Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a connector provided with a spacer for doubly retaining a plurality of connection terminals, received in a housing body. 
     A related connector comprises a connector housing, having terminal receiving chambers, and connection terminals received respectively in these terminal receiving chambers. A lance is formed integrally within each of the terminal receiving chambers, and the inserted connection terminal is engaged with this lance, and is prevented from withdrawal. 
     However, a sufficient retaining force for the connection terminal can not be provided only by the lance, and therefore in recent years, there have been used a construction in which a spacer, separate from a connector housing, is attached to the connector housing so as to doubly retain the connection terminals. 
     FIG. 19 shows a connector disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-29276A. 
     The connector  1  shown in FIG. 19 comprises a housing body  2  for receiving a plurality of connection terminals (not shown), and a spacer  3  for being attached to the housing body  2 . 
     A plurality of terminal receiving chambers  4  are formed through the housing body  2  in a forward-rearward direction, and are arranged in two (upper and lower) rows. A spacer mounting hole  6  is formed in an upper wall  5  of the housing body  2 , and extends downwardly therefrom, the spacer mounting hole  6  being disposed perpendicularly to the plurality of terminal receiving chambers  4 . A lance (not shown) is formed integrally within each of the plurality of terminal receiving chambers  4 . 
     The spacer mounting hole  6  is a rectangular hole communicating with the plurality of terminal receiving chambers  4 , and grooves  8  are formed in a rear edge portion of the spacer mounting hole  6  intermediate opposite sides thereof, and are spaced a suitable distance from each other, the grooves  8  being continuous with a partition wall  7  separating the upper and lower rows of terminal receiving chambers  4  from each other. Lock arms  9  for the spacer  3  are formed integrally in the groove portions  8 , respectively. 
     The spacer  3  of a frame-like configuration includes a pair of upper and lower lid members  10  and  11  interconnected by a plurality of partition plates  12 . The spacer  3  has ribs  13  for being engaged respectively with the lock arms  9 . The ribs  13  are disposed at a level slightly lower than the upper lid member  10 . Each of these ribs has a sufficient thickness substantially equal to the thickness of the lock arm  9 , and can be received in the groove  8 . 
     When the spacer  3  is pushed into the spacer mounting hole  6 , so that the lock arms  9  are elastically deformed to be engaged respectively with the ribs  13 , retaining walls  14  of the spacer  3  engage the connection terminals (not shown). The connection terminals are doubly retained by the housing body  2  and the spacer  3 , and therefore are prevented from withdrawal. 
     Incidentally, in recent years, it has been desired to achieve a compact design of parts such as a connector. 
     In the above related technique, however, the lock arms  9  are formed at the rear edge portion of the spacer mounting hole  6  intermediate the opposite sides thereof, and are spaced a suitable distance from each other, and therefore the outer size of the housing body  2  has been increased by an amount corresponding to a space for retaining the spacer  3 , that is, the space for the grooves  8 . 
     The above retaining space is indispensable to the connector  1  provided with the spacer  3 , and therefore it has been difficult to meet the requirement of the compact design. 
     If the above retaining space is reduced so as to form the housing body  2  into a compact design, the retaining force for retaining the spacer  3  is reduced, which has led to possibilities that the spacer  3  is displaced upwardly relative to the upper wall  5  and that the spacer  3  is disengaged from the housing body during transport. 
     Usually, that portion of the housing body  2 , in which the spacer  3  is mounted, is disposed at that portion of this housing body on which a mating connector is fitted, and therefore when the outer size of the housing body  2  increases, the outer size of the mating connector naturally increases. 
     Therefore, in view of the foregoing, it is necessary to make improvements so as to achieve the compact design of the connector. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention has been made under the above circumstances, and an object of the invention is to provide a connector which is formed into a compact design while maintaining a sufficient retaining force for a spacer. 
     In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a connector comprising: 
     a housing body provided with a pair of first retainers and a plurality of terminal chambers for accommodating a plurality of connection terminals; 
     a spacer attached to the housing body for doubly retaining the connection terminals in the housing body, provided with a pair of second retainers which is to be engaged with the first retainers when the spacer is attached to the housing body; and 
     a pair of finger pads respectively protruded from outer faces of both side walls of the housing body, on which an user&#39;s fingers are abutted to perform connection with respect to a mating connector, 
     wherein the spacer is attached into a mounting hole formed in either a top face or a bottom face of the housing body so as to communicate with the respective terminal chambers and to include inner faces of the both side walls of the housing body; 
     wherein the width of the mounting hole is widened outwardly at portions opposing to the respective finger pads; and 
     wherein at least a part of the first retainers are provided in the widened portion of the mounting hole. 
     According to the above configuration, the finger pads are formed by reducing the width of the housing body, and the portion for receiving the retainer of the spacer having a sufficient thickness to keep a sufficient retaining ability is formed inside of the finger pads. Therefore, there is achieved an advantageous effect that there can be provided the connector which is formed into a compact design while maintaining the sufficient retaining force for the spacer. 
     Preferably, each of the second retainers includes a provisional retainer for provisionally engaging the spacer with the housing body, and a complete retainer for completely engaging the spacer with the housing body. 
     According to the above configuration, the connection terminals can be received in the housing body, with the spacer held in a provisionally-retained condition. Therefore, workability can be improved. 
     Preferably, the provisional retainers and the complete retainers are provided as projections. Here, either a slit or a through hole is formed in the vicinity of the respective provisional retainers and the complete retainers. 
     According to the above configuration, when provisionally or completely retaining the spacer, the provisional retainer or the complete retainer is elastically deformed because of the provision of the through hole or the slit, and therefore the attachment of the spacer can be easily effected. 
     Preferably, the spacer includes a front holder connected via a hinge, and the front holder is engaged with a front portion of the housing body to regulate positions of the connection terminals accommodated in the housing body. 
     According to the above configuration, even when the spacer has the added function (position regulating of the connection terminals), the compact design can be achieved. 
     Preferably, a widthwise dimension of the connector including the finger pads is so determined as to be smaller than a widthwise dimension of the mating connector. 
     According to the above configuration, when the connector is connected to the mating connector, the size of the two connectors will not be increased by providing the pair of finger pads. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the accompanying drawings: 
     FIG. 1 is a bottom view showing a connector according to one preferred embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of the connector of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of the connector of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a partly cross-sectional, plan view of a mating connector of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a front view of the mating connector of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is a plan view of a housing body; 
     FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the housing body; 
     FIG. 8 is a front view of the housing body; 
     FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A—A of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 10 is a rear view of the housing body; 
     FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B—B of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 12 is a side view of a spacer; 
     FIG. 13 is a front view of the spacer; 
     FIG. 14 is a plan view of the spacer; 
     FIG. 15 is a bottom view of the spacer; 
     FIG. 16 is a rear view of the spacer; 
     FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C—C of FIG. 13; 
     FIG. 18 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view explanatory of a provisionally-retained condition and a completely-retained condition of the spacer; and 
     FIG. 19 is a partly cross-sectional, exploded perspective view of a related connector. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     One preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. 
     FIG. 1 is a bottom view showing one preferred embodiment of a connector of the invention. FIG. 2 is a front view of the connector of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a side view of the connector of FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a partly cross-sectional, plan view of a mating connector of FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is a front view of the mating connector of FIG.  1 . 
     In FIG. 1, reference numeral  21  denotes the connector of the present invention. 
     The connector  21  can be electrically connected to the mating connector  22  adapted to be fixedly mounted on a wiring board (not shown). The connector  21  comprises a plurality of female connection terminals  23 , a housing body  24  for receiving these connection terminals  23 , and a spacer  25  attached to the housing body  24  so as to doubly retain the connection terminals  23 . The spacer  25  can be attached to the housing body  24  of the connector  21  from the lower side thereof at which a lower wall  26  is provided. 
     The spacer  25  has a front holder  28  integrally connected thereto through hinges  27  (see FIG. 2 also), and this front holder  28  can be fitted on a front portion of the housing body  24 . The front holder  28  serves as a stopper for the connection terminals  23  mounted in the housing body  24 . 
     The connector  21  has a pair of finger pads  29  (see also FIGS. 2 and 3) formed on the housing body  24 , and the connector  1  can be pushed into the mating connector, with the fingers held respectively on the finger pads  29 , so as to be connected to the mating connector  22 . 
     When the connector  21  is connected to the mating connector  22 , connection terminals  31  (described later) in the mating connector  22  are inserted into the housing body  24  through the front holder  28 , and are electrically connected to the connection terminals  23 , respectively. 
     The mating connector  22  comprises the plurality of male connection terminals  31 , soldered at their one ends to the wiring board (not shown), and a box-shaped connector housing  32  receiving the other end portions of the connection terminals  31 , that side of the connector housing  32  to be opposed to the connector  21  being open. 
     As shown in FIG. 4, the plurality of connection terminals  31  are fixed to a rear end wall  33  of the connector housing  32 , and project from this end wall  33  toward the open end of the connector housing  32 . These connection terminals are arranged in two (upper and lower) rows (see FIG.  5 ). Each of the connection terminals  31  is bent into an L-shape. 
     As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the connector housing  32  is molded of a synthetic resin, and a lock portion  35  is formed on an upper wall  34  of this connector housing. Deep-groove guides  36 , as well as shallow-groove guides  37 , are formed in the upper wall  34 , and are disposed on opposite sides of the lock portion  35 , respectively. 
     Fixing portions  39  (see FIG. 1 also) for the wiring board (not shown), as well as a support portion  40  (see FIG. 1 also), are formed integrally on a lower wall  38  opposed to the upper wall  34 . Shallow-groove guides  41  and  41  are formed in the lower wall  38 , and are disposed on opposite sides of the support portion  40 , respectively. 
     The guides  37 ,  38  and  41  communicate with a fitting portion  42  for receiving the connector  21  (see FIG.  1 ). A screw hole  43  (see FIG. 1) is formed in each of the fixing portions  39 . The support portion  40  is adapted to be held in contact with the wiring board (not shown) so as to prevent the shaking of the mating connector  22 . 
     Referring back to FIG. 1, the connector  21  is designed such that the widthwise dimension (right-left direction) is reduced, while maintaining a sufficient retaining force for retaining the spacer  25 . To achieve this, the pair of finger pads  29  are utilized. Since the connector  21  is formed into a compact design, the mating connector  22  for fitting on the connector  21  is also formed into a compact design. 
     In the present specification, the terms “upper, lower, right, left, front and rear” are defined as follows. The housing body  24  serves as a reference. In FIG. 3, that side, to which the spacer  25  is attached, is “the lower side”. Therefore, that side opposite to the lower wall  26  (see FIG. 1) is “the upper side”. When the connector of FIG. 2 is normally seen, the left side is “the left side” while the right side is “the right side”. In FIG. 1, that side of the connector to be opposed to the mating connector  22  is “the front side”, and that side of the connector, in which the connection terminals  23  are inserted, is “the rear side”. 
     The above constituent members will be described below in detail. The connection terminals  23 , the housing body  24  and the spacer  25  will be described in this order. 
     The connection terminal  23  is formed by pressing an electrically-conductive metal sheet into a predetermined shape, and the terminal  23  includes an electrical contact portion  45  and a wire connection portion  46 , as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. 
     The electrical contact portion  45  is formed into a rectangular box-like shape, and has a resilient contact piece portion (not shown) provided therein. A rectangular hole  48  is formed in a lower wall  47  of this electrical contact portion  45 , and a lance  93  (see FIG.  9 ), which will be described later, can be engaged in the rectangular hole  48 . 
     Although not shown in the drawings, an opening, through which the connection terminal  31  in the mating connector  22 , can be inserted, is formed in a distal end of the electrical contact portion  45 . When the connection terminal  31  in the mating connector  22  is inserted into the electrical contact portion  45  through the distal end thereof, the connection terminal  31  is brought into contact with the resilient contact piece portion (not shown). 
     The wire connection portion  46  is formed in continuous relation to the electrical contact portion  45 , and a shoulder portion  49  for retaining engagement with the spacer  25  is formed at an interconnecting portion interconnecting the electrical contact portion  45  and the wire connection portion  46 . That portion of a wire  50 , at which a conductor is exposed, is press-held by the wire connection portion  46 . 
     Next, the housing body  24  will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to  11 . FIG. 6 is a plan view of the housing body, FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the housing body, FIG. 8 is a front view of the housing body, FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A—A of FIG. 8, FIG. 10 is a rear view of the housing body, and FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B—B of FIG.  8 . 
     Like the mating connector housing  32  (see FIGS. 4 or  5 ), the housing body  24  is made of a synthetic resin, and has a generally rectangular box-like shape defined by the lower wall  26 , an upper wall  55 , disposed opposite to this lower wall  26 , a left wall  56 , a right wall  57  and a rear wall  58 . 
     A lock member  61 , a pair of guide rails  62  with a larger height, a pair of bulge portions  63  and a pair of guide rails  64  with a smaller height are formed on the upper wall  55 , and also a pair of holes  65  for the front holder  28  (see FIG. 2) are formed in the upper wall  55 . 
     The lock member  61 , the pair of guide rails  62  and the pair of guide rails  64 , formed on the upper wall  55 , extend in a forward-rearward direction in parallel relation to one another. The bulge portions  63  are formed on a rear portion of the upper wall  55  disposed adjacent to the rear wall  58 . 
     The lock member  61  includes a strip-like elastic piece  66  which is integrally connected at one end thereof to a front portion of the upper wall  55 , and also is integrally connected at the other end thereof to the rear portion of the upper wall  55 . A projection  67  for engagement in the lock portion  35  (see FIG. 4) of the connector housing  32  (see FIG. 4) is formed on the elastic piece  66  intermediate opposite ends thereof. A pressing portion  68  is formed on the other end portion of the elastic piece  66 . 
     The lock member  61  is of such a construction that the elastic piece  66  can be elastically deformed by pressing the pressing portion  68 . 
     The pair of guide rails  62 , each having a piece-like configuration, are guided respectively by the guides  36  of the connector housing  32  (see FIG.  5 ), and a protector  69  for the lock member  61  is formed integrally with the rear ends of these guide rails. The protector  69  extends in the right-left direction of the upper wall  55 . This protector is formed into an arch-shape with respect to the guide rails  62 . 
     The pair of bulge portions  63 , together with the guide rails  62 , protect the lock member  61 . The bulge portions  63  are integrally connected respectively to the rear ends of the guide rails  62 , and also to the rear ends of the guide rails  64 , respectively. 
     The pair of guide rails  64 , each having a piece-like configuration, are guided respectively by the guides  37  of the connector housing  32  (see FIG.  5 ), and are formed integrally with the left wall  56  and the right wall  57 , respectively. 
     The pair of holes  65  of a rectangular shape are provided respectively at the outer sides of the guide rails  62  (that is, adjacent respectively to the left wall  56  and the right wall  57 ), and are formed through the front portion of the upper wall  55 . 
     A hole  71  for the finger pad  29  and the front holder  28  (see FIG. 2) is formed in the left wall  56 . The hole  71  is formed through a front portion of the left wall  56 . 
     The finger pad  29  is formed on the outer face of the left wall  56  at the rear portion thereof, and projects outwardly (in the left direction) from this outer face. The distal end (outer face) of the finger pad  29  in its projecting direction is disposed inwardly of an outer face of a left wall  72  of the connector housing  32  (see FIGS. 4 or  5 ). When fitting the connector into the mating connector  22  (see FIG.  1 ), the finger is held on the finger pad  29 , and therefore the finger pad  29  will not engage the fitting portion  42  of the mating connector  22  (see FIG.  1 ). 
     As described above for the left wall  56 , a hole  71  for the finger pad  29  and the front holder  28  (see FIG. 2) is formed in the right wall  57 . This hole  71  is formed through a front portion of the right wall  57  as described above for the left wall  56 . 
     The finger pad  29  on the right wall  57  is formed on the outer face of this right wall  57  at the rear portion thereof, and projects outwardly (in the right direction) from this outer face. The distal end (outer face) of the finger pad  29  in its projecting direction is disposed inwardly of an outer face of a right wall  73  of the connector housing  32  (see FIG. 4 or FIG.  5 ). 
     A spacer mounting hole  76  and a front holder mounting hole  77  are formed in the lower wall  26 . A terminal receiving portion  78  is formed within the housing body  24 , and extends from the rear wall  58  to the front holder mounting hole  77 . The terminal receiving portion  78  has a plurality of terminal receiving chambers  79 . 
     The spacer mounting hole  76  extends from an intermediate portion of the lower wall  26  to the rear portion thereof, and also extends from the lower wall  26  toward the upper wall  55 . The spacer mounting hole  76  communicates with the plurality of terminal receiving chambers  79 , and extends into the inner faces of the left and right walls  56  and  57 . 
     Body-side retaining portions  80  for the spacer  25  (see FIG. 1) are formed in inner faces of the spacer mounting hole  76 . The body-side retaining portions  80  include recesses  81 , respectively, which communicate with the spacer mounting hole  76 . 
     One body-side retaining portion  80  is formed at a region including a rear portion of a left edge of the spacer mounting hole  76  and a rear edge of this hole  76 , whereas the other body-side retaining portion  80  is formed at a region including a rear portion of a right edge of the spacer mounting hole  76  and the rear edge of this hole  76 . Each of the body-side retaining portions  80  includes a first retaining portion  82  (see FIG. 11 in which only one of them is shown), and a second retaining portion  83  (see FIG. 11 in which only one of them is shown). Reference numerals  84  and  85  denote mold removal holes used for forming the first and second retaining portions  82  and  83 . 
     The recesses  81  are formed in the inner face of the right and left walls  56  and  57  so as to oppose to the finger pads  29 , respectively. The recesses  81  are provided as widened groove portions extend from the opening edge (that is, respectively from the left and right edges) of the spacer mounting hole  76  in the direction of mounting of the spacer  25  (that is, in the upward-downward direction). 
     Part of the body-side retaining portions  80  are provided at the recess portions  81 , and therefore even when the connector is formed into a compact design, a sufficient retaining force for retaining the spacer  25  can be secured. The body-side retaining portions  80  may be formed entirely by the recess portions  81 . 
     Reference numerals  86  denote guide rails which are guided respectively by the guides  41  (see FIG.  5 ). Reference numerals  87  denote recessed portions for the hinges  27  (see FIG.  1 ). 
     The front holder mounting hole  77  is formed in the front portion of the lower wall  26 , and extends therefrom toward the upper wall  55 . The front holder mounting hole  77  communicates with the terminal receiving portion  78 , and extends into the inner faces of the left and right walls  56  and  57 . 
     The front holder mounting hole  77  is formed to provide the open front side of the housing body  24 . The holes  65 , formed in the upper wall  55 , and the holes  71 , formed respectively in the left and right walls  56  and  57 , communicate with the front holder mounting hole  77 . 
     The terminal receiving portion  78  includes the plurality of terminal receiving chambers  79 , a plurality of terminal inserting portions  90 , formed in that portion of the lower wall  26  lying between the spacer mounting hole  76  and the front holder mounting hole  77 , a plurality of terminal inserting portions  91 , formed in the rear wall  58 , and a partition wall  92  exposed to the spacer mounting hole  76 . 
     The terminal receiving chambers  79  of a generally groove-shape extend in the forward-rearward direction, and are arranged in only one row in the right-left direction. The partition wall  92  is formed integrally with the terminal receiving chambers  79 . The partition wall  92  extends in the right-left direction so as to divide part of terminal receiving chambers  105  (see FIGS. 13 and 14) in the spacer  25  (see FIG.  1 ). 
     The plurality of terminal inserting portions  90  are arranged in two (upper and lower) rows, each row of terminal inserting portions  90  being arranged in the right-left direction. A lance  93  for engagement in the hole  48  (see FIG. 1) in the connection terminal  23  (see FIG. 1) is formed in a projected manner within each of the terminal inserting portions  90 . The lance  93  has elasticity, and serves to prevent the withdrawal of the connection terminal  23  (see FIG.  1 ). 
