JP7610783B2 - Waterproof Connector - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a waterproof connector.

A conventional waterproof connector that uses a retainer to prevent the terminal fittings from coming loose is described in JP 2003-163050 A (Patent Document 1 below). This connector includes a housing, terminal fittings, a retainer, and a seal ring. The housing is composed of a housing body and a front holder that is attached to the housing body from the front. A seal ring is attached to the outer periphery of the housing body. When the front holder is attached to the housing body, the rear end of the front holder faces the front end of the seal ring, preventing the seal ring from coming loose in the forward direction.

When assembling the above connector, the front holder is first attached to the housing body with the seal ring attached. Then, the retainer is inserted into the assembly space of the housing body through a window hole provided in the side wall of the housing body and held in the temporary locking position. The terminal fittings are inserted into each cavity of the housing and are primarily locked by lances inside the cavities. The retainer is moved from the temporary locking position to the full locking position to prevent the terminal fittings from falling out of the cavity, completing the assembly of the connector.

JP 2003-163050 A

In the above configuration, the assembly of the front holder and the movement of the retainer from the provisional locking position to the final locking position must be performed separately.

The waterproof connector of the present disclosure comprises a terminal, a housing having a terminal accommodating portion in which the terminal is accommodated, a seal ring attached to the housing, a front mask that fits into the housing and prevents the seal ring from coming off, and a retainer that is assembled to the housing and is movable between a temporary locking position and a full locking position, the direction in which the retainer is movable intersects with the fitting direction in which the front mask fits into the housing, and when the retainer is held in the temporary locking position, the terminal is allowed to be inserted into the terminal accommodating portion, and when the retainer is held in the full locking position, the terminal is allowed to be inserted into the terminal accommodating portion. A waterproof connector that is prevented from coming out of the inside of the terminal accommodating portion, the retainer has a cam pin protruding from the outer surface of the retainer, the front mask has a cam groove that receives the cam pin, and the inner wall that constitutes the cam groove has a first inner wall that slides against the cam pin to move the retainer from the temporary locking position to the full locking position during the process of fitting the front mask to the housing, and a second inner wall that slides against the cam pin to move the retainer from the full locking position to the temporary locking position during the process of removing the front mask from the housing.

This disclosure provides a waterproof connector that is easy to assemble and has an easy-to-operate retainer.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a waterproof connector according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front view of the waterproof connector. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 2, showing the waterproof connector and the mating connector in a mated state. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 2, showing the waterproof connector and the mating connector in a mated state. FIG. 6 is a view showing a state in which the retainer is held at the initial locking position and the initial locking portion and the initial lock receiving portion are locked in place, taken along the CC cross section of FIG. 7 is a view showing a state in which the retainer is held at the temporary locking position and the temporary locking portion and the temporary lock receiving portion are locked in place, taken along the CC cross section of FIG. FIG. 8 is a view showing a state in which the retainer is held at the full locking position and the full locking portion and the full lock receiving portion are locked in place, taken along the CC cross section of FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line DD in FIG. 2, showing a state in which the retainer is held in the initial locking position and the cam pin is in contact with the third inner wall. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line DD in FIG. 2, showing a state in which the retainer is held in the provisionally locked position and the cam pin is disposed between the rear end of the first inner wall and the rear end of the second inner wall. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line DD of FIG. 2, showing a state in which the retainer is held in the full locking position and the cam pin is disposed at the back of the cam groove. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line EE of FIG. 3, showing a state in which the retainer is held at the initial locking position. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line EE of FIG. 3, showing a state in which the retainer is held at the provisionally-retained position. FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along line EE of FIG. 3, showing a state in which the retainer is held in the full locking position. FIG. 15 is an enlarged bottom view of the waterproof connector, showing the vicinity of the confirmation hole when the retainer is held in the initial locking position. FIG. 16 is an enlarged bottom view of the waterproof connector, showing the vicinity of the confirmation hole when the retainer is held in the provisionally locked position. FIG. 17 is an enlarged bottom view of the waterproof connector, showing the vicinity of the confirmation hole when the retainer is held in the full locking position. FIG. 18 is an enlarged bottom view of the housing that holds the retainer in the initial locking position, showing the vicinity of the confirmation hole. FIG. 19 is an enlarged bottom view of the housing that holds the retainer in the provisionally locked position, showing the vicinity of the confirmation hole. FIG. 20 is an enlarged bottom view of the housing that holds the retainer in the final locking position, showing the vicinity of the confirmation hole. FIG. 21 is a bottom view of the housing. FIG. 22 is a perspective view of the retainer. FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view of the front mask taken along the line CC of FIG. Figure 24 is a diagram showing a configuration including a front mask relating to a modified embodiment, and shows the state in which the front mask is fitted to the housing with the retainer held in the provisional engagement position in the D-D cross section of Figure 2.

[Description of the embodiments of the present disclosure]
First, embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described.

(1) The waterproof connector of the present disclosure comprises a terminal, a housing having a terminal accommodating portion in which the terminal is accommodated, a seal ring attached to the housing, a front mask that fits into the housing and prevents the seal ring from coming loose, and a retainer that is assembled to the housing and can move between a temporary locking position and a full locking position, and the direction in which the retainer is movable intersects with the fitting direction in which the front mask fits into the housing, and when the retainer is held in the temporary locking position, the terminal is allowed to be inserted into the terminal accommodating portion, and when the retainer is held in the full locking position, the terminal is allowed to be inserted into the terminal accommodating portion. A waterproof connector in which terminals are prevented from falling out of the inside of the terminal accommodating portion, the retainer has a cam pin protruding from the outer surface of the retainer, the front mask has a cam groove that receives the cam pin, and the inner wall that constitutes the cam groove has a first inner wall that slides against the cam pin to move the retainer from the temporary locking position to the full locking position during the process of fitting the front mask to the housing, and a second inner wall that slides against the cam pin to move the retainer from the full locking position to the temporary locking position during the process of removing the front mask from the housing.

