Electrical connectors – Coupling part including flexing insulation – Sealing
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-11
2004-05-25
Ta, Tho D. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Coupling part including flexing insulation
Sealing
C439S275000, C439S279000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06739908
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a waterproof connector, and more particularly to a waterproof connector and a method of inserting terminals in the waterproof connector, in which the efficiency of an operation for mounting the terminals in a connector housing is enhanced.
One known waterproof connector of this type is disclosed in JP-A-11-354196, and is shown in
FIGS. 10A and 10B
. As shown in
FIG. 10A
, the waterproof connector comprises a connector housing
101
, a seal member
102
made of an elastic soft material, and a holder
103
. The waterproof connector holds terminals
105
each connected to an end of a wire
104
therein. In this waterproof connector, when the holder
103
is locked to the connector housing
101
, projections
103
A (shown in
FIG. 10B
) on the holder
103
are press-fitted respectively into slit-shaped grooves
102
A in the seal member
102
to expand the seal member
102
outwardly, so that the wires
104
, press-fitted respectively in terminal/wire press-fitting holes
102
B formed through the seal member
102
, are compressed at their peripheries, thereby enhancing the waterproof effect.
For mounting the terminals in this waterproof connector, first, the terminals
105
and the wires
104
are inserted into respective terminal/wire insertion holes
103
A in the holder
103
. Then, the terminals
105
and the wires
104
are press-fitted and passed through the respective terminal/wire press-fitting holes
102
B in the seal member
102
while the projections
103
A of the holder
103
are not yet press-fitted in the slit-like grooves
102
A in the seal member
102
, respectively. Thereafter, the holder
103
is locked to the connector housing
101
through the seal member
102
, and by doing so, the terminals
105
and the wires
104
can be mounted in the waterproof connector.
In the related waterproof connector shown in
FIGS. 10A and 10B
, however, the terminals
105
and the wires
104
are passed through the respective terminal/wire press-fitting holes
102
B in the seal member
102
, with the projections
103
A of the holder
103
not yet press-fitted respectively in the slit-like grooves
102
A in the seal member
102
. Therefore, there has been encountered a problem that the terminals
105
and the wires
104
can not be easily inserted into the terminal/wire press-fitting holes
102
B when the seal member
102
is twisted or deformed. Particularly, the seal member
102
is soft, and can not be kept in its predetermined shape. Therefore, there has been encountered a problem that the ability of inserting the terminals
105
and wires
104
is adversely affected by the torsion or the like of this seal member, and the terminals
105
are liable to be caught by the seal member during the insertion, and therefore are liable to be damaged. On the other hand, in case that the projections
103
A of the holder
103
are beforehand inserted respectively in the slit-like grooves
102
A in the seal member
102
, thereby combining the seal member
102
and the holder
103
together in a unitary manner, when trying to insert the terminals
105
and the wires
104
into the respective terminal/wire press-fitting holes
102
B, there is encountered a problem that the terminals
105
and the wires
104
can not be easily inserted since the terminal/wire press-fitting holes
102
B are compressed into a smaller size in this condition.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a waterproof connector in which when inserting terminals in a mat seal (seal member), the mat seal is prevented from being twisted or deformed by the terminals.
Another object of the invention is to provide a terminal inserting method in which when inserting terminals in a mat seal, the terminals are prevented from being caught by the mat seal, thereby preventing the terminals from being damaged.
In order to solve the aforesaid object, the invention is characterized by having the following arrangement.
(1) A waterproof connector comprising:
a connector housing including a plurality of terminal receiving chambers for respectively receiving a plurality of metal terminals connected respectively to ends of wires;
a mat seal mounted at an end surface of the connector housing in which the wires are extended outwardly, and including a plurality of wire insertion holes for respectively passing the wires therethrough;
a mat seal holder, for holding the mat seal in cooperation with the connector housing, mounted at the end surface of the connector housing so that the mat seal is disposed between the connector housing and the mat seal holder;
a plurality of intimate-contact cavity portions formed in opposite sides of the mat seal and disposed in the vicinities of the plurality of wire insertion holes;
a plurality of housing-side intimate-contact ribs, for insertion respectively into the associated intimate-contact cavity portions in the mat seal, formed on the end surface of the connector housing; and
a plurality of holder-side intimate-contact ribs, for insertion respectively into the associated intimate-contact cavity portions in the mat seal, formed on the mat seal holder,
wherein when the plurality of metal terminals are inserted respectively into the plurality of terminal receiving chambers, the mat seal is supported by distal end portions of the plurality of housing-side intimate-contact ribs and distal end portions of the plurality of holder-side intimate-contact ribs inserted respectively in the plurality of intimate-contact cavity portions.
(2) The waterproof connector according to (1), wherein when the plurality of metal terminals are received in the plurality of terminal receiving chambers, the mat seal holder is moved toward the connector housing so that the plurality of housing-side intimate-contact ribs and the plurality of holder-side intimate-contact ribs are completely inserted respectively in the plurality of intimate-contact cavity portions so that the mat seal compresses the wires.
(3) A method of inserting terminals in a waterproof connector wherein the waterproof connector including: a connector housing including a plurality of terminal receiving chambers for respectively receiving a plurality of metal terminals connected respectively to ends of wires; a mat seal mounted at an end surface of the connector housing in which the wires are extended outwardly, and including a plurality of wire insertion holes for respectively passing the wires therethrough; and a mat seal holder, for holding the mat seal in cooperation with the connector housing, mounted at the end surface of the connector housing so that the mat seal is disposed between the connector housing and the mat seal holder; a plurality of intimate-contact cavity portions formed in opposite sides of the mat seal and disposed in the vicinities of the plurality of wire insertion holes; a plurality of housing-side intimate-contact ribs, for insertion respectively into the associated intimate-contact cavity portions in the mat seal, formed on the end surface of the connector housing; and a plurality of holder-side intimate-contact ribs, for insertion respectively into the associated intimate-contact cavity portions in the mat seal, formed on the mat seal holder, the method comprising the steps of:
inserting distal end portions of the housing-side intimate-contact ribs respectively into the associated intimate-contact cavity portions, and inserting distal end portions of the holder-side intimate-contact ribs respectively into the associated intimate-contact cavity portions, so that the mat seal is supported by the end surface of the connector housing and the mat seal holder;
passing the plurality of metal terminals and wires through the respective wire insertion holes; and
completely inserting the housing-side intimate-contact ribs and the holder-side intimate-contact into the plurality of intimate-contact cavity portions, respectively, so as to hole the mat seal between the end surface of the connector housing and the mat seal holder.
According to the invention, the
Hamai Tsuyoshi
Kanda Masahiro
Kudo Toshiharu
Sughrue & Mion, PLLC
Ta Tho D.
Tsukerman Larisa Z
Yazaki -Corporation
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