DUMMY PLUG AND DUMMY PLUG STRUCTURE
20230114179 · 2023-04-13
Inventors
Cpc classification
H01R13/5205
ELECTRICITY
H01R13/5202
ELECTRICITY
H01R13/5216
ELECTRICITY
International classification
Abstract
The present invention provides a dummy plug that can be automatically corrected to a normal orientation, and a dummy plug structure. A dummy plug (10) is provided with a square fitting part (12) extending in the longitudinal direction. The square fitting part (12) has four corner sections (15) at diagonal positions about the axis in the longitudinal direction. Each of the four corner sections (15) has a chamfered section (17) outwardly expanding rearward and having a rearwardly tapering width dimension in the direction about the axis. Each chamfered section (17) has a ridgeline section (18) extending in the longitudinal direction and protruding outward. Each ridgeline section (18) is inclined so as to be offset further in one direction about the axis as the ridgeline section (18) extends rearward.
Claims
1. A dummy plug comprising a rectangular fitting portion that extends in a front-rear direction, wherein the rectangular fitting portion includes four corner portions, at diagonal positions around an axis thereof extending in the front-rear direction, the four corner portions respectively include chamfered portions that spread outward away from one another while extending rearward, and whose width in a direction around the axis decreases rearward, the four chamfered portions respectively include ridge line portions that extend in the front-rear direction and protrude outward, and the ridge line portions are inclined further in one direction around the axis while extending rearward.
2. A dummy plug structure comprising a rectangular fitting portion that is to be fitted into a rectangular hole, wherein the rectangular fitting portion includes four corner portions at diagonal positions around an axis thereof extending in a front-rear direction, the four corner portions respectively include chamfered portions that spread outward away from one another while extending rearward, and when positions at which the four chamfered portions come into contact with four respective side surfaces of the rectangular hole are defined as contact positions, the contact positions are set so as to be displaced further in one direction around the axis toward rear ends of the four chamfered portions.
3. The dummy plug structure according to claim 2, wherein the four chamfered portions each include a surface inclined in one direction positioned in a region extending from the contact position in the one direction around the axis and a surface inclined in another direction positioned in a region extending from the contact position in a direction opposite to the one direction around the axis, and an angle formed between a tangent line on the surface inclined in the one direction at the contact position and the side surface is larger than an angle formed between a tangent line on the surface inclined in the other direction at the contact position and the side surface.
4. The dummy plug structure according to claim 2, wherein a width of the chamfered portion in a direction around the axis is set to decrease rearward.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011]
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[0014]
[0015]
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[0018]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION TO EXECUTE THE INVENTION
Description of Embodiments of Disclosure
[0019] First, embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described.
[0020] (1) A dummy plug according to the present disclosure includes a rectangular fitting portion that extends in a front-rear direction, the rectangular fitting portion including four corner portions, at diagonal positions around an axis thereof extending in the front-rear direction, the four corner portions respectively including chamfered portions that spread outward away from one another while extending rearward, and whose width in a direction around the axis decreases rearward, the four chamfered portions respectively including ridge line portions that extend in the front-rear direction and protrude outward, and the ridge line portions being inclined further to one direction around the axis while extending rearward.
[0021] With this configuration, for example, when the rectangular fitting portion is inserted into the rectangular hole in a state where the dummy plug is rotated about the axis out of a proper orientation, the ridge line portions of the four chamfered portions can come into contact with the four side surfaces of the rectangular hole, respectively. When the rectangular fitting portion is further inserted from this state, it is possible to maintain a state where the ridge line portions are in contact with the side surfaces since the four corner portions spread outward toward one another while extending rearward. The dummy plug can rotate in the rectangular hole about the axis in one direction, in which the ridge line portions are inclined. Thus, as a result of the rectangular fitting portion being further inserted, the dummy plug can be automatically corrected to the proper orientation.
[0022] (1) Moreover, a dummy plug structure according to the present disclosure includes a rectangular fitting portion that is to be fitted into a rectangular hole, the rectangular fitting portion including four corner portions at diagonal positions around an axis thereof extending in a front-rear direction, the four corner portions respectively including chamfered portions that spread outward away from one another while extending rearward, and, when positions at which the four chamfered portions come into contact with four respective side surfaces of the rectangular hole are defined as contact positions, the contact positions being set so as to be displaced further in one direction around the axis toward rear ends of the four chamfered portions.
