connector

Abstract

To provide a connector that can improve the positioning accuracy of a nut to ensure a waterproof function.SOLUTION: A connector 10 includes a housing 20 and a terminal assembly. The housing 20 includes a housing main body 21 having a through hole 21A penetrating in a first direction D1. The terminal assembly includes a terminal 32, a retaining component 31 inserted into the through hole 21A together with the terminal 32, a sealing member attached directly to the terminal 32 to seal between the inner wall of the through hole 21A and the terminal 32, and a nut 35 attached to the retaining component 31 and temporarily held therein. The retaining component 31 includes a terminal insertion hole 31B4 through which the terminal 32 is inserted, a terminal positioning portion which positions the terminal 32 inserted into the terminal insertion hole 31B4, and a nut positioning portion which is connected to the terminal positioning portion and positions the nut 35. The housing 20 includes a nut retaining wall 23 which holds the nut 35 in a state positioned by the nut positioning portion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a connector.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a connector for preventing intrusion of liquids such as water and oil into the housing, for example, the connector described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-243636 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1) is known. This connector includes a housing, terminals, an O-ring, a fastener, and an O-ring holder, and the O-ring is directly attached to the terminal. A terminal insertion hole is formed in the housing, and the terminal is inserted into this terminal insertion hole. Further, an O-ring mounting recess communicating with the terminal insertion hole is provided in the housing. The O-ring is mounted on the terminal so as to surround the entire circumference of the terminal. When the terminal is inserted into the terminal insertion hole, the O-ring is fitted into the O-ring mounting recess to seal and seal the inside of the terminal insertion hole.

[0003] A fastening hole is formed at the end of the terminal. In a state where the terminal is inserted into the terminal insertion hole, the fastening hole is disposed at the fastening portion of the housing. A fastening nut is fixed to the fastening portion of the housing by press-fitting. On the other hand, an insertion hole is formed in the mating terminal which is the connection partner of the terminal. To connect the mating terminal to the terminal, after overlapping the mating terminal with the terminal so that the insertion hole of the mating terminal and the fastening hole of the terminal communicate with each other, a fastening screw is inserted into the insertion hole and the fastening hole and screwed into the fastening nut to fasten, thereby connecting the terminal and the mating terminal.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, if misalignment occurs during the press-fitting of the fastening nut, the fastening nut will be fixed in its misaligned position, and the fastening screw and terminal will be fastened based on the misaligned fastening nut. As a result, the O-ring directly attached to the terminal will also be misaligned, raising concerns about a decrease in waterproofing function.

[0006] This disclosure was completed based on the circumstances described above, and aims to improve the positioning accuracy of the nut and thereby ensure waterproofing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The connector of the present disclosure comprises a housing and a terminal assembly, wherein the housing has a housing body having a through hole penetrating in a first direction, the terminal assembly comprises a terminal, a retaining component inserted into the through hole together with the terminal, a sealing member directly attached to the terminal to seal the space between the inner wall of the through hole and the terminal, and a nut attached to the retaining component for temporary retention, the retaining component having a terminal insertion hole through which the terminal is inserted, a terminal positioning portion for positioning the terminal inserted into the terminal insertion hole, and a nut positioning portion connected to the terminal positioning portion for positioning the nut, and the housing has a nut retaining wall for holding the nut in a positioned state by the nut positioning portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to this disclosure, the positioning accuracy of the nut can be improved, thereby ensuring a waterproof function. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the connector from diagonally above and in front. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a front view of the connector. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a side view of the connector. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of AA in Figure 2. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of BB in Figure 2. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a perspective view taken from diagonally above and in front of the housing, showing the first terminal assembly before it is attached. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a perspective view taken from diagonally above and in front of the terminal before the insulating member and the third sealing member are attached. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a perspective view taken from diagonally above and in front of the retaining component before the terminals are attached. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a bottom view of the retaining part, seen from below, before the nut is attached. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a bottom view, seen from below, of the retaining part shown in Figure 9 after the nut has been attached. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a perspective view of the first terminal assembly, seen from diagonally downwards and in front. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a perspective view of the first terminal assembly, seen from diagonally above and in front. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] [Description of Embodiments in this Disclosure] First, the embodiments of this disclosure will be listed and described. [1] The connector of the present disclosure comprises a housing and a terminal assembly, the housing comprising a housing body having a through hole penetrating in a first direction, the terminal assembly comprising a terminal, a retaining component inserted into the through hole together with the terminal, a sealing member directly attached to the terminal to seal the space between the inner wall of the through hole and the terminal, and a nut attached to the retaining component for temporary retention, the retaining component comprising a terminal insertion hole through which the terminal is inserted, a terminal positioning portion for positioning the terminal inserted into the terminal insertion hole, and a nut positioning portion provided in connection with the terminal positioning portion for positioning the nut, and the housing comprising a nut retaining wall for holding the nut in a positioned state by the nut positioning portion.

