Patent ID: 7441328

Claim:
An insulator-combining apparatus for assembling a connector by laminating electrical insulators each holding a plurality of terminals in a lined-up form, said insulator including a wall on which the terminal is placed and an identification part which indicates an order of lamination upon the assembling of the connector, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of holders which approach and leave each other, attach the insulators thereon on a condition which a plurality of walls are spaced from each other, and each include first corresponding parts corresponding to the identification parts of the corresponding insulators; a combining part which causes the holders to approach each other and laminates the insulators; and an erroneous attaching-preventing means which permits the holders to approach each other when the insulators each having the correct identification parts corresponding to the holders are attached on the holders and prevents the holders from approaching each other when at least one holder attaches the insulator having an incorrect identification part, wherein the holder includes: a body part provided with said first corresponding part; and a nipping part, one end part of which is rotatably provided with the body part, and which nips the insulator between the body part and the nipping part when the insulator having a correct identification part corresponding to the first corresponding part is attached on the body part, wherein the erroneous attaching-preventing means includes: a sliding member which is provided slidably in a direction crossing at right angles, a direction in which the holders approach each other between an allowed position where the sliding member is placed on an opposite end part of the nipping part and permits the combining part to cause the holders to approach each other and a detachable position where the sliding member causes the insulator to be attachable on or detachable from the holder, and interferes with the nipping part of the holder, on which an incorrect insulator is attached, so as to be prevented from being positioned at the allowed position; and restricting means which are provided on both the combining part and the sliding member, and interfere with each other so as to prevent the combining part from causing the holders to approach each other when the sliding member is positioned nearer to the detachable position than the allowed position.