Patent Publication Number: US-9887490-B2

Title: Connector with erroneous arrangement identifying portion

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a connector. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-67980 discloses a connector with a housing for accommodating terminal fittings and a retainer for secondarily locking the terminal fittings. A mounting hole is open in a lower surface of the housing and communicates with cavities for the terminal fittings. The retainer is inserted into the mounting hole from the lower surface of the housing and is movable between a partial locking position where the terminal fittings are insertable into the cavities and a full locking position where the terminal fittings are retained in the cavities. 
     The housing has a resilient wall that defines a side surface of the mounting hole. The resilient wall has a partial locking hole that communicates with the mounting hole. A partial locking projection of the retainer is inserted into the partial locking hole to hold the retainer at the partial locking position. 
     In the process of the retainer reaching the partial locking position, the partial locking projection slides on an inner surface of the resilient wall and the resilient wall is deflected and deformed outward. At this time, front and rear deflection supports of the resilient wall are pulled strongly by the partial locking projection and stress concentrates. In a worst case, the resilient wall may break. 
     The invention was completed based on the above situation and aims to provide a connector capable of ensuring a predetermined strength of a resilient wall defining a mounting hole that has a resilient wall. 
     SUMMARY 
     The invention is directed to a connector with a housing including a cavity. A mounting hole communicates with the cavity is open in one surface of the housing. A retainer is arranged in the mounting hole and includes a retaining portion for retaining a terminal fitting in the cavity. The retainer includes a locking protrusion projecting toward a surface of the housing intersecting with the one surface A part of the resilient wall of the mounting hole is capable of interfering with the locking protrusion and is disposed on the intersecting surface of the housing. The resilient wall includes a lock receiving portion for lockably receiving the locking protrusion by a resilient return of the resilient wall. An erroneous arrangement identifying portion is disposed on an inner surface of the mounting hole of the housing for restricting an erroneous arrangement of the retainer into the mounting hole. The erroneous arrangement identifying portion is a rib on the resilient wall. Thus, the strength of the resilient wall can be enhanced. The erroneous arrangement identifying portion has a function of reinforcing the resilient wall in addition to a function of restricting the erroneous arrangement of the retainer into the mounting hole. Thus, it is not necessary to provide a special reinforcing portion and a structure can be simplified by that much. 
     The resilient wall may have front and rear deflection supports. The erroneous arrangement identifying portion may be disposed on the side of one deflection support and a notch may be disposed on the side of the other deflection support. According to this configuration, a pulling force of the locking protrusion can be withstood by the erroneous arrangement identifying portion on the side of the one deflection support and the influence of the pulling of the locking protrusion can be suppressed to be small by the notch on the side of the other deflection support. 
     The notch may be disposed in the inner surface of the resilient wall. Thus, the resilient wall is deflected satisfactorily when being deflected and deformed outward when pressed by the locking protrusion since tensile stress acts in an opening direction of the notch. 
     A recess escaping from the locking protrusion may be disposed in the inner surface of the resilient wall and the erroneous arrangement identifying portion may define the recess. According to this configuration, the locking protrusion can escape into the recess, thereby avoiding interference between the locking protrusion and the resilient wall and preventing breakage of the resilient wall. Thus, a work burden in assembling the retainer with the housing is reduced. Additionally, the erroneous arrangement identifying portion defines the recess, and it is not necessary to provide a special reinforcing portion, thereby simplifying the structure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a state where a retainer is held at a partial locking position with respect to a housing in a connector of one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view showing the state where the retainer is held at the partial locking position with respect to the housing. 
         FIG. 3  is a side view showing a state where the retainer is held at a full locking position with respect to the housing. 
         FIG. 4  is a section along A-A of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  is a section along B-B of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6  is a side view in section corresponding to  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom view of the connector. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the retainer. 
         FIG. 9  is a plan view of the retainer. 
         FIG. 10  is a front view of the retainer. 
         FIG. 11  is a side view of the retainer. 
