JP2013232332A - Waterproof plug for connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a waterproof plug for waterproofing between the connector housing in a connector and a wire, having a disconnection prevention function in addition to a waterproof function.SOLUTION: In a waterproof plug 11 for connector inserted into the terminal insertion hole 32 of a connector housing 31 being fitted over a wire 21 and waterproofing between the terminal insertion hole 32 and the wire 21, a flexible cushioning part 13 harder than a waterproof part 12 and covering the wire 21 by projecting from the terminal insertion hole 32 is formed at one end of the waterproof part 12 being housed in the insertion hole 32. Since there is no need to take a disconnection measure, the connector can be simplified.

Description

  The present invention relates to a waterproof plug for a connector that prevents water from entering through a gap between the connectors, and more particularly to a waterproof plug for a connector that has a disconnection preventing function in addition to a waterproof function.

  There exists a thing disclosed by the following patent document 1 as a waterproof stopper for connectors. This waterproof plug for a connector is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, the inner hole is a wire insertion hole for inserting an electric wire, and the outer peripheral surface is a portion that is closely inserted into the terminal insertion hole of the connector housing. The whole is made of rubber.

  In order to attach an electric wire to the connector housing using this waterproof plug for connector, first, the electric wire is inserted into the electric wire insertion hole of the waterproof plug for connector, and the tip end side of the electric wire is projected. Next, the covering of the protruding end of the electric wire is peeled off, and the terminal fitting is fixed to the conductor of the electric wire. Thus, the electric wire provided with the terminal fitting and the connector waterproof plug is inserted into the terminal insertion hole of the connector housing and held.

  According to the waterproof plug for connectors having such a configuration, the waterproof plug for connectors made of rubber seals between the terminal insertion hole and the electric wire, so that waterproofness can be obtained.

  However, especially when used for a connector used in an automobile wire harness, the connector housing side of the electric wire is restrained to the connector housing using tape, or is fixed to a nearby peripheral part or vehicle body using a clamp. It was done. This is because if such measures are not taken separately, there is a risk of disconnection due to vibration by the engine or the wiring work.

  For this reason, there existed a problem that many assembly man-hours, material was needed, and cost increased. Moreover, even if measures are taken, the work is not easy because the miniaturization of wire harnesses for automobiles is progressing.

JP 2007-207533 A

  Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to enable not only waterproofing but also disconnection prevention.

  Means for this purpose is a waterproof plug for a connector that is inserted into the terminal insertion hole of the connector housing in a state of being inserted into the electric wire and waterproofs between the terminal insertion hole and the electric wire, and is one end of the waterproof part that fits in the insertion hole. In addition, the waterproof plug for a connector is provided with a buffer portion that protrudes from the terminal insertion hole and covers the electric wire, and has a higher hardness and flexibility than the waterproof portion.

  In this configuration, the waterproof portion provides waterproofing between the electric wire and the terminal insertion hole, and the buffer portion provided in the waterproof portion holds the connector housing side portion of the electric wire flexibly and flexibly. It absorbs vibrations caused by connector housings and electric wires, shocks caused by unexpected movements, etc., and mitigates movements that cause disconnection.

  As an aspect of the present invention, a waterproof plug for a connector in which the buffer portion and the waterproof portion are integrated can be provided.

  With this configuration, when assembling the connector, the work of assembling the buffer portion and the waterproof portion is unnecessary.

  As an aspect of the present invention, the shock-absorbing portion is formed by providing the buffer portion with a reinforcing portion made of a synthetic resin whose hardness is higher than that of the rubber on the main body portion made of the same rubber as that constituting the waterproof portion. It can be a stopper.

  In this configuration, flexibility can be set depending on the properties and arrangement of the reinforcing portion.

  Another means for solving the present invention is a connector provided with the waterproof plug for the connector.

