Electrical connectors – Coupling part including flexing insulation – Sealing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-30
2001-02-13
Bradley, Paula (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Coupling part including flexing insulation
Sealing
C439S274000, C439S275000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06186829
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a small size multi-way water proof connector with an improved water proof property between a connector housing and a plurality of electric wires connected with terminals, and a method of assembling the same.
A related waterproof connector, which is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 11-329571A, will be explained specifically with reference to
FIGS. 2
to
4
E. A connector housing
11
of a water proof connector
10
′ comprises a synthetic resin inner housing
12
having a plurality of terminal chambers
13
formed integrally therewith, a synthetic resin outer housing
17
for fitting the inner housing
12
to the inside thereof, and a synthetic resin spacer
28
disposed between the inner housing
12
and the outer housing
17
for holding female terminals
14
accommodated in each terminal chamber
13
of the inner housing
12
. p As shown in
FIGS. 2 and 3
, the inner housing
12
has a box part
12
a
with the rear side of the upper and lower faces opened, for forming the terminal chambers
13
in a space formed with the center horizontal wall
12
b
and vertical side walls
12
c
, serving also as partition walls in the vertical direction. The female terminals
14
can be accommodated in each terminal chamber
13
. Moreover, engagement claws
15
are formed integrally, projecting from both sides and the center of the upper and lower faces of the box part
12
a
as well as flange parts
16
are formed integrally projecting from the front end of the both side center parts. Rectangular insertion holes
12
d
through which female terminals of a mating connector (not illustrated) are inserted are formed in the front wall of the box part
12
a
at a position corresponding to each terminal chamber
13
. Furthermore, a pair of press-connecting blades
14
b
,
14
b
are formed by bending each in both side plate parts in the rear part of a box part
14
a
of the female terminals.
As shown in
FIGS. 2 and 3
, the outer housing
17
has a double box-like shape with the front side opened, with a substantially quadrilateral pipe-like inner wall part
17
a
, a substantially quadrilateral pipe-like outer wall part
17
b
for containing the inner wall part
17
a
, and a bottom wall part
17
c
, connecting the rear parts of the inner and outer wall parts
17
a
,
17
b
. A thick portion is provided in the center of the bottom wall part
17
c
. Rubber plug chambers
19
having a large diameter round cross-section for storing the water proof rubber plugs
18
by press-in are formed at a position corresponding to each terminal chamber
13
at the front side with respect to the thick portion as well as insertion holes
21
having a small diameter round cross-section for inserting electric wires
20
therethrough are formed, communicating with each corresponding rubber plug chamber
19
at the rear side with respect to the thick portion. The water proof rubber plugs
18
have a substantially cylindrical shape with the rugged inner and outer circumferential faces so that the electric wires
20
can be inserted through the inside thereof without having a gap.
Moreover, rectangular engagement holes
22
to be engaged with each engagement claw
15
at both sides of the upper and lower faces of the box part
12
a
of the inner housing
12
are formed at both front sides of the upper and lower walls of the inner wall part
17
a
of the outer housing
17
as well as rectangular longitudinal engagement holes
23
to be engaged with each engagement claw
15
at the center of the upper and lower faces of the box part
12
a
of the inner housing
12
are formed at the front center portion of the upper and lower walls of the inner wall part
17
a
. Furthermore, a V-shaped packing receiving part
25
for receiving an annular rubber water proof packing
24
is formed integrally, projecting from the deep part of the outer face side of the inner wall part
17
a
of the outer housing
17
. Tapered faces
26
are formed in the front rim of the inner face side of the inner wall part
17
a
of the outer housing at a position corresponding to each engagement hole
22
,
23
. Moreover, engagement holes
27
to be engaged with flexible engagement arms of a mating connector (not illustrated) are formed at the front side of the upper and lower walls of the outer wall part
17
b
of the outer housing
17
.
As shown in
FIGS. 2 and 3
, the spacer
28
forms a box-like shape with the front side opened, with a substantially quadrilateral pipe-like body
28
to be fitted with the inner face side of the inner wall part
17
a
of the outer housing
17
, a substantially quadrilateral pipe-like brim part
28
b
formed integrally with the front end of the body
28
a
, bent rearward therefrom, to be fitted with the outer face side of the inner wall part
17
a
of the outer housing, and a bottom wall part
28
c
of the body
28
a.
Accordingly, the box part
12
a
of the inner housing
12
can be fitted into the body
28
a
of the spacer
28
. Rib-like projections
29
for preventing fall-off of the terminals are formed integrally, projecting from the inner face of the upper and lower walls of the body
28
a
of the spacer
28
, to be engaged with the rear end rim of the box part
14
a
of the female terminals
14
accommodated in each terminal chamber
13
.
Moreover, notch portions
30
,
31
are formed in the front side of the portion connecting the body
28
a
and the brim part
28
b
of the spacer
28
at a position corresponding to each of the engagement claw
15
and the flange part
16
of the inner housing
12
. Engagement claws
32
to be engaged with each engagement hole
23
of the outer housing
17
are formed integrally, projecting form the outer face side of the upper and lower walls of the body
28
a
of the spacer
28
between the upper and lower side notch portions
30
. Furthermore, the tip portion of the brim part
28
b
can hold the packing
24
engaged with the packing receiving part
25
of the inner wall part
17
a
of the outer housing
17
when the fitting operation with respect to the outer housing
17
is completed.
Moreover, insertion holes
33
are formed in the bottom wall part
28
c
of the spacer
28
at a position corresponding to each insertion hole
21
of the outer housing
17
. Furthermore, the bottom wall part
28
c
of the spacer
28
can hold the rubber plugs
18
inserted in each rubber plug chamber
19
of the bottom wall part
17
c
of the outer housing when the fitting operation with respect to the outer housing
17
is completed. As shown in
FIG. 2
, each electric wire
20
inserted through each insertion hole
21
of the outer housing
17
, each rubber plug
18
and each insertion hole
33
of the spacer
28
is press-connected between the pair of the press-connecting blades
14
b
,
14
b
of each female terminal accommodated in each terminal chamber
13
of the inner housing
12
so that each terminal chamber
13
and each electric wire
20
are sealed with the rubber plug
18
and the packing
24
, respectively.
In assembling the water proof connector
10
′ with the above-mentioned configuration, as shown in
FIG. 4A
, the rubber plugs
18
are inserted and set in each rubber plug chamber
19
inside the bottom wall part
17
c
of the outer housing
17
comprising the outside of the connector housing
11
from the connector housing fitting direction as well as the packing
24
is inserted and set in the packing receiving part
25
of the inner wall part
17
a
of the outer housing
17
.
Then, as shown in
FIG. 4B
, the body
28
a
of the spacer
28
is fitted into the inner wall part
17
a
of the outer housing
17
so that each engagement claw
32
of the body
28
a
of the spacer
28
is engaged with each engagement hole
23
of the inner wall part
17
a
of the outer housing
17
. According to the engagement of each engagement hole
23
of the inner wall part
17
a
of the outer housing
17
and each engagement claw
32
of the body
28
a
of the spacer
28
, fall-off of each rubber plug
18
is pre
Fukuda Masaru
Murakami Takao
Bradley Paula
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
Ta Tho D.
Yazaki -Corporation
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