Patent Publication Number: US-8523594-B2

Title: Connector

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a connector. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-166608 discloses a connector with a housing and a cavity formed in the housing. A locking lance is cantilevered forward along an inner wall of the cavity and a deformation space allows the locking lance to deform away from the cavity. A terminal fitting can be inserted into the cavity from behind and causes the locking lance to deflect into the deformation space. The locking lance then returns resiliently to engage the terminal fitting and hold the terminal fitting in the cavity. A front retainer is mounted to the housing after the terminal fitting is inserted and a deformation restricting portion of the front retainer enters the deformation space to prevent the locking lance from deforming out of engagement with the terminal fitting and to retain the terminal fitting reliably. 
     The terminal fitting can be withdrawn from the housing by retracting the deformation restricting portion from the deformation space. An unlocking jig then is inserted into the housing from the front to deform the locking lance out of engagement with the terminal fitting so that the terminal fitting can be pulled out backward. However, the terminal fitting is present near the locking lance and a contact portion for contacting a mating terminal is formed at a front end portion of the terminal fitting. This contact portion may be damaged by the unlocking jig. 
     The invention was developed in view of the above situation and an object thereof is to prevent an unlocking jig from damaging a terminal fitting. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a connector with at least one terminal fitting. A contact portion is formed near a front end of the terminal fitting for contacting a mating terminal. The connector also has a housing with a cavity and the terminal fitting can be inserted into the cavity from behind. A locking lance is cantilevered forward along an inner wall of the cavity. The locking lance normally is at a locking position where the locking lance can lock the terminal fitting in a retained state. However, the locking lance is resiliently deformable to an unlocking position where the locking lance is disengaged from the terminal fitting. A deformation space is formed in the housing to allow resilient deformation of the locking lance to the unlocking position. A front retainer is mounted to the housing from the front and includes a deformation restriction that projects back substantially along the inserting direction. The front retainer is movable between a restricting position and a retracted position. The deformation restriction enters the deformation space to restrict the deformation of the locking lance when the front retainer is at the restricting position. However, the deformation restriction is retracted forward of the deformation space to allow deformation of the locking lance when the front retainer is at the retracted position. The locking lance is deformed from the locking position to the unlocking position by an unlocking jig that can be inserted into the housing with the front retainer at the retracted position. A jig insertion hole penetrates an outer wall at a side of the deformation space substantially opposite the locking lance. The deformation restriction has at least one guide configured to allow the unlocking jig inserted through the jig insertion hole to reach the locking lance with the front retainer at the retracted position and positions the unlocking jig in a width direction crossing both a resiliently deforming direction of the locking lance and an inserting direction of the terminal fitting into the cavity. Thus, the tab of the terminal fitting will not be damaged by the unlocking jig. Further, the guide reliably guides the unlocking jig in the width direction to the locking lance so that operability is good. 
     The guide preferably is open at the rear end of the deformation restriction. Thus, a movable range of the unlocking jig is wider in forward and backward directions as compared with a guide that is closed at the rear end of the deformation restriction. 
     An opening area of the guide in the width direction preferably is within substantially the entire width range of the locking lance. Thus, the unlocking jig will not disengage from the locking lance in the width direction and the locking lance can be deformed reliably. 
     The deformation restriction preferably has at least one closing portion for at least partly closing the jig insertion hole when the front retainer is at the restricting position. Thus, external matter will not enter the housing through the jig insertion hole. 
     The deformation restriction preferably has one or more supports for supporting the terminal fitting when the front retainer is at the restricting position and to stabilize the posture of the terminal fitting. More particularly, the deformation restriction may comprise a main portion, one or more supports and one or more reinforcements. A width of the deformation restriction may substantially equal the width of the deformation space. An outer surface of the support may be more inward than an outer surface of the main portion in the width direction, but the outer surface of the reinforcement preferably is substantially flush and continuous with the outer surface of the main portion. A front end of the support preferably is connected to a supporting wall of the front retainer and a rear end of the support preferably is before a rear end of the main portion. A front end of the reinforcement preferably is connected to the supporting wall, and a rear end is before a rear end of the main portion and/or slightly behind the rear end of the supports. 
