Terminal block

Abstract

To provide a terminal block that can properly seal water using a packing. [Solution] The terminal block 1 comprises a housing 3 that holds the terminals 2, a packing 4 assembled to the housing 3 to seal water between the housing 3 and the object to be fixed 90, and a fastening member 5 that fastens the housing 3 to the object to be fixed 90. The packing 4 is housed in a housing groove 34 formed in the housing 3, and the portion protruding from the housing groove 34 is pressed against the object to be fixed 90 to seal water. The housing groove 34 is formed such that the depth D along the pressing direction of the packing 4 is deeper the closer it is to the fastening member 5.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a terminal block.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a terminal block, for example, as described in Patent Document 1, there is known one including a housing that holds terminals and a packing that is assembled to the housing. This terminal block is assembled to a fixed object by pressing the packing against the fixed object to prevent water leakage while fastening the housing to the fixed object with a fastening member.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In such a terminal block, there is room for improvement in that water leakage prevention by the packing may not be appropriately performed. For example, when fastening the housing to a fixed object, the pressing force of the packing tends to decrease at a position far from the fastening portion. That is, there is a concern that the pressing force of the packing becomes smaller at a position far from the fastening position compared to a position near the fastening portion, and the water leakage prevention function deteriorates. On the other hand, if the fastening force is increased to increase the pressing force of the packing at a position far from the fastening portion, the reaction force of the pressing becomes large on the housing near the fastening portion, and high strength is required for the housing.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a terminal block capable of appropriately performing water leakage prevention by a packing.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] <In other words, the terminal block according to the present invention comprises a housing for holding terminals, a packing assembled to the housing for sealing water between the housing and the object to be fixed, and a fastening member for fastening the housing to the object to be fixed, wherein the packing is housed in a housing groove formed in the housing, and the portion protruding from the housing groove presses against the object to be fixed to seal water, and the housing groove is formed such that the depth along the pressing direction of the packing is deeper the closer it is to the fastening member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the terminal block of the present invention, water sealing by the packing can be properly performed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a terminal block according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the terminal block according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the terminal block according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the terminal block at IV-IV in Figure 3. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a bottom view of the terminal block according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the terminal block at VI-VI in Figure 4. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the terminal block at VII-VII in Figure 4. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. Furthermore, some of the components in the following embodiments may be easily substituted or substantially identical to those that are easily substituted by those skilled in the art.

[0010] [Embodiment] This embodiment relates to a terminal block. In the following description, of the three intersecting directions, the first direction is referred to as the "depth direction X," the second direction as the "width direction Y," and the third direction as the "assembly direction Z." Here, the depth direction X, the width direction Y, and the assembly direction Z are mutually orthogonal. Note that "orthogonal" here includes approximately orthogonal. The assembly direction Z corresponds to the direction in which the housing is assembled to the object to be fixed. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, each direction used in the following description represents the direction when each part is assembled to each other.

[0011] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the terminal block 1 is a component that holds terminals 2 and is used by being attached to the object to be fixed 90. The terminal block 1 is mounted on a vehicle, for example, and holds multiple terminals 2 arranged in a direction intersecting the assembly direction Z. Specifically, the terminal block 1 holds a total of four terminals 2, with two terminals 2 arranged along the depth direction X and the width direction Y. The object to be fixed 90 is a vehicle unit mounted on or provided on a vehicle, for example, a vehicle component, a part, material, or equipment mounted on a vehicle. Note that the number of terminals 2 installed may be other than four. The terminal block 1 includes a housing 3, a packing 4, and a fastening member 5.

[0012] The housing 3 is a component that holds the terminal 2 and is assembled to the object to be fixed 90. It is made of an insulator, for example, resin. The housing 3 has a main body 31 that holds the terminal 2. The main body 31 is rectangular in shape and is positioned to face the mounting surface 91 of the object to be fixed 90 and assembled to the object to be fixed 90. Here, the rectangle includes a substantially rectangular shape. The mounting surface 91 is the surface of the object to be fixed 90 and extends along the depth direction X and the width direction Y. The main body 31 holds the terminal 2 by passing it through along the assembly direction Z. The terminal 2 is a strip-shaped plate made of a conductive material.

[0013] A projection 32 is provided on the surface portion 31A of the main body portion 31. The surface portion 31A is the surface of the main body portion 31, and is the surface opposite to the back portion 31B that faces the object to be fixed 90. The projection 32 is a block-shaped portion that protrudes from the surface portion 31A. The projection 32 is provided at the through position of the terminal 2 and supports the end portion 21 of the terminal 2. For example, the end portion 21 of the terminal 2 is bent from the assembly direction Z toward the width direction Y, forming an insertion hole 211. The terminal 2 is configured so that a fastening member (not shown) can be inserted into the insertion hole 211 from the assembly direction Z and fastened to the projection 32. Multiple projections 32 are provided to support one or two terminals 2. Note that the support structure or holding structure for the terminal 2 in the housing 3 is not limited to the one described above.

