Terminal blocks and terminal block units

Abstract

To provide a terminal block capable of improving sealability between the terminal block and a case, and provide a terminal block unit.SOLUTION: A terminal block main body 10 is assembled with a case 5 by being fitted into a recess 18 of a mounting part 4. Between the mounting part 4 and the terminal block main body 10, an annular elastic member 20 is mounted for sealing both the mounting part and the terminal block main body. The elastic member 20 is a rubber packing. The terminal block main body 10 includes a protrusion 24 by which the elastic member 20 is pressed and fixed to a planar mounting surface 19 of the mounting part 4 without being moved in an assembly direction, in the case of assembly with the mounting part 4. The elastic member 20 includes a compression part 28 which is crushed by the protrusion 24 and pressed to the mounting surface 19 at the time of assembly.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a terminal block and a terminal block unit. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, terminal blocks having a relay connector function for electrically connecting the inside and outside of a case are well known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The terminal block of Patent Document 1 is attached by partially fitting into a circular hole formed in the case. This terminal block has a seal that ensures sealing between the case and the terminal block body. The seal is attached to a groove provided along the circumferential direction on the peripheral surface of the terminal block body. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2014-232601 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, for example, when the case is a casting, the surface of the case, which is the casting surface, is rough. For this reason, the circular hole of the case needs to be machined with a cutting blade to ensure airtightness with the seal. However, when this machining is performed, the blowhole (cavity) that exists inside the cast case may be exposed to the outside. For this reason, when the seal is set on the terminal block body and the terminal block body is inserted into the case, the seal may come into contact with the sharp edge of the blowhole as it slides through the circular hole of the case, and may be damaged. Therefore, there is a possibility that sufficient sealing performance cannot be ensured.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a terminal block and a terminal block unit that can improve the sealing performance between the terminal block and the case. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The terminal block that solves the above problem comprises a terminal block main body having one or more terminals with electrical connection points at both ends, and which is assembled to a case by fitting into a mounting portion of the case, and an annular elastic member interposed between the mounting portion and the terminal block main body to seal between the mounting portion and the terminal block main body, wherein the terminal block main body has a protrusion that, when assembled to the mounting portion, presses and fixes the elastic member against the planar mounting surface of the mounting portion without moving it in the assembly direction, and the elastic member has a compression portion that is crushed by the protrusion and pressed against the mounting surface during assembly.

[0007] The terminal block unit that solves the above problem comprises a terminal block having one or more terminals with electrical connection points at both ends, and a case having a mounting portion for mounting the terminal block, wherein the terminal block comprises a terminal block main body that is assembled to the case by fitting it into the mounting portion, and an annular elastic member interposed between the mounting portion and the terminal block main body to seal between the mounting portion and the terminal block main body, and the terminal block main body has a protrusion that, when assembled to the mounting portion, presses and fixes the elastic member against the planar mounting surface of the mounting portion without moving it in the assembly direction, and the elastic member has a compression portion that is crushed by the protrusion and pressed against the mounting surface during assembly. Effect of the Invention

[0008] The present disclosure can improve the sealing performance between the terminal block and the case. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a terminal block unit. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the terminal block unit. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the terminal block unit. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the terminal block unit before the elastic member is crushed. [Diagram 5]FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the terminal block unit after the elastic member has been crushed. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the state in which the terminal block is being attached to the mounting portion of the case. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the terminal block when inserted into the recess of the mounting portion. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a transition diagram showing a process of squashing the elastic member. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a terminal block unit when an elastic member having a different shape is used. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the terminal block unit, showing the state of the elastic member when a force in the removal direction acts on the terminal block main body. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] First, the embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described. [1] The terminal block disclosed herein includes a terminal block main body having one or more terminals with electrical connection points at both ends, which is assembled to a case by fitting into a mounting part of the case, and an annular elastic member interposed for sealing between the mounting part and the terminal block main body. The terminal block main body has a protrusion that, when assembled to the mounting part, presses and fixes the elastic member against the flat mounting surface of the mounting part without moving the elastic member in the assembly direction, and the elastic member has a compression part that is crushed by the protrusion and pressed against the mounting surface when assembled.

