Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Limited

Sumitomo Electric Industries, Limited

Autonetworks Technologies, Limited

Michiaki Okamoto

Toshifumi Ichio

Takeshi Tsuji

Takehiro Nakata

Hiroki Hirai

Yutaka Noro

Hiroyuki Matsuoka

Yoshihiro Mizutani

Tetsuya Aihara

Osamu Hirabayashi

Chikahiro Yoshioka

Daisuke Hirasawa

Masato Minakata

Masanori Wakui

Atsushi Nishida

Keigo Atsumi

Satoshi Morikawa

Takuya Inoue

Hiroyuki Nakanishi

A rectangular tube () of a terminal fitting (T) includes a lid plate () extending substantially at a right angle from the extending end of a right side plate () and formed with a locking hole () extending over the entire width. A front plate (F) is cantilevered from the right side plate () and arranged before the locking hole (). A rear plate (R) is cantilevered from the right side plate independently of the front plate (F) and is behind and adjacent to the locking hole (). A retracted portion () is formed over the entire width at the rear plate (R), retracted inwardly of the rectangular tube () from the front plate (F) to provide a height difference within the range of an engagement margin with a locking projection () and capable of facing a rear end of the locking projection ().

Terminal fitting having a retracted portion extending from one side plate to another side plate

A terminal fitting (T) includes a locking plate () extending from a first side plate () and a stabilizer () projecting from a second side plate (). A cutout () is formed at the extending end edge of the locking plate () and engages the stabilizer () to restrict relative displacements of the locking plate () and the second side plate () to define a first linking portion () that links the base plate () and a first contact piece (). A second linking portion () links the second side plate () and a second contact piece (). A restricting portion () is formed on the locking plate () and restricts displacement of the second contact piece () away from the first plate-like contact piece ().

Terminal fitting

It is aimed not to increase contact resistance between a wire and a wire crimping portion even upon being subjected to a thermal cycle. A gold plating layer is formed on a base metal () via a nickel plating layer () in a terminal contact portion () to be held in contact with a mating terminal. A tin plating layer () is formed on the base metal () without via the nickel plating layer () in a wire crimping portion () to be crimped and connected to a core () of an insulated wire ().

Rear engageable surfaces (B) of engageable portions () face communicating portions () and are inclined to produce forces for pushing another housing () forward in a connecting direction with one housing () upon receiving resilient restoring forces of leg portions () when a pair of connectors () reach a properly connected state. A fitting portion () of the second connector () is formed with slanted surfaces () inclined to reduce the width of the fitting portion () toward the back side of the fitting portion (). The slanted surfacesand the first connector () are set to come into contact at a position where a clearance is defined before the first connector () in the connecting direction with the second connector ().

Connector device and locking structure

A object of the present invention is to enable a double-locking of female terminals without making a whole connector larger in size or complicating a structure thereof while maintaining fine waterproof function. A female connector Cincludes a female housingfor retaining a female terminaland a seal member holder. The seal member holderretains a seal memberhaving through holes. When the seal member holderis completely attached to the female housing, the seal membercomes in close contact with a front surface of the female housing. In this state, a male terminalof a male connector Cfits into the female terminalso that a projecting portionof the connector Ccomes in close contact with an inner surface of the through holeto make terminals waterproof individually. Further, the seal member holderis provided with a double-locking piecein, which pursues the double locking of the female terminalin the female housingat the time of the complete attachment.

Waterproof connector

A object of the present invention is to enable a double-locking of female terminals without making a whole connector larger in size or complicating a structure thereof while maintaining fine waterproof function. A female connector includes a female housing for retaining a female terminal and a seal member holder. The seal member holder retains a seal member having through holes. When the seal member holder is completely attached to the female housing, the seal member comes in close contact with a front surface of the female housing. In this state, a male terminal of a male connector fits into the female terminal so that a projecting portion of the female connector comes in close contact with an inner surface of the through hole to make terminals waterproof individually. Further, the seal member holder is provided with a double-locking piece in, which pursues the double locking of the female terminal in the female housing at the time of the complete attachment.

Small double-locking waterproof connector

A female connector (F) is provided with an outer housing () in the form of a bottomed tube, a spring member () to be accommodated in the outer housing (), and an inner housing () to be accommodated in the outer housing () to sandwich the spring member () between the inner housing () and a back wall () of the outer housing () and adapted to hold female terminal fittings (). The inner housing () is pushed by a male connector (M) to move toward the back wall () and is floating-supported between the back wall () and the male connector (M) via the spring member () to move in connecting directions when the male connector (M) is fitted into the outer housing () to be locked therein. Upon an occurrence of vibration, the inner housing () is capable of moving while following movements of the outer housing ().

Connector and a connector assembly

A cover () has opposed halves () with butting walls (). An engaging projection () is formed in an accommodation concavity () rearward from an edge () of the butting wall (). A portion between the engaging projection () and the edge (A) on a bottom surface of the accommodation concavity () defines a temporary holding surface () which is contacted by a connection portion (B) of a locking arm () on the opposed half (). The temporary holding surface () stabilizes the posture of each half () before the locking arm () rides over the engaging projection (). Thus, halves () do not incline and the connection operation is accomplished smoothly.

Wire cover with two longitudinal halves connectable around electric wires

Oneof a pair of connector housingsconnectable with each other is provided with a slider. The other connector housingis provided with main follower pinsand auxiliary follower pinslocated at different positions from the main follower pins. The slideris formed with main cam groovesfor guiding the main follower pinsuntil the connection of the two connector housingsis completed and auxiliary cam groovesengageable with the auxiliary follower pinsat a desired timing within a period from an intermediate stage of the connection of the two connector housingsto a completing timing of the connection.

An attempt to fit an improper combination of housings () together brings a projection (R) of the wrong housing () into abutting engagement with an interference portion () in a fitting recess (). Abutment surfaces (Ra) are inclined in directions to move an inner peripheral surface of the fitting recess () towards an outer peripheral surface of the wrong housing (). Therefore, the fitting recess () cannot deform and spread out, and the fitting of the wrong housing () cannot proceed by force.

Connector

A connector includes a housing () with a cavity () and a lock () that is resiliently deformable along a deformation direction (DD). A terminal fitting () is insertable into and withdrawable from the cavity () along inserting and withdrawing directions (IWD) and is configured to be locked by the lock (). A jig () can be slid linearly into a jig insertion space () between the terminal fitting () and the lock () for disengaging the lock () from the terminal fitting ().

Connector, a connector assembly, a jig, and a method for withdrawing a terminal in a connector

A female connector has a housing ( ) in which terminal fittings can be accommodated. A retainer ( ) can be engaged lightly with the housing ( ) at a partial locking position. The retainer ( ) also can be engaged more deeply at a full locking position where the retainer ( ) locks the terminal fittings. Housing ribs ( B) project from an outer surface ( ) of the housing ( ), and retainer ribs ( ) project from the retainer ( ) and extend along the extension of the housing ribs ( B). The retainer ribs ( ) project beyond the housing ribs ( B) when the retainer ( ) is at the partial locking position.

A connector has a housing main body ( ) with a terminal accommodating portion ( ) for accommodating terminal fittings ( ). A holder ( ) for supporting front ends of the terminal fittings ( ) is assembled to the terminal accommodating portion ( ), and a retainer ( ) for locking the terminal fittings ( ) is mounted laterally into the terminal accommodating portion ( ). A detecting portion ( ) is retracted from an opening ( ) formed in the holder ( ) when the retainer ( ) is at a partial locking position, but is visible at the opening ( ) when the retainer ( ) reaches a full locking position.

A connector has housing ( ) with a terminal accommodating portion ( ) formed with cavities ( ) for terminal fittings ( ). A lock ( ) projects into each cavity ( ) for locking the corresponding terminal fitting ( ). Partition walls ( ) extend between adjacent cavities ( ) and are formed with notches ( ) that open forward from the base ends of the locks ( ). A holder ( ) is mounted on the terminal accommodating portion ( ) from the front for supporting the front ends of the terminal fittings ( ). Partition walls ( ) project from the holder ( ) and into the notches ( ) for partitioning adjacent cavities ( ). Minimum clearances are defined between the locks ( ) and the partition walls ( ) to avoid hindering the resilient deformation of the locks ( ).

Growing community of inventors

Yokkaichi, Japan

Michiaki Okamoto