JP2011034702A - Electrical connector assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electrical connector assembly formed of a cable side connector and a receptacle connector, wherein the cable side connector facilitates insertion of a terminal into a housing and has a lance for increasing an engagement amount with the terminal, after fitted to the receptacle terminal. <P>SOLUTION: The lance 19 is arranged on the outer wall of the housing 11 of the cable side connector 10 and is positioned to be pressed by a corresponding part of the receptacle connector 50, in a state that the connector is fitted. The lance 19 and the corresponding part press to each other, at regular fitting positions of both of the connectors. When the lance 19 is bent elastically and displaced by pressing force from the corresponding part, a locking amount of a locking part 19B to the terminal increases as compared to prior to the connector s fitted. Both of the connectors 10, 50 include position maintaining means 22A, 60 for maintaining the locking position of the lance 19. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrical connector assembly including a cable-side connector having terminals to which a cable is connected and a receptacle connector into which the cable-side connector is fitted.

  As such an electrical connector assembly, for example, one disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known. In Patent Document 1, a cable-side connector has a terminal in which a cable is crimped and connected, and is inserted into a housing terminal accommodating portion toward the front opposite to the cable extending direction, and the terminal has a tongue-shaped lance. Is provided. The lance can be elastically deflected and displaced, and in the process of inserting the terminal into the terminal accommodating portion, the lance is pressed by the housing and bent, whereby the terminal can be inserted into a predetermined position. When the terminal is inserted into a predetermined position, the lance is positioned at the notch of the housing, released from the elastic deflection, returns to the free state, and is locked to the edge of the notch. Thus, the terminal is prevented from coming off even if a tensile force acts on the terminal cable.

  Such a cable side connector is fitted to the mating connector facing forward. Both the connectors are prevented from coming off by the protrusions and the locking arms that are engaged with each other.

  The lance of the cable side connector is in the space of the cutout portion of the housing, and even if the cable side connector is fitted to the mating connector, it remains in a free state and the amount of engagement with the edge portion does not change. . That is, the locking amount of the lance is the same before and after the connector is fitted.

  The cable-side connector in Patent Document 1 is fitted to the mating connector in the direction opposite to the cable extension direction, that is, in the direction parallel to the front, but in Patent Document 2, the cable-side connector is connected to the cable. Discloses a connector assembly that is fitted to a mating connector in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction. Also in this patent document 2, the amount of engagement with the housing of the lance provided on the terminal is the same without changing before and after the connector is fitted.

JP 2000-123912 A JP2007-149615

  In order to ensure the prevention of terminal detachment, it is preferable that the amount of locking of the lance with respect to the housing is sufficiently large so that the lance does not come off even when a large tensile force acts on the cable when the connector is used. .

  However, in the cable side connectors of Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2, the lance locking amount is always the same regardless of whether the connector is fitted or not. Therefore, in order to increase the locking amount of the lance when the connector is used, that is, after the connector is fitted to the mating connector, from the beginning, that is, after the terminal is inserted into the housing of the cable side connector. Therefore, before the cable-side connector is fitted to the mating connector, the amount of locking must already be large. For this purpose, it means that the lance must be elastically deflected and displaced by being pressed by the housing in the process of inserting the terminal into the terminal accommodating portion of the housing of the cable side connector. When this elastic deflection displacement is increased, excessive stress is generated in the lance, which may cause plastic deformation or breakage of the lance. Also, in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, the lance is provided on a terminal made of a metal plate, and its thickness is the same as the other part of the terminal, and in many cases it is made thin. It's not so strong.

  In view of such circumstances, the present invention provides a receptacle connector that is a mating connector, because the locking amount of the lance provided on the terminal of the cable-side connector is not so large in the insertion state of the terminal in the housing, and can be easily inserted. It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector assembly that increases the amount of locking and secures locking after fitting.

