US 7,404,730 B2Granted

Connector, connector assembly and a detection terminal

AssigneeSumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.

InventorsYutaka Kobayashi, Keiichi Nakamura, Yutaka Noro, Takahiro Kikuchi, Yoshiyuki Ishikawa

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Abstract

A housing (10) has a lock arm (20) that pivots about a fulcrum (23) that is rearward of a pivoting portion (24) of the lock arm (20). A detection terminal (50) has a rear support (52) supported on the housing (10) rearward of the pivoting portion (24). An action portion (54) of the detection terminal (50) is engaged with the pivoting portion (24) and displaces with the pivoting portion (24). The lock arm (20) deforms during connection of the housing (10) and a mating housing (90) so that contacts (53) of the detection terminal (50) are not in contact with mating detection terminals (97). However, the lock arm (20) returns resiliently when the housings (10, 90) are connected properly so that the contacts (53) contact the mating detection terminals (97).

Claims20

Dependent claims

A connector, comprising:

a housing with a front end to be connected with a mating housing, at least one lock arm formed on the housing, the lock arm having opposite front and rear ends, a pivoting portion in proximity to the front end of the lock arm and a support for pivotal movement of the lock arm rearward of the pivoting portion, an accommodating portion formed in the housing rearward of the front end of the lock arm;
and
a detection terminal with opposite front and rear ends, a support substantially at the rear end of the detection terminal supported at the accommodating portion of the housing, at least one action portion in proximity to the front end of the detection terminal and engaged with the pivoting portion of the lock arm so that displacement of the pivoting portion causes displacement of the action portion, and a contact disposed in proximity to the front end of the detection terminal and configured to contact a mating detection terminal of a mating housing when the housing and the mating housing are connected properly.

A connector assembly, comprising:

a mating housing with a lock,
a mating detection terminal mounted to the mating housing;
a housing to be connected with the mating housing, at least one resiliently deformable lock arm on the housing, the lock arm having opposite front and rear ends, a pivoting portion in proximity to the front end of the lock arm and a support for pivotal movement of the lock arm rearward of the pivoting portion, the lock of the mating housing engaging the pivoting portion of the lock arm and deforming the lock arm away from the mating detection terminal during connection of the housing with the mating housing, the lock arm resiliently returning towards the mating detection terminal and into engagement with the lock when the housing and the mating housing are connected properly, an accommodating portion formed in the housing rearward of the pivoting portion of the lock arm;
and
a detection terminal with opposite front and rear ends, a support substantially at the rear end of the detection terminal supported at the accommodating portion of the housing, at least one action portion in proximity to the front end of the detection terminal and engaged with the pivoting portion of the lock arm so that displacement of the pivoting portion displaces the action portion and a contact disposed for contacting the mating detection terminal of the mating housing in response to the resilient return of the lock arm when the housing is connected properly with the mating housing.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.