Patent Publication Number: US-11646521-B2

Title: Connector with terminal fitting

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based on and claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-142678, filed on Aug. 26, 2020, with the Japan Patent Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in their entireties by reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a connector. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2012-209221 discloses a connector including a first housing having a female terminal accommodation hole and a female connection terminal inserted into the female terminal accommodation hole. A female terminal locking lance including a projection is formed in the female terminal accommodation hole. The female connection terminal is formed with a lance engaging hole by being cut. The female connection terminal inserted into the female terminal accommodation hole is retained by locking the lance engaging hole to the projection of the female terminal locking lance. 
     SUMMARY 
     In the process of inserting the female connection terminal, the female terminal locking lance is resiliently displaced due to the interference of the female connection terminal with the projection. When the female connection terminal is inserted to a proper position, the female terminal locking lance resiliently returns and the projection enters the lance engaging hole. To smoothly insert the projection into the lance engaging hole, the female terminal locking lance is formed to be narrower than an opening width of the lance engaging hole. Thus, when the female connection terminal is pulled rearward and a front edge part of the lance engaging hole strongly comes into contact with a base end part of the projection, a shear stress concentrates on the base end part of the projection. 
     A connector of the present disclosure was completed on the basis of the above situation and it is aimed to reduce a shear stress generated in a locking lance when a terminal fitting is pulled. 
     The present disclosure is directed to a connector with a housing including a terminal accommodation chamber, a terminal fitting including a locking hole, the terminal fitting being inserted into the terminal accommodation chamber from behind the housing, and a locking lance for retaining the terminal fitting inserted into the terminal accommodation chamber, wherein the locking lance is cantilevered forward and includes a body portion resiliently displaceable in a direction intersecting an insertion direction of the terminal fitting and a projection projecting from the body portion toward the terminal fitting and configured to enter the locking hole when the terminal fitting is inserted into the terminal accommodation chamber, a width of the projection is smaller than that of the locking hole, a maximum width of the body portion is larger than the width of the projection, and a part of the body portion connected to the projection is formed with a guiding portion gradually reduced in width toward the projection. 
     According to the present disclosure, it is possible to reduce a shear stress generated in a locking lance when a terminal fitting is pulled. 
     The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a side view in section of a connector of one embodiment. 
         FIG.  2    is a partial enlarged side view in section showing a state where a terminal fitting is pulled rearward and a locking lance is displaced toward the terminal fitting. 
         FIG.  3    is a partial enlarged front view in section of the connector. 
         FIG.  4    is a partial enlarged front view in section of a housing showing a state where the terminal fitting is not inserted in a terminal accommodation chamber. 
         FIG.  5    is a perspective view of the locking lance. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented here. 
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF PRESENT DISCLOSURE 
     First, embodiments of the present disclosure are listed and described. 
     (1) The connector of the present disclosure is provided with a housing including a terminal accommodation chamber, a terminal fitting including a locking hole, the terminal fitting being inserted into the terminal accommodation chamber from behind the housing, and a locking lance for retaining the terminal fitting inserted into the terminal accommodation chamber, wherein the locking lance is cantilevered forward and includes a body portion resiliently displaceable in a direction intersecting an insertion direction of the terminal fitting and a projection projecting from the body portion toward the terminal fitting and configured to enter the locking hole when the terminal fitting is inserted into the terminal accommodation chamber, a width of the projection is smaller than that of the locking hole, a maximum width of the body portion is larger than the width of the projection, and a part of the body portion connected to the projection is formed with a guiding portion gradually reduced in width toward the projection. 
     According to the configuration of the present disclosure, in the process of inserting the terminal fitting into the terminal accommodation chamber, the projection interferes with the terminal fitting to resiliently displace the locking lance in a direction away from the terminal fitting. When the terminal fitting is properly inserted, the projection enters the locking hole and is locked to the front edge of the locking hole as the locking lance resiliently returns, whereby the terminal fitting is retained. If the terminal fitting is strongly pulled rearward, the locking lance is displaced toward the terminal fitting and the body portion is accommodated into the locking hole while the front surface of the projection slides in contact with the front edge of the locking hole. Since the part of the body portion connected to the projection is formed with the guiding portion gradually reduced in width toward the projection, there is no possibility that the body portion is caught by the side edges of the locking hole. Since the front edge of the locking hole is locked to the body portion wider than the projection when the terminal fitting is pulled rearward, a shear stress generated in the locking lance is reduced as compared to the case where the front edge of the locking hole is locked to the projection. 
