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US 6,648,685 B2Granted
Connector
AssigneeSumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
InventorYuuichi Nankou
Life of this patent
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AssigneeSumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
InventorYuuichi Nankou
Estimating the term…
The invention provides a front retainer used in common for both male and female electrical connectors. A female housing 30 and a male housing 40 are each provided with two large cavities 33L and 43L, these being opposite one another. In the female housing 30, the large cavity 33L on the right side is located below a central line XF, and the large cavity 33L on the left side is located above the central line XF. Bending spaces 36 of large lances 34L have recessed spaces 37 contiguous therewith either above or below. In the male housing 40, the large cavity 43L on the left side is located below a central line XM, and the large cavity 43L on the right side is located above the central line XM. Bending spaces 46 of large lances 44L have recessed spaces 47 contiguous therewith either above or below. A retainer 50 has female protruding members 55 and male protruding members 56 aligned above and below, these fitting respectively with the female bending spaces 36 and the male bending spaces 46. The up-down configuration of the retainer 50 is laterally reversed on the left and right sides.
A connector assembly comprising male and female connector housings which are mutually engageable along a fitting direction, each housing having a retainer aperture and a plurality of terminal cavities aligned with the fitting direction, and each said cavity having an electrical terminal fitting housed therein, each terminal cavity being further provided with a resilient lance at one side thereof adapted for bending into a respective bending space and retaining a respective terminal fitting therein, and the connector assembly further including a retainer for each of said housings, wherein the retainers all have the same construction, one of the retainers being insertable into the retainer aperture of each said housing to prevent bending of said lances, wherein said terminal cavities are located on both sides of a dividing plane extending in the fitting direction, each terminal cavity being associated with a bending space on one side of said plane, and said retainer being fitted into the retainer aperture in each housing along the dividing plane and setting in each said bending space to doubly lock each lance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.