With this configuration, the retainer can be moved from the temporary locking position to the full locking position during the process of fitting the front mask to the housing. Also, the retainer can be moved from the full locking position to the temporary locking position during the process of removing the front mask from the housing. This makes it possible to provide a waterproof connector that is easy to assemble and has an easy-to-operate retainer.

(2) The retainer is held in an initial locking position relative to the housing, the initial locking position is connected to the temporary locking position and the full locking position in the movement direction, and is disposed on the opposite side of the temporary locking position from the full locking position, and the inner wall constituting the cam groove is connected to the first inner wall and preferably has a third inner wall that slides against the cam pin during the process of fitting the front mask to the housing to move the retainer from the initial locking position to the temporary locking position.

With this configuration, the initial locking position of the retainer is set and a third inner wall is provided, making it easier for the cam pin to enter the cam groove.

(3) The housing preferably has a housing main body having the terminal accommodating portion and to which the retainer is attached, a hood portion covering the outside of the housing main body, and a confirmation hole penetrating the hood portion and exposing a portion of the retainer attached to the housing main body, and the front mask preferably has a cutout portion exposing a portion of the retainer when the front mask and the housing are fitted together.

With this configuration, the position of the retainer attached to the housing body can be visually confirmed from the outside through the cutout and the confirmation hole.

(4) It is preferable that the retainer has a first recess formed by recessing the outer surface of the retainer, and that when the retainer is held in the main locking position, the first recess is disposed inside the confirmation hole.

With this configuration, a tool for operating the retainer can be inserted into the first recess to move the retainer from the full locking position to the temporary locking position.

(5) It is preferable that the front mask has a second recess that is disposed outside the housing when the front mask and the housing are engaged and is recessed from the outer peripheral surface of the front mask.

With this configuration, a jig for moving the front mask can be inserted into the second recess, and the front mask can be moved in a direction that separates the front mask from the housing.

(6) The housing has an accommodating space into which the retainer enters and a structural surface that constitutes the accommodating space, the retainer is in sliding contact with the structural surface and has an accommodated portion that is disposed within the accommodating space, and it is preferable that the accommodated portion has an asymmetric shape in the mating direction when viewed from the movement direction.

With this configuration, the accommodated portion has an asymmetric shape in the mating direction when viewed from the movement direction, so the retainer is restricted from being assembled to the housing in the opposite direction to the mating direction.

(7) It is preferable that the front mask has a temporary locking portion facing the housing in the fitting direction, the housing has a temporary locking receiving portion that engages with the temporary locking portion, and in the process of fitting the front mask to the housing, when the temporary locking portion and the temporary locking receiving portion are engaged, the retainer is held in the temporary locking position, and when the front mask is pressed backward in the fitting direction against the housing from the state in which the temporary locking portion and the temporary locking receiving portion are engaged, the engagement between the temporary locking portion and the temporary locking receiving portion is released.

With this configuration, the temporary locking portion and the temporary locking receiving portion are locked together, so that the progress of the engagement between the front mask and the housing can be suppressed, and the retainer can be prevented from moving from the temporary locking position to the full locking position. In addition, the engagement between the temporary locking portion and the temporary locking receiving portion can be released by pressing the front mask backward in the engagement direction against the housing.

[Details of the embodiment of the present disclosure]
The present disclosure will be described below with reference to the embodiments. The present disclosure is not limited to these examples, but is defined by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

<Embodiment>
An embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 24. In the following description, the direction indicated by the arrow Z is the upward direction, the direction indicated by the arrow X is the forward direction, and the direction indicated by the arrow Y is the leftward direction. Note that, for multiple identical members, only some of the members may be labeled with reference numerals, and the reference numerals of the other members may be omitted.

[Waterproof connector]
As shown in Fig. 1, the waterproof connector 10 of this embodiment includes a housing 20, a retainer 40, a front mask 50, and a seal ring 26. As shown in Fig. 3, the waterproof connector 10 includes terminals 11 accommodated inside the housing 20. In this embodiment, the front-rear direction is an example of a fitting direction in which the front mask 50 fits into the housing 20. Also, the left-right direction is an example of a moving direction in which the retainer 40 is movable.

[Terminals]
As shown in FIG. 3, the terminal 11 includes a connecting tube portion 12 having a rectangular tube shape and an electric wire connecting portion 13 that is crimped to the electric wire W. The connecting tube portion 12 includes a locking portion 14 that protrudes downward from the lower wall of the connecting tube portion 12. The locking portion 14 locks with the lance 23A of the housing 20. A cylindrical waterproof rubber plug 15 is attached to the outer circumferential surface of the electric wire W. The rubber plug 15 is in close contact with the inner wall of the electric wire insertion portion 24 to prevent water from entering the housing 20. An elastic contact piece (not shown) is provided inside the connecting tube portion 12. As shown in FIG. 4, the elastic contact piece contacts and is electrically connected to a male terminal 71 of a mating connector 70 inserted into the connecting tube portion 12. The terminal 11 is shown only in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 and is omitted in other figures.

[housing]
The housing 20 is made of insulating synthetic resin. As shown in Fig. 3, the housing 20 includes a housing main body 21 and a hood portion 22 that expands in diameter from the outer circumferential surface of the housing main body 21 and opens forward. The housing main body 21 is provided with a terminal accommodating portion 23 that penetrates in the front-rear direction. A lance 23A is provided in the terminal accommodating portion 23 so as to protrude forward and upward from the lower wall of the terminal accommodating portion 23. An electric wire insertion portion 24 through which an electric wire W is inserted is provided in communication with the rear of the terminal accommodating portion 23. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2, four terminal accommodating portions 23 are provided side by side in the left-right direction.

As shown in FIG. 4, the hood portion 22 fits from the outside into the mating hood portion 72 of the mating connector 70, and the mating hood portion 72 fits from the outside into the housing body 21. As shown in FIG. 5, the mating hood portion 72 has a lock portion 73 that protrudes upward from the upper wall of the mating hood portion 72. The housing 20 has a lock receiving portion 25 that engages with the lock portion 73.

