Patent Publication Number: US-9431762-B2

Title: Connector

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a connector. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     U.S. Pat. No. 8,585,421 discloses a connector including an outer housing fixed to a case of a motor, an inner housing provided movably in an accommodating portion of the outer housing and a mating connector to be connected to the inner housing. The mating connector is connected to the inner housing by bringing a case of an inverter to which the mating connector is fixed and the case of the motor closer to each other. Dimensional errors between the cases are absorbed by a movement of the inner housing in the accommodating portion. 
     The inner housing may be accommodated into the accommodating portion from a front of the outer housing if a wire is not connected to a terminal fitting in the inner housing of the above-described connector. An inner bottom surface of the accommodating portion functions as a stopper when the inner housing receives a connecting force from the mating connector. Thus, the inner housing is not detached toward the back with respect to the outer housing. 
     On the other hand, a terminal fitting with a wire drawn out toward the back may be mounted in the inner housing of the above-described connector. In this situation operability is improved if the inner housing is mounted into the accommodating portion from the back of the outer housing. However, the back surface of the outer housing may have a large opening for accommodating the inner housing. The inner housing receives a connecting force from the mating connector when connecting the inner housing and the mating connector. This connecting force may detach the inner housing toward the back of the outer housing in. 
     The invention was completed based on the above situation and aims to prevent the    separation of a connector. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention includes a holder having a peripheral wall that is open on opposite end surfaces. A first housing is assembled with and accommodated in the peripheral wall from one end of the holder and a second housing is to be connected to the first housing from the other end of the holder. A stopper is formed on one of an inner surface of the peripheral wall and an outer surface of the first housing, and a resilient contact piece is formed on the other of the inner surface of the peripheral wall and the outer surface of the first housing. The resilient contact piece is deflected by interference with the stopper when assembling the first housing into the peripheral wall, and the resilient contact piece is locked to the stopper to regulate detachment of the first housing from the peripheral wall toward the one end surface side in the process of connecting the first and second housings. Accordingly, it is possible to regulate detachment of the first housing from the holder by a connecting force with the second housing while assembling the first housing into the peripheral wall from the one end of the holder. Thus, separation of the connector can be prevented. 
     The resilient contact piece may be in contact with an outer surface of the second housing to regulate the separation thereof from the stopper with the first and second housings connected. Thus, the detachment of the first housing from the holder can be prevented reliably. 
     The peripheral wall may be formed with a guide groove for guiding the moving of the first housing by causing the resilient contact piece to slide in contact therewith. The engagement of the resilient contact piece and the guide groove prevents relative movements of the first housing with respect to the holder in directions intersecting a moving direction. 
     The resilient contact piece may slide in contact with the guide groove while being resiliently deflected. Accordingly, abnormal noise will not be generated by the contact and    separation of the resilient contact piece and the guide groove. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a section showing the process of assembling devices and connecting connectors in one embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a section showing a state where the assembling of the devices and the connection of the connectors is completed. 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom view showing first and second connectors are connected. 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of a holder. 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the holder. 
         FIG. 6  is a front view of a first terminal holding member constituting a first housing. 
         FIG. 7  is a front view showing a state where a resilient locking piece is locked in the first terminal holding member. 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of the first terminal holding member. 
         FIG. 9  is a bottom view of the first terminal holding member. 
         FIG. 10  is a front view of a second terminal holding member constituting a second housing. 
         FIG. 11  is a side view of the second terminal holding member. 
         FIG. 12  is a bottom view of the second terminal holding member. 
         FIG. 13  is a side view in section showing a state where the resilient locking pieces and locks are locked in the process of connecting the first and second housings. 
         FIG. 14  is a side view in section showing a state where the first and second housings are connected properly. 
         FIG. 15  is a side view in section showing a state where locking between the resilient locking pieces and the locks is released by lock releasing portions.    
         FIG. 16  is a side view in section showing a state where locking between the resilient locking pieces and the locks is released and the housings in the properly connected state are moved with respect to the holder. 
         FIG. 17  is a side view in section showing a state where the properly connected housings are moved with respect to the holder and resilient contact pieces are in contact with stoppers. 