[0011] According to the configuration of this example, when the terminal block is assembled, the elastic member is fixed to the mounting surface by being crushed by the protruding portion of the terminal block body while not moving the elastic member in the assembly direction. In this way, in this example, a structure is adopted in which the elastic member is attached while being pressed against the mounting surface and deformed. Therefore, during assembly, the elastic member does not slide on the surface of the mounting portion. Therefore, a problem that can occur when the case is made of a casting, for example, that is, a situation in which the elastic member is damaged during assembly due to blowholes that appear due to sealing surface processing, does not occur. This makes it possible to improve the sealing performance between the terminal block and the case.

[0012] [2] The elastic member has a hook portion that hooks onto the upper surface of the mounting portion during assembly. With this configuration, the elastic member can be positioned in the assembly direction by hooking the hook portion of the elastic member onto the mounting portion during assembly. This makes it possible to prevent the elastic member from moving in the assembly direction during assembly.

[0013] [3] The protrusion has a force point that is a portion that presses the elastic member against the mounting surface during assembly, and the hook has a fulcrum for the movement of the compression portion that is deformed by being pressed by the protrusion at the force point, and in the initial state before assembly, the force point is located in front of the assembly direction and the fulcrum is located behind the assembly direction. With this configuration, when the elastic member is pressed by the force point of the protrusion during assembly, it is possible to press the elastic member against the mounting surface based on the fulcrum of the hook. Therefore, it is possible to firmly fix the elastic member to the mounting surface without moving it in the assembly direction during assembly.

[0014] [4] The terminal block body has a seat on which the tip of the compression portion rests in an initial state before assembly. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the elastic member from falling off the terminal block body before assembly.

[0015] [5] The protrusion has a planar pressing portion that, together with the mounting surface, supports the elastic member by sandwiching it during assembly. With this configuration, the elastic member can be sandwiched and held between the planar mounting surface and the pressing portion. This makes it possible to attach and fix the elastic member in close contact with the mounting surface and the protrusion without any gaps. This further contributes to improving the sealing properties of the elastic member.

[0016] [6] The protrusion has a sloped surface that crushes the compressed portion during assembly. With this configuration, when the terminal block is assembled, the elastic member can be gradually deformed by the sloped surface of the protrusion. Therefore, when the terminal block is fitted to the mounting portion, an excessive load is not applied, and the terminal block can be smoothly assembled to the mounting portion with an appropriate force.

[0017] [7] The compression portion has a base end portion with an inclined surface at the portion that contacts the inclined surface portion of the terminal block body, and a thick portion extending from the base end portion toward the tip end and formed thicker than the base end portion. With this configuration, the compression portion has a thick portion, so that it is possible to provide a large engagement margin when the protruding portion of the terminal block body comes into contact during assembly. This makes it possible to firmly attach the elastic member to the mounting portion of the case. This further contributes to improving the sealing performance of the elastic member.

[0018] [8] The thick portion has a first contact surface that contacts the mounting surface during assembly, and a second contact surface that is located on the opposite side of the first contact surface and contacts the terminal block body during assembly, and the second contact surface is formed longer in the axial direction of the elastic member than the inclined surface. This configuration makes it possible to make the second contact surface of the elastic member wider, thereby ensuring the surface pressure applied to the elastic member from the protruding portion during assembly. This further contributes to tightly attaching the elastic member to the mounting surface.

[0019] [9] The compression portion is formed non-parallel to the mounting surface so as to have an angle with respect to the mounting surface. With this configuration, the shape of the elastic member is such that the compression portion is brought closer to the terminal block body. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the angle of incidence, which is the angle between the mounting surface of the mounting portion and the inclined surface of the elastic member, without significantly changing the area of ​​the pressing portion, which is the portion of the protrusion that presses the elastic member. Therefore, it is possible to both firmly fix the elastic member to the mounting surface and smoothly assemble the terminal block with an appropriate force.

[0020]

[10] The tip of the compression part is formed in a square cross section. With this configuration, when the terminal block moves away from the mounting part, it is possible to generate a repulsive force in an oblique direction at the tip of the elastic member (compression part) to press the tip against the terminal block body. Therefore, even if the terminal block moves away from the mounting part, it is possible to keep the elastic member in place. This further contributes to improving the sealing performance of the elastic member.

[0021]

[11] The terminal block unit of the present disclosure includes a terminal block having one or more terminals with electrical connection points at both ends, and a case having an attachment portion for attaching the terminal block. The terminal block includes a terminal block main body that is assembled to the case by fitting into the attachment portion, and an annular elastic member interposed between the attachment portion and the terminal block main body for sealing, and the terminal block main body has a protrusion that presses and fixes the elastic member against the flat attachment surface of the attachment portion without moving the elastic member in the assembly direction when assembled to the attachment portion, and the elastic member has a compression portion that is crushed by the protrusion and pressed against the attachment surface when assembled. According to the configuration of this example, the same action and effect as the terminal block can be obtained.

