Connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9705233-B2
Application number	US-201414780917-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 10, 2014
Priority date	Apr 10, 2013
Publication date	Jul 11, 2017
Grant date	Jul 11, 2017

Abstract

To lengthen the insulating distance from a conductive member to the outer surface of a housing while curtailing any increase in the size of a connector, a plurality of ribs are formed on a cover which protrude towards a housing and surround the outer periphery of a housing chamber in the housing. Grooves are formed in the housing for insertion of the ribs. The plurality of ribs provided in the cover include a first rib positioned in the longitudinal direction relative to the housing chamber, and a second rib positioned on the side of the housing chamber with an opening for insertion of another connector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A connector, the connector comprising:
a housing, the housing having first and second wall portions and first and second side portions, the first and second wall portions and the first and second side portions defining a chamber of the housing, the chamber being open at an upper end thereof, at least one of the first and second wall portions defining at least one wall groove at an upper end thereof, at least one of the first and second side portions defining at least one side groove at an upper end thereof, at least one of the first and second side portions having an opening extending therethrough which is in communication with the chamber;
at least one conductive member, the at least one conductive member being housed within the chamber of the housing, wherein the at least one conductive member is configured to be electrically connected to a separate connector via the opening; and
a cover, the cover having a ceiling portion, at least one first rib, and at least one second rib, each first and second rib extending downwardly from the ceiling portion, each first rib being positioned within a corresponding wall groove, each second rib being positioned within a corresponding side groove, whereby the cover closes off the chamber from the upper end thereof.

2. The connector according to claim 1 , further comprising a ring-shaped sealing member, the ring-shaped sealing member being secured to a bottom surface of the ceiling portion of the cover, the ring-shaped sealing member being positioned to the inside of the at least one first rib and the at least one second rib.

3. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein each side groove is shallower than each wall groove, and wherein each first rib extends further downwardly from the ceiling portion than each second rib.

4. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second side portions have the opening extending therethrough which is in communication with the chamber.

5. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second side portions define the side groove at the upper end thereof, and wherein the cover has a pair of second ribs, a first one of the second ribs being positioned in the side groove of the first side portion and a second one of the second ribs being positioned in the side groove of the second side portion.

6. The connector according to claim 5 , further comprising a ring-shaped sealing member, the ring-shaped sealing member being secured to a bottom surface of the ceiling portion of the cover, the ring-shaped sealing member being positioned to the inside of the at least one first rib and the pair of second ribs.

7. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second side portions define inner and outer side grooves at the upper end thereof, and wherein the cover has two pairs of second ribs, each pair of second ribs having an outer second rib and an inner second rib which is positioned inward from the outer second rib, the outer second rib of the first pair of second ribs being positioned in the outer side groove of the first side portion, the inner second rib of the first pair of second ribs being positioned in the inner side groove of the first side portion, the outer second rib of the second pair of second ribs being positioned in the outer side groove of the second side portion, and the inner second rib of the second pair of second ribs being positioned in the inner side groove of the second side portion.

8. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the cover further comprises a plurality of corner hooks, each corner hook extending downwardly from a respective corner of the ceiling portion, and wherein the housing has a plurality of holes defined therein which are open at an upper end thereof, each corner hook being positioned and secured within a corresponding one of the holes when the cover closes off the chamber from the upper end thereof.

9. The connector according to claim 8 , further comprising a ring-shaped sealing member, the ring-shaped sealing member being secured to a bottom surface of the ceiling portion of the cover, the ring-shaped sealing member being positioned to the inside of the at least one first rib, the at least one second rib, and the plurality of corner hooks.

10. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the first wall portion defines first and second wall grooves, and wherein the second wall portion defines third and fourth wall grooves, and wherein the cover has four first ribs, wherein a first one of the first ribs is positioned within the first wall groove, wherein a second one of the first ribs is positioned within the second wall groove, wherein a third one of the first ribs is positioned within the third wall groove, and wherein a fourth one of the first ribs is positioned within the fourth wall groove.

11. The connector according to claim 10 , further comprising a ring-shaped sealing member, the ring-shaped sealing member being secured to a bottom surface of the ceiling portion of the cover, the ring-shaped sealing member being positioned to the inside of the four first ribs and the at least one second rib.

12. The connector according to claim 10 , wherein the cover further comprises first and second middle hooks, the first middle hook extending downwardly from the ceiling portion at a position between the first one of the first ribs and the second one of the first ribs, the second middle hook extending downwardly from the ceiling portion at a position between the third one of the first ribs and the fourth one of the first ribs, and wherein the housing has first and second holes defined therein which are open at an upper end thereof, the first hole being positioned between the first and second wall groove, the second hole being positioned between the third and fourth wall groove, wherein, when the cover closes off the chamber from the upper end thereof, the first middle hook is positioned and secured within the first hole and the second middle hook is positioned and secured within the second hole.

13. The connector according to claim 12 , wherein the first middle hook is connected to the first and second ones of the first ribs, and wherein the second middle hook is connected to the third and fourth ones of the first ribs.

14. The connector according to claim 12 , further comprising a ring-shaped sealing member, the ring-shaped sealing member being secured to a bottom surface of the ceiling portion of the cover, the ring-shaped sealing member being positioned to the inside of the first ribs, the at least one second rib, and the first and second middle hooks.

15. The connector according to claim 12 , wherein the cover further comprises a plurality of corner hooks, each corner hook extending downwardly from a respective corner of the ceiling portion, and wherein the housing has a plurality of corner holes defined therein which are open at an upper end thereof, each corner hook being positioned and secured within a corresponding one of the corner holes when the cover closes off the chamber from the upper end thereof.

16. A connector, the connector comprising:
a housing, the housing having first and second wall portions and first and second side portions, the first and second wall portions and the first and second side portions defining a chamber of the housing, the chamber being open at an upper end thereof, at least one of the first and second side portions having an opening extending therethrough which is in communication with the chamber;
at least one conductive member, the at least one conductive member being housed within the cham

Assignees

• Molex Inc
• Yamada Eiichi
• Chikano Koji
• Molex Llc

Inventors

• Yamada Eiichi
• Chikano Koji

Classifications

• H02G3/088

  Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof casings or inlets · CPC title

• H02S40/34

  comprising specially adapted electrical connection means to be structurally associated with the PV module, e.g. junction boxes · CPC title

• H02G3/16

  structurally associated with support for line-connecting terminals within the box · CPC title

• H01R13/5213 Primary

  Covers · CPC title

• H01R13/5202

  Sealing means between parts of housing or between housing part and a wall, e.g. sealing rings · CPC title