  An electrical connector assembly according to the present invention includes a cable side connector having a terminal to which a front end of a cable is connected, and a receptacle connector to which the cable side connector is fitted, and the housing of the cable side connector has a terminal. A terminal accommodating portion for insertion toward the front is formed, and a lance for preventing the terminal from moving backward after the insertion is provided, and the lance is formed in a flexible arm shape with respect to the terminal. It has a locking portion and is pressed by the terminal in the process of inserting the terminal into the terminal accommodating portion, and is elastically deflected and displaced in a direction perpendicular to the terminal insertion direction to allow insertion of the terminal.

  In such an electrical connector assembly, according to the present invention, the lance is provided on the outer wall of the cable-side connector housing and is positioned so as to be pressed by the corresponding portion of the receptacle connector in the connector-fitted state. The parts are pressed against each other at the proper mating position of both connectors, and the lance is elastically deflected and displaced by the pressing force from the corresponding part, so that the amount of latching of the latching part with respect to the terminal is compared with that before connector mating. Both connectors are characterized in that both connectors have position maintaining means for maintaining the locking position of the lance.

  In the present invention having such a configuration, the lance is incorporated and functions as follows.

<Before connector mating>
Insertion of the terminal to which the cable is connected into the cable-side connector is performed before fitting with the receptacle connector. The terminal is inserted into a terminal accommodating portion formed in the housing of the cable side connector. A lance is formed in the housing, and the terminal can be inserted to a predetermined insertion position by pressing the lance to cause an elastic bending displacement in the insertion process. At a predetermined insertion position, the lance returns to the free state and is locked to the terminal to prevent the terminal from coming off. When this terminal is inserted, the amount of elastic deflection displacement of the lance need not be so large. Since it is still before the connector is fitted, that is, before the connector is used, it is sufficient that the so-called temporarily fixed state is maintained so that the terminal does not come off even if some external force acts on the cable.

<When connector mating is completed>
When the cable-side connector is fitted to the receptacle connector as the mating connector to a predetermined position, the lance of the cable-side connector is subjected to a pressing force by the corresponding portion of the receptacle connector as the mating connector and is elastically deformed, and the The stopping amount increases. Since both connectors have position maintaining means for maintaining the predetermined position, the increased locking amount is maintained as it is, and locking of the lance to the terminal is further ensured.

  In such an electrical connector assembly of the present invention, since the lance formed in the cable side connector housing is before fitting the two connectors when the terminals are inserted into the housing, the terminals are temporarily held by the lance. It is only necessary to secure a small locking amount, and the displacement amount of the lance when pressed against the terminal is small, so that the terminal can be easily inserted. However, after the two connectors are fitted, the lance is pressed by the corresponding portion of the receptacle connector to cause elastic bending, and the amount of locking increases and is maintained as it is. Since the lance is formed in the housing of the cable-side connector, unlike the case where it is formed in the terminal, dimensions such as width and thickness can be freely set, and the locking area and strength of the lance can be sufficiently secured.

  In the present invention, the cable side connector and the receptacle connector are adapted to be fitted in the direction of elastic deformation of the lance, and the position maintaining means includes a locking projection provided on one of the two connectors and the other. And a locking portion provided with a locking claw portion that is locked to the locking protrusion.

  In this embodiment, the connectors are fitted in the elastic deflection displacement direction of the lance, that is, in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the lance extends. Therefore, the lance receives a pressing force from the corresponding portion without friction with the corresponding portion of the receptacle connector as the mating connector when the connector is fitted. When the lance is elastically bent by a predetermined amount at the mating position to increase the amount of locking with the terminal, the locking projection as the position maintaining means and the locking claw lock each other, preventing the connector from coming off. Thus, the increased amount of locking is maintained as it is.

  In the present invention, the cable side connector and the receptacle connector are fitted in the extending direction of the lance, and the position maintaining means is a wall of the cable side connector and the receptacle connector that abut each other in the elastic displacement direction of the lance. It can be made to be formed with a part.

