Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture – Methods – Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-06
2001-10-16
Sells, James (Department: 1734)
Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
Methods
Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
C156S290000, C156S308400
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302981
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a waterproof structure for an electric wire drawout portion and, more particularly, to a structure for waterproofing an electric wire drawout portion of a wiring accessory such as a waterproof connector, an electric connection box or the like by means of a rubber-like elastic member and a method of manufacturing such the structure.
2. Description of Relevant Art
In
FIGS. 1A and 1B
through
4
, a conventional example of a waterproof structure for an electric drawout portion of a waterproof connector is shown.
A waterproof structure shown in
FIGS. 1A and 1B
is of a type wherein in a state where electric wires
7
are clamped by two split upper and lower rubber plugs
30
shown in FIG.
1
A and fitted in grooves
31
of the rubber plugs
30
and the resulting rubber plugs
30
are forcedly inserted into a concave portion
32
of a housing
2
of the connector as shown in
FIG. 1B
(see Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open Publication No. 50-54591).
Also, a waterproof structure shown in
FIGS. 2A and 2B
is of a type wherein holders
33
are freely slidably mounted on a housing of the connector as shown in FIG.
2
A and packings
34
are pressed by the holders
33
from above and below electric wires
7
as shown in
FIG. 2B
(see Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open Publication No. 5-57772).
Further, there is also known a waterproof structure wherein as shown in
FIG. 3A
electric wires
7
are clamped by two split rubber plugs
36
and the rubber plugs
36
are clamped by similarly two split resin-made housings
2
and
2
, whereby the housings
2
and
2
are welded to each other by ultrasonic waves being oscillated by an ultrasonic horn
22
with a load being applied to the housing
2
and with the rubber plugs
36
being thereby compressed.
The waterproof structure shown in
FIGS. 1A and 1B
can collectively waterproof a plurality of the electric wires
7
. However, an operation of fitting the rubber plugs
30
into the housing
7
is troublesome and in addition it is necessary to form the rubber plug
30
by replacing the mold in correspondence with the size of the electric wire and the number of the poles, raising the problem that the manufacturing cost becomes high.
Also, the waterproof structure shown in
FIGS. 2A and 2B
enables the performance of the sealing operation of the packings
34
relatively easily and can cope with the difference in size of the electric wires and the difference in number of the poles to some extent. However, as the packings
34
are only pressed by the holders
33
, it is unavoidable that as shown in
FIG. 4
gaps
35
are produced at side portions of the electric wire
7
between the packings
34
and
34
, raising the problem that the waterproofness deteriorates.
Also, in the waterproof structure shown in
FIGS. 3A and 3B
, as the welding portions
37
are only two in number, i.e., on both sides of the housing
2
, central parts of the housings
2
are deformed as shown in
FIG. 3B
by the repulsion of the rubber plugs
36
, with the result that the gaps
35
are none the less produced as shown in
FIG. 4
, raising the problem that the waterproofness deteriorates.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been achieved with such points in view.
It therefore is an object of the present invention to provide a waterproof structure for an electric wire drawout portion which can be manufactured at a low cost and has an enhanced waterproofness and a method of manufacturing such the waterproof structure.
To achieve the object, a first aspect of the invention provides a waterproof structure for an electric wire drawout portion adapted to cover an electric wire drawn out from a housing of an electric wiring accessory by rubber-like elastic members to thereby waterproof the electric wire, wherein with respect to the upper cover portion and the cover portion there are mounted the upper and the lower rubber-like elastic member respectively having the accommodation grooves through which the electric wire passes and the upper and the lower welding member exposed on the respective surfaces of the upper and the lower rubber-like elastic member and welded to each other, whereby by oscillation of ultrasonic waves the upper cover portion and the cover portion are welded to each other, the upper and the lower welding member are welded to each other, and the upper cover portion and the cover portion are thereby made close to each other to thereby cause the electric wire to be accommodated in the accommodation grooves of the upper and the lower rubber-like elastic member compressed between the upper cover portion and the cover portion by welding the respective ambient portions of the accommodation grooves to each other.
According to the first aspect, the electric wire is sealed in a state of its being compressed by the upper and the lower rubber-like elastic member and is brought to a state where a pressure has been applied onto the electric wire from an entire circumference thereof. Therefore, the gaps cease to be produced around the electric wire, with the result that a complete waterproofing is obtained. Also, since the cover portion and the upper cover portion are welded and fixed together at intermediate portions of the welding members, the cover portion and the upper cover portion can be prevented from being deformed by the repulsions of the rubber-like elastic members.
Accordingly, even in the case of an electric connection box or the like which is of a multi-pole and large-width structure, the waterproofness will not be impaired.
A second aspect of the invention provides a waterproof structure for an electric wire drawout portion, wherein the upper and the lower welding member are partitioning plates formed on the upper cover portion and the cover portion; and the upper and the lower rubber-like elastic member are fitted between the partitioning plates.
According to the second aspect, the partitioning plates are welded to each other, whereby the cover portion and the upper cover portion are prevented from being deformed; and the upper and the lower rubber-like elastic member can be easily mounted by being fitted between the partitioning plates.
A third aspect of the invention provides a waterproof structure for an electric wire drawout portion, wherein in the upper and the lower rubber-like elastic member there are formed the accommodation grooves partitioned by the ribs; and the upper and the lower welding member are the projections exposed on the surfaces of the ribs.
According to the third aspect, the cover portion and the upper cover portion can be prevented from being deformed by mutual welding of the projections.
A fourth aspect of the invention provides a waterproof structure for an electric wire drawout portion, wherein the housing is the connector housing.
According to the fourth aspect of the invention, the electric wire drawout portion of the connector can effectively be waterproofed.
A fifth aspect of the invention provides a manufacturing method of manufacturing a waterproof structure for an electric wire drawout portion adapted to cover an electric wire drawn out from a housing of an electric wiring accessory by rubber-like elastic members to thereby waterproof the electric wire, the manufacturing method comprising the steps of causing the electric wire to be drawn out from the housing and thereafter setting this electric wire in an accommodation groove of a lower rubber-like elastic member provided on a cover portion on a front portion of the housing, setting an upper cover portion on the cover portion, thereby setting an upper rubber-like elastic member provided on the upper cover portion on the lower rubber-like elastic member, and setting an ultrasonic horn on the upper cover and applying a load on the upper cover portion while causing the ultrasonic horn to oscillate ultrasonic waves, thereby welding the cover portion and the upper cover portion to each other and welding to each other the lower an
Ito Naoki
Sakaguchi Tadahisa
Shinchi Akira
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Sells James
Yazaki -Corporation
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