[0022] [Details of the embodiment of the present disclosure] Specific examples of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to these examples, but is indicated by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims. In each drawing, for convenience of explanation, some of the configurations may be exaggerated or simplified. In addition, the dimensional ratios of each part may differ from the actual ones.

[0023] [Terminal block unit 1 configuration] As shown in FIG. 1, the terminal block unit 1 includes a terminal block 3 having one or more terminals 2 with both ends serving as electrical connection points, and a case 5 having an attachment portion 4 for attaching the terminal block 3. In this example, a plurality of (three) terminals 2 are provided. These terminals 2 are aligned in the longitudinal direction of the terminal block 3 (the X-axis direction in FIG. 1). The terminal block 3 is attached to the case 5 by fixing both ends 6 to the attachment portion 4 by fastening portions 7. The fastening portions 7 are, for example, bolts.

[0024] [Terminal block 3 configuration] As shown in FIG. 3, the terminal block 3 includes a terminal block main body 10 that is assembled to the case 5 by fitting into the mounting portion 4. The terminal block main body 10 is formed by molding in which the terminals 2 are loaded into a mold and resin is injected. The terminal block main body 10 has a first main body 11 that is located outside the mounting portion 4 when assembled, and a second main body 12 that is located inside the mounting portion 4 when assembled. The first main body 11 has through holes 13 at both ends 6 for inserting the fastening portion 7. The shaft portion of the fastening portion 7 is inserted into the through hole 13 via an annular collar 14.

[0025] The terminal 2 is formed to extend across both the first body 11 and the second body 12. The terminal 2 has a first terminal portion 15 exposed to the outside from the first body 11 side, and a second terminal portion 16 exposed to the outside from the second body 12 side. The first terminal portion 15 and the second terminal portion 16 are electrical connection points of the terminal 2.

[0026] The mounting portion 4 is provided with a pair of fastening holes 17 at both ends in the length direction for attaching the shaft portion of the fastening portion 7. The mounting portion 4 is provided with a recess 18 into which the terminal block 3 (specifically, the second body 12 of the terminal block body 10) is inserted. In this example, the recess 18 is shaped like an elongated hole. Both ends in the length direction of the recess 18 (both ends in the X-axis direction in FIG. 3) are formed in a substantially arc shape. The case 5 (mounting portion 4) is formed by casting. In this example, the inner peripheral surface of the recess 18 is not processed to have a sealing surface, and the shape after casting is used as it is. In this way, the mounting portion 4 has a flat mounting surface 19 at the location where the terminal block 3 is assembled.

[0027] [Configuration of elastic member 20] The terminal block 3 includes an annular elastic member 20 interposed between the mounting portion 4 and the terminal block main body 10 for sealing. The elastic member 20 is a rubber packing made of, for example, an acrylic material or a silicone material. The elastic member 20 is attached to the terminal block main body 10 by passing the second body 12 through a hole 21 of the elastic member 20. Thus, in the initial state before assembly, the elastic member 20 is attached to the terminal block main body 10 (second body 12). The elastic member 20 is an axial seal provided at the location where the terminal block main body 10 is inserted into the recess 18 of the mounting portion 4.

[0028] [Mechanism for crushing the elastic member 20 during assembly] Fig. 4 is a diagram of the terminal block 3 before it is assembled to the mounting portion 4. Fig. 5 is a diagram of the terminal block 3 after it has been assembled to the mounting portion 4. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the terminal block main body 10 has a protrusion 24 that, when assembled to the mounting portion 4, presses and fixes the elastic member 20 against the planar mounting surface 19 of the mounting portion 4 without moving the elastic member 20 in the assembly direction (the direction of arrow A1 in Fig. 4). The protrusion 24 is provided on the second main body 12 and is formed in a circumferential band on the outer circumferential surface of the second main body 12.

[0029] The protruding portion 24 has a sloped portion 25 that crushes the elastic member 20 during assembly. In this manner, when the terminal block 3 is assembled, the elastic member 20 is pressed and crushed by the sloped portion 25 of the protruding portion 24, thereby bringing the elastic member 20 into close contact with the mounting portion 4.

