# US 6,296,531 B1 · Housing for a connector and a connector produced therewith

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- Number: US 6,296,531 B1
- Document ID: US6296531B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 09/375,353
- Filed: 1999-08-17
- Granted: 2001-10-02
- Earliest claimed: 1998-08-20
- Assignees: Japan Solderless Terminal Mfr. Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Akira Nagamine
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6296531B1

## CPC

- H01R 13/4362: {comprising a temporary and a final locking position}
- H01R 13/501: {comprising an integral hinge or a frangible part}
- H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS

## Abstract

A cavity that crosses chambers and opens in an external wall is formed in a housing proper of a housing. A retainer is slidably fitted into the cavity, and linking parts that link chambers being divided into a front portion and a rear portion by the cavity are formed in the retainer. The linking parts are arranged in such a way that when the terminals are in a regular position in the chambers, the linking parts allow the retainer to shift in the sliding direction and the retainer is secondarily fixed to the terminals by this shift. The retainer is provided to be integral with the housing proper by means of a hinge.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A housing for a connector in which terminals are to be fixed, said housing comprising:
a plurality of chambers into which said terminals are inserted,
at least one cavity that crosses said plurality of chambers and opens in two external walls of said housing to divide said plurality of chambers into a front portion and a rear portion,
at least one retainer being slidably fitted into said at least one cavity of said housing, said at least one retainer having a linking part that links said plurality of chambers, said at least one retainer being shiftable in a sliding direction when said terminals are in a regular position in said plurality of chambers, and being secondarily fixed to said terminals by said shift, and
at least one hinge integrally connecting said at least one retainer with said housing.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A housing for a connector of claim 1 wherein said at least one hinge being in a form of a band is provided at two locations that are distant from each other in the width direction on the top of said housing, said at least one hinge extending in the front-rear direction to connect said at least one retainer and said housing and wherein said housing, said at least one hinge and said at least one retainer are molded integral with each other.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A housing for a connector of claim 1 wherein said at least one hinge being in a form of a band is provided at both ends in the width direction on the top of said housing, said at least one hinge extending in the width direction to connect said at least one retainer and said housing, and wherein said housing, said at least one hinge and said at least one retainer are molded integral with each other.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A connector wherein terminals are inserted into said plurality of chambers of a housing of claim 1
wherein a fixing part is notched in said terminal in the sliding direction of said at least one retainer, and
said fixing part is arranged in such a way that when said terminal is inserted into the regular position in a respective one of said plurality of chambers, the front end of said fixing part will coincide with the rear end of the front chamber of said housing and a circumferential wall of said linking part is fitted into said fixing part by shifting said retainer in the sliding direction.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

A connector wherein terminals are inserted into said plurality of chambers of a housing of claim 2
wherein a fixing part is notched in said terminal in the sliding direction of said at least one retainer, and
said fixing part is arranged in such a way that when said terminal is inserted into the regular position in a respective one of said plurality of chambers, the front end of said fixing part will coincide with the rear end of the front chamber of said housing and a circumferential wall of said linking part is fitted into said fixing part by shifting said retainer in the sliding direction.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

A connector wherein terminals are inserted into said plurality of chambers of a housing of claim 3
wherein a fixing part is notched in said terminal in the sliding direction of said at least one retainer, and
said fixing part is arranged in such a way that when said terminal is inserted into the regular position in a respective one of said plurality of chambers, the front end of said fixing part will coincide with the rear end of the front chamber of said housing and a circumferential wall of said linking part is fitted into said fixing part by shifting said retainer in the sliding direction.