JP2009129626A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve workability of retention release while holding a front mask at a first holding position with a high holding force. <P>SOLUTION: The front mask 30 is locked at the first holding position by using an elastic lock means other than a semi-lock means 42. In the elastic lock means 43, not only a locking structure high in reliability can be obtained by an elastic lock piece 38 and a lock part 17, but also it can be lock-released by a smaller force than that of the semi-lock means 42. Accordingly, compared with the case in which the front mask is held at the first holding position by two semi-lock means without using the elastic lock means, a pressing force to be applied to the front mask 30 in order to release the lock of the semi-lock means 42 is reduced. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector.

Patent Document 1 includes a housing having a plurality of cavities, a female terminal fitting inserted into the cavities, and a plate-shaped front mask that is attached along the front surface of the housing and forms the front wall of the cavities. A connector is disclosed. The front mask is formed with tab insertion holes penetrating corresponding to the respective cavities, and the tabs of the male terminal fittings to which the female terminal fittings are connected are inserted into the tab insertion holes from the front. Yes. The front mask is movable between a first holding position in which the tab insertion hole corresponds to the cavity and a second holding position in which the tab insertion hole is displaced with respect to the cavity.
JP 2007-5239 A

As a means for holding the front mask in the first holding position in this type of connector, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, two pairs of semi-locking protrusions 101 are provided on the front mask 100 so as to be aligned in the moving direction, A structure in which two pairs of semi-lock recesses 103 are formed in the housing 102 and the two pairs of semi-lock protrusions 101 and the two pairs of semi-lock recesses 103 are engaged is conceivable.
The semi-lock structure has a feature that a relatively large holding force can be obtained while an operation for unlocking is unnecessary. Therefore, when two pairs of semi-locking means are provided as described above, there is an advantage that a high holding force can be obtained and the front mask 100 can be reliably locked at the first holding position.
However, on the other hand, when the lock by the semi-lock is released and the front mask 100 is to be moved to the second holding position side, it is necessary to push the front mask 100 with a large force, and improvement is desired in terms of workability. .
The present invention has been completed based on the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to improve workability of holding release while ensuring a high holding force.

  As a means for achieving the above object, the invention of claim 1 includes a housing having a plurality of cavities, a female terminal fitting inserted into the cavities, and a tab insertion hole, and is attached to the front surface of the housing. And a plate-like front mask that constitutes a front wall of the cavity, the front mask along the front surface of the housing, a first holding position that makes the tab insertion hole correspond to the cavity, and the tab The insertion hole can be moved between a second holding position displaced with respect to the cavity, and the front mask is held at the first holding position by a locking means. In the connector, the locking means includes a pair of locking portions that can be locked to each other on the housing and the front mask. Semi-locking means in which at least one of the pair of locking portions is inclined with respect to the moving direction of the front mask, the housing and the front mask are provided to be locked with each other, and the locking portion; It is characterized by comprising elastic locking means comprising elastic locking pieces that can be elastically displaced from a state of being locked to the locking portion to a state of being disengaged from the locking portion.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the elastic lock piece extends in a cantilevered manner toward the outer surface of the housing, in a direction intersecting the extending direction. The elastic locking piece is dissociated from the lock portion, and an extended end portion of the elastic lock piece is formed with a pressed surface that is inclined with respect to the extending direction of the flexible lock piece. It has a characteristic where it exists.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the elastic lock piece is provided on the front mask, and the extending direction of the flexible lock piece is first from the second holding position of the front mask. It is characterized in that the direction is substantially the same as the direction toward the holding position.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the present invention, the pressed surface of the elastic lock piece is adapted to receive a pressing force from a pressing member of a device. It is characterized in that a receiving portion for receiving a pressing force from the pressing member is formed in a state where the elastic locking piece is disengaged from the locking portion by pressing of the pressing member.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first or third aspect of the present invention, when the elastic lock piece is elastically deformed in a direction to be disengaged from the lock portion, the elastic lock piece is provided on the front mask. It is characterized in that a stopper is formed that restricts excessive bending beyond the elastic limit.

