JP5343885B2 - Waterproof terminal fittings and waterproof connectors - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a waterproof metal terminal fitting and a waterproof connector using the terminal fitting.

  Conventionally, what was described in patent document 1 is known as an example of the waterproof connector which aimed at individual waterproofing. This is a shape in which the terminal fitting is provided with a wire barrel and an insulation barrel behind the connecting portion connected to the mating terminal, and the wire barrel of the terminal fitting is crimped to the end of the core wire of the covered electric wire. At the same time, a rubber plug is fitted to the end of the insulation cover, and the insulation barrel of the terminal fitting is wound around the mounting tube portion provided on the front end side of the rubber plug and the end of the insulation cover. As the terminal fitting is inserted into the cavity provided in the connector housing, a rubber plug is fitted into the rear end portion of the cavity and sealed.

JP 2002-280108 A

  When inserting a terminal fitting with a rubber plug into the cavity of the connector housing as described above, for example, the electric wire drawn out behind the rubber plug is picked and the terminal fitting and then the rubber plug are pushed into the cavity. However, the rubber plug, in particular, receives a corresponding frictional resistance because the outer lip is pushed in while being crushed. Here, as described above, the rubber plug is connected to the terminal metal fitting by crimping and crimping the mounting tube portion provided on the front end side thereof with the insulation coating terminal with the insulation barrel. Depending on the difference in diameter (usually applied to a plurality of types of electric wires with different diameters in this type of terminal fitting and rubber plug) or depending on the crimping conditions, there is a risk that the caulking force, that is, the holding force will be insufficient. is there. Then, even if the electric wire is picked up and the terminal fitting is pushed in, the rubber stopper may come off relatively rearward from the crimping position of the insulation barrel and may not be pushed into the normal position.

In addition, after inserting the terminal fitting into the cavity, the wire is accidentally tilted so that the main body of the rubber stopper abuts against the lip of the inlet of the cavity and the terminal fitting is pushed in from this state. If the holding force by the insulation barrel is not sufficient, the rubber stopper may be detached from the pressure-bonding position of the insulation barrel.
The present invention has been completed based on the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to increase the holding force against the removal of the rubber stopper at the pressure bonding position of the insulation barrel.

The terminal fitting with waterproof function of the present invention is provided with a wire barrel and an insulation barrel behind the connecting portion connected to the mating terminal, and the terminal of the core wire in the electric wire is crimped to the wire barrel. A terminal fitting in which a rubber plug is fitted to the end of the insulating coating and the terminal fitting is crimped so that the insulation barrel is wound around the terminal provided with the rubber plug and the terminal of the insulating coating, The rubber plug is fitted into the rear end portion of the cavity to be sealed as the rubber plug is inserted into a cavity provided in the connector housing, and the rubber plug is attached to the insulation barrel. the parts and opposed inner surface, formed by cutting and bending the projections serving as locking surface that steep front end side, and the in- The barrel has a shape in which a barrel piece rises from a side edge of the bottom plate, and is caulked so that the bottom plate and the barrel piece are wound around the attachment portion of the rubber plug almost entirely. A plurality of protrusions are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction from the bottom plate to the barrel piece, and further, on the outer peripheral surface of the attachment portion of the rubber plug, It is characterized in that a locking groove into which the protrusion fits almost closely is formed along the circumferential direction .

Further, the waterproof connector of the present invention is provided with a terminal fitting provided with a wire barrel and an insulation barrel behind the connecting portion connected to the mating terminal, and the end of the core wire in the electric wire is crimped to the wire barrel. In addition, a rubber plug is fitted to the end of the insulation coating of the electric wire, and the insulation barrel is wound around the attachment portion provided on the rubber plug and the end of the insulation coating, and the terminal In the waterproof connector in which the rubber plug is fitted and sealed to the rear end portion of the cavity as the metal fitting is inserted into the cavity provided in the connector housing, the terminal metal fitting in the insulation barrel On the inner surface of the rubber plug facing the mounting portion, a protrusion serving as a locking surface with a raised front end is cut and raised. Ri is formed, and the insulation barrels of the terminal fitting is a shaped barrel pieces are rising formed from a side edge of the bottom plate, said bottom plate and said barrel piece to the mounting portion of the rubber plug Caulking and crimping is performed so as to wind around substantially the entire circumference, and a plurality of the protrusions are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction from the bottom plate to the barrel piece, and the rubber The stopper is characterized in that a locking groove is formed along the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the mounting portion of the stopper so that the protrusion fits tightly .

