Yazaki Corporation

Kenichi Yamauchi

Masaru Fukuda

Keiichi Ito

Yukio Ohta

Motoyoshi Suzuki

Hirotaka Noda

Masao Shibata

A pair of connector elements, one connector element having a locking arm, the other connector element having a hood for receiving the one connector element and a locking protrusion provided within the hood are locked in engagement by the locking arm and the locking protrusion when they are completely coupled with each other. When the connector elements are not used or before they are coupled with each other, a body for preventing the one connector element from being fit into the other connector element is inserted in the hood of the other connector element. The body has a locking arm to be engaged with the locking protrusion and a locking portion into which a dedicated jig for pulling out the body from the hood is to be inserted. Thus, in electric wiring (e.g., an air bag for motor vehicles), a connection of the connector elements is prevented with a false current is flowing through one of the connector elements, thus preventing error (e.g., an explosion in an inflator).

Method of connecting an electric connector with false connection

A pair of connector elements, one connector element having a locking arm, the other connector element having a hood for receiving the one connector element and a locking protrusion provided within the hood are locked in engagement of the locking arm with the locking protrusion when they are completely coupled with each other. When the connector elements are not used or before they are coupled with each other, a body for preventing the one connector element from being fit into the other connector element is inserted in the hood of the other connector element. The body has a locking arm to be engaged with the locking protrusion and a locking portion into which a dedicated jig for pulling out the body from the hood is to be inserted. Thus, in electrical wiring for e.g. an air bag for motor vehicles, it is prevented that when the pair of connector elements are to be coupled with each other, they are connected with a false current flowing through the one connector element and explosion happens in an inflator.

Electric connector with false connection preventing mechanism and method

Growing community of inventors

Aichi, Japan

Kenichi Yamauchi