Abstract:
The present invention relates to a connector wherein a retainer slides from a side direction of a connector housing in which it is to be installed. An object of the present invention is to provide a connector capable of preventing a connector connected in a condition in which the retainer is not installed, and transferred to subsequent processes. As a solution, a housing main body is provided with a slider capable of sliding, the slider is hooked in a regulating position in a condition in which the retainer is not installed on the housing main body, and interferes with detection pins provided on a male connector. Therefore the connection of both the connectors becomes impossible. To the contrary, when the retainer is installed on the housing main body, the slider is transferred from a regulating position to a permitting position by the slider contact part provided on the retainer which does not interfere with the detection pins, and the connection of both connectors is permitted. Thus, connection of the connectors in a condition in which the retainer is not installed, and transfer to subsequent processes can be prevented.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a connector including locking pieces that lock at least one terminal fitting of a wire within cavities in the connector housing, and a retainer to engage the locking pieces to provide a double lock. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     As an example of this type of conventional connector, a connector described in Japanese Patent Publication (Unexamined) Show No. 61-90174 is shown in FIG.  15  and FIG. 16. A connector housing  1  installed in the connector is equipped with lances  4  locking terminal fittings  3  in cavities  2 . Bending cavities  4 A of the lances  4  open to a retainer insertion part  5  formed on a side face of the connector housing  1 . Further, a retainer  6  includes a plurality of regulating pieces  6 B which extend in a horizontal direction from a vertical plate  6 A. When the retainer  6  is installed by sliding from the side direction of the connector housing  1 , the regulating pieces  6 B advance into the bending cavities  4 A to regulate the bending deformations of the respective lances  4 , and therefore the terminal fittings  3  are double hooked within the cavities  2 . 
     The above-mentioned conventional connector can be fitted with an opposite connector even though the retainer  6  is not installed. Accordingly, there has been a problem that the connector connected in a condition in which the retainer  6  is not installed is transferred to subsequent processes. 
     The present invention has been provided to overcome the problems of the prior art noted above, and an object is to provide a connector that prevents connection of the connector in a condition in which the retainer is not installed, and then transferred to subsequent processes. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The connector according to one aspect of the present invention is a connector that double hooks terminal fittings in a connector housing by sliding a retainer from the side for installation into the connector housing which stores the terminal fittings. The connector has a construction in which pins that protrude from an opposite connector in a fitting direction advance in a receiving part opened in front of the connector housing when the connector housing is fitted in the opposite connector. 
     The connector housing is provided with a slider which hooks at a regulating position to regulate the advance of the pins into the receiving part, and which slides from the regulating position in a direction transversing the receiving part and moves to a permission position permitting the advance of the pins into the receiving part. A retainer is provided that includes a slider contact part which is in contact with the slider in a process of being installed into the connector housing and moves the slider to the permission position. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, the inside of the receiving part is provided with a pair of fitting-detection terminals in a contact condition, and the pins of the opposite connector are formed by an insulation member and are configured to fit between the contact faces of both fitting-detection terminals when the connector housing and the opposite connector come to be in a regular fitting condition. 
     In a further aspect of the present invention, a rear end wall which engages and leaves from a side wall of the connector housing is provided on the rear end of the retainer in the sliding direction. Side wall holes communicating with a slider storing part are formed on the part of the connector housing confronting the rear end wall and a slider contact part protrudes from the rear end wall and is configured to advance into the side wall holes of the connector housing. 
     In the connector according to another aspect of the present invention, in a condition in which the retainer is not installed, the slider installed on the connector housing hooks at the regulating position, interferes with the pins provided in the opposite connector, and the connection of both connectors is impossible. Whereas when the retainer is installed, the slider is pushed by the slider contact part provided on the retainer and moves from the regulating position to the permission position, where the slider does not interfere with the pins, and the connection of both connectors is permitted. Thus, connection of both connectors in a condition in which the retainer is not installed, and transferred to subsequent processes, is prevented. 
