CONNECTOR

• US 20130260598A1
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Chikusa, Takahiro, Iihoshi, Shinji
• Granted Patent: US 8,845,362 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/357
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/4223 comprising integral flexible contact retaining fingers
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6275 Latching arms not integral with the housing H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence

Abstract

A connector includes a housing (10) made of synthetic resin and formed with a terminal accommodating chamber (11). A resiliently deformable locking lance (12) is cantilevered forward along an inner wall surface of the terminal accommodating chamber (11) and a locking projection (15) is formed on the locking lance (12). A terminal fitting (30) is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber (11) from behind and has a locking hole (33) configured to engage the locking projection (15) when the terminal fitting (30) is inserted in the terminal accommodating chamber (11). Reinforcing ribs (20) are formed integrally on the locking lance (12) and project in a direction opposite to the terminal accommodating chamber (11) in a resilient deforming direction of the locking lance (12).

Claims

1. A connector, comprising:

a housing (10) made of synthetic resin and formed with a terminal accommodating chamber (11);

a locking lance (12) cantilevered forward along an inner wall surface of the terminal accommodating chamber (11) and resiliently deformable in directions toward and away from the terminal accommodating chamber (11);

a locking projection (15) integrally formed on the locking lance (12) and projecting toward the terminal accommodating chamber (11);

a terminal fitting (30) to be inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber (11) from behind;

a locking hole (34) formed in the terminal fitting (30) and configured to retain the terminal fitting by being engaged with the locking projection (15) when the terminal fitting (30) is inserted in the terminal accommodating chamber b(11); and

at least one reinforcing rib (20) integrally formed on the locking lance (12) and projecting in a direction opposite to the terminal accommodating chamber (11) in a resilient deforming direction of the locking lance (12).

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein a formation area of the reinforcing rib (20) in forward and backward directions is continuous from a front end to the rear end of the locking lance (12).

3. The connector of claim 1, wherein the at least one reinforcing rib (20) comprises two reinforcing ribs (20 arranged along opposite sides spaced apart in a width direction intersecting with the resilient deforming direction of the locking lance (12).

4. The connector of claim 3, further comprising:

two receiving ribs (16) formed in the housing and located at opposite sides of the locking lance (12) in the width direction intersecting with the resilient deforming direction of the locking lance (12); and

two restrictions (17) integrally formed on opposite widthwise outer side surfaces of the locking lance (12) at sides of the receiving ribs (16) opposite the terminal accommodating chamber (11) in the resilient deforming direction of the locking lance (12);

wherein the restrictions (17) are connected to the reinforcing ribs (20).

5. The connector of claim 1, wherein:

the housing (10) is formed with a deformation space (13) that permits the locking lance (12) to be deformed away from the terminal accommodating chamber (11) while inserting the terminal fitting (30) and is open at front end surface of the housing (10);

a detector (22) for detecting an inserted state of the terminal fitting (30) is inserted into the deformation space (13) from the front;

the at least one reinforcing rib comprising two reinforcing ribs (20) projecting toward the deformation space (13) and spaced apart in a width direction intersecting the resilient deforming direction of the locking lance (12).

6. The connector of claim 5, wherein a formation area of the reinforcing ribs (20) in forward and backward directions is a range at least including a front end part of the locking lance (12).