         FIG. 18  is a side view in section showing a state where the properly connected housings are moved with respect to the holder and the detachment of the housings from the holder is regulated by locking between the resilient contact pieces and the stoppers. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A connector in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is identified by the letter A in  FIGS. 1-3  and includes a first connector F on a first device  60  and a second connector M on a second device  70 . The first device  60  is provided fixedly, such as on a seat back of a seat of an automotive vehicle. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a first mounting hole  61  vertically penetrates an upper part of the first device  60 . The second device  70  is assembled with the first device  60  by being brought closer from above, such as on a head rest of an automotive vehicle. A second mounting hole  71  vertically penetrates the second device  70 . The first connector F and the second connector M are connected when the second device  70  is assembled with the first device  60 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the first connector F is mounted on the first device  60  so that a surface facing the second connector M faces up. The first connector F includes a holder  10  made of synthetic resin, a first housing  21  made of synthetic resin and a plurality of female first terminal fittings  34  mounted in the first housing  21 . The first housing  21  is relatively movable in a vertical direction with respect to the holder  10 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the holder  10  includes a substantially rectangular tubular    peripheral wall  11  with open upper and lower ends. The peripheral wall  11  includes a front panel, a rear panel and opposite left and right side panels. Each of the left and right side panels is formed with front and rear slits that are long and narrow in the vertical direction. Areas of the left and right side panels between the slits define first resilient lock pieces  12  that are long and narrow in the vertical direction and are supported on the front and rear panels at opposite upper and lower ends. A first lock projection  13  projects out on an upper part of the first resilient lock piece  12 . 
     Four first locking projections  14  are formed on the outer surface of the peripheral wall  11  at positions slightly below the first lock projections  13  and at front and rear sides of each first resilient lock piece  12 . With the first connector F mounted on the first device  60 , the first lock projections  13  of the first resilient lock pieces  12  are locked to an edge of the first mounting hole  61  from above, as shown in  FIG. 1 , and the first locking projections  14  are locked to the edge of the first mounting hole  61  from below, as shown in  FIG. 4 . Thus, the edge of the first mounting hole  61  is sandwiched vertically by the first lock projections  13  of the first resilient lock pieces  12  and the first locking projections  14  to mount the first connector F (holder  10 ) on the first device  60  with vertical movements regulated or limited. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , front and rear symmetrical resilient locking pieces  15  are formed in the peripheral wall  11 . Each resilient locking piece  15  is supported bilaterally symmetrically on the front or rear panel of the peripheral wall  11 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , each resilient locking piece  15  includes left and right arms  16  connected to the inner surface of the front or rear panel and extending up along the front or rear panel. Upper extending ends of the arms  16  are coupled by a coupling  17  that is long and narrow in a lateral direction. As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 7 , each coupling  17  has left and right locking claws  18 . The resilient locking piece  15  is resiliently deflectable forward and backward with lower ends of the arms  16  as supports. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , long narrow front and rear guide grooves  19  are formed in opposite    left and right regions of the front and rear panels of the peripheral wall  11 . Upper ends of the guide grooves  19  are open at the upper end of the peripheral wall  11  (holder  10 ) to face the second connector M. The guide grooves  19  guide the first housing  21  when the first housing  21  is moved vertically with respect to the holder  10 . Lower ends of the guide grooves  19  are closed by stoppers  20  that have upper surfaces aligned oblique to the vertical direction (see  FIGS. 14, 17 and 18 ). 
     The first housing  21  includes a first terminal holding member  22  for accommodating the first terminal fittings  34  and a first retainer  32  mounted on an upper end of the first terminal holding member  22  to retain the first terminal fittings  34 . Opposite left and right outer surfaces of an upper end of the first retainer  32  define first deflection regulating portions  33 . The first deflection regulating portions  33  function to regulate resilient deflection of second resilient lock pieces  44  in directions separating from a edge of the second mounting hole  71 . 
