Electrical connectors – Coupling part including flexing insulation – Sealing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-23
2001-10-16
Sircus, Brian (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Coupling part including flexing insulation
Sealing
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302733
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a waterproof connector which is capable of ensuring waterproof characteristic in spite of the application for covered wires of different diameters.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (kokai) No. 9-320651 discloses a conventional waterproof structure for the connector. In the publication, there are shown covered wires each having a conductor covered with a synthetic covering part. In this structure, a pair of upper and lower resinous tips are used for a part of the structure where two covered wires intersect with each other.
The lower resinous tip is provided, at a center portion thereof, with a projecting welding boss and also provided, at the four corners, with guide grooves into which the covered wires are accommodated. Each guide groove has a cover removing part and a waterproof groove part, which are formed along a direction extending from the welding boss toward the outside, in order. There is remained a gap defined between each guide groove and the welding boss.
Similarly to the lower resinous tip, the upper resinous tip has a welding boss formed to project at the center portion and four guide grooves formed on four corners to define gaps between each guide groove and the welding boss. Also in each guide groove, a cover removing part and a waterproof groove part are formed in order.
According to the above-mentioned structure, on condition of setting the lower resinous tip in an amble, the covered wires are inserted into the guide grooves of the lower resinous tip so as to intersect with each other and sequentially, the upper resinous tip is turned over and abutted on the lower resinous tip. This abutment allows both welding bosses of the upper and lower tips to mutually contact with each other and also causes the covered wires to be interposed between the guide grooves. In this state, the resultant assembly is subjected to the ultrasonic oscillation by an ultrasonic horn exerting pressure on the upper tip.
Consequently, the cover parts of the covered wires are molten to enter into the waterproof grooves, so that both conductors are exposed and connected with each other. The further continuation of ultrasonic oscillating under pressure allows both of the welding bosses to be molten and welded to each other. In this state, the waterproof grooves are filled up with the molten resinous material forming the insulating cover parts. Thereafter, as time goes by, the molten material of the cover parts is hardened while fulfilling the waterproof grooves in the form of a ring, whereby the connection having the waterproof characteristic can be provided between the intersecting covered wires.
In this way, the above-mentioned waterproof structure allows the connector to have the waterproof characteristic. That is, according to the conventional structure, the waterproof characteristic is applied on the connector by forming the wire insertion holes of the connector body with the waterproof guide grooves and sequential fulfilling the grooves with the insulating cover parts molten by the ultrasonic oscillation.
However, if the thin covered wire having a small diameter is used for the structure, it is expected that the waterproof capability is not ensured sufficiently since an amount of the molten resin resulting from the ultrasonic oscillation is too little to fulfill the waterproof grooves. Accordingly, the application of the above-mentioned structure is limited to the covered wires having diameters more than a designated thickness disadvantageously.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Under such a circumstance, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a waterproof connector for general purpose, which is capable of ensuring a sufficient waterproof characteristic in spite of the application for covered wires of different diameters.
The object of the present invention described above can be accomplished by a waterproof connector for a plurality of covered wires having conductors covered with cover parts of resinous material, the waterproof connector comprising:
a connector body;
a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers formed in the connector body, for accommodating a plurality of terminals therein;
a plurality of wire insertion holes defined in the connector body so as to communicate with the terminal accommodating chambers, respectively; and
a waterproof structure provided by firstly inserting the covered wires being respectively connected with the terminals into the wire insertion holes and secondly welding the cover parts of the covered wires to the wire insertion holes by ultrasonic oscillating under pressure from an outside of the connector body;
wherein each of the wire insertion holes is provided with an aperture portion capable of close contact with the cover part of the thinnest one of the covered wires having plural different diameters;
whereby, at least the aperture portion of each of the wire insertion holes, the connector body is welded to the cover parts of the covered wires.
According to the above-mentioned structure, since each wire insertion hole of the connector body has the aperture portions for close contact with the cover part of the thinnest covered wire, it is possible to ensure the close contact of the wire insertion hole with the cover parts of the other covered wires having diameters more than that of the thinnest wire. Consequently, the wire insertion holes can be fitted to all of the covered wires of different diameters. At the aperture portions directed to the cover part of the thinnest wire, there can be realized a situation where the wire insertion holes are coming into close contact with the covered wires of all diameters. Therefore, since the cover parts of the wires are certainly welded to the connector body at the aperture portions, it is possible to ensure the waterproof capacity. That is, it is possible to provide the waterproof connector for general purpose, which is capable of ensuring the sufficient waterproof characteristic in spite of the application for covered wires of different diameters.
According to the second aspect of the invention, in the above-mentioned waterproof structure, each of the wire insertion holes consists of at least two aperture portions of different diameters, the aperture portion of smaller diameter being formed to have a diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the cover part of the thinnest covered wire, the aperture portion of larger diameter being formed to have a diameter equal to or smaller than an outer diameter of the cover part of the thickest covered wire.
In this case, each wire insertion hole is provided with the aperture portion of small diameter in close contact with the cover part of the thinnest covered wire and the aperture portion of large diameter in close contact with the cover part of the thickest covered wire. Further, against the covered wire having a middle thickness between the thinnest and thickest wires, the aperture portion of small diameter is sure to be in close contact with the same wire. Additionally, since the molten material squeezed by the small aperture portion is charged between the large aperture portion and the wire closely, the waterproof capacity of the connector can be improved. Thus, it is possible to provide the connector capable of ensuring the waterproof characteristic in spite of the application for covered wires of different diameters.
According to the third aspect of the invention, in the above-mentioned waterproof structure, each of the wire insertion holes is formed to have a single diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the cover part of the thinnest covered wire.
In this case, the structure of the connector is simplified by its wire insertion holes of the single diameter. Further, since the close contact with the cover part of the thinnest covered wire is ensured by the wire insertion holes, it is possible for the holes to adhere closely to the covered wire having a thickness more than the thinnest covered wire, whereby the wat
Sakaguchi Tadahisa
Shinchi Akira
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Nguyen Son V.
Sircus Brian
Yazaki -Corporation
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