<Invention of Claim 1>
As the means for locking the front mask at the first holding position, two locking means such as a semi-locking means and an elastic locking means are used, so that the front mask can be reliably locked at the first holding position. Further, when the front mask is moved from the first holding position to the second holding position, the elastic lock piece is elastically displaced and released from the lock portion to release the lock by the elastic lock means. On the other hand, if a pressing force toward the second holding position is applied, the lock by the semi-locking means is released, and the front mask moves to the second holding position.

According to the present invention, the elastic lock means is used in addition to the semi-lock means as means for holding the front mask in the first holding position. This elastic lock means is highly reliable by the elastic lock piece and the lock portion. Not only can the locking structure be obtained, it can be unlocked with a smaller force than the semi-locking means.
Therefore, compared with the case where the front mask is held at the first holding position by the two semi-locking means without using the elastic locking means, the pressing force to be applied to the front mask to unlock the semi-locking means is reduced, Excellent workability.

<Invention of Claim 2>
When a pressing force substantially opposite to the extending direction of the elastic lock piece is applied to the pressed surface of the elastic lock piece, the elastic lock piece is elastically bent in a direction to disengage from the lock portion. Since release of the lock by the elastic lock piece can be performed by pushing from the outer surface side of the housing, workability is good.

<Invention of Claim 3>
When a pressing force is applied to the extended end of the elastic lock piece and the elastic lock piece is disengaged from the lock portion, if a further pressing force is applied, the lock by the semi-locking means is released and the front mask is moved to the first position. 2 Move to the holding position. Since the operation of releasing the lock by the elastic lock piece and the operation of moving the front mask to the second holding position can be performed with one action, workability is good.

<Invention of Claim 4>
The front mask is formed with a receiving portion for receiving a pressing force from the pressing member in a state where the elastic locking piece is disengaged from the locking portion by pressing of the pressing member. Stress concentration on the elastic lock piece can be avoided.

<Invention of Claim 5>
The stopper formed on the front mask can prevent the elastic lock piece from excessively bending beyond its elastic limit.

<Embodiment 1>
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The connector A of the present embodiment includes a synthetic resin housing 10, a plurality of female terminal fittings 20 attached to the housing 10, and a synthetic resin front mask 30 that is also attached to the housing 10. .

  A plurality of cavities 11 elongated in the front-rear direction are formed in the housing 10 so as to be aligned vertically and horizontally, and a lance 12 is formed in each cavity 11. In addition, the front end surface of the housing 10 is opened at the front end portion of each cavity 11, and the rear end surface of the housing 10 is opened at the rear end of each cavity 11.

  A pair of left and right symmetrical rib-shaped holding portions 13 are formed on the front end surface of the housing 10 so as to protrude forward in a rib shape along the left and right side edges, and extend linearly in the vertical direction. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the pair of rib-shaped holding portions 13 are provided in the vertical direction in which the inner surfaces facing each other are notched (between the first holding position and the second holding position of the front mask 30). The guide groove 14 extending in a direction parallel to the moving direction of the first guide groove 14 is formed. The lower end of the guide groove 14 is opened to the lower end surface of the rib-shaped holding portion 13 in order to fit a guide rib 33 of the front mask 30 described later.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the pair of rib-shaped holding portions 13 has a first engagement in a form penetrating from the groove bottom surface (inner surface) of the guide groove 14 to the outer surface of the rib-shaped holding portion 13. A concave portion 15 (a locking portion which is a constituent requirement of the present invention) is formed. Similarly, the pair of rib-shaped holding portions 13 has a form penetrating from the groove bottom surface (inner side surface) of the guide groove 14 to the outer side surface of the rib-shaped holding portion 13, and is positioned below the first locking recess 15. A second locking recess 16 is formed. The pair of first locking recesses 15 is bilaterally symmetric and constitutes a pair of semi-locking means 42 for holding the front mask 30 in the first holding position together with a pair of locking projections 34 described later. The pair of second locking recesses 16 are also bilaterally symmetric, and constitute a means for holding the front mask 30 in the second holding position together with the pair of locking protrusions 34.

