Abstract: A spring holder 25 containing coiled springs 41 is installed in a female housing 11. When a male housing 1 and this female housing 11 are fitted together, a locking arm 20 rises over a stopping protrusion 7, a restraining wall 39 simultaneously engages a locking claw 22, and the coiled springs are compressed. The locking claw 22 makes contact with a contacting face of the restraining wall 39, this contacting face being a tapered face 40. When the locking arm 20 is about to pass over the stopping protrusion 7 to return to its original position, the restraining wall 39 receives a spring force F from the coiled springs and pushes the locking arm 20. A component force F1 in a returning direction of the locking arm 20 is obtained from this spring force F due to the tapered face 40. The component force F1 and the returning force of the locking arm 20 itself cause the locking arm 20 to return smoothly, and the locking arm 20 thus engages with the stopping protrusion 7.

Abstract: The invention provides a means to stabilise and fix the position of a retainer in a connector having the retainer attached thereto by means of being inserted into a retainer attachment hole opening onto an anterior face of a connector housing. Male terminal fittings 20 inserted into a connector housing 10 are maintained therein by a removal preventing member 41 of a retainer 40 inserted into a retainer attachment hole 17. Guiding members 42 formed on the retainer 40 enter the retainer attachment hole 17 before the removal preventing member 41 enters therein. Consequently, the retainer 40 is stabilised and maintained in position relative to the connector housing 10 while it is being attached to the retainer attachment hole 17.

Abstract: To improve the sealing function of a waterproof connector provided with a collective rubber stopper. Male terminal fittings 21 at ends of electric wires 20 are pushed through electric wire through holes 33 of a collective rubber stopper 30, widening these electric wire through holes 33 while they are being pushed therethrough, and are inserted into corresponding cavities 16. Inner lips 35 of the rubber stopper 30 fit resiliently with outer circumference faces of the electric wires 20, thereby sealing each cavity 16. A ring-shaped groove 37 is formed concentrically around each electric wire through hole 33 at a posterior face of the rubber stopper 30. Inner portions of these grooves 37 form comparatively thin cylindrical members 38, these fitting tightly with the outer circumference of the electric wires 20.

Abstract: The invention allows, in a connector having a moving plate provided at the anterior of a connector housing, a retainer to be attached to this connector housing from the anterior. A retainer attachment hole 17, for allowing a retainer 40 to be attached, is formed at an anterior end face of a connector housing 10. A window hole 36 is formed in a moving plate 30, at least a portion of the retainer 40 protruding towards the anterior from this window hole 36. Consequently, the retainer 40 can be pushed in, and other operations can be performed thereto, from the anterior of the moving plate 30. That is, the retainer 40 can be attached from the anterior to the connector housing 10.

Abstract: The interior of a connector housing 3 is provided with terminal housing chambers 11 to which female terminal fittings 2 can be attached. Wall faces 24 within the terminal housing chambers 11 protrude so as to cover only three sides, the wall face which constitutes the remaining side being formed by an insertion hole wall 23 of a retainer 4. Openings on the anterior face of the terminal housing chambers 11 are linked by bending spaces 14 which provide space for lances 12 to bend, the detecting holes 15 opening beside these bending spaces 14. When the retainer 4 is attached, bending regulation members 20 enclose the bending spaces 14 and partition tab insertion holes 11A and the detecting holes 15.

Abstract: A cover (50) is installed on a rear side of a female housing (21) of a female connector (20) to be fitted on a male connector (10). A shaft hole (73) of a lever (70) is fit on a shaft (51) that projects from a front end of the cover (50). Thus the lever (70) can be rotated around the shaft (51). The lever (70) has a cam groove (74) that engages a follower pin (17) of the male connector (10). The follower pin (17) penetrates into the cam groove 74 with the rotation of the lever (70). A lever accommodation portion (40) is formed on upper and lower walls of a female-side hood part (23). The lever (70) is accommodated in the lever accommodation portion (40), and is sandwiched between a wall (41) and an accommodation wall (42) without forming a gap therebetween. A reinforcing wall (43) connects a front end of the wall (41) and that of the accommodation wall (42) to each other.

Abstract: A molding device is provided for the manufacture of a connector. Two mold halves are provided movable relative to one another, which provide molding spaces when the molds are closed for forming the connector housing and a retainer. One mold half includes a space with a core portion for forming a retainer insertion hole in the connector housing, and a retainer forming portion for forming the retainer in a position lateral of the core portion. The mold is also provided with inserting means for inserting the retainer into the insertion hole after the molding of the two pieces.

