Background technology
In many applications, electric connector must be provided with containment member with the hermetically sealed connector parts with protection against the tide.
For example, car door to the car body connector that is used for passenger car must be provided with reliable sealing device, and the electric component (such as car door lock, car door air bag etc.) that this connector is generally used for being arranged in the car door is connected to corresponding control electronic equipment.Such connector is arranged on the junction surface that is arranged in car body and car door centre usually and is therefore had when opening and closing chronically at car door and may be exposed to ambient moisture and moisture.Particularly, owing to must connect cumulative complexity and the importance of the electronic equipment of mentioned junction surface connection, need more reliable water-proof connector assembly, especially need the car door of more reliable waterproof to the car body connector assembly.
In International Patent Application WO 2004/047234A1, described and for example be used for motor vehicle door to the example of the connector assembly of car body application.In the document, connector and corresponding matching connector have been described, the hole that this connector and matching connector pass in the panel interconnects, and described panel for example is the part of car door or car body.Each connector and panel middle transitional district can seal by the seal in the hole in panel.Under the mated condition of assembly, because the seal, moisture or moisture can not enter assembly by the described transition region in the middle of connector and the panel.
Having described among the European patent application EP 1318570A1 can be as car door another example to the water-proof connector assembly of car body connector assembly.Wherein, connector assembly is described to have connector and matching connector, and the hole that this connector and matching connector can pass in the panel is fitted to each other, and the cooperation servicing unit that is the mated auxiliary rob form by utilization can be supported described cooperation thus.EP1318570A1 provides a kind of connector assembly, this connector assembly prevents that moisture or moisture are sealed, assembly is provided with and is positioned at the middle potted component of connector shell thus, and described potted component is only along cooperating the direction of direction compressed perpendicular to housing when connector shell cooperates.Thus, elastic force or the restoring force of the cooperation of connector shell have been avoided to hinder.When containment member was compressed in the middle of housing parts along the cooperation direction of housing, such elastic force that connector cooperates for example may appear hindering.
Another improvement of water-proof connector assembly has been described among the European patent specification EP1745528B1.EP1745528B1 also relates to a kind of connector assembly, and wherein the hole that can pass in the panel of connector is connected to matching connector.In this example, by cooperating auxiliary sliding part to be convenient to the cooperation of connector, the auxiliary sliding part of this cooperation can insert in the housing of connector for this purpose.In the time will cooperating auxiliary sliding part to insert connector shell, the cam groove that is arranged in the actuating leg that cooperates auxiliary sliding part can interact with the respective cams pin of matching connector, to cooperate by the leverage subconnector.
Among the EP1745528B1 disclosed connector assembly be provided with sealing device with the hermetically sealed connector assembly moisture proof and moisture.Except the seal in the hole in panel, as for example known from above mentioned WO2004/047234A1, disclosed connector assembly is provided with sealing ring among the EP1745528B1, and these sealing rings are between the sidewall of the respective surfaces that is arranged on matching connector under the mated condition of assembly around described cam pin and connector shell.Thus, under the mated condition of connector and matching connector, the inside of connector is sealed with protection against the tide.Yet these sealing ring assemblings are complicated and they are along working in the opposite direction with the side of cooperation.
The objective of the invention is to by providing connector assembly to improve prior art, this connector assembly has particularly and cooperates servicing unit and be suitable for use as car door for road vehicle application to the car body connector, has the modifying device that prevents moisture and moisture for the hermetically sealed connector assembly.Another object of the present invention is to provide a kind of connector assembly with more reliable sealing device, preferably all parts of connector assembly can both be manufactured to moulding thus.
The tangible these and other objects that become when reading following description are solved by the connector assembly according to claim 1.
Summary of the invention
According to the present invention, provide a kind of connector assembly that comprises connector shell and cooperate auxiliary sliding part.Described connector shell is suitable for being connected to corresponding matching connector, and the hole that is suitable in a preferred embodiment passing in the panel is connected to matching connector.Therefore, described connector assembly can be for example with the car door that acts on road vehicle application to the car body connector, the electronic locks, air bag etc. that for example are used for being arranged on the car door of passenger car are connected to the corresponding electronic equipment in the car body that is arranged on motor vehicle usually.
The auxiliary sliding part of described cooperation is arranged to and can moves between the opening and closing position on the described connector shell, the auxiliary sliding part of wherein said cooperation be suitable for from its open position when its off-position moves with the interaction of described matching connector, to support the cooperation of described matching connector and described connector shell.The auxiliary sliding part of described cooperation comprises base portion and at least one activates leg from this base portion extends, and described actuating leg is suitable for passing at least one corresponding hole at the auxiliary sliding part of described cooperation when its off-position moves and inserts at least in part in the described connector shell thus.Described hole can for example be the opening in the described connector shell or the opening that is used for the guide groove of described actuating leg, and described guide groove can for example be arranged in the sidewall of described connector shell.
In order to be conducive to described connector shell to the cooperation of described matching connector, the described actuating leg of the auxiliary sliding part of described cooperation is provided with cam groove, make and to assist sliding part to be arranged in the described connector shell or during the open position on the housing when described cooperation, when described matching connector was inserted described connector shell, the cam pin of described matching connector inserted in the described cam groove.Described cam groove can tilt, namely, insert the direction of described connector shell with respect to described actuating leg with suitable angle setting, make with the auxiliary sliding part of described cooperation from its open position when its off-position moves, described cam pin slides along described cam groove, thus, be similar to leverage, described matching connector housing is pulled towards described connector shell.Therefore, described matching connector is engaged to described connector shell, perhaps has the cooperation that is beneficial to connector at least.
According to the present invention, described connector shell also comprises at least one containment member, described containment member is arranged on the hole in the described connector shell, thus, described containment member is suitable for contacting with at least one sealing surfaces sealing of the auxiliary sliding part of described cooperation when described actuating leg inserts in the described hole at least in part, to seal this hole.Preferably, even the auxiliary sliding part of described cooperation not exclusively is arranged on its off-position, for example to the situation of car body connector, be shifted owing to vibrating or move because of motor vehicle as car door at described connector assembly, perhaps owing to be shifted by the operator in the maintenance period, connector is also advantageously sealed with protection against the tide.
For the optimal seal function is provided, in a preferred embodiment, the auxiliary sliding part of described cooperation is provided with more than one sealing surfaces.Preferably, be provided with at least one at the described actuating leg place of the auxiliary sliding part of described cooperation and activate the leg sealing surfaces, and the described base portion of the auxiliary sliding part of described cooperation is provided with at least one base portion sealing surfaces.For the optimal seal function is provided, described containment member is suitable for contacting with described actuating leg sealing surfaces and with described base portion sealing surfaces sealing simultaneously when the auxiliary sliding part of described cooperation is arranged on its off-position.On described surface for example during different orientation (for example perpendicular to each other), this of described containment member and two different surfaces seals simultaneously and contacts advantageous particularly.Therefore the containment member of invention not only can provide in the monoplane sealing of (for example two parallel surfaces between), and for example also can provide around the sealing in sealing bight.
Because this seal concept of described containment member is provided at the place, described hole of described connector shell, therefore the inside of described connector shell is sealed, and thus preferably, more complicated containment member (such as the containment member that centers on above mentioned described cam pin and/or arrange at described cam groove place) is optional.
Embodiment
Hereinafter, with reference to accompanying drawing the present invention is described exemplarily, in the accompanying drawing:
Fig. 1 shows the schematic diagram of connector assembly, wherein cooperates auxiliary sliding part to be illustrated in the connector shell and is shown in an open position;
Fig. 2 shows the connector assembly of Fig. 1 with different visual angles, wherein cooperates auxiliary sliding part to be removed;
Fig. 3 shows the cutaway view of the connector assembly of Fig. 1 when cooperating auxiliary sliding part to be arranged on off-position;
Fig. 4 shows the amplification details of the cutaway view of Fig. 3; And
Fig. 5 shows the different cutaway view of connector assembly, wherein cooperates auxiliary sliding part to be arranged in the off-position;
Fig. 6 shows the connector assembly that the hole of passing in the panel is connected to Fig. 1 of matching connector.
Fig. 1 shows the schematic three dimensional view of connector assembly 100, wherein cooperates auxiliary sliding part 200 to be illustrated in the connector shell 101 and is arranged on open position.Connector shell 101 is provided with cable joint-box 102, cable is connected to connector assembly 100.In Fig. 1, what can see is that the auxiliary sliding part 200 of cooperation has roughly U-shaped shape, and two actuating legs 203 that are provided with base portion 201 and generally perpendicularly give prominence to from described base portion.As being clear that to those skilled in the art, in different execution modes, cooperate auxiliary sliding part only can be provided with one and activate leg 203 or be provided with plural actuating leg 203, connector shell 101 will be provided with one or more corresponding hole 103 (referring to Fig. 2) in these cases.