[0014] The main body portion 31 has fastening holes 33. The fastening holes 33 are holes for inserting the fastening member 5, and are formed between the front surface portion 31A and the back surface portion 31B of the main body portion 31, penetrating the main body portion 31 along the assembly direction Z. The fastening holes 33 are formed, for example, at each of the four corner portions of the rectangular main body portion 31. The mounting surface 91 of the object to be fixed 90 has fastening holes 93. The fastening holes 93 are holes for inserting the fastening member 5 that penetrates the main body portion 31, and are formed at positions corresponding to the fastening holes 33.

[0015] The fastening member 5 is a member that fastens the terminal block 1 to the object to be fixed 90, and for example, a bolt is used. The fastening member 5 is provided by passing through the main body portion 31 of the housing 3 and fastens the terminal block 1 by pressing it against the object to be fixed 90. The fastening member 5 may also be a stud bolt or the like that is provided protruding from the object to be fixed 90 and passes through the main body portion 31. In Figures 2 and 3, the fastening member 5 is installed by being inserted through the respective fastening holes 33, but for the sake of explanation, the illustration of the fastening member 5 has been omitted as appropriate.

[0016] Terminal 2 extends from the back surface portion 31B and is formed to be bent. That is, terminal 2 is electrically connected inside the object to be fixed 90 and is formed to be bent as required. Note that terminal 2 may extend linearly. The object to be fixed 90 forms an opening 92 for inserting terminal 2.

[0017] The packing 4 is a water-stop member that stops water between the housing 3 and the object to be fixed 90, and is composed of an elastically deformable material. For example, the packing 4 is formed in an annular shape, and is formed in a rectangular shape according to the shape of the main body portion 31 of the housing 3, and is provided so as to surround the opening 92.

[0018] The packing 4 is accommodated and held in an accommodation groove 34 formed in the housing 3. The accommodation groove 34 is a groove formed by recessing the back surface portion 31B of the main body portion 31 in the assembling direction Z. The accommodation groove 34 is formed in a shape corresponding to the packing 4, and is formed in a rectangular shape, for example. Further, the accommodation groove 34 is formed so as to surround the periphery of the terminal 2 penetrating the main body portion 31. The packing 4 is formed thicker than the depth of the accommodation groove 34, and is assembled so as to protrude from the accommodation groove 34 in a state of being accommodated in the accommodation groove 34. In the packing 4, the portion protruding from the accommodation groove 34 abuts against the mounting surface 91 of the object to be fixed 90 when the terminal block 1 is assembled to the object to be fixed 90, and presses the mounting surface 91 to stop water.

[0019] The packing 4 is formed such that the thickness T along the pressing direction is the same thickness in the extending direction. That is, the packing 4 is formed such that the thickness T in the assembling direction Z is the same thickness in the depth direction X and the width direction Y, and does not change depending on the position in the extending direction. Here, the same thickness includes substantially the same thickness.

[0020] As shown in Fig. 4, the accommodation groove 34 is formed such that the depth D along the pressing direction varies in the extending direction. The pressing direction is the same as the assembling direction Z. The depth D of the accommodation groove 34 is formed deeper as it is closer to the fastening member 5. In other words, the depth D of the accommodation groove 34 is formed shallower as it is farther from the fastening member 5. For example, the depth D of the accommodation groove 34 gradually becomes shallower from the end closer to the fastening member 5 toward the central portion, and is the shallowest at the central portion.

[0021] As shown in Fig. 5, in the terminal block 1 according to this embodiment, fastening holes 33 are formed near the corners of the rectangular accommodation groove 34, and the fastening members 5 are respectively installed in the fastening holes 33. Therefore, at the side portion between the corners of the accommodation groove 34, the depth D becomes shallower as going from the end portion toward the central portion. That is, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, when the depth D at the central portion of the accommodation groove 34 is defined as the depth D1 (Fig. 6), and the depth D at the end portion of the accommodation groove 34 is defined as the depth D2 (Fig. 7), the depth D is set such that D1 < D2. In Fig. 4, only one side portion between the corners of the accommodation groove 34 is illustrated, but in other side portions, the depth D also becomes shallower as going from the end portion near the corner toward the central portion.

[0022] In the terminal block 1, the thickness of the packing 4 in the pressing direction is formed to have the same thickness in the extending direction of the packing 4 as described above. That is, the thickness of the packing 4 does not change in depth in the direction in which the packing 4 extends (for example, the depth direction X and the width direction Y). Therefore, due to the depth D of the accommodation groove 34 varying in the extending direction, the protruding length of the packing 4 protruding from the accommodation groove 34 varies in the extending direction. For example, at the side portion between the corners of the packing 4, the protruding length becomes longer as going from the end portion toward the central portion. That is, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, when the protruding length of the pressing portion 41 at the central portion of the packing 4 is defined as L1 (Fig. 6), and the protruding length of the pressing portion 41 at the end portion of the packing 4 is defined as L2 (Fig. 7), the protruding length of the pressing portion 41 is set such that L1 > L2.

[0023] In the housing groove 34, the difference between the depth D2 at the end near the fastening member 5 and the depth D1 at the central part away from the fastening member 5 (D2-D1) is set according to the rigidity of the housing 3. The difference in depth is the absolute value of the difference. For example, the difference between the depth D2 at the end near the fastening member 5 and the depth D1 at the central part away from the fastening member 5 is set to be smaller the higher the rigidity of the housing 3, and larger the lower the rigidity of the housing. That is, the higher the rigidity of the housing 3, the less the housing 3 deflects, so when the terminal block 1 is fastened to the object to be fixed 90, the amount of deflection of the central part of the main body 31 in the assembly direction Z becomes smaller (see the upward arrow in Figure 4). Therefore, even if the difference between the depth D2 at the end near the fastening member 5 and the depth D1 at the central part away from the fastening member 5 is small, it becomes easier to equalize the pressing force of the packing 4, and water sealing by the packing 4 can be properly performed. On the other hand, the less rigid the housing 3 is, the greater the deflection of the housing 3. Therefore, when the terminal block 1 is fastened to the object to be fixed 90, the amount of deflection of the central part of the main body 31 in the assembly direction Z increases. Consequently, by increasing the difference between the depth D2 of the end near the fastening member 5 and the depth D1 of the central part away from the fastening member 5, the pressing force of the packing 4 becomes more uniform, and water sealing by the packing 4 can be properly performed.

[0024] Furthermore, the difference in protrusion length (L1-L2) between the central protrusion length L1 of the packing 4 away from the fastening member 5 and the protrusion length L2 of the pressing portion 41 at the end near the fastening member 5 is set according to the rigidity of the housing 3. The difference in protrusion length is the absolute value of the difference. For example, the difference in protrusion length L1 of the central protrusion length L1 of the packing 4 away from the fastening member 5 and the protrusion length L2 of the pressing portion 41 at the end near the fastening member 5 is set to be smaller the higher the rigidity of the housing 3, and larger the lower the rigidity of the housing 3. In other words, the higher the rigidity of the housing 3, the less the housing 3 deflects, so when the terminal block 1 is fastened to the object to be fixed 90, the amount of deflection of the central part of the main body 31 in the assembly direction Z is small (see the upward arrow in Figure 4). Therefore, even if the difference between the protruding length L1 of the central part away from the fastening member 5 and the protruding length L2 of the pressing part 41 at the end near the fastening member 5 is small, it becomes easier to equalize the pressing force of the packing 4, and water sealing by the packing 4 can be properly performed. On the other hand, the lower the rigidity of the housing 3, the greater the deflection of the housing 3, so when the terminal block 1 is fastened to the object to be fixed 90, the amount of deflection of the central part of the main body 31 in the assembly direction Z becomes large. Therefore, by increasing the difference between the protruding length L1 of the central part away from the fastening member 5 and the protruding length L2 of the pressing part 41 at the end near the fastening member 5, it becomes easier to equalize the pressing force of the packing 4, and water sealing by the packing 4 can be properly performed.

[0025] Next, the assembly of the terminal block 1 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0026] In this embodiment, the terminal block 1 is assembled to the object to be fixed 90, for example, by positioning the terminal block 1 facing the object to be fixed 90 and fastening the terminal block 1 to the object to be fixed 90 with fastening members 5.

[0027] In Figures 2 and 3, the terminal block 1 is constructed by assembling the terminals 2 and packing 4 to the housing 3. The terminal block 1 is positioned so that the back surface 31B of the main body 31 of the housing 3 faces the mounting surface 91 of the object to be fixed 90.

