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(11) | EP 2 961 001 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | HEADER ASSEMBLY AND CONNECTOR FOR VEHICLE HAVING THE HEADER ASSEMBLY |
| (57) A header assembly (12) for a connector of a vehicle has a plurality of head housings
(121, 122) into which plugs are to be inserted. A partition wall (123) is configured
to separate the plurality of head housings (121, 122), and a guider (14) is provided
on an outer side of the partition wall (123) to restrict a coupling position of each
of the plugs and guide coupling of each of the plugs.
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BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a connector to be used for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a header assembly that may be easily assembled by preventing a separation of a sealing member, and a connector for a vehicle having the header assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
[0002] With the introduction of electronic control technology for an engine of a vehicle, an electronic control unit (ECU) is provided in general to control components electrically operating in a vehicle. The ECU may be connected through a cable to a connector to be connected to various electrical components.
[0003] Through the connector, moisture may leak into electrical devices and the ECU within the vehicle. In this example, the vehicle may be broken. Thus, a watertight performance of the connector is one of the most significant factors for stable operations of the vehicle and the ECU.
[0004] A sealing member may be disposed for a watertight effect of a connector. A sealing member for an existing connector may be provided on a coupler of the connector to be deformed, compressed, and in tight contact therebetween. The sealing member may be formed using a material that may block an inflow of moisture, and may also be formed to be deformable and compressible using an elastic material such as rubber, for example.
[0005] However, the existing connector may include a plug and a receptacle to be coupled without a gap. Thus, when coupling the connector, interference may occur between the plug and the sealing member, which may lead to a separation of the sealing member.
SUMMARY
[0006] An aspect of the present invention provides a header assembly and a connector for a vehicle having the header assembly that may prevent a separation of a sealing member and improve assembly efficiency.
[0007] The above object of the present invention is not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0008] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a header assembly for a connector of a vehicle, the header assembly including a plurality of head housings into which plugs are to be inserted, a partition wall configured to separate the plurality of head housings, and a guider provided on an outer side of the partition wall to restrict a coupling position of each of the plugs and guide coupling of each of the plugs. The header assembly may include two head housings into which plugs are to be inserted, the partition wall configured to separate the head housings.
[0009] The guider may be provided in a height direction of the head housings in a shape of a rib or a flange extending from an outer side of the partition wall in an outward direction. The guider may be provided continually or intermittently. The guider may be provided on one side or both sides of the partition wall. The guider may be provided in the same shape or different shapes on both sides of each of the head housings.
[0010] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a connector of a vehicle, the connector including a plug assembly including a plurality of plugs, and a header assembly to which each of the plugs is to be inserted and coupled. The header assembly may include a plurality of head housings into which the plurality of plugs are to be inserted, respectively, a partition wall configured to separate the plurality of head housings, and a guider provided on an outer side of the partition wall to restrict a coupling position of each of the plugs and guide coupling of each of the plugs.
[0011] Each of the plugs may include an insertion portion to be inserted into a corresponding head housing, a sealing member provided on an outer circumferential surface of the insertion portion, and a guide flange to be coupled to an outer side of the corresponding head housing when the insertion portion is inserted into the corresponding head housing. The guider may be provided such that the guide flange is to be in contact with the guider when each of the plugs is inserted into a corresponding head housing.
[0012] The guider may be provided in a height direction of the head housings in a shape of a rib or a flange extending from an outer side of the partition wall in an outward direction. The guider may be provided at a length corresponding to heights of the plugs or provided at a length lower than the heights of the plugs. The guider may be provided continually or intermittently.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] These and/or other aspects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a connector for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part to describe a coupling operation in the connector for a vehicle of FIG. 1; and
FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views of main parts illustrating guiders according to embodiments of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein. When it is determined detailed description related to a known function or configuration which may render the purpose of the present invention unnecessarily ambiguous in describing the present invention, the detailed description will be omitted here.
[0015] In addition, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), and the like may be used herein to describe components. Each of these terminologies is not used to define an essence, order or sequence of a corresponding component but used merely to distinguish the corresponding component from other component(s). It should be noted that if it is described in the specification that one component is "connected", "coupled", or "joined" to another component, a third component may be "connected", "coupled", and "joined" between the first and second components, although the first component may be directly connected, coupled or joined to the second component.
[0016] Hereinafter, a header assembly 12 for a vehicle and a connector 10 for a vehicle according to embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 through 4. For reference, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the connector 10 for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part to describe a coupling operation of a plug assembly 11 and a header assembly 12 in the connector 10 for a vehicle of FIG. 1, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views of main parts illustrating guiders 14 according to embodiments of the present invention.
[0017] Referring to the drawings, the connector 10 may include the plug assembly 11 and the header assembly 12, and may be provided in a form in which two plugs are coupled in a row. The connector 10 will be described hereinafter using an example of two plugs. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. A plurality of plugs, for example, at least two plugs, may be applicable. In this example, a plurality of head housings 121 corresponding to the number of plugs may be provided. In another example, the connector 10 may include a single plug and a single head housing.
[0018] The plug assembly 11 may include two plugs, and the two plugs 2 may have the same configuration. Thus, a single plug will be illustrated and described hereinafter. Head housings 121 and 122 may be configured as an integral body to which two plugs may be inserted and coupled. However, the heading housings 121 and 122 will be described as two separate components, as necessary.
[0019] The plug assembly 11 may include an insertion portion 113 provided to be inserted into the header assembly 12, and a guide flange 114 to be coupled to an outer side of a corresponding head housing 121 or 122 of the header assembly 12.
[0020] The guide flange 114 may be provided to be coupled on an outer side of the head housing 121 and to be a predetermined distance spaced apart from the insertion portion 113 when the plug assembly 11 is coupled to the head housing 121. In detail, a wall of the head housing 121 may be inserted between the insertion portion 113 and the guide flange 114 of the plug assembly 11, and the guide flange 114 may be disposed to cover the outer side of the head housing 121. For example, the guide flange 114 may be provided at a length corresponding to a length of the insertion portion 113. Further, the guide flange 114 may be provided on only both sides of the plug assembly 11, or on a perimeter of all four sides of the plug assembly 11.
[0021] A sealing member 13 may be provided on a portion of an outer circumferential surface of the insertion portion 113 to seal a gap between the plug assembly 11 and the head housing 121. In this example, a recess in which a surface of the insertion portion 113 is depressed may be provided such that the sealing member 13 may be stably coupled to the insertion portion 113.
[0022] The sealing member 13 may be compressed and deformed between an outer circumferential surface of the plug assembly 11 or an outer circumferential surface of the insertion portion 113 of the plug assembly 11 and an inner wall surface of the head housing 121 to seal the gap between the plug assembly 11 and the header assembly 12 to be watertight. The sealing member 13 may be formed to be compressible and deformable using an elastic material, and using an airtight material to block an inflow of moisture or a foreign substance. For example, rubber or silicone may be used. Further, the sealing member 13 may be provided in a wrinkled or uneven form to improve a watertight efficiency between the plug assembly 11 and the header assembly 12.
[0023] The header assembly 12 may include the head housing 121 in which the insertion portion 113 of the plug assembly 11 is to be inserted and disposed, and may include the head housings 121 and 122 having two insertion spaces into which two plugs may be inserted. In the header assembly 12, the two head housings 121 and 122 may be disposed in a row such that the two plugs may be coupled thereto in a row, and the two head housings 121 and 122 may be separated by a partition wall 123.
[0024] When disposing the plug assembly 11 on the header assembly 12, the plug assembly 11 may be coupled to the head housing 121 by tilting the plug assembly 11 at a predetermined angle, as shown in FIG. 2. A guider 14 may be provided in the header assembly 12 to restrict a coupling position of the plug assembly 11 and guide coupling of the plug assembly 11. In detail, when the plug assembly 11 is coupled to the head housing 121, the guide flange 114 may be in contact with the guider 14, whereby positions of the plug assembly 11 and the guide flange 114 may be determined and movements thereof may be restricted. In such a state, when the plug assembly 11 is tilted, the insertion portion 113 may be inserted into the head housing 121. In this example, when an excessive force is applied to the insertion portion 113 or the insertion portion 113 is separated in a process of inserting the insertion portion 113 into the head housing 121, the sealing member 13 may be caught by the partition wall 123, whereby a separation or misplacement of the sealing member 13 may be prevented. Thus, an occurrence of defect after assembly may be prevented and assembly efficiency may improve. Further, the guider 14 may have a simple structure. Thus, although the guider 14 is added, the header assembly 12 may also have a simple structure without changing the structure of the header assembly 12 significantly, and may be advantageously applicable to production.
[0025] For reference, since the head housing 121 may be provided to be in tight contact with the perimeter of the insertion portion 113 of the plug assembly 11, little room may exist between the inner wall surface of the head housing 121 and the outer circumferential surface of the insertion portion 113. In a case in which the guider 14 is not provided when assembling the plug assembly 11 and the header assembly 12, a relatively strong force may be applied to a portion of the insertion portion 113 at which the plug assembly 11 begins to be tilted and inserted. Thus, a corresponding portion of the sealing member 13 may be bumped into the partition wall 123 to be separated or misplaced, or the sealing member 13 may be deformed to an abnormal state. In another example, the portion at which the plug assembly 11 begins to be inserted may be separated from the head housing 121. In this example, the sealing member 13 may not appropriately seal the gap between the insertion portion 113 and the head housing 121, and the watertight and sealing performance thereof may decrease. Conversely, by providing the guider 14, when assembling the plug assembly 11 and the header assembly 12, the guide flange 114 of the plug assembly 11 may be first in contact with the guider 14, and a force may be applied to the contact portion. Thus, the force may not be applied to the sealing member 13, and a separation of the sealing member 13 may be prevented.
[0026] The guider 14 may be provided on an outer side of the partition wall 123 in the head housing 121 in a shape of a flange rib protruding at a predetermined height in an outer direction. The protruding height of the guider 14 may correspond to a height of the guide flange 114 of the plug assembly 11.
[0027] The guider 14 may have a thickness thicker than or equal to a thickness of the partition wall 123. In the present embodiment, the thickness of the partition wall 123 is very thin and thus, the guider 14 is provided to be thicker than the partition wall 123 to have at least a predetermined level of strength. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the guider 14 may be provided to have a thickness thinner than that of the partition wall 123. In detail, irrespective of the thickness of the partition wall 123, the guider 14 may be provided in a thickness to have a strength sufficient to guide coupling of the guide flange 114.
[0028] The guider 14 may be provided in a height direction of the head housing 121. Here, the guider 14 may be provided at a length similar to or lower than a height of the head housing 121. In another example, the guider 14 may be provided at a length equal to or lower than a length of the guide flange 114 when the plug assembly 11 is coupled to the head housing 121. In detail, the guider 14 may be provided at a length sufficient for the guide flange 114 to be in contact with the guider 14 when assembling the plug assembly 11. In another example, as shown in FIG. 4, the guider 14 may be provided in an intermittent form.
[0029] Further, the guider 14 may be provided on one side or both sides of the head housing 121. When guiders 14 are provided on both sides of each of the head housings 121 and 122, the guiders 14 may be provided in the same shape or different shapes.
[0030] In a case in which the guider 14 is provided on one side of the head housing 121, the end portion of the guide flange 114 may be first in contact with the guider 14 and a force applied to the plug assembly 11 may be sufficiently supported at the contact portion when coupling the plug assembly 11 to the header assembly 12. Thus, although the guider 14 is provided on only one side, a separation of the sealing member 13 may be prevented.
[0031] When the guiders 14 are provided on both sides of the head housing 121, guide flanges 114 on both sides may be in contact with the guiders 14 and the force may be distributed to both sides and supported and thus, a separation of the sealing member 13 may be stably prevented.
[0032] Hereinbefore, the shape of the guider 14 has been described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the drawings. The shape and the position of the guider 14 may substantially vary to any shape and position that may enable the contact with the guide flange 114 to support the applied force when coupling the plug assembly 11 to the header assembly 12, restrict the position of the guide flange 114, and guide coupling thereof
[0033] Meanwhile, in the embodiments described above, a form in which two plugs are coupled has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to the drawings. The plug assembly 11 and the header assembly 12 according to the embodiments of the present invention may be applicable to a form in which a plurality of plugs, for example, at least two plugs are coupled. Further, the plug assembly 11 and the header assembly 12 may also be applicable to a form in which a single plug is coupled.
[0034] Various embodiments of the present invention may achieve at least one of the following effects.
[0035] According to the embodiments of the present invention, a separation of a sealing member may be prevented by a guider when coupling a plug and thus, assembly efficiency may improve.
[0036] Further, according to the embodiments of the present invention, a connector may be simply structured and thus, productivity thereof may improve.
[0037] A number of embodiments have been described above. Nevertheless, it should be understood that various modifications may be made to these embodiments. For example, suitable results may be achieved if the described techniques are performed in a different order and/or if components in a described system, architecture, device, or circuit are combined in a different manner and/or replaced or supplemented by other components or their equivalents. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.
1. A header assembly (12) for a connector (10) of a vehicle, the header assembly (12)
comprising:
a plurality of head housings(121, 122) into which plugs (2) are to be inserted;
a partition wall (123) configured to separate the plurality of head housings (121,
122);
and
a guider (14) provided on an outer side of the partition wall (123) to restrict a coupling position of each of the plugs (2) and guide coupling of each of the plugs (2).
2. The header assembly of claim 1, wherein the guider (14) is provided in a height direction
of the head housings (121, 122) in a shape of a rib or a flange extending from an
outer side of the partition wall (123) in an outward direction.
3. The header assembly of claim 2, wherein the guider (14) is provided continually or
intermittently.
4. The header assembly of claim 2, wherein the guider (14) is provided on one side or
both sides of the partition wall (123).
5. The header assembly of claim 2, wherein the guider (14) is provided in the same shape
or different shapes on both sides of each of the head housings (121, 122).
6. A connector (10) of a vehicle, the connector comprising:
a plug assembly (11) comprising a plurality of plugs (2); and
a header assembly (12) as claimed in any previous claim to which each of the plugs (2) is to be inserted and coupled.
7. The connector of claim 6, wherein the guider (14) is provided at a length corresponding
to heights of the plugs (2) or provided at a length lower than the heights of the
plugs (2).
8. The connector of claim 6 or 7, wherein each of the plugs (2) comprises:
an insertion portion (113) to be inserted into a corresponding head housing (121, 123);
a sealing member (13) provided on an outer circumferential surface of the insertion portion (113); and
a guide flange (114) to be coupled to an outer side of the corresponding head housing (121) when the insertion portion (113) is inserted into the corresponding head housing (121).
9. The connector of claim 8, wherein the guider (14) is provided such that the guide
flange (114) is to be in contact with the guider (14) when each of the plugs (2) is
inserted into a corresponding head housing (121, 122).