According to the above arrangement, when the insulation barrel of the terminal fitting is crimped so as to wrap around the mounting portion of the rubber plug, the locking surface of the projecting been a collision caused the front end on the inner surface of the insulation barrel is attached portion become caught against the outer peripheral portion, that the holding force is increased, the mounting portion, that the rubber plug is prevented from being disengaged from the terminal fitting backward. Therefore, when inserting the terminal fitting and rubber plug into the cavity, even if an insertion resistance occurs in the rubber plug, the rubber plug is also dragged as the terminal fitting is pushed into the proper position. It becomes possible to push in and a reliable seal can be taken. This is particularly effective when the rubber plug mounting portion is thick.

In addition, since a plurality of circumferentially spaced locations on the outer peripheral portion of the attachment portion of the rubber plug are locked by the protrusions, a holding force can be obtained with a good balance over the entire circumference of the attachment portion.

Further, the opposing surface of the locking groove formed in the mounting portion of the rubber plug is locked to the locking surface of the protrusion, thereby preventing the projection from coming off. Since the protrusion is only fitted in the locking groove, there is no possibility that the protrusion will tear the outer peripheral portion of the mounting portion even when a locking force is applied.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to increase the holding force against the removal of the rubber plug at the pressure-bonding position of the insulation barrel.

The perspective view of the female terminal which concerns on the reference example of this invention II-II sectional view of FIG. The III-III line expanded sectional view of FIG. Side view of rubber stopper Cross-sectional side view Top view of a state where a female terminal and a rubber plug are fixed to the end of an electric wire Perspective view Cross-sectional view of rubber plug fixing part Sectional drawing which shows operation | movement which inserts a female terminal and a rubber stopper into the cavity of a female housing Sectional drawing which shows the state in which the female terminal and the rubber plug were inserted in the cavity of a female housing The side view of the rubber stopper which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention Cross-sectional side view Cross-sectional view of rubber plug fixing part

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
< Reference example >
A reference example of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
In the present embodiment, a female terminal fitting 20 (hereinafter, female terminal 20) is connected to the end of the covered electric wire 10, and the female terminal 20 is inside the cavity 51 of the female connector housing 50 (hereinafter, female housing 50). A waterproof connector is illustrated in which the rear end of the cavity 51 is closed and sealed together with the rubber plug 30 together with the rubber plug.
As shown in FIG. 6, the covered electric wire 10 includes a core wire 11 formed of a stranded wire formed by twisting a plurality of metal wires made of copper alloy or the like, and the periphery of the core wire 11 is an insulating coating 12 made of a synthetic resin. It has a covered structure.

The female terminal 20 is formed by, for example, pressing a copper alloy plate material, and as shown in FIG. 1, as shown in FIG. A wire barrel 25 and an insulation barrel 26 are provided behind the portion 21.
An elastic contact piece 23 is provided inside the connecting portion 21 so as to be folded back from the front edge of the bottom plate 22, and the tab of the mating male terminal described above is inserted into the connecting portion 21 from the front, By elastically contacting the elastic contact piece 23, the male terminal and the female terminal 20 are electrically connected. A lance hole (not shown) is formed on the bottom surface of the connecting portion 21.

  The wire barrel 25 is an open barrel type, and is formed so that a pair of left and right wide barrel pieces 25A face each other from the left and right side edges of the bottom plate 25B having an arc shape. The wire barrel 25 is caulked and crimped to the end of the core wire 11 of the covered electric wire 10 described above, and both barrel pieces 25A hold the outer ends of the ends of the core wire 11 from both the left and right sides while abutting each protruding end. In other words, it can be caulked into a so-called heart shape. On the inner surface of the wire barrel 25, three serrations 27 extending in the direction orthogonal to the axial direction (front-rear direction) of the female terminal 20 are formed with a space in the front-rear direction.

The insulation barrel 26 is also of an open barrel type, and a pair of left and right barrel pieces 26A that are narrower and taller than the barrel piece 25A on the wire barrel 25 side are left and right side edges of an arc-shaped bottom plate 26B. Are formed so as to face each other. However, the bottom plate 26B on the side of the insulation barrel 26 is formed at a position that is slightly larger than the bottom plate 25B on the side of the wire barrel 25 and is lowered by one step.
On the other hand, a rubber plug 30 which will be described later is fitted to the end of the insulating coating 12 where the covered electric wire 10 is left, and the above-described insulation barrel 26 is attached to the terminal of the insulating coating 12 and the mounting cylinder portion 40 of the rubber plug 30. It is caulked and crimped over. The insulation barrel 26 is caulked so that both barrel pieces 26A abut each projecting end and wrap around almost the entire outer peripheral surface of the mounting cylinder portion 40 including the bottom plate 26B. Yes.

The rubber plug 30 is made of oil-impregnated silicon or the like and is formed in a cylindrical shape that is long in the front-rear direction as a whole, as shown in FIGS. The insulating coating 12 of the covered electric wire 10 is inserted into the inner peripheral side of the rubber plug 30, that is, the center hole 31.
The rubber plug 30 has a main region 32 having a large diameter (thick wall) in the length region of about 2/3 on the rear side, and the remaining length region on the front side has the female terminal 20 as described above. This is an attachment tube portion 40 to which the insulation barrel 26 is caulked. A retaining flange 41 is formed at the front end edge of the mounting cylinder portion 40.

The outer lip 34 that elastically adheres to the inner peripheral surface of the cavity 51 formed in the female housing 50 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the main body portion 32 of the rubber plug 30, specifically, the outer peripheral surface of the front half portion of the main body portion 32. Is protruding. The outer lip 34 has a mountain shape in cross section and is formed in an annular shape over the entire circumference, and is formed in two strips at intervals in the front and rear direction.
The central hole 31 of the rubber plug 30 has a diameter through which the insulating coating 12 of the covered electric wire 10 is inserted almost tightly in the mounting cylinder portion 40, and has a smaller diameter in the latter half portion of the main body portion 32, and between them. In the position, two inner lips 35 shown in the figure are formed at intervals in the front-rear direction.

As shown in FIG. 9, the female housing 50 is formed with a cavity 51 in which the female terminal 20 connected to the terminal of the covered electric wire 10 can be inserted from the rear. The front wall 52 of the cavity 51 has a terminal insertion port 53 into which a tab of a mating male terminal is inserted, and a lance 54 that can be elastically displaced is provided on the front bottom wall.
In addition, a seal portion 55 having a circular cross section is formed on the rear side of the cavity 51 over a region that is a little less than half the entire length. Specifically, the seal portion 55 is configured by an equal-diameter portion 56 having an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the outer lip 34 of the rubber plug 30 by a predetermined dimension. In addition, a guide portion 57 for guiding that tapers toward the opening edge is formed at the rear end of the seal portion 55 in a form connected to the equal-diameter portion 56.

  A projection 60 is formed on the insulation barrel 26 of the female terminal 20 to increase the holding force against the removal of the rubber plug 30. The protrusions 60 are formed by cutting and raising to the inner surface side at the five most convenient locations of the deepest and both side edges of the bottom plate 26B constituting the insulation barrel 26 and the tip portions of both barrel pieces 26A. As shown in FIG. 6, the protrusion 60 is a triangle having a front edge as a base and a vertex at the rear edge as shown in FIG. 6, and the side view is an approximately mountain shape having a vertex at the front edge as shown in FIG. 3. It is formed in a triangular pyramid shape, and the front surface of each projection 60 is a locking surface 61 that stands substantially vertically.

The operation of this reference example will be described.
The female terminal 20 and the rubber plug 30 are crimped to the end of the covered electric wire 10. For this purpose, the rubber plug 30 is passed through the end of the covered electric wire 10, and the end of the insulating coating 12 of the covered electric wire 10 is peeled in a state where the rubber plug 30 is once retracted to the rear, and the end of the core wire 11 is peeled off. It is exposed for a predetermined length. After that, the rubber plug 30 is moved forward so that the fitting tube portion 40 is fitted to the outer periphery of the end of the insulating coating 12.

  From this state, the crimping operation is performed using the crimping device. Specifically, the crimping device is provided with an anvil and a crimper, and the exposed end of the core wire 11 is connected to the wire barrel 25 of the female terminal 20. The insulation barrel 26 is set with the remaining end of the insulation coating 12 and the mounting cylinder portion 40 of the rubber plug 30 fitted therein being arranged. It is squeezed between crimpers and crimped. As a result, the female terminal 20 is fixed to the end of the covered electric wire 10 together with the rubber plug 30 by pressure bonding.

  Here, the insulation barrel 26 is caulked so as to wrap around almost the entire circumference of the outer peripheral surface of the mounting tube portion 40 of the rubber plug 30, and at this time, as shown in FIG. 8, the insulation barrel 26 projects against the inner surface of the insulation barrel 26. The five projections 60 that are provided bite into the outer peripheral portion of the mounting cylinder portion 40. In short, over the entire circumference of the outer peripheral portion of the mounting cylinder portion 40, the five protrusions 60 are in a state of being bitten with an appropriate angular interval.

  When the female terminal 20 and the rubber plug 30 are fixed to the end of the covered electric wire 10 as described above, the covered electric wire 10 drawn out behind the rubber plug 30 is picked, and the female terminal as shown by the arrow in FIG. 20 followed by a rubber plug 30 is inserted into the corresponding cavity 51 of the female housing 50 from the rear. Here, the rubber plug 30 is pressed while being slidably contacted on the inner peripheral surface of the seal portion 55 of the cavity 51 by crushing the outer lip 34. As shown by the arrow X in FIG. 8, a force is generated in which the portion 40 tries to escape backward from the pressure-bonded insulation barrel 26. In addition, when the pushing operation is performed in a state where the outer peripheral portion of the front edge of the main body portion 32 of the rubber plug 30 abuts against the mouth edge of the entrance of the cavity 51, the rubber plug 30 similarly tries to come out backward.

  However, as described above, the five projections 60 projecting from the inner surface of the insulation barrel 26 bite into the outer peripheral portion of the mounting tube portion 40 of the rubber plug 30, so that the locking surface 61 at the front end of the projection 60. Becomes a hook with respect to the mounting cylinder part 40, and the attachment cylinder part 40 is prevented from coming out rearward. Therefore, as the female terminal 20 is further pushed, the rubber plug 30 is also pushed so as to be integrally dragged, and the female terminal 20 is pushed to a normal position in the cavity 51 as shown in FIG. At the position where the rubber plug 30 is prevented from being detached, both the outer lips 34 are also fitted and advanced to the normal position where they enter the equal-diameter portion 56 in the seal portion 55 of the cavity 51. As a result, the seal on the inlet side of the cavity 51 is surely taken.

As described above, according to this reference example , the projection 60 having the locking surface 61 on the front side is provided on the inner surface of the insulation barrel 26, so that the insulation barrel 26 is attached to the mounting tube portion 40 of the rubber plug 30. The protrusion 60 bites into the outer peripheral portion of the mounting tube portion 40 when it is crimped onto the mounting tube portion 40, thereby causing a hook when the mounting tube portion 40 tries to come out rearward. Therefore, the mounting tube portion 40, that is, the rubber plug 30 is female. The holding force against the rearward release from the terminal 20 is increased. As a result, when the female terminal 20 is inserted to the regular position in the cavity 51, the rubber plug 30 can be fitted into the regular position, and the cavity 51 can be securely sealed.
Further, since will be locked in projections 60 5 locations spaced circumferentially on the outer peripheral portion of the mounting cylinder portion 40 of the rubber plug 30, the balance over the entire circumference of the mounting cylinder portion 40 may hold You can gain power.

< Embodiment >
An embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG. 11 through 13.
In the present type condition, and changes are made to the shape of the rubber stopper 30A side, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the outer peripheral surface of the mounting cylinder portion 40A of the rubber stopper 30A, the inner surface of the insulation barrel 26 A locking groove 65 into which the protrusion 60 provided on the inner surface fits closely is formed as a recess over the entire circumference. Specifically, the cross-sectional shape of the locking groove 65 follows the shape of the side surface of the protrusion 60 to form a substantially triangular cross-section with the front edge being the deepest part, and the groove surface on the front side is the locked surface 66. Yes.
About another structure, it is the same as that of the said reference example , Comprising: The duplicate description is abbreviate | omitted by attaching | subjecting the same code | symbol about the member and site | part which have the same function.

