Patent Publication Number: US-11050191-B2

Title: Electrical connector with a movable detector

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a connector. 
     Related Art 
     Japanese Patent No. 4977404 discloses a connector that includes a connector housing and a tubular detector is mounted in the connector housing for movement between a restricting position and an allowing position. 
     An opening is formed in an upper wall of the detector, and an interference arm extends in a front-rear direction in the opening. Couplings connect rear parts of both sides of the interference arm to opposed edges of the opening. A front of the interference arm has an interference projection that is locked to a lock arm of the connector housing. 
     The interference projection and the lock arm ride on a lock projection of the mating connector as the connector housing and a mating connector are being connected, and the interference arm tilts with the couplings as supports. The detector moves from the allowing position to the restricting position when the connector housing is connected properly to the mating connector. Thus, the interference projection slides on the upper surface of a front part of the lock arm and the interference arm is kept tilted. When the detector is at the restricting position, the interference projection resiliently returns to be arranged in front of the lock arm. 
     The couplings of the detector twist and deform resiliently when the interference arm is tilted, but extend only short distances in a width direction from the sides of the interference arm to the edges of the opening of the peripheral wall. Thus, the couplings have poor resilience and high rigidity. As a result, the interference arm is difficult to deflect, and a large resistance may be generated to interfere with an operation of connecting the housings. 
     The invention was completed on the basis of the above situation and aims to facilitate connection of a connector to a mating housing without any problem. 
     SUMMARY 
     The invention is directed to a connector with a housing including a deflectable lock arm. The housing is held connected to a mating housing by the lock arm locking a lock of the mating housing. A detector is movable in a front-rear direction on the housing. The detector can move from a standby position to a detection position when the housing is connected properly to the mating housing. The detector has two side walls arranged to face each other in a width direction with the lock arm therebetween. A detecting body is between the side walls and can tilt together with the lock arm. Couplings connect opposite sides of the detecting body to the opposed side walls of the detector. The couplings extend in oblique directions intersecting the width direction and have tilting fulcrums configured to deform resiliently when the detecting body is tilted. 
     The obliquely aligned couplings are sufficiently long to deform resiliently with ease so that the detecting body can tilt easily. As a result, connection resistance between the housings is low and the housings can be connected without any problem. 
     The tilting fulcrums of the couplings may be arranged at positions overlapping a tilting fulcrum of the lock arm in the front-rear direction. According to this configuration, tilting displacements of the detecting body and the lock arm can be synchronized smoothly. 
     The detector may include a fitting, and the housing may be fit into the fitting. The side walls may be configured on both side parts of the fitting. This configuration improves the strength of the side walls. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view of a connector of one embodiment of the invention showing a state where a detector is held at a standby position with respect to a housing. 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view showing the housing connected properly to a mating housing and the detector moved to a detection position with respect to the housing. 
         FIG. 3  is a section along A-A of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a section, corresponding to  FIG. 3 , showing a state while the housing is being connected to the mating housing from a state of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a section along B-B of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 6  is a section showing the detector held at the standby position with respect to the housing and interfering portions of resilient pieces facing protrusions of the housing. 
         FIG. 7  is a section showing a state where the interfering portions ride on the protrusions and the resilient pieces are bulging out in the process of properly connecting the housing to the mating housing and moving the detector toward the detection position. 
         FIG. 8  is a section showing a state where the detector has moved to the detection position and the interfering portions and the protrusions are arranged apart from each other in a front-rear direction. 
         FIG. 9  is a back view showing the state where the detector is held at the standby position with respect to the housing. 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the detector. 
         FIG. 11  is a back view of the detector. 
         FIG. 12  is a front view of the detector. 
         FIG. 13  is a plan view of the detector. 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view of the housing. 
         FIG. 15  is a back view of the housing. 
         FIG. 16  is a plan view of the housing. 
         FIG. 17  is a perspective view partly in section showing a state where detector side locking projections are locked to housing side locking projections to restrict the rearward escape of the detector when the detector is at the standby position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     One embodiment is described with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 17 . A connector of this embodiment includes a housing  10 , a detector  11  and terminal fittings  12 . The housing  10  is connectable to a mating housing  90 . Note that, in the following description, surfaces of the housing  10  and the mating housing  90  facing each other at the start of connection are referred to as front ends, and a vertical direction is based on  FIGS. 3 to 5, 9 to 12, 14 and 15 . 