  The fact that the cable side connector is fitted to the receptacle connector in the extending direction of the lance means that the receptacle connector is provided with wall portions at positions on both sides with respect to the cable side connector in the elastic deflection displacement direction of the lance. That is. One wall portion is formed with a corresponding portion that applies a pressing force to the lance, and the other wall portion restricts the movement of the cable-side connector that receives the pressing force. Therefore, both of these wall portions function as position maintaining means. In such a configuration, in the process in which the cable-side connector is fitted to the receptacle connector, the lance moves while sliding in contact with the corresponding portion formed on the one wall, and receives a pressing force in a direction perpendicular to the fitting direction. Thus, the amount of engagement with the terminal is increased by elastic deformation. And the state is maintained by the position maintaining means.

  In the present invention, either one of the lance and the corresponding portion may have a protrusion, and the other may press the protrusion. For example, a flat pressing surface may be formed.

  As described above, according to the present invention, when the lance for preventing the terminal from coming off is provided in the housing of the cable-side connector, and the mating with the receptacle connector as the mating connector, the locking amount of the lance with respect to the terminal can be increased. Since it is possible, the locking ability of the lance can be increased, and the size of the lance can be set freely, so that the strength can be improved. Furthermore, before the connector is fitted, that is, when the terminal is inserted into the cable-side connector, the amount of locking of the lance with respect to the terminal can be set small, so that the amount of elastic deflection displacement of the lance during the terminal insertion process is kept small. It is possible to prevent the lance from being damaged without causing excessive stress to the lance when the terminal is inserted.

It is sectional drawing in the lance extension direction about the cable side connector and receptacle connector of 1st embodiment of this invention, (A) shows before fitting of both connectors, (B) shows after fitting. It is a bottom view of only the cable side connector of FIG. It is sectional drawing in the position (III-III in FIG. 1 (A)) of the terminal contact part in the surface at right angles to the lance extension direction about the connector of FIG. 1, (A) is before fitting of both connectors, (B) shows after fitting. It is sectional drawing in the lance extension direction about the cable side connector and receptacle connector of 2nd embodiment, (A) shows before fitting of both connectors, (B) shows after fitting. It is sectional drawing in the lance extension direction about the cable side connector and receptacle connector of 3rd embodiment, (A) shows before fitting of both connectors, (B) shows after fitting.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<First embodiment>
1 to 3 show a first embodiment, in which a reference numeral 10 denotes a cable-side connector, and the cable-side connector 10 is fitted into a receptacle connector 50 as a mating connector and is electrically connected to each other. The

  The cable-side connector 10 has a housing 11 made of an electrically insulating material whose outer shape is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped, and holds a terminal 30 to which a cable C is connected in a terminal hole 14 as a terminal accommodating portion formed in the housing 11. ing. In the present embodiment, two terminal holes 14 are formed in the housing 11, and a terminal 30 is held in each terminal hole 14, and the rear end wall 12 of the housing 11 (leftward in FIG. 1). Cables C connected to the respective terminals 30 extend rearward from the opening 13 formed at the rear.

  As can be seen in FIGS. 1A and 3A, in this embodiment, the terminal 30 is a crimp terminal. However, in the present invention, the terminal is not limited to a crimp terminal, and may be a terminal connected by other methods such as a pressure connection or a solder connection. The terminal 30 is made by molding and bending a metal plate, and forms a pair from a strip-shaped flat plate portion 31 (see also FIG. 3A) forming a back portion and both side edges of the flat plate portion 31. A holding piece 32, a pressing piece 33, a locking piece 34, and a contact piece 35 extending downward are sequentially provided from the rear position to the front position. The cable C connected to the terminal 30 has the outer skin C1 removed at the front end, and the core wire C2 is exposed. The pair of holding pieces 32 of the terminal 30 are bent so as to tighten the outer cover C1 of the cable C to hold the cable C, and the pair of crimping pieces 33 are bent so as to tighten the core wire C2, and the core wire C2 is The crimping piece 33 is crimped and connected. Thus, a terminal with a cable is formed. The pair of locking pieces 34 are in front of the front end of the core wire C2, are bent so that the lower end edges face each other, and the rear edges are formed in a housing described later in a range wider than the thickness of the metal plate. The rear end of the terminal with cable is prevented by locking the lance toward the rear. The pair of contact pieces 35 has a constricted throat-like portion 35A at an intermediate position in the extending direction (downward in FIG. 2), and the plate shape of the receptacle connector 50 that enters between the pair of contact pieces 35 from below. These terminals are clamped by the throat portion 35A so as to come into contact with the terminals of the receptacle connector 50.

  As shown in FIG. 1A, the housing 11 is formed with a terminal hole 14 extending forward from the opening 13 in order to insert the terminal 30 to which the cable C is connected from the rear in the cable longitudinal direction. The terminal hole 14 penetrates and opens through the front end wall 15 and also opens downward in the bottom wall 16 at the front portion of the housing 11, and the terminal entrance slit 17 is formed near the front end wall surface 15. The locking hole 18 is formed at the rear side. The end wall 15 located at the front end of the terminal hole 14 has edge portions facing the front end edge of the terminal 30 on both sides of the slit, and the edge portion restricts the forward movement of the terminal. The terminal entry slit 17 has a width slightly larger than the thickness of the plate-like terminal of the receptacle connector 50 as the mating connector from below (the slit width in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 1A). Is forming. Further, the locking hole 18 adjacent to the terminal entry slit 17 behind the terminal entry slit 17 is formed to have a larger width in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. Thus, the pair of locking pieces 34 of the terminal 30 can enter from above. A lance 19 is provided in the rear wall of the bottom wall 16 of the housing 11 with respect to the locking hole 18. The lance 19 extends forward from the position between the rear edge of the locking hole 18 and the rear end of the housing 11 in the front-rear direction, as can be seen in FIG. Thus, the U-shaped groove 19 </ b> A communicating with the locking hole 18 is formed in an arm shape as an inner region. Therefore, the front end of the lance 19 is a free end and forms the rear edge of the locking hole 18. The lance 19 has elasticity so that it can be elastically bent and displaced in the vertical direction, and the amount of displacement at the time of elastic bending at the free end is maximum. As shown in FIG. 1A, the lance 19 has a large thickness at the front end portion, and the front end surface is a surface for locking with the rear end edge of the locking piece 34 of the terminal 30. A locking portion 19B is formed. Further, a projection 19C is provided on the lower surface side of the front end portion of the lance 19, and the lower surface of the projection 19C forms a surface to be inclined downward and forms a pressure-receiving surface 19D. Such a lance 19 is formed in each locking hole 18 at a position corresponding to the bottom wall 16 of the locking hole 18.

  When the cable-side connector 10 is fitted into a later-described receptacle connector 50, the pressure-receiving surface 19D is pressed against a corresponding portion of the receptacle connector 50, and the lance 19 is elastically displaced upward. The pressure surface 19D is inclined as described above in a free state so that the pressure surface 19D can be in close contact with the corresponding portion. Further, the upper surface of the front end portion of the lance 19 has a protruding portion 19E.

  The locking portion 19B, which is the front end surface of the lance 19 that forms the rear end of the locking hole 18, faces the locking piece 34 and prevents the terminal 30 from retreating in the free state of the lance 19. When the terminal 30 is inserted into the terminal hole 14, the terminal 30 presses the lance 19 downward and elastically displaces the terminal 30 so that the terminal 30 can be moved forward. When the position of the stop hole 18 is reached, it is possible to engage with the engaging portion 19B of the lance 19 from which the elastic deflection displacement has been released.

  The housing 11 has a lifting piece 23 for lifting the front end as an extension of the upper wall at the front end.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3A, the housing 11 includes a receptacle connector 50 in which a side wall portion 20 forms a peripheral wall surface together with the rear and front end wall portions 12 and 15, and an outer peripheral surface thereof is a mating connector. And a fitting surface to be fitted. The side wall surface 20 is provided with a guided projection 21 at the rear position and a locking portion 22 at the front lower edge position.

