JP2024080963A - Connector and connector pair - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a connector and a connector pair that can prevent displacement of a fitting detection member from a permanent locking position in a completely fitted state.SOLUTION: A connector 1 comprises a housing 2, and a fitting detection member 4 that is slidably attached to an outer surface of the housing 2. The fitting detection member 4 has a detection arm 45 that is assembled to the housing 2 sildably between a temporary locking position allowing release of a locked state between a lock mechanism 20 of the housing 2 and a counterpart housing and a permanent locking position regulating the release of the locked state when the housing 2 and the counterpart housing are in a completely fitted state, and regulates release of the locked state at the permanent locking position. The connector 1 has a locking maintaining mechanism for maintaining the locked state in a locked state between a locking pawl 46 of the detection arm 45 and the lock mechanism 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

The present invention relates to a connector and a connector pair.

Conventionally, connectors have been proposed that include a housing that is configured to be able to mate with a mating housing, and a mating detection member (also called a "CPA") that is slidably attached to the housing and ensures that the housing and the mating housing are mated (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Conventional connectors are provided with an elastically deformable locking mechanism in the housing, and when the housing and the mating housing are in a fully mated state, the locking mechanism releasably engages the locking portion of the mating housing. In the fully mated state, the mating detection member is slid from the provisionally locked position (initial position) to the full locking position (mating detection position, mating assurance position), thereby restricting the elastic deformation of the locking mechanism and restricting the release of the lock between the locking mechanism and the locking portion.

JP 2002-260781 A

In conventional connectors, the engagement portion of the mating detection member is engaged with the locking mechanism of the housing, so that the mating detection member is held in the final engagement position. However, if an unexpected external force is applied to the mating detection member, there is a concern that the engagement between the engagement portion of the mating detection member and the locking mechanism of the housing may be released, and if the mating detection member moves out of the final engagement position, elastic deformation of the locking mechanism may be permitted, which could result in the mating of the housing and the mating housing being released.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a connector and a connector pair that can prevent the mating detection member from moving from the main locking position when in a fully mated state.

To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the connector of the present invention has the following features:

a housing having a terminal accommodating chamber capable of accommodating a terminal and capable of being fitted to a mating housing;
a mating detection member slidably attached to an outer surface of the housing for ensuring mating of the housing with the mating housing;
A connector comprising:
The outer surface of the housing has:
a locking mechanism is provided to releasably lock the mating housing;
The fitting detection member is
a detection arm that is assembled to the housing so as to be slidable between a provisional locking position that allows release of an engaged state between the locking mechanism and the mating housing when the housing and the mating housing are in a completely fitted state and a full locking position that restricts release of the engaged state between the locking mechanism and the mating housing, and that restricts release of the engaged state between the locking mechanism and the mating housing at the full locking position,
The sensing arm includes:
a locking claw is provided which is to be locked by the lock mechanism when the fitting detection member is in the full locking position;
The connector is:
a locking mechanism for maintaining the locking state between the locking claw and the locking mechanism when the locking claw and the locking mechanism are in an engaged state,
It is a connector.

To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the connector pair of the present invention has the following features:

A connector pair comprising the above connector and a mating connector having the mating housing.

According to the above configuration, there is a locking maintenance mechanism for maintaining the locking state when the locking pawl and the locking mechanism are engaged. As a result, even if a force (external force, etc.) in the direction of releasing the engagement of the locking piece and the locking pawl is applied to the engagement detection member, the locking maintenance mechanism maintains the engagement between the locking piece and the locking pawl, preventing the engagement detection member from being displaced from its main engagement position.

The present invention has been briefly described above. The details of the present invention will become clearer by reading the following description of the embodiment of the invention (hereinafter referred to as "embodiment") with reference to the attached drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a female connector according to an embodiment of the present invention (however, female terminals and the like are not shown). FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 1 (female terminals and the like are shown). FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of part B in FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a connector pair according to an embodiment of the present invention, and corresponds to the AA cross section of FIG. FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of part C in FIG. FIG. 7 is a view corresponding to FIG. 6, showing a female connector according to another embodiment.

