Connector

• US 7,182,652 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2005
• Issued: 02/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamakado, Toshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen; Gary F.
• Application Number:
  US11/297,953
• Publication Number:
  US 20060141872A1
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• Field of Search: 439/752, 439/595
• US Class Current: 439/752
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/4362 comprising a temporary and a final locking position

Abstract

A retainer (30) has a penetration prevention portion (37) rearward from a locking projection (36) and configured to project into a cavity (22) when the retainer (30) is at a main locking position. A terminal fitting (10) erroneously inserted into a rear portion of the cavity (22) when the retainer (30) is at the main locking position will strike the penetration prevention portion (37) before striking the locking projection (36). Thus the erroneously inserted terminal fitting (10) cannot push the locking projection (36) in a way that could return the retainer (30) to a temporary locking position.

Claims

1. A connector comprising:

a housing with at least one cavity for receiving at least one terminal fitting; and

a retainer insertable into said housing from one side surface of the housing in a direction crossing said cavity,

said retainer having an engaging projection capable of engaging said terminal fitting for locking said terminal fitting in the cavity;

said retainer being movable between a temporary locking position where said engaging projection is disposed alongside said cavity and allows said terminal fitting to be inserted into said cavity and removed therefrom and a main locking position where said engaging projection projects in said cavity and engages said terminal fitting; and

said retainer having a penetration prevention portion that projects into said cavity and prevents said terminal fitting from penetrating into said cavity when said retainer is held at said main locking position.

2. A connector of claim 1, wherein said penetration prevention portion is provided rearward from said engaging portion in an insertion direction of said terminal fitting.

3. The connector of claim 2, wherein a rear surface of the penetration prevention portion is aligned substantially orthogonal to an insertion direction of the terminal fitting into the cavity.

4. The connector of claim 1, wherein said retainer is configured for movement in a direction substantially orthogonal to an insertion direction of the terminal fitting.

5. The connector of claim 1, wherein the housing has a plurality of cavities.

6. The connector of claim 5, wherein the at least one terminal fitting comprises fewer terminal fittings than cavities.

7. A connector, comprising:

a housing having opposite front and rear ends and a plurality of cavities extending between the ends, a retainer insertion opening extending into a side surface of the housing and intersecting the cavities;

a plurality of terminal fittings disposed respectively in a plurality of the cavities, the terminal fittings being fewer in number than the cavities so that at least one of said cavities has no terminal fitting therein; and

a retainer disposed in said retainer insertion opening and being movable between a temporary locking position and a main locking position, the retainer having a plurality of engaging projections corresponding to the respective cavities and a plurality of penetration prevention portions disposed between the engaging projections and the rear end of the housing, the engaging projections and the penetration prevention portions being substantially alongside the respective cavities when the retainer is in the temporary locking position and projecting into the respective cavities when the retainer is in the main locking position.

8. The connector of claim 7, wherein each of said engaging projections has a forwardly facing locking surface aligned to engage one of said terminal fittings when the retainer is in the main locking position for preventing the terminal fitting from being withdrawn from the housing.

9. The connector of claim 8, wherein each of said penetration prevention portions has a rearwardly facing locking surface aligned to prevent one of said terminal fittings from being inserted into the corresponding cavity when the retainer is in the main locking position.

10. The connector of claim 9, wherein the rearwardly facing locking surfaces of the penetration prevention portions are aligned substantially orthogonal to an insertion direction of the terminal fitting into the cavity.

11. The connector of claim 7, wherein said retainer is configured for movement in a direction substantially orthogonal to an insertion direction of the terminal fitting.

12. The connector of claim 7, wherein the penetration prevention portions are substantially adjacent portions of the retainer insertion opening nearest the rear end of the housing.