Connector Assembly

Abstract

This connector assembly comprises: a connector housing that holds a terminal to be connected to an end of an electric wire; a cylindrical shield shell that surrounds the connector housing; a cylindrical braided wire that surrounds the electric wire extending in a first direction from the connector housing; a cylindrical rubber boot that surrounds the braided wire; a first fastening member that fastens the rubber boot; and a second fastening member that fastens the braided wire. The shield shell has a cylindrical boot attaching portion and a cylindrical wire attaching portion. The rubber boot has a cylindrical boot main body and an annular sealing portion. The cylindrical boot attaching portion has, on the outer periphery side thereof, a cylindrical sealing surface with which the sealing portion comes into contact, and a first protruding portion protruding from a portion in the first direction of the sealing surface to the outside in the radial direction thereof.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a connector assembly. This application claims priority from Japanese Application No. 2022-004967, filed on January 17, 2022, and incorporates by reference all of the contents of said Japanese application. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, in vehicles such as electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles, wire harnesses are used to connect multiple on-board devices. The wire harnesses are electrically connected to the on-board devices via connectors. Patent Document 1 discloses such connectors. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-12847 Summary of the Invention

[0004] a cylindrical shield shell surrounding the connector housing; a cylindrical braided wire attached to the shield shell and surrounding the electric wire extending in a first direction from the connector housing; a cylindrical rubber boot attached to the shield shell and surrounding the braided wire; a first fastening member that fastens the rubber boot to the shield shell; and a second fastening member that fastens the braided wire to the shield shell, wherein the shield shell has a cylindrical boot attachment portion for attaching the rubber boot and a cylindrical wire attachment portion for attaching the braided wire, the wire attachment portion being located on the first direction side of the boot attachment portion, the rubber boot having a cylindrical boot main body and an annular seal portion that protrudes radially inward from the boot main body, and the cylindrical boot attachment portion has, on its outer circumferential side, a cylindrical seal surface with which the seal portion comes into contact, and a first protrusion that protrudes radially outward from a portion of the seal surface on the first direction side. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0005] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a connector assembly of the present embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the connector assembly shown in FIG. [Figure 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view of the connector assembly shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the shield shell. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the first fastening member. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the second tightening member. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a boot attachment portion and a wire attachment portion. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of the connector assembly. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the portion where the braided wire is attached by the second tightening member. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional connector assembly. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional crimping ring. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0006] <Problems to be solved by this disclosure> A connector includes a braided wire that surrounds an electric wire extending from its main body, and a cylindrical rubber boot that surrounds the braided wire, and can also be called a connector assembly. Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional connector assembly 100. The connector assembly 100 includes a connector housing 101, a cylindrical shield shell 102 that surrounds the connector housing 101, a braided wire 103 attached to the shield shell 102, and a rubber boot 104 that is attached to the shield shell 102 and surrounds the braided wire 103. The connector housing 101 holds a terminal 106 that is connected to an end 105a of an electric wire 105.

[0007] The electric wire 105 extends from the connector housing 101 in a first direction (from left to right in FIG. 10 ). The braided wire 103 is cylindrical to surround the electric wire 105. The braided wire 103 is fixed to a part 102a of the shield shell 102 by a crimping ring 110. The rubber boot 104 has a cylindrical boot body 107 and an annular seal portion 108. The shield shell 102 has a cylindrical seal surface 109 on its outer periphery with which the seal portion 108 comes into contact.

[0008] The crimping ring 110 is made of a plastically deformable metal member. In the connector assembly 100 shown in Fig. 10, the crimping ring 110 is provided with a plate portion 111 for preventing the rubber boot 104 from coming off. When the rubber boot 104 tries to come off in the first direction, the seal portion 108 comes into contact with the plate portion 111 of the crimping ring 110.

[0009] The crimping ring 110 is a member for fastening and fixing the braided wire 103 to the shield shell 102. For this reason, the crimping ring 110 is plastically deformed in a direction that reduces its diameter when assembling the connector assembly 100. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of the crimping ring 110, with the solid line indicating the state after reduction and the two-dot chain line indicating the state before reduction. When the crimping ring 110 is reduced in diameter, excess length is generated as protrusions 113 at two locations in the circumferential direction.

[0010] The protrusions 113 become larger outward in the radial direction. Although the size of the protrusions 113 is roughly constant, there is a possibility of variation. Taking this variation into consideration, the rubber boot 104 (see FIG. 10) is designed to be large overall, including a margin, so that it does not come into contact with the protrusions 113. This poses a problem of the connector assembly 101 expanding in the radial direction.

