Patent Publication Number: US-6213793-B1

Title: Connector

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a connector suitable for smoothly engaging or disengaging both male and female multipolar connector housings. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Briefly explaining an example of this type of connector, referring to FIGS. 19 and 20, a male connector housing  2  made of synthetic resin of a connector  1  is covered with a slide cover  3  so that the slide cover can be slid on the male connector housing. A base  4   a  of a lever  4  which is turned depending upon the reciprocation of the slide cover  3  is supported on each of both sides of the upper wall of the slide cover  3  so that the base can be turned via a spindle  3   a  for a point of the lever where force is applied. A halfway portion  4   b  of the lever  4  is fitted to each guide portion (point of application)  5  on both sides of the male connector housing  2  and an end  4   c  of the lever  4  can be fitted to a rib (fitting portion)  8  of a female connector housing  7  made of synthetic resin when both the male and female connector housings  2  and  7  are engaged. 
     As shown in FIG. 20, the slide cover  3  is formed in the size of a rectangular cylinder for covering the male connector housing  2  and an extended portion  3   b  for covering each of both sides of the male connector housing  2  is protruded from each side wall. Hereby, the center on the front side of each of the upper and lower walls of the slide cover  3  is notched in the shape of a rectangle. (The notched portion in FIG. 20 is designated by reference numeral  3   c. ) 
     As shown in FIG. 19, a temporarily fitted state in which the lever  4  is tilted between a protrusion  5   a  of the guide portion  5  of the male connector housing  2  and a tapered surface  6   a  of a lever extruding portion  6  is equivalent to a state waiting for engagement of the male connector housing  2  in the slide cover  3 , when the slide cover  3  inside which the male connector housing  2  is temporarily fitted is extruded inside a hood  7   a  of the female connector housing  7  from the above state, the end of the lever  4  comes in contact with a protrusion  8   a  for supporting a lever of the rib  8  of the hood  7   a  of the female connector housing  7  and the lever  4  begins to turn, and when the slide cover  3  is further extruded in an engaged direction, the male connector housing  2  is pulled inside the hood  7   a  of the female connector housing  7  by the action of the lever  4  (leverage with the spindle  3   a  for supporting the base  4   a  of the lever  4  so that the base can be turned as a point where force is applied, the protrusion  5   a  of the guide portion  5  of the male connector housing  2  as a point of application and the protrusion  8   a  of the rib  8  of the female connector housing  7  as a fulcrum) and both connector housings  2  and  7  are engaged. 
     In the above connector  1  according to the related art, a state waiting for engagement of the male connector housing  2  in the slide cover  3  is kept by tilting the lever  4  between the protrusion  5   a  of the guide portion  5  on both sides of the male connector housing  2  and the tapered surface  6   a  of the lever extruding portion  6 , however, as an interval between the guide portion  5  of the male connector housing  2  and the lever extruding portion  6  is large, the leverage of the lever  4  does not function in a range of the play of the lever  4  and the lever is in the range of the play of the lever  4  when both connector housings  2  and  7  are disengaged, it is difficult to disengage both connector housings  2  and  7  by small force. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention was made to solve the above problem and an object thereof is to provide a connector wherein both male and female connector housings can be readily disengaged using the leverage of a lever which is turned by small force even when both connector housings are disengaged. 
     In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a connector comprising: a male connector housing; a female connector housing; a cover in which one of the male and female connector housings is provided so that the one can be reciprocated, being slid; and a lever which is turned depending upon the reciprocation of the one connector housing, a base of the lever being supported by the cover so that the lever can be turned, a halfway portion of the lever being linked with a point of application of the one connector housing and an end of the lever being fitted to a fitting portion of the other connector housing when the both connector housings are engaged, wherein a lever extruding portion to which the halfway portion of the lever is touched in a state waiting for engagement of the one connector housing is protruded from the one connector housing, and an interval between the lever extruding portion and the point of application is set to be small. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state before both male and female connector housings composing a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention are engaged; 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the state before the male and female connector housings are engaged; 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the male connector housing; 
     FIG. 4 is a front view showing the male connector housing; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the main part of the male connector housing; 
     FIG. 6 is an explanatory view for explaining the main portion of the male connector housing; 
     FIG.  7 ( a ) is a sectional view showing a cover for holding the male connector housing, FIG.  7 ( b ) is a side view showing the cover and FIG.  7 ( c ) is a sectional view showing a holder for housing the cover; 
     FIG.  8 ( a ) is a sectional view showing the main part at the beginning of the engagement of the male and female connector housings and FIG.  8 ( b ) is a sectional view showing the main part after the engagement of the connector housings is completed; 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the female connector housing viewed from the front side; 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state before the connector is attached to an inner panel; 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a state in which the connector is attached to the inner panel; 
     FIG.  12 ( a ) is an explanatory view for explaining the initial state of engagement of the connector, FIG.  12 ( b ) is an explanatory view for explaining a halfway state in which the connector is engaged, FIG.  12 ( c ) is an explanatory view for explaining a state when the engagement of the connector is completed and FIG.  12 ( d ) is an explanatory view for explaining an aligned state after the engagement of the connector is completed; 
     FIG. 13 is a sectional view showing an aligned state after the connector is completely engaged; 
     FIG. 14 is a sectional view showing a state in which the connector is completely engaged; 
     FIG. 15 is a sectional view showing a halfway state in which the connector is disengaged; 
     FIG. 16 is a sectional view showing another halfway state in which the connector is disengaged; 
     FIG. 17 is a sectional view showing a state in which terminals are disengaged while the connector is disengaged; 
     FIG. 18 is a sectional view showing a state after the connector is disengaged; 
     FIG. 19 is a sectional view showing a state immediately before a connector according to the related art is engaged; and 
     FIG. 20 is a perspective view showing a slide cover used for the connector according to the related art. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the accompanying drawings, an embodiment of the present invention will be described below. 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state before male and female connector housings composing a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention are engaged, FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the same state, FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the male connector housing in the same state and FIG. 4 is a front view showing the male connector housing in the same state. In the drawings, the respective engaged sides of both the male and female connector housings shall be the front sides. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 to  3 , a connector  10  is composed of a holder  20  formed substantially in the shape of a rectangular cylinder which is made of synthetic resin and which is attached to a mounting hole  12  of an inner panel  11  of a vehicle, a cover  30  formed substantially in the shape of a rectangular cylinder which is made of synthetic resin, which is temporarily fitted inside the holder  20  with the cover substantially completely housed and which is provided so that the cover can be slid forward and backward, a pair of levers  40  and  40  which are made of synthetic resin and each base of which is supported by the cover  30  so that the base can be turned for engaging-or disengaging both male and female connector housings  50  and  60  described later by leverage, the male connector housing (one connector housing)  50  made of synthetic resin which is temporarily fitted inside the cover  30  with the male connector housing in a state waiting for engagement and which is provided so that the male connector housing can be reciprocated, being slid and the female connector housing (the other connector housing)  60  made of synthetic resin which is engaged or disengaged with/from the male connector housing  50  in a state waiting for engagement. 
     Also, as shown in FIGS. 1 to  3 , the holder  20  is formed by upper and lower walls  20   a  and  20   b  and both side walls  20   c  and  20   c  formed substantially in the shape of a flat rectangular cylinder and the cover  30  is supported inside the holder  20  so that the cover can be slid. A stopper  21  perpendicularly extended outside is respectively integrally protruded at each of four corners at the rear end of an opening on the rear side of each wall  20   a,    20   b  and  20   c  of the holder  20  and in each center at the rear end of the upper and lower walls  20   a  and  20   b,  and a flexible fitting portion  22  obliquely upward extended from the front side to the back side is integrally protruded on each of both sides of the upper and lower walls  20   a  and  20   b  of the holder  20 . An aligning portion  24  is integrally protruded from each flexible fitting portion  22  via a slit  23  in the shape of reverse C so that the aligning portion is extended horizontally backward. 
     As shown in FIG. 2, a dimension between the respective aligning portions  24  of the upper and lower walls  20   a  and  20   b  of the holder  20  is set so that it is equal to the dimension in the direction of the height of the mounting hole  12  of the inner panel  11 . When the holder  20  is inserted from the back of the mounting hole  12  of the inner panel  11  as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 in a state shown in FIG. 1 in which the male connector housing  50  is temporarily fitted inside the cover  30  and the cover  30  is temporarily fitted inside the holder  20 , each flexible fitting portion  22  is bent inside and the front and rear surfaces  11   a  and  11   b  in the vicinity of the mounting hole  12  of the inner panel  11  are fitted between each flexible fitting portion  22  and each stopper  21  so that the front and rear surfaces are respectively held between each flexible fitting portion and each stopper. At this time, as shown in FIG. 2, the upper and lower aligning portions  24  respectively integrated with the upper and lower flexible fitting portions  22  via each slit  23  are fitted into the mounting hole  12  in an elastic state. 
     Also, as shown in FIGS. 1 to  3 , a tapered surface  25  for guiding engagement with the female connector housing  60  is formed in the whole periphery of the front end (the end on the side with which the female connector housing  60  is engaged) of the opening on the front side of each wall  20   a ,  20   b ,  20   c  of the holder  20  and an L-type flexible arm (temporarily fitting means)  26  is integrated via a slit  26   b  in the shape of a letter C on the rear side from the center of each center of each wall  20   a,    20   b  and  20   c  of the holder  20 . As shown in FIG.  7 ( c ), a protrusion (fitting portion)  26   a  the section of which is trapezoidal is integrally protruded inside the end of each flexible arm  26 . Further, a concave portion  27  for preventing the holder from being opened is integrally protruded outside in the shape of reverse C in a position on the front side opposite to each flexible arm  26  of each wall  20   a ,  20   b  and  20   c  of the holder  20 . As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, a pair of recesses  28  and  28  for housing space when a flexible fitting piece  34  described later of the cover  30  is deformed are respectively formed from the front side to the center of the inner wall on both sides of each concave portion  27  of each wall  20   a ,  20   b  and  20   c  of the holder  20 . 
     Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a pair of guide grooves  29  and  29  are respectively formed in a rigid place on the side of the inner wall of the upper wall  20   a  of the holder  20  (in a reinforced portion in the vicinity of the lever on both sides of the concave portion  27  in the center) and in a rigid place on the side of the inner wall of the lower wall  20   b  (in the vicinity of the reinforced portion of the stopper  21  on both sides). As shown in FIGS. 2 and 18, a reversely tapered surface  29   a  is formed at the front end of each guide groove  29 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, the cover  30  has double structure of an outer wall  31  formed substantially in the shape of a flat rectangular cylinder and an inner wall  32  formed substantially in the shape of a flat rectangular cylinder integrated with the outer wall  31 , the hood  61  of the female connector housing  60  described later is housed between the outer wall  31  the front side of which is open and the inner wall  32 , and the male connector housing  50  is temporarily fitted inside the inner wall  32  in a state waiting for engagement and can be slid inside the inner wall. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 to  3  and FIGS. 5 and 6, a tapered surface  33  for guiding engagement with the female connector housing  60  is formed in the whole periphery of the front end (the end on the side on which the female connector housing  60  is engaged) of the opening on the front side of the outer wall  31  of the cover  30 . The tapered surface  33  of the cover  30  and the tapered surface  25  of the holder  20  are respectively formed so that they are on the substantially same plane (the end surface on which the tapered surface  33  of the cover  30  starts is the same as the end of the tapered surface  25  of the holder  20  or is a little backward) when the flexible arm  26  of the holder  20  and the temporarily fitting means  34  described later of the cover  30  are temporarily fitted. That is, as shown in FIG. 6, if the cone angle of the tapered surface  25  of the holder  20  is X and the cone angle of the tapered surface  33  of the cover  30  is Y, each of the tapered surfaces  25  and  33  is formed so that Y≧X. 
     As shown in FIGS. 3,  7 ( a ),  7 ( b ) and  7 ( c ), the temporarily fitting means  34  for holding a state waiting for engagement of the male connector housing  50  is integrated in the center on the front side of the upper and lower walls of the outer wall  31  of the cover  30  and in the center on the front side of walls on both sides. The temporarily fitting means  34  is composed of a flexible fitting piece in the shape of reverse C which is engaged or disengaged with/from the protrusion  26   a  of each flexible arm  26  of the holder  20 . That is, each flexible fitting piece  34  as temporarily fitting means is elastically deformed outside in a concave portion  34   b  in the center and a notch  34   c  formed substantially in the shape of reverse C and the protrusion  26   a  of each flexible arm  26  of the holder  20  can be engaged or disengaged with/from the side of the end surface  34   a.    
     Further, as shown in FIGS. 2,  3  and  4 , a stopper convex portion  35  is integrally protruded in a position opposite to each guide groove  29  of the holder  20  outside the outer wall  31  of the cover  30 . A reversely tapered surface  35   a  in the same direction as the reversely tapered surface  29   a  at the front end of each guide groove  29  of the holder  20  is formed on the front side of each stopper convex portion  35  and in a state waiting for engagement of the male connector housing  50 , the reversely tapered surface  29   a  at the front end of each guide groove  29  of the holder  20  and the reversely tapered surface  35   a  of each stopper convex portion  35  of the cover  30  can be touched. 
     As shown in FIGS.  7 ( a ),  7 ( b ) and  7 ( c ), a temporarily fitting stopper  36  is integrated in the center of the wall on both sides of the inner wall  32  of the cover  30 . A temporary fitting locking portion  56  of the male connector housing  50  described later in a state waiting for engagement is temporarily fitted to each temporarily fitting stopper  36 . A flexible temporary fitting releasing arm  37  provided with a convex portion  37   a  outside the end is integrated in a front position outside the temporarily fitting stopper  36  in the center on the front side of the wall on both sides of the inner wall  32  of the cover  30 . The flexible temporary fitting releasing arm  37  is bent inside by a temporary fitting releasing convex portion  65  of the female connector housing  60  described later as shown in FIG.  8 ( a ), the temporary fitting locking portion  56  of the male connector housing  50  is pressed inside by the flexuous deformation of the temporary fitting releasing arm  37  and a state in which each temporarily fitting stopper  36  and the temporary fitting locking portion  56  of the male connector housing  50  are temporarily fitted is released. 
     Also, as shown in FIGS. 3,  7 ( a ),  7 ( b ) and  7 ( c ), the center on the front side of the upper and lower walls of the inner wall  32  of the cover  30  is notched, and the upper and lower walls of the inner wall  32  of the cover  30  are formed in size in which they can substantially completely wrap the male connector housing  50  in a state waiting for engagement. Further, plural guide grooves  38   a  and  38   b  are respectively formed in the vicinity of a position in which the cover  30  is in the shape of reverse C and is hard to be deformed and on the rigid inner side of the upper and lower walls of the inner wall  32  near to the lever. As shown in FIG. 4, a pair of lever relief grooves  39   a  and  39   a  and a pair of lever relief grooves  39   b  and  39   b  are formed on both sides near to the center between the upper and lower walls of the inner wall  32  of the cover  30  and a lever  40  is arranged between the lever relief grooves  39   a  and  39   b  and between the lever relief grooves  39   a  and  39   b.    
     As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each lever  40  is formed by synthetic resin substantially in the shape of a rectangular plate and a supporting hole  42  is formed in the center of its base  41  in the shape of a circular arc. The base  41  of the lever  40  is supported so that it can be turned by fitting a spindle  39   c  protruded in each lever relief groove  39   a  on the side of the upper wall of the inner wall  32  of the cover  30  into the supporting hole  42  as shown in FIG.  18 . 
     As shown in FIG. 3, the male connector housing  50  is formed substantially in the shape of a rectangular parallelopiped made of synthetic resin provided with a pair of lever relief grooves  51  and  51  from the front side to the rear side and plural terminal housing chambers  52  are formed between the front side and the rear side. A female terminal  53  which is electrically connected to each male terminal  63  of the female connector housing  60  described later when both connector housings  50  and  60  are engaged for electrically connecting both connector housings  50  and  60  is housed in each terminal housing chamber  52 . A wire harness W shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 is connected to each female terminal  53 . 
     A guide bar (point of application)  54  as a lever hooking portion is integrally protruded on the front side of each lever relief groove  51  of the male connector housing  50 . The guide bar  54  is provided with a circular arc surface  54   a  functioning as the point of application of the lever  40  by sliding the side of the halfway portion  43  of the lever  40  as shown in FIG.  18 . Further, a lever extruding portion  55  formed substantially in the shape of a trapezoid with which the halfway portion  43  of the lever  40  comes in contact and is slid in a state waiting for engagement of the male connector housing  50  is integrally protruded on the rear side on one side of each lever relief groove  51  of the male connector housing  50 . An interval between these guide bar  54  and lever extruding portion  55  is set to be small so that it is substantially equal to the width of the halfway portion  43  of the lever  40  as shown in FIG.  18 . 
     Further, the temporary fitting locking portion  56  the section of which is trapezoidal and which is temporarily fitted to the temporarily fitting stopper  36  of the cover  30  in a state waiting for engagement of the male connector housing  50  is provided on the rear side of both sides  50   a  and  50   a  of the male connector housing  50 . The temporary fitting locking portion  56  is integrated with each flexible arm  57  integrally protruded in the shape of reverse C from both sides  50   a  and  50   a  and is provided with a tapered surface  56   a  on the front side. Stopper convex portions  58  and  59  respectively slid in the guide grooves  38   a  and  38   b  are integrally protruded in positions opposite to the guide groove  38   a  and  38   b  of the inner wall  32  of the cover  30  on the upper and lower surfaces  50   b  and  50   c  of the male connector housing  50 . One stopper convex portion  58  regulates sliding in the front portion of the male connector housing  50 , the other stopper convex portion  59  regulates sliding in the rear portion of the male connector housing  50  and tapered surfaces  58   a  and  59   a  are formed in opposite positions. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 9, in the female connector housing  60 , plural male terminals  63  are exposed among the hood  61  in the shape of a rectangular cylinder and L-type both legs  62  and  62 , the hood  61  is inserted between the outer wall  31  and the inner wall  32  of the cover  30  when both connector housings  50  and  60  are engaged and each terminal  53  and  63  of both connector housings  50  and  60  are electrically connected. 
     Also, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 9, a protrusion  64  also functioning as holding means for holding the temporarily fitted state of the protrusion  26   a  of each flexible arm  26  of the holder  20  and each flexible fitting piece  34  of the cover  30  and as releasing means for releasing the temporarily fitted state of the protrusion  26   a  of each flexible arm  26  of the holder  20  and each flexible fitting piece  34  of the cover  30  when the engagement of both connector housings  50  and  60  is completed and when they are disengaged is integrally protruded in the center on the front side of the outer surfaces of both side walls  61   a  and  61   a  of the hood  61  of the female connector housing  60  and in the center on the front side of the outer surfaces of the upper and lower walls  61   b  and  61   c.  The protrusion  64  is formed substantially in the shape of a triangle pole, the front side has a tapered surface (fitting surface)  64   a  and the rear side also has a tapered surface (disengaging surface)  64   b.    
     Further, as shown in FIGS.  8 ( a ),  8 ( b ) and  9 , the temporary fitting releasing convex portion  65  the section of which is formed substantially in the shape of a trapezoid for touching or separating to/from the convex portion  37   a  of the temporary fitting releasing arm  37  of the cover  30  is integrally protruded at each front end of the inner surfaces of both side walls  61   a  and  61   a  of the hood  61  of the female connector housing  60 . A relief groove  66  for housing and guiding the convex portion  37   a  of the temporary fitting releasing arm  37  of the cover  30  is formed in each center of the inner surfaces of both side walls  61   a  and  61   a  of the hood  61 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 9 and 18, a rib (fitting portion)  67  is integrally protruded on both sides of the inner surface of the lower wall  61   c  of the hood  61  of the female connector housing  60 . A protrusion  67   a  to which the end  44  of the lever  40  is slid is integrally protruded at the upper end of the rear surface of the rib  67 . The end  44  of the lever  40  is touched to the protrusion  67   a  by being slid and functions as the fulcrum of the lever  40  when the hood  61  of the female connector housing  60  is inserted between the outer wall  31  and the inner wall  32  of the cover  30 , being slid, the female connector housing  60  is pulled into the male connector housing  50  and both connector housings  50  and  60  are engaged or disengaged. Further, a lever relief groove  68  is formed from the back of the rib  67  on the lower wall  61   c  of the hood  61  to a vertical partition wall  61   d  and a lever extruding portion  69  to which the halfway portion  43  of the lever  40  is touched is integrally protruded on the lower side of the partition wall  61   d.    
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, each guide groove  29  on both sides of the upper wall  20   a  of the holder  20  is formed in a position protruded upward, and convex portions  31   e,    32   e  and  61   e  respectively upward protruded are respectively formed in a position on the side of the upper wall of the outer wall  31  and the inner wall  32  of the cover  30  opposite to the convex portion  20   e  and on the side of the upper wall  61   b  of the hood  61  of the female connector housing  60 . 
     According to the connector  10  of the above embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, when the holder  20  is inserted and pressed from the back of the mounting hole  12  of the inner panel  11  in case the male connector housing  50  on the side of the wire harness W is mounted in the mounting hole  12  of the inner panel  11  via the holder  20 , the front and rear surfaces  11   a  and  11   b  of the inner panel  11  are held and fixed between upper and lower each flexible fitting portion  22  of the holder  20  and upper and lower and right and left each stopper  21 . At the time of this engagement, as shown in FIG. 2, alignment is made (the holder and others are positioned in the central position of the mounting hole  12 ) by bumping upper and lower each aligning portion  24  of the holder  20  against the end surface of the mounting hole  12  of the inner panel  11  and by bending each aligning portion  24  even if the holder  20  is moved upward, downward, rightward or leftward in the mounting hole  12 , the holder and others are securely engaged and fixed. As the holder and others also try to approach the center of the mounting hole  12  because of the elastic effect of each aligning portion  24  of the holder  20  after engagement, width in which the flexible fitting portion  22  and the inner panel  11  are engaged is kept fixed, the holding power of the whole connector  10  when the connector is fixed to the inner panel  11  can be increased and space for attaching the connector to the inner panel  11  can be reduced. 
     After the male connector housing  50  is attached into the mounting hole  12  of the inner panel  11  via the holder  20 , the female connector housing  60  is engaged with the male connector housing  50  in a state waiting for engagement. Explaining the engagement of these male and female connector housings  50  and  60 , referring to FIGS.  12 ( a ) to  12 ( d ), in the engagement initial state of both connector housings  50  and  60  in which the hood  61  of the female connector housing  60  is inserted between the outer wall  31  and the inner wall  32  of the cover  30  as shown in FIG.  12 ( a ), a state waiting for engagement of the male connector housing  50  is kept by the temporarily fitted state of the protrusion  26   a  of each flexible arm  26  of the holder  20  and the end surface  34   a  of each flexible fitting piece  34  of the cover  30 . When the hood  61  of the female connector housing  60  is inserted between the outer wall  31  and the inner wall  32  of the cover  30 , the hood  61  of the female connector housing  60  can be smoothly led to the side of the male connector housing  50  by the tapered surface  25  of the holder  20  and the tapered surface  33  of the cover  30 . Hereby, the end on the engaged side of the hood  61  of the female connector housing  60  bumps against each front end of the holder  20  and the cover  30 , and the temporarily fitted state of the protrusion  26   a  of each flexible arm  26  of the holder  20  and the end surface  34   a  of each flexible fitting piece  34  of the cover  30  does never come off. 
     When both connector housings  50  and  60  begin to be engaged, the temporary fitting releasing convex portion  65  of the hood  61  of the female connector housing  60  bumps against the convex portion  37   a  of the flexible temporary fitting releasing arm  37  of the cover  30  as shown in FIG.  12 ( a ) and the temporary fitting releasing arm  37  is bent inside, the temporary fitting locking portion  56  of the male connector housing  50  is pressed inside. Hereby, the flexible arm  57  of the male connector housing  50  is bent inside, the temporary fitting lock of the temporary fitting locking portion  56  and the temporarily fitting stopper  36  of the cover  30  is released and the male connector housing  50  is slid backward inside the inner wall  32  of the cover  30 . As the convex portion  37   a  of the flexible temporary fitting releasing arm  37  of the cover  30  is put in the relief groove  66  of the hood  61  of the female connector housing  60  as shown in FIG.  12 ( c ) when engagement is completed, the temporary fitting releasing arm  37  is restored to an original state. 
     Next, as shown in FIG.  12 ( b ), during the engagement of both connector housings  50  and  60 , each flexible fitting piece  34  of the cover  30  is elastically deformed outside by the pressure of each protrusion  64  of the female connector housing  60 , the end surface  34   a  of each flexible fitting piece  34  of the cover  30  bumps against the end surface of each flexible arm  26  of the holder  20  and the temporarily fitted state of the protrusion  26   a  of each flexible arm  26  of the holder  20  and the end surface  34   a  of each flexible fitting piece  34  of the cover  30  is more securely maintained. 
     As shown in FIG.  12 ( c ), when the engagement of both connector housings  50  and  60  is completed, each protrusion  64  of the female connector housing  60  is put in the notch  34   c  in the back of each flexible fitting piece  34  of the cover  30 . At this time, the tapered surface  64   a  of each protrusion  64  of the female connector housing  60  presses the protrusion  26   a  of each flexible arm  26  of the holder  20  outside and each flexible arm  26  is elastically deformed outside and bent. Hereby, as shown in FIGS.  12 ( c ) and  12 ( d ), the temporarily fitted state of the protrusion  26   a  of each flexible arm  26  of the holder  20  and the end surface  34   a  of each flexible fitting piece  34  of the cover  30  is released and both connector housings  50  and  60  the engagement of which is respectively completed are both slid backward inside the cover. When the above sliding is completed, the connector  10  is in an aligned state as shown in FIGS.  12 ( d ) and  13 . 
     Explaining a process from the engagement initial state of both connector housings  50  and  60  to the engagement completed state concerning relation to the lever  40 , when the hood  61  of the female connector housing  60  is inserted between the outer wall  31  and the inner wall  32  of the cover  30  as shown in FIG.  17  and the female connector housing  60  is pushed in a direction in which both connector housings  50  and  60  are engaged, the end  44  of the lever  40  is touched to the protrusion  67   a  for the fulcrum of the lever of the rib  67  inside the hood  61  of the female connector housing  60  as shown in FIG.  16  and the lever  40  begins to be turned. As shown in FIG. 15, when the female connector housing  60  is further pushed in the direction of engagement, the hood  61  of the female connector housing  60  is pulled between the outer wall  31  and the inner wall  32  of the cover  30  by the leverage of the lever  40  (leverage with the spindle  39   c  for supporting the base  41  of the lever  40  so that the base can be turned as a point where force is applied, the circular arc surface  54   a  of the guide bar  54  of the male connector housing  50  as a point of application and the protrusion  67   a  of the rib  67  of the female connector housing  60  as a fulcrum) and both connector housings  50  and  60  are engaged. As a result, both connector housings  50  and  60  can be readily engaged by the leverage of the lever  40  only by sliding the female connector housing  60  with small force in the direction of engagement. 
     For maintenance, checking and others, in case both connector housings  50  and  60  are disengaged from the completely engaged state shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 of both connector housings  50  and  60 , they are operated as shown in FIGS. 13 to  17 . That is, between the start of the disengagement of both connector housings  50  and  60  shown in FIG.  14  and the disengagement of female and male terminals  53  and  63  shown in FIG. 17, the end  44  of the lever  40  is touched to the protrusion  67   a  for the fulcrum of the lever of the rib  67  inside the hood  61  of the female connector housing  60 , the lever  40  is turned in a reverse direction to the time of engagement and both connector housings are disengaged, pulling in the guide bar  54  of the male connector housing  50 . Simultaneously when the rib  67  inside the hood  61  of the female connector housing  60  escapes under the end  44  of the lever  40  in a state shown in FIG. 17, the disengagement of the female and male terminals  53  and  63  is completed. As a result, both connector housings  50  and  60  can be readily disengaged by the leverage of the lever  40  only by sliding the female connector housing  60  in the direction of disengagement with small force. 
     As described above, as an interval between the guide bar  54  of the male connector housing  50  and the lever extruding portion  55  is set so that it is smaller (as shown in FIGS. 14 to  17 ) than the interval according to the related art (as shown in FIG. 19) both connector housings  50  and  60  can be smoothly and securely engaged or disengaged by the leverage of the lever  40  with small force when both connector housings  50  and  60  are engaged or disengaged. As shown in FIG. 14, as the halfway portion  43  of the lever  40  is held among the lever extruding portion  69  integrally protruded from the female connector housing  60 , the guide bar  54  of the male connector housing  50  and the lever extruding portion  55  of the male connector housing  50  when both connector housings  50  and  60  are engaged, the engaged state of both connector housings  50  and  60  can be securely held. 
     As described above, according to the present invention, as an interval between the point of application of one connector housing and the lever extruding portion is set to be small so that it is substantially equal to the width of the halfway portion of the lever, both connector housings can be smoothly and securely engaged or disengaged by the leverage of the lever by small force when the connector housings are engaged or disengaged.