CONNECTOR MODULE

Abstract

 A connector module for preventing dust and oil from coming into a casing of an industrial machine through an opening for fixing a connector provided on the casing. Outer surfaces of a stationary connector (101) are covered by a covering member (2) having an opening corresponding to a connector receiving portion of the stationary connector (101). A gap between a front surface of the covering member (2) and an opening (106) of a panel (100) is sealed by a sealing member (3). Dust and oil coming from a gap between the front surface of the stationary connector (101) and the opening (106) is blocked by the sealing member (3), and dust and oil coming through apertures (105) or other portions of the stationary connector (101) is blocked by the covering member (2).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a connector module to be mounted on an industrial machine such as a numerical controller, a machine tool or the like, and more specifically to a connector module for preventing dust and oil from entering through an opening for a connector on a casing of the industrial machine.

Background Art

[0002] FIG. 1 shows a general example of a stationary connector mounted on an industrial machine such as a numerical controller, a machine tool or the like. FIG. 1a is a plan view showing a panel 100 which constitutes a casing of a numerical controller, a machine tool or the like, and a stationary connector 101 mounted on the panel 100, FIG. 1b is a front view showing the panel 100 and the stationary connector 101, and FIG. 1c is a cross sectional view of the stationary connector 101 along a break line A-A' in FIG. 1b.

[0003] As shown in FIG. 1b, the stationary connector 101 has a plurality of pins 102 arranged in vertically stratified two rows. In each row, the pins 102 are arranged with a predetermined space, and the upper and lower rows are transversely shifted with each other by half of the predetermined space. As shown in FIG. 1c, pins 102 are pressed into through holes formed in a body 101a of the stationary connector 101 from behind the body, and projection of distal ends of the pins are adjusted by rectangular contact members 103 which are formed integrally with proximal ends of the pins 102 to project in the diametrical direction of the pins. A contact member 103 of a pin 102 in the upper row in FIG. 1b downwardly extends longer than a contact member 103 of a pin 102 in the lower row. To the lower surface of the stationary connector 101 attached is an end of a flat cable 104 comprising a plurality of transversely arranged conductors and coated with insulating material. Each contact member 103 is welded to each conductor.

[0004] Apertures 105 as shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b are often provided in the body 101a of the stationary connector 105 at appropriate positions for engagement with a male connector of an associated one, or for regulating orientation characteristic in molding the connector and/or preventing warp after the molding.

[0005] As shown in FIG. 1c, the stationary connector 101 is attached to a rear surface of the panel 100 so that its front surface aligns with an opening 106 of the panel 100. Between an outer periphery of the stationary connector 101 and a periphery of the opening 106 remains a gap as shown in FIGS. 1a, 1b and 1c. The stationary connector 101 is attached to the panel 101 by L-type fixtures 107, and nuts and screws or the like as shown in FIG. 1c.

[0006] Thus, the prior art as shown in FIG. 1 has a problem that dust and oil may enter a casing of a numerical controller, a machine tool, etc. through the gap between the outer circumference of the stationary connector 101 and the opening 106 of the panel 100, or through the apertures 105 of the stationary connector 101, depending upon an ambience in which the numerical controller, the machine tool, etc. are placed. Further, oil of high permeability may enter the casing through the portion where the pins 102 are pressed into the through holes of the molded body of the stationary connector 101.

Disclosure of Invention

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a connector module capable of preventing dust and oil from entering a casing of a numerical controller, a machine tool or the like through an opening for mounting a connector on an industrial machine, or through a stationary connector.

[0008] A connector module of the present invention comprises: a stationary connector having a receiving portion to receive an associated connector externally of the industrial machine and disposed inside the casing so that the receiving portion is positioned at an opening formed on the casing; a covering member having an opening corresponding to the receiving portion of the stationary connector, for covering outer surfaces of the stationary connector except the receiving portion; and a sealing member for sealing a gap between a front face of the covering member and the opening of the casing.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0009] 

FIGS. 1a-1b show a fitting state of a conventional stationary connector to a casing, in which FIG. 1a is a plan view of the stationary connector fitted to the casing of an industrial machine, FIG. 1b is a front view of the connector and FIG. 1c is a cross-sectional view of the connector along a break line A-A' in FIG. 1b;

FIGS. 2a-2c show a fitting state of a connector module to a casing according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 2a is a plan view partly in section of the connector module fitted to the casing, FIG. 2b is a front view of the connector module and FIG. 2c is a cross sectional view of the connector module along a break line B-B' in FIG. 2b; and

FIGS. 3a-3d show a structure of a covering member of the connector module shown in FIG. 2, in which FIG. 3a is a plan view of a body member of the covering member, FIG. 3b is a front view showing a way of assembling the body member and a bottom cover around the stationary connector, FIG. 3c is a plan view of the bottom cover, and FIG. 3d is a side view showing a way of assembling the body member and the bottom cover around the stationary connector.