[0011] <Advantages of this disclosure> According to the present disclosure, it is possible to reduce the radial size of the connector assembly.

[0012] <Summary of Embodiments of the Present Disclosure> The following provides an outline of embodiments of the present disclosure. (1) A connector assembly of this embodiment includes a connector housing that holds terminals to be connected to ends of electric wires, a cylindrical shield shell that surrounds the connector housing, a cylindrical braided wire attached to the shield shell and surrounding the electric wire extending from the connector housing in a first direction, a cylindrical rubber boot that is attached to the shield shell and surrounds the braided wire, a first fastening member that fastens the rubber boot to the shield shell, and a second fastening member that fastens the braided wire to the shield shell, wherein the shield shell has a cylindrical boot attachment portion for attaching the rubber boot and a cylindrical wire attachment portion for attaching the braided wire, the wire attachment portion being provided on the first direction side of the boot attachment portion, the rubber boot having a cylindrical boot main body and an annular seal portion that is provided so as to protrude radially inward from the boot main body, and the cylindrical boot attachment portion has, on its outer circumferential side, a cylindrical seal surface with which the seal portion comes into contact, and a first protrusion that protrudes radially outward from a portion of the seal surface on the first direction side.

[0013] According to the connector assembly of this embodiment, the first protrusion can prevent the rubber boot from falling off in the first direction. The first protrusion is provided on the shield shell, and can be designed so that the rubber boot does not interfere with the first protrusion. In other words, it is no longer necessary to design the rubber boot large enough to include a margin, as in the past, and the connector assembly can be made smaller in the radial direction.

[0014] (2) Preferably, the cylindrical wire mounting portion has a cylindrical electrical connection surface on its outer periphery that electrically connects to the braided wire, and the wire mounting portion has a second protrusion that protrudes radially outward from a portion of the electrical connection surface on the first direction side, and the tip of the second protrusion is located radially inward relative to the tip of the first protrusion. In this case, the second protrusion can prevent the braided wire from falling off in the first direction. The wire mounting portion as a whole is radially smaller than the boot mounting portion. As a result, the boot body can be made smaller radially, contributing to a more compact connector assembly.

[0015] (3) In the connector assembly of (2), more preferably, the tip of the second protrusion is located radially inward of the seal surface, so that the wire attachment portion becomes even smaller in the radial direction.

[0016] (4) Preferably, the second protrusion is provided over the entire circumference of the wire attachment portion, which enhances the function of preventing the braided wire from falling off.

[0017] (5) Preferably, the first protrusion is provided around the entire circumference of the boot mounting portion, which enhances the function of preventing the rubber boot from falling off.

[0018] (6) Preferably, the second fastening member has a band-shaped portion provided along the outer periphery of the tubular braided wire and a fastening portion provided at one end of the band-shaped portion, and the fastening portion has a locking portion that allows the other end of the band-shaped portion to be inserted and prevents the inserted band-shaped portion from moving in the direction opposite to the insertion direction. (7) In the connector assembly of (6), preferably, the boot body has a tubular portion having a smooth inner surface and a housing portion provided in a circumferential portion of the boot body and having an inner surface radially outward of the tubular portion, and the tightening portion is housed in the housing portion. In this case, it is sufficient to provide a housing portion for housing the tightening portion of the second tightening member in a circumferential portion of the boot body, and the entire boot body does not need to be unnecessarily large.

[0019] (8) Preferably, the boot mounting portion has a first inclined surface on its inner circumferential side that decreases in diameter in the first direction, and the wire mounting portion has a second inclined surface on its inner circumferential side that increases in diameter in the first direction. In this case, it is possible to reduce the overall radial dimension of the boot mounting portion and the wire mounting portion compared to when the second inclined surface of the wire mounting portion decreases in diameter in the first direction.

[0020] <Details of the embodiment of the present disclosure> Hereinafter, details of embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that at least some of the embodiments described below may be combined in any manner. The connector assembly 10 of this embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is used in a conductive path for electrically connecting multiple electrical devices. Specifically, a vehicle such as an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle is equipped with electrical devices such as an inverter and a battery. The electrical devices (on-board devices) are connected via a conductive path for power supply. The conductive path includes a wire harness (electric wires) and a connector connected to an end of the wire harness. The connector assembly 10 of this embodiment is used as the connector.

