Patent Publication Number: US-2020303858-A1

Title: Connector

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a connector. 
     Related Art 
     Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-230857 discloses a connector with a housing formed with a terminal accommodation chamber. The connector also has a female terminal fitting to be inserted into the terminal accommodation chamber. A resiliently deformable locking lance is formed at an inner wall of the terminal accommodation chamber. The female terminal fitting includes a terminal body in the form of a rectangular tube formed with a locking hole. The female terminal fitting inserted into the terminal accommodation chamber is retained and held by locking the locking hole to the locking lance. A resilient contact piece is provided in the terminal body and a tab of a male terminal fitting inserted into the terminal body portion is connected to the female terminal fitting while being resiliently sandwiched between a wall of the terminal body and the resilient contact piece. 
     In the above connector, a tiny clearance is secured between an inner wall surface of the terminal accommodation chamber and an outer surface of the terminal fitting to reduce sliding resistance when inserting the terminal fitting into the terminal accommodation chamber. Thus, if the connector is used in an environment subject to vibration, the female terminal fitting vibrates in the terminal accommodation chamber and a contact pressure varies between the female terminal fitting and the male terminal fitting. Accordingly, contact reliability may be reduced. 
     The invention was completed on the basis of the above situation and aims to improve contact reliability. 
     SUMMARY 
     The invention is directed to a connector with a housing formed with a terminal accommodation chamber. The connector also has a female terminal fitting including a rectangular tubular terminal body that is to be inserted into the terminal accommodation chamber. The terminal body includes a base plate and first and second side plates rising substantially at a right angle from both sides of the base plate. A resiliently deformable resilient plate is connected to one end of the first side plate in the front-rear direction and is cantilevered toward the second end part in the front-rear direction substantially in parallel to the base plate. A supporting plate extends substantially parallel to the base plate from the second side plate and is configured to support an extending end part of the resilient plate from inside, and the resilient pressing portion is formed integrally to the resilient plate. A resiliently deflectable locking lance is formed in the terminal accommodation chamber and is configured to retain the female terminal fitting in the terminal accommodation chamber by locking the terminal body. A resilient contact piece is provided inside the terminal body and is configured to resiliently contact a tab of a male terminal fitting inserted into the terminal body. A resilient pressing portion is formed on an outer surface of the terminal body, and a pressure receiving portion is formed on an inner wall of the terminal accommodation chamber. The pressure receiving portion is configured so that the resilient pressing portion is brought resiliently into contact therewith. 
     The resilient pressing portion of the terminal fitting resiliently contacts the pressure receiving portion of the terminal accommodation chamber. Thus, the vibration of the female terminal fitting in the terminal accommodation chamber is prevented. Since a contact state of the resilient contact piece and the tab is stabilized in this way, contact reliability is excellent. Further, since the extending end part of the resilient plate formed with the resilient pressing portion is supported from inside by the supporting plate, a sufficient resilient pressing force of the resilient pressing portion to the pressure receiving portion can be ensured. 
     A contacting direction of the resilient pressing portion with the pressure receiving portion may be substantially parallel to a contacting direction of the resilient contact piece with the tab. According to this configuration, a contact pressure of the resilient contact piece and the tab is stabilized. 
     The female terminal fitting may be inserted into the terminal accommodation chamber from behind the housing, and a retaining projection may be formed at a position adjacent to a rear end of the pressure receiving portion and may be configured to lock the resilient pressing portion when the female terminal fitting is inserted properly. According to this configuration, the female terminal fitting can be retained reliably by two locking means, i.e. the locking lance and the retaining projection. 
     An interference avoiding portion may be formed in an area connected behind the retaining projection and may define a larger height difference from the retaining projection than the pressure receiving portion. According to this configuration, sliding resistance between the interference avoiding portion and the resilient pressing portion is reduced until the resilient pressing portion contacts the retaining projection in the process of inserting the female terminal fitting into the terminal accommodation chamber. Thus, workability is good. 
     The resilient pressing portion and the retaining projection may be locked via a retaining tapered surface inclined with respect to an inserting direction of the female terminal fitting. According to this configuration, the resilient pressing portion and the retaining projection are semi-locked. Thus, it is not necessary to use a tool or the like for disengaging the resilient pressing portion from the retaining projection when withdrawing the female terminal fitting from the terminal accommodation chamber. 
     An inserting tapered surface may be formed on at least one of a front surface of the resilient pressing portion and a rear surface of the retaining projection and may be inclined with respect to an inserting direction of the female terminal fitting. According to this configuration, resistance when the resilient pressing portion passes over the retaining projection is reduced in the process of inserting the female terminal fitting. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side view in section showing a state where a female terminal fitting is inserted properly in a terminal accommodation chamber in a connector of one embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view in section showing the process of inserting the female terminal fitting into the terminal accommodation chamber. 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the female terminal fitting. 
         FIG. 4  is a right side view of the female terminal fitting. 
         FIG. 5  is a left side view of the female terminal fitting. 
         FIG. 6  is a plan view of the female terminal fitting. 
         FIG. 7  is a side view in section of the female terminal fitting. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Hereinafter, one specific embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 7 . A connector F of this embodiment includes a housing  10  made of synthetic resin and a female terminal fitting  30 . Note that, in the following description, a left side in  FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 6  is defined as a front side concerning a front-rear direction. Upper and lower sides shown in  FIGS. 1 to 5  are directly defined as upper and lower sides concerning a vertical direction. Left and right sides shown in  FIG. 3  are directly defined as left and right sides concerning a lateral direction. 
     &lt;Housing  10 &gt; 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a terminal accommodation chamber  11  long and narrow in the front-rear direction is formed inside the housing  10 . A rear end part of the terminal accommodation chamber  11  serves as a terminal insertion opening  12 , which is an entrance in inserting the female terminal fitting  30  into the terminal accommodation chamber  11 . A front part of the terminal accommodation chamber  11  has a front wall  13  for stopping the female terminal fitting  30  properly inserted into the terminal accommodation chamber  11 . A tab insertion opening  14  penetrates through the front wall  13 , and a tab  51  on the tip of a male terminal fitting  50  to be connected to the female terminal fitting  30  is inserted into the terminal accommodation chamber  11  through the tab insertion opening  14 . 
     A locking lance  15  is cantilevered forward from a lower wall in the terminal accommodation chamber  11 . The locking lance  15  constitutes a part of the lower wall. An area of the lower wall where the locking lance  15  is not formed functions as a terminal receiving surface  16  for supporting the female terminal fitting  30  from below. A locking projection  17  is formed on the upper surface (surface facing the terminal accommodation chamber  11 ) of the locking lance  15 . The locking lance  15  normally is held at a locking position where the locking projection  17  is located in the terminal accommodation chamber  11 , but is resiliently deformable to retract the locking projection  17  down from the terminal accommodation chamber  11 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a pressure receiving portion  18  is formed on a front part of an upper wall of the terminal accommodation chamber  11 . The pressure receiving portion  18  is disposed in a central part of the upper wall in the lateral direction and is recessed into a groove extending in the front-rear direction. A downward facing ceiling surface of the pressure receiving portion  18  serves as a pressure receiving surface  19  parallel to an inserting direction of the female terminal fitting  30  and the upper surface of the lower wall. The pressure receiving portion  18  and the locking projection  17  are at substantially the same position in the front-rear direction. 
     A trapezoidal retaining projection  20  projects farther toward the terminal accommodation chamber  11  than the pressure receiving surface  19  in a side view is formed at a position of the upper wall adjacent to the rear end of the pressure receiving portion  18 . A downward facing surface of the retaining projection  20  is a flat surface parallel to the pressure receiving surface  19 . The front surface of the retaining projection  20  serves as a retaining tapered surface  21  inclined with respect to the front-rear direction (direction parallel to a moving direction in inserting the female terminal fitting  30  into the terminal accommodation chamber  11 ). As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the retaining tapered surface  21  is inclined down toward a rear side. The rear surface of the retaining projection  20  serves as an inserting tapered surface  22  inclined with respect to the front-rear direction. The inserting tapered surface  22  is inclined up toward the rear. 
     An interference avoiding portion  23  is formed in an area of the upper wall behind the retaining projection  20 . Similar to the pressure receiving portion  18 , the interference avoiding portion  23  is disposed in a central part of the upper wall in the lateral direction (width direction) and is in the form of a groove extending in the front-rear direction. The interference avoiding portion  23  has a downwardly facing non-interfering surface  24  that extends parallel to the inserting direction of the female terminal fitting  30  into the terminal accommodation chamber  11  and faces the upwardly facing terminal receiving surface  16  of the lower wall, in a manner similar to the pressure receiving surface  19 . A height difference between the non-interfering surface  24  and the downward facing surface of the retaining projection  20  is larger than that between the pressure receiving surface  19  and the downward facing surface of the retaining projection  20 . Thus, as shown in  FIG. 2 , a height Ha of the non-interfering surface  24  is larger than a height Hb of the pressure receiving surface  19  with respect to the terminal receiving surface  16 . 
