Connector component for an automotive equipment side and a battery side

• US 9,186,973 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2012
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
• Inventors: Hozumi, Mamoru, Ojima, Yoshio, Fukagawa, Takahiro, Murase, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): HYEON, HAE M
• Application Number:
  US14/000,953
• Publication Number:
  US 20140017936A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,344 Days
• Field of Search: 439/527, 439/246, 439/247, 439/248
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0438 Arrangement under the floor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0472 from below
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6315 allowing relative movement between coupling parts, e.g. floating connection for coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, H01R12/91 takes precedence

Abstract

Provided is a connector component that allows easily performing coupling of connectors with each other. In a connector component (a vehicle-side electrical connector) according to an embodiment of the present invention, a vehicle-side connector is mounted on a base bracket via mounting members formed of rubber, elastic deformation of the mounting members permits a relative positional displacement of the base bracket and the vehicle-side connector in a compressing direction (Z-direction) as well as a relative positional displacement in a sliding direction (a direction in an X-Y plane). Therefore, even when there is a positional displacement and/or inclination between the vehicle-side electrical connector and a battery-side electrical connector and a relative positional displacement in the sliding direction has occurred, self-correction is performed by elastic deformation of the mounting members. Thus, according to the vehicle-side electrical connector, coupling when coupling the battery-side electrical connector can be easily performed.

Claims

1. A connector component including a connector that composes a connector pair on an automotive equipment side and a battery side for mounting a battery in an automobile, the connector component comprising:

a base bracket to be fixed to a vehicle body or the battery; and

a mounting member formed of an elastic material, for causing the connector to be mounted in a state spaced at a predetermined interval with respect to the base bracket, wherein

the connector and the base bracket are integrally constructed via the mounting member,

said connector component further comprising a mounting attachment for fixing the mounting member to the base bracket, wherein

the mounting member is in a tubular shape extending in an opposing direction between the connector and the base bracket,

the mounting attachment has an annular eaves portion embedded in the mounting member so as to surround an inner hole of the mounting member, and not to be brought into contact with the base bracket, and

the mounting member has an annular projection portion formed at a position, of a surface opposed to the base bracket, corresponding to the annular eaves portion.

2. The connector component according to claim 1, wherein the mounting member is formed of rubber.

3. The connector component according to claim 2, wherein the base bracket is provided with an opening portion on which a stopper portion that projects from a front surface of the connector closer to the base bracket is locked in a penetrating manner, and

by cooperation of the stopper portion of the connector with the opening portion of the base bracket, detachment of the connector from the base bracket is prevented.

4. The connector component according to claim 1, wherein the mounting member is bonded to the connector and the base bracket by vulcanization bonding.

5. The connector component according to claim 4, wherein the base bracket is provided with an opening portion on which a stopper portion that projects from a front surface of the connector closer to the base bracket is locked in a penetrating manner, and

by cooperation of the stopper portion of the connector with the opening portion of the base bracket, detachment of the connector from the base bracket is prevented.

6. The connector component according to claim 1, wherein the base bracket is provided with an opening portion on which a stopper portion that projects from a front surface of the connector closer to the base bracket is locked in a penetrating manner, and

by cooperation of the stopper portion of the connector with the opening portion of the base bracket, detachment of the connector from the base bracket is prevented.

7. The connector component according to claim 1, wherein,

on one front surface out of a front surface of the base bracket closer to the connector and a front surface of the connector closer to the base bracket, a restricting portion that projects toward the other front surface, and restricts inclination of the base bracket and the connector by being brought into contact with the other front surface is provided.

8. The connector component according to claim 1, being an automotive equipment-side connector component.

9. The connector component according to claim 1, being a battery-side connector component.