Connector and connector device

A connector is connected to a mating connector and includes at least one terminal, a housing and a retainer (90). The housing includes at least one fitting (72) and an exposed portion (80). The fitting (72) is fit into the mating connector and formed with a terminal accommodating portion for accommodating the terminal. The exposed portion (80) is exposed from the mating connector. The retainer (90) includes a locked portion and a locking protrusion (94). The locked portion is assembled with the exposed portion (80) and locked to a locking portion provided on the exposed portion (80), thereby fixing the retainer (90) to the housing. The locking protrusion (94) is assembled with the fitting (72) to project into the terminal accommodating portion and retains the terminal in the terminal accommodating portion.

BACKGROUND

Field of the Invention

This disclosure relates to a connector and a connector device.

Related Art

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2018-14300 discloses a connector that is connectable to a mating connector. This connector includes a female terminal and a female housing. The female housing includes a fitting portion to be fit into a fitting recess of the mating connector. The fitting portion includes a terminal accommodation chamber for accommodating the female terminal and a retainer for locking the female terminal in the terminal accommodation chamber.

The retainer includes two side plates and a locking block between the side plates. The side plates include locks that are lockable to full locking projections on outer side walls of the terminal accommodation chamber. The retainer is mounted in the terminal accommodation chamber by locking the locking portions and the full locking projections. The locking block of the retainer that is mounted into the terminal accommodation chamber is behind the female terminal in the terminal accommodation chamber to retain the female terminal in the terminal accommodation chamber.

Locking margins of the full locking projections and the locking portions need to be secured in the connector to mount the retainer in the terminal accommodation chamber. However, if the locking margins of the full locking projections and the locking portions are secured, the fitting portion becomes larger in a width direction, with the result that the mating connector is enlarged.

The connector of this specification reduces the size of a fitting portion.

SUMMARY

This disclosure is directed to a connector to be connected to a mating connector. The connector includes at least one terminal, a housing and a retainer. The housing includes at least one fitting and an exposed portion. The fitting is fit into the mating connector and is formed with a terminal accommodating portion for accommodating the terminal. The exposed portion is exposed from the mating connector when the fitting is fit into the mating connector. The retainer includes a locked portion and a locking protrusion. The locked portion is assembled with the exposed portion and is locked to a lock on the exposed portion, thereby fixing the retainer to the housing. The locking protrusion is assembled with the fitting to project into the terminal accommodating portion and retains the terminal in the terminal accommodating portion when the retainer is fixed to the housing.

The locked portion for fixing the retainer to the housing is arranged around the exposed portion deviated from a part to be fit to the mating connector. That is, since the locked portion need not be assembled with the fitting, the terminal can be retained in the terminal accommodating portion by the retainer while the fitting is reduced in size.

A connector device includes at least one connector and the mating connector. The mating connector includes a mating housing includes an accommodating portion into which the fitting is fit. The accommodating portion has walls that surround the fitting, and the locked portion is aligned in a connecting direction with one of the walls when the fitting and the accommodating portion are fit.

When the fitting and the accommodating portion are fit, the locked portion is arranged in a part that originally is a dead space formed in the connecting direction in the wall. That is, since the locked portion is arranged in the part that is originally a dead space, the enlargement of the connector device can be suppressed while the fitting is reduced in size.

Plural connectors may be provided, and plural cavities may be provided for receiving a corresponding number of the fittings. Separation walls may partition between adjacent fittings. The locked portions of the housings that are adjacent in a lateral direction may be aligned in the connecting direction with the separation wall. In the case of fitting the fittings into the accommodating portion, a distance between the fittings increases and the fittings are enlarged. However, according to this disclosure, the locked portions need not be assembled with the fittings, and the fittings can be smaller. In this way, the distance between the fittings can be reduced and the connector device can be smaller. Further, when the fittings are fit respectively into the cavities, the adjacent locked portions are in the part of the separation wall that originally is a dead space formed in the connecting direction. Thus, the connector device is smaller and less complex as compared to the case where the locked portions are at different positions.