[0021] Overall Configuration of Connector Assembly 10 FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a connector assembly 10 of this embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the connector assembly 10 shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the connector assembly 10 shown in FIG. 1. The connector assembly 10 is attached to a part of a case 7 (see FIG. 3) of the electrical device. Two electric wires 8 are connected to the connector assembly 10. Electric power is supplied to the electrical device through the electric wires 8 and the connector assembly 10.

[0022] The connector assembly 10 includes a connector housing 11, a shield shell 12, a braided wire 13, a rubber boot 14, a first fastening member 16, and a second fastening member 17. The connector assembly 10 (see FIG. 3 ) further includes a retainer 28, an annular sealing member 29, a first rubber ring 33, a second rubber ring 34, and a third rubber ring 35.

[0023] The connector housing 11 holds terminals 18 to be connected to ends 21 of the electric wires 8. The terminals 18 are metal members that are long in one direction. One end 18a of the terminals 18 is electrically connected to a mating connector (not shown) of the electric device. The other end 18b of the terminals 18 is electrically connected to the electric wires 8. The electric wires 8 are provided to extend from the connector housing 11 in a first direction (from left to right in FIG. 3 ).

[0024] Here, the directions in the connector assembly 10 of the present disclosure will be defined. The direction in which the electric wires 8 extend from the connector housing 11 (the first direction) is defined as the "front-rear direction." One end 18a of the terminal 18 is the "front," and the side in which the electric wires 8 extend (the right side in FIG. 3) is the "rear." Two electric wires 8 are arranged side by side (see FIGS. 1 and 2). The direction in which the two electric wires 8 are arranged side by side is defined as the "left-right direction." A direction perpendicular to both the front-rear direction and the left-right direction is defined as the "up-down direction." Each figure shows an XYZ Cartesian coordinate system. The X direction is the left-right direction, the Y direction is the front-rear direction (the direction from front to back), and the Z direction is the up-down direction (the direction from bottom to top).

[0025] One terminal 18 is connected to one electric wire 8. In the connector housing 11, two terminals 18 are provided side by side in the left-right direction. The connector housing 11 and the shield shell 12 have an oval columnar or cylindrical shape as a whole. Therefore, the front-to-rear direction can be called the "axial direction," while the left-to-right and up-to-down directions perpendicular to the axial direction can be collectively called the "radial direction."

[0026] [About connector housing 11] The connector housing 11 is made of resin. The connector housing 11 has a holding portion 31 and a shell mounting portion 32. The holding portion 31 has an elliptical columnar shape with its major axis extending in the left-right direction. A space 31a for accommodating the terminals 18 is provided inside the holding portion 31 (see FIG. 3). The shell mounting portion 32 has a substantially elliptical cylindrical shape with its major axis extending in the left-right direction. The holding portion 31 is a portion that accommodates and holds the terminals 18. The terminals 18 are fixed to the holding portion 31. The shell mounting portion 32 extends rearward (in the Y direction) from the holding portion 31 and is smaller in the up-down and left-right directions (radial direction) than the holding portion 31.

[0027] The shell mounting portion 32 has a first cylindrical portion 37 on the front side and a second cylindrical portion 38 on the rear side. An attachment groove 39 for mounting the third rubber ring 35 is provided on the outer periphery of the first cylindrical portion 37. The second cylindrical portion 38 has a shape that is smaller than the first cylindrical portion 37 in the up-down and left-right directions (radial direction).

[0028] The sealing member 29 is an annular rubber member that closely contacts the outer peripheral surface of the electric wire 8 and also closely contacts the inner peripheral surface of the shell mounting portion 32 (second tubular portion 38). The sealing member 29 prevents foreign matter such as water from entering between the electric wire 8 and the connector housing 11. The retainer 28 is a resin member having holes for passing the two electric wires 8. The retainer 28 is attached to the rear of the shell attachment portion 32 (second tubular portion 38) and prevents the seal member 29 from falling off rearward.

[0029] The first rubber ring 33 and the second rubber ring 34 are annular rubber members. The first rubber ring 33 and the second rubber ring 34 are attached to the outer circumferential surface of the holding portion 31, aligned in the front-to-rear direction. The first rubber ring 33 and the second rubber ring 34 fit closely to the mounting hole 7a of the case 7 of the electrical device. The first rubber ring 33 and the second rubber ring 34 prevent foreign matter such as water from entering between the connector housing 11 and the case 7.

[0030] The third rubber ring 35 is an annular rubber member. The third rubber ring 35 is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the shell mounting portion 32 (first tubular portion 37). The third rubber ring 35 is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the shield shell 12 (boot mounting portion 19, described below). The third rubber ring 35 prevents foreign matter, such as water, from entering between the connector housing 11 and the shield shell 12.

