Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Limited

Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Sumitomo Denso Inc.

Kazuhiko Nimura

Naoya Kurimoto

Heiji Kuki

Hirotaka Makino

Hideto Nakamura

Hiroyuki Matsuoka

Masahiko Aoyama

Masashi Saito

Tetsuya Shinozaki

Hajime Okada

Kazuyuki Shiraki

Eiji Kojima

Kouichi Shirouzu

Takashi Tsuchiya

Kozue Takatsuki

A fixing member () is formed by coupling a plurality of mounting portions (A,B) spaced apart along the longitudinal direction of a protector main body () by a coupling portion (). Thus, one fixing member () is sufficient for one protector main body (), thereby reducing the number of parts. The protector main body () and the fixing member () are so locked as to have their relative displacements prevented only at one position along the longitudinal direction of the protector main body () and are permitted to make relative displacements along the longitudinal direction of the protector main body () in other areas. Thus, areas of the protector main body () excluding the one locked position with the fixing member () can independently undergo a deformation caused by heat shrinkage without being influenced by the corresponding deformation of the fixing member () as temperature changes.

Connector and a method assembling it

A terminal () has opposite front and rear ends and a receiving plate with lateral edges. Front and rear connecting pieces (A,B) project up from the lateral edges and then curve inwardly. The front connecting piece (A) is shorter in a front-to-rear direction than the rear connecting piece (B). The connecting pieces (A,B) extend beyond the widthwise center of the receiving plate (). Thus, the curved connecting pieces (A,B) overlap when viewed in forward and backward directions. The connecting pieces (A,B) have window holes (A,B) for weakening. The provision of front and rear connecting pieces (A,B) causes inserting force peaks at the front and rear when a mating tab-shaped terminal is inserted. As a result, a peak value is lowered to reduce the inserting force.

Terminal and a method of forming it

A connector is provided with male terminal fittings (), seals () mountable on the male terminal fittings (), and a housing () formed with cavities () for accommodating the male terminal fittings () with the seals () held in close contact with the inner wall surfaces of the cavities (). Each seal () is mounted on a tab () located before a wire barrel () in the male terminal fitting (). Accordingly, even if water enters through the inside of the wire (), an arrival of the water at mating portions of male and female terminal fittings () can be avoided.

Watertight connector

A connector has a terminal accommodating space () and a wire accommodating space (). A terminal fitting () is accommodated in the terminal accommodating space () and a wire () is connected with the terminal fitting (). The wire () is bent into the wire accommodating space () to form an L-shape. A bite-in portion () is formed on the inner surface of the wire accommodating space () for engaging the wire () on an inner side of the bend to plastically deform the wire (). The engagement of the wire () by the bite-in portion () reduces the resilient restoring force of the wire (). As a result, the resilient restoring force of the wire () is less likely to incline the terminal fitting () in the terminal accommodating space ().

Connector and method of assembling a connector

A second housing () is formed with an oscillating portion () for creating an aerial vibration by the collision with a resiliently restored lock arm () and a resonance space () for causing the aerial vibration created by the oscillating portion () to resonate. When the lock arm () is resiliently restored, the aerial vibration created by the oscillating portion () upon the collision with the lock arm () resonates in the resonance space (), and a collision sound of the lock arm () and the oscillating portion () is amplified by this resonance.

Connector

A lock projection ( ) is formed on an outer surface of a lock arm ( ) as a locking means for locking a first and a second connectors ( ) in their connected state and locking projections ( F, R) are formed on an inner surface of the lock arm ( ) for holding a detector ( ) at a standby position. Thus, the lock arm ( ) has a higher strength as compared to the one formed with an opening penetrating the lock arm from the outer surface to the inner surface.

Connection detecting connector and a connection detecting connector assembly

A retainer ( ) has left and right pivotally displaceable locking pieces ( ) and is held at a partial locking position on a housing ( ) by the engagement of engageable portions ( ) at the leading ends of the locking pieces ( ) with partial locking projections ( ) on the housing ( ). Thus, even if the retainer ( ) is pushed inadvertently, such a push is restricted by the contact of the contact surfaces with the restricting surfaces ( ). Pressable portions ( ) of the locking pieces ( ) can be pressed while holding the opposite side surfaces of the retainer ( ) by fingers. This causes the locking pieces ( ) to displace pivotally outward and the engageable portions ( ) disengage from the restricting surfaces ( ). Thus, the retainer ( ) can be pushed to a full locking position.

Connector and method of mounting it

A resilient locking piece ( ) projects from a detector ( ). When male and female housings ( ) are connected, a lock arm ( ) is inclined and the engaging portions ( ) return the detector ( ). In this state, the detector ( ) cannot be pushed in, with the result that a partial connection can be detected. When the connectors ( ) are connected property, the lock arm ( ) returns to engage an engageable portion ( ) with a lock ( ) from behind. At this time, a head ( ) of the resilient locking piece ( ) is opposed to a slanted guiding surface ( B) of the lock ( ). Accordingly, the detector ( ) is pushed in and reaches a detecting position while the resilient locking piece ( ) is guided by the guiding surface ( B) and deformed. In this way, proper connection of the housings ( ) is detected.

