Waterproof structure for chassis, electrical device, and method for assembling electrical device

Abstract

This waterproof structure is for a chassis (3) having: a concave part (33) that has a through-hole (33a) disposed at the base of a concave portion; and a busbar (4) disposed such as to pass through the through-hole (33a). This waterproof structure comprises: an annular member (34) that is disposed at the base of the concave part (33) and that has a shape that conforms to the outer periphery of the busbar (4); and a seal material (35) filled in the concave part (33).

Description

Waterproof structure for housing, electrical device, and method for assembling electrical device

[0001] The present invention relates to a waterproof structure for a housing, an electric device, and a method for assembling an electric device.

[0002] In a housing provided with a rod-shaped member extending from the interior to the exterior, consideration is given to waterproofing the portion where the rod-shaped member protrudes to the exterior. For example, in an electrical device, a waterproof structure for a housing (case) configured with a bus bar extending from the interior to the exterior of the housing (case) is important. As a waterproof structure for such a housing, a technique for sealing a hole in the housing (case) for inserting a bus bar with a sealant is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] JP 2013-222845 A

[0004] In the above-described conventional technology, when injecting the liquid material serving as a sealant into the busbar insertion holes, a jig or frame is required to prevent the liquid material from spreading laterally, and further, the case must be turned upside down during the assembly process or a separate member must be fabricated and installed to prevent the liquid material from flowing into the inside of the case. As a result, the conventional technology has the problem of requiring jigs or the like for the assembly process, and further increasing the number of work steps required to place the jig or the like adjacent to the case or to turn the case upside down.

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique that can efficiently provide waterproofing measures for a housing using a simple method.

[0006] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is a waterproof structure for a housing having a recess with a through hole on the bottom surface of the recessed portion, and a rod-shaped member provided so as to pass through the through hole, the waterproof structure comprising: an annular member arranged on the bottom surface of the recess and shaped to follow the outer periphery of the rod-shaped member; and a sealing material filled into the recess.

[0007] According to the configuration of the present invention, an annular member into which a rod-shaped member is inserted is placed inside the recess of the housing, and a sealant is filled inside the recess and on the annular member. Even if the rod-shaped member is displaced radially from the through-hole of the recess, the gap between the through-hole and the rod-shaped member is always located inside the outer periphery of the annular member and is at least partially blocked by the annular member. This prevents the pre-hardened sealant from flowing into the housing through the gap between the through-hole and the rod-shaped member. In other words, no jigs or other tools are required during the assembly of the housing, and no work such as turning the housing upside down is required. Therefore, waterproofing of the housing can be efficiently achieved using a simple method.

[0008] 1 is a perspective view of the electric device of the first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the electric device of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view showing the periphery of the recess of the housing of FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view showing the periphery of the recess of the housing of a first modified example of the first embodiment; FIG. 5 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view showing the periphery of the recess of the housing of a second modified example of the first embodiment;

[0009] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0010] 1. First Embodiment Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an electric device 1 according to a first embodiment. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the electric device 1 of Fig. 1.

[0011] The electric device 1 is an inverter mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile for operating a drive motor of the vehicle. The electric device 1 may be mounted on a moving body other than a vehicle, or may be mounted on something other than a moving body. Examples of moving bodies other than a vehicle include a ship, an aircraft, a robot, etc. The electric device 1 is electrically connected to other devices via a connector (not shown).

[0012] The electric device 1 includes a substrate 2 , a housing 3 , and a bus bar (rod-shaped member) 4 .

[0013] The substrate 2 is, for example, a printed circuit board, and a wide variety of components are mounted on the main surface 2a. In this embodiment, the substrates 2 are mounted in two tiers, one above the other, inside the housing 3. The substrates 2 are flat circuit boards formed into a generally rectangular shape in a plan view. The substrates 2 are inserted into the housing main body 31 through an opening 31a in the housing main body 31 and accommodated therein. The substrates 2 are fixed inside the housing main body 31.

[0014] The housing 3 is formed in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped box. The housing 3 is made of, for example, but not limited to, synthetic resin. The housing 3 is a circuit board storage case that houses the board 2 therein. The housing 3 is composed of a housing main body 31 and a cover member 32.