<Embodiment>
Hereinafter, a female connector 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention and a connector pair 100 will be described with reference to the drawings. The connector pair 100 includes a female connector 1 (corresponding to the "connector" of the present invention) and a male connector 7 (corresponding to the "mating connector" of the present invention) that mates with the female connector 1 (see FIG. 5).

For ease of explanation, the following definitions are used: "front," "rear," "left," "right," "upper," and "lower," as shown in Figures 1 to 7. The "front-rear direction," "left-right direction," and "up-down direction" are mutually orthogonal. The front-rear direction corresponds to the "sliding direction" of the present invention.

<General configuration of female connector 1>
The schematic configuration of the female connector 1 will be described below with reference to Figures 1 and 2. The female connector 1 is configured to include a cylindrical female housing 2 (corresponding to the "housing" of the present invention), a side retainer 3 attached to the female housing 2, a mating detection member 4 slidably attached to the outer surface of the female housing 2, female terminals 51 (see Figures 3 and 5) accommodated in the female housing 2, and an annular seal member 6 attached to the female housing 2.

<Female housing 2>
The female housing 2 will be described below with reference to Figures 2 to 3 and 5. The female housing 2 is made of synthetic resin and integrally comprises a cylindrical housing main body 11 and a cylindrical hood portion 12 that covers the outer peripheral surface of the housing main body 11 with a gap therebetween (see Figures 2 to 3 and 5). A male housing 71 of the male connector 7 is inserted into the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the housing main body 11 and the inner peripheral surface of the hood portion 12 (see Figure 5).

The housing body 11 is formed with a plurality of (three in this example) terminal accommodating chambers 13 into which a plurality of (three in this example) female terminals 51 are inserted from the rear. Each terminal accommodating chamber 13 is open to the outside through an opening at the front end of the housing body 11, and the male terminals 72 of the male connector 7 are inserted through this opening (see FIG. 5).

The housing body 11 is formed to protrude forward from the front end surface of the hood portion 12, and a seal member 6 is attached to the cylindrical outer peripheral surface of the housing body 11 covered by the hood portion 12 (see Figures 1, 3, and 5). The housing body 11 has a side retainer 3 attached to the outer peripheral surface of the substantially rectangular semi-cylindrical front end portion 14 protruding forward from the hood portion 12 (see Figures 1, 3, and 5).

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a locking mechanism 20 is provided on the upper outer surface (top surface) of the female housing 2. The locking mechanism 20 has an elastically deformable locking arm 21 and an elastically deformable release arm 24 (see Figure 2).

As shown in FIG. 2, the lock arm 21 is formed in a substantially rectangular U-shape and is supported in a cantilevered manner on the upper surface of the female housing 2. It integrally comprises a pair of first elastic arm pieces 22 on the left and right that extend forward substantially parallel to the upper surface of the female housing 2, and a locking piece 23 that bridges the front ends of the first elastic arm pieces 22 in the left-right direction (see also FIG. 3 and FIG. 5). When the female connector 1 and the male connector 7 are fully mated, the locking piece 23 locks with the locking projection 73 of the male housing 71 (see FIG. 5).

The locking piece 23 has a locking recess 28 that is recessed rearward to correspond to a locking protrusion 47 (described later) at the lower end of the surface of the locking piece 23 facing the locking claw 46 of the engagement detection member 4 (i.e., the front end surface 23a) as a locking maintenance mechanism (see Figures 4 and 6). When the engagement detection member 4 is in the main locking position, the locking recess 28 locks with the locking protrusion 47 of the locking claw 46 (described later).

As shown in FIG. 2, the lock arm 21 is connected to a pair of first elastic arm pieces 22, each of which is supported in a cantilever-like manner at the front end thereof, and has a generally rectangular U-shaped release arm 24 that extends rearward.

The release arm 24 is integrally formed with a pair of second elastic arm pieces 25, each supported in a cantilever shape by the front ends of the pair of first elastic arm pieces 22, which extend upwardly toward the rear, and an operating portion 26 that bridges the rear ends of the second elastic arm pieces 25 in the left-right direction (see also Figures 2 to 3 and 5). The operating portion 26 is vertically spaced apart from the female housing 2 and is located above the first elastic arm piece 22. The operating portion 26 is pressed down when the locking piece 23 and the locking projection 73 of the male housing 71 are released from engagement. Specifically, when the locking piece 23 and the locking projection 73 are released from engagement, the operating portion 26 is pressed down and displaced downward, and an upward release force is applied to the locking piece 23 via the release arm 24.

A locking projection (not shown) protruding outward is provided on each of the outer surfaces of the pair of second elastic arm pieces 25 (the right side surface of the right second elastic arm piece 25, and the left side surface of the left second elastic arm piece 25). When the fitting detection member 4 is in the provisionally locked position, a locking projection 43 of the fitting detection member 4 (described later) is locked onto the locking projection.

As shown in FIG. 2, the female housing 2 is provided with a pair of retaining walls 16 that sandwich the locking mechanism 20 in the left-right direction. The pair of retaining walls 16 are erected on the upper surface of the female housing 2 to protect the locking mechanism 20. A beam 17 is provided in front of the retaining walls 16 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). Both left-right ends of the beam 17 are connected to the retaining walls 16 and are disposed spaced apart from the upper surface of the female housing 2 in the up-down direction. The female housing 2 has the mating detection member 4 attached to the space defined by the upper surface of the female housing 2, the pair of retaining walls 16, and the beam 17 (see FIGS. 1, 3, and 5).

<Side retainer 3>
The side retainer 3 will be described below with reference to Fig. 2. The side retainer 3 is made of synthetic resin and integrally comprises a retainer body 31 having a generally U-shaped cross section that opens to the left, and a retainer front plate portion 32 that closes the front end opening of the retainer body 31. The retainer front plate portion 32 is formed with a plurality of insertion openings 33 (three in this example) corresponding to the plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 13. When the side retainer 3 is attached to the female housing 2, the insertion openings 33 communicate with the terminal accommodating chambers 13 (see Fig. 1), and the male terminals 72 of the male connector 7 are inserted into the insertion openings 33 (see Fig. 5).

The retainer body 31 is integrally formed with a retainer upper surface portion 34 and a retainer lower surface portion 35 that face each other and are spaced apart in the vertical direction, and a retainer curved surface portion 36 that connects the right edge of the retainer upper surface portion 34 with the right edge of the retainer lower surface portion 35. A rib-shaped retainer protrusion (not shown) that extends in the front-rear direction protrudes downward from the left edge of the retainer upper surface portion 34.

When attaching the side retainer 3 to the front end 14 of the housing body 11, the opening on the left side of the side retainer 3 is slightly widened, and the front end 14 is inserted into the inside of the side retainer 3 through the opening and moved in the left-right direction to the primary locking position. In this state, the female terminal 51 is accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber 13, and then the side retainer 3 is moved in the left-right direction from the primary locking position to the regular locking position. In the primary locking position, the side retainer 3 is locked by the retainer protrusion entering a primary locking groove (reference number omitted) provided in the front end 14 of the housing body 11, and in the regular locking position, the retainer protrusion enters a regular locking groove (reference number omitted) provided in the front end 14 to be locked.

The female connector 1 is configured so that the female terminal 51 can be inserted and removed from the terminal accommodating chamber 13 when the side retainer 3 is in the primary locking position, while the female terminal 51 cannot be inserted and removed from the terminal accommodating chamber 13 when the side retainer 3 is in the normal locking position.

<Fitting Detection Member 4>
The fitting detection member 4 will be described below with reference to Fig. 2. The fitting detection member 4 is made of synthetic resin, is attached to the female housing 2 from the rear, and is configured to be slidable in the front-rear direction. The fitting detection member 4 integrally includes a pair of side walls 41 facing each other in the left-right direction, and a support wall 42 bridging the rear of each upper end of the side walls 41.

A locking projection 43 that protrudes inward is provided on the inner surface of the front end of the pair of side walls 41 (the left surface of the right side wall 41, and the right surface of the left side wall 41). When the fitting detection member 4 is in the provisionally locked position, the locking projection 43 is locked to the locked projection of the female housing 2. A slide operation portion 44 that is operated when sliding the fitting detection member 4 is protruded from the upper surface of the support wall 42.

A detection arm 45 extending forward is provided at approximately the center of the support wall 42 in the left-right direction (see also Figures 3 and 5). The detection arm 45 is supported by the support wall 42 in a cantilevered manner and is formed so as to tilt downward. A locking claw 46 extending downward is formed at the front end of the detection arm 45 (see also Figures 3 and 5). The detection arm 45 is configured so that the locking claw 46 can swing (elastically deform) with the rear end as a fulcrum, displacing upward. When the mating detection member 4 is in the provisionally locked position, the locking claw 46 abuts against the rear end of the locking piece 23 of the female housing 2 (see Figure 3), and when the mating detection member 4 is in the fully locked position, it is positioned in front of the locking piece 23 and is locked to the locking piece 23 (see Figure 5).

The locking claw 46 has a locking projection 47 that protrudes rearward at the lower end of the surface of the locking claw 46 facing the locking piece 23 (i.e., the rear end surface 46a) in correspondence with the locking recess 28 of the locking piece 23 as a locking maintenance mechanism (see Figures 4 and 6). The locking projection 47 is locked in the locking recess 28 of the locking piece 23 when the fitting detection member 4 is in the main locking position.

<Female terminal 51>
The female terminal 51 will be described below with reference to Figures 3 and 5. The female terminal 51 is made of a conductive metal and integrally includes a box-shaped terminal connection portion (reference number omitted) and an electric wire connection portion (reference number omitted) that is connected to a front end of an electric wire 52 having an annular seal member 53 attached thereto at the rear of the terminal connection portion. When a male terminal 72 is inserted into the terminal connection portion, the male terminal 72 is electrically connected to the female terminal 51.

<General Configuration of Male Connector 7>
The schematic configuration of the male connector 7 will be described below with reference to FIG. 5. The male connector 7 is configured to include a male housing 71 (corresponding to the "mating housing" of the present invention) made of synthetic resin, and male terminals 72 accommodated and held in the male housing 71. The male housing 71 is formed in a substantially elliptical cylindrical shape with a bottom, which is composed of a cylindrical wall portion extending in the front-rear direction and a bottom portion that closes the front end opening of the cylindrical wall portion. On the upper surface of the male housing 71, a locking protrusion 73 that protrudes upward is provided in correspondence with the locking piece 23 of the female housing 2. The locking protrusion 73 is locked to the locking piece 23. The male terminals 72 are made of a conductive metal, and are formed in a so-called tab shape that is held at the front end of the male housing 71 and extends toward the rear so as to correspond to the female terminals 51.

<Assembly procedure for each member constituting the female connector 1>
The procedure for assembling each of the components constituting the female connector 1 will be described below. First, the seal member 6 is attached to the housing body 11 of the female housing 2. Next, the side retainer 3 is attached to the front end portion 14 of the housing body 11 from the right to the primary locking position, and in this state, the female terminal 51 connected to the electric wire 52 is inserted from the rear into the terminal accommodating chamber 13 of the female housing 2 and accommodated therein. After the female terminal 51 is accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber 13, the side retainer 3 is moved to the normal locking position. This prevents the female terminal 51 from coming out of the terminal accommodating chamber 13. When the female terminal 51 is accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber 13, the seal member 53 attached to the electric wire 52 is also accommodated in the rear end portion of the terminal accommodating chamber 13, so that the terminal accommodating chamber 13 is waterproofed (see FIGS. 3 and 5).

Next, the mating detection member 4 is attached to the female housing 2 up to the provisionally locked position. First, the mating detection member 4 is placed on the top surface of the female housing 2 from above, and then the mating detection member 4 is slid forward. As the mating detection member 4 continues to slide, the locking projection 43 of the mating detection member 4 passes forward over the locked projection of the female housing 2. This causes the locking projection 43 to lock onto the locked projection, and the mating detection member 4 is provisionally locked to the female housing 2. In this state, the locking claw 46 of the mating detection member 4 is in contact with the rear end of the locking piece 23 of the female housing 2 (see Figure 3). This completes the assembly of the various components that make up the female connector 1, and the female connector 1 is completed (see Figure 1).

<Procedure for fitting female connector 1 and male connector 7>
The procedure for mating the female connector 1 and the male connector 7 will be described below. The female connector 1 and the male connector 7 are mated with the mating detection member 4 temporarily locked to the female housing 2. First, the rear end of the male housing 71 is inserted between the outer peripheral surface of the housing body 11 and the inner peripheral surface of the hood portion 12.

During the middle stage of insertion of the male housing 71, the locking projection 73 of the male housing 71 slips under the locking piece 23 of the female housing 2, and the locking piece 23 is lifted upward. In this state, the insertion of the male housing 71 continues, and when the male housing 71 is inserted into the female housing 2 to the fully mated position, the locking projection 73 moves backwards over the locking piece 23, and the release arm 24 recovers from its elastic deformation, returning the locking piece 23 to its initial position. This causes the locking piece 23 of the female housing 2 to lock with the locking projection 73 of the male housing 71 (see Figure 5).

In addition, when the male housing 71 is inserted into the female housing 2 to the fully mated position, the locking projection 73 is positioned below the locking claw 46 on the detection arm 45 of the mating detection member 4. As a result, the locking claw 46 is lifted upward by the locking projection 73 (i.e., the detection arm 45 is elastically deformed), and the abutment state with the rear end of the locking piece 23 is released. In this state, when the mating detection member 4 is pushed forward, the locking claw 46 rides up above the locking piece 23, and when the mating detection member 4 is further pushed forward, the locking claw 46 rides forward over the locking piece 23, the detection arm 45 recovers from the elastic deformation, and the locking claw 46 is returned to the initial position. As a result, the mating detection member 4 is slid from the provisional locking position to the full locking position, and the locking claw 46 is locked to the locking piece 23 with the detection arm 45 positioned above the locking piece 23 (see FIG. 5). Specifically, the locking protrusion 47 of the locking claw 46 is locked into the locking recess 28 of the locking piece 23 (see FIG. 6). This completes the mating of the female connector 1 and the male connector 7, completing the connector pair 100.

When the female connector 1 and the male connector 7 are fully engaged, the male terminal 72 is inserted into the terminal connection portion of the female terminal 51, and the female terminal 51 and the male terminal 72 are electrically connected (see FIG. 5). In addition, in the fully engaged state, the detection arm 45 is positioned above the locking piece 23, and the locking protrusion 47 (locking claw 46) is engaged with the locking recess 28 (locking piece 23), restricting the upward displacement of the locking piece 23, thereby restricting the release of the lock between the locking piece 23 and the locking protrusion 73 of the male housing 71. This ensures the engagement between the female housing 2 (female connector 1) and the male housing 71 (male connector 7).

In addition, even if a force (external force, etc.) is applied to the engagement detection member 4 in the direction (rearward) to release the engagement of the locking piece 23 and the locking claw 46 in the above-mentioned fully engaged state, the locking recess 28 and the locking protrusion 47 further engage with each other, maintaining the engagement between the locking piece 23 and the locking claw 46, and preventing the engagement detection member 4 from moving from the main engagement position.

<Procedure for disengaging female connector 1 from male connector 7>
The procedure for disengaging the female connector 1 from the male connector 7 will now be described. To disengage the female connector 1 from the male connector, first, the engagement between the locking recess 28 and the locking protrusion 47 is released, and then the engagement detection member 4 is pulled backward and slid from the full-lock position to the provisional-lock position. This allows the locking piece 23 to be displaced upward, allowing the locking piece 23 to be disengaged from the locking protrusion 73 of the male housing 71.

Next, the operating portion 26 of the female housing 2 is pressed downward. This causes the release arm 24 to swing, displacing the locking piece 23 of the locking arm 21 upward, and disengaging the locking piece 23 from the locking projection 73. In this state, the female connector 1 and the male connector 7 are pulled apart, disengaging the female connector 1 from the male connector 7.

<Other forms>
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be appropriately modified, improved, etc. In addition, the material, shape, size, number, arrangement location, etc. of each component in the above-described embodiment are arbitrary as long as the present invention can be achieved, and are not limited.

7, the locking mechanism may be composed of a rear end surface 46a formed with an upward inclination from the rear to the front, and a front end surface 23a formed with an upward inclination from the rear to the front corresponding to the rear end surface 46a. In this case, it is preferable that the inclination angles of the rear end surface 46a and the front end surface 23a are formed to be approximately equal to each other and are formed at an acute angle with respect to the horizontal plane so that the locking claw 46 and the locking piece 23 are not released. As a result, even if a force (external force, etc.) in the direction of releasing the locking piece 23 and the locking claw 46 (rearward) is applied to the engagement detection member 4 in the above-mentioned fully engaged state, the rear end surface 46a and the front end surface 23a are further engaged with each other, the locked state between the locking piece 23 and the locking claw 46 is maintained, and the displacement of the engagement detection member 4 from the main locking position is suppressed.

Here, the features of the embodiments of the connector and connector pair according to the present invention described above are briefly summarized and listed below in [1] to [4].

[1]
a housing (female housing 2) having a terminal accommodating chamber (13) capable of accommodating a terminal (female terminal 51) and capable of being fitted into a mating housing (male housing 71);
a mating detection member (4) that is slidably attached to the outer surface of the housing (female housing 2) and that ensures mating between the housing (female housing 2) and the mating housing (male housing 71);
A connector (female connector 1) comprising:
The outer surface of the housing (female housing 2) is
A lock mechanism (20) is provided to releasably lock the mating housing (male housing 71),
The fitting detection member (4) is
a detection arm (45) that is assembled to be slidable relative to the housing (female housing 2) between a provisional locking position that allows the release of an engaged state between the locking mechanism (20) and the mating housing (male housing 71) when the housing (female housing 2) and the mating housing (male housing 71) are in a completely fitted state, and a full locking position that restricts the release of the engaged state between the locking mechanism (20) and the mating housing (male housing 71), and that restricts the release of the engaged state between the locking mechanism (20) and the mating housing (male housing 71) at the full locking position;
The sensing arm (45) has
A locking claw (46) is provided to be locked by the lock mechanism (20) when the fitting detection member (4) is in the main locking position,
The connector (female connector 1) is
a locking mechanism for maintaining the locking state between the locking claw (46) and the locking mechanism (20) when the locking claw (46) and the locking mechanism (20) are in an engaged state;
Connector (female connector 1).

The connector with the configuration of [1] above has a locking mechanism for maintaining the locking state when the locking pawl and the locking mechanism are engaged. As a result, even if a force (external force, etc.) is applied to the mating detection member in a direction that disengages the locking piece and the locking pawl, the locking mechanism maintains the locked state between the locking piece and the locking pawl, preventing the mating detection member from moving from its main locking position.

[2]
In the connector (female connector 1) described in the above [1],
The locking maintaining mechanism includes:
a locking protrusion (47) provided on a surface (rear end surface 46a) of the locking claw (46) facing the locking mechanism (20) and protruding toward the locking mechanism (20);
a locking recess (28) provided on a surface (front end surface 23a) of the lock mechanism (20) facing the locking claw (46), the locking recess (28) being recessed in correspondence with the locking protrusion (47);
Connector (female connector 1).

According to the connector of the configuration [2] above, the locking maintenance mechanism is composed of a locking protrusion provided on the surface of the locking claw facing the locking mechanism, and a locking recess provided on the surface of the locking mechanism facing the locking claw. As a result, even if a force (external force, etc.) in the direction of releasing the locking piece and the locking claw is applied to the engagement detection member, the locking protrusion and the locking recess further engage with each other, maintaining the locked state between the locking piece and the locking claw, and preventing the engagement detection member from moving from the main locking position.

[3]
In the connector (female connector 1) described in the above [1],
The locking maintaining mechanism includes:
a surface (rear end surface 46a) of the engagement claw (46) facing the lock mechanism (20), the surface being formed in an upward inclination from the rear end to the front end in the sliding direction (front-rear direction) of the fitting detection member (4);
a surface (front end surface 23 a) facing the engaging claw (46) of the locking mechanism (20), the surface being formed in a downward inclination from the rear end to the front end;
Connector (female connector 1).

According to the connector of the configuration [3] above, the engagement maintaining mechanism is composed of a surface of the engagement pawl facing the locking mechanism, which is formed with an upward incline from the rear end to the front end in the sliding direction, and a surface of the locking mechanism facing the engagement pawl, which is formed with a downward incline from the rear end to the front end. As a result, even if a force (external force, etc.) in the direction of releasing the engagement of the engagement piece and engagement pawl is applied to the engagement detection member, the opposing surfaces of the engagement pawl and locking mechanism will further engage with each other, maintaining the engagement state between the engagement piece and the engagement pawl, and preventing the engagement detection member from moving from its actual engagement position.

[4]
A connector pair (100) comprising a connector (female connector 1) described in any one of [1] to [3] above, and a mating connector (male connector 7) having the mating housing (male housing 71).

According to the connector having the configuration [4] above, the locking piece and the locking claw are maintained in an engaged state, as in the connectors [1] to [3] above, and the mating detection member is prevented from moving from its main locking position.

1 Female connector (connector)
2 Female housing (housing)
REFERENCE SIGNS 3 side retainer 4 mating detection member 6 seal member 7 male connector 20 lock mechanism 23 locking piece 23a front end surface 28 locking recess 45 detection arm 46 locking claw 46a rear end surface 47 locking protrusion 51 female terminal 71 male housing 72 male terminal 73 locking projection 100 connector pair

Claims (4)

a housing having a terminal accommodating chamber capable of accommodating a terminal and capable of being fitted to a mating housing;
a mating detection member slidably attached to an outer surface of the housing for ensuring mating of the housing with the mating housing;
A connector comprising:
The outer surface of the housing has:
a locking mechanism is provided to releasably lock the mating housing;
The fitting detection member is
a detection arm that is assembled to the housing so as to be slidable between a provisional locking position that allows release of an engaged state between the locking mechanism and the mating housing when the housing and the mating housing are in a completely fitted state and a full locking position that restricts release of the engaged state between the locking mechanism and the mating housing, and that restricts release of the engaged state between the locking mechanism and the mating housing at the full locking position,
The sensing arm includes:
a locking claw is provided which is to be locked by the lock mechanism when the fitting detection member is in the full locking position;
The connector is:
a locking mechanism for maintaining the engagement between the locking claw and the locking mechanism when the locking claw and the locking mechanism are in an engaged state,
connector. 2. The connector according to claim 1,
The locking maintaining mechanism includes:
a locking protrusion provided on a surface of the locking claw facing the locking mechanism and protruding toward the locking mechanism;
a locking recess provided on a surface of the lock mechanism facing the locking claw and recessed to correspond to the locking protrusion,
connector. 2. The connector according to claim 1,
The locking maintaining mechanism includes:
a surface of the engagement claw facing the lock mechanism, the surface being formed in an upward inclination from a rear end of the engagement detection member toward a front end in a sliding direction of the engagement detection member;
a surface that faces the locking claw of the locking mechanism and is formed in a downward inclination from the rear end to the front end,
connector. A connector pair comprising the connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3 and a mating connector having the mating housing.

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