A movement of a detector ( ) to a detecting position is prevented by the engagement of a resilient locking piece ( ) with a stopper ( ) in a partly connected state of a first connector (F) and a second connector (M), whereas the resilient locking piece ( ) is disengaged from the stopper ( ) to permit the movement of the detector ( ) to the detecting position in a properly connected state of the connectors (F, M). Thus, a connected state of the connectors (F, M) can be detected based on whether the detector ( ) can be moved to the detecting position. The detector ( ) covers the outer surface of the lock arm ( ). Hence, external matter will not interfere with the lock arm ( ).

Connector with detector for detecting incomplete connection and for protecting resilient lock arm of connector

A female terminal is provided that includes an angular tubular portion having adjacently disposed first and second walls. A base portion is provided at the first wall. A resilient contact extends from the base portion in a lengthwise direction, and is folded inwardly to extend within the angular tubular portion for elastically contacting a mating male terminal. The base portion has an end portion that extends toward the second wall in a widthwise direction. The angular tubular portion has a receiving portion positioned to receive the end portion of the base portion, thereby increasing a width of the resilient contact, and thus increasing a contact pressure of the resilient contact with respect to the mating male terminal.

Female terminal

A connector has a housing ( ) with cavities ( ) and terminal fittings ( ) insertable in the cavities ( ). Each terminal fitting ( ) has a lock engaging projection ( ) for engaging a lock ( ) of the housing ( ). Each terminal fitting ( ) also has a step ( ) and a retainer engaging projection ( ) formed continuously with the step ( ). The lock engaging projection ( ) interferes with a lock ( ) of a retainer ( ) that is being displaced to a full locking position even if the female terminal fitting ( ) is left lightly inserted without reaching the position where the retainer engaging projection ( ) interferes with the locking projection ( ). Thus, an insufficient insertion can be detected even when the female terminal fitting ( ) is left even more lightly inserted.

Connector with a side retainer

A horizontally inserted retainer is mounted in a housing, and can be moved between a temporary locked position which allows insertion and removal of female terminal fittings and a final locked position which retains the female terminal fittings in the housing. A front stop plate with insertion openings is provided on the retainer, and the insertion openings are offset from housing chambers containing female terminal fittings when the retainer is in the temporary locked position. A continuity test is carried out by inserting a test probe through the insertion openings when the retainer is in the temporary locked position. Since only a portion of the front rim of the female terminal fitting is accessible through the insertion opening, the test probe contacts the portion of the front rim and does not enter deeply into the female terminal fitting. Therefore, elastic connecting pieces of the female terminal fittings are not excessively bent, and the female terminal fittings are not damaged, during the continuity test.

Connector with movable locking retainer and test method using the same

A connector has a housing ( ) with a retainer ( ) that is movable normal to the longitudinal direction of female terminal fittings ( ) along the front of a terminal accommodating portion ( ) between a partial locking position where the insertion and withdrawal of female terminal fittings ( ) are permitted and a full locking position where the female terminal fittings ( ) are locked. Jig insertion holes ( ) are formed in a front-stop plate ( ) of the retainer . The female terminal fitting ( ) can be withdrawn by inserting a jig through the jig insertion hole ( ) to unlock a lock ( ) while the retainer ( ) is at the partial locking position. The distance between the front-stop plate ( ) and the locks ( ) engaged with the female terminal fittings ( ) is short as compared to conventional front-type retainers that move longitudinally. Thus, the locks can be unlocked more easily and the terminal fittings ( ) can be easily withdrawn without detaching the retainer ( ).

A retainer inserted from one side face of a housing is equipped with projections which penetrate from the side of hooked grooves of female terminal fittings, and insert portions which penetrate into bending spaces of lances from the side. When female terminal fittings are partially inserted into chambers of the housing, the insert portions of the retainer contact against the side faces of lances which are bent into the bending spaces, and the projections contact against the side face of connecting parts of the female terminal fittings. Further movement of the retainer is prevented and the partial insertion is detected. When the retainer is properly inserted, the projections are fit on the hooked grooves to be directly locked, and the insert portions are inserted in the bending spaces to prevent bending of the lances to be indirectly locked. Therefore, the female terminal fittings are triply and strongly locked, including the hooking of the barb parts of the terminal fittings by the lances. Thus, the reliability of detection of partial insertion of terminal fittings is increased.

The invention provides a plurality of optional distributing directions for a flat cable. Pressure contact terminal fittings are attached within a housing , pressure contact blades of these pressure contact terminal fittings being in an exposed state. A holder is attached to the housing , this holder covering a pressure contact distributing path (a pressure contact area) of the pressure contact blades and a flat cable F. The flat cable F, which has been attached by means of pressure contact, is led to the exterior of the housing via through paths or that join with the pressure contact distributing path . The two differing through paths, and join with at least one of the distributed ends of the flat cable F that is located within the pressure contact distributing path , and lead the flat cable F to the exterior in differing distributing directions. Consequently, the portions of the flat cable F that are distributed to the exterior can optionally be lead along the through paths or the through paths depending on which distributing path is more suitable.

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Yokkaichi, Japan

Kazuhiko Nimura