Connector with detecting member

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9490574-B2
Application number	US-201314035259-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2013
Priority date	Nov 14, 2012
Publication date	Nov 8, 2016
Grant date	Nov 8, 2016

Abstract

A connector includes: (i) a lock arm that extends rearwardly in a cantilevered shape from a housing main body, and (ii) a detecting member arranged to be movable forward from an initial position to a detecting position. The detecting member includes (i) an elastic arm portion extending in a cantilever shape diagonally upward and forward; (ii) an abutting portion at an extended end portion of the elastic arm portion and restricting movement of the detecting member from the initial position to the detecting position; (iii) a pair of walls, one at the left and one at the right, raised from the top surface of the housing main body; (iv) a bridge portion connecting top ends of the walls; and (v) an excessive bending restriction portion restricting excessive bending of the lock arm upward by covering the top surface of the lock arm with the bridge portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A connector, comprising:
a counterpart housing having a lock receiver;
a housing main body that is engageable to the counterpart housing, the housing main body defining a top surface;
a lock arm that extends rearward in a cantilever shape from the top surface of the housing main body, can be bent and deformed in a vertical direction crossing a direction of engagement of the housing main body and the counterpart housing, and holds the housing main body and the counterpart housing in a normal engagement state by being elastically engaged to the lock receiver;
a releasing operation portion formed at a rear end portion of the lock arm, which performs a downward pressing operation if engagement of the lock receiver is released;
a detecting member that is assembled to the top surface of the housing main body and is moved from an initial position to a detecting position in which the detecting member is fully inserted into the housing main body when the housing main body and the counterpart housing are engaged to each other;
an elastic arm portion that is formed on the detecting member, extends in a cantilever shape diagonally upward and forward, and can be bent and deformed in a vertical direction;
a pair of side arm portions formed on the detecting member on either side of the elastic arm portion;
an abutting portion that is formed at an extended end portion of the elastic arm portion, restricts the movement of the detecting member from the initial position to the detecting position by engaging the lock arm from behind, and releases engagement of the lock arm if the housing main body and the counterpart housing are engaged to each other;
an upward protrusion that is formed at the extended end portion of the elastic arm portion;
a contact portion that is formed on a top surface of the upward protrusion, and restricts the contact portion from slipping off upward from engagement of the lock arm by contacting the lock arm from below and engaging a concave portion of the lock arm in the detecting position; and
an excessive bending restriction portion that includes: (i) an inner pair and an outer pair of side walls that are raised from the top surface of the housing main body, (ii) a bridge portion that interconnects top ends of each of the walls, restricts excessive bending of the lock arm upward by covering a front portion of a top surface of the releasing operation portion, and leaves a rear portion of the top surface upwardly exposed, (iii) a central passageway formed between the inner pair of side walls in which the elastic arm portion is disposed in the detecting position, (iv) a pair of side passageways formed on either side of the central passageway in which the side arm portions are disposed in the detecting position, each formed between an inner side wall and an outer side wall, and (v) restriction portions on the inner side walls that protrude away from the lock arm into the side passageways and are engaged by the side arm portions,
wherein the detecting member only secures the lock arm at the contact portion.

2. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the lock arm defines a lock protrusion with an engaging surface that contacts the abutting portion of the elastic arm portion to restrict movement of the detecting member from the initial position to the detecting position.

3. The connector of claim 2 , wherein the contact portion engages a lower surface of the lock protrusion to restrict the contact portion from slipping off upward from engagement of the lock arm.

4. The connector of claim 3 , wherein the housing main body defines a bottom base member, and a bending space is defined between the lock arm and the bottom base member.

Assignees

• Sumitomo Wiring Systems

Inventors

• Kon Akihiro
• Noro Yutaka

Classifications

• H01R13/6272 Primary

  comprising a single latching arm · CPC title

• H01R13/627 Primary

  Snap or like fastening · CPC title

• H01R13/641

  by indicating incorrect coupling; by indicating correct or full engagement · CPC title

• H01R13/639

  Additional means for holding or locking coupling parts together, after engagement, {e.g. separate keylock, retainer strap} · CPC title