Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Limited

Kiyokazu Takada

Hiroshi Nakano

Masato Minakata

Tetsuya Shinozaki

Atsushi Nishida

Keiichi Itou

A connector () has a housing () with a wall () formed with press-in holes (). Terminal fittings () are pressed into press-in the holes () so that leading ends of the terminal fittings () with respect to the pressing direction (PD) project out from a facing surface () of the wall () to face a mating connector (). Recesses () are formed in the facing surface () adjacent the press-in holes (). Bulges () may be formed near the press-in hole () due to forces created when the terminal fitting () is pressed into the press-in hole (). However, the bulges () are accommodated in the recesses (), and will not interfere with the mating connector ().

Connector with press-in terminal fittings and recessed bulges surrounding the terminal fittings

A female connector () has a lever () in the form of a single plate. The lever () is locked at an initial position by a resilient lock () before a connecting operation with a male connector (). An unlocking rib () projects from the ceiling surface of a receptacle () of the male housing () near one side for canceling the locked state of the resilient lock () during the connecting operation. An insertion preventing rib () projects from the inner surface of the receptacle () at a side opposite the unlocking rib (), and an escape groove () for receiving the insertion preventing rib () is formed in the upper surface of the lever (). Thus, the female connector () can be prevented from being inserted in a wrong posture.

Connector

A connector ( ) has a holder ( ), auxiliary connectors ( ) and a retainer ( ). The retainer ( ) has slanted surfaces ( A) and a vertical wall ( A). The slanted surfaces ( A) engage an opening-end surface ( A) of a mating connector ( ) to guide the retainer ( ) into a proper position if the auxiliary connectors ( ) are inserted to proper positions. However the vertical wall ( A) contacts the opening-end surface ( A) if the auxiliary connectors ( ) are not pushed to the proper positions. Thus, the fitting operation cannot be completed and the improperly inserted auxiliary connector ( ) is detected.

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Yokkaichi, Japan

Kiyokazu Takada