[0030] The protruding portion 24 has a flat pressing portion 26 that, together with the mounting surface 19 of the mounting part 4, pinches and supports the elastic member 20 during assembly. For example, the pressing portion 26 is preferably a surface that is parallel to the mounting surface 19. If the pressing portion 26 can be formed long in the axial direction of the elastic member 20 (the direction of axis L1 in FIG. 4), a high surface pressure is ensured when the elastic member 20 is pinched between the pressing portion 26 and the mounting surface 19.

[0031] The elastic member 20 has a compressed portion 28 that is crushed by the protruding portion 24 and pressed against the mounting surface 19 during assembly. The compressed portion 28 is provided in a circumferential band on the annular elastic member 20. When the terminal block 3 is assembled, the protruding portion 24 crushes the compressed portion 28 by the slope portion 25. The compressed portion 28 before being crushed has a base end portion 29 having a sloped portion that contacts the slope portion 25 of the terminal block main body 10, and a thick portion 30 that extends from the base end portion 29 toward the tip end and is formed to be thicker than the base end portion 29. The tip end of the compressed portion 28 (thick portion 30) is formed to have a square cross section.

[0032] The elastic member 20 has a hook portion 31 that hooks onto the upper surface of the attachment portion 4 during assembly. The hook portion 31 is provided in a circumferential band on the annular elastic member 20. The hook portion 31 extends in a direction intersecting with the compression portion 28. For this reason, the elastic member 20 is formed into a cross section having a generally capital L-shape.

[0033] The terminal block body 10 has a seat portion 32 on which the tip of the compression portion 28 rests in the initial state before assembly. Thus, the elastic member 20 has the tip of the thick portion 30 resting on the seat portion 32 in the initial state before assembly.

[0034] [Design features of the mechanism for crushing the elastic member 20] 2, the protrusion 24 has a force point P1 which is a portion that presses the elastic member 20 against the mounting surface 19 during assembly. The hook portion 31 has a fulcrum P2 for the movement of the compression portion 28 which is pushed by the protrusion 24 at the force point P1 and is deformed. In the initial state before assembly, the force point P1 is located on the front side in the assembly direction (the direction of the arrow A1 in FIG. 2), and the fulcrum P2 is located on the back side in the assembly direction (the direction of the arrow A1 in FIG. 2).

[0035] The compression portion 28 is formed non-parallel to the mounting surface 19 so as to have an angle θr with respect to the mounting surface 19. That is, by forming the compression portion 28 closer to the terminal block main body 10, an angle θr is provided between the compression portion 28 and the mounting surface 19. The amount of compression caused in the compression portion 28 by crushing is the amount (W1-W2) obtained by subtracting the distance W2 between the mounting surface 19 and the pressing portion 26 from the width W1 of the thick portion 30 in the figure.

[0036] The thick portion 30 has a first contact surface 34 that contacts the mounting surface 19 during assembly, and a second contact surface 35 that is located on the opposite side of the first contact surface 34 and contacts the terminal block main body 10 during assembly. The first contact surface 34 and the second contact surface 35 are preferably formed to be parallel to each other. The second contact surface 35 is formed to be longer in the axial direction of the elastic member 20 (direction of axis L1) than the inclined surface 36 of the base end portion 29.

[0037] Next, the operation of the terminal block 3 (terminal block unit 1) of this embodiment will be described. [How to assemble terminal block 3] 6, when assembling the terminal block 3 to the mounting portion 4 of the case 5, first, the terminal block 3 to which the elastic member 20 is attached is prepared. At this time, the elastic member 20 is placed on the seat portion 32 of the terminal block main body 10. In other words, the terminal block 3 is in an initial state in which the attached elastic member 20 is placed on the seat portion 32.

[0038] 7, the terminal block 3 with the elastic member 20 attached thereto is assembled to the mounting portion 4 of the case 5. Specifically, the second body 12 of the terminal block 3 is inserted into the recess 18 of the mounting portion 4, thereby fitting the terminal block 3 to the mounting portion 4. Here, the terminal block 3 is inserted into the recess 18 of the mounting portion 4 until the hook portion 31 of the elastic member 20 comes into contact with the upper surface of the mounting portion 4.

[0039] 8, after the terminal block 3 is attached to the state shown in FIG. 7, the terminal block 3 is further inserted into the recess 18 (in the direction of the arrow A1). At this time, the elastic member 20 is crushed from the back by the protruding portion 24, and is pressed against the mounting surface 19 while being deformed.

