Patent ID: 6648699
Filing Date: 2003-11-18
Classification: H01R

Abstract:
A connector, comprising:a housing with at least one cavity for at least partly accommodating at least one terminal fitting to be inserted through a rear end portion of the housing, and a retainer insertion portion extending into the housing along an insertion direction and communicating with the cavity, partial and full locking steps disposed in the insertion portion, the partial and full locking steps each having a deflection generating surface aligned at an acute angle to the insertion direction, a locking surface aligned normal to the insertion direction and spaced from the deflection generating surface by a distance along the insertion direction no greater than an extent of the deflection generating surface along the inserting direction, a retainer which is partly insertable into the cavities through the retainer insertion portion, the retainer being movable selectively between a partial locking position where the retainer permits the insertion and withdrawal of the terminal fiting, and a full locking position where the retainer substantially engages the terminal fitting inserted in the cavity to prevent the movement thereof in a withdrawing direction, at least one partial locking arm and at least one full locking arm being formed on the retainer, the partial and full locking arms being of substantially equal lengths and being spaced from one another by a clearance that is substantially free of structural restraints such that each said locking arm can deflect through the clearance toward the other of the locking arms, partial and full locking projections projecting transversely from the partial and full locking arms respectively and extending a distance along the respective locking arm no less than the distance between the respective partial and full locking steps, and wherein at least one of the width and thickness of the partial locking arms is set smaller than that of the full locking arms to thereby set the elastic forces of the partial locking arms smaller than those of the full locking arms, and wherein the partial locking arm returns resiliently to an undeflected condition after moving beyond the deflection generating surface a distance no greater than the extent of the deflection generating surface for quickly and easily achieving partial locking and preventing unintended insertion to a full locking position.