Fig. 2 shows the connector shell 101 of Fig. 1 from different visual angles, wherein in the figure, cooperate auxiliary sliding part 200 to be removed.As seeing in the figure, connector assembly 100 is provided with containment member 301 and another optional potted component 307, these containment members are arranged on the hole 103 of connector shell 101, at connector shell such as following shown in Figure 6 when being connected to panel 700, the sealing element is used for the possible transition region in the middle of seal connector shell 100 and the panel 700.In illustrated embodiment, two containment members 301 and optional potted component 307 form a body component of black box 300, and the sealing assembly is the single moulding that is attached to connector shell 101.As to those skilled in the art will be clearly, containment member 301 and potted component 307 can be attached or not be attached to the single parts of connector shell 101 in different execution modes.Black box 300 and containment member 301 and potted component 307 can be made by rubber, plastics, silicon or the similar material that is suitable for sealing purpose.
Among Fig. 2, what can see is, containment member 301 is with the form setting of sealing ring, and these sealing rings arrange and partly extend in the hole around the hole 103 of connector shell 101.Hole 103 is the opening of guide groove 119 (referring to Fig. 3) preferably, and extends in the hole 103 by part, and containment member 301 is arranged on the inner surface of guide groove 119.In different execution modes, these containment members 301 can differently be shaped, and for example, arrange around rounding or difform hole.Similarly, containment member 301 can extend in the hole 103 farther or not farly.Yet importantly, by extending at least in part in the hole 103, containment member 301 is provided with at least one parallel sealing surface 311 thus, that is, be roughly parallel to and activate direction of insertion 601 layouts that leg 203 inserts connector shell 101.As seeing in Fig. 2, the sealing surface comprises rounded corners and roughly consistent with the stage portion in the hole 103.Even the accurate shape on parallel sealing surface 311 is not very important for the present invention, advantageously, the sealing surface can not hinder in actuating leg 203 patchholes 103 and can provide simultaneously to the optimum sealing contact of the corresponding actuating leg sealing surfaces 205 (referring to Fig. 1) of actuating leg 203.
In addition, what can see in Fig. 2 is, containment member is provided with vertical seal surface 313, and these vertical seal surface arrangement (that is, as shown in Figure 1, are roughly extended along direction 603,605) in the plane that is approximately perpendicular to direction of insertion 601.When cooperating auxiliary sliding part 200 to be arranged on its off-position, these vertical seal surfaces 313 are suitable for contacting with base portion sealing surfaces 207 (referring to Fig. 1) sealing.Thus, that parallel sealing surface 311 and vertical seal surface 313 provide is favourable, L shaped sealing roughly, and sealing portion allows the optimum sealing for the inside of hole 103 and connector shell 101.In Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, can see best by activating this favourable L shaped sealing that leg sealing surfaces 205 and base portion sealing surfaces 207 form.With the situation on vertical seal surface 311 similarly, vertical seal surface 313 needs not to be smooth, but these surfaces also can be arranged to the rounding shape or be provided with other sealed step portion etc. contact to improve with the sealing that cooperates the corresponding sealing surfaces of assisting sliding part.
In Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, it is roughly dull and stereotyped to cooperate the base portion 201 of auxiliary sliding part 200 to be shown as, and activates leg 203 and generally perpendicularly extends to the guide groove 119 that madial wall 111 and lateral wall 113 by connector shell 101 form from this flat board.Since the even shape of base portion 211, the complete coverage hole 103 of base portion when cooperating auxiliary sliding part 200 to be arranged on its off-position as shown in the figure.This is favourable; because planar base portion 201 provides the closing seam surface that is used for each single hole 103 separately (opposite as for example situation with the 103 single big sealing rings of arranging around two holes), and planar base portion 201 also is provided for the mechanical protection in vertical seal surface 313 and hole 103.In illustrated embodiment, planar base portion is provided for the closure member of the almost form fit of connector shell 101, if connector assembly for example is moved in the maintenance period, this closure member provides optimum mechanical stability so.
As seeing from Fig. 4, activate leg sealing surfaces 205 and be arranged in the near-end shank 211 that activates leg 203, adjacent with base portion sealing surfaces 207 thus.Therefore, activate leg sealing surfaces 205 and base portion sealing surfaces 207 forms roughly L shaped matched seal portion, contact to provide and to be sealed by the optimum of parallel sealing surface 311 and the vertical seal surface 313 roughly L shaped sealings that form.
In order further to improve the sealing effectiveness of above mentioned sealing surfaces, activate leg 203 and also be provided with those widened sections 217, this those widened sections and sealing ring wedging when the actuating leg inserts in the described guide groove 119.As in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, seeing, therefore activate on the parallel sealing surface 311 that leg sealing surfaces 205 is compressed against containment member 301, to improve the sealing contact between these sealing surfaces.