     (2) Preferably, the locking lance has an inclined surface facing forward of the locking lance and constituting the projection and the guiding portion, and the inclined surface is inclined in an overhanging manner so that the projection is located forward of the body portion. According to this configuration, since the front edge of the locking hole presses the inclined surface when the terminal fitting is pulled rearward, the locking lance is reliably displaced toward the terminal fitting by the inclination of the inclined surface. In this way, the body portion can be reliably brought into contact with the front edge of the locking hole. 
     (3) Preferably, in (2), a displacement restricting portion projecting further forward than the inclined surface and arranged opposite to the projection across the guiding portion is formed in a front end part of the locking lance. According to this configuration, a displacement of the locking lance toward the terminal fitting is stopped by the contact of the displacement restricting portion with the front edge of the locking hole when the terminal fitting is pulled rearward. In this way, the disengagement of the locking lance from the front edge of the locking hole can be prevented. 
     (4) Preferably, the terminal fitting includes a stabilizer extending from one side edge of an opening edge of the locking hole toward the locking lance, a pair of side surfaces constituting the guiding portion are constituted by a first slope facing the stabilizer and a second slope located opposite to the stabilizer across the guiding portion, and an angle formed by the first slope and the side surface of the projection is smaller than an angle formed by the second slope and the side surface of the projection. According to this configuration, since the angle formed by the second slope and the side surface of the projection is larger than the angle formed by the first slope and the side surface of the projection, the second slope is unlikely to be caught by the side edge of the locking hole in the process of inserting the body portion into the locking hole. Since the angle formed by the first slope and the side surface of the projection is smaller than the angle formed by the second slope and the side surface of the projection, a large width of the body portion can be ensured. 
     (5) Preferably, a front wall portion of the housing is formed with an insertion hole communicating with the terminal accommodation chamber from a front surface of the housing, a guiding surface formed by recessing the front surface of the housing in a tapered manner to surround the insertion hole, and a mold removal hole formed by cutting a region corresponding to at least the projection, out of the locking lance, in a front view. According to this configuration, since the mold removal hole corresponds to the projection having a small width, out of the locking lance, a large area of the guiding surface can be ensured as compared to the case where the mold removal hole formed in the guiding surface corresponds to only the wide body portion without corresponding to the projection. 
     DETAILS OF EMBODIMENT OF PRESENT DISCLOSURE 
     Embodiment 
     A specific embodiment of a connector of the present disclosure is described below with reference to  FIGS.  1  to  5   . Note that the present invention is not limited to these illustrations and is intended to be represented by claims and include all changes in the scope of claims and in the meaning and scope of equivalents. In this embodiment, a left side in  FIGS.  1  and  2    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  FIGS.  3  and  4    are directly defined as left and right sides concerning a lateral direction. 
     The connector of this embodiment includes a housing  10  made of synthetic resin and a plurality of terminal fittings  30  made of metal and fixed to front end parts of wires  32 . As shown in  FIGS.  1  to  3   , a plurality of terminal accommodation chambers  11  are formed inside the housing  10 . The rear end of the terminal accommodation chamber  11  is open as a terminal insertion opening  12  in the rear surface of the housing  10 . A plurality of insertion holes  14  individually communicating with the respective terminal accommodation chambers  11  from a front surface  10 F of the housing  10  are formed in a front wall portion of the housing  10 . As shown in  FIG.  4   , in a front view of the housing  10 , the insertion hole  14  has a rectangular opening. As shown in  FIG.  4   , a tab  39  of a mating terminal  38  is inserted into the insertion hole  14  from the front of the housing  10 . 