     The first terminal holding member  22  has two pairs of symmetrical front and rear locks  23 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the locks  23  are arranged substantially on a vertical central part of the first terminal holding member  22 . Each lock  23  has two plate-like and bilaterally symmetrical holding projections  24  projecting from the front or rear surface of the first terminal holding member  22  and a receiving projection  25  between the holding projections  24 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , the holding projection  24  has a substantially right triangular shape in a side view. A guide edge  26  is defined at the top of the holding projection  24  and is oblique to the vertical direction. A horizontal locking edge  27  is defined at the bottom of the holding projection  24 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 9 , the first terminal holding member  22  (first housing  21 ) is formed with two pairs of symmetrical front and rear resilient contact pieces  28 . The resilient contact pieces  28  are arranged on opposite left and right sides of the front and rear surfaces of the first terminal holding member  22 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , the resilient contact piece  28  on the front surface has a base  29  projecting forward from a lower part of the first terminal holding member  22     and a contact portion  30  cantilevered up from a front end projecting end of the base  29 . The resilient contact piece  28  on the rear surface has a base  29  projecting back from the lower end of the first terminal holding member  22  and a contact portion  30  cantilevered up from a rear projecting end part of the base  29 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 9 , the resilient contact piece  28  on the front surface projects farther forward than the front surface of the first terminal holding member  22 . The contact portion  30  of the resilient contact piece  28  on the front surface projects farther forward than the base  29  and an upper end of a front of the contact portion  30  defines a guide  31  aligned oblique to the vertical direction, as shown in  FIG. 8 . Similarly, the resilient contact piece  28  on the rear surface projects farther back than the rear surface of the first terminal holding member  22 , as shown in  FIG. 9 . The contact portion  30  on the rear surface projects farther back than the base  29  and an upper part of a rear edge of this contact portion  30  defines a guide  31  aligned oblique to the vertical direction as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     A long wire (not shown) is connected to a lower part of each first terminal fitting  34  and drawn out downward of the first housing  21 . Accordingly, in assembling the first housing  21  with the holder  10 , the first housing  21  is accommodated into the peripheral wall  11  from below the holder  10  (from a side opposite to a side connected to the second housing  40 ) so that the wires do not obstruct the assembling operation. In the process of assembling the first housing  21  into the peripheral wall  11 , the guides  31  of the resilient contact pieces  28  interfere with the stoppers  20 , so that the resilient contact pieces  28  deflect resiliently toward the front or rear surface of the first housing  21  with the bases  29  as supports. 
     The resilient contact pieces  28  resiliently return when the contact portions  30  pass over the stoppers  20  and the contact portions  30  are fit into the guide grooves  19  (see  FIG. 14 ). Thereafter, the contact portions  30  slide in contact with the inner surfaces of the guide grooves  19 ,    as the first housing  21  is assembled. This sliding contact positions the first housing  21  with respect to the holder  10  in a front-back direction and a lateral direction and regulates relative movements in the front-back direction and the lateral direction. Further, the resilient contact pieces  28  are resiliently in contact with the guide grooves  19  while being slightly resiliently deflected. Thus, collision sounds are not generated between the resilient contact pieces  28  and the holder  10  even if vibration is applied to the holder  10  and the first housing  21 . 
     The guide edges  26  (see  FIG. 8 ) on the holding projections  24  of the locks  23  on the first housing  21  contact the couplings  17  of the resilient locking pieces  15  of the holder  10  from below as the first housing  21  is assembled further and deflect the resilient locking pieces  15  out toward the inner surface of the peripheral wall  11 . The holding projections  24  pass over the couplings  17  when the first housing  21  reaches a proper height in the holder  10 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . Thus, the resilient locking pieces  15  resiliently return. 
     The locking edges  27  of the holding projections  24  are locked to the couplings  17  from above, and regulate a downward relative movement of the first housing  21  with respect to the holder  10 . Simultaneously, the locking claws  18  of the resilient locking pieces  15  engage the receiving projections  25  of the first housing  21  from above to regulate an upward movement of the first housing  21  with respect to the holder  10 . Thus, the first housing  21  is held assembled with the holder  10  with vertical relative movements regulated at a proper waiting position. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the second connector M is mounted on the second device  70  from above with a surface facing down toward the first connector F. The second connector M includes a second housing  40  made of synthetic resin and male second terminal fittings  52  are mounted in the second housing  40 . The second housing  40  includes a second terminal holding member  41  for holding the second terminal fittings  52  and a second retainer  51  for retaining the second terminal fittings  52 . The second terminal holding member  41  has a unitary housing main    body  42  for holding the second terminal fittings  52  and a substantially rectangular tubular receptacle  43  surrounding a lower area of the housing main body  42 . The second retainer  51  is mounted on a lower end of the second terminal holding member  41 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , each of the opposite left and right side plates of the receptacle  43  has front and rear slits (see  FIG. 11 ) extending down from the upper end thereof (end of the receptacle  43  opposite to the end facing the first connector F). Areas of the left and right side plates between the slits define second resilient lock pieces  44  in the form of long, narrow vertical plates that have lower ends supported on the side plates. A second lock  45  projects out from an upper part of each second resilient lock piece  44 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , second locking flanges  46  project out from upper ends (positions slightly above the second locks  45 ) of opposite front and rear plates of the receptacle  43 . With the second connector M mounted on the second device  70 , the second locks  45  of the second resilient contact pieces  44  are locked to edges of the second mounting hole  71  from below, as shown in  FIG. 1  and the second locking flanges  46  are locked to the edge of the second mounting hole  71  from above, as shown in  FIG. 11 . The second connector M is mounted on the second device  70  with vertical relative movements regulated by vertically sandwiching the edge of the second mounting hole  71  between the second locks  45  of the second resilient lock pieces  44  and the second locking flanges  46 . 
     Left and right slits extend up from lower ends of the front and rear plates of the receptacle  43  (end of the receptacle  43  on a side facing the first connector F), as shown in  FIGS. 10 and 12 . Areas of the front and rear plates between the slits define downwardly cantilevered lock releasing portions  47  in the form of long narrow vertical plates. A releasing projection  48  in the form of a rib extends laterally at a lower position on the outer surface of the lock releasing portion  47 . 
     Areas of the left and right side plates of the receptacle  43  below the second resilient lock    pieces  44  define left and right second deflection regulating portions  49 . The second deflection regulating portions  49  regulate resilient deflection of the first resilient lock pieces  12  inward in directions separating from the edge of the first mounting hole  61 . Further, opposite left and right ends of a lower end part of each of the front and rear plates of the receptacle  43  define left and right pressure receiving portions  50  that regulate deflection of the resilient contact pieces  28  in directions away from the stoppers  20  (inward) when the connectors F, M are connected. 
     The second device  70  is assembled with the first device  60  from above so that the receptacle  43  of the second housing  40  fits into a space between the outer surface of the first housing  21  and the inner surface of the holder  10  to start the connection of the housings  21 ,  40 . The releasing projections  48  of the lock releasing portions  47  of the second housing  40  contact the couplings  17  of the resilient locking pieces  15  of the holder  10  from above immediately before the housings  21 ,  40  reach a properly connected state, as shown in  FIG. 13 . Locking between the resilient locking pieces  15  and the locks  23  prevent relative vertical movement between the first housing  21  and the holder  10  until this state is reached, as shown in  FIG. 7 . Further, as shown in  FIG. 14 , the resilient contact pieces  28  are separated upward from the stoppers  20 . 
     As the assembling of the devices  60 ,  70  and the connection of the housings  21 ,  40  (both connectors F, M) proceeds from a state shown in  FIG. 13 , the releasing projections  48  press the couplings  17 , as shown in  FIG. 15 . Thus, the resilient locking pieces  15  deflected out (forward or backward) and disengage from the locks  23 . Thus, the couplings  17  of the resilient locking pieces  15  are separated from the holding projections  24  of the first housing  21 . During this lock releasing operation by the lock releasing portions  47 , the housings  21 ,  40  are connected properly and the terminal fittings  34 ,  52  are connected. Further, releasing the resilient locking pieces  15  from the locks  23  enables the first housing  21  to move down (direction opposite to the connecting direction to the second housing  40 ) with respect to the holder  10 . As the assembling of the devices  60 ,  70     proceeds, the housings  21 ,  40  move down with respect to the holder  10  substantially as an integrated assembly (while maintaining the properly connected state). 
     A relative moving distance of the housings  21 ,  40  with respect to the holder  10  varies depending on an assembling tolerance of the devices  60 ,  70 .  FIG. 17  shows an example of a positional relationship of the housings  21 ,  40  and the holder  10  in a state where the assembling of the both devices  60 ,  70  is completed. In this example, the resilient contact pieces  28  are in contact with the stoppers  20  from above while being hardly resiliently deflected. If the assembling tolerance of the devices  60 ,  70  differ, the height (vertical position) of the housings  21 ,  40  with respect to the holder  10  is higher or lower than the position shown in  FIG. 17 . 
     If the housings  21 ,  40  in the connected state are going to move excessively down with respect to the holder  10 , the resilient contact pieces  28  are deflected in by interference with the stoppers  20 , as shown in  FIG. 18 . If the resilient contact pieces  28  are deflected to a large extent, the resilient contact pieces  28  may pass over the stoppers  20 , and the housings  21 ,  40  may detach down (direction opposite to the connecting direction of the first housing  21  to the second housing  40 ) from the holder  10 . However, the resilient contact pieces  28  contact the pressure receiving portions  50  of the second housing  40  while being kept locked to the stoppers  20  to regulate or limit any further inward deflection. Thus, the housings  21 ,  40  are not detached down from the holder  10 . 
     As described above, the connector A has the holder  10  to be mounted on the first device  60  so as to move integrally in an assembling direction of the first and second devices  60 ,  70 , and the first housing  21  is movable with respect to the holder  10  substantially in the assembling direction of the second device  70  with the first device  60 . The holder  10  has the resiliently deflectable resilient locking pieces  15  and the first housing  21  has the locks  23  for regulating movements of the first housing  21  with respect to the holder  10  by locking the resilient locking pieces  15 . 
     The second housing  40  is mounted on the second device  70  to move integrally in the    assembling direction of the first and second devices  60 ,  70  and is formed with the lock releasing portions  47 . In the process of assembling the devices  60 ,  70 , the housings  21 ,  40  are connected properly and the lock releasing portions  47  deflect the resilient locking pieces  15  to separate the resilient locking pieces  15  from the locks  23 . The release of the locking between the resilient locking pieces  15  and the locks  23  enables the first housing  21  to move down with respect to the holder  10  while being kept properly connected to the second housing  40  as the assembling of the devices  60 ,  70  proceeds. 
     The resilient locking pieces  15  are integral with the holder  10  and the locks  23  are integral with the first housing  21  for reliably connecting the second housing  40  to the movable first housing  21  while allowing the first housing  21  to move with respect to the holder  10 . Thus, a separate component is not necessary and the number of components is reduced. 
     The holder  10  includes the peripheral wall  11  for surrounding the first housing  21 , and the resilient locking pieces  15  are formed on the holder  10  to be located inside the peripheral wall  11 . Accordingly, the peripheral wall  11  protects the resilient locking pieces  15  from interference from external matter. Further, the lock releasing portions  47  receive inward reaction forces due to resilient restoring forces of the resilient locking pieces  15  when resiliently deflecting the resilient locking pieces  15  outward. However, the outer surface of the first housing  21  is in contact with or proximately facing the inner surface sides of the lock releasing portions  47 . Thus, the lock releasing portions  47  hardly deflect inward. Thus, the lock releasing portions  47  can reliably deflect the resilient locking pieces  15  in directions separating from the locking portions  23 . 
     The connector A includes the holder  10  with the peripheral wall  11  that is open on the upper side facing the second connector M and on the lower side. Thus, the first housing  21  is assembled into the peripheral wall  11  through the lower side of the holder  10  and the second housing  40  is connected to the first housing  21  through the upper side of the holder  10 . The    stoppers  20  are formed on the inner surface of the peripheral wall  11 , the resilient contact pieces  28  are formed on the outer surface of the first housing  21  and the resilient contact pieces  28  are resiliently deflected by interference with the stoppers  20  in the process of assembling the first housing  21  into the peripheral wall  11 . 
     The resilient contact pieces  28  are locked to the stoppers  20  in the process of assembling the first housing  21  into the peripheral wall  11  and connecting the first housings  21  to the second housing  40 , thereby impeding detachment of the first housing  21  from the peripheral wall  11  toward the lower side. Accordingly, detachment of the first housing  21  from the holder  10  toward the lower side is impeded by a connecting force with the second housing  40  while the assembling of the first housing  21  into the peripheral wall  11  through the lower side of the holder  10 . That is, the first connector F is not separated. 
     The resilient contact pieces  28  are in contact with the outer surface (pressure receiving portions  50 ) of the second housing  40  when the housings  21 ,  40  are connected to impede separation from the stoppers  20 . Accordingly, the first housing  21  will not detach from the holder  10 . Further, the resilient contact pieces  28  to slide in contact with the guide grooves  19  of the peripheral wall  11  for guiding the movement of first housing  21 . Accordingly, the engagement of the resilient contact pieces  28  and the guide grooves  19  prevents relative movements of the first housing  21  with respect to the holder  10  in directions intersecting a moving direction. Further, the resilient contact pieces  28  slide in contact with the guide grooves  19  while being resiliently deflected. Thus, there is no abnormal noise due to the contact and separation of the resilient contact pieces  28  and the guide grooves  19 . 
     A mounting structure of the first device  60  formed with the first mounting hole  61  and the first connector F to be mounted in the first mounting hole  61  is described in this embodiment. In this mounting structure, the first resilient lock pieces  12  to be resiliently deflected by interfering    with the edge of the first mounting hole  61  in the process of mounting the first connector F into the first mounting hole  61  are formed on the outer surface of the first connector F. Further, the first locking projections  14  are formed on the outer surface of the first connector F for holding the first connector F mounted in the first mounting hole  61  by sandwiching the edge of the first mounting hole  61  between the first resilient lock pieces  12  and the first locking projections  14 . 
     The second connector M is formed with the second deflection regulating portions  49  for preventing deflection of the first resilient lock pieces  12  away from the edge of the first mounting hole  61  when the second connector M is connected to the first connector F. Accordingly, the edge of the first mounting hole  61  is held sandwiched between the first resilient lock pieces  12  and the first locking projections  14  when the first and second connectors F, M are connected. Thus, the first connector F is mounted reliably in the first mounting hole  61  of the first device  60 . 
     The first connector F has the peripheral wall  11  with the first resilient lock pieces  12 , and the block-like first housing  21  is accommodated in the peripheral wall  11 . The second connector M has the receptacle  43  to be accommodated between the inner surface of the peripheral wall  11  and the outer surface of the first housing  21  and the receptacle  43  functions as the first deflection regulating portion  33 . Thus, the receptacle  43  additionally functions as the first deflection regulating portion  33  so that the shape of the second connector M can be simplified as compared with the case where dedicated deflection regulating portions are separate from the receptacle  43 . 
     Similarly, a mounting structure of the second device  70  formed with the second mounting hole  71  and the second connector M to be mounted in the second mounting hole  71  is described above. The second resilient lock pieces  44  are formed on the outer surface of the second connector M and resiliently deflect by interfering with the edge of the second mounting hole  71  when mounting the second connector M in the second mounting hole  71 . Further, the second locking projections  46  are formed on the outer surface of the second connector M to hold the second    connector M in the second mounting hole  71  by sandwiching the edge of the second mounting hole  71  between the second resilient lock pieces  44  and the second locking projections  46 . 
     The first connector F connectable to the second connector M is formed with the first deflection regulating portions  33  for regulating resilient deflection of the second resilient lock pieces  44  in the directions separating from the edge of the second mounting hole  71  with the first connector F connected to the second connector M. Accordingly, when the first and second connectors F, M are connected, the state where the edge of the second mounting hole  71  is sandwiched between the second resilient lock pieces  44  and the second locking projections  46  is maintained. Thus, the second connector M is mounted reliably in the second mounting hole  71 . 
     The second connector M may include the receptacle  43  formed with the second resilient lock pieces  44 , the first connector F may include the first housing  21  surrounded by the peripheral wall  11  and to be accommodated into the receptacle  43  and the first housing  21  may function as the first deflection regulating portions  33 . According to this configuration, since the first housing  21  additionally has a function as the first deflection regulating portions  33 , the shape of the first connector F can be simplified as compared with the case where dedicated deflection regulating portions are formed separately from the first housing  21 . 
     The invention is not limited to the above described and illustrated embodiment. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the scope of the invention. 
     Although displacements of the resilient contact pieces in the directions separating from the stoppers are regulated by the contact of the resilient contact pieces with the outer surface of the second surface in the above embodiment, the resilient contact pieces may be locked to the stoppers without contacting the second housing. 
     In the above embodiment, the stoppers are formed on the holder and the resilient contact pieces are formed on the first housing. However, the stoppers may be formed on the first housing    and the resilient contact pieces may be formed on the holder. 
     In the above embodiment, the first housing is a block-like female housing and the second housing is a male housing including a receptacle capable of accommodating the first housing. However, the first housing may be a male housing including a receptacle and the second housing may be a female housing to be fitted into the receptacle. 
     In the above embodiment, the first device is fixed and the second device is assembled with the first device by being brought closer. However, the second device may be fixed and the first device may be assembled with the second device by being brought closer. 
     In the above embodiment, the first and second devices are assembled properly by the first housing moving with respect to the holder also after connection to the second housing. However, the first and second devices may be assembled properly when the first and second housings are connected. 
     Although the resilient contact pieces slide in contact with the guide grooves while being held resiliently in contact with the guide grooves in the above embodiment, they may slide in contact with the guide grooves without being resiliently deflected. 
     Although the guide grooves to be engaged with the resilient contact pieces are formed on the holder in the above embodiment, the holder may be formed with no guide groove.    
     LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS 
     A . . . connector 
       10  . . . holder 
       11  . . . peripheral wall portion 
       19  . . . guide groove 
       20  . . . stopper 
       21  . . . first housing 
       28  . . . resilient contact piece 
       40  . . . second housing