Connector
AssigneeSumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
InventorKazuhiko Nimura
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A resilient locking piece (58) projects from a detector (50). When male and female housings (10, 20) are connected, a lock arm (30) is inclined and the engaging portions (38) return the detector (50). In this state, the detector (50) cannot be pushed in, with the result that a partial connection can be detected. When the connectors (10, 20) are connected property, the lock arm (30) returns to engage an engageable portion (35) with a lock (15) from behind. At this time, a head (59) of the resilient locking piece (58) is opposed to a slanted guiding surface (15B) of the lock (15). Accordingly, the detector (50) is pushed in and reaches a detecting position while the resilient locking piece (58) is guided by the guiding surface (15B) and deformed. In this way, proper connection of the housings (10, 20) is detected.
Claims9
A connector, comprising:
- first and second housings (20, 10;
- 80, 70) connectable with each other, the first housing (20;
- 80) having a lock arm (30;
- 82) with an engageable portion (35;
- 87) and the second housing (10;
- 70) having a lock (15;
- 73) engageable by the engageable portion (35;
- 87), the lock arm (30;
- 82) being deflected as the housings (20, 10;
- 80, 70) are being connected, and the returning resiliently when the housings (20, 10;
- 80, 70) are connected properly so that the engageable portion (35;
- 87) engages the lock (15;
- 73), and
- a detector (50;
- 100) detachably mountable to the first housing (20;
- 80) for detecting a connected state of the two housings (20, 10;
- 80, 70) based on whether the detector (50;
- 100) can be pushed from a standby position (FIG. 8;
- 15;
- 20) toward a detecting position (FIG. 9;
- 16), wherein:
- the detector (50;
- 100) comprises a resilient locking piece (58;
- 109) opposed to the engageable portion (35;
- 87) of the lock arm (30;
- 82) at its initial position before the two housings (20, 10;
- 80, 70) are connected and at an initial stage of connection of the two housings (20, 10;
- 80, 70), the resilient locking piece (58;
- 109) being configured to prevent the detector (50;
- 100) from being pushed in a mounting direction (MD), and
- the lock (15;
- 73) having a guiding surface (15B;
- 73a) opposed to the resilient locking piece (58;
- 109) when the engageable portion (35;
- 87) engages the lock (15;
- 73) and permits the detector (50;
- 100) to be pushed in the mounting direction (MD) while resiliently deforming the resilient locking piece (58;
- 109) held in contact therewith when the detector (50;
- 100) is pushed in the mounting direction (MD).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.