     &lt;Female Terminal Fitting  30 &gt; 
     The female terminal fitting  30  is formed by applying bending and the like to a metal plate material (not shown) stamped into a predetermined shape and is long and narrow in the front-rear direction. A rectangular tubular terminal body  31  is at the front part of the female terminal fitting  30 . A crimping portion  32  is at a rear part of the female terminal fitting  30  and is in the form of an open barrel for conductively fixing a wire (not shown). 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the terminal body  31  includes a base plate  33  that is long and narrow in the front-rear direction, a right side plate  34 R, a left side plate  34 L, a supporting plate  35  and a resilient plate  36 . The base plate  33  is formed with a locking hole  37  that is lockable to the locking projection  17  of the locking lance  15 . The locking projection  17  of the locking lance  15  is locked to the locking hole  37  when the female terminal fitting  30  is inserted properly into the terminal accommodation chamber  11 , and the female terminal fitting  30  is retained and held with a rearward movement restricted by this locking action. The left side plate  34 L extends up substantially at a right angle from a left side edge of the base plate  33 . The right side plate  34 R extends up substantially at a right angle from a right side edge of the base plate  33 . 
     The supporting plate  35  is cantilevered substantially at a right angle from a substantially entire length area of the upper end of the right side plate  34 R and is disposed to face substantially in parallel to the base plate  33 . A part of an extending end edge (left end edge) of the supporting plate  35  serves as a locking edge  35 E, and, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the locking edge  35 E is locked to and placed on a receiving recess  38  formed on the upper end edge of the left side plate  34 L. By this locking, the supporting plate  35  is held at a predetermined height with a downward displacement into the terminal body  31  restricted. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a squeezing portion  39  projects toward the base plate  33  in a stepped manner with respect to an outer peripheral edge (both front and rear edge parts and both left and right edge parts) is formed in a substantially rectangular area of the side plate  35  excluding the outer peripheral edge. The squeezing portion  39  is a flat plate parallel to the base plate  33 . A downward facing surface of the squeezing portion  39  is parallel to an inserting direction of the tab  51  into the terminal body  31 . 
     The resilient plate  36  has a substantially rectangular shape long and narrow in the front-rear direction in a plan view, similar to the base plate  33 . A left side of a front part of the resilient plate  36  is connected substantially at a right angle to a front part of the upper end of the left side plate  34 L. The resilient plate  36  is cantilevered rearward and disposed to overlap on the outer surface (upper surface) of the supporting plate  35 . The front part of the resilient plate  36  is in contact with or proximately facing the upper surface of a front part of the supporting plate  35 , and an extending rear part  36 E of the resilient plate  36  is in contact with or proximately facing the upper surface of a rear part of the supporting plate  35 . 
     The resilient plate portion  36  is formed integrally with a resilient pressing portion  40 . The resilient pressing portion  40  is disposed in a substantially central part (i.e. position corresponding to the pressure receiving portion  18  and the interference avoiding portion  23 ) of the terminal body  31  in the lateral direction. The resilient pressing portion  40  is disposed substantially in a central part of the resilient plate  36  in the front-rear direction and is formed by bending a part of the resilient plate  36  to project up toward the outer surface of the terminal body  31  and has a substantially trapezoidal shape in a side view. The upper surface of the resilient pressing portion  40  serves as a pressing surface  41  substantially parallel to the inserting direction of the female terminal fitting  30  into the terminal accommodation chamber  11 . 
     The front surface of the resilient pressing portion  40  serves as an inserting tapered surface  42  inclined with respect to the front-rear direction. The inserting tapered surface  42  of the resilient pressing portion  40  is inclined up toward the rear, similar to the inserting tapered surface  22  of the housing  10 . The rear surface of the resilient pressing portion  40  serves as a retaining tapered surface  43  inclined with respect to the front-rear direction. The retaining tapered surface  43  of the female terminal fitting  30  is inclined down toward the rear side, similar to the retaining tapered surface  21  of the housing  10 . 
     The resilient pressing portion  40  is resiliently deformable to reduce a projecting distance from the upper surface (outer surface) of the resilient plate  36 . With such a resilient deformation, both an angle of inclination of the inserting tapered surface  42  with respect to a plate surface of the resilient plate  35  and that of the retaining tapered surface  43  become smaller. Further, an area of the resilient plate  35  closer to a base end (front) than the resilient pressing portion  40  is not displaced in the front-rear direction, but an area thereof closer to an extending end (rear) than the resilient pressing portion  40  (area including the extending end part  36 E) slides rearward while sliding in contact with the outer peripheral edge of the upper surface of the supporting plate  35 . 
     If the lower surface of the base plate  33  of the terminal body  31  is a basis in a state where the resilient pressing portion  40  is not resiliently deformed, a height Ht of the pressing surface  41  of the resilient pressing portion  40  is larger than the height Hb from the terminal receiving surface  16  to the pressure receiving surface  19  and smaller than the height Ha from the terminal receiving surface  16  to the non-interfering surface  24 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 7 . 
     A resilient contact piece  44  is provided in the terminal body  31 . The resilient contact piece  44  is folded to extend rearward from the front of the base plate  33 . The resilient contact piece  44  has a chevron shape in a side view and a top part in a substantially central part of the resilient contact piece  44  in the front-rear direction serves as a contact point  45  closest to the squeezing portion  39 . The resilient contact piece  44  is resiliently deformable to bring the contact point  45  away from the squeezing portion  39 . 
     When the resilient contact piece  44  is in a free state without being resiliently deformed, an interval in the vertical direction between the upper surface of the contact point  45  and the lower surface of the squeezing portion  39  is smaller than a plate thickness of the tab  51 . Thus, when the tab  51  inserted from the front of the housing  10  and passed through the tab insertion opening  14  into the terminal body  31 , the tab  51  is sandwiched resiliently between the contact point  45  of the resilient contact piece  44  and the lower surface of the squeezing portion  39  so that the tab  51  and the resilient contact piece  44  are connected with a contact pressure due to a resilient restoring force of the resilient contact piece  44 . 
     &lt;Functions and Effects of Embodiment&gt; 
     Until the front end of the terminal body  31  comes into contact with the locking projection  17  in the process of inserting the female terminal fitting  30  into the terminal accommodation chamber  11 , the lower surface of the female terminal fitting  30  slides in contact with the terminal receiving surface  16 , the upper surface of the terminal body  31  slides in contact with the downward facing surface of the upper wall and the resilient pressing portion  40  is kept out of contact with the interference avoiding surface. When the female terminal fitting  30  is inserted farther from a state where the terminal body  31  is in contact with the locking projection  17 , the locking lance  15  is displaced resiliently down due to the interference of the terminal body  31  and the locking projection  17 . As the locking lance  15  resiliently returns, the lower surface of the terminal body  31  is separated from the terminal receiving surface  16  and the upper surface of the terminal body  31  slides in contact with the downward facing surface of the upper wall. At this time, the pressing surface  41  does not contact the non-interfering surface  24 . Thus, the resilient pressing portion  40  is not deformed resiliently. 
     Thereafter, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the inserting tapered surface  42  of the resilient pressing portion  40  contacts the inserting tapered surface  22  of the retaining projection  20 . At this time, the terminal body  31  and the locking projection  17  of the locking lance  15  are held in an interfering state. When the female terminal fitting  30  is inserted farther from this state, the resilient pressing portion  40  slips under the retaining projection  20  while being resiliently deformed to reduce a projecting height from the resilient plate  36 . When the female terminal fitting  30  reaches a proper insertion position in the terminal accommodation chamber  11 , the front end of the terminal body portion  31  butts against the front wall  13 , the female terminal fitting  30  is stopped in front, the locking lance  15  resiliently returns to lock the locking projection  17  to the locking hole  37 , and the female terminal fitting  30  is retained and held by this locking. 
     When the female terminal fitting  30  reaches the proper insertion position, the resilient pressing portion  40  finishes passing over the retaining projection  20 . Thus, the resilient pressing portion  40  is displaced up due to a resilient restoring force thereof and the pressing surface  41  resiliently contacts the pressure receiving surface  19  due to a resilient force of the resilient pressing portion  40 . By the resilient contact of the pressure receiving portion (pressing surface  41 ) with the pressure receiving portion  18  (pressure receiving surface  19 ), the female terminal fitting  30  is pressed against a terminal slide-contact surface and a relative displace thereof in the vertical direction (direction intersecting substantially at a right angle to the inserting direction of the female terminal fitting  30  into the terminal accommodation chamber  11 ) with respect to the housing  10  is restricted. Further, since the pressing surface  41  and the pressure receiving surface  19  are in surface contact, the inclination of the female terminal fitting  30  in the front-rear direction and lateral direction in the terminal accommodation chamber  11  also is restricted. 
     Further, with the female terminal fitting  30  properly inserted in the terminal accommodation chamber  11 , the retaining tapered surface  43  of the resilient pressing portion  40  proximately faces the retaining tapered surface  21  of the retaining projection  20  from the front. Thus, when a rearward tensile force acts on the female terminal fitting  30 , the female terminal fitting  30  is retained and held not only by the locking of the locking lance  15  and the locking hole  37 , but also by the mutual locking of both retaining tapered surfaces  21 ,  43 . 
     Further, in withdrawing the female terminal fitting  30  from the terminal accommodation chamber  11 , a tool (not shown) is inserted into the housing  10  to displace the locking lance  15  down and disengage the locking projection  17  from the locking hole  37 . The release of the locking lance  15  from the female terminal fitting  30  enables the female terminal fitting  30  to be withdrawn rearwardly from the housing  10  by exerting a rearward pulling force on the wire drawn out rearwardly of the housing  10 . In withdrawing the female terminal fitting  30 , the retaining tapered surface  43  of the resilient pressing portion  40  and the retaining tapered surface  21  of the retaining projection  20  come into contact, but the resilient pressing portion  40  can pass over the retaining projection  20  while being resiliently deformed since the retaining tapered surfaces  21 ,  43  are inclined with respect to a withdrawing direction of the female terminal fitting  30 . 
     As described above, the connector F of this embodiment includes the housing  10  formed with the terminal accommodation chamber  11 , and the rectangular tubular terminal body  31  of the female terminal fitting  30  can be inserted into the terminal accommodation chamber  11 . The terminal accommodation chamber  11  is formed with the resiliently deflectable locking lance  15  configured to retain the female terminal fitting  30  in the terminal accommodation chamber  11  by locking the terminal body portion  31 . The resilient contact piece  44  is provided inside the terminal body  31  and is configured to resiliently contact the tab  51  of the male terminal fitting  50  inserted into the terminal body  31 . The resilient pressing portion  40  is formed on the outer surface of the terminal body  31 , and the pressure receiving portion  18  on the inner wall of the terminal accommodation chamber  11  is configured such that the resilient pressing portion  40  is brought resiliently into contact with the resilient pressing portion  40 . According to this configuration, the resilient pressing portion  40  of the terminal fitting resiliently contacts the pressure receiving portion  18  of the terminal accommodation chamber  11  to prevent vibration of the female terminal fitting  30  in the terminal accommodation chamber  11 . A contact state of the resilient contact piece  44  and the tab  51  is stabilized in this way so that contact reliability is excellent. 
     Further, a contacting direction (upward direction in this embodiment) of the resilient pressing portion  40  with the pressure receiving portion  18  is substantially parallel to (substantially the same direction as) a contacting direction of the resilient contact piece  44  with the tab  51 . According to this configuration, a contact pressure of the resilient contact piece  44  and the tab  51  is stabilized. 
     Further, the female terminal fitting  30  is inserted into the terminal accommodation chamber  11  from behind the housing  10 , and the retaining projection  20  configured to lock the resilient pressing portion  40  with the properly inserted female terminal fitting  30  is adjacent to the rear end of the pressure receiving portion  18 . According to this configuration, the female terminal fitting  30  is retained reliably by two locking means, i.e. the locking lance  15  and the retaining projection  20 . 
     The interference avoiding portion  23  having a larger height difference from the retaining projection  20  than the pressure receiving portion  18  is formed in the area connected behind the retraining projection  20 . According to this configuration, sliding resistance between the interference avoiding portion  23  and the resilient pressing portion  40  is reduced until the resilient pressing portion  40  comes into contact with the retaining projection  20  in the process of inserting the female terminal fitting  30  into the terminal accommodation chamber  11 . Thus, work efficiency is good. 
     The resilient pressing portion  40  and the retaining projection  20  are locked via the retaining tapered surfaces  21 ,  43  inclined with respect to the inserting direction of the female terminal fitting  30 . According to this configuration, the resilient pressing portion  40  and the retaining projection  20  are semi-locked. Thus, it is not necessary to use a tool or the like for disengaging the resilient pressing portion  40  from the retaining projection  20  when withdrawing the female terminal fitting  30  from the terminal accommodation chamber  11 . Further, the inserting tapered surfaces  22 ,  42  inclined with respect to the inserting direction of the female terminal fitting  30  are formed on the rear surface of the retaining projection  20  and the front surface of the resilient pressing portion  40 . According to this configuration, resistance when the resilient pressing portion  40  passes over the retaining projection  20  is reduced in the process of inserting the female terminal fitting  30 . 
     Further, the terminal body  31  includes the base plate  33 , the pair of side plates  34 L,  34 R rising substantially at a right angle from the both sides of the base plate  33 , the resilient plate  36  and the supporting plate  35 . The resilient plate  36  is connected to the front of the left side plate  34 L in the front-rear direction, is cantilevered toward the other side in the front-rear direction substantially in parallel to the base plate  33 , and is resiliently deformable. This resilient plate  36  is formed integrally with the resilient pressing portion  40 . Further, the supporting plate  35  extends from the right side plate  34 R substantially in parallel to the base plate  33  and supports the extending end part  36 E of the resilient plate  36  from inside. According to this configuration, since the extending end part of the resilient plate  36  formed with the resilient pressing portion  40  is supported from inside by the supporting plate  35 , a sufficient resilient pressing force of the resilient pressing portion  40  to the pressure receiving portion  18  can be ensured. 
     The invention is not limited to the above described and illustrated embodiment. For example, the following embodiments also are included in the scope of the invention. 
     Although the contacting direction of the resilient pressing portion with the pressure receiving portion is a direction substantially parallel to the contacting direction of the resilient contact piece with the tab in the above embodiment, the contacting direction of the resilient pressing portion may be a direction substantially perpendicular to the contacting direction of the resilient contact piece with the tab. 
     Although the tapered surfaces are formed on both the resilient pressing portion and the retaining projection in the above embodiment, the tapered surface may be formed on only either one of the resilient pressing portion and the retaining projection. 
     The resilient pressing portion and the retaining projection are locked via the tapered surfaces inclined with respect to the inserting direction of the female terminal fitting in the above embodiment. However, surfaces of the resilient pressing portion and the retaining projection substantially perpendicular to the inserting direction of the female terminal fitting may be locked to each other. In this case, the female terminal fitting can be withdrawn from the terminal accommodation chamber if a tool or the like for disengaging the resilient pressing portion from the retaining projection is used. 
     Although the retaining projection is formed on the inner wall of the terminal accommodation chamber in the above embodiment, the retaining projection may not be formed. 
     The interference avoiding portion having a larger height difference from the retaining projection than the pressure receiving portion is formed in the area behind the retaining projection in the above embodiment. However, such an interference avoiding portion may not be formed and the area behind the retaining projection may be at the same height as the pressure receiving portion. 
     Although the resilient plate is cantilevered rearward in the above embodiment, the resilient plate may be cantilevered forward. 
     Although the extending end part of the resilient plate is supported by the supporting plate in the above embodiment, the extending end part of the resilient plate may not be supported by the supporting plate. 
     Although the supporting plate supporting the extending end part of the resilient plate sandwiches the tab in cooperation with the resilient contact piece in the above embodiment, the supporting plate may not sandwich the tab in cooperation with the resilient contact piece. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS 
     
         
         F . . . connector 
           10  . . . housing 
           11  . . . terminal accommodation chamber 
           15  . . . locking lance 
           18  . . . pressure receiving portion 
           20  . . . retaining projection 
           21  . . . retaining tapered surface 
           22  . . . inserting tapered surface 
           23  . . . interference avoiding portion 
           30  . . . female terminal fitting 
           31  . . . terminal body 
           33  . . . base plate 
           34 L . . . left side plate 
           34 R . . . right side plate 
           35  . . . supporting plate 
           36  . . . resilient plate 
           36 E . . . extending end part of resilient plate 
           39  . . . squeezing portion 
           40  . . . resilient pressing portion 
           42  . . . inserting tapered surface 
           43  . . . retaining tapered surface 
           44  . . . resilient contact piece 
           50  . . . male terminal fitting 
           51  . . . tab