[Seal ring]
As shown in Fig. 3, a seal ring 26, which is an annular elastic member, is attached to the outer circumferential surface of the housing body 21 slightly rearward of the center in the front-rear direction. The housing body 21 has a pressing portion 27 that presses the rear end of the seal ring 26 from behind. The front end of the seal ring 26 is pressed from the front by the rear end of the front mask 50. As shown in Fig. 4, the seal ring 26 is disposed in a compressed state between the outer circumferential surface of the housing body 21 and the inner circumferential surface of the mating hood portion 72, and waterproofs the mating surfaces of the waterproof connector 10 and the mating connector 70.

As shown in FIG. 9, the housing body 21 has an accommodation space 28 for accommodating the accommodated portion 44 of the retainer 40, located forward of the portion where the seal ring 26 is attached. The accommodation space 28 is long in the left-right direction and opens to the left and downward. As shown in FIG. 12, the accommodation space 28 communicates with the terminal accommodation portion 23. As shown in FIG. 5, the accommodation space 28 is composed of multiple component surfaces 29 extending in the left-right direction.

As shown in FIG. 21, the housing body 21 has an initial locking recess 30, a temporary locking recess 31, and a full locking recess 32 arranged side by side in the left-right direction near the lower opening of the storage space 28. The temporary locking recess 31 is arranged to the right of the initial locking recess 30, and the full locking recess 32 is arranged to the right of the temporary locking recess 31. As described below, the locking projection 45A of the retainer 40 locks with either the initial locking recess 30, the temporary locking recess 31, or the full locking recess 32, so that the retainer 40 is held in the initial locking position (see FIG. 18), the temporary locking position (see FIG. 19), or the full locking position (see FIG. 20), respectively.

As shown in Figures 9 and 12, an insertion hole 33 is provided in the left portion of the hood portion 22 at a position corresponding to the left opening of the accommodation space 28. The retainer 40 is inserted into the accommodation space 28 through the insertion hole 33. As shown in Figure 21, a confirmation hole 34 is provided in the lower portion of the hood portion 22 at a position corresponding to the initial locking recess 30, the provisional locking recess 31, and the full locking recess 32.

As shown in FIG. 21, the front end of the housing body 21 is provided with an opening 35 that opens forward. Four openings 35 are provided corresponding to the terminal accommodating portions 23. The first engagement portion 35A is provided on the left side of the edge of the two openings 35 arranged in the center in the left-right direction among the four openings 35. The rear end surface of the first engagement portion 35A is the initial engagement receiving portion 36. The second engagement portion 35B is provided on the left side of the edge of the two openings 35 arranged at the left and right ends among the four openings 35. The front end surface of the second engagement portion 35B is the provisional engagement receiving portion 37. The rear end surface of the second engagement portion 35B is the final engagement receiving portion 38. As described later, the initial engagement receiving portion 36, the provisional engagement receiving portion 37, and the final engagement receiving portion 38 are adapted to engage with the initial engagement portion 61, the provisional engagement portion 63, and the final engagement portion 64 of the front mask 50, respectively (see FIG. 6 to FIG. 8).

[Retainer]
The retainer 40 is made of insulating synthetic resin. As shown in Fig. 22, the retainer 40 includes a retainer body 41 extending in the left-right direction, an operation portion 42 provided at the left end of the retainer body 41, and a retaining portion 43 protruding upward from the top surface of the retainer body 41. In the retainer 40, a portion formed by the retainer body 41 and the retaining portion 43 is a accommodated portion 44. As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the accommodated portion 44 is arranged in the accommodation space 28 of the housing 20.

3 and 5, the accommodated portion 44 has an asymmetric shape in the front-rear direction when viewed from the left-right direction. Specifically, the outer shape of the accommodated portion 44 is an approximately inverted C shape in the side cross-sectional views of FIG. 3 and FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 5, the accommodated portion 44 has an outer surface that slides against a plurality of constituent surfaces 29 of the accommodation space 28. The sliding contact between the accommodated portion 44 and the constituent surfaces 29 supports the accommodated portion 44 in the accommodation space 28 and guides the movement of the retainer 40 in the left-right direction. As described above, the accommodated portion 44 has an asymmetric shape and is configured to slide against the constituent surfaces 29 of the accommodation space 28, so that the retainer 40 is restricted from being inserted into the accommodation space 28 in a reversed front-rear position.

As shown in FIG. 22, the operating portion 42 is provided to extend upward and downward with respect to the retainer body 41. As shown in FIG. 9, when the accommodated portion 44 is assembled into the accommodation space 28, the operating portion 42 is operated by the operator's fingers or the like. The operating portion 42 is configured to be large enough to pass through the inside of the insertion hole 33 of the hood portion 22 and to block the left edge of the accommodation space 28.

As shown in FIG. 22, four retaining portions 43 are provided in a line in the left-right direction. As shown in FIG. 13, when the retainer 40 is held in the temporary locking position relative to the housing 20, the retaining portions 43 are arranged outside the terminal accommodating portion 23, and the terminal 11 is allowed to be inserted into the terminal accommodating portion 23. As shown in FIG. 14, when the retainer 40 is held in the full locking position, the retaining portions 43 are arranged inside the terminal accommodating portion 23. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3, the retaining portions 43 lock the rear end of the connecting tube portion 12 of the terminal 11 accommodated in the terminal accommodating portion 23 from the rear. Therefore, the terminal 11 is prevented from falling out of the terminal accommodating portion 23 to the rear. In addition, as shown in FIG. 12, in this embodiment, when the retainer 40 is held in the initial locking position, the retaining portions 43 are arranged inside the terminal accommodating portion 23, and the insertion of the terminal 11 into the terminal accommodating portion 23 (except the right end portion) is restricted.

