Waterproof Connector

Abstract

To provide a waterproof connector capable of maintaining an excellent sealing performance with a good workability when mounting an elastic seal member to a housing.SOLUTION: A waterproof connector 1 comprise: an outer hosing 3 that includes a cylinder-like hood part 39 that defines a fitting space where a fitting part of a mating side connector is fitted; an annular elastic seal member 10 installed to the hood part 39; an annular concave part 11 that is continuously formed to a peripheral direction so as to be projected to an outer peripheral surface of the elastic seal member 10; a plurality of window parts 45 that is opened to the hood part 39 along an outer periphery surface of the convex part 11, and includes a pair of engagement surfaces 42 and 44 which is opposite to both side surfaces 12 and 14 of the concave part 11; and a coupling part 46 that is formed between the plurality of window parts 45, and in which an engagement groove 47 having a pair of engagement side surfaces 48 and 49 which is opposite to both side surfaces 12 and 14 of the convex part 11 is formed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] A waterproof connector is known that includes a housing having a hollow portion into which at least a portion of a mating connector is inserted, and an elastic sealing member that is guided in a predetermined direction along the hollow portion of the housing and then installed in a predetermined position on the housing (see Patent Document 1). The sealing member in the above-mentioned prevention connector has an annular main body portion disposed on the inner circumferential surface of the hollow portion and a latched portion extending from the main body portion in a direction away from the main body portion. The sealing member pressed into the hollow portion is installed in a predetermined position in the housing by latching the latched portion into a latching hole provided at a predetermined position in the housing. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-4684 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in such waterproof connectors, the hollow portion of the housing is open in the connector mating direction, and the locking holes are formed on the side of the housing that intersects with the connector mating direction. Therefore, if the seal member has multiple locking portions, when inserting the seal member, it is necessary to check that each locking portion protrudes from the corresponding locking hole, which is inefficient. In addition, the seal member is locked in place on the housing by multiple locking portions extending from the main body, which results in poor locking balance, and this can cause the packing to float when the connector is inserted or removed, potentially reducing sealing performance.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its object is to provide a waterproof connector that allows for easy installation of an elastic sealing member into a housing and maintains good sealing performance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the waterproof connector according to the present invention has the following features. a housing having a cylindrical hood portion defining a mating space into which a mating portion of a mating connector is mated; an annular elastic seal member installed in the hood portion; a ring-shaped protruding portion formed continuously in a circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the elastic seal member; a plurality of window portions formed in the hood portion along the outer peripheral surface of the ridge portion, the window portions having a pair of locking surfaces facing each other on both side surfaces of the ridge portion; a connecting portion formed between the plurality of window portions and having a locking groove formed on both side surfaces of the protruding portion, the locking groove having a pair of locking side surfaces facing each other; Waterproof connector with. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the waterproof connector of the present invention, the elastic seal member can be attached to the housing with ease, and good sealing performance can be maintained.

[0008] The present invention has been briefly described above. The details of the present invention will become clearer by reading the following detailed description of the invention (hereinafter referred to as "embodiments") with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a waterproof connector according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the waterproof connector shown in FIG. 1 taken along the core wire. [Figure 3]3 is a perspective view showing a state before an elastic seal member is installed in the hood portion of the housing shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 4] 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the state after the elastic seal member has been installed in the hood portion of the housing shown in FIG. [Figure 5] 5 is a horizontal cross-sectional view showing the state after the elastic seal member has been installed in the hood portion of the housing shown in FIG. [Figure 6] 6 is a cross-sectional view of the housing shown in FIG. 3 taken along the line VI-VI. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the elastic seal member shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a waterproof connector 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the direction of the electric wires of the waterproof connector 1 shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a state before an elastic seal member 10 is installed in the hood portion 39 of the outer housing 3 shown in Fig. 1.

[0011] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the waterproof connector 1 is made up of an outer housing (housing) 3, a female shield assembly 20, and an elastic seal member . The outer housing 3 is a substantially cylindrical housing molded from an electrically insulating synthetic resin, and has a shield assembly accommodating chamber 31 formed therein.

[0012] The shield assembly accommodating chamber 31 is formed by a terminal accommodating chamber 33 that penetrates in the front-to-rear direction and a rubber plug accommodating chamber 35 that extends rearward from the rear end of the terminal accommodating chamber 33, and is connected to the outside via a rear end opening 37.

