Connector and method of assembling it

• US 7,204,725 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2005
• Issued: 04/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamashita, Kazunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen; Gary F.
• Application Number:
  US11/221,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20060052004A1
• Time in Patent Office: 586 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 shielded terminal (20) is inserted into a cavity (31) of a female housing (30) while inserting stabilizers (28) bulging out to left and right sides therefrom along guide grooves (40), and is partly locked by a locking portion (35). A retainer (50) is inserted into a retainer mount hole (42) while inserting legs (52) at the opposite sides into insertion grooves (44). When the retainer (50) is pushed to a full locking position, retaining portions (54) are engaged with the rear edges of the stabilizers (28) to doubly lock the shielded terminal (20). The retainer (50) is locked at the full locking position by the resilient engagement of full locking claws (58) with full locking sections (48) as well as by the fitting engagement of elongated locking projections (60) formed on the inner surfaces of the leg pieces (52) with end portions of the guide grooves (40).

Claims

1. A connector, comprising:

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

a retainer insertable into the housing for retaining the terminal fitting and including at least one leg insertable into an insertion groove in a side wall of the cavity, a lock provided on the leg being resiliently engageable with an engaging portion in the insertion groove to lock the retainer at a locking position where the retainer retains the terminal fitting; and

an auxiliary locking mechanism in the form of at least one projection and at least one recess formed on surfaces of the leg of the retainer substantially facing the cavity and on a facing surface of the insertion groove so that the projection and the recess are substantially facing each other, the projection being fittable into the recess and the projection and the recess being disposed to be engageable with each other when the retainer is inserted to the locking position.

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein the terminal fitting includes at least one stabilizer projecting outwardly, a guide groove for permitting insertion of the stabilizer being formed in a wall of the cavity and communicating with the insertion groove.

3. The connector of claim 2, wherein the recess is an end of the guide groove toward the insertion groove.

4. The connector of claim 2, wherein the guide groove is formed to become narrower when seen in an inserting direction of the terminal fitting into the cavity.

5. The connector of claim 1, wherein at least one of the projection and the stabilizer has a slanted surface disposed for contacting the other of the projection and the stabilizer if the terminal fitting is not in the properly inserted position, and wherein upon mounting the retainer to the locking position, the retainer pushes the terminal fitting towards the substantially properly inserted position and towards a wall of the cavity.

6. The connector of claim 1, wherein the retainer can be locked at a temporarily holding position before the locking position with respect to an inserting direction of the retainer where the insertion and withdrawal of the terminal fitting into and from the cavity are permitted.

7. A connector, comprising:

a housing formed with at least one cavity for receiving a terminal fitting, two insertion grooves being provided at lateral sides of the cavity, two stabilizers projecting to lateral sides from the terminal fitting, guide grooves for permitting insertion of the respective stabilizers being formed in opposite side walls of the cavity and communicating with the insertion grooves;

a retainer insertable into the housing for retaining the terminal fitting and including at least one leg insertable into an insertion groove in a side wall of the cavity, a lock provided on the leg being resiliently engageable with an engaging portion in the insertion groove to lock the retainer at a locking position where the retainer retains the terminal fitting; and

an auxiliary locking mechanism in the form of at least one projection and at least one recess formed on surfaces of the leg and the insertion groove substantially facing each other and engageable with each other when the retainer is inserted to the locking position, and the projections of both legs are fit into the corresponding guide grooves to hold both stabilizers from substantially opposite sides when the retainer is inserted to the locking position.

8. A connector, comprising:

a housing at least one cavity, opposed guide grooves in opposed side walls of the cavity, insertion grooves in the side walls of the cavity and intersecting the respective guide grooves, an engaging portion in each of the insertion grooves;

a terminal fitting insertable in the cavity, stabilizers projecting from the terminal fitting and being insertable in the guide grooves, each of the stabilizers having a rear edge;

a retainer insertable into the housing and including legs insertable into the insertion grooves of the housing, a lock provided on each of said legs and being resiliently engageable with the engaging portion in the respective insertion groove to lock the retainer at a locking position, a retaining portion on each of said legs for engaging the rear edge of one of said stabilizers for holding the terminal fitting in the cavity, projections formed on surfaces of the legs substantially facing each other and engageable in the guide grooves when the retainer is at the locking position.

9. The connector of claim 8, wherein the projections engaging the stabilizers from opposite sides for centering the terminal fitting in the cavity.

10. The connector of claim 9, wherein the stabilizers are in the insertion grooves when the terminal fitting is inserted insufficiently for interfering with the retainer.