Mention in background technology as top, if when connector cooperates or as when cooperating auxiliary sliding part 200 to insert in the connector shells 101 under this situation, containment member is compressed along the direction that is parallel to direction of insertion.This compression causes the restoring force of the self-compressed containment member in source, and this restoring force hinders and cooperates or insertion process.In this respect, parallel sealing surface 311 is arranged along ideal orientation: when actuating leg 203 was inserted into, the parallel sealing surface only can be pushed by activating leg 302 along the direction perpendicular to direction of insertion 601.Therefore, only can work along the direction perpendicular to direction of insertion 601 by the also possible restoring force of pushing the compression that is derived from containment member 301 that parallel sealing surfaces 311 causes, and therefore do not hinder the insertion that cooperates auxiliary sliding part 200.
Cooperate auxiliary sliding part 200 to sealing and/or the mechanical connection of connector shell 101 in order to improve, perhaps Bi Yao words along the compression of the direction that is parallel to direction of insertion 601 (for example are derived from containment member 301 in order to compensate, by base portion sealing surfaces 207 is pressed against the compression that cause on vertical seal surface 313) possible restoring force, containment member 301 and activate corresponding locking-sealing device 303,215 that leg sealing surfaces 205 advantageously comprises separately.These locking-sealing devices 303,215 shown in preferred implementation in be embodied as the locking-sealing recess 303 in the parallel sealing surface 311 that is arranged on containment member 301 and be arranged on the locking-sealing protuberance 215 that activates on the leg 203.In the embodiment shown, each only side that activates leg 203 is provided with locking-sealing protuberance 215, yet in different preferred implementations, the opposite side or all sides that activate leg 203 also can be provided with locking-sealing protuberance 215.Can obtain from Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 as those skilled in the art, in the time will cooperating auxiliary sliding part 200 to move into its off-position, locking-sealing protuberance 215 is set in locking-sealing recess 303, will cooperate auxiliary sliding part 200 to be locked in its off-position thus.Thus, preferably, these locking-sealing devices are fulfiled favourable dual-use function: they will cooperate auxiliary sliding part 200 to be locked in its off-position, compensate above mentioned possible restoring force thus; And they advantageously can improve parallel sealing surface 311 and activate the sealing effectiveness of leg sealing surfaces 205.
As seeing among Fig. 3 and Fig. 5, in order to cooperate auxiliary sliding part 200 to be locked in its off-position, activate leg 203 and also be provided with other locking devices, these locking devices comprise the corresponding locking recess 115 that is arranged in the madial wall 111 that activates the locking tongue 221 on the leg 203 and be arranged on connector shell 101 in the example shown.As further seeing in Fig. 5, the auxiliary sliding part 200 of cooperation is provided with cam groove 225 and connector shell is provided with respective cams insertion groove 105,107,109.Because the file that the major function of the auxiliary sliding part of such cooperation is for example quoted to those skilled in the art is known, therefore this function will only be described briefly from the above-mentioned background technology.To admit as those skilled in the art, when cooperating auxiliary sliding part 200 to be arranged on its open position (and shown in two cam grooves 225 of actuating leg 203 align with cam insertion groove 105 and 107), cam groove 225 is suitable for receiving the respective cams pin of matching connector 500 when connector assembly 100 and matching connector 500 (referring to Fig. 6) cooperation.When cooperate auxiliary sliding part from its open position when its off-position moves (as shown in Figure 5), cam pin moves along cam groove, thus towards connector shell 101 tractive matching connectors 500.Thus, activate leg 302 and have actuation function.Yet, as for those skilled in the art will be clearly, cooperate auxiliary sliding part 200 can only be provided with one and activate leg 203 or plural actuating leg 203.In addition, cooperate auxiliary sliding part can be provided with the leg with actuation function, this leg will only be used for assisting sliding part 200 suitably to guide cooperation and enter in the connector shell 101.
As seeing among this figure, at the cam groove place containment member is not set.Because 103 places provide this seal concept of containment member 301 in the hole, (such as at cam groove 225 places or and at corresponding cam pin place) unnecessary seal member that exists in the inside of connector shell, the potted component of even now can be configured to for added security.This is favourable, because such inner seal member is made, assembled complexity usually and hinders connector and the assembling of cooperation servicing unit.
Fig. 6 shows the connector assembly 100 that the hole of passing in the panel 700 is coupled to corresponding matching connector 500.Under this mated condition, potted component 307 (referring to Fig. 1 to Fig. 4) contacts with the respective surfaces sealing of panel 700.Panel 700 for example can be the part of door of passenger car or the part of the car body of passenger car.Yet, comprise also that preferably the connector assembly 100 of matching connector 500 can certainly be used for different application.