     The front wall portion  13  is formed with guiding surfaces  15  by recessing rectangular regions surrounding the insertion holes  14  in the front surface  10 F of the housing  10 . The guiding surface  15  has a guiding function of guiding the tab  39  into the insertion hole  14  when the tab  39  is shifted from the insertion hole  14 . As shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   , the front wall portion  13  is formed with mold removal holes  16  penetrating into the terminal accommodation chambers  11  from the front surface  10 F of the housing  10 . The mold removal holes  16  are spaces formed in the process of molding locking lances  20  to be described later. 
     As shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   , the locking lance  20  for retaining and holding the terminal fitting  30  inserted to a proper position in the terminal accommodation chamber  11  is formed in the terminal accommodation chamber  11 . The locking lance  20  includes a body portion  21  cantilevered forward along the lower surface of the terminal accommodation chamber  11 , a projection  25  projecting upward from the body portion  21  and a displacement restricting portion  26  projecting forward from the body portion  21 . The body portion  21  of the locking lance  20  can be resiliently deformed with a rear end part (base end part) of the body portion  21  as a fulcrum while the posture thereof is inclined in the vertical direction. 
     As shown in  FIGS.  3  to  5   , a guiding portion  22  gradually reduced in width toward an upper side is formed in an upper end part of the body portion  21 . As shown in  FIGS.  3  and  4   , the guiding portion  22  has a bilaterally asymmetrical trapezoidal shape in a front view. A left side surface in the front view of the guiding portion  22  serves as a first slope  23 L. A right side surface in the front view of the guiding portion  22  serves as a second slope  23 R. A part of the body portion  21  below the guiding portion  22  serves as a wide portion  24  having a constant width. A width of the wide portion  24  is equal to a maximum width of the body portion  21  and a maximum width of the guiding portion  22 . 
     The projection  25  projects from the body portion  21  in a direction toward the terminal fitting  30  in the terminal accommodation chamber  11 . A formation range of the projection  25  in the front-rear direction is an entire region from the front end to a rear end part of the body portion  21 . The upper surface of the projection  25  is inclined to become gradually lower toward a rear side. As shown in  FIGS.  3  and  4   , a lateral width of the projection  25  is smaller than the maximum width of the body portion  21  and equal to a minimum width of the guiding portion  22 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  4   , the left side surface  25 L of the projection  25  and the first slope  23 L are connected at an obtuse angle θ 1 . The right side surface  25 R of the projection  25  and the second slope  23 R are connected at an obtuse angle θ 2 . The angle θ 1  formed by the left side surface  25 L of the projection  25  and the first slope  23 L is smaller than the angle θ 2  formed by the right side surface  25 R of the projection  25  and the second slope  23 R. In a front view, a lateral center of the projection  25  is shifted rightward with respect to a lateral center  21 C of the body portion  21  (wide portion  24 ). Further, the entire locking lance  20  (center  21 C of the body portion  21 ) is arranged at a position shifted leftward with respect to a lateral center  11 C of the terminal accommodation chamber  11 . 
     As shown in  FIGS.  1 ,  2  and  5   , the displacement restricting portion  26  projects forward from the front end of the wide portion  24 , out of the body portion  21 . As shown in  FIGS.  2  and  5   , a region of the front surface of the locking lance  20  above the displacement restricting portion  26  serves as an inclined surface  27 , which is a flat surface slightly inclined in an overhanging manner with respect to a forward projecting direction of the locking lance  20 . The inclined surface  27  constitutes the front surface of the guiding portion  22  and the front surface of the projection  25 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  4   , the mold removal hole  16  formed in the front wall portion  13  of the housing  10  is formed by partially cutting the guiding surface  15  in a front view. A region of the mold removal hole  16  cutting the guiding surface  15  is a space corresponding to the projection  25  and the guiding portion  22  of the locking lance  20 . A space of the mold removal hole  16  corresponding to the wide portion  24  is disposed below the guiding surface  15 . Since the projection  25  has a smaller width than the wide portion  24 , an area of the guiding surface  15  lost by forming the mold removal hole  16  is smaller as compared to the case where the wide portion  24  corresponds to the guiding surface  15 . 
