rear end of the terminal 20 adjacent to the electric wire connection part 23 and having the insulating coating 13 arranged therein. The electric wire connection part 23 includes a core wire caulking part 32 caulked with the core wire 12 inserted therein, and the terminal waterproof part 24 includes a coating caulking part 42 caulked with the insulating coating 13 inserted therein.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a waterproof terminal structure. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, charging systems including a charging connector and a charging port (charging inlet) have been used to supply power (charge) from outside the vehicle to batteries mounted on vehicles such as electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the charging inlet described in Patent Document 1, terminals such as power terminals and signal terminals are housed within a housing, electric wires connected to the terminals are pulled out rearward from the housing, and a retainer prevents the terminals from coming loose. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-220355 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] For example, charging systems for vehicles such as electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles require waterproofing to prevent rainwater and other water from seeping into the terminals. However, conventional waterproof terminal structures (waterproof crimp terminals) require processes such as wrapping tape around the connection between the terminal and the electric wire, or covering the connection between the terminal and the electric wire with heat-shrink tubing and then heating it.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the problems inherent in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a waterproof terminal structure that can improve waterproof performance without using a heat shrink tube or the like. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A terminal waterproof structure according to one aspect of the present invention comprises an electric wire having a core wire and an insulating coating, and a terminal attached to the end portion of the electric wire, the terminal having a terminal connection portion formed at the front end of the terminal and to which a mating terminal is electrically connected, a wire connection portion formed in a cylindrical shape at the rear end of the terminal and having the core wire exposed from the insulating coating disposed therein, and a terminal waterproof portion formed in a cylindrical shape at the rear end of the terminal adjacent to the wire connection portion and having the insulating coating disposed therein, the wire connection portion including a core wire crimping portion that is crimped with the core wire inserted, and the terminal waterproof portion including a coating crimping portion that is crimped with the insulating coating inserted. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a waterproof terminal structure that can improve waterproof performance without using a heat shrink tube or the like. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is an exploded perspective view of a connector to which the waterproof terminal structure according to the present embodiment is applied. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a terminal waterproof structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a waterproof terminal structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the terminal before crimping the electric wire. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the terminal and the electric wire before the electric wire is crimped. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The waterproof terminal structure according to the present embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that the dimensional proportions in the drawings are exaggerated for the sake of convenience and may differ from the actual proportions.

[0010] The waterproof terminal structure (waterproof crimp terminal) according to this embodiment can be applied to, for example, a charging connector used when charging a battery mounted on a vehicle or a charging inlet disposed in a charging port of the vehicle.

[0011] 1, the connector 1 according to this embodiment is a charging inlet that is placed in a charging port of a vehicle to charge a battery mounted on the vehicle. The connector 1 is configured to be fitted with a charging connector (not shown) that is provided with a mating terminal (not shown).

[0012] The connector 1 includes a connector housing 2 in which a plurality of terminals 20 are provided, and an exterior hood 3 that covers the periphery of the connector housing 2.

[0013] The connector housing 2 is configured to include a front housing 4 made of resin and arranged inside an exterior hood 3, and a terminal holder 5 made of resin and attached to the rear of the front housing 4.

[0014] The front housing 4 is formed integrally with the exterior hood 3. The front housing 4 is formed with a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 4a that accommodate a plurality of terminals 20. Meanwhile, the exterior hood 3 is provided with a locking portion 3a that maintains engagement with a mating terminal (not shown).

[0015] The terminal holder 5 includes, for example, a disk-shaped holder main body 5a and a cylindrical holder tubular portion 5b that protrudes from the holder main body 5a toward the front housing. The holder tubular portion 5b is formed integrally with the holder main body 5a.

[0016] The holder main body 5a is provided with a plurality of terminal support portions 5c that are provided on the insertion side of a mating connector (not shown) and support a plurality of terminals. The terminal support portions 5c are formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape, and the terminals supported by the terminal support portions 5c include charging terminals, signal terminals, and earth terminals. The terminal support portions 5c are formed integrally with the holder main body 5a.

[0017] The connector 1 according to this embodiment has a waterproof terminal structure 10.

[0018] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a waterproof terminal structure 10 according to this embodiment includes an electric wire 11 and a terminal 20. The electric wire 11 and the terminal 20 are electrically connected to each other.

[0019] The electric wire 11 has a conductive core wire 12 and an insulating coating 13 that covers the core wire 12. The core wire 12 is configured by bundling together a plurality of conductive metal wires made of a metal material such as copper. At the end of the electric wire 11, the insulating coating 13 is removed to expose the core wire 12, and this exposed core wire 12 is crimped to the terminal 20.

[0020] A metal (e.g., copper) terminal 20 is accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber 4a. This terminal 20 is also called a crimp terminal. The terminal 20 has a terminal connecting portion 21 formed at a front end of the terminal 20 and electrically connected to a mating terminal (not shown), and an electric wire connecting portion 23 electrically connected to the electric wire 11. The terminal 20 also has a terminal waterproof portion 24 formed at a rear end of the terminal 20. Furthermore, the terminal 20 may have a retaining portion (flange portion 22) provided between the terminal connecting portion 21 and the electric wire connecting portion 23 and retained by the front housing 4.

