Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Limited

Sumitomo Electric Industries, Limited

Naoya Kurimoto

Hajime Kawase

Ryotaro Ishikawa

Yuuichi Nankou

Yukihiro Fukatsu

Hideto Nakamura

Kazuhiko Nimura

Shinya Fujita

Toshikazu Sakurai

Kiyofumi Ichida

Takeshi Tsuji

Kenji Okamura

Yukinori Saka

Makoto Fukamachi

Heiji Kuki

Hiroyuki Oka

Teruaki Hasegawa

Yoshimasa Wada

Masahiro Hiratani

A female terminal fitting (F) has a terminal main body () with an inserting portion () that has two opposed resilient contacts () for receiving a male terminal fitting (M). A mounting member () is mountable sideways onto the inserting portion (). The mounting member () has a base () and two supports () that extend in a widthwise direction from opposite ends of the base (). The supports () are located to support the outer surfaces of the resilient contacts () opposite from contact surfaces () with the male terminal fitting (M).

Female terminal fitting and method of assembling such terminal fitting

A female housing () has cavities () for receiving female terminal fittings (). A lock () is provided in each cavity () and is deformed by insertion of the female terminal fitting (). However the lock () is restored resiliently to engage and lock the female terminal fitting () in the cavity (). Maneuverable recesses () are provided on the front surface of each lock () retracted from the locked terminal fitting (). A disengagement jig () can be engaged with the maneuverable recesses () to deflect the lock () so that the terminal fitting () can be removed from the cavity ().

Connector, a disengagement jig and a method

A retainer () has two supports () that extend forward from opposite left and right walls of a retainer main body () and a front wall () spans between the front edges of the two supports (). The front wall () has a reinforcing portion () that projects substantially normal to a wall of the front wall () and extends transversely. The reinforcing portion () prevents a curved deformation of the front wall () along forward and backward directions.

Connector with retainer having front wall and reinforcement

A female housing is provided with cavities ( ) into which terminal fittings are insertable, and locks ( ) provided in the cavities ( ) and resiliently engageable with the terminal fittings being inserted to lock the terminal fittings. Openings ( ) formed by removing a mold for forming locking surfaces ( ) of the locks ( ) engageable with the female terminals are so formed in the female housing as to be open forward. Each lock ( ) is supported at both front and rear ends, and a section thereof projecting more forward than the locking surface ( ) is connected with side surfaces ( ) of the circumferential surfaces of the corresponding opening ( ) extending along a deforming direction of the lock ( ).

Connector

Tapered retainer-side guides ( ) are formed at opening edges of through holes ( ) excluding their communicating areas with corresponding jig insertion openings ( ), and the front end surface of a housing ( ) is formed with slanted housing-side guides ( ) in the communicating areas of the opening edges of the through holes ( ) with the jig insertion openings ( ) when a retainer ( ) is at a full locking position. Slanted guiding surfaces are formed over the entire peripheries of the opening edges of the through holes ( ) by the retainer-side guides ( ) and the housing-side guides ( ). Thus, tabs of male terminal fittings can be securely guided to insertion openings ( ).

Connector and method of connecting a connector with a mating connector

Female terminal fittings ( ) are insertable from behind into cavities ( ) in a female housing ( ). A slanted guide surface ( ) is formed at the peripheral rear edge of each cavity ( ) for guiding the female terminal fitting ( ) into the cavity ( ) and is slanted at an obtuse angle to an inserting direction of the female terminal fitting ( ). A stabilizer-inserting groove ( ) is formed in a surface of the cavity ( ) and has an open rear end into which a stabilizer ( ) of the female terminal fitting ( ) is insertable. A preventing surface ( ) is provided at the peripheral rear edge of the cavity ( ) and abuts the stabilizer ( ) when the female terminal fitting ( ) is inserted in an improper posture. An angle of the preventing surface ( ) to the inserting direction is less than an angle of the slanted guide surface ( ).

Connector and a method for inserting a terminal fitting thereinto

A female housing ( ) has cavities ( ) into which female terminal fittings ( ) are insertable from behind. A lock ( ) projects forward from its base end and is restorable after being temporarily resiliently deformed by the female terminal fitting ( ) being inserted, thereby engaging and locking the female terminal fitting ( ) in the cavity ( ). Maneuverable recesses ( ) maneuverable by a disengagement jig ( ) from front are provided at positions on the front surface of each lock ( ) retracted from the locked terminal fitting ( ) and within a width range of a locking surface of the lock ( ) engageable with the terminal fitting ( ) and located more toward the base end of the locking portion than the locking surface.

A terminal fitting ( ) is provided for insertion into a female housing ( ) from behind. The terminal fitting ( ) has an outer wall ( ) with a cut-away portion ( ) that permits entrance of a lock ( ). Thus, the outer wall ( ) is divided into a front portion and a rear portion. A locking projection ( ) with which the lock ( ) is engageable for locking is provided by causing a front cut end of the cut-away portion ( ) to project outward. The lock ( ) is engageable with a front cut end surface ( ) of the cut-away portion ( ) including the locking projection ( ).

Terminal fitting and a connector

A terminal fitting ( ) has a rectangular tubular main body ( ) with a ceiling wall ( ), first and second sidewalls ( ) extending down from the opposite sides of the ceiling wall ( ), a bottom wall ( ) projecting from the first sidewall ( ) to face the ceiling wall ( ), and an outer wall ( ) projecting from the second side wall ( ) and placed on the outer side of the bottom wall ( ). A front-portion holding piece ( ) projects from a front portion ( ) of the outer wall ( ) and engages a front-portion holding groove ( ) in the first sidewall ( ). A restrictable projection ( ) is provided at the rear end of the front-portion holding piece ( ), and engages a restricting groove ( ) of the front-portion holding groove ( ) for restricting an opening deformation of the outer wall ( ).

Terminal fitting, connector provided therewith and method for producing the terminal fitting

A female terminal fitting ( ) is provided for insertion into a female housing ( ) from behind. A rear end of an outer wall ( ) of the female terminal fitting ( ) extending along widthwise direction is embossed to project out, thereby forming a locking projection ( ) with a vertex (A) at its front end. The female terminal fitting ( ) is inserted into the female housing ( ) and a lock ( ) in the female housing ( ) engages the locking projection ( ). The locking projection ( ) is more outward than an imaginary triangular pyramid (X) formed by connecting the vertex (A) at the front end, a pair of base end points (B) at the rear edge, and an outward-projecting end point (C).

Terminal fitting and a connector provided therewith

A connector has a housing ( ) with cavities ( ) and resiliently deformable locks ( ) that project into the cavities ( ). Terminal fittings ( ) are insertable into the cavities ( ) and deform the locks ( ) in a deforming direction (DD) that intersects the inserting and withdrawing directions (IWD) of the terminal fitting ( ). The locks ( ) then restore and locking surfaces ( ) of the locks ( ) lock the terminal fittings ( ) in the cavities ( ). Each locking surface ( ) has an upper locking surface ( ) furthest into the cavity ( ) and a lower locking surface ( ). The lower locking surface ( ) is at an obtuse angle to the withdrawing direction of the terminal fitting ( ), whereas an angle of the upper locking surface ( ) to the withdrawing direction is smaller than the angle of the lower locking surface ( ).

Connector with lock configured to avoid interference with terminal fitting

A connector is capable of being miniaturised, whilst inadvertent pushing in of a retainer is prevented. A housing main body into which female terminal fittings are inserted has a retainer insertion groove formed on a side face thereof, a retainer being inserted into this retainer insertion groove . The retainer is maintained in a temporary stopping position which allows the insertion of the female terminal fittings into cavities thereof. After that, the retainer is pushed further in and maintained in a main stopping position where is engages stepped members of the female terminal fittings. When the retainer is in the temporary stopping position, the posterior end (relative to the direction of insertion) of this retainer is inside the housing main body . As a result, the retainer is not pushed inadvertently into the main stopping position while, for example, the connector is being transported to a site where the female terminal fittings are to be inserted. A hood member does not need to perform the function of protecting the retainer , consequently its size can remain small so as merely to cover a sealing ring

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.

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Yokkaichi, Japan

Naoya Kurimoto