         FIG. 12  is a bottom view of the housing. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     One embodiment is described with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 12 . A connector of this embodiment includes a housing  10  and a retainer  60  to be mounted into the housing  10 . The housing  10  is connectable to an unillustrated mating housing. Note that, in the following description, a surface side of the housing  10  facing the mating housing at the start of connection is referred to as a front side concerning a front-rear direction and a vertical direction is based on all the figures except  FIGS. 7, 9 and 12 . A width direction is a lateral direction of  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
     The housing  10  is made of synthetic resin and, as shown in  FIG. 1 , is in the form of a rectangular block. Cavities  11  extend through the housing  10  in the front-rear direction, as shown in  FIG. 12 , and a terminal fitting  90  (see  FIGS. 4 and 5 ) is inserted into each cavity  11  from behind. A deflectable locking lance  12  projects from an inner wall of each cavity  11  and locks the terminal fitting  90  for primarily retaining the properly inserted terminal fitting  90  in the cavity  11 . 
     The front surface of the housing  10  is covered with a flat plate-shaped front mask  13 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . The front mask  13  covers the locking lances  12  from the front to provide protection from external matter. The front mask  13  has tab insertion holes  14  at positions corresponding to the respective cavities  11  for receiving male tabs of the unillustrated mating housing. 
     A lever accommodating chamber  15  is provided in an upper end part of the housing  10 . The lever accommodating chamber  15  is long and narrow in the width direction and open in the rear surface of the housing  10 . A plate-shaped lever  16  is accommodated in the lever accommodating chamber  15 . The lever  16  is cam-engaged with the mating housing and can be rotated to assist or cause a connecting operation of the housings. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 12 , the housing  10  has a mounting hole  17  into which the retainer  60  is to be inserted. The mounting hole  17  is located behind the locking lances  12  and communicates with all the cavities  11 . The mounting hole  17  is open in the lower surface (one surface) of the housing  10  and defines an opening that is long and narrow in the width direction. 
     Resilient walls  18  are disposed on both widthwise sides of the housing  10  and define opposite side surfaces of the mounting hole  17 , as shown in  FIG. 12 . Each resilient wall  18  is a thin plate that is resiliently deformable with front and rear end parts serving as deflection supports  19 F,  19 R. An outer surface of the resilient wall  18  defines a flat side surface of the housing  10  and is continuous with a surrounding side surface part without a step (see  FIGS. 1 to 3 ). 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , a side surface of the housing  10  is recessed to form a first slit  21  and a second slit  22  extending parallel to the front-rear direction and open on the rear end of the housing  10 . The first slit groove  21  is located on an upper side has a smaller vertical groove width than the second slit groove  22  located on a lower side. A depth of each of the first and second slit grooves  21 ,  22  is equal to a plate or wall thickness of the resilient wall  18 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a front part of the first slit groove  21  penetrates through the resilient wall  18  in the front-rear direction and defines a locking hole  23  that communicates with the mounting hole  17  in the width direction. Similarly, a front part of the second slit groove  22  penetrates through the resilient wall  18  in the front-rear direction and serves as a partial locking hole  24  communicating with the mounting hole  17  in the width direction. The front end of the locking hole  23  is slightly in front of the partial locking hole  24 . The lower edge of a front end part of the locking hole  23  defines a curved portion  25  curved up toward the front end. 
     Opposite side surfaces of the mounting hole  17  are defined by the resilient walls  18 , and the mounting hole  17  is open only in the lower surface of the housing  10 . Thus, resin satisfactorily spreads to areas of the housing  10  at both front and rear sides of the mounting hole  17  via the resilient walls  18  during resin molding. As a result, a molding failure occurrence rate is low. Further, although the resilient walls  18  are present on both widthwise sides of the housing  10 , these resilient walls  18  are thin and the retainer  60  does not project out from the side surface of the housing  10  when inserted into the mounting hole  17 . Thus, a width of the connector is small, and it is possible to meet a request for the miniaturization of the connector. 
     Next, the structure of the inner surface of the resilient wall  18  is described. As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 12 , a downwardly open recess  26  is provided in the inner surface of the resilient wall  18 . The recess  26  extends in the vertical direction while having a predetermined width in the front-rear direction. The width of the recess  26  in the front-rear direction is larger than that of a later-described locking protrusion  66  of the retainer  60  and a depth of the recess  26  is equal to or slightly larger than a projecting dimension of the locking protrusion  66 . 