[0040] In this example, the protrusion 24 pushes the compression portion 28 from the rear, causing the compression portion 28 to move in a direction perpendicular to the assembly direction (arrow A1 direction) and to come into contact with the planar mounting surface 19. Then, when the terminal block 3 is inserted in the assembly direction (arrow A1 direction), the elastic member 20 does not move in the assembly direction of the terminal block 3 (arrow A1 direction), but is further crushed and deformed by the protrusion 24 sliding against it, and comes into close contact with the mounting surface 19 of the mounting portion 4.

[0041] In this example, the force point P1 when a load is applied from the protrusion 24 to the elastic member 20 and the fulcrum P2 when the elastic member 20 moves due to this load are arranged at different positions in the assembly direction (arrow A1 direction) of the terminal block 3. Therefore, when the terminal block 3 is assembled, the elastic member 20 rotates about the fulcrum P2, and the compression portion 28 tightly adheres to the mounting surface 19.

[0042] During the process of assembling the terminal block 3, the planar pressing portion 26 of the protruding portion 24 presses and crushes the compressed portion 28 of the elastic member 20. That is, the elastic member 20 is sandwiched between the planar pressing portion 26 and the mounting surface 19, i.e., two flat surfaces, and is tightly held between the two while being crushed. Then, when the terminal block 3 is inserted all the way into the recess 18, the elastic member 20 is firmly pressed against the mounting surface 19 by almost the entire area of ​​the pressing portion 26. After the terminal block 3 is inserted all the way, the terminal block 3 is fixed to the mounting portion 4 by the fastening portion 7.

[0043] [Issues with face seal structure] Incidentally, in the case of this type of terminal block 3, a face seal may be used for the seal structure between the terminal block 3 and the mounting part 4. A face seal is a structure in which, for example, the mounting part 4 of the case 5 is surface-machined, and a rubber packing provided on the terminal block 3 is pressed against this surface-machined location with a certain amount of pressure. In the case of a face seal, it was necessary to insert-mold an iron plate into the terminal block 3 to ensure the surface pressure of the sealing surface. Therefore, in the case of a face seal, there were issues of increased costs, larger size, and increased mass.

[0044] [Advantages of the structure of the present disclosure] On the other hand, in this example, the seal structure of the terminal block 3 and the mounting portion 4 is an axial seal as described above. An axial seal does not require the iron plate that is necessary for a face seal. Therefore, in the case of the terminal block 3 of this example, it is possible to reduce costs, size, and weight compared to a face seal. Also, with an axial seal, it is possible to make the opening of the mounting portion 4 smaller than with a face seal.

[0045] In addition, the assembly structure of the elastic member 20 in this example is a structure in which the protrusion 24 of the terminal block main body 10, which moves in the assembly direction, presses the elastic member 20 from the back surface, crushing the elastic member 20 without moving it in the assembly direction, thereby closely adhering it to the mounting surface 19. Therefore, the elastic member 20 does not need to slide on the mounting surface 19 during assembly. Therefore, even if the mounting surface 19 is not surface-processed and has a rough surface, the elastic member 20 can be firmly adhered to the mounting surface 19 without being damaged. This makes it possible to provide the elastic member 20 with high sealing properties. Furthermore, since there is no need to surface-process the mounting surface 19, it is also possible to reduce processing costs.

[0046] Here, as shown in FIG. 9, for example, consider a case where the shape of the elastic member 20 is such that the compression portion 28 does not have an angle θr. In other words, assume that the shape of the elastic member 20 is such that the compression portion 28 extends at a right angle to the hook portion 31. In this shape, the compression portion 28 is in contact with the mounting surface 19 before assembly. Therefore, during assembly, there is little space for the compression portion 28 to deform, so force is required when inserting the terminal block 3 into the recess 18. Therefore, in order to enable the terminal block 3 to be inserted with an appropriate load, it is necessary to reduce the incidence angle θs of the elastic member 20. The incidence angle θs is, for example, the angle of the inclined surface 36 at the base end 29.

[0047] However, when the incidence angle θs of the elastic member 20 is reduced, it becomes necessary to widen the area of ​​the inclined surface portion 25, which reduces the area of ​​the pressing portion 26. When the area of ​​the pressing portion 26 becomes smaller, the surface pressure when the protruding portion 24 crushes the elastic member 20 from the back surface becomes lower, which may lead to failure to ensure the required sealing performance.