The fitting may be formed with a projecting posture restricting portion extending in the connector device. The separation wall is formed with concave receiving portions for respectively accommodating the posture restricting portions of the adjacent fittings, and the receiving portions in the separation wall are deviated in a direction intersecting the connecting direction. The receiving portions and the posture restricting portions are locked in the direction intersecting the connecting direction. Thus, posture inclination of the fittings in the intersecting direction can be restricted.

The receiving portions for accommodating the posture restricting portions are concave and are deviated in the direction intersecting the connecting direction in the separation wall. In this way, the distance between the fittings can be reduced, for example, as compared to the case where the receiving portions in the separation wall are arranged side by side in the lateral direction or are formed to project. That is, the connector device can be reduced in size.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to reduce the size of a fitting portion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One embodiment of the disclosure is described with reference toFIGS. 1 to 16.

A connector device10of this embodiment includes a board connector (an example of a “mating connector”)20to be fixed to an unillustrated circuit board and a connector group50to be connected to end parts of shielded cables W, as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2.

In the following description, a front-rear direction is based on an X direction inFIG. 1, a direction of connecting the board connector20and the connector group50to each other is referred to as a forward direction, a direction indicated by an arrow Z is referred to as an upward direction and a direction indicated by an arrow Y is referred to as a leftward direction. Further, some identical members may be denoted by a reference sign and the other members may not be denoted by the reference sign.

As shown inFIG. 3, the board connector20includes board-side inner conductors36, board-side outer conductors38and a board housing (an example of a “mating housing”)21.

The board housing21is made of synthetic resin. The board housing includes an accommodating portion22and mounting portions24.

As shown inFIG. 3, the accommodating portion22has a wide rectangular shape with walls23arranged on upper, lower, left and right sides. The wall portions23on both lateral sides are side walls25and has the mounting portions24fixed thereto.

The mounting portion24is formed by working a metal plate by a press or the like and has a lower end part soldered to the circuit board to fix the board housing21to the circuit board.

As shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, this particular embodiment has three forwardly open cavities26formed side by side in a row in the lateral direction inside the accommodating portion22, and separation walls27are formed between adjacent cavities26. As shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, the separation walls27extend in a front-rear direction from a front end of the accommodating portion22to a back wall28. Further, the separation walls27extend vertically to connect to the upper wall23and the lower wall23of the accommodating portion22.

Receiving portions30are formed in the side walls25and the separation walls27of the accommodating portion22and are recessed concavely in the lateral direction from the inner surfaces of the cavities26, as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4.

The receiving portions30of the separation walls27are long receiving portions32extending in the front-rear direction from the front of the accommodating portion22to the back wall28. The long receiving portions32have a lateral depth that is about half the thickness of the separation wall27. An upper inner surface of the long receiving portion32forms an inclined surface30U inclined up along a recess direction of the long receiving portion32.

The long receiving portion32of the separation wall27that is arranged on the side of the central cavity26is in a lower part of the separation wall27. The long receiving portions32of the separation wall27that arranged on the side of the outer cavity26is arranged in an upper part of the separation wall27. Thus, each separation wall27is formed with two long receiving portions32deviated in the vertical direction.

The receiving portion30in the side wall25is a short receiving portion34extending a short distance in the front-rear direction from the front of the accommodating portion22. The short receiving portion34is deviated in the vertical direction from the long receiving portions32of the separation wall27facing the side wall25in the lateral direction. A lateral depth of the short receiving portion34is equal to the depth of the long receiving portion32. An inclined surface30U is formed along the top of the short receiving portion34and is inclined upward along a recess direction of the short receiving portion34.

The board-side inner conductor36is formed by working a conductive metal plate. As shown inFIG. 3, the board-side inner conductor36includes a pin-like male connecting portion37extending in the front-rear direction.

The board-side outer conductor38is formed by working a conductive metal plate. The board-side outer conductor38includes a hollow cylindrical board-side tube39surrounding the male connecting portion37. The board-side tube39is held through the back wall28of the board housing21in the front-rear direction.

The connector group50includes a wire-side connector set60having plural connectors61, as shown inFIGS. 5 to 11, and a multi-pole wire-side connector100, as shown inFIGS. 12 to 16. Either one of the wire-side connector set60and the multi-pole wire-side connector100is selected according to use and is connected to the board connector20.

