Through type electrical connector enabling fluidtight passage of electric signals through a partition, in particular, a vehicle gearbox panel.

The present invention relates to a through type electrical connector enabling fluidtight passage of electric signals, supplied by one or more conducting wires, through a partition, in particular, a panel of a gearbox or any other mechanical vehicle component.

With the increase in the number of electronically con­trolled vehicle components, direct internal wiring is now required for numerous oil bath lubricated com­ponents, such as gearboxes, and/or those requiring fluidtight sealing. Said wiring provides for two func­tions: (1) for picking up electric signals produced by pressure, temperature or level sensors, etc. which, if they are to operate correctly, must be installed inside the component itself; and (2) for supplying the component with electric control signals for actuators such as continuous gear shift control electrovalves.

The only known solution as yet consists in threading an electric wire through a plastic cap, which is then fitted inside a hole in the partition. The obvious drawback of such a solution is that it rules out any possibility of employing preassembled, off-line-tested subassemblies. Moreover, reliability is also poor, due to vibration on the mechanical components working the cap loose and thus impairing sealing performance. The aim of the present invention is to provide a through type electrical connector designed to enable complete preassembly of the mechanical components of a vehicle, through one panel of which an electric signal is to be supplied, while at the same time ensuring permanent fluidtight sealing of the mechanical component itself. With this aim in view, according to the present invention, there is provided a through type electrical connector enabling fluidtight passage of electric signals through a partition, in particular, a vehicle gearbox panel, said signals being supplied by at least one conducting wire, and said connector being characterised by the fact that it comprises:

- a block housing a terminal of said conducting wire, and having a first end from which said conducting wire projects in fluidtight manner, and a second end, opposite the first, from which projects in fluidtight manner a blade type electrical contact connected to said termin­al; said block being longer than the thickness of said partition, having an external seal, and being housed in fluidtight manner through a hole in said partition, with said first end contacting the inner surface of said partition and said second end projecting, through said hole, in relation to the outer surface of said partition; and

- a lock coupling for said block, said coupling being bayonet-connected to said second end of said block, in such a manner as to contact said outer surface of said partition.

A non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :

• Fig.1 shows a cross section of a connector in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;
• Fig.2 shows a section along line II-II of the Fig.1 connector;
• Fig.3 shows a smaller-scale view in perspective of a component on the Fig. 1 connector;
• Fig.4 shows a top plan view of the connector according to the present invention;
• Fig.5 shows a cross section, similar to Fig.1, of a variation of the connector according to the present invention.

Number 1 in Fig.s 1 to 4 indicates a through type elec­trical connector enabling fluidtight passage of electric signals, supplied by one or more conducting wires 2, through a panel 3 of any type of mechanical component, e.g. a known gearbox 4 (shown only partly),of any known type of vehicle (not shown).

Connector 1 is fitted in externally projecting manner on to gearbox 4 through a hole 5 in panel 3, and comprises a cylindrical block 6 housed in projecting manner through hole 4; and a lock coupling 7 for block 6, bayonet-­connected to block 6 and, like the latter, preferably molded from synthetic plastic material. Block 6 presents two opposite front ends 8 and 9 designed to cooper­ate respectively with coupling 7 and with hole 5 and the inner surface 10 of panel 3, and houses respective ends 12 of wires 2 and respective terminals 13 of the same molded inside block 6 so as to form one piece with the same. Said end 9 comprises a peripheral stop flange 15 designed to contact surface 10 about hole 5, the remainder of end 9 being housed, in use, inside hole 5 and plugging the same in fluidtight manner by virtue of an annular O-ring type seal 18 housed inside a groove 19 formed on an outer cylindrical lateral surface 20 of end 9 close to flange 15. Block 6 is axially longer than the thickness of panel 3, so that, in use, end 8 projects axially through hole 5 in relation to the outer surface 21 of panel 3, opposite surface 10. Wires 2 project in fluidtight manner from end 9, whereas, from end 8, there project axially, in fluidtight manner, respective blade type contacts 22, each connected to a respective terminal 13 and to a respective wire 2 via said terminal 13. The non-limiting embodiment shown presents two wires 2 and two contacts 22 arranged side by side, said contacts 22 being separated by a projecting, transverse rib 23 formed on end 8 and integral in one piece with block 6, so as to electrically insulate wires 2 both from each other and from panel 3.