  Similarly, on the front end surface of the housing 10, a pair of left and right symmetrical positions located at the upper end positions (positions above the rib-shaped holding portion 13) at the left and right side edge portions and on the inner side in the width direction than the rib-shaped holding portion 13. The lock portion 17 is formed. The pair of lock portions 17 are formed with lock recesses 18 in the form of notching the mutually facing inner surfaces. The locking recess 18 is opened in a substantially square shape on the front surface of the locking portion 17. The pair of lock portions 17 together with an elastic lock piece 38 of the front mask 30 described later constitute elastic lock means 43 for holding the front mask 30 in the first holding position.

  The female terminal fitting 20 is elongated in the front-rear direction as a whole, and a substantially front half portion of the female terminal fitting 20 is a rectangular tube portion 21 whose front end is open. Inside the rectangular tube portion 21, the rectangular tube portion 21 is provided from the front. An elastic contact piece 22 that elastically contacts a tab (not shown) of a male terminal fitting (a connection partner of the female terminal fitting 20) that has entered the inside is accommodated. Further, a locking hole 23 for locking the lance 12 is formed in the upper surface wall of the rectangular tube portion 21. A substantially second half portion of the female terminal fitting 20 is an open barrel-shaped electric wire crimping portion 24, and a front end portion of the electric wire 25 is connected to the electric wire crimping portion 24 so as to be conductive by crimping. The female terminal fitting 20 is inserted into the cavity 11 from the rear, and is held in a state where the female terminal fitting 20 is prevented from being pulled out at a normal insertion position by the locking action of the lance 12 and the locking hole 23.

  The front mask 30 as a whole has a substantially flat plate shape perpendicular to the insertion direction of the female terminal fitting 20 into the cavity 11. A plurality of tab insertion holes 31 penetrating in the front-rear direction are formed in the front mask 30 so as to be aligned vertically and horizontally so as to correspond to the cavities 11. In addition, inspection holes 32 that can correspond to the respective cavities 11 are formed in the front mask 30 at positions obliquely above the respective tab insertion holes 31. The front mask 30 constitutes the front wall of the cavity 11 and is assembled to the housing 10 so as to be superimposed on the front end surface thereof.

  The front mask 30 is formed with a pair of guide ribs 33 along the left and right side edges. The pair of guide ribs 33 are bilaterally symmetric and extend in the vertical direction. The pair of guide ribs 33 are formed with locking projections 34 (locking portions that are constituent elements of the present invention) that protrude from the outer surface of the pair of guide ribs 33. The locking projection 34 has a generally triangular shape when viewed from the front, and has a pair of upper and lower tapered surfaces that are inclined with respect to the vertical direction (the moving direction of the front mask 30).

  The front mask 30 is formed with a receiving portion 35 that protrudes upward in a substantially square shape from the upper edge. The receiving portion 35 is disposed at the center position in the left-right direction, and the size in the left-right direction is smaller than the width size of the front mask 30. An upper end surface of the receiving portion 35 is a receiving surface 36 perpendicular to the moving direction of the front mask 30. A pair of stoppers 37 are formed at positions near the upper ends of the left and right side edges of the receiving portion 35. The stopper 37 protrudes further outward in the left-right direction from both left and right ends of the receiving surface 36 at a position lower than the receiving surface 36.

  Further, the front mask 30 is formed with a pair of left and right symmetrical elastic lock pieces 38. The elastic locking piece 38 has a form extending upward from the upper edge of the front mask 30, and the extending direction is opposite to the moving direction of the front mask 30 from the first holding position to the second holding position. Direction. Further, the pair of elastic lock pieces 38 are arranged at positions on both the left and right sides of the receiving portion 35, that is, at a position sandwiching the receiving portion 35 from the left and right. The elastic lock piece 38 can be elastically bent while tilting in the left-right direction (direction intersecting the extending direction of the elastic lock piece 38), that is, in the direction approaching the receiving portion 35, with the lower end portion (base end portion) as a fulcrum. It has become.

  The elastic lock piece 38 is formed with a lock protrusion 39 having a shape in which the outer surface opposite to the receiving portion 35 is projected in a triangular shape. The lock projection 39 is formed with a pair of upper and lower tapered locking surfaces that are inclined with respect to the moving direction of the front mask 30. Further, a pressed surface 40 having a substantially arc shape when viewed from the front is formed at the extending end of the elastic lock piece 38. The pressed surface 40 is smoothly connected to the upper tapered locking surface, and is substantially inclined with respect to the extending direction of the elastic lock piece 38. In the free state in which the elastic lock piece 38 is not elastically bent, the extended end of the elastic lock piece 38 (the upper end of the pressed surface 40) is slightly higher than the receiving surface 36 of the receiving portion 35. That is, the extended end of the elastic lock piece 38 (the upper end of the pressed surface 40) protrudes upward from the receiving surface 36.

  The front mask 30 is assembled to the housing 10 from below by fitting both the guide ribs 33 into the guide groove 14, and the first holding position shown in FIGS. The front end surface of the housing 10 is selectively held at the second holding position shown in FIGS. 3, 7, and 8 below the first holding position, and between the first holding position and the second holding position. It can move up and down along. In a state where the front mask 30 is in the first holding position, the tab insertion hole 31 corresponds to align with the cavity 11, and the tab inserted into the tab insertion hole 31 is inserted into the cavity 11. It can enter into the 20 rectangular tube portions 21 and come into elastic contact with the elastic contact piece 22. On the other hand, when the front mask 30 is in the second holding position, the tab insertion hole 31 is out of the position where it is aligned with the cavity 11, and the inspection hole 32 corresponds to the cavity 11. At this time, either the left or right side edge portion of the rectangular tube portion 21 of the female terminal fitting 20 inserted into the cavity 11 faces (corresponds) to the inspection hole 32.

  The front mask 30 in the first holding position is locked at the first holding position by a locking means 41 including a semi-locking means 42 and an elastic locking means 43. In the semi-lock means 42, a locking action is exhibited by the locking protrusion 34 of the front mask 30 entering the first locking recess 15 of the housing 10. On the other hand, the elastic locking means 43 exerts a locking action by the lock protrusion 39 of the elastic lock piece 38 of the front mask 30 entering the locking recess 18 of the lock portion 17 of the housing 10. The front mask 30 is reliably locked at the first holding position by these two locking actions.

  Further, the front mask 30 at the second holding position is locked at the second holding position by the locking action of the locking projection 34 and the second locking recess 16. In this state, the lock protrusion 39 of the elastic lock piece 38 is dissociated from the lock recess 18 of the lock portion 17, so that the lock function by the elastic lock means 43 is not exhibited.

  The connector A of this embodiment is subjected to a continuity test in the continuity test apparatus B. At this time, the front mask 30 moves between the first holding position and the second holding position. Hereinafter, the movement of the continuity test apparatus B and the front mask 30 associated with the continuity test will be described.

  The continuity inspection apparatus B includes an inspection member 50 and a holding member 55. The inspection member 50 has a fitting recess 51 opened on the rear surface, and a plurality of probes 52 protruding rearward are arranged in the fitting recess 51 so as to be aligned vertically and horizontally so as to correspond to the cavities 11. ing. On the upper edge portion of the opening edge of the fitting recess 51, a descending slope 53 having a downward slope toward the front (back of the fitting recess 51) is formed, and the lower edge portion of the opening edge of the fitting recess 51 is formed. Is formed with a return slope 54 having a downward slope toward the front (back of the fitting recess 51).

  The holding member 55 is moved back and forth between an inspection position (see FIG. 8) where the holding member 55 is fitted into the fitting recess 51 with respect to the inspection member 50 and a standby position (see FIG. 6) where the holding member 55 is separated backward from the inspection member 50. It is designed to move in the direction. The holding member 55 is formed with an accommodation space 56 for accommodating the connector A, and a front wall portion 57 positioned along the front surface of the front mask 30 of the connector A accommodated in the accommodation space 56. In addition, a plurality of guide holes 58 corresponding to the cavities 11 are formed in the front wall portion 57 so as to penetrate in the front-rear direction.

  The holding member 55 is attached with a pressing member 60 for moving the front mask 30 held at the first holding position to the second holding position. The pressing member 60 is provided in a state where it can be moved up and down at a position above the front end of the accommodation space 56 and is urged upward by a return spring 61. In a state where the pressing member 60 stands by at the upper initial position due to the bias, the upper end portion of the pressing member 60 protrudes upward from the upper surface of the holding member 55. Further, the pressing member 60 is provided with a pressing plate portion 62 extending downward. The pressing plate portion 62 has a square shape when viewed from the front, and a lower end surface thereof is a flat pressing surface 63 perpendicular to the moving direction of the front mask 30. The pressing plate portion 62 is positioned directly above the front mask 30 in a state where the connector A is held in the accommodation space 56. In addition, the width dimension of the pressing plate portion 62 is slightly smaller than the distance between the pair of lock portions 17.

  When conducting the continuity test, the connector A is housed in the housing space 56 and the holding member 55 is fitted into the fitting recess 51. In the insertion process, the pressing member 60 slides against the descending slope 53 and descends against the bias of the return spring 61. As the pressing member 60 is lowered, the pressing surface 63 of the pressing plate 62 contacts the pressed surface 40 at the upper end of the pair of elastic locking pieces 38 and presses the elastic locking pieces 38 downward. Then, the elastic lock piece 38 is elastically bent inwardly by the inclination of the pressed surface 40, and the lock protrusion 39 is dissociated from the locking recess 18 by this elastic bending, and the lock by the elastic lock means 43 is released. When the elastic lock piece 38 is disengaged from the lock portion 17, the pressing surface 63 comes into contact with the receiving surface 36 in a surface contact state while pressing the elastic lock piece 38.

  When the holding member 55 is further fitted into the fitting recess 51 from this state, the pressing member 60 is further lowered to push down the front mask 30. At this time, the semi-locked state due to the locking of the locking protrusion 34 and the first locking recess 15 is released by temporarily elastically bending the pair of rib-shaped holding portions 13 so as to expand. When the front mask 30 reaches the second holding position, the rib-like holding portion 13 is elastically restored, the second locking recess 16 is locked to the locking projection 34, and the front mask 30 is moved to the second position by a semi-locking action. It is held in the holding position. Further, when the front mask 30 is lowered to the second holding position, the lower end portion of the front mask 30 protrudes downward from the housing 10 and the front wall portion 57.

  From this state, the fitting of the holding member 55 into the fitting recess 51 further proceeds. In this process, the probe 52 passes through the guide hole 58 and the inspection hole 32 in order and comes into contact with the front end of the rectangular tube portion 21 in the cavity 11. In this way, in a state where the probe 52 and the female terminal fitting 20 are in contact with each other so as to be able to conduct, energization is performed and a conduction inspection is performed.

  When the inspection is completed, the holding member 55 in the fitting recess 51 moves backward. In the process of moving, the pressing member 60 returns upward in accordance with the urging force of the return spring 61, and the front mask 30 held at the second holding position slides the lower end edge thereof against the return slope 54. Is pushed up to the first holding position. At this time, the pair of rib-shaped holding portions 13 is elastically expanded, so that the second locking recess 16 is detached from the locking projection 34. Further, when the front mask 30 moves to the first holding position, the pressing action of the pressing member 60 on the elastic locking piece 38 is released by the upward movement of the pressing member 60, so that the elastic locking piece 38 is elastically restored. The force is elastically restored in the direction away from the receiving portion 35 by the force, and the lock protrusion 39 is engaged with the locking concave portion 18 of the lock portion 17. Further, the locking projection 34 is locked in the first locking recess 15. As a result, the front mask 30 is locked at the first holding position.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, two locking means, the semi-locking means 42 and the elastic locking means 43, are used as means for locking the front mask 30 in the first holding position, so that the front mask 30 is securely attached. It can be locked in the first holding position. Further, when the front mask 30 is moved from the first holding position to the second holding position, the elastic lock piece 38 is elastically displaced and released from the lock portion 17 to release the lock by the elastic lock means 43. If a pressing force toward the second holding position is applied to the front mask 30 in the state, the lock by the semi-locking means 42 is released, and the front mask 30 moves to the second holding position.

  According to the present embodiment, the elastic lock means 43 is used in addition to the semi-lock means 42 as means for holding the front mask 30 in the first holding position. The portion 17 has a feature that not only a highly reliable locking structure can be obtained but also the lock can be released with a force smaller than that of the semi-locking means 42. Therefore, compared with the case where the front mask is held in the first holding position by the two semi-locking means without using the elastic locking means, the pressing force to be applied to the front mask 30 for releasing the lock of the semi-locking means 42 is reduced. And excellent workability.

  In addition, the elastic lock piece 38 extends in a cantilevered manner toward the outer surface of the housing 10 and is released from the lock portion 17 by elastically bending in a direction intersecting with the extending direction. In addition, a pressed surface 40 that is inclined with respect to the extending direction of the elastic lock piece 38 is formed at the extended end of the elastic lock piece 38. Accordingly, when a pressing force substantially opposite to the extending direction of the elastic lock piece 38 is applied to the pressed surface 40 of the elastic lock piece 38, the elastic lock piece 38 is detached from the lock portion 17. Elastically bends. In this way, the lock release by the elastic lock piece 38 can be performed by pushing from the outer surface side of the housing 10, so that workability is good.

  Further, the elastic lock piece 38 is provided on the front mask 30, and the extending direction of the elastic lock piece 38 is set to be approximately the same as the direction from the second holding position toward the first holding position of the front mask 30. As a result, when the pressing force is applied to the extending end of the elastic locking piece 38 and the elastic locking piece 38 is disengaged from the locking portion 17 and the pressing force continues to be applied, the lock by the semi-locking means 42 is released. Then, the front mask 30 moves to the second holding position. Thus, the work of releasing the lock by the elastic lock piece 38 and the work of moving the front mask 30 to the second holding position can be performed with one action, so the workability is good.