     Furthermore, when both connectors are in a regular fitting condition, the pins provided in the opposite connector enter between the contact faces of both fitting-detection terminals, such that both fitting-detection terminals are switched from a contact condition to a non-contact condition. Therefore it can be detected that both connectors were properly fitted together. 
     Additionally, in another aspect of the present invention, when the retainer is installed on the connector housing, the slider contact part that protrudes from the rear end wall of the retainer advances into the slider storing part and moves the slider to the permission position. 
     In a further aspect of the present invention, a connector assembly is provided that includes a first connector connectable to a second connector. The first connector includes at least one outwardly protruding pin, and the second connector includes a housing main body that houses at least one terminal fitting. A retainer is slidably mountable on the housing main body to retain the at least one terminal fitting to a stored position, and a pin insertion prevention member if provided that prevents insertion of the at least one protruding pin of the first connector in the event that the retainer is not mounted on the housing main body prior to connection of the first and second connectors. Furthermore, the pin insertion prevention member may include a slider slidably mounted in a recess in a front face of the housing main body. 
     According to a further aspect of the present invention, the slider may include at least one opening, and in an insertion preventing position of the slider, the at least one opening is offset from an insertion path of the at least one pin, and in an insertion permitting position of the pin, the at least one opening is aligned with the insertion path of the at least one pin. 
     Moreover, the retainer may include a protrusion formed thereon, with the protrusion being engageable with the slider upon mounting of the retainer on the housing on the housing main body. Thus, when the retainer is mounted on the housing main body to retain the at least one terminal fitting in the stored position, the protrusion engages and automatically shifts the slider from the insertion preventing position to the insertion permitting position. 
     Furthermore, in another aspect of the present invention, the housing main body may include at least two adjacent cavities that receive a respective one of a pair of terminal fittings, and at least one receiving part is positioned adjacent the at least two cavities. A short circuit terminal is insertable within the receiving part and connectable with the pair of terminal fittings, and the pin of the first connector is receivable within the receiving part and engageable with the short circuit terminal to disconnect the short circuit terminal from the pair of terminal fittings. 
     Additionally, the pair of terminal fittings may be configured to provide a signal indicating an uninstalled condition of the retainer when the pair of terminals is contacted by the short circuit terminal, and to provide a signal indicating an installed condition of the pair of terminals when not contacted by the short circuit terminal. 
     According to other aspects of the present invention, the second connector may further include an outer housing that slidably receives the housing main body and the retainer. Additionally, the outer housing may be provided with a pivotable lever, the lever including at least one cam groove, and the first connector may be provided with at least one cam pin receivable within the at least one cam groove, whereby rotation of the pivotable lever, when the cam pin is received within the cam groove, causes movement of the first connector toward engagement with the second connector. Furthermore, the slider may be provided with an elastically deflectable hooking piece, and the recess in the housing main body may include first and second hooking grooves. Accordingly, the hooking piece may be engageable with the first hooking groove to temporarily retain the slider in the insertion preventing position, and the hooking piece may be engageable with the second hooking groove to retain the slider in the insertion permitting position. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention is further described in the detailed description which follows, in reference to the noted plurality of drawings by way of non-limiting examples of exemplary embodiments of the present invention, in which like reference numerals represent similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings, and wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the male connector related to one embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG.  2 (A) is a cross-sectional side view of the male connector, with the male connector removed from a storage case. 
     FIG.  2 (B) is a cross-sectional side view of the male connector. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the female connector combined with the male connector. 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the female connector. 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the housing main body and the slider. 
     FIG. 6 is a partially cut-away perspective view of the slider. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a condition in which the detection pins project toward the front of the housing main body. 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a condition in which the retainer is installed on the housing main body. 
     FIG.  9 (A) is an enlarged partial perspective view showing a condition in which the slider is positioned at the regulating position. 
     FIG.  9 (B) is an enlarged partial perspective view showing a condition in which the slider is positioned at the permitting position. 
