Watertight connector and a method for mounting it
AssigneeSumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
InventorsYukihiro Fukatsu, Toshikazu Sakurai, Kiyofumi Ichida, Hideshi Tachi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A connector has a housing (20; 60) and a rubber plug (30; 70) mounted to the housing (20; 60). A plug holder (40; 80) can be held at a partial locking position on the housing (20; 60) where it is spaced back from the rubber plug (30; 70) and can be moved to a full locking position where it is located immediately behind the rubber plug (30; 70). The plug holder (40; 80) is dimensioned and configured to correct the orientation of the terminal fittings (10) when the plug holder (40; 80) is at the partial locking position. Thus, terminal fittings (10) can be inserted into the housing (20; 60) without damaging the rubber plug (30; 70).
Claims10
A watertight connector, comprising:
- a housing (20;
- 60) with at least one cavity (25;
- 62) into which at least one terminal fitting (10) fastened to ends of a wire (W) can be accommodated,
- a sealing plug (30;
- 70) mounted at a first surface of the housing (20;
- 60) and formed with at least one wire insertion hole (31;
- 72) substantially aligned with the respective cavity (25;
- 62), the wire insertion hole (31;
- 72) being dimensioned for close sealing contact with the wire (W), and
- a plug holder (40;
- 80) mounted to the housing (20;
- 60) and formed with at least one terminal insertion opening (41;
- 81) substantially aligned with the wire insertion hole (31;
- 72), the terminal insertion openings (41;
- 81) being dimensioned for insertion of the terminal fittings (10),
- wherein the plug holder (40;
- 80) is moveable between a partial locking position (FIGS. 3;
- 6;
- 16) where the plug holder (40;
- 80) is spaced from the sealing plug (30;
- 70) and a full locking position (FIGS. 4;
- 5;
- 15) where the plug holder (40;
- 80) presses the sealing plug (30;
- 70), the terminal fitting (10) being insertable toward the cavity (25;
- 62) through the terminal insertion opening (41;
- 81) when the plug holder (40;
- 80) is at the partial locking position (FIGS. 3;
- 6;
- 16).
A method for mounting watertight connector, comprising:
- providing a housing (20;
- 60) having at least one cavity (25;
- 62),
- mounting a sealing plug (30;
- 70) at a first surface of the housing (20;
- 60), the sealing plug (30;
- 70) being formed with at least one wire insertion hole (31;
- 72) substantially aligned to the respective cavity (25;
- 62),
- mounting a plug holder (40;
- 80) at a partial locking position on the housing (20;
- 60) spaced from the sealing plug (30;
- 70), the plug holder (40;
- 80) being formed with at least one terminal insertion opening (41;
- 81) aligned with the wire insertion hole (31;
- 72),
- inserting at least one terminal fitting (10) mounted to at least one wire (W) through the terminal insertion opening (41;
- 81) and into the cavity (25;
- 62), and
- moving the plug holder (40;
- 80) from the partial position (FIGS. 3, 6;
- 16) to a full locking position (FIGS. 4;
- 5;
- 15), where the plug holder (40;
- 80) presses the sealing plug (30;
- 70).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.