[0028] Then, the back surface 31B of the main body 31 is brought close to the mounting surface 91 of the object to be fixed 90, and the pressing portion 41 of the packing 4 comes into contact with the mounting surface 91. In this state, the fastening member 5 is inserted through the fastening hole 33 of the main body 31, and fastening is performed by the fastening member 5. The tip of the fastening member 5 is inserted into the fastening hole 93 of the object to be fixed 90, and the fastening presses the main body 31 against the object to be fixed 90. As a result, the packing 4 is pressed against the mounting surface 91, sealing the gap between the object to be fixed 90 and the housing 3.

[0029] In this embodiment, the terminal block 1 has a longer protruding length L1 of the pressing portion 41 in the central part of the packing 4, which is further away from the fastening member 5, compared to the protruding length L2 of the pressing portion 41 at the end of the packing 4 near the fastening member 5. Therefore, the packing 4 can properly stop water leakage.

[0030] In other words, when the terminal block 1 is fastened to the object to be fixed 90 by the fastening member 5, the main body 31 of the housing 3 is strongly pressed against the object to be fixed 90 at the position of the fastening member 5. As a result, the packing 4 is pressed against the object to be fixed 90, but the main body 31 receives a reaction force from the object to be fixed 90 via the packing 4. Therefore, as shown in Figure 4, the main body 31 deforms and the central part of the main body 31 may bend in the opposite direction to the fastening direction (see the upward arrow in Figure 4). The amount of this bending of the main body 31 depends on the rigidity of the main body 31 and the housing 3. Therefore, if the depth of the housing groove 34 that accommodates the packing 4 is the same along the extending direction, the pressing force against the object to be fixed 90 will be low in the central part of the packing 4, making it difficult to ensure sufficient watertightness.

[0031] In contrast, in the terminal block 1 according to this embodiment, the depth of the housing groove 34 is formed to be deeper the closer it is to the fastening member 5, resulting in a shorter protruding length of the packing 4, and shallower the further it is from the fastening member 5, resulting in a longer protruding length of the packing 4. Therefore, the terminal block 1 according to this embodiment can increase the pressing force of the packing 4 at positions far from the fastening member 5, enabling proper water sealing by the packing 4. Furthermore, the terminal block 1 according to this embodiment can suppress the pressing force of the packing 4 and the reaction force from the fixed object 90 near the fastening member 5, thereby reducing the required strength and rigidity of the housing 3, and enabling miniaturization and cost reduction of the housing 3.

[0032] Then, as shown in Figure 1, once the terminal block 1 is fastened to the object to be fixed 90 using the fastening member 5, the assembly of the terminal block 1 to the object to be fixed 90 is completed.

[0033] As described above, in this embodiment, the terminal block 1 has a housing groove 34 for housing the packing 4 which is formed to be deeper closer to the fastening member 5, so that the protruding length of the pressing portion 41 of the packing 4 is shorter closer to the fastening member 5. For this reason, the terminal block 1 in this embodiment can suppress the reaction force against the pressing of the packing near the fastening member 5 while increasing the pressing force of the packing 4 at a position far from the fastening member 5, thereby enabling proper water sealing by the packing 4.

[0034] Furthermore, in the terminal block 1 according to this embodiment, since the thickness of the packing 4 is formed to be the same in the extending direction, the protruding length of the pressing portion 41 of the packing 4 can be made shorter closer to the fastening member 5 and longer further away from the fastening member 5. For this reason, the terminal block 1 according to this embodiment can suppress the reaction force from the object to be fixed 90 in the vicinity of the fastening member 5 while increasing the pressing force of the packing 4 at a position far from the fastening member 5, thereby enabling proper water sealing by the packing 4.

[0035] It should be noted that the terminal block according to the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. The terminal block 1 according to this embodiment may be constructed by appropriately combining the components of each embodiment and modified example described above.

[0036] For example, although the terminal block 1 according to the embodiment described above was described in the context of being mounted on a vehicle, it may also be used in objects other than vehicles. [Explanation of symbols]

[0037] 1:Terminal block 2: Terminals 3: Housing 4: Gasket 5: Fastening member 34: Storage groove 90: Fixed object D: Depth T: Thickness

Claims

1. A housing that holds the terminals, A packing assembled to the housing to seal the gap between the housing and the object to be fixed, The housing comprises a fastening member for fastening it to the object to be fixed, The packing is housed in a housing groove formed in the housing, and the portion protruding from the housing groove presses against the object to be fixed to stop water flow. The aforementioned receiving groove is formed to be deeper the closer it is to the fastening member, with the depth along the direction of packing pressure being greater. terminal block.

2. The packing is formed such that the thickness along the pressing direction is the same in the extending direction. The terminal block according to claim 1.

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