Connector

• US 7,214,085 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2005
• Issued: 05/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Ohtaka, Kazuto, Tateishi, Masashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilman; Alexander
• Application Number:
  US11/269,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20060134964A1
• Time in Patent Office: 545 Days
• Field of Search: 439/352, 439/358, 439/357, 439/347, 439/489
• US Class Current: 439/352
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6273 comprising two latching arms

Abstract

The present invention is to provide a cantilever structure connector without an extended portion of a main locking arm and provide also a locking feeling similar to that of a center impeller structure connector. When a male and female housings are connected to each other, rib protrusions disposed at inner walls of ribs abut to side protrusions and parts of side locking arms enter into between the main locking arms and the male housing. Accordingly, the main locking arms become temporarily a center impeller structure. When a center protrusion abuts to main protrusions, the main protrusions are subjected to a large downward force, or a large upward repulsive force.

Claims

1. A connector having a male housing and female housing, comprising:

a main locking arm disposed in one of the male housing and the female housing, said main locking arm having a cantilever structure and being flexible in a vertical direction;

a side locking arm disposed to a side of the main locking arm, said side locking arm having a cantilever structure and a height shorter than that of the main locking arm, and being flexible in a lateral direction to be sandwiched between the main locking arm and said one housing;

a main locking portion disposed on the main locking arm;

a side locking portion disposed on the side locking arm;

a rib upstanding in the other housing;

a rib engaging portion disposed in the rib, said rib engaging portion abutting to the side locking portion to sandwich a part of the side locking arm between the main locking arm and said one housing and lock the side locking portion after sandwiching when the male and female housings being connected to each other; and

a center engaging portion disposed on a plate of the other housing, the center engaging portion abutting and pressing the main locking portion when the male and female housings are connected to each other and the part of the side locking arm is sandwiched between the main locking arm and the one housing, whereby the side locking arm can enter between a lower face of the main locking arm and the housing and limit downward bending of the main locking arm when the housings are connected to each other.

2. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said center engaging portion is locked with the main locking portion at the same time when the part of the side locking arm is released from sandwiching.

3. The connector as claimed in claim 2, wherein said main locking arm has a depressing portion at an end thereof, the depressing portion disconnects locking between the main locking portion and the center engaging portion, and depresses downwardly the end of the main locking arm after disconnection while preventing the part of the side locking arm from being sandwiched between the main locking arm and said one housing.

4. The connector as claimed in claim 3, wherein said side locking arms are formed in a pair, the side locking portions are disposed at outer faces of the pair of the side locking arms, the ribs are upstanding opposedly, and the rib engaging portions extend out of inner faces of the ribs corresponding to the side locking portions.

5. A connector having a male housing and female housing, comprising:

a main locking arm disposed in one of the male housing and the female housing, the main locking arm having a cantilever structure and being flexible in a vertical direction;

a side locking arm disposed to a side of the main locking arm, having a cantilever structure and a height shorter than that of the main locking arm, the side locking arm being flexible in a lateral direction; and

a rib upstanding in the other housing,

whereby, when the male and female housings are connected to each other, the side locking arm contacts with the rib and allows a part of the side locking arm to be sandwiched between a lower face of the main locking arm and said one housing and limit downward bending at the main locking arm, and a part of the main locking arm contacts with the other housing so that the main locking arm is depressed.

6. A connector having a male housing and female housing, comprising:

a main locking arm disposed in one of the male housing and the female housing, said main locking arm having a cantilever structure and being flexible in a vertical direction;

side locking arms disposed to a side of the main locking arm, said side locking arms being flexible in a lateral direction to be sandwiched between the main locking arm and said one housing;

a main locking portion disposed on the main locking arm;

a side locking portion disposed on each side locking arm;

a rib upstanding in the other housing;

a rib engaging portion disposed in the rib, said rib engaging portion abutting to the side locking portion to sandwich a part of the side locking arms between the main locking arm and said one housing and lock the side locking portion after sandwiching when the male and female housings being connected to each other; and

a center engaging portion disposed on a plate of the other housing, the center engaging portion abutting and pressing the main locking portion when the male and female housings are connected to each other and the part of the side locking arms is sandwiched between the main locking arm and the one housing;

wherein;

said center engaging portion is locked with the main locking portion at the same time when the part of the side locking arm is released from sandwiching, said main locking arm has a depressing portion at an end thereof, the depressing portion disconnects locking between the main locking portion and the center engaging portion, and depresses downwardly the end of the main locking arm after disconnection while preventing the part of the side locking arms from being sandwiched between the main locking arm and said one housing, said side locking arms are formed in a pair, the side locking portions are disposed at outer faces of the pair of the side locking arms, the ribs are upstanding opposedly, and the rib engaging portions extend out of inner faces of the ribs corresponding to the side locking portions, and wherein said main locking arm has a guide slit in a longitudinal direction thereof, and the other housing has an upstanding guide rib corresponding to the guide slit.