[0048] On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 2, in this embodiment, the shape of the elastic member 20 is such that the compression portion 28 is angled θr. That is, the shape of the elastic member 20 is such that the compression portion 28 is extended obliquely with respect to the hook portion 31. This makes it possible to reduce the incidence angle θs of the elastic member 20 without significantly changing the area of ​​the pressing portion 26 of the protrusion 24. This makes it possible to both firmly fix the elastic member 20 to the mounting surface 19 and smoothly assemble the terminal block 3 with an appropriate force.

[0049] Here, as shown in Fig. 10, after the terminal block 3 is assembled to the mounting portion 4, a load may be applied to the terminal block 3 in a direction in which the terminal block 3 is removed from the mounting portion 4 (the direction of the arrow A2). Therefore, in this example, the tip of the compression portion 28 is formed to have a square cross section. Therefore, when the terminal block 3 moves to remove from the mounting portion 4, it becomes possible to generate a repulsive force in an oblique direction (the direction of the arrow A3 in the figure) at the tip of the elastic member 20. Therefore, it becomes possible to keep the elastic member 20 in place and to make it less likely to come off unintentionally.

[0050] [Effects of the embodiment] According to the terminal block 3 (terminal block unit 1) of the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

[0051] (1) The terminal block 3 includes a terminal block main body 10 and an elastic member 20. The terminal block main body 10 has one or more terminals 2 with electrical connection points at both ends, and is assembled to the case 5 by fitting into the mounting portion 4 of the case 5. The elastic member 20 is interposed between the mounting portion 4 and the terminal block main body 10 for sealing, and is annular. The terminal block main body 10 has a protruding portion 24 that, when assembled to the mounting portion 4, presses and fixes the elastic member 20 against the flat mounting surface 19 of the mounting portion 4 without moving the elastic member 20 in the assembly direction. The elastic member 20 has a compression portion 28 that is crushed by the protruding portion 24 and pressed against the mounting surface 19 when assembled.

[0052] According to the configuration of this example, when the terminal block 3 is assembled, the elastic member 20 is fixed to the mounting surface 19 by being crushed by the protruding portion 24 of the terminal block main body 10 while not moving the elastic member 20 in the assembly direction. In this way, in this example, a structure is adopted in which the elastic member 20 is attached while being pressed against the mounting surface 19 and deformed. Therefore, during assembly, the elastic member 20 does not slide on the surface of the mounting surface 19. Therefore, for example, a problem that may occur when the case 5 is made of a casting, that is, a situation in which the elastic member 20 is damaged during assembly due to blowholes that appear due to sealing surface processing, does not occur. Therefore, the sealing property between the terminal block 3 and the case 5 can be improved.

[0053] (2) The elastic member 20 has a hook portion 31 that is hooked onto the upper surface of the mounting portion 4 during assembly. According to this configuration, during assembly, the hook portion 31 of the elastic member 20 is hooked onto the mounting portion 4, making it possible to position the elastic member 20 in the assembly direction. This makes it possible to prevent the elastic member 20 from moving in the assembly direction during assembly.

[0054] (3) The protruding portion 24 has a force point P1 that is a portion that presses the elastic member 20 against the mounting surface 19 during assembly. The hook portion 31 has a fulcrum P2 for the movement of the compression portion 28 that is pressed by the protruding portion 24 at the force point P1 and deforms in shape. In the initial state before assembly, the force point P1 is located at the front in the assembly direction, and the fulcrum P2 is located at the back in the assembly direction. With this configuration, when the elastic member 20 is pressed by the force point P1 of the protruding portion 24 during assembly, it is possible to press the elastic member 20 against the mounting surface 19 based on the fulcrum P2 of the hook portion 31. Therefore, during assembly, the elastic member 20 can be firmly fixed to the mounting surface 19 without moving in the assembly direction.

[0055] (4) The terminal block body 10 has the seat portion 32 on which the tip of the compression portion 28 rests in the initial state before assembly. This configuration makes it difficult for the elastic member 20 to fall off the terminal block body 10 before assembly.

[0056] (5) The protruding portion 24 has a planar pressing portion 26 that, together with the mounting surface 19, supports the elastic member 20 by sandwiching it therebetween during assembly. This configuration makes it possible to sandwich and hold the elastic member 20 between the planar mounting surface 19 and the pressing portion 26. This makes it possible to attach and fix the elastic member 20 in close contact with the mounting surface 19 and the protruding portion 24 without any gaps. This further contributes to improving the sealing properties of the elastic member 20.

[0057] (6) The protruding portion 24 has a sloped portion 25 that crushes the compressed portion 28 during assembly. With this configuration, when the terminal block 3 is assembled, the elastic member 20 can be gradually deformed by the sloped portion 25 of the protruding portion 24. Therefore, when the terminal block 3 is fitted into the mounting portion 4, an excessive load is not applied, and the terminal block 3 can be smoothly assembled into the mounting portion 4 with an appropriate force.

[0058] (7) The compression portion 28 has a base end 29 with an inclined surface 36 at the portion that contacts the inclined surface 25 of the terminal block body 10, and a thick portion 30 that extends from the base end 29 toward the tip end and is formed to be thicker than the base end 29. According to this configuration, the thick portion 30 is provided in the compression portion 28, so that it is possible to provide a large engagement margin when the protruding portion 24 of the terminal block body 10 comes into contact during assembly. This makes it possible to firmly bring the elastic member 20 into contact with the mounting portion 4 of the case 5. This further contributes to improving the sealing performance of the elastic member.

[0059] (8) The thick portion 30 has a first contact surface 34 that contacts the mounting surface 19 during assembly, and a second contact surface 35 that is located on the opposite side of the first contact surface 34 and contacts the terminal block main body 10 during assembly. The second contact surface 35 is formed to be longer in the axial direction of the elastic member 20 than the inclined surface 36. With this configuration, it is possible to make the second contact surface 35 of the elastic member 20 wider, so that it is possible to ensure the surface pressure applied to the elastic member 20 by the protruding portion 24 during assembly. This further contributes to tightly mounting the elastic member 20 to the mounting surface 19.

[0060] (9) The compression portion 28 is formed non-parallel to the mounting surface 19 so as to have an angle θr with respect to the mounting surface 19. According to this configuration, the shape of the elastic member 20 is such that the compression portion 28 is brought closer to the terminal block main body 10. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the incidence angle θs, which is the angle between the mounting surface 19 of the mounting portion 4 and the inclined surface 36 of the elastic member 20, without significantly changing the area of ​​the pressing portion 26, which is the portion of the protrusion 24 that presses the elastic member 20. Therefore, it is possible to both firmly fix the elastic member 20 to the mounting surface 19 and smoothly assemble the terminal block 3 with an appropriate force.

[0061] (10) The tip of the compression portion 28 is formed to have a square cross section. With this configuration, when the terminal block 3 moves away from the mounting portion 4, it is possible to generate a repulsive force in an oblique direction (the direction of the arrow A3 in FIG. 10) at the tip of the elastic member 20 (compression portion 28) for pressing the tip against the terminal block main body 10. Therefore, even if the terminal block 3 moves away from the mounting portion 4, it is possible to keep the elastic member 20 in place. This further contributes to improving the sealing performance of the elastic member 20.

[0062] [Another example] This embodiment can be modified as follows: This embodiment and the following modifications can be combined with each other to the extent that no technical contradiction occurs.

[0063] The fitting between the terminal block 3 and the mounting portion 4 is not limited to internal fitting, in which the terminal block 3 is fitted inside the mounting portion 4 at the sealed portion, but may be external fitting, in which the terminal block 3 is fitted outside the mounting portion 4 at the sealed portion.

[0064] The number of terminals 2 is not limited to three, and may be any other number. In the initial state, the elastic member 20 may be attached to the attachment portion 4 instead of to the terminal block main body 10 .

[0065] The annular elastic member 20 may be changed to another shape, such as a perfect circle or a square, when viewed from the axial direction of the elastic member 20. The compression portion 28 of the elastic member 20 may be shaped to extend in a direction perpendicular to the hook portion 31 .

[0066] The elastic member 20 may have a shape in which the hook portion 31 is omitted. The base end 29 of the elastic member 20 is not limited to a shape having the inclined surface 36, and the inclined surface 36 may be a shape extending straight along the assembly direction.

[0067] The elastic member 20 may have a shape that does not have an angle θr with respect to the attachment surface 19. The tip of the elastic member 20 (compression portion 28) may be tapered to promote deformation of the shape.

[0068] The protrusion 24 is not limited to a shape having the inclined surface 25, but may be, for example, a stepped portion. The protrusion 24 may have any shape as long as it can crush and deform the elastic member 20 .

[0069] The seat portion 32 does not necessarily have to be provided around the entire circumferential area of ​​the terminal block body 10, but may be provided intermittently only at predetermined locations. The first contact surface 34 and the second contact surface 35 do not necessarily have to be parallel to each other, and may be non-parallel to each other.

[0070] The case 5 (mounting portion 4) is not limited to being a casting, but may be a member formed from other materials and by other methods. Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to the embodiment, it is understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiment or structure. The present disclosure also includes various modifications and modifications within the scope of equivalents. In addition, various combinations and forms, as well as other combinations and forms including only one element, more than one element, or less than one element, are also within the scope and concept of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 1 Terminal block unit 2 Terminal 3 Terminal block 4 Mounting part 5 Cases 6 Both ends 7 Fastening Part 10 Terminal block body 11 First Body 12 Second Body 13 Through hole 14 Color 15 1st terminal section 16 2nd terminal section 17 Fastening holes 18 Recess 19 Mounting surface 20 Elastic member 21 Hole 24 Protrusion 25 Slope 26 Pushing part 28 Compression section 29 Proximal end 30 Thick part 31 Hook section 32 Seat area 34 1st contact surface 35 Second contact surface 36 Slope θr angle θs Incident angle P1 Focus P2 fulcrum W1 width W2 Spacing

Claims

1. a terminal block body having one or more terminals with electrical connection points at both ends, the terminal block body being assembled to the case by fitting into a mounting portion of the case; a ring-shaped elastic member interposed between the mounting portion and the terminal block body for sealing, the terminal block body has a protrusion that, when assembled to the mounting portion, presses the elastic member against a planar mounting surface of the mounting portion without moving the elastic member in an assembly direction to fix the terminal block body to the mounting portion; the elastic member has a compression portion that is crushed by the protrusion and pressed against the mounting surface during assembly, The elastic member has a hook portion that is hooked onto the upper surface of the mounting portion during assembly. terminal block.

2. the protruding portion has a force point which serves as a portion that presses the elastic member against the mounting surface during assembly, The hook portion has a fulcrum of movement of the compression portion, which is deformed by being pushed at the force point by the protrusion, 2. The terminal block according to claim 1, wherein, in an initial state before assembly, the point of force is located at a front position in the assembly direction, and the fulcrum is located at a rear position in the assembly direction.

3. a terminal block body having one or more terminals with electrical connection points at both ends, the terminal block body being assembled to the case by fitting into a mounting portion of the case; a ring-shaped elastic member interposed between the mounting portion and the terminal block body for sealing, the terminal block body has a protrusion that, when assembled to the mounting portion, presses the elastic member against a planar mounting surface of the mounting portion without moving the elastic member in an assembly direction to fix the terminal block body to the mounting portion; the elastic member has a compression portion that is crushed by the protrusion and pressed against the mounting surface during assembly, the protruding portion has a sloped portion that crushes the compressed portion during assembly, The compression section includes: a base end portion having an inclined surface at a portion thereof that comes into contact with the inclined surface portion of the terminal block body; The terminal block has a thick portion that extends from the base end toward the tip end and is thicker than the base end.

4. the thick portion has a first contact surface that contacts the mounting surface during assembly, and a second contact surface that is located on the opposite side to the first contact surface and that contacts the terminal block body during assembly, The terminal block according to claim 3 , wherein the second contact surface is formed to be longer than the inclined surface in the axial direction of the elastic member.

5. 5. The terminal block according to claim 1, wherein the terminal block body has a seat portion on which a tip of the compression portion is placed in an initial state before assembly.

6. The terminal block according to claim 1 , wherein the protrusion has a flat pressing portion that sandwiches and supports the elastic member together with the mounting surface during assembly.

7. The terminal block according to claim 1 , wherein the compressed portion is formed non-parallel to the mounting surface so as to be angled with respect to the mounting surface.

8. The tip of the compression portion is formed in a square cross section. The terminal block according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A terminal block unit including a terminal block having one or more terminals with electrical connection points at both ends and a case having an attachment portion for attaching the terminal block, the terminal block includes a terminal block main body that is assembled to the case by fitting into the mounting portion, and an annular elastic member interposed between the mounting portion and the terminal block main body for sealing; the terminal block body has a protrusion that, when assembled to the mounting portion, presses the elastic member against a planar mounting surface of the mounting portion without moving the elastic member in an assembly direction to fix the terminal block body to the mounting portion; the elastic member has a compression portion that is crushed by the protrusion and pressed against the mounting surface during assembly, The elastic member has a hook portion that is hooked onto the upper surface of the mounting portion during assembly. Terminal block unit.

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