Yazaki Corporation

Tomomi Endo

Naoto Taguchi

Yoshinori Ishikawa

Koutarou Tobino

Chieko Torii

Keiichi Ito

Masato Minakata

Atsushi Nishida

Eiji Fukuda

Yoshitaka Kashima

A connector includes a cylindrical connector housing having a retainer and a terminal accommodating chamber in which a terminal is to be inserted. The retainer has first and second flat plate portions, a side plate portion, and a front plate portion. The retainer is attached to the cylindrical connector housing along an attaching direction. An engagement portion is provided on a side end edge of the first flat plate portion along the insertion direction of the terminal, and is engaged with an engagement projection provided on a housing outer surface of the cylindrical connector housing. A releasing jig insertion hole is provided on the first flat plate portion. The releasing jig insertion hole has, with respect to the housing outer surface, a releasing jig insertion hole angle that is larger than a releasing jig insertion portion angle of the releasing jig.

Connector

A housing is configured to be fitted to a mating housing, the housing including a cylindrical hood into which a fitting protrusion of the mating housing is fittable, the cylindrical hood being configured such that, when the fitting protrusion is fitted into the cylindrical hood, a space between the cylindrical hood and the fitting protrusion is sealed with an annular seal member provided on the fitting protrusion. The cylindrical hood includes, at a distal end of the cylindrical hood from which the housing is fitted to the mating housing, a cylindrical seal portion configured to contact, when the fitting protrusion is fitted into the cylindrical hood, an edge of the mating housing continuously over an entire circumference of the edge and to cover the edge between the cylindrical seal portion and the edge.

Housing

A connector includes a cylindrical connector housing having a retainer and a terminal accommodating chamber in which a terminal is to be inserted. The retainer has first and second flat plate portions, a side plate portion, and a front plate portion. The retainer is attached to the cylindrical connector housing along an attaching direction. A temporary engagement projection and a main engagement projection are provided on a housing outer surface of the cylindrical connector housing so as to be arranged in parallel each other and extend along a direction substantially perpendicular to the attaching direction of the retainer. The temporary engagement projection has a height from the housing outer surface higher than that of the main engagement projection.

A connector includes a first housing, a second housing, and a fitting assurance member attached to the second housing and movable relative to the second housing in a state in which the first housing and the second housing are fitted to each other. The first housing includes a lock protrusion, and a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface. The first inclined surface and the second inclined surface are provided on opposite sides. The second housing includes a lock arm to lock the lock protrusion in the fitted state. The fitting assurance member includes a first repulsive arm to generate repulsive force when the first repulsive arm is elastically deformed by the first inclined surface during a fitting operation. The second housing includes a second repulsive arm to generate repulsive force when the second repulsive arm is elastically deformed by the second inclined surface during the fitting operation.

In a half-fitting prevention connector () of the invention, a fitting detection member () is moved to a proper-fitting detecting position in a female connector () before connection terminals are automatically inserted by an automatic terminal inserting machine. As a result of this movement, a rear end of the fitting detection member () substantially coincides with a rear end surface of the housing of the female connector (), so that the connection terminals can be automatically inserted into terminal accommodating chambers () by the automatic terminal inserting machine.

Method of inserting connection terminals into half-fitting prevention connector

A first connector housing has a first flexible arm member formed with a hole. A second connector housing has a projection adapted to be engaged with the hole in a case where the second connector housing is fitted with the first connector housing in a first direction. A fitting detection member is attached with the first connector housing such that the first connector housing is movable in the first direction between a first position and a second position. The fitting detection member has a second flexible arm member adapted to be engaged with the first flexible arm member to retain the first connector housing at the first position. The engagement between the first flexible arm member and the second flexible arm member is released to allow the first connector housing to move to the second position, in a case where the first flexible arm member is flexed when the first connector housing is placed at the first position. The engagement between the projection and the hole is released only in a case where the first flexible arm member is flexed when the first connector housing is placed at the second position.

Connector preventive of incomplete fitting

A first connector housing is provided with a flexible lock arm. A tubular fitting detector is fitted to an outer periphery of the first connector housing while being slidable thereon between a first position and a second position. A retainer is provided on the fitting detector, and adapted to be engaged with a first portion of the lock arm in a case where the fitting detector is placed at the first position, and engaged with a second portion of the lock arm in a case where the fitting detector is placed at the second position. A second connector housing is provided with a projection adapted to release the engagement between the retainer and the first portion of the lock arm in a case where the second connector housing is completely fitted with the first connector housing, so that the fitting detector is allowed to slide from the first position to the second position. A finger pad is provided on the fitting detector, and arranged such that an operator's finger is placeable thereon while being separated from at least the lock arm, during a fitting operation between the first connector housing and the second connector housing.

Connector capable of preventing incomplete fitting

A connector includes a first connector, a second connector and a fitting detection member. The first connector includes a tab terminal and a projection. The second connector includes a tab receiving terminal for electrical connection to the tab terminal and an elastic lock arm for sliding over the projection when the second connector is fitted into the first connector. The fitting detection member is mounted on the second connector so as to slide in a direction of fitting of the first and second connectors. The fitting detection member is engaged with the elastic lock arm in a half fitting condition of the first and second connectors. The fitting detection member is slidable to a completely-fitted detecting position in a completely-fitted condition of the male and second connectors. The reduction member which reduce a frictional force generated by a contact between the projection and the elastic lock arm is formed on at least one of the projection and the elastic lock arm.

Connector for preventing half fitting condition

A side spacer in a connector is attached by insertion to a housing body from a side thereof and a terminal abutting portion having an inclination angle &bgr; is formed in at least one side edge of a lance for temporarily retaining a terminal. The inclination angle &bgr; is set greater than an angle &agr; formed between an imaginary line connecting the corner portion of the upper surface at the tip end of a female terminal and the corner portion of the upper surface of a tentative retaining projection and the inserting direction of said terminal into the connector housing.

Side spacer structure in connector

A side spacer structure in a connector has lances respectively attached from side portions of a connector housing having a plurality of terminal receiving chambers to the connector housing and used for temporarily retaining terminals inserted into terminal receiving chambers, and securing portions for securing the terminal in a state for operation. In a position where a side spacer is temporarily retained in the connector housing, a recess portion is formed in a region of the branch plate of the side spacer inserted into the connector housing, the region facing the lower portion of the terminal receiving chamber.

In a half-fitting prevention connector ( ) of the invention, a female connector ( ) includes a housing body ( ), and a flexible lock arm ( ) formed on an upper surface of the housing body ( ). A projecting portion ( ) is formed at a front end of the flexible lock arm ( ), and a lock arm guide groove ( ) is formed in a lower surface of the projecting portion ( ). A flexible lock arm-guide portion ( ) for fitting in the lock arm guide groove ( ) is formed on one side portion of an upper surface of a housing body ( ) of a male connector housing ( ). A flexible lock arm-holding portion ( ) is formed on an upper portion of one inner side surface of a detection member body ( ), and projects horizontally therefrom.

Half-fitting prevention connector

A side spacer structure in a connector has a side spacer mounted in a housing body having terminal receiving chambers and including a tentative retention lance for temporarily retaining a terminal inserted into the terminal receiving chambers, a securing portion for securing the terminal in a state for operation, and a terminal releasing lance is provided in a side of the tentative retention lance; wherein a front end of the terminal releasing lance is positioned backward than a front end of the tentative retention lance in an insertion direction of the connector housing.

A lock arm ( ) includes a leg portion ( ), which is provided at an intermediate portion of a lock portion ( ) between at a front end portion and a rear end thereof, and extends to a housing body ( ) of a male connector housing ( ), and the lock arm can be pivotally moved on the leg portion ( ) serving as a fulcrum. A fitting detection member ( ) of a lever-like shape is mounted on the male connector housing ( ) such that when the fitting detection member is pressed down by a detection member-limiting portion ( ), provided at the rear end of the lock arm ( ), a front end portion of the fitting detection member is pivotally displaced outwardly from the housing body ( ).

In a half fit preventive connector according to the invention, flexible arms are disposed on the upper portion of a housing of a male connector. On the leading end portions of the flexible arms, engaging portions are formed respectively. Further, securing members are disposed on the upper portion of a housing of a female connector. On the inner surfaces of the securing members, arm guide surfaces are formed. Securing step portions are formed in the rear end portions of the securing members. An inclined projection having a flat plate portion and a tapered surface is disposed on a housing main body. When fitting the male and female connectors with each other, while sliding on the arm guide surfaces and the tapered surface of the inclined projection, the flexible arms are flexed inwardly and upwardly, thereby positively preventing the two connectors from being imperfectly fitted with each other.

Half fit preventive connector

In order to ensure whether a first housing and a second housing which constitute a connector are completely engaged with each other, a locking member is provided in the first housing, and a locking arm is provided in the second housing. A lock ensuring member is provided so as to be supported by the locking arm movably in the extending direction of the locking arm between a first position closer to the first housing and a second position farther from the first housing, and such that the locking ensuring member is moved toward the second position when the first housing and the second housing are completely engaged with each other. An engaging operation of the housings is started in a state that the lock ensuring member is placed at the first position. The lock ensuring member is moved toward the first position after the engaging operation is completed.

Growing community of inventors

Shizuoka, Japan

Tomomi Endo