     The terminal fitting  30  is formed into a shape elongated in the front-rear direction as a whole, such as by applying bending and the like to a metal plate material. As shown in  FIG.  1   , a crimping portion  31  in a rear end part of the terminal fitting  30  is crimped to the wire  32 . A rectangular tube portion  33  is formed in a front end part of the terminal fitting  30 . As shown in  FIG.  3   , the rectangular tube portion  33  is formed with a stabilizer  34  flush with the left side plate portion  33 L by extending a left side plate portion  33 L of the rectangular tube portion  33  downward. 
     As shown in  FIGS.  1  to  3   , the rectangular tube portion  33  is formed with a locking hole  35  open in the lower surface of the rectangular tube portion  33 . As shown in  FIG.  3   , since the locking lance  20  is shifted leftward with respect to the terminal accommodation chamber  11  in a front view, the locking hole  35  is also shifted leftward with respect to the terminal accommodation chamber  11  and the terminal fitting  30  (rectangular tube portion  33 ). An opening range of the locking hole  35  in the lateral direction is a range from the inner surface of the left side plate portion  33 L of the rectangular tube portion  33  to a position to the left of the inner surface of a right side plate portion  33 R of the rectangular tube portion  33 . The locking hole  35  is formed by cutting a region of a lower plate portion  33 B of the rectangular tube portion  33  except a right end part. A left side edge  35 L, out of the opening edge of the locking hole  35 , is constituted by the inner surface of the stabilizer  34 . The right side edge  35 R, out of the opening edge of the locking hole  35 , is constituted by the lower plate portion  33 B. A lateral width of the locking hole  35  is larger than the width of the projection  25  of the locking lance  20 . 
     Next, the process of inserting the terminal fitting  30  into the housing  10  is described. In the process of inserting the terminal fitting  30  into the terminal accommodation chamber  11 , the lower plate portion  33 B of the rectangular tube portion  33  interferes with the projection  25 , whereby the locking lance  20  is resiliently displaced downward away from the terminal fitting  30 . When the terminal fitting  30  is inserted to a proper position, the locking lance  20  resiliently returns and, as shown in  FIG.  1   , the projection  25  enters the locking hole  35 . Since the width of the projection  25  is smaller than that of the locking hole  35 , the projection  25  does not interfere with the opening edge of the locking hole  35 . 
     When the projection  25  enters the locking hole  35 , the front surface (inclined surface  27 ) of the projection  25  proximately faces a front edge  35 F of the locking hole  35 . A part of the inclined surface  27  constituting the guiding portion  22  is located below the rectangular tube portion  33 , i.e. outside the locking hole  35 . Since the front edge  35 F of the locking hole  35  proximately faces the inclined surface  27  from front, the terminal fitting  30  is held retained by the front edge  35 F of the locking hole  35  butting against the inclined surface  27  of the locking lance  20  for locking even if the terminal fitting  30  is pulled rearward. 
     If the terminal fitting  30  is strongly pulled rearward, the front edge  35 F of the locking hole  35  strongly presses the overhanging inclined surface  27 . Thus, the locking lance  20  is resiliently displaced upward by the inclination of the inclined surface  27 . As shown in  FIG.  2   , the guiding portion  22  enters the locking hole  35  according to a resilient displacement of the locking lance  20 . At this time, there is a concern for the interference of the second slope  23 R with a right side edge  35 R of the locking hole  35 . However, as shown in  FIG.  4   , an angle of inclination of the second slope  23 R with respect to a resilient displacement direction of the locking lance  20  is made small by setting the angle θ 2  formed by the right side surface  25 R of the projection  25  and the second slope  23 R to be large. In this way, the second slope  23 R slides in contact with the right side edge  35 R of the locking hole  35  without being caught even if the second slope  23 R contacts the right side edge  35 R. Therefore, the second slope  23 R does not interfere with the right side edge  35 R of the locking hole  35 . 
     On the other hand, for the first slope  23 L, the angle θ 1  to the left side surface  25 L of the projection  25  is set to be smaller than the angle θ 2  formed by the second slope  23 R and the right side surface  25 R of the projection  25 . By this angle setting, the left side surface  24 L of the body portion  21  (wide portion  24 ) largely protrudes leftward with respect to the left side surface  25 L of the projection  25 . Thus, an increase in the width of the body portion  21  is realized. If the angle θ 1  formed by the left side surface  25 L of the projection  25  and the first slope  23 L is made small, the angle of inclination of the first slope  23 L with respect to the resilient displacement direction of the locking lance  20  becomes large. Thus, there is a concern for the interference of the first slope  23 L with the left side edge  35 L of the locking hole  35 . However, since the stabilizer  34  of the terminal fitting  30  constituting the left side edge  35 L of the locking hole  35  extends up to a position below the first slope  23 L of the locking lance  20 , the first slope  23 L does not interfere with the left side edge  35 L of the locking hole  35 . 