  According to the present invention, the waterproof portion can be waterproofed, and the wire can be prevented from being disconnected by the buffer portion provided in the waterproof portion. For this reason, since it is possible to prevent disconnection without taking a separate measure for preventing disconnection, it is possible to reduce assembly man-hours and costs. The connector structure can be simplified.

The partial expansion perspective view of a connector structure. The perspective view of the waterproof plug for connectors. The side view and sectional drawing of the waterproof plug for connectors. The front view which shows the use condition of the waterproof plug for connectors. The perspective view of the waterproof plug for connectors concerning other examples. Sectional drawing of the waterproof plug for connectors which concerns on another example. The one-side sectional view and disassembled sectional view of the waterproof plug for connectors concerning other examples.

An embodiment for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a usage state of a waterproof plug 11 for connectors (hereinafter referred to as “waterproof plug”). .

  The waterproof plug 11 is inserted into the terminal insertion hole 32 of the connector housing 31 in a state of being inserted into the electric wire 21, and waterproofs between the terminal insertion hole 32 and the electric wire 21.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the waterproof plug 11. The waterproof plug 11 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape as a whole, and one side in the longitudinal direction of the waterproof plug 11 fits in the terminal insertion hole 32 of the connector housing 31. In the portion 12, the other side in the longitudinal direction is the buffer portion 13 that protrudes from the terminal insertion hole 32 to cover the electric wire 21 and has higher hardness and flexibility than the waterproof portion 12. The waterproof part 12 and the buffer part 13 are integrally formed of rubber as shown in FIG. 3A is a front view and FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view.

  The space in the waterproof plug 11 is an electric wire insertion hole 14 for inserting one electric wire. That is, the electric wire insertion hole 14 includes a portion 14a on the waterproof portion 12 side and a portion 14b on the buffer portion 13 side.

  The wire insertion hole 14a of the waterproof part 12 is formed to have a size that stops water between the wire 21 and the wire insertion hole 32a (see FIG. 1) of the connector housing 31. Similarly, the outer peripheral surface is formed in such a size as to stop water between the terminal insertion holes 32 while being inserted into the terminal insertion holes 32 of the connector housing 31. Specifically, a plurality of water-stop ring portions 15 projecting outward from the outer peripheral side are disposed with a gap in the longitudinal direction.

  Among these water stop ring portions 15, the gap between the two water stop ring portions 15 on the insertion tip side is set to a width that can fix the insulation barrel 42 of the terminal fitting 41 as shown in FIG. 4. , Terminal fitting fixing portion 16.

  The waterproof part 12 is entirely made of a flexible rubber that can stop water.

  On the other hand, the buffer portion 13 includes a main body portion 17 made of the same rubber as the rubber constituting the waterproof portion 12, and a reinforcing portion 18 made of a synthetic resin that is integral with the main body portion 17 and has higher hardness than the rubber. Have

  The main body portion 17 is substantially the whole including the wire insertion hole 14 b, and the reinforcing portion 18 is provided on a part of the outer peripheral surface side of the main body portion 17.

  The electric wire insertion hole 14b is formed in a size that allows the electric wire 21 to be inserted therein, and the outer peripheral surface is formed in the same size as the outer peripheral surface of the waterproof portion 12. The reinforcing portion 18 having a linear shape with an appropriate thickness is embedded in the outer peripheral surface.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4, the reinforcing portion 18 is provided on the main body portion 17 so as to draw a spiral with a gap in the longitudinal direction. The thickness, width, and cross-sectional shape of the reinforcing portion 18 are more than the case where the buffer portion 13 is configured only by the main body portion 17 depending on conditions such as the properties of the rubber of the main body portion 17 and the properties of the synthetic resin constituting the reinforcing portion 18. Is appropriately set so that the hardness can be increased and flexibility can be imparted.

  Such a waterproof part 12 and the buffer part 13 are obtained by retrofitting the reinforcement part 18 of the buffer part 13 or integrally molding it.

  The length of the buffer portion 13 is appropriately set according to conditions such as the flexibility of the buffer portion.

  As described above, the reinforcing portion 18 is provided in a spiral shape. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the annular portions 18a provided on both sides in the longitudinal direction are connected by a plurality of linear portions 18b extending in the longitudinal direction. It can be provided in various ways depending on the desired flexibility conditions such as shape.

The waterproof plug 11 configured as described above is used as follows.
First, as shown by the phantom line in FIG. 3B, the tip of the electric wire 21 is inserted into the electric wire insertion hole 14 of the waterproof plug 11 from the end on the buffer portion 13 side. Next, the distal end portion of the inserted electric wire 21 is protruded from the end of the waterproof plug 11 on the waterproof portion 12 side, and the coating 22 is peeled off to expose the conductor 23. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the wire barrel 43 of the terminal fitting 41 is caulked and fixed to the conductor 23. Similarly, the insulation barrel 42 is caulked to the terminal fitting fixing portion 16 of the waterproof plug 11 and fixed up to the electric wire 21 integrally.

  Finally, a terminal fitting 41 in which the waterproof plug 11 and the electric wire 21 are integrated is inserted into the terminal insertion hole 32 of the connector housing 31 and held.

  In the connector 10 assembled in this way (see FIG. 1), the waterproof portion 12 of the waterproof plug 11 performs waterproofing between the electric wire 21 and the terminal insertion hole 32 and prevents water from entering.

  On the other hand, the buffer portion 13 of the waterproof plug 11 covers a portion of the electric wire 21 on the connector housing 31 side, and when the connector housing 31 and the electric wire 21 are moved by vibration, wiring work, or the like, an impact or the like is caused by the movement. Absorb. Specifically, when relative movement occurs between the terminal fitting 41 and the electric wire 21, the buffer portion 13 covering the portion of the electric wire 21 on the terminal fitting 41 side is appropriately set according to the movement by the external force. When the load is no longer bent or deformed, the buffer 13 is deformed so that it returns to its original state. Therefore, the shock absorber 13 absorbs an impact and prevents a large distortion. In particular, since the reinforcing portion 18 of the buffer portion 13 is provided in a spiral shape as described above, the buffer performance is high.

  In addition, since the buffer portion 13 is configured to be provided in a state where the reinforcing portion 18 made of a synthetic resin having a hardness higher than that of rubber is wound in a spiral shape with a gap, the buffer portion 13 extends in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the electric wire 21. It is easy to bend with respect to the external force, and better buffer performance is obtained.

  For this reason, it can suppress that a load is applied to the electric wire 21 and the terminal metal fitting 41, and can prevent disconnection from occurring.

  In addition, when the strain is absorbed by the buffer 13 as described above, the main body 17 of the buffer 13 is made of the same rubber as the rubber of the waterproof part 12, so that the strain applied to the buffer 13 is reduced. It is possible to block without transmitting to the waterproof part 12. For this reason, even if the buffer part 13 is integrated with the waterproof part 12, it is possible to avoid a situation that hinders the performance of the waterproof part 12, and to achieve both a desired waterproof function and a disconnection preventing function. .

  Since the assembly work does not require work for preventing disconnection, the assembly can be simplified and the cost can be reduced because the materials and man-hours can be reduced.

  Moreover, since the waterproof part 12 and the buffer part 13 are integrated, the assembling work does not require the work of assembling them, and the workability is good and the number of parts can be reduced, so that the handling property is also good. The configuration of the connector 10 is also simple.

  Furthermore, since the buffer portion 13 is configured by integrating the reinforcing portion 18 with the main body portion 17 made of the same rubber as the waterproof portion 12, desired flexibility can be obtained depending on the material and the way of providing the reinforcing portion 18. For this reason, since the desired flexibility can be obtained while ensuring the performance of the waterproof part 12, the best disconnection preventing function can be obtained without impairing the waterproof function.

  In addition, since the buffer portion 13 is provided with flexibility by providing the reinforcing portion 18, for example, compared with a case where the buffer portion 13 has desired flexibility by forming ribs that project the buffer portion outward. Therefore, it is possible to make the form compact and contribute to miniaturization.

  Hereinafter, other examples will be described. In this description, parts that are the same as or equivalent to those in the above-described configuration are given the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof are omitted.

  FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the waterproof plug 11. As shown in FIG. 6, the diameter of the buffer portion side portion 14b of the wire insertion hole 14 may be larger than the diameter of the waterproof portion side portion 14a. it can. An inclined surface 14c that narrows in the insertion direction is formed between the buffer portion side portion 14b and the waterproof portion side portion 14a of the electric wire insertion hole 14.

  The waterproof plug 11 having such a configuration has an effect that the electric wire 21 can be easily inserted into the electric wire insertion hole 14 in addition to the operational effect as described above.

  As for the waterproof plug 11 shown in FIG. 7, the waterproof part 12 and the buffer part 13 are comprised by the separate member. The waterproof part 12 is formed of rubber having a sealing property, and the buffer part 13 is formed of a synthetic resin having higher hardness and flexibility than the waterproof part 12. FIG. 7A is a half sectional view, and FIG. 7B is a sectional view in an exploded state.

  Specifically, a concave groove 12a is formed on the inner periphery of the end portion of the waterproof portion 12 on the buffer portion 13 side over the entire periphery. On the other hand, on the outer periphery of the end portion of the buffer portion 13 on the waterproof portion 12 side, a protrusion 13a into which the concave groove 12a of the waterproof portion 12 is fitted is formed over the entire periphery.

  In the waterproof plug 11 having such a configuration, as shown by a virtual line in FIG. 7B, first, the electric wire 21 is inserted into the electric wire insertion hole 14 b of the buffer portion 13, and the electric wire 21 drawn out from the tip of the buffer portion 13. Is inserted into the electric wire insertion hole 14a of the waterproof part 12.

  Next, the groove 12a of the waterproof part 12 is fitted to the protrusion 13a of the buffer part 13 on the electric wire 21, so that the waterproof part 12 and the buffer part 13 are integrated.

  Thereafter, the terminal fitting 41 is connected and held in the connector housing 31 in the same manner as described above.

  The waterproof plug 11 having such a configuration has the same effects as described above. In addition, since the length of the portion into which the electric wire 21 is inserted can be short, there is an effect that the operation is easy. In addition, since the buffer portion 13 and the waterproof portion 12 can be integrated on the electric wire 21, the work is also easy in this respect.

The above configuration is one configuration for carrying out the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described configuration, and the configuration can be adopted.
For example, the waterproof part and the buffer part may be integrally formed of two types of rubbers having different hardnesses.

  The buffer portion may change flexibility in the longitudinal direction.

  The buffer portion may have a shape other than a cylindrical shape.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Connector 11 ... Waterproof plug for connectors 12 ... Waterproof part 13 ... Buffer part 17 ... Main part 18 ... Reinforcement part 21 ... Electric wire 31 ... Connector housing 32 ... Terminal insertion hole

Claims (4)

A waterproof plug for a connector that is inserted into a terminal insertion hole of a connector housing in a state of being inserted into an electric wire, and waterproofs between the terminal insertion hole and the electric wire,
A waterproof plug for a connector, wherein one end of a waterproof part that fits in the insertion hole protrudes from the terminal insertion hole to cover the electric wire, and a buffer part having a higher hardness and flexibility than the waterproof part is formed. The waterproof plug for a connector according to claim 1, wherein the buffer portion and the waterproof portion are integrated. The said buffer part is provided in the main-body part which consists of the same rubber | gum as the rubber which comprises the said waterproof part with the reinforcement part which consists of synthetic resins whose hardness is higher than the said rubber | gum. Waterproof plug for connectors. The connector provided with the waterproof plug for connectors as described in any one of Claims 1-3.

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