     The plurality of terminal inserting portions  91  are arranged in two (upper and lower) rows, each row of terminal inserting portions  91  being arranged in the right-left direction. A partition wall  94 , separating the two rows from each other, is formed, and part of this partition wall  94  projects into the spacer mounting hole  76 . 
     The partition wall  94  is spaced from the partition wall  92 , and when the spacer  25  (see FIG. 1) is attached to the connector, a partition wall  107  (described later) on the spacer  25  (see FIG. 1) is inserted into a space between the two partition walls  92  and  94 . 
     Next, the spacer  25  will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 to  17 . FIG. 12 is a side view of the spacer, FIG. 13 is a front view of the spacer, FIG. 14 is a plan view of the spacer, FIG. 15 is a bottom view of the spacer, FIG. 16 is a rear view of the spacer, and FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C—C of FIG.  13 . 
     Like the housing body  24  (see FIGS. 6 to  11 ), the spacer  25  is made of a synthetic resin, and includes a lid portion  98 , conforming in shape to the opening of the spacer mounting hole  76  (see FIG.  7 ), side walls  99 , integrally formed respectively at opposite (right and left) ends of the lid portion  98 , a terminal receiving portion  100 , formed by inner faces of the lid portion  98  and the side walls  99 , and spacer-side retaining portions  101  formed respectively at rear portions of the side walls  99 . 
     The front holder  28  is integrally connected to the band-like hinges  27  extending from a front portion of the lid portion  98 , and this front holder  28  is disposed perpendicularly to the lid portion  98  immediately after the spacer is molded (The hinges  27  are bent when attaching the spacer to the connector). Of course, the front holder  28  is also made of the synthetic resin. 
     In this embodiment, the front holder  28  is provided as an added function of the spacer  25 . Of course, there can be provided the type of connector without the front holder (as described above for the related example). 
     The side walls  99  have a length corresponding to the depth of the spacer mounting hole  76  (see FIG.  7 ), and these side walls  99  are so arranged as to be opposed respectively to the inner faces of the spacer mounting hole  76  (see FIG.  7 ). 
     The terminal receiving portion  100  includes the plurality of terminal receiving chambers  105 , and partition walls  106  and  107 . The plurality of terminal receiving chambers  105  extend in the forward-rearward direction, and are arranged between the side walls  99 . These terminal receiving chambers  105  are arranged in one row. 
     The partition walls  106  and  107  are spaced from each other by a distance corresponding to the dimension of the partition wall  92  (see FIG. 7) in the forward-rearward direction. These partition walls extend in the right-left direction. 
     Retaining portions  108  each for engagement with the shoulder portion  49  of the associated connection terminal  23  (see FIG. 3) are formed at the terminal receiving chambers  105  and the partition wall  106 . The retaining portion  108  and the lance  93  (see FIG. 9) serve to prevent the withdrawal of the connection terminal  23  (see FIG.  3 ). Thus, the connection terminal  23  (see FIG. 3) is doubly retained by the retaining portion  108  and the lance  93  (see FIG.  9 ). 
     The spacer-side retaining portions  101  can be engaged respectively with the body-side retaining portions  80  (see FIG. 11) so as to hold the spacer  25  in a provisionally-retained condition and a completely-retained condition. Each of the spacer-side retaining portions  101  includes a provisional retainer  109 , a complete retainer  110 , a through hole  111 , and a slit  112 . Since the spaces of the body-side retaining portions  80  (see FIG. 11) are secured, the spacer-side retaining portions  101  can maintain the sufficient retaining force. 
     The provisional retainers  109 , as well as the slits  112 , are formed at distal end portions of the side walls  99 , respectively. As a result of formation of the slit  112 , the provisional retainer  109  has an arm-like configuration, and a retaining projection  113  is formed on and projects rearwardly from a distal end of each of the provisional retainers  109 . The provisional retainers  109  have sufficient elasticity. 
     The complete retainers  110 , as well as the through holes  111 , are formed at proximal end portions of the side walls  99 , respectively. Each of the complete retainers  110  has a retaining projection  114  which is formed on and projects rearwardly from an intermediate portion of the rear end of the side wall  99 . Because of the provision of the through hole  111 , each of the complete retainers  110  can be elastically deformed to be displaced. 
     In accordance with the arrangement of the recesses  81  (see FIG.  7 ), the outer faces of the spacer-side retaining portions  101  project outwardly from the outer faces of the side walls  99 , respectively. In accordance with the configuration of the body-side retaining portions  80  (see FIG.  7 ), each of the spacer-side retaining portions  101  slightly projects rearwardly. 
     The front holder  28  is formed into a rectangular shape, and a plurality of terminal insertion ports  117  are formed in that side of this front holder which is to be opposed to the mating connector  22  (see FIG.  1 ), and are arranged in two (upper and lower) rows. Terminal stoppers  118  are formed on that side of the front holder which is to be opposed to the terminal inserting portions  90  (see FIG.  8 ), and correspond respectively to the plurality of terminal insertion ports  117 . The terminal insertion ports  117  communicate with the terminal stoppers  118 , respectively. 
     Projections  119 , which can be engaged respectively in the holes  65  (see FIG.  6 ), projections  120 , which can be engaged respectively in the holes  71  (see FIG.  11 ), and ribs  121 , which can coincide respectively with the guide rails  86 , are formed on the outer peripheral face of the front holder  28 . 
     Next, an assembling operation for the connector  21 , comprising the connection terminals  23 , the housing body  24  and the spacer  25 , will be described. 
     First, the front holder  28  is mounted in the front holder mounting hole  77 . The projections  120  on the front holder  28  are engaged respectively in the holes  71 , thereby preventing the withdrawal of the front holder. At this time, guide rails  125  (see FIG.  15 ), formed on the front holder  28 , are guided into groove-like guides  126  (see FIG. 7) formed in the inner faces of the front holder mounting hole  77 . 
     Then, the spacer  25  is provisionally retained in the spacer mounting hole  76  (see FIG.  18 ). In this mounting operation, each of the provisional retainers  109  is elastically deformed. When the provisional retainer  109  slides past the first retaining portion  82 , the provisional retainer  109  and the complete retainer  110  hold the first retaining portion  82  and the second retaining portion  83  therebetween. As a result, the spacer  25  is held in the provisionally-retained condition. 
     In this condition, the connection terminals  23  can be inserted through the rear wall  58 . The connection terminals  23 , when thus inserted, are mounted and received in the terminal receiving chambers  79 , respectively. Each of the connection terminals  23  is retained by the associated lance  93 , and therefore is prevented from being withdrawn from the rear wall  58 . Also, the forward movement of the connection terminal  23  is prevented by the associated terminal stopper  118  on the front holder  28 . 
     After all of the connection terminals  23  are mounted and received in the connector, the spacer  25  is completely retained. When each of the complete retainers  110  is elastically deformed, and slides past the second retaining portion  83 , the spacer  25  is completely engaged in the spacer mounting hole  76  (see imaginary lines in FIG.  18 ). The complete retainers  110  and the second retaining portions  83  prevent the disengagement of the spacer  25 . 
     When the spacer  25  is thus completely retained, the retaining portions  108  on the spacer  25  are engaged respectively with the shoulder portions  49  of the connection terminals  23 , thereby doubly retaining these connection terminals  23 . Therefore, the connection terminals  23  are positively prevented from being withdrawn from the rear wall  58 . 
     Thus, the sequential steps of the process of assembling the connector  21  are completed. 
     As described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to  18 , the distance between the left wall  56  and the right wall  57  of the housing body  24  is made smaller by an amount, corresponding to the dimensions of the recesses  81 , as compared with the related construction. And besides, the spacer-side retaining portions  101  are formed respectively on those portions of the spacer  25  corresponding respectively to the recesses  81 , and therefore the spacer  25 , as well as the housing body  24 , is formed into a compact design. Because of the provision of the recesses  81 , the spacer-side retaining portions  101  do not have a reduced thickness, and their retaining force for the spacer  25  is maintained generally at the same level as that obtained with the related construction. 
     Various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. 
     For example, the connection terminals  23  can be replaced by male terminals. The invention can be applied to a housing body of the female type so that such male terminals can be received and retained in the housing body.

Technology Category: 5