[0021] 2 to 5, the electric wire connection portion 23 has a cylindrical first barrel portion 31. The first barrel portion 31 is formed with a core wire crimping portion 32 having a hexagonal cross section, which is formed by crushing (crimping) a portion of the first barrel portion 31. As shown in FIG. 5, the core wire crimping portion 32 is formed by, for example, up-and-down pressing, with the core wire 12 of the electric wire 11 inserted (press-fitted) into the hole of the first barrel portion 31. The method of forming the core wire crimping portion 32 is not limited to up-and-down pressing.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, terminal waterproof portion 24 has a cylindrical second barrel portion 41. Second barrel portion 41 is formed with a sheath crimping portion 42, which is configured by crushing (crimping) a portion of second barrel portion 41. Sheath crimping portion 42 is formed in an annular shape extending in the circumferential direction of terminal 20. On the inner periphery of sheath crimping portion 42, a waterproof rib 43 is formed as a protruding portion extending in the circumferential direction of terminal 20 to seal between the outer periphery of insulating sheath 13 of electric wire 11 and the inner periphery of second barrel portion 41. Sheath crimping portion 42 and waterproof rib 43 are provided around the entire periphery of sheath crimping portion 42 (second barrel portion 41). Furthermore, waterproof rib 43 bites into (penetrates) insulating sheath 13.

[0023] 5, with insulating coating 13 of electric wire 11 inserted into the hole of second barrel portion 41, coating crimping portion 42 is formed at the same time as core wire crimping portion 32, for example, by up-and-down pressing. The method of forming coating crimping portion 42 is not limited to up-and-down pressing. The crimping process for coating crimping portion 42 does not have to be performed simultaneously with the crimping process for core wire crimping portion 32.

[0024] As described above, the waterproof terminal structure 10 according to this embodiment includes an electric wire 11 having a core wire 12 and an insulating coating 13, and a terminal 20 attached to an end portion of the electric wire 11. The terminal 20 has a terminal connection portion 21 formed at the front end of the terminal 20 and to which a mating terminal is electrically connected, and a wire connection portion 23 formed in a cylindrical shape at the rear end of the terminal 20 and having the core wire 12 exposed from the insulating coating 13 disposed therein. The terminal 20 has a terminal waterproof portion 24 formed in a cylindrical shape at the rear end of the terminal 20 adjacent to the wire connection portion 23 and having the insulating coating 13 disposed therein. The wire connection portion 23 includes a core wire crimping portion 32 crimped with the core wire 12 inserted therein, and the waterproof terminal portion 24 includes a coating crimping portion 42 crimped with the insulating coating 13 inserted therein.

[0025] In this embodiment, the wire connection portion 23 of the terminal 20 is formed with a core wire crimping portion 32 crimped with the core wire 12 inserted, and the waterproof terminal portion 24 is formed with a coating crimping portion 42 crimped with the insulating coating 13 inserted, thereby obtaining the waterproof terminal structure 10. Furthermore, by forming the coating crimping portion 42 simultaneously with the formation of the core wire crimping portion 32 through a crimping process, the waterproof terminal structure 10 according to this embodiment can be obtained.

[0026] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a waterproof terminal structure 10 that can improve waterproof performance without using a heat shrink tube or the like.

[0027] In the terminal waterproof structure 10, an annular protrusion (waterproof rib 43) extending in the circumferential direction may be formed on the inner periphery of the sheath crimping portion .

[0028] By configuring the coating crimping portion 42 in this manner, a watertight seal can be formed between the outer periphery of the insulating coating 13 of the electric wire 11 and the inner periphery of the terminal waterproof portion 24 (second barrel portion 41), thereby further improving the waterproof performance of the terminal waterproof structure 10.

[0029] In the terminal waterproof structure 10, the protruding portion (waterproof rib 43) may be embedded in the insulating coating 13.

[0030] By forming a waterproof rib 43 on the inner circumference of the coating tightening portion 42 in this manner, a watertight seal can be created between the outer circumference of the insulating coating 13 of the electric wire 11 and the inner circumference of the terminal waterproof portion 24 (second barrel portion 41), thereby further improving the waterproof performance of the terminal waterproof structure 10.

[0031] Although the present embodiment has been described above, the present embodiment is not limited to this, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist of the present embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0032] 10 terminal waterproof structure 11 Electric wire 12 core wire 13 Insulation coating 20 terminals 21 Terminal connection part 23 Wire connection 24 Terminal waterproof part 32 Wire clamping section 42 Coverage crimping part 43 Waterproof Rib

Claims

1. an electric wire having a core wire and an insulating coating; a terminal attached to an end portion of the electric wire, The terminal is a terminal connection portion formed at a front end of the terminal and electrically connected to a mating terminal; a wire connection portion formed in a cylindrical shape at a rear end of the terminal, the wire core exposed from the insulating coating being disposed therein; a terminal waterproof portion formed in a cylindrical shape at a rear end of the terminal adjacent to the electric wire connection portion, and having the insulating coating disposed therein; the electric wire connection portion includes a core wire crimping portion that is crimped with the core wire inserted therein, The terminal waterproof portion includes a coating crimping portion that is crimped with the insulating coating inserted. Terminal waterproof structure.

2. 2. The waterproof terminal structure according to claim 1, wherein an annular protrusion extending in a circumferential direction is formed on an inner periphery of the sheath crimping portion.

3. The waterproof terminal structure according to claim 2 , wherein the protruding portion is embedded in the insulating coating.

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