CONNECTOR

• US 20160365664A1
• Filed: 05/23/2016
• Published: 12/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2015
• 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 9,614,314 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/422 Securing in resilient one-piece base or case, e.g. by friction; One-piece base or case formed with resilient locking means
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/4223 comprising integral flexible contact retaining fingers
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/4362 comprising a temporary and a final locking position
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/629 Additional means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. aligning or guiding means, levers, gas pressure electrical locking indicators, manufacturing tolerances separate tools or apparatus H01R43/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/22 Hand tools

Abstract

A connector is miniaturized and while still preventing damage to locking lances. Deflectable first and second locking lances (19, 79) configured to lock first and second terminal fittings (11, 61) are arranged to be exposed on first and second facing surfaces (15, 75) of first and second housings (10, 60). When the first and second housings 10, 60 are assembled, the first and second locking lances (19, 79) are arranged back-to-back with each other. Surfaces of the first and second locking lances (19, 79) facing the first and second cavities (17, 77) on tip parts in a projecting direction are continuous without any step and include locking surfaces (23, 83) configured to lock the first and second terminal fittings (11, 61) on tips in the projecting direction.

Claims

1. A connector, comprising:

a housing (10, 60) and a deflectable locking lance (19, 79) provided to be exposed on an outer surface of the housing (10, 60), the locking lance (19, 79) projecting into a cavity (17, 77) of the housing (10, 60) and being deflected and deformed by interfering with a terminal fitting (11, 61) being inserted into the cavity (17, 77), and resiliently returning to retain and lock the terminal fitting (11, 61) when the terminal fitting (11, 61) is inserted properly into the cavity (17, 77), wherein;

a cut portion (24, 84) is provided on a partition wall defining the cavity (17, 77) in the housing (10, 60) at a position adjacent to the locking lance (19, 79) and is open on the outer surface of the housing (10, 60); and

the cut portion (24, 84) is provided with a guide edge (25, 85) extending from a position close to a supporting point of deflection of the locking lance (19, 79) toward a position distant therefrom and enabling a jig (200) inserted through an open part on the outer surface of the housing (10, 60) to slide to release locking of the locking lance (19, 79) and the terminal fitting (11, 61).

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein a stopper edge (29, 89) configured to stop a sliding movement of the jig (200) with the locking lance (19, 79) properly deflected and deformed is provided continuously with the guide edge (25, 85) on the cut portion (24, 84) at a position distant from the supporting point of deflection of the locking lance (19, 79).

3. The connector of claim 1, wherein plural cavities (17, 77) are arranged side by side in the housing (10, 60) and the cut portions (24, 84) are provided so that a plurality of the partition walls defining the respective cavities (17, 77) communicate in an arrangement direction.