Abstract: A lock operating member 25 is mounted on a connector housing 21, and in this condition lock balls 35 are mounted one by one in respective ball support holes 24 while elastically displacing elastic engagement members 27 radially outwardly. The mounted lock balls 35 are held in the respective ball support holes 24 by the respective elastic engagement members 27, and therefore even if the posture of a female connector is changed, the operation can be carried out easily.

Abstract: A water-proof connector includes a first connector housing having a plurality of male terminals protruding from an end surface thereof; a second connector housing having an end surface provided with a plurality of cavities which correspond in number to the number of the male terminals and in each of which a female terminal is disposed; and a resilient seal member provided on the end surface of one of the first and second connector housings. The seal member has a plurality of openings so that, when the first and second connector housings are connected with each other, the male terminals are inserted through the openings into the corresponding cavities and are electrically connected with respective female terminals, with respective end surfaces thereof being in pressure engagement with each other through the seal member.

Abstract: This invention provides a waterproof connector (FIG. 2) in which water is prevented from entering an inner part of a connector housing through clearances between cavities and terminal metal fixtures. Even if inner peripheries of cavities 11 and outer peripheries of terminal metal fixtures (contact) 20 are wetted with water when the waterproof connector is detached from a mating connector not shown, a waterproof annular member 25 disposed between an inner periphery of each cavity 11 and an outer periphery of each terminal metal fixture 20 prevents water from enter a connector housing 1 through a clearance between the cavity 11 and the fixture 20.

Abstract: A connector including a locking mechanism to prevent a charge coupling from being broken when charging. A supply connector connected to a power source and a vehicle battery connector installed in an electric vehicle has a handle grip and a connector body attached to a distal end of the handle grip. The handle grip is provided in its interior with a lock mechanism which maintains and releases the coupling of the supply connector to the vehicle inlet and with a control which controls the lock mechanism. The control includes a detector for detecting a complete coupling of the supply connector to the vehicle connector. The control actuates the lock mechanism only when the detector detects the complete coupling and commencement of charging and releases the lock mechanism only when charging is stopped.

Abstract: This invention provides a connector which can positively effect coupling and detaching of a female connector, prevent electric shock and short-circuiting, and prevent an electric failure arising from contamination by extraneous substances. A lid plate 15 is biased by a compression coil spring 22 so that the lid plate is held by limit projections 26 at a protection position for covering male terminals 12 when a female connector is not coupled to the connector. Even if the lid plate 15 is pushed down by an external force so that the male terminals 12 are exposed from the lid plate 15, it can return to the protection position by itself when the external force is released. Since the lid plate 15 is constrained from rotating circumferentially at the protection position, the male terminal 12 smoothly passes through a terminal-through hole 16 in the lid plate 15 when the female connector 40 is inserted into a hood 13 and then the male terminals 12 are connected to female terminals 43.

Abstract: A battery .cndot. terminal, wherein a pair of right, left clamping plate portions of the terminal main body are inserted into the notch portion of the clamping equipment, the bolt is clamped from above in the vertical direction with respect to the nut through the gap between the right, left clamping plate portions, the right, left clamping plate portions are moved by the taper face of the clamping equipment at the clamping time in the mutually approaching horizontal directions, the electrode engagement portion is adapted to be put into pressure contact against the external peripheral face of the battery .cndot. post, so that the terminal can be secured by the clamping operation from the vertical direction or obliquely from above with respect to the battery .cndot. post.

Abstract: A battery terminal comprising first and second tightening plates continuous with an open free end of an annular electrode-engaging portion into which a battery post is inserted; and an electric wire-connecting portion continuous with the first tightening plate or the second tightening plate or the electrode-engaging portion, in which the first tightening plate is moved toward the second tightening plate to close the free end of the electrode-engaging portion so that the battery terminal is fixed to the battery post. In the above construction, a nut is tightened downward on the bolt to move the sliding contact portion downward along the inclined portion so that the first tightening plate is moved toward the second tightening plate.