  The locking portion 22 has a locking claw portion 22 </ b> A that is formed as a part of the side wall portion 20 of the housing 11 and extends forward and backward at the lower end thereof. The locking portion 22 is formed with taper portions 22B and 22C at its upper and lower edges for facilitating locking and release with a locking protrusion, which will be described later, when mating with the mating connector. ing. The locking portion 22 has the above-described terminal entry slit 17 and the locking hole 18 communicating therewith formed in the bottom wall 16 of the housing 11, so that the side wall portion 20 of the housing 11 itself or the side wall of the mating connector is formed. Due to this elastic displacement, it is possible to elastically displace in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the side wall portion 20.

  The housing 51 of the receptacle connector 50 that receives the cable-side connector 10 has a recess 52 formed by a peripheral wall and a bottom wall as a space for receiving the connector (see FIGS. 1A and 3A). ). The peripheral wall of the housing 51 has a pair of parallel side walls 53, a front end wall 54 and a rear end wall 55. The bottom wall 56 connected to the lower part of the peripheral wall is formed with a bottom notch 56A opened rearward at the rear part. A rear notch 55A is also formed in the rear end wall 55 so as to communicate with the bottom notch 56A, and the rear end wall 55 is partially provided on the side wall 53 side. The rear notch 55A forms a space for the cable C extending rearward from the cable-side connector 10 when the cable-side connector 10 is fitted to the receptacle connector 50.

  The bottom wall 56 of the receptacle connector 50 has a flat upper surface, and when the cable-side connector 10 is brought into the final mating position on the receptacle connector 50, the lance 19 of the cable-side connector 10 has a flat surface. The pressure surface 19D, which is the lower surface of the protrusion 19C, is pressed and elastically displaced to displace the lance 19, so that the upper surface of the bottom wall 56 is in contact with the rear surface of the lance 19. The corresponding portion is formed by a flat surface that presses the protrusion 19C.

  Locks formed on the front inner surfaces of the pair of side walls 53 of the housing 51 over the same length in the front-rear direction as the lock claws 22A of the lock portions 22 formed on the housing 11 of the cable-side connector 10. A protrusion 60 is provided (see FIG. 3A). When the cable-side connector 10 is fitted to the receptacle connector 50, the locking protrusion 60 engages with the locking claw portion 22A of the cable-side connector 10. In the fitting process, the locking claw 22A formed on the locking portion 22 of the cable-side connector 10 is pressed against the locking protrusion 60, and the locking portion 22 or the side wall of the receptacle connector is elastically displaced. Thus, the locking claw 22A gets over the locking projection 60 and is brought to the final fitting position. As with the locking portion 22, the locking protrusion 60 is tapered at the upper and lower edges, as shown in FIG. 3, to facilitate locking and release with the locking portion 22. A portion 60A and a tapered portion 60B are formed.

  The side wall 53 is formed with a guide groove 57 at a rear position of a side wall surface (inner surface) 53A facing inward of the recess 52. The guide groove portion 57 is formed so as to sunk between the groove portion front edge 57A and the groove portion rear edge 57B and open in the vertical direction. The groove rear edge 57B of the guide groove 57 has a guide inclined portion 57B-1 inclined forward and downward from an upper entrance of the guide groove 57, and a vertical portion 57B-2 located below the guide inclined portion 57B-1.

  As shown in FIGS. 1A and 3A, the receptacle connector 50 is provided with two terminals 61 on the inner surface side of the front end wall 54 thereof. The terminal 61 is made of a metal plate having a plate shape extending in a plane including both the front-rear direction and the fitting direction of the connector, and is integrally formed with the bottom wall 56 of the housing 51 and the front end when the housing 51 is molded. Although it is supported by the wall 54, it may be supported by being press-fitted into the housing 51. The terminal 61 has a tapered portion 61 </ b> A at the upper edge so as to facilitate entry between the pair of contact pieces 35 provided on the terminal 30 of the cable connector 10.

  Next, the manufacturing and usage procedure of the electrical connector assembly including the cable-side connector 10 and the receptacle connector 50 will be described.

  (1) First, the terminal 30 to which the cable is crimped is inserted into the housing 11 of the cable-side connector 10. The terminal 30 is inserted into the terminal hole 14 of the housing 11 from the rear to the front. In the insertion process, the lower edge of the locking piece 34 provided at the front portion of the terminal 30 presses the protruding portion 19E on the upper surface of the front end portion of the lance 19 downward, and the lance 19 is elastically deflected downward to displace the terminal. The terminal 30 is brought into a predetermined advance position with its front end abutting against the front end wall surface 15 of the housing. When the terminal 30 is in this advanced position, the locking piece 34 of the terminal 30 has already advanced to the position of the locking hole 18 in front of the lance 19, and the lance 19 is pressed from the locking piece 34. It has been returned to a free state, and the rear end edge of the locking piece 34 is in a position where it can be locked rearward with the locking portion 19B as the front end surface of the lance 19 (see FIG. (A)). ). Thus, even if the cable C is pulled backward with some force, the terminal 30 does not come out.

  (2) In this way, the cable-side connector 10 to which the terminal 30 to which the cable C is connected is inserted is brought to a position above the receptacle connector 50 mounted on a circuit board (not shown) (see FIG. 1 (see (A)).

  (3) The outer peripheral surface of the housing 11 of the cable-side connector 10 forms a fitting surface as described above, and the housing 11 is received in the recess 52 of the housing 51 of the receptacle connector 50, and the fitting proceeds. To do. As the fitting proceeds, the plate-like terminal 61 of the receptacle connector 50 enters the throat 35A formed by the pair of contact pieces 35 of the terminal 30 of the cable-side connector 10, and is clamped by the throat 35A. 30 and the terminal 61 are electrically connected. At the same time, the lance 19 of the cable-side connector 10 starts to contact the corresponding portion of the bottom wall 56 of the housing 51 of the receptacle connector 50 with the pressure-receiving portion 19D which is the lower surface of the projection 19C. Upon receiving the pressing force from the corresponding portion of the wall 56, the elastic member is elastically displaced and displaced. When the fitting is completed, the locking portion 19B which is the front end surface of the projection 19C of the lance 19 is more than the locking piece of the terminal 30. 34 is increased (see FIG. 1B).

  (4) When the engagement is completed, the locking claw portion 22A of the cable-side connector 10 gets over the locking projection 60 of the receptacle connector 50 due to the elastic displacement of the locking portion 22, and then the locking portion 22 or the receptacle connector When the side wall is returned to the free state, it engages with the engaging projection 60 (see FIG. 3B). By this locking, the fitting completion state is maintained, and the lance 19 maintains its position while increasing the locking amount with the terminal 30.

  In this embodiment, as seen in FIG. 1, the lance 19 of the cable-side connector 10 has a protrusion 19 </ b> C, and the corresponding portion of the receptacle connector 50 that presses the protrusion 19 </ b> C when the connector is fitted is the housing 51. Although the bottom wall 56 is formed as an upper surface having a flat surface, the positional relationship between the protrusion and the flat surface may be reversed.

  In the form shown in FIG. 4, the pressure-receiving surface 19 </ b> D formed by the lower surface of the front end portion of the lance 19 of the cable-side connector 10 is a flat surface. On the other hand, the bottom wall 56 of the housing 51 of the receptacle connector 50 has a protrusion 56B on its upper surface, and forms a corresponding portion with the upper surface of the protrusion 56B as a pressing surface.

  Also in this embodiment, after the connector is fitted, the amount of engagement between the lance 19 and the terminal 30 is equal to the amount of protrusion of the protrusion 56B (the amount of protrusion from the upper surface of the bottom wall 56) compared to before the connection. Increase.

<Second embodiment>
In the form shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the cable-side connector is fitted to the receptacle connector in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the lance extends. In the fitting process, the lance is accompanied by friction due to sliding contact with the receptacle connector. However, both connectors required a locking protrusion and a locking claw as a position maintaining means for maintaining the fitting completion position. The present invention is not limited to such a form, and the cable-side connector may be fitted to the receptacle connector in the extending direction of the lance. In such a form, the position maintaining means does not need to be provided as a special locking projection or locking claw, and the fitting surfaces of the housings of both connectors function as the position maintaining means.

  In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the cable-side connector 10 itself is exactly the same as that in the first embodiment, but the receptacle connector 50 has a cylindrical body whose housing 51 opens rearward (leftward). There is a feature in that.

  In FIG. 5, the housing 51 of the receptacle connector 50 has a top wall 56 'opposite to and parallel to the bottom wall 56, and an opening 51A is formed in the rear, and the cylinder is opened to the left as a whole. It has a shape. The upper surface of the bottom wall 56 and the lower surface of the upper wall 56 ′ are parallel, and the distance between them is the distance between the upper surface and the lower surface of the housing 11 that are parallel to each other, excluding the protrusion 19 C of the lance 19 of the cable side connector 10. Almost equal.

  In use, the cable-side connector 10 is inserted into the receptacle connector 50 from the opening 51A as shown in FIG. From the start of insertion, the projection 19C of the lance 19 is pressed by the upper surface of the bottom wall 56 of the housing 51 of the receptacle connector 50 at the pressure-receiving surface 19D, and the lance 19 is elastically displaced upwards, The cable-side connector 10 moves forward with a frictional force between the pressed surface 19D and the upper surface of the bottom wall 56. The position where the front end of the cable-side connector 10 abuts the front end wall 54 of the receptacle connector is a predetermined insertion position of the cable-side connector 10. At this position, both connectors are formed on the cable-side connector 10 corresponding to the protrusion 60. The locking portions are locked to each other, so that the removal is prevented.

  The lance 19 has a constant amount of displacement from the start of insertion until the completion of insertion, that is, increased compared to the amount of engagement with the terminal 30 of the lance 19 in a free state before insertion. The amount of locking is maintained. Since the cable-side connector 10 is regulated in the vertical direction from bottom to bottom by the bottom wall 56 and the top wall 56 ′ of the receptacle connector 50, the displacement amount of the lance 19, that is, the increased locking amount with respect to the terminal 30 is the bottom wall 56. The upper wall 56 'functions as a position maintaining means and is maintained as it is.

10 Cable side connector 22A Position maintenance means (locking claw part)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Housing 30 Terminal 14 Terminal accommodating part (terminal hole) 56 Position maintenance means (bottom wall), pressing surface 19 Lance 56 'Position maintenance means (upper wall)
19B Locking part 60 Position maintaining means (locking protrusion)
19C protrusion

Claims (4)

A cable-side connector having a terminal to which the front end of the cable is connected and a receptacle connector to which the cable-side connector is fitted, and the housing of the cable-side connector accommodates a terminal for inserting the terminal forward And a lance that prevents the terminal from moving backward after insertion, and the lance is formed in a flexible arm shape and has a locking portion for the terminal and the terminal. In the electrical connector assembly that allows the insertion of the terminal by being elastically deflected and displaced in a direction perpendicular to the terminal insertion direction by being pressed by the terminal in the process of inserting the terminal into the housing portion,
The lance is provided on the outer wall of the housing of the cable-side connector and is positioned so as to be pressed by the corresponding portion of the receptacle connector in the connector-fitted state. The lances are pressed against each other, and the lance is elastically deflected and displaced by the pressing force from the corresponding portion, so that the amount of locking of the locking portion with respect to the terminal is increased as compared with that before connector fitting. An electrical connector assembly comprising position maintaining means for maintaining the locking position of the lance.   The cable side connector and the receptacle connector are adapted to be fitted in the elastic deflection displacement direction of the lance, and the position maintaining means is provided on the locking projection provided on one connector of both connectors and the other connector. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein the electrical connector assembly is formed by a locking portion including a locking claw portion that is locked to the locking projection.   The cable side connector and the receptacle connector are fitted in the extending direction of the lance, and the position maintaining means is formed by the cable side connector and the wall of the receptacle connector that abut each other in the elastic displacement direction of the lance. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 1.   2. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein one of the lance and the corresponding portion has a protrusion, and the other forms a pressing surface that presses the protrusion.

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