Further, since the front mask 30 is formed with a receiving portion 35 that receives the pressing force from the pressing member 60 in a state where the elastic locking piece 38 is disengaged from the locking portion 17 by the pressing of the pressing member 60, the pressing member 60 is formed. It is possible to avoid stress concentration on the elastic lock piece 38 due to the application of the pressing force from.
Further, the front mask 30 is formed with a stopper 37 that abuts the elastic lock piece 38 when the elastic lock piece 38 is elastically bent in the direction of disengagement from the lock portion 17. Therefore, there is no possibility that the elastic lock piece 38 will bend excessively beyond its elastic limit.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the above description and drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.
(1) The elastic lock piece is not limited to a form extending in a cantilever form, but may be a bridge form having both ends supported by a housing or a front mask.
(2) The elastic lock piece may be provided on the housing without being provided on the front mask.
(3) The elastic lock piece may not be in a form that cantilevered toward the outer surface of the housing, but may be in a form that cantilevered in a direction different from the outer surface of the housing.
(4) The extending direction of the elastic lock piece may be substantially opposite to the direction toward the outer surface of the housing.
(5) The extending direction of the elastic lock piece may be substantially the same as the moving direction from the first holding position of the front mask to the second holding position, and the first holding position and the second holding position of the front mask. It may be a direction that intersects the direction of movement between and.
(6) The means for moving the front mask from the first holding position to the second holding position is not limited to the pressing member in the continuity testing device, and a pressing member provided in another device or apparatus may be used. You may make it push a front mask with an operator's hand.
(7) The receiving portion that receives the pressing force from the pressing member is not formed on the front mask, and the front mask is pressed from the first holding position to the second holding position in a state where the pressing member presses only the extended end of the elastic lock piece. You may make it move to.
(8) The stopper may be formed in a part different from the receiving part.
(9) The receiving portion is not limited to a form sandwiched between the pair of elastic lock pieces, and may be a form not sandwiched between the pair of elastic lock pieces.
(10) The contact area of the pressing member in the receiving portion is not limited to a flat surface, and may be in a point contact or line contact with the pressing member.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a state in which the front mask is held at the first holding position in the first embodiment. Partially cutaway front view showing a state where the lock by the elastic locking means is released by the pressing force of the pressing member Partially cutaway front view showing a state in which the front mask is moved to the second holding position by the pressing action of the pressing member. Front view of housing with front mask removed Front view of front mask Sectional drawing showing the state by which the front mask is hold | maintained in the 1st holding | maintenance position in the state before a continuity test is started after a connector is attached. Sectional drawing showing the state which the front mask moved to the 2nd holding position by the press action of a press member in a continuity inspection apparatus. Sectional view showing the state where continuity inspection is performed Sectional drawing showing the state where the front mask has moved back to the first holding position after the continuity test Partially cutaway front view showing a state in which the front mask is held at the first holding position in the conventional example. Partially cutaway front view showing a state in which the front mask has moved to the second holding position in the conventional example.

Explanation of symbols

A ... Connector 10 ... Housing 11 ... Cavity 15 ... First locking recess (locking portion)
17 ... Lock part 20 ... Female terminal fitting 30 ... Front mask 31 ... Tab insertion hole 34 ... Locking protrusion (locking part)
35 ... receiving portion 37 ... stopper 38 ... elastic locking piece 40 ... pressed surface 41 ... locking means 42 ... semi-locking means 43 ... elastic locking means B ... conduction detecting device (equipment)
60 ... Pressing member

Claims (5)

A housing having a plurality of cavities;
A female terminal fitting inserted into the cavity;
A plate-like front mask that has a tab insertion hole and is attached to the front surface of the housing to form the front wall of the cavity;
The front mask is located along a front surface of the housing between a first holding position where the tab insertion hole corresponds to the cavity and a second holding position where the tab insertion hole is displaced with respect to the cavity. Can move,
In the connector, wherein the front mask is held in the first holding position by a locking means,
The locking means is
The housing and the front mask are provided with a pair of locking portions that can be locked to each other, and at least one of the pair of locking portions is inclined with respect to the moving direction of the front mask. Semi-locking means,
An elastic locking means provided on the housing and the front mask so as to be able to be engaged with each other, and comprising a lock portion and an elastic lock piece that is elastically displaceable from a state of being locked to the lock portion to a state of being disengaged from the lock portion. The connector characterized by comprising. The elastic lock piece extends in a cantilevered manner toward the outer surface of the housing, and is elastically bent in a direction crossing the extending direction so as to be dissociated from the lock portion. ,
The connector according to claim 1, wherein a pressed surface that is inclined with respect to an extending direction of the flexible lock piece is formed at an extended end portion of the elastic lock piece. The elastic lock piece is provided on the front mask;
3. The connector according to claim 2, wherein an extending direction of the bending lock piece is substantially the same as a direction from the second holding position of the front mask toward the first holding position. The pressed surface of the elastic lock piece is adapted to receive a pressing force from a pressing member of the device,
The receiving part which receives the pressing force from the said pressing member in the state which the said elastic lock piece dissociated from the said locking part by the pressing of the said pressing member is formed in the said front mask. The connector described.   The front mask is formed with a stopper for restricting the elastic lock piece from being excessively bent beyond its elastic limit when the elastic lock piece is elastically bent in a direction to be detached from the lock portion. The connector according to claim 3 or 4, characterized by the above.

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