Electrical connectors – With sealing element or material for cooperation with...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-18
2002-04-09
Nguyen, Khiem (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With sealing element or material for cooperation with...
C439S364000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06368130
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a connector and more particularly to the provision of a connector which can absorb a positional misalignment with a mating connector so as to improve the efficiency in a connector coupling operation and can provide superior waterproofness.
2. Related Art
An electric connector unit is, for example, disclosed in JP-A-3-43974 in which a plurality of female connectors are set in a cover such that the cover is then bolted so that the plurality of female connectors are collectively fitted on mating connectors in one action.
As shown in
FIGS. 12 and 13
, such an electric connector unit has a first connector cover
105
in which three first connectors
101
,
102
,
103
are accommodated and arranged respectively in connector accommodating chambers
104
partitioned with bulkheads and a second connector cover
110
in which second connectors
106
,
107
,
108
adapted to fit respectively on the first connectors
101
,
102
,
103
are also accommodated and arranged respectively in connector accommodating chambers
109
partitioned with bulkheads, whereby the first connectors
101
,
102
,
103
and second connectors
106
,
107
,
108
are fitted to each other and the first connector cover
105
and second connector cover
110
are fastened to each other with a fastening bolt
111
.
As shown in
FIG. 12
, the first connectors
101
,
102
,
103
each comprise a connector housing
112
, a pair of plate-like resilient packings adapted to hold the connector housing
112
from the front and back thereof and a box-like locking member
114
. These first connectors
101
,
102
,
103
are designed to be fitted in the respective connector accommodating chambers
104
formed in the first connector cover
105
so as to be accommodated and arranged therein.
On the other hand, as shown in
FIG. 12
, too, the second connectors
106
,
107
,
108
each comprise a connector housing
115
which is made unitary and a frame-like resilient packing
116
. These second connectors are designed to be fitted in the respective connector chambers
109
formed in the second connector cover
110
so as to be accommodated and arranged therein.
With the electric connector unit constructed as described above, the first connectors
101
,
102
,
103
and the second connectors
106
,
107
,
108
, which are constructed so as to establish a plurality of paired relationships can be fitted to each other through a single operation of tightening the fastening bolt
111
, whereby the connecting operation of the first connectors
101
,
102
,
103
and the second connectors
106
,
107
,
108
can be facilitated.
In the aforesaid electric connector, however, the first connectors
101
,
102
,
103
are accommodated and arranged in the respective connector chambers
104
, whereas the second connectors
106
,
107
,
108
are formed integrally with the connector housing
115
. With this construction, any positional misalignment between the first connectors
101
,
102
,
103
and the second connectors
106
,
107
,
108
prevents the designed fit and makes more difficult the connector coupling operation than otherwise constructed.
In order to facilitate the connector coupling operation, the first connectors
101
,
102
,
103
and the second connectors
106
,
107
,
108
are required to be highly accurately arranged, and the dimensions of those connectors are also required to be highly accurate. To make these happen, the cost for respective constituent parts needed to realize the aforesaid accurate construction becomes high and this eventually increases the total production cost of the connector unit.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The present invention was made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a connector that can improve the efficiency in a connector coupling operation by absorbing a positional misalignment with a mating connector and which is inexpensive and superior in waterproofness.
With a view to solving the above problems, according to a first feature of the invention, there is provided a connector comprising a connector housing having a terminal accommodating main body portion in which a plurality of terminals are partitioned and arranged for accommodation, an outer circumferential wall portion provided a predetermined distance away from the terminal accommodating main body portion so as to surround the terminal accommodating main body portion and a bottom portion for coupling the outer circumferential wall portion to the terminal accommodating main body portion, a waterproof positional misalignment absorbing member provided in a space between the terminal accommodating main body and the outer circumferential wall portion, and a cover member having an insertion leg portion adapted to be inserted into the space via the waterproof positional misalignment absorbing member and an accommodating portion having an opening in a front thereof so as to allow the terminal accommodating main body portion to be accommodated therein, wherein a positional misalignment absorbing gap is provided between the insertion leg portion and the outer circumferential wall portion or the terminal accommodating main body portion so that the connector housing and the cover member can freely move relative to each other when the terminal accommodating main body portion is fitted in a mating connector.
Thus, in this construction, the space is provided in the connector housing for insertion thereinto of the insertion leg portion of the cover member, the waterproof positional misalignment absorbing member is disposed in the space, and the positional misalignment absorbing gap is provided between the insertion leg portion and the outer circumferential wall portion or the terminal accommodating main body portion so that the connector housing and the cover member can freely move relative to each other when the terminal accommodating main body portion of the connector housing is fitted in the mating connector. With this construction, even if there is occurring a positional misalignment between the connector housing and a connector housing of the mating connector, the connector housing and the cover member can move relative to each other so as to absorb the positional misalignment so occurring, whereby a smooth fit into the mating connector can be effected.
According to a second feature of the invention, wherein the waterproof positional misalignment absorbing member comprises a bottom sealing portion disposed at the bottom portion, a side sealing portion disposed between the terminal accommodating main body portion or the outer circumferential wall portion and the insertion leg portion so as to be brought into tight contact with a leading end portion of the mating connector and a projection provided on the side sealing portion in such a manner as to project therefrom so as to bias said insertion leg portion.
Since the waterproof positional misalignment absorbing member has the bottom sealing portion disposed at the bottom portion, in addition to the function of absorbing a positional misalignment between the connectors, the member functions to shut out water trying to penetrate into this space. In addition, since the waterproof positional misalignment absorbing member has the side sealing portion which is brought into tight contact with the leading end portion of the mating connector, the member can also shut out water trying to penetrate from between the terminal accommodating main body portion adapted to fit in the mating connector and the mating connector.
According to a third feature of the invention, wherein the waterproof positional misalignment absorbing member has a mounting projection provided on the bottom sealing portion and wherein the waterproof positional misalignment absorbing member is disposed in the space with the mounting projection being inserted into a through hole formed in the bottom portion.
Since the waterproof positional misalignment absorbing member allows the mounting projection provided at the bottom sealing portion to be
Morgan & Lewis & Bockius, LLP
Nguyen Khiem
Yazaki -Corporation
LandOfFree
Connector adapted to absorb a positional misalignment does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Connector adapted to absorb a positional misalignment, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Connector adapted to absorb a positional misalignment will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2901280