     The mating housing  90  is made of synthetic resin and includes, as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , a tubular receptacle  91  directly connected to an unillustrated device and projecting forward. Tab-like mating terminal fittings  92  project into the receptacle  91 . The receptacle  91  includes a claw-like projecting lock  93  on the upper surface of an upper wall. 
     The housing  10  is made of synthetic resin and includes, as shown in  FIGS. 14 to 16 , a housing body  13 , a fitting tube  14  and a lock arm  15 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , cavities  16  penetrate the housing body  13  in the front-rear direction, and a deflectable locking lance  17  projects forward at the lower surface of each cavity  16 . The cavities  16  are paired in a width direction in the housing body  13  and the terminal fittings  12  are inserted therein from behind. 
     Each terminal fitting  12  is formed integrally such as by bending a conductive metal plate, and is connected electrically and mechanically to an end part of a wire  18 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the terminal fitting  12  includes a tubular connecting portion  19  into which the mating terminal fitting  92  is inserted for connection. The locking lance  17  engages the connecting portion  19  to retain terminal fitting  12  in the cavity  16 . 
     An unillustrated front retainer is mounted in a front part of the housing body  13 . The front retainer is mounted in the front part of the housing  13  to restrict deflection of the locking lances  17  for secondarily retaining the terminal fittings  12  in the cavities  16 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 14 to 16 , a rear part of the housing body  13  includes tubular portions  21  in the form of two connected cylinders defining the respective cavities  16 . The wire  18  connected to each terminal fitting  12  is pulled to outside from the rear end of each tubular portion  21 . An unillustrated rubber plug is fit on the wire  18  and inserted in each tubular portion  21  in a liquid-tight manner. 
     As shown in  FIG. 15 , each tubular portion  21  includes a retaining protrusion  22  projecting down from a widthwise central part of a lower end. As shown in  FIG. 3 , each retaining protrusion  22  is lockable to a later-described locking claw  23  of the detector  11 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 15 , the housing body  13  includes two side surfaces  24  on widthwise sides of the respective tubular portions  21 , and facing walls  25  rise vertically from upper parts of the side surfaces  24 . As shown in  FIG. 14 , each facing wall  25  is formed over substantially the entire length of the housing  10  in the front-rear direction. 
     As shown in  FIG. 15 , each side surface  24  includes a rectangular recess  26  between upper and lower parts, and a claw-like protrusion  27  is on the back surface of the recess  26 . The protrusion  27  has such a projecting dimension to be confined within a depth of the recess  26 . A projecting end part of the rear surface of the protrusion  27  is tapered and inclined rearward and the front surface of the protrusion  27  is arranged along the width direction. 
     Housing ribs  28  are formed on upper and lower parts of each side surface  24  and extend parallel to one another in the front-rear direction. Two housing ribs  28  are on the upper part and one housing rib  28  is on the lower part, and these housing ribs  28 . The housing rib  28  on the lower part of each side surface  24  has a larger vertical thickness than the housing ribs  28  on the upper part and extends over the entire height of the lower part. Each housing rib  28  has a stepped shape such that a lateral projecting amount is reduced gradually toward the rear. 
     The fitting tube portion  14  has a tubular shape surrounding the outer periphery of a front part of the housing body  13  and the receptacle  91  of the mating housing  90  is fittable between the fitting tube portion  14  and the front part of the housing body  13 . When the both housings  10 ,  90  are properly connected, an unillustrated seal ring to be externally fit on the housing body  13  is interposed in a liquid-tight manner between the receptacle  91  and the housing body  13 . 
     The fitting tube  14  surrounds the outer periphery of a front part of the housing body  13  and the receptacle  91  of the mating housing  90  is fittable between the fitting tube  14  and the front part of the housing body  13 . An unillustrated seal ring is fit externally on the housing body  13  and is interposed in a liquid-tight manner between the receptacle  91  and the housing body  13  when the housings  10 ,  90  are connected properly. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 15 and 16 , the fitting tube  14  includes two side wall lower portions  29  covering both sides of the front part of the housing body  13 . There is a step  31  between each side wall lower portion  29  and each side surface portion  24 , and the front end of each housing rib  28  is integrally connected to an end surface constituting the step  31 . 
     The lock arm  15  includes legs  35  arranged between the facing walls  25 . The legs  35  are paired in the width direction and rise from the upper surface of the housing body  13 , as shown in  FIG. 15 . An arm body  36  extends forward and rearward from upper ends of the legs  35  and is exposed to the open spaces  34 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . The arm body  36  can be tilted and displaced resiliently in a seesaw manner in the vertical direction with the legs  35  as supports or fulcrums. 
     The arm body  36  includes a rearwardly open assembly space  37  extending in the front-rear direction, as shown in  FIG. 3 . A housing lock  38  closes a front end of the assembly space  37 , two rails  39  close both widthwise sides of the assembly space  37 , as shown in  FIG. 16 , and a plate  41  closes a rear-upper side of the assembly space  37 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , a detecting body  42  of the detector  11  is inserted into the assembly space  37  of the arm body  36 . The detecting body  42  has a detector locking portion  43 , and the housing lock  38  is locked to a rear surface of the detector locking portion  43  facing the assembly space  37 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , before the housings  10 ,  90  are connected properly. Additionally, the lock  93  of the mating housing  90  is locked to the rear surface of housing lock  38 , as shown in  FIG. 5  when the housings  10 ,  90  are connected properly. Laterally protruding parts of the respective rails  39  are inserted into rail grooves  44  of the detecting body  42  to guide the assembling of the detector  11 . 
     Housing side locking projections  40  project on both widthwise sides of the arm body  36 . Each housing side locking projection  40  is claw-like and coupled to the lower surface of the laterally protruding part of the corresponding rail  39 , as shown in  FIG. 15 . Each housing side locking projection  40  is lockable to a detector side locking projection  68  of the detector  11 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 10 to 13 , the detector  11  includes a fitting  45  and the detecting body  42 . The fitting  45  includes an insertion space  46  inside. The detector  11  is movable in the front-rear direction with respect to the housing  10  to a standby position where the housing body  13  is inserted shallowly in the insertion space  46 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , and to a detection position where the housing body  13  is inserted deeply in the insertion space  46  as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 11 , the fitting  45  includes a back wall  47  for closing a rear side of the insertion space  46 . A central part of the back wall  47  includes a wide through hole  49  that makes interfering portions  48  and the locking claw  23  visually confirmable. At the detection position, the respective tubular portions  21  of the housing body  13  are fit in the through hole  49  of the back wall  47  and the back wall  47  surrounds the entire peripheries of the tubular portions  21 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 12 , the fitting  45  has a lower wall  51  for closing a lower side of the insertion space  46 , and a deflectable retaining arm  52  projects forward in a widthwise center of a rear part of the lower wall  51 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , a locking claw  23  projects up on a front part of the retaining arm  52 . The locking claw  23  is locked to the retaining protrusion  22  of the housing  10  after the retaining arm  52  is deflected. 
     As shown in  FIG. 12 , side walls  53  are on both widthwise ends of the fitting  45  for closing both widthwise sides of the insertion space  46  on. As shown in  FIG. 10 , each side wall  53  includes upper and lower slits  54  extending long in the front-rear direction and a strip-like resilient piece  55  between the upper and lower slits  54 . Each resilient piece  55  is in the form of a beam supported on both ends and is deflectable with parts coupled to front and rear end parts of the corresponding side wall  53  as supports. As shown in  FIGS. 6 to 8 , each resilient piece  55  includes the claw-like interfering portion  48  projecting on a rear part of an inner surface. A projecting part of the rear surface of the interfering portion  48  is tapered and inclined forward and the front surface of the interfering portion  48  is arranged along the width direction. The interfering portion  48  can interfere with the protrusion  27  of the housing  10  and has larger thickness in the front-rear direction and projecting dimension than the protrusion  27 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , a rear part of each side wall  53  has a recessed surface  56  recessed inwardly from front, upper and lower parts (peripheral area). A rear part of each resilient piece  55  is provided in each recessed surface  56 . The recessed surfaces  56  have stepped shapes so that a width interval (widths of the respective side walls  53 ) becomes gradually smaller from front ends toward rear ends. Specifically, as shown in  FIGS. 6 to 8 , each recessed surface  56  is constituted by alternately disposing rearward facing surfaces  57  extending short in the width direction and arranged to face rearward and laterally facing surfaces  58  extending along the front-rear direction and arranged to face laterally in the front-rear direction. The rearward facing surfaces  57  and the laterally facing surfaces  58  are arranged continuously over the entire height of the recessed surface  56  via the upper and lower slits  54 , as shown in  FIG. 10 . 
