Electrical connectors – Coupling part including flexing insulation – Sealing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-14
2001-01-16
Bradley, Paula (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Coupling part including flexing insulation
Sealing
C439S274000, C439S275000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06174201
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a small size multi-way waterproof connector with an improved waterproof 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. 11-354200, will be explained with reference to
FIGS. 6
to
8
. A connector housing
11
of a waterproof 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
.
As shown in
FIGS. 6 and 7
, 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 (not illustrated) are formed integrally projecting from the front end of the both side center parts. Rectangular insertion holes
12
d
for inserting male terminals of a mating connector (not illustrated) therethrough 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
are formed by bending in both side plate parts in the rear part of a box part
14
a
of the female terminals.
As shown in
FIGS. 6 and 7
, 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 (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 accommodating waterproof 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 electric wire 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.
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 waterproof 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 engaging 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. 6 and 7
, 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
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 engagement claw
15
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, electric wire insertion holes
33
are formed in the bottom wall part
28
c
of the spacer
28
at a position corresponding to each electric wire 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. 6
, each electric wire
20
inserted through each electric wire insertion hole
21
of the outer housing
17
, each rubber plug
18
and each electric wire insertion hole
33
of the spacer
28
is press-connected between the pair of the press-connecting blades
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.
Reverse conical tapered faces
19
a
are formed at the entrance side of each rubber plug chamber
19
inside the bottom wall part
17
c
of the outer housing
17
. Moreover, reverse conical tapered faces
28
d
, serving also as rubber plug pressing parts, are formed around each electric wire insertion hole
33
outside the bottom wall part
28
c
of the spacer
28
. The rubber plugs
18
can be interposed between the reverse conical faces
19
a
of each rubber plug chamber
19
and the reverse conical faces
28
d
around each electric wire insertion hole
33
of the spacer
28
before accommodating the rubber plugs
18
in each rubber plug chamber
19
of the outer housing
17
(at the time of the temporary engagement with the front side of the body
28
a
of the spacer
28
in the inner wall part
17
a
of the outer housing
17
shown in FIG.
6
).
Moreover, as shown in
FIG. 8
, conical tapered faces
18
a
are formed at both end sides of the rubber plugs
18
for inserting the electric wires
20
therethrough. The inner diameter Rb (that is, the diameter of the electric wire insertion holes
18
b
of the rubber plugs
18
) of the rubber plugs
18
is set to be equal to or larger than the diameter R of the
Fukuda Masaru
Murakami Takao
Bradley Paula
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
Ta Tho D.
Yazaki -Corporation
LandOfFree
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