[0031] [About Shield Shell 12] The shield shell 12 has a cylindrical main body 30 and surrounds the shell mounting portion 32 of the connector housing 11. In addition to the cylindrical main body 30, the shield shell 12 has a flange portion 40 that is attached to the case 7. The shield shell 12 is made of metal. The shield shell 12 is a cast product. In this embodiment, the case 7 is made of aluminum, and the shield shell 12 is also made of the same aluminum, to prevent electrolytic corrosion due to contact between dissimilar metals. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of the shield shell 12.

[0032] The shield shell 12 has a tubular boot mounting portion 19 for mounting the rubber boot 14, and a tubular wire mounting portion 20 for mounting the braided wire 13. The wire mounting portion 20 is provided on the first direction side, in which the electric wire 8 extends from the connector housing 11, relative to the boot mounting portion 19. In other words, the wire mounting portion 20 is provided rearward of the boot mounting portion 19. A flange portion 40 is provided in front of the boot mounting portion 19.

[0033] The boot mounting portion 19 and the wire mounting portion 20 have an elliptical cylindrical shape with the major axis extending in the left-right direction (see FIG. 2). The wire mounting portion 20 has a shape that is smaller than the boot mounting portion 19 in the up-down and left-right directions on both the outer and inner peripheries. A third rubber ring 35 contacts the inner peripheral surface of the boot mounting portion 19. The shield shell 12 is a casting, and the boot mounting portion 19, wire mounting portion 20, and flange portion 40 are molded integrally.

[0034] [About braided wire 13] The braided wire 13 is a conductor formed by braiding metal (e.g., copper) wires. The braided wire 13 is a long tube provided along the electric wire 8 and surrounds the electric wire 8. The braided wire 13 is attached to the wire attachment portion 20 of the shield shell 12 and electrically connected to the shield shell 12. The braided wire 13 covers the outer peripheral surface of the wire attachment portion 20. The braided wire 13 is fastened and fixed to the wire attachment portion 20 by a second fastening member 17, which will be described later. As described above, the braided wire 13 is attached to the shield shell 12 and surrounds the electric wire 8 extending from the connector housing 11 in the first direction. The braided wire 13, together with the shield shell 12, functions as a shield for the electric wire 8.

[0035] [About Rubber Boots 14] The rubber boot 14 is made of rubber. The rubber boot 14 is a long tube provided along the braided wire 13 and surrounds the braided wire 13. Note that Figures 1 and 2 show the rubber boot 14 cut in half. The rubber boot 14 is attached to a boot attachment portion 19 of the shield shell 12. The rubber boot 14 covers the outer peripheral surface of the boot attachment portion 19. The rubber boot 14 is fastened and fixed to the boot attachment portion 19 by a first fastening member 16, which will be described later. As described above, the rubber boot 14 is attached to the shield shell 12 and surrounds the braided wire 13. The rubber boot 14 is provided along the longitudinal direction of the electric wire 8.

[0036] The rubber boot 14 has a cylindrical boot body 22 that surrounds the braided wire 13, and an annular seal portion 23 (see FIG. 4). The seal portion 23 is provided so as to protrude radially inward from a front end portion 22a of the boot body 22. The seal portion 23 has a plurality of annular, convex lip portions 42, which contact the seal surface 24. An annular recessed groove 41 is formed on the outer periphery of the end portion 22a of the boot body 22. A first tightening member 16, which will be described later, is attached to the recessed groove 41. The rubber boot 14 is tightened and fixed to the boot attachment portion 19 by the first tightening member 16.

[0037] [Regarding the first clamping member 16 and the second clamping member 17] The first tightening member 16 is a member that tightens the rubber boot 14 to the shield shell 12. Figure 5 is a perspective view of the first tightening member 16. The first tightening member 16 has an elongated strip-shaped portion 44 and a tightening portion 45 provided at one end 44a of the strip-shaped portion 44. The tightening portion 45 has a locking portion 46. The locking portion 46 allows the other end 44b of the strip-shaped portion 44 to be inserted and prevents the inserted strip-shaped portion 44 from moving in the direction opposite to the insertion direction. The locking portion 46 has a claw that engages with a part of the strip-shaped portion 44, preventing the diameter of the looped strip-shaped portion 44 from expanding.

[0038] A band-shaped portion 44 is provided along the outer periphery of the rubber boot 14 fitted onto the boot mounting portion 19 (see FIG. 4). The other end 44b of the band-shaped portion 44 is inserted into a locking portion 46. The band-shaped portion 44 fastens the rubber boot 14 to the boot mounting portion 19. The first tightening member 16 becomes annular when the rubber boot 14 is fastened. The first tightening member 16 may be made of metal such as stainless steel, but in this embodiment it is made of resin.