As shown in FIG. 22, the retainer 40 has a flexible piece 45 at a position on the retainer body 41 near the operating part 42, and a flexible space 46 that allows the flexible piece 45 to elastically deform rearward. The flexible piece 45 is connected to the retainer body 41 at both left and right ends in a double-supported form. The flexible piece 45 has a locking projection 45A that protrudes from the outer surface of the front side of the flexible piece 45.

As shown in Figures 18 to 20, when the retainer 40 is assembled to the housing 20, the locking projection 45A can be locked with any of the initial locking recess 30, the temporary locking recess 31, and the full locking recess 32. As shown in Figure 18, when the locking projection 45A is locked with the initial locking recess 30, the retainer 40 is held in the initial locking position. As shown in Figure 19, when the locking projection 45A is locked with the temporary locking recess 31, the retainer 40 is held in the temporary locking position. As shown in Figure 20, when the locking projection 45A is locked with the full locking recess 32, the retainer 40 is held in the full locking position.

The retainer 40 is movable left and right between the initial locking position, the provisional locking position, and the full locking position. In detail, when the retainer 40 moves left and right, the flexible piece 45 elastically deforms rearward and enters the flexible space 46, thereby enabling the locking protrusion 45A to be released from the initial locking recess 30, the provisional locking recess 31, or the full locking recess 32. When the locking protrusion 45A is locked with the initial locking recess 30, the provisional locking recess 31, or the full locking recess 32, the flexible piece 45 is in its natural state.

As shown in FIG. 22, the retainer 40 has a cam pin 47 that protrudes downward from the outer surface of the lower side of the retainer body 41. The cam pin 47 is positioned slightly to the right of the center of the retainer body 41 in the left-right direction. As shown in FIG. 12, when the accommodated portion 44 is arranged in the accommodation space 28, the cam pin 47 protrudes downward from the lower opening of the accommodation space 28. Details will be described later, but as shown in FIG. 9 to FIG. 11, the cam pin 47 is in sliding contact with the inner wall 55 of the cam groove 54 of the front mask 50. The sliding contact between the cam pin 47 and the inner wall 55 of the cam groove 54 allows the front mask 50 to move in the front-rear direction relative to the housing 20, thereby allowing the retainer 40 to move in the left-right direction between the full-locking position and the provisional-locking position.

As shown in FIG. 22, the retainer 40 has a first recess 48 formed by recessing rearward from the outer surface on the front side of the operating portion 42. As shown in FIG. 20, the first recess 48 is arranged inside the confirmation hole 34 when the retainer 40 is held in the full locking position relative to the housing 20. This allows a jig (not shown) for operating the retainer 40 to be inserted through the confirmation hole 34 into the first recess 48 of the retainer 40 held in the full locking position. By inserting the jig into the first recess 48 and pressing the retainer 40 to the left, the retainer 40 can be moved from the full locking position to the provisional locking position (or initial locking position).

[Front mask]
The front mask 50 is made of insulating synthetic resin. As shown in Fig. 1, the front mask 50 includes a front wall 51 and a fitting tubular portion 52 extending rearward from the outer edge of the front wall 51. As shown in Fig. 3, the fitting tubular portion 52 is configured to be fitted into the housing main body 21 from the outside. When the fitting tubular portion 52 and the housing main body 21 are fitted together, the rear end of the fitting tubular portion 52 presses the front end of the seal ring 26 from the front. In other words, the front mask 50 prevents the seal ring 26 from slipping out forward from the regular mounting position on the outer circumferential surface of the housing main body 21.

As shown in FIG. 1, a notch 53 is provided on the left side of the fitting tube 52, recessed forward from the rear end of the fitting tube 52. The provision of the notch 53 prevents the front mask 50 from interfering with the retainer 40 when the retainer 40 and the front mask 50 are assembled to the housing 20. As shown in FIG. 17, the notch 53 is provided at a position that overlaps with the confirmation hole 34 in the vertical direction when the front mask 50 is fitted to the housing 20.

As shown in Figs. 15 to 17, when the retainer 40 and the front mask 50 are assembled to the housing 20, the periphery of the initial locking recess 30 and part of the retainer 40 can be seen from below through the confirmation hole 34 and the notch 53. This allows the position of the retainer 40 relative to the housing body 21 to be confirmed through the confirmation hole 34. For example, in Fig. 15, it can be confirmed that the retainer 40 is held in the initial locking position by the locking between the initial locking recess 30 and the locking protrusion 45A. In Fig. 16, it can be confirmed that the retainer 40 is held in the provisional locking position from the position of the deflection space 46 of the retainer 40, etc. In Fig. 17, it can be confirmed that the retainer 40 is held in the final locking position because the operating portion 42 of the retainer 40 is in contact with the left end of the housing body 21.

As shown in FIG. 1, the lower portion of the fitting tube portion 52 is provided with a groove-like cam groove 54 that extends rightward and forward from the rear end of the fitting tube portion 52. The cam groove 54 is adapted to receive the cam pin 47 of the retainer 40. As shown in FIG. 23, the cam groove 54 has an entrance 54A that opens at the rear end of the fitting tube portion 52, and a back portion 54B that is disposed at the end opposite the entrance 54A. The inner walls 55 that constitute the cam groove 54 include a first inner wall 55A, a second inner wall 55B, a third inner wall 55C, and a connecting wall 55D. The first inner wall 55A, the second inner wall 55B, and the third inner wall 55C are each inclined so as to be positioned to the right as they move forward.

As shown in FIG. 23, the second inner wall 55B is disposed at the rear right of the cam groove 54 and extends from the entrance 54A to the inner part 54B. The first inner wall 55A is disposed at the front left of the cam groove 54 and faces the second inner wall 55B. The front end of the first inner wall 55A and the front end of the second inner wall 55B are connected by a connecting wall 55D. The front end of the first inner wall 55A, the front end of the second inner wall 55B, and the connecting wall 55D form the inner part 54B.

