Patent Publication Number: US-9431750-B2

Title: Connector

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based on Japanese Patent Application (No. P2014-079450) filed on Apr. 8, 2014, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a connector equipped with terminals. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     As a connector to be mounted on an automobile wire harness or the like, a connector is available in which a plurality of male terminals are held in a housing and the tip ends of these male terminals protrude from the tip end of the housing (refer to JP-A-2012-109035). 
     In the case of the above-mentioned connector in which the male terminals protrude from the tip end of the housing, a mating connector, foreign matter, etc. may interfere with the portions of the male terminals protruding from the housing, and the male terminals may be deformed or damaged. Hence, when the connector is connected to the mating connector, improper conduction may occur between the male terminals of the connector and the female terminals of the mating connector, and the required electrical performance may not be obtained. 
     SUMMARY 
     In consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, the object of the present invention is to provide a connector capable of preventing the male terminals thereof from being deformed or damaged. 
     For the purpose of achieving the above-mentioned object, the connector according to the present invention has the following features (1) to (3). 
     (1) A connector including: 
     a connection terminal having a terminal section which is configured to contact with a mating terminal; 
     a housing that holds the connection terminal in a state that the terminal section protrudes from the housing; and 
     a front holder provided on the housing so as to be slidable along an extension direction of the connection terminal, 
     wherein the front holder is disposed at a first position in which the front holder covers a side portion of the terminal section in a case that the front holder slides forward in the extension direction, and the front holder is disposed at a second position in which the side portion of the terminal section is exposed in a case that the front holder slides rearward in the extension direction. 
     (2) The connector described in the above-mentioned item (1), wherein a guide protrusion is formed on the front holder so as to protrude from a tip end of the front holder which is positioned forward in the extension direction; and 
     wherein the guide protrusion is engaged with a guide concave section formed in a mating housing for holding the mating terminal, thereby a position of the connection terminal is aligned with a position of the mating terminal. 
     (3) The connector described in the above-mentioned item (2), wherein the guide protrusion is formed so as to protrude from a tip end of the front holder along the extension direction, and the guide protrusion is formed so as to be opposed to a portion of the terminal section positioned further forward in the extension direction than the tip end of the front holder in the case that the front holder is disposed at the first position. 
     (4) The connector described in the above-mentioned item (1), wherein a front plate section having an insertion hole is formed at a tip end of the front holder; and 
     wherein a tip end of the terminal section is passed through the insertion hole and protrudes from the front plate section forward in the extension direction in the case that the front holder is disposed at the first position. 
     (5) The connector described in the above-mentioned item (1), wherein an O ring is mounted on the housing; and 
     wherein the O ring restricts a rearward sliding movement of the front holder in the extension direction in the case that the front holder is disposed at the second position. 
     In the connector configured as described in the above-mentioned item (1), in the case that the front holder slides and is disposed at the first position, the side portion of the terminal section of the connection terminal protruding from the tip end of the housing is covered with the front holder. The front holder is configured so as to protect the terminal section as described above, whereby it is possible to prevent deformation and damage of the terminal section of the connection terminal due to the contact of the terminal section of the connection terminal with the mating connector, foreign matter, etc. Consequently, the occurrence of faulty conduction between the terminal section and the mating terminal can be suppressed. As a result, the desired electrical performance can be obtained between the connectors. 
     On the other hand, in the connector configured as described in the above-mentioned item (1), the front holder slides and is disposed at the second position when the connector is connected to the mating housing. At this time, the terminal section is not covered with the front holder but is exposed. Hence, the front holder does not prevent the terminal section from making contact with the mating terminal. 
     In the connector configured as described in the above-mentioned item (2), the guide protrusion of the front holder is engaged with the guide concave section provided in the mating housing. At this time, the position of the connection terminal is aligned with the position of the mating terminal in the state that the guide protrusion is engaged with the guide concave section. Hence, the connection terminal can be connected to the mating terminal securely and smoothly. 
     In the connector configured as described in the above-mentioned item (3), the portion of the terminal section slightly protruding from the tip end of the front holder can also be protected by the guide protrusion in the case that the front holder is disposed at the first position. 
     For the purpose of achieving the above-mentioned object, the connector fitting structure according to the present invention has the following feature (6). 
     (6) A connector fitting structure equipped with the connector described in the above-mentioned item (2) or (3) and the mating housing in which a fitting hole is formed, the connector being fitted in the fitting hole, 
     wherein the guide concave section is formed in a bottom face of the fitting hole in the housing of the mating connector; and 
     wherein the front holder is guided by the fitting hole, thereby the entering direction of the housing of the connector is restricted, and the guide protrusion is engaged with the guide concave section, thereby the position of the connection terminal is aligned with the position of the mating terminal. 
     In the connector fitting structure configured as described in the above-mentioned item (6), the front holder is guided by the fitting hole, and the guide protrusion of the front holder is engaged with the guide concave section provided in the mating housing. At this time, the front holder is guided by the fitting hole, whereby the entering direction of the housing for supporting the front holder, that is, the fitting direction thereof, is restricted. Furthermore, in the state that the guide protrusion is engaged with the guide concave section, the position of the connection terminal is aligned with the position of the mating terminal in the direction around the axis of the fitting direction. In this way, the attitude of the housing is restricted to its desired attitude. Hence, the housing is fitted into the mating housing while its attitude is maintained, whereby the connection terminal can be connected to the mating terminal securely and smoothly. 
     With the connector according to the present invention, the male terminals thereof can be prevented from being deformed or damaged. 
     The present invention has been described above briefly. The details of the present invention will be further clarified by reading the description of the mode (hereafter referred to as “embodiment”) for carrying out the invention that is described below referring to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a connector according to this embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view showing the connector according to this embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view showing the connector according to this embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing the housing portions of the connector and a mating connector. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view showing a state that the connector is connected to the mating connector. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing the front holder and a housing-side terminal holder viewed through the housing. 
         FIGS. 7A and 7B  are views showing states in which the connector is being connected to the mating connector, and are respectively cross-sectional views showing the connector and the mating connector. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     An example of an embodiment according to the present invention will be described below referring to the drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a connector according to this embodiment.  FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view showing the connector according to this embodiment.  FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view showing the connector according to this embodiment. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , a connector  11  according to this embodiment is equipped with a pair of male terminals (connection terminals)  12 , a housing  13 , and a front holder  14 . 
     The male terminal  12  is made of a conductive metal material, its tip end side is a tab terminal section (sometimes referred to as a terminal section)  21  that is made contact with a mating terminal and conducted and connected thereto, and its rear end side is a crimping section  22  that is connected to the end section of an electric wire  23 . The tab terminal section  21  is formed into a rod shape and is inserted into the female terminal (mating terminal)  73  of a mating connector  61  (described later) and conducted and connected thereto. The circumference of the conductor of the electric wire  23  is covered with an outer coat, and the conductor is exposed from the outer coat at its end section. The exposed end section of the conductor of the electric wire  23  is crimped and fixed to the crimping section  22  of the male terminal  12 . Hence, the male terminal  12  is connected to the end section of the electric wire  23  in a state that the conductor of the electric wire  23  is conducted to the male terminal  12 . 
     The housing  13  is made of a synthetic resin and has a housing body  31 , a fitting section  32 , and a fixing section  33 . 
     The housing body  31  has a housing space  34  being open on its rear side. A spacer  35  and a sealing member  36  are housed inside the housing space  34  of the housing body  31  through the opening of the housing body  31 , and in this state, a cover  37  is mounted on the opening. 
     The spacer  35  is made of a synthetic resin and has a pair of electric wire insertion holes  35   a . The spacer  35  is housed inside the housing space  34  of the housing body  31  from its rear side through the opening. The male terminal  12  is inserted into each of the electric wire insertion holes  35   a  of the spacer  35  from its rear side. The spacer  35  holds the electric wires  23  in a state that the electric wires  23  are respectively disposed in the pair of electric wire insertion holes  35   a.    
     The sealing member  36  is made of an elastic material, such as rubber, and has a pair of sealing holes  36   a . The sealing member  36  is housed inside the housing space  34  of the housing body  31  in which the spacer  35  is housed. The male terminals  12  are inserted into the sealing holes  36   a  of the sealing member  36  from its rear side, and the electric wires  23  are disposed inside the sealing holes  36   a . Since the sealing member  36  is housed in the housing space  34  of the housing body  31 , its outer circumferential surface makes close contact with the inner wall surface forming the housing space  34 . In addition, the outer circumferential surfaces of the electric wires  23  inserted into the sealing holes  36   a  of the sealing member  36  make close contact with the inner circumferential surfaces of the sealing holes  36   a . Hence, the sealing member  36  seals the space between the inner wall surface of the housing space  34  of the housing body  31  and the outer circumferential surfaces of the electric wires  23  and the space between the two electric wires  23 . This prevents water and dust from entering the space between the housing body  31  and the electric wires  23  and the space between the two electric wires  23 . 
     The cover  37  is made of a synthetic resin and has a pair of opening sections  37   a , and the electric wires  23  are inserted into these opening sections  37   a . The cover  37  has a peripheral wall  37   b  extending forward from its peripheral edge. The cover  37  is mounted so as to cover the rear section of the housing body  31 . The cover  37  is mounted so that the peripheral wall  37   b  covers the outer circumferential face of the housing body  31 . Hence, the opening portion on the rear side of the housing space  34  of the housing body  31  is closed. The spacer  35  and the sealing member  36  housed in the housing space  34  of the housing body  31  are held in a state of being housed inside the housing space  34  by mounting the cover  37  on the housing body  31 . 
     The fitting section  32  is integrally formed on the front side of the housing body  31  and protrudes forward from the housing body  31 . In the fitting section  32 , a pair of terminal holding spaces  41  communicating with the housing space  34  of the housing body  31  is formed. The respective terminal holding spaces  41  are open at the tip end of the fitting section  32 . The male terminals  12  are inserted into the terminal holding spaces  41  from the side of the housing body  31 . Each of the male terminals  12  inserted into the terminal holding spaces  41  is held so that the tab terminal section  21  on the tip end side thereof protrudes from the tip end of the fitting section  32  and so that the crimping section  22  thereof is positioned inside the terminal holding space  41 . The pair of male terminals  12  is held at positions opposed to each other. In each of the terminal holding spaces  41 , a lance (not shown) engaging with the male terminal  12  and restricting the rearward movement of the male terminal  12  is provided. A ring-shaped O-ring  42  is mounted on the outer circumference of the fitting section  32 . This O-ring  42  is fitted from the tip end side of the fitting section  32  and is mounted in a state of being made contact with the step section  32   a  formed at the fitting section  32  on the side of the housing body  31 . A locking protrusion  32   b  for positioning the front holder  14  sliding with respect to the fitting section  32  at a protection position (described later) is formed on the outer circumference of the fitting section  32 . 
     The fixing section  33  is integrally formed on the housing body  31  and extends sideward from the housing body  31 . A bolt insertion hole  33   a  is formed in the fixing section  33 . A cylindrical collar  45  is fitted into this bolt insertion hole  33   a  from the rear side of the fixing section  33 . A fixing bolt  65  (described later) is inserted from the rear side into the bolt insertion hole  33   a  of the fixing section  33  in which the collar  45  is fitted. 
     The front holder  14  is made of a synthetic resin and formed into a cylindrical shape. A front plate section  51  is formed at the tip end section of the front holder  14 . A pair of tab insertion holes  52  is formed in this front plate section  51 . The tab terminal sections  21  of the male terminals  12  can be inserted into the tab insertion holes  52 . The front holder  14  is mounted on the fitting section  32  of the housing  13  so as to be fitted from the tip end side thereof and is provided so as to be slidable along the extension direction of the male terminals  12 . Since the fitting section  32  of the housing  13  is extended along the extension direction of the male terminals  12 , the front holder  14  in which the fitting section  32  is fitted can slide along the extension direction. 
     When the front holder  14  slides forward in the extension direction with respect to the fitting section  32  of the housing  13 , the front holder  14  is disposed at the protection position (referred to as a first position) in which the tab terminal sections  21  of the male terminals  12  protruding from the tip end of the fitting section  32  are covered almost entirely. Since the locking protrusion formed inside the cylindrical front holder  14  is temporarily locked with the locking protrusion  32   b  of the fitting section  32 , the front holder  14  can be retained at the protection position. In the state that the front holder  14  is disposed at the protection position, the portion of the tip end side of the tab terminal section  21  of each male terminal  12  slightly protrudes from the front plate section  51  of the front holder  14  (see  FIG. 2 ). The portion of the tab terminal section  21  slightly protrudes from the front plate section  51  so that the tab terminal section  21  is guided by the tab insertion hole  52  when the front holder  14  slides rearward in the extension direction. Hence, the rearward sliding of the front holder  14  in the extension direction can be performed smoothly. 
     On the other hand, when the front holder  14  slides rearward in the extension direction with respect to the fitting section  32  of the housing  13 , a rear end section of the front holder  14  makes contact with the O-ring  42  mounted on the fitting section  32 , whereby the front holder  14  is disposed at a connectable position (a second position) in which the further rearward sliding thereof is restricted. When the front holder  14  is disposed at the connectable position, the whole tab terminal sections  21  of the male terminals  12  protrude from the front plate section  51  of the front holder  14 . At this time, the side portions of the tab terminal sections  21  are not covered with the front holder  14  but are exposed. Hence, when the front holder  14  is disposed at the connectable position, the connector  11  can be connected to the mating connector  61 . 
     In addition, guide protrusions  55  protruding along the extension direction of the male terminals  12  from the front plate section  51  positioned at the tip end of the front holder  14  are formed on the front holder  14 . The guide protrusions  55 , two in number, are formed so as to be opposed to each other. The guide protrusions  55  protrude in the same direction as the extension direction of the male terminals  12 . The guide protrusions  55  are formed at the positions opposed to the portions of the tab terminal sections  21  that are positioned further forward in the extension direction than the front plate section  51  of the front holder  14  in the case that the front holder  14  is disposed at the protection position. Hence, the two tab terminal sections  21  and the two guide protrusions  55  are disposed so as to be arranged in a row as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . In the case that the front holder  14  is disposed at the protection position, the portions of the tab terminal sections  21  slightly protruding from the front plate section  51  of the front holder  14  can also be protected by the guide protrusions  55 . 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing the housing portions of the connector and the mating connector.  FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view showing a state that the connector is connected to the mating connector.  FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing the front holder and a housing-side terminal holder viewed through the housing. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4 to 6 , the mating connector  61  to which the connector  11  according to this embodiment is connected is formed on, for example, an electronic apparatus. In this embodiment, a mode is described in which the mating connector  61  is composed of the housing  62  of an electronic apparatus and a housing-side terminal holder  71  positioned inside the housing  62 . The housing  62  and the housing-side terminal holder  71  are sometimes collectively referred to as a mating housing. However, the connector according to the present invention is not limited by the configuration of the mating connector  61  that is described below. 
     A fitting hole  63  is drilled in the housing  62 . The fitting section  32  having the front holder  14  of the connector  11  is fitted in this fitting hole  63 . In addition, in the housing  62 , a screw hole  64  is formed near the fitting hole  63 . The fixing bolt  65  inserted into the bolt insertion hole  33   a  of the fixing section  33  of the connector  11  is screwed into this screw hole  64 . 
     Furthermore, the housing-side terminal holder  71  is provided inside the housing  62  that is positioned on the side opposite to the side to which the connector  11  is connected. On the housing-side terminal holder  71 , a pair of cavities  72  is formed, and in these cavities  72 , the female terminals  73  are housed and held. The female terminals  73  are made of a conductive metal material and connected to, for example, electronic components mounted on the electronic apparatus via wiring. On the housing-side terminal holder  71 , a receiving base  75  rising on the side of the housing  62  is formed. The receiving base  75  has a shape in which a disc-shaped small diameter base  75   a  having an outside diameter nearly equal to the outside diameter of the front holder  14  and a disc-shaped large diameter base  75   b  having an outside diameter larger than that of the small-diameter base  75   a  are stacked while their axial centers are aligned with each other. In the small-diameter base  75   a  and the large-diameter base  75   b , a pair of tab insertion holes  74  into which the tab terminal sections  21  of the male terminals  12  of the connector  11  can be inserted is formed so as to communicate with the cavities  72 . The female terminals  73  are made contact with the male terminals  12  and conducted and connected thereto when the tab terminal sections  21  of the male terminals  12  are inserted into the tab insertion holes  74  and enter the cavities  72 . 
     In the small-diameter base  75   a  of the receiving base  75 , guide concave sections  76  recessed toward the inside in the radial direction are formed as shown in  FIG. 6 . The dimension of the guide concave section  76  is slightly larger than the outside dimension of the guide protrusion  55 . The guide concave sections  76  are formed in two places in the small-diameter base  75   a  at positions corresponding to the two guide protrusions  55 . Hence, when the fitting section  32  having the front holder  14  of the connector  11  is inserted into the fitting hole  63 , the guide protrusions  55  of the front holder  14  enter the guide concave sections  76  by rotating the connector  11  around its axial center, whereby the guide protrusions  55  can be engaged with the guide concave sections  76 . The female terminals  73  and the tab insertion holes  74  are provided in the housing-side terminal holder  71  so as to be located at normal positions in which the tab terminal sections  21  of the male terminals  12  can enter the female terminals  73  when the guide protrusions  55  and the guide concave sections  76  are located at positions where they are engaged with each other. 
     Next, a case in which the connector  11  according to this embodiment is connected to the mating connector  61  will be described. 
       FIGS. 7A and 7B  are views showing states in which the connector is being connected to the mating connector, and are respectively cross-sectional views showing the connector and the mating connector. 
     In a state that the fixing section  33  of the housing  13  of the connector  11  is disposed on the side of the screw hole  64 , the front holder  14  at the tip end of the connector  11  is inserted into the fitting hole  63  of the mating connector  61 . At this time, the major portions of the tab terminal sections  21  of the male terminals  12  are covered with the front holder  14  that is disposed at the protection position, and the guide protrusions  55  of the front holder  14  are disposed on the sides of the portions of the tab terminal sections  21  slightly protruding from the front plate section  51  of the front holder  14 . Hence, a problem such that the tab terminal sections  21  are made contact with, for example, the housing  62  of the mating connector  61 , and are deformed and damaged is prevented. 
     The fitting section  32  of the connector  11  is then further inserted into the fitting hole  63  of the mating connector  61 . At this time, the front holder  14  is guided by the fitting hole  63 , whereby the entering direction of the housing  13  for supporting the front holder  14 , that is, the fitting direction thereof, is restricted. With this configuration, in the case that the positions of the guide protrusions  55  are deviated from the positions of the guide concave sections  76  as shown in  FIG. 7A , the tip ends of the guide protrusions  55  of the front holder  14  make contact with the upper face of the small-diameter base  75   a  of the housing-side terminal holder  71  (see  FIG. 6 ). At this time, the guide protrusions  55  can be entered into the guide concave sections  76  by rotating the connector  11  around the axial center of the housing  13  and by aligning the positions of the guide protrusions  55  with the positions of the guide concave sections  76 . The positions of the guide protrusions  55  can be easily aligned with the positions of the guide concave sections  76  by rotating the connector  11  so that the bolt insertion hole  33   a  of the fixing section  33  is aligned with the screw hole  64  of the housing  62 . As described above, in the state that the guide protrusions  55  are engaged with the guide concave sections  76 , the further movement of the front holder  14  in the insertion direction of the connector  11  is restricted, and the male terminals  12  and the female terminals  73  are positioned in the circumferential direction around the axis of the fitting direction of the housing  13 . 
     From this state, the connector  11  is further inserted into the mating connector  61 . The front holder  14 , the movement of which is restricted along the insertion direction of the connector  11 , then slides relatively rearward with respect to the housing  13  as shown in  FIG. 7B , and at the same time, the tab terminal sections  21  of the male terminals  12  enter forward relatively from the tab insertion holes  52  of the front plate section  51  of the front holder  14 . At this time, since the positions of the tab terminal sections  21  of the male terminals  12  are aligned with the positions tab insertion holes  74  of the housing-side terminal holder  71 , the tab terminal sections  21  are inserted into the tab insertion holes  74  of the housing-side terminal holder  71  and inserted into the female terminals  73 , thereby being made contact with the female terminals  73  and conducted and connected thereto. In this state, the fitting of the fitting section  32  of the housing body  31  into the fitting hole  63  of the housing  62  is completed. At this time, the O-ring  42  of the fitting section  32  is disposed inside the fitting hole  63 , and the space between the outer circumferential surface of the fitting section  32  and the inner circumferential surface of the fitting hole  63  is sealed with the O-ring  42 . 
     Next, the fixing bolt  65  is inserted into the bolt insertion hole  33   a  of the fixing section  33  of the connector  11  and screwed into the screw hole  64  of the housing  62 . The connector  11  is thus fastened and fixed to the housing  62  in the state of being connected to the mating connector  61 , and the male terminals  12  are maintained in the state of being conducted and connected to the female terminals  73  (see  FIG. 5 ). 
     As described above, in the connector  11  according to this embodiment, the front holder  14  is disposed at the protection position in which the side portions of the tab terminal sections  21  are covered in the case that the front holder  14  slides forward in the extension direction of the male terminals  12 , and the front holder  14  is disposed at the connectable position in which the side portions of the tab terminal sections  21  are exposed in the case that the front holder  14  slides rearward in the extension direction. 
     Hence, the tab terminal sections  21  of the male terminals  12  protruding from the tip end of the fitting section  32  of the housing  13  are covered with the front holder  14 , whereby it is possible to prevent deformation and damage of the tab terminal sections  21  of the male terminals  12  due to the contact of the tab terminal sections  21  of the male terminals  12  with the mating connector  61 , foreign matter, etc. Consequently, faulty conduction at the time of the connection to the mating connector  61  can be suppressed. As a result, the desired electrical performance can be obtained between the connectors. Furthermore, since the front holder  14  slides rearward and the tab terminal sections  21  are exposed at the time of connection to the mating connector  61 , the front holder  14  does not become an obstacle at the time of the connection to the mating connector  61 . 
     Moreover, the guide protrusions  55  protruding from the tip end of the front holder  14  positioned forward in the extension direction of the male terminals  12  are formed in the front holder  14 , and the connector  11  is connected to the mating connector  61  so that the guide protrusions  55  are engaged with the guide concave sections  76  formed in the housing-side terminal holder  71 . At this time, the front holder  14  is guided by the fitting hole  63 , whereby the entering direction of the housing  13  for supporting the front holder  14 , that is, the fitting direction thereof, is restricted. Still further, in the state that the guide protrusions  55  are engaged with the guide concave sections  76 , the male terminals  12  and the female terminals  73  are positioned in the circumferential direction around the axis of the fitting direction. In this way, the attitude of the housing  13  is restricted to its desired attitude. Hence, the housing  13  is fitted into the mating housing while its attitude is maintained, whereby the male terminals  12  can be connected to the female terminals  73  securely and smoothly. 
     In addition, the guide protrusions  55  are formed so as to be opposed to the portions of the tab terminal sections  21  positioned further forward in the extension direction of the male terminals  12  than the tip end of the front holder  14  in the case that the front holder  14  is disposed at the protection position. The guide protrusions  55  can also protect the portions of the tab terminal sections  21  slightly protruding from the front plate section  51  of the front holder  14  in the case that the front holder  14  is disposed at the protection position. 
     Although the case in which the male terminals  12  are provided on the connector  11  and the male terminals  12  of the connector  11  are conducted and connected to the female terminals  73  of the mating connector  61  is taken as an example and described in the above-mentioned embodiment, it may be possible to use a configuration in which female terminals are provided as connection terminals on the side of the connector  11  and the female terminals of the connector  11  are conducted and connected to the male terminals of the mating connector  61 . In this case, the front holder  14  is disposed at a protection position in which the terminal sections of the tip end portions of the female terminals protruding from the fitting section  32  are covered, and the front holder  14  is slid rearward and disposed at a connectable position in which the terminal sections of the female terminals are exposed at the time of the connection to the mating connector  61 . 
     However, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, but can be modified or improved as necessary. In addition, the materials, shapes, dimensions, numbers, arrangement positions, etc. of the respective components in the above-mentioned embodiment may be arbitrary and not limited, provided that the present invention can be achieved.