Specifically, for example, if the shielded cables W are routed at different timings or routed along different paths, it is difficult to gather the shielded cables W into one and connect the shielded cables W to the board connector20. In such a case, the wire-side connector set60enables the connectors61to be mounted individually on the respective shielded cables W and connected to the board connector20. Thus, if the shielded cables W are routed at different timings or routed along different paths, connection work for connecting the respective shielded cables W to the board connector20can be improved by selecting the wire-side connector set60.

On the other hand, the multi-pole wire-side connector100is selected when simultaneously connecting the shielded cables W to the board connector20, such as when the shielded cables W have a common routing path. That is, connection work can be improved since the shielded cables W can be connected collectively to the board connector20by selecting the multi-pole wire-side connector100.

Specifically, according to this embodiment, the board connector20to be connected to the circuit board is provided in common to the wire-side connector set60and the multi-pole wire-side connector100. Either one of the wire-side connector set60and the multi-pole wire-side connector100is selected according to a routed state of the shielded cables W.

That is, on the circuit board side, even if the specifications of the shielded cables W are changed, one board connector20can deal with such a case. On the other hand, the wire-side connector set60or multi-pole wire-side connector100on the side of the shielded cables W can be selected according to the connection workability of the shielded cables W.

The wire-side connector set60is described below with reference toFIGS. 5 to 11.

As shown inFIG. 5, the wire-side connector set60includes the connectors61to be connected respectively to the ends of the shielded cables W. The wire-side connector set60in this embodiment includes three connectors61, namely, a first connector61A, a second connector61B and a third connector61C from the left, as shown inFIG. 5. The first, second and third connectors61A,61B and61C are fit respectively into the cavities26of the accommodating portion22while being arranged in the lateral direction, as shown inFIG. 1.

As shown inFIG. 6, the first, second and third connectors61A,61B and61C differ in the shape of a finger placing portion T provided on the outer surface of a rear lower part and the position of a posture restricting portion76to be described later, but have a common configuration other than the finger placing portion T and the posture restricting portion76.

As shown inFIG. 6, the finger placing portion T of the first connector61A protrudes farther left than the finger placing portion T of the second connector61B, and the finger placing portion T of the third connector61C protrudes farther right than the finger placing portion T of the second connector61B.

The configuration common to all three connectors61A,61B and61C is described, using the first connector61A as a representative. Repeated description for the second and third connectors61B,61C is omitted, and components common to those of the first connector61A are denoted by the same reference signs in the second and third connectors61B,61C.

As shown inFIG. 7, the first connector61A includes a wire-side inner conductor62and a wire-side outer conductor (an example of a “terminal”)65to be connected to the end of the shielded cable W. A dielectric64is arranged between the wire-side inner conductor62and the wire-side outer conductor65. A wire-side housing (an example of a “housing”)70accommodates the wire-side outer conductor65and a retainer90is assembled with the wire-side housing70.

As shown inFIG. 7, the shielded cable W includes a core W1, an insulating inner coating W2covering the outer periphery of the core W1, a braided wire W3covering the outer periphery of the inner coating W2and an outer coating W4covering the outer periphery of the braided wire W3.

The core W1is exposed by stripping the inner coating W2, the braided wire W3and the outer coating W4in a front part of the shielded cable W, and only the outer coating W4is stripped behind the exposed core W1to expose the braided wire W3.

As shown inFIG. 7, the wire-side inner conductor62is made of conductive metal and is formed as a female terminal. The wire-side inner conductor62is crimped and electrically connected to the core W1exposed in the shielded cable W.

The dielectric64is made of insulating synthetic resin and is formed into a hollow cylindrical shape. An inner conductor accommodating portion63for accommodating the wire-side inner conductor62penetrates through the dielectric64in the front-rear direction.

The wire-side outer conductor65is formed by working a conductive metal plate. As shown inFIG. 7, the wire-side outer conductor65includes a hollow cylindrical connecting tube66and a crimping portion68connected behind the connecting tube66.

