US 7,008,254 B2 · Connector

Abstract

A female housing (20) made of a synthetic resin is formed with cavities (22) for accommodating female terminal fittings (21), and locks (24) engageable with the female terminal fittings (21) to retain them are provided in the cavities (22). Each lock (24) projects from an outer surface (20a, 20b) of the female housing (20) during resilient deformation. A lock arm (40) for holding a mating male connector (M) in a connected state is mounted on the female housing (20). The lock arm (40) is made of metal and includes a press-in portion (42) that can be pressed into press-in grooves (30) of the female housing (20). The lock arm (40) is arranged to face the locks (240) and can be retracted into deformation spaces (330) for the locks (240) during the resilient deformation.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A connector for connection with a mating connector, the mating connector having a mating housing made of a synthetic resin and mating terminal fittings therein, the connector comprising:

a housing made of a synthetic resin and have a terminal fittings therein for connection with the mating terminal fittings when the connector and the mating connector are connected;
and
a lock arm having a projection for engaging the mating housing and holding the mating connector in a connected state with the connector, the lock arm being made of metal and being pressingly held on the housing at a location spaced from the terminal fittings and at least partly in a lock-arm arranging space recessed in the housing wherein the lock arm is configured to undergo a substantially seesaw-like deformation, wherein a substantially flat metal reinforcement covers an outer surface of a part of the housing where the lock-arm arranging space is formed, the lock arm being unitary whit the reinforcement.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Connector

Life of this patent

Connector

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8