Packing protection cap and connector

[0001] This application claims the benefit of the filing date under 35 U.S.C. §119(a)-(d) of Japanese Patent Application number 2008-118848 filed Apr. 30, 2008.

[0002] The present invention relates to a seal protection cap for protecting a fitting portion of an electrical connector to be fitted to a mating connector and for protecting a seal provided on the fitting portion, and to an electrical connector including the seal protection cap.

[0003] An electrical connector having a fitting portion to be fitted to a mating connector and a seal provided on the fitting portion is readily known. In the case where such a connector is used for an airbag system for an automobile, for example, the fitting portion and the seal of this connector are often protected with a seal protection cap in order to ensure safety and reliability until the connector is mated with the mating connector.

[0004] For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 08-64298 proposes a waterproof electrical connector including a seal that is provided inside a fitting concave section to be fitted to a fitting section of a mating connector while the seal is partially exposed on an outer periphery of the fitting concave section. In this connector, the exposed portion of the seal is covered with a protection cover that is put on the outer periphery of the fitting concave section.

[0005] Meanwhile, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-267004 proposes a cap-shaped dust cover to be fitted onto an outer periphery of a connector so as to cover a front face of a fitting portion of the connector. In this application, a seal protection section is formed in an extending manner on an opening end of a peripheral wall of the dust cover so as to cover a seal exposed on a rear-end outer periphery of the connector.

[0006] However, when putting the protection cover on the outer periphery of the fitting concave section as proposed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 08-64298, the portion of the seal that is exposed on the outer periphery of the fitting concave section is protected by the protection cover, whereas a front end side of the seal provided inside the fitting concave section is not protected by the protection cover. Therefore, an insufficient protection of the seal results.

[0007] Meanwhile, again, according to Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-267004, the seal exposed on the rear-end outer periphery of the connector is covered with the seal protection section that extends on the opening end of the peripheral wall of the cap-shaped dust cover to be fitted to the outer periphery of the connector. In this application, the front face of the connector, in a fitting direction in which the connector is fitted to the mating connector, is covered with the dust cover. Thus, it is impossible to carry out a visual inspection of the connector or a continuity check of a contact after putting the dust cover on the connector. Therefore, this connector has a problem of poor workability in its manufacturing process.

[0008] In view of the foregoing problems, the present invention provides a seal protection cap to protect a fitting portion as well as a seal, while improving workability. The present invention also provides a connector having the seal protection cap.

[0009] The seal protection cap for a connector body, according to the present invention, includes a connector body having a fitting section and a seal. The fitting section, which is fitted to a fitting concave section of a mating connector, has a contact hole formed in a front face thereof in a fitting direction, in which the fitting section is fitted to the fitting concave section. The contact hole extends far enough to reach a contact disposed inside the fitting section. The seal surrounds a side face of the fitting section. The seal protection cap includes a front face plate and a protection section. The front face plate, which spreads to face the front face, includes an opening to allow inspection from the front face. The protection section extends cylindrically from a peripheral edge of the front face plate along the side face of the fitting section so as to cover the seal.

[0010] Since the seal protection cap of the present invention includes the front face plate provided with the opening, it is possible to carry out a continuity check while touching contacts disposed inside the connector body with the seal protection cap kept on the connector body. Therefore, workability can be improved.

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a seal protection cap capable of protecting a fitting portion as well as a seal and improving workability at the same time, and to provide a connector including the seal protection cap.

[0035] Now, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0036] A connector 1 shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3B is a connector to be connected, via wires 20, to a mating connector (not shown) that is provided on an ignition device of a vehicle airbag system (also not shown). The connector 1 includes a connector body 1_1 and a seal protection cap 1_2.

[0037] The connector body 1_1 includes a body 50, a fitting section 112, and a seal 60 as shown in FIG. 3B.

[0038] The body 50 corresponds to an example made of an insulative material such as a resin-made head section. This body 50 is arranged at a rear portion of the fitting section 112 in a fitting direction in which the fitting section 112 is fitted to the mating connector. The body 50 seals portions around the wires 20 extending from the rear portion. The body 50 is integrally molded with the fitting section 112 as well as insulation on the wires 20, by use of a mold to be described later. A material such as polyamide-based hot-melt or polyester-based hot-melt may be used for the body 50 but it should be understood by those skilled in the art that other insulative materials would be suitable for the body 50. Therefore, the materials of the body 50 are not limited only to those mentioned above. It is possible to employ any other materials as long as such materials allow the body 50 to be formed by means of a mold, at a low pressure in a short period of time, thereby obtaining the body 50 integral with the fitting section 112 and the insulation coatings of the wires 20. Moreover, this material is expected to have affinity for the materials of the fitting section 112 and the insulation of the wires 20 while preventing adhesion to the mold.

[0039] The fitting section 112 is fitted to a fitting concave section (not shown) of the mating connector. This fitting section 112 includes an outer peripheral surface 1123 provided with a lock 1121. The lock 1121 plays a role in preventing detachment of the mating connector when the fitting section 112 is inserted to a predetermined position of the fitting concave section of the mating connector. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 3B, this fitting section 112 includes contact holes 1125 formed on a front face 1122 in the fitting direction, which are configured to reach contacts arranged inside the fitting section 112, as will be described later.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 3B, the seal 60 is arranged so as to surround a side face of the fitting section 112. This seal 60 is formed, for example, by insert-molding of silicone rubber onto an outer peripheral surface 1123 of the fitting section 112 formed in advance. The silicone rubber adheres to the fitting section 112 in the course of the insert-molding process and thereby forms the seal 60 that is integrated with the fitting section 112. Here, the seal 60 may also be formed simultaneously and integrally with the fitting section 112 by means of a two shot molding process wherein different color material may optionally be used for each component. The seal 60 has an annular shape so as to surround part of the outer peripheral surface 1123, and a lip 61 is formed on the outermost periphery of the seal 60. The lip 61 protrudes from the outer peripheral surface 1123 so that an outside diameter of the seal 60 is larger than an inside diameter of the fitting concave section of the mating connector. That is, the seal 60 is formed so as to be in intimate and elastic contact with an inner wall of the fitting concave section of the mating connector when the fitting section 112 is inserted to the fitting concave section.

[0041] Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3A, the seal protection cap 1_2 includes a front face plate 1_21 and a protection section 1_22. The front face plate 1_21 is spread to face the front face 1122 of the fitting section 112 and includes an opening 1_21a in order to allow an inspection from the front face 1122. The protection section 1_22 is a member that extends from a peripheral edge of the front face plate 1_21 cylindrically along the side face of the fitting section 112, so as to cover the seal 60.

[0042] Moreover, the seal protection cap 1_2, in the embodiment shown, is made of highly-transparent polypropylene so as to allow the connector body 1_1 to be visible through the seal protection cap 1_2. However, the material of the seal protection cap 1_2 is not limited only to polypropylene. The seal protection cap of the present invention only needs to be made of a transparent material that allows the connector body to be visible through this seal protection cap.

[0043] The configuration of the connector 1 will be described further in detail with reference to FIG. 4.

[0044] A contact containing chamber 1124 is formed in the fitting section 112 of the connector 1 shown in FIG. 1. Contacts 30 and a ferrite core 40 are housed in this contact containing chamber 1124. The contacts 30 are connected to ends of the wires 29, and the ferrite core 40 has an oblong and hollow shape for noise absorption. Meanwhile, the contact holes 1125 for connecting the contact containing chamber 1124 to the outside, which are also illustrated in FIG. 3, are formed in the front face 1122 of the fitting section 112. When the connector 1 is mated with the mating connector, male contacts (not shown) of the mating connector are inserted to the contact containing chamber 1124 through the contact holes 1125 and touch the contacts 30.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 4, each of the contacts 30 is a female contact to be mated with the male contact of the mating connector, which is formed by stamping, forming and plating operations. The contact 30 has a substantially L-shape and includes a contact section 31 to be in contact with the male contact of the mating connector, and a wire connecting section 32 to be connected to the end of the wire 20. The wire connecting section 32 includes a core-wire pressure-bonding section 321 for pressure-bonding a core wire of the wire 20, and an insulation-coating pressure-bonding section 322 for pressure-bonding the insulation coating of the wire 20.