A projection67projects up on the top of the connecting tube66. The dielectric64can be accommodated in the connecting tube66with a clearance S therebetween. The board-side outer conductor38enters the clearance S between the connecting tube66and the dielectric64when the board connector20and the connector61are connected. The board-side outer conductor38that enters the clearance S and the connecting tube66contact each other to connect the board-side outer conductor38and the wire-side outer conductor65electrically.

The crimping portion68is crimped to the outer periphery of the braided wire W3of the shielded cable W so that the wire-side outer conductor65and the braided wire W3are connected electrically.

The wire-side housing70is made of insulating synthetic resin and, as shown inFIG. 5, includes a rectangular tubular fitting72that is long in the front-rear direction. An exposed portion80is connected to the rear end of the fitting72.

As shown inFIG. 1, the fitting72is fittable into the left cavity26of the accommodating portion22in the board connector20and is shaped to correspond to the left cavity26.

As shown inFIG. 7, an outer conductor accommodating portion (an example of a “terminal accommodating portion”)74is formed inside the fitting72and receives the wire-side outer conductor65from behind. A locking lance75project down toward the front in an upper part of the front end of the outer conductor accommodating portion74and is configured to be resiliently displaced in the vertical direction.

The locking lance75is behind the projection67of the wire-side outer conductor65when the wire-side outer conductor65is accommodated in the outer conductor accommodating portion74. Thus, the wire-side outer conductor65is retained in the outer conductor accommodating portion74by the projection67and the locking lance75locking each other in the front-rear direction.

As shown inFIG. 6, the posture restricting portions76project out from both left and right sides of the fitting72and extend in the front-rear direction. The posture restricting portions76are substantially rectangular and are at positions corresponding to the receiving portions30in the side walls25and the separation walls27of the accommodating portion22. The posture restricting portions76corresponding to the short restricting portions34of the side walls25serve as short restricting portions76A, and the posture restricting portions76corresponding to the long receiving portions32of the separation walls27serve as long restricting portions76B.

Each posture restricting portion76is fit into the corresponding receiving portion30in the process of fitting the fitting72into the cavity26. The posture restricting portion76fit into the receiving portion30is locked to a vertical inner surface of the receiving portion30to restrict the vertical inclination of the fitting72in the cavity26when the shielded cable W pulled out from each connector61is shaken in the vertical direction.

As shown inFIG. 7, a mounting recess82is formed in a lower end part of the fitting72and is provided in common to the exposed portion80.

The mounting recess82includes a first mounting recess83concavely formed over the lower end part of the fitting72and a lower end part of the exposed portion80, as shown inFIG. 7, and second mounting recesses84concavely formed in both lateral side parts of the exposed portion80, as shown inFIGS. 8 and 9.

As shown inFIG. 7, the first mounting recess83extends in the front-rear direction in the lower end parts of the fitting72and the exposed portion80. A mounting hole72A is formed in a front part of the first mounting recess83and communicates with the outer conductor accommodating portion74of the fitting72.

As shown inFIG. 8, the exposed portion80is in the form of a rectangular tube that is wider than the fitting72. The exposed portion80projects from the accommodating portion22to be exposed when the fitting72is fit into the cavity26as shown inFIG. 1.

The second mounting recesses84of the exposed portion80are continuous with the first mounting recess83in the lateral side parts of the exposed portion80, as shown inFIG. 8. A partial locking portion86and a full locking portion (an example of a “locking portion”)87project laterally on a lateral side surface of the second mounting recess84with the full locking portion87being above the partial locking portion86.

As shown inFIG. 8, the retainer90is made of insulating synthetic resin separately from the wire-side housing70and is mountable into the mounting recess82of the wire-side housing70from below. The retainer90includes a locking portion body91to be mounted into the first mounting recess83and two locked pieces (an example of a “locked portion”)92to be mounted into the second mounting recesses84.

The locked pieces92extend up from both lateral side edges of a rear end part of the locking portion body91. Each locked piece92is resiliently displaceable in the lateral direction with a boundary part to the locking portion body91as a fulcrum. A locked projection93is formed on an upper part of each locked piece92and is lockable in the vertical direction by the partial locking portion86and the full locking portion87of the second mounting recess84.