[0023] With this configuration, when the rectangular fitting portion is inserted into the rectangular hole in a state where the dummy plug is rotated about the axis out of a proper orientation, the contact positions of the four chamfered portions can be displaced further in one direction around the axis as the rectangular fitting portion is further inserted. The dummy plug can rotate in the rectangular hole as the contact positions are displaced. Thus, as a result of the rectangular fitting portion being further inserted, the dummy plug can be automatically corrected to the proper orientation.
[0024] (2) Preferably, the four chamfered portions each include a surface inclined in one direction positioned in a region extending from the contact position in the one direction around the axis and a surface inclined in another direction positioned in a region extending from the contact position in a direction opposite to the one direction around the axis, and an angle formed between a tangent line on the surface inclined in the one direction at the contact position and the side surface is larger than an angle formed between a tangent line on the surface inclined in the other direction at the contact position and the side surface.
[0025] With this configuration, when the rectangular fitting portion is inserted into the rectangular hole in a state where the dummy plug is rotated around the axis from the proper orientation, and the four chamfered portions are subjected to reaction forces at the contact positions from the side surfaces of the rectangular hole, it is possible to make a component force directed to the surface inclined in the one direction larger than a component force directed to the surface inclined in the other direction. Therefore, it is possible to reliably displace the contact positions in the one direction around the axis as the rectangular fitting portion is further inserted.
[0026] (3) Preferably, a width of the chamfered portion in a direction around the axis is set to decrease rearward.
[0027] With this configuration, as the rectangular fitting portion is further inserted, the surfaces inclined in the one direction of the rectangular fitting portion approach the side surfaces of the rectangular hole, and it is possible to gradually close the gaps between the surfaces inclined in the one direction of the rectangular fitting portion and the side surfaces of the rectangular hole. As a result, it is possible to smoothly insert the fitting portion into the rectangular hole without hindrance.
Detailed Embodiments of Present Disclosure
[0028] Specific examples of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to illustrations of these, but is indicated by the claims, and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.
First Embodiment
[0029] A dummy plug 10 according to a first embodiment is provided in a water-proof connector 60. As shown in
[0030] The housing 70 is made of a synthetic resin, and has a block shape as a whole. The housing 70 has a plurality of cavities 71 (
[0031] The collective rubber plug 80 is made of a rubber such as silicon rubber, has a mat-like shape, and has a thickness in the front-rear direction. The collective rubber plug 80 is disposed such that the front surface (left side surface in
[0032] The holder 90 is made of a synthetic resin, has a plate shape, and has a thickness in the front-rear direction. The holder 90 abuts against the rear surface of the collective rubber plug 80, and is engaged with the housing 70. As a result of the holder 90 being engaged with the housing 70, the collective rubber plug 80 is sandwiched between the housing 70 and the holder 90. This prevents the collective rubber plug 80 from coming loose from the housing 70. The holder 90 includes a plurality of rectangular holes 91 (
[0033] As shown in
[0034] Each dummy plug 10 is made of a synthetic resin, and, as shown in
[0035] As shown in
[0036] The front portion of the rectangular fitting portion 12 has a basic shape with a quadrangular cross section that is constant from the main body 14, and is provided with notch-like chamfered portions 17 at the four corner portions 15. The front surface on the front side of the rectangular fitting portion 12 is disposed along the radial direction, and is continuous to the outer circumferential surface of the sealing portion 11 in a step-like manner.
[0037] The chamfered portions 17 are inclined so as to spread outward (outward in the radial direction around the axis core of the dummy plug 10 (see the reference sign C in
[0038] Each chamfered portion 17 is shaped such that the width in the circumferential direction (the circumferential direction around the axis of the dummy plug 10) thereof gradually decreases rearward from the front end thereof. The end portion of the chamfered portion 17 is on the front end side of the main body 14.
[0039] The chamfered portion 17 includes a ridge line portion 18 that extends in the front-rear direction, and also includes, on the two sides in the circumferential direction relative to the ridge line portion 18, a surface 21 inclined in one direction and a surface 22 inclined in another direction, as shown in
[0040] The ridge line portion 18 protrudes outward in a curve between the surface 21 inclined in the one direction and the surface 22 inclined in the other direction. As shown in
[0041] As shown in
[0042] As shown in
[0043] As shown in
[0044] As shown in
[0045] Next, an attachment method and an attaching structure of the dummy plug 10 will be described.