[0015] The housing body 31 has an opening 31a on its top surface that is rectangular in plan view. The lid member 32 is also formed in a rectangular shape in plan view as the opening 31a, and detachably closes the opening 31a. The lid member 32 has a recess 33 in which the bus bar 4 is disposed. The area around the recess 33 of the housing 3 will be described in detail later.

[0016] The bus bars 4 are rod-shaped members provided on the substrate 2 inside the housing 3 and extending from the inside to the outside. In this embodiment, the electric device 1 includes five bus bars 4. The bus bars 4 are formed in a cylindrical shape extending toward the cover member 32 in the direction facing the main surface 2 a of the substrate 2. The bus bars 4 are electrically connected to the substrate 2 and are conductors for passing current between the substrate 2 and other external devices. A terminal portion 4 a is provided at the upper end of the bus bars 4 protruding outside the housing 3 for connecting a conductor (not shown) extending toward other devices.

[0017] Fig. 3 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view showing the periphery of recess 33 of housing 3 in Fig. 2. Recess 33 is formed in cover member 32 of housing 3 and recessed toward the inside of housing 3. Recess 33 has substantially the same axis (is concentric) as bus bar 4 that passes through recess 33, and is formed in a cylindrical shape that is circular in plan view and has an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of bus bar 4.

[0018] A through hole 33a into which the bus bar 4 is inserted is provided in the bottom surface of the recess 33. In other words, the through hole 33a is provided in the bottom surface of the recessed portion. The bus bar 4 is provided so as to pass through the through hole 33a. The through hole 33a is disposed in the radial center of the recess 33. The through hole 33a penetrates the bottom of the recess 33 from the inside to the outside in the thickness direction of the cover member 32. The through hole 33a is formed in a circular shape in a plan view, with an inner diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the recess 33 and larger than the outer diameter of the bus bar 4.

[0019] The housing 3 also includes an annular member 34 and a sealing material 35 inside the recess 33 .

[0020] The annular member 34 is disposed on the bottom surface of the recess 33. The annular member 34 is formed in a disk shape having an inner circumferential portion 34a and an outer circumferential portion 34b, both of which are circular in plan view. The bus bar 4 is inserted into the inner circumferential portion 34a of the annular member 34. From the viewpoints of ease of assembly and preventing leakage of the sealant 35, it is preferable that the relationship between the inner circumferential portion 34a of the annular member 34 and the outer diameter of the bus bar 4 be such that the bus bar 4 can be easily inserted into the inside of the annular member 34 and that the fit is high.

[0021] The outer periphery 34b of the annular member 34 is larger than the through hole 33a of the recess 33 and smaller than the inner periphery (inner diameter) of the recess 33. More specifically, even if the position of the bus bar 4 is shifted in the radial direction of the through hole 33a, the gap between the through hole 33a and the bus bar 4 is never located outside the outer periphery 34b of the annular member 34. In other words, even if the position of the bus bar 4 is shifted in the radial direction of the through hole 33a, the gap between the through hole 33a and the bus bar 4 is always located inside the outer periphery 34b of the annular member 34 and is blocked by the annular member 34.

[0022] The sealant 35 is a waterproof sealant that uses resin potting. The sealant 35 is formed by injecting a liquid material, such as urethane resin, epoxy resin, or silicone resin, into the recess 33 and curing it with heat, ultraviolet light, or the like. The sealant 35 fills the inside of the recess 33 and on the annular member 34.

[0023] Next, a method for assembling the electric device 1 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0024] First, the substrate 2 and bus bar 4 are arranged and fixed inside the housing body 31 from which the cover member 32 has been removed. The bus bar 4 protrudes upward from the opening 31a of the housing body 31.

[0025] Next, when attaching the cover member 32 to the housing body 31, the bus bar 4 is inserted into the through hole 33a of the recess 33 of the cover member 32. Then, the cover member 32 is attached to the opening 31a of the housing body 31 to close the opening 31a.

[0026] Next, the annular member 34 is placed on the bottom surface of the recess 33. At this time, the bus bar 4 is passed through the inner peripheral portion 34a of the annular member 34, and the annular member 34 is placed on the bottom surface of the recess 33.

[0027] Next, the sealant 35 is filled inside the recess 33 and on the annular member 34. At this time, the sealant 35 is formed by injecting a liquid material into the recess 33 and curing it with heat, ultraviolet light, or the like.