[0011] Since the nut is attached to the holding component and is temporarily held, press-fitting of the nut becomes unnecessary, and it is possible to prevent problems such as forgetting to press-fit the nut and misalignment of the nut during press-fitting. Also, since the sealing member is directly attached to the terminal, by attaching the terminal and the nut to the holding component respectively, the terminal and the sealing member are positioned by the terminal positioning portion, and the nut is positioned by the nut positioning portion. As a result, a terminal assembly in which the terminal, the nut, and the sealing member are relatively positioned by one component, the holding component, can be configured, and since a component for positioning the sealing member separately from the holding component becomes unnecessary, the component cost can be reduced.

[0012] Since the nut can be held in a positioned state by the nut holding wall, the positioning accuracy of the nut can be improved. Here, when fastening the mating terminal and the terminal with a bolt and a nut, the mating terminal and the terminal are fastened based on the position of the nut held in the positioned state. That is, there is no risk of the terminal being displaced by fastening, and since the terminal is held in the positioned state, the waterproof function can be ensured by the sealing member being evenly crushed.

[0013] [2] In the above [1], it is preferable that the nut holding wall has a substrate portion that suppresses detachment of the nut by disposing the nut between the nut holding wall and the terminal.

[0014] Since the nut is disposed between the substrate portion and the terminal, it is possible to suppress the temporarily held nut from detaching from the holding component.

[0015] [3] In the above [1] or [2], it is preferable that the nut holding wall has a side plate portion that prevents the nut from rotating by engaging with the outer peripheral surface of the nut.

[0016] Since the side plate portion engages with the outer peripheral surface of the nut, it is possible to prevent the nut from rotating and being displaced when fastening the mating terminal and the terminal.

[0017] [4] In the above [3], it is preferable that the side plate portion has a locking portion, and the holding component has a locking portion that locks onto the locking portion to hold the terminal assembly in a state attached to the housing body portion.

[0018] When the terminal assembly is attached to the housing body, the locking portion of the retaining part engages with the locking portion of the side plate, thereby holding the terminal assembly to the housing body.

[0019] [5] In the above [4], it is preferable that the retaining component has a flexible piece and that the locking portion is provided on the flexible piece.

[0020] As the terminal assembly is being attached to the housing, the flexible piece bends and deforms, causing the locking portion to move over the locked portion. Simultaneously, the flexible piece returns to its original shape, causing the locking portion to engage with the locked portion. This makes it easy to attach the terminal assembly to the housing body by hand.

[0021] [6] In any one of the above [1] to [5], it is preferable that the nut positioning portion has a temporary holding rib that temporarily holds the nut by sandwiching it from the first direction.

[0022] The nut can be temporarily held in place by the holding component by clamping it from the first direction using the temporary holding rib.

[0023] [Details of the embodiments of this disclosure] Specific examples of the connectors of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, some parts of the configuration may be exaggerated or simplified for the sake of explanation. Also, the dimensional ratios of each part may differ in each drawing. Furthermore, the terms "parallel," "perpendicular," and "orthogonal" in this specification include not only cases where they are strictly parallel, perpendicular, or orthogonal, but also cases where they are approximately parallel, perpendicular, or orthogonal within the range that achieves the function and effect of this embodiment.

[0024] Each drawing shows three mutually perpendicular directions, designated as the first direction D1, the second direction D2, and the third direction D3. That is, the first direction D1 and the second direction D2 are mutually perpendicular, the first direction D1 and the third direction D3 are mutually perpendicular, and the second direction D2 and the third direction D3 are mutually perpendicular. By indicating arrows on both sides of the solid lines that show each direction, the direction indicated by the arrow on the side without a symbol is understood to be the same as the direction indicated by the arrow on the side without a symbol.

[0025] Furthermore, as used in this specification, the term "tubular" includes not only those with a continuous circumferential wall formed around the entire circumference, but also those formed by combining multiple parts, and those having a notch or other cutout in a part of the circumference, such as a C-shape. In addition, the shapes of "tubular" include circular, elliptical, and polygonal shapes with pointed or rounded corners.

[0026] Furthermore, in this specification, "ring" refers to any closed shape whose outer edge shape is connected by straight or curved lines, including circular rings with a circular outer edge, elliptical or oblong rings with an elliptical or oblong outer edge, polygonal rings with a polygonal outer edge, and rounded polygonal rings. "Ring" includes those whose outer and inner edges are the same shape, and those whose outer and inner edges are different shapes. "Ring" includes those that have a predetermined length extending along the central axis, regardless of the magnitude of that length. Furthermore, in this specification, "annular" refers to anything that can be considered a ring as a whole, and includes those that have notches or slits in part, such as a C-shape.

[0027] Furthermore, in this specification, "facing" means that two surfaces or members are in a position where they face each other, and includes not only cases where they are completely facing each other, but also cases where they are partially facing each other. Furthermore, in this specification, "facing" includes both cases where a member other than the two parts is interposed between the two parts, and cases where nothing is interposed between the two parts.

[0028] <Embodiment> (Configuration of connector 10) Connector 10 is a connector 10 that is connected to a mating device 1 for a vehicle. The mating device 1 is, for example, a high-voltage battery or motor for driving. As shown in Figure 4, the mating device 1 comprises a housing 2 made of a conductive metal material, and a mating housing 3 and mating terminals 4 provided inside the housing 2. The mating housing 3 is provided with a pair of upper and lower mating recesses 5. The housing 2 is provided with a mounting hole 6 that penetrates in a first direction D1.

[0029] As shown in Figure 1, the connector 10 comprises a housing 20 and a pair of upper and lower terminal assemblies 30 and 40 arranged side by side in the second direction D2. The upper of the pair of upper and lower terminal assemblies 30 and 40 is designated as the first terminal assembly 30, and the lower is designated as the second terminal assembly 40. Although the lengths of the first direction D1 differ, the terminal assemblies 30 and 40 have almost the same configuration, so the common configuration will be described using the first terminal assembly 30 as a representative example.

[0030] (Housing 20 configuration) As shown in Figure 4, the housing 20 comprises a housing body portion 21, a mounting plate 22 protruding from the outer circumference of the housing body portion 21, a pair of upper and lower nut retaining walls 23 arranged in a second direction D2, a hood portion 24, and a pair of upper and lower terminal housing walls 25 arranged in a second direction D2. Examples of materials for the housing 20 include resin materials such as polybutylene terephthalate (PBT).

[0031] (Configuration of the housing body 21) The housing body 21 has a pair of upper and lower through holes 21A into which each terminal assembly 30, 40 is attached. The housing body 21 has a pair of upper and lower fitting portions 21B that can be fitted into a pair of upper and lower fitting recesses 5 of the housing 2. As shown in Figure 2, the housing body 21 is a roughly rectangular block shape that is long in the vertical direction when viewed from the first direction D1.

[0032] As shown in Figure 5, an annular first sealing member 21C is mounted on the outer circumferential surface of the fitting portion 21B. The first sealing member 21C is an axial seal. When the fitting portion 21B is fitted into the fitting recess 5, as shown in Figure 4, the first sealing member 21C is compressed around its entire circumference by the outer circumferential surface of the fitting portion 21B and the inner circumferential surface of the fitting recess 5, thereby sealing the inside of the mating housing 3.

[0033] (Configuration of mounting plate 22) As shown in Figure 6, the mounting plate 22 is a portion that protrudes from the outer circumferential surface of the housing body 21 in the second direction D2 and the third direction D3. The mounting plate 22 is a roughly rectangular plate when viewed from the first direction D1. Metal collars 22A are fixed to the four corners of the mounting plate 22 by press-fitting or insert molding. The connector 10 is attached and fixed to the mating device 1 by inserting bolts through the collars 22A and fastening them to the bolt holes of the housing 2.

[0034] A second sealing member 22B is attached to the surface of the mounting plate 22 facing the housing 2. The second sealing member 22B is a surface seal. When the connector 10 is attached to the mating device 1, as shown in Figure 4, the second sealing member 22B is compressed by the housing 2 and the mounting plate 22, sealing the inside of the housing 2.

[0035] A metal shielding member 50 is installed between the housing body 21 and the mounting plate 22. The shielding member 50 has a roughly rectangular cylindrical shape when viewed from the first direction D1. The portions of each terminal assembly 30, 40 that are located outside the housing 2 are positioned inside the shielding member 50. As shown in Figure 6, the shielding member 50 has a plurality of contact pieces 51 that come into contact with the housing 2 when the connector 10 is attached to the mating device 1.

[0036] (Configuration of the nut retaining wall 23) The nut retaining wall 23 comprises a plate-shaped base portion 23A formed to protrude in a first direction D1 from the bottom wall of the fitting portion 21B, and a pair of side plate portions 23B extending in the first direction D1 from the upper surface of the base portion 23A across the upper surface of the inner wall of the through hole 21A. The pair of side plate portions 23B are arranged parallel to each other in a third direction D3. The tips of the side plate portions 23B are positioned between the opening edge of the fitting portion 21B and the tips of the base portion 23A. A pair of locking portions 23C are provided on the outer surfaces of the pair of side plate portions 23B.