Best Mode of Carrying out the Invention

[0010] As shown in FIG. 2, a connector module 1 of the present embodiment has a covering member 2 for covering the whole of a stationary connector 101 except a receiving portion for receiving an external associated connector, i.e., except a lefthand end of the stationary connector 101 in FIG. 2c, and a sealing member 3 for sealing a gap between a front surface of the covering member 2 and an opening 106 of a panel 100.

[0011] The sealing member 3 is formed into a shape of a rectangular frame so as to surround an opening of the front surface of the covering member 2, and is bonded integrally to the front surface of the covering member 2. The sealing member is preferably made of elastic and oil-proof material such as rubber, urethane, etc.

[0012] Fig. 3 shows an example of splitting of the covering member 2 in a case where the covering member 2 comprises two parts.

[0013] As shown in FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3d, a body member 2a has four wall portions forming an upper wall 4, left wall 5, right wall 6 and rear wall 7 of the covering member 2, respectively, and a bottom cover 2b has a wall portion forming a lower wall 8 of the covering member 2. The covering member is formed integrally by bonding the body member 2a and the bottom cover 2b, so that the stationary connector 101 is fitted in a hollow portion of the covering member 2 without any gap inside the covering member 2.

[0014] A recess 10 is formed at an upper surface of the bottom cover 2b to allow a lower surface of the stationary connector 101 to be fitted therein. A groove 9 corresponding to the thickness of a flat cable 104 is formed in the recess 10 so as to prevent interference of the flat cable 104 and the upper surface of the bottom cover 2. A lower end of the rear wall 7 of the body member 2a is formed to project downward corresponding to a depth of the recess 10. Thus, the flat cable 104 connected to the stationary connector 101 is interposed between the lower end of the rear wall 7 of the body member 2a and an upper surface of the groove 9 of the bottom cover 2b, to thereby seal the inside space of the covering member 2 with the stationary connector 101 fitted therein from the outside space in cooperation with the body member 2a and the bottom cover 2b.

[0015] The recess 10 is provided at the upper surface of the bottom cover 2b only to ensure positioning of the bottom cover 2b relative to the body member 2a using the stationary connector 101 interposed therebetween when bonding the body member 2a and the bottom cover 2b. Therefore, it is possible to omit the recess 10.

[0016] In the case where the recess 10 is not formed, the groove 9 for passing the flat cable therethrough is necessary. However, when the recess 10 is omitted, the projection of the lower end of the rear face 7 of the body member 2a is not necessary, and therefore, there is at least an effect of simplifying the structure of dies for molding the body member 2a and the bottom cover 2b. Needless to say, when the lower end projection of the rear face 7 and the recess 10 are omitted, it is necessary to design the length of the left wall portion 5, the right wall portion 6 and the rear wall portion 7 of the body member 2a longer in the vertical direction by the amount corresponding to the depth of the recess 10.

[0017] By interposing the flat cable 104 between the lower end of the rear wall portion 7 of the covering member 2 and the upper surface of the groove 9 of the bottom cover 2b, a considerable sealing effect can be expected. However, when a demand for a sealing effect is such that the oil coming into the casing through the portion where the pins 102 are pressed into the through holes of the molded body of the stationary connector 101 becomes an issue, a complete sealing should be realized by applying adhesive or epoxy resin to abutting surfaces of the lower end of the rear wall portion 7 and the flat cable 104 and also abutting surfaces of the upper face of the groove 9 and the flat cable 104.

[0018] Using an appropriate three-side open die assembly, it is possible to mold the covering member 2 with the inside space, the through holes 11 for screws and the groove 9 simultaneously, without splitting the covering member 2 into two parts. For example, a core corresponding to the inside space of the covering member 2 is provided in a movable die, a core corresponding to the groove 9 is provided in a stationary die so that it is slidably in contact with a side surface of the core for the inside space, and two pins for forced cutting are respectively provided in side open slide blocks of the movable die so as to serve as cores for the respective through holes 11 for screws. In the case where the flat cable 104 is sufficiently thin, after the flat cable 104 is passed through a slit (formed by the core provided in the stationary die) in an extending direction of the groove 9 of the integrally formed covering member 2 from inside to outside of the covering member 2, the stationary connector 101 may be forced into the covering member 2 ignoring an undercut for the thickness of the flat cable 104 attached to the stationary connector 101.

[0019] If modification is made such as forming a stepped portion at the lower surface of the stationary connector 101 to thereby make the lower surface of the flat cable 104 even with the lower surface of the stationary connector 101 (such modification requires re-design of the stationary connector 101 or a partial change of the die for the stationary connector 101), a problem of the undercut does not rise and the groove 9 itself is not necessary. Only a core of a short length corresponding to a slit for passing the flat cable 104 therethrough needs to be provided at the end of the core for the inside space of the covering member 2 or provided in the cavity defining surface of the stationary die.

[0020] A sealing member 3 as shown in FIGS. 2a-2c is bonded to the front face of the opening portion of the covering member 2 in which the stationary connector 101 is fitted, and the covering member 2 is fixed to a rear surface of the panel 100 by L-type fixtures 107' as shown in FIG. 2c. Each L-type fixture 107' is fixed to the connector cover 1 by a nut and a screw using the through hole 11 of the covering member 2 in the conventional manner.

[0021] Since a gap between the opening 106 and the front face of the covering member 2 is sealed by the sealing member 3, dust and oil from outside is prevented from coming inside of the panel 100 from the opening 106 and the opening of the covering member 2. It is inevitable that dust and oil come into the stationary connector 101 itself. However, since the stationary connector 101 is fitted in the completely sealed covering member 2, oil and dust which have entered through the apertures 105 of the stationary connector 105 or through the holes where the pins 102 are pressed into can not enter inside of the casing of a numerical controller, machine tool, etc.

[0022] The structure and the effects of the covering member and the sealing member optimized for the stationary connector 101 have been described according to one embodiment. The stationary connector may have various size, shape and manner of connecting with the cable, and the above described structure is set forth only as one example.

[0023] Irrespective of size, shape and manner of connecting with the cable of the stationary connector, the structure may be realized provided that the stationary connector is fitted in the completely sealed covering member, the cable from the stationary connector can be lead into the casing of a numerical controller, machine tool, etc. with a sealed state of the covering member is maintained, and a gap between the connector cover and the opening 106 of the panel 100 can be surely sealed.

[0024] For example, instead of fixing the covering member 2 to the rear surface of the panel 100 in a manner facing each other as shown in FIG. 2c, the covering member 2 made of synthetic rubber or the like may be provided with a groove or two protrusions surrounding a circumference of the front face thereof, so that the covering member 2 is fixed to the panel 100 with the groove or the protrusions fitted into the opening 106 of the panel 100. The portion where the cable is lead through the covering member may be sealed by packing instead of applying adhesive or filling material.

[0025] Further, in these days, adhesive which can surely bond different materials together is available on the market. By using such adhesive, the covering member 2 may be bonded directly to the rear surface of the panel 100 without using a particular material as the sealing member 3. In this case, the adhesive applied between the covering member 2 and the rear surface of the panel 100 functions as the sealing member 3. In this case, the L-type fixtures 107' may be omitted.

[0026] In the example shown in FIG. 2c, the rear surface of the stationary connector 101 abuts on the rear wall 7 of the body 2b of the covering member 2, and the stepped portion between the flat cable 104 and the stationary connector 101 is caught in the groove 9 of the bottom cover 2b. Therefore, the stationary connector 101 is prevented from receding inside the panel 100, or easily fall off from the panel 100. However, in order to securely fix the stationary connector 101 to the covering member 2, it is preferable to provide the stationary connector 101 and the covering member 2 with concave and convex engaging portions.

[0027] According to the present invention, dust and oil coming through the opening of the panel to which the stationary connector is fixed, apertures of the stationary connector, and the gap thereof can be prevented from entering inside of an numerical controller or a machine tool and causing harmful effects on inside structure or electric circuits thereof.

Claims

1. A connector module for an industrial machine having a casing, comprising:

a stationary connector having a receiving portion to receive an associated connector externally of said industrial machine and disposed inside said casing so that said receiving portion is positioned at an opening formed on said casing;

a covering member having an opening corresponding to said receiving portion of said stationary connector, for covering outer surfaces of said stationary connector except said receiving portion; and

a sealing member for sealing a gap between a front face of said covering member and said opening of said casing.

2. A connector module according to claim 1, wherein said covering member is split into two parts of a body member and a bottom cover.

3. A connector module according to claim 2, wherein said bottom cover is provided with a groove for avoiding an interference of said bottom cover with a flat cable extending from said stationary connector.

Drawing