Abstract:
A wire holder ( 50 ), when correctly mounted in a housing ( 10 ), bites in insulation coatings ( 33   b ) of wires ( 33 ), whereby the wires ( 33 ) are so held as not to move. The wire holder ( 50 ) mounted in a direction intersecting the inserting direction of terminal fittings ( 30 ) and the extending direction of the wires ( 33 ) bite in the insulation coatings ( 33   b ) of the wires ( 33 ). Therefore, it is not necessary to bend the wires ( 33 ) and a layout space for the wires ( 33 ) can be smaller.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The invention relates to a connector. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,506,072 discloses a connector with a housing, terminal fittings that are inserted into the housing and a strain relief portion for restricting movements of wires fixed to the terminal fittings and drawn out from the housing. More particularly, the strain relief portion is a wire holder that is mounted on the housing from behind to restricting movement of the wires. Thus, the wires are squeezed between the wire holder and the housing to provide strain relief. 
   A wire layout path in the strain relief portion is bent in the above-described connector. Thus, a large layout space is necessary, resulting in a problem of enlarging the entire connector. 
   The present invention was developed in view of the above situation and an object thereof is to achieve miniaturization. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to a connector that comprises a housing that can receive at least one terminal fitting that can be inserted into the housing along a inserting direction. A wire is fixed to a rear end of the terminal fitting and extends rearwardly therefrom. At least one wire holder is mounted into the housing in a direction intersecting the inserting direction of the terminal fitting. The wire holder bites in the insulation coating of the wire in a mounted state in the housing to substantially prevent movements of the wire. 
   The wire holder is mounted in a direction intersecting the extending direction of the wire. Thus, it is not necessary to bend the wire and a layout space for the wire can be smaller. 
   The terminal fitting preferably is long and narrow in forward and backward directions and preferably is inserted into the housing from behind. The wire holder preferably is mounted to a rear end portion of the housing. 
   The wire holder preferably can be locked selectively at a release position where the wire holder is separated from the wire and at a hold position where the wire holder is mounted correctly in the housing to prevent the movements of the wire. Thus, the wire holder can be mounted to the housing beforehand and operational efficiency is good. 
   The connector further preferably comprises a mounted-state detector for detecting the mounted state of the wire holder and/or for detecting whether the connector is properly connected with a mating connector. 
   The mounted-state detector preferably is a part separate from the wire holder and is movable with respect to the housing. The mounted-state detector preferably has an interfering portion that interferes with the wire holder when the wire holder is at a release position to prevent a movement of the mounted-state detector to a detection position. However, the mounted-state detector can move to the detection position when the wire holding member is at a hold position. Thus, the mounted state of the wire holder can be detected reliably based on whether the mounted-state detector can be moved to the detecting position. 
   The mounted-state detector preferably has a connection detector for permitting the mounted-state detector to move to the detection position when the connector is connected properly with a mating connector while preventing movement of the mounted-state detector to the detection position if the connector is left partly connected or is connected improperly with the mating connector. Thus, the number of parts can be reduced as compared to the case where a connection detecting means is provided in addition to the mounted-state detector. 
   The mounted-state detector preferably is formed with at least one cover for at least partly covering the wire holder from an outer side. Thus, external matter is unlikely to interfere with the wire holder. 
   The wire holder preferably has at least one pressable portion for contacting the mounted-state detector when the mounted-state detector is moved to and/or located at the detecting position. 
   These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings. It should be understood that even though embodiments are separately described, single features thereof may be combined to additional embodiments. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a longitudinal section showing a state where a wire holding member is at a release position in one embodiment. 
       FIG. 2  is a longitudinal section showing a state where the wire holding member moved to a hold position is preventing movements of wires. 
       FIG. 3  is a longitudinal section showing a state attained by moving a mounted-state detecting member to a detection position in the state of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 4  is a lateral section. 
       FIG. 5  is a horizontal section. 
       FIG. 6  is a plan view of a housing. 
       FIG. 7  is a rear view of the housing 
       FIG. 8  is a plan view of the mounted-state detecting member 
       FIG. 9  is a front view of the mounted-state detecting member. 
       FIG. 10  is a plan view of the wire holding member 
       FIG. 11  is a front view of the wire holding member. 
       FIG. 12  is a bottom view of the wire holding member, and 
       FIG. 13  is a longitudinal section showing a connected state with a mating connector. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   A female connector in accordance with the invention is identified by the letter F in  FIGS. 1 to 13 . The connector F has a housing  10  made e.g. of synthetic resin. Female terminal fittings  30  are mounted in the housing  10 . The connector F also has a mounted-state detector  40  made e.g. of synthetic resin, and a wire holder  50  made e.g. of synthetic resin. The housing  10  includes a flat block-shaped terminal accommodating portion  11  and a lock arm  19  is formed on the upper surface of the terminal accommodating portion  11 . Long narrow cavities  12  extend in forward and backward directions FBD in the terminal accommodating portion  11  and are arranged substantially side by side in a transverse direction TD of the terminal accommodating portion  11 . The female terminal fittings  30  are inserted into the respective cavities  12  from behind and along an insertion direction ID. The upper walls of the cavities  12  also define the upper wall of the terminal accommodating portion  11 . Left and right receiving portions  13  for detection project obliquely up and out towards the front from the rear end of the upper surface of the terminal accommodating portion  11 . 
   A substantially rectangular communication space  14  penetrates a rear end of the upper wall of the terminal accommodating portion  11  and communicates with the cavities  12 . The communication space  14  is arranged before and adjacent to the receiving portions  13 . Left and right guide holes  15  extend down substantially normal to the insertion direction ID from the opposite left and right ends of the communication space  14  along the opposite left and right walls of the terminal accommodating portion  11  near the rear end of the terminal accommodating portion  11 . The cavities  12  are located between the guide holes  15 . A partial locking projection  16  projects from the side wall of the terminal accommodating portion  11  in each guide hole  15  and a full locking projection  17  is located below the partial locking projection  16 . Windows  18  are formed at the rear end of the terminal accommodating portion  11  and extend from the bottom ends of the respective guide holes  15  to the outer surfaces of the side walls. 
   The lock arm  19  includes a leg  20  that projects up from the upper wall of the terminal accommodating portion  11 . Left and right arms  21  extend in forward and backward directions FBD from the upper end of the leg  20 . A lower plate  22  connects the bottom end edges of the arms  21 , an upper plate  23  connects the upper end edges of the arms  21  and a lock  24  connects the front ends of the arms  21 . A formation area of the lower plate  22  in forward and backward directions FBD extends from a position behind the lock  24  to the rear ends of the arms  21 , and the upper plate  23  is arranged at the rear ends of the arms  21 . Guide ribs  25  are formed on the outer side surfaces of the arms  21  and extend in forward and backward directions FBD parallel to the length direction of the lock arm  19  in a free state and along a connecting direction with a male connector M. Retaining projections  26  are formed on the outer side surfaces of the arms  21 . The lock arm  19  is resiliently displaceable up and down like a seesaw with the leg  20  as a support. 
   Each female terminal fitting  30  is long and narrow in forward and backward directions FBD. A box-shaped tubular connecting portion  31  is formed at the front of each female terminal fitting  30  and a wire crimping portion  32  is formed at the rear. The female terminal fitting  30  is used with a known wire  33  of substantially circular cross section with a conductor  33   a  and an insulation coating  33   b . A front end of the wire  33  is connected electrically with the wire crimping portion  32 . The female terminal fitting  30  is inserted into the cavity  12  from behind and along the inserting direction ID so that the wire  33  extends back substantially along the inserting direction ID from the female terminal fitting  30 . The properly inserted female terminal fitting  30  is held in the cavity  12  by a lock and the wire  33  is arranged substantially straight to pass the communication space  14  at the rear end of the cavity  12 . 
   The mounted-state detector  40  includes a substantially block-shaped operable portion  41  and two guide arms  42  are cantilevered forward from the operable portion  41 . A plate-like connecting portion  43  is provided on the upper end edges of the guide arms  42 , and a resilient locking piece  44  is cantilevered forward from the operable portion  41  in a space adjacent to and between guide arms  42 . A retaining projection  45  and a guide groove  46  are formed on the inner side surface of each of the guide arm  42  and extend in forward and backward directions FBD. The resilient locking piece  44  is resiliently deformable up and down towards and away from the housing  10  in a direction intersecting the connecting direction, and a contact projection  47  projects in and down towards the housing  10  from the front end of the resilient locking piece  44 . The bottom end of the operable portion  41  projects down slightly more than the lower surface of the resilient locking piece  44 , and the front end edge thereof doubles as a connection detecting portion  48 . The lower or inner surface of the rear end of the resilient locking piece  44  forms part of the cover similar to the operable portion  41 . 
   The mounted-state detector  40  is assembled with the lock arm  19  from behind and along an assembling direction AD. The guide ribs  25  and the guide grooves  46  engage in the assembling process. The mounted-state detector  40  then is slid forward with respect to the lock arm  19  and the guide arms  42  are deformed out due to interference of the retaining projections  26 ,  45 . When the mounted-state detector  40  is mounted at a standby position with respect to the lock arm  19 , the retaining projections  45  of the mounted-state detector  40  engage the retaining projections  26  of the lock arm  19  from the front to prevent the mounted-state detector  40  from coming out backward, and the contact projection  47  engages the lock  24  from behind to stop the mounted-state detector  40  at its limit front-limit position. The mounted-state detector  40  is held at the standby position by these engaging actions. In this state, the operable portion  41  projects back from the rear end surface of the housing  10  and the connection detector  48  is located substantially right above the receiving portions  13 . The resilient locking piece  44  is located between the upper plate  23  and the lower plate  22  and between the left and right arms  21 . Thus, the mounted-state detector  40  is displaced like a seesaw together with the lock arm  19 . If the operable portion  41  is pushed down, the lock arm  19  and the mounted-state detector  40  can be resiliently displaced to unlocking postures. 
   The wire holder  50  includes a transversely long main body  51 , and left and right operable portions  52  project from the upper surface of the main body  51 . Two substantially plate-like locking arms  53  extend down substantially normal to the main body  51  from left and right end edges of the main body  51 . Shallow recesses are formed in the outer side surfaces of the locking arms  53 , and locking projections  54  are formed on the bottom ends of the locking arms  53  by the recesses. Stoppers  55  project laterally out at the left and right end edges of the main body  51 . Three pressing portions  56  are formed on the lower surface of the main body  51 . The pressing portions  56  project substantially side by side in the transverse direction TD and correspond individually to the cavities  12 . Each pressing portion  56  is long in forward and backward directions FBD and biting projections that are pointed or triangular in side view are arranged one after another in forward and backward directions FBD on the lower surface. 
   The wire holder  50  is mounted into the communication space  14  of the terminal accommodating portion  11  before the mounted-state detector  40  is assembled with the lock arm  19 . Upon being mounted, the wire holder  50  is inserted into the communication space  14  from above and along a direction intersecting the inserting direction ID. In this process, the locking arms  53  are deformed resiliently inwardly in the guide holes  15  due to interference of the locking projections  54  and the partial locking projections  16 . However, after sufficient insertion, the locking projections  54  pass the partial locking projections  16 , and are held between the partial locking projections  16  and the full locking projections  17  for positioning the wire holder  50  at a release position RP. In this state, the pressing portions  56  are retracted up from entrance paths in the cavities  12  for the female terminal fittings  30  and the wires  33 . Further, the upper end surfaces of the pressable portions  52  face the lower surface of the rear end of the resilient locking piece  44  of the mounted-state detector  40 , and are above the upper ends of the receiving portions  13 . The stoppers  55  are located laterally out of the mounted-state detector  40  and the lock arm  19 . Thus, the upper surfaces of the stoppers  55  are exposed without being covered. 
   The stoppers  55  can be pushed down in a displacement direction DD and substantially normal to the inserting direction ID to displace the wire holder  50  farther into the terminal accommodating portion  11  and into a hold position HP more inward than the release position RP. In the displacing process, the locking arms  53  are deformed resiliently inward due to interference of the locking projections  54  and the full locking projections  17 . The stoppers  55  contact the side walls of the terminal accommodating portion  11  when the wire holder  50  reaches the hold position HP, and the locking projections  54  engage with the full locking projections  17  from below. Thus, the wire holder  50  is locked at the hold position while vertical movements are prevented. In this state, the respective pressing portions  56  are located in the corresponding cavities  12  and the locking projections  54  are exposed at the outer side surfaces of the terminal accommodating portion  11  through the windows  18 . Further, the upper end surfaces of the pressable portions  52  are lower than the upper ends of the receiving portions  13 . 
   The wire holder  50  is held at the release position RP so that the female terminal fittings  30  can be mounted into the cavities  12  along the inserting direction ID. The wire holder  50  could be moved inadvertently in the displacement direction DD and to the hold position HP at this time. In this case, jigs (not shown) are inserted through the windows  18  to push the locking projections  54  and to deform the locking arms  53  inwardly. The stoppers  55  then are gripped to lift the wire holder  50  up to the release position. 
   The wire holder  50  is moved to the hold position HP by pressing the upper surfaces of the stoppers  55  after insertion of the female terminal fittings  30 . Thus, the pressing portions  56  press the wires  33  against the bottoms of the cavities  12 , and the biting projections  57  bite in or deform the insulation coating  33   b  of the wires  33  to prevent movements of the wires  33  in forward and backward directions FBD. The depth of bite of the biting projections  57  is set so as not to break the insulation coatings  33   b . The downward facing edges of the biting projections  57  preferably are curved surfaces instead of being pointed. 
   The lock  24  moves onto a lock projection  60  of the male connector M in the process of connection. As a result, the lock arm  19  and the mounted-state detector  40  incline up and out towards the front and into unlocking postures so that the connection detecting portion  48  of the mounted-state detector  40  is displaced down in the displacement direction DD to face the receiving portions  13  of the housing  10  from behind. Accordingly, the connection detecting portion  48  will contact the receiving portions  13  from behind and prevent the mounted-state detector  40  from being moved forward to the detection position DP if the connecting operation of the two connectors F, M is finished halfway. Forward movement of the mounted-state detector  40  also is prevented by the contact of the contact projection  47  with the lock  24 . 
   The lock  24  passes the lock projection  60  when the two connectors F, M are connected properly. Therefore the lock arm  19  is restored towards its free state by its resilient restoring force so that the lock  24  engages the lock projection  60  to lock the connectors F, M together. Further, the lower surface of the contact projection  47  contacts the upper surface of the lock projection  60  as the lock arm  19  is restored resiliently towards the free state. Thus, the resilient locking piece  44  is deformed up and out relative to the lock arm  19 , with the result that the contact projection  47  disengages from the lock  24  and the forward movement restricted state of the mounted-state detector  40  is canceled by the engaging action of the contact projection  47  and the lock projection  24 . The operable portion  41  of the mounted-state detector  40  returns to an upper position together with the lock arm  19 . Thus, the connection detecting portion  48  assumes a position higher than the receiving portions  13  so that the forward movement restricted state of the mounted-state detector  40  also is canceled. Thereafter, the mounted-state detector  40  can be slid forward to the detection position DP after the two connectors F, M are connected properly. In the course of moving the mounted-state detector  40  to the detection position DP, the contact projection  47  passes the lock  24 . Thus, the resilient locking piece  44  is restored resiliently to engage the contact projection  47  with the lock projection  24  from the front. Accordingly, the mounted-state detector  40  is held at the detection position DP while having a backward movement prevented. 
   The front ends of the arms  21  engage with a restriction  29  along the upper edge of the front end of the housing  10  when the mounted-state detector  40  is at the detection position DP. Thus, displacement of the lock arm  19  in an unlocking direction is prevented, and the lock  24  cannot disengage from the lock projection  60 . In this way, a double locking state is set where the lock  24  and the lock projection  60  reliably are held engaged and the two connectors F, M are locked reliably together. 
   The connection detecting portion  48  interferes with the pressable portions  52  of the wire holder  50  in the process of moving the mounted-state detector  40  to the detection position DP and prevents any further forward movement of the mounted-state detector  40  if the wire holder  50  is not at the hold position HP in the properly connected state of the two connectors F, M. Accordingly, the mounted state of the wire holder  50  can be detected based on whether the mounted-state detector  40  is prevented from moving forward by the interference with the wire holder  50 . 
   The wire holder  50  is mounted from above in a direction DD intersecting the inserting direction ID of the female terminal fittings  30  and engages the insulation coatings  33   b  of the wires  33  to provide strain relief and to prevent forward and backward movements of the wires  33 . Accordingly, as compared to a strain relief structure for preventing movements of the wires by bending the wires, a layout space for the wires  33  can be smaller and the female connector F can be miniaturized. 
   The wire holder  50  can be locked selectively in the housing  10  at the release position RP where the wire holder  50  is separated from the wires  33  and the hold position HP where the wire holder  50  prevents movements of the wires. Thus, the wire holder  50  can be mounted in the housing  10  before inserting the female terminal fittings  30  into the housing  10  and, hence, operability is good. 
   The mounted-state detector  40  for detecting the mounted state of the wire holder  50  also functions as connection detecting means for detecting the connected state of the two connectors F, M. Thus, the number of parts can be reduced as compared to the case where special connection detecting means is provided in addition to the mounted-state detector  40 . 
   The rear end of the resilient locking piece  44  of the mounted-state detector  40  and the operable portion  41  thereof are arranged to cover a part of the wire holder  50  except the opposite lateral edges (stoppers  55 ) from the upper side. Thus, external matter is unlikely to interfere with the wire holder  50 . 
   The invention is not limited to the above described and illustrated embodiment. For example, the following embodiments are also embraced by the technical scope of the present invention as defined by the claims. 
   The wire holder may not be locked at the release position. 
   The mounted-state detector may not include the connection detecting means. 
   The wires and the terminal fittings may be connected by insulation displacement, soldering and/or welding instead of being connected by crimping. 
   The outer surface of the wire holder may be exposed without being covered by the mounted-state detector.