Connector

• US 7,753,613 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2004
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Tsuji, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): SANDY, ROBERT JOHN
• Application Number:
  US10/880,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20050002734A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,204 Days
• Field of Search: 403/326, 403/329, 403/316, 439350-357
• US Class Current: 403/326
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/69 Redundant disconnection blocking means
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6272 comprising a single latching arm
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/60 Biased catch or latch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/606 Leaf spring

Abstract

A male housing (10) has a to-be-locked part (13) formed thereon. A female housing (20) has a locking arm (30) that locks the to-be-locked part (13), thus holding both housings (10, 20) undisplaceably relative to each other in a separation direction after the housings (10, 20) fit together properly. The male housing (10) has a prevention part (14) that is locked to a front surface (37a) of a to-be-prevented portion (37) of the locking arm (30), thus preventing both housings (10, 20) from being displaced relative to each other in a fit-on direction. The prevention part (14) is disposed outward from the to-be-locked part (13) in the widthwise direction orthogonal to the fit-on and separation direction of both housings (10, 20). Thus, the male housing (10) can be molded from resin without using a slide die that closes and opens in a vertical direction or a widthwise direction.

Claims

1. A connector, comprising:

first and second housings capable of fitting together along a fit-on direction;

said first housing having a front end and a plurality of walls substantially rigidly arranged relative to one another and defining a forwardly open receptacle extending rearwardly into the first housing along the fit-on direction, a to-be-locked part projecting rigidly outward from a first of said walls defining the receptacle and having a rearwardly facing lock surface aligned substantially perpendicular to the fit-on direction so that the to-be-locked part and the locking surface thereof are substantially immovable with respect to the walls of the housing; and

said second housing having a terminal accommodation part with a front end configured for insertion in the receptacle of the first housing and an opposite rear end, a support projecting out from the terminal accommodation portion and a resiliently deflectable locking arm projecting from the support and being resiliently movable towards and away from the terminal accommodation portion, the locking arm having two bifurcated portions extending from the support toward the front end of the second housing to define a forwardly open cut-out therebetween, a locking opening formed through the locking arm at a position rearward of the cut out and forward of the support, a to-be-preventing portion between the cut-out and the locking opening, the to-be-preventing portion having a forwardly facing surface aligned perpendicular to the fit-on direction and a rearwardly facing surface aligned substantially perpendicular to the fit-on direction so that the rearwardly facing surface locks to said to-be-locked part for holding said housings undisplaceably relative to each other in a separation direction after said housings fit together properly;

wherein said first housing has two prevention parts projecting rigidly from the first wall and spaced apart in a widthwise direction orthogonal to said fit-on direction and said separation direction of said housings, said prevention parts being disposed rearward of the to-be-locked part so that the prevention parts are substantially immovable with respect to the walls of the first housing, the prevention parts each having a forwardly facing locking surface aligned perpendicular to the fit-on direction and being locked to the forwardly facing surface of the to-be-prevented portion of said locking arm, thus preventing said housings which have fit together properly from being displaced relative to each other in the fit-on direction; and

said prevention parts are disposed outward from said to-be-locked part in the widthwise direction and no prevention part being disposed in alignment with the to-be-locked part along the fit-on direction and the separation direction.

2. A connector, comprising:

a first housing having opposite front and rear ends spaced apart along a fit-on direction and opposite first and second sides, a wall extending rearward from the front end and between the opposite first and second sides, a receptacle extending rearwardly into the front end of the first housing and defined partly by the wall, a to-be-locked part projecting rigidly from the wall of the first housing and spaced from the first and second sides of the first housing by selected first and second distances, the to-be-locked part having a rearwardly facing locking surface aligned substantially normal to the fit-on direction, and first and second prevention parts projected rigidly from the wall of the first housing at position rearward of the to-be-locked part and being disposed so that all areas of the first prevention part are spaced from the first side a distance less than the distance between the to-be-locked part and the first side and so that all areas of the second prevention part are spaced from the second side a distance less than the distance between the to-be-locked and the second side, all areas of the wall aligned with the to-be-locked part along the fit-on direction and between the to-be-locked part and the rear end of the first housing being free of prevention parts and other projections, the first and second prevention parts respectively having a first and second forwardly facing engagement surfaces aligned normal to the fit-on direction, the to-be-locked part and the prevention parts being substantially immovable with respect to the wall and the receptacle of the first housing; and

a second housing having a terminal accommodation part connected in the receptacle of the first housing, the second housing having a resiliently deflectable locking arm that is movable towards and away from the terminal accommodation portion, the locking arm having two bifurcated portions extending from the support toward the front end of the second housing to define a forwardly open cut-out therebetween, a locking opening formed through the locking arm at a position rearward of the cut out and forward of the support, a to-be-preventing portion between the cut-out and the locking opening, the to-be-preventing portion having a rear surface engaged with the locking surface of said to-be-locked part for preventing separation of said housings, the to-be-prevented portion of the locking arm further having first and second front surfaces aligned normal to the fit-on direction at positions in forwardly open cut-out and engaging the respective first and second engagement surfaces of the prevention parts for limiting movement of the first and second housings towards one another.

3. The connector of claim 2, wherein the locking arm further engages surfaces of the first and second prevention parts facing the respective first and second sides for limiting transverse movement of the first and second housings.

4. The connector of claim 2, wherein the locking arm includes a locking window disposed for engaging the to-be-locked part, the locking window having a width less than a distance between said first and second prevention parts so that the locking arm is substantially solid at locations extending from the first and second front surfaces to positions rearward of the locking window.

5. A connector, comprising:

a first housing having opposite front and rear ends and opposite first and second sides, a wall extending rearward from the front end and between the opposite first and second sides, a forwardly open receptacle in the first housing and defined partly by the wall, a to-be-locked part rigidly disposed substantially centrally between the first and second sides of the first housing, a first prevention part rigidly disposed on the wall of the first housing at a position closer to the first side of the first housing than to the second side thereof and a second prevention part rigidly disposed on the wall of the first housing at a position closer to the second side of the first housing than to the first side thereof, the first and second prevention parts having forwardly facing engaging surfaces aligned perpendicular to a front-to-rear direction and being disposed so that no portion of either prevention part is disposed between the to-be-locked part and the rear end of the first housing along a front to rear direction, the to-be-locked part and the prevention part being substantially immovable with respect to the wall and the receptacle of the first housing, the prevention parts being between the to-be-locked part and the rear end of the first housing; and

a second housing having a terminal accommodation part connected in the receptacle of the first housing, the second housing having a resiliently deflectable locking arm that is movable toward and away from the terminal accommodation portion, the locking arm having a forwardly open cut-out and a locking window extending therethrough at a position rearward of the cut-out, a to-be-prevented portion between the cut-out and the locking window, the to-be-prevented portion having a rear locking surface facing into the locking window and engaged with a surface of said to-be-locked part facing the rear end of the first housing for preventing separation of said housings, the to-be-prevented portion of the locking arm further having first and second front preventing surfaces aligned perpendicular to the front to rear direction at positions facing into the forwardly open cut-out and abutting the engaging surfaces of the prevention parts for limiting movement of the first and second housings towards one another.

6. The connector of claim 5, wherein the locking arm further engages surfaces of the first and second prevention parts facing the respective first and second sides for limiting transverse movement of the first and second housings.

7. The connector of claim 5, wherein the locking arm of the second housing has a rear support rearward of the rear locking surface, the rear locking surface and the front preventing surface being resiliently deflectable relative to the rear support towards and away from the terminal accommodation part.

8. The connector of claim 7, further comprising an actuator extending rearward of the rear support, the actuator being resiliently deflectable towards the terminal accommodation part for generating resilient deflection of the rear locking surface away from the terminal accommodation part.

9. The connector of claim 8, further comprising first and second front supports supporting a front end of the locking arm relative to the terminal accommodation part.

10. The connector of claim 9, wherein the locking arm includes first and second bifurcated portions on opposite sides of the cut-out and extending from the front preventing surface to the respective first and second front supports.

11. The connector of claim 10, wherein the first and second bifurcated portions engage side surfaces of the respective first and second preventing parts for preventing transverse movement of the first and second housings relative to one another.

12. The connector of claim 5, wherein the second housing has a front end configured for mating with the front end of the first housing and a rear end opposite the front end, first and second side walls projecting from the second housing at opposite first and second sides of the locking arm, the side walls extending substantially from the front end of the second housing toward the rear end thereof, a cover wall bridging the first and second side walls of the second housing at locations adjacent the front end of the second housing, the locking surface and the preventing surfaces being rearward of the cover wall.

13. The connector of claim 12, wherein the lock arm has a front end in proximity to the front end of the second housing, the lock arm being of substantially uniform thickness in a resiliently deflectable direction at all position thereon from the front end of the locking arm to the locking window thereof.

14. The connector of claim 13, wherein the locking window has a width measured normal to a connecting direction of the first housing with the second housing and normal to the deflectable direction of the lock arm, a distance between the first and second prevention parts being greater than a maximum width of the locking window, portions of the locking arm rearward of the preventing surfaces thereof being substantially solid at least to positions aligned with the locking window.