     If the terminal fitting  30  is strongly pulled rearward, the guiding portion  22  enters the locking hole  35  until the displacement restricting portion  26  butts against the lower surface of the lower plate portion  33 B of the rectangular tube portion  33  and the front edge  35 F of the locking hole  35  strongly presses the front surface (inclined surface  27 ) of the guiding portion  22  as shown in  FIG.  2   . By this pressing, a shear stress acting in the front-rear direction with the front edge  35 F of the locking hole  35  as a boundary is generated in the locking lance  20 . A position where the shear stress is generated is not in the projection  25 , but in the guiding portion  22  wider than the projection  25 , i.e. a lower end part of the guiding portion  22  having a largest width. Since a shear force exerted to the locking lance  20  from the front edge  35 F of the locking hole  35  is more dispersed in the lateral direction as the width becomes larger, the shear stress generated in the locking lance  20  is suppressed to be small as compared to the case where the shear force is exerted to the projection  25  having a smaller width than the body portion  21 . Therefore, the shear fracture of the locking lance  20  is prevented. 
     The connector of this embodiment includes the housing  10  having the terminal accommodation chambers  11 , the terminal fittings  30  to be inserted into the terminal accommodation chambers  11  from behind the housing  10 , and the locking lances  20  for retaining the terminal fittings  30  inserted into the terminal accommodation chambers  11 . The locking lance  20  includes the body portion  21  and the projection  25 . The body portion  21  is cantilevered forward and resiliently displaceable in the vertical direction intersecting an insertion direction of the terminal fitting  30 . The projection  25  projects from the body portion  21  toward the terminal fitting  30 , and enters the locking hole  35  of the terminal fitting  30  when the terminal fitting  30  is inserted into the terminal accommodation chamber  11 . The width of the projection  25  is smaller than that of the locking hole  35 . The maximum width of the body portion  21  is larger than the width of the projection  25 . The part (upper end part) of the body portion  21  connected to the projection  25  is formed with the guiding portion  22  gradually reduced in width toward the projection  25 . 
     According to this configuration, in the process of inserting the terminal fitting  30  into the terminal accommodation chamber  11 , the projection  25  interferes with the terminal fitting  30  to resiliently displace the locking lance  20  in the direction away from the terminal fitting  30 . When the terminal fitting  30  is properly inserted, the projection  25  enters the locking hole  35  and is locked to the front edge  35 F of the locking hole  35  as the locking lance  20  resiliently returns, whereby the terminal fitting  30  is retained. If the terminal fitting  30  is strongly pulled rearward, the locking lance  20  is displaced toward the terminal fitting  30  and the upper end part of the body portion  21  is accommodated into the locking hole  35  while the front surface (inclined surface  27 ) of the projection  25  slides in contact with the front edge  35 F of the locking hole  35 . 
     Since the part of the body portion  21  connected to the projection  25  is formed with the guiding portion  22  gradually reduced in width toward the projection  25 , there is no possibility that the body portion  21  is caught by the left side edge  35 L and the right side edge  35 R of the locking hole  35 . Since the front edge  35 F of the locking hole  35  is locked to the body portion  21  (guiding portion  22 ) wider than the projection  25  when the terminal fitting  30  is pulled rearward, a shear stress generated in the locking lance  20  is reduced as compared to the case where the front edge  35 F of the locking hole  35  is locked to the projection  25 . 
     The locking lance  20  has the inclined surface  27  facing forward of the locking lance  20 . The inclined surface  27  constitutes the projection  25  and the guiding portion  22  and is inclined in an overhanging manner so that the projection  25  is located forward of the body portion  21 . Since the front edge  35 F of the locking hole  35  presses the inclined surface  27  when the terminal fitting  30  is pulled rearward, the locking lance  20  is reliably displaced toward the terminal fitting  30  by the inclination of the inclined surface  27 . In this way, the body portion  21  can be reliably brought into contact with the front edge  35 F of the locking hole  35 . 
