Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Limited

Norihiko Tanigawa

Takeshi Tsuji

Yutaka Noro

Shohei Mitsui

Joseph Lanzotti

Brian Nagy

Martin Spencer

A connector assembly includes a male housing having at least one coaxial cavity and terminal cavities. At least one female housing is shaped to be disposed in the male housing when in a connected position. The at least one female housing includes a corresponding coaxial cavity relative to the male housing and corresponding terminal cavities relative to the male housing. At least one front loaded male terminal position assurance structure is disposed in the male housing. At least one front loaded female terminal position assurance structure is connected to the at least one female housing. The front loaded male and female terminal position assurance structures lock coaxial connections and terminal connections within the male and female housings when in the connected position.

Wire connector with integrated coaxial connection and front loaded terminal position assurance structures

A connector has a first housing () provided movably in a holder () and movements thereof are regulated by locking between resilient locking pieces () formed on the holder () and locks () formed on the first housing (). In the process of assembling a first device () and a second device (), the first housing () and a second housing () are connected properly and lock releasing portions () resiliently deflect the resilient locking pieces () to separate the resilient locking pieces () from the locks (). When locking between the resilient locking pieces () and the locks () is released, the first housing () moves with respect to the holder () while being kept properly connected to the second housing () as assembly of the first and second devices () proceeds.

Connector

A connector () includes a main body () including terminal accommodating portions (A,B) capable of accommodating terminal fittings () and a cover () to be mounted on the main body () to cover the terminal fittings () accommodated in the terminal accommodating portions (A,B). Wire draw-out openings () from which wires () are drawn out are formed to be open between joint parts of the cover () and the main body () with the cover () mounted on the main body (). Resilient supporting portions () are provided on opening edge parts of the wire draw-out openings () for supporting the wires () by resiliently contacting outer peripheral surfaces of the wires () at a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart positions.

A connector includes a holder () having a peripheral wall () open on opposite first and second ends. A first housing () is assembled in the peripheral wall () from the first end of the holder (), a second housing () is connected to the first housing () from the second end of the holder (). Stoppers () are formed on the peripheral wall () and resilient contact pieces () are formed on the first housing (). The resilient contact pieces () are deflected by interference with the stoppers () in the process of assembling the first housing () into the peripheral wall (). The resilient contact pieces () are locked to the stoppers () to regulate detachment of the first housing () from the peripheral wall () toward the first end in the process of assembling the first and second housings ().

A connector mounting structure includes a first device () with a first mounting hole () and a first connector (F) to be mounted in the first mounting hole (). First resilient lock pieces () are formed on the first connector (F) and are deflected by interfering with an edge of the first mounting hole () in the process of mounting the first connector (F) into the mounting hole (). First locking projections () are formed on the first connector (F) and sandwich the edge of the first mounting hole () between the first resilient lock pieces () and the first locking projections (). Second deflection regulating portions () are formed on a second connector (M) and regulate separation of the first resilient lock pieces () from the edge of the first mounting hole () with the second connector (M) connected to the first connector (F).

Connector mounting structure

A terminal fitting () includes a tubular connecting portion () into which a male tab () is to be inserted. A plate-shaped resiliently deflectable contact () is formed separately from the connecting portion () and extends in a front-back direction in the connecting portion () for contacting the male tab () inserted into the connecting portion (). The connecting portion () includes locks () for locking the resilient contact () to the connecting portion (). A support () as a deflection supporting point of the resilient contact () is provided on a rear end of the resilient contact portion (). The support () is located behind the front ends of receiving portions () of the resilient contact () to be locked by the locks ().

Terminal fitting

A male terminal () is inserted into a tubular main body () and a resilient contact piece () separate from the main body () is deflectably arranged in the main body (). The main body () includes crimping pieces () to be crimped and fixed to crimping regions () of the resilient contact piece (). Protrusions () which bite into mating sides at the time of crimping are provided on crimping surfaces () along which the crimping pieces () and the crimping regions () are crimped to each other.

A terminal fitting () includes a tubular connecting portion () and a resilient contact () in the form of a plate that is deflectably arranged in the connecting portion () and that resiliently contacts a male tab () inserted into the connecting portion (). A contact () is provided in a range from a contact start position () with the male tab () to a contact end position () inside the resilient contact () in a plate width direction. Curved portions () recessed toward a center in the plate width direction are provided on outer edges of the resilient contact () in the plate width direction. Parts of the curved portions () most recessed toward the center in the plate width direction are arranged to face the contact start position () of the contact () in the plate width direction.

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Mie, Japan

Norihiko Tanigawa