     FIG.  10 (A) is a cross-sectional plan view showing a condition in which the slider is positioned at the regulating position. 
     FIG.  10 (B) is a cross-sectional plan view showing a condition in which the slider is positioned at the permitting position. 
     FIG.  11 (A) is a side view showing a condition of the initial fitting of both the connectors. 
     FIG.  11 (B) is a side view showing a condition of the halfway fitting of both the connectors. 
     FIG.  11 (C) is a side view showing a condition of the complete fitting of both the connectors. 
     FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional side view showing a condition of disengagement of both the connectors. 
     FIG.  13 (A) is a cross-sectional side view of the initial fitting stage of both the connectors. 
     FIG.  13 (B) is a perspective view showing the detection pins and the short circuit terminals at the initial stage. 
     FIG.  14 (A) is a cross-sectional side view of a condition in which both the connectors are completely fitted together. 
     FIG.  14 (B) is a perspective view showing the detection pins and the short circuit terminals when the connect are complete connected together. 
     FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a conventional connector. 
     FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional side view of the connector of FIG.  15 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The first embodiment of the present invention is illustrated according to FIG.  1  through FIG. 14 below. 
     A male connector  10  is integrally mounted on a base plate  13  is shown in FIG. 1, and a lever type female connector  20  (FIG.  3 ), to which the present invention is applied, is connected with the male connector  10 . 
     First, the male connector  10  includes a hood part  12  that protrudes from a principal part  11  which is formed to have a long flat panel shape in a horizontal direction. The principle part  11  is penetrated by first ends of a plurality of L-shaped tabs T (FIG.  2  and FIG.  12 (A)) which extend within the inner wall of the hood part  12 . Further, the other ends of the tabs T are inserted in a plurality of holes  13 A (FIG. 2) formed through the base plate  13 , and are soldered on a pattern printed on the base plate  13  to be integrated with the base plate  13 . 
     A plurality of the tabs T are arranged within the hood part  12  in a pair of upper and lower rows, and a plurality of detection pins  14  made of an insulating resin are arranged in a single row between the two rows of tabs T. The detection pins  14  are shown enlarged in FIG.  13 (B), and have a construction that protrusion parts  14 C protrude from the center of the upper edge of principal parts  14 B which have a T-shape in cross-section. Further, tapered faces  14 A which obliquely face downward are formed on the edges of the principal part  14 B and the edges of the protrusion parts  14 C, as shown in FIG.  12 . 
     As shown in FIG. 1, a pair of cam pins  15 , 15  protrude in the upper and lower directions on the outer face of the hood part  12  of the male connector  10 . Further, positioning grooves  12 A extend in a fitting direction in the inner face of the hood part  12 . As shown in FIG.  2 (B), the male connector  10  is pushed into a storing case  16  from the side of the base plate  13 , and the opening of the storing case  16  is closed in a waterproof condition. 
     On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, a female connector  20  to which the present invention is applied is formed of a housing main body  30  storing terminal fittings  21 , a retainer  40  installed on the housing main body  30  by sliding from the side, and an outer housing  50  storing the housing main body  30  and provided with a movable lever  51 . 
     The terminal fittings  21 , shown as being slightly more enlarged than other parts shown in FIG. 4, are provided with barrel parts  21 B at the back end of the square-pipe type contact part  21 A, and the terminal part of an electric wire D is clamped on the barrel parts  21 B together with a waterproof rubber stopper  22 . Further, a metal lance  23  extends obliquely rearward from the upper wall of the contact part  21 A, and a stabilizer  24  stands up at the side of the metal lance  23 , as also shown in FIG.  12 . 
     As shown enlarged in FIG. 5, the housing main body  30  forms a long, generally rectangular parallelopiped shape, with a first rail groove  31  formed on the upper and lower walls and one side wall along the rim of the rear end, and an inwardly extending protrusion strip  52  formed in the outer housing  50  is hooked thereat. Further, a second rail groove  32  is formed at the middle position in the fore and aft direction along the upper and lower walls of the housing main body  30 , in parallel with the first rail groove  31 . The second rail groove  32  is opened to the left side face facing the housing main body  30  from the front, and the hooking protrusive strip  41  is installed in the retainer  40  and inserted from the open end by sliding. 
     Further, a waterproof ring  30 B is fitted between both the rail grooves  31 , 32  among the housing main body  30 . Additionally, a cover body  33  is unitarily molded on the side wall  30 R of the right side face facing from the front among the housing main body  30 . The cover body  33  is provided on the edge of a supporting pillar  33 A (refer to FIG. 10) standing away from the rear end position of the side wall  30 R. When the housing main body  30  is stored in the outer housing  50 , the storing opening  50 A (refer to FIG. 4) of the outer housing  50  is closed. 
     A plurality of cavities  34  are formed by penetrating the housing main body  30  in the fore and aft direction, and the terminal fittings  21  are stored in the interior of the cavities. 
     The plurality of cavities  34  are provided in the housing main body  30  in a condition in which they are transversely arranged in a pair of upper and lower rows, and a plurality of receiving part  35  are installed between the upper and lower rows of the cavities  34 , in a condition in which they are transversely arranged in a single row. The respective receiving parts  35  are partitioned by section walls  35 A so as to respective correspond with an adjacent pair among groups of the cavities  34  of the upper row, and open to the front of the housing main body  30 . Further, as shown in FIG. 12, short circuit holes  35 B which respectively communicate with a corresponding pair of the cavities  34  are formed by penetration. 
     A slider storing part  36  is formed in front of the housing main body  30  (FIG.  5 ). The slider storing part  36  is formed by removing the outer end parts of the section walls  35 A partitioning the receiving parts  35  as it traverses a plurality of the receiving parts  35  at the left side in FIGS. 5 and 10 among groups of the receiving parts  35 . 
     Within the housing main body  30 , short circuit terminals  25  are stored in the respective receiving parts  35  as shown in FIG.  12 . As shown in FIG.  13 (B), the short circuit terminal  25  includes a pair of bent short circuit pieces  26 , 26  which extend in parallel from one end of a metal plate  25 A toward the upper side of the metal plate  25 A, and the short circuit pieces are provided with bent protrusion parts  27  which are bent upwardly at an end part. Further, the inside parts of the edge sides of both the short circuit pieces  26  are provided with accepting parts  28  which project to the mutually approaching side and are bent upward at a lower position than the bent protrusion parts  27 . The edge sides of the short circuit pieces  26 , 26  of short circuit terminals  25  are arranged at the inner side of the receiving parts  35 , and are stored so that they do not protrude to the side of the slider storing part  36 . And as shown in FIG. 12, the bent protrusion parts  27  of the short circuit terminals  25  are in contact with the terminal fittings  21  through the short circuit holes  35 B. Thus, the terminal fittings  21 , 21  in one pair of the cavities  34 , 34  corresponding to the receiving parts  35  are mutually shorted thereby. Further, in the present mode of operation, the fitting-detection terminals related to the present invention are constituted by these terminal fittings  21 , 21  and the short circuit terminals  25 . 
     The slider  60  shown in FIG. 5 is stored in the slider storing part  36  of the housing main body  30 . The slider  60  extends in a horizontal direction, is pushed into the slider storing part  36  from an orthogonal direction against a longitudinal direction, and slides in a longitudinal direction inside of the slider storing part  36 . Further, the hole  36 A in the side wall  30 L at left side (FIG. 10) of the housing main body  30  penetrates through to the slider storing part  36 , and a pair of end part protrusion  62 , 62  are inserted in the hole  36 A and protrude at the rear end at one end of the slider  60 . 
     The slider  60  is provided with a plurality of pin permitting holes  61  along a longitudinal direction in correspondence with the respective receiving parts  35  which are positioned at the inner side of the slider storing part  36 . The pin permitting holes  61  form a T-shape in cross-section. Further, on the slider  60 , an end part hole  64  is formed at the end part on the side where the edge part protrusions  62  are installed. 