[0037] As shown in Figure 4, when the first terminal assembly 30 is attached to the housing body 21, the nut 35 is supported by the base plate portion 23A. The nut 35 fits and is housed between the base plate portion 23A and the terminal connection portion 32C of the terminal 32, and is therefore held in a position in the second direction D2. The nut 35, which is temporarily held by the retaining component 31, is held by the retaining component 31 by the base plate portion 23A, and its detachment from the retaining component 31 is prevented.

[0038] As shown in Figure 5, when the first terminal assembly 30 is attached to the housing body 21, the nut 35 is fitted and housed between the pair of side plates 23B. Even if the nut 35 attempts to rotate when fastening the mating terminal 4 and terminal 32, the pair of side plates 23B engage with the outer surface of the nut 35, suppressing rotation and displacement of the nut 35.

[0039] (Configuration of the hood section 24 and the terminal housing wall 25) The hood portion 24 is formed to protrude from the mounting plate 22 on the side opposite to the fitting portion 21B. As shown in Figure 1, the hood portion 24 has a roughly rectangular cylindrical shape when viewed from the first direction D1. As shown in Figure 4, a pair of terminal housing walls 25 are housed inside the hood portion 24. The terminal housing walls 25 have a roughly rectangular cylindrical shape when viewed from the first direction D1. Each terminal housing wall 25 is positioned to correspond to a pair of upper and lower through holes 21A. The inside of the terminal housing wall 25 is in communication with the corresponding through holes 21A.

[0040] The end opening of the through-hole 21A on the terminal housing wall 25 side is formed to be sized to allow only the terminal 32 to pass through. Therefore, when the third sealing member 33, which will be described later, is inserted into the through-hole 21A together with the terminal 32, it is held inside the housing body 21 and does not protrude through the through-hole 21A to the terminal housing wall 25 side. Consequently, only the terminal 32 is positioned inside the terminal housing wall 25, protruding from the housing body 21.

[0041] (Configuration of the first terminal assembly 30) As shown in Figure 12, the first terminal assembly 30 comprises a retaining part 31, a terminal 32, a third sealing member 33, an insulating member 34, and a nut 35. The third sealing member 33 is annular in shape and is directly attached to the outer surface of the terminal 32. As shown in Figure 4, the terminal 32 and the mating terminal 4 are connected by fastening a bolt B to the nut 35. As shown in Figure 7, the third sealing member 33 is an annular shape that is horizontally elongated when viewed from the first direction D1, and has a plurality of inner lips 33A and a plurality of outer lips 33B. The third sealing member 33 corresponds to the "sealing member".

[0042] (Configuration of terminal 32) The terminal 32 is a roughly rectangular plate shape that is elongated in the first direction D1. Examples of materials for the terminal 32 include metal materials such as iron-based, copper-based, or aluminum-based materials. A pair of seal member mounting portions 32A are formed on both side edges of the central part of the terminal 32. The seal member mounting portions 32A have a semicircular outer surface when viewed from the first direction D1. When the third seal member 33 is attached to the terminal 32 from the first direction D1, the inner lip 33A comes into close contact with the outer surface of the seal member mounting portion 32A and the upper and lower surfaces of the terminal 32.

[0043] A pair of steps 32B are formed at both ends of the seal member mounting portion 32A in the first direction D1. The steps 32B suppress the movement of the third seal member 33 in the first direction D1, and the third seal member 33 is positioned and held by the pair of seal member mounting portions 32A.

[0044] A terminal connection portion 32C is formed at one end of the terminal 32 in the first direction D1. A bolt insertion hole 32D is formed in the terminal connection portion 32C, penetrating in the thickness direction of the plate. On the other hand, an insulating member mounting portion 32E is formed at the other end of the terminal 32 in the first direction D1. An insulating member 34, which is roughly gate-shaped, is mounted on the insulating member mounting portion 32E from the first direction D1. The insulating member 34 is made of an insulating resin material.

[0045] Multiple protrusions 32F are formed on the outer periphery of the insulating member mounting portion 32E. On the other hand, multiple recesses 34A are formed on the inner periphery of the insulating member 34. The insulating member 34 is held in place by the insulating member mounting portion 32E when each protrusion 32F engages with each recess 34A from three different directions.

[0046] (Nut 35 configuration) As shown in Figure 11, the nut 35 is formed, for example, in the shape of a rectangular prism. The nut 35 has a through hole 35A that penetrates the nut 35 in the thickness direction. The through hole 35A is formed to penetrate from the top surface to the bottom surface of the nut 35. The shape of the through hole 35A, for example, when viewed from the direction of penetration of the through hole 35A (here, the second direction D2), is formed to be circular. The through hole 35A is formed, for example, in the center of the planes of the top surface and the bottom surface. The through hole 35A is arranged coaxially with the bolt insertion hole 32D of the terminal connection part 32C when the terminal 32 and the nut 35 are attached to the retaining part 31. The planar shape of the nut 35, for example, when viewed from the direction of penetration of the through hole 35A, is formed to be rectangular. The outer circumferential surface of the nut 35 is composed of four flat outer circumferential sides.