     A front end of the main portion preferably defines a closing portion for at least partly closing the jig insertion hole when the front retainer is at the restricting position. More particularly, with the front retainer at the restricting position, the supporting wall closes an opening at the front end of the cavity and forms a front stop of the cavity for stopping the properly inserted terminal fitting at its front end position in the cavity. 
     The guide preferably is substantially bilaterally symmetric and a center of the guide substantially coincides with a center of the deformation space and the locking lance. 
     A formation area of the jig insertion hole in the width direction preferably is smaller than a width of the locking lance. 
     These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a section showing a state where a locking lance is resiliently deformed by an unlocking jig in one embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a section showing the unlocking jig inserted in a housing. 
         FIG. 3  is a section showing a front retainer at a restricting position. 
         FIG. 4  is a section along X-X of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a section showing the front retainer at a retracted position. 
         FIG. 6  is a section along Y-Y of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom view of the housing. 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of the front retainer. 
         FIG. 9  is a bottom view of the front retainer. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A connector in accordance with the invention includes a synthetic resin housing identified by the numeral  10  in  FIGS. 1-7 . The housing  10  is molded unitarily of synthetic resin and includes a substantially block-shaped terminal holding portion  11  and a rectangular tubular receptacle  12  that extends forward from the outer periphery of the front end of the terminal holding portion  11 . Cavities  13  penetrate the terminal holding portion  11  in forward and backward directions at upper and lower stages and an insertion opening is defined at the rear end of each cavity  13  so that terminal fittings  30  can be inserted into the respective cavities from behind (left side in  FIGS. 1 to 6 ) and along an insertion direction ID. A locking lance  14  is cantilevered forward along the lower wall of each cavity  13  in the lower stage. The front end of the locking lance  14  is behind the front end of the terminal holding portion  11  and behind the front end of the cavity  13 . 
     A locking projection  15  is formed on the upper surface of the locking lance  14  and projects up and in toward the cavity  13 . A locking surface  15 F is formed on the front of the locking projection  15  and rearward of the extreme front end of the locking lance  14 . The locking surface  15 F is aligned substantially perpendicular to the inserting direction ID of the terminal fitting  30  into the cavity  13 . A jig receiving portion  16  is defined at the front part of the locking lance  14  before the locking projection  15  and can be engaged by an unlocking jig J. 
     The locking lance  14  normally is held at a locking position LP shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  5  by the rigidity of the locking lance  14  itself. However, the locking lance  14  is resiliently deformable to an unlocking position UP (see  FIG. 1 ) below the locking position LP while being inclined with the rear end of the locking lance  14  as a support. A displacing direction of the locking projection  15  during the resilient deformation from the locking position LP to the unlocking position UP is substantially perpendicular to the inserting direction ID of the terminal fitting  30  into the cavity  13 . The locking projection  15  is in the cavity  13  and along insertion path for the terminal fitting  30  when the locking lance  14  is at the locking position LP. However, the locking projection  15  is retracted to a position offset from the cavity  13  and out of the insertion path for the terminal fitting  30  when the locking lance  14  is displaced to the unlocking position UP. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , deformation spaces  17  are formed in the housing  10  and correspond individually to the respective locking lances  14  so that the locking lances  14  can deform resiliently to the unlocking positions UP. As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 6 , the centers of the deformation spaces  17  substantially coincide with centers of the locking lances  14  in a width direction crossing both the inserting direction ID of the terminal fittings  30  into the cavities  13  and a resiliently deforming direction of the locking lances  14 . The deformation spaces  17  are wider than the locking lances  14 . A mold removal space  18  is formed in the housing  10  before the deformation spaces  17  and the locking lances  14  and is open in the front end surface of the terminal holding portion  11 . The mold removal space  18  is formed as the deformation spaces  17  and the locking lances  14  are formed by a mold and also functions as a space for accommodating the front retainer  40 . Further, the mold removal space  18  is sufficiently wide to correspond to all of the locking lances  14  and deformation spaces  17 . 
     An outer wall  19  is located at a side of the deformation spaces  17  opposite the locking lances  14  in the resiliently deforming direction of the locking lances  14  and hence separates the outer surface of the housing  10  from the deformation spaces  17 . Jig insertion holes  20  penetrate the outer wall  19  and define rectangles that are long and narrow in forward and backward directions. As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 6 , the centers of the jig insertion holes  20  substantially coincide with centers the locking lances  14  and the deformation spaces  17  in the width direction. However, the jig insertion holes  20  are narrower than the locking lances  14 . The jig insertion holes  20  extend in forward and backward directions from positions near the front end of the terminal holding portion  11  (mold removal space  18 ) to positions slightly before the locking surfaces  15 F at the front ends of the locking projections  15 . Thus, the rear ends of the jig insertion holes  20  are in formation areas of the jig receiving portions  16  in forward and backward directions. 
     The housing  10  also has locking lances  14 , deformation spaces  17  and at least one mold removal space  18  that correspond to the cavities  13  at the upper stage. Since all of the locking lances  14 , the deformation spaces  17 , the mold removal space  18  and jig insertion holes  20  at the upper stage are vertically symmetrical to the locking lances  14 , the deformation spaces  17 , the mold removal space  18  and the jig insertion holes  20  at the lower stage, they are neither shown nor described. 
     Each terminal fitting  30  is formed by bending, folding and/or embossing a conductive metal plate material punched or cut out into a specified shape and, as shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , is long and narrow in forward and backward directions. The terminal fitting  30  is a male terminal with a long and narrow tab  31  at its front end for contacting a mating female terminal F. The terminal fitting  30  includes a rectangular tubular main portion  32  at the rear end of the tab  31  and a wire connection portion comprising at least one crimping barrel  33  at the rear end of the main portion  32 . A front end portion of a wire  35  is fixed and connected electrically conductively to the crimping portion  33 . The rear end edge of the main portion  32  defines a locking portion  34  for locking the locking projection  15  of the locking lance  14  from behind. 
     The connector also includes a front retainer  40  that is formed unitarily of synthetic resin, as shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 . The front retainer  40  includes a supporting wall  41 . Deformation restrictions  42 , guides  43  and lateral resilient locking pieces  44  all cantilever back from the supporting wall  41 . The front retainer  40  is mounted into the terminal holding portion  11  of the housing  10  from the front. More particularly, the guides  43  are fit into respective guiding holes  21  of the terminal holding portion  11  so that the front retainer  40  is moved along a predetermined mounting path while being positioned in the vertical and lateral directions with respect to the housing  10 . 
     The front retainer  40  is movable in the housing  10  in forward and backward in directions between a retracted position RetP shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  5  and  6  and a restricting position ResP located behind the retracted position RetP in a mounting direction of the front retainer  40 , as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The front retainer  40  is held at the retracted position RetP and at the restricting position ResP by engaging the resilient locking pieces  44  with locking projections (not shown) of the terminal holding portion  11 . 
     The supporting wall  41  closes the openings at the front ends of the cavities  13  when the front retainer  40  is at the restricting position ResP and forms the front walls of the cavities  13  for stopping the properly inserted terminal fittings  30  at their front end positions in the cavities  13 . Through holes  45  are formed at positions of the supporting wall  41  corresponding to the cavities  13  for allowing the passage of the tabs  31 . 
     The deformation restrictions  42  are aligned at the upper and/or lower stages. The deformation restrictions  42  at the upper stage are vertically symmetrical to the deformation restrictions  42  at the lower stage. Hence, only the deformation restrictions at the lower stage are described. The deformation restrictions  42  are provided to correspond to the respective locking lances  14  and, as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 6 , the centers of the deformation restrictions  42  substantially coincide with centers of the locking lances  14  and the deformation spaces  17  in the width direction. Each deformation restriction  42  has a substantially horizontal plate  46 . Two bilaterally symmetric supports  47  project from the upper surface of the plate  46  and define long narrow ribs that extend in forward and backward directions. Additionally, two bilaterally symmetric reinforcements  48  project from the lower surface of the plate  46  and define long narrow ribs that extend in forward and backward directions. 
     The width of the deformation restriction  42  substantially equals the width of the deformation space  17 . More particularly, the outer surfaces of the supports  47  are more inward than the outer surfaces of the plate  46  in the width direction, but the outer surfaces of the reinforcements  48  are substantially flush and continuous with outer surfaces of the plate  46 . The front ends of the supports  47  are connected to the supporting wall  41  and the rear ends of the supports  47  are located before the rear end of the plate  46 . More particularly, the front ends of the reinforcements  48  are connected to the support  41 , and the rear ends thereof are located before the rear end of the plate  46  and slightly behind the rear ends of the supports  47 . The thickness from the upper edges of the supports  47  to the lower edges of the reinforcements  48  of the deformation restriction  42  is substantially equal to a height difference between the bottom surface of the deformation space  17  to the bottom of the cavity  13 . 
     The reinforcements  48  slide on the bottom surface of the mold removal space  18  in the process of moving the front retainer  40  between the retracted position RetP and the restricting position ResP. The supports  47  are located before the front ends of the cavities  13  when the front retainer  40  is at the retracted position RetP, but the supports  47  are located at front ends (before the locking lances  14 ) in the cavities  13  and the upper end edges of the supports  47  are at substantially the same heights as the bottom surfaces of the cavities  13  when the front retainer  40  is at the restricting position ResP. 
     A closing portion  46 F is defined at a part of each plate  46  before the rear ends of the supports  47  and is connected to the support  41  for closing the jig insertion hole  20 . A restriction  46 R is defined at a part of each plate  46  before the rear ends of the supports  47  and is fit into the deformation space  17  to restrict deformation of the locking lance  14 . The rear end edges of the deformation restrictions  42  are slightly before the front ends of the locking lances  14  as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  5  and  6 . Therefore the restrictions  46 R are retracted forward from the deformation spaces  17 . The restrictions  46 R fit in the deformation spaces  17  between the locking lances  14  and the outer wall  19  when the front retainer  40  is at the restricting position ResP, as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . Thus, the locking lances  14  being resiliently deformed from the locking position LP to the unlocking position UP come into contact with the upper or inner surfaces of the restrictions  46 R to prevent resilient deformations. 
     The front retainer  40  is held at the retracted position RetP and the locking lances  14  are kept on standby and in a state to be resiliently deformable to the unlocking positions UP prior to inserting the terminal fittings  30  into the cavities  13 . The main portion  32  interferes with the locking projection  15  during the insertion of the terminal fitting  30  in this state. Therefore the locking lance  14  is deformed resiliently toward the deformation space  17  and is displaced to the unlocking position UP. The main portion  32  passes the locking projection  15  when the terminal fitting  30  reaches a proper insertion position and the locking lance  14  resiliently returns to the locking position LP so that the locking projection  15  engages the locking portion  34  of the terminal fitting  30  from behind. This locking action of the locking lance  14  prevents the terminal fitting  30  from being withdrawn backward. 
     The front retainer  40  is pushed to the restricting position ResP after the terminal fittings  30  are inserted. Thus, the restricting portions  46 R enter the deformation spaces  17  to restrict the resilient deformations of the locking lances  14  and to ensure that the locking lances  14  lock the terminal fittings  30  more reliably. The supports  47  support the main portions  32  from below to stabilize the postures of the terminal fittings  30  when the front retainer  40  is moved to the restricting position ResP. At this time, the reinforcements  48  are below the supports  47  and are in contact with the bottom surface of the mold removal space  18 . Thus, the supports  47  cannot be displaced down and the terminal fittings  30  are supported reliably. 
     Each restriction  46 R is formed with a guide  49  that defines a substantially rectangular opening in a substantially widthwise central part. The guide  49  enables an unlocking jig J inserted through the jig insertion hole  20  to reach the locking lance  14  when the front retainer  40  is at the retracted position RetP. The guide  49  is open at the rear end of the restriction  46 R (deformation restricting portion  42 ) so that a rear extending end of the restriction  46 R is forked. The guide  49  has opposed left and right guide surfaces  49 S that substantially face each other. Additionally, the guide  49  is bilaterally symmetric and, accordingly, the center of the guide  49  coincides with the center of the restriction  46 R (deformation space  17  and locking lance  14 ). The opening area (width) of the guide  49  is equal to the opening width of the jig insertion hole  20  and is accommodated within the entire width range of the locking lance  14 . 
     The formation area of the guide  49  in forward and backward directions is behind the front end of the restriction  46 R (rear ends of the supports  47 ). A front end surface  49 F of the guide  49  inclines in an overhanging or undercut manner toward the back so that the front opening edge of the guide  49  in the lower surface of the restriction  46 R is before the front opening edge of the guide  49  in the upper surface of the restriction  46 R. The cutout area of the guide  49  is before the locking lance  14  and within the opening area of the jig insertion hole  20  in forward and backward directions when the front retainer is at the retracted position RetP. The cutout area of the guide  49  is accommodated substantially entirely in the deformation space  17  when the front retainer  40  is at the restricting position ResP. 
     The terminal fitting  30  can be withdrawn from the housing  10  by initially moving the front retainer  40  from the restricting position ResP to the retracted position RetP. Thus, the restriction  46 R is forward of the deformation space  17  and the guide  49  aligns with the jig insertion hole  20 . The long narrow unlocking jig J then is inserted obliquely up and back through the jig insertion hole  20  in the housing  10  and through the guide  49  to engage the upper surface of the jig receiving portion  16  of the locking lance  14 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . The unlocking jig J then is inclined like a lever with the rear end of the outer surface of the receptacle  12  as a fulcrum, as shown in  FIG. 1 , so that the jig receiving portion  16  is pressed down and out away from the cavity  13  and the locking lance  14  is deformed resiliently to the unlocking position UP. This deformation of the locking lance  14  releases the terminal fitting  30  from the locked state so that the terminal fitting  30  may be then pulled backward by holding the wire  35 . 
     The unlocking jig J is inserted into the housing  10  in a direction crossing the inserting direction ID of the terminal fitting  30 . A position reached by the unlocking jig J in the housing  10  is behind the rear end of the tab  31  in forward and backward directions. Therefore, the tab  31  of the terminal fitting  30  will not be damaged by the unlocking jig J. 
     The unlocking jig J is inserted through the guide  49  to reach the jig receiving portion  16  of the locking lance  14  when unlocking the locking lance  14 . The guide  49  separates the restriction  46 R into a forked shape and opposite left and right guide surfaces  49 S thereof are located at the left and right sides of the unlocking jig J. Thus, the unlocking jig J can reliably reach the locking lance  14  without being displaced in the width direction. 
     The guide  49  is open at the rear end of the deformation restricting portion  42 . Thus, a movable range of the unlocking jig J in forward and backward directions is wider and operability is better as compared with a guide with a closed at the rear end. 
     The lateral opening area of the guide  49  is within substantially the entire width range of the locking lance  14 . Thus, the unlocking jig J will not disengage from the locking lance  14  in the width direction and the locking lance  14  can be deformed reliably. 
     Each deformation restriction  42  has the closing portion  46 F for closing the jig insertion hole  20  when the front retainer  40  is at the restricting position. Thus, external matter cannot enter the housing  10  through the jig insertion holes  20  when the terminal fittings  30  are retained by moving the front retainer  40  to the restricting position. 
     The invention is not limited to the above described and illustrated embodiment. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. 
     A male terminal with a long and narrow tab is described in the above embodiment. However, the invention is also applicable to a female terminal with a terminal connecting portion in the form of a rectangular tube at a front end and a resilient contact piece in the terminal connecting portion for contacting a mating terminal. 
     Each guide is open at the rear end edge of the deformation restricting portion in the above embodiment. However, the guide may be a closed window. 
     The opening area of each guide in the width direction is within the entire width range of the locking lance in the above embodiment. However, a part of the opening area of the guide may be outside the entire width range of the locking lance. 
     Each above-described deformation restriction has the closing portion for closing the jig insertion hole when the front retainer is at the restricting position. However, the jig insertion hole may be left open when the front retainer is at the restricting position.