Electrical connectors – With insulation other than conductor sheath – Plural-contact coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-06
2003-05-27
Nguyen, Khiem (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With insulation other than conductor sheath
Plural-contact coupling part
C439S906000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06568967
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a protective cover for protecting a connector used for connection of an electric system disposed in an automobile and, in particular, to the structure of a protective cover for connection of a connector used in equipment used under a severe environment.
This application is based on the Japanese patent Applications No. 2000-205109 and No. 2000-205110, which are incorporated herein by references.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a vehicle such as an automobile, a connector is often used for connecting together wire harnesses or for connecting electronic equipment to a wire harness. A connector of this type is basically structured such that a connecting terminal is stored within a connector housing formed of synthetic resin and a covered wire connected to the connecting terminal is guided out from the rear end of the connector housing.
Also, in an automobile used in a severe environment, while the automobile is running, the connector can be splashed with muddy water, or, while washing, the connector can be splashed with high-pressure washing water. Further, as the automobile runs, the connector can be vibrated heavily.
With such using environment taken into consideration, there is proposed such a waterproof connector as shown in FIG.
11
. This waterproof connector
50
is formed of synthetic resin in an integrated body, while it comprises a housing main body
51
, a hinge portion
52
, and a pair of covers
53
,
54
. The housing main body
51
includes a plurality of terminal storage chambers formed inside the rear portion of a substantially-square-cylindrical outer wall
55
, an insertion portion
57
formed inside the front portion of the outer wall
55
for insertion of a mating connector (not shown), and a lock portion
58
formed on the upper surface of the outer wall
55
for securing the mating connector inserted.
In the rear end portion of the housing main body
51
, there is formed a square-cylindrical portion
59
which is smaller in diameter than the outer wall
55
. On the two side surfaces of the rear end portion of the square-cylindrical portion
59
, there are integrally disposed a pair of covers
53
,
54
through the hinge portion
52
. Also, the central portion
52
a
of the hinge portion
52
is formed thin in thickness so that it can be flexed.
The two covers
53
,
54
each have a shape obtained by dividing the square-cylindrical portion
59
along the axial direction into two; and, in case where the covers
53
,
54
are rotated about the hinge portion
52
in their mutually approaching directions and their respective inner end faces
53
a
,
54
a
are engaged with each other, they provide a shape which is continuous with the rear end of the square-cylindrical portion
59
.
Also, in the central portions of the respective end faces of the covers
53
,
54
, there are formed recessed portions
53
c
,
54
c
which, when the covers
53
,
54
are closed, provide a wire penetration hole. The covers
53
,
54
respectively include a securing projection
64
and a securing frame groove
65
which are engaged with each other when the inner end faces
53
a
and
54
a
are engaged with each other.
Next, description will be given below of a second example of a conventional connector with reference to FIG.
12
.
A connector
70
shown in
FIG. 12
comprises a connector housing
71
, a rear holder
72
, and a waterproof cover
73
which not only covers the outer end face of the rear portion of the rear holder
72
but also is connected to the rear holder
72
in such a manner that it can be opened and closed in the directions of arrow marks shown in FIG.
12
. The rear holder
72
is made of a plate-shaped block and can be fitted into and fixed to the connector housing
71
.
The waterproof cover
73
is composed of a pair of cover bodies
74
,
75
, while their one-side ends are connected respectively to the upper and lower surfaces of the rear holder
72
through flexible belt-shaped portions
76
; and, the two cover bodies
74
,
75
cooperate together in covering the outer end face of the rear holder
72
in such a manner that the rear holder
72
can be opened and closed.
The belt-shaped portion
76
of the cover body
74
is connected to the lower portion of the inner end face of the rear holder
72
, while the cover body
74
can be opened upwardly in the arrow mark direction about the lower portion of the inner end face of the rear holder
72
. The belt-shaped portion (not shown) of the cover body
75
is connected to the lower portion of the inner end face of the rear holder
72
, while the cover body
75
can be opened downwardly in the arrow mark direction about the lower portion of the inner end face of the rear holder
72
.
By the way, within the connector housing
71
, there are stored connecting terminals (not shown), while covered wires
77
respectively connected to the connecting terminals are guided out from the rear end of the connector housing
71
. And, in a state where the connector housing
71
, rear holder
72
and waterproof cover
73
are assembled together as an integral body, the covered wires
77
are guided out from an opening
78
formed in the central portion of the rear end portion of the waterproof cover
73
.
However, since the above-mentioned conventional waterproof connector
50
is a connector to be applied in a vehicle such as a truck which not only can be washed with high-pressure water but also can be used under a severe vibration condition and thus the covers
53
,
54
are integrally disposed with the waterproof connector
50
through the hinge portion
52
, the waterproof connector
50
is complicated in structure and the manufacturing cost thereof is high.
Further, in some of the using conditions of the connector, the waterproof function of the connector may not be necessary. That is, when the connector using condition requiring the waterproof function as well as the connector using condition not requiring the waterproof function are both taken into consideration, it is necessary to prepare a waterproof connector as well as a connector having no waterproof function. This takes an operator much time to control a connector inventory or make arrangements for production of connectors to a connector manufacturing site, which provides one of the causes of the expensive manufacturing costs of the connectors.
Also, in the case of the above-mentioned conventional connector
70
, the connector housing
71
and cover
73
are separate parts and, therefore, in case where the waterproof function is not necessary, the cover
73
may be not be used, thereby being able to solve the above-mentioned problem. However, since the connector
70
employs the structure that the rear holder
72
and the two separate cover bodies
74
,
75
are assembled together, there are raised other problems. For example, the number of parts is large and thus the manufacturing cost of the connector
70
is high. Also, the assembling operation of the connector
70
is troublesome, which increases the number of man-hours necessary to manufacture the connector
70
.
Further, the shapes and standards of the rear holder
72
and cover bodies
74
,
75
are set to the standards of the connector housing
71
and, therefore, the rear holder
72
and cover bodies
74
,
75
can be applied only to an exclusive connector. Also, the standards of the connectors vary widely in correspondence to the current amounts thereof and the installation positions thereof. Thus, there are known various connector structures: for example, a structure in which securing portions for securing two connectors together are disposed on the respective housings of the two connectors; and, a structure in which a securing portion for securing a connector to part of a vehicle body is disposed on the housing of the connector. However, the cover
73
of the connector
70
can be applied only one of the above-mentioned connectors and thus lacks in versatility.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention aims at
Hamai Tsuyoshi
Inaba Shigemitsu
Morishita Kazuhiro
Nguyen Khiem
Yazaki -Corporation
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