[0028] In the first embodiment, the waterproof structure of the housing 3 includes the recess 33, the annular member 34, and the seal material 35 configured as described above.

[0029] According to the above configuration, the annular member 34, into which the bus bar 4 is inserted, is disposed inside the recess 33 of the housing 3, and the sealing material 35 is filled inside the recess 33 and on the annular member 34. Even if the position of the bus bar 4 shifts radially through the through hole 33a of the recess 33, the gap between the through hole 33a and the bus bar 4 is always located inside the outer circumferential portion 34b of the annular member 34 and is blocked by the annular member 34. This prevents the sealing material 35 from flowing into the housing 3 before hardening through the gap between the through hole 33a and the bus bar 4. In other words, no jigs or other tools are required during the assembly of the housing 3, and no work such as turning the housing 3 upside down is required. This allows for efficient waterproofing of the housing 3 using a simple method.

[0030] <1-1. Variation 1 of the First Embodiment> Next, an electric device 1 according to Variation 1 of the first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view showing the periphery of the recess 33 of the housing 3 according to Variation 1 of the first embodiment. Note that the basic configurations of the variations and embodiments following Variation 1 are the same as those of the first embodiment described above, and therefore common components may be assigned the same reference numerals or names as before, and their description may be omitted.

[0031] The electric device 1 according to the first modification of the first embodiment includes a cover member 5. That is, the waterproof structure of the housing 3 includes the cover member 5 in addition to the recess 33, the annular member 34, and the sealant 35.

[0032] The cover member 5 is disposed adjacent to the upper surface of the lid member 32 of the housing 3. The cover member 5 is formed in a circular disk shape in a plan view. The outer periphery (outer diameter) of the cover member 5 is larger than the inner periphery (inner diameter) of the recess 33. In other words, the cover member 5 is disposed on the lid member 32 so as to cover the recess 33.

[0033] The cover member 5 has an insertion hole 5a into which the bus bar 4 is inserted. The insertion hole 5a is located in the radial center of the cover member 5 and is formed in a circular shape in a plan view. The bus bar 4 is inserted into the insertion hole 5a. From the viewpoints of ease of assembly and preventing leakage of the seal material 35, it is preferable that the relationship between the inner diameter of the insertion hole 5a and the outer diameter of the bus bar 4 be such that the bus bar 4 can be easily passed through the insertion hole 5a and that the fit is high.

[0034] Even if the position of the bus bar 4 is shifted in the radial direction of the recess 33, the peripheral edge of the recess 33 will never be located outside the outer periphery of the cover member 5. In other words, even if the position of the bus bar 4 is shifted in the radial direction of the recess 33, the peripheral edge of the recess 33 will always be located inside the outer periphery of the cover member 5 and will be covered by the cover member 5.

[0035] According to the above configuration, the seal material 35 in the recess 33 is covered by the cover member 5 and can be protected from external forces (for example, high-pressure cleaning). Furthermore, even if the position of the bus bar 4 is shifted in the radial direction of the recess 33, the periphery of the recess 33, i.e., the seal material 35, is always covered by the cover member 5. This enhances the effect of protecting the seal material 35 from external forces.

[0036] The cover member 5 also has a protrusion 5b. The protrusion 5b is formed on the lower surface of the cover member 5 and extends downward toward the inside of the recess 33. The protrusion 5b is located outside the outer periphery of the bus bar 4 and inside the inner periphery of the recess 33 in the radial direction of the recess 33.

[0037] The protrusions 5b are annular and extend continuously in the circumferential direction of the cover member 5. The cross section of the protrusions 5b when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the bus bar 4 is triangular. The protrusions 5b may also be annular and extend discontinuously in the circumferential direction of the cover member 5. The cross section of the protrusions 5b is not limited to a triangular shape and may have other shapes.

[0038] In the method of assembling the electrical device 1 of the first modification, the cover member 5 is placed over the recess 33, the interior of which is filled with the sealant 35. At this time, the cover member 5 is placed over the recess 33 before the sealant 35 hardens. The amount of sealant 35 injected into the recess 33 is set to, for example, 70% of the volume of the recess 33, taking into account the volume of the protrusion 5b located within the space of the recess 33.