Coupling 7 comprises a first substantially-cylindrical annular end portion 25 designed, in use, to fit on to the projecting portion of end 8 of block 6, and terminating in an elastically-deformable, flared, trun­cated-cone-shaped annular edge 26 designed, when elements 6 and 7 are connected, to cooperate in contacting manner with the outer surface 21 of panel 3, and defining the mouth of coupling 7 towards end 8 of block 6. Coupling 7 also comprises a second annular end portion 27 opposite end portion 25, and similar in design to the outer portion of a Pakard connector, i.e. in such a manner as to receive in fluidtight manner an electric plug 28 designed to cooperate with contacts 22. When elements 6 and 7 are connected, contacts 22, together with rib 23, are housed inside end 27, which projects outwards from end 8 about contacts 22. Elements 6 and 7 are locked together by means of a pair of opposed radial teeth 30 on element 7, and a pair of respective L-shaped longitudinal grooves 31 on element 6, inside which teeth 30 fit in sliding manner. Grooves 31 (Figure 3) are formed on the outside of end 8, so as to interrupt, at the inlet end, the continuity of front edge 33 of end 8, and terminate, on the opposite side to edge 33, in respective recesses 34 designed to house teeth 30 and extending rearwards in the direction of edge 33 and, consequently, also of coupling 7.

Plug 28 (shown by the dotted line) preferably presents deformable outer annular sealing elements 40 designed to cooperate internally with portion 27; and an outer stop element 41 designed to click on to an outer projec­tion 42 of portion 27 of coupling 7, which, together with end 8 of block 6 housed inside the same, defines a standard Packard connector. In actual use, during assembly of gearbox 4, wires 2 projecting from end 9 of block 6 are connected to the sensors and/or actuators on gearbox 4 with which electric signals are to be exchanged. Block 6 is then fitted through hole 5, so that end 8 supporting projecting contacts 22 projects from hole 5, which is plugged in fluidtight manner by end 9 by virtue of seal 18 and flange 15. End 8 extending outwards of surface 21 beyond hole 5 is then fitted with bottom end 25 of coupling 7 by engaging teeth 30 inside grooves 31. As coupling 7 is fitted axially on to end 8 and pushed towards end 9, flexible edge 26 contacts surface 21 just before teeth 30 come to the end of grooves 31. Further pressure is then exerted on coupling 7, either manually or by means of a robot, so as to flex edge 26 and enable teeth 30 to slide to the end of grooves 31. Coupling 7 is then turned so as to slide teeth 30 into the transverse portion of L-shaped grooves 31, and into the angular position corresponding to recesses 34. At this point, the axial pressure on coupling 7 is released, thus causing it, by virtue of the thrust exerted by edge 26, to move rearwards in the direction of edge 33, and so engage teeth 30 inside recesses 34, and lock coupling 7 both axially and angularly on to block 6. Block 6 is thus locked integral with panel 3 and gripped between coupling 7 and stop flange 15, with end 8 sup­porting electrical contacts 22 housed safely inside portion 27 which defines an electrical receptacle together with end 8. At the final on-line assembly stage, wherein the gearbox 4 subassembly is fitted on to the vehicle, plug 28 is fitted inside said receptacle, thus enabling fast, troublefree connection of the electrical components housed beyond panel 3 to the main circuit on the vehicle. In the Figure 5 embodiment, wherein the parts similar or identical to those already described are indicated using the same numbering system, for threading wires 2 through a thin panel 3, O-ring seal 18 is housed in an annular seat consisting of a groove 50 formed on a front surface 51 of flange 15 facing end 8 of block 6, i.e. with the surface of flange 15 cooperating directly with inner surface 10 of panel 3.