A connector and a method of assembling a connector

Abstract: [Object] To detect partial connection both during a connecting operation and during a separating operation. [Solution] A lock arm 18 engageable with a female housing 30 to be fitted into a receptacle 11 of a male housing 10 projects into the receptacle 11. The lock arm 18 is so elastically deformable in a direction intersecting with a connecting direction of the housings 10, 30 as to be displaceable between an engaging position where it is engageable with a slider 51 assembled into the female housing 30 via compression coil springs 50 and a disengaging position where it is disengaged from the slider 51. If a connecting or separating operation is interrupted halfway, spring forces accumulated in the compression coil springs 50 elastically compressed by the slider 51 moved backward are released, whereby the slider 51 is biased forward and the lock arm 18 located in the engaging position is pushed to forcibly separate the housings 10, 30 from each other.

Description: The present invention relates to a connector provided with a connection detecting function and to an assembling method for such a connector. A connector disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 11-185880 is known as a connector of this type. This connector is constructed, as shown in FIG. 9, such that a lock arm 3 is provided on a female housing 1 to be connected with a male housing 2, a slider 4 is mounted in the male housing 2 and a coil spring 5 is provided at the rear wall of the male housing 2. While the housings 1, 2 are being connected with each other, the elastically deformed lock arm 3 pushes the slider 4 against a biasing force of the coil spring 5. When the housings 1, 2 are properly connected with each other, the lock arm 3 is elastically restored to its original shape to lock the housings 1, 2 into each other and the slider 4 is returned to its initial position by the biasing force of the coil spring 5 upon being disengaged from the lock arm 3. Further, when connection is interrupted with the housings 1, 2 partly connected, the slider 4 pushed the lock arm 3 back by the biasing force of the coil spring 5 to separate the housings 1, 2 from each other. By this separating movement, it can be detected that the housings 1, 2 were left partly connected. On the other hand, in the case that the housings 1, 2 are detached from each other for maintenance or an other reason, the female housing 1 is pulled after unlocking is effected by forcibly elastically deforming the lock arm 3. If pulling of the female housing 1 is interrupted for a certain reason and left in such a state, the housings 1, 2 may be left partly connected during a separating operation. Since partial connection of the housings during the separating operation cannot be detected in the conventional connectors, connectors capable of making such a detection have been hoped for. EP 0 841 724 A2. Which is considered to represent the closest prior art, discloses a connector comprising a male and a female connector housings, wherein a movable member is movably provided in the male connector housing and biased by coils springs towards the female connector housing. Moreover, a lock arm is provided in the female connector housing, which pushes a receiving portion of the movable member upon connection of the connector housings. Since the receiving portion is inclined, the lock arm is deflected downward until the engagement with the receiving portion is cancelled. The lock arm is engageable with a lock hole provided in the movable member to lock the connector housings in their properly engaged states. A further connector is known from DE 197 14 459 A1 having a housing locking, which comprises a first locking element on one connector housing and a second locking element on the other connector housing. The first locking element comprises two locking arms being arranged parallel to the connection direction which comprise at their distal ends two locking hooks oriented outwardly. A receiver section is formed on the other connector housing and has a pair of parallel guides, wherein a sliding element with a load spring is positioned on the other connector housing. The locking hooks on the locking arms engage slots in the other connector housing to latch the two connector housings together. Moreover, EP 0 583 056 A1 discloses an electrical connector which includes first and second connector housings for holding first and second terminals, respectively, a short-circuiting element accommodated in the first housing in electrical contact with two first terminals, a sliding element arranged on the second housing, and an urging element for urging the sliding element in a direction forward from the second housing. The first housing includes a pair of resiliently-deformable engaging arms each having an engaging protrusion. The second housing, releasably fitted to the first housing, includes a pair of first guide grooves for receiving the engaging arms. Each first guide groove has an engaging portion with which the engaging protrusion is held in engagement and a stepped wall portion formed adjacent to the front end of the second housing. The sliding element has a front tongue engageable with the short-circuiting element to disengage the same from the two first terminals. The engaging arms and the first guide grooves are constructed so that upon fitting of the connector housings, the engaging arms are resiliently deformed in a lateral direction by the stepped wall portions to be brought into abutment with the sliding element to move the same towards the rear end of the second housing, whereas upon completion of the fitting, the engaging arms are restored to a released position where the engaging protrusions are held in engagement with the engaging portions of the first guide grooves, while permitting the sliding element to move in a direction forward from the second housing. It is the object of the invention to allow a connector to be miniaturised but maintaining a good operability. This object is fulfilled by a connector having the features disclosed in claim 1 and by a method according to claim 15. Preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent subclaims. Accordingly, a partial connection detection is enabled both during a connecting operation and during a separating operation. According to the invention, there is provided a connector having at least one pair of connector housings at least partly connectable with each other, comprising: a slider assembled into a first or one connector housing of the pair of connector housings and movable forward and backward along connecting and separating directions of the connector housings, and a single resiliently or elastic engaging portion provided in a second or other connector housing of the pair of connector housings, wherein the resiliently engaging portion is resiliently or elastically displaceable (preferably in a direction intersecting with the connecting and separating directions or in a radial direction) between a first or engaging position when the pair of connector housings are partially connected (where it is preferably engageable with the slider along the connecting and separating directions) and a second or disengaging position when the pair of connector housings are substantially fully connected (where it preferably is not engageable with the slider along the connecting and separating directions), wherein when the resiliently engaging portion is positioned in the first position it is engageable with an engaging portion of the slider along the connecting and separating directions, the engaging portion being provided in the middle of the slider, and wherein when the resiliently engaging portion) is positioned in the second position it can be accommodated in an accommodating space defined in the slider radially inward of the engaging portion. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the slider engaged with the resiliently engaging portion located in the first position can be moved backward both at an intermediate stage of an operation of connecting the connector housings and at an intermediate stage of an operation of separating the connector housings, and/or when the connector housings are substantially properly connected with each other, the resiliently engaging portion is not engageable with the slider along the connecting and separating directions by being resiliently displaced to the second position and the slider can be moved forward. According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the slider is assembled into the first connector housing via a biasing means, the slider engaged with the resiliently engaging portion located in the first position can be moved backward against a biasing force of the biasing means both at an intermediate stage of an operation of connecting the connector housings and at an intermediate stage of an operation of separating the connector housings, and when the connector housings are substantially properly connected with each other, the slider is moved forward by the release of the biasing force accumulated in the biasing means. According to a further preferred embodiment of the ivention, there is provided a connector having a pair of connector housings connectable with each other, comprising: a slider assembled into one connector housing via a biasing means and movable forward and backward along connecting and separating directions of the connector housings, and an elastically engaging portion provided in the other connector housing and elastically displaceable in a direction intersecting with the connecting and separating directions between an engaging position where it is engageable with the slider and a disengaging position where it is disengaged from the slider, wherein: the slider engaged with the elastically engaging portion located in the engaging position is moved backward against a biasing force of the biasing means both at an intermediate stage of an operation of connecting the connector housings and at an intermediate stage of an operation of separating the connector housings, and when the connector housings are properly connected with each other, the elastically engaging portion is disengaged from the slider by being elastically displaced to the disengaging position and the slider is moved forward by the release of the biasing force accumulated in the biasing means. At the intermediate stage of the connecting operation of the connector housings, the slider is moved backward preferably against the biasing force of the slider by being pushed by the resiliently or elastically engaging portion located in the engaging position. If the connecting operation is interrupted at this stage, the biasing force preferably accumulated in the biasing means is released, whereby the slider biased forward pushes the elastically engaging portion to forcibly separate the connector housings. As a result, partial connection can be detected. When the connector housings are properly connected with each other, the elastically engaging portion is disengaged from the slider to be released from a state pushed by the slider and the biasing force accumulated in the biasing means is released, with the result that the slider is moved forward. The connected connector housings are separated by moving the slider backward preferably against the biasing force of the biasing means. If the separating operation is interrupted halfway, the slider biased forward by the release of the biasing force accumulated in the biasing means comes into engagement with the elastically engaging portion elastically displaced from the disengaging position to the engaging position to forcibly separate the connector housings. As a result, partial connection can be detected. In this way, partial connection can be detected both during the connecting operation and during the separating operation. Preferably, the resiliently or elastically engaging portion is or comprises a lock arm which is resiliently or elastically displaced from the second or disengaging position to the first or engaging position by moving onto the one connector housing at the intermediate stage of the connecting or separating operation of the connector housings, and is resiliently or elastically displaced from the first or engaging position to the second or disengaging position and is engaged with the first or one connector housing to (preferably inseparably) hold the connector housings locked into each other when the connector housings are substantially properly connected with each other. The construction of the connector can be simplified by using the lock arm also as the elastically engaging portion. Further preferably, when located in the second position the resiliently or elastic engaging portion engages the slider in a direction at an angle different from 0° or 180°, preferably substantially normal to the connecting and separating directions so as to prevent the displacement of the resiliently or elastically engaging portion to unlock the housings from each other. Still further preferably, the slider comprises an operable portion for moving the slider backward preferably against the biasing force of the biasing means, the operable portion being so formed as to project out from the connector. The slider can be easily moved back by operating the operable portion projecting out while the connector housings are being separated from each other. Still further preferably, the slider is located in such a position as to restrict an elastic or resilient displacement of the resiliently or elastically engaging portion engaged with the first or one connector housing when the connector housings are substantially properly connected with each other. Since the elastic displacement of the elastically engaging portion engaged with the one connector housing is restricted by the slider, the connected connector housings can be firmly held. Most preferably, engaging portions of the resiliently or elastically engaging portion and the first or one connector housing engageable with each other are formed with guide surfaces capable of guiding an elastic or resilient displacement of the resiliently or elastically engaging portion from the second or disengaging position to the first or engaging position only when the connector housings are pulled in separating direction with a specified (predetermined or predeterminable) force or larger. In order to separate the connector housings, they are pulled in separating directions with a specified force or larger after the slider is moved backward up to a position where the elastic displacement of the elastically engaging portion is permitted. Then, the elastically engaging portion is automatically elastically displaced to the disengaging position where it is disengaged from the one connector housing by being guided by the guide surfaces. Thus, the connector housings can be smoothly separated from each other. According to still a further preferred embodiment, the slider is movable in a disconnecting direction of the first connector housing from the second connector housing to thereby allow a resilient displacement of the resiliently engaging portion to unlock the connector housings from each other. Preferably, the resiliently engaging portion comprises a guiding portion for coming into contact with the slider so as to urge the resiliently engaging portion towards the second position. Most preferably, the resiliently engageable portion is provided in a receptacle of the second housing into which the first housing is at least partly fittable or insertable. According to the invention, there is further provided a method of assembling or mating a connector, preferably according to the invention or an embodiment thereof, having at least one pair of connector housings at least partly connectable with each other, comprising the following steps: at least partly connecting or mating a first connector housing with a second connector housing of the pair of connector housings thereby bringing a single resiliently engaging portion provided in the second connector housing into engagement with a portion of the first housing to displace the resiliently engaging portion from a second position (where it is not engageable with the slider along connecting and separating directions of the connector housings) to a first position thereby engaging a portion of the slider provided in the middle thereof, the method further comprising the step of accommodating the resiliently engaging portion in an accommodating space defined in the slider radially inward of the engaging portion, when the resiliently engaging portion is positioned in the second position. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the slider engaged with the resiliently engaging portion located in the first position is moved backward both at an intermediate stage of an operation of connecting the connector housings and at an intermediate stage of an operation of separating the connector housings, and/or when the connector housings are substantially properly connected with each other, the resiliently engaging portion is not engageable with the slider along the connecting and separating directions by being resiliently displaced to the second position and the slider is moved forward. These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a front view of a male housing according to one preferred embodiment of the invention, FIG. 2 is a front view of a female housing, FIGS. 3A and 3B are sections along X-X, Y-Y showing a state before the housings are connected, respectively, FIGS. 4A and 4B are a section along X-X showing a state where a lock arm is elastically deformed to engage a slider, and a section along Y-Y showing a state at an intermediate stage of connection of the housings, respectively, FIGS. 5A and 5B are a section along X-X showing a state where the slider is moved backward by being pushed by the lock arm, and a section along Y-Y showing a state where compression coil springs are elastically compressed, respectively, FIGS. 6A and 6B are sections along X-X, Y-Y showing a state where the housings are properly connected, respectively, FIGS. 7A and 7B are a section along X-X showing a state where the slider is moved backward, and a section along Y-Y showing a state where the compression coil springs are elastically compressed, respectively, FIGS. 8A and 8B are sections along X-X, Y-Y showing an intermediate stage of separation, respectively, and FIG. 9 is a side view in section of a prior art connector. One preferred embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8. As shown in FIG. 3, a connector of this embodiment is comprised of a male connector housing 10 (hereinafter, merely "male housing 10") and a female connector housing 30 (hereinafter, merely "female housing 30"), the male housing 10 being provided with a lock arm 18, and a slider 51 being mounted in the female housing 30 via compression coil springs 50. In the following description, sides of the housings 10, 30 to be connected with each other are referred to as front. The male housing 10 is, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, provided with a receptacle 11 integrally or unitarily formed e.g. of a synthetic resin with a wall surface of an equipment and substantially in the form of a substantially rectangular tube projecting forward. The female housing 30 is at least partly fittable or insertable into the receptacle 11 from front. E.g. four male tab terminals 12 arranged preferably substantially side by side along widthwise direction project from a back wall of the male housing 10. These tab terminals 12 project into the receptacle 11 and are electrically connectable with female terminal fittings 31 of the female housing 30. A shorting terminal 13 is preferably accommodated in the back wall of the male housing 10 preferably below the male tab terminals 12. The shorting terminal 13 is preferably provided with a substantially plate-shaped main portion 14 and a corresponding number of, e.g. four elastic or resilient contact pieces 15 folded at the rear end of the main portion 15 to project substantially forward. The main portion 15 of the shorting terminal 13 is pressed or fitted into a mount groove 16 which substantially is in flush with the inner surface of the receptacle 11, and the respective elastic contact pieces 15 are at least partly accommodated in accommodating recesses 17 which are so formed as to face the respective male tab terminals 12, and are resiliently or elastically held in contact with the respective male tab terminals 12. In this way, the four male tab terminals 12 are shorted with each other so as to cause no potential difference among them. Since the respective elastic contact pieces 15 are arranged such that their front portions project into the receptacle 11 and their leading ends 15a are bent down, they are elastically or resiliently pushed down or away from the male tab terminals 12 to separate from the male tab terminals 12 by the female housing 30 fitted into the receptacle 11. The lock arm 18 in the form of a cantilever projects preferably substantially from a widthwise center position of the back wall of the male housing 10 above the male tab terminals 12 or on a side thereof opposing the shorting terminal 13. The lock arm 18 projects slightly more forward than the male tab terminals 12, and is elastically or resiliently deformable or displaceable about its base end along vertical direction in FIGURES or a displacement direction D which is a direction intersecting with a connecting and separating direction CSD or arranged at an angle different from 0° or 180°, preferably substantially normal to the connection direction. A hook portion 19 projecting down is formed at a free end (front end) of the lock arm 18. The fitted housings 10, 30 can be inseparably held locked into each other by engaging a rear end surface 20 of the hook portion 19 with a rear end surface 40 of a bulging portion 38 of the female housing 30 to be described later. A notch 21 for permitting entrance of an operable portion 55 of the slider 51 of the female housing 30 to be described later is formed in a corresponding position, preferably substantially in a widthwise center position of the upper wall of the receptacle 11. A length of this notch 21 is substantially equal to a moving stroke of the slider 51. The lock arm 18 is located behind the rear end surface of the notch 21 and is substantially completely laterally surrounded by the wall surfaces of the receptacle 11. Further, opposite side ends of the bottom of the receptacle 11 project downward and a pair of guide recesses 22 for receiving guide ribs 36 of the female housing 30 are formed therein. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the female housing 30 is formed e.g. of a synthetic resin preferably into a substantially block shape, and cavities 32 for at least partly accommodating the female terminal fittings 31 connected or connectable with ends of wires W penetrate through the female housing 30 substantially in forward and backward or longitudinal directions. E.g. four cavities 32 are formed substantially side by side in widthwise direction in positions in alignment with the mating male tab terminals 12. A retainer mount hole 33 crossing the respective cavities 32 is preferably formed in one side of the female housing 30, and a retainer 34 which projects or can project into the respective cavities 32 to directly lock the female terminal fittings 31 is mounted or mountable in this retainer mount hole 33. E.g. four engaging recesses 35 engageable with the respective elastic contact pieces 15 of the shorting terminal 13 arranged in the male housing 10 are formed substantially side by side in the bottom surface of the female housing 30, and engaging surfaces 15a thereof with the elastic contact pieces 15 are slanted downward to the right as shown in FIG. 3 or away from the male tab terminals 12 so that the elastic contact pieces 15 can be smoothly elastically or resiliently deformed downward. The pair of guide ribs 36 capable of guiding the connection of the housings 10, 30 by entering or fitting the guide recesses 22 of the male housing 10 project down at the opposite side ends of the bottom surface of the female housing 30. An operable rib 37 extending in widthwise direction projects down from the rear end of the bottom surface of the female housing 30. The female housing 30 is or can be connected with and separated from the male housing 10 by gripping this operable rib 37. In a widthwise center position of the upper surface of the female housing 30, the bulging portion 38 bulges up to the same height or radial position (height or radial position overlapping with the hook portion 19) as the lower surface of an arm portion of the lock arm 18 of the male housing 10. Behind the bulging portion 38, an escape groove or recess or notch 39 for permitting the entrance of the hook portion 19 of the lock arm 18 extends backward or away from the male connector housing 10. With the housings 10, 30 properly connected with each other, the rear end surface 20 of the hook portion 19 of the lock arm 18 is engaged or engageable with the rear end surface 40 of the bulging portion 38 (front end surface of the escape groove 39) for locking (see FIG. 6). The locking surfaces 20, 40 (rear end surfaces) of the hook portion 19 and the bulging portion 38 are moderately sloped or rounded upward to the left in FIGURES, thereby forming a semi-locking construction or releasable locking construction. In other others, when such a specified (predetermined or predeterminable) force or larger as to separate the housings 10, 30 from each other acts with the hook portion 19 engaged with the bulging portion 38, the lock arm 18 is automatically elastically or resiliently deformed or displaced upward while being freed from the locked state by being guided by the slanted or rounded guide surfaces of the locking surfaces 20, 40. A pair of side walls 41 project upward or laterally at the substantially opposite side ends of the upper surface of the female housing 30, a pair of ceiling walls 42 project toward each other from the upper ends of the side walls 41, and a rear wall 43 extending in widthwise direction is so provided at the rear end of the upper surface of the female housing 30 as to be connected with the side walls 41 and the ceiling walls 42. As shown in FIG. 3, the slider 51 accommodating the compression coil springs 50 is assembled from front into a space above the female housing 30 surrounded by the side walls 41, the ceiling walls 42 and the rear wall 43, and is movable in forward and backward or longitudinal directions substantially along the connecting direction of the housings 10, 30 while being guided preferably by the upper surface of the female housing 30, the side edges of the bulging portion 38, the side walls 41 and the ceiling walls 42. The slider 51 is formed e.g. of a synthetic resin and is constructed such that spring accommodating portions 52 for at least partly accommodating a pair of compression coil springs 50 are formed at its opposite ends and are bridged or connected by a coupling portion 53 in the middle. As shown in FIG. 3B, rear parts of the spring accommodating portions 52 are so recessed as to at least partly accommodate the compression coil springs 50 while slightly compressing them along a longitudinal direction thereof between the rear surfaces of the spring accommodating portions 52 and the front end surface of the rear wall 43. By moving the slider 51 backward in this state, the compression coil springs 50 can be elastically or resiliently deformed while storing even larger spring forces (see FIG. 5(B)). A pair of stopper projections 54 project sideways from the opposite side surfaces of the slider 51 as shown in FIG. 2. The front end surface of slider 51 is stopped at its limit position which is slightly retracted from the front end surface of the female housing 30 by introducing the stopper projections 54 into stopper grooves 44 formed in the side walls 41 and bringing them into engagement of the front end surfaces of the stopper grooves 44 whereby a range of movement of the slider 51 is limited by the stopper projections 54 and the stopper grooves 44 acting as preferred movement range limiting means. The coupling portion 53 of the slider 51 has a lower surface substantially at the same height or radial position as the upper surface of the lock arm 18 in its natural or undeflected or undeformed state as shown in FIG. 3(A). Accordingly, when the lock arm 18 is elastically or resiliently deformed or displaced to displace its free end upward or to radially displacing the free end thereof, the front end surface of the lock arm 18 is engageable with the front end surface of the coupling portion 53. The position of the lock arm 18 at this time is referred to as an engaging or first position (see FIG. 5(A)). On the other hand, the position of the lock arm 18 where it is in its natural state and cannot be engaged with the front end surface of the coupling portion 53 of the slider 51 is referred to as a disengaging or second position. Since the coupling portion 53 of the slider 51 is located above or radially outward the lock arm 18 preferably substantially over its entire length with the housings 10, 30 connected with each other, it can prevent the lock arm 18 engaged with the bulging portion 38 from being elastically deformed upward (see FIG. 6). The operable portion 55 pushed to forcibly move the slider 51 back against the biasing forces of the compression coil springs 50 projects up from the upper surface at the rear end of the coupling portion 53. The operable portion 55 has a height or radial extension set such that it projects out from the upper surface of the male housing 10 (outer contour of the connector) through the space between the ceiling walls 42 and the notch 21 of the male housing 10 with the housings 10, 30 connected with each other (see FIG. 6). The operable portion 55 is substantially held in sliding contact with the respective side edges of the ceiling walls 42 and the notch 21 while the slider 51 is moved forward and backward. How this embodiment thus constructed acts is described next. The housings 10, 30 are connected with each other as follows. First, the female housing 30 is fitted into the receptacle 11 of the male housing 10 after the male and female housings 10, 30 substantially are faced or aligned with each other as shown in FIG. 3. Before the male tab terminals 12 enter the cavities 32 of the female housing 30, the lock arm 18 engages the front end surface of the bulging portion 38 to be elastically or resiliently deformed to the engaging or first position while moving onto the upper or lateral surface of the bulging portion 38. Thereafter, the front end surface of the lock arm 18 is engaged with the front end surface of the coupling portion 53 of the slider 51 located at the position slightly retracted from the front end surface of the bulging portion 38. If connection is further proceeded in this state, the terminal fittings 12, 31 start contacting and the slider 51 is pushed back by the lock arm 18 located in its engaging position as shown in FIG. 5. As a result, the slider 51 is moved backward while elastically compressing the compression coil springs 50. The connecting operation may be interrupted halfway. In such a case, the spring forces accumulated in the elastically compressed coil springs 50 are released, and the slider 51 biased forward pushes the lock arm 18 to forcibly separate the housings 10, 30 from each other. This prevents the housings 10, 30 from being kept partly connected. As the connecting operation is continued, the engaging recesses 35 of the female housing 30 come into engagement with the respective elastic contact pieces 15 of the shorting terminal 13 to elastically deform them downward or away from the male tab terminal 12 so as to be disengaged from the male tab terminals 12. As a result, the shorted state of the respective male tab terminals 12 can be canceled (see FIG. 6). When the housing 30 is fitted into the housing 10 to a proper depth, the hook portion 19 enters the escape groove 39 and the lock arm 18 is elastically or resiliently restored to its disengaging or second position to engage the rear end surface 20 of the hook portion 19 with the rear end surface 40 of the bulging portion 38 (front end surface of the escape groove 39) as shown in FIG. 6. Simultaneously, the slider 51 disengaged from the lock arm 18 is moved forward by the released spring forces accumulated in the compression coil springs 50, and is stopped at the same position as it was before the housings 10, 30 are connected by the movement range limiting means, preferably by the stopper projections 54 coming into contact with the front end surfaces of the stopper grooves 44. At this time, the coupling portion 53 of the slider 51 covering the lock arm 18 substantially over its entire length prevents the lock arm 18 located in the disengaging position from being elastically or resiliently deformed upward. In this way, the housings 10, 30 are firmly held locked into each other so as to be inseparable from each other since the lock arm 18 and the bulging portion 38 are engaged and the lock arm 18 is prevented from being elastically or resiliently deformed in unlocking direction by the slider 51. Accordingly, the radial engagement of the lock arm 18 with the slider 51 (or radial abutting of the lock arm 18 on the slider 51) prevents an unlocking of the connector housings 10, 20. In this state, the operable portion 55 of the slider 51 is located in the notch 21 of the receptacle 11 and its front end surface is held in contact with or in proximity to the front end surface of the notch 21. On the other hand, there are cases where the housings 10, 30 are separated for maintenance or an other reason. In such a case, the slider 51 is moved backward while elastically compressing the coil springs 50 by pushing the operable portion 55 of the slider 51 projecting upward from the receptacle 11, and the female housing 30 is pulled in separating direction by gripping the operable rib 37 of the female housing 30. When the coupling portion 53 of the slider 51 is moved back to a position where it is no longer located above the lock arm 18 (simultaneously, the front end surface of the operable portion 55 preferably becomes substantially in flush with the front end surface of the receptacle 11), the lock arm 18 is automatically elastically or resiliently deformed upward or in a radial direction by a pulling force acting on the female housing 30 in separating direction while being guided by the slanted guide surfaces 20, 40 of the hook portion 19 and the bulging portion 38. As the female housing 30 is moved away from the male housing 10, the locking surfaces 20, 40 of the hook portion 19 and the bulging portion 38 are disengaged from each other as shown in FIG. 8 and the female housing 30 is pulled out in this state. During this process, the respective elastic contact pieces 15 of the shorting terminal 13 are disengaged from the engaging recesses 35 to be brought again into elastic contact with the respective male tab terminals 12. Since the moving direction of the slider 51 and the pulling direction of the female housing 30 coincide at this time, the separating operation can be easily performed. The separating operation may also be interrupted halfway for a certain reason. In such a case, the spring forces accumulated in the elastically compressed coil springs 50 are released, thereby moving the slider 51 forward and striking it against the front end surface of the lock arm 18 in the engaging position as indicated in phantom in FIG. 8. As a result, the housings 10, 30 are forcibly separated from each other. On the other hand, if the slider 51 biased by the compression coil springs 50 strikes against a rounded portion 18a at the upper front end of the lock arm 18 when the separating operation is interrupted with the female housing 30 slightly moved in separating direction from its connected state with the male housing 10 and with the lock arm 18 slightly elastically deformed, the lock arm 18 is guided to its disengaging position and the housings 10, 30 are returned to the connected state. In such a case, the separating operation is performed again. In this way, the housings 10, 30 are prevented from being kept partly connected also at the time of the separating operation. As described above, according to this embodiment, partial connection of the housings 10, 30 can be detected not only at the time of the connecting operation, but also at the time of the separating operation. Further, since the lock arm 18 is provided with a function of inseparably holding the housings 10, 30 locked into each other and a function of engaging the slider 51, the construction of the connector can be simplified as compared to a case where separate parts bear these two functions. Furthermore, since the operable portion 55 for forcibly moving the slider 51 backward during the separating operation projects out from the outer contour of the connector, the separating operation can be easily performed. The present invention is not limited to the above described and illustrated embodiment. For example, following embodiments are also embraced by the technical scope of the present invention as defined in the claims. Beside the following embodiments, various changes can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention as defined in the claims. (1) Although the compression coil springs are mounted behind the slider in the foregoing embodiment, they may be mounted before the slider according to the present invention. (2) Contrary to the foregoing embodiment, the slider and the compression coil springs may be mounted in the male housing and the lock arm may be provided at the female housing according to the present invention. (3) Although the male housing is integrally or unitarily formed with the equipment in the foregoing embodiment, the male housing may be, for example, provided at an end of a wire drawn from an equipment or may be an intermediate connector. (4) In the foregoing embodiment, the compression coil springs may be deleted e.g. if there is a demand to reduce production costs. In such a case, the connected state of the housings can be detected during the connecting operation based on whether or not the slider can be moved forward by constantly pushing the slider forward. On the other hand, by pulling the female housing in separating direction and pushing the slider forward after moving the slider backward up to a position where it is disengaged from the lock arm, it can be detected that the separating operation is halfway while the forward movement of the slider is restricted by its engagement with the lock arm. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 10 male housing (other connector housing) 18 lock arm (elastically engaging portion) 20 rear end surface (guide surface) 30 female housing (one connector housing) 40 rear end surface (guide surface) 50 compression coil spring (biasing means) 51 slider 55 operable portion

Claims: A connector having at least one pair of connector housings (10, 30) at least partly connectable with each other, comprising: a slider (51) assembled in a first connector housing (30) of the pair of connector housings (10, 30) and movable forward and backward along connecting and separating directions (CSD) of the connector housings (10, 30), and a single resiliently engaging portion (18) provided in a second connector housing (10) of the pair of connector housings (10, 30) whereinthe resiliently engaging portion (18) is resiliently displaceable between a first position when the pair of connector housings (10, 30) are partially connected and a second position when the pair of connector housings (10, 30) are substantially fully connected, and wherein when the resiliently engaging portion (18) is positioned in the first position it is engageable with an engaging portion (53) of the slider (51) along the connecting and separating directions (CSD), the engaging portion (53) being provided in the middle of the slider (51), characterised in that when the resiliently engaging portion (18) is positioned in the second position it can be accommodated in an accommodating space defined in the slider (51) radially inward of the engaging portion (53). A connector according to claim 1, wherein the resiliently engaging portion (18) is resiliently displaceable in a direction (D) intersecting with the connecting and separating directions (CSD). A connector according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the slider (51) engaged with the resiliently engaging portion (18) located in the first position can be moved backward both at an intermediate stage of an operation of connecting the connector housings (10, 30) and at an intermediate stage of an operation of separating the connector housings (10, 30). A connector according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein when the resiliently engaging portion (18) is positioned in the second position it is not engageable with the slider (51) along the connecting and separating directions (CSD). A connector according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein when the connector housings (10, 30) are substantially properly connected with each other, the resiliently engaging portion (18) is not engageable with the slider (51) along the connecting and separating directions (CSD) by being resiliently displaced to the second position and the slider (51) can be moved forward. A connector according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein: the slider (51) is assembled into the first connector housing (30) via a biasing means (50), the slider (51) engaged with the resiliently engaging portion (18) located in the first position can be moved backward against a biasing force of the biasing means (50) both at an intermediate stage of an operation of connecting the connector housings (10, 30) and at an intermediate stage of an operation of separating the connector housings (10, 30), and when the connector housings (10, 30) are substantially properly connected with each other (FIG. 6), the slider (51) is moved forward by the release of the biasing force accumulated in the biasing means (50). A connector according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the resiliently engaging portion (18) comprises a lock arm (18) which is resiliently displaced from the second position to the first position by moving onto the first connector housing (30) at the intermediate stage of the connecting or separating operation of the connector housings (10, 30), and is resiliently displaced from the first position to the second position and is engaged with the first connector housing (30) to hold the connector housings (10, 30) locked into each other when the connector housings (10, 30) are substantially properly connected with each other. A connector according to claim 7, wherein when located in the second position the resiliently engaging portion (18) engages the slider (51) in a direction (D) at an angle different from 0° or 180°, preferably substantially normal to the connecting and separating directions (CSD) so as to prevent the displacement of the resiliently engaging portion (18) to unlock the housings (10, 30) from each other. A connector according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the slider (51) comprises an operable portion (55) for moving the slider (51) backward preferably against the biasing force of the biasing means (50), the operable portion (55) being so formed as to project out from the connector. A connector according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the slider (51) is located in such a position as to restrict a resilient displacement of the resiliently engaging portion (18) engaged with the first connector housing (30) when the connector housings (10, 30) are properly connected with each other. A connector according to claim 10, wherein engaging portions (20, 40) of the resiliently engaging portion (18) and the first connector housing (30), respectively engageable with each other are formed with guide surfaces (20, 40) capable of guiding a resilient displacement of the resiliently engaging portion (18) from the second position to the first position only when the connector housings (10, 30) are pulled in separating direction with a specified force or larger. A connector according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the slider (51) is movable in a disconnecting direction of the first connector housing (30) from the second connector housing (10) to thereby allow a resilient displacement of the resiliently engaging portion (18) to unlock the connector housings (10, 30) from each other. A connector according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the resiliently engaging portion (18) comprises a guiding portion (18a) for coming into contact with the slider (51) so as to urge the resiliently engaging portion (18) towards the second position A connector according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the resiliently engaging portion (18) is provided in a receptacle (11) of the second housing (10) into which the fist housing (30) is at least partly insertable. A method of assembling a connector having at least one pair of connector housings (10, 30) at least partly connectable with each other, comprising the following steps: at least partly connecting a first connector housing (30) with a second connector housing (10) of the pair of connector housings (10, 30) thereby bringing a single resiliently engaging portion (18) provided in the second connector housing (10) into engagement with a portion (38) of the first housing (30) to displace the resiliently engaging portion (18) from a second position where it is not engageable with the slider (51) along connecting and separating directions (CSD) of the connector housings (10, 30), to a first position thereby engaging a portion (53) of the slider (51) provided in the middle thereof, characterised by accommodating the resiliently engaging portion (18) in an accommodating space defined in the slider (51) radially inward of the engaging portion (53), when the resiliently engaging portion (18) is positioned in the second position A method according to claim 15, wherein the slider (51) engaged with the resiliently engaging portion (18) located in the first position is moved backward both at an intermediate stage of an operation of connecting the connector housings (10, 30) and at an intermediate stage of an operation of separating the connector housings (10, 30), and/or when the connector housings (10, 30) are substantially properly connected with each other the resiliently engaging portion (18) is not engageable with the slider (51) along the connecting and separating directions (CSD) by being resiliently displaced to the second position and the slider (51) is moved forward.

Inventors: NAKAMURA HIDETO, NAKAMURA, HIDETO, Nakamura, Hideto, Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
Applicants: SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD.
Application year: 2001
Main classification: H01R13
IPC codes: H01R13