     A front end part of the locking lance  20  is formed with the displacement restricting portion  26 . The displacement restricting portion  26  projects further forward than the inclined surface  27 , and is arranged vertically opposite to the projection  25  across the guiding portion  22 . By forming the displacement restricting portion  26 , a displacement of the locking lance  20  toward the terminal fitting  30  is stopped by the contact of the displacement restricting portion  26  with the front edge  35 F of the locking hole  35  when the terminal fitting  30  is pulled rearward. In this way, the disengagement of the locking lance  20  from the front edge  35 F of the locking hole  35  can be prevented. 
     The terminal fitting  30  includes the stabilizer  34  extending toward the locking lance  20  from one side edge (left side edge  35 L), out of the opening edge of the locking hole  35 . A pair of left and right side surfaces constituting the guiding portion  22  are constituted by the first slope  23 L facing the stabilizer  34  and the second slope  23 R located opposite to the stabilizer  34  across the guiding portion  22 . The angle θ 1  formed by the first slope  23 L and the left side surface  25 L of the projection  25  is smaller than the angle θ 2  formed by the second slope  23 R and the right side surface  25 R of the projection  25 . Since the first slope  23 L is facing the stabilizer  34 , the first slope  23 L does not interfere with the left side edge  35 L of the locking hole  35  when the terminal fitting  30  is strongly pulled rearward and the body portion  21  enters the locking hole  35 . Since the angle θ 2  formed by the second slope  23 R and the right side surface  25 R of the projection  25  is larger than the angle θ 1  formed by the first slope  23 L and the left side surface  25 L of the projection  25 , the second slope  23 R is unlikely to be caught by the right side edge  35 R of the locking hole  35  in the process of inserting the body portion  21  into the locking hole  35 . 
     The front wall portion  13  of the housing  10  is formed with the insertion holes  14 , the guiding surfaces  15  and the mold removal holes  16 . The insertion holes  14  communicate with the terminal accommodation chambers  11  from the front surface  10 F of the housing  10 . The guiding surfaces  15  are formed by recessing the front surface  10 F of the housing  10  in a tapered manner to surround the insertion holes  14 . The mold removal hole  16  is formed by cutting the region corresponding to at least the projection  25  of the locking lance  20  in a front view. If the region of the mold removal hole  16  cutting the guiding surface  15  corresponds to only the wide body portion  21  rather than corresponding to the projection  25 , the area of the guiding surface  15  becomes small. In contrast, the mold removal hole  16  of this embodiment corresponds to only the projection  25  narrower than the wide portion  24  and the guiding portion  22  of the body portion  21  reduced in width toward the projection  25  without corresponding to the wide portion  24  of the body portion  21  of the locking lance  20 . In this way, the range of the guiding surface  15  cut by the mold removal hole  16  becomes smaller, wherefore the area of the guiding surface  15  becomes wider and a wide range where the tab  39  can be guided by the guiding surface  15  can be ensured. 
     Other Embodiments 
     The present invention is not limited to the above described and illustrated embodiment and is represented by claims. The present invention is intended to include all changes in the scope of claims and in the meaning and scope of equivalents and include also embodiments described below. 
     Although only the guiding portion is formed with the inclined surface, out of the body portion, in the above embodiment, a formation range of the inclined surface may extend to a region of the body portion other than the guiding portion. 
     Although the locking lance has the overhanging inclined surface in the above embodiment, the locking lance may not have the overhanging inclined surface. 
     Although the pair of side surfaces constituting the guiding portion are constituted by the first and second slopes having different angles of inclination in the above embodiment, the pair of side surfaces constituting the guiding portion may be bilaterally symmetrically shaped. 
     Although the mold removal hole corresponds to the projection and the guiding portion of the locking lance in the above embodiment, the mold removal hole may be shaped to correspond to only the projection or shaped to correspond to only the guiding portion. 
     From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been described herein for purposes of illustration, and that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the various exemplary embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims.