Connector

• US 6,592,411 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2002
• Issued: 07/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Tsutomu, Mase, Tsuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): TA, THO DAC
• Application Number:
  US10/178,309
• Publication Number:
  US 20020197914A1
• Time in Patent Office: 389 Days
• Field of Search: 439/752, 439/595
• US Class Current: 439/752
• 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

Abstract

Locks (13) and securing portions (48) of a retainer (40) have slanted guide surfaces (15, 49) aligned oblique both to resiliently deforming directions of the locks (13) and moving directions of the retainer (40) between partial and full locking positions. Portions of the securing portions (48) enter deformation permitting spaces (17) when the retainer (40) displaced toward the full locking position from the partial locking position. However, since the locks (13) are resiliently deformable to enter the deformation permitting spaces (17) while being held in sliding contact with the first securing portions (48) via the slanted guide surfaces (15, 49), inserting movements of the terminal fittings are not hindered.

Claims

1. A connector, comprising:

a housing formed inside with at least one lock and at least one deformation permitting space for the lock,

at least one terminal fitting to be inserted into the housing,

a retainer assembled with the housing and being movable between a partial locking position where at least one deformation preventing portion of the retainer is retracted from the deformation permitting space to permit resilient deformation of the lock and a full locking position where the deformation preventing portion enters the deformation permitting space to prevent the resilient deformation of the lock,

wherein;

the terminal fitting is insertable into the housing with the retainer at the partial locking position, and the terminal fitting contacts the lock to resiliently deform the lock toward the deformation permitting space during the insertion of the terminal fitting,

the lock is restored resiliently to engage the terminal fitting and to prevent the terminal fitting from coming out when the terminal fitting properly inserted, and

the lock is resiliently deformable toward the deformation permitting space while being held in sliding contact with the deformation preventing portion with the retainer displaced toward the full locking position from the partial locking position.

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein the lock is prevented from disengaging from the terminal fitting by moving the retainer to the full locking position, and wherein the terminal fitting is prevented from coming out due to the engagement by the lock.

3. The connector of claim 1, wherein the retainer is held in sliding contact with the housing while being moved between the partial and full lock positions.

4. The connector of claim 1, wherein at least one of the deformation preventing portion and the lock is formed with a slanted guide surface extending in a direction oblique to resiliently deforming directions of the lock and oblique to moving directions of the retainer between the partial locking position and the full locking position.

5. The connector of claim 4, wherein the lock is resiliently deformable toward the deformation permitting space while being held in sliding contact with the deformation preventing portion via the slanted guide surface.

6. The connector of claim 1, wherein the retainer includes a main body and the housing includes a retainer accommodating space for receiving the retainer main body in the housing, the retainer accommodating space communicating with the deformation permitting space, the retainer main body being formed with at least one escaping space overlapping the deformation permitting space when the retainer is at the partial locking position for permitting the resilient deformation of the lock.

7. The connector of claim 6, wherein the escaping space is a through hole.

8. The connector of claim 7, wherein the deformation preventing portion is a beam is adjacent the escaping space in the retainer main body.

9. The connector of claim 8, wherein the beam is supported on the retainer main body at substantially opposite ends thereof.

10. The connector of claim 1, wherein the retainer comprises at least one securing portion for engaging and locking the terminal fittings in the housing.

11. The connector of claim 10, wherein the retainer comprises an insertion-limit wall for preventing the terminal fitting from being inserted into the housing in the terminal insertion direction beyond a proper insertion position regardless of whether the retainer is in the partial or full locking position.

12. The connector of claim 11, wherein the terminal fittings are held by the insertion-limit wall and the securing portions so as to prevent the terminal fittings from making loose movements along the terminal insertion direction.

13. A connector, comprising:

a housing formed inside with resiliently deformable locks and deformation permitting spaces for accommodating deformation of the locks;

terminal fittings being insertable into the housing and contacting the locks during the insertion for resiliently deforming the locks into the deformation permitting spaces, the terminal fittings being configured to permit the locks to be resiliently restored out of the deformation permitting spaces for engaging the terminal fittings when the terminal fittings reach a proper insertion position; and

a retainer formed with deformation preventing portions, said retainer being assembled with the housing and being movable between a partial locking position where the deformation preventing portions are retracted from the deformation permitting spaces for permitting resilient deformation of the locks and a full locking position where the deformation preventing portions enter the deformation permitting spaces to prevent the resilient deformation of the locks, the deformation preventing portions being slideably engaged with the respective locks when the retainer is displaced toward the full locking position from the partial locking position.

14. The connector of claim 13, wherein the deformation preventing portions and the locks are formed with slanted guide surfaces aligned oblique to resiliently deforming directions of the locks and oblique to moving directions of the retainer between the partial locking position and the full locking position.

15. The connector of claim 13, wherein the retainer includes a main body and the housing includes a retainer accommodating space for receiving the retainer main body in the housing, the retainer accommodating space communicating with the deformation permitting spaces, the retainer main body being formed with escaping spaces overlapping the deformation permitting spaces when the retainer is at the partial locking position for permitting the resilient deformation of the locks.

16. The connector of claim 15, wherein the escaping spaces are through holes.

17. The connector of claim 16, wherein the deformation preventing portions are beams between adjacent escaping spaces in the retainer main body.

18. The connector of claim 17, wherein the beams are supported on the retainer main body at substantially opposite ends thereof.

19. The connector of claim 18, wherein the retainer comprises an insertion-limit wall for preventing the terminal fittings from being inserted into the housing in the terminal insertion direction beyond a proper insertion position regardless of whether the retainer is in the partial or full locking position.

20. The connector of claim 19, wherein the terminal fittings are held by the insertion-limit wall and securing portions so as to prevent the terminal fittings from making loose movements along a terminal insertion direction.