[0039] The second tightening member 17 is a member that tightens the braided wire 13 to the shield shell 12. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the second tightening member 17. The second tightening member 17 has an elongated strip-shaped portion 47 and a tightening portion 48 provided at one end 47a of the strip-shaped portion 47. The tightening portion 48 has a locking portion 49. The locking portion 49 allows the other end 47b of the strip-shaped portion 47 to be inserted and prevents the inserted strip-shaped portion 47 from moving in the direction opposite to the insertion direction. The locking portion 49 has a claw that engages with a part of the strip-shaped portion 47, preventing the diameter of the looped strip-shaped portion 47 from expanding.

[0040] A band-shaped portion 47 is provided along the outer periphery of the tubular braided wire 13 provided on the outer periphery of the wire attachment portion 20 (see FIG. 4). The other end 47b of the band-shaped portion 47 is inserted through a lock portion 49. The braided wire 13 is fastened to the wire attachment portion 20 by the band-shaped portion 47. The second fastening member 17 becomes annular when fastening the braided wire 13. The second fastening member 17 may be made of resin, but is made of metal such as stainless steel. By being made of metal, the second fastening member 17 is less likely to deform due to heat and the fastening force is less likely to be released.

[0041] With the braided wire 13 provided on the outer periphery of the wire attachment portion 20 fastened by the second fastening member 17, as shown in Fig. 4, the end of the braided wire 13 that protrudes forward from the second fastening member 17 is folded back to the rear and covered with the second fastening member 17. Although not shown, the end of the braided wire 13 may be further fixed from above with adhesive tape.

[0042] [Regarding the boot mounting portion 19 and the wire mounting portion 20] The boot mounting portion 19 will be further described with reference to Figures 2 and 4. The boot mounting portion 19 is cylindrical and has a seal surface 24 and a first protrusion 25 on its outer circumferential side. The seal surface 24 is a cylindrical surface that comes into contact with the seal portion 23 of the rubber boot 14. The seal portion 23 comes into contact with the seal surface 24 while being pressed against it by the first tightening member 16. The first protrusion 25 protrudes radially outward from a portion (end) on the rear side of the seal surface 24 of the boot mounting portion 19. A tip 25a of the first protrusion 25 is located radially outward from the seal surface 24. The first protrusion 25 is provided around the entire circumference of the boot mounting portion 19.

[0043] The boot mounting portion 19 further has an annular portion 51. The annular portion 51 is provided so as to protrude radially outward from a front portion (end) of the sealing surface 24. The flange portions 40 are connected to both left and right sides of the annular portion 51. The boot mounting portion 19 has, on its inner circumferential side, a contact surface with which the third rubber ring 35 comes into contact.

[0044] In a cross section perpendicular to the left-right direction shown in Figure 4, the seal surface 24 has a linear shape parallel to a straight line in the front-to-rear direction. In this cross section, the inner circumferential surface 55 of the boot mounting portion 19 has a linear shape that is inclined relative to a straight line in the front-to-rear direction. In other words, the boot mounting portion 19 has, on its inner circumferential surface 55, a first inclined surface 53 that decreases in diameter from front to rear. Therefore, the boot mounting portion 19 is configured so that its radial thickness dimension decreases from rear to front. The first inclined surface 53 becomes the contact surface of the third rubber ring 35.

[0045] 2 and 4, the wire mounting portion 20 will be further described. The wire mounting portion 20 is cylindrical and has an electrical connection surface 26 on its outer circumferential side. The electrical connection surface 26 is a cylindrical surface that is electrically connected to the braided wire 13. A portion of the braided wire 13 is fastened and brought into contact with the electrical connection surface 26 by the second fastening member 17. As described above, the wire mounting portion 20 has a shape that is smaller in the vertical and horizontal directions than the boot mounting portion 19. Therefore, the electrical connection surface 26 is located radially inward of the seal surface 24.

[0046] The wire mounting portion 20 has a second protrusion 27 on its outer periphery. The second protrusion 27 protrudes radially outward from a rear portion (end) of the electrical connection surface 26. A tip 27a of the second protrusion 27 is located radially outward from the electrical connection surface 26. The second protrusion 27 is provided around the entire circumference of the wire mounting portion 20. As shown in FIG. 4 , the tip 27a of the second protrusion 27 is located radially inward from the tip 25a of the first protrusion 25. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the tip 27a of the second protrusion 27 is located radially inward from the seal surface 24.

[0047] The inner circumferential surface (first inner circumferential surface 54) of the wire mounting portion 20 has a shape that is smaller in the up-down direction and left-right direction (radial direction) than the inner circumferential surface (second inner circumferential surface 55) of the boot mounting portion 19. Therefore, an annular wall surface 56 is provided between the first inner circumferential surface 54 and the second inner circumferential surface 55 (see FIG. 4). The wall surface 56 is an annular surface facing forward.

[0048] In a cross section perpendicular to the left-right direction shown in Figure 4, the electrical connection surface 26 has a linear shape that is parallel to a straight line in the front-to-rear direction. In this cross section, the inner circumferential surface 54 of the wire attachment portion 20 has a linear shape that is inclined relative to the straight line in the front-to-rear direction. In other words, the inner circumferential surface 54 of the wire attachment portion 20 has a second inclined surface 58 that increases in diameter from front to rear. Therefore, the radial thickness of the wire attachment portion 20 is configured to decrease from front to rear.

[0049] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the boot mounting portion 19 and the wire mounting portion 20. In this embodiment shown in (A) on the left side of Figure 7, as described above, the boot mounting portion 19 has, on its inner periphery, a first inclined surface 53 that narrows in diameter toward the rear. The wire mounting portion 20 has, on its inner periphery, a second inclined surface 58 that widens in diameter toward the rear. Note that, for ease of explanation, in Figure 7, the inclination angles of the inner periphery of the wire mounting portion 20 and the boot mounting portion 19 are shown exaggerated than they actually are.

[0050] As described above, the shield shell 12 is manufactured by casting. When the shield shell 12, which is a molded product, is demolded from the casting mold, the split mold for forming the inner peripheral surface of the shield shell 12 moves in the axial direction. The shield shell 12 has the first inclined surface 53 and the second inclined surface 58, which makes it easy to demold.

[0051] 7B shows a modified example. In this modified example, the boot mounting portion 19 has a first inclined surface 53 on its inner periphery that tapers in diameter toward the rear. This is the same as the present embodiment shown in FIG. 7A on the left. However, in this modified example, the wire mounting portion 20 has a second inclined surface 58 on its inner periphery that tapers in diameter toward the rear. In other words, the inclination direction of the inner periphery of the wire mounting portion 20 is opposite between this embodiment and the modified example.

[0052] The radial dimension (inner diameter) of the first cylindrical portion 37 is the same in this embodiment shown in FIG. 7(A) and the modified example shown in FIG. 7(B). In the case of the modified example (FIG. 7(B)), the inner peripheral surface of the shield shell 12 as a whole becomes larger in the radial direction from the rear side to the front side. In other words, the rear end 12e of the shield shell 12 is the starting point, and the radial direction becomes larger from the rear end 12e to the front end 12f. Therefore, the radial dimension from the rear end 12e to the front end 12f becomes larger. As a result, the shield shell 12 becomes thicker in the radial direction.

[0053] In contrast, in the case of this embodiment (FIG. 7(A)), the inner peripheral surface of the shield shell 12 starts from the central portion 12c in the front-rear direction, and increases in the radial direction from the central portion 12c toward the front, and also increases in the radial direction from the central portion 12c toward the rear. Therefore, the radial dimension from the central portion 12c, which is the starting point, to the front end 12f becomes smaller.

[0054] As a result, in the case of this embodiment (FIG. 7(A)), the shield shell 12 is thinner in the radial direction, and it is possible to make the connector assembly 10, including the rubber boot 14, smaller in the radial direction. The difference in the radial dimension of the outer surface 14a of the rubber boot 14 between the modified example and this embodiment is indicated as "Q" in FIG. In this embodiment, the dimension Q is smaller in the radial direction than in the modified example.

[0055] [Regarding the connector assembly 10 of this embodiment] As described above, the connector assembly 10 of this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, includes a connector housing 11, a cylindrical shield shell 12 surrounding the connector housing 11, a cylindrical braided wire 13 attached to the shield shell 12, a cylindrical rubber boot 14 attached to the shield shell 12, a first fastening member 16 that fastens the rubber boot 14 to the shield shell 12, and a second fastening member 17 that fastens the braided wire 13 to the shield shell 12. The connector housing 11 holds a terminal 18 that is connected to an end 21 of an electric wire 8. The braided wire 13 surrounds the electric wire 8 extending rearward from the connector housing 11. The rubber boot 14 surrounds the braided wire 13.

[0056] The shield shell 12 has a cylindrical boot attachment portion 19 for attaching the rubber boot 14, and a cylindrical wire attachment portion 20 for attaching the braided wire 13. The wire attachment portion 20 is provided rearward of the boot attachment portion 19. The rubber boot 14 has a cylindrical boot body 22 and an annular seal portion 23. The seal portion 23 is provided to protrude radially inward from the boot body 22.

[0057] The cylindrical boot attachment portion 19 has, on its outer circumferential side, a cylindrical seal surface 24 with which the seal portion 23 comes into contact, and a first protrusion 25. The first protrusion 25 protrudes radially outward from a portion of the rear side of the seal surface 24.

[0058] According to the connector assembly 10 of this embodiment, the first protrusion 25 can prevent the rubber boot 14 from falling off backward. The first protrusion 25 is provided on the shield shell 12, and can be designed so that the rubber boot 14 does not interfere with the first protrusion 25. In other words, it is no longer necessary to design the rubber boot 14 to be large enough to include a margin, as in the past. As a result, the connector assembly 10 can be made smaller in the radial direction.

[0059] The shield shell 12 has a cylindrical wire mounting portion 20. In this embodiment, the cylindrical wire mounting portion 20 has a cylindrical electrical connection surface 26 on its outer circumferential side that electrically connects to the braided wire 13. The electrical connection surface 26 is provided radially inward of the seal surface 24. The wire mounting portion 20 is radially smaller than the boot mounting portion 19. This allows the boot body 22 that surrounds the braided wire 13 attached to the wire mounting portion 20 to be made smaller in the radial direction. As a result, the connector assembly 10 can be made smaller in the radial direction.

[0060] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of the connector assembly 10. In FIG. 8, (A) on the left and (B) in the center show Modifications 2 and 3, and (C) on the right shows the present embodiment. Compared to the present embodiment shown in (C) and Modification 3 shown in (B), Modification 2 shown in (A) does not include the third rubber ring 35. Modification 2 has a lower sealing function for preventing water intrusion. Modification 3 shown in (B) has an improved sealing function due to the provision of the third rubber ring 35, but its radial dimension is larger than that of Modification 2 shown in (A). Therefore, in the present embodiment shown in (C), even though the third rubber ring 35 is provided, the wire mounting portion 20 is radially smaller than the boot mounting portion 19. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to reduce the radial size of the connector assembly 10.

[0061] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , in this embodiment, the wire mounting portion 20 further includes a second protrusion 27 that protrudes radially outward from a portion of the rear side of the electrical connection surface 26. The second protrusion 27 prevents the braided wire 13 from falling off toward the rear. As shown in FIG. 4 , the tip 27a of the second protrusion 27 is located radially inward of the tip 25a of the first protrusion 25. This makes the wire mounting portion 20 as a whole radially smaller than the boot mounting portion 19. Furthermore, the tip 27a of the second protrusion 27 is located radially inward of the seal surface 24. This makes the wire mounting portion 20 even smaller radially. As a result, the boot body 22 can be made smaller radially, contributing to the miniaturization of the connector assembly 10.

[0062] 2, the first protrusion 25 is provided around the entire circumference of the boot mounting portion 19. This enhances the function of preventing the rubber boot 14 from falling off. The second protrusion 27 is provided around the entire circumference of the wire mounting portion 20. This enhances the function of preventing the braided wire 13 from falling off.

[0063] Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the attachment portion of the braided wire 13 by the second tightening member 17. Fig. 9 shows a cross section perpendicular to the front-rear direction. As described above (see Fig. 6), the second tightening member 17 has an elongated strip-shaped portion 47 and a tightening portion 48 provided at one end 47a of the strip-shaped portion 47. The tightening portion 48 protrudes radially outward from the strip-shaped portion 47. Therefore, in this embodiment, to prevent the tightening portion 48 from interfering with the inner circumferential surface of the rubber boot 14, an accommodation portion 63 for accommodating the tightening portion 48 is provided in a portion of the circumferential direction of the boot body 22.

[0064] 9, the boot body 22 has a tubular portion 61 having a smooth inner surface 62, and a storage portion 63 provided in a portion of the boot body 22 in the circumferential direction. The smooth inner surface 62 has an elliptical cylindrical shape with the major axis extending in the left-right direction. The storage portion 63 has an inner surface 64 located radially outward of the inner surface 62 of the tubular portion 61. That is, in a portion of the boot body 42 (the storage portion 63), the inner surface bulges outward in the radial direction.

