Patent ID: 6368140
Filing Date: 2002-04-09
Classification: H01R

Abstract:
A half-fitting prevention connector, comprising:a first connector including a first housing and a connector fitting direction; a flexible lock arm formed on the first housing, the flexible lock arm having a first retaining portion and a pair of abutment portions which are located at a lower side of the flexible lock arm relative to the first retaining portion, the pair of abutment portions having tapered surfaces which are opposed to each other so that an interval between the tapered surfaces becomes gradually wider in a connector releasing direction of the first connector; a second connector fittable to the first connector, the second connector including a second housing having a second retaining portion and a press plate; a resilient member attachable to the second housing, a longitudinal direction of the resilient member being substantially perpendicular to a connector fitting direction of the second connector; and a fixing mechanism, with which a central portion of the resilient member is fixedly secured to the second housing, so that opposite end portions of the resilient member are flexible in the connector fitting direction and a connector releasing direction of the second connector, wherein when the first connector and the second connector are about to be fitted to each other, the flexible lock arm is flexed by the press plate of the second housing pressing downward the first retaining portion, and the first retaining portion is slid on the press plate so that the pair of abutment portions of the flexible lock arm are abutted against the opposite end portions of the resilient member, wherein when the first connector and the second connector are incompletely fitted, the first connector and the second connector are released in respective directions opposite to their connector fitting directions in accordance with a resilient force of the resilient member, and wherein when the first connector and the second connector are completely fitted to each other, the first retaining portion of the flexible lock arm is retained by the second retaining portion of the second housing.