[0046] When attaching the dummy plug 10, the dummy plug is inserted into the rectangular hole 91 of the holder 90 from the rear side. The corner portions 15 on the rear side of the dummy plug 10 are disposed in correspondence with the internal corner portions 94 of the rectangular hole 91, and, when the dummy plug 10 is in a proper orientation relative to the rectangular hole 91, the sealing portion 11 is inserted into the sealing hole 81 to a proper depth where the dummy plug 10 can reach a proper insertion position, as shown in
[0047] When the plurality of dummy plugs 10 are at the proper insertion positions, the flange portions 19 of the dummy plugs 10 are aligned in the width direction on the rear surface side of the holder 90 as shown in
[0048] Conventionally, for example, when a dummy plug 10 is in an orientation of being rotated about the axis thereof by 45 degrees from a proper orientation (hereinafter, an orientation of being rotated out of the proper orientation is referred to as a “tilted orientation”), and the tilted orientation is not cancelled, there has been a risk that, as shown in the reference diagram in
[0049] In view of this, in the first embodiment, a configuration is adopted in which the tilted orientation of the dummy plug 10 is cancelled due to the chamfered shapes of the rectangular fitting portion 12. Specifically, when the rectangular fitting portion 12 is inserted into the rectangular hole 91 in a state where the dummy plug 10 is in the tilted orientation, the ridge line portions 18 of the four chamfered portions 17 come into contact with the four side surfaces 92 and 93 of the rectangular hole 91 at the same time during the insertion process, as shown in
[0050] In the above-described state, the stopper portion 13 is pressed from behind, and a force that presses the dummy plug 10 forward into the connector 60 is applied. Then, a reaction force having a vector directed from the side surfaces 92 or 93 of the rectangular hole 91 toward the center C of the rectangular fitting portion 12 (see the arrow in
[0051] Here, the chamfered portions 17 spread away from one another while extending rearward, and the ridge line portions 18 of the chamfered portions 17 have a shape inclined further on the one side in the circumferential direction while extending rearward. Thus, when the dummy plug 10 is subjected to a force for pressing the dummy plug 10 itself into the connector 60, the ridge line portions 18 of the chamfered portions 17 slide along the side surfaces 92 and 93, thus making it possible to maintain the contact state with the side surfaces 92 and 93. The dummy plug 10 rotates about the axis core thereof on the other side in the circumferential direction as shown in
[0052] Furthermore, as the dummy plug 10 is pressed into the connector 60 and the ridge line portions 18 slide along the side surfaces 92 and 93, the tilted orientation of the dummy plug 10 is gradually corrected to the proper orientation. When the end portions (rear end portions) of the ridge line portions 18 reach positions where they come into contact with the side surfaces 92 and 93, as shown in
[0053] As described above, the four corner portions 15 of the rectangular fitting portion 12 of the dummy plug 10 according to the first embodiment respectively have the chamfered portions 17 that spread out away from one another while extending rearward, and whose width in the circumferential direction decreases rearward, the four chamfered portions 17 respectively include the ridge line portions 18 extending in the front-rear direction and protruding outward, and the ridge line portions 18 are inclined further in one direction in the circumferential direction while extending rearward. Moreover, the structure of the dummy plug 10 according to the first embodiment is set such that the four corner portions 15 of the rectangular fitting portion 12 respectively include the chamfered portions 17 that spread outward away from one another while extending rearward, and when the dummy plug 10 is in a tilted orientation, and positions at which the four chamfered portions 17 respectively come into contact with the four side surfaces 92 and 93 of the rectangular hole 91 are defined as the “contact positions A”, the contact positions A are displaced further in one direction in the circumferential direction toward the rear ends of the four chamfered portions 17.
[0054] According to the first embodiment, when the rectangular fitting portion 12 is inserted into the rectangular hole 91 in a state where the dummy plug 10 is rotated about the axis thereof from the proper orientation, the ridge line portions 18 of the chamfered portions 17 slide along the side surfaces 92 and 93 on the one side in the circumferential direction and the contact positions A of the chamfered portions 17 can be displaced to one side in the circumferential direction, as the rectangular fitting portion 12 is further inserted. Accordingly, the dummy plug 10 can rotate inside the rectangular hole 91 toward the proper orientation. Thus, as a result of the rectangular fitting portion 12 being further inserted, the dummy plug 10 can be automatically corrected to the proper orientation.
[0055] In addition, in the case of the first embodiment, the angle β1 formed between the extending direction (tangent line direction) of the surface 21 inclined in the one direction at the contact position A and the side surface 92 or 93 is set to be larger than the angle β2 formed between the extending direction (tangent line direction) of the surface 22 inclined in the other direction at the contact position A and the side surface 92 or 93. Thus, when the rectangular fitting portion 12 is inserted into the rectangular hole 91 in a state where the dummy plug 10 is rotated about the axis thereof from the proper orientation, and the chamfered portions 17 are subjected to reaction forces at the contact positions A from the side surfaces 92 and 93 of the rectangular hole 91, component forces directed to the surfaces 21 inclined in the one direction can be made larger than component forces directed to the surfaces 22 inclined in the other direction. Therefore, as the rectangular fitting portion 12 is inserted further, the contact positions A can be reliably displaced to the one side in the circumferential direction.
[0056] Furthermore, in the case of the first embodiment, the width in the circumferential direction of each chamfered portion 17 is set to gradually decrease rearward. Therefore, as the rectangular fitting portion 12 is further inserted, the surfaces 21 inclined in the one direction (portions excluding the ridge line portions 18) of the rectangular fitting portion 12 approach the side surfaces 92 and 93 of the rectangular hole 91, and it is possible to gradually close the gaps between the surfaces 21 inclined in the one direction of the rectangular fitting portion 12 and the side surfaces 92 and 93 of the rectangular hole 91. As a result, the rectangular fitting portion 12 can be smoothly inserted into the rectangular hole 91 without hindrance.
Other Embodiments of Present Disclosure
[0057] The embodiments disclosed here are to be construed as illustrative and not limiting in all respects.
[0058] In the case of the above first embodiment, a configuration is adopted in which the width in the circumferential direction of each chamfered portion gradually decreases toward the rear end thereof, but as another embodiment, a configuration may also be adopted in which the width in the circumferential direction of the chamfered portion is kept constant in the front-rear direction.
[0059] In the case of the above first embodiment, each ridge line portion has a shape protruding outward in a curve, but as another embodiment, the ridge line portion may have a shape protruding outward in an angled shape (L-shape).
[0060] In the case of the above first embodiment, the rectangular fitting portion is formed in the shape of a solid rectangular column, but, as another embodiment, the rectangular fitting portion may be formed in the shape of a hollow rectangular tube. In this case, the stopper portion may be a closed wall.
[0061] In the case of the above first embodiment, the flange portion has a rectangular outer shape, but, as another embodiment, the flange portion may have a polygonal outer shape other than a circular or rectangular shape. Also, a plurality of flange portions may be provided in the circumferential direction.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0062] 10 Dummy plug
[0063] 11 Sealing portion
[0064] 12 Rectangular fitting portion
[0065] 13 Stopper portion
[0066] 14 Main body
[0067] 15 Corner portion
[0068] 16 Protrusion portion
[0069] 17 Chamfered portion
[0070] 18 Ridge line portion
[0071] 19 Flange portion
[0072] 21 Surface inclined in one direction
[0073] 22 Surface inclined in other direction
[0074] 50 Clearance
[0075] 60 Water-proof connector
[0076] 70 Housing
[0077] 71 Cavity
[0078] 80 Collective rubber plug
[0079] 81 Sealing hole
[0080] 90 Holder
[0081] 91 Rectangular hole
[0082] 92 Side surface (upper or lower side surface)
[0083] 93 Side surface (left or right side surface)
[0084] 94 Internal corner portion
[0085] A Contact position
[0086] C Center
[0087] α1 Angle between line segment that connects center of rectangular fitting portion and ridge line portion and extending direction of surface inclined in one direction at ridge line portion
[0088] 60 2 Angle between line segment that connects center of rectangular fitting portion and ridge line portion and extending direction of surface inclined in other direction at ridge line portion
[0089] β1 Angle between extending direction of surface inclined in one direction at contact position and side surface
[0090] β2 Angle between extending direction of face inclined in other direction at contact position and side surface