[0065] In this embodiment, because the boot body 22 is thin, the entire accommodating portion 63 bulges outward in the radial direction. The fastening portion 48 of the second fastening member 17 is accommodated in the accommodating portion 63. Therefore, it is sufficient to provide the accommodating portion 63 for accommodating the fastening portion 48 of the second fastening member 17 in a portion of the circumferential direction of the boot body 22, and the entire boot body 22 does not need to be unnecessarily large. As a result, the connector assembly 10 can be made smaller in size in the radial direction.

[0066] 〔others〕 In this embodiment (see FIG. 2), the first protruding portion 25 and the second protruding portion 27 are provided over the entire circumference, but a portion in the circumferential direction may be missing. The first fastening member 16 and the second fastening member 17 may be made of materials other than those described above, and may have a form other than that shown in the drawings.

[0067] The above-described embodiments are illustrative in all respects and are not limiting. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not the above-described embodiments, and includes all modifications within the scope equivalent to the configurations described in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 7 Cases 7a hole 8 Electric wire 10 Connector Assembly 11 Connector housing 12 Shield Shell 12c central part 12e rear end 12f front end 13 Braided wire 14 Rubber Boots 14a External surface 16 First fastening member 17 Second fastening member 18 terminals 18a One end 18b Other end 19 Boot attachment part 20 Wire attachment part 21 End 22 Boots body 22a end 23 Seal part 24 sealing surface 25 First protrusion 25a tip 26 Electrical connection surface 27 Second protrusion 27a tip 28 Retainer 29 Sealing material 30 Main Unit 31 Holding part 31a Space 32 Shell mounting part 33 First rubber ring 34 Second rubber ring 35 Third rubber ring 37 First cylinder part 38 Second cylinder part 39 Mounting groove 40 flange 41 Groove 42 Lip 44 Belt 44a one end 44b other end 45 Fastening part 46 Lock Section 47 Belt 47a one end 47b other end 48 Fastening part 49 Rock Club 51 Circular section 53 First slope 54 First inner peripheral surface 55 Second inner peripheral surface 56 Wall 58 Second slope 61 Cylinder part 62 Inner 63 Storage unit 64 Inner

Claims

1. a connector housing for holding a terminal to be connected to an end of an electric wire; a cylindrical shield shell surrounding the connector housing; a tubular braided wire attached to the shield shell and surrounding the electric wire extending from the connector housing in a first direction; a cylindrical rubber boot attached to the shield shell and surrounding the braided wire; a first fastening member that fastens the rubber boot to the shield shell; a second fastening member that fastens the braided wire to the shield shell; Equipped with The shield shell is a cylindrical boot attachment portion for attaching the rubber boot; a cylindrical wire attachment portion for attaching the braided wire; the wire attachment portion is provided on the first direction side of the boot attachment portion, The rubber boot is A cylindrical boot body and an annular seal portion provided so as to protrude radially inward from the boot body, The cylindrical boot attachment portion has, on its outer circumferential side, a cylindrical seal surface with which the seal portion comes into contact; a first protruding portion protruding radially outward from a portion of the seal surface on the first direction side, the boot attachment portion has, on its inner circumferential side, a first inclined surface whose diameter decreases in the first direction, The wire attachment portion has, on its inner circumferential side, a second inclined surface whose diameter increases in the first direction. Connector assembly.

2. the cylindrical wire attachment portion has a cylindrical electrical connection surface on its outer periphery that is electrically connected to the braided wire, the wire attachment portion has a second protruding portion that protrudes radially outward from a part of the electrical connection surface on the first direction side, The connector assembly according to claim 1 , wherein a tip of the second protrusion is located radially inward of a tip of the first protrusion.

3. The connector assembly according to claim 2 , wherein a tip end of the second protrusion is located radially inward of the sealing surface.

4. 4. The connector assembly according to claim 2, wherein the second protrusion is provided over the entire circumference of the wire attachment portion.

5. The connector assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first protrusion is provided over the entire circumference of the boot attachment portion.

6. the second tightening member has a band-shaped portion provided along an outer periphery of the tubular braided wire and a tightening portion provided at one end of the band-shaped portion, The fastening portion has a locking portion that allows the other end of the belt-like portion to be inserted therethrough and prevents the inserted belt-like portion from moving in a direction opposite to the insertion direction. A connector assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

7. The boot body has a tubular portion having a smooth inner surface, and a housing portion provided at a part of the circumferential direction of the boot body and having an inner surface positioned radially outward of the tubular portion, The connector assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the clamping portion is housed in the housing portion.

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