[0046] Moreover, a cap housing 120 for covering an upper portion of the fitting section 112 is provided between the body 50 and the fitting section 112 of the connector body 1_1. This cap housing 120 includes a wire-end cladding section 1210 for cladding a wire-end container section 1110 of the fitting section 112.

[0047] This wire-end cladding section 1210 includes a claw member 1212 that comes between the end of the wire 20 to be housed in the wire-end container section 1110 and an electric-wire locking portion 1112. This claw member 1212 prevents the cap housing 120 from falling from the upper portion of the fitting section 112. Moreover, this claw member 1212 prevents the wire-end cladding section 1210 from being lifted up when an upward (upward in FIG. 4) force is applied to the wires 20.

[0048] Further, the wire-end container section 1110 includes a through hole 1113, which is formed in a position where the core-wire pressure-bonding section 321 of the wire connecting section 32 is exposed in the state prior to forming of the body 50 and when the wire connecting sections 32 of the contacts 30 and the wires 20 are housed in the wire-end container section 1110.

[0049] Meanwhile, the body 50 is poured in from the through hole 1113 formed on the wire-end container section 1110 and is filled in a portion around the end of each of the wires 20 inclusive of the core-wire pressure-bonding section 321 of the wire connecting section 32 housed in the wire-end container section 1110. In a conventional connector, since this filling is not performed, there is a risk of water entering the surroundings of the ends of the wires inclusive of the core-wire pressure-bonding sections of the wire connecting sections when the body is removed from an insulation housing. However, according to the connector 1 of the present invention, the waterproof property of the connector 1 is maintained by the body 50, which is poured in from the through hole 1113, filling around the ends of the wires 20 that are housed in the wire-end container section 1110.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 4, the connector 1 of the present invention includes a connector body 1_1 and a seal protection cap 1_2. The connector body 1_1 includes a cap housing 120, the body 50, and the fitting section 112 which is provided with the seal 60. The seal protection cap 1_2 has a front face plate 1_21 provided with an opening 1_21a that allows inspection from the front face 1122 of the fitting section 112 to be fitted to the fitting concave section of the mating connector. For this reason, it is possible to carry out a continuity check by touching the contacts 30 disposed inside the connector body 1_1 when the seal protection cap 1_2 is on the connector body 1_1. Moreover, through the opening 1_21a, it is also possible to check whether the contacts 30 and the ferrite core 40 are disposed inside the connector body 1_1. It is therefore possible to improve workability. Further, as shown in FIG. 3A, this seal protection cap 1_2 includes the protection section 1_22, which extends cylindrically from the peripheral edge of the front face plate 1_21 along the side face of the fitting section 112, so as to cover the seal 60. In this way, it is possible to protect the fitting section 112 and the seal 60 reliably.

[0051] Moreover, the seal protection cap 1_2 is made of transparent polypropylene. Accordingly, it is possible to check the presence and external appearance of the seal 60 that surrounds the side face of the fitting section 112 with the seal protection cap 1_2 kept on the connector body 1_1. In this way, workability can be further improved.

[0052] In addition, when manufacturing this connector 1, as will be described later, it is possible to carry out a forming operation to form the body 50 on the connector body 1_1 (a connector body portion) with the seal protection cap 1_2 kept on the connector body 1_1. Therefore, this connector 1 is excellent in forming operability.

[0053] Next, a method of manufacturing the connector 1 will be described.

[0054] First, as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the seal protection cap 1_2 is put on the fitting section 112 with the seal 60 attached thereto. Next, the ferrite core 40 and the contacts 30 connected to the wires 20, which are not illustrated in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, are inserted into the fitting section 112 from above.

[0055] FIG. 7 is a view showing how the cap housing 120 is fitted to the fitting section 112 having the seal protection cap 1_2 thereon and the contacts 30 housed therein, the contacts having been connected to the ferrite core 40 and the wires 20.

[0056] FIG. 7 shows the fitting section 112 provided with the seal protection cap 1_2 put thereon, the ferrite core 40 housed inside the fitting section 112, and the two contacts 30 connected to the two wires 20 housed to be surrounded by the ferrite core 40. The cap housing 120 is fitted to the fitting section 112, thereby making the connector body 1_1 without the body 50. Here, the connector body 1_1 without the body 50 will be hereinafter referred to as the connector body portion for the convenience of explanation.

[0057] Further, as described below, the body 50 is formed on the upper portion of the cap housing 120 by using a mold including lower mold sections and an upper mold section.

[0058] A first lower mold section 71 and a second lower mold section 72 of the mold are shown in FIG. 8 to FIG. 11. The first lower mold section 71 is provided with a hole 71 a in which a insulative material for forming the body 50 is poured by way of the upper mold section to be described later. Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 11, the seal 60 is attached to the side face of the fitting section 112. The seal protection cap 1_2 is put so as to cover this seal 60.

[0059] First, the first and second lower mold sections 71 and 72 are arranged away from each other by a predetermined distance, and then the fitting section 112 with the cap housing 120 and the seal protection cap 1_2 attached thereto is placed on these first and second lower mold sections 71 and 72. Subsequently, these first and second lower mold sections are joined to each other and an upper mold section to be described later is further put thereon so as to close the mold.

[0060] An upper mold section 70 of the mold is shown in FIG. 12 to FIG. 14. The upper mold section 70 is provided with a hole 70a in which the insulative material for forming the body 50 is poured. As shown in FIG. 13 and FIG. 15, this hole 70a communicates with the hole 71a provided on the first lower mold section 71. The insulative material is poured into an inner space defined by the first and second lower mold sections 71 and 72 and the upper mold section 70 by way of these holes 70a and 71a. Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 12, support pins 70b and 70c for supporting the cap housing 120 are respectively fitted into holes 70d and 70e provided on an upper face of the upper mold section 70.

[0061] Here, as shown in FIG. 12 to FIG. 15, the upper mold section 70 is put on the first and second lower mold sections 71 and 72 so as to close the mold. Subsequently, the insulative material is poured into the mold as described below.

[0062] An insulative material A is poured from the hole 70a provided on the upper face of the upper mold section 70 as shown in FIG. 16. The insulative material A poured from the hole 70a passes through a reservoir portion 70f provided on a lower surface of the upper mold section 70 and through the hole 71a provided on the upper surface of the lower mold section 71, and then flows rightward in FIG. 16. The flowing insulative material A thus poured is filled in the upper portion of the cap housing 120 and a portion around the ends of the wires 20. In this way, the body 50 is formed so as to be integrated with the insulation of the wires 20. Then, the upper mold section 70 is detached from the first and second lower mold sections 71 and 72.

[0063] As shown in FIG. 18 and FIG. 19, the upper mold section 70 is detached upward from the first and second lower mold sections 71 and 72. FIG. 18 and FIG. 19 show the body 50 that is formed on the upper portion of the cap housing 120 and around the ends of the wires 20. Moreover, the formed connector 1 is taken out by separating the first lower mold section 71 from the second lower mold section 72, as described below.

[0064] The first lower mold section 71 is separated from the second lower mold section 72 as shown in FIG. 20 to FIG. 23, leaving the molded connector 1 in a state of being mounted on the second mold section 72. Subsequently, the formed connector 1 is taken out of the second lower mold section 72. In this way, the connector 1 of this embodiment is manufactured.