[0039] According to the above configuration, the convex portions 5b can press the sealant 35 against the outer peripheral surface of the busbar 4, the inner surface of the recessed portion 33, and the surface of the annular member 34. This increases the adhesive force of the sealant 35 to the busbar 4, the recessed portion 33, and the annular member 34, thereby improving the waterproof performance of the housing 3. Furthermore, the provision of the convex portions 5b increases the contact area of ​​the cover member 5 with the sealant 35. This increases the attachment strength of the cover member 5 to the lid member 32, creating a bonded state, making it possible to avoid the use of fastening members such as screws. In other words, the waterproofing of the housing 3 can be improved using a simple method.

[0040] <1-2. Modification 2 of First Embodiment> Next, an electric device 1 according to a modification 2 of the first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view showing the periphery of the recess 33 of the housing 3 according to the modification 2 of the first embodiment.

[0041] The annular member 34 of the second modification of the first embodiment has an inner cylindrical portion 34c, and the cover member 5 of the second modification has an outer cylindrical portion 5c.

[0042] The inner cylindrical portion 34c is formed along the inner periphery 34a of the annular member 34. The inner cylindrical portion 34c is formed in a cylindrical shape that extends inside the housing 3, i.e., downward in FIG. 5. The inner cylindrical portion 34c is disposed inside the through hole 33a in the radial direction of the recess 33. The inner cylindrical portion 34c passes through the through hole 33a and protrudes further inside the housing 3 than the bottom of the recess 33, i.e., downward in FIG. 5.

[0043] The bus bar 4 is inserted into the inner cylindrical portion 34c. From the viewpoints of ease of assembly and preventing leakage of the sealing material 35, it is preferable that the relationship between the inner diameter of the inner cylindrical portion 34c and the outer diameter of the bus bar 4 be such that the bus bar 4 can be easily inserted into the inner cylindrical portion 34c and has a high fitability.

[0044] The outer cylindrical portion 5c is formed along the inner periphery of the insertion hole 5a of the cover member 5. The outer cylindrical portion 5c is formed in a cylindrical shape extending outside the housing 3, i.e., upward in FIG. 5 . The bus bar 4 is inserted into the inside of the outer cylindrical portion 5c. From the viewpoints of ease of assembly and preventing leakage of the sealant 35, it is preferable that the relationship between the inner diameter of the outer cylindrical portion 5c and the outer diameter of the bus bar 4 be such that the bus bar 4 can be easily inserted inside the outer cylindrical portion 5c and that the fit is high.

[0045] According to the above configuration, the area of ​​the annular member 34 in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the bus bar 4 is increased, thereby improving the effect of suppressing the leakage of the sealant 35 along the outer peripheral surface of the bus bar 4 to the inside of the housing 3. Similarly, the area of ​​the cover member 5 in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the bus bar 4 is increased, thereby improving the effect of suppressing the leakage of the sealant 35 along the outer peripheral surface of the bus bar 4 to the outside of the housing 3.

[0046] Furthermore, the above configuration increases the length of the sealant 35 that separates the inside and outside of the housing 3. That is, the sealant 35 flows from the recess 33 to the inner circumferential portion 34a of the annular member 34, or the sealant 35 flows from the recess 33 to the inner circumferential portion 5a of the cover member 5, thereby increasing the length of the sealant 35 in the path along which water droplets and the like penetrate into the inside of the housing 3 along the bus bar 4. This makes it possible to improve the waterproof performance of the housing 3.

[0047] 2. Second Embodiment Next, an electric device 1 according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view showing the periphery of the recess 33 of the housing 3 according to the second embodiment.

[0048] The housing 3 of the second embodiment includes a through hole 36 and a claw portion 37. The bus bar 4 of the second embodiment includes a large diameter portion 4b, a small diameter portion 4c, and a groove 4d.

[0049] The through hole 36 is provided in the cover member 32 of the housing 3. The through hole 36 penetrates the cover member 32 from the inside to the outside in the thickness direction of the cover member 32. The bus bar 4 is inserted into the through hole 36. In other words, the bus bar 4 is provided so as to penetrate through the through hole 36. The through hole 36 is formed in a circular shape in a plan view, with an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the bus bar 4.

[0050] The tabs 37 are formed along the inner periphery of the through-hole 36 of the cover member 32. The tabs 37 are formed in a cylindrical shape extending inside the housing 3, i.e., downward in FIG. 6 . In other words, the tabs 37 are provided inside the through-hole 36. The bus bar 4 is inserted inside the tabs 37. A gap is provided between the inner periphery of the through-hole 36 and the tabs 37 and the outer periphery of the bus bar 4.

[0051] The large diameter portion 4b of the busbar 4 is located further inside the housing 3 than the lower surface of the cover member 32, i.e., lower than the lower surface of the cover member 32 in Fig. 6. The large diameter portion 4b has a larger diameter than the small diameter portion 4c and extends continuously below the small diameter portion 4c. The large diameter portion 4b and the small diameter portion 4c have the same axis (are concentric).

[0052] The small diameter portion 4c of the busbar 4 is located outside the housing 3 with respect to the lower surface of the cover member 32, i.e., located above the lower surface of the cover member 32 in FIG. 6. The small diameter portion 4c has a smaller diameter than the large diameter portion 4b and extends continuously above the large diameter portion 4b. The small diameter portion 4c is located inside the through hole 36 and the claw portion 37 of the cover member 32.

[0053] The groove 4d is formed on the outer periphery of the busbar 4. More specifically, the groove 4d is a connection (step) between the large diameter portion 4b and the small diameter portion 4c, and is formed on the upper surface of the large diameter portion 4b. The groove 4d is recessed from the upper surface of the large diameter portion 4b toward the inside of the housing 3 and has an annular shape (circular in plan view) that extends continuously along the circumferential direction of the large diameter portion 4b.

[0054] The radial size of groove 4d is approximately the same as the radial size of claw portion 37 of cover member 32. When cover member 32 is attached to housing body 31, the tip end (lower end) of claw portion 37 is inserted into groove 4d. Sealant 35 is filled between the tip end (lower end) of claw portion 37 and the inner surface of groove 4d.

[0055] The width of the groove 4d is sufficiently wider than the thickness of the peripheral wall of the claw portion 37. Even if the position of the bus bar 4 is shifted in the radial direction of the through hole 36 of the cover member 32, the tip end (lower end) of the claw portion 37 will not deviate from the groove 4d.

[0056] Next, a method for assembling the electric device 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0057] First, the substrate 2 and bus bar 4 are arranged and fixed inside the housing body 31 from which the cover member 32 has been removed. The bus bar 4 protrudes upward from the opening 31a of the housing body 31.

[0058] Next, the groove 4d of the bus bar 4 is filled with the sealing material 35. At this time, the sealing material 35 is a liquid material injected into the groove 4d. The amount of the sealing material 35 injected into the groove 4d is set taking into consideration the volume of the tip end of the claw portion 37 that will be inserted into the space of the groove 4d thereafter.

[0059] Next, when attaching the cover member 32 to the housing body 31, the bus bar 4 is inserted into the through hole 36 and the inside of the claw portion 37 of the cover member 32. At this time, the cover member 32 and the bus bar 4 are brought adjacent to each other so that the tip end of the claw portion 37 is inserted into the groove 4d via the sealing material 35.

[0060] Then, the cover member 32 is attached to the opening 31a of the housing body 31 to close the opening 31a. Thereafter, the sealing material 35 is formed by hardening the liquid material by heat or the like.

[0061] In the second embodiment, the waterproof structure of the housing 3 includes the through holes 36, the claw portions 37, and the grooves 4d of the bus bars 4, which are configured as described above.

[0062] According to the above configuration, the sealant 35 is filled so as to be received within the groove 4d provided in the bus bar 4. Even if the position of the bus bar 4 is shifted in the radial direction of the through hole 36 of the cover member 32, the tip end (lower end) of the claw portion 37 does not deviate from the groove 4d, and the sealant 35 does not flow out of the groove 4d. This prevents the uncured sealant 35 from flowing into the inside of the housing 3 from the groove 4d. In other words, no tools or the like are required in assembling the housing 3, and no work such as turning the housing 3 upside down is also required. This makes it possible to efficiently implement waterproofing measures for the housing 3 using a simple method.

[0063] Furthermore, the tip of the claw 37 and the groove 4d have a U-shaped cross section when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the claw 37 and the groove 4d (the axial direction of the bus bar 4). This configuration increases the contact area of ​​the claw 37 and the groove 4d with the sealant 35 in a small space. This increases the adhesive force of the sealant 35 to the cover member 32 and the bus bar 4, thereby improving the waterproof performance of the housing 3.

[0064] Furthermore, with the above configuration, the length of the seal material 35 separating the inside and outside of the housing 3 is increased. In other words, the length of the seal material 35 in the path through which water droplets and the like penetrate into the inside of the housing 3 is increased. This makes it possible to improve the waterproof performance of the housing 3.

[0065] <3. Notes, etc.> The various technical features disclosed in this specification as embodiments and modifications may be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the technical creation. In other words, the above embodiments and modifications are illustrative in all respects and are not limiting. The technical scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not by the description of the above embodiments and modifications, and includes all modifications that fall within the meaning and scope of the claims. Furthermore, the multiple embodiments and modifications described in this specification may be combined as appropriate to the extent possible.

[0066] Furthermore, in the above embodiment and modified examples, the recess 33, through hole 33a, annular member 34, inner cylindrical portion 34c, bus bar 4, cover member 5, insertion hole 5a, convex portion 5b, outer cylindrical portion 5c, through hole 36, and claw portion 37 of the housing 3 are all circular when viewed from above the housing 3 (circular in plan view), but are not limited to circular and may be other shapes such as rectangular.

[0067] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Electrical device 2 Board 3 Housing 4 Bus bar (rod-shaped member) 4d Groove 5 Cover member 5a Insertion hole 5b Convex portion 5c Outer cylindrical portion 31 Housing body 32 Lid member 33 Concave portion 33a Through hole 34 Annular member 34a Inner peripheral portion 34b Outer peripheral portion 34c Inner cylindrical portion 35 Sealing material 36 Through hole 37 Claw portion

Claims

1. A waterproof structure for a housing having a recess with a through hole on the bottom surface of the recessed portion, with a rod-shaped member provided so as to pass through the through hole, the waterproof structure for a housing comprising: an annular member disposed on the bottom surface of the recess and shaped to follow the outer periphery of the rod-shaped member; and a sealant filled into the recess.

2. The waterproof structure of a housing as described in claim 1, wherein the annular member has an inner cylindrical portion formed along the inner periphery of the annular member, extending toward the inside of the housing, and into which the rod-shaped member is inserted.

3. The waterproof structure for a housing according to claim 1, further comprising a cover member disposed on the housing so as to cover the recess, the cover member having an insertion hole into which the rod-shaped member is inserted.

4. The waterproof structure for a housing according to claim 3, wherein the cover member has a protrusion extending toward the recess.

5. A waterproof structure for a housing as described in claim 3, wherein the cover member has an outer cylindrical portion formed along the inner periphery of the insertion hole, extending toward the outside of the housing, and into which the rod-shaped member is inserted.

6. A waterproof structure for a housing comprising: a housing having a through hole with a claw portion provided inside the hole; a rod-shaped member provided to pass through the through hole and having a groove into which the claw portion is inserted; and a sealant filled between the claw portion and the groove.

7. The waterproof structure for a housing according to claim 6, wherein the claw portion and the groove have a U-shaped cross section when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the rod-shaped member.

8. An electrical device comprising a housing having the waterproof structure of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the rod-shaped member is a bus bar.

9. A method for assembling an electric device including: a housing having a recess with a through hole provided in the bottom surface of the recessed portion; a bus bar to be inserted into the through hole; an annular member that is placed on the bottom surface of the recess and into which the bus bar is inserted; and a sealant that fills the recess, the method comprising the steps of: inserting the bus bar into the through hole of the housing; passing the bus bar through the annular member and placing the annular member on the bottom surface of the recess; and filling the sealant inside the recess and onto the annular member.

10. A method for assembling an electric device according to claim 9, wherein the electric device is provided with a cover member having insertion holes into which the bus bars are inserted and which is placed on the housing so as to cover the recesses, and the method includes the step of placing the cover member over the recesses filled with the sealant.

11. A method for assembling an electric device including: a housing having a through hole with a claw portion provided inside the hole; a bus bar having a groove that passes through the through hole and into which the claw portion is inserted; and a sealant that is filled between the claw portion and the groove, the method comprising the steps of: filling the groove with the sealant; and passing the bus bar through the through hole and adjoining the housing and the bus bar so that the claw portion is inserted into the groove via the sealant.

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