Waterproof Housing With a Plug-and-Socket Connection for Protection Electronic Circuit

This application is a Continuation of International Application Ser. No. PCT/DE95/00928, filed Jul. 14, 1995.

The invention relates to a waterproof housing with a plug-and-socket connection for protecting electronic circuits, having an upper part, a lower part and a seal disposed between the upper part and the lower part.

Electronic circuits in the interior of such a housing are connected to further circuits, for example a power supply or a signaling circuit, through contact pins leading outward. The contact pins are led outwards through a plug part disposed on the housing. An electrically conductive connection between the electronic circuit and the further circuits is produced by plugging a mating connector into the plug part. While being used, for example in motor vehicles, the electronic circuits must be protected by the housing against external influences, in particular against the intrusion of water. In that case, the plug part and the joint between an upper part and a lower part of the housing are weak points of the housing.

A housing with a plug-and-socket connection, which is known from German Published, Non-Prosecuted Patent Application DE 37 28 456 A1, has two housing parts, an upper part and a lower part, as well as an electronic circuit in the interior of the housing. The two housing parts are screwed to one another. A seal which is in the form of a sealing ring and is inserted into a depression in the lower part is disposed at the joint between the upper part and lower part. An opening in the upper part has a plug part which is screwed to the upper part and has contact pins, with a further sealing ring being disposed between the plug part and upper part.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a waterproof housing with a plug-and-socket connection for protecting electronic circuits, which overcomes the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices of this general type, which has a reliable seal against environmental influences, particularly in the vicinity of a plug part, which is intended to have as few individual parts as possible and which is economical to produce.

With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a waterproof housing with a plug-and-socket connection for protecting electronic circuits, comprising a hard plastic upper part; a hard plastic lower part; a soft plastic extruded or molded seal disposed between the upper part and the lower part replaces a separate sealing element; and a plug part having a hard plastic inner part constructed in one piece with one of the upper and lower parts, contact pins embedded in the inner part for producing an electrically conductive connection to an electronic circuit in the interior of the housing, and a soft plastic sealing collar surrounding the inner part.

The plug part is therefore sealed against the housing without an additional sealing element. A mating connector made from hard plastic bears tightly against the sealing collar of the plug part when introduced into the plug part, with the result that the plug-and-socket connection itself is reliably sealed against the intrusion of water. The housing components made from hard and soft plastics are produced in the same injection mold.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, the sealing collar widens outward, for example in the shape of a cone, so that a mating connector which is to be connected can easily be introduced. If the mating connector is not pushed completely into the plug part, it falls out of the plug part by virtue of the conical shape of the sealing collar. It is therefore possible to check whether or not the mating connector has been pushed in completely. In addition, the sealing collar and the outer shape of the mating connector can be configured in such a way that a false poling of the contact pins is impossible.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the sealing collar has a plurality of sealing lips.

In accordance with an added feature of the invention, if the housing is installed, for example, in a motor vehicle, the repulsion of water can be assisted by so-called drip noses on the outer wall of the housing. The water drips off the drip nose and does not run as far as the joint between the housing parts. The drip noses are configured in a rotary fashion so that they are effective irrespective of the direction of installation of the housing.

In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, there is provided a housing interior, a printed circuit board disposed in the interior, and inclined flexible pins holding the printed circuit board and fitted on one of the parts.

In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, there is provided a guide part for a mating connector having an outer periphery and hard plastic sealing lips on the outer periphery.

In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, the seal and the sealing collar of the plug part are constructed in one piece.

Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.

Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a waterproof housing with a plug-and-socket connection for protecting electronic circuits, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.

The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a housing according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an upper part of the housing;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal-sectional view of the housing, which is taken along a line I--I of FIG. 1, in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal-sectional view of a mating connector for the plug part of the housing.

Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is seen a housing 1 according to the invention with an upper part 2 and a lower part 3. The upper part 2 has a drip nose 4. The drip nose 4 is rotary and as a result it repels drips, for example in a vehicle, irrespective of the direction of installation of the housing 1. The upper part 2 and lower part 3 of the housing 1 are connected to one another through snap locks 5. The upper part 2 has a plug part 6 for receiving a mating connector.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the lower part 3 of the housing 1 according to FIG. 1. A printed circuit board with electronic components can be disposed between plate bearings 21 and pins 7 disposed in the interior of the lower part 3. Furthermore, FIG. 2 shows the plug part 6 disposed on the lower part of the housing.

FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal section through a closed housing 1 with the upper part 2 and the lower part 3. An inner part 8 of the plug part 6 is constructed in one piece with the upper part 2 of the housing 1. The inner part 8 is produced from the same hard plastic as the upper part 2 and the lower part 3. Contact pins 10, which lead to a printed circuit board 11, are embedded permanently in the hard inner part 8 of the plug part 6. Supports 31 carry the printed circuit board 11.

A sealing collar 9 made from a softer plastic surrounds the inner part 8. The cross section of the sealing collar 9 widens conically in the form of sealing lips 13 fitted in stages. A guide part 12 shown in FIG. 4 for mating connectors is manufactured from hard plastic and has sealing lips 121 on its periphery which engage in corresponding structuring or formations of the sealing lips 13 of the sealing collar 9 and ensure a good seal.

A seal 20 made from softer plastic is integrally formed in a groove 201 shown in FIG. 3 which forms the joint between the upper part 2 and the lower part 3 of the housing.

FIG. 3 also shows a silicon chip 15 surrounded by a covering 19, a perforation 16 in the upper part 2 and a closure or shield 18.