Connector with a side retainer
AssigneeSumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
InventorsNaoya Kurimoto, Kazuhiko Nimura
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A connector has a housing (20) with cavities (21) and terminal fittings (10) insertable in the cavities (21). Each terminal fitting (10) has a lock engaging projection (17) for engaging a lock (22) of the housing (20). Each terminal fitting (10) also has a step (14) and a retainer engaging projection (15) formed continuously with the step (14). The lock engaging projection (17) interferes with a lock (46) of a retainer (40) that is being displaced to a full locking position even if the female terminal fitting (10) is left lightly inserted without reaching the position where the retainer engaging projection (15) interferes with the locking projection (46). Thus, an insufficient insertion can be detected even when the female terminal fitting (10) is left even more lightly inserted.
Claims12
A connector, comprising:
- a housing formed with cavities;
- terminal fittings configured for insertion into the cavities;
- partial locking means for locking the terminal fittings in the cavities;
- a retainer mountable into the connector housing and displaceable between a partial locking position where the insertion of the terminal fittings into the cavities is permitted and a full locking position where the retainer engages the terminal fittings inserted to proper positions in the cavities to lock the terminal fittings;
- and
- the terminal fittings each having a retainer engaging projection engageable with the retainer when the terminal fitting is at the proper position and an insufficient-insertion detecting projection disposed and configured to interfere with the retainer to hinder a displacement of the retainer from the partial locking position to the full locking position when the terminal fitting is insufficiently inserted to a position behind the proper position in the cavity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.