     Each rearward facing surface  57  is formed along a line extending in the vertical direction in a side view. Further, the respective rearward facing surfaces  57  are formed to be successively located more outward toward a front end. as shown in  FIG. 11 . The inner surface of each side wall  53  is flat in the front-rear direction except at the interfering portion  48 , as shown in  FIGS. 6 to 8 . Thus, each side wall  53  becomes gradually thinner toward a rear except at the interfering portion  48  in the recessed surface  56 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 13 , the detecting body  42  is a plate extending in the front-rear direction between upper ends of the side walls  53 . Further, the detector  11  includes two coupling portions  59  bridged between side surfaces on both widthwise sides of the detecting body  42  and the side walls  53 . 
     The detecting body  42  is slidable in the front-rear direction with respect to the lock arm  15  while being inserted in the assembly space  37  of the lock arm  15 , and is tiltable together with the arm body  36  with the respective coupling portions  59  as supports. 
     The detecting body  42  includes a base  61  extending in the width direction in a rear end part, a resilient arm  62  projecting forward from a widthwise central part of the base  61 , two guide arms  63  projecting forward from both widthwise ends of the base  61 , and a plate-like cover  64  bridged between the respective guide arms  63  and arranged to straddle over the resilient arm  62 . A front part of the detecting body  42  projects farther forward than the front end of the fitting  45 . 
     The resilient arm  62  and the respective guide arms  63  are parallel to each other. When the detecting body  42  is inserted into the assembly space  37  of the lock arm  15 , upward protruding parts of the respective rails  39  are fit into spaces between the resilient arm  62  and the respective guide arms  63  as shown in  FIG. 1  and the plate-like portion  41  is fit into a space between the resilient arm  62  and the cover  64 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     The guide arms  63  include two rail grooves  44  extending in the front-rear direction in the inner surfaces thereof, as shown in  FIG. 12 . The guide arms  63  are mounted on the lock arm  15  to embrace the respective rails  39  from outside with the laterally protruding parts (see  FIG. 15 ) of the respective rails  39  fit in the respective rail grooves  44 . 
     The guide arms  63  include ribs  65  extending in the front-rear direction while projecting up. As shown in  FIG. 3 , a rear part of the upper surface of each rib  65  is inclined down toward a rear end. 
     The guide arms  63  include detector side locking projections  68  projecting toward each other on inner sides. The detector side locking projections  68  are arranged on lower surfaces of the corresponding rail grooves  44 . When the detector  11  is at the standby position, the detector side locking projections  68  are lockable to the corresponding housing side locking projections  40 . 
     The claw-like detector lock  43  projects down on a front part of the resilient arm  62 . The detector lock  43  contacts the rear surface of the housing lock  38  at the standby position to restrict a movement of the detector  11  to the detection position as shown in  FIG. 3 , and is in contact with the front surface of the housing lock  38  at the detection position to restrict a movement of the detector  11  in a return direction to the standby position, as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , the cover  64  has both widthwise sides coupled to lower parts of the inner surfaces of the ribs  65  and the flat upper surface thereof is located slightly below the upper surfaces of the ribs  65 . As shown in  FIG. 13 , the rear end of the cover  64  is spaced apart from the base  61 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 13 , each coupling  59  is a tapered strip plate extending oblique to the width direction and the front-rear direction from a front end part of the inner surface of each side wall  53  to a substantially central part in the front-rear direction of an upper part of the outer surface of each rib  65  (side surface of the detecting body  42 ). The upper surface of each coupling  59  is substantially continuous and flush with the upper surface of each rib  65  without any step. The front end of each coupling  59  is at substantially the same position as the front end of each side wall  53  (also the front end of the fitting  45 ). The coupling  59 , the side wall  53  and the rib  65  form substantially a Z-shape in a plan view. 
     A tilting fulcrum  66  is defined where a rear end of each coupling  59  is connected to the corresponding rib  65  of the detecting body  42  and is twisted and deformed resiliently when the detecting body  42  is tilted. The tilting fulcrum  66  of each coupling  59  is at a position in the front-rear direction overlapping the corresponding leg  35  that serves as a tilting fulcrum of the lock arm  15  and is substantially at the same position as the corresponding leg  35  in the front-rear direction at the standby position. 
     The fitting  45  includes an opening  69  that opens upward between the upper ends of the respective side walls  53 . As shown in  FIG. 13 , the detecting body  42  is exposed to the opening  69  and can be confirmed visually from above through the opening  69 . 
     Next, how to connect/separate the housings  10 ,  90  is described. 
     First, the detector  11  is assembled with the housing  10 . The assembling of the detector  11  at the standby position is guided by fitting the respective rails  39  of the lock arm  15  into the rail grooves  44  of the respective guide arms  63  and fitting the rear part of the housing body  13  into the insertion space  46 . At the standby position, the locking claw  23  of the retaining arm  52  is in contact with the front surface of the retaining protrusion  22  to be lockable to this front surface, as shown in  FIG. 3 , and the respective detecting member side locking projections  68  are in contact with the front surfaces of the respective housing side locking projections  40  to be lockable to these front surfaces, as shown in  FIG. 17 . In this way, the detector  11  is retained on both upper and lower sides with respect to the housing  10  and the rearward escape is restricted reliably. Further, the detector lock  43  of the detecting body  42  is in contact with and lockable to the rear surface of the housing lock  38  of the lock arm  15  to restrict a forward movement of the detector  11  toward the detection position. 
     Further, at the standby position, a clearance (part of the open space  34  of  FIG. 1 ) is formed between the cover  64  and the bridge  33 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , and a front part of the resilient arm  62  is exposed in this clearance to be visually confirmable. Furthermore, at the standby position, the interfering portions  48  of the respective resilient pieces  55  are arranged to face and to contact projecting inclined parts of the rear surfaces of the respective protrusions  27  from behind, as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     The housing  10  then is connected to the mating housing  90 . In the process of connecting the housings  10 ,  90 , the housing lock  38  of the arm body  36  rides on the lock  93 , and the arm body  36  is tilted in a seesaw manner in the vertical direction with the legs  35  as supports, as shown in  FIG. 4 . At this time, the detecting body  42  also tilts with the arm body  36  with the respective couplings  59  as supports. Since the tilting fulcrums  66  of the respective couplings  59  and the respective legs  35  are arranged at the same position in the front-rear direction, a tilting displacement of the lock arm  15  and that of the arm body  36  are synchronized satisfactorily substantially without interfering with each other. 
     When the housings  10 ,  90  are connected properly, the arm body  36  resiliently returns to an initial substantially horizontal state and the lock  93  is in contact with the rear surface of the housing locking portion  38  to be lockable to this rear surface. On the other hand, the detector locking portion  43  is pushed up by the lock  93  and unlocked from the housing locking portion  38 . In this way, a movement of the detector  11  from the standby position to the detection position in front of the standby position is allowed. Further, when the housings  10 ,  90  are connected properly, the respective mating terminal fittings  92  are inserted to a proper depth into the connecting portions  19  of the respective terminal fittings  12  to be connected electrically. 
     Subsequently, the detector  11  is moved to the detection position while being gripped by fingers, as shown in  FIG. 9 . A worker can move the detector  11  toward the detection position by placing the fingers in contact with the respective side walls  53  of the fitting  45  of the detector  11  and pushing the detector  11  forward. The side walls  53  include the recessed surfaces  56  and the respective rearward facing surfaces  57  of the recessed surfaces  56  are provided in plural rows to extend in the front-rear direction while facing rearward. Thus, the worker can select the respective rearward facing surfaces  57  as operating areas. Then, the worker presses the detector  11  forward while placing the fingers in contact with the respective rearward facing surfaces  57 , thereby being able to move the detector  11  toward the detection position without slipping the fingers on the recessed surfaces  56 . 
     In the process of moving the detector  11  to the detection position, the interfering portions  48  of the respective resilient pieces  55  contact with and ride on the respective protrusions  27  and the respective resilient pieces  55  are deflected and deformed to bulge out from the recessed surfaces  56 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . At this time, the worker can touch the bulging resilient pieces  55  (in particular, th rearward facing surfaces  57  and the laterally facing surfaces  58  of the resilient pieces  55 ) while his fingers are pushed by the resilient pieces  55 , and can feel the bulge of each resilient piece  55  through the fingers. Further, in the process of moving the detector  11  to the detection position, the detecting member locking portion  43  slides on the upper surface of the housing locking portion  38 , and the resilient arm  62  is deflected and deformed with a rear end side near the base portion  61  as a supporting point. 
     Immediately before the detector  11  reaches the detection position, the interfering portions  48  of the resilient pieces  55  ride over the protrusions  27  and the resilient pieces  55  resiliently return to eliminate the bulge. As the resilient pieces  55  resiliently return, the detector  11  arrives at the detection position at once and the resilient arm  62  also resiliently returns. Thus, the detector locking portion  43  is in contact with the front surface of the housing locking portion  38  to be lockable to this front surface, as shown in  FIG. 3 . In this way, a movement of the detector  11  in the return direction to the standby position is restricted. Further, since the front end of the cover  64  is arranged to contact the bridge  33 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , and the back wall  47  of the fitting  45  is arranged to contact the rear part of the housing body  13 , a forward movement of the detector  11  beyond the detection position is restricted. A front part of the resilient arm  62  is hidden inside the bridge  33  and cannot be seen from above. Further, when the detector  11  is at the detection position, the interfering portions  48  of the resilient pieces  55  are separated forward from the protrusions  27  and not in contact with the protrusions  27 , as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     If the housings  10 ,  90  are not connected properly and the lock  93  is not locked to the housing locking portion  38 , the detector locking portion  43  is kept locked to the housing locking portion  38 . Thus, the detector  11  cannot be moved from the standby position to the detection position. Therefore, it can be judged that the housings  10 ,  90  are connected properly if the detector  11  can be moved toward the detection position and the housings  10 ,  90  are not connected properly unless the detector  11  can be moved to the detection position. 
     That the detector  11  at the detection position can be detected by visually confirming a moving state of the detector  11  with respect to the housing  10 , for example, by visually confirming a state where the front end of the cover  64  is in contact with the bridge  33  as shown in  FIG. 2 . Further, a movement of the detector  11  to the detection position also can be sensed by an operation feeling when the resilient arm  62  resiliently returns. 
     The presence of the detector  11  at the detection position also can be detected tactually by fingers of a worker. Specifically, the worker moves the detector  11  to the detection position while placing his or her fingers in contact with the rearward facing surfaces  57  on the outer sides of the resilient pieces  55  and also on areas of the side walls  53  near the resilient pieces  55  and adjacent the upper and lower slits  54 . Thus, the fingers can confirm the existence and the elimination of the bulge of each resilient piece  55 . 
     On the other hand, the housings  10 ,  90  are separated from each other for maintenance or the like by inserting fingertips into the opening  69  of the fitting  45  and pushing a rear end side (base  61  and the like) of the detecting body  42  down by the fingertips. The detecting body  42  then is tilted together with the arm body  36 , and the lock arm  15  and the lock  93  are unlocked from each other. If the detector  11  is pressed rearward in that state, the housings  10 ,  90  gradually move in separating directions and the detector  11  also moves in the return direction to the standby position. The locking claw  23  of the retaining arm  52  then is locked to the retaining protrusion  22  to keep the detector  11  at the standby position with respect to the housing  10 , and the housings  10 ,  90  are pulled apart. 
     As described above, the respective couplings  59  configured to be deformed resiliently when the detecting body  42  is tilted extend in the oblique directions intersecting the width direction from the inner surfaces of the respective side walls  53  to the corresponding side surfaces of the detecting body  42 . Thus, extending lengths can be made longer as compared to couplings merely extending in the width direction. Therefore, the rigidity of the respective couplings  59  is reduced and the respective couplings  59  are deformed more easily resiliently. As a result, an increase of connection resistance of the housings  10 ,  90  due to the rigidity of the detecting body  42  can be prevented when the arm body  36  of the lock arm  15  is tilted. 
     Further, since the tilting fulcrums  66  of the respective couplings  59  are arranged at positions overlapping the respective legs  35  serving as the tilting fulcrum of the lock arm  15  in the front-rear direction, tilting displacements of both the detecting body  42  and the lock arm  15  can be synchronized smoothly. 
     Other embodiments are briefly described below. 
     Although the coupling in the above embodiment extends obliquely rearward from the side wall to the detecting body, the coupling may conversely extend obliquely forward from the side wall to the detecting body. 
     The detector may include a biasing member such as a coil spring inside and be configured such that a biasing force of the biasing member is accumulated in the process of connecting the housings and the biasing force of the biasing member is released as the housings are connected properly to automatically move the detector from the standby position to the detection position. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS 
     
         
           10  . . . housing 
           11  . . . detector 
           15  . . . lock arm 
           27  . . . protrusion 
           38  . . . housing locking portion 
           42  . . . detecting body 
           43  . . . detector locking portion 
           45  . . . fitting 
           48  . . . interfering portion 
           53  . . . side wall 
           54  . . . slit 
           55  . . . resilient piece 
           56  . . . recessed surface portion 
           57  . . . rearward facing surface 
           59  . . . coupling 
           66  . . . tilting fulcrum 
           69  . . . opening 
           90  . . . mating housing 
           93  . . . lock