[0047] (Configuration of the holding component 31) As shown in Figures 8 and 12, the retaining part 31 comprises a nut housing section 31A in which a nut 35 is housed, a terminal housing section 31B in which a terminal 32 is housed, and a plate-shaped flange section 31C arranged perpendicular to the terminal 32. The nut housing section 31A is provided in conjunction with the terminal housing section 31B. The retaining part 31 is made of a resin material that is softer than the housing 20. The nut housing section 31A corresponds to the "nut positioning section," and the terminal housing section 31B corresponds to the "terminal positioning section."

[0048] (Configuration of the nut housing section 31A) The nut housing portion 31A is formed in the shape of a substantially rectangular frame that opens in the second direction D2. As shown in Figure 9, the peripheral wall portion of the nut housing portion 31A facing the first direction D1 has a plurality of rib-shaped temporary holding ribs 31A1 that extend in the second direction D2. In this embodiment, one temporary holding rib 31A1 is arranged on the front wall portion of the nut housing portion 31A (the wall portion opposite to the flange portion 31C), and three temporary holding ribs 31A1 are arranged on the rear wall portion (the wall portion on the flange portion 31C side).

[0049] A pair of positioning ribs 31A2 are formed on the front wall of the nut housing portion 31A. The pair of positioning ribs 31A2 are rib-shaped and extend in the second direction D2, and are arranged symmetrically with respect to the temporary holding rib 31A1 on the front wall. As shown in Figure 10, the pair of positioning ribs 31A2 can contact the nut 35, thereby positioning the nut 35 in the third direction D3. The nut 35 is positioned and temporarily held in the third direction D3 by the pair of positioning ribs 31A2, and is also positioned and temporarily held in the first direction D1 by the multiple temporary holding ribs 31A1.

[0050] When the nut 35 is temporarily held in place by the retaining part 31, the nut 35 is installed inside the nut housing portion 31A of the retaining part 31 from the second direction D2. However, since the retaining part 31 is made of a resin material that is softer than the housing 20, a press-fitting machine is not required, and it can be installed manually. Furthermore, the nut 35 is positioned from the first direction D1 and the third direction D3 by the temporary holding rib 31A1 and the positioning rib 31A2, so that problems such as misalignment during press-fitting can be prevented.

[0051] As shown in Figures 3 and 11, a slit S is formed in the peripheral wall of the nut housing portion 31A facing the third direction D3, and a flexible piece 31A3 is provided, separated from the front housing portion 31B1, which will be described later, by this slit S. The flexible piece 31A3 is formed in a cantilever shape, with the positioning rib 31A2 side of the nut housing portion 31A as its base end and projecting toward the flange portion 31C side. A pair of flexible pieces 31A3 are provided, arranged to face the third direction D3. A pair of locking portions 31A4 are formed on the opposing free ends of the pair of flexible pieces 31A3.

[0052] As shown in Figure 5, when the first terminal assembly 30 is attached to the housing 20, the pair of locking portions 31A4 engage with the pair of locked portions 23C, thereby holding the first terminal assembly 30 in place in the housing 20. During the process of attaching the first terminal assembly 30 to the housing 20, the flexible piece 31A3 bends and deforms so that the locking portion 31A4 rides over the locked portions 23C, and as the locking portion 31A4 overcomes the locked portions 23C, the flexible piece 31A3 returns to its original shape. Therefore, the first terminal assembly 30 can be attached to the housing 20 by hand.

[0053] (Configuration of terminal housing section 31B) As shown in Figure 8, the terminal housing portion 31B is provided in an arrangement that penetrates the flange portion 31C in the first direction D1. The terminal housing portion 31B includes a front housing portion 31B1 formed integrally with the nut housing portion 31A, and a rear housing portion 31B2 formed on the opposite side of the front housing portion 31B1 with the flange portion 31C as the center.

[0054] The front housing portion 31B1 is formed in the shape of a roughly rectangular frame that opens in the vertical direction. The terminal connection portion 32C of the terminal 32 is housed in the front housing portion 31B1. The terminal connection portion 32C is positioned in the first direction D1 by abutting against the front wall portion of the peripheral wall of the front housing portion 31B1 that faces the flange portion 31C and stopping in the first direction D1. Furthermore, the terminal connection portion 32C is positioned in the third direction by abutting against the opposing wall portion of the peripheral wall of the front housing portion 31B1 that faces the third direction D3.

[0055] At the lower end of the opposing wall portion of the front housing portion 31B1, support surfaces 31B3 are formed in a series to support both side edges of the terminal connection portion 32C. The terminal connection portion 32C is positioned in the second direction D2 by contacting the support surfaces 31B3 in the second direction D2.

[0056] The rear housing section 31B2 is horizontally elongated and has a terminal insertion hole 31B4 that penetrates in the first direction D1. The terminal insertion hole 31B4 accommodates the portion of the terminal 32 between the terminal connection portion 32C and the seal member mounting portion 32A (the portion surrounded by the third seal member 33). The terminal 32 is in contact with the peripheral wall of the terminal insertion hole 31B4 around its entire circumference, thereby positioning it in the second direction D2 and the third direction D3.

[0057] When the terminal 32 is installed inside the terminal housing 31B, the terminal 32 is positioned in the first direction D1, the second direction D2, and the third direction D3. In this state, when the nut 35 is installed inside the nut housing 31A from the second direction D2, the upper surface of the nut 35 comes into contact with the lower surface of the terminal connection part 32C, thereby positioning the nut 35 in the second direction D2. Therefore, the nut 35, the terminal 32, and the third sealing member 33 are relatively positioned by a single component, the retaining part 31.

[0058] (Configuration of flange portion 31C) The flange portion 31C is a roughly rectangular plate shape when viewed from the first direction D1, and is formed to protrude outward from the outer surface of the terminal housing portion 31B. Below the nut housing portion 31A in the flange portion 31C, an assembly opening 31C1 is provided that penetrates in the first direction D1. The assembly opening 31C1 is designed so that the nut retaining wall 23 is inserted through it when the first terminal assembly 30 is attached to the housing body portion 21.

[0059] As shown in Figure 4, the flange portion 31C has a peripheral wall 31C2, which fits onto the outer circumferential surface of the fitting portion 21B and the outer circumferential surface of the nut retaining wall 23. By fitting the peripheral wall 31C2 onto the fitting portion 21B and the nut retaining wall 23 in this way, the retaining component 31 is positioned relative to the housing 20 in the second direction D2 and the third direction D3. In addition, by the tip of the fitting portion 21B contacting the flange portion 31C, the first terminal assembly 30 is positioned relative to the housing body portion 21 in the first direction D1.

[0060] As shown in Figure 5, the peripheral wall 31C2 has a positioning function for the first sealing member 21C fitted to the outer circumferential surface of the fitting portion 21B. When the first sealing member 21C is attached to the outer circumferential surface of the fitting portion 21B and the first terminal assembly 30 is attached to the housing body portion 21, the peripheral wall 31C2 fits onto the outer circumferential surface of the fitting portion 21B, preventing the first sealing member 21C from detaching from the outer circumferential surface of the fitting portion 21B, and positioning and holding it on the outer circumferential surface of the fitting portion 21B.

[0061] (Assembly method for the first terminal assembly 30) Next, the method for assembling the first terminal assembly 30 will be described. First, as shown in Figure 7, the third sealing member 33 and the insulating member 34 are attached to the terminal 32. Then, as shown in Figure 8, the third sealing member 33 is mounted in a positioned state on the pair of sealing member mounting portions 32A, and the insulating member 34 is fixed to the insulating member mounting portion 32E.

[0062] Next, the terminal 32 is attached to the retaining part 31 from the first direction D1. The terminal 32 is positioned and mounted inside the terminal housing part 31B. In this state, as shown in Figure 9, the third sealing member 33 is in contact with the end of the terminal housing part 31B, so movement toward the flange part 31C is prevented. Also, since the nut housing part 31A is covered from above by the terminal connection part 32C, the nut 35 is mounted inside the nut housing part 31A from the second direction D2 (opposite the terminal connection part 32C).

[0063] As shown in Figure 10, when the nut 35 is installed inside the nut housing 31A, the nut 35 is temporarily held in a position by being sandwiched from the first direction D1 by the multiple temporary holding ribs 31A1, and the nut 35 is positioned in the third direction D3 by contacting the pair of positioning ribs 31A2. In addition, the nut 35 is positioned in the second direction D2 by the upper surface of the nut 35 contacting the lower surface of the terminal connection portion 32C. With this, the assembly of the first terminal assembly 30 is completed.

[0064] As shown in Figure 11, when the first terminal assembly 30 is assembled, the relative positional relationship between the terminal 32, the third sealing member 33, and the nut 35 is determined by a single component, the retaining part 31. From this state, as shown in Figure 6, the first terminal assembly 30 is inserted into the fitting portion 21B of the housing 20 from the first direction D1. During insertion, the tip of the terminal 32 enters the through hole 21A, and the nut retaining wall 23 enters the assembly opening 31C1 of the flange portion 31C. Also, the locking portion 31A4 of the retaining part 31 rides up onto the locked portion 23C of the housing 20, causing the bending piece 31A3 to bend and deform.

[0065] When the first terminal assembly 30 is properly attached to the housing body 21, as shown in Figure 4, the peripheral wall 31C2 of the retaining part 31 fits onto the fitting part 21B, and the tip of the fitting part 21B abuts against the flange part 31C, thereby positioning the first terminal assembly 30 in the first direction D1 relative to the housing body 21. Here, since the terminal 32 is positioned by the retaining part 31, the third sealing member 33 is evenly compressed between the terminal 32 and the inner wall of the through hole 21A, and its original waterproofing performance is achieved. As a result, the through hole 21A is sealed, and water is prevented from entering between the terminal housing wall 25 and the fitting part 21B.

[0066] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, the nut 35 fits tightly between the pair of side plate portions 23B, and the outer surface of the nut 35 engages with the pair of side plate portions 23B. Here, since the housing 20 constituting the side plate portion 23B is made of a resin material that is harder and stronger than the retaining component 31, it is possible to suppress the rotation of the nut 35, which is positioned by the retaining component 31, when the bolt is fastened.

[0067] (Effects of this embodiment) (1) The connector 10 is a connector 10 that is connected to the mating device 1, and comprises a housing 20 fixed to the housing 2 of the mating device 1, and a first terminal assembly 30 that can be fitted into the mating housing 3 provided inside the housing 2. The housing 20 comprises a housing body 21 having a through hole 21A that penetrates in a first direction D1. The first terminal assembly 30 is attached to the housing body 21 by being inserted into the through hole 21A in the first direction D1. The first terminal assembly 30 includes a terminal 32 positioned to penetrate the housing body 21 in a first direction D1, a retaining part 31 having a terminal insertion hole 31B4 through which the terminal 32 is inserted and which is inserted into the through hole 21A together with the terminal 32, a third sealing member 33 that is directly attached to the terminal 32 protruding from the terminal insertion hole 31B4 and seals the space between the inner wall of the through hole 21A and the terminal 32, and a nut 35 that is attached to the retaining part 31 from a second direction D2 perpendicular to the first direction D1 and temporarily holds the nut. The retaining part 31 has a terminal housing portion 31B that positions the terminal 32 inserted into the terminal insertion hole 31B4, and a nut housing portion 31A that is connected to the terminal housing portion 31B and positions the nut 35. The housing 20 has a nut retaining wall 23 that holds the nut 35 in a positioned state by the nut housing portion 31A.

[0068] Since the nut 35 is attached to the retaining part 31 from the second direction D2 and temporarily held in place, press-fitting of the nut 35 is unnecessary, preventing problems such as forgetting to press-fit the nut 35 or misalignment of the nut 35 during press-fitting. Furthermore, since the third seal member 33 is directly attached to the terminal 32, by attaching the terminal 32 and the nut 35 to the retaining part 31 respectively, the terminal 32 and the third seal member 33 are positioned by the terminal housing part 31B, and the nut 35 is positioned by the nut housing part 31A. As a result, a first terminal assembly 30 can be constructed in which the terminal 32, nut 35, and third seal member 33 are relatively positioned by a single part, the retaining part 31, and since a separate part for positioning the third seal member 33 is not required, component costs can be reduced.

[0069] The nut retaining wall 23 can hold the nut 35 in a positioned position, thereby improving the positioning accuracy of the nut 35. When fastening the mating terminal 4 and terminal 32 with the bolt B and nut 35, the mating terminal 4 and terminal 32 are fastened using the position of the nut 35, which is held in a positioned position, as a reference. In other words, there is no risk of the terminal 32 shifting position due to fastening, and since the terminal 32 is held in a positioned position, the third sealing member 33 is evenly compressed, ensuring a waterproof function.

[0070] (2) The nut retaining wall 23 has a base portion 23A that holds the nut 35 between itself and the terminal 32 to prevent the nut 35 from coming off.

[0071] Since the nut 35 is positioned between the circuit board 23A and the terminal 32, it is possible to prevent the temporarily held nut 35 from detaching from the holding component 31.

[0072] (3) The nut retaining wall 23 has a side plate portion 23B that engages with the outer surface of the nut 35 to prevent the nut 35 from rotating.

[0073] Since the side plate portion 23B engages with the outer surface of the nut 35, it is possible to prevent the nut 35 from rotating and shifting position when fastening the mating terminal 4 and terminal 32.

[0074] (4) The side plate portion 23B has a locking portion 23C, and the retaining component 31 has a locking portion 31A4 that locks onto the locking portion 23C to hold the first terminal assembly 30 in a state attached to the housing body portion 21.

[0075] When the first terminal assembly 30 is attached to the housing body 21, the locking portion 31A4 of the retaining part 31 locks into the locking portion 23C of the side plate 23B, thereby holding the first terminal assembly 30 in place on the housing body 21.

[0076] (5) The retaining part 31 has a flexible piece 31A3, and a locking portion 31A4 is provided on the flexible piece 31A3.

[0077] When the first terminal assembly 30 is being attached to the housing 20, if the flexible piece 31A3 bends and deforms, the locking portion 31A4 will move over the locked portion 23C. As soon as the locking portion 31A4 moves over the locked portion 23C, the flexible piece 31A3 returns to its original shape. As a result, the locking portion 31A4 locks onto the locked portion 23C, making it easy to attach the first terminal assembly 30 to the housing body 21 by hand.

[0078] (6) The nut housing portion 31A has a temporary holding rib 31A1 that extends in the second direction D2 and temporarily holds the nut 35 by sandwiching it from the first direction D1.

[0079] The nut 35 can be temporarily held in place by the holding part 31 by the temporary holding rib 31A1, which clamps the nut 35 from the first direction D1.

[0080] (Other embodiments) The above embodiment can be implemented with the following modifications. The above embodiment and the following modifications can be combined with each other to the extent that they do not contradict each other technically.

[0081] In the above embodiment, a connector 10 comprising a first terminal assembly 30 and a second terminal assembly 40 was illustrated, but a connector comprising only the first terminal assembly 30 may also be used.

[0082] In the above embodiment, the base portion 23A of the nut retaining wall 23 directly holds the nut 35, but the nut retaining wall may also be configured to indirectly hold the nut 35 via a retaining component. For example, a bottom plate may be formed in the nut housing portion of the retaining component, and the nut may be attached to the nut housing portion from above and supported by the bottom wall, after which the base portion of the nut retaining wall may be positioned along the lower surface of the bottom wall of the nut housing portion.

[0083] In the above embodiment, the nut 35 is prevented from rotating by engaging a pair of side plates 23B with its outer circumferential surface. However, the nut may also be prevented from rotating by forming a projection on its outer circumferential surface and creating a hole in the housing into which this projection fits.

[0084] In the above embodiment, a flexible piece 31A3 is formed on the retaining part 31, but a flexible piece may also be formed on the side plate portion of the housing.

[0085] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims, not in the sense described above, and all modifications within the sense and scope equivalent to the claims are intended. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0086] 1: Other party's equipment 2: Cabinet 3: Opposite side housing 4: Reciprocal terminal 5: Fitting recess 6: Mounting holes 10: Connector 20: Housing 21: Housing main body 21A: Through hole 21B: Fitting part 21C: First sealing member 22: Mounting plate 22A: Color 22B: Second sealing member 23: Nut retaining wall 23A: Board part 23B: Side plate part 23C:Locked part 24: Food Department 25: Terminal housing wall 30: First terminal assembly 31: Retaining parts 31A: Nut housing section (nut positioning section) 31A1: Temporary holding rib 31A2: Positioning rib 31A3: Flexible piece 31A4: Locking part 31B: Terminal housing section (terminal positioning section) 31B1: Front storage compartment 31B2: Rear storage compartment 31B3: Support surface 31B4: Terminal insertion hole 31C: Flange section 31C1: Assembly opening 31C2: Peripheral wall 32: Terminals 32A: Sealing member mounting section 32B: Step 32C: Terminal connection section 32D: Bolt insertion hole 32E: Insulating material mounting section 32F:Protrusion 33: Third sealing member (sealing member) 33A: Inner lip 33B: Outer lip 34: Insulating material 34A: Recess 35: Nut 35A: Through hole 40: Second terminal assembly 50: Shielding material 51: Contact piece B: Bolt D1: 1st direction D2:Second direction D3: Third direction S: Slit

Claims

1. Housing and It includes a terminal assembly, The housing comprises a housing body having a through hole that penetrates in a first direction, The terminal assembly comprises a terminal, a retaining component inserted into the through hole together with the terminal, a sealing member directly attached to the terminal to seal the space between the inner wall of the through hole and the terminal, and a nut attached to the retaining component for temporary holding. The retaining component has a terminal insertion hole through which the terminal is inserted, a terminal positioning section for positioning the terminal inserted into the terminal insertion hole, and a nut positioning section connected to the terminal positioning section for positioning the nut. The housing is a connector having a nut-holding wall that holds the nut in a position positioned by the nut-positioning portion.

2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the nut retaining wall has a substrate portion that holds the nut between itself and the terminal to prevent the nut from coming off.

3. The connector according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the nut retaining wall has a side plate portion that prevents the nut from rotating by engaging with the outer circumferential surface of the nut.

4. The side plate portion has a locking portion, The connector according to claim 3, wherein the retaining part has a locking portion that locks into the locking portion to hold the terminal assembly in a state attached to the housing body.

5. The connector according to claim 4, wherein the retaining component has a flexible piece, and the locking portion is provided on the flexible piece.

6. The connector according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the nut positioning portion has a temporary holding rib that temporarily holds the nut by sandwiching it from the first direction.

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