     Further, as shown in FIG. 6, a hooking piece  63  is provided at the lower face of the other end of the slider  60 , and in correspondence with the hooking piece  63 , a temporary hooking groove  36 V and a final hooking groove  36 W are arranged along the sliding direction at the end part of lower face of the slider storing part  36  (FIG.  5 ). Thus, when the slider  60  is positioned at the side of the side wall  30 L within the slider storing part  36  (hereinafter, the position referred to as the “regulating position”), a protrusion part  63 A which protrudes downwardly from the end of the hooking piece  63  is hooked with the temporary hooking groove  36 V. Further, at this time, the edge part protrusions  62  which are provided at the other end of the slider  60  are inserted into the holes  36 A, and the respective pin permitting holes  61  face the section walls  35 A between the respective receiving parts  35  (FIG.  10 (A)). On the other hand, when the slider  60  is positioned at the opposite side of the regulating position within the slider storing part  36  (hereinafter, the position referred to as the “permitting position”), the protrusion part  63 A of the hooking piece  63  is hooked with the final hooking groove  36 W. At this time, the pin permitting holes  61  are aligned with the respective receiving parts  35  (FIG.  10 (B)). 
     Further, as both the temporary hooking groove  36 V and the final hooking groove  36 W are not opened to the front end face of the housing main body  30 , the movement of the slider  60  toward the front of the slider storing part  36  is also regulated when the hooking piece  63  is hooked with the hooking grooves  36 V,  36 W. 
     As shown in FIG. 4, the retainer  40  is configured by connecting one end and one side rim of the upper and lower walls  40 U and  40 D which mutually extend in parallel along the upper and lower faces of the housing main body  30 , with the end wall  40 L and the frontal wall  40 F, and openings are provided at the rear face and one side face thereof. At the opening rim of the rear face, a pair of hooking strips  41 , 41  protrude toward the mutually approaching side from the upper and lower walls  40 U and  40 D, and the edge parts of these hooking strips  41  take a shape overhanging toward the frontal side (FIG.  12 ). Further, a pair of ribs  47 , 47  extend in parallel in a front and rear direction on the outer faces of the upper and lower walls  40 U and  40 D, and these ribs  47 , 47  engage with the grooves  12 A formed in the inner face of the hood part  12  of the male connector  10 . 
     A plurality of tab insertion holes  42  corresponding to the respective cavities  34  are formed in two upper and lower rows on the front wall  40 F of the retainer  40 , and a plurality of pin insertion holes  43  corresponding to the respective receiving parts  35  are formed in a single row between the groups of two rows of the tab insertion holes  42 . Further, a hooking hole  45  is formed at the side of the open side part  44 S, and a frontal protrusion  39  which is formed on the front face of the housing main body  30  is hooked thereto. Additionally, as shown in FIG. 7, a rearward facing protrusion  46  is formed adjacent the end wall  40 L on the inner face of the front wall  40 F. 
     Further, a pair of slider contact protrusion parts  48 , 48  project from the inner face of the end wall  40 L of the retainer  40 . The pair of slider contact protrusion parts  48 , 48  fit into the side wall holes  36 A formed on the side wall  30 L of the housing main body  30  and are configured to abut against the edge part protrusions  62 , 62  of the slider  60 . 
     As shown in FIG. 4, the outer housing  50  is configured by connecting the mutually facing upper and lower walls  50 U and  50 D with a back wall  50 D and one side wall  50 L, and the outer housing  50  is also provided with openings at the front and at one side face. Inwardly protruding strips  52  are provided on the inner faces of the upper and lower walls  50 U and  50 D of the outer housing  50 . Additionally, end parts of a pair of leg pieces  54 , 54  provided on the lever  51  are connected, in a condition capable of rotation, on the outer faces of the upper and lower walls  50 U and  50 D. 
     Accordingly, the operation of the first mode of the present invention will now be described. 
     As shown in FIG. 4, the female connector  20  of the first mode of operation is provided to, for example, a harness plant in a condition in which the retainer  40  and the outer housing  50  are separately packed. The housing main body  30  is provided in a condition in which the short circuit terminals  25  are stored in the receiving parts  35  and the slider  60  is stored in the slider storing part  36 . Further, the slider  60  is hooked in the regulation position of the housing main body  30  by hooking the hooking piece  63  (refer to FIG. 6) on the lower face of the slider, with the temporary hooking groove  36 V provided on the lower face of the slider storing part  36 . Thus, as shown in FIG.  10 (A), a part of the groups of the receiving parts  35  installed in the housing main body  30  are placed in a condition in which they are blocked. 
     The terminal fittings  21  clamped on the terminal parts of electric wires D are pushed into the cavities  34  of the housing main body  30  in a harness plant (refer to STEP  1  of FIG.  4 ). Then, the metal lances  23  provided on the terminal fittings  21  are hooked with the inner walls of the cavities  34 , and the terminal fittings  21  are locked in the cavities  34  (refer to FIG.  12 ). Further, at this stage, the adjacent pairs of the terminal fittings  21  stored in the upper row of the cavities  34  is respectively shorted by the short circuit terminals  25  in the receiving parts  35 . 
     Next, the housing main body  30  is pushed into the open side part  44 S of the retainer  40  (refer to STEP  2  of FIG.  4 ). At this time, the housing main body  30  is pushed into the retainer  40  while sliding the hooking protrusive strips  41  formed on the retainer  40  within the second rail groove  32  formed on the housing main body  30 . 
     Then, when the slider contact protrusion parts  48  installed on the end wall  40 L of the retainer  40  approach the opening of the side wall holes  36 A provided in the housing main body  30 , the rearwardly facing protrusion  46  provided on the inner face of the retainer  40  passes over the side wall  30 L of the housing main body  30  and is hooked with the end part hole  64  of the slider  60  as shown in FIG.  9 (A), and the pin insertion holes  43  provided in the retainer  40  are aligned with the pin permitting holes  61  provided in the slider  60 . And when the housing main body  30  is pushed further into the inner part of the retainer  40 , the end part protrusions  62 , arranged in the side walls holes  36 A, on the slider  60  are pushed by the slider contact protrusion parts  48  of the retainer  40 , and the slider  60  slides within the slider storing part  36  (refer to FIG.  9 (B)). 
     When the retainer  40  is pushed into the final position of the housing main body  30 , the slider  60  arrives at the permitting position, and the hooking hole  45  formed in the front wall  40 F of the retainer  40  is hooked with the frontal protrusion  39  formed on the front face of the housing main body  30 . The hooking piece  63  provided on the lower face of the slider  60  is hooked with the final hooking groove  36 W provided on the lower face of the slider storing part  36 . Then, the pin insertion holes  43  provided on the retainer  40  are aligned with the pin permitting holes  61  provided in the slider  60 , and the tab insertion holes  42  provided in the retainer  40  are aligned with the cavities  34 . Further, as shown in FIG. 12, the protruding hooking strips  41  provided on the retainer  40  face toward the rear end face of the connecting part  21 A, and the terminal fittings  21  are double hooked within the cavities  34 . 
     Finally, the housing main body  30  is inserted by sliding within the inner part of the outer housing  50  (refer to STEP  3  of FIG.  4 ), and thereby, the assembling of the female connector  20  is completed. 