     A center of the recess  26  in the front-rear direction is deviated rearward from a center of the inner surface of the resilient wall  18  in the front-rear direction. The front end of the recess  26  is located behind a front end of the resilient wall  18  (front surface of the mounting hole  17 ). An area of the inner surface of the resilient wall  18  in front of the recess  26  serves as a rib-like (rectangular column-like) erroneous arrangement identifying portion  27  extending in the vertical direction. The erroneous arrangement identifying portion  27  defines the front end of the recess  26  and has a lower end located at the lower surface of the housing  10 . 
     The recess  26  is located below the locking hole  23  and a rib-like interfering portion  29  extending along the front-rear direction is interposed between the recess  26  and the locking hole  23 . The upper surface of the interfering portion  29  constitutes the lower surface of the locking hole  23  (including the curved portion  25 ) and is arranged along the width direction. As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the lower surface of the interfering portion  29  constitutes the upper surface of the recess  26  and includes a slope  31  inclined up. As shown in  FIG. 12 , the slope  31  is shaped to correspond to the locking projection  66  of the retainer  60 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 12 , a front part of the interfering portion  29  intersects with and is connected to the erroneous arrangement identifying portion  27 . A rear part of the interfering portion  29  is at a position corresponding to the rear deflection support  19 R of the resilient wall  18 , and a notch  32  extending in the vertical direction is recessed on this rear end part. The notch  32  has a recessed cross section and extends to vertically cut the interfering portion  29 . Note that the partial locking hole  24  is open in the back surface (bottom surface) of the recess  26 . 
     Next, the structure of the retainer  60  is described. The retainer  60  is made of synthetic resin, and is in the form of a plate. As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the retainer  60  is inserted into the mounting hole  17  from below the housing  10  with a plate thickness direction aligned with the front-rear direction. The retainer  60  is movable between a partial locking position (see  FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 ) and a full locking position (see  FIGS. 3, 5 and 6 ) located above the partial locking position with respect to the housing  10 . 
     The retainer  60  includes through holes  61  at positions corresponding to the respective cavities  11 . As shown in  FIGS. 8 and 10 , each through hole  61  has a substantially rectangular cross-section and can accommodate the terminal fitting  90 . A retaining portion  62  projects from the lower surface of each through hole  61  and retaining portions  62  also project from the upper end surface of the retainer  60 . The respective retaining portions  62  are retracted down from the cavities  11  when the retainer  60  is at the partial locking position so that the terminal fittings  90  can be inserted into the cavities  11 . The respective retaining portions  62  enter the cavities  11  and lock the terminal fittings  90  when the retainer  60  is at the full locking position so that the terminal fittings  90  cannot come out of the cavities  11 . 
     A projecting piece  63  projects forward on a lower end side of a widthwise central part of the front surface of the retainer  60 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , the projecting piece  63  is arranged along the width direction and fittable into a projecting piece receiving portion  33  in the form of a shallow recess in the lower surface of the housing  10 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 8 to 10 , raised base portions  64  having flat trapezoidal shapes are formed on lower parts of both side surfaces of the retainer  60 . A receiving portion  65  capable of receiving the erroneous arrangement identifying portion  27  and having a substantially L-shaped cross-section is formed between the front surface of the base portion  64  and an area of each side surfaces of the retainer  60  in front of the front surface of the base portion  64 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     Further, the locking protrusion  66  and a partial locking protrusion  67  are provided vertically side by side on each of the side surfaces of the retainer  60 . The partial locking protrusion  67  projects from a flat surface of the base portion  64 . A projecting tip of the partial locking protrusion  67  is outward of the locking protrusion  66  in the width direction. 
