The present invention relates to a waterproof electrical connector in which splicers are sealed.
In the prior art, a first and second connectors are engaged with each other while an O-ring is disposed for waterproofing between the connectors. In addition, each connector is provided with a seal at a proximal or rear end. Wiring harnesses with male splicers are passed through holes formed in the seal, and the male splicers are positioned in a housing of the first connector. The second connector also includes wiring harnesses with female splicers. The male splicers of the first connector are connected to the female splicers of the second connector when the two connectors are engaged with each other.
Here, the above mentioned connectors are explained with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a conventional connector or the above-mentioned second connector 5 having female splicers 21 to which wiring harnesses 17 are fixed. Only one wiring harness 17 with a female splicer is shown in FIG. 6 to simplify the drawing. The connector 5 mainly consists of a housing 11 and a seal 7. The housing 11 has a hood 3 at a proximal end, and the seal 7 is put in the hood 3. For making it easy to understand the structure of the connector 5, the housing 11 and the seal 7 are shown as being separated from each other in FIG. 6.
A block 9 is disposed in the housing 11, and a plurality of chambers or holes 13 are formed in the block 9. On the other hand, a plurality of holes 19 are formed in the seal 7 in the same arrangement as the chambers 13 of the block 9. The wiring harnesses 17 with the female splicers 21 are passed through the holes 19, and the female splicers 21 are positioned and fixed in the chambers 13. The female splicers 21 are to be connected to male splicers of the above-mentioned first connector.
A plurality of ribs 7a are formed around the seal 7 for waterproofing between the hood 3 of the housing 11 and the seal 7 as shown in FIGS. 6-8. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 7, a plurality of annular ribs 7b are formed on an inner surface of each hole 19 of the seal 7 for waterproofing between the seal 7 and the wiring harness 17 which goes through the hole 19.
Now, assembling of the second connector 5 is described. First, the seal 7 is pressed in directions X and Y as shown in FIG. 8 and is put in the hood 3 of the housing 11. The seal 7 put in the hood 3 is still compressed in the directions, because the size of the seal 7 is usually designed to be bigger than a space in the hood 3 to obtain good waterproofness. The holes 19 of the seal 7 are superimposed on the chambers 13 disposed in the housing 11 at this time as shown in FIG. 7. Then, several wiring harnesses 17 are passed through the holes 17 of the seal 7, and the female splicers 21 are introduced in the chambers 13 of the housing 11 and fixed there by a known device (not shown). At this time, sealing is kept between the wiring harnesses 17 and the holes 19 by means of the annular ribs 7b.
However, if further splicers are inserted in the holes 19 and introduced in the chambers 13 in turn from one side of the seal 7 as shown in FIG. 8, force is caused to move the seal 7 towards remaining holes 19. As a result, the remaining holes 19 shift from the corresponding chambers 13. Therefore, further wiring harnesses 17 can not be introduced into the chambers 13 through the holes 19.
By the way, to obtain good waterproofness, the seal 7 is compressed in the direction X and Y in the hood 3 so that the ribs 7a around the seal 7 and the annular ribs 7b on the inner surfaces of the chambers 13 can be pressed against the hood 3 and the wiring harnesses 17 respectively. Therefore, the holes 19 are deformed, and subsequently shifted from the corresponding chambers 13 before insertion of wiring harnesses 17 through the holes 19.
Even if the wiring harnesses 17 could be forced to pass through the shifted holes 19 and got into the corresponding chambers 13, seals are broken between the wiring harnesses 17 and the holes 19 because the holes 19 are deformed.
Above description is made for the second connector, and however it is quite same for the first connector.
To prevent such shifts, a device is indicated in Japanese Patent A62-198,064. In the patent, a plurality of protuberances are arranged on a block which has chambers and is disposed in a housing, while a seal in which holes are formed is provided with a plurality of depressions. The depressions are engaged by the protuberances to prevent shifts of the holes of the seal from the chambers when wiring harnesses are inserted through the holes to the chambers.
Notwithstanding the disposition of the device, however, some holes of the seal shift due to shearing force induced by insertion of wiring harnesses.
As mentioned above, in the conventional connectors, it is difficult or impossible to get the wiring harnesses 17 through the holes 19, or good waterproofness can not be obtained.