Connector and connector-equipped electric wire

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12107364-B2
Application number	US-202217835554-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 8, 2022
Priority date	Jun 14, 2021
Publication date	Oct 1, 2024
Grant date	Oct 1, 2024

Abstract

A connector includes: a terminal fitting connected to an electric wire; a housing including a housing chamber, an electric wire drawing port, a communication hole, and a counterpart fitting chamber where a gap formed between the counterpart fitting chamber and a counterpart terminal fitting is filled with a first sealing member; a lid member; a second sealing member that fills a gap between these and forms a first sealed space part in the housing with the first sealing member; a waterproof member including one end part in close contact with an end part of the housing, the other end part in close contact with the electric wire drawn from the electric wire drawing port, and a tubular part, the tubular part including a second sealed space part communicating with the first sealed space part through the electric wire drawing port; and a ventilation component.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A connector comprising:
a terminal fitting physically and electrically connected to an end of an electric wire;
a housing including a housing chamber for housing the terminal fitting and the end of the electric wire connected to the terminal fitting, an electric wire drawing port through which the electric wire is drawn to outside of the housing chamber, a communication hole through which the housing chamber communicates with the outside of the housing chamber, and a counterpart fitting chamber into which a counterpart terminal fitting to be physically and electrically connected to the terminal fitting in the housing chamber is inserted and fitted and a gap formed between the counterpart fitting chamber and an outer peripheral surface of the counterpart terminal fitting is filled with a first sealing member;
a lid member that covers the communication hole;
a second sealing member that fills a gap between the lid member and the communication hole and forms a first sealed space part in the housing with the first sealing member;
a waterproof member being elastically deformable and including one end part with an inner peripheral surface in close contact with an outer peripheral surface of an end part of the housing on the electric wire drawing port side, an other end part with an inner peripheral surface in close contact with an outer peripheral side of the electric wire drawn from the electric wire drawing port, and a tubular part connecting between the one end part and the other end part, the tubular part including a second sealed space part communicating with the first sealed space part through the electric wire drawing port; and
a ventilation component that is assembled to the lid member, enables passage of gas between the first sealed space part and the outside of the housing, and disables passage of liquid between the first sealed space part and the outside of the housing.

2. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein
the terminal fitting is screwed and fixed to the counterpart terminal fitting, and
the communication hole is used as an opening for work when the terminal fitting is screwed and fixed to the counterpart terminal fitting.

3. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein
the ventilation component includes a ventilation member that enables the passage of the gas and disables the passage of the liquid, and a protective member that houses and protects the ventilation member, and
the protective member includes a ventilation chamber that communicates with the first sealed space part and the outside of the housing, and houses the ventilation member so as to enable the passage of the gas between the first sealed space part and the outside of the housing only through the ventilation member.

4. The connector according to claim 3 , wherein
the terminal fitting is screwed and fixed to the counterpart terminal fitting, and
the communication hole is used as an opening for work when the terminal fitting is screwed and fixed to the counterpart terminal fitting.

5. The connector according to claim 3 , wherein
the lid member includes a through-hole that makes the first sealed space part communicate with the outside of the housing,
the protective member includes a main part including the ventilation chamber, a shaft part that protrudes from the main part and is inserted into the through-hole, and a fixing part that is fixed to the lid member, and
the ventilation component includes a third sealing member with an annular shape that allows the shaft part to be inserted into the third sealing member, and that is disposed between the main part and an outer wall surface of the lid member in close contact with the main part and the outer wall surface of the lid member.

6. The connector according to claim 5 , wherein
the terminal fitting is screwed and fixed to the counterpart terminal fitting, and
the communication hole is used as an opening for work when the terminal fitting is screwed and fixed to the counterpart terminal fitting.

7. A connector-equipped electric wire comprising:
an electric wire; and
a connector attached to an end of the electric wire,
the connector including
a terminal fitting physically and electrically connected to the end of the electric wire,
a housing including a housing chamber for housing the terminal fitting and the end of the electric wire connected to the terminal fitting, an electric wire drawing port through which the electric wire is drawn to outside of the housing chamber, a communication hole through which the housing chamber communicates with the outside of the housing chamber, and a counterpart fitting chamber into which a counterpart terminal fitting to be physically and electrically connected to the terminal fitting in the housing chamber is inserted and fitted and a gap formed between the counterpart fitting chamber and an outer peripheral surface of the counterpart terminal fitting is filled with a first sealing member,
a lid member that covers the communication hole,
a second sealing member that fills a gap between the lid member and the communication hole and forms a first sealed space part in the housing with the first sealing member,
a waterproof member being elastically deformable and including one end part with an inner peripheral surface in close contact with an outer peripheral surface of an end part of the housing on the electric wire drawing port side, an other end part with an inner peripheral surface in close contact with an outer peripheral side of the electric wire drawn from the electric wire drawing port, and a tubular part connecting between the one end part and the other end part, the tubular part including a second sealed space part communicating with the first sealed space part through the electric wire drawing port, and
a ventilation component that is assembled to the lid member, enables passage of gas between the first sealed space part and the outside of the housing, and disables passage of liquid between the first sealed space part and the outside of the housing.

8. The connector-equipped electric wire according to claim 7 , wherein
the connector is attached to each of one end and the other end of the electric wire.

9. The connector-equipped electric wire according to claim 7 , further comprising:
an exterior member with a tubular shape that is placed on the electric wire drawn through the electric wire drawing port, wherein
the waterproof member has an inner peripheral surface of the other end part in close contact with an outer peripheral surface of the exterior member.

10. The connector-equipped electric wire according to claim 9 , wherein
the connector is attached to each of one end and the other end of the electric wire.

Assignees

• Yazaki Corp

Inventors

• Ito Yuto
• Sasaki Keisuke

Classifications

• H01R13/5227

  with evacuation of penetrating liquids · CPC title

• H01R13/5213 Primary

  Covers · CPC title

• H01R31/005

  Intermediate parts for distributing signals · CPC title

• H01R11/12

  End pieces terminating in an eye, hook, or fork · CPC title

• H01R13/5221 Primary

  having cable sealing means · CPC title