     Each of the partial locking protrusion  67  and the locking protrusion  66  is in the form of a rib extending in the front-rear direction, and the partial locking protrusion  67  is slightly larger than the locking protrusion  66 . Front ends of the partial locking protrusion  67  and the locking protrusion  67  are at substantially the same position in the front-rear direction. On the other hand, the rear end of the partial locking protrusion  67  is behind that of the locking protrusion  66 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , the upper surface of the partial locking protrusion  67  is inclined down toward the projecting tip and the lower surface thereof is substantially horizontal. As shown in  FIG. 9 , the front surface of the partial locking protrusion  67  is inclined rearward toward the projecting tip and the rear surface is inclined forwardly toward the projecting tip. 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , the upper surface of the locking protrusion  66  is inclined down toward the projecting tip, and the lower surface is inclined up toward the projecting tip. Angles of inclination with respect to the width direction are set such that the lower surface of the locking protrusion  66  is steeper than the upper surface of the locking protrusion  66 . The projecting tip of the locking protrusion  66  has a pointed shape extending along the front-rear direction. 
     As shown in  FIG. 9 , the front surface of the locking protrusion  66  is substantially vertical. On the other hand, the rear surface of the locking protrusion  66  forms an escaping surface  68  inclined a large amount forward toward the projecting tip. As shown in  FIG. 11 , the front end of the escaping surface  68  is near a center of the locking protrusion  66  in the front-rear direction. 
     A displacement allowing hole  69  penetrate through an area of the retainer  60  inward of the locking protrusion  66  in the width direction. The displacement allowing hole  69  is long in the vertical direction and allows the locking protrusion  66  to be displaced resiliently. 
     Next, functions and effects of the connector of this embodiment are described. 
     First, the retainer  60  is inserted into the mounting hole  17  of the housing  10  from below. In the process of inserting the retainer  60 , the erroneous arrangement identifying portions  27  are inserted in the receiving portions  65  and the locking protrusions  66  are inserted into the recesses  26  to escape, thereby avoiding the interference of the locking protrusions  66  and the resilient walls  18 . As the retainer  60  is inserted farther, the partial locking protrusions  67  slide on the back surfaces of the recesses  26  and lower end parts of the resilient walls  18  are deflected and deformed out. As the retainer  60  is inserted farther, the resilient walls  18  resiliently return and the partial locking protrusions  67  are fit into the partial locking holes  24  from inside, with the retainer  60  at the partial locking position. At this time, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the partial locking protrusions  67  contact with the lower surfaces of the partial locking holes  24  to restrict a downward displacement of the retainer  60  in a direction to come out of the mounting hole  27 . 
     When the retainer  60  reaches the partial locking position, the locking protrusions  66  are located on upper ends of the recesses  26  and contact the slopes  31  of the interfering portions  29  from below, thereby restricting an upward displacement of the retainer  60  toward the full locking position. 
     On the other hand, if the retainer  60  is in an improper posture, such as a front-rear reversed posture with respect to the housing  10 , upper corners of the retainer  60  contact the lower surfaces of the erroneous arrangement identifying portions  27  to obstruct insertion of the retainer  60  into the mounting hole  17 . Thus, an improper posture of the retainer  60  is detected and an assembling operation of the retainer  60  is performed again. 
     Each terminal fitting  90  is inserted into the cavity  11  and primarily retained by the locking lance  12  after the retainer  60  is inserted in a proper posture into the mounting hole  17  and reaches the partial locking position. Subsequently, the retainer  60  is pushed toward the full locking position. Here, if any one of the respective terminal fittings  90  is not inserted to a proper depth into the cavity  11 , the inserting operation of the retainer  60  is restricted thereby indicating that at least one of the terminal fitting  90  is inserted incompletely. 
     The upper surfaces of the locking protrusions  66  slide on the slopes  31  of the interfering portions  29  and parts of the resilient walls  18  corresponding to the interfering portions  29  are deflected and deformed outward as the retainer  60  moves to the full locking position. At this time, the front and rear deflection supports  19 F,  19 R of the resilient walls  18  (interfering portions  29 ) are pulled by the locking protrusions  66  and stress concentrates there. However, the front deflection supports  19 F are reinforced by the rib-like erroneous arrangement identifying portions  27  and can withstand strong pulling forces by the locking protrusions  66 . Further, the escaping surfaces  68  of the locking protrusions  66  are shaped to escape from the rear deflection supports  19 R to suppress having the rear deflection supports  19 R pulled strongly by the locking protrusions  66 . Furthermore, since the notches  32  allow resilient displacements of the rear deflection supports  19 R, the rear deflection supports  19 R are less likely to be affected by the pulling of the locking protrusions  66 . Thus, even if the resilient walls  18  are deflected and deformed outward by being pressed by the locking protrusions  66  as the retainer  60  moves toward the full locking position, there is substantially no possibility that the resilient walls  18  will break. 