[0013] The outer housing 3 is formed with elastic locking pieces 40 (flexible lances) that protrude into the terminal accommodating chambers 33 and prevent the female shield assembly 20 from coming off. The outer housing 3 also has locking arms 41 that lock the mating with a mating connector (not shown).

[0014] A cylindrical hood portion 39 is formed at the front end of the terminal accommodating chamber 33. The hood portion 39 defines a fitting space into which a fitting portion of a mating connector is fitted. An annular elastic seal member 10 is disposed within the hood portion 39. A waterproof plug 55 is attached to the rubber plug accommodating chamber 35 to provide waterproofing between the female shield assembly 20 and the electric wire 50 led out from the female shield assembly 20.

[0015] The electric wire 50 is composed of, from the center, a core wire 52, an insulator 54, a braid 56, and a covering 58 (see FIG. 2). The conductive core wire 52 may be either a solid wire or a stranded wire made by twisting together multiple wires. The insulator 54 has electrical insulation properties and covers the core wire 52. The braid 56 is conductive and covers the outer periphery of the insulator 54. The covering 58 has electrical insulation properties and covers the outer periphery of the braid 56.

[0016] The elastic seal member 10 provides a watertight seal between the inner peripheral surface of the hood portion 39 and the outer peripheral surface of the mating portion of the mating connector. As shown in FIG. 3, the elastic seal member 10 has an inner peripheral lip 15 on its inner peripheral surface, and elastically fits tightly to the outer peripheral surface of the mating portion of the mating connector. The elastic seal member 10 also has an annular ridge 11 that protrudes from the axially middle portion of the outer circumferential surface of the annular elastic seal member 10 and is formed continuously in the circumferential direction. On both widthwise sides of the ridge 11, side surfaces 12 and 14 that intersect with the outer circumferential surface of the elastic seal member 10 are formed. Furthermore, the elastic seal member 10 has an outer peripheral lip 16 on the outer peripheral surface closer to the insertion tip than the ridge portion 11 (ie, closer to the terminal accommodating chamber 33 ), and elastically contacts the inner peripheral surface of the hood portion 39 .

[0017] The hood portion 39 has a plurality of (two in this embodiment) window portions 45 opened along the circumferential direction of the hood portion 39, each having a pair of locking surfaces 42, 44 facing both side surfaces 12, 14 of the ridge portion 11, respectively. Furthermore, between the two window portions 45 in the circumferential direction of the hood portion 39, a pair of connecting portions 46 are provided, in which a locking groove 47 is formed having a pair of locking side surfaces 48, 49 facing each other on both side surfaces 12, 14 of the convex strip portion 11.

[0018] Therefore, the locking surfaces 42 of the window portions 45, which are continuous along the circumferential direction of the hood portion 39, and the locking side surfaces 48 of the connecting portions 46 face each other over the entire circumference of the side surfaces 12 of the ridge portions 11. Also, the locking surfaces 44 of the window portions 45, which are continuous along the circumferential direction of the hood portion 39, and the locking side surfaces 49 of the connecting portions 46 (see Figure 6) face each other over the entire circumference of the side surfaces 14 of the ridge portions 11.

[0019] Figures 4 and 5 are a vertical cross-sectional view and a horizontal cross-sectional view showing the state after the elastic seal member 10 has been installed in the hood portion 39 of the outer housing 3 shown in Figure 3. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of the outer housing shown in Figure 3. Figure 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the elastic seal member 10 shown in Figure 3.

[0020] 4 and 5, when the elastic seal member 10 is inserted into the hood portion 39, the ridge portion 11 is engaged with the engaging surfaces 42, 44 and the engaging side surfaces 48, 49 of the hood portion 39 along the entire periphery. This prevents the elastic seal member 10 from losing its engagement balance and prevents the packing from floating when the connector is inserted or removed. Furthermore, the ridge portion 11 of the elastic seal member 10 has both side surfaces 12, 14 sealed with the engaging surfaces 42, 44 and the engaging side surfaces 48, 49 of the hood portion 39 along the entire periphery. This allows the elastic seal member 10 to maintain good sealing properties.

[0021] 1, the elastic sealing member 10 inserted into the hood portion 39 has the ridges 11 exposed through the windows 45, making it easy to visually confirm that the elastic sealing member 10 is engaged with the engaging surfaces 42, 44 and the engaging side surfaces 48, 49 of the hood portion 39. This improves the workability when attaching the elastic sealing member 10 to the outer housing 3.

[0022] 7, the elastic seal member 10 of this embodiment is provided with an outer peripheral lip 16 on the outer peripheral surface closer to the terminal accommodating chamber 33 than the ridge portion 11. This allows the elastic seal member 10 to maintain even better sealing properties.

[0023] Therefore, according to the waterproof connector 1 of this embodiment, the elastic seal member 10 can be attached to the outer housing 3 with good workability, and good sealing performance can be maintained.

[0024] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately modified, improved, etc. Furthermore, the material, shape, size, number, location, etc. of each component in the above-described embodiments are arbitrary and not limited as long as they can achieve the present invention. In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the elastic sealing member 10 was attached to a high-frequency connector in which the female shield assembly 20 was housed in the outer housing 3, but the connector is not limited to high-frequency connectors and can be applied to various waterproof connectors.

[0025] Here, the features of the above-described embodiments of the waterproof connector according to the present invention will be briefly summarized and listed below in [1] and [2]. [1] A housing (outer housing 3) having a cylindrical hood portion (39) that defines a fitting space into which a fitting portion of a mating connector is fitted; an annular elastic seal member (10) installed in the hood portion (39); a ring-shaped ridge portion (11) that protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the elastic seal member (10) and is formed continuously in the circumferential direction; a plurality of window portions (45) formed in the hood portion (39) along the outer peripheral surface of the ridge portion (11), each having a pair of locking surfaces (42, 44) facing each other on both side surfaces (12, 14) of the ridge portion (11); a connecting portion (46) formed between the plurality of window portions (45) and having a locking groove (47) having a pair of locking side surfaces (48, 49) facing both side surfaces (12, 14) of the protruding strip portion (11); Waterproof connector (1) with

[0026] According to the waterproof connector (1) having the configuration [1] above, when the elastic seal member (10) is inserted into the hood portion (39), the ridge portion (11) is engaged with the engaging surfaces (42, 44) and the engaging side surfaces (48, 49) of the hood portion (39) along the entire circumference. Therefore, the elastic seal member (10) maintains its engagement balance and prevents the packing from floating when the connector is inserted or removed. Furthermore, the ridge portion (11) of the elastic seal member (10) is sealed with the engaging surfaces (42, 44) and the engaging side surfaces (48, 49) of the hood portion (39) along the entire circumference of both side surfaces (12, 14). Therefore, the elastic seal member (10) can maintain good sealing performance. Furthermore, since the ridges 11 of the elastic seal member 10 inserted into the hood portion 39 are exposed through the windows 45, it is easy to visually confirm that the elastic seal member 10 is engaged with the locking surfaces 42, 44 and the locking side surfaces 48, 49 of the hood portion 39. This improves the workability when attaching the elastic seal member 10 to the housing (outer housing 3).

[0027] [2] The elastic seal member (10) has an outer peripheral lip (16) on the outer peripheral surface closer to the insertion tip than the ridge portion (11). The waterproof connector (1) described in [1] above.

[0028] According to the waterproof connector (1) having the above configuration [2], the elastic seal member (10) can maintain even better sealing properties. [Explanation of symbols]

[0029] 1...Waterproof connector 3...Outer housing (housing) 10...Elastic sealing member 11...Convex portion 12,14...Side 39...Hood section 42, 44...Latching surface 45...Window section 46...Connection part 47...Latching groove 48,49…Locking side

Claims

1. a housing having a cylindrical hood portion defining a mating space into which a mating portion of a mating connector is mated; an annular elastic seal member installed in the hood portion; a ring-shaped protruding portion formed continuously in a circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the elastic seal member; a plurality of window portions formed in the hood portion along the outer peripheral surface of the ridge portion, the window portions having a pair of locking surfaces facing each other on both side surfaces of the ridge portion; a connecting portion formed between the plurality of window portions and having a locking groove formed on both side surfaces of the protruding portion, the locking groove having a pair of locking side surfaces facing each other; Waterproof connector with.

2. The elastic seal member has an outer circumferential lip on the outer circumferential surface thereof closer to the insertion tip than the ridge portion.

2. The waterproof connector according to claim 1.

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