Electrical connectors – Coupling part including flexing insulation – Sealing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-10
2001-01-30
Abrams, Neil (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Coupling part including flexing insulation
Sealing
Reexamination Certificate
active
06179657
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a miniaturized and multipolar waterproof connector which is improved in the waterproofness between a connector housing and a plurality of electric wires having terminals connected thereto, and a method of assembling the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
As this type of waterproof connector there is one which is illustrated in
FIG. 1. A
connector housing
2
of this waterproof connector
1
has formed therein a plurality of terminal accommodation chambers
3
each of which has formed at its rear portion an electric wire sealing chamber
4
so that the chamber
4
may be communicated therewith. Also, each terminal accommodation chamber
3
has accommodated therein a female terminal
6
having an electric wire connected thereto with the female terminal
6
being engaged with a lance (flexible engaging arm)
7
. Further, each terminal accommodation chamber
3
and its corresponding electric wire
5
are sealed by a rubber plug
8
which has been forced into the electric wire sealing chamber
4
.
It is to be noted that similar techniques regarding the waterproof connector
1
are disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication Specification No. Hei 5-65996 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 1-213973.
However, in the above-described conventional waterproof connector
1
, as illustrated in
FIG. 2
, the diameter L of the electric wire sealing chamber
4
must be made larger than the diameter of the terminal accommodation chamber
3
for the purpose of mold releasing or terminal insertion. Therefore, the terminal-to-terminal pitch X is limited with the result that the connector housing
2
has become large in size. Also, since the rubber plug
8
is exposed from a rear surface side of the connector housing
2
to the outside, the rubber plug
8
is damaged or deformed during high-tension cleaning or due to contact therewith of a machine tool or the like, with the result that a desired level of sealing performance was not obtained.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention-has been achieved with such points in mind.
It therefore is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-polar waterproof connector which enables the miniaturization of the connector housing as well as the enhancement of the sealability and asseblability thereof and a method of assembling the same.
To achieve the object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a waterproof connector comprising: an inner housing having formed therein terminal accommodation chambers in which terminals to which electric wires are to be connected are accommodated; rubber plugs for sealing the electric wires, the rubber plugs having formed therein holes through which the electric wires are inserted and passed; and an outer housing into which the inner housing is fitted, a one wall portion of the outer housing opposing to the terminal accommodation chambers being formed with electric wire insertion and passing holes into which the electric wires are inserted and passed, an inside portion of the one wall portion of the outer housing corresponding to the electric wire insertion and passing holes being formed with rubber plug accommodation recessed portions for accommodating therein the rubber plugs, wherein the electric wires that have been inserted and passed through the electric wire insertion and passing holes and the holes of the rubber plugs are connected to the terminals which are accommodated in the terminal accommodation chambers.
In this waterproof connector, since the diameter of the rubber plug accommodation recessed portions of the outer housing can be minimized irrespective of the size of the terminal accommodation chambers of the inner housing, the terminal-to-terminal's pitch becomes small with the result that it is possible to miniaturize a multipolar connector housing (which is composed of the inner housing and the outer housing). Also, since the rubber plugs are not exposed to the outside from the one wall portion of the outer housing, the degradation of the sealing performance of the rubber plugs due to an external force does not occur, with the result that the reliability on the waterproofness effected with the rubber plugs is enhanced.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, as it depends from the first aspect, there is provided a waterproof connector wherein, a tapered surface is formed on an inlet side of the rubber plug accommodation recessed portion; a tapered surface is formed on each side of the rubber plug; and a rubber plug guiding portion to guide the rubber plug is formed at a position of the inner housing corresponding to the tapered surface of the rubber plug.
In this waterproof connector, the rubber plug guiding portion of the inner housing, the tapered surface on an inlet side of the rubber plug accommodation recessed portion of the outer housing, the tapered surface of the rubber plug, and the electric wire serve and operate as guides, whereby the rubber plug is accommodated reliably in a simple way in the rubber plug accommodation recessed portion of the outer housing. As a result, the reliability on the waterproofness effected with the rubber plugs is further enhanced.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of assembling a waterproof connector comprising the steps of: accommodating terminals to be connected to electric wires in terminal accommodation chambers formed in an inner housing; inserting and setting rubber plugs for sealing the electric wires in rubber plug accommodation recessed portions formed in an inside portion of a one wall portion of an outer housing; inserting and passing the electric wires into and through electric wire insertion and passing holes formed in the outer housing at the positions of the one wall portion opposed to the terminal accommodation chambers; inserting and passing the electric wires which are passing through the electric wire insertion and passing holes into and through holes which are formed in the rubber plugs; connecting the electric wires passed through the holes of the rubber plugs to the terminals accommodated in the terminal accommodation chambers; and fitting the inner housing into the outer housing.
In this method of assembling a waterproof connector, a small-in-size and multipolar waterproof connector having excellent waterproofness is assembled smoothly in a simple way and in a short time.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of assembling a waterproof connector comprising the steps of: accommodating terminals to be connected to electric wires in terminal accommodation chambers formed in an inner housing; inserting and passing the electric wires into and through electric wire insertion and passing holes formed at the positions of a one wall portion of an outer housing opposing to the terminal accommodation chambers from outside the outer housing to inside the outer housing; inserting and passing the electric wires which are passing through the electric wire insertion and passing holes into and through holes which are formed in rubber plugs; connecting the electric wires passed through the holes of the rubber plugs to the terminals accommodated in the terminal accommodation chambers; drawing the electric wires to the outside of the outer housing in a direction opposite to the direction in which the electric wires are inserted and passed from outside the outer housing to inside the outer housing, as a result, the rubber plugs are inserted and set in the rubber plug accommodation recessed portions which are formed inside the one wall portion of the outer housing; and fitting the inner housing into the outer housing.
In this method of assembling a waterproof connector, simultaneously with the interfitting between the outer housing and inner housing, the rubber plugs are accommodated reliably in a simple way in the rubber plug accommodation recessed portions of the outer housing, with the result that the asse
Fukuda Masaru
Murakami Takao
Abrams Neil
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Yazaki -Corporation
Zarroli Michael C.
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