JPH1167351A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow connector housings to be fitted with or removed from each other without the use of tools. SOLUTION: In a connector housing 20 on a waterproofed side, a bolt 31 provided with a manually operable lever (operating portion) 34 freely supports only the rotation through a fitting hole 26 of a grommet 23. When the bolt 31 is rotated by engaging a male screw 33 of the bolt 31 into a female screw 15 of a connector housing 10 on a standby side, both the connector housings 10, 20 are fitted with each other. Both the connector housings 10, 20 can be fitted to or removed from each other by manually rotating the lever 34, thereby tools are dispensed with.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector mounted on a panel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A connector mounted on a door panel of an automobile has the following configuration. A standby connector housing is attached to the mounting hole of the panel, and a nut is fixed to the standby connector housing. A grommet capable of sealing the opening edge of the mounting hole is attached to the waterproof side connector housing fitted to the standby side connector housing, and when the two connector housings are fitted together, the mounting hole becomes waterproof with the grommet. Become.

[0003] Bolts are used as means for fitting the two connectors together. That is, a nut is inserted into the standby-side connector housing, and a bolt that supports the grommet in a watertight state is supported in the waterproof-side connector housing. The two connector housings can be reliably brought into the proper fitting state against the resistance, particularly the large fitting resistance in the case of multi-pole.

[0004]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]
The loosening operation is performed by using a tool such as a torque wrench and fitting the tool to the hexagonal head of the bolt. For this reason, there is a disadvantage that the operation cannot be performed if the tool is not close at hand, and that the operation of selecting the tool according to the dimensions of the hexagonal head or fitting the tool to the hexagonal head is troublesome. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to enable a connector housing to be fitted and detached without using a tool.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a standby connector housing to be mounted in a mounting hole of a panel and a grommet capable of sealing an opening edge of the mounting hole are mounted on an outer surface. A connector adapted to be fitted with a waterproof-side connector housing, wherein the waterproof-side connector housing has an operating portion arranged outside the grommet and capable of manual rotation operation, and a fitting of the grommet. A bolt having a shaft portion that penetrates the through hole in a water-tight state and a male screw portion disposed inside the grommet enables only rotation with its axis being parallel to the fitting direction of the two connector housings. The standby-side connector housing is provided with a female screw portion capable of screwing the male screw portion, and the male screw portion and the female screw portion are engaged with each other to form the operating portion. The two connector housings is configured to be connecting and separating by rotation operation.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the operating portion has a use state in which the operating portion projects radially from the shaft portion, and a storage state in which the operation portion is housed in a housing hole formed in the shaft portion. It is characterized by being constituted by a lever capable of being displaced between the levers.

[0007]

Actions and effects of the present invention

<Invention of Claim 1> The fitting and disengagement of the standby-side connector housing and the waterproof-side connector housing can be performed by manually rotating the operating portion of the bolt, so that a tool is not required.

<Invention of Claim 2> When performing a fitting / removing operation, if the lever is pulled out from the accommodation hole to be in a use state in which the lever is projected in the radial direction, a rotational force is applied to the lever.
It can be easily operated with a small operating force. When the lever is not operated, if the lever is stored in the accommodation hole, the lever does not need to be in the way.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

<First Embodiment> Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The connector according to the present embodiment includes a standby-side connector housing 10 that can be fitted with each other.
And a waterproof connector housing 20. The standby-side connector housing 10 accommodates a plurality of male terminal fittings (not shown) in a housing main body 11, and connects tabs (not shown) of the male terminal fittings to a hood section 12.
The mounting flange 13 is formed on the outer periphery of the hood portion 12. The standby-side connector housing 10 has the front end (upper end) of the hood portion 12 approximately tightly fitted into the mounting hole H of the panel P from below, and the mounting flange 13 is in contact with the opening edge of the mounting hole H. It is fixed to the panel P in advance by locking means (not shown).

In the mounted state, the hood portion 12 opens largely upward along the opening edge of the mounting hole H.
In the hood portion 12, a fitting tube portion 14 protruding upward from the housing body 11 is waiting. On the inner periphery of the fitting tube portion 14, a female screw portion 15 is formed in a region slightly above the center in the upper and lower axial directions. A spring receiving portion 16 having a stepped diameter is formed on the inner periphery of the upper end of the fitting tube portion 14.