As shown in FIG. 13, when the insulation barrel 26 of the female terminal 20 is caulked around the entire circumference of the mounting tube portion 40A of the rubber plug 30A of the present embodiment, the inner surface of the insulation barrel 26 is obtained. The five protrusions 60 projecting from each other are almost tightly fitted in the locking groove 65.
Here, when a force is generated on the mounting tube portion 40A of the rubber plug 30A so as to pull backward from the insulation barrel 26, the locking groove is formed on the locking surface 61 of the protrusion 60 of the insulation barrel 26. The locked surface 66 of 65 is locked and becomes hooked. Therefore, the holding force against the attachment cylinder portion 40A, that is, the rubber plug 30A, coming back from the female terminal 20 is increased.
In particular, since the protrusion 60 is only fitted in the locking groove 65, even when the mounting cylinder part 40 is relatively thin, the protrusion 60 cuts the outer peripheral part of the mounting cylinder part 40A when the locking force is applied. It is avoided.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the above description and drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.
(1) As a form of the insulation barrel, only one barrel piece may be provided, and a plurality of barrel pieces may be arranged shifted in the axial direction of the female terminal.
(2) The number of projections provided on the insulation barrel is arbitrary, and the number assigned to the bottom plate side and the barrel one side is also arbitrary.
(3) The shape of the protrusion can also be changed as appropriate as long as a locking surface is formed on the front end side.
(4) The present invention can be similarly applied to the case where a rubber plug is crimped to the male terminal together with the end of the electric wire.

10 ... covered wire (electric wire)
11 ... core wire 12 ... insulation coating 20 ... female terminal (terminal fitting)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 21 ... Connection part 25 ... Wire barrel 26 ... Insulation barrel 26A ... Barrel piece 26B ... Bottom plate 30, 30A ... Rubber plug 40, 40A ... Installation cylinder part (attachment part)
50. Female housing (connector housing)
51 ... Cavity 55 ... Sealing part 60 ... Projection 61 ... Locking surface 65 ... Locking groove 66 ... Locked surface

Claims (2)

A wire barrel and an insulation barrel are provided behind the connection portion connected to the mating terminal, and the end of the core wire in the electric wire is crimped to the wire barrel, and a rubber plug is fitted to the end of the insulation coating in the electric wire. A terminal fitting that is crimped so that the insulation barrel is wound around the mounting portion provided on the rubber plug and the end of the insulation coating, and the terminal fitting is placed in a cavity provided in the connector housing. As the rubber plug is fitted and sealed to the rear end of the cavity as it is inserted,
On the inner surface of the insulation barrel facing the mounting portion of the rubber plug, a protrusion serving as a locking surface with the front end side standing is formed by cutting and raising ,
The insulation barrel has a shape in which a barrel piece rises from a side edge of the bottom plate, and the bottom plate and the barrel piece are wound around the attachment portion of the rubber plug over substantially the entire circumference. The plurality of protrusions are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction from the bottom plate to the barrel piece.
Furthermore, the waterproof metal terminal fitting is characterized in that a locking groove into which the protrusion fits closely is formed along the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the mounting portion of the rubber plug . A terminal fitting provided with a wire barrel and an insulation barrel is provided behind the connecting portion connected to the mating terminal, and the end of the core wire in the electric wire is crimped to the wire barrel, and the end of the insulation coating in the electric wire A cavity in which a rubber plug is fitted and attached to a mounting portion provided on the rubber plug and an insulation-coated end so that the insulation barrel is wound around, and the terminal fitting is provided in a connector housing. In the waterproof connector in which the rubber plug is fitted and sealed to the rear end of the cavity as it is inserted into the inside,
On the inner surface of the terminal metal fitting that faces the mounting portion of the rubber plug in the insulation barrel, a protrusion is formed by cutting and raising the front end side .
The insulation barrel of the terminal fitting has a shape in which a barrel piece rises from a side edge of the bottom plate, and the bottom plate and the barrel piece are substantially all around the mounting portion of the rubber plug. It is designed to be crimped so as to be wound over, and a plurality of the protrusions are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction from the bottom plate to the barrel piece,
Further, the waterproof connector is characterized in that a locking groove into which the protrusion fits closely is formed along the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the mounting portion of the rubber plug .

Images