Abstract: A connector is provided with a highly reliable lock arm. The connector includes a slider (20) formed to move between a displacement permitting position to a forcible displacement position. The slider (20) and a lock arm (17) are provided with pushing portions (24) and a pushable portion (18), respectively. When the slider (20) is moved from the displacement permitting position to the forcible displacement position with connector housings (10, 40) fitted with each other, slanted surfaces (24A) of the pushing portions (24) push a slanted surface (18A) of the pushable portion (18) to forcibly displace the lock arm (17) to an unlocking position. Since it is not necessary to provide a locking portion of the lock arm (17) and the female connector housing (40) with an unlocking function, reliability of a locking function by the lock (17) can be improved.

Abstract: A waterproofed connector is provided with a moving support plate without requiring an increase in size of the connector. A moving plate 40 has a shape whereby a side wall 42 protrudes upwards from circumference edges of a base plate 41 having maintaining holes 44 adapted to receive tabs 24 of male terminal fittings. This moving plate 40 can be inserted in a movable manner within a hood 22 of a male housing 20. A first sealing ring 51, for sealing the space between the moving plate 40 and an outer circumference face of the female housing 10, is formed on an attachment base of an inner circumference face of an anterior end 42A of the side wall 42. A second sealing ring 52, for sealing the space between the moving plate 40 and an inner circumference face of the hood 22 of the male housing 20, is formed on an outer circumference face of the posterior end 42B of the side wall 42. These sealing rings 51 and 52 are formed in a unified manner, by means of two-component molding, on the moving plate 40.

Abstract: Follower pins 12 of a female housing 10 are fitted into cam grooves 35 of a lever 30 supported by axles on a male housing 20. These two housings 10 and 20 can be fitted together or separated by means of pivoting the lever 30 between a starting position, and an ending position. An upper supporting member 40 is formed at a right side of a hood 23, and a lower supporting member 44. When the lever 30 is pivoted to the starting position or the ending position, a tip thereof is supported by the supporting member 40 or 44, respectively, thereby protecting this tip from contact with other components, etc. The supporting members 40 and 44 protrude into dead space relative to the position of the housing 20. Consequently, no extra space is required when the housing 20 is placed in position, yet the lever 30 has increased length and angle of travel.

Abstract: A connector housing is provided to prevent a locking portion from being excessively deformed when the insufficient insertion of a terminal fitting is detected. Cavities 3 are provided in two stages in the connector housing, and locking portions 11 are arranged back to back to share deformation permitting spaces 16. The upper and lower locking portions 11 are arranged such that the longitudinal axes thereof are transversely offset to each other. Detecting portions 23 to be inserted into the deformation permitting spaces 16 project from a retainer 20. At the left and right ends of an inserting end surface 24 of each detecting portion 23, excessive deformation preventing portions 25 are formed symmetrically with respect to vertical direction. The excessive deformation preventing portions 25 can individually come into contact with leading ends 13 of the upper and lower locking portions 11. If a female terminal fitting 8 is insufficiently inserted as in the upper stage of FIG.

Abstract: A connector provided with a half-fitting prevention function has a simplified configuration. A spring 40 is provided with a spring member 44 located to the posterior of a spring pressing member 41 which is pressed directly by a female housing. This spring member 44 is compressed when it receives a pressing force. The spring pressing member 41 and the spring member 44 are formed in a unified manner from plastic. The spring 40 is housed within a spring housing chamber 30 of a male housing 20. If the fitting of the two housings is halted part-way through the operation, the spring member 44 which has been compressed is released, the force which has been accumulated thus far is released, and the female housing is thereby caused to move in a direction of separation.

Abstract: A connector is provided to increase the strength for stopping a forward movement of a terminal fitting. The connector has a housing 11 with a cavity 12. A locking portion 18 is disposed in the cavity 12. Opposite side surfaces of a portion of a locking portion 18 more toward the leading end thereof than a locking projection 19 are cut off to form cut surfaces 21. Contact portions 23 projecting inward are formed continuously with a front wall 13 in areas of side surfaces of the cavity 12 facing the cut surfaces 21. Stabilizers 8 provided on a male terminal fitting 1 can come into contact with the back edges of the contact portions 23. A forward movement of the male terminal fitting 1 properly inserted is stopped by the contact with the front wall 13 and the contact of the stabilizers 8 with the contact portions 23. Since the contact portions 23 are formed taking advantage of spaces obtained by cutting off parts of the locking portion 18, they do not cause any enlargement of the cavity 12.

Abstract: A connector is provided to clear a shorted state of a shorting terminal without using a clearing rib. The connector includes female and male housings 10, 20. A slider 40 assembled into the male housing 20 is moved backward by elastic restoring forces of elastically contracted coil springs when female and male housings 10, 20 are properly connected and a locking claw 31 of a lock arm 30 is disengaged from a locking surface 53. By integrally assembling a shorting terminal 60 into the slider 40, the shorting terminal 60 can be moved automatically from a shorting position where contact portions 64 of the shorting terminal 60 are held in contact with male terminal fittings 26 to short them to a clearing position where the contact portions 64 are not in contact with the male terminal fittings 26.

Abstract: A spring holder 25 containing coiled springs 41 is installed in a female housing 11. When a male housing 1 and this female housing 11 are fitted together, a locking arm 20 rises over a stopping protrusion 7, a restraining wall 39 simultaneously engages a locking claw 22, and the coiled springs are compressed. The locking claw 22 makes contact with a contacting face of the restraining wall 39, this contacting face being a tapered face 40. When the locking arm 20 is about to pass over the stopping protrusion 7 to return to its original position, the restraining wall 39 receives a spring force F from the coiled springs and pushes the locking arm 20. A component force F1 in a returning direction of the locking arm 20 is obtained from this spring force F due to the tapered face 40. The component force F1 and the returning force of the locking arm 20 itself cause the locking arm 20 to return smoothly, and the locking arm 20 thus engages with the stopping protrusion 7.

Abstract: A movable mold is movable toward and away from a fixed mold so as to close and open the mold. The fixed mold includes an intermediate plate facing a movable-side mold plate. This intermediate plate has a retainer-molding recess which cooperates with the movable-side mold plate to form a retainer-molding cavity, and a core pin, which cooperates with a housing-molding recess to form a housing-molding cavity, is mounted on the intermediate plate. A retainer, molded in the molding cavity, is moved downward by an ejector pin into a position where the retainer is disposed coaxial with a housing. Then, the two molds are again closed together, so that the housing and the retainer are connected together, and then this assembled product is taken out.

Abstract: When two connector housings are half fitted together, a fitting detecting connector causes one of the connector housings to be pushed in a direction of separation by means of springs which are provided within a female connector housing 5, a spring holder 15 being inserted into this female connector housing 5 so that it can move in an anterior-posterior direction. This spring holder 15 houses coiled springs 16 and, when the two connector housings are being fitted together, a locking arm 11 rises over a stopping protrusion 2. As a result of this rising up the spring holder 15 is engaged, its movement in a posterior direction is regulated, and the coiled springs 16 are compressed. When the connector housings are completely fitted together the locking arm 11 again moves, releasing the engagement of the spring holder 15, and the spring holder 15 is pushed in a posterior direction by the spring force. In this way the separating force does not act when the connector housings are fully engaged.

Abstract: A connector is provided that retains a terminal fitting when a retainer is attached to a connector housing from the side. The connector housing has a cavity into which a terminal fitting is inserted and a retainer insertion hole. The retainer is attached to the connector housing from the side through the retainer insertion hole. The retainer insertion hole extends entirely through the connector housing and penetrates from opposing outer side walls of the connector housing. The retainer is displaced between a provisional engaging position and a complete engagement position in which the terminal fitting is locked. The retainer preferably has a same height as the height between the opposing outer side walls.

Abstract: An electrical connector has a detecting member 17 is provided on the upper face of a locking member 9 so that it can slide freely in an anterior-posterior direction. A pair of arms 38 protrude in an anterior direction from two edges located in a width-wise direction of the lower face of the detecting member 17. A pair of plate-shaped ribs 41 which protrude upwards from the upper face of a corresponding male housing M correspond to the arms 38. If the detecting member 17 has been stopped in an advanced position before the housings M and F are fitted together, the anterior faces of the ribs 41 push against head members 39 of the arms 38 while the fitting operation is taking place and, as a result, the detecting member 17 is pushed back in a posterior direction. When the housings M and F are fitted further, the anterior end of the locking member 9 rises on top of the stopping member 15 and inclines.

Abstract: The interior of a connector housing 3 is provided with terminal housing chambers 11 to which female terminal fittings 2 can be attached. Wall faces 24 within the terminal housing chambers 11 protrude so as to cover only three sides, the wall face which constitutes the remaining side being formed by an insertion hole wall 23 of a retainer 4. Openings on the anterior face of the terminal housing chambers 11 are linked by bending spaces 14 which provide space for lances 12 to bend, the detecting holes 15 opening beside these bending spaces 14. When the retainer 4 is attached, bending regulation members 20 enclose the bending spaces 14 and partition tab insertion holes 11A and the detecting holes 15.