When the two connector housings 10 and 20 are fitted together, the housing body of the waterproof connector housing 20 is fitted into the hood portion 12 and the bolt 31 of the waterproof connector housing 20 is inserted into the fitting tube portion 14. It is supposed to be. Waterproof connector housing 20
A female terminal fitting (not shown) is housed in a housing body 21, and a resin wire cover 22 is attached so as to cover the upper surface of the housing body 21. The grommet 23 is attached, and a grommet cover 24 made of resin is further attached so as to cover the grommet 23. An electric wire insertion hole (not shown) is formed in the electric wire cover 22, and an electric wire guiding portion 25 is formed in the grommet 23 to extend outward from a position matching the electric wire insertion hole in a cylindrical shape. 24 has an electric wire through hole (not shown) for penetrating the electric wire guiding portion 25. An electric wire (not shown) extending from the upper surface of the waterproof connector housing 20 is inserted into the electric wire guiding portion 25.

The fitting tube portion 14 in the grommet 23
A circular fitting hole 26 is formed at a position corresponding to. Although not shown, a lip portion for sealing is formed on the inner periphery of the fitting hole 26. Further, bolt through holes 27 and 28 are formed in the electric wire cover 22 and the grommet cover 24 so as to be aligned with the fitting holes 26, respectively. Wire cover 2
In the second bolt through hole 27, a relief portion 29 is formed by increasing the diameter of the opening edge on the upper surface side (the side corresponding to the fitting hole 26) in a stepped manner. The lower part is a stopper 30.

Further, a seal portion 23A projecting obliquely downward and outward is formed on the entire periphery of the grommet 23. When the waterproof connector housing 20 is fitted to the standby connector housing 10, the seal portion 23 </ b> A is elastically deformed and adheres to the opening edge of the mounting hole H on the upper surface of the panel P. . A bolt 31 for fitting and disengaging the connector housings 10, 20 is attached to the waterproof connector housing 20. The bolt 31 is a shaft section 3 having a circular cross section.
2 and a male screw 33 formed at the lower end of the shaft 32
, A lever (an operation part which is a constituent element of the present invention) 34 which is a separate component from the shaft portion 32, and a return spring 35 which is also a separate component from the shaft portion 32.

The upper end of the shaft portion 32 is an enlarged diameter portion 36. The enlarged diameter portion 36
Fitting hole 26 of grommet 23 and grommet cover 24
Through the bolt through hole 28. Since the outer diameter of the enlarged diameter portion 36 is set slightly larger than the inner diameter of the lip portion of the fitting hole 26, the lip portion is elastically deformed while the enlarged diameter portion 3 is formed.
6, and the space between the fitting hole 26 and the enlarged diameter portion 36 is in a watertight state. A flange portion 37 is formed in the enlarged diameter portion 36, and the flange portion 37 serves as a relief portion 2 for the wire cover 22.
9, the stopper 30 and the fitting hole 2
6 is vertically sandwiched between the opening edge portion 6. With such a structure, the bolt 31 is restricted from floating in the vertical direction with respect to the waterproof connector housing 20, and is supported in a state where rotation about the axis is allowed.

The return spring 35 is composed of a compression coil spring.
The shaft portion 32 is loosely fitted to a region below the enlarged diameter portion 36. The upper end of the return spring 35 is locked to the lower end of the enlarged diameter portion 36 by locking means (not shown). On the other hand, the lower end of the return spring 35 is in a free state in which the lower end of the return spring 35 is allowed to move vertically with respect to the shaft 32. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the shaft portion 32 is formed with an elongated accommodation hole 38 that is concentric with the axis thereof and penetrates vertically. A pair of guide grooves 3 extending in the up-down direction is formed on the inner periphery of the accommodation hole 38.
9 are formed. The lower end of the guide groove 39 is provided with the accommodation hole 38.
, The lower end of the bolt 31 is open, but the upper end is a dead end at a position slightly lower than the upper end of the accommodation hole 38. A relief recess 40 is formed at the upper end of the accommodation hole 38 and opens to the outer peripheral surface and the upper end surface of the enlarged diameter portion 36. The upper end of the guide groove 39 is opened at the inner surface of the relief recess 40. ing.

A rubber stopper 41 is provided at the lower end of the accommodation hole 38.
Are fitted. The rubber stopper 41 has a circular shape as a whole, and a pair of ridges 42 corresponding to the guide grooves 39 are formed on the outer periphery. Therefore, this rubber stopper 4
The space between 1 and the accommodation hole 38 is watertight. The lever 34 has an elongated rod shape, and its outer diameter is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the accommodation hole 38. The total length of the lever 34 is
The length of the receiving hole 38 is equal to or slightly shorter than the length of the region where the rubber stopper 41 is not fitted.
A pair of retaining pins 43 is provided at one end of the lever 34.
Has been formed.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described.
The bolt 31 is assembled as follows. That is, before attaching the rubber stopper 41, the lever 34 is inserted into the receiving hole 38 from below with the retaining pin 43 facing downward, and the retaining pin 43 is fitted into the guide groove 39, and thereafter,
Assembling is performed by fitting the rubber stopper 41 into the lower end of the housing hole 38. In this state, the rubber stopper 41 prevents the lever 34 from falling out of the housing hole 38 downward. Further, pulling out the lever 34 upward from the accommodation hole 38 is restricted by locking the retaining pin 43 to a dead end at the upper end of the guide groove 39. Thus, the lever 34 is assembled to the bolt 31 so as not to be detached.

The bolt 31 is attached to the waterproof connector housing 20 as follows. That is, after the wire cover 22 is attached to the housing body 21, the bolt 31 is inserted into the bolt through hole 27 from above, the flange portion 37 is accommodated in the escape portion 29, and the stopper 30 is inserted.
After that, the grommet 23 and the grommet cover 24 are sequentially fitted, and the flange 37 of the bolt 31 is sandwiched between the hole edge of the fitting hole 26 of the grommet 23 and the stopper 30. As described above, the bolt 31
Are integrated with the waterproof connector housing 20.

When the waterproof connector housing 20 is fitted to the standby connector housing 10, the lever 3
4 is pulled out from the accommodation hole 38, the retaining pin 43 is positioned at the upper end of the guide groove 39, and the lever 34 is turned down about the retaining pin 43. As a result, the lever 34 is brought into a use state in which it protrudes largely in the radial direction with respect to the bolt 31. In this state, the housing body 21 of the waterproof connector housing 20 is fitted into the hood 12 of the standby connector housing 10, and the lower end of the bolt 31 is inserted into the fitting cylinder 14, and the lower end of the male screw 33 is inserted. The female screw part 1
5 to make contact with the upper end.

Next, a finger is put on the lever 34 and the lever 34
And a torque is applied to the bolt 31. Then, male screw part 3
When the female connector 3 engages with the female screw portion 15, the waterproof connector housing 20 is drawn into the standby connector housing 10, and the fitting proceeds. During this fitting operation, the lower end of the return spring 35 comes into contact with the spring receiving portion 16 of the fitting tubular portion 14, and thereafter the return spring 35 is elastically contracted as the fitting proceeds. In the case where the lever 34 interferes with the electric wire guiding portion 25 when the lever 34 is rotated, the interference can be avoided by inverting the lever 34 about the retaining pin 43.

The two connector housings 10, 20
When the male thread portion 33 reaches the regular fitting state, the male screw portion 33 is
And the engagement is released, and thereafter, the bolt 3
Even if 1 is rotated, the two connector housings 10 and 20 do not come closer to each other. Thereafter, when the lever 34 is set upright and the hand is released, the lever 34 is lifted by its own weight.
3 is dropped into the accommodation hole 38 along the guide groove 39, and the storage state is established. Thus, the fitting operation is completed.

When the waterproof connector housing 20 is detached from the standby connector housing 10, the lever 34 is pulled out of the accommodation hole 38 and turned down to be used. In this state, when a rotational force in a direction opposite to that at the time of fitting is applied to the lever 34, the upper end of the male screw portion 33 and the lower end of the female screw portion 15 start engaging due to the elastic restoring force of the return spring 35. Thereafter, the two screw portions 15, 33
As the engagement progresses, the waterproof connector housing 20 is displaced in a direction away from the standby connector housing 10. After the male screw portion 33 has passed the female screw portion 15, if the waterproof connector housing 20 is pulled out, the connector housings 10, 20 are separated.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the fitting and disengagement of the standby-side connector housing 10 and the waterproof-side connector housing 20 can be performed by manually rotating the lever 34. No need to use. Further, when the fitting / removing operation is not performed, the lever 34 can be stored in the accommodation hole 38, so that the lever 34 does not need to be in the way. Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the present embodiment, a bolt operation unit is configured differently from the first embodiment.
Other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment, and thus the same configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description of the structures, operations, and effects will be omitted. Bolt 50 of Embodiment 2
The operating portion 51 is formed in a disk shape having an outer diameter larger than that of the enlarged diameter portion 52 and is formed integrally with the bolt 50. A knob 53 having a rib shape in the radial direction is formed on the upper surface of the operation unit 51. When performing the rotation operation, the bolt 50 may be rotated by pinching the knob 53 with a finger and twisting it.

<Third Embodiment> Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment,
The operation part of the bolt is configured differently from the first embodiment. Other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment, and thus the same configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description of the structures, operations, and effects will be omitted. A mounting hole 57 penetrating in the radial direction is formed in the enlarged diameter portion 56 of the bolt 55 according to the third embodiment, and a pin-shaped lever 58 separate from the shaft portion 32 is slidable in the mounting hole 57. Is pierced. At both ends of the lever 58, retaining protrusions 59 are formed,
This prevents the lever 58 from falling out of the mounting hole 57. At the time of rotating operation, as shown in FIG. 8, the lever 58 may be in a state of protruding radially with respect to the shaft portion 32, and a finger may be put on the lever 58 to apply a rotational force. When the lever 58 interferes with the electric wire guiding portion 25 (not shown in FIG. 8), the lever 58 may be slid each time to project the opposite end.

<Other Embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and described with reference to the drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. In addition, various changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. (1) In the above embodiment, both connector housings 10, 2
Although the male screw part 33 is detached from the female screw part 15 when 0 is properly fitted, according to the present invention, the male screw part and the female screw part can be kept engaged even in the regular fitting state. . In this case, the return spring becomes unnecessary.

(2) In the first embodiment, the lever 34 is stored inside the bolt 31 when not operated. However, according to the present invention, the lever may be detachable from the bolt. (3) In the second embodiment, the operation unit 51 is fixed to the bolt 50. However, according to the present invention, the operation unit may be detachable from the bolt.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a state in which both connector housings are detached in a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a state in which the two connector housings according to the first embodiment are being fitted.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a state in which both connector housings are properly fitted in the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the bolt according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the bolt in a state where the lever is used in the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the bolt with the lever in the retracted state in the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a bolt according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a bolt according to a third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 P ... Panel H ... Mounting hole 10 ... Standing side connector housing 15 ... Female screw part 20 ... Waterproof side connector housing 23 ... Grommet 26 ... Fit hole 31 ... Bolt 32 ... Shaft part 33 ... Male screw part 34 ... Lever (operation Part) 38 ... accommodation hole 50, 55 ... bolt 51 ... operation part 58 ... lever (operation part)

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Makoto Fukamachi 1-14 Nishisuehirocho, Yokkaichi-shi, Mie Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.

Claims (2)

[Claims] A mating connector housing fitted to a mounting hole of a panel and a waterproof connector housing having a grommet capable of sealing an opening edge of the mounting hole attached to an outer surface thereof. An operating part arranged outside the grommet and capable of manual rotation operation, and a shaft part which penetrates a fitting hole of the grommet in a watertight state, A bolt having a male thread portion disposed inside the grommet is attached so as to be rotatable only with its axial center directed parallel to the fitting direction of the two connector housings, and the standby-side connector housing has A female screw portion capable of screwing the male screw portion is provided, and the male screw portion and the female screw portion are engaged with each other to rotate the operation portion so as to rotate the operating portion. A connector characterized in that the connector housing is configured to be fitted / removed. 2. A lever capable of being displaced between a use state in which the operation portion projects radially from the shaft portion and a storage state accommodated in an accommodation hole formed in the shaft portion. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the connector is configured.