     The female connector  20  is provided, for example, in an assembling plant of electric instruments from a harness plant, along with the male connector  10 . Then, the female connector  20  is combined with the male connector  10  of the opposite side. In order to do so, the cam pins  15  (refer to FIG. 1) provided on the male connector  10  are hooked with the cam grooves  51 A (FIG. 4) of the lever  51  provided in the female connector  20 , and the lever  51  is moved by rotation as shown in FIGS.  11 (A) through  11 (C). Then, both the connectors  10 ,  20  are drawn by the cam action, and the housing main body  30  of the female connector  20  is fitted within the hood part  12  of the male connector  10 . Thereby, the tabs T that protrude within the interior of the hood part  12  penetrate the tab insertion holes  42  of the retainer  40 , and project into the cavities  34  of the housing main body  30  at the inner part. Further, the detection pins  14  penetrate the pin insertion holes  43  of the retainer  40  and the pin permitting holes  61  of the slider  60 , and project into the receiving parts  35  of the housing main body  30 . Thereby, the respective tabs T are conducted to the terminal fittings  21  in the cavities  34  to be connected. On the other had, as shown in FIG.  13 (A) through FIG.  14 (A), the detection pins  14  rub the tapered faces  14 A on the accepting parts  28  of the short circuit terminals  25  in the receiving part  35  and push down the short circuit pieces  26  of the short circuit terminals  25 . Thus, the short circuit pieces  26  separate from the terminal fittings  21 , and the adjacent pairs of terminal fittings  21 , 21  of the upper row become in a non-conductive condition respectively, therefore it can be detected that both the connectors  10 , 20  were properly fitted. 
     Furthermore, the present mode of operation, when the housing main body  30  is assembled with the outer housing  50  and then transferred to post processing in a condition in which the retainer  40  is inadvertently not installed, the following occurs. Namely, when the retainer  40  is not installed, the slider  60  is maintained hooked in the regulating position. Therefore one part of groups of the receiving parts  35  of the housing main body  30  are placed in the blocked condition by the slider  60 . Thus, as shown in FIG. 7, when both the connectors  10 ,  20  are to be combined, the detection pins  14  are in contact with the slider  60  and insertion into the receiving parts  35  is regulated. Therefore, the combination of the connectors  10 , 20  becomes impossible. 
     Further, the retainer  40  may be removed from the housing main body  30 , such as, for maintenance. In this case, the slider  60  returns to the regulating position together with the retainer  40  in the process of removing the retainer  40 , due to the hooking of the rearward facing protrusion facing  46  of the retainer  40  with the end part hole  64  of the slider  60 . Accordingly, when the female connector  20  is assembled again, the fitting of both connectors  10 , 20  also becomes impossible because of the interference of the detection pins  14  with the slider  60  as described above, even if the retainer  40  is inadvertently not installed. 
     Thus, according to the female connector  20  of the first embodiment, as the female connector  20  cannot be connected to the male connector  10  when the retainer  40  is inadvertently not installed, abnormality in the process of connection of the connectors  10 ,  20  can be caught, and a connector on which the retainer  40  is not installed can be prevented from being transferred to subsequent processes. 
     The present invention is no limited to the fore-mentioned embodiment and for example, the embodiments illustrated below is also included in the technical range of the present invention. Further, embodiments other than those described below can be carried out by various changes within the scope of the purpose of the present invention. 
     (1) The first embodiment provided a construction in which the detection pins  14  are installed on the male connector  10  and the detection pins  14  are in contact with the slider  60  at the regulating position. However, there may be, for example, a construction in which the tabs T installed on the male connector  10  are in contact with the slider  60  at the regulating position. 
     (2) The retainer  40  of the first embodiment was one which hooked on the rear end part of the terminal fittings  21 . However, the present invention may be applied to, for example, a retainer having a construction in which the retainer advances into the bent cavity of the lance and regulates the deflection of the lance, in a manner similar to those illustrated in a conventional technology. 
     It is noted that the foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the present invention. While the present invention has been described with reference to certain embodiments, it is understood that the words which have been used herein are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Changes may be made, within the purview of the appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention in its aspects. Although the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the present invention extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims. 
     The present disclosure relates to subject matter contained in priority Japanese Application No. HEI 11-122589, filed on Apr. 28, 1999, which is herein expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety.