Patent Publication Number: US-6659797-B2

Title: Connector with resiliently deflectable lock arm

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a connector. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A connector with watertight characteristics is disclosed in FIG. 24 herein. The connector has terminal fittings  1  mounted in a terminal accommodating portion  2 . The terminal accommodating portion  2  is surrounded by a receptacle  3 , and together the terminal accommodating portion  2  and the receptacle  3  define a housing  4 . A rubber ring  5  is mounted on the outer surface of the terminal accommodating portion  2 . 
     A mating housing can be inserted between the terminal accommodating portion  2  and the receptacle  3 . The mating housing squeezes the rubber ring  5  and hence provides a watertight fit between the housings. The housing  4  further includes a lock arm  6  with front and rear ends and a lock hole  7  formed near the front end. Supports  8  connect a longitudinally central portion of the lock arm  6  to the upper surface of the terminal accommodating portion  2 . The supports  8  act as a pivot point and permit the lock arm  6  to deform resiliently up and down like a seesaw. Thus, the lock arm  6  can be deformed so that the lock hole  7  engages a lock on the mating housing. 
     A trend toward miniaturization exists throughout the electrical connector industry, and hence a demand exists to make the above-described connector shorter. This necessarily would require shortening the terminal accommodating portion  2 , which extends substantially the entire length of the connector. The rubber ring  5  and a retainer  9  for locking the terminal fittings  1  in the terminal accommodating portion  2  are disposed between the front end of the terminal accommodating portion  2  and the supports  8 . As a result, there are few options for shortening the housing  4  at locations on the terminal accommodating portion  2  forward of the supports  8 . 
     The terminal accommodating portion  2  conceivably could be shortened at locations rearward of the supports  8 . However, the rear end of the lock arm  6  also would have to be shortened to ensure that the lock arm  6  does not project backward beyond the terminal accommodating portion  2 . As a result, the supports  8  would be near the rear end of the lock arm  6 , and a large force would be required to press the rear end of the lock arm  6  for detaching the two housings. Therefore, there has been a limit in making the connector smaller. 
     The present invention was developed in view of the above problem and an object of the invention is to provide a connector that can be made smaller. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is directed to a connector with a housing that comprises a terminal accommodating portion and a receptacle that surrounds at least part of the terminal accommodating portion. At least one terminal fitting is insertable into the terminal accommodating portion from behind. A resiliently deformable lock arm is provided for holding a mating housing between the terminal accommodating portion and the receptacle. The lock arm is coupled to the receptacle by at least one support and is resiliently deformable about the support as pivot point. The support preferably projects laterally from a lateral side of the lock arm. 
     The coupling of the lock arm to the receptacle at the support improves the options for locating the support along forward and backward directions. Thus, the supports do not need to be moved back even if the terminal accommodating portion is shortened. Therefore, the connector can be made shorter without affecting operability of the connector. 
     An auxiliary support may be provided for coupling a rear end of the lock arm to the terminal accommodating portion. The lock arm is supported resiliently by the auxiliary support, and therefore the housings can be held in a mated condition with an enhanced force. 
     The auxiliary support may be widened gradually toward the terminal accommodating portion. Accordingly, the strength of the auxiliary support is enhanced. 
     The auxiliary support preferably is provided such that wires projecting from the terminal accommodating portion are substantially prevented from entering between the terminal accommodating portion and the lock arm. 
     The support preferably is at an intermediate longitudinal position along the lock arm, and preferably is slightly behind the longitudinal center of the lock arm. 
     The support may gradually widen toward the receptacle. Accordingly, the strength of the support is enhanced. 
     The rear end of the lock arm preferably defines an operable portion. Further, the support preferably is coupled to the operable portion by a coupling portion. Accordingly, a resilient force created when the resilient lock arm is deformed is enhanced. 
     Most preferably, an excessive-displacement restraining means is provided for preventing the lock arm from being displaced excessively. 
     These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings. It should be understood that even though embodiments are described separately, single features thereof may be combined to additional embodiments. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front view of a housing, a holder and a retainer according to one embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the housing, the holder and the retainer. 
     FIG. 3 is a section along  3 — 3  of FIG. 1 showing an exploded state of a female connector. 
     FIG. 4 is a section along  4 — 4  of FIG. 1 showing the exploded state of the female connector. 
     FIG. 5 is a section along  5 — 5  of FIG. 1 showing the housing and the retainer. 
     FIG. 6 is a rear view of the holder. 
     FIG. 7 is a front view showing a state where the retainer is mounted at a partial locking position on the housing in which the holder is mounted. 
     FIG. 8 is a section along  8 — 8  of FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 9 is a section along  9 — 9  of FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 10 is a section along  10 — 10  of FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 11 is a section along  11 — 11  of FIG.  10 . 
     FIG. 12 is a front view showing a state where the retainer is at a full locking position. 
     FIG. 13 is a section along  13 — 13  of FIG.  12 . 
     FIG. 14 is a section along  14 — 14  of FIG.  12 . 
     FIG. 15 is a section along  15 — 15  of FIG.  12 . 
     FIG. 16 is a section along  16 — 16  of FIG.  15 . 
     FIG. 17 is a perspective view partly cut away showing the female connector. 
     FIG. 18 is a rear view of the housing. 
     FIG. 19 is a side view in section showing a state before two housings are connected with each other. 
     FIG. 20 is a side view in section showing a state where a lock arm is deflected while the two housings are being connected with each other. 
     FIG. 21 is a perspective view partly cut away showing a state where the lock arm is deflected. 
     FIG. 22 is a side view in section showing a state where the two housings are properly connected with each other. 
     FIG. 23 is an enlarged plan view in section of a modification. 
     FIG. 24 is a section of a prior art connector. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A female connector in accordance with the invention includes a housing  10 , as shown in FIG.  1 . The housing  10  is made of a synthetic resin and includes a terminal accommodating portion  11 . The housing also includes a receptacle  12  that surrounds a front end of the terminal accommodating portion  11 , as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The receptacle  12  is a forwardly open rectangular tube that is coupled to the terminal accommodating portion  11  by a coupling portion that bulges out near the rear of the terminal accommodating portion  11 . A mating male connector can be inserted between the receptacle  12  and the terminal accommodating portion  11  from the front, as described and illustrated below. The terminal accommodating portion  11  accommodates terminal fittings  13 , each of which has a substantially box-shaped connecting portion  14  and a barrel  15  that is crimped into connection with an end of a wire W. A rubber plug  16  is fitted on an end of the insulation coating of the wire W and is crimped by the barrel  15 . 
     Five cavities  19  are arrayed laterally in the housing  10  and are dimensioned to receive the terminal fittings  13  from behind, as shown in FIG. 3. A front half of each cavity  19  has a substantially rectangular cross section that conforms to the shape of the connecting portion  14  of the terminal fitting  13 . A rear half of each cavity  19  has a circular cross-section that conforms to the shape of the rubber plug  16 . Thus, the rubber plug  16  is held close to the inner surface of the cavity  19  to protect the inside of the cavity  19  from water. 
     A lock  20  is cantilevered from an upper front of each cavity  19  and intersects an inserting direction of the terminal fitting  13 , as shown in FIG.  4 . The lock  20  is deformed resiliently in a deformation direction and into a deformation permitting space  21  during insertion of the terminal fitting  13  into the cavity  19 . However the lock  20  is restored resiliently substantially to its original shape when the terminal fitting  13  reaches a proper depth and engages a projection  17  on the upper surface of the engaging portion  14 . At this time, the terminal fitting  13  is accommodated in the cavity  19  and its front end projects forward from the terminal accommodating portion  11 . 
     The front halves of adjacent cavities  19  are partitioned by partition walls  22 , each of which is slightly narrower than the front half of the corresponding cavity  19 . Each partition wall  22  has a notch  23  that opens forwardly from the base end of the lock  20 . Each notch  23  is disposed at the upper part of the partition wall  22  and extends over more than half the height of the partition wall  22 , as shown in FIG.  1 . Thus, each notch  23  extends from the upper end of the partition wall  22  to a position below the bottom end of the lock  20 . Substantially V-shaped positioning grooves  25  are formed in the upper and lower surfaces of the notches  23 . 
     An unlocking piece  24  is coupled to a side surface of the lock  20  over substantially its entire length and projects from the back end of each notch  23 . The unlocking piece  24  can be pressed with a jig to disengage the lock  20  from the terminal fitting  13 . The unlocking piece  24  is about half as wide as the respective notch  23 . 
     A retainer mount hole  26  penetrates the terminal accommodating portion  11  transversely and communicates with the cavities  19  at a position slightly behind the locks  20 , as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Front and rear holding projections  27  project at the rear side of the retainer mount hole  26 , as shown in FIG. 5, and a mold removal hole  28  opens forwardly at the front side of the holding projections  27  for forming the back end surfaces of the holding projections  27 . Two laterally-extending holding grooves  29  are formed in each of the upper and lower surfaces of the terminal accommodating portion  11 , as shown in FIG. 4, and open sideways. Slanted surfaces are formed at each of the upper and lower sides of the front end surface of the terminal accommodating portion  11 . 
     A rubber ring  30  is fitted on the outer surface of the terminal accommodating portion  11  and can be squeezed tightly between the terminal accommodating portion  11  and the male connector to provide a watertight fit between the connectors. 
     A lock arm  31  is provided substantially at a widthwise center of the upper part of the receptacle  12  for holding the male connector connected. The lock arm  31  has its rear end coupled to the terminal accommodating portion  11  by two support arms  32  and has opposite lateral edges partially coupled to the receptacle  12  as shown in FIG.  5 . Thus the lock arm  31  is vertically resiliently displaceable, as described and illustrated below. 
     A retainer insertion hole  33  opens at the right side of the receptacle  12  in FIG.  5 . As shown in FIG. 2, the retainer mount hole  26  of the terminal accommodating portion  11  and the holding grooves  29  are exposed to the outside through the retainer insertion hole  33 . The retainer insertion hole  33 , the retainer mount hole  26  and the holding grooves  29  are formed by the same mold when the housing  10  is molded. Opposite sides and the bottom of the receptacle  12  are formed to bulge out as shown in FIG. 1, and hence to form three guide grooves  34  for guiding the connection of the male connector. 
     A retainer  40  is made e.g. of a synthetic resin and has a narrow plate-shaped base  41  for insertion into the retainer mount hole  26 . Locking projections  42  are formed on the lower surface of the base  41  and correspond in number and location to the cavities  19  and terminal fittings  13 . The locking projections  42  are formed on the lower surface of the base  41  and engage the terminal fittings  13  by projecting into the respective cavities  19 . A mount-maneuvering projection  43  is provided on the upper surface of the rear end of the base  41  with respect to the inserting direction of the retainer  40  into the terminal accommodating portion  11 . The mount-maneuvering projection  43  can be pushed from the side by a jig when the retainer  40  is to be mounted. A thin detach-maneuvering piece  44  is provided on the rear surface of the base  41  with respect to the inserting direction and can be pushed in a direction opposite to the insertion direction of the retainer  40  by a jig when the retainer  40  is to be detached. The side surface at the rear end of the retainer  40  with respect to the inserting direction is moderately arcuate. 
     Two first holding recesses  46  and two second holding recesses  47  are formed in this order in the lateral surfaces of the front side of the base  41  with respect to the inserting direction, as shown in FIG.  5 . The retainer  40  can be held in a partial locking position or a full locking position in the terminal accommodating portion  11  by engaging the first holding recesses  46  or the second holding recesses  47  with the holding projections  27  in the retainer mount hole  26 . Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, the retainer  40  is held at the partial locking position when the first holding recesses  46  engage the holding projections  27 . In this state, the respective locking projections  42  are retracted from the cavities  19  and are located substantially at the same positions as the partition walls  22 , as shown in FIG.  10 . Thus, insertion and withdrawal of the terminals  13  into and from the cavities  19  is permitted. 
     The retainer  40  can be moved to the full locking position where the second holding recesses  47  are engaged with the holding projections  27  as shown in FIG.  13 . In this state, the respective locking projections  42  enter the cavities  19  to engage the jaws  18  at the rear ends of the connecting portions  14  of the terminal fittings  13 , as shown in FIG.  14 . The locking projections  42  are slightly narrower than the partition walls  22 . Thus, the locking projections  42  are engaged with the jaws  18  of the terminal fittings  13  substantially over the entire width. 
     A synthetic resin holder  50  has a substantially elliptical front wall  51 , as shown in FIG. 6, and a substantially tubular holding plate  52  projects back from the front wall  51 . The holding plate  52  is fittable on the outer surface of the terminal accommodating portion  11  as shown in FIG. 4, and two holding projections  53  are provided on each of the inner upper and lower surfaces of the holding plate  52 . The holder  50  is held to the terminal accommodating portion  11  by engaging the holding projections  53  with the holding grooves  29  in the terminal accommodating portion  11 . In this state, the holding plate  52  engages the front end surface of the rubber ring  30  to prevent the rubber ring  30  from coming out (see FIG.  9 ). A bulging portion  54  is provided at the inner surface of a right end portion of the upper part of the holding plate  52  in FIG.  6  and enters the mold-removal hole  28  of the terminal accommodating portion  11 , as shown in FIG. 11. A communicating portion  55  opens sideways at the left end of the holding plate  52  in FIG.  6  and communicates with the retainer mount hole  26  and the retainer insertion hole  33 . A jig insertion recess  56  is formed in the front wall  51  before the communication portion  55 , as shown in FIG. 12, and allows the detach-maneuvering piece  44  of the retainer  40  at the full locking position to be exposed forward to outside and permits insertion of a jig to manipulate the detach-maneuvering piece  44 . An escaping recess  62  is formed in the right side of the holding plate  52  as shown in FIG.  6  and is opposite the communicating portion  55  for escaping the leading end of the base portion  41  as shown in FIG. 8 when the retainer  40  is moved to its full locking position. 
     Fitting recesses  57  are formed substantially side-by-side in the front wall  51  of the holder  50  and align with the cavities  19 , as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Thus, the fitting recesses  57  receive and support the front ends of the corresponding terminal fittings  13  that project forward from the terminal accommodating portion  11  to prevent loose movement of the terminal fittings  13  in vertical, lateral and forward directions. Insertion holes  58  are formed through the front wall  51  of the holder  50  in center positions of the respective fitting recesses  57 , as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6. The insertion holes  58  accommodate the male terminal fittings of the mating male connector. Jig insertion holes  59  communicate with the upper right portions of the fitting recesses  57  in FIG.  6  and penetrate the front wall  51  longitudinally along the insertion direction ID. The jig insertion holes  59  expose the unlocking pieces  24  of the locks  20  and permit insertion of the jig from the front to manipulate the unlocking pieces  24 , as shown in FIG.  7 . The jig insertion holes  59  are displaced obliquely from the insertion holes  58 . Thus, the male terminal fittings are unlikely to enter the jig insertion holes  59  erroneously even if the mating male connector is inclined during connection of the two connectors. 
     Four partition walls  60  project back from the rear surface of the front wall  51 . Each partition wall  60  is disposed at the right side of a respective one of the jig insertion holes  59  and at the left side of the corresponding fitting recesses  57 , as shown in FIG.  6 . The partition walls  60  move along a partition insertion direction PID as the holder  50  is mounted on the terminal accommodating portion  11  and then enter the respective the notches  23 , as shown in FIG.  11 . The partition walls  60  can be inserted into the notches  23  until the rear ends of the partition walls  60  contact the back ends of the notches  23 . Thus, the partition walls  60  completely close the notches  23 . The partition walls  60  insulate the terminal fittings  13  in adjacent cavities  19  from each other, and side surfaces of the partition walls  60  form parts of the side surfaces of the cavities  19 . The partition walls  60  are about half as wide as the partition walls  22 , and are dimensioned to provide minimum clearances between the partition walls  60  and both the locks  20  and the unlocking pieces  24 . More specifically, the left side surfaces of the partition walls  60  in FIG. 10 are recessed slightly from inner side surfaces of the fitting recesses  57  and the cavities  19 . Thus, the partition walls  60  do not hinder deformation of the locks  20 . 
     Substantially triangular positioning projections  61  extend up and down from upper and lower sides of each partition wall  60 , as shown in FIG.  11 . The positioning projections  61  engage in the V-shaped positioning grooves  25  in the notches  23  to position the partition walls  60  laterally. Small horizontal portions remain at the left sides of the upper and lower surfaces of the partition walls  60  in FIG. 11 adjacent the partitioning projections  61 . These horizontal portions contact the upper and lower surfaces of the notches  23 . 
     The lock arm  31  is a long narrow plate that extends longitudinally along forward and backward directions, as shown in FIG. 17. A lock hole  36  is formed in a front part of the lock arm  31 , and a rear part of the lock arm  31  defines an operable portion  37  that is wider than the front part of the lock arm  31 . The operable portion  37  can be pressed from above to deform the lock arm  31  resiliently or elastically. 
     Supports  35  project laterally from opposite sides of the lock arm  31  at positions slightly behind the longitudinal center of the lock arm  31  and couple the lock arm  31  to surfaces  12   a  of the receptacle  12  that face the lock arm  31 . Accordingly, the supports  35  are at least partly in the same plane as the lock arm  31 . The lock arm  31  is resiliently or elastically deformable upward and downward like a seesaw about the supports  35  as shown in FIGS. 20 and 21. The supports  35  gradually widen towards the receptacle  12  for enhanced strength. Coupling portions  35   a  couple the rear ends of the supports  35  to front end surfaces of opposite sides of the operable portions  37  for enhancing resilient or elastic forces created when the lock arm  31  is deformed about the supports  35 . 
     Support arms  32  couple the opposite sides of the lower rear surface of the lock arm  31  to the upper rear surface of the terminal accommodating portion  11 , as shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, so that the lock arm  31  can be supported resiliently or elastically. The support arms  32  preferably are long, narrow substantially rectangular beams that are bent in inverse L-shape when viewed sideways. Additionally, the support arms  32  are sufficiently resilient to accumulate a biasing force that will return the lock arm  31  to its natural unbiased state after a portion of the lock arm  31  behind the supports  35  has been displaced down. Thus, the support arms  32  are capable of enhancing the resilient force of the lock arm  31 . The support arms  32  are formed to gradually widen toward the terminal accommodating portion  11  to achieve enhanced strength. The support arms  32  also prevent wires W and the like from entering and becoming caught between the terminal accommodating portion  11  and the lock arm  31 . 
     Excessive-displacement restraints  38  project from the opposite side edges of the operable portion  37 , as shown in FIG.  18 . Receiving portions  39  project from the surfaces  12   a  of the receptacle  12  that face the lock arm  31  and are substantially opposed to each other at a positions above the respective restraints  38 . The restraints  38  and the receiving portions  39  cooperate to prevent excessive upward displacement of the rear end of the lock arm  31 . 
     The male connector has a housing  80  made e.g. of a synthetic resin. The housing  80  has a rectangular tube  81  that is fittable between the terminal accommodating portion  11  and the receptacle  12  of the female connector, as shown in FIG.  19 . Five tab-shaped male terminal fittings  82  project from the back wall of the housing  80 . The male terminal fittings  82  are at positions that correspond to the respective cavities  19  of the female connector, and are electrically connectable with the female terminal fittings  13  as the male and female connectors are connected. A locking projection  83  is provided substantially at a widthwise center of the upper surface of the tube  81  and substantially aligned with the lock arm  31 . The locking projection  83  can enter the lock hole  36  in the lock arm  31  of the female connector to engage the front edge of the lock arm  36  when the connectors are properly connected with each other. Three guide ribs  84  project from the outer surface of the tube  81  for entering the guide grooves  34  and guiding the connection of the connector. 
     The female connector is assembled by first mounting the rubber ring  30  on the outer surface of the terminal accommodating portion  11  of the housing  10  and then mounting the holder  50  on the terminal accommodating portion  11  from the front. The inner surface of the holding plate  52  then is fitted on the outer surface of the terminal accommodating portion  11 . The holding projections  53  of the holding plate  52  move onto the slanted surfaces and enter the holding grooves  29 , as shown in FIG. 9, and the front surfaces of the holding projections  53  engage the front surfaces of the holding grooves  29  to hold the holder  50  on the terminal accommodating portion  11 . At this stage, the rear end of the holder  50  engages the front surface of the rubber ring  30  to hold the rubber ring  30  in position. During this process, the upper and lower positioning projections  61  of the partition walls  60  move in the partition insertion direction into the positioning grooves  25  of the corresponding notches  23 , as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. As a result, the partition walls  60  are inserted smoothly into the notches  23  and are positioned laterally to avoid interference with the locks  20  and the unlocking pieces  24 . The partition walls  60  are inserted until their rear ends contact the rear ends of the notches  23  and align with the base ends of the locks  20 . Consequently, the partition walls  60  partition adjacent cavities  19  and form the side surfaces of the cavities  19 . In dill this state, the front surface of the holder  50  and the front surface of the housing  10  are substantially flush with each other. 
     The retainer  40  is inserted laterally through the retainer insertion hole  33  of the receptacle  12  and into the retainer mount hole  26  of the terminal accommodating portion  11 . Insertion of the retainer  40  is stopped at the partial locking position with the first holding recesses  46  engaging the holding projections  27 , as shown in FIG.  8 . At this stage, the rear end of the retainer  40 , with respect to the inserting direction, is between the holder  50  and the receptacle  12  and can be seen from the front. It does not matter which of the holder  50  and the retainer  40  is mounted first. 
     Assembly proceeds by inserting the terminal fittings  13  into the cavities  19 . Connecting portions  14  of the terminal fittings  13  push the locks  20  at an intermediate stage of insertion and deform the locks  20  into the deformation permitting spaces  21  above the cavities  19 . The locks  20  are restored resiliently when the terminal fittings  13  reach a proper depth, and the restored locks  20  engage the engaging portions  17  of the terminal fittings  13 , as shown in FIG.  9 . Thus, the terminal fittings  13  are partially locked in the cavities  19 . At this time, the front ends of the terminal fittings  13  are in the fitting recesses  57  of the holder  50 , as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. As a result, the terminal fittings  13  are supported and cannot move forward any further. The partition walls  60  close the notches  23 , and hence the terminal fittings  13  are insulated from the terminal fittings  13  in adjacent cavities  19 . A jig then can be inserted sideways through the retainer insertion hole  33  to push the mount-maneuvering projection  43  of the retainer  40 . Thus, the first holding recesses  46  disengage from the holding projections  27  and the second holding recesses  47  engage the holding projections  27  to hold the retainer  40  at the full locking position shown in FIG.  13 . In this position, the locking projections  42  of the retainer  40  project into the cavities  19  and engage the jaws  18 , as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, to lock the terminal fittings  13  redundantly. 
     All of the rear end of the retainer  40 , except for the detach-maneuvering piece  44 , becomes concealed by the holder  50  and cannot be seen from front when the retainer  40  reaches the full locking position. Thus, an operator can detect that the retainer  40  has reached the full locking position. In this state, the rear surface of the retainer  40 , with respect to the inserting direction, is substantially flush with the side surface of the holder  50 . 
     The female connector thus assembled is connected with the mating male connector, as shown in FIG.  19 . More particularly, the tube  81  of the housing  80  of the male connector is inserted into the space between the terminal accommodating portion  11  and the receptacle  12  of the housing  10 , and the front end of the lock arm  31  moves onto the locking projection  83 , as shown in FIG.  20 . Accordingly, the lock arm  31  undergoes a resilient or elastic pivotal deformation about the supports  35 , such that portions before the supports  35  are displaced up and portions behind the supports  35  are displaced down (see FIG.  21 ). 
     The pivoting of the lock arm  31  about the supports  35  urges the rear of lock arm  31  down and deflects the support arms  32 . Thus, the support arms  32  accumulate a biasing force to return the lock arm  31 . The front end of the lock arm  31  moves beyond the locking projection  83  when the connectors are connected to a proper depth, and the lock arm  31  returns substantially to its natural unbiased state. As a result, the locking projection  83  enters the lock hole  36  and engages the front edge of the lock hole  36 , as shown in FIG.  22 . In this way, the connectors are held securely together. 
     The support arms  32  resiliently support the rear end of the lock arm  31 . Thus, the lock arm  31  is difficult to deform from its locking state and holds the housing  80  of the male connector with an enhanced force. In this state, the male and female terminal fittings  13 ,  82  are connected electrically, and the rubber ring  30  is squeezed between the inner surface of the tube  81  and the outer surface of the terminal accommodating portion  11 , to provide a good watertight seal between the two connectors. The two connectors can be separated by pressing the operable portion  37  of the lock arm  31  to deform the lock arm  31 . Thus, the locking projection  83  and the lock hole  36  can be disengaged from each other to separate the connectors. 
     The terminal fittings  13  can be detached for maintenance or another reason by first moving the retainer  40  from the full locking position to the partial locking position. The retainer  40  can be moved to the partial locking position by manipulating the detach-maneuvering piece  44  of the retainer  40  with a jig inserted through the jig insertion recess  56  of the holding member  50  from front. The lock  20  then is deformed and disengaged from the engaging portion  17  of the terminal fitting  13  by inserting a different jig into the jig insertion hole  59  of the holder  50  from front and pushing the unlocking piece  24  of the lock  20 . The terminal fittings  13  then are pulled out of the cavity  19 . 
     As described above, the lock arm  31  is coupled to the receptacle  12  by the supports  35 . Thus, the freedom for positioning the supports  35  in a position different from the distal end portions of the lock arm  31  can be improved. Unlike the prior art, the pivot point of the lock arm  31  need not be moved to the rear end of the lock arm if the connector is shortened. Therefore, smaller connectors can be provided. 
     The two supporting arms  32  support the lock arm  31  resiliently. Thus, the housing  80  of the male connector can be held connected to the housing main body  10  with an enhanced force. 
     The invention is not limited to the above described and illustrated embodiment. For example, following embodiments also are embraced by the technical scope of the present invention. Beside the following embodiments, various changes can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. 
     As a modification of the foregoing embodiment, protrusions  70  may project back from the rear ends of the partition walls  60  and recesses  71  for receiving the protrusions  71  may be formed in the back end surfaces of the notches  23 , as shown in FIG.  23 . 
     The partition walls  60  are formed with the substantially triangular positioning projections  61  that conform with the substantially V-shaped positioning grooves  25  in the foregoing embodiment. However, the positioning grooves  25  and the positioning projections  61  may be, for example, rectangular or semicircular. Further, positioning protrusions may be formed on the upper and lower surfaces of each notch  23  and the partition wall  60  may be positioned between two positioning protrusions according to the invention. 
     The holder  50  locks the rubber ring  30  in the foregoing embodiment. However the holder  50  also is applicable to a connector with no rubber ring. 
     Although the female connector has the receptacle  12 , the present invention is also applicable to female connectors with no receptacle. 
     Although the female connector is described in the foregoing embodiment, the present invention is also applicable to male connectors. 
     Although the invention has been described with reference to a watertight connector, it is to be understood that the invention is also applicable to other types of connectors without waterproof function.