Vehicle Connector Rear Case Sealing and Water Drainage Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle connectors face poor assembly workability due to the need to pass terminals through a grommet before assembling it to the connector housing, which compromises water prevention on the connector's backside.
Innovation Solution
A connector design featuring a rear case with water drainage passages and waterproof members, such as O-rings and seals, that collects and drains water from the connector housing while preventing water ingress without requiring terminals to pass through the grommet during assembly, ensuring the connector's backside remains dry without hindering assembly efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If terminals are passed through the grommet before assembling it to the connector housing, then water prevention on the backside is achieved, but assembly workability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the waterproofing function into two separate waterproof members: a first waterproof member that waterproofs the gap between the connector housing and rear case, and a second waterproof member that waterproofs the gap between the terminal holding portion and terminal. This segmentation allows terminals to be inserted after rear case assembly without compromising waterproofing, thus improving assembly workability while maintaining water prevention reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The conventional approach requires passing terminals through the grommet before assembly. The invention inverts this sequence by first assembling the rear case to the connector housing, then inserting terminals through the opening portions of the terminal holding portions in the rear case. This inversion of the assembly sequence eliminates the need to pre-pass terminals through the grommet, significantly improving assembly workability while the dual waterproof member system ensures water prevention is maintained
2Reliability
If a grommet is used to cover the back side of the connector housing, then water drainage is achieved, but assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the waterproofing and water drainage functions from the conventional grommet component and integrates them into the rear case structure. The rear case itself provides water drainage through its design, while the first and second waterproof members provide sealing functions. This extraction eliminates the need for a separate grommet component, reducing assembly complexity while maintaining water drainage and prevention capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges multiple functions into the rear case component: it serves as both the structural element covering the back side of the connector housing and the water drainage pathway, while also providing mounting structures for the waterproof members. This consolidation of functions reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall assembly process while maintaining effective water management
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Effectively prevents water from reaching the outside of the connector's backside by using a double water-stop structure with O-rings and seals, allowing for easier terminal attachment without pre-passing through the case, thus maintaining assembly workability while ensuring waterproofing.
Implementation Method 1
the gap between the connector housing and the rear case is water-stopped by the first waterproof member
Implementation Method 2
the gap between the inside of the terminal holding portion of the rear case and the terminal is water-stopped by the second waterproof member
Implementation Method 3
water that has entered the connector fitting chamber (inlet opening portion) is collected to the lower portion inside the grommet through each water drainage passage and drained to the outside through the drainage passage
Data Source
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AI summary
A connector includes: a connector housing including a connector fitting chamber to which a mating connector is fitted, in which a terminal is arranged in a projecting state in the connector fitting chamber; a rear case that is assembled to the connector housing through intermediation of a packing; a water drainage passage provided in the connector housing, which allows water that has entered a front side of the connector housing to flow into an inside of the rear case; a drainage port provided in the rear case; a terminal accommodating portion that holds the terminal in the projecting state in the connector fitting chamber and has an opening portion on a back side of the rear case; and an O-ring interposed between an inner peripheral surface of the terminal accommodating portion on a side of the rear case and an outer peripheral surface of the terminal.