Abstract: A lever-operated connector includes a pair of connector housings displaced toward each other to be connected together by rotationally moving a lever form an open position to connected position, a cam follower portion provided on one connector housing, the lever rotatably mounted on the other connector housing, a lever lock portion, and a return spring. The lock portion has a retaining pawl provided on the one connector and a retained portion provided on the lever. The cam portion has a play region for allowing the lever to return a predetermined angle from the connected position toward the open position. A surface on which the retained portion is engaged with the retaining pawl is inclined in such a direction as to hamper retraction of the retaining pawl. Furthermore, the lever is automatically brought into a upstanding condition by the return spring.

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: An electrical terminal for forming an electrical connector assembly has an electrical wire connecting portion and a tubular terminal connecting portion extending forward from the electrical connecting portion. First and second axes are defined in the cross-sectional plane of the terminal connecting portion. A plurality of slots are formed in the terminal connecting portion with at least one of the slots extending from the free end of the terminal connecting portion toward the electrical wire connecting portion. when the connecting portion of one electrical terminal is fitted in the slot formed in the connecting portion of another electrical terminal, the respective electrical terminals are sequentially connected in a chained fashion in the direction of the first axes, the second axes of the respective connecting portions are parallel to each other, and the first axes of the respective connecting portions are in alignment with each other.