Each locked projection93extends in the front-rear direction on the upper edge of the locked piece92so as to be connected to a reinforcing portion92A provided on the rear end of the locked piece92and extending in the vertical direction.

Each locked piece92can be displaced resiliently in the lateral direction so that the locked projection93can ride over the partial locking portion86and the full locking portion87. The locked pieces92then resiliently return so that the locked projections93can lock to the partial locking portions86or the full locking portions87in the vertical direction. Thus, the locked projection93can be locked to the partial locking portion86to hold the retainer90at a partial locking position projecting down from the mounting recess82. Further, the locked projection93can be locked to the full locking portion87above the full locking portion87, as shown inFIG. 9, to hold the retainer90at a full locking position in the mounting recess82.

As shown inFIGS. 7 and 8, the locking portion body91is long in the front-rear direction and is mountable into the first mounting recess83from below. A locking protrusion94projects up on a front part of the locking portion body91. The locking protrusion94is a block having a corner in an upper part of a front surface.

The locking protrusion94is arranged outside the outer conductor accommodating portion74with the retainer90held at the partial locking position. If the retainer90is arranged at the full locking position to be mounted in the mounting recess82, the locking protrusion94projects into the outer conductor accommodating portion74and is arranged behind the connecting tube66of the wire-side outer conductor65accommodated in the outer conductor accommodating portion74, as shown inFIG. 7. That is, the wire-side outer conductor65is retained redundantly by the locking lance75and the retainer90in the outer conductor accommodating portion74.

Further, if the retainer90is held at the full locking position in the mounting recess82, the locking portion body91constitutes the outer surfaces of the lower parts of the fitting72and the exposed portion80and the two locked pieces92constitute the left and right outer side surfaces of the exposed portion80, as shown inFIGS. 7 and 9.

Accordingly, if the fittings72of the connectors61are fit side by side in the lateral direction in the accommodating portions22of the board connector20, the right locked piece92in the retainer90of the first connector61A and the left locked piece92of the second connector61B are adjacent in the lateral direction, as shown inFIGS. 9 and 10. Further, the left locked piece92of the third connector61C and the right locked piece92of the second connector61B are adjacent in the lateral direction. Further, two locked pieces92adjacent in the lateral direction are aligned in the front-rear direction with the separation wall27of the accommodating portion22, as shown inFIG. 11.

That is, the two locked pieces92adjacent in the lateral direction are arranged at a position that originally is a dead space formed in front of the separation wall27between the adjacent connectors61.

Further, as shown inFIG. 11, the left locked piece92of the first connector61A is aligned in the front-rear direction with the side wall25of the accommodating portion22and the right locked piece92of the third connector61C is aligned in the front-rear direction with the side wall25of the accommodating portion22.

That is, one locked piece92of each of the first and third connectors61A,61C is arranged at a position that originally was a dead space formed in front of the side wall25, on the lateral side of the first or third connector61A,61C.

An interval between the two adjacent locked pieces92is smaller than a resilient displacement amount of the locked piece92when the locked projection93rides over the partial locking portion86and the full locking portion87. That is, with the three connectors61and the board connector20connected, the retainers90are not easily detached from the wire-side housings70.

As shown inFIGS. 12 and 13, the multi-pole wire-side connector100is connected to ends of a plurality of shielded cables W and long in the lateral direction. The multi-pole wire-side connector100in this embodiment is connected to ends of three shielded cables W.

The multi-pole wire-side connector100includes wire-side inner conductors62and wire-side outer conductors65to be connected to the ends of the plurality of respective shielded cables W, dielectrics64arranged between the wire-side inner conductors62and the wire-side outer conductors65, a multi-pole housing (an example of a “housing”)170for accommodating the plurality of wire-side outer conductors65and a large-size retainer (an example of a “retainer”)190to be assembled with the multi-pole housing170. Note that the wire-side inner conductors62, the wire-side outer conductors65, the dielectrics64and the shielded cables W have configurations common to those of the first connector61A and, hence, are denoted by the same reference signs and not described.

The multi-pole housing170is made of insulating synthetic resin. The multi-pole housing170includes, as shown inFIG. 14, a plurality of fittings72to be fit collectively into the accommodating portion22of the board connector20and a large exposed portion180connected to the rear ends of the plurality of fitting portions72. In the multi-pole housing170of this embodiment, the large exposed portion180is connected to the rear ends of three fittings72.

The left fitting72has a configuration common to the fitting72of the first connector61A and the middle fitting72has a configuration common to the fitting72of the second connector61B. Further, the right fitting72has a configuration common to the fitting portion72of the third connector61C. Thus, the description of the fitting portions72is omitted.

As shown inFIGS. 14 and 15, the large exposed portion180is a rectangular tube that is wider than a range where three fittings72are arranged. The large exposed portion180projects from the accommodating portion22to be exposed as shown inFIG. 12when the three fittings72are fit into the respective cavities26.

As shown inFIG. 14, the multi-pole housing170is formed with a large mounting recess182provided over the three fitting portions72and the large exposed portion180.

The large mounting recess182includes a first large mounting recess183concavely formed over a lower end part of each fitting72and a lower end part of the large exposed portion180and second mounting recesses84concavely formed in both lateral side parts of the large exposed portion180. The second mounting recesses84have a configuration common to the second mounting recesses84of the connectors61and are not described.

The first large mounting recess183extends in the front-rear direction in the lower parts of the respective fittings72and extends in the lateral direction in the lower end part of the large exposed portion180.

A mounting hole72A communicating with an outer conductor accommodating portion74of the fitting72is formed at a front position of each part of the first large mounting recess183corresponding to the fitting72, similarly to the mounting hole72A of the embodiment shown inFIG. 7.

As shown inFIG. 15, the large retainer190is made of insulating synthetic resin separately from the multi-pole housing170.

The large retainer190is mountable into the large mounting recess182of the multi-pole housing170from below. The large retainer190includes a large body191to be mounted into the first large mounting recess183and two locked pieces92to be mounted into the second mounting recesses84. The locked pieces92have configurations common to the locked pieces92in the retainer90and are not described again.

The large body191includes three locking portion bodies191corresponding to the respective fittings72and two couplings196coupling adjacent ones of the locking portion bodies91in the lateral direction. The locking portion bodies91have configurations common to the locking portion body91in the retainer90and are not described again.

The large body191constitutes the outer surfaces of the lower end parts of the respective fittings72and the large exposed portion180as shown inFIG. 14when the large retainer190is held at a full locking position to be mounted in the large mounting recess182. Further, the locked pieces92constitute the left and right outer surfaces of the large exposed portion180.

Accordingly, if the three fittings72are fit side by side in the lateral direction into the accommodating portion22of the board connector20, the locked pieces92are aligned in the front-rear direction with the side walls25of the accommodating portion22as shown inFIG. 16.

That is, one locked piece92of the large retainer190is at a position that originally is a dead space formed in front of the side wall25, on the lateral side of the multi-pole wire-side connector100.

This embodiment is configured as described. Next, functions and effects of the connector device10are described.

In the case of locking a retainer to a fitting in a wire-side connector including the fitting to be fit into an accommodating portion of a board connector, the fitting is enlarged if a locking margin of a locking portion of the fitting and a locked portion of the retainer is secured. If the fitting is enlarged, the board connector into which the fitting is fit is also enlarged.

Accordingly, the inventors found out the configuration of this embodiment as a result of an earnest study to solve the above problem.

Specifically, this embodiment relates to the wire-side connector set60or multi-pole wire-side connector (connector)100to be connected to the board connector20(mating connector) and including at least one wire-side outer conductor (terminal)65, the wire-side housing70or multi-pole housing (housing)170, and the retainer90or large-size retainer (retainer)190.

The wire-side housing70or multi-pole housing170includes at least one fitting72and the exposed portion80or large-size exposed portion180, the fitting72is fittable into the board connector20, the fitting72is formed with the outer conductor accommodating portion (terminal accommodating portion)74for accommodating the wire-side outer conductor65, and the exposed portion80or large-size exposed portion180is exposed from the board connector20when the fitting72is fit into the board connector20.

The retainer90or large retainer190includes the two locked pieces (locked portions)92and at least one locking protrusion94, and the two locked pieces92fix the retainer90or large-size retainer190to the wire-side housing70or multi-pole housing170by being locked to the full locking portions (locking portions)87provided on the exposed portion80or large exposed portion180. The locking protrusion94is assembled with the fitting72to project into the outer conductor accommodating portion74and retains the wire-side outer conductor65in the outer conductor accommodating portion74when the retainer90or large retainer190is fixed to the wire-side housing70or multi-pole housing170.

The locked pieces92for fixing the retainer90or large retainer190to the wire-side housing70or multi-pole housing170are arranged around the exposed portion80or large-size exposed portion180deviated from a part to be fit into the board connector20, as shown inFIGS. 9, 11 and 16. That is, the locked pieces92need not be assembled with the fitting72. Additionally, the wire-side outer conductor65can be retained in the outer conductor accommodating portion74by the retainer90or large retainer190while the size of the fitting72is reduced.

The connector device10includes the wire-side connector set60or multi-pole wire-side connector100and the board connector20. The board connector20includes the board housing (mating housing)21. The board housing21includes the accommodating portion22into which the fittings72are fit. The accommodating portion22includes the walls23surrounding the fittings72, and the locked pieces92are aligned in a connecting direction with the side walls25when the fittings72and the accommodating portion20are fit.

When the fittings72and the accommodating portion22are fit, the locked pieces92are arranged in parts that originally are dead spaces formed in front of the side walls25in the connecting direction.

That is, since the locked pieces92are arranged in the parts that are originally dead spaces, the connector device10is not enlarged, as compared to the case where the locked pieces are at positions that are not dead spaces.

The connectors61are provided, the cavities26into which the fittings72are fit side by side are arranged laterally in the accommodating portion22, the separation walls27partition between adjacent ones of the fittings72, the locked pieces92of adjacent ones of the wire-side housings70are arranged adjacent in the lateral direction, and adjacent locked pieces92are aligned in the connecting direction with the separation wall27.

If the fittings72were inserted into the accommodating portion22, a distance between the fittings increases and the accommodating portion would be enlarged when the fittings become slightly larger. However, according to this embodiment, the locked pieces92need not be assembled with the fittings72, and the fittings72can be reduced in size. In this way, the distance between the fittings72can be reduced and the connector device10can be smaller.

The adjacent locked pieces92are arranged in the parts that are originally dead spaces in front of the separation walls27in the connecting direction, when the fittings72are fit respectively into the cavities26. Thus, the connector device10is smaller and less complex than if the locked pieces are at different positions.

The fittings72are formed with the posture restricting portions76extending in the connecting direction. The separation walls27are formed with the concave receiving portions30for respectively accommodating the posture restricting portions76of the adjacent fittings72, and the respective receiving portions30of the separation walls27are deviated in the vertical direction (direction intersecting the connecting direction). The receiving portions30and the posture restricting portions76are locked in the vertical direction to restrict the posture inclination of the fittings72in the vertical direction.

The receiving portions30for accommodating the posture restricting portions76are formed concavely in the separation walls27while being deviated in the vertical direction. In this way, the distance between the fittings72can be reduced, for example, as compared to the case where receiving portions in separation walls are arranged side by side in the lateral direction or project. That is, the connector device10can be reduced in size.

Other Embodiments

Although the accommodating portion22is formed with three cavities26in the above embodiment, there is no limitation to this. Two, four or more cavities may be formed in an accommodating portion.

Although the mating connector to be connected to the connector group50is the board connector20in the above embodiment, there is no limitation to this. The mating connector to be connected to the connector group50may be a connector to be connected to ends of wires.

Although the connectors61or multi-pole wire-side connector100including the wire-side inner conductors62, the dielectrics64and the wire-side outer conductor65and configured such that the wire-side outer conductors65are retained by the retainer90or large-size retainer190are/is illustrated in the above embodiment, there is no limitation to this. The disclosure may be applied to a connector including female or male terminals and configured such that the female or male terminals are retained by a retainer.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS