Patent Publication Number: US-8535073-B2

Title: Connector

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Applicants claim priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of Japanese Patent Applications No, JP2011-117784, No. JP2011-117944 and No. JP2011-118042 each filed May 26, 2011. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a connector comprising a lever, wherein the connector is configured to be mated with a mating connector when the lever is operated to pivot. 
     For example, this type of connectors is disclosed in JP-A 2008-41417 or JP-A 2008-204718, contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The connector of JP-A 2008-41417 or JP-A 2008-204718 comprises a housing and a lever. The housing is formed with an accommodating portion. The lever is accommodated in the accommodating portion so as to be pivotable between a first position and a second position. 
     In detail, the lever of the connector of JP-A 2008-41417 or JP-A 2008-204718 is pivotable between the first position and the second position through a predetermined position. The connector of JP-A 2008-41417 or JP-A 2008-204718 is tentatively matable (i.e. partially matable) with the mating connector when the lever is located in the vicinity of the first position (including the first position). After the mating connector is tentatively mated with the connector, the lever is operated to pivot toward the second position so that the mating connector and the connector are (completely) mated with each other. On the other hand, when the lever pivots toward the second position beyond the predetermined position, the mating connector is unable to be tentatively mated with the connector. Accordingly, it is impossible to (completely) mate the mating connector with the connector. Hereinafter, the predetermined position (i.e. a boundary for the mating connector to be tentatively matable with the connector) is referred to as a “third position”. As can be seen from the above description, the third position is located between the first position and the second position. The mating connector is tentatively matable with the connector when the lever is located between the first position and the third position. 
     The connector of JP-A 2008-41417 or JP-A 2008-204718 is provided with a resilient lock portion. The resilient lock portion regulates a position of the lever so as to certainly make the connector and the mating connector to be tentatively mated with each other. More specifically, the resilient lock portion is configured so as to temporarily receive the lever (i.e. temporarily lock the lever) at the third position when the lever located in the vicinity of the first position is forced to pivot toward the second position. In other words, the resilient lock portion temporarily prevents the lever from pivoting toward the second position beyond the third position. The resilient lock portion is resiliently deformed by the mating connector when the mating connector is tentatively mated with the connector so that the lever locked by the resilient lock portion is released from the resilient lock portion. 
     Moreover, the connector of JP-A 2008-204718 is configured so that a part of the lever (lever-side abutment portion) is brought into abutment with a part formed on a front end of the housing (housing-side abutment portion) when the lever is located at the first position. As for the connector of JP-A 2008-204718, the abutment of the lever-side abutment portion with the housing-side abutment portion prevents the lever from pivoting beyond the first position so as to be apart from the second position. 
     When the aforementioned lever is installed in the housing during the assembly process of the connector, it is necessary to prevent the lever and the housing (especially, the accommodating portion of the housing) from being damaged. Accordingly, it is preferable that the accommodating portion has a flexible upper portion (or top plate). However, if the upper portion of the accommodating portion has flexibility, the lever might be removed from the housing after installed within the accommodating portion. Therefore, the connector is required to have a structure which prevents the lever installed within the accommodating portion from coming out of the accommodating portion while allowing the lever to be easily installed into the accommodating portion during the assembly process of the connector. In other words, the connector is required to have a structure considering a force applied to the upper portion of the accommodating portion from the lever (i.e. a force applied to the lever). 
     The lever is located between the second position and the third position when the lever is installed in the housing. Especially, the lever is located at the second position by the factory setting. The lever located at the second position is operated to pivot toward the first position beyond the third position so that the connector becomes tentatively matable. The resilient lock portion is required to be resiliently deformed easily when the lever passes through the third position. On the other hand, the resilient lock portion is required not to be resiliently deformed easily when the resilient lock portion prevents the lever from pivoting toward the second position beyond the third position. The connector is required to have a structure which satisfies the aforementioned two requirements which seem to be inconsistent with each other. In other words, the connector is required to have a structure considering a force applied from the lever to the resilient lock portion (i.e. a force applied to the lever). 
     The accommodating portion and the lever of the aforementioned connector are formed with a pivot shaft and a shaft receiver, respectively. Thus formed lever may be formed with a guide channel. The guide channel guides the pivot shaft to the shaft receiver of the lever so that the lever can be easily installed in the accommodating portion by the guide channel. Thus formed guide channel is located at a front side of the housing when the lever is installed in the accommodating portion. Therefore, it is desirable that the lever does not receive a backward force from the front side of the housing. However, it is unavoidable that the lever receives the backward force from the front side of the housing when the housing-side abutment portion (i.e. a part which determines a pivoting limit of the lever) is located at the front side of the housing like the connector shown in JP-A 2008-204718. When the lever receives the force, a part of the lever, which located at the front side of the housing, is lifted. The lever has the guide channel so that the shaft receiver of the lever may be easily removed from the pivot shaft by a small upward movement of the lever. 
     A distance between an operated portion of the lever and a pivoting center of the lever is required to be longer than a distance between a pinion formed on the lever and the pivoting center of the lever so as to mate the connector with the mating connector by operating the lever with a small force. The lever should be configured not to protrude from the housing undesirably long so that a possibility that the lever is damaged is lowered as much as possible. There is also a need not to make the lever undesirably large. If the part which determines the pivoting limit of the lever is formed on the front end of the housing like the connector of JP-A 2008-204718, it is difficult to make a distance between the pivoting center of the lever and the lever-side abutment portion long while satisfying the aforementioned requirements. 
     On the other hand, If the part which determines the pivoting limit of the lever is formed on the rear end of the housing, the part may interfere the lever when the lever is installed into the accommodating portion. 
     As can be seen from the above description, the connector is required to have a structure considering a force applied from the lever to the part which determines the pivoting limit of the lever (i.e. a force applied to the lever). 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a connector which has structures considering the aforementioned various forces applied to the lever. 
     One aspect (first aspect) of the present invention provides a connector matable with a mating connector. The connector comprises a housing, a lever and an attached member. The housing has a front end, a rear end and an accommodating portion. The accommodating portion communicates with the front end and the rear end. The accommodating portion has an upper portion, a lower portion and side portions. The side portions are formed on respective opposite ends in a width direction of the accommodating portion so as to couple the upper portion and the lower portion with each other. The lever is accommodated in the accommodating portion so as to be pivotable between a first position and a second position through a third position. The lever is configured to mate the connector with the mating connector when the lever pivots to the second position after the mating connector is inserted into the connector from the front end under a state where the lever is located between the third position and the first position. The attached member is other than the housing. The attached member is attached to the housing so as to couple the upper portion and the lower portion with each other at a position located between the side portions in the width direction. 
     Another aspect (second aspect) of the present invention provides a connector matable with a mating connector. The connector comprises a housing, a lever and an attached member. The housing has a front end, a rear end, an accommodating portion and a resilient lock portion. The accommodating portion communicates with the front end and the rear end. The accommodating portion has an upper portion, a lower portion and side portions. The side portions are formed on respective opposite ends in a width direction of the accommodating portion so as to couple the upper portion and the lower portion with each other. The resilient lock portion is formed in the accommodating portion so as to be separated from both the upper portion and the lower portion. The lever is accommodated in the accommodating portion so as to be pivotable between a first position and a second position through a third position. The lever is configured to mate the connector with the mating connector when the lever pivots to the second position after the mating connector is inserted into the connector from the front end under a state where the lever is located between the third position and the first position. The resilient lock portion is configured to receive the lever when the lever is located at the third position under a state where the mating connector is not inserted in the connector so that the lever is temporarily prevented from pivoting toward the second position beyond the third position. The attached member is other than the housing. The attached member is attached to the rear end of the housing so as to support a rear end of the resilient lock portion receiving the lever located at the third position. 
     Yet another aspect (third aspect) of the present invention provides a connector matable with a mating connector. The connector comprises a housing, a lever and an attached member. The housing has a front end, a rear end and an accommodating portion. The accommodating portion communicates with the front end and the rear end. The lever is accommodated in the accommodating portion so as to be pivotable between a first position and a second position through a third position. The lever is configured to mate the connector with the mating connector when the lever pivots to the second position after the mating connector is inserted into the connector from the front end under a state where the lever is located between the third position and the first position. The attached member is other than the housing. The attached member is attached to the rear end of the housing so as to be brought into abutment with the lever located at the first position. The abutment prevents the lever from pivoting beyond the first position so as to be apart from the second position. 
     According to the third aspect of the present embodiment, while a member which determines the pivoting limit of the lever is located at the rear end of the housing, the member is other than the housing. In other words, the member is configured not to interfere the lever when the lever is installed into the accommodating portion. Moreover, the shaft receiver is not removed from the pivot shaft until the lever is lifted a distance of the thickness of itself. In other words, the shaft receiver does not easily come out of the pivot shaft. 
     An appreciation of the objectives of the present invention and a more complete understanding of its structure may be had by studying the following description of the preferred embodiment and by referring to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a connector assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing a male connector of the connector assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a front, perspective view showing a female connector of the connector assembly of  FIG. 1 , wherein a lever of the female connector is located at a first position. 
         FIG. 4  is a rear, perspective view showing the female connector of  FIG. 3 , wherein the lever is located at the first position. 
         FIG. 5  is a front, perspective view showing the female connector of  FIG. 3 , wherein the lever is located at a second position. 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded, perspective view showing the female connector of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 7  is a rear, perspective view showing a female housing of the female connector of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8  is a rear view showing the female housing of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  is a front, perspective view showing the female housing of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 10  is a front view showing the female housing of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 11  is a partially-enlarged, rear view showing about a resilient lock portion provided in the female housing of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view showing about the resilient lock portion of  FIG. 11 , wherein the female housing is partially cut away so that the resilient lock portion can be seen. 
         FIG. 13  is a partially-enlarged, front view showing about the resilient lock portion provided in the female housing of  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 14  is a top, perspective view showing a lever of the female connector of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 15  is a bottom, perspective view showing the lever of  FIG. 14 . 
         FIG. 16  is a perspective view showing a rear cover of the female connector of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 17  is a partially-enlarged, front view showing about an attached member which is formed as a part of the rear cover of  FIG. 16 . 
         FIG. 18  is a top view showing the female connector of  FIG. 6  in a state where the lever is located at the first position, wherein the female housing is partially cut away so that the lever can be seen. 
         FIG. 19  is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the female connector of  FIG. 18 , taken along lines XIX-XIX, wherein the lever is located between the first position and a third position. 
         FIG. 20  is a top view showing the female connector of  FIG. 18  in the state where the lever is located at the first position, wherein a bottom side part of the lever is illustrated by dashed lines. 
         FIG. 21  is a top view showing the female connector of  FIG. 18  in a state where the lever is located at the second position. 
         FIG. 22  is a top view showing the female connector of  FIG. 21  in the state where the lever is located at the second position, wherein the bottom side part of the lever is illustrated by dashed lines. 
         FIG. 23  is a top view showing the connector assembly of  FIG. 1  in a state where the male connector and the female connector is not yet tentatively mated (i.e. partially mated) with each other, wherein the female housing and the lever are partially cut away. 
         FIG. 24  is a top view showing the connector assembly of  FIG. 23  in a state where the male connector and the female connector is tentatively mated with each other 
     
    
    
     While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. 
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a connector assembly  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a male connector (mating connector)  100  and a female connector (connector)  200  matable with the male connector  100 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the male connector  100  comprises a plurality of male contacts  105  each made of a metal and a male housing  110  made of an insulating material. The male housing  110  holds the male contacts  105 . The male housing  110  has a male mating portion  112 . The male mating portion  112  has a square-cylindrical shape which has a rectangular cross-section. The male housing  110  has a guided portion  120  formed on an upper surface of the male mating portion  112 . The guided portion  120  has a plate-like shape which protrudes in the positive Z-direction (i.e. protrudes upward) from the male mating portion  112  while extending in the X-direction (front-to-rear direction). The male housing  110  further has a cam portion  130  formed on the guided portion  120 . The cam portion  130  further protrudes in the positive Z-direction from the guided portion  120  so as to have an island-like shape. The cam portion  130  is provided with an engaged depression  132 . The engaged depression  132  is depressed in the positive Y-direction. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 to 6 , the female connector  200  comprises a female housing (housing)  210  made of an insulating material, a lever  270  made of an insulating material, and a rear cover  300 . The female connector  200  according to the present embodiment is a so-called water-proof connector. Accordingly, the female connector  200  further comprises a plurality of female contacts configured to be connected to the respected male contacts  105 , and a sealing member. However, the female contact and the sealing member are not shown in Figures and not described any more in order to clarify the point of the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 7 to 10 , the female housing  210  has a front end  212 , a rear end  214  and an accommodating portion  220 . The front end  212  functions as a female mating portion. The accommodating portion  220  communicates with the front end  212  and the rear end  214 . The accommodating portion  220  has an upper portion (top plate)  222 , a lower portion  224 , and side portions  226  and  228 . The side portions  226  and  228  are formed on respective opposite ends in the Y-direction (width direction) of the accommodating portion  220  so as to couple the upper portion  222  and the lower portion  224  with each other. As shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the lower portion  224  of the accommodating portion  220  is formed with a guide portion  230 . The guide portion  230  has a width (i.e. a length in the Y-direction) corresponding to a width of the guided portion  120 . The guide portion  230  extends in the negative X-direction (i.e. extends rearward) from the front end  212 . The guide portion  230  pierces the lower portion  224  in the Z-direction (upper-to-lower direction). As shown in  FIGS. 23 and 24 , when the male connector  100  and the female connector  200  are mated with each other, the guide portion  230  guides the guided portion  120  so that the guided portion  120  does not wander in the Y-direction. In other words, when the male connector  100  and the female connector  200  are mated with or removed from each other, the guide portion  230  guides the guided portion  120  so that the cam portion  130  moves not in the Y-direction (width direction) but only in the X-direction (front-to-rear direction). 
     As shown in  FIGS. 8 and 10 , the female housing  210  has a pivot shaft  240 , a resilient lock portion  250  and a connecting portion  260  each formed in the accommodating portion  220 . The pivot shaft  240  has a low-height cylindrical shape. The pivot shaft  240  protrudes in the accommodating portion  220 . More specifically, the pivot shaft  240  protrudes in the positive Z-direction (i.e. upward) from the lower portion  224  of the accommodating portion  220 . The resilient lock portion  250  is configured to be resiliently deformed in the XY-plane. As shown in  FIG. 12 , the resilient lock portion  250  has a rod-like shape extending in the X-direction. In detail, the resilient lock portion  250  has a receive portion  252 , a release portion  254  and a rear-end portion  256 . The receive portion  252  has a surface crossing the X-direction. The release portion  254  is located at the positive X-side of the resilient lock portion  250  as compared with the receive portion  252  (i.e. located forward of the receive portion  252 ). More specifically, the release portion  254  according to the present embodiment extends in the positive X-direction from the receive portion  252 . As can be seen from  FIGS. 12 and 13 , the release portion  254  protrudes in the negative Y-direction so as to overlap the guide portion  230  in the Z-direction. As can be seen from  FIGS. 11 to 13 , the resilient lock portion  250  according to the present embodiment is formed within the accommodating portion  220  so as to be separated from both the upper portion  222  and the lower portion  224 . Accordingly, the resilient lock portion  250  has a long part which is able to be resiliently deformed. In other words, the resilient lock portion  250  has a long spring length. The connecting portion  260  is provided at an intersection of the side portion  226  and the rear end  214 . In other words, the connecting portion  260  is provided at one of corners of the accommodating portion  220 . The connecting portion  260  connects side portion  226  (i.e. one of the side portions  226  and  228 ) and a side of the rear-end portion  256  of the resilient lock portion  250  with each other. As shown in  FIG. 11 , the connecting portion  260  is separated from the upper portion  222  of the accommodating portion  220 . In detail, the female housing  210  is formed with a slit  262 . As seen from the rear (i.e. as seen along the positive X-direction), the slit  262  extends to the side portion  226  (i.e. one of the side portions  226  and  228 ) in the Y-direction so as to separate the connecting portion  260  and the upper portion  222  from each other. As described above, according to the present embodiment, the resilient lock portion  250  and the connecting portion  260  are separated from (at least) the upper portion  222  so that the upper portion  222  has flexibility. In other words, the upper portion  222  according to the present embodiment is designed so as to be easily deformed resiliently. The female housing  210  further has a coupled portion  216  formed in a step-like shape. The coupled portion  216  is located next to the connecting portion  260  in the negative Y-direction. 
     Referred to  FIGS. 14 and 15 , the lever  270  has a roughly-rectangular plate-like shape so as to have a front end  270   f  and a rear end  270   b . Each of the front end  270   f  and the rear end  270   b  is formed with two corner portions. The lever  270  is formed with an operated portion  272 , a shaft receiver  274  and a guide channel  276 . The operated portion  272  is formed on one of the corner portions of the rear end  270   b  of the lever  270 . The lever  270  is configured so as to pivot by an operation of the operated portion  272 . The shaft receiver  274  is configured to be turnably supported by the pivot shaft  240 . In detail, when the lever  270  is installed in the accommodating portion  220 , the shaft receiver  274  receives the pivot shaft  240  so that the lever  270  is pivotable on the pivot shaft  240 . The guide channel  276  extends continuously from the pivot shaft  240 . As can be seen from  FIGS. 14 and 15 , the shaft receiver  274  and the guide channel  276  are provided on a lower surface  2701  of the lever  270 . Therefore, the shaft receiver  274  and the guide channel  276  cannot be seen from an upper surface  270   u  of the lever  270 . The shaft receiver  274  is formed at a position nearer to the front end  270   f  than the center of the gravity of the lever  270  so as to be a long distance apart from the operated portion  272 . In other words, the shaft receiver  274  is located between the center of the gravity of the lever  270  and the front end  270   f . The guide channel  276  is formed between the front end  270   f  of the lever  270  and the shaft receiver  274 . The guide channel  276  is depressed shallower than the shaft receiver  274 . According to the present embodiment, the lever  270  is installed into the accommodating portion  220  by using the guide channel  276 . More specifically, the lever  270  is press-fitted (i.e. inserted) into the accommodating portion  220  from the rear end  214  of the female housing  210  so that the pivot shaft  240  and the guide channel  276  are located at a same position in the Y-direction (see  FIG. 8 ). Then, the guide channel  276  guides the shaft receiver  274  of the press-fitted lever  270  to the pivot shaft  240 . As can be seen from the above description, the lever  270  according to the present embodiment has the guide channel  276  so that an excessive load applied to the upper portion  222  may be avoided when the lever  270  is installed into the accommodating portion  220 . As shown in  FIGS. 21 and 22 , after the lever  270  is installed in the accommodating portion  220 , the operated portion  272  of the lever  270  is located at a closest position which is closest to the rear end  214  of the female housing  210 . When the operated portion  272  is located at the closest position, the lever  270  is located at a second position. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 14 and 15 , the lever  270  has a first abutment portion  278  formed on the rear end  270   b  thereof. The first abutment portion  278  is located in the vicinity of the operated portion  272 . The first abutment portion  278  has an upper end  278   u  and a lower end  278   l . As shown in  FIGS. 14 ,  15  and  19 , the first abutment portion  278  has a shape where the lower end  278   l  protrudes in the horizontal plane as compared with the upper end  278   u . More specifically, the first abutment portion  278  is a slope extending obliquely from the upper end  278   u  to the lower end  278   l . 
     The lever  270  is formed with a received portion  280  in the vicinity of the other corner portion of the rear end  270   b  thereof. The received portion  280  is configured to be temporarily received to be stopped (i.e. temporarily locked) by the receive portion  252  of the resilient lock portion  250 . The first abutment portion  278  is located between the received portion  280  and the operated portion  272 . As can be seen from  FIG. 20 , if the lever  270  is forced to pivot toward the second position under a state where the received portion  280  is located forward of the receive portion  252  of the resilient lock portion  250  in the positive X-direction (i.e. located between the receive portion  252  and the front end  212  in the X-direction), the received portion  280  is brought into abutment with the receive portion  252 . When the received portion  280  is brought into abutment with the receive portion  252 , the lever  270  is located at a third position. As described above, when the received portion  280  is located forward of the receive portion  252  of the resilient lock portion  250  in the positive X-direction, the lever  270  is unable to move toward the second position beyond the third position even if the lever  270  is forced to pivot toward the second position. In other words, the resilient lock portion  250  is configured to temporarily prevent the lever  270  from pivoting toward the second position beyond the third position. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 15 ,  20  and  22 , the lever  270  is formed with a pinion protrusion  290 . The pinion protrusion  290  is located forward of the received portion  280  in the positive X-direction. The pinion protrusion  290  protrudes in the radial direction centered on the shaft receiver  274 . As can be seen from  FIGS. 20 and 22 , the pinion protrusion  290  protrudes over the guide portion  230 . As can be seen from  FIGS. 23 and 24 , when the male connector  100  and the female connector  200  are mated with each other, the cam portion  130  moves on a moving pass which extends along the negative X-direction. The pinion protrusion  290  protrudes on the moving path so as to interfere the cam portion  130 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the rear cover  300  is attached to the rear end  214  of the female housing  210 . As can be seen from  FIGS. 4 and 6 , the rear cover  300  according to the present embodiment is fixed to a lower part of the female housing  210 . As shown in  FIG. 16 , the rear cover  300  is integrally formed with an attached member  400 . In other words, the attached member  400  according to the present embodiment is formed as a part of the rear cover  300 . The attached member  400  is other than the female housing  210  (i.e. is not a part of the female housing  210 ). More specifically, the attached member  400  is formed separately from the female housing  210 . The attached member  400  may be formed separately from the rear cover  300  provided that the attached member  400  is formed separately from the female housing  210 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 16 and 17 , the attached member  400  has a body portion  410 . The body portion  410  has an L-like shape. In detail, the body portion  410  has a vertical portion  412  extending in the positive Z-direction (i.e. extending upward) and a lateral portion  414  extending in the negative Y-direction (width direction). The vertical portion  412  is formed with a coupling portion  420  on the positive Z-side end (i.e. upper end) thereof. The coupling portion  420  protrudes in both the positive and negative Y-direction. The attached member  400  is attached to the rear end  214  of the female housing  210  so as to be located rearward of the lever  270 . In detail, the coupling portion  420  is fitted into the coupled portion  216  of the female housing  210  (i.e. the attached member  400  is attached to the female housing  210 ) so that the attached member  400  couples the upper portion  222  and the lower portion  224  of the accommodating portion  220  with each other. Especially, the attached member  400  according to the present embodiment is attached to the female housing  210  so as to couple the upper portion  222  and the lower portion  224  with each other at a position located between the side portions  226  and  228  in the Y-direction. As can be seen from the above description, the accommodating portion  220  is strengthened by the attached member  400  when the attached member  400  is attached to the rear end  214  of the female housing  210  so that a deformation of the upper portion  222  is suppressed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the lever  270  from being removed (i.e. coming out of the accommodating portion  220 ) because of the resilient deformation of the upper portion  222 . On the other hand, the upper portion  222  is resiliently deformed easily while the lever  270  is installed into the accommodating portion  220  (i.e. when the attached member  400  is not attached to the female housing  210 ). Therefore, it is possible to prevent the upper portion  222  and the lever  270  from being damaged when the lever  270  is installed into the accommodating portion  220 . According to the present embodiment, the attached member  400  other than the female housing  210  couples the upper portion  222  and the lower portion  224  with each other so that the lever  270  is easily installed into the accommodating portion  220  while the installed lever  270  is prevented from being removed. It is desirable that the attached member  400  couples the upper portion  222  and the lower portion  224  with each other at a position as near as possible to the center in the Y-direction so as to more effectively reduce the deformation of the upper portion  222 , provided that the lever  270  is pivotable in a necessary range. Moreover, it is desirable that a width (i.e. a length in the Y-direction) of the vertical portion  412  of the body portion  410  is as large as possible. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 16 and 17 , the attached member  400  has a second abutment portion  430  formed on an end portion of the lateral portion  414 . A distance between the second abutment portion  430  (or the attached member  400 ) and a center of pivot (i.e. the shaft receiver  274 ) of the lever  270  is longer than a distance between the front end  270   f  of the lever  270  and the center of pivot. The second abutment portion  430  has an upper end  430   u  and a lower end  430 I. As can be seen from  FIGS. 17 and 19 , the second abutment portion  430  has a shape where the upper end  430   u  protrudes in the horizontal plane as compared with the lower end  430 I. More specifically, the second abutment portion  430  is a slope extending obliquely from the lower end  430 I to the upper end  430   u . As can be seen from  FIG. 19 , the slope of the second abutment portion  430  is designed so as to be brought into surface contact with the slope of the first abutment portion  278 . In detail, the first abutment portion  278  and the second abutment portion  430  are brought into abutment with each other when the lever  270  pivots so as to be apart from the second position. The lever  270  is located at a first position when the first abutment portion  278  is brought into abutment with the second abutment portion  430 . Conversely, the slope of the first abutment portion  278  and the slope of the second abutment portion  430  are in surface contact with each other when the lever  270  is located at the first position. As can be seen from the above description, the attached member  400  according to the present embodiment is attached to the rear end  214  of the female housing  210  so as to be brought into abutment with the lever  270  located at the first position. The abutment prevents the lever  270  from pivoting beyond the first position so as to move away from the second position. In other words, the first abutment portion  278  and the second abutment portion  430  are brought into abutment with each other when the lever  270  is located at the first position so that the lever  270  is unable to pivot beyond the first position to be apart from the second position. Moreover, the first abutment portion  278  of the lever  270  receives a downward force from the second abutment portion  430  so that it is possible to prevent the lever  270  from being lifted to press the upper portion  222  of the accommodating portion  220  in the positive Z-direction. In other words, it is possible to prevent the lever  270  from coming out of the pivot shaft  240 . Especially, according to the present embodiment, a distance between the center of pivot of the lever  270  and the second abutment portion  430  is long so that it is possible to more securely regulate the pivot of the lever  270  as compared with an existing connector. 
     The lever  270  is configured to pivot on the center of the pivot within a predetermined range (i.e. pivoting range). The first position is one of pivoting limits (i.e. boundaries of the pivoting range) of the lever  270 . The other pivoting limit is the second position. The third position is located between the first position and the second position. In other words, the lever  270  according to the present embodiment is accommodated in the accommodating portion  220  so as to be pivotable between the first position and the second position through the third position 
     As can be seen from  FIGS. 18 and 20 , when the received portion  280  is located forward of the receive portion  252  of the resilient lock portion  250 , the lever  270  is located between the first position and the third position (including the first position and the third position). As previously described, the resilient lock portion  250  is configured to receive the lever  270  when the lever  270  is located at the third position under a state where the male connector  100  is not inserted in the female connector  200 . In detail, if the lever  270  located between the first position and the third position is forced to pivot to the second position, the received portion  280  of the lever  270  is received by the receive portion  252  of the resilient lock portion  250  so that the lever  270  is temporarily prevented from pivoting toward the second position beyond the third position. In other words, the lever  270  is temporarily locked at the third position by the abutment of the receive portion  252  with the received portion  280 . According to the present embodiment, the connecting portion  260  is adjacent to the attached member  400  (i.e. the connecting portion  260  and the attached member  400  are arranged side by side) in the Y-direction (width direction). Moreover, the vertical portion  412  of the body portion  410  has a front surface which serves as a backup portion  440 . The backup portion  440  of the attached member  400  receives the rear-end portion  256  of the resilient lock portion  250  from behind so as to support the resilient lock portion  250 . The stiffness of the resilient lock portion  250  is increased by the backup portion  440  so that it is possible to more certainly prevent the temporal lock of the lever  270  from being released unintentionally. Especially, the backup portion  440  of the attached member  400  according to the present embodiment is larger than the rear-end portion  256  of the resilient lock portion  250  in the Y-direction (width direction) so that it is possible to support the resilient lock portion  250  more securely. As shown in  FIG. 23 , according to the present embodiment, the backup portion  440  is placed to be closed to the rear-end portion  256  of the resilient lock portion  250 . However, the backup portion  440  may be differently placed provided that the backup portion  440  is brought into abutment with the rear-end portion  256  of the resilient lock portion  250  when the receive portion  252  of the resilient lock portion  250  receives the received portion  280  of the lever  270 . For example, the backup portion  440  may be a little apart from the rear-end portion  256  of the resilient lock portion  250  when the receive portion  252  of the resilient lock portion  250  does not receive the received portion  280  of the lever  270 . 
     The resilient lock portion  250  is resiliently deformable in the positive Y-direction without being interfered. In other words the receive portion  252  and the release portion  254  is able to move toward the positive Y-side (i.e. toward the side portion  226 ). For example, the resilient lock portion  250  is able to be deformed easily when the lever  270  is moved to a state where the received portion  280  is located forward of the receive portion  252  (see  FIGS. 18 and 20 ) after being installed in the female housing  210  (see  FIGS. 21 and 22 ). 
     As can be seen from  FIGS. 18 ,  20  and  23 , the lever  270  is configured to mate the male connector  100  with the female connector  200  when the lever  270  pivots to the second position after the male connector  100  is inserted into the female connector  200  from the front end  212  under a state where the lever  270  is located between the third position and the first position. In detail, the pinion protrusion  290  is able to be engaged with the engaged depression  132  of the cam portion  130  when the lever  270  is located between the first position and the third position (including the first position and the third position). In other words, as shown in  FIG. 24 , the male connector  100  and the female connector  200  are able to be tentatively mated (i.e. partially mated) with each other. When the male connector  100  and the female connector  200  are partially mated with each other, the release portion  254  of the resilient lock portion  250  is pressed toward the positive Y-side (i.e. toward the side portion  226 ) by the cam portion  130  so that the resilient lock portion  250  is resiliently deformed to move the receive portion  252  toward the positive Y-side (i.e. toward the side portion  226 ). Accordingly, the receive portion  252  and the received portion  280  are placed at different positions from each other in the Y-direction (width direction) so that the lever  270  is enabled to pivot toward the second position. As the operated portion  272  of the lever  270  is pushed forward (i.e. pushed to approach the rear end  214  of the female housing  210 ) under a state where the pinion protrusion  290  is engaged with the engaged depression  132 , the male connector  100  and the female connector  200  become to be more securely mated with each other. When the lever  270  pivots to arrive at the second position, the male connector  100  and the female connector  200  are (completely) mated with each other (i.e. the female connector  200  is in a completely mated state). 
     According to the present embodiment, the female connector  200  comprises the attached member  400  other than the female housing  210  (i.e. distinct from the female housing  210 ). The attached member  400  is attached to the rear end  214  of the female housing  210 . The attached member  400  is able to serve as a means to strengthen the accommodating portion  220  or a means to determine the pivoting limit of the lever  270 . As can be seen from the above description, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to heighten the degree of freedom on designing the lever  270  and the female housing  210 . Moreover, it is possible to easily strengthen the lever  270  and the female housing  210 . 
     Moreover, it is possible to lengthen the resilient lock portion  250  (i.e. to lengthen the spring length) so that the resilient lock portion  250  is able to be resiliently deformed flexibly (i.e. easily) by a force along the Y-direction. On the other hand, when the resilient lock portion  250  temporarily locks the lever  270 , the resilient lock portion  250  is strengthened so as not to be deformed by a force along the negative X-direction. As described below, the aforementioned two effects are realized by comprising the attached member  400  other than the female housing  210 . According to a general forming method, a certain amount of space behind the resilient lock portion  250  is necessary when integrally forming the resilient lock portion  250  with the female housing  210  while separating the resilient lock portion  250  from the upper portion (top plate)  222  and the lower portion  224  of the accommodating portion  220 . In this case, the aforementioned space (i.e. necessary space in forming process) exists rearward of the resilient lock portion  250  so that it is impossible to directly support the resilient lock portion  250  from behind. According to the present embodiment, even if the necessary space in forming process exists rearward of the resilient lock portion  250 , it is possible to attach the attached member  400  to the rear end  214  of the female housing  210  so as to support the rear-end portion  256  of the resilient lock portion  250  receiving the lever  270  located at the third position. In other words, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to realize the aforementioned two effects. 
     This invention is not limited to the embodiment described above. According to the embodiment described above, the rear cover  300  is not formed with a part protruding toward the positive X-side (i.e. protruding forward). However, the attached member  400  of the rear cover  300  may be formed with a protruding portion which protrudes toward the positive X-side (i.e. protrudes forward). For example, the protruding portion of the attached member  400  may be configured to be brought into abutment with a pressed part of the rear-end portion  256  of the resilient lock portion  250 . The aforementioned pressed part of the rear-end portion  256  may be a part which faces the side portion  228  of the female housing  210  in the Y-direction. The protruding portion of the attached member  400  may be a part of the backup portion  440 . In this case, the attached member  400  has an L-like shaped cross-section in the XY-plane. 
     This invention is applicable to a connector comprising a lever For example, this invention is applicable to a waterproof connector such as a connector according to the embodiment described above. 
     The present application is based on a Japanese patent application of JP2011-117784, JP2011-117944 and JP2011-118042 each filed before the Japan Patent Office on May 26, 2011, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     While there has been described what is believed to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that other and further modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended to claim all such embodiments that fall within the true scope of the invention.