     When the retainer  60  reaches the full locking position, the resilient walls  18  resiliently return and the locking protrusions  66  are fit into the locking holes  23  from inside. At this time, as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , the locking protrusions  66  come into contact with the lower surfaces of the locking holes  23 , thereby restricting a downward displacement of the retainer  60  to the partial locking position. Further, the projecting piece  63  is fit to come into contact with the projecting piece receiving portion  33 , thereby restricting a displacement of the retainer  60  farther up than the full locking position. At the full locking position, the retaining portions  62  are inserted in the cavities  11  and lock the terminal fittings  90  secondarily. Note that wires connected to the respective terminal fittings  90  are pulled out through the rear surface of the housing  10 . Thereafter, the connector is connected to the mating housing by rotating the lever  16 . 
     As described above, since the erroneous arrangement identifying portion  27  is a rib-like part provided on the resilient wall  18 , the strength of the resilient wall  18  can be enhanced. In this case, the erroneous arrangement identifying portion  27  has a function of reinforcing the resilient wall  18  in addition to a function of restricting an erroneous arrangement (erroneous assembling) of the retainer  60  into the mounting hole  17 . Thus, it is not necessary to provide a special reinforcing portion and the structure can be simplified by that much. 
     Further, the erroneous arrangement identifying portion  27  is disposed on the side of the front deflection support  19 F of the resilient wall  18  and the notch  32  is disposed on the side of the rear deflection support  19 R of the resilient wall  18 . Thus, when the resilient wall  18  is deflected and deformed out by being pressed by the locking protrusion  66 , the resilient wall  18  can withstand the pulling force of the locking protrusion  66  by the erroneous arrangement identifying portion  27  at the front deflection support  19 F and the influence of the pulling of the locking protrusion  66  can be suppressed to be small by the notch  32  at the rear deflection support  19 R. As a result, a situation where the resilient wall  18  is not likely to be broken. 
     The notch  32  is disposed in the inner surface of the resilient wall  18 . Thus, tensile stress acts in an opening direction of the notch  32  and the resilient wall  18  is deflected satisfactorily when the resilient wall  18  is deflected and deformed out by being pressed by the locking protrusion  66 . 
     Furthermore, the recess  26  is disposed in the inner surface of the resilient wall  18 , and the locking protrusion  66  is allowed to escape into the recess  26  so that interference with the resilient wall  18  can be avoided until the retainer  60  reaches the full locking position. Thus, a resilient displacement of the resilient wall  18  is suppressed, the breakage of the resilient wall  18  can be prevented, and a work burden in assembling the retainer  60  with the housing  10  can be reduced. Further, since the front end of the recess  26  is defined by the erroneous arrangement identifying portion  27  rather than by a special defining portion, the structure can be simplified. 
     Other embodiments of the present invention are briefly described. 
     In the above embodiment, the locking protrusions and the partial locking protrusions may be switched and the locking protrusions may be inserted into the partial locking holes to be lockable to the housing when the retainer is at the partial locking position. 
     The tips of the locking protrusions may slide on the back surfaces of the recesses until the retainer reaches the full locking position. 
     The recess may not be provided in the inner surface of the resilient wall. 
     Converse to the above embodiment, the erroneous arrangement identifying portion may be disposed at the rear deflection support of the resilient wall and the notch may be disposed at the front deflection support of the resilient wall. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS 
     
         
           10  . . . housing 
           11  . . . cavity 
           17  . . . mounting hole 
           18  . . . resilient wall 
           19 F . . . front deflection support point 
           19 R . . . rear deflection support point 
           26  . . . recess 
           27  . . . erroneous arrangement identifying portion 
           32  . . . notch 
           60  . . . retainer 
           62  . . . retaining portion 
           66  . . . locking protrusion 
           67  . . . partial locking protrusion 
           90  . . . terminal fitting