As shown in FIG. 23, the rear end of the first inner wall 55A is connected to the front end of the third inner wall 55C. The third inner wall 55C extends from the rear end of the first inner wall 55A to the entrance 54A. The rear end of the second inner wall 55B and the rear end of the third inner wall 55C form the entrance 54A. The gradient of the third inner wall 55C in the front-rear direction relative to the left-right direction is gentler than the gradient of the first inner wall 55A. This allows the entrance 54A of the cam groove 54 to be wider in the left-right direction compared to when the first inner wall 55A is extended directly to the rear end of the fitting tube portion 52.

As shown in FIG. 23, the fitting tube portion 52 has an obtuse angle portion 56 disposed to the left of the entrance 54A and including the rear end portion of the fitting tube portion 52 and the third inner wall 55C, and an acute angle portion 57 disposed to the right of the entrance 54A and including the rear end portion of the fitting tube portion 52 and the second inner wall 55B.

When the fitting tube portion 52 and the housing body 21 start to be fitted together while the retainer 40 is held in the initial locking position, the cam pin 47 enters the cam groove 54 and abuts against the third inner wall 55C (see FIG. 9). When the fitting tube portion 52 and the housing body 21 are further fitted together, the cam pin 47 slides against the third inner wall 55C, causing the retainer 40 to move from the initial locking position to the temporary locking position (see FIG. 10). When the fitting tube portion 52 and the housing body 21 are further fitted together while the retainer 40 is held in the temporary locking position, the cam pin 47 slides against the first inner wall 55A, causing the retainer 40 to move from the temporary locking position to the full locking position (see FIG. 11).

When the retainer 40 is held in the full locking position and the fitting tube portion 52 is moved forward relative to the housing body 21, the cam pin 47 slides against the second inner wall 55B, causing the retainer 40 to move from the full locking position to the provisional locking position (see Figure 10).

In this embodiment, the initial locking position of the retainer 40 is set and the third inner wall 55C is provided, so that the entrance 54A of the cam groove 54 can be widened in the left-right direction, making it easier for the cam pin 47 to enter the cam groove 54. After entering the cam groove 54, the cam pin 47 abuts against the third inner wall 55C included in the obtuse angle portion 56 (see FIG. 9). Since the obtuse angle portion 56 is thicker than the acute angle portion 57, the obtuse angle portion 56 is less likely to deform when the cam pin 47 abuts against the third inner wall 55C. Furthermore, since the cam pin 47 enters the cam groove 54 on the third inner wall 55C side, it is less likely to abut against the acute angle portion 57. Therefore, deformation of the acute angle portion 57, which is thin and easily deformed, can be suppressed.

Next, as a modified example of this embodiment, a configuration including a front mask 150 shown in FIG. 24 instead of the front mask 50 will be considered. The front mask 150 is configured similarly to the front mask 50 except for the cam groove 154 (hereinafter, the description of the configuration equivalent to the front mask 50 will be omitted). The inner wall 155 constituting the cam groove 154 has a fourth inner wall 155E extending in the front-rear direction, rather than the third inner wall 55C. The front end of the fourth inner wall 155E is connected to the rear end of the first inner wall 55A. The rear end of the fourth inner wall 155E and the rear end of the second inner wall 55B form the entrance 154A of the cam groove 154. The left-right dimension of the entrance 154A is approximately the same as the left-right dimension of the cam pin 47. The fitting tube portion 52 has the acute angle portion 57 described above and a right angle portion 156 that is disposed to the left of the entrance 154A and includes the rear end portion of the fitting tube portion 52 and the fourth inner wall 155E.

In the modified example, the engagement between the front mask 150 and the housing 20 begins with the retainer 40 held in the temporary locking position. Although an initial locking position is provided in FIG. 24, the initial locking position does not have to be provided. As in the present embodiment, the retainer 40 can be moved between the temporary locking position and the full locking position by moving the front mask 150. According to the modified example, the third inner wall 55C is not required, and there is no need to set an initial locking position, so the configuration can be simplified.

Comparing this embodiment with the modified example, since entrance 54A is wider in the left-right direction than entrance 154A, in this embodiment, it is easier for cam pin 47 to enter cam groove 54. Also, in this modified example, when cam pin 47 enters cam groove 154, there is a possibility that cam pin 47 will hit acute angle portion 57, but in this embodiment, cam pin 47 enters cam groove 54 to the left of acute angle portion 57, so cam pin 47 is less likely to hit acute angle portion 57. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to suppress deformation of acute angle portion 57, which is thinner than in this modified example.

As shown in FIG. 3, second recesses 58 are provided at the upper and lower parts of the fitting tube portion 52 so as to be recessed from the outer circumferential surface of the fitting tube portion 52. The second recesses 58 are disposed on the outside of the hood portion 22 when the front mask 50 and the housing main body 21 are fitted together. This allows the front mask 50 to be moved in a direction (forward) that separates the front mask 50 from the housing main body 21, for example, by inserting a jig (not shown) for moving the front mask 50 into the second recesses 58 and pressing the front mask 50 forward.

2, the front wall 51 of the front mask 50 is provided with four through holes 51A that communicate with the terminal accommodating portion 23. As shown in FIG. 23, three partition walls 59 that divide the inside of the front mask 50 are provided between adjacent through holes 51A in the left-right direction. Of the three partition walls 59, the leftmost and central partition walls 59 have semi-locking portions 60 that protrude rightward from the right side surface of the partition wall 59. The semi-locking portions 60 are disposed rearward of the central position of the partition wall 59 in the front-rear direction. The semi-locking portions 60 have a gentle mountain shape in a plan view. The front portion of the semi-locking portion 60 is an initial locking portion 61. The initial locking portion 61 has a steeper inclination than the rear portion of the semi-locking portion 60.

As shown in FIG. 23, the rightmost partition wall 59 of the three partition walls 59 has a locking protrusion 62 that protrudes rightward from the right side surface of the partition wall 59. The locking protrusion 62 is disposed forward of the center position of the partition wall 59 in the front-to-rear direction. The locking protrusion 62 is substantially rectangular in plan view. The rear end surface of the locking protrusion 62 is a temporary locking portion 63. The temporary locking portion 63 is a steeply inclined surface that is located on the right side as it approaches the front. The front end surface of the locking protrusion 62 is a full locking portion 64. The full locking portion 64 is substantially parallel to the front surface of the front wall 51 of the front mask 50. A similar locking protrusion 62 is provided on the inner surface on the left side of the fitting tube portion 52.

As shown in Figures 6 to 8, when the front mask 50 is attached to the housing body 21, each partition 59 is arranged to follow the side wall of each terminal accommodating portion 23. As will be described in detail later, by moving the front mask 50 rearward relative to the housing body 21, the first engagement portion 35A engages with the semi-lock portion 60, and the second engagement portion 35B engages with the lock protrusion 62. As shown in Figure 6, the initial locking portion 61 is adapted to lock with the initial locking receiving portion 36. As shown in Figure 7, the provisional locking portion 63 is adapted to lock with the provisional locking receiving portion 37. As shown in Figure 8, the full locking portion 64 is adapted to lock with the full locking receiving portion 38.

[Waterproof connector installation]
The waterproof connector 10 of this embodiment is configured as described above. An example of assembly of the waterproof connector 10 will now be described.

A seal ring 26 is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the housing body 21 from the front. The rear end of the seal ring 26 is pressed from behind by a pressing portion 27 of the housing body 21.

Next, the retainer 40 is assembled to the housing 20. The accommodated portion 44 is inserted into the accommodation space 28 of the housing body 21 through the insertion hole 33 of the hood portion 22. The retainer 40 is held in the initial engagement position by the engagement of the engagement protrusion 45A with the initial engagement recess 30 (see FIG. 18).

With the retainer 40 held in the initial locking position, the front mask 50 is assembled to the housing 20. That is, the engagement between the fitting tube 52 and the housing body 21 begins. The rear portion of the semi-locking portion 60 of the front mask 50 engages with the first engagement portion 35A from the front, and as the engagement between the fitting tube 52 and the housing body 21 progresses, the first engagement portion 35A elastically deforms to the right and rides up onto the semi-locking portion 60. When the first engagement portion 35A rides up over the semi-locking portion 60, the initial locking receiving portion 36 and the initial locking portion 61 are engaged (see FIG. 6). This prevents the front mask 50 from moving forward relative to the housing body 21.

When the initial locking receiving portion 36 and the initial locking portion 61 are locked, as shown in FIG. 9, the retainer 40 remains held in the initial locking position, and the cam pin 47 is in contact with the third inner wall 55C of the cam groove 54. Here, roughly the front half of the cam pin 47 is inserted into the cam groove 54.

When the engagement between the fitting tube portion 52 and the housing body 21 progresses from the state where the cam pin 47 abuts against the third inner wall 55C, the cam pin 47 slides against the third inner wall 55C, and the retainer 40 moves to the right. The retainer 40 is held in the temporary locking position by the locking projection 45A engaging with the temporary locking recess 31 (see FIG. 10). Here, the cam pin 47 is disposed between the rear end of the first inner wall 55A (the portion where the first inner wall 55A and the third inner wall 55C are connected) and the rear end of the second inner wall 55B. At this time, as shown in FIG. 7, the temporary locking portion 63 of the front mask 50 is locked from the front to the temporary locking receiving portion 37 of the housing body 21.

The engagement between the temporary locking portion 63 and the temporary locking receiving portion 37 can suppress the progress of the engagement between the fitting tube portion 52 and the housing main body 21. This can suppress the movement of the retainer 40 from the temporary locking position to the full locking position due to an external force or the like. The engagement between the temporary locking portion 63 and the temporary locking receiving portion 37 can be released by pressing the front mask 50 backward against the housing 20. In detail, the second engagement portion 35B elastically deforms to the right and rides up onto the locking protrusion 62, thereby releasing the engagement between the temporary locking portion 63 and the temporary locking receiving portion 37.

With the retainer 40 held in the provisionally-retained position, the terminal 11 is inserted into the terminal accommodating portion 23. Because the retaining portion 43 is disposed outside the terminal accommodating portion 23, the insertion of the terminal 11 into the terminal accommodating portion 23 is not impeded by the retaining portion 43 (see FIG. 13). The lance 23A and the locking portion 14 lock together, and the terminal 11 is held in the terminal accommodating portion 23.

When the retainer 40 is held at the provisional locking position and the terminal 11 is housed in the terminal accommodating portion 23, the fitting tube portion 52 and the housing main body 21 are further fitted together, and the cam pin 47 slides against the first inner wall 55A, and the retainer 40 moves to the right. The retaining projection 45A and the full locking recess 32 are engaged with each other, and the retainer 40 is held at the full locking position (see FIG. 11). The retaining portion 43 is disposed inside the terminal accommodating portion 23, and the terminal 11 is prevented from falling out of the terminal accommodating portion 23 (see FIG. 14). The second engaging portion 35B passes over the locking protrusion 62, and the full locking receiving portion 38 and the full locking portion 64 are engaged with each other, and therefore the fitting tube portion 52 is prevented from coming out of the housing main body 21 (see FIG. 8). The rear end of the fitting tube portion 52 presses the front end of the seal ring 26 from the front, thereby preventing the seal ring 26 from falling out.
With the above, the assembly of the waterproof connector 10 is completed.

[Disassembly of the waterproof connector 10]
Next, a description will be given of an example of disassembly of the waterproof connector 10. Here, disassembly of the waterproof connector 10 refers to detachment of each component of the waterproof connector 10. When disassembling the waterproof connector 10, first, the fitting tubular portion 52 is detached from the housing main body 21.

The fitting tube portion 52 is moved forward relative to the housing body 21. At this time, a tool for moving the front mask 50 may be inserted into the second recess 58 to press the front mask 50 forward.

When the front mask 50 is moved forward, the cam pin 47 located at the rear portion 54B slides against the second inner wall 55B, causing the retainer 40 to move leftward and into the temporary locking position (see FIG. 10). During this time, the second engagement portion 35B climbs over the locking protrusion 62 (see FIG. 7). With the retainer 40 held in the temporary locking position, for example, the terminal 11 to be repaired can be removed from the terminal accommodating portion 23 and replaced with a new terminal 11.

When the front mask 50 is moved further forward with the retainer 40 held in the temporary locking position, the first engagement portion 35A climbs over the semi-lock portion 60, and the front mask 50 can be removed from the housing 20. During this time, the cam pin 47 escapes from the entrance 54A of the cam groove 54 without sliding against the inner wall 55 of the cam groove 54, so the retainer 40 remains held in the temporary locking position. To move the retainer 40 to the initial locking position or to remove the retainer 40 from the housing 20, for example, a retainer operating tool may be inserted into the first recess 48 and the retainer 40 may be pressed.

[Effects of the embodiment]
According to this embodiment, the following actions and effects are obtained.
The waterproof connector 10 according to this embodiment includes a terminal 11, a housing 20 having a terminal accommodating portion 23 in which the terminal 11 is accommodated, a seal ring 26 attached to the housing 20, a front mask 50 that fits into the housing 20 and prevents the seal ring 26 from coming off, and a retainer 40 that is assembled to the housing 20 and is movable between a temporary locking position and a full locking position, and the direction of movement (left-right direction) in which the retainer 40 is movable intersects with the fitting direction (front-rear direction) in which the front mask 50 fits into the housing 20, and when the retainer 40 is held in the temporary locking position, the terminal 11 is allowed to be inserted into the terminal accommodating portion 23, and when the retainer 40 is held in the full .... In the waterproof connector 10, when the terminals 11 are held in place, they are prevented from falling out of the inside of the terminal accommodating portion 23, the retainer 40 has a cam pin 47 protruding from the outer surface of the retainer 40, the front mask 50 has a cam groove 54 that receives the cam pin 47, and the inner wall 55 that constitutes the cam groove 54 has a first inner wall 55A that slides against the cam pin 47 to move the retainer 40 from the temporary locking position to the full locking position during the process of fitting the front mask 50 to the housing 20, and a second inner wall 55B that slides against the cam pin 47 to move the retainer 40 from the full locking position to the temporary locking position during the process of removing the front mask 50 from the housing 20.

With this configuration, the retainer 40 can be moved from the temporary locking position to the full locking position during the process of fitting the front mask 50 to the housing 20. Also, the retainer 40 can be moved from the full locking position to the temporary locking position during the process of removing the front mask 50 from the housing 20. This makes it possible to provide a waterproof connector 10 that is easy to assemble and has an easy-to-operate retainer 40.

In this embodiment, the retainer 40 is held in an initial locking position relative to the housing 20, and the initial locking position is connected to the provisional locking position and the full locking position in the movement direction and is disposed on the opposite side of the provisional locking position from the full locking position, and the inner wall 55 constituting the cam groove 54 is connected to the first inner wall 55A and has a third inner wall 55C that is in sliding contact with the cam pin 47 during the process of fitting the front mask 50 to the housing 20, thereby moving the retainer 40 from the initial locking position to the provisional locking position.

With this configuration, the initial locking position of the retainer 40 is set and the third inner wall 55C is provided, making it easier for the cam pin 47 to enter the cam groove 54.

In this embodiment, the housing 20 has a terminal accommodating portion 23, a housing main body 21 to which the retainer 40 is attached, a hood portion 22 that covers the outside of the housing main body 21, and a confirmation hole 34 that penetrates the hood portion 22 and exposes a portion of the retainer 40 attached to the housing main body 21, and the front mask 50 has a cutout portion 53 that exposes a portion of the retainer 40 when the front mask 50 and the housing 20 are engaged.

With this configuration, the position of the retainer 40 assembled to the housing body 21 can be visually confirmed from the outside through the cutout portion 53 and the confirmation hole 34.

In this embodiment, the retainer 40 has a first recess 48 formed by recessing the outer surface of the retainer 40, and when the retainer 40 is held in the main locking position, the first recess 48 is disposed inside the confirmation hole 34.

With this configuration, a tool for operating the retainer 40 can be inserted into the first recess 48 to move the retainer 40 from the full locking position to the temporary locking position.

In this embodiment, the front mask 50 is disposed outside the housing 20 when the front mask 50 and the housing 20 are fitted together, and has a second recess 58 formed by recessing the outer peripheral surface of the front mask 50.

With this configuration, a tool for moving the front mask 50 can be inserted into the second recess 58, and the front mask 50 can be moved in a direction (forward) that separates the front mask 50 from the housing 20.

In this embodiment, the housing 20 has an accommodation space 28 into which the retainer 40 enters and a component surface 29 that constitutes the accommodation space 28, the retainer 40 is in sliding contact with the component surface 29 and has an accommodated portion 44 that is disposed within the accommodation space 28, and the accommodated portion 44 has an asymmetric shape in the mating direction when viewed from the movement direction.

With this configuration, the accommodated portion 44 has an asymmetric shape with respect to the mating direction when viewed from the movement direction, so the retainer 40 is restricted from being assembled to the housing 20 in the opposite direction to the mating direction.

In this embodiment, the front mask 50 has a temporary locking portion 63 facing the housing 20 in the fitting direction, and the housing 20 has a temporary locking receiving portion 37 that engages with the temporary locking portion 63. During the process of fitting the front mask 50 to the housing 20, when the temporary locking portion 63 and the temporary locking receiving portion 37 are engaged, the retainer 40 is held in the temporary locking position, and when the front mask 50 is pressed backward (rearward) in the fitting direction against the housing 20 from the state in which the temporary locking portion 63 and the temporary locking receiving portion 37 are engaged, the engagement between the temporary locking portion 63 and the temporary locking receiving portion 37 is released.

With this configuration, the temporary locking portion 63 and the temporary locking receiving portion 37 are locked together, so that the engagement between the front mask 50 and the housing 20 can be inhibited from progressing, and the retainer 40 can be inhibited from moving from the temporary locking position to the full locking position. In addition, the engagement between the temporary locking portion 63 and the temporary locking receiving portion 37 can be released by pressing the front mask 50 backward in the engagement direction against the housing 20.

<Other embodiments>
(1) In the above embodiment, the initial locking position of the retainer 40 is set, and the third inner wall 55C is provided on the front mask 50. However, this is not limited to this. As in the modified example of the embodiment, the third inner wall does not have to be provided.
(2) In the above embodiment, the terminals 11 of the waterproof connector 10 are female terminals having the connecting tube portions 12. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The terminals may be tab-shaped male terminals.
(3) In the above embodiment, the retainer 40 is assembled to the housing 20, and then the front mask 50 is assembled to the housing 20. However, this is not limited to the above. The retainer may be assembled to the housing after the front mask is assembled to the housing.

Description of the Reference Number 10: Waterproof connector 11: Terminal 12: Connection tube portion 13: Electric wire connection portion 14: Locking portion 15: Rubber stopper 20: Housing 21: Housing body 22: Hood portion 23: Terminal accommodating portion 23A: Lance 24: Electric wire insertion portion 25: Lock receiving portion 26: Seal ring 27: Pressing portion 28: Accommodating space 29: Component surface 30: Initial locking recess 31: Provisional locking recess 32: Full locking recess 33: Insertion hole 34: Confirmation hole 35: Opening 35A: First engaging portion 35B: Second engaging portion 36: Initial locking receiving portion 37: Provisional locking receiving portion 38: Full locking receiving portion 40: Retainer 41: Retainer body 42: Operation portion 43: Anti-dislodgement portion 44: Accommodated portion 45: Flexure piece 45A: Locking protrusion 46: Deflection space 47: Cam pin 48: First recess 50: Front mask 51: Front wall 51A: Through hole 52: Fitting tube portion 53: Notch portion 54: Cam groove 54A: Entrance 54B: Deep portion 55: Inner wall 55A: First inner wall 55B: Second inner wall 55C: Third inner wall 55D: Connection wall 56: Obtuse angle portion 57: Acute angle portion 58: Second recess 59: Partition wall 60: Semi-lock portion 61: Initial locking portion 62: Locking protrusion 63: Provisional locking portion 64: Full locking portion 70: Mating connector 71: Male terminal 72: Mating hood portion 73: Locking portion 150: Front mask 154: Cam groove 154A: Entrance 155: Inner wall 155E: Fourth inner wall 156: Right angle portion W: Electric wire

Claims (7)

The terminals and
a housing having a terminal accommodating portion in which the terminal is accommodated;
A seal ring attached to the housing;
a front mask that fits into the housing and prevents the seal ring from coming off;
a retainer assembled to the housing so as to be movable between a temporary locking position and a full locking position;
a moving direction in which the retainer is movable intersects with a fitting direction in which the front mask is fitted to the housing,
When the retainer is held at the provisionally-retained position, the terminals are permitted to be inserted into the terminal accommodating portions,
The waterproof connector is configured so that the terminal is prevented from being removed from the inside of the terminal accommodating portion when the retainer is held in the full locking position,
the retainer includes a cam pin protruding from an outer surface of the retainer;
the front mask has a cam groove for receiving the cam pin,
an inner wall constituting the cam groove includes a first inner wall that slides against the cam pin during a process of fitting the front mask into the housing, thereby moving the retainer from the temporary locking position to the full locking position, and a second inner wall that slides against the cam pin during a process of removing the front mask from the housing, thereby moving the retainer from the full locking position to the temporary locking position,
The housing is a waterproof connector having a housing main body having the terminal accommodating portion and to which the retainer is assembled, a hood portion covering the outside of the housing main body, and a confirmation hole that penetrates the hood portion and exposes a portion of the retainer assembled to the housing main body . The retainer is adapted to be held in an initial locking position relative to the housing,
the initial locking position is connected to the temporary locking position and the full locking position in the movement direction and is disposed on an opposite side of the temporary locking position to the full locking position;
2. The waterproof connector according to claim 1, wherein the inner wall constituting the cam groove has a third inner wall that is connected to the first inner wall and that slides against the cam pin during the process of fitting the front mask to the housing, thereby moving the retainer from the initial locking position to the provisional locking position. 3. The waterproof connector according to claim 1, wherein the front mask has a cutout portion through which a part of the retainer is exposed when the front mask and the housing are fitted together. The retainer has a first recess formed by being recessed from an outer surface of the retainer,
4. The waterproof connector according to claim 3, wherein the first recess is disposed inside the confirmation hole when the retainer is held in the full locking position. The waterproof connector according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the front mask is disposed outside the housing when the front mask and the housing are fitted together, and has a second recess formed by recessing from the outer peripheral surface of the front mask. the housing has an accommodation space into which the retainer enters and a configuration surface that defines the accommodation space,
the retainer includes a receiving portion that is in sliding contact with the component surface and is disposed within the receiving space,
The waterproof connector according to claim 1 , wherein the accommodated portion has an asymmetric shape with respect to the fitting direction when viewed from the moving direction. the front mask includes a provisional locking portion facing the housing in the fitting direction,
the housing includes a temporary-lock receiving portion that locks with the temporary-lock portion,
In the process of fitting the front mask to the housing, when the temporary locking portion and the temporary locking receiving portion are locked with each other, the retainer is held at the temporary locking position,
7. A waterproof connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the engagement between the temporary locking portion and the temporary locking receiving portion is released by pressing the front mask backward in the fitting direction against the housing when the temporary locking portion and the temporary locking receiving portion are engaged.

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