Service cover

Abstract

To provide a service cover which can suppress the number of components.SOLUTION: A service cover 11 includes: a first resin cover 21 which is provided on a case of an electric apparatus, can be fit to an opening and has a plate shape; a first seal member 22 which is provided on the edge part of the first resin cover 21, is brought into close contact with the opening and is annular; an interlock connector 23 which movably held in a direction crossing a plate thickness direction of the first resin cover 21 on an internal side of the case in the first resin cover 21, and is connectable to a terminal in the case; and a metal cover 24 which is provided so as to cover an external side of the case in the first resin cover 21, and has a fastening hole 35 fixable to a female screw part provided on the case. The metal cover 24 has a through hole 32a, and the first resin cover 21 has an engagement claw 41 which engages the metal cover 24 with the first resin cover 21 by being engaged with the through hole 32a.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0004]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a service cover.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a case of an electric device, there is one provided with a working opening and a service cover that is detachable from the opening. And, as the service cover, there is one provided with a water-stopping function for preventing the intrusion of liquid into the case, an interlock function for ensuring the attachment state to the opening, and a noise-blocking function for blocking noise (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This service cover has a water-stopping function by having a plate-shaped resin cover that can be fitted into the opening and an annular seal member that is in close contact with the opening. Further, the service cover has an interlock function by having an interlock connector that can be connected to a terminal in the case. Further, the service cover has a noise-blocking function by having a metal cover provided so as to cover the resin cover.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the above-described service cover, the metal cover was fixed to the resin cover with screws. Therefore, there was a problem that the number of parts increased. This leads to an increase in the cost of parts due to screws and an increase in the manufacturing equipment cost for screwing the screws.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a service cover capable of suppressing the number of parts.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The service cover of the present disclosure comprises: a plate-shaped resin cover that can be fitted into an opening provided in the case of an electrical device; an annular sealing member provided on the edge of the resin cover and in close contact with the opening; an interlock connector that is held in the resin cover on the inside side of the case so as to be movable in a direction intersecting the thickness direction of the resin cover and can be connected to terminals in the case; and a metal cover provided in the resin cover so as to cover the outside side of the case and having a fixing portion that can be fixed to a fixed portion provided in the case, wherein the metal cover has a locking portion, and the resin cover has a locking claw that engages with the locking portion to lock the metal cover to the resin cover. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The service coverage provided in this disclosure can reduce the number of parts. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a side view of a service cover in one embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a service cover in one embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of a service cover in one embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a bottom view of a service cover in one embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of a service cover in one embodiment. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view along line 6-6 in Figure 1. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] [Description of Embodiments in this Disclosure] First, the embodiments of this disclosure will be listed and described. The services covered by this disclosure are: [1] A service cover comprising: a plate-shaped resin cover that can be fitted into an opening provided in the case of an electrical device; an annular sealing member provided on the edge of the resin cover and in close contact with the opening; an interlock connector that is held on the resin cover on the inside side of the case so as to be movable in a direction intersecting the thickness direction of the resin cover and can be connected to terminals in the case; and a metal cover provided on the resin cover so as to cover the outside side of the case and having a fixing portion that can be fixed to a fixed portion provided on the case, wherein the metal cover has a locking portion and the resin cover has a locking claw that engages with the locking portion to lock the metal cover to the resin cover.

[0010] According to this configuration, the resin cover has a locking claw that engages with the locking portion of the metal cover to lock the metal cover to the resin cover, thus eliminating the need for screws to fix the resin cover and the metal cover together. Therefore, for example, the number of parts can be reduced. Also, for example, manufacturing equipment for screwing in screws becomes unnecessary.

[0011] [2] In the above [1], the locking claw may hold the metal cover so that it is movable in a direction intersecting the thickness direction of the resin cover. According to this configuration, the locking claw holds the metal cover so that it can move in a direction intersecting the thickness direction of the resin cover. For example, the metal cover can be fixed to the case while the resin cover can be properly fitted into the opening. In other words, even if the position of the fixed part and the opening on the case is deviated from the design position, the position of the resin cover relative to the metal cover can be adjusted, so that the metal cover and resin cover can be properly attached to the case. Therefore, for example, a high level of watertightness can be ensured by the sealing member. Also, for example, when fixing the resin cover and the metal cover with screws, there is a risk that the position of the resin cover relative to the metal cover will become impossible to adjust if the tightening torque of the screws is incorrect, but this can be avoided.

[0012] [3] In [1] or [2] above, the locked portion may be a through hole, and the locking claw may have a plurality of elastically deformable flexible portions and a claw portion provided at the tip of the plurality of flexible portions and extending wider than the through hole when viewed from the direction of penetration of the through hole.

[0013] According to this configuration, since the locking claw has a plurality of elastically deformable flexible portions and a claw portion provided at the tip of the plurality of flexible portions and extending wider than the through hole when viewed from the direction of penetration of the through hole of the metal cover, the metal cover can be locked to the resin cover with a simple configuration. For example, even if there is one through hole in the metal cover, the metal cover can be locked to the resin cover.

[0014] [4] In [3] above, the flexible portions and the claw portion may be provided at 90° intervals when viewed from the direction of penetration of the through hole. According to this configuration, since the flexible portions and the claw portion are provided at 90° intervals when viewed from the direction of penetration of the through hole, the metal cover can be locked in a balanced manner.

[0015] [5] In [3] or [4] above, the metal cover may have a positioning hole of a size different from the through hole, and the resin cover may have a positioning protrusion penetrating the positioning hole.

[0016] According to this configuration, since the metal cover has a positioning hole of a size different from the through hole and the resin cover has a positioning protrusion penetrating the positioning hole, for example, incorrect assembly of the resin cover and the metal cover can be prevented.

[0017] [Details of Embodiments of the Present Disclosure] Specific examples of the service cover of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, for convenience of explanation, a part of the configuration may be exaggerated or simplified. Also, the dimensional ratios of each part may differ in each drawing. In this specification, "parallel", "orthogonal", and "perfect circle" include not only the cases of strict parallelism, orthogonality, and perfect circle, but also the cases that are generally parallel, orthogonal, and perfect circle within the range where the effects of the present embodiment are achieved. Note that the present invention is not limited to these examples, and is defined by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims.

[0018] (Configuration of Service Cover 11) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the service cover 11 is formed in an overall rectangular plate shape. As shown in FIG. 1, the service cover 11 is provided for the case 13 that constitutes the outer surface of the electric device 12. The case 13 has a first opening 14 and a second opening 15 for work that communicate the inside and outside of the case 13, and a female screw portion 16 as a fixed portion provided on the outer surface of the case 13. Note that the first opening 14 is formed in an oval shape, and the second opening 15 is formed in a perfect circle shape. Also, the electric device 12 has a connector 17 inside the case 13. The connector 17 has a pair of terminals 18. Further, the electric device 12 has a plurality of connection terminals (not shown) inside the case 13, and connection work and the like can be performed through the first opening 14 and the second opening 15.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 3, the service cover 11 includes a first resin cover 21, an annular first seal member 22, an interlock connector 23, and a metal cover 24. Also, the service cover 11 of the present embodiment includes a second resin cover 25 and an annular second seal member 26.

[0020] (Configuration of First Resin Cover 21 and First Seal Member 22) The first resin cover 21 is made of resin material and is formed in a plate shape that can be fitted into the first opening 14. The first resin cover 21 is formed in an oval shape corresponding to the shape of the first opening 14. A first sealing member 22 is provided on the edge of the first resin cover 21, which is in close contact with the first opening 14.

[0021] More specifically, as shown in Figure 6, a groove 27 is formed around the entire circumference of the edge of the first resin cover 21. The first sealing member 22 is fitted into the groove 27. The first sealing member 22 is made of rubber.

[0022] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the first resin cover 21 has a connector holding portion 29 on a first surface 28 corresponding to the inside side of the case 13. The connector holding portion 29 has a pair of side walls 29a, a pair of end walls 29b, and a retaining piece 29c. The pair of side walls 29a protrude from the first surface 28 so as to extend parallel to each other along the first surface 28, and have bent walls 29d that extend toward each other at the ends in the direction of protrusion. The pair of end walls 29b protrude from the first surface 28 at positions corresponding to the ends in the direction in which the pair of side walls 29a extend parallel to each other. The retaining piece 29c is provided between the pair of side walls 29a. The retaining piece 29c has a base portion 29e that protrudes from the first surface 28 at a position between a pair of end walls 29b, an extension portion 29f that extends from the base portion 29e between a pair of side walls 29a parallel to the pair of side walls 29a, and a projection portion 29g that protrudes from the tip of the extension portion 29f in a direction away from the first surface 28. The projection portion 29g is movable in a direction approaching the first surface 28 by the bending of the extension portion 29f.

[0023] (Configuration of interlock connector 23) As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the interlock connector 23 has a resin connector housing 30 and a loop terminal 31. The connector housing 30 has a plate portion 30a and a connector portion 30b that protrudes from the main surface of the plate portion 30a. The plate portion 30a has an engagement hole 30c that penetrates in the thickness direction. As shown in Figure 4, the plate portion 30a is inserted between a pair of side walls 29a and held by the connector holding portion 29 by the protrusion 29g fitting into the engagement hole 30c. The plate portion 30a is held so as to be movable in a direction intersecting the thickness direction of the first resin cover 21 because its width is smaller than the distance between the pair of side walls 29a and the engagement hole 30c is larger than the protrusion 29g. This makes the position of the interlock connector 23 relative to the first resin cover 21 adjustable.

[0024] The loop terminal 31 is formed in a U-shape. The loop terminal 31 is housed and held in the connector portion 30b such that a pair of ends are positioned at the ends of the connector portion 30b. The interlock connector 23 is connected to the connector 17 with the service cover 11 fixed to the case 13. More specifically, the pair of ends of the loop terminal 31 are connected to a pair of terminals 18 with the service cover 11 fixed to the case 13. In other words, the loop terminal 31 electrically connects the pair of terminals 18 with the service cover 11 fixed to the case 13. The electrical device 12 is configured to allow a large current to flow inside the case 13 based on the electrical connection of the pair of terminals 18. In other words, the electrical device 12 is configured to prohibit the flow of a large current inside the case 13 when the service cover 11 is not fixed to the case 13.

[0025] (Configuration of the second resin cover 25 and the second sealing member 26) As shown in Figure 1, the second resin cover 25 is made of resin material and is formed in a plate shape that can be fitted into the second opening 15. The second resin cover 25 is formed in a circular shape corresponding to the shape of the second opening 15. A second sealing member 26 is provided on the edge of the second resin cover 25, which is in close contact with the second opening 15. More specifically, a groove (not shown) is formed around the entire circumference of the edge of the second resin cover 25, and the second sealing member 26 is fitted into this groove. The second sealing member 26 is made of rubber material.

[0026] (Configuration of the metal cover 24) The metal cover 24 is provided to cover the outer sides of the case 13 in the first resin cover 21 and the second resin cover 25. Specifically, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, the metal cover 24 has a first cover portion 32 formed in an oval shape corresponding to the shape of the first resin cover 21, and a second cover portion 33 formed in a circular shape corresponding to the shape of the second resin cover 25. The metal cover 24 also has a flange portion 34 that extends in a flange shape with a slight step difference from the first cover portion 32 and the second cover portion 33. The second cover portion 33 is positioned at a distance from the first cover portion 32 along the longitudinal direction of the first cover portion 32. The first cover portion 32 and the second cover portion 33 are connected by the flange portion 34. The flange portion 34 has a plurality of fastening holes 35 as fixing parts. The multiple fastening holes 35 in this embodiment are provided at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the metal cover 24, and in the intermediate portion between the first cover portion 32 and the second cover portion 33 in the longitudinal direction of the metal cover 24. The metal cover 24 is fastened and fixed to the case 13 by bolts (not shown) that pass through the fastening holes 35 and are screwed into the female threaded portion 16 of the case 13.

[0027] As shown in Figure 3, the first cover portion 32 has a through hole 32a as a locking portion. The through hole 32a is circular in shape. The first cover portion 32 also has a positioning hole 32b. The positioning hole 32b is circular in shape. The positioning hole 32b is of a different size from the through hole 32a, and has a smaller diameter than the through hole 32a. The through hole 32a is located on the side of the first cover portion 32 that is farther from the second cover portion 33 in the longitudinal direction. The positioning hole 32b is located on the side of the first cover portion 32 that is closer to the second cover portion 33 in the longitudinal direction. The second cover portion 33 also has a central hole 33a at its center. The central hole 33a is circular in shape.

[0028] The first resin cover 21 has a locking claw 41 that engages with the through hole 32a to lock the metal cover 24 to the first resin cover 21. The first resin cover 21 also has a positioning projection 42 that penetrates the positioning hole 32b.

[0029] More specifically, as shown in Figure 6, the first resin cover 21 has a shaft portion 44 that protrudes from a second surface 43 corresponding to the outer side of the case 13. The shaft portion 44 is circular when viewed from the axial direction. The shaft portion 44 is positioned to pass through the through hole 32a. The diameter of the shaft portion 44 is set to be slightly smaller than the diameter of the through hole 32a. That is, a small clearance C1 is set between the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion 44 and the inner circumferential surface of the through hole 32a.

[0030] The locking claw 41 is provided at the tip of the shaft portion 44. The locking claw 41 has a plurality of elastically deformable flexible portions 41a that protrude from the shaft portion 44, and claw portions 41b provided at the tips of the plurality of flexible portions 41a that extend wider than the through hole 32a when viewed from the direction of penetration of the through hole 32a. The flexible portions 41a and claw portions 41b are provided at 90° intervals when viewed from the direction of penetration of the through hole 32a. In other words, four flexible portions 41a and four claw portions 41b are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction when viewed from the direction of penetration of the through hole 32a. The claw portions 41b are designed to pass through the through hole 32a by the bending of the flexible portions 41a. Furthermore, the claw portions 41b are designed to face the main surface of the metal cover 24 when they have passed through the through hole 32a, but not to press down on the metal cover 24. As a result, the locking claw 41 holds the metal cover 24 so that it can move by an amount corresponding to the clearance C1 in a direction intersecting the thickness direction of the first resin cover 21. In other words, the position of the first resin cover 21 relative to the metal cover 24 is adjustable.

[0031] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the positioning projection 42 protrudes from the second surface 43. The positioning projection 42 is circular when viewed from the axial direction. The positioning projection 42 is positioned to penetrate the positioning hole 32b. The diameter of the positioning projection 42 is set to be slightly smaller than the diameter of the positioning hole 32b. That is, a small clearance is set between the outer surface of the positioning projection 42 and the inner surface of the positioning hole 32b. Therefore, the metal cover 24 is made slightly movable in a direction intersecting the thickness direction of the first resin cover 21.

[0032] Furthermore, the second resin cover 25 has a central locking claw 45 that engages with the central hole 33a to lock the metal cover 24 to the second resin cover 25. The central locking claw 45 is located at the center of the second resin cover 25. The shapes of the central hole 33a and the central locking claw 45 are the same as those of the through hole 32a and the locking claw 41, so a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0033] Next, the operation of the service cover 11 configured as described above will be explained. When the service cover 11 is fixed to the case 13, the interlock connector 23 is first connected to the connector 17. Then, the first resin cover 21 is fitted into the first opening 14, and the second resin cover 25 is fitted into the second opening 15. At this time, the first sealing member 22 makes close contact with the first opening 14, and the second sealing member 26 makes close contact with the second opening 15, thereby sealing the first opening 14 and the second opening 15.

[0034] Furthermore, the positions of the connector 17 and the first opening 14 may deviate from the design position due to assembly errors, etc. Even in such cases, the position of the interlock connector 23 relative to the first resin cover 21 can be adjusted, so that the interlock connector 23 can be connected to the connector 17 while the first resin cover 21 can be properly fitted into the first opening 14.

[0035] Next, the metal cover 24 is fastened and secured to the case 13 by bolts (not shown) that pass through fastening holes 35 in the metal cover 24 and are screwed into the female threaded portion 16 of the case 13.

[0036] The positions of the first opening 14 and the female thread portion 16 may deviate from the design position due to manufacturing tolerances, etc. Even in such cases, the position of the first resin cover 21 relative to the metal cover 24 can be adjusted, so that the metal cover 24 can be fixed to the case 13 while the first resin cover 21 can be properly fitted into the first opening 14.

[0037] Furthermore, the positions of the second opening 15 and the female thread portion 16 may deviate from the design position due to manufacturing tolerances, etc. Even in such cases, the position of the second resin cover 25 relative to the metal cover 24 can be adjusted, so that the metal cover 24 can be fixed to the case 13 while the second resin cover 25 can be properly fitted into the second opening 15.

[0038] The service cover 11 has a water-stopping function by having a first resin cover 21 and a second resin cover 25 that can be fitted into the first opening 14 and the second opening 15, and annular first sealing member 22 and a second sealing member 26 that are in close contact with the first opening 14 and the second opening 15. The service cover 11 also has an interlocking function by having an interlock connector 23 that can be connected to the connector 17 inside the case 13. The service cover 11 also has a noise-blocking function by having a metal cover 24 that is provided to cover the first resin cover 21 and the second resin cover 25.

[0039] Next, the effects of the above embodiment are described below. (1) The first resin cover 21 has a locking claw 41 that engages with the through hole 32a in the first cover portion 32 of the metal cover 24 to lock the metal cover 24 to the first resin cover 21, thus eliminating the need for screws to fix the first resin cover 21 and the metal cover 24. Therefore, for example, the number of parts can be reduced. Also, for example, manufacturing equipment for screwing in screws is not required. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of the service cover 11 can be reduced. In this embodiment, the second resin cover 25 also has a central locking claw 45 that engages with the central hole 33a of the second cover portion 33 to lock the metal cover 24 to the second resin cover 25, thus eliminating the need for screws to fix the second resin cover 25 and the metal cover 24.

[0040] (2) The locking claw 41 holds the metal cover 24 so that it can move in a direction intersecting the thickness direction of the first resin cover 21. For example, the metal cover 24 can be fixed to the case 13 while the first resin cover 21 can be properly fitted into the first opening 14. That is, for example, even if the position of the female screw portion 16 and the first opening 14 is deviated from the design position, the position of the first resin cover 21 relative to the metal cover 24 can be adjusted, so that the metal cover 24 and the first resin cover 21 can be properly attached to the case 13. Therefore, for example, a high level of watertightness can be ensured by the first sealing member 22. Also, for example, when fixing the first resin cover 21 and the metal cover 24 using screws, there is a risk that the position of the first resin cover 21 relative to the metal cover 24 may become impossible to adjust if the tightening torque of the screws is incorrect, but this can be avoided.

[0041] (3) The locking claw 41 has a plurality of elastically deformable flexible portions 41a and a claw portion 41b provided at the tip of the plurality of flexible portions 41a that extends larger than the through hole 32a when viewed from the direction of penetration of the through hole 32a of the metal cover 24. Thus, the metal cover 24 can be locked to the first resin cover 21 with a simple configuration. For example, as in this embodiment, the metal cover 24 can be locked to the first resin cover 21 even with only one through hole 32a in the metal cover 24.

[0042] (4) The flexible portion 41a and the claw portion 41b are provided at 90° intervals when viewed from the direction of penetration of the through hole 32a, so that the metal cover 24 can be locked in a balanced manner. (5) The metal cover 24 has a positioning hole 32b of a different size from the through hole 32a, and the first resin cover 21 has a positioning projection 42 that penetrates the positioning hole 32b, so for example, incorrect assembly of the first resin cover 21 and the metal cover 24 can be prevented.

[0043] This embodiment can be implemented with the following modifications. This embodiment and the following modifications can be combined with each other to the extent that they do not contradict each other technically. In the above embodiment, the first resin cover 21 has a shaft portion 44 that passes through the through hole 32a, and a locking claw 41 is provided at the tip of the shaft portion 44, but the embodiment is not limited to this and may be changed to other configurations.

[0044] In the above embodiment, the locking claw 41 is configured to hold the metal cover 24 so that it can move in a direction intersecting the thickness direction of the first resin cover 21. However, the invention is not limited to this configuration, and the metal cover 24 may be held in a way that prevents it from moving.

[0045] In the above embodiment, the locking claw 41 is configured to have a plurality of flexible portions 41a and claw portions 41b provided at the tips of the plurality of flexible portions 41a for a single through hole 32a, but is not limited to this and may be configured in other ways. For example, the metal cover may have a plurality of through holes, and the first resin cover may have a locking claw corresponding to each of the plurality of through holes, and the plurality of locking claws may be configured to engage with the through holes so as to sandwich the metal cover and lock the metal cover. Also, in the above embodiment, the metal cover 24 is configured to have a through hole 32a as the part to be locked, but is not limited to this, and the edge of the metal cover may be configured to be the part to be locked, and the locking claw may be configured to engage with the edge of the metal cover and lock the metal cover.

[0046] In the above embodiment, the flexible portion 41a and the claw portion 41b are provided at 90° intervals when viewed from the through-hole 32a direction, but the embodiment is not limited to this, and may be provided at 180° or 120° intervals, for example.

[0047] In the above embodiment, the metal cover 24 is assumed to have a positioning hole 32b of a different size from the through hole 32a, but it is not limited to this, and for example, it may have a positioning hole of the same size as the through hole 32a.

[0048] In the above embodiment, the service cover 11 is shown to have a second resin cover 25 and a second sealing member 26, but it is not limited to this, and a configuration without a second resin cover 25 and a second sealing member 26 is also possible. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0049] 11 Service Coverage 12 Electrical equipment 13 cases 14. First opening (opening) 15. Second opening 16 Female threaded portion (part to be fixed) 17 Connectors 18 terminals 21. First resin cover (resin cover) 22 First sealing member (sealing member) 23 Interlock Connectors 24 Metal cover 25. Second resin cover 26 Second sealing member 27 Groove 28 Page 1 29 Connector holding part 29a side wall 29b End wall 29c retaining piece 29d bent wall 29e base 29f Nobube 29g protrusion 30 Connector Housing 30a plate part 30b Connector section 30c engagement hole 31 Loop terminals 32. First Cover Section 32a Through hole (locked part) 32b Positioning hole 33. Second Cover Section 33a center hole 34 Flange section 35 Fastening hole (fixed part) 41 Locking claw 41a Flexible part 41b Claw part 42 Positioning projection 43 2nd page 44 Shaft section 45 Center locking claw C1 Clearance

Claims

1. A plate-shaped resin cover that can be fitted into an opening provided in the case of an electrical device, An annular sealing member provided on the edge of the resin cover and in close contact with the opening, The resin cover is held on the inside of the case so as to be movable in a direction intersecting the thickness direction of the resin cover, and an interlock connector is provided that can be connected to terminals inside the case. A service cover comprising: a resin cover provided so as to cover the outside of the case, and a metal cover having a fixing portion that can be fixed to a fixed portion provided on the case, The aforementioned metal cover has a locking portion, The resin cover has a locking claw that engages with the locking portion to lock the metal cover to the resin cover, The locking portion is a through hole, The locking claw has a plurality of elastically deformable flexible portions and a claw portion provided at the tip of the plurality of flexible portions that extends larger than the through hole when viewed from the direction of penetration of the through hole. Service cover.

2. The locking claw holds the metal cover so that it can move in a direction intersecting the thickness direction of the resin cover. The service cover according to claim 1.

3. The flexible portion and the claw portion are provided at 90° intervals when viewed from the direction of penetration of the through hole. The service cover according to claim 1.

4. The metal cover has positioning holes of a different size